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we've achieved our fifth-consecutive Magnet designation for nursing excellence.
& World Report has named us one of America's Best Hospitals.
Guided Systems, as well as Advance Practice Nurses.
diverse, fast paced environment with optimum opportunities for learning.
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Have just had my second abs pump/module fitted same as yourself pump running all the time even with keys out of car, first time was in warranty but has cost €1600 this time round. Funny dealership has never seen this fault before and I have had it twice. Car is 2007 with 66800km on the clock.
Thanks for the reply.Rang parts today €129 plus vat for the housing parts, expensive for a plastic housing?
Hi have noticed coolant level dropping in car for a few day. Traced leak to the thermostat but even after replacing thermostat and seal is still dripping around the area . Wondering has anybody else had a problem with a leak around this area and could it be the housing itself is at fault?
hi new to the site own a ford s max 2007. |
I should know better, of course… and I also shouldn't have been surprised when it happened. But I was.
When I saw the email from Google Webmaster, I thought…non I have not been hacked. No way.
So, I had to check it out for myself. The site wasn't just hacked, the entire site was no longer showing up.
I spent quite a while going through files and checking the database. Finally, after 2 hours, I found the last bit of malicious code lurking, and got it back up! So, everything's working and secure again.
Let this be a warning to you. If you don't update WordPress, you could end up getting hacked. In addition to bringing your website down, it could also negatively affect your search engine rankings. |
Australia's New Energy Paradigm
Multi-Gun Valve
Pre-Engineered Robotic Welding Cells
Renewable Energy Policy Review Required
Ram Position Sensors
Flange-Spreading Wedges
LADWP Harnesses LMS100 to Solve Once-Through Cooling Dilemma
Electronic Voltage Detector
Varnish Removal System
THE BIG PICTURE: Power Accident Impacts
OTEC Gets Boost with Possibility of 10-MW Plant in China
A 10-MW ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) pilot plant is being planned off the coast of southern China by global security and aerospace firm Lockheed Martin and Beijing-based cleantech firm the Reignwood Group. The companies announced an agreement in mid-April to develop the pilot plant to fully power a planned resort community, and if it comes to fruition, the project could pave the way for more efficient and cheaper plant designs using the technology.
OTEC plants generally generate electricity by exploiting the ocean's thermal gradients—temperature differences of 36F or more between warm surface water and cold deep seawater—to drive a power-producing cycle. According to the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), 23 million square miles of tropical seas absorb an amount of solar radiation equal in heat content to about 250 billion barrels of oil—a tenth of which could supply 20 times the power needs of the entire U.S. on any given day.
The possibilities offered by OTEC have been considered for more than a century. The technology was first proposed as far back as 1881 by a French physicist, and several prototypes have been tested intermittently since the first experimental 22-kW low-pressure turbine was deployed in 1930. In the 1990s, the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research operated a 210-kW open-cycle OTEC plant at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii (Figure 3), and India unsuccessfully tested a floating 1-MW floating OTEC plant near Tamil Nadu in 2002. No commercial plants exist, however, Lockheed Martin's own history with OTEC began in 1970s, when it developed a floating mini-OTEC plant (50 kW) that ran for three months. In 2007, Lockheed began developing specialized composite piping for obtaining cold water using a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). And in 2009, following a $8.1 million contract with the U.S. Navy, the company continued to develop a 10-MW OTEC pilot plant in Hawaii, which included creating a robust interface between the platform and cold water piping. That project was apparently cancelled after the Navy deemed the project too costly.
3. A hot-and-cold reality. Lockheed Martin and the Beijing-based Reignwood Group have agreed to develop a 10-MW ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) plant that would exploit the ocean's thermal gradients to fully power a new resort community in southern China. Conceptualized in the 1880s, OTEC's many benefits are shadowed by the high costs and risks associated with seawater systems. This image shows researchers laying a cold-water pipe at Keahole Point, Hawaii, in the early 1990s. The pipe supplied cold water for an OTEC experiment at Hawaii's Natural Energy Laboratory—a 210-kW project that has been billed as the largest net-producing OTEC system tested. Courtesy: A. Resnick
According to NREL, cost is the most significant reason the technology has failed to reach larger scale, despite the investigation of many potential thermodynamic cycles to reduce overall costs. The estimated capital cost for OTEC in 2011 ranged from $10,000/kW to $15,000/kW, and the majority of costs are linked to seawater systems, the research lab says.
However, the technology's potential benefits are lucrative, Lockheed says. Not only can OTEC serve as a baseload power source that is renewable, OTEC power can also be used to produce hydrogen (via electrolytic processing of freshwater) and ammonia, which can be shipped to areas not close to OTEC. The system can also include freshwater production by flash evaporating the warm seawater and condensing the subsequent water vapor using seawater.
Once a proposed plant is developed and operational in China, Lockheed and Reignwood plan to use the knowledge gained to improve the design of the additional commercial-scale plants—of up to 100 MW—to be built over the next decade.
—Sonal Patel is POWER's senior writer.
A Bigger Splash: The State of Ocean Energy
The ocean power sector is still in its early stages of development, shackled by high development and operational…
THE BIG PICTURE: Parched
Water scarcity as it relates to energy use is becoming a major concern. Cooling water accounts for more…
Australia Gets Hydropower from Wastewater
An Australian sewage plant this April began using treated wastewater falling down a 60-meter (m) shaft to produce… |
My very Kiwi 15 minutes with Ben Affleck: 'Oh! Eeets Imily!'
Ben Affleck plays an advice-dispensing uncle in The Tender Bar.
The details from the company promoting Ben Affleck's new film clearly labelled our interview "Zoom: Audio only". So it was a shock when, after spending 15 minutes in a virtual waiting room listening to Dad Rock, I was suddenly thrown into a video call with a dapper-looking Affleck. Fumbling to conceal the mess of a room behind me with an awkwardly thrown shoulder, I let my Kiwi accent go into overdrive.
Hi, Ben!
Oh! Eeets Imily! I'm sorry, you didn't need that.
In your new film, The Tender Bar, you play an advice-dispensing uncle. So Ben: are you an advice-giver?
I hate to say it but I probably am. At least to my kids – I'm quite a bit more conscious about assuming the role of advice-giver to other people because I think you can be condescending and arrogant, but with my children I completely free myself from those concerns.
* Ben Affleck explains how being 'trapped' in marriage to Jennifer Garner led him to drinking
* Watch Ben Affleck cleverly dodge a question about Jennifer Lopez
* Google's top trending searches of 2021 revealed: See which pop culture moments made the list
My daughter read the script and was just like, 'Oh my god, you're playing your fantasy part where you just stand around and give lectures to your children' – and she's probably right.
What one piece of advice would you like them to remember?
Be kind to yourself and others. Love yourself and love others. Be forgiving, be compassionate, know your worth, know that you are important and valuable and not any more or less valuable than anyone else but enormously valuable to me. The most valuable and important person I would say.
Don't get caught up in what college you're going to go to, or what indicators of success you're going to achieve. Those things are meaningless. What's really meaningful is the degree to which you can build a life which is congruent with your own interests and satisfaction, and that your own sense of being a good person is going to serve you better than anything else and to – as you can see I go on at great length, so now I'll stop.
Do you believe in second chances?
God knows if I had to be perfect every time out and get everything right the first time I never would have done anything. But I also never would have learned the more valuable lessons I learned in life. Second chances are not only the nature of life, in that we all need them, but that if you didn't feel like that was out there you'd never take a risk.
What would surprise people about you?
A good answer to that question would require me to have a more comprehensive, accurate sense of how in fact people do perceive me or what they would expect from me. It's either, hey, here's something good about me which would be a big surprise, which would presuppose that nobody would assume anything interesting or valuable about me, versus here's something bad about me that you never would expect, which in turn presupposes that I am seen somehow as above and greater and better than others. Neither of those things are true.
George Clooney in a scene from The Tender Bar, which he directed.
So the public doesn't know who you are?
I think that the prism through which people look at celebrities' public lives is a little bit distorted, so that it actually is hard to get a very accurate sense of the truth of what's happening in people's lives, mostly because people's inner lives are their inner lives.
In terms of my connection to this movie and what's really meaningful about it to me is that the movie really is about the need to love and care for and be present for children and raise them in ways that is both honest and loving, compassionate and wise, kind and genuine, and the synergy of all of those qualities is what goes into the essence of good parenting, and that is the single preoccupation of my life.
What's the hardest thing about being a parent?
The hardest thing about it is the degree to which they grow from these beautiful kids who are full of love who just want to hold you and cling to you, and from whom you give and get so much wonderful loving compassion and warmth, to adults who are all of a sudden their own people and don't want to play a game with you and don't want to come downstairs because they're talking to their friend.
The Tender Bar is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video from January 7.
We wish to thank the author of this article for this remarkable content
The Flash: Ben Affleck Says George Clooney May Be In Movie
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Ben Affleck Sparks Backlash with New Interview as Fans Rally Behind Jennifer Garner
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Ben Affleck: I would've 'still' been drinking if I'd stayed married to Jennifer Garner
Ben Affleck felt "trapped" in his marriage to Jennifer Garner — and thinks he wouldn't…
Categories Trending People Tags Affleck, Ben, Eeets, Imily, Kiwi, minutes Post navigation
Visuals increase consideration; now science explains why
Medical cannabis can reduce essential tremor: Turns on overlooked cells in central nervous system |
Interview with Harriet appears in New Statesman
The New Statesman has conducted a series of interviews with the candidates to be Labour's Deputy Leader. The interview with Harriet appeared in The New Statesman last Thursday, 25th January. Read the whole article here at the New Statesman website.
Harriet stated: "The election of the new leader and deputy - the last election was 12 years ago - must be an opportunity not just for the party to pick a new leader and deputy, but also time for a wide-ranging debate about the progressive future we want to see for this country. The New Statesman as a long-standing journal of the left will have a crucial role to play in this important debate." |
The F&L Designer News Room
F&L Join London Engagement Ring Designers at Clerkenwell
F&L joined London engagement ring designers at Made in Clerkenwell last month. Impressed by the event's concept of bespoke, there was much to discover.
At the end of November this year, F and L from F&L Designer Guides were excited to attend the biannual Made in Clerkenwell event, the ultimate in all things hand made. Shunning the high street convention, Made in Clerkenwell showcases artists and designers working with all different kinds of media who create bespoke, one-off pieces perfect for the more discerning consumer.
F&L member Catherine Mannheim was one of the exhibitors at Made in Clerkenwell
The event, which was partnered with The Goldsmiths' Centre, was spread over 3 buildings in London and there were more than 100 designers in attendance, including many London engagement ring designers. With such a huge space and wealth of talent to explore, L said that she was captivated by the incredible skill, the intricate workmanship and the dedication to individuality that she saw in every designer. Of course, F and L were primarily concerned with the London engagement ring designers and they were not disappointed with the quality and indeed the number of designers working at the event.
F says that anyone looking to buy a bespoke engagement ring from a London engagement ring designer would be spoilt for choice at Made in Clerkenwell.
This event took place over 4 days and one ticket allowed you access on any, or all of the days. The ticket, priced at £3 was an absolute bargain and F believes that it is this accessibility to the event that makes it so popular. For Londoners, the trend towards bespoke is ever increasing and the concept of being different and unusual is very fashionable at the moment. Made in Clerkenwell endorses this idea, which is also the very foundation on which F&L Designer Guides is built.
The event was a wonderful place to enjoy some Christmas shopping, while mingling with the designer makers in the studios that were set up in each of the three venues.
The laid back vibe and the artistic energy were contagious and F&L will definitely be hot footing it to the next event in spring 2015 to meet any new London engagement ring designers that are bound to have got involved.
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If you are an F&L member please submit your news story to [email protected]
Daniel GallieLondon
SEE MORE NEWS ITEMS |
Unfortunately it is true that the word trustworthy really does need to appear in the title of this article. Even a brief exploration into the online world of essay and dissertation writing services will show you that you have a seriously large number of options. Not all are trustworthy. There are ways to make your choice a good one.
The secret to your success in finding the ideal writing service is to first of all know exactly what you want and secondly, to have a method in tracking down the best service providers.
Do you want some service to provide the complete package? Do you want the writing service to conduct the research, plan the essay and then complete the writing thereof? There is an alternative. You might only want a writing service to conduct the research on your behalf. You give them the topic and perhaps your thesis statement and then allow them to provide you with a series of facts which can be included in your essay or dissertation.
Only when you are sure of your needs can you make an effective search. It's possible that a writing service will only provide short essays of up to say 500 words. If you are interested in a dissertation which can be considerably larger, then you need to fine tune your search parameters.
What makes a writing service trustworthy?
Once you know exactly what it is you require from a writing service, you are then in a position to start your search. It's a good idea to make a list of possible candidates. You can do this by bookmarking the webpage of possibilities or, alternatively and surprisingly, you can jot down the URL details on a piece of paper. Sometimes the ancient technology has its uses.
The things you would be looking for would include the following.
How many years of service as the writing company been in operation?
How do the prices they charge compare with comparable services?
Do they have specialists in certain subjects?
Do they offer a rewriting service and or a money back guarantee?
One of the best ways to find a trustworthy essay writing service is to ask around. If you find a fellow student who is more than happy with the service they received from a particular business then that could be an excellent guide to help you in your selection. |
Latvia's state-owned railway company Latvijas dzelzcelš (LDz) and freight service provider DHL Global Forwarding have signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation (MUC) to focus on establishing multi-modal rail connections between China and Latvia.
The new agreement will see the establishment of both freight connections and consolidation services, centred at Latvia's capital Riga City.
The new connections are set to include guaranteed transit times, as well as simplify customs and handling procedures for cargo transportation.
It will also support for more flexible shipments such as less-than-container load (LCL) freight.
DHL Global Forwarding Greater China CEO Steve Huang said: "With the economies of Latvia and its neighbours expected to grow faster than the rest of the European Union, businesses in the region will need to look to new markets such as China to fuel their expansion.
"By building rapid, reliable logistics connections between the Baltic and Asia Pacific, we hope to give the region's businesses a strong foundation for ongoing growth."
The MUC was signed at a time when DHL has begun its service along its newest Asia-Europe multimodal route through rail, which connects Shenzhen to Minsk, the capital of Belarus.
DHL has previously made similar agreements with the national rail providers of Belarus, Chengdu and other major hubs that fall within China's proposed 'Belt and Road' trade routes.
The MUC agreement is expected to help Baltic countries utilise export opportunities in China and also in the Asia Pacific region, with Riga city functioning as the logistical hub, after the establishment of high-speed multimodal rail routes.
Additionally, the new arrangement also includes terms concerning ocean freight between Latvia, Scandinavia, and the UK and Ireland, as well as air and road freight connections to various major cities across Europe.
Image: A RVR train in Riga city, Latvia. Photo: courtesy of Texaner via Wikipedia. |
Canadore Nominates Outstanding Graduates for 2018 Premier's Awards
Nov 14, 2018 | Canadore College
(NORTH BAY, ONT.) -- Canadore College is pleased to announce its nominees for the 2018 Premier's Awards for outstanding college graduates.
Ernest Matton, Elder Little Brown Bear (Minesing, Ont.) – proud alumnus of Canadore's general arts and science, and drug and alcohol counsellor programs, and manager of Indigenous culture and the Aboriginal healing program at the Michael Garron Hospital-Toronto East Health Network. Over nearly 25 years, Métis Elder Little Brown Bear has developed a holistic model to treating addiction and mental health issues by blending Indigenous teachings and ceremonies with mainstream Western practices in an award-winning approach to addictions treatment for Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. Matton's healing program takes its participants on an intensive healing journey to address emotional and mental traumas. His popular program purposely has no wait-list and client intakes have doubled in the last six years. Matton has received many accolades, including receiving the Governor General of Canada's Sovereign Medal for Outstanding Indigenous Leadership, an investiture into the Order of Ontario, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Difference Maker Award, and the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation's Barb Robinson Indigenous Excellence Award. Matton also holds an addiction education program certificate from McMaster University and a bachelor of education in Aboriginal education from Brock University. Elder Little Brown Bear says that his time at Canadore helped him to learn about the holistic relationship between trauma, mental health and addictions, which in turn shaped his ability to help pain sufferers.
Jessica Vander Kooij (Newmarket, Ont.) – proud graduate of Canadore's broadcasting – television and video production program, and the executive producer, series producer of Property Brothers. After graduating, Vander Kooij quickly moved up industry ranks from assistant roles to an Emmy-nominated executive producer for one of HGTV's most popular television series. Over the course of her 15 year career, she thrived in the live news scene with Breakfast Television and CityNews in Toronto, Ont. and Vancouver, B.C. Vander Kooij was the assistant director for Slice Network's Wedding SOS, and assistant director for The Juno Awards broadcast with superstar rapper Drake before taking on her current role at Cineflix Media with the award-winning reality television series featuring brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott. Vander Kooij said she graduated from Canadore with an industry-ready portfolio and real world skills because the program exposed her to every aspect of the industry, which provided her with a comprehensive view of how different pieces fit together and how to steer them in the preferred direction.
The annual Premier's Awards honour the important social and economic contributions made by college graduates to the province and to the world. Nominations are submitted by Ontario's 24 colleges and are presented in six categories - Business, Creative Arts and Design, Community Services, Health Sciences, Technology, and Recent Graduate - and are reviewed by a selection committee. The winners will be celebrated at a gala event at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel on November 26. This year, 118 nominees and over 800 guests expected to attend.
Canadore alumni Kelly Crawford, (2016), Elina Katsman (2013), Peter Rowntree (2007) and Ted Hargreaves (1999) have been recognized as Premier Award recipients for their outstanding contributions in their respective fields.
Canadore College trains people through applied learning, leadership and innovation. It provides access to over 75 full-time quality programs and has outstanding faculty and provides success services to students from nearly 400 Canadian communities and 15 international countries. The College and its students add nearly $244 million to Nipissing Parry Sound Service Area economy. Approximately 1,000 students graduate from Canadore each year, and they join 45,000 alumni working across the globe. Canadore receives less than 50 per cent of its traditional funding from the provincial Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities and relies on its own innovation and entrepreneurial endeavors and generous donors for the balance.
www.canadorecollege.ca
For more information, please contact: Jessica Charette at 705.475.2538 or [email protected]; Carrie Richmond at 705.474.7600, ext. 5216 or [email protected]
#Aboriginal #Alumni #Events #General #Health, Human, Wellness #Indigenous Studies #Media #New #Profile #Programs
January 19 2021 Canadore College joins Academics Without Borders #Canadore College #Canadore@Stanford #International
January 15 2021 Graphic Design students work with Blanche River Health on branding initiative #Canadore College #Media
January 06 2021 The Canadore Alumni congratulates Susan Hay on her appointment to the Order of Ontario #Alumni #Media
December 16 2020 Canadore College providing expertise for COVID-19 testing #Canadore College #Collaboration #Corporate Communications #Health, Human, Wellness #The Village |
A framework for the forensic investigation of unstructured email relationship data
Haggerty, J, Karran, A, Lamb, D and Taylor, M 2011, 'A framework for the forensic investigation of unstructured email relationship data' , International Journal of Digital Crime and Forensics, 3 (3) , pp. 1-18.
Official URL: http://www.igi-global.com/article/international-jo...
Our continued reliance on email communications ensures that it remains a major source of evidence during a digital investigation. Emails comprise both structured and unstructured data. Structured data provides qualitative information to the forensics examiner and is typically viewed through existing tools. Unstructured data is more complex as it comprises information associated with social networks, such as relationships within the network, identification of key actors and power relations, and there are currently no standardised tools for its forensic analysis. Moreover, email investigations may involve many hundreds of actors and thousands of messages. This paper posits a framework for the forensic investigation of email data. In particular, it focuses on the triage and analysis of unstructured data to identify key actors and relationships within an email network. This paper demonstrates the applicability of the approach by applying relevant stages of the framework to the Enron email corpus. The paper illustrates the advantage of triaging this data to identify (and discount) actors and potential sources of further evidence. It then applies social network analysis techniques to key actors within the data set. This paper posits that visualisation of unstructured data can greatly aid the examiner in their analysis of evidence discovered during an investigation.
Schools > School of Computing, Science and Engineering
Schools > School of Computing, Science and Engineering > Salford Innovation Research Centre
International Journal of Digital Crime and Forensics
IGI Global
J Haggerty |
Published on February 13, 2013 February 14, 2013 by gronya
This year, for the first time in four years, I'm not involved in any V-Day events. I have no Vagina Monologues rehearsals to go to, no vagina cupcakes to make and no tickets to sell. I feel a bit weird about that. This year is the 15th anniversary of V-Day. I did my first V-Day event five years ago this year. Getting involved in something like that can feel really powerful. Suddenly it feels possible that you could change the world – you could re-educate people, get everyone to start being nicer to each other and treat each other with respect. The Vagina Monologues really does make people see things in a new way and I really felt that that first year. We did the show on our college campus and meet a lot of the audience in the bar afterwards, men and women who were all fired up and ready to take down the patriarchy!
Unfortunately, the world doesn't change over night and terrible things keep happening to women all over the world. In 2008, the V-Day Spotlight Charity was New Orleans. The next time I did it, it was the Democratic Republic of Congo and the stories coming out of that country would just make you want to give up on the entire human race. Stories of entire villages of women being raped, from six month old girls to women in their sixties. Don't let anyone tell you rape is about sex or desire. It's not. It's about power. It's about putting people in their place. The terrible stories from the Congo make that very clear.
Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues and founder of V-Day, is not the type of woman who gives up. Instead of throwing her hands in the air, V-Day built the City of Joy – a place where women could be safe and recover from the violence that had been done to them. Eve Ensler believes in changing the world because she seen it happen. This year she's launched One Billion Rising – a worldwide uprising to protest the fact that one in three women will be beaten or raped in her lifetime and a declaration that that needs to change.
There will be men and women dancing for change on the streets of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Sligo, Mayo, Clare, Kerry and Tipperary. They will be joining people rising in 190 countries worldwide. So get out there, dance your socks off and feel like you could change the world. It's a good feeling, even if it only lasts an hour or two, you still feel like you're achieved something.
Details of all the Irish events are here.
Previous Festival applications |
twostoryhouse
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine-Gateways #4: Demons of Air and Darkness
Keith R.A. DeCandido
started following:
finished reading:
Doors Into Chaos Robert Greenberger
The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom Jonathan Haidt
The Diary of a Young Girl Anne Frank
Chainmail Diane Carey
AWOL on the Appalachian Trail David Miller
The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined Steven Pinker
The Riddled Post (Star Trek: S.C.E., #9) Aaron Rosenberg
Invincible, Part 2 David Mack, Keith R.A. DeCandido
Stranger In A Strange Land Robert A. Heinlein
White Fang Jack London
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold Story of English John H. McWhorter
The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion Jonathan Haidt
Up from Slavery Booker T. Washington, Ishmael Reed
The Island of Dr. Moreau H.G. Wells
A History of Western Philosophy Bertrand Russell
Lord of the Flies William Golding
The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger
reviewed: The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America
As for the actual history of the New Netherlands colony, it is compelling and very interesting part of American history. The ...
The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America Russell Shorto
The Road to Serfdom Friedrich A. von Hayek, Bruce Caldwell
Treasure Island Robert Louis Stevenson
Applied Economics: Thinking Beyond Stage One Thomas Sowell
What Does It All Mean? A Very Short Introduction to Philosophy Thomas Nagel
Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson Mary Rowlandson
The Time Machine Greg Bear, H.G. Wells
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War Nathaniel Philbrick
Ivanhoe Walter Scott
The Republic Desmond Lee, Plato
How to Win Friends & Influence People Dale Carnegie
The Last Lion 3: Winston Spencer Churchill: Defender of the Realm, 1940-65 Paul Reid, William Raymond Manchester
Starship Troopers Robert A. Heinlein
A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia (Dodo Press) Thomas Hariot
Roanoke Island: The Beginnings of English America David Stick, State of North Carolina
The Odyssey Homer, Robert Fagles, Bernard Knox
Synthetic Men of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Last Lion 2: Winston Spencer Churchill Alone, 1932-40 William Raymond Manchester
Swords of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Great Age of Discovery Paul Herrmann
The Iliad Homer, Bernard Knox, Robert Fagles
The Last Lion 1: Visions of Glory 1874-1932 William Raymond Manchester
The Man Who Sold the Moon Robert A. Heinlein
The Tower of the Swallow Andrzej Sapkowski, David French
Baptism of Fire Andrzej Sapkowski
Cold Fusion Keith R.A. DeCandido
The Time of Contempt Andrzej Sapkowski, David French
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin: with Related Documents (Bedford Series in History and Culture) Benjamin Franklin, Louis P. Masur
Blood of Elves Andrzej Sapkowski
On the Road Jack Kerouac
reviewed: All Quiet on the Western Front
One of the most powerful books I've read. This one is going to stick with me for awhile.
All Quiet on the Western Front A.W. Wheen, Erich Maria Remarque
The Night Stalker Philip Carlo
The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald
reviewed: A Walk in the Woods
Funny and entertaining. Loses a couple stars for endless dated hyperbole about how acid rain is going to wipe everything out ...
A Walk in the Woods Bill Bryson
Shadow Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
reviewed: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
Women-studies college-dropout Woman messes up her life due to her own poor choices by:-- Cheating on her husband with random ...
Common Sense (Great Ideas) Thomas Paine
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail Cheryl Strayed
Dracula Bram Stoker
Rogue Andy Mangels, Michael A. Martin
The Last Wish Andrzej Sapkowski
The Return of the King J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #1) Douglas Adams
Brave New World Aldous Huxley
The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors Dan Jones
The Hound of the Baskervilles Arthur Conan Doyle
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Mark Twain, Guy Cardwell, John Seelye
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Philip K. Dick, Robert Zelazny
Alexander Hamilton Ron Chernow
The Two Towers J.R.R. Tolkien
The Fellowship of the Ring J.R.R. Tolkien
Catch Me If You Can: The True Story Of A Real Fake Stan Redding, Frank W. Abagnale
My First Summer in the Sierra John Muir
Alice in Wonderland Rene Cloke, Lewis Carroll
Robinson Crusoe Daniel Defoe
A Fighting Man of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs
Ringworld Larry Niven
The Call of the Wild Jack London
Goodbye, Darkness: A Memoir of the Pacific War William Raymond Manchester
The Master Mind of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress Robert A. Heinlein
Animal Farm C.M. Woodhouse, George Orwell
The End of Eternity Isaac Asimov
1984 George Orwell
The Art of War Thomas Cleary, Sun Tzu
SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper Howard E. Wasdin, Stephen Templin
Zodiac Robert Graysmith
The Chessmen of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs
Journey to the Center of the Earth Jules Verne
CTRL ALT Revolt! Nick Cole
The Man in the High Castle Philip K. Dick
Avatar Book Two: 2 (Star Trek) S.D. Perry
Avatar Book One of Two S.D. Perry
Interphase, Part 2 Dayton Ward, Kevin Dilmore
Dark Passions Book Two of Two (Star Trek) Susan Wright
Dark Passions #1 of 2 (Star Trek) Susan Wright
Hard Crash Christie Golden
Fatal Error Keith R.A. DeCandido
Restoration Peter David
Renaissance Peter David
Excalibur: Requiem Peter David
Inferno Judith Reeves-Stevens, Garfield Reeves-Stevens
The War of the Prophets Judith Reeves-Stevens, Garfield Reeves-Stevens
The Fall of Terok Nor Judith Reeves-Stevens, Garfield Reeves-Stevens
The Badlands, #2 of 2 (Star Trek) Susan Wright
Dark Allies Peter David
The Quiet Place Peter David
The First Virtue Michael Jan Friedman, Christie Golden
Quarantine John Vornholt, Esther M. Friesner
reviewed: Red Sector
Worst one of this mini-series so far. Could have been about 100 pages shorter.
Red Sector Diane Carey, Michael Jan Friedman, John J. Ordover
Vectors Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Dean Wesley Smith
reviewed: Infection
Good start to the series. Let's see if the other books can keep it up.
Infection John Gregory Betancourt
What You Leave Behind Diane Carey, Ira Steven Behr
Rebels, Book 3: The Liberated Dafydd ab Hugh
Rebels, Book 2: The Courageous Dafydd ab Hugh
Rebels, Book 1: The Conquered Dafydd ab Hugh
reviewed: The 34th Rule
A little long at the beginning. They could have easily cut about 50 pages out of the book, but then it picks up and becomes a...
The 34th Rule Armin Shimerman, David R. George III
Tunnel Through the Stars John Vornholt
Call to Arms Diane Carey
Behind Enemy Lines John Vornholt
Once Burned Peter David
The Mist Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Far Beyond the Stars Steven Barnes, Hans Beimler
Fire on High Peter David
Martyr Peter David, John J. Ordover
Vengeance Dafydd ab Hugh
Trial by Error Mark Garland
Legends of the Ferengi (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) Ira Steven Behr
End Game Peter David
The Two Front War Peter David
Into the Void Peter David
House of Cards Peter David
The Tempest Susan Wright
Trials and Tribble-Ations Diane Carey, Ronald D. Moore, Rene E'chevarria
Saratoga Michael Jan Friedman
reviewed: The Heart of the Warrior
Fairly enjoyable. Fast read.
The Heart of the Warrior John Gregory Betancourt
Time's Enemy L.A. Graf
The Soldiers of Fear (Star Trek: The Next Generation, #41) Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
First Strike Diane Carey
reviewed: The Long Night
Even though it had some of the same themes as the last book in the series "Station Rage" this one was a real page turner. Goo...
The Long Night Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
reviewed: Station Rage
Great fast read. One of the better books so far in the DS9 series.
Station Rage Diane Carey
The Way of the Warrior Diane Carey, Ira Steven Behr
reviewed: Devil in the Sky
Very fun fast read. The story starts out with very little lead up and jumps right into it.
Devil in the Sky Greg Cox, John Gregory Betancourt
reviewed: Valhalla
Much better than the overly wordy "Warped" but just an average book. Nothing special.
Valhalla Nathan Archer
reviewed: Proud Helios
One of the better books in the series so far. It kept by interest all the way through.
Proud Helios Melissa Scott
reviewed: Antimatter
My favorite book in the series so far. A very fun story from start to finish.
Antimatter John Vornholt |
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Demonstration of the public service for the defence of retirements, employment, salaries and against reform bills of Alain Juppé's government. Paris, on November 24, 1995.
© Jean-Pierre Couderc/Roger-Viollet
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Demonstration of the public service for the defence of retirements, employment, salaries and against reform bills of Alain Juppé's government. Paris, on December 12, 1995.
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SNCF strikes. Paris, October 1995.
Public transports on strike in reaction to the "Plan Juppé" and the government's plans about retirements and Social Security. The empty train station of Bécon-les-Bruyères (Hauts-de-Seine), November 1995.
Demonstration of the public service for the defence of retirements, employment, salaries and against reform bills of Alain Juppé's government. Paris, on October 10, 1995.
Demonstration against the "Plan Juppé", plan about retirement and social security. Paris, on December 12, 1995
© Jean-Paul Guilloteau/Roger-Viollet
Demonstration against the "Juppé Plan" about retirements and Social Security. Demonstrators at the place de la Nation. Paris, on December 12, 1995.
Demonstration against the "Plan Juppé", plan about retirement and social security. Paris, on December 12, 1995.
© Jean-Paul Guilloteau / Roger-Viollet
Strikes, traffic jams, pollution. Paris, October 1995.
Transport strike of the SNCF, French railway company. Paris, October 1995.
© Jean-Pierre Couderc / Roger-Viollet |
Finland: EFJ Protests Against "Threatening" Bill on Protection of Sources
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IFJ Condemns New Attack on Journalists' Sources in UK
IFJ Welcomes Successful Safety Training for Gaza Journalists in Egypt
IFJ Calls for End to Ban of Newspaper in Central African Republic
IFJ calls for Openness in Trial of Journalist Accused of Spying in Iran
IFJ Calls for Top-Level Inquiry into Murder of Journalist in Pakistan
Fears Grow for Safety of Journalists in Pakistan
South Korean Authorities Must Release Journalists' Leader, Says IFJ
IFJ Mourns Another Journalist Killed in Pakistan
IFJ Condemns Abduction of Veteran Media Personality in Sri Lanka
Journalists Killed and Injured as Suicide Bomber Strikes in Baghdad
IFJ Calls on Israel to Release Journalists Arrested in Gaza
IFJ Condemns Terrorist Attack on Basque Television Station
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IFJ Dismayed by New Blocks on Media in China
Page 86 sur 145. |
Terrorism and extremism
European Security Journal
Iran vs the US: End of one crisis, start of another one?
The European Responsibility to Act Against Killer Robots
Industrial Competition Remains Challenge for Transatlantic Security
Turkey uses Ottoman legacy to gain more influence over the Balkans, challenging the EU position in the region
The Other Side of Brexit
Where the EU Missteps, Russia Benefits – Who Gains from EU Mistakes in the Western Balkans
Combating Salafist Influence in the Western Balkans
Provocations in western Ukraine: the far-right as a Russian agent
The Threat of Extremism and Terrorism in the Czech Republic is Being Fostered by Foreign Influence
European naval anti-smuggling operation Sophia will continue, but won't be naval anymore
Migration as a Tool of Russian Information Warfare
The Biggest Expulsion of Our Time: A Photo Report Documenting the Plight of the Rohingya
TurkStream Tightens Kremlin's Grip Over Balkan Energy
Britain sides with Ukraine on Nord Stream 2
US believes Nord Stream 2 poses intelligence threat, eyes possible sanctions
Are European Elections Vulnerable to Cyber-attacks?
What is 5G and why should you be worried
How does the kremlin carry out cyber-attacks in Europe?
European Unity, Transatlantic Strength and Global Vision
European Space Ambitions
Future Trends for Transatlantic Security
ESJnews.com
Czech political turmoil points to Eastern Europe's problems
Andrej Babis, Slovak-born billionaire and leader of the ANO movement, speaks to media after a meeting with Czech President Milos Zeman regarding the October's Czech general elections in Prague, Czech Republic, 28 November 2017. Photo: copyright profimedia.cz
Petr Boháček
Analyses , V4 , Politics ,
The Czech Republic, once heralded as the poster child of the post-Communist transition to free democracy and the country of late Vaclav Havel – the symbol of the fall of the Iron Curtain – is confronted by populism, disinformation and cultural wars against absent Muslim migrants or the European Union. The Czech Republic, together with the other countries in the region, remains culturally, economically and politically still the West's periphery, which is a problem for Europe and an opportunity for Russia.
Czech Populist Duo
While the Czech Republic has been spared of direct attacks on judicial independence, media, anti-corruption laws, or of a strong rise in nationalism, the country could not escape the rise of populism and heavy pressure on its democratic system. The source of such concerns are two political allies – President Milos Zeman and Prime Minister Andrej Babis.
Zeman has been Vladimir Putin's biggest ally in the EU, criticising sanctions, rejecting the presence of Russian troops in Ukraine or simply accepting the annexation of Crimea. In an attempt to re-direct Czech foreign policy Eastward (a competence he, as a president, does not have in the Czech parliamentary system), he voiced hopes to learn how to stabilise the society from Chinese Communist leaders during his visit in the Asian country. Zeman is also the principal author of the nationwide anti-migrant wave in the heavily homogeneous country that lacks workforce. Subsequently, this rhetoric has been accepted to a certain extent by all mainstream political parties. Similarly, the fight against EU's relocation quotas has been adopted as a new key part of Czech foreign policy amid the absence of clearly articulated national interests and priorities.
Whether Babis and Zeman will be forced out or not, the extent of their political power highlights a worrying trend across Eastern European states.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Babis, Czechia's second richest man, gained popularity with well-known anti-elite, anti-establishment rhetoric. His ideology seems to be only opportunism as he oscillates between left and right. He rejects criticism - whether it is about his cooperation with the Communist secret police, dubious business past, contempt for democracy and dialogue or influence over the country's biggest media group he owns – as fake news and targeted media campaigns. To observers of US politics, such feats might sound familiar.
Both are facing prospects of being pulled out of politics. Zeman is facing a pro-EU opponent, Jiri Drahos, in the polarising 26-27 January presidential elections. Meanwhile, the Parliament voted down Babis' government and stripped him of his immunity over an investigation into a €1.9 million EU subsidy fraud in his Stork's Nest farm project on 17-19 January. Whether they will be forced out or not, the extent of their political power highlights a worrying trend across Eastern European states.
Czech President Milos Zeman (R) looks at the Crown of Saint Wenceslas of Bohemia before the opening of the ''Czech Jewels'' exhibition on May 9, 2013, at Prague Castle in the Czech capital. Zeman, an open fan of alcohol and cigarets, struggled to stand straight and walk during the ceremony, fomenting criticism for being drunk after arriving from celebrating the 68th anniversary of the end of World War II at the Russian Embassy. Copyright Profimedia.cz.
Weak institutions
The new wave of populism is nothing new in the West but unlike Eastern Europe, it can rely on critical media, durable institutions and active civil society that together are capable of ensuring the rule of law, checks and balances and maintain the executive in check. From the Prague Castle, President Zeman - largely a ceremonial post in a parliament democracy - used his own imagination to test the limits of the constitution in order to increase his political power, name his own caretaker government of his old friends, or grant another attempt to form the government to his ally Babis, all in violation of constitutional norms.
Meanwhile, Andrej Babis' hand-picked Interior Minister voiced concerns over the investigation of his PM's EU funds embezzlement allegations. Babis later cried foul against the investigation, claiming the Czech justice system is so weak you can simply order a prosecution. His Justice Minister left it without any comments. As a Finance Minister, Babis also faced an investigation over a tax fraud allegation, but the investigating body at the Finance Ministry found no wrongdoing of its boss.
At no time in history have politicians directly read wishes off the lips of their voters.
Criticism of the independent Czech public broadcasting services belongs to a favourite pastime for both. Similarly to Trump, they are masters of communicating with people. They know exactly how to touch sensitive topics and make themselves look like the only true representatives of the common folk, without any actual substance behind it. At no time in history have politicians directly read wishes of the lips of their voters. The resulting personal empowerment allows them to push any institutional or legal barriers.
Still Eastern Europe
The Czech Republic is not alone in this. The illiberal alliance between Polish and Hungarian conservative governments has been a constant reason for concerns over the state of democracy in Eastern Europe. Further East, Romania's ruling Social Democrats continue to fight anti-corruption laws and Bulgaria's president just vetoed an anti-graft bill that would allow for corruption investigations of persons in high public office.
Nearly 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Eastern Europe continues to have a significant geopolitical importance. The core of the geopolitical clash between Europe and Russia is the European Neighbourhood Policy. The advancement of liberal political and economic order threatens the ability of Russia to influence and control its neighbouring countries either via corrupt political regimes in the likes of Ukraine's Yanukovych rule or contemporary authoritarian Belarus. That is why Russia considers liberal democracy as a threat and works to undermine it. Russian propaganda plays an indisputable role in amplifying public discontent with the Western political system and multiplying all the regional stereotypical issues.
Blaming problems on outside factors has been also symptomatic for post-Communist countries, where the main threats come rather from the weaknesses within.
Unsurprisingly, the picture is more complex. The concept of increasingly divided two-speed Europe is extremely harmful as well. Inpatient integration-happy Western members of the European Union, who are sick of waiting for the rest, do a lot of damage for alienating Eastern Europe themselves. But blaming problems on outside factors has been also symptomatic for post-Communist countries, where the main threats come rather from the weaknesses within.
Romania is one of the most active and responsible NATO members and Bulgaria solidified its Euro-Atlantic path and limited traditionally strong Russian influence. Poland plays an increasingly strategic role in deterring Russia. Czech innovative and dynamic economy ranks 1st in unemployment and has one of the highest GDP growths in the EU. Slovakia makes strides with its proactive European policy. However, persisting oligarchisation of politics, enrooted corruption, strong clientelism, media manipulation and overall kleptocracy can trump all of this.
A successful Eastern Europe, taken for granted until recently, is instrumental for the European unity and EU's dealings with Russia. The change must come from within. Eastern Europe needs an Eastern leader. Poles or Hungarians are united only in their antagonism against Brussels, while the Balkan countries struggle with their own issues. Meanwhile, the next few days will show whether the Czechs are ready to move forward or not. If so, the Czecho-Slovak power tandem could potentially assume this role.
About author: Petr Boháček
Poland and Ukraine discuss military cooperation due to fears of Russia
Defence company mishaps signal Kremlin's incapability, unwillingness to address corruption
NATO officially launches new Black Sea task force
East-West division trickles into PESCO
Eastern Partnership summit marks no progress in Eastern neighborhood policy
War continues but Ukraine should grant amnesty to separatists says US Ukraine envoy
Slovakia warms up to Russia despite strong EU orientation
EU leaders continue to disagree on migration policy
Visegrad Four continues to battle Europe
PESCO: Essential step for the resurrection of European defence
Poland reshuffles government to ease tensions with EU
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Foreign Students In The US
Thứ Ba, 08 Tháng Chín 201506:47(Xem: 6387)
Currently, there are 1.05 million F-1 academic & M-1 vocational students studying in the United States. In addition, there are 245,000 J-1 exchange visitors in the United States.
There are 8,900 U.S. schools certified by DHS to enroll international students.
Four hundred thousand foreign students are enrolled in STEM fields, which include Science, Technology, Engineering andMathematics.
What countries do foreign students come from?
Most of the foreign students come from Asia, including 300,000 from China and 500,000 from the rest of Asia. Canada and Mexico are represented by 67,000 students, South America sent 50,000, Africa 46,000, and Australia 6,000.
Looking at the countries of origin of the Asian students in the US, the largest number come from China (300,000), then India (150,000), South Korea (78,000), Saudi Arabia (76,000), Japan (25,000), Vietnam (24,000) and Taiwan (22,000).
It's interesting to see that Vietnam sends 24,000 students to the US, and also sends about 24,000 immigrants to the US each year. It's also interesting to see that Vietnam sends more foreign students to the US than Taiwan, and sends almost as many students as those from Japan. And the small country of Vietnam sends about 50% of the number of students that are sent by the entire continents of Africa or South America.
Thirty six per cent of all foreign students study in California, New York and Texas.
Right now, there are about 5,200 foreign students in US primary and high schools. This represents a 33% decrease in the number of all foreign students enrolled in primary and secondary school programs since February 2015.
Twenty Eight per cent of foreign students who are enrolled in programs for parks, recreation, leisure, and fitness studies are from the United Kingdom and Canada.
Twenty five per cent of students from China are enrolled in programs for business, management, marketing and related support services.
Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are popular programs at American colleges and universities. Graduates from these programs are important to innovation and job creation in the United States.
Seventy five percent of all foreign STEM students study in programs for engineering, computer and information sciences and support services and biological and biomedical sciences
Q.1. Why are foreign student graduates from STEM programs important to innovation and job creation in the United States?
A.1. The US always has a need for more graduates in the STEM fields. That is why these graduates are given preference for H1B visas after they complete their studies.
Q.2. Can foreign students study in public elementary and high schools in the US?
A.2. Yes, but there is a limit of one year's study in public schools and they must pay tuition to the school district. There is no time limit for foreign students in US private schools.
Q.3. More than 80% of the foreign students in the US are from Asia, but only 10% are from Europe and less than 1% come from Australia. Why is this?
A.3. For Asian students, there are many reasons, including the opportunity to improve their English language skills, superior educational facilities in the US, limited university places available in their home countries, and the prestige of graduating from an American university. Students in Europe and Australia do not need to go abroad to get a good education.
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Returning Resident Visas
Thứ Ba, 04 Tháng Mười 2016(Xem: 5094)
A permanent resident who has remained outside the United States for longer than one year, or beyond the validity period of a Re-entry Permit, will require a new immigrant visa to enter the United States and resume permanent residence. There is a returning resident special immigrant visa called the SB-1.
Confessions in denied cases – To sign or not to sign
Thứ Ba, 14 Tháng Sáu 2016(Xem: 5475)
The State Department has told all consulates that they could return petitions to CIS in the US only if they had good reason to do so. This means that the consular officer must have some information that was not available when CIS approved the petition.
Mr. Obama Comes to Vietnam
Chủ Nhật, 29 Tháng Năm 2016(Xem: 6520)
In the United States, if we look at Mr. Obama's Presidential Job Approval Ratings, we see that in May this year, only 51% of Americans were satisfied with his work. His approval ratings from January 2009 till now have an average rating of only 47%.
Processing Applications of Widows and Widowers of Deceased US Citizens
Thứ Tư, 27 Tháng Tư 2016(Xem: 6889)
In October 2009, the President signed a new law that allows eligible widows or widowers of U.S. citizens to qualify for permanent resident status regardless of how long the couple was married. Repeat,regardless of how long the couple was married.
Supreme Court on DACA and DAPA
Thứ Năm, 21 Tháng Tư 2016(Xem: 6016)
President Obama is facing the very real possibility of a deadlock at the Supreme Court.
Extended Travel by a Permanent Resident
On a recent show, we talked about residence requirements for Naturalization purposes.
Visas Issued in Vietnam in 2015
Thứ Tư, 30 Tháng Ba 2016(Xem: 9371)
Every year, we bring you an update of visa activities at the US Consulate General in Saigon.
During the first week of April, over 100,000 hopeful job seekers will send their H1-B applications to USCIS. CIS will return the forms and fees to more than 40,000 of these applicants.
Qualifying for Naturalization
Thứ Năm, 17 Tháng Ba 2016(Xem: 5080)
There are a number of requirements you have to meet in order to qualify for U.S. citizenship. Among the most complicated of these are the residency requirements, which look at how long you've been living in the U.S. and your immigration status during that time.
USCIS Issues Guidance on Adjustment of Status Policies and Procedures
On February 25, 2016, US CIS provided new guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual on the general policies and procedures for adjustment of status to lawful permanent residence.
Copyright © 2019 rmiodp.com All rights reserved |
Army develops 'Helpline app' to combat Covid-19
JAMMU, APRIL 17:
The Indian Army, in its effort towards supplementing Civil Administration's initiatives of containing the spread of pandemic Coronavirus, has developed a simple mobile app christened as 'Covid-19 Helpline J&K'.
This technological intervention of Army shall provide useful real time information to the locals about the location and contact number of Hospitals, Control Rooms and Rapid Response Team situated in their vicinity.
The app so developed is based on integrated information sharing that is available on Google maps. It contains info on red zones in Kashmir to caution people while they move. It also contains relevant information pertaining to preventive and safety measures to create awareness among the local population about COVID-19.
The app is available as a third party installation file and requires the user to provide his mobile number as login. The app then utilizes the location and Bluetooth settings of the user to get a list of important contact numbers that are available in their local vicinity as well as allows them to generate a request for essential services through a simple form in realtime.
The necessary technical support and regular updates to the app will be carried out by Army from time to time as the app aims to target widespread dissemination and proliferation.
J&K Govt offices to resume from April 20 with 33% staff on rotational basis
Lt Governor e-launches Srinagar COVID-19 Call Centre; Real-time Integrated COVID-19
Top News World
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There's a certain day in December when an extraordinary number of Jews head out to their local Chinese restaurant to enjoy a healthy dose of delicious wok-fried foods. If you don't have a kosher Chinese place near you or you're looking to make some healthy changes to your favorite Chinese restaurant-worthy recipes, then have no fear below are 20 soup, appetizer, vegetarian, and main meals to help you get your Chinese takeout fix.
My family always seems to order more soups than there are people because we each have our undisputed favorites. Mine is hot sour, including this Vegetarian Hot and Sour. Some other favorites include Wonton Soup and Egg Drop Soup, and this new Spicy Ginger Beef & Rice Soup with Lime.
Vegetable base options don't exclude flavor when you're using spices like garlic, hoisin, and ginger. Enjoy Chinese inspired salads such as the Shanghai Cobb Salad (exclude meat to make it vegetarian) and Celery and Tofu Salad with Scallion Oil. The Vegetable Fried Quinoa and Tofu and Mushroom Lettuce Wraps make for great vegetarian main dishes or as side dishes.
Impress family and guests with restaurant mainstays such as Wontons and Dim Sum Baskets. You would be surprised by how easy it is to make your own egg and spring rolls with ingredients you would find every day in your kitchen, try the Fast and Easy Egg Rolls or the Chicken and Vegetable Spring Rolls or these Baked Eggrolls.
Enjoy the classics such as Vegetable Lo Mein, Orange Beef and Broccoli, Stir Fried Chicken or Kung Pao Chicken from the comfort of your own kitchen. If you're looking to dress things up try the Chicken with Lime, Garlic and Cashews, Kung Pao Gai Ding, Chinese Kebabs with Plum Sauce, and Chicken with Ginger and Cashews and Soy Glazed Mini Meatballs.
For more Chinese inspired recipe, click here! |
Under-Paid, Over-Enthused
S. Hunter Nisbet's Website, Updated At Least Once a Week
S. Hunter Nisbet
Novels · Publishing · Short Stories · Why I'm a Ridiculous Person · Writing
I Am Not My Characters
January 6, 2016 January 6, 2016 S. Hunter Nisbet
Back in university, my friends and I decided to put together an online role-playing group, because we were that type of nerd. It would be steampunk-themed, some sort of supernatural detective agency. I forget the rest of the details anymore, but it seemed like a fun idea.
Everyone else was creating doppelgangers of themselves, but I didn't want to fall back on that, no. Instead, I created a character I hoped would prove interesting to write about: a middle-aged priest who could exorcise spirits and stake vampires. He had a troubled past, a battle with alcohol, and a few other foibles equally human.
Maybe I should've just made a character that was just like me, though. As the role-playing amusingly spread to real time, my dorm friends began to treat me… like an unreliable alcoholic they hired from necessity. Having created better versions of themselves, they seemed to have forgotten that I hadn't.
That was my first taste of being confused with my writing, but I doubt it will be the last.
There are authors out there who will tell their fans that such-and-such character is based on themselves. JK Rowling boldly admits to creating Hermione from her childhood memories, but most self-insertion characters remain slightly more shrouded, merely alluded to in interviews.
"Where did you get the idea for so-and-so?"
"Well, he's a bit like me, really. In fact, a lot like me."
I'm going to say once, and probably a thousand more times, I'm not in my books.
Probably more than one of you just scoffed. "How can you not be in your books? You wrote them! Your traits are there, if nothing else, because that's how you see the world!"
In that, you're not wrong: my traits are scattered across a dozen characters, piecemealed here and there. I can't help that. But again, I repeat, I am not a character. Not a single person you will read is based on me.
And I have no desire for them to be. I spend seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day living inside my own head, feeling my own thought patterns, living with my own physical limitations, my own social circumstances. Why would I want to spend extra time there?
That might sound weird, but it's true. I'm here all the time. My life is the living, breathing book of me. And I'm quite fond of it. I love the supporting cast, and while I think the main character has one or two foibles she could stand to shake, overall she's pretty alright. Really, I enjoy the story for the most part.
But I don't have any urge to write it. It's a nice story, it's just not what I'm interested in telling.
I'm a firm believer in authors not writing themselves, have been for a long time now. Ever since, years and years ago, when I did write a self-insert fan fic and found myself, in character form, being criticized by readers because I couldn't put my real flaws on the page.
Just like how, back in that role-playing game, my dorm-mates made themselves just that little bit too perfect. Because showing your flaws is hard, and accepting that people might not like your character if you do so is even harder. Meaning the odds of someone creating a character based on themselves who is human enough to be a good character is slim at best.
When it comes to my novels, I'm far more likely to create people who have almost nothing to do with my personality than people who are remotely close. I like my characters to face dilemmas I've never faced, do things I've never done. Make choices I've never had to make, or at least not on that scale. The people I write are painfully human, with all the troubles and joys and bewilderment that comes with it. They make mistakes, they make the wrong choices, they do what they do because they have flaws.
Sometimes those flaws are strong enough that you might wonder why I'd want to be inside their heads–sometimes I wonder that myself–but you'll never have to wonder if that is what's inside my head.
It isn't. Trust me.
So when you open up something I've written and see that beginning bit where it says "This book is a work of fiction, any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental," be assured that that refers not only to yourselves, but to this author. I happily write about fake people all day long, and I intend to keep it that way.
Do you write yourself into stories? Have you ever? If so, did you run into any difficulties? Do you think others should branch away from themselves, or authors should "stick with what they know," so to say? Let me know in the comments below!
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6 thoughts on "I Am Not My Characters"
afhumphrey says:
There was one story I wrote years and years ago that so many people claim is me narrating — but it isn't. And I maintain that to this day. The narrator had certain ticks that maybe I had but I still can't see the connection, unless it was a question of perception: others saw me more like the character when I most certainly did not. It was (and still is) most irritating. At the moment I'm having loads of fun writing waaaaaaaaaay outside my comfort zone. I'm writing about a steampunk/fantasy/horror about thieves and assassins and existential Orthodox priests and militants. I, as the writer, am scattered through everything I write because it is my story and it's the story I want to tell. So clearly I'm in it, so to speak. And it's fascinating to learn about the…shadier side of existence (my browser history makes me look like a felon). I guess this is a long and rambling way to say…challenging yourself is a good idea. I think it makes one a better writer. Just my 2 cents 🙂
S. Hunter Nisbet says:
Precisely. It might be fun to pop yourself in the occasional story, but personally I wouldn't post them anywhere others will see them, or create them as anything but a parody.
With what I'm currently writing, I don't think anyone will confuse me with my characters, but even so, I guess a little paranoia remains. I mean, I don't think anyone could confuse me with a 40-something unshaven priest from London, but apparently I have a certain beardiness about me? I can imagine that story would begin to drive you nuts after a while. I know that'd irritate me pretty fast.
Oh believe me, it does. Which irritates me FURTHER because I *like* that story!!
tracyeire says:
I've never felt a desire to do this, but I found out people do when I was in Uni learning from other people's writing. Why it happens? I'm not sure. I spend all my time with me. *All of it*! And that's more than enough!
I do recall being at a writer's conference where a girl stood, top-of-line, at the author's table. She was speaking loudly, gesturing wide in air, and going on at length about the volcano of buried resentment that dominated her main character in her stream-of-consciousness novel. That character was jaded, disgusted by other people's stupidity — their blindness — and that character, *actually herself*, was unable to escape the rage of it all. How do you end a novel, she asked him, with such a character?! And, honestly, how can you? When it's *you*?
No one else got through the queue. As for the author, when he fled the room she didn't miss a beat. She was still talking, hot on his heels. It was a powerful lesson. Writing a novel isn't writing a journal.
Oh, and don't spook itinerant authors. They're skittish! 😀
What's the advice I've heard? Oh yes: if you write it as therapy, for heaven's sake, don't show it to other people! Clearly someone needed to tell that woman that bit of advice. And someone needed to usher her along so people could get through the line.
That's another big problem with writing yourself: how do you resolve a problem in your book that you haven't resolved in real life? There might be a couple people out there whose characters manage something the author literally isn't capable of on a physical scale, but I have a hard time believing that anyone, for example, struggling with moving on from a bad breakup would convincingly write a self-insertion who was perfectly capable of doing so. Not until the author them self had figured that hurdle out.
Glad I'm not the only one who doesn't feel like spending extra time in my head. That sounds weird to say, but it's true. Thanks for the comment!
Oh, this was a girl. I can't imagine she was very long out of High School. Or she seemed to have lots of time to learn. It's true someone should have been there to move her along, but, in a way, I learned a lot there, and I hope other people did too. 🙂
The big problems I can see are that you can't critique someone's character who is 'them'. It's just awkward. The other one is, a character that is 'you' is hard to move around a plot realistically, and it's difficult to resolve his / her plot.
I never thought of people writing themselves into the plot as a 'therapy' before. That does make some sense! That's what people journal and blog for, right? I suppose putting yourself in your plot is kind of an extension. But I'm more likely to believe this is a writing error. 😦
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RICHARD MAYHEW
Posted by AW | Aug 27, 2020 | PAINTING
A Life in Landscape
Written by Sheryl nonnenberg
Photography by randy tunnell
Richard Mayhew loves to show off the view from the balcony outside his studio. On this day, there are quiet breezes from the ocean coming over the tree-covered hills that surround his Soquel home. After years of living on the East Coast (he is a professor emeritus, Penn State University), it is clear that he has found his journey's end. He arises each day and paints, working and re-working his "improvisational" landscapes, all while listening to the sounds of soft jazz. Although he easily talks about the past, it is clear that he does not dwell on his many accolades and achievements. At seventy-five, Richard Mayhew has accomplished more than most artists can ever aspire to, but his work is not yet done. When your inspiration comes from a deeper well, "an intense emotional and spiritual union with nature," there is really no limit and no end.
Born in Amityville, New York in 1924, Richard Mayhew can trace descendents from both Native American and African American sources. His father was African American and Shinnecock Indian and his mother, African American and Cherokee. Although the Native American ancestry was never acknowledged ("they were treated very poorly in those days"), Mayhew credits his grandmother, Sarah Steele Mayhew, with instilling in him a love of the "nature, lore and attitudes" of indigenous people. The confluence of water, land and sky, found near his Long Island home, provided an early source of inspiration and resulted in a lifelong passion for painting the landscape. Using his father's paints and brushes (he was a housepainter by trade), Mayhew began to explore his artistic tendencies and, by the age of seventeen, knew very definitely that he wanted to become an artist. Visits to museums in New York City only served to confirm that art would be his life's work.
Mayhew had served as an apprentice to a medical illustrator and so, when he moved to New York in 1945, he found work drawing for children's books, medical journals and even on porcelain dishes. He studied art history at Columbia University, and also took studio courses at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. It was a heady time in American art history, with the focus of the art world beginning to shift from Paris to New York City after the war. Mayhew studied under such luminaries as Max Beckman, Edwin Dickman and Ruben Tam. He rubbed shoulders with some of the glitterati of the Abstract Expressionist movement: Jackson Pollock ("serious and unhappy"), Willem de Kooning, who moved into the studio upstairs, and Franz Kline, who once stole Mayhew's drink at the infamous Cedar Bar. In spite of the pressure to conform to the new, free-form style of abstract painting, Mayhew remained steadfast in his dedication to the landscape. And, amazingly, he found success; he had his first solo exhibition in 1955 at the Brooklyn Museum and another in 1957 at the Morris Gallery. He enjoyed critical praise for his intense studies of changing light and color, with critics citing his affinity with Claude Monet, Winslow Homer and Thomas Eakins.
In 1958, Mayhew was chosen to receive a scholarship to the MacDowell Art Colony, an experience that taught him the value of working collaboratively with other artists. But the award that would have the most profound influence on his work was a John Hay Whitney Fellowship that allowed him to study at the Academia in Florence for a full year. Shortly after, he received a grant from the Ford Foundation, that enabled him to continue to travel, paint and study in various European countries for the next two years. Seeing the work of great masters such as Turner ("mystical, with an unfinished quality") and the French Impressionists propelled Mayhew into serious study of the science of optics and a desire to fully understand color theory. His paintings reflected his new understanding of color, tonal techniques and atmospheric perspective, as applied to landscape. He also experienced a feeling of pride in being an artist; in Europe, he explains, it is a noble and respected profession. Returning to the United States in 1962, at the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement, was an abrupt and cold dose of reality, especially for a black artist.
In 1963, Mayhew and several other African American artists formed the Spiral Group, whose purpose was to support and challenge each other and to find ways to express their ethnicity in the midst of the growing struggle for civil rights. Some members of the group espoused a militant approach, proposing that art should be used as a political tool. Mayhew took a more conservative approach, advising his fellow artists to "be innovative and constructive in relationship to art and your relationship with the community." Mayhew remains skeptical of black artists who use Afrocentric imagery in their work; he feels strongly that the emotionally-charged iconography of Aunt Jemima and slave images (such as those used by Kara Walker) only serve to perpetuate racial stereotypes. He claims that he never encountered racial discrimination from his fellow artists, but that the media had a hand in fostering prejudice. Even today, he takes pride in the fact that an uninformed viewer of his work would not be able to discern his race.
Mayhew found that his interest in the interdisciplinary nature of art, combining the visual with the performing arts, could best be served in education. He has held teaching positions at the Brooklyn Museum Art School, The Art Students League, Smith College and Pennsylvania State University. During vacations from his position at Penn State, Mayhew would drive across the country in order to be a guest lecturer at San Jose State. These cross country sojourns (sometimes driving through the Southwest, other times taking a northern route into Canada) would result in a profound change in his painting style. No longer abstract, now his work centered on specific landmarks; trees, hills, lakes rendered in a more realistic motif. This is not to imply that the artist was working en plein aire; Mayhew never used sketches or photographs. Rather, he would rely on his memory to create a landscape that would be an amalgam of actual sites he had visited. And, as always, Mayhew strove to paint the "essence of nature, always seeking the unique spiritual mood of the land." In 1991, Mayhew retired from teaching and moved permanently to Soquel. He still visits New York City several times a year, in order to see family, visit art museums and enjoy live jazz. His has had more than thirty solo exhibitions and his work can be found in the permanent collections of such prestigious museums as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Whitney and the Art Institute of Chicago, to name a few. He is represented by the Zone Contemporary Gallery in New York and just recently had a solo exhibition at the G.R. N'Namdi Gallery in Chicago. A critic for ArtNews commented on Mayhew's "controlled mastery of the brush while depicting these imagined places." For Richard Mayhew, these "imagined places" are an endless source of inspiration; for those of us who view his work, an endless source of pleasure. A retrospective of Richard Mayhew's art will be held concurrently at three museums in the Fall of 2009: the de Saisset Museum at Santa Clara University, the Museum of African Diaspora in San Francisco and the Museum of Art and History in Santa Cruz.
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League Cup: Aston Villa are favourites, says Paul Lambert
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Lambert confident of cup success
Capital One Cup semi-final, second leg
Watch highlights on The League Cup Show on Wednesday at 2305 GMT, BBC One.
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert says his side will be favourites to beat Bradford in the second leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final and win through to a Wembley final.
League Two side Bradford go into the game
But Lambert said: "I don't sense any apprehension at all. We are ready for it and we know what we have to do.
"I am pretty sure everyone will make us favourites to turn it around."
Villa were embarrassed by Phil Parkinson's side at Valley Parade, when goals from Nahki Wells, Rory McArdle and Carl McHugh put Bradford in charge.
Bradford City are the first fourth- tier club to progress this far in the League Cup since Wycombe in 2006-07.
The manager of the Chairboys at that time? Paul Lambert.
A 2-0 win for Villa will be enough to send the Premier League side to Wembley on away goals after extra-time, and Lambert believes his side are capable of getting the result they need.
He added: "It's well within our capabilities to turn it around. They are playing well enough to do it.
"I also know for a fact the stadium will be absolutely bouncing.
"It'll be a different ball game to a fortnight ago."
Lambert also feels securing the victory Villa need to reach the Capital One Cup final will, in turn, help his players to instigate an improvement in the club's ailing Premier League form.
The midlands club have not won a league game since defeating Liverpool on 15 December, and consequently they are just one point and one place above the relegation zone.
"If we get through, the confidence will be great. The feeling around the club will be massive," he said.
"It will be a great thing. It can definitely play a huge part in the season turning (around)."
Striker Andreas Weimann, who scored Villa's solitary goal in the first leg, is available after illness.
Goalkeeper Shay Given (hamstring) and midfielder Fabian Delph (ankle) face late fitness checks.
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CARF International recently announced that Jay-Randolph Developmental Services, Inc. has been accredited for a period of three years for its Community Integration, Organizational Employment Services, Supported Living, Respite Services & Governance. The latest accreditation is the eighth consecutive three year accreditation that CARF has awarded JRDS.
This accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization's substantial conformance to the CARF standards. An organization receiving a three year accreditation has put itself though a rigorous peer review process. It has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit its committment to offering programs and services that are measurable, accountable and of the highest quality.
A revised Use of Personal Electronic Devices has been added to the Staff area of the Employee Portal Information of the JRDS web site. All staff must read the information and to complete the mandatory receipt of of the policies (NOTE: Look on the last of the lists in Staff area).
All staff should do the receipt done by March 24, 2017.
The JRDS Board of Directors meets the third Tuesday of every month except July and December. |
Where to Party in the Hamptons on Halloween, This Weekend
By What to Do Posted on October 30, 2013
Southampon Publick House. Photo credit: Brendan J. O'Reilly
Across the East End, there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate on Halloween night and into the weekend.
Here are parties and events geared toward adults, many of which are offering prizes for best costumes.
Buckley's Halloween Party
DJ Disco Pauly kicks off the party at 9 p.m. at Buckley's Inn Between. There will be drink specials, spooky shots, and prizes for best costumes. There is no cover charge, but for $15 there is all-you-can-drink Miller Lite and all-you-can-eat wings from 9 p.m. to midnight. RSVP on Facebook. 139 West Montauk Hwy, Hampton Bays
Publick House Halloween Costume Party
On Halloween night, Southampton Publick House hosts a costume party starting at 9 p.m. WEHM's Anthony hosts and DJ Dory spins. Best Costume will be awarded at midnight. $500 for first, $300 for second and $150 for third place. The night includes drink and draft specials. There is a $10 cover charge at the door. RSVP on Facebook. 40 Bowden Square, Southampton
Rowdyween
East Hampton's Rowdy Hall hosts its annual Rowdyween party on Halloween night from 8 p.m. to midnight. Admission is $30, with includes the first drink. There will be hors d'oeuvres, drink specials, $5 drafts and $5 well drinks. DJ Tone Tigga spins. Rowdy Hall says come in costume or don't come at all. Purchase tickets at eventbrite. RSVP on Facebook. 10 Main Street, East Hampton
Halloween Party Raffa Show at Page
Raffa Show and DJ Johnny provide the entertainment at Page at 63 Main's party on Halloween night. The fun begins at 10 p.m. Expect raffles, prizes and a cash bar. Call Danny at 631-294-2991 or Debbie at 516-607-6727 for more information. 63 Main Street, Sag Harbor
Scaraoke and Buffet Night at 230 Down
230 Down at 230 Elm is all decked out for Halloween. There are two-for-one drinks from 4 to 7 p.m. The buffet opens at 6 p.m. for $10 per person. Adam Webb hosts karaoke beginning at 8 p.m. There will be a free drink raffle every half hour for people in costume. 230 Elm Street, Southampton
Halloween Reggae Night at Backbar
Backbar Grille in Hampton Bays will have Winston Irie and Friends perform beginning at 9 p.m. Prizes will be given out for best costumes. There is no cover charge. 78 Foster Avenue, Hampton Bays
Day of the Dead Party at Nammos
Nammos celebrates the Day of the Dead. Anyone wearing a red rose gets a free glass of champagne or a raffle ticket for a comedy show. DJ Twilo provides the music. The party starts at 9 p.m. RSVP on Facebook. 136 Main St Southampton
Blackwells Halloween Bash
Blackwells at Great Rock hosts its Halloween Bash and costume contest November 1 starting at 8 p.m. Prizes are $200 for first, $100 for second and $50 for third. Everyone in costume receives half-off all drinks from 8 p.m. until midnight. Music and dancing by The A List. 141 Fairway Drive, Wading River
WPPB Harvest Costume Ball & Art Auction
Join Peconic Public Broadcasting 88.3 FM personalities Bonnie Grice, Brian Cosgrove and Ed German for a festive evening and art auction at The South Street Gallery on November 2. Costumes from masks to period dress are encouraged. There will be light fare by Noah's, wine by Lieb cellars and a DJ. Tickets, available at 883wppb.org, are $50 per person. 18 South Street, Greenport.
Nightmare on Elm Street at 230 Down
DJ Biggie will spin at 230 Down at 230 Elm. Doors open at 9 p.m. Costume prizes will be awarded. The cover charge is $10 before midnight and $15 after.
Backbar Costume Party
Backbar Grille will have a costume party will DJ Frank Stein for no cover. Prizes will be handed out for best costumes. Doors open at 9 p.m.
Sole East Halloween and Season Closing Party
Montauk's Sole East will end its season with a Halloween party with musical guests, free bar food and witches grog, and a best costume contest. 90 Second House Road, Montauk.
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Features NAHJ 2018
As members of two minority groups, Afro-Latinos face intense prejudice
July 20, 2018 July 24, 2018 By Melody Congote 0 Comments
Growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood outside Boston, Brittany Volcy was often made to feel like her African features were not pretty.
"To assimilate to white culture, I straightened my hair. My curl now doesn't come back because it is so damaged," Volcy said. "I didn't have control of my skin or the way that my face and nose was shaped, and I knew the one thing I could control was my hair."
Brittany Volcy, middle, is pictured with relatives. As someone who is Afro-Latino, she struggles her identity because of racial biases established by Eurocentric views. | COURTESY PHOTO
She's not alone.
According to a 2016 Pew Research Center survey, one-quarter of Latinos who identify themselves as Afro-Latinos – people who are of African and Latino descent – have felt the need to assimilate to dominant beauty standards and Eurocentric views by changing their appearance, such as by relaxing their hair or compressing it instead of embracing their natural beauty.
As members of two minority groups, Afro-Latinos experience intense prejudice. Volcy said that Afro-Latinos like herself feel the need to following dominant Eurocentric views, which promote low self-esteem and social inequity.
"The way that people would describe me, I felt almost like an animal in a zoo," Volcy said. "People would say that I looked so different."
Many Afro-Latinos struggle with their identity because of racial biases established by Eurocentric views.
"From a male's point of view, I can tell you that I grew up subconscious about my hair," said Hassani Tyler, who is an Afro-Latino. "I felt like if I didn't cut my hair short, I would be judged."
Experts say that there is a very narrow standard as to what hairstyles are considered acceptable in Eurocentric society. The styles that Afro-Latinos often wear are standard within the Afro-Latino culture, but are unacceptable outside of it.
"Having straight hair and colored eyes is what is considered beautiful," said April Wright, a biracial African American children's book author. "Anything outside of it isn't, unfortunately."
April Wright is pictured at Brand Park in Glendale, Calif on June 20, 2018. COURTESY SIDNEY TRAINA
That Eurocentric lens neglects the cultural heritage of Afro-Latinos by discriminating against people from two different worlds.
"I don't want to be perceived as the stereotypes that have been placed upon me," said Tyler. "We need more representation of Afro-Latinos … because that alone breaks the barriers of it all."
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Melody Congote
http://latinoreporter.org/author/melody/
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AgrAbility Unlimited of Illinois is proud to announce Justina Chlum as the Ambassador of the Month for December 2018!
Justina has represented AgrAbility Unlimited in Bureau County for several years. She is the Executive Director with the Farm Service Agency in her county and has shown her extreme dedication to the agricultural community through her participation in the program since day one.
Justina recently said that her favorite part of being a part of the AgrAbility Ambassador team is, "…Having the knowledge to help the producers in my county if the need arises. I enjoy knowing that AgrAbility has helped so many people overcome challenges and get back to doing what they love." Well said, Justina!
What has been your favorite moment as An AgrAbility Ambassador? "My favorite moment as an AgrAbility Ambassador is when you can see first-hand the difference AgrAbility can make in peoples lives, and you know you're where you need to be and doing what you can to help," said Justina.
Click here to find an Ambassador in your County. |
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Lab-grown meat is inevitable. Will we eat it?
With the science coming together, the biggest challenge is getting people on board.
03.21.18 in Food and Drink
In 2013, two people tasted a burger made from cultured meat live on the air, and for many, it was their first introduction to lab-grown meat and the researchers creating it. The two were tasked with trying this first cultured burger and giving their honest thoughts on how it tasted, how it felt and how it compared to a typical burger. One noted "some intense taste" while the second said, "The texture, the mouthfeel has a feel like meat." Both pointed out that the lack of fat in the burger made it a little dry, but overall the consensus was that it was very close to traditional meat. Now, less than five years later, no fewer than seven companies are developing cultured meat to bring it to the market, some aiming to sell products as early as this year.
For some, cultured meat is a tech triumph, for others it's a cool new food and for many, it offers a way to help address some pretty major food and environmental challenges or maybe even save the world. But it's also a fundamental break from how we've always interacted with meat. Eating meat has always meant the death of an animal in some way or another, but with cultured meat, that's no longer the case. And while that's pretty awe-inspiring, it's also, let's face it, really weird. Whether cultured meat becomes a commercial reality this year or a decade down the road, it's likely on its way, so it seems wise to figure out what people think of it, how to get people to trust it and ultimately, how to sell it.
Cultured meat is meat. Its journey onto your plate might be drastically different from that of the meat we eat now, but regardless of its history, it is, in fact, meat. Scientists start with what are known as satellite cells -- cells that can develop into muscle cells -- and provide them with all the nutrients they need to live and develop. Throw some edible material in there that acts as scaffolding on which the cells can grow, make sure there's the optimal amount of movement and the correct temperature, and eventually you have meat that can be cooked and eaten just like any pork, beef or chicken you get from the store today. That's a simplification of a complicated process that scientists are still refining, but that's essentially it. Try to do what happens naturally, but do it outside of an animal.
Plenty think that a good product at the right price will sell itself. "I think the most important thing we're doing, and the primary thing we're doing, is just putting our heads down and trying to make something that's really good," Josh Tetrick, CEO of Just (formerly Hampton Creek), said. And Bruce Friedrich, executive director of the Good Food Institute (GFI), a nonprofit organization that helps companies bring their cultured meat and plant-based products to market, thinks the merits of the foods will be enough to get people on board. "Clean meat gives you everything that people get from eating meat, or want from eating meat, from live animals but without the things people prefer not to think about," he said. "It is a product that really sells itself."
PETA has been a backer of cultured-meat research for decades, and President Ingrid Newkirk has no doubt that it's on the way. "It's going to happen. Younger people are very excited about it. It's new. It makes sense. It's not your grandpa's idea of what you eat," she said. "It's going to happen. No worry at all."
There will surely be people who jump on the cultured-meat bandwagon early on and avidly, but there will certainly be people who need more convincing. Just a few months ago, when talking to the team behind Finless Foods, a startup working on developing cultured-fish products, we also asked some individuals if they would eat fish grown in a lab. One person said she probably wouldn't. Another said she definitely wouldn't. When asked why, she said, "Because that's disgusting." And she's far from the only person who thinks that.
Again, cultured meat requires you to reassess everything you know about meat. It introduces a new set of rules, and regardless of whatever positive impact it may have on the environment, animal welfare or sustainability, it may take some time to adjust to. But there are a few groups working to explore these foods as well as how people will react to and interact with them going forward. And while they all take different approaches, they all explore these foods in relation to what people currently accept as normal. They're looking at what's acceptable, what's familiar and what are people OK with and then asking, "Now, how does cultured meat fit in?"
As a kid, Mike Lee was interested in auto shows and, in particular, concept cars. It was an industry that presented a tangible idea of what its future products might be, and to him, that was fascinating. When he started his career in food, Lee went to trade shows and was excited to see how people imagined the future of food. "I remember going to one of the early trade shows, kind of expecting to see like, 'Oh, my gosh, I'm gonna see the future of food here,' and then I didn't," said Lee. "I wanted to make sure there was always a space for people to dream a lot more aggressively and view that in a way that hopefully inspires how people are innovating more-straightforward things today." That led to The Future Market.
Like the concept cars of auto shows, The Future Market presents concept food products. It tries to develop around six new products each year. Some of those products are devices like Nanobrew, a home brewing kit that uses wild, airborne yeast to produce beer; AnalyzeMe, a pill that can track and report on your microbiome; and Mini Mill, a small countertop mill that lets you make your own flour at home. Others are foods with a focus on sustainable farming. Crop Crisps, for example, are crackers that come in four flavors, but each flavor comes out every four years since the main cracker ingredient -- hard red wheat, white winter wheat, lentils or chickpeas -- is grown on a rotation that allows the farm's soil to be replenished with the right balance of nutrients. And Alga Marina is pasta made from holistically farmed seaweed.
And of course, there's cultured meat. Heritage Culture offers premium cuts of Kobe and wagyu beef, all grown through cellular agriculture, while Faux Fin allows for guilt-free consumption of shark fin soup, since the shark meat has been cultured. And then there's Jia Rou Canting, a Chinese restaurant that cultures its own meat in an in-house bioreactor and offers cultured meat alongside traditional meat on its menu.
To be clear, none of these things currently exist. They offer a glimpse into what could be on our shelves and on our plates in the near future. And importantly, they do it by taking a step into the future while keeping one foot anchored in the familiar. "I think the whole Chinese food menu is really kind of the epitome of what we think is necessary to get people over the hump," said Lee. "Which is, they need some sort of anchor in the familiar, because when everything is crazy, it just throws your brain into a loop. So for that we try to say, 'How do we make this idea, which is so fantastical and almost science fiction-like, as boring as possible in a good way?'"
The Future Market's concept products are also introduced to people in a concept pop-up grocery store that the company has brought to the Fancy Food trade show over the past couple of years. One option for customers who visit the concept store is a way to customize their grocery order based on the issues and concerns that are most important to them. Through a series of questions, they're asked about things like whether they're more inclined to choose foods that reduce their weight or reduce global warming, if they're more interested in savings or supporting sustainable farming, and if they want Michelin-star flavors or fast food prices. Their answers are then used to map their food interests, and products that appeal to their main concerns are collected. As mentioned before, these products don't exist and can't actually be purchased, but people can experience what it might be like to shop for them in the future by picking what they want, ordering it and having it theoretically shipped to their homes.
Lee said the people who've stopped by take their time looking through the products and seem to try to absorb what it might be like to see such items in real stores. "It gets them to question their values," said Lee. "Things like Faux Fin, which is the cell-ag shark fin soup -- it kind of throws your whole value system out of whack, right? If you're a person who's trained to say, 'I don't eat shark fin soup because it's cruel to sharks,' but you remove that whole cruel-to-sharks part out of the equation, what does that do to what you think about shark fin soup?"
The Institute for the Future (IFTF) takes a similar approach, providing examples of possible future-food products and technologies, all rooted in the familiar. As part of its Artifact from the Future project, IFTF developed Lunchabios -- a Lunchables-type product that allows kids to culture their own cheese -- as well as an incentivized receipt that notes discounts earned by buying sustainably sourced foods.
"What's interesting about the artifacts is that of course they don't exist today," said Rebecca Chesney, a research director at IFTF, "but they're kind of like a puzzle where we've layered together things that do exist." One artifact introducing a future with cultured meat is Churchill's Carnery. "It's basically imagining a brewery of the future, but the brewery is not for beer, it's for meat," said Chesney. And its name is inspired by a 1931 Winston Churchill essay entitled "Fifty Years Hence," which reads, "We shall escape the absurdity of growing a whole chicken in order to eat the breast or wing by growing these parts separately under a suitable medium."
"If you're a person who's trained to say, 'I don't eat shark fin soup because it's cruel to sharks' ... what does [using cultured meat] do to what you think about shark fin soup?"
Like The Future Market, IFTF offers people a way to experience the future of food firsthand through its Edible Futures events, which present new foods to people in an educational dining experience. Chesney said that it gets those who attend to think about these foods and realize they might be open to eating them in the future.
While The Future Market and IFTF are taking familiar products and pushing them a few steps toward the future, Oron Catts confronted the familiarity of food with the idea of cultured meat nearly a decade before that first cultured beef burger was eaten on live TV. And he did so using a fairly different method. Catts is the director of SymbioticA, part of the Centre of Excellence in Biological Arts at the University of Western Australia, and in 2003, he created an art exhibition called Disembodied Cuisine, an installation that put cultured frog meat on display and ended with it being cooked and eaten. According to the Tissue Culture and Art Project website, the exhibit "played on the notion of different cultural perceptions of what is edible and what is foul."
So even in its earliest days, cultured meat has been introduced to the public by situating it in or putting it up against what is comfortable and what is familiar. It's an interesting and active way to gauge how people feel about something they can't yet buy. And it offers the chance to surface and maybe even address their concerns before they're faced with them at an actual store or a restaurant.
However, it might also be important to take a look at the ways in which cultured meat strays from what's considered normal. "Cultured meat just isn't normal," said Ben Wurgaft, an anthropology postdoctoral fellow at MIT. "It's not. There are all kinds of technical reasons why this is not normal." Wurgraft believes that it's important to highlight and discuss the differences between cultured and traditional meat because burying them does the consumer a disservice. Because there are differences and they should be talked about. Otherwise consumers, the people these products are entirely intended for, could feel swindled. They deserve to know how their food was made and how it got to their plate. That's especially true for something as groundbreaking as cultured meat. Transparency about such a large departure from the norm will be crucial to its success.
"I think that it would really be beneficial for anyone who's involved in the food system, whether they're working on these technologies or not, to really be open about what's happening so that people feel like they can make the decisions themselves and they don't feel like they've been duped," said Chesney.
When it comes to transparency, the companies developing cultured meat recognize the importance of it. "I think having a really open and honest conversation about what this technology is is extremely important," said Selden. In that interest, he tries to talk to people about cultured-meat technology as much as he can, whether that be to the media or at conferences. Mark Post, whose Maastricht University lab was behind that first cultured burger, spun out his research into Mosa Meat and has continued to participate in the university's annual conference on cultured meat. And Memphis Meats, which declined an interview for this piece, updates its website with images and videos of its ongoing product tastings.
But these companies, which are all working to develop commercially available products, have proprietary secrets that they have to keep under wraps. And while that hasn't prevented many of them from discussing cultured meat, it has kept them from giving us a solid look at their progress and their technology.
Wurgaft, who's working on a book about the effort to create cultured meat, said he's not one to assume it's right around the corner. "You have interested parties telling us that they've made progress, and they may have resolved some of the basic technical problems," he said. "But at present we have no way of really confirming this." He argues that the closed nature of this industry makes it hard to instill trust.
"It's hard to establish not just public trust but trust of people like myself if you can't tell us the full story about what's happening in labs," said Wurgaft. "I understand completely that they can't because of the nature of their responsibility to investors. And my beef isn't with the venture capital system itself, rather with its promissory character: We're saddled with stories and promises that we can't confirm, so we don't know how much hope to invest in them."
"We're saddled with stories and promises that we can't confirm, so we don't know how much hope to invest in them."
Where cultured-meat companies can't fully deliver, independent groups have stepped in. New Harvest, a nonprofit organization that funds cultured-meat and cellular-agriculture research, agrees that openness and transparency are necessary. It makes an effort to host honest discussions about the technology, its limitations and what it realistically can offer here and now. Erin Kim, New Harvest's communications director, said that misrepresenting the success of current technologies "just creates a disconnect between the public understanding of where the science is and where the products are versus the reality of it." She added, "I think that we should always maintain a critical eye to these things as well, and I don't think that this field should be afraid to critique itself and to be critiqued. We are definitely coming from a place of recognizing that there's still so much science that is yet to be done and that a lot of the conversation right now is still very speculative."
New Harvest currently funds six researchers working on cultured meat and offers smaller, shorter-term grants as well. One group receiving such funding is working on a bioreactor -- the device required to grow cultured meat at scale. "There has been all this talk about bioreactors for all these years, about how they're going to be like breweries and so on," said Kim. "Still, there was not an actual visible prototype of one of those bioreactors." But in January, New Harvest posted a picture of the research group's unfinished prototype, and the response was wild. "I think people were so excited to see, OK, this is potentially what one of these bioreactors could one day look like," said Kim.
It's not just academic groups that benefit from the work New Harvest does. Companies like Perfect Day Foods, which makes animal-free dairy products; Clara Foods, which is working on an animal-free egg white; and Finless Foods all have roots in New Harvest.
New Harvest's academic and open approach to cultured meat is shared by another group on the other side of the world. The Shojinmeat Project, based in Japan, is a citizen-science cultured-meat venture that encourages anyone who's interested to try their hand at growing their own meat. People involved in the project are growing everything from seashells to sea urchin, and Yuki Hanyu, Shojinmeat's founder, cultured and tried foie gras with a few other amateur meat growers. Additionally, in the spirit of open access, the group has published a cultured-meat recipe and instructions on how to build a small bioreactor at home, both online and in a comic book about cultured meat. "I appreciate the openness, because I think that there's still such a need for that that is unmet. And we're trying to fill those gaps with our effort, but the more other players can get in on that, the better," said Kim.
The need for transparency and openness in the introduction of new foods was a lesson learned quite deeply through GMOs. The technology was introduced and its products put into the food supply without a conversation with the people who would be eating it. To many, that felt like a trick. It looked like an industry was messing with their food and doing so secretively, and it led to a massive public backlash.
"I think a lot of the agriculture industry has learned lessons the hard way from the rolling out of GMOs," said Mary Haderlein, a new food and beverage strategist and principal of Hyde Park Group Food Innovation. "If you look at that history and you see what they did right and what they did terribly wrong, to kind of instill consumer confidence or nonconfidence, you just don't want to go down that road anymore."
"Not talking to the public about what you're putting into the food supply is a gigantic mistake," said Finless Foods CEO Mike Selden. "The backlash against GMOs was, in a way, warranted, not because GMOs are bad and not because GMOs are unhealthy or bad for the environment but because you're changing someone's food without explaining to them what you're doing. That warrants backlash."
Even those instrumental in bringing GMOs to the world realize that the lack of communication surrounding them at the time was a problem. About GMOs, Monsanto CTO Robert Fraley has said in the past, "If I could have do (sic) one thing differently I would have focused on communicating to the public."
With cultured meat, we're already seeing a difference. Cultured-meat products aren't even on the market yet, but the development of them has been in the news for years. Even if they can't give details on their own technology, cultured meat CEOs are talking about the products, answering questions and putting information in places where it's easy to find. Because secrecy about food doesn't do anybody -- consumer or producer -- any good.
And as Wurgaft pointed out, one more issue that will play a hand in cultured meat's success is trust. That can be hard to instill, especially with something as intimate as food.
The good news is that we don't have to rely on companies themselves to foster trust in their products. They should do as much as they can in that regard, but having an outside opinion from someone who doesn't have a stake in the game can often go even further. That's where regulation comes in.
Agencies like the USDA and the FDA lay out ground rules for our foods already, and while not everyone may agree on their process or their standards, setting safety requirements does offer some level of order and assessment on which trust can be built.
The bad news is that neither of those agencies has a plan for cultured meat yet. As of now, it's not entirely clear how the US government will regulate it, or even who. While a spokesperson declined to say how the FDA might regulate cultured meat, they said, "Given information we have at this time, it seems reasonable to think that cultured meat, if manufactured in accordance with appropriate safety standards and all relevant regulations, could be consumed safely."
While the USDA is largely concerned with slaughtered meat, it's still up in the air as to whether it will be involved with cultured meat. "USDA has not made any determinations on 'cultured meat' (i.e., animal species-specific tissues cultivated in vitro from livestock stem cells)," a spokesperson said. "FDA would need to evaluate the safety of 'cultured meat' first before USDA could make any type of labeling determinations and determine whether it meets the definition of 'meat.'" So for now it seems regulation, like cultured meat itself, is still being worked out.
While there are still so many unknowns when it comes to cultured meat, there is evidence that people are generally on board. A study published last year in PLOS One found that 65 percent of 673 surveyed US individuals would probably or definitely try cultured meat while only 8.5 percent said they definitely would not. And adding to the evidence of public support, in 2016, Israel-based SuperMeat raised more than $230,000 in an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. In an email, SuperMeat co-founder Shir Friedman said, "The crowdfunding was a way for SuperMeat to show potential investors, as well as the world, that there is massive public support for clean meat."
Tetrick said Just will have a nugget, foie gras or sausage on the market this year. Only time will tell if that's the case, but in the meantime, there's still one major issue for cultured-meat companies to address: What do you call it? "I think it's going to be important because there's so much interest in this, and so many people writing about it, and there's so much opportunity for confusion," said Haderlein. "I think they should all get on the same page."
GFI is a proponent of the term "clean meat." Friedrich said, "The reason we're using clean meat is that it didn't previously have a meaning in food. Then it's also sort of a nod to clean energy. Clean energy is energy that's better for the environment. Clean meat is obviously better for the environment. It also is just a cleaner product because it doesn't have any of the contamination or any drug residues or whatever that come with live animals." Selden told me that he believes clean meat is the most accurate. "It gets across really what we're doing here," he said. "We're creating something that is actually cleaner."
But not everyone is totally behind that term. "The main reason I don't like clean meat is its substantial, moral indictment of contemporary carnivory," said Wurgaft. "It's an effort to superimpose the logic of animal rights vegetarians on existing dietary practice. I also don't think it's clean, because I don't think that we know that it's clean, environmentally speaking."
New Harvest tends to use the term "cultured meat," and Kim said that's partly because clean meat can have different meanings depending on who's using the term and it can become an ideological issue that New Harvest doesn't want to get involved in. She also said that because of New Harvest's academic approach to the field, cultured meat makes more sense for it. "It may not be the most appealing term, but it's one that has been accepted by the scientific community," she said. "It's still the one that, if you do searches for academic papers, you're going to find stuff written about cultured meat and not clean meat."
Tetrick said that while he once stood behind clean meat, he's come to think that it might not be the best term for it. But he also doesn't like cultured meat or "lab-grown meat." "Most people, most of my friends, don't really have an understanding of what the word 'cultured' means, in connection with meat," he said. So now he's leaning toward just calling it meat and adding a description of what makes it different. He said that once it becomes more accepted, that's probably where the term will end up anyway. "When smartphones first came out, it was a smartphone, but today I don't refer to my phone as a smartphone. I say it's my phone," said Tetrick. "So I bet tomorrow, when it's normalized, we'll just call it meat."
Images: New Harvest (cultured meat); Getty Images/iStockphoto (meatless meat vessels)
In this article: culturedmeat, food and drink, food-and-drink, foodanddrink, labgrownfood, labmeat, longread, tomorrow
By Mallory Locklear @mallorylocklear
Mallory is a freelance science and tech writer with a PhD in neuroscience. She's based in New York and has bylines in Motherboard, New Scientist, Discover Magazine and more. |
EVEREST - Behind The Scenes
Publishers Pretending 50 Shades of Grey is the Bestselling Book of All Time - But it Hasn't Beaten Harry Potter
Books, Harry Potter
Waterloo 1815: Neglected And Forgotten Victims And Henry Percy's London Dash
Neil Kemp
Doctor Who: Gallifrey Through the Ages
The Six Wives & Many Mistresses of Henry VIII with Amy Licence
Five Great Films That Nearly Were
Film & TV, His Dark Materials
Yub Nub! No Psychotic Cannibal Terriers In Star Wars: The Force Awakens
If only Queen Amidala of Naboo had paid her taxes to the Trade Federation, instead of spending her entire planetary budget on insanely elaborate coiffures and costumes, none of these "Star Wars" would have happened. Senator Palpatine's schemes to play the rebels against the Galactic Republic, and seize power as the Emperor, would never have come to fruition, Anakin Skywalker would have remained an annoyingly "special" droid repairer on the tediously dry lackwater planet Tatooine, and would never have developed his psychotic penchant for killing women and children.
On the Forest Moon of Endor, Ewoks, clearly the results of a cloning experiment by the Kamino on Yorkshire Terriers gone badly awry, having evolved with the ability to use primitive spears, wooden traps, a taste for manflesh would never have captured and prepared to feast on our heroes, Leia, Luke, Han and Chewie. Something about C3P0's festive metal hide left them awestruck. Perhaps a deep genetic memory that invoked a fear of vacuum cleaners. Having been convinced by the erstwhile shiny yellow god that our scrappy adventurers had too many midi-chlorians to make good eating, (seriously do not allow your potential dinner to swim in public swimming pools) they then decapitated numerous unsuspecting Imperial troops, turning their helmets into congas, undoubtedly after scooping out the tasty morsels within, most likely sautéed with a banana and nut sauce.
Our heroes seem to have turned a blind eye to the culinary peculiarities of this gruesome tribe of mutant mutts. I can just see C3P0 rubbing his head and mumbling, "The horror, the horror," like that other god-like figure worshiped by savage tribes of devolved cannibals, Colonel Kurtz. Of course, Kurtz would have had The Rolling Stones in his cave. The Ewoks seemed to have an entire orchestral string section hidden away in a tree house, as they rattled those skulls and sang,
Yub Nub
Freedom, we got freedom,
And now that we can be free,
Come on and celebrate!
Power, we got power,
It's time to celebrate!
Celebrate the freedom!
Celebrate the power!
Celebrate the glory!
Celebrate the love!
Glory, we found glory!
The power showed us the light,
And now we all live free.
Celebrate the light, (Freedom!)
Celebrate the might, (Power!)
Celebrate the fight, (Glory!)
Celebrate the love.
Glory, we found glory.
Yub Nub indeed. That's a loose English translation of the original Ewok Celebration song from the end of Return Of The Jedi. This was edited in favour of the instrumental Victory Celebration in later release versions. I suspect because the actual translation involves boiled marrow and fried liver, and celebrating the gravy. Maybe with fava beans.
Fortunately JJ Abrams for Star Wars: The Force Awakens returned to a rollicking matinee adventure, less of the wild west Colonial era narratives of the noble frontiersman and the noble savage, but still with Fascist British military types, and also a giant Gollum-like evil hologram, and a nasty self-indulgent Lithuanian emo. I assume he's Lithuanian because he is so Vilnius. The Brits seem to have become very successful in a galaxy far far away, but mostly display a definite tendency towards evil Fascist jackbootery. Meanwhile our new heroes, Rey, Finn, BB8, are all just gorgeously feisty.
Unfortunately he has left out George Lucas's fascinating discussions on the intricacies of Galactic tax law, the highlights of episodes I-III. There is no Jar Jar Binks, not even his cousin Jam Jar Jinks, no Gungans at all. Everyone's favourite fishmonster, Admiral Ackbar made an appearance. He must be like one of those legendary catfish that just seems to evade anglers and lives to a ripe old age, growing wise and whiskery. There is some concern that he may have become an icon for ISIL, who seem to run about shouting "Hurrah for Ackbar!"
So many other familiar furry faces and tentacles. I can only thank JJ for not including Ewoks, as cannibals make dubious allies. Hopefully they will remain on The Moon of Endor, where I suspect for the good of the galaxy they have been given some chew toys, deloused and neutered. Hero X-Wing pilot Wedge was last seen dancing with Ewoks. With no appearance in The Force Awakens, I expect he ended up in the pot. I'm still a bit worried for the London Symphonic string section, who may still be trapped in that tree house.
EwoksStar WarsStar Wars The Force Awakens
Richard III Takes on Donald Trump
Greedy Henry VIII
C S Hughes is a proud member of the TV generation, studied film and communications, collects the paperback books of Philip K Dick, loves science fiction and fantasy books, B grade movies and cult TV, American thrillers and British noir, restoring vintage watches, reading poetry, creating innovative illustrated poetry books which are available in Apple's iBooks format, and cake. Especially cake. He has also written short stories, and has a collection of horror stories coming out in 2015.
Star Wars Day – May The 4th Be With You
Gallifrey, Vulcan or Tatooine – Choose Your Planet
Variations On A Classic
Arya Stark and Luke Skywalker, Meet Bruce Lee
These Are Not The Cookies You Are Looking For
Peter Mayhew's Amazing Behind The Scenes Star Wars Photos |
All your favourite people in one place, all the love, the heartfelt moments, the emotions, the confetti, beautiful settings, music, the personal touches… what's not to love?! For all these reasons weddings are one of my favourite things to photograph.
Getting on with your wedding photographer is the key to great images! You will see a lot of your photographer on your wedding day so it is important you feel comfortable in their company. As such, I always meet or video chat with prospective wedding clients before they book.
I like documentary-style photography. That means capturing the moment as it happens, in real time. That's why I'll keep the posed couple shots to a minimum and suggest you limit group photographs to ten; you've worked hard to bring people together for a fantastic day, and you should enjoy every moment!
Travel within London zones 1-3 and within 25 miles of NN11 is included. I am always happy to discuss your requirements so if you want shorter coverage, your big day is out of season or takes place on a Monday-Thursday, just let me know.
As a country girl living in the city, I love the extremes – I would love to shoot a wedding on a working farm (wellies are my favourite shoes!) or in an urban industrial warehouse setting. I would also love to shoot an elopement! If any of these sound like your wedding, tell me and get a 10% discount.
I love to travel but I am yet to shoot a full wedding abroad. If you are planning a wedding away from home but want to take a UK-based photographer with you, I would be happy to chat about your requirements and see if we can strike a deal! |
Little Georgia Imray is very intelligent, very clever and has 'a wicked sense of humour' - despite suffering from cerebral palsy.
And she's won the hearts of villagers near her home in Storrington who are rallying to her aid.
Georgia has endured a lifetime of struggles because of her condition and now faces two operations over the next year - one to repair her hip and one to straighten her spine.
The ops will make it easier for Georgia - who celebrated her 13th birthday with her loving family in Storrington on Saturday - to sit more comfortably in her wheelchair. And that will enable Georgia - who is unable to talk - to sit at a computer and communicate with help from technology known as Eye Gaze.
Barry, who works as a swimming pool engineer and runs the Storrington Community Football Club - for which his son Jake, 11, plays - is now organising a fun football fundraiser at Storrington Football Club on May 5 which it is hoped will include a barbecue, bouncy castle, stalls and more.
Meanwhile, Georgia, who is under the care of two specialist hospitals, is continuing to make the most of every moment, despite her difficulties. "She's generally very happy," said Barry. "She has no speech and is totally dependent on my wife, myself and my eldest daughter, who is also a carer for her.
Georgia celebrated her 13th birthday on Saturday with dad Barry, mum Sam, big sister Kerry and her fiance Scott Pulling, along with brothers Jake and Charlie.
Georgia's dad Barry is also appealing for anyone who can help with the football fundraiser to come forward.The event is planned to start at 11 am on May 5 at Storrington Football Club. He can be contacted by email: barryimray@gmail. |
69. Ebbing Friendships
Posted on February 27, 2015 by yoricksblog
I am most perturbed by seeing what is happening to friendship all around me.
Not only is the meaning of friendship being lost, but hardly anyone seems to be seeking what friendship really is or what it can be. My 'best friend' and I enjoy walks and talks and simply being in each other's company. We respect and appreciate our lapses into silence. We also appreciate each other's talents and eccentricities. However, we both recognize that our kind of friendship is becoming an ever rarer experience.
How many genuinely close friends (in whom we can confide) do we have these days! According to recent American polls, two is the average number of such friends in whom people trust, down from 4 only two decades ago! Studies show that a quarter of Americans admit to having no close confidants at all. The falling numbers are not that different in the UK. It was not always thus in the days before television and the internet. The current ebb in friendship in the 'western world' has been accelerated by the triumph of individualism and competition in a speed-driven market economy: "Me First" has never been regarded as a boost for friendship.
Closeness in past eras was dependent on the availability of free time and the immediacy of contacts. The great economist, Adam Smith, recognized in the 18th century that the new urban conditions of the growing commercial society could have a negative impact on both the individual and friendships. "As soon as a man comes to a great city, he is sunk in obscurity and darkness. His conduct is observed and attended to by nobody, and he is therefore likely to neglect it himself."1 Smith advocated that dislocated workers join associations and church groups for the openings to friendship these might provide.
Today's adults can find it difficult to maintain meaningful friendships in factories, offices, or other workplaces. The emphasis on competition and efficiency crackles everywhere and even contacts can pose a transactional feel. It is hard these days to establish where networking ends and genuine friendship begins… with the clock ticking, the mobile buzzing and the computer flashing. Both jobs and financial security tend to be valued above friendship.
In a culture dominated by consumption, speed and utilitarianism, it is difficult to consider friendship in terms of moral commitment. Capitalism and the internet have both been drivers in the changing meanings of friendship. Our notion of what it means to be a good friend, a close friend, an intimate friend or a "best friend" is rapidly evolving. As Henry David Thoreau wrote nearly two centuries ago: "The language of friendship is not words but meanings."
Online users of Facebook and Twitter can display hundreds of "friends," but seeing the multiplicity of faces on these sites does not reveal their significance. Such social exhibitionism may mask deep loneliness. Internet acquaintances and real friendships are likely to be miles apart. As Aristotle, who spent years considering the nature of friendship wrote: "A friend to all is a friend to none." Facebook Beware! Friendship has traditionally been based on close (geographic) contacts. There is precious little opportunity for this on the new popular sites. We are experiencing a steady decrease in the time devoted to personal communication in everyday life and this makes genuine emotional attachment more difficult to find or to maintain.
The new world we are entering is a domain which is not basically supportive of friendship. Studies have shown that many Americans, in part because of their mobility, eventually lose touch with their early friends. Although there is a global recognition that human beings have benefited enormously from friendship in past times, no effort is being made by nation states to encourage, much less to actively support, such much needed relationships. The way public services such as libraries and the mail are fast disappearing is a significant indication of where we are headed.
A true friend acknowledges the value of friendship and treasures it, but maintaining it in today's digital world can be difficult: one's privacy is so easily violated. As Jon Ronson, a Welsh journalist, filmmaker, radio presenter and nonfiction author found out to his surprise, his identity was recently stolen by some academic "friends" who swooped uninvited into his online existence. Their "spokesmorph," replying to Ronson's protest to this act wrote: "The infomorph isn't taking your identity, it is re-purposing social media data into an infomorphic aesthetic." There would appear to be little room for friendship in such newly morphed relationships!2
"Friendship is undoubtedly central to our lives, in part because our friends can help shape whom we are as persons." The ancients spent much more time in philosophical reflection on this topic.3 Aristotle, in particular, regarded the way friends identified with each other as an exhibition of a "singleness of mind." An openness in friendship was an enlargement of the self. He wrote with profound insight that "the virtuous person is related to his friend in the same way that he is related to himself — for a friend is another self. "Friends share a conception of values not only because there is an important overlap between their perspectives but also because of the impact that friends exert on each other. The values they share are jointly formed by mutual deliberation. This has wider implications for society because extending each other's moral experience also affects those around them."4
Our first friendships develop in stages and are driven by feelings and grounded in pleasure. My earliest childhood friendships, it seems in retrospect, were based on playing with their toys as well as mine. These relationships were maintained through increasing familiarity and playtime sharing. Only slowly did I become aware of the reactions of my playmates and was often troubled by the behavior of others who were aggressive or tried to dominate. I was also embarrassed by adults asking who was "my best friend?" I didn't have any. Today some child experts see this term as risky because it can disturb the young and can arouse feelings of unsuitability and exclusion.
In psychological studies, three stages in the development of friendship are now accepted: Sharing fun and openness are highlighted at first, then loyalty and commitment are observed in the second stage, and ultimately children increasingly seek similar values, interests and attitudes. As teenagers we become aware that friendship directly contributes to our self-confidence, self-esteem, and social satisfaction. Contemporary books and films tend to highlight the heart-warming commitment and delight of young teenage girls immersed in friendship. However, little attention is paid to what happens to friendship upon graduation from school or university.***
In our times, mutual self-disclosure is often a basic element in creating a "bond of trust" in friendships. Exchanging intimate details of our lives can help us to deal with our problems and, when it exposes our vulnerabilities and secrets, can serve to bring us closer. Trust is essential in friendship because it reinforces the reliability of a relationship which depends on mutually shared interests, passions, views and enthusiasms which all strengthen the sense of the bond which is so basic to friendship. The sharp decline of trust at every level of society has made bonding increasingly problematic in recent years.
However one looks at it, friendship throughout the ages has been an enormous support to us as human beings. Sociologists maintain that friendship makes us "feel more alive" and is "life enhancing." I believe its virtues are a key to living a more fulfilled life. It is up to all of us in a time when friendships are statistically on the wane to counter this trend by singing its wondrous song. As the poet Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote: "The only way to have a friend is to be one."
1Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, (1776)
2Jon Ronson, The Guardian Weekend, February 21, 2015, p.18
3Bennett Helm, The Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, (2013)
4J. Annas, "Plato and Aristotle on Friendship and Altruism," Mind, 86:532 (1977)
***I have always been intrigued by how psychologists and philosophers deal with the complex nature of intimacy in friendships. The suggestion that friendship always entertains an element of erotic desire goes back to Plato. Ever since Freud our relationships, however little expressed they may be, are affected by our sexuality. The Austrian philosopher, Otto Weininger claimed there could be no friendship between men unless there was some attraction to draw them together. Much of the affinity and affection between them consequently can be attributed to the element of unsuspected subconscious sexual attraction. This can produce levels of anxiety in developing intimacy between male friends as well as between female. The Danish sociologist Henning Bech wrote that the more men had to assure themselves that their relationship with another man was not homosexual, the more concerned they could become that it might be. The negative impact on such friendship in homophobic societies has been considerable.
Posted in Positive Prospects for Tomorrow | Tagged friendship | 1 Reply
68. Whither the "intellectual elite?"
What's become of the intellectual elite? Have they gone the way of stenographers, elevator operators and social secretaries? I look back longingly (or is it just nostalgically?) to the 1960's when intellectuals were concerned with the Civil Rights movement, the nuclear showdown with Russia (climaxing with the Cuban missile crisis), the horrors of the war in Vietnam and the student revolution of 1968. In my bookcases I still keep copies of the Encounter magazines of that era: There were marvelous letters of Evelyn Waugh, quality essays by Henry Miller, Jorge Luis Borges and George Steiner (who wrote so brilliantly about language). I also have copies of Partisan Review whose editor, Irving Howe, for years was one of America's most respected dissidents. Under duress, Howe's commitment to socialism demanded what he admitted was "a capacity of living with doubt, revaluation and crisis." Those were the days!
The post WWII intellectuals seemed to exude non-conformism, a devotion to a kind of Thomas Paine idealism, and they were possessed by a streak of rebellious embattlement against the conventional politics of their time. Raymond Aaron one of France's more right wing intellectuals of that era, wrote that the theme of material prosperity "fails to give 'meaning to life' and some price has to be paid for it. The individual has the feeling (and it can actually agonize) that in becoming master and owner of nature, man has enslaved himself to an inhuman scheme of things." Aaron recognized that the left did not ignore "the inhumanity of personal relations, the desiccating effect of specialization in the field of work, the alienation of the producer in and by the things that he produces."1
Today's intellectuals have not been able to give up sniffing capitalist cocaine. Indeed, what attracts intellectuals in search of a faith? Science? Certainly not a whiff of radical utopianism. In the United States the anti-intellectual triumphs of order and conformism are evidenced by the decline of argument (marked by the taboo of argument at dinner tables), and the popular mass disdain of intellectual analyses. "Revolutionists" or intellectuals who aspire to a purer or better world have almost disappeared. There are narrow experts who are concerned about the growing economic and social inequalities, the environmental threats, the lack of charismatic leadership, as well as such specific global challenges as the Ukraine and ISIS. This reflects the enormous increase in the specialization of function in all fields.
Specialization has narrowed the vision of most scientists, doctors, economists, teachers, researchers and administrators. This has also affected the possibility of existence for the free-lance writer or journalist and that of the non-academic philosopher, sociologist or historian. I write this even though there now are some 230 million blogs available on the internet. Many of these, like Amor Mundi of the Hannah Arendt group at Bard College, could easily be included in the category of any "intellectual elite." The Dish>/em>, a highly professional blog, lists some 230 other blogs which could join most intellectual sets. All of these have their own supporters and enthusiasts but these have yet to be linked under a more comprehensive intellectual umbrella on the internet.
The lack of socially committed intellectual elites is accompanied with a distrust of intellectuals by the masses. Part of this is undoubtedly due to the abuse of the socialist ideals by the Bolsheviks and the Russian "communist" dictatorship. The failure of contemporary intellectuals to concern themselves with interpreting society's conflicted heritage or instructing the youth in history's mistakes, or in defining the legitimacy and responsibilities of authority, also should be held to account. The very idea of tradition, which still held sway in the sixties, is rapidly diminishing — weakening the forces which formerly held society together. Meanwhile, the gap between the ideals of democracy and the reality of the ever increasing power of capitalism continues to grow.
The global expansion of different forms of communication also opens more questions about our roles in society. The challenge of "who is an artist today?" also affects intellectuals. The popular response has become: Anybody. Who can be a writer? On the internet: Anyone. The internet is now the keeper of memory and many of the abilities which used to be held by the human brain. The historical community of any period or era was defined by the communication of its intellectuals. Now the question arises whether in forthcoming generations this intellectual community will become obsolescent. As it is, the younger generation is no longer used to asking questions: If they want to find out something they will go to Google or Wikipedia. No reason to respect an elder with a good memory — never mind an outstanding one. The solitude and isolation of the rare, spontaneously individual intellectual in a world of conformist philistines has become ever more evident.
From the social perspective, government by an intellectual elite has not developed since the time of the ancient Greeks. No civilization has been able to produce a Platonic Republic. In his Republic Plato warned that "the ills of the human race will never end until those who are sincerely and truly lovers of wisdom come into political power." For the Greek intellectuals, however, social status was the prerequisite of true knowledge and goodness. Almost all their philosophers, such as the Pythagoreans and members of the Academy, came from the aristocracy. The Greek populace, however, treated their philosophical elites with a blend of indifference and humor. Aristotle advised that the philosophic elite, rather than seeking power, should restrict themselves to become advisors to the rulers.2
I have always admired the emergence from the Middle Ages of the intellectual elite which flourished in the Renaissance. These were writers, philosophers and artists who were not of one voice but who believed in intellect and education rather than birth or station. Most were distrustful of unproven concepts and despised the prevailing society of corrupt priesthoods, warring aristocrats, rich merchants and an ignorant peasantry. They admired quality in the arts and aspired to it.
While this intellectual elite did much to alter the old order, its leading figures disdained the new world where those with wealth were replacing the aristocrats as arbiters of the social order. Thomas Jefferson, himself an elitist, believed that government should be run by a trained elite and that young men who possessed exceptional talent should be selected from the poor as well as the rich and should receive the highest levels of education to enable them to serve in responsible positions. "Instead of an aristocracy of wealth, of more harm and danger than benefit to society, to make an opening for the aristocracy of virtue and talent, which nature has wisely provided for the direction of the interest of society… (is) essential to a well-ordered republic."3 This elite should be chosen to run the government, but in no case was confidence be placed to the extent of giving them unlimited power. This was to be a government of the people and not an aristocracy of talented and capable experts. "Our Constitution has accordingly fixed the limits to which our confidence in man may go… but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution."
Jefferson believed that no one was to be trusted with the powers of government independently of oversight by the people, who were his only hope for good government. However, he recognized that there were many functions for which the people, were not competent. That is why they had to choose representatives to whom they could delegate those responsibilities. To this day there is a sense that the will of the people restrains government by intellectual elites who may disregard that will.
It is feared that, driven by the advances in science in the modern world, elite bureaucracies might tend to underestimate the weaknesses of human character. "The Best and the Brightest" were the intellectual elite of the sixties that gave Americans the Vietnam War and much of the current Welfare System. Although the leaders of this elite were confident of their own abilities, many Americans grew distrustful of their lack of common sense (or character) in controlling national policies. The foreign correspondent, David Halberstam, characterized the White House intellectuals as arrogantly insisting on "brilliant policies that defied common sense" in Vietnam.4 I believe that American anti-intellectualism was based not on the fear of intelligence but the fear of narrow "brain trusts" exercising undue powers.
The student uprisings of 1968 had the effect of splitting intellectuals into various groups. The "author intellectuals" made a choice to withdraw from exerting direct influence on governance and withdrew into their specialized environments. Specialized intellectuals from the academic, scientific and economic domains started to directly collaborate with those in political power. Harvard's Henry Kissinger and Richard Pipes were to be at the forefront of those helping to guide policies from the inside rather than being academic intellectuals attacking government from the outside.
Notwithstanding Jefferson's efforts, all organized societies are and have been ruled by an elite. A mixture of political, economic and military elites manage our contemporary nations and each of these has its own intellectual experts. The outstanding contemporary theorists on elitism, agree that the intellectuals working within the state do play influential and highly esteemed roles. Robert Michels (1876-1936) posited that all organizations were elitist because they were run by a few individuals. The bureaucratic structure of the modern state demanded a need for leaders with specific psychological attributes as well as specialized staffs. G. William Domhoff in his book, Who Rules America? maintains that an elite class, not an intellectual one, which owns and manages large income-producing properties, such as corporations and banks, dominates the American power structure politically and economically.
While the intellectual elite is both essential and an adornment for a civilized state, any intellectual elite ruling on its own is not held to be desirable. Brilliant academics lacking people skills most often are inept at such forms of social organization as running the military or the government. Writers of exceptional conceptual capacity may not have any skills in economics or personnel management. As advisors, those with great intellectual capacity are most beneficial. Totalitarian governments, like that of Russia or China, that had first hoped to build a new society by purging all its intellectual free-thinking elite, laid the foundation for their own self-destruction.
Intellectuals of the past few centuries have been the ideologists of movements ranging from Marxism to market capitalism. We can only hope that the future stance of the intellectual elite will be of a more civil nature. Moderation has never been one of the manifestations of the intellectual elite.5 Ideological expression (as dubious as that often may be) also can have fruitful consequences. The creative force of such intellectuals as authors, teachers, comedians, journalists and even bloggers in influencing social change can be surprising.
Will the major vocation of the intellectual elite of tomorrow still be in the expression and pursuit of the ideal? Will they be able to form any kind of consensus, for example, in denouncing the swiftly rising inequalities in society? Will we observe any renewal of "amenities" or "the public interest?" Could there be an effective intellectual opposition to the political extremism of groups like the "Tea Party?" Focus may rapidly shift to the internet with enormous effects on its expressive social practices. Forms of consensus of the past century may disappear with globalized digitalization.
I see hope in new intellectual figures like Pankaj Mishra, for example, coming from other backgrounds (in his case, the Indian sub-continent) who scan the state of the world and bring together endless connections in a manner which arouses a greater comprehension of the global state of affairs for the reader without necessarily coming to any resolution or solution of the problems being considered. But more must be done to strengthen the intellectual elite as opposed to the economic elite. Civil society institutes, The McArthur Fellowships, TED, The New Yorker, The Ford Foundation, The New York Review of Books, The Hannah Arendt Center, The Atlantic, n + 1, and Harper's are just a random sampling of the groups and magazines furthering public intellectuals in an era when the media are obsessed with personalities and entertainment. Of course, academia at colleges and universities all over the world must be at the forefront of the changes which will affect tomorrow's intellectual elite: Perhaps by 2030 there may even be an elite of "Republican Intellectuals." Don't hold your breath!
1Raymond Aaron, "The exaltation of Folly and Reason," Encounter, August 1969, p. 60.
2Frank L. Vatai, Intellectuals in Politics in the Greek World, (1984).
3Thomas Jefferson, Autobiography, (1821).
4David Halberstam, The Brightest and the Best, (1972).
5Peter Vireck, Shame and Glory of the Intellectuals, (1963).
Posted in Positive Prospects for Tomorrow | Tagged David Halberstam, intellectual, intellectual elite, intellectual elites, intellectuals, Thomas Jefferson | 1 Reply
67. Short term v. long term perspectives
Posted on February 4, 2015 by yoricksblog
The economists of this world like to divide perspectives into macro and micro; the short term and the long term. John Maynard Keynes, among the greatest of his profession, said "In the long run we are all dead," so what is important is the short term. Inevitably, if we cannot cope with the present there is little point in focusing on either the short or long terms. Much of what is happening in the world right now may be unsatisfactory, but projections about tomorrow are truly frightening.
The most disturbing statistic coming out of the World Economic Forum in Davos this January was that 45% of jobs in the United States will be taken over by automation over the next two decades.* How is the society going to tackle this daunting "long term" challenge? By comparison, dealing with the growth of an aging population, air and water pollution and global fish stock depletion seemed slightly less threatening. But to their credit, for the first time at Davos, economists openly discussed ways in which capitalism might be saved from itself.
Looking at where we may be headed is influenced in many ways — not only by our location on this planet but by our education, employment, cultural background, social outlook (now much affected for the younger generations by the internet) and expectations. The Chinese, for example, have a different perspective on what needs to be done for the long term well-being of their nation. Their commitment to the long term was already there a couple of millennia ago when they built the Great Wall and continues to the present day. No nation has ever introduced a long term social project on the scale of China's Birth Control restrictions in which couples were limited to having only one child. Reasonably fearful of their ever larger population, the Communist leadership never even considered the consequential imbalance of the sexes as most couples felt having a son was more important than raising a daughter.
Today this Chinese orientation towards the long term is evidenced by the development of numerous mega-projects ranging from the high-speed rail system (of which 10,000 miles have already been completed ) at a cost of $300 billion, to the South to North Water Diversion Project under construction which will cost $80 billion. I admire the incredible scale of the Chinese commitment to the long term, but recognize that in Europe or the United States such giant projects would create powerful political opposition. Very few of the projects will yield immediate returns, but China's authoritarian rulers can set aside any social, economic and environmental critiques or any open discussion of the possible consequences.
When one considers the extraordinary long-term mega infrastructure projects of the Chinese in Africa and Latin America (like the $50 billion canal across Nicaragua to compete with the Panama Canal) one must also wish that our politicians, overwhelmed as they are by the pressure of news headlines, could hold visions which extended beyond the next election. Alas, most leaders seem at the mercy of the economic forces of capitalism. None of the incredible advances of the technological revolution (many of which were initially sponsored by the government) are now planned by the state or in any way controlled. This has created short term uncertainty which in turn undercuts social and economic stability. A prime example of this was the inability of the governments to control the banks early on in the 21st century to ensure that the extraordinary short term profits they realized did not endanger the very basis of the entire financial system.
A prime component of leadership is long term perspective. A leader must know or have a vision of where he/she and their organization are headed — not just in the next quarter, but over the next decade or more. A number of American Presidents in the 20th century had long range visions, starting with Teddy Roosevelt who moved to protect the environment and battled against corporate irresponsibility; Woodrow Wilson who worked hard on the creation of the League of Nations; FDR who pushed for Social Security legislation and banking reform, and LBJ who supported Civil Rights legislation. In England too, Clement Atlee instituted the National Health Service and many other long term social reforms following WWII.
Working against those with long term visions have been the overwhelming forces of corporations. With their focus on profits and competition, they are principally concerned with this year's earnings and their expectations over the next two to five years. Short-termism is also a dominant theme in the financial world where the corporate results of every three months have become part of "quarterly capitalism." Most corporate executives, although fully aware of the wisdom of long-term planning in areas like the environment, do little to encourage it. They misconceive that tackling environmental change will be bad for business.1
The long term process of giving power to an overpaid corporate and financial elite has resulted in inequalities which no one is clear on how to correct. Economic inequality is like a slow-growing cancer which one may not notice in the early stages but when there is metastasis, demands radical treatment. That is what we shall shortly be facing in both the UK and the US. However the inordinate power that economic inequality gives to the few, like the two Koch brothers in the US who will be spending close to a billion dollars on helping their approved candidates in the 2016 elections, effectively blocks even modest changes or reforms in taxation. Indeed the rich have shown their capacity to protect their ever larger holdings over the past 30 years. Somewhat rhetorically, President Obama in his State of the Union address asked how much longer the American people would "accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly well?"
The rich also have been effective in steadily emasculating the power of the trade unions and this very weakness has become an increasingly important factor in the rising global inequality.2 The unions are no longer able to give their members a voice or the power to collectively bargain for higher wage levels. As a result, wage growth is manifestly falling behind the ever higher automation-pushed global levels of productivity.
Politicians have permitted "the market" and technology to go unobstructed on the assumption that they are economically and ethically beyond the need for any public or state control. This has led to the indiscriminate, careless and even corrupt sale of many of the public assets such as the rail and postal services in the UK. The Conservatives in power in Britain appear to have no problems letting the Chinese take leading stakes in the generation of nuclear power stations. The long term consequences of such moves appear to be side-stepped, but perhaps the thinking is that if anything goes wrong in such nuclear facilities then the blame can be outsourced!
For the great majority in the US and the UK, the scope of their prospects seems to be contracting. In the sixties Americans were coaxed into believing that rising living
standards would lead to more choice, more leisure and less hard work. Instead, the corporate culture has resulted in a charged competitive environment with longer working hours.3 Similarly, great hopes were held that technology would bring liberation. Instead, Americans are spending increasingly more time on the internet and its social networks and are becoming enslaved to its demands. Thirty years ago no one predicted such results, Even now we do not know how these technological advances, so readily incorporated into young minds, are affecting the new generation.
A long term perspective can empower politicians, corporations, organizations and individuals which can enable them to affect the future. Some of the earlier writers about our future prospects had varied ideas about the general assumptions we could make.4 Wendell Bell in the Foundations of Future Studies (1997) focused on three general concepts broadly accepted by futurists: First, the future is not predetermined. This suggests that more than one future is possible, which is at the basis of the theory of alternative futures. Some of those futures will be better or worse than others, so we have the opportunity to choose. Second, while the future cannot be known, it is possible to make educated guesses with reasonable accuracy about what would be best and worst. Third, we can exercise strategic planning. This is where we design a vision of a future outcome we might want in ten or more years. The important thing is to have a destination towards which we can move, that is, a long term perspective.
A variety of planners and groups are currently proposing a number of ways to balance short term policies with plausible long range measures which would reduce the chances of boom and bust episodes. The Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations is a group which focuses on the increasing short-termism of modern politics and our collective inability to break the gridlock which undermines attempts to address the biggest challenges that will shape our future. Pascal Lamy, then the Director-General of the World Trade Organization presented a report, "Now for the Long Term" (2013) which listed five shaping factors that make positive change so difficult:
Institutions: Too many are struggling to adapt to today's hyper-connected world.
Time: Short-termism directs political and business cycles.
Political Engagement and Public Trust: Politics has not adapted to new methods.
Growing Complexity: Problems can escalate far more rapidly than they can be resolved.
Cultural Biases: Globalization can amplify cultural differences and exclude key voices.
One voice in the Commission, Camilla Toulmin, Director of the International Institute for Environment and Development, was particularly interested in understanding why people are reluctant to consider the "long term" and in identifying ways to reward those who do. She pointed out that the banking sector remained highly skeptical of the long term efficacy of carbon cutting policies, which unfortunately translates into an aversion to change for the common good. Another, critic, Professor Paul Elkins expressed his view that the current state of politics made it extremely difficult to promote the well-being of future generations. All the large developed economies are using short term policies to help generate growth
Bjorn Lomborg, a Danish economist and futurologist, has launched the "Post-2015 Consensus" in which experts are drawing up a list of objectives for humanity on how to best spend the $2.5 trillion in international development assistance which is to be distributed between now and 2030.5 Bjorn's group contends that providing free condoms and other contraceptive devices to all who want them would give a return of $120 for every dollar spent. Halting sub-Saharan tax evasion, which currently costs 20 African governments about 10% of their gross domestic product a year would bring in close to $50 for every dollar given in assistance.
Philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates, who have given billions to cut down malaria and infant mortality rates, have carefully been following many long term challenges. In their annual letter they predicted that "The lives of people in poor countries will improve faster in the next 15 years than at any other time in history." It is hard not to celebrate long term predictions of this nature!
This September the nations of the world will discuss the adoption of a new set of long term goals which will replace the Millennium Development Goals adopted in 2000. The new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will aim to end extreme poverty by 2030 as well as a range of other problems such as climate change, pollution and access to justice. The question then arises as to what really works with such a large set of long term goals? There are currently some 169 SDGs targeted on their list and such over-ambition needs serious trimming if planning for the long term is ever to be effective. Priorities also need to be applied if one searches beyond the sustainable to the achievable.
1Yorick Blumenfeld, Dollars or Democracy, (2004) p.93
2Seumas Milne, The Davos oligarchs are right to fear the world they've made," The Guardian, January 22, 2015.
3Larry Elliott, "Short-termism rife as world longs for real solution," The Guardian, October 21, 2013.
4Bertrand de Jouvenel, The Art of Conjecture, (1967); Robert Jungk and Norbert Mullert, Future Workshops: How to Create Desirable Futures (1987).
5"The economics of optimism," The Economist, January 24, 2015, p.67
*The technology revolution is creating phenomenal changes in employment. The Gary Steel Works in Indiana, the largest such mill in the USA, employed 30,000 workers at its postwar peak in which it produced 6 million tons of steel. Today it can produce more than 7 million tons a year with only 5,000 workers!
Posted in Positive Prospects for Tomorrow | Tagged John Maynard Keynes, Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson | Leave a reply |
(they've been going on each weekend since late March!) and we're assuming you'll find yourself at at least one of them! If not, you're probably DIYing it for free at home, which is even better. Regardless, you're bound to have a pile of over 300 eggs taking over a section of your home that they just do not need to be in. Typically, people toss em. They're cheap, easy to refill, and very available in even grocery stores these days.
We found a few great ways to re purpose those cheap little thrills! First – have your Easter Egg Hunt, and as a suggestion you should have an egg-return bucket at the end of the day so you're not finding egg halves all over your lawn for the next 5 months. Then, take them and get creative! Using stone fleck spray, you can make these babies look like they're at least $5.00 a piece – put them in a dollar store glass vase and you've got yourself a DIY designer display. The possibilities are probably endless here, but this one was our favorite.
Have your own ideas about re purposing Easter eggs? Share them on our social media pages! We love to hear from you! |
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Reedley College collecting gift cards for student veterans this holiday
By Shayla Girardin
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Valley school is going above and beyond to recognize its veterans this holiday season.
Veteran Thomas Rios remembers what it was like being a new student at Reedley College.
"I kind of didn't know what I needed to succeed so I stumbled a bit, but eventually I figured it out with Linda and some other people," said Veteran Thomas Rios.
He credits the Veteran Center with helping him achieve his educational goals.
"I didn't go in ever planning to get help," said Rios. "Their expertise, their knowledge was instrumental in getting me the help I needed to be successful."
Now an academic coach at the Veterans Center, he and the staff are using the holiday season to support their student veterans.
"This is Reedley College family's way of giving back to our veterans and their families who have sacrificed to support our country," said Linda Reither with Reedley College.
Each year, staff are asked to be an honorary aunt or uncle to the families of student veterans.
"We want them to realize it's not whether they need it or not. It's just an extension from our family to their family to just give that support," said Stephanie Doyle.
This year is no exception, amid the pandemic, they're asking for gift cards of $50 or less to go toward gas, food and gifts for the veteran's families.
"It's not so much for the veterans themselves as much as it is for their families because of all the sacrifices families have to make over the years," said Rios. "For people in need, it's a nice big smile on their face, a blessing to their family, and their kids when they weren't expecting to have much."
If you'd like to make a difference for a veteran this holiday season you can drop of gift cards at the Reedley College Admin building or contact [email protected] or [email protected].
educationreedleyeducationreedley collegeveteran
Calf evacuated during Creek Fire finds new family
Spring classes to remain mostly online for SCCCD
Student portals for SCCCD down on first day of semester
Fresno City College, Reedley College suspend all athletics for Fall 2020 |
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Strike Back Poster · Strike Back (–) Season 3 finds Scott and the mysterious agent Rachel Dalton in the Kenyan desert securing the transfer of a Libyan functionary seeking asylum. Vengeance, Part 3 .. Unlimited Streaming. Strike Back: Vengeance, as it is known in the United Kingdom is a ten-part British -American action television serial and The main cast for the series includes Philip Winchester, Sullivan Stapleton, Rhona Mitra, Michelle Lukes, 1 Episodes ; 2 Cast and characters; 3 Production .. "Strike Back: The Complete 2nd Season ". Episodes - Cast and characters - Production - Release. 9 Aug - 2 min - Uploaded by Cinemax Subscribe to Cinemax: Strike Back Season 3 premieres Friday at 10 on.
14 Mar - 24 sec - Uploaded by TVweb - "Strike Back" Season 3 Trailer Source: com/shows. Full Schedule · Shows. View All Shows · Subscribe · Sign up for newsletter. Originals: Strike Back (Season 3) today's headlines, Strike Back, the network's first original primetime series in more than 15 years, Strike Back S3 Episode 3. Episode In Beirut, Kamali wins Scott and Stonebridge's trust by leading them to James Leatherby, an ex-SAS . Revisit every thrilling twist and turn from Season 2 of 'Strike Back.' Format, Prime Video (streaming online video). Devices.
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TV Series Page Critic Consensus: Strike Back's final season promises a big finish fueled by compelling characters and August 3, | Full Review. A high-octane, globe-spanning thriller with storylines ripped from today's headlines, Strike Back, the network's first original primetime series in more than In the 'Strike Back' season 3 finale, Scott and Stonebridge find themselves working against the clock to stop the release of a deadly virus at an.
To each his or her own, but I can't understand why anyone wouldn't want to watch "Strike Back" (10 p.m. ET Friday, Cinemax). Maybe there are.
Strike Back. Season 3. 10 episodes. HBO. Drama. English audio that is being used to fund terrorists in the Middle East in Season 3 of the hit series. This season the series has a truely global canvas, opening in Colombia – with parallel missions in Beirut, Budapest, Russia and Germany – and following a trail . Strike Back has always shared a strong connection with video games in its storytelling. A typical episode of the Cinemax series has three types.
Strike Back is the kind of show that doesn't need to be eventful to be entertaining. The writers could easily tell a brief two-part throwaway story.
Like action? This one's for you. An all-star cast play special ops agents caught up in a string of high-stakes missions. High-octane drama based on Chris Ryan's.
Strike Back: Season 3 (Cinemax): Richard Armitage, Sullivan Stapleton, Format: AC-3, Box set, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC. Season year, Network, BBC. Producers, BBC. Audio, English. Purchase rights, Stream instantly Details. Format, Prime Video (streaming online video). Emmy-nominated series Strike Back returns to HBO-owned channel Cinemax and UK's Sky One next year with the show's seventh season.
The official website for Strike Back, the original action series on Cinemax. Watch Strike Back online, starring Philip Winchester and Sullivan Stapleton. Get info.
Find product information, ratings and reviews for Strike Back:Season 3 (DVD) If the item details above aren't accurate or complete, we want to know about it. The hit series reboots in with 10 all-new episodes – and a fresh team of. Strike Back returns after a more than two-year hiatus, with a new cast of intrepid protagonists and Brown), and Natalie Reynolds (Roxanne McKee) – take full advantage of Section 20's state-of-the-art resources Strike Back Episode 3 Recap. Metacritic TV Reviews, Strike Back - Season 3, An American works with the British military to stop terrorists dead in their tracks.
As Al Zuhari's forces press Andersson to complete the job swiftly or risk . A candid look at the stars of 'Strike Back' living the dream on the Season 3 set of the .
Strike Back - Season 3 (also known as Strike Back: Vengeance or Strike Back: Cinemax Season 2) once again stars Philip Winchester as Sergeant Michael. Add to Cart. Strike Back: Cinemax Season 3 [3 Discs] [DVD] - Front_Original Strike Back: The Complete Fourth Season [Blu-ray] [3 Discs]. SKU it would just be down to us not having the rights to show season 3 at the moment. Hopefully we'll be able to add season 3 at some point to complete the boxset.
Find great deals for Strike Back: Season 3 (DVD, , 3-Disc Set). Shop with Strike Back: The Complete Third Season DVD Used - VeryGood [ DVD ]. Strike Back: Series (DVD) available to buy online at 3 Reviews Every episode of the action drama series based on the novel by former Special Forces operative Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI) (Blu-Ray. Booktopia has Strike Back, Season 3 by Philip Winchester. Buy a discounted DVD of Strike Back online from Australia's leading online bookstore.
Get a good look at the hard-charging soldiers of Cinemax's "Strike Back" enjoying some much-earned R&R early in the new season. It doesn't. - Buy Strike Back: Season 3 at a low price; free shipping on qualified Format: AC-3, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled. Cinemax's high-octane action series "Strike Back" is back with a new cast, and the same old explosions — watch a trailer for Season 5 here.
KUALA LUMPUR: Fans of television series Strike Back can expect to see some familiar backgrounds when By Tahir Alhamzah - September 3, @ pm . Start your free trial to watch Strike Back and other popular TV shows and movies including new releases, TVMA • Drama, Adventure, Action • TV Series • The espionage exploits of Section 20 will, indeed, continue with Cinemax's order for Strike Back Season 6.
16 Feb - 44 min Watch Strike Back Season 5 episode 3 Episode 43 only on hotstar. Catch the full episodes of.
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Strike Back is back. A new incarnation of the popular action series with new characters and a new cast has been greenlighted by Cinemax and. Strike Back Season 7 Countdown - Season 6 Rewatch (back). submitted 21 days ago Season 3 episode 1 (back). submitted 1 month ago. Strike Back: Series 3. View PDF. tv See the Full Version of this Work. The high- octane action drama is Strikeback Series 3 Episode 2. Strikeback Series 3.
"In 'Strike Back's third season, stealth counterterrorism unit Section 20 .. our RSS Feed, download the MP3 file or stream it on Dan's blog.
Explosions, espionage, fireballs and deceit – Strike Back's first five seasons Here's your guide to the series before the new season begins.
Strike Back wrapped its four-season run on Cinemax this past fall, but Bank Pictures all join in wishing Sullivan a full and speedy recovery.".
Is Strike Back cancelled or renewed for season seven? **3/27/ update: Cinemax has renewed Strike Back for a seventh season. Series 5 · Series 4 · Series 3 · Series 2 · Series 1 · S6-E10 Strike Back: Retribution. Section 20 race the clock to stop the chemical attack, but Reynolds is forced. Click below for a video exclusive from tonight's season finale. In its two seasons on Cinemax, Strike Back has had to fight to win its audience — the network reportedly reaches about 17 . Season 3? Complete Coverage.
Buy Strike Back: Season 5 on DVD, watch trailer and view special features. Thomas "Mac" McAllister (Warren Brown) and Natalie Reynolds (Roxanne McKee)--take full advantage of Section 20's state-of-the-art Better Call Saul: Season 3. IN STOCK SALES: Strike Back season 3 - Region 4, free shipping from Australia's online Buy DVD Online in Australia: Better Call Saul Complete Series Find great deals for Strike Back Complete Collection Season 1 2 3 4 5 Series Legacy DVD Reg2. Shop with confidence on eBay!.
Daniel MacPherson cast in Strike Back reboot Final season of action series with Sullivan Stapleton & Philip Winchester begins in May.
8 hours ago Pages Strike Back S7E3. Buy Strike Back on Google Play, then watch on your PC, Android, or iOS devices. Download to watch Season $ Full Season Are you telling me that the best Google can do is to get a season that is 3 years old. This is the final. Ileane Rudolph February 02, pm. 0 Comments. Liam Daniel/Cinemax. Strike Back Strike Back, Season Premiere, Friday, Feb. 2, 10/9c, Cinemax.
Production is underway on the Season 3 of HBO/Cinemax's breakout drama series Strike Back, it was announced today by Kary Antholis.
Strike Back: Vengeance, (Season 3) – Sky1 – 2nd September at 10pm. Strike Back: Shadow Click here to see the full list of Cancelled/Renewed Shows. |
Did you see Caitlin Moran's article in The Times Magazine last weekend? The one about how she thought decluttering was a silly new fad and a load of old nonsense… But, having been persuaded to have a jolly good sort out by a couple of close friends, she later discovered how amazing she felt post purge.
I read it eagerly and couldn't wait to hear about her experience. As a professional declutterer and home organiser, I am well aware of the benefits of decluttering the home. I see the positive outcomes for my clients on a daily basis. But there's nothing like having it confirmed in a national newspaper by a public figure, to get the pulse racing.
And she's right, to suggest the negativity created by owning too much. I see this regularly with my own clients whose heads are swimming. There's the piles of children's toys bursting out of every cupboard. Mountains of paperwork that need attending to, not to mention the shove shut wardrobes. Physically seeing clutter everywhere you look sends signals to your brain of unfinished tasks or loose ends, and when we are constantly bombarded with those messages, it can be really hard to concentrate and focus on our priorities.
My clients often start their journey by thinking they need to be more organised or have better storage. But once we start the work they begin to realise that they can actually let some stuff go and what's more there's glorious moment when they start to get a "high" or "cleansed feeling" that comes from discarding what we no longer need.
You no longer have to give space to the stuff that you never wear.
You no longer have to feel guilty for not wearing an item every time you open the wardrobe.
You no longer are confronted with the buying mistakes you made in the past.
You no longer have to feel that you should dress as the fantasy person whose clothes are hanging in your wardrobe. As Ms Moran puts it. "Unworn neglected clothes aren't just clothes, they are questions, memories, an imagined version of yourself you never quite found the energy to materialise. They momentarily ping you with failure, miscalculation, a bad day."
Seriously! Nobody needs that kind of negativity in their lives – especially before they've even got dressed in the morning!
Letting go of what no longer serves you, means that you can celebrate and feel free every time you open the closet. Because.
And, whilst decluttering is not a form of therapy, it is incredibly therapeutic. You are letting go of things from the past which means you have new capacity to move into the new.
What's more, the dopamine shot you get from having achieved this task, keeps you coming back for more. Warning decluttering can be addictive. I find my clients get to the end of a session and are actively looking around their house for more things to donate to the charity shop. No wonder Caitlin Moran refers to the post decluttering feeling as being "high as a kite".
So, whilst decluttering and minimalism might be seen by some as a fad, books such as "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo and James Wallman's "Stuffocation" have hit a nerve with the collective psyche. As a society, we are no longer merely satisfied with accumulating stuff, we are seeking more meaning in our lives. And that can be incredibly hard to find when surrounded by physical and mental clutter.
So, if you are tempted to start having a go a reclaiming your home, it couldn't be a better time. Monday 6th November marks the start of National Organising Week. (Organised and run by the Association for Professional Organisers and Declutterers) And as its only 7 weeks until Christmas, getting started now could see your home transformed by the time the big day comes around.
Can't face going it alone? Find out what it's like to work with a professional declutterer, drop me a message [email protected] check out my Facebook page @feshspacesUK or give me a ring on 07885 511061 - I love talking about clutter and would be happy to help.
Owner of Fresh Spaces, decluttering and organising homes so that they are a joy to live in. I love my job. |
Without my interjecting (yet), the best read I have seen so far concerning the case is put forth by The Volokh Conspiracy.
There are three posts there. See what you think at one, two and three.
Apparently, we will be waiting until around the June timeframe before we get to find out SCOTUS' ruling on this.
I hope this works out for all of us in favor of cities and states following the Constitution and not their own poor judgments.
Oh, and Doctor Zero has a nice, appropriate, well written article on the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. I like his style and I certainly agree with him.
This entry was posted in Arms, Constitution, Rights and tagged BBQ, Freedom. Bookmark the permalink. |
| First Test
2021 Lexus LS500 First Test: Weird in a Good Way
The updated Lexus flagship gains improvements and keeps some quirks.
Alex LeanseAuthorDarren MartinPhotographer
Lexus LS Full Overview
"Who is this car for?" That's what my buddy Mike asked as he looked around the 2021 Lexus LS500. Mike was in from out of town, tasked with housesitting a hilltop pad in ritzy Bel Air—a locale where luxury automobiles like the LS blend in. He likes cars, so I brought the big Lexus over for him to check out. It impressed Mike, but left him confused. Later, I drove home along sweeping Sunset Boulevard. As soothed as I was by the seat massager, that question still bounced around my head. Who is this car for?
We had similar uncertainty when the fifth-generation LS arrived for the 2018 model year. It fit the mold of a luxury full-size sedan, but its stiff ride, harsh powertrain, and snug back seats were atypical of that category. Simultaneously, its sport-sedan-like agility made us wonder if the LS was suffering from an identity crisis. What's more, the touchpad infotainment interface was endlessly frustrating.
For 2021, Lexus gives the LS a refresh aimed at making it a more compelling flagship. In a rare opportunity, Lexus provided us with pre- and post-refresh models so we could compare the changes back to back. After a week in each and a trip to the track, I'm still not sure if I can answer Mike's question. But this much is clear: The updated LS500 feels different.
What's New With the 2021 LS500
First, a recap of the relevant 2021 updates. Not much changes outside. The signature spindle grille, now coated in a darker finish, still dominates the front end. It's flanked by vents with a more rectangular shape, and headlights that now integrate the LED accent strip. Around back, the taillights swap chrome detailing for black trim. Inside, the seats and armrests gain thicker, plusher foam cushioning, but more noteworthy is the addition of a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen—more on that later.
Under the sheetmetal, the spring and damper rates are retuned, different anti-roll bars are installed, and the liquid-filled bushings become larger. Both of our review cars rode on the optional air suspension, which raises and lowers more quickly in the 2021 model. As before, the twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 produces 416 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque, but the 10-speed automatic behind it gains new shift logic. Subtle as these changes may seem, they revealed themselves quite clearly.
How Quick Is the LS500?
Some may scoff knowing that the LS500 is equipped with a mere six-cylinder engine, but it delivers. Our rear-wheel-drive 2021 car's zero-to-60-mph time fell to 5.0 seconds from the 5.3-second time we previously measured from a comparable model. Likewise, this LS did the quarter mile in 13.4 seconds at 106.0 mph, a blink ahead of the earlier 13.8-second, 102.8-mph sprint. (Side note: Acceleration was nearly identical in an all-wheel-drive LS500 we tested.) As engine output is unchanged, it's possible that the gearbox revisions helped shave those tenths. Nevertheless, associate road test editor Erick Ayapana praised the powerplant, deeming it a "strong engine that launches hard."
Indeed, on the road it gets the LS500 moving swiftly. Just off idle it doesn't quite have the effortlessness of a V-8, but by 1,600 rpm full torque has arrived. Keep the pedal buried and the transmission's new programming makes good use of the gearbox's tightly spaced cogs. Where the 2020 LS hesitated to downshift, the 2021 readily drops gears and accentuates the engine's power. Still, shifts aren't invisible; the first-to-second upshift in particular can jerk slightly, especially when the drivetrain is cold.
Against the lively engine, the brakes feel tuned unapologetically for comfort. This being a luxury sedan that's not necessarily an issue, but as before, the brake-by-wire system responds inconsistently. There isn't great correlation between pedal pressure and actual stopping force. Nevertheless, stops are smooth. "Very smooth," according to Ayapana (emphasis his). Its best 60-to-zero-mph braking result measured 118 feet, longer than the 110-foot stop we got in earlier testing. With no major changes made to the brakes in the refresh, the 2021 car's different Bridgestone Turanza tires—now mud-and-snow-badged, and with a V speed rating instead of the faster Y—could be to blame for the discrepancy.
Chauffeur's Delight
We're not ones to complain when a car handles well. But the pre-refresh LS500's reflexes and ride quality seemed incongruent with its luxurious mission. Although smooth, it rode with a pervasive coarseness, able to minimize but not erase road chatter. It struggled with larger imperfections, slamming loudly over drainage troughs and potholes. Odd, since it crossed speed bumps as if they were half as tall. For as accurate as its steering felt, it produced quite a bit of body roll. As I was constantly aware of the car's length, rounding tight corners became a calculated exercise.
Not so in the 2021 model—this thing can boogie. Its slightly quicker turn-in and stronger resistance to lean yield improvements in confidence and control. The result? I can't say it better than road test editor Chris Walton after his run on the figure-eight course: "Ha! I wasn't expecting this to be so fun. Steering weight and precision is just right. I can dance it on the edge of over- and understeer and do a glorious controlled slide on corner exit. Whee!" Its result of 26.2 seconds at a 0.68-g average is close to the 26.3-second, 0.71-g average figure-eight lap we recorded from the pre-refresh LS500. Look, numbers don't tell the whole story—from behind the wheel, the updated LS500 feels like a very different car. Expect the F Sport model to hone that edge further. One doesn't typically think of the LS as a sport sedan, but now, if you drive it like one, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
What numbers also can't communicate is that, despite the tighter handling, comfort is enhanced as well. The ride is calmer, and the cabin feels more insulated from impacts large or small. Fat cats in the back seat will enjoy near-zero gut jiggle and head toss. For the driver and passengers, the LS's updated chassis is better all around.
Unusual, Awesome Interior
It feels like a smaller car, but the 2021 LS is the same size as before—which is to say, it could be a little bigger. Head- and legroom remain inexplicably tight for a car of this size, particularly in back. Heated, ventilated, reclining, and massaging rear seats aren't as relaxing without space to sprawl. It's better up front, as those thrones offer the same amenities and more adjustments. That new thicker cushioning is the first thing I noticed when I got inside. One plutocratic nitpick: The massage function switches off after 15 minutes. Lexus, my massage should end when I want it to, thank you very much.
Regardless of space or lack thereof, the interior décor is stunning. The layered trim and dramatic sculpting makes competitors' cabins seem plain. How our test car's gorgeous "Art Wood" veneer is produced is worth watching. Functional necessities are artfully crafted—check out the air vents integrated within the lines flowing across the dashboard, or the katana-shaped door handles. The upholstery below the gear selector might be the industry's tiniest piece of leather. Wonderful details like these help the interior feel truly special.
High-Tech and Behind the Times
Less artful is the new infotainment setup, which at last adopts touchscreen functionality. At 12.3 inches, the display is no larger, but the experience is much improved compared to the previous touchpad-controlled system. No longer is it necessary to swipe endlessly to make a selection—just touch and go. However, its enclosure looks a bit tacked on, an adaptation needed to put it within reach. The trouble is the screen is so large its right side still requires a stretch to access. The touchpad remains, so at least there's redundancy to work with. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard.
Some of the LS's tech reminds how far things have come in a few short years. The digital gauge display looks small compared to what's found in some new economy cars, and offers less functionality. An available head-up display behind it provides more information, albeit arranged in a confusing jumble. The driver-assistance suite isn't as refined as newer systems; its lane-keep assist ping-pongs between the lines. Our test car's digital rearview mirror helped, but oddly magnified the view behind. And a CD player is standard—need I say more? All this aside, the optional 23-speaker audio system is magnificent, drenching the cabin in layers of rich, immersive sound.
How Much Is a LS500?
Prices for the 2021 LS500 start at $77,025, and the grand total for our option-rich refreshed test vehicle came to $101,790. A palatial sum—but against the competition, a potential bargain. The Audi A8 starts at $87,545, and the BMW 7 Series at $87,795. The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class commands—ready for this?—a whopping $110,850. With the Kia K900 now dead, only the $73,975 Genesis G90 is cheaper in the segment. Note that, besides the Benz, all of these vehicles are standard equipped with smaller, less-powerful six-cylinder engines than the LS500's. If you're willing to pay, though, they all do offer far more powerful engines, which the LS does not.
So, Who Is This Car For?
Sorry, Mike—I don't have an answer for your question. Those who want a car to be driven in should try on something with more spacious rear seats. Others who seek a more involved driving experience have better options in the luxury midsize sedan category. The LS500 remains a quirky outlier stuck between those strata. But what I can tell you is this: Its 2021 refresh is a success. I came to liken the LS to a four-door gran turismo, a whimsical machine that's a pleasure breezing down a motorway or winding through a scenic bypass. It's not everything for everyone, but for a certain someone, it's superb.
Looks good! More details?
2021 Lexus LS500
PRICE AS TESTED $101,790
VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan
ENGINE 3.4L/416-hp/442-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6
TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,925 lb (52/48%)
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 206.1 x 74.8 x 57.1 in
0-60 MPH 5.0 sec
QUARTER MILE 13.4 sec @ 106.0 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 118 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.83 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT 26.2 sec @ 0.68 g (avg)
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 18/29/22 mpg
ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY 187/116 kWh/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.89 lb/mile |
Presentation from the "Seminário de Derivativos Financeiros", Dept. of Mathematics at PUC-Rio, Rio, Brazil, September 2007 (file in Portuguese). NEW!
Presentation from the "11th Annual International Conference on Real Options", Berkeley, USA, June 2007. NEW!
Presentation from the "Seminário de Métodos Matemáticos em Finanças", IMPA, Rio, Brazil, April 2007 (files in Portuguese). NEW!
Presentations and paper from the "10th Annual International Conference on Real Options", New York, USA, June 2006. NEW!
Course Materials from a PUC-Rio Graduate Course on Real Options. First semester 2006. In Portuguese. NEW!
Presentations and paper from the "9th Annual International Conference on Real Options", Paris, France, June 2005. NEW!
Course Materials from a PUC-Rio Graduate Course on Real Options and Real Options Games. First semester 2005. In Portuguese. NEW!
The Doctoral Thesis and the Thesis Defense. PUC-Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, January 2005. In Portuguese. NEW!
Presentations and paper from the "8th Annual International Conference on Real Options", Montreal, Canada, June 2004. NEW!
Presentation and paper from the "7th Annual International Conference on Real Options", Washington, USA, July 2003.
Presentation at the "Seminário de Opções Reais em Petróleo", UFRJ, Rio, September 2003.
Presentation from MIT Seminar "Real Options in Real Life", Cambridge, USA, May 2003.
Two Presentations from the "Workshop on Real Options in Petroleum and Energy", Mexico City, Mexico, September 2002.
Presentation from the "SPE ATW-2002: Risk Analysis Applied to Field Development under Uncertainty ", Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 2002.
Presentation from the "6th Annual International Conference on Real Options", Coral Beach, Cyprus, July 2002.
Keynote Address Presentation at the conference "Real Options Valuation in the New Economy", Coral Beach, Cyprus, July 2002.
Doc Files from my M.Sc. Dissertation (1996) at PUC-Rio!
American Call: What are the most important parameters? Discussion with Tornado and Spider Charts (Powerpoint file).
Real Options and Strategic Thinking (Powerpoint presentation - only in Portuguese).
American Call Sensitivity Analysis with more than 100 Static Charts!
American Call Sensitivity Analysis Using Animated Charts!
Online slides from the SPE Paper Presentation in Dallas, USA, March 1997!
Download Powerpoint File from SPE Paper Presentation in Dallas, USA, March 1997!
Download Powerpoint File from M.Sc. Thesis Defense at PUC-Rio!
Real Options by Slides with Thumbnails!
Several files available in this website are compressed (extension .zip), but is easy to make the decompression using some software (like Pkunzip, winzip, etc.). You can get it at Nico Mak Computing for Winzip, at Vertisoft for Zip-it, and at Pkware for PKZip.
For Adobe Acrobat viewer (for documents with extension .pdf), click here.
There are several files in Powerpoint format.
You don't need to buy the software Powerpoint: For a FREEware Powerpoint Viewer (you can see the file and print, but not to change), go to Microsoft Website.
Presentation from the "Seminário de Derivativos Financeiros" (Seminar on Financial Derivatives), Dept. of Mathematics at PUC-Rio, Rio, Brazil, September 2007.
The Department of Mathematics at PUC-Rio is starting a new research line on mathematical finance with focus in derivatives. This invited presentation was a basic/introductory overview of real options approach.
The presentation title was "Investimento sob Incerteza com a Teoria das Opções Reais: Conceitos Básicos" (Investment under Uncertainty with the Real Options Theory: Basic Concepts).
Download the presentation "Investimento sob Incerteza com a Teoria das Opções Reais: Conceitos Básicos", a pdf file (from the original Powerpoint file): marco_dias_matem_puc_2007.pdf, with 295 KB (file in Portuguese).
Presentation at the managerial conference from the "11th Annual International Conference on Real Options", Berkeley, USA, June 2007.
In 2007 the main international conference on real options took place at the University of California at Berkeley, USA, June 6-9, 2007.
This presentation is about the GTL (gas-to-liquid) technology, which presents many valuable flexibilities mainly for integrated oil/gas/energy corporations.
I prepared the presentation and I was ready to the trip, but just in the trip day I fell with a strong tropical flu named "dengue" (it is necessary to rest 7-10 days to recover the health) and I cancelled the trip to Berkeley. However, I thanks to my colleague of PUC, Doctor Edison Tito, who accepted (only two days before the speech) to replace me at the GTL project presentation in Berkeley.
Download the managerial presentation "Real Options in Energy: The Gas-to-Liquid Technology with Flexible Input", a pdf file (from the original Powerpoint file): marco_dias-berkeley_2007-managerial.pdf, with 326 KB.
Presentation from the "Seminário de Métodos Matemáticos em Finanças" (Seminar on Mathematical Methods in Finance), IMPA, Rio, Brazil, April 2007.
IMPA, Instituto de Matemática Pura e Aplicada (Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics), at Rio (Brazil) has offered Master degree in Mathematical Methods in Finance since 2001, and has a much longer tradition in Mathematical Economics. But in 2007 IMPA was just starting a research line on real options (in 2008 IMPA and Petrobras signed a research contract for cooperation in real options). Professor Zubelli from IMPA invited me to present one topic of my research on real options. I choose to focus on technical uncertainty modeling, illustrating the theory with one petroleum exploration portfolio application.
The presentation title was "Opções Reais e Incerteza Técnica: Teoria, Modelagem e Aplicação em Portfólio de Exploração de Petróleo" (Real Options and Technical Uncertainty: Theory, Modeling and Petroleum Exploration Portfolio Application).
Download the presentation "Opções Reais e Incerteza Técnica: Teoria, Modelagem e Aplicação em Portfólio de Exploração de Petróleo", a pdf file (from the original Powerpoint file): marco_dias_impa_07.pdf, with 550 KB (file in Portuguese).
Download also the abstract of this presentation, a pdf file (from the original Word file): conf_marco_dias_impa_07.pdf, with 95 KB (file in Portuguese).
Presentations and paper from the "10th Annual International Conference on Real Options", New York, USA, June 2006.
In 2006 the main international conference on real options took place at New York, USA, June 14-17, 2006.
In the academic conference I presented a paper that is an extension of a topic from my doctoral thesis: "Real Options Theory for Real Asset Portfolios: the Oil Exploration Case". Both, the presentation (a pdf from the original Powerpoint file) and the paper (also a pdf, but from a Word file) are available to download below.
Download the paper "Real Options Theory for Real Asset Portfolios: the Oil Exploration Case" in pdf file format: dias_portfolio_ep.pdf, with 436 KB.
Download the paper presentation "Real Options Theory for Real Asset Portfolios: the Oil Exploration Case", a pdf file (from the original Powerpoint file): marco_dias-new_york-2006-academic_presentation.pdf, with 262 KB.
In the same week and place, the managerial/practitioner real options conference took place at New York, USA, June 14-17, 2006.
The presentation title was: "Use of Simulation and Real Options Applications in Natural Resources/Energy". The pdf file (from a Powerpoint file) is available to download below.
Download the managerial presentation "Use of Simulation and Real Options Applications in Natural Resources/Energy", a pdf file (from the original Powerpoint file): marco_dias-new_york-2006-managerial.pdf, with 366 KB.
Course Materials from a PUC-Rio Graduate Course on Real Options. First semester 2006. In Portuguese.
This graduate course named "Investment Analysis with Real Options" ("Análise de Investimentos com Opções Reais") was delivered to graduate students at PUC-Rio in the first semester of 2006. The original course (2005) was splited into two separated courses: in the first semester this course on real options and in the second semester a course on game theory and real options games.
The course (and so the course materials) are in Portuguese.
In order to download the course materials (and see other course details), go to the specific course webpage (para baixar os materiais do curso e ver outros detalhes, vá para a web-página específica desse curso).
Presentations and paper from the "9th Annual International Conference on Real Options", Paris, France, June 2005.
In 2005 the main international conference on real options took place at Paris, France, June 23-25.
In the academic conference I presented a paper based on a topic from my doctoral thesis: "Real Options, Learning Measures, and Bernoulli Revelation Processes". Both, the presentation (a pdf from the original Powerpoint file) and the paper (also a pdf, but from a Word file) are available to download below.
Download the paper "Real Options, Learning Measures, and Bernoulli Revelation Processes" in pdf file format: dias_revelation_bernoulli.pdf, with 471 KB.
Download the paper presentation "Real Options, Learning Measures, and Bernoulli Revelation Processes", a pdf file (from the original Powerpoint file): marco_dias-paris 2005-academic_presentation.pdf, with 454 KB.
In the same week and place, the managerial/practitioner real options conference took place at Paris, France, June 22-23, 2005.
The presentation title was: "Real Options: Applications to Energy with Focus on Petroleum". The pdf file (from a Powerpoint file) is available to download below.
Download the managerial presentation "Real Options: Applications to Energy with Focus on Petroleum", a pdf file (from the original Powerpoint file): marco_dias-paris_2005-managerial.pdf, with 242 KB.
Course Materials from a PUC-Rio Graduate Course on Real Options and Real Options Games. First semester 2005. In Portuguese.
This graduate course named "Investment Analysis with Real Options and Option Games" ("Análise de Investimentos com Opções Reais e Jogos de Opções") was delivered to graduate students at PUC-Rio in the first semester of 2005. For 2006, I plan to split the course into two separated courses: in the first semester the course on real options and in the second semester a course on game theory and real options games.
The Doctoral Thesis and the Thesis Defense. PUC-Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, January 2005. In Portuguese.
This methodological and normative thesis extends the modern economic valuation theory of projects under uncertainty, known as real options theory, from the point of view of an oil company that optimizes the allocation of investment and resources. The real options theory is combined with other theories - so the name hybrid real options - in order to perform a more comprehensive and realistic analysis of complex problems that arises from petroleum industry. The two main combinations analyzed here are: (a) the combination of real options theory with game theory - real options games - to consider endogenously the strategic behavior of other firms, especially in the optimal stopping game with positive externalities known as war of attrition, as well as the possibility to change this game by a cooperative bargain game; and (b) the combination of real options theory with methods from probability theory and Bayesian statistical decision - Bayesian real options - generating a new way to model technical uncertainty of a project in dynamic real options models. These two combinations are re-combined in order to obtain an adequate solution that captures the value of information differences in non-cooperative and cooperative games. Important variables like exploratory chance factor, volume, and quality of a petroleum reserve, are modeled with the development of a new theory on revelation distribution and measures of learning. In a more concise way, are analyzed other hybrid real options, highlighting the combination of real options theory with the evolutionary computation theory - evolutionary real options - with great potential in complex applications of optimization under uncertainty. This method is exemplified with an application using the genetic algorithms to evolve the decision rule for optimal exercise of a real option.
KEYWORDS: real options, game theory, hybrid real options, real option games, Bayesian real options, measures of learning, investment under uncertainty.
Download the dissertation "Opções Reais Híbridas com Aplicações em Petróleo", a (very large!) pdf file: tese_doutor_marco_dias.pdf, with 4,027 KB.
Download the thesis defense file, a pdf file (from the original Powerpoint file): defesa_tese_doutor_marco_dias.pdf, with 725 KB.
Presentations and paper from the "8th Annual International Conference on Real Options", Montreal, Canada, June 2004.
In 2004 the main international conference on real options took place at Montreal, Canada, June 17-19.
In the academic conference I presented a paper co-authored with my advisor José Paulo Teixeira, based on a topic from my doctoral thesis: "Continuous-Time Option Games Part 2: Oligopoly, War of Attrition and Bargaining under Uncertainty". Both, the presentation (a pdf from the original Powerpoint file) and the paper (also a pdf, but from a Word file) are available to download below.
Download the paper "Continuous-Time Option Games Part 2: Oligopoly, War of Attrition and Bargaining under Uncertainty" in pdf file format: dias-teixeira_part2_option-games.pdf, with 439 KB.
Download the paper presentation "Continuous-Time Option Games Part 2: Oligopoly, War of Attrition and Bargaining under Uncertainty", a pdf file (from the original Powerpoint file): dias-teixeira_part2_option-games-ppt.pdf, with 210 KB.
In the same week and place, the managerial/practitioner real options conference took place at Montreal, Canada, June 16-17, 2005.
I performed a short presentation in the Workshop: Commodity and Energy Applications. The presentation title was: "Technical Uncertainty and Learning Options in Petroleum". The pdf file (from a Powerpoint file) is available to download below.
Download the managerial presentation "Technical Uncertainty and Learning Options in Petroleum", a pdf file (from the original Powerpoint file): dias_managerial_montreal2004.pdf, with 96 KB.
In 2003 the main international conference on real options took place at Washington, USA, July 10-12.
My advisor and co-author, José Paulo Teixeira, presented our paper named: "Continuous-Time Option Games: Review of Models and Extensions - Part 1: Duopoly under Uncertainty". Both, the Powerpoint and the Word files are available to download below.
Download the Powerpoint 2000 file in compressed (.zip) format: dias-teixeira_option-games-ppt.zip, with 1020 KB.
Download the paper "Continuous-Time Option Games: Review of Models and Extensions - Part 1: Duopoly under Uncertainty", a compressed (.zip) Word for Windows file dias_teixeira_option-games-july03.zip, with 246 KB.
Presentation from the "Seminário de Opções Reais em Petróleo", UFRJ, Rio, September 2003.
This seminar took place at UFRJ (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro), a traditional and important university in Brazil, in September 16th, 2003, at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
This presentation is the Portuguese version of my seminar at MIT (see below).
Download the Powerpoint 2000 file: ufrj_2003.ppt, with 1096 KB.
Or download the same Powerpoint 2000 file in compressed (.zip) format: ufrj_2003.zip, with 712 KB. Both in Portuguese.
Presentation from MIT Seminar "Real Options in Real Life", Cambridge, USA, May 5th, 2003.
The file below is the Powerpoint presentation of my speech at the seminar Real Options in Real Life, presented May 5th 2003 at MIT, Sloan School of Management, Cambridge, U.S.A., mainly to second year graduate students.
Download the Powerpoint 2000 file: mit_2003.ppt, with 1099 KB.
Or download the same Powerpoint 2000 file in compressed (.zip) format: mit_2003.zip, with 727 KB.
The Workshop on Real Options in Petroleum and Energy took place at Mexico City, Mexico, in September 19-20, 2002.
Download the workshop program and abstracts by clicking here (Word for Windows file with 278 KB).
My two presentations in that very important workshop were: "Investment in Information in Petroleum: Real Options and Revelation" and "Petroleum Concessions with Extendible Options Using Mean Reversion with Jumps to Model Oil Prices". The Powerpoint files are available to download below.
Download the Powerpoint 97 file: marco_dias-revelation-mexico-2002.ppt, with 541 KB.
Download the Powerpoint 97 file: marco_dias-extendible-mexico-2002.ppt, with 825 KB.
This SPE Applied Technology Workshop (ATW) was named "Risk Analysis Applied to Field Development under Uncertainty" and took place at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in August 29-30, 2002.
Download the Powerpoint 97 file: marco_dias-atw-2002.ppt, with 427 KB.
In 2002 the main international conference on real options took place at Coral Beach, Paphos, Cyprus, July 4-6.
My presentation title is the same of the paper: "Investment in Information in Petroleum: Real Options and Revelation". Both, the Powerpoint and the Word files are available to download below.
Download the Powerpoint 97 file: marco_dias-cyprus-academic.ppt, with 454 KB.
Download the paper "Real Options in Upstream Petroleum: Overview of Models and Applications", a Word for Windows file marco_dias_revelation.doc, with 988 KB.
Or download the same paper in the compressed (.zip) Word for Windows file marco_dias_revelation.zip, with 156 KB.
This managerial/practitioner conference took place at Coral Beach, Paphos, Cyprus, in July 4-6, 2002.
The Keynote Address presentation title was: "Real Options in Petroleum: An Overview". The Powerpoint file is available to download below.
Download the Powerpoint 97 file: marco_dias-cyprus_2002-managerial.ppt, with 604 KB.
The file below is the Powerpoint presentation of my Keynote Speech at the International Real Option Workshop, May 6-8 2002 - Turku, Finland.
The title of the this presentation is "Overview of Real Options in Petroleum", equal to the MIT seminar, but there are differences mainly in the part of investment in information and revelation distribution (MIT presentation is more complete in this aspect, but less complete in other parts).
Use the full screen (or presentation mode) in the Powerpoint, in order to see the animation.
Download the paper "Real Options in Upstream Petroleum: Overview of Models and Applications" in compressed Word 97 for Windows: dias_petroleum_overview.zip, with 446 KB.
The file below is the Powerpoint presentation of my speech at the seminar Real Options in Real Life, presented May 2nd 2002 at MIT, Sloan School of Management, Cambridge, U.S.A.
The title of the this presentation is "Overview of Real Options in Petroleum". Use the full screen (or presentation mode) in the Powerpoint, in order to see the animation.
The file below contains the assignment questions for the MIT second year students. It is in Word for Windows 97 format.
Download the Word for Windows 97 file of assignment questions: marco_dias_assignment_mit.doc.
Download the paper "Real Options in Upstream Petroleum: Overview of Models and Applications", in compressed Word 97 for Windows: dias_petroleum_overview.zip, with 446 KB.
Download the paper "Investment in Information in Petroleum: Real Options and Revelation", a Word for Windows file marco_dias_revelation.doc, with 988 KB.
Or download the non-compressed Excel File timing_inv_inf-hqr.xls with 796 KB .
The file below is the Powerpoint presentation of my speech at the "5th Annual International Conference on Real Options - Theory Meets Practice", UCLA, Los Angeles, July 13-14, 2001.
The title of the this presentation is "Selection of Alternatives of Investment in Information for Oilfield Development Using Evolutionary Real Options Approach".
Use the full screen (or presentation mode) in the Powerpoint, in order to see the animation. The file above was save without the embedding true-type fonts (which enlarge a lot the size).
Download the compressed Powerpoint 97 file with embedded true-type fonts: inform-evol_ro-dias-true_type.zip, with 2,027 KB.
Download the paper in compressed Word 97 for Windows: evol_ro-marco_dias.zip, with 594 KB.
The following two files are the presentations from my course taught at PUC-Rio, in 24 and 26 July, 2001. This course, named "Seminário em Opções Reais" was the participation of MBA and M.Sc. courses at PUC-Rio (from Dep. Industrial Eng.; Central of Courses of Extension and Institute of Adm. and Manag. - IAG).
The files are in Portuguese. Both are (compressed .zip) Powerpoint 95 for Windows files.
After many people asking me to receive the files from my M.Sc. in 1996, I decide to let the files available for downloading.
However, I need to alert that the numbering of pages, chapters, itens, tables, figures, and all the indexes, were automatized with the master-doc tool of Word. However, the Word version at this time (Word 6) is now an old Word version so that the tool (master-document) has not been working in the newer Word versions.
In other words, the files are available but the numbering not.
I still recommend for the interested in my dissertation to use the universitary library intercambio service available in most universities, and ask the PUC-Rio Library to send a copy of my dissertation to your university (the advantage is that the indexes, number, etc, are perfect).
Anyway, the files can be read without other problems. The dissertation name is: "Investment under Uncertainty in Exploration & Production of Petroleum".
The dissertation is divided into four files to downloading in compressed (.zip) format.
Download the compressed file: msc_doc-mestre-cap1-2.zip, with 192 KB.
Download the compressed file: msc_cap3-4.zip, with 408 KB.
Download the compressed file: msc_cap5-6.zip, with 221 KB.
Download the compressed file: msc_apendices.zip, with 218 KB.
Real Options Presentation in Chicago, September 2000.
The file below is a Powerpoint presentation of my speech in the "Real Options 2000 Conference - Capitalizing on Uncertainty and Volatility in the New Millennium", Chicago, September 25, 2000.
The title of the this presentation is "Visual FAQ's on Real Options".
Real Options Presentation in New Orleans, March 2000.
The file below is a Powerpoint presentation of my speech in the "Real Option Valuation Conference - Maximize Return & Minimize Risk in Strategic Investments", New Orleans, March 2000.
The title of the presentation is: "A Step-by-Step Approach to Improving Investment Decisions and Asset Valuation - Real Options in Exploration & Production of Petroleum"
Real Options using Optimization with Genetic Algorithms is a research report. This research aims to investigate the potential of evolutionary computing techniques to solve complex real options problems.
See more about this paper and related methods in the Monte Carlo with Real Options Webpage.
Real Options Presentation in the Conference: "New Approaches to Value Analysis: EVA, Real Options and ROV", New York, December 1999.
The title of the presentation was: "Real Options in Petroleum - Case Studies in Exploration & Production"
This paper, by Marco A.G. Dias and Katia M.C. Rocha, "Petroleum Concessions with Extendible Options Using Mean Reversion with Jumps to Model Oil Prices" was presented in the 3rd Annual International Conference on Real Options - Theory Meets Practice, Wassenaar/Leiden, The Netherlands, June 6-8, 1999.
See or download the paper (compressed .zip, from a Word for Windows file) either the latest version (2001) at the PUC-Rio WWW server; or the 1999 conference version of this paperavailable at the official webserver of the Conference on Real Options, in The Netherlands (Adobe Acrobat .pdf file).
Download a slightly different (and earlier) paper version, in the SSRN database, by clicking here.
Download the Powepoint-97 file from the Netherlands presentation, June/99.
The file below is a Powerpoint presentation of my speech in the Workshop on Real Options, Stavanger, May 1998.
See more details in the sponsor website (DSS project in the Netherlands) at Stavanger Workshop, May, 1998.
The name of the presentation is Investment under Uncertainty in Exploration & Production - Update and Overview of the M.Sc. Thesis.
Download the compressed self-extracting files below.
For a freeware Powerpoint viewer (you can see and print the file, but cannot change), go to Microsoft website.
The file below is a Powerpoint presentation that discuss the comparative statics for the American call option (real option).
The sensitivity analysis for the main parameters is performed, showing tornado charts (pointing out the most important parameters) and spider charts (indicating the variation of the base case with the parameters), allowing an in depth analysis of both the option value and the early exercise threshold.
About half-part of the presentation is dedicated to discuss the case of two parameters changing together. Comparative statics in general changes a single parameter, with the remaining parameters hold fixed (ceterius paribus).
However, is probably that s and d are not independent. As suggested by Dixit & Pindyck (chapter 5), these parameters can be linked by a CAPM equation (relating the risk-adjusted discount rate m and the volatility s) and by the total return equation m = a + d. See the complete discussion in the Powerpoint file.
For a freeware Powerpoint viewer (you can see and print the file, but not to change), go to Microsoft website.
The real options asymmetry gives important insights to strategic thinking. Concepts of option leverage and platform of investments options helps the manager to decide under uncertainty.
Instead fear or aversion to uncertainty, managers must to act in order to place uncertainty playing at his/her favor.
Put uncertainty as allied, not enemy! Judo strategy using options!
For while is available only the presentation in Portuguese. An updated version in English will be available in a future website update.
American Call Sensitivity Analysis with Static Charts!
More than 100 charts from American call option value and the threshold (early exercise price) are presented for several parameters value using interactive media. The pictures are in 16 colors to load faster.
The page use frames, and there is also a detailed explanation on the charts and related option features.
You can choose the type of chart (option value or threshold) and the parameter you want to perform the sensitivity study. All other parameters remain constant at the "Base Case" values. The "Base Case" values are always visible.
This feature uses frames and is best viewed with the video resolution of 800 x 600. However is available other version for low resolution video (640 x 480). Anyway, you can change the frame position to meet your visual convenience (click and drag the frame).
Click here to see the static sensitivity charts for video resolution of 800 x 600 or higher and also an explanation about the charts!
Click here to see the static sensitivity charts for video resolution of 640 x 480 and also an explanation about the charts!
American Call Sensitivity Analysis with Animated Charts!
There are 7 animated charts for American call option value and the threshold (early exercise price) in function of the main parameters, in order to see the sensitivity analysis.
Click here to see the dynamic sensitivity charts (resolution: 800 x 600 or higher) and explanation on the charts!
Click here to see the dynamic sensitivity charts (resolution: 640 x 480 or higher) and explanation on the charts!
Slides from a SPE Paper Presentation Now Are Online!
In the April 97 update, the Powerpoint files from the SPE presentation (and with additional slides) were available to download. Now the slides itself are online.
This is an option-game model for petroleum exploration and development investment decisions. The model combines real options in continuous time framework for development investment decision, sequential discrete time options for exploratory investment decision, and "war of attrition" (waiting game) game with incomplete information, in order to analyze the strategic interaction at the exploratory phase.
The model combines three sources of uncertainty: economic/market; technical; and strategic. The paper was presented in SPE Economics Symposium, in Dallas (March, 1997).
Now the slides are available online! Using frames you choose the slide, click and see.
Click here to see the SPE slides!
Download Powerpoint File from SPE Paper Presentation!
The paper was presented at 1997 SPE Hydrocarbon Economics and Evaluation Symposium held on Dallas, TX (USA), March 18th, 1997. Request the paper from SPE (go to SPE homepage) and ask for SPE paper 37949. Ask also for the other two papers on real options presented in the same 1997 SPE Symposium: SPE paper 37948 and SPE paper 37965. In case of any problem to get the author's paper, send a message in the guestbook or send an e-mail to author.
Extended version of the presentation: there are 38 slides in the Powerpoint file, although only 23 slides were presented (due the time constraint of symposium).
After the download and after the decompression, you will get the decompressed file in Powerpoint format.
File with 271 Kbytes, Powerpoint, version for Windows 3.1.
Download Powerpoint File from M.Sc. Thesis Defense!
The Powerpoint Presentation of authors' M.Sc. dissertation is available in two languages: Portuguese and English.
(b) Portuguese version named Tesef256.ppt, with 705 KB in compressed version and 9,71 MB, after decompression.
These files are compressed (extension .zip), but is easy to make the decompression using some software (like Pkunzip, winzip, etc.). You can get it at Nico Mak Computing for Winzip, at Vertisoft for Zip-it, and at Pkware for PKZip.
Real Options Online Slides with Thumbnails Catalog!
There are twenty two slides available.
Go to the thumbnail (small figures) list (!), where you get an idea of the picture (looking the correspondent thumbnail) before load each large figure.
OBS: The pictures (small and large ones) are in 16 colors format, for faster loading. |
Scotland's international exports increased in 2017, up 6.2 per cent to £32.4 billion. Scotland's exports to the rest of the UK also increased, up 4.6 per cent.
Scotland's Chief Statistician today released Export Statistics Scotland 2017, which provides estimates of the cash value of Scotland's exports of goods and services, by industry and destination in 2017. These show that Scotland's international exports (excluding oil and gas) increased by £1.9 billion (6.2 per cent) to £32.4 billion in 2017. This is the highest annual growth rate since 2011.
The latest statistics show strong performance for the manufacturing sector, driven by growth in exports of refined petroleum and chemical products, up £915 million (35.6 per cent) and exports of computer, electronic and optical products, up £550 million (41.1 per cent). The food and beverages sector also contributed to the overall increase, with exports up £455 million (8.4 per cent) to £5.9 billion in 2017, underpinned by strong whisky exports (£4.4 billion in 2017).
EU exports provided the majority of the growth in the value of international exports, increasing by £1.7 billion (13.3 per cent) to £14.9 billion in 2017. Scotland's exports to non-EU countries grew at a slower rate, increasing by £145 million (0.8 per cent) to £17.6 billion.
Scottish exports to the rest of the UK (excluding oil and gas) increased in 2017, up £2.2 billion (4.6 per cent) to £48.9 billion. This was driven by increased exports from the service sector, and in particular, exports of financial and insurance activities which increased by £1.2 billion (15.0 per cent) to £9.1 billion.
Total international and rest of the UK exports in 2017 (excluding oil and gas) were estimated at £81.4 billion, up £4.1 billion (5.2 per cent) from the previous year. Exports to the rest of the UK accounted for 60 per cent of this overall total, EU exports accounted for 18 per cent and non-EU exports accounted for 22 per cent.
The USA continues to be Scotland's top international export destination country with an estimated £5.5 billion of exports of goods and services from Scotland in 2017. Within the EU, the Netherlands (£2.5 billion) continues to be the largest market, followed by France (£2.4 billion) and Germany (£2.3 billion) in 2017.
This publication presents the most recent data for exports of goods and services from Scotland for 2002 to 2017. Data has been revised from previous versions, to take into account new information and sources. These published estimates relate to both international and rest of the UK exports and exclude exports of oil and gas extracted from the UK continental shelf.
Answers to some of the most common questions on Scottish export statistics are available on our FAQs section of the website. |
Send Flowers for Roland
Roland William Hart
November 8, 1929 ~ January 7, 2020 (age 90)
Roland William Hart was born November 8, 1929, in Douglas, Wyoming, and died January 7, 2020, in Casper, Wyoming. He lived 88 of his 90 years in Wyoming and often told his children in his later years that he would never leave Wyoming.
Funeral services will be Saturday, January 11, 2020, at 1:00 PM, Highland Park Community Church, with a reception to follow and private inurnment in Douglas.
Roland graduated from Douglas High School in 1947 and the University of Wyoming in 1951. He attended college on a full scholarship and worked at his fraternity, Acacia, to earn room and board. He received a BS in "Petroleum Engineering" and worked in the oil fields from 1951 until November 1994.
Roland met Lois Katherine Hattell in May of 1951 and they were married in February of 1952 for 64 years, until Lois's death.
Roland and Lois had 4 children: Rolanda (Roe) Dodgen (Jim), California: David Hart (Becky), Cheyenne: Sharon Jaworski Geiss (Steve), Kansas: and Paul Hart (Beth), Denver. They were blessed with 9 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. James Dodgen, Briell Stratton (Gerry), Simon Dodgen (Amber), Natasha Jaworski Moser (Matthew), Roland Hart Jaworski (Liza), Sophia Jaworski (deceased), Stephanie Hart (Donald) and Jeffrey Hart.
He was preceded in death by his parents; Homer and Ida May Hart, a brother, Richard Hart, a sister, Helena Mueller and son, and granddaughter Sophia.
He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He was a member of the Gideon's since 1961 and had the honor of traveling with the Gideon's to place bibles in the Philippines. He was an active member for 40 years at Highland Park Community Church. He was involved for several years with a ministry to inmates at the county jail where he made a lasting impact on many men.
To send flowers to Roland's family, please visit our floral section.
Highland Park Community Church (Casper)
5725 Highland Dr. |
Begging to be saved from writer's block.
Well, I'm going to use Dorea Black Potter as James's mother, even though the dates don't entirely make sense, because I can't think of a reason she'd have been mentioned on the tree with a single son except to imply that she's James's mother.
"My son," Walburga Black said, "would hardly be involved in this sort of business if he had been placed in his proper house, away from these sorts of influences." She looked down her nose at Julia.
"Oh, shut it, Walburga," Dorea Potter said. Nelwyn Pettigrew looked between them. Julia guessed she was trying to judge which one of them was more highly placed socially.
"I will not do any such thing!" Walburga said. "The fact that you've married into a family of blood traitors like the Potters says all it needs to say about your judgment."
Dorea rolled her eyes, then looked at Julia with a grin. "She's right, of course. Your Remus is such a trouble-maker. I understand he pressured James into... oh, I can't even say it out loud." She leaned forward and stage whispered, "Studying. I hear he made him do it all evening before a test, and then forced him to sleep before taking it. James was very disturbed by this."
Julia nodded, feigning sympathy. "Yes, I know. He's always been a handful. Sometimes, I've caught him boxing up his belongings from the floor and putting them in a cupboard. Imagine!"
"It's clearly your bad blood showing." Dorea winked.
Nelwyn nudged her chair over and smiled brightly. Her hair was done in long, fussy ringlets, her face painted exquisitely. Julia thought that underneath it all, she probably looked rather like her son Peter, but Julia quite frankly preferred the homely boy to his over-coiffed mother. "Is the Headmaster going to speak to us, or are we waiting for Professor McGonagall?"
"Hmph!" Walburga snorted, making her opinion of Minerva McGonagall clear enough without words that she hardly needed to add, "The notion of my son answering to that self-righteous shrew is abhorrent."
"Really, Walburga," Julia said, "I doubt that Minerva is keeping up a school-girl feud."
Walburga turned to glare at her, but didn't say anything. Julia could count on one hand the number of times her son's friend's mother had spoken to her in four years. And in each of those instances, the word "mudblood" had come up. Julia suspected that only Dorea's presence--she was Walburga's aunt, though they were only a few years apart in age--kept her from using it now. Dorea Potter was no one to annoy. She sat on the Wizengamot and had been known to propose laws with no discernible purpose other than annoying her kin, though of course they were surrounded with high-flown language meant to obscure this fact.
Nelwyn worried at her nails for a moment, charming hangnails away and tweaking their color. "You don't suppose they mean to expel the boys, do you? They haven't even had their O.W.L.s yet!"
"I think we'd have got a more sternly worded letter about that," Julia said. "I think Minerva wants to talk about them over tea. She said that we ought to work on finding better ways to spend their energy. I've thought perhaps they could do some charitable work." She caught herself. "Well, Remus can. I don't know what the lot of you have in mind."
"Hard labor," Dorea said cheerfully. "We could put them to work in a farmer's field."
"I hardly think that's appropriate for our sons," Walburga said. "They are of the Ancient and Most Noble..."
"The Ancient and Most Noble could stand to get some dirt under its nails," Dorea told her. "And if you're not careful, I'll put you out there as well."
Walburga drew her wand. "And how do you see yourself accomplishing that?"
"I am your aunt. Your elder. We both know where the House stands on such things."
Walburga ground her teeth and turned away. Dorea smiled wickedly.
The door to the office opened, and Minerva McGonagall came in, followed by a tea set. She smiled politely. "Ah, Mrs. Potter, Mrs. Lupin, Mrs. Pettigrew. I'm glad you've already made yourselves comfortable. Please have a seat, Bugga. I'm sorry I was late. I had to give Sirius another detention."
Also, Dorea Potter+ Julia Lupin= LOVE.
Hmm, but if she was Walburga's aunt, that'd make Sirius and James... Sirius would be her great nephew....... So SOME manner of cousin I guess.
God, everyone's related to everyone *head explodes*.
Luckily I DO have a fast connection! (Well, sort of anyway. Workable, anyway.) And yep, it's her aunt. And despite Dorea's death date, it would work. She'd be 40- that's not REALLY very old, I sort of expected James's parents to be in their fifties, but then again that may not be possible so 40 works. Again the death date is off, but someone else on there apparently had a child when they were 13, so we can excuse JKR's terrible math.
Also, I think Molly and Author were some form of cousin since Lucretia married a Prewett...... but there could be more than one Prewett and these confuse me terribly so... I'm not going to attempt to understand it better.
OK, I can't say anymore, I'm giggling too much to be able to type.
Ah!Someone *else* bullying Bugga (how awesome is that nickname,btw?)That's like...justice!
Apart from the dates that don't seem to fit I've always wondered how come Walburga didn't burn Dorea off the family tree for marrying a blood traitor AND sheltering Sirius. But it makes sense with Dorea having such a high status.
I wonder if James was also burnt off...And it always seemed odd that Sirius didn't mention this connection to Harry when he was showing him the tree.
The fact he didn't make the connection makes me wonder if it IS supposed to be Dorea- you'd imagine Sirius would go "And there's your grandmother, Dorea. Your father and I are... some form of cousin, I can't remember anymore."
ETA: The minute I saw that nickname for Walburga, I knew I had to drive Mrs. Black to utter distraction with it.
Dorea Potter was no one to annoy. She sat on the Wizengamot and had been known to propose laws with no discernible purpose other than annoying her kin, though of course they were surrounded with high-flown language meant to obscure this fact.
*shrieks with laughter* I love this. I hope James adored her suitably.
LOL. No wonder Sirius adored her and ran away there! And of course, if he ran away to live with relatives, his own parents could hardly make too much of a fuss to get him back, even if he was under-age.
This was awesome! I loved Dorea so much; I wish there were more fics with her, preferably characterized like this, of course. |
This is the plastic safety shear pin that commonly breaks. It is designed to snap if there is too much resistance on the seat track. It is designed to break instead of cracking the plastic transmission housing or straining the motor to a point where it blows the fuse. If you have hit the power seat switch & you hear the motor(s) running but it isn't going any where it is a good chance this has snapped. They are a white plastic that become fragile over the yeras. This new GM part # 20614175 replacement coupling is deisgned to be stronger but still snap in a problem event. It is a much better quality plastic with a higher resin base.
Fits all GBodys with power seats. Also fits a wide array of other vehicles. Just take a look at the track. If it has an old hour glass design this should work. There will be 1 single motor.
Shipped faster than expected and fits like a glove! I love b .. |
Discussion: How can businesses best serve transgender people?
Sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group
PinkNews joined with Lloyds Banking Group to discuss how businesses in the UK can best serve transgender employees and customers.
Leaders from the world of retail, health, banking, insurance, media and politics joined the roundtable dinner. Politicians attending included the Minister for Women, Equalities and Early Years Caroline Dinenage, SNP member of the House of Commons Women and Equalities select committee Angela Crawley, former Minister for Equalities Baroness Featherstone as well as David Isaac, the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
"Who has a gender neutral toilets policy in their office?" PinkNews CEO, Benjamin Cohen, asked. About a third of people put their hands up. "Still a long way to go, then."
"When the Gender Recognition Act became law in 2004," Benjamin began, "it was considered to be the most advanced legislation in the world. But now, in 2017, it seems to be lagging behind some other countries."
Awareness of trans issues has become increasingly mainstream – as we sat for dinner, PinkNews had published 11,960 articles on trans issues – yet the increased awareness has highlighted how far there is for business to go.
(Left to right: Benjamin Cohen, PinkNews CEO; Karin Cook, Lloyds Bank; Caroline Dinenage MP, Equalities Minister)
Karin Cook, Group Director, Operations at Lloyds Bank, said that discussions like this one are crucial – we all benefit when people "can bring their whole selves to work". Lloyds has produced a guide for all employees on LGBT issues and now lets them choose their own uniforms, rather than being prescribed one based on assumptions. But it will take companies from across the board to further this agenda.
Toilets and changing rooms
Gender-neutral toilets have been all over the news of late. In the US, President Trump is rolling back protections on this issue in schools. Karin Cook noted that Lloyds is looking to introduce a pilot of gender neutral toilets, but discussions are ongoing.
Brigadier Bobby Walton-Knight, Assistant Chief of Staff (Support) to the Field Army, said much of the army's new accommodation is en-suite, resolving the issue of gendered barracks. He was confident that the Army could adjust to the requirements of trans officers and frontline personnel as and when they come through. Caroline Dinenage MP, Equalities Minister, recalled that on her visit to the Falkland Islands all of the army accommodation was gender-neutral because it was built when only men were allowed on the frontline.
ITV's Director of Creative and Co-Chair of ITV Pride, Matt Scarff, noted the redevelopment of ITV's flagship building on the Southbank, where discussions are ongoing to have gender neutral toilets in the new building. This is something Channel 4 has already introduced on their ground floor.
Oliver Entwistle, Head of LGB&T Policy Team in the Government Equalities Office, shared that two government departments are introducing gender-neutral bathrooms. The departments will be going for a mixed approach between gender neutral toilets and male or female-only toilets.
(Centre: Kimberley Bird, Trans*formation and Lloyds Bank)
John Basnage, of Hogan Lovells, said that it has introduced gender-neutral toilets in its offices but added: "we don't know what sign is appropriate to use yet." David Sellick, Partner and LGBT Executive Sponsor of Ernst & Young, said: "At EY we're beginning to rebadge our accessible restrooms as 'Inclusive Restrooms' which feature clear gender neutral signage. This next step on our own journey follows the publication of EY's gender identity, expression and transition internal support guidelines in October 2016."
One of the most challenging areas under discussion was gym changing rooms. Mark Forrest, Head of HR at Nuffield Health, recalled the case of one trans woman who had wanted to use the women's changing rooms. The general manager of the branch did not know what to do. After a number of discussions and training, the manager agreed to let the member use their preferred changing rooms. However several other women complained about the trans woman and threatened to cancel their membership. This is an on-going issue. It was also noted that profit margins in the leisure industry are slim, and it can be challenging, sometimes impossible, to reconfigure buildings to account for new gender-neutral facilities or cubicles.
John Dickinson, Chair of Tesco OUT, highlighted that Tesco has always had gender-neutral changing rooms due to the shortage of space for such facilities in stores.
Isabella Segal, a partner in London accountancy firm Nyman Libson Paul, pointed out that trans people themselves are divided on the issue. She said that as a post-op transgender woman she didn't want to use a gender neutral changing room or bathroom, she wanted a women's one.
(Isabella Segal, Nyman Libson Paul accountants)
One contributor, concluding, joked that: "People can pee wherever they like, so long as it's in the toilet!"
Baroness Featherstone condemned comments by BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour host Dame Jenni Murray, who had written in the Sunday Times that "trans women aren't real women". It was noted by others around the table that Dame Murray used her prominent position to make a deeply divisive comment, and the lack of punishment from the BBC was indicative of trans issues finding themselves somewhat down the pecking order.
It was highlighted that newspapers frequently report trans issues inadequately, and they need better education. Caroline Dinenage said that she has arranged events with editors previously, in an attempt to bring them up to speed on best practice for reporting such issue. However, often those who accept are already on side, such as PinkNews.
ITV's Matt Scarff said the company has held a series of 'lunch and learn' events for staff, including lunches attended by newsreader India Willoughby and radio DJ Stephanie Hirst, and they have proved effective in educating colleagues on the issues and best practice in the workplace.
David Isaac, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, echoed the need for better training for the media. However, as the former Chair of Stonewall, he was also optimistic – whereas LGB issues had taken three decades to become mainstream, awareness on trans issues was developing much more speedily. David also explained the critical role the EHRC could play in driving change by bringing strategic test cases.
Dr James Bellringer, Urology Consultant and an expert in gender reassignment, highlighted a dire state of affairs for gender reassignment resources. Demand is increasing 20% year on year, but the resources allocated are not. The funding allocations for gender reassignment are insufficient by the time they're decided, and it is causing a major backlog, he said.
Many doctors and GPs coming through the NHS also are not given training on gender issues. Dr Bellringer acknowledged that the extent of issues newly qualified doctors need to learn about is vast, and gender reassignment is considered a low priority compared to spotting a poorly child, for example.
More seriously, he mooted instances of some GPs, themselves small businesses, refusing to supply hormones to trans patients. Some have refused on 'moral grounds' to supply trans patients with appropriate hormone treatments, which has been known to push some patients into purchasing seriously dangerous drugs on the internet and elsewhere.
(Dr. James Bellringer, Urology consultant)
There isn't a single underwriter in the UK that caters for the medical needs of trans people, Kimberley Bird, from Trans*formation, said. Although Lloyds has a system whereby they pay into a trust, rather than medical insurance for colleagues, meaning they have been able to provide trans health care for employees.
Forms and data
John Dickinson, Group Diversity and Inclusion manager at Tesco, said that the company is looking to move to big data, instead of relying on gender. For example, Benjamin Cohen, PinkNews CEO, noted that his supermarket knows that he is a vegetarian, despite having not told it.
Benjamin highlighted that many forms ask for a title – such as Mr/Miss/Mrs – including workplace forms. It was suggested employee contracts and data collection should be gender neutral. Emma Cusdin, HR Business Partner and co-found of trans*formation at Aviva, argued for an Mx option to be included when asking for a title.
Some people suggested employers should record if they have trans employees, and how many. It was pointed out, however, that employers are very reluctant to do so as they can get a fine of £5,000 per person if that data is accidentally or purposefully leaked.
Many of the companies that were around the table are large and employ many thousands of people. While they can set positive trends within their company, what can be done for small businesses? Fiona Cannon, Group Director, Inclusion and Diversity at Lloyds, argued that the likes of Lloyds and similar major companies are key to setting a positive example. They need to, firstly, pave the way for best practice in trans inclusion in business. Secondly, they have a direct role to play in helping growing businesses by explaining methods they can be trans friendly to colleagues and customers in ways that benefit their business overall.
It was widely agreed that the Gender Recognition Act requires updating, something the Equality Minister Caroline Dinenage concurred with. Others around the table led by Angela Crawley suggested the Equality Act needs updating, with Isabella Segal, of Nyman Libson Paul, specifically mentioning the 'spousal veto' being outdated. The minister said: "we will continue to keep the issue under review."
It was agreed that the economic case for assisting trans staff is strong. James Bellringer, gender reassignment expert, noted evidence that suggests trans employees perform much better after completing their transition, frequently climbing the career ladder faster. This benefits both business and the government with more productive employees, earning more and therefore paying more in taxation.
(Fiona Cannon, Lloyds Bank; Emma Cusdin, Trans*formation and Aviva)
The PinkNews roundtable dinner was sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group.
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ART CRITICISM, THEORY AND HISTORY
Flexi, 6.75 x 9.25 in. / 192 pgs / 50 color.
Pontus Hultén and Moderna Museet: The Formative Years
Edited by Anna Tellgren. Foreword by Daniel Birnbaum. Text by Patrik Andersson, Annika Gunnarsson, Ylva Hillström, Pontus Hultén, et al.
The legendary curator Pontus Hultén (1924–2006) worked at Moderna Museet in Stockholm between 1958 and 1973. In 1960 he was appointed director. It was in this role that he built the collection and the museum's international reputation, with exhibitions such as Movement in Art (1961), American Pop Art (1964), Niki de Saint-Phalle's She–A Cathedral (1966) and Warhol's first European solo exhibition (1968). In 2005 Hultén donated his art collection, library and archives to Moderna Museet. Pontus Hultén and Moderna Museet: The Formative Years explores Hultén's practice as a curator and director. In addition to new essays, the book contains archival photographs and documents as well as a previously unpublished 1962 text by Hultén outlining his ideas on how an art museum should run.
Excerpt from "How does one wish a museum for
modern art to function?" attached to a letter Pontus Hultén sent to the Dutch art collector and professor Pieter Sanders on December 4,
1962.
"How often has it not happened that two friends in discussing an art work, which is loved by both, have discovered that they admire it for entirely different reasons, almost like seeing two entirely different pieces of art. This is not directly connected with the form of the art work, its appearance. The more simple the form, the more complex the experience may be. I mean that the genial art work is as many sided as an infinite polygon, and inasmuch as time and spectators move they constantly discover new sides. We admire the Altamira-grotto paintings for other reasons than the contemporaries. We cannot see a Vermeer or Leonardo as one saw their works during the 16th or 17th century, they reflect now another light coming from another point of departure, but we can love them, nevertheless, from our viewpoint because they have this wonderful richness. The more versatile an art work, the larger is its 'quality.' And this is directly connected with the fact that one believes that the unique in the existence of each individual is a fundamental value. 'Poetry must be done by all and not by only one,' writes Lautreamont."
FORTHCOMING AND NEW: CRITICISM AND THEORY
OSLO PILOT (2015–17)
MOUSSE PUBLISHING
Edited by Serkan Ozkaya.
THE ETERNAL BAROQUE
Edited by Maria Giulia Barberini, Mary L. Levkoff, Carolyn H. Miner, Guilhem Scherf, Jeremy Warren, Patricia Wengraf.
THE AMERICAN TORNADO: ART IN POWER 1949-2008
By Germano Celant.
LONDON DIALOGUES
Edited by Hans Ulrich Obrist, Rem Koolhaas.
MAGICIANS & CHARLATANS
By Jed Perl.
EAKINS PRESS FOUNDATION
USD $45.00 | CAN $55 UK £ 40
THE STANDARD BOOK OF NOUN-VERB EXHIBITION GRAMMAR
Edited with text by Niekolaas Johannes Lekkerkerk. Text and afterword by Timotheus Vermeulen.
ONOMATOPEE
ARTIST-RUN EUROPE
Edited by David Mollin, John Reardon.
RIDINGHOUSE
Pub Date: 10/1/2009
THE COLLECTED WRITINGS OF JON THOMPSON
By Jon Thompson.
THE SPACE BETWEEN: COLLECTED WRITINGS
By Michael Bracewell.
FORMAT: Flexi, 6.75 x 9.25 in. / 192 pgs / 50 color.
PUBLISHER: Koenig Books
TERRITORY: NA LA ASIA AU/NZ AFR
D.A.P. CATALOG: FALL 2017 Page 159 |
Justia Patents Gas Separation: Processes Patents Electric Or Electrostatic Field (e.g., Electrostatic Precipitation, Etc.) Patents With Cleaning Of Collector Electrode Patents (Class 95/74)
With Cleaning Of Collector Electrode Patents (Class 95/74)
By liquid flushing (Class 95/75)
By scraping or vibrating (Class 95/76)
Abstract: An air cleaner includes a flying body having a main body unit in which a control unit controlling flying movement is stored, and a propeller disposed around the main body as propulsion for floating the flying body; and a dust collector connected to the flying body, and including an intake opening and an exhaust opening. The propeller is disposed inside or under the dust collector, the dust collector electrostatically attracts dust in air flowing from the intake opening, and the flying body is a drone structured so that the propeller takes in air from an upper side and exhausts the air to a lower side.
Assignee: CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
Inventors: Li Luo, Yoshiaki Tatsumi, Kazuki Tsuboi
Method and exhaust-gas treatment device for regenerating an exhaust-gas purification component and motor vehicle having the exhaust-gas treatment device
Abstract: A method and an exhaust-gas treatment device for regenerating an exhaust-gas purification component include charging at least one capacitor and heating at least one sub-volume of the exhaust-gas purification component to at least 900° C. by supplying at least a part of the energy stored in the capacitor. A particle burn-off reaction can be started from the at least one sub-volume for a large volume of exhaust-gas purification components. Exhaust-gas purification components in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine can thus be completely regenerated in an energy-efficient manner. A vehicle having the exhaust-gas treatment device and carrying out the method is also provided.
Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
Assignee: EMITEC Gesellschaft fuer Emissionstechnologie mbH
Inventors: Jan Hodgson, Christian Vorsmann
RAPPING AN ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR
Abstract: For the sake of improving dust removal from an electrostatic precipitator by rapping, the present disclosure proposes an electrostatic precipitator, comprising a flue gas chamber, a collecting electrode, a first rapping arrangement that raps the collecting electrode, a dust hopper, and a second rapping arrangement that raps at least one of the dust hopper and an element located within the dust hopper, wherein the second rapping arrangement is located within an inner chamber defined by the flue gas chamber and the dust hopper. The rapping by means of the second rapping arrangement may comprise rapping at least one of an inner wall of the dust hopper, a structural element located within the dust hopper and connected to at least one inner wall of the dust hopper, a rapping plate located within the dust hopper proximate to an inner wall of the dust hopper, and a baffle located within the dust hopper.
Inventor: Ireneusz MALEC
Device for collecting particles that have a strong electron affinity
Abstract: A device for collecting particles that have a high electron affinity, particularly explosive particles, from a gas, includes a flow channel (12a) in which at least one electrically positive collector electrode (20a) and at least one ionising electrode (18a) are arranged, between which an electrical field is present so that the particles having high electron affinity can be indirectly charged by corona discharge on the ionising electrode (18a) and can be displaced towards the collector electrode (20a).
Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH
Inventors: Sebastian Beer, Gerhard Müller, Jan Spannhake, Wolfgang Legner
Modular ductwork decontamination assembly
Abstract: A modular ductwork assembly decontaminates an air stream circulating within a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The assembly includes one or more of (a) an ionizing module for removing particulates from the air stream, (b) a sterilization module for neutralizing airborne pathogens present in the air stream, (c) an ozone treatment module for neutralizing pathogens or odoriferous or gaseous constituents or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in the air stream, optionally (d) baffles for slowing and disrupting the flow rate and promoting turbulence in the air stream traveling through the modules, optionally (e) a fan module for directing a treated air stream, optionally (f) an ozone sensor, optionally (g) a monitoring or ozone control means, and optionally (h) a means of delivering and repurposing generated ozone. Each of the modules is arranged substantially adjacent to at least one of the other modules.
Inventor: Karen Metteer
Air quality enhancement system
Abstract: A system for enhancing air quality by collecting airborne particles. The system includes at least one ground plane, at least one corona point, an ionization field strength adjustment mechanism and a cleaning mechanism. The at least one ground plane is operably mounted proximate to where the airborne particles are present. The at least one ground plane includes at least one ground plane surface. The least one corona point operably is mounted to the at least one ground plane for causing an accumulation of particles to be deposited on the at least one ground plane surface. The ionization field strength adjustment mechanism enables a distance between the at least one corona point and the at least one ground plane to be adjusted. The cleaning mechanism is capable of removing the accumulation of particles from the at least one ground plane surface.
Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
Assignee: Baumgartner Environics, Inc
Inventors: John Baumgartner, Matthew Baumgartner
Hot sieving electrostatic precipitator
Abstract: An electrostatic precipitator and a method of removal of particulates from gaseous flows. A plurality of screens, secured in sets within a central chamber in a housing, include at least one set of electrically chargeable first screens and at least one set of electrically grounded second screens. For each set of chargeable screens, all the screens of the set are provided with an identical electrical charge, either positive or negative, and the set is provided with a plurality of spikes directed at the oncoming gaseous flow. At least one screen cleaning unit selectively acts on the screens of each set. The precipitator can include a plurality of central chambers in a single housing or separate housings, and the chambers can be selectively activated or deactivated. The precipitator provides improved particulate removal from gaseous flows, including hot flows having temperatures up to at least 1200° C.
Assignee: Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Natural Resources
Inventors: Kourosh Zanganeh, Zahirul Hasan Khan, Carlos Salvador, Jack Jensen
Self-cleaning electret filter
Abstract: An illustrative filter includes an electret material, which has a long-lasting electric charge, that is at least partially coated or covered with a conductive layer. An optional insulation layer may be disposed over at least part of the conductive layer. If the electret material has a positive charge, then the filter attracts particles with a negative charge, and vice versa. The filter adsorbs the attracted particles until it becomes saturated with particles, at which point the conductive layer is charged to have a polarity that is opposite the built-in polarity of the electret and that matches the polarity of the adsorbed particles. The charged conduction layer repels the adsorbed particles from the filter, cleaning the filter for continued use.
Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC
Inventor: Yuchen Ma
Automated dust filter cleaning
Abstract: A method of cleaning a dust filter includes applying a negative electrical potential to a first electrode in a first area of a dust filter and applying a positive electrical potential to a second electrode disposed in a second area of the dust filter, wherein a voltage differential between the first and second electrodes is sufficient to cause electrostatic movement of dust from the first area to the second area. Then, the method further includes applying a negative electrical potential to the second electrode and applying a positive electrical potential to a third electrode disposed in a third area of the dust filter, wherein a voltage differential between the second and third electrodes is sufficient to cause electrostatic movement of dust from the second area to the third area, and wherein the first, second and third areas are generally linearly arranged.
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
Inventors: Kathy L. Brown-Fitzpatrick, Gary D. Cudak, Christopher J. Hardee, James R. Lee, John Lloyd, William E. Lohmeyer, Jr., Andrew H. Wray
Method to control particulate matter emissions
Abstract: A method for removing particulate matter from a particulate-bearing gas stream includes flowing a particulate-bearing gas stream at a first volumetric flow rate to a plurality of ESP units; producing electrically charged particulate matter; collecting electrically charged particulate matter on collection electrode plates; reducing the flow through at least one of the ESP units; sequentially increasing the flow through one or more remaining ESP units in an amount so as to maintain the sum of flow through all of the ESP units at the first volumetric flow rate; subjecting the collection electrode plates in the at least one ESP unit with reduced flow to forces which dislodge the particulate matter from the collection electrode plates; collecting the dislodged particulate matter in a particulate collection receptacle; and withdrawing a gas stream of reduced particulate matter contamination.
Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Inventor: Dong X. Li
METHOD FOR THE ELECTRIC DEPOSITION OF AEROSOLS AND DEVICE FOR PERFORMING THE METHOD
Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the separation of charged aerosols, in which the aerosol is, first of all, separated in a collector electrode, which can be flowed through under the effect of a space charge. For the production of a high electrical potential, electrical charges of the aerosol to be separated are subsequently collected on the collector electrode. Finally, the residual aerosol exiting from the collector electrode is guided through the separation zone at high field intensity. In accordance with the invention, the invention also relates to a device for the implementation of the above-stated process.
Filed: November 4, 2009
Inventors: Christian Lübbert, Ulrich Riebel, Sergiy Lebedynskyy
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISCHARGING AN ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATOR
Abstract: A method for cleansing an electrostatic precipitator having a collecting electrode and an emission electrode includes applying a voltage between the collecting electrode and the emission electrode and reducing the applied voltage from a first voltage to a second voltage upon an occurrence of a spark between the collecting electrode and the emission electrode.
Filed: April 2, 2012
Applicant: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD
Inventor: Anders Johansson
DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TREATING EXHAUST GAS CONTAINING SOOT PARTICLES
Abstract: A method for converting soot particles of an exhaust gas includes providing at least nitrogen dioxide or oxygen in the exhaust gas, ionizing soot particles with an electric field, depositing electrically charged soot particles on inner channel walls of at least one surface precipitator, and bringing at least nitrogen dioxide or oxygen into contact with the deposited soot particles on the inner channel walls of the at least one surface precipitator. A device for carrying out the method includes at least one surface precipitator having a plurality of channels through which the exhaust gas can flow and extending between an inlet region and an outlet region, and at least one deposit inhibitor for electrically charged soot particles provided in at least part of the inlet region, especially allowing the soot particles to be evenly deposited and the surface precipitator to be continuously regenerated.
Applicant: EMITEC GESELLSCHAFT FUER EMISSIONSTECHNOLOGIE MBH
Inventor: WOLFGANG MAUS
Method and apparatus for the enhanced removal of aerosols and vapor phase contaminants from a gas stream
Abstract: The invention provides methods and apparatuses for removing aerosols and, in some cases, vapor phase contaminants, such as mercury, from a gas stream. One method is directed to the removal of additional aerosols from a gas stream from which aerosols have previously been removed by using a screen in combination with a primary aerosol collection device. Another method is directed to the removal of both aerosols and vapor phase contaminants by using a sorbent in combination with a screen. Another method is directed to the removal of vapor phase contaminants by using a catalyst to convert the contaminant to a form that is more easily removed from the gas stream and optionally injecting a chemical to increase the rate of conversion. The invention also provides various apparatuses for use in performing the various methods of the invention.
Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.
Inventors: Mark Simpson Berry, Ramsay Chang
Abstract: An electrostatic precipitator and a method of removal of particulates from gaseous flows. A plurality of screens, secured in sets within a central chamber in a housing, comprise at least one set of electrically chargeable first screens and at least one set of electrically grounded second screens. For each set of chargeable screens, all the screens of the set are provided with an identical electrical charge, either positive or negative, and the set is provided with a plurality of spikes directed at the oncoming gaseous flow. At least one screen cleaning means selectively acts on the screens of each set. The precipitator can comprise a plurality of central chambers in a single housing or separate housings, and the chambers can be selectively activated or deactivated. The precipitator provides improved particulate removal from gaseous flows, including hot flows having temperatures up to at least 1200° C.
Applicant: HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN IN RIGHT OF CANADA AS REPRESENTED BY THE MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Abstract: A method for removing particulate matter from a particulate-bearing gas stream comprises flowing a particulate-bearing gas stream at a first volumetric flow rate to a plurality of ESP units; producing electrically charged particulate matter; collecting electrically charged particulate matter on collection electrode plates; reducing the flow through at least one of the ESP units; sequentially increasing the flow through one or more remaining ESP units in an amount so as to maintain the sum of flow through all of the ESP units at the first volumetric flow rate; subjecting the collection electrode plates in the at least one ESP unit with reduced flow to forces which dislodge the particulate matter from the collection electrode plates; collecting the dislodged particulate matter in a particulate collection receptacle; and withdrawing a gas stream of reduced particulate matter contamination.
Inventor: Doug X. Li
Applicant: BAUMGARTNER ENVIRONICS. INC.
Electro-kinetic air transporter with mechanism for emitter electrode travel past cleaning member
Abstract: Systems and methods for cleaning emitter electrodes of air conditioner systems are provided. The air conditioning system includes an emitter electrode, a collector electrode and a high voltage generator to provide a high voltage potential difference between the emitter and collector electrodes. The system also includes a cleaning member having a channel through which the emitter electrode passes. A plunger mechanism and a spring, or a lever and a fulcrum, are used to force the cleaning member to travel upward along the emitter electrode to thereby frictionally removing debris from the emitter electrode. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures and the claims.
Filed: February 8, 2010
Assignee: Tessera, Inc.
Inventors: Andrew J. Parker, Charles E. Taylor, Shek Fai Lau
ADVANCED PARTICULATE MATTER CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHODS
Abstract: Apparatus and methods for collection and removal of particulate matter, including fine particulate matter, from a gas stream, comprising a unique combination of high collection efficiency and ultralow pressure drop across the filter. The apparatus and method utilize simultaneous electrostatic precipitation and membrane filtration of a particular pore size, wherein electrostatic collection and filtration occur on the same surface.
Inventors: Stanley J. Miller, Ye Zhuang, Jay C. Almlie
Methods for operating a filtration system
Abstract: A method of operating a filtration system that filters flue gas, which includes particulate matter and a gaseous pollutant. The filtration system may include a fabric filter, which is cleaned with periodic pulse cleanings, a discharge electrode upstream of the fabric filter, which imparts an electric charge to at least some of the particulate matter before the particulate matter collects on the fabric filter, a sorbent, which is injected into the flue gas upstream of the fabric filter and absorbs at least some of the gaseous pollutant, and a fan, which draws the flue gas through the fabric filter. The filtration system may have a pulse cleaning interval setting that may be manipulated by an operator of the filtration system. The pulse cleaning interval setting may be the time between the pulse cleanings.
Assignee: General Electric Company
Inventor: Robert W. Taylor
Particulate matter detection device and particulate matter detection method
Abstract: A particulate matter detection device includes a collection electrode that collects the particulate matter, a discharge electrode that allows a corona discharge to occur when a voltage is applied between the collection electrode and the discharge electrode, a measurement electrode, the impedance between the collection electrode and the measurement electrode changing when the collection electrode has collected the particulate matter, and a measurement section that detects a change in the impedance between the collection electrode and the measurement electrode, the particulate matter detection device detecting the particulate matter by charging the particulate matter contained in the gas by utilizing the corona discharge, collecting the charged particulate matter by the collection electrode by utilizing an electrostatic force, and detecting a change in the impedance between the collection electrode that has collected the particulate matter and the measurement electrode using the measurement section.
Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
Inventors: Takeshi Sakuma, Yasumasa Fujioka, Atsuo Kondo
ELECTROSTATIC FILTER
Abstract: The electrostatic filter for the separation of dust particles has collecting electrodes (3-7) fixed in a housing (2) through which the gas flows and discharge electrodes (16-20) arranged parallel to them and held stretched between insulators (29, 30). For the cleaning of the collecting electrodes (3-7), a cleaning equipment (33) is fixed to a cable (28) having the discharge electrodes (16-20), which can be moved along the surface of the collecting electrodes to be cleaned by means of a pulling device (30-32) having a coiling drum (26, 27).
Inventor: Jorg MEISTER
SUBSTRATE TRANSFER DEVICE AND SUBSTRATE TRANSFER METHOD
Abstract: A substrate transfer device includes an atmosphere introduction unit and an atmosphere exhaust unit provided at a top and a bottom portion of a main body of the device, respectively; and a substrate transfer mechanism provided between the atmosphere introduction unit and the atmosphere exhaust unit. The substrate transfer device further includes a downward flow forming unit provided, adjacent to the atmosphere introduction unit, to allow an atmosphere to be introduced through the atmosphere introduction unit and to downwardly flow through the substrate transfer mechanism and be exhausted through the atmosphere exhaust unit; and a gas ionizing unit for ionizing the atmosphere and a particle collecting unit for collecting particles included in the atmosphere, the gas ionizing unit and the particle collecting unit being sequentially provided in the direction in which the atmosphere downwardly flows, between the downward flow forming unit and the substrate transfer mechanism.
Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
Inventors: Jun Yamawaku, Junji Oikawa, Hiroyuki Nakayama
Electrostatic air/oil separator for aircraft engine
Abstract: An air/oil separator for use in a gas turbine engine includes a labyrinth path having an air/oil inlet, air outlet and oil outlet, a device for creating an electrical field within the labyrinth path and a device for creating a suction action at the oil outlet to draw liquid oil from the labyrinth path and for delivering the liquid oil under pressure to a pressurized source of oil in the engine.
Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
Inventor: Kevin Allan Dooley
METHOD FOR THE REMOVAL OF SMUT, FINE DUST AND EXHAUST GAS PARTICLES, PARTICLE CATCH ARRANGEMENT FOR USE IN THIS METHOD, AND USE OF THE PARTICLE CATCH ARRANGEMENT TO GENERATE A STATIC ELECTRIC FIELD
Abstract: This inventions provides a method for the removal of smut, fine dust and exhaust gas particles from polluted air comprising providing a particle catch arrangement with a charged surface, the particle catch arrangement being arranged to generate a static electric field, wherein the electric field is at least 0.2 kV/m. The invention further provides a particle catch arrangement comprising a surface that can be charged, further comprising a generator arranged to generate charge to the surface that can be charged and to generate a static electric field of at least 0.2 kV/m, wherein the particle catch arrangement is part of or integrated with an object comprising street furniture.
Applicant: Technische Universiteit Delft
Inventors: Willibrordus Nicolaas Johannes Ursem, Johannes Cornelis Maria Marijnissen, Rein Andre Roos
Heating System, Heating and Laminarizing Method, Electrostatic Precipitator, Spray Dryer, Detaching Device and Method for Detaching Particles
Abstract: A heating system for a spray dryer has a heating element, a heating unit having an open-pore metal foam, and a fluid input and a fluid output. The metal foam is arranged between the fluid input and the fluid output so that fluid which flows in through the fluid input and out through the fluid output is laminarized. A method for simultaneously heating and laminarizing a fluid with the aid of an open-pore metal foam is also disclosed, as is an electrostatic precipitator having a sleeve-shaped electrode connected to a base part of the precipitator. Also disclosed is a device for detaching particles from an inner surface of a sleeve-shaped electrode, a method for detaching particles, and a spray dryer with a heating system as above and/or with an electrostatic precipitator.
Applicant: BUCHI LABORTECHNIK AG
Inventors: Mathias Schon, Ralph Baumgartner
System for filtering particulate matter of diesel particulate filter
Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for effectively filtering particulate matter from exhaust gas. Exemplary embodiments of the invention provides a system for capturing diesel-powered vehicle particulate matter in exhaust gas, the system including: a detour channel at the interior of the entrance to the diesel particulate filter, an electrode located in front of the detour channel and operable to ionize the particulate matter, and a control unit operable to control operation of the electrode.
Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
Inventor: Kangsoo Lee
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE ACCELERATION OF AN ELECTROMAGNETIC RAPPER
Abstract: A method for the acceleration of an electromagnetic rapper, particularly for an electrostatic precipitator, which includes a metal cylinder as a hammer, an electrical coil for lifting the metal cylinder and a coil energizer for energizing the electrical coil. For cleaning a surface the metal cylinder is lifted by an initial electrical pulse generated by the coil energizer. The coil energizer supplies the electrical coil with an additional electrical pulse so that the metal cylinder is accelerated when it has reached the maximum point of its trajectory.
Polarity reversing circuit for electrostatic precipitator systems
Abstract: A gas separation apparatus using electrostatic precipitators and mechanical rappers is enhanced by the addition of an opposite polarity refreshing power supply and a switching arrangement. The switching components selectively disconnect the primary power supply and connect the refreshing power supply to the electrostatic precipitator, causing an electrical impulse in the precipitator sufficient to dislodge precipitate from the collector plates. In one embodiment, an RC filter is further provided to control the impulse and reduce the burden that would otherwise be placed upon the refreshing power supply. In a second embodiment, a pair of SCR strings serve as the switches. Cleaning power is delivered from a capacitor through one of the SCR strings using a resonant circuit, the resonance which causes the SCR string to commutate off after the impulse has been delivered.
Filed: January 24, 2006
Inventors: Ralph F. Altman, Robert N. Guenther, Jr., Grady B. Nichols
Air purifier with front-load electrodes
Abstract: An air purifier with front-loading electrodes includes an electrode loading compartment for storing the plate electrodes. When the air purifier is in a closed configuration, the electrode loading compartment cooperates with the housing to fully enclose the plate electrodes. When the plate electrodes need to be removed, the electrode loading compartment can be moved translationally with respect to the housing to define a gap therebetween. The electrode loading compartment can then be rotated to access and remove the plate electrodes.
Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
Assignee: Sylmark Holdings Limited
Inventors: Shengwen Leng, Guangsheng Liu
ELECTROSTATIC COLLECTION DEVICE
Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to an electrostatic collection device and method for extracting impurities from gas. The collection devices includes at least one electrical field for charging particles, where the particles are in a gas, and at least one collection surface for collecting charged particles. The device further includes at least one heating element for heating the at least one collection surface to vaporize the collected particles.
Applicant: SCEPTOR INDUSTRIES, INC.
Inventors: RICHARD R. THOMAS, FREEMAN SWANK, ANDREW FAIRCHILD
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY COLLECTING PARTICLES
Abstract: A collection device for collecting particles from a gas is provided. The device comprises a passage defined by a wall and at least one electrical field within the passage for charging particles, where the particles are in a gas. The device further comprises a moving collection surface for collecting charged particles. The moving collection surface is located within the at least one passage. The moving collection surface rotates through the at least one electrical field and then rotates to a detection device for detection of the particles.
Inventor: Andrew R. Fairchild
Fanless indoor air quality treatment
Abstract: An indoor air quality system for a structure is provided. The indoor air quality system includes a ventilation system and a corona discharge apparatus. The ventilation system directs air through the structure. The corona discharge apparatus is positioned within the ventilation system and is operable to filter the air and to move the air through the ventilation system.
Assignee: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware
Inventor: Nicholas Ashworth
Electrical enhancement of fabric filter performance
Abstract: A method for operating a filter assembly having a filter medium includes applying a constant or nearly constant static DC potential to dust entering the filter assembly and the filter medium, passing dust-laden gas through the filter medium in a first direction through the filter assembly while the filter medium is statically charged with the DC potential, measuring pressure drop through the filter assembly, and, in response to the pressure drop meeting a preset limit, reversing the polarity of the DC potential to thereby allow dust particles on the filter medium to drop off the filter medium.
Method of cleaning electric filter and electric filter
Abstract: The invention relates to a method of cleaning an electric filter and to an electric filter. In the method gas containing particles is fed to a chamber (2) of the electric filter. The gas is further fed to gas channels (5) in an emission system (3) provided in the chamber (2). What is brought about is electric charging of the particles in the gas and attachment to the separation electrode (1). Gas purified of particles is removed from the gas channel (5). The separation electrode (1) is shaken with shaker (8) to remove the particles attached to the separation electrode (1) therefrom. In this method, the gas flow is limited in such a gas channel (5) which adjoins the separation electrode (1) to be shaken by the shaker (8) when the separation electrode (1) to be shaken by the shaker (8) is shaken.
Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
Inventor: Juha Tolvanen
Spot ventilators and method for spot ventilating bathrooms, kitchens and closets
Abstract: A spot ventilator and method for spot ventilating a localized environment of a building is provided. The spot ventilator includes a passage and at least one corona discharge apparatus. The passage extending between an inlet positioned in the localized environment and an outlet. The at least one corona discharge apparatus positioned in relation to the passage such that a fluid from the localized environment is drawn into the passage through the inlet and is expelled through the outlet. The method of ventilating a localized environment of a building includes the steps of sensing a first change in the localized environment, energizing a corona discharge apparatus to produce an electric wind, drawing air from the localized environment into a passage via the electric wind and expelling the air from the passage through the outlet.
Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
Inventor: Gregory Allen Ehlers
Corona-discharge air mover and purifier for packaged terminal and room air conditioners
Abstract: An air conditioning device for heating and/or an environment is provided. The air conditioning device includes a heat exchanging apparatus, a passage, and a corona discharge apparatus. The passage is in thermal communication with the heat exchanging apparatus and extends between an inlet and an outlet. The corona discharge apparatus is disposed within the passage to draw a fluid from the environment into the passage through the inlet, move the fluid through the passage to permit the heat exchanger to remove or heat the fluid, and expel the fluid through the outlet into the environment. As such, the environment is cooled or heated. Embodiments of the present invention include package terminal air conditioners (PTACs), room air conditioners (RACs), and mini-split heating and cooling systems.
Inventor: Debra Jean Reaves
Electric separator with a rinsing cleaning system
Abstract: Electric oil separator that separates oil from an airflow of a ventilator. The separator includes an emission electrode and a collecting electrode. Moreover, the separator includes an injection device structured and arranged to inject oil as a cleaning fluid onto at least one of the emission electrode and the collecting electrode, so as to inject oil obliquely to a longitudinal axis of the collecting electrode.
Assignee: Hengst GmbH & Co. KG
Inventors: Stephan Ahlborn, Dieter Baumann, Bernhard Batram
Method and apparatus for filtering and drying a product
Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for filtering and drying a product. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises a container having a plurality of porous walls and a plurality of solid walls that divide the container into a plurality of product chambers, a plurality of vacuum chambers, and, preferably, a plurality of heat transfer chambers. Each product chamber shares at least one porous wall with an adjacent vacuum chamber. Each product chamber preferably shares at least one solid wall with an adjacent heat transfer chamber. According to the method of the present invention, a product is introduced into the product chambers, where the product is held while a substance is filtered from the product through the porous walls and the product is dried by reducing the pressure in the vacuum chambers and the product chambers.
Assignee: Alkermes Controlled Therapeutics, Inc.
Inventors: Paul F. Herbert, Douglas M. Bissonnette, Gregory C. Troiano
Polarity reversing circuit for electrostatic precipitator system
Abstract: A gas separation apparatus using electrostatic precipitators and mechanical rappers is enhanced by the addition of an opposite polarity refreshing power supply and a switching arrangement. The switching components selectively disconnect the primary power supply and connect the refreshing power supply to the electrostatic precipitator, causing an electrical impulse in the precipitator sufficient to dislodge precipitate from the collector plates. An RC filter is further provided to control the impulse and reduce the burden that would otherwise be placed upon the refreshing power supply. The novel separation apparatus and technique offer particular synergy when applied to the effluent stream from a coal-fired electric power plant or other similar gas streams.
Assignee: Electric Power Research Institute
Inventors: Ralph F. Altman, Robert N. Guenther, Grady B. Nichols
Cleaning mechanism for ion emitting air conditioning device
Abstract: A cleaning mechanism for a wire electrode of an air purifier device includes a base, a post having a first end attached to the base and a second end accessible from a location external the housing, a cleaning plate assembly attached to the base, wherein the cleaning plate assembly frictionally contacts the wire electrode when moved relative to the wire electrode. The cleaning plate assembly is movable within the housing when the second end of the post is moved from a resting configuration to a cleaning configuration.
Inventor: Ali Nikkhah
Air-treatment apparatus and methods
Abstract: Air-treatment apparatus and methods are disclosed that are especially suitable for treating the air in a room or other dwelling or working space. An apparatus embodiment of the subject apparatus includes a housing having air-intake and air-output openings. A gas-filter assembly inside the housing receives air entering the air-intake opening and includes a dual-media filter element having a matrix of fibers to which particles of activated carbon are adhered at mutual points of contact without using an extraneous binder. As air passes through the gas-filter assembly, the carbon particles adsorb odor compounds from the air. At least one electrostatic 3-dimensional (E3D) filter assembly downstream of the gas-filter assembly includes a respective charging element sandwiched between dielectric-fiber filters sandwiched between two respective electrically conductive screens. The screens are electrically grounded while the charging element (which is conductive) is connected to a source of high-voltage DC power.
Assignee: Shaklee Corporation
Inventors: John J. Julos, Victor Dragotti, Forwood Cloud Wiser
Method for minimizing bowing of collector plates in an electrostatic precipitator, and a collector plate-clip combination
Abstract: A bow-reduced precipitator collector plate assembly and an appertaining method include a precipitator collector plate that contacts a spring-like stiffening element configured to be attached to a fixed anchor or an adjacent anchoring collector plate. The stiffening element is configured to apply a force in a direction normal to a primary plane, which is generally co-linear but opposite in direction of a direction of bowing, of the precipitator collecting plate.
Assignee: NiSource Corporate Services Company
Inventor: Gregory Ludwicki
Electrostatic filter and a method thereof
Abstract: A filter system with a housing defining a passage between an inlet and an outlet and one or more structures located in the passage in the housing. Each of the structures comprises two or more layers of insulating materials with an imbedded fixed charge located at at least one of the interfaces between the two or more layers. At least one of the structures has an imbedded fixed charge at a charge level of at least 1×1012 charges per cm2.
Filed: June 7, 2002
Assignee: Rochester Institute of Technology
Inventor: Michael D. Potter
Gas particle partitioner
Abstract: A gas particle partitioner (GPP) removes particles from an aerosol with high efficiency and with no or minimum changes to the thermodynamic conditions and chemical composition of the gas phase of the aerosol. A permeable grid electrode surrounds a corona wire and separates an interior corona discharge area from an exterior aerosol charging zone. A particle free fluid washes the corona discharge area to minimize any transport of gas components produced by corona discharge to the aerosol. The charged particles in the aerosol are deflected by an electric field in a fractionator to selectively produce a particle free sample stream, which is then separated by a flow splitter from the aerosol.
Assignee: Rupprecht & Patashnick Company, Inc.
Inventors: Heinrich Fissan, Frank Jordan, Thomas Kuhlbusch
Precipitator extraction method and system
Abstract: An dry horizontal flow electrostatic precipitator wherein a portion of the gas flow passing through the precipitator is extracted from the upper portion of the casing, such extraction flow having a lower particle concentration than gas flow at the bottom portion of the casing due to re-entrainment. The extraction gas flow is extracted by a manifold positioned at the top of the casing.
Inventor: Arthur G. Hein
Vapor purification with self-cleaning filter
Abstract: A vapor filtration device including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a filter between the first and second electrodes is disclosed. The filter is formed of dielectric material and the device is operated by applying a first electric potential between the electrodes to polarize the dielectric material such that upon passing a vapor stream through the filter, particles from the vapor stream are deposited onto the filter. After depositing the particles a second higher voltage is applied between the electrodes to form a nonthermal plasma around the filter to vaporize the collected particles thereby cleaning the filter. The filter can be a packed bed or serpentine filter mat, and an optional upstream corona wire can be utilized to charge airborne particles prior to their deposition on the filter.
Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
Inventors: Gary B. Josephson, William O. Heath, Christopher L. Aardahl
Method and apparatus to clean air
Abstract: The invention relates to a method to clean air for separating materials in the form of particles and/or droplets from a gas flow. The gas flow is directed through a collection in which the outer walls are grounded, and in which high voltage is supplied to the ion yield tips arranged in the collection chamber. Thus an ion beam from the ion yield tips towards collection surfaces is established to separate desired material from the gas flow. The electrically conductive collection surfaces are electrically insulated from the outer castings and high voltage is supplied to the collecting surfaces, in which the direct-current voltage has an opposite sign as the high voltage directed to the ion yield tips. The collection surface is totally conveniently and rapidly detached for clean material replacement.
Assignee: Moira Ltd.
Inventor: Toni Niko Ilmasti
Method and system for improved rapper control
Abstract: An improved method and system is provided to control the rapping process used to clean the internal collection plates and discharge electrodes of electrostatic precipitators. The system obtains the performance characteristics of a first rapper and calculates a rapper lift value. The system then obtains performance characteristic data from two or more additional rappers and calculates rapper lift values for each of the rappers. Finally, the system compares the rapper lift value of each additional rapper and adjusts its performance characteristics so that it substantially approximates the performance characteristics of the first rapper.
Filed: July 6, 2001
Publication date: January 16, 2003
Applicant: BHA Group Holdings, Inc.
Inventors: Terry L. Farmer, David F. Johnston, Sven Richter, Michael M. Mahler |
December 19, 2013 Doc Rick gives out some important tips on how to maintain a healthy back. Download Now.
December 12, 2013 Doc Rick interviews Kari Gray about Green-Surance a new type of healthcare insurance designed specifically for alternative health practitioners and patients. Learn More.
December 5, 2013 Doc Rick discusses how to raise healthy children naturally. Download Now.
November 28, 2013 Doc Rick discusses how you can choose a healthy supplement. Download Now.
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November 14, 2013 Doc Rick discusses the negative effects of antibiotics and how you can restore balance to your system and health. Download Now.
November 7, 2013 Doc Rick discusses transit time, the amount of time it takes for your food to be fully digested and absorbed by your body for your best health. Download Now.
October 31, Doc Rick 2013 Dr. Huntoon discusses transit time, the amount of time it takes for your food to be fully digested and absorbed by your body for your best health. Download Now.
October 24, Doc Rick discusses National Poison Your Children Day otherwise known as "Halloween," the day kids gather bags full of candy and set themselves up for a winter of colds and congestion. Download Now.
October 17, 2013 Doc Rick discusses the Fall Doctor Supervised Fall Clean Up Program to help clean out your large intestine, lungs and skin. Download Now.
October 10, 2013 Doc Rick discusses Neurologic Relief Centers Technique (NRCT) for providing relief to people suffering with fibromyalgia, chronic migraines and other types of chronic pain. Download Now.
October 3, 2013 Doc Rick provides you with the information you need to avoid the flu by avoiding the flu shot. Download Now.
September 26, 2013 Doc Rick explains the reasons behind your sugar addiction, how it's tied to the consumption of antibiotics, and what you can do to feel better easily. Download Now. |
Are you interested in participating in the curriculum for the CAPP-Pelvic courses offered by the SoWH? There is an opportunity to join the CAPP-Pelvic committee as a contributing member.
✚ CAPP-Pelvic Graduate (Certification not required).
✚ Section on Women's Health Member (2 years preferred).
✚ Access to internet/email and good working knowledge of Word and Excel.
✚ Ability to use Google Docs or willing to learn how to use Google Docs.
✚ Comfort/interest in performing literature searches with access to full articles preferred.
✚ Neurological, pediatric, and male pelvic health experience preferred.
For more information or questions regarding the requirements, please contact [email protected]. |
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Download> Dead at First Sight by Peter James
Language: English | Format: epub | Size: 1.81 MB |
Roy Grace, creation of the CWA Diamond Dagger award winning author Peter James, exposes the dark side of the internet in Dead at First Sight.
You don't know me, but I thought I knew you . . .A man waits at a London airport for Ingrid Ostermann, the love of his life, to arrive. Across the Atlantic, a retired NYPD cop waits in a bar in Florida's Key West for his first date with the lady who is, without question, his soulmate. The two men are about to discover they've been scammed out of almost every penny they have in the world - and that neither women exist.Meanwhile, a wealthy divorcée plunges, in suspicious circumstances, from an apartment block in Munich. In the same week, Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is called to investigate the suicide of a woman in Brighton, that is clearly not what it seems. As his investigations continue, a handsome Brighton motivational speaker comes forward. He's discovered his identity is being used to scam eleven different women, online. The first he knew of it was a phone call from one of them, out of the blue, saying, 'You don't know me, but I thought I knew you'.That woman is now dead.Roy Grace realizes he is looking at the tip of an iceberg. A global empire built on clever, cruel internet scams and the murder of anyone who threatens to expose them.**
"Grace is a detective known for his human touch." - New York Times on Need You Dead
"Immensely satisfying. . . . The action hurtles to a shattering conclusion." - Publishers Weekly starred review of Love You Dead
"In my thirty four years of policing, never have I come across a writer who so accurately depicts "The Job." -Detective Investigator Pat Lanigan, Office of the District Attorney, NYPD
Peter James is a New York Times -bestselling writer of crime fiction. His novels, which include the bestselling Roy Grace series, have been translated into 36 languages, with worldwide sales of 19 million copies.
https://rapidgator.net/file/55b1c7a5d0d21ea2509389ccd706d333/dead_at_first_sight_by_peter_jamesepubkornbolt.epub
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Tick Tock (Grace Allendale, n 2) by Mel Sherratt
Over Your Dead Body (John Cleaver, n 5) by Dan Wells
The Vampire Who Played Dead by J R Rain
Grace - FMA (2016) mp3 320 kbps
The Art of Grace: On Moving Well Through Life |
Appointment of interlocutor shows Doval doctrine has failed in J&K: Farooq Abdullah
<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Q: What is National Conference's response to the appointment of Dineshwar Sharma as the interlocutor for Kashmir?A: As far as I'm concerned as the president of the party, it is good that an interlocutor has been appointed but I have a question for government of India. What about the earlier reports of the interlocutors which lie with the Centre. What has happened to those reports. Late Padgaonkar ji and three committees which were made and gave the reports, what happened to them? Why don't they put them before the Parliament?Q: Why weren't these reports implemented. You were part of the UPA?
ALSO READ Big challenge, will work with an open mind, says Kashmir interlocutor Dineshwar SharmaA: We did say and always asked as to why these reports aren't being implemented. Now that government has gone and now you have a present government. Governments may go but things are there. Here is a government which says that they are working for the people and I would be delighted if they open those books and put them before the Parliament.Q: Do you feel that successive talks without implementation of the recommendations added fuel to the fire?
ALSO READ J&K peace talks: How the past interlocutors and groups failed to break any deadlock A: Absolutely. They spent two years in the state, visiting Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir and met every single person including Hurriyat and compiled the report. It is there in the Home Ministry. For God's sake, bring it out. Q: Why did the government sat on the report?
ALSO READ Appointment of interlocutor will not impact army's operation in Jammu and Kashmir: Bipin RawatA: I think, you should ask Manmohan Singh as to why anything wasn't done. Q: Has the present government taken note of the reports ?A: I don't know. Please put this question to home minister Rajnath Singh. He will be able to answer.Q: Is it mandatory to speak with Pakistan? Hurriyat has made an issue out of it.A: Frankly I don't think that interlocutor can discuss with Pakistan. Discussion with Pakistan will have to be by government of India and at levels they chose to do so. Whether it is Home Minister or Prime Minister it is for them to decide. They have a part of Jammu and Kashmir with them and it cannot be ignored. Q: Does the appointment show that muscular approach doesn't work with people?A: Absolutely. Doval's doctrine has failed. His doctrine was to beat them to the ground and do everything you can to suppress them. Every theory has failed. They thought that with demonetization, militancy would disappear, it is at the highest level today. What have they achieved? Nothing. Our tourism has died. It is at zero. Nobody bothered.Q: What would you like the interlocutor to do?A: I don't know who is he going to engage with. Home Minister tried to engage with every national party except the Hurriyat. No Home Minister didn't talk to Hurriyat. I don't know what a retired civil servant would be able to achieve. Q: Wouldn't it provide a buffer to mainstream parties like yours? Workers of mainstream parties have been attacked by terrorists?A: We have had this happen from 1989. Our workers and leaders have been targeted. No one cared about it. We will face the brunt but we will not disappear. We will be here. Q: What has been the cause of the present unrest where civil institutions are failing to function normally?A: One is the government of BJP and PDP. It has been the greatest misery that have been inflicted on the people of this state. it really put petrol on the fire and our neighbour utilised it to the best as it could.Q: Are you saying that BJP-PDP is an unnatural alliance?A; I'm not the only person who has said this. Ask anyone on the street and they will tell you.Q: BJP has said that this is not the first-time unrest has taken place. Worse unrest have taken place in past. A: They failed in everything so where does the blame lie? Q: Present Army Chief has spoken about the success of Army's approach in the valley. A: I think Army chief should restrict himself to the matters of the Army. He should look after the borders of India rather than talking about other things. It doesn't augur well for him. Q: Has politics of nationalism vs anti nationalism affected the political discourse in valley?A: Who are anti nationals? If people ask for their rights, do they become anti nationals? If they want to speak truth, do they become anti national? We gave the autonomy resolution to Vajpayee, was that anti national? It is in the Constitution of India. I don't understand what is meant by anti national. If they want to smash the pride of the people then they are not going to succeed.Q: Kashmir too at one end has not been accommodative. Pandits have not been able to return.A: Who is responsible for Pandits not going back? All mainstream parties and Hurriyat welcomed them. We asked them to come back. There are Pandits living in the Valley. They didn't migrate. It is for the others and make a move and come home. It is as much as their home as it is my home. They must make move.Q: Is 35 A an issue in Kashmir?A: If it wasn't a big issue, even PDP wouldn't have been shouting against it. It is a major issue in the valley. Q: Have you spoken about this issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi?A: Many people have asked and I would say that I have spoken to him and if the situation arise I would speak to him again. I have no problem in speaking to the Prime Minister Modi.Q: Where does the solution lie?A: Heal the wounds of the people and not by force and arrests that are being done and talk to Pakistan. Talk to them or else it will continue to happen. Only talking to Delhi will not make slightest difference. I remember Vajpaye's words. Friends can be changed but not neighbours. We either live in harmony with neighbour and both progress or live in animosity and both suffer. These are the golden words. There is always an opportunity for finding a peaceful solution and I think PM has the courage to do so and if he takes that step he can make a difference but only to India and to the sub continent and world peace.Q: Does Kashmir miss Vajpayee? Do you miss Vajpayee?A: We all miss Vajpayee. India misses him. He is still alive. He is a great leader.Q: So where is the hope for peace?A: I just hope that government of India takes the step to bring peace to the valley. They say that hope lies life and if one loses hope one would lose life. I hope for peace and prosperity not only for Kashmir but for the whole country. Q: Arrests by NIA also show that Pakistan is funding separatism and terror network?A: Nobody will mind if those arrests prove that money came from Pakistan and they used it. But the longer you hold them in prison and hold them longer and longer then people wouldn't believe you and would feel that they are being pushed for saying things. They feel that there is nothing in it.Q: Are you saying that investigations must conclude quickly?A: Yes, it must and quicker and better. It must be fast paced. It should be revealed to the people of India.
Kartikeya Sharma
absolutely, also, bjp, dineshwar, india, miss, pandits, parliament, pdp
Will we get a public holiday? Twitter reacts to BJP celebrating Nov 8 as 'Anti-Black Money' Day
Karnataka: Political slugfest erupts as President Kovind mentions Tipu Sultan in speech
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Comments by Kartikeya Sharma |
My husband and I are having our first baby in October. We just moved into a new house, giving us a blank canvas on which to build the perfect nursery for our new baby girl, Charlotte Cecile.
Like many new moms-to-be, I found myself wading through thousands of pictures on pinterest and becoming overwhelmed by all the gorgeous nurseries. Ultimately, I opted to go with a cool, calming palette in lavender and mint. We wanted the room to be charming and sweet, with a flair for the whimsy. We added gorgeous vintage-inspired hot air balloons as the mobile, a sweet chandelier fit for any princess, and tea pots reminiscent of one of my favorite children's books, Alice In Wonderland.
I have an eclectic style, pulling from modern to traditional and shabby chic, to simple and charming. I like to incorporate items that we collect during travels, or items of sentimental value to me and my family with pops of color here and there.
We started with our calming paint palette- We opted to go with Sherwin Williams Rainwashed on top of the chair rail and Sherwin Williams Snowbound below.
Once we had the palette, everything started coming together. We added Pottery Barn Baby bedding in the pattern of Brooklyn, and a comfy rocker glider from Wayfair for all those upcoming sleepless nights. I found the perfect rug to pull the room together on Overstock.com, and the rest was adding small touches here and there. A vintage balloon mobile found online on Amazon, and we updated some furniture pieces we already had with a simple coat of paint in the color of Seasalt by Behr. A few sentimental touches here and there really accented the room well, a tea set given to us by my husband's grandmother, my wedding bouquet made of vintage brooches, and a carousel painting from New Orleans, where my husband and I were married.
The best advice I can give you is to take your time and don't commit yourself too rigidly to one design motif. The best design themes incorporate versatile elements- Don't be afraid to put something that might not necessarily match or fit into one theme. The whole design doesn't have to be done at once, so take your time gathering items that combine both form and function, and items that bring you joy. Remember, you're going to be spending a lot of time in this room, so the design should be just as much FOR YOU as it is for your new bundle. Have fun and Happy Decorating!
Where did you get the table lamp from?
I am the soon-to-be Mother of a baby girl, Charlotte Cecile in October. My husband and I live in Denver, CO. |
The SAILOR STEM Boatbuilding initiative connects under-served middle and high school students in the Philadelphia area to the water. This program targets young minds to encourage interest and understanding in Engineering, Mathematics, and the Sciences in addition to team building, problem solving, and leadership.
Through our after-school programming, we build upon the core principles of education and curriculum that students are already learning in their traditional school settings by taking it a step further. Our students' classroom knowledge is enhanced via an intensive hands-on experiential learning approach to informal education through our SAILOR STEM Boatbuilding Program in ISM's traditional wooden boat shop, The Workshop on the Water. It is through this program that students work together to build a wooden boat from start to finish where the boat is a vehicle for teaching key concepts in Physics, Mathematics, Biology, Engineering, Design, Construction, Technology, English Language Arts, Ecology, and Chemistry, as well as Team-building and Leadership.
SAILOR is generously supported in part by the W.W. Smith Charitable Trust.
Interested schools should contact Dave Dormond, Workshop on the Water Educator, at 215-413-8685 or [email protected]. |
Cite this Article: Truchuelo MT, Vitale MA, Bettoli V, Estebaranz JL. Acne Relapses and Maintenance Therapy: an Update on Definition and Prevention. Sci J Clin Res Dermatol. 2017;2(1): 018-027.
Our case describes an unusual presentation of dermatomyositis in a patient with ovarian carcinoma. The eruption appeared as a venous stasis like dermatitis. The temporal sequence of onset after chemotherapy administration suggested a possible drug-induced process. However, in the context of underlying ovarian carcinoma, a paraneoplastic process offered an alternative explanation for dermatomyositis.
Cite this Article: Seidler AM, Wasserman DI, Turkowski Y, Serva AG, Konnikov N. Unusual Presentation of Amyopathic Dermatomyositis. Sci J Clin Res Dermatol. 2017;2(1): 014-017.
Introduction: Labia minora that protrude past the labia majora are aesthetically unsatisfactory to some women. Patient preference is for minimally invasive procedures with little or no downtime and minimal scarring. Fat grafts and crosslinked hyaluronic acid have been used to treat the labia majora and mons pubis for aesthetic improvement of the external female genitalia. Here, the author describes a simple and effective technique for addressing hypotrophic labia majora by injecting diluted Calcium Hydroxylapatite (CaHA).
Cite this Article: van Loghem JAJ. Use of Calcium Hydroxylapatite for Augmentation of the Labia Majora and Mons Pubis. Sci J Clin Res Dermatol. 2017;2(1): 010-013.
Patients with AD showed high incidence of duodenitis and cervical spine as a disorder other than skin. We experienced many cases where treatment resulted in improvement of eruptions of AD and other disorders other than skin were alleviated. We also experienced patients with AD with duodenitis normalized by repeated testing. In the same case of AD, many disorders of the organs of the duodenum and the cervical spine were observed. The toxin produced by S. aureus detected from the skin of patients with AD was high rate.
Cite this Article: Sugimoto K, Hattori T, Kitsukawa Y, Aotsuka A, Wada T, et al. Importance of Measures against Staphylococcus aureus in Atopic Dermatitis as a Superantigen Disease. Sci J Clin Res Dermatol. 2017;2(1): 007-009.
Cite this Article: Arpaci RB, Kara T, Karabulut YY, Gursoy D, Polat Y, et al. Sclerodermatous Skin: An Immunohistochemical Study. Sci J Clin Res Dermatol. 2017;2(1): 001-006. |
Agence spécialisée en Relations publiques (RP).
Experience in lifestyle, toys, business services, IT, consumer tech, food and beverages, consumer services, industry for international companies, SMBs and start-ups.
For each Christmas we edited a "trend" press package with the "sure hits" of the season. That lead to interviews of the spokesperson in printed and broadcasted medias.
Also handled media events in stores regularly.
Handled the Public relations campaign for this Spain-base toy store/manufacturer.
Had coverage with products through loans and picture distribution, selection in Christmas pages, and all over the year in children and parenting magazines. |
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Asia Pacific NewsCameras and Lighting
Sony PMW-F55 Selected by Neighbours
Neighbours DOP Steve Scoble and the F55 camera on the set of Neighbours
First broadcast in 1985, Neighbours has become an Australian icon and the longest running drama series in Australian television history, launching the careers of stars like Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Delta Goodrem, Natalie Imbruglia, Guy Pearce and Margot Robbie. Recently the show moved to shooting with Sony PMW-F55 large sensor 4K cameras.
Steve Scoble, Location DoP for production company Fremantle Media on Neighbours since 2006 explained, "The Neighbours location unit had previously been using Sony XDCAMs and they were nearing the end of their lifecycle. A search began for new cameras that needed to satisfy more technical and creative options to facilitate fast moving tightly scheduled drama. Research was conducted on a variety of cameras available."
The Neighbours team decided to go with a larger sensor format as the current 2/3″ PDW-700 had been around for some time.
Scoble continued, "The F55 is a third generation Super35 sensor. This narrowed our choices. Bearing in mind we had chosen to go with 30-300mm, 30-105mm and 15-47mm cine zoom lenses to cover all our needs, the F55 ticked off all of our requirements for shooting Neighbours. As we see it the main advantages of using an F55 are its Super35 4K sensor for improved contrast ratios, the variable frame rate and the integral ND filters. Our F55s have now been in production for 20 weeks and have performed well beyond our expectations."
Neighbours use two F55s on location, bringing in an additional camera when required.
One of the improvements Scoble and the crew noticed when using the F55 was in the contrast ratios and the ability of the sensor to handle extreme highlights compared to the XDCAM cameras.
Scoble added, "This was quite appealing for our style of drama shooting. I previously worked with Sony cameras for many years on Blue Heelers and was extremely impressed with their reliability and quality for fast turnaround drama. The cameras were constantly in extreme conditions running long hours with very few technical issues. I have also spoken to other DoPs who own and use the F55 and all are extremely happy. The F55 seemed like the ideal choice as it satisfied all our technical requirements with the 4K Super35 CMOS sensor, global shutter, extra exposure latitude, greatly improved ASA rating (currently able to shoot 4000 ASA without noise), variable frame rate, and the ability to shoot 4K when required. In consultation with the producers we felt the F55 would have a huge impact on the picture quality for both local and overseas sales. Of course, the F55 is capable of shooting 4K, but due to current post-production storage requirements and having to match our studio pictures it was decided to shoot with XAVC HD 1920 x1080 at 25p."
Gary Scott, 1st Assistant Camera Location Unit, also saw the benefits of the F55 in its design, engineering, build quality and reliability. He added, "We also needed a camera system which was durable, stable and resistant to both heavy use over prolonged periods and the sometimes-extreme Melbourne environmental conditions, especially on exterior locations. The F55 was ideal."
Television imaging has recently seen rapid development in camera systems featuring the larger Super35 sized sensors. Typically, the latest single CMOS sensors have native resolution around 4K, which can be recorded in a range of formats and resolutions, from the current HDTV 1080 format up to full 4K. The single CMOS Super35 sensors exhibit vastly increased ISO speed, colour resolution and gamma range, when compared to 3 CCD prism systems.
Scott continued, "With this in mind both the increased speed and vastly increased gamma range of 14 photographic stops as opposed to our previous 5 or 6 are huge advantages when using the F55 in terms of technical and aesthetic results."
To improve the look and quality of the show the Neighbours production team needed to enable a seamless technical and aesthetic imaging match between the studio and location units and provide consistency with current dramatic and artistic practices.
Gary Scott added, "The F55 has a number of specific features that helped us improve the look of the show including, as mentioned previously, integral rotating ND filters, which are extremely useful in the variable lighting conditions routinely experienced on Neighbours locations. Also the familiarity and system compatibility of Sony cameras is very helpful in ensuring a smooth transition for the crew."
On the post side, retrieving data from the Sony SxS pro memory card into Avid Media Composer has been a far simpler process than the previous year's post production workflow according to Post Supervisor Caroline Scott and 3rd Assistant Editor Rebecca McPherson as Scott explained, "It is now easy, streamlined and has vastly improved our timeframes, making things much quicker than how we did them last year. We have managed to streamline the process in a number of ways including our ability to Avid AMA link and transcode footage, rather than import from XDCAM. Also, the invaluable use of upgraded Ambient ACL 204 Lockit boxes with a programmable offset has enabled us to auto sync and multi-group audio and vision clips with a synchronised source time-code, as opposed to manually matching each slate."
McPherson added, "What once took an Assistant Editor approximately 3.5 hours per day to process and distribute rushes, we now manage to do in 1.5 hours. Next year with the addition of the new Avid DNxHD codec hardware upgrade available for the Sony F55 camera we aim to record in a native Avid codec allowing us to vastly improve on our ingest timeframes."
Looking back over the F55's success on Neighbours during the last twenty weeks Steve Scoble concluded, "In general the cameras are in use five days a week, with ten shooting hours per day and in weather conditions which are often unstable. The F55 cameras are reliable, sturdy and can take the heat, the cold and rough and tumble of fast turnaround shooting. After six months we are really happy with the Sony F55 cameras and the quality of the image is well beyond expectations."
Visit pro.sony.com.au
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If you've taken more than the maximum dose of ibuprofen, call your doctor or choel howl at the moon to your nearest hospital accident and emergency (AE) department as soon as It's safe to take ibuprofen with paracetamol or codeine. Contents of the pack and other information. Valium is the brand name for an anti-anxiety medication which contains diazepam, a Schedule IV controlled substance.
Howl at the Moon is a highly successful dueling piano concept that has grown to 11 locations since its inception in Providing an entertainment experience. Howl at the Moon, Dublin Picture: Howl at the moon - Check out TripAdvisor and the Moon in Dublin. Stairs at HOWL at the Moon nightclub in Dublin. Chloé F. Howl at the Moon: My favourite place in Dublin - See 36 traveller reviews, 15 candid photos, and great deals for Dublin, Ireland, 3 Thank Chloé F. This review.
Howl At The Moon Original Mix · Taylr Renee, Stadiumx · Progressive House Vicetone, Chloe Angelides · Protocol Recordings. $ Colors. I had my birthday function at Howl at the Moon in early September. The staff The whole night we were looked after by Chloe a nice young waitress.. Andreas. Howl at the Moon: Excellent Late Bar - See 36 traveler reviews, 15 candid photos , and great deals for Dublin, Ireland, at TripAdvisor. 3 Thank Chloé F.
Our 2 Things series exploded all over Austin, TX—everyone from Until The Ribbon Breaks to Chlöe Howl had something to share! Watch 'em. After two years out of the limelight, Chlöe Howl is back and in control. |
The New PWA Pozo Champion?
It seems like everyday a new clip drops that features someone who could stop Köster in his tracks at the first PWA wave event of the year. Pozo is going to be one hell of a show this year!
Check out this radical action from Ricardo Campello who seems to be highly tuned into his new gear.
extreme windsurfing pwa pozo radical windsurfing ricardo campello The New PWA Pozo Champion? |
The floating in the air feeling of the arrows, the weightlessness and the combined materials, such as the acrylic rod and the ancient arrowheads with the red background are very contemporary and that creates a very strong impact.
to research about arrow heads and found very interesting sites. They are all very special, they are full of identity, they look as if they were very special jewels.
And again the same thing, I still find myself attracted to this image, the natural color of the arrow heads in contrast with the red background still very intense to me.
Also known as the Spear of Destiny, this pre-eminent Christian relic is believed by some to be the real spear used to confirm the death of Christ on the cross. Today, it resides in Vienna's Kunsthistoriches Museum, but the story of its journey to this final resting place is one of power and glory and greed, as history's most infamous leaders – including Napoleon and Hitler – sought to wield its alleged supernatural power in their bids to conquer the world. Whatever one believes about the Spear, there can be no doubt that the desire to possess this relic has helped to shape the destiny of mankind.
I have chosen for this project, an archaeological installation showing at the exhibition "Evolution" on National Museum Cardiff.
The piece gave me much inspiration for developing my ideas for the project. The most interesting aspects of the installation were the way it had being set up. As a result the piece gave a sensation that the arrows were floating in the air. Equally important it was the weightlessness and the use of different materials, such as the acrylic rod and the ancient arrowheads against the red background, that created a contemporary fusion with a very strong impact.
For the project the aim is to produce a work that encapsulates passion, loss of identity and culture. Therefore the viewer should identify with it. The intentions are to communicate visually with different aspects of identity, but reinforcing the characteristic of not knowing where to belong and what we stand for.
The source of medium for the project are ceramics, textiles, plastic, human hair and natural fibers. All the work is going to be done manually, and it will be given a special attention to the arrowheads as artifacts, therefore producing them individually, also giving it an identity.
With this in mind, I have being looking on my research at the artists such as: Cai Guo-Qiang, Damián Ortega, Gabriel Dawe, Brandon d'Leo, Emily Prince, Dawn NG and others and what fascinates me is the aerial installations that I want to apply to the work.
The outcome of this project will be an installation, and as a result I would be using a wall and the roof where the exhibition is going to take place. For example the arrows will be suspending across the corridors of the exhibition. Also those will be done in light material probably in parts as mobiles for easy fittings. The project is on an early stage and might have some changes during it is execution, but the emphasis is for the viewer to have a journey throughout identity matters, like the battles and struggles we all will be going through our existence.
What I am trying to do is to make a sample of the final installation. Consequently on this way I will know if I am successful on my intentions, and it will give me an idea about the problems I will meet during the process of the installation.
I want to add the red color on my work, but at this moment I am not sure if I will apply to all background or just in some details.
I have applied the background first in a flat color, but it did not work, so I made this effect to give a sensation of dry blood. It became more organic, it almost gave a cavern feel to it.
In front of the background I stretched a cotton material that represents the barriers and obstacles we come across throughout our lives.
The arrows will cross it floating way from throughout space.
This gave me an idea how I can change the identity of the arrows.
I went for a walking for my research about tree textures and forms and took few photos.
I have taken this photos because of the texture and the tones of the trees . Those in particular are not live trees. These are pieces that have being cut and kept in a dry place, but still have kept the colors.
This is an experiment using a trunk and adding polystyrene and cotton netting and adding color later, interesting but not what I want. I want to give a more real fell to the tree.
Those are my tests for the trunk . At the first I was thinking to cast a tree so I had practiced on a piece of trunk making a mould (1st pic), the result wasn't what I want, so I had this idea of taking the imprinting direct from a tree, and the negative printing was very much what I like.
It was like to seeing the tree from the inside out, and much more relevant to what I want to say. It was almost like given a soul to my work.
These are some of glazes tests. I was very happy with the results.
When I went for my residency at Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archeology in Oxford I saw this very old trees and this was an inspiration for my project.
This was the project end. |
Home Entertainment Movie Reviews Born to Be Wild 3D – A Short Tale
Born to Be Wild 3D – A Short Tale
Miv Evans
Mon April 4, 2011
This is a mesmerizing documentary about orphan elephants and orangutans who are given sanctuary and nurtured until they are ready to be returned to their natural habitat in the wild. Each minute is as captivating as the next but, with a running time of 40 minutes, there are just not enough of them.
World-renowned primatologist, Dr Birute Mary Galdikas, runs a nursery for over 300 baby orangutans in the rainforests of Borneo. In an equally untamed region of the globe, celebrated wildlife expert Dr Dame Daphne M Sheldrick rescues baby elephants in the jungles of Kenya. Both these women have dedicated their lives to giving a safe haven to abandoned fledglings and without their help these infants would have perished.
Dr Galdikas introduces us to her ever-burgeoning nursery of primates, each one being wrapped in diapers and affection and given everything their mother no longer can. The orangutans respond with unbridled warmth and their intelligence and humanity keeps shining through. There is a wonderful scene when Dr Galdikas' son gives a particular favorite a ride home on his motorbike. The little fellow clings on for dear life, never taking his eyes off the road, clearly enthralled by every moment and smug in the knowledge that he is the one who was chosen for this special treat.
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Most of the baby elephants Dr Sheldrick rescues have been orphaned by poachers, and she has the additional problem of having to win the trust of these long-memoried mammals. One terrified little mite makes a crazed attack on his trainer, still traumatized by the sight of a hunter slaying his mother, and it's heartbreaking to watch. But all ends well and in the next scene this roaring mouse sucks hungrily on his supersized bottle of milk, fed to him by a human hand. Unfortunately, however, we never learn how this animal's faith was restored as everything keeps getting cut so incredibly short.
When the DVD is released, there will apparently be a lot of additional footage, all of which will undoubtedly be as enchanting as the film, whether viewed on a 3D Imax screen or at home on a 22″ TV, as it's the animals who charm us, not the special effects. So whether audiences will want to park and pay for a 40 minute cinematic experience (if they know it to be that short) or wait for the DVD, is yet to be seen but, in an era when audiences have been conditioned for overly-long films, it's quite likely to be the latter, and this thought was endorsed by the little boy who was sat next to me in the theatre. When the credits rolled, he turned to his mother and asked incredulously, "Is it finished?" What a pity no 8-year-olds were at the studio board meeting when this extremely short film got its stamp of approval.
Narrated by Morgan Freeman
USA, Canada and Hungary – 8th April, 2011
baby orangutans
born to be wild review
Daphne Sheldick
http://www.access2films.co.uk
Miv Evans is a British writer who relocated to Los Angeles in 2005. She has written 300+ film reviews and her debut novel was published in 2014.
Ariel's red hair caused a few problems for The Little Mermaid
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Japanese Ghosts and Demons: Ukiyo-e prints from the Ashmolean
Art 03 Oct, 2010
29 September - 27 February 2011. Designed to coincide with Hallowe'en, the Ashmolean presents an exhibition of 19th-century Japanese woodblock prints from its own collection, focusing on the work of r...
Festivals and Films 19 Sep, 2010
15 September - 5 December 2010. Within its four new temporary-exhibition galleries, the Ashmolean presents a comprehensive exhibition dedicated to the influence of Italy on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherh...
'My wit was always working': John Aubrey and the Development of Experimental Science
Until 31 October 2010. The Bodleian summer exhibition celebrates the intellectual legacy of that 17th-century man of science and culture, John Aubrey (1626-1697). Highly gifted, Aubrey was one of...
Sacred Faces: Icons in Oxford
Festivals and Films 17 Aug, 2010
25 August - 19 December 2010. Christ Church gallery hosts an exhibition of Greek and Russian icons from is own collection as well as from that of the Ashmolean museum, many of which have rarely been s...
3 July - 12 September 2010. The Oxfordshire Museum provides a light-hearted and entertaining exhibition for all the family, by revealing background information regarding superhero characters such as S...
The Firing Line: Depictions of Conflict in the Collection of General John Guise
Festivals and Films 23 Jul, 2010
25 May - 29 August 2010. General John Guise (1682 - 1765) was Christ Church Gallery's principal benefactor. He combined his distinguished military career with his passion for Old Master drawings, part...
Howard Hodgkin: Time and Place
23 June - 6 September 2010. Acclaimed British abstract artist Howard Hodgkin (b. 1932) has said that he paints 'representational pictures of emotional situations'. This major exhibition examines H...
The Lost World of Old Europe: The Danube Valley: 5000 - 3500 BC
20 May - 15 August 2010. 250 artefacts from 5000 - 3500 BC, including gold and metalwork from the settlements of furthest southeastern Europe, are currently on display in the Ashmolean Museum. Thi...
Wilfred Thesiger in Africa: A Centenary Exhibition
Festivals and Films 14 Jun, 2010
A Wonderland of Natural History
Festivals and Films 17 May, 2010
24 April - 31 December 2010. The Oxford University Museum of Natural History was built between 1855 and 1860, as a temple to science. Long before its construction however, there was first a campaign t...
Oxfordshire Visual Arts Festival: Artweeks
8 - 31 May 2010. Once a year, artists and craftspeople in Oxfordshire fling open their studio doors and allow the public to observe them at work. As the majority of artists tend to work in isolated en...
The Burial of Emperor Haile Selassie: Photographs by Peter Marlow
Festivals and Films 24 Apr, 2010
22 April - 21 November 2010. Haile Selassie (1892 - 1975) was Ethiopia's regent from 1916 to 1930 and Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. Legend has it that his dynasty could be traced back to King...
C.S. Lewis Tour
Until 22 December 2010. Taking place throughout the year, this tour traces the life of C.S. Lewis, the novelist and academic most famous for 'The Chronicles of Narnia'. The tour is led by Ron Brind, a...
After Michelangelo
Festivals and Films 22 Mar, 2010
Until 16 May 2010. This exhibition, made up of 33 Old Master drawings bequeathed to Christ Church in 1765 by General John Guise, traces the profound influence that Michelangelo had on the artworld. Th...
Albania and the Balkan
Albania and the Balkans: Drawings and photographs from the Edith Durham Collection. 1 February
Coffee Concerts
Music 13 Feb, 2010
Until 31 December 2010. Established in 1986, The Oxford Coffee Concerts are now firmly etched into Oxford's cultural calendar, and produce some of Britain's most successful chamber music series. The c...
Taking Flight: A History of Pegasus Theatre
Festivals and Films 22 Jan, 2010
Until 3 April 2010. Researched and produced by the Oxford Youth Theatre company, this exhibition at the Museum of Oxford provides visitors with the chance to explore the city's rich history. The past...
Building the New Ashmolean: Drawings and Prints by Weimin He
4 November 2009 - 28 February 2010. Weimin He from China is the Ashmolean artist-in-residence. During the Ashmolean's transition period from the demolition of the old building in 2006 to the completio...
Miroslaw Balka: Topography & Pawel Althamer: Common Task
Festivals and Films 11 Dec, 2009
12 December 2009 - 7 March 2010. Two exhibitions take place concurrently in Modern Art Oxford. Considered one of the most innovative artists of his generation, Pawel Althamer merges traditional sculpt...
Crossing Borders: Hebrew Manuscripts as a Meeting-place of Cultures
8 December 2009 - 3 May 2010. The winter exhibition at the Bodleian draws on the library's extensive Hebrew archive which is one of the largest and most important collections of Hebrew manuscripts in...
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Is Your Country Ready for Change?
Are you better off than you were four years ago?
Ronald Reagan famously asked Americans this question during the 1980 presidential election campaign. Americans answered with a resounding "no" when they elected him president.
Were people voting based on how they felt about their own lives? If so, how would people in every single country in the world answer this question?
Gallup's new report, What Happiness Today Tells Us About the World Tomorrow, offers leaders some answers and shows them why they need to be listening: Life is getting worse in places such as Russia, India, Colombia and Egypt. People in each of these countries, on average, have been rating their lives worse every year since 2014.
Leaders in each of these countries -- as well as others around the world -- should be concerned. When people see their lives headed in the wrong direction, they want change. Recent research by London School of Economics academic George Ward shows that how people feel about their lives does influence how they vote in elections. In fact, he believes that subjective measures of well-being are better predictors of elections than questions about how people feel about the economy.
Ward's research focused on European democracies, but how people feel about their lives should matter to leaders of all countries. People's ratings of their lives trended downward ahead of unrest in the Arab Uprising countries. The same was true with Ukraine in the two years leading up to the Euromaidan Revolution.
Life ratings were down in the U.K. before Brexit and in the U.S. two years before the 2016 election.
These data and trends are part of a discipline known as behavioral economics. The field's underlying theory is that about 30% of what people do is rational; the other 70% is emotional. This new discipline has led to Nobel Prizes, bestselling books, new agencies within governments and even new majors at universities. What it hasn't led to is new national statistics.
The most famous national statistics -- GDP, household income and unemployment -- focus on the rational side of what people do: what they spend, how much they make and whether they have a job. This report quantifies the other 70% of what makes a great life -- the emotional side. For leaders who are wondering if people in their countries "are better off than they were four years ago," this report has that answer.
Access Global Survey Data
Shape your research on global issues with access to opinions from every corner of the Earth.
Jon Clifton is Global Managing Partner, Gallup.
All Gallup Headlines Blog Business Economy Gallup Blog Wellbeing Americas Asia Pacific Europe Middle East and North Africa Sub-Saharan Africa World
What Happiness Today Tells Us About the World Tomorrow
Which countries are ready for change?
Venezuelans' Life Ratings Crumble With Their Country
Venezuelans' life ratings were already at their worst level in a decade before the recent unrest in the country. Venezuelans in 2016 were twice as likely to be "suffering" as to be "thriving."
South Sudan, Haiti and Ukraine Lead World in Suffering
Gallup findings reveal the three countries with the highest "suffering" rates span three continents: South Sudan (47%), Haiti (43%) and Ukraine (41%).
Nearly 2 Billion Women Worldwide Are Struggling, Suffering
This International Women's Day, 26% of women -- or about 620 million -- rate their lives positively enough to be considered "thriving." The life ratings of the rest -- about 2 billion -- place them in the "struggling" or "suffering" categories.
Wellbeing Inequality May Tell Us More About Life Than Income
by Stafford Nichols and RJ Reinhart
A new Gallup analysis suggests that it might be better for development conversations to focus on wellbeing inequality rather than on income inequality.
Gallup https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/220712/country-ready-change.aspx |
The Top Employer seal marks us out as belonging to a global community of forward-looking organisations.
We are proud to announce that Applus+ in Spain has been named a Top Employer 2019 by the Top Employers Institute Certification Programme.
At Applus+, we strive hard not only to offer the very best working environment but to improve on it every day so that all of our employees feel part of our Together Beyond Standards project.
All of these factors were assessed and verified by way of 100 questions covering 600 different HR practices.
The certification seal demonstrates that we belong to a global community of visionary organisations and motivates us to continue striving for best practice when it comes to our people. It also serves to further reinforce our commitment to improving our business results. |
These mathematical models have a very wide range of physical applications: Tornado, aerodynamic turbulence, … To find the best initial data and to understand the mechanism of the blow-up, it is important to visualize the evolution of the energy on the different points of the grid.
Furthermore, in order to optimize the resources (core hours budget) it is important to provide early (visual) feedback on the evolution of some significant numerical observables ( Energy, Vorticity, Flow pattern), the use of a real time visualization infrastructure can be very useful.
Our project consists in the implementation of PARAVIEW-CATALYST library in the BlowUpNS code, in order to make possible the real time visualization of some important turbulent phenomena.
Week 3: Start the work on the code. Deliver final workplan at the end of week.
Week 4, 5, 6: Production phase (The code will be instrumented and tested).
Week 7: Final stage of production phase. Preparation of the final movie.
The purpose of this project is to modify the BlowUp NS code in order to use the PARAVIEW_CATALYST library for in-situ interactive visualization. Our final product will be an instrumented version of the code, a visualization scripts as well as a movie illustrating the use and the results obtained during this 2 months work period. Also a small report on the work done will be produced.
If we will have enough time we will try to use the web interface of ParaView (ParaViewWeb) to visualize all the graphical outputs of the new version of the BlowUpNS code.
A part from the BlowUp NS code that is owned by the mentor and will be provided in source form under a non-disclosure agreement, all other needed software ( ParaView and Blender ) is released open source and already available on the CINECA clusters that will be used by the students with their own provided accounts.
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Richmond Mall Nelson
Richmond is a town, and the seat of the Tasman District Council, that lies 13 kilometres (8 mi) south of Nelson in the South Island of New Zealand, close to the southern extremity of Tasman Bay. The town was first settled in 1842[2] and was named in 1854 after the town of Richmond on Thames near London. By 2014 it had an estimated population of 13,606.[3]
Although Richmond lies outside the boundaries of Nelson City, it forms part of the Nelson Urban Area for statistical purposes and is informally considered as part of Greater Nelson or the "Top of the South". The two unitary authoritiesco-operate for tourism-marketing purposes via "Latitude Nelson".
https://www.richmondmall.co.nz/
Invercargill Invercargill South Island, New Zealand |
Blog EducationMay 15, 2019
Learning About Terpenes: Myrcene, A Plant-Based, Pain-Fighting Powerhouse
As regular readers of our educational blogs, we know you're already familiar with terpenes, the fragrant essential oils that give different strains of cannabis—and so many other plants and natural substances—their distinctive aromas and flavors. But they do so much more than provide alluring scents! As we're discovering, terpenes elicit powerful effects on our bodies, too. And none of them is as important as myrcene, the most abundant of the cannabis plant's roughly 200 known terpenes. If you've ever noticed an earthy scent in your cannabis that reminds you of lemongrass, basil, bay laurel or—most strikingly—fresh mangoes, there's a great chance you're detecting the presence of myrcene.
Let's take a closer look at this fascinating plant compound. What does myrcene do in the body, and how can you find it in cannabis?
What Does Myrcene Do For Us?
While myrcene is only a single terpene, it's the precursor—the grandmother, so to speak—of many others. Myrcene is believed to assist cannabinoids in passing the blood-brain barrier, acting as a sort of "booster" for the powerful effects of cannabinoids like THC, CBD, and CBN. In fact, the myrcene content of a given cannabis plant is so crucial that its content essentially dictates whether or not the cannabis will exhibit a sativa-like energizing effect or an indica-like sedative effect.
Strains with a myrcene content over .5% are believed to exhibit broadly sedative effects. That's important when it comes to fighting pain; in rodent-based studies, myrcene has been shown to reduce the perception of pain by helping stimulate opioid receptors (but with a far more sustainable long-term effect than synthetic opioids such as fentanyl). Studies on humans, not to mention a wealth of anecdotal evidence, suggest that this effect is similar in our bodies as well. (Though, yes, we do need more cannabis studies to make a more direct correlation.)
Studies suggest myrcene can also help reduce inflammation, one of the body's primary responses to physical injury and pain. This can make it a powerful ingredient in non-psychoactive topicals, by the way….
How to Get Myrcene from Cannabis
Many cannabis strains are already naturally high in myrcene, and because it's precursor to other terpenes, as we mentioned a moment ago, it's found in at least some quantity in many if not most cannabis.
OG Kush is a potent high-THC strain, and its piney, peppery and earthy aromas lead many fans to label it the ultimate "dank" weed. Its pleasurable effects include strong euphoria and general uplift, but be forewarned: It can exhibit powerful "couch lock"!
White Widow is a potent, crystal-dusted strain, known for imparting a strong euphoric and energizing effect. Those resinous crystals should serve as a warning: This is an extremely potent strain with a high THC content.
Skunk XL is especially well-balanced between indica and sativa effects. You'll feel a strong body high characterized by the relaxing and calming effects associated with high levels of myrcene. But there are energetic, cerebral elements to this interesting hybrid, making it both powerfully "stony" but functional and motivational as well.
If you're in search of high-myrcene strains, make sure to stop by your favorite Washington dispensary, or order online from our Des Moines dispensary menu or Seattle dispensary menu.
myrcene, myrcene from cannabis, myrcene terpene, terpenes
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Excellent report, we are playing a campaign in the pacific, with "disposable heroes" rules, i made the Kawanishi N1K1, and 3 chi-ha, and ho Ni, if u want see the picture pick the link, Great Blog, i put in my favorites to visit again!!!
Thanks for letting me know about your blog. That's an amazing set up that you have!
I would be very intrested if you could tell me where to find a die-cast Kikka in 1/72! I have build the MPM model, the Victoria Products resin kit, Pegasus kit and Wings vacuform, all in 1/72. If you are still interested in the MPM one I think I can find it for you. You can contact me through www.internationalresinmodellers.com. Best wishes!
The Boford Kikka is no longer in production, and the only place I've seen it recently was on ebay. I think the asking price was almost as much as a set of all the models in this blog post. There may also be some Japanese sites that still carry these models. |
The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Reserve began slapping fines on major banks soon after the 2008 economic crisis. Three years later, banks are finally agreeing to pay the fines while regulators continue to dole out new ones — most stemming from actions related to toxic securities, namely collateralized debt obligations. These fines may look big on paper, but in reality they represent a small fraction of any major bank's assets.
For violations ranging from shady accounting practices and predatory lending to preferential client treatment and betting against the very financial advice they gave customers, the big banks have all had to pay a price. Whether or not the punishments will serve as a lesson remains to be seen, but those on Wall Street learned this year that their actions have consequences.
Wall Street powerhouse Goldman Sachs has seen its share of fines. In July 2010, it was hit with a $550 million penalty from the SEC, the largest ever handed out by the regulator. One year later, the firm was hit with a $10 million fine after a two-year investigation by Massachusetts? chief securities regulator. The probe focused on Goldman's "Asymmetric Service Initiative," in which analyst information was given to favored clients first. The settlement found that Goldman "engaged in dishonorable or dishonest conduct," but also noted that the agreement to pay was not an admission of fraud.
A lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase, which has more than $2 trillion in total assets, claimed that the bank structured and marketed collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) without informing investors that the underlying subprime assets in the portfolio were selected in part by a hedge fund that was positioned to profit if the portfolio failed. JPMorgan promised that the underlying mortgage assets would be selected by an independent manager — but Magnetar Capital LLC was found to be far from that. During the housing bubble collapse, the 2007 deal, named Squared CDO 2007-1, wiped out nearly all investments, leaving the likes of GM and major banks in Asia out millions. On June 21, the bank finally agreed to pay the $153.6 million SEC fine.
Wells Fargo, the nation?s fourth largest bank, was accused of pushing borrowers with good credit into expensive mortgages and falsifying loan applications. The loans in question were made from 2004 to 2008 and involved an estimated 10,000 borrowers. In response, the Federal Reserve announced a record $85 million fine, the largest it has issued under its new consumer protection authority. The penalty was also the first action taken against a bank for predatory lending practices related to the housing bubble collapse.
In 1998, Brightpoint, Inc., a distributor of wireless devices, found itself with a charge of as much as $18 million on its books, which eventually rose to $29 million. In a panic, Brightpoint turned to AIG to reclassify the money as being for insurance purposes — a shady accounting move that allowed Brightpoint to spread out over several years a loss that should have been recognized immediately. On September 11, the company agreed to pay a $10 million fine to settle SEC charges of dishonest accounting.
Bank of America was fined $930,000 and ordered to reinstate a Los Angeles-based employee after the U.S. Department of Labor found that the nation's largest bank had violated the whistleblower protection provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The individual involved in the suit was employed by mortgage lender Countrywide Financial before it was acquired by Bank of America in 2008. During his time at Countrywide, he was in charge of an internal investigation that revealed widespread wire, mail and bank fraud involving Countrywide employees. Soon after the acquisition, the employee was fired. As of early November, Bank of America is challenging the order.
The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) agreed to pay $30.4 million ($31 million Canadian) to settle charges stemming from the 2008 financial crisis. The SEC charged that the capital markets division of Canada's largest bank sold "unsuitable" investments — $200 million worth of collateralized debt obligations — to five Wisconsin school districts. The SEC argued that RBC never fully informed the school districts of the immense risk involved in such complex investments. RBC agreed to pay the school districts back in full, though it has not admitted nor denied allegations.
Similar to the charges against RBC and JPMorgan, Citigroup was faced with civil action brought against it by the SEC for selling securities backed by mortgages that it simultaneously bet against. According to the SEC, one Citi trader email characterized the investment as "dogshit" and "possibly the best short ever." Within months, the CDO defaulted, taking millions from investors while Citigroup made $160 million in fees and trading profits. On October 19, the bank agreed to pay the $285 million fine stemming from these actions. Credit Suisse, the collateral manager, was also slapped with a $2.5 million fine for allowing Citi to influence the portfolio. |
How to Get Yourself Off: A Guide to Going for the O, Solo
admin By Jill Waldbieser
Bodies change, sex drives wax and wane, yet your vibrator remains the same. Forget new batteries— what you need is a little novelty in your routine. Use these expert tips to rev up your self-lust and reap the benefits.
The Ultimate Guide to Threesomes (and Moresomes)
admin By Peg Moline
Interested in learning more about how to make this happen in your own sex life but have no idea where to start? Read on.
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And can it actually get better in your 60s and beyond? Here's why menopause may actually mark the true beginning of mind-blowing sex.
8 Tips That'll Help You Feel More Comfortable Taking Erotic Photos
Intrigued by the thought of taking erotic photos—but too nervous to pull the trigger? These 8 tips from top photographers will make the session fun, sexy, and empowering.
By Elizabeth Marglin
When New York City-based Jane Boon, a former tech expert turned writer, considered getting boudoir photos done, she knew all too well how easy it would be for the photos to meld with patriarchal notions of women's beauty.
To mitigate this, she established her own limits before her session. She decided on things like how much of her body she wanted to expose, she took charge of her outfits and props, and she approached it with a light heart as if a lark. The results blew her away.
"My expectations were quite modest," says Boon. "The photographer, JimCasper, was encouraging. He brought a sense of humor and fun to something that could have been quite absurd. When I saw the finished results, I thought, 'This looks like a woman who's confident in her sexuality!' The moment was maybe a bit more powerful and sexual than I had realized. It represented a challenge for me to be more like the woman in the photo."
Related: From Midlife Crisis to Midlife Awakening—One Woman's Story
What is boudoir photography?
Boudoir photography, a growing niche of portrait photography, gives us a chance to shape and embody our erotic inner life. It calls upon our capacity for playfulness, for joy, and as Boon says, to step out of the routine and inhabit the persona of the kind of woman we secretly want to be.
She attributes her freedom in front of the camera to her maturity—the hard-won experience of age. "In my 20s, I would have been more self-conscious, thinking too much about my appearance, says Boon, who recently completed her first BDSM-inspired novel, Edge Play. "I'm 54 now, and with age comes a comfort in my own skin. For me, boudoir photography became a game—a pleasurable adventure, rather than anxiety producing."
If the idea of sexual self-expression of the photographic kind appeals, you could start your journey with a DIY affair. Begin with what Kansas City-based Tayanna Nelson, who runs the Missouri-based Good Bodies, calls sexy selfies. DIY erotic photos can help you get comfortable in front of the camera, play with sexual self-expression, understand angles and light, practice poses, and see how far you can privilege pleasure over how it "looks."
These sexy selfies might lead you to wanting to explore what a professional session might be like, says Nelson. In the meantime, you may be surprised to find out, as I did researching this story, how fun it can be to be in front of the camera completely on your own terms.
What does your sexual joie de vivre look like when no one else is looking?
All too often, we emphasize appearance over sexual pleasure, which can make our sense of agency, power, and worth contingent upon our perceived desirability. Self-worth and desire work in tandem, much like a bird's wings. To desire, we need to feel worthy and wanted. But desirability is an inside job—it comes from the knowledge that we are worthy, deserving, inviolably lovable. We all have the capacity for pleasure. Ultimately, what makes us attractive is how we transmit our pleasure.
So, give yourself the unilateral permission that an erotic photoshoot—whether DIY or commissioned—offers. It's a chance to release your inner badass (and goodass!), reveal a private version of self, and go beyond ideas of good and bad, appropriate and inappropriate, subject and object, altogether.
Related: Want to Learn How to Explore Your Sexuality? Here's Where to Start
The biggest piece of advice the boudoir photographers I interviewed were unequivocal on is this: Get clear on who your photos are for. Photos you do for someone else—whether it's your boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife, live-in partner, etc.—tend to be less successful. "The images come out best when they don't stem from wanting to fulfill someone else's fantasy," says Casper. Once you are clear you are doing photos primarily for yourself, you can begin to have fun with them.
It's a very personal thing, adds Nelson, who describes her photography as mission-based boudoir: "Because everybody is a good body, it begins with connecting to your body. Then, you can explore what makes you feel good and how that translates into how you carry yourself, which is the secret to sexy."
8 Tips to Help You Take Sexy Selfies
Excited by the prospect of taking erotic photos—but not quite ready to hire a pro? Start with a DIY session, says Nelson. These pro tips will help you feel more comfortable and fall in love with the end result.
Tip No. 1: Make a playlist. One way to feel more comfortable in front of the camera, says Nelson, is to bring music to the moment. Whether you are home alone or at a studio, having your own playlist can soothe your nervous system.
Tip No. 2: Work with the light. Experiment with the light source by asking, "Where is the light?" Is it next to you as in front of you? Is it behind you? Take the pictures all three ways, then look at the pictures and see which one looks best in different settings, suggests Casper. Nelson also recommends having your body half in light, half in shadow and seeing what kind of effect that has.
Tip No. 3: Soften your face. Sometimes women feel like they need to look mean or intimidating or serious, says Casper. As if they must take on a certain kind of dominatrix expression. But oftentimes looking away from the camera, conjuring in your mind a seductive scenario, makes your face relax and blossom. "People almost always stare at the camera when they take pictures of themselves," says Casper. "But if you turn your face toward the light and the camera is off to the side, that's almost always going to be a more compelling image than if you're facing the camera."
Tip No. 4: Choose clothes that fits. Rather than trying to squeeze yourself into a smaller size, which can create bulges and welts, opt for clothing that fits you. The most important thing about your wardrobe is that it respects your contours. Also remember, lingerie doesn't have to be expensive to look good; plenty of cheaper versions sold on Amazon will photograph just as well as more expensive items, says Casper. Play with what makes you feel sexy, such as jeans and a man's shirt, or being strategically covered in a bedsheet. Completely naked can be freeing, but don't feel pressure to take everything off. There's always a beautiful tension and suspense between what's visible in a photo and what's hidden. Accessories, such as long lace gloves, can bring a burst of drama. Textures and layers add visual interest, creating a compelling juxtaposition of naked skin with sumptuous fabrics or intricately patterned lingerie.
Tip No. 5: Cultivate intention. Have a heart-to-heart with yourself before you start snapping pics. Lead with self-inquiry about your best intentions for the session: What do you want to convey to yourself? What parts of your body do you appreciate the most? What qualities do you love about yourself that are not physical? How can you express those visually?
Tip No. 6: Lose yourself. One of Nelson's favorite exercises for shaking off self-consciousness is to close your eyes and tilt your chin to the light source. Drag your hand down your body, feeling the contact and arousal. To make it easier to shoot yourself while doing this, use a tripod and your camera's timer. Another way to forget about the camera and become absorbed in the moment is to take videos of yourself, moving, turning, and even dancing. Then, you can choose stills from the video that may surprise you with their frank, unfiltered expressiveness. As an extra challenge, Nelson even suggests filming yourself masturbating, just to become that much freer in front of the camera and to work through the last shreds of reticence.
Tip No. 7: Find your angle. Make angles with your body that make you feel good, says Nelson. See what kind of dynamic, interesting shapes you can make with your body by adding a twist, an extension, or a contraction. Don't be afraid to practice poses that you have seen and like. When I played with this, I found lying down on my back on the bed is not a visually compelling image. Try to animate your face and position your body into images that make strong lines.
Tip No. 8: Expand the boundaries of your comfort zone. If you are too far out of your comfort zone, it can trigger trauma. However, if you only stay in your comfort zone, there's no growth. See how you can play with your edge. What do you learn when you are willing to surprise yourself?
Related: This is How my Sexual Fantasy Life Turned Into Real Life
Elizabeth Marglin is a Colorado-based journalist, writer, and poet. She is the co-author of The Wild and Sacred Feminine Deck: A 52-Card Oracle and Guidebook (Shambhala Publications 2022), and writes regularly for Yoga Journal, Spirituality & Health, AARP, and more.
We are here to normalize women's sexual health and wellness after 40, without apology.
It's time to elevate the way we address sex in the second half of life and lift it out of society's shadows. We're tired of the stigma and secrecy. We're frustrated with the lack of credible information. And we're ready to reclaim women's sexuality. |
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PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL – THE RE-EDITS: Re-Edited Or Re-Mixed, Love Is Still The Message
Don January 23, 2012 18 views
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2012 is shaping up to be a big year for Philly Soul fans. The legendary Philadelphia International Records label is celebrating its 40-year anniversary and has teamed up with Harmless Records to release a variety of reissues that pay tribute to the satin-soul heritage it created during its glory years in the 1970's and early 1980's. Philadelphia International – The Re-Edits is the first release in this series and it's a daring collection that bypasses the usual "collect the standards" approach to create a release that forges a link between classic Philly soul and today's d.j.-driven dance music scene.
Philadelphia International – The Re-Edits offers a very personal take on what makes Philly Soul great by allowing an international collection of d.j.'s to rework a variety of tracks from the Philadelphia International archives. To the credit of compilers Jay Negron and Ian Dewhirst, they didn't go for the expected "remix the hits" approach. There are a few standard-bearers here but the real focus is the deep catalog stuff that crate-digging aficionados obsess over. For example, cult faves like Jean Carn and the Jones Girls are highlighted no less than three times each on this set.
This set also embraces a variety of approaches to the material. Despite the set's title, re-edits aren't the only thing that is going on here. In fact, there are a handful of cuts that add new production, including new rhythm tracks and a variety of mixing effects, to the selections. For example, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' "Be For Real" is transformed by Tim McAllister from a moody ballad into an uptempo house music dancefest while The Noodleman uses a barrage of dub-style echo effects to rework McFadden & Whitehead's "Ain't No Stoppin Us Now" so it ceases to be a disco stepper and instead becomes a veritable rollercoaster of spacey peaks and valleys.
Occasionally, there is a moment of overreach on these radical reworkings – for instance, DJ Friction's redux of the Jones Girls' "Dance Turned Into Romance" overdoes some trippy vocal re-edits during the chorus – but the majority of these genre-benders hit the right blend of adding the new and respecting the vintage. Perhaps the best example of this approach is the Deep&Disco rework of The O'Jays' "Darling Darling Baby": a classic Philly Soul ballad is subtly revised with an inspired use of echo and some beat-chopping to create a psychedelicized hi-tech wonder. It sounds classically soulful and breathtakingly modern all at once, which is the ideal achievement for an experiment like this.
Elsewhere, Philadelphia International – The Re-Edits presents cuts that adhere closer to the re-edit template but add in a modern remix touch or two. For example, DJ Apt One's re-edit of "Wake Up Everybody" by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes sticks close the track of the epic original but gives it a nice "bookends" effect by opening and closing it with a stripped-down intro that adds a slight bit of echo to the vocals. Another strong entry in this style is Todd Terje's take on the Dee Dee Sharp Gamble favorite "Easy Money": the sweet, mellow-jazz funk flavor of the original track is highlighted but he adds in a killer dub-heavy percussion break that is tailor-made for a modern dance floor's needs.
That said, the remaining half of Philadelphia International – The Re-Edits is devoted to classic-style re-edits that mix things up without any remix-style retouching of the original recordings. For example, a D.J. who goes by the name Morning Star goes the Tom Moulton route and turns in a trio of re-edits that extend the Philly groove without calling attention to its edits: the best of these is probably a re-edit of Jean Carn's "If You Wanna Go Back" that seamlessly expands the Latin-style rhythm without overextending the melody. Jimmy The Twin's re-edit of "Message In Our Music" by the O'Jays is another gem in this vein, a 9-minute epic that takes adventure of the rich, acoustic textures of the original cut without wearing out its welcome.
Finally, it should be noted that there are edits here that show an adventurous touch without ever abandoning the original elements: DJ Mila's take on Dexter Wansel's "Life On Mars" strips down the original's atmospheric niceties to isolate its relentless jazz-funk core while a hard-driving take on Billy Paul's "Only The Stron g Survive" by J*Ski (a.k.a. compiler Jay Negron) focuses on Paul's between-verse vamping and some adventurous horn work to create a real barnstormer of a pure-dance track. It's kind of like a Walter Gibbons remix, only it focuses on the brass section for its percussive drive instead of the drums.
All in all, Philadelphia International – The Re-Edits is a generous set that applies a modern spirit of adventure to classic grooves without losing sight of the musicality and sweetness that made the original versions so special to soul music fans. Some of the flourishes may be a bit wild for the purists out the open-minded will quickly hear that there is something here for everyone – and all the inclusions reflect the "love is the message" ethos of Philly Soul.
Billy PaulDexter WanselHarmless RecordsHarold Melvin & The Blue NotesIan DewhirstJay NegronJean CarnMcFadden & WhiteheadPhiladelphia International RecordsPhiladelphia International: The Re-EditsPhilly SoulThe Jones GirlsThe O'Jays
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Schlockmaniac #1, alias Your Humble Reviewer. The person behind this affront to High Culture is Don Guarisco. He has a BFA Degree in Film from Florida State University and has written professionally about pop culture for over a decade. His work in the online arena includes reviews and essays for Yesterdayland (now known as Retroland), All Music Guide, All Movie Guide, AVManiacs and The Temple Of Schlock. His reviews have also been published in several All Music Guide publications and DVD Delirium 3.
Schlock-Wire: Disco Legend Tom Moulton Unleashes A New Set Of Remixes On PHILLY RE-GROOVED From Harmless Records!
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Ninety-one was Klimper's calamitous year. For a time he had lived very comfortably in Belgium, making a larger income than ever before, and with much less exertion; at five-and-forty he began to look forward to a peaceful retirement in one of the genteel English towns, such as Bath or Leamington, which had always attracted him. Then, of a sudden, Belgium cast him forth: he, and others like him, were forbidden to practise their profession on the hitherto hospitable soil. Flurried by this catastrophe, Klimper made a precipitate 'deal' in booming shares, the end of which was again disastrous. And just upon the close of the year, when he felt himself very cruelly hit, came the illness which kept him on his back for months.
While in hospital, he doubtless meditated not a little on the aspects of life; probably this time of suffering and forced inactivity must be taken into account when one comes to the events of a year or two later. But Klimper was at no time a thoughtless or vulgar-minded man; blackguard, gambler, bookmaker, he never typified his class. As he drew towards middle age a certain gravity appeared in his speech, countenance, and manners — a placid, almost benevolent decorum, strangely at variance with his ways of making a living. Possibly the traits of some very respectable ancestor slowly worked to the surface, transforming him alike in body and in mind. It is no uncommon thing for a man to develop in this way long after the period of ordinary growth. Klimper at five-and-forty had so notably changed from the Klimper of ten years before that an old acquaintance, suddenly coming across him, would with difficulty have recognised the man.
However, when he rose from his sick-bed, he evinced no anxiety to begin a reformed life. It was even with a certain gusto that he returned to the turf and the gaming-table. But accident put in his way an opportunity of blending old experience and dexterity with an honourable function not at all distasteful to that side of his character which hitherto had been obscured. Happening to watch a game of cards at a certain proprietary club, he became aware that one of the players was cheating, and doing it so cleverly that no one else even suspected the fraud. The club proprietor being a friend of his, Klimper spoke to him in private of this matter, and was thanked for his pains. More than that, it was suggested to him that he should become, by secret appointment, protector of fair play in his friend's interest. The club had a good name; its founder was resolved to keep it 'respectable'; and who more competent than Klimper to keep an eye on suspicious persons, to play discreet detective in the card-room? Terms were agreed upon, and Klimper assumed his office.
He discharged it with wonderful zeal and success. A score of years spent among gamblers of every species, in many parts of the world, had rendered him familiar with all the refinements of blackleg ingenuity; he had but to watch and to spot his man. At the same time, his dignity of person, his sober speech, his admirable tact in delicate situations, safeguarded him against unfavourable notice from the members of the club. At this time he allowed his beard to grow, and it assumed a grizzled amplitude sufficient in itself to inspire respect and confidence. It might well be that a sense of judicial authority, of power exercised in defence of truth and honour, subtly affected his whole being. He was still a betting-man, but not as formerly; his transactions were performed in strict privacy, and he never spoke of them. At the club, though facilities of gain constantly appealed to him he played very little, and never exerted himself to win. Disreputable habits lost their savour for him; he found it comparatively easy to live on a modest income, and grew indifferent to his aims of only a year or two ago.
Naturally, he had no sinecure. Respectability and gaming for coin are not very congruous characteristics of a proprietary club. Again and again the bland detective smiled at his prescient skill when some gentleman whom no one else would have mistrusted condemned himself under that remorseless scrutiny. And there was never any scandal; a great part of Klimper's office consisted in the avoidance of such unpleasant necessity. He waited his occasion, perhaps for a few minutes, perhaps for some days. Then the gentleman whose proceedings could not be tolerated found himself; he scarce knew how, in pleasant, frank colloquy, of the most private nature, with the other gentleman so honourably distinguished by his grizzled beard. Such conversations were never long, and they always had a satisfactory issue. In general, the fraudulent gambler disappeared. If another chance were granted him, he very rarely abused Mr. Klimper's lenience.
In one member of the club Klimper felt a strong interest. This was a good-looking and gay young fellow, supposed to be very well off and to have excellent prospects. He played a good deal, and with a proficiency which made Klimper uneasy. He drank, too, and club-gossip associated his name with that of a lady whose influence over him could hardly be maternal. Klimper tried now and then to put himself on terms of closer acquaintance with this young man, but unsuccessfully. Feeling, in a strange way, that his experience, his character, might be invaluable as a protection to one whom he instinctively liked, and who was in obvious need of guidance, the ex-gambler, ex-blackguard, had no choice but to keep aloof and anxiously observe the course of things. Before long he knew that the case professionally concerned him. Yet he did not act; for the first time he had a difficulty in deciding how he should proceed. Again the young man betrayed himself to the unsuspected observer, and now duty called aloud. After five minutes' troubled reflection, Klimper took his measures. With unusual difficulty he procured a private interview. It was more painful than he had foreseen, and it lasted for an hour.
The evening papers of next day announced that this young man had committed suicide. He must have done it as soon as possible after leaving the club. Klimper did not allow it to be known that the poor fellow went away, for good reasons, in a mood of shame and desperation; nor did he like to remember what had passed in that private room.
A few weeks later, the grave gentleman with the long beard chanced to pass by a public hall where, as was announced by posters at the door, someone or other would that evening address young men on the subject of betting. He stood a while in meditation. When the hour came, he had returned; he sat among the audience (or congregation, for the proceedings had a religious character), and listened very attentively. This occasion marked the turning-point towards which Klimper's life had insensibly been directing itself. He resigned his office at the club: he abandoned for ever his old haunts, his old practices. And nowadays he is well known in a certain part of London (where he supports himself by a monotonous pursuit) as an ardent lay preacher who is never so impressive as when 'he denounces the vice of gambling. |
Crown Club Winners Expand Commercial Cleaning Empire in Phoenix
With a steadfast commitment to quality and business success, M&R, Inc. from the Phoenix region has secured two new account locations on their way to earning yet another Crown Club honor. For the husband and wife team of Martha Llamas and Ron Puechner, the new business is a testament to perseverance.
Martha Llamas with her business partner and husband, Ron Puechner.
"These accounts came by way of a very special person, Jeff Thomas," said Llamas. "He is my hero. He is the one person in the very beginning who saw potential in me when I first started as an employee cleaning restrooms and floors for another Jani-King franchise owner. Jeff made me believe in myself. He made me feel empowered. He told me someday I could run my own business."
"In 2002 my current husband and I purchased our Jani-King franchise and are still cleaning that same facility, which is over a million square feet. Jeff has since retired and now sits on the Board of Central Christian Church. He is the one that recommended me to clean the church and I am very excited to have these accounts.
Following her first marriage, Llamas took a job as a janitor for one of the first Phoenix based Jani-King franchise owners. She worked her way up to become the supervisor for that franchisee and then she became manager. After five years of working as an employee, Llamas and her husband decided to buy that franchise when it became available. Three years later, the couple tripled the business. Now, their franchise bills more than $1.5 million in business per year and has been for the last 14 years.
In addition to managing a growing business, Llamas continues to devote her time to helping others in all aspects of their lives and businesses.
"I am currently mentoring new franchisees who want to grow their business," said Llamas. "I am also helping to promote domestic violence prevention and mentoring other victims of domestic violence. I am working with various groups who empower women. I just finished being on the judging panel for the Arizona Beauty Pageant and I am sponsoring Mrs. New Mexico who is running for Mrs. International in the upcoming pageant."
University of Houston Chooses Jani-King
The Jani-King of Houston regional office is growing! Wrapped up[...]
Jani-King of Dallas Announces Their Franchise Owner of the Month – July
Our 'Franchise of the Month' for July is Dallas franchise[...]
Jani-King of Phoenix Partners with the Cactus League
The seasons are changing and that only means one thing[...] |
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A dramatic and musical gem!
The University of Edinburgh, as part of their extensive outreach to the community, provide free concerts every Tuesday and Friday in the autumn and spring semester. These are often of a very high quality, but today's concert is exceptional in both form and quality. It is Stravinsky's The Soldiers Tale, which was inspired by the Russian revolution in 1917, when Stravinsky was cut off in Switzerland. The work is performed by The Auricle Ensemble: a very high-quality chamber music group conducted by Chris Swaffer. However, the undoubted star of the show is the narrator, Crawford Logan, who is a very well-known Scottish actor.
The Soldiers Tale tells the story of a soldier who exchanges his fiddle with the devil for a magic book: it's based on an old Russian folk tale. The soldier gets untold wealth, but realises that it doesn't bring happiness and ends up losing out to the devil. Normally, it is performed by three actors, but here excellent narrator Logan plays all three parts. The soldier is played with a Scots accent, the devil as a cockney wide boy, and the narrator as an upper-class Englishman! Logan makes them all very lifelike, and coordinates well with the conductor and the musicians. Given they have only had one other performance at the Wigtown Book Festival, it is remarkably tight, and it deserves a much wider circulation in Scotland.
The music is performed by Amy Cardigan, leading on violin; Nicola Long, clarinet; Kath Nagel, bassoon; Alistair Douglas, trumpet; Kenny Letham, trombone; Neil Cameron, double bass; and Phillip Hague, percussion. They are all excellent, and are expertly conducted by Swaffer: it is quite a complex musical score, with constantly changing tempi and moods that reflect the story. Overall, the performance is a delight, and it gets an enthusiastic reception from the lunchtime audience. |
Home » Articles » NEWS FROM SOFIC: Psychological Ops Forces Seeking Transformative Technologies
NEWS FROM SOFIC: Psychological Ops Forces Seeking Transformative Technologies
By Mandy Mayfield
A U.S. Army Special Forces warrant officer shakes hands with an Afghan worker.
TAMPA, Fla. — Special Operations Command's military information support operations — better known as psychological operations — component will soon be receiving its own technology development program, a SOCOM official said May 21.
Specialists in psychological operations are called upon to help combatant commanders shape battlefields by influencing populations or individuals.
The MISO specialists "do a whole lot more than just creating and disseminating the message," Joanne Johnson, program manager for MISO systems said during the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Tampa, Florida, which is hosted by the National Defense Industrial Association. "They have to research their target audience, plan their mission, understand their target audience, execute the mission [and] evaluate how successful that mission was."
Current MISO programs at Special Operations Command focus on traditional means of disseminating information such as leaflet drops and radio broadcasts, but the command is looking for more advanced means of communication, she said.
SOCOM wants a dedicated technology development program to further human language technology tools, provide artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies for target audience analysis, and enhance defensive capabilities with new forensic tools, Johnson said.
"We're really trying to leverage this science and technology funding to … really try to provide some capability that [special operators] didn't know they needed and didn't know they could go get," she said
SOCOM Commander Army Gen. Richard Clarke touted the importance of technologies that enhance messaging during a keynote address at the conference.
"We need systems that allow us to recognize false information and messages of all types, to characterize disinformation or deceptive data, to notify and respond rapidly using the strength of automation, particularly in the area of human language processing," he said.
"We also need faster sentiment analysis to measure the impact of the message on vulnerable populations," Clarke added.
A report by the CNA think tank released on the first day of the conference, "SOF and the Future of Global Competition," urged the U.S. government to bolster SOCOM's irregular warfare capabilities — including psychological operations — as the nation faces great power competition. The command is the lone element in the Defense Department that has these capabilities, the report noted.
"This is sort of our bread and butter program right now," Johnson said. "We get to execute our own science and technology funding for MISO. We are really trying to get after those transformative technologies, the really out-of-the-box, early-in-development ideas."
The command is readying technology that is focused on speech-to-text software, text-to-text systems, machine translation and language identification, Johnson said.
"If I am listening to a video and it's kind of fuzzy, can I identify what dialect that is and who is saying what, and pick those things out of a crowd?" she said.
The MISO component recently participated in an event held by SOFWERX, an organization established to help Special Operations Command solve problems by facilitating collaboration between industry, labs and government stakeholders. The collider event was a multi-phased competition which invited participants to propose solutions.
The MISO submission at the event had to do with AIML, or artificial intelligence markup language, which analyzes sentiments in populations, Johnson said.
"That is exactly what psychological operations is: it's sentiment analysis," she said. SOCOM wants to gather that information out of data that's available, run analytics and utilize it to further its mission, Johnson said.
However, "none of those requirements are covered in any of our existing programs of record," she added
Current efforts fall into the media production category and help specialists carry out traditional missions in austere environments. That includes a next-generation loud speaker system and a flyaway broadcast system — an FM television or cellular broadcast system. Version three of the technology was fielded last year, Johnson said.
Other initiatives the command is working on include the multi-mission payload, which provides airborne MISO broadcast capabilities, a media production program and a print program.
Meanwhile, Lisa Sanders, head of SOCOM' Science and Technology Directorate, told National Defense that she couldn't recall any MISO-related development programs in her agency. The directorate is responsible for lower readiness level technologies that still need a few years of development.
"Off the top of my head, I don't think I have anything specific in S&T in that realm I am funding right now," she said. However, the directorate has helped SOFWERX in its concept development for MISO prize challenges, she added.
— Additional reporting by Stew Magnuson
Topics: Special Operations, Special Operations-Low Intensity Conflict
New Maritime Technology for Navy SEALs on the Way
SOCOM, Industry Prepare for 'Game of Drones' Prototyping Contest
SEAL Teams Need Better Communications, Battery Tech
Special Operations 5/17/2021
2021 SOFIC |
Pain Medicine| February 2015
p.L1612P, a Novel Voltage-gated Sodium Channel Nav1.7 Mutation Inducing a Cold Sensitive Paroxysmal Extreme Pain Disorder
Marc R. Suter, M.D.;
Marc R. Suter, M.D.
From the Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (M.R.S., C.J.L., I.D.); Service of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratories, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland (Z.A.B.); Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (T.K., M.S., M.W.S., C.W.); Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland (T.K., C.W.); Department of Pediatrics, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland (E.R.); Department of Clinical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland (H.A.); and Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland (I.D.).
Address correspondce to Dr. Suter: Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Rue du Bugnon 46, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland. [email protected]. Information on purchasing reprints may be found at www.anesthesiology.org or on the masthead page at the beginning of this issue. Anesthesiology's articles are made freely accessible to all readers, for personal use only, 6 months from the cover date of the issue.
Zahurul A. Bhuiyan, M.D.;
Zahurul A. Bhuiyan, M.D.
Cédric J. Laedermann, Ph.D.;
Cédric J. Laedermann, Ph.D.
Thierry Kuntzer, M.D.;
Thierry Kuntzer, M.D.
Muriel Schaller, M.D.;
Muriel Schaller, M.D.
Maurice W. Stauffacher, M.D.;
Maurice W. Stauffacher, M.D.
Eliane Roulet, M.D.;
Eliane Roulet, M.D.
Hugues Abriel, M.D., Ph.D.;
Hugues Abriel, M.D., Ph.D.
Isabelle Decosterd, M.D.;
Isabelle Decosterd, M.D.
Christian Wider, M.D.
This work has been presented at the European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain chapters (EFIC) congress, Florence, Italy, October 11, 2013, and the Swiss Society for the Study of Pain, Biel, Switzerland, December 12, 2013 (Suter MR, Schaller M, Decosterd I, Wider C: L1612P, a new paroxysmal extreme pain disorder-causing Nav1.7 mutation shows unique combination of electrophysiological properties); and the Swiss Society of Anesthesiology, Lausanne, Switzerland, November 8, 2013 (Suter MR, Schaller M, Stauffacher M, Bhuiyan ZA, Decosterd I, Wider C: Expanding the genetic and electrophysiological spectrum of Paroxysmal extreme pain disorder (PEPD): A novel L1612P Nav1.7 mutation study). Drs. Decosterd and Wider contributed equally to this work.
Submitted for publication June 25, 2014. Accepted for publication September 4, 2014.
Anesthesiology February 2015, Vol. 122, 414–423.
https://doi.org/10.1097/ALN.0000000000000476
Marc R. Suter, Zahurul A. Bhuiyan, Cédric J. Laedermann, Thierry Kuntzer, Muriel Schaller, Maurice W. Stauffacher, Eliane Roulet, Hugues Abriel, Isabelle Decosterd, Christian Wider; p.L1612P, a Novel Voltage-gated Sodium Channel Nav1.7 Mutation Inducing a Cold Sensitive Paroxysmal Extreme Pain Disorder. Anesthesiology 2015; 122:414–423 doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/ALN.0000000000000476
Mutations in the SCN9A gene cause chronic pain and pain insensitivity syndromes. We aimed to study clinical, genetic, and electrophysiological features of paroxysmal extreme pain disorder (PEPD) caused by a novel SCN9A mutation.
Description of a 4-generation family suffering from PEPD with clinical, genetic and electrophysiological studies including patch clamp experiments assessing response to drug and temperature.
The family was clinically comparable to those reported previously with the exception of a favorable effect of cold exposure and a lack of drug efficacy including with carbamazepine, a proposed treatment for PEPD. A novel p.L1612P mutation in the Nav1.7 voltage-gated sodium channel was found in the four affected family members tested. Electrophysiologically the mutation substantially depolarized the steady–state inactivation curve (V1/2 from −61.8 ± 4.5 mV to −30.9 ± 2.2 mV, n = 4 and 7, P < 0.001), significantly increased ramp current (from 1.8% to 3.4%, n = 10 and 12) and shortened recovery from inactivation (from 7.2 ± 5.6 ms to 2.2 ± 1.5 ms, n = 11 and 10). However, there was no persistent current. Cold exposure reduced peak current and prolonged recovery from inactivation in wild-type and mutated channels. Amitriptyline only slightly corrected the steady–state inactivation shift of the mutated channel, which is consistent with the lack of clinical benefit.
The novel p.L1612P Nav1.7 mutation expands the PEPD spectrum with a unique combination of clinical symptoms and electrophysiological properties. Symptoms are partially responsive to temperature but not to drug therapy. In vitro trials of sodium channel blockers or temperature dependence might help predict treatment efficacy in PEPD.
cold temperature, mutation, paroxysmal extreme pain disorder, voltage-gated sodium channels, voltage, amitriptyline
A new mutation, p.L1612P, was found in four family members suffering from Paroxysmal Extreme Pain Disorder. The mutant ion channel possesses unique electrophysiological characteristics, and a pharmacological profile distinct from other known mutations.
What We Already Know about This Topic
Mutations of the sodium ion channel SCN9A gene have been associated with syndromes of both heightened and diminished pain sensitivity
Those mutations supporting channel over activity and heightened pain sensitivity often respond to sodium ion channel blocking molecules
What This Article Tells Us That Is New
A new mutation, p.L1612P, was found in four family members suffering from Paroxysmal Extreme Pain Disorder
The mutant ion channel possesses unique electrophysiological characteristics, and a pharmacological profile distinct from other known mutations
PAROXYSMAL extreme pain disorder (PEPD) is a chronic, genetically determined disease, characterized by episodes of excruciating pain and flushing upon benign mechanical or heat stimuli mostly in rectal, ocular or submandibular regions.1–4 Additional symptoms include extension of pain to the lower limbs, bradycardia, tonic nonepileptic seizures and syncope. PEPD is caused by heterozygous mutations in the sodium channel, voltage-gated type IX, α-subunit gene (SCN9A) which encodes the Nav1.7 sodium channel.4 Disease-causing mutations lead to a channel gain-of-function through depolarizing shift of voltage-dependence of inactivation of Nav1.7 sometimes associated with persistent current, which increases excitability of sensory neurons. Less than 20 families with PEPD have been reported worldwide.5,6 Other mutations in SCN9A cause disorders such as congenital insensitivity to pain, erythromelalgia, and small-fiber neuropathy and participate in painful not paroxysmal pain syndromes.7,8 Inherited erythromelalgia (IEM) inducing mutations also increase excitability of sensory neurons but classically through a hyperpolarizing shift of the activation. Typical symptoms of affected patients are peripheral, bilateral severe burning pain of affected extremities associated with erythema, triggered by warmth, stress and exhaustion and often relieved by cooling of the affected sites.9 Nonpharmacological measures to prevent or treat painful attacks such as immersion in ice-cold water were mostly described in patients suffering from erythromelalgia.10 The therapeutic effect of cold is not described in PEPD. The two diseases therefore present with distinct electrophysiological and clinical hallmarks. One p.A1632E mutation combines the stereotypical characteristics of both diseases with electrophysiological demonstration of the depolarizing shift of steady–state inactivation as well as the hyperpolarizing shift of activation seen in PEPD and IEM, respectively. Cooling improves the patient's symptoms.11
The sodium channel blocker carbamazepine is the treatment of choice for PEPD;4 however it fails to alleviate pain in some patients. Therefore, other therapeutic options need to be investigated and the electrophysiological and clinical features of each individual mutation should be taken into account.
Amitriptyline which is a first line drug for neuropathic pain12 blocks the Nav1.7 sodium channel.13 Other sodium channel blockers such as lidocaine have been used successfully in neuropathic pain of different etiologies14–17 including Nav1.7 mutations.18 However, administration of lidocaine requires an intravenous line and despite some patients reporting prolonged improvement after the infusion,16 an orally available sodium channel blocker is preferable for long term therapy. Mexiletine, the oral drug usually used after positive intravenous lidocaine trials,18,19 is not available in many countries and is only marketed for cardiac conditions. Amitriptyline is sometimes used as an alternative following lidocaine.20 Herein, we report detailed clinical and genetic investigation of a family with PEPD caused by a novel mutation in the SCN9A gene; in vitro electrophysiological evidence of pathogenicity; and effects of amitriptyline and cold exposure both at the clinical and electrophysiological levels.
Clinical and Genealogical Investigation
The family originates from Portugal, with several members now living in Switzerland, Spain, and Australia. Partial clinical data on selected members were previously published (Family 13 in Fertleman et al.).6 Patients and at-risk family members were reinvestigated by means of a semistructured interview, either in person or over the phone. Data collected included demographic information, as well as details on the nature, distribution, and triggering factors of symptoms. Those affected individuals who were available underwent thorough neurological examination (Thierry Kuntzer, Christian Wider, Marc R. Suter); nerve conduction studies were performed on the index patient. The study was accepted by the institutional review board of the Canton de Vaud, Lausanne, Switzerland. All individuals enrolled provided written informed consent.
Genetic Study
DNA was extracted from lymphocytes using standard methods. Samples from all four available affected individuals underwent sequencing of all exons and exon–intron boundaries of the SCN9A gene. Methods employed included polymerase chain reaction amplification and Sanger sequencing (primers available upon request). Following identification of the novel SCN9A p.L1612P mutation, samples from all available family members were genotyped using the same methods. Ninety-two Swiss adults seen at the genetics service for other disorders without any history of chronic pain were also assessed for presence of the p.L1612P mutation.
Plasmid and Cell Line
The p.L1612P substitution was inserted into a plasmid containing the human Nav1.7 insert using QuikChange XL II site directed mutagenesis kit (Agilent Technologies, Basel, Switzerland). Human embryonic kidney 293 cells were cultured in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (GIBCO cat#41965 039, Invitrogen, Merelbeke, Belgium) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, L-Glutamine 4 mM (GIBCO cat#25030 024, Invitrogen, Merelbeke, Belgium) and gentamicin 0.02 mg/ml (Invitrogen cat# 15750-037, Paisley, Scotland, United Kingdom). Transient transfection of either wild-type (WT) human Nav1.7 or L1612P mutant plasmid associated with three plasmids with inserts for β1 and β2 subunits of sodium channels and green fluorescent protein, was performed using jetPEI (Polyplus, Illkirch, France), with the ratio α:β1:β2:green fluorescent protein being 20:2:2:1 as previously described.21 One day after transfection, cells were plated to be recorded at 48 h.
In Vitro Electrophysiology
Measurements were made using pClamp software, version 10.3, and a multiclamp 700B amplifier (Molecular Devices, LLC, Sunnyvale, CA) at room temperature, if not otherwise specified. The sampling rate was 100 kHz with a low pass Bessel filter at 10 kHz. Data were smoothed and analyzed using Clampfit software version 10.3.1.5 (Molecular Devices, LLC), and KaleidaGraph (Synergy Software, Reading, PA).
Whole-cell Patch clamp recordings were conducted using an internal solution containing (in mmol/L) CsCl 60, Cesium aspartate 70, EGTA 11, MgCl2 1, CaCl2 1, HEPES 10, and Na2-adenosine triphosphate 5, pH adjusted to 7.2 with CsOH; and an external solution containing NaCl 130, CaCl2 2, MgCl2 1.2, CsCl 5, HEPES 10, and glucose 5, pH adjusted to 7.4 with CsOH. Holding potential was −100 mV. The values were not corrected for liquid junction potential. Pipette resistance was ranging from 2 to 7 MOhm. Once whole cell configuration was obtained, pipette and cell capacitance were minimized using the muticlamp commander. To reduce voltage errors, 80–90% series resistance compensation was applied. Only data from cells having stable access resistance over the duration of the experiment were used. Cells for which signs of poor voltage-clamp control, such as delayed inflections of the current or discontinuities in the peak INaversus Vm curve were not analyzed. Protocols are shown as insets in the figures. The experimenter was not blinded during the electrophysiological studies. Everything was done to avoid bias. Cell culture and transfection were performed in parallel for both genotype and cells containing the plasmid from the two genotypes were alternatively patched.
Peak currents were measured from the activation protocol. The linear ascending segment of the current–voltage relationship was used to estimate the reversal potential for each trace before converting peak current to conductance and obtaining the voltage–dependent activation curve. Voltage-dependence of activation and steady–state inactivation curves were individually fitted with Boltzmann relationships, y(Vm) = 1/(1 + exp[(Vm–V1/2)/K]) in which y is the normalized current or conductance, Vm is the membrane potential, V1/2 is the voltage at which half of the channels are activated or inactivated and K is the slope factor. The decaying phase of current elicited in the activation protocol was plotted as a single exponential (I= A exp[−t/τ] + C). For ramp current data were reduced by a factor of 200 with clampfit and correlated to peak current of the same cell. The t1/2 value of recovery from inactivation was calculated by interpolation from a linear relation between the 2 points juxtaposing half recovery (y1 < 0.5 < y2), using the relation x = [0.5−(y1x2−y2x1)/(x2−x1)]×(x2−x1)/(y2−y1).13 For slow inactivation the curve was fitted with a Boltzmann y = Imin + (Imax−Imin)/1 + exp((V50-X)/slope).
For Drug Testing. Amitriptyline (A8404) was purchased from Sigma (Buchs, Switzerland). Cells were perfused with extracellular medium until stable recordings were obtained (predrug). Amitriptyline was then perfused until stabilization of the peak current, followed by the recording protocol detailed above.
To assess the effect of temperature cells were perfused at 15°C and 25°C using a temperature controller (Warner Instrument TC-344B, Hamden, CT). Recordings were performed whenever the stable desired temperature was obtained. Approximately 60% of the cells reaching whole cell configuration passed through the two-temperature protocol and half of these recordings could be analyzed.
Data are presented as mean ± SD and were analyzed using two-tailed Student's t test to compare V1/2, peak current, and t1/2 of recovery (paired for drug and temperature effect). Two-way analysis of variance was performed to examine decay curve, followed by Bonferroni's correction for multiple testing. P < 0.05 was used as the level of significance. No power calculation was performed; our sample size was based on previous experiment.13 Statistical analysis was performed on GraphPad Prism, version 5.03 (GraphPad Software, La Jolla, CA).
Clinical and Genealogical Characteristics
The family tree is presented (fig. 1A), showing seven affected individuals (two women) over four generations, with three patients examined directly, and DNA samples collected from four affected and three unaffected family members (individuals with * in fig. 1A). Clinical characteristics are summarized in figure 1B. Briefly, symptoms began in early infancy (range: from 1st day of life to 1 yr), with all patients having paroxysmal pain and flushing in the rectal/buttocks area and in the lower limbs, and two patients in the ocular and submandibular regions (III.2, IV.1). One patient also had symptoms in the upper limbs (IV.1). Triggers included light touch such as changing diapers, trauma, defecation and warm temperature. Strategies employed by the patients to shorten/abort the attacks included immersing themselves in ice-cold water. The favorable effect of cold water exposure led to major daily life adaptations such as presence of icy water bathtubs at school and a mechanical device to lift patients into the bathtub at home. In addition to pain and flushing, the index patient (III.2) described episodes when she would present with persistent weakness in the lower limbs for hours or even days after an attack, sometimes requiring hospitalization. She presented around the age of 1 yr with episodes of loss of consciousness that prompted investigations for epileptic seizures or cardiac arrhythmia. The clinical diagnosis of PEPD was only established later in her affected son. General neurologic examination was normal; motor and sensory nerve conduction studies were normal in the median and ulnar nerves in the index patient, and latency measurement of myoelectric deep tendon (T) reflex responses from soleus and rectus femoris muscles was also normal22 (the patient did not tolerate electrical shocks in the lower limbs for fear of triggering a painful attack). Carbamazepine was tried in two patients (III.2, IV.1). Patient III.2 reached 1,200 mg/d of carbamazepine but suffered from side effect (loss of balance, impairment in language and vision). Only minor benefit was found in patient IV.1. Amitriptyline and pregabalin proved ineffective in the index patient.
Pedigree and clinical data. (A) Index patient (arrow) and pedigree of her family: *DNA sample available; squares: males; circles: females; black: affected; white: unaffected. (B) Clinical characteristics of family members available for the genetic study. + = present; - = absent; AMI = amitriptyline; CBZ = carbamazepine; F = flushing; LL = lower limbs; NA = not applicable; O = ocular; PGB = pregabalin; PPX = pramipexole; R = rectal/buttocks; RL = restless-legs symptoms; SM = submandibular; U = unavailable; UL = upper limbs. *No details were available for patient II.4 who only donated a blood sample.
Sequencing of the SCN9A gene identified a novel c.4835T>C (p.L1612P) mutation in all four available affected individuals but not in the three at-risk unaffected family members, indicating perfect cosegregation with disease. In addition, the c.4835T>C mutation was not found in 92 healthy controls of Swiss descent. Further supporting pathogenicity is the fact that the non-synonymous mutation lies in close vicinity to other previously reported pathogenic SCN9A mutations, within a region highly conserved across species.
In Vitro Study of the Mutated Channel
p.L1612P Displays Slower Inactivation Kinetics.
We analyzed the decay of sodium current (entry into the fast inactivated state) with a single exponential plotted from the current peak to the end of a 100 ms pulse at voltage steps from 0 to +30 mV. An example is shown in figure 2A and average time constant of decrease (τ) is shown against voltage in figure 2B. We observed a slower decay of current in the p.L1612P mutant compared to the WT. Decay rates were 1.28 ± 0.63 (WT) and 3.27 ± 0.70 ms (mutant) (P = 0.00014, n = 6 for WT and n = 8 for mutant) after a single depolarization at 10 mV. Mean residual current was measured 20, 50, and 100 ms after the peak. Figure 2C shows the percentage of peak current at each time-point with a significant increase between WT and mutant channels 20 ms after the peak. Of note, at 50 and 100 ms the persistent current recorded in cells expressing in WT and p.L1612P channels were not different and of very small value.
Current characteristics of WT and mutant channels. (A) Recordings of both WT and p.L1612P mutant channels, normalized to the same peak current. (B) Slower current decay of the p.L1612P channel. (C) No difference in persistent current is observed between the WT and p.L1612P channel at 50 and 100 ms and its value reaches below 1% at 100 ms after the peak. LP = p.L1612P; WT = wild type (**P < 0.01 and ***P < 0.001).
p.L1612P Shifts Voltage-Dependence of Activation and Steady–State Inactivation.
Activation curves were obtained using 10 ms steps to potentials from −80 to +15 mV in 5 mV increments from the −100 mV holding potential. We observed a depolarizing shift in the activation curve of the mutant with a displacement of V1/2 from −9.0 ± 7.2 to 0.0 ± 1.9 mV (P = 0.028, n = 13 for WT and n = 11 for p.L1612P, fig. 3A). Mean peak current density measured from the current–voltage protocol were not different (316.2 ± 266.9 pA/pF for WT and 274.5 ± 278.7 pA/pF for p.L1612P, n = 15 and 19, P = 0.67). For steady–state fast inactivation curve (SSI) 500 ms prepulses ranging from −130 to +5 mV followed by a 20 ms pulse to 0 mV were applied. The p.L1612P substitution largely shifted SSI to more depolarized values with a difference in V1/2 of 30.9 mV (−61.8 ± 4.5 for WT and −30.9 ± 2.2 mV for p.L1612P, n = 4 and 7, P < 0.001, fig. 3A). The p.L1612P mutant showed full inactivation at the end of the SSI protocol.
Electrophysiological properties of WT and mutant channels. (A) The p.L1612P mutation significantly shifts activation and SSI properties towards depolarization; the amplitude of shift is much greater for the SSI. The mutant p.L1612P channel displays shorter recovery from inactivation (B) and increased ramp current (C) but no difference in V1/2 of slow inactivation (D). ACT = activation; LP = p.L1612P; SSI = steady–state inactivation; WT = wild type. Stimulation protocols are shown as insets.
Recovery from Inactivation Is Hastened by the p.L1612P Mutation.
To measure recovery from fast inactivation, we used a double pulse protocol with varying interpulse interval and plotted the ratio of the second to the first pulse to the interval. The t1/2 of recovery from inactivation was significantly faster in cells expressing the mutant channels (2.2 ± 1.5 and 7.2 ± 5.6 ms for p.L1612P and WT, n = 10 and 11, P = 0.013, fig. 3B).
The p.L1612P Mutation Increases Ramp Current.
To assess the theoretical increase in window current seen when superposing activation and SSI curves, we looked at the response of WT and mutant channels to slow ramp depolarization from −100 to +20 mV at a rate of 0.2 mV/ms. Ramp current was normalized to the peak current. We observed a significant difference (P = 0.0018) in maximum ramp current between WT (1.8 ± 1.4%, n = 10) and p.L1612P channels (3.4 ± 0.7%, n = 12) (fig. 3C). The peaks of ramp current were at −7.4 [−37.2 to +1.2] and −8.4 [−12 to +2] mV (median [range]) for WT and mutant channels (P = 0.2).
The p.L1612P Substitution Does Not Alter Voltage-dependence of Slow Inactivation.
To study voltage-dependence of slow inactivation, we used a 30 s duration prepulse at voltages ranging from −120 to +30 mV followed by a short 100 ms pulse to −120 mV in order to let the channels recover from fast inactivation and a 50 ms test pulse to 0 mV to activate the available channels. We did not observe any difference in V1/2 of slow inactivation (−39.6 ± 3.3 and −35.7 ± 7.4 mV, n = 8 and 12 for WT and p.L1612P, P = 0.19, fig. 3D) and no difference in the fraction of current resistant to slow inactivation (29 ± 7% vs. 33 ± 9%, P = 0.27).
Amitriptyline Affects WT and p.L1612P.
Amitriptyline at a concentration of 10 μM induced a similar reduction in peak current in WT and mutant channels (33.9 ± 8.5% and 30.0 ± 7.6%, normalized traces in fig. 4A). Amitriptyline did not influence the entry into the fast inactivated state (P = 0.36 and 0.33, n = 5 and 4, for the treatment factor in two-way analysis of variance for WT and p.L1612P, fig. 4B). Amitriptyline had no effect on activation curves of both WT and p.L1612P channels (fig. 4C). Amitriptyline shifted SSI to more hyperpolarized values in WT (−7.96 mV) and mutant channels (−8.51 mV) (fig. 4D). Amitriptyline inhibited the recovery from fast inactivation, prolonging t1/2 of recovery (fig. 4E). Amitriptyline did reduce peak ramp current in WT but did not reach significance in p.L1612P (fig. 4F).
Effect of amitriptyline on channel properties. (A) Example of Na current induced by 0 mV depolarization at 1Hz frequency from a −100mV holding potential while changing amitriptyline concentration from 0 to 10 μM for both WT and p.L1612P channels (normalized traces). (B) Amitriptyline does not modify the pace of inactivation. (C) Amitriptyline does not change activation properties. (D) Amitriptyline shifts SSI towards more hyperpolarized values without fully counteracting mutation-induced depolarizing shift (V1/2 −58.43 ± 5.97 to −66.39 ± 5.01 mV, P = 0.0011, n = 5 for WT and −31.16 ± 2.53 to −39.67 ± 1.76 mV, P = 0.0015, n = 4 for p.L1612P). (E) Amitriptyline prolongs recovery from inactivation from 10.0 ± 2.5 to 228.1 ± 90.4 ms for WT (P = 0.018, n = 4) and from 4.7 ± 2.3 to 247.3 ± 108.1 ms for p.L1612P mutant channels (P = 0.021, n = 4). (F) Amitriptyline decreased ramp current decrease of WT channel but not of p.L1612P (from 1.05 ± 0.31 to 0.78 ± 0.34%, P = 0.047, n = 5 for WT and from 4.08 ± 0.11 to 3.32 ± 0.98%, P = 0.341, n = 3 for p.L1612P). AMI = amitriptyline; CTRL = control; LP = p.L1612P; WT = wild type. Stimulation protocols are shown as insets.
Both p.L1612P and WT Currents Are Altered by Cold Temperature.
Cooling the recorded cells from 25° to 15°C reduced peak current density for both WT and p.L1612P mutants (respectively 45.4% and 35.9%, fig. 5, A and B), and slowed current decay over a large voltage range (fig. 5C). Voltage-dependence of activation curves was shifted to more depolarized potentials (fig. 5D). V1/2 of SSI was not influenced by the change in temperature (fig. 5E). Recovery from inactivation was slowed at 15° compared to 25°C (fig. 5F). The ramp current was slightly increased for WT but not for the mutant channel.
Effect of temperature changes on channel properties. (A) Example of Na current induced by 0 mV depolarization at 1Hz frequency from a −100mV holding potential while changing temperature from 15° to 25° for both WT and p.L1612P channels (normalized traces). (B) Temperature decrease reduces mean current density in both WT and p.L1612P ***P < 0.001, n = 21 and 15). (C) The decay is slower at lower temperature (***P < 0.001 LP15° vs. LP25°, #P < 0.05, ###P < 0.001 WT15° vs. WT25°, n = 19 for WT and n = 14 for p.L1612P). (D) Cooling induces a small but significant shift of V1/2 of activation towards more hyperpolarized values (WT: V1/2 from −4.64 ± 4.07 to −2.73 ± 3.48 mV, P = 0.002, n = 20; p.L1612P: V1/2 from −1.24 ± 4.11 to 1.09 ± 2.57 mV, P = 0.002, n = 15). (E) No difference is seen in V1/2 of inactivation between 15° and 25° (WT: V1/2 from −55.52 ± 10.07 to −55.42 ± 9.63 mV, P = 0.96, n = 12; p.L1612P: V1/2 from −32.16 ± 5.45 to −36.19 ± 5.99 mV, P = 0.12, n = 7). (F) At 15° the recovery from inactivation is slower with an increase in t1/2 from 3.18 ± 0.84 to 12.68 ± 3.94 ms for WT (P = 0.004, n = 5) and from 1.48 ± 0.21 to 3.86 ± 0.88 ms for p.L1612P (P = 0.001, n = 6). The recovery of the mutant at 15° comes to the same value as for WT at 25°. LP = p.L1612P; WT = wild type. Stimulation protocols are shown as insets.
We report a novel p.L1612P mutation in the SCN9A gene in a family with PEPD. Overall, clinical features were comparable to those reported in other families suffering from PEPD with the exception of symptom relief by cold exposure, presence of pain in the upper limbs in one patient and long-lasting lower limb weakness after paroxysmal episodes of pain.6 Careful clinical examination and nerve conduction studies failed to provide an explanation for limb weakness beyond fear of pain reactivation. Clinical response to carbamazepine, amitriptyline and pregabalin was absent or limited. Genetic findings demonstrated a novel mutation in SCN9A, with conclusive genetic and in vitro evidence of pathogenicity. Electrophysiologically the p.L1612P mutant channel displayed a large depolarizing shift of the SSI curve, increased ramp current, faster recovery from inactivation, and slowing of fast inactivation without persistent current, all together suggesting a channel gain of function and cell hyperexcitability.
Voltage-gated sodium channels comprise four domains (DI–DIV) of 6 transmembrane segments (S1–S6) each, with Nav1.7 residue Leu1612 being located within the S4–S5 linker of DIV. Upon membrane depolarization Nav1.7 channels are activated allowing sodium entry into the cells; they then enter into inactivated states before returning to the closed state upon repolarization of the membrane. Fast inactivation relies on the interaction between the Ile–Phe–Met (IFM) residues motif located between DIII and DIV and the S4–S5 linker of DIV.23,24 Most of the previously described PEPD-causing mutations were found to be located either within the IFM motif or in the S4–S5 linker of DIII or DIV, as is the case for p.L1612P.
The magnitude of the SSI depolarizing shift with p.L1612P channels (30.9 mV) is larger than in previously reported mutations, with the exception of neighboring p.G1607R (31.5 mV).5 p.L1612P is the second PEPD-causing mutation to induce a depolarizing shift of the activation curve; only p.G1607R displays a 4.3 mV depolarizing shift (9 mV in the present study).5 Other PEPD-causing mutations do not affect activation properties except for the hyperpolarizing shift of p.A1632E whose carriers also exhibited IEM symptoms.11 It has been proposed that Nav1.7 is responsible for triggering action potential from subthreshold oscillations.25 This may be because of the window current, which consists of the voltage values under the intersection of activation and SSI curves where a portion of channels remain open at steady–state. The window current in p.L1612P mutants is increased by the SSI depolarizing shift despite activation shift. Experimentally window current is observed through the response to a slow ramp stimulation which is increased here. Mutation in the IFM motif displays ramp currents of 4% (p.I1461T), DIII S4–S5 mutations of 5 and 6% (p.V1298F and p.V1299F) and DIV S4–S5 linker mutations of 4.2 and 7.0% (p.A1632E and p.M1627K).11,24,26 Interestingly, the neighboring p.G1607R mutation shows a much wider ramp current of 15.7% (ramp speed of 0.24 compared to our 0.2 mV/ms).5 Response to ramp stimulation has occasionally been reported to include two peaks depending on the rate of ramp or on persistent current.27 Our ramp current corresponds to the rate of ramp because it increased to 19.2% for p.L1612P when stimulation rate was faster (1.2 mV/ms) (data not shown) and because no persistent current was observed.
Slowing of fast inactivation, reflected as a slower current decay, was reported in all previously examined PEPD-causing mutations; however lack of persistent current appears to be a particular feature of the p.L1612P mutant. Fertleman et al. measured a persistent current even 100 ms after depolarization in both p.I1461T and p.T1464I mutations.4 Applying 25 ms depolarizing pulses, Jarecki et al. found a 15% and 8% persistent current for p.V1299F and p.I1461T.26
The p.L1612P mutant channel shows complete fast inactivation, which contrasts with p.I1461T and p.T1464I displaying maximal inactivation levels of 54.7% and 63.5%.4 This probably reflects the fact that both p.I1461T and p.T1464I affect the inactivation gate and are associated with more prominent persistent current. In mutations located within the S4–S5 linker of DIII, close to p.L1612P substitution of the present study, there was a 1.9% fraction of current remaining for p.M1627K, 6.3% for p.G1607R and about 4% for p.A1632E (value approximated from figure).4,5,11 Faster recovery from inactivation is reported in most PEPD mutations including p.L1612P. The effect on slow inactivation is comparable to that of the p.M1627K mutation, with no major change in V1/2 but a steeper voltage-dependence.26 Using the same stimulation protocol but a different intracellular patch solution, Estacion et al. showed a larger proportion of channels being resistant to inactivation in p.A1632E compared to WT channels.11 Jarecki et al. also showed alteration of slow inactivation for p.V1298F, p.V1299F and p.I1461T mostly because of the presence of two different kinetics in WT channels.24 Slow-inactivation properties are also altered in some SCN9A mutations present in patients suffering from idiopathic small fiber neuropathy.28 In the I739N and I720K mutations, slow inactivation is modified without impairment of activation and fast-inactivation properties.7,28 Clinical features in idiopathic small fiber neuropathy patients vary and are different from the prototypical characteristics of PEPD and IEM patients, indicating that the clinical expression of a mutation not only reflects its electrophysiological properties but also other factors, such as epigenetic or environmental changes.7,28
Amitriptyline is a state-dependent sodium channel blocker which receptor overlaps with the local anesthetic receptor that is known to stabilize the inactivated state.29 Overall, the effects of amitriptyline were similar in mutant and WT channels and consistent with previous findings.13 Of note, the hyperpolarizing SSI shift induced by amitriptyline was far from being large enough to compensate for the depolarizing shift induced by the mutation, hallmark of electrophysiological change in PEPD inducing mutant, which might explain the lack of clinical benefit. Sodium channel blockers are used to treat chronic pain syndromes and there have been attempt to correlate in vitro effect of drugs to their clinical efficacy.19,30 Carbamazepine reduced persistent current and was efficient clinically in persistent current harboring PEPD-causing mutations. In our case, the lack of persistent current can correlate to inefficiency of carbamazepine. Carbamazepine was said to be ineffective in erythromelalgia,6 but meanwhile patients harboring p.V400M mutation were treated efficiently with this drug. Surprisingly the electrophysiological properties of this mutation do not show persistent current, but the expected hyperpolarizing shift in activation curve associated to an unusual depolarizing shift of inactivation for IEM. Carbamazepine selectively shifts the SSI and activation curves from the mutant towards the WT values which could explain its effect.31 The shift in SSI of much higher amplitude of the current p.L1612P mutation could explain the lack of efficacy in our patient. Carbamazepine also was efficient in IEM in patient harboring I848T mutation,32 which again displays a depolarizing shift in SSI besides the hyperpolarizing activation shift.30
As no drug relieved pain but cooling improved symptoms in the affected members of the described family, we investigated the effect of temperature in vitro. This has not been extensively assessed in Nav1.7 channels with PEPD-causing mutations because relief through cooling is characteristically only seen in IEM. One previous report on the IEM causing p.L858F mutation showed that reducing temperature decreased current density, slowed deactivation, increased ramp current in both WT and mutant channels, and shifted activation V1/2 of WT channel in a depolarizing direction.9 We also observed decreased current density, slower inactivation, depolarizing shift of activation and increased time to recovery, however with no change in V1/2 of SSI when cooling from 25° to 15°. The relevance of the amplitude of the depolarizing shift in activation of respectively, 1.91, and 2.33 mV for WT and p.L1612P channel on excitability is questionable.
One property that is regulated differentially between amitriptyline and cold is the slowing of inactivation kinetics. A slower inactivation should lead to hyperexcitability but if prolonged, it could also impede the availability for subsequent opening by delayed recovery. Cold also slowed recovery from inactivation and shifted the 15° mutant channel value to the WT channel room temperature value. The normalization of this property alone cannot be sufficient to hinder pain as amitriptyline even slows it to a larger extent without relieving symptoms. The clinical benefit of cold versus amitriptyline could be explained by its combined modification of biophysical properties of Nav1.7, but cold-induced pain relief might also be related to signal transduction or conduction changes independent of Nav1.7 channel.
Increased availability of patient genotyping and in vitro electrophysiology techniques may offer an opportunity for preclinical testing of drug efficacy in patients harboring SCN9A mutations.19 Amitriptyline could not restore SSI shift and window current to the values of the WT channel and was not effective in the index patient of the study. Similarly, while efficacy of carbamazepine in PEPD is probably linked to a reduction of persistent current4 the absence of such persistent current in the p.L1612P mutant could explain the lack of efficacy of carbamazepine in this family. Cooling changes the biophysical properties of the channel differentially from the drug tested which might account for its pain relieving effect. Overall, the present study illustrates how preclinical testing may help avoid laborious drug trials in patients with genetically determined pain syndromes through selection of the best candidate drugs or physical therapy.
The authors thank Christian Kern, M.D., Department of Anesthesiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland, for his continuous support. They thank Marie Pertin, Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), for technical assistance.
Drs. Suter and Laedermann were supported by a grant (to Dr. Decosterd) from the Swiss National Science Foundation (Special Program University Medicine, Swiss Pain Research Consortium, 33CM30-124117 (2009–2012) and 33CM30_140339 (2012–2015)), Bern, Switzerland. Dr. Suter was supported by the Swiss Society of Anesthesiology, Bern, Switzerland (2009 and 2010). Dr. Abriel was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation grant 310030_147060, Bern, Switzerland. Dr. Wider receives research support from the Leenaards Foundation, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Dr. Suter received an unrestricted medical grant from Pfizer, Zurich, Switzerland, in 2013. Dr. Kuntzer has an unrestricted educational grant from CSL-Behring AG, Bern, Switzerland, for clinician-initiated research, and performs consultancy work for Actelion Ltd, Baden, Switzerland. All other authors declare no competing interests.
Cracco
Familial rectal pain: a type of reflex epilepsy?
Ann Neurol
Rectal, ocular, and submaxillary pain; a familial autonomic disorder related to proctalgia fugaz: report of a family.
AMA J Dis Child
Fertleman
What's in a name–familial rectal pain syndrome becomes paroxysmal extreme pain disorder.
Elmslie
Abrahamsen
Ostman
Klugbauer
SCN9A mutations in paroxysmal extreme pain disorder: Allelic variants underlie distinct channel defects and phenotypes.
Boralevi
Brissaud
Sánchez-Martín
Te Morsche
Dib-Hajj
Drenth
Paroxysmal extreme pain disorder: a molecular lesion of peripheral neurons.
Nat Rev Neurol
Aicardi
Eeg-Olofsson
Griesemer
Goutières
Malmros
Pollitzer
Roulet-Perez
Testard
Paroxysmal extreme pain disorder (previously familial rectal pain syndrome).
Hoeijmakers
Merkies
Nav1.7-related small fiber neuropathy: Impaired slow-inactivation and DRG neuron hyperexcitability.
Dabby
Lampl
Leshinsky-Silver
Chronic non-paroxysmal neuropathic pain―Novel phenotype of mutation in the sodium channel SCN9A gene.
J Neurol Sci
Temperature dependence of erythromelalgia mutation L858F in sodium channel Nav1.7.
Mol Pain
3rd,
Natural history of erythromelalgia: presentation and outcome in 168 patients.
Arch Dermatol
Estacion
Benke
Macala
NaV1.7 gain-of-function mutations as a continuum: A1632E displays physiological changes associated with erythromelalgia and paroxysmal extreme pain disorder mutations and produces symptoms of both disorders.
J Neurosci
Backonja
Finnerup
Kalso
Miaskowski
Nurmikko
Portenoy
Treede
Pharmacologic management of neuropathic pain: Evidence-based recommendations.
Kirschmann
Laedermann
Abriel
Decosterd
Rufinamide attenuates mechanical allodynia in a model of neuropathic pain in the mouse and stabilizes voltage-gated sodium channel inactivated state.
Tramèr
Systemic local-anaesthetic-type drugs in chronic pain: A systematic review.
Eur J Pain
Galer
Rowbotham
Response to intravenous lidocaine infusion differs based on clinical diagnosis and site of nervous system injury.
Systemic lidocaine for neuropathic pain relief.
Challapalli
Tremont-Lukats
McNicol
Systemic administration of local anesthetic agents to relieve neuropathic pain.
CochraneDatabaseSystRev
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Hehir
Milovcich
Primary erythromelalgia in a child responding to intravenous lidocaine and oral mexiletine treatment.
A novel SCN9A mutation responsible for primary erythromelalgia and is resistant to the treatment of sodium channel blockers.
Fridrich
Colvin
Zizza
Lukanich
Lirk
Zernig
Gerner
Phase 1A safety assessment of intravenous amitriptyline.
J Pain
Lossin
Vanoye
Mo lecular basis of an inherited epilepsy.
Péréon
Nguyen The Tich
Guihéneuc
Electrophysiological recording of deep tendon reflexes: Normative data in children and in adults.
Neurophysiol Clin
Interaction between the sodium channel inactivation linker and domain III S4-S5.
Biophys J
Jarecki
2nd,
Paroxysmal extreme pain disorder mutations within the D3/S4-S5 linker of Nav1.7 cause moderate destabilization of fast inactivation.
J Physiol
Slow closed-state inactivation: A novel mechanism underlying ramp currents in cells expressing the hNE/PN1 sodium channel.
Lawden
Paroxysmal extreme pain disorder M1627K mutation in human Nav1.7 renders DRG neurons hyperexcitable.
The response of Na(V)1.3 sodium channels to ramp stimuli: multiple components and mechanisms.
J Neurophysiol
Vanhoutte
Gain of function Naν1.7 mutations in idiopathic small fiber neuropathy.
State-dependent block of voltage-gated Na+ channels by amitriptyline via the local anesthetic receptor and its implication for neuropathic pain.
Structural modelling and mutant cycle analysis predict pharmacoresponsiveness of a Na(V)1.7 mutant channel.
Melanson
A novel Nav1.7 mutation producing carbamazepine-responsive erythromelalgia.
Natkunarajah
Treatment with carbamazepine and gabapentin of a patient with primary erythermalgia (erythromelalgia) identified to have a mutation in the SCN9A gene, encoding a voltage-gated sodium channel.
Clin Exp Dermatol
Copyright © 2014, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc. Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Computer-aided Discovery of a New Nav1.7 Inhibitor for Treatment of Pain and Itch
Block of Neuronal Na + Channels by Antidepressant Duloxetine in a State-dependent Manner
Local Anesthetic-like Inhibition of Voltage-gated Na + Channels by the Partial μ-opioid Receptor Agonist Buprenorphine
A Single-nucleotide Polymorphism in SCN9A May Decrease Postoperative Pain Sensitivity in the General Population
Anesthesiology (February 2013)
Bromodomain-containing Protein 4 Activates Voltage-gated Sodium Channel 1.7 Transcription in Dorsal Root Ganglia Neurons to Mediate Thermal Hyperalgesia in Rats
Anesthesiology (November 2017) |
super great tips…so important for girls to read!!
Hooray for these awesome tips! It seems the antibiotic and HRT ones are really important, but you don't always hear about them as much. Thanks so much for these!
Thank you for the great tips, Annie! I need to work on drinking more green tea.
Thanks. Breast cancer (like any cancer) is scary… an ex-colleague had to go through chemotherapy and shaved off all her hair… seeing her with a wig kind of freaked me out, I couldn't believe it had happened to her.
Very good to know!!! I will be passing this along! Thanks!
Hi, Annie. Thank you for your post. It's always good to have a list like this one.
I feel good I'm doing some of these things, but I think I could do more! Thanks for sharing this list!
Great tips!!! simple and easy to do!
health is so important, and it's so easy to take it for granted! |
Christopher Pissarides
A profile of the Nobel laureate.
More Piketty Readings
Jim Hamilton
Per Krusell and Tony Smith
James Galbraith
Update: Debraj Ray
Update: Larry Kotlikoff
Update: Jason Furman
Update: Francis Diebold
Update: Ben Mathew
Update: Mervyn King
Update: Matt Rognlie
The FT takes on Piketty
The Financial Times headline: Piketty findings undercut by errors.
Update: Piketty responds to the FT.
David Autor on Inequality
From a recent interview of the MIT economist (discussing this article):
Q. You are focused on inequality among the so-called "99 percent," not between the 1 percent and the 99 percent. Why?
A. There's a real national debate about the significance and causes of inequality. This public debate is dominated by the discussion of the top 1 percent. And the top 1 percent is important, but focusing on the top 1 percent conveys the message that the game is all rigged, that if you're not in the elite stratum, there's nothing to shoot for. And that's just not the case. The growth of skill differentials among the other 99 percent is arguably even more consequential than the rise of the 1 percent for the welfare of most citizens.
Here's a concrete way to see it: The earnings gap between the median college-educated two-income family and the median high school-educated two-income family rose by $28,000 between 1979 and 2012. This [shift] — which excludes the top 1 percent, since we're focusing on medians — is four times as large as the redistribution that has taken place from the bottom 99 percent to the top 1 percent of households in the same period.
Improving Econ 101
Noah Smith says introductory economics needs to be more empirical. I understand his argument, and have some sympathy with it, but I wonder if the substantial change he seems to be proposing is practical. Economists usually do empirical work with statistical tools that most college freshmen have not yet learned.
We teachers of introductory economics can and should explain where and why economists disagree. That is part of helping students develop their critical thinking skills. But I doubt students are in a position to try to evaluate the competing empirical work that shapes the differing views.
In the end, introductory economics is just that: an introduction to the economist's way of thinking. That means giving students basic concepts--comparative advantage, supply and demand, market efficiency and market failure--that will make them more perceptive readers of the newspaper.
In Inequality Back to the 1920s Level?
Not really, says Gary Burtless, though some pundits would have you think otherwise.
A Defense of High Frequency Traders
By Cliff Asness et al. Very cogent, in my view. The bottom line:
In summary, we don't believe HFT profits are excessive or excessively consistent. We censure illegal front running as strongly as anyone, but it has near nothing to do with HFT per se. Canceling orders in the process of providing liquidity is key to any sort of market making, whether HFT or not. We support the right of HFTs, or anyone, to try to guess the direction of the market, using order flow or any other public information. We not only support the right, we celebrate the successful exercise of that right as it adds to public welfare by making markets more efficient and lowering the cost of investing. Lastly, we believe markets are "rigged" in favor of, not against, retail investors.
More on Piketty
A comment that questions the historical trends in the capital-income ratio.
A comment that questions the proposed tax on wealth.
Update: And here is a long commentary from Xavier Sala-i-Martin. Use the Google translate button near top right to translate into English.
Summers on Piketty
One of the best reviews of the book I have seen.
A Visit to Dartmouth
I will be talking at a public event, along with Jared Bernstein, at Dartmouth on Monday. If you are in the area and want to attend, information is available here.
Alan Krueger
The Princeton Alumni Weekly profiles the former CEA chair.
Rogoff on Piketty
Here, via Project Syndicate. A tidbit:
Would Piketty's followers be nearly as enthusiastic about his proposed progressive global wealth tax if it were aimed at correcting the huge disparities between the richest countries and the poorest, instead of between those who are well off by global standards and the ultra-wealthy?
An Interview with Mark Gertler
Words of wisdom from the NYU macroeconomist.
Very Sad News
A friend at the University of Chicago reports to me that Gary Becker died last night. He was 83.
Gary was one of the greatest economists of the past half century. You can read about his contributions here. I did not know him well, but based on every interaction I had with him, it seems that he was a truly nice man as well as a path-breaking scholar. He will be missed.
Update: The Times obituary.
Media Slant
VHA Revisited
Advocates of government-run healthcare often point to the veterans health system as a prototype. For example, Paul Krugman wrote a while back:
that brings me to Mitt Romney's latest really bad idea, unveiled on Veterans Day: to partially privatize the Veterans Health Administration (V.H.A.). What Mr. Romney and everyone else should know is that the V.H.A. is a huge policy success story, which offers important lessons for future health reform.
So this story from CNN (hardly a right-wing news source) caught my eye:
At least 40 U.S. veterans died waiting for appointments at the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care system, many of whom were placed on a secret waiting list. The secret list was part of an elaborate scheme designed by Veterans Affairs managers in Phoenix who were trying to hide that 1,400 to 1,600 sick veterans were forced to wait months to see a doctor, according to a recently retired top VA doctor and several high-level sources. For six months, CNN has been reporting on extended delays in health care appointments suffered by veterans across the country and who died while waiting for appointments and care.
Maybe privatization would solve the problem. If veterans had vouchers that they could take to competing healthcare providers, they would likely not have had to wait as long.
More Competition
Steve Cecchetti and Kim Schoenholtz are blogging, mainly on issues related to money and banking.
The blog seems meant to complement and promote their textbook. Who would ever think to use a blog for such a purpose?
British Healthcare Fact of the Day
"In Britain, even though they're already paying for the National Health Service, six million Brits—two-thirds of citizens earning more than $78,700—now buy private health insurance. Meanwhile, more than 50,000 travel out of the U.K. annually, spending more than $250 million, to receive treatment more readily than they can at home." |
New nuclear reactors planned for Britain will produce many times more radiation than previous reactors that could be rapidly released in an accident, The Independent on Sunday can reveal. The revelations – based on information buried deep in documents produced by the nuclear industry itself – calls into doubt repeated assertions that the new European Pressurised Reactors (EPRs) will be safer than the old atomic power stations they replace. Instead they suggest that a reactor or nuclear waste accident, although less likely to happen, could have even more devastating consequences in future; one study suggests that nearly twice as many people could die.
Independent on Sunday 8th Feb 2009 more >>
THE Scottish Government will come under renewed pressure this week to reverse its ban on building nuclear power stations or risk plunging the country into a jobs and energy crisis. A powerful lobby of employers, trade union officials and opposition politicians will accuse First Minister Alex Salmond of failing to wake up to the possibility of an electricity shortage and a brain drain of skilled engineers and technicians.
Scotland on Sunday 8th Feb 2009 more >>
Mr Biden reiterated the "hand" that President Obama had "stretched out" but said Iran faces a stark choice. "Continue down your current course and there will be pressure and isolation; abandon your illicit nuclear programme and support for terrorism and there will be meaningful incentives."
Sunday Times 8th Feb 2009 more >>
Restarting two Soviet-era reactors at Bulgaria's sole nuclear power plant would be "a triumph of justice" for Hristophor Gerdzhikov. The engineer who takes care of one the closed units, as well as a majority of Bulgarians, have applauded the government plan to seek a relaunch of the shuttered plants as compensation for damage caused by last month's cut-off in Russian gas supplies. But observers and some politicians say the move by the Socialist-led cabinet is a bluff and a gamble. Besides conjuring images of Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986, they argue it is a ploy to stoke a nationally sensitive subject and revive plunging support ahead of parliamentary elections likely in July or August.
Reuters 8th Feb 2009 more >>
A new nuclear plant is good for France's trade balance, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said February 6 in justifying his decision last week to
approve construction of a 1,650-MW EPR unit at Penly. During a visit to the first EPR under construction at the Flamanville site, Sarkozy said a new reactor could export 12 terawatt-hours a year, reaping Eur600 billion (US$776 billion) for the French economy. "France's external trade is not so flourishing that it can sneeze at electricity exports" based on nuclear power, the country's area of excellence, he said. His remarks were the first overt confirmation that France could build reactors explicitly destined to export power, rather than to satisfy internal demand.
Platts 6th Feb 2009 more >>
Map: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_in_France
The UK government deployed Trident nuclear missiles because they could cause the total breakdown of Russian cities by killing half their inhabitants, according to a top secret document passed to the Sunday Herald. To ensure that the warheads inflicted "unacceptable damage" on Moscow and St Petersburg, the government was prepared to explode them at ground level to maximise lethal levels of radioactive contamination.
Sunday Herald 8th Feb 2009 more >>
Gordon Brown's much-vaunted plan to beat the recession by going green lacks "coherence" and is being overtaken by rival plans around the world, the chair of the Environment Agency warns today. Chris Smith, a former cabinet colleague of the prime minister, said Britain risked being left behind in developing technologies such as carbon capture, where gases pumped out by polluting industries are compressed and stored under the sea to prevent them reaching the atmosphere and adding to global warming. Brown has boasted of how his own so-called "green new deal" would be bigger than Barack Obama's, relative to the size of their respective economies, but Lord Smith suggested that such claims were hollow, with few concrete initiatives beyond a push on home insulation.
Observer 8th Feb 2009 more >> |
Presidential Power And The Modern Presidents
By Richard E. Neustadt
The Free Press, 1990, 371 pp
Reviewed By Gaddis Smith
The first edition of this classic was published in 1960 and acquired instant fame as the bible of the Kennedy administration on how to accumulate, protect and apply presidential power. Subsequent, ever longer, editions have evaluated successive presidential administrations and described instances of power protected or foolishly squandered. This edition has a good discussion of Reagan and the Iran-contra affair, a study in how obliviousness to detail undermined power.
More By Gaddis Smith |
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Theiapolis > Cinema > Titles > H... > He... >
He Died with a Felafel in His Hand2001
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He Died with a Felafel in His Hand
Richard Lowenstein
"He Died with a Felafel in His Hand" is 2001 Comedy film directed by Richard Lowenstein . Noah Taylor is starring, alongside Emily Hamilton, Romane Bohringer, Alex Menglet, Brett Stewart and Damian Walshe-Howling.
Some people will do anything to get out of paying the rent
Who directed "He Died with a Felafel in His Hand":
He Died with a Felafel in His Hand was directed by Richard Lowenstein, an Australian director, and writer.
Before He Died with a Felafel in His Hand, Richard Lowenstein had directed Say a Little Prayer, released in 1993, Dogs in Space (1987), Strikebound (1984).
What is the casting of "He Died with a Felafel in His Hand":
At the casting of He Died with a Felafel in His Hand we find Noah Taylor, previously seen in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and Almost Famous (2000); Emily Hamilton (Haunted (1995)); Romane Bohringer (The King Is Alive (2000), L' Appartement (1996)) [ more... ]
Tim Robertson and Noah Taylor also worked together in The Year My Voice Broke, released in 1987.
Alex Menglet and Damian Walshe-Howling can be seen in Josh Jarman, released in 2004.
What is the Storyline of "He Died with a Felafel in His Hand":
While the book is not written in a linear fashion the order of houses (and house mates) John lives in is as follows:
1st Place - The Boulevade
Tom lived in the garage
Mel lived upstairs. Her boyfriend Warren moved in some time later. When they moved out, replaced by
Andy the Med Student (Dr Death) moved in
Derek the Bank Clerk
Tom and John got a new place
Derek the Bank Clerk (lived in a tent). [...]
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The Fate of the Crippled Cub
73 messages - To the Jouberts:...
Big disapointment coming!
8 messages - I am a big fan of DragonBall and DragonBall Z and when I read about the making of this movie, I was pretty excited, but worried too. Now I just...
2 messages - its so said.why couldnt they just be together...
( 1963 )The Crawling Hand
Directed by: H. L. Strock, starring P. Breck, K. Taylor, R. Lauren, A. Hayes...
( 1967 )Die Blaue Hand
Directed by: S. M. Sherman, A. Vohrer, starring H. Leipnitz, K. Kinski, C. Lange, I. Steppat...
( 1992 )The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
Directed by: C. Hanson, starring A. Sciorra, R. De Mornay, M. McCoy, E. Hudson...
( 1981 )The Hand
Directed by: O. Stone, starring M. Caine, A. Marcovicci, A. McEnroe, B. McGill...
( 1955 )The Left Hand of God
Directed by: E. Dmytryk, starring H. Bogart, G. Tierney, L. J. Cobb, A. Moorehead...
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Both sports and music programs offer many benefits and help to prepare children for future success.
Participating in a sports program gets your child more active and healthier! The activity helps reduce the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Participating in a music program provides many of the same benefits as participating in sports. Teamwork, discipline, focus, and fun are just some of them. A music program will also improve your child's thinking skills and physical coordination.
Some studies show music programs can raise intelligence (for example, IQ) and college entrance test (for example, SAT) scores. Music can also improve something called spatial intelligence. This important ability helps with seeing the world and making sense out of what is seen.
One study found that children who took music lessons for 1 year increased their IQ scores by 2.5 points compared with children who didn't have music lessons. The study suggests that the increase in IQ may be because of the focused attention, memorization, and concentration skills required for music study.
Music and other art programs help to increase your child's imagination and the confidence needed to make decisions on his or her own.
Your child needs more than the basics to be successful. A full and productive life also requires social skills, discipline, cooperation, and creative thinking — all learned from the training that sports and music programs provide.
And there is one more benefit of sports and music. They can really be fun, not just for your child, but for the whole family. |
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Retail News India
Indian Retailer is India's largest news, information and market intelligence provider in the retail sector. Indian Retailer exclusively covers retail business news...Read More
Truth in marketing
March 25, 2013 / 11 min read
Marketing takes on an entirely new meaning. Marketing ROI will become the most important measure of success over the next three to five years.
Sr. Sub Editor
Many marketers would argue that they have always delivered results and offer up metrics like brand awareness, impressions, page views, click-throughs, and downloads. And while that may well be true, when pressed, few can actually provide a definitive, quantifiable answer to the question, "What is marketing's financial impact on the business? What is the ROI of our marketing efforts?" According to IBM's Global Chief Marketing Officer survey, 63 percent of respondents believe marketing ROI will become the most important measure of success over the next three to five years, yet, even at the most successful enterprises, only 44 percent of respondents feel sufficiently prepared to manage the increasing importance of ROI. Our study sought not to validate the well-documented facts mentioned above but to understand more about the challenges that marketers are confronted with when trying to define and report on marketing ROI. We also wanted to know whether the marketers who feel that they are already doing a good job of measuring and reporting on marketing ROI are doing anything fundamentally different from their less confident, successful peers. As it turns out, those marketers who express the highest satisfaction with their ability to measure and report on marketing ROI approach the task differently than their counterparts: they are more technologically enabled in their reporting, experience fewer data challenges, and integrate with their counterparts in other departments. However, there also appears to be some lack of consistency as to what the definition of marketing ROI actually is. As a result, the differing definitions yield differing approaches to applying marketing ROI to the benefit of the enterprise, much less the benefit of the marketing organization. Not surprisingly, technology — and the ability to leverage it effectively — is a critical factor in the marketing organization's perceptions of its effectiveness or lack thereof. Specifically, possessing accurate data and then being able to effectively integrate disparate data from multiple sources is the defining capability and difference between those who can and those who can't report the return on investment in marketing.
Winsper conducted an online survey of senior marketing leadership (director and above) randomly recruited from large, global enterprises (1,000+ employees and $1B+ in revenue) in both business-to-business and business-toconsumer industries. Eighty-five respondents from industries ranging from financial services, pharma, and CPG, to enterprise technology, medical-device manufacturing, and transportation completed the survey.
Similar to other research on the subject, our respondents also indicate that measuring marketing's ROI is important. In fact, no respondent indicated that measuring marketing ROI is Unimportant or Of Little Importance, with 100 percent assigning marketing ROI at least some level of importance, and 73 percent saying it is very important.
Paradoxically, while virtually all respondents indicated that measuring marketing's ROI was important to their organization, nearly 30 percent did not measure it.
There are multiple reasons preventing organizations from measuring and reporting on marketing's ROI. Challenges relating to marketing data present the greatest difficulty. And, somewhat surprisingly, challenges relating to things like company culture, politics, and organizational structure represent less of an impediment.
Of the majority of organizations that do measure marketing's ROI, most express some level of satisfaction, with no respondent selecting Extremely Dissatisfied and only 18 percent choosing Dissatisfied. However, only 5 percent chose Extremely Satisfied, with the majority of respondents selecting Satisfied (44 percent) to Moderately Satisfied (33 percent).
We believe part of the reason so few respondents were Extremely Satisfied with their ability to measure marketing's ROI is due to the difficulties they face in trying to establish it. The majority of the challenges are all data related: collection, integration, and accuracy. It is worth noting that the single greatest challenge is the process of collecting marketing data. A possible reason for this is that marketing is one of the last departments to embrace technology, automation, and the level of quantifiable performance metrics that many other areas of the enterprise utilize on a regular basis.
With regards to the latter, we hypothesize that this is further proof of the broader importance of understanding marketing's impact on the business and the increased expectations placed upon the marketing organization to be able to measure and report on its activities and the associated benefits.
The ability to make more informed decisions is the primary value of measuring marketing's ROI, selected by 82 percent of respondents. Demonstrates effectiveness of investment follows closely behind, chosen by 79 percent. It is worth noting that respondents placed less value on those items that were less marketing-centric and involved crossdepartmental interactions and/or necessitated a broader view beyond just the marketing organization. We believe this is likely due to the challenges related to accessing, collecting, and integrating data that is non-marketing.
While the primary value of measuring marketing's ROI is the ability to make more informed decisions and understand the effectiveness of marketing's performance, only 16 percent of respondents actually use marketing ROI as a tool for determining investment in marketing activities. Indeed, nearly two-thirds of respondents determine marketing investment using criteria that are not directly tied to the actual performance of said marketing investment, with 38 percent planning based on revenue projections and 27 percent based on the previous year's budget.
There is no denying that expectations for the marketing organization are on the rise and that there is a fundamental shift from tactically-driven marketing performance metrics to quantitative financial metrics to measure marketing's ROI.
The good news is that the marketing organization understands the new landscape and the importance of moving in this direction.
For marketers and marketing to be viewed as a revenue driver and not overhead, marketers must develop the ability to provide quantifiable performance metrics based on business objectives.
McKinsey & Company reports that, as budgets come under greater scrutiny and marketing programs struggle to show bang for the buck, the marketing function's reputation has begun to erode. One study found that 72 percent of CEOs say marketers are always asking for more money, but can rarely explain how much incremental business this money will generate. To survive and thrive, the marketing organization and marketers need to be able to deliver proof, not conjecture; marketing ROI is that proof.
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Miley Cyrus and The Flaming Lips team up in recording studio
David Renshaw Mar 15, 2014 11:24 am GMT
Wayne Coyne shares image of Cyrus as he confirms his band is recording with US popstar
Miley Cyrus is recording music with The Flaming Lips.
Wayne Coyne, frontman with the US band shared a picture of Cyrus on Instagram along with the caption, "Yup…… Recordin with Miley… High as fuck…. #flaminglips #theflaminglips #tulsa #lovemoneyparty," yesterday (March 14). Scroll down to see the picture now.
Earlier this year, Wayne Coyne and Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips, joined Cyrus during her gig at LA's Staples Center for a rendition of their classic song 'Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part 1'. Cyrus, who is currently halfway through her Bangerz Tour in the US, has previously covered 'Hey Yeah' by OutKast and Dolly Parton's track 'Jolene' during her sets.
http://instagram.com/p/liwFjPJXro/embed/
In February, concert promoter Live Nation was forced to deny that Cyrus's US tour is under the threat of cancellation. Reports had suggested that venues due to host the controversial tour were pulling out prompted by complaints form parents due to the show's controversial content, which includes a section in which Cyrus simulates oral sex on a man dressed as Bill Clinton.
Cyrus previously said that the 'Bangerz' world tour will be "educational for kids". The 'Wrecking Ball' singer also said that her gigs will see fans being exposed to art which they may have never heard about before. This came just a day after the singer posted a picture from her tour rehearsal of herself riding a enlarged hot dog in the air.
Instagram Credit: Getty
Instagram to trial hiding "likes" from other users
Credit: Andy Ford
Iggy Pop announces new record 'Free', "an album in which other artists speak for me" |
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This assessment brief outlines the Victorian Government's proposal for a new metro-style rail line that will provide 17 additional train services across Melbourne. The project will create six independent lines on the Melbourne network and introduce metro-style services across the network. |
If you are considering any type of customisation in Chris21, we can help. We have the expertise to ensure your Chris21 customisations are done right the first time, to avoid any issues in the future, particularly when you upgrade. Customisation issues are so common Tony has written an article in The Chris21 Blog called Customising Chris21 – What Can Go Wrong? It's about the common mistakes that can be made and what can happen if it's not done correctly.
Create a new form in Chris21. This can then be used in HR21 if desired.
Create new fields on an existing form. You may have a specific requirement to store records that aren't standard in Chris21.
Rearrange fields on a form to improve the layout.
Add fields to HR21 pages and change their attributes. For instance, make a field mandatory, or display only.
Or you may have problems with existing customisations that you want fixed. We can analyse these problems and fix them so that they don't recur in the future.
We have many years experience customising databases in Chris21 and troubleshooting and fixing problems that have been created by improper customisations. We know how to do it right. Contact us if you would like to discuss how we can help you. |
ENFP: Leading an unconventional life because they're more daring and creative than the other types.
At some point or another, life tears even the best people apart and it's not always malicious or intentional. It's just the way things happen.
You have to constantly remind yourself that just because a given friend is free, doesn't necessarily mean they want to hang out.
Instead of hating the people who treat them badly, they learn lessons about how to treat others.
Here's the ultimate truth about the relationship we share with ourselves: it serves as a precedent for all of our other relationships.
You have to do what you want with your life because doing anything else will exhaust you.
No matter what grades you got or how hard you work or how many all-nighters you pull, you are not exempt from failure.
It was magnetic and electrifying and changed my life.
We need to stop letting our short-term desires cloud our long-term visions. |
On Friday, January 15, Aubie was named the Mascot National Champion at the 2016 UCA Cheer and Dance competition at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla. Aubie competed in the Division 1A mascot group along with ten other mascots who were invited to compete based on scores from a highlight video submitted in November. On Friday night Aubie performed a 90-second skit that, combined with the score from his video, won him his ninth national title. Visit https://youtu.be/emMnaBEFnyw to watch Aubie's entry video.
Katherine Browning, director of Aubie and a student at Auburn, stated, "Aubie winning the UCA Mascot National Championship was such a surreal moment for me. The entire Aubie Program has worked incredibly hard this year and being able to watch that work amount to a national championship was extremely rewarding."
Jackie Young, communications and marketing specialist for student involvement, was able to attend the championship and described the reaction after finding out Aubie had won for the ninth time. "UCA announces the award winners in order from last place to first so there is an incredible build up that happens leading up to the second and first place announcement," says Young, who was an SGA advisor at the time of the competition and is a former director of Aubie. "When they announced that Goldy the Gopher from Minnesota had won second, our supporters, myself included, went crazy because we knew Aubie had won first place. In fact, I don't think I ever heard them officially announce that Aubie had won because we were all cheering so loudly. After the initial excitement died down, I was overwhelmed with pride for our students and the Aubie Program. I watched these students pour so much time and energy into making this skit successful and to see them rewarded for that was very special."
Peyton Alsobrook, graduate advisor for the Aubie Program, believes that the most rewarding part of the experience is "to see hard work pay off. The students that comprise the Aubie Program spend countless hours making sure that Aubie is taken care of so that he can continue to spread the Auburn spirit as he has for the last 37 years. It was great to see all of that hard work rewarded and to see their excitement when Aubie was announced as the winner."
To learn more about Aubie visit his YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/user/AubieXXXI.
by Rachel Eilers |
Fixing the Food Cycle | earthrise | Al Jazeera English
Our global food system is totally topsy-turvy. It fuels climate change, degrades land, pollutes soil and water supplies and wipes out wildlife, including the pollinators we need for our crops. Far from nourishing the planet, it's robbing us of the ability to feed our growing population.
At the same time, we are squandering what we have. 1.3 billion tonnes of perfectly edible food are binned each year while nearly 700 million people go hungry. There are, however, simple fixes. Above all, producing food sustainably and not wasting it.
In Kenya, we meet the smallholders working with soil scientists to restore degraded land while improving yields. And in South Korea, we learn how one of the world's most efficient recycling programmes is putting leftovers to good use.
Making this programme made me acutely aware of how the way we relate to what's on our plate is a reflection of our relationship with the planet. Before every meal, I now try to take a moment to appreciate the food that I am lucky enough to have in front of me and to think about the resources that went into it: the soil, the water, the fuel to transport it to market, the electricity to cool it, and the labour to produce it. Waste food, and all that goes to waste too.
© 2023 AMANDA BURRELL. All rights reserved |
Jimmy Iovine says he's not leaving Apple – Evotik
By Evotik| 2018-01-10T20:30:03+00:00 January 10th, 2018|APPLE, apple music, jimmy iovine, Media, Personnel, TC, Uncategorized|
Last week, Billboard reported Jimmy Iovine, the person who sold Beats to Apple in 2014, was set to leave Apple in August. Well, Iovine says that's not true, Variety reports.
In a conversation with Variety, Iovine noted that there's more Apple Music and Beats would like to do, saying he's "committed to doing whatever Eddy [Cue], Tim [Cook] and Apple" need him to do to "take this all the way." He added, "I am in the band."
There was some speculation, per Billboard, that an August departure would have been timed with Iovine's shares fully vesting. But Iovine said his "stock vested a long time ago." He later elaborated in an interview following a screening of "The Defiant One" that "there is a tiny portion of stock that vests in August, but that's not what I think about," he said.
The bottom line for Iovine is that he's "loyal to the guys at Apple," he said. "I love Apple, and I really love musicians."
In May 2014, Apple paid $3 billion ($2.6 billion in cash and $400 million in stock) for the headphone maker and streaming music service. As part of the deal, Iovine and Beats co-founder Dr. Dre joined Apple as employees. Iovine previously co-founded Interscope Records and has been involved in the production of more than 250 albums.
While at Apple, Iovine has helped develop and grow Apple Music since its launch in 2015. Under Iovine's leadership, Apple Music moved into video and original programming. Apple Music currently has 30 million subscribers, while Spotify has 70 million subscribers.
Moving forward, Iovine said he plans to "help streaming come to scale."
Featured Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images |
Apple's advanced avatar creation app first came to light in a patent report back in 2012. The patent covered such topics as 3D creation, advanced editing, playback on holographic displays, head mounted display systems and more. Gamers are used to being able to choose the character that they want to play and change characteristics such hair styles, clothing and more. You could check out various details in our previous reports here and here. Apple was also granted a patent for this future app back in February.
Avatars are not just about cartoon-like characters anymore. Apple acquired a company called Faceshift that uses a power 3D camera that could scan your face movements in realtime and create quite the elaborate characters as noted in the video below.
In 2015 Faceshift's Brian Amberg (CTO) and Nico Scapel (Creative Director) talked about face tracking to bring virtual characters to life, using the Intel RealSense depth camera. Faceshift's expertise is built with the big Hollywood studios, but this new motion capture solution makes it affordable for smaller studios, as well as accessible for consumers. According to 3D animator Adrian Firth, this now means that "The only real limitation is what our imagination can think off." Apple will eventually replace Intel's RealSense depth camera with one invented by their Israeli team acquired from PrimeSense on future Apple Macs and other devices over time.
Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published a continuation patent application from Apple where they continue to add new patent claims, new aspects of the invention that they want to protect.
Apple's new patent claim #1 states: A method comprising: identifying a contact point on a surface of a model at which to place an asset; identifying a surface normal extending perpendicular from the surface of the model at the identified contact point; positioning a pivot point of the asset at the identified contact point, wherein the pivot point of the asset corresponds to the center of gravity of the asset; and orienting the asset normal of the asset at the identified surface normal.
One of the new key claims relates to the positioning of the user's eyes. Apple notes in patent claim #27: "establishing an eye position of a user; and defining a line passing through the established eye position and through the identified position on the display." This could be better understood by seeing in the light of face tracking in realtime like the Faceshift video.
"The display may include any suitable type of display or interface for presenting visual content to a user. In some embodiments, the display may include a display embedded in a device or coupled to a device (e.g., a removable display). The display may include, for example, a liquid crystal display ("LCD"), a light emitting diode ("LED") display, an organic light-emitting diode ("OLED") display, a surface-conduction electron-emitter display ("SED"), a carbon nanotube display, a nanocrystal display, any other suitable type of display, or combination thereof. Alternatively, the display can include a movable display or a projecting system for providing a display of content on a surface remote from the electronic device, such as, for example, a video projector, a head-up display, or a three-dimensional (e.g., holographic) display.
Apple's patent application titled "Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for placing an asses on a three-dimensional model" was filed back in December 2016. You could review the newly added patent claims in full here. Considering that this is a patent application, the timing of such a product to market is unknown at this time. |