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Extra Credit:
Back Squat Strength Progression
Find a new 5 Rep Max Back Squat
*Eighth week of our Back Squat Strength Cycle. It’s finally here. Find a new max 5 rep back squat. Rest as needed between sets. Be smart on how you warm up and build up to your new weights. When the weight is light, perform only 2-3 reps but with slower tempo to warm up properly. When it starts to get heavy and towards your old 5 rep max, then start hitting the 5 reps. Also, don’t make too big of jumps in weight. Be smart about your weight jumps. Record weights and any pertinent notes.
Tuesday 1.7.20
WOD: “Killer Bees”
Extra Credit:
10 Min AMRAP
5 Dragonflags F(Dragon Thrusters or Half Dragonflags)
10 Oblique Sit-Ups / Side
:15 Superman Hold
*This should be a fun core finisher to our WOD today. The goal of this WOD is to try to complete at least one solid dragonflag and work on core strength and stability. A Dragonflag will be completed when both the hips and the feet are off the ground on the way up and down. Work on the quality of each repetition of each movement.
Wednesday 1.8.20
WOD: “The Alternate Dimension”
Extra Credit:
3 Rounds For Time:
400m Run
15 OHS F(75/55) P/S(95/65)
*Shorter, sprint version of our normal Nancy WOD. Try to pick a weight where you are able to go unbroken for all 3 rounds (it will be challenging but try to push yourself).
Thursday 1.9.19
WOD: “House of Pain”
Rest Day / Active Recovery
Friday 1.10.20
WOD: “Baby Got Back”
Extra Credit:
Rogue Echo Bike:
Every 2 Minutes For 10 Rounds:
:10 Sprint
1:50 Rest
*The goal is to maintain the same power output that you started with at the beginning. Record the highest and lowest power outputs. A suggested warm up will be something like this: 3 minutes @ 50-55rpm, then 1 min @ 55-60rpm, then 1 minute @ 60-65 rpm, then 1 minute @ 50-55rpm.
Saturday 1.11.20
WOD: “The Rolling Stones”
Extra Credit:
10min AMRAP:
10 DB Biceps Curls / Side (20X1)
10 DB Strict Presses (20X1)
10 DB Triceps Kick Backs (20X1)
*This will be a 10 week strength cycle focused mainly on the upper extremities. This will be our first week. Pick a weight that allows you to move through everything without switching dumbbells (pick one weight for all three movements). Record your weight, rounds, reps, and any pertinent notes. | https://crossfitpalmbeach.com/extra-credit-1-6-20/ |
WHAT WE ADDRESS
Climate is the primary factor that facilitates the use of public spaces. Cities shape the microclimate and microclimate shapes how people use the city. In particular, microclimate describes the conditions that human beings continuously experience through their senses. Microclimate most drastically affects conditions in cities, the places where society, economy, and environment converge. Where walkability, comfort, and health are the most substantial indicators of how people occupy and use public spaces and consequently, of the quality of the public realm.
Changes in the microclimate have a particularly large impact on city dwellers as they are more exposed to the discomforting factors in urban spaces. This results in everyday challenges and a high impact on the wellbeing of hundreds of millions of citizens around the globe.
The use of public space is co-shaped by environmental and social conditions. The influence of thermal comfort on outdoor activities is a complex issue comprising both climatic and behavioral aspects. Analyzing and assessing these conditions demands not only innovative computational methods and tools but also the exploration of new sources of information.
HEATMAP BASE
WHAT WE STAND FOR
Public space is the place where social life, economic activity, and equal access converge. Lively public spaces encourage interactions between communities and people, promoting diversity and collaboration and are imperative for a thriving society. Hence, the quality of public spaces is a fundamental factor in the creation of vibrant cities. This is achievable by providing the environmental conditions that allow equal access, comfort, and health conditions to everyone.
CITY STREET
HOW WE DO IT
We highlight the interactions between microclimate and people’s presence, for improving the quality of the urban experience through the collection of sensory data. We measure how the weather, different times of the day and other factors such as walking patterns affect or interact with the presence of people.
Generating microclimatic knowledge makes it possible to adapt to fluctuating climatic conditions, mitigate unexpected weather events and environmental conditions. Our goals include defining thresholds for acceptable levels of heat, air pollution or wind frequency to create stable and healthy urban environments.
We employ data mining and data analysis and shape these computations in a way so that the potential impact on humans and human life becomes an inseparable dimension of design. This involves collaborative workflows among architects, engineers, real estate developers, organizations and municipalities.
OUR TEAM
ABOUT US
Inspired by curiosity and united by strong common research interests, we decided to found Climateflux committing to the challenges of the climate emergency across all scales of the built environment. Through data-driven workflows, that enable climatic knowledge from a human centered perspective, we aim at generating information to shape a more equitable and healthier future. | https://www.climateflux.com/ |
Welcome to our THIRD theme!
In this theme, we will explore the relationship between technology and the workplace, as well as how it has evolved over time, paying particular attention to power and control.
(alternative non-youtube link)
Here’s what you have to do for Theme 3:
Don’t forget to prepare your Week 7 seminar (1h) and to join in on the 2nd Q&A session!
Let’s dive in!
First, play this ‘guessing game’
Can you guess which technological innovations and visions of ‘the workplace’ correspond to each industrial revolution? Click on the question marks to reveal the answers.
Once you’ve verified all your guess, open the ‘Theme 3 activity” Mural and for each example of workplace, add comments to explain:
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- how control of the worker is enforced, and the role technology plays in it
- who is included and excluded in this type of workplace – what role does technology / design of the workplace play here?
More instructions can be found on the Mural. As usual, if answers have already been added by a groupmate, comment instead on their answers, stating whether you agree or disagree and why.
Then, watch the following two recorded powerpoints
Your first powerpoint on automation and power looks back at the first industrial revolutions and how the birth of management in Ford factories conceived of the worker’s body in specific relations to technology.
Technology and the workplace throughout the ages
In the second video, we jump to the present to explore new forms of control on the worker through new technologies (artefacts and knowledge), as well as problematising the concept of ‘body hacking’.
New tools of disciplinary power
check your understanding of these theories by completing this quiz.
Read this theme’s annotated key reading by Bloomfield and Dale (2015).
Redefining ‘normal’ and ‘extreme’ through human enhancement technologies
During and after the reading, identify the key examples used by Bloomfield and Dale.
Thinking beyond the article: what other forms of (self)’control’ of the body have emerged over time to maximise performance? What future forms might you imagine? For example, what forms of control have emerged as people moved to home-working during the Covid-19 pandemic?
You can use examples from science-fiction to help you think beyond the examples already used.
Go back to your group Theme 3 mural and add these new examples. Use the comment feature to explain your choice. If a group mate has already placed the example you located, add instead a comment explaining whether you agree or not, and why.
Try to engage as much as possible with the content explored since the beginning of the module: at this stage, it is key for you to start making links between the themes and build up on your knowledge to produce more complex arguments.
Finally, write a 500 word paragraph with the following prompt:
Watch the following short clip from Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times (1936)
Critically examine the relationship between technology, work and bodies portrayed in the clip.
You may want to think about the following things:
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- How are workers bodies controlled in it?
- Where is agency located (in the machine? in people? somewhere else?)?
- What assumptions are made about the worker’s body in this “workplace”?
Support your arguments with references. See the link below for more details on the assessment, including criteria.
Post your short essay here on Moodle by the end of Week 7. (You will assess each other’s essays in Weeks 8/9).
Confused about a concept, or wanting to engage? Drop a comment below! | https://wp.lancs.ac.uk/owt326/theme-3-technology-and-the-workplace/ |
Celebrating the Cycles of Life in Judaism
Judaism honors and celebrates the major stages of life with rituals, including the bris (circumcision for boys), Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, weddings, and funeral rites.
The cutting edge ritual
After a child is born, he or she is greeted by parents, family, and community, and is given a name. Often, a rabbi says special blessings over the child in synagogue, too. For boys, this process is combined with a short ceremony called a brit milah (many American Jews call it by its Ashkenazi pronunciation, “bris.”
Brit milah means “covenant of circumcision” The Bible (Genesis 17:10) says that Abraham made a deal with God: Abraham’s wife, Sarah, will bear a child (Isaac), and their descendents will possess the Promised Land. In exchange, God wanted Abraham and every male child to be circumcised. Given that Abraham was 99 years old at the time, it’s impressive that he agreed to this deal. But agree he did, and ever since then Jewish parents have continued the covenant.
The bris is a rite of passage, unconsciously for the child (who is obviously in no position to make a covenant), and deliberately by the parents of the child. Some rabbis teach that the bris is a symbol of taking control over animal nature — an obvious reminder that men can control sexual urges and lustful appetites. But ultimately, it’s important to remember that the brit milah connects a boy to hundreds of generations of men before him, each of whom had a bris on the eighth day of his life.
Thanking God for little girls
While blessings are often said welcoming both girls and boys in the synagogue, the lack of a more intimate celebration and naming ceremony for girls has historically meant that the birth of a girl has appeared less notable. The Reform movement introduced a home naming ceremony for girls, too, and more recently this ceremony has become common practice in Conservative and even some Orthodox communities.
The ceremony can include the child being passed from one family member to another, blessings over wine and the baby girl, the naming, and often a symbolic ritual that takes the place of the circumcision. For example, the parents may wash the baby’s hands and feet, or immerse her body (not head) in water.
Bar and bat mitzvahs
Jewish tradition says that when girls turn 12 and boys turn 13, they take on new responsibilities in the community. In traditional congregations, this is the point at which boys are expected to start performing daily prayers in a minyan (prayer group). There are fewer external changes for girls, though they are expected to learn the ways of keeping a home. Even though in today’s world no one expects these teenagers to suddenly become adults after the ceremony, it’s important to honor this change with ritual.
In Judaism, every boy is automatically Bar Mitzvah at age 13 and a day, and every girl is Bat Mitzvah at age 12 and a day. The traditional Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony requires study and discipline on the part of the boy or girl. They must learn enough Hebrew to read from the Torah and master enough Jewish history and law to understand the context of what they’re reading. To prepare, kids take classes and often work one-on-one with their rabbi, cantor, or teacher, focusing on their portion of the Torah.
Get me to the chuppah on time
In Judaism, weddings are profoundly holy acts, as important as living and dying. In fact, the marriage ceremony is so sacred that it’s called kiddushin (“sanctification”). Most weddings include eight basic symbols and rituals: the marriage canopy (or chuppah), the wine, the rings, the seven blessings, breaking a glass, the marriage contract (ketubah), the bedeken (the veiling before the ceremony), and the yichud (when the newly married couple spends a few minutes alone after the ceremony).
Following are a few highlights:
- The marriage canopy: Also called a chuppah, the canopy is held over the heads of the bride and groom. The chuppah is a symbol of a new home being created.
- Breaking the glass: Probably the most well-known Jewish ritual is the custom of stomping on a glass (wrapped in a napkin, as a safety measure) at the conclusion of a Jewish wedding. Traditionalists say the shattered glass refers to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Others view the breaking glass as a reminder that even at a time of great joy, shattering losses are also important parts of human experience. Whatever the case, as soon as the glass is broken, everyone in attendance shouts “Mazel tov!”
- Marriage contract: The terms of the ketubah, or marriage contract between bride and groom, are negotiated long before the wedding — much like today’s prenuptial agreements. While in recent years more liberal Jews have taken to writing their own ketubot — usually focusing more on the spiritual and interpersonal aspects of their relationship — the traditional ketubah long used by Orthodox Jews is clearly an unromantic legal document that spells out the financial obligations of each partner.
Stepping through the valley
Judaism is very clear on what you do immediately after someone dies. First, upon witnessing or hearing about a death, Jews traditionally recite a blessing:
Blessed are You, Eternal One our God, Universal Ruler, the True Judge.
You may also hear people use a shorter version: “Blessed is the one true Judge”. Then, everything done between death and the funeral focuses on respecting and honoring the person who has just died, as well as preparing for the funeral and burial.
Judaism believes that the funeral should happen as quickly after death as possible — preferably the same or next day, although the funeral is often postponed a day or two if family must travel from out of town. Also, funerals aren’t held on Shabbat or other holidays.
It’s also traditional for the body not to be left alone, and people take turns being a shomer (“guard”), reciting Psalms next to the deceased until the funeral. Sometimes people are paid to serve as a shomer.
Much of the focus in Jewish tradition regarding death revolves around returning the body to the earth in a consecrated Jewish cemetery as quickly and naturally as possible — a respectful appreciation that death is a natural part of life.
Just before the funeral, close relatives of the deceased observe the rite of k’riah, making a small rip — in a tie, a coat, a blouse, or perhaps the sleeve of a dress — as a symbol of grief. Many Jews pin a black ribbon to their jacket and then tear that. The point is that Judaism doesn’t want you to just show up; it wants you to really show your grief, without regard to vanity or decorum, and the k’riah is like ripping open a bag of grief to allow the tears and strong emotions to fall out.
At the end of the funeral, when the casket is lowered into the ground, the closest family or friends throw the first dirt over it, often using a shovel or even their hands. By forcing the mourners to actively participate in the burial, to hear the earth landing on the casket, Jewish tradition ensures that people recognize the reality of death and helps them begin the process of letting go. | https://www.dummies.com/religion/judaism/celebrating-the-cycles-of-life-in-judaism/ |
Nichrome is a nickel-chromium alloy with non-magnetic properties. The alloy also sometimes includes some parts of iron as its constituents. Nichrome is normally used to make resistance wires. This substance was patented in 1905.
Nichrome Identification
CAS Number: 11106-97-1
Nichrome Chemical Formula
The chemical formula for Nichrome is NiCr. For samples which include iron as a constituent, the chemical formula is NiFeCr.
Nichrome Composition
A well-known alloy combines 80% Nickel and 20% Chromium. This alloy is known as Nichrome 80/20. There are however other alloy compositions which combine nickel, chromium and iron in different other ratios.
Nichrome Properties
Here are some basic properties of Nichrome.
Color
Nichrome has a silvery gray coloration.
Specific gravity
The specific gravity of Nichrome is 8.4.
Density
The density of Nichrome is 8400 kg/m3.
Melting point
The melting point of this substance is 1400°C.
Electrical resistivity at room temperature
The electrical resistivity at room temperature for this substance is 1.0 × 10−6 to 1.5 × 10−6 Ω (Ohms).
Specific heat
Specific heat measures the amount of heat that is needed to alter a substance’s temperature by a particular amount, usually 1 degree. The specific heat for this substance is 450 Jkg−1°C−1.
Thermal conductivity
Thermal conductivity is the ability of a substance to conduct heat. The thermal conductivity for Nichrome is 11.3 Wm−1°C−1.
Modulus of elasticity
The modulus of elasticity or elastic modulus is the mathematical representation of a substance or an object’s tendency to deform when a particular force is employed to it. The modulus of elasticity for Nichrome is 2.2 × 1011 Pa.
Thermal Expansion
Thermal expansion is the property of matter by which a substance changes volume with the application of heat. The thermal expansion coefficient of Nichrome is 14 × 10−6/°C.
Operating temperature
The operating temperature is defined as the temperature at which a mechanical or an electrical device operates. The Operating temperature for Nichrome is 900°C.
Temperature Coefficient of resistance
Temperature Coefficient mathematically represents the relative change of physical properties of a substance when the temperature is altered by 1 Kelvin.
The temperature coefficient of resistance for Nichrome is 100 ppm/°C at a temperature ranging between 25°C and 100°C.
Corrosivity
The substance is highly resistant to corrosion.
Oxidation
The substance is resistant to oxidation at high temperatures.
Nichrome Uses
Here are some of the common uses of Nichrome:
- Nichrome is extensively used in the fireworks and explosives industry.
- Nichrome is used to prepare bridgewire for electric ignition systems like model rocket igniters, electric matches and electronic cigarettes.
- This substance is used in ceramic works. It serves to provide an internal support structure and assist in holding the shapes of clay sculptures while they are soft. Due to its resistance to high temperatures, Nichrome is also used when clay pieces are fired in kilns.
- Nichrome wires are used to test the flame color in the non-illuminated parts of cation fire from the cations of sodium, copper, potassium and calcium.
- Nichrome is also used in microbiological laboratories.
- This substance is used in the manufacturing of motorcycle silencers.
- Nichrome is also used to prepare Nichrome thin films. These thin films are frequently used in hybrid assemblies. Nichrome thin films are also used in integrated circuits which are used in the fields of telecommunications, instrumentations, power supplies as well as medical and military equipments where good power dissipation and low noise production becomes necessary.
- This material is highly resistant to heat and high temperature oxidation. Due to this property, Nichrome is used in building toasters, soldering iron, hair dryers and electric ovens. In these instruments, Nichrome wires are wound in coils to produce a specific electrical resistance and then electric current is passed through the wires for producing heat.
- This substance is also used to build thermocouples.
- Nichrome is also used by hot wire foam cutters in industrial and other arenas.
Nichrome Price and Availability
Nichrome wires and ribbons can be bought from shops that sell electrical wires and goods. 24 gauges of round Nichrome wires having .020 inches diameter with 25 inches coil can cost about $15 to $16. Flat Nichrome ribbons having dimensions of 1/16 inches width and .010 inches thickness cost around $2.20 per feet.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nichrome
http://www.reade.com/products/4-alloys-metal-inorganic-powder-sheet-a-wire/619-nicr-nichrome-nickel-chrome-nickel-chromium-alloy-chromium-nickel-alloy-nickel-chromium-lump-nickel-chromium-powder-nickel-chromium-wire-nickel-chromium-sputtering-target-nickel-chromium-slug-nickel-chromium-powder-nickel-chromium-lump-pieces
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/properties-of-nichrome-wire.html
http://www.niwire.com/nichrome-cr20ni80/
4 Responses to Nichrome
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Nichrome is used to taste the flame colour? You mean test?
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What is crystal structure and bonding between nickel and chromium alloy i.e nichrome??
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What will happen if we replace nichrome wire of a toaster with simple wire? | https://www.chemistrylearner.com/nichrome.html |
- Adult southern sea otters are approximately 4 feet (1.2 m) in length. Adult males average 65 lbs. (29.5 kg) and adult females average 45 lbs. (20 kg) in weight.
- A newborn southern sea otter pup is a buff color, 22 to 24 inches (55 – 60 cm) in length and 4 to 5 lbs. (1.8-2.3 kg).
Color
- The southern sea otter is dark to reddish brown in color with a lighter colored head, throat, and chest.
Body Composition
- It has a long, stout body with a short broad head and snout with thick whiskers on the cheeks.
- The tail is short in comparison to those of other otters.
- Webbed hind feet that can be spread wide like flippers are well adapted for swimming.
- Forepaws are smaller with retractable claws and are used to groom, eat, and hold tools for breaking open prey.
- Classified as a marine “fissiped”, the sea otter is an aquatic carnivore that is well-adapted for its life at sea. The digits on its front paws are separated and covered, similar to mittens. Its claws are retractable and the front paws have rough pads. These features help sea otters more easily grasp their slippery or spiny prey. On the hind paws, the pads are reduced and may be absent, except on the toes. The fifth digit or little toe is longer than all other otters, allowing the sea otter to spread its webbing wider when swimming.
Teeth
- The majority of the southern sea otter’s teeth are flattened molars for crushing and chewing shelled, invertebrate prey. The otter has a set of canine teeth as well.
- Major tooth wear is a cause of mortality in older otters.
- Webbed hind feet that can be spread wide like flippers are well adapted for swimming.
Fur
- Sea otter’s body is covered in a dense fur that constantly must be groomed to maintain its insulating properties and cleanliness; therefore, a sea otter will spend up to 10% of its time grooming.
- This thick coat helps to maintain its body temperature in the cold ocean water.
- The fur of the sea otter is the densest of all mammals at about 350,000 to 1,000,000 hairs per square inch, compared to dogs that only have 1,000 to 60,000 hairs per square inch.
- The sea otter’s fur also is designed to trap air to further insulate it from the cold water and to provide additional buoyancy.
Animal Fact
Sea otters must groom frequently to maintain fur quality
Diet / Feeding
Diet/Amount
- Southern sea otter consumes many types of prey including sea urchins, snails, clams, abalone, mussels, crabs, scallops, fish, barnacles, octopus, worms, and squid, which it captures with its clawed paws, not its jaws.
- It must eat 20% to 25% of its body weight every day to maintain normal body temperature, so it will spend much of the day foraging.
- This species, considered a keystone species, helps maintain the health of kelp forests by preying on sea urchins, which, if allowed to proliferate, can destroy a kelp forest. The urchin feeds on the holdfast or base of young kelp, which can set it adrift. An adult male sea otter may eat as many as 50 urchins each day.
Feeding behaviors
- It uses rocks, shells and other hard materials from the ocean floor as shell-crushing tools, while balancing its prey on its chest and stomach.
- Studies on southern sea otters in California have shown that diet can be a highly individual thing, in which an otter will specialize in one to three types of prey that is not influenced directly by prey availability. However, most individuals will take advantage of seasonally abundant swells in prey species, such as squid and red crab.
- Uses its nose and whiskers to help locate prey and to detect vibrations under the water. It also uses a flap of skin located under each foreleg to hold food temporarily while hunting until it returns to the surface.
Range / Habitat
Range
- Sea otter is found along coastal areas of the northern Pacific Ocean and the southern Bering Sea. Three separate sub species live along the coasts of Russia, Alaska, and California. Reintroduced populations in British Columbia and Washington state.
Distribution
- The southern subspecies lives along the central California coast from San Mateo County to Santa Barbara County. Historically, the range extended from Punta Abra Ojos, Baja California north to Prince William Sound Alaska.
Habitat
- Found in marine habitats with rocky or muddy sea bottoms and is frequently associated with kelp forests. Rarely ventures onto land.
Reproduction & Growth
- Females give live birth to, normally, one pup at a time.
- Pups remain dependent upon their mothers for approximately six months.
Additional Information
Lifespan
- The male lives to about 10 to 15 years in the ocean, while the female’s lifespan can be a little longer. Their lives are usually longer in an aquarium or zoo setting.
Reproduction
- During the mating season, the male bites the snout of the female in a display of courting behavior. Consequently, sexually mature females can be distinguished by bloody or scarred nose regions.
- Female sea otter is pregnant for four-and-a-half months.
- Delayed implantation periods in sea otters depend on individual and geographic variation. It ranges from two to three months in southern sea otters and can last as long as eight months in northern sea otters.
- Sea otter pup can emit a strong high-pitched call when in distress or separated from its mother. It is nursed by its mother for six months to a year, but can begin foraging in shallow water habitats as soon as six weeks after birth.
Social Behavior
- It is believed that a sea otter will wrap itself with kelp before sleeping at the surface to keep itself from drifting away.
- Southern sea otter is not a social animal as are other otter species and has been known to live alone. However, it frequently occurs in small groups where food sources are plentiful and will rest in a group called a “raft.”
- Males usually raft together during non-breeding season.
- Adult males are highly territorial during breeding season and will not permit other males to enter their territory.
- Females raft with their pups and other females.
- Although the pup ratio is about 50:50 males to females, there is a higher mortality rate among male pups. This results in a higher female to male ratio in adults.
Diving
- This otter can dive to 300 feet in search of food.
- Southern sea otters usually submerge for about 52 to 90 seconds, but the longest dive recorded was four minutes and 25 seconds long.
Metabolism
- Southern sea otter has a high metabolic rate that is about 2.5 times greater than that of terrestrial animals. The hind feet and front paws lose the most heat because fur is sparse or absent, so the sea otter often can be seen holding them out of water to conserve body heat while it floats on its back at the surface.
Senses
- Hearing, smell, touch and sight are very well developed in the sea otter and are important in hunting as well as in detecting danger.
Family
- Southern sea otter belongs to family Mustelidae, the same as weasels and wolverines.
Our Southern Sea Otter Habitat
- Three interconnected spaces
- Total water volume: ~24,800 gallons
- Water Temperature: 56°F
Conservation Status
Conservation Status
- “Endangered” on the IUCN Red List.
- Enhydra lutris nereis is listed on Appendix I of CITES. The other subspecies of sea otter are Appendix II.
- Listed as “threatened” under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and “depleted” under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1977.
Threats
- Potential current threats to this protected subspecies include entanglement in fishing nets, oil spills and predation by the great white shark.
- Once common along most of the coastal North Pacific Ocean from Japan to California, in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, it was hunted to the verge of extinction for its prized pelt.
Sources
- www.iucnredlist.org
- www.cites.org
- National Audubon Society Guide to Marine Mammals of the World. Reeves, R. R., et al.
- Marine Mammals of the World. Nowak, R. M.
- National History of Otters. Chanin, P.
- Marine Mammal Encyclopedia, Otters. Estes, James A. and Bodkin, James L. | https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/animal/southern-sea-otter/ |
The Project Manager / Operations is responsible for the project management of multiple on-going client projects, daily client interaction and communication, timeline and critical task management, coordination across multiple groups and resources and resolving project related issues.
Responsibilities
- Provide quality internal and external customer service
- Manage a workload of multiple projects at one time
- Oversee all aspects of new client implementations, and existing client upgrades
- Responsible for timely project completion, issue identification / resolution, and customer delivery
- Ensure clients clearly understand status of project throughout all phases; including completed tasks, pending deliverables, and outstanding items
- Coordinate internal and external resources to ensure client and company objectives are met
- Perform daily project tracking including resource management, inventory allocation/tracking, and workflow supervision of multiple projects
- Collect and record installation documentation including customer set-up documents and configuration related information
- Create and execute project work plans and revise when appropriate to meet changing needs and requirements
- Summarize progress of project and prepare interim and project completion reports
- Review deliverables and coordinate with other departments before forwarding to the client
- Effectively apply our methodology and enforces project standards
- Facilitate internal team and customer meetings effectively
- Hold regular status meetings with project team
- Suggest improvement to internal processes along with possible solutions to be more efficient
- Comply with and help to enforce standard policies and procedures
- Effectively interface with other departments for billing and contractual obligations
Preferred Experience
- Strong IT project management skills with excellent customer service skills
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and resources in a dynamic environment across various sites, and organize complex information
- Must possess initiative with strong analytical and problem solving skills
- Strong familiarity with project management tools and methodologies
- Strong analytical and decision making skills
- Strong verbal and written communications skills
- Strong interpersonal, organization, and planning skills
- Ability to effectively communicate with internal and external customers
- Must possess excellent MS Office skills especially Project and Excel.
- Must display great attention to detail
- Comfortable making presentations and facilitating meetings
- Must be comfortable working in a fast-paced dynamic environment
- Industrial Construction experience preferred, knowledge of Advanced Work Packaging methodology a plus
- Understanding of cloud, networking, and disaster recovery procedures a plus
Qualifications/Requirements
- Minimum of 5 years IT project management experience
- Minimum of 5 years direct externally facing customer implementation experience
- Bachelors degree in business or related field
- Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal skills
- Ability to prioritize and organize effectively
- Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously
- Ability to work both independently and with others
- Ability to operate in a fast moving, team-oriented, collaborative environment with tight deadlines
- Proficiency in using MS Office Suite and Windows-based computer applications
If you’re interested in this role and think your experience would be a good fit, send an email with your resume to [email protected]. | https://o3.solutions/o3-careers/project-manager/ |
Last Updated on November 17, 2021
The Bottlebrush (Callistemon) is an evergreen plant native to Australia. The plant gets its name from the spiky and colorful flowers from each stem that closely resemble bottlebrushes.
It has 50 different species; each is distinct in color and growth patterns. All require the same methods of care regardless of species.
The plant can grow up to 18 feet tall and has a variety of multi-colored blooms. The flowers attract hummingbirds and bees due to their nectar. Although the plant is evergreen and easy to grow, there are still a handful of things you should remember while trying to grow your bottlebrush tree.
Bottlebrush plant not flowering? Here are simple care tips for beginners.
Table of Contents
How To Grow a Bottlebrush in Your Backyard
The bottlebrush is quite a resilient plant. It can survive drought-like conditions, salty water, you get the gist. But planting them can be tricky and require a lot of patience.
It’s easier to propagate bottlebrush trees from seeds and cuttings when you already have at least one fully grown tree at home.
Propagating from Seeds
The bottlebrush grows round and woody fruit that contains numerous tiny seeds. The fruit grows from every flower blossom. Carefully remove the fruit from the blossoms and place them in a plastic bag.
As the fruit is stored in a warm and dry environment, it will eventually release its seeds. Sow the seeds into the planting mix during springtime for best results!
Propagating from Cuttings
Take roughly 6-inch cuttings from semi-mature wood with clean and sterilized pruners. The best time to do this is during summer. Remove any leaves or flowers still sticking to the lower end of the cuttings. Stick the cutting into rooting hormone powder, then into the growing medium.
The cuttings take stronger roots when allowed to grow inside a plastic bag, it helps retain moisture. In about 10 weeks the roots will start to hold and you can remove the bag at this point.
5 Things Your Bottlebrush Plant Needs
The bottlebrush doesn’t need much, just the right things at the right time.
Sunlight
The bottlebrush plant requires at least 6 hours of sunlight to grow to its maximum potential. Before planting, scout a nice patch of soil that receives sunlight all year round. It shouldn’t be shadowed by a hedge or overgrown plant.
If you live in a colder climate that receives snow during the winters, plant the bottlebrush in a container or pot. You can move your plant around your yard according to the sunlight each area receives. And when the snow comes rolling down, take your plant indoors to protect it from the cold.
Water
The bottlebrush is drought-resistant so it can survive a few days without or little water. That doesn’t mean you should neglect it! Regularly water the plant when it’s young. As it grows, you can switch your watering schedule to every week.
Your plant needs to develop a good root system for strength; you can enable that by watering deeply each time. Consider using a watering hose, it’s cost-efficient and saves up water!
Soil
The bottlebrush thrives in slightly alkaline soil, but it’s not a picky plant when it comes to soil type. The bottlebrush grows equally well in sandy soil and clay soil. To give the best care to your plant, ensure the soil pH is between 5.5 and 7.
It prefers well-drained soil; soggy soil can lead to fungal infections. Nutrient-rich soil is beneficial to the growth of your bottlebrush. You can enhance the soil by adding compost. Before doing that, remove any mulch from around the plant. Place it over dry soil to prevent water evaporation.
Working with sandy soil can be tricky; you want the root to permeate for better grip. Add perlite over sandy soil and some mulch to hold in the moisture.
Fertilizer
Take your plant care the extra mile by giving the best fertilizer. What the soil can’t provide in terms of nutrients, the fertilizer definitely will. Give the first round to a young bottlebrush during early or late spring. The plant won’t need any fertilizer during the winter as no growth takes place during this time.
A fertilizer with high phosphorus will grow brighter flowers. If you’re still not satisfied with the flowers, give the plant liquid fertilizer or bone meal for additional supplements. Follow instructions on the fertilizer bag if you’re unsure about how much to give to the bottlebrush.
Pruning
Prune your bottlebrush regularly to train its growth. After every flowering, prune the young plants by snipping away the old flowers. Pruning before spring will ensure a healthier bloom of flowers.
You can train your bottlebrush to grow into a multi-stem shrub or a tree with the right pruning technique. A tree will need its drooping branches to be cut regularly, as they obstruct passageways. When pruned the right way, it will grow more flowers. Always remove suckers from the bottlebrush plant.
It’s best to remove any damaged or dead stems from the plant as they have completed their life cycle. Brown inner stems can be reversed by removing the outer parts. This will ensure sunlight reaches the innermost plant as well.
How To Save a Bottlebrush Tree
Is your bottlebrush not in the best of health? It could be due to the following culprits:
Pests
Though the bottlebrush is immune to most pests, insects like sawfly larvae, scale, and web moths render it defenseless. The pests harm the plant by eating away the foliage. The web moth is the most harmful as it forms cocoons and especially affects younger plants.
Keep an eye on young bottlebrushes, if you see any leaves webbed together into a cocoon, immediately remove and dispose of them. This will prevent any larvae from spreading. Take care of your plant by applying neem oil or azadirachtin spray.
Diseases
Many diseases can affect the bottlebrush but the main culprit behind most of them is overwatering. Root rot, powdery mildew, and leaf spots are all fungal growths that develop due to damp soil.
A bottlebrush suffering from fungal disease will lose its chlorophyll (its greenness) and eventually die. The best cure to this is withholding any water.
Only water the plant when it needs it. If the soil is still damp then avoid watering. The plant can be saved by pruning the damaged parts, make sure to sterilize the shears to prevent cross-contamination.
Watering foliage can lead to leaf spots, which is limited to a couple of leaves but won’t cause much harm. Prevent leaf spots from spreading by making sure the plant has enough airflow to let the leaves dry. | https://thefragrantgarden.com/bottlebrush-plant-care/ |
Underground energy storage and gas storage in aquifers
In the context of energy transition, massive energy storage is a key issue for the integration of renewable sources into the energy mix. Storing energy in the underground can lead to larger-scale, longer-term and safer solutions than above-ground energy storage technologies. In particular, natural gas storages are designed to address different needs, like a strategic natural gas reserve, the regulation of gas supply and the answer to a seasonal peak heating or electricity demand. Energy companies routinely store gas in underground reservoirs known as “gas aquifers”, which then become gigantic natural tanks for injecting and extracting gases for energy needs. The natural gas is compressed and injected through wells into selected reservoirs, usually constituted of sand layers containing water, which is automatically forced out. The gas is then extracted from the same wells and the water can naturally flow back into the sand, maintaining equilibrium. Natural gas is stored from May to September when the demand is lower and withdrawn from October to April when the demand is higher. | https://blogs.egu.eu/divisions/nh/category/monitoring/ |
Leonhard Euler was born on the 15 of April in 1707 Basel, Switzerland. He was tutored by Johann Bernoulli in his early years, and had a natural gift at solving mathematics. Entering university at the age of 14 in 1720, he graduated a couple years later in 1723 with a master in philosophy. He then went on to work at the Petersburg Academy and the Berlin Academy of Science. He is known well for being the most prolific mathematical writer of all times, Euler published over 800 papers in his life. He also won the Paris Academy Prize 12 times.
He systematized mathematics by introducing symbols into math, such as e for bases, f(x) for functions, P for pie, and even S. He as well contributed to optics, mechanics, electricity, magnetism and significant contributions to the study of differential equations. Euler also did work in number theory, factoring the fifth Fermat number, showed that he was irrational, studied the three-body problem especially the moon, and proved the binomial theorem was valid for rational and exponent. One of the most famous introductions was the Gamma function for multi-factorials from Euler in 1729.
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NOBU, the world’s most acclaimed Japanese restaurant, is renowned for its innovative new-style Japanese cuisine. The menu draws upon Nobu Matsuhisa’s classical training as a sushi chef in Tokyo, his life abroad in Peru and Argentina and his travels around the world. Awarded Four Stars by the Forbes Travel Guide, NOBU InterContinental Hong Kong showcases Nobu’s signature dishes, as well as new creations using local ingredients. | https://dining.asiamiles.com/en/partner/nobu_intercontinental_hong_kong |
New Collaborations Will Ensure Faster Implementation of Research of Benefit to Patients
Today the Greater Copenhagen Health Science Partners (GCHSP) launch four new research collaborations across hospitals and universities. The collaborations will ensure faster implementation of new research results of benefit to patients. The new Clinical Academic Groups (CAGs) aim to create results within colorectal cancer, skin cancer, chronic inflammation in the body and chronically ill elderly citizens. The latter is established by Center for Healthy Aging and Hvidovre Hospital.
Better prevention, more accurate diagnoses and effective treatment of patients. This is the objective of the CAGs, which are collaborations between researchers and clinicians at hospitals and universities. The collaborations are conducted across the GCHSP partnership organisations: the Technical University of Denmark, the University of Copenhagen, Region Zealand and the Capital Region of Denmark.
Now the partnership is launching another four CAGs, which will strengthen and unite clinical practice, research, education and skills development within colorectal cancer, skin cancer, chronic inflammation in the body and chronically ill elderly citizens.
‘We face a series of very complex health challenges. Research will help solve them. To do so we need large-scale research collaborations across universities and hospitals, where basic, translational, clinical and health technological research together contribute to identifying, developing and implementing solutions. In Denmark, we are already doing this, but we need to be even better at it’, says Director of GCHSP Per Jørgensen.
Improved Treatment of Elderly Citizens Suffering from Acute and Chronic Diseases
More than 1 million in 1.3 million hospital admissions per year in Denmark are acute, and 70 per cent concern elders. The onset of acute illness in the elderly population is often complicated by competing acute and chronic conditions and polypharmacy, resulting in increased risk of adverse reactions to pharmaceuticals and poor quality of treatments.
Together Professor Ove Andersen from Hvidovre Hospital and Professor Lene Juel Rasmussen from the University of Copenhagen have established a CAG focussing on the connection between ageing, acute disease and the development of chronic conditions in elderly citizens. The objective of the CAG is to improve acute treatment of elderly and fragile patients experiencing acute hospital admissions and to optimise healthcare for the elderly population in Denmark. The collaboration involves a series of health professional areas, the emergency hospitals in the Capital Region of Denmark and Region Zealand and researchers within both biomedicine, social science, political science and socio-economics of benefit to cross-disciplinary education and development of new treatment models for implementation in the healthcare system.
‘In Center for Healthy Aging we want to make sure that our research is being put to good use, which it will be in this collaboration. Therefore, we are very excited about the opportunity for a close collaboration with both The Capitol Region of Denmark, Region Zealand and DTU,’ says Executive Director of Center for Healthy Aging, Lene Juel Rasmussen.
Associate Professor Maria Kristiansen and Professor Karsten Vrangbæk from Center for Healthy Aging are also part of the group. | https://healthyaging.ku.dk/news/new-collaborations-will-ensure-faster-implementation-of-research-of-benefit-to-patients/ |
Q:
What is the value of $\int x^x~dx$?
I am struggling with this puzzle.
Question 1. Is it possible to determine the value of the indefinite integral $\int x^x~dx$ explicitly?
By "explicit" I mean without power series.
Question 2. What are known theorems in the following form?
"$\int x^x~dx$ is not expressible by an expression given by functions in a family $\mathfrak{F}$" e.g. $\mathfrak{F}=\{\sin, \cos, \text{polynomials}\}$
A:
According to the Risch algorithm and Liouville's theorem, the primitive of this function cannot be expressed in terms of elementary functions. Nor can it be expressed in terms of special functions, such as Gaussian or error functions, etc. either, since $x^x=e^{x\ln x}$.
A:
Indefinite intgerals of the form $\displaystyle{\int \mathrm{f}(x)\, \mathrm{d}x}$ do not have a value.
The "answer" to an integral like this is a function and not a number. For example:
$$\int 3x^2 \, \mathrm{d}x = x^3 + C$$
All of the function $x^3+C$ have the property that their derivatives, with respect to $x$, are $3x^2$.
It is definite integrals (and some infinite indefinite integrals) that take values. For example:
$$\int_1^2 3x^2 \, \mathrm{d}x = \left[x^3\right]_1^2 = 8 - 1 = 7$$
The basic difference is that definite integrals find areas and give numbers. Indefinite integrals find anti-derivatives and give functions. In most simple examples, we need to be able to find the anti-derivative to find an exact value for the area - as I did in the example above. However, in the case of $x^x$, the is no know anti-derivative. To prove this, you need to use Picard–Vessiot theory. This shows that there is no elementary anti-derivative.
However, it is possible to find the value of the definite integrals
$$\int_a^b x^x \, \mathrm{d}x$$
using numerical methods, e.g. the Trapezium Rule or Simpson's Rule. These can be used to find a value that is correct to any desired degree of accuracy.
There are some indefinite integrals that take values, e.g.
$$\int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \frac{\mathrm{d}x}{x^2+1} = \pi$$
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The need for fast, multifaceted data analysis is becoming more imperative for healthcare providers. Organizations pursuing initiatives such as accountable care organizations (ACO) and meaningful use (MU) need business intelligence (BI) to show necessary quality and cost performance. The battle to reduce costs also comes amidst looming concerns over lower future reimbursements due to payment reform, which forces hospitals to more carefully analyze performance measures to identify inefficiencies, quality gaps, supply chain improvements, and so on.
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This material is copyrighted. Any organization gaining unauthorized access to this report will be liable to compensate KLAS for the full retail price. Please see the KLAS DATA USE POLICY for information regarding use of this report. © 2019 KLAS Enterprises, LLC. All Rights Reserved. NOTE: Performance scores may change significantly when including newly interviewed provider organizations, especially when added to a smaller sample size like in emerging markets with a small number of live clients. The findings presented are not meant to be conclusive data for an entire client base. | https://klasresearch.com/report/business-intelligence/666 |
Total Time:
15-30 minutes
Serves:
10
Rated
5
based on
100
votes
Category:
Vegetarian Recipe
Course:
Basic-Preparation Recipe
Cuisine:
Indian Recipe
Technique:
Grind Recipe
Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients
1 cup -
Coriander seeds
1/4 cup -
Channa
dal
2 tbsp -
Urad Dal
1/4 cup - Red
Quinoa
2 tbsp -
Cumin seeds
1/2 cup -
Peanuts
10 -
Red Chillies
1/2 tsp -
Asafoetida
powder
1 tbsp -
Poppy Seeds
1/2 tsp -
Turmeric powder
Salt - to taste
How to Make Quinoa and Peanut Spice Powder
Dry roast the dals along with red chillies and keep aside.
Now, add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, quinoa, peanuts, poppy seeds and roast them until they turn golden brown.
Add the asafoetida powder and turmeric powder and stir for few minutes.
Grind as a coarse powder along with salt. Use this spice powder for making dry curries.
Store in an air-tight box and refrigerate for long use.
Recipe courtesy: Priya Easy N Tasty Recipe
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Bawarchi of the Week
Shruti J
Shruti J is an experimental cook and blogger who loves to adapt new versions of old recipes. | http://www.bawarchi.com/recipe/quinoa-and-peanut-spice-powder-oetcbjidfjfbj.html |
Red pandas and giant pandas have more in common than simply being equally adorable and included on the IUCN Red List. They both eat bamboo and live in the same habitats. How do they coexist without competing over the same resources? The secret might be hidden in their skulls.
Despite their English language labels, red pandas (Ailurus fulgens) and giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) aren't very closely related, being separated by some 40 million years of evolution. Red pandas are more closely related to the skunks and raccoons you might find in your own backyard than the giant pandas with whom they share habitats in southern China. The giant panda, on the other hand, is a much larger bear. Both species have become adapted to a diet mainly consisting of the same species of bamboo, something fairly unique among Carnivorans. In a new study published in Biology Letters, researchers set out to determine how the two species can both rely on the same food sources in the same places.
What's puzzling according to Z. Jack Tseng, a postdoctoral fellow at the American Museum of Natural History's Division of Paleontology who ran the study, is that a fundamental tenet of ecology holds that if two species utilize the same resources, they can't live in the same space, because there would be too much competition.
But a closer look reveals that they're actually eating different parts of the bamboo. Red pandas prefer leaves and fruits, while giant pandas munch on trunks and stems. It turns out that those preferences are reflected in their skeletal anatomy.
Skulls of each species were CT-scanned and reconstructed in three dimensions. Those models were then used by the researchers to simulate different forms of biting and chewing. They found that red panda skulls were better and distributing the stress of chewing than giant panda skulls. But the giant panda compensates by having a stronger skull that can withstand the impact of repeated, concentrated, localized forces.
At first glance, the two skulls in the video above are indistinguishable. The only apparent difference is the size of the species, not the shape of the skull. But the biting simulations reveal that the red panda's skull endures much more stress than the giant panda's does. The colors represent stress magnitudes, blue representing the skull and jaw at rest, and red representing areas of stress during the biting event at the right-side canine tooth.
"The skull of [the giant panda] is more capable of exerting high peak forces to break bamboo trunks and stems, and to resist the stresses generated, during short and discrete periods of time," the researchers write. By contrast, the red panda's skull "is better able to resist fatigue as a result of constant chewing applying submaximal forces over protracted periods of time by distributing stress more evenly."
These differences explain how the two species which, on the surface, shouldn't be able to coexist, can get along just fine. "This research contributes to the body of work showing how the pandas co-exist," Tseng said in an official statement. "We've found that fundamentally, based on the structure of their skulls, they cannot eat the same things." Rather than keep to their own habitats or evolve to eat different foods, the two species found an engineering solution to their problem, allowing them to live together in the same forests.
Figueirido B., Tseng Z.J., Serrano-Alarcon F.J., Martin-Serra A. & Pastor J.F. (2014). Three-dimensional computer simulations of feeding behaviour in red and giant pandas relate skull biomechanics with dietary niche partitioning, Biology Letters, 10 (4) 20140196-20140196. DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2014.0196
Images: Red panda via Wikimedia Commons/Jar0d; giant panda via Wikimedia Commons/Fernando Revilla. | https://gizmodo.com/how-do-red-and-giant-pandas-coexist-the-secret-is-in-t-1561988329 |
Distance from Nashville city in Tennessee by road in east direction from Denver, Colorado state is one thousand, one hundred and fifty-eight miles by car. There are one thousand and twenty miles between two cities by map line. With average speed, road between Denver and Nashville will take about 16 hours 27 minutes .
|Country||United States|
|State||Colorado|
|City||Denver|
|GPS Coordinates||39° 44' 21" N
|
-104° 59' 5"W
|Latitude||39.73915|
|Longitude||-104.9847|
|Country||United States|
|State||Tennessee|
|City||Nashville|
|GPS Coordinates||36° 9' 57" N
|
-86° 47' 4"W
|Latitude||36.16589|
|Longitude||-86.78444|
Mileage from Denver to Nashville by road is 1157.57 miles or 1862.93 km;
There is 1019.82 miles (1641.25 km) between Denver and Nashville
The driving time between two cities is approx 16 hours 27 minutes
|Distance type||Miles||Kilometers||Nautical miles|
|Straight line distance||1019.82||1641.24||886.2|
|Driving distance||1157.57||1862.93||1005.9|
This table contains data about distance in miles, kilometers and nautical miles between Denver, CO and Nashville, TN
How far is Denver from Nashville? Distance between cities in miles and other information about road, distance, approximate travel time and some other trip tips are in FAQ section. We have simple distance tables that will help you in travel. Fastest way to get Nashville city is by plane, so check flight duration between Denver and Nashville. And dont forget to look at distance from Nashville to Denver. In case of car trip, use table info to see details for travelers by United States roads from Denver to Nashville.
Flying time is about 1 hours 59 minutes
Select arrival and departure cities, current are Denver, CO and Denver, TN
This flight will take about one hours fifty-nine minutes ;
You can buy ticket to plane or drive by car, check ; distance in miles between Nashville and Denver
|Aircraft||Cruising speed||Time|
|Average||510 mph||1 hr 59 min|
|Boeing 737||515 mph||1 hr 58 min|
|Boeing 777||554 mph||1 hr 50 min|
|Airbus||515 mph||1 hr 58 min|
Dont forget to include time in airport before and after flight.
Please note: current air time calculator show approximate distance and time between cities Denver, CO and Nashville, TN. This values can be different if you flight from airports in this cities. To calculate exact time can be shown only when you buy ticket to the plane. We do not guarantee that there is an airline that connects city Denver and Nashville. To find out if there is such a flight use the ticket purchase service.
Similar trips from Denver to other locations in Colorado state
To calculate distance from Denver, CO to Nashville, TN we use gps coordinates of city centers. In this way we can find the shortest distance between two points by air and best road mileage. Total distance is actual and is frequently updated with google maps data. If you search for other tour, choose other USA destination in search form. Just select start and finish points, or click one of suggested city couples below. We hope you find all information with this calculator, so dont forget to bookmark this page or share to Facebook or Twitter, this will help you to get new voyage in future. Enjoy your trips with you friends! And be safe on roads. | https://usmapper.com/distance/denver-co/nashville-tn |
Deadline for the 2018 RTK Survey Submission is July 15, 2019
If you are an "Employer Responsible Right to Know Official" (ERRO), a "Facility Survey Coordinator", or a RTK Consultant and you have set up your account and have access to the RTK Survey Online System, then the 2018 RTK Survey(s) are waiting to be completed in our online RTK Survey System.
If you do not have an account set up and access the RTK Online Survey System, then follow the General RTK Survey Instructions. General Instructions [pdf 2mb]
Getting Started:
- Review all the information from the 2018 RTK Survey cover page and inventory pages and determine which information, if any, needs to be updated. You may have new products to report, old products to delete, inventory amounts to update.
- A survey is required even if there are no hazardous substances to report, and even if there have been no changes to the information on the 2017 RTK Survey.
- The 2017 RTK Survey must be submitted before you can begin work on the 2018 RTK Survey.
- If a consultant is hired to help complete your survey the consultant cannot submit it. Someone who works for the public employer and has been assigned responsibility for must, review, sign and submit the survey.
- All inventory information from your 2017 RTK Survey will be loaded into your 2018 RTK Survey
Preparing to Complete the RTK Survey:
- Properly dispose of any chemicals that are not in use.
- Organize the remaining containers of chemicals and products so that quantities are easy to count.
- Obtain a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) or Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for each product or chemical in your inventory. MSDS’s and SDS’s are available from the product’s manufacturer.
- Using the ingredient information, provided on the manufacturer’s MSDS, SDS, and/or product labels, identify the chemicals ingredients that are on the RTK Hazardous Substance List that need to be reported. You can search the List using the RTK substance #, chemical name, CAS #, or DOT #. Only chemical ingredients that are on the RTK Hazardous Substance List can be reported in the RTK Survey Online system.
- Identify staff that will help gather information about chemicals in their work areas.
- Identify staff that will be assigned facility surveys and inventories to complete.
- Use the "Reports for This Survey" feature to generate a report from the previous year’s survey that organizes each facility’s inventory by location, manufacturer, purpose, etc. Take the report with you to the areas where chemicals are listed from last year are still onsite. Make notes of any changes to the inventory amounts and number of employees exposed, etc. Use this information to add or delete products or make changes to your inventory for 2017 RTK Survey Online.
Note: Community Right to Know Surveys from private employers are to be submitted to the NJDEP. | https://www.state.nj.us/health/workplacehealthandsafety/right-to-know/rtk-survey/ |
The intent of the curriculum here at The Academy is simple : We believe that the curriculum is the vehicle to change lives, enabling children to know more, remember more and in turn be able to do more. This is supported by the four foundational pillars that underpin our curriculum rationale: Ambition, Breadth, Knowledge and Quality.
Ambition
Our curriculum has been designed to be fully inclusive to enable all our students to achieve excellence. This means providing our children with an ambitiously academic curriculum; one that is knowledge-rich and which introduces students to ideas and concepts which align closely with the National Curriculum and feed into the prescribed examination specifications.
Our knowledgeable and enthusiastic teachers have designed the curriculum to ensure that students will learn about the greatest ideas, writings and discoveries of the past and present alongside giving them opportunities to access and participate in a wide range of enrichment activities.
This ensures that all our students, regardless of ability or background, leave The Macclesfield Academy not only well qualified but as confident individuals and responsible citizens who can make a positive contribution to any part of society and who can live rewarding and fulfilling lives.
Breadth
Students at The Macclesfield Academy will be appropriately challenged by a broad and balanced curriculum. The subjects taught at Key Stage 3 are English Language and Literature, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Religious Studies, Spanish, French, Physical Education, Dance, Information and Communications Technology, Music, Drama, Art and Technology, as well as Personal, Social and Health Education and Careers guidance.
The taught curriculum is enhanced by learning experiences outside the classroom through school trips and visits and extra-curricular clubs and groups.
At Key Stage 4, students continue to study the core curriculum but with four chosen pathway subjects. We encourage students to continue with a broad and balanced curriculum, and the vast majority of our students currently opt to take the English Baccalaureate route (EBacc) meaning two of their choices consist of a modern foreign language and a Humanities subject (History or Geography).
The other pathways currently taken by our Key Stage 4 students are:
Art, Business Studies, Computer Science, Drama, Hospitality and Catering, Physical Education, Religious Studies , Music, Photography. A range of qualifications are achieved by students as a result of their studies including GCSEs, BTEC National Awards and Technical awards.
Knowledge
Subject Leaders lead their teams to plan their curriculum by carefully sequencing the knowledge and concepts to be taught to ensure that prior knowledge is built upon and higher order skills such as problem solving and critical reasoning are developed. Students are given an ‘Essential Knowledge and Vocabulary’ sheet for each unit of work in every subject and this outlines the key knowledge.
The curriculum is planned to ensure that the knowledge and concepts in all subject areas taught are carefully sequenced to allow students to make progress and the development of, literacy (through identified key vocabulary in each unit of work), and numeracy are key components of this.
Our students will develop confidence whilst at The Macclesfield Academy because our purposefully ordered curriculum will enable them to know more and remember more over time. Our curriculum aims to develop memory and recall in order to equip our students with the factual knowledge they require to be able to confidently problem solve, critically reason and apply knowledge through practice.
We believe that the acquisition of key knowledge is fundamental to the development of higher order thinking skills and that knowledge and skills exist in a symbiotic relationship to facilitate deep, long-term learning.
The curriculum is well-resourced through access to textbooks in every subject area as well as a wealth of additional resources, including access to digital and online applications. Specialist rooms and facilities broaden pupils’ experiences of how certain subjects work beyond education.
Quality
As an Academy we pledge that no child is left behind. Therefore senior leaders and middle leaders quality assure through the school’s own self-review processes.
Subject leaders and senior leaders meet routinely to review the curriculum and to ensure that there is no disparity between the planned and delivered curriculum. This will involve looking at a wide evidence base consisting of schemes of work, knowledge organisers, students’ self-quizzing books, other student work and key assessments and we gather student views regularly.
Lesson reviews focus on the taught curriculum as well as the aspects of pedagogy which best implement our knowledge-rich curriculum in the classroom, for example the use of recall and retention strategies and deliberate practice.
Essential Knowledge and Vocabulary (EKV) ‘Red Dot Sheets’ (Implementing our ambitious curriculum )
Subject teachers have produced ‘Red Dot Sheets’ that identify the essential knowledge and vocabulary that a student must learn. This enables students to focus essential knowledge that in turn will help students to know more, remember more and do more over time. | https://www.macclesfieldacademy.org/60/curriculum-intent |
Urban Academy focuses on creative perspectives in learning, enabling students to develop their own processes and express themselves and their understandings through the arts and technology. Creativity transcends traditional art classes, and students are encouraged to come up with creative solutions across all disciplines.
arts thrive here
Every UA student explores creativity in their education, learning subjects through a process that deepens their understanding and encourages new ideas.
arts integrated education
Students from JK-Grade 9 learn language arts, science, mathematics, social studies and other subjects in a process that deepens their understanding, while encouraging their creativity. The arts are used to enhance academics, promote self-confidence, and allow for more complex thinking.
By using the arts to motivate students, Urban Academy is able to harness the power of creativity, and guide students to explore learning in new ways. Students express themselves across multiple media from photoshop and music to paint and learn to look at the world in new ways.
Junior |
JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN
JK students use clay, paint, sketching tools, building materials and other media to create, discover, and explore. Their projects have included creating self portraits, free play, dress up, a home corner, and games centered around social and emotional learning opportunities. Drama and music lessons also introduce students to other diverse forms of learning.learn more +
Primary |
K - grade 1
Students use art, drama and music to bring core academics to life. They integrate First Nations drumming into the music program to study community, culture and diversity and they are taught about great contemporary Canadian artists such as Ted Harrison and Emily Carr to learn techniques and Canadian art history. As an example, students are introduced to artists such as Wassily Kandinsky and the Kandinsky circles to bring to life the concepts of geometric shapes that they are learning about in math.learn more +
Intermediate |
grades 2 - 5
Now that they have a foundation of creative skills and understanding, students are introduced to more complex art techniques such as printmaking and mosaics. They explore various art forms and how they emerged from different cultures. Teachers connect core academics to the arts by linking subjects such as music to math or drama with French. We focus on teaching literacy in every sense, and musical literacy (through recorders, ukuleles, xylophones, and other percussion instruments) as well as acting skills are no exception. Students learn drama and music in their regular school week and can join musical theatre club or junior choir as extra curricular activities.learn more +
Middle |
grades 6 - 9
Students are introduced to more complex creative disciplines including photography and graphic design, where they get hands-on experience with industry technologies such as Photoshop. They use art, drama and music to bring core academics to life. Students use the arts to display their learning in a tangible way. By using tools such as Pythagorean Triangles in drawing projects, or creating to-scale models of historical events in Social Studies, they are able to see how to practically apply the skills they are acquiring in the classroom.learn more +
Senior |
grades 10 - 12
Grade 10-12 students are exposed to a variety of art techniques. Photoshop, photography, graphic design, art, drama and music are integrated into their learning. They use the arts to show an understanding of their learning, such as Social Studies lessons reflected in era-appropriate projects through journals, media arts, vignettes and other creative projects that bring their studies to life. Drama Club and Theatre Class offer opportunities for performance which builds confidence and encourages risk taking. In music class, students can participate in vocals, rock band and concert band.learn more +
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Head of School’s Weekly Message
February 7, 2020 Dear Urban Academy Families, It has been a great week with a lot of activities for students that extend learning beyond the classroom. Our UA Show Choir has been in Disneyland California, working and learning with professional performers. They fly home today, tired and much more learned in their craft than when […]
Head of School’s Weekly Message
January 31, 2020 Dear Urban Academy Families, It has been a wonderful last week of January. The UA Show Choir hosted families on Wednesday night to see the students’ work before they head off to California on Sunday. Our generous audience donated a significant sum at the door that will allow us to treat the […]
Head of School’s Weekly Message
January 24, 2020 Dear Urban Academy Families, It has been a wonderful week at UA. We were pleased to host the ISABC Heads of School meeting for two days this week. They enjoyed seeing our new school and learning about our programs first-hand. We also hosted another very full Admissions Information Evening for prospective families […]
Coming upsee calendar
K-gr. 3 field trip to the Orpheum
Students will travel by hired bus to the Orpheum in Vancouver to visit the orchestra and learn about different styles of music.
They will leave the school at 10:30 am and ...
PAX Hot Lunch
Gr. 2 “Fun with Forces” workshop
Students will participate in a "Fun with Forces" hands-on in-school workshop.More
Pink Shirt Day
inquire today
The right education takes your child from remembering and reciting to knowing and understanding.
Stop imagining. Start achieving. | http://urbanacademy.ca/learning_at_ua/creativity/ |
Susan Cuscuna’s teleplay functions as an instructional video on how parents should handle a teenager’s unplanned motherhood. Having thrown her cheating husband, Cal (David Andrews), out of the family fold, high-strung Evie Spangler (Park Overall) strives to balance career and home life. Although her son has chosen to live with his Dad, Evie still has her hands full with self-centered Tina (Kirsten Dunst) and sullen Rachel (Julia Whelan), and after a long day at work she's in no mood for wallflower Rachel’s complaints about her more popular sister. Unfortunately, Tina misses her daddy enough to look for love in the wrong places. One of those places is the bedroom of a high school jock Ray Hood (Daniel Kountz), who reacts predictably badly to news that Tina is pregnant; she continues to moon over him. Despite having an unmarried friend burdened with the responsibility of raising an infant alone, Tina doesn’t bring any kind of mature perspective to her own situation maturely. Instead of pulling together during a crisis, Evie and Cal argue about Tina's options, like adoption. Rachel, meanwhile, gets tires of playing second fiddle in the Spangler household and moves in with her grandmother. Tina gets her first real taste of the stigma attached to adolescent pregnancy when her friends shun her baby shower. Enrolled in special classes at high school, Tina freaks out over the responsibility she's going to have to shoulder while Ray mouths off about a father’s rights without saying anything about marriage. It's finally dawning on Tina that she faces greater sacrifices in life than being forced to skip the prom, but it may be too late. What distinguishes this glorified Afterschool Special is its handling of the disintegration of a family under pressure. Dysfunctional parents and jealous siblings share the spotlight with a physically precocious teen, whose heedless behavior has long-term impact on several lives. | https://www.tvguide.com/movies/fifteen-and-pregnant/review/2030285579/ |
At the Winter 2015 Conference, VASBO embarked upon drafting a Strategic Plan document to add to its rich history. VASBO’s strategic plan provides a blueprint for action to enhance professional development offerings, member and vendor engagement and fiscal sustainability. In addition, it provides a long-range planning process for organizational growth as well as a mechanism for the organization to evaluate progress. Please see the key components of the plan below.
VASBO promotes the highest standards of school business practices for its membership through professional development, continuing education, networking, and legislative impact.
VASBO strives to be the organization that facilitates excellence in Virginia public school business through professional learning experiences that maximize the capacity of each member to be technically proficient, to forge strong community partnerships, and to meet the needs of stakeholders.
Leadership – We serve our members by giving them relevant and meaningful professional development offerings and opportunities they need to succeed and we provide financial guidance to stakeholders.
Accountability – We believe in professional ownership, efficient management of resources, and fiscal accountability.
Excellence – We pursue the highest standards of fiscal and operational performance and achievement through technological uses, innovative, and data supported practices.
Collaboration – We depend upon shared responsibility and the organization partnering with, its members, other professional organizations, federal and state government agencies and school communities.
Transparency – We support and utilize a variety of communication methods to connect members, vendors, sponsors and partners.
Professionalism – We expect the organization as a whole and its members to display competent and skillful behaviors in alignment with the business profession.
Ethics – We serve our members in an environment that fosters integrity and honesty.
Enrich professional development offerings and opportunities to ensure that they are relevant, timely, accessible, appropriately differentiated to maximize the capacity and technical proficiency of the membership.
a. Develop a comprehensive curriculum cycle to ensure regular and consistent opportunities to learn or review school business fundamentals.
b. Provide opportunities to enhance the leadership skills of all school business officials.
c. Identify and implement strategies to better differentiate professional development and training opportunities by experience level, district size and type, and location.
Advocate on behalf of Virginia school districts for funding to vigorously enforce the standards of learning, implement required mandates from the Department of Education, and make the most effective and efficient use of district resources to provide a high quality education to students of the Commonwealth.
a. Develop and implement a more effective means of regular communication with members regarding important legislative proposals and VASBO’s legislative initiatives and advocacy efforts.
b. Develop a tool to allow VASBO members to more easily participate in advocacy efforts.
c. Enhance legislative advocacy relationships with other educational organizations (SASBO, ASBO, VASS, VSBA).
Fully leverage modern technology tools to enhance member communication, collaboration, and education.
a. Allocate sufficient funding and/or staff time to ensure that the VASBO website is updated regularly, is more dynamic and current, and is the principal source of communication to members.
b. Increase number and types of distance learning opportunities (e.g. webinars, podcasts, videos, simulcasts, etc.) available to members.
c. Increase VASBO electronic presence through member participation emphasizing electronic media, social networking and other appropriate communication tools that are in the best interest of VASBO.
a. Expand membership by enhancing the diversity of members engaged in VASBO (regional, hierarchical, generational).
b. Expand vendor involvement in ways that will provide fiscal support to VASBO and/or add value to VASBO membership.
Retain and grow membership in VASBO through relevant membership engagement.
a. Maximize involvement by recruiting and utilizing volunteers.
b. Enhance value of membership for all business officials including those who are new to school business.
c. Establish and promote quarterly regional meetings to encourage networking and collaboration throughout the year. | https://www.vasbo.org/strategic-plan |
Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh mentioned Tuesday that the mainstream media’s “leftist agenda” manner they want to see a coronavirus outbreak within the U.S. so they may be able to lay the blame on the ft of President Donald Trump.
Coronavirus, a respiration an infection which has killed over 2,000 other folks globally, is anticipated to develop into a danger within the U.S., in keeping with well being officers.
“Ultimately, we expect we will see community spread in the United States,” mentioned Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the Centers for Disease Control on Tuesday. “It’s not a question of if this will happen, but when this will happen and how many people in this country will have severe illnesses.”
Trump has downplayed the specter of a U.S. outbreak of the virus, telling newshounds Tuesday that it’s “very well under control in our country.”
“We have very few people with it,” Trump persevered. “We think they’ll be in very good shape very soon. We think that whole situation will start working out.”
Limbaugh informed his target market that information experiences concerning the coronavirus have been overblown and that the “media wants [the coronavirus] to be what it not yet is.”
“On the first day of hurricane season, [members of the media] hope for Hurricane Katrina so they can say ‘climate change,’ anything to advance the leftist agenda,” Limbaugh mentioned. “Now, the leftist agenda includes getting rid of Trump.”
“They would love for the coronavirus to be this deadly strain that wipes everybody out, so they could blame Trump for it,” Limbaugh claimed.
“Don’t doubt me on that,” Limbaugh added. “If you’ve been paying attention to mainstream media for the past four years, you can’t doubt me on that.” He then cited Russian collusion and the impeachment lawsuits as examples of media shops making the inside track “what they wanted to be true. And because they wanted it to be true, they reported it as true.”
Newsweek reached out to Limbaugh for remark however didn’t obtain a reaction in time for e-newsletter.
Rush Limbaugh informed his radio display target market Tuesday that the media hopes the coronavirus “wipes everybody out” so they may be able to blame President Donald Trump for the deaths.
Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty
Trump’s management has asked $1.25 billion in emergency investment to combat the unfold of coronavirus. Also asked are $535 million in finances earmarked for the prevention and remedy of the Ebola virus.
“With the appropriation of new emergency funding, as well as the repurposing of FY 2020 Ebola resources, reprioritization of other FY 2020 funding across HHS, and contributions from other Government agencies, across the Government we expect to allocate at least $2.5 billion in total resources for COVID-19 response efforts,” learn Monday’s finances request from the White House.
Some House Democrats, together with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, don’t suppose the Trump management is doing sufficient to halt the unfold of coronavirus.
“The President’s request for coronavirus response funding is long overdue and completely inadequate to the scale of this emergency,” Pelosi mentioned in a commentary on Monday. “Our state and local governments need serious funding to be ready to respond effectively to any outbreak in the U.S. The President should not be raiding money that Congress has appropriated for other life-or-death public health priorities.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer mentioned Tuesday at the Senate flooring that the Trump management have been “caught flat-footed” by way of the unfold of the virus.
“The administration has no plan to deal with the coronavirus, no plan and seemingly no urgency to develop one,” Schumer mentioned.
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Succulents include a wide range of plants including cacti, which are native to dry regions of the world. These plants store water for long periods of time.
WATER: Allow soil to dry between watering. Succulents can tolerate very dry conditions. Do not allow standing water in the pot or tray.
LIGHT: Display in bright artificial light or near a window in indirect sunlight. In mild climates, succulents can grow on an outside porch without direct sunlight.
TEMPERATURE: These plants tolerate a wide range of temperatures from 40-90F. Do not allow to freeze and keep away from air conditioning and heating vents.
FERTILIZER: Apply balanced houseplant food once every other month at ½ strength during warm growing seasons. | https://shopannas.ca/products/mini-succulent-leaf-native |
Three consecutive home defeats for Liverpool is not a habit that Jurgen Klopp has ever got into since he arrived on Merseyside.
Sunday’s loss to Manchester City will still be hurting, but the games that have truly cost Liverpool are the dropped points against sides at the bottom of the Premier League. The home draw with West Brom, and defeats by Burnley and Brighton were almost a carbon copy of each other — Liverpool dominate possession, but there is little space in behind the opposition who are happy to defend deep for long periods.
There looks to be something missing in their play, but what is it?
Many have spoken about the players being fatigued in recent weeks, and dropping off from the high standards they have maintained for nearly three years. But winning the ball back has not been an issue for Liverpool, as their press remains key to their identity without the ball.
It is important to note that nearly every team in the Premier League have dipped in their pressing intensity compared with last season, but Liverpool have the most “high turnovers” (4.5 per 90), which measures when a team win the ball back less than 40 metres from the opponent’s goal, in the division.
Regaining possession with intensity is not the issue. Using PPDA (passes allowed per defensive actions) we can understand how active a team are at trying to win possession back after they’ve lost it.
This season, Liverpool are allowing opponents just 10.6 passes on average before making a tackle or interception, which is the third-best in the league. They are pressing frequently (as shown by low PPDA) and effectively (as shown by high pressure success).
Neither is there an issue with their dominance on the ball — Klopp’s men average 63.7 per cent possession in the league, which is second only to Manchester City’s 64.1.
The most noticeable issue is their change in intensity on the ball. Liverpool prided themselves on being devastating in transition — ie, those first moments after they regain possession. Their effective counter-press would regularly swarm forward and get a shot away within a few seconds.
Take this example from last season’s home game against Everton. With the score 0-0, Liverpool are defending a cross in their own area with Andy Robertson heading a ball away to Adam Lallana.
Lallana drives forward to quickly release Sadio Mane, taking out Everton’s midfield in the process.
Mane is quick to maximise the space behind Everton’s defensive line, which is badly out of shape — playing a ball to Divock Origi….
…who rounds Jordan Pickford to pass into an empty net.
Many players and coaches say you need to get the opposition “facing their own goal”. By that, they mean you must ask questions of the defenders and get them running back to defend their box by playing balls in behind them — as you can see with the Everton players above.
Recently though, Liverpool have been playing in front of teams too much, and allowing the opposition to be set in their defensive shape for long periods.
There have been several occasions where Liverpool have had the opportunity to maximise their opportunity in transition in recent games, but instead chosen to retain the ball and allow the opposition to regain their shape, before embarking on the more difficult task of rebuilding the attack and trying to work an opening.
You would be right to point out that Liverpool’s recent counter-attack away to West Ham was a perfect example of hitting the opposition on the break. It was, but the context differed as West Ham had committed more men forward for a corner and were forced to chase the game after falling behind. Each of the examples provided are when the score is level and the game more tightly poised.
Liverpool’s recent risk aversiveness seeped into their play at the weekend against Manchester City. First, we see Trent Alexander-Arnold regain possession from Raheem Sterling, before playing a pass down the line to Mohamed Salah.
City players are rushing back (and facing their own goal) with the defensive line out of shape. They have good numbers back but there is space there for Liverpool to exploit.
Salah elects to come inside into a more congested area, where he is crowded out and forced to release it to Curtis Jones. Again, City have men back but their shape isn’t great with space still available to exploit on either flank.
Jones slows the play down and sees the space condensed before playing a simple pass back to Robertson, who starts the build-up again.
City, to their credit, are now all back in good shape and comfortable with allowing Liverpool to play in front of them. None of their players are facing their own goal.
Where previously you might have considered it a goalscoring opportunity in transition, Liverpool did not even get anywhere near the City box. And this was not the only example in Sunday’s game.
As outlined above, Liverpool’s intensity off the ball has remained strong. In this example, Jones sprints to pick up a loose pass played in the direction of Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Jones reads it well and gets in behind Zinchenko, with all City players facing their own goal and quickly rushing to get back into shape. To punish this, a ball such as the one below would have allowed Salah to attack the space in behind.
Instead, Jones opted to pass backwards, playing the ball behind Roberto Firmino, who is forced to check his run to collect it.
Firmino then goes back further to Georginio Wijnaldum, allowing City to regain their shape and keep the play in front of them. Another opportunity missed with no shot even attempted.
The speed in which Liverpool typically turn defence into attack is what you most associate with a Klopp team. Using this transition to quickly get a shot at goal with the speed of their front three has been consistently strong, but interestingly this has dropped off this year.
Looking at the directness of the attack, we can see Liverpool were taking a shot 3.6 times per 90 minutes within 15 seconds of recovering the ball. As expected, that put them top of the list in the Premier League for direct attacks from front to back.
This year, their numbers are lower and, interestingly, the lowest of any season under Klopp. They are now average 3.0 shots per 90 within 15 seconds of recovering the ball — which puts them fourth in the league behind Leeds United, Manchester United and Aston Villa.
It seems Liverpool have become far more accustomed at holding onto the ball this season, and not playing as many high-risk passes that could lead to a loss of possession.
This is backed up by the numbers. Compared with last season, Liverpool are averaging a lower number of distinct possessions in the games they play. Put simply, this means the ball is changing hands (or feet) a lot less often between the teams across the course of the match.
The number of possessions can indicate the style and tempo of a game. As Liverpool have fewer possessions this season, it suggests that the tempo is less frenetic as the opposition is less able to get the ball off them.
But this lower number could also relate to the examples above, where Liverpool are electing to hold onto the ball instead of playing a more risky pass in behind. The balance is more control but less disruption to the opposition.
Liverpool are holding onto possession for two seconds longer this season than the last one. This might not sound like a lot, but it could be the difference between catching the opposition out of shape or not. Many might point to this change coinciding with the introduction of Thiago Alcantara into the team — it will be interesting to look closer into this once the Spaniard has played a larger number of games than his current eight league starts.
Likewise, the slower tempo is shown by more of their possessions consisting of at least nine passes compared with last season. Given how Liverpool typically like to play at breakneck speed, this difference is all the more noticeable.
For context, the Everton goal above went from Robertson to Origi in three passes, and it shows again — more control but less disruption to the opposition this year.
There’s no doubt that the key to Liverpool’s success in recent years has always been getting the ball to their front three as soon as possible.
Whether it is the absence of the injured Virgil van Dijk’s raking switches of play or an increased tendency to build up through midfield, the speed and intensity of their attacks are dropping off and Liverpool need to regain the confidence to make the most of the opportunities they craft for themselves, just like they did last season. | https://theathletic.com/2381630/2021/02/13/liverpool-high-intensity/ |
Ten Albemarle County Public Schools teachers have been awarded grants by the Edgar and Eleanor Shannon Foundation for Excellence in Public Education. The grants, which total just over $15,000 will support innovative programming in county elementary, middle and high schools in the 2022-23 school year. According to the foundation, teachers who have received grants each year have documented increases in student test scores and a greater enthusiasm for learning.
One of the major projects funded this year was designed by Gay Baker, the media specialist and librarian at Brownsville Elementary School. Baker will use her $5,000 grant to create a StoryWalk exhibit on school grounds.
“I was very impressed with similar learning experiences that I have seen created by schools and libraries in other parts of our country,” Baker said. “StoryWalks offer a wonderful opportunity for students to enjoy quality literature during time spent outdoors. Interaction with text will help students improve vocabulary, increase comprehension skills, and develop background knowledge in a variety of content areas such as math, social studies, and science. Related STEM activities will help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills,” she explained.
While the walk will receive plenty of use during the school day by all grade levels, pre-K through 5, Baker said she hopes that families and children will use the walk even when school is not in session. In building the displays, she would like to partner with community service organizations, such as Eagle Scouts. Stories that will be featured could be shared online with families, and among future enhancements, Baker notes, could be the addition of sound and other interactive features to enhance quality of learning.
Two other teachers, Susi Page from Red Hill Elementary School, and Lisa Boyce from Henley Middle School, also received Level Two project grants. With her grant of $4,169, Page plans a raised garden to become part of Red Hill’s outdoor learning space. Students will have the opportunity for hands-on learning in caring for plants and animals and in interacting with them in their natural environment. Boyce will receive $2,253 to design science laboratory projects that incorporate concepts in science, technology, engineering, art and math to create greater student confidence and enthusiasm.
Six Shannon Grants were awarded through Level One funding:
- At Western Albemarle High School, Meghan Streit will receive $750 and ask students to assist in researching, reading and analyzing books that can be added to the school library. This is the second year of a project that began last year when Streit collaborated with students to select great American stories that became part of classroom libraries curated by students.
- Hollymead Elementary School’s Catherine Simpson will use her $750 grant for an outdoor playground for special education students that will utilize sensory and active play materials to promote fine motor skills and to increase their interaction with one another.
- Two Burley Middle School educators, Tina Goode and John Worozbyt, will share a $700 grant to develop opportunities for science students to build such devices as rockets, solar ovens, derby cars, and kites as a pathway to enriching problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork.
- Angie Foreman also is taking a scientific approach to learning at Stone-Robinson Elementary School, using her grant of $698 to install a garden pond, where students will employ their observational skills to learn about ecosystems, life cycles, food chains, and environmental stewardship.
- At Mountain View Elementary School, Lori Brodhead will apply her award of $378 to create a sensory learning station for students in the Bright Stars preschool program.
- And, Anne Straume will work with third graders at Meriwether Lewis on a project titled, Eaten Alive!, through which students will research how such plants as the Venus flytrap interact with their environment to sustain their life.
The Shannon Foundation for Excellence was established in 1990 to fund projects by public school teachers in the city and county that represent innovative programming. The Foundation is named for University of Virginia President Emeritus Edgar F. Shannon, Jr., and his wife Eleanor in honor of their contributions to public education over many years.
This year, the Foundation is also funding three projects that total $6,938 for Charlottesville City Schools educators. Overall, grants this year for both county and city school divisions total $21,946. | https://www.k12albemarle.org/our-departments/communications/news-board/~board/newsroom/post/2022-23-shannon-foundation-grants |
There is some truth in judging someone by the company they keep. It can easily be seen that those around us do influence our attitudes and behavior, for better or worse. And it doesn’t surprise many to learn that criminals often consort with criminals and that they promote anti-social activities and influence others to continue such unethical and illegal conduct.
This section of the Criminon Program deals with establishing the skill to chart one’s own course in life, with honesty and integrity, and to spot and disassociate from those elements which would tend to lead one astray. | https://www.criminon.org/what-we-do/ups-downs-in-life/ |
Position Description:
AvMet Applications, Inc. (AvMet), is recruiting for an Associate Scientist who is self-motivated and detail-oriented with excellent communication skills and a positive attitude to join our team of scientists, engineers, and researchers. The ability to work in a fast-paced, professional environment while managing multiple competing tasks is required. In addition, strong problem-solving and analytical skills are needed to support a variety of analysis tasks. AvMet’s work domain ranges from program management support to large-scale data manipulation, modeling, and analysis.
The successful candidate will be part of a team supporting the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) NextGen Aviation Weather Division in developing and deploying the Next Generation Air Traffic System (NextGen). The candidate will provide meeting support to FAA personnel, including organizing meeting logistics, attending meetings, preparing meeting minutes and reports, coordinating communication among attendees, and maintaining working documents.
In addition, the candidate will conduct analysis of FAA and National Weather Service (NWS) policies, programs, systems, and forecast capabilities. Frequent duties and responsibilities include conducting analysis of meteorological and air traffic data using a variety of programming languages, developing briefings/presentations, preparing project plans and schedules, conducting regulatory, policy, and financial research related to aviation weather and aviation safety, and writing/editing various reports.
The candidate must be detail-oriented, able to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment, and convey a professional image in client meetings.
Minimum Qualifications:
Desirable Qualifications:
*Note: Degrees in Aeronautical Science, Aeronautics, and Air Traffic Management will also be considered.
**Note: Relevant professional experience must consist of full-time employment that is neither an institutional assistantship nor a co-op position. Full-time internships, paid or unpaid, at both the undergraduate and graduate level, are considered relevant professional experience.
This is an associate-level position located in the Washington, DC, metropolitan region.
The start date for the position is flexible. Any offer of employment, including the start date, is contingent upon approval of the candidate’s resume by the FAA.
To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume as email attachments to [email protected]. Please include the position title in the email subject line.
Benefits
AvMet provides a comprehensive benefits package to full-time employees. Benefits include the follow: | http://avmet.com/job_associate_scientist |
Our clinic has chosen to adopt a spay/neuter policy, and requests that all new healthy pets be spayed or neutered within six months of becoming our patients.
Here is a link to more information on spaying and neutering, which also covers the reasons why our clinic has adopted a spay/neuter policy.
https://www.avma.org/resources...
How much does spaying and neutering cost?
The cost of a spay or neuter depends upon the pet's size and age. Once your pet has received their first examination we can give you an estimate of what the surgery will cost.
Where can I go to adopt a pet?
There are many local shelters through which you can adopt a dog or cat:
Chasing Daylight Animal Shelter - 608-374-2112 (dogs and cats)
Monroe County Dog Shelter - 608-269-8775 (dogs only)
AS/AP Cat Shelter - 608-269-3525 (cats only)
Carl W. Nelson Animal Shelter - 608-847-4060 (dogs and cats)
How do I find a responsible dog breeder?
There are many factors to consider when looking for a responsible breeder, including vaccinations, deworming, training, OFA and CERF certification and more. Here are links to two well-written articles regarding finding a responsible breeder: | https://tomahvetclinic.org/spay-and-neuter |
Kevin Biese, MD; Christopher Crowley, PhD; Amy Stuck PhD, RN; Jon Zifferblatt, MD
Today, emergency room physicians see too many patients who have delayed treatment for heart attacks, strokes, and other serious conditions because of COVID-19 fears. In some cases, the results are needlessly catastrophic. Decisions to activate emergency care for life-threatening episodes appear to be dominated by perceptions that our nation’s emergency care infrastructure is either overwhelmed or unable to safely manage a call for help. As the number of COVID-19 cases in the US has crossed the threshold of 2 million people, four in five adults say they are concerned about contracting COVID-19 from another patient or visitor if they need to go to the emergency department (ED), while nearly a third report actively delaying or avoiding medical care. These concerns appear to manifest as reduced ED visits, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting a 42% drop in ED visits and so-called excess deaths, including deaths that may be associated with avoided or delayed care. Older adults are admittedly in a particularly precarious situation. They are among the highest risk for complications and mortality from COVID-19, yet they can least afford to postpone or avoid receiving acute health care for other serious illnesses, injuries or exacerbations of chronic conditions. The COVID-19 crisis has greatly increased the imperative to develop a new paradigm of emergency care for older adults. We propose that policymakers, administrators and the broader clinician community collaborate with emergency medicine professionals to support a three–pronged approach:
- Proactive outreach to older and high-risk individuals, making sure they and their caregivers know why, how and when to activate needed care
- Redesign of the emergency care response system to provide acute medical needs in the home if possible
- Ensure ED environments and processes are safe and senior-friendly
1) Proactive Outreach for High-risk and Chronically Ill Patients
A first step to help older adults with chronic illness exacerbations safely receive needed care is to reassure them of the importance of receiving timely care. Among older populations, decompensated heart failure, exacerbations of chronic lung disease, and complications of periodic infections are ubiquitous. Emergency physicians need managed care administrators and the primary care community to reach out to their highest risk patients, spelling out the relative risks of delaying treatment for urgent and emergent conditions. Outreach can consist of mailers, emails, text messages, and even in-person phone calls. There are many examples of healthcare systems—especially those who are most financially at-risk—successfully mobilizing communication campaigns to reach their vulnerable senior populations. The West Health Institute (WHI) and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) have been working with numerous risk-bearing organizations in a home-based acute care learning and action network (HomeLAN), developing proactive outreach as described above. Using Chronic Care Management (CCM) services, for example, successful organizations have provided their highest risk patients clear color-coded health indicators of when and why to call for help, making sure they are placed near a patient’s telephone or on the refrigerator.
Proactive outreach can help EDs by spelling out what types of responses patients might expect upon activating care. For example, rather being told to hang up and dial 911, primary care providers can reach out to patients in their panel with chronic disease to ensure they do not need immediate care, and if emergency care is needed, coordinate optimal care delivery with ED providers. But more importantly, provider outreach will benefit most when they can elaborate a specific range of options that extend beyond the four walls of the ED. As described below, a well-communicated commitment to providing care where most safe and appropriate, including receiving that care in the comfort and safety of their homes and communities. Building from this initial commitment, providers can overcome the initial reticence to call, both for suspected COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related issues. If a transfer to the ED is warranted, the initial engagement provides a context for a meaningful discussion about safety measures in place, and the relative risks of delayed care versus exposure to COVID-19. Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, policies supportive of proactive outreach can lower hospital-related spending and increase days-at-home—both critical metrics of cost-effective, senior-focused healthcare.
2) Care at home as much as possible
a) Telehealth for seniors:
The COVID-19 pandemic has instigated revolutionary advances in telehealth and telephonic care delivery, many of which are included in the so-called “hospital without walls” policies set in motion by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Policymakers and value-based care administrators need to make sure the gains in telehealth and telephonic care persist beyond the current pandemic, especially for older adults. Telehealth and telephonic care allow seniors to be treated safely at home, when possible. When not possible, the initial engagement afforded by telehealth and telephonic care allows providers to indicate next steps, such as an in-person office visit, urgent care, or immediate ED-based care. Organizations in the WHI/IHI HomeLAN augmented proactive outreaching as described above to support virtual management of early onset events, for example adding or modifying prescriptions as well as broader office level services and triage to the most appropriate site of care.
b) Emergency Medical Services (EMS) bringing the care to the patient rather than the patient to the care site:
For unplanned acute care needs, especially exacerbations of chronic disease, EMS services such as ED evaluation and management as well as observation services can be engaged and reimbursed via telehealth delivery. Emergency physicians require someone on-scene, administering oxygen, for example, or monitoring vital signs such as heart rates or blood oxygenation levels. These functions are all part of the so-called prehospital care that paramedics routinely provide. In the HomeLAN, telehealth-enabled EMS responses were ramped up to nearly 60 cases per week, ultimately keeping hundreds of patients out of the ED in April 2020 alone, especially in the COVID-19 hotspots such as New York City. However, achieving this ramp up in EMS services required providers to separately contract with ambulance companies. While some of these contract expenses can be offset by provider-side billing, not all expenses are covered. Moreover, even in the COVID-19 emergency, CMS is only able to cover these paramedic services when they culminate in a transport, albeit with a temporarily expanded list of allowable destinations. Unfortunately, many of these alternate sites such as skilled nursing facilities may provoke the same fear-based avoidance of emergency care as a whole. We recommend that CMS expand pre-hospital services to include treatment in place (TIP), meaning pre-hospital care—under the direct supervision of an emergency doctor— can be reimbursed when delivered in the home. Patients need to know that if they call 911, they will only be transported to the ED if the specific care they need can only be delivered in an ED. A new CMS demonstration program known as Emergency Triage, Treat and Transport (ET3) includes options for TIP, but program rollout was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. We recommend that CMS consider either adding treatment in home to the current emergency waivers for ambulance services, or else consider accelerating the rollout of ET3, especially to current TIP awardees. Importantly, our recommendation for TIP should be viewed within the context of ED-managed oversight and forward triage of overall ED care, as opposed to any type of substitution or alternative to ED supervised care. Because EMS volumes are down during COVID-19 pandemic, reimbursement for home-based pre-hospital care services could alleviate business pressures as well as reduce potentially catastrophic consequences of deferred care.
3) Best practices for a safe, senior-friendly emergency room
Despite the beneficial engagement afforded by telehealth and home-based care options, the need to escalate care to the ED will arise. Fortunately, many best practices in providing safe emergency care during this pandemic have been created and now need to become standard practice across our country. These best practices in safe care include:
a) Triage before the Emergency Department (Forward Triage):
All EDs need to be safe places where seniors do not have to worry about contracting COVID-19. To do this, patients who exhibit possible symptoms of or exposure to the virus need to be treated in a separate space from patients who do not have COVID-19. EDs also need to be connected to outpatient clinics so that if the initial assessment determines the patient does not need to be treated in the ED, the patient can be referred for same-day clinic visit. Properly done, tent triage outside the ED results in multiple possible pathways including : 1) Coming into an ED area where suspected COVID-19 cases are assessed, 2) coming into an ED area where there is unlikely to be COVID-19 patients, 3) using telehealth to assess and treat in the patient’s car and not having to come into the ED at all, or 4) rapid, often same-day referral to urgent care or primary care clinic.
b) Safe Emergency Department Space
Waiting room safety:
If tele-health and foreward triage are utilized correctly, waiting room times should be minimized. However, having to wait is always a possibility. Ensuring a safe, clean space with adequate distance between people waiting to be evaluated is necessary to avoid infection spread while waiting. Even better, innovative scheduling software exists to schedule urgent but not truly emergent visits.
Eradication of all hallway beds:
Many EDs utilize beds in the hallway to manage overflow, often because patients wait in the ED for long periods of time before having a bed available to move to an inpatient room. This is unacceptable. Staying in the hallway is dangerous for older adults as it may cause confusion and delirium, falls, bed sores, complete lack of privacy, and especially now, could expose the patients to infectious diseases including COVID-19. Hallway beds need to become a thing of the past.
Personal Protective Equipment:
All ED staff, patients, and visitors need adequate, readily available personal protective equipment at all times. Period.
c) Caregivers are critical:
Older adults, and their caregivers, are scared to come to the ED because they know the patient’s loved ones will likely not be allowed to come in with them. While this is understandable from an infection control standpoint, older patients, especially those with dementia, need their advocates and caregivers. If those caregivers feel comfortable coming into the ED, we should welcome them, with appropriate protective equipment available for them. Caregivers are a critical part of the care team and without them, older adults are at increased risk of delirium, agitation, and injury. It is becoming increasingly clear that patients are avoiding critically important health care because no caregivers or visitors are allowed to accompany them. Processes for triage can be implemented to extend isolation to patient dyads, for example, alleviating much of the concern.
d) Rapid COVID testing availability
COVID - 19 testing with rapid turnaround is now available. Knowing whether a patient likely has COVID - 19 minimizes any other care delays such as radiology imaging or hospital admission, minimizes the chances another patient is exposed to a COVID - 19 positive patient, facilitates safe transfers to skilled nursing facilities and other congregate living centers, and is critical to providing safe ED care. Furthermore, rapid testing availability for healthcare staff with a regular testing schedule is equally critical to ensure a safe ED environment for all patients and staff.
e) Safe transitions to home from the ED:
If ED providers admit patients to the hospital for lack of social or well-integrated out-patient medical resources, patients will be reluctant to come to the ED as they do not wish to be contained in a hospital that has other patients with COVID-19 and may not allow them to have their friends or family visit. There are well defined best practices in care transitions for older adults from the ED to outpatient settings including working with case management, social work, home health agencies, physical therapy, and pharmacy to create a safe transition home from the ED to avoid medically unhelpful hospital admissions. The American College of Emergency Physicians Geriatric ED Accreditation Program, with over 150 accredited EDs, outlines many of these best practices.
The COVID-19 crisis has generated a heightened sense of emergency departments as portals to the entire healthcare system: if patients don’t get ED care, they forgo critical, life-saving care available not just in the ED, but well beyond. We have proposed a three–pronged approach, built off learnings from the HomeLAN as well as best practices of accredited Geriatric Emergency Departments, to help ensure safe emergency care for older adults and all other patients frightened to come to the ED today.
We ask that policymakers, administrators, and the broader clinician community join the growing group of stakeholders who are adopting and advancing these approaches, ensuring that America's seniors can once again safely seek emergency care.
Kevin Biese, MD, MAT
Dr. Biese serves as an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine (EM) and Internal Medicine, Vice-Chair of Academic Affairs, and Co-Director of the Division of Geriatrics Emergency Medicine at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill School of Medicine as well as a consultant with West Health. With the support of the John A. Hartford and West Health Foundations, and alongside Dr. Ula Hwang, he serves as Co-PI of the national Geriatric Emergency Department Collaborative. He is grateful to chair the first Board of Governors for the ACEP Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation Program.
Jon Zifferblatt, MD, MPH, MBA
In his role as Executive Vice President, Strategy and Successful Aging, Dr. Jon Zifferblatt advances West Health’s mission to lower healthcare costs to enable seniors to successfully age in place with access to high-quality, affordable health and support services that preserve and protect their dignity, quality of life and independence.
At West Health, Dr. Zifferblatt creates and implements our strategic successful aging initiatives, as well as co-managing our platform focused on lowering the cost of healthcare. Under his leadership, the organization is focused on driving integration across its successful aging clinical research portfolios, models of excellence and cost of healthcare strategic initiatives. Ensuring that the work done by West Health has a maximal impact – at scale – for older adults is a key area of his focus.
Prior to joining West Health, Dr. Zifferblatt has had previous roles in the population health, evidence generation, and healthcare business sectors, and has served in a variety of executive, research, and clinical capacities in the U.S., China, and Japan.
A California native, he completed undergraduate work at Stanford University, received his medical degree from UC San Diego, and a combined MBA/MPH from UC Berkeley.
Amy R. Stuck, PhD, RN
Amy Stuck is Senior Director, Value-based Acute Care and a health services researcher at the West Health Institute, a non-profit medical research organization focused on senior-specific healthcare delivery innovations to lower the cost of healthcare and enable successful aging in place.
Amy earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Portland, her master’s degree in Nursing Education from California State University, Dominguez Hills, with an emphasis on hospital acquired infections, and a PhD in Nursing from the University of San Diego with a focus on ICU Delirium. She completed post-doctoral studies in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of California, San Diego studying healthcare utilization prior to deaths by suicide and unintentional lethal opioid overdoses.
Amy’s current fields of study include senior-focused emergency care, home and community-based alternatives to hospitalization, value-based care in Medicare and accountable care organizations.
Amy has over 30 years’ experience in Acute and Critical Care nursing, quality improvement, hospital leadership and nursing education.
Christopher Crowley, PhD
Dr. Christopher Crowley is a systems engineer and quantitative analyst with a career dedicated to public health, safety and wellbeing. His research interests include population health, health disparities, community-based care and surveillance as well as the development and navigation of successful aging throughout the continuum of care. Dr. Crowley received a PhD in Electrical Engineering from McGill University and Certificate in Quantitative Finance. He holds over 20 patents and currently serves as a Program Manager at the West Health Institute. | https://smhs.gwu.edu/urgentmatters/news/emergency-care-older-adults-covid-19-era-and-beyond-proactive-safe-and-close-home |
The repertoire of resistance: Non-compliance with directives in Milgram's 'obedience' experiments.
This paper is the first extensive conversation-analytic study of resistance to directives in one of the most controversial series of experiments in social psychology, Stanley Milgram's 1961-1962 study of 'obedience to authority'. As such, it builds bridges between interactionist and experimental areas of social psychology that do not often communicate with one another. Using as data detailed transcripts of 117 of the original sessions representing five experimental conditions, I show how research participants' resistance to experimental progressivity takes shape against a background of directive/response and complaint/remedy conversational sequences--sequence types that project opposing and competing courses of action. In local contexts of competing sequential relevancies, participants mobilize six forms of resistance to the confederate experimenter's directives to continue. These range along a continuum of explicitness, from relatively subtle resistance that momentarily postpones continuation to techniques for explicitly trying to stop the experiment. Although both 'obedient'- and 'defiant'-outcome participants use all six of the forms, evidence is provided suggesting precisely how members of the two groups differ in manner and frequency of resistance.
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2019-05-03 15:00:00 UTC to 2019-05-10 15:00:00 UTC
This is a weekly, semi-automated post where I will show some statistics and graphs of the development category. It will also serve as a showcase for the staff picks and task requests that were made in the current week. If you have any suggestions or things you'd like to see in this post, then please let me know!
Previous posts
Top contribution(s)
Now On The World Wide Web | Scouting Data Summarizer by @ajayyy
This is a reader for the scouting app developed for FIRST Robotics Team 2708. It is used to scout other robots at the competition. The data is sent from 6 client apps to the server over bluetooth throughout the course of the events. The server must manage and put everything together. Scouting is necessary to be able to change your team's strategy and know what teams to pick to join your alliance. This reader converts the complicated database information into something easily understandable.
Update for steemengine - testnet, stake and unstake support have been added by @holger80
Steemengine is a python library for working with steem-engine.com tokens. It is now possible to set the url in the Api class and input the Api object to each steemengine class, which allows users to use the steem-engine testnet.
Introducing DelegatorBot 1.0 by @learnelectronics
DelegatorBot is a simple, yet powerful command line bot that uses delegations to determine who it upvotes, rather than bids. The concept is simple: those who delegate get an endless supply of upvotes (with limitations, of course) until they decide to undelegate (delegate zero). The bot can be configured to accept a certain amount of Steem Power as a delegation which will prompt it to follow that account. The bot can then be run to upvote, resteem and reply all of those it follows. DelegatorBot can also generate a daily report which details all of those who have delegated, how much they've delegated, as well as all of those it has upvoted, and the percentage of upvote they received.
Category summary
- There were 7 contributions of which 7 have a chance of being rewarded, or already were rewarded.
- The average score was 81.4 with an average reward of 22.5 STU from Utopian.
- The total reward from Utopian for development contributions this week (so far) is 157.7 STU.
- There were a total of 7 unique contributors in the category. Unfortunately there weren't any new contributors.
Score distribution in the development category
Number of contributions per weekday
Well there weren't many contributions this week at all, but it was still spread pretty evenly across the week. Not really much to say.
Average score, reward (STU) and time before review (hours) per week
Time before review is the number of hours between the creation of the post and the time it is reviewed by a moderator.
The average score of contributions has gone up from 65.1 to 81.4 this week, which is a good indication that the quality of contributions has also gone up! The average reward, just like the average score, has also gone up (from 16.8 STU to 22.5 STU), which is of course great for our contributors. Finally, the number of hours it takes for us to get to a contribution and review it (on average) has gone down a bit from 16.1 hours to 14.0 hours.
Number of contributions reviewed per week
As you can see, the weekly number of reviews is down from 11 to 7. Unfortunately this seems to be following a trend, as the number of contributions over the last two weeks is also down from 26, in the two weeks prior, to 18. Pretty sad to see, but I didn't really expect anything else after the price of STEEM dropped and Utopian lost a lot of its delegation.
Contributors
Number of unique contributors per week
With the number of reviews going down this week it's unfortunately not that surprising to see the number of unique contributors go down slightly from 10 to 7 either.
Most active contributor(s)
Well, once again there were so little contributions that everyone was equally active, so I thought I might as well list all of them here:
@blockchainstudio
@schamangerbert
@ajayyy
@krnel
- KURE Community Curation App Update - Resteeming Posts and UI/UX Upgrade with Steem Content Grid Layout View
@gotgame
- Projecteer Update - Admin View User Profile, Projects, Tasks, Teams and Users View Team Members List
@holger80
@learnelectronics
Moderators
- @helo reviewed 7 contributions with an average score of 81.4.
Number of reviews per weekday
Number of contributions reviewed per moderator
Average score given per moderator
Task request(s)
Development Task Request - Display Error When Migrating To Quasar v1 by @helo
When Verto migrated to Quasar v1, they experienced a series of L&F issues. The first of these issues is that the choose currency option is not displaying correctly. They want users to see the choose currency options appear properly so that they can read the sceeens instructions, and so they are looking for someone who can implement this.
Ulogs.org Development Task Request (Via Utopian) - Help Us To Build Basic Pages For 'Marketplace, Crowdfunding, Giveaways, Grow. (Additional 80 Steem Bounty) by @surpassinggoogle
This is overall 'a simple task'. It contains 4 very-related tasks and much of what you will need to complete these tasks already exists in the current code.
Also, if you think there is anything that can be worded more clearly, then please let me know! | https://hive.blog/utopian-io/@amosbastian/weekly-overview-of-the-development-category-week-19-2019 |
Washington: On October 13, Planet Mars will be opposite the Sun and closest to the sky.
On that date, Mars will be on the opposite side – in the sky opposite the Sun. Earth is located directly between Mars and the Sun. As a result, Sky & Telescope predicts that Mars will rise as the sun rises as the sun sets.
Opposition – the most important Mars date on the Stargazers’ calendar – is the brightest planet on Earth and close to its maximum size in telescopes. However, Sky & Telescope said that due to the shapes and directions of the planets’ orbits, Mars and Earth were actually separated by 62 million kilometers on Tuesday, October 6th.
It is 160 times farther away than Mars. This planet will not be near us again until 2035.
When the planets orbit the Sun, the Earth’s opposition to Mars occurs about 26 months after it reaches Earth.
This year’s opposition is special because it occurs when Mars reaches its nearest perihelion to the Sun in its orbit.
The planet’s orbit is clearly circular (its eccentricities are 0.009 and 0.00 for a perfect circle), so it can sometimes be 21 million kilometers closer or farther from the Sun than Mars. The Red Planet reached its perihelion on August 3 this year and has been slowly moving away from the Sun since that date.
Although Mars was somewhat closer to Earth in 2018, at a distance of 58 million km, observers in the Northern Hemisphere are more opposed to 2020 because the Red Planet is higher in the sky because it is farther north, where telescopes can observe the planet through the Earth’s atmosphere in a shorter and more direct way.
“In fact, Mars will not be relatively close and in a good position for northern observers until opposition arrives in 2052, which makes this year’s opposition even more remarkable,” said Sky & Telescope Consulting Editor.
Prone to fits of apathy. Unable to type with boxing gloves on. Internet advocate. Avid travel enthusiast. Entrepreneur. Music expert. | https://swordstoday.ie/october-13-is-opposite-mars/ |
Salvini Di Maio (Italy) creates performances and media art. By contesting the division between the realm of memory and the realm of experience, Di Maio presents everyday objects as well as references to texts, painting and architecture. Pompous writings and Utopian constructivist designs are juxtaposed with trivial objects. Categories are subtly reversed.
His performances are made through strict rules which can be perceived as liberating constraints. Romantic values such as ‘inspiration’, ‘genius’ and ‘authenticity’ are thereby neutralised and put into perspective. With the use of appropriated materials which are borrowed from a day-to-day context, he often creates several practically identical works, upon which thoughts that have apparently just been developed are manifested: notes are made and then crossed out again, ‘mistakes’ are repeated.
His collected, altered and own works are being confronted as aesthetically resilient, thematically interrelated material for memory and projection. The possible seems true and the truth exists, but it has many faces, as Hanna Arendt cites from Franz Kafka. By applying a wide variety of contemporary strategies, he absorbs the tradition of remembrance art into daily practice. This personal follow-up and revival of a past tradition is important as an act of meditation.
His works never shows the complete structure. This results in the fact that the artist can easily imagine an own interpretation without being hindered by the historical reality. By examining the ambiguity and origination via retakes and variations, he tries to increase the dynamic between audience and author by objectifying emotions and investigating the duality that develops through different interpretations.
His works are on the one hand touchingly beautiful, on the other hand painfully attractive. Again and again, the artist leaves us orphaned with a mix of conflicting feelings and thoughts. With Plato’s allegory of the cave in mind, he plays with the idea of the mortality of an artwork confronted with the power of a transitory appearance, which is, by being restricted in time, much more intense.
He creates situations in which everyday objects are altered or detached from their natural function. By applying specific combinations and certain manipulations, different functions and/or contexts are created. By manipulating the viewer to create confusion, he makes work that deals with the documentation of events and the question of how they can be presented. The work tries to express this with the help of physics and technology, but not by telling a story or creating a metaphor.
His works are an investigation into representations of (seemingly) concrete ages and situations as well as depictions and ideas that can only be realized in performance. | https://500letters.org/form_15.php?naam=di_maio_salvini |
Nietzsche distinguishes the free spirit from the fettered spirit by placing them into opposition to one another, stating that the fettered sprit follows habit and seeks out experiences that re-assert their habituated beliefs (HH §225). On the other hand, the free spirit pursues the exception to the rule and is themselves an exception to the rule which is obtained through inquiry, reason, and liberation away from tradition (HH §225). Nietzsche emphasizes that the free spirit is someone whose beliefs and way of life differ from the majority and more specifically from their class, profession, origins, and environment (HH §225). Does Nietzsche mean to open up his hope for a shared community of free spirits to women and people from various kinds of backgrounds?
Epicurus did not restrict his teachings to men or the youth, his teachings were for people, both men and women of all ages, “whether slave or free.” For this reason, one would be inclined to suppose that Nietzsche’s reinvention of the Epicurean garden would embrace all people, in his own words, “who think differently from[…]the dominant views of the age” (HH §225). However, this is not exactly the case for Nietzsche because, according to him, the free spirit cannot be ideologically enslaved and he believes that this is the general predicament of women.
Nietzsche writes that although women are attracted to free spirited endeavors, they have been socialized “for millennia” to be subservient to societal authorities more than men (HH §435). The feminine inclination to service (HH §432) in conjunction with the social position of women that Nietzsche writes is one of slavery (GM III§18 and Z I “On the Friend”) makes it extremely difficult for women to become free spirits. Nevertheless, if we approach Nietzsche’s notion of the free spirit specifically in terms of how he describes it in Human (§225), exceptional women should be able to become free spirits through the progressive emancipation from those traditional roles to which they are subjected (HH §225).
Nietzsche characterizes free spirits as those who pursue probity through demanding reasons for their beliefs (HH §225). In doing so, they question their attachments to their convictions and habits and relinquish the certitudes of faith (HH §226; GS §347). I have argued elsewhere that agonistic friendship is central to the process of overcoming required to become a free spirit. However, in the middle texts the kind of friendship most emphasized by Nietzsche, and connecting to the building of a Epicurean inspired community, is one of joy in which free spirits come together to experience pleasure through shared reflection and self-affirmation.
The Joyful Friendship as a Healing Balm
In The Vatican Collection of Epicurean Sayings we can read the following: “Friendship dances around the world announcing to all of us that we must wake up to blessedness.” The joyful aspect of friendship that is accentuated by Epicurus is taken up by Nietzsche in the free spirits texts when he writes that friends should share joy not suffering (GS §338) and states: “Fellow rejoicing (Mitfreude), not fellow suffering (Mitleiden) makes the friend” (HH §499). The importance of sharing joy is further emphasized by Nietzsche in Daybreak (§422) as a life activating principle that creates a feeling of fullness in the individual. This shared feeling of fullness is a remedy for the sicknesses of the modern human soul such as pity, guilt, and consumerism.
In The Gay Science (§338) Nietzsche encourages those who seek “one’s own way” (free spirits) to separate themselves from society and even to “live in seclusion.” He qualifies this by stating that it is sure that one will want to share community and help others, but one should help only one’s friends who “share with you one suffering and one hope” and in doing so help oneself. Nietzsche ends this section by proclaiming in response to the “preachers of pity: to share not suffering but joy” (GS §338). Nietzsche is outlining the significance of the joyful friendship in terms of its ability to act as a healing balm for the experiences of pity.
Nietzsche thinks that the expression of pity hides more self-serving motivations that seek to overpower the other or to turn away from one’s own fear of suffering (D §133; HH §103) and with this the fear of death. He also thinks that one who demands pity may in fact be motivated not by the desire to be cared for but instead by the desire to hurt someone else (HH §50). Pity, associated with care and kindness, is often a cloaked expression of egoism according to Nietzsche. The burden of pity is one which is self-destructive.
Why double your ‘ego’!—To view our own experiences with the eyes with which we are accustomed to view them when they are the experiences of others—this is very comforting and a medicine to be recommended. On the other hand, to view and imbibe the experience of others as if they were ours—as is the demand of a philosophy of pity (Philosophie des Mitleidens) —this would destroy us, and in a very short time (D §137).
Pity (Mitleid) or suffering-with, is a likely reaction to the suffering of another person, but Nietzsche considers it to be an inevitable strain by frustrating the one who is being pitied. Nietzsche views pity to be a largely disabling and reductive perspective that fails to adequately acknowledge the situation and feelings of the suffering friend. On the most shallow level, there is a condescension involved in the expression of pity (‘poor you’) that disempowers the friend, promotes an atmosphere of hopelessness, and a nihilistic attitude toward life. The individual experience of suffering cannot be grasped by another person, yet sometimes the one who pities presumes that they can and thus does so superficially. When they make the move to ‘help’ the friend, they do so with an idea in mind that is so results-driven in its impatience that it overlooks the friend’s actual struggle. Rather than being motivated by care for the friend, Nietzsche states that pity is moved by a fear that wants to abolish suffering (BGE §225). At the core of pity is a perspective on life that is dominated by the need to avoid all pain and discomfort, which are inevitably reminders of one’s mortality. Generally speaking, Nietzsche thinks that people are too anxious about their mortality (D §174). Behind the pity that one experiences for the friend is an anxiety about death. One wants the friend to feel better, but they want the friend to feel better because the friend’s suffering is disturbing. This dismissive gesture lacks sympathy, or a genuine attempt to feel-with (Mitgefühl) the friend and respect their struggle. | http://agonist.nietzschecircle.com/wp/nietzsches-joyful-friendship-epicurean-elements-in-the-middle-works/4/ |
Diane B. Boivin, MD, PhD founded the Centre for Study and Treatment of Circadian Rhythms at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute in 1997, thanks to the support from the Douglas Hospital Foundation and a grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).
Investigators at the Centre conduct multidisciplinary research studies on human circadian rhythms (daily rhythmic events) and sleep. Sleep disturbances, reduction in performance and cognitive abilities at certain times of day, as well as gastrointestinal, hormonal and cardiovascular disorders are some of the consequences related to circadian rhythm disorders.
To transfer knowledge from the academic environment about practices promoting good sleep and circadian rhythms hygiene as well as fatigue management in the workplace.
The Centre for Study and Treatment of Circadian Rhythms consists of three spacious windowless isolation suites, which provide tightly controlled light levels and isolation from external time cues. Thanks to this design, participants can live comfortably in time-isolation for several weeks. This design also provides the opportunity to perform the various and extensive protocols of the Centre for Study and Treatment of Circadian Rhythms, such as sleep deprivation, simulated jet lag and night-shift work, constant routine, ultra-rapid sleep/wake cycles and forced desynchrony. | https://douglas.research.mcgill.ca/centre-study-and-treatment-circadian-rhythms |
Each year, Middle School students are enrolled in multiple enrichment classes. These courses are intended to complement the strong skill-based curriculum in the core classes and to provide students with opportunities to explore and hone their talents in technology and the arts.
The driving force behind this program comes directly from the work that our teachers are doing in their Professional Learning Communities. Professional Learning Communities focus on four questions: 1) What is it that we expect students to learn? 2) How will we know when they have learned it? 3) How will we respond when they don’t learn? 4) How will we respond when they already know it?
We have adopted the philosophy that every student can and will learn and that all students should be given opportunities to enrich their learning. The enrichment program will address this philosophy by providing enriching and fun educational opportunities for students wanting to challenge their own learning and extra academic support to students who are identified as needing help in reading, math, writing, and study skills.
Promoting Success
This part of the enrichment program will provide students with the opportunity to develop the skills that they need to be successful at César Chávez Middle School and the skills necessary to be successful through out high school. We know that students who do not have a strong academic background are more likely to struggle or drop out of school.
Students will be identified for these classes through state test score information, teacher recommendation, and current work performance. We have developed a program that will provide a positive and rewarding experience for students where they will gain confidence in their learning.
Promoting Growth
This part of the enrichment program has been developed to provide students with an opportunity to take fun and exciting classes that will give them a chance to explore different topics. Class sessions will be repeated throughout the year.
This program supports personal, social and academic growth and gives times for students to complete work, communicate with teachers and take care of their academic responsibilities.
Music and Drama
A main focus in the enrichment classes is the exposure and development of students to the arts. Music classes allow students to learn the basics of reading music, understanding rhythm, and developing skills on traditional band instruments as well as percussion and guitar. Drama classes are critical to life at Cesar Chavez, equipping students with tools to develop their acting, personal, and public speaking skills.
Other Enrichment Experiences
Other enrichment experiences are designed to encourage students to develop their creative, moral, and problem-solving faculties. Research shows that arts and enrichment education improves academic performance in math and language skills, creative problem-solving, and critical thinking.
Some of the enrichment classes offered include: | http://cvz-haywardusd-ca.schoolloop.com/enrichmentclasses |
Research opportunities for students studying Evolutionary Biology.
Evolutionary biologists study many aspects of evolution. They can use evolution to manage and recover endangered species, such as Przewalski's horse. This horse is considered the last "wild" horse breed and its genetic makeup is used to illustrate the evolution of equines and serve as a baseline for modern horse breeds.Population biologists use evolutionary biology in an attempt to understand population fluctuations on a large scale, such as pine beetle outbreaks and fish stock collapses. By monitoring genetic drift both spatially and geographically, researchers are attempting to mitigate these fluctuations so as to reduce the loss of biodiversity and extinction rates. Evolutionary biology can also be used to explain how natural systems recover after fires and floods, through genetic examination of the arriving species and how their populations change over time. Researchers are also examining the speciation process on geographically isolated areas such as islands, in an attempt to determine how to better manage areas after natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions that can "wipe the slate clean".Plant biologists study the reproductive and genetic aspects of plant evolutionary biology, and use plants and plant populations as biomonitors of ecosystems. They also examine the relationship between genotypes and reproductive success, so they can better design crop planting cycles and use more hardy strains of crops to improve yield.
Study Evolutionary Biology in CanadaWhat is Evolutionary Biology? Discover similiar and related programs and universities in Canada offering Evolutionary Biology degrees.
Evolutionary Biology Admission RequirementsThe prerequisites required to become accepted to an undergraduate program in Evolutionary Biology.
Graduate Evolutionary Biology Admission RequirementsThe prerequisites required to become accepted to a graduate and/or postgraduate PhD program in Evolutionary Biology.
What Evolutionary Biology Students LearnTopics, subjects and concepts that are covered and overall approach or focus taken for studying Evolutionary Biology.
Career and Employment Opportunities in Evolutionary BiologyProfessions, occupations and careers available to graduates in Evolutionary Biology and links to relevant employment resources. | http://www.canadian-universities.net/Universities/Programs/Evolutionary_Biology-Research.html |
There is an old Indian legend about a Firebird who lived in the center of the Great Dismal Swamp, a territory shared by surrounding tribes for thousands of years. The fearsome creature formed its nest (at the site of Lake Drummond) through a vast wildfire, killing countless Indian families as it burned a hole into the ground. According to the legend, an Indian hunter killed the Firebird’s babies within the nest and used their skin, feathers, and claws as a disguise to hunt the Firebird. When the Firebird realized what happened, it abandoned its nest, leaving the swamp in peace. The blood of the Firebird’s babies—the red waters that fill Lake Drummond—are a lasting reminder of the hunter’s success.1
The legend aligns with natural phenomena. Palynologists have discovered corn pollen in the peat surrounding Lake Drummond, which suggests that indigenous people lived and cultivated corn within the swamp before the lake formed.2 Further, peat fires have occurred in the swamp for thousands of years, and many researchers hypothesize that Lake Drummond formed through such a fire—which may have killed indigenous people living there. The red-colored water within the lake is due to tannic acid from Cypress and Juniper trees and Indian hunters, as featured in the story, have been masters of the swamp since time immemorial. Beyond the Nansemond River, the Great Dismal Swamp is the most significant natural site in Nansemond history.
As a descendant of a Nansemond family that migrated around the Great Dismal Swamp, this story fascinates me. The swamp is the geographic center of several Nansemond diaspora communities, many of which merged with descendants of other nearby tribes and free people of color.3 The origin story of Lake Drummond, which sits right at the Virginia-North Carolina state line, is characteristic of indigenous resistance to colonial borders. Our families have always flowed across the boundaries drawn around us, and victory over the Firebird tells us that our ancestors did not fear the swamp but chose to face its dangers and survive in a place where most colonists would not venture.
Despite my fascination, I was surprised to learn how few people knew the story when I started sharing it two years ago. In this article, I will contextualize the Firebird legend by sharing:
- the importance of oral tradition in Native American culture,
- the effects of disruption in oral tradition, and
- how to restore oral tradition.
The Importance of Oral Tradition in Native American Culture
Before anything else, it is important to understand that indigenous people of this region lived for thousands of years without written language. Story, song, and dance were our original forms of knowledge management and were passed from generation to generation. Oral tradition was used to educate youth about the environment, survival, other tribal communities, moral values, and more.4
Captain John Smith’s account from the summer of 1608 describes the Nansemond using song and dance to communicate with his crew.5 Another account from Alexander Whitaker, a clergyman, from the spring of 1611 describes the Nansemond dancing and flame-throwing to produce rain.6 These descriptions are reminders of Nansemond culture before English influence and are evidence of our belief in song and dance as a means to influence the natural world. The English at the time perceived Nansemond spirituality “as witch-like and devilish.”
In addition to its use in education, storytelling was also a form of entertainment. Before newspapers, telephones, motion pictures, radio, television, or the internet, storytellers captivated audiences with their creativity. Stories blended fantasy, reality, and personal and collective tribal memories. In contrast to journalism, in which the goal is to present events as objectively as possible, storytelling can be subjective and evolve through experience. Storytellers often capture a variety of lessons in one story and emphasize points that are meaningful at the moment.
There is evidence of Indian oral tradition within the Great Dismal Swamp. Historical accounts describe the swamp as a refuge for Indians who were displaced from their ancestral territory by colonists. Indians were known for telling “fantastic tales” about the swamp that were “fearful yet beautiful” and “interwoven with mysticism of the area” yet often proven true. These accounts are part of the survival story of Nansemond diaspora communities that continued to use the swamp through colonial displacement.
The evidence is clear that the Nansemond community around the river and those who were displaced into and around the swamp had unique culture and oral tradition. However, the body of early Nansemond research from social, economic, and political perspectives is largely based on English accounts and government-generated records. Similarly, Nansemond genealogy (focused on lineage and migration patterns) has been based on how society and government officials recorded Nansemond people rather than how we perceived and discussed ourselves and our environment.
Disruption in Oral Tradition
The ancestral couple at the core of many Nansemond families is John Bass(e) (b. 1616), an English colonist and minister, and Elizabeth (b. 1618), a “Christianized” Nansemond woman and daughter of a Nansemond Chief. Elizabeth was one of over a thousand Nansemond who was born, lived, and died in settlements surrounding the Nansemond River. Yet, the trajectory of her life changed when she was baptized and married. Many people, including myself, have spent years immersed in historical and genealogical research of Elizabeth’s descendants but far less have studied the unique culture that raised her.
If our ancestors survived through oral tradition—not the written documents we study them through—one must ask, “What is left of Nansemond oral tradition? Where did all the storytellers go?” Through forced assimilation and language loss, indigenous oral traditions were disrupted. Rather than sharing stories, songs, and dances from grandparent to parent to child, many signs of “Indianness” were hidden and replaced with English culture. The disruption has caused immeasurable loss; yet numerous stories have survived, scattered throughout the region like artifacts.
Exploring the Firebird Legend
Just as artifacts are evaluated for authenticity, oral history should be authenticated as much as possible. I approached this by following the documented Firebird legend as far as I could go. I heard the story from elders (within and outside of the Nansemond tribal community) and collected numerous newspaper references to the story from as early as the 1960s. These dates were significant because they preceded the Nansemond Indian Tribe’s 1980s reformation and state recognition. The earliest publication I found was “The Great Dismal Swamp: Its History, Folklore And Science” by Hubert J. Davis (1904-1997).
Davis was a scientist and educator with a long record of innovative methodologies. He taught at the College of William & Mary and was the director of the Virginia Fisheries Laboratory Educational Program. After writing about science and marine biology for several years, he published his first book on the Great Dismal Swamp in 1962. Davis approached folklore from a different perspective than one would while researching a tribal community. He went directly into the swamp and documented stories from people still living there.
By going into the swamp and interviewing people who were hunting guides and laborers, Hubert J. Davis placed himself in a setting where indigenous oral traditions were still relevant. The interviewees’ lives were closely connected to the environment, and the subjects of the stories were familiar to them. Earl Bass, a Nansemond Indian and well known hunting guide, happened to be a contemporary of Davis’ and shared several of his experiences in Virginia Wildlife in the 1960s.
I admire Davis’ interview approach because he did not bias his subjects with external expectations (a common criticism of some early anthropological approaches). He documented candid conversations with storytellers and removed the barriers of social class, etiquette, and religion that may otherwise inhibit people from sharing.
Davis’ account of the “The Wicked Firebird of Dismal Swamp” included a forbidden love story between a young Indian man (“Big Bear”) and woman (“White Swan”) of neighboring tribes who shared the swamp as hunting ground. It is possible that a love story was part of the original oral tradition but it is also possible that this was added to increase its appeal to those intrigued by swamp stories, such as the romanticized accounts from poets like Thomas Moore. Both Davis and subsequent authors (like Waverley Traylor7) were open about the fact that they were retelling stories that have evolved over time and they were passionate about protecting the history of the Great Dismal Swamp.
Local Comparison
In addition to following the documented Firebird story, I compared it to other stories in both local and distant indigenous communities. I discovered that there was an almost identical oral tradition among the Mattamuskeet Indians, or Machapunga, regarding the formation of the Lake Mattamuskeet. The story did not include the Firebird, but all other components were the same and both describe a local natural event that happened long before colonists arrived.
More broadly, bird-related stories are common in Algonquian and Iroquoian mythology. The Thunderbird8 is known among many tribes as the ruler of the upper world with the ability to create lightning through its eyes, thunder through its wings, and wind through its flight. One has to wonder if the Firebird story is somehow related to the Thunderbird story given the possibility of a lightning strike as the cause of the formational fire in the center of Lake Drummond.
Global Comparison
Aboriginal Australians also have an oral tradition of “firehawks” causing wildfires. Similar to the Firebird story, oral tradition about the firehawks has been proven to accurately describe a natural phenomenon in which raptor species use fire to increase their foraging sucess.9 The firehawk story is an example of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) which has recently grown as a field of study.10
Restoration of Oral Tradition
These findings place the Firebird legend in context with other indigenous stories that each reference time before colonial influence. Through my search, I discovered several other legends that are rarely shared despite containing important information about the local environment and tribal communities. In her article entitled “Educating America: The Historian’s Responsibility to Native Americans and the Public,” Angela Cavender Wilson described this as a widespread issue: “Native American oral tradition focuses less on European-Americans, more on Indian–Indian relations, and includes stories of interactions with non-human spiritual beings—all elements which have served to baffle some academic historians.”
After reading these references, I felt compelled to continue restoring lost oral tradition. Along with protecting our natural resources, we must protect the stories our ancestors left as legends, often leading us to medicines and teaching survival skills. Oral tradition shows us a different world than that of English accounts and government records and it serves a different purpose—to educate and build a sense connectedness to each other and to the environment which sustains us.
My journey to restore Nansemond oral tradition is just beginning and, thanks to the world I have discovered through the Firebird legend, I am committed to continue searching, contextualizing, and amplifying our lost voices. As part of that, I created this medallion design in honor of Nansemond women, like Elizabeth, and the diaspora they birthed.
The woman in the center is standing on the Nansemond River (Fishing Point) surrounded by corn and fish. She is facing southeast toward a sunrise, featuring a southeastern Algonquian pattern, over the Great Dismal Swamp. The fearsome Firebird rises in the center, and she is fearlessly venturing out toward it.
This design integrates the Nansemond origin story and survival story. The fires that burned through the swamp have also burned through our settlements, our communities, our records, and our rights as people. We cannot be afraid and—after so much has been lost—we cannot willingly forget anything, especially not the stories of our ancestors.
References
1Davis, Hubert J. The Great Dismal Swamp: Its History, Folklore and Science. Johnson Pub. Co., 1971.
2U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 5. Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (N.W.R.) Master Plan (NC,VA): Environmental Impact Statement, 1986.
Bradley, Kevin Christopher. The Great Dismal Swamp: A Twentieth-Century Perspective. American University. 2013. Page 20.
3A New and Correct Map of the Province of North Carolina by Edward Moseley, late surveyor general of the said province ([London]: Sold at the Three Crowns, 1733).
4Cavender Wilson, Angela. Educating America: The Historian’s Responsibility to Native Americans and the Public | Perspectives on History | AHA, 1 May 2000
5Smith, John, and John M. Thompson. The Journals of Captain John Smith: a Jamestown Biography. National Geographic Society, 2007.
6Brown, Alexander. The Genesis of the United States ; a Narrative of the Movement in England, 1605-1616, Which Resulted in the Plantation of North America by Englishmen … Collected, Arranged, and Edited by Alexander Brown. Heinemann, 1890.
7Traylor, Waverley. The Great Dismal Swamp: in Myth and Legend. RoseDog Books, 2010.
8Lenik, Edward J. “THE THUNDERBIRD MOTIF IN NORTHEASTERN INDIAN ART.” Archaeology of Eastern North America, vol. 40, 2012, pp. 163–185.
9Mark Bonta, Robert Gosford, Dick Eussen, Nathan Ferguson, Erana Loveless, and Maxwell Witwer. “Intentional Fire-Spreading by “Firehawk” Raptors in Northern Australia,” Journal of Ethnobiology 37(4), 700-718, (1 December 2017).
10Atkins, Jeff. “The Birds That Start Fires: Using Indigenous Ecological Knowledge to Understand Animal Behavior.” PLOS.org, 9 January 2018. | https://descendantsofthegreatdismal.com/2020/03/23/the-firebird-legend/?like_comment=746&_wpnonce=af4534a304 |
Table of Contents:
Recently researchers have identified how SRL processes and FA practices are intertwined and converging (e.g., Butler et al., 2017; Heritage, 2018; Panadero, Andrade, & Brookhart, 2018). FA involves weaving assessment practices into activities in ways that inform both teaching and learning. In multiple respects, FA practices are optimally designed to support learners’ engagement in deliberate, reflective cycles of strategic action, either on their own or with others. For example, FA involves engaging learners in identifying, interpreting, and working with criteria, so that they have a clear sense of purpose (e.g., Andrade, Du, & Mycek, 2010; Nicol & Macfarlane-Dick, 2006). Then, building from criteria, learners engage in both self- and peer-assessment, where they have opportunities to judge progress toward criteria, and adapt performance to reduce gaps between progress and goals (see Table 5.1).
Contemporary research on feedback aligns well with FA practices. For example, in their review, Hattie and Timperley (2007) identified three questions that effective forms of feedback should help learners to answer: Where am I (are we) going? (establishing purpose); How am I (are we) doing? (self-assessing); and Where to Next? (adjusting).
These questions align with a call to support learners’ flexible and adaptive engagement in cycles of strategic action. To more fully support socially shared strategic processing, Figure 5.1 adds two additional questions. When collaborating, learners also have to negotiate how they will work together toward goals, both when planning (“What do we need to get there?”) and when selecting, adapting, or inventing strategies for getting there (“What are we doing (and why)?”). SRL-promoting practices, FA, and productive feedback can combine to nurture socially shared strategic processing, and at the same time foster agency, metacognition, and deeper forms of collaborative learning.
Supporting Socially Shared Strategic Processing in Collaborative Learning Frameworks
In the previous section we distilled pedagogical principles and practices from the literatures on SEL, SRL, and FA. In this section, we consider how those principles and practices are being, or could be, implemented to support strategic processing in the context of some of the most actively researched collaborative learning frameworks.
Supporting Socially Shared Strategic Processing within Cooperative Learning
Cooperative learning (CL) is a pedagogical framework that has been researched since the 1970s (Gillies, 2016; Johnson & Johnson, 2009). Research has consistently shown benefits of CL for learning, peer relationships, and motivation (Gillies, 2016). Johnson and Johnson (2009) identified five conditions that support effective collaboration during CL. The first is to structure positive interdependence into activities, so that learners feel that success depends on them all contributing to a common goal. This condition aligns well with calls in both the SEL and SRL literatures to build communities of learning in which students feel like they are “in it together” (Perry et al., in press). The second condition for effective CL is to foster promotive interaction, or the willingness of group members to support each other to achieve shared goals. This condition is well aligned with recommendations from the SEL and SRL literatures to support prosocial values (e.g., Hymel et al., 2014) and socially responsible self-regulation (Hutchinson, 2013). The third condition necessary for successful CL is individual accountability, where learners feel responsible for their particular role in achieving a collective goal. This condition is consistent with descriptions of collaboration as involving dynamic coordination between self-, co-, and socially shared forms of regulation (Hadwin et al., 2010). That said, it adds an important focus on ensuring that individuals perceive themselves as having personal accountability within collaborative work. The fourth condition for effective CL is that students know how to participate together. This fourth condition aligns directly with the many calls across the literature to provide explicit support for students to build capacities for collaboration. The final condition necessary for productive CL is effective forms of group processing. Aligned with the SRL and FA literatures, CL research suggests that, to work together effectively, groups need to learn ho w to negotiate their engagement as members of a group through cycles of strategic action.
Many researchers have identified ways to support effective forms of CL. For example, Farivar and Webb (1994) argued that group work is most effective when “students are prepared in stages, and when group skills have been taught and practiced” (p. 51). Their four stages of support for cooperative learning include (1) community building; (2) developing skills for working with others in small groups; 3) developing communication and cooperation skills; and (4) developing helping skills. We interpret these suggestions as calls to surface the kinds of strategic processing required to navigate social dimensions of learning. As part of her review of research on CL, Gillies (2016) advocated for engaging students in dialogic exchanges in which peers probe and clarify each others thinking, identify and confront discrepancies, provide suggestions, and encourage each other. By integrating supports for productive academic discourse into activities, learners can be supported to take up those ways of thinking on their own. We interpret these suggestions as focusing more on the cognitive dimensions of learning collaboratively with others. Similarly, Jurkowski and Hanze (2015) developed a model for teaching students explicitly how to engage in “transactive communication” (TC) (p. 358). To that end, they provided explanations about TC to university-level students, showed videos with positive and negative examples, provided opportunities for students to identify TC within those examples, engaged students in practice with feedback, and asked students to complete a learning journal to describe TC in their interactions. They found that students who received TC instruction outperformed peers in both TC and knowledge acquisition. Jurkowski and Hanze’s (2015) study illustrated how explicit support for collaboration can be woven into activities to support both collaborative learning processes and knowledge construction. | https://m.ebrary.net/248256/philosophy/formative_assessment |
Conducting regulatory reviews of novel therapies in a timely manner is essential to improve public health concerns and ensure medical needs are met. There are regulatory mechanisms in place worldwide to accelerate the delivery of treatments for patients with serious diseases or unmet medical needs.
Many regulatory authorities throughout the world have implemented pathways that aim to expedite the submission or the review of products that cater to these medical needs. Understanding how to utilize expedited regulatory paths like Breakthrough Therapy Designation, PRIME, and Sakigake Designation is imperative to make an informed decision about the best ways to accelerate drug development.
These regulatory options are available to ensure regulatory bodies allocated the resources to review and approve therapies as soon as the benefits justify any risks. ExL’s 2nd Innovative Regulatory Pathways will serve as a platform to discuss and compare the current regulatory pathways that allow for earlier attention to drugs that have promise in treating serious or life-threatening conditions. | https://exlevents.com/innovative-regulatory-pathways-summit/ |
Numerical modelling of the earth’s climate, achieved through what we know as climate models, is the only reliable way to determine the amount of global warming we can expect. Climate models—computer programs that simulate weather patterns over time—can help us understand and measure climate trends due to human activity over decades under different conditions. While these models are incredible sources of data and instrumental in helping us prepare for future climate risks, all climate models have a level of uncertainty.
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta present unique challenges for detecting and communicating climate change as well as managing uncertainty. Those living across the Prairies know that variability is a part of life and have been adapting to the shifts in weather between seasons for generations—but the Prairies are also one of the fastest warming regions in Canada due to human-caused climate change. Coinciding with this challenge, climate projections of precipitation and related variables at a regional scale are the least certain for middle latitudes and continental interiors like the Canadian Prairies. In these regions, natural variability tends to obscure trends in climate variables – like temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, wind, waves and tides – meaning that it’s more difficult to determine future changes and risks.
To help navigate these challenges, we’ve released the Uncertainty Primer: a guide to the different types of uncertainty and how they can be managed. Recognizing, understanding, and accounting for uncertainty can inform robust adaptation and decision-making, and help prepare for the future.
Figure 1: Minimum winter temperature (°C) at Regina from 1951 to 2096 from 24 Global Climate Models (GCMs). Each coloured line represents output from a different GCMs. The bold black curve is the multi-model mean value. Source: Climate Atlas of Canada.
What is uncertainty in climate modelling?
Using models to predict the climate requires estimates of future concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) based on analyses of the social, political, and economic factors that determine emissions and land use change.
However, models, emissions scenarios, and internal climate variability can cause varying amounts of uncertainty depending on the size and location of the region, the climate variable, and the timeline. These factors encompass the term, “uncertainty” when looking at climate modelling—however to better understand uncertainty, it’s helpful to examine each type individually.
The Types of Uncertainty
There are three types of uncertainty: model uncertainty, scenario uncertainty, and internal variability.
1. Model Uncertainty
The uncertainty seen in climate modelling stems from two main sources: inter-model variability and intra-model variability.
Inter-model variability includes the many different global climate models (GCMs) developed to project future climate scenarios, each yielding unique projections based on their assumptions when provided with the same initial conditions, such as air pressure and temperature. As a number of GCMs are often used—up to a dozen, depending on the application—and compared, an inter-model average is established to reduce “noise” and/or better communicate the results. See Figure 1, for example.
The second source of model uncertainty is embedded within the model itself, which we can call ‘intra-model variability’. Although a single climate model may be developed with the same initial information to begin with, the complex nature of how the model generates outputs can lead to one set of results being different from the next. Therefore, as running several models to gain a more robust estimate is beneficial, it is also valuable to run a single climate model several times.
2. Scenario Uncertainty
Models that forecast climate require estimates of future concentrations of GHGs from human sources. These future concentrations are not predictable from physical laws and must be estimated based on analyses of the social, political and economic factors that determine GHG emissions and land-use changes. Projecting levels of future GHG emissions requires a set of assumptions about emerging socio-economic circumstances, including: changes in population, economic productivity, energy use, land use, and technology. Since these circumstances can change dramatically and unpredictably, GHG-emission scenarios span a large range. A consistent set of assumptions about changes in land use and GHG emissions allows for comparable runs of climate models.
3. Internal Variability
The third source of uncertainty is the climatic variability that emerges in response to interactions and feedback among internal components of the climate system itself. In many parts of the world, including western Canada, short-term climate variability is linked to the El Niño Southern Oscillation. Other internal variability is the result of the chaotic behaviour of the climate system. Internal climatic variability (ICV) is distinct from the external natural variability that originates outside the climate system. Most of this natural external forcing is the influence of volcanic activity and fluctuations in inputs of solar energy. ICV can be observed at the global scale but is most apparent at the regional scale. It matters most in the short term (i.e., weather to seasonal scales). On the other hand, it becomes less relevant for longer timescales (decades to centuries), as the climate evolves away from the initial conditions and as model and scenario uncertainty become more important factors.
How do we deal with uncertainty?
The good news is that understanding uncertainty in climate modelling ensures that a wide variety of risks are accounted for, which leads to better adaptation outcomes. To make sure you are managing uncertainty in your climate models and decision-making to the best of your ability, here are some tips:
- Use the most applicable and relevant climate data in terms of scale, variables, statistics, time horizon, resolution, or amount of data.
- Develop adaptation plans for a range of climate changes. A scenario approach supports adaptation planning for multiple outcomes by comparing how well each solution performs under different future conditions.
- Assess sensitivity and risk: Where is the system vulnerable? What are the critical climate thresholds?
- Consider how other types of uncertainty (e.g., economic) are managed. How much uncertainty and risk can be tolerated?
- Communicate uncertainties and assumptions and avoid potential misunderstandings in the transfer of information to stakeholders and among domains of expertise and communities of practice.
- Use climate information from multiple sources: weather observations, proxies (paleoclimate), model simulations, expert judgement, and traditional and local knowledge.
To learn more about uncertainty, check out the Uncertainty Primer and Abstract.
Or read the in-depth Technical Report here.
If you have questions about uncertainty, climate modelling or where to get the best climate data and information for your community, reach out to our Help Desk by calling 204-995-6514 or email us at [email protected]. You can also check out our publications page for resources that might be relevant to you. | https://climatewest.ca/2022/09/27/uncertainty-101-understanding-climate-models/ |
Table of Contents
Do Sea Turtles Hide In Their Shells? Sea turtles are not “normal” turtles in that they don’t retract or hide in their shells when they feel in danger. While they have adapted to evolve other ways of staying safe (such as being able to swim fast!) humans can still do their part to ensure these turtles don’t feel threatened.
Can sea turtles retract into their shells? The sea turtle’s iconic shell evolved from the ribs into a box of bone covered in tough skin. Unlike their land turtle relatives, sea turtles cannot retract their head and flippers into their shell. This makes them more vulnerable to predators and other threats like entanglement in marine debris.
Why is my turtle hiding in his shell? Some turtles and land turtles called tortoises can retract their four legs and their heads and hide inside their shells. No matter how they do it, turtles will cover themselves when a predator is nearby, when they feel threatened in general, or when they need to rest.
Do green sea turtles hide in their shells? Instead of hiding in a shell, a sea turtle has the ability to move with speed and also has a lot of agility that lets it quickly escape predators, like whales or sharks.
Do Sea Turtles Hide In Their Shells – Related Questions
What is the average lifespan of a sea turtle?
50-100 years
Sea turtles’ natural lifespan is estimated to be 50-100 years.
An adult hawksbill sea turtle eats an average of 1,200 pounds of sponges a year.
Do turtles get high?
Yes, turtles can get high. Scientists have discovered cannabinoids receptors inside turtles bodies, which allow them to be affected by cannabis, as well as other similar hallucinogens. So turtles can get high, and some turtles get high every day on their own.
Do turtles feel pain on their shell?
Turtles can feel pressure and pain through their shells, just as you can feel pressure through your fingernails. Turtles and tortoises do not have ears like ours, but they can feel vibrations and changes in water pressure that tell them where food, or a predator, might be.
How do you know if your turtle loves you?
Turtles and tortoises like to watch their humans when they’re feeling affectionate. They may seem particularly interested in something you’re doing nearby. A long, stretched out neck in your presence sometimes indicates a desire to be scratched or rubbed.
How do you know if a turtle is happy?
A healthy and happy turtle should have clear eyes with no discharge. They should also not show any signs of difficulty breathing. Swollen, cloudy, or “weepy” eyes with a discharge are all common signs your turtle is sick.
How long can sea turtles stay out of water?
Turtles can spend between 6 and 12 hours out of water without getting dehydrated. When turtles are hibernating they can spend between 3 and 6 months out of water.
What are 5 interesting facts about sea turtles?
9 Super Cool Facts About Sea Turtles
They think jellyfish are delicious.
They’re the oceans’ lawnmowers.
They cannot retract into their shell like other turtles.
Temperature dictates the sex of baby turtles.
They’ve been around for a very, very long time.
They can hold their breath for five hours underwater.
•
Can a turtle drown?
Because turtles have lungs and breathe air, they can drown.
Believe it or not, there are reports of turtles and tortoises drowning in a shallow pan of water.
If you think your turtle has drowned, the most important thing to remember is not to turn the turtle upside-down.
How do most sea turtles die?
Accidental capture by fishing gear, which often results in death, is the greatest threat to most sea turtles.
They are also killed for their eggs, meat, skin and shells, and suffer from poaching and over-exploitation.
Climate change also impacts sea turtle nesting beaches and eggs.
Do turtles cry?
Turtles cry a lot
What animal can live the longest?
One is even immortal.
10 Turritopsis dohrnii. The oldest living creature is a jellyfish just a few millimetres long and can be found in moderate to tropical waters.
1 Asian Elephant.
2 Blue and yellow macaw.
3 Man.
4 Giant lobsters.
5 Bowhead whale.
6 Giant tortoise.
7 Greenland shark.
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Is crush a stoner?
From Finding Nemo, Crush was the stoner and surfer dude turtle. His entire character fits the stoner surfer stereotype, right down to the slang he uses and the way he speaks. The stoner character is popular in cartoons, even if they never smoke on screen.
What do turtles get high off of?
Did you know that Crush is portrayed “high” because Sea Turtles actually eat jellyfish and the poisons inside the jelly doesn’t actually harm the turtle but instead intoxicates them much like marijuana does for humans. Green sea turtles are predominately herbivorous, but juveniles have been known to feed on jellyfish.
Do sea turtles eat jellyfish without getting stung?
There are a few evolutionary adaptations that enable turtles to eat jellyfish without being stung. Their main defense mechanisms are: Thick skin, particularly around their beaks. Papillae, lining their throats.
Can turtles feel if you pet their shell?
Yes, sea turtles can feel it when you touch their shell.
Sea turtle shells consist of bones, which are covered by a layer of so-called scutes (plates).
There are nerve endings enervating even the bones of the shell.
These nerve endings are sensitive to pressure, for example from a touch on the back.
Do turtles like their shells rubbed?
In fact, turtles do have nerve endings in their shells and a scratch seems to feel good. Our big sea turtles are no exception! So the next time you visit and you see one of the turtles shimmying their shell under a finger of coral, now you’ll know they’re just enjoying a good back scratch.
Do turtles feel love?
Turtles have many endearing attributes: They are quiet, cute and unassuming.
But, while people might feel affection toward the slow-moving creatures when they timidly poke their heads out from their shells, turtles don’t share the same friendly feelings about humans. | https://neeness.com/do-sea-turtles-hide-in-their-shells/ |
Why did God kill all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians when it was Pharaoh who sinned?
Question:
In Exodus when the firstborn sons of all Egyptians die because of Pharaoh, why did God kill all the Egyptian sons for the sin of Pharaoh?
Answer:
It is easy to blame the leader and forget he wasn't the only one involved. He was by far the most prominent, but he wasn't working alone.
God told Abraham, "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years" (Genesis 15:13). This came about simply because the Israelites became numerous while living in Egypt. "Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, "Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land" (Exodus 1:8-10). Notice that this Pharaoh feared that the Israelites might join an enemy nation. There was no evidence of that, but his ideas were adopted by the Egyptians. "And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage-in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor" (Exodus 1:14). Worse, they turned their attacks on babies. "This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live" (Acts 7:19).
After 400 years of this, God stepped in. "And the LORD said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows" " (Exodus 3:7). Remember that Pharaoh was leading his people, but it was the Egyptians who were carrying out Pharaoh's plans.
Egypt was a country of idolatry. Each of the plagues showed God to be greater than the Egyptian gods. "For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD" (Exodus 12:12). David Padfield wrote, "This plague was directed against "all of the gods of Egypt" (Exodus 12:12) and would show the total inability of the gods of Egypt to protect their subjects. In the face of unparalleled tragedy, "all of the gods of Egypt" were silent. Where was Meskhenet, the goddess who presided at the birth of children? Where was Hathor, one of the seven deities who attended the birth of children? Where was Min, the god of procreation? Where was Isis, the goddess of fertility? Where was Selket, the guardian of life? Where was Renenutet, the cobra-goddess and guardian of Pharaoh?" [Against All The Gods Of Egypt]. You need to also know that the title "Pharaoh" means "the sun." All the kings of Egypt believed they were deity on earth. Pharaoh was powerless to do anything to stop God. This was proven not to just Pharaoh, but to every Egyptian and to everyone in the world.
Thus God took a cruel, arrogant, corrupt people and brought them to their knees. He also punished them by bringing upon them what they did to others -- killing babies -- though, with God all children would be brought to Him in heaven because of their innocence. | https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/why-did-god-kill-all-the-firstborn-sons-of-the-egyptians-when-it-was-pharaoh-who-sinned/ |
About Horsham Montessori
At Horsham Montessori, we have been teaching children following the Montessori method since 1996. We respect the parents’ leading role as their child’s first educators. Working alongside them, we nurture the child’s innate confidence and desire to learn. As a natural extension of the home, we offer a safe and stimulating environment, where we care for your child as a precious individual.
Maria Montessori was born in Italy in 1870, then graduated as a doctor. In 1907, she became involved in a project to teach disadvantaged children in Rome. She then worked with children until she died in 1952, developing a unique approach to education based on many years of careful and detailed observation.
Montessori education focuses on ‘following the child’ according to each child’s unique potential. Children take the lead, and are intrinsically motivated to learn themselves. The role of the teacher is to create an appropriate environment and then leave the child to pursue what is currently meaningful for them.
When a child has freely chosen what they are doing, they will often enter into a deep spell of concentration that may last several minutes or several hours – this ‘state of flow’ is at the heart of child-centred learning. The teachers’ job is then to observe – this gives them insight into what the child’s interests are as well as what sorts of new challenges to offer in order to create an environment that will support their development in all areas. Each child is an individual and an active learner. They will explore the materials in their own way and in their own time, according to their personal learning journey.
Our nursery follows the principles for Montessori environments, which should:
- Provide opportunities that are meaningful for the children who are using it
- Contain beautiful, interesting objects and activities so the child is drawn in
- Be calm, so the child can focus
- Be accessible and orderly, so the child can find whatever they need and return it to its place when finished with it.
In the nursery, children make independent choices, enjoy freedom of movement, and are guided towards a love of learning. Children work individually, or in small groups, using self-correcting educational materials. Each of the materials has been specifically designed to isolate one skill or concept. The self-correcting quality allows children to discover the outcome of the materials independently, and at their own pace.
As children carry their learning materials carefully with two hands and do their very special “work” with them, they may feel like they are simply playing games—but they are actually learning in a brilliantly designed curriculum that takes them, one step at a time, and according to a predetermined sequence, through concepts of increasing complexity.
The Montessori materials match children’s interests with the five Montessori curriculum areas. These include: practical life, sensorial, mathematics, language and culture. Through interest-based experiences, children learn to develop key knowledge areas and skills that assist with their social, cognitive, physical and emotional development. In effect, the Montessori materials teach children how to problem solve and correct their own work.
Children can start at our nursery at the age of two. They usually begin with a period of observation, when they learn from watching the older children and have time to relax and explore at their own pace. If a child joins us after the age of three, we ask them to use our afternoon sessions so that they can gain the most benefit from the Montessori experience in a quieter atmosphere.
“The most important period of life is not the age of university studies, but the first one, the period from birth to the age of six.” Maria Montessori. | https://montessori-uk.co.uk/about-horsham-montessori/ |
4 Legal Issues That Can Hurt A Medical Professional’s Career
The healthcare industry operates within a set of strict regulations, laws, and standards made by the government. These policies are put in place because the industry is at the forefront of life and death situations.
Naturally, strict standards have to be in order to ensure that diseases are contained and patients get the best treatment available. In addition, these regulations are created to make healthcare professionals accountable for the decisions and methods they decide to use on patients.
Just like any other profession, doctors, nurses, and healthcare personnel are obligated to follow an ethics code. Their decisions and actions should be mainly based on the best interests of the patient.
Now, many things could go wrong, especially in surgeries and complex medical procedures. In some cases, even if doctors commit an honest mistake, or are in good faith, a court can still order for them to pay damages to a patient.
While honest mistakes would most likely just get a penalty or fine, deliberate mistakes and gross negligence are inexcusable. As a healthcare provider, you may suffer from serious consequences that could potentially damage your medical career.
1. Medical Malpractice
As a physician, you must be mindful of the legal criterion for medical malpractice. This criterion can be met when you are proven to be negligent in administering health procedures, or if you deliberately administered wrong treatments or prescribed harmful medications to a patient.
When adequate evidence is available to prove negligence, a med mal lawsuit may be filed against you. Notably, a large portion of medical malpractice complaints occurs in emergency care settings, operating rooms, and intensive care units. It is also common to arise in novel medical procedures.
As a practitioner, it is your responsibility to be extremely diligent and avoid questionable procedures that may raise suspicions of medical malpractice. Aside from that, always be prepared with a defense. Courts will consider a lesser penalty if you can defend your medical decisions and actions with Science-based evidence and facts.
2. Violation Of Patient’s Confidentiality Rights
Healthcare professionals normally gather sensitive and personal data to properly treat a patient. However, the data should be used for medical purposes only. The law protects a patient’s right to privacy. Hence, medical personnel cannot just disclose patient information to anybody except the patient himself or herself, or the patient’s immediate family.
Aside from that, there is a thing called physician-patient privilege. This means that the communication between physician and patient is protected and confidential at all times. Physicians, or doctors, cannot share or disclose whatever information their patients shared with them. This includes oral information as well.
A legal issue may arise when you intentionally disclose information regarding a patient. Even if you accidentally shared such records, you could still be held liable and may be jailed or penalized for the act.
However, there are certain cases where patient information can be disclosed to the public. This includes situations that involve public health and safety. Courts can also order for patient information to be disclosed.
3. Crossing Professional Boundaries
A patient’s vulnerability must be recognized and respected at all times. The law avoids situations where doctors could abuse the confidence and trust that was given to them by their patients. That’s why even gift-giving is prohibited in clinics and hospitals. Moreover, it is extremely unethical to develop romantic relations with a patient as well.
Crossing professional boundaries will only lead to complications, and will even harm your reputation in the long run. To prevent legal issues arising from this reason, it is your responsibility to properly conclude the physician-patient relationship when the treatment is done.
4. Failure To Provide Informed Consent
Informed consent is usually required in delicate and novel medical procedures. To obtain a patient’s informed consent, the healthcare provider should thoroughly discuss the medical treatment to the patient before its administration. Once the patient is fully informed about the possible benefits and risks of the procedure, he or she may sign a waiver of written consent.
Prior discussion allows the patient to communicate concerns and probe questions to understand the treatment better. Furthermore, the patient has the right to accept or deny the proposed procedure or treatment.
Again, legal issues may arise when you fail to communicate substantial information regarding an extremely important and risky procedure. This could also be regarded as a case of negligence and become the basis for a medical malpractice suit. As the doctor, you will be primarily liable for the consequences.
Summing It Up
Legal standards are designed to protect both parties—the physician and the patient. Particularly, these guidelines are created to ensure that a medical practitioner will practice extreme care and caution when treating patients. As a practitioner, it is your responsibility to adhere to these standards, not just to secure your patient, but to preserve a good reputation as well. | https://ponbee.com/issues-hurt-medical-professionals-career/ |
Shamanism is well-known a spiritual practice of the H’mong people in Vietnam, in which a shaman is reaching an altered state of consciousness in order to perceive and interact with a spirit world. The shaman then channels these transcendental energies and knowledge into this material world, to conduct ceremonial rituals, or to give a divination, or to heal members of their community.
Therefore, H’mong shamanism is also known as a healing tradition, especially among the H’mong people in the mountains of Sapa, northern Vietnam. In a broader view, Shamanism is believed to be one of the oldest and earliest forms of religion in the world, it is also seen as an ancient healing tradition.
In a recent trip to Sin Chai village in north western Sapa town, our travel consultant Buffalo Joe met and talked to Mr. Ly Van May - a local respectful H’mong shaman. This was what he learned about the H’mong shamanism, the tradition is not only practiced in Sin Chai, but also among many other H’mong communities through Vietnam, and may be also in Laos.
H’mong Shamanism
H’mong hill tribes hold tight to their traditional spiritual practices that include shamanism, and ancestor veneration. They believe that it is very important to revere and honor the ancestors for guidance and protection, and the spirits of their deceased ancestors influence and dictate what happen to their health and illness.
Individuals perform rituals which include the offering of food and spirit money, and burning incense to appease the spirits will earn their favor. Rituals performed by the head of the household “in honor of the ancestral spirits” are for individual benefits, which are usually done during H’mong New Year celebrations and on the first day of every month. It is mainly to call upon the spirits of the house to protect the house.
According to a H’mong belief, each person has 12 main souls. Each soul has specific roles, and they must remain in harmony to remain healthy. After death, one of the 12 main souls is reincarnated, while another soul returns to the home of the ancestors. Another soul stays near the grave of the deceased.
The souls of the living can fall into disharmony and may even leave the body, and the loss of a soul or souls can cause serious illness. The number of souls lost determines how serious the illness. A soul-calling ceremony can be performed by shamans, because they are the ones who have special access to the souls or spirits in the otherworld. Rituals are usually performed to restore the health of an individual, or call his/her wandering spirit back home.
For example:
When a baby is born, within the first couple of days, his/her soul must be called “home”. Usually, the head of the household would be the one to call the baby's soul “home”, which is understood as a sign of welcoming the baby to their family.
However, that's not the end to the process of welcoming a new baby into their home. There is still the ritual the shaman must perform. The shaman performs this ritual, which usually happens a month or two after the baby is born, to notify the ancestors of the arrival of a new baby. The shaman tells the ancestral spirits that they must protect the baby's soul in the spirit world, because he/she is a new member to the family.
H’mong Shamanic Practices
They say that, in ancient times, humans and the spirits used to live with each other. However, due to conflict between the two very different beings, the deity Saub had blinded the two from being able to see each other. However, there is this good and evil in both worlds, so humans are harmed by the evilness of the otherworld, a Shaman is needed to perform rituals to rescue or call back the sick person’s spirit, and/or look for the reason why & how the person got sick to help him accordingly.
Treatment rituals might include herbal remedies, or offerings of joss paper money, or livestock. In cases of serious illness, the shaman gets to enter a trance and travels through the spirit world to discern the cause and remedy of the problem. If the shaman observes something seriously wrong with the person, such as a soul having lost its way home or got caught by some spiritual being, the shaman will negotiate with the spiritual being to release the soul. After that, the shaman would lead the soul to its home.
How to become a Shaman?
Not everyone gets to become a shaman, a shaman is chosen by the shaman spirit and normally "called" by dreams or shamanic signs.
According to a H’mong shaman I met in Sapa, the shaman-to-be has gone to the Land of Death and returned with shamanic powers from such a fatal journey. This explains why the shaman has special ability to understand and communicate with the dead, or spirits, after coming back from the world of death.
Who can become a Shaman?
In H’mong shamanism, a shaman can be a man or a woman. Typically, there is a good chance for a person to become a shaman if his/her family history contains shamans. This is due to the belief that ancestral spirits, including the spirits of shamans, are reincarnated into the same family tree.
Once blessed with the powers of a shaman, the person then has to seek a teacher (who is a shaman) and begin years of training to become an official Shaman. Usually the amount of time for a shaman-to-be to finish with the training depends on the teacher who guide him or her in the process of performing the rituals, which may take many years.
People that inherit the skills to become a shaman often experience symptoms of unexplained physical illness, bipolar personality, and multi-personality/ schizophrenia. According to traditional H’mong beliefs, these symptoms are the result of shamanic spirits trying to get through to the Shaman-to-be.
For those that practice Shamanism, they're able to recognize these symptoms and cure their loved ones by helping them develop into full-fledged Shamans. For those that are blessed to become a Shaman but do not want to practice Shamanism, they often turn to Christian exorcism, western medicine, and psych wards. For the few that accept becoming Shamans, it is considered an honor to help their own.
In the Hmong community, shamans are highly respected.
What does a Shaman use?
A shaman may use several shamanistic tools such as swords, divinity horns, a gong, drum or a bell. All tools are used to protect the spirits from the eyes of the unknown, so that the shaman can guide the soul back to their owner. He/she may wear a white, red, or black veil to disguise the soul from its attackers in the spiritual dimension.
Contact Incense Travel to customize an itinerary to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia of your own, you can include Sapa into any of your tailor-made Indochina holiday. | https://incensetravel.com/2019/5/hmong-people-shamanism |
K-Pop, J-Pop, And C-Pop Music And Dance
Music in South Korea, Japan, and China have been heavily influenced by that of the Western World since World War II.
5. Pop Music in Developed East Asian Nations -
K-Pop is short for Korean pop, and is a musical genre originating in South Korea. The term is often used to describe the modern forms of pop music in the country and the various styles that come with it. Initially, the different styles were used as an experiment, but they have brought immense changes to the pop industry. The K-pop music has grown popular after its spread into the Japanese market in the 21st Century. J-pop (Japanese pop) developed in Japan’s music industry in the 1990s but its roots can be traced back to the early 1960s pop and rock music. It was named Japanese pop so that it can be distinguished from other foreign forms of music. C-Pop is the Chinese popular music, a genre of music defined by artists from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. There are three main subgenres within this genre, namely including the Cantopop, the Mandopop, and Hokkien Pop.
4. Origins and the Role of the Post-WWII U.S. Military Presence -
The Second World War occurred in the period when the use of mass media had just recently been widely incorporated, and various songs were listened to by the soldiers in combat as it motivated them to fight on in the home front. Music composed at the time were composed depending on the situation at hand and as a mode of spreading music. Western culture was introduced in Korea after the Second World War by the US troops who were left in the region for protection against the Japanese Army. Western music mainly American grew popular and was accepted by the locals in South Korea.
3. Spread and Development -
Historically, the Korean pop music was first known to have developed in late 1800s when an American missionary offered music classes in the country which incorporated both American and British folk songs. The Japanese rulers confiscated the traditional songs used by the Koreans to communicate but over the years they were back in the market. The Japanese popular music, on the other hand, originated from the Meiji and Taisho period ranging from 1868 to 1928. The J-pop was influenced by western genres like jazz and blues, which led to the use of western musical instruments and techniques. The Chinese popular music was associated with the Chinese dialects but it included all the contemporary music in the country. Major influences on the C-pop music were evidenced from 1920 when jazz music was introduced in the country. Amalgamation of the various western music and the Chinese folk songs has been a major advancement in the music industry in China.
2. Notable Artists, Past and Present -
There are several artists whose contributions to the music industry have led to various developments and significanr adaptations in the pop music scene of East Asia. Some of the C-pop artists are Teng Teresa, Zhou Xuan, and Bai Guang among others, which are also popular among J-pop listenerss. Some of the J-pop artists are Ayumi Hamasaki and the Southern All Stars, while some of the K-pop artists include Alexander Lee Eusebio and Bang Yong.
1. Cultural Uniqueness and Cross-Cultural Connections -
Pop music in various East Asian Nations has immensely grown over the years due to the influences of Western music forms, such as Jazz after World War II and Hip Hop in contemporary times. The music holds many cultural differences as they were used for communication among the various residents of the particular region. This ensured the maintenance of the customs, traditions, and the secrets of the topic at hand. It also showed their way of life, what they take pride in as well as interrelationships between several cultures.
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Your Harvard CitationRemember to italicize the title of this article in your Harvard citation. | https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/k-pop-j-pop-and-c-pop-music-and-dance.html |
Simulation forecasts have several important advantages over single point estimates.
By Michael Kubica
Any strategic forecast is by definition a representation of the future. Understanding that a single estimate of the future is not truly representative, Monte Carlo simulation is a powerful alternative to the “best estimate” forecast. Business leaders are becoming increasingly aware of the deficiencies inherent in traditional forecasting methods. And the past two decades have ushered in an explosion of tools to facilitate novice and expert alike in applying Monte Carlo simulation.
Though the growth and accessibility of these tools has been staggering, less prolific has been the adoption of the methodologies these powerful tools enable. Why? Part of the answer lies in a lack of understanding of what a simulation forecast is, what the relative merits and limitations are, and when it is most appropriate to consider using it. In this article I address these questions.
What is a Simulation Forecast?
In a traditional forecast, input assumptions are mathematically related to each other in a model. Based on these defined mathematical relationships, model outputs are calculated, such as market units sold, market share and revenue. The model may be simple or very elaborate. The defining characteristic is that inputs are defined as single point values, or “best estimates.”
This type of model has been the staple of business for many years. They can answer questions such as, “If all of our assumptions are perfectly accurate, we can expect …” However, experience has shown that all of the assumptions are not perfectly accurate. We are forecasters after all, not fortunetellers!
Simulation can remedy this problem. Instead of defining input variables as single point estimates, we define them as probability distributions representing the range of uncertainty associated with the variable being defined. These “ranged” variables are fed into the exact same forecast model. When the simulation model is run, we sample each input variable’s distribution thousands of times and relate each instance of the distribution samples within the forecast model structure. Because we have defined the inputs as uncertainties, the outputs represent all of these uncertainties in a simulation forecast. Instead of a single line on the graph, we may represent an infinite number of lines, bounded by the possibilities constrained by the input distributions. Of course, we summarize these probabilistic outputs according to the confidence intervals relevant to the decision at hand.
The Relative Merits and Limitations
Simulation forecasts have several important advantages over single point estimates. First, assuming that the input variables are representative of the full range of possible values along with best estimates where available, we have what may be referred to as a representative forecast. A representative forecast incorporates all currently available information, including uncertainty about future values. In this sense it is a truthful forecast.
A simulation forecast allows for an examination of both what is possible and how likely each of those possibilities are. We can examine the best estimate forecast in the context of the full range of possibility and discern true upside and downside risk. We gain these advantages without losing the ability to do specific scenario analyses. But now we can peer into the risk associated with achieving any defined scenario.
Simulation modeling does come at some cost, though. Rather than having a single input per assumption, you will define anywhere from one to four inputs, depending on the type of distribution being represented. This is because, in order to create a probability distribution to represent your uncertainty regarding the assumption, you will need to define the bounds of possibility for that variable (minimum, maximum) in addition to a best estimate, and potentially a “peakedness” variable.
This makes the model appear more complex and can make it seem more daunting to users (the truth is, the model itself has not changed from the point estimate, given that it was appropriately specified to begin with). This appearance of increased complexity can contribute to a “black box” perception among model consumers. Avoiding this issue is often as simple as explaining that the expanded input set is nothing more than representing the diligence that (hopefully) is going into formulating the best estimate in a traditional forecast, and leveraging all of this additional information to improve understanding and decision-making.
Simulation outputs cannot always be interpreted the same way as traditional forecast outputs. It is therefore prudent to hold an orientation meeting with model consumers to discuss how to interpret results and to address common misapplications of simulation outputs. While it is not necessary for users to understand the theory per se, it is important to avoid having them multiply percentiles together or misinterpreting what the probabilistic outputs mean. A small investment here can go a very long way in creating value from the forecasting process.
When Should Simulation be Considered as the Methodology of Choice?
I once attended a pharmaceutical portfolio management conference where I heard one of the speakers say (in the context of creating forecasts to drive portfolio analysis): “Simulation is OK, but you better be really sure you are right about your assumptions if you are going to use it!” I was astounded that such misinformation was coming from someone forwarded as an expert. Nothing could be further from the truth. The less certain you are about the assumptions and the more there is at stake based on the decisions being made from the model, the more appropriate and important simulation forecasting is. This is especially true if the cost associated with being wrong significantly exceeds the cost of the incremental resources to define that uncertainty.
In summary, simulation forecasting is a powerful methodology for understanding not just the possible future outcomes, but establishing a truthful representation of how likely any single scenario is within the range of possibilities. Because strategic (long-term) forecasting is inherently risky and driven by many uncertain variables, adding Monte Carlo simulation to your forecasting tool chest can create enormous value.
Michael Kubica is president of Applied Quantitative Sciences, Inc. Please send comments to [email protected]. | http://analytics-magazine.org/executive-edge-executive-briefing-on-simulation-in-strategic-forecasting/ |
Sheila provides print advice in the University for all marketing materials and manages the print jobs (including digital pdfs for web pages) for all internal customers within the University from design to delivery. This involves checking the accuracy, consistency and currency of information at all stages of production for print and web-based material, particularly the accuracy of course recruitment and student-oriented material.
She can also proofread, edit and check the accuracy of other departments’ small and large items of publicity and externally focused documents. | https://www.bradford.ac.uk/external-affairs/marketing-communications/content/team/full-details-204530-en.php |
President Donald Trump has signed legislation that elevates the importance of cybersecurity work within the Department of Homeland Security.
The legislation the president signed into law on Friday creates the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency at DHS. The new agency will become the focal point at the department for protecting critical infrastructure, including election systems, against threats from unfriendly nation states, cyber criminals and other adversaries.
It reorganizes DHS' National Protection and Programs Directorate into a new agency and puts more focus on its work to secure the nation's cyber and physical infrastructure. | https://americasvoice.news/trump-signs-bill-to-elevate-cybersecurity-mission-at-dhs/ |
COVID-19 & Mental Health: Video #2 – Sleep
This is video #2 in a series I am doing on how to have good mental health during this COVID-19 season we find ourselves in. This video will be asking you to think about ways to have better sleep. The goal is to provide you with daily, simple, reproducible ways you can help your own mental health.
Add in the comments ways you are trying to have better and more restful sleep in this season. | https://www.brettullman.com/2020/04/18/covid-19-mental-health-video-2-sleep/ |
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Lymphocyte activation
Lymphocyte activation occurs when lymphocytes (B cells or T cells) are triggered through antigen-specific receptors on their cell surface. This causes the cells to proliferate and differentiate into specialized effector lymphocytes. For example, activated B cells can give rise to antibody-producing cells and some activated T cells become cytotoxic T cells.
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Bcl-3 modulates effector T cell responses, but the importance of Bcl-3 in T regulatory cells and autoimmunity is not clear. Here the authors show that Bcl-3 impedes NF-κB DNA binding to alter T regulatory cell development and function, causing spontaneous colitis in mice.
A surprising molecular mechanism underlying signal integration and programmed proliferation in adaptive immunity has been identified: the cell-cycle regulator Myc enables a lymphocyte to add up the strength of signals it receives and time its response accordingly.
Optimal immunosuppression by regulatory T cells (Treg cells) relies on gene-expression and signaling modules that are customized to the target cell. The kinase CK2 is upregulated in Treg cells and controls a newly identified Treg cell subset that acts on dendritic cells to suppress T helper type 2 inflammatory responses in the lungs.
Ligation of the Toll-like receptor TLR7 in human CD4+ T cells elicits an anergic state that may contribute to CD4+ T cell hyporesponsiveness after infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and may also enhance propagation of this virus.
The mediobasal hypothalamus detects increased amounts of tumor necrosis factor during the early phases of inflammation and relays this information to cells of the adaptive immune system by mobilizing free fatty acids. | |
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) talks have revealed a contentious debate over local food names, so-called Geographical Indications (GIs). Far from a technical issue, the differing approaches to protections for local food names underscore very different traditions. Karen Hansen-Kuhn and Hannes Lorenzen unpack the issues in this long read.
Historically, European farmers have sought to protect names and processes for certain food products associated with a specific local food culture. GIs were originally a tool used by disadvantaged regions to protect their specific products and receive a premium price for unique, and sometimes difficult natural conditions of production, especially in mountain areas. It has been seen as a tool to keep a higher added value in a specific region and to create closer connections with consumers through clear rules for quality production.
To many Americans, this might sound like an obscure, new issue or appear as a trick of European negotiators to impose barriers in trade. Reports on EU demands to protect what most Americans would consider common food names such as “feta” have elicited surprised and rather derisive comments among Members of Congress and the media. On the other hand, some U.S. local producers of cheeses and specialty goods who are creating their own new traditions, are supportive of this approach and seek to enhance inadequate trademark protections in the U.S.
In each case, the foundation for this approach has been the protection of local markets and local traditions against an outside corporate takeover. In this age of globalization, however, the debate becomes a bit murkier. If EU negotiators use GI protections around the world to create new export opportunities, it seems likely that the drive to expand production to sell to those new markets will undermine the very nature of GIs in Europe itself and result in greater corporate control and fewer connections to local landscapes and traditions. What is more: the quality of those special goods will suffer.
Some historical perspective
Protections for Geographical Indications have existed for more than a century. The Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property of 1883 (Paris Convention) established protections for industrial and agricultural goods with a view toward protecting producers’ intellectual property. While there was much less trade than today, diplomats at the time were concerned about protections for their citizens’ products at international trade fairs. That accord was followed by the Madrid Agreement for the Repression of False or Deceptive Indications of Source on Goods of 1891 and the Lisbon Agreement for the Protection of Appellations of Origin and their International Registration of 1958. (1)
The World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) includes a special section on the protection of GIs. Article 22.1 of the TRIPS Agreement defines GIs and establishes that Members have a duty to prevent deceptive uses of product names through trademark or other intellectual property protections.
The central idea behind protections for GIs is that these products have inherent qualities related to their place of production (such as soil or climatic conditions, called terroir), as well as cultural knowledge and traditions, that differentiate them from similar products. That designation creates a kind of place-based “brand” that informs consumers about their special qualities and often allows producers to charge a premium price. GIs are most common for wines, cheeses and certain meats, but there are also some GIs for certain kinds of textiles (such as Thai Silk) or Swiss Watches produced according to specific criteria. (2)
Unlike other forms of intellectual property, protections for GIs are not held by specific companies or individuals. As opposed to trademarks, which are owned by a particular company or trade association, GIs are a collective initiative and right. They cannot be bought, sold or assigned to other rights holders.
These protections are most advanced in the European Union, which has established a process to register and protect GIs. In each case, producers apply to register a product using specific production, processing and geographic standards. Those decisions are made first at the regional and then at the national level, although non-EU applicants may also apply directly to the European Commission.
The EU has separate registration and protection regimes for wines, spirits, and agricultural and food products. As of May 2014, 1226 food and agricultural products were registered at the European Commission as protected products. Those products include meats and meat products, cheeses, beers, fruits and flowers. They are produced and marketed locally or regionally, but some categories, especially cheeses, are widely exported as well. The list includes 216 cheeses, among them Gruyere, Roquefort, Queso Manchego, Mozzarella di Bufala, Camembert de Normandie, Neufchatel, Fontina, Gorgonzola, Asiago, Pecorino Romano, Gouda Holland, Edam Holland and Feta. It is important to note that in some cases, it is the compound name, such as Parmigiano Reggiano, that is protected, rather than the broader category of parmesan cheese. (3)
Geographical Indications in the trade debate
In 2006, the U.S. and EU reached a bilateral agreement on the protection of wines. That agreement requires the U.S. to make changes in laws to limit the use of certain wine names considered “semi generic”: Burgundy; Chablis; Champagne; Chianti; Claret; Haut Sauterne; Hock; Madeira; Malaga; Marsala; Moselle; Port; Retsina; Rhine; Sauterne; Sherry and Tokay. (4) Existing producers of these wines would be “grandfathered” in, but non-EU producers not meeting the GI criteria for those wines would not be allowed to use those names. The EU has a similar bilateral agreement on wine with Australia, and agreements on wine and spirits with Canada, Mexico, Chile and South Africa. On the 14 of January 2015 an agreement between the EU and Morocco was finalized. It provides direct protection to more than 3,200 EU GI names in Morocco and 30 Moroccan GIs in the EU (names registered until 15 January 2013, which is to be considered the cut-off date. (5) There are no indications that traditional producers of goods protected by GIs in the various regions of the EU are seeking to increase exports of their products to third countries. On the contrary, in some cases there have been initiatives of producers to voluntarily limit production in order not to undermine the quality of products. Certain cheese producers like Compté or Beaufort in South France have set limits for production through specific agro-environmental rules and limits for carrying capacity for cattle. (6)
However, EU trade negotiators have been seeking to use geographical indications in the negotiation of bilateral free trade agreements to expand trade – and thereby undermine the original intentions of GIs. New commitments on the issue were reached in FTAs with Peru and Colombia, Central America, and Korea. In May, former EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht told a United Kingdom House of Lords subcommittee hearing on TTIP that, without securing at least partial protection for EU GIs in the United States, it would be very difficult to conclude a deal on agriculture. According to a report in Inside U.S. Trade, the EU is seeking GI protections for a list of 200 items, including meats, fruits and vegetables, wines and spirits, and 75 kinds of cheese. (7) While the idea of promoting GIs as a tool to protect a diversity of food traditions and quality is a good one, the push for GIs as a better kind of trademark enshrined within trade law seems to undermine the very basic idea.
There is no public information yet on the exact list of GI protections the EU will seek in TTIP, but an examination of the commitments made in other recent trade agreement could give some indications. The trade agreements negotiated between the EU and Central America, Peru-Colombia, and South Korea all protect such cheese names as Camembert de Normandie, Feta, Gorgonzola, Parmigiano Reggiano, Roquefort and Taleggio. (8)
The EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which was concluded in 2014, lists protections for 173 European food names for products sold in Canada. The governments would take action to prevent the use of a GI unless they are produced according to specific standards and from the specific countries identified in the Annex, even when the product is identified as being from Canada. Certain cheese names that many would consider common names have more limited protections, at least for now. Under Articles 7.6.1 and 7.6.2, companies that were selling Asiago, Feta, Fontina, Gorgonzola and Munster before October 18, 2013 can continue to use those names, but new entrants to the Canadian market will be required to add qualifiers such as “kind”, “type”, “style” or “imitation”.
While the details of the EU’s specific negotiating objectives on GIs in TTIP are not clear, it is a priority area in the negotiations. The EU Council’s Directive for the TTIP negotiations outlines main negotiating objectives for the agreement. The only specific issue identified in the section on intellectual property rights is a mention of GIs.
The debate on GIs in the United States
While this concept is most developed in the EU, there are a number of Geographical Indications already in use in the United States. Although there is no centralized list as in the EU, names such as Maine Lobsters, Idaho Potatoes, Vidalia Onions, Kona Coffee and Florida Oranges are protected under trademarks held by industry associations. The American Origin Products Research Association, an organization established to promote the establishment and protection of GIs in the United States, argues that increased designation and protection of GIs for locally produced cheeses and other goods would enhance value added for local producers and provide more accurate and useful information to consumers. They argue that existing trademark law puts the burden of protection on those industry associations, raising unfair obstacles to producers of locally established products to establish their own place-based names for cheeses and other products.
Those concerns have found some resonance among local producers. In an article in the Portland Press Herald, Caitlin Hunter, a cheese maker at Appleton Creamery in Maine said, “I completely agree with the Europeans that we should not use their cheese names. They have spent centuries developing their distinctive regional styles, and we should not steal them, or try to reproduce them.” She labels her cheese “Camdenbert,” (a takeoff on the coastal town Camden) for example. However, she argues that extending those protections to what most would regard as generic names is another matter. (9)
The Consortium for Common Food Names, an industry association, (CCFN) argues that the EU’s agenda on GIs would unfairly restrict food names that are no longer strictly associated with particular regions. It argues for a process to establish which food names are actually in common usage, perhaps with a registry at the international level. It further suggests requiring that GIs include the name of the place where the good is produced, i.e., Camembert de Normandie (which is the actual GI approved by the EU) rather than simply Camembert (which, in fact, the EU has not sought to protect).
These issues have found support in Congress, where two letters to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) have rejected the EU’s push for GI protections in TTIP. In an April 4, 2014 letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and USTR Michael Froman, 45 Senators rejected the EU’s approach on GIs in TTIP, focusing on protections for processed meat names such as bologna. They called on USTR to work aggressively to ensure that the EU’s approach on GIs does not impair the ability of U.S. businesses to compete, stating, “We are concerned that these restrictions would impact smaller businesses who specialize in artisan and other specialty meat products such as bratwurst, kielbasa, wiener schnitzel and various sausages.” (10) The EU does not actually recognize GIs for any of those terms as single meat names. According to the European Commission’s Database of Origin and Registration (DOOR), it does recognize Mortadella Bologna, Thüringer Rostbratwurst, Nürnberger Bratwürste, Nürnberger Rostbratwürste and Kiełbasa lisiecka.
That letter was followed in May by a letter from 177 members of the House of Representativesfocused on GIs for cheese names. That letter, led by the Congressional Dairy Farmers Caucus with support from the National Milk Producers Federation, asserts that, “The EU is taking a mechanism that was created to protect consumers against misleading information and instead using it to carve out exclusive market access for its own producers. The EU’s abuse of GIs threatens U.S. sales and exports of a number of U.S. agricultural products, but pose a particular concern to the use of dairy terms.” (11)
Back to basics: protecting GIs for local economies and sustainable food chains
Fundamentally, protections for Geographical Indications should ensure consumers’ right to know how and where their food was produced, while enhancing local producers’ rights to livelihoods and cultural traditions. Extending these kinds of protections to local producers in the U.S. or other trading partners, with strong governmental support, could be an element that would help to rebuild connections among local consumers, farmers and natural environments.
On the other hand, bolstering those protections to facilitate unlimited expansion of production in foreign markets seems a sure recipe for corporate control and industrial-scale production. GIs should not become the premium trademark of the global food industry. As a collective initiative of producers defining agro-ecological rules for sustainable use of local resources which enhance the production of a great variety of quality food, decent jobs in rural areas and a fair income for farmers in disadvantaged areas, GIs should consciously put cooperation between farmers and consumers before competition on international markets and food quality before growth in market shares.
Two cases of GIs for cheese from the South East of France may illustrate how European producers, mainly in disadvantaged rural regions, have developed such a strategy to defend a fair income for farmers, to preserve and develop sustainable farming practices in ecologically sensitive areas, and to offer a high quality product to consumers which also attracts attention or interest in visiting that region as a tourist.
The raw milk cheese “Beaufort” is produced in the mountain region of Savoie. The Geographical Indication was registered in 1968 and the EU accepted an EU AOC label in 2009. The GI is carried by 600 milk farmers, 4 processors and 47 cheese agers. The annual production is around 4000 tons of cheese which ripens in 8 -15 months. The cooperatives sell two seasonal cheeses: summer and winter cheese. Milk for summer cheese is collected between June and October in the higher parts of the mountains where cows are taken to graze the steep slopes. It receives a higher price for a special taste. Farmers are not allowed to use any artificial fertilizer or feed which does not stem from the region. Only hay, not silage, is allowed for winter feed.Cows must have at least one hectare of grazing area and must be one of seven local cattle races which is adapted to the climate and mountain conditions.
The region profits from this local product as tourists come for the beauty of the cultivated landscape as well as for the specific products like Beaufort Cheese and others. Farmers receive a premium price not only for the name, but for the sustainable practices and the good raw milk they deliver to the processors. The region keeps young people, because there are jobs available in a highly integrated rural community.
The case of Compté cheese in the Jura area of southern Franceis similar, but has reached a bigger size of production. Compte has an annual production of 40,000 tons of cheese, which is also exported to other member states of the EU. However, similar limitations on fertilizer use, the exclusion of GMOs and a clear link to the carrying capacity of the land is obligatory for all producers.
A different case is Feta cheese, which has no regional limitation and is considered by most registered GI holders as the bad case of the story. Feta cheese was originally produced in Greece by small farmers from sheep milk using a special recipe for soft cheese with a longer shelf life due to added salt. This cheese did not receive unchallenged GI protection until 2006. During the period of the great surplus production of milk in Europe in the 1970s and 80s, many large dairy industries in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands started imitating Feta, even produced from cow milk and sold it as Feta. Only upon the initiative of large Greek Feta industries in 1996, was Feta recognized as a GI. Some member states then appealed to the European Court for the annulment of this decision. Their position was that the name Feta had become a common one. The European Court decided the partial annulment, removing the name Feta from the protected geographical indication register. The thinking behind this decision was that during establishment of Feta as GI, the Commission had not taken into account the analysis of the situation in other member states regarding the documentation of the authenticity of its origin.
In 2001, the Commission suggested the re-registration of Feta in the rule (ΕC) 1107/96. The name Feta was re-introduced in the GI registry with the (EC) 1829/2002 ruling of the Commission in October of 2002.
These three cases differ in some fundamental aspects. The production of Beaufort and Compte cheeses are integrally linked to local cultures, environments and economies. In many ways they epitomize the ideal of re-localization of food. While their GI designation rightfully protects their use within the EU from imported products using those names, their designation as export commodities included in free trade agreements risks losing their essential character.
Exactly where one draws the line between a product that is truly linked to local economies and traditions and one that has become more of a large scale commodity for export is perhaps difficult to draw. But it would seem best suited to an open process involving all stakeholders. U.S. producers of local cheeses, wines and other products would also welcome a dialogue that would enhance the limited protections they enjoy under U.S. law. While this might be possible to achieve through a process of bilateral consultations, it is hard to imagine how it could occur within the black box of negotiations for TTIP.
Karen Hansen Khun is Director for international Strategies of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) based in Washington, DC
Hannes Lorenzen is senior advisor at the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Parliament in Brussels and is a co-founder of the Agriculture and Rural Convention Arc2020.
World Intellectual Property Organization, Geographical Indications: An Introduction, WPO Publication No. 952(E), p. 6-7.
WIPO, p. 11.
EC Database of Origin and Registration, http://ow.ly/J5Ro3
O’Conner and Company, Geographical indications and TRIPs: 10 Years Later… A roadmap for EU GI holders to get protection in other WTO Members, p. 11.
Commission press release 14 January 2015
http://www.cooperative-de-beaufort.com/ and http://androuet.com/Beaufort-94.html
“TTIP Talks On GIs Focused On Comparing Systems, Not On EU GI List,” Inside U.S. Trade, May 23, 2014.
Source: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/agreements/#_other-countries
Whit Richardson, “Europe wants its cheese names back, and some Mainers agree,” Portland Press Herald, April 15, 2014.
Posted at http://www.commonfoodnames.com/the-issue/current-activities/meat-gis-eu-ttip-vilsack-and-froman-april-2014/.
Letter posted at http://www.commonfoodnames.com/wp-content/uploads/House-Dairy-TTIP-Letter1.pdf. | https://www.arc2020.eu/local-food-names-are-not-for-sale/ |
Q:
Securing books from toddler
We have several bookcases filled with books in our apartment. Our little Tasmanian Devil is not even walking yet, but everytime we put her on the floor, she starts crawling towards a random bookcase and tries to pull out one of the books on the lowest shelf; on occasion she pulls herself up and tries to pull out a book from the second lowest shelf. This will only get worse once she starts walking. We are trying to find a solution for this. As a first step, we have put all of our non-essential books in boxes in a separate storage space. We've also put all the valuable books in the higher shelves, and packed the ones in the lower shelves as tight as they can go, so that they are not so easy to pull out. However, we are aware that this is only a short-term solution: as she gets bigger, she'll become strong enough to pull those books out and start chewing on them, or rip pages out, or go at them with a crayon.
Is there a way to keep her from pulling out our books until she's learned to handle them properly? A friend suggested installing doors on the bookcases, but that would be a last-resort solution (for one, we would have to have the doors custom-fitted to our bookcases, and at that point, we might as well go to Ikea and buy a brand new set of closed bookcases). I'm thinking more like a security gate that stretches the full width of the bookcase. Does this type of product exist, and if so, where can we purchase it from?
A:
You are entering the "flood state" of childrearing. At least, that's what we dubbed it at our house: As the child gains more and more "upward mobility", the lower levels of shelves get emptier, valuable items "float upwards".
Rest assured: This too will pass. Meanwhile, the empty shelves make a good place for toddler toys. ^_^ (But if you are considering a second or third child... well, you know the drill.)
There are various types of gates/fences on the marked for child-proofing an apartement. While they are usually used/marketed for fireplaces and similar, they could work in your case, too. I can't give you brand names or similar, because I we most likely live in different parts of the world... They are usually available in different sizes/styles etc. Not cheap, though.
On the other hand, you could also try another approach: Teach your little Tasmanian Devil that your books are not for her - even small children can understand a firm "NO!". She won't like it and she will "test" you occasionally if the rule still is valid. Repeat as needed. Make sure she has her own books and show her how to treat them with respect. Some damage is to be expected, but you set the boundaries. Chew on certain toys, color on paper, rip what you permit to be ripped (newspaper, gift wrap perhaps?). The reason I recommend this is simple: She will learn what is ok and what not - so when you leave out a book, there is less (mind: not "no") chance of her "going at it" as you put it.
A:
First off, you definitely will find that if you're consistent with your child, she will learn to leave things alone, mostly, that aren't that interesting and she's been asked not to touch, in most cases. However, there are a few steps you can take to improve your odds.
Move the bookcases away from areas that she primarily spends her time in. This can be done in two ways - one, moving the bookcases, or two, moving where she primarily spends her time. This could be as simple as defining an area with tables, rugs, etc., for her and her toys, and encouraging her to play there by placing the toys out. If she's playing with your books because the living room doesn't have any toys, well, the solution presents itself.
Putting her books on the bottom shelves. That way she has something more interesting than your books to go at: her books.
Placing furniture in the room in such a way as to encourage her to utilize portions that aren't where the bookcases are. Move couches/chairs/etc. so to create areas of more space (no bookcases) and less space (bookcases). Kids tend to prefer more space areas.
In addition to all of this, you should make sure to affix your bookcases to the wall (using a cable or other mechanism) if you're concerned about her climbing on them, to prevent the bookcase from falling on her.
A:
Have you considered buying books for her age and putting those in the lower shelves? There are may toddler books water (or dribble) proof, and brightly colored.
When I was growing up, my father's approach was that he wouldn't apply discipline when it came to books for fear that we got wrong associations about them, first we played with them as toys, then as books. Most of his books didn't make it through 5 sons ... but we're all pretty avid readers. I tried the same with my sons and they are pretty avid readers too. I'm in no way saying that you have to necessarily let them play with all your books... I just decided to sacrifice my books to ensure they were familiar with books. Maybe it was a wasteful sacrifice, I'll never know...
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The horse’s digestive tract is composed of various regions that all contribute differently to digestion and absorption of nutrients. Because of this, each region can be prone to unique disturbances that can benefit from different types of support.
The stomach is the first site of digestion, using acid and stomach contractions to start breaking down feeds (especially protein). Because of the acidity, some horses may experiences irritation of the stomach lining that can lead to ulcers. Factors like diet, management, stress, breed, and behaviors can increase the risk of ulcer development in some horses.
The small intestine is next, which is the major site of enzymatic digestion of more simple carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. This is also the main site of absorption of nutrients from the diet.
The large intestine and cecum are often referred to as the hindgut. Digestion of fiber – like in forages and the outer layer of seeds - takes place in the hindgut by microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, protozoa). These microorganisms can digest the fiber, freeing up the otherwise trapped nutrients inside, and then they produce vitamins and other nutrients that can then be absorbed and used by the horse. Because the natural diet of the horse is forage based and the hindgut represents such a significant and important aspect of the digestive tract, horses are often referred to as hindgut fermenters. A healthy hindgut is a key aspect in overall horse health and wellbeing, and disturbances in the hindgut can lead to gas, bloating, diarrhea, vitamin deficiencies, weight loss, laminitis, and even colic.
Digestive tract problems may indicate a problem with the stomach, hindgut, or both, and while some behaviors are unique to the stomach and some problems unique to the hindgut, some symptoms cross-over, making it difficult to know which area of the tract needs support – or if both are in need.
We strongly recommend that if you are uncertain about any aspect of your horse or pony’s nutrition, diet, health, or well-being, please call the Nutrition Advice Line at (844) SCI-SUPP (724-7877).
For All Product Categories Please Click Here!
For All Products Please Click Here! | https://sciencesupplements.com/collections/stomach-hindgut-digestion |
Conduct a search for health IT systems.
Conduct a search for health IT systems that are common in similar health care organizations that employ about 250 physicians. Search for five hospitals and three outpatient clinics.
Select a health IT system that you want to implement in the health care organization (e.g., electronic medical records (EMR), consolidated provider order entry (CPOE), ePrescribing (eRX), etc.).
Note: The IT system must have a clinical focus.
Write a 525- to 700-word proposal that identifies the health IT system you want to implement. Your proposal should:
· Provide a description and specifications of the IT system you selected.
· Explain why the health IT system is needed.
· Explain why this particular system was selected.
· Explain if the organization is ready to make the change.
· Explain how the new health IT system will affect the organization.
· Establish SMART goals for the implementation process.
Note: Your instructor will need to approve your proposal before you can move on to the IT System Implementation assignments in Weeks Two through Six.
Cite 3 reputable references to support your assignment (e.g., trade or industry publications, government or agency websites, scholarly works, or other sources of similar quality). | https://assignwrite.com/2021/07/09/conduct-a-search-for-health-it-systems/ |
2: Mark Twain William Faulkner called Twain "the father of American literature." | When Mark was maturing in his writing, he began to lay bare truths about racial oppressions using a new and democratic literary lanuage that would forever change American prose.
3: -Adventure of Huckleberry Finn has been called the great American novel. -The books of Tom Swayer and Huck Finn were based on childhood friends. | When Huck Finn was published this solidified Twain as a noteworthy.
4: His teachings directly influenced the New Thought Movement of the mid 1800's. | Ralph Emerson He is considered one of the great orators of the time.
5: Oliver Holmes Sr. considered Emerson's speech, The American Scholar, to be America's "Intellectual Declaration of Indepence." | His essay, Nature, influenced many including Henry David Thoreau.
6: Maya Angelou Her screenplay, Georgia, Georgia, was the first orginal script by a black woman to be produced. | According to feminist scholar Maria Lauret, "The formation of female cultural identity is woven into Maya's narratives, setting her up to be a role model for black women."
7: I know Why The Caged Bird Sings, her first autobiography, brought her international recognition and acclaim. | In 1995, Bantam Books recongized her for holding the record for longest-running on the New York Times Paperback Nonfiction Bestseller List.
8: Robert Frost Frost is a popular and often-quoted poet. | He has received the Pulitzer Prize Award four times.
9: Frost is highly regarded for his realistic depicitions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. | His poem "The Road Not Taken" is often misrembered as "The Road Less Traveled" because of the line: "I took the one less traveled by."
10: Ernest Hemingway He has recieved both the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize | His distinctive writings style is characterized by economy and understatement
11: Many of his writings are now considered Canonical American literature. | The influence of Hemingway on American literature was considerable and continues to this day.
12: Norman Mailer Mailer is considered an innovator of creative nonfiction. | In 1955, along side with two other people, Mailer first published The Village Voice.
13: His novel, The Naked and The Dead, was a New York Times best seller for 62 weeks. | The Naked and The Dead is hailed as one of the best American wartime novels and named one of the "100 best novels in English language" by Modern Library.
14: Henry Call It Sleep is widely regarded as a masterpiece of Jewish American literature. | Roth Call It Sleep was hailed as an overlooked Depression-era masterpiece and classic novel of immigration.
15: Henry is considered one of the most secretive writers. | He fascinated the literary public with his stunning talent and his amazing yet curious 60 years of silence from writer's block.
16: John Updike Updike is widely recognized for his careful craftsmanship and prolific output. | John has become most famous as a "Chronicler of suburban adultery."
17: He has also slipped away from familiar territory, for example, The Witches of Eastwick. | His most famous work is his rabbit series. The series consist of 5 novels. He received the Pulitzer Prize for two of the novels.
18: Frederick Douglass One of the most prominent figures in African-American history and United States history. He has been called "The Sage of Anacostia" and "The Lion of Anacostia."
19: His best known work is his first autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. | He has left behind a legacy of social, intellectual, and political thought.
20: F. Scott Fitzgerald Widely regarded as one of the 20th century's greatest writers. | His works are evocative of the "Jazz Age", a term he coined himself.
21: His most famous work has to be The Great Gatsby. The novel chronicles the era of the Jazz Age. The Great Gatsby is ranked 2nd of Modern Library's list of thye 100 best novels of the 20th century. | https://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/all/influential-american-authors-by-hope-1813963?vk=js3igaKvMP |
Jacko’s has all the right ingredients for a memorable dining experience.
If eating at a restaurant was just about the food, then I don’t think the restaurant industry would survive. A dining experience is not just about the food but rather the whole experience, including the service and the ambience. Many restaurants in Israel fail by not considering the experience they offer diners.
Jacko’s Street opened four years ago in Jerusalem and was the first kosher chef restaurant in the Mahaneh Yehuda market area. As the small streets around the shuk started to fill with more and more eating options, the popularity of Jacko’s also grew. In my opinion, the success of Jacko’s Street is due to its understanding that it is important to offer people more than just great food. | https://debbestfood.com/2017/06/16/restaurant-review-a-winning-combination/ |
DALLAS - Dallas police are investigating a high-speed crash that happened after a driver told police another driver was shooting at him.
A neighbor's surveillance cameras captured Tuesday's crash in Pleasant Grove. It happened just before noon and an off-duty officer happened to witness it all.
A 77-year old man has taken community watch into his own hands with the help of dozens of cameras. He hopes his footage of the crash helps police in their investigation.
A truck appeared to be speeding away from a 2007 Chevy Impala when the Impala T-boned another vehicle at the intersection of Lake June Road and St. Augustine Drive on Tuesday. The Impala was carrying a 4-year-old child and also appeared to have been speeding. Everyone involved survived.
The man who recorded the video is retired electrician Kenneth Winn. He has 56 cameras around his property
Winn might have dozens of security cameras to check what’s happening on his property, but he also has cameras to monitor what’s happening on the roads right outside of his property.
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Winn thought the crash was street racing. However, Dallas police say it could be road rage.
The driver of the Impala told police he was following the truck after someone inside shot at him. But the Impala driver also ran a red light and is charged in connection with the crash.
Police don’t know who was driving the truck or if they fired a gun. The first officer on scene was near the intersection when it happened. But police say they don’t have additional witnesses or evidence at this time.
Winn is often peddling with his cameras in hopes of cracking down on neighborhood crime.
"Like I always say: The good people love me. The bad people hate me," he said. "That’s what it boils down to."
Whatever led to the accident, Winn hopes his footage helps police in their investigation.
"I don’t know what you can say that everybody hasn’t already said, but they need to slow it down and have respect for life," he said. | |
What color is F4F2EC?
The RGB color code for color number #F4F2EC is RGB(244, 242, 236). In the RGB color model, #F4F2EC has a red value of 244, a green value of 242, and a blue value of 236. The CMYK color model (also known as process color, used in color printing) comprises 0.0% cyan, 0.8% magenta, 3.3% yellow, and 4.3% key (black). The HSL color scale has a hue of 45° (degrees), 26.7 % saturation, and 94.1 % lightness. In the HSB/HSV color space, #F4F2EC has a hue of 45° (degrees), 3.3 % saturation and 95.7 % brightness/value.
Color Codes - Color Space Conversions
HEX #F4F2EC color codes / color number / color space conversions - RGBA, HSL, HSV/HSB, HYZ, CMY
|
|
RGBA - RGB(244, 242, 236)
|Red||244 (95.7%)|
|Green||242 (94.9%)|
|Blue||236 (92.5%)|
|Alpha||1 (100.0%)|
|
|
HSL
|Hue||45°|
|Saturation||26.67 %.|
|Lightness||94.12 %.|
|LRV||~ 88.8 %|
|Munsell Color System||1.6GY 9.4/0.5|
|XYZ||X : 84.2
|
Y : 88.79
Z : 92.06
|YXY||Y1 : 88.79
|
X : 0.32
Y2 : 0.34
|CMY||C : 4.31%
|
M : 5.10%
Y : 7.45%
|
|
CMYK
|Cyan||0.00 %.|
|Magenta||0.82 %.|
|Yellow||3.28 %.|
|Key||4.31 %.|
|
|
HSV/HSB
|Hue||45°|
|Saturation||3.28 %.|
|Brightness / Value||95.69 %.|
|CIE-Lab||L : 95.49
|
A : -0.37
B : 3.11
|CIE-Lch||L : 95.49
|
C : 3.14
H : 96.78
|CIE-Luv||L : 95.49
|
U : 1.47
V : 4.83
|Hunter-Lab||L : 94.23
|
A : -5.4
B : 8.04
Color Names and Paint
Color Name of HEX #F4F2EC
Similar colors from RAL, Brand, Business, School, Organization, Sports, Flag
Paint color for Hex #F4F2EC
Behr
Benjamin Moore
Sherwin Williams
PPG Paints
Color Combinations
#F4F2EC Color Palettes and Scheme Combination
Monochromatic Color Palette
Monochromatic colors belong to the same hue angle but different tints and shades. Monochromatic color palette can be generated by keeping the exact hue of the base color and then changing the saturation and lightness.
Analogous Color Palette
Analogous colors are a group of colors adjacent to each other on a color wheel. Group of these adjacent colors forms Analogous color scheme Palette. Analogous Palette can be generated by increasing or decreasing the hue value by 30 points.
Here is the Triadic and Tetradic Color Scheme of ~ Isabelline. The triadic color palette has three colors separated by 120° in the RGB color wheel and tetradic colour scheme composed of two sets of complementary colors in a rectangular shape on the color wheel.
Hexadic Color Palette
Hexadic color scheme palette is derived from drawing a hexagon on a color wheel. The palette contains three pairs of complementary colors, each colors are separated by a 120-degree hue angle.
Complementary Color Palette
Complementary or Dyadic color combination is composed using two colors opposite each other on the color wheel. Then the color Palette is be generated by changing the lightness/brightness of these two colors.
Split-Complementary Color Palette
Split-Complementary color combination contains three colors, a base color and secondary colors of complementary color. | https://www.colorxs.com/color/hex-f4f2ec |
This week students will be working creating finger puppets based on their families and then will give a speech about them to the class.
On Thursday, April 4th our class will go on a guided field trip to BRING Recycling, Glenwood Transfer Station (the “dump” and recycling center), and Short Mountain Landfill. We plan to leave at 8:35am and return at 11:55am, just in time for lunch at school. There is no cost for the field trip, as transportation will be paid for by the district’s EWEB grant. It is important that your child wear closed toed, comfortable walking shoes. Chaperones will need to ride the bus, as parking at our first stop is limited and everyone has to be on the bus when we go to the landfill. This field trip will be a wonderful opportunity for students to see first-hand where our garbage and recycling goes. This knowledge will help support the work that Irving is doing as an Oregon Green School and will tie in with what students will continue to learn in their lessons by Partners for Sustainable Schools. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the field trip.
The Irving Pillar assembly is Friday April 5th, at 1:30-2:20. Several students in our class will be receiving awards not only for pillars, but we also have at least seven students that will be recognized for memorizing their facts. Keep up the hard work Room #12 students!!
As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns. Have a wonderful week!
The students did an amazing job at their 4th grade music performance last Wednesday.
This week students will be working on writing a practice “Performance Task” that aligns to our writing standards as well as prepares them for the performance task they will be responsible for writing on the upcoming state tests. We will be practicing writing a written reponse using text based evidence to support our claims. Students in 4th grade will not be state testing until mid-May. More details to come.
On Friday, April 4th our class will go on a guided field trip to BRING Recycling, Glenwood Transfer Station (the “dump” and recycling center), and Short Mountain Landfill. We plan to leave at 8:45am and return at 11:50am, just in time for lunch at school. There is no cost for the field trip, as transportation will be paid for by the district’s EWEB grant. It is important that your child wear closed toed, comfortable walking shoes. If you would like to join us as a chaperone, please let me know or return the slip that will come home in Friday folders. We are only allowed seven additional people on the trip, so it will be first come first served. Chaperones will need to ride the bus, as parking at our first stop is limited and everyone has to be on the bus when we go to the landfill. This field trip will be a wonderful opportunity for students to see first-hand where our garbage and recycling goes. This knowledge will help support the work that Irving is doing as an Oregon Green School and will tie in with what students will continue to learn in their lessons by Partners for Sustainable Schools. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the field trip.
Room 12 is quickly running out of snack. We typically only provide snack after first recess when we have donations. Thanks to the families who brought in snack at the beginning of the school year! Our class really appreciated it! If you are able to contribute, healthy snacks like crackers, fruit snacks, etc. would be much appreciated.
I hope you enjoyed the snow and family time this week! Please look for information either in Friday folders or in the homework section of portfolios! The Iditaread starts today. Students have a packet that will be coming home today. There is also a note about the 4th grade performance that has ben rescheduled for March 6th at 7:00. Students need to be here at 6:45.
We are getting ready to celebrate the third year of the IDITAREAD at home reading competition at Irving. This coincides with the Iditarod race in Alaska, and buddy teams of Irving students will be racing against one another. The challenge is to see which team can cross the finish line first! The competition runs March 1 through March 15. Attached to this paper are the slips that you will send back DAILY indicating the minutes your child has read that day. Please pay attention to the dates on the slips. Here are the rules and procedures for the race.
The team minutes will be averaged by the number of members on your team.
There are 10 checkpoints in the race. Teams will advance based on a percentage of participation. First graders are expected to read 20 minutes a night, and 30 minutes a night for grades 2-5.
NO late slips will be counted. They must be returned the following day and signed by an adult.
Maps with team progress will be displayed and updated daily. Each team will have a unique color and name. We will also give updates on the morning announcements.
The winning team will earn a pizza party.
Have fun and let the reading begin!
Our 4th grade will be having our annual music performance on Thursday February 28th at 7pm in the cafeteria. Students have been practicing and preparing the last few months for the upcoming concert. Students need to arrive at 6:45pm and head to their classroom. We will walk kiddos down to the performance. Feel free to grab a seat at 6:45pm and get ready for a wonderful show!
This Friday is the PTO Family Dance Party -Western Ho Down 6:00-8:00 There will be a live band, Chili feed, silent auction, and lots of other fun activities!
This week we resume our Sustainable School lessons for the next five weeks. Thursday we will also have Arts Attack led by our fantastic parent helpers!
As always, if you have any questions please email or give me a call.
Your child will have a math report coming home in their Friday folder. This report is from our Iready curriculum. We took our second diagnostic test and the report shows how much progress our student has made over the school year and where he or she is as at in the four different areas of math: numbers and operations, algebra and algebraic thinking, measurement and data, and geometry. The Iready program then uses the diagnostic test to design instruction for your child. We do these lessons along with our regular curriculum 3 times a week for 20 minutes. However, your child can also work from home on these lessons to make even more progress. I would love to see students work for at least 15 minutes three times a week at home. I put a link on our blog under student links. It’s the 3rd one form the bottom. Your child already knows his or her user name and password. If you have any questions please let me know.
We are continuing our writing unit this week and hopefully by Thursday will start making our “Family Finger Puppets”. Next week students will finish finger puppets and start working on their speeches. We are also continuing our work in fractions, and students are finishing their research projects on South America.
We will not have an official “Valentine’s Party”, but we will be doing several fun activities in class. If students would like to bring Valentines for their classmates that is allowed. We just ask that you have your child make them for everyone in our class. Students will be given time to pass them out in class.
Irving PTO Family Dance Party February 22nd 6:00-8:30pm Country Dance party is the theme!
Our “Family” writing unit has started. We are currently writing paragraphs about our family and then we will be writing an autobiography essay. Through this unit they will also create a finger puppets for each of their family members and give a speech to our class.
On Thursday, February 7th our class will go on a guided field trip to the State Capitol. We plan to leave at 8:30am and return at 1:30pm. Students will need to bring a sack lunch or let their teachers know that they need one ordered from the school cafeteria by January 31st. There cost for this field trip, is $5.00 for the bus. It is important that your child wear closed toed, comfortable walking shoes, and dress in layers as part of the field trip will be outside. If you are joining us as a chaperone, please plan on driving and or carpooling with other parents. Unfortunately seating is very limited on the bus. Students are more than welcome to bring along books, drawing things, and electronics to entertain themselves on the bus ride. Please remember that all electronics are brought at your own risk. The school and teachers are not responsible for these items. However the buses will be locked at all times while we are not on them. This field trip will be a wonderful opportunity for students to see first-hand where our legislators work. The tour includes the Rotunda, Senate, House Chambers, and the Governor’s Ceremonial Office. This knowledge will help support what we are learn in Social studies and our study of Oregon. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the field trip.
We will not have a “Valentine’s Party”, but we will be doing several fun activities in class. If students would like to bring valentines for their classmates they can. We just ask that you have your child make them for everyone in our class. Students will be given time to pass them out in class.
Hannah spent her Dojo points on a PJ day for the class tomorrow. Students can wear PJ’s to class, but they also need to bring tennies because we have PE. Just a reminder that there’s no school on Friday because of the teacher in-service day.
This week we are finishing and share our “Emma Stories” with our 2nd grade buddies in Mr. McCallen’s class. We will also be starting a new writing unit.
On February 7th our class will go on a guided field trip to the State Capitol. We plan to leave at 8:30am and return at 1:30pm. Students will need to bring a sack lunch or let their teachers know that they need one ordered from the school cafeteria by January 31st. There cost for this field trip, is $5.00 for the bus. It is important that your child wear closed toed, comfortable walking shoes, and dress in layers as part of the field trip will be outside. If you would like to join us as a chaperone, please let us know. Seating will be limited on the bus as we are only taking one bus for both classes. If you could car pool and meet us at the capitol that would be terrific! Students are more than welcome to bring along books, drawing things, and electronics to entertain themselves on the bus ride. Please remember that all electronics are brought at your own risk. The school and teachers are not responsible for these items. However the buses will be locked at all times while we are not on them. This field trip will be a wonderful opportunity for students to see first-hand where our legislators work. The tour includes the Rotunda, Senate, House Chambers, and the Governor’s Ceremonial Office. This knowledge will help support what we are learn in Social studies and our study of Oregon. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the field trip.
Our class has our popcorn day on February 6th. The time has changed to the afternoon 12:15-2:00pm. We need 3-4 parents or grandparents to help pop and bag popcorn on that Wednesday. So far we have 1 parent. PLEASE let me know if you would be available to volunteer to help with our popcorn day!
Last week we had our “Author Visit.” The students enjoyed meeting Ms. Ruurs. This week, we will continue our “Emma” stories and complete our final polished narratives.
4th grade students have earned a “Flashlight Reading Party” by reading more than a combined total of 70,000 minutes at home between our 3 combined classes! The reading party will take place this Friday. Please have your child wear their PJs, bring a flashlight, blanket, and of course a book or two. The kids will get to make a “fort” with their blankets and desks and then we will turn the lights off and the kids will read with their flashlights in their forts.
Our class has our popcorn day on February 6th. The time has changed to the afternoon 12:15-2:00pm. We need 3-4 parents or grandparents to help pop and bag popcorn on that Wednesday. PLEASE let me know if you would be available to volunteer to help with our popcorn day! | http://blogs.bethel.k12.or.us/cperrigo/ |
Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement at the EPA
Performance measurement and program evaluation can both help identify areas of programs that need improvement and determine whether the program is achieving its goals or objectives. They serve different but complimentary functions:
- Performance measurement is an ongoing process that monitors and reports on a program's progress and accomplishments by using pre-selected performance measures.
- Program evaluation, however, uses measurement and analysis to answer specific questions about how well a program is achieving its outcomes and why.
So, performance measurement data describes program achievement, and program evaluation explains why we see those results.
- What is program evaluation?
- What types of program evaluations are there?
What is Program Evaluation?
Program evaluations are individual systematic studies conducted to assess how well a program is working and why. EPA has used program evaluation to:
- Support new and innovative approaches and emerging practices
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiness
- Continuously improve existing programs
- Subsequently, improve human health and the environment
What Types of Program Evaluations are there?
Program Evaluation
Program evaluations can assess the performance of a program at all stages of a program's development. The type of program evaluation conducted aligns with the program's maturity (e.g., developmental, implementation, or completion) and is driven by the purpose for conducting the evaluation and the questions that it seeks to answer. The purpose of the program evaluation determines which type of evaluation is needed.
Design Evaluation
A design evaluation is conducted early in the planning stages or implementation of a program. It helps to define the scope of a program or project and to identify appropriate goals and objectives. Design evaluations can also be used to pre-test ideas and strategies.
Process Evaluation
A process evaluation assesses whether a program or process is implemented as designed or operating as intended and identifies opportunities for improvement. Process evaluations often begin with an analysis of how a program currently operates. Process evaluations may also assess whether program activities and outputs conform to statutory and regulatory requirements, EPA policies, program design or customer expectations.
Outcome Evaluations
Outcome evaluations examine the results of a program (intended or unintended) to determine the reasons why there are differences between the outcomes and the program's stated goals and objectives (e.g., why the number and quality of permits issued exceeded or fell short of the established goal?). Outcome evaluations sometimes examine program processes and activities to better understand how outcomes are achieved and how quality and productivity could be improved.
Impact Evaluation
An impact evaluation is a subset of an outcome evaluation. It assesses the causal links between program activities and outcomes. This is achieved by comparing the observed outcomes with an estimate of what would have happened if the program had not existed (e.g., would the water be swimmable if the program had not been instituted).
Cost-Effectiveness Evaluation
Cost-effectiveness evaluations identify program benefits, outputs or outcomes and compare them with the internal and external costs of the program.
- What is performance measurement?
- How do we determine good measures?
- How is performance measurement different from program evaluation?
What is performance measurement?
Performance measurement is a way to continuously monitor and report a program's progress and accomplishments, using pre-selected performance measures. By establishing program measures, offices can gauge whether their program is meeting their goals and objectives. Performance measures help programs understand "what" level of performance is achieved.
How do we determine good measures?
Measurement is essential to making cost-effective decisions. We strive to meet three key criteria in our measurement work:
- Is it meaningful?
- Measurement should be consistent and comparable to help sustain learning.
- Is it credible?
- Effective measurement should withstand reasonable scrutiny.
- Is it practical?
- Measurement should be scaled to an agency's needs and budgetary constraints.
How is performance measurement different from program evaluation?
A program sets performance measures as a series of goals to meet over time. Measurement data can be used to identify/flag areas of increasing or decreasing performance that may warrant further investigation or evaluation. Program evaluations assess whether the program is meeting those performance measures but also look at why they are or are not meeting them.
For example, imagine you bought a new car that is supposed to get 30 miles per gallon. But say, you notice that you are only getting 20 miles per gallon. That's a performance measurement. You looked at whether your car was performing where it should be. So what do you do next? You would take it to a mechanic. The mechanic's analysis and recommendations would be the program evaluation because the mechanic would diagnose why the car is not performing as well as it should.
You need performance measures to know whether your program (or car) is performing where it should be, and you do a program evaluation (or go to the mechanic) to find out the reason why it is not meeting those expectations. | https://www.epa.gov/evaluate/program-evaluation-and-performance-measurement-epa |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to processing data having varied temporal characteristics to generate predictions related to management arrangements using random forest classifiers.
BACKGROUND
In recent years, data processing and techniques for data processing have seen an increase in importance and applicability to computer applications for a variety of purposes. Nonetheless, the ever-increasing sizes of these data sets and processing power required for processing these data sets to meet the demands of the new applications continues to pose a problem for developers.
SUMMARY
In view of this problem, methods and systems for improvements in data processing are disclosed herein. In particular, these improvements are achieved through processing data having varied temporal characteristics to generate predictions. The aforementioned data processing is especially relevant to applications used to generate predictions related to management arrangements. For example, applications related to management arrangements (e.g., composition of decision-making bodies and/or other control system of an entity) and/or management transformations (e.g., changes in management arrangements of entities based on investor activism) of an entity have specific requirements for machine learning models in that these models must generate reliable predictions, often with limited training data, and must provide visibility into features responsible for the predictions and/or the features that impact given predictions.
The methods and system described herein further relate to the use of models based on random forest classifiers. However, the use of models based on random forest classifiers for applications related to management arrangements creates an additional technical hurdle. Specifically, applications related to management arrangements require a temporal characteristic (i.e., data is correlated to a specific time/date and the model must account for this correlation in order to make predictions). Without proper preservation of this temporal characteristic, applications related to management arrangements cannot be achieved and/or predictions related to future time periods cannot be made. This is particularly problematic for models based on random forest classifiers. Random forest classifiers are conventionally limited in their ability to make predictions based on future points in a time-series. That is, random forest classifiers are limited to classification of a current time. For example, random forest classifiers have no awareness of time. Instead, the random forest classifier takes observations to be independent and identically distributed, in contrast to time series data which is characterized by serial dependence.
To overcome this limitation, the system and methods training data for the random forest classifier is pre-processed to make each feature vector indexed by time. For example, the feature vector for a given entity may include management arrangement data, which may include fundamental data, income data, market data, trading volume data, shareholder rights data, structure data, size/length of the tenure, number of affiliations, and/or any other data related to management arrangements. As described below, this pre-processing may include one of more of statistical transformations, detrending, time delay embedding, or feature engineering. Following the pre-processing, a model using a random forest classifier may then be trained.
The trained model may then achieve one or more benefits when applied to applications related to management arrangements. First, the model may provide predictions for not only the likely success of a management transformation (e.g., the likelihood of success of a launched activism campaign), but how likely a management transformation is to occur (e.g., the likelihood that an activism campaign will be launched). Second, the model may provide multiple interpretation tools comparing current entities and/or the management arrangements and management arrangement data for those entities to historical management arrangements and management arrangement data of entities that featured a management transformation in order to provide predictions for the current entity. Additionally or alternatively, the model may provide interpretation tools identifying an impact of a given feature (e.g., a category and/or value of management arrangement data) on a likelihood of success or occurrence of a management transformation. Third, the model may provide outputs that through post-processing may be adjusted based on a given time series as well as other factors (e.g., geographic considerations) to allow the model to be adjustable for particular circumstances.
In some aspects, systems and methods are described for processing data having varied temporal characteristics to generate predictions related to management arrangements using random forest classifiers. For example, the system may receive first data related to a first management arrangement of a first entity, wherein the first data comprises a first temporal characteristic and a first management transformation of the first entity. The system may generate a first feature vector for the first data, wherein a first element of the first feature vector corresponds to the first temporal characteristic. The system may train a random forest classifier based on the first feature vector to classify the first data as corresponding to the first management transformation. The system may receive second data related to a second management arrangement of a second entity, wherein the second data comprises a second temporal characteristic and an unknown management transformation of the second entity. The system may generate a second feature vector for the second data, wherein a second element of the second feature vector corresponds to the second temporal characteristic. The system may input the second feature vector into the random forest classifier. The system may receive an output from the random forest classifier related to a predicted second management transformation. The system may generate for display, in a user interface, a prediction based on the predicted second management transformation.
Various other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent through the detailed description of the invention and the drawings attached hereto. It is also to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are examples and not restrictive of the scope of the invention. As used in the specification and in the claims, the singular forms of “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, as used in the specification and the claims, the term “or” means “and/or” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Additionally, as used in the specification “a portion,” refers to a part of, or the entirety of (i.e., the entire portion), a given item (e.g., data) unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
shows an illustrative example of a user interface for accessing predictions based on the predicted second management transformation, in accordance with one or more embodiments.
FIG. 2
shows an illustrative example of another instance of a user interface for accessing a comparison of an entity and another entity based on their similarities, in accordance with one or more embodiments.
FIG. 3
shows a system for processing data having varied temporal characteristics to generate predictions related to management arrangements using random forest classifiers, in accordance with one or more embodiments.
FIG. 4
shows a flowchart of the steps involved in processing data having varied temporal characteristics to generate predictions related to management arrangements using random forest classifiers, in accordance with one or more embodiments.
FIG. 5
shows a flowchart of the steps involved in generating predictions with varied types of data, in accordance with one or more embodiments.
FIG. 6
shows a flowchart of the steps involved in generating a comparison of an entity and another entity based on their similarities, in accordance with one or more embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the invention. It will be appreciated, however, by those having skill in the art, that the embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details or with an equivalent arrangement. In other cases, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments of the invention.
FIG. 1
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shows an illustrative example of a user interface for accessing predictions based on the predicted second management transformation, in accordance with one or more embodiments. For example, the system may generate for display respective predictions for a one or more entities based on publicly available data related to management arrangements for the plurality of entities. Additionally or alternatively, the system may rank an entity among the plurality of entities based on a comparison of a prediction for the entity and the other respective predictions. For example, user interface includes numerous predictions and management arrangement data related to management arrangements of entity and management transformations. The instance of user interface may represent an analysis that quantifies how various actions available to the entity impact its likelihood of a management transformation. As discussed in relation to , the model and/or predictions generated by the model are backtested and can provide and predict activism in advance. The application generates predictions, but also provides built-in analytics with unique insights into the underlying causes of management transformations.
As referred to herein, a management arrangement of an entity includes an organization of the entity, an administration scheme used by the entity, and/or personnel occupying control or management interests of an entity. For example, the management arrangement of an entity may include how the entity is managed, administered, or organized, whether the entity is a business, a not-for-profit organization, or government body. Management includes the activities of setting the strategy of an organization and coordinating the efforts of its employees (or of volunteers) to accomplish its objectives through the application of available resources, such as financial, natural, technological, and human resources. Management arrangement may also refer to those people who manage an organization and/or the position in the entity of those people. An entity includes any business, partnership, a not-for-profit organization, government body, and/or other grouping of people and resources for a goal. As referred to herein a management transformation includes launching of an activism campaign. An activism campaign may comprise an investor or shareholder acquiring a partial or controlling interest in an entity to use as leverage to change the management arrangement of the entity. As referred to herein, management arrangement data may include fundamental data, income data, market data, trading volume data, shareholder rights data, structure data, size/length of the tenure, number of affiliations, and/or any other data related to management arrangements. The management arrangement data may be pre-processed to be indexed by time.
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Prediction includes a probability of a management transformation for an entity as well as a ranking of the likelihood of a management transformation of the entity among a plurality of other entities. For example, user interface may be generated by an application as described herein. The application may an analytical platform for quantifying the risk that entities will become activism targets and/or undergo a management transformation. User interface may be based on a machine learning model (e.g., as discusses below in ) that analyzes historical management transformations (e.g., launching of activism campaigns) in conjunction with large amounts of data about public entities. The application may calculate the probability of management transformations for a wide range of public entities in the disperse geographic areas. Manage arrangement data may include an entity name or other identifier and/or information about the entity such as stock price, valuation, and/or other information.
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Predictions and may include features (e.g., categories and/or values of management arrangement data) that are particularly relevant or highly impactful on management transformations. For example, prediction may include key qualitative or quantitative metrics that are highly correlated with management transformations. Prediction may include historical probability of a management transformation. In some embodiments, prediction may include probabilities and predictions that are based on a specific time point in a time series (e.g., as discussed in below).
FIG. 2
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shows an illustrative example of another instance of a user interface for accessing a comparison of an entity and another entity based on their similarities, in accordance with one or more embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the system may receive data related to a management arrangement of an entity, wherein the data comprises a temporal characteristic and a management transformation of the that entity. The system may then determine a similarity of the data and the data for another entity. The system may then generate for display, in a user interface (e.g., user interface ), a comparison of the entity and the other entity based on the similarity. In some embodiments, the comparison includes an outcome of the management transformation for the entity.
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User interface include comparable entities . Comparable entities may include a plurality of entities having a threshold similarity (e.g., as discussed below in relation to ). User interface may also include one or more categories of management arrangement data for the comparable entities (e.g., category ). User interface may in some embodiments include a respective value for the categories of management arrangement data for the comparable entities and/or a comparison of the respective values. User interface may further comprise values (e.g., value ) for one or more categories. These values may be qualitative or qualitative expressions of the presence and/or degree to which each of comparable entities corresponds to category .
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User interface may also include one or more categories related to management transformations for the comparable entities . (e.g., category ). User interface may in some embodiments include a respective value for the categories of management arrangement data for the management transformations of the comparable entities and/or a comparison of the respective values. User interface may further comprise values (e.g., value ) for one or more categories. These values may be qualitative or qualitative expressions of the presence and/or degree to which each of comparable entities corresponds to category .
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User interface may also include recommendations . Recommendations may be based on management arrangement data, management transformations, and/or a comparison of categories and values thereof. For example, recommendations may provide qualitative or quantitative representations (e.g., textual, visual, graphical, etc. representations) based on the management arrangement data, management transformations, and/or a comparison of categories and values thereof.
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shows a system for processing data having varied temporal characteristics to generate predictions related to management arrangements using random forest classifiers, in accordance with one or more embodiments. As shown in , system may include user device , user device , and/or other components. Each user device may include any type of mobile terminal, fixed terminal, or other device. Each of these devices may receive content and data via input/output (hereinafter “I/O”) paths and may also include processors and/or control circuitry to send and receive commands, requests, and other suitable data using the I/O paths. The control circuitry may be comprised of any suitable processing circuitry. Each of these devices may also include a user input interface and/or display for use in receiving and displaying data (e.g., user interface ()). By way of example, user device and user device may include a desktop computer, a server, or other client device. Users may, for instance, utilize one or more of the user devices to interact with one another, one or more servers, or other components of system . It should be noted that, while one or more operations are described herein as being performed by particular components of system , those operations may, in some embodiments, be performed by other components of system . As an example, while one or more operations are described herein as being performed by components of user device , those operations may, in some embodiments, be performed by components of user device . System also includes machine learning model , which may be implemented on user device and user device , or accessible by communication paths and , respectively. It should be noted that, although some embodiments are described herein with respect to machine learning models, other prediction models (e.g., statistical models or other analytics models) may be used in lieu of, or in addition to, machine learning models in other embodiments (e.g., a statistical model replacing a machine learning model and a non-statistical model replacing a non-machine learning model in one or more embodiments).
Each of these devices may also include memory in the form of electronic storage. The electronic storage may include non-transitory storage media that electronically stores information. The electronic storage of media may include (i) system storage that is provided integrally (e.g., substantially non-removable) with servers or client devices and/or (ii) removable storage that is removably connectable to the servers or client devices via, for example, a port (e.g., a USB port, a firewire port, etc.) or a drive (e.g., a disk drive, etc.). The electronic storages may include optically readable storage media (e.g., optical disks, etc.), magnetically readable storage media (e.g., magnetic tape, magnetic hard drive, floppy drive, etc.), electrical charge-based storage media (e.g., EEPROM, RAM, etc.), solid-state storage media (e.g., flash drive, etc.), and/or other electronically readable storage media. The electronic storages may include virtual storage resources (e.g., cloud storage, a virtual private network, and/or other virtual storage resources). The electronic storage may store software algorithms, information determined by the processors, information obtained from servers, information obtained from client devices, or other information that enables the functionality as described herein.
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In some embodiments, system may represent a cloud based system that includes multiple cloud based components for providing a software development version control system for monitoring contributor performance for source code programming projects. The cloud-based system may include components such as memory, control circuitry, and/or I/O circuitry. In such embodiments, system and/or one or more functions of system may be dispersed across a plurality of locations and/or devices.
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also includes communication paths , , and . Communication paths , , and may include the Internet, a mobile phone network, a mobile voice or data network (e.g., a 4G or LTE network), a cable network, a public switched telephone network, or other types of communications network or combinations of communications networks. Communication paths , , and may include one or more communications paths, such as a satellite path, a fiber-optic path, a cable path, a path that supports Internet communications (e.g., IPTV), free-space connections (e.g., for broadcast or other wireless signals), or any other suitable wired or wireless communications path or combination of such paths. The computing devices may include additional communication paths linking a plurality of hardware, software, and/or firmware components operating together. For example, the computing devices may be implemented by a cloud of computing platforms operating together as the computing devices.
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As an example, with respect to , machine learning model may take inputs and provide outputs . The inputs may include multiple data sets such as a training data set and a test data set. Each of the plurality of data sets (e.g., inputs ) may include data subsets with common characteristics. For example, inputs may include information about historic, current, and/or future activism campaigns. Additionally or alternatively, inputs may include management arrangement data. As referred to herein, management arrangement data may include fundamental data, income data, market data, trading volume data, shareholder rights data, structure data, size/length of the tenure, number of affiliations, and/or any other data related to management arrangements. The management arrangement data may be pre-processed to be indexed by time.
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In some embodiments, machine learning model may be based on a random forest classifier. The random forest classifier may include a plurality of decision trees. Each decision tree may provide an individual classification. The system may then predict a class based on averaging the various individual classifications (or using another operation or function that provides an overall qualitative or quantitative assessment of the individual classifications). The random forest classifier may comprise decision trees with low correlation. For example, the use of decision trees (or models) that are uncorrelated (or diverse) may provide more accurate predictions when used in the random forest classifier.
To ensure diversity, the system may use bootstrap aggregation in which each individual decision tree is able to randomly sample from the dataset with replacements. For example, with a training data set size of N, each individual decision tree may be trained on a subset of the data of the training data set in which replacements ensure that the total size of the training data set remains at the size of N. Additionally or alternatively, the system may use feature randomness to ensure diversity. For example, each decision tree in the random forest may only be able to select from a random subset of features (e.g., as opposed to every possible feature).
However, the use of models based on random forest classifiers for applications related to management arrangements creates an additional technical hurdle. Specifically, applications related to management arrangements require a temporal characteristic (i.e., data is correlated to a specific time/date and the model must account for this correlation in order to make predictions). Accordingly, each feature vector used for training must be indexed by time.
Without proper preservation of this temporal characteristic, applications related to management arrangements cannot be achieved and/or predictions related to future time periods cannot be made. This is particularly problematic for models based on random forest classifiers. Random forest classifiers are conventionally limited in their ability to make predictions based on future points in a time-series. That is, random forest classifiers are limited to classification of a current time. For example, random forest classifiers have no awareness of time. Instead, the random forest classifier takes observations to be independent and identically distributed, in contrast to time series data which is characterized by serial dependence.
To overcome this limitation, the system and methods training data for the random forest classifier is pre-processed to make each feature vector indexed by time. For example, the feature vector for a given entity may include management arrangement data, which may include fundamental data, income data, market data, trading volume data, shareholder rights data, structure data, size/length of the tenure, number of affiliations, and/or any other data related to management arrangements. The time index for the feature vector may correspond to a time of the data in the feature vector.
The pre-processing may include one of more of statistical transformations, detrending, time delay embedding, or feature engineering. This pre-processing may collapse the time series information to be processed by the random forest classifier. Statistical transformations may include Box-Cox transformations (e.g., transforming non-normal dependent variables into a normal shape) or power transformations (e.g., monotonic transformation of data using power functions). Detrending may include processing a series of measurements as a time series and estimating a trend to make estimations and justify statements about tendencies in the data, by relating the measurements to the times at which they occurred. Detrending may include differencing, STL, SEATS. Differencing is a transformation applied to time-series data in order to make it stationary. Time delay embedding relates to including history information in dynamical system models, and feature engineering may include introducing lags, rolling statistics, Fourier terms, time dummies, etc. to the model.
Following the pre-processing, a model using a random forest classifier may then be trained. The trained model may then achieve one or more benefits when applied to applications related to management arrangements. First, the model may provide predictions for not only the likely success of a management transformation (e.g., the likelihood of success of a launched activism campaign), but how likely a management transformation is to occur (e.g., the likelihood that an activism campaign will be launched). Second, the model may provide multiple interpretation tools comparing current entities and/or the management arrangements and management arrangement data for those entities to historical management arrangements and management arrangement data of entities that featured a management transformation in order to provide predictions for the current entity. Additionally or alternatively, the model may provide interpretation tools identifying an impact of a given feature (e.g., a category and/or value of management arrangement data) on a likelihood of success or occurrence of a management transformation. Third, the model may provide outputs that through post-processing may be adjusted based on a given time series as well as other factors (e.g., geographic considerations) to allow the model to be adjustable for particular circumstances.
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Post-processing may include transforming an output of the random forest classifier from one probability model to another. For example, an output of the random forest classifier may be a predicted probably based on likelihood ratio. A likelihood ratio is the likelihood that a given test result would be expected in data with a target class to the likelihood that that same result would be expected in a data without the target class. In some embodiments, this probability (or the distribution thereof) may differ from an observed rate. For example, the system may transform the probability from a normal distribution or Bernoulli distribution to a beta distribution where the probability distribution is defined on the interval [, ] parametrized by two positive shape parameters, denoted by a and (, that appear as exponents of the random variable and control the shape of the distribution. In another example, the output of the random forest classifier may be transformed to Bayesian network that represents a set of variables and their conditional dependencies via a directed acyclic graph. The Bayesian network may then be used to determine impact features for a given management transformation.
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In some embodiments, outputs may be fed back to machine learning model as input to train machine learning model (e.g., alone or in conjunction with user indications of the accuracy of outputs , labels associated with the inputs, or with other reference feedback information). In another embodiment, machine learning model may update its configurations (e.g., weights, biases, or other parameters) based on the assessment of its prediction (e.g., outputs ) and reference feedback information (e.g., user indication of accuracy, reference labels, or other information). In another embodiment, where machine learning model is a neural network, connection weights may be adjusted to reconcile differences between the neural network's prediction and the reference feedback. In a further use case, one or more neurons (or nodes) of the neural network may require that their respective errors are sent backward through the neural network to them to facilitate the update process (e.g., backpropagation of error). Updates to the connection weights may, for example, be reflective of the magnitude of error propagated backward after a forward pass has been completed. In this way, for example, the machine learning model may be trained to generate better predictions.
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In some embodiments, machine learning model may include an artificial neural network. In such embodiments, machine learning model may include input layer and one or more hidden layers. Each neural unit of machine learning model may be connected with many other neural units of machine learning model . Such connections can be enforcing or inhibitory in their effect on the activation state of connected neural units. In some embodiments, each individual neural unit may have a summation function which combines the values of all of its inputs together. In some embodiments, each connection (or the neural unit itself) may have a threshold function such that the signal must surpass before it propagates to other neural units. Machine learning model may be self-learning and trained, rather than explicitly programmed, and can perform significantly better in certain areas of problem solving, as compared to traditional computer programs. During training, an output layer of machine learning model may corresponds to a classification of machine learning model and an input known to correspond to that classification may be input into an input layer of machine learning model during training. During testing, an input without a known classification may be input into the input layer, and a determined classification may be output.
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In some embodiments, machine learning model may include multiple layers (e.g., where a signal path traverses from front layers to back layers). In some embodiments, back propagation techniques may be utilized by machine learning model where forward stimulation is used to reset weights on the “front” neural units. In some embodiments, stimulation and inhibition for machine learning model may be more free flowing, with connections interacting in a more chaotic and complex fashion. During testing, an output layer of machine learning model may indicate whether or not a given input corresponds to a classification of machine learning model (e.g., determine a first length of programming time based on a determined average length of programming time for a given first resolution type).
FIG. 3
FIGS. 4-6
FIGS. 1-2
FIG. 1
FIG. 2
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As shown in , machine learning model has generated output an output of prediction , which is displayed on user device . Prediction may include additional information as described in below as well as information described in above. For example, in some embodiments, prediction may correspond to an instance of user interface () or user interface ().
FIG. 4
FIGS. 1-3
400
shows a flowchart of the steps involved in processing data having varied temporal characteristics to generate predictions related to management arrangements using random forest classifiers, in accordance with one or more embodiments. For example, process may represent the steps taken by one or more devices as shown in .
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FIG. 3
At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) receives first data related to a first management arrangement of a first entity. For example, the system may receive, using control circuitry, first data related to a first management arrangement of a first entity, wherein the first data comprises a first temporal characteristic (e.g., a date) and a first management transformation (e.g., a launching of an activism campaign) of the first entity. For example, the first management transformation may comprise a launching of a first activism campaign against the first management arrangement. The temporal characteristic may relate to a past date.
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FIG. 3
At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) generates a first feature vector for the first data. For example, the system may generate, using the control circuitry, a first feature vector for the first data, wherein a first element of the first feature vector corresponds to the first temporal characteristic. The temporal characteristic may correspond to a time value that is indexed with the feature vector. The time value may indicate a date of the management arrangement data corresponding to the feature vector.
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At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) trains a random forest classifier based on the first feature vector to classify the first data as corresponding to the first management transformation. For example, the system may train, using the control circuitry, a random forest classifier based on the first feature vector to classify the first data as corresponding to the first management transformation. In some embodiments, training the random forest classifier based on the first feature vector to classify the first data as corresponding to the first management transformation comprises back testing the random forest classifier against historical data related to historical management arrangements and historical management transformations. For example, the system may estimate the performance of the random forest classifier as if it had been employed during a past period using back testing. In such cases, the system may simulate past conditions with sufficient detail using historical data. In some embodiments, the system may limit back testing in order to prevent overfitting and/or may adopt additional training techniques to prevent overfitting.
In some embodiments, the random forest classifier may be a time series classifier, and the predicted second management transformation may a temporal characteristic distinct from other temporal characteristics. For example, the temporal characteristic of the predicted second management transformation may be in the future.
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FIG. 3
FIG. 1
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) receives second data related to a second management arrangement of a second entity. For example, the system may receive, using the control circuitry, second data related to a second management arrangement of a second entity, wherein the second data comprises a second temporal characteristic (e.g., a date) and an unknown management transformation (e.g., whether or not an activism campaign will be launched) of the second entity. The temporal characteristic may relate to a current or future date. In some embodiments, the system may receive a user input (e.g., via user interface () or user interface ()) initiating a review of publicly available data related to management arrangements for a plurality of entities. In response to the review, the system may query a data source (e.g., a data source incorporated into and/or accessible by system ()) for the second data, wherein the second data is received in response to the query.
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At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) generates a second feature vector for the second data. For example, the system may generate, using the control circuitry, a second feature vector for the second data, wherein a second element of the second feature vector corresponds to the second temporal characteristic.
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At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) inputs the second feature vector into the random forest classifier. For example, the system may input, using the control circuitry, the second feature vector into the random forest classifier.
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At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) receives an output from the random forest classifier related to a predicted second management transformation. For example, the system may receive, using the control circuitry, an output from the random forest classifier related to a predicted second management transformation.
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At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) generates for display a prediction based on the predicted second management transformation. For example, the system may generate for display, in a user interface, a prediction based on the predicted second management transformation. In some embodiments, the first management transformation may comprise a launching of a first activism campaign against the first management arrangement, and the prediction based on the predicted second management transformation may comprise a probability of a launching of a second activism campaign against the second management arrangement.
FIGS. 1-2
In some embodiments, the system may further perform additional steps in order to generate one or more features as shown in . For example, the system may transform the output from an exponential distribution to a probability based on a Bayes classifier, wherein the prediction includes the probability. Additionally or alternatively, the system may generate predictions with specific information. For example, the system may determine a first datum (e.g., a share price field or category of the first entity) of the first data that is indicative of the first management transformation. The system may then determine a second datum of the second data that corresponds to the first datum (e.g., a share price field or category of the second entity). The system may then generate for display a representation of the second datum in the prediction. Additionally or alternatively, the system may generate information about a specific value (e.g., a share price value). For example, the system may determine a first value (e.g., a share price value of the first entity) for the first datum that is indicative of the first management transformation. The system may then determine a second value (e.g., a share price value of the second entity) of the second datum that corresponds to the first value. The system may then generate for display a representation of the second value in the prediction.
FIG. 4
FIG. 4
FIGS. 1-3
FIG. 4
It is contemplated that the steps or descriptions of may be used with any other embodiment of this disclosure. In addition, the steps and descriptions described in relation to may be done in alternative orders or in parallel to further the purposes of this disclosure. For example, each of these steps may be performed in any order or in parallel or substantially simultaneously to reduce lag or increase the speed of the system or method. Furthermore, it should be noted that any of the devices or equipment discussed in relation to could be used to perform one of more of the steps in .
FIG. 5
FIGS. 1-3
500
shows a flowchart of the steps involved in generating predictions with varied types of data, in accordance with one or more embodiments. For example, the system may generate for display respective predictions for a plurality of entities based on publicly available data related to management arrangements for the plurality of entities. Additionally or alternatively, the system may rank an entity among the plurality of entities based on a comparison of the prediction and the respective predictions. For example, process may represent the steps taken by one or more devices as shown in .
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FIG. 1
FIG. 1
At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) receives a query for a prediction for a first entity. For example, the query may be generated by the system in response to a user accessing user interface () and/or selecting an icon in user interface ()).
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FIG. 3
At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) determines whether the prediction includes comparable entities. If so, process proceeds to step . For example, the system may use various criteria when determine what information to include in a prediction as well as what information should accompany a prediction. The system may select the one or more criteria based on a user inputs or automatically based on application settings. If not, process proceeds to step .
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FIG. 6
At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) determines comparable entities for use in generating the prediction. For example, in some embodiments, this may include determining the similarity between two entities as discussed below in . In response to determining the comparable entities, the system may store the comparable entities (or information identifying the comparable entities) and proceed to step .
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At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) determines whether the prediction includes management arrangement data for comparable entities. If so, process proceeds to step . If not, process proceeds to step .
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At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) determines management arrangement data for comparable entities. For example, in some embodiments, this may include determining information about the entities for use in comparing that information to current or past information of the first entity. For example, the system may determine a first datum (e.g., a board composition field or category of the first entity) of the first data that is indicative of the first management transformation. The system may then determine a second datum of the second data that corresponds to the first datum (e.g., a board composition field or category of the second entity). The system may then generate for display a representation of the second datum in the prediction. Additionally or alternatively, the system may generate information about a specific value (e.g., a value indicative of the board composition such as the number of board members and/or other value that represents a quantitative or qualitative assessment of the composition). For example, the system may determine a first value (e.g., a board composition value of the first entity) for the first datum that is indicative of the first management transformation. The system may then determine a second value (e.g., a board composition value of the second entity) of the second datum that corresponds to the first value.
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At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) determines whether the prediction includes any additional information. If so, process proceeds to step . If not, process proceeds to step .
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FIGS. 1-2
At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) determines additional information on first entity. For example, the additional information may comprise any of the information shown in related to the first entity. This may include name, income data, market data, trading volume, shareholder rights, etc. and/or any other information that may be relevant to an assessment of a management arrangement.
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At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) generates the prediction based on the information determined during process .
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FIG. 1
FIG. 2
For example, the information determined during process may be used by the system to populate a user interface (e.g., user interface () or user interface ()).
FIG. 5
FIG. 5
FIGS. 1-3
FIG. 5
It is contemplated that the steps or descriptions of may be used with any other embodiment of this disclosure. In addition, the steps and descriptions described in relation to may be done in alternative orders or in parallel to further the purposes of this disclosure. For example, each of these steps may be performed in any order or in parallel or substantially simultaneously to reduce lag or increase the speed of the system or method. Furthermore, it should be noted that any of the devices or equipment discussed in relation to could be used to perform one or more of the steps in .
FIG. 6
FIG. 2
FIGS. 1-3
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shows a flowchart of the steps involved in generating a comparison of an entity and another entity based on their similarities, in accordance with one or more embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, the system may receive data related to a management arrangement of an entity, wherein the data comprises a temporal characteristic and a management transformation of the that entity. The system may then determine a similarity of the data and the data for another entity. The system may then generate for display, in a user interface (e.g., user interface ()), a comparison of the entity and the other entity based on the similarity. In some embodiments, the comparison includes an outcome of the management transformation for the entity. For example, process may represent the steps taken by one or more devices as shown in .
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FIG. 3
At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) receives data related to a management arrangement of a first entity. For example, for a given entity, the system (e.g., model ()) identifies comparable entities that are most similar in terms of their most relevant metrics related to management arrangement, management arrangement data, management transformations, and/or management transformation data, and/or have been subject to management transformations (e.g., activism campaigns) in the past.
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At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) receives data related to a management arrangement of a second entity. In some embodiments, the system may retrieve the second entity from a similar industry. In some embodiments, the system may determine similarities between entities from different industries (e.g., the system may not exclude entities from different industry from being designated as similar. For example, the system may determine “effective peer groups” based on the similarity of the underlying management arrangement data in the context of precedent management transformation situations.
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At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) determines a similarity of the data for the first and second entity. For example, the similarities between the historically targeted entities and the first entity can point towards the specific reasons why the first entity is likely subject to a management transformation.
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FIG. 1
At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) determines whether the similarity exceeds a threshold. For example, the system may retrieve a threshold based on the number of entities, industry, time period, and/or other factors. The threshold may be determined based on industry standards and/or adjusted by a user (e.g., via user interface ()). If so, process proceeds to step . If the similarity does not exceed the threshold, process returns to step and receives data on a different entity.
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FIG. 2
FIG. 2
At step , process (e.g., via control circuitry of one or more components of system ()) determines that the first and second entity are comparable. For example, in response to determining that the first and second entity are comparable, the system may determine additional information about the second entity (e.g., for use in generating a comparison of the first and second entities). In some embodiments, the system may determine to use the second entity in an instance of a user interface comparing similar entities (e.g., as shown in ). For example, the system may determine a given set of “comparable historical activism situations,” and generate for display the commonalities between the management transformations allows the system to generate recommendations (e.g., recommendations ()) to users related to factor that triggered and/or impactful features for the management transformation.
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FIG. 1
In some embodiments, the system may combine the high impact feature analysis with peer comparisons of traditional metrics to generate a prediction with a comprehensive narrative (e.g., presented as a recommendation in user interface ()). For example, the system may list the features which have the highest impact on making an entity more or less likely to have a management transformation. The system may use a statistical learning model such that that the high impact features are the model inputs that have the strongest statistical associations with the model output (e.g., likelihood of a management transformation).
FIG. 6
FIG. 6
FIGS. 1-3
FIG. 6
It is contemplated that the steps or descriptions of may be used with any other embodiment of this disclosure. In addition, the steps and descriptions described in relation to may be done in alternative orders or in parallel to further the purposes of this disclosure. For example, each of these steps may be performed in any order or in parallel or substantially simultaneously to reduce lag or increase the speed of the system or method. Furthermore, it should be noted that any of the devices or equipment discussed in relation to could be used to perform one or more of the steps in .
The above-described embodiments of the present disclosure are presented for purposes of illustration and not of limitation, and the present disclosure is limited only by the claims which follow. Furthermore, it should be noted that the features and limitations described in any one embodiment may be applied to any other embodiment herein, and flowcharts or examples relating to one embodiment may be combined with any other embodiment in a suitable manner, done in different orders, or done in parallel. In addition, the systems and methods described herein may be performed in real time. It should also be noted that the systems and/or methods described above may be applied to, or used in accordance with, other systems and/or methods.
The present techniques will be better understood with reference to the following enumerated embodiments:
1. A method of processing data having varied temporal characteristics to generate predictions related to management arrangements using random forest classifiers, the method comprising: receiving, using control circuitry, first data related to a first management arrangement of a first entity, wherein the first data comprises a first temporal characteristic and a first management transformation of the first entity; generating, using the control circuitry, a first feature vector for the first data, wherein a first element of the first feature vector corresponds to the first temporal characteristic; training, using the control circuitry, a random forest classifier based on the first feature vector to classify the first data as corresponding to the first management transformation; receiving, using the control circuitry, second data related to a second management arrangement of a second entity, wherein the second data comprises a second temporal characteristic and an unknown management transformation of the second entity; generating, using the control circuitry, a second feature vector for the second data, wherein a second element of the second feature vector corresponds to the second temporal characteristic; inputting, using the control circuitry, the second feature vector into the random forest classifier; receiving, using the control circuitry, an output from the random forest classifier related to a predicted second management transformation; and generating for display, in a user interface, a prediction based on the predicted second management transformation.
2. The method of embodiment 1, further comprising transforming the output from an exponential distribution to a probability based on a Bayes classifier, wherein the prediction includes the probability.
3. The method of embodiment 1 or 2, further comprising: determining a first datum of the first data that is indicative of the first management transformation; determining a second datum of the second data that corresponds to the first datum; and generating for display a representation of the second datum in the prediction.
4. The method of embodiment 3, further comprising: determining a first value for the first datum that is indicative of the first management transformation; determining a second value of the second datum that corresponds to the first value; and generating for display a representation of the second value in the prediction.
5. The method of any one of embodiments 1-4, wherein the random forest classifier is a time series classifier, and wherein the predicted second management transformation has a third temporal characteristic.
6. The method of any one of embodiments 1-5, wherein the first management transformation comprises a launching of a first activism campaign against the first management arrangement, and wherein the prediction based on the predicted second management transformation comprises a probability of a launching of a second activism campaign against the second management arrangement.
7. The method of any one of embodiments 1-6, wherein training the random forest classifier based on the first feature vector to classify the first data as corresponding to the first management transformation comprises backtesting the random forest classifier against historical data related to historical management arrangements and historical management transformations.
8. The method of any one of embodiments 1-7, further comprising: receiving a user input initiating a review of publicly available data related to management arrangements for a plurality of entities; and in response to the review, query a data source for the second data, wherein the second data is received in response to the query.
9. The method of any one of embodiments 1-8, further comprising: generating for display respective predictions for a plurality of entities based on publicly available data related to management arrangements for the plurality of entities; and ranking the second entity among the plurality of entities based on a comparison of the prediction and the respective predictions.
10. The method of any one of embodiments 1-9, further comprising: receiving third data related to a third management arrangement of a third entity, wherein the third data comprises a third temporal characteristic and a third management transformation of the third entity; determining a similarity of the third data and the second data; and generating for display, in the user interface, a comparison of the second entity and the third entity based on the similarity, wherein the comparison includes an outcome of the third management transformation.
11. A tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a data processing apparatus, cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising those of any of embodiments 1-10.
12. A system comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processors, cause the processors to effectuate operations comprising those of any of embodiments 1-10.
13. A system comprising means for performing any of embodiments 1-10. | |
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There likely isn’t a segment of the US population that hasn’t been profoundly affected by the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). While we don’t know the full, enduring impact, we know young children experienced multiple, potentially severe disruptions in the midst of crucial developmental stages. As classrooms became virtual and playgrounds sat empty, children faced radically new patterns of daily life, behavior, and thought.
In order to get a better understanding of how children are adapting and coping with these dramatic changes, we surveyed parents across the country about their child’s health, virtual learning, and socialization during the pandemic.
Highland partners with children’s hospitals, non-profits, and digital health innovators to find strategies that promote children’s well-being. With more than a decade of experience working with children and their families, our commitment to children’s mental health has grown. Our expertise spans across digital strategy consulting, patient experience research, experience design, and custom software development, enabling organizations to create better outcomes through the design and development of insightful, intentional physical and digital care journeys.
Now is the time to seek greater understanding about the effects of COVID-19 among children, in order to design ways to help them now and in the long-term.
Virtual Learning
As another end to the school year approaches, district policies regarding a full-time return to classrooms vary across the country. All parents, whether their child has returned to in-person learning or not, are certainly concerned about the effects of the online, interactive virtual learning environment.
According to respondents, 72% of parents believe virtual learning is putting their child behind academically, and more than half (57%) say their child’s grades have fallen behind since the pandemic. Fifty-six percent of parents surveyed also say their child’s teacher has contacted them due to concerns over their child’s performance.
Parents have also felt the impact of virtual learning. According to our survey, 79% of parents say their child has experienced tech-related issues during virtual learning. Overall, parents are spending roughly 2.7 hours per school day assisting their children with those issues. Along with technical issues, parents cited issues such as keeping their child engaged during virtual learning (68%), limited contact with other classmates (42%) and difficulties with communicating questions to their teacher (34%) as the top challenges with virtual learning.
When will in-person learning fully return? It’s the question on the minds of many parents and students as they look toward the 2021-2022 school year. Overall, 68% of parents surveyed say they feel safe with their child returning to the classroom, and 69% believe students will return to full-time, in-person learning by the end of 2021.
Socializing
Along with schooling, the pandemic has changed the way children socialize. Crucial social skills have been difficult for children to develop during the pandemic due to social distancing and limited social circles.
According to respondents, 57% of parents say their child is experiencing social isolation with roughly one less hour of socializing per day than they did before the pandemic. Overall, 76% of parents say they’ve limited their child’s social circle or group in an effort to minimize contact with others.
Mental and Behavioral Health
With psychosocial changes in our environment, 46% percent of respondents say that the pandemic has had a negative effect on their child’s mental health, while 39% say they are not sure what type of effect it has had on their child. A similar percent (45%) fears these mental health and behavioral changes are irreversible.
Parents also cited noticeable changes in their child’s behavior during the spread of Covid-19. According to respondents, 67% say their child’s behavior has changed including mood swings (66%), frequent loneliness (60%), lack of motivation (56%) and depression (52%).
Coping
Considering the massive changes to children’s lives throughout the last year, it’s important to ask how both children and parents have been coping during the pandemic. Despite virtual learning, remote work, and social distancing, parents say several positives have come from pandemic life.
Overall, 85% of parents say their children have been spending more with their family and loved ones, 57% have been reading more, 66% have started a new hobby, 53% have been engaging in physical activity more, and 62% have been more creative.
With vaccinations and a better understanding of the Coronavirus disease, both parents and children are hopeful that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. While these positive coping mechanisms and behaviors are especially important to maintain, this survey shows some parents are concerned for the emotional and mental health of their children.
Supporting Children's Mental Health Needs
We’ve barely scratched the surface of the pandemics’ impact on the well-being of our children. Parents, teachers, community leaders, and health care workers will be learning together over the coming years just how significant and lasting the impact will be.
Collaboration among hospitals, families, caregivers, agencies, and other community and health leaders is critical to prioritize the effort. Let’s use the power of qualitative, exploratory, design-focused research to uncover the true needs of children and their families as they access behavioral and mental health services and resources. What we learn together will enable us to identify, design, and implement early intervention strategies across the pediatric care continuum to ensure that children and parents get the help they want, seek, and need. Instituting these positive pathways to patient-centered care will not only address today’s needs, they will also serve as a powerful means for preventing any long-term mental health conditions resulting from COVID-19.
Methodology
From March 9 to April 6, 2021, we surveyed 803 parents with younger children aged between children aged between 6 to 14 years old (K-8th grade) on the topic of virtual learning, socializing, and their child’s mental health during the pandemic. 46% were male and 54% were female with a median age of 37. Income: Under $20K: 11%; $20-40K: 23%; $40-60K: 28%; $60-80K: 17%; $80-100K: 11%; Over $100K: 10%.Employment status: Full-time: 76%; part-time: 13%; unemployed due to COVID-19: 2%; unemployed not due to COVID-19: 6%; furloughed: 1%; other: 2%.
For media inquiries, contact [email protected]. | http://jixi10ft.com/blog/how-covid-19-affected-childrens-mental-health.html |
The deadline for all Panel and Paper submissions for the 2018 European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) conference in Hamburg is 15 February.
The ECPR Food Policy and Governance Research Network is accepting papers for the session: Contested Boundaries in Food and Agricultural Governance. Click here to propose a paper (S18 is the food policy session).
Food governance under conditions of globalization and limited resources from the global to the local level is becoming a menacing policy challenge. Related implications affect established policy paradigms within agriculture and food policy, but also policy areas that have long been separated from food and agriculture policy. Organizations that originally dealt with food security policies are reframing their focus to expand to interconnected, separately governed issues, such as climate change. Similarly, civil society organizations and multinational corporations in the food sector are increasingly co-producing public services. These developments challenge established analytical concepts in political science, e.g., the distinction between public and private becomes increasingly opaque through public-private partnerships with ensuing challenges to decision making procedures and the categorization of stakeholders, and to traditional concepts such as accountability, transparency, and representation. Similarly, the boundaries of international regimes are becoming blurred, with, for example, the Sustainable Development Goals merging norms from climate, environmental, food and human rights regimes, setting the scene for future contestation of competences and resources.
This Section welcomes Panels and Papers that critically analyze the re-negotiation of the boundaries in agri-food governance. We are interested in the analysis of these trends. This includes an interest in theoretical reflection on suitable concepts, proposals for new analytical or conceptual frameworks, in-depth and comparative case-studies that explore these shifts and related implications, and proposals for innovative solutions to address negative implications.
• The changing roles of actors and agency in agri-food governance systems.
New actors and agencies are entering agri-food governance systems in response to globalization, changes in international relations, and the limitations of the available resources. The changing international trade patterns and the international treaties, such as the Paris treaty but also Brexit, will change the type of actors and agencies that are involved in the agri-food systems and the way they work together. Some actors will be included who were not involved before and others will lose their seats at the decision making tables. Against this backdrop, this Panel seeks to understand how actors are categorized, how they redefine their roles within the changing food system and who is controlling the categorization. It will also welcome Papers that analyse the implications of these changing patterns of actor networks.
• New trends in developing integrated policies.
An increasing number of governments realizes that agricultural policy is not a stand-alone policy domain. It touches upon, among others, health, environmental, and nature policy problems. Contaminated eggs with pesticides is as much a health issue as it is an agricultural problem and the question is, which minister is responsible and which policy arena should take action? Besides, at which level should these type of problems be coordinated: at a central level or elsewhere? Hence, many governments are developing integrated food policies, sometimes resulting in new ministries or intergovernmental coordination mechanisms. This Panel investigates the multi-level dynamics of integrated food policies.
• Where next for Integrated Food Policy?
This Panel proposes to ‘zoom out’ from the policy-making process, and adjust the focus towards previously under-explored themes and their potential role as enablers of policy integration. Examples of less-obvious enablers to foster connectedness might include: interdisciplinary research; integrated evidence; pedagogical developments; the role of values; or addressing the disconnects between non-governmental actors – such as business and civil society – in the policy process. The Panel therefore calls for Papers which offer conceptual and empirical insights into both new lenses for study and more pragmatic solutions to support integrated food policy, both within and beyond the direct realm of policy-making, which might improve its chances of success.
• Trends in organizational cross-overs of food, energy, health and agriculture.
Food, health, energy, and agricultural policies are heavily regulated policy domains that involve different levels of government, from the global WTO trade regulations and the EU directives, to the environmental inspection agencies operating at the local level. Regulating food, for instance, involves organizations that belong to different policy arenas such as food safety authorities and environmental inspection agencies. This Panel focuses on related organizational and regulatory challenges. Which organizations are involved, how do they cooperate and how could cooperation be improved?
• Normative divides in agri-food governance.
Agri-food governance has long been based on apparent consensus around basic norms. However, under the influence of globalization and the prospect of scarce resources at global level, new normative divides appear along multiple lines, in particular between different levels of governance, between multiple international regimes or between political parties. The contributions to this Panel will analyze how multiple interdependent relations within and among societies produce new normative divides and lead to contestation over norms and ideas at different regulatory levels. The Panel invites Papers that address in particular the following questions: How do new ideas, norms and discourses challenge and affect agri-food governance systems? Do conflicts over norms strengthen or weaken the capacities of agri-food governance systems? How does norm contestation affect the locus of political authority to formulate, disseminate, and represent future visions of effective, equitable and fair agri-food governance systems? And what are appropriate democratic measures to settle conflicts over norms and ideas?
• Sustainable food governance as a wicked problem.
From a consumers’ perspective food security is not very complicated. Food is a physical need and we will fight over it when we are hungry or migrate to greener pastures. At the same time, however, the governance of sustainable food is one of the most complex, if not, wicked governance tasks of governments and societies at large. Establishing and maintaining food security in a sustainable way is a multidimensional challenge where tasks and responsibilities are widely dispersed between both private and public actors and where activities are highly interdependent from each other. In this way, the governance of food is a complex multi-disciplinary, multi-value, multi-multi-level, and multi-actor activity. This Panel explores new theories to analyse and govern with these interdependent problems and solutions.
Posted on February 1, 2018 February 1, 2018 by foodgovernancePosted in Call for proposals, Food Policy, Food Studies, Global Food GovernanceTagged ECPR. | https://foodgovernance.com/2018/02/01/contested-boundaries-in-food-and-agricultural-governance/ |
Perimeter is the sum of the sides of a polygon. It is a distance and therefore is a one-dimensional property. The perimeter of a circle is called its circumference, and can be found using the formula Circumference = 2(pi)(radius). For a square, the perimeter = 4(side length), and for a rectangle, perimeter = 2(length of the width) + 2(length of the height).
A term that we use in geometry that you've definitely seen sometime in 6th, 7th, 8th, grade sometime before Geometry is parameter. And the parameter is just the sum of the lengths of the sides of a polygon. So if we talk about a square where are the sides are congruent the parameter is just calculated by saying four times S where S is your side length.If you have a rectangle where you have opposite sides congruent you're going to have two bases. So we are going to say two times B, where B is one of your bases, plus two of your heights or two times H.In a circle we don't call it perimeter, we call it circumference. So the circumference is essentially the perimeter of a circle. And there you only need to know your radius. That is going to be equal to two times pi times your radius.So to calculate your parameter of any polygon just add up the sides. Specifically, for a square you can use the shortcut of four times the side length, for a rectangle you can use two times the base plus two times the height, and for a circle you can two times pi times the radius.
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Sunera Thobani is Professor in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia. Her scholarship is located at the intersection of the Social Sciences and Humanities. She works within critical race, postcolonial, transnational and feminist theory; South Asian women’s, gender and sexuality studies; representations of Islam and Muslims in South Asian and Western media; Islamophobia and the war on terror; intersectionality, social movements and critical social theory; colonialism, indigeneity and racial violence; and globalization, citizenship, and migration.
The Use, and Possible Abuse, of Multiculturalism: Multiculturalism, Claims Making, & the Advancement of Group Rights
Dr. Vic Satzewich
Vic Satzewich is a professor of sociology at McMaster University and the author of a number of books and articles, including Racism in Canada (Oxford University Press Canada). He is also co-editor of Transnational Identities and Practices in Canada (UBC Press). He is past president of the Canadian Sociological Association and was awarded its Outstanding Contribution Award in 2007.
Hypocrisy or Marketing Strategy: Blacks’ Perspective on Canadian Multiculturalism
Dr. Chrislain Kenfack
The observed opposition between the official Canadian multiculturalism narratives and the dominating systemic racism is an invitation to rethink the concept of multiculturalism. In fact, the concept of multiculturality calls to mind not only the multiplicity of culture within a specific contextual setting, understood in terms of time and space, but also and above all the peaceful cohabitation and mutual respects among those various cultures. In other words, multiculturalism, cultural hegemony, cultural colonialism, and racism (understood as extreme expressions of cultural denigration of specific groups) are fundamentally antithetic. The existence of systemic racism, and specifically black racism, at virtually every sphere of Canadian society, appears to be the very solemn expression of the negation of its long chanted “multiculturalism”. My presentation, drawing from my direct involvement and lived experience as a black scholar in Canada, will question what it means for black people to live in a multicultural context. What does multiculturalism mean for a black person who, because of his blackness and cultural origin and cultural stereotyping, is regarded as a second-zone human being? What does multiculturalism mean for a black person who along the day hears culturally disrespectful expressions? Can the current struggles against racism be viewed as opportunities for Canada to rethink its multiculturalism?
Chrislain Eric Kenfack is a Killam postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Political Science at the University of Alberta. He obtained his PhD in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Coimbra, Portugal, in 2018. His current research focuses on environmental racism, global climate governance, climate justice and climate activism, environmental labor studies, indigenous and faith-based environmentalism in Alberta, social cohesion environmentalism, and just transition. | https://m50.artsrn.ualberta.ca/schedule/abstracts-8/ |
Biomarkers in NanoscienceNanoscience is the study of structures and materials on the scale of nanometers. Nanotechnology may be able to create many new materials and devices with a vast range of applications, such as in medicine, electronics, biomaterials energy production, and consumer products. Nanotechnology is evolving rapidly. An estimated 1 million workers in R&D and production are involved in the field of nanoscience and nanomaterial generation. Interaction of biomarkers with nanoparticles aids in identification and validation through biological and biomedical applications. Current market holds nanodevices and nanomaterial for identification, quantifying, calibrating and even in surgeries. The US leads the world in investing and in the number of “Nanotech Companies. Global consumption of nanomaterial is expected to grow in unit terms from nearly 225,060 metric tons in 2014 to nearly 584,984 metric tons in 2019, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.1% for the period of 2014 to 2019. | https://www.omicsonline.org/conferences-list/biomarkers-in-nanoscience |
If you are standing with your heels against a wall, you cannot touch your toes.Why?
When you are standing against a wall or otherwise, the centre of gravity (the point through which the weight of the body acts; vertically downwards) lies within the area covered by feet, the base.
Normally when we lean forward, the body is so adjusted that the centre of gravity lies within the base.
But when we are standing against a wall, the body cannot adjust itself to adjust the centre of gravity within the base as the backward motion is restricted by the wall. Therefore when we try to lean forward, the CG is shifted out of the base and we tend to fall.
Please note that Centripetal Force is the net force that must be acting towards the centre of the circular path. It may be provided by one or more of the forces of different kinds. It is not a kind of force like the frictional force or gravitational force. In different cases the centripetal force is provided by different forces.
For example, when we whirl a stone tied to the end of a rope in a horizontal plane, the tension in the string provides the centripetal force. Here the real force acting is the tension in the string and its magnitude equals the centripetal force mv^2/r.
Two skaters, one with Mass 45kg, 2’nd with Mass of 65kg stand on an ice rink holding a pole with L=10m with negligible mass. starting from the ends of the pole, the skaters pull themselves along the pole until they meet. How far does the 45kg skater move?
Hint: They will meet at the centre of mass of the system.
Variation of acceleration due to gravity with depth. A doubt.
Rajkumar asks: “accelaration due to gravity decrease on depth of earth with the relation of g’=g(1-2h/R). but with relation of g=GM/(R*R) g increase.
When the object is on the surface or above it, the entire mass of the earth attracts it. But when it is inside, the net attraction towards CENTRE is provided only by the mass of earth below it.
Magnitude and direction of dipole field depends not only on distance r from centre of dipole,but also on the angle between the position vector rand the dipole moment p how?
How can centres of positive and negative charge lie on same place and if both have same charge they should become neutral?
2. Centre of positive charge means the centre of mass of all the positive charged particles and similarly for the negative charge. If the atom or molecule is symmetric, the two centres of charge will coincide; just like the centre of mass of two concentric hollow spheres. The charges are not at the same point, but their centres of mass coincide. If they do not coincide, it will give rise to an electric dipole or a polar molecule.
The Gaussian surface is an imaginary surface. So, for calculating the electric field at a point using Gauss theorem, we have to imagine a Gaussian surface symmetric with the given charge distribution.
I have assumed that there is a point charge Q at the centre of the cube.
The distance is equal to half the length of side of the cube (Say L).
Calculate the distance from the centre of the cube to its corner and replace (L/2) in the above equation with that distance. | http://www.askphysics.com/tag/centre/ |
Explainer: A Breakdown of Community Responder Program Staff Models and Structures
As interest in community responder programs grows across the country, one of the most crucial elements of establishing these programs is deciding who makes up the actual team of responders. While there is no set formula for determining staff members—as a program’s staffing model and structure will vary based upon which needs are most pressing for a local community—there are some common patterns among existing and successful programs. Here are answers to three frequently asked questions about staffing community responder teams:
Are there certain types of professions or members of the community who are typically hired as community responders?
Programs may hire and train a variety of people depending on the needs and resources of the jurisdiction, such as trusted members of the community, health professionals, and more. Below are some examples of professionals and members of the community who have been hired by existing community responder programs:
- Behavioral Health Specialist: A behavioral health or crisis intervention specialist who is generally an unlicensed person with professional training, sometimes with a bachelor’s degree in a related field, and who focuses on providing immediate mobile response, specialized assessment, service referrals to treatment, and follow-up support for a person experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
- Community Health Worker: A public health worker, such as a community member who has received training to properly identify medical needs and can determine whether additional emergency care is needed. In some states, there is certification available for community health workers.
- Community Member Trained in Crisis Response: These may be individuals who have lived experience and extensive knowledge about the communities most impacted by the program. These community members are typically interested in supporting crisis response and should receive training on ways to best support people in crisis, such as on de-escalation, mediation, and trauma.
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT): A technician, also sometimes called a community paramedic, who provides life support and pre-hospital emergency medical care to individuals. An EMT might also provide pre-arrival notifications to receiving emergency departments before transferring patients to medical facilities.
- Graduate-Level Intern: A student and responder-in-training who can help address calls for service, conduct follow ups, and make referrals to mental health providers in an assistant-level capacity.
- Harm Reduction Specialist: A responder who can provide on-demand services, such as transportation to emergency shelters and connections to other service providers. They may also address immediate needs, including helping people obtain shelter, food, and clothing. In addition, they build one-on-one relationships with business owners, residents, and law enforcement officers to provide support for diversions.
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): A LCSW holds a master’s degree in social work, has passed a written social work examination, and typically receives licensure after having at least two years of supervised work experience. Responding in-person or by phone, they are trained to screen and assess people experiencing crisis with mental health and substance use and provide therapeutic interventions, case management, and personalized services to divert mental health, substance use, and overdose calls from police to community-based mental health providers.
- Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT): A licensed therapist who can provide intensive counseling, psychotherapy, case management and treatment services, treatment plans, and referrals to appropriate community agencies. An MFT should also have patient case files that have detailed records of prescribed and received treatment.
- Nurse: A licensed nurse who establishes therapeutic relationships with patients and performs psychiatric medication management, mental health assessment and diagnosis, individualized case management, and lab result review.
- Outreach Worker: A person who responds either in-person or by phone to people experiencing mental health issues, inebriation, homelessness, or a substance use crisis. Performing proactive response and outreach, this responder can visit people sleeping in homeless encampments and follow up with individuals from previous calls to provide services. Outreach staff should receive training in trauma-informed care, first aid, and triage, as they are expected to stay connected to recipients of care and serve as their guide during the case management process. Ideally, outreach workers will be from or live in the communities they serve and may have lived experience in the issues they help to address.
- Peer Support Specialist: A person who has lived experience with mental illness, substance use disorder, homelessness, and/or another behavioral health-related issue and has been trained as a specialist. There is formal training for peer support specialists available in most states, and the service can be Medicaid billable. Their role typically includes de-escalating situations, promoting engagement in care, and fostering relationships between residents and other community responders.
- Psychologist: A trained and licensed professional who can conduct psychological evaluation and long-term individual and group psychotherapy, as well as provide crisis intervention on an ongoing basis. For example, a psychologist can provide continuous services designed to treat patients with extensive histories of hospitalization, incarceration, and other forms of justice system contact.
How many people do community responder teams typically include?
Generally, community responder teams consist of two to four people per team based upon the community’s needs and available resources. Two-person teams can employ responders who respectively specialize in mental health/substance use and medical care, allowing the pair to address both medical and psychiatric needs of residents. However, there are teams that employ two harm reduction specialists or community members. Three- or four-person teams at times take on a multidisciplinary approach and incorporate multiple professions, such as mental health specialists, emergency medical technicians, and peer-support specialists.
Which organization oversees the community responder program, and how does this affect staffing?
There are three types of lead agencies that are generally responsible for staffing responder teams:
- Nonprofit-based teams: Community responder programs led by nonprofits allow staff to operate confidentially and autonomously as an alternative to police, in contrast to programs that operate as an extension of a government-run agency. In many instances, the nonprofit agencies overseeing community responder programs also initially advocated for the community responder model and have direct relationships to residents in the community. One challenge with this approach can be establishing connections with local service providers so that staff can carry out referral and diversion processes with 911 dispatch centers, which are often run through local and county governments.
- Existing government agency-based teams: A local government might choose to staff a community responder team by expanding an existing agency (e.g., through a fire department, police department, emergency medical services, health department, etc.) due to its existing connections to the city’s 911 dispatch center. Utilizing existing infrastructure and connections of an existing government agency can assist in connections across the local government and connections to other service delivery. However, if a community responder program is mandated through city legislation, this can potentially limit the flexibility of the staff hiring process due to department eligibility requirements and clearance needed.
- New government agency-based teams: Within a new agency, community responder staff can operate independently of existing local government agencies while also having access to city government funding through a dedicated line item in the city’s budget. This is a new model to develop additional community safety around crises, and in some cases, other responses. Limitations around staff hiring and government mistrust, however, can still apply to this model.
To learn more about community responder programs, visit Expanding First Response, a toolkit that serves as a central hub for states and local communities looking to establish or strengthen community responder programs. | https://csgjusticecenter.org/2021/09/07/explainer-a-breakdown-of-community-responder-program-staff-models-and-structures/ |
A new way to use MRI scans may help determine whether dementia is Alzheimer's disease or another type of dementia, according to new research published in the December 26, 2012, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) often have similar symptoms, even though the underlying disease process is much different.
"Diagnosis can be challenging," said study author Corey McMillan, PhD, of the Perelman School of Medicine and Frontotemporal Degeneration Center at the University of Pennsylvania and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "If the clinical symptoms and routine brain MR are equal, an expensive positron emission tomography (PET) scan might be needed. Or, a lumbar puncture, which involves inserting a needle into the spine, would be needed to help make the diagnosis. Analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid gives us reliable diagnostic information, but this is not something patients look forward to and is also expensive. Using this new MRI method is less expensive and definitely less invasive."
The study involved 185 people who had been diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease consistent with Alzheimer's disease or FTLD and had a lumbar puncture and a high resolution MRI. Of the 185, the diagnosis was confirmed in 32 people either by autopsy or by determining that they had a genetic mutation associated with one of the diseases.
Researchers used the MRIs to predict the ratio of two biomarkers for the diseases in the cerebrospinal fluid, the proteins tau and beta-amyloid. The MRI prediction method was 75 percent accurate at identifying the correct diagnosis in those with pathology-confirmed diagnoses and those with biomarker levels obtained by lumbar punctures, which shows similar accuracy of the MRI and lumbar puncture methods.
"Developing a new method for diagnosis is important because potential treatments target the underlying abnormal proteins, so we need to know which disease to treat," McMillan said. "This could be used as a screening method and any borderline cases could follow up with the lumbar puncture or PET scan. This method would also be helpful in clinical trials where it may be important to monitor these biomarkers repeatedly over time to determine whether a treatment was working, and it would be much less invasive than repeated lumbar punctures."
The study was supported by the Wyncote Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
American Academy of Neurology
Posted in: Device / Technology News | Medical Condition News
Tags: Alzheimer's Disease, Beta Amyloid, Biomarker, Brain, Dementia, Epilepsy, Genetic, Migraine, Multiple Sclerosis, Nervous System, Neurodegenerative Disease, Neurology, Neuroscience, Parkinson's Disease, Pathology, Positron Emission Tomography, Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Spine, Stroke
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Arthrex is a global medical device company and a leader in new product development and medical education in orthopedics. Arthrex is actively seeking an Inventory Control Specialist. This position will ensure that thorough workflow and production plan goals are accomplished by supporting material and inventory control in support of Suture Department operations. Assist Suture department by conducting training, participating in process improvements, and supporting material issue/problem resolution. Support programs, policies, and procedures Join our talented team at a global medical device company focused on Helping Surgeons Treat Their Patients Better™.
This position is located in Ave Maria, FL, and will be on 2nd shift
Monday-Friday 04:00 pm-12:30 pm
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Moves materials as required with proper material handling equipment.
- Forklift and related equipment operation.
- Performs needed stock adjustments in the ERP systems and communicates as necessary.
- Performs Blocking and unblocking of inventory in the ERP systems
- Responsible for the managing of the folding and master carton inventory for Production/Boxing areas
- to ensure uninterrupted production flow.
- Responsible for retrieving and stocking materials in the warehouse in support of Kitting operations to ensure uninterrupted production flow in support of the Production Schedule.
- Performs physical inventories and cycle counts accurately. Can trace transactions in ERP systems if inventory is incorrect. Has the authority to correct inventory in ERP systems.
- Manages material transactions involving QC Hold and/or MRB-related materials movement.
- Troubleshoots inventory discrepancies physically and in ERP and/or manufacturing systems.
- Ensures that Inventory Control specialists work stations and warehouse areas are clean and free from safety hazards.
- Coordinates with receiving/Shipping department regarding the transfer of inventory from one location to another by providing a transfer document sheet for every transfer done to maintain the accurate location, lot traceability, and quantities of materials.
- Coordinates with Purchasing regarding the supply of indirect materials by issuing requests to maintain safety stock for continuous production flow.
- Performs cycle counts daily, and help maintain correct inventory levels for various materials.
- Generates Bin Tags using Zebra printers ensuring information is accurate and complete. Verifies Bin Tag content printed by others prior to application to kitted materials. Labels all bins used for department Work In Process and for kitted materials prior to production use.
- Completes fulfillment of additional material/label requests from in-process work orders in Production in an expedient manner ensuring ERP and/or manufacturing systems is properly updated and the work order documentation is correct and complete.
- Coordinates site-to-site material logistics to ensure materials are available in advance to support the Production Schedule.
Incidental Duties:
The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed in this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, and indeed additional responsibilities may be assigned, as required, by management.
Education and Experience:
High School Diploma or equivalent required.
Requires basic computer knowledge (Windows applications) for material issuance and inventory tracking and control.
Some warehouse experience, preferred.
Six months to one year of prior related experience required.
Knowledge and Skill Requirements/Specialized Courses and/or Training:
Individual must have the ability to interpret a BOM (Bill Of Material) and prepare materials as specified on the Material Pick List. Must possess knowledge of basic warehousing concepts and an understanding of the importance of accurate inventory counts and identification. Ability to follow verbal instructions and work in a fast paced environment. Ability to assume responsibility and work autonomously or collaboratively in a professional and timely manner. Knowledge in ERP and/or manufacturing systems is preferred.
Machine, Tools, and/or Equipment Skills:
Forklift certification preferred and/or use of a fork-lift or order picker, Barcode scanners for inventory purposes, Zebra Thermal Transfer Printers, weigh count scales, bag sealers, office printers/scanners, laminar flow hoods, personal computers, vision inspection systems and software.
Reasoning Ability:
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Mathematical Skills
Ability to comprehend and apply mathematical principles using a calculator to the degree required to perform the job based upon job requirements including: addition, subtraction, multiplication, calculating percentages, and interpreting decimals.
Language and Communication Skills:
Ability to comprehend and apply language skills to the degree required to perform the job based upon the job requirements listed above. Ability to verbally communicate ideas and issues effectively to other team members and management. Ability to clearly and legibly write and record data and information as required by procedures.
Physical Demands:
Exerting 50 to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 25 to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or 10 to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Medium Work.
Vision Requirements:
Visual acuity is necessary to do the job safely and effectively.
Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is consistent with warehousing operations and is usually moderate.
Arthrex 2023 Benefits
- Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
- Company-Provided Life Insurance
- Voluntary Life Insurance
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Supplemental Insurance Plans (Accident, Cancer, Hospital, Critical Illness)
- Matching 401(k) Retirement Plan
- Annual Bonus
- Wellness Incentive Program
- Free Onsite Medical Clinics
- Free Onsite Lunch
- Tuition Reimbursement Program
- Trip of a Lifetime
- Paid Parental Leave
- Paid Time Off
- Volunteer PTO
- Employee Assistance Provider (EAP)
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. | https://careers.arthrex.com/job/Ave-Maria-Inventory-Control-Specialist-Sutures-2nd-Shift-FL-34142/971891000/ |
From 16th to 19th of October 2018 the 6th Mediterranean Conference on Marine Turtles will take place in Poreč, Croatia. This is the largest sea turtle event in Europe and Mediterranean region aimed at exchanging the knowledge, establishing new collaborations and presentation of research and conservation results. Although it is an international event supported by the UNEP MAP – Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA), Bern Convention, the Convention for Migratory Species and the IUCN/SSC Marine Turtles Specialist Group, LIFE Euroturtles partners will be strongly supporting the conference organisation and workshops, presenting the project and sharing acquired knowledge and experience.
Conference is organized by the Department of Biodiversity of the University of Primorska (Slovenia), in collaboration with the Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation (Croatia) as the local co-organizer. Both organisations are partners to LIFE Euroturtles. In addition, the Conference is supported by the Croatian Natural History Museum, the lead beneficiary of LIFE Euroturtles, who will also publish a special issue of its scientific journal Natura Croatica dedicated to work presented during the Conference.
Researchers and scientists from most LIFE Euroturtle partners will present their research on the Conference in the form of oral or poster presentations.
The Blue World Institute will host a workshop “Whose biodiversity, whose value? Engaging with stakeholders to understand their perceptions” focusing on available methods for assessment of the role of species of conservation concern, such as sea turtles, that is understandable to both local stakeholders and visitors, and which can help develop conservation.
Use of the UAVs is one of the new technologies used in LIFE Euroturtles for field monitoring activities. Dr. Alan Reese will host a workshop “Using drones for marine turtle research and conservation” intended to bring together sea turtle researchers that are experienced, novice and just interested in using UAVs or drones.
Finally, University of Primorska and Croatian Natural History Museum LIFE Euroturtles will organise a field trip to Brijuni National park where newly developed GSM transmitter will be presented to the sea turtles researchers and conservationists who could benefit from the use of this new technology.
We are looking forward to successful and fruitful work and presentation of our project to the international sea turtle conservation and research community! | https://www.euroturtles.eu/news/life-euroturtles-on-6th-mediterranean-conference-on-marine-turtles/?post=1 |
The 60 international experts in CAFF’s Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Network included Russ Hopcroft, Katrin Iken and Eric Collins from the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
The experts compiled the State of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity Report, which identifies trends in key marine species and highlights gaps in monitoring of several ecosystem components: sea-ice organisms, plankton, sea-bottom life, marine fishes, seabirds and marine mammals. Changes in these areas indicate changes in the overall marine environment.
Expert committees sifted through existing data on Arctic marine species, including seasonality, abundance, distribution and diversity. They discussed similarities and differences in international approaches to monitoring key species and used this information to recommend future monitoring.
The benthic team focused on bottom-dwelling animals, including sea stars and clams. Iken noted that some countries, such as Norway, Iceland and Greenland, operate formal benthic monitoring programs. Others, such as the U.S., Russia and Canada, tend to gather information project-by-project. The differences posed challenges for the benthic analysis, Iken said.
The benthic experts worked to determine where their monitoring approaches had common ground. Small variations in gear or methods, like differences in the mesh size of collection nets, can affect species measurements and research results. Even the naming of species is not always consistent across countries.
“If you’re looking to determine how a species’ range is changing over time, knowing what everyone calls that species is critical,” Iken explained. “We understand that we’ll never all do exactly the same thing, but this process has helped us evaluate when we can confidently compare our approaches, and when we need to be careful before we make any kind of comparisons.”
The plankton team said a central repository of plankton data sets would help in comparing methods and results. A lack of long-term data limits understanding of plankton distribution and community composition, they found.
“It is through repeated and ongoing sampling that we can begin to understand how species are changing,” Hopcroft said. “Long-term monitoring efforts can also reveal how efficient our methodology is in actually detecting plankton shifts.”
As in benthic analysis, countries have developed specialized regional approaches to monitoring plankton. The experts evaluated these to learn how processes can be improved.
“Plankton tend to rapidly reflect changes in ecosystem physics, but the challenge remains having enough data to see cycles or changes through the noise created by year-to-year variability within each region,” said Hopcroft. “Nonetheless, 70 years of observations in the Chukchi Sea suggest long-term increases in plankton productivity associated with decreasing ice cover and increasing temperatures.”
The sea ice biota team focused on microscopic bacteria, algae, and animals living in sea ice. This proved to be challenging, Collins explained, as researchers are still working to establish a baseline understanding of what kind of microbes live in the ice.
“The big takeaway for our team was that there’s essentially no monitoring for microbes that’s ongoing in the Arctic,” Collins said. “This is partially because we don’t have a solid understanding of the species in the region. Knowing what to expect when we go to a particular region to study is important, before we can branch into the monitoring realm."
The sea ice team focused its discussion on strategies for developing sea ice microbe programs in existing research projects and exploring new ways to collaborate and standardize monitoring processes.
Refer to the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program’s Marine Expert Networks for more information. A link to the CAFF report is available at https://www.arcticbiodiversity.is/press-sambr. | https://www.uaf.edu/news/archives/news-archives-2010-2021/uaf-researchers-contribute-to-arctic-council-biodiversity-publication-hold.php |
31 weaknesses of a person
The weaknesses of a person are traits or aspects of the personality considered negative by society. But recognizing our weaknesses is an expression of strength. It means that we are working on knowing ourselves and that we are willing to improve and improve ourselves.
For this reason, both in job interviews and in profiling of all kinds, our knowledge of our own weaknesses is essential, as it helps us give interviewers a more authentic idea of who we are and who we are. value as people.
In order for you to get to know yourself a little better, we put together this list of some of the most important weaknesses to improve.
1. Selfishness
Selfishness implies thinking of your own benefit over the common good. It is a weakness that affects personal development and is negative in work environments, where it is usually required to perform team tasks.
A selfish person does not share his resources (money, knowledge), nor is he willing to help or receive help. Recognizing the importance of the other and starting to think a little more about the close environment before carrying out a selfish act, can be the first steps to improve this weakness.
2. Lack of empathy
Not having the ability to understand what other people are thinking or feeling is a very common weakness. Lack of empathy is largely influenced by selfish thinking and is an obstacle to building strong personal and work ties.
An unsympathetic person does not have the ability to understand others, therefore it is a weakness that seriously affects interpersonal relationships. Making the effort to understand the other's situation, even if it does not affect or concern us, is a way of cultivating empathy.
3. Shyness
Shyness is the fear of social judgment. Although shyness is often associated with introversion, it is actually two different things. Introversion is a personality trait while shyness is a personal weakness.
Shyness can prevent a person from expressing their ideas or developing their creative potential for fear of being negatively evaluated, therefore it is a weakness that can lead to social isolation.
Cultivating self-esteem and strengthening the belief in our contribution to the world are ways to deal with shyness.
4. Insecurity
Insecurity is a weakness associated with a lack of confidence in oneself and in others. It is the feeling of being vulnerable to the circumstances, therefore, it takes away the power of decision and action in the face of what happens.
An insecure person will doubt everything he says and does, will never be satisfied with the results and will face challenges with nervousness. Cultivating confidence, recognizing that we are prepared for life's various challenges, can help us overcome insecurity.
5. Dependency
Dependence can be expressed as the inability to make decisions and manage one's life autonomously. In childhood and adolescence, it is normal to be dependent on parents, but when they reach adulthood, what is expected is that people can take charge of their lives.
In the work environment, a dependent worker will need someone to tell him what to do all the time, which hinders the efficiency of the team and that of the employee himself. Being clear about our tasks and doing our best to be proactive are simple ways to improve dependency at work.
6. Pride
Pride is a feeling of superiority that prevents a person from being able to recognize their own mistakes and to see others as equals.
In a company, a superb worker or leader can be an obstacle to the achievement of common goals, since they will always try to impose their vision and disqualify their colleagues. Cultivating humility and understanding that there are other points of view can help improve this weakness.
7. Envy
It is a weakness characterized by dissatisfaction generated by not having what others have, either in material terms (money, job, stability) or affective (partner, family, healthy relationships).
The envious person generally disqualifies what others have because it is their way of venting the discomfort that not having it produces. Understanding that it is possible to have what we want if we draw up an action plan and work for it is a way of giving less space to envy in our lives.
8. Apathy
Apathy is a lack of enthusiasm. It is a weakness of people who do not have a vital purpose, which is why they are not interested in anything since they feel that they have no objectives to fulfill.
An apathetic person can hinder family, educational or work dynamics, since they will probably not be very participatory or will not have the necessary interest to fulfill their tasks. Starting to inquire about what we really like and daring to experience new things can be resources to face apathy.
9. Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy is the concealment of true intentions. The hypocritical person can execute an action claiming a purpose, when in reality he is doing it with another motivation.
Questioning the value of our true intentions and their possible consequences can help us take a step back from acting hypocritically.
10. Irresponsibility
It refers to the personal weakness to face an issue. The irresponsible subject does not have the will to do a task, but neither does he assume the consequences that this can generate.
An irresponsible worker can become a burden on his colleagues and can eventually lead to major problems in his organization, while an irresponsible parent creates family instability.
Taking responsibility for the consequences of our actions is a sign of maturity and personal evolution.
11. Distrust
Distrust is the belief that other people are going to fail us, or that circumstances will not be favorable for the achievement of a goal.
A person who distrusts those around him is underestimating his abilities. This can generate the need to control what others do, generating discomfort in the environment.
Learning to let go of your own control and over others, trusting that each person is doing the best they can is the beginning to regain confidence.
12. Individualism
It is the tendency to execute the actions that are considered correct, without taking into account the opinion of others.
In the work environment, individualism is expressed when a person executes tasks according to their opinion without considering the rest of their team. When we recognize that we are part of a team and that other people also count, we are taking a first step to overcome individualism.
13. Disorder
Disorder is a personal weakness of those who cannot manage their tangible (such as money) or intangible (such as time) resources
For example, someone who cannot maintain the order of their physical spaces, or who cannot organize their priorities and tasks is a disorderly person. Setting everyday priorities, classifying and organizing a small space are some ways to start implementing order in our lives.
14. Lack of manners
Manners are norms of behavior that express the education and culture of the person who executes them.
The absence of good manners is a personal weakness that can limit opportunities, since it socially isolates those who do not have the ability to behave appropriately. Being willing to learn and practice good manners can connect us with many possibilities.
15. Disrespect
Lack of respect is the lack of will to abide by the rules, therefore it is one of the negative traits that most threatens social coexistence.
Disrespect can be expressed as a lack of consideration for other people, ignoring authorities, leaders, colleagues and institutions, ignoring previous commitments or agreements, etc.
When we understand that we do not live in isolation and that every environment has its rules, we are recognizing that we are capable of cultivating respect.
16. Dishonesty
Dishonesty is a personal weakness associated with dishonesty. The dishonest person is not able to act transparently, so they often resort to lies and cheating to achieve their goals.
A disgraced person can become a serious problem for a work team or a company, especially if the tasks to be carried out are related to handling money.
A simple way to start working on overcoming this weakness is to think about all the moral and even legal consequences that it can bring us.
17. Anger
Anger is a physical expression of violence. The angry person may yell, offend, disrespect, and even physically attack others.
Anger is one of the most serious personal weaknesses that exists since it threatens the integrity of goods and people, which severely alters social coexistence.
Cultivating serenity and seeking professional help if we cannot handle anger are ways we can protect our integrity and that of those around us.
18. Greed
It is a weakness characterized by the desire to accumulate wealth. The greedy person is capable of doing anything to obtain more of what he wants to accumulate, so he could act with dishonesty, disrespect or arrogance in order to achieve his objectives.
When we understand that hoarding without sharing only brings isolation and loneliness, we understand that perhaps it is not necessary to accumulate everything.
19. Cowardice
Cowardice is the lack of courage to face life's challenges. In general, a cowardly person is also insecure, since he doubts his own abilities to solve a situation.
A cowardly person may avoid taking responsibility and may even blame others for their mistakes for fear of facing reality. It is normal to feel fear, but we have to start working on ourselves to avoid becoming paralyzed by challenges.
20. Impatience
Impatience is the urge to do or solve something. This means that it is a weakness that prevents the person from waiting the necessary time for the resolution of a task.
An impatient worker can disrupt the work rhythm or meddle in the tasks of his colleagues in order to meet his objectives, and this affects the work environment.
Understanding that everything has its time and abandoning the need for control are a good start to improve impatience.
21. Clumsiness
The lack of ability to perform a task is what is known as clumsiness. This lack of ability may be due to lack of skills (such as not having the ability to analyze data) or lack of experience (starting to use new software).
A clumsy person may unintentionally make a serious mistake because he lacks the necessary skills to handle the situation.
Practicing what we are clumsy at can lead us not only to overcome this weakness, but it can even lead us to achieve a degree of mastery, as long as we are constant and disciplined.
22. Pessimism
Pessimism is a personal weakness of those who can only see the negative side of things. A pessimist is also suspicious, since he is not able to believe that situations can occur in the best possible way.
Starting to focus on the little positives in your day-to-day life is one way to combat pessimism.
23. Intolerance
Intolerance is the lack of respect for different people, ideas, beliefs and experiences.
In the workplace, an intolerant person can be an obstacle to teamwork, in addition, their way of thinking can generate discomfort and discord, affecting performance and results.
Understanding that there are other points of view different from ours, even if we do not agree, is the first step to start working on intolerance.
24. Tardiness
A person who does not know how to manage his time is sending a clear message about his lack of commitment to himself and to others.
This weakness can be tolerated in social settings, but in the workplace it can have serious consequences for the worker, such as suspensions and even dismissals.
Starting work on developing the will (to get up early, to deliver a project on time) means that we are beginning to commit to ourselves.
25. Lack of companionship
Lack of companionship is expressed in selfishness, individualism, or lack of empathy for others. It is a weakness that prevents teamwork, so it is an obstacle to establishing healthy social or work ties.
Lack of companionship sooner or later creates isolation, so it doesn't seem like a weakness worth cultivating. Instead, recognizing the value of those around us and starting to bond as a team seems like a better way to make connections.
26. Inflexibility
It refers to the difficulty in adapting to changes. It is a weakness that can affect the performance of the person who possesses it, since they can feel overwhelmed by their inability to constantly take on challenges. In addition, the inflexible person does not admit other points of view, since he is not willing to change his opinion.
Letting go of inflexibility may seem difficult, but if there is an intention to improve, every step counts. Accepting and managing small day-to-day changes can be the gateway to progressively scale toward flexibility.
27. Ignorance
Ignorance is the lack of knowledge. And although we all do not know many things, what makes ignorance a weakness is the lack of commitment to knowledge. An ignorant person is not interested in nurturing himself culturally, he conforms to what he thinks he knows and is not willing to improve himself intellectually.
We all ignore something, what differentiates us is our curiosity and commitment to learn. When we acquire new knowledge or skills we not only improve ourselves personally, but we also make our environment a better place.
28. Lack of experience
Lack of experience is a weakness that can get in the way of our social and work relationships. Having not experienced something, we do not know its implications. Therefore, it is a weakness that is usually examined in detail in the workplace.
Lack of experience is overcome with practice. For this reason, we must be open to the opportunities that come our way and that are suitable for us based on our principles and values.
29. Incompetence
A weakness that can have serious implications for the achievement of results is incompetence, which refers to the lack of skills to perform a task.
Incompetence can be expressed as a lack of managerial skills, problems managing time or resources, lack of leadership, etc.
We become competent when we intend to learn, practice, and make mistakes until we have mastered the skills we need to learn.
30. Conformity
A person without personal or professional goals is a conformist. Conformity implies the absence of challenges and the search for situations that are familiar and comfortable. Therefore, it is a weakness that prevents the integral development of people.
Conformity can hide a lack of confidence or fear of failure. Therefore, cultivating self-esteem can be the catalyst to seek new opportunities that help us grow.
31. Laziness
Laziness is a weakness of those who show complete disinterest in something. This unwillingness keeps the person from achieving personal, academic or professional goals.
Therefore, it is a negative quality that, together with conformity, undermines individual and collective progress. Proposing ourselves new challenges, looking for what ignites our creative spark can be ways to begin to combat laziness.
See also: | https://lifestylemommy.me/debilidades-de-una-persona-2I0 |
This is the 3rd of a 7-part series on the topic of accountability, based on book “Crucial Accountability”, 2013 (authors Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler)
This time we’ll explore more in-depth the model presented last time:
Step 1: Clarify the What and If
It is important to evaluate the problem and the potential risk of not holding one accountable in order to come up with the right solution for ourselves, our team, organization and/or the employee.
Keep both eyes wide open and positive by seeing the other as a good person – one that likely wants to be valued and do something of value.
The What
Evaluate and unbundle the problem to understand the right issue to be discussed through possible root causes, consequences of inaction and frequency of violation. This exploratory process is best done through CPR (Context, Pattern and Relationship).
Context: The objective story of what has been happening based on observations and how it impacts the bigger picture. What is the possible intent and what are the resulting consequences?
Pattern: Any patterning that has occurred in the behaviour(s). Is this a one-time occurrence or is it happening regularly?
Relationship: The potential impact on the personal, stakeholders and the team relationships should accountability continue to be violated. Dwindling trust, confidence and respect are hard to rebuild.
Once each CPR component is diagnosed, parties will be in a better position to agree on the story, come up with solutions and optimize the next steps.
The If
Understanding the problem is step one, whether you should address it is another. You may realize through analysis that the violation of accountability may have stemmed from your behaviours. Before choosing to speak up, understand why it is necessary and what the intent is.
Are you:
– acting out your concerns;
– satisfying a nagging conscience;
– wanting to truly support and help;
– or, choosing silence over risk.
Realize that emotions can’t be hidden and if a needed conversation is being avoided, others will sense what is going on and eventually, your silence may lead to unhealthy anger and stress.
There are telltale signs that you should be speaking up. These include:
– acting out feelings verbally or non-verbally
– a nagging gut telling you to address it
– minimizing cost of inaction and maximizing danger in speaking up
– feeling is one of powerlessness
Once deciding to proceed to the next step of mastering the story, take time to consider and believe that the conversation could go well. Positive reflection on the conversation will help overcome limiting thoughts such as “things are not that bad”, “how much worse it can get” or “it is what it is”.
If we think like that, we are bound to not prepare as well as we should, if at all. Believing that something bad could happen or that we really don’t have the power to make a difference is likely not the reality.
Again, seeing the other as a good person – one that likely wants to be valued and do something of value – will help us to approach these steps with confidence and a genuine desire to help create a positive outcome. | https://leadership-vancouver.ca/walk-the-talk-of-accountability-part-3/ |
File Sharing and Copyright Infringement
At Olds Fibre Ltd. (operating under the brand name O-NET and owned 100% by The Olds Institute for Community & Regional Development) we are committed to deterring the sharing of and distribution of unauthorized copyrighted material.
“File sharing is where – (a) material is uploaded via, or downloaded from, the Internet using an application or network that enables the simultaneous sharing of material between multiple users; and (b) uploading and downloading may, but need not, occur at the same time.” 1
Your use of the Services constitutes your acceptance of this File Sharing and Copyright Infringement Policy (“Policy”). Please read the following sections carefully, as they constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Olds Fibre Ltd. (O/A O-NET). If you do not wish to be bound by the Policy contained herein then you are prohibited from using or accessing the Services. The terms of the Policy are subject to change, so we encourage you to periodically review this page in order to check the changes that may have been made to the Policy. Every time you use or access the Services, you are agreeing to the terms of the Policy as they exist at that time.
Scope:
This customer Policy applies to all commercial and business relationships in which Olds Fibre Ltd. is engaged.
“While file sharing networks are not illegal in themselves, although much of the content on file sharing networks is music, film, television, books or software that is protected by the Copyright Act 1994. When a rights owner alleges that its copyright has been infringed via file sharing, the Act provides that the rights owner may require the relevant Internet protocol address provider (IPAP) to issue infringement notices to the account holder concerned. The first infringement notice is a detection notice, the second is a warning notice, and the third is an enforcement notice. The Act makes provision for an account holder to challenge each infringement notice it receives, and for the rights owner to either accept or reject any such challenges.”1
The Policy is intended to comply with privacy legislation relating to commercial activity in all jurisdictions in which Olds Fibre Ltd. operates.
Review Officer:
In order to ensure compliance with this policy and applicable File Sharing and Copyright Infringement legislation, Olds Fibre Ltd. has appointed a Review Officer. If you have any questions about the application of this policy, please contact Olds Fibre Ltd’s Review Officer:
Review Officer,
Olds Fibre Ltd.,
#8B, 5221 – 46 Street,
Olds, Alberta,
T4H 1T5
403-556-6638
Email: [email protected]
Procedure:
Evidence of a claim does not imply guilt, nor is it the intent of OFL to determine guilt. Only a court can determine if a crime has actually taken place.
Olds Fibre Ltd. (O/A O-NET) respects the intellectual property of others. If you believe that your work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please provide our review officer the written information specified below.
- An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest.
- A description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed upon.
- A description of where the material that you claim is infringing is located on the website, including the auction ID number, if applicable.
- Your address, telephone number, and e-mail address.
- A statement by you that you have a good-faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law;
- A statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner’s behalf.
If a notice of File Sharing and Copyright Infringement is received by a complainant, the Review Officer will follow this procedure.
Is the Notice Valid?
- Does the claimant have the right and authority to issue claims of this nature? Verification will be done on the identity of the claimant and to ensure they represent a copyright holder who is authorized to issue such claims.
- Does the claimant have any evidence of the infringement? A review of the above requested relevant information will be done regarding the infringement such that we can determine the validity of the claim.
Action if infringement claim appears valid:
The letter will be in this format:
We are writing to inform you that Olds Fibre Ltd (OFL) (O/A O-NET) has received a complaint that
alleges that your O-NET Internet Service account has been involved in copyright infringement. This complaint was traced back to your account based on the IP address used at the time of this activity.
We do, however, want you to be aware that this complaint was received by us and offer you the following information that may be of help to you:
- If you are unaware of this type of activity originating from your account, you may wish to inquire with others who have access to your account.
- You may also want to check your system for viruses, which may explain why this sort of activity is originating from your account.
- If the ONT (Optical Network Terminator) is connected to a wireless router, please make sure that only your authorized computers can connect to it and access the Internet. For help in securing the wireless router, please contact the undersigned.
Below is an excerpt from the complaint that we received regarding your account. We include it in this notice in an effort to help you identify the activity that is in question.
Sincerely,
Review Officer
Disclosure of Personal Information:
In the event that a court order is received to disclose to the claimant the name and other related information of the OFL customer, the OFL board will do so through the services of our corporate lawyer to the court requesting that the information be disclosed. | https://o-net.ca/legal/file-sharing-and-copyright-infringement/ |
A pollinator garden is installed in Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens Arboretum North in the Prairie Plant Research and Monarch Butterfly Waystation. Pollinator gardens are paradises for our native bees and attract butterflies too. Pollinators move pollen between flowers making it possible for them to produce seeds and fruits.
Flowers and grasses provide nectar and pollen resources that pollinators feed on. The right flowers with overlapping bloom times will support pollinators from spring through fall. Flowers to attract pollinators include Sullivant’s Milkweed, Butterflyweed, New England Aster, Wild Senna, Coreopsis, Purple Coneflower, Sweet Joe Pye Weed, Prairie and Meadow Blazingstar, Bergamont, Ohio Goldenrod and Ohio Spiderwort. Grasses include Prarie Dropseed and Little Blue Stem. | https://chadwickarboretum.osu.edu/research-and-education/bee-pollinator-garden |
Full profile →'">
The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer.
True digital transformation initiatives require change at multiple levels of the organization. Revamping the customer experience with digital technologies is never a superficial change, as it requires better, more flexible software as well as a dynamic, agile organization to drive innovation and to respond to marketplace changes.
Agile software methodologies like Scrum and Extreme Programming (XP) are now established approaches for building software in dynamic environments. Agile approaches don’t solve every software problem, however, as they typically work best with relatively small, self-organizing teams.
Scaling Agile to the enterprise level is a challenge that The Scaled Agile Framework® (also known as SAFe™) means to address, as it combines Agile approaches with more enterprise-centric organizational practices. Yet, while SAFe has led to several dramatic successes, challenges still remain, especially as enterprises undergo the broader organizational change necessary for digital transformation success.
Success with SAFe
SAFe is an interactive knowledge base for implementing Agile practices at enterprise scale, according to its Web site. This enterprise-driven approach is largely the brainchild of Dean Leffingwell, Director and Chief Methodologist at Scaled Agile, Inc. Leffingwell has been a leader in the software development industry for decades, having founded Requisite, Inc., the makers of the RequisitePro requirements management tool, now part of ’s Rational division. | https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonbloomberg/2014/09/08/scaling-agile-software-development-for-digital-transformation/ |
Physicists settle controversy over identical particle entanglement
Illustrations of (a) two spatially separated identical qubits, (b) two identical qubits in the same space, and (c) two identical qutrits in the same space. Credit: Sciara et al. Nature Scientific Reports
(Phys.org)—In a new study, physicists have shown a way to establish real entanglement between two identical particles—a topic that has been disputed until now. The results provide a better understanding of the fundamental nature of entanglement between identical particles and have potential applications in quantum information processing.
One of the many strange features of quantum entanglement is that, if two particles are identical, then they automatically appear to be entangled. In this case, "identical" means that the particles are of the same type—for example, any two photons are considered identical because there is no way to tell any particular photon apart from another.
This type of entanglement, which physicists call "entanglement due to indistinguishability," arises because of the standard way that identical particles are labeled. Although the particles are identical, physicists assign them different labels in order to tell them apart. Because of the way that entanglement is determined, with respect to their labels, identical particles inevitably appear to be entangled.
Although this type of entanglement is different than entanglement between non-identical particles, there is disagreement among physicists over what exactly it is and whether or not it is useful for applications. In one viewpoint, the entanglement holds even for distant particles but cannot be exploited for practical use. In another viewpoint, the entanglement is simply an artifact of labeling and should not really be considered entanglement at all.
Ideally, an appropriate way to settle the debate would be to investigate the entanglement between identical particles using a process called Schmidt decomposition, which is commonly used to study entanglement between non-identical particles. Unfortunately, Schmidt decomposition doesn't apply to identical particles in a straightforward way, and its use in this area has been controversial and inaccurate, giving obviously incorrect results for identical particles.
The main result of the new study is that the physicists have generalized Schmidt decomposition so that it can be applied to identical particles equally as well as non-identical particles.
"The results show that entanglement between identical particles is not merely a mathematical artifact, but that, under certain conditions, the entanglement due to indistinguishability is true physical entanglement," coauthor Rosario Lo Franco at the University of Palermo, Italy, told Phys.org.
When applied to two identical qubits, the method shows that, in certain situations, particles can be physically entangled only when in close proximity, and not when spatially separated as it previously appeared.
"The key to the achievement was to do away with the standard practice of assigning labels to identical particles, and instead simply describe the particles in terms of their states," said coauthor Giuseppe Compagno at the University of Palermo.
The researchers also discovered a somewhat surprising result for qutrits—three-level particles which are relevant for storing quantum information—that contrasts with a previous result using a different method. The researchers said that this difference requires further investigation.
Overall, the physicists expect the method to provide a new type of entanglement resource for applications.
"In the case where the particle wave functions overlap, entanglement due solely to indistinguishability and unveiled directly by the Schmidt decomposition can be utilized operationally in protocols of quantum information processing," Lo Franco said. "This achievement may first require a separation of the identical particles as obtained by the so-called extraction procedures."
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With the ubiquitous presence of computing, the impact of computer-control on a user's sense of autonomy and moral responsibility and the responsibilities of designers when building such systems, especially those that directly impact human life, have become topics of considerable ethical interest This paper will examine the ethical and social issues surrounding the design of human-computer interfaces that are designed for weapon control systems using the development of a computer interface for the U.S. Navy's Tactical Tomahawk missile as a case study. Faced with the task of designing an interface for a weapon like the Tactical Tomahawk that can be retargeted in flight with the click of a mouse, the designing engineer must understand the social and ethical implications of both critical design elements as well as decision biases that are introduced through both cognitive and social sources. It is possible that designing "user-friendly" interfaces for the sole purpose of destruction and death can afford a moral buffer that diminishes controllers' sense of responsibility and autonomy, which could allow people to make decisions more quickly and without proper consideration of all the consequences. When designing a human-computer interface for a weapon control system, it is imperative that engineers understand not only what physical and cognitive human limitations exist, but also how human behavior can compromise both the system's mission and a sense of moral responsibility. © 2003 IEEE. | https://scholars.duke.edu/display/pub1108366 |
The University of Illinois recently published research further substantiating the value of wetlands. The study looked at the benefits of restoring wetlands for reducing nitrogen verses technological improvements at waste water treatment plants. No doubt that both these mechanisms have water quality benefits. In addition to those, however, restored wetlands provide additional benefits such as added wildlife habitat and carbon storage. Just for their nitrogen reduction benefits alone, “wetlands are a more cost-effective way to mitigate nitrogen pollution than abatement by WWTPs”.
Sep. 17, 2013 — Removing nitrogen from the environment “the natural way” by creating a wetland is a long-term, nutrient-removal solution, more cost effective than upgrading a wastewater treatment plant, but it isn’t necessarily socially beneficial to offer landowners multiple payments for the environmental services that flow from such wetlands, according to a study conducted at the University of Illinois.
“In the areas we studied in Bureau County with small wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), it was much cheaper to do pollution control by installing just a few wetlands than it was to have the WWTPs do the upgrades that would be necessary to achieve the same thing,” said U of I environmental economist Amy Ando.
Bureau County was selected for the simulation because it is an area that has waterways with heavy nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, and it is a rural area of the state but with some population density and a couple of WWTPs. “In some ways, it’s a poster child for an environment where a program like this could work,” Ando said. “There is enough farmland to put in some wetlands, but there are also enough people contributing to the WWTPs that are generating nutrients — so there are parties on both sides that could trade with each other.”
The study analyzed the amount of land needed to reduce nitrogen pollution, data on the costs of actual wetland restorations, and other factors such as the opportunity costs to the landowner from no longer farming the new wetland area.
“Wastewater treatment plants can already remove nitrogen, but their current technology is only capable of removing them up to a point,” Ando said. “If they wanted to do more nitrogen removal, they would have to make upgrades. The cost of phosphorus removal isn’t high, but for nitrogen, the upgrades are pretty expensive.”
Ando also explained that, depending on how environmental permit markets are set up, if an area is set aside as a wetland, the landowner could qualify for several incentive programs through pollution trading markets, even if the original purpose of the wetland conversion was only to reduce nitrogen.
“This is a big issue in the design of markets for ecosystem services,” Ando said. “A wetland does a lot of things. It will filter out nutrients, but it also creates habitat for waterfowl, and it might sequester carbon. The cost of installing a wetland is large enough that in some cases no single payment might be enough to convince a farmer to do it, but if they get paid for the full value to society of all three benefits, then they might be willing to do it.
“There’s an almost violent debate among scholars and environmental groups and people who are trying to get these markets into place about whether farmers should be able to stack payments. We were trying to be agnostic and just ask the question, what effects would stacking have on market outcomes?” she said.
Ando said that, under some circumstances, if multiple payments for the same action are not allowed, it can result in inefficiently low levels of conservation activity on parcels of land that generate nutrient removal and other benefits such as wildlife habitat. However, some farmers may be willing to convert farmland to wetland on the strength of just one payment.
“Ideally we want to pay farmers to create a wetland that they would not have done anyway,” Ando said. “But in some cases, they might not need the extra incentive and would have been happy to do it for the nitrogen payment alone. In our study area, we found that allowing multiple payments may or may not make society as a whole better off, depending on the details of the policy situation.”
When questioned about the fairness of stacking credits, Ando said “Fair is a different question than efficient and from cost-effectiveness overall. If multiple payments for a single wetland don’t increase the provision of ecosystem services relative to single payments, then it’s not cost-effective. Some of that money could be used to pay a different landowner and get more services overall. So there might be a trade-off between what seems fair and just and what yields the greatest environmental benefit to society for a fixed amount of money available for payments,” she said. | http://watershedinvestmentsnc.net/wetlands-cost-effective-nutrient-reducers/ |
The invention relates to a method and arrangement for adjusting an air-conditioning system by means of relative adjustment, in which the supply/exhaust air valves (1 - 5) of the system are adjusted starting from a valve (1) located the remotest in a branch duct (6), a so-called reference valve, so that the air flow rate of the reference valve is measured and the ratio of the air flow rate of the reference valve and the designed air flow rate is calculated and the other valves (2 - 5) of the branch duct (6) are adjusted in order starting from the reference valve so that each valve has the same ratio of the measured and calculated air flow rate and the designed air flow rate as the reference valve. For simplifying the measurement, after the measurement of the reference valve, the measuring duct of the following valve is connected parallel with the measurement of the reference valve, the ratios of the measured air flows and the designed air flows are generated, the ratio of the following valve is compared with that of the reference valve, and the adjustment of said following valve is carried out by comparing the above-mentioned values that may be observed parallel. | |
Provision of information held by Northumbria Police made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the 'Act')
As you may be aware the purpose of the Act is to allow a general right of access to information held at the time of a request, by a Public Authority (including the Police), subject to certain limitations and exemptions.
You asked:
1) Total number of firearms owned by your police force (if possible: broken down into type eg pistol, rifle, grenade launcher)
2) Spend on new firearms acquired by your force over the past six years
3) A breakdown of new firearms acquired by your force over the past six years.
In Response:
We have now had the opportunity to fully consider your request and I provide a response for your attention.
Following receipt of your request, searches were conducted within Northumbria Police. I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by Northumbria Police.
I am able to disclose the located information to you as follows.
1. We can disclose the total number of firearms as 589. These will not be broken down by type as we are applying Section 31 (1) (a) (b) Law Enforcement and Section 24 (1) National Security to both that part and to point 3 of your request . This is set out at point 3.
2. In relation to the figures below, it should be noted that the increase in spend in 2016/17 was part of the national Armed Uplift funding which included the personal issue of firearms.
Year Spend £
2012/13 19,458
2013/14 4,686
2014/15 7,880
2015/16 5,935
2016/17 598,320
2017/18 179,668
1 & 3.
The firearms will not be broken down by type and we shall rely on the following exemptions.
Section 31 (1) (a) (b) Law Enforcement
Section 24 (1) National Security.
The release of this information would undermine the effective delivery of operational Law Enforcement (Section 31(1)(a)(b)) and also would benefit any terrorist or terrorist cells thereby undermining National Security (Section 24(1)).
The considerations for the Public Interest Test (PIT) are set out below.
Evidence of Harm
The Police Service is charged with enforcing the law, preventing and detecting crime and protecting the communities we serve. In order to achieve these objectives we are allowed to use reasonable force when necessary to do so. In the ultimate circumstance this can include the use of lethal force but the rule of thumb is to use the minimum amount necessary to achieve the objective. In reality this equates to the use of the minimum amount of force required to overcome the violence, used or threatened, by those wishing to cause harm.
As part of this equation we also have to pay heed to the Human Rights Conventions particularly Article 2 - The Right to Life. The law and regulations relating to the use of force are detailed within the Authorised Professional Practice (APP) document for Armed Policing, see below link:
https://www.app.college.police.uk/app-content/armed-policing/?s
Armed Policing is a highly specialised area of firearms deployment and weapons training. It is an emotive subject under constant scrutiny and, by default, is always in the public eye. There is a long history of excellent practice nationally and Armed Policing is regarded as being at the forefront of firearms issues. Revealing responses to your questions would reveal tactical capability and is likely to influence the criminals, which may include terrorists or terrorist organisations.
The threat from terrorism cannot be ignored. It is generally recognised that the international security landscape is increasingly complex and unpredictable. In order to counter criminal and terrorist behaviour it is vital that the police have the ability to work together, where necessary covertly, to assist in the investigative process to ensure the successful arrest and prosecution of offenders who commit or plan to commit acts of terrorism.
The prevention and detection of crime is the foundation upon which policing is built and the police have a clear responsibility to prevent crime, arrest those responsible for committing crime or those that plan to commit crime. However, there is also a duty of care to the public at large. The UK Police Service has a positive undertaking to protect the public from harm and that duty of care to all involved must be the overriding consideration.
Public Interest Considerations
Section 31
Factors favouring Disclosure
The information requested relates to a specialised area of Policing. There is a public interest in the community being made aware of all the facts relating to Armed Policing in order to ensure complete openness and transparency as there is often speculation and rumour with regard to the use of firearms within the Police Service. In this case providing information relating to your request would provide transparency and may enhance public debate into this type of policing.
Factors favouring Non-Disclosure
The deployment of authorised firearms officers is measured and authorised by chief officers after careful consideration in order to protect the public and apprehend individuals who use lethal weapons as part of their criminality. To disclose what weapons we have available reveals tactical capability and would place Northumbria Police at a tactical disadvantage. In addition, disclosure may also ‘create’ a fear of crime within the general public relating to armed policing.
Revealing the exact amount of money allocated for firearms expenditure, i.e. details of the weaponry available to the police, is likely to influence the criminals who are prepared to resort to the use of extreme force in order to avoid detection and capture. By fully knowing police capabilities offenders will ensure they are armed to overcome the police response. This creates if you will an ‘arms race’ to the detriment of the criminals themselves, as the use of lethal weapons becomes more and more the only resolution option, and endangers both the public and officers themselves.
The risk to public safety cannot be ignored and we have a responsibility to ensure the safety of individuals is protected at all times, as detailed within the harm.
Disclosure could also reveal perceived weaknesses amongst forces thereby giving terrorists locations as to where their activities may be met with the least resistance.
Section 24
Factor favouring Disclosure
The information requested relates to weapons available to Northumbria Police, which then in turn reveals capability etc and by default would cross over with counter-terrorism deployments. Disclosure would inform the public that Northumbria Police allocate their resources This would provide transparency with regard to the use of public funds inasmuch as the funds are being used correctly and appropriately ensuing the Armed Policing Departments within individual forces are resourced and adequately equipped.
Factors favouring non-disclosure
Whilst there is a public interest in providing reassurance that Northumbria Police is appropriately and effectively dealing with threats posed by terrorist organisations, there is a strong public interest in safeguarding national security and the welfare and safety of the general public.
Any disclosure has the potential to undermine ongoing and future operations to protect the Security of the United Kingdom, e.g. counter terrorism activity. The risk of significant harm or even death to the community at large would be increased.
Balancing Test
Whilst there is a public interest in the transparency of policing resources for specialist departments and providing reassurance that the Police Service is appropriately and effectively placing resources into Armed Policing, there is a strong public interest in knowing that policing activity with regard to the delivery of law enforcement is appropriate and balanced, this will only be overridden in exceptional circumstances.
In addition, we also need to take into account the victims of terrorism. Public safety is of paramount importance and any information which would place individuals at risk and compromise the National Security of the United Kingdom, no matter how generic, is not is the public interest. The effective delivery of operational law enforcement and the National Security of the UK is crucial and of paramount importance to Northumbria Police and indeed all forces. Any disclosure would have a negative impact on law enforcement and national security.
As much as there is a public interest in known that the delivery of law enforcement is appropriate and balanced, this will only be overridden in exceptional circumstances. Police force’s capabilities of combating crimes and terrorism are sensitive issues and the release of the information requested would be a huge source of intelligence value and benefit to those whose intent is to cause harm and disruption. Whilst a disclosure would provide you with a response to your queries, we also need to be aware that it would also provide those with the intent to do so, valuable information on resources available to our officers. This would give them the opportunity to target any perceived weaknesses within forces and therefore have a detrimental and potentially devastating effect on Law Enforcement and would greatly hinder the ability to keep our communities and officers safe.
Therefore it is our opinion that for these issues the balance test for disclosure is not made out. | https://beta.northumbria.police.uk/about-us/publications-and-documents/accessing-information/disclosure-log/operational-policing/force-firearms-82618/ |
Cognitive liberty, or the "right to mental self-determination", is the freedom of an individual to control his or her own mental processes, cognition, and consciousness. It has been argued to be both an extension of, and the principle underlying, the right to freedom of thought. Though a relatively recently defined concept, many theorists see cognitive liberty as being of increasing importance as technological advances in neuroscience allow for an ever-expanding ability to directly influence consciousness. Cognitive liberty is not a recognized right in any international human rights treaties, but has gained a limited level of recognition in the United States, and is argued to be the principle underlying a number of recognized rights.
The term "cognitive liberty" was coined by neuroethicist Dr. Wrye Sententia and legal theorist and lawyer Richard Glen Boire, the founders and directors of the non-profit Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics (CCLE). Sententia and Boire define cognitive liberty as "the right of each individual to think independently and autonomously, to use the full power of his or her mind, and to engage in multiple modes of thought."
Supporters of cognitive liberty therefore seek to impose both a negative and a positive obligation on states: to refrain from non-consensually interfering with an individual's cognitive processes, and to allow individuals to self-determine their own "inner realm" and control their own mental functions.
This first obligation, to refrain from non-consensually interfering with an individual's cognitive processes, seeks to protect individuals from having their mental processes altered or monitored without their consent or knowledge, "setting up a defensive wall against unwanted intrusions". Ongoing improvements to neurotechnologies such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroencephalography (or "brain fingerprinting"); and to pharmacology in the form of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Nootropics, Modafinil and other psychoactive drugs, are continuing to increase the ability to both monitor and directly influence human cognition. As a result, many theorists have emphasized the importance of recognizing cognitive liberty in order to protect individuals from the state using such technologies to alter those individuals’ mental processes: "states must be barred from invading the inner sphere of persons, from accessing their thoughts, modulating their emotions or manipulating their personal preferences." These specific ethical concerns regarding the use of neuroscience technologies to interfere or invade the brain form the fields of neuroethics and neuroprivacy.
This element of cognitive liberty has been raised in relation to a number of state-sanctioned interventions in individual cognition, from the mandatory psychiatric 'treatment' of homosexuals in the US before the 1970s, to the non-consensual administration of psychoactive drugs to unwitting US citizens during CIA Project MKUltra, to the forcible administration of mind-altering drugs on individuals to make them competent to stand trial. Futurist and bioethicist George Dvorsky, Chair of the Board of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies has identified this element of cognitive liberty as being of relevance to the debate around the curing of autism spectrum conditions. Duke University School of Law Professor Nita Farahany has also proposed legislative protection of cognitive liberty as a way of safeguarding the protection from self-incrimination found in the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution, in the light of the increasing ability to access human memory.
Though this element of cognitive liberty is often defined as an individual’s freedom from state interference with human cognition, Jan Christoph Bublitz and Reinhard Merkel among others suggest that cognitive liberty should also prevent other, non-state entities from interfering with an individual’s mental "inner realm". Bublitz and Merkel propose the introduction of a new criminal offense punishing "interventions severely interfering with another’s mental integrity by undermining mental control or exploiting pre-existing mental weakness." Direct interventions that reduce or impair cognitive capacities such as memory, concentration, and willpower; alter preferences, beliefs, or behavioral dispositions; elicit inappropriate emotions; or inflict clinically identifiable mental injuries would all be prima facie impermissible and subject to criminal prosecution. Sententia and Boire have also expressed concern that corporations and other non-state entities might utilize emerging neurotechnologies to alter individuals' mental processes without their consent.
Where the first obligation seeks to protect individuals from interference with cognitive processes by the state, corporations or other individuals, this second obligation seeks to ensure that individuals have the freedom to alter or enhance their own consciousness. An individual who enjoys this aspect of cognitive liberty has the freedom to alter their mental processes in any way they wish to; whether through indirect methods such as meditation, yoga or prayer; or through direct cognitive intervention through psychoactive drugs or neurotechnology.
As psychotropic drugs are a powerful method of altering cognitive function, many advocates of cognitive liberty are also advocates of drug law reform; claiming that the "war on drugs" is in fact a "war on mental states". The CCLE, as well as other cognitive liberty advocacy groups such as Cognitive Liberty UK, have lobbied for the re-examination and reform of prohibited drug law; one of the CCLE's key guiding principles is that: "governments should not criminally prohibit cognitive enhancement or the experience of any mental state". Calls for reform of restrictions on the use of prescription cognitive-enhancement drugs (also called smart drugs or nootropics) such as Prozac, Ritalin and Adderall have also been made on the grounds of cognitive liberty.
This element of cognitive liberty is also of great importance to proponents of the transhumanist movement, a key tenet of which is the enhancement of human mental function. Dr Wrye Sententia has emphasized the importance of cognitive liberty in ensuring the freedom to pursue human mental enhancement, as well as the freedom to choose against enhancement. Sententia argues that the recognition of a "right to (and not to) direct, modify, or enhance one's thought processes" is vital to the free application of emerging neurotechnology to enhance human cognition; and that something beyond the current conception of freedom of thought is needed. Sententia claims that "cognitive liberty's strength is that it protects those who do want to alter their brains, but also those who do not".
Cognitive liberty is not currently recognized as a human right by any international human rights treaty. While freedom of thought is recognized by Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), freedom of thought can be distinguished from cognitive liberty in that the former is concerned with protecting an individual’s freedom to think whatever they want, whereas cognitive liberty is concerned with protecting an individual’s freedom to think however they want. Cognitive liberty seeks to protect an individual’s right to determine their own state of mind and be free from external control over their state of mind, rather than just protecting the content of an individuals’ thoughts. It has been suggested that the lack of protection of cognitive liberty in previous human rights instruments was due to the relative lack of technology capable of directly interfering with mental autonomy at the time the core human rights treaties were created. As the human mind was considered invulnerable to direct manipulation, control or alteration, it was deemed unnecessary to expressly protect individuals from unwanted mental interference. With modern advances in neuroscience and in anticipation of its future development however, it is argued that such express protection is becoming increasingly necessary.
Cognitive liberty then can be seen as an extension of or an "update" to the right to freedom of thought as it has been traditionally understood. Freedom of thought should now be understood to include the right to determine one’s own mental state as well as the content of one’s thoughts. However, some have instead argued that cognitive liberty is already an inherent part of the international human rights framework as the principle underlying the rights to freedom of thought, expression and religion. The freedom to think in whatever manner one chooses is a "necessary precondition to those guaranteed freedoms." Daniel Waterman and Casey William Hardison have argued that cognitive liberty is fundamental to Freedom of Thought because it encompasses the ability to have certain types of experiences, including the right to experience altered or non-ordinary states of consciousness. It has also been suggested that cognitive liberty can be seen to be a part of the inherent dignity of human beings as recognized by Article 1 of the UDHR.
Richard Glen Boire of the Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics filed an amicus brief with the US Supreme Court in the case of Sell v. United States, in which the Supreme Court examined whether the court had the power to make an order to forcibly administer antipsychotic medication to an individual who had refused such treatment, for the sole purpose of making them competent to stand trial.
In the case of R v Hardison, the defendant, charged with eight counts under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (MDA), including the production of DMT and LSD, claimed that cognitive liberty was safeguarded by Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Hardison argued that "individual sovereignty over one's interior environment constitutes the very core of what it means to be free", and that as psychotropic drugs are a potent method of altering an individual's mental process, prohibition of them under the MDA was in opposition to Article 9. The court however disagreed, calling Hardison's arguments a "portmanteau defense" and relying upon the UN Drug Conventions and the earlier case of R v Taylor to deny Hardison's right to appeal to a superior court. Hardison was convicted and given a 20-year prison sentence, though he was released on 29 May 2013 after nine years in prison.
While there has been little publicized criticism of the concept of cognitive liberty itself, drug policy reform and the concept of human enhancement, both closely linked to cognitive liberty, remain highly controversial issues. The risks inherent in removing restrictions on controlled cognitive-enhancing drugs, including of widening the gap between those able to afford such treatments and those unable to do so, have caused many to remain skeptical about the wisdom of recognizing cognitive liberty as a right. Political philosopher and Harvard University professor Michael J. Sandel, when examining the prospect of memory enhancement, wrote that "some who worry about the ethics of cognitive enhancement point to the danger of creating two classes of human beings – those with access to enhancement technologies, and those who must make do with an unaltered memory that fades with age." Cognitive liberty then faces opposition obliquely in these interrelated debates.
^ Sententia, Wrye (2004). "Neuroethical Considerations: Cognitive Liberty and Converging Technologies for Improving Human Cognition". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1013: 223. doi:10.1196/annals.1305.014.
^ Bublitz, Jan Christoph; Merkel, Reinhard (2014). "Crime Against Minds: On Mental Manipulations, Harms and a Human Right to Mental Self-Determination". Criminal Law and Philosophy. 8: 61.
^ Waterman, Daniel (2013). Hardison, Casey William, ed. Entheogens, Society & Law: Towards a Politics of Consciousness, Autonomy and Responsibility. Melrose Books. p. 18. ISBN 9781908645616.
^ Walsh, Charlotte (2010). "Drugs and human rights: private palliatives, sacramental freedoms and cognitive liberty" (PDF). International Journal of Human Rights. 14 (3): 433. doi:10.1080/13642980802704270.
^ Sententia, Wrye (2013). "Freedom by Design: Transhumanist Values and Cognitive Liberty". The Transhumanist Reader: Classical and Contemporary Essays on the Science, Technology and Philosophy of the Human Future. John Wiley & Sons. p. 356.
^ "FAQ - Center for Cognitive Liberty & Ethics (CCLE)". General Info. Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics. 2003-09-15. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
^ Leary, Timothy (1968). The Politics of Ecstasy. Berkeley, California: Ronin Publishing. p. 95. ISBN 1579510310.
^ Blitz, Marc Jonathan (2010). "Freedom of Thought for the Extended Mind: Cognitive Enhancement and the Constitution". Wisconsin Law Review (1049): 1053–1055, 1058–1060.
^ Rosen, Jeffrey (11 March 2007). "The Brain on the Stand". New York Times Magazine. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
^ Boire, Richard Glen (1999). "On Cognitive Liberty Part I". Journal of Cognitive Liberties. 1 (1).
^ Dvorsky, George. "Cognitive liberty and the right to one's mind". Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
^ Farahany, Nita (February 2012). "Incriminating Thoughts". Stanford Law Review. 64: 405–406.
^ Boire, Richard Glen (2000). "On Cognitive Liberty Part II". Journal of Cognitive Liberties. 1 (2).
^ "Keeping Freedom in Mind". Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
^ Boire, Richard Glen, (2002). "Brief Amicus Curiae Of The Center For Cognitive Liberty & Ethics In Support Of The Petition, in the case of Sell v United States" | https://wiki2.org/en/Cognitive_liberty |
The New Yoga: From Cult and Dogma to Science and SanityCALGARY, Alberta, March 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Yoga needs a major shakeup and needs to drop many nonsensical and dangerous cues to bring it safely and sensibly into the 21st century, according to a prominent British/Canadian yoga teacher in an internationally-relevant new book on Amazon.The New Yoga: From Cult and Dogma to Science and Sanity by Rob Walker, London/Calgary journalist, author and yoga teacher trainer, takes a brutally hard look at these critical questions. He proposes six radical steps to strip away the nonsense and provide common-sense yoga for the future, based on movement science.Rob Walker quotes a wide range of experts and speaks from his own twenty-year yoga teacher-training experience. He dumps accepted dogma behind much current teaching and brings a fresh sparkle of evidence and science to twenty-first-century yoga.ROB WALKER is certified as an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher with the US-based Yoga Alliance. He has studied yoga in India extensively and holds a fourth level of certification in Iyengar Yoga, a style he no longer subscribes to. Walker had a long and successful career in journalism in London, UK on the Daily Mail and at the Calgary Herald before turning his passion for yoga into full-time teaching twenty years ago. In 2001 he transitioned from writing about healthcare to owning his own yoga studios. His current focus and passion is training yoga teachers at his college, helping them understand the principles and benefits of The New Yoga.Walker is available for interview ahead of, or at his book launch 2pm – 5 pm Sunday, March 15 at his studio, The Alberta Yoga College at 2439 54 Ave SW, Calgary.Contact: | https://www.cbj.ca/calgary-author-challenges-everything-we-assumed-we-knew-about-yoga/ |
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The power source of the biggest explosions in the universe found
An artist's impression of a star's gamma-ray bursts right after its collapse.
Credit: Nuria Jordana-Mitjans
A team of astrophysicists finds evidence that a collapsing magnetic field causes gamma-ray bursts.
Gamma-ray bursts are the most powerful and brightest explosions in the universe.
The team used data from a space telescope of a supernova 4.5 billion light-years away.
A new study proposes an answer to the mystery of what powers gamma-ray bursts – the brightest and most powerful explosions in the universe that take place when a star goes supernova. Recent research from an international team of astrophysicists indicates that the specific reason for this phenomenon, when two gigantic jets of light-emitting plasma shoot out materials at ultra-high speeds, might lie in the collapse of a star's magnetic field.
The gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), occurring when a star implodes to form a neutron star or a black hole, are so violent that they release as much energy in just a few seconds as the Sun does in its whole lifetime of 10 billion years. The bursts can last from ten milliseconds to several hours while their "afterglow," which goes on longer, can be observed from Earth.
As the press release from the University of Bath explains, the baryonic jet model explains GRBs as a flash produced by repeated violent collisions between the materials involved in the explosions around the dying star.
The second hypothesis on the origin of the bursts is the magnetic model, which got a boost from the new research. The idea behind this is that when a star explodes, its large magnetic field collapses, unleashing the tremendous energy that powers a GRB.
The team of researchers involved in the study found evidence to support the magnetic model by examining data from the collapse of a large star in a galaxy that's 4.5 billion light-years away. They knew about the star's collapse from a gamma-ray burst (named GRB 190114C), which was detected by NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, operating from space in Earth's low orbit.
Cosmic death beams: Understanding gamma ray bursts
The researchers spotted a clue to the role of the magnetic field in the very low level of polarization observed in the gamma ray burst right after the star's collapse. This pointed to the explosion destroying the magnetic field.
The paper's lead author, Nuria Jordana-Mitjans of Bath University in the U.K., explained that "From previous studies, we expected to detect polarisation as high as 30% during the first hundred seconds after the explosion. So we were surprised to measure just 7.7% less than a minute after the burst, followed by a sudden drop to 2% soon after."
This indicated to the scientists that "the magnetic fields collapsed catastrophically straight after the explosion, releasing their energy and powering the bright light detected across the electromagnetic spectrum."
The new study was conducted by the University of Bath in cooperation with scientists from the Liverpool John Moore University UK, the University of Ferrara Italy, the University of Nova Gorica Slovenia, the South African Astronomical Observatory, the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, Spain, Lomonosov Moscow State University and Irkutsk State University Russia.
Interestingly, a study released earlier in 2020 from the University of Warwick pointed to binary star systems offering special conditions that are favorable to creating gamma-ray bursts. This field continues to offer fascinating developments. | |
OZ is a vibrant social center for an inclusive, multigenerational congregation that fosters friendship and caring between all of our 300 member families. We come from many Jewish paths and embrace our diversity as our greatest strength. At OZ we strive to build and maintain a Jewish community where you always have a family and a home.
We recognize that the study of Torah is a life-long endeavor. We respectfully engage the tradition of our sages and, together, shape its meaning for our own time. We engage young families, children, teenagers, and adults of all ages in educational experiences that deepen their understanding of their own Judaism and its place in the larger world.
We shape joyful and meaningful forms of prayer and meditation, cherishing our tradition while embracing innovation, to meet the diverse needs of our community and foster the celebration of Judaism. We encourage the exploration of our own personal paths through Judaism while seeking to remain grounded in our connection to the shared communal experience of prayer.
Ohavi Zedek (or OZ) was founded in 1885 by 18 Jewish immigrants from Lithuania. Our vibrant, egalitarian and inclusive congregation is committed to embracing tradition while actively participating in our changing Jewish world. Our building was one of the first woman-designed synagogues in the US and home to wonderful wooded trails and the historic Lost Mural. Our community consists of hundreds of individuals and families from a range of Jewish denominations. We are a kehilla (a sacred community) where everyone is welcome, including inter-faith and LGBTQ families, all abilities, races and ethnicities. We offer learning and programs for all ages. Whether your interest in Judaism is spiritual, cultural or in Social Action (Ohavi Zedek means “Lovers of Justice!”), we hope you will find a home at OZ. We are a member of the United Synagogues of Conservative Judaism. We embrace our diversity as our greatest strength.
In 1910 the interior of Chai Adam synagogue in Burlington, VT was gloriously painted from ceiling to floor by Ben Zion Black, who was brought from Lithuania by the congregation to paint the synagogue in the prevalent style of the wooden shuls of Eastern Europe. Decades later the synagogues in Burlington merged and the Chai Adam building was sold several times before ultimately being converted into apartment units. Much of the painting was destroyed during the renovation but the mural over the ark was covered by a wall and forgotten until 2012 when the Lost Shul Mural was uncovered for the first time in nearly thirty years.
Now, over a hundred years later, after countless volunteer hours and significant donor support, we have been able to preserve this priceless treasure before it was lost to history. As we honor the lives of all those lost in the Shoah, Ohavi Zedek’s community takes pride in the preservation of this important and beautiful piece of history for future generations. | https://ohavizedek.org/ |
Our work focuses on understanding the organisation and function of certain neural pathways in the brain that are linked to psychiatric disorder. We are using this knowledge to help identify drugs to improve the treatment of psychiatric disorder.
Even the most modern of drugs used in psychiatry don’t work for every patient, some drugs cause unwanted side effects, and the onset of therapeutic effect can often be slow. Currently, inadequately managed psychiatric disorder is one of the biggest global health burdens. Some of the main reasons for all this is that we still don’t fully understand how the drugs work on key neural circuits in the brain or what causes the mental illnesses that the drugs are aimed to treat.
Our research is focused on the pharmacological and physiological properties of neural circuits that utilise the neurotransmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin). These circuits are targeted by many drugs used in psychiatry and thought to be a key player in the cause of illnesses such as depression and anxiety. We are using a range of neurophysiological, molecular, genetic and behavioural approaches to investigate the functional properties of 5-HT neurons in experimental models. We use this information to learn more about factors that might put individuals at risk of mental health problems. W also work in collaboration with other scientists in academia and industry to identify improved pharmacological treatment strategies.
External collaborators
Grant Churchill, Dept of Pharmacology, Oxford
David Dupret, MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit, Oxford
David Bannerman and Stephen McHugh, Dept of Experimental Psychology, Oxford
Philip Cowen, Dept of Psychiatry Oxford
Marco Capogna, University of Aarhus
Robert Rogers, University of Bangor
Catherine Winstanley, University of British Columbia
Andrew Holmes, NIH, Washington
KongFatt Wong-Lin, University of Ulster
Yasin Temel, University of Maastricht
Mitsuhiro Yoshioka, University of Hokkaido
Lundbeck Pharmaceuticals, Copenhagen
Research projects
- A novel lithium-mimetic drug for the management of impulse control disorder
- Large-scale recording and computational modelling of midbrain raphe microcircuitry during emotional learning
- In vivo pharmacogenetic investigation of 5-HT mechanisms in emotional learning
- Pharmacogenetic investigation of the neural mechanisms underlying the cognitive effects of 5-HT6 ligands
- Mechanisms of phenotypic effects of altered 5-HT transporter gene expression
- Antidepressant modulation of the cortical microcircuitry
A DPhil opportunity is available in the Sharp group as part of the EU-funded SEROTONIN and BEYOND project. This project aims to train the next generation of serotonin researchers and deliver new fundamental insights in how early life changes in serotonin caused by genetic or environmental factors alter brain development and thereby contribute to the cause of serotonergic psychiatric disorders. These new insights have the potential to reveal novel targets for future therapies, as well as the developmental windows in which such interventions would be most effective. | https://www.pharm.ox.ac.uk/research/sharp-group-neuropsychopharmacology-research |
As the new year begins, I always review the previous year with a plan to improve in the following year. During my yearly reflections over the holiday period, I noticed that without planning it, I have an exceptionally diverse workforce.
The more I reflected on it and the more I looked at what I’d done in previous years, I’ve always focused on getting the best people for the job, but just as importantly, the best people to make a high-performing team.
People who have different opinions from me, people who have the right attitude, strong mindset, the right skills, and confidence to deliver. And therefore, it has always led to a diverse workforce.
Today’s podcast episode will be about why diversity in the workplace drives your bottom line.
Explanation of diversity in the workforce
Firstly, let me explain what I mean by diversity because when most people hear the word, they usually think of race or gender. Diversity is much more than that. It includes different backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, beliefs, skill sets, values, interests, and life experiences. And all of these can contribute to creating a diverse workplace.
Why is diversity essential in the business world?
In a world where innovation is king and every organisation is striving to be at the top of its game, diversity in the workplace should be an essential part of driving success. In other words, in the business world, diversity shouldn’t just be a buzzword.
It’s essential because, without diversity, companies are missing out on a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and ideas that can help them create something truly unique. Individuals in a diverse workplace often come up with innovative solutions to problems because they see things differently than others may.
Five key points of the importance of diversity
To further understand why diversity is essential in the workplace, here are five manageable points to get a clear picture of its importance.
Number 1
Studies have shown that companies with diverse teams perform better financially than those without them. This happened due to the increased productivity that results from having people from different backgrounds working together on projects.
According to a report by McKinley Company, companies in the top quartile for gender and racial and ethnic diversity are more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry Mediums. Additionally, businesses with higher levels of diversity were 35% more likely to have financial returns above the median of their industry peers.
Number 2
Having a diverse team encourages creativity. A variety of people from different backgrounds can bring fresh ideas to the table. Studies such as the one at North Carolina State University into innovation in the pulp and paper industry have shown that companies with diverse workforces, come up with better ideas and solutions than those without them. Having different perspectives in the room leads to more creative problem-solving and innovative products.
Number 3
A diverse workforce also helps your organisation connect with customers more effectively because having people from different cultural backgrounds allows you to develop an understanding of how different demographics interact with your product or service.
Number 4
When employees feel like they belong to an organisation, they’re far more likely to stay there for longer periods of time and be engaged while they’re doing it. So a diverse workforce helps ensure that everyone feels included and valued regardless of age, gender, race, or whatever other background, and that boosts morale across the board. This produces less employee turnover which is a big complaint among businesses.
Number 5
Much like the first point, studies have shown that companies with diverse teams perform better financially. Decisions made and executed by diverse teams delivered 60% better results. | https://thesalesaccelerationformula.com/why-diversity-drives-your-bottom-line/ |
An ownership stamp, which particularly in cases of public library stamps would almost certainly detract from the value of the book.
A book stamp, also called a library stamp, is a rubber stamp used to mark books as belonging to a library. The most common design features the name and address of the library, and the date the book was acquired. Other designs may include the name of the donor, a logo, or other information.
Library stamps are used to track the ownership of books and to deter theft. They are also used to help identify books that need to be repaired or replaced. In some cases, library stamps may be used to indicate that a book has been censored or restricted.
Most libraries require that books be returned to the library in the same condition as when they were checked out. This means that books must not have any writing, highlight, underlining, or other markings not made by the library. Many libraries will not allow books with library stamps to be donated or sold.
Some people collect books with interesting or unique library stamps. This can be a fun and challenging way to build a book collection.
Book stamps and library stamps are important to books and publishing for a number of reasons. First, they help to identify a book as belonging to a particular library or collection. This can be important for cataloguing and tracking purposes. Second, they can help to deter theft or damage to books, as books with stamps are less likely to be seen as valuable by potential thieves. Finally, stamps can add a sense of provenance and history to a book, making it more attractive to potential buyers or collectors. In conclusion, book stamps and library stamps serve a variety of important functions in the book world, and are an essential part of the publishing process. | https://www.adazing.com/encyclopedia/book-stamp-or-library-stamp/ |
We’re updating the menus in Google Sheets to make it easier to locate the most commonly-used features.
In this update:
- The menu bar and right-click menus have been shortened to better fit your screen to prevent menus from being hidden off screen
- Some features were reorganized and added to more intuitive locations (for example, you can now freeze a row or column from the right-click menu)
- Some descriptions of items in the menu are shorter, enabling faster recognition
- Icons have been added to help you locate features more easily
- Changes are across all menus, including File, Edit, View, Insert, Format, Date, Tools, Extensions, Help, and Accessibility.
Example of updated menus in Google Sheets
Who’s impacted
End users
Why it’s important
The new design improves findability of key features, making it quicker and easier to use Sheets, especially on devices with smaller screens.
Additional details
Some of your favorite menu items may have moved a little, but all existing functionality is still available. We hope that their new home will be more intuitive and make it easier and faster to navigate the product.
Getting started
- Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. | https://google.gawinsports.com/2021/10/enhanced-menus-in-google-sheets.html |
In April, we wrote about Short-Term Volatility vs. Long-Term Opportunity. Since that writing, we have certainly experienced the short-term volatility, with the S&P 500 index entering a bear market – down over -20% from its peak. What investors think of as safe havens were not, with the Barclay’s Aggregate Bond index down -13% so far in 2022. Cash holdings with almost no return are being eroded by an 8.6% inflation rate.
The Federal Reserve has embarked, finally and emphatically, on a campaign to bring the inflation rate under control. Short-term interest rates are being raised much more rapidly than previously signaled in quick response to the inflation data. With unemployment rates near historic lows, the Fed is now totally committed to taming inflation.
Whether these actions result in a recession remains to be seen, as the traditional economic signals for economic expansion and recession are mixed. The rapid speed of economic change, kicked off by the Covid-19 pandemic, has caused the traditional business cycle to speed up. Where we would have once expected a multi-year recovery leading to an extended period of inflation pressure, we are now seeing these cycles play out over a period of months. Thus, the volatility of markets, inflation, and interest rates, has sped up and resulted in wider, faster market swings.
The stock market is certainly forecasting a slowdown in earnings growth, along with a reduction in valuations due to higher interest rates, causing higher corporate borrowing costs. The rapid reset of stock valuations provides opportunities for patient investors to assess new economic paradigms caused by this rapid change. The short-term volatile landscape is filled with uncertainty and doubt. What we don’t doubt is the vitality of the American economy and its ability to adjust and prosper over a long- term time horizon. As we have experienced several times over the past three decades, during various business cycles, we are excited to search for opportunities when prices for dynamic businesses are low. | https://www.arlingtonfinancialadvisors.com/2022/07/08/bear-market-update/ |
Oak Bay police will peruse the pool’s surveillance in hopes of finding a culprit who relieved patrons of the Oak Bay Recreation Centre of their cell phones on four separate occasions last week. Three phones were taken from lockers; all but one of them left unlocked. The fourth phone was taken from a purse left on the pool deck by the hot tub. The purse with all of its contents except the phone was found in the men’s change room. Police have requested the Rec Centre’s video surveillance of the time frames in question and hope to identify a suspect.
The recreation centre does not encourage the use of the open “cubbies” to store your valuables but is very supportive of the use of lockers, police remind residents. The centre offers lockers in the change rooms and a small locker sets the user back 25 cents. Last year’s model of iPhone could cost well over $1,000 to replace and the loss of personal data could add up to much more than an inconvenience.
Tools taken from build site
A house under construction on Lansdowne Road was targeted by thieves last week. Due to the stage of construction, the home was unable to be secured and thieves took advantage of the situation, helping themselves to more than $1,000 worth of tools that had been left behind. The theft was discovered Aug. 30.
Survival suits swiped
Two survival suits and a self-inflating life jacket were reported stolen on Aug. 31. The items were not secured, but put out of sight on a 22-foot boat moored at the Oak Bay Marina.
Aggressive CRA scam continues
The Canada Revenue Agency scam continues sot go strong after well beyond a year, despite repeated warnings by the media, the CRA and police. Fraudsters routinely target the elderly and are very forceful, aggressive and threatening in their demands to be paid for a fictitious outstanding bill. Residents are reminded that the CRA would never conduct itself in this manner. Please hang up on these callers. For information or to report deceptive telemarketing contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca or toll free at 1-888-495-8501.
Slow down for school zones
School’s back this week full time and school zones are in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on school days. | https://www.oakbaynews.com/news/cell-thief-targets-lockers-purse-on-the-pool-deck/ |
---
abstract: 'We compared convolutional neural networks to the classical boosted decision trees for the separation of atmospheric particle showers generated by gamma rays from the particle-induced background. We conduct the comparison of the two techniques applied to simulated observation data from the Cherenkov Telescope Array. We then looked at the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves produced by the two approaches and discuss the similarities and differences between both. We found that neural networks overperformed classical techniques under specific conditions.'
address: 'Department of Astronomy, University of Geneva, Switzerland.'
author:
- 'Lyard E, Walter R, Sliusar V and Produit N, for the CTA Consortium'
bibliography:
- 'nsb\_paper.bib'
nocite: '[@*]'
title: 'Probing Neural Networks for the Gamma/Hadron Separation of the Cherenkov Telescope Array'
---
Introduction
============
Machine learning made spectacular advances during the last few years. Deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) emerged as a very powerful technique thanks to advances in algorithms, data availability and overall computational power. CNNs recently proved to be effective also for TeV astrophysics [@hess] to separate the signal from an astronomical source from the cosmic-ray background. The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) [@cta] will be the next-generation ground-based gamma-ray observatory, composed of more than one-hundred telescopes at two observation sites. Its sensitivity will improve by an order of magnitude compared to existing facilities. Improving the data analysis techniques to better discriminate the observed gamma rays from the cosmic rays would allow to better resolve the observed sources and also to reduce the observation time needed to obtain enough significance.\
In this paper we focus on the signal extraction and we evaluate the performance of CNNs compared to Boosted Decision Trees (BDTs) [@bdt] which are commonly used for this task and in particular in the EventDisplay analysis package [@eventdisplay]. Other techniques are commonly employed such as random forests [@random_forests] or maximum-likelihood [@model]. To perform this comparison, we took the Event parameter output of the EventDisplay analysis of simulated events from a Monte-Carlo (MC) production of CTA. We picked the dataset that contained the most realistic observation conditions and applied CNNs to it. We then compared the obtained Signal/Background separation performances with the one from the BDTs from EventDisplay.
Cherenkov Astronomy
-------------------
Cherenkov Astronomy studies very high-energy $\gamma$-ray emission from the Galaxy and beyond. Above a few GeV, the flux from the sources is too small to be detected with a compact instrument. Instead, it relies on the interaction between high-energy gamma rays and the Earth’s atmosphere. These interactions produce showers of particles travelling faster than light in the atmostphere which thus emit Cherenkov light. This light is detected by arrays of large telescopes and very fast cameras. Each individual shower detection is called an *event*, which combines images seen in coincidence in several telescopes.\
Images typically look like elongated ellipses, and these can be combined to give event-level parameters. They can be of several types, namely photonic (gammas), hadronic or electronic. It is the gamma events that are of interest, as hadronic events originate from cosmic-rays. The discrimination of events cannot be fully accurate and thus gamma events are discarded hence reducing the sensitivity of the facility. The opposite also occurs, with many hadronic events being classified as gammas, hence contaminating the measurement with background noise.
Convolutional Neural Networks
-----------------------------
CNNs extract features from images and combine them to derive higher level knowledge. Their architecture has grown more complex over the years, and they now outperform humans in recognizing a large variety of items in images. The current best performing network, called Squeeze-and-Excitation [@squeeze] was able to recognize which of the 1000 possible object categories appeared on pictures with an accuracy of 97.75 percents during the 2017 annual ImageNet challenge [@ILSVRC15]. This approach started to be applied in astrophysics to separate signal from sources from background noise. [@SCHA17] used CNNs and generative adversarial networks to recover features in astrophysical images of galaxies beyond the deconvolution limit. CNNs were also used by [@HEZA17] to deconvolve strongly-lensed images of galaxies. [@SCHA18] used a similar approach to detect such images while [@STAR18] used Generative Adversarial Networks to separate quasar point sources from the light of its host galaxy. [@ERDM18] used deep-learning to reconstruct air showers from data coming from the Pierre Auger Observatory [@auger]. Eventually, [@DANI18] applied deep learning to gravitational waves detection and the estimation of their parameters using Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory data [@LIGO].
Proposed method
===============
The performances of neural networks can be quite difficult to evaluate because they are very sensitive to the training and validation datasets that are used. The computer vision community solved this issue by defining a standard dataset to be used both for training and evaluation of new architectures [@imagenet]. Such dataset does not yet exist in high-energy astrophysics. Thus, we decided to evaluate the performances of CNNs with respect to what is the current standard in the field, namely BDTs. CTA has produced a standard analysis of the simulated data, and it is against this classification that we evaluated our neural networks. The CTA standard analysis relies on the EventDisplay package [@eventdisplay] that was originally developed for the VERITAS experiment [@veritas]. Another package named MARS [@mars] is used to crosscheck the results. We used exactly the same datasets for both the BDTs and the neural networks. Both have exactly the same amount of data to work with, hence we believe that such a comparison is fair and makes sense in this context. We did not perform the EventDisplay analysis ourselves as the output of the analysis is available to all CTA consortium members. Both approaches are compared by plotting their Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves. The Area Under Curve (AUC) is used to assess the methods’ overall performances, while subtle differences between the curves are discussed to make predictions about their true performances.
Monte-Carlo Data
================
We decided to use the datasets from night sky background (NSB) studies to perform this comparison. These datasets are well suited because they were designed to represent the standard operating conditions of CTA. We stick to the standard NSB level as it is the one that is the closest to the expected nominal conditions and used only medium-size telescopes data, as did the BDT analysis. The CTA expert helped us retrieve a list of events that were used to train and validate the BDTs. The datasets contain only diffuse protons and diffuse gammas. No electrons were included because it was not the primary goal of this study, but also because electrons would be much more difficult to differentiate and give a diffuse background at a lower level than typical gamma-ray sources.\
A preliminary cut performed by the CTA analysis removed the most obvious background events from the datasets. As a consequence, the performance curves given in a later section do not take the full data into account, but rather only the portion of the *difficult* background events. Moreover, the simulations focused on gamma-detection efficiency under various NSB conditions. Thus more signal events were simulated compared to what one can reasonably expect from a real instrument. Consequently the performance curves given in the results section cannot be used to estimate the overall performance of the method, but only its performance with respect to BDTs.
Neural Network Input
--------------------
BDTs operate on event parameters extracted from the raw events data. In contrast, our CNN architecture operates directly on the raw data. Nevertheless, we applied a data reduction step to make the datasets easier to work with, as follow:
- *Waveform integration*. Most Cherenkov cameras record short movies of up to 300ns in duration, with each frame lasting between 0.5 and 4 nanoseconds depending on the instrument. We integrated the signal of each pixel to reduce the dimensionality. Instead of working with *N* time-samples for each pixel, we ended up with two values: integrated charge and time-of-maximum.
- *Image calibration*. We applied a calibration step to work with photo-electrons rather than integrated ADC counts. The time of maximum was kept as an index to the sample.
- *Image normalization*. For the intensity value, we normalize the image so that the maximum pixel value is always 1000. Rather than normalizing to 1, we preferred to remain in the integer domain and be able to work with smaller files.
Besides the steps above, existing high-level CNN packages work with square images with multiple channels (red, green and blue). On the other hand, our reduced datasets contain hexagonal images with two values. We applied a geometry conversion step to transform hexagonal images into square ones (figure \[fig:inputgamma\]). This introduces a geometrical bias that remains to be addressed. Multi-telescope data was dealt with by simply stacking all telescopes’ images into a single image, as seen on the example events images.
Energy Bands
------------
The BDTs that we compared against operated on specific energy bands. This is a common approach meant to simplify models and speed up training time. We applied the same splitting of the data to train the CNNs. We tested 5 energy bands, as shown in table \[tab:resultsoverview\]. Each energy band had approximately two times more signal than background events. Half the events were used for training, half for validation.
Network Architecture
====================
Following the survey work from [@nieto], we decided to start from the best network according to their study, namely InceptionV3 [@inception]. We did not explore the hyper-parameters space either and only used ADADELTA [@ADADELTA] for the optimizer and binary cross-entropy [@CROSS] for the loss function. We focused instead on the network architecture, and quickly found out that InceptionV3 has too many layers for the task at hand. This makes sense as InceptionV3 was designed to classify images into one thousand categories, while we only have two possible outputs (gamma / hadron).
After some trial-and-error we ended up with a baseline architecture that has nine layers for a total of 290k parameters (DL290k - figure \[fig:overallarchitecture\]). We also tested two variants of this architecture:
- Simplified: same as the baseline architecture, but with half the number of filters for each convolution kernel. Total parameters: 18k (DL18k)
- Extended: same as the baseline architecture, but with extra convolutions before the softmax layer [@softmax]. Total parameters: 595k (DL595k)
There was no dropout layer [@dropout] included in the model. The reason for this is two-fold. First, adding dropout layers significantly decreased the performance of the model and slightly increased the training time. Second, because we have virtually unlimited simulated data to train the models, overfitting can be dealt with by increasing the size of the training dataset.
Results
=======
Even though results are presented in the form of ROC curves below, in reality the ratio of signal/background events is in the order of $\frac{1}{10000}$. It is thus very important that the ROC curve be as steep as possible so as to limit the contamination of the signal by background events. The CNNs peaked between epoch 7 and 59 depending on the training parameters before starting to overfit on the training data. They performed in a very similar way to the BDTs, as seen in table \[tab:resultsoverview\]. This result is quite encouraging, as no a-priori knowledge was given to the CNNs. On the contrary a lot of human expertize was put in the training of the BDTs, even if the models that we compared against may not be the best possible ones. CNNs outperformed BDTs at high energies, while the opposite is true at low energies (figure \[fig:resultsoverall\], left). The differences are more obvious in the zoomed-in plots on figure \[fig:resultsoverall\], middle. In this plot, CNNs outperform BDTs in most cases, despite having higher AUCs. This discrepancy can be understood when looking at the other zoomed-in curves in figure \[fig:resultsoverall\], right.
[ llllll ]{}
EB & Num. Evts & AUC BDT & AUC DL18k & AUC DL290k & AUC DL595k\
63 to 158 GeV & 354k & 0.9759 & 0.9600 & 0.9648 & 0.9707\
100 to 562 GeV & 800k & 0.9861 & 0.9807 & 0.9851 & 0.9869\
316GeV to 1.8 TeV & 400k & 0.9904 & 0.9913 & 0.9923 & 0.9920\
1 to 5.6 TeV & 200k & 0.9923 & 0.9950 & 0.9963 & 0.9947\
3.1 to 32 TeV & 120k & 0.9934 & 0.9930 & 0.9958 & 0.9948\
\[tab:resultsoverview\]
In this plot, it becomes clear that the ROC curve of the BDTs has a steeper start than CNNs, for all energy bands, which explains the higher overall AUC. Consequently, the best performing approach will depend on where one applies the cut to separate signal from background. Rejecting as much background as possible while possibly discarding some signal events would make the BDTs win, while accepting as many signal events along with more background would make the CNNs win. Figuring out the most optimal cut is always a trade-off between significance and sensitivity, and different cuts might be more adapted to specific science goals. We tackled the steepness of the ROC curves problem by training the CNNs with ten times more events. In this case it appeared that the overall accuracy does not improve but the slope of the beginning of the ROC curve became steeper, in-par with the BDTs. This hints that the current shortcomings of CNNs may be addressed simply by augmenting the training datasets with more events.
Conclusion
==========
In this paper, we investigated a fair comparison between a state-of-the-art classification technique for Cherenkov telescopes data and convolutional neural networks. By applying standard CNN architectures and adapting the Cherenkov data to it, we demonstrated performances that are close to or already better than existing techniques. This suggest that research in CNNs and other novel machine learning approaches should be actively pursued to help achieve the best science output of the upcoming CTA observatory.\
Many aspects of this investigation will be taken further as there seems to be much room for improvement. The datasets could be improved by keeping not only two values but rather the full waveforms. The neural network architecture could be improved by implementing hexagonal convolutions. The robustness of the results should be verified by continuing similar comparisons with other, extended datasets. Finally, the issue of having simulated data that is not identical to the real data should be addressed.
We would like to thank G Maier for kindly providing the list of Monte-Carlo events along with the output of the BDT analysis. L. Arrabito and J. Bregeon for helping us in our adventure to retrieve data from the GRID. The CADMOS (www.cadmos.org) for granting us the compute hours at CSCS that made this study possible. The CSCS staff for kindly handling our questions and problems. The CTA SAPO for kindly reviewing our paper internally. We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the agencies and organizations listed here: [http://www.cta-observatory.org/consortium\_acknowledgments]{}
| |
This article explains in detail the automatic sending of emails after an online appointment.
Real-time overview of all your in-app activities and sent emails
You can activate push notifications for your mobile app and be alerted about new bookings or booking changes.
Manage your email settings and keep customers and employees informed about booking appointments by sending them programmed reminders. | https://www.timify.com/en-gb/support/2609687-notifications-reminders/ |
Today we are interviewing John Turi, author of "A Drinker With A Writing Problem / A Wine Lover’s Retrospective."Tell us a bit about yourself.
Pertaining to wine, I’ve been learning about grapes before I could drink them. I had the chance to work for a famous wine store in Long Beach/Naples, California for many years and I learned just about everything I know about wine from the people who worked there. I go into some detail in the book about Morry’s of Naples. The store closed a few years ago--I do miss that place. For a college kid, it was an entertaining place to work.
Describe your book in a few sentences.
ADWAWP is about a personal adventure with wine; my knowledge, writing, and drinking. There are twelve chapters in the book and each one is about a specific wine. More than just my life in wine, I go into detail about each winery I’m writing about. Some people have classified the book as creative non-fiction. I also did all the photography for the book.
Who do you think would most appreciate this book?
If you enjoy wine, then you’re already going to like it. If you know nothing about wine, but like having it with dinner, you will enjoy it and possibly even learn something. A friend of mine has the audiobook version and he says he listens to it all the time while he is stuck in traffic. The voice narrator, Steve Carlson, knocked the audio version out of the park. The book is not your boring wine review critique, by any means.
|Author/wine critic John Turi|
What inspired you to put together a book that incorporates all of your best wine writing?
The editor at ConnotationPress.com, where I write a monthly wine article, suggested I get my work out in print format. Ken Robidoux felt more people would find my work in the Food and Wine section on Amazon, since his magazine is 95% literary based. I have a few fiction books I did years ago and this was my first non-fiction work.
One of the things highlighted about your book is that your wine reviews aren’t simply reviews; they’re stories about each specific wine. Why do you take this approach to writing about wine?
I feel the world of wine has taken a turn from old stodgy wine critics--who for thirty years have pontificated on the nuances of a wine and slapped down a rating without giving any emotion to what they’re talking about--to younger, hipper people who grew up reading their parents’ copies of Wine Spectator and wanted more passion, more depth, more human interaction. Coming from a creative writing background, I can’t help but put my crazy life, thoughts, and attitude into the articles. One of my editors is constantly yelling at me, “You can’t say… such and such, they’ll sue you!” I just put it out there and see where it lands. There are some excellent wine bloggers and podcasters who are changing things in the world of wine. It’s great to see them get creative and bring followers along with them who otherwise think wine is for the elite, or something to have with dinner. I have more fun with wineries and likeminded people on Instagram than I do on my own wine blog. Wine is social.
How do you select a wine for review?
I’ve been enjoying wine for over twenty-five years and my personal collection is pretty crazy. Like any obsession, the more you do it, the more you are going to level up to the best. The simplest answer is - I only review the best bottles. Why would I waste my time writing about something I don’t enjoy? Most of my wine is bought at wine auctions, so when I’m scanning the catalog of selections, I always spot something that I feel deserves to be written about; especially, if I have a prior history with the wine or winery.
Can you tell us a bit about the process of writing a wine review, from the first sip to the finished review?
It all starts with a wine, of course. Who do I want to write about this month? Once I’ve picked the winery, I pick the varietal and then the vintage. The year plays a big part. When that is all figured out I start researching everything I can on the history of the winery, the process, the awards, etc. This can take anywhere from one to three weeks. Then I sit down and write my story, incorporating the research, and when all of that is finished, I open the bottle and find it. By “it” I mean everything that has led me to want to open that bottle and taste what I’ve been writing about. From there I’ll give it a rating from 90 -100 (anything less than 90 is not worth my time) and send it off to the editor. Have I ever been disappointed with a wine I’ve done so much research on? In all the years of my writing it has only happened once, but I won’t disclose the winery. My rating, my taste of the wine, is just my opinion.
What are some of the biggest misconceptions people have about wine writing?
That I must live a lavish lifestyle of travelling the world, drinking wine and rubbing elbows with the wine elite. I hear this all the time on Facebook, Instagram, and my blog. The truth is, I purchase every wine I write about-- be it a $25 chardonnay to an $800 Bordeaux. Since I’m a wine writer, I do get to write off my wine expenses, but I enjoy sitting at home with my wife on a Saturday night, making her dinner as we open the bottle I’m reviewing. The problem with that is that I’ve taught her well all these years and she has a better palate than I do at times. It drives me crazy!
How do you think reading your book will impact people?
Sit back on a Sunday afternoon with a glass of your favorite wine and a tray of cheese and crackers, and just dive in. I guarantee you’ll never look at wine the same. I get emails from all over the world, from people that tell me that they enjoy my writing and my passion, and if I’m ever in their country or city to please look them up, because they would love to share a bottle with me and have a good conversation. Those comments I carry with me as I write the next article.
What do you have in mind for your next writing project?
An old friend told me that he misses the unedited angst in my writing and he would love to see me put a collection of my personal blog in print. Aside from writing about wine, I have a personal blog where I essentially post my private diary. I’m not giving the website; you can Google it. I’ve written about very personal details of my life for the world to read, comment, and laugh about. Hopefully by 2016 that book will be in print and everyone can read about the night I lost my virginity, why I hate my Facebook friends, or why being an artist is the craziest thing someone could want to be.
Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book?
The print version is beautifully designed. It’s in full color and has great quotes and a funny forward by the editor of the magazine I write for. Just recently, the first story in the book won the Millesima award for Fine Wine writing, which I’m very proud of. The book is also available on Kindle and in Audiobook formats. Give it a read while you’re trapped on an airplane for a few hours. | https://www.writersinterviews.com/2015/05/drinker-writing-problem.html |
Representatives from the UC Davis Bohart Museum of Entomology will be at the Vacaville Cultural Center Library on Tuesday, March 12 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Children and their families are welcome to attend to see and learn about various types of insects and arachnids from around the world, such as a stick insect, a tarantula, and more. This program is provided for free to the public thanks to the Friends of the Vacaville Public Libraries.
The library is located at 1020 Ulatis Drive. For further information call 1-866-57-ASKUS or look on the library website at www.solanolibrary.com.
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Sign up to sample a book by reading a small portion each day for a week in your email. | http://solanolibrary.com/Home/BlogPost/39889 |
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