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A rise in intracellular calcium is the primary trigger for contractile activity in pregnant human myometrium. It is hypothesized that key proteins involved in myometrial calcium homeostasis are gestationally regulated and play an important role in the preparation for labor. The aims of the study were to investigate the role of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca ATPases (SERCAs) in regulating spontaneous contractile activity in myometrium, and to determine the expression of SERCA isoforms 2a and 2b, and the plasma membrane Ca ATPase (PMCA), at term and during labor. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the expression of SERCA 2a and 2b significantly increased in myometrium of women in labor compared with those not in labor. The augmentation of contractile activity in laboring myometrium in the presence of a SERCA 2 inhibitor, cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), demonstrated the functional significance of this observation. It is interesting that the application of CPA in the presence of a calcium-activated potassium channel inhibitor to term nonlabor myometrium mimicked the response of myometrium from women in active labor to CPA alone. We conclude that the activity of SERCA isoforms becomes increasingly important in the maintenance of regular contractile activity during labor and may compensate for the functional loss of other calcium control pathways at term. You have requested a machine translation of selected content from our databases. This functionality is provided solely for your convenience and is in no way intended to replace human translation. Neither BioOne nor the owners and publishers of the content make, and they explicitly disclaim, any express or implied representations or warranties of any kind, including, without limitation, representations and warranties as to the functionality of the translation feature or the accuracy or completeness of the translations. Translations are not retained in our system. Your use of this feature and the translations is subject to all use restrictions contained in the Terms and Conditions of Use of the BioOne website.	https://complete.bioone.org/journals/biology-of-reproduction/volume-63/issue-3/biolreprod63.3.748/Calcium-Homeostatic-Pathways-Change-with-Gestation-in-Human-Myometrium1/10.1095/biolreprod63.3.748.short
In a new survey from global outplacement and executive and business coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., 70% of employers reported they are having trouble finding applicants with the necessary qualifications. To attract talent, the majority of companies surveyed are offering flexible schedules or time-off benefits. The survey was conducted over three weeks in May and June among 150 human resources professionals at companies of various sizes and industries nationwide. In the survey, 61% of respondents indicated they offer some sort of flexible work option to attract talent. Of those, 91% reported they offer flexible scheduling, while 62% offer remote work options.	https://www.challengergray.com/blog/employers-offer-flex-work-attract-talent-survey/
casual employment is for local residents only. Baffin Correctional Centre is establishing a relief pool of Correctional Officers who can cover shifts on an as required basis. As a Correctional Officer, you will be working as a valuable member of a team, providing safe and secure custody and assist in the delivery of programs to inmates to help prepare them for a return to their home communities. Training will be provided on specific policies and procedures. Individuals wishing to be considered for casual employment should register with the Department of Finance by providing their resume and criminal records check to the Casual Employment Consultant at the Staffing and Recruitment Office at building 917, backdoor, or by registering by email at [email protected]. The ability to communicate in both Inuktitut and English would be considered a definite asset. Equivalencies that consist of a combination of education, knowledge, skills and abilities to formal education and experience requirements will be considered. You should have some experience in providing counseling or support services to people in a caring and respectful manner. Knowledge of Inuit language, communities, culture, land and Inuit Qaujimajatugangit is an asset. You should be willing to participate in staff training to acquire additional skills that will assist you in this position. Applicants should indicate which class of driver’s license they have (if any).	https://gov.nu.ca/jobs/casual-employment-correctional-officers-casual-employment-baffin-correctional-centre
Stone or brick hardscape adds a finished look to the landscape, outlining areas for entertaining or exploring the garden. Enjoy the outdoors with complete cooking areas featuring stainless steel grills, refrigerators, sinks and other amenities. Built-in fireplaces, spas and fire pits make your outdoor space more livable, and extend the season into the cooler months. Fountains, ponds and waterfalls impart sound and movement to the garden. They are also a sanctuary for birds and butterflies. Replace the asphalt driveway with pavers for a more environmentally friendly, aesthetically pleasing effect.	https://www.vanzelst.com/live-life-outdoors/
The European Southern Observatory has captured a new image of a galaxy that has engulfed several other galaxies in its past. Galaxy NGC 1316, also known as Fornax A, may have been described as a quiet type by its neighbors, but it holds a dark secret: it's a galactic serial killer. A new image released by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) captures Fornax A and its small, spiral galaxy neighbor NCG 1317 in great detail in an effort to better understand Fornax A's internal structure. It is this internal structure that gave away Fornax A's past crimes. Unusual dust lanes and oddly small globular clusters of stars - generally found orbiting a galactic core - suggest that Fornax A swallowed up a dust-rich spiral galaxy about three billion years ago. But that wasn't Fornax A's first victim, and it likely won't be its last. Around the galaxy, we can see wisps and shells of stars that have been torn from their original locations, and neighbor NGC 1317 isn't large enough to cause the distortions observed in Fornax A's structure - all evidence pointing to a violent past. The supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy, with a weight equal to 130-150 million Suns, may have been fueled by the engulfing of several smaller galaxies. Source: ESO The proper analogy for what is happening there is closer to how Eukaryotic cells engulfed Mitochondria billions of years ago. When galaxies collide, there is not a known instance of stars colliding. No matter how thick galaxies look, there is so much space between stars that it's not mathematically likely that they would collide. So... it's more like two organisms becoming one. That is just my two cents... and I could be wrong about the "no known instance of stars colliding" as when I heard that... it was never observed or at least there was not even a known instance of the expected fallout of such a collision. But still: Don't be such a bastard, Fornax A! Edit: In Jersey talk - If I'm on Route 80, and you're on Route 78, what is the mathematical likelihood of us having a collision? Yeah, that's what I thought too! Wait, I don't think this massive galaxy has been killing the other... Anyway, neat stuff. You know, assuming you're not in one of the galaxies it nom nom'd That's exactly what I thought of when I read the galaxy's name! OT: I wonder what a galaxy consuming another is like...if the one being "eaten" just kinda shuffles peacefully into the mix of the other galaxy or if it's all hell breaking loose with stars smashing into each other and such. To be fair, the merging of two galaxies often fucks with a lot of gravitational forces, if I remember correctly. Even if two solar systems don't necessarily crash into one another, planets may be knocked out of orbit for being bystanders. Fornax A is actually Route 78, that while passing Route 80 decided to drive by it on the sidewalk instead of the actual street, murdering at least several grandmas. Fornax GTA more like. Look at that smug bastard...thinks he can eat galaxies and get away with it... We'll get him...one day wait, i thought there were few observations of colliding stars, that is, believed to be colliding stars. i know its very rare, but thats not really what gallaxy killing is. Its more of a big galaxy coming in, usign its gravitational force to fuck the small one up, and then leaving the place with small one dragging behind due to gravity. Whats worse, due to most galaxies, especially old ones, having a black hole in the center, its likely black hole sqallowed quite a few bodies in the poor assaulted galaxy. In Jersey talk - If im on route 80 and theres a hot girl on route 78, i will be attracted and crash my car, ruining my day. the small neighbour is called NGC 1317 according to the article, which makes things less confusing since they don't have the same name. OT: I think it is amazing what can be deduced from examining what could be called the galaxy's left overs. It really sets the imagination ablaze about what kind of tidal forces there must be at work on each planet and star. I am also confused by the article talking about fuelling the black hole, does that mean that the 'victim' galaxy's material gets sifted through or that it pressures the old material towards the centre to be crushed. How long does the statute of limitations last again? Awww. I thought there was an actual serial killer called "Galactic Serial Killer" and I was really excited to hear how many people it took for him/her to kill in how many different nations be called that. Or if a serial killer ended up in space and killed the crew, or something. This is cool I guess though.	http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.846453-Galactic-Serial-Killers-Mugshot-Taken
activity and avoiding tobacco smoke. STUDY: Data from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study was used to determine the cardiovascular health status of 17,761 people ages 45 and older based on The American Heart Association Life’s Simple 7 Score (get active, eat better, lose weight, stop smoking, control cholesterol, manage blood pressure, reduce blood sugar). At baseline participants had normal cognitive function; their mental function was evaluated four years later. FINDINGS: People with poor cardiovascular had a significantly greater risk of developing cognitive impairment, especially learning and memory problems, compared to people with intermediate or ideal cardiovascular health. After accounting for differences in age, sex, race and education, rates of cognitive impairment were: 4.6% of people with the worst cardiovascular health scores; 2.7% of those with intermediate health profiles; and 2.6% of those in the best cardiovascular health category. COMMENT: “Even when ideal cardiovascular health is not achieved, intermediate levels of cardiovascular health are preferable to low levels for better cognitive function,” said lead investigator Evan L. Thacker,	https://www.moveitorloseit.co.uk/healthy-heart-may-lead-healthy-cognition/
Musical Instruments of the Jali As I was once told, the most valued instruments of any Jali or Jalimuso are his/her mind, its’ memory, and the voice through which it speaks to the world. Secondary, but no less important, are the musical instruments which many Jali use in carrying out their work. The musical instruments played by Jalolu are viewed, not as objects, but extensions of the Jali himself, who acts as a vessel for the spiritual secrets harbored within the instrument. There three best known instruments played by the Jali, but, once again, it must be stressed that not all Jali perform with musicial instruments;the three main musical instruments of the Jali are the Balafon, the Ngoni, and the Kora. The instruments typically played by the Jalimuso is the Karinyan, nege or ne (A short tubular piece of iron that is struck with another, thinner piece of iron.) The Jalimuso uses her instrument as a time keeping mechanism, holding together the rhythm of the song or other instruments. The Western notion of a xylophone is the closest relation to the West African balafon. The balafon’s bars are made of a hardwood instead of metal and these rest on a frame of bamboo. Beneath the bars are small gourds which act as resonators. The Kora, a 21 string bridge harp, is the instrument most associated with the Jali because of its’ popularity and versatility. The Ngoni is probably the oldest of the stringed instruments played by the Jali. It is said to be the instrument which preceded and gave birth to the banjo. More can be gained by clicking on one of the links below: - The Ancient Craft of Jaliyaa - An Introduction to Orature - Origin of the Word Griot - Origin of the Jali - Language of the Jali - Historical Role of the Jali - Social Role of the Jali - Musical Instrumentation of the Jali - Contemporary Jaliyaa - Baba’s Suggested Reading List If you have any questions, comments, or would like to secure Baba for a performance at your event, you may submit his Online Booking Form. Inquiries may also call toll free from anywhere in the U.S. to 1.866.525.4922. Thank you for visiting.	https://babathestoryteller.com/the-ancient-craft-of-jaliyaa/musical-instrumentation-of-the-jali/
When working with kids who have varying sensory struggles, it can be difficult to tell the difference between a tantrum or a sensory meltdown. Our Fort Myers ABA therapists recognize that it often takes some detective work to differentiate. But determining which is which is important when formulating the most effective response. A sensory meltdown can be especially tough to identify because a child’s sensory thresholds can vary from day-to-day or even hour-to-hour. Some behaviors that may be present in BOTH: - Screaming - Kicking - Name-calling - Hitting - Crying - Hiding or avoidance Tantrums, however are typically a response to a child not receiving something they want or an anticipated outcome. Sensory meltdowns, meanwhile, stem from sensory overload, with reactions being to the big feelings that the overload can cause. In the case of a meltdown due to sensory issues, parents may need to formulate a strategy that plans ahead, rather than simply react to the meltdown when it happens. That means meeting their sensory needs through a sensory diet (unique to each child) that can help them avoid feeling completely overloaded and overwhelmed. We need to look carefully at the sorts of things that can trigger a sensory meltdown. Some possible meltdown triggers can include: - Being overly tired or hungry. - Generally not feeling well. (This can stem from illness, food sensitivity, overheating, etc.) - Being expected to “hold it together” for long periods of time, such as going to summer camp, school, or on play dates. - An abrupt change in routine – anything outside of the ordinary – can set off sensory overload. Because the overload may not be immediate, it can sometimes appear like a meltdown “came out of nowhere.” But there is almost always a source when we look very carefully at the “antecedents,” or events that occurred prior to the meltdown. You may even have to go back a few days to pinpoint the cause. Toddlers and preschoolers may be especially prone to tantrums because they do not have the motor, language, or problem-solving skills to work through some of their frustrations on their own. They may have an emerging desire to be independent, without having the skills to actually BE independent. They might have emerging language skills, and thus are unable to communicate what they actually want or need. They may have big feelings, but lack the prefrontal cortex development to emotionally regulate. They may have a growing understanding of the world around them, but also a lot of anxiety about how to move through it. Tantrums usually only end when a child gets what they want or when they’re rewarded for better behavior. Meltdowns, on the other hand, only end when the child tires out or the sensory input is altered. They stem from what we sometimes refer to as a “physiological traffic jam” in the central nervous system. There is too much overstimulation and feeling limited in your ability to “exit.” This can trigger a “fight or flight” response. As parents, therapists, teachers, and caregivers, it’s important to recognize that the behaviors we’re seeing are not controllable behavioral reactions. Rather, they are physiological responses. This is why our Fort Myers ABA therapists and occupational therapists put such emphasis on identifying which is which so that you can appropriately respond. With tantrums, you need to recognize the motivation or purpose, reinforce positive behavior, and build skills for success. Meltdowns, however, can sometimes be avoided when we use visual schedules, social stories, and checklists to help kids know what is expected. There are no surprises or question marks. Reducing the unexpected changes in routine is going to reduce the overall stress that can trigger a meltdown. We also recommend routine sensory diet activities, like scheduling quiet time or offering them breaks for sensory input. Parents and teachers should also be able to recognize signs of a child’s distress. This could be covering their ears or rocking back-and-forth or humming or bolting from the room. Once you are able to quickly recognize the signs of overstimulation, you can respond to help them regulate before reaching the meltdown stage. FOCUS offers pediatric ABA therapy in Fort Myers and throughout Southwest Florida. Call (239) 313.5049 or Contact Us online. Additional Resources: Expert Ways to Help Tame Tantrums and Manage Meltdowns, June 18, 2021, By Alescia Ford-Lanza, MS, OTR/L, ATP, Autism Parenting Magazine More Blog Entries: Study: Less than 1/2 Kids With Autism Undergo Early Intervention Therapy, July 30, 2022, FOCUS ABA Therapy Blog - Categorized: ABA Therapy, ADOS Testing, Behavior Therapy - Tagged: behavior therapy, child tantrums, Fort Myers ABA, Fort Myers ABA Therapy, sensory meltdown Our Favorite Sensory Gym Equipment for Kids With Disabilities & Delays A sensory gym can be summed up in a single phrase: “Putting the FUN in FUNctional!” If your child is beginning pediatric therapy (speech, occupational, physical, or ABA) at one of our two Fort Myers clinics, you’ve probably noticed some areas decorated with bright walls and packed with an array of Some of the equipment you see might look a lot like what you’ll observe in a playground or actual gym. Although it may look like a bit of a free-for-all, a sensory gym is strategically designed to provide a structured environment to help children with delays and disabilities work on their sensory, motor, and communication skills. - Categorized: Behavior Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy - Tagged: FOCUS Therapy sensory gym, Fort Myers pediatric therapy, Fort Myers sensory gym, Fort Myers sensory gym equipment, pediatric occupational therapy Fort Myers, pediatric physical therapy Fort Myers, sensory gym Fort Myers, Southwest Florida sensory gym How Behavior Chaining Works in ABA Therapy ABA therapy, short for applied behavior analysis or behavior therapy, focuses on studying behaviors – understanding them – and then incorporating techniques that promote expected behaviors and modify unexpected behaviors. One of the strategies our Fort Myers ABA therapy team employs is called “chaining.” Chaining is a type of evidence-based technique that we can use to teach kids basic skills like handwashing or waiting their turn to more independent life skills. The basic idea is that you’re breaking down each task into a series of mini-tasks. Many of us take for granted that skills like using the restroom or engaging in a conversation require numerous steps. We don’t give a second thought to every single step needed to complete everyday tasks – but there are, in fact, many. It takes some kids with developmental delays and disorders lots of practice to master each individual step. Let’s take handwashing, for instance. It’s considered a single, simple task. But in ABA therapy, we recognize that there are many smaller steps to it. We break it down into little, teachable bits. These include: - Turning on the sink. - Adjusting the water temperature. - Getting your hands wet. - Pressing the soap dispenser (or grabbing the soap). - Moving the soap around in your hands. - Scrubbing your hands. - Rinsing off the soap. - Turning off the water. - Drying your hands. We teach this series of tasks as one “behavior chain.” Once they have the first step down, we move onto the next step in the behavior chain. As the child gets comfortable with each “mini-task,” we add or “chain” new behaviors/tasks that are linked to it, so that it all becomes synched. The child learns what is expected – and what is not expected – as they move through the steps of each task. The Importance of Pairing in ABA Therapy Those trained to provide ABA Therapy will understand well the concept of “pairing.” Play and pairing is the foundation of instructional control in any behavioral therapy session. Simply put, pairing is a way for ABA therapists and technicians to help build a rapport with a child by finding out what interests them and then linking whoever is working with the child to that interest/activity/object so that we can facilitate positive reinforcements in each session. It’s a means of letting the child guide us to what motivates them. When we know what that is, we use it as a positive reinforcer for expected behaviors. So for example, a child who is new to ABA therapy will begin with a few “pairing” sessions with their ABA therapist/RBT (registered behavior technician). This is a time when we simply play together, we’ll let the child lead, allowing free access to toys, games, songs, and other stimuli. It may look like we’re just “playing,” but remember two things: - Play is how kids learn. - By discovering what they love to play with, we can help motivate them to learn important skills and promote helpful behaviors. Let’s say the child falls in love with a toy train set. We then restrict play with that train set to only our sessions. The child earns play with the trains as a positive reinforcer for expected behaviors. Speech therapy uses a similar technique in motivating kids to talk. Such toys are so-called “communication temptations,” something we’ve written about extensively in prior speech therapy blog posts. Pairing is also important because it lets the child and therapist establish a positive, trusting relationship where they come to understand that even when learning can be challenging at times, it’s also fun and ultimately benefits them (by giving them what they want). Parent input during pairing is very important too! We will spend time interviewing caregivers about what their child is really into, and we can then build on those ideas. From there, we’ll work on trying to teach mands/requests. (Think of a mand as short for “demand.” It’s how a person requests something. For example, we may hold a piece of that toy trainset or car until he/she asks for it or a turn with it. FOCUS Therapy ABA Talks: Hosted by Our ABA Team! FOCUS Therapy ABA Talks At FOCUS Therapy, we offer speech, occupational, physical, and ABA therapy. For that last one, "ABA" stands for "Applied Behavioral Analysis." It also sometimes goes by the name, "behavior therapy." It involves the study of behavior and ways it is reinforced. ABA therapy is considered the gold standard for treatment of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other conditions that make it difficult to communicate and behave in ways that are expected. The concept of what ABA therapy is and how it works is often unfamiliar to families who first seek our services on the basis of a physician referral. In an effort to help parents and families better understand ABA and how it works, Dr. Dean Funk, M.D./B.S. Biological Science and the rest of our FOCUS Therapy ABA team have created a series of in-depth videos we hope will better explain it all. Insight is provided by invaluable members of our FOCUS Therapy ABA team, including Ignacio Fernandez, BCBA. Watch the videos below! - Categorized: ABA Therapy, Behavior Therapy, FOCUS News - Tagged: ABA therapy Fort Myers, ABA therapy Southwest Florida, FOCUS ABA therapy, FOCUS Florida, Focus Therapy My Son Has Autism… When – and How – Should I Tell Him? Your child has autism. You know it. The rest of the family knows it. His teachers and therapists know it. Maybe even a few of his classmates know it. But when should HE know it? And how should you tell him? It’s something many of our FOCUS Therapy families grapple with at some point, and answers really depend on the individual. Some parents opt to tell their child when they’re very young, hoping an early understanding of why they struggle more with certain things might make it all less confusing. Other parents wait until their child becomes aware of their differences and starts asking questions. A few parents wait until their child is older with a better ability to fully grasp what their diagnosis means. Our FOCUS speech, occupational and ABA therapists know there isn’t a singular right answer, but we’re here to support our patients and help guide families in these discussions. Recently, a patient’s mother asked about the best way to handle some of the questions her 7-year-old son on the spectrum was asking. Christie Lawrence, a registered behavior technician (RBT) with our Fort Myers ABA therapy team and herself the mother of a teenager with autism, offered her thoughts. “I would say the most important part of informing your child of their autism diagnosis is to empower them,” Lawrence said. “Autism can bring many gifts, and it’s so important to teach our children to find and focus on their strengths and build confidence from their success.” Finding the Function of Behavior: ABA Therapy Insight In the field of behavior science, we commonly use the phrase “function of behavior.” As behavior analysts at the Fort Myers ABA therapy team at FOCUS, figuring out the “function” of a child’s behavior is hands-down one of the most mission critical parts of the job. As parents or caretakers, it will be so helpful for you and your child too if you’re able to determine why a behavior occurs. When we don’t know what truly causes a behavior and respond reactively, we may be unintentionally reinforcing that behavior. Why is my child facedown on the floor screaming when I told him we were eating tacos tonight? Why is he nonstop kicking the back of his sister’s car seat even though I’ve begged, cajoled and yelled at him to stop? All behavior has a reason. A function. If you’re looking for a different outcome or response, it’s imperative to find out why it’s happening in the first place. And understand that, for example, if the answer is attention (a common incentive), yelling or having an otherwise big response to it may be having the opposite effect. - Categorized: Behavior Therapy - Tagged: ABA therapy, behavior function, behavior science, behavior therapy, Fort Myers ABA Therapy Benefits of Clinic-Based ABA Therapy vs. In-Home Treatment Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA therapy) is considered the most effective, early-intervention treatment for kids on the autism spectrum. It can take place in several settings: Clinic, home or some combination of the two. At FOCUS, we have chosen the clinic-based model for a number of reasons that benefit our patients. One of the primary reasons is that we believe children benefit from being in a multi-disciplinary setting. It’s not just that it’s convenient for parents of children who need multiple therapies to have a single, physical location for all of them. (Families in Southwest Florida may find it very difficult to arrange all of the therapies their child needs in a home-based setting.) It’s the fact that in a clinic-based setting, supervisors are more available to provide additional direct observation and guidance compared to in-home services. This point was underscored in a recent study published by the National Institute of Health. In that analysis, researchers controlled for individual differences by comparing and contrasting at-home and clinic-based ABA therapy treatment for the same kids. What they found was that kids demonstrated far higher rates of learning during treatment provided in-clinic compared to in the patient’s home. In fact, they mastered 100 percent more skills per hour while receiving in-clinic treatment compared to home-based treatment. FOCUS Offers ABA Therapy at Our Fort Myers Clinic Our clinic-based ABA therapy at FOCUS is designed to optimize your child’s growth in numerous areas of development, including: - Social interactions. - Play skills. - Adaptive skills. - Communication. Teaching Kids to Fail: Self-Regulation a Key Goal in Occupational Therapy In occupational therapy, we tend to see our mission as helping children succeed. However, we also recognize that it’s equally important to teach kids how to fail. That may seem strange, but the reality is failure is an inevitable outcome for everyone at some point or another. The size of the failure may vary, but knowing how to better tolerate will reduce meltdowns, anxiety and social difficulties (which can exacerbate the initial problem). Perhaps even more importantly, kids who know it’s Ok to fail sometimes are less likely to give up – and more likely to try new things! Ultimately, knowing how to self-regulate and cope with failure sets your child up for success in the long-term. This point was underscored several times by NBA great Michael Jordan, who throughout his career spoke about the importance of losing. Resilience and perseverance in the face of challenges are a huge part of what has much him a winner, he’s said. “If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” Helping kids figure out ways to climb it, go through it and work around it are a huge part of what our FOCUS occupational therapy team does every day. Self-regulation is a big piece of that puzzle, particularly with children who are diagnosed with delays, disabilities and other challenges. Study: Social Skills Genes Heritable, But Influence Shifts as Children Age A new study has found that some social behaviors and reciprocal social skills associated with autism are inherited. But as children get older, their environment takes on a growing influence in how the child develops, researchers concluded. This reinforces something our Fort Myers ABA therapy team has known for some time: The minds of children are incredibly resilient, and with appropriate early intervention, new neuropathways can be forged to help them overcome many of the deficits they face.	https://focusflorida.com/category/behavior-therapy/
myFC makes adjustments in the Group Leadership Team myFC makes the following adjustments in Group Management: Ville Lejon-Avrin is appointed acting Sales and Marketing Director during Max Rydahl's parental leave. Marko Päivärinne is put in charge of managing the development project LAMINA REX. Ville Lejon-Avrin most recently worked at Swedish mobile operator 3. He held several roles in the past six years, all connected to the hardware portfolio and its services and offers. Lejon-Avrin has previously worked for Nokia and Phonehouse. In addition to his assignment as sales manager at myFC, he will effective October 1 be a member of the Group Management Team as acting Sales and Marketing Director during Max Rydahl's parental leave from November - January. myFC also announces that Marko Päivärinne, Production & Logistics director at myFC, is made responsible for the company's development project of a fuel-cell based range extender for electric cars, LAMINA REX. He has many years of experience in project management, supply chain and demand planning, and has been responsible for major implementations at Zound industries, Scibase and ArthroCare. "myFC is at the forefront of technology development, and we are a highly-skilled company. To hire individuals with extensive experience and an absolute focus on the task ahead is a prerequisite for our continued expansion and development. Both Ville and Marko are highly respected in their respective segments, and I have great confidence in their competence and execution ability," says Björn Westerholm, CEO of myFC. This information is information that myFC is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 07:55 CET on 2 October 2018. For further information, please contact: myFC Press Office Email: [email protected] Phone: +46 (0) 738 09 33 83 About myFC MyFC is a Swedish innovation company and market leader in micro fuel cells which develops green energy solutions and markets the underlying components and advantages of its patented technologies to the smartphone world, power bank manufacturers and manufacturers (OEM) in the automotive industry. In 2017, myFC launched its JAQ Hybrid platform, which co-locates fuel cell and battery. JAQ Hybrid is the company's third hydrogen-powered product following JAQ and PowerTrekk. It runs on the company's patented fuel consisting of salt, water and reactants. MyFC was founded in 2005 and is part of the group myFC Holding AB. MyFC Holding was listed on NASDAQ First North in May 2014. Its head office is located in Stockholm and the company's Certified Advisor is Avanza Bank. For more information, visit www.myfcpower.com Tags:	https://news.cision.com/myfc/r/myfc-makes-adjustments-in-the-group-leadership-team,c2632890
Effect of Petrophysical Parameters on Seismic Waveform Signatures : Review of Theory with Case Study from Frigg Delta Oil Field, Norway Abstract: Conventional AVO analysis has been used for the past 4 decades to aid in locating oil and gas reservoirs for extraction. It is, however, not possible to use it to acquire information on the porosity of the rock, the fluid saturation or other important petrophysical parameters. In this thesis, I study the effects of attenuation on seismic waveform signatures, due to wave induced fluid-flow. In the first part of the thesis, 2 models were used to synthetically model the attenuation caused by the wave induced fluid-flow: White's model and the double-porosity dual-permeability (DPDP) model. The parameters used for modeling were both synthetic and acquired from real well data of a known oil field off the coast of Norway. White's model was found to model relatively high attenuation (5%) for intermediately consolidated gas reservoirs while oil saturated intermediately consolidated reservoirs showed such low attenuation (0.3%) that it is easy to say that for the real-world situation it would not be detected. The DPDP model seemed to be able to better describe the attenuation and gave attenuations up to 10% for an intermediately consolidated oil reservoir, but due to lack of parameters from well data it was not sufficiently able to model the real-world situation. The synthetic data, however, show interesting characteristics and it is therefore recommended that more and detailed well parameters be acquired if the research should continue. For the second part, Svenska Petroleum Exploration AB and Det Norske Oljeselskap ASA provided stacked seismic data that were spectrally analyzed for hints of attenuation variation with frequency (using Fourier Transform and Complex Spectral Decomposition). Twelve locations, on the stacked seismic cube, were analyzed; six oil saturated; and six (assumed) water saturated. At each location, a main trace was selected along with the two nearby traces on each side of it (five in total). The Complex Spectral Decomposition method seemed unable to correctly break down the stacked section's signal, which is why Fourier Transform was used for further analysis. The frequency analysis showed a peak at ~30 Hz for both oil and water saturated reservoirs which seems like a characteristic frequency of the source, but that was unfortunately not confirmed and not enough time was available to test the assumption. The Fourier transform seems to show some difference between oil and water saturated traces, but that could well be because of lithological differences and not the pore fluid. It is therefore recommended, if research is to be continued, that 4D seismic data is used to analyze the same location with respect to time. It is also recommended that pre-stack or shot data be used as information is lost in stacked data.	https://www.essays.se/essay/00f6954b78/
(http://www.MaritimeCyprus.com) On 19 November 2002, the single-hull Aframax tanker PRESTIGE broke in two and sank in waters of the North Atlantic off the northwest coast of Spain. It had been carrying a cargo of 77,000 metric tons of heavy fuel oil from Russia and Latvia to Singapore when it encountered heavy weather on 13 November. It suffered structural failures and developed a substantial list. A distress call was made to Spanish authorities. The Spanish government exacerbated the situation by refusing access to a port of refuge. They then had the audacity to imprison the master, chief officer and chief engineer to deflect attention from the incompetence of the Spanish maritime authorities. However, the initiating cause was the the negligence of Class ABS that failed to properly identify and ensure adequate rectification of the heavy corrosion in the vessel’s uncoated segregated ballast tanks. This resulted in shell plating literally falling off No 2A and No 3 stbd tanks followed by flooding, heavy listing up to 25 degrees, water entry into the cargo tanks, extreme hull stress and the vessel ultimately breaking up and sinking. Class ABS and the Bahamas flag state emerged unscathed, despite their evident failure to ensure proper compliance with the SOLAS enhanced survey process. The crew was evacuated shortly before the ship broke up. Much of the oil onboard was spilled immediately, and much of that came ashore on the beaches of Spain and Portugal and, to a lesser extent, France. Oil that remained onboard the wreck slowly seeped out and also came ashore. Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) were used to remove much of the remaining oil. In the aftermath, the European Union tightened its marine environmental protection regulations and pressed the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to take action. The phase-out dates for single-hull oil tankers were accelerated and restrictions were placed on the carriage of heavy fuel oil as cargo in single-hull tankers. In a major miscarriage of justice, the master of the Prestige was arrested and held in Spain for an inordinate period on charges of impeding the movement of the tanker during the crisis. The Kingdom of Spain brought suit against the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for negligent classification of the tanker. The suit was eventually dismissed for lack of evidence. The criminal trial in Spain of the master and various others eventually ended with the master convicted of disobeying an order issued by the Spanish government. The captain, Apostolos Mangouras, was convicted of recklessness resulting in catastrophic environmental damage, according to a statement by the court, overturning a previous sentence which cleared him of criminal responsibility. Capt Mangouras submitted a motion for dismissal of the Supreme Court judgment which found him to have been criminally liable for damage to the environment. The Supreme Court rejected that motion. The PRESTIGE case also raises concerns regarding the effectiveness of the international liability and compensation regime in the light of interpretation of the Conventions and the application of domestic law in Spain. The case can be seen as one of a number of recent inroads into a shipowner’s ability to rely on limits of liability – a fundamental right that is rooted in maritime law and that supports the functioning and sustainability of marine insurance for pollution liabilities. It should be remembered that the right to limit liability is the essential quid pro quo for shipowners agreeing to accept strict liability for pollution damage up to the CLC limits and is an integral part of the CLC/Fund compensation regime which shares the cost of compensation for oil spills between shipowners and receivers of oil. In the PRESTIGE case, the Spanish Supreme Court held the P&I Club (London) directly liable both under the 1992 CLC and other laws. The P&I Club was held to incur direct liability above the CLC limit under Spanish domestic law, capped only by the limit of the P&I insurance policy of USD 1billion. The Spanish delegation, at the IOPC Funds April 2016 meeting, had stated that that the Club would be able to rely on the right to limit liability under the CLC 1992 only by means of defence. So despite having made a cash deposit with the Spanish Court of the limitation amount calculated under the 1992 CLC of some €22.8million in 2003 (formally accepted by the Court as representing the liability limit of both the owner and insurer under Article V of the Convention), the Club could not avail itself of the CLC limit as it had failed to take part in the proceedings. The Spanish Court also took the view that by constituting a fund under CLC 1992, the Club had also waived any right to rely on the ‘pay to be paid’ rule.Strong interventions were made at the Funds meeting both on behalf of P&I insurers and by the International Union of Marine Insurers (IUMI) as to the consequences of this interpretation of the Convention. The International Group of P&I Clubs raised its concerns at the threat to the compensation regime that this presents. There was no reason for the Club to appear in the proceedings as the distribution of the limitation fund was a matter for the Court itself. Nothing in the Convention suggests that the right to limit is dependent on appearing in the Court proceedings themselves. IUMI also expressed its concern at the impact of the judgement on business models and assumptions that underpin the writing of long tail pollution liability and the capital requirements now needed to support this class of business given the uncertainty of the CLC limits being upheld by national courts. Some may question whether this class of insurance may now be viable to underwrite profitably. A number of Member State delegations also expressed their concern that there should be uniform and strict implementation of the international liability regime and at the impact of the PRESTIGE judgement on owners and the insurance industry. A Spanish court on Wednesday 15 Nov. 2017 (fifteen years after the incident) ordered the London Steam-Ship Owners’ Mutual Insurance Association, aka the London Club, which insured the ship, to pay up to 1.6 billion Euros in damages. A spokesman for London Club said it was aware of the judgment and “remains concerned at the direction that the Spanish court has taken generally.” He pointed to a judgment with the UK’s Court of Appeal in 2015 in which the London Club argued that claims should fall under English law and London arbitration. “There are several complicated and outstanding legal issues that need to be addressed,” he said. The total cost of the damage has been estimated at over €4.4bn, with 22,000 dead birds found in the immediate aftermath of the incident. A very well written summary. Who wrote this please? Or what was the original source? Thank you. Guys My name is Asif Roshan and im from pakistan. My father is also a crew member of this ship but he is still missing with his six team members total there are seven member.My father name is Roshan Masih. ([email protected]). Lots of prayer for the victims ! The information provided is well versed and it covers almost every fact & figure. It would be a pleasure to invite author as well as oil and gas professionals to visit Oges, a global knowledge market for oil and gas professional, to nourish the oil and gas community with their well versed articles, thoughts etc.	https://maritimecyprus.com/2017/11/19/flashback-in-maritime-history-prestige-sinking-and-oil-spill-19-november-2002/
The NHS exists to serve the needs of all patients but also has a statutory duty not to exceed the resources allocated to it by central government (NHS Act 2006). CCGs therefore need to use their limited resources effectively to obtain the best healthcare possible for their population. This sometimes results in difficult decisions having to be made about how resources should be prioritised when services are commissioned. There may be individual cases where a patient’s needs cannot be met through existing contracts and commissioning arrangements but their GP or consultant considers that their patient has a need for an un-commissioned treatment and wishes to request funding on their patient’s behalf. When requests occur, CCGs must have a robust and transparent system in place to assess and determine whether the request should be funded, demonstrating a rational decision making process for an individual patient. These are referred to as individual funding requests (IFRs). Many IFRs are for cosmetic surgical procedures which are generally effective but considered to be of low priority by local commissioners and will only be funded in exceptional clinical circumstances. Some people can have this type of surgery funded by the NHS if they meet certain clinical eligibility criteria. Before submitting an IFR patients and treating clinicians or GPs should refer to the South East London Treatment Access Policy which includes eligibility criteria for various procedures and treatments. This will identify the clinical information needed for the application and indicates whether the request is made on the grounds that the patient meets the eligibility criteria or whether the request is being made because they do not meet the eligibility criteria but they have exceptional clinical circumstances to take into consideration. Exceptionality is defined in the South London IFR Policy as: “An unusual clinical circumstance about the patient that suggests that they are: The fact that a treatment is likely to be efficacious for a patient is not, in itself a basis for exceptionality.” IFR panels also review requests for funding of medical treatments that are new, novel, developing or unproven or are not normally available for any patients in England. A consultant may wish to use a licensed medication at an unlicensed dosage or for a condition the medication is not licensed to treat. In these instances clinicians are required to seek prior approval from the patient’s CCG and provide evidence of the clinical effectiveness of their proposal and evidence of the exceptionality or rarity of their patient’s clinical circumstances.The CCG commissions independent Treatment Evidence Reviews from Medicines Information services which are presented to the IFR Panel along with the information provided by the requester. Your GP or hospital consultant can make an individual funding request on your behalf for a treatment or an episode of healthcare which is not routinely funded by the NHS. Requests go to the Bromley CCG IFR Panel either by post or email (details below). Although requests must be submitted by a clinician patients can provide written statements about their clinical circumstances in support of the application. Patient Consent: Individual Funding Requests (IFR) must be submitted on a current application form with a patient’s signature. Signed explicit consent assures the CCG that the IFR process has been discussed with the patient and verifies they agree to Bromley CCG and IFR support organisations to collect and use their clinical health information in their decision making process. Drug requests are usually submitted by hospital consultants without patient identifiable data and consent is not required on these forms (see SL IFR Application Form 2016-17). The requests are initially reviewed by an IFR Triage Panel who can decide to approve or decline funding or refer to the full IFR Panel for consideration of requests made on the grounds of exceptionality. The membership of the IFR Panel includes a consultant in Public Health, a GP, a prescribing advisor, a commissioner, and meetings are chaired by lay persons. Depending on the quality of evidence provided and when the application received the decision making process can take up to 4-6 weeks to conclude. Clinicians and patients are informed by letter detailing the rationale for the Panel’s decision. For more information about the Bromley CCG’s IFR process, including how to Appeal, please see our IFR Bromley CCG Patient Information Leaflet and IFR Bromley CCG Procedures and appendices. Read the IFR Annual Report for 2017/18 Read the IFR Annual Report for 2016/17 Funding request forms: Correspondence should be sent to:	https://www.bromleyccg.nhs.uk/individual-funding-requests.htm
Who Inspires You? Updated: Apr 9, 2021 There are many people who inspire me. It could be at different times of the decade, year, or even different times of the day. Today, I want to talk about how my grandkids have inspired me, at various times. My two oldest grandsons, Parker and Holden (18 and 15, respectively), were an inspiration for my book, #HuntedLives. Watching them play their app games, they were very patient with me in explaining what they were doing or trying to do. Their fingers flew over the controls, manipulating their characters to shoot this critter or move that way. And their focus...wow! Totally zoned in on what they were doing. Their ability to quickly become adept at something new is inspiring. Not to mention the fact that they planted the seeds for the basis of my book. Cami, my only granddaughter, is 12, very smart, and her confidence grows as she learns more. I spent a lot of time with her reading Nancy Drew. She had a hard time at first and would get frustrated...but she kept going. She is also learning Tang Soo Do and keeps at it, overcoming her fear of breaking boards to advance to the next levels. And she is riding a horse for the first time, despite her initial fear. I am inspired by her persistence and willingness to try new things. Quentin, now 10, has an amazing love of life. He is adventurous and tries new things with no hesitation. He works hard to improve himself, whether in karate, swimming, school, or anything else. He loves to win (who doesn't?) but is gracious if he loses. He doesn't give up. If he loses, he just works that much harder to do better next time. Q is a powerhouse with a presence that is unmatched in people twice as tall as he is. His adventurous spirit and zest for life are so inspiring. Easton and Griffin, the twins (Q is standing between them), at 6 are coming into their own. They love to play and go at it full-throttle for hours. They like games, too, and it constantly amazes me how quickly they can learn them! They are joyous boys, very active, also adventurous like their older brother, who enjoy cooking and baking. Their eyes are full of wonder as they learn more about the world around them and explore all it has to offer. Their sense of wonder and pure joy is inspirational. This Grammy loves her grandkids, and is very blessed and always inspired! Who inspires you?	https://www.kadyhinojosa.com/post/who-inspires-you
To understand scrum and the scrum methodology employed by many agile project managers, you can look to the sport of rugby for the origins of this strange nomenclature. In the game of rugby, team players scrum during a pause in game play, brought on by some minor infringement of the rules, such as a forward pass. Within this scrum formation, players then synchronize their next set of actions and move the ball forward once play resumes. This rugby metaphor translates into the agile project-management practice of stopping project work momentarily to regroup and then plan a move forward with the next set of tasks. For those more familiar with American football, the rugby scrum is analogous to a team huddle, where the attacking team regroups to plan their next play. No matter which game you are playing (rugby, football or project management), the idea of a scrum is the same. Whenever team players huddle up to plan and execute their next set of tasks, they are “scrumming.” Scrum in Practice An agile project begins with an initial scrum (think project kick-off meeting) that lays out what must be done first, and then the game begins, so to speak. The initial deliverables are identified, and the task work begins. Since running projects using the agile approach is highly iterative in nature, a scrum is held periodically within the overall schedule to give team members a chance to “kick-off” the next set of tasks to be completed and to review the previous set of tasks done — or left unfinished! In agile lingo, the next set of tasks to be completed within a period is akin to another sports metaphor, called a sprint. However, an agile sprint is not measured in meters and seconds, but in days or weeks, during which time a set of work is performed as defined during the preceding scrum (or after the initial scrum that kicks off the project). If one or more tasks are not accomplished in the first or following sprints, during the next scrum, team players must determine what to do with incomplete tasks — either to not do the work or to push the work into a later sprint. The Scrum Master To have an agile scrum, you need a scrum master. This role is similar to the role of a traditional project manager within the waterfall approach, but with slight differences. The scrum master is not micro-managing project activities. He or she is ensuring that the rules of play (whatever they may be) are enforced and that scrums are held as scheduled and that the team is briefed and ready for the next sprint. A scrum master will also escalate any problems that the team can’t resolve itself — much like the American football quarterback does when he calls time-out and consults the sideline coach for a better play. However, the responsibilities of the agile scrum master are passed around the team, giving everyone a turn at managing at least one sprint during the life of the project. Both the quarterback and the scrum master manage the action, while the entire team incrementally marches down the field towards the intended goal, whether that be upright goal posts or a successful project completion. For more information on the use of scrum methodology, see this PowerPoint presentation on MPUG.org. Want to learn more about agile project management? Read, “What is Agile Project Management?” on MPUG. Related Content Webinars (watch for free now!): Effective use of Project with Scrum Supercharge your Productivity with New Agile, Kanban and Scrum Features and Capabilities in Microsoft Project Articles:	https://www.mpug.com/what-is-scrum/
The Geneva Association, a leading international insurance think tank, has released a research report on the role the insurance industry can play in supporting climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. The report was released ahead of the 2018 World Economic Forum that will take place in Davos this week. Because of Aegon's involvement in the Geneva Association and its strong endorsement of the views presented in this report, Aegon puts its full support behind it. The report 'Climate Change and the Insurance Industry: Taking Action as Risk Managers and Investors' interviewed 62 C-level executives on the measures they were taking to address climate change and key barriers preventing the industry from scaling up initiatives. While the insurance industry is demonstrating action toward addressing the climate challenge, external hurdles such as limited access to risk information and public policies continue to hinder their contributions. Furthermore, climate resilient and decarbonized critical infrastructure represents an opportunity that poses specific challenges for the insurance industry, due to risk data needed to assess infrastructure projects throughout their lifecycle. Three recommendations The Geneva Association puts forward three recommendations to accelerate the contributions of the insurance industry towards climate change. - Third party stakeholders such as governments, policymakers, standard setting bodies and regulators across sectors work in a more coordinated fashion to address key barriers that hinder insurers from scaling up their contributions to climate adaptation and mitigation. - The insurance industry should continue to institutionalize climate change as a core business issue, expand its contributions towards building financial resilience to climate risks and support the transition to low-carbon economy by collaborating with governments and other key stakeholders. - Governments and the insurance industry should explore ways to support, climate resilient and decarbonised critical infrastructure through the industry's risk management, underwriting and investment function. Aegon CEO, Alex Wynaendts, is a member of the Board of Directors of the Geneva Association and will be present this week at the discussions in Davos. Alex Wynaendts has previously endorsed initiatives such as the Task-force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), furthering Aegon's commitment to take action on climate change.	https://www.aegon.com/newsroom/news/2018/Climate-change-and-the-insurance-industry/
Our Bureau Mumbai \| Updated on October 23, 2019 Published on October 23, 2019 The average share of farmers in the consumers’ rupee is estimated in the wide range of 28 per cent and 78 per cent across 14 crops, with a lower share in the case of perishables (particularly, vegetables like potato and onion) and higher share in case of non-perishables (such as oilseeds and spices), according to a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) survey. As a proportion of the final price paid by the consumers, the farmers’ average share in retail price is the least in the case of potatoes (28 per cent) and the highest in red chillies (78 per cent), the survey showed. The survey was carried out across 18 states. In the case of 12 other crops, the farmers’ average share in retail prices are: onions and green chillies (33 per cent each), rice (49 per cent), turmeric (55 per cent), tur (60 per cent), tomato (61 per cent), moong (63 per cent), banana (65 per cent), urad (68 per cent), brinjal (74 per cent), soyabean (75 per cent), and groundnut (76 per cent). Mark-ups The mark-ups are influenced by a number of factors, including commissions and mandi charges, loading/unloading charges, packing, weighing and assaying charges, transport costs, shop rentals and local taxes, storage costs and membership fees, and the profit margins of traders and retailers. The sensitivity of mark-ups to these factors are often commodity and region/state specific, the survey showed. Further, it was found that the mark-ups at the production and consumption centres for the traders and the retailers were different ― retailers’ margins were generally higher than the traders’ margins in consumption centres across commodities, possibly due to significant product loss at the retail stage, particularly for perishables. However, no such clear pattern was observed at the production centres. Cash is king Cash continued to be the dominant mode of payment at the mandis at an aggregate level across commodities and states, with 88 per cent farmers and 84 per cent traders preferring cash. The mode of cash payment was even higher at the level of retailers at 93 per cent, the survey showed. The survey findings showed that there was no significant delay in payments by counter-parties at the mandis as around 80 per cent of the respondents reported that payments were made within two days of the completion of physical transactions of the commodities, said Binod B Bhoi, Sujata Kundu, Vimal Kishore and D Suganthi of the Department of Economic and Policy Research (DEPR), in an article in the RBI Bulletin. Profitability of occupation The qualitative responses at the aggregate level showed a majority of the farmers (i.e., 62 per cent) revealed that their selling prices were higher than their costs, the survey said. In addition, the farmers’ perceptions about their ability to recover costs varied across commodities ― relatively lower for vegetables compared to other commodities. Government policies When the feedback of farmers, retailers and traders on government policies which have helped them, or which could help them in future, if implemented, was sought, a majority of the farmers were of the view that minimum support prices (MSPs) for crops and readily available market information are helpful in realising better prices. Farmers also said reliable weather forecasts, improved storage facilities and government advisory on crops could help them take better cropping decisions. On the availability of information regarding prevailing prices of commodities at mandis, a majority of farmers said they were aware of the prices before taking their produce to the mandis; the major source of this information was other farmers and traders in their contact group. A majority of the traders reported that assaying of products and de-notification of certain products from the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) by the government helped them. They were of the view that improving the storage facilities at mandis and allowing free trade could help them further. The government’s supply management measures and better availability of information on the supply-demand situation in the market could help arrest price pressures, the survey showed. A majority of retailers felt that prevailing market prices and costs incurred in buying/delivery of products from farmers/ traders determine their selling prices. Further, prices paid and costs incurred are the two major factors that they consider while changing their selling prices to final consumers. Hurry! Prices Increase Soon Published on October 23, 2019 SHARE COMMENTS Comments that are abusive, personal, incendiary or irrelevant cannot be published. Please write complete sentences. Do not type comments in all capital letters, or in all lower case letters, or using abbreviated text. (example: u cannot substitute for you, d is not 'the', n is not 'and'). 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It is essential to adopt and implement processes aimed at preventing ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) risks to promote responsible investment, fostering innovation and economic development in the country, The right to education, job creation, access to electricity, water and the internet are among the essential elements on which to build a path to economic growth that benefits everyone and is not detrimental to the environment. Technological and infrastructure developments through research and scientific innovation are essential to find lasting solutions to contemporary economic and environmental challenges. Consistent with its investment strategy and value creation, Metrika SGR supports and promotes the Pietro Pittini Foundation. The systemic integration of ESG criteria into business processes represents an essential starting point for Metrika, which – drawing inspiration from the UN 2030 Agenda – intends to structure an investment policy oriented towards sustainability. For these reasons, Metrika SGR has included sustainability and social responsibility criteria within the Metrika Fund, in order to pursue extra-financial objectives capable of generating added value from a social and environmental point of view. We are committed to respecting the environment in terms of extraction, use and depletion of resources, reducing pollution and promoting the disposal of impacting debris and waste. For us it is important that people feel at the center of corporate action, which must be oriented towards the issues of inclusion, health and social security. We pay great attention to corporate policies relating to the management of the company itself, namely the tax strategy, organizational structure and remuneration.	https://metrikasgr.com/en/sustainability/
At Quantum Recruiters we focus intently on providing talent to leading employers throughout the Pacific Northwest. We are proud to partner with a global leader in the grass seed industry to fill the Payroll Specialist role. General Description The Payroll Specialist is involved in and responsible for various daily functions of the company’s payroll and accounting operations. Job Summary Ensures the accuracy and effective administration of the Company’s payroll, accounting and other related tasks. The Payroll Specialist responsibilities include collecting and reviewing employee information, working hours, calculation of wages, preparation of employee payments and maintenance of accurate payroll records. The Payroll Specialist should be able to investigate and resolve issues while ensuring strict compliance with company and regulatory standards. This role requires excellent people skills, a teamwork mindset and a high comfort level with numbers. Essential Duties and Responsibilities - Management of company payroll system and associated system modules. - Process payroll for corporation and all and associated companies. - Process taxes and payment of employee benefits. - Process invoices and GL Account Recon for employee benefit plans. - Management of 401k and year end payroll audits. - Keep track of hour rates, wages, compensation benefit rates and new hire information. - Calculation and payment of all additional check runs, and one-off payments. - Preparation and submittal of annual 401k contribution. - Process monthly journal entries and account reconciliations. - Management of payroll record and workers compensation audits. - Preparation of reports for all internal and external reporting involving the payroll department. - Manage temporary labor time tracking, compensation updates, and submission of time reports. - Act as the knowledge center for the payroll department, answering any payroll or benefit related questions. - Comply with all state regulations, federal regulations, compliance standards, and company policies and procedures. - Perform additional duties as assigned and work in other departments and branches as required. Qualifications - Associates Degree or higher. - 2+ years of similar experience in increasingly responsible role. - Solid understanding of accounting fundamentals, payroll best practices and related employment laws and regulations. - Excellent verbal, written, listening and interpersonal communication skills. - Strong organizational, multi-tasking, prioritization skills and follow-up skills with attention to detail. - Proven ability to recognize, analyze and resolve problems. - Ability to work overtime hours as necessary. - Ability to perform detailed work with a high degree of accuracy while handling highly sensitive and confidential information. - Demonstrated working knowledge of payroll and accounting systems. - Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite. Preferred - Associates Degree. - 3+ years of quality work experience. - Familiarity with Microsoft NAV software. Please submit resume for immediate consideration. All inquiries kept strictly confidential.	https://jobs.quantumrecruiters.net/jb/Payroll-Specialist-Jobs-in-Halsey-OR/6634222
While it is widely accepted that menial tasks rob workers of time they could spend on more productive activities, time saving solutions are far and few between. However, IT experts say that when done right, RPA can banish lots of mindless chores. Businesses use Robotic Process Automation or RPA software to create software bots that perform pre-defined, structured jobs that typically involve filling in electronic forms, processing transactions, or sending messages. How does RPA work? RPA works by pulling information out of your existing IT systems, says CIO contributing Editor Martin Heller. Either through an interface to the backend or by emulating how a human would access the system from the front end. With legacy enterprise systems, you must often go through the front end, because you can't access the back-end system directly. Advantages - Time savings for employees from off-loading repetitive tasks to bots - Reduced error rates on tasks automated by RPA - Shorter times to perform automated tasks - Increased business capacity when the rate-limiting tasks have been automated Limitations - Cost and time to set up bots, including IT involvement, identifying automation candidates, and possible consulting - Need to monitor and maintain bots - Inability of bots to extract information from unstructured and hand-written documents (but some products apply ML to mitigate these issues) - Inability of bots to detect or deal with exceptions in standard tasks (but some products have a human review mechanism) - Inability of bots to automate non-standard tasks 10 criteria for choosing RPA tools Heller offers advice on key factors in choosing a system: - Ease of bot setup - Low-code capabilities - Attended vs. unattended - Machine learning capabilities - Exception handling and human review - Integration with enterprise applications - Orchestration and administration - Cloud bots - Process and task discovery and mining - Scalability Ultimately, the success or failure of your RPA implementation will depend on identifying the highest-reward processes and tasks for automation.	https://healthmanagement.org/c/it/news/10-key-factors-to-consider-when-choosing-rpa-software
We are all born to the systems of the location we are born into. If a country has built up the systems it wishes to live under by communal agreement. Why should others be allowed to enter that country and change the way those people live. Why does an immigrant take the rights to live the way they lived in one country into another, The rules/guidelines/laws/ morality of that nation are entitled to protect their way of life. When someone migrates to another country they should live by the laws of that land. The law of the land overrides all other laws, To protect itself a country can close its borders. Not only in the way said above, But for the interest to its stability, Permitting everyone to enter a country without restriction will bankrupt a country. The resources and finance to support everyone is not there for any country. Sovereign country have the right to control their border. We can argue for or against borders, but while we have them, we can control them. Usually a democratic government decides based on their democratic mandate. Citizens vote their representatives and the representatives vote based on a platform they were elected on. As long as you have separate governments with different goals in mind, looking out for benefit of different populations, you should probably have borders. The government in theory holds absolute power over the borders because they are given that power when they get elected, most constitutions around the world say it's something about protecting the sovereignty of the country and protecting the people but in practice absolutely closing borders is almost impossible to do unless your border is small enough or heavily militarized. 1. When there is a national threat. Immigrants can be a threat to national security because it's difficult to tell if the people you're trying to let in your home are harmless or just waiting for your to turn your back. 2. When there is a higher priority for safeguarding it's own citizen's welfare. Introducing immigrants may mean allocating more resources to accommodate them. If a country is already strained of its own resources, it is reasonable to close borders than invite for conflict. A country has a primary responsibility of safeguarding the welfare of its citizens before thinking about extending help to any foreign entities.	https://musing.io/q/marinadelic/fkqrylfex?r=profile-lunaticpandora
I was at the FLGS lately, as they were having a sale. I bought both Infinite Worlds and IOU, and having looked over both books, am now strongly tempted to combine the two. That being said, how would be the best way to do so? For example, what Quantum should IOU be on, and how would Infinity and Centrum react to such an actively parachronic neighbor? \|07-28-2005, 02:58 AM\|\|#2\| \| \| Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Buffalo, NY- the weak live elsewhere! \| \| Re: Infinite Worlds and IOU IOU is clearly on Quantum i , as it intersects orthogonally all parallel dimensions. And this is the only sense in which IOU is "normal". Semi-seriously, I would say that IOU inhabits its own pocket dimension, with connections to all others. As to how Infinity and Centrum would react, I suspect the Archdean is investing a lot of effort in making sure this doesn't happen. A lot of former parachronic agents now have WUSE or C.H.T.H.U.L.U. professorships- what agent could resist the offer of The Treatment? A lot depends on which way you're connecting them. Are your players freshthings who encounter a bunch of folks who seem to think that dimension travel is some sort of secret, or are they Agents trying to figure out where their malfunctioning conveyor has landed them? \|07-28-2005, 07:29 AM\|\|#3\| \| \| Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Orange County, VA \| \| Re: Infinite Worlds and IOU I'm not sure I'd use the Quantum i idea. IOU's main campus is located on a Quantum lv, especially since the IOU books indicate that the area surrounding the campus are closer to "modern day" (at least from our perspective). There may be many IOU's throughout the quanta, and most likely they all "know" of each other and may even be controlled by the same ArchDean. (An idea I have set up for one of my campaign settings is of an entity whose consciousness exists in all quanta at once, each with it's own body) As for Infinity and Centrum interaction, well I'd say that the two may not even know of the existance of IOU, unless there's an Illuminated among Infinity or Centrum. \|07-28-2005, 08:15 AM\|\|#4\| \| \| Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: San Francisco \| \| Re: Infinite Worlds and IOU Quote: Besides, Quantum i just looks cool, it even actually makes sense in regards to the settings. ^_^ __________________ Warnng: DryaUnda is psychologically abnormal and likely to say something weird; reader discretion is advised. \|07-28-2005, 08:43 AM\|\|#5\| \| \| Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Orange County, VA \| \| Re: Infinite Worlds and IOU Quote: As cool as Quantum i sounds, it just doesn't fit the Infinite Worlds setting. The IOU campus would be a place of many Nexus Portals (p 77), areas of Shiftrealms (p 79), and probably many hallways which are Dimensional Highways (p 79), all of which could lead to other IOU campus facilities in other "timelines". \|07-28-2005, 02:04 PM\|\|#6\| \| \| Join Date: Dec 2004 \| \| Re: Infinite Worlds and IOU The players are agents: I've been asked to run an Infinite Worlds campaign, and I'm considering throwing in IOU at some point mainly because it's cool and I have it. That being said, I'm tending to agree that the Archdean and other high-level staff would be opposed to contact with Infinity and Centrum... but, that being said, I'm not sure how it could be prevented, with Nexus Oversight looking over every portal, there has to be numerous ones connecting to IOU that have been found... not to mention the good chance that Infinity would find IOU on it's own, without a portal. It's a case of massive resources vs massive resources, and it'd be rather difficult for IOU to screen out parachronic travellers from Homeline and Centrum when they're receiving so much parachronic travel in general. On the other hand, it's more interesting to let the PCs arrive with no knowledge of the situation, so I'm inclined to make it so... but I'm looking for a semi-plausable reason behind such. \|07-28-2005, 02:38 PM\|\|#7\| \| \| Dog of Lysdexics Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Melbourne FL, Formerly Wellington NZ \| \| Re: Infinite Worlds and IOU Have you Considerded the higher Up's in both Infitiy and Centruam are IOU grads, and the ArchDean has enough dirt on them that they will not interfrear with her profit margins.... __________________ Rogue the Bronze Firelizard Gerald Grenier, Jr. Hail Eris! Rogue's Weyr \|07-28-2005, 02:54 PM\|\|#8\| \| \| Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Orange County, VA \| \| Re: Infinite Worlds and IOU Quote: \|07-28-2005, 07:55 PM\|\|#9\| \| \| In Nomine Line Editor Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Frozen Wastelands of NH \| \| Re: Infinite Worlds and IOU That's what I'd do -- make it such that enough key people have been suborned (via any combination of bribery, graduates, night-classes, tuition, mind-control, etc.) that IOU is essentially a worst-kept secret. However, it's a secret which the PCs don't know, and most of the rank and file NPCs don't know (or don't know they know). Students on campus are used to weirdies showing up, if it's the full-blown Silly version, and you can give some low chance of recognition of the Patrol buzzwords if you want... If you run the Dark IOU, then only a few key people are suborned, and there isn't much contact with other time/universe travelers -- most gates in are routed elsewhere unless you get it just right, or have the right key, or are bounced out so that the place looks like some boring parallel that's not really worth bothering with... __________________ --Beth Shamelessly adding Superiors: Lilith, GURPS Sparrials, and her fiction page to her .sig (the latter is not precisely gaming related) \|07-28-2005, 11:59 PM\|\|#10\| \| \| Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Portland, OR \| \| Re: Infinite Worlds and IOU I wonder if IOU might to actually be on Homeline. The guy who invented parachonic technology sounds very much like he could bhe an IOU graduate. That reminds me -- I wonder if there would be enough demand to justify a 4e IOU book? Maybe as an eBook for e23, perhaps?	https://forums.sjgames.com/showthread.php?s=3f8939af9ec6a5d1fd37059c8f65c7d0&t=7038
The Maintenance Technician reports to the Director of Facilities for work orders, projects and other assignments in the mechanical and building trades. This position is responsible for performing diversified duties to properly maintain our campus buildings, equipment and vehicles. Essential Duties include but are not limited to: - Assist with repairs and maintenance of HVAC Systems - Perform basic/ semi-skilled maintenance and repair for chilled water systems - Perform basic/ semi-skilled maintenance and repair for air handling units and fan coils - Perform basic/ semi-skilled maintenance and repair for heat pumps and AC systems. - Perform basic/semi-skilled maintenance and repair for boilers, heat strips, water heaters. - Assist with plumbing maintenance including sinks, faucets, showerheads, and toilets. - Perform building repairs, projects and minor renovations for buildings which may include painting, carpentry, minor plumbing, flooring, sheetrock repair, and other building trades. - Perform scheduled, routine preventive maintenance on HVAC equipment, plumbing equipment, doors and gate hardware. - Perform effective troubleshooting to identify malfunctions, hazards, or necessary repairs for building systems. - Comply with standards and procedures of industry, safety practices, and safety rules. - Complete assignments in a professional, safe, quality, and timely manner. - Demonstrate adaptability, communication, problem solving, responsibility and teamwork. - Perform weekend and night responsibilities to support the life of the residential community and the academic program as required by your position or requested by your manager/supervisor. Requires a high school diploma/GED and 4+ years of facilities equipment maintenance experience. Salary is based on experience. SEND RESUME. Saint Mary’s School is an equal opportunity employer offering a competitive compensation and excellent benefit package. We cannot respond to every applicant regarding the status of his or her application. Only those whose qualifications most closely meet our requirements will be contacted. Saint Mary’s School is a drug-free workplace. A background check satisfactory to the school is required.	http://www.employment-sms.com/jobs/view/facilities-maintenance-technician/
The Interim Report on the Review of the financial system external dispute resolution framework was released yesterday (6 December). The Report includes 11 draft recommendations: A financial, credit and investment disputes Ombudsman - There should be a single industry ombudsman scheme for financial, credit and investment disputes (other than superannuation disputes) to replace FOS and CIO. - The new industry ombudsman scheme for financial, credit and investment disputes should provide consumers with monetary limits and compensation caps that are higher than the current arrangements, and that are subject to regular indexation. - The new industry ombudsman scheme for financial, credit and investment disputes should provide small business with monetary limits and compensation caps that are higher than the current arrangements, and that are subject to regular indexation. A separate Superannuation Ombudsman - The SCT should transition into an industry ombudsman scheme for superannuation disputes. Other Recommendations - The superannuation industry should develop a superannuation code of practice to cover matters such as the industry’s key commitments and obligations to consumers on standards of practice across all services provided - Both new schemes should be required to meet standards developed and set by ASIC. At a minimum, ASIC’s regulatory guidance should require the schemes to meet various criteria detailed in the Interim Report. - ASIC’s oversight powers in relation to industry ombudsman schemes should be enhanced by providing ASIC with more specific powers to allow it to compel performance where the schemes do not comply with EDR benchmarks. - The new industry ombudsman schemes should consider the use of panels for resolving complex disputes. Users should be provided with enhanced information regarding under what circumstances the schemes will use a panel to resolve a dispute. - Financial firms should be required to publish information and report to ASIC on their IDR activity and the outcomes consumers receive in relation to IDR complaints. ASIC should have the power to determine the content and format of IDR reporting. - Schemes should register and track the progress of complaints referred back to IDR. - Debt management firms should be required to be a member of an industry ombudsman scheme. One mechanism to ensure access to EDR is a requirement for debt management firms to be licensed The Interim Report also stated that is sees considerable merit in introducing an industry-funded compensation scheme of last resort. The Australian Bankers’ Association and FOS are working with key stakeholders to identify any issues that would impede implementation of such a scheme. The Panel will consider the outcomes of this work in its Final Report. Why shouldn’t the SCT continue as a tribunal? The Interim Report referred to the release by the Standing Committee on Economics of its Review of the Four Major Banks: First Report, which recommended that a tribunal replace FOS, CIO and the SCT. The Interim Report identifies what it sees as the advantages that ombudsman schemes have over tribunals when dealing with disputes relating to financial products and services. According to the Interim Report, the SCT is more restricted in its ability to adapt and reform itself to address issues and future challenges than industry ombudsman schemes because it requires involvement by government and legislative change. In contrast, schemes can amend their operations, processes, funding and jurisdictions, through changes to their Terms of Reference. The Interim Report states that this flexibility allows for more effective future proofing than with the tribunal structures, which are reliant on government action (through legislation) for change. One example in the Interim Report is the current appointments process for Tribunal members, which can be lengthy making it more difficult for SCT to manage its operations and to quickly respond to emerging issues. A different standard to be applied The Interim Report found that the SCT is hampered by restrictive legislation which contains a narrow definition of fair and reasonable in comparison to industry ombudsman schemes. Terms of Reference for industry schemes (such as FOS) permit broader considerations to inform decision making – ‘fairness in all the circumstances’ and the flexibility to take into account more than the legislation (eg a future superannuation industry code of conduct). In practical terms this would mean that superannuation disputes would no longer be measured against whether the operation of the decision of the trustee or insurer was fair and reasonable in the circumstances. That test would be replaced by a decision whether it was fair in all the circumstances. That change would be likely to increase the number of decisions against trustees and insurers. Loss of right of appeal The Interim Report considers that parties to superannuation disputes would lose their current right to appeal decisions they do not agree with (ie to the Federal Court on questions of law (section 46 of SRC Act) and/or seek judicial review under section 5 of the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 and section 39B of the Judiciary Act 1903). The current appeal rights would be replaced with a very limited right of review – being an action for breach of contract (eg if the new superannuation ombudsman scheme failed to follow the procedures set out in its Terms of Reference or acted unreasonably). Complainants would retain their right to undertake private action. The proposed right of review is so limited that no FOS determination has ever been successfully overturned by a court. Other interesting items in the Interim Report The following are some comments and views of interest in the Interim Report: - The new superannuation ombudsman scheme would be given flexibility to extend time limits for disability and death benefits complaints in exceptional circumstances. - The new industry ombudsman scheme for superannuation disputes should be encouraged to work closely with the new scheme for financial, credit and investment disputes, to share knowledge and resources (such as back-office functions) and realise efficiencies where possible. - Once the two new schemes are fully operational and have garnered consumer and industry support, consideration should be given to further integrating the schemes to create a single ombudsman scheme for all financial system disputes. The Panel is calling for further submissions on the broad approach, the draft recommendations, implementation and transitional issues in the Interim Report, with submissions due by 27 January 2017.	http://www.greenfieldslawyers.com.au/?p=2988
The Learning Center for Young Children (LCYC) believes in nurturing self-confidence in children by providing experiences which help develop the ability to be independent, to listen to and follow directions, and to solve problems. The program is designed to help children develop cognitive skills such as counting and recognition of letters, numbers, shapes, and sounds through informal activities and educational games, play and hands-on experiences. Our play-based programs place an emphasis on helping children learn the discipline of social interactions. The program provides a relaxed atmosphere of loving and caring in which children are encouraged to develop their own talents, uniqueness and self-esteem. Our Curriculum All classes include age appropriate versions of the following activities: - Free Play – including block play, water play, dramatic play, easel painting, play dough, books, manipulatives - Circle Time – this is a time to share, learn about a particular topic, and is often when teachers incorporate reading, movement, and music into the school day. - Reading – teachers read a book to the class and children are given time to look at books independently - Snack – simple healthy snacks are served daily including items like water, juice, fruit, crackers, cheese, bread, cereal, etc. - Outdoor play – on the school’s enclosed playground equipment or indoors in the church’s large social hall room where we bring out tricycles, balls, and climbing equipment for children to use. - Art – teachers provide a project for children to complete but creativity is given free reign. We understand that for preschoolers, it is the process, not the end product that is important. - Music & Movement – children engage in music and movement with teachers daily - Round Robin – held Fridays in January and February for 3 & 4 year old classes. Classes rotate between - science – participate in a science experiment and learn scientific terms - gymnastics- develop large motor skills by playing games and completing an obstacle course (balance on a beam, climb, learn to do a somersault, etc.) Extended Day Children love staying for lunch with teachers and friends. A continuation of the school day, extended day includes lunch from home, more play time and a special project. Music & Science Monday The staff help children explore the uses of their voice, i.e. talking, whispering, shouting, and singing. The children learn to match pitch, participate in activities with rhythm instruments, and investigate the science of sound so that they understand how sound is produced. Each session contains singing activities, rhythmic experiences, listening exercises, and movement. Natural tie-in’s to science are included as part of many sessions. The class focuses on Science from January through June. The children learn the scientific method working on projects and experiments during class time.	https://www.lcycpreschool.org/curriculum/
medwireNews: People with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA) who undergo physical therapy have greater reductions in pain and functional disability over 1 year than those given intra-articular glucocorticoid injections, randomized trial results suggest. As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, the 78 participants from the US Military Health System who were randomly assigned to receive supervised physical therapy experienced an improvement in average total WOMAC score from 107.1 points at baseline to 37.0 points at the 1-year follow-up. By comparison, their 78 counterparts who were instead given up to three injections of triamcinolone acetonide 40 mg over the 1-year period experienced an improvement from 108.8 to 55.8 points, giving a significant between-group difference of 18.8 points favoring physical therapy. Gail Deyle (Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA) and co-investigators explain that physical therapy comprised up to eight supervised treatment sessions over an initial 4–6 week period, with one to three possible additional sessions at the 4- and 9-month assessment visits, and “included instructions and images for exercises, joint mobilizations, and the clinical reasoning underlying the priorities, dosing, and progression of treatment.” The team also found that patients in the physical therapy group were more likely to experience a minimal clinically important improvement in WOMAC score at the 1-year follow-up than those given glucocorticoid injections, with 10.3% and 25.6%, respectively, failing to meet the threshold of a 12% improvement. Moreover, a number of secondary outcomes, including measures of functional tasks and patient-reported improvements, “also favored physical therapy,” say Deyle and colleagues. They report that none of the participants experienced adverse events, with the exception of one individual who fainted during glucocorticoid injection administration. Commenting on the trial results in an accompanying editorial, Kim Bennell (University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) and David Hunter (University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) say that “several issues” merit consideration, including participants in the physical therapy group having “considerably greater contact time with clinicians than patients in the glucocorticoid injection group.” Furthermore, “because the trial was conducted in a U.S. military population, the generalizability of the conclusions may be limited,” they add.	https://rheumatology.medicinematters.com/osteoarthritis-/physical-activity/support-for-physical-therapy-over-glucocorticoid/17878518
Chronic insomnia, or in other words insomnia, is a condition characterized by any type of sleep disorder: difficulty falling asleep, dissatisfaction with the quality of sleep or its duration. For some, insomnia is noted at certain periods of life, but after a certain time it goes away by itself. However, if this phenomenon occurs more than 15 times a month, then we are talking about chronic insomnia. The most important decision in insomnia treatment is the right specialist. It is also not recommended to self-medicate and prescribe sleeping pills without a doctor’s recommendation. There can be several ways to solve this problem. Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Insomnia If sleep disturbance begins to bring too many problems, it is recommended to analyze your own behavior and make the necessary adjustments to it, which will be individual for each person. Of course, in this case, you can turn to a psychotherapist for help – a competent doctor will help identify the true cause of insomnia and help the patient cope with it. Sleep rules You can independently work on the problem of sleep and create all favorable conditions for its early elimination: - do physical exercises 3-4 hours before bedtime; - try to keep every day in the same schedule, at least go to bed and get up at the same time; - create a “sleepy” atmosphere in the bedroom; - do not go to bed on an empty stomach but also do not overeat before bed; - after five o’clock in the evening, refuse coffee and other invigorating drinks; - do not smoke before going to bed, do not drink alcohol. Relaxation therapy For some people with sleep disturbances, relaxation therapy is great. For carrying out it is necessary to rid the head of all worries and thoughts. Going to bed, you need to completely relax. Carrying out the following exercises helps well: for 1-2 seconds all muscles are strongly tense, and then slowly relax. The technique is used in the following sequence: jaws, neck, shoulders, upper arms, forearms, fingers, chest, abdomen, thighs, buttocks, legs, feet. The exercise is repeated 2-3 times. The effectiveness of the exercise depends on how much a person is able to drop all thoughts and focus on each action. Sleep restrictions Sometimes insomnia is associated with only one moment – lunchtime. A person, trying to make up for lost hours without sleep at night, makes up for them during the day, applying for a few hours of sleep at lunchtime. Especially if this dream happens in the afternoon. As a result – night insomnia again, and so every day in a circle. This is why it is important to limit sleep to only nighttime hours. Cognitive therapy If the listed methods did not help fix the problem on your own, it is recommended not to waste more time and seek help from a specialist. The psychotherapist helps the patient to understand himself and find out what causes sleep disturbance. Perhaps it is anxiety, fear, depression, separation anxiety, or some other life problem. Of course, cognitive therapy works well when combined with other methods. The doctor may also recommend taking certain medications. Medications Medicines are prescribed only by a doctor. The specialist selects the necessary remedy, depending on the type of insomnia (difficulty falling asleep or restless sleep). In addition, the doctor takes into account all the side effects of the drugs, which may include morning sleepiness or addiction. It is also necessary to remember that the sleeping pills recommended by the doctor are not combined with alcohol and narcotic pain relievers, therefore, at the time of taking them, this must be abandoned.	https://stop-sleepiness-meds.com/blog/chronic-insomnia-treatment/
Streamlined Energy & Carbon Reporting (SECR) Since 1 April 2019, large UK companies have been required to report on their UK energy use and carbon emissions in their financial statements. These regulations were introduced as part of the government’s commitment to Net Zero emissions by 2050 by ensuring large businesses are open about their energy use. Now, in a world where environmental, social and sustainability issues are becoming ever increasingly important in business decisions, there is an opportunity for companies to build on their post-implementation experience to improve the quality of their SECR reporting and disclosures, and to demonstrate their commitment to helping create a greener world. As a reminder, SECR impacts large companies, LLPs and groups, i.e. those that exceed at least two of the following three thresholds: - £36m annual turnover - £18m balance sheet total - 250 employees Organisations may still fall within the scope of SECR even if undertaking public or not for profit activities, this includes companies/ LLPs owned by universities, academies, or NHS Trusts, for instance. After producing your first set of energy and carbon disclosures, you will need to report current year and comparative information. Above the minimum requirements, regulators are pushing for companies make disclosures relating to their carbon emissions and energy consumption more understandable and relevant to users of financial statements. Tying your figures in to your narrative reporting (Strategic report/ Directors’ report) and providing more and specific detail about emission reduction targets, for example, is one way in which you could achieve this: when and how are you going to achieve ‘Net Zero’? You can also look to include further details about which operations and omissions are included in your figures and, where relevant, which group companies are being reported on. You could also describe to what extent any third-party assurance has been obtained over your reported numbers. ICAEW’s Carbon and Energy reporting page provides an overview of reporting requirements and links to relevant resources. As part of a wider strategy/ risk review or as a standalone engagement we can:- • Provide guidance on your carbon accounting; • Assist you with defining the reporting scope including operational control and organisational boundaries; • Review your processes, control, and data outputs to assess the accuracy and completeness of your carbon disclosures; and • Provide recommendations on best practice in monitoring and reporting operations. The benefit of getting advice is it ensures accurate, compliant reporting which can boost stakeholder trust and confidence. For more information, and to get in touch, click here.	https://mooreandsmalley.co.uk/insights/knowledge-post/streamlined-energy-carbon-reporting-secr/
Tuesday, February 3, 2009 BEIJING — An estimated 26- million desperately poor rural Chinese are jobless after pinning their hopes on factory jobs that dried up due to the global economic slowdown, an official said yesterday , noting that widespread unemployment could threaten the country’s social stability. The figures were announced a day after Beijing warned of “possibly the toughest year” since the turn of the century, calling for development of agriculture and rural areas to offset the economic fallout. Though many Chinese cities have seen double-digit growth in recent years, the countryside has lagged far behind, forcing peasants to seek urban factory jobs churning out goods that are sold around the world. But a recent government survey showed that slightly more than 15% of China’s estimated 130- million migrant workers have returned to their homes and are now unemployed, said Chen Xiwen, director of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, a central government advisory body. Another 6-million new migrants enter the work force each year, he said. “So, if we put those figures together, we have roughly 25-million to 26-million rural migrant workers who are now coming under pressures for employment,” he said. “So from that perspective, ensuring job creation and maintenance is ensuring the stability of the countryside." In comparison, the US unemployment rate climbed to a 16-year high of 7,2% in December, meaning about 11,1-million Americans are without jobs, or less than half the number of unemployed migrants in China. Chen’s 26-million figure is separate from China’s official jobless tally, which counts only registered urban workers, and was estimated last November to total 8,3-million. The official government rate is widely believed to under-represent the true number of unemployed because it leaves out large swaths of the private or informal economy. Neither count includes the millions of college graduates trying to enter the workforce. Chinese authorities have stressed that their priority this year will be ensuring development in the countryside, where many have come to rely on remittances from migrants working in factories and on urban construction sites, amid fears of social unrest. Many factory workers have already taken to the streets in recent weeks, demanding pay and protesting layoffs. Chen outlined a raft of existing policies geared toward helping migrants, including encouraging companies to retain workers, investing in public projects to absorb rural workers and helping returning migrants set up businesses in their home towns. “Maintaining the stability of the countryside is a focal point of upholding overall social stability,” Chen said. China’s economic growth — once red-hot — plunged to 6,8% in the three months through December, compared with a year earlier. Analysts have cut forecasts of this year’s economic growth to as low as 5%. Premier Wen Jiabao said in comments published yesterday that Beijing was considering new steps to boost economic growth. The Financial Times report did not give details of the potential plan, which would follow a 4-trillion yuan ($586bn) package unveiled in November with heavy spending on public works projects. Meanwhile, China’s communist rulers have told the military to strictly obey the Communist Party, reflecting insecurity among authorities as a result of the global financial downturn.
As a historian, my usual beat has been jazz's (relatively) distant past. I spend much of my research time worrying about what musicians did half a century ago. And yet recently I found myself engrossed in a project that brought me right up to date, right up against issues that concern jazz players in the 1990s. In 1992, the National Endowment for the Humanities conducted a broad-based Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (or SPPA). This was the third such survey, the first having taken place a decade earlier in 1982. With the help of the Census Bureau, over 12,000 adult Americans were contacted and asked a series of detailed questions about their involvement with the arts. (Ironically, the SPPA was added on to the National Crime Survey, so that people were first asked how many times they'd been mugged, and then how many times they'd gone to the opera.) Jazz was one of seven "benchmark" art forms officially recognized by the NEA (the others were classical music, opera, theater, musical theater, dance, and the visual arts). I was asked to write a report that sorted through and interpreted all the data gathered on the audience for jazz in the early 1990s: Jazz in America: Who's Listening?. In this column, I will summarize some of the findings of this study that might be of particular relevance to readers of this magazine [Jazz Player]. It was an exciting assignment. I spent a lot of time talking to people in promotion, recordings, radio, and non-profit arts organizations and reading through trade and specialty magazines like Billboard and Jazziz, trying to get a feel for the state of the jazz business. Right away I was confronted with aproblem of interpretation. What, exactly, did people mean when they said they listened to "jazz"? The SPPA depended on a technique called "respondent identification." In other words, "jazz" meant whatever the person answering the questions wanted it to mean, from John Coltrane to Kenny G. The figures, therefore, represented the most inclusive and least discriminating definition of jazz. Jazz purists of various stripes will have to make their own mental calculations to determine what percentage of the total paid attention to "real" jazz. Some of the overall numbers are encouraging, even if they reinforce the reality that jazz is a minority taste. More than a third (34%) of the adult population said they "liked" jazz, up from 26% in 1982. A considerably more modest 5% said they liked jazz "best of all." This figure may seem small, but it shows a significant increase over 1982 (3%), and translates into nearly ten million people in America who count themselves as hard-core jazz fans. The audience for jazz on radio has grown dramatically: 28% of the population, as compared with 18% in 1982, heard jazz through this medium. Little of this, however, seems to have directly affected public support for live performance. Approximately 10% of adult Americans went to hear live jazz in 1992, the same percentage as ten years ago. Most of those attended only one or two performances over the course of the year. The real hard-core, those who go to hear jazz at least once a month, form a tiny fraction of this total, probably less than 0.5%. There are a lot of people (25% of the general public) who express a desire to attend more performances, but their presence has yet to be felt in night clubs and concert halls. One can also learn some interesting things from the 1992 SPPA about who makes up the jazz audience. The strongest correlation for participation in jazz is with education: in plain English, the more educated a person is, the more likely that person is to like and support jazz. This, as it turns out, is true of the arts generally. Since education itself is strongly correlated with income, it is also hardly surprising that support for jazz (especially live attendance) tends to rise with higher income levels, with those earning over $50,000 disproportionately represented. In virtually all other respects, however, the audience for jazz differs markedly from the audience for more conventional forms of "art music." For one thing, jazz is the only one of the "official" arts in the NEA survey that consistently appeals to men more than women. This is particularly obvious at the more intense levels of commitment. Men constitute only 45% of those who attended only one concert in a year (compared with 48% of the total adult population), but a whopping 60% of those who attended as many as nine concerts a year, suggesting that some of those one-time-only females may have been dates. Men make up 68% of those who "liked jazz best of all" (not even macho genres like rap, parade music, or rock show such high numbers), and nearly 90% of those subscribing to some jazz specialty magazines. (I didn't have figures for Jazz Player's readership, but I would not be surprised if the numbers were similar.) All of this corroborates anecdotal evidence that jazz is, in the vernacular, a "guy thing." The situation with race is more complicated. Jazz is routinely referred to as an "African-American music," and the data in the NEA survey provide evidence both to question that view and to reaffirm it. On the one hand, the data confirm what may be obvious: that the audience for jazz is overwhelmingly white. White Americans make up roughly 80% of those attending concerts, for example. But the data also show that rates of participation for African-Americans are consistently higher than those for whites. African-Americans account for only 11% of the adult population, but 17% of those attending concerts and 20% of those listening to jazz recordings. As with gender, these figures rise with intensity of commitment. Roughly 25% of the most frequent concert-goers, and a full third (34%) of those who "like jazz best," are black. Nor does this necessarily tell the whole story. Since arts participation is connected with education and income (in other words, the educated and affluent are more likely to attend concerts, watch arts programming on PBS, and so forth), and since African-Americans are generally less well-educated and affluent than their white counterparts, these figures probably understate the importance of race in jazz taste. To put it another way: were African-Americans more inclined by educational training to attend concerts and more able to afford to do so, they would support jazz in even greater numbers than they now do. And the data bear this out: nearly half (49%) of African-Americans expressed a desire to attend more jazz concerts, as opposed to less than a quarter (22%) of whites. "For jazz activities," reports a separate NEA study on race and ethnicity and arts audiences, "race or culture is the primary motivation to participate." One thing is clear: support for jazz is genuinely biracial. According to the NEA survey, jazz, along with the blues, is among the few genres of music that are "liked" by significant numbers of both white and black Americans. Other genres are more clearly stratified by race: white Americans love country, rock, "mood" or "easy listening" music, and classical, while black Americans prefer gospel, soul, rap, and reggae. But even the racial overlap for jazz still leaves room for particularly strong support in the black community. More than half of African- Americans (54%) say they "like" jazz, a figure that is comparable in size only to country music among white Americans (57%) and exceeded only by black taste for blues (59%) and soul (68%). 16% of African-Americans say they like jazz "best of all," second only to gospel music (and compared with 4% of whites). As I mentioned earlier, one may argue about what exactly these audiences, black or white, mean by "jazz." But there can be little doubt that jazz, by whatever definition, is inextricably associated with African-American cultural identity. What about age? Jazz players may congratulate themselves for having an audience that is youthful relative to the other, more established art forms. Participation tends to peak among the 25-34 age group, as compared with the 45-54 age group for classical music. And yet . . . the jazz audience appears to be gradually graying. In 1982, the highest levels of participation came from the youngest adult age group: 18-24. Those 18- to 24- year-olds are now 28- to 34-year-olds, of course, and continue to support jazz; but the new 18-24 age group seems less inclined to do so. What to make of this trend? One may speculate that youthful taste for jazz in the early 1980s was driven by fusion, with its rock-influenced high energy appeal. Today's "contemporary jazz," on the other hand, is aimed more at baby-boomers who have outgrown rock. Or perhaps jazz is simply becoming more "establishment," less likely to serve as a symbol of youth rebellion. One may add to this the fact that the population as a whole is aging: there are fewer 18- to 24-year-olds (as a percentage of the population) now than then. Meanwhile, support for jazz has shot up among the oldest Americans: 21% of those over 75 liked jazz in 1992, compared to 8% ten years earlier. As more and more people who grew up with jazz, swing, and (dare we say it) bebop enter retirement age, there will inevitably be more and more grey heads in the audience. For whatever reason, the gradual drift of jazz toward "official" venues (concert series, NPR and PBS) seems supported by a shift in its audience base toward older, more affluent, and presumably more influential adults. What about jazz players themselves? Approximately 1.7% of adult Americans (3.2 million) report "performing or rehearsing" jazz in 1992. Of these, less than half (0.7%, or 1.3 million) played jazz in public. Given the relatively small size of these numbers, it is hazardous to risk detailed analysis. But a few trends emerge. Jazz players are predominantly male: about 60%, rising to over 70% among public performers. Blacks are also disproportionately represented: 15% overall, about 25% of public performers. Jazz players are relatively youthful, with 71% of the total under the age of 45. Not surprisingly, they are dedicated supporters of live jazz performance. Despite their relatively tiny numbers, they make up about 9% of the jazz audience. At the same time, only about 70% of performers say they attended at least one jazz performance in 1992, which means that nearly a third of jazz players don't go out to hear jazz -- and evidently don't count their own performances! There are a lot more intriguing wrinkles in the NEA survey, and other useful conclusions that one might draw from the data. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the report yourself, or suggesting to a local public or college library that they acquire one, they shouldn't be hard to come by. One contact has been: Seven Locks Press: P.O. Box 25689, Santa Ana CA 92799, 1-800-354-5348. Jazz in America: Who's Listening? is an official government document, Research Division Report #31, and at press time was being sold for $10.95 plus shipping. Enjoy. "I'd forgotten that I wrote this summary of the NEA monograph for Jazz Player magazine a while back," Scott DeVeaux wrote to Bill Kirchner. "This may tell you what you're interested in knowing. Feel free to pass it on to whomever." JJA thanks to both gentlemen. Scott DeVeaux is Director of Graduate Studies at McIntire Dept. of Music, University of Virginia.	http://www.jazzhouse.org/library/?read=deveaux1
This is a two-year feasibility study for high-impact auditory research. The purpose is to evaluate basic properties of adaptive recalibration of the chronic "gain" (amplification of supra-threshold information) of the auditory system in normal- hearing subjects. The idea of an adaptive auditory gain mechanism has been widely cited in the Tinnitus Retraining Therapy (TRT) literature, but it remains a controversial concept that has gone virtually unstudied in a rigorous scientific manner. The experimental hypothesis of this research is that estimates of loudness discomfort level (LDL) provide a functional index of chronic auditory gain. Further, the chronic gain can be manipulated either upward or downward in a controlled way by prolonged reduction or enhancement in the level of the external background sound to which a listener is exposed. To evaluate this hypothesis, 32 healthy normal-hearing volunteers will randomly receive one of two chronic external sound treatments: (1) enhanced background sound produced by wearable bilateral noise sources or (2) diminished background sound produced by wearing sound-attenuating earplugs bilaterally. After two weeks on the randomized treatment (and subsequent to complete functional recovery from the initial treatment), sequential crossover to the other treatment will occur. The effects of each chronic (two-week) treatment will be evaluated for functional changes (in audibility thresholds and LDLs) in pre-treatment, treatment, and post-treatment measurements. Findings of (1) increased LDLs (consistent with reduced chronic auditory gain), after prolonged exposure to enhanced external low-level sound, and (2) decreased LDLs (consistent with increased chronic auditory gain), after chronic exposure to reduced external low- level sound, will provide compelling evidence in support of the existence of a plastic chronic auditory gain process. Such results would have enormous implications for stimulating future research in both basic auditory theory and clinical science.
I must thank Anamika for this wonderful opportunity to do a guest post for her. This would be my first ever food guest post for any blog. I follow Anamika’s blog ardently because her posts are emotionally moving and photos tell stories all by themselves. With this guest post I want to wish her a wonderful holiday in the Swiss Alps, while the not so lucky ones like me sweat it out in the desert. I have been living an expat home maker’s life for last 3 years. Before this, when I worked with a corporate, I lead a nomad’s life travelling for months and staying for short durations in a number of countries. Adapting to different countries, their culture, people, the food, the climate now seems a lot easier than before. It is the part, I take for granted now. But there are some days where I miss the country of my birth more than other days. The intensity sometimes shocks me and I find myself reminiscing my growing up years, the food that I grew up eating, and many such little things that otherwise wouldn’t cross my mind. It is then, when the heart becomes restless and seeks for familiar tastes, sounds, smells and emotions. Whenever I visit Delhi I make it a point to visit Chandni Chowk to fall into a food coma. The aroma emanating from the parathewali gali, the sinful daulat ki chaat, the piping hot jalebis are what make life worth living, in my opinion. Chandni Chowk is the Mecca of good food, if I can humbly say so. In the same breath, I have to also add that Gujarat (in the western part of India) is also famous for their variation of the chaats. Ahmedabad has Law Garden where the Pav Bhaji is to die for and Vijay Chaar rasta serves the vada pav that is has no parallel (I am sure a lot of Mumbai-Pune people might disagree though). So such is my craze for the simple street food and it has left an indelible impression on my heart and mind. The beautiful part about living in the world that we live right now is that nothing seems out of reach. Especially for food, with ingredients available easily, it is possible to recreate flavours. For that instant when I savour that food; it lets me escape to where I once belonged. August ushers the festival mode in India. One festival after the other rolls in bringing with it, its unique emotion, ritual, change of season and fervour. This is also the month when nostalgia hits me and I find myself craving to go back in that familiar space and among familiar people. This is the month I miss India the most. In one such weak moment I craved for the comfort of Indian Street food that we commonly call ‘chaat’. I can unabashedly admit that this is what I miss the most about India. There are places here in Bahrain (where I live now); that offer a good imitation of this heavenly mesh-mash of ingredients but it comes nowhere close to the original. Anamika and I stay quite close to each other and hence have the opportunity to meet up quite often. I relayed to her my desire to gorge on some chaat and we ended up doing an Indian Street Food themed dinner at my place. This was the first time I tried making some of the popular chaats at home. What I realized from this endeavour is that it does take a lot of patience and whole lot of ingredients to make a seemingly simple looking dish. It is the balance of the flavours – sweet, sour and spicy that makes or breaks a chaat. I proposed to make the infamous Aloo Tikki, some Dahi Puri and Bhel. Anamika was thoughtful to bring some fabulous Pav Bhaji and for dessert, I made some Rasagulla at home. All in all it was such a wonderful evening where we and our spouses had a hearty time exchanging interesting ‘Chaat’ stories. Aloo Tikki – This potato cutlet based chaat is wholesome and hearty in its own right. Calorie wise, in my opinion, it should make a complete meal by itself. But the nature of chaats is to make us crave for more. So Aloo Tikki does just that - it acts as an appetizer for the rest of the chaats to follow! I followed the famous Chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s recipe for Aloo Tikki and I wasn’t disappointed the way it turned out. I made a slight change and did not stuff the Tikki (cutlets) like he has mentioned in the recipe. Aloo Tikki Recipe: Ingredients: \| \| For patty: Potatoes 4 large Salt to taste Oil to shallow fry For topping: Matara, boiled 1/2 cup Yogurt 1/4 cup Sweet date and tamarind chutney - 2 tablespoons Green chutney 1/2 tablespoon Roasted cumin powder 1/4 teaspoon Chaat masala 1/4 teaspoon Red chilli powder 1/4 teaspoon Papdis, crushed a few Method: - Boil potatoes. Peel and grate. Put them in a bowl, add salt and mix. - Knead the grated potatoes. Apply oil in hand. Take a portion of mashed potatoes and shape into a tikki. These tikkis should be thick and round. - Heat oil on a tawa, place the tikkis on it and shallow fry. When one side is golden, turn over and fry till the other side is also golden. - To serve, take a tikki on a plate. Open it in the center and put matara on it. Put some yogurt, sweet date and tamarind chutney, green chutney. - Sprinkle cumin powder, black salt, remaining chaat masala powder, remaining red chilli powder. Crush a few papdis and top up the chaat with it. Serve immediately. The chaat has a few staple ingredients that lend it the addictive flavour. A chaat gets the tangy flavour from the date-tamarind chutney and the fire from the coriander and mint chutney. Both of these chutneys are very easy to make and find themselves a staple in most Indian homes. Date – Tamarind Chutney Ingredients 2 cups of pitted dates ¼ cup of tamarind (deseeded) 1 tsp of chilli powder Pinch of asafoetida Salt to taste 4 cups of water Preparation 1. Add all the ingredients in a sauce pan and it cook for 40 minutes. 2. Cool and strain. 3. It will make for a larger quantity than you may actually require. So you can bottle the rest and store it in the refrigerator. It stays for a very long time and discard it when you see traces of fungus on it. Coriander Mint Chutney Ingredients A small bunch of coriander leaves (Remove the big stems and retain the leaves, wash thoroughly and chop) A small bunch of mint (Remove the big stems and retain the leaves, wash thoroughly and chop) Salt to taste 2 tsp of sugar 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice 1 green chilli chopped 1-2 cloves of garlic chopped Water as required Preparation Shove all the ingredients in a blender and blend with required amount of water. Store in an airtight container. Dahi Puri – The main hero of this dish is the semolina crunch balls that can be easily bought from the market unless you want to go through the entire hardship of making and frying them at home. I wouldn’t dream of doing it. So I bought them from a Gujarati Restaurant in Manama. Way to assemle: Then all I did was to gently tap it on the top to crack it open and shoved some yogurt, boiled, peeled potatoes cut to tiny pieces, some boiled black gram, some rock salt, chaat masala, pomegranate seeds, sev and garnish it with coriander, date-tamarind chutney and coriander chutney. Phew!!!The results were this drool worthy pots of savoury, tangy and sweet deliciousness that can inspire poetry from non poets too. Okay, I may have exaggerated a bit there. But it was really good. Bhelpuri- This is a savoury snack that can whet my appetite any day. It is a mixture of different fried snacks which is then spiced up by condiments and chutneys. A bhel is best consumed as soon as it is prepared else it tends to turn soggy. A mix of: Bhel is a heady concoction of puffed rice, sev (thin noodle like pieces made out of chick peas flour), fried/roasted peanuts, boiled and chopped potatoes, chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, pomegranate seeds, dollops of green coriander-mint chutney, date-tamarind chutney, rock salt, chat masala, chilli powder and garnished with chopped fresh coriander. I would rate bhel as anytime snack and hardly takes a few minutes to make. Mix everything well in the end break some papdi (small, fried, savoury, flat breads) which could also be used as a spoon to scoop bhel on the go. Pav Bhaji- Anamika had brought her sumptuous Pav bhaji. This happens to be my all time favourite and I can eat Pav bhaji till the cows come home. Hers was lightly spiced and show cased the perks of being home made. Rasagulla – This is one of the most popular milk based sweets in India. It originally hails from the east of India – West Bengal (now they call themselves Paschimbangal). Calcutta is famous for its own version of chaats and I remember wolfing down some phuchka (paani puri) and jhaalmuri (bhel) during my last visit. I always thought it was inordinately difficult to attempt making Rasagulla at home but only until I saw this easy-peasy recipe on Jay’s blog. Check it out for the step-by-step rasgullas made from scratch and in pressure cooker. The rasagullas came out dainty and for added flavour I scattered saffron threads. We had to tone down the spice a bit since we wanted our toddlers to enjoy their snacks as well. But it did not take anything away from the whole emotion with which we devoured the fare. For now the ‘Chaat’ beast inside me lays low, satiated, until another day.	https://www.tastemelangers.com/2011/09/guest-post-by-sliceofmylyfe-indian.html
Wednesday, September 14, 2011 What does it mean to read a text? How do the perspectives we bring to reading shape and limit our understanding? This course will focus on one primary text and a wide range of theoretical materials; through intensive study and discussion, students will develop the tools necessary for graduate study in English, and will leave the course with a better sense of the critical and methodological frameworks they might bring to their future work in the discipline. All student staff edits Oyez Review, a literary journal featuring fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, published at Roosevelt for 35 years. Hands-on internship in editing, designing, producing, publicizing, and distributing the journal. Some instruction in protocols for book, magazine, and newsletter publishing. Monday, March 8, 2010 What does it mean to read a text? How do the perspectives we bring to reading shape and limit our understanding? This course will focus on one primary text and a wide range of theoretical materials; through intensive study and discussion, students will develop the tools necessary for graduate study in English, and will leave the course with a better sense of the critical and methodological frameworks they might bring to their future work in the discipline. While these three writers are rightly considered lions of American modernism, their reputations were made long before we began focusing on such concerns as race, gender, class, and sexual orientation as part of literary analysis. Yet even in this changed critical climate, the authors hold their own, for each has an unique take on marginalization, expressed in a distinctive voice and a compelling style. In all three cases, we'll look at works considered major as well as some deemed minor because in the "smaller" works we often find earlier versions of ideas expressed in the novels. Are these variants alternates, refinements, mutations, or something quite different? Readings will include Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury, Light in August, "Barn Burning," and "That Evening Sun;" Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and This Side of Paradise as well as a number of short stories; and Stein's Three Lives, selected poems, and some excerpts from longer works including The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas. Students compose and revise their own poetry while studying the foundations of poetry, including classical metrical poetry, and today's more eclectic free verse. Nonfiction II/III (Staff T.B.A.) Description forthcoming. Reading & Writing Eco-Literature (Kimberly Ruffin) What is America's history and present of ecological writing? This multicultural study of U.S. eco-literary traditions and trends includes both canonical and emerging authors. The range of topics includes various perspectives on: "going green," global climate change, nature-writing, and environmental justice. Students read and apply ecocritical theory and author their own literature. Works from most, if not all, of the following authors will be required reading: Henry David Thoreau, Alice Walker, Enrique Salmon, Rachel Carson, Joseph Bruchac, Patti Ann Rogers, Leslie Marmon Silko, David Mas Masamoto, Mary Oliver, Aldo Leopold, Cesar Chavez, and Janisse Ray. Note: this course involves experiential learning that requires off-campus activities, including participation in Roosevelt University's New Deal Service Day. All student staff edits Oyez Review, a literary journal featuring fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, published at Roosevelt for 35 years. Hands-on internship in editing, designing, producing, publicizing, and distributing the journal. Some instruction in protocols for book, magazine, and newsletter publishing. Feminist Theories of Performance will explore how gender is performed in both the theater and life. We will bring a variety of critical perspectives to bear on our examinations of plays, novels, films, and performance art, including feminist theater theory, feminist literary theory, feminist cultural theory and the feminist philosophy of Judith Butler. By the end of the term, students will be able to apply feminist criticism from all these perspectives to their own written analyses of works in all four genres (drama, film, fiction, and performance art). An exploration--through close analysis of screenplays and practical writing exercises--of fundamental screenwriting principles, with an emphasis on feature films. The course will be taught partly as a seminar and partly as a workshop. By the end of the course, students will have written, workshopped, and revised a short screenplay and produced a number of weekly précis on various aspects of screenwriting craft. There will also be some discussion of practical steps leading to screenplay production. The recent explosion in food writing has created the theme of this Advanced Topics in Literary Genre course. We will explore the role of food through several different genres, including: autobiographies and memoirs, sociological and anthropological, cultural and political, restaurant reviews and critiques, cookbooks and recipes, film, blogs, and theory. Students will read texts from a variety of disciplines, write several short essays, conduct ethnographic research and food reviews, and produce a final research project. Composition Theory--Online (Carrie Brecke) Cultural, cognitive, and political theories about the acquisition and practice of advanced literacy skills. The roles that reading, direct grammar instruction, rhetoric, and revision play in various approaches to the teaching of writing. This course is required for Roosevelt's Graduate Certificate in the Teaching of Writing. Thursday, January 28, 2010 By seriously examining and editing stories written by others (i.e. measuring and helping advance the success of stories according to their authors' intentions), writers not only develop a greater capacity to strengthen their own work, but a clearer understanding of their own literary values. We will read stories by a variety of published authors--like George Saunders and Donald Barthelme--and reverse-engineer them to determine the ways in which they function. This workshop will examine various forms of creative nonfiction: personal essay, memoir, portrait, literary journalism, lyric essay, and cultural criticism. We will take the self as the point of departure and move out into the world from there, looking at how the personal and public intersect and cultivating our idiosyncratic interests/perspectives. In addition to the focus on student work, the course will include generative writings and discussion of selected readings. Student work and the readings together will provide the opportunity to discuss the aesthetics of nonfiction. Readings from a course packet, with pieces by writers as diverse as Joan Didion, James Baldwin, Virginia Woolf, Touré, Richard Rodriquez, and Anne Fadiman. As the course evolves, additional readings may be added Film History (L. Howe) The history of cinema is only about a century long, but in that period the art form has demonstrated remarkable development from silent to sound film, from black and white to color, and from fairly practical staging and framing to vibrant special effects. As film technology developed, filmmakers found new ways to tell stories. We'll note that as film developed new techniques, it created its own history that often commented upon or reflected the social history of the cultures in which it emerged. In our study of the films of Griffith, Micheaux, Lang, Chaplin, Keaton, Welles, Hitchcock, Goddard, Altman, among others, we'll note that, as filmmakers connect with their cultures, they simultaneously develop and exploit a self-reflexive fascination with film's own presence. We'll gauge these dynamics as we consider how film both reflects and influences the ideas and identities of its audiences. This course analyzes the filmed versions of Shakespear's plays as texts in their own right. We will be viewing films based on specific plays in pairs, moving from a film "faithful" in various ways to the text as written, to one that exhibits a greater degree of adaptation. We will consider Franco Zeffirelli's and Baz Luhrmann's versions of Romeo and Juliet; Roman Rolanski's Macbeth and Billy Morrissette's Scotland, PA; Laurence Oliver and Richard Loncraine's takes on Richard IIII; Zeffirelli's Taming of the Shrew and Gil Junger's Ten Things I Hate About You; Branagh's Hamlet and Michael Aylmereda's Hamlet 2000; Oliver Parker's Othello and Tim Blake Nelson's O. This course begins with one of the best known and most widely influential stage portrayals of witchcraft in theater history, Macbeth, which uses the figure of the witch to explode ideological assumptions about class (patriarchy, class-based social stratification, upward mobility) and gender (social, political, and domestic roles). In this course, we will examine both fantastic portrayals of the witch, including Shakespeare's Macbeth, John Martson's Sophonisba, and Thomas Middleton's The Witch in conjunction with "realistic" portrayals of witchcraft in British and Scottish court depositions as well as the stage representations of those cases in Thomas Dekker, John Ford, and William Rowley's The Witch of Edmonton and Heywood and Brome's The Witches of Lancashire. We will consider witchcraft's dual valence in early modern England as both a means of vilifying women and as a means by which women could exercise autonomy and empowerment. 20th Century American Women's Fiction: Gender and Mobility (Ann Brigham) In many ways, the American experience has been defined by the promise of mobility, that is, the freedom to go anywhere and become anyone. In fact, the two have often been linkedL spacial mobility--the movement between places or across space--has often been understood as a way to achieve a range or other mobilities, from the psychological and sexual to the social and economic. In this course, we will study a range of novels that address a series of related questions: What does mobility mean, and what does gender have to do with it? How can stories of mobility tell us something about the ways gendered and sexed identities, meanings, and performances are negotiated, navigated, and transformed? How can we think of gender and sexuality as modes of mobility? In what ways has mobility been central to definitions of an American identity and experience, and why is that interesting? Focusing on the various ways mobility has been defined, we will examine representations of mobility that include: immigration and assimilation; escape; spatial, social, and sexual border crossings; time travel; racial and gender passing; western expansion and national conquest; the road trip; transnational migration; gender bending and fluidity; bodily mutability; exile and displacement. MFA graduate course about narratives of place. We'll read and discuss novels, stories, and nonfiction which delve into the complex relationship between human consciousness and the outer world. We'll examine how writers form meaning from experience, how language shapes that experience into compelling and original narratives, and how place is digested and then recast as landscapes of the mind. Students write short weekly papers, creative exercises, and complete a research portfolio to be used toward a place-based narrative writing project. The texts include: The Brief Wonderful Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, River of Earth by James Still, The Stone Diaries by Carole Shields, Drinking Coffee Elsewhere: Stories by Z.Z. Packer, Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, The Lost City of Z by David Grann. Reading & Writing Ecoliterature (Kim Ruffin) What is America's history and present of ecological writing? This multicultural study of U.S. eco-literary traditions and trends includes both canonical and emerging authors. The range of topics includes various perspectives on: "going green," global climate change, nature-writing, and environmental justice. Students read and apply ecocritical theory and author their own literature. Works from most, if not all, of the following authors will be required reading: Henry David Thoreau, Alice Walker, Enrique Salmon, Rachel Carson, Joseph Bruchac, Patti Ann Rogers, Leslie Marmon Silko, David Mas Masamoto, Mary Oliver, Aldo Leopold, Cesar Chavez, and Janisse Ray. Note: this course involves experiential learning that requires off-campus activities, including participation in Roosevelt University's New Deal Service Day. Common Knowledge & Cultural Capital (Priscilla Perkins) Oprah Winfrey's Book Club, Masterpiece Theater, telenovelas, Gertrude Stein, Wikipedia, NASCAR, Hayao Miyazaki, Fox News, 50 Cent, T.S. Eliot, American Idol... Why do academic institutions value certain cultural references and knowledge-sharing strategies more than other? How does practice with academic ways of knowing (like "essayistic" thinking or evidence-based argumentation) allow students to share what they know in socially powerful ways--or simply reproduce the structures of "cultural capital" that exclude certain groups in the first place? Readings in sociology, composition theory, ethnography, and philosophy will help course participants explore how students' access to privileged cultural allusions--their supply of "cultural capital"--contributes to the social and economic outcomes associated with higher educations. This course counts toward the Graduate Certificate in the Teaching of Writing. In the past few years the boundaries of these genres, like the boundaries between popular and literary fiction, have grown increasingly fluid. This class will focus on the current state of fantastic fiction during the last two decades, focusing largely on short fiction and touching upon such writers as Robert Charles Wilson, Guy Gavriel Kay, Greg Bear, William Gibson, Connie Willis, Kelly Link, and Ted Chiang. Following introductory historical lectures, the course will develop through detailed discussions of specific stories and novels. Explores techniques of nonfiction storytelling with an emphasis on personal narrative, such as memoir. Texts include Judith Kitchen's Short Takes and Julie Hilden's The Bad Daughter. Guest workshoppers include Miles Harvey. Students produce a screenplay in a workshop atmosphere, practicing techniques used by professional screenwriters to create complex characters, thrilling action, and original plots. Some attention to marketing the screenplay, including the treatment and pitch. Robert McKee's Story will be used as a guide, and Yaphet Smith will stop by in March to workshop.
We will always do the right thing by our employees and the communities in which we work, meeting our customers’ demands without limiting future generations’ ability to do so. Our integrity is why people trust what we do. Collaboration with our customers, suppliers and all our stakeholders is at the heart of everything we do. It allows us to find the best solutions in the fastest possible time. Collaboration means that we develop close relationships with our customers, putting their interests first. Together we achieve more. When you work with us, you know what you’re getting. We adopt a strong service ethos that supports the development of strong business relationships, maintaining long term partnerships. We understand the challenges facing our customers’ businesses and we ensure we meet their exacting needs. Our people are key to our success. Our success rests upon our colleagues striving to exceed our customers’ demands. We’re committed to giving our people the opportunity to be the best they can be. We recognise our responsibilities extend beyond the products we supply. All of our papers are obtained from well managed FSC® certified and responsible sources. Since establishing our business in 1999 we have always adopted an entrepreneurial approach, with Performance Packaging and Print at its core. Our pioneering approach continues to drive our business, seeking innovative, commercial solutions for our customers. A programme of continued investment will ensure we remain ahead of the curve and do things differently and better, continuing to pioneer and lead the market.	https://www.cepac.co.uk/about-us/our-values/
is quickly becoming an Orchid site, unintentional but inevitable! This list is grouped into various species or groups within the Orchidaceae. Spiranthes romanzoffiana Irish Lady’s Tresses A very special plant in North West Ireland and one we have studied for years… 2016 Observations. 2017 American seeds coming to Ireland? 2018 Numbers, Reproduction, Propagation. 2019 Daily LOG now ACTIVE Total Count & Report 2019 ARCHIVED INFO from Lough Allen Other ‘Special Orchids’ A rare group of species chosen for their significance, speciality, and their occurrence in the Wild West! Various genera. Anacamptis morio Green-winged Orchid. Ophrys insecifera Fly Orchid. Very restricted. Hammarbya paludosa Bog Orchid. Local. S. spiralis Autumn’s Lady’s Tresses. Non-Dactylorhizid Orchids Orchis mascula Early Purple Orchid Neotinea maculata Dense-flowered Orchid Psudorchis albida Small White Orchid Plantathera bifolia Lesser Butterfly Orchid Plantathera chlorantha Greater Butterfly Orchid Ophrys apifera Bee Orchid Neottia nidus-avis Birds Nest Orchid Neottia ovata Twayblade FRAGRANT ORCHIDS : All SPECIES together… Gymnadenia conopsea Chalk Frgrant Orchid G. densiflora Marsh Fragrant Orchid G. borealis Heath Fragrant Orchid Dactylorhizids… Marsh Orchids D. incarnata Early Marsh Orchid D. pulchella “ D. coccinea “ D. cruenta Flecked Orchid D. kerryensis Western Marsh Orchid D. traunsteinerioides Narrow-leaved Marsh Orc. D. purpurella Northern Marsh Orchid Other Dactylorizids D. fuchsii Common Spotted Orchid D. maculata Heath Spotted Orchid D. viridis Frog Orchid Habitats Various reports focussing on western Places, their topography and associated Plants and Animals… Habitats Kesh Mountain, Co. Sligo. A free-standing large hill with many interesting plants, caves, history and pre-historic remains. [MORE] Eagles Nest, Co. Leitrim. [MORE] Birds and other Animals Our former site ( LoughAllenBasin.com ), now archived, was motivated by the stunning wildlife of that location and the time and the boat we had. We will be transferring some of the data from that site to here. Daubenton’s Bat The ‘water bat’ on the Shannon * One of the few mammals we have studied. Report shows distribution and population change over 10 yrs. Opens NEW TAB to Lough Allen Site. (Broswer BACK) Red-breasted Merganser A year in the life of our Mergansers * A beautiful duck, common in the sea around Ireland in Winter with an interesting small breeding population in Lough Allen that we have have studied for many years almost exclusively. Glaucous Gull A frequent visitor to NW Ireland. Not a native Gull but seen around the north west coast from October to May. A very large gull with no black on wing-tips and often an overall magnolia/white colour Common Scoter Few sightings on L. Arrow. A declining breeder in Lough Arrow. Numbers are few now probably due to and movement of their breeding range northwards. Common Tern An expanding species in Western Lakes * This Report is from L. Allen but will open in a new Tab. Common Sandpiper Distinctive bird of western shores * Opens a New Tab in LoughAllebBasin.com Правда хорошо, а счастье лучше… (An acknowledgement to Governor Romanzoff for supporting early Botanical work in the N. Pacific.) It is good to know the truth, but better to be happy... Reputed ancient site for Eagles but none here now though Donegal birds can be seen occasionally in the area. Mainly interesting from a geological viewpoint and for some rare surviving alpine plants. Dartry Mountains, Co. Sligo. The mountain range containing Truskmore, Benwiskin and other high limestone areas known for rare saxifrages and other alpine plants. The Burren, Co. Clare. One of Ireland’s prime orchid sites. South L. Cullin mudflats (RIGHT) and some breeding birds. Strandhill Habitat, Co. Sligo ( IN PREPARATION ) A major Dune, machair, and estuarine habitat with many interesting plants, birds and mammals. Lough Cullin mudflats in Spring. * LINKED SITE: WildWest.ie continues the work started with LoughAllenBasin.com We have linked to cer - tain archived pages on that site, but WE ARE NOT UPDATING it! If you visit such a page re- turn here using a WildWest TAB or use the BACK BUTTON on your Browser. Thank you! OtherTopics / We use this column to report on News / Current Events / Ideas & Dreams… News / Editorial Something New A lovely new Plant to us discovered yesterday. This is… Conservation… Spiranthes romanzoffiana really should be protected in Ireland. It is (by Law) but in other ways it just looks after itself! It is a robust but very rare plant. We have attempted conservation before but now want to work with local and National interests on a new venture. [MORE] Photographs & Facts At first glance these ‘Hyacinths’ might puzzle! But initial impressions can be very deceiving and facts require deeper examination. These are Early Purple Orchids from The Burren. Most orchids have colour variants and this large cluster of big beautiful Purple Orchids consisted of large healthy specimens in perfect condition and… all white! Click on the Image BELOW to convince yourself… N.B. We are having some delays in loading large pages like Spiranthes pages (BELOW), or links to LoughAllen pages, using this new Site Map format. BUT all data is present and we are checking it.. Try Refreshing!	http://wildwest.ie/
These are tricky days for the global economy. As growth downshifts and corporate earnings weaken, some investors are dusting off playbooks for late-cycle investing. That makes sense, but there are a few twists to today’s market conditions that may require new responses. For more than a decade, the global economy has trudged forward in a steady recovery from a near-apocalyptic crisis. Macroeconomic growth patterns are typically seen as a cycle, in which periods of rapid expansion are followed by periods of stagnation that culminate in recession. Today’s environment feels a lot like a late-cycle economy: growth and employment are above trend, while inflation is near its target and financial conditions—interest rates and monetary policy—have tightened from highly accommodative positions in recent years. In the past, conditions like these often ended in recession or, at least, a more challenging investment environment. Why Is This Cycle Different? But a closer look reveals some anomalies. Today’s market has been shaped by extreme and unusual policies over a decade. Fiscal stimulus, debt levels, deficits and demographics are adding some uncommon ingredients into the late-cycle stew. Taken together, these could extend the late-stage features of the current cycle for much longer than usual, which means lower returns might be the norm for longer than expected. Stage 1: The Supercycle Fueled Fundamental Returns How did we get here? To answer that question, you need to rewind to the beginning of the supercycle in 1981, when the fed funds rate peaked at about 19%. Several things began to unfold that would dramatically change market dynamics for a generation (Display). First, interest rates and inflation would decline from their peaks for the next 20 years. Second, the baby boomer generation, children of the post–World War II population explosion, entered their prime earning years, which buoyed economic growth and funneled massive amounts of savings into the markets via their retirement plans. Third, a wave of globalization and technological progress began that increased productivity and profitability on an unimaginable scale. This powerful fundamental cocktail drove real wage gains, corporate sales, earnings and, ultimately, the stock market, creating a bull run that lasted nearly two decades. Stage 2: From the Global Financial Crisis to Leveraged Returns By the late 1990s, these fundamental drivers started to run out of steam. Inflation had fallen to the 2% target, yields had declined by as much as 15 percentage points and the oldest baby boomers began to exit their peak earning years. Meanwhile, China had taken root as the world’s factory floor, and massive technological advances led to record high stock valuations. Then, the technology bubble burst in 2001 and the seeds of the US housing crisis were planted, leading to the global financial crisis (GFC) in 2008. By early 2009, central banks were pumping oceans of monetary stimulus into markets to avert a catastrophe. This was the birth of the Great Beta Trade, when central bank policies powered sustained returns with little volatility. Investors could ride the market beta wave effortlessly; since many investment funds with diverse strategies benefited, investors didn’t really need to be aware of what was driving performance. And with so much money sloshing around the markets, downturns were mild and usually corrected themselves quickly. During the Great Beta Trade, historically low interest rates were like a magic fuel. Household wealth surged (Display) as low rates propped up stock valuations by boosting the present value of future cash flows and incentivizing investors toward equities, since government bonds or savings offered pitiful yields. Low rates also helped companies borrow more to support profitability gains and share buybacks. And in the broader economy, consumers could easily finance purchases of houses, cars and everything in between. This all found its way back into the equity markets, where investors benefited from a virtuous cycle that powered gains, year after year. In contrast to the previous periods, these returns weren’t driven by economic or corporate sales growth, but by cheap, easy borrowing. And there’s the rub. Leveraged returns are not sustainable. Investors might cheer at net margin improvements and rising valuations. But it’s really just a prolonged sugar rush, without any sustainable nourishment in the form of real revenue gains or economic growth. For example, the benefits of the Trump bump, driven by tax cuts, have already begun to fade. What’s Next? The Late-Cycle Twist As all of this comes to an end, return forecasts for the next decade are markedly lower than in the past across asset classes. And four trends add further uncertainty to the late-cycle conundrum: - Fiscal deficit keeps widening—The US deficit typically narrows when unemployment falls. But in recent years, the deficit has kept widening even as unemployment declined. This widening reflects an unprecedented public spending spree that could have unintended consequences for the stability of the world’s largest economy down the road. - Debt burden has ballooned—Low interest rates around the world since the GFC have incentivized borrowing. Global debt has surged by nearly 50% over the past decade and reached approximately US$178 trillion by mid-2018, tripling over the past 20 years. China, the US and many other nations have added to their debt burdens over the past decade. Massive debts and stretched balance sheets could be dangerous if financing conditions tighten. - Baby boomers reach retirement age—As the baby boomers near retirement, the forecast for market returns has weakened and big corrections are more likely. This will create acute challenges as funds are drawn down. - Geopolitical tensions mount—From trade wars to Brexit, new risks threaten to instigate volatility and are adding to the risk of market drawdowns. Controlling the Path of Returns Is Key There’s no precedent in modern financial history to help us navigate these conditions. But by identifying the core challenges, we can develop effective solutions. In an era of low returns, elevated volatility and heightened risk for retirees, we believe that controlling the path of returns is the key to investing success. It’s not only about how much your portfolio returns, but how it’s generating those returns and how it holds up during market downturns. That means investors must pay closer attention to how their portfolios are constructed, how their funds’ exposures will behave as the markets digest these challenges and how skilled their managers are to invest through the uncertainty of what may become the late, late cycle. The views expressed herein do not constitute research, investment advice or trade recommendations, do not necessarily represent the views of all AB portfolio-management teams, and are subject to revision over time.	https://www.innovatefinance.com/blogs/the-late-late-cycle-preparing-for-a-world-of-lower-returns/
A University of Canterbury historian is investigating forensics and its developing role in the justice system. A University of Canterbury researcher is investigating forensics and its developing role in the justice system. Historian Dr Heather Wolffram is investigating the psychology of juries and what problems the psychological impact of expert forensic evidence on juries means for the integrity of the New Zealand justice system. "We live in a culture that is fascinated by crime and the ability of the forensic sciences, including DNA analysis and psychological profiling, to help solve it. Our popular culture is saturated with entertainment that features forensic scientists and cutting edge forensic techniques, such as CSI, Criminal Minds, and Silent Witness," Dr Wolffram says. "The ways in which forensic experts and forensic techniques are portrayed within popular culture tends to make them look infallible and lends forensic scientists enormous prestige and authority when they appear before a jury in the courtroom. "The persuasive effect that this authority has on juries and their perception that forensic science can easily and speedily provide 100 percent certainty of guilt or innocence is, however, problematic. "Forensic science is often slow and laborious and can only offer probabilities not certainties. The belief, sometimes demonstrated by jury members, that forensic science offers a magic bullet for solving crime and ascertaining guilt, has been called the CSI-effect." Dr Wolffram has received a $350,000 Marsden Fund grant over three years to investigate forensics. The first batch of results will appear later this year. In the final year, she will speak at an international symposium at UC that will include historians, forensic psychologists and lawyers to discuss forensic psychology. Concerns were raised more than 100 years ago that popular representations of forensic techniques had a detrimental effect on the public. In particular, Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes novels were seen as giving the public the wrong impression about the scope of the forensic sciences, she says. "Recent New Zealand trials have demonstrated just how uncertain forensic evidence can be and how difficult it can be for a jury to decide between the conflicting interpretations of physical evidence offered by Crown and defence forensic experts. "My project more broadly is considering how forensic psychologists discovered that witnesses could create false memories, how judges and police investigators became objects of psychological analysis and what the last century has told us about the psychology of the criminal." For further information please contact:	https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/news/2013/role-of-forensics-in-justice-system-being-studied.html
In honor of Black History Month, Education Northwest is recognizing the contributions of African American educators and community leaders in our region who are doing exceptional work to improve public education and make a difference in students’ lives. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and check out our #BlackHistoryMonth board on Pinterest. Andrea Cobb is the executive director of the Center for the Improvement of Student Learning at the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and vice president of the Tacoma School District Board of Directors. She has worked in higher education as an undergraduate admissions counselor and an advisor on increasing access to college programs and has also been active in helping Washington state develop and advance policy proposals to improve student learning. “I'm working toward a future when every student receives an education that imparts the knowledge, skills and confidence they'll need to thrive in their lives after high school.” Tony Hopson is president and chief executive officer of Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI), a youth-development organization in Portland, Oregon. A nationally regarded social entrepreneur, he is passionate about the state of education in America as it relates to the plight of children of color and children in poverty. Since founding SEI in 1981, Hopson has grown the organization from a one-week basketball camp to a comprehensive program that serves more than 7,000 youth and families annually. “African Americans have never been short on talent, work ethic, innovation or perseverance. If America is the greatest nation on earth, it is that in part because of the African American contribution. May the ‘Hidden Figures’ and hidden accomplishments of black people be brought to light and celebrated so our nation can heal and truth can lead us toward a more honest and inclusive future.” Natalie Moten is an instructional coach with the Anchorage School District in Alaska. She began her career 22 years ago in Baltimore, Maryland, where her passion for teaching was nurtured. She now supports middle and high school teachers as they move along the continuum of teaching excellence and meet the diverse needs of every student in our classrooms, schools, and community. “I was born into a family of educators who fostered my love of learning. I am a lifelong learner. I am a teacher of students. Today I am a teacher of teachers who want to transform their instructional practice. As Oprah Winfrey stated, ‘Education is the way to move mountains, to build bridges, to change the world. Education is the path to the future. I believe that education is indeed freedom.’” Dr. Godfrey Saunders is an assistant teaching professor at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, and a director in the School Administrators of Montana’s Leaders Professional Learning Program. During a 32-year career in public education—as a teacher, coach, counselor, assistant principal and principal—he earned the prestigious Milken Educator Award and a lifetime achievement award from his alma mater, University of Montana Western.	https://educationnorthwest.org/news/honoring-african-americans-working-improve-education-our-region
Middle and posterior fossa aspergilloma. Aspergilloma of the brain is a rare disease. Among its varied presentations, a solitary intracranial mass is very uncommon. A preoperative diagnosis of it is very difficult, but a perioperative squash smear/frozen section can identify the pathology. Because of its rarity in immunocompetent patients and the difficulty in preoperative diagnosis, we have illustrated this case and its presentation and management. A 27-year-old man presented with an h/o right-sided weakness along with headache and ear discharge. A computed tomographic (CT) scan showed a large irregular, space-occupying lesion in the middle and posterior cranial fossa. He had a mastoidectomy done 3 years before for chronic suppurative otitis media. After a symptom-free interval of 1 year, he was investigated for severe earache on the same side. A CT scan at that time showed a space occupying mass in the right temporal bone and right inferior temporal lobe. A biopsy and histopathology of the lesion revealed a chronic granulomatous mass. He was started on antituberculous drugs and was on it for 7 months at the time of presentation. He underwent a suboccipital craniectomy and total excision of the mass. Postoperatively, his consciousness improved but began to deteriorate on the third postoperative day. A repeat CT scan showed hydrocephalus and total removal of the mass. An external ventricular drain was put and he was ventilated, but he died on the fourth postoperative day. Histopathology report came as aspergilloma. This report highlights the rare presentation of aspergilloma in an immunocompetent patient. It emphasizes the importance of suspecting this disease in such patients and the role of intraoperative squash smear preparations or frozen section in the diagnosis as routine diagnostic procedures that will help in early pharmacotherapeutic interventions in adjunct to surgery.
Aggressive behaviour serves many useful social functions, yet can also have damaging consequences. In line with evidence showing adolescent development in social cognitive abilities, we hypothesized that the use of aggression would become more sophisticated with age. We investigated adolescent aggression towards peers using an experimental, hypothetical aggression paradigm, the hot sauce paradigm, in a school‐based social network setting. Participants (N = 162 aged 11–17, 98 male) indicated which strength of imaginary hot sauce they would allocate to each of their classmates. A Social Network Questionnaire quantified participants’ perceived dyadic social tie strength with each classmate, and the incidence of mutual or unilateral dyadic real‐world aggression (e.g. teasing). Participants allocated weaker hot sauce to peers with whom they reported strong, positive social ties and an absence of self‐reported unilateral real‐world aggression. With increasing cross‐sectional age, there was a decrease in the impact of social tie strength and an increase in the extent to which hot sauce allocation was predicted by self‐reported mutual real‐world aggression. This pattern of findings is consistent with young (vs. late) adolescent use of experimental, hypothetical Hot Sauce aggression to reflect real‐world animosity, while late adolescents’ behaviour is more subtle. These findings extend our understanding of the dyadic social context of adolescent aggressive behaviour using a novel experimental aggression paradigm.	https://research.birmingham.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/just-banter-friendship-teasing-and-experimental-aggression-in-adolescent-peer-networks(af4a4c52-e9a7-4a5e-ba1b-6f45a9cdb954).html
Technical Field The present invention relates to an intoxication degree determining system, an intoxication degree determining method, and an intoxication degree determining program each of which allows a user's intoxication degree to be determined. Background Art Development is currently underway of a system having a function of determining a user's intoxication degree and a function of causing a device to perform a predetermined operation on the basis of the intoxication degree determined, in order to prevent such drinking-induced events as an injury in an accident or a leak of information managed by a company. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No. 2017-183783 (Patent Literature 1), for example, discloses a technique of learning the path of a user's normal flick input operation on a smartphone and determining that the user is intoxicated if a flick input operation by the user has a path significantly different from the normal path learned as above. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No. 2016-178455 Further, (Patent Literature 2) discloses a technique of providing an information processing device with a biological information sensor such as a skin gas sensor or a breath sensor and determining a user's intoxication state on the basis of the result of detection by the sensor. Citation List Patent Literature Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No. 2017-183783 Patent Literature 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No. 2016-178455 Patent Literature 2 Summary of Invention Technical Problem The technique of Patent Literature 1 unfortunately requires learning the path of a user's normal input operation, and may not allow the user's intoxication state to be determined accurately if the learning has not been conducted yet or is insufficient. The technique of Patent Literature 2 may fail to make an accurate measurement as a result of the user's drinking environment (such as a restaurant) being in many cases not necessarily suitable for the measurement in terms of lightness, color, and atmosphere. The above circumstances have led to a demand for an intoxication degree determining system, an intoxication degree determining method, and an intoxication degree determining program each capable of determining a user's intoxication state without requiring prior learning or accurate measurement. Solution to Problem An intoxication degree determining system of the present invention includes: a question creating section configured to create a question for a drinking user to answer; an output section configured to present the user with the question; an input section configured to receive an operation by the user of inputting an answer to the question; and a computation section configured to determine an intoxication degree of the user's on a basis of the answer. An intoxication degree determining method of the present invention includes: creating a question for a drinking user to answer; presenting the user with the question; receiving an answer to the question from the user; and determining an intoxication degree of the user's on a basis of the answer. An intoxication degree determining program of the present invention is configured to cause a computer to: create a question for a drinking user to answer; present the user with the question; receive an input of an answer to the question from the user; and determine an intoxication degree of the user's on a basis of the answer. The above arrangements each allow a user's intoxication state to be determined without requiring prior learning or accurate measurement. The description below deals with preferable embodiments of the present invention. The preferable embodiments described below as examples do not limit the scope of the present invention. An intoxication degree determining system as a preferable embodiment of the present invention further includes: a sensor section configured to sense at least one of a pulse rate, a blood pressure, and a blood alcohol concentration of the user's, wherein the computation section determines the intoxication degree of the user's additionally on a basis of the at least one of the pulse rate, the blood pressure, and the blood alcohol concentration of the user's. The above arrangement allows the intoxication degree to be determined on the basis of both the answer to the question and the measurement result, and is thereby likely to allow the intoxication degree to be determined more accurately. An intoxication degree determining system as a preferable embodiment of the present invention is arranged such that the computation section determines on a basis of the intoxication degree whether the user is able to continue drinking, and the output section is configured to present the use with a result of the determination of whether the user is able to continue drinking. The above arrangement allows the user to be advised to drink moderately, and is thereby likely to increase the level of satisfaction on drinking occasions. An intoxication degree determining system as a preferable embodiment of the present invention further includes: a history storing section configured to store a history of the intoxication degree of the user's, wherein the question creating section is configured to create a follow-up question, the follow-up question being a question for the user to answer about a health condition of the user's at a follow-up time point, the follow-up time point being a predetermined time point after the user ended drinking, the history storing section is configured to further store a history of the health condition, which is based on an answer by the user to the follow-up question, and the computation section is configured to determine a tendency of the user's for a hangover on a basis of the intoxication degree and the history of the health condition. The above arrangement allows the tendency of the individual user's for a hangover to be determined, and is thereby likely to allow the user to understand the tendency of the user's physical condition after drinking. An intoxication degree determining system as a preferable embodiment of the present invention is arranged such that the computation section determines additionally on a basis of the tendency for a hangover whether the user is able to continue drinking. The above arrangement allows the user to be advised to drink moderately on the additional basis of the user's tendency for a hangover, and is thereby likely to further increase the level of satisfaction on drinking occasions. An intoxication degree determining system as a preferable embodiment of the present invention further includes: a personal information storing section configured to store information on at least one of (i) a hereditary trait of the user's associated with fitness of the user's to drink and (ii) a drinking habit of the user's, wherein the computation section determines additionally on a basis of at least one of the hereditary trait and the drinking habit whether the user is able to continue drinking. The above arrangement allows the user to be advised to drink moderately on the additional basis of at least one of the user's fitness to drink and the user's drinking habit, and is thereby likely to allow the user to further enjoy drinking. An intoxication degree determining system as a preferable embodiment of the present invention further includes: a user managing section configured to identify each of a plurality of users, wherein the intoxication degree determining system is configured to determine an intoxication degree of each user's. The above arrangement allows the intoxication state of each of a plurality of users to be determined without requiring prior learning or accurate measurement. An intoxication degree determining system as a preferable embodiment of the present invention is arranged such that the user managing section is further configured to identify a participant, the participant being a user participating in a particular drinking occasion, and the computation section is configured to evaluate a level of satisfaction on the particular drinking occasion on a basis of an intoxication degree of the participant's. The above arrangement is likely to allow drinking occasions to be satisfying for many participants. An intoxication degree determining system as a preferable embodiment of the present invention is arranged such that the output section and the input section are an output section and an input section of a portable information terminal. The above arrangement allows the output section and the input section to be used by means of portable information terminals that many users are accustomed to using, and is likely to allow the user to easily understand how to use the system of the present invention. Additional features and advantages of the present invention will be made clearer by the description of the exemplary and non-limiting embodiments below, which are described with reference to the drawings. Brief Description of Drawings Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of an intoxication degree determining system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a determination flowchart according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an intoxication degree determining system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Description of Embodiments [Embodiment 1] [Basic Configuration of Intoxication Degree Determining System] [Intoxication Degree Determining Function] [Function of Determining Whether User Can Continue Drinking] [Hangover Tendency Determining Function] [Personal Information Using Function] [Embodiment 2] [Basic Configuration of Intoxication Degree Determining System] [Drinking Occasion Evaluating Function] [Advantages of Embodiments] [Other Embodiments] With reference to drawings, the description below deals with Embodiment 1 of an intoxication degree determining system, an intoxication degree determining method, and an intoxication degree determining program according to the present invention. The example described below is an intoxication degree determining method involving use of an intoxication degree determining system 100 including a smartphone 10 and a server device 20. The smartphone 10 and the server device 20 each include an intoxication degree determining program according to the present invention installed thereon. Fig. 1 As illustrated in , the intoxication degree determining system 100 includes a smartphone 10 and a server device 20. The smartphone 10 (which is an example of the "portable information terminal") includes a touch screen 11 (which is an example of the "output section" and the "input section"), a terminal computation section 12, a terminal communication section 13, and an optical sensor unit 14 (which is an example of the "sensing section"). The server device 20 includes a question creating section 21, a server computation section 22 (which is an example of the "computation section"), a storage section 23, and a server communication section 24. The storage section 23 includes a history storing section 231, a personal information storing section 232, and a basic information storing section 233. The smartphone 10 and the server device 20 are communicable with each other over a network NW with use of the respective communication functions of the terminal communication section 13 and the server communication section 24. The terminal computation section 12 controls the respective operations of the other sections of the smartphone 10, whereas the server computation section 22 controls the respective operations of the other sections of the server device 20. The question creating section 21 is configured to create questions for a drinking smartphone user to answer. The server device 20 transmits a question(s) selected by the question creating section 21 to the smartphone 10. The smartphone 10 then presents the question to the user of the smartphone 10 by displaying the question on the touch screen 11. The user can input an answer to the question into the smartphone 10 by touching the touch screen 11. The optical sensor unit 14 is present at a position that the user's finger or thumb touches when the user naturally holds the smartphone 10. This allows the optical sensor unit 14 to measure the color of the user's finger or thumb simultaneously when the user operates the smartphone 10 to answer the question. The optical sensor unit 14, for this purpose, functions like a publicly known sensor for sensing a pulse wave on the basis of reflected light, and is capable of measuring the user's pulse wave and blood pressure. The smartphone 10 transmits to the server device 20 the answer inputted by the user on the touch screen 11 and data on the user's pulse and blood pressure measured by the optical sensor unit 14. The server computation section 22 then determines the user's intoxication degree on the basis of the answer and the pulse and blood pressure. The basic information storing section 233 of the storage section 23 stores information on a list of questions to be presented to the user, the correlation between answers and the intoxication degree, and the correlation between pulses and blood pressures and the intoxication degree. The history storing section 231 of the storage section 23 stores information on the intoxication degree associated with the user's past drinking and how the intoxication state changed over time, and information on whether the user suffered hangover the following morning. The storage section 23 accumulates these information items on the basis of a history of determination of the intoxication degree and intoxication state during drinking, and follow-up surveys conducted on the user. The personal information storing section 232 of the storage section 23 stores information on the user's hereditary traits associated with the user's fitness to drink and the user's drinking habit. The storage section 23 accumulates these information items on the basis of surveys on the user. The description below deals with various functions of the intoxication degree determining system 100 according to the present embodiment. First, the intoxication degree determining system 100 has an intoxication degree determining function (intoxication degree determining method). As described above, the question creating section 21 is configured to create questions for a drinking smartphone user to answer. Specifically, the question creating section 21 selects a single question from a list of questions stored in advance in the basic information storing section 233. The questions created are more difficult to answer correctly as the user's intoxication degree is higher. In terms of their level, the questions include such questions as "Can you touch the hand with which you will lose a rock paper scissors game against the hand displayed on the screen?" and "Can you touch only 'Nu's (a Japanese character) among all the 'Mu's (another Japanese character) and 'N's displayed on the screen?". The intoxication degree determining system 100 assumes a person who answers the question to have a cognitive level of the average adult, in view of the object of the present invention of determining the intoxication degree. Fig. 2 When the user has activated the intoxication degree determining program on the smartphone 10, the smartphone 10 requests the server device 20 to create a question(s). In response to the request, the question creating section 21 creates a question(s). The server device 20 transmits the question selected by the question creating section 21 to the smartphone 10. The smartphone 10 then presents the question to the user of the smartphone 10 by displaying the question on the touch screen 11. The user inputs an answer to the question into the smartphone 10 by touching the touch screen 11 (see , step S11). The touch screen 11 displays content corresponding to each question and a possible answer. If the question is, for example, the above question "Can you touch the hand with which you will lose a rock paper scissors game against the hand displayed on the screen?", the touch screen 11 displays images of a hand for the rock paper scissors game for the question and three hand options for the user to choose from as an answer. Fig. 2 Further, when the user inputs an answer to the question on the touch screen 11, the optical sensor unit 14 simultaneously measures the user's pulse and blood pressure (see , step S12). When the user has inputted an answer to a question on the touch screen 11, the smartphone 10 transmits to the server device 20 the answer and information on the time length required by the user to answer the question. The server computation section 22 determines whether the answer received is correct, and stores in the history storing section 231 the answer, information on whether the answer is correct, and information on the time length required. During this operation, the smartphone 10 also transmits to the server device 20 information on the user's pulse and blood pressure measured simultaneously with the user's answer input. The server computation section 22 stores this information in the history storing section 231 as well. Fig. 2 The server computation section 22 estimates the user's intoxication degree at the time of answering the question by checking each answer, whether the answer is correct, and the required time length against the correlation (information on which is stored in advance in the basic information storing section 233) between (i) answers, whether the answers are correct, and required time lengths and (ii) the intoxication degree (see , step S21). The wrong answer rate and the time length required to answer a question, in particular, are positively correlated with the intoxication degree because they increase as a result of alcoholic intoxication affecting the user's brain. Fig. 2 During the above operation, the server computation section 22 simultaneously estimates the user's intoxication degree at the time of answering the question by checking the measured pulse and blood pressure of the user's against the correlation (information on which is stored in advance in the basic information storing section 233) between (i) pulses and blood pressures and (ii) the intoxication degree (see , step S22). A person's pulse and blood pressure are known to be positively correlated with the person's intoxication degree. Fig. 2 Fig. 2 The server computation section 22 then converts the user's intoxication degree at the time of answering the question into an index (expressed in a percentage) comprehensively on the basis of the intoxication degree based on the user's answer and the intoxication degree based on the measurement (see , step S31). Next, the server computation section 22 classifies the user's intoxication state into one of the following levels: the pleasant period, the slightly intoxicated period, the early intoxicated period, the intoxicated period, the severely intoxicated period, and the deep sleep period (see , step S32). The server computation section 22 stores in the history storing section 231 information on the index of the intoxication degree and the intoxication state determined, together with a time stamp of each answer input. Fig. 2 The intoxication degree determining system 100 according to the present embodiment also has the function of determining whether the user is able to continue drinking. The server computation section 22 performs this function by determining whether the user can continue drinking, on the basis of the index of the intoxication degree and the intoxication state determined (see , step S60). Specifically, the server computation section 22 determines that the user can continue drinking if the intoxication degree is less than 0.15% (that is, if the intoxication state is the pleasant period, the slightly intoxicated period, or the early intoxicated period) and determines that the user cannot continue drinking if the intoxication degree is not less than 0.15% (that is, if the intoxication state is the intoxicated period, the severely intoxicated period, or the deep sleep period). The server computation section 22 stores in the history storing section 231 information on whether the user can continue drinking. The server device 20 transmits to the smartphone 10 information on the intoxication degree, the intoxication state, and whether the user can continue drinking, determined as above. The smartphone 10 then presents the information to the user of the smartphone 10 by displaying the information on the touch screen 11. The description below deals with the hangover tendency determining function of the intoxication degree determining system 100 according to the present embodiment. The question creating section 21 creates a question(s) about the user's health condition eight hours after the end of the drinking occasion for which the intoxication degree was determined as above (which is an example of the "follow-up time point, the follow-up time point being a predetermined time point after the user ended drinking"). The questions created are intended to ask whether the user has typical symptoms of a hangover, specifically such questions as "Did you get up this morning as you scheduled?", "Do you have a headache?", and "Are you feeling dizzy?". The server device 20 transmits the question selected by the question creating section 21 to the smartphone 10. The smartphone 10 then presents the question to the user of the smartphone 10 by displaying the question on the touch screen 11. The user inputs an answer to the question into the smartphone 10 by touching the touch screen 11. The smartphone 10 transmits the answer inputted by the user to the server device 20. The server computation section 22 then converts the user's hangover state into an index on the basis of the answer received. The server computation section 22 stores in the history storing section 231 the answer and the index of the hangover state in association with the intoxication degree and intoxication state determined on the drinking occasion immediately before the user inputted the answer. The history storing section 231 thus accumulates information on (i) a history of the intoxication degree and intoxication state during drinking and (ii) the hangover state on the day following the drinking occasion. This accumulated information allows the server computation section 22 to determine the user's tendency for a hangover (that is, the correlation between drinking and the probability of a hangover). The server computation section 22 calculates the probability of a hangover on subsequent drinking occasions on the basis of the intoxication degree and the tendency for a hangover. The server device 20 transmits information on the calculated probability of a hangover to the smartphone 10. The smartphone 10 displays the information on the touch screen 11. Fig. 2 The user's tendency for a hangover can serve as an additional ground for determination when the server computation section 22 determines whether the user can continue drinking. Specifically, for a user who has a strong tendency for a hangover (that is, who highly probably suffers a hangover), the server computation section 22 lowers the threshold of the intoxication degree for determining that the user cannot continue drinking (see , step S40). The description below deals with the personal information using function of the intoxication degree determining system 100 according to the present embodiment. The personal information storing section 232 of the storage section 23 stores personal information on the user's drinking. Personal information on a user's drinking includes information on the user's hereditary traits, drinking habit, and body. The storage section 23 accumulates these information items on the basis of surveys on the user. Specifically, the above information items are, for example, inputted by a user himself/herself before the user uses the intoxication degree determining function. The hereditary traits of a user associated with the user's fitness to drink can be determined with use of an alcohol patch test, for example. On the basis of the result of the alcohol patch test conducted, the user selects on the touch screen 11 whether the user's genotype is ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) active, ALDH2 less-active, or ALDH2 inactive. The smartphone 10 transmits the genotype information inputted by the user to the server device 20. The server device 20 then stores the genotype information in the personal information storing section 232. Information on a user's drinking habit includes such information as the number of drinking occasions per week, the amount of alcohol consumption on a drinking occasion, and favorite alcohol drinks and brands. Information on a user's body includes such information as the user's height, weight, sex, and age. The user inputs these information items on the touch screen 11 as well. The smartphone 10 transmits the drinking habit information inputted by the user to the server device 20. The server device 20 then stores the drinking habit information in the personal information storing section 232. Fig. 2 The information on the user's hereditary traits, drinking habit, and body can serve as an additional ground for determination of the user's tendency for a hangover when the server computation section 22 determines whether the user can continue drinking. Specifically, for a user who meets such a condition(s) as having an ALDH2 less-active or inactive genotype, usually having only a few drinking occasions, and/or being lightweight, the server computation section 22 lowers the threshold of the intoxication degree for determining that the user cannot continue drinking, as compared to a user who does not meet such a condition(s) (see , step S51). The description below deals with an intoxication degree determining system 200 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention with reference to a drawing. The description below does not deal with matters already described above for Embodiment 1. Embodiment 2 includes a server device 20' and a plurality of smartphones 10a to 10x, the former and the latter being communicable with each other over a network NW The smartphones 10a to 10x each have a configuration identical to that of the smartphone 10 for Embodiment 1. The respective users Pa to Px of the smartphones 10a to 10x can thus each independently use the above-described functions of the intoxication degree determining system 100 according to Embodiment 1 by means of the corresponding one of the smartphones 10a to 10x and the server device 20'. Fig. 3 The server device 20' according to Embodiment 2 includes elements similar to those of the server device 20 according to Embodiment 1, and additionally includes a user managing section 25 (see ). The user managing section 25 identifies and manages the individual users Pa to Px in association with login IDs assigned respectively to the users. Specifically, the user managing section 25 controls the server computation section 22' so that the functions described for Embodiment 1 are performed for each of the individual users Pa to Px with use of various information items about that particular user. The information items are specifically information on the answer(s) to a question(s), whether the answer is correct, and the time length required to answer the question; the pulse and blood pressure measured; a history of the intoxication degree and intoxication state; a history of the hangover state and the tendency for a hangover; and the hereditary traits, drinking habit, and body (personal information). The server device 20' according to Embodiment 2 is capable of performing, not only the functions described for Embodiment 1, but also a function of evaluating the level of satisfaction on a drinking occasion on the basis of, for example, the intoxication degree of each of a plurality of users present together on the drinking occasion. The user managing section 25 identifies each user (participant) present on a drinking occasion as an evaluation target on the basis of the login ID. The server computation section 22' creates an index indicative of the level of satisfaction on the drinking occasion on the basis of each participant's intoxication degree and intoxication state determined during the drinking occasion. Specifically, the server computation section 22' increases the index if many participants are in the pleasant period or the slightly intoxicated period in terms of the intoxication state, and decreases the index if any participant is in the severely intoxicated period or the deep sleep period in terms of the intoxication state. If the server computation section 22' has determined on the basis of the above-described function of determining whether the user can continue drinking that a participant cannot continue drinking, not only the smartphone 10 of that participant but also the respective smartphones 10 of the other participants display information to the effect that the participant cannot continue drinking. The above-described intoxication degree determining system 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is capable of determining the user's intoxication degree during a drinking occasion on the basis of objective indicators, and also capable of determining, on the basis of the intoxication degree determined, whether the user can continue drinking. Further, the intoxication degree determining system 100 is capable of determining whether the user can continue drinking, on the basis of each user's tendency for a hangover and personal information. The intoxication degree determining system 100 is thus capable of suggesting to each user an amount of drinking that likely allows the user to feel good, such as an amount of drinking that allows the user to be in the pleasant period or the slightly intoxicated period. These functions allow drinking occasions to be enjoyable. The intoxication degree determining system 200 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention increases the index when many participants are drinking moderately, thereby allowing each participant to be advised to drink moderately. The intoxication degree determining system 200 also allows a participant to advise another participant to stop drinking if the other participant should not continue drinking any more. These features likely increase the level of satisfaction on a drinking occasion. Finally, the description below deals with intoxication degree determining systems, intoxication degree determining methods, and intoxication degree determining programs as other embodiments of the present invention. The arrangement disclosed for any embodiment below is combinable with the arrangement disclosed for any other embodiment unless such a combination causes any inconvenience. Embodiment 1 described above is an example in which the intoxication degree determining system 100 is capable of performing an intoxication degree determining function, a function of determining whether the user can continue drinking, a hangover tendency determining function, and a personal information using function. The present invention is, however, not limited to such an arrangement. The intoxication degree determining system of the present invention at least includes a question creating section configured to create a question for a drinking user to answer; an output section configured to present the user with the question; an input section configured to receive an operation by the user of inputting an answer to the question; and a computation section configured to determine an intoxication degree of the user's on the basis of the answer. Regarding the other three functions (namely, the function of determining whether the user can continue drinking, the hangover tendency determining function, and the personal information using function), the intoxication degree determining system of the present invention may be capable of performing one, two, all, or even none of them. Embodiment 1 described above is an example in which the intoxication degree determining system 100 includes a smartphone 10 and a server device 20, the smartphone 10 including a touch screen 11, a terminal computation section 12, a terminal communication section 13, and an optical sensor unit 14, the server device 20 including a question creating section 21, a server computation section 22, a storage section 23, and a server communication section 24. The present invention is, however, not limited to such an arrangement. The intoxication degree determining system of the present invention may alternatively include a single device that serves as each of the question creating section, the output section, the input section, and the computation section. Embodiment 1 described above is an example in which the server computation section 22 estimates a user's intoxication degree on the basis of the user's answer(s) to a question(s), whether the answer is correct, and the time length required by the user to answer the question, the question being created by the question creating section 21 for the intoxication degree determining function and being more difficult to answer correctly as the user's intoxication degree is higher (such as "Can you touch the hand with which you will lose a rock paper scissors game against the hand displayed on the screen?"). For the intoxication degree determining function, however, the question creating section may alternatively create a question(s) about the kind(s) and amount(s) of the beverage(s) that the user has consumed by the time the user answers the question, so that the computation section estimates the user's intoxication degree on the basis of the user's answer to the question. With this embodiment, the intoxication degree determining function allows the computation section to estimate the order and respective amounts of alcoholic beverages that each user has consumed, on the basis of the kind(s) and amount(s) of the beverage(s) that the user has consumed. In this case, the computation section is capable of estimating the user's intoxication degree on the basis of the correlation between (i) the order and respective amounts of the alcoholic beverages and (ii) the intoxication degree. Further, the computation section may also use, as a ground for the intoxication degree estimation, such information as each user's physical predisposition (for example, whether for each kind of alcoholic beverage, the user has a high tolerance or not). This embodiment also allows each user to check a history of what beverages the user has consumed (specifically, such information as the kinds, amounts, order, and times). The computation section may use any one of the above methods for the intoxication degree estimation, combine two or more of the above methods, or combine one or more of the above methods with a different estimation method(s). Embodiment 1 described above is an example in which the smartphone 10 displays on the touch screen 11 information on whether the user can continue drinking. The output section may alternatively output such information together with additional information based thereon. The output section may output, for example, a suggestion of an alcoholic beverage that the user should drink next if the user can continue drinking and a suggestion of a non-alcoholic beverage that the user should drink next if the user cannot continue drinking. The output section may further alternatively display an image of a discount coupon together with the suggestion. The storage section may be capable of storing information on whether the user adopted the suggestion. Embodiment 1 described above is an example in which the intoxication degree determining system 100 includes a smartphone 10 including an optical sensor unit 14 capable of functioning as a sensor for sensing a pulse wave on the basis of reflected light and converts the user's intoxication degree at the time of answering the question into an index comprehensively on the basis of the intoxication degree based on the user's answer and the intoxication degree based on the measurement. The present invention is, however, not limited to such an arrangement. The intoxication degree determining system of the present invention may omit such a measurement section and determine the intoxication degree on the basis of the answer only. Embodiment 1 described above is an example in which the intoxication degree determining system 100 converts the user's intoxication degree into an index expressed in a percentage and classifies the user's intoxication state into one of the following levels: the pleasant period, the slightly intoxicated period, the early intoxicated period, the intoxicated period, the severely intoxicated period, and the deep sleep period. The present invention is, however, not limited to such an arrangement. The intoxication degree determining system of the present invention may alternatively determine the user's intoxication degree by any method such as by converting the user's intoxication degree into a numerical point, a graph, or an icon. Further, the intoxication degree determining system of the present invention may classify the user's intoxication state into one of fewer or more than the above six levels. Embodiment 1 described above is an example in which the intoxication degree determining system 100 includes its output section and input section in the integrated form of the touch screen 11 of the smartphone 10. The present invention is, however, not limited to such an arrangement. The intoxication degree determining system of the present invention may alternatively include separate output and input devices as its output section and input section. Further alternatively, the output section and input section may be of such a portable information terminal as a smartwatch, smartglasses, virtual reality goggles, a tablet computer, a laptop personal computer, or a portable telephone. Embodiment 1 described above is an example in which the intoxication degree determining system 100 includes a smartphone 10 including an optical sensor unit 14 capable of measuring the user's pulse and blood pressure. The present invention is, however, not limited to such an arrangement. In the case where the intoxication degree determining system of the present invention includes a sensor section, the sensor section may be provided for a device that is integrated with one of the question creating section, the output section, the input section, and the computation section or that is separate from any of these sections. The intoxication degree determining system of the present invention may, for instance, include (i) as a variation of the smartphone 10 for Embodiments 1 and 2, a smartphone including a question creating section, an output section, an input section, and a computation section and (ii) a casing attachable to the smartphone, the casing being provided with a sensor section capable of sensing at least one of the user's pulse, blood pressure, and blood alcohol concentration and a communication section capable of communicating with the smartphone. Embodiment 1 described above is an example in which the intoxication degree determining system 100 includes a smartphone 10 including an optical sensor unit 14 capable of measuring the user's pulse and blood pressure. The present invention is, however, not limited to such an arrangement. In the case where the intoxication degree determining system of the present invention includes a sensor section, the sensor section may be capable of sensing at least one of the user's pulse rate, blood pressure, and blood alcohol concentration. Embodiment 1 described above is an example in which the server computation section 22 determines that the user can continue drinking if the intoxication degree is less than 0.15%, in the case where the server computation section 22 does not use information on the user's tendency for a hangover or personal information. The present invention is, however, not limited to such an arrangement. The threshold of the intoxication degree for determining that the user cannot continue drinking is changeable, and may be set on the basis of, for example, the office regulations that the user need to obey, guidance given by the user's attending doctor, and/or the user's preferences. The threshold may be changed by the user freely or by only someone authorized to change the threshold (such as the user's attending doctor). Embodiment 1 described above is an example in which for a user who has a strong tendency for a hangover, the server computation section 22 lowers the threshold of the intoxication degree for determining that the user cannot continue drinking. For a user who has a weak tendency for a hangover, the computation section may raise the threshold. Embodiment 1 described above is an example in which for a user who meets such a condition(s) as having an ALDH2 less-active or inactive genotype, usually having only a few drinking occasions, and/or being lightweight, the server computation section 22 lowers the threshold of the intoxication degree for determining that the user cannot continue drinking. For a user who does not meet the condition, the computation section may raise the threshold. Embodiment 1 described above is an example in which the smartphone 10 displays a question(s) for the user about the user's health condition eight hours after the end of the last drinking occasion for which the intoxication degree was determined, and the server computation section 22 converts the user's hangover state into an index on the basis of the answer to the question, that is, an example in which the follow-up time point for the present invention is eight hours after the end of the last drinking occasion. The present invention is, however, not limited to such an arrangement. The follow-up time point for the present invention may be any time point within a time period in which the user may have a hangover symptom after the end of the last drinking occasion. Examples of the follow-up time point include a time point that is a predetermined time period after the end of the last drinking occasion and a predetermined time point on the day following the last drinking occasion. Embodiment 2 described above is an example in which the intoxication degree determining system 200 manages individual users on the basis of the login ID of each user. The present invention is, however, not limited to such an arrangement. With two or more users involved, the intoxication degree determining system of the present invention may alternatively identify and manage individual users by another publicly known method such as fingerprint authentication, voiceprint authentication, or facial recognition. Embodiment 2 described above is an example in which the intoxication degree determining system 200 creates an index indicative of the level of satisfaction on a drinking occasion on the basis of each participant's intoxication degree. The present invention is, however, not limited to such an arrangement. The intoxication degree determining system of the present invention may alternatively determine the level of satisfaction on a drinking occasion on the basis of another determination criterion. The intoxication degree determining system may, for instance, determine if many participants have a pulse and blood pressure each within a predetermined range of desirable values that the level of satisfaction is high on the drinking occasion, where many participants are feeling relaxed. It should be understood that with respect to other arrangements as well, the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and do not limit the scope of the present invention. Persons skilled in the art will readily understand that the present invention can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present invention. The present invention thus naturally covers in its scope any embodiment as modified without departing from the scope of the present invention. Industrial Applicability The present invention is applicable to, for example, a smartphone capable of determining the user's intoxication degree. Reference Signs List 100 200 10 11 12 13 14 20 21 22 23 231 232 233 24 25 Intoxication degree determining system according to Embodiment 1 Intoxication degree determining system according to Embodiment 2 Smartphone Touch screen Terminal computation section Terminal communication section Optical sensor unit Server device Question creating section Server computation section Storage section History storing section Personal information storing section Basic information storing section Server communication section User managing section
- Spring 2020 Syllabus Description: Japan 412 is a 4th year level discovery-based Japanese language course. This course aims to develop Japanese skills at the 4th-year level through virtual visits to Tokyo. Using online resources, video, books, and articles, students will explore the culture, history, geography, and various events in Tokyo, developing language skills and deepening knowledge of Japan and Japanese culture through meaningful interaction in Japanese with the materials, teacher, and one another. Classes are taught using a student-centered approach that focuses on discovery-based learning, leading students to develop skills and knowledge that are relevant to their interests and lives. This includes student web “search topics” where students discovered online video and website materials to access in Japanese and orally summarize in interaction with one another. A highlight of the course is drawing students into the linguistic and cultural experience of Waseda University student life. Waseda is a historic university, located in the heart of one of Tokyo’s downtowns. Learning about the history, culture, people, and current happenings in the town of Waseda and Waseda University, provides a context for student to develop linguistic and life skills that are essential for life and study in Japan. The course has an oral skills focus and also works to develop reading, listening and writing skills. Focus on “writing-to-learn” means that students write to help them to consolidate and develop language knowledge that will also be useful to them as speakers, listeners, and readers, rather than focusing on producing polished written products. In essence, this course is designed to promote students’ development of useful Japanese language skills and Japanese language learning skills to help them to engage with Japanese people and materials about Japan. Materials used in this course are unedited materials designed for Japanese native speakers. One goal of the course is for students to learn how to self-manage when working with unedited materials. Students will vary in how much material they are able to cover depending on their own language proficiency, each progressing in their learning in their own way. Details will be discussed in class. The course contains a strong self-directed component along with a structured syllabus of materials and activities. In keeping with an emphasis on oral skills development, each student will have a weekly individual oral interview assessment with the instructor where they can demonstrate what they are learning and get ongoing advice on developing their skills. Students are required to monitor their own Japanese language studies by keeping a study journal (学習ジャーナル)describing their study and new findings/learning and and creating vocabulary/kanji portfolio（単語・漢字リスト）to promote development of vocabulary and kanji skills. Also, students will each do two presentations on these topics: 1) their own discoveries about Tokyo (5th week) and their own university life (10th week) in Japanese. Enrollment requires completion of at least Japan 313/303 or 345 with a minimum grade of a 2.5, or instructor approval. This course is a language class that counts toward Japanese major and minor. Also, VLPA requirement can be satisfied by successfully passing the course.	https://asian.washington.edu/courses/2020/spring/japan/412/a
This study was approved by the Institutional Human Research Ethics Committee, and complied with the Declaration of Helsinki. Ten young men were recruited for the present study, and each of them signed an informed consent form and completed medical questionnaires before participating in the study. The effect size for the difference in TF changes between conditions was estimated to be 0.9 based on our previous study , and 10 participants were shown to be adequate with the alpha level of 0.05 and power (1 − β) of 0.80. Their mean ± SD (range) age, height and body mass were 25.0 ± 2.7 (22–31) years, 173.7 ± 6.4 (165–184) cm and 74.0 ± 12.0 (57.2–89.3) kg, respectively. All participants were in good health and fitness, participated in moderate exercise and sporting activities 2–3 times a week (less than 300 min in total), and were not prone to muscle cramping. However, participants responded to the electrical train stimulation described below and had muscle cramping in the screening. This was checked in a familiarization session that was set 7–10 days before the first experimentas session. If participants did not tolerate to the electrical stimulation, or no muscle cramping was induced by the electrical stimulation, they were excluded from the study. Thus, all participants included in the present study were muscle cramp responders to the electrical stimulation. In the familiarizarion session, the participants also experienced downhill running (DHR) with the slope of 5% for 10 min at 5.5–6.0 km·/h− 1. They were not exposed to temperature higher than 32 °C during the 4 weeks prior to this study. Study design The present study used OS-1 (Otsuka Pharmaceutical Factory, Inc., Japan) containing sodium (1150 mg/L = 50 mM/L), potassium (780 mg/L = 20 mM/L), magnesium (24 mg/L = 1 mM/L), chloride (1770 mg/L = 50 mM/L), glucose (18,000 mg/L = 100 mM/L) and others (e.g., phosphorus) as ORS. For the other condition, spring water (Coles Natural Spring Water, Coles, Australia) was used which contained a small amount of sodium (2 mg/L), potassium (0.5 mg/L), magnesium (18 mg/L), chloride (1.2 mg/L), and calcium (39 mg/L). The fluid ingested during and after DHR was the same for each condition. Using a cross-over design, the OS-1 and spring water conditions were compared for changes in TF of electrical stimulation to induce calf muscle cramp before and after DHR. The two conditions were counterbalanced among the participants and separated by a week. DHR was used in the present study, since its metabolic demand is smaller than that in level or uphill running . Thus, DHR was easier for the particiopants to perform, but induced relatively large sweating of nearly 2% of body mass in less than 60 min . Muscle cramp assessment To assess calf muscle cramp susceptibility, calf muscles were electrically stimulated to induce muscle cramping, and the frequency of the stimulation to induce muscle cramp was used as an indicator of muscle cramp susceptibility . Each participant lay prone on a massage bed, and the instep was placed on the bed, which kept the ankle joint in a plantar-flexed position. Electrical train stimulation was delivered to the calf muscles of the kicking (dominant) leg by a portable electrical stimulator (Compex 2, Compex Medical, Switzerland) with one electrode (cathode) placed over the tibialis posterior nerve in the popliteal fossa, and the other electrode (anode) placed at the tibialis tendon. The locations of the electrodes were marked by a semi-permanent marker to ensure the consistent electrode placement between measures on the same day and between sessions separated by a week. Each stimulation consisted of 0.5-s duration of rise time and 2-s bursts of stimuli of 300-μs duration, which was specifically programmed for the present study. The stimulation started at a frequency of 10-Hz, and two stimulations were given at this frequency during which the stimulation intensity was increased to a level (18–60 mA) which had been determined in a familiarisation session. The intensity of the stimulation was set for each participant to have muscle cramp at 24 or 26 Hz, and the same intensity was used in all measurements. This method was developed for the present study, based on our previous study . The intensity (amplitude) of the stimulation varied among participants (40–60 mA), but all of them had muscle cramping at 24 or 26 Hz at the baseline. The stimulation frequency was automatically increased by 2 Hz from 10 Hz every 30 s until muscle cramp was induced, and the TF at which cramp was induced was recorded. The muscle cramp was identified by a visibly taut muscle sustained after stimulation, and pain reported by the participant. Participants were instructed to relax during the electrical stimulation, and as soon as muscle cramp was confirmed, the cramp was relieved by passive dorsiflexion of the foot by the investigator. Exercise All participants were instructed to refrain from any strenuous exercise for one week prior to participating in the study. They were asked to consume 600-ml of spring water at 2 h before coming to the laboratory, and refrain from any food and beverage intake thereafter. All participants were required to record their food intake before the first session, and they were asked to have the same foods and amount of water before the second session. However, the actual food and fluid intakes were not checked nor recorded, thus it was not not known whether the meal content and fluid intake before the two sessionas were identical. The participants performed two bouts of DHR (slope: 5%) in a climate chamber at 35–36 °C and 25–28% relative humidity (Fig. 1). The running intensity and duration to reduce 2% of body mass (1.14–1.78 L) without fluid intake were based on the previous study . The running velocity was between 6.4–9.7 km/h among the participants, and the velocity was modified for each participant. The body mass was measured by a scale (Mettler Toltdo ID1, Columbus, OH, USA) after the first 20 min of DHR, when each participant stopped running, took off all clothes and shoes, and wiped off sweat. This was repeated every 10 min thereafter for the same duration as that of the previous study (40–60 min) . After the body mass measurement, each participant ingested either spring water or OS-1 for the amount of the body mass decrease in the time period (Fig. 1). In the second bout, the protocol was the same as that of the first bout, thus the participants ran the same duration for the same distance at the same velocities for the two bouts. During DHR, heart rate (HR) (Model S610i; Polar Electro Oy, Finland) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE, 6–20 point Borg Scale) were recorded (Fig. 1). Ratings of perceived thermal sensation was assessed with an 8-point thermal rating scale (0: unbearably cold to 8: unbearably hot) . These were measured before DHR, then every 5 min during DHR. Blood pressure and tympanic temperature were measured by an automatic sphygmomanometer and a digital ear thermometer (BraunThermoScan 5, USA), respectively, before, after the first 20 min and every 10 min during DHR, and at the end of DHR, when each participant stopped running and was sitting in a chair. Blood analyses Approximately 8 ml of blood was drawn by a standard venepuncture from the antecubital vein before, immediately after, and 65 min after DHR (Fig. 1), while each participant was sitting on a phlebotomy chair. A portion of the blood sample (1.5 ml) was used to measure hematocrit (Hct) and hemoglobin (Hb) by a capillary method and a HemoCue (Hb 201 System, Sweden), respectively, and the plasma volume change was calculated . The normal reference range was 14–18 g/dl for Hb, and 40–54% for Hct in young adults . The rest of the blood was centrifuged for 10 min at 3000 rpm to obtain serum for the analyses of electrolyte concentrations of sodium, chlorine, potassium and magnesium, and osmolality. The electrolyte concentrations were measured by an ABBOTT Architect C160000 analyser (Abbott Park, IL, USA) using a corresponding kit for sodium, chlorine and potassium and using another kit for magnesium (Abbott Laboratories Diagnostics, Abbott Park, IL, USA). Normal reference range of serum concentration for young adults by the method was sodium: 136–146 mmol/L, potassium: 3.5–4.5 mmol/L, magnesium: 0.65–1.05 mmol/L and chlorine: 96–106 mmol/L. Statistical analyses Data were assessed by a Shapiro-Wilk test for the normality and a Levene test for the homogeneity of variance assumption. Two-way repeated measures of analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare between conditions (spring water vs OS-1) for the changes in TF before, immediately after, and 30 and 65 min post-DHR, changes in body mass, HR, RPE, thermal sensation, blood pressure, and tympanic temperature during DHR, and changes in Hct, Hb, serum osmolality, and serum electrolyte concentrations (sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride) before, immediately after and 65 min after DHR. When the ANOVA showed a significant time effect and/or interaction effect, a Tukey’s post-hoc test was performed for multiple comparisons. Correlations between the changes in TF and serum electrolyte concentrations were assessed by a Pearson’s product-moment. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05, and all data were presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD).	https://dailymacho.com/effect-of-oral-rehydration-solution-versus-spring-water-intake-during-exercise-in-the-heat-on-muscle-cramp-susceptibility-of-young-men/
Connection is defined as a relationship in which a person, thing, or idea is linked or associated with something else (source: oxford dictionary). I’ve always been a big advocate for building connections within teams. For many people, this means just providing a shared purpose to give people a reason to be associated. As valuable as a shared purpose is, this doesn’t do enough to create the connections necessary to deliver results. Connections take intentional and ongoing efforts to build relationships that foster collaboration. There is no one checklist to follow to build connections. Humans are tricky that way. Even in this more virtual world, spending effort to build connections remains important. But I recently experienced a common scenario that highlights a problem due to the lack of connection: Everything seems difficult: I’m part of a professional work community all associated with a common concept. We have the ability to email the entire community for discussions. But the conversations are frequently fraught with tension, misunderstandings, judgment, etc. For example, one person asked something akin to “what would be good next training to take?” and this email thread turned hostile within a few replies. I know, how is that possible? Because there was a judgment about response ideas, misunderstandings of the question, tangent responses that took the thread in a different direction, etc. I wish I was surprised but that is often how these threads go. Because the words written are only part of how people communicate. Asynchronous communication misses tone, interaction, volume, etc. So if I don’t have a connection with the person writing the message, it can be easy for my brain to imply/assume/react to the literal words. Having a shared overall concept together does not actually bring us together to collaborate. We have to want to collaborate…and if the only interaction is these asynchronous messages, I am not building any type of relationship (except maybe a negative one)…thus interest continues to diminish. Even easy wonderful questions, seem to create drama and you stop being surprised by the pattern…in fact, you expect it now. Now I’m not saying everyone on a team has to be best friends. For me to collaborate at my most creative mind, I have to feel a sense of belonging and safety. Otherwise, I might filter ideas. I might avoid risks. I might worry about what others think. I might go along with the group. But when I have a relationship with someone that I know to be creative and intelligent…that I know to have good intentions…that I know wants me to succeed, then I thrive. One of my favorite ways to build connections is by doing a book club together. As the book topic is “neutral” (meaning that it’s not about one person/team/outcome to collaborate on), people get a chance to explore and question together. This includes insights from the book, challenges or questions the book raised and ideas for application, etc. As we discuss the various chapters, I often gain an appreciation for people’s knowledge, experience, and vulnerability. As a bonus, we sometimes get to collaborate (even if it’s only hypothetical) about possible implementation approaches for the content. How do you build connections in the team?	https://igniteii.com/2022/11/13/the-importance-of-connection/
The holiday season has arrived! Amidst the festivities and time off comes colder weather, bringing with it the potential for more hazardous driving conditions. We may not always get an abundance of ice and snow during an Oklahoma winter, but it’s important to be prepared, especially for those who are travelling to visit families and friends in colder areas. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration suggests following the three P’s of winter driving safety: Prepare, Protect, Prevent. Prepare for the Trip - Make sure to thoroughly examine your car’s maintenance, including the battery, tire tread, windshield wipers and antifreeze level, and keep your windows clear and use no-freeze fluid. - Always keep these in your car: a flashlight, jumper cables, abrasive material (sand, kitty litter, even floor mats), a shovel, a snow brush and ice scraper, warning devices (like flares) and blankets. For long trips, add food and water, medication and make sure your cell phone is charged at all times. - If you find yourself stopped or stalled, stay in your car, do NOT overexert, put bright markers on the antenna or windows and shine dome light, and, if you run your car, clear the exhaust pipe and run it just enough to stay warm. - Plan your route by checking the weather beforehand and planning your travel time accordingly, familiarizing yourself with the route, and informing others of your route and arrival time. - Go ahead and practice cold weather driving! If there is ice or snow in your area, slowly rehearse maneuvers in an empty lot during the daylight, steer into a skid, and become familiar with what your brakes can do. Remember: stopping distances will be longer on ice-covered areas. Protect Yourself & Others - Always wear a seatbelt. - If you have children in the car, make sure their child safety seats are properly installed, never place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an airbag, and keep in mind that children ages 12 and under are much safer in the back seat. Prevent Crashes - NO drinking or drug usage before or during driving. If you plan on drinking, designate a sober driver to take the wheel. - Take it slow, and keep your distance between other cars. - Stay alert- watch for pedestrians and wildlife. - Make sure to get plenty of sleep before driving, and don’t overdo it. If you need to stop and take breaks, it’s better to do that than to push through the fatigue. These tips from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will ensure that you not only have a jolly holiday season, but a safe one too. Remember to watch for Rudolph on the road, resist from drinking eggnog before driving, and don’t stay up too late before a long driving day to see if Santa comes. From all of us at TBC Accident Care, we wish you a safe and happy holiday season!	https://tbcaccidentcare.com/uncategorized/go-slow-in-the-snow/
Job Description: An HR software company has an open position for a Remote Ruby on Rails Developer Lead. Core Responsibilities Include: Building and maintaining scalable and resilient systems Working with a tech stack of Ruby on Rails, React, PG Database, Hosted on AWS Qualifications Writing clear, maintainable, tested code. Qualifications for this position include: 5+ years of professional full-stack web development Exceptional understanding of the Ruby programming language and Rails framework Solid understanding of RESTful systems and the principles of good API design Proficiency Experience with Git, continuous integration and regular deployments B.S. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or equivalent experience Keywords: Five to Nine, San Francisco , Remote Ruby on Rails Developer Lead, IT / Software / Systems , San Francisco, California \| Click here to apply!	https://www.sanfranrecruiter.com/it-software-systems-jobs/1819140187/remote-ruby-on-rails-developer-lead
Radiometric dating of crystals inside rocks Sex skype bosnijen This uses radioactive minerals that occur in rocks and fossils almost like a geological clock. It’s often much easier to date volcanic rocks than the fossils themselves or the sedimentary rocks they are found in. Typically commonly occurring fossils that had a widespread geographic distribution such as brachiopods, trilobites, and ammonites work best as index fossils. If the fossil you are trying to date occurs alongside one of these index fossils, then the fossil you are dating must fall into the age range of the index fossil. In a hypothetical example, a rock formation contains fossils of a type of brachiopod known to occur between 410 and 420 million years. Using relative dating the fossil is compared to something for which an age is already known. Absolute dating is used to determine a precise age of a rock or fossil through radiometric dating methods. Scientists can use certain types of fossils referred to as index fossils to assist in relative dating via correlation. Index fossils are fossils that are known to only occur within a very specific age range. Absolute dating is used to determine a precise age of a fossil by using radiometric dating to measure the decay of isotopes, either within the fossil or more often the rocks associated with it. The majority of the time fossils are dated using relative dating techniques.	https://osnova3.ru/radiometric-dating-of-crystals-inside-rocks-3138.html
Your health and safety is a priority for us. We are aware that a growing number of schools have canceled in-person classes because of the coronavirus. And, people all over the world are being discouraged from spending time in public places. For these reasons, we understand that means that many of you will not be able to complete your CyberFair 2020 projects by the original deadline. Therefore: 1. DEADLINE EXTENDED: The deadline to submit projects has been extended to March 30, 2020. 2. PROJECT-in-PROGRESS: If you find yourself running short on time, we encourage you to submit your project as a "Project-in-Progress." If you do so, and review 6 entries from other schools, you will still get the benefit of the educational experience. Many teachers have told us that the peer review process and having their students work with the evaluation rubric was the most valuable part of the program. - Project in Progress is designated in the "Final Project Notice" section. However, you must complete the narrative before you can do that. - Complete as many fields as you can in the narrative. This is a good "reflective" piece that will get students thinking and talking about their learning experience. - Enter "Inc" for the items that you are not able or prepared to answer. - Then submit your narrative and submit your Final Project Notice. - Answer the yes/no certifications and select "Project-in-Progress." In any case, we will keep you on the information mailing list for next year. Sincerely, CyberFair Support Team =.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.=.= Global SchoolNet Foundation: Communicate, collaborate, & celebrate learning! Global SchoolNet is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, member supported, education organization. GSN, a developer of online content since 1984, partners with schools, communities and businesses to provide collaborative learning activities that prepare students for the workforce and help them to become literate and responsible global citizens.	http://www.globalschoolnet.org/gsndoors/info/msg.cfm?MSG=msg200310120810.txt
The world is changing more rapidly than ever. Globalization continues its march. Gaps in power between developed and emerging countries continue to narrow, driven in part by the politics and economics of energy. The financial landscape is in turmoil, driving increased regulation. Aging populations and the different demands of the younger generation (Gen Y) challenge the workforce model that has existed for decades. Technology continues to alter how we communicate and act. And climate change concerns challenge how businesses operate. Below is an excerpt from a global report by Ernst & Young (Global Megatrends 2009) released in February 2009. It represents an Ernst & Young perspective of some of the most significant trends seen in the marketplace. The report offers a snapshot of the main themes and concepts within each trend: a concise view to raise questions and spark new ideas, rather than a comprehensive set of answers. These megatrends were written at a time of particular flux: globally we were in the midst of a financial crisis and there was (and still is) a considerable amount of uncertainty about the future. Despite this unstable environment, we still need to think about the trends that were unfolding before the crisis — questioning how they will evolve and what new directions they might follow — as well as considering new trends that are emerging: The accelerating shift of power from West to East The rebalancing of power The global economic landscape is changing, and the emerging markets are playing an increasingly significant role. Economic power is moving from developed to emerging economies — from West to East and North to South. Emerging economies accounted for 44% of global GDP in 2007; while projected GDP growth rates for major developed markets in 2009 are now predicted to lie between -0.2% and 0.5%, emerging markets are expected to grow at 6.1% on average, with China (9.3%) and India (6.9%) performing even better. This may be less than was projected before the financial crisis, but emerging markets still demonstrate considerably stronger growth than the developed world. The financial crisis may have undermined decoupling theories, with emerging markets also suffering from issues of liquidity, investor confidence and over-valued assets, but their hunger for growth (alongside their rapidly industrializing economies and growing populations) should set them on the path to recovery more quickly. In China and Russia’s case, their huge accumulated reserves (China with US$1.9 trillion and Russia with US$560 billion) will no doubt ease the pain. Beyond the BRICs While the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, China) are clearly the major players (with China alone contributing nearly 27% to global growth in 2007), another group of countries are emerging that have the potential to behave like the BRICs — driving growth and making waves in the global markets. South Korea, Mexico and Turkey may be the most commonly cited of Goldman Sachs’ “Next 11” but countries as diverse as Egypt, Iran and Vietnam have been identified as having the potential and conditions to rival the BRICs — and some developed economies — in the future. The Middle-Eastern economies are likely to be another real growth story of the next few years — although they have not been immune to the immediate effects of the financial crisis, with issues around interbank lending and overinflated property prices causing some concern. They remain well placed, however, to capitalize on difficulties elsewhere. Even at US$50 per barrel, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states would earn a cumulative US$4.7 trillion by 2020, or 2.5 times their earnings over the last 14 years. This will afford them huge opportunities to buy up cheap assets or finance local infrastructure developments as the rest of the world’s economies stall. Their relatively lax regulation and lenient tax regimes will be even bigger attractions as European and US business environments tighten under the pressure of the recession. Africa has also been stepping onto the global financial stage. Its economy has been growing at 5.4%8 over the last decade and it has been a major recipient of investment and interest; Chinese enterprises invested over US$300 million in Africa in the first 6 months of 2008 alone9, and interest in its natural resources has been the source of much political tension. However, the uneven distribution of investment (60.5% of total net foreign direct investment in sub-Saharan Africa in 2005 went to oil-exporting countries) and the large number of conflict-prone and resource-poor countries will likely keep much of Africa in the shadows of the BRICs for some time yet. Emerging market multinationals (MNCs), previously little known outside of their own countries or regions (despite their colossal size), are now challenging the megacorps of the West. Emergence of a new middle class Alongside the advantages conferred on many of the major emerging economies by rich supplies of commodities, political and demographic changes have played a large part in driving their growth. The fall of communism (or adoption of government led capitalism) has opened up the world, resulting in a tenfold increase in the number of people served by the world economy in the last 25 years. The sheer scale of population growth in the emerging markets will also drive their economic development and relative strength; while the global population is predicted to reach 8.3 billion by 2030, from 6.7 billion today, only 3% of this growth will occur in the West. The mushrooming of the middle classes in emerging markets is a critical factor: since 2000, 600 million people have reached middle class status, spending on average US$4 trillion a year13 and an estimated 70 million further people will join their global ranks annually. The emerging global champions Serving the needs of these people — and millions more around the world — are the emerging market multinationals (MNCs); companies previously little known outside of their own countries or regions (despite their colossal size) are now challenging the megacorps of the West. Globalization may just have been, in the past, a different word for westernization, but no longer — a new wave of globalization is in place, and emerging market MNCs are now exporting their brand of capitalism to the West. Tata, China Mobile and Gazprom are now familiar names and behind them are numerous other companies looking to secure their place on the global stage. Their rise has been swift: emerging markets had 70 companies in the Fortune Global 500 in 2007, up from 20 just a decade ago, and are likely to account for a third of the entire list within 10 years. It has also been impactful, evidenced by some very high profile activities across numerous sectors: Lenovo, Mittal and Cemex becoming household names for their acquisition activities with IBM, Arcelor and RMC respectively; Wipro and Infosys challenging the dominant IT outsourcing providers; Embraer challenging Boeing’s and Airbus’ dominance in certain segments; and TNK-BP and Gazprom showing their financial and political strength. These companies may have a competitive advantage over their western counterparts in reaching into other emerging markets, but they have not been afraid to compete in developed markets, too, increasingly challenging western MNCs for market share, capital and business activity on their home territory. These companies share few traits: they’re positioned across wide-ranging sectors; they have radically different governance structures (from each other, as well as from traditional western MNCs, ranging from state- or family-owned conglomerates to narrowly focused corporations); and they approach expansion in varying ways. However, they have growing clout and influence in common, as well as two other common features: they have confidence and they have scale; the ten largest emerging market companies had combined revenues just shy of US$1 trillion in 2008 — more than the entire GDP of Australia or The Netherlands. The full report can be downloaded from the Ernst & Young website. To contact the Ernst & Young China Business Group in New Zealand please email:	http://www.nzcta.co.nz/chinanow-general/1089/global-megatrends-the-accelerating-shift-of-power-from-west-to-east/
Written by Brian Hioe. This article is republished from New Bloom. Read the original article here. Image credit: IMG_3534 by coolloud/Flickr, license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Although the majority of media attention yesterday focused on demonstrations by over one thousand marriage equality advocates outside the Legislative Yuan, another demonstration involving over one thousand took place outside the Executive Yuan at the same time. This demonstration involved over one thousand members of the Taiwan Association for the Rights of Non-Aboriginal Residents in Mountain Indigenous Townships (TARNARMIT, or 台灣山地鄉平地住民權利促進會) protesting against the Council of Indigenous Peoples’ efforts to protect indigenous traditional territories. Apart from demonstrating outside of the Executive Yuan, the demonstration also later moved to encircle the Council of Indigenous Peoples. Demonstrators appeared to primarily be farmers and came from across Taiwan, arriving in Taipei in 27 tour buses from Nantou, Taitung, and other locations. Members of the TARNARMIT, who were ethnically Han, claimed that efforts to preserve or restore indigenous traditional territories would drive Han farmers off of their land, violating their rights to their land, and their rights to subsistence. Representatives of the Council of Indigenous Peoples, as well as indigenous lawmakers as legislator Chen Ying, also known as Asunai Daliyarep, have emphasized that the intention of restoring indigenous traditional territories is not to deprive Han farmers of their rights. According to statements by the Council of Indigenous Peoples, so long as they are not violating the terms of their lease or illegally occupying territories, it will be possible for Han residents to rent indigenous traditional territories for use with the permission of the indigenous owners of the land, continuing to reside on such lands. To that extent, Chen emphasized in her public statement that the concept of indigenous “original ownership” of the land is in accordance with international law and is not a concept newly invented by the Tsai administration. Chen cited that “original ownership” existed as a legal concept even during the presence of previous colonial regimes in Taiwan, such as in the constitution used during the Japanese colonial period. Nevertheless, members of the TARNARMIT claim otherwise, with the view that “original ownership” of the land was a concept newly invented by the Tsai administration. Members of the TARNARMIT also demand that they have ownership of the land, rather than renting it from indigenous original residents, claiming that they have rights to the land after living on it for several generations. Several prominent indigenous activists, such as Namoh Nofu Pacidal, Savungaz Valincinan, and members of LIMA, among others, were present to observe the demonstration by the TARNARMIT. Apart from that members of the TARNARMIT at one point physically grabbed indigenous demonstrators present, twisting the arm of one demonstrator, much outrage from indigenous activists has focused upon the discriminatory language and views espoused by the TARNARMIT at the demonstration. Pamphlets handed out by the TARNARMIT, for example, attacked the institution of the Council of Indigenous Peoples itself as a waste of public expenditure, claiming that the operating budget of the Council of Indigenous Peoples was better spent on subsidies for housing, construction, and entrepreneurship. Placards also claimed that the Council of Indigenous Peoples was stirring up “ethnic hatred”, that “pingpuzu are the only real indigenous”, and called for “racial equality.” Indigenous activists have pointed out that, as an organization, the TARNARMIT has opposed the protections for indigenous territories since the 1980s. Indeed, it may not be surprising to note that the demonstration by the TARNARMIT had a strong Han ethnic tinge to it. Apart from the basic fact that demonstrators were all observably Han, traditional Daoist religious ceremonies were carried out at the protest, and many of the speeches were in Hoklo. Unfortunately, this demonstration may only go to show the long path to be walked for transitional justice for Taiwanese indigenous to be realized. It still remains the case that simply trying to restore or even just to make basic amends for the deprivation of indigenous rights after hundreds of years of colonization in Taiwan is viewed as threatening by many members of the Han majority. This may be another case in point. Brian Hioe was one of the founding editors of New Bloom. He is a freelance writer on social movements and politics, and occasional translator. A New York native and Taiwanese-American, he has an MA in East Asian Languages and Cultures from Columbia University and graduated from New York University with majors in History, East Asian Studies, and English Literature. He was Democracy and Human Rights Service Fellow at the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy from 2017 to 2018.	https://taiwaninsight.org/2019/08/29/anger-from-indigenous-activists-after-protest-against-efforts-to-protect-indigenous-territories/
Docket No. 89009–Agenda 26–September 2000. JERALD MILLER, D.D.S., Appellant, v. ELAINE ROSENBERG, Appellee. Opinion filed April 19, 2001. JUSTICE McMORROW delivered the opinion of the court: The primary issue presented in this appeal is whether section 2–109 of the Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2–109 (West 1998)), which eliminates the requirement to plead or prove special injury for certain malicious prosecution plaintiffs, is unconstitutional because it violates two provisions of the Illinois Constitution of 1970: the special legislation clause set forth in article IV, section 13 (Ill. Const. 1970, art. IV, §13), and the right to equal protection guaranteed by article I, section 2 (Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, §2). The circuit court of Lake County held that section 2–109 violates each of these constitutional provisions. Appeal was taken directly to this court. 134 Ill. 2d R. 302(a). For the reasons that follow, we reverse the judgment of the circuit court and remand this cause for further proceedings. BACKGROUND In November 1988, Elaine Rosenberg filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Dr. Jerald Miller, a periodontist. Rosenberg, who had been a patient of Dr. Miller between March 1982 and February 1987, claimed in her complaint that, during this time period, Miller negligently failed to detect, diagnose and treat an impacted wisdom tooth in Rosenberg’s lower right jaw. According to Rosenberg’s complaint, she underwent surgery to extract this tooth in March 1987. Rosenberg alleged that as a direct and proximate cause of Miller’s negligence in failing to timely diagnose and treat her lower right wisdom tooth, the tooth became embedded in her jawbone, causing parathesia, or numbness, in her jaw and face. In his answer to Rosenberg’s complaint, Miller stated that while Rosenberg was under his care, he referred her to an oral surgeon. Rosenberg, however, failed to follow up on this referral. Miller further alleged that two of Rosenberg’s prior treaters had also advised her to undergo an examination by an oral surgeon for the possible extraction of the wisdom tooth. After the completion of discovery, the circuit court granted summary judgment in favor of Miller. On appeal, the appellate court reversed the grant of summary judgment, and remanded the cause to the circuit court. Rosenberg v. Miller , 247 Ill. App. 3d 1023 (1993). The matter thereafter proceeded to trial. The jury found Miller not liable, and on April 21, 1995, judgment for Miller was entered on the jury’s verdict. On November 8, 1995, Miller filed a three-count malicious prosecution action against Rosenberg and her attorneys. Only count I of Miller’s complaint is at issue in this appeal. (footnote: 1) Miller alleged that, in commencing and continuing to pursue her medical malpractice lawsuit, Rosenberg acted without probable cause and with malice in several respects. According to Miller, Rosenberg “alleged a lack of knowledge of the presence of an impacted lower right wisdom tooth” while she was his patient, “despite previously being advised of this condition.” Further, Miller stated that Rosenberg “failed to properly investigate” both “the facts surrounding her claims of negligence” and “whether the alleged negligence of [Miller] was a cause of her claimed injury.” Miller also alleged that Rosenberg had filed and continued to prosecute the medical malpractice lawsuit against him “without probable cause in retribution for perceived incourtesies by [Miller toward Rosenberg],” and that Rosenberg’s objective was to “obtain money despite the fact that she knew or should have known that any alleged negligence was not a cause of any alleged injuries.” Miller further claimed that, as a direct and proximate result of Rosenberg’s lawsuit, he “suffered personal and pecuniary injuries, including but not limited to, mental anguish,” experienced “increased anxiety,” was forced to incur attorney fees and “expend considerable time and energy in the defense of the underlying action,” and was “required to defend his professional reputation and will be required to pay increased premiums for professional liability insurance.” In October 1996, Rosenberg filed a motion to dismiss Miller’s malicious prosecution action pursuant to sections 2–615 and 2–619 of the Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2–615, 2–619 (West 1996)). Rosenberg alleged that, under Illinois law, in order to validly plead a common law cause of action for malicious prosecution, a plaintiff must claim that he suffered injury or damages over and above the ordinary expense and trouble attendant in defending any civil action. Because Miller had not alleged that he suffered a “special injury” as a result of Rosenberg’s lawsuit, Rosenberg argued that Miller had not pled a valid malicious prosecution claim. In addition, Rosenberg maintained in her motion to dismiss that Miller’s complaint could not be saved by section 2–109 of the Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2–109 (West 1996)). Section 2–109 provides: “In all cases alleging malicious prosecution arising out of proceedings which sought damages for injuries or death by reason of medical[,] hospital[,] or other healing art malpractice, the plaintiff need not plead or prove special injury to sustain his or her cause of action. In all such cases alleging malicious prosecution, no exemplary or punitive damages shall be allowed.” 735 ILCS 5/2–109 (West 1996). Rosenberg asserted that the special benefit afforded by section 2–109 to malicious prosecution plaintiffs who also happen to be health care providers violates not only the proscription against special legislation found in article IV, section 13, of the Illinois Constitution of 1970 (Ill. Const. 1970, art. IV, §13), but also the guarantee of due process and equal protection contained in article I, section 2 (Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, §2). Specifically, Rosenberg contended that section 2–109 is unconstitutional because it arbitrarily and irrationally eliminates the common law special injury requirement for this select group of plaintiffs, thereby making it far easier for these plaintiffs to file and proceed with a malicious prosecution claim than it is for other malicious prosecution plaintiffs who must still establish a special injury. The circuit court denied Rosenberg’s motion to dismiss on January 10, 1997. The court found that although section 2–109 confers special privileges upon health care providers who file malicious prosecution actions which arise out of underlying medical malpractice litigation, this special treatment does not violate the Illinois Constitution. The court reasoned that this classification is warranted by the Illinois General Assembly’s determination that there existed a medical malpractice crisis at the time section 2–109 was enacted. On December 9, 1999, the circuit court held a hearing on a motion in limine filed by Rosenberg which requested that the court bar Miller in his malicious prosecution action from the recovery of attorney fees he incurred in defending against the underlying malpractice lawsuit. The circuit court agreed with Rosenberg that, pursuant to section 2–622(e) of the Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2–622(e) (West 1998)), any claim by Miller to recover attorney fees in connection with the underlying medical malpractice litigation was untimely. (footnote: 2) During the hearing on the attorney fee matter, the circuit court judge noted that his previous ruling with respect to the constitutionality of section 2–109 was rendered prior to this court’s 1997 decision in Best v. Taylor Machine Works , 179 Ill. 2d 367 (1997). Because the circuit court judge had “never considered this case in light of the Best case,” he invited the parties to again submit briefs “to revisit the question of whether or not [section 2–109] is or is not special legislation.” On January 20, 2000, the circuit court declared that section 2–109 violates the Illinois Constitution, specifically, the prohibition against special legislation (Ill. Const. 1970, art. IV, §13) and the guarantee of equal protection (Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, §2). In the course of his ruling, the circuit judge stated: “In my view, [health care providers] have been singled out without there being a rational basis for singling them out and excluding all of the other individuals who might properly bring a malicious prosecution action. * [I]f there was a medical malpractice crisis, that does not permit in my view the adoption of an arbitrary or unrelated means of addressing the problem, and that is what I think has been done in this case, where the health care providers have been allowed to have special advantages in a malicious prosecution [action] that no one else in the state shares. That, in my view, is an arbitrary and unrelated means of addressing the problem of a medical malpractice crisis if one exists. * There is nothing inherent in being a health care provider that should give them special rights that nobody in the State of Illinois has.” Miller appealed the circuit court’s ruling directly to this court. 134 Ill. 2d R. 302(a). ANALYSIS This appeal presents the principal issues of whether section 2–109 of the Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2–109 (West 1996)) violates the prohibition against special legislation found in article IV, section 13, of the Illinois Constitution of 1970 (Ill. Const. 1970, art. IV, §13), and the guarantee of equal protection contained in article I, section 2 (Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, §2). The constitutionality of a statute is a question of law subject to de novo review. Brown’s Furniture, Inc. v. Wagner , 171 Ill. 2d 410, 420 (1996). All statutes are presumed to be constitutional, and the burden of rebutting this presumption is on the party challenging the validity of the statute to clearly establish a constitutional violation. Arangold Corp. v. Zehnder , 187 Ill. 2d 341, 351 (1999); Russell v. Department of Natural Resources , 183 Ill. 2d 434, 441 (1998). A court must construe a statute so as to affirm its constitutionality if the statute is reasonably capable of such a construction. Russell , 183 Ill. 2d at 441. Accordingly, “if [a] statute’s construction is doubtful, a court will resolve the doubt in favor of the statute’s validity.” People v. Shephard , 152 Ill. 2d 489, 499 (1992). In the matter at bar, Rosenberg urges us to affirm the judgment of the circuit court that the special treatment afforded by section 2–109 to a select group of plaintiffs is unconstitutional. Specifically, section 2–109 relieves health care professionals from the requirement of pleading and proving special injury when those professionals file malicious prosecution suits against unsuccessful medical malpractice plaintiffs. A malicious prosecution action is brought to recover damages suffered by one against whom a suit has been filed maliciously and without probable cause. Cult Awareness Network v. Church of Scientology International , 177 Ill. 2d 267, 272 (1997); Schwartz v. Schwartz , 366 Ill. 247, 250 (1937). Generally, in a complaint for malicious prosecution based upon a prior civil proceeding, the plaintiff must allege that the defendant instituted the underlying suit without probable cause and with malice, that the former action was terminated in the plaintiff’s favor, and that as a result of the underlying action the plaintiff suffered a special injury beyond the usual expense, time or annoyance in defending a lawsuit. Cult Awareness Network , 177 Ill. 2d at 272; Schwartz , 366 Ill. at 250-53. Rosenberg contends that the circuit court correctly ruled that the elimination of special injury as an element of malicious prosecution claims brought by health care professionals arising out of underlying medical malpractice proceedings renders section 2–109 impermissible special legislation and violates the guarantee of equal protection. Although the prohibition against special legislation and the guarantee of equal protection are not identical, constitutional challenges premised on these provisions are generally judged under the same standards. Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 393; In re Petition of the Village of Vernon Hills , 168 Ill. 2d 117, 123 (1995); Bernier v. Burris , 113 Ill. 2d 219, 228 (1986). The parties do not dispute that section 2–109 neither affects a fundamental right nor involves a suspect or quasi-suspect classification. See Bernier , 113 Ill. 2d at 227-29. Therefore, the appropriate standard for our review of the instant constitutional challenge is the rational basis test. Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 393; Bernier , 113 Ill. 2d at 228. Under the rational basis standard, judicial review of a legislative classification is limited and generally deferential. Jacobson v. Department of Public Aid , 171 Ill. 2d 314, 323 (1996). “ ‘Under this standard, a court must determine whether the statutory classification is rationally related to a legitimate State interest.’ ” Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 393, quoting Village of Vernon Hills , 168 Ill. 2d at 123; Bernier , 113 Ill. 2d at 228-29. A legislative classification must be upheld if any set of facts can reasonably be conceived which justify distinguishing the class to which the statute applies from the class to which the law is inapplicable. In re A.A. , 181 Ill. 2d 32, 38 (1998). Before this court, Rosenberg’s constitutional challenge to section 2–109 rests primarily upon her contention that this provision violates our constitution’s prohibition against special legislation. Ill. Const. 1970, art. IV, §13. Indeed, the circuit court’s ruling in the instant cause was almost exclusively premised on its finding that section 2–109 constitutes special legislation. We therefore begin our analysis by addressing this claim. The special legislation clause of the Illinois Constitution provides: “The General Assembly shall pass no special or local law when a general law is or can be made applicable. Whether a general law is or can be made applicable shall be a matter for judicial determination.” Ill. Const. 1970, art. IV, §13. The special legislation clause “expressly prohibits the General Assembly from conferring a special benefit or exclusive privilege on a person or a group of persons to the exclusion of others similarly situated.” Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 391; Village of Vernon Hills , 168 Ill. 2d at 122. The purpose of the prohibition against special legislation is to “prevent arbitrary legislative classifications that discriminate in favor of a select group without a sound, reasonable basis.” Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 391. In determining whether section 2–109 constitutes impermissible special legislation, we must ascertain whether the classification created by that provision is “based upon reasonable differences in kind or situation, and whether the basis for the classifications is sufficiently related to the evil to be obviated by the statute.” Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 394. Section 2–109 is one of a number of provisions added to the Code of Civil Procedure in 1985 by Public Act 84–7, eff. August 16, 1985, (footnote: 3) which was passed by the Illinois General Assembly in response to what was perceived to be a crisis in the area of medical malpractice litigation. See DeLuna v. St. Elizabeth’s Hospital , 147 Ill. 2d 57, 65 (1992). By enacting this package of medical malpractice reform legislation, the General Assembly intended to “comprehensively * regulate medical malpractice litigation, with a view to reducing the number of such suits and the size of the awards which are given in those in which the plaintiff successfully establishes his claim.” Ill. Ann. Stat., ch. 110, par. 2–109, Historical & Practice Notes, at 30 (Smith-Hurd Supp. 1992). Shortly after the passage of Public Act 84–7, five provisions of that Act were challenged as unconstitutional in Bernier v. Burris , 113 Ill. 2d 219 (1986). In Bernier , this court determined that the establishment of review panels in medical malpractice cases violated provisions in the Illinois Constitution with respect to the source of judicial power and the jurisdiction of the circuit courts (see Ill. Const. 1970, art. VI, §§1, 9). Bernier , 113 Ill. 2d at 233. However, we also held that the remaining four provisions of Public Act 84–7 challenged in Bernier were not constitutionally infirm. This court concluded that the periodic payment of certain damages, the modification of the collateral source rule in medical malpractice actions, the elimination of punitive damages in actions for medical malpractice, and a sliding scale of the allowable fees an attorney may charge in representing a medical malpractice plaintiff were all rationally related to the legitimate government interest of “reduc[ing] the burdens existing in the health professions as a result of the perceived medical malpractice crisis.” Bernier , 113 Ill. 2d at 252. In his brief to this court, Miller contends that, although section 2–109 was not among the statutory provisions at issue in Bernier , the legitimate governmental interests identified in that decision with respect to Public Act 84–7 apply with equal force to section 2–109. Miller asserts that our analysis in Bernier therefore leads to the conclusion that the classification in section 2–109 is rationally related to the legitimate legislative goal of remedying the perceived medical malpractice crisis, specifically, that it reduces the burdens against health care professionals and creates a disincentive for the filing of meritless medical malpractice lawsuits. Rosenberg, echoing the reasoning employed by the circuit court in its ruling, responds that section 2–109 constitutes impermissible special legislation because there is no rational relation between a legitimate state interest and the grant of a special benefit to health care providers who file malicious prosecution actions against unsuccessful medical malpractice litigants. Rosenberg labels as “fallacious” the argument advanced by Miller that section 2–109 bears a rational relation to the perceived medical malpractice crisis. Specifically, Rosenberg contends that in contrast to the statutory provisions of Public Act 84–7 which were upheld in Bernier and “were all directly related to the conduct of the medical malpractice litigation itself,” section 2–109 “does not apply to medical malpractice litigation in any way during its pendency * [and] no rational argument can be made that health care providers deserve greater post-litigation rights when they have allegedly been sued with malice and without probable cause than any other similarly situated civil defendant.” Rosenberg therefore concludes that section 2–109 arbitrarily and irrationally eliminates the common law special injury requirement for this select group of malicious prosecution plaintiffs. We reject Rosenberg’s arguments. As stated, it is the burden of the party challenging the validity of a statute to rebut the presumption of constitutionality. Arangold , 187 Ill. 2d at 351; Russell , 183 Ill. 2d at 441. We hold that Rosenberg has failed to clearly establish that the provisions of section 2–109 violate the proscription against special legislation. Contrary to Rosenberg’s assertions that the classification in section 2–109 is irrational and arbitrary, we find that there are discernable, rational reasons why the General Assembly distinguished between health care professionals who file malicious prosecution suits against unsuccessful medical malpractice plaintiffs and all other individuals who may bring a malicious prosecution action. The classification is based upon “a rational difference of situation or condition” between those persons included in the classification and excluded from it ( Vernon Hills , 168 Ill. 2d at 123), and the classification bears a reasonable relationship to the purposes of the statute. As we observed in Bernier , the history of Public Act 84–7 “amply demonstrates that it was enacted in response to what was perceived to be a crisis in the area of medical malpractice.” Bernier , 113 Ill. 2d at 229; see also DeLuna , 147 Ill. 2d at 66; Ill. Ann. Stat., ch. 110, par. 2–109, Historical & Practice Notes, at 30 (Smith-Hurd Supp. 1992). The primary intent of the General Assembly in passing this medical malpractice reform package was to “reduce the burdens existing in the health professions as a result of the perceived malpractice crisis.” Bernier , 113 Ill. 2d at 252. To this end, certain statutory provisions were enacted with the specific purpose of operating “as a disincentive for filing frivolous suits.” Bernier , 113 Ill. 2d at 252; see also Ill. Ann. Stat., ch. 110, par. 2–109, Historical & Practice Notes, at 30 (Smith-Hurd Supp. 1992). Section 2–109 is such a provision. As commentators have explained, the General Assembly intended that section 2–109 “liberalize the availability of a suit for malicious prosecution as a means of punishing and discouraging the filing of ill-grounded medical malpractice cases. It does so by removing the need to show special injury in order to recover in such cases. It mitigates the effect of this provision by foreclosing the award of exemplary or punitive damages *.” Ill. Ann. Stat., ch. 110, par. 2–109, Historical & Practice Notes, at 31 (Smith-Hurd Supp. 1992). This understanding of the purpose of section 2–109 refutes Rosenberg’s argument that there is no rational relationship between this statutory provision and the perceived medical malpractice crisis. In enacting section 2–109, the legislature eased the burden of bringing a malicious prosecution action for health care professionals with the specific intent of not only “discouraging” the filing of frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits, but also as a way of “punishing” those plaintiffs who bring baseless medical malpractice claims. The legislature could have reasonably believed that liberalizing the availability of a malicious prosecution action for health care providers is an effective means of curtailing meritless medical malpractice litigation. The possibility of being a defendant in a subsequent malicious prosecution suit where the element of special injury is not required to be pled or established would likely provide a strong incentive to a potential medical malpractice plaintiff to thoroughly investigate the basis of the claim before filing suit. Those potential plaintiffs who conclude that there is probable cause to file a medical malpractice action would have no reason to be discouraged from bringing suit, while those whose claims lack probable cause would be deterred from filing an action. Rosenberg contends, however, that there is further support for her position that the special rights conferred upon health care providers by section 2–109 are not rationally related to a legitimate state interest. Rosenberg observes that as part of Public Act 84–7, the General Assembly also enacted section 2–622 of the Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2–622 (West 1998)), which mandates that before a medical malpractice action can be filed, the party bringing the action must obtain a certificate from a qualified health professional which certifies “that there is a reasonable and meritorious cause for the filing of such action.” 735 ILCS 5/2–622(a)(1) (West 1998). Rosenberg asserts that no other civil defendant in Illinois is entitled to a prelawsuit opinion witness certification that the case against him has merit, and that as a result of the screening provisions contained within section 2–622, a health care provider is the defendant least likely to be subjected to a maliciously prosecuted action. We reject Rosenberg’s argument. As this court stated in Bernier , “[i]n attempting to remedy a perceived ill, the legislature is not limited to choosing the single, most effective remedy against the problem but rather may decide to attack it along several fronts simultaneously.” Bernier , 113 Ill. 2d at 252. We conclude that the legislature could have reasonably believed that baseless medical malpractice claims could most effectively be deterred by enacting both section 2–109 and section 2–622. In a final effort to lend support to her position that the elimination of the special injury requirement for health care providers is a constitutionally impermissible “special benefit,” Rosenberg argues that the classification contained within section 2–109 is analogous to the legislative classification in section 2–1117 of the Code of Civil Procedure which this court found to constitute special legislation in Best v. Taylor Machine Works , 179 Ill. 2d 367 (1997) . In Best , the plaintiff challenged as unconstitutional several provisions contained within Public Act 89–7, a legislative package more popularly known as the Civil Justice Reform Act of 1995. Applying analytical principles consistent with those used in Bernier , we held in Best that two provisions of Public Act 89–7 which amended the Code of Civil Procedure represented unconstitutional special legislation: the cap placed on compensatory damages for noneconomic injury in section 2–1115.1 (735 ILCS 5/2–1115.1 (West 1996)), and the application of the principle of joint and several liability in medical malpractice actions provided in section 2–1117 (735 ILCS 5/2–1117 (West 1996)). Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 409, 429. As we explained in Best , Public Act 89–7 rewrote section 2–1117 of the Code of Civil Procedure to abolish the common law doctrine of joint and several liability, and substituted in its place several liability based upon proportionate fault. Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 423. However, although subsection (a) of section 2–1117 purported to eliminate the doctrine of joint and several liability for all plaintiffs, subsection (b) of that provision provided that if the damages cap in section 2–1115.1 was invalidated, the doctrine of joint and several liability was automatically reinstated, but only for medical malpractice defendants. Because we held that the cap on damages was unconstitutional, subsection (b) was activated. We determined in Best that the abatement of proportionate several liability solely in the context of medical malpractice actions violated the prohibition against special legislation because it arbitrarily and irrationally benefitted only those plaintiffs filing medical malpractice claims. Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 431-32. We observed that by virtue of the benefit contained in section 2–1117(b), a select group of tort plaintiffs would be relieved from the burden faced by all other plaintiffs of “bring[ing] several separate actions to recover full compensation for their injuries,” and that this select group did not, unlike all other tort plaintiffs, have to “bear the risk of any tortfeasor being insolvent or otherwise unavailable.” Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 431. We concluded that there was “no discernable rational basis for treating medical malpractice plaintiffs differently from other plaintiffs in death, bodily injury and property damage cases,” and stated that “[i]f in fact, a real need exists to eliminate the harshness of several liability, then logically this need exists for all plaintiffs who have suffered physical injury or loss of property at the hands of joint tortfeasors, and not just medical malpractice plaintiffs.” Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 431-32. Relying upon this statement from our opinion in Best , Rosenberg asserts that “[t]his reasoning applies with equal force to prove the unconstitutionality of” section 2–109. Rosenberg contends that the special benefit afforded to health care providers by section 2–109 is just as arbitrary and irrational as the special treatment provided to medical malpractice plaintiffs in section 2–1117. Echoing our statement in Best , Rosenberg concludes that “[i]f, in fact, a real need exists to eliminate the harshness of the special injury or special damages requirement of malicious prosecution actions, then logically that need exists for all defendants who suffered from maliciously prosecuted lawsuits, not just health care providers.” We find Rosenberg’s argument unpersuasive. As previously discussed, we find that the classification in section 2–109 is reasonably related to a legitimate governmental purpose. It has been amply demonstrated that, in enacting the provisions contained within Public Act 84–7, the legislature intended to remedy what it perceived to be a crisis in medical malpractice litigation. The provisions of section 2–109 are reasonably related to this legitimate public interest by serving as a deterrent against, and punishment for, the filing of frivolous medical malpractice claims. Section 2–109, therefore, is clearly distinguishable from section 2–1117, which appeared to be “designed primarily to confer a benefit on a particular private group without a reasonable basis, rather than to promote the general welfare.” Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 395. Section 2–109 is distinguishable from section 2–1117 in an additional respect. In Best , our finding that section 2–1117 violated the special legislation clause was also premised upon the fact that section 2–1117(b) contradicted the purpose stated by the General Assembly for enacting proportionate several liability. Although the preamble to Public Act 89–7 declared that “it is the public policy of this State that a defendant should not be liable for damages in excess of its proportionate share of fault,” we noted that section 2–1117(b) “inexplicably contradict[ed] this rationale.” Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 432. We explained that “[i]f the premise underlying Public Act 89–7’s abolition of joint and several liability is that the doctrine unfairly permits a plaintiff to recover more in damages than is justified from an individual defendant then, logically, that unfairness is only exacerbated if there is no cap on the total amount of the damages which the plaintiff can recover.” Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 432. We therefore concluded that the invalidation of the damages cap did not justify or explain the exemption provided by section 2–1117(b) from the general rule of several liability, and that “treating these plaintiffs differently in the absence of a damages cap is directly contrary to the legislature’s acknowledged purpose for enacting proportionate several liability.” Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 432-33. In contrast to section 2–1117, section 2–109 does not contravene the stated policy of Public Act 84–7 to remedy the malpractice crisis. Instead, the provisions of section 2–109 further that policy by discouraging and penalizing meritless medical malpractice claims. In sum, Rosenberg has failed to satisfy her burden of proof to clearly establish that section 2–109 constitutes impermissible special legislation in violation of article IV, section 13, of the Illinois Constitution of 1970 (Ill. Const. 1970, art. IV, §13). We find that the classification contained in section 2–109 is rationally related to the legitimate governmental interest of curtailing frivolous medical malpractice actions. Accordingly, section 2–109 does not constitute special legislation. Raising arguments identical to those made in support of her special legislation claim, Rosenberg next asserts that section 2–109 violates the guarantee of equal protection contained within article I, section 2, of the Illinois Constitution of 1970 (Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, §2). The equal protection clause requires that the government treat similarly situated individuals in a similar manner. A.A. , 181 Ill. 2d at 37. As previously stated, an equal protection challenge is generally judged under the same standards applicable to a special legislation challenge. Best , 179 Ill. 2d at 393; Village of Vernon Hills , 168 Ill. 2d at 123; Bernier , 113 Ill. 2d at 228. Because section 2–109 involves neither a suspect class nor a fundamental right, it is subject only to deferential review under the rational basis test. As we have already discussed, section 2–109 satisfies the rational basis test. Therefore, the classification contained within that section is neither discriminatory nor arbitrary. Accordingly, section 2–109 does not contravene principles of equal protection. In her written submission to this court, Rosenberg also makes a brief argument, as she did before the circuit court, that section 2–109 violates the guarantee of due process found in article I, section 2, of our constitution (Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, §2). In support of this claim, Rosenberg relies on the same arguments raised with respect to her special legislation and equal protection challenges, stating that they “apply with equal validity to establish a violation of the due process clause.” We disagree. As in analyzing a claim of special legislation or equal protection in which no fundamental rights are burdened, “the appropriate inquiry under due process is whether the legislation bears a rational relationship to a legitimate governmental interest.” Bernier , 113 Ill. 2d at 228-29. Because section 2–109 meets the rational basis requirement, it does not violate the due process clause. CONCLUSION For the foregoing reasons, we hold that section 2–109 of the Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2–109 (West 1998)) does not violate the prohibition against special legislation set forth in article IV, section 13, of the Illinois Constitution of 1970 (Ill. Const. 1970, art. IV, §13). We also hold that section 2–109 does not violate the right to equal protection guaranteed by article I, section 2, of the Illinois Constitution of 1970 ( Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, §2), or the guarantee of due process in article I, section 2, of the Illinois Constitution of 1970 (Ill. Const. 1970, art. I, §2). Accordingly, we reverse the judgment of the circuit court and remand this cause for further proceedings. Circuit court judgment reversed; cause remanded. FOOTNOTES 1: 1 Counts II and III of Miller’s complaint alleged that Rosenberg’s attorneys acted maliciously and without probable cause in filing and pursuing Rosenberg’s medical malpractice lawsuit. The circuit court granted the attorneys’ motion for summary judgment, holding that Miller had not established malice or the absence of probable cause on the part of Rosenberg’s counsel. On appeal, the appellate court affirmed the judgment of the circuit court. Miller v. Rosenberg , No. 2–97–0337 (1998) (unpublished order under Supreme Court Rule 23). 2: 2 In his notice of appeal to this court, Miller indicated that he was also challenging the circuit court’s ruling barring his attorney fees as an element of damages in his malicious prosecution claim. Miller also makes passing reference to this ruling in the “nature of the action” and “statement of facts” portion of his brief. Miller, however, has made no argument citing authority with respect to the attorney fee issue. The passing references made by Miller to the attorney fee issue, without argument or citation to authority, is insufficient to preserve this issue on appeal. 177 Ill. 2d R. 341(e)(7) (argument portion of brief “shall contain the contentions of the appellant and the reasons therefor, with citation of the authorities and the pages of the record relied on * [and] [p]oints not argued are waived”). Accordingly, we express no opinion on the circuit court’s attorney fee ruling. 3: 3 Public Act 84–7 also added sections 2–611.1, 2–622, 2–1010, 2–1012 through 2–1018, 2–1020, 2–1114, 2–1115 and 8–2501 to the Code of Civil Procedure (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch. 110, pars. 2–611.1, 2–622, 2–1010, 2–1012 through 2–1018, 2–1020, 2–1114, 2–1115, 8–2501), as well as a new part 17, consisting of sections 2–1701 through 2–1719, inclusive (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch. 110, pars. 2–1701 through 2–1719). Further, Public Act 84–7 amended sections 2–1109, 2–1205, 8–2001 and 8–2003 of the Code of Civil Procedure (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch. 110, pars. 2–1109, 2–1205, 8–2001, 8–2003).
IN THE SUPREME COURT, STATE OF WYOMING 2016 WY 118 OCTOBER TERM, A.D. 2016 December 13, 2016 JACKMAN CONSTRUCTION, INC., a Wyoming Corporation, Appellant (Defendant), v. S-16-0020 ROCK SPRINGS WINNELSON CO., INC., Appellee (Plaintiff). Appeal from the District Court of Sweetwater County The Honorable Nena James, Judge Representing Appellant: Clark Stith, Rock Springs, Wyoming. Representing Appellee: Danielle M. Mathey of Mathey Law Office, P.C., Green River, Wyoming. Before BURKE, C.J., and HILL, DAVIS, FOX, and KAUTZ, JJ. NOTICE: This opinion is subject to formal revision before publication in Pacific Reporter Third. Readers are requested to notify the Clerk of the Supreme Court, Supreme Court Building, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002, of typographical or other formal errors so correction may be made before final publication in the permanent volume. KAUTZ, Justice. [¶1] Appellee Rock Springs Winnelson Co. (Winnelson) sued Appellant Jackman Construction, Inc. (Jackman) for nonpayment of materials supplied for the Southside Improvements Project in Green River, Wyoming (project). Jackman counterclaimed on various legal theories, including promissory estoppel, to recover the amount it paid in excess of Winnelson’s subcontractor bid. After a bench trial, the district court generally found in favor of Winnelson and denied Jackman’s counterclaims. [¶2] Jackman asserts the district court erred by rejecting its promissory estoppel claim. The record contains ample evidence to support the district court’s factual determinations and it did not commit any prejudicial errors of law. We, therefore, affirm. ISSUES [¶3] Jackman presents the following issues for our review: 1. Did the district court err by not conducting any analysis of promissory estoppel? 2. Did the district court err by refusing to accept the stipulation of the parties that [Jackman] paid Winnelson $679,941.52 toward the [project]? 3. Was the district court’s finding that Jackman later agreed to pay higher prices than those that appeared on Winnelson’s bid clearly erroneous? Winnelson counters with these issues, which we have restated: 1. Is Jackman barred from arguing that Winnelson’s freight charges were fraudulent because the argument was not made below and/or the fraud claim was not pled with particularity? 2. Is Jackman barred from arguing the bid expiration date was unreasonable because the argument was not made below? 3. Did the district court err by deciding that Jackman had failed to prove the elements of promissory estoppel? 4. Was any error in refusing to recognize the parties’ stipulation harmless? 1 5. Are W.R.A.P. 10.05 sanctions appropriate? FACTS [¶4] On May 4, 2010, Jackman was the successful bidder on a project to install new water lines and a pump station for the City of Green River. Prior to the general contract bid letting, Winnelson submitted a bid to supply plumbing materials for the job (Bid #1) to several general contractors, including Jackman. There were several bid schedules covering materials for different aspects of the project. Winnelson’s bid of $550,247.81 was for most of the materials, but it did not include materials for three of the bid schedules. Winnelson’s fax cover sheet which accompanied Bid #1 notified the general contractors that “All FBE fittings special order contractor to verify [quantities] & items as most fittings are 4-6 weeks delivery. Nonreturnable after order, any questions please call.” Winnelson’s bid also had a thirty day expiration date which, depending on the particular bid schedule, was either May 16 or May 19, 2010. [¶5] A couple of days before the bid letting, Jackman’s project manager, Heather Glenn, requested that Winnelson prepare a separate quote just for the pipe to be used on the project. That same pipe had been included in Winnelson’s Bid #1. Winnelson provided the pipe bid which was $254,821.70 (Bid #2). That bid was conditioned for “immediate acceptance” and the prices were applicable “only if all items listed [were] ordered.” [¶6] Jackman never executed a written contract with Winnelson to supply the materials or specifically notified Winnelson that it was accepting Bid #1 or Bid #2. Jackman owner, Lynn Jackman, testified that he accepted the bid for all of the project materials on the day after the bid letting by telling Pete Frullo, the president of Winnelson, to “get [his] submittals in order.” A submittal is a document in which the supplier provides information about the specific materials it intends to provide to meet the project specifications. For this project, submittals had to be approved by the project engineer prior to the general contractor ordering the materials. Mr. Jackman did not indicate whether Winnelson should get “submittals in order” for Bid #1 or Bid #2. [¶7] Despite Mr. Jackman’s statement, the submittal process was not followed in an orderly fashion. Mr. Jackman ordered the pipe (corresponding to Bid #2) on May 14, 2010, without first having a submittal approved by the project engineer. Mr. Jackman did not comply with the condition in Bid #1 requiring it to verify the items and quantities of fittings and parts. Without that information, Winnelson could not prepare submittals or order the other materials. Instead, Ms. Glenn, on behalf of Jackman, ordered materials piecemeal during the course of the project, long after Bid #1 had already expired, without ever providing Winnelson a complete set of approved submittals. 2 [¶8] Winnelson honored its bid prices for the pipe, but on the other items it charged Jackman the price in effect at the time of the order. Winnelson also added freight charges to its invoices, often including charges for expedited delivery when Jackman needed the items quickly. The freight charges were not always listed separately on the invoices, and Mr. Frullo explained that Ms. Glenn agreed to pay additional freight but asked that it be incorporated into the price of the materials. [¶9] Toward the end of the job, Jackman had trouble paying Winnelson’s invoices. Some large checks were returned for insufficient funds, and Winnelson began to require payment before it would provide materials to Jackman. Eventually, Jackman stopped paying altogether, and Winnelson refused to provide any more materials. Jackman obtained the rest of the materials it needed for the job from another supplier. [¶10] Winnelson filed suit in circuit court against Jackman1 for its failure to pay invoices totaling $21,705.31, which included principal and service charges. Jackman counterclaimed for breach of contract, promissory estoppel and negligent misrepresentation2 and, in its amended counterclaim, requested damages of more than $50,000. Jackman asserted that Bid #1 was enforceable based on promissory estoppel, and that Winnelson breached the terms of Bid #1 by charging more for parts than the bid prices. Because the amount claimed by Jackman exceeded the circuit court’s jurisdiction, the matter was transferred to district court. [¶11] The district court conducted a one-day bench trial and issued findings of fact and conclusions of law under W.R.C.P. 52, granting judgment in favor of Winnelson on the outstanding principal. The district court denied Winnelson’s claim for unpaid service charges because the language on Winnelson’s invoice form indicated the charge was discretionary and did not specify the amount to be charged or the method of calculating it. [¶12] The district court denied Jackman’s counterclaims. It ruled that, to be enforceable under the statute of frauds, a contract for the project materials had to be in writing because it involved a sale of goods for a price of $500 or more. See Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 34.1-2-201 (LexisNexis 2015). Given Jackman did not accept Bid #1 in writing prior to the expiration dates, the court concluded no valid contract based upon the bid was formed. Instead, the district court found that the parties contracted under Bid #2 when Jackman ordered the pipe and entered into a series of smaller contracts when other materials were ordered by Ms. Glenn. The district court also rejected Jackman’s 1 Jackman’s bonding company, North American Specialty Insurance Co., was also named as a defendant in the lawsuit; however, it did not participate in this appeal. 2 After trial, Jackman moved to amend its counterclaim to conform to the trial evidence by adding a claim for intentional misrepresentation. The district court stated in its decision that Jackman had provided no evidence to prove that Winnelson committed negligent or intentional misrepresentation. 3 alternative claims based upon promissory estoppel, unjust enrichment and negligent or intentional misrepresentation. Jackman filed a timely notice of appeal. STANDARD OF REVIEW [¶13] When the district court conducts a bench trial and issues findings of fact and conclusion of law pursuant to Rule 52, we review its factual findings for clear error and its conclusions of law de novo. Wimer v. Cook, 2016 WY 29, ¶ 9, 369 P.3d 210, 215 (Wyo. 2016). The factual findings of a judge are not entitled to the limited review afforded a jury verdict. While the findings are presumptively correct, the appellate court may examine all of the properly admissible evidence in the record. Due regard is given to the opportunity of the trial judge to assess the credibility of the witnesses, and our review does not entail reweighing disputed evidence. Findings of fact will not be set aside unless they are clearly erroneous. A finding is clearly erroneous when, although there is evidence to support it, the reviewing court on the entire evidence is left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed. “ ‘We assume that the evidence of the prevailing party below is true and give that party every reasonable inference that can fairly and reasonably be drawn from it.’ ” Shriners Hospitals for Children v. First Northern Bank of Wyo., 2016 WY 51, ¶ 27, 373 P.3d 392, 403 (Wyo. 2016), quoting Wimer, ¶ 9, 369 P.3d at 215 (citations omitted). DISCUSSION 1. Promissory Estoppel [¶14] The primary issue in Jackman’s appeal is whether the district court erred by denying its promissory estoppel claim. In its statement of the issues on appeal, Jackman complains that the district court did not conduct “any analysis of promissory estoppel.” That statement is clearly incorrect as the district court made the following conclusion of law: 14. As an alternative theory of recovery available only when no contract exists, Jackman’s counterclaim under 4 the equitable theory of promissory estoppel was not supported by sufficient evidence to prove the existence of a clear and definite promise which Winnelson should reasonably expect to induce action by Jackman, nor was there sufficient evidence to prove that Jackman acted to its detriment in reasonable reliance on any such promise. Jackman’s counterclaim based on promissory estoppel fails. [¶15] Promissory estoppel is an equitable remedy that applies when a party detrimentally relies upon a promise that does not rise to the level of a formal contract. Michie v. Board of Trustees of Carbon County School Dist. No. 1, 847 P.2d 1006, 1009 (Wyo. 1993). Promissory estoppel may be applied in the construction context to make a bid enforceable. See generally, Four Nines Gold, Inc. v. 71 Constr., Inc., 809 P.2d 236, 239 (Wyo. 1991). The principle also can be applied to enforce an oral promise for a sale of goods over $500 even though the statute of frauds typically would make such an agreement unenforceable. Section 34.1-2-201; B & W Glass, Inc. v. Weather Shield Mfg., Inc., 829 P.2d 809, 818-19 (Wyo. 1992). [¶16] All of the elements of promissory estoppel have to be met to allow recovery. The elements of promissory estoppel are: “(1) the existence of a clear and definite promise which the promisor should reasonably expect to induce action by the promisee; (2) proof that the promisee acted to its detriment in reasonable reliance on the promise; and (3) a finding that injustice can be avoided only if the court enforces the promise.” City of Powell v. Busboom, 2002 WY 58, ¶ 8, 44 P.3d 63, 66 (Wyo.2002) (quoting Roussalis [v. Wyoming Med. Ctr., Inc., 4 P.3d 209,] 253 [(Wyo.2000)]). The party asserting promissory estoppel has the burden of establishing each element under a burden of strict proof. Busboom, 2002 WY 58, ¶ 8, 44 P.3d at 66. The first two elements are questions of fact for the fact-finder; the third element is a question of law for the court. Id.; Loya v. Wyoming Partners of Jackson Hole, Inc., 2001 WY 124, ¶ 22, 35 P.3d 1246, 1254 (Wyo.2001). Birt v. Wells Fargo Home Mortg., Inc., 2003 WY 102, ¶ 26, 75 P.3d 640, 651 (Wyo.2003). Singer v. Lajaunie, 2014 WY 159, ¶ 20, 339 P.3d 277, 283 (Wyo. 2014). 5 [¶17] The district court ruled that Jackman did not meet its burden of proving that Winnelson’s Bid #1 was a clear and definite promise which it should have reasonably expected to induce action by Jackman. It also concluded that Jackman did not prove it acted to its detriment in reasonable reliance on any such promise. In other words, the district court concluded that Jackman did not prove the first two elements of promissory estoppel. Jackman claims that, when Winnelson submitted Bid #1, it made a clear and definite promise to supply the materials at the prices included in the bid. It asserts that Winnelson should have reasonably expected Jackman to rely upon those prices when submitting its overall bid to the City of Green River, and it did rely on the promise to its detriment by using those prices, which were lower than those actually charged by Winnelson, in its bid. [¶18] In the absence of a contract, a subcontractor may be bound, under promissory estoppel, to honor his bid to a general contractor. However, a bid is only a “‘promise to perform on such conditions as were stated expressly or by implication therein or annexed thereto by operation of law.’” Alaska Bussell Elec. Co. v. Vern Hickel Constr. Co., 688 P.2d 576, 580 (Alaska 1984), quoting Drennan v. Star Paving Co., 333 P.2d 757, 759 (Cal. 1958). Thus, the promise included in a subcontractor’s bid is expressly subject to its conditions, and a general contractor cannot reasonably rely upon a subcontractor’s bid if the general contractor does not satisfy those conditions. Drennan, 333 P.2d at 759 (stating that the court would recognize a condition expressly stated or clearly implied by the bid). [¶19] The district court found that Winnelson submitted two separate bids to Jackman. Bid #1 was for all of the materials for the project (except those in the three missing bid schedules). Bid #2, which Winnelson submitted at Ms. Glenn’s request, was for the pipe only. Soon after Jackman found out it was the low bidder on the project, it ordered the pipe. The parties, therefore, reached an agreement and performed in accordance with Bid #2. [¶20] With regard to Bid #1, however, the trial evidence supports the district court’s determination that Winnelson did not make a clear and definite promise which Jackman could have reasonably relied upon. That bid clearly expired on May 16 or 19, 2010, depending upon the individual bid schedule, and Jackman did not, in any way or at any time, manifest its intent to accept Winnelson’s Bid #1 in its entirety or otherwise comply with the bid conditions. It did not provide a complete list of materials and quantities, purchase orders, a subcontract, or a notice of intent to accept the bid. [¶21] Jackman argues that the thirty day expiration dates were not enforceable because the periods for acceptance were too short. Winnelson maintains that we should not consider Jackman’s argument because it was not presented to the district court. Unless an issue is so fundamental it must be considered or it concerns matters of jurisdiction, we typically do not consider issues that were neither raised nor argued to the district court. 6 WW Enterprises, Inc. v. City of Cheyenne, 956 P.2d 353, 356 (Wyo. 1998), citing Epple v. Clark, 804 P.2d 678, 681 (Wyo. 1991). Jackman insists that it did raise the issue when it argued that the expiration date was not “commercially reasonable” and that enforcing the expiration date would make Winnelson’s offer “illusory.” Jackman’s argument on appeal is significantly different than its argument to the district court. It certainly did not raise below the specific issue of whether the expiration dates were per se unenforceable because of their short duration. However, for the sake of completeness, we will briefly address Jackman’s argument. [¶22] Jackman relies on Lyon Metal Products, Inc. v. Hagerman Constr. Corp., 181 Ind. App. 336 (Ind. Ct. App. 1979), to support its claim that short expiration periods on bids are unenforceable. Jackman’s argument, however, ignores the facts and the rationale of that decision. In Lyon, an Indiana court of appeals held that a general contractor reasonably relied upon the subcontractor’s bid for athletic lockers even though the subcontractor’s bid form stated in fine print that it was subject to final approval by the subcontractor’s home office and it could be withdrawn after fifteen days. Id. at 337. The court held that the fifteen day expiration period did not prevent the general contractor from reasonably relying on the bid for several reasons: 1) it was in fine print; 2) it was contrary to the project specifications which required bidders to keep their bids open for 120 days; and 3) the general contractor issued a letter of intent to accept the subcontractor’s bid shortly after the job was awarded to it and many months prior to the subcontractor’s withdrawal of the bid. Id. at 342. [¶23] In the case before us, Winnelson’s bid expiration dates were not in fine print; they were clearly printed at the top of each bid schedule. There was no evidence that the project specifications required bidders to keep their bids open beyond Winnelson’s expiration dates, and Jackman did not issue a letter of intent or any other notice that it intended to use Winnelson as its supplier for all of the items included in Bid #1. Given the crucial differences between Lyon and the present case, that decision does not stand for the broad general principle stated by Jackman that “[u]nreasonably early subcontractor bid expiration dates are not enforceable by the subcontractor.” [¶24] Jackman also argues that Double AA Builders, Ltd. v. Grand State Constr., LLC, 210 Ariz. 503, 114 P.3d 835 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2005), supports its promissory estoppel claim. In Double AA a subcontractor submitted a bid with a thirty day price guarantee and the general contractor used it in its total bid to the owner. The general contractor got the job and, within the thirty day period, sent a subcontract for the subcontractor to execute. The subcontractor refused to sign the subcontract or perform in accordance with its bid, and the general contractor was required to obtain the services of another subcontractor. Id. at 837. In a subsequent suit, the general contractor recovered, under promissory estoppel, the difference it had to pay between the subcontractor’s bid and the replacement. Id. at 844. 7 [¶25] Double AA addressed a much different situation than the case at bar. Unlike the general contractor in Double AA, Jackman did not make any attempt to comply with the terms of Bid #1 prior to the expiration of the bid. Indeed, by recognizing that a general contractor can rely upon and enforce a bid only by meeting its conditions, Double AA supports Winnelson’s position, not Jackman’s. [¶26] Winnelson’s bid documents clearly stated that the prices would expire on May 16 and 19, 2010. Mr. Frullo testified that the expiration dates were necessary because prices fluctuate. Winnelson based its expiration dates upon the time that the manufacturers agreed to lock in prices for the materials. Jackman asserts that the expiration period was too short because it did not receive official notice that it had been awarded the project from the City of Green River until after Bid #1 expired. That argument is not persuasive in light of the facts that Jackman knew it was the low bidder shortly after the bid letting, it actually ordered the pipe prior to receiving the notice of award, and it made no effort to secure the bid prices prior to the expiration dates. [¶27] If Jackman wanted to secure the prices in Bid #1, it needed to comply with the bid conditions. It did not provide a complete list of items or quantities as required by Winnelson’s bid form or otherwise indicate that it intended to use Winnelson as its supplier for all of the remaining bid materials at any time, much less before the bid expired. Although Mr. Jackman testified that he accepted Bid #1 when he told Mr. Frullo to “get his submittals together,” the company’s other actions were not consistent with that intent. Jackman’s submittal process was disorganized and incomplete. In fact, Mr. Jackman ordered the pipe without following the submittal process.3 [¶28] Jackman’s other actions in ordering materials from Winnelson did not indicate that it intended to accept Bid #1 in accordance with its express conditions. Mr. Frullo testified that, instead of coordinating with Winnelson to order materials for the whole project, Ms. Glenn would order items piecemeal, often coming into the store “in a panic” needing certain items right away. As Winnelson’s bid stated, many of the fittings were special order so they typically would not be delivered for several weeks after they were ordered. Mr. Frullo testified that, to expedite receipt of the items, Ms. Glenn agreed to pay additional costs. Jackman’s conduct was entirely inconsistent with its argument that it reasonably relied upon Bid #1. Consequently, the district court properly concluded that Jackman did not meet its burden of proving the elements of promissory estoppel. 2. Fraud 3 Jackman makes a statement in its brief that we do not understand: “As Winnelson provided no submittals at all for the pipe, . . . a reasonable person in Winnelson’s position would know that he should prepare the submittals for the other items in the bid.” The fact that there were no submittals for the pipe does not naturally lead to the conclusion that Winnelson reasonably should have known it should prepare submittals for the other materials. To the contrary, it more likely leads to the opposite conclusion. 8 [¶29] Jackman asserts that the price increases and/or freight charges in Winnelson’s invoices were intentionally false or fraudulent. Winnelson maintains that Jackman did not properly present its fraud claim to the district court. “Actions sounding in fraud must be pled with particularity and proved by clear and convincing evidence.” Bitker v. First Nat’l Bank in Evanston, 2004 WY 114, ¶ 9, 98 P.3d 853, 855 (Wyo. 2004), citing Lee v. LPP Mortgage, Ltd., 2003 WY 92, ¶ 11, 74 P.3d 152, 158 (Wyo. 2003). The pleading requirement is found in W.R.C.P. 9: “In all averments of fraud or mistake, the circumstances constituting fraud or mistake shall be stated with particularity.” See, e.g., Excel Constr. Inc. v. HKM Engineering, Inc., 2010 WY 34, ¶¶ 33-36, 228 P.3d 40, 48-49 (Wyo. 2010). Jackman’s counterclaims did not plead fraud at all, much less with particularity. Its failure to comply with Rule 9 is fatal to its fraud claim. [¶30] Furthermore, Jackman did not prove by clear and convincing evidence that Winnelson’s actions were intentionally false or fraudulent. As discussed above, Winnelson conditioned its bid and Jackman did not satisfy the conditions; consequently, Winnelson was not bound by the bid prices. When Ms. Glenn ordered the materials, Winnelson charged the current prices for the materials and included the additional shipping charges. The evidence does not show that Winnelson’s charges to Jackman were different than the prices it charged to its other customers at that time. There is no evidence, much less clear and convincing evidence, to support Jackman’s claim that Winnelson’s charges were fraudulent or intentionally false. 3. District Court’s Rejection of Parties’ Stipulation [¶31] Jackman maintains that the district court erred by rejecting the parties’ stipulation as to the amount Jackman paid Winnelson. At the beginning of the trial, the parties stated they had agreed that Jackman paid Winnelson $679,941.52 for the project materials and were stipulating to that fact. Nevertheless, the district court found: 16. The parties stipulated that Jackman paid Winnelson $679,941.52 for materials it ordered during the time period encompassed by the South Side Project; however, due to unexplained inaccuracies in exhibits D and H, the trial evidence failed to establish this amount was exclusively for the South Side Project. [¶32] A stipulation is “an agreement, admission, or concession made in a judicial proceeding by the parties or their attorneys, respecting some matter or incident thereto.” 73 Am. Jur. 2d Stipulations ¶ 1 (2016). Parties may stipulate to certain facts to avoid the delay, trouble and expense associated with proving them, and courts encourage stipulations to narrow issues to be proven at trial and promote judicial economy. Id. A stipulation “prevents an independent examination by a judicial officer or body with respect to the matters stipulated.” 73 Am. Jur. 2d Stipulations § 17 (2016). Consequently, 9 stipulations of facts are ordinarily “controlling and conclusive and courts are bound to enforce them, and they have no power to make findings contrary to the terms of the stipulation.” Id. See also Watkins v. Lake Charles Memorial Hosp., 144 So. 3d 944, 957 (La. 2014) (“A stipulation has the effect of a judicial admission or confession, which binds all parties and the court.”). In Stringer v. Miller (In re Stringer’s Est.), 343 P.2d 508, 512 (Wyo. 1959), this Court admonished the trial court for ignoring a stipulation. We stated that “[t]he court was not privileged to ignore the stipulation of the parties” as to which will was valid. Id. [¶33] The district court was, therefore, obligated to accept the parties’ stipulation as to the amount Jackman paid Winnelson on the Green River project, without proof of that factual matter. Just as in Stringer, the trial court was not “privileged to ignore the stipulation of the parties.” The trial court should not have considered whether the evidence supported the stipulation, and should not have concluded that the stipulation was not supported by the evidence. [¶34] That error does not, however, change the outcome of this case. The district court properly ruled that Jackman did not prove Winnelson was obligated to honor the prices in Bid #1 under its promissory estoppel theory. It was, therefore, appropriate for Winnelson to charge the current prices for the materials. The result of this case is not affected by the fact that the amount paid by Jackman for the materials totaled more than the bid amount. Consequently, the district court’s erroneous refusal to accept the parties’ stipulation was harmless and we disregard it under W.R.C.P. 61 and W.R.A.P. 9.04. 4. District Court’s Finding that Jackman Agreed to Pay Current Prices of the Materials [¶35] Jackman claims the following district court finding was clearly erroneous: 45. When placing orders, Jackman agreed to pay prices in effect at the time it ordered South Side Project materials even though some of those prices differed from the original bid prices. Jackman’s argument relies upon a conclusion that Bid #1 was enforceable. As stated above, we agree with the district court that Jackman did not satisfy the bid conditions and Bid #1 was not, therefore, enforceable. [¶36] When Jackman ordered materials after the bid expired, Winnelson invoiced them at the current prices with additional freight charges when warranted. Jackman paid the invoiced charges without complaint until late in the project. Mr. Frullo testified that Ms. Glenn was aware that Winnelson was not charging in accordance with Bid #1 when she ordered the materials: 10 Q. After that May 16th or May 19th [expiration] date, what happens with the order in terms of pricing? A. Then they are going to go to the current cost of them. Q. When that current cost includes emergency shipping, what happens with the emergency shipping? A. That would be added. Q. Is that something that you informed Jackman Construction of? A. Heather [Glenn] was very well aware of it. [¶37] Mr. Frullo also explained the disorganized nature of Ms. Glenn’s ordering process and her directions with regard to the higher shipping costs: Q. Who placed the orders? A. Heather [Glenn]. Q. How did she place the orders? A. She would call up and ask me if I had any of these fittings, which on my cover sheet it states that they were like four to six weeks out because they . . . had special coatings on them. . . . We would have to order them, it would take a time delay to get them to us, deliver them to the job site. There was no way I had a complete list from what she wanted me to order off of our quotes at any one time to order the completed job. Q. What did she give you? A. She would just verbally come in, in a panic usually, with a set of plans and tell me what she wanted to order. Q. How much time did you have to supply these items? A. That was part of the problem is they were all special coated so it would take – it’s roughly three to four weeks to get parts. Q. Did that have an effect on anything else related to the price like shipping[?] A. . . . Yes, because if we did not make whatever. . . [the manufacturers’] fitting or dollar volume was, we would be responsible for freight. Q. What do you [do] when you are responsible for freight in terms of the prices? 11 A. What [Heather] told me on this is she told me she would include it in the fittings and she would take care of it. .... Q. So Heather told you to include the price of the freight into the fittings that were ordered and she would take care of it? A. Correct, yes. She did that on numerous occasions. [¶38] The reasonable inference from the trial evidence was that, when Ms. Glenn ordered materials after the bid expired, she was aware that Jackman would have to pay the current prices for the items and higher shipping charges. She specifically directed Winnelson to include the additional shipping charges in the costs of the fittings. The increased costs were clearly shown on Winnelson’s invoices, which Jackman paid throughout most of the project without objection. On this record, the district court’s finding that “Jackman agreed to pay prices in effect at the time it ordered [project] materials even though some of those prices differed from the original bid prices” was not clearly erroneous. 5. W.R.A.P. 10.05 Sanctions [¶39] Winnelson requests that we sanction Jackman under W.R.A.P. 10.05(b) by ordering it to pay Winnelson’s attorney fees. The rule states in relevant part: If the court certifies, whether in the opinion or upon motion, there was no reasonable cause for the appeal, a reasonable amount for attorneys’ fees and damages to the appellee shall be fixed by the appellate court and taxed as part of the costs in the case. Id. In general, we are reluctant to order sanctions under Rule 10.05 and will do so only in rare circumstances. Grynberg v. L & R Exploration Venture, 2011 WY 134, ¶ 30, 261 P.3d 731, 739 (Wyo. 2011); Amen, Inc. v. Barnard, 938 P.2d 855, 858 (Wyo. 1997). Jackman’s argument and brief certainly are wanting in several respects. However, given it established that the district court’s refusal to accept the parties’ stipulation was erroneous (though harmless), this is not one of those rare cases where this Court certifies there was no reasonable cause for appeal. We, therefore, deny Winnelson’s request for Rule 10.05 sanctions. [¶40] Affirmed. 12
The Infrastructure Consortium for Africa, via its Water Platform which is championed and financed by Germany through the Ministry of Development and Corporation and KfW co-financed the 5th Africa Water Week (AWW5)- held in Dakar, Senegal from 26th – 30th May, 2014 on the theme ‘Placing Water at the Heart of the Post 2015 Development Agenda’. AWW5 was organised by the African Ministerial Conference on Water (AMCOW), with support from the European Commission, GIZ, African Union Commission and ICA. The ICA Water Platform co-convened the subtheme 2 on Water Resources Management for Sustainable Development with AMCOW-AUC, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and Global Water Partnerships (GWP). In that subtheme, the ICA contributed a technical session on Resource Mobilization for Preparation & Financing of Climate Resilient Water Infrastructure. The objective of this technical session was to outline obstacles & challenges and then discuss solutions for the preparation of sustainable bankable water resource management programs -- and timely resource mobilization of water resource management projects in general – as well as climate resilient infrastructure. The technical session was aimed at contributing to the African Priorities on the Post 2015 Development Agenda which include; - Inclusive growth through sustainable, reliable and affordable infrastructure development - Environmental sustainability and natural resource management through facilitating climate change adapting measures and enhancing the management of water resources to safeguard quality, access for all uses - Improve Finance and Partnerships by enhancing domestic resource mobilization and ensuring access and predictability of external financial resources and project preparation funding. ICA and GWP provided information on: - ICA’s research and conclusions on resource mobilization for project preparation and implementation (undertaken for the G20 DWG) as well as infrastructure financing trends in Africa (by ICA members, G20 countries and governments). - Preliminary results of ongoing study on financing of identification and financing of WRM programmes in the AMCOW Water Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP).	https://www.icafrica.org/en/news-events/ica-news/article/ica-sponsors-africa-water-week-5813/
This section provides spelling, artist, title, label and date information for individual entries that correct errors in the Complete Book Of Doo Wop. This data has been collected through a cross-checking process using label scans, videos/comments, blogs, forums, biographies and area histories. Most posts have been listed only in the corrected form to avoid confusion with the errors. A few entries offer extra information but most do not. Duplicate label #s for the same group but released under two names are posted for each. Regrettably, the pressing information was seldom available. Except for a few small artists that needed clarification, complete discographies are not posted under this heading. Thank you to everyone who posts. Every piece of information is valuable.	https://deeperthinker.net/doowop-other-group-discographies/
Hallowed Jhen Mohran is a sub-species of Jhen Mohran encountered during G-Rank quests. This version of Jhen Mohran uses its attacks in a slightly different order, so don’t get too comfortable even if you’ve already slain a couple of normal ones. Side Barge : Jhen Mohran barges into the side of the sandship. Move to the other side of the ship to avoid taking damage. Rock Toss : Rocks are visibly released from Mohran’s back, targeting hunters. Move to avoid them. Body Slam : Jhen lands on top of the deck. Retreat to the ammunition store to avoid. Board : Jhen attempts to leap onto the front of the ship. You can interrupt this with the dragonator. Jhen is largely a largely simple fight, and certainly the most typical of a game boss. You want to focus on using the Ballista cannons to launch shots at Jhen’s tusks or the artillery cannon, dealing damage at range constantly, moving around the boat to react to attacks as spotted. When Mohran starts swimming close to the boat it’s actually possible to leap onto his back, dealing damage with your weapon directly. don’t worry about falling into the sea either, you’ll be rescued by the boat. Continue to damage, react, and run onto Jhen when possible. Don't worry about falling off into the sand, you will be saved by the boat.	https://www.gamerguides.com/monster-hunter-3-ultimate/the-monsters/elder-dragon/hallowed-jhen-mohran
CNET también está disponible en español. Don't show this again View an examination of photo quality from the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W570, an ultracompact with a 5x, f2.6 25mm-equivalent wide-angle lens. Photo quality from the W570 is very good for its class, but like most compact cameras it still stumbles at higher ISOs. Photos at ISO 80 and 100 are relatively sharp with very good fine detail and low noise. At ISO 200, subjects soften some, losing a touch of sharpness and fine detail. At ISO 400, images get noticeably softer and there's an increase in noise in darker areas of images. If you're printing at and below 5x7 inches and not doing heavy cropping, the results are very good. Photos at ISO 800 and 1,600 look painterly from noise reduction, so subjects will appear soft and smeary; it's even worse at ISO 3,200 making it unusable. Colors get muddy as well, especially at ISO 1,600 and ISO 3,200; you'll probably want to reserve these two highest sensitivities for emergencies when you need to shoot in low-light conditions or get a faster shutter speed regardless of the results. View larger. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion.	https://www.cnet.com/pictures/sony-cyber-shot-dsc-w570-sample-photos/
Matthew Dowd, a former George W. Bush political strategist who had launched a bid to be the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2022, ended his campaign Tuesday, six days before the candidate filing deadline. "When I first announced, the only other candidate was a white male Christian," Dowd said, referring to fellow Democratic candidate Mike Collier. "A diverse field is now emerging in the Democratic primary for this office. I do not want to be the one who stands in the way of the greater diversity we need in politics." Editor's note: The video above is from a September 2021 story that covers Dowd's campaign announcement. In a statement, Beckley said she appreciated Dowd's willingness to step back and let women compete for the seat. She said she welcomed Dowd and his supporters to join her campaign. "Women have been underrepresented in politics for too long," Beckley said. "The Democratic Party is a diverse party and a party that supports the goals and aspirations of women, and in stepping back, Dowd is showing his respect for voters." Collier's campaign declined comment. Dowd, who had been campaigning across the state, had started his campaign as a top primary challenger to Collier, who came within 5 percentage points of unseating Republican incumbent Dan Patrick in 2018. His plan was to win over the Democratic base and convince them and the rest of Texas voters he could pull in enough Republican and independent voters to beat Patrick. But Collier had beaten Dowd in early fundraising and had also recently rolled out a slew of Democratic endorsements to try to secure his position as the leading Democratic candidate. Dowd had initially beat Collier in fundraising, raising $373,000 in his first few weeks. But Collier, who's been in the race much longer, had collected nearly $1.3 million total as of mid-November. Dowd had focused on denouncing Patrick as a divisive figure who had failed to address the state's core issues while pushing for controversial laws that loosened gun restrictions and restricted abortion and voting rights in the state. In his statement announcing the end of his campaign, Dowd said he'd continue to fight against Patrick. "The GOP Lieutenant Governor of Texas, Dan Patrick, has failed our state and harmed Texans," he said. "He seeks to undermine important rights of our fellow citizens and must be defeated. I will do whatever I can to accomplish that end now as a Texan not running for office." Dowd said he would continue to be involved in politics and work to elect candidates for state and national office. He said he was converting his campaign committee to a general purpose committee to aid in that effort and would announce next steps in 2022. Patrick Svitek contributed to this report. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans - and engages with them - about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
"Who ordered that?" This was the flustered response of physicist Isidor Isaac Rabi when he was told that a new elementary particle, one that would eventually be named the muon, had just been observed. The year was 1936, and the world of 20th century physics, rocked by three decades of disorienting discoveries, was in need of a breather, a bit of time to take stock, to consolidate the mind-bending theories that had been cobbled together at an unprecedented pace. This roller coaster ride of surprises was set in motion in 1900 with Max Planck's quantum hypothesis. It turned out, to Planck's despair, that the the elegant mathematical models of the physical world, painstakingly developed over the preceding three centuries, failed abjectly when scrutinized at extreme microscopic levels. Graceful, continuously-varying classical arcs gave way to jagged, stair-stepped quantum diagrams when atoms were the object of investigation. It was as though a mischief-maker had stolen into the Louvre one night and had replaced Leonardo's "Mona Lisa" with Braque's "Woman with a Guitar". Planck, crestfallen, soldiered on. Only five years later Albert Einstein, exploiting Planck's conjecture about the particle nature of light to solve, virtually en passant, the problem of the photoelectric effect, proposed his theory of special relativity, demolishing the heretofore unquestioned notion that measurements of space and time were absolute. Astonishingly, distances shortened and clocks ticked more slowly as observers moved relative to one another - the closer their difference in speed to the unassailable speed of light, the more dramatic the distortion. Ever the iconoclast, Einstein forged ahead with his assault on Newton's theory of gravitation while the rest of the world was still reeling from his recent revelations. Ironically, the troubled time after the Great War and the early years of the decade of the roaring twenties provided physicists an opportunity to recover their bearings. The early quantum musings of Planck and Einstein, followed soon by those of Niels Bohr, found rigorous mathematical expression with the so-called matrix mechanics of Werner Heisenberg and in Erwin Schrödinger's eponymous wave equation. The structure of the hydrogen atom could now be calculated to impressive precision. A tentative understanding of the universe - at least one consisting of protons, electrons and photons (quanta of light) - appeared to be within reach. Forging ahead, in 1928, Paul Dirac advanced a formulation of quantum mechanics, which explicitly took into account Einstein's special relativity, and, in doing so, predicted the existence of antimatter. According to Dirac, every elementary particle possessed a negative-image twin of sorts. For the neutral photon, this turned out to be the photon itself. But, for the electron and the proton, Dirac's equations demanded the existence of, yet-unobserved, particles of identical mass and opposite charge. Dirac was serenely confident in the implications of his mathematically elegant theory. Other physicists, though, awaiting experimental confirmation, were skeptical. Four years later, the discovery of the positron, the electron's antimatter doppelgänger laid their doubts to rest. At about the time of the positron's debut, the existence of another, apparently fundamental, particle was being established. The neutron, a sister particle to the proton - a little heavier but possessing no electrical charge - was, in many ways, a welcome addition to the particle family. Its discovery led to the understanding that the atomic nucleus was composed of an unimaginably compact knot of protons and neutrons, bound together by a hypothetical "strong" force. The behavior of the electrons orbiting this nuclear droplet, in accordance with now established quantum theory, explained the chemical activity of the elements, while the numbers of protons and neutrons within their nuclei accounted for their atomic weights. At long last an explanation for the organization and the particulars of the periodic table of elements, devised by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1867, had been provided, and with it came the first comprehensive understanding of ordinary matter in the history of the world. But, to everyone's surprise, the neutron itself proved to be anything but ordinary. Unlike the other elementary particles, neutrons were not immortal. Within an atomic nucleus their lifetimes varied widely, but left to fend for themselves they survived, on average, a little less than 15 minutes, decaying spontaneously into a proton and electron. To make matters worse, when the momenta of the proton and the electron resulting from the neutron's decay were tallied, it turned out that energy accounts did not balance. Either the supposedly inviolable law of the conservation of energy had to be jettisoned, or a new particle had to be called into existence, one that fled the neutron's self-destruction unobserved, stealing away with the unaccounted for missing energy. This placeholder, promissory note of a particle, conjured into being by Wolfgang Pauli and christened the neutrino by Enrico Fermi escaped detection for another quarter century, owing to the fact that it felt the push and pull of only the aptly-named "weak" interaction. In the meantime, the hypothesis of the neutrino, a ghost of a particle bullet, allowed physics to dodge another, much more potentially damaging, one. By the mid-1930s a family portrait of elementary particles looked like it was coming into focus. There were the "adults", the neutron and the proton: the heavy-set neutral momma and positive poppa particles, bound in enduring strong-force matrimony, comfortably ensconced in their nuclear home. Then there were the "kids": the bantam-weight, negatively-charged electron, a mercurial and rambunctious boy-child, hovering close by when mindful of his father's tugs, but venturing beyond the atomic neighborhood when overly stimulated, and the neutrino, an alienated and asthenic teenage daughter, resembling her brother in outline, but drained entirely of charge and heft, a Garbo manqué, withdrawn and in perpetual flight. Of course, there was Planck's voluble particle of light, around from the beginning, less a full-fledged blood relation than a domesticated sprite, a restless go-between, bounding from electrical lap to electrical lap. There were rumors circulating, though, that the photon had relatives of her own, answerable to the commands of the strong force and weak force, the way she obeyed the beck and call of electricity and magnetism. Physicists were on the lookout for them. That's about the time that, to Rabi's feigned consternation, the muon showed up, unsummoned. At first it appeared that it might be the strong-force cousin of the photon forecast by Hideki Yukawa only a year before. That turned out not to be the case. Instead, the muon was the harbinger of a wave of particle discoveries to come. By the time the "unwelcome" muon arrived on the scene, the enterprise of physics had been transformed in a fundamental way by the philosophical buffeting of the preceding 30 years. Grudgingly, physicists had come to appreciate that the universe was such a strange and marvelous place, that their understanding of it was, in a profound way, destined to be forever provisional, and that any charter for their investigations required that they not only seek answers to long-standing questions, but also be prepared to wrestle with unexpected - even confounding - surprises. This intellectual no man's land, bounded on one side by time-tested facts and theories and on the other by ever-restless skepticism and doubt, was both a precarious and a wondrous territory. Nevertheless, it was, and remains, the quintessential realm of all scientific discovery. Brother Ricky's Brain exploded one minute and 3 nano seconds into reading this. I guess this is why I should have taken intro physics. Great job , Bro!	http://blog.thoughtsarise.com/2009/01/physics-of-unwelcome-surprises.html
The organization of the compound eye in lepidopteran and hymenopteran insects is basically retained, although some butterflies have more than six classes of spectral receptors, including those sensitive in the violet and red wavelength regions. The eyes and vision of butterflies - BiologyThe Journal of physiology - 2017 It is found that the development of butterfly eyes shares its molecular logic with that of Drosophila: the three‐way stochastic expression pattern of the transcription factor Spineless determines the fate of ommatidia, creating the random array in Papilio. Color sensors of butterflies - Biology - 2012 The noise-limited color opponency model has predicted that the tetrachromacy of the Japanese yellow swallowtail butterfly is based on the ultraviolet, blue, green and red receptors, and given that the eyes of Papilio are equipped with six classes of spectral receptors, their color vision may be hexachromatic. Spectral heterogeneity of honeybee ommatidia - BiologyNaturwissenschaften - 2005 The expression patterns of the three opsin mRNAs demonstrated that three distinct types ommatidia exist, refuting the common assumption that the o mmatidia composing the bee compound eye contain identical sets of spectral receptors. Neurons innervating the lamina in the butterfly, Papilio xuthus - BiologyJournal of Comparative Physiology A - 2013 The butterfly Papilio xuthus has compound eyes with three types of ommatidia, and in addition to photoreceptors and lamina monopolar cells, three distinct groups of cells project fibers into the lamina, suggesting that processing of wavelength information begins in theLamina in P.xuthus, unlike in flies. Evolution of color and vision of butterflies. - BiologyArthropod structure & development - 2006 University of Groningen Evolution of color and vision of butterflies Stavenga , Doekele ; Arikawa , Kentaro - Biology - 2017 The corneal nipple array and the tapetum, optical structures that many but not all butterflies share with moths, suggest that moths are ancestral to butterflies, in agreement with molecular phylogeny. Blue and Double-peaked Green Receptors Depend on Ommatidial Type in the Eye of the Japanese Yellow Swallowtail Papilio xuthus - BiologyZoological science - 2006 It is found that the sensitivity in the UV wavelength region strongly depends on the ommatidial type; the blue receptors in type I omm atidia have a distinctly depressed UV sensitivity, which is attributed to lateral filtering in the fused rhabdom. Reconstructing the ancestral butterfly eye: focus on the opsins - BiologyJournal of Experimental Biology - 2008 A model for the patterning of the ancestral butterfly eye that is most closely aligned with the nymphalid eye is proposed, which underwent an adaptive expansion based on lineage-specific B and LW opsin gene multiplications and on alterations in the spatial expression of opsins within the eye. Extreme Spectral Richness in the Eye of the Common Bluebottle Butterfly, Graphium sarpedon - BiologyFront. Ecol. Evol. - 2016 The structure and function of the eye of the common bluebottle butterfly (Graphium sarpedon), using electrophysiological, anatomical and molecular approaches, is investigated, revealing that the eye contains photoreceptors of fifteen distinct spectral sensitivities. References SHOWING 1-10 OF 51 REFERENCES Localization of spectral receptors in the ommatidium of butterfly compound eye determined by polarization sensitivity - BiologyJournal of Comparative Physiology A - 2004 It is concluded that R1 and R2 are either UV, violet, or blue receptors whereas R3 and R4 are green receptors, and some R6 and R8 are red receptors. Reflections on colourful ommatidia of butterfly eyes. - BiologyThe Journal of experimental biology - 2002 The eye shine of butterflies from a large number of ommatidia was observed with a modified epi-illumination apparatus equipped with an objective lens of large numerical aperture to indicate the presence of red-sensitive photoreceptors. Tuning of Photoreceptor Spectral Sensitivities by Red and Yellow Pigments in the Butterfly Papilio xuthus - Biology - 1999 It is found that the pigments function as spectral filters for the proximal photoreceptor cells of the Japanese yellow swallowtail butterfly, and it is demonstrated that the red receptors contain red pigment and that the green receptors contain yellow pigment. Polymorphism of red receptors: sensitivity spectra of proximal photoreceptors in the small white butterfly Pieris rapae crucivora - BiologyJournal of Experimental Biology - 2003 The first demonstration of red receptor polymorphism in insects is demonstrated, and it is found that the polymorphic red receptor system most probably enhances contrast sensitivity and/or color discrimination in the long wavelength spectral region. The photoreceptor localization confirms the spectral heterogeneity of ommatidia in the male small white butterfly, Pieris rapae crucivora - BiologyJournal of Comparative Physiology A - 2002 Spectral heterogeneity of ommatidia seems to be a common design of insect compound eyes. Coexpression of Two Visual Pigments in a Photoreceptor Causes an Abnormally Broad Spectral Sensitivity in the Eye of the Butterfly Papilio xuthus - BiologyThe Journal of Neuroscience - 2003 This work provides the first compelling evidence that multiple visual pigments participate in phototransduction in single invertebrate photoreceptors. Localization of visual pigments within rhabdoms of the compound eye of Spodoptera exempta (Insecta, Noctuidae) - BiologyCell and Tissue Research - 2004 In the noctuid moth Spodoptera exempta, the distribution of visual pigments within the fused rhabdoms of the compound eyes was investigated by electron microscopy and it was possible to estimate the spectral sensitivities of the morphological types of receptor cells. Two opsins from the compound eye of the crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus - BiologyThe Journal of experimental biology - 1996 Evidence is presented that crustaceans possess multiple pigment systems for vision, and it is suggested that both opsins of this brachyuran crab produce visual pigments with maximal absorption in the blue-green region of the spectrum. The Compound Eyes of Mantis Shrimps (Crustacea, Hoplocarida, Stomatopoda). II. Colour Pigments in the Eyes of Stomatopod Crustaceans: Polychromatic Vision by Serial and Lateral Filtering - Biology - 1991 These adaptations include brightly coloured intrarhabdomal filters, apparent lateral filters and a photoreceptor tiering system unique to the crustacea which allow the spectrum of light available to stomatopods to be sampled over a broad spectral range by receptors with narrowly tuned sensitivities.	https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Spectral-organization-of-the-eye-of-a-butterfly%2C-Arikawa/d4e6fcd3c32ef8f9191727b6743c8036c3b3486c
Providing fully immersive one-on-one English language instruction to children between the ages of 4-12 living in China. Using a flipped-classroom approach to foster creativity and critical thinking skills through the implementation of the U.S Common Core State Standards. Emergency Supply Teaching YCDSB Nov 2016-Aug 2017 On-call emergency supply teacher for Father John Kelly Catholic School. I have supplied for Homeroom grades JK/SK-3 as well as the HPE teacher and Italian teacher for grades JK/SK up to grade 8. With readily available activities and group work for any class, grade or subject. School-Age Before and After Care Elementary Teacher YCDSB Nov 2016-August 2017 School-age elementary teacher to grades one to four during before and after school. Facilitating weekly programming activities and projects for children in the classroom. Volunteer Teaching Assistant, PDSB March 2015 - Oct 2016 Volunteering at Sir John A Macdonald Middle School in Brampton in various classrooms and departments with special interest in Mathematics and ISSP. I volunteered at Agnes Taylor Public School in Brampton specifically working in a grade one class, however taking the initiative to seek out all areas within the school to further extend my teaching knowledge. ANZUK Teaching Agency, Melbourne VIC, AUSTRALIA Feb 2013 - Mar 2014 Performed Casual Relief Teaching (supply teaching) to year prep up to Grade 5/6 at various schools surrounding Melbourne, Australia. \| \| Pre-Service Teacher [Student Practicum] Feb 2012 - Dec 2012 · Ballam Park Primary- Grade Prep Facilitated full-week lessons, observed student assessments (Maths Online Testing, running records) and continuously observed classroom management. Developed a sense of my own classroom management as well as a greater focus on smooth transitioning, tuning in, instilling behavioral expectations and ensuring a safe environment. · Frankston Primary School- Grade ¾ Worked in a ¾ classroom teaching various subjects, specifically focusing on math, spelling, reading workshops and Frankston's “You Can Do It” motto. Planned and implemented whole day lessons and subject units, participated in after-school events and school plays. · Karingal Heights Primary- Grade Prep Through Monash University, fellow teachers and I worked in groups specifically teaching social studies and science to prep students (kindergarten). This experience encouraged teamwork amongst several pre-service teachers and behavioural management skills in working with several students with behavioural needs. Teaching, Sports Coaching and Community Programming Cape Town, South Africa Volunteered with “African Impact” in Cape Town teaching in primary schools and day care/after school care facilities. Facilitated sports coaching for grades one to six and assisted a Grade two class with over 60 students! Specifically taught English, Art and Math. Other duties performed; building houses, cleaning up school grounds, re-furnishing and re-painting containers to create a healthier, relaxing and safe environment for kids. Worked with two very distinct schools- a “Xhosa” speaking and an “Afrikaans” speaking school that encouraged me to break through language barriers. Tutor for Learning Disabilities Association of Toronto LDATD, Canada Worked as an after school tutor at Northview Heights Secondary School, as well as assisting high school students with learning disabilities, encouraging focus in their schoolwork and home life.	https://www.ascott-education.com/curriculum-vitae.html
The workshop Energy Security in the Era of Climate Change: A Dialogue on Current Trends and Future Options will reconsider the whole notion of energy security and its global and regional implications, with particular reference to Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. The aim, however, is to go beyond traditional conceptions of energy security in order to place the phenomenon in its wider social context. Particular attention will focus on the human security implications predicament now confronting energy policy at national, regional and global level. Traditionally, energy security has been conceived primarily in economic and geopolitical terms. The economic dimension centres predominantly on the twin notions of supply (security and sufficiency) and price. In other words, both industrialised and industrialising economies have become increasingly anxious about their increasing dependence on oil and gas supplies located primarily in the Middle East, the former Soviet Union, Venezuela and Nigeria. In 2006 the largest net importers were the United States, Japan, China, Germany, South Korea, France, India, Italy, Spain and Taiwan whereas the largest exporters were Saudi Arabia, Russia, Norway, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Kuwait, Nigeria, Algeria and Mexico. The inflation adjusted price of oil rose from $22.20 in 1973 to $66.40 in 2007. These three factors (the imminent decline of exportable oil supplies, the concentration of those supplies in regions known for their political instability or hostility to one or other of the major oil importing countries, and the likelihood that the price of oil will continue on its upward path) have in turn combined to heighten geopolitical tensions both between oil exporting and oil importing countries, and perhaps more importantly amongst importing countries vying for security of supply, including access to or control of strategic oil and gas pipelines. These tensions have already influenced strategic calculations and military deployments – a trend that is likely to gather momentum in coming years. The contemporary energy security dilemma, though it shares a number of common features with the energy crisis of the early 1970s, is both more challenging and more complex. Numerous factors have contributed to actual or threatened supply disruptions in recent years – from the impact of extreme weather events on highly centralised energy networks, to oil worker strikes in Venezuela; from rapidly increasing energy demand in fast growing economies, notably India and China, to decreasing domestic fossil fuel supplies in the United States and Europe. Assessments of these crises and the responses to them have been equally varied, reflecting diverse and at times conflicting interests, perspectives and policy environments. Yet energy security is emerging as an even more challenging predicament than this characterisation would suggest. The first and most obvious additional factor in need of urgent consideration is the impact of energy consumption on climate change – now the subject of intense public scrutiny and complex and at times painful national and international policy debate. However, the necessary response to the reality of global warming raises equally difficult questions of equity in both national and international contexts. If greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced, how is responsibility to be shared between high and low energy consumers, between rich and poor societies, between those that have historically recorded high rates of nervy usage and those that are presently embarked on such a course? On reflection, the economic, geopolitical and ecological questions associated with energy security are also profoundly cultural. At stake is not only the development of new sources of energy (and the economic and technological requirements of such an option), but a host of other considerations which have far-reaching societal and cultural implications. These include: patterns of consumption, work processes and practices, transportation & communication systems, the relationship of the public and private spheres, urban structure and architecture, and land cultivation practices. Many of the scholars invited, though their primary disciplinary background is in politics, international relations, sociology or environmental studies, have been chosen precisely because they thought creatively and written extensively about these wider implications. No single workshop can do justice to this bewildering array of diverse causes, effects and possible future options. But what is clearly needed is a perspective that is attuned to the global scope and multidimensional character of the issues under examination. This suggests that the challenge-response dynamic that underlies energy security in the contemporary period (namely ‘the era of climate change’) can be most fruitfully considered by placing it within the ‘human security’ framework. At issue is not only the security of states and the role of governments, but the security of economies, of national and local communities, of the environment, and indirectly at least of the efficacy of national, regional and global decision making processes and institutions. The Human security perspective is especially helpful because it encourages serious consideration of the multidimensionality of security discourse and practice. The 1994 UNDP Human Development Report, which popularised the concept, set out two key dimensions of human security: freedom from fear and freedom from want, both of which are central to the contemporary energy security dilemma. The UNDP report went on to identify seven domains where human security was challenged: economic security, food security, environmental security, personal security, community security, military security and political security. To a greater or lesser extent, all seven domains are pertinent to the challenges posed by energy security, not least for Australia’s domestic and external policies. With this in mind, the proposed workshop will adopt an inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary approach. Its main focus will be on the complex interplay of four key sets of considerations in the assessment of energy security options for Australia, its region and the world: economic, geopolitical, environmental and cultural. It is this complex interplay that is often lost sight of in current academic and policy discussions. In this sense, the workshop proposes to make a significant contribution to the emerging intellectual debate on one of the most pressing issues confronting the national and international policy agenda.	https://socialsciences.org.au/workshop/energy-security-in-the-era-of-climate-change-a-dialogue-on-current-trends-and-future-options/
The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey. Related: Unemployment Check List: Advice You Can Act on During COVID-19 If you were laid off, you may qualify for unemployment benefits. In this video, we provide an overview of what those unemployment benefits might be. Professionals who lose their jobs through no fault of their own may qualify to receive unemployment benefits. These benefits can help you support yourself and any dependents while you search for another position. If you’ve recently lost your job, it might help you to learn about some unemployment support programs. In this article, we summarize what these unemployment benefits might be, provide guidance to help in your job search and share some tips for using unemployment benefits. What is unemployment insurance? Unemployment insurance is a government program that aims to provide temporary financial support to eligible individuals who have lost their jobs. Each state maintains its own requirements for who qualifies for unemployment benefits and how much they will receive. The funds for unemployment insurance usually come from taxes paid by business owners in each state. Related: How Is Unemployment Rate Calculated? Why might you apply for unemployment benefits? Usually, people file for unemployment benefits when they lose their job and are not at fault for the loss. Common examples of this type of unemployment include layoffs and company closures. There are several reasons why it may be beneficial to apply for unemployment benefits as soon as you become unemployed. Even if you find a job before you receive benefits, filing for unemployment can: Provide supplementary income to help pay for necessary life expenses Offer peace of mind and support as you seek new work Come with government support programs like retraining opportunities Related: How To Collect Unemployment (With Eligibility Requirements) What are the requirements for unemployment benefits? Each state has its own program that determines who is eligible to receive benefits, but most states consider the same basic factors in the process. Here are a few factors that might affect your eligibility: Unemployment time: In some states, people can start receiving unemployment as soon as they leave their job, while other states have a required waiting period. Employment tenure: Many states only offer unemployment benefits to people who worked in the state for a certain amount of time before losing their job. Amount earned in base period: A state might only offer unemployment benefits to people who earned a baseline amount of money during the months before they lost their job. Reason for job loss: Typically, unemployment insurance is for people who were laid off or whose company closed, rather than people who were fired for their conduct. Willingness to work: Unemployment recipients might be asked to prove that they are searching for another job during the period they receive benefits. Related: How Does Unemployment Work? 9 Things To Know How to file for unemployment benefits Here are five steps you can take to find out if you qualify for unemployment benefits: Go to the Department of Labor’s Career One Stop webpage for Unemployment Benefits. Under “Find Unemployment Benefits,” you can use the drop-down menu to select your state or click on your state using the U.S. map. Find the link to your state’s general unemployment information page and click on it, or find a posted number to call. There, locate your state’s information page detailing the requirements for unemployment benefits. If you prefer, you can call the number provided to speak to a state employee. If you meet the requirements, visit your state’s unemployment benefits website and file an application. You might also visit a local office for unemployment services. Related: How To File a Claim With the Unemployment Office How to search for a job when you’re unemployed In almost every state, you’re required to actively search for new work opportunities while on unemployment. While searching for a new job when you’ve recently lost your position can be stressful, there are steps you can take to make the process easier. Here are six strategies you can use to search for a job while receiving unemployment benefits: 1. Take time for self-care and reflection This period can be an opportunity to revisit your career goals. You might consider what you enjoyed about your old job, what you didn’t like and what your skills are. This will help you when updating your resume and finding jobs that are the best fit for you. When you’re not applying for jobs, spend time on your hobbies or with your friends and family. Taking care of your personal life can make your job search more productive. Related: Setting Goals To Improve Your Career 2. Update your resume If you’ve been in a job for several years, you might update your resume with the experience, skills and achievements you’ve accomplished in your last position. A current, relevant resume can give you an advantage in the hiring process. When updating your professional experience, include your most relevant key achievements instead of your job duties. Include numbers that measure your success wherever possible, like the percent of months you surpassed your sales quota or the total number of customers you helped. Related: Guide To Updating Your Resume 3. Acquire new skills You might find that job postings for new careers or jobs similar to your previous role require certain skills or experience. If available to you, you might use this time to complete coursework or training to make you more competitive in the job market. You might look at job descriptions for positions you’re interested in and take notes about common certifications or skills they include. Then, take a course or do some research in those areas. Related: How To List Certifications on a Resume (With Examples) 4. Attend networking events to meet employers and recruiters While it is important and efficient to apply for jobs online, you might also consider attending networking or hiring events where employers are searching for candidates like you. Speaking with recruiters from companies in your chosen industry can help you identify the skills and traits that your desired employers are looking for in job candidates. Then, you can tailor your resume and cover letter to meet those needs. Related: Top Networking Skills You Should Have (And How To Improve Them) 5. Search and apply for jobs You can begin looking for opportunities on Indeed, on desktop or mobile. For detailed information on searching for jobs, visit The Essential Job Search Guide. Once you’ve found a job you want to apply for, you can easily apply with your Indeed Resume. Potential employers may look favorably on candidates who use their time during unemployment for self-improvement or community service. It may also be helpful to refer back to ways you’ve spent your time working on areas of improvement when discussing your job loss in interviews. Related: How to Change Careers 6. Keep track of your activities Your state may require you to do some of these suggested activities to continue receiving unemployment benefits. If so, it might be helpful to create an activity log to plan your job search. You might use a spreadsheet or other log sheet to record how many jobs you apply to each week or provide information about the new skills you’re developing. Depending on your state, you might be required to submit this information on a regular basis. Related: How To Track Time in a Spreadsheet (With Benefits) Tips for coping with unemployment Here are a few tips that can help you manage your job search and finances during the time you’re receiving unemployment benefits: Remember that unemployment benefits may not cover all expenses If you are receiving unemployment benefits for an extended amount of time, you might consider creating or modifying your budget to plan for unemployment. Though unemployment benefits will help cover certain expenses, they may not cover expenditures in the same way that a job might. Here are a few ways to cut down on expenses: Canceling subscription services Changing your eating habits Looking for part-time or contract work opportunities if your state allows you to do so Know when your benefits end In most states, there is a limit to how long you can receive unemployment benefits. Contact your state’s unemployment agency to find out how long benefits last in your state. Knowing how much time you can depend on that extra income can help you create a financial plan for the future. You might cut your budget while on benefits to save up for expenses when they expire. Consistently apply for jobs Job searching is hard work, and consistently applying is a big part of that effort. It’s helpful to set goals for yourself, such as planning how many jobs you want to apply for each day or week. As you meet your application goals, think of a way to reward yourself. For example, you might plan an inexpensive, fun day at the park if you submit 50 applications in a week. Related: 3 Habits That Could Increase Your Chances of Getting the Job Remind yourself that is no shame in receiving unemployment benefits Losing a job can certainly evoke different emotions, from sadness to anger to anxiety. Be attentive to your mental and emotional health during this time, both for yourself and for a productive job search. Engage in practices that help you feel confident and happy, like spending time with loved ones, exercising or being outdoors. Many people experience job loss, which is why state benefits exist to support citizens. Treat this time as an opportunity to acquire new skills, improve your resume and interview techniques and ultimately find a new opportunity suited to your needs and interests. Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice; you should consult with an attorney for any legal issues you may be experiencing. Related: Job Cast: Explain a Gap in Your Work History In this virtual workshop, Goodwill Director of Workforce Development and Learning Jenifer Garey talks about how to address employment gaps when you start your next job search. Explore more articles - Definitive Guide to Supplies Expense in Accounting - What Are Micro-Influencers and Why Do Companies Use Them?	https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/guide-to-unemployment-benefits
3PX USA INC is a globally-owned and family operated business that has been in the warehousing, fulfillment services, and logistics industry for more than a decade, and has been recognized by our employees, suppliers, vendors, customers, and retailers as one of the responsible and reliable companies to work with. We operate 5 days a week to serve and delight our customers while valuing and respecting every driver associate. Our company is currently on a rapidly growing path and we are grateful to have you join our team. We are looking for an enthusiastic warehouse manager to lead a warehouse team. Receive and dispatch merchandise to and from our warehouse. This positions primary duties will be general warehouse operations; inbound and outbound warehouse operations, and inventory management. Drive safety culture; identify and mitigate risks; train new employees in safe work practices. Lead, guide, and direct team members to meet or exceed operational goals, as well as monitoring performance, providing coaching, counseling, and development. Communicate policies to team members and function as the primary information source for the team, maintaining compliance and consistency and taking corrective action when needed. Clearly communicate vision, strategy, and expectations to the team. Oversee operations including (but not limited to): receiving, warehousing, distribution, fulfillment, inventory control, and maintenance operations. Identify and implement process improvements to enhance financial performance and safety. Provide regular reports for senior leadership as required; provide solutions to various issues (i.e., employee relations, expense control, etc.) Receive feedback and monitor the quality of services provided.	https://jobs.livecareer.com/l/warehouse-manager-3px-usa-inc-397b9096cc0f90ab0b81efedb34907c1?sid=ae7b0307-5db4-49b4-804a-6374506f8378&q=Warehouse+Manager&l=Fairbanks%2C+Alaska&fid=&score=&resumenm=&isresumesearch=false&resumeguid=&bgclr=1
WandaVision Actor Explains Monica’s Transformation In Episode 7 Teyonah Parris breaks down the details behind the transformation of her WandaVision character Monica Rambeau. Throughout the first season, Monica has frequently entered and exited the Hex, the extraterrestrial force field shielding the town of Westview from the outer world. In light of these excursions, Dr. Darcy Lewis quickly warns Monica to avoid infiltrating the Hex again because the boundary has rewritten the molecular structure of her cells, which may cause unforeseen consequences. Despite these warnings, the newest episode follows Monica as she runs into the Hex once again, this time to offer critical information to Wanda. In the MCU, many viewers originally met Monica as a young girl in the 2019 film Captain Marvel, which featured Brie Larson playing the titular character. Set in 1995, the movie centers on Carol Danvers as she eventually regains her human memories and reunites with her best friend and ally, Maria Rambeau. During this time, she meets Maria’s daughter, Monica, who she previously knew when she was an infant. In WandaVision, the adult Monica occasionally mentions Danvers and her mother, hinting at her loss, but does not fully demonstrate the scope of her unresolved feelings until “Breaking the Fourth Wall.” While speaking with Marvel, Parris shared the reasoning behind her character’s motivations, observing, “We saw the physical manifestation of Monica moving through her grief.” In greater detail, she explained both the technical and emotional mechanics of her character’s transformation: “[Director] Matt [Shakman] guided me through [the scene]…He had in his mind how it would all mesh together. I just tried to imagine the grief and the heaviness of Monica losing her mom and not being there, and the heaviness of the guilt. And then essentially at the end, wanting to make her proud, wanting to show [Maria Rambeau] that I will move forward.” As Parris later illuminated, filming the scene proved physically challenging because it involved displaying the literal conversion of her cell structure. To do this, Parris had to re-shoot the same action in different outfits, conveying the passage of time, while tethered to a harness that pulled her back in a swift motion. In the episode, multiple voices from her past can be heard speaking to Monica as she travels through the Hex. When her character finally finds Wanda, the angry superhero responds by violently using her telekinetic abilities against Monica, but her new powers enable her to land on her feet. According to Parris, this was the first moment of filming where she truly felt like a superhero, both in terms of shooting and storytelling. Throughout WandaVision, the show has carefully explored the simmering tensions of grief and loss via a superhero lens. While many of the characters harbor otherworldly powers, they also must confront the incredibly human dilemmas of pain and regret. As the current episode indicates, Wanda is far from the only protagonist struggling with trauma. Monica’s newfound abilities, along with her capacity to relate to and sympathize with Wanda, set her up as a compelling foil and, hopefully, friend to the Scarlet Witch.	https://www.admaplace.com/wandavision-actor-explains-monicas-transformation-in-episode-7/
The invention relates to the radiopharmaceutical labeling of diseased or malfunctioning candidate cells for subsequent treatment with a medicinal compound, the identification in situ of the candidate cells using a probe sensitive to the presence of the radiopharmaceutical label and then treatment of the identified cell. Addressed are improved instruments with enhanced operability, controllability, diagnostic capability and treatment capability. For example, the described devices can be used in an MRI environment, can provide a visual image as well as a radiation image, allow 3D imaging, and allow delivery of treatment compounds to the cell while the probe is at the site of the labeled cells. In one embodiment, the invention relates to in situ gene therapy using a beta or gamma probe to locate labeled cells, also referred to as candidate cells, and the delivery of corrective or therapeutic genes to the candidate cells identified by the probe while the probe is positioned adjacent to the labeled and located cells. Most of the basic elements of biological materials have radiation emitting isotopes (e.g., C-11, N-13, O-15, F-18, I-124). For example, these compounds can be labeled with isotopes which emit positron, beta or gamma rays. More than 500 biochemicals have been labeled with these isotopes (e.g., amino acids, fatty acids, sugars antibodies, drugs, neuroreceptor ligands, nucleoside analogues, etc). Recently, several chemical compounds have been labeled with various positron emitting tracer isotopes for the imaging of gene expression. For example I-124 labeled FIAU a 2xe2x80x2-fluoro-substituted nucleotide analogue, and PET studies performed on rats (Tjuvajev et al. Cancer Res 55, 6126-6132 (1995); Tjuvajev et al. Cancer Res 56, 4087-4095 (1996); Tjuvajev et al. Cancer Res. (1999) in Press) [8-F18]-fluoroganciclovir has been used for PET studies of gene transduction in mice (Gambhir et al. J. Nucl. Med. (in Press) (1998); Haberkorn U et al. J Nucl. Med. 38: 1048-1054 (1997)). The goal of these procedures was to introduce radiolabeled tracers after gene therapy to determine if the gene therapy was successful. The presently described invention is fundamentally different because the below described invention entails radiolabeling of cells suitable for gene therapy and providing a gene therapy composition directly to labeled cells while targeted by the probe. In attempts to locate cancerous cells numerous labeling techniques have been developed to identify the site of those cancerous cells. It was recognized many years ago that fibrin, while not a tumor specific antigen, was known to be more prevalent in the vicinity of tumors due to the inflammatory process accompanying the cell proliferation. Therefore radiolabeled immunoglobulin was used for tumor localization (Day, E. O.; Planisek, J. A.; Pressman D.; xe2x80x9cLocalization of Radioiodinated Rat Fibrinogen in Transplanted Rat Tumorsxe2x80x9d, J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 23: 799-812, 1959. Sparr, J. L.; Bale, W. F.; Marrock, D. D.; Dewey, W. O.; McCardle, R. J.; Harper, P. V.; xe2x80x9cLabeled Antibodies to Human Fibrinogen. Diagnostic Studies and Therapeutic Trailsxe2x80x9d, Cancer, 20: 865-870, 1967.) In all these works the goal was to use radiolabled tracers after gene therapy to determine if the gene therapy was successful. The new method described in this patent application is fundamentally different because radio labeled tracers are used to locate the cells that are suitable candidates for gene therapy before the therapy is applied. More specific labeling was accomplished by Goldbenberg, et al. by the use of I131-labelled heterologous (goat) antibodies to human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). (Goldenberg, D. M.: xe2x80x9cOncofetal and other Tumor-associated Antigens of the Human Digestive Systemxe2x80x9d, Curr. Top. Pathol. 63: 289-342, 1976. Goldenberg, D. M.; Deland, F.; Kim, E. E.: xe2x80x9cHuman Chorionic Gonadotrophin Radioantibodies in the Radio immunodetection of Cancer and the Disclosure of Occult Metastasesxe2x80x9d Proc. Nat""l. Acad. Sci. 78: 7754-7758, 1981.; Goldenberg, D. M.; Deland, F.; Kim, E. E., et al.: xe2x80x9cUse of Radio labeled Antibodies to Carcinoembryonic Antigen for the Detection and Localization of Diverse Cancers by External Photoscanningxe2x80x9d, N. Engl. J. Med. 298: 1384-1388, 1978.; Goldenberg, D. M.; Preston, D. F.; Primus, F. J.; Hansen, H. J.: xe2x80x9cPhotoscan Localization of GW-39 Tumors in Hamsters Using Radiolabeled Anticarcinoembryonic Antigen Immunoglobulinxe2x80x9d J. Cancer Res. 34: 1-9, 1974.; Goldenberg, D. M.; Sharkey, R. M.; Primus, F. J.: xe2x80x9cCarcinoembryonic Antigen in Histopathology: Immunoperoxidase Staining of Conventional Tissue Sectionsxe2x80x9d, J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 57: 11-22, 1976.) CEA is a tumor-associated antigen of gastrointestinal cancer, particularly colon and pancreatic cancer, first described by Gold. (Gold, P., Freedman, S. O.: xe2x80x9cDemonstration of Tumor Specific Antigen in Human Colonic Carcinomata by Immunologic Tolerance and Absorption Techniquesxe2x80x9d, J. Exp. Med. 121: 439-462, 1965.) Other labeled antibodies usable for tagging tumor cells include monoclonal antibody 17-1A and its F(abxe2x80x2)2 fragment (Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pa.), monoclonal antibody 19-9 and its F(abxe2x80x2)2 fragment (Centocor, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa.), monoclonal antibody B72.3 (Dr. Jeffrey Schlom, National Cancer Institute) and CC49 and CC83, both second generation B72.3 antibodies. These are identified as examples of suitable materials and are not meant to limit the scope of compounds usable to label cells. Many other compounds, such as single chained antibodies (SCAs) disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,778, capable of labeling specific cells, are identified in the literature and are constantly being discovered and/or developed. Labeling nucleotides detectable by a gamma probe include technetium Tc99,, iodine I123,, I125, and I131, indium In111, selenium Se75, and cobalt Co57. These and other radioisotopes can be detected by beta or gamma probes. Martin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,840, incorporated herein by reference, describes a procedure which requires the administration of I125 labeled antibody or antibody fragments to a patient to label cancerous tissue. Some time after administration (2 to 21 days) the suspected site is accessed surgically and, using a hand-held gamma probe, the labeled tissue is located and surgically removed. Applicant is a co-inventor on U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,008,546, 5,325,855 and 5,338,937, which describe and claim variations to prior know intraoperative radiation probes. Others describe the use of gamma probes as a biopsy probe for locating, localizing or mapping tagged tissue located throughout the body and particularly near the liver, kidney, or blood vessels or to localize lymph nodes (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,959,547, 5,170,055 and 5,036,201 to Carroll et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,456 to Arnold et al.). Leone et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,811,814 describes a catheter, including fiber optics and a scintillation crystal, suitable for locating concentrations of alpha, beta, gamma or X-ray labeled compounds introduced into the arteries and veins. The use of radiation detection probes placed through scopes to locate radionuclide labeled tissue has been described in the literature for many years. Both Barber et al and Woolfenden et al. described the insertion of a gamma ray detection probe through an open channel in a broncoscope. (Barber, H. B., Woolfenden, J. M., Donahue, D. J., Nevin, W. S., xe2x80x9cSmall Radiation Detectors for Bronchoscopic Tumor Localizationxe2x80x9d, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, NS-27, No. 1 Febuary 1980; Woolfenden, J. M., Nevin, W. S., Barber, H. B., Donahue, D. J., xe2x80x9cLung Cancer Detection Using a Miniature Sodium Iodide Detector and Cobalt-57 Bleomycinxe2x80x9d, Chest, 85, 1, January 1984). Goldenberg, U.S. Pat. No. 4, 932,412, issued Jun. 12, 1990 claimed the same technique, namely the use of a radiation detection probe placed through an endoscope to locate radionuclide labeled tissue. U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,513 to Carroll et al. describes a probe for percutaneous insertion into a body through a delivery sheath followed by the removal of the probe and insertion through the same sheath of an instrument, such as a resectoscope, to remove the identified tissue. Alternatively, the ""513 patent discloses that, following removal of the probe, other tumor destroying techniques can be practiced by delivering a treatment media or device through the sheath, such as cancer cell necrotizing agents, high intensity ultrasound, microwave energy, laser energy, heat electrocoagulation, or the introduction of tumor destructive chemical agents such as free radical promoters, copper or iron ions, oxidants, iodine, tissue digestive enzymes, alcohol or radioactive seeds. However, Carroll et al did not suggest the delivery of compositions for gene therapy which, as discussed below, function in a fundamentally different manner from chemical, mechanical or electrical tumor destruction techniques. U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,708 discloses a device insertable within the body which includes in combination, a radiation sensing probe with an ultrasonic tip and aspiration function to remove tissue released by the vibrating ultrasound tip. U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,396 sets forth an endoscope which includes, in combination, a radiation detecting probe with means to deliver tumor affinable chemicals which can then be activated by laser light transmitted through fiber optics also enclosed within the endoscope. Neither patent suggests gene therapy or the other new functions described below. Another technique attempted to treat cancer is adoptive immunotherapy. Using lymphokines such as Interlukin-2 (IL-2) and lymphokine-activated killer cells (LAK) derived from patient peripheral blood, patients with melanoma and renal cell cancer have shown a significant positive response. A related approach is the in-vitro placement of cytokine genes into tumor specific lymphocytes. After a few days the cytokine gene supplemented lymphocytes are delivered locally to a tumor. Rosenberg, et al. demonstrated that a small but significant percentage of patients with melanoma and renal cell cancer could achieve a long-lasting response. (Rosenberg, et al., xe2x80x9cAdoptive Cellular Therapy: Clinical Applicationsxe2x80x9d, Biologic Therapy of Cancer, De Vita, et al. (Eds.), J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, Pa., 1991.) A second approach to adoptive immunotherapy is to expand lymphocytes from tumors in culture. (Rosenberg, et al., xe2x80x9cAdoptive Cellular Therapy: Clinical Applicationsxe2x80x9d, Biologic Therapy of Cancer, De Vita, et al. (Eds.), J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, Pa., (1991); Topalian, et al. xe2x80x9cTumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes: Evidence of Specific Immune Reactions Against Growing Cancers in Mice and Humanxe2x80x9d, Important Advances in Oncology 1990, De Vita, et al. (Eds.), J.B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, Pa., p. 19 (1990), and Rosenberg, et al., xe2x80x9cUse of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes and Interleukin-2 in the Immunotherapy of Patients with Metastatic Melanomaxe2x80x9d, N. Engl. J. Med., 25: 1671, 1988.) Using these tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), several research groups have documented superior tumor cytolytic activity and better delivery of these TIL cells to tumors than LAK cells. (Rosenberg, et al., N. Engl. J. Med., id.; Diliman, et al., xe2x80x9cContinuous Interleukin-2 and Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes as Treatment of Advanced Melanomaxe2x80x9d, Cancer, 68: 1, 1991; Kradin, et al., xe2x80x9cTumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Interleukin-2 in Treatment of Advanced Cancerxe2x80x9d, Lancet, 33: 577, 1989; and Bukowski, et al., xe2x80x9cClinical Results and Characterization of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes with or without Recombinant Interleukin-2 in Human Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinomaxe2x80x9d, Cancer Res. 51: 4199, 1991.) In general, TIL Cells appear to be therapeutically effective for patients with melanoma. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes have been generated from many solid tumors, including colon and breast cancer; however, these cells do not appear to mediate tumor-specific cytolytic activity in vitro and it is not known if these cells will be effective in adoptive immunotherapy models. (Rosenberg, xe2x80x9cGene Therapy of Cancerxe2x80x9d, Important Advances in Oncology, 1992, De Vita, et al. (EDS.), J.B. Lippincott Co., New York, N.Y., pp 17-18, 1992.) Another approach to tumor therapy with tumor-specific lymphocytes is the placement of cytokine genes in cells which can deliver cytokines locally to the tumor. (Kasid, et al., xe2x80x9cHuman Gene Transfer: Characterization of Human Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes as Vehicles for Retroviral-Mediated Gene Transfer in Manxe2x80x9d, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87: 473-477, 1990; and Rosenberg, et al., xe2x80x9cGene Transfer into Humans: Immunotherapy of Patients with Advanced Melanoma Using Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes Modified by Retroviral Gene Transductionxe2x80x9d, New Engl. J. Med., 323: 570-578, 1990.) It has been shown in several model systems that tumor cells transfected with various cytokine genes including IL-2, gamma interferon, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), are more immunogenic and less tumorigenic than parent cells that do not produce cytokines. (Gansbacher, et al., xe2x80x9cRetroviral Vector-Mediated Gamma Interferon Gene Transfer into Tumor Cells Generates Potent and Long Lasting Antitumor Immunityxe2x80x9d, Cancer Res. 50: 7820-7825, 1990; Gansbacher, et al., xe2x80x9cInterleukin2 Gene Transfer into Tumor Cells Abrogates Tumorigenecity and Induces Protective Immunityxe2x80x9d, J. Exp. Med., 172: 1217-1224, 1990; and Blankenstein, et al., xe2x80x9cTumor Suppression after Tumor Cell-Targeted Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Gene Transferxe2x80x9d, J.,Exp. Med. 173: 1047-1052, 1991.) It appears that local production of cytokines near tumor cells can inhibit tumor growth and stimulate an immune response. It would therefore appear useful to find lymphocytes that recognize tumors and are capable of secreting various cytokines in response to tumors and to deliver these lymphocytes to labeled tumor cells for adoptive immunotherapy. It has been shown that certain TIL cells that secrete gamma-interferon and TNF-alpha will cause tumor regression in vivo, even though they do not display direct tumor cytotoxicity in vitro. (Barth, et al., xe2x80x9cInterferon-Gamma and Tumor Necrosis Factor Have a Role in Tumor Regression Mediated by Murine. CD8+ Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytesxe2x80x9d, J. Exp. Med., 173: 647, 1991.) An alternative source of tumor lymphocytes is lymph nodes. Martin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,295, describes a method of locating, within cancer patients, lymph nodes enriched in tumor reactive lymphocytes so these cells can be harvested, cultured and delivered to the donor patient. The method comprises administering to the patient a radiolabeled locator (such as an antibody) which, in addition to concentration in cancer tissue, also concentrates in the lymph nodes, which are rich in tumor reactive lymphocytes. A gamma probe is then used to locate lymph nodes with increased radiation levels and those nodes are surgically excised. Nodes that appear normal (i.e. free of gross metastatic disease) but which took up the radiolabeled antibody are separated and cultured to proliferate tumor reactive cells with tumor-specific T lymphocytes therein. The cultured tumor reactive cells can then undergo gene therapy in-vitro as described above and, following a several day incubation period, transfused into the patient in accordance with adoptive immunotherapy regimes. This is fundamentally different from the invention described herein where the tumor reactive cells are delivered in vivo to the tumor and allowed to attack the tumor cell within the body of the cancer patient. Gene therapy involves the insertion of genes or parts of DNA into cells or the cell membrane such that they become part of the genetic structure of the cell. Typically, a DNA vector capable of expressing a suitable gene product in the cells of the target organism is transferred into the cells of the organism, through one of a variety of processes so that it interacts with the genetic material of the cell. Prior art mechanisms for the insertion of genetic material into living tissues include direct microinjection, electroporation, (a technique in which individual cells are subjected to an electric shock to cause those cells to uptake DNA from a surrounding fluid), liposome-mediated transformation, (DNA or other genetic material is encapsulated in bilipid vesicles which have an affinity to the cell walls of target organisms), and the use of specific types of biological vectors or carriers which have the ability to transfect genetic material carried within them into specific target organisms. For example, Nemunaitis et al reports on the beneficial effects of the direct injection into tumors in the lung of Adp 53 in combination with cisplatin (Nemunaitis, J, et al xe2x80x9cAdenovirus-Mediated p53 Gene Transfer in sequence with Cisplatin to Tumors of Patients with Non-Small-Cell Lung Tumor,xe2x80x9d J.Clin. Oncology, 18, No 3, (Febuary, 2000) p609-622. One general technique applicable to a large range of hosts is referred to as particle mediated genetic transformation. In this technique, the genetic material, (RNA or DNA) is coated onto small carrier particles. The particles are then accelerated toward target cells where the particles impact the cells and penetrate the cell walls, carrying the genetic material into the cells. At least a proportion of the cells into which the genetic material is delivered express the inserted genetic material and another smaller proportion of the cells may integrate the delivered genetic material into the cells native genetic material. One method of accelerating coated carrier particles utilizes a larger carrier object, sometimes referred to as a macroprojectile. The carrier particles are positioned inside the macroprojectile. The macroprojectile is then accelerated at a high speed toward a stopping plate. One means of accelerating the microprojectile is to use a gunpowder driven device in which the hot gases generated by a gunpowder discharge form a hot gas shock wave, which accelerates the macroprojectile. When the macroprojectile strikes a stopping plate with a hole therein, the microprojectiles continue their travel through the hole and eventually strike the target cells. This and other acceleration techniques have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,050 issued to Sanford et al. and entitled xe2x80x9cMethod For Transporting Substances Into Living Cells And Tissues And Apparatus Thereforexe2x80x9d incorporated by reference herein. A second technique developed for the acceleration of carrier particles is based on a shock wave created by a high voltage electric spark discharge. This technique involves an apparatus having a pair of spaced electrodes placed in a spark discharge chamber. The high voltage discharge is then passed between the electrodes to vaporize a droplet of water placed between the electrodes. The spark discharge vaporizes the water droplet creating a pressure wave, which accelerates a carrier material previously placed in the discharge chamber. The carrier transports the particles which are coated with the genetic materials to be delivered. The carrier is accelerated toward a retainer, where it is stopped, the particles are separated from the carrier, and the particles carried thereby pass on into the biological tissues. This second technique has been incorporated into a hand-held device that can be use for accelerating particles carrying biological materials into large whole organisms. The hand held device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,655 to an xe2x80x9cApparatus For Genetic Transformationxe2x80x9d. issued to McCabe et al. A variation on the second technique for acceleration of carrier particles is based on an expanding gas shock wave, and a planar surface having carrier particles positioned on the target side of the planar surface. The shock wave that actually impacts the target area is substantially reduced when this technique is utilized. In addition, the apparatus used with this technique does not subject target cells to radiant heat or appreciable acoustic energy. Hence cell differentiation and successful cell transformation is maximized. This technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,253, entitled xe2x80x9cMethod and Apparatus For Introducing Biological Substances Into Living Cells.xe2x80x9d which issued to Sanford et al. In this third technique, the delivery instrument incorporates a high pressure gas delivery system, a mechanism to generate an instantaneous gas shock out of the high pressure system, an enclosure into which the gas shock is released, contained and vented and a throat region which translates the gas shock into a particle acceleration force. The expanding gas shock is directed at, and impacts on, a back surface of the planar insertion mechanism (the carrier particles being on the front surface of the insertion mechanism). The particles are then disbursed from the front surface over a wide region of the target cells. All of the techniques discussed can generate only a single potentially traumatic, essentially instantaneous burst of carrier particles and thus are single shot insertion devices. In order to utilize the single shot apparatus a second time, a new carrier with genetic material thereon must be inserted into the device. U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,510 is directed to an apparatus for injecting a continuous stream of carrier particles carrying genetic material into living cells. It includes a body member having an acceleration channel along a central axis, with the channel having an outlet at an exit end. The body also includes a source chamber connected to a compressed gas source and to the channel. Particles are placed on a carrier mounted in the body member in a position exposed to the channel so that a gas stream flowing in the channel can pick up carrier particles off of the particle carrier. A gas stream diverter is placed on the body adjacent the outlet of the channel diverts the gas stream away from the direction of flight of the carrier particles as they exit the body. In this manner a continuous stream of particles carrying genetic material can be directed to the target cells. It has been discovered that cancer cells may have a defective gene structure. It is believed that correction of this gene structure, or modification of that structure can convert the cancerous cell to a normal cell or, as a minimum, modify or retard the cancerous characteristics of those cells and prevent the proliferation of the cancer cells. Alternatively, cancer cells can be transfected by DNA that makes them undergo the apoptosis process. Gene therapy is not limited to cancer cells as it is believed that a gene defect can be identified in other abnormal cells. Also, genes can be delivered to the cell to cause the cell to then generate therapeutic substances. The inventive devices described herein can localize the schemic tissues and allow the effective and accurate insertion of therapeutic genes. There are several radiolableled compounds that can be accumulated in schemic tissue. For example, cells undergoing the apoptotic process can be targeted. Additionally, genes can be inserted in myocardial cells causing them to generate angiogenic factor, which promote the generation of blood vessels. It has also been recognized that diseased cells or tissue can be radiolabeled using various cell specific, tagged compounds. It is also known that these labeled cells or labeled tissue can be located using a probe containing a radiation sensitive detector mounted to receive emissions from the radiolabeled tissue. However, no one has provided a readily usable means for delivering, in vivo, corrective genes directly to the labeled (candidate) tissue in the patient""s body while that tissue is under surveillance by the probe. The invention comprises a probe for the in vivo location of radiolabeled cells or tissue using a radiation sensitive crystal or other detector devices, such as semiconductor detector materials, mounted in the tip of a tubular device insertable into a mammalian body to the region of the suspected radiolabeled cells. As used herein, each reference to xe2x80x9cradiolabeled cellsxe2x80x9d alternatively is a reference to radiolabeled tissue or tissue containing radiolabeled cells. The device includes channels therein, or associated therewith, for placement of compositions for modifying, in a desired manner, the radiolabeled cells directly on or in the labeled cells, or in the immediate vicinity of the labeled cells, while the probe is targeting the labeled cells. The invention also includes a method for gene therapy comprising marking abnormal cells or abnormal tissues with a radioactive tag, targeting those tagged cells using a probe directionally sensitive to the proximity of radionuclides and, through a channel placed at the site of the target cells along with the probe, delivering genetic material prepared for gene therapy treatment purposes. The invention also contemplates the use of a collimating material unaffected by, or not inferring with, a magnetic field, such as a gold collimator, so the probe can be used intraoperatively within the field of an MRI diagnostic instrument. Further, devices within the scope of the invention can include fiber optic channels, which will allow illumination and/or optical visualization of the targeted tissue at the same time a radiation image is being generated. More then one fiber optic channel will allow a 3D image to be generated. Still further, devices within the scope of the invention can also include position-locating means attached to the distal end of the detector. This allows the location of the detector tip within the patient""s body to be continuously monitored and recorded and, simultaneously, a visual image of targeted tissue recorded with a radiation count from the labeled tissue superimposed digitally thereon. This will provide a contemporaneous viewable image of the labeled tumor, an audible indication of radiation intensity across the targeted site, and a digital visual record of the procedure. It should be recognized that each of these concepts, namely a) the delivery of gene therapy b) use of the probe in an MRI field c) mapping of the operative site, and d) the generation of an optical and radiation image may be utilized independently or two or more of these concepts may be combined in a single device.
What are the 4 main ideas of stoicism? The Stoics elaborated a detailed taxonomy of virtue, dividing virtue into four main types: wisdom, justice, courage, and moderation. Is Bill Belichick a stoic? You sense that Bill maintains a deep respect for the game and his opponents through both victory and defeat, purely stoic. What does an epicurean believe? Philosophy. Epicureanism argued that pleasure was the chief good in life. Hence, Epicurus advocated living in such a way as to derive the greatest amount of pleasure possible during one’s lifetime, yet doing so moderately in order to avoid the suffering incurred by overindulgence in such pleasure.	https://365go.me/modern-day-examples-of-stoicism-12434/
DWD Sees Surge in Fraudulent Activity WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - On Wednesday, March 31st, DWD received reports of an email phishing attack coming from a fake account called the “Wisconsin Department of Workforce.” The email requests unemployment insurance information and includes a link to a document where the recipient is asked to fill in personal information. It’s important to remember that while unemployment insurance claims specialists and adjudicators can send secure messages through the UI claims portal, they will never request information through email. Scammers are also trying to access information through social media. This morning, the department worked with Facebook to take down a fake DWD page that popped up overnight. Scammers were using the fake account to interact with people commenting on DWD’s legitimate Facebook page. The fraudulent account was shut down quickly and it does not appear that anyone gave out personal information. DWD’s real Facebook page has a blue checkmark that indicates it is a verified account. The department has also reported several accounts to Twitter that were phishing for information from posters on that platform. DWD has also been receiving an unusually high number calls to its IT Helpdesk for password resets or authorizations. The callers appear to be mostly impersonators attempting to gain access to unemployment insurance accounts. DWD’s UI Fraud Investigations Unit is verifying whether calls are legitimate before any action is taken to change account information. If you receive a request for information and are unsure if it came from Wisconsin Unemployment Insurance, contact a claims specialist at (414) 435-7069, or toll free at (844) 910-3661.
In this monograph I consider the role of institutional entrepreneurs –“projectors” in transferring organizational forms and building new secular school in Russia in the first half of the 18th century. During the period from the beginning of Peter I’s reforms until the accession of Catherine II, the institutional landscape of education in Russia has changed quite drastically. Pre-Petrine and the early Petrine schools were, in essence, pre-modern institutions: a “school” was conceived as a set of students gathering around an autonomous “master”-teacher and his "apprentices". By the time of Catherine II’s accession, however, Russia had a number of recognizably modern schools that differed little in their structure from the classical schools of the 19th century. These institutions were regulated by written instructions mandating, among other things hierarchical organization of faculty and staff; functional delineation of duties; regulation of the learning process and daily behavior of pupils and teachers; formal procedures for assessing and monitoring the students’ achievements and conduct. These schools were designed not just for training, but for achieving internalization by pupils of prescribed patterns of behavior and thinking to be attained through detailed modeling of their daily life and special organization of school space, including a pupil’s isolation from the outside world and constant monitoring. Separate chapters of the book to come out as a result of this project are devoted to the key episodes of implementing these new organizational forms. In the process, we propose a model of constructing the institutional landscape of modernity “from below,” not as the product of abstract “state policy,” but as an outcome of diverse efforts of individual actors, “institutional entrepreneurs,” for whom the introduction of these new organizational forms was a means to realize their own career strategies in competition with other courtiers and bureaucratic players. In the course of this project, we reconstruct the process of transfer of new organizational forms in education in Russia in the first half of the 18th century; demonstrate the role of key players in this process, their motivations, the social, financial, administrative and symbolic resources available to them, and their modes of action; reveal the competitive environment in which they operated; clarify the role of the monarch and the state apparatus in introduction of new organizational forms; identify factors affecting sustainability of new organizational forms. As a result, we propose a model and typology of institutional entrepreneurship as applied to early modern period and demonstrate its relevance to a wide range of countries beyond Russia. Seventeen papers, originally presented at a conference held in honor of Erik Thorbecke at Cornell University in October 2003, highlight the depth and breadth of Thorbecke's influence in research and policy on poverty, inequality, and development. Papers discuss the growth and roots of Erik Thorbecke's career; the consistency of poverty lines; poverty indices; whether poverty and inequality measures should be combined; an approach to measuring health inequality in India; household investments in education and income inequality at the community level in Indonesia; poverty traps and safety nets; progress in the modeling of rural households' behavior under market failures; labor laws and labor welfare in the context of the Indian experience; macro models and multipliers; multiplier effects and the reduction of poverty; developing an accounting matrix for the euro area; globalization, economic reform, and structural price transmission--social accounting matrix decomposition techniques with an empirical application to Vietnam; institutions, factor endowment, and inequality in Ghana, Kenya, and Senegal; an optimal nonlinear taxation approach combining incentives, inequality, and the allocation of aid when conditionality doesn't work; agricultural research and policy to achieve nutrition goals; and whether dualism is worth revisiting. No index. The Working Paper examines the peculiarities of the Russian model of corporate governance and control in the banking sector. The study relies upon theoretical as well as applied research of corporate governance in Russian commercial banks featuring different forms of ownership. We focus on real interests of all stakeholders, namely bank and stock market regulators, bank owners, investors, top managers and other insiders. The Anglo-American concept of corporate governance, based on agency theory and implying outside investors’ control over banks through stock market, is found to bear limited relevance. We suggest some ways of overcoming the gap between formal institutions of governance and the real life. Management in Russia is as difficult to define as a profession as it is in other countries, and the question of what education is appropriate for a future manager is also difficult to define. Business schools in russia need to think more carefully about their curriculums and about what they should be preparing their students for. Today we could admit the growing demand for high educated experts, but modern technologies provide not only new learning opportunities, but also enormous amount Web-resources to plagiarize. In this paper we try to investigate role of intrinsic motivation on attitude towards plagiarism. Some results received during a project “A cross-cultural study of a new learning culture in Germany and in Russia” concerned intrinsic motivation of ITstudents and attitude to plagiarize are discussed. Analysis showed absence of significant differences in intrinsic motivation and significantly more tolerance of Russian students to plagiarism. We presented analysis of reasons for plagiarism and probable ways to solve with this problem in educational practice. The article is concerned with results of content analysis of textbooks for high school in the area of social and human sciences. The author uses the typology of values introduced by S. Schwartz which consists of two value axes — “conservation — openness to change” and “selfassertion — caring about people and nature” — and describes values that underlie each subject area and then compares these values with results of mass surveys of the values of Russians. The objective of this paper is to estimate the factors of intergeneration educational mobility in Russia and Soviet Union, that is to test the equality in accessing the continuation of education at the next level for children from different social groups (families with various levels of the family capital), estimated for different cohorts. The data source is Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey (RLMS-HSE) in 2006-11. There are panel data collected in 1994-2011. The sample is representative for Russia population as a whole. In 2006 there were some questions about respondent parents, that allow us to test if there is the dependence between educational level of respondent and some parameters of his/her parents, including their educational level, Communist Party membership and several other. We estimated the model of probability to get the education of the given level depending on gender, age, nationality, characteristics of parents and birthplace for Russian people born in 1946-1990. Data about respondents' education are collected in 2006-11, about their parents - in 2006. The method of this model estimation is multinomial regression. The model was estimated for the pooled sample, as well as for three cohorts separately: born in 1946-60, 1961-75, 1976-90. It was found out that the family capital (first of all, the educational level of parents and urbanization level) represent an essential obstacle for educational opportunities of Russian high schools graduates. Regression estimation for the pooled sample demonstrates the significant level of dependence of respondents' education on that of their parents. How are professors paid? Can the "best and brightest" be attracted to the academic profession? With universities facing international competition, which countries compensate their academics best, and which ones lag behind? Paying the Professoriate examines these questions and provides key insights and recommendations into the current state of the academic profession worldwide. Paying the Professoriate is the first comparative analysis of global faculty salaries, remuneration, and terms of employment. Offering an in-depth international comparison of academic salaries in twenty-eight countries across public, private, research, and non-research universities, chapter authors shed light on the conditions and expectations that shape the modern academic profession. The top researchers on the academic profession worldwide analyze common themes, trends, and the impact of these matters on academic quality and research productivity. In a world where higher education capacity is a key driver of national innovation and prosperity, and nations seek to fast-track their economic growth through expansion of higher education systems, policy makers and administrators increasingly seek answers about what actions they should be taking. Paying the Professoriate provides a much needed resource, illuminating the key issues and offering recommendations. The economic crisis has uncovered three negative Russian tendencies that created institutional obstacles for market economy growth during the last decade: deepening of raw materials specialization, wear and tear of the equipment, gap in scientific and technical progress, and strengthening of the government. To stop these negative tendencies and overcome economic crisis it is necessary to reform developed institutes. The major problem of the Russian economy is its low performance level. Overcoming development gap in comparison with developed countries will become possible only with the help of innovations. This means that process of generating and using Schumpeterian-type innovations should become the key factor of economic development. It is necessary to note that innovative activity of businessmen can be present in various forms. Depending on existing game rules business activity can get not only productive (J. A. Schumpeter’s creative destruction), but also unproductive (rent seeking) orientation. The “Concept 2020” analyses the global challenges which Russia faces in its development that amplify high level of social inequality and regional differentiation, preservation of barriers to conducting enterprise activity, weak interrelation of education, science and business, absence of necessary competition in various markets and low level of social capital development. Under these conditions, as A. Gerschenkron wrote, the government becomes the leading factor of economic modernization, and it is its representatives that try to shape the concept of long-term socio-economic development of the country. It is supposed that gross national product growth will be provided, mainly, by means of priority development of labour productivity and large capital assets investments. Our calculations show they considerably advance growth of productivity and gross national product, and that will lead to increase in a capital intensity of production and falling yield on capital investment. The arising gap between export and import, according to authors of the Concept, will be covered by the accruing inflow of foreign capital. However the main drawback is the mechanism of maintaining economic growth. Defining concrete aims of development is an important, but an insufficient condition. The institutional mechanism of private sector development stimulation is not developed at all. Meanwhile, sharp increase of expenses on social sphere will raise the question about budget spending. It can be reached either by increase in taxes or by public sector expansion. In the report it is critically considered not only the official point of view, but also Porter M., Ketels K. “Competitiveness at the Crossroads: Choosing the Future Direction of the Russian Economy”, «The forecast of innovative, technological and structural dynamics of Russian economy till 2030», and RAND Corporation report “The Global Technology Revolution 2020: Trends, Drivers, Barriers, and Social Implications” devoted to tendencies of development of 16 technologies in 29 countries and other forecasts. In this paper we analyze institutional preconditions and possibilities of application of the concept of social market economy in the 21st century Russia. Basic elements of social market economy are personal liberty, social justice, and economic efficiency. Personal liberty assumes trust strengthening between agents, development of guarantees of private property, and regular economic policy promoting freedom. With social justice present market economy promotes social development and strengthens middle class. Democracy will allow to break administrative barriers and to create public control. Social justice also includes address support of vulnerable regions of Russia. Economic efficiency should be directed towards creation and maintenance of competitive order, strengthening of antimonopoly activity and improving fair entrepreneur’s image. This will make Russia more attractive for workers from abroad and help it develop integrative relations with neighboring countries. All these measures will raise economic efficiency while creating preconditions for a fast overcoming of the crisis and increasing the well-being and the acceleration of economic development of Russia. Institutions affect investment decisions, including investments in human capital. Hence institutions are relevant for the allocation of talent. Good market-supporting institutions attract talent to productive value-creating activities, whereas poor ones raise the appeal of rent-seeking. We propose a theoretical model that predicts that more talented individuals are particularly sensitive in their career choices to the quality of institutions, and test these predictions on a sample of around 95 countries of the world. We find a strong positive association between the quality of institutions and graduation of college and university students in science, and an even stronger negative correlation with graduation in law. Our findings are robust to various specifications of empirical models, including smaller samples of former colonies and transition countries. The quality of human capital makes the distinction between educational choices under strong and weak institutions particularly sharp. We show that the allocation of talent is an important link between institutions and growth. Twenty-four papers examine the state of early childhood development among sub-Saharan Africa's children. Papers discuss the state of young children in sub-Saharan Africa; positioning early childhood development (ECD) nationally--trends in selected African countries; early childhood care and education in sub-Saharan Africa--what it would take to meet the Millennium Development Goals; brain development and ECD--a case for investment; new threats to ECD--children affected by HIV/AIDS; ECD in Africa--a historical perspective; (mis)understanding ECD in Africa--the force of local and global motives; fathering--the role of men in raising children in Africa--holding up the other half of the sky; ECD policy--a comparative analysis in Ghana, Mauritius, and Namibia; participatory ECD policy planning in Francophone West Africa; responding to the challenge of meeting the needs of children under three in Africa; introducing preprimary classes in Africa--opportunities and challenges; inclusive education--a Mauritian response to the "inherent rights of the child"; parenting challenges for the changing African family; ECD and HIV/AIDS--the newest programming and policy challenge; supporting young children in conflict and postconflict situations--child protection and psychosocial well-being in Angola; strategic communication in early childhood development programs--the case of Uganda; the synergy of nutrition and ECD interventions in sub-Saharan Africa; the impact of ECD programs on maternal employment and older children's school attendance in Kenya; the Madrasa ECD program--making a difference; linking policy discourse to everyday life in Kenya--impacts of neoliberal policies on early education and childrearing; community-based approaches that work in Eastern and Southern Africa; whether early childhood programs can be financially sustainable in Africa; and a tri-part approach to promoting ECD capacity in Africa--ECD seminars, international conferences, and the Early Childhood Development Virtual University. Garcia is Lead Human Development Economist in the World Bank's Human Development Department, Africa Region. Pence is Director of the Early Childhood Development Virtual University and Professor in the School of Child and Youth Care, Faculty of Human and Social Development, at the University of Victoria. Evans is Director Emeritus for the Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development. Index. Тhе article is devoted to the analysis of science, education and business as key institutional agents of civil identity in contemporary society. The civil identity is specified as a subject-object interaction between an individual and a state. Also preconditions for diversification of state power in the field of civic identity forming are determined.	https://publications.hse.ru/en/books/204855397
The World Health Organization estimates that vaccines prevented at least 10 million deaths in just five years between 2010 and 2015. It says vaccines have been one of the biggest success stories of modern medicine. End of tens of millions of lives The World Health Organization (WHO) is so concerned that it has listed this trend as one of the 10 threats to global health in 2019. How was vaccination discovered? Before vaccines existed, the world was a far more dangerous place, with millions dying each year to now preventable illnesses. The Chinese were the first to discover an early form of vaccination in the 10th Century. Smallpox was a highly contagious infectious disease that killed about 30% of those who contracted it. Survivors were often left scarred or blind. It killed huge numbers of people until it was eradicated in 1979. About 300 million people died from the disease in the 20th Century. End of smallpox In 1796 Jenner carried out an experiment on eight-year-old James Phipps. The doctor inserted pus from a cowpox wound into the boy, who soon developed symptoms. Once Phipps had recovered, Jenner inserted smallpox into the boy but he remained healthy. The cowpox had made him immune. In 1798, the results were published and the word vaccine - from the Latin 'vacca' for cow - was coined. What have been the successes? Vaccines have helped drastically reduce the damage done by many diseases in the past century. About 2.6m people were dying from measles every year before the first vaccination for the disease was introduced in the 1960s. Vaccination resulted in an 80% drop in measles deaths between 2000 and 2017 worldwide, according to the WHO. Polio is a highly infectious virus that hits the nervous system - the number of cases has fallen 99% since an eradication drive started in 1988. Until then, “Iron lungs” - coffin-like cabinet respirators - were commonplace in polio wards. End of polio Why do some people refuse vaccination? Suspicion of vaccines has been around almost as long as modern vaccines themselves. In the past people were sceptical for religious reasons, because they thought vaccination was unclean, or because they felt it infringed on their freedom of choice. In the 1800s so-called anti-vaccination leagues popped up across Britain, pushing for alternative measures to fight disease, such as isolating patients. He was fined several times for refusing to get his daughter vaccinated. Tebb was also paranoid about being buried before being confirmed dead, and founded the London Association for the Prevention of Premature Burial. End of William Tebb One of the key figures in the recent history of the anti-vaccination movement is Andrew Wakefield. In 1998, the London-based doctor published a report falsely linking autism and bowel disease to the MMR vaccine. In the US as a whole, there were already more than twice the number of measles cases from January to early June 2019 as there were in 2018. End of largest outbreaks England’s most senior doctor warned last year that too many people were being fooled by misleading information about vaccines on social media, and US researchers found that Russian bots were being used to sow discord online by posting false information about vaccines. A study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that "a significant portion of the online discourse about vaccines may be generated by malicious actors". Researchers reviewed more than 250 tweets about vaccination from accounts linked to a St Petersburg-based organisation named in a US indictment over alleged election meddling. End of Russian bots The proportion of the world’s children who receive recommended vaccines has remained unchanged at 85% for the past few years, according to the World Health Organization. The WHO says vaccines continue to prevent between two and three million deaths worldwide every year. The biggest challenges to vaccination, and the lowest rates of immunisation, are in countries with a recent history of conflict and extremely poor healthcare systems, including Afghanistan, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. But the WHO has also identified complacency as a key issue in developed countries; put simply people have forgotten the harm a disease can do.
Between 1896 and 1899, more than 100,000 brave souls set out on a perilous journey into the frozen North on the legendary Klondike Gold Rush trail. Most never made it to the end. Killed or scared off by bears, treacherous terrain, raging torrents and temperatures below -40 degrees, only one in three completed the journey. Now Parker Schnabel of Discovery GOLD RUSH fame, will attempt to make this same journey and document it in Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail Having just mined $7 million worth of gold, Parker now wants an even tougher challenge: to mine in the gold-rich jungles of Guyana, South America and learn from the locals. But his longtime foreman Rick is about to drop a bombshell of news in the process. Driven to find a lost gold mine, Parkers joins forces with the grandson of a legendary gold miner in search of a hidden El Dorado, lost since World War II. In his final days, Parker's quest to find the motherlode in Papua New Guinea sends him deep into the jungle where he joins locals in a sacrifice to appease the spirits. And one final cleanup and gold weigh determines if he strikes it big in Kuta Village. Parker reveals new details and insight about his epic gold mining expedition in Papua New Guinea, including a near-death moment. Never-before-seen footage exposes the highs and low of the trail and one team member makes a surprising revelation. Parker's quests to find gold in the wild put his survival skills to the ultimate test. He hunts for gold along the freezing Klondike Trail in Alaska, attempts to mine more than Todd Hoffman in South America, and faces extreme danger in Papua New Guinea.	https://eztvtorrent.com/gold-rush-parkers-trail-2017/
Who is Katherine Heigl? She is an American actress, and film producer who started her career as a child model before turning her attention to acting, and is best known for played Izzie Stevens on ABC's medical drama Grey's Anatomy for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award. She was born on Friday November 24th 1978, in Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States. Katherine Heigl holds great compassion and seeks to be of service to others. She is a healer, and capable of giving comfort to those in need - she will frequently offer a shoulder for others to cry on. But actually, Katherine's mission in life is to develop the tools that allow her to be truly helpful to others rather than just a sympathetic ear. Katherine Heigl must find the balance between help and interference, and the delicate art of the counselor who knows when to leave the struggle to others and when to avoid taking away the necessary experiences and lessons of life. It is in Heigl's nature to take on responsibility, to fill the void left by others, and to not turn away from personal sacrifice, albeit at times, she may feel overburdened by the travails of others. However, the love others bestow upon her is her well deserved reward. Katherine seeks marriage and is often a wonderful parent, offering warmth, protection, and understanding to children. However, she must be careful not to choose partners for the wrong reasons, and to not let sentimentality influence her decision, especially those involving the choice of a spouse. Katherine Heigl needs to be needed, but must learn to discriminate between those she can help and others who are made weaker by her care. After all, it is in Katherine's nature to be attracted to the weaker brothers and sisters among us. The temptation for Heigl is to think of herself as the savior of the world, carrying the burdens of others on her shoulders. Katherine Heigl is blessed with musical talent, as well as in the visual and performing arts, and can be successful in a number of artistic fields - even when experiencing inability to fully recognize her own talents. She also has enormous talent in business, and her great deal of charm and charisma can be used effectively to attract the people and support she needs. More... More flavors to Katherine's personality Katherine Heigl is full of energy, always on the go, fidgety, and quite hyperactive. Life is in a constant motion for her and she devours it powerfully. She has great ability to put thoughts into action, and there is no wait once she sets her mind on something. Where others tend to think or dream, Katherine already takes action while radiating energy, enthusiasm, and livelihood around. Her physical stamina is strong, and she loves mental and physical exercise. Katherine Heigl keep herself physically or mentally busy at all times, and she feels better spending time outdoors and eating natural foods. Limited space is a major challenge for Katherine, while exercise, proper diet, and rest are critical for her health. A good walk in the fresh air serves as an intellectual vehicle for her. Katherine Heigl is a practical and down to earth person that can think through any situation or problem. Her good health and physical stamina allow her to work long and hard for anything that she believe in, and quite often for material rewards. Katherine utilizes her practical skills, strong physical dexterity, strength, and good health to work with her hands in either a practical or artistic way, such as being a sculptor or craftsman that possesses both physical and mental talents, and strives for high quality end results. She is easy to get along with, and she has natural ability to save money and pool up economic resources. Tour Katherine's menu and gain more insight into her personality traits, relationships, strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, compatibility with you and with others, and much more. We invite you to create your own free personality profile, in private and for your eyes only!. August 8th 2022 is a day of problem solving for Katherine Heigl. That can be achieved through her creativity, optimism, and ability to share feelings with others today. Katherine is also capable of gathering and using information today when approaching a challenge. Help is received today from unexpected source, and news are to be expected from distant source. Heigl enjoys a pleasant evening, and quality encounters that involve sharing of feelings.	https://www.celebrities-galore.com/celebrities/katherine-heigl/home/
A Peek into The Paranormal Activity at Haunted Castles in Romania Romania has many beautiful sights and enigmatic places to explore. Some of the options available include places that can give you a fright – here are six of Romania’s long-standing and legendary castles which are rumored to be common sites of paranormal activity. Banffy Castle: Nazi Hospital and Site of War Games Banffy Castle is located in Bontida, where it was built between 1437 and 1543 by the Banffy family. In 1944, Nazis turned the castle into a military hospital. Many people died from this time until the end of the war. Later on, the castle was used as a storage place, and ultimately work began for a partial renovation. Today, only the chapel and a small part of the castle are renovated. The place is known for its paranormal activity. Local youngsters have always liked to gather inside the castle’s ruins to organize various games such as war games. Because of this, many of them got to witness firsthand some paranormal manifestations. Banffy Castle, Bontida, Romania. ( Cristian Bortes/ CC BY 2.0 ) When they were ten years old, two local girls came across a secret underground tunnel. One end of the tunnel was at the castle, while the other was at the Greek-Roman Church, and the place was provided with some sort of transportation. Children played in the tunnel until locals decided to have it blocked. Children once encountered many bats flying in the tunnel, although there had never been any other bats in the area. The castle and its grounds are said to be haunted by the restless spirits of those who died there while it functioned as a hospital. Nazi ghostly silhouettes have also been seen wandering around the place. Bran Castle: Well-Known Site for Paranormal Investigations The construction of Bran Castle was completed in 1377 for military purposes. Over time, various towers were added, and in 1920 Queen Maria ordered its restoration. Probably one of the best known castles of Romania, Bran Castle is identified for its hauntings and has been visited countless times by paranormal investigators. Bran castle, Romania. ( Mennowijnen/CC BY SA 3.0 ) Locals know that many restless spirits haunt the place and the castle has one location where a strong scent of violets can be sensed from time to time. Among the more famous spirits believed to be haunting the site are Vlad the Impaler and Queen Maria. Hunyadi Castle: One of the Most Haunted Castles in the World One of the main symbols of the city of Hunedoara, Hunyadi Castle (“Castelul Huniazilor”) is also known as Corvin Castle (“Castelul Corvinilor”). It was built by Ioan de Hunedoara in the 15th century as a feudal residence and for strategic purposes. There are many legends surrounding the construction, such as the one about the Turkish prisoners who built the interior fountain. The story says that they were promised freedom, but after 15 years of work, they remained slaves. For this reason, one of the prisoners added the following inscription to the fountain: “The one who wrote this inscription is Hasan who lives as a slave for the giaour in the fortress near the church”. Even today, Turkish tourists throw coins into the fountain in the memory of their enslaved countrymen. Hunyadi Castle in Hunedoara, Romania. ( Craig Heimburger/CC BY SA 3.0 ) Another tale talks about King Sigismund of Luxembourg’s son with a commoner. He gave the woman a precious ring to give to her son upon his coming of age - when he was to go to the castle. In court his true identity could be recognized with the help of the ring, but, one day, a raven stole the ring. Ioan of Hunedoara killed it with an arrow, recovered the ring and the king heard his story in court. As a result, the raven was added on the Hunyadi family crest. - Doppelgangers and the mythology of spirit doubles - Confronting the Evil Dead: Terrifying Ancient Beliefs Still Alive in Present-Day Romania – Part I - Vlad the Impaler the Inspiration Behind Count Dracula Vlad the Impaler was also a prisoner at Corvin Castle. Held in the cell below the Hall of Knights (“Sala Cavalerilor”), he had to endure harsh conditions and eat rats in order to survive. Some even go as far as to claim that, during this time, he lost his mind and became Dracula, the terrible bloodthirsty ruler. Stained glass window inside Hunyadi Castle. Hunedoara County, Romania. ( Roamata/ CC BY SA 3.0 ) Still, the most interesting aspect about Hunyadi Castle is represented by the hauntings. This castle is one of the most haunted castles in the world. Ghostly silhouettes appear in photographs and violent ghosts are thought to wander the halls and chambers at night. When some tourists tricked the guards to remain in the castle at night, they came out the next day bruised, beaten, and terrified - they had supposedly suffered the wrath of an angry ghost. The ghost had tortured them until the early morning. Poenari Castle: Built with Human Blood Poenari Castle (“Cetatea Poenari”) originated as a form of punishment. It was built by Vlad the Impaler’s boyar families for having killed Mircea, the son of the ruler, and human blood was used for making the stones of the fortress stick together. In addition, in order to ensure the endurance of the construction, a human sacrifice of men, women, and children was performed there. Entrance to Poenari Castle. ( Bejan Neculai /CC BY SA 3.0 ) The spirits of these people are now the restless ghosts haunting the place and, according to historical records, there could be around 1,500 souls wandering the halls and the domain of the castle. At night, people as well as animals in the area are harassed by the ghosts, strange noises can be heard, and other sorts of odd paranormal activity is said to take place. The Ghostly Castle of Iulia Hasdeu After his daughter’s death, Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu held séances to contact his daughter’s departed soul. Apparently the girl, Iulia Hasdeu, responded and gave him instructions regarding the construction of the castle. Located in Campina, the castle was built in a way that would allow the girl’s spirit to return and talk to her father. Iulia Hasdeu died in 1888 when she was 19 years old, and her father, who could not accept her death, attempted to contact her soul. He succeeded for the first time in Bucharest, at the crypt in Bellu Cemetery. Three years later, the construction of the castle was completed. Portrait of Iulia Hasdeu. ( Public Domain ) The castle is based on symbols and principles, such as the all-seeing eye or the numbers three and seven, and it has a special room named the obscure chamber. This room has a round hole through which the girl’s soul is said to enter and leave the castle. Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu also attempted to photograph his daughter’s soul during various spiritual photo sessions. - Not a Great Place to Pass at Night: Haunted Mounds from Prehistoric Times - Malevolent Phantoms, Corpse Brides, and Ancestor Spirits: The Ancient Belief in Ghosts – PART I - The ghost city of Bhangarh and the curse of the Holy Man One night, locals saw Iulia Hasdeu as a full-body apparition. She went out on the terrace holding daisies (even though they were not in season). The next day, the daisies were found on the floor. At night, the girl’s soul sometimes plays the piano and her father’s applause can also be heard. On even rarer occasions, Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu is said to appear at the window, howling like a wolf. Apart from Hunyadi Castle and Banffy Castle, the Castle of Iulia Hasdeu is the third most popular of Romania’s castles for paranormal activity. Iulia Hasdeu Castle, Campina, Romania. ( Constantin Barbu / CC BY 2.0 ) Cantacuzino Castle and Its Orb Sightings Not only is Cantacuzino Castle said to be haunted, but so is its entire territory. Some tourists who have taken pictures inside the castle have found luminous spheres, called “orbs” by paranormal researchers. An authentic orb must have a perfectly round shape, it must emit its own light, and have a flight trajectory, all of this has to be accompanied with an assurance that there are no sources of light in front of the camera (which might create false orbs). There are numerous theories about these orbs. While some look at orbs as the spirits of people who have lived in the area or the spirits of the ascended masters trying to send a message, others consider that these manifestations appear in times of silence and concentration, and say that their colors having certain meanings. Usually, orbs appear in places known for paranormal activity, and the most well-known theory regarding their appearance views them as a method of manifestation for spirits or entities trying to make themselves known. Apart from orbs, black shapes also appear at times in photographs when there is light. Returning to the history of Cantacuzino Castle, many of the members of the family by which the castle is named have suffered violent deaths, some even ending up decapitated. Apart from the orbs which appear in the photographs taken inside the castle and on its domain, some tourists have also caught strange lights in photos. These are a type of flying lights which cannot be seen by the naked eye and which have no visible source, but which do appear in photographs. Cantacuzino Castle. ( Erkcor/CC BY 3.0 ) Such lights have also been photographed on a small terrain located near Gheorghe Doja Street, at the end of the road opposite from Cantacuzino Castle. The area has a small hill going up to the forest covered mountain and, of course, it was part of the castle’s land. Apart from the orbs and flying lights which only appear in photographs, tourists have also heard strange sounds of high intensity, which they say do not resemble any familiar sound.	https://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/peek-paranormal-activity-haunted-castles-romania-005323
A common use of a brush motor is in a fan, for example the type that is used to keep my laptop from overheating. But what exactly is that preventing, and what does overheating do to a system such as a laptop? The fan helps to keep internal units cooled down, heat is created when there is resistance in the different hardware inside the computer. With all the units preforming very close to each other, a lot of heat can be generated. This is why keeping any appliance that generates a lot of resistance should be turned off when not in use, they are just draining unnecessary power and can create enough heat to cause a fire if given the proper (or rather improper) conditions. The fans used by such appliances serves to cool off the internal devices to a certain extent, and don't actually create that much heat themselves, which is useful. There are alternative ways of keeping devices cooled down, fans are one type, but there are also liquid cooling systems which are less common and even a phase change unit, which uses a cooling technique similar to a refrigerator.	https://aplusphysics.com/community/index.php?/blogs/entry/31242-overheating/
If you dive in the North Atlantic ocean you have probably met the Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumps). This funny looking fish is often trying to chase divers away from their precious inheritors. In spring they lay their eggs in shallow waters and guard them for two months. The male is the responsible parent. He takes care of the little ones. The eggs are often attached to stones and often more than one female put their eggs together. Up to 300 000 eggs can be laid at the same spot. The male will look after them all. During the two month periode, the male will not feed. During the first two years the youngsters will live close to land, but adults will move deeper and live at about 50 – 150 meters. It is fished mostly for its roe and you can find it sold as very nice caviar. The Lumpfish is also very often used as cleaner fish in aquaculture. The use of cleaner fish instead of chemical solutions to remove salmon louse (Gyrodactylus salaris) in the Norwegian aquaculture has exploded the recent years. Ten years ago, 700 000 cleaner fish were used. Today it is 26,5 million and the lumpsucker is one of the most important ones as it is efficient throughout the year. The cleaner wrasses are only efficient in high temperatures. The scientists are now discovering that the cleaner fish is developing diseases. The longterm impact on cleaner fish is not sufficiently documented. Any increase in use of cleaner fish is recommended to come from farmed fish, as the large number may affect local populations.	http://www.wedive.no/2017/07/08/the-story-of-a-caring-father-the-lumpfish/
The present invention relates to a process for fermenting carbohydrates using bacteria of the genus Zymomonas initially inoculated into yeast-conditioned media. Ethanol production has traditionally been carried out in a two-stage, batch process employing yeast. The first stage of this process, in which the yeast are grown under aerobic conditions, is referred to as the "growth stage". The second stage entails the production, by fermentation, of ethanol under anaerobic conditions, i.e., in the presence of only small amounts, if any, of oxygen. Addition of air or oxygen is required if the yeast is to be propagated during the ethanol-producing second stage. In particular, oxygen is required if the efficiency of the total process is to be increased by the occasional recycling of yeast cells, for example, via sedimentation or centrifugation. One disadvantage of the traditional process of yeast fermentation is its long fermentation time. "Fermentation time" is the period of time required for complete conversion of substrate to end products, or for the biocatalyst (the ethanol producing organisms) to reach the stage of maximum yield of end-products. At a preferred optimal temperature of between 30.degree. and 40.degree. C., 30- to 70-hour fermentation times have been necessary to obtain 9% to 11% (v/v) ethanol when yeast cells are used for conversion of glucose to ethanol. The rate-limiting factors in this process are the rates of glucose uptake and ethanol production by individual yeast cells. These rates are stringently regulated by cellular enzyme control systems. One method devised to increase the yield of ethanol is to use a larger inoculum of yeast cells, i.e., a larger biomass density. However, even when using a cell density of 5-10 million cells per milliliter (mL), this method still requires 30-50 hours of fermentation time. Reduction in fermentation time to the range of 10-30 hours has been achieved by using 30-100 times higher biomass density in a two-stage batch process. This higher biomass density is achieved by recycling cells previously used in another fermentation. However, the higher biomass density requires an adequate supply of nutrients, supplies of which are often limited. Another disadvantage of the yeast fermentation process, especially when cost is a major concern, is the diversion of fermentable substrate to the production of by-products such as glycerol, amylalcohol and other fusel oils. As a result, the efficiency of conversion of substrate to end-product, e.g., from glucose to ethanol, is lower than desirable, i.e., only between 85 and 91%. Efforts to increase the yield of ethanol from sugar fermentation has also been limited by the sensitivity of yeast cells to high concentrations of both the sugar substrate ("substrate inhibition") and the ethanol end-product ("end-product inhibition"). Substrate inhibition results from an osmotic effect of the substrate on the cells, and is reflected in reduced water activity inside the cell, plasmolysis, and decreased viability. End-product inhibition results from high solubility of cell membranes in ethanol and feedback inhibition. In either case, there is inhibition of cell growth or fermentation. To overcome the drawbacks of yeast-based fermentation, attempts have been made to use Zymomonas bacteria instead of yeast. Zymomonads, such as Z. mobilis, are a very limited class of facultative anaerobic bacteria that metabolize glucose via the Entner-Doudoroff pathway, usually found in strictly aerobic microorganisms. Strains of Z. mobilis have been shown to have rates of glucose uptake and ethanol production, respectively, that are several times higher than yeast, as well as higher ethanol-yield values, reflecting the ability of the strains to tolerate high concentrations of both sugar and ethanol. Notwithstanding the potential advantages of Zymomonas bacteria compared to yeast, the development of practical fermentation systems employing the bacteria has lagged, at least in part due to a serious contamination problem associated with the use of Zymomonas in high-sugar fermentation environments. Gram-negative Zymomonas cells growing under commercial plant conditions are often overwhelmed by competition from contaminating microflora, principally gram-positive bacteria, before the fermentative bacteria can become established, effectively precluding the increase in zymomonad biomass that is necessary to accomplish industrial-scale fermentation, typically requiring volumes greater than 1000 gallons. In the face of problems with both yeast-based and zymomonad-based fermentations, it has been proposed to use mixed cultures of yeast and Zymomonas cells under conditions that would permit both types of fermentative microorganisms to function in the same environment. Generally, a mixed-culture is prepared from yeast and bacteria which have initially been cultured separately until they reach a logarithmic growth phase, that are then mixed together in similar proportions. The yeast/bacterial mixture is then added to a substrate, such as sucrose, fructose, or glucose, that is fermentable by both the yeast and Zymomonas. The conditions present in a mixed culture must be applicable to the reproduction and fermentation of both organisms; i.e., both yeast and Zymomonas. A mixed culture requires that the populations of the two organisms reach an equilibrium, and remain stable throughout the fermentation process. It is very difficult to maintain culture conditions which allow for reproduction of both organisms and maximum fermentation by both organisms. In order to maintain conditions for the propagation of one organism, the other will suffer. For example, air is needed for yeast to propagate, however, air interferes with the fermentation capabilities of the Zymomonas. Anaerobic conditions, on the other hand, will promote ethanol production by both the yeast and Zymomonas; however, the yeast will not propagate, their population will diminish, and a stable population will not be maintained. High ethanol concentrations will also inhibit yeast, whereas Zymomonas have been reported by Burrill et al., Biotech Letters 5(6), 423-428 (1983), to tolerate up to 150 ml ethanol/l before being inhibited. Further, Zymomonas are also unable to utilize urea, a nutrient that is the most commonly accepted nutrient for ethanol production by yeasts in the ethanol industry today. Mixed cultures are not suitable in many of the fermentation methods already in use in the ethanol industry. For example, mixed cultures of yeast and zymonads cannot be grown using continuous fermentation, such as the Vogelbusch technology, which is based on the maintenance of a steady state population of a particular organism by using the dilution rate of the media to maintain and equal the growth rate of the organism. Every organism has its own growth rate at any particular dilution rate which determines which organism will predominate. If a contaminant organism has a higher growth rate than the yeast, it will become the dominant organism; on the other hand, if the yeast has the higher growth rate, the yeast will predominate. Other conditions, such as pH, temperature, antibiotics, and nutritional supplements, can also alter the growth rate of an organism, giving the opportunity for a new organism to take over. Under conditions such as these, it is virtually impossible for two organisms to remain co-dominant, as required for the successful functioning of a mixed culture. Even where the two organisms in a mixed culture can be grown together successfully, the disadvantage remains with respect to production of ethanol by the yeast, i.e., the yeast will still produce fusel oils and the yield of ethanol from substrate will remain unchanged. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fermentation process that exploits the beneficial properties of Zymomonas while avoiding problems with contamination by other bacteria. It is another object of the present invention to provide a fermentation system that can accommodate high-sugar feedstocks, affording high ethanol-yield values, without the necessity of maintaining mixed yeast-Zymomonas cultures. It is still another object of the present invention to improve the efficiency of ethanol fermentation by eliminating simultaneous fusel oil production. It is a further object of the present invention to minimize the time required for ethanol fermentation by Zymomonas.
Phillip Boyle & Associates conducted a detailed loading survey of school special services run by the National Bus Company (now Transdev) throughout Melbourne. Over 100 trips were surveyed and each trip was checked twice on a different day of week. Data was collected to a stop level, including which school each boarding ‘belonged to’. Highlights Survey Type: On-board count Survey Approach: iPad data-collection system developed by Phillip Boyle & Associates Scope of Works Outputs Outputs provided to PTV included: - Detailed maps in our specialised format, showing patronage data - Detailed database providing boardings by trip, location and school, in a queryable format - Maps showing expected route paths compared to observed route alignments. Key Challenges School service surveys are extremely sensitive and the process required extensive daily liaison with schools, NBC and PTV. It was also difficult to get the initial information required to set up the survey, so we used our comprehensive databases of existing services. The process of managing survey staff and getting them to remote locations and schools was also challenging.	https://www.pbatransit.com.au/projects/nbc-school-services-survey/
JOB SUMMARY: The Maintenance Supervisor is responsible for the pleasing appearance and the proper physical operation of the property. The Maintenance Supervisor performs a wide variety of maintenance, supervisory, and administrative tasks as required. The Maintenance Supervisor supervises two or more staff as members of the Service Team. The Maintenance Supervisor position is a working supervisor position; therefore, the Maintenance Supervisor can expect to be involved directly in completing various maintenance or repair responsibilities. The nature of the responsibilities of the position often require considerable physical exertion in performing tasks related to the repair and maintenance of the buildings, grounds, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and electronic systems of the property. The Maintenance Supervisor must accomplish these responsibilities by creating a positive work environment; building relationships with the service staff, contracted vendors, other staff and residents; exercising good judgment; delivering outstanding customer service; and actively participating on the community management team. In addition, the Maintenance Supervisor functions in a residential setting; therefore, good communication and customer service skills are necessary at all times. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: Oversee work of all vendors contracted to do work on or provide services for the physical facility. Develop positive relationships with vendors, keeping in mind the best interests of the property and residents. Select, train, supervise and evaluate Maintenance Technicians, Groundskeeper, Work Study Student Residents and Housekeeper (all positions do not exist at all properties) Develop specifications for the work to be completed, often in consultation with the GM. Review and comprehend specifications that are provided by the corporate office. Make specifications available to possible vendors. Review bids received from vendors, sometimes in consultation with the GM and determine which vendor will be assigned the work. Cost, prior experience with vendor, information from references, and ability to complete quality work in the allocated time will be some of the considerations in evaluating the bid. If appropriate, negotiate in advance with vendor to obtain better pricing, a revised schedule of work, a revised period in which the work will be completed, or other related matters. Document any changes in writing, including the signature of the vendor and the GM. Review the work of vendors while they are on site and immediately discuss any concerns. Inspect work when completed to determine if it meets the specifications and any other applicable standards. If the inspection is delegated for some reason to another appropriate individual, ensure that the individual understands how the work is to be evaluated. Review on an ongoing basis the contracts/agreements with vendors that provide supplies or ongoing services; determine if the property is receiving a good value for the work that is being done. Discuss any recommended changes with the GM and implement, if appropriate. Manage areas of the budget related to facilities Manage the work flow of service requests and other tasks in order to ensure the smooth operation of the property Discuss with GM an effective procedure to ensure that the Maintenance Supervisor receives service requests in a timely and orderly manner from office staff. Ensure that procedures lead to the information noted being as complete and detailed as possible. Assign work to staff and to yourself. Ensure that office staff have any information and tools they need in order to respond effectively to questions from residents, particularly if the repair will be delayed for some reason. Review documentation of work completed at the end of the day, and note this information in the management operating/ accounting system. Assess performance of staff in completing service requests, including whether a call back is necessary, efficiency of staff, their problem-solving skills of staff, and any feedback from residents or the GM. Discuss with GM budget departments that deal with facilities. Discuss with the GM at what level the Maintenance Supervisor may have authority to make/approve purchases or contract for services without consulting with the GM. Understand how expenses will be coded to various general ledger accounts, and be aware of overall monthly expenses to ensure that expenses are in line with what is budgeted. Meet periodically with the Director of Finance and Administration to discuss this and any other related questions. Discuss in advance with GM if expenses may exceed the amount budgeted for the month Review Turn Manual with GM and begin to plan for the Turn process in late winter. Ensure that all tasks within the scope of responsibility of the Maintenance Supervisor are completed within established timelines. Obtain necessary bids from vendors with the assistance of the GM. Bids will be based on any applicable specifications for the work to be completed. Evaluate bids with GM and determine which vendors will be selected. Maintain ongoing positive communication with selected vendors and provide them with necessary information throughout the Turn planning and implementation processes. Ensure that other maintenance, grounds, housekeeping and student staff are trained related to their responsibilities during the Turn process. Involve them in the planning, if appropriate. Assign work to vendors during the Turn process; complete this task based on corporate standards and what is known about the vendor and his/her work force. Work effectively with GM, Team Leaders, vendors and property staff to ensure that work is completed based on specifications and within established time periods. Meet with the GM and any other appropriate staff after Turn to evaluate how it went. Ensure that any comments are noted in writing, in order to assist with planning for the following year. Achieves high productivity through reliable and punctual attendance and report any tardiness, attendance, and disciplinary issues to immediate supervisor. Other duties as assigned JOB SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE: To perform the role successfully, an individual must be able to perform all essential functions satisfactorily. The requirements define the knowledge, skill, and/or ability necessary to perform the essential functions. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Proficiency in MS Office applications Strong verbal and written communication skills Strong problem solving, organizational and customer service skills Ability to effectively supervise and motivate staff members Ability to work without direct supervision Knowledge of safe use of cleaning agents and equipment used to perform job duties Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to prepare and interpret bar graphs EDUCATION /EXPERIENCE: High School education or equivalent Prior experience in business accounting and property management is a plus 1 year electrical, painting, drywall and plumbing experience 3 years related experience and/or training or equivalent combination of education and experience REQUIRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: May require one or more of the following certifications: o EPA Certification PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The work is described as moderate in physical demand. Requirements include the ability to frequently sit, stand, walk, reach forward and overhead, and grasp. Must be able to occasionally bend, crouch or stoop. Must be able to lift and carry up to 100 lbs. and push and pull up to 50 lbs. with mechanical assistance. Must have close and distance vision and the ability to adjust focus. WORKING CONDITIONS: While performing the functions of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to work near moving mechanical parts, work in high, precarious placed, outdoor weather conditions; frequently exposed to fumes of airborne particles; and occasionally exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals, extreme heat, risk of electrical shock, vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. BENEFITS: Equal Opportunity Employer. Drug Free workplace. Employment Offers are Contingent upon successful completion of a background check and drug screen.	https://careercenter.caine.org/jobs/13648868/maintenance-supervisor-howe-place-apartments
About the Center The Sleep Apnea Surgery Center was established by Kasey K. Li, MD, DDS, FACS. The mission of the center is to strive for excellence in the surgical management of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Under the direction of Dr. Li, the center provides comprehensive sleep apnea surgical therapy for patients who have failed or declined medical therapies such as nasal CPAP or oral appliance, as well as for patients who have had unsuccessful sleep apnea surgery. Specializing in the surgical treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, Dr. Li is distinguished as the only surgeon in the world board certified by the American boards of otolaryngology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, as well as facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. Based on his unique background and more than 20 years of experience in the surgical art of head and neck reconstruction, Dr. Li has pioneered and refined many sleep apnea surgical techniques. Here are just a few: He was the first to - report on the use of radiofrequency treatment of nasal turbinate hypertrophy - evaluate the long-term outcomes of radiofrequency treatment for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome - assess the airway mechanics and facial aesthetics of maxillomandibular advancement in sleep apnea surgery Dr. Li was also the first to compare the objective sleep study results with the patients’ subjective quality of life responses following maxillomandibular advancement. Dr. Li has worked closely with Dr. Christian Guilleminault, a world leader in sleep medicine who was the first to describe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome, as well as a variant of sleep-disordered breathing that commonly affects women, the Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome. Dr. Li was the surgical consultant to the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic and along with Dr. Guilleminault, directed the multidisciplinary Sleep Apnea Treatment Team at Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic. The Sleep Apnea Surgery Center provides expert surgical consultative services to numerous sleep disorder centers throughout the United States and abroad. Additionally, the center is participating in numerous research projects in developing new and minimally invasive medical and surgical treatments of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Directed by Dr. Li, the Sleep Apnea Surgery Center is committed to providing excellent comprehensive surgical care for patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.	https://www.sleepapneasurgery.com/about-the-center/
The world is obsessed with quality. In every corner of the globe, people seek to provide consistent products or services that completely fulfill customer expectations. What is “quality” in the field of„EMS? Can we achieve a definition by understanding what quality is not? Someone in your„EMS organization is responsible for System Administration and Quality Improvement (QI). That individual (or group of individuals) has a critical role in the organization, in the community that allows it to stay in existence and in each of the patient care providers. This individual will give specific suggestions regarding system administration, performance and emergency care QI.„ Every EMT working to care for patients should understand how this process occurs, and why it’s important. A case study The “in basket” contains two letters of significance today. The first compliments one of your paramedics for their management of a difficult interaction at a nursing home. The nursing home staff was particularly impressed with how the paramedic managed a patient that had choked on a piece of meat in the cafeteria. The paramedic arrived, attempted to talk the patient through coughing the object out and, when that failed,„„ used an instrument to remove the piece of meat. The patient was checked at the emergency department (ED) and came back to the nursing home in an hour in great shape. The second note was from a neighboring„EMS agency, that had a very positive interaction on a difficult multiple-casualty motor vehicle accident — with the same paramedic! They described how he triaged a group of patients in one of the vehicles, then managed the critical patient by intubating the patient, getting a difficult IV line, and infusing fluid in a tight space by warming and pressurizing the fluid up under his bunker coat. They suggested some recognition of the paramedic for outstanding work! You seek out the patient care reports on both of these incidents, and find both. The incidents were weeks apart in the last couple months. The first report contains the run times and patient identifiers, a narrative report that says, ˙The patient coughed the object out,Ó and no mention of any airway intervention. There was no initial assessment or patient re-evaluation. The second incident had a unit report that contained the incident times, no patient identifiers and the dreaded words “no patient contact.”The conflicting life of the„EMS QI director„ What do you do about these incidents? Write a complimentary note, a reprimand or both? This is an experienced paramedic with a clean record. He has done “minimal” care reports in the past, doesn’t complain about documentation requirements or the department’s “clunky” computer system„and is consistently upper tier on all department training and testing. There has never been a department member that didn’t want to serve on his crew. Is there a trend? This opportunity for praise needs to include an honest review of the paramedic’s work. So you check through the stack of run reports for other incidents run by the paramedic. You go back through several months of reports and discover a consistent trend toward minimal documentation and a disproportionate number of incidents documented as “no patient contact.” The only procedures documented for the past six months are spinal immobilization and initiation of an IV line. This is a trend. Now, you need to use comparative statistics to identify how this paramedic differs in documentation of incidents from the rest of the department. This is an opportunity to review the entire department numbers to evaluate the profile of runs and how they would compare to this paramedic’s run profile. For example, the department overall logs 10% of runs with “no patient contact” where the unit is cancelled enroute or a false call has occurred. This paramedic logs 30% of those call types. On average, the paramedics perform one “significant procedure” a week with this busy service. That would include managing an airway, delivering a baby, decompressing a chest, delivering electricity (defib/cardiovert/pace), or special splinting or bandaging. This paramedic has documented none of these procedures in 26 weeks. Further, a cursory review of the incident type and patient assessment indicates the paramedic would have performed some of these procedures.How to approach the paramedic„ One leadership approach suggests asking questions first, rather than making assumptions and taking action first. You have two complimentary letters on hand to base a discussion on. There is another rule of thumb for leaders that perform quality review in service organizations: Compliments should outnumber suggestion letters by a ratio of three to one.„EMS„interpretation: Good runs are always worth noting. You should provide three times as many compliments for good runs as runs with causes for constructive criticism or suggestions. So, you ask to meet the paramedic privately and introduce the topic by handing him his copies of the compliment letters. Genuinely, you have the opportunity to say “thank you” on behalf of the department and the patients he served. But then you need to initiate a discussion about incident and patient care documentation that begins by showing him copies of the patient care reports he had written. Allow an opportunity for him to discuss the incomplete documentation, provide counseling on that lack of performance and initiate a follow-up plan.„That plan will include a review of all run reports on that paramedic’s shift, verification that the reports are complete and accurate (spot check by verification with other crew members involved in care of that patient), and focused review of all procedures performed. If necessary, discuss the ramifications — including any disciplinary actions — if the next set of reviews continues to indicate documentation shortfalls. You need to have a corrective plan in place should any incident with falsified documentation occur, such as “no patient contact.”„ A reasonable concluding statement is: “Thank you for the wonderful patient care you provide.„ Because of the quality care you provide to patients, we look forward to placing many more complimentary notes in your file, but these two notes cannot be part of that process because the work necessary to complete those incident reports is not on file or not accurate.” The EMS quality improvement program has many facets. It includes performance measurement of the department as a whole and then the individual components that make up the organization, whether that is a shift, a company or an individual. The QI program must have raw material, and those elements are the reports from the communication center and the patient care reports. A few incidents will have supplementary reports, and one would include notes that praise the management of the incident or raise issues about care or competence.„ Typical items in the QI Director’s in-basket include: - Incident reports — a missing wallet from a patient. - A patient complaint — “The medics were cruel to me” - Communication center issues — a citizen complaint about response time, scene time or time at hospital. - Mutual aid run reports. - Hospital interface reports — ED staff complain about patient care - Mutual aid interface reports — another jurisdiction complains about your medics’unprofessional behavior. - Documentation of failures and shortcomings — a high-profile incident without a run report (or an adequate one).„„„„„ Take advantage of the compliment letters to praise the individuals and crews involved. Use a reward program to highlight individuals’and the department’s great work. Credibility exists in the Quality Improvement program when department personnel manage the issues they are presented with. You don’t want the members of your service to dread seeing you in the station or cringe at the sight of an envelope from you! Complaints hit the basket. Log every one of them using a standardized form. Ensure the EMTs working in the system understand that the patient care report they fill out on every patient encounter is the foundation for identifying the system’s strengths and weaknesses. Manage minor complaints immediately. (A best practice: Manage compliments the same shift you receive them. No need to delay relating good news!). Study more significant complaints completely. Of particular concern are any adverse patient outcomes or injuries to department personnel. Capture the case’s important elements on paper. Discuss the case with the medics and the ED crew, and create a “time line” of the case. Often, the system proves unfair to medics by not completing the process of gathering further information from them. If necessary and appropriate, interview those involved. Make sure to get the medic’s views in a fair, non-intimidating way. In a few cases, you will benefit by having some objective people review the patient care report and run record. In most cases, the process will end with the completion of a file and note to the provider(s) involved. Occasionally, notes on the disciplinary process are necessary, as is passing the file to department’s legal counsel. The patient care elements of a complaint are protected from discovery by “peer review” elements of health law. But other elements are open to public reporting, so the process must be fair and objective. It is then a great opportunity to report to the department chief and jurisdictional officials a quality report, produced on a regular basis (quarterly or annually, depending on size of department). The quality report gives elements of department performance, and again highlights compliments and positive reviews of the agency_s activities. It is appropriate to report that complaints are received and managed to improve„„ future performance, and provide clear expectations to every individual that provides patient care and strives to improve. Case discussion The paramedic requested to complete a timed and dated supplement to the two run reports in a session with the other EMTs who worked with him on those incidents. Their input would verify his memory of the incident and his care. These supplements, marked clearly as being completed a couple weeks after the incident occurred, can be added to the overall run report. They can never substitute for prior records. The paramedic understood that his failure to document was not in line with his responsibilities and was subject to disciplinary action. He was pleased with the compliment letters but understood that no action could be taken on them due to the documentation shortcomings.„ His follow-up documentation review revealed no further problems. He offered to work with the information systems personnel to improve the “user interface” for the crews, so that future documentation could be completed more quickly.	https://www.jems.com/2008/03/10/compliments-and-complaints/
Michael Obi is a young reform-minded educator living in Nigeria circa 1949. He is tasked with reforming Ndume Central School, a place known for its unprogressive or backwards ways. Michael and his wife, Nancy, arrive at the village with the intention of forcing it into the modern age. Their two goals are to enforce a high standard of education and to turn the school campus into a place of beauty. One evening Mike observes an old woman walking along a faint footpath that crosses the compound. After consulting with some members of the faculty, Michael learns that the school had attempted to close the path in the past and met with strong opposition from the nearby village. Afraid of giving a poor impression to the Government Education Officer scheduled to visit, Michael places a fence across the path and tops it with barbed wire. Three days after the fence is put up, Michael meets with the village priest, who explains the importance of the path and its relationship with the villagers' animist beliefs. Michael insists that the path remain closed and explains that the purpose of the school is to abolish such ancestral beliefs. Two days later a young woman in the village dies in childbirth. A diviner recommends heavy sacrifices to appease the spirits who are insulted at having the footpath blocked. In the night the flowers and hedges are torn up and trampled to death and one of the school buildings is torn down. When the Government Education Officer arrives, he gives Michael Obi a bad review and writes "a nasty report" on the developing "tribal-war situation between the school and the village." Themes - Cultural conflict between modern ideas and traditional animist beliefs - The tribal culture's animistic beliefs come into conflict with the modern ideology as personified by Headmaster Michael Obi. - Ignorance of others' beliefs - In the same way that Michael Obi does not tolerate the locals' animistic beliefs, the locals do not respect the right of property for the school grounds. The conflict reaches such a level that the white supervisors describes it as a "'tribal-war situation.'" - Twice makes a tradition - Despite Michael Obi's efforts, the villagers cannot imagine a path for the souls of the dead which would not cross the school grounds. - The zeal of the reform-minded African - Michael Obi holds ideological hostility to traditional African animist beliefs, believing that such ideas need to be "eradicated." His zeal actually contrasts with that of the white supervisor, who comments on Obi's "misguided zeal" as being unuseful. Symbols - The path - An imaginary line between the villagers' burial ground and their worship area, the path is not often used, but is essential (in the villagers' animistic belief system) for transmitting the souls of newborns, the dead, and ancestors of the village. - The flowers - Nancy Obi attempts to beautify and modernize the grounds of the school, but the new flowers are "trampled to death" after the villagers open up the dead men's path when they remove the fences placed by Headmaster Obi. The flowers represent the frailty of new modernthe roadblock Michael Obi and his modern reform-minded educators put up, which is of course trampled by the long-held animist beliefs of the local population. Characters - John Obi Mikel - The new 26-year-old headmaster at Ndube Central School who wants to put his reform ideas in to action. Obi is headstrong and is unwilling to consider others' ideas. - Nancy Obi - The wife of Michael follows her husband's lead, and considers herself second in command, at one point thinking of herself as the "queen" of the school. She is the lynchpin behind the Ndube school's new gardens. - Old lady - She hobbles across the dead men's path, walking through a marigold flower-bed and hedges. This event causes Michael to fence off the dead men's path. - Priest Ani - A humble religious leader who addresses Michael about the villagers' concerns about needing the path. The priest explains the animist beliefs of the villagers, which Michael rudely dismisses as "fantastic." - Young woman - She dies in childbirth after the path is blocked off. The villagers believe her death was caused by the path being blocked which prevented spirits from traveling. - White supervisor - He inspects the Ndube school and writes a negative review of Headmaster Obi's leadership, saying that there was a "'tribal-war situation'" between the school and the village. Setting The story is set in 1949 in Ndube, a rural village in Southeast Nigeria. The school is run by those called the "Mission authorities," who have sent the reform-minded headmaster Michael Obi because Ndume Central School "had always been an unprogressive school." The action of the story occurs around the school grounds, which Michael and his wife Nancy attempt to beautify, but they run into interference because a local spirits' path runs crosses the school grounds. References Categories: - ^ Achebe, Chinua. Dead Men's Path. Literature: A Pocket Anthology. Fourth Edition. Edited by R. S. Gwynn. New York: Penguin, 2009. - 1953 short stories - Short stories by Chinua Achebe Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Look at other dictionaries:	https://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/11624632/Dead_Men%27s_Path
where he alternately laughed and cried while discussing the excesses and toils of the last year at TSLA. This interview led to a brief sell off of TSLA’s stock as many assumed that Musk was coming unraveled. But another visionary, Steve Jobs, also used to cry, including often at the workplace as, he put it,"Every once in a while, I find myself in the presence of purity - purity of spirit and love - and I always cry." Musk’s emotional excesses are a by product of passion, and genius, and not weakness. It sometimes takes an extraordinary not run of the mill type to take a new groundbreaking venture to its heights of success. People should be buying not selling TSLA as they realize that it is run by a Thomas Edison like perseverant. As Musk himself put it, if there is someone better available to run TSLA, let him come forward. No such person presently exists. Musk should be left alone to take TSLA to where it belongs - the stratosphere. There is always a price to pay for innovation, and perhaps Musk is paying that personal price beneath the wheel while guiding his company to success.	https://www.truepassage.com/forums/showthread.php/11936-Great-men-of-excess-like-Elon-Musk-and-Steve-Jobs-were-known-to-cry?s=15523e579cec8d97ff5d2594f2f64c18&p=40725
Bringing the Local Community into Bury College (Community Links) Community Links at Bury College is specifically created to support adults with special educational needs and/or disabilities to access education. The benefits of community learning to an individual’s personal development, self-esteem, family network, overall wellbeing and self-worth are widely recognised and encouraged. We are dedicated to promoting equal opportunities and fostering a positive reputation for learning for disabled people. All our programmes are designed to develop life skills, improve health, build confidence, encourage independence and improve self-esteem….and be fun! Students are also encouraged to develop and maintain friendships and find out about other local networks or organisations that they may want to be involved in within their local area. For more information please contact us on 0161 280 8280. "Going to college has given Carly (daughter) so much, helping her to grow in confidence and self-esteem. With Carly being on the Autistic Spectrum, she can get overwhelmed very easily, but she feels safe at Bury college and with staff that understand her needs. She finds the community courses fun without realising she is still learning, carrying on her education and gaining new skills. For Carly, going to college means she has a peer group which we find difficult for her to have outside of college and she has a sense of purpose and she feels part of the community. I would like to thank Bury College for providing these much-needed activities."	https://burycollege.ac.uk/courses/adult-courses/community-learning/community-links/
Tehran University of Medical Sciences ; , Rheumatology Research Center ; , Journal of Advances in Medical Education and Professionalism Journal Country: Islamic Republic of Iran ISSN: 2322-2220 ISSN E: 2322-3561 Indexing Status : In process Abstract English Introduction: we evaluated the effects of implementing Team-Based Learning [TBL] on student engagement, accountability, satisfaction, and preference for lecture or team-based learning. Moreover, we assessed the effect of TBL on knowledge retention and application over time through short answer questions based on clinical scenarios addressing history taking and diagnosis skills in medical students Methods: the study was conducted in a quasi-experimental design. The study population were all of the third-year medical students [n=84] participating in a course of rheumatology in Shariati Hospital, which is a teaching hospital affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. We compared TBL with the conventional lecture-based method. The assessments were performed after implementation of TBL by the Classroom Engagement Survey [CES] and Team-Based Learning Student Assessment Instrument [TBL-SAI] . The assessment for application of knowledge was conducted in 3 time-points through short answer questions on rheumatic diseases. The comparison of results was made by Student's t-test and repeated-measures analysis of variance [RMANOVA] using SPSS software, version 16 Results: the CES scores indicated a high level of engagement in TBL [Mean +/- SD=26.7 +/- 3.70, p=0.0001] but not in the lecture-based sessions [Mean +/- SD=23.80 +/- 4.35, p=0.09] . The total mean score [SD] for TBL-SAI was 159.68 [14.14] for TBL sessions indicating a favorable outcome [p=0.0001] . The student scores obtained from the short answer questions showed that over time the students' scores had declined significantly less for the TBL sessions in comparison to the lecture-based sessions, F [2, 166] =4.624, p=0.011 Conclusion: the results indicated higher student engagement, satisfaction and long term learning by TBL Read More Citation:	https://vlibrary.emro.who.int/imemr/the-effects-of-team-based-learning-on-learning-outcomes-in-a-course-of-rheumatology/
Introduction ============ Achromatopsia (ACHM; OMIM [216900](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/omim/?term=216900)) or rod monochromacy is a rare autosomal recessive cone disorder with a prevalence of 1 in 30,000 individuals. ACHM is characterized by reduced visual acuity, nystagmus, photophobia, a small central scotoma, and total loss of color discrimination. Although visual acuity is usually stable over time, nystagmus and hypersensitivity to bright light may decrease slightly. Most individuals have complete achromatopsia with a total lack of function of three types of cone photoreceptors. Incomplete achromatopsia is characterized by the residual ability to discriminate colors. Electroretinographic recordings (ERGs) show normal function of rod photoreceptors and no recordable or only residual cone function \[[@r1]\]. To date, five genes have been shown to be associated with ACHM. They code for cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel beta-3 (CNGB3; chr.8q21-q22; OMIM [605080](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/omim/?term=605080)), cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel alpha-3 (CNGA3; chr.2q11; OMIM [600053](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/omim/?term=600053)), guanine nucleotide-binding protein, alpha transducing activity polypeptide 2 (GNAT2; chr.1p13; OMIM [139340](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/omim/?term=139340)), phosphodiesterase 6C, cGMP-specific, cone alpha prime (PDE6C; chr.10q24; OMIM [600827](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/omim/?term=600827)), and the most recently associated gene, phosphodiesterase 6H, cGMP-specific, gamma (PDE6H; chr.12p12.3; OMIM [601190](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/omim/?term=601190)) \[[@r2]-[@r6]\]. Mutations in the CNGB3 gene underlie approximately 50% of ACHM cases. Most of the CNGB3 mutations are frame-shift deletions, insertions, nonsense, or splice-site mutations \[[@r3],[@r7],[@r8]\]. Twenty-five percent of all patients with ACHM have mutations in the CNGA3 gene \[[@r5],[@r9],[@r10]\]. The proteins encoded by these genes are expressed in the cone photoreceptor cells and are crucial for the cone phototransduction cascade \[[@r1]\]. Most mutant proteins encoded by CNGB3 are thought to be null alleles \[[@r11],[@r12]\]. In vitro expression analyses have shown that most CNGA3 mutations lead to the lack of channel activity. Mutant proteins are synthesized but are retained in the endoplasmic reticulum and, therefore, impair cellular traffic \[[@r9],[@r13]\]. Functional analysis with heterologous expression of mutant cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels and animal models helped to understand the underlying pathogenic mechanism in ACHM. Analysis of a Cngb3 knockout mouse model also shows reduced biosynthesis of Cnga3 and impaired cone CNG channel function. Ding et al. suggested that CNGB3 mutations may contribute, by the downregulation of CNGA3, to the pathogenic mechanism leading to human cone disease \[[@r14]\]. New progress in gene therapy provides great hope for individuals who have ACHM. In 2010, Komáromy et al. restored visual function by using recombinant adenoassociated virus (rAAV)-mediated gene replacement therapy in two canine models of CNGB3 ACHM \[[@r15]\]. Because the treatment was effective only in young dogs (\<0.5 years old), the researchers then modified and examined combined gene therapy with the administration of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and achieved successful cone rescue among all age groups \[[@r16]\]. At the same time, CNGB3 gene replacement using AAV was applied in several mouse models and showed long-term improvement in retinal function with significant rescue of cone ERG amplitudes \[[@r17]-[@r19]\]. Recently, scientists from University College London (UCL) announced they intended to create and test a newly engineered viral vector applicable for use in clinics and conduct a phase I/II clinical trial for gene therapy in patients with ACHM who carry mutations in the CNGB3 gene. The project is expected to end in 2018 (Gateway to Research). The group of patients comprised ten independent Polish probands with a diagnosis of congenital achromatopsia. Known mutations in the CNGA3 gene were identified in six patients ([Table 1](#t1){ref-type="table"}). Therefore, in the present study, we report four patients with ACHM, compound heterozygotes with at least one novel CNGB3 gene alteration. ###### Identified CNGA3 gene mutations. Patient Mutation Effect of mutation Allelic state References ----------------------- ---------------------- ------------------------ ------------------------------- -------------------------------------------- p5 c.829C\>T (allele 1) p.R277C heterozygous Wissinger et al., Am. J. Hum. Genet., 2001 c.1641C\>A (allele 2) p.F547L heterozygous Kohl et al., Nat Genet., 1998 p6 c.829C\>T (allele 1) p.R277C heterozygous Wissinger et al., Am. J. Hum. Genet., 2001 c.1641C\>A (allele 2) p.F547L heterozygous Kohl et al., Nat Genet., 1998 p7 c.1641C\>A p.F547L homozygous Kohl et al., Nat Genet., 1998 p8 c.829C\>T (allele 1) p.R277C heterozygous Wissinger et al., Am. J. Hum. Genet., 2001 c.847C\>T (allele 2) p.R283W heterozygous Kohl et al., Nat Genet., 1998 p9 c.1641C\>A p.F547L homozygous Kohl et al., Nat Genet., 1998 p10 c.830G\>A p.R277H homozygous Wissinger et al., Am. J. Hum. Genet., 2001 Methods ======= Clinical studies ---------------- Four patients from four unrelated Polish families from different regions of Poland and manifesting clinical features of ACHM participated in this study. Ophthalmologic examinations, including visual acuity testing, color vision testing (D-15 Panel and Ishihara Plate Test), and full-field ERG were performed in all patients (with the exception of patient p4, who had no ERG). This study conforms to the Helsinki declaration and was approved by the Poznan University of Medical Sciences Institutional Review Board. Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects or their legal guardians. Molecular genetic analysis -------------------------- Venous blood samples were taken from the patients and their parents (with the exception of family \#4; the parents were not available for genetic analysis). Genomic DNA was extracted from leukocytes using the standard salting-out procedure \[[@r20]\]. Blood was collected into tubes containing EDTA and stored in a refrigerator until DNA isolation was performed \[[@r20]\]. Genomic DNA was extracted from leukocytes. In patient p4, initial microarray analysis toward Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) was performed (Asper Biotech, Tartu, Estonia). The genetic analysis of the patients with ACHM included PCR amplification of genomic DNA and sequencing of all coding exons and flanking intronic sequences of the CNGB3 gene (18 exons), the GNAT2 (eight exons) gene, as well as exons 5--7 of the CNGA3 gene. The primers used for PCR and sequencing and PCR conditions are included as a Appendix 1. PCR fragments were purified using ExoSAP-IT (GE Healthcare, Freiburg, Germany) and then subjected to direct DNA sequencing applying BigDye Terminator chemistry (Applied Biosystems, Darmstadt, Germany). All sequences were run on an ABI 3100 capillary sequencer (Applied Biosystems), trace files were analyzed with Sequencing Analysis 5.2 (Applied Biosystems, Life Technologies Corporation, Carlsbad, CA) and sequence variants called with SeqPilot software (JSI Medical Systems, Kippenheim, Germany). The primers used for PCR and sequencing are included as a supplementary table. The sequences were verified by comparing them to the human genomic sequence of CNGB3 (GenBank NG_016980.1) and screened for mutations. Identified variations were referred to the Exome Variant Server (NHLBI Exome Sequencing Project ESP) and the Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD) for CNGB3. In silico analysis using Net2Gene software was used for the splice-site mutations to predict possible 5′ and 3′ splice sites. Segregation analysis for the presence and independent inheritance of two mutant alleles was performed in three families available for study. Analysis was done by sequencing the appropriate exons of the CNGB3 gene. Pedigrees of the available families with ACHM are present in [Figure 1](#f1){ref-type="fig"}. ![Pedigrees and genotyping results of families with achromatopsia. The genotypes are provided for all subjects available for molecular genetic analysis. The black square and the circles represent affected male and females, respectively. White squares and circles represent unaffected family members. A triangle indicates miscarriage, and a rhombus indicates ongoing pregnancy in family 3. Arrows point to probands.](mv-v20-1732-f1){#f1} Results ======= Clinical features ----------------- The clinical diagnosis was based on the presence of photophobia and nystagmus, low visual acuity, total color blindness, and ERG (with the exception of patient p4, ERG was not performed). All patients showed typical ACHM signs and symptoms. Patient p1 was a 27-year-old woman, initially referred to the eye clinic due to nystagmus and photophobia. Pendular nystagmus was noted during early infancy. P1 presented symptoms of low visual acuity 0.2 in both eyes. ERG recordings revealed normal scotopic and mildly abnormal photopic responses. The inability to distinguish colors was also observed. The fundus appearance was normal. The parents and a younger sister of the patient had no ophthalmologic problems. Patient p2 was a 12-year-old girl. She initially had nystagmus in early infancy. Photophobia was not present. ERG recordings were consistent with the ACHM pattern: normal scotopic and non-recordable photopic responses. No response was also observed for cone-specific 30 Hz flicker stimulation ([Figure 2](#f2){ref-type="fig"}). The patient displayed normal eye fundus. P2 presented reduced visual acuity 0.08 in the right eye and 0.1 in the left eye. Loss of color discrimination was observed. The patient has a younger brother, but neither her brother nor their parents showed any eye problems. ![ERG of p2. A: Photopic white flash electroretinogram (ERG) shows non-recordable response. B: Scotopic white flash ERG shows normal response. C: Photopic white 30 Hz flicker shows flat response. 1-L indicates the left eye; 2-R indicates the right eye.](mv-v20-1732-f2){#f2} Patient p3 (6-year-old boy) was diagnosed due to pendular nystagmus and photophobia in early infancy. ERG findings showed non-recordable photopic and normal scotopic responses. P3 manifested reduced visual acuity 0.08 in both eyes. In contrast to the other patients, he demonstrated only decreased color discrimination. He distinguished acute primary colors, red, blue, and green in everyday life, probably based on the contrast differences. The patient is the only child of healthy, unrelated parents, who have no ophthalmologic problems. In patient p4 (7-year-old girl), ERG examination was not performed. Therefore, this patient was initially suspected to suffer from Leber congenital amaurosis or cone-rod dystrophy. This diagnosis was based on the patient's clinical history, in which symptoms such as low visual acuity 0.13 in both eyes and nystagmus were apparent. However, after genetic analysis, the patient was reclassified as having ACHM. P4 also presented the inability to distinguish colors. The fundus appearance was normal in all three patients while p4 showed an optic disc pallor and disturbed foveal structure. Generally, the clinical course of the disease was stationary, but the degree of nystagmus decreased in older patients. Ophthalmologic findings for the patients are summarized in [Table 2](#t2){ref-type="table"}. ###### Clinical findings in Polish achromatopsia patients. Patient Age (years) Gender Photophobia Visual acuity Nystagmus ERG scotopic ERG photopic Other ophthalmologic symptoms ------------- --------------------- ------------ ----------------- ------------------- --------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- p1 27 female \+ RE:0.2 LE:0.2 \+ mildly abnormal absent loss of color discrimination, improvement of vision in darkness, normal AF p2 12 female \- RE:0.08 LE:0.1 \+ normal absent loss of color discrimination, improvement of vision in darkness, hyperopia +5,0D p3 6 male \+ RE:0.08 LE:0.08 \+ normal absent reduced color discrimination (differentiates primary colors red-blue-green), improvement of vision in darkness, hyperopic astigmatism p4 7 female \+ RE:0.13 LE:0.13 \+ N/A N/A loss of color discrimination, improvement of vision in darkness, hyperopic astigmatism, optic disc pallor Molecular genetic findings -------------------------- In p4, additional microarray analysis was performed to confirm Leber congenital amaurosis based on an Asper Biotech test containing 641 disease-associated variants. No mutation was detected in the 13 genes that were analyzed. Genomic DNA samples from all four patients were subjected to molecular genetic analysis consisting of DNA sequencing of three known genes: CNGA3, CNGB3, and GNAT2. Genetic screening did not identify any mutations in CNGA3 and GNAT2. All patients were shown to carry compound heterozygous mutations in CNGB3. Among the eight different mutations that were identified in this study, three are common, known mutations while the rest are novel and have yet to be described in other patients with ACHM ([Table 3](#t3){ref-type="table"}). CNGB3 gene sequencing in p1 revealed a novel and a known heterozygous splice-site mutation in intron 13: c.1579--1G\>A and c.1578+1G\>A, respectively \[[@r3]\]. In silico analysis results (from the splice site prediction; Net2Gene software), together with the fact that the intronic mutation includes sequence critical for splicing, indicate that these substitutions affect the RNA splicing process. One novel nonsense substitution c.1194T\>G (p.Tyr398\) in exon 11 and one previously described frame-shift mutation c.819_826del (p.Arg274Valfs\) in exon 6 was found in p2 \[[@r7]\]. The mutation c. 819_826del induces a frame-shift deletion of 8 bp that eliminated protein sequences, including the critical pore, S6 transmembrane, and cGMP-binding domains, resulting in a premature termination of translation. Two novel mutations, a frame-shift mutation c.393_394delGCinsTCCTGGTGA (p.Gln131Hisfs\50) in exon 4 and a splice-site mutation c.494--2A\>T in intron 4, were identified in p3. Two frame-shift mutations were discovered in p4, one novel mutation c.1366delC (p.Arg456Alafs\11) in exon 12 and one known mutation c.1148delC (p.Thr383Ilefs\13) in exon 10 \[[@r7]\]. The p.Thr383Ilefs\13 mutation resulting from c.1148delC causes a frame-shift leading to premature termination of translation. The CNGB3 gene mutations that were identified are presented in [Figure 3](#f3){ref-type="fig"}. ###### Identified CNGB3 gene mutations. Patient Mutation Type of mutation Effect of mutation Allelic state Mutation origin References -------------------------- --------------------------------------- ---------------------- ------------------------ ------------------- --------------------- ----------------------------------- p1 c.1578+1G\>A (allele 1) splice site splicing defect heterozygous paternal Kohl et al., Hum Mol Genet; 2000 c.1579--1G\>A (allele 2) splice site splicing defect heterozygous maternal this study p2 c.819_826del (allele 1) frameshift p.Arg274Valfs\* heterozygous maternal Sundin et al., Nature Genet; 2000 c.1194T\>G (allele 2) nonsense p.Tyr398\* heterozygous paternal this study p3 c.393_394delGCinsTCCTGGTGA (allele 1) frameshift p.Gln131Hisfs\50 heterozygous maternal this study c.494--2A\>T (allele 2) splice site splicing defect heterozygous paternal this study p4 c.1148delC (allele 1) frameshift p.Thr383Ilefs\13 heterozygous no data Sundin et al., Nature Genet; 2000 c.1366delC (allele 2) frameshift p.Arg456Alafs\11 heterozygous no data this study ![Chromatograms showing eight mutations identified in the CNGB3* gene in patients with ACHM. A: Sequence trace of part of intron 13 in an affected individual p1 carrying a heterozygous mutation c.1578+1G\>A (upper panel) and a normal control individual (lower panel). B: Part of intron 13 in an affected individual p1 carrying a heterozygous mutation c.1579--1G\>A (upper panel) and a normal control individual (lower panel). C: Part of exon 6 in an affected individual p2 carrying a heterozygous mutation c. 819_826del (upper panel) and a normal control individual (lower panel). D: Part of exon 11 in an affected individual p2 carrying a heterozygous mutation c.1194T\>G (upper panel) and a normal control individual (lower panel). E: Part of exon 4 in an affected individual p3 carrying a heterozygous mutation c.393_394delGCinsTCCTGGTGA (upper panel) and a normal control individual (lower panel). F: Part of intron 4 in an affected individual p3 carrying a heterozygous mutation c.494--2A\>T (upper panel) and a normal control individual (lower panel). G: Part of exon 10 in an affected individual p4 carrying a heterozygous mutation c.1148delC (upper panel) and a normal control individual (lower panel). H: Part of exon 12 in an affected individual p4 carrying a heterozygous mutation c.1366delC (upper panel) and a normal control individual (lower panel).](mv-v20-1732-f3){#f3} Segregation analysis, by sequencing appropriate exons and exon/intron boundaries of CNGB3, was performed in the three available families (family 1, 2, and 3). The analysis revealed that all respective parents are heterozygous carriers for the mutations detected in their children. Thus, segregation analysis was consistent with the autosomal recessive mode of inheritance ([Figure 1](#f1){ref-type="fig"}). Discussion ========== Eight different mutations were found in the CNGB3 gene in four patients with ACHM. While c.1578+1G\>A, c.819_826del (p.Arg274Valfs\), and c.1148delC (p.Thr383Ilefs\13) are common mutations, c.1579--1G\>A, c.1194T\>G (p.Tyr398\), c.393_394delGCinsTCCTGGTGA (p.Gln131Hisfs\50), c.494--2A\>T, and c.1366delC (p.Arg456Alafs\11) are mutations that, thus far, have not been reported in other patients with ACHM. The most frequent type of mutations identified in our small group of patients were frame-shift deletions: c.819_826del, c.1148delC, c.393_394delGCinsTCCTGGTGA, and c.1366delC. This finding corroborates the observations of Kohl et al. and Sundin et al., who relied on studies of larger groups of patients \[[@r3],[@r7],[@r8]\]. Novel frame-shift deletions detected in our probands p.Gln131Hisfs\50 and p.Arg456Alafs\11, were found with second disease alleles. Mutation p.Gln131Hisfs\50 were identified with a novel splice-site alteration c.494--2A\>T in intron 4 (p3). The mutation p.Gln131Hisfs\50 is located in a Ca^2+^/calmodulin domain (CaM). The outcome of this mutation is a frame-shift of the open reading frame that occurs after the transmembrane domain S5, which therefore eliminates the pore (P), the transmembrane domain S6, and the cGMP binding site of the protein. The fact that the splice-site mutation c.494--2A\>T alters the conserved splice acceptor sequence of exon 5, together with results from in silico analysis (splice site prediction Net2Gene software), indicate that this substitution affects the RNA splicing process. Parents were also found to be healthy carriers of the mutations detected in their child ([Figure 1](#f1){ref-type="fig"}). The most common CNGB3* mutation, namely, p. Thr383Ilefs\13, in accordance with the reported prevalence of the mutations in patients originating from Europe, was also present in our probands. This mutation accounts for approximately 70% of all CNGB3* mutant alleles \[[@r8]\]. This mutation with a second disease allele p.Arg456Alafs\11 (c.1366delC) was identified in p4. The c.1366delC mutation, to date, is unique to this patient. It is present in the S6 transmembrane protein domain. Mutation c.1366delC results in a frame-shift and premature termination codon, truncating the CNGB polypeptide between transmembrane S6 and the cGMP binding site. A nonsense substitution c.1194T\>G (p.Tyr398\) in exon 11 of the CNGB3 gene was detected in p2. Mutation p.Tyr398\* has not been reported to date. However, nonsense mutations localized in the same exon of the CNGB3 gene that result in a truncated protein have already been reported: 1255G\>T (p.Glu419\) and 1298_1299delTG (p.Val433fs\) in patients with ACHM \[[@r8]\]. The mutation truncates the CNGB3 polypeptide at the pore and was found together with the previously reported mutation c.819_826del (p.Arg274Valfs\)\]. Both parents carried one of these two mutations ([Figure 1](#f1){ref-type="fig"}). All mutations detected in our patients were found to cause premature termination of translation, giving rise to truncated CNGB3 polypeptides that probably represent null alleles. This finding is consistent with those of Kohl et al. (2005), Nishiguchi et al. (2005), and many other researchers who analyzed larger groups of patients with ACHM. The researchers stated that premature translation termination is the most common effect of the mutations described in CNGB3-related patients with ACHM \[[@r8],[@r21]\]. The clinical diagnosis of achromatopsia is based on the presence of typical clinical findings as outlined in the results. However, the fundus appearance and the visual fields also contribute to the diagnosis. In contrast to other patients, p4 demonstrated optic disc pallor and disturbed foveal structure. This signs are not unusual in ACHM; some patients exhibit macular changes and atrophy. This finding is in agreement with Khan et al.'s (2007) and Thiadens et al.'s (2009) observations. The spectrum of foveal pathology and likewise fundus changes have been described in individuals with CNGB3* mutations. However, the CNGB3 mutations did not seem to correlate with specific phenotypes \[[@r5],[@r22]\]. ACHM is a rare cone disorder with uncharacteristic early symptoms during childhood and, for this reason, may be confused with other retinopathies such as Leber congenital amaurosis, cone-rod dystrophy, or albinism. P4 had been previously diagnosed as suffering from Leber congenital amaurosis or cone-rod dystrophy. Diagnosis was based, inter alia, on decreased visual acuity and optic disc pallor present in early childhood. In contrast to ACHM, the most typical symptoms in these disorders is disease progression, while visual acuity is usually stable over time in ACHM. The identification of causative mutations in the CNGB3 gene aided the correct diagnosis of ACHM in p4. Similarly to many other cases in which genetic mutation is the cause of the disease, molecular analysis augmented diagnosis in clinical practice. To conclude, our paper is the first report that provides the results of molecular analysis of the CNGB3 gene in Polish patients with ACHM. We furthermore expand the mutational spectrum associated with ACHM by describing the five novel pathogenic alterations in the CNGB3 gene. In addition, although based on a small sample, our study supports the hypothesis that CNGB3 mutations spread almost over all coding exons of the gene, what makes molecular diagnostic more difficult and requires sequencing of the entire coding region of the CNGB3 gene \[[@r8]\]. This study was partially supported by a grant from the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (806/N-NIEMCY/2010/0) To access the data, click or select the words "[Appendix 1](http://www.molvis.org/molvis/v20/appendices/mv-v20-1732-app-1.pdf)."
Psychosocial interventions for infertile couples: a critical review. This critical review aims to identify, summarize and critically appraise the current literature evaluating the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions to improve infertile couples' well-being. It also aims to identify the design implications of effective psychosocial interventions for the management of psychosocial distress in infertile couples, especially culturally specific interventions for Chinese infertile couples. Directions for future research are discussed. Infertility is a life crisis affecting 15% of couples in most countries. The affected couples experience considerable psychological distress and impaired interpersonal relationships. Assisted reproductive technologies offer couples hope for pregnancy, but pose an unbearable psychological burden. Psychosocial interventions have been developed to offer support; however, their effectiveness has been inconsistent. A thorough analysis of the literatures on the topic of psychosocial interventions for infertile couples. A systematic search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, British Nursing Index and GoogleScholar from 2003-2015 was conducted to identify English language articles with the keywords 'psychosocial intervention' and 'infertility'. Two authors assessed all of the identified articles independently for inclusion in the review. Twelve studies were included in the review: seven were interventional studies and five were review studies. The findings indicated that the psychosocial interventions in general improved psychological outcomes, marital relationships and pregnancy rates among infertile couples. Psychosocial interventions should be incorporated into routine practice for infertile couples to provide timely support and counselling. The implications of the review findings for the effective design of psychosocial interventions, including the content, format, duration and intervener for clinical practice are discussed. In confirming the efficacy of such intervention design, randomized controlled trials are needed to compare the interventions and usual care at clinical setting. Longitudinal design is also needed to examine the long-term effects of psychosocial interventions in infertile couples' well-being.
Conscientious objection would nullify the protection of the Equality Law Chris Vella is a lecturer and coordinator of the Drachma LGBT organisation A lot has been said about school ‘ethos’ and the parameters that define such an ethos and allow educators to work within that ethos, especially, if privately or publicly they may not adhere to that ethos. Should ethos play a role in the recruitment processes? And what, in one’s private and public life, would be considered as unacceptable ’practices’ that an employer would deem as liable for disciplinary action? Should the school ethos determine the content of the curriculum, how it is taught, and the textbooks? Could school ethos be used to forbid certain books to be in a school library, if they are found to spread ideas contrary to the principles expounded by that ethos? On the other hand, should the State impose a one-size-fits-all curriculum that straitjackets content and principles uncritically? Should the State, through the implementation of any law, muzzle educators who would have to walk a tight-rope, lest they be accused of discrimination, even through non-verbals? Do not schools have a right to their distinctive identity? Do not parents have a fundamental right to choose from the various schools the one that they feel is best for their children? Should any child have the power to throw out an accusation of alleged discrimination against any educator and the onus of proof would be on the educator? Should the educator be considered automatically guilty unless proven innocent? An inclusive ethos An institution that is truly embracing would not have any problems with embracing people who are different, and have different opinions and views, subject to the very basic rule of mutual respect towards one another. An embracing ethos would allow discussion and the coming together of different views, however different from each other, and allowing all sides the possibility to present their views clearly and in mutual respect. An embracing ethos would welcome difference of race, gender, sexuality and religion without any hindrance and would celebrate the uniqueness of every diversity. It is one where an educator and a school can freely express their own values and celebrate them, but clearly, in full respect for other dissident values, even if these are embraced by others within the school (including educators) both privately and in public quarters. It does not need to muzzle another person’s views, if the school manages to create a respectful environment that is built on dialogue, sharing of experiences, understanding, and a mutual search for the truth. It is only by learning to use the tool of discernment and applying it critically and equitably to different points of view, that one understands better where the way of truth lies. Should any school, like the Spanish Inquisition of old, take action against someone who espouses even publicly ideas that go against its ethos? Well, for a first, there is a code of conduct for educators, that regardless of the school and its ethos, should be followed by all educators across the board. That code of conduct guides teachers in the way they dress and behave both on and off campus. But, if an educator is able to espouse his ideas with respect to others, and he does not in any way promote or encourage violence and does not undermine the fundamental human rights of other persons, then, why should anyone stop him? Naturally, there are limits, and there is fundamental respect towards the other. This should not be anarchy, because it could undermine the fundamental human rights of every person. Conscientious objection Much has been said about the ‘right’ of people to refuse to promote or implement anything that goes against their ethical and moral beliefs. Fine, in principle. In practice? What if my ethical beliefs are by their very nature exclusive, non-embracing, racist, misogynist or homophobic/transphobic? It is true that there exist ‘protected characteristics’, but there is the very danger that with the implementation of a vaguely defined conscientious objection, those same ‘protected characteristics’ would be overruled. Unless, that is, a very specific wording is adopted that clearly delineates specific scenarios where that right could be implemented. The problem is, that we may never completely know how people may try to interpret laws in the future. Something as objectively justified as a ‘conscientious objection’ may well be abused and manipulated towards quite another end. History is replete with such intentional abuses of the letter of the law. How can we truly know if any school leader will not, in some distant future, use conscientious objection for a blanket whitewashing of the protections given by this Equality Bill? It is understandable, of course, and even legitimate, that the law should protect persons and entities from being forced to do anything that goes against their beliefs. Yet, one also needs to look at it from a different angle as well. There needs to be clear reassurances that the fundamental human rights of the clients requesting a service are respected, especially if these services are within their legitimate rights as regulated by law. The State must ensure that there are other viable and accessible options, while the private institution must still ensure that the human dignity and rights of that person requesting services from it are respected at all times, regardless of whether it can or cannot provide that specific service. It gets a bit more complicated where schools are involved. Can a school or a teacher refuse to teach a particular topic because it goes against their ethical and moral beliefs? Can they use the conscientious objection to legitimate their refusal? Once again, that is where an inclusive ethos can play a role. As educators we have no right to white-wash or even make invisible realities that are in the world out there. As much as I might not agree with them, I cannot simply give the impression that they do not exist or they are simply wrong because I do not agree with them. That would be a disservice to truth. This brings us back to the problem of the conscientious objection. That we need a system of clear checks and balances in an Equality law is fundamental. No person’s rights are absolute, if these end up undermining the fundamental human rights of another person. Any Equality Law that tries to create absolute rights would become draconian and self-defeating in the long run. We would be creating a witch-hunt or an illusory and false understanding of ‘rights’ if individuals or institutions are allowed an ‘absolute’ in terms of their conscientious objection. So, what we really need – if this conscientious objection is to be included at all, is to have clear specific cases where it can be used. Otherwise, we might well be creating a minefield that would render null and void all protections we are busily setting up in this Equality Law. I look with hope at an equitable society, where people all have a place and a role to play and who are inclusively embraced. I look with hope towards a society that might not need conscientious objection, because we really would know how to respect each other. Alas, that is not the real world for now. Instead, let us continue working towards uprooting all forms of discrimination and embrace genuine inclusion. A better written Equality Law might help. But, let us not muzzle it too much.
The greenhouse effect (or "atmospheric effect") is a general attribute of planets and moons with atmospheres. It is the difference between surface radiation and top-of-atmosphere radiation due to the presence of greenhouse gases. For example, in the case of the Earth, the surface emits 390 W/m2 (averaged over a year and the whole surface), but the emission at the top of the atmosphere is 235 W/m2, giving a global-average greenhouse effect of 155 W/m2. The top-of-atmosphere outgoing radiation balances the absorbed 235 W/m2 of solar radiation (342 W/m2 incident minus 107 W/m2 reflected). The term "greenhouse effect" is a misnomer, since actual greenhouses operate by a different mechanism. The greenhouse effect was discovered by Joseph Fourier in 1824 and first investigated quantitatively by Svante Arrhenius in 1896 . The physics of the greenhouse The essential condition for a greenhouse effect is the presence in a planetary atmosphere of gases that absorb (and emit) in the thermal radiation band of the planetary surface or lower atmosphere. Greenhouse gases often are transparent, or nearly so, to incoming solar radiation (ozone and water vapor are exceptions). The surface thermal radiation band is in the long-wave infrared region (3.5 µm - 100 µm). The greenhouse gases are triatomic (or more, but note the exception for Titan) molecules which absorb energy into a variety of rotational, bending, and stretching modes. Common solar-system gases that meet the requirements are water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), ozone (O3), and methane (CH4). For Earth, H2O, CO2, and O3 provide most of the greenhouse. Common homonuclear diatomic gases, such as nitrogen (N2) and oxygen (O2), do not afford dipole transitions in the infrared and hence hardly absorb energy. The greenhouse effect occurs at a state near local thermodynamic equilibrium. When a gas molecule is excited by an infrared quantum, the energy is quickly redistributed according to the principles of statistical mechanics. Thus infrared absorption adds energy and heats the gas. Likewise, thermal infrared emission withdraws energy and cools the gas. In simple terms, this means that an atmosphere that contains greenhouse gases absorbs heat by absorbing radiation of the proper wavelength as it passes through, and loses heat by emitting the same wavelength. (By Kirchoff's law, absorptivity equals emissivity for any given wavelength.) Whether the temperature rises or falls depends on the balance between the two effects and on any other heating or cooling processes. On Earth, transfer of sensible heat from the ground and the release of latent heat of vaporization when water vapor condenses also are significant sources of energy to the atmosphere. It should be noted that the greenhouse gas molecules maintain their identity and are not destroyed or chemically altered. This differs from the case of ionizing radiation absorption (such as the absorption of solar ultraviolet radiation by oxygen and ozone). References and notes - ↑ Watts per square metre - ↑ Trenberth, K, et al., 1996. in Climate Change 1995: The Science of Climate Change, Cambridge Univ. Press. - ↑ Water Vapor Feedback And Global Warming1 - Annual Review of Energy and the Environment, 25(1):441 - Abstract. Retrieved on 7.02.08. - ↑ [http://ipcc-wg1.ucar.edu/wg1/Report/AR4WG1_Print_Ch01.pdf Historical Overview of Climate Change Science]. Retrieved on 7.02.08.	http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Greenhouse_effect
What we feed ourselves is more than just nourishment for our bodies. It’s about flavors, textures, aromas and memories. Eating is an experience, not just simply a means of survival. Kristen strives to create food that is bold and decadent, yet simple and approachable, for people of all abilities, including those with swallowing difficulties due to dysphagia. Each of her recipes is designed to help boost your metabolism, build your muscle, and promote healing by providing the right balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Be sure to check out the nutritional highlights section in her recipes to learn what makes it balanced while nourishing your body and enhancing your wellness.	https://fuelforwellness.com/2473-2/
At One World International School (OWIS) we believe that a diverse environment builds resilient, empathetic and competent leaders for the future. In today's world, diversity encompasses more than race. It also refers to ability, gender, class and religion. Studies show that learning in culturally diverse classes equips students with many advantages, including the academic knowledge that leads to career success and the empathy that fosters meaningful interpersonal relationships. At OWIS in Singapore, we believe that there is beauty in diversity. We pride ourselves on being a multicultural school that promotes kindness and tolerance. We encourage our students to keep an open mind, and we remind them that they are part of an interconnected, global community. There are many benefits associated with being a part of a diverse school community, including: It provides students with an opportunity to see themselves in the world around them and know that they can accomplish great things in a global world. Providing students with an opportunity to see others and understand their experiences. They learn how to build relationships with people who are both similar to and different from themselves. Providing students with exposure to different backgrounds and ways of life allows them to consider others' perspectives when resolving an issue or proposing an idea. Being in Singapore, which is so multi-racial and multicultural, we wanted our children to be exposed to an environment with racial diversity and an international outlook. OWIS has lived up to all our expectations! OWIS offers us a good international environment! Students can learn just from studying together with their international classmates. My children love their school life! Their English skills have improved, they have made good friends and they are much better at using the internet to do their research. The school is diverse and finds ways to celebrate it. The teachers and staff walk the talk, and in return, the kids learn directly how to be kind and mindful. As an institution, we model appreciation for cultural differences in every aspect of what we do. Our faculty and staff come from many different countries, hold degrees from leading global institutions and have travelled extensively. Their international heritage naturally emerges in the classroom as they teach lessons and interact with students. We also structured our admissions policy to ensure that our student body equitably represents a variety of nationalities. To ensure comprehensive diversity, OWIS has a 30 percent student nationality cap, which means no more than 30 percent of admitted students may come from a single nationality. Consequently, applicants to our Nanyang campus come from more than 70 nationalities, spanning six continents. Find out how we nurture your child’s confidence in a healthy, open and truly multicultural school environment. Get familiar with our holistic approach to education and learn how we encourage children to pursue what they love and become lifelong learners.	https://www.owis.org/campus/diversity
The use of passive sampling to monitor forest exposure to O3, NO2 and SO2: a review and some case studies. The use of passive sampler systems is reviewed and discussed. These devices are able to determine both spatial and temporal differences in canopy exposure, as is demonstrated by their use in extensive monitoring of air-pollution exposure in forest health plots. Categorising forest health monitoring plots according to air-pollution exposure permits cause-effect analysis of certain forest health responses. In addition, passive sampling may identify areas affected by interaction between different gaseous pollutants. Passive samplers at the stand level can be used to resolve vertical profiles of ozone within the stand, and edge effects, which are important in exposure of understorey and ground flora. Recent case studies using passive samplers to determine forest exposure to gaseous pollutants indicate a potential for the development of spatial models on regional-, landscape-, and stand-level scales and the verification of atmospheric transport models.
Connecting Activities Database Checklist One of the strengths of the statewide Connecting Activities program is the strong network of people, the sharing of tools and resources, and the availability of good, solid data to support our work. The following checklist is developed as a guide for evaluating the strength and quality of the data for your school and/or region. This checklist helps you to look at both the quality of data entry and the underlying quality of the job/internship placements and career development activities provided by your school and/or region. Use this checklist as a flexible guide to self-assessing your strengths and areas for improvement. As you review your use of data, remember that the value of a database lies in the ways the data can empower you in your work. How can you use the data to support your program design and planning? How can working with the statewide Work-Based Learning database help you to connect with colleagues across the state? How can you use the data to help you keep track of information about the businesses and organizations you work with? As you build up the quality of the data for your region, what are some ways that you can use this data in your work? Data entry – clarity and accuracy [ ] Connecting Activities staff understand definitions and data requirements, including (a) the definition of a Connecting Activities work-based learning placement, (b) the use of the AGROWE program elements, and (c) the guidelines for required vs. recommended vs. optional fields on the placement screen. [ ] Staff use default settings and consistent data entry to track employer names, activity names, school names, program enrollment and other data in the Placement Screen. [ ] Employer information is accurate and useful, including accurate employer names, addresses, size, type and industry cluster, and can be used to create employer lists or to create a profile of employers working with your program. [ ] Routines for reviewing data for completeness and accuracy are in place. School-based staff and regional office staff review data before running quarterly reports and/or qualifying wage reports and at other intervals during the year. [ ] Staff can describe the approach used in their school for coding of the AGROWE program elements. Staff can answer the following: Who do you code as “Yes” for Element “R: Raising Graduation Rates?” Who do you code as “Yes” for Element “G: Goals/College and Careeer Plans” For these students, how is the “College and Career Plan” process connected to the work you do in the Connecting Activities program? Who do you code as “Yes” for Element “O: Workshop or Classroom Component”? What workshop or classroom instruction do you offer? Quality of work-based learning placements () [ ] The database shows a variety of job/internship placements, including a mixture of paid, unpaid and sponsored/subsidized jobs, in a variety of job titles and industry clusters. [ ] Most or all of the job/internship placements have Work-Based Learning Plans, with most or all of these being entered into the database. [ ] Staff can describe comfortable, workable routines they follow to implement Work-Based Learning Plans, describing who does what. (Note – the database is designed to enable collaboration, so that the coordinator, employer and/or student can write the job description and skills and tasks and enter reviews and comments.) Definition – a Connecting Activities work-based learning placement is a job, internship or cooperative education placement in a worksite…. It may be paid or unpaid. Placements may include school-based jobs (such as working as a teacher aide or office assistant or working in a school-based enterprise), volunteer positions (including community service hours, if structured as a volunteer job), unpaid and paid internships, and paid employment. And, of course, in order to be counted as a Connecting Activities placement, the Connecting Activities staff person must play a role in supporting the placement, either by directly making the placement, providing significant job search support, providing an internship class (such as a senior internship program class) and/or providing a Work-Based Learning Plan. Quality of Work-Based Learning Plans [ ] Job descriptions include descriptive information about the job and background about the organization, helping students to understand their work and their workplace. Job descriptions may be written by the coordinator, supervisor or student. (Note -- Many job descriptions answer “who, what, when, where and/or why” questions about the job.) [ ] Job titles are chosen thoughtfully, with a professional tone, suitable for use on a resume. [ ] WBLPs include a list of Workplace and Career Specific Skills, generally with three or more skills [ ] Workplace and Career Specific Skills are described professionally, suitable for use on a professional resume, generally using one or two words such as “accounting skills” or “customer service” or “food safety” or “leadership.” [ ] Each skill has a brief description. [ ] The Workplace and Career Skills are different from the Foundation Skills. [ ] Across each school and region, the combined list of all Workplace and Career Skills is varied, reflecting a mix of higher-level professional skills, job-specific skills and/or career awareness skills. [ ] Two reviews are completed for all students (or all with very few exceptions). Career Development Activities [ ] The database includes entries on the Activity screen about career development activities. [ ] Activity descriptions are clear and informative and are shared with other regions. [ ] Activities are clearly coded using the checklist on the Activity screen. [ ] The coordinator in each school can describe some key career development activities that complement the job/internship program. [ ] The information from the Activity screen and/or Placement screen illustrate ways that the Connecting Activities staff collaborate with other programs in the school and community. Quarterly Reports [ ] Quarterly reports from the region are accurate and include the Work and Learning Performance Report, Activity List and a narrative. [ ] The end-of-year qualifying wages report is accurate and reflects employer paid wages. Data Use [ ] Regional and local staff can describe several ways that the database is used to support their work (i.e., gathering examples of job descriptions and skills/tasks, creating reports, developing employer lists, creating placement lists, analyzing skills, etc.) that go beyond basic required reporting. [ ] Regional and local staff are familiar with ways to use the database and supporting materials to gather ideas from the Connecting Activities network statewide.	http://skillspages.com/masswbl/index.php/using-the-database/2m-database-checklist
Books about witnessing This Summary Symbol accompanies most of the descriptions given below. _ _ _ E R R R S N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _ F _ _ _ B _ _ _ O A This symbol lets you see at a glance the topics on which each book can help you. Each book’s major contributions will be shown by printing certain letters in bold letters. The symbol in in the shaped of a cross. The horizontal row stands for stages in life of the person you are talking to. The vertical column stands for the parts of the salvation message. The dashes are to keep the letters spaced properly. R: The R’s at the left represent a person who is not yet willing to engage in a conversation about Jesus. Bold print here means the book provides you with insights about showing care and forming friendship: the R stands for relationship building. N: The N’s at the right stand for nurturer. Bold print here means the book will help you with follow-up and mentoring for someone who has become a Christian. The characters down the middle all have something to do with an evangelism conversation. E: Bold print on the top E means the book will suggest natural ways to “enter” into a conversation about Christ. The letters at the bottom stand for the options after you ask the person’s reaction to the message of Christ: O: Bold print on the O means the book will give you ideas for meeting common “objections,” and A: bold print on the A means the book will assist you with someone who expresses interest or “acceptance” toward the message. The four letters in the middle running from top to bottom each represent a major concept of the salvation message. From the book of Acts, we see that the four topics that the apostles never left out are mankind’s problem, God’s answer (Jesus), an invitation to respond (repent, believe, be baptized), and the benefits promised to believers. Thus: S=SIN, J=JESUS, F=INVITATION (the F is for faith), B=BENEFITS A letter in bold print means the book will give you insights into the highlighted concept. To use this book list, scroll down looking at the symbols until you see one that highlights the aspect of witnessing that you want to read more about. The first book below does not have a symbol, since it provides ideas about all of these topics. The number at the end of each book description tells you the year when the website author wrote the book description. the books: My book Great Commission Living (copyright 1993, 1998 by Jim Found) is published by LCMS World Mission. The Table of Contents is divided into 3 parts: Pre-evangelism, Evangelism, and Post-evangelism and each part contains 10 to 20 pages of ideas. this book therefore incorporates all the letters in the symbol. Part three also has a section on teaching in a class room setting, and on leading a witness workshop. Scroll to the bottom of this page to see the complete table of contents and ordering information. 2006 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Me, An Evangelist, Every Christian’s Guide to Caring Evangelism, by William J. McKay. St. Louis: Stephen Ministries, 1992. Each chapter begins with an episode of a developing relationship between a Christian couple and their unchurched neighbor. Plenty of chapters deal with relationship building, but there are also chapters on the content of the salvation message. ISBN 0-9633831-0-8 The author coordinated the development of the small group ministry system known as the ChristCare series. 2006 _ _ _ E R R R S N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _ F _ _ _ B _ _ _ O A We Believe – Therefore We Speak, by David J. Valleskey. Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1995. Part One has a chapter on each important concept of the salvation message, and always concludes with a section on “how to use this concept in evangelism.” Part Two is “the practice of evangelism in the Congregation” and includes sections on building an evangelistic mindset and on Training Workers. ISBN 0-8100-0539-5. The author is president of the Wisconsin Synod Lutheran seminary in Thiensville Wisconsin, and previous to that taught the evangelism course there for many years. In 1995 his booklet God’s Great Exchange – One Way to Tell a Friend About the Savior was printed by the Commission on Evangelism of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. (No ISBN number on the pamphlet; there is an identification number, 38-2024.) This book introduces a stick-figure diagram that can be drawn while you are explaining the gospel. There is an accompanying VHS video with sample home visits. 2006 _ _ _ E R R R S N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _ F _ _ _ B _ _ _ O A Outreach Promises by Phil Bickel. Bloomington MN: Rollercoaster Press. This book encourages people in witness by introducing the scriptures promises telling us that our witness will not be in vain. These promises indicate that God plans to bring people from all nations to himself. The concepts are applied through life-situation stories. 2006 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ more books: The Defense Never Rests: A Lawyer’s Quest for the Gospel, by Craig A. Parton. Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House 2003. The author tells the story of his discovery of Christianity, then of Lutheranism. He describes his thought processes in investigating Christianity as a lawyer. He stresses how important it is to speak clearly about the depths of sin and the full power of the gospel. He explains in detail how to defend Christianity using the evidence that is available. In chapter 7 he has assembled the widely accepted historical defenses for the reliability of scripture, the divinity of Christ, and the probability of the resurrection. In chapter 9 he moves from juridical apologetics to a “subjective apologetic” for those who may not be swayed by hard evidence. Here he shows how literary works, music, and church architecture are useful tools for portraying the gospel. 2008 _ _ _ E R R R S N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _ F _ _ _ B _ _ _ O A Why Believe? Reason and Mystery as Pointers to God, by C. Stephen Evans. Revised Edition © 1996. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company. As suggested by the word “reason” in the subtitle, the author discusses in a reasonable, low-key those questions that reasonable people are most likely to ask. He shows that God gives us reasons to believe that he exists, but does not give us so much information that faith is no longer needed. If he did, our relationship to God would not be by faith but would be something we have no choice about. He compares the kind of evidence God provides to the type of evidence that is provided in a courtroom. The word “mystery” in the subtitle includes discussion of our marvel at nature, at the existence of a “sense” of right and wrong, and at the existence of “personhood.” Would a universe without personhood be able to produce personhood? Along the way, he deals with questions such as “Is God just a psychological crutch? (page 107);” “Is Christianity sexist? (page 111);” “Is God the opiate of the people? (page 117);” “What if I have doubts?” (page 145).” Chapter 8 is devoted to “Was Jesus Really God,” and chapter nine to “The Problem of Evil.” The author is professor of philosophy at Calvin College. 2008 _ _ _ E R R R S N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _ F _ _ _ B _ _ _ O A The Nature of the Atonement, edited by James Beilby and Paul R. Eddy. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Since the work of Christ on the cross is the core of the gospel message, it is helpful to have this book that deepens our knowledge of that work. The four authors all accept the many ways that the Bible describes what was happening on the cross, but three of them select one of the ways as fundamental for understanding the others. It is possible to read the book and gain from all of the insights without having to pick sides. Thomas Schreiner takes the “penal substitution” idea as most fundamental — that our sin required a sacrifice so that it would be just of God to declare us not guilty. Greg Boyd tells why he believes the defeat of Satan is the most fundamental. Bruce Reichenbach takes the “healing” of our relationship to God as the most fundamental. The fourth author, Joel Green, says that none of the explanations should be regarded as most fundamental. After each author’s article, the other three authors write a response. 2008 _ _ _ E R R R S N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _ F _ _ _ B _ _ _ O A Irresistible Evangelism, © 2004 by Steve Sjogren, Dave Ping, and Doug Pollock. Published by Group Publishing, Loveland, Colorado. This book provides detailed ideas for forming relationships with non-Christians. The authors show that just as you would select a different golf iron depending on how far you are from the green, Christians can learn the correct tools to help people at different stages of interest in the gospel. The idea of stages is backed up by Jesus’ words in Mark 12:34 about someone being “not far” from the kingdom of God (page 66). A separate chapter is devoted to the different tools to use as your friend gradually increases in interest toward faith. These chapters (6 through 9) are titled Active Kindness, Active Friendship, Active Wondering, and Active Sharing. Here is a sampling from each of those chapters. Active Kindness means humble acts of service done without expecting anything in return. One of the authors, Steve Sjogren, recounts how he engages members of his Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati in going out into the community to freely offer services such as washing cars or mowing lawns, simply saying they would like to do this “as a practical way to show God’s love.” Active Friendship emphasizes the importance of developing good listening skills. Actives listening skills are not taught in this book, but a training program developed in part by author Dave Ping is described at his website, www.equipmin.org. The Active Wondering chapter provides 99 questions you can choose from as your relationship becomes close enough to talk about deeper issues. Here are three of them, from page 131: “in your opinion, how does someone become a Christian?” “Do you think it’s possible to know God personally?” “Has anyone ever shown you what the Bible says about how to begin a personal relationship with God?” The book includes encouraging anecdotes, several lists of mistakes to avoid, and findings of nationwide surveys. Although this writer would not say that talking about the “substitutionary death of Jesus is usually unnecessarily confusing,” because it does not help to “paint a very relational picture” (page 149), yet was happy to see the idea that “it’s part of our new nature” (page 77) to show perpetual love to those around us. The number of ideas presented and their practical nature make this book very useful in reaching out to our communities. 2008 _ _ _ E R R RS N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _ F _ _ _ B _ _ _ O A Why Nobody Learns Much of Anything at Church, and How to Fix It, Revised Edition © 2004 by Thom and Joani Schultz. Loveland CO: Group Publishing Co. This bok promotes well-researched concepts of good teaching that are regularly taught in schools of education but not always used by teachers. Entire chapters are devoted to topics like writing clear goals and helping students master concepts through active, higher-order thinking and interactive learning. Many practical helps are given for learning to be good at asking questions. The use of all learning styles is encouraged, including hearing, seeing, and doing. The importance of debriefing after experiential learning is stressed, which would include reflection, interpretation, and the application to daily life. Each chapter ends with suggestions for how to teach the concepts to other teachers. The book would be profitable for volunteer teachers at all age levels including adults. More publications by Group can be found at their website www.grouppublishing.com. 2008 _ _ _ E R R R S N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _ F _ _ _ B _ _ _ O A Prepared to Answer and the second volume, More Prepared to Answer, by Mark A. Paustian. Both published in 2004 by Northwestern Publishing House in Milwaukee. These books use stories from the life of Christ to answer common questions about the Christian faith. Though the book will be read by Christians, the answers are presented in a way that Christians could use to give answers to a non-Christian. The questions of several different types. Some are objections to becoming a Christian that might be raised by a non Christian: examples are “Where is the evidence that God even exists” and “Isn’t religion discredited by science.” Other questions have to do with Christian view of morality, such as “But I’m pro-choice” and “I can’t handle your out-dated view of sex.” Together, the two books provide responses to 69 different questions. All the answers point to Jesus and the gospel. The writing is very devotional and sometimes even poetic in its wonder and gratitude at the love of God. The author cites well-known writers on apologetics such as Paul Meier and Josh McDowell as backing for his arguments. The book is written by someone who does engage in conversational evangelism and answers the questions not merely theoretically but in practical ways that will speak to the needs of the person who raises the questions. 2008. _ _ _ E R R R S N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _F _ _ _B _ _ _O A How to Share Christ Confidently: a Guide to Comfortable and Effective Personal Witnessing, by Dr. Milton Rudnick (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2009). You can order at cph.org. This 48 page booklet fills a great need by providing a wide range of practical advice for encouraging witness and for overcoming fears. Chapter one uses an approach called “desensitization” as a way to neutralize the common fears of witnessing. Chapter two deals with motivation as God’s gift to us. Chapter three is about transformation: believing that God will keep his promises to make you increasingly Christlike and thus to become one who draws people to pay attention to your message. Chapter four deals with clarification: how to speak credibly as we tell about what Jesus has done in our lives. This chapter also makes suggestions for transitions in conversation, using the direct approach, such as “what does Jesus mean to you?” This chapter also reviews the work of Christ in terms of what He has given to us by His death and resurrection. Chapter five is about communication, explaining how to be an effective listener, and how to persuade the listener that our message is worth considering. We are advised to check to see how clearly our message is being received by asking questions. A section on “hidden messages” alerts us that spoken comments may veil a deeper concern, and tell us how to discover that concern. The final chapter shows us why we may witness with an expectation of response, based on careful listening and on God’s promises. Love is to be our dominant attitude. Dr. Rudnick on page 43 urges us to have hope, for “hostility to Christianity is often evidence on an internal struggle against a God-given impulse to believe.“ Dr. Rudnick has been a professor and an interim president at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota, has been a director of the Oswald Hoffmann School of Christian Outreach there, and is now actively promoting witness and outreach at his home congregation in Minnesota. Another book on evangelism by Dr. Rudnick is Speaking the gospel through the Ages: A History of Evangelism (Concordia, 1984). [this summary added in Sept 09] _ _ _ E R R R S N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _F _ _ _B _ _ _O A Jesus on Trial by David Limbaugh. Washington DC:Regnery Publishing 2014. (This review written in March 2016.) This book includes most of the apologetics topics, found in the books by Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel, and Craig Parton. In addition, it is useful as a follow-up book for new Christians because it includes all topics in the creed and clear explanations of justification and sanctification. The author is a lawyer, and intends to meet the questions of skeptics. The format is quotations strung together by personal commentary. Besides many Bible passages, quotes are included from a wide range of popular authors: Fulton Sheen, John Piper, Charles Spurgeon, Tim Keller, and many others. The author’s church background shows in his explanation of becoming a Christian: after learning the pros and cons, “we just either accept or reject” (p 25) and “we are individually accountable for our decision to accept or reject” (p 105). A useful aspect is two entire chapters called “paradoxes,” in which he discusses many topics that skeptics might bring up, such as “Jeus as God and men,” “The Bible as inspired yet man-written”, and “God as sovereign yet man as accountable.” _ _ _ E R R R S N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _ F _ _ _ B _ _ _ O A Reimagining Evangelism, by Rick Richardson, IVP 2006. (This review was written in April 2016). This book is valuable for learning to listen and to gain trust for sharing in appropriate ways. It is consistent with many themes of this website, as the following quotes will show. You are a travel guide, not a traveling salesman. (page 66) Don’t define success as “closing the deal.” Conversations that don’t get to the gospel proclamation are still valuable. Rick feels that many people we talk to need to have trust rebuilt because they have lost confidence in the church in some ways. We build trust by showing that we also have problems, and by being sympathetic to their experiences. He gives a list of verses that we can pray for an unbeliever according to God’s will (without violating that person’s free choice.” Without denying the need for propositional statements, he advocates using stories because they are a ”larger container for conveying truth.” He gives suggestions for talking to people who are “spiritual but not religious.” Though he had started by downplaying the urge to “close the deal, he does have suggestions later (page 137) on how to “pop the question,” with examples. Rick makes some statements that I would not make. He condenses the Good News as God “setting everything right,” and that includes “renewing the world,” and that the gospel transforms not only individuals but even nations. I feel he could put some people under doubt when he says “you can’t convey transformation unless you’ve experienced it” and “if you have not had a transformation experience, maybe you are not a Christian.” He emphasized the value of testimony, but calls it evangelism, while I reserve that term for talking about Jesus. He does emphasize talking about Jesus and the cross though as essential for evangelism. At the time of publishing, Rick was teaching evangelism at Wheaton College and associated with IVP. He also wrote the book Evangelism Outside the Box. _ _ _ E R R R S N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _ F _ _ _ B _ _ _ O A Authentic Christianity: How Lutheran Theology Speaks to a Postmodern World. by Gene Edward Veith Jr. and A. Trevor Sutton. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2017. The pages on self-justification as symptom of the sinful nature (pages 81 to 88) were revealing and useful for witnessing conversations, for example that people “crave approval..when they fail to measure up…they tend to construct explanations, excuses, and rationalizations…” (page 82.) The authors introduce Johann Georg Hamann, a friend of Immanuel Kant who stood up against him for God’s revelation of spiritual truth, and also the limits of reason and of language that presages and counters postmodern views, so this section is very useful for apologetics. (review written 2017). _ _ _ E R R R S N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _ F _ _ _ B _ _ _ O A The Reason I Believe: The Basics of Christian Apologetics. By Allen Quist. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2017. The author shows how each time the apostles shared the salvation message in the Book of Acts, they included evidence for their message. The 4 types of evidence that recurs are: eyewitness testimony, fulfillment of prophecy, appearance of miracles, and the resurrection of Jesus. A chapter is devoted to each of these 4. Then a chapter on the existence of evil shows that we could not have been free agents without the potential of disobedience. There is a chapter on Darwinism, which consists of citing two cases where the time duration of processes was over-estimated by researchers, and then the prospect that humans might have lived at the same time as dinosaurs. The final chapter, on Natural Law, cites the research of Kohlberg to undergird Paul’s statement that “the law is written on our hearts.” (summary written Dec. 2017) _ _ _ E R R R S N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _ F _ _ _ B _ _ _ O A Tactics, by Greg Koukl, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan 2009) provides practical ways to converse about objections to Christianity without being hostile or threatening. It shows how to discover a person’s views through questioning and how to help that person see any inconsistencies or unwanted consequences of that view. The buren of proof is not on you but on the sperson making the claim. This summary written 1/19/18. _ _ _ E R R R S N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _ F _ _ _ B _ _ _ O A Spiritual conversations in the Digital Age. A Barna Report produced in partnership with Lutheran Hour Ministries. 2018. Based on statistics, eager conversationalists are those who believe orthodox doctrines, attend church regularly, engage in a life-style of spiritual practices, and feel well-trained. Millennial-age Christians do more sharing than the other age-groups. Online sharing should be as polite and sensitive as face-to-face sharing. Youth are more interested in how to apply faith to life, while Boomers place more importance on apologetics (page 82). (summary written 9/21/19) _ _ _ E R R R S N N N _ _ _ J _ _ _ F _ _ _ B _ _ _ O A GREAT COMMISSION LIVING—A Personal Handbook by Jim Found This book presents in its totality the approach used on this website. See ordering info at bottom. Here is the table of contents: INTRODUCTION What is Meant by the Title? ………1 What is Evangelism?………. 2 Three Stages of Discipling. …………3 PRE-EVANGELISM Aspects of Pre-evangelism. …………..5 “~ Building Relationships………… 6 Displaying Jesus in Your Lifestyle……………8 Testimony……….9 Biblical Worldview……..l0 Starting from the Old Testament ……….. 13 EVANGELISM Aspects of Evangelism……. 15 Witnessing Examples in the Book of Acts……….17 Some Common Mistakes ……….19 Transitions and Openings. ………..21 Methods for Witnessing in a Single Sitting ………23 Methods for Witnessing in a Series of Meetings………24 Using Diagrams and Objects to Share the Gospel………..25 Avoiding Jargon …….26 Consciousness of Sin ……..28 What Does the Bible Say about Who Jesus Is? ……29 Explaining the Work of Christ ……….30 Explaining Faith ………..32 Answering Questions ………….33 About Apologetics………35 Some Short Answers to Common Objections…………36 Dealing with Excuses ……. 38 POST-EVANGELISM Aspects of Post-evangelism …………… 40 Identifying Conversion ……………41 Meeting for Nurture…………….42 Follow-up: The First Day. ……….43 Follow-up: The First Month ………..44 Pre-Baptismal Instruction……….45 A Plan for Ongoing Nurture………..46 Receiving from God ….;…..47 Areas of Response ………….48 Ongoing Nurture………….49 How to Lead a Small Group Bible study ……..50 From God’s Will to Christian Growth…………………52 The Circle of Application……………54 LEADING FORMAL CLASSES Teaching and the Holy Spirit…………55 Nurture in a Formal Class Setting ……… 56 Lesson Planning ………59 Teaching Activities ………60 Examples of Lesson Preparation ……61 TRAINING OTHERS Personal Strategy ………63 Using this Handbook to present a Witness Workshop …65 Discussion Starter: Sharing Feelings about Witnessing ….68 Discussion Starter: Powerful Words…………69 GETTING THIS BOOK: You may contact the author by email and ask for any of these pages to be mailed to you. The contents of this book are available on youtube and as a one-day workshop offered by the author.	https://foundbytes.com/witness-books/
Kevin Qi (@kevinsqi) will be talking about how to use a relational database like PostgreSQL or MySQL to store data for web apps. Using a hypothetical e-commerce site as a working example, he'll cover: After covering relational database concepts with raw SQL, he'll briefly go over how to work with SQL databases in a Node.js app using the Knex.js library. NodeSchool SF is dedicated to providing a harassment-free event experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), or technology choices. We do not tolerate harassment of event participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for any event venue, including talks, workshops, parties, Twitter and other online media. Event participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the event at the discretion of the event organisers. Organizers: Emeritus Organizers: If you have questions or feedback about this Code of Conduct please contact one of the organizers. The organizers of the above community adhere to the JSConf Code of Conduct.	https://nodeschool.io/sanfrancisco/
There are great powers on the world stage. But not all of them are ideological powers. The U.S., as the heart of the contemporary West, forms the ideological core of Western liberalism. Liberalism had pretensions to global hegemony after the collapse of the Soviet Union, when there were no other ideological competitors left standing. Today, however, there is a growing consensus that the unipolar moment has ended.[1] The opposition to the liberal ideology is no longer marginal. It is important under these circumstances to examine not only powers that are growing in relevance geopolitically, but also those acting as influential sources of anti-liberal ideology, exporting ideological resources to meet a growing demand in the West. The West usually does not treat Russia as a serious ideological force. It typically reduces Putinism to cronyism or fascism, viewing Russia from the perspective of unquestioned liberal supremacy. And yet Russia is arguably America's major ideological competitor, despite the fact that it officially lacks a state ideology. Although de jure the Constitution of the Russian Federation protects ideological diversity and prohibits the establishment of a state ideology,[2]de facto Russia views the political world through the lens of a distinct ideological orientation. For instance, Russia opposes to claims of the universality of liberal values a defense of civilizational multipolarity.[3]It positions itself as a defender of traditional morality against the West's postmodern opposition to Christian values.[4] And it declaims the excesses of Western political correctness in such areas as gender politics, concluding that liberalism is "obsolete."[5] This ideological orientation reflects a conservative, traditionalist stance, as distinct from postmodern, progressive liberal individualism. Implemented and promoted with varying degrees of intensity and consistency during Putin's rule, it is Russia's unofficial state ideology. The most detailed theoretical version of Russia's unofficial ideology is Russian philosopher Alexander Dugin's Eurasianism (or, better, neo-Eurasianism). Dugin, an anti-liberal ideologue, a defender of Russia's civilizational uniqueness, and a theorist of civilizational multipolarity, is the founder of the International Eurasian Movement and the author of over 50 books. In recent years, there has been lively debate about the extent of his direct influence on Putin and the Kremlin, ranging from claims that he is Putin's close advisor to denials that he has ever met Putin at all.[6] More important than the question of direct influence, however, is the question of whether Dugin is articulating a set of ideas that help us understand Russia's conduct on the world stage in its ideological dimension. There is little doubt that Dugin has had a major influence on anti-liberal ideological discourse in Russia.[7] Dugin has argued that the impression of his direct influence on Putin is simply a result of the veracity of his analyses of Russia's geopolitics and ideological trajectories. In any event, he need not be Putin's whisperer in order to have provided the conceptual resources for Russia to oppose Western liberalism systematically. The Eurasianists were a group of Russian émigrés who developed theories that called into question the universalism of Western culture, asserting instead that there are many cultures and civilizations with their own internal values.[8] Scholars have doubted the extent to which Dugin's Eurasianism is a continuation of the classical Eurasian tradition.[9] Dugin's own view is that he has "supplemented" the main theses of Eurasianism "with attention to traditionalism, geopolitics… sociology, and anthropology."[10] Dugin's main view is that Eurasianism rejects unipolarity. But unlike other movements that oppose unipolarity in the name of the nation-state, Eurasianism opposes unipolarity in the name of regional integration, in order to develop a multipolar world.[11] Dugin has broadly conceived an order of these regional great spaces, as "four vertical geographical belts": 1) the Anglo-American zone; 2) "Euro-Africa, with the European Union at its centre"; 3) "the Russian-Central Asian zone" or "Pan-Eurasian" zone; and 4) "the Pacific-Far East zone."[12] At times, Dugin expands his model of civilizational multipolarity to include more civilizations; at other times he simplifies the schema to the basic opposition of Land Power and Sea Power.[13] But whether in its minimalist or maximalist version, Eurasianism is a multipolar theory of civilizations and great spaces. Dugin writes: "Eurasianism is the philosophy of multipolar globalization, appealing to all societies and peoples of the Earth to build an original an authentic world, every component of which organically derives from historical traditions and local cultures." He then adds: "In the same way as the concept of 'Americanism' today may be applied to geographical regions found outside the borders of the American continent... Eurasianism denotes a distinct civilizational, cultural, philosophical, and strategic choice, which can be made by any individual, regardless of where on the planet he lives or to whichever national and spiritual culture he belongs."[14] Eurasianism's Principles Dugin developed five main pillars of Eurasianism: "differentialism: a plurality of value systems versus the conventional and obligatory domination of a single ideology"; "tradition versus the suppression of cultures, their dogmas, and the wisdom of traditional society"; "the rights of nations versus the 'golden billion' [in the Russian-speaking world, this term refers to the developed nations/the West] and the neocolonial hegemony of the 'rich North'"; "ethnicities as the primary value and the subjects of history versus the homogenization of peoples, which are to be imprisoned within artificial social constructions"; and "social fairness and human solidarity versus exploitation and the humiliation of man by man."[15] These pillars are the foundation to build a multipolar world. Multipolarity, Dugin assesses, can grant the right and the freedom to develop a country's potential, to organize a country's domestic reality in accordance with the specific identity of its culture and people. "Multipolarity should be based on the principle of equity among the various kinds of political, social, economic organizations of these nations and states," Dugin writes.[16] Eurasianism And The "Fourth Political Theory" The concepts standing behind Eurasianism were detailed by Dugin in his "Fourth Political Theory," which lays the foundations for his political ideology.[17] The basic idea of the Fourth Political Theory is that opposition to liberalism (the first political theory) should be based neither on communism and its variants (the second political theory) nor on fascism and its variants (the third political theory). All three political theories are to be rejected. The Fourth Political Theory is a theoretical structure encompassing geopolitics, ethnosociology, theology, and existential philosophy, and sometimes also exploring other approaches to the critical analysis of contemporary global politics.The Fourth Political Theory's premises are based on the rejection of post-modernity, the post-industrial society, liberal thought realized in practice, and globalism. Hence, one of the first steps towards a Fourth Political Theory is the "global rehabilitation of tradition." Concerning Russia, Dugin explains that the only way to ensure Russia's survival is to embrace the fourth theory that rejects Western liberalism, since there is no room for Russia in the "brave new world of world globalism, post-modernity and post-liberalism." Dugin asserts: "The problem is that all of Russian history is a dialectical argument with the West and Western culture, a battle for the assertion (sometimes grasped only intuitively) of its own Russian truth, its messianic idea... The best Russian minds saw clearly that the West is moving to an abyss, and today, looking at where neoliberal economics and the culture of post-modernity have brought the world, we can be entirely sure that that intuition, pushing a generation of Russian people into a search for alternatives, was absolutely well-founded." Hence, according to Dugin, "it is clear that Russia has to go another way. Its own way... In order for Russia to be able to save itself and others, it is not enough to think up some technical means... In such a situation, the future of Russia depends directly on our efforts at working out the Fourth Political Theory."[18] Russia's Eurasian Identity For Dugin, Russia's identity is Eurasian. Russian culture "belongs to both East and West, and at the same time cannot be reduced either to the former or the latter."[19] Russia is a Eurasian civilization, not a European country.[20] The Russian-Eurasian world is broader than the Russian Federation, which is just one state form. Indeed, as Dugin sees it, contemporary Russia is full of "contradictions" with its own Eurasian identity, since it has sought to copy certain Western models and has been influenced by the liberal pro-Western elite, especially under Dmitry Medvedev's presidency.[21] Putin "defused the situation" and moved Russia back towards its proper Eurasian identity.[22] Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in his article "Russia's Foreign Policy: Historical Background," reiterates that Russia's history, culture, and geography make it a natural bridge between Europe and Asia. It will never be wholly European because of its Mongolian past and its natural expansion eastwards, he says, but its natural Eurasian identity will lead it to expand its political influence across both Europe and Asia.[23] Eurasianism is the ideology of this expansion. According to Dugin, it is an "imperial ideology" for Russia's "empire built in accordance with a civilization character."[24] "The Eurasian civilization is common to Belarussians, Kazakhs, Yakuts, Chechens, Great Russians, Moldovans, Ossetians, and Abkhazians" – many peoples, but mixing and "enriching each other," but with a constant Russian core.[25] Whereas, Dugin explains, the Russian Federation is "a kind of empire," it is "an unnatural one, based not on the real cultural habitats of a common civilization but on artificial administrative lines." However, the Eurasian path for Russia is a civilizational empire, based on "history, culture, the Russian language, a common fate... and a similar ethical and religious structure" that unites the Eurasian great space.[26] Just as Western analysts saw Russia's 2008 war with Georgia as throwing down the gauntlet to NATO and the West, so does Eurasian analysis see that as "a new phase of building an empire." Before Georgia, "Russia's imperial project was virtual."[27] After Georgia, the path was open to establish a civilizational empire for real. In 2008, Dugin visited South Ossetia and stated: "Our troops will occupy the Georgian capital Tbilisi, the entire country, and perhaps even Ukraine and the Crimean Peninsula, which is historically part of Russia, anyway."[28] The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Project There is evidence that the Eurasian idea resonated with both domestic and international actors. In the mid-90s, "direct and indirect references to Eurasianism appear" in the programs of Russian political parties "on the Left, Right, and centre."[29] Another major development occurred in 1994, when Kazakhstan president Nursultan Nazarbayev "[announced] the idea of the 'Eurasian Union,'" marketing "the first time in the history of Eurasianism" that "a high-ranking politician voices support for its vision and offers concrete measures for its practical implementation."[30] In 2015, the Kremlin's pet Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) project was established.[31] At the 2016 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin stressed that the EAEU partners can become one of the centres of a greater emergent integration area. "Now we propose considering the prospects for more extensive Eurasian partnership involving the EAEU and countries with which we already have close partnership – China, India, Pakistan and Iran – and certainly our CIS partners, and other interested countries and associations," Putin stressed. This is in accordance with Eurasian doctrine, for which Russia's integration of post-Soviet territories in the Eurasian Union is a geopolitical imperative. In 2011, as Russian prime minister, Putin wrote an article titled "A New Integration Project For Eurasia: The Future In The Making," which outlined the project of the Eurasian Union, and in which he described that only a large space (larger than a single country) integrated along non-Western civilization lines – "based on new values and a new political and economic foundation"[32] – can oppose Western hegemony. In the article, Putin stated that such a project does not entail a "revival of the Soviet Union," because "it would be naïve to try to revive or emulate something that has been consigned to history." Proposing instead "a powerful supranational association capable of becoming one of the poles in the modern world and serving as an efficient bridge between Europe and the dynamic Asia-Pacific region."[33] Putin specified that the Eurasian Union "will be based on universal integration principles."[34] The talk of supranational regional integration and multipolarity, as well as the idea that civilizational-Russia should not be a return to the Soviet model, is straightforward Eurasian ideology at work. Dugin's International Eurasian Movement's "central objective" is "the creation of the Eurasian Union," which is not a solely about economic union but a "multidimensional" process aimed at "a new political and strategic formation," "the elaboration and realization of integration projects" meant to establish Russia-Eurasia as a full-fledged civilizational alternative to the West, including, just as Putin said, not only the "economy" but "values" and "politics."[35] *Dr. Michael Millerman holds a Ph.D in Political Science from the University of Toronto. He is the leading translator from Russian into English of Russian political philosopher Alexander Dugin. [1]Fareed Zakaria, "The Self-Destruction of American Power," Foreign Affairs July/August 2019, oreignaffairs.com/articles/2019-06-11/self-destruction-american-power. Charles Krauthammer himself did not think the unipolar moment would last forever. As he wrote in 1999, "History has not ended; it only looks that way. The great struggle of the 21st century – to dethrone America – has already begun." Charles Krauthammer, "A Second American Century?" December 20, 1999, Edition.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/time/1999/12/20/american.century.html. [4] At the meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club in 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated: "We can see how many of the Euro-Atlantic countries are actually rejecting their roots, including the Christian values that constitute the basis of Western civilization. They are denying moral principles and all traditional identities: national, cultural, religious and even sexual. They are implementing policies that equate large families with same-sex partnerships, belief in God with the belief in Satan." (Kremlin.ru, September 19, 2013; read the full transcript). [13] Dugin, The Fourth Political Theory, 117-120; Dugin, "Theory of a Multipolar World," (London: Arktos), forthcoming. Alexander Dugin, Last War of the World-Island: The Geopolitics of Contemporary Russia (London: Arktos, 2015).
Are there signs of the children? Two fountains remind us of the two parts of the Pied Piper story. One with rats is in the Osterstrasse not far from the Bungelosenstrasse. The fountain is a gift to the city from publishers Guenther and Hans Niemeyer. Sculptor Bruno Jakobus Hoffmann worked for three years on the artwork before it was unveiled on the 23rd of June in 2001. The fountain with the children is found on the Rathausplatz (Pictured). It was presented in 1975 by Karl Ulrich Nuss. His design came out of a competition of 132 offers. Originally planned for the Pferdemarkt, it was deemed oversized for the old town. The Pied Piper's House in the Osterstrasse gained its name because of an inscription on the side relating to the loss of the Hamelin children. The Facade was erected in 1602-3 by Mayor Hermann Arendes and is in Weser Renaissance architecture. Arendes, himself a master, is likely to have designed the edifice personally. The building was purchased by the city of Hamelin in 1917 and has been on the list of "The TOP 100 sights and attractions in Germany" multiple times. Today it houses a restaurant. One of the favorites of the guests is the Glockenspiel Carillon with Clockwork Figures on the Hochzeitshaus. Daily the Piper does his rounds with rats and children at 1:05, 3:35 and 5:35pm. At 9:35am the bells play the Weser River Song and the song of the Pied Piper can be heard at 11:35am, the very hour the Piper visited Hamelin town. The Piper is depicted in hunting green on the first circulation and with a cloak of yellow in the second. The legend relates to a glass window in the Market Church telling the story of the Hamelin children. Although restored in 1572. it was lost around 1660. Around the window was an inschrift that plays a major role in the historical determination of the tale. At the 700th anniversary of the legend, a glass window was installed in the church upon a design by graphic designer Klaus Zimmer and sponsored by the Rotary Club of Hamelin. Many tourists arriving by coach walk right past the 8 x 13 meter Pied Piper Relief at the gate to the Buergergarten. Walter Ihle unveiled it at this location in 1960. It originally adorned the now-demolished auditorium of the School on the Muensterkirchhof and had been packed in cases, albeit not the original, a copy was taken by elastomer from the relief before the building was razed. All through the old town, the rats have returned in the form of Rat-Stones. If you follow them, they take you on a jaunt through the city past many important sights. Originally painted on, they have now become three-dimensional bronze artworks during the 2011-13 renovation of the pedestrian area. They charm a smile onto the visitors and are a beloved photo opportunity. A nine meter high rat monument can be found along the river, the Dancing Weser Rat. It is the product of the 2004 Rat Art Festival in the city, where 65 colourful rat figures were on display, some of them up to this very day. The remainder were auctioned off to fund the permanent artwork by Elena Glazunova that was finished in 2009 and can be viewed at the quay adjacent to the lockworks.	https://www.hameln.de/en/thepiedpiper/followthepiper/on-the-trail-of-the-lost-children/
Especially, following the development of the Multiculturalism american culture and wireless communication technology, the distance from country to country and people to people has becomes closer, and the economies between regions and countries are connected more closely. Diversity was a good in itself, so making Britain truly diverse would enrich it and bring 'significant cultural contributions', reflecting a widespread belief among the ruling classes that multiculturalism and cultural, racial and religious diversity were morally positive things whatever the consequences. In the Civil War, this resulted in secession. Kids growing up in this multicultural background are easy to accept different views, values and behaviors Multiculturalism american culture foreign countries. Isn't there a separate issue here between those who were in this country as slaves and those who were in this country before the Europeans arrived? Another is to perpetuate population growth because immigration is part of the quid pro quo offered ethnic minorities in exchange for votes. Some people think Multiculturalism american culture multiculturalism is negative, whereas some others think that multiculturalism is positive. This theorem is held to be false by Derbyshire and other paleoconservatives. More ethnically homogeneous nations are better able to build public goods, are more democratic, less corrupt, have higher productivity and less inequality, are more trusting and care more for the disadvantaged, develop social and economic capital faster, have lower crime rates, are more resistant to external shocks, and are better global citizens, for example by giving more foreign aid. Andrew Robbthen Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, told a conference in November that some Australians worried the term "multicultural" had been transformed by interest groups into a philosophy that put "allegiances to original culture ahead of national loyalty, a philosophy which fosters separate development, a federation of ethnic cultures, not one community". Europeans' promotion of their own displacement is the ultimate foolishness—an historical mistake of catastrophic proportions. Multiculturalism is diversity of two or more culture in some region or country. Fair policies allowed all citizens to have the right to preserve their cultural inheritance. In my opinion, I agree with the second view, that multiculturalism is positive. It is probably the reason why there are people all over the world who can recognize the American culture, but there are many within our own boarders that question its existence. In practical terms this can only be accomplished through aid to Third World peoples and generous immigration policies that allow large numbers of people to escape the poverty of the Third World. However, now Australia is renowned as a multicultural epicenter. Intellectual critique[ edit ] The earliest academic critics of multiculturalism in Australia were the philosophers Lachlan Chipman and Frank Knopfelmacher sociologist Tanya Birrell and the political scientist Raymond Sestito. The country that is focused in this report is America. Is sharing the American ancestral heritage enough to link us together? If multiculturalism means trying to see things from several viewpoints i. An example that he gives is Black History Month. Consider transferring direct quotations to Wikiquote. This is where conservatism begins. Booth, William. From the perspective of inclusive fitness, unfamiliar others are potential free-riders and, out of a concern that they will be exploited by others, people reduce considerably their altruistic attitudes and behavior in a general way in more diverse communities. He is a notorious figure because of his stance against affirmative action and bilingual education. America is an immigrant country; most people in America are immigrants. Jost, Kenneth. Reading Literature and Writing Argument. In his book Culture and Equality: An Egalitarian Critique of Multiculturalism, he argues that some forms of multiculturalism can divide people, although they need to unite in order to fight for social justice. He made opposition to slavery the non-negotiable center of the Republican party, and he was prepared to compromise on all else. But in addition to that, massive migrations to America from places other than Northern and Eastern Europe have created a strong backlash among White, Anglo Saxon, Protestant Europeans. Multiculturalism is a controversial issue in America. However, he strongly believes in the common American culture. One shudders to think. But even here, beneficial changes are taking place among youth. In the Kavanaugh hearings, the multiculturalists did not see a contest between two individuals but rather between all women who are all oppressed and all white men who are all oppressors. And it's not just that we don't trust people who are not like us.Define multiculturalism, cultural, race, worldview, cultural pluralism, cultural deficit, and post-structuralism. Multiculturalism. Multiculturalism is a philosophical movement to ensure all members of a pluralistic society are reflected in the organization or school. Oct 01, · Today in the U.S. many people want Latina/os to throw off their rich heritage and assimilate to Anglo-American culture, almost as a prerequisite for. Unity, Multiculturalism and the American Creed NPR: At the beginning of this century, America was called God's crucible, the great melting pot. As we approach the end of the century, "melting pot" has been replaced by the buzzword "multicultural", which by some definitions separates us according to race, gender, and ethnic origin. Aug 22, · While the U.S. Census estimates America's whites will become a minority in - making the country majority-minority - a group says that future is already here. Most of us are multicultural, according to the research and marketing firm EthniFacts, by virtue of where we live and who we marry, among other things. In fact, he is a Kenyan-American. He grew up in Indonesia until the age of Barack Obama cannot be considered an All-American man by his own words. Those people with hyphenated nationalities manifest "multiculturalism." By its very name, it destroys one culture by breaking it into many.	https://qadygyk.cheri197.com/multiculturalism-american-culture-5434al.html
Objective: Without an agreed‐upon set of characteristics that differentiate clinical from non‐clinical levels of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR), it is difficult to ensure that FCR severity is appropriately measured, and that those in need of intervention are identified. The objective of this study was to establish expert consensus on the defining features of clinical FCR. Method: A three‐round Delphi was used to reach consensus on the defining features of clinical FCR. Sixty‐five experts in FCR (researchers, psychologists, physicians, nurses, allied health professionals) were recruited to suggest and rate potential features of clinical FCR. Participants who indicated they could communicate diagnoses within their clinical role were also asked to consider the application of established DSM‐5 and proposed ICD‐11 diagnostic criteria (Health Anxiety, Illness Anxiety Disorder, Somatic Symptom Disorder) to clinical FCR. Results: Participants’ ratings suggested that the following 4 features are key characteristics of clinical FCR: 1) high levels of preoccupation; 2) high levels of worry; 3) that are persistent; and 4) hypervigilance to bodily symptoms. Of participants whose professional role allowed them to diagnose mental disorders 84% indicated it would be helpful to diagnose clinical FCR, but the use of established diagnostic criteria related to health anxiety or somatic‐related disorders to clinical FCR was not supported. This suggests that participants consider clinical FCR as a presentation that is specific to cancer survivors. Conclusion: Clinical FCR was conceptualized as a multi‐dimensional construct. Further research is needed to empirically validate the proposed defining features. Citation Mutsaers , B , Butow , P , Dinkel , A , Humphris , G M , Maheu , C , Ozakinci , G , Prins , J , Sharpe , L , Smith , A & Lebel , S 2019 , ' Identifying the key characteristics of clinical fear of cancer recurrence : an international Delphi study ' , Psycho-Oncology , vol. Early View . https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.5283 Publication Psycho-Oncology Status Peer reviewed ISSN1057-9249 Type Journal article Rights Copyright © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This work has been made available online in accordance with publisher policies or with permission. Permission for further reuse of this content should be sought from the publisher or the rights holder. This is the author created accepted manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.5283 Collections Items in the St Andrews Research Repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.	https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/handle/10023/21072
The elevated wisdom in regards to the constitution of genomes in a couple of species, in regards to the complexity of transcriptomes, and the fast development in wisdom approximately mutant phenotypes have trigger the big scale use of transgenes to reply to easy organic questions, and to generate new vegetation and novel items. This quantity contains twelve chapters, which to variable levels describe using transgenic vegetation to discover percentages and techniques for the amendment of plant metabolism, version or improvement. The pursuits of the authors variety from software improvement, to simple biochemical information in regards to the engineering of enzymes, to exploring avenues for the amendment of complicated multigenic pathways, and contain numerous examples for the engineering of particular pathways in several organs and developmental levels. * Prologue via Paul ok. Stumpf and Eric E. Conn * accommodates new strategies and insights in plant biochemistry and biology * presents a conceptual framework concerning the demanding situations confronted in engineering pathways * Discusses strength in engineering of metabolic end-products which are of mammoth low-budget value, together with genetic engineering of cellulose, seed garage proteins, and suitable for eating and business oils Read or Download Bioengineering and Molecular Biology of Plant Pathways, Volume 1 (Advances in Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) PDF Similar Biophysics books Planar Lipid Bilayers: Methods and Applications (Biological Techniques Series) Organic concepts is a chain of volumes aimed toward introducing to a large viewers the most recent advances in technique. The pitfalls and difficulties of latest options are given due attention, as are these small yet important info no longer regularly particular within the equipment sections of magazine papers. lately, so much organic laboratories were invaded by means of pcs and a wealth of latest DNA know-how and this may be mirrored in lots of of the titles showing within the sequence. WTEC Panel Report on Tissue Engineering Research WTEC Panel on Tissue Engineering learn is a comparative overview of tissue engineering study and improvement actions within the usa, Japan, and Western Europe carried out through a panel of best U. S. specialists within the box. This ebook covers biomaterials, cells, biomolecules, non-medical functions, engineering layout, informatics, and felony and regulatory matters linked to tissue engineering examine and functions. Biological Nanostructures and Applications of Nanostructures in Biology: Electrical, Mechanical, and Optical Properties (Bioelectric Engineering) Organic Nanostructures and purposes of Nanostructures in Biology: electric, Mechanical, and Optical houses comprises studies and discussions of latest and proper subject matters facing the interface among the technological know-how and know-how of nanostructures and the technology of biology. additionally, this ebook supplementations those prior groundbreaking discoveries with discussions of promising new avenues of analysis that exhibit the big strength of rising ways in nanobiotechnology. Nanobioelectronics - for Electronics, Biology, and Medicine (Nanostructure Science and Technology) The mix of organic components with electronics is of serious curiosity for lots of study parts. encouraged through organic sign techniques, scientists and engineers are exploring methods of manipulating, assembling, and making use of biomolecules and cells on built-in circuits, becoming a member of biology with digital units.	http://www.cooperativalacarrera.com/index.php/ebooks/bioengineering-and-molecular-biology-of-plant-pathways-volume-1-advances-in-plant-biochemistry-and
WRC tyre movement and storage guidelines The release of tyre movement and storage guidelines are an important step in effective management of end-of-life tyres in New Zealand, says 3R Group Chief Executive and Tyrewise project manager Adele Rose. “End-of-lifes have been a substantial and unfair burden on local government and by default, ratepayers, for a long time,” she says. “Without a permanent product stewardship solution for tyres the problem continues to grow, year on year.” According to Rose, Waikato Regional Council have shown strong leadership in developing these standards alongside other local councils. “It’s critical that local government has consistent guidelines across the country to help manage end-of-life tyres. The report covers storage risks, disposal options, and guidance on intervention.” Every year some 3.9 million passenger tyres and 1.2 million truck tyres reach the end of their life in New Zealand, yet there is currently no pathway to effectively making use of the resource they represent. As a result millions of tyres are stockpiled around the country, posing a significant risk to the environment and New Zealanders.	https://www.tyrewise.co.nz/wrc-tyre-movement-and-storage-guidelines/
For many months economists have been speculating that the housing market was about to change course – from a seller's market to a buyer's market, from a bubble to a bust. Yet the statistics refuse to definitively indicate the direction of the market. The Conventional Mortgage Home Price Index for the fourth quarter of 2005, released March 2nd, showed that annual growth in home values hit 13 percent nationally. Housing starts in January hit 2.28 million units, the highest pace since 1973. No signals of a cooling housing market here. But sales of both new and existing homes fell in January and the inventories of existing single-family homes and condominiums for-sale rose to their highest levels since 1999. These contradictory statistics are signs of a slow down. Some local market evidence is less ambiguous. Phoenix continues to be the hottest housing market with fourth-quarter 2004 to fourth-quarter 2006 appreciation in excess of 41 percent. Its booming economy created 82,000 non-farm payroll jobs in 2005 out of the nearly 2 million added nationwide. In contrast, Las Vegas, which had been the hottest market in 2004, saw home-price appreciation slow quickly to near the national average growth rate. Michigan saw the slowest price growth among states reflecting the weak economy caused by the downturn in the manufacturing sector. It may be some time before we see definite trends in the national housing market, especially as measured by changes in home prices. Prices tend to be "sticky" on the way down as sellers will leave a home on the market longer or offer non-price concessions to buyers. The prevalence and types of seller concessions are difficult to measure. Nonetheless, we believe the housing market crested during the third quarter of 2005 and that single-digit growth in home values will occur nationally in 2006. The national economy in the first quarter of 2006 is expected to bounce back strongly from the hurricane-battered, dismal showing in the fourth quarter. Although fourth quarter real GDP growth was revised upwards to 1.6 percent, productivity growth fell for the first time since the first quarter of 2001 while labor costs accelerated to 3.3 percent on an annualized basis, the biggest jump in a year and troubling for those worried about accelerating inflation risks. First quarter GDP growth is looking to come in near 4.8 percent, and the market is already pricing in another one-quarter point increase in the federal funds rate when the Fed Open Market Committee meets again at the end of March, moving the fed funds rate to 4.75 percent and the prime rate to 7.75 percent. The yield curve has remained inverted, with 2-year Treasury yields exceeding the yields on 10-year notes. The inversion has caused fully indexed interest rates on 1-year adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) to exceed those on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages (FRMs) by more than a full percentage point – the fully indexed rate is the rate obtained by adding the margin to the appropriate underlying index rate at today's levels. With the inverted yield curve, the ARM share of new mortgage applications is high at 32 percent, but initial-rate teaser discounts are attracting borrowers to shorter-term ARMs and interest-only or option-payment features on longer-term ARMs are attracting borrowers with lower initial mortgage payments. Fixed mortgage rates are still historically low and a wide variety of mortgage products are available, which means the capital market is well positioned to support homebuyers. When the smoke clears, we expect to find that the housing market has decelerated to a more normal level of activity, not crashed. View the latest Summary Table of projection data (Excel 5.0/Win 95) Details: - Real GDP growth. We increased our forecast for economic growth to 4.8% in the first quarter this year, reflecting hurricane rebuilding activity, unexpectedly good weather in January and strong data on consumer and business spending. The remainder of our forecast, however, has not changed, including that of 2007 (3.5% growth for the year). - Consumer price inflation. Stronger growth will lead to a greater threat of inflation, and thus we decided to slightly increase our inflation forecast in the first quarter from 2.3% to 2.5%. Inflation continues to be a salacious beast that financial markets have been closely watching. Nonetheless, we expect it to remain well behaved, holding at a 2.5% annualized rate for the year. - Unemployment rate. Employment growth often follows strong economic conditions, so we lowered our projections of the unemployment rate over the first half of 2006 (averaging 4.8%) and then have it creeping back to 4.9% as economic growth moderates. - Mortgage rates. With inflation demanding greater attention, we are forecasting interest rates to rise a little faster than we predicted last month. The 10-year constant-maturity Treasury note should end the year at a yield of around 4.8%, while interest rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages may top 6.5% (compared to 6.3% in our February forecast). Short-term rates, however, are harder to predict (especially with a new Federal Reserve chairman), but we anticipate rates will rise steadily over the next year – the one-year constant maturity Treasury yield is expected to end the year at 5.0%. - Housing starts and Home sales. These economic conditions predicate a softening in the housing market, with the brunt of the impact hitting new home construction. We anticipate housing starts to wane by over 5% and home sales to ease by about 4%. (Of note, these forecasted levels exceed market records first accomplished three years ago.) Although the housing industry will fail to break any new records in 2006, the housing market maintains an incredible amount of stamina. - Home value appreciation. House prices, on the other hand, have been quite incorrigible, increasing by double digits for the last two years. Our projection calls for home prices to moderate towards more normal levels. Specifically, home prices are expected to climb 8.6% in 2006 and 7.2% in 2007. It takes considerable time for a market to transition from a "seller's" to a "buyer's" market, but anecdotal evidence suggests that buyers are now demanding home inspections, and in some cases, home repairs, to be made as a condition of sale. - Refinance and ARM Shares. Higher interest rates will dampen refinance activity, bringing the refinance share of applications down to 36% for the year. The rising prime rate, the rate on which most home-equity lines of credit and second mortgages are based, is a driving force behind cash-out refinancings – according to Freddie Mac's Cash-out Refinance Report released February 7th, 80% of refinance loans in the fourth quarter of 2005 were at least 5% larger than the loan they replaced due to loan consolidation and equity extraction. This trend should continue in ‘06. The inversion of the yield curve along with higher levels of interest rates will dampen demand for ARMs relative to the 2005 share, with a 27% ARM share of applications expected this year. - Mortgage activity. Higher interest rates offset the stronger economic growth and for now we have left our conventional mortgage originations forecast unchanged from last month at $2.4 trillion. Higher home values and still-strong home sales mean total mortgage debt outstanding is likely to grow by 12% in 2006, which would make it the sixth straight year of double digit growth in mortgage debt. Source: Freddie Mac Contact ALTA at 202-296-3671 or [email protected].	https://alta.org/news/news.cfm?20060321-Deciphering-Smoke-Signals
A polyethylene resin such as low density polyethylene and the like has been generally crosslinked to enhance its mechanical strength, heat resistance and other properties. One such method of crosslinking ethylene polymers involves incorporating alkoxysilane functionality into the polymer structure either by grafting unsaturated alkoxysilanes onto the ethylene polymers or by direct copolymerization of ethylene with unsaturated alkoxysilanes, herein referred to as EVS copolymers. The silane copolymer can be crosslinked by exposing the copolymer to moisture i.e., the silane is such that it makes the copolymer hydrolysable. The crosslinking is accelerated in the presence of an appropriate silanol condensation catalyst such as dibutyl tin dilaurate, dioctyl tin maleate, stannous acetate zinc octate stannous octate iron 2-ethyl hexoate and other metal carboxylates. When polyethylene copolymerized with the unsaturated silane compound is used as electric cable insulation, there has been a problem in that the retention of dielectric strength after a mechanical glancing impact is not always satisfactory and especially unsatisfactory when flame retardants are incorporated into the compositions. The reasons for these problems are not fully understood. Known typical flame retardant resin compositions used for the insulation of wire and cable, comprise antimony trioxide and a chlorine flame retardant or bromine flame retardant with a polyethylene. These halogen containing compositions such as, for example, bromine containing decabromodiphenyl oxide (DBDPO), works by releasing heavy non-flammable hydrogen halide (bromide) gases. Due to its high halogen content DBDPO (83.3% bromine), lower amounts of filler are required than with the chlorine containing 1,2,3,4,7,8,9,10,13,13,14,14-dodecachloro 1,4,4a,5,6,6a,7,10,10a,11,12,12a-dodecahydro 1,4,7,10-dimethanodibenzo (a,e) cyclooctene (Dechlorane Plus 25 (65.1% chlorine)). The latter is known to act as a better char promoter than the former. However, there remains a need for flame retardant electric cable insulation which has both acceptable flame retardancy and dielectric strength after glancing impact. In accordance with the present invention, I have found that the use of particular compositions comprising a random copolymer of ethylene and a vinyl trialkoxysilane and a flame retardant mixture, optionally, containing certain additives results in the formation of a flame retardant polymeric composition that when used as a primary insulating coating, enables the finished product to pass the vertical wire (VW-1) flame test and glancing impact test requirements designated by Underwriters Laboratories Inc (UL) for XHHW cable applications. The former requires that a vertical specimen of an insulated conductor shall not flame longer than 60 s following five 15-s application of flame, the period between applications being 15 s. The test specimens must not ignite combustible materials in the immediate vicinity or damage more than 25% of the indicator flag (UL 1581 1080.1-1080.9). The latter requires that the breakdown potential of each of six specimens of finished solid No. 14 AWG Type XHHW wire that have separately been subjected to a glancing impact (45.degree.) of 2 J or 0,207 m-kgf shall not be less than 20% of the average breakdown potential of six adjacent specimens of the same wire not subjected to impact (UL 1581, 700.1-700.6 ).

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