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With delegated authority, interview and recommend selection of applicants, conduct training, assign and schedule work, act upon leave requests, conduct annual performance evaluations, and recommend disciplinary action.
Maintain quality assurance record.
Plan, organize and direct the Processing staff in the areas of decontamination and sterilization of reusable items, equipment, surgical instrumentation and power equipment.
Establish and maintain ongoing communication with leads, staff, peers, managers and customers throughout the Materials Management department and Medical Center.
Create and maintain good customer relations (this includes co-workers and staff). Communicates in an attentive, considerate and effective manner and promotes customer satisfaction via active listening and considerate tone of voice.
Train and develop leads in order to create a good management team. Document and detail training given.
Train and develop staff in order to create an effective and efficient operation. Document and detail training given.
Address departmental issues and concerns and establish resolutions in a timely manner.
Meet regularly with staff and leads.
Responsible for maintaining all sterilization records.
Identify gaps and/or problems in communication and facilitate improvement.
Facilitate and actively participate in effective problem solving efforts to maintain flow of department services.
Actively participate in departmental meetings.
Actively identify and facilitate improvement opportunities.
Assist in the development and implementation of Policy and Procedures for departmental operations.
Insure departmental Policy and Procedures are followed.
Coordinate activity throughout the Medical Center to insure that customer needs are met in accordance with hospital and departmental policies.
Perform other related duties and special projects as directed.
Responsible for taking pictures of new instrument sets; download into computer, and edit for tray controller system. REQUIREMENTS Completion of a recognized Central Supply Technician course AND three years of technical experience involving sterilization of surgical trays, medical supplies, equipment and instruments in a hospital or institution central medical supply unit OR High school graduation or equivalent AND four years of experience processing complex trays of surgical instruments and equipment OR Equivalent education/experience. DESIRED Certification from IAHCSMM UW Medicine includes Harborview Medical Center, UW Medical Center - Montlake, UW Medical Center - Northwest, Valley Medical Center, UW Neighborhood Clinics, UW Physicians, UW School of Medicine, and Airlift Northwest.
University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. | https://vcn-hospital.jobs/seattle-wa/hospital-central-services-technician-supervisor-uw-medical-center/27A0F74B387E4F86BB5F2F8AE2C9AF9B/job/?vs=28 |
Position Requirements:
- Bachelor's Degree required
- 4 years of experience in continuing medical, professional, or healthcare related education experience in adult education and event planning
- 1 year experience in leadership or managerial capacity
- Comprehensive knowledge of effective best practices and national trends in continuing medical education
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with all levels of staff, physicians, management, executives, and a wide variety of internal and external accrediting bodies, medical specialty societies, vendors, collaborators and stakeholders
- Demonstrated ability to plan and execute large- and small-scale events in live and online formats
- Highly developed decision-making, organizational, and interpersonal proficiency including relationship development and management of internal and external relationships
- Demonstrated project management, decision making, delegation, prioritization, team building, time management, customer service, and conflict resolution skills
- Intermediate computer skills including demonstrated proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office (Excel, Access, PowerPoint and Word) or similar products, and web based or e-learning systems
- Knowledge of developing, reviewing and maintaining budgets and contracts
- Generally exposed to a normal office environment
- Position requires travel. May be exposed to weather and road conditions
Purpose:
Responsible for developing and planning system-wide interprofessional continuing education. Understands requirements and standards for continuing medical education (CME) and Maintenance of Certification (MOC) programs. Provides guidance on complex issues and acts as a department expert on education development, logistics, and outcome measurement. Supports the Academic Affairs leadership and faculty in maintaining the excellence of medical education experiences and in promoting a learning culture throughout the organization.
Accountabilities:
- Works collaboratively with medical group leadership to identify interprofessional educational priorities for the organization, service lines, and departments.
- Researches education models, develops and conducts needs assessments, evaluates existing educational offerings, and makes recommendations that will improve CME activities. Incorporates national best practices in CME.
- Develops and plans 50+ CME/MOC activites annually includes live and online programs. Manages program budgets, faculty, documentation, marketing, and logistics. Ensure all programs are operating in line with department and system policy and procedures.
- Conducts regular needs assessments and reviews activity outcome evaluations to determine what participants learned, how their behavior changed, and what impact these changes had on the participant's practice. Then actively uses this information to develop and plan new activities.
- Management of CME coordinator and/or CME planners oversight of work product, delegation of work. Develops team members and encourages professional development and ongoing training.
- Educates participants, activity directors/planners, and key leadership about CME/MOC program compliance, credit claiming, and implementation.
- Collaborates and partners with internal and external deparments to develop CME/MOC activities to address system/site initiatives. Encourages team-based education.
- Performs human resources responsibilities for staff which include interviewing and selection of new employees, promotions, staff development, performance evaluations, compensation changes, resolution of employee concerns, corrective actions, terminations, and overall employee morale. | https://jobs.advocatehealth.com/job/Downers-Grove-Manager-Professional-Education-Development-IL-60515/620224200/ |
Lord Sai is Lord Shiva, supporting the Ganges, and the source of the Lingam(creative power). He is the Lord of the Universe, personification of love and the source of creation.
Translate Meaning:
Deity
Shiva
Language
Sanskrit / Hindi
Glossary Terms
Song Glossary
lord of the world; (var) bhuvanesha
the sacred river ganges worshipped as goddess ganga; (var) gangey
one who created linga - refers to lord sathya sai baba who created and took out lingas from his stomach during the shivarathri festival; (var) lingodhbhava, lingodhbhavakara
supreme
sacred; (var) pavitram
embodiment or personification of om; (var) pranavakaari, omkaara, pranavakaram, pranavakaaraaya
love; (var) prem; also the name of the third sai avatar, prema sai
sa + aai = divine mother
lord shiva - one of the trinity who is the destroyer - the name shiva means auspiciousness; (var) shiv, shivaya, shivaraj, shivaraja, shivarajam, shivom, shivani (f) - of shiva
figure, embodiment; (var) swarupa, swaroopam, swaroopanin (tamil); roopini, swaroopini, svarupini (feminine)
Note: This site does not own or maintain audio and video content hosted in external sites. The links to external media have been provided purely as a reference.
If you have a recording of this song that you would like to share, please use this form to contact us. | https://sairhythms.sathyasai.org/song/lingodhbhavakara-sai-shivom-2 |
Description: The University of Missouri (MU) Institute for Data Science and Informatics (IDSI) is accepting applications for multiple positions of Teaching Professor (Assistant and Associate levels) of Data Science and Analytics. In today’s information-centric world, data are becoming increasingly important for the success of businesses in every industry. Data science at MU is an interdisciplinary field with collaborators from a variety of academic areas, such as computer science, journalism, information science, healthcare, and bioinformatics. The data science and analytics curriculum covers the entire life-cycle from data ingestion and conditions at source through to business intelligence and decision making products. The demand for data scientist in the American workforce is expected to continue to grow at a healthy pace for the next ten years. The MU Data Science and Analytics program was awarded the 2018 Outstanding Credit Program award by the UPCEA Central Region for continuing education programs. As such, our program is rapidly growing, as is the employment prospects of our graduates.
Accordingly, we invite applications from applicants with demonstrated experience in data science and analytics, as well as big data computational ecosystems. Applicants should have experience working in a data intensive computing environment. The successful applicants will have working knowledge of both Python and R, and their use for data analytics and interfacing to big data ecosystems. Experience in applied machine learning, statistical modeling, and data mining are highly preferred. The incumbent will teach both online and on-campus sections of core data science training courses, as well as specialized emphasis area or advanced courses. Additionally, the successful applicants will have the opportunity to mentor group case studies and capstone projects. This position will include the opportunity to develop new data science courses, as well as provide input towards the evolution and refinement of data science training at Mizzou.
Qualifications: Applicants for Teaching Assistant/Associate Professor should have a doctorate degree in computer science, informatics, applied statistics, applied mathematics, or a closely related field with industry experience or graduate level data science instruction experience. Candidates should have a strong background in the teaching data science and analytics using computational tools and methods. Experience teaching on-line classes is preferred, but not required.
Closing Date: May 31, 2021 or until the positions is filled. Review of the initial set applications will begin on March 15, 2021 and will continue until the closing date.
Application: Applicants should submit a CV, a teaching statement, and a list of three to five professional references electronically at http://hrs.missouri.edu/find-a-job/academic for position #35541. Inquiries can be directed to [email protected]. Direct Application Link is here.
The University of Missouri is a Tier I research institution and one of only 60 public and private U.S. universities invited to membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities. Missouri was founded in 1839 in Columbia as the first public university west of the Mississippi River. Today, with an enrollment of more than 35,000 students, 13,000 full-time employees and 300,000 alumni, Mizzou is a $2.2 billion enterprise and an important investment for the state and nation.
MU specifically invites and encourages applications from qualified women and members of groups underrepresented in science. Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/ADA employer firmly committed to fostering ethnic, racial, and gender diversity in our faculty. | https://muidsi.missouri.edu/2021/02/08/teaching-professor-faculty-positions-in-data-science-and-analytics/ |
Cashier with more than 5 years of retail experience. Well-versed in all areas of store operations. Passionate about exceeding customer expectations to building loyalty and retention.
Talented Sales Associate with successful career history of closing sales, increasing customer satisfaction and mentoring junior sales professionals.
Call Center Representative with expertise providing customer support in high call volume environments. Exceptional computer aptitude and telephone etiquette. Dedicated Customer Service Representative who provides exceptional customer service through active listening and problem solving.
Experienced Server with 2+ years fine dining experience. Successful track record of building repeat clientèle.
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Job Titles Held: | https://www.livecareer.com/resume-search/r/valet-cashier-67248ef8b2a64a219cadd8fbccad5f47 |
It’s not that the Valencia High boys soccer coach has been traveling the country, the state or even the county.
It’s that his Vikings have played, and won, five straight Foothill League road games, and Scalercio is ready to roam his home sideline again.
“There’s a big difference playing at home and at someone else’s home,” said Scalercio, whose team will host Canyon today at 5 p.m. “It’s a lot of things. Number one, you get good support at home. It doesn’t matter how far you travel, there’s no place like home.”
Asked what difference it makes whether a Foothill team plays at its school or 12 minutes up the road at another Santa Clarita Valley school, Scalercio listed what he feels are the benefits of playing at home.
One, you know your field because you practice on it every day.
Two, you don’t have to get on a bus.
Three, you can meet before the game in a classroom rather than out on the field.
Another factor, Scalercio said, is the Vikings’ familiarity playing under the lights. Valencia, like Canyon, starts its home games at 5 p.m. as opposed to other league teams that host 3:15 starts.
“There’s a ton of stuff that benefits a team playing at home,” Scalercio said. “Going on a five-game road trip and beating everyone on their home field takes a very focused team.”
Evidently, the Vikings (14-2-3 overall) are that, running their league record to 7-0-0 with an outside chance of clinching the Foothill League title today against Canyon.
If Saugus (11-5-4, 5-1-1) loses at Golden Valley, the Vikings can clinch a second straight title outright with a win or clinch a share with a tie.
If Saugus ties, Valencia can take the title outright with a win.
Valencia can’t clinch anything if Saugus wins (the Centurions have beaten the Grizzlies six straight times, by a combined score of 27-3, according to MaxPreps), which would set up a crucial battle Tuesday at Valencia when the Centurions come to visit.
That, though, isn’t what Scalercio is worried about.
“We aren’t looking toward Saugus,” he said. “We do not overlook the team we’re playing. Our whole focus, our whole goal, is to execute the tactics we planned for Canyon and treat it like our championship.”
Valencia’s only loss in league last season came at Hart. Saugus tied the Vikings at Valencia.
Notes: Centurion standout James Johnson, who missed Friday’s game due to a non-soccer-related foot injury, returned Tuesday and scored his 19th goal in a 3-0 win over West Ranch. | |
The Francis report on NHS care failings has raised serious concerns about the “concept” of local government health scrutiny, pointing to major errors by Staffordshire CC and Stafford BC in holding health services to account.
The report by Robert Francis QC, published on Wednesday, accused scrutiny committees at both authorities of a “conspicuous failure” and said all health scrutiny committees should have the power to inspect providers.
It said it had found “a number of weaknesses in the concept of scrutiny”, which may mean that regardless of how “capable and conscientious” the individual members of a council’s scrutiny committee were, the system could still be an “unreliable detector of concerns”.
Future problems could be avoided by giving the committees more powers, such as the ability to inspect providers, it said.
It said councillors could not be expected to be experts in healthcare, pointing to “limits on what a committee of elected councillors can be expected to do in scrutinising a hospital”. However, it said, members of both authorities’ scrutiny committees could have done more to expose problems at Stafford Hospital.
They had failed to “detect or appreciate the significance of any signs suggesting serious deficiencies” at the hospital, where abuse and neglect from 2005 to 2008 led to hundreds of unnecessary deaths, it said.
It said Staffordshire CC’s health scrutiny committee was “wholly ineffective”, having “confined itself to the passive receipt of reports” about the hospital, without properly challenging the information they contained.
The report has also criticised the committee for its apparent lack of interest in the views of the public. It quotes Jim Muir, a former councillor and former chair of health overview and scrutiny committee, as saying that it would have been “pointless” to seek the views of the public about local health services and that he “would have gone home” if he was asked to canvass views about it.
In a statement Staffordshire CC leader Philip Atkins (Con) said: “The county council has made its own scrutiny role of NHS partners more robust with better training, specialist support and encouraging members of the public to attend meetings and ask questions directly of senior NHS officials.”
Stafford leader Mike Heenan (Con) said many of the weaknesses identified by the Francis report had been pointed out by the council, he said, including the limit to what councillors can be expected to do. “We relied on professionals and organisations better equipped to tell us what was happening at the hospital,” he said. “But like others it is now obvious the committee were misled about the true situation by the hospital management.”
He added: “We must now help to ensure the recommendations relating to local authority scrutiny are implemented in full.”
- The Francis report also recommended that councils should be required to hand over the funds that they received for local Healthwatch groups directly to the groups themselves, making them accountable for the use of the funds and intervening only if the group was “incapable of performing its functions”.
- It said local Healthwatch groups should have a consistent structure nationally and “appropriate training and access to advice”.
- It also said Public Health England should review the support and training that health protection staff could offer councils to help with the oversight of health providers’ arrangements for infection control.
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Links may be included in your comments but HTML is not permitted. | https://www.lgcplus.com/services/health-and-care/francis-criticises-council-scrutiny-failure/5054657.article |
Instructors:
The DRC Testing Center proctor exams for students with approved documented disabilities. Students approved for test accommodations by a DRC counselor and seeking to receive test accommodations must present (i.e. in person or e-mail) instructors with an official DRC Accommodation Letter. The Accommodation Letter indicates the student’s approved/prescribed disability-related accommodations, including test accommodations such as extended time, a reader/scribe, etc. Once the instructor has received and reviewed the Accommodation Letter, a signature is needed and returned to the student OR digitally acknowledge in MyDRC. If the letter is signed, the student is responsible for returning the signed Accommodation Letter to the DRC. Questions regarding the approved test accommodations, should be directed to the DRC counselor listed on the letter. All approved accommodations for which the instructor disputes, will be permitted during the DRC’s review of the instructor’s questions or concerns and determination of fundamental alteration.
Students must request an exam appointment at least five business days in advance via MyDRC or in-person. A two weeks’ notice is needed for final exams. Please be prepared to receive an email detailing the student’s request to take an exam at the DRC Testing Center. The email will direct you to the Testing Center’s booking system, MyDRC. It is the instructor’s responsibility to deliver exams to the DRC Testing Center within 24 hours of the scheduled exam. Please review our guide on how to submit exams. Exams appointments must coincide with the same day and time that the class takes the exam unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor. Please note that the DRC Testing Center must receive written or verbal permission to administer the exam outside the regular class time. If permission has not been received, the DRC Testing Center will make an attempt to receive this permission via email pr phone.
Important information on DRC proctoring at Education Centers
Students seeking to have their exams proctored at Fallbrook, Escondido, or Rancho Bernardo Education Centers must follow the standard booking procedure. Exams will only be proctored at the location where the course is being held or at the DRC Testing Center at the main campus (San Marcos). Instructors are asked to submit exams 24 hours in advanced to the DRC Testing Center or the corresponding Campus’ TLC to ensure each exam is administered accurately with the proper accommodations.
Online Proctoring
The DRC Testing Center will continue to provide online proctoring services for students. Students seeking to have a DRC Testing Center proctor must follow the standard booking procedure. All online proctoring will be administered via Zoom. | https://www.palomar.edu/drc/web-accessibility-tips/exam-submission/ |
Lehigh University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Lehigh University provides comprehensive benefits including partner benefits.
The Donor Relations Writer is responsible for researching and developing narratives that communicate the impact of a donor's philanthropy including gift acknowledgement letters, stewardship reports and other written and digital materials. The Donor Relations Writer reports to the Director of Donor Relations and Principal Gift Stewardship in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations. The Lehigh community takes seriously our commitment to antiracism and The Principles of our Equitable Community.
1.Write, edit and manage the creation of compelling
collateral to steward donors of all giving levels
*Research and develop compelling and creative narratives that communicate the impact of a donor's philanthropy for stewardship reports, recognition and other written and digital materials
*Develop and implement strategies utilizing the platform most appropriate for the audience
*Ensure timely and appropriate impact reporting for initiatives, milestones and individual donors and funds as needed
*Work with other donor relations team members to develop opportunities to repackage content in other written and digital materials
*Conduct research and benchmarking to incorporate best practices and innovations in stewardship to offer new and creative materials for donors
2. Develop, implement and regularly evaluate processes for
effective content collection from University collaborators,
including students, faculty, staff, administrators and
fundraisers
*Develop, implement and regularly evaluate a process for gathering information in a timely and efficient manner
*Liaise with faculty, staff, and students to address questions and ensure accuracy of content
*Remain current with and understand how to implement the latest technology trends in order to employ the best strategies and tools to meet stewardship objectives
3. Write acknowledgment letters from the Vice President,
President and Chair of the Board of Trustees for gifts to the
University
*Collaborate with other Donor Relations Writers to create template letters and suggested options for personalization
*Write individual letters and work in conjunction with gift officers to obtain input and approval on acknowledgements for their assigned prospects
*Ensure that acknowledgements are coordinated with correspondence from other areas and mailed within a best practice timeframe
4. Edit and proof final donor relations materials, ensuring
that the best editorial standards are met
*Address questions or concerns with authors
*Edit and proof copy to ensure that it is in line with University style guide and branding
5. Utilize strong interpersonal skills to manage collaborator
and client expectations
*Develop and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external designers, photographers, printers and vendors for various stewardship projects
*Stay abreast of best practices in donor relations communications
*Contribute to a culture of high performance, excellence and quality
Grade: 9 - 40
Position Number: S80800
Special Considerations
The duties of this position may allow the employee to work partially remote as deemed appropriate by the supervisor
Qualifications
Bachelor's Degree in English, Journalism, Marketing, Communications or a related field; Master's Degree preferred
Three to five years of related work experience
Excellent communication (written and oral) and interpersonal skills
Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, time management and sound judgment
Solid analytical, decision making and problem-solving skills
Ability to build, foster and maintain positive professional relationships
Solid computer skills with experience using word processing, spreadsheet and database software
Successful completion of standard background checks including but not limited to: social security verification, education verification, national criminal background checks, motor vehicle checks, PATCH, FBI fingerprinting, Child Abuse Clearance and credit history based upon the requirements of the position
All Lehigh faculty and staff are required to be fully vaccinated and receive a booster shot six months after their second vaccine; unless they receive an approved medical or religious exemption from the requirement.
Only complete applications will be considered therefore please complete the application in its entirety. Once the posting is removed from the website applications may no longer be allowed to be completed. | https://jobs.philanthropy.com/job/34148/donor-relations-writer/ |
The process of finding a reliable business partner mirrors the process of finding your ideal spouse. It takes time to find someone who encompasses a similar passion, morale, and desire to grow a company as you do.
Would you marry the love of your life on your first date? Probably not. You know you need to get to know that person before committing to a lifelong relationship. And finding a reliable business partner works the same way. Just think of how much time you and your business partner will spend together—it’s basically like a marriage!
How can you check up on a potential business partner to ensure that they complement your business-related goals? Let’s take a look.
-
Work together
Scenario one: James walks into a pub. He meets John. James asks John about the business idea, tough employee scenarios, potential finance dilemmas, and some lighthearted personal questions to get to know him.
After the briefing, James feels good about John, so he hires him.
Scenario two: James walks into a pub and sits next to his former co-worker John. The two catch up on their old job, and talk about James’s business idea. James tells John that he’s interested in forming a business partnership with him.
The two continue to converse over time—they cover the topics mentioned in scenario one in detail as well as other pressing issues. Eventually, they sign an agreement.
What’s the best scenario? Scenario two! Here’s why:
James and John worked together in the past, so they know they can form a compatible relationship. They also know the working style of one another. On top of that, the two enjoy being around one another, which is essential. Just think of how much time you’ll spend with your business partner!
-
Perform a background check
Scenario one: Mary meets Sarah, they get along, and they believe in implementing similar core values and business goals. But Mary doesn’t know much about Sarah. She doesn’t know about her past, her personal life, or anything. Mary forms a business partnership despite her doubts. Only to find out later that Sarah’s using the business income for personal matters!
Scenario two: Mary meets Sarah, they get along, and they believe in implementing similar core values and business goals. But Mary doesn’t know much about Sarah. So she takes the time to perform an (online) background check. She discovers Sarah’s shocking criminal record! Mary doesn’t form a business partnership with Sarah.
Why is it important to check up on a business partner? Well, as scenario two points out, you never know what you’ll find out about your partner. They could have a dodgy, secretive past. Or previous business experiences that resulted in bankruptcy, and the list of terrors goes on. You need to research your business partner!
Don’t know how to do a background check? No problem. It’s simple, I promise. Here’s how:
You can easily perform a background check using Nuwber.com. All you need to do is type the name of your desired business partner, and Nuwber will reveal driving records, background reports, public records, court records, social media profiles, and more! It’s a safe, worthwhile (online) background check tool.
Hesitant? Just ask yourself:
Do I want to work with a notorious money-stealing criminal? No. No, you don’t.
-
Reach out to old employees and employers
Scenario: Susie forms a business partnership with Harry, but after working together—successfully, I might add—for some time, Harry loses his desire to help the company grow. Susie can tell he’s bored with his job and wants to try something new!
What happened? Well, Susie failed to research Harry’s resume before forming a partnership. How can you avoid this scenario? Reach out to old employees and employees. Ask about your desired candidate’s work ethic, job performance, and work style. The resume will also show if they enjoy hopping from job to job or if they have large gaps between positions.
You can also look at LinkedIn or their social media profiles for information about their past work experience. Don’t know how to find their profiles? Don’t be afraid to use Nuwber.com! Plus, you never know what will pop up if you type “Harry Carrotface resume” into Google or DuckDuckGo.
-
Find someone with different talents
Scenario: Bart, Jane, and Sam start a content writing business. They all know how to write really well! But they have little business and marketing experience.
The moral of the story? Please excuse the cliché:
Don’t put your eggs into one basket.
That’s right! You can’t start a business with just one talent. You need to find a business partner that complements your capabilities. If you aren’t smart with money, but you have a creative idea, find someone with financial knowledge. If you have no clue how to market your product, form a partnership with someone who does.
-
Plot your exit strategy
Scenario: Kate and Don want to move on from their current cheese-selling business. They feel like they can create something different! But Kate wants to go the Merger & Acquisition route, while Don wants to sell it to a nice lady down the road. They continue to argue, and they can’t stand to be around one another.
What should they have done? When you start a business, it’s important to develop your exit strategy. Don’t want to think about your exciting new start-up coming to an end? Think again.
Martin Zwilling, a guest writer for Entrepreneur.com, confirms why it’s essential to think of an exit strategy:
“Actually, the best reason for an exit strategy is to plan how to optimize a good situation, rather than get out of a bad one.”
You need to agree on an exit strategy with your potential business partner! Here are some strategies you can discuss—as pointed out by Zwilling:
- Liquidation
- Sell to an interested individual
- Merge with a company
- Let a company buy you out
- Find someone to run the business while you formulate your next business plan
Don’t forget to keep your potential investors in mind when developing your exit plan!
Some questions to consider
It never hurts to do as much research as possible when it comes to finding a reliable business partner! Here are some conversation points and necessary actions to consider performing before committing to a business partnership:
- Do you have the same business goals?
- Are they as passionate about your business idea as you are?
- What are your candidate’s core values?
- What is their financial situation?
- How much time are they willing to commit to the company?
- What happens if you don’t have enough money to support the business? Do you each contribute an equal amount of money from your personal accounts?
- Where do they want the business to be in one year, three years, five years?
- What do they think about taking personal leave for mental or physical health issues or family-related problems?
- Have they had any brushes with the law?
- Have they had problems with bankruptcy?
- Do they have a history of being flaky with jobs?
- What do their past employees and employers have to say them?
- Do they believe in spending a healthy amount of time with their family?
- How are their time management skills?
- Do their skills complement yours?
- Do they stress easily? Lash out?
And the list could go on and on! How can you find these answers? Perform an (online) background check, seek out statements from past employees and employers, and don’t be afraid to ask pressing questions when you discuss matters in person. It’s totally okay to discuss business over drinks, at a restaurant, or in a relaxed environment, too. Keep in mind that their answers may be more stiff or robotic in an office-like setting!
To sum it up…
It’s essential to check up on a business partner before committing to a long-term business relationship! Remember:
A business relationship works like a marriage. You’re bound together by contract—make sure you create a contract and don’t just handshake your business deal—so you need to know everything you can before you start a crazy business journey together! | https://marketbusinessnews.com/reliable-business-partner/219932/ |
Welcome to Bluegrass Counseling Services. We specialize in providing comprehensive mental and behavioral healthcare, and psychological evaluation to children 5 and older, young adults, women and men of all ages in Central Kentucky. We provide therapy for Individuals, Couples, and Families. We diagnose and treat ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Grief & Loss, Learning Disabilities, Mood disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Trauma and Women’s Issues.
Are you looking for more personalized mental-healthcare? Our Clinicians provide you with a modern and customized treatment plan to meet your individual healthcare needs. Our providers are united to deliver better, more personalized care for their patients.
Your health and privacy are our top priority. Our secure site and portal is HIPPA compliant to maintain your confidentiality. Call now to receive high-quality healthcare for you and your family. | https://bluegrasscounselingservices.com/ |
Q: How are Prices for Transactions Established?
A: We use a calculation derived from academic research that estimates a statistically accurate mid-day price for ETFs.
Log-in to your Member's Menu/Home Page from the Login link ('PREMIUM LOG-IN/MENU') in the black menu bar near the top of any page of the site;
ETFOptimize Transaction Prices: Prices for ETFs and other securities can fluctuate significantly during any given market session, and our subscribers get a wide range of fills on their trades, depending on the exact time of day, the volatility of the security at the moment of the trade, the bid-ask spread, the amount of money invested in the trade, the investor's status with their broker, and many other factors.
To estimate a reasonable mid-day on Monday price our subscribers might obtain, we use a calculation for this estimate derived from academic studies. This calculation has proven to provide a reasonably accurate estimate of the average, middle-of-the-day price for Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs).
Here is the calculation for prices used in our models:
High + Low + (Close x 2) / 4 = Price
Prices for ProShares Ultra S&P 500 ETF (SSO) on May 13, 2019:
Open = $116.88High = $117.79Low = $114.79Close = $115.59
Calculation for SSO on Monday, May 13, 2019:
117.79 + 114.79 + (115.59 x 2) = 463.76 / 4 = $115.94
Keep in mind that when a transaction is recommended on a Sunday, we don't have a crystal ball to see the prices for Monday (but wouldn't that be handy?). Therefore, a 'placeholder' price must be used until the next page update. This number is derived from the previous Friday's prices and remains on the pages until the next update of all tables, statistics, and charts.
In the future, we should be able to update prices after Monday's close, as we are working on automating the Premium Strategy page updates. | https://etfoptimize.com/support/knowledgebase.php?article=13 |
Georgia educators are committed to the belief that education is a means by which each individual has the opportunity to reach his or her fullest potential. We believe that all students have a right to educational experiences that challenge their individual development whether it is below, at, or beyond the level of their age peers. In accordance with this philosophy, the Lumpkin County School System provides educational services that recognize and make provisions for the special needs of gifted learners.
Students, grades kindergarten through twelve, in the Lumpkin County School System who demonstrate a high degree of intellectual, academic, and/or creative ability are provided with special instructional services by the EXCEL Program for Gifted Services. Eligibility criteria for placement in this program are determined by the State Board of Education.
Referrals for consideration for eligibility for gifted services may be made by teachers, counselors, administrators, parents or guardians, peers, self, and other individuals with knowledge of the student's abilities. For a summary of eligibility criteria or for further information about Lumpkin's Program for Gifted Students, please contact an administrator at your child's school.
Lumpkin County’s EXCEL Program meets student needs by providing academic challenges for students who are intellectually advanced. Students participating in the services receive differentiated instruction during their school day. This instruction is provided through state approved models at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
For additional information on Gifted Services visit the GaDOE website.
Additional parent resources can also be found on the National Association for Gifted Children website. | https://lumpkinschools.com/departments/curriculum/gifted-services/ |
North Carolina is making the path for other states to follow in their attempts to control the spread of Covid-19 in their underserved communities. A lot of North Carolina’s underserved areas consist of African American and Latino populations who do not have the...
Patients
Sign Up for Health Insurance February 15 – May 15, 2021
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) Special Open Enrollment Period will allow new enrollments and/or changes from existing health plans If you don’t have health insurance you may be eligible to enroll in an Affordable Care Act (ACA) plan during the 2021 Special Open...
Healthcare and Predictive Planning
Throughout 2020, COVID-19 has tested every aspect of our healthcare practices and systems. This has created the necessity for new creative methods to counter-act the COVID-19 virus at all levels. Due to the lack of information, testing, and turn-around many hospitals...
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Throughout 2020, more than a million individuals contracted COVID-19 in the United States. While this placed a huge physical demand on the delivery of products and services like PPE, ventilators, and round the clock healthcare workers, it also completely loaded our...
Expanding the Use of Nurse Practitioners in Illinois and Other States
What is the problem? Since the onset of Covid-19, there has been a shortage of primary care physicians nationally. Keeping consumers healthy is extremely important and that means maintaining primary care. Over the years, studies have shown that maintaining... | https://americanexchange.com/category/patients/ |
Select, facilitate and negotiate with in-house agency partners and suppliers Lead and inspire a growing team of creative leads such as, art directors, copywriters, and designers to create first-in-class...
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6 days ago
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22Squared - Atlanta, GA (5 miles from Decatur, GA)
QUA LIFICATIONS Education from a Design or Graphic Arts school for BA/BS in Advertising, Marketing, Arts, English, Creative Writing, Journalism or Writing for Mass Communication preferred....
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6 days ago
Moving to Decatur, GA? Find some basic demographic data about Decatur, GA below.
This is the average annual salary for Art Director jobs in Decatur, GA as reported by the BLS. | https://www.ihirepublishing.com/t-art-director-s-georgia-c-decatur-jobs.html |
DNA in diagnostic tests. Proper precautions must be taken to avoid exposure. Always wear proper protective equipment (Gloves, safety glasses,
etc.) when handling these materials. We recommend following the universal procedures for handling products of human origin as the minimum
precaution against contamination.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Microglial cells are the dominant antigen presenting cells in the central nervous system. Under
resting conditions, the expression of the molecular complex for presenting antigen, the major
histocompatibility complex II (MHCII) and co-stimulatory molecules such as CD80, CD86 and
CD40 is below detection. Upon injury the molecules are highly upregulated and the expression
of this complex is essential for interacting with T lymphocytes. This upregulation has been
described in a number of pathologies and is well studied in Multiple Sclerosis. Microglial cells
phagocytose myelin, degrade it and present peptides of the myelin proteins as antigens. By
releasing cytokines such as CCl2 microglial cells are important for recruiting leucocytes into the
CNS. Microglia interact with infiltrating T lymphocytes and, thus, mediate the immune response
in the brain. They have the capacity to stimulate proliferation of both TH1- and TH2-CD4
positive T cells.
Alpha-Glia Expansion Medium is a complete medium designed to promote optimal growth of
normal human brain-derived microglia in vitro. It is a sterile, liquid medium which contains:
• Essential and non-essential amino acids
• Vitamins
• Organic and inorganic compounds
• Hormones
• Growth factors
• Trace minerals
• Fetal bovine serum (5%).
The medium is bicarbonate buffered and has a pH of 7.4 when equilibrated in an incubator with
an atmosphere of 5% CO2/95% air. The medium is formulated (quantitatively and qualitatively)
to provide a defined and optimally balanced nutritional environment that selectively promotes
growth of normal human microglia in vitro.
Alpha-Glia Expansion Medium consists of 445 ml of basal medium, 25 ml of fetal bovine serum
25 ml of microglia growth supplement and 5 ml of penicillin/streptomycin solution.
Shipping Condition: Ambient temperature (Blue ice, seasonally)
Storage condition: Alpha-Glia Expansion Medium is stored at 4°C in the dark. A change in
color or appearance of precipitate may indicate deterioration.
Shelf Life: Alpha-Glia Expansion Medium is stable for at least 2 months from the date of
receiving under proper storage condition
Use of Alpha-Glia Expansion Medium for culturing human Microglial cells:
1)-Take the amount of Alpha-Glia Expansion Medium needed and warm to 37°C in a water
bath or incubator
2)-Avoid frequent temperature change to the entire bottle of medium.
3)-Then Alpha-Glia Expansion Medium are stable for at least 1 month stored at 4°C.
4)-We recommend changing medium every 2 days for regular cell culture.
International:
May vary, we will contact you! | https://www.ubpone.com/products/alpha-glia-expansion-medium |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a crown tightening tool of a wristwatch, and more specifically to a crown tightening tool where an owner of a water-proof watch can tighten a crown of the waterproof watch.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In wristwatches, that of the automatic winding type, that of the manual winding type, and that of the water-proof type are known. In these watches, a crown to move hands is coupled by screws so as to move the hands of the watch and is arranged to the body of the watch. After the adjustment of the hands, adjustment of the date and the like are performed in the manufacturing process, the watch is provided as a finished product to customers.
A crown is arranged projecting from the body so that while the user uses the watch, the user can operate the crown for the adjustment of the hour or the date or the operation of other functions.
On the other hard, in a water-proof watch, the watch is assembled with a packing or the like enclosed therein so that water does not enter the watch, and the watch is constituted in a sealed structure so that while the watch is worn by a user, for example, the user can enter a bath or can dive in a sea. However, since a crown is constituted to rotate by operation of the user, even in a water-proof watch, if tightening of the crown is not complete, water may enter from a surrounding area of the crown. Therefore the crown must be tightened firmly.
In the state that water enters the water-proof watch due to insufficient tightening of the crown, the watch must be repaired, and the cost for the repair must be borne by the user himself. Consequently the tightening work of the crown must be performed carefully.
In some cases, tightening by hand is not performed but a general tool is used. In the general tool, however, the crown itself and its adjacent areas are liable to be damaged, and the value of the watch may be decreased.
FIG. 18
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In the prior art, as shown in , a pair of pliers to tighten a crown in a manufacturing process is known (refer to JU-A 55-175895). However, the pair of pliers is mainly used to assemble the crown to the winding shaft when the watch is assembled. A crown tightening tool does not exist to tighten a crown assembled to and projecting from the watch body.
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FIG. 18
Further, in some watches, in order to protect a crown, a wall part as a crown guard is formed at one sine of the crown. In this case, in the pliers in the prior art as shown in , a grasping part for grasping at the top end of the crown can not be inserted within the wall part as the crown guard and the crown can not be grasped. Consequently, in the assembled watch, the pliers can not he used in the case that the projection amount of the crown from the body of the watch small, or in a wristwatch where a crown guard formed.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide a crown tightening tool which can tighten a crown sufficiently in order to improve the waterproofing effect of a water-proof watch, which does not damage the crown, which is readily used, which can tighten the crown of many brands of watches, and further which has ornamental and design features.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a crown tightening tool according to the present invention is constituted as follows.
A crown tightening tool to tighten a crown of a wristwatch, where the crown tightening tool is provided with an engaging part for engaging with the crown in the projected state from a watch body, with an operation handle part arranged to be put on taken off the engaging part, and formed linearly.
The engaging part is provided with a fitting recess to be engaged with all or a part of grooves formed on an outer circumferential surface of the crown, and with a handle engaging part for engaging with the operation handle part. The operation handle part is rotated along the axial center, thereby rotating the crown.
A crown tightening tool of the present invention, in above-mentioned constitution, is engaged with a crown projected from a watch body in order that a crown can be tightened securely when it can not be sufficiently tightened in by hand. Thus in the case of a water-proof watch, since the crown can be tightened to a prescribed position, the water proving effect can be improved. Also since a non-engaging end of the engaging part is formed to be put on and taken off the operation handle, the operation handle as rotated in one direction and the crown can be rotated through the engaging part along the axial center. The tightening work can be performed quite easily even by a person who is not strong.
Also, the crown tightening tool is that to tighten the crown of the wristwatch, is provided with an engaging part capable of being engaged with the crown in the projected state from the watch body, with an operation handle part arranged to be put on and taken off the engaging part, is formed linearly, and the engaging part has a recess molded on the outer circumferential surface of the crown. A thermoplastic resin is filled in the recess and is fitted to the crown at a high temperature state to form a female die of the crown in the recess.
Consequently when the thermoplastic resin filled in the engaging part of the crown tightening tool is at a high temperature state and is pushed to the crown, the female die of the crown can be molded in the thermoplastic resin. Thus or any crown, a crown tightening tool corresponding to various brands of watches can be provided.
Also, when an operation handle part is formed in a long pin shape and a small hole is formed in one end, for example, a neck string can be inserted in the small hole and the crown tightening tool having the engaging part engaged with the operation handle part can be worn as an accessory to the user.
Further, the crown tightening tool to tighten a crown of a watch, and which has an engaging part capable of being engaged with the crown in the projected state from the watch body and is constituted to be capable of being put on and taken off the crown, has a pair of plates arranged in parallel with respect to the crown as an engaging part, and the pair of plates are installed to be mutually slidable relative to each other. The pair of plates hold the crown and the plates are moved in reverse directions respectively, thereby the crown can be rotated arid tightened.
Therefore, the crown is engaged with the pair of slideable plates and thereby the crown can be tightened. The crown tightening tool can be used for a wristwatch with a crown guard formed and can be used for various watches having different crown shapes. Moreover, the engaging part formed in the shape of a pair of plates is worn by the user, thereby the crown tightening tool can be used as an accessory to the user in addition to functioning as a tool.
Also, locking grooves are formed on the surfaces opposite to the crown in the pair of plates, and they can be engaged with the grooves formed on the outer circumferential surface of the crown. Consequently, when the pair of plates are slid, the locking grooves can be engaged with the grooves of the crown and the crown can be tightened sufficiently. Therefore, in the case of a water-proof watch, the waterproofing effect can be improved.
Further, since the pair of plates are formed having elastic material with the energizing force acting in the direction pulling them, toward each other, when the crown tightening tool is engaged with the crown, the crown can be easily held, and the tightening operation of the crown can be performed easily.
Also, the crown tightening tool to tighten a crown of a watch, having an engaging part capable of being engaged with the crown in the projected state from the watch body and constituted to be put on and taken off the crown, is provided with a pair of plates arranged in parallel with respect to the crown, and the pair of plates are formed in an endless state with both ends. The pair of plates hold the crown and are moved in one direction thereby the crown is rotated.
Consequently, the engaging part is engaged with the crown and then is moved to rotate in one direction, thereby the tightening operation of the crown can be performed easily. Also, since the crown can be tightened to hold the two opposite surfaces, the crown tightening tool can be used with a wristwatch with a crown guard formed. Moreover, when the crown tightening tool formed in the endless state is worn as a bracelet, it can be used as an accessory or the user.
Also, in the pair of plates, since a locking groove is formed and can be engaged with grooves formed on the outer circumferential surface of the crown, when the locking groove is engaged with the crown and moved to rotate in one direction, the crown can be tightened sufficiently, and in the case of a water-proof watch, the water proving effect can be improved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a front view showing a crown tightening tool installed on a wristwatch crown;
FIG. 2
is an exploded assembling diagram showing a first embodiment;
FIG. 3
FIG. 2
is a sectional view showing a crown engaging part shown in ;
FIG. 4
is a perspective view showing another crown tightening tool of the first embodiment;
FIG. 5
FIG. 4
is a plan view showing a handle part of the crown tightening tool shown in ;
FIG. 6
FIG. 5
is a view in a direction of an X arrow shown in ;
FIG. 7
FIG. 4
is a front view showing an engaging part as shown in ;
FIG. 8
FIG. 7
is a view in a direction of a Y arrow as shown in ;
FIG. 9
FIG. 5
is a view in a direction of a Z arrow as shown in ;
FIG. 10
FIG. 4
as a front view showing the crown tightening tool shown in being used as an accessory;
FIG. 11
is a perspective view showing a crown tightening tool of a second embodiment;
FIG. 12
FIG. 11
is an assembling diagram of the crown tightening tool shown in ;
FIG. 13
FIG. 12
is a function diagram showing the crown tightening tool shown in being slid;
FIG. 14
is a perspective view showing a tightening function of a crown in a wristwatch where a crown guard is formed; the crown tightening tool being the second embodiment;
FIG. 15
is a perspective view showing a crown tightening tool of a third embodiment;
FIG. 16
FIG. 15
is a front view showing the crown tightening tool of the third embodiment shown in ;
FIG. 17
FIG. 16
is a front view showing functioning of the crown tightening tool of the third embodiment shown in ; and
FIG. 18
is a schematic diagram showing a crown tightening tool (pliers) of the prior art.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1
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An embodiment of the present invention will be described referring to the accompanying drawings as follows. A crown tightening tool shown in is provided with an engaging part for engaging with a crown protecting from a body of a wristwatch and is positioned on the crown . The crown is rotated in one direction, thereby the crown is screwed and tightened into the body .
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FIG. 2
A crown tightening tool of the first embodiment, as shown in , is provided with an operation handle body (operation handle part) , a connection attachment and a crown engaging part , the embodiment being a socket wrench type.
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The operation handle body has a stem made of iron or stainless steel, and a handle part made of a resin material with a groove part being fixed at one end side of the stem . At the top end part of the stem , a mounting part is formed to install an attachment . The mounting part is formed in square column shape and in one surface or two surfaces of the mounting part , a lock member of spheric shape is pushed by a spring (not shown) and is arranged to be put on and taken off the surface of the mounting part . In the operation handle body , an operation handle body of a socket wrench may be used.
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FIG. 3
The attachment is provided at one end with a socket part externally fitted to the mounting part of the stem , and at other end with a recess externally fitted to one end of a crown engaging part so as to be put on and taken off. As long as the recess has a shape for fitting to a shape of the crown engaging part at one end and the crown engaging part can be arranged so as to be put on and taken off, the shape of the recess is not limited. Also, the attachment is provided with various sizes depending on the size of the crown engaging part . Consequently, size of any of the attachments are formed in the same size as the socket part , and the size of the recess is formed in various sizes depending on the size of the crown engaging part . In the crown engaging par, , in the present embodiment, a thin pipe made of aluminum, iron or stainless steel having relatively high strength used. One end is formed to be fitted to the attachment so as to be put on and taken off, and at one end, as shown in , a crown female die made of a thermoplastic resin material is formed in a recess at a too end of the pipe. The crown female die is formed by providing the thermoplastic resin material in the top end part of the pipe at a high temperature state and inserting a crown of the prescribed wristwatch along the axial center direction from the head part side. After the female die of the crown is formed at the high temperature state, the thermoplastic resin is cooled to a low temperature and hardened thereby to form the female die . When dies of various sizes corresponding to the crown of various brands of the wristwatch are previously formed and stored, the crown can be tightened for various brands of the wristwatch .
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In addition, the crown engaging part and the attachment are integrated and various sizes may be formed so that one end of the crown engaging part can be engaged with the recess of the attachment . Further the attachment may not be used and the crown engaging part may be installed directly to the operation handle body .
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The crown tightening tool according to the first embodiment as described above, is used for tightening the crown firmly when a user dives in water or enters a bath in the state that a water-proof watch is put on an arm, and in the winding operation in an automatic winding wristwatch, and further in the adjustment of the hour, adjustment of the date or other functions. When the crown tightening tool is used, the female die of the crown engaging part is arranged in opposition to the crown and is inserted along the axial center of the crown from the head side. Since the female die is fitted to the size of the crown , the crown engaging part is inserted and the operation handle body is rotated thereby the crown projecting from the watch body can be tightened firmly.
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Also, when the operation handle body constitutes a ratchet mechanism rotatable in one direction and a prescribed torque can be set, the crown can be tightened to the prescribed torque and the watch is not damaged due to excessive tightening.
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In addition, when a skid proof tape is wound on the crown engaging part , the crown can be tightened without installing the crown engaging part to the operation handle body .
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FIG. 2
FIGS. 4
In addition, the crown tightening tool of the first embodiment having the engaging part capable of being engaged with the crown and an operation handle body formed to be capable of being put on and taken off through the attachment, is not limited to that shown in , but can also be as shown in to . A crown tightening tool A provided with a handle part A formed in a long round pin shape (or long square pin shape) and arranged to be put on and taken off an engaging part A, with an engaging part A having a recess capable of being engaged with the crown , may a so be used.
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FIGS. 5 and 6
The handle part A as shown in , is formed in a long round pin shape, and at the center part in a width dimension, a knurling treatment part as skid prevention is applied for easy operation by hand. A slender plane part is formed at a part of the center of the knurling treatment part . Further, at one end side of the handle part , For example, a small hole is formed to penetrate in the diameter direction and a neck string may be inserted in the small hole .
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FIG. 6
Also, on the end surface at the opposite side of the small hole , as shown in , an engaging recess of cross shape is formed and can be engaged with the engaging part A. In addition, in the slender plane part , a name of a watch maker is written. When a wristwatch of an exclusive maker is used, a crown tightening tool A with an engaging part A having the maker written on the handle part A may be provided.
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FIGS. 7
FIG. 9
The engaging part A is used as an attachment for each exclusive watch maker, and as shown in to , it is formed by a material softer than the crown , for example, resin, duracon or the like, the engaging part has an outer diameter nearly equal to that of the handle part A. One end of the engaging part A has an engaging projection which is formed in a cross shape capable of being fitted to the engaging recess of the handle part A (refer to FIG. ), and other end of the engaging part A has an engaging recess which can be engaged with the crown (refer to FIG. ). The engaging recess may be provided with an inner groove in the same shape as that of a number of the projection grooves formed on the outer circumferential surface of the crown , and as shown in , an engaging projection may be formed within the engaging recess . The engaging projection is divided in six or eight and can be engaged with a number of grooves of the crown.
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In the crown tightening tool A, the engaging projection of the engaging part A is engaged with the engaging recess of the handle part A and integrated, and the engaging recess of the engaging part A is fitted to the outer circumference of the crown . The crown can be rotated, and adjustment of the hand, adjustment of the date and adjustment of other functions can be performed.
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FIG. 10
FIG. 11
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When the crown is not being tightened by the crown tightening tool, as shown in , if a neck string is inserted in the small hole formed on the handle part A, the crown tightening tool can be hung on the user neck and used as a pendant. Particularly, when the handle part A or the engaging part A is formed from precious metals such as K18-carat gold, patina, K18-carat white gold or the like, the pendant becomes further valuable as an accessory. Further the fitting recess can be used as a whistle when the fitting recess is formed in the handle part A and the user blows through one end. In case of a dangerous state, the whistle can be blown so as to summon help. A crown tightening tool of a second embodiment, as shown in , comprises a pair of engaging plates , arranged with respect to a crown and capable of holding the crown . The pair of engaging plates , are constituted in that elastic plates , are thin and are made of iron or stainless steel. Rubber plates , provided as a crown engaging part having a number of locking grooves , for engaging with a longitudinal groove of the crown are applied toward the opposite sides with respect to a center part, and on both ends, oval holes , are formed along the longitudinal direction. A screw set coupling the pair of elastic plates , is installed to each of the oval holes ,
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For the slidable installation at both ends of the pair of engaging plates , , the screw set includes a machine screw for penetrating the oval holes , , a nut for attaching to the machine screw and a washer . When a dimension between a read part of the machine screw and the nut is made larger than thickness of the pair of elastic plates , the elastic plates can be moved in relation to each other.
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FIG. 12
Consequently the pair of engaging plates , are mounted to be slidable with each other by virtue the oval holes , . The elastic plates , have the energizing force so that when the elastic plates , are bent with respect to a plane defined by a space between the plates when not deformed, they are apt to restore to the plane. Therefore if the length of the machine screw of the screw set is shorter than the width of the crown , as shown in , the pair of elastic plates , are deformed so that the portion engaging with the crown is projected to be swelled in comparison with the portion engaged by the screw sets at both ends. Since the elastic plates , have the energizing force toward the plane, the elastic plates , are pushed in the direction holding the crown . Installation is performed by engaging the longitudinal grooves of the crown with the locking grooves , of the rubber plates , .
FIG. 13
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Consequently, as shown in , when locking grooves , of a pair of rubber plates , are engaged with the longitudinal grooves of the crown and a pair of engaging plates , are mutually slid along the oval holes , , the crown is screwed toward the direction to be tightened. This can be repeated in order that the crown can be tightened to the prescribed force. In this case, the crown is engaged with the rubber plates , , and since the frictional resistance is high, slipping does not take place and the crown is easily rotated.
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FIG. 14
Since the crown tightening tool in this embodiment is installed in parallel to the opposite surfaces of the crown , as shown in , it is suitable to tighten a wristwatch (water-proof watch) A in which a crown guard is formed. Since a gap between the wall of the crown guard and the crown is made quite small, for example, the crown tightening tool having the wall surrounding the whole circumference of the crown as in the first embodiment, the engaging part can not be inserted between the wall of the crown guard and the crown . Consequently, even if the wall of the crown guard is arranged in only one direction, and the direction orthogonal to this is clear, the engaging plates , can be arranged in the clear position and the crown can be tightened.
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In addition, in the crown tightening tool in this embodiment, if skid preventing means is applied to opposite surfaces of the rubber plates , , and in the elastic plates , are slid by hand, the crown tightening tool can be slid sufficiently. If the locking grooves , are formed on the surface opposite to the crown , the elastic plates , and the rubber plates , may be formed integrally with the elastic plates or may be formed integrally with the rubber plates.
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Further since the crown tightening tool in this embodiment can be worn by the user and used as an accessory, it is suitably possessed by a woman.
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FIGS. 15
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In a crown tightening tool of a third embodiment, as shown in to , a band member having two opposite linear surfaces are formed as a ring member in endless state, and a pair of rubber plates , , as a crown engaging part, are installed along opposite surfaces in the linear direction. In the rubber plates , , a number of locking grooves , are formed and are engaged with the longitudinal grooves formed in the crown . The band member is preferably formed by a number of single rectangular plates connected in an elastic state and formed in an expandable state along the longitudinal direction, as known in a band of a conventional watch. In the band member , on the surface side opposite to the surface on which the rubber plates , are installed, thin plates , with a skid preventing means are applied.
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FIG. 17
The crown tightening tool is engaged on both opposite surfaces of the crown of the wristwatch , in a manner similar to the crown tightening tool of the second embodiment, and the locking grooves , are arranged to the longitudinal grooves of the crown at. As shown in , if fingers are positioned on the thin plates , with the skid preventing means applied, the locking grooves , and the longitudinal grooves are engaged with each other and after rotation of the crown crowning one direction, the crown is tightened.
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The crown tightening tool of this embodiment can be suitably used on a wristwatch where the crown guard is formed, in a manner similar to the crown tightening tool of the second embodiment. Further since the crown tightening tool is formed in the ring shape, when it is put on an arm of the user, it can be used as a bracelet and is suitably possessed by a woman.
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In place of the band member of a ring shape in endless form, the locking grooves , , as a crown engaging part, may be arranged at the rear surface side of the opposite linear surfaces, and an iron plate with the skid preventing means applied, or a rubber plate or a plate formed by other material may be arranged at the front surface side, and semicircular ring parts on both ends may be coupled by the band member .
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As above described, the crown tightening tool is engaged on the crown protecting from the watch body , and the crown can be tightened securely when it can not be sufficiently tightened by hand. Thereby, in the case of the water-proof wristwatch , since the crown can be tightened to the prescribed tightness, the waterproofing effect can be improved.
18
10
1
18
5
Also, when the crown engaging part of the crown tightening tool is formed to be put on and taken off the operation handle body , the crown engaging part can be engaged along the axial center of the crown and the tightening work can be performed quite easily.
19
18
10
19
10
19
19
5
19
19
10
a
When the thermoplastic resin is filled in the crown engaging part of the crown tightening tool , in the state that the thermoplastic resin is filled in the crown engaging tool , and the thermoplastic resin heated to a high temperature, if the thermoplastic resin is pushed to the crown , the crown female die can be molded in the thermoplastic resin and the crown tightening tool can be fitted to various brands of watches.
11
113
113
18
11
Further, if the handle part A is formed in a long round pin shape and a small hole is formed in one end part, for example, when a neck string is inserted in the small hole , the crown tightening tool as having the engaging part A engaged with the handle part A can be worn as an accessory
20
21
22
5
5
20
5
21
22
The crown tightening tool has a pair of engaging plates , arranged in parallel with each other and formed to be slidable in relation to each other, and since the crown can be tightened by only being engaged with two opposite surfaces of the crown , the crown tightening tool can be used for various brands of watches having different shapes for the crown . Moreover, a pair of engaging plates , formed in plate shape can be attached to the body of the user thereby the function as the tool is not being used and it can be used as an accessory.
25
26
5
5
25
26
20
21
22
5
1
a
a
a
If the locking grooves , to be engaged with the longitudinal grooves of the crown are formed on rubber plates , of the crown tightening tool , when a pair of engaging plates , are slid, the crown can be tightened sufficiently, and in the case of the water-proof watch , the water proofing effect can be improved.
23
24
20
5
5
Also if a pair of elastic plates , are formed by an elastic member energizing in the direction pulling them toward each other, when the crown tightening tool is engaged with the crown , since the crown is always held securely, the tightening operation of the crown can be performed easily.
30
32
33
5
5
31
5
30
Also If the crown tightening tool is formed in an endless state including the rubber plates , for engaging with the crown , after engaging with the crown , the band member can be moved to be rotated in one direction, and the tightening operation of the crown can be performed easily. Moreover if the crown tightening tool formed in an endless state similar to a bracelet it can be put on an arm and used as an accessory by the user.
32
33
5
5
32
33
30
5
1
a
a
a
If the locking grooves , to be engaged with the longitudinal grooves of the crown are formed on the rubber plates , of the crown tightening tool , the crown can be tightened sufficiently, and in the case of the water-proof watch , the waterproofing effect can be improved. | |
It abruptly dawned on me the other day that grocery stores’ top shelves are in general too high for a not-insignificant portion of the public.
A top shelf at the height of 5 1/2 feet is at about the maximum reach for a person 5 feet tall. A good rule of thumb: One should not have to reach higher than the extended elbow for shelved items — especially 1-pound cans of soup. And if the cans are double-stacked: Beware!
What, then, is the protocol when the desired item resides beyond convenient reach? Ask the store manager to recover it for you? Find it on a lower shelf at some other store?
Throw discretion to the wind and go for it, then inform the manager that the store may be legally liable for the injury thus sustained? Or, better yet, write a letter to the editor for all to be aware of the misadventures that may await them if merchants fail to consider all their shoppers? | https://democratherald.com/opinion/letters/letter-merchants-need-to-consider-shoppers/article_4422a3d0-4ba8-5795-ade9-8a8735bf524a.html |
The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S5M-23195, in the name of Claire Baker, on the impact of Covid-19 on Scotland’s musicians and music industry. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament recognises the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on musicians, songwriters, composers and the wider music sector, including music education; believes that this has limited the ability of people in the sector to perform and earn income; understands that the Musicians Union and PRS for Music have been working hard to support their members by carrying out surveys and work such as encouraging action to be taken, and distributing over £3 million in hardship funding; understands that 34% of musicians surveyed have said that they may quit the industry due to the impact of the pandemic, that 47% have had to look for work outside music and 65% are facing financial hardship; notes that PRS for Music is predicting a fall of income of between 15-25%, including a 75% decline in income from live performances; acknowledges that, subject to pandemic protocols, many spaces for professional and non-professional musicians to perform and rehearse, including recording studios, are closed, further limiting options for creative output and generating income; regrets the impact that this will have on communities, including in Mid Scotland and Fife, their cultural activities, economy and wellbeing; understands that public health restrictions acutely impact live music venues, promoters and production companies; notes what it sees as the impact of the ban on background music on musicians’ and composers’ copyright returns, and, to ensure that Scotland’s music and wider cultural infrastructure is protected, acknowledges the view that there is a need for the continued support of musicians and the music sector at what it sees as a time of crisis.17:13
First, I thank all the MSPs who have supported the motion and helped to bring the debate to the chamber. I also thank the cross-party group on music, and Tom Arthur MSP, for their assistance with drafting the motion.
November 2019 was my super November—I went to five gigs that month. I was in the Hydro, the Usher Hall, La Belle Angèle and the Carnegie hall in Dunfermline. I saw artists on international tours in full venues, and I still managed to go campaigning the next day in a general election.
Here we are a year later, and all those venues, and others across Scotland, are sitting quiet, as they have been for months. All the musicians have no live audiences. All the crew, who often make a living working on different tours, are out of work. All the promoters, the technical support and the venue staff have seen their industry decimated. They are all facing a long road back to recovery.
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on everyone who works in the music sector. We must not underestimate the value of the sector, and we need to recognise the breadth of livelihoods that it supports. During lockdown, so many people turned to the arts to get them through it all. Music was a motivator, a comforter and an entertainer for so many people.
Before the pandemic, the music industry across the United Kingdom was worth £5.2 billion to the economy, and the live music sector had broken the £1 billion barrier for the first time. The UK is a global leader in producing content, and our music is listened to by people around the world. In 2019, Scotland welcomed 1.3 million music tourists, and music tourism alone supported almost 5,000 jobs.
Coronavirus, the lockdown and the restrictions have brought that all crashing down. People’s ability to perform and earn an income has been severely limited, and opportunities for recording, rehearsing, teaching and collaborating have all been restricted.
The Musicians Union and PRS for Music have been surveying their members during the pandemic. Although there has been some financial support, 34 per cent of musicians surveyed said that they may quit the industry due to the impact of the pandemic, and 65 per cent are facing financial hardship. Musicians’ incomes already compare unfavourably with those in other professions that require a similar investment of time and money in education and training, and receiving only a percentage of income as support has left many facing hardship.
There is also clear evidence that too many freelancers have fallen through the cracks. The campaign group ExcludedUK has highlighted that 3 million freelancers across the UK, many of whom work in the cultural sector, are excluded from any support packages. The UK Government needs to change that and provide support for all those who are self-employed, and the Scottish Government needs to provide as much support as possible through the hardship schemes.
The culture organisations and venues recovery fund awards were announced last week. They have benefited some medium-sized music venues, but we need to recognise that grass-roots music venues continue to be at risk. The Music Venue Trust has announced a red list of venues that are at risk of imminent closure. Backstage at the Green in Kinross, which is in my region, is on the list, along with venues in Inverness and Ayr.
The support from the grass-roots music venues stabilisation fund was intended to last only until October this year. Music venues are listed as eligible businesses for the temporary closure grant in tier 3, and for the business restrictions grant. However, with no trade, and with bills mounting up, that support will, for many, cover only a third of their overheads. Other music businesses, such as recording studios or rehearsal rooms, are excluded from the strategic framework funds, even though the restrictions impact heavily on those businesses and many are facing insolvency. The list of eligible businesses needs to be expanded; alternatively, we must provide flexibility for local authorities to make awards that reflect their local economy.
Last week, the Welsh Government announced an additional £10.7 million for culture recovery, along with increased support for freelancers. We need to see more resources coming forward in Scotland. It is worth noting that, although the investment of £107 million in the arts was significant, almost all the funding streams were oversubscribed and the application windows were often extremely short. There is still £6 million left to allocate, and additional consequentials are coming to Scotland. Those sources must provide relief for the music sector, which is still facing a crisis situation.
However, we also need to consider how to generate some income and provide opportunities for performance. Small indoor seated events can take place in tiers 0 and 1, with restrictions, and guidance has now been published. In response to my question a few weeks ago, the Government said that it had paused the pilot events programme. Scotland’s events recovery fund has now been launched with £2.75 million, but it needs to be made clear whether that will support live music events and pilots. Although venues can open, the restrictions will make the majority of them unviable. Support needs to be in place to test the safest way to operate, and all Scotland could benefit from the lessons that can be learned in the tier 1 areas.
There are calls for greater ambition. In the summer, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland published “In the Bubble of Our Making: Reopening the Arts in Northern Ireland”. It is a fairly comprehensive document that looks at removing barriers and encouraging innovative ways to perform. There is also the report “The Art of the Possible”, which Geoff Ellis of DF Concerts recently produced.
Live entertainment is not a business that can easily be turned off and on. The planning involved in a tour, from booking flights to securing the articulated lorries, is significant. If we are to see a return to live music at some point, planning needs to start now, and issues around insurance, physical distancing and audience testing need to be explored. The industry needs support to provide a pathway and a road map back to performances.
I have previously asked about the ban on background music, and I welcome the fact that an expert group is looking at the issue. However, there must be swift progress on that. There is already evidence that a lower specified decibel level does not cause people to raise their voices and that it does not cause aerosol transmission. Lifting the ban would support the hospitality sector as well as those in the music sector who benefit from copyright returns.
MSPs will wish to raise other issues, but I will end by highlighting music tuition. The next generation of musicians and composers are at risk of losing valuable time and opportunity. The Incorporated Society of Musicians has raised the issue with me, and I agree that music education tutors and pupils would benefit from a consistent approach that supports their studies, and that clarity over what can be provided in school and in private tuition is important.
Music is a sector that closed first, and it will likely be the last to return. Scotland’s music sector and all who work in it are still in a very vulnerable place. We need support for the here and now and strong investment for the future.
There is a high level of interest in the debate—we are now into double figures for the number of members who wish to participate. I therefore invite Claire Baker to move a motion without notice, under rule 8.14.3, to extend the debate by up to 30 minutes.
Motion moved,
That, under Rule 8.14.3, the debate be extended by up to 30 minutes.—[Claire Baker]
Motion agreed to.17:21
I thank Claire Baker for securing this evening’s debate, and I thank Tom Arthur and the cross-party group on music for their work and their support for the industry.
I am convener of the Education and Skills Committee, and our report on music tuition really highlighted what music brings to us. It is not about a number on a balance sheet; it is about the reaction and the wellbeing that it brings to people—the joy of working and being with people, and of performing with them. What it means to us in our interactions as human beings is almost immeasurable. For me, it can mean taking part in a little session with folk musicians in my local pub—or, indeed, going to see Ms McNeill and her band playing there—right through to the big-venue events such as Celtic Connections and the other festivals in Scotland that we know about.
There is a lot of interest in tonight’s debate, so I will just talk about one area. In doing so, I wish to highlight one of Scotland’s best up-and-coming folk performers, Iona Fyfe.
Like Claire Baker, I have been reminiscing about what we would normally be doing at this time of year. Last year, I was delighted to speak at the first Scots language awards, with Iona Fyfe and Steve Byrne from Malinky providing the music for the evening. It was a fantastic experience. In fact, it was Iona’s first appearance after spending a long time recovering from major surgery to her knee following a fall. Her plight, and the impact that the fall had on her, highlight the precarious nature of work for some of our musicians. She was not able to work for six months before Covid hit, and the awards ceremony was her first appearance after recovering—but then we almost immediately went into a situation where she was unable to work again. That meant that her earnings did not reflect her earnings potential under normal circumstances, so it was very difficult for her to access any of the support and grants that were in place, or any of the support that would normally have been there for her, had she been performing throughout that time.
The precarious nature of employment in the music industry, which affects venues and the people who perform music, highlights just how difficult things are. The fair work agenda that the Scottish Government has pursued has gone a great way towards doing away with unpaid shifts for young people, for example, as we seek to move away from zero-hours contracts and so on. Unfortunately, the music industry has many of those practices within it.
If we really value music in our lives, after Covid we will have to look at the longer-term problems with employment arrangements that leave people badly underpaid for what they do—indeed, people can be asked to perform for free. We must also look at the fact that musicians are not rewarded properly in the context of licences and streaming systems, given what they bring.
The Musicians Union has highlighted that 47 per cent of musicians have been forced to look for other work, 70 per cent are unable to take on more than a quarter of their usual work and 36 per cent have no income whatever from music—and tuition is a huge part of musicians’ income.17:25
The importance of Scotland’s musicians and music industry is beyond doubt. That truth is expressed in Arthur O’Shaughnessy’s poem “Ode”, lines of which have become very true in the current restricted circumstances in which our music makers sadly find themselves. It starts:
“We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams; —
World-losers and world-forsakers,
On whom the pale moon gleams”.
The music that frames and reinforces our traditions, the music of the many artists that Scotland has produced in recent times, and the events and music that we are normally able to enjoy every day form a key part of Scotland’s social fabric. It is therefore deeply troubling that these past months have seen such a decline in opportunities not only for musicians to produce and perform music but for the Scottish public to be able to experience and enjoy it.
The figures that accompany the narrative emphasise—if emphasis were needed—the problem. They are deeply troubling. There are dramatic falls in income. For example, up to 65 per cent of musicians say that they are facing financial hardship, which tells the tale of a sector that has needed, but wanted for, support from the outset of the pandemic.
The urgency of the issue for the health of the economy in general is but one of many considerations. More important is the effect on individuals, whether we are talking about creative musicians themselves or their audiences.
The current circumstances follow hard on a recent flowering of Scottish music. Between 2017 and 2018, there was a 38 per cent rise in people travelling to Scotland for our music. The sector had become worth more than £430 million to the economy and supported more than 4,000 jobs.
Figures tell only one side of the tale, of course; the impact on people is always the most important. Music is critical to the employment, prosperity and wellbeing of people across our tourism and hospitality sector, as well as Scottish residents themselves. Venues and industry bodies here in Edinburgh have expressed a combination of exasperation and sadness at continued, and—worse, potentially permanent—closure.
Live music performance is only one part of that. Recorded music has faced many general challenges in recent years. The ways in which it is purchased and listened to have been changing in the long term, causing potential harm to revenue generation and returns.
The tight restrictions that are associated with the continued lockdown have affected music still more. They have prevented a variety of public venues from playing music, which has severely hit returns from copyright. The question arises as to the sense in continuing such restrictions.
We need to recognise, even in these times, that music is not just entertainment. As O’Shaughnessy recognised in the concluding lines of the first verse of his poem:
“Yet we”—
music makers—
“are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems.”
Let us ensure that the movers and shakers who make music in Scotland for the good of our nation are able to continue to do so.17:29
I, too, congratulate Claire Baker on securing the debate, and Tom Arthur from the cross-party group on music for supporting it. I am well aware of the terrible toll that the pandemic has taken on the music industry and I draw members’ attention to the evidence gathered by the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee inquiry into the effect of Covid on culture and tourism.
Today, I want to speak from personal perspective, or more precisely, from the experience of my daughter, Eleanor, who is a 23-year-old musician. She graduated two years ago with a first-class degree in actor musicianship and her career got off to a good start. Last year, she was the onstage musician at the Lyceum and Citizens’ Theatre production of “The Duchess of Malfi”. She is also a singer-songwriter with her own band. At the time that the pandemic broke out, she was living in Glasgow and had several different income streams to support her art: she had several residencies in Glasgow music venues, playing blues and rock, she taught young musicians at the weekend at a rock school and, to top that up, like many young musicians, during the day, she worked in hospitality, in a coffee bar. All that disappeared—literally overnight—with lockdown. It has never come back and her experience is typical.
Eleanor was more fortunate than some in that her employer put her on furlough and she has the safety net of her family. However, like many young people, she is fiercely independent and wants to make her own way in the world. For many of her musician friends, whose income came from playing five or six nights a week, there was no furlough. That is why emergency funds for self-employed people are so important. I support Claire Baker’s comments on the need for the UK Government to do more to help freelancers who miss out. Creative Scotland’s hardship fund for creative freelancers has helped many musicians and they have reported back that it is very easy to access. However, it is, of course, oversubscribed, although it opened again. I encourage everyone in Government to ensure that everyone who needs help gets it.
I also the welcome the awards to grass-roots music venues. We took a lot of evidence on the challenges that those venues face. I understand that, as Claire Baker said, some of them have said that they will still have to close.
It is more than simply a lack of income. It takes years of practice and hard work to be able to play to a professional standard. Having that taken away overnight is a bitter blow. Performers often draw their mental energy from playing for an audience, so the impact on their mental health is significant. There are some great examples of self-help. I urge members interested in the issue to go to the next stage, a social media platform started in Scotland by musicians who are interviewed about their experience of the pandemic and then play sets outdoors with professional recording and filming equipment. It also has its own crowdfunding campaign and can be found on Facebook and Instagram.
It is often said that the pandemic would have been unbearable if it had happened 25 years ago, before the internet was able to connect us. For musicians, the internet also has a downside. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, many musicians made money from record sales and live gigs were used to publicise their records. That model has now been turned on its head and most musicians, even quite successful ones, are—not to put too fine a point on it—being ripped off by global streaming and downloading services. One example was posted on social media this summer by the acclaimed traditional folk musician Steve Byrne, who co-wrote the Malinky song, “Pad the Road Wi Me”. It was downloaded 17,737 times on Spotify and for that, Steve was paid the handsome sum of £2.09. That is why I refuse to use streaming services—iTunes is only marginally better than Spotify, with the artists getting 10 per cent of the sale. Back in 2008, a CD-single sold for £3.99, and the songwriter could expect to receive 12 per cent of that. In that example, Steve Byrne would have got about £8,000—that is not a fortune, but it is a great deal better than £2.09.
The Scottish Parliament does not have any control over big tech, but it is time that those who do have that control tackle the exploitation of musicians. Our lockdown would be unbearable without music and musicians. They might not be classified as essential workers, but the work of musicians is hugely important the wellbeing of us all. I back the calls for continued support from the Government. Once again, I congratulate Claire Baker on securing debate and thank her for doing so.17:35
I thank Claire Baker for bringing this important debate to the chamber, and I thank Tom Arthur—who will speak next—for the work that he does with the cross-party group on music.
My own city of Glasgow has its fair share of successful bands, such as Primal Scream, Simple Minds, Biffy Clyro and Belle and Sebastian—it is always hard to choose which ones I am going to mention. They have grown out of an energetic music scene with many small live bands and venues. I declare that I gig—as Clare Adamson mentioned—with the band Mc4. I have been gigging in Glasgow and the west of Scotland for the past four years, which has taken quite a bit of my energy.
Clare Adamson will agree with me that live music venues—such as Girdwoods, on her local patch, and the Village Inn in East Kilbride—are so vibrant for communities. They bring communities together, and so many local musicians have benefited from being able to play there. We play for the love of our music, and we miss it so much. I know that many musicians across the country miss playing to live audiences so much.
Tens of thousands of bands make a living, or supplement their income, by playing weddings and functions. It has been hard for them. Every weekend that I play in my own city, I see it absolutely buzzing with live audiences. We know that people come from all over the country to hear music in Glasgow. Yesterday, I spoke with Del Cotton, who is the owner of Hireaband. He said that, in some ways, it would have been easier for the functions sector just to have been told to put off events until next April, rather than having a drip, drip of changes to restrictions, but of course it is easier to say that with hindsight.
Joan McAlpine, in an excellent speech, talked about her daughter. My heart goes out to the young musicians, including those who are trying to learn a musical instrument but have been deprived of opportunities to learn, because music does not seem to be a great priority in schools. Given that our nation is characterised so much by its love for music, I hope that the debate will highlight that aspect as a necessary part of our recovery.
The wedding and function band sector puts millions of pounds into the pockets of musicians. That includes traditional musicians, who have suffered huge pain over the past nine months. As Claire Baker said, among those who are feeling the impact are not just musicians but roadies, lighting engineers, sound engineers, public address system companies and promoters. Our music sector is currently on its knees. The vast majority of musicians mix self-employed and employed work, and they are therefore among those who have been most badly hit by the pandemic.
Musicians’ earnings tend to be extremely low in relation to the level of skill that they possess. They are highly skilled, but not highly paid. We know that, during the current crisis, more than a third of UK musicians have thought about leaving the sector, and 41 per cent have not received any Government support. I ask the cabinet secretary to say in summing up why that is the case; I find it totally unacceptable in a country that is supposed to value its musicians.
At some point, there should be an audit of the types of funding that have been made available. While some have done very well in that regard, others have not done well at all, despite having the same needs. There is a wide variation in terms of the grants that have been received. The grass-roots music venues stabilisation fund, which was announced in July, was scheduled to help meet the costs for small venues until the end of October. Given today’s announcement, I would like the Government to consider extending the fund to March 2021 in order to help keep small venues afloat.
As Claire Baker said, Geoff Ellis has been working hard behind the scenes to put forward some constructive suggestions for how we might get the live music scene running again in the UK, under the banner of Live Nation. That might involve, for example, testing audiences before events. Realistically, things will probably not be able to get to back to normal completely until a vaccine is distributed. However, we must plan for the stages that follow the roll-out of a vaccine .Scotland needs to get back to major events by next summer, with a corresponding increase in tourism and hospitality. That will be a major economic boost to our own towns and cities. In Glasgow, there are plans to look ahead to an exit strategy for next year under the banner of “Back to Live”. Those plans are based on reducing capacity, and those in the industry are simply looking for Government to be open minded about them.
Music is part of the character of our nation. As we manage our way out of this tragic pandemic, we need a properly worked out recovery plan for live music and the associated industries. I do not believe that we are anywhere near that now, but I hope that this debate will spark questions, as we go forward, about how we can make that recovery possible.17:40
I remind members that I am a member of the Musicians Union and previously worked in music.
I sincerely thank Claire Baker for securing the debate so that we could have it this side of Christmas. I also thank colleagues on the cross-party group on music for their work in preparing the motion. In particular, I thank the secretariat and David Francis, who co-ordinated the drafting to ensure that the motion captured as many views as possible.
When I was working full time in music and out on the road 120 days and 130 nights a year, I never thought that I would have the privilege of being a member of the Scottish Parliament. When I became a candidate and was then elected, I promised myself that I would make time to be a voice for musicians.
I have been speaking to musician colleagues and friends and I really feel for them, so I decided to use my time in the debate not to share my views, but to enable musicians—many of whom I know but some of whom I do not know—to speak for themselves. I put out a call for views on social media yesterday and I said that I would try to share as many views as possible in the chamber.
These are the words of musicians in Scotland, right now:
“My music career is basically on hold until the vaccine has been distributed ... luckily I picked up a delivery driver job after seeing a notice in a window, which basically saved me as it allowed me to be able to pay for my monthly bills.”
“Scotland relies on tourism and destination weddings to create jobs and wealth. How will that be affected if there are no hotels, no entertainers and no tech crew?”
“The lockdown on music affects musicians, DJs, events staff, not only financially but also mentally—not only the people who work at these events, but the people who attend and live for their friends and family get-togethers. They have nothing to look forward to as there is no end game here.”
“In terms of providing a challenging and rewarding environment where bands can hone their skills and go on to achieve wonderful results and no small amount of international recognition, Scotland punches far above its weight. The visible side, the most obviously successful side of this, is rightly lauded, but the grass-roots side that always allowed these acts to grow into what they became is always taken for granted and now it’s suffering and in very real danger of being permanently diminished”.
“We personally—and our whole industry—are at crisis point. This year has been a nightmare. The vast majority of musicians’ income these days comes from live touring, since streaming fees are nominal and online merch sales are not enough to live on.”
“The majority of our friends in the industry are facing significant financial trouble: many are facing bankruptcy; many have families to support. The impact of having our industry ripped out from underneath us is impacting our mental health too—so many people who work in live music are extremely depressed. Everyone is scared for the future.”
“My freelance friends and colleagues, on whom all the Scottish orchestras depend, are in a terrible situation and I am very aware of the widening gap in circumstances between them having little or no income—a situation that will not improve any time soon.”
“I haven’t gigged since March. I was lucky I had three years of accounts, so the SEIS payments have helped me a bit.”
“It’s a serious kick in the teeth to every musician that has spent their teenage years learning and perfecting their instrument and providing night-on-night entertainment to the citizens of our society, keeping them upbeat, laughing, giving people something to look forward to, a place to go for the evening.”
“I have lost nearly £121,000 in fees and am now firing through my own savings that are running really low due to it, and I feel annoyed as that money was for my kids’ future and to go towards their further education.”
“The total inability of the opportunity to make music is driving young freelance professional artists into really challenging positions for mental health and their future in the profession.”
I have read out about 500 words of the more than 5,000 that I received in the space of 12 hours—and more are coming in. I will look for opportunities to share those views in future debates and through other media. I am grateful to members for listening and I hope that all members will reflect on what they heard. I know that the cabinet secretary is deeply committed to the music sector and I encourage the Scottish Government and UK Government to strain every sinew and to look at every possibility to ensure that they provide maximum support to all musicians in Scotland.17:45
I thank Claire Baker for bringing the debate to the chamber, and Tom Arthur for his support. I have very much enjoyed my time in the cross-party group on music. The debate is important because it highlights the significant impact that Covid-19 has had on musicians and the music industry.
I also thank my daughter, a professional traditional musician who, as a young person embarking on a career in music, has shared her thoughts and experiences with me. Young people face particular challenges when embarking on a career in music, perhaps fresh out of college, when there are no current opportunities.
Music is a universal language spoken by everyone. It is the means by which we all experience the world, through the songs of childhood, the music we play and listen to and the hymns that we sing. For musicians, music is all that and more.
The months of the pandemic have highlighted the importance of music in our lives. Stuck at home during lockdown, many of us turned to the arts to sustain ourselves. We listened to music that was created by professional musicians. We watched films whose soundtracks were created by professional musicians.
During these past few months, however, musicians have faced massive challenges, most particularly through the lack of financial support. According to the Musicians Union, one third of professional musicians did not qualify for any government support, 34 per cent are considering abandoning the industry completely because of financial hardship, while 47 per cent have already been forced to seek work outside the industry.
Most musicians have a portfolio career. One musician will often be a performer, composer, teacher, community music practitioner, music therapist, recording engineer, and session musician, as well as many other things. Without live work, many musicians have been able to support themselves financially by turning to another aspect of their portfolio career, but many others have lost every single aspect of their career.
For musicians, music is work. It is their day job. It is their livelihood, contrary to what some politicians might say. It is their identity; it is who they are and it supports their wellbeing. We must realise that, without more financial support for musicians, we are facing a crisis in the music industry that might reduce it by a third or more. The effects of that will be felt not just by musicians themselves, but by us all.
Every aspect of the music industry needs support. If one falls, the rest follow. For example, without venues, there are no jobs for sound and light technicians. Without technicians, there are no jobs for performing musicians. Without musicians, there are no jobs for recording engineers. And so it goes on.
In particular, live streaming needs to be fixed. The pandemic has brought the serious flaws of the music industry into sharp relief. It has shown that musicians are sustained primarily by income generated by the live side of the music business and that streaming royalties are hugely insufficient. I welcome the inquiry into the economics of streaming launched by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee in the House of Commons.
I thank all those who are supporting the music industry at the moment. I thank everyone who has been campaigning for better support for musicians. I thank, for example, Bandcamp for supporting musicians by holding Bandcamp Fridays every month whereby all money spent that day on purchasing musicians’ albums goes directly to the musician.
I thank the musicians who have helped us through lockdown with their live stream concerts. I thank the music teachers who have speedily made themselves technically adept in delivering online music tuition.
As we come to the end of a difficult year, and as we face more difficult months to come, many of us are holding on to certain things to sustain ourselves: family, friends, our communities, exercise, and the arts and music most particularly. Without more support for musicians, we risk losing much of the rich musical culture of Scotland—yet another loss in a year already characterised by far too much loss.17:49
I thank Claire Baker for bringing to the chamber today’s debate, which is on an important issue that, until now, has perhaps not had the attention that it deserves. At the outset, I declare an interest, of a kind, as I am a currently not very active tenor in Back Gaelic choir.
Scotland has a distinctive and diverse musical scene. Not altogether surprisingly, I believe that nowhere is that truer than in my constituency, the Western Isles. Whether it is traditional music, pipes, or singing for worship, music and song are part of the fabric of life in the islands, and those traditions spill over into the band scene, too.
As others have said, Covid-19 and the restrictions that have accompanied it have had a huge impact on music and the music industry. Festivals have ceased, venues are struggling, and musicians are quitting the industry. Music production and events companies are seeing demand for business staples, such as wedding films, public address system hire, studio recording and live performance, dry up and, crucially, dry up all at the same time.
In terms of large events, the Royal National Mòd—the highlight of any Gael’s year—had to move to online only. The Hebridean Celtic festival in my constituency, the Eilean Dorcha festival in Uist, as well as the fèisean movement, which was founded in Barra, have also had to move to online-only events. Not only is that a huge cultural loss, as others have pointed out, it is also an economic loss. For example, the HebCelt festival draws in around 18,000 people to the islands every year, with a net boost to the local economy of more than £2 million.
It is also worth focusing on how the pandemic has affected music in schools. We are all aware of the benefits to young people of taking part in music in terms of creativity and other skills. Although schools have returned, there is a ban on singing, piping and playing wind and brass instruments. The ban is in place for an understandable reason, but it is worth acknowledging that it is having a real impact on young musicians, as well as their teachers, who can no longer teach face to face in schools.
Teachers are witnessing promising senior pupils give up playing altogether. I have heard that attributed, in part, to the video submission method that tutors are being encouraged to use—for understandable reasons—which can be complicated, and is perhaps not appealing to anyone other than the most dedicated pupils. I do not pretend that there is not a reason for those restrictions but, given that Covid will be with us for some time, perhaps we need to think about new ways of bringing those musical activities back into the classroom where it is possible to do so, and start planning for that. We must avoid losing a generation of musicians.
Making money as a musician was tough before the pandemic, but Covid has made it virtually impossible for all but the biggest names. For bands, not being able to tour or do live performances is having dire finance consequences, which need to be recognised. Those consequences are most acute for smaller bands, whose income relies much more on live events and merchandise than on streaming, for all the reasons that Joan McAlpine, Andy Wightman and other members have made clear. For all bands and artists, exposure and getting their name out there is a huge function of playing live.
I cannot end without giving a name check to Peat & Diesel, the local phenomenon from the Isle of Lewis. I hope that, if another Peat & Diesel were to come along right now, it would get the platform to make it. To ensure that it does, we must start planning now for what Scotland does when live music makes its widely longed-for and happy return.17:54
I thank Claire Baker for securing the debate. I declare an interest as chair of the Labour trade union group, as we work with the Musicians Union.
The arts and cultural sector is one of our greatest assets. For some people, that means galleries, the ballet or an orchestra; for others, it is karaoke, a tea dance or a jamming session. Whatever it is—whatever floats your boat—we all agree that there is great pleasure and enjoyment, and a sense of wellbeing, to be derived from watching and listening to talented people sing, dance, play music and perform.
In many communities, those events take place in the local pub, community hall, social club, community arts or music venue, rather than places such as the Hydro, the Festival theatre or the Glasgow concert hall. Those small venues are the life-blood of the Scottish grass-roots music scene. In my region, we have many of those venues. That is evident during the Edinburgh festival but also at other times of the year. They include Dreadnought Rock and Smiths in Bathgate, Sneaky Pete’s, miners’ welfare clubs, music clubs and bars, bowling clubs, Royal British Legion clubs and all those other places where live music and entertainment takes place. They are struggling to survive. They are confused by the inconsistency of the way in which grants are awarded and funds have been rolled out in different areas, with different criteria and local authorities taking different approaches. They are confused by the mixed messages and different approaches being taken by Government at all levels from one month to the next.
During the summer I was in the Hootananny in Inverness. Many people will have been in there. It is usually jumping at the peak of the summer tourist season, but there was just a handful of people and no live music—indeed, no music whatsoever. The fact that the place was empty was not surprising given that the reason for its existence is to provide music and be a music venue. Why would people go if that was not there?
That all has a massive impact—an emotional one as well as a financial one—on the performers, owners and people who work there. No bookings means no punters, no punters means no performers, no performances means no income and no income means bills unpaid, empty fridges and creative minds in turmoil.
Does Neil Findlay agree that it is odd, given Scotland’s love for music, that we seem to be the only country that has banned background music throughout the pandemic? We are still waiting for the conclusions of the expert group, but I understand that it is the people on the expert group who have called for the reversal of the ban. Does Neil Findlay agree that that seems odd and that we should call on the Government to report on that as soon as possible?
If actions are being taken that are having such an impact on people, they have to be based on sound evidence and science. That is what people are querying.
The issues that people have raised are not just confined to the owners of venues. This affects DJs, roadies—this week I have spoken to two sound engineers I know well who have barely earned a penny since the start of the crisis—managers, agents, bar staff, door staff and venue owners. The list goes on and on. Some are community organisations and some are independent businesses.
I have spoken to several performers and they are in a desperate situation. Work dried up completely, almost from day 1 of the crisis. People have referred to the numbers of people seeking to leave the industry or looking to do anything else just to get some money through the door. There is a real fear about what will happen when furlough ends.
Today, we heard that West Lothian will move up to level 4. That decision appears not to be based on science or evidence—it is a political decision and the evidence does not back it up. The people who run those venues will be scratching their heads and saying, “How come that decision has been made?” When we look at the evidence that was presented for making that decision, it simply does not stack up. I say that having had a cursory glance at the evidence that has been presented. If I am wrong, I will take that back.
It could be a disaster for grass-roots music and arts, which develop organically and are often promoted and supported by local venues, and it could result in areas becoming cultural deserts, where the talents of young and old alike become further collateral damage in the Covid crisis.17:59
I thank Claire Baker, Tom Arthur and the cross-party group on music for this important motion on what is happening in the industry. The cross-party support that it has received certainly reflects the mood outwith this building in the music industry.
I represent one of the most vibrant cities in Scotland. Glasgow has an incredible music scene and was officially recognised as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization—UNESCO—city of music in 2008. At the time, Scotland was one of only three countries that had had that honour—I was very proud of that. The city is now part of a 47-strong network of cities of music and until the pandemic showcased more than 130 live performances in any given week—more than any other Scottish city, I think.
I do not need to tell members or anyone outside the Parliament that our music scene is world renowned and caters for all tastes—everything from contemporary to classical, country and of course Celtic. Celtic Connections is internationally acclaimed and has grown and thrived over the years, but this year was like no other, as the event had to adapt to the circumstances of the pandemic.
Pauline McNeill mentioned Geoff Ellis of DF Concerts; I thank Geoff for his paper on the art of the possible, which makes interesting reading. I think that the Scottish Government has received a copy.
The “Scottish Music Industry Coronavirus Crisis Impact Business Feedback Report” lays bare the devastating effect of the virus on the industry, saying:
“Music venues have been devastated. Grassroots venues—large and small, for gigs and clubs—are very close to collapse. Some have been able to access bits of support but many have not qualified for various support schemes or have been denied funding, including furlough, due to technicalities. Even those who have been successful accessing some funding are depleting whatever case reserves they had and are very close to going out of business. The situation for music venues is dire. Many will soon—if they have not had to already—lay off all their staff, stop paying suppliers and will not be able to pay their overheads. If music venues go out of business then their salaried staff become unemployed, contractors have less work, suppliers lose valuable clients and the GVA contribution to the local economy is significantly diminished.”
It is a very worrying time. Grass-roots music venues such as the Hug and Pint, the Garage and King Tut’s, to name just a few, have been the springboard for so many up-and-coming musicians. I have sat in King Tut’s on many a Sunday afternoon when my nieces’ band was playing. We would see 20 to 30 young people come through that venue on a Sunday afternoon, playing for the joy of it and learning from one another. It provides a great platform from which up-and-coming musicians can showcase their talent and creativity.
Many venues applied to the grass-roots music venues stabilisation fund—that is quite a mouthful—and some were successful. However, venues are pretty worried and tell me that, if the fund is not renewed or replaced by something else, the industry will not survive. Perhaps the cabinet secretary will talk about that when she sums up the debate.
As members said, not just performers but many other parts of the industry are feeling the impacts of the pandemic. I am thinking about promoters, light engineers, sound engineers and roadies, but that is by no means a comprehensive list; it is just a snapshot of the jobs behind the scenes that ensure that our live music scene thrives. I wish that we could do something as soon as possible to save venues and ensure the survival of the music industry, not just in my constituency in Glasgow but throughout Scotland.18:04
I thank Claire Baker for bringing this important debate to the Parliament and I thank Tom Arthur for his continued work in the CPG on music.
I was interested to hear Sandra White talk about King Tut’s. For people from the west coast of Scotland, King Tut’s is a major venue. Part of the mythology around Oasis is that the band was discovered there—I think that it was Alan McGee who saw them live there and signed them that very night; the band’s history started there, which shows how important such venues are.
I wanted to speak in the debate for exactly the same reason that I wanted to do so in the recent debate brought by the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee: I love music, and it is an extremely important part of my life. Unlike Tom Arthur and Pauline McNeill, I am not a musician; I just batter away at my guitar in the house. It annoys my wife, but it makes me happy.
Part of the appeal of music is how it makes us feel. During the pandemic, musicians have shown us how important their work is to our mood, how we feel and how we relate to the world. As I have said previously, as a west of Scotland male I often do not express my feelings through words, but I can sing three verses of a standard song. Why would someone possibly say, “I love you” when they could sing three verses of an American classic instead?
Music is so important, and the mythology of musicians is part of its appeal. Robert Johnson, the master blues guitarist, died young and did not make much money during his time as a musician. He spent his life playing juke joints and street corners, with little commercial success. Some musicians are currently struggling even harder to make a living because of the world and the times that we live in. There was not much documentation of Robert Johnson’s life apart from his recordings of 29 songs. However, it has become the stuff of legends, the main one being that he supposedly sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads so that he could become a master blues guitarist. Presiding Officer, for a number of years I have been hanging about Paisley Cross with my guitar, but I am still pretty garbage at playing it. I am still looking for the devil so that I can sell him my soul and so become a master.
The mythology and ideas that run through music become an important part of everyone’s cultural background. I know about Robert Johnson only because, as a teenager and in my 20s, I hung about with a lot of friends who were in bands, playing guitars and blues music. They taught me about a man who was instrumental in what would become popular music, including blues, rock and rock ’n’ roll. That man died penniless in 1938, but there I was—many years later, in Paisley—knowing about him because of what my friends told me. That is how much music means to people.
The two major music venues in Paisley are the Old Swan inn and the Bungalow bar. I would like to highlight the Bungalow, which recently received £21,000 as part of the £2.2 million Scottish Government grass-roots music venues stabilisation fund. However, as Paisley moves into level 4 we will need to look at what support will be available for such venues in future.
The Bungalow, which is run by a community trust, is an important part of our town’s history, although it is now in a more modern building than previously. As I said in a recent debate, in the 1970s Paisley embraced Glasgow bands and punk music in order to make a bit of money, partly because the operators of the Bungalow bar saw that as a way forward. What do the Skids, the Associates, Orange Juice, Roddy Frame, Buzzcocks, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Aztec Camera have in common? The answer is that they all played the Bungalow bar in Paisley. I am sure that they mention that every time that they talk to anyone, because that will have been one of their major achievements.
A venue such as the Bungalow, which has been hugely important to Paisley’s community, is a major part of its culture. As Neil Findlay said, Scotland’s music is not all about opera and the major chamber orchestras. Things as basic as pub bands and pub music are important to those of us who go out to hear them. We must consider how we will deal with them in future to ensure that we still have such venues when we come out the other side of the pandemic. Otherwise, pub music will become just another musical myth or legend.18:08
I thank all members who have spoken in the debate and who have shared their passion and pride in music and musicians. I thank Claire Baker for securing the debate, and Tom Arthur for his support and for giving voice to musicians.
Scotland has a well-deserved reputation for the strength of its music industry. From traditional music to the most modern makers such as Nova, the winner of this year’s Scottish album of the year, Scotland’s music is recognised throughout the world. It is a way for us to show who we are as individuals and as a country, and for us to reflect on our place in the world.
Listening to music can be a private experience or a communal one, and few things bring people together like the shared experience of live music. We are all aware of the devastating impact that the pandemic has had on the music industry, and particularly on live music. The restrictions have undoubtedly saved lives, but they have been hard to bear for fans who cannot see their favourite artist live and for people who have been unable to meet their friends to make music together.
It has been even harder for those who work in the industry. One effect of the pandemic has been to remind us of the vast ecosystem that supports the music industry. Musicians and performers might be the most recognisable people in the industry, but they rely on a host of professionals, such as sound engineers, lighting engineers, road and stage crew, managers and promoters, as well as those who run and work in venues up and down the country, and many more besides.
Throughout the pandemic, the Scottish Government has sought to ensure that financial support has been available to people in the music industry. We have ensured that a wide range of music industry roles are eligible for Creative Scotland’s hardship fund for creative freelancers, which is currently open for applications. The budget for the fund was originally £5 million, but I have increased that to £8 million so that as many people as possible can receive support. We must do what we can to ensure that people can stay in the industry because, once we lose skills and experience, they will be difficult to replace.
Can the cabinet secretary give some guidance to people who are not accepted for those funds? Where can they look to secure some sort of financial assistance to survive?
There are many different routes to access assistance. Obviously, people who have received assistance from one set of funds might not be eligible for another set. Clearly, it is welcome that the United Kingdom self-employment income support scheme is back, and is at a better level than it was at previously. The hardship funds that exist are very wide, and I have not had complaints about people not receiving them. If people have had problems, that is likely to be because they have been in receipt of other funds through other routes.
We have provided £2.2 million for grass-roots music venues. I hear what members say about the importance of that fund. It is a recognition of those venues’ role in nurturing and showcasing artistic talent. The fund has provided support for 72 grass-roots music venues throughout Scotland. Music industry businesses have received support from the culture organisations and venues recovery fund and the performing arts venues relief fund, as well as through the original pivotal enterprise resilience fund and the creative, tourism and hospitality enterprises hardship fund. I have ensured that as many as possible of the support funds have been available for music venues. The support has reached individuals and businesses across Scotland in all parts of the music industry.
We have also supported youth music and music education through a £3 million youth arts funding package, which is delivered by Creative Scotland. Last week, youth arts organisations, including many youth music organisations, received £1 million from the targeted fund. Recipients included Drake Music Scotland, Fèis Rois, the National Youth Choir of Scotland and the Scottish Brass Band Association, which does so much good work all over Scotland, including in my constituency in West Lothian. The funding will support those organisations to expand their work, provide creative opportunities to young people and provide work and income for artists and musicians, and practitioners generally.
During the pandemic, the music industry has done whatever it can to maintain some level of activity and to stay in touch with audiences. The Scottish album of the year award took place at the start of November, and the Nordoff Robbins Scottish music awards and the Scots trad music awards will take place virtually. Many artists have streamed performances, which obviously have been stripped back, and others have continued to write and record new music, although we recognise the challenges that exist in that regard. We have been able to allow recording studios and practice rooms to open, in line with guidance that was published on 30 June.
We know about the resilience of the industry but, as we have heard from many speakers in the debate, there are also vulnerabilities. We know that the support that we have provided cannot replace income that has been lost through the closure of live music venues, but it is an effort to try to support people to survive through this very difficult period.
The funds that the cabinet secretary has announced are all very welcome but, as I said and as she will recognise, they have been oversubscribed. Will the Government look again at the money that has been provided for the strategic framework and consider whether greater flexibility can be built in so that more businesses that are connected to the music industry can apply? Although some businesses are able to open, that is just not viable because people are not using their services; at the moment, those businesses cannot access support.
Just over a week ago, we had the indication of additional funding. We will use the remaining funding that we have in the cultural funds to look at what needs topped up or supported. I have been attacked for not spending all the funding, but I deliberately kept some back because we knew that there would be oversubscription, which we need to address. We will, of course, look at the strategic framework funds that are available and identify what support is still required in a number of areas—not least, events, on which musicians depend. That is our view of what the funds will do.
One of the things that will help the industry most is consideration of what recovery might look like and how we can open up so that artists can perform. The strategic framework allows music venues to open in levels 0 and 1. We obviously have to be careful, particularly at this stage. We have produced guidance that restricts indoor venues to a maximum capacity of 100 people in a seated area. Some venues in level 1 areas are making plans to open; that will be of great interest, and we are keen to see how those concerts go.
We need to identify how we can provide a route back. That is why Scotland’s events recovery fund, which opened on 2 November and is administered by EventScotland, is looking at how we can restart the events sector as restrictions are eased. That addresses the point about initial events not being viable financially in terms of the revenue that is received, but support to allow such events to happen can help in identifying a route back so that communities and the public can regain confidence in hosting and attending events. Grants of up to £35,000 are available, so I ask members to help to publicise that fund, too.
Live music is represented on the independent events industry advisory group, which has been working on a longer-term plan for the return of live events, including live music. The group takes a very constructive approach.
There is much to do. A great deal of concern has been raised in the debate. The concerns are understood but, from the very beginning, when Creative Scotland produced the first freelancer hardship funds, Government’s job has been to take action, make an impact and help venues and musicians to survive. The pandemic has forced much of Scotland’s music to fall silent, but the voices in this Parliament have ensured that the needs of music have been heard. I appreciate the sacrifices that many of our musicians are making at this time.
Music is a central part of Scotland’s life. We have recognised that in the support that we have provided. I am determined to ensure that the voices of musicians and the music that they play will be heard throughout Scottish venues and that we will come through this with a vibrant music scene. As I said, I thank everybody for their passion and pride in our musicians. Some of us have to put the policies into practice, which is what I have been doing, as Scotland’s culture secretary.Meeting closed at 18:18. | https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/what-was-said-in-parliament/meeting-of-parliament-17-11-2020?meeting=12947&iob=117022 |
Louise Haigh MP Fighting for Sheffield's future
In Parliament recently, I spoke about the need to protect live music venues. Growing up in Sheffield in the 90s and 00s, I took having access to live music venues for granted and we had access to not just some of the best venues in the country but some of the best music as well.
These venues are the incubator of local talent but, in Sheffield and across the country, they are closing down. At the same time, arts and culture funding too often gravitates towards prestige and towards the capital, rather than flowing towards talent.
UK Music and other bodies like the Musicians Union have done really important work fighting to save threatened venues because they recognise this is the heart of a revival that must come.
I am really proud to sit on Sheffield City Region’s Music Board, set up by UK Music and our regional mayor, Dan Jarvis. It promotes work like that of Higher Rhythm, which delivers the ‘Breakthrough’ Artist Development Programme to intensively support six Yorkshire artists annually with a package of opportunities to help them, tangibly, progress their careers.
But we need to do more. We need to promote music in education across the city and the Combined Authority should look at the proposal to create 6 music education hubs across the region.
And no government can claim to be serious about Global Britain while cutting musicians, our greatest cultural export, off at the knee in the Brexit negotiations. A musicians’ passport would recognise the status of our musicians and the contribution they make to the UK.
These issues are not nice-to-haves. They are fundamental to our economy, our culture and tell the world everything about what it is to be British. | https://www.louisehaigh.org.uk/news/2020/01/31/supporting-live-music/ |
City officials took up proposed limits on amplified music without really understanding the impact.
Illustration: Knobs on a mixing board are overlaid with a map of the East Side’s Atwood neighborhood. Mixing board photo via Haldamyr on Flickr.
Madison Common Council Alder Brian Benford says he plans to withdraw a resolution that would ban amplified outdoor music at venues participating in the city’s Steatery program, if those venues are within 100 feet of a residence.
The Madison Arts Commission met on Monday, August 23 to discuss the resolution. The meeting’s public-comment period highlighted how much the proposal has upset local musicians, venues, and and their supporters. It also revealed that Benford and city staff didn’t know how many venues the proposed restriction would impact.
MAC didn’t formally have the power to do anything but issue recommendations to the Madison Common Council, which initially was scheduled to take it up at its August 31 meeting. MAC members drafted a memo to the City Council that supports keeping amplified music at Streatery venues, while also looking into some of the complexities of keeping the peace with neighbors.
Benford, who represents Common Council District 6 on the near-East Side, wrote the resolution after some homeowners in his district complained that outdoor music at the Harmony Bar was too loud. At one home that backs right up to the Atwood Avenue venue and walnut-burger institution, residents said their infant child could not sleep because of the volume of the music. Benford, a father of five, sympathized. He pointed out that the neighbors had previously supported the Harmony and had never complained about sound from its indoor shows, and that the venue’s outdoor shows were a new development for longtime residents in the area. Benford doesn’t claim that there’s a widespread problem with music at Streatery businesses bothering neighbors.
Initially, Benford tried to get the neighbors and Harmony Bar owner Brennan Nardi to work the issue out amongst themselves. He only advanced his resolution when he felt that wasn’t working. Both Nardi and the complaining neighbors attended the MAC meeting. It turned out that their failure to resolve the issue came down to a communication snafu. By the end of the week, Benford planned to sit down with the parties involved. If they could come to an agreement, Benford said, then he would pull the proposed resolution. He’s considered keeping it on the Common Council’s agenda to drive conversation about the potential conflicts involved in the Streatery program, but says he doesn’t want to push through the policy now that he’s learned more about its likely impact. Over the weekend, Benford decided once and for all to pull the proposal and the Harmony Bar’s Facebook page posted a statement saying the venue was “constructively working toward a solution that addresses the noise level concerns,” and asking for people to treat the complaining neighbors with respect.
“It was never my intent to try to block music or to impede musicians’ rights to survive, especially now during COVID,” Benford says. Benford is the son of a jazz singer, and he says that he’s proud to represent a district where many local musicians live. “I [don’t] mean personally to sound flippant, but if anyone really knew me, you’d almost be on the floor laughing at the notion that I’d try to hurt musicians or the arts,” he said.
As word of the proposal spread earlier this month, musicians and their supporters grew concerned that the proposal would deal a large blow to outdoor music in general. Commenters on the ever-combustible SASY Facebook page voiced overwhelming opposition (the phrase “music Taliban” came up in there somewhere), and the social accounts for Mickey’s Tavern encouraged people to attend the MAC meeting and speak out against the resolution.
Benford’s resolution would not destroy outdoor music in Madison (as initially written, the new rules would apply only to places taking part in Streatery), but it was crafted without any input or consultation from local musicians or venue owners—and it advanced before city officials understood the scope of its impact. Benford initially thought the proposed new rules would only block amplified music at “a couple of places.” But during the MAC meeting, Angela Puerta of the city’s Planning Division (who is also a musician, and works on the Greater Madison Music City project) and city Arts Program Administrator Karin Wolf said it could actually affect 30 or 32 businesses. Puerta screen-shared a map that illustrated the complexities of figuring that out.
Nearly 200 businesses around Madison participate in the Streatery program, which city officials created to give local restaurants more flexibility and space to operate during the pandemic, most expanded outdoor seating in private parking lots or the public right-of-way. Figuring out which businesses fall under the scope of Benford’s resolution is actually pretty tricky, explains Meghan Blake-Horst, the city’s Street Vending Coordinator. When the city allows a business to participate in Streatery, it draws the boundaries of the zone that business can use for additional seating. These boundaries might be different from the business’ actual property line. The proposed resolution would ban amplified outdoor music at a business if its Streatery boundary (not its property line) is within 100 feet of a residential property line. Got that? So,to figure out where that resolution applies, city staff will have to cross-reference Streatery participants with a list of businesses that already have an entertainment license, then do some tedious digital mapping and measuring.
“It seems like a simple question, but it’s actually far more complicated than that,” Blake-Horst says. “The resolution says 100 feet from the Streatery line, not the property line, so we have to go into every Streatery approval to determine if it’s 100 feet from the Streatery line to the adjacent residence or other buildings next to it.” Blake-Horst has personally observed “at least 20 businesses” in the Streatery program that have live music outside. On top of all this, different rules apply on private property and on public streets or sidewalks, adding another layer to the enforcement of any new rules.
There is also uncertainty about which types of residences the proposed rules would actually encompass. Benford initially seemed convinced that it would only apply to places within 100 feet of a single-family house, exempting Streateries near apartment buildings. But the wording of the resolution doesn’t draw that distinction. It applies to venues within 100 feet of a “residential dwelling unit,” which could be a house or an apartment. Conversely, if it’s important to protect homeowners, why don’t renters deserve those same protections?
During the public comment period at last Monday’s meeting, a few people asked why existing city rules aren’t enough to take care of the problem. The Streatery program already limits amplified music to between 3 and 8 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and 3 and 9 p.m. on Saturday evenings. The city already has a noise ordinance. This will largely be a moot point once it gets too cold out, or as more people decide they feel safe at indoor shows. Streatery is set to expire in April 2022 unless the Common Council decides to make aspects of it permanent.
The more you pick at the proposal, the more it seems like an attempt to settle a specific dispute between one business and its neighbors. I genuinely don’t think Benford is hostile or indifferent to music—he seems to be coming at this with real compassion for all involved, and genuinely pained at the idea of a baby not being able to sleep because of loud music—but he also was not positing a broader policy problem that would justify a broad policy proposal.
Artist and MAC member Yvette Pino pinpointed this tension during the August 23 meeting, saying: “I’m concerned that this has become a platform for arbitration rather than a place where we’re considering a recommendation for policy.” Another MAC member, Bethany Jurewicz of Garver Events, called the resolution a “broad-stroke resolution to solve a neighborhood problem,” and worried that it would start the city down a “slippery slope” toward creating more restrictions upon entertainment licenses.
Liz Granby, who books music at Mickey’s Tavern, said during the MAC meeting that the conflict highlighted the responsibilities venues have to work with their neighbors. “It’s something that you just have to be cognizant of as a business,” Granby said. “However, I think rushing this broad stroke and banning everybody that’s involved in the Streatery program is just kind of ridiculous.” Mickey’s has used the Streatery program to expand its patio space into a small back parking lot, and has been hosting outdoor music this summer. There is also an apartment literally upstairs from the bar, which just highlights why it’s important to figure out whether the proposed rules would apply to venues with apartment-dwelling neighbors. Granby told me after the MAC meeting that she hadn’t even heard about the proposal until the preceding Thursday.
More of the debate was about the overall importance of music and the dangers of limiting opportunities for musicians and struggling businesses. “I make about half of my income through live performances—the other half comes through teaching,” musician Kyle Rightley said during public comment at the MAC meeting. “This means, for me, my ability to pay my rent and put food on the table is directly attached to the number of paying performances that I can do in a year.” Rightley said that he “fully empathize[d] with the desire for peace and quiet,” but in a level-headed way he expressed the real fears that this resolution stirred up.
It’s no surprise that the resolution became so contentious so fast. Musicians in Madison genuinely did not have enough paying opportunities even before the pandemic, so anything that limits those opportunities further will register as a threat. We’ve gone through more than a year with basically no live music. The fate of the usually busy fall concert season looks uncertain, as large touring acts cancel or modify their schedules over COVID concerns. The county’s revived indoor mask mandate is creating additional headaches for the performing arts. People are still worried about losing their favorite venues, though Madison’s small venues have pulled through the crisis so far. People are itching to play and itching to see live music. Opening up more outdoor spaces seems like a good happy medium as people weigh their varying comfort levels with going back to indoor events.
There’s also a massive disconnect between how much musicians (and all artists) contribute to Madison’s culture and economy, and how little of a political voice they have. Despite the various music initiatives that city government has funded over the past decade, musicians often don’t have a lot of involvement in shaping city-level policies that affect them. The language of zoning and permits and so forth doesn’t map neatly onto the ways in which musicians (or many venues, for that matter) actually operate. In the past, there have been genuinely NIMBY-ish pushes to restrict music in Madison. Policy proposals that regulate music rarely feel like they have much to do with the needs of musicians—more often, they seem to emanate from an indifferent bureaucracy, or from affluent killjoys storming out of their $400,000-plus properties to brandish their decibel meters.
So, this ground was sour long before Benford introduced his resolution. Musicians and fans also know that their interests will often butt up against the desires of homeowners—some of whom have reasonable complaints, and some who just want the advantages of living in a city without any of the trade-offs. They’re always wary of giving ground in the face of noise complaints. On a practical level, it’s also hard to find desirable locations for music venues or even outdoor music that are completely removed from residential areas. To adapt to the pandemic, it’s reasonable to accept that we’ll use space differently.
Benford says that the debate over the past couple weeks has been a “wake-up call” about the difficulty of balancing residential interests with the need to support the arts.
“I guess what I walked away with is yeah, we really do need to support the arts and create more opportunity and pathways, but I think there’s gotta be more intentionality,” he says.
There’s more where this came from.
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The presentation I gave at IDNext2019 in the Hague.
- Technological Tsunami Papers Summary
I’ve written more than 30 papers this past year about the incoming technological tsunami. It’s creating a “non-private” world. This paper lists them by topic area with links to each one. At the end is a desired results section.
- Young Children Data Privacy Challenges in the Tsunami Age
This paper examines the legal data privacy challenges from a fetus in the womb through to preschool. Where available, it contains some research references.
- Legal Privacy Framework for the Tsunami Age
This thought paper states all the legal requirements to create privacy in a non-private world.
- Children & Parent Privacy in the Tsunami Age
This paper examines what’s required to provide children and parent privacy for the incoming technological tsunami age we live in. Is starts with ovulation, pregnancy, newborns, toddlers/preschool, school, child health care and adolescents.
- Technological Tsunami & Future of IAM
This paper explores the effects of the incoming technological tsunami on identity and access management
- Harnessing the Technological Tsunami Wave of Change
This paper explores the effects of the technological tsunami wave of change striking our planetary shores describing a practical approach to building global collaboration.
- Kids’ Privacy in a Non-Private World – Why Even Super Hero’s Won’t Work
This paper explores how to protect kids in a non-private world
- I Know Who You Are & What You’re Feeling – Achieving Privacy in a Non-Private World
This paper explores the state of technology for behavior/biometrics and recommends requirements for new laws/regulations protecting them
- Policy Principles for AI, AR, VR, Robotics and Cloning – A Thought Paper
A policies thought paper aimed at industry and government leaders, privacy groups and citizens of the planet.
- The Identity Lifecycle of Jane Doe
A story about Jane Doe’s identity events in her life affected by the new age legal identity, data and consent framework
- New Age Architecture Principles Summary
This paper summarizes architectural principles used in many of the other 20 papers written about the new age legal framework required for identity, data and consent.
- One Pager – The Age of AI, AR, VR, Robotics & Human Cloning
This paper summarizes the technological tsunami approaching us and states requirements for new legal frameworks for identity, data and consent
- Rapidly Scaling Robotic Registration?
Thought paper discussing ways to rapidly scale robotic identification for “insane speeds” of creation
- Legally Identifying Robots (Robot Identification)
Thought paper proposing a new way of legal robotic identification
- Virtual Sex, Identity, Data & Consent
Thought paper on virtual sex, identity, data and consent
- Legal Person: Humans, Clones, Virtual and Physical AI Robotics – New Identity Principles
This paper discusses new age identity principles to legally differentiate humans, clones and virtual/physical robots
- Privacy Gone – AI, AR, VR, Robotics & Personal Data
This paper discusses how the incoming tsunami wave renders our old data privacy laws useless. It then proceeds to describe underlying premises required to create a new global data privacy framework.
- Consent Principles in the Tsunami Age
This paper discussed consent principles required for the technological tsunami approaching our shores caused by AI, AR, VR and robots
- I’m Not A Robot!
This paper discusses identity issues in differentiating humans from robots both physical and virtual
- New Age Assurance – Rethinking Identity, Data, Consent & Credential
This paper discusses how the new age legal toolkit of new laws for identity, data and consent can be used to rethink assurance for identity, data, consent and credentials.
- Where Shit Happens” – Deploying AI, AR, VR, Robotics, Identity & Consent in Challenging Parts of the Planet
The paper lays out why our old school ways of doing identity, data and consent no longer works in the age of AI, AR, VR, robotics and cloning. It then lays out a new way to achieve this but states it won’t work on its own in places where “shit happens”. The paper then proceeds to suggest a vision and plan to address not quite half the planet’s population living on the other side of the digital divide.
- When Our Legal Identity Trust System Goes “Poof!
A short paper describing the effects of a Geomagnetic Disturbance(GMD)/High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse(HEMP) event on our legal identity trust system and what we should be doing to mitigate the risks.
- Why the New Age Requires Rethinking Civil Registration Systems
This paper discusses why the incoming tsunami wave of technology requires a new age legal identity framework with a complete rethink of the planet’s existing civil registration systems.
- What New Age Civil Registration Systems Won’t Do
This paper discusses required checks and balances on creation of a new age civil registration system. It must mitigate the risk of governments wanting to control the identity of the person in a non-private world.
- Guy’s New Age Civil Registration/Vital Stats Design, Implementation and Maintenance Vision
This paper lays out my vision for designing, deploying and maintaining a new age civil registration/vital stats system.
- An Open Letter to All Canadians – Sept. 25, 2018
- Paper/Proposal sent to the Canadian Prime Minister, all Premiers and Treasury Board Minister
On Sept 3, 2018, I sent the paper/proposal to the Canadian PM, all premiers and Treasury Board Minister.
- Canada – We’ve An Identity Problem
This paper addresses Canadian identity problems of not easily being able to act anonymously and control our identity. It calls out for a new privacy by design system protecting our identity privacy for the next 100 years and includes recommendations to get us started.
- Creating Estonia Version 2.0 – Adjusting for Changes From 1999 to 2018
States the reasons why countries wanting to emulate the success of Estonia need to revise the model due to scientific, protocol and fraud changes from 1999 to present day and then presents the recommendations to do so. Updated with references to newer papers. | https://hvl.net/papers/ |
Dizziness is considered as the range of sensations that make you feel faint, vertigo (surrounding spinning movement), temporary loss of vision, light-headedness or loss of balance. Slow or irregular pulse, pain in the eyes, tinnitus, chest pain, weakness, vision changes, loss of consciousness, headache, etc. are some of the symptoms of dizziness.
Lack of blood supply to the brain will affect the communication and causes dizziness. It is a symptom of many health problems like low blood pressure, anxiety disorders, headache, ear infection, heart problems, neurological disorders, anemia, allergies, heat stroke, etc.
It is also caused due to dehydration, diarrhea, hormonal changes, side effects of certain medications, stress, fever, vomiting, or other weakness.
However, if you suffer from attacks of dizziness more frequently, consult your doctor for proper diagnose and treatment but if you’re suffering from dizziness occasionally then follow the natural remedies which give long lasting results without any side effects on the health.
Natural Home Remedies for Dizziness:
There are many natural remedies used to beat your dizziness and makes your to stay healthy. All you need to do is to follow them regularly for few days to get rid of dizziness and its symptoms.
Remedy – 1: (Deep Breathing)
Deep breathing is the best way to deal with dizziness, as it provides an adequate amount of oxygen to the brain which further relaxes your nervous system to reduce dizziness.
- Sit or lie down in a comfortable place where there is no disturbance.
- Then place one hand on the abdomen and place the thumb of your other hand against the nostril.
- Be sure to close your mouth and start inhaling slowly through the open nostril till you belly is filled with air.
- Hold on the breath in and close both nostrils and purse your lips.
- Exhale slowly to extract air from your belly after 2 – 3 seconds.
- Repeat the same process for 10 times and then sit calm for 5 minutes and breathe normally.
- Continue doing the same process daily to get rid of many health problems, including dizziness.
Remedy – 2: (Ginger)
Ginger is an effective remedy used effectively to treat dizziness and nausea. It stimulates proper blood flow to the brain and other body parts which in turn lessen the intensity of dizziness.
- Wash the fresh ginger root thoroughly and cut into small slices.
- Put these slices in a cup and pour hot water into the cup.
- Let it steep for few minutes and strain the tea.
- Add some honey and lemon juice into it and stir well.
- Drink this ginger tea once daily to prevent dizziness.
Note: Also, drink ginger ale or chew few fresh ginger slices or suck on ginger candies to over your dizziness.
Remedy – 3: (Lemon)
Vitamin C and other essential nutrients in the lemon will boost up the immune system and makes it as a natural energizing agent. It also fights against the illness and hydrates your body to keep you feels refreshed.
- Mix 2 teaspoons of sugar (or honey) and freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1/2 lemon in a glass of water.
- Stir well and drink it to get relief from dizziness and fatigue.
- Regular intake will yield best results of preventing dizziness.
Note: Or mix a pinch of black pepper powder and salt and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice into a glass of water. Stir well and drink it 3 times daily to get relief from dizziness.
Remedy – 4: (Indian Gooseberry or Alma)
Indian gooseberry has a rich source of vitamins A & C which helps to boost the immunity and improves blood circulation to all body parts to prevent dizziness.
- Blend 2 amla’s (deseeded) into a fine paste and in that paste, mix 2 teaspoons of coriander seeds and 1 cup of water.
- Stir well and cover it to leave for overnight.
- Strain the water in the next morning and drink it.
- Continue doing the sane process daily for few days to clear dizziness.
Remedy – 5: (Honey)
Honey contains natural sugars which can boost up your energy levels instantly and thus clears dizziness. It also prevents low blood sugar, which is a common cause of dizziness.
- Mix 2 teaspoons each of organic apple cider vinegar and raw honey into 1 glass of warm or normal water.
- Stir well and drink it 2 – 3 times daily to grab many health benefits, including dizziness.
Note: Also, mix 1 teaspoon each of honey and cinnamon powder (or lemon juice and honey in warm water) and have it once daily in the morning to get relief from the problem.
Remedy – 6: (Diet Plan)
Consuming a healthy well – balanced diet will prevent dizziness and also prevent certain conditions like anemia, low blood sugar or blood pressure. So, choose food that is rich in folic acid, iron, vitamins (A, B, C) and fiber.
- Avoid foods that are high in sugars, fats, and carbohydrates.
- Include iron rich foods like almonds, tofu, dates, spinach, lentils, liver, asparagus, fortified breakfast cereals, etc. in your daily diet.
- Intake of food rich in vitamin C like oranges, bell peppers, lemons, grapefruit, spinach, broccoli, etc. as a part of your diet. Also take foods rich in vitamin A and B.
- Avoid the intake of iron blocking beverages like coffee, beer, carbonated beverages and wine or else limit the intake to get rid of the dizziness and its symptoms.
- Eat foods that are rich in folic acid like liver, green leafy vegetables, fortified cereals, sprouts, banana, peanuts, broccoli, etc.
- Drink plenty of water and other healthy drinks or juices to stay well hydrated.
- Consume small meals for 5 – 6 times in a day rather than 3 big meals. Also don’t skip meals, particularly breakfast (the morning energy).
Tips and Precautions:
- Dehydration is one of the causes of dizziness. So, drink plenty of water along with herbal teas, soups, fresh fruit or vegetable juices, broths, etc. to stay hydrated and to prevent dizziness.
- Low blood sugar (for diabetics) or feeling hunger is another cause for dizziness. So, consume something like snacks or fruits or yogurt with fruits, roasted nuts (almonds, cashews or walnuts), chocolate bar, etc. to get rid of dizziness.
- Ginkgo biloba herb improves blood flow to the brain to control the sensation of dizziness or light headedness and tinnitus. The standard dosage is 120 – 150 mg of gingko Biloba extract in 3 divided doses on daily basis for few weeks but consult your doctor before taking this herb.
- Also, eat feverfew leaves or drink feverfew tea to improve your blood circulation and to treat dizziness symptoms. Steep 1 teaspoon each of dried peppermint leaves and feverfew leaves in 1 cup of hot water for 15 – 20 minutes and strain it. Drink it regularly.
- When you’re experiencing dizziness then sit or lie down immediately and concentrate on the immobile objects around you to distract the mind from dizziness.
- Physical exercises and mental exercises (yoga and meditation) are essential to improve blood circulation throughout the body and thus to prevent dizziness.
- Massage your body to boost proper blood circulations and have enough sleep or rest.
- Avoid moving or standing suddenly or driving a car or climbing a ladder or operating machinery while suffering from dizziness.
Try these remedies and tips to get relief from dizziness. Do you know any other methods to treat dizziness? Then share it with us in the below comments box. | https://diyremedies.org/dizziness/ |
"The results of the 2004 FHCS and the responses of the focus groups [convened in response to the survey] showed that OPM employees were most concerned with leadership and leadership's ability to deal with staff about policies and performance," the report (GAO-08-11) noted. "Employees identified additional problem areas for OPM, including lack of management support, inadequate training for supervisors and managers on performance culture and accountability, and a lack of senior executive interest in and respect for employees."
GAO identified interpersonal skills as a key area where managers and supervisors needed to improve, and issued a requirement that senior executives, managers and supervisors develop plans to close those competency gaps, according to the report.
"Each individual plan identified mandatory and elective training reflecting the specific needs of the individual and addressing any gaps in the target area of interpersonal skills," GAO said. "OPM has developed an agencywide supervisory training curriculum that includes a mix of classroom and Web-based courses such as Interpersonal Skills, Front-Line Leadership and Dealing With Poor Performers."
OPM also is integrating interpersonal skills requirements into its long-term workforce planning, GAO noted.
"The position-based succession planning position profiles for each executive, manager and supervisor include an action plan to prepare the pool of potential internal successors," the report stated. "Plans may include training, professional conference, developmental assignments and other opportunities."
The report praised the consistency with which OPM was planning for future leadership development.
"Our review of 93 of approximately 330 succession planning position profile documents showed that nearly all the sampled documents had been updated within the past year," the report noted. "Our review also confirmed that all of these included an estimation of the prospective successor pool for at least five years out, with two citing the need to begin developing the candidate pipeline at least 10 years in advance."
These steps are particularly important, GAO said, because the results from the 2006 FHCS showed significant gaps between how SES and GS employees view OPM's leadership.
"In both 2004 and 2006, OPM's SES responses were substantially more positive than non-SES responses for the statement 'I have a high level of respect for my organization's senior leaders,'" GAO said. "While OPM has taken steps to address the lack of overall and cross-divisional communication and issues related to employee views of senior management, this gap between SES and GS-level response remains a challenge."
GAO recommended that OPM formalize an agencywide review of workforce planning, which currently takes place primarily at the divisional level.
"By operating at a division level without a well-documented agencywide evaluation process … OPM's top leadership may be missing opportunities to identify, and address, weaknesses in its workforce planning and succession efforts," the report noted. "For example, it was not evident that OPM can identify whether it is optimizing its investment in training and development by making the appropriate level of investment and prioritizing funding across divisions so that it addresses the most important needs."
The report said training was an area that needed particular improvement, as OPM fell 11 percentage points below the rest of the federal government in the category "the workforce has the job-relevant knowledge and skills necessary to accomplish organizational goals." Only 39 percent of OPM employees said the office examined their training needs, as opposed to 51 percent of workers in the rest of government.
OPM also curtailed spending on all discretionary activities by 5 percent in fiscal 2007 to help pay for retirement systems modernization, cutting training funding, and may make further cuts in fiscal 2008, GAO added.
OPM plans to incorporate GAO's findings and recommendations into its workforce planning.
"While our progress and accomplishments to date are noteworthy, we acknowledge that our work must be ongoing, and we must sustain and build upon our current momentum," OPM director Linda Springer wrote in her response to the report. "We appreciate the insights and recommendations provided in the report, as these will be useful in shaping both ongoing and planned human capital management initiatives within the agency." | https://www.govexec.com/oversight/2007/11/report-praises-opms-workforce-planning/25671/?oref=oversight-all |
First, theorising the means of social reproduction beyond monetary income, including an attention to time and capacity as preconditions for transforming who does this work – to what end, when, how much and how. This must also include an attention to the psychic and affective dimensions of mental health, and of social subjectivities through which hopes & desires, fears & anxieties, as well as possibilities for change are constituted.
Second, investigating the relationship between social reproduction and technology. In a world beset by visions of fully automated labour processes, concerns about the quality of social reproduction and the social, physical and emotional relationships that comprise it pose a clear question: when it comes to looking after one another, what are the possibilities and what are the limits of an ostensive liberation through technology?
Third, challenging the hierarchies and divisions that continue to structure the social divisions of labour, wealth, power and privilege across both paid and unpaid domains of social and economic life. Feminist attention to social reproduction has not only made visible those spheres of social activity that were seen as economically irrelevant, it has contributed to highlighting the different inequalities that organise global class composition, the experiences of work and access to the wage. Thinking through the social division of reproductive labour also has relevance for thinking about what a solidaristic economy might look like beyond the corporate version of the new so-called ‘sharing economy’.
Fourth, elaborating the relationship between democracy and social reproduction. Contemporary social movements emphasise democracy as much as economic justice. Remunicipalisation movements for alternative ownership over utilities such as water and energy, housing and anti-gentrification movements or movements for a ‘care revolution’, are examples of where the domains of social reproduction and democracy could meet in generative and transformative ways.
To conclude with a fifth and final orientation: any thinking for social change must consider climate change and care for the environment we are part of, so that when envisioning non-capitalist infrastructures, we put centre-stage the co-imbrication of social and ecological reproduction.
Green, J. and Lavery, S. (2015): ‘The Regressive Recovery: Distribution, Inequality and State Power in Britain's Post-Crisis Political Economy, New Political Economy 20 (6): 894-923.
Caffentzis, G. (1999 ): ‘On the Notion of a Crisis of Social Reproduction: A Theoretical Review’, In Letters of Blood and Fire, Brookyln, NY: Common Notions/Oakland, CA: PM Press.
the United Kingdom’, Politics & Gender 10(1): 130-136; Pearson, R. and Elson, D. (2015): ‘Transcending the Impact of the Financial Crisis in the United Kingdom: Towards Plan F – a Feminist Economic Strategy’, Feminist Review 109: 8-30.
Dalla Costa, M. and James, S. (1972): ‘The Power of Women and the Subversion of the Community’, Bristol: Falling Wall Press.
Alessandrini, D. (2014): ‘Research Note: Re-thinking Feminist Engagements with the State and Wage Labour’, feminsts@law 4(1): 1-15.
Weeks, K. (2011): The Problem With Work – Feminism, Marxism, Antiwork Politics and Postwork Imaginaries, Durham NC: Duke University Press.
Feher, M. (2009): ‘Self-Appreciation or the Aspirations of Human Capital’, Public Culture 21(1): 21-41.
Berg, H. (2014): ‘An Honest Day’s Wage for a Dishonest Day’s Work: (Re)Productivism and Refusal’, Women’s Studies Quarterly 42(1-2):161-177; Precarias a la Deriva (2006): ‘A Very Careful Strike: Four Hypotheses’, The Commoner 11: 33-45.
Dowling, E. and Harvie, D. (2014): ‘Harnessing the Social: State, Crisis and (Big) Society’, Sociology 48 (5): 869 – 886.
Federici, S. (2012): Revolution At Point Zero – Housework, Reproduction and Feminist Struggle, Brookyln, NY: Common Notions/Oakland, CA: PM Press.
Dowling, E. and Harvie, D. (2014): ‘Harnessing the Social: State, Crisis and (Big) Society’, Sociology 48 (5): 869 – 886; Roberts, A. (2015): ‘Gender, Financial Deepening and the Production of Embodied Finance: Towards a Critical Feminist Analysis’, Global Society 29(1): 107-127.
Scholz, T. (2016): Platform Cooperativism – Challenging the Corporate Sharing Economy, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, New York Office.
Pigeon, M. et al. (2012): Remunicipalisation – Putting Water Back Into Public Hands, Amsterdam: Transnational Institute.
Colau, A. and Alemany, A. (2014): Mortgaged Lives – From the Housing Bubble to the Right to Housing, Journal of Aesthetic & Protest Press.
Dr Emma Dowling is a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Middlesex University London. | https://www.blog-kolleg-postwachstum.de/2016/10/25/postcapitalism-five-orientations-from-the-perspective-of-social-reproduction/ |
Here are some of the Frequently Asked Questions we get about mold, mold remediation, and the product we use to remove mold from your home or business (Calbrite)
WHY IS CALBRITE NOT REGISTERED WITH THE EPA?
- Calbrite is a non-toxic product.
- only products that are considered poisonous, re: pesticides need to register with the EPA.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DANGERS OF USING PRODUCTS THAT ARE POISONOUS ON MOLD?
- cancer,
- reproductive effects,
- neurological effects, and
- acute and chronic toxic effects.
WHAT IS MOLD?
- mold is a life form that naturally exists on moist surfaces
- it will start growing within 48 hours after landing on a wet surface
- mold survives on cellulose, a material found in wood, papers and many other building materials
WHAT IS A MOLD INSPECTION?
- mold inspection is the process of thoroughly inspecting and mold testing a home, apartment, business or other dwelling for the presence of water problems, higher than normal levels of mold spores, or serious levels of mold infestation.
- mold collection means a certified mold inspector collects direct physical samples or takes indoor air samples so that mold samples can be grown in a lab in culture plates if necessary, to produce full grown mold colonies for analysis and mold identification purposes.
WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE LOOKED AT IN AN INSPECTION?
- do any of the homes residents suffer from any of the most frequent symptoms of mold infestation?
- are there shrubs and trees growing too close to the home?
- is the land around the building sloping away from the building?
- is the roof in good shape?
- in the attic are water stains or visible mold growth?
- are there obvious signs of water leaks or mold growth in water oriented areas such as the bathroom or kitchen?
- are there water stains in any of the other rooms, ceiling, walls, flors or on furniture?
- is there hidden moisture inside wall cavities, under floors, or behind tiles?
- has the property experienced roof leaks, failed foundations, floods, etc.
- is it located in a flood zone?
- is the humidity of the crawlspace, basement or attic higher than 50%.
- are there elevated levels of mold spores in the air?
- is there mold contamination inside the building’s HVAC system and ducts?
WHAT ARE SOME COMMON MOLD SYMPTOMS?
- sneezing
- runny nose
- hay fever symptoms
- skin rash
- flu like symptoms and fever
- worsened asthma
- hypersensitivity pnemionitis-like bacteria (uncommon_
WHAT ARE SOME IRRITANT EFFECTS?
- eyes
- skin
- nose
- lungs
- burning sensation
- opportunistic infections: aspergillus fumigatus has been known to infect the lungs of immuno-compromised individuals as has trichoderma in ic children
WHAT ARE MOLD TOXINS?
- mold can produce toxic substances called mycotoxins. these can be on or in spores. more than 200 have been identified at this time. exposure pathways include inhalation, ingestion or skin contact. these can cause health problems
- ingestion of aflavatoxin b can cause liver cancer. this and asperigllus parasiticus are some of the most potent carcinogens.
- health effects attributed to inhalation of mycotoxins have been reported including mucous membrane irritation, skin rash, nausea, immune system suppression, chronic liver damage, chronic central nervous system damage, endocrine effects and cancer.
HOW DOES MOLD SPREAD?
- mold spores are tiny (2-10 um) and are naturally present indoors and outdoors in the air. mold reproduce by the means of spores. some molds have spores that are easily disturbed but others have sticky spores that cling and are dislodged by brushing. spores may remain able to grow for years after they are produced. whether or not the mold spores are alive, their allergens can remain so for years
WHAT ARE PROBLEMS MOLD CAN CAUSE?
- mold destroys the surface it grows on
- exposure to mold spores can cause allergic reactions
- airway problems
- dank air quality
- musty odor
- health problems
WHAT ARE SOME COMMON CAUSES OF MOISTURE PROBLEMS?
- roof leaks
- improper landscape grading
- leaking gutters
- condensation on pipes
- cracked foundations
- unvented combustion appliances
ARE THERE ANY FEDERAL REGULATION GOVERNING MOLD REMEDIATION?
- no, there are not any regulations currently governing mold remediation. there are recommended guidelines for conducting safe mold remediation.
HOW QUICKLY CAN MOLD START GROWING?
- mold can start growing within 48 hours if a moisture problem is not fixed and the dampness thoroughly dried
WHY IS BLEACH INEFFECTIVE?
- bleach is a biocide that is harmful to humans and can feed a mold colony. bleach only discolors the surface.
- it is too diluted to kill mold permanently and will only discolor surface mold
- the longer bleach is on supermarket shelves the more it loses its potency. 50% loss in killing capacity during its first 90 days on the shelf. chlorine escapes through the walls of the container
- *the ion structure of chlorine prevents it from penetrating porous materials. it only stays on the surface and mold has enzyme roots digging deep into the materials surface.
- bleach is not approved to kill mold. | https://cleangreenrestoration.com/frequently-asked-questions-about-mold/ |
Tea Reads: The Night Circus
I've been craving fiction of late. Getting back in touch with that itch to read late into the night, when I aught to be sleeping instead. Though I have an insatiable appetite for books, I'm a remarkably slow reader. This is partly due to mild dyslexia, and partly because I savor, taking time to chew each word thoroughly. It took me 10 years to finish the Wheel of Time series: my over-loved copies are ragged on the shelf, their covers completely worn away over time and held together with strategically placed scraps of tape. And so, I was surprised when the The Night Circus came and swept me away. I finished it in just a week (perhaps a record for me?) As you can see, the glossy paper cover with its clever circular circus cut-out remains intact.
I hadn't read a circus tale since Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes. His circus is thrilling, and terrible, at once nostalgic and strange. Erin Morgenstern's description of Le Cirque des Revers is much less conflicted. Fully embracing whimsy, she is enchanting, deceptively direct, and quick to draw you in. I think I prefer my circus on the darker side, but I was impressed by her mastery of the senses: the weight of the fabric curtains, the warm and cool, the smokey wood and caramel smell. She even made shades of gray seem lively! One of my favorite descriptive moments was of sound. In the introduction, aptly named "Anticipation" she places the reader in the crowd gathered outside the mysterious circus, waiting for the gates to open "First there is a popping sound. It is barely audible over the wind and conversation. A soft noise like a kettle about to boil for tea" (pg. 10).
References to tea did not stop there. The entire book is peppered with porcelain cups (and even a full tea ceremony at one point), which are more than set dressing to Morgenstern. She uses tea in practical ways: to give her characters something to nervously hold, to offer as a polite gesture, to sip and buy time, or to abandon and grow cold. She also uses it as a device to move the story forward. Many carefully described and delicate tea cups were broken in service of character development. Through a cup, we're introduced to the illusionists powers. And through another cup that same illusionist comes to realize the consequence of power. It is my favorite moment in the book.
As someone with a fondness for tea, I found myself constantly wondering; what kind of tea would they be drinking in this scene? The author is more than capable of describing flavor, as she demonstrates handily in her accounts of the mysterious "midnight dinners" where the minds behind Cirque des Reves gather to taste culinary works of art. Though I scoured the book for tea related details, I only found mention of a particular type of tea once.
The reference was so perfect, I had to smile. I was not surprised then to discover that Erin Morgenstern is in fact a tea lover, as she mentions on her website. When I'm finished knitting my red scarf and joining the Reveurs, I think I'll make a Night Circus inspired tea. I'm imagining one for the circus itself: black tea, with white accents like a starry sky (maybe slivered almonds?). An autumn taste with notes of caramel, smoke, and some strange unplaceable spice. A secret ingredient. Les Cirque Des Reves in a cup. | https://www.doublecuptea.com/blog/2017/7/1/tea-reads-the-night-circus |
Healthcare processes and facilities are closely inter-related in complex ways, and by reducing inefficiency in emergency department processes, a hospital can reap substantial savings in both facility and operational costs. Because these processes and interdependencies can be quite complex, a detailed analysis that includes process benchmarking, data analytics of patient-level data and computer simulation modeling is often warranted.
In process benchmarking, the challenge is to find analogies in other industries in which providers are facing similar issues. For example, a pit crew servicing a race car between laps can provide insight into the value of providing services in a parallel, as opposed to linear, fashion. In the traditional intake process, patients must explain their presenting issues repeatedly — to a greeter, the triage nurse, the nurse who actually cares for them, the technician and finally the physician. A more efficient approach could be modeled on the pit crew: providers converge on the patient at the same time, requiring the patients to tell their stories only once.
Computer Simulation
The emergency department can also use computer simulation to validate proposed modifications to processes, staffing levels and physical layout and adjacencies. This strategy can make an impact across many areas:
- Staffing and resource issues. Many emergency department design solutions begin by developing a range of likely scenarios for future utilization and documenting existing processes in patient care, including each specific step involved and the length of time required. Based on the findings, a simulation model can test various staffing scenarios and solutions — well before any costly remodeling is undertaken.
- Excessive walking. In some cases, clinicians and staff spend significant time walking from one part of the ED to another in order to treat a patient. To address such inefficiencies, emergency department designers can use a “time and motion” study to gather measurements of the physical distances staff members must travel in order to complete specific tasks. Then they can utilize computer simulation to test different floor plan configurations to optimize the locations of often-used support services.
- Finding better locations for patients. Sometimes, repurposing a space within the ED can better meet patient needs and, at the same time, improve efficiency. For example, by creating a sub-waiting area where patients can sit and be monitored while waiting for results, an ED can accomplish two quite different goals. First, this approach can give patients a private place to wait for results, while freeing up a very expensive location within the ED that is better suited to patient treatment. Second, it can reduce the likelihood of patients walking out of the treatment area into the general waiting area and being out of the view of caregivers.
Possible solutions are everywhere
Improving emergency department efficiency is often difficult to achieve, due to the complex relationship between facilities, processes, people and patient volume. However, by taking a methodical approach and incorporating relevant data into the process, EDs can optimize the likelihood of successful change.
It’s worth exploring every viable solution — and doing so in a way that avoids committing significant capital until solutions are thoroughly tested. | https://thedoctorweighsin.com/role-emergency-department-design-planning-simulation-improving-operational-processes/ |
Threatening to cut development aid or impose economic sanctions on Cambodia is not a new phenomenon, it has always been in play since the military clash in 1997. Despite being under international pressure to reverse course, the Kingdom often punches above its weight.
When the U.S. threatened, for instant, to remove Cambodia’s Most Favoured Nation trading status, Prime Minister Hun Sen publicly defied the US to pursue it, as he, Mr. Hun Sen, would not trade national sovereignty.
Facing a similar threat when the EU launched procedures that could potentially suspend Cambodia’s trade preferences, the Kingdom’s political leadership, I think, still doesn’t get the message and even accused the European Union of practicing “double-standards”, an unfair treatment compared to the Thai, Laos and Vietnam governments which are military ruled or are one party states. Indeed, the withdrawal of EBA from Cambodia poses more harm than good, and will undermine the influence of the west in the Kingdom.
Economic sanctions have been one of the primary foreign policy arsenals of western governments for decades, often in the pursuit of enhancing their economic powers and security interests. The economic sanctions on Russia, North Korea, and Iran are some explicitl examples of this.
The practice has also been imposed on regimes in an effort to strengthen political accountability, the rule of law, and democratic development of the sanctioned governments. For instant, the sanctions imposed on the Burmese military government a classic example of such a practice.
In fact, economic sanctions are proven to be less effective and hard to spark the regime change these sanctions are often perceived to inculcate in an academic sense, particularly since it comes at the expense of civilians and their livelihood.
Reforms for economic incentives
To be fair, democratic development and public sector reforms in Cambodia have emerged in response to the dependency on aid, often driven by the international donor community, rather than the recognition of Cambodia’s political leadership or internal pressure from its populace.
Cambodia’s government has made public sector reforms. However, there are those who believe that these are just measures enacted to secure funding and to enhance legitimacy.
Decentralization reform, for example, is the product of international intervention and the influence of globalization in an effort to boost Cambodia’s economic competitiveness and to strengthen government accountability through the distribution of functions and resources from the national to the sub national sector.
The restructuring of Cambodia’s institutions therefore, is many a times, an adaptation to sway the actions of external forces, particularly that from a globalised economy and also donor pressures.
It is noteworthy to acknowledge that, indeed, this interventionary policy has contributed to the improvement of Cambodia’s institutions over the past decades, with the basic principle that government accountability and human rights are upheld.
Negative socioeconomic consequences
The sanctions which are poorly tailored and executed, often with and between the sanctions and sanctioning countries, will jeopardise the effort to address human rights practices, poverty, and poor healthcare in the Kingdom.
The economic sanctions that could be imposed on Cambodia could contribute to the increase in illegal migrations and human trafficking. The Kingdom’s garment industry employs 847,419 workers, the majority of them are women, who barely have secondary education background.
Having no skillsets and the small job market in Cambodia, the job cut and relocation of the factories to withstand the sanctions will force these workers to migrate for employment opportunities, and potentially end up in human trafficking channels and the modern slavery of Thailand’s fishing industry that feeds the EU market for decades.
In a leaked government memo, the sanctions is estimated to cost Cambodia $676 million in tariff based on the $6.2 billion in exports to the EU market in 2016, equivalent to the national budget of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Affairs combined. Although there isn’t any study about the potential impacts, the sanctions pose significant threats to the livelihood of those workers and their family members. It will also undermine the growth of SMEs and logistics sector in the Kingdom that are largely dependent on the garment industry.
China’s debt-trap diplomacy
Economic sanctions on Cambodia will sour the influence of the European Union and consequently push the Kingdom closer to China.
In response to the potential suspension of EBA and the recent tariff imposed on the Kingdom’s rice export to the EU market, China has promised Cambodia with four billion yuan in aid and pledged to import 400,000 tonnes of rice, giving Cambodia’s government, alternative sources of development aid and loans to withstand the impacts of economic sanctions.
However, the influx of Chinese investment and development aid, often without conditions and lack of transparency, has presented significant threats to accountability and democratic development of the Kingdom.
The primary concern is the Chinese debt-trap diplomacy which has sparked international headlines. Though, Cambodia’s government claims the current debt is manageable, the Kingdom’s debts to China is nevertheless perceived to be at a level where perception has set in that Beijing may take advantage of this situation to put in place a certain degree of political influence on Cambodian affairs.
Having strategic control over Cambodia’s economic corridor, including the Kingdom’s major logistic and tourist hub, China may not hesitate to gamble for the influence over Cambodia to protect its interests. These will certainly pose significant threats to security interests and economic powers of the European Union and its alliance in the long run.
The perceived alleged democratic setbacks could still be improved as it has not deteriorated to the level of the Rphinya’s in Myanmar or the ethnic minorities in Vietnam.
Indeed, there are reformist groups within the political leadership who are willing to improve the institutional arrangements and input legitimacy of Cambodia based on the liberal values.
However, if diplomacy fails and economic sanctions are the last resort, it should be well-tailored with achievable outcomes.
Given the strong division within the European Union and its alliance over the current political development in Cambodia, any economic sanctions will be for the sake of sanctions, and certainly civilian citizens are the ones who pay a heavy price.
Sopharith Sin is a recipient of the Australia Awards Scholarships. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Management at the University of Melbourne, Australia. | https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50622404/the-eba-conundrum-perception-against-reality/ |
Ion implantation is a standard technique for introducing conductivity-altering impurities into semiconductor substrates. A desired impurity material is ionized in an ion source, the ions are accelerated to form an ion beam of prescribed energy, and the ion beam is directed at the surface of the substrate. The energetic ions in the beam penetrate into the bulk of the semiconductor material and are embedded into the crystalline lattice of the semiconductor material to form a region of desired conductivity.
Solar cells are typically manufactured using the same processes used for other semiconductor devices, often using silicon as the substrate material. A semiconductor solar cell is a simple device having an in-built electric field that separates the charge carriers generated through the absorption of photons in the semiconductor material. This electric field is typically created through the formation of a p-n junction (diode), which is created by differential doping of the semiconductor material. Doping a part of the semiconductor substrate (e.g. surface region) with impurities of opposite polarity forms a p-n junction that may be used as a photovoltaic device converting light into electricity.
FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of a solar cell, and is a cross section of a representative substrate 300. Photons 301 enter the solar cell 300 through the top surface 305, as signified by the arrows. These photons pass through an anti-reflective coating 310, designed to maximize the number of photons that penetrate the substrate 300 and minimize those that are reflected away from the substrate.
Internally, the substrate 300 is formed so as to have a p-n junction 320. This junction is shown as being substantially parallel to the top surface 305 of the substrate 300 although there are other implementations where the junction may not be parallel to the surface. The solar cell is fabricated such that the photons enter the substrate through a heavily doped region, also known as the emitter 330. In some embodiments, the emitter 330 may be an n-type doped region, while in other embodiments, the emitter may be a p-type doped region. The photons with sufficient energy (above the bandgap of the semiconductor) are able to promote an electron within the semiconductor material's valence band to the conduction band. Associated with this free electron is a corresponding positively charged hole in the valence band. In order to generate a photocurrent that can drive an external load, these electron hole (e-h) pairs need to be separated. This is done through the built-in electric field at the p-n junction. Thus any e-h pairs that are generated in the depletion region of the p-n junction get separated, as are any other minority carriers that diffuse to the depletion region of the device. Since a majority of the incident photons are absorbed in near surface regions of the device, the minority carriers generated in the emitter need to diffuse across the depth of the emitter to reach the depletion region and get swept across to the other side. Thus to maximize the collection of photo-generated current and minimize the chances of carrier recombination in the emitter, it is preferable to have the emitter region 330 be very shallow.
Some photons pass through the emitter region 330 and enter the base 340. In the scenario where the emitter 330 is an n-type region, the base 340 is a p-type doped region. These photons can then excite electrons within the base 340, which are free to move into the emitter region 330, while the associated holes remain in the base 340. Alternatively, in the case where the emitter 330 is a p-type doped region, the base is an n-type doped region. In this case, these photons can then excite electrons within the base 340, which remain in the base region 340, while the associated holes move into the emitter 330. As a result of the charge separation caused by the presence of this p-n junction, the extra carriers (electrons and holes) generated by the photons can then be used to drive an external load to complete the circuit.
By externally connecting the emitter region 330 to the base 340 through an external load, it is possible to conduct current and therefore provide power. To achieve this, contacts 350, typically metallic, are placed on the outer surface of the emitter region and the base. Since the base does not receive the photons directly, typically its contact 350b is placed along the entire outer surface. In contrast, the outer surface of the emitter region receives photons and therefore cannot be completely covered with contacts. However, if the electrons have to travel great distances to the contact, the series resistance of the cell increases, which lowers the power output. In an attempt to balance these two considerations (the distance that the free electrons must travel to the contact, and the amount of exposed emitter surface 360), most applications use contacts 350a that are in the form of fingers. FIG. 4 shows a top view of the solar cell of FIG. 3. The contacts are typically formed so as to be relatively thin, while extending the width of the solar cell. In this way, free electrons need not travel great distances, but much of the outer surface of the emitter is exposed to the photons. Typical contact fingers 350a on the front side of the substrate are 0.1 mm with an accuracy of +/−0.1 mm. These fingers 350a are typically spaced between 1-5 mm apart from one another. While these dimensions are typical, other dimensions are possible and contemplated herein.
A further enhancement to solar cells is the addition of heavily doped substrate contact regions. FIG. 5 shows a cross section of this enhanced solar cell. The cell is as described above in connection with FIG. 3, but includes heavily doped contact regions 370. These heavily doped contact regions 370 correspond to the areas where the metallic fingers 350a will be affixed to the substrate 300. The introduction of these heavily doped contact regions 370 allows much better contact between the substrate 300 and the metallic fingers 350a and significantly lowers the series resistance of the cell. This pattern of including heavily doped regions on the surface of the substrate is commonly referred to as selective emitter design.
A selective emitter design for a solar cell also has the advantage of higher efficiency cells due to reduced minority carrier losses through recombination due to lower dopant/impurity dose in the exposed regions of the emitter layer. The higher doping under the contact regions provides a field that repels the minority carriers generated in the emitter and pushes them towards the p-n junction.
The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 requires contacts on both sides of the substrate, thereby reducing the available area of the front surface through which photons may pass. A cross section of a second embodiment of a solar cell 400 is shown in FIG. 6. Fundamentally, the physics of this embodiment is similar, in which a p-n junction is used to create an electric field which separates the generated electron hole pairs. However, rather than create the p-n junction across the entire substrate, as done in the previous embodiment, the junctions are only created in portions of the substrate 400. In this embodiment, a negatively doped silicon substrate 410 may be used. In certain embodiments, a more negatively biased front surface field (FSF) 420 is created by implanting addition n-type dopants in the front surface. This front surface is then coated with an anti-reflective material 430. This front surface is often etched to create a sawtooth or other non-planar surface, so as to increase surface area. The metallic contacts or fingers 470 are all located on the bottom surface of the substrate. Certain portions of the bottom surface may be implanted with p-type dopants to create emitters 440. Other portions are implanted with n-type dopants to create more negatively biased back surface field 450. The back surface is coated with a dielectric layer 460 to enhance the reflectivity of the back surface. Metal fingers 470a are attached to the emitter 440 and fingers 470b attaches to the BSF 450. FIG. 7 shows one commonly used configuration of the metal fingers on the back surface. This type of cell is known as an interdigitated back contact (IBC) solar cell.
With current energy costs and environmental concerns, solar cells are becoming increasingly important. Any reduced cost to the manufacturing or production of high-performance solar cells or any efficiency improvement to high-performance solar cells would have a positive impact on the implementation of solar cells worldwide. This will enable the wider availability of this clean energy technology.
Current solar cell design is limited by the dopant profiles that can be achieved by diffusing dopants into the silicon of the solar cell. It is also limited by the difficulty in applying different dopants and doping different parts of a solar cell. The cost of additional doping steps limits the solar cell designs that may be used commercially. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved ion implantation of solar cells and, more particularly, a method that allows successive doping steps of a solar cell with an ion implanter.
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It's hard to believe that season 2 of Emily in Paris hit Netflix nearly a year ago and it was filled with amusant fashion, catchy songs, steamy romance and of course, loads of drama.
At the end of the second installment, Emily (Lily Collins) is left feeling torn, both professionally and romantically. At work, Emily’s dream career is threatened when her boss, Madeline (Kate Walsh), and her mentor, Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu), get into a heated argument over how their business should be run. Sylvie ends up quitting to start her own marketing firm, and she asks Emily to stay in Paris and join her instead of heading back to Chicago to move up the corporate ladder. The episode ends on a cliffhanger: Emily calls Sylvie to let her know she's made her decision ... right before the credits start to roll, bien sûr!
To make matters more complicated, Emily is stuck in a love triangle between her new boyfriend, British banker Alfie (Lucien Laviscount), and her neighbor, Gabriel (Lucas Bravo). After Alfie reveals he has to return to London for work, he suggests they try a long-distance relationship. Meanwhile, Emily decides she's still in love with Gabriel. But when she shows up at his apartment to confess her love, she discovers that Gabriel and his on-again-off-again girlfriend Camille (Camille Razat) are on-again — and moving in together.
So, will Emily return to Chicago or stay in Paris? Will she give long distance with Alfie a go or try to start things up with Gabriel again, despite her friendship with Cami? Here's everything we know so far about the fate of Emily in Paris season 3.
Will there be a season 3 of Emily in Paris, and what will it be about?
Only two weeks after Emily in Paris season 2 premiered, Netflix officially renewed the dramedy for seasons 3 and 4 in January 2022.
Given the runaway success of seasons 1 and 2 (it was the most popular original comedy on Netflix in 2020, with 58 million people watching it during its first 28 days on the streaming platform), and the fact that season 2 was in the Netflix Top 10 when it debuted, many predicted there would be a third installment. In fact, showrunner Darren Star already opened up about what season 3 would entail. He revealed to TVLine in December 2021 his hopes that the third season will explore the challenges of making a difficult choice:
“She’s faced with a major decision. She has reasons to pick a number of doors at the end of Season 2, and our challenge is deciding which of those doors she’s going to choose and why. That’s what Season 3 is going to be about. When you live in a foreign country, one of the questions is, where’s your heart? Is it the place you came from, or the place you are at the moment? Emily is going to be struggling with that as well.”
Before Netflix green lit Emily in Paris season 3, Darren hinted to Elle that he was "looking forward to a third season," while also noting that he had a "very strong idea" of what Emily chooses:
"There’s no choice that’s gonna make everything better and please everybody. And I think Emily also is … a bit of a people pleaser, and she’s gonna make a decision that’s gonna make some people unhappy. And she’s gonna have to deal with that also next season."
In other words, fans can expect to finally learn what's next for her love triangle, and whether or not she decides to make the leap to Sylvie's company and continue her expat life in France.
When is the Emily in Paris season 3 release date on Netflix?
As of right now, Netflix hasn't announced an official premiere date for Emily in Paris season 3. But since seasons 1 and 2 both dropped in the latter half of 2020 and 2021, it's likely that we can expect a new season to debut toward the end of 2022. But fans will just have to wait and see if they'll be enjoying another holiday season with new episodes.
Who will be in the Emily in Paris season 3 cast?
While the streaming giant has yet to share this info, we're expecting to see most of the Emily in Paris cast return for season 3, including:
- Lily Collins as Emily
- Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu as Sylvie
- Ashley Park as Mindy
- Lucas Bravo as Gabriel
- Samuel Arnold as Julien
- Bruno Gouery as Luc
- Camille Razat as Camille
- William Abadie as Antoine
- Lucien Laviscount as Alfie
- Kate Walsh as Madeline Wheeler
In fact, Lily told Glamour that she couldn't wait to get started on a season 3. "I really hope we get to come back and do this again," she told the magazine. As far as the role Lucien Laviscount will play this season, well ... we'll definitely get a lot more of Alfie, as Darren announced at April's PaleyFest that he was bumped to a series regular.
"I had the best year of my life working on the show and working with these people," he told Harper's Bazaar in December about being on the show. "So if I'm back, I'm back, but as long as I serve the storyline and serve Emily's story and do a good job, that's what matters."
And for those wondering if Kate Walsh would be returning as Chicago marketing exec Madeline Wheeler, you're in luck. In a July interview with PureWow, she confirmed she's not only coming back for another season but she already filmed scenes with the cast. "I’m not in Paris just eating croissants," Kate joked to the outlet. “She’s back. She’s still here.”
Did Emily in Paris season 3 begin filming?
Filming for Emily in Paris season 3 is officially underway! The show's Instagram (along with Lily Collins and Ashley Park) announced in June that production kicked off. This means we'll be getting more behind-the-scenes looks at fashion, drama and a world that's inexplicably French.
Do we have any spoilers for Emily in Paris season 3?
There's been lots of debate on what we can expect from the all-new season, with some of the actors and crew chiming in. Darren has some ideas about who he'd love to see make an appearance in season 3 and his ideal guest star would be the epitome of the ultimate TV crossover.
"I would love to have Kim [Cattrall] come onto Emily in Paris as a guest star,' he revealed to Variety in June. "I would love to find something nice and juicy for her to do.”
Lucas Bravo also had some thoughts about what fans could look forward to. In a July interview with Today, the actor revealed his hopes for Gabriel's future, which includes a bit of self-reflection. Here's what he had to say:
"Gabriel is finally experiencing a bit of, not time alone, but I would say he's like introspecting a bit because for two seasons we saw him chasing after Emily and existing through Emily and Camille and this love triangle. And now, even though he's starting the season with Camille, I think he's searching for himself and for more than his relationships. He doesn't want to be defined by his relationships so it's going to be more of his passion and his restaurant."
A different thing the cast hopes for? Another original song from Mindy. Ashley Park spoke about the possibility of a new tune with Distractify in June, saying this:
"I think that was such a cool experience to do, and just to be able to bring even more joy to people with that song ... It was so unexpected that people really, really grew fond of it ... It's something that I've been exploring a little bit more, music, writing and such. So, I think that I'm really excited if we're able to do that again."
Can the new season please drop already?!
How can I watch and stream Emily in Paris?
You can head over to the Netflix website (or the iPhone or Android apps) to watch seasons 1 and 2 of Emily in Paris. First time users can sign up for a plan starting at $9.99 a month.
Katherine Tinsley is a pop culture and beauty-obsessed journalist who has worked with Live the Process, The Knockturnal and Dreamlette covering all things beauty, culture and lifestyle. Her work has allowed her to merge all of these interests into her writing and interview style.
As the entertainment and news editorial assistant for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee. | https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/entertainment/a38641207/emily-in-paris-season-3/ |
During the International Conference on High-Energy Physics (ICHEP 2020), the ATLAS collaboration presented the first observation of photon collisions producing pairs of W bosons, elementary particles that carry the weak force, one of the four fundamental forces. The result demonstrates a new way of using the LHC, namely as a high-energy photon collider directly probing electroweak interactions. It confirms one of the main predictions of electroweak theory – that force carriers can interact with themselves – and provides new ways to probe it.
According to the laws of classical electrodynamics, two intersecting light beams would not deflect, absorb or disrupt one another. However, effects of quantum electrodynamics (QED), the theory that explains how light and matter interact, allow interactions among photons.
Indeed, it is not the first time that photons interacting at high energies have been studied at the LHC. For instance, light-by-light “scattering”, where a pair of photons interact by producing another pair of photons, is one of the oldest predictions of QED. The first direct evidence of light-by-light scattering was reported by ATLAS in 2017, exploiting the strong electromagnetic fields surrounding lead ions in high-energy lead–lead collisions. In 2019 and 2020, ATLAS further studied this process by measuring its properties.
The new result reported at this conference is sensitive to another rare phenomenon in which two photons interact to produce two W bosons of opposite electric charge via (among others) the interaction of four force carriers. Quasi-real photons from the proton beams scatter off one another to produce a pair of W bosons. A first study of this phenomenon was previously reported by ATLAS and CMS in 2016, from data recorded during LHC Run 1, but a larger dataset was required to unambiguously observe it.
The ATLAS Collaboration reports the observation of photon collisions producing weak-force carriers and provides further insights into their interactions.
The observation was obtained with a highly significant statistical evidence of 8.4 standard deviations, corresponding to a negligible chance of being due to a statistical fluctuation. ATLAS physicists used a considerably larger dataset taken during Run 2, the four-year data collection in the LHC that ended in 2018, and developed a customised analysis method.
Owing to the nature of the interaction process, the only particle tracks visible in the central detector are the decay products of the two W bosons, an electron and a muon with opposite electric charge. W-boson pairs can also be directly produced from interactions between quarks and gluons in the colliding protons considerably more often than from photon–photon interactions, but these are accompanied by additional tracks from strong interaction processes. This means that the ATLAS physicists had to carefully disentangle collision tracks to observe this rare phenomenon.
“This observation opens up a new facet of experimental exploration at the LHC using photons in the initial state,” said Karl Jakobs, Spokesperson of the ATLAS Collaboration. “It is unique as it only involves couplings among electroweak force carriers in the strong-interaction dominated environment of the LHC. With larger future datasets it can be used to probe in a clean way the electroweak gauge structure and possible contributions of new physics.”
Indeed, the new result confirms one of the main predictions of electroweak theory, namely that, besides interacting with ordinary particles of matter, the force carriers, also known as gauge bosons – the W bosons, the Z boson and the photon – are also interacting with each other. Photon collisions will provide a new way to test the Standard Model and to probe for new physics, which is necessary for a better understanding of our Universe.
This press statement is also available on the CERN Press website (English, French).
- The four force-carrier interaction is one of the predictions of the electroweak theory that explains how force-carrier particles, also known as gauge bosons, interact not only with matter particles, but also with one another. | https://atlas.cern/updates/press-statement/rare-photon-phenomenon-observed |
This module is not currently running in 2021 to 2022.
The module will focus on postwar American cinema. The cinema of the period will be placed within the historical, cultural, political and artistic developments taking place around it. Students will be encouraged to explore the generative relationships between cinema and these other phenomena. Topics to be discussed will include (but are not limited to) cinema and the Vietnam War, Watergate, the birth of American performance art, rise in popular culture, the influence of European art cinema, the growth of American independent filmmaking. Films will be chosen from those made inside and on the edges of Hollywood (Independent and avant-garde).
Total contact hours: 60
Private study hours: 240
Total study hours: 300
Essay 1 (2000 words) (40%)
Essay 2 (3000 words) (60%)
David A. Cook, Lost Illusions: American Cinema in the Shadow of Watergate & Vietnam 1970-79 (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2000)
Howarth, N. King, & T. Elsaesser (eds.), The Last Great American Picture Show: New Hollywood Cinema in the 1970s (Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2004)
Steve Neale (ed.), Genre & Contemporary Hollywood (London: BFI, 2002)
Richard Maltby, Hollywood Cinema (Cambridge: Blackwell, 2003)
Peter Stanfield, The Cool and the Crazy: Pop Fifties Cinema (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2015)
See the library reading list for this module (Canterbury)
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
- demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of postwar American cinema through analysis of the debates on a number of basic industrial, aesthetic, social and cultural trends;
- an understanding the relevance of the demise of the studio system and the rise of package-based and independent production;
- show awareness of the impact of new technologies and forms of entertainment such as television and video; the popularity of genres like the blockbuster;
- demonstrate comprehension of the significance of the cinema of specific directors, the rise and impact of aesthetic trends, the social cultural and political context of filmmaking;
- show awareness of historical developments and be able to evaluate their relevance to understanding the transformations of postwar American cinema.
University of Kent makes every effort to ensure that module information is accurate for the relevant academic session and to provide educational services as described. However, courses, services and other matters may be subject to change. Please read our full disclaimer. | https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/modules/module/FI531 |
To start your evaluation, look at issues of the potential journals, other books/papers in the series, or other content published by the publisher. Scan tables of contents and check their Information for Authors or Submission pages as you ask yourself...
- What is the publication’s scope and target audience?
- Is the publication peer reviewed or refereed? If so, is it blind peer-review?
- Who else is publishing in this journal/book series/etc. (what universities, what researchers, what disciplines)?
- Where can I find the journal (i.e. where it is indexed)?
- Who is the publisher? A commercial publisher, a scholarly society, etc.?
- What is the journal or books' rank or impact in the field?
- What rights will I retain as the author if I publish here? (find more info on the Copyright for Authors tab)
- Who will be able to find and read my article? Will it have a wide reach? (find more info on the Open Access tab)
Search databases for articles and journals in your subject area
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Predatory publishing is a term for low-quality or scam publications. Berger and Cirasella describe these publications as, "primarily fee-collecting operations—they exist for that purpose and only incidentally publish articles, generally without rigorous peer review, despite claims to the contrary. Of course, low-quality publishing is not new. There have long been opportunistic publishers (e.g., vanity presses and sellers of public domain content) and deceptive publishing practices (e.g., yellow journalism and advertisements formatted to look like articles)."
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Think Check SubmitA checklist for determining if a journal is reputable.
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Directory of Open Access JournalsDOAJ is a community-curated online directory that indexes and provides access to high quality, open access, peer-reviewed journals. An example of a whitelist of quality publishers.
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Jeffrey Bealle's list of Predatory Publishers[As of 1/15/17 the list has been taken offline.] A list maintained by a University of Colorado Denver librarian tracking predatory journals. Just one method of determining a legitimate journal and should be used in combination with other methods. An example of a blacklist of publishers.
Attribution
This guide is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License by Carolyn Caffrey Gardner and Dana Opsina. | http://libguides.csudh.edu/publish |
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Endangered species list is more bad news
Click here to view an image gallery showing some of the remarkable endangered species on the 2007 Red List.
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More than one in three species assessed by the World Conservation Union is threatened with extinction, according to the group’s latest “Red List” of endangered species.
Although one species of parakeet has been brought back from the brink of extinction, it is outnumbered by examples of extremely rare species where only a few individuals – or possibly none at all – remain. The conservation group has so far assessed 41415 of the world’s species.
“The number of threatened species is continuing to go up, and we are seeing very few success stories,” warns Craig Hilton-Taylor, manager of the World Conservation Union’s (IUCN) Red List, which was updated on 12 September.
In previous years, the update has involved a handful of “good news” stories of species that are found to be less endangered than the year before. In 2007, there is only one such story, that of the Mauritius echo parakeet (Psittacula eques).
The parakeet, an iridescent green bird found only in the south-west corner of Mauritius, was one of the world’s rarest 15 years ago. The population plummeted to about 10 known birds between the 1970s and mid-1980s, at which point a consortium of conservation agencies captured a few birds and set up a captive breeding programme.
The group released 139 parakeets back into the wild between 1997 and 2005, and the wild population now numbers about 320. As a result, the IUCN this year has changed its status from “critically endangered” to “endangered”.
Rarest of the rare
Others have not been so lucky. Among the rarest bird species on Earth is the Po’o-uli (Melamprosops phaeosoma), endemic to the Hawaiian island of Maui.
In 1998, only three of these small, masked, brown-and-grey birds were known to exist. Conservation biologists in Hawaii sought to bring all three into captivity in order to breed them, but only caught one. It died in captivity in 2004 and the two others have not been seen since.
The Po’o-uli has now been classified as “critically endangered (possibly extinct)”. This is a new label which the IUCN has begun using this year. “We tend to take a very conservative approach,” explains Hilton-Taylor. “We really want to gather enough evidence before declaring a species extinct, and this takes a lot of time and investment.”
“How do you go about surveying the entire Amazon?” he asks. That is where the Spix’s macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) lives, if it is still alive. In 1990, two years after the last three wild birds had been captured to be traded as pets, a single male was discovered in the state of Bahia in northern Brazil. It had paired off with a female from a different species – a blue-winged macaw (Propyrrhura maracana) – and the pair were monitored around the clock until the female died in 2000.
“Then, he [the Spix’s macaw] disappeared,” says Hilton-Taylor. “From one day to the next, he was gone.” The IUCN has now classified the Spix’s macaw too as critically endangered (possibly extinct).
Charismatic species
“Charismatic species tend to attract funding, especially birds,” he adds. “People will go out to find a species irrespective of what we say – they love to prove us wrong.”
One such charismatic species is the Baiji (Lipotes vexillifer). Once an inhabitant of the Yangtze River in China, the dolphin’s population plummeted as the river was transformed into a shipping freeway. The decline of the Baiji has made headline news in the past few years, prompting conservation groups to attempt to locate the last remaining individuals and breed them.
In December 2006, however, an intensive six-week survey failed to find a single Baiji and, in August 2007, the researchers declared that it was probably the first cetacean to have been made extinct by human activities.
Ten days later, a Chinese man claimed to have taken video footage of a live Baiji. “I’m worried that we may get into a grey area. Like when bigfoot appears on film somewhere, but it is never verifiable,” says Samuel Turvey of the Zoological Society of London in the UK.
However, Hilton-Taylor expects the IUCN to declare the Baijii extinct if the surveys that are now scheduled to comb small tributaries of the Yangtze river fail to find any of the dolphins.
Vanishing corals
Joining the Baiji and the Po’o-uli as another example of the rarest of the rare in 2007 is Wellington’s solitary coral (Rhizopsammia wellingtoni). The coral was very common in the Galapagos Islands until the strong El Niño event in 1982-1983. El Niño is characterised by warming sea surface temperatures, which kills coral. For this reason, climate change is also a threat to their survival.
“After 1983, numbers plummeted and the coral virtually disappeared,” says Hilton-Taylor. “But as its name indicates, it is solitary, which makes it hard to find. We cannot say that, yes, it is definitely extinct, but chances are 90% of the colonies are gone.”
Corals were assessed for the first time this year by the IUCN’s network of more than 7000 conservation experts, which includes researchers and members of the public. Ten corals have been added to the Red List, two of which are critically endangered and one listed as vulnerable. The remaining seven are not threatened.
Hilton-Taylor told New Scientist that this picture would change dramatically next year, at the IUCN convention in Barcelona which takes place every four years. “A couple thousand of different species of coral will come on [the list] then,” he says.
“I know that behind the scenes things are far worse than they appear from this list,” he told New Scientist.
One species that is so rare it no longer exists is the woolly-stalked begonia (Begonia eiromischa), the only species to be declared extinct this year. The Malaysian plant is only known from collections that were made in 1886 and 1898 on Penang Island. It has not been seen in 100 years, despite extensive searches of nearby forests.
Endangered species – Learn more about the conservation battle in our comprehensive special report. | https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn12632-endangered-species-list-is-more-bad-news/ |
The COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative, a collaboration of more than 3,000 scientists from 25 countries, found that variations in six regions of the genetic code were linked with severe COVID-19, and seven could make people more susceptible to catching the virus.
The researchers looked at 46 studies from 19 countries and compared the genetic code of about 50,000 people who had COVID-19 with 2 million people who hadn't. Those with COVID-19 were split into three groups based on severity of their disease.
Nine of the regions had a clear biological explanation — some linked to the immune response and others to lung biology.
Andrea Ganna, senior researcher at the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, who led the study, told Insider that "everyone talks about the virus genome but the human genome matters."
"Usually when performing genetic analysis, there's a lot of variation but it's not clear what the genes do so it's exciting to have plausible biological explanations for the differences observed," he said, adding that further work was needed.
Ganna said that the work included underrepresented countries such as Jordan, Iran, Latvia and Pakistan, which enabled the group to find genes linked with COVID-19 that they wouldn't have otherwise. For example, two of the genetic regions that the group identified occurred in less than 3% of the European population in the dataset, but 32% of the East Asia population in the dataset.
Ganna said that the group has now examined the genes of 125,000 people with COVID-19 and found 10 more variations in the genetic code linked with COVID-19, bringing the total to 23. One was the ACE-2 COVID-19 receptor, the part of the human cell that the virus binds to, he said.
This part of the group's research hasn't been scrutinized by experts in a peer-review.
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PRESENT: All the Justices
NEIL KUCHINSKY
OPINION BY
v. Record No. 131656 JUSTICE ELIZABETH A. McCLANAHAN
April 17, 2014
VIRGINIA STATE BAR, EX REL.
THIRD DISTRICT COMMITTEE
FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE CITY OF COLONIAL HEIGHTS
Charles E. Poston, Chief Judge Designate, Ann Hunter Simpson
and Walter W. Stout III, Judges Designate
In this appeal of right from an attorney disciplinary
proceeding before a three-judge panel appointed pursuant to Code
§ 54.1-3935, we consider whether an attorney violated Rules
1.8(a), 3.4(d), and 8.4(a) of the Virginia Rules of Professional
Conduct.
I. Facts and Proceedings
A. Background and Prior Private Admonition
Neil Kuchinsky is an attorney licensed to practice law in
the Commonwealth. In March 2008, Dillwyn T. Person (“Person” or
“Dillwyn”) hired Kuchinsky to represent him in connection with
Dillwyn’s claim for a portion of his father’s estate. 1 Person
and Kuchinsky entered into a contingency fee agreement providing
that Kuchinsky would receive one-third of the first $50,000
recovered, or its fair market value, and one-fourth of anything
recovered in excess of that amount, or its fair market value.
1
Person’s father, Thomas McCoy Person, died intestate. At the
time of his passing, Thomas Person owned several parcels of land
in the City of Emporia and Greensville County, Virginia.
Kuchinsky then filed a partition suit on behalf of Person
against Person’s siblings in the Greensville County Circuit
Court. After filing the partition suit, Kuchinsky drafted a
quitclaim deed, which was executed by Person. The quitclaim
deed granted Kuchinsky a 25% interest in any “right, title, and
interest” Person may possess in the six parcels of land that
were the subject matter of the partition suit against Person’s
siblings “as well as 25% of any other real estate interest
[Person] may have that may appear of record.” The quitclaim
deed was recorded in the Greensville County Circuit Court. 2
In December 2008, the Virginia State Bar (“VSB”) received a
complaint submitted by Dillwyn’s brother, Clinton Person. The
complaint alleged that Kuchinsky’s acquisition of a 25%
quitclaim interest in the subject matter of the underlying
partition suit was a “clear conflict of interest.” In an
agreed-upon disposition, a subcommittee of the Third District
Committee, Section I, of the VSB, found that Kuchinsky violated
Rule 1.8(j) of the Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct by
2
Sometime after the quitclaim deed was recorded, Person
dismissed Kuchinsky as his counsel. However, later that year,
Person re-employed Kuchinsky and executed a second fee agreement
which stated that Person would pay Kuchinsky’s attorney’s fees
for any unproven bar complaints lodged against Kuchinsky,
reaffirmed that Kuchinsky had earned “all prior fees” (including
the 25% quitclaim interest), and waived potential conflicts of
interest in the renewed representation.
2
acquiring “a proprietary interest in the cause of action or
subject matter of litigation.” 3 As a result, Kuchinsky was
issued a private admonition without terms on February 18, 2010.
B. Events Occurring After the Private Admonition
On March 24, 2010, an Order was entered in the partition
suit between Person and his siblings appointing a Special
Commissioner for the purpose of conveying the property that was
subject to the suit. The Special Commissioner then executed a
deed conveying to Kuchinsky a 25% interest and to Person a 75%
interest in two specific parcels of real estate, 211 Wadlow
Street and 640 Clay Street in Emporia, Virginia. After the deed
was issued, Kuchinsky wrote to the Special Commissioner and
asked him to “[p]lease file ‘our’ deed as soon as possible.” 4
The Special Commissioner’s Deed was then recorded in the
Greensville County Circuit Court.
After the Special Commissioner’s deed was recorded,
Kuchinsky proceeded to file two actions against Person. First,
3
The subcommittee’s determination was based on Kuchinsky’s
acquisition of the quitclaim deed from Person, as well as his
acquisition of a similar interest from another client.
4
Initially, Kuchinsky had objected to the Special Commissioner’s
deed, stating that he intended his 25% quitclaim interest to be
a “springing attorney’s lien for legal work, not as a
proprietary interest.” Therefore, Kuchinsky argued,
“conveyances and debts set forth by the Commissioner as
transferable or payable to Neil Kuchinsky should be permitted to
be converted to a deed of trust and note” between himself and
Person.
3
Kuchinsky filed a Warrant in Debt against Person in the
Greensville County General District Court. The court entered a
default judgment against Person for $2,896 in principal, $6,756
in attorney’s fees, and $53 in court costs. The same day,
Kuchinsky recorded the default judgment as a lien against the
jointly owned properties. Secondly, Kuchinsky filed a suit
against Person in the Greensville County Circuit Court to
partition the jointly owned properties.
Before serving Person in the partition suit, Kuchinsky
sought to negotiate an agreement by which Person would pay
Kuchinsky for his interest in the properties. Prior to the
completion of that transaction, however, Person filed a
complaint with the VSB in September 2010 alleging that Kuchinsky
“took total advantage of my faith and ignorance in him for his
self-interest.” Subsequently, during the pendency of the VSB’s
investigation into Person’s complaint, Kuchinsky served Person
with notice of the partition suit. The case was referred to the
Commissioner in Chancery for Greensville County, who conducted a
hearing. 5
5
Kuchinsky and Person eventually reached an agreement whereby
Person signed a promissory note for fees and costs owed to
Kuchinsky, secured by a deed of trust. Finally, in November
2011, Kuchinsky executed and recorded a deed conveying his 25%
interest in the jointly owned properties back to Person.
Subsequently, pursuant to Kuchinsky’s request, the Greensville
County Circuit Court issued an order of nonsuit in Kuchinsky’s
partition suit against Person.
4
In June 2012, the VSB filed a Charge of Misconduct against
Kuchinsky pursuant to the Rules of the Virginia Supreme Court,
Part 6, § IV, ¶ 13-16(A). Specifically, the VSB alleged that
Kuchinsky violated Rules 1.8(a), 3.4(d), and 8.4(a) 6 through his
conduct towards Person after the issuance of the prior
6
In relevant part, the rules Kuchinsky was charged with
violating, all of which appear in Part 6, § II of the Rules of
Court, read as follows:
Rule 1.8 – Conflict of Interest: Prohibited
Transactions
(a) A lawyer shall not enter into a business
transaction with a client or knowingly acquire an
ownership, possessory, security, or other pecuniary
interest adverse to a client unless:
(1) the transaction and terms on which the lawyer
acquires the interest are fair and reasonable to
the client and are fully disclosed and
transmitted in writing to the client in a manner
which can be reasonably understood by the client;
(2) the client is given a reasonable opportunity
to seek the advice of independent counsel in the
transaction; and
(3) the client consents in writing thereto.
Rule 3.4 – Fairness to Opposing Party and Counsel
A lawyer shall not:
. . . .
(d) Knowingly disobey or advise a client to disregard
a standing rule or a ruling of a tribunal made in the
course of a proceeding, but the lawyer may take steps,
in good faith, to test the validity of such rule or
ruling.
Rule 8.4 – Misconduct
It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to:
(a) violate or attempt to violate the Rules of
Professional Conduct, knowingly assist or induce
another to do so, or do so through the acts of
another.
5
admonition. After referral to the Third District Committee,
which conducted a hearing, the Committee found, by clear and
convincing evidence, that Kuchinsky had violated Rules 1.8(a),
3.4(d), and 8.4(a) of the Rules of Professional Conduct and
issued Kuchinsky a public reprimand without terms. The District
Committee then issued a Written Determination explaining its
decision. In its Determination, the District Committee made
several findings of fact. Then, in a section titled “Nature of
Misconduct,” the District Committee listed the rules that it
found Kuchinsky had violated. Under each rule, the District
Committee stated that “[r]espondent’s actions that violated this
rule include, but are not limited to, the following” and
provided a non-exhaustive list of Kuchinsky’s actions it found
to be in violation of each rule. 7
Kuchinsky filed a notice of appeal and demand for review of
the District Committee’s determination by a three-judge panel,
pursuant to Code § 54.1-3935. 8 After each party submitted
7
The Written Determination also noted that one member of the
Committee dissented from the District Committee’s finding that
Kuchinsky violated Rule 3.4(d) by disregarding the VSB’s prior
admonition on the basis that the Committee member “did not
believe that the Committee is a ‘tribunal’ within the
contemplation of the rule.”
8
On the same day, Kuchinsky also filed a Motion to Reconsider
the District Committee’s determination on the basis that one of
the Committee members should have recused himself from the
proceedings. The District Committee denied Kuchinsky’s Motion
6
briefs, the panel heard argument and issued an Order holding
that there was substantial evidence in the record to support the
District Committee’s decision. Subsequently, the panel issued a
Memorandum Order incorporating the District Committee’s findings
of fact in full and affirming its decision.
Kuchinsky appeals.
II. Analysis
A. Standard of Review
To prove that an attorney violated the Rules of
Professional Conduct, the VSB must present clear and convincing
evidence of the violation. Livingston v. Virginia State Bar,
286 Va. 1, 10, 744 S.E.2d 220, 224 (2013). When reviewing a
disciplinary decision by a three-judge panel:
“[W]e will make an independent examination of the
whole record, giving the factual findings . . .
substantial weight and viewing them as prima facie
correct. While not given the weight of a jury
verdict, those conclusions will be sustained unless it
appears they are not justified by a reasonable view of
the evidence or are contrary to law.”
Green v. Virginia State Bar ex rel. Seventh Dist. Comm., 274 Va.
775, 783, 652 S.E.2d 118, 121 (2007) (quoting El-Amin v.
Virginia State Bar, 257 Va. 608, 612, 514 S.E.2d 163, 165
(1999)). Furthermore, “[c]onsistent with well-established
to Reconsider, and the issue raised therein is not before this
Court on appeal.
7
appellate principles, we view the evidence and all reasonable
inferences that may be drawn therefrom in the light most
favorable to the Bar, the prevailing party below.” Id.
B. Kuchinsky’s “Right to a Meaningful Appeal”
In his first assignment of error, Kuchinsky argues that he
was deprived of his right to a meaningful appeal because the
District Committee’s Determination stated under each finding of
a Rule violation: “Respondent’s actions that violated this rule
include, but are not limited to, the following.” (Emphasis
added.) Because the listings of facts which followed were not
exhaustive, Kuchinsky asserts that the three-judge panel could
not properly determine which facts the District Committee
considered in making its decision.
An attorney subject to disciplinary proceedings is entitled
to notice and the opportunity to be heard. Pappas v. Virginia
State Bar, 271 Va. 580, 587, 628 S.E.2d 534, 538 (2006). In
construing this right, we have held that “it is only necessary
that the attorney be informed of the nature of the charge
preferred against him and be given an opportunity to answer.”
Moseley v. Virginia State Bar, 280 Va. 1, 3, 694 S.E.2d 586, 589
(2010) (internal quotation marks omitted). Although we have not
previously considered the extent of an attorney’s due process
rights in the context of an appeal, we have held that “[t]he
procedures outlined in Part Six [of the Rules of the Supreme
8
Court of Virginia] ensure the integrity of the disciplinary
process and protect the rights of the attorney.” Pappas, 271
Va. at 587, 628 S.E.2d at 538.
Part 6, § IV, ¶ 13-16(Y) of the Rules of Court establishes
what a District Committee must include in its written
determination. Specifically, the Rule states:
If a District Committee finds that the evidence shows
the Respondent engaged in Misconduct by clear and
convincing evidence, then the Chair shall issue the
District Committee’s Determination, in writing,
setting forth the following:
1. Brief findings of the facts established by the
evidence;
2. The nature of the Misconduct shown by the facts so
established, including the Disciplinary Rules violated
by the Respondent; and
3. The sanctions imposed, if any, by the District
Committee.
In the case at bar, the District Committee’s Determination
satisfied each of the three requirements. It included findings
of fact, explained the nature of Kuchinsky’s misconduct that was
established by those facts, and stated what sanction was to be
imposed. Part 6, § IV, ¶ 13-16(Y) does not require that a
District Committee list the specific facts relied upon in
finding individual rule violations. Therefore, the District
Committee did not err by failing to include an exhaustive list
for each violation.
9
Furthermore, Kuchinsky’s argument that the three-judge
panel could not ascertain what facts the District Committee
considered in making its decision lacks merit. A three-judge
panel appointed pursuant to Code § 54.1-3935 reviews a District
Committee determination to determine “whether there is
substantial evidence in the record upon which the District
Committee could reasonably have found as it did.” Va. Sup. Ct.
R., Part 6, § IV, ¶ 13-19(E) (emphasis added). Thus, in
addition to the District Committee’s findings of fact, a three-
judge panel has the benefit of considering the entire record in
reviewing a District Committee’s Determination. Accordingly, we
hold that Kuchinsky was not deprived of his right to a
meaningful appeal in this case.
C. Rule 1.8(a)
Rule 1.8(a) of the Rules of Professional Conduct states
that:
10
(3) the client consents in writing thereto.
The District Committee found that Kuchinsky violated Rule
1.8(a) through his “continued ownership interest in [Person’s]
property and his pursuit of a partition of the property pursuant
to his interest as set forth in the deed” and through his
“failure to formally terminate his representation prior to
filing suit against Person in district court and circuit court.”
1. Kuchinsky Acquired a 25% Interest in Two Specific Properties
Through the Special Commissioner’s Deed
Kuchinsky argues that his continued interest in Person’s
property was not an acquisition of an interest in the property.
To violate Rule 1.8(a), an attorney must “knowingly acquire an
ownership, possessory, security or other pecuniary interest
adverse to a client.” (Emphasis added.)
While the quitclaim deed gave Kuchinsky a 25% interest in
Person’s undivided ownership interests in the six properties at
issue in the underlying partition suit against Person’s
siblings, the Special Commissioner partitioned, at Kuchinsky’s
request as counsel for Person, the various interests in those
properties. The Special Commissioner’s Deed then conveyed to
Kuchinsky a 25% interest and to Person a 75% interest in two of
the six properties - to the exclusion of Kuchinsky's other co-
tenants’ interests implicated by the execution of the quitclaim
deed, and to the exclusion of Kuchinsky’s interests in the other
11
four properties. Accordingly, Kuchinsky and Person thereafter
exclusively owned the two properties as tenants in common.
Thus, only Kuchinsky and Person had the "right to possess, use
and enjoy [these two] common propert[ies],” City of Richmond v.
Suntrust Bank, 283 Va. 439, 443, 722 S.E.2d 268, 271 (2012)
(quoting Graham v. Pierce, 60 Va. (19 Gratt.) 28, 38 (1869)).
Moreover, although Kuchinsky initially objected to the Special
Commissioner’s Deed, he later wrote a letter to the Special
Commissioner encouraging him to record it; and Kuchinsky did not
disclaim the deed after it was recorded. Through these actions,
Kuchinsky “knowingly acquire[d]” an interest in Person’s
property for purposes of Rule 1.8(a).
2. The Common Law Exceptions to the Rules of Champerty and
Maintenance do not apply to Rule 1.8(a)
Alternatively, Kuchinsky contends that his actions are
protected by the common law exception to the doctrine of
champerty and maintenance for aiding the indigent. See 3B
Michie’s Jurisprudence, Champerty and Maintenance, § 2 (“Aiding
the indigent is one of the generally recognized exceptions to
the law of maintenance.”). Because Person could not afford to
pay an attorney in advance, Kuchinsky argues that his fee
arrangement with Person falls within the exception. We
disagree.
12
In relevant part, Comment 16 to Rule 1.8 explains that
“Paragraph (j) states the traditional general rule that lawyers
are prohibited from acquiring a proprietary interest in
litigation. This general rule, which has its basis in common law
champerty and maintenance, is subject to specific exceptions
developed in decisional law and continued in these Rules.”
(Emphasis added.) However, unlike the earlier disciplinary
proceeding against Kuchinsky, the case at bar does not involve a
Rule 1.8(j) violation. There is no common law doctrine which
permits an attorney to “knowingly acquire an ownership,
possessory, security or other pecuniary interest adverse to a
client” in violation of Rule 1.8(a) simply because the client is
indigent.
3. Person was Still Kuchinsky’s Client at the Time the Offending
Conduct Occurred
Finally, Kuchinsky asserts that Person was no longer his
client at the time the offending conduct took place because
“nothing remained to be done in Person’s case” and because
Person allegedly informed Kuchinsky that he did not intend to
pay Kuchinsky for his services. We reject this argument.
During the hearing before the District Committee, Kuchinsky
testified that by the time he filed the partition suit against
Person on May 18, 2010 “[t]here may have been some rents that
remained to be divided, cash assets” from the underlying
13
partition suit between Person and his siblings. Additionally,
Kuchinsky acknowledges on brief that no final order had been
entered in the underlying partition suit when he acquired the
Special Commissioner’s deed and filed his partition suit against
Person. Finally, Kuchinsky took no steps to formally withdraw
from his representation of Person in accordance with Rule
1.16(b) before engaging in the violative conduct. 9
Therefore, Person was still Kuchinsky’s client at the time
he knowingly acquired an interest in Person’s property, and we
hold that the three-judge panel did not err in affirming the
District Committee’s finding that Kuchinsky violated Rule 1.8(a)
of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
D. Rule 8.4(a)
Rule 8.4(a) of the Rules of Professional Conduct
establishes that “[i]t is professional misconduct for a lawyer
to . . . violate or attempt to violate the Rules of Professional
Conduct, knowingly assist or induce another to do so, or do so
through the acts of another.”
As we explained in Part II.C., supra, Kuchinsky violated
Rule 1.8(a) by acquiring an interest in Person’s property
9
In relevant part, Comment 8 to Rule 1.16 states that “[a]
lawyer may withdraw if the client refuses to abide by the terms
of an agreement relating to the representation, such as an
agreement concerning fees or court costs.” Thus, although
Person allegedly informed Kuchinsky that he would not honor
their fee agreement, the representation continued absent
Kuchinsky’s withdrawal.
14
through the Special Commissioner’s Deed, by asking that the
Special Commissioner record the deed, and by pursuing a
partition of Person’s property once the deed had been recorded.
Therefore, he also committed professional misconduct under Rule
8.4(a) by violating the Rules of Professional Conduct, both
through his own acts and through the acts of the Special
Commissioner.
However, Kuchinsky argues that we should reverse the three-
judge panel’s finding that he violated Rule 8.4(a) because “a
redundancy of charges in disciplinary proceedings is
disfavored.” In support, Kuchinsky cites Morrissey v. Virginia
State Bar, 248 Va. 334, 448 S.E.2d 615 (1994). In Morrissey, a
three-judge panel found that Respondent violated DR 1-102(A)(4)
of the former Virginia Rules of Professional Responsibility,
which stated that “[a] lawyer shall not . . . [e]ngage in
conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or
misrepresentation which reflects adversely on a lawyer's fitness
to practice law.” 10 Id. at 336, 448 S.E.2d at 616. On appeal,
the VSB assigned as cross-error the panel’s failure to also find
that Respondent had violated former DR 1-102(A)(3), which
10
The panel also found that Respondent violated former DR 8-101,
which prohibited a lawyer serving in public office from
“[a]ccept[ing] anything of value” when the lawyer “knows or it
is obvious that the offer is for the purpose of influencing his
action as a public official.” However, that portion of the
opinion is not relevant to the issue presented by the case at
bar.
15
established that “[a] lawyer shall not . . . . [c]ommit a crime
or other deliberately wrongful act that reflects adversely on
the lawyer’s fitness to practice law.” Id. at 334, 448 S.E.2d
at 621. We rejected the VSB’s argument and affirmed the panel’s
decision, holding that “[a]lthough Morrissey's concealments were
deliberate and wrongful, we do not think that the language of DR
1-102(A)(3) indicates a clear intent to provide multiple
punishment for such acts under the circumstances of this case.”
Id. (citing Fitzgerald v. Commonwealth, 223 Va. 615, 635, 292
S.E.2d 798, 810 (1982)).
In contrast to the rules at issue in Morrissey, Rule 8.4(a)
clearly supports a finding that an attorney has committed
professional misconduct under Rule 8.4(a) in addition to a
finding that the attorney violated another underlying Rule of
Professional Conduct. Rule 8.4(a) states that a violation or
attempted violation of another rule is professional misconduct.
This misconduct provision would be rendered meaningless if it
did not provide for the imposition of a separate and additional
violation. It is a “well established rule of construction that
a statute ought to be interpreted in such manner that it may
have effect, and not be found vain and elusive.” McFadden v.
McNorton, 193 Va. 455, 461, 69 S.E.2d 445, 449 (1952). We
believe that the same principle applies to our interpretation of
the Rules of Professional Conduct. Accordingly, we hold that
16
the three-judge panel did not err in affirming the District
Committee’s finding that Kuchinsky violated Rule 8.4(a) of the
Rules of Professional Conduct.
E. Rule 3.4(d)
In relevant part, Rule 3.4(d) of the Rules of Professional
Conduct states that “[a] lawyer shall not . . . [k]nowingly
disobey . . . a standing rule or a ruling of a tribunal made in
the course of a proceeding, but the lawyer may take steps, in
good faith, to test the validity of such rule or ruling.”
The District Committee found that Kuchinsky violated Rule
3.4(d) by “continu[ing] to pursue his ownership interest in
Person’s property” after receiving the prior admonition from the
VSB and by failing to “divest himself of his ownership interest
[in Person’s property] until one year after he received Person’s
[bar] complaint.” However, the admonition issued to Kuchinsky
was a private admonition without terms. The admonition did not
require that Kuchinsky divest himself of his interest in
Person’s property, nor did it indicate that he must refrain from
taking additional steps to secure his interest. Rather, it
merely stated that Kuchinsky violated Rule 1.8(j) by acquiring
the original quitclaim deed from Person. Because the private
admonition issued to Kuchinsky did not include terms requiring
that Kuchinsky either take or refrain from taking any action, he
could not “knowingly disobey” the admonition. Accordingly, we
17
hold that the three-judge panel erred in affirming the District
Committee’s finding that Kuchinsky violated Rule 3.4(d) of the
Rules of Professional Conduct. 11
III. Conclusion
We affirm the three-judge panel’s decision with regard to
Rules 1.8(a) and 8.4(a), reverse its decision with regard to
Rule 3.4(d), and remand the case for reconsideration of the
sanction to be imposed.
Affirmed in part,
reversed in part,
and remanded.
11
The related issue of whether a disciplinary arm of the VSB
constitutes a “tribunal” for purposes of Rule 3.4(d) is not
before this Court on appeal.
18
| |
984 A.2d 1285 (2009)
2009 ME 135
Robert J. MULREADY
v.
BOARD OF REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS.
Docket: Ken-09-179
Supreme Judicial Court of Maine.
Argued: October 30, 2009.
Decided: December 29, 2009.
*1287 Scott J. Lynch, Esq. (orally), Homblower Lynch Rabasco & Van Dyke, P.A., Lewiston, ME, for Robert J. Mulready.
Janet T. Mills, Attorney General, Andrew L. Black, Asst. Atty. Gen. (orally), Office of the Attorney General, Augusta, ME, for the Maine Board of Real Estate Appraisers.
Panel: SAUFLEY, C.J., and ALEXANDER, LEVY, SILVER, MEAD, and GORMAN, JJ.
MEAD, J.
[¶ 1] Robert J. Mulready appeals from a judgment entered in the Superior Court (Kennebec County, Jabar, J.), affirming the decision of the Board of Real Estate Appraisers (BREA) (Bowditch, Acting Chairman) to issue a warning and order him to pay hearing costs pursuant to 10 M.R.S. §§ 8003(5-A)(A)(2), (B)(2),[1] 8003-D[2]*1288 (2008). The BREA found that Mulready violated the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and Advisory Opinions' (USPAP) Standards Rule 2-1(b)[3] and Ethics Rule on Conduct.[4] Because the two rules fall within the BREA's realm of expertise and do not plainly compel another result, and because the BREA's factual findings are supported by the record, we affirm the judgment.
I. BACKGROUND
[¶ 2] Mulready has been licensed as a certified general appraiser in Maine since January 24, 2000. In June 2005, Dead River 80 Exchange Street, LLC (Dead River) purchased an office building located at 80 Exchange Street in Bangor (80 Exchange) for $2,700,000. In April 2005, the City of Bangor's Tax Assessor (Assessor) had valued it at $6,323,600. Dead River hired Mulready to assist with the tax abatement process.
[¶ 3] In a letter dated September 6, 2005, Mulready informed the Assessor that he had been retained by Dead River regarding the assessment of 80 Exchange. The Assessor responded that he would "need a copy of the engagement letter from Dead River 80 Exchange LLC designating you as their representative," among other documents. He wrote that, without the documents, he could not discuss the assessment with Mulready or begin a review. On September 14, Dead River's asset manager sent the Assessor a letter, stating that Mulready was Dead River's "duly authorized agent ... regarding all matters related to the assessment of" 80 Exchange.
[¶ 4] In a December 18, 2005, letter, Mulready thanked the Assessor and another staff member for meeting with him on December 13 about "our application for an abatement." He also wrote:
In the last few months I have had various reasons to review several properties owned by Dead River Properties. They are well managed, well maintained and ownership has a pride in the communities they are involved in.... The building requires over $2,100,000 in capital improvements and tenant fit up to what is recognized as a tired building. Within 12 months to 24 months this property will have been returned to the market as a full Class A office building.
Mulready opined that 80 Exchange had a value of $3,500,000.
[¶ 5] The Assessor denied the abatement application on December 28, 2005. On January 22, 2006, Mulready wrote a letter to the chairperson of the Board of Assessment Review (BOAR) stating, "we wish to appeal" the abatement denial. In signing the letter, he identified himself as Dead River's "Duly Authorized Agent."
*1289 [¶ 6] On April 11, 2006, Mulready sent Dead River's attorney a "Complete Summary Appraisal Report" that he had prepared. In the cover letter transmitting his report, Mulready concluded that the market value of 80 Exchange based on a fee simple appraisal was $3,885,000. In the report itself, he stated that 80 Exchange is located in a moderate climate according to the Marshall and Swift Valuation Service (Marshall and Swift) terminology.
[¶ 7] Mulready's report was submitted as part of Dead River's appeal to the BOAR. At the beginning of the BOAR hearing, Mulready and Dead River's attorney notified the BOAR members that Mulready had made an error when calculating the gross rental area of Comparable Land Sale #2 (Comparable Sale 2). At the hearing, Dead River's attorney called Mulready as a witness. On May 9, 2006, the BOAR granted Dead River an abatement based on its determination that the original assessment had been "manifestly wrong."
[¶ 8] On May 26, 2006, Paul Linehan of Maine Valuation Company, who had reviewed Mulready's report for the City of Bangor, filed a complaint on behalf of the Assessor against Mulready with the Office of Licensing and Registration, which includes the BREA. 10 M.R.S. § 8001(38)(CC) (2008). He alleged that Mulready's report did not comply with the USPAP, that its conclusions were not properly supported, and that the results were unreliable. He also alleged that there was "some question in the assessor's mind regarding [Mulready's] initial role as a consultant`advocate'" and then acting as "an `unbiased' appraiser."
[¶ 9] In its decision approved on January 8, 2008, the BREA found that statements in Mulready's December 18, 2005, and January 22, 2006, letters, as noted above, constituted advocacy and that he had acted as an advocate for Dead River in the abatement appeal in violation of the USPAP's Ethics Rule on Conduct. The decision also noted that Mulready's report did not mention his previous work for Dead River on its abatement application. The BREA found that he "perform[ed] an appraisal to support his own advocacy." However, there were insufficient votes to find violations of six other USPAP or statutory requirements, including another portion of the Ethics Rule on Conduct.[5]
[¶ 10] Regarding the USPAP's Standards Rule 2-1(b), the BREA found that the appraisal contained several errors or omissions, which constituted a violation. First, it found that Mulready should have evaluated 80 Exchange as a leased fee, rather than as a fee simple interest. Second, it found that he should have labeled the Bangor climate as "extreme," not "moderate" per Marshall and Swift, and that he did not explain his reasoning for the departure. The BREA additionally found:
[I]t was at first unclear without supplemental information whether the respondent calculated gross rental area or net rental area regarding the subject and comparable properties. Additionally, the respondent's depreciation calculations were confusing and misleading due to a lack of information which led both the city's review assessor and an expert appraiser testifying for Mr. Mulready to question whether he had double counted for depreciation.
The decision also noted Mulready's admitted calculation errors regarding the gross rental area for Comparable Sale 2 and the acreage of Comparable Land Sale # 3 *1290 (Comparable Sale 3). For this violation and the Ethics Rule on Conduct violation, the BREA issued Mulready a warning and imposed hearing costs of $3093.75.
[¶ 11] On February 5, 2008, Mulready timely appealed to the Superior Court pursuant to M.R. Civ. P. 80C. The court found no inconsistency in the BREA's finding that Mulready had acted as an advocate and the finding that he had not violated another portion of the Ethics Rule on Conduct. The court noted that the BREA had not affirmatively concluded that Mulready had acted impartially, objectively, independently, and without accommodation of personal interest; it simply found the evidence insufficient to prove a violation of the rule.
[¶ 12] The court determined that Mulready was correct in using a fee simple calculation, rather than a leased fee calculation, a point that the State concedes. The court found nevertheless that there was sufficient evidence in the record to support the BREA's conclusion that Mulready had violated Standards Rule 2-1(b). This appeal followed.
II. DISCUSSION
A. Standard of Review
[¶ 13] "When the Superior Court acts in an intermediate capacity to review an administrative agency's decision pursuant to M.R. Civ. P. 80C, we directly review the agency's decision for errors of law, abuse of discretion, or findings not supported by substantial evidence in the record." Beauchene v. Dep't of Health & Human Servs., 2009 ME 24, ¶ 11, 965 A.2d 866, 870 (quotation marks omitted); see also Seider v. Bd. of Exam'rs of Psychologists, 2000 ME 206, ¶ 8, 762 A.2d 551, 555. Considerable deference is given "to the agency's interpretation of its own rules, regulations, and procedures, and [we] will not set aside the agency's findings unless the rule or regulation plainly compels a contrary result." Beauchene, 2009 ME 24, ¶ 11, 965 A.2d at 870 (quotation marks omitted); see also Seider, 2000 ME 206, ¶ 32, 762 A.2d at 561. We will not "second-guess the agency on matters falling within its realm of expertise." Wood v. Superintendent of Ins., 638 A.2d 67, 71 (Me.1994).
B. USPAP Ethics Rule on Conduct Violation
[¶ 14] The USPAP's standards and rules set minimum requirements for professional appraisal practice and ethics. 32 M.R.S. § 14028 (2008). The USPAP's Ethics Rule on Conduct prohibits appraisers from acting as advocates "for any party or issue." Appraisal Standards Bd., Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and Advisory Opinions, Ethics Rule (Conduct), at 7 (2005). The USPAP defines advocacy as "representing the cause or interest of another, even if that cause or interest does not necessarily coincide with one's own beliefs, opinions, conclusions, or recommendations." Id. at 1. Additionally, the commentary notes: "An appraiser may be an advocate only in support of his or her assignment results. Advocacy in any other form in appraisal practice is a violation of the Ethics Rule." Id. Ethics Rule (Conduct) cmt., at 7 (capitalization omitted).
[¶ 15] Mulready argues that the BREA's finding that he acted as an advocate contradicts its earlier finding that he had not violated another portion of the Ethics Rule on Conduct. He alleges that the BREA could not logically find that he had been an advocate for a party or issue and yet also find that he had acted impartially, objectively, independently, and without accommodation of personal interests. Therefore, he contends that the BREA's *1291 advocacy finding was arbitrary and capricious.
[¶ 16] The record, however, clearly shows that the BREA did not render an affirmative finding that Mulready acted impartially, objectively, independently, and without accommodation of personal interests. See id. Rather, there were simply insufficient votes to find that Mulready had violated this requirement. The fact that the State failed to sustain its burden of proof on this point does not constitute a contrary finding. The two votes were not inconsistent.
[¶ 17] We will defer to the BREA's interpretation of the Ethics Rule on Conduct, which is within its realm of expertise, unless the rule clearly compels a different result See Seider, 2000 ME 206, ¶ 32, 762 A.2d at 561; Wood, 638 A.2d at 71. According to the rule itself, the requirement that "[a]n appraiser must perform assignments with impartiality, objectivity, and independence, and without accommodation of personal interests" is separate from the requirement that "an appraiser must not perform as an advocate for any party or issue." USPAP, Ethics Rule (Conduct), at 7 (emphasis omitted). Mulready could have acted as an advocate during the abatement appealand the record supports the BREA's finding that he didregardless of whether his appraisal report was later performed impartially. See id. Thus, we cannot say that the Ethics Rule on Conduct "plainly compels a contrary result," and we will not second-guess the BREA's interpretation of it. Seider, 2000 ME 206, ¶ 32, 762 A.2d at 561; Wood, 638 A.2d at 71.
C. USPAP Standards Rule 2-1(b) Violation
[¶ 18] We will also defer to the BREA's interpretation of the USPAP's Standards Rule 2-1(b), which is within its realm of expertise, unless the rule clearly compels a different result. See Seider, 2000 ME 206, ¶ 32, 762 A.2d at 561; Wood, 638 A.2d at 71. Standards Rule 2-1 "contains binding requirements from which departure is not permitted." USPAP, Standards Rule 2-1, at 22 (emphasis omitted). It provides: "Each written or oral real property appraisal report must: ... (b) contain sufficient information to enable the intended users of the appraisal to understand the report properly." Id. (emphasis omitted).
[¶ 19] First, Mulready argues that the BREA was incorrect in stating that he should have evaluated 80 Exchange as a leased fee instead of a fee simple interest, a point that the State concedes. We have previously held that, for tax purposes, property should be evaluated according to its fee simple value to prevent "an unequal tax on taxpayers who own the same or similarly situated property but manage it differently." Town of Sanford v. J & N Sanford Trust, 1997 ME 97, ¶ 17, 694 A.2d 456, 461. Thus, the BREA erred in finding that Mulready should have evaluated 80 Exchange as a leased fee.
[¶ 20] However, "[w]e will not disturb a judgment if an error is harmless." Tolliver v. Dep't of Transp., 2008 ME 83, ¶ 39, 948 A.2d 1223, 1235. A preserved error is harmless "if it is highly probable that the error did not affect the judgment." Id. The BREA's error on this issue was harmless because it was not identified during the deliberations as a basis for finding a violation or determining a sanction, and because there was sufficient evidence, as discussed below, for the BREA to conclude that Mulready had violated Standards Rule 2-1(b). See id.
[¶ 21] Mulready also contends that he did not err in his calculations *1292 regarding Bangor's climate and depreciation. He argues that his report contained sufficient information on those issues and on whether he had used gross or net rentable area for Comparable Sale 3 to be understandable to the intended users. He notes that he corrected his error about the gross rental area of Comparable Sale 2 before the BOAR hearing began.
[¶ 22] Contrary to Mulready's contentions, however, he admitted at the BREA hearing that he did not note in his appraisal report that he was departing from Marshall and Swift's climate recommendation, give his rationale for doing so, or explain whether he used gross or net rentable area for Comparable Sale 3 or how he calculated it. Also, he admitted that he had made an error when calculating the acreage of Comparable Sale 3[6] and the gross rental area of Comparable Sale 2. What information is needed for a summary appraisal report to be understandable and what may be omitted are matters within the BREA's realm of expertise. See Seider, 2000 ME 206, ¶ 32, 762 A.2d at 561. Mulready's report contained some ambiguities and admitted errors, and we will not attempt to second-guess the BREA's interpretation of Standards Rule 2-1(b) that those errors and ambiguities constituted a violation of the rule. See id.; Wood, 638 A.2d at 71.
[¶ 23] His remaining argument regarding bias upon the part of a BREA member is without merit.[7]
The entry is:
Judgment affirmed.
NOTES
[1] The relevant portions of 10 M.R.S. § 8003(5-A)(A)(2), (B)(2) (2008) provide:
A. The office, board or commission may deny or refuse to renew a license, may suspend or revoke a license and may impose other discipline as authorized in this subsection for any of the following reasons:
. . . .
(2) Any gross negligence, incompetence, misconduct or violation of an applicable code of ethics or standard of practice while engaged in the occupation or profession for which the person is licensed.
. . . .
B. The office, board or commission may impose the following forms of discipline upon a licensee or applicant for licensure:
. . . .
(2) Issuance of warning, censure or reprimand. Each warning, censure or reprimand issued must be based upon violation of a single applicable law, rules or condition of licensure or must be based upon a single instance of actionable conduct or activity.
[2] The pertinent portion of 10 M.R.S. § 8003-D (2008) provides: "When there is a finding of a violation, a board or commission ... may assess the licensed person or entity for all or part of the actual expenses incurred by the board, commission or its agents for investigations and enforcement duties performed."
[3] The relevant portion of Standards Rule 2-1 provides: "Standards Rule 2-1 (This Standards Rule contains binding requirements from which departure is not permitted.) Each written or oral real property appraisal must: ... (b) contain sufficient information to enable the intended users of the appraisal to understand the report properly." Appraisal Standards Bd., Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice and Advisory Opinions (USPAP), Standards Rule 2-1, at 22 (2005) (emphasis omitted).
[4] The part of the Ethics Rule on Conduct at issue states: "In appraisal practice, an appraiser must not perform as an advocate for any party or issue." USPAP, Ethics Rule (Conduct), at 7 (emphasis omitted).
[5] An appraiser must perform assignments with impartiality, objectivity, and independence, and without accommodation of personal interests. Id. (emphasis omitted).
[6] Mulready argues that this admission should not have been included in the BREA's decision because it was not identified as an error prior to the hearing and the hearing officer stated it was not sanctionable. We conclude that it was proper for the BREA to include this error in its decision because, during cross-examination on a related issue, Mulready volunteered that he had made the mistake and how he made it, and the record supports that he did make the error.
[7] Mulready argues that a BREA member was biased against him. He claims that various statements made by that member during the deliberative process demonstrate this bias. The remarks at issue were made at the end of a lengthy hearing and, when viewed in context, simply reflect the member's views of the case's merits after a full consideration of the evidence. Mulready has not satisfied his burden in proving bias. See Liteky v. United States, 510 U.S. 540, 555-56, 114 S.Ct. 1147, 127 L.Ed.2d 474 (1994); Withrow v. Larkin, 421 U.S. 35, 47, 95 S.Ct. 1456, 43 L.Ed.2d 712 (1975); Lane Constr. Corp. v. Town of Washington, 2008 ME 45, ¶ 30, 942 A.2d 1202, 1211.
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Circular layouts are mainly used (1) if the displayed sequence itself is circular, (2) to display a non-circular sequence in a space-saving way, and (3) to show interactions between different parts of the sequence(s) using a chord diagram.
Linear
Linear layouts are more intuitive and easy to read, but may be extremely long and require zooming and panning.
ABrowse AliView Alvis BactoGenie CEpBrowser Cinteny Combo Dalliance Deep Motif Dashboard deepTools Heatmap DNAPlotter EaSeq Edgar Genome Browser Edgar Synteny Matrix Edgar Synteny Plots EnrichedHeatmap Ensembl EpiViz Galaxy HiCExplorer GBrowse GBrowse_syn GenomeView GenPlay Gepard ggBio GIVE Gremlin GView HiGlass HiPiler HUGIn IGB Integrative Genomics Viewer IRScope Island Viewer JalView JBrowse JuiceBox Juiceboxjs Lollipop Plot cBio MAGI MEME MEXPRESS MGcV MizBee MochiView MSAViewer my5c NCBI Genome Viewer NCBI Sequence Viewer ngs.plot Persephone pLogo PSU 3D Genome Browser ReadXplorer Sashimi Plot Savant Genome Browser 2 Sequence Bundles Sequence Surveyor SpliceGrapher SplicePlot SpliceSeq SynMap2 SynteBase and SynteView Synteny Explorer Two Sample Logo UCSC Genome Browser Variant View Vials Vista Dot Vista Synteny VistaPoint WashU Epigenome Browser WebLogo Xena
Space Filling
The space-filling curve is more space efficient than a circular layout and are often used to display a global overview of the genome while maintaining the spatial distribution of features. However, space-filling curves can only show one feature set, and it's hard to visually estimate the distances between two positions in a sequence.
Spatial
Spatial layouts display sequences in a 3-dimensional structure. | http://genocat.tools/attributes/layout.html |
In light of Paul Frijter’s sketpticism about the possibility of co-ordinated international action on carbon emissions and his recent offer of a wager on the outcome of international action, I thought I’d try to put the economic problem into some of the language of International Relations. After all, the problem is international, and Paul’s wager should extend to specialists therein who are willing to take it. How would the question be framed in IR.
The problem in economics terms is that of a global public good, or tragedy of the global commons. We have a resource that is not privately owned (or can not be owned) such as a village commons, fishery or atmosphere. If we assume homo economicus, or rational self interested agents then the resource will be depleted or polluted. The agents will derive private benefit in doing so, but the costs of their actions are shared amongst everyone and are therefore not taken into account. The aggregate result is not good, but this does not affect the decisions made by each individual. The desire to free ride prevents collective action. To achieve a optimal outcome when agents are homo economicus and the resource cannot be privatised, it is necessary for an external coercive power (i.e the state) to take action and ensure each person takes into account the costs of their decisions.
Now lets move to the international sphere. Instead of individual people as agents, we have sovereign states. When we assume that these states are acting only in regard to their own self interest (as civitas economicus, to coin a barbarism) we get something very similar to the assumptions of Realism. In realism the international system is anarchy because of the absence of a global state to enforce laws. The atmosphere cannot be taken under the ownership of a single sovereign state. Self interested states will free ride, and there is nothing to force them to do otherwise. Thus under the basic assumptions of rational choice/realism, the global commons will be depleted.
Yet these are assumptions. Abstractions. Very useful, but not definitive.
In economics the logic of rational actors causing a tragedy of the commons has been vindicated many times, and has been used to create policy in targeting a large number of environmental problems. But for all its usefulness there are instances where it does not explain observed phenomena. Once such instance is actually is actually found in the name we give the phenomena. If over-exploitation was inevitable on the commons they would not have survived for so long. The people involved were constrained from doing so by social norms and motivations. They forego their own interest to follow the norms and to enforce them. The observed behavior could thus not be explained if we only assumed homo economicus. Elinor Ostrom won a Riksbank prize for describing such systems of social norms and how they have operated in managing commons around the world.
Back to the international sphere. Can the relevant agents here -sovereign states – have such social motivations, and can international society have norms? The Liberal Realist [fn1]school says yes. Whilst the international system is still anarchic and states are self interested, they are constrained by norms in the society of nations. Clearly there are situations where this is true. There is no world state to enforce international law, but it still has effect. Sovereignty itself is a norm that formed in early modern Europe. The self interest of participants is insufficient to explain all participants in Afghanistan or the NATO mission in Libya, but changing norms might. So whilst the basic realist assumptions can be used to understand the behaviour of nations in many contexts, it is not always sufficient.
The question is whether international norms are, or can be, sufficient to prompt enough agents in the international society to take action. More importantly can actions, weak in themselves (such as the carbon price about the be legislated by the Australian government or the European ETS) play a role in creating and enforcing a norm of environmental behavior? Paul clearly thinks not, that the urge the free ride is too strong or that an international norm would take too long to develop to prevent enough emissions. More optimistic takes would cite the stated motivations of the Chinese government, especially the way the Australian scheme is referenced. Is there such an optimist from IR to take Paul’s bet?
I’ll stick my own opinion in here. As far as the Australian scheme goes, the net costs are small and the prospective returns from global action are very large. I’m therefore of the opinion that even quite pessimistic possibilities of the scheme contributing to a global solution would result in a payoff matrix where the scheme is worthwhile. If odds are long but the payoff is sufficiently big, the bet is still worth taking. The payoff in Paul’s bet is mainly gloating value (given the money is going to charity either way), something that I’d value quite poorly. I won’t risk $1000 for that privilege. Investigating adaptation or geoengineering as an insurance policy would still be prudent.
[fn1] Including Hedley Bull, to whose work the title of this post alludes. | https://clubtroppo.com.au/2011/10/07/the-anarchic-society-and-the-global-commons/ |
ISOMERISM, in chemistry. When Wohler, in 1825, analysed his cyanic acid, and Liebig his quite different fulminic acid in 1824, the composition of both compounds proved to be absolutely the same, containing each in round numbers 28% of carbon, 33% of nitrogen, 37% of oxygen and 2% of hydrogen. This fact, inconsistent with the then dominating conception that difference in qualities was due to difference in chemical composition, was soon corroborated by others of analogous nature, and so Berzelius introduced the term isomerism (Gr. tcro^uepijs, composed of equal parts) to denominate the existence of the property of substances having different qualities, in chemical behaviour as well as physical, notwithstanding identity in chemical composition. These phenomena were quite in accordance with the atomic conception of matter, since a compound containing the same number of atoms of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen as another in the same weight might differ in internal structure by different arrangements of those atoms. Even in the time of Berzelius the newly introduced conception proved to include two different groups of facts. The one group included those isomers where the identity in composition was accompanied by identity in molecular weight, i.e. the vapour densities of the isomeis were the same, as in butylene and isobutylene, to take the most simple case; here the molecular conception admits that the isolated groups in which the atoms are united, i.e. the molecules, are identical, and so the molecule of both butylene and isobutylene is indicated by the same chemical symbol C4H 8 , expressing that each molecule contains, in both cases, four atoms of carbon (C) and eight of hydrogen (H). This group of isomers was denominated melamers by Berzelius, and now often " isomers " (in the restricted sense), whereas the term polymerism (Gr. iroXiis, many) was chosen for compounds like butylene, C^s, and ethylene, CiKt, corresponding to the same composition in weight but differing in molecular formula, and having different densities in gas or vapour, a litre of butylene and isobutylene weighing, for instance, under ordinary temperature and pressure, about 2-5 gr., ethylene only one-half as much, since density is proportional to molecular weight.
A further distinction is necessary to a survey of the subdivisions of isomerism regarded in its widest sense. There are subtle and more subtle differences causing isomerism. In the case of metamerism we can imagine that the atoms are differently linked, say in the case of butylene that the atoms of carbon are joined together as a continuous chain, expressed by -C-C-C-C-, normally as it is called, whereas in isobutylene the fourth atom of carbon is not attached to the third but to the Q_ second carbon atom, i.e. -C-C<^ C _- Now there are cases in which analogy of internal structure goes so far as to exclude even that difference in linking, the only remaining possibility then being the difference in relative position. This kind of isomerism has been denominated stereoisomerism (q.v.) often stereomerism. But there is a last group belonging here in which identity of structure goes farthest. There are substances such as sulphur, showing difference of modification in crystalline state the ordinary rhombic form in which sulphur occurs as a mineral, while, after melting and cooling, long needles appear which belong to the monosymmetric system. These differences, which go .hand in hand with those] in other properties, e.g. specific heat and specific gravity, are absolutely confined to the crystalline state, disappearing with it when both modifications of sulphur are melted, or dissolved in carbon disulphide or evaporated. So it is natural to admit that here we have to deal with identical molecules, but that only the internal arrangement differs from case to case as identical balls may be grouped in different ways. This case of difference in properties combined with identical composition is therefore called polymorphism.
To summarize, we have to deal with polymerism, metamerism, stereoisomerism, polymorphism; whereas phenomena denominated tautomerism, pseudomerism and desmotropism form different particular features of metamerism, as well as the phenomena of allotropy, which is merely the difference of properties which an element may show, and can be due to polymerism, as in oxygen, where by the side of the ordinary form with molecules C>2, we have the more active ozone with Os. Polymorphism in the case of an element is illustrated in the case of sulphur, whereas metamerism in the case of elements has so far as yet not been observed; and is hardly probable, as most elements are built up, like the metals, from molecules containing only one atom per molecule; here metamerism is absolutely excluded, and a considerable number of the rest, having diatomic molecules, are about in the same condition. It is only in cases like sulphur with octatomic molecules, where a difference of internal structure might play a part.
Before entering into detail it may be useful to consider the nature of isomerism from a general standpoint. It is probable that the whole phenomenon of isomerism is due to the possibility that compounds or systems which in reality are unstable yet persist, or so slowly change that practically one can speak of their stability; for instance, such systems as explosives and a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen, where the stable form is water, and in which, according to some, a slow but until now undetected change takes place even at ordinary temperatures. Consequently, of each pair of isomers we may establish beforehand which is the more stable; either in particular circumstances, a direct change taking place, as, for instance, with maleic acid, which when exposed to sunlight in presence of a trace of bromine, yields the isomeric fumaric acid almost at once, or, indirectly, one may conclude that the isomer which forms under greater heat-development is the more stable, at least at lower temperatures. Now, whether a real, though undetected, change occurs is a question to be determined from case to case; it is certain, however, that a substance like aragonite (a mineral form of calcium carbonate) has sensibly persisted in geological periods, though the polymorphous calcite is the more stable form. Nevertheless, the theoretical possibility, and its realization in many cases, has brought considerations to the front which have recently become of predominant interest; consequently the possible transformations of isomers and polymers will be considered later under the denomination of reversible or dynamical isomerisms.
Especially prominent is the fact that polymerism and metamerism are mainly reserved to the domain of organic chemistry, or the chemistry of carbon, both being discovered there; and, more especially, the phenomenon of metamerism in organic chemistry has largely developed our notions concerning the structure of matter. That this particular feature belongs to carbon compounds is due to a property of carbon which characterizes the whole of organic chemistry, i.e. that atoms attached to carbon, to express it in the atomic style, cling more intensely to it than, for instance, when combined with oxygen. This explains a good deal of the possible instability; and, from a practical point of view, it coincides with the fact that such a large amount of energy can be stored in our most intense explosives such as dynamite, the explanation being that hydrogen is attached to carbon distant from oxygen in the same molecule, and that only the characteristic resistance of the carbon linkage prevents the hydrogen from burning, which is the main occurrence in the explosion of dynamite. The possession of this peculiar property by carbon seems to be related to its high valency, amounting to four; and, generally, when we consider the most primitive expression of isomerism, viz. the allotropy of elements, we meet this increasing resistance with increasing valency. The monovalent iodine, for instance, is transformed by heating into an allotropic form, corresponding to the formula I, whereas ordinary iodine answers to 12. Now these modifications show hardly any tendency to persist, the one stable at high temperatures being formed at elevated temperatures, but changing in the reverse sense on cooling. In the divalent oxygen we meet with the modification called ozone, which, although unstable, changes but slowly into oxygen. Similarly the trivalent phosphorus in the ordinary white form shows such resistance as if it were practically stable; on the other hand the red modification is in reality also stable, being formed, for instance, under the influence of light. In the case of the quadrivalent carbon, diamond seems to be the stable form at ordinary temperatures, but one may wait long before it is formed from graphite.
This connexion of isomerism with resistant linking, and of this with high valency, explains, in considerable measure, why inorganic compounds afforded, as a rule, no phenomena of this kind until the systematic investigation of metallic compounds by Werner brought to light many instances of isomerism in inorganic compounds. Whereas carbon renders isomerism possible in organic compounds, cobalt and platinum are the determining elements in inorganic chemistry, the phenomena being exhibited especially by complex ammoniacal derivatives. The constitution of these inorganic isomers is still somewhat questionable; and in addition it seems that polymerism, metamerism and stereoisomerism play a part here, but the general feature is that cobalt and platinum act in them with high valency, probably exceeding four. The most simple case is presented by the two platinum compounds PtClj(NHj)2, the platosemidiammine chloride of Peyrone, and the platosammine chloride of Jules Reiset, the first formed according to the equation PtCl4K2+2NH3 = PtCl2(NH 3 )2+2KCl, the second according to Pt(NH3) 4 Cl2 = PtCl 2 (NH 3 ) 2 +2NH3, these compounds differing in solubility, the one dissolving in 33, the other in 160 parts of boiling water. With cobalt the most simple case was discovered in 1892 by S. Jorgensen in the second dinitrotetramminecobalt chloride, [Co(NO 2 ) 2 (NH 3 )4]Cl, designated as flavo whereas the older isomer of Gibbs was distinguished as croceo-salt. An interesting lecture on the subject was delivered by A. Werner before the German chemical society (Ber., 1907, 40, p. 15). (See COBALT; platinum.)
Dealing with organic compounds, it is metamerism that deserves chief attention, as it has largely developed our notions as to molecular structure. Polymerism required no particular explanation, since this was given by the difference in molecular magnitude. One general remark, however, may be made here. There are polymers which have hardly any inter-relations other than identity in composition; on the other hand, there are others which are related by the possibility of mutual transformation; examples of this kind are cyanic acid (CNOH) and cyanuric acid (CNOH)s, the latter being a solid which readily transforms into the former on heating as an easily condensable vapour; the reverse transformation may also be realized; and the polymers methylene oxide (CH2O) and trioxymethylene (CH2O)j. In the first group we may mention the homologous series of hydrocarbons derived from ethylene, given by the general formula C n H2n, and the two compounds methylene-oxide and honey-sugar CeH^Oe. The cases of mutual transformation are generally characterized by the fact that in the compound of higher molecular weight no new links of carbon with carbon are introduced, the trioxymethylene being probably O<^ CH ^Q^>CH 2 , whereas honey-sugar corresponds to CH 2 OH-CHOH-CHOH-CHOH-CHOH-CHO, each point representing a linking of the carbon atom to the next. This observation is closely related to the above-mentioned resistivity of the carbon-link, and corroborates it in a special case. As carbon tends to hold the atom attached to it, one may presume that this property expresses itself in a predominant way where the other element is carbon also, and so the linkage represented by C C is one of the most difficult to loosen.
The conception of metamerism, or isomerism in restricted sense, has been of the highest value for the development of our notions concerning molecular structure, i.e. the conception as to the order in which the atoms composing a molecule are linked together. In this article we shall confine ourselves to the fatty compounds, from which the fundamental notions were first obtained; reference may be made to the article CHEMISTRY: Organic, for the general structural relations of organic compounds, both fatty and aromatic.
A general philosophical interest is attached to the phenomena of isomerism. By Wilhelm Ostwald especially, attempts have been made to substitute the notion of atoms and molecular structure by less hypothetical conceptions; these ideas may some day receive thorough confirmation, and when this occurs science will receive a striking impetus. The phenomenon of isomerism will probably supply the crucial test, at least for the chemist, and the question will be whether the Ostwaldian conception, while substituting the Daltonian hypothesis, will also explain isomerism. An early step accomplished by Ostwald in this direction is to define ozone in its relation to oxygen, considering the former as differing from the latter by an excess of energy, measurable as heat of transformation, instead of defining the difference as diatomic molecules in oxygen, and triatomic in ozone. Now, in this case, the first definition expresses much better the whole chemical behaviour of ozone, which is that of " energetic " oxygen, while the second only includes the fact of higher vapour-density; but in applying the first definition to organic compounds and calling isobutylene " butylene with somewhat more energy " hardly anything is indicated, and all the advantages of the atomic conception the possibility of exactly predicting how many isomers a given formula includes and how you may get them are lost.
To Kekule is due the credit of taking the decisive step in introducing the notion of tetravalent carbon in a clear way, i.e. in the property of carbon to combine with four different monatomic elements at once, whereas nitrogen can only hold three (or in some cases five), oxygen two (in some cases four), hydrogen one. This conception has rendered possible a clear idea of the linking or internal structure of the molecule, for example, in the most simple case, methane, CH^, is expressed by i H-C-H l H It is by this conception that possible and impossible compounds are at once fixed. Considering the hydrocarbons given by the general formula dH v , the internal linkages of the carbon atoms need at least x i bonds, using up 2(x i) valencies of the 4* to be accounted for, and thus leaving no more than 2(x+i) for binding hydrogen: a compound CsH 9 is therefore impossible, and indeed has never been met. The second prediction is the possibility of metamerism, and the number of metamers, in a given case among compounds, which are realizable. Considering the predicted series of compounds C n H2n+2, which is the well-known homologous series of methane, the first member, the possible of isomerism lies in that of a different linking of the carbon atoms. This first presents itself when four are present, i.e. in the difference between C C C C C-C-t and i . With this compound C^io, named butane, isomerism is actually observed, being limited to a pair, whereas the former members ethane, CzHe, and propane, CjHs, showed no isomerism. Similarly, pentane, CsH^, and hexane, CeHu, may exist in three and five theoretically isomeric forms respectively; confirmation of this theory is supplied by the fact that all these compounds have been obtained, but no more. The third most valuable indication which molecular structure gives about these isomers is how to prepare them, for instance, that normal hexane, represented by CH 3 -CH 2 -CH 2 -CH 2 -CH2-CH 3 , may be obtained by action of sodium on propyl iodide, CH 3 -CH 2 -CH2-I, the atoms of iodine being removed from two molecules of propyl iodide, with the resulting fusion of the two systems of three carbon atoms into a chain of six carbon atoms. But it is not only the formation of different isomers which is included in their constitution, but also the different ways in which they will decompose or give other products. As an example another series of organic compounds may be taken, viz. that of the alcohols, which only differ from the hydrocarbons by having a group OH, called hydroxyl, instead of H, hydrogen; these compounds, when derived from the above methane series of hydrocarbons, are expressed by the general formula C n H2 n +iOH. In this case it is readily seen that isomerism introduces itself in the three carbon atom derivative: the propyl alcohols, expressed by the formulae CH 3 -CH 2 -CH2OHandCH 3 -CHOH-CH 3 , are known as propyl and isopropyl alcohol respectively. Now in oxidizing, or introducing more oxygen, for instance, by means of a mixture of sulphuric acid and potassium bichromate, and admitting that oxygen acts on both compounds in analogous ways, the two alcohols may give (as they lose two atoms of hydrogen) CH 3 -CH 2 -COH and CH 3 CO-CH 3 . The first compound, containing a group COH, or more explicitly O = C H, is an aldehyde, having a pronounced reducing power, producing silver from the oxide, and is therefore called propylaldehyde; the second compound containing the group C-CO-C behaves differently but just as characteristically, and is a ketone, it is therefore denominated propylketone (also acetone or dimethyl ketone). And so, as a rule, from isomeric alcohols, those containing a group CH2-OH, yield by oxidation aldehydes and are distinguished by the name primary; whereas those containing CH-OH, called secondary, produce ketones. (Compare CHEMISTRY: Organic.)
The above examples may illustrate how, in a general way, chemical properties of isomers, their formation as well as transformation, may be read in the structure formula. It is different, however, with physical properties, density, etc.; at present we have no fixed rules which enable us to predict quantitatively the differences in physical properties corresponding to a given difference in structure, the only general rule being that those differences are not large.
Perhaps a satisfactory point of view may be here obtained by applying the van der Waals' equation A(P+a/V 2 )(V 6) =2T, which connects volume V, pressure P and temperature T (see CONDENSATION OF GASES). In this equation a relates to molecular attraction; and it is not improbable that in isomeric molecules, containing in sum the same amount of the same atoms, those mutual attractions are approximately the same, whereas the chief difference lies in the value of b, that is, the volume occupied by the molecule itself. For what reason this volume may differ from case to case lies close at hand; in connexion with the notion of negative and positive atoms, like chlorine and hydrogen, experience tends to show that the former, as well as the latter, have a mutual repulsive power, but the former acts on the latter in the opposite sense; the necessary consequence is that, when those negative and positive groups are distributed in the molecule, its volume will be smaller than if the negative elements are heaped together. An example may prove this, but before quoting it, the question of determining 6 must be decided ; this results immediately from the above quotation, b being the volume V at the absolute zero (T = 0); so the volume of isomers ought to be compared at the absolute zero. Since this has not been done we must adopt the approximate rule that the volume at absolute zero is proportional to that at the boiling-point. Now taking the isomers H 3 C-CC1 3 (M, = 108) and C1H S C-CHC1 2 (M, = 103), we see the negative chlorine atoms heaped up in the left hand formula, but distributed in the second ; the former therefore may be presumed to occupy a larger space, the molecular volume, that is, the volume, in cubic centimetres occupied by the molecular weight in grams, actually being 108 in the former, and 103 in the latter case (compare CHEMISTRY : Physical). An analogous remark applies to the boiling-point of isomers. According to the above formula the critical temperature is given by 8aA/54i, and as the critical temperature is approximately proportional to the boiling-point, both being estimated on the absolute scale of temperature, we may conclude that the larger value of b corresponds to the lower boilingpoint and indeed the isomer corresponding to the left-hand formula boils at 74, the other at 114. Other physical properties might be considered; as a general rule they depend upon the distribution of negative and positive elements in the molecule.
Reversible (dynamical) Isomerism. Certain investigations on isomerism which have become especially prominent in recent times bear on the possibility of the mutual transformation of isomers. As soon as this reversibility is introduced, general laws related to thermodynamics are applicable (see CHEMICAL ACTION; ENERGETICS). These laws have the advantage of being applicable to the mutual transformations of isomers, whatever be the nature of the deeper origin, and so bring polymerism, metamerism and polymorphism together. As they are pursued furthest in the last case, this may be used as an example. The study of polymorphism has been especially pursued by Otto Lehmann, who proved that it is an almost general property; the variety of forms which a given substance may show is often great, ammonium nitrate, for instance, showing at least four of them before melting. The general rule which correlates this polymorphic change is that its direction changes at a given temperature. For example, sulphur is stable in the rhombic form till 95-4, from then upwards it tends to change over into the prismatic form. The phenomenon absolutely corresponds to that of fusion and solidification, only that it generally takes place less quickly; consequently we may have prismatic sulphur at ordinary temperature for some time, as well as rhombic sulphur at 100. This may be expressed in 95'4 the chosen case by a symbol: " rhombic sulphur _ prismatic sulphur," indicating that there is equilibrium at the so-called " transition-point," 95-4, and opposite change below and above. This comparison with fusion introduces a second notion, that of the " triple-point," this being in the melting-phenomenon the only temperature at which solid, liquid and vapour are in equilibrium, in other words, where three phases of one substance are co-existent. This temperature is somewhat different from the ordinary melting-point, the latter corresponding to atmospheric pressure, the former to the maximum vapour-pressure; and so we come to a third relation for polymorphism. Just as the melting-point changes with pressure, the transition-point also changes; even the same quantitative relation holds for both, as L. J. Reicher proved with sulphur: aT/aP = AwT/?, being the change in volume which accompanies the change from rhombic to prismatic sulphur, and q the heat absorbed. Both formula and experiment proved that an increase of pressure of one atmosphere elevated the transition point for about 004. The same laws apply to cases of more complicated nature, and one of them, which deserves to be pursued further, is the mutual transformation of cyanuric acid, CjH s N 3 Oj, cyanic acid, CHNO, and cyamelide (CHNO)*; the first corresponding to prismatic sulphur, stable at higher temperatures, the last to rhombic, the equilibrium-symbol being: cyamelide > cyanuric acid; the cyanic acid corresponds to sulphur vapour, being in equilibrium with either cyamelide or cyanuric acid at a maximum pressure, definite for each temperature.
A second law for these mutual transformations is that when they take place without loss of homogeneity, for example, in the liquid state, the definite transition point disappears and the change is gradual. This seems to be the case with molten sulphur, which, when heated, becomes dark-coloured and plastic; and also in the case of metals, which obtain or lose magnetic properties without loss of continuous structure. At the same time, however, the transition point sometimes reappears even in the liquid state; in such cases two layers are formed, as has been recently observed with sulphur, and by F. M. Jager in complicated organic compounds. Thus the introduction of heterogeneity, or the appearance of a new phase, demands the existence of a fixed temperature of transformation.
On the basis of the relation between physical phenomena and thermodynamical laws, properties of the polymorphous compounds may be predicted. The chief consideration here is that the stable form must have the lower vapour pressure, otherwise, by distillation, it would transform in opposite sense. From this it follows that the stable form must have the higher melting-point, since at the melting-point the vapour of the solid and of the liquid have the same pressure. Thus prismatic sulphur has a higher melting-point (120) than the rhombic form (116), and it is even possible to calculate the difference theoretically from the thermodynamic relations. A third consequence is that the stable form must have the smaller solubility: J. Meyer and J. N. Bronstedt found that at 25, 10 c.c. of benzene dissolved 0-25 and 0-18 gr. of prismatic and rhombic sulphur respectively. It can be easily seen that this ratio, according to Henry's law, must correspond to that of vapour-pressures, and so be independent of the solvent; in fact, in alcohol the figures are 0-0066 and 0-0052. Recently Hermann Walther Nernst has been able to deduce the transitionpoint in the case of sulphur from the specific heat and the heat developed in the transition only. This best studied case shows that a number of mutual relations are to be found between the properties of two modifications when once the phenomenon of mutual transformation is accessible.
In ordinary isomers indications of mutual transformation often occur; and among these the predominant fact is that denoted as tautomerism or pseudomerism. It exhibits itself in the peculiar behaviour of some organic compounds containing the group -C-CO-C-, e.g. CH 3 CO-CHX-C0 2 C 2 H 6 , derivatives of acetoacetic ester. These compounds generally behave as ketones; but at the same time they may act as alcohols, i.e. as if containing the OH group; this leads to the formula H 3 C-C(OH):CX-CO 2 C 2 H5. In reality such tautomeric compounds are apparently a mixture of two isomers in equilibrium, and indeed in some cases both forms have been isolated; then one speaks of desmotropy (Gr. Setr/ws, a bond or link, and rpoiri?, a turn or change). Nevertheless, the relations obtained in reversible cases such as sulphur have not yet found application in the highly interesting cases of ordinary irreversible isomerism. | https://www.maximapedia.com/i/isomerism.html |
By Lydie Honorine. Circuit. Publised at Friday, December 22nd 2017, 23:34:06 PM. An electric current is defined as free flow of electrons and the motivating force behind that free flow of electrons is called Voltage. Voltage is the measurement of potential energy that would move the electrons between two points. Voltage is the push that the electrons require to move within a circuit. Voltage is measured by Volt and Current is measured by Ampere.
By Madeleine Catherine. Diagram. Publised at Wednesday, July 05th 2017, 04:09:04 AM. A wiring diagram is sometimes helpful to illustrate how a schematic can be realized in a prototype or production environment. A proper wiring diagram will be labeled and show connections in a way that prevents confusion about how connections are made. Typically they are designed for end-users or installers. They focus on connections rather than components
By Jessica Mireille. Diode. Published at Tuesday, December 26th 2017, 13:27:35 PM. If you are handling real diodes to build a circuit, you have to figure out which way to point the diode. Real-world diodes are so small there isn’t room to paint a little diode symbol on them, so you need to identify the terminals some other way.
By Lydie Honorine. Power. Published at Tuesday, December 26th 2017, 13:24:59 PM. In shunt regulation a resistor is typically placed in series with the load and the unregulated voltage. The resistor is small enough so that the load could always receive somewhat more than the maximum current it would ever need. The shunt regulator is placed across the load and conducts excess current around the load such that the voltage across the load remains a constant as the load draws the actual current at any given time. A common shunt regulator is a Zener diode which is an example of an open loop system. Feedback control can also be used to drive the current through the control element (a transistor) across the load. Shunt regulators are generally only used for low power applications because they can be very inefficient. However, shunt regulators have an inherent fault current limiting feature and also can regulate even if the load is forcing current into the regulator rather than drawing current from it. Shunt regulators also have an interesting feature that the input current is constant – independent of load current (except if a load fault occurs – but that is a special case not in normal operation). Thus shunt regulators are very good at isolating a load with rapid and large current fluctuations.
By Madeleine Catherine. Amplifier. Published at Tuesday, December 26th 2017, 13:03:24 PM. The power amplifier works on the basic principle of converting the DC power drawn from the power supply into an AC voltage signal delivered to the load. Although the amplification is high the efficiency of the conversion from the DC power supply input to the AC voltage signal output is usually poor.
By Jessica Mireille. Power. Published at Tuesday, December 26th 2017, 11:44:41 AM. The maximum current required in an application should be carefully considered when selecting an IC regulator. The load current specification for an IC regulator will be defined as either a single value or a value that is dependent on input-output voltage differential (this is detailed in the following section on protection circuits).
By Madeleine Catherine. Circuit. Published at Tuesday, December 26th 2017, 10:11:25 AM. An intuitive way to understand the behavior of voltage and current in electronic circuits is to use hydrodynamic systems as an analogue. In this system, voltage is represented by gravitational potential or height of the fluid column, and current is represented by the fluid flow rate.
By Valentine Sybille. Diagram. Published at Tuesday, December 26th 2017, 09:36:01 AM. As discussed earlier, a digital circuit represents and manipulates information encoded as electric signals that can assume one of two voltages – logic-high voltage (or Vdd) and logic-low voltage (or GND). A digital circuit requires a power supply that can produce these two voltages, and these same supply voltages are also used to encode information in the form of two-state, or binary signals. Thus,if a given circuit node is at Vdd, then that signal is said to carry a logic ‘1’; if the node is at GND, then the node carries a logic ‘0’. The components in digital circuits are simple on/off switches that can pass logic ‘1’ and logic ‘0’ signals from one circuit node to another. Most typically, these switches are arranged to combine input signals to produce an output signal according to basic logic relationships. For example, one well-known logic circuit is an AND gate that combines two input signals to produce an output that is the logic AND of the inputs (i.e., if both input1 and input2 are a ‘1’, then the output is a ‘1’).
By Valentine Sybille. Power. Published at Tuesday, December 26th 2017, 09:34:55 AM. It is possible for RO to be negative – an undesirable characteristic often caused by poor layout design in the regulator wiring resulting in inadvertent positive feedback. With negative output resistance the output voltage increases with the load current.
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NetID Two-Factor Authentication adds a second layer of security to your NetID Account. Verifying your identity using a second factor (like your phone or other mobile device) prevents anyone but you from logging in, even if they know your password.
Learn more about NetID Two-Factor Authentication and enroll in the service by visiting https://services.tamu.edu/duo-enroll/.
If you are a campus IT Professional, and would like to add Two-Factor Authentication to your services, please visit the Infrastructure website to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions about NetID Two-Factor Authentication are available in the Knowledge Base. | https://it.tamu.edu/services/accounts-and-id-management/authentication-authorization/netid-two-factor-authentication/ |
Eruptions of gas or steam and non-juvenile debris are common in volcanic and hydrothermal areas. From reports of non-juvenile eruptions or eruptive sequences world-wide, at least three types (or end-members) can be identified: (1) those involving rock and liquid water initially at boiling-point temperatures (‘boiling-point eruptions’); (2) those powered by gas (primarily water vapor) at initial temperatures approaching magmatic (‘gas eruptions’); and (3) those caused by rapid mixing of hot rock and ground- or surface water (‘mixing eruptions’). For these eruption types, the mechanical energy released, final temperatures, liquid water contents and maximum theoretical velocities are compared by assuming that the erupting mixtures of rock and fluid thermally equilibrate, then decompress isentropically from initial, near-surface pressure (≤10 MPa) to atmospheric pressure. Maximum mechanical energy release is by far greatest for gas eruptions (≤∼1.3 MJ/kg of fluid-rock mixture)-about one-half that of an equivalent mass of gunpowder and one-fourth that of TNT. It is somewhat less for mixing eruptions (≤∼0.4 MJ/kg), and least for boiling-point eruptions (≤∼0.25 MJ/kg). The final water contents of crupted boiling-point mixtures are usually high, producing wet, sloppy deposits. Final erupted mixtures from gas eruptions are nearly always dry, whereas those from mixing eruptions vary from wet to dry. If all the enthalpy released in the eruptions were converted to kinetic energy, the final velocity (vmax) of these mixtures could range up to 670 m/s for boiling-point eruptions and 1820 m/s for gas eruptions (highest for high initial pressure and mass fractions of rock (mr) near zero). For mixing eruptions, vmax ranges up to 1150 m/s. All observed eruption velocities are less than 400 m/s, largely because (1) most solid material is expelled when mr is high, hence vmax is low; (2) observations are made of large blocks the velocities of which may be less than the average for the mixture; (3) heat from solid particles is not efficiently transferred to the fluid during the eruptions; and (4) maximum velocities are reduced by choked flow or friction in the conduit. | https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70019011 |
The Australian Public Service (APS) Remuneration Report 2021 presents a summary of remuneration paid to APS employees under the Public Service Act 1999 as at 31 December 2021. The report provides APS agencies with data that informs their remuneration practices.
This annual report builds on several years of trend information and serves as an important public record for the APS.
Peter Woolcott AO
Australian Public Service Commissioner
August 2022
APS remuneration at a glance 2021
All remuneration components, weighted median change 2020 to 2021
|Classification||Non-SES||SES||All|
|Base salary||3.0%||4.2%||3.0%|
|Total rem. package||2.6%||2.2%||2.5%|
|Total reward||2.7%||2.1%||2.7%|
Average Base Salary comparison by gender
|Classification||Gender||Average base salary||% between genders|
|APS 4||Female||$74,511||-0.2%|
|Male||$74,382|
|APS 5||Female||$81,719||-0.3%|
|Male||$81,478|
|APS 6||Female||$94,710||0.2%|
|Male||$94,915|
|EL 1||Female||$118,661||0.5%|
|Male||$119,312|
Note: % difference between genders is the difference between male and female average Base Salaries expressed as a % of male earnings. APS 4 - APS 6 and EL 1 classifications make up 77.4% of employees.
Executive summary
Key findings for 2021
- The weighted median Base Salary increase across the APS was 3%. This reflects a weighted median increase of 3% for non-Senior Executive Service (SES) employees and 4.2% for SES employees.
- The weighted median Total Reward increase was 2.7% for non-SES employees and 2.1% for SES employees.
- The difference in overall average remuneration between genders decreased from 6.6% in 2020 to 6% in 2021. A continuing increase in female representation at most senior classifications has influenced this change.
- Over 100,000 employees, or 71% of employees, had their salary set in a determination made under the Public Service Act 1999 while continuing to receive other terms and conditions through an enterprise agreement (or other employment instrument) that had passed its nominal expiry date. Sixty-five agencies provided remuneration increases to employees through a determination rather than bargaining new enterprise agreements.
- 1,100 employees, or 0.8% of employees, were paid a performance bonus. Changes to reporting (which are outlined in the next section) dramatically reduced the number of non-SES performance bonuses reported.
- The number of SES performance bonuses reported remained relatively stable at 115, or 4% of SES employees (compared to 4.2% in 2020).
Influences on the 2021 results
- In 2020 the Australian Government made a decision to defer non-SES general wage increases by six months in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The deferral of non-SES wage increases resulted in the majority of non-SES employees (61%) receiving two wage increases in 2021 – the deferred 2020 increase and the scheduled 2021 increase. These employees received total wage increases of between 3.7% and 4% in 2021.
- In June 2021, the Government lifted a suspension of SES remuneration increases that had been in effect from March 2020. This allowed agencies to resume general wage increases and performance-based increment progression (where available) for SES employees.
- There was a continued trend to repackage motor vehicle related allowances into SES Base Salaries in some agencies. During 2021, the proportion of SES employees paid a motor vehicle related allowance declined by over 10%. This continued a trend seen in previous remuneration reports.
- The reporting of performance bonuses for 2021 was changed to exclude fixed payments made to employees at the top of their salary scale in lieu of increment progression. Almost all of these payments were made to non-SES employees covered by enterprise agreements.
For the purposes of determining whole-of-APS, non-SES and SES median percentage changes, medians of classifications are weighted to account for the number of employees at each classification and calculate an overall value for each group. These are referred to as ‘weighted median’ throughout this report. A ‘weighted median’ differs from a ‘median’ which is the actual midpoint of all values. | https://www.apsc.gov.au/remuneration-reports/australian-public-service-remuneration-report-2021 |
Viviparous vs Oviparous
Animals being born to the world, primarily to perform reproduction that ensures their existence. The way they being exposed to the challenging world are of five types. In other words, there are five modes of reproduction in animals. Viviparous and oviparous are two of those modes. This article explores the most important and interesting features of the two reproductive methods and additionally discusses the differences between those.
Viviparous
Viviparous is an adjective that is used to describe the animals being born from a mother. As the meaning of the term elaborates, it will be clear to understand that viviparous animals have been nourished inside the body of a female, the mother, during the embryonic developments take place. All the requirements for the developing embryo such as nutrition, shelter, and protection are provided from the mother. It would be important to state that the waste generated from the biological processes of the developing embryo has been managed inside the mother’s womb. Internally fertilized foetuses develop into embryos and eventually become newborns through viviparity. In other words, the location where the fusion of maternal and paternal genes takes place in viviparous animals is inside the female.
It would be interesting to know that there are plants showing viviparity (e.g. mangroves). The germination of the seed takes place inside the tree before those being detached from the tree. A complete young form of a plant is developed inside the plant following a successful fusion of genetic materials. In addition, some plants such as jackfruit show germinations that are almost similar to viviparity, where the seed has been germinated while the ripening of the fruit takes place, yet the required moist condition has only been mimicked as in moistened soil. Viviparity could be described as a highly developed mechanism of embryonic development since it is blessed with a great shield of protection from the mother while the young ones are susceptible for all the problems from the outside world.
Oviparous
Animals being born following the development inside an egg are referred with the adjective oviparous. Most of the animal species belong to the oviparous category. Usually, the egg is covered with a hard shell, to ensure the physical protection for the developing embryo. The hardening of the shell takes place naturally after the maternal genes are entered into the ovum or egg. The fusion of genetic materials takes place following a successful mating between an adult male and an adult female. The fertilization is usually external in oviparous animals, where the female lays eggs and sperms being ejaculated by the male, to fertilize. It should be noted that eggs and sperms are being let out in an aquatic environment as otherwise those could not survive (e.g. amphibians and fish). This could draw a serious problem for totally terrestrial animals such as birds and reptiles who have limited access to water. Therefore, they have evolved with the fertilization technique that mimics internal fertilization; the male inserts the penis into the vagina and copulation takes place, and the egg or eggs being let out by the female. Usually, internally fertilized oviparous animals lay only one egg while externally fertilized amphibians and fish lay numerous eggs. However, the male has to let out a large cloud of sperm in both cases. Oviparity is found in almost all the invertebrates as they all lay eggs and let the embryonic development take place inside the eggs.
What is the difference between Viviparous and Oviparous?
• Embryonic development takes place inside the mother in viviparous animals, but it takes place outside the mother in oviparous animals.
• Developing embryo is covered with a water sac in viviparous animals, but oviparous animals develop a shell around the embryo.
• Viviparous animals show internal fertilization, whereas oviparous animals primarily show external fertilization, but some are partially internal.
• Oviparity is more common among animals than the viviparity.
• Viviparity can be found in both plants and animals, but oviparity is present only in animals.
• Viviparous animals ensure a greater protection for the embryo or the foetus than oviparous animals do. | https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-viviparous-and-vs-oviparous/ |
Hi everyone. Before we delve into today’s super exciting topic, in the spirit of ending the Nonprofit Hunger Games I am declaring this week to be Wear Another Nonprofit’s T-shirt Week. Let’s help promote one another’s organizations like the awesome unicorns of Equity that we are. Show love to orgs that you don’t work for and are not on the board of. Swap T-shirts the way that some professional sports players swap jerseys. Take pictures and tweet with the hashtag #NonprofitsSupportingNonprofits. At the end of the week, 10 winners will be randomly chosen to receive…the satisfaction of making the sector better.
OK, let’s talk about the handwritten thank-you note (HWTYN). First of all, I love them. I know many of you do as well, especially the fundraisers in the sector, who have turned the HWTYN into an art form. Some of the leaders I look up to the most have gotten so skilled at this that it seems they spend considerable time writing thoughtful and highly personalized notes—“Dear Vu, it was so lovely to have lunch with you today at Piroshky on 3rd! I am glad I took your recommendation and tried the borscht. You changed my mind on beets, and thus, you changed my entire life trajectory”—and YET are able to warp time and space so that their HWTYN arrives mere hours after I meet with them.
I cherish thank-you notes. I keep every written message I get from colleagues and readers. On crappy days, I sometimes pull them out and read them to remind myself that I do add value to the world, no matter what my older brother posts on Facebook.
However, there is a Dark Side to thank-you notes, handwritten or otherwise, that we need to think about, in our quest to be more equitable and inclusive in our work. I’ve been seeing signs that are troubling. People with hiring responsibilities, for example, who negatively judge job candidates who don’t send follow-up thank-you notes, believing this is a “common courtesy” and thus an essential quality of good employees. “I give them a week; if their note doesn’t arrive, they are no longer considered for the job.” Similarly, some donors and funders look down on nonprofits who do not send thank-you notes within a reasonable amount of time, believing this is an essential quality of good organizations. “It’s been two weeks after I donated, and all I got was the automatic thank-you/confirmation message.”
But there are several things we all need to consider:
Ways of expressing gratitude are not universal across different cultures: There are many cultures where people do not express gratitude through the HWTYN. In some cultures, food is used to thank people. In others, the fact that you communicated “thank you” verbally is enough, and that’s the end of it, no need for follow-up. When my aunt gave my partner and me some money for our wedding, which she couldn’t attend, I asked my dad whether I should write her a note. “What?” he said, “No, that’s weird. No one does that. Just call her and say thanks.”
This is a critical point for us all to understand, that different cultures have different customs. As a colleague reminded me, and something I grew up being trained in, in many Asian cultures, you do not hand anything to anyone using one hand. Children must use two hands when giving something to adults. Adults when interacting with elders. Employees the same with customers. Students with teachers, etc. To show respect, you use two hands even with the tiniest items. Do you know how difficult it is to give someone a Tic Tac with two hands?! (Just kidding, for items smaller than a quarter, only the orneriest elders will fault you for only using one hand).
Thank-you notes are part of a set of unwritten rules that screws people of different backgrounds: Taken in the context above, thank-you notes are primarily (but not exclusively) a white cultural custom. There is nothing inherently wrong with this, except when it is assumed that this custom is somehow the only correct way to do things. This leads to it becoming an unwritten rule that is forced upon everyone else. Sure, many of us were taught to write a HWTYN after every job interview, but what about those who of us who weren’t? Or who come from other countries? Or who didn’t have access to job training programs that taught us how to play this game effectively? As I mentioned in “Why we need to end the culture of ‘cultural fit,’” having unwritten rules is great way to perpetuate discrimination and inequity and create a non-diverse team.
In terms of fundraising, this rule is also unwritten in the sense that grassroots organizations led by and serving diverse communities may not be aware of the gravity of this custom, that (white) donors and funders expect them to write follow-up thank-you notes within a few days and may punish them for not doing so. We are training donors to think negatively of organizations that do not conform to this white cultural norm, and these are often organizations that are doing critical work with the fewest resources.
Thank-you notes are often perfunctory and thus meaningless: Unlike the “Your introducing me to beets has changed my life” message, the notes job candidates write after interviews are perfunctory hoop jumping and are superficial and almost meaningless except in the context that this candidate knows how to play the game. If you are expected to be grateful and may get punished if you are not, is it really genuine gratitude? And is this a good indicator that someone will be effective at the job? I know in development jobs, sending HWTYN is an essential skill, but can it not be taught?
In fundraising, meanwhile, a major donor told me that he’s sick of getting these handwritten thank-you notes after every donation, because as genuine as they are, they’re all similar and predictable in their genuineness. And I’ve gotten a few notes from thoughtful donors along the lines of “please do not spend time thanking me, you have enough work to do.” Should our field get more creative about thanking donors, perhaps with personalized videos or poems? Or maybe the solution is to have less frequent, but more meaningful interactions.
The expectation and manifestations of gratitude perpetuate power imbalance: Why are job candidates expected to write thank-you notes and yet employers are not? Sure, employers are providing a job, so candidates should be grateful. But employers cannot get any work done without staff, so shouldn’t they be equally grateful? When is the last time any of us got a handwritten thank you note from a place we applied to? A common complaint among many job candidates is that not only are they hardly ever thanked for their time, but that they often get “ghosted” by employers. They apply for a job, often going through the interview stage, and never hear anything back again. We need to stop treating job candidates like crap, including having one-sided expectations around showing gratitude.
The same goes for donors and foundations. Yes, we nonprofits should be thankful for donors’/funders’ support, but this too has become extremely one-way. And gratitude being too one-way leads to some negative consequences, including lessening donors’/funders’ self-reflections, increasing their fragility, and weakening our ability to have difficult critical conversations such as about the correlation between racism, colonization, and wealth disparity. I would love to see more mutual expressions of gratitude for the work we are all doing in partnership.
I know that’s a lot to think about. I am not saying we need to stop writing handwritten thank-you notes. However, given that all of us are trying to be more inclusive, we need to examine many of the practices we hold to be “common courtesy” or “best practice.” Because as our society changes and becomes more diverse, these courtesies may not be all that common, and these practices may no longer be best.
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Be a monthly patron of NAF and keep posts like this coming. | https://nonprofitaf.com/2019/07/we-need-to-talk-about-the-handwritten-thank-you-note/ |
Find inspiration in our curated catalog of letters to donors. Each sample letter comes with guidelines and advice to help you find the right words.
Letters to donors are letters written to people who have donated something, especially money, voluntarily to a fund or charity. Usually, these are fundraising letters to invite donors to fundraisers or thank-you letters to express gratitude and appreciation for donations. Whatever the reason for your letter, writing to donors maintains a great relationship and can help you secure future funding. This simple gesture shows them that you can be trusted and that you are doing something that is of benefit to the community. It also shows the donors that your cause is worthy of their money and time.
When writing letters to donors, it is important to know the exact message you want to convey. Most letters to donors can be tricky to write, especially those asking for donations. You don't want to write something that the recipient will give a cursory glance and carry to the trash! Grab the recipient's attention from the start. For fundraising letters, clearly state how the donation will be used. If you are writing to thank the recipient for a donation, let him/her know how the donation helped. Be brief and straightforward. End the letter on a positive tone. | https://www.letterspro.com/letters/to-donors |
The appearance of the Mahdi is one of the major signs of the Last Hour. It has been mentioned in numerous aḥādīth leading to some classical scholars, such as al-Kattani, al-Sakhawi and al-Shawkani, to consider these narrations as mutawātir (mass-transmitted) in meaning.
Given the clear fact that without doubt we live in times of great corruption and injustice, the future promise of a Caliph who is descended from the Prophet ﷺ and who will rule our planet justly gives Muslims hope that things will change in the future.
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمَهْدِيُّ مِنِّي أَجْلَى الْجَبْهَةِ أَقْنَى الْأَنْفِ يَمْلَأُ الْأَرْضَ قِسْطًا وَعَدْلًا كَمَا مُلِئَتْ جَوْرًا وَظُلْمًا يَمْلِكُ سَبْعَ سِنِينَ
4285 سنن أبي داود كتاب المهدي
Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (r) narrates: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The Mahdi will be from my lineage, with a curved nose. He will fill the earth with justice and equity, just as it had been filled with tyranny and oppression. He will rule for seven years.” [Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitāb al-Mahdi, #4285, graded ṣaḥīḥ by al-Suyuti in al-Jāmi‘ al-Ṣaghīr #9225]
And there are more aḥādīth in the same vein.
Due to modernist interpretations of this prophecy, some people use the fact that the Mahdi will appear as an excuse for inaction. Because the Caliphate will only return when the Mahdi appears, the argument goes, it is futile to strive to re-institute Islamic rule and thus there is no need to work for this. Other duties, such as enjoining good and forbidding wrong (al-amr bi’l-ma‘rūf wa’n-nahy ‘ani’l-munkar) are, as a result, also neglected by those who use this excuse.
The classical Islamic scholars never asserted that we should ‘wait for the Mahdi’. On the contrary, as we shall see, they emphasised the sin of being without a Caliph/Imam who implements the Shari‘ah. And they also insisted that we should take unjust, oppressive rulers to task.
Furthermore, authentic aḥādīth prove that the Caliphate will return before the appearance of the Mahdi.
The Caliphate will be re-instituted before the Mahdi appears
عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ يَكُونُ اخْتِلَافٌ عِنْدَ مَوْتِ خَلِيفَةٍ فَيَخْرُجُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ هَارِبًا إِلَى مَكَّةَ فَيَأْتِيهِ نَاسٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ فَيُخْرِجُونَهُ وَهُوَ كَارِهٌ فَيُبَايِعُونَهُ بَيْنَ الرُّكْنِ وَالْمَقَامِ وَيُبْعَثُ إِلَيْهِ بَعْثٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الشَّامِ فَيُخْسَفُ بِهِمْ بِالْبَيْدَاءِ بَيْنَ مَكَّةَ وَالْمَدِينَةِ فَإِذَا رَأَى النَّاسُ ذَلِكَ أَتَاهُ أَبْدَالُ الشَّامِ وَعَصَائِبُ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ فَيُبَايِعُونَهُ بَيْنَ الرُّكْنِ وَالْمَقَامِ
4286 سنن أبي داود كتاب المهدي
Umm Salamah (r) reported: The Prophet ﷺ said, “There will be a conflict with the death of a Caliph and a man among the residents of Medina will go out fleeing to Mecca. Some people will come to pledge allegiance to him, although he is unwilling, and they will pledge allegiance to him between the corner of the Ka‘bah and the station of Ibraham. An army from Syria will be dispatched for him and they will be swallowed in the desert between Mecca and Medina. When the people see that, the saints of Syria and the strong tribes of Iraq will come to him and pledge allegiance to him between the corner and the station.”
[Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitāb al-Mahdi, #4286. Also related by al-Tabarani in al-Awsat and Imam Ahmed in his Musnad. According to al-Haythami in Majma‘ al-Zawā’id, the transmitters in al-Tabarani’s narration are sound and authentic]
The above hadith mentions that conflict will occur when a Caliph dies, and that this will be followed by the Mahdi being given the pledge of allegiance (bay‘ah) to rule as the next Caliph.
And another hadith also proves that the Caliphate/Imamate will return before the Mahdi appears:
قتَلُ عندَ كَنزِكُم ثلاثَةٌ كُلُّهُم ابنُ خَليفَةٍ لا يصيرُ إلى واحِدٍ منهُم ثُمَّ تطلُعُ الراياتُ السودُ من قِبَلِ المشرِقِ فيقاتلونَكُم قتالًا لَم يقاتِلهُ قومٌ ثُمَّ ذكر شيئًا لا أحفَظُهُ قال فإذا رأيتُموه فبايِعوهُ ولو حَبوًا على الثَّلجِ فإنَّهُ خليفَةُ اللَّهِ المهدِيُّ
Thawban narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Three will fight one another for your treasure, each one of them the son of a Caliph, but none of them will gain it. Then the black banners will come from the East, and they will kill you in an unprecedented manner.” Then he mentioned something that I do not remember, then he said: “When you see him, then pledge your allegiance to him even if you have to crawl over the snow, for that is the Caliph of Allah, the Mahdi.”
[Related by Ibn Majah his Sunan (#4084); al-Bazzar in al-Musnad (2/120); al-Ruyani (#619); al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (4/510) and Ibn Kathir in al-Bidāyah wa’n-Nihāyah (1/42)
Al-Hakim said: “This is a ṣaḥīḥ hadith according to the conditions of Bukhari and Muslim”
Ibn Kathir said: “Its chain of narration is qawī ṣaḥīḥ (strong, sound)”]
This is clear proof that the Caliphate will be re-instituted at some unknown point in time before the Mahdi is appointed as Imam over the Muslims.
The aḥādīth about the Mahdi are declarative statements and not in the command form
Another important point, from the science of uṣūl al-fiqh (principles of Islamic jurisprudence) is that the aḥādīth concerning the appearance of the Mahdi are akhbār (declarative statements) which are in the informative form. When a statement in the text is informative, a qarīna (connotation) is required to make it a command or prohibition. For example, the words in one hadith: إن هذا الأمر في قريش – “Verily this matter [i.e. ruling] is within Quraysh…” does not mean that it is prohibited for someone from outside the tribe of Quraysh to be a Caliph. This is a khabar like the statement “Zaid is standing up”, that does not indicate the banishment of anyone other than Zaid standing.
[A detailed uṣūlī discussion about whether or not it is compulsory for the Caliph to be a Qurayshite can be found here]
An example of a qarīna is in the words: مَنْ مَاتَ وَلَيْسَ فِي عُنُقِهِ بَيْعَةٌ مَاتَ مِيتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً – “…whosoever dies without a bay‘ah on his neck dies the death of jāhilīyyah”. The mention of the death of pre-Islamic Ignorance is a connotation indicating that a pledge of allegiance to a Caliph is an obligation (see discussion of the hadith below).
So a Shari‘ah command or prohibition cannot be derived from a hadith which is a khabar (a declarative statement) in the absence of a qarīna, and it certainly cannot be used as an excuse to avoid performing a farḍ (obligation).
Re-establishing Islamic ruling is a duty that must not be neglected and there can be no excuse for inaction in this regard.
The sin of living without a Caliph
Waiting for the appearance of the Mahdi cannot absolve us of the sin of living without a Caliph/Imam who implements Islam. The following is related in Sahih Muslim on the authority of Nafi‘:
مَنْ مَاتَ وَلَيْسَ فِي عُنُقِهِ بَيْعَةٌ مَاتَ مِيتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً
The Prophet ﷺ said, “…whosoever dies without a bay‘ah (pledge of allegiance to a Caliph) on his neck dies the death of jāhilīyyah.”
[Sahih Muslim #1851]
This does not mean that one will die a disbeliever. Rather it means one will die sinful. Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani mentions the meaning of مات ميتة جاهلية:
“To die as those who died in the pre-Islamic period of Ignorance (al-jāhilīyyah) means the state of death: to die in a state of misguidance with no Imam [Caliph] to obey, as the inhabitants of that era had no such kind of ruling. The hadith does not mean that the Muslim will die as a kāfir but as a disobeying Muslim. This hadith has possible definitions: To resemble between the state of death between the disobeying Muslim and the Jāhil, even if the Muslim was not in reality a Jāhil; or, to frighten and reprimand…” [Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani, Fatḥ al-Bārī Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, #7053]
This sin is also mentioned by al-Taftazani in his famous commentary of Imam Nasafi’s creed. He refers to a situation where “there is no Imam (Caliph) and that means the entire Ummah is disobedient and their deaths are like the death of jāhilīyyah.” [Cf. p. 293 of Mufti Muhammad Huzaifah’s translation of Sharḥ al-‘Aqā’id al-Nasafīyyah].
Noble reader! Please heed the words of the Beloved of Allah ﷺ and the comments of the classical scholars. Waiting for the Mahdi will not be an excuse for us on the Day of Reckoning. All of us who do not strive in some way to re-institute the Islamic Caliphate are considered disobedient and sinful.
The Salaf gave priority to appointing an Imam/Caliph and generations of Muslims did the same. They did not say “wait for the Mahdi”. Ibn Khaldun writes that when the Prophet ﷺ passed away, the Sahabah “proceeded to render the pledge of allegiance (bay‘ah) to Abu Bakr (r) and to entrust him with the supervision of their affairs. And so it was at all subsequent periods. At no period were the people left in a state of anarchy. This was so by general consensus (ijmā‘), that proves the position of Imam is a necessary one.” [Ibn Khaldun, Muqaddimah, section 3, chapter 26]
A more recent scholar, the Late Shaykh al-Albani (r), states the following:
لا يجوز للمسلمين أن يتركوا العمل للإسلام ، وإقامة دولته على وجه الأرض انتظاراً منهم لخروج المهدي، ونزول عيسى ـ عليهما السلام ، يأساً منهم أو توهماً أن ذلك غير ممكن قبلهما ، فإن هذا توهّم باطل
“It is not permissible for Muslims to abandon working for Islam and the establishment of its state on the face of the earth, waiting for the appearance of the Mahdi and the descent of ‘Isa, peace be upon them both, feeling despair and imagining that is not possible before (they appear). This notion is false.”
[Shaykh Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani, Fiqh Ashrāṭ al-Sā‘ah 311]
Enjoining the Ma‘rūf and forbidding the Munkar
The classical scholars, several of whom themselves personally spoke out against contemporaneous rulers [see for example here and here], mentioned the duty of al-amr bi’l-ma‘rūf wa’n-nahy ‘ani’l-munkar and its paramount importance.
Imam Ghazali states in Book XIX of his Iḥyā’ ‘ulūm al-dīn:
“Enjoining good and forbidding wrong is the greatest pillar of the dīn, and it is the mission for which Allah sent all the prophets. Had its enactment been suspended and its knowledge and action disregarded, prophethood would have become dysfunctional, religion would have disappeared, slackness prevailed, misguidance spread, ignorance common, whole lands come to ruin and the people perished, but they would not have realised their destruction except on the Day of Judgment.”
[Cf. A Treasury of Al-Ghazali, Mustafa Abu Sway, p. 54]
In his famous commentary of Sahih Muslim, Imam al-Nawawi writes, in the chapter entitled Forbidding what is Wrong is Part of Iman:
“The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever sees a wrongful action he ‘should change it’. This is a compulsory order according to unanimous understanding. That enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong are duties endorsed by the Qur’an, the Sunnah and the unanimous verdict of the Muslim community.” [Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Volume 2, Page 6 of Ustadh Adil Salahi’s translation]
In the same chapter, Imam al-Nawawi quotes Imam al-Haramayn al-Juwayni who stresses the importance of taking the ruler to task, to the extent that the latter states that in some circumstances the ruler needs to be removed:
“If a ruler enforces measures of injustice and this becomes clear and he does not pay heed to advice but persists in wrongdoing, it is permissible for the leading figures in the community to collaborate to remove him.” [Ibid., pp. 11-12]
Imam Ghazali also mentions the importance of holding the ruler to account in his Iḥyā’ ‘ulūm al-dīn:
“It is, then, the duty of every religious man [mutadayyin] to censor them [the rulers] by exposing their tyranny and decrying their practices.” [The Book of Knowledge, Nabih Amin Faris, p. 172]
Conclusion
The duty of Muslims to forbid evil, especially the wrongdoings of the rulers, and to re-institute the Caliphate cannot be dismissed by incorrectly appealing to the prophecies relating to the Mahdi. The farḍ of implementing Islam remains upon every Muslim, whether or not he appears in our lifetime or not. In fact a number of narrations indicate that the rightly guided Caliphate will return and that gives hope to those working to bring it back. One of these aḥādīth, narrated by Hudhayfah (r), is below: | https://caliphate1.com/2022/12/24/waiting-for-the-mahdi/ |
What we teach
We adhere to the International Baccalaureate International Primary Years Program (PYP), an international curriculum designed framework for children ages 3-12 years. It is internationally recognized as a model of excellence in curriculum development. Designed as an education for an increasingly borderless world, the Primary Years Program provides access to the best research and practices from a range of national systems from across the globe. It also breaks down the isolation of our educational system by providing us learning connections with schools around the world.
How we teach
We teach through a comprehensive inquiry-based approach where students are viewed as natural thinkers and not just receivers of information. The inquiry approach is a natural way to learn and understand basic skills and concepts.
- Skills in Math, Reading Writing, Speaking, Music, Art, and Sports are taught through inquiry
- Knowledge in Science and Social Studies are acquired through real life investigations
- Use of different teaching styles to address the different learning styles of the students
- Use of multiple resources so students gain multiple perspectives rather than single perspective from over reliance on textbooks
- Teaching concentrates on learning how to think and understand rather than focusing on memorization only
- Teachers are facilitators of learning and not sole dispenser of facts and information
Where we teach
Environment that :
- is conducive for collaboration and individual learning
- has small class size
- has low teacher to student ratio
- is technology equipped
- is print rich
- prompts students to formulate their own questions (inquiry)
- allows multiple interpretations and expressions of learning (multiple intelligences)
- encourages group work and the use of peers as resources (collaborative learning)
Who teaches
Teaching Staff are:
- internationally, locally and intensively trained
- hard-working, committed, open-minded and caring
* Main Reference: Official documents and resources from the International Baccalaureate Program. | http://domuschola.dis.edu.ph/primary-school |
Carol Inge Hockett: WWI, Dada, and the Birth of the Modern
Art educator Carol Inge Hockett examines how artists reacted to the values-shattering horrors of World War I with Dadism, an artistic/political movement that rejected the old norms of painting, literature, drama, and music. Rejecting bourgeois values, the Dadists embraced nontraditional forms such as collage, photomontage, assemblage, and “readymades” (everyday objects displayed as art).
Hockett – formerly of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art – is the coordinator of the School and Family Programs at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University.
Co-sponsored by the Art Study Club. | https://kclibrary.org/event/carol-inge-hockett-wwi-dada-and-birth-modern |
The fruit of the joint vision of CNRS-INSU and CNES, AERIS brings together 11 supervisory bodies that contribute to the construction and operation of this unique structure.
By alphabetical order
CEA
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a public scientific, technical and industrial research organisation (EPIC).
A major player in research, development and innovation, the CEA is active in four areas: defence and security, low-carbon energies (nuclear and renewable), technological research for industry and fundamental research (material sciences and life sciences). Drawing on its recognised expertise, the CEA participates in setting up collaborative projects with numerous academic and industrial partners.
CNES
Founded in 1961, the Centre national d’études spatiales (CNES) is the government body responsible for defining and implementing France’s space policy in Europe. Its mission is to invent the space systems of the future, bring space technologies to maturity and guarantee France’s independent access to space. CNES is a key player in the European space programme and a major source of initiatives and proposals aimed at maintaining France’s and Europe’s competitive edge.
CNRS
The National Centre for Scientific Research is one of the world’s leading research institutions. To meet the major challenges of today and tomorrow, its scientists explore life, matter, the Universe and the functioning of human societies. Internationally recognised for the excellence of its scientific work, the CNRS is a reference both in the world of research and development and for the general public.
Ecole Polytechnique
Because in times of global economic war, only innovation creates prosperity, the École polytechnique produces and shares multidisciplinary knowledge at the highest level, for its students, for companies and for society, by developing an entrepreneurial spirit, audacity and a sense of general interest in its teaching and research.
IGN
The National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information is the State operator for geographical and forest reference information, certified neutral and interoperable. The IGN is a public establishment of an administrative nature placed under the supervision of the ministers responsible for sustainable development and forests respectively.
IRD
The French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development is an internationally recognised multidisciplinary organisation, working mainly in partnership with Mediterranean and inter-tropical countries.
The IRD is a French public institution under the dual supervision of the Ministries of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and of Europe and Foreign Affairs. Through its network and its presence in some fifty countries, it has an original approach to research, expertise, training and knowledge sharing for the benefit of territories and countries that make science and innovation one of the main levers of their development.
Météo France
Météo-France, a public administrative establishment, is the official service of meteorology and climatology in France. As such, it exercises the State’s powers in terms of the meteorological safety of people and property. Météo-France is responsible in particular for forecasting and studying meteorological phenomenon, the state of the snow cover and the state of the sea surface and issuing meteorological warnings for the French mainland and overseas territories. The establishment is also responsible for preserving the history of the climate and developing global and regional climate projections.
Région Hauts de France
The Hauts-de-France region is the youngest in France (a third of its six million inhabitants are under 25 years old). Its economy, marked by a very strong industrial heritage, is plural: the Region is France’s leading agricultural region, the driving force behind French Tech, the region of France that attracts the most foreign investors, the region of craftsmanship…
Sorbonne Université
Created from the merger of Paris-Sorbonne and Pierre and Marie Curie Universities, Sorbonne University is an intensive research university covering the whole disciplinary range of literature, medicine and science and continues the humanist tradition of the Sorbonne since 1257. Sorbonne University has the ambition to be an institution of knowledge focused on the major issues of our contemporary societies, innovative and open to its environment.
Université Lille-1
A multidisciplinary university at the heart of Northern Europe. The University of Lille, a multidisciplinary university of excellence at the heart of Northern Europe, is rich in an exceptional cultural and scientific heritage that is part of the history of the Hauts-de-France region. With its 67,000 students (including 7,300 international students), 6,300 staff, 66 research units and a range of courses covering all disciplines, the University of Lille is a major player in the region in terms of training, research and innovation and its commitment to social issues.
Université Paul Sabatier
Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier University is today one of France’s leading universities, thanks to its scientific influence and the diversity of the laboratories and training courses it offers in science, health, sport, technology and engineering. | https://en.aeris-data.fr/partners/ |
TUESDAY, May 7, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- While warnings about the overuse of antibiotics seem to be reaching the general population, the education campaigns haven't reached many in California's minority communities.
An estimated 55 percent of antibiotics prescribed for children with respiratory illnesses aren't needed. However, Asian-American and Latino parents are much more likely than white and black ones to expect their doctors to prescribe the drugs for their children, according to new findings by Dr. Rita Mangione-Smith, a pediatrician at the University of California at Los Angeles.
"The [education] message just isn't being pitched in the right way to reach these communities," she says.
Mangione-Smith's survey also found that doctors appear to make their decisions to write prescriptions based on what they perceive to be the wishes of parents.
Antibiotics only work against bacterial infections and have no impact on viruses, which commonly cause colds. For several years, U.S. health officials have sounded the alarm that overuse of antibiotics cause germs to mutate, making them more resistant to antibiotics.
As milder antibiotics fail, a sick child "may end up with a much stronger antibiotic that could have a lot more side effects," says Elissa Maas, vice president of community health with the California Medical Association Foundation.
From October 2000 to June 2001, doctors working with Mangione-Smith surveyed 570 Los Angeles-area parents who visited the doctors' offices because their children had colds or other respiratory illnesses.
According to the survey, 70 percent of all parents believed antibiotics were either definitely or probably necessary to treat their children. However, only 36 percent of the doctors thought the parents expected antibiotics to be prescribed. They were especially unaware of the expectations of Latino parents.
"This probably has to do with how parents from these different cultures communicate with doctors -- some may be more willing to say what they want than others," Mangione-Smith says.
Latino parents were 2.5 times more likely than white parents to expect antibiotics; Asian-American parents were 3.5 percent more likely.
Blacks in the survey were as likely to expect antibiotics as whites, suggesting the knowledge gap for certain minority groups may be related to their recent immigrant status, Mangione-Smith says.
"We need to do a lot of work to figure out how to make the message culturally appropriate for groups of parents who are not originally from this country, and may be coming from a completely different mind set," she says.
The doctors surveyed prescribed antibiotics 65 percent of the time if they perceived that parents expected them. That number dropped to 47 percent if they were uncertain about the parents' wishes. They only prescribed the drugs 12 percent of the time if they thought parents didn't expect them.
Other studies have reported similar findings concerning the wishes of doctors to make parents or patients happy when they ask for antibiotics.
The new survey results suggest education efforts need to focus on more than the "soccer moms" who were targets in the past, says Maas, of the California Medical Association Foundation, which has its own antibiotic education program.
"All of the research up until now has focused on the behaviors of more middle class, English-speaking people," she says. "Most people had not looked across cultures."
The Latino communities might be a special challenge because some antibiotics come unregulated across the Mexican border, and may be distributed to parents in underground pharmacies known as "botanicas," Maas says.
"The danger is if they expect it and don't get it from the doctor, they may get it somewhere else and no one knows," Maas says.
Mangione-Smith was to report her findings yesterday at the Pediatric Academic Societies' annual meeting in Baltimore.
What To Do: You can learn more about antibiotic resistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. | https://consumer.healthday.com/infectious-disease-information-21/antibiotics-news-30/some-minorities-aren-t-getting-antibiotic-warnings-507028.html |
Renewable energy resources are ones which we will not run out ofin the foreseeable future. e.g. wind power, wave power, solar power, biomass, hydroelectric power, geothermal energy.
Non-renewable energy resources are finite resources which will dwindle until it is no longer economically viable to access the remaining materials e.g. coal, oil, gas (fossil fuels) and nuclear.
Click this link to visit a really good website covering Renewable and Non-renewable energy. | https://physicsnet.co.uk/gcse-physics/renewable-non-renewable-energy/ |
The Western Governors’ Association (WGA) calls the West the nation’s “energy breadbasket,” owing to the region’s vast and diverse energy resources. In its most recent report, “The State of Energy in the West,” the WGA provides a comprehensive survey of conventional and renewable energy as part of its year-long focus on energy.
In a previous post, we explored how energy consumption, spending, and prices compare in Western states and across the country. In this post, we shift our focus to the supply side to understand how energy is produced in the West. (Also see our post on the “United States of Energy,” a map that illustrates where the nation’s energy resources are located.)
Energy breadbasket of the U.S.
The West, which the WGA defines as a 19-state region extending as far east as Texas and South Dakota, plays a key role in meeting the country’s energy demands. The WGA dubbed the West the nation’s energy breadbasket for several reasons:
- The West delivers nearly two-thirds of the nation’s wind energy.
- California is the national leader in solar energy production, its output nearly triple that of the next highest-producing state (Arizona). Solar energy potential in the Southwest also ranks among the highest in the world.
- Nearly all of the country’s geothermal resources are located in the West, home to 99.5% of installed national capacity in 2011.
- In recent years, the West has accounted for close to 70% of the country’s natural gas and petroleum production.
- Coal production in the West contributes 60% of the national total.
Below is a screenshot (click to enlarge) from our dashboard illustrating energy production in the West, based on 2012 figures.
Energy and the economy
Fossil fuels currently make up the largest share of state-level employment in the West’s energy sector. In 2009, the oil and gas industry accounted for more than 5% of total employment in Alaska, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming. The coal industry in Wyoming is responsible for 14.2% of the state’s GDP and 8% of its work force in 2010. The state’s total coal output exceeds Russia’s.
Besides generating jobs, the fossil fuel industry also contributes to the region’s economy through severance taxes, which are applied to the extraction of some non-renewable resources. Five states in the West–Alaska, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming–have a severance tax endowment, which provides a revenue stream in perpetuity. Among all state-level severance taxes collected across the nation in 2011, roughly 85 % were in the West.
The growing renewable energy industry is also spurring job growth in the region. The wind industry alone has added 30,000 jobs throughout the West and generated over $290 million in property tax revenues.
Energy vision for the West
The West’s abundant energy resources play a pivotal role in both the regional and national economy, but energy development also carries environmental costs. Researchers have cautioned that energy sprawl can threaten the habitats of iconic western species, such as the sage grouse and pronghorn. The graphic below, from our land deck, shows the intersection of desert tortoise critical habitat and solar power potential.
As part of its 10-Year Energy Vision, the WGA is working to achieve a balance between responsible energy development and wildlife conservation by engaging in more proactive planning with various stakeholders.
The WGA’s State of the Energy report provides an accessible primer on energy resources in the West, in addition to reviewing topics such as energy efficiency, alternative vehicles/fuels, electricity transmission, and technology development in the sector. Given that the West provides a majority of the nation’s energy supply, the report should be useful for policymakers and residents living in and outside the West.
Data sources
The Western Governors’ Association, a non-partisan organization of 22 U.S. governors, represents 19 U.S. states and 3 U.S. territories. EcoWest typically defines the region as the 11 contiguous Western states, but “The State of Energy in the West” takes a broader view.
Downloads
- Download Slides: State of Energy in the West (577 downloads)
- Download Notes: State of Energy in the West (654 downloads)
EcoWest’s mission is to analyze, visualize, and share data on environmental trends in the North American West. Please subscribe to our RSS feed, opt-in for email updates, follow us on Twitter, or like us on Facebook. | http://ecowest.org/tag/fossil-fuels-2/ |
Todd:
Unlike our previous collaboration, this puzzle had a long gestation before being published. I submitted my original version in March of 2012. Will liked the basic idea, but didn't like about 9 of my original entries.
I mentioned my puzzle to David at Crosswords LA in May, and he wanted to see if he could improve on my grid. Turned out he could indeed: we submitted our revised version in June. After several back-and-forths, Will accepted our puzzle this August! We've had to wait almost 4 months for our centennial crossword to be printed ... it's hard to wait that long (ask any kid right about now)!
Finally, I'll note my original version had FUNICELLO at 16 Across, which is definitely more FUN than FUNGICIDE!
David;
It was a pleasure working with Todd on this centennial puzzle. The grid was a real challenge to fill because it not only had a themeless word count (70) but also contained four theme entries with rather unfriendly letter patterns (I'm talking about you, MCMXIII!), not to mention the FUN arrangement. Nevertheless, Todd and I were able to pool our resources and produce a fill we're both very proud of!
Happy 100th birthday to the crossword puzzle, which first appeared on Dec. 21, 1913! Today's puzzle is a modest celebration of Arthur Wynne's invention. The hollow diamond shape of Wynne's first crossword is retained in today's puzzle — with FUN in the appropriate spot no less (as the first three letters of 16A). In the print version of this puzzle, the original diamond shape is indicated with shaded squares. It's impossible to present shading in Across Lite, and it didn't seem worthwhile adding circles, so if you solve electronically ... you'll have to use your imagination.
Ah, oh great crossword puzzle, what would my life be without you? You've given me an obsessive hobby, an excuse to hang out with my wife when we first met, a community of supportive and uberinteresting people, and a creative diversion that takes my mind off of work.*
FUN idea today, superimposing the shape of the very first American crossword onto a now-standard grid. It even has the word FUN in the proper place (albeit hidden inside FUNGICIDE = a tiny bit icky IMO). And even though the word count is low enough to make it a themeless, David and Todd work in NEW YORK / SUNDAY WORLD, ARTHUR WYNNE, and MCMXIII. Neat to find a symmetrical set of themers.
With such a a wide-open grid and four locked-in themers, there are bound to be compromises. In terms of long fill, we get some goodness in the form of DALAI LAMA and GREENLAND, but also have the awkward SOLEMNER. These rarely used type of words aren't so harsh when they're shorter pieces of fill, but it's less than ideal when one of your long slots is taken up by something like this. As David mentioned, working with a themeless grid is hard enough, but when you take away flexibility by locking in four answers, it really ups the difficulty.
Neat concept. I would have liked a stronger tie-in to the original puzzle (besides just its shape) but I'm not sure what else there would be. Reproducing the entire puzzle would automatically saddle you with ugly stuff (construction was pretty primitive back then), and trying to extend the original answers into a 15x grid would likely have been impossible.
*For the sake of the big anniversary, I forgive the fact that you've cost me countless hours of sleep in marathon bouts of construction, you bugger.
Here's a nice article by Merl Reagle on the 100th birthday.
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Answer summary: 6 unique to this puzzle, 3 debuted here and reused later.
There are 15 rows and 15 columns, with 72 shaded squares, 0 rebus squares, and 10 cheater squares (marked with "+" in the colorized grid below.)
The grid uses 23 of 26 letters, missing JQZ.
It has normal 180-degree rotational crossword symmetry.
Average word length: 5.20, Scrabble score: 304, Scrabble average: 1.67.
Puzzle has 4 fill-in-the-blank clues and 2 cross-reference clues.
This puzzle has 6 unique answer words.
It has 3 words that debuted in this puzzle and were later reused:
These 39 answer words are not legal Scrabble™ entries, which sometimes means they are interesting:
|Scrabble Score: 1||2||3||4||5||8||10|
Various thumbnail views are shown:
Crosswords that share the most words with this one (excluding Sundays):
Unusual or long words that appear elsewhere:
Other puzzles with the same block pattern as this one:
Other crosswords with exactly 43 blocks, 70 words, 78 open squares, and an average word length of 5.20:
The next two sections attempt to show how fresh the grid entries are.
In this view, unusual answers are colored depending on how often they have appeared in other puzzles.
Unique answers are in red, red overwrites orange which overwrites yellow, etc.
Cheater squares are indicated with a + sign.
|Unique||1 other||2 others||3 others||4 others|
Freshness Factor is a calculation that compares the number of times words in this puzzle have appeared
in other Shortz Era puzzles.
Click here for an explanation.
The chart below shows how many times each word has been used across all NYT puzzles, old and modern including Variety.
Found bugs or have suggestions? | https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=12/21/2013 |
We are Tuyet and Nic, two friends and founders of WAYNE & FRIENDS.
Our small fashion studio was created in spring 2020. We come from sport, fashion and design. We exchanged our opinions and ideas about fashion and a conscious lifestyle for a long time and intensively. Our idea is to work with existing clothing and materials as best we can. We want to help second-hand clothing to flourish and give garments a personal connection.
Through upcycling and redesign, we want to use what already exists and conserve resources. The history of vintage clothing and many of the styles have their own charm that we particularly appreciate. It is important to both of us to incorporate mindfulness into all designs and to consciously emphasize the inner beauty of all people, because that is what matters most to us.
To convey a sense of deep joy, inspiration and appreciation for the things we own and love to wear. Something we can enjoy every day. Giving meaning to clothes through love and care. We are convinced that if our work is important to us, it will also be appreciated by others.
The name WAYNE & FRIENDS
...comes from the playing bats that come out every sunset when the horizon begins to glow in warm colors and we can admire their happy activities in our backyard. Bats have been called that by households in our area for a long time. This soothing and graceful setting, in the middle of a big city, inspired us to design our work with this beauty in mind. | https://waynefriends.com/en/pages/about-us |
Charter party performance dispute at Tuticorin Port.
During the voyage to disport, fuel consumption was more than Charter Party consumption vis-à-vis speed. The owners claimed same due to unfavourable weather (currents). Also, there was an element of short receipt of bunkers. Various navigational publications perused for weather during the passage.
A detailed study was made of the navigational charts and log books together with passage plan. Under-par charter party performance was attributed to under performance of main engine and not exaggerated weather. Bunker receipts satisfactory. Client interests were protected. | https://www.menezesandassociates.com/charter-party-performance/ |
Latest Loading Dock Safety Articles
Let's Make Workplaces Safer!
Subscribe to the Safeopedia newsletter to stay on top of current industry trends and up-to-date know-how from subject matter authorities. Our comprehensive online resources are dedicated to safety professionals and decision makers like you. | https://www.safeopedia.com/topic/163/loading-dock-safety?p=2 |
The most commonly used mathematical operators are: * (multiplication), / (division), DIV (integer division), MOD (remainder after integer division), + (addition) and - (subtraction).
The / operator carries out division and gives a value that, if assigned, must be assigned to a real variable. Even if both operands are integers, the result is unlikely to be an integer and cannot be assigned to an integer variable. For integer division, use the DIV and MOD operators. The DIV operator performs the division then truncates the answer so that only the whole number remains. The MOD operator gives the remainder after integer division. For example, the expression 7 DIV 3 evaluates to 2 and the expression 7 MOD 3 evaluates to 1.
Within both of the following levels, the operators have equal precedence.
The Pascal assignment v := u + a * t corresponds to the mathematical equation v = u + at. Multiplication takes precedence over addition so a bracket is not needed.
The assignment Mean := (Num1 + Num2) / 2 to store the mean of two numbers needs the bracket to raise the precedence of the addition. Otherwise, the result of dividing Num2 by 2 would be added to Num1.
The assignment NetPay := GrossPay – Tax – NIC - Pension to store the net pay after making three deductions from gross pay does not have brackets because the order of operation of the three subtraction operators is from left to right. | http://www.pp4s.co.uk/main/tu-op-math.html |
Since its economic and social infrastructures and basic system of governance were destroyed due to civil conflicts that lasted over 20 years, Afghanistan has been continuing its efforts aimed at building a new nation. For roughly five years since the terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001, the Government of Afghanistan and the international community have been working together to revitalize the country.
Japan has continued to provide consistent assistance for the steps taken by Afghanistan over these five years. Japan's assistance is based on the idea that efforts for peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan lead to the peace and stability of the world as a whole, as well as the eradication and prevention of terrorism. Japan hosted the International Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan (Tokyo Conference) in January 2002. Here, Japan ensured assistance of over US$4.5 billion from the international community as a whole, and announced that Japan, for its part, would provide assistance of up to US$500 million over two and a half years. In addition to this, at the following International Conference on Afghanistan (Berlin Conference) held in March 2004, Japan announced its intention to extend an additional US$400 million over the following two years until March 2006. By January 2006 more than US$1 billion worth of assistance had already been implemented. Japan has been actively extending its assistance toward the reconstruction of Afghanistan and it intends to continue to do so in future.
Chart II-22 Breakdown of Support to Afghanistan
A. Assistance to Afghanistan
Japan's assistance to Afghanistan is based on the concept of the "consolidation of peace" as advocated in 2002 by the then Minister for Foreign Affairs Yoriko Kawaguchi, and is built upon three pillars: the political processes and governance, improvement of public security, and reconstruction (see page 46 for concept of "consolidation of peace").
Support for the political process and governance aims at restoring the basic systems that form the framework of the country. Examples of this type of support include administrative expenses support to the interim government and support for election monitoring of the 2005 presidential election and the subsequent parliamentary election. Also, in order to help to improve public security, Japan provides assistance for the restoration of security needed for the consolidation of peace, including Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of ex-soldiers (DDR), landmine removal measures, and police support. In particular, Japan cooperated as a lead country in the DDR process, completing support for the disarmament and demobilization of approximately 60,000 former soldiers on July 7, 2005, and for the reintegration of demobilized ex-soldiers in June 2006. For reconstruction support, Japan assisted in the resettlement of refugees and displaced persons, as well as in agricultural and farm community development, education and infrastructure development.
Students studying under the shade of a tree at Maulana Jalaluddin High School (Photo: JICA)
Preservation and restoration work for the Bamiyan Valley Remains by the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties
Other support for Afghanistan included the Regional Comprehensive Development Assistance Programme (the Ogata Initiative) implemented based on recommendations made by the then Special Representative of the Prime Minister Sadako Ogata upon her visit to Afghanistan in 2002. This initiative presented a regional reconstruction assistance model and set forth a seamless assistance policy ranging from humanitarian assistance to reconstruction and development. Infrastructure support included the development of highways linking Kandahar-Kabul and Kandahar-Herat. In FY2005, moreover, it was decided that "Mazar-i-Sharif City Road Improvement Plan" be implemented, which aimed for systematic reconstruction and development of Mazar-i-Sharif City. In addition, with the cooperation of the National Research Institute For Cultural Properties (an independent administrative institute), plans are being prepared for the preservation, restoration, and utilization of the World Heritage site Bamiyan Valley Remains, and preservation and restoration work on the grotto's wall paintings, fractions of Great Buddha and statues of Buddha is in progress.
B. Future Support
At the London Conference on Afghanistan held in January 2006, Japan pledged US$450 million in additional support for the implementation of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS) and declared its policy concerning nation-building efforts for a new Afghanistan. In addition, upon the visit of President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan to Japan in July 2006, Japan held the Second Tokyo Conference, on consolidation of peace in Afghanistan where it declared that it would continue to offer support for the development of Afghanistan. At present, Afghanistan has passed through the stages of requiring emergency humanitarian assistance, recovery and reconstruction, and now is shifting to the stage of full-scale development assistance. However, Afghanistan still faces major issues that will affect its ability to sustain development, such as persistent poverty and problems with security, including the continued existence of many illegal armed groups not covered by DDR.
Photograph of Foreign Minister Aso and President Karzai
In order to support efforts to resolve such issues, Japan believes that it is extremely important to stimulate the agricultural sector, which is the mainstay industry of Afghanistan and the one that employs the most people. Accordingly, Japan intends to provide its assistance for Afghanistan with the following pillars: development of basic infrastructure to fulfill agricultural and rural development; and comprehensive regional development which targets capacity development of its government and communities. In addition, development centered on collaboration with neighboring countries in Central Asia and elsewhere is necessary for Afghanistan's medium- and long-term development. From this perspective, Japan places emphasis on regional development which covers Afghanistan and its neighboring countries. | https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/oda/white/2006/ODA2006/html/honpen/hp202020402.htm |
The vestibular system is the first sensory system to develop in utero. It starts to develop early in the first month even visible from 17 days. Between four to six weeks the vestibular and cochlear systems become differentiated. And at seven weeks, the auditory ossicles start to grow.
At 16 weeks gestation, the middle and inner ears are complete and have an adult size. Its neurological organization is well underway. At 5 1/2 months, the cochlear nerve is myelinated. Myelination to the temporal lobe is started and will be completed at birth.
Active listening starts at 24 weeks. It starts to develop early in the first month. Mature synapses are found between 24 and 28 weeks. Dr Tomatis felt that this early listening played a significant role in inviting the fetus to communicate, develop language, and learn. The journey toward language starts not in the nursery but in the womb, where the fetus is continually bathed in the sounds of its mother’s voice; hence, his mother’s tongue. | https://tomatis.com.au/pregnant-women/ |
United Way of Marion County is committed to investments in economic empowerment, so that low-to-middle income families have the resources and support to meet needs, weather emergencies and make investments toward a brighter future. For families walking a financial tightrope, United Way is here to help.
Our Vision
Families and individuals have the basic necessities to meet their needs while transitioning to being financially stable and self supportive.
Target Issues
- Ensure that food, housing and utilities are available to individuals who lack the minimum resources for safe and healthy living.
- Increase long-term financial stability for individuals and families through efforts that increase financial understanding, family budgeting skills and changes in habits and behaviors. | https://www.uwmc.org/node/85/ |
Information for Patients
You can help us to help you better by providing us with all necessary documents.
Before your first scheduled appointment, please provide all necessary medical records, radiology films and pathology slides from outside facilities. Send them at least three business days before your first appointment so our doctors have time to review this information.
What to bring with you:
- Insurance card (s)
- Prescription coverage card
- A photo ID
- Emergency contact information, please note: this must be different then your contact information
- Current medication list
- Any medications you are scheduled to take during your visit, including pain medication. (We do not keep medication in our pharmacy to manage pain, so please bring these prescriptions with you in their original bottle, and let your nurse know when you are planning to take them.)
- List of any questions for doctor or nurse
- A copy of your advance directive/medical power of attorney
- Medical history form
- Completed New Patient Forms
- Only patients are allowed in the lab draw, triage and small treatment areas. We ask for all visitors to wait in the lobby.
- Visitors to the infusion area are limited to 2 adults at a time. We ask that additional visitors wait in the lobby.
- For safety reasons, we do not allow children under the age of 12 into the treatment area. Children under the age of 12 can wait in the lobby with appropriate adult supervision.
- Treatment chairs are for patients only. We ask that visitors not sit in the treatment chairs.
- We encourage patients and visitors to bring reading or other materials to help occupy time while you receiving your treatment or waiting for test results.
Chemotherapy side effects can happen at any hour of the day, and you may need to contact a physician on your team to help manage. In order to assure your safety after hours, we ask that you follow the following procedure:
To Contact an Oncologist After Hours:
- Call Berkeley Medical Center at (304) 264- 1000
- Press 0 to get to the Operator
- Ask the Operator to have the Oncologist on call contact you at the phone number you provide.
- If this call is an emergency, do not wait, call 911 and/or go to the nearest Emergency Room. Emergencies include:
- A temperature of 100.4 or greater
- Bleeding that you are unable to stop after applying pressure
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
It is our goal to complete prescription refills as quickly as possible. Prescription refills may not available outside of regular business hours, including weekends and holidays so please be sure to provide 72 hours’ notice for prescription requests. You may request prescriptions by:
- Contacting your pharmacy- you may notify your pharmacy of your refill needs, and they will contact us through our electronic medical record system.
- Let your physician know which medications you need refilled at the time of your scheduled visit
- You may call or prescription refill line at (304) 267-1944, Option 4.
- Please provide your first and last name, date of birth, preferred pharmacy and a call back number along with medication(s) being requested.
Not only will you receive world-class care from our physician team, you will also be provided with a range of services provided by our supportive staff to receive the best comprehensive care, close to home.
Patient Navigation
Each oncology patient is assigned a Nurse Navigator to help guide you through the cancer journey. Your Nurse Navigator will be your main point on contact from diagnosis through survivorship, and works closely with our providers to ensure you are receiving timely, streamlined care.
Social Worker Support
The Cancer Center offers the support of a Licensed Social Worker. Our social worker collaborates closely with our Nurse Navigators, Physicians and Infusion Center Staff to break down barriers to care. Services provided include, but are not limited to: financial assistance, assistance with transportation, discussions regarding advanced care planning, and supporting home health and hospice needs.
A Dedicated Triage Nurse
Our Support Team includes a Registered Nurse dedicated to answering questions and assisting patients through side effects of cancer and treatment. Through effective symptom management, we strive to keep patients out of the hospital and managing in the comfort of their home.
Nutritional Support
Our Registered Dietitian is available by appointment to provide education to our oncology patients. She works closely with staff to identify patients in need of extra support through their cancer journey.
Prior Authorization and Scheduling
Our Prior Authorization and Scheduling staff work to ensure you treatments are covered by insurance and offer suggestions, in collaboration with Social Work to help lessen the financial burden that can come along with receiving treatment. | https://wvumedicine.org/berkeley/services/cancer-institute-regional-cancer-center/for-patients/ |
Browsing by Subject "species richness"
Now showing items 1-3 of 3
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Browsing intensity of herbaceous forbs across a semi-arid savanna catenal sequence (Elsevier, 2015)Ecological models to explain savanna heterogeneity and functioning weakly represent herbaceous forbs, which inevitably created knowledge gaps regarding the diversity and ecology of forbs. Forbs constitute over 70% of ...
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Patterns of plant species richness of temperate and tropical grassland in South Africa (National Botanic Garden of Belgium and Royal Botanical Society of Belgium, 2011)Background and aims - The grasslands of southern Africa are threatened by habitat transformation and invasive alien species. However, the resultant plant species loss per unit area cannot be quantified, as the true richness ...
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Revised phylogeny of African sand lizards (Pedioplanis), with the description of two new species from south-western Angola (Taylor & Francis, 2012)Although reptile diversity in Africa is high, it is poorly represented in Angola, with just 257 species known. Despite its greater surface area and habitat diversity Angola has significantly lower lacertid lizard diversity ... | https://dspace.nwu.ac.za/browse?type=subject&value=species+richness |
We love that writers around the world are inspired by our first lines, and we know that not every story will be sent to us. However, we ask that you do not submit stories starting with our first lines to other journals (or post them online on public sites) until we’ve notified you as to our decision (usually four weeks after the deadline). When the entire premise of the publication revolves around one sentence, we don’t want it to look as if we stole that sentence from another writer. If you have questions, feel free to drop us a line.
Also, we understand that writers may add our first line to a story they are currently working on or have already completed, and that’s cool. But please do not add our first line to a previously published story and submit it to us. We do not accept previously published stories, even if they have been repurposed for our first lines. And, just to be clear, we do not accept simultaneous submissions.
One more thing while I’ve got you here: Writers compete against one another for magazine space, so, technically, every literary magazine is running a contest. There are, however, literary magazines that run traditional contests, where they charge entry fees and rank the winners. We do not – nor will we ever – charge a submission fee, nor do we rank our stories in order of importance. Occasionally, we run contests to help come up with new first lines, or we run fun, gimmicky competitions for free stuff, but the actual journal is not a contest in the traditional sense.
Fiction: All stories must be written with the first line provided. The line cannot be altered in any way, unless otherwise noted by the editors. The story should be between 300 and 5,000 words (this is more like a guideline and not a hard-and-fast rule; going over or under the word count won’t get your story tossed from the slush pile). The sentences can be found on the home page of The First Line’s website, as well as in the prior issue. Note: We are open to all genres. We try to make TFL as eclectic as possible.
Poetry: We do accept poetry, though rarely. We have no restrictions on form or line count, but all poems must begin with the first line provided. The line cannot be altered in any way.
Non-Fiction: 500-800 word critical essays about your favorite first line from a literary work. | https://horrortree.com/category/type/non-fiction/ |
WASHINGTON - The House Committee on Small Business met today for a hearing titled, "Flipping the Switch on Rural Digital Entrepreneurship." Ranking Member Steve Chabot (R-OH) delivered the following opening statement:
Remarks as Prepared for Delivery
Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. Good morning to all of you and a special thank you to our witnesses who have taken the time to work with us on this hearing today.
The use of digital technologies, including access to high-speed Internet and online tools, is gaining popularity in rural areas because of the opportunities they create for small businesses throughout the countryside.
Increasingly, digital tools and platforms form the foundation of success for the modern day American small business. Small businesses that use digital tools are more nimble, resourceful, and able to reach more potential customers. It’s no surprise that digitally-powered businesses earn twice the revenue and are three times more likely to create jobs.
Unfortunately, there continues to be a lack of data about the rural aspect of the small business economy. What we do know, however, is that 27 percent of rural residents still do not have access to a high-speed Internet connection. In addition to this lack of infrastructure, rural areas lack skilled IT professionals to assist in the adoption of more advanced digital technology.
That is why this new report from the United States Chamber of Commerce is so timely and important. The Chamber surveyed over 5000 small business owners in rural America about the economic impact of online tools and technology on their businesses. Among other findings, they discovered that while the e-commerce ecosystem boosts sales and reduces costs for rural small companies, such firms are adopting digital tools at a pace much slower than their urban counterparts.
The study also found that greater use of digital tools and technology could increase greater economic potential for rural small businesses across the country. With better access to digital tools and technology, the Chamber’s analysis shows potential economic benefits in rural areas that is far reaching. For example, the study projects that gross sales for rural small firms could increase by an additional 20.8 percent over the next the years, the equivalent of $84.5 billion per year. Such increases would also lead to an additional $46.9 billion to the United States Gross Domestic product, or GDP, and create over 360,000 jobs.
I am looking forward to today’s discussion and a further examination of these exciting numbers and hearing suggestions about how we can increase the utilization of digital tools and technologies. The goal, of course, is to unlock the vast potential that is out there in our rural small businesses.
Finally, I’d like to thank Ms. Velázquez for holding this timely hearing. I yield back. | https://republicans-smallbusiness.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401247 |
There is no “one-size-fits-all” format for brochures. Their look, feel and messaging will vary, depending on the subject matter and your organization’s objectives, the target audience, and of course budget. My experience with brochure writing, in collaboration with marketing professionals and graphic designers, is broad and deep, covering industries, products and services. | http://www.donheymann.com/writing-services/brochures/ |
It is impossible for cat owners to be aware of every ailment and condition that could affect their feline friend. There are a few notable diseases, however, that are common enough that every cat lover should know about. One of these is hyperthyroidism in cats.
Learn what you need to know as a pet owner about this disease so that you can help to detect it early should your cat develop it. Continue…
Knowledge Is Power: Preventing Pet Poisoning In And Around The Home
March 2016 marks the 54th anniversary of National Poison Awareness Week. Originally intended to educate the public about the dangers of poisonings in people, particularly children, National Poison Awareness Week is the perfect time to remind pet owners everywhere about the dangers of accidental pet poisoning, and what you can do to prevent it.
Preventing Pet Poisoning In The Home
Whether you realize it or not, your dog or cat’s nose is always on the alert for new and interesting smells. It’s important to be aware of any potential pet toxins that may be in your home and to keep them out of your pet’s reach at all times. Continue…
No Online Appointments
We are not accepting online appointments at this time. | https://www.wheatonanimalhospital.com/blog/2016/03/ |
We believe that rhinos must be preserved for future generations. They are a crucial part of the ecosystems that sustain our planet – and the human race. Their survival is inextricably linked to our own. That’s why we’re working hard to give them a future.
Rhino Conservation Botswana is already working with its partners, including the governments of Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe and tourism operators, to help reintroduce black and white rhinos to Botswana. But, over the next few years, we want to build the populations of rhinos living wild and free in the Okavango Delta until they are of international importance.
We hope this population will increase swiftly and, in time, the rhinos will populate new areas of northern Botswana. Long-term, we’d like to see our proud country supporting between 5,000 and 10,000 wild rhinos.
RCB has been entrusted by the Botswana government to monitor Botswana’s rhinos and ensure that they remain healthy and strong.
Ultimately, we hope that this population of rhinos will become one of the great hopes for the survival of the species.
HOW WILL WE TURN THIS DREAM INTO A REALITY?
We have developed a world-class monitoring system to watch over and protect Botswana’s black and white rhinos after their release, to ensure their wellbeing and future breeding success.
Our highly trained and fully equipped rhino monitoring teams record detailed information about the rhinos on daily patrols. The data gathered helps us to understand the rhinos’ distribution, reproductive performance, mortality and home range use.
We share this valuable information with our partners at the Department of Wildlife and National Parks and other rhino owners and managers. We help them to make the right decisions to ensure optimal population growth, as both black and white rhinos recolonise parts of their former range.
RCB is fortunate to have many strong and passionate partners in our mission to bring rhinos at risk to the safety of Botswana.
Our conservation-minded President, Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama, the Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, the Honourable Tshekedi Khama, and their government are committed to helping us protect them.
Together, we are ensuring a future for these precious animals. | https://www.rhinoconservationbotswana.com/about-rcb/ |
The present invention relates to a method for the manufacture of phosphoric acid by the wet process, i.e., by the reaction of phosphate rock with recycled phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid to produce phosphoric acid and calcium sulfate by-product. As is well known, the overall chemical reaction (in simplified form) for the production of phosphoric acid from calcium phosphate rock is as follows:
Ca.sub.3 (PO.sub.4).sub.2 + 3H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 = 3CaSO.sub.4 + 2H. sub. 3 PO.sub.4 ( 1)
this overall reaction is generally described in two separate steps, the first being the formation of a solution of monocalcium phosphate by reaction of the phosphate rock with excess phosphoric acid, usually recycled from the process. This first step is shown as follows:
Ca.sub.3 (PO.sub.4).sub.2 + 4H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 + 3CaH.sub.4 (PO. sub.4). sub.2 ( 2)
the monocalcium phosphate thus formed reacts with sulfuric acid to form additional phosphoric acid and calcium sulfate as follows:
3CaH.sub.4 (PO.sub.4).sub.2 + 3H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 + 3CaSO.sub.4 + 6H.sub. 3 PO.sub.4 ( 3)
while the basic reactions are simple and well understood, there are certain complicating factors. One of these is the fact that calcium phosphate rock occurs in nature usually as deposits of fluoapatite, CaF. sub.2.3 CA.sub.3 (PO.sub.4).sub.2, contaminated to a greater or lesser extent with other minerals. Since such deposits are the commercial source of calcuim phosphate rock, the formation of numerous by-products occurs during the process, including fluorine-containing compounds and other by- products which constitute impurities in the phosphoric acid product. Such problems are not involved directly in the present invention and will not be further discussed herein, since both their existence and the methods and means of dealing with them are well known in the art.
Another complicating factor, one of more immediate concern in the practice of the present invention, is the several crystalline forms in which the calcium sulfate by-product may be obtained, depending on the concentration of the various reactants, and the temperature at which the reaction is carried out. The two forms of primary interest are calcium sulfate dihydrate, CaSO.sub.4.2H.sub.2 O and calcium sulfate hemihydrate, CaSO.sub.4.1/2H.sub.2 O. Calcium sulfate anhydrite can also be formed under certain conditions.
Generally, calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum) is a stable crystalline form which, when formed in a suitable crystal shape, is readily filterable and washable in the process. Calcium sulfate hemihydrate on the other hand, has a tendency to hydrate on the filter to form an unfilterable mass, and accordingly, great care must be taken when hemihydrate cyrstals are being formed and filtered, in order to maintain conditions such that hydration of the hemihydrate does not take place, i. e., to insure that a filtration-stable hemihydrate crystal configuration is attained.
On the other hand, formation of calcium sulfate dihydrate crystals (hereinafter usually referred to simply as gypsum) tends to trap phosphate within its crystalline structure and thus results in a net loss of phosphate values from the system. In addition to being uneconomical by reducing the overall yield of phosphate from the phosphate rock, the resultant contamination of the gypsum by-product with phosphate values renders it unusable in the manufacture of building material, such as gypsum wall board, plaster, or cement.
This latter consideration, i.e., the purity of the by-product gypsum, is often of great importance in considering the economics of a given installation. Wet process phosphoric acid is produced in extremely large volume, and each day large quantities of by-product gypsum are produced from any given installation. Gypsum, if not otherwise usable results in a serious disposal problem. When plant installations are located near the sea, dumping in the ocean is often employed as the disposal method. Aside from the cost involved, increasing concern with the pollution of the environment in general, and the oceans in particular, militate against this method of disposal, paticularly since the gypsum is contaminated with phosphate values. Another alternative has been to simply dump the gypsum on open areas of land. However, aside from its pollution aspects, this renders the land virtually unusable since the extensive gypsum overburden thus formed does not provide a suitable footing to support structures or otherwise permit use of the dump-filled land.
Further, it is obvious that if economic credits can be obtained by converting the gypsum into a saleable product, the overall economics of a given phosphoric acid plant are greatly improved. As aforesaid, if of sufficient purity, the gypsum may be used in the manufacture of wall board, or plaster, or as a raw material for the manufacture of cement, with the sulfur dioxide by-product from the cement calcining step being used to produce sulfuric acid. However, if the gypsum is contaminated with phosphate values, it is not usable in the production of wall board, plaster or cement, since the presence of phosphate reduces considerably the mechanical strength of the construction material formed thereby.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for the production of phosphoric acid, wherein extraordinarily high yields of phosphoric acid are obtained and a pure by- product gypsum, suitable for use as a raw material in other processes, is obtained.
One problem associated with wet-process production of phosphoric acid is that of sufficiently washing the gypsum crystals provided, so as to both completely recover the product acid and sufficiently cleanse the gypsum crystals for byproduct use, without using quantities of wash water which will excessively dilute the product acid. This is a particular problem when the concentration of the phosphoric acid produced in the reactor system increases significantly above 33% P. sub.2 O.sub.5. (As is customary in the art, the concentration of product phosphoric acid is expressed herein as (weight) percent P.sub.2 O.sub.5, rather than as percent H.sub.3 PO.sub.4.) At increasing concentration, the viscosity of the acid increases and it becomes increasingly more difficult to wash the product acid from the filter cake with the degree of thoroughness necessary. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing phosphoric acid which includes a highly efficient technique for washing the gypsum which is withdrawn as a by- product of the process, all the wash water being employed on the final crystal product, and none being expended on the washing of intermediate crystal products.
The economy of a given wet process phosphoric acid process is largely dependent on the efficiency of overall phosphate value recovery, i.e., the minimization of phosphate losses. There are two basic types of phosphate losses inherent in the wet process method of producing phosphoric acid, and these are generally referred to as "insoluble" and "soluble" losses.
Insoluble losses include simply unreacted calcium phosphate, i. e., phosphate rock which is not completely reacted to yield its phosphate values, and which passes through the system as unreacted calcium phosphate rock. Certain naturally occurring rocks are more reactive than others. Depending on the degree of reactivity of the rock, it may have to be ground to a smaller particle size to insure reaction. However, assuming sufficient grinding suitable for the degree of reactivity normally exhibited by a given rock, one of the primary causes of unreacted phosphate rock (and a major cause of insoluble losses) is the coating of rock particles by calcium sulfate formed in the reaction, before the particle has had a chance to react. This coating or "blinding" of the rock particles is caused by excessive sulfate concentrations in the reactant mass, resulting in undue precipitation of calcium sulfate on the unreacted rock particles.
A second major cause of insoluble loss of phosphate values in the system is the entrapment of phosphate within the crystalline structure of calcium sulfate. As the calcium sulfate dihydrate, i.e., gypsum, crystallizes out, phosphate ions, believed to have the structure HPO.sub. 4 =, substitute for sulfate ions, SO.sub.4 =, in the gypsum crystal structure, thus co-precipitating dicalcium phosphate (CaHPO.sub.4) with calcium sulfate (CaSO.sub.4) in the crystals.
The calcium sulfate thus formed contains dicalcium phosphate, which results in a loss of phosphate values from the system via entrapment in the by-product gypsum. This type of loss is sometimes referred to as a "lattice" loss, since the phosphate values are entrapped in a lattice of calcium sulfate crystals. It is known in the art to minimize lattice losses by maintaining an excess of sulfate ions in the phosphoric acid liquid from which the crystals are being precipitated. However, increasing the sulfate ion concentration of the phosphoric acid solution (usually by addition of sulfuric acid) to reduce phosphate lattice losses, can lead to excessive losses due to coating of phosphate rock particles as discussed above, and to excessive sulfate contamination of the phosphoric acid product.
"Soluble" losses generally refers to losses incurred by failure to completely wash residual phosphoric acid from the byproduct calcium sulfate crystals. Such retained residual phosphoric acid clinging to the surface of the by-product crystals is removed from the system with the by- product calcium sulfate, instead of being recovered in the re-cycled wash water.
In general, it is the objective of an economic wet phosphoric acid process to adjust conditions so that the sum total of the three basic types of phosphate losses (insoluble blinding and lattice losses and soluble losses), is minimized in order to attain the maximum overall rate of phosphate recovery.
In attempting to maximize overall phosphate yield rates, particularly in processes wherein it is desired to obtain a high purity by-product gypsum, several prior art schemes have been proposed including some in which calcium sulfate is precipitated as the hemihydrate or, at different stages of the process, as both gypsum and hemihydrate. Precipitation of calcium sulfate in the hemihydrate form appears to be based on the realization that while extensive lattice losses can be experienced in formation of gypsum, such losses do not seem to occur when hemihydrate or anhydrite calcium sulfate crystals are formed in the presence of phosphoric acid at not more than the usual 30- 32% P.sub.2 O. sub.5 product acid strength, since the dicalcium phosphate crystal does not "fit" into the hemihydrate or anhydrite crystalline lattice formed under such conditions. Prior art methods have attempted to take advantage of this phenomenon by reacting the phosphate rock to form the hemihydrate or anhydrite crystalline structure, with resultant elimination or minimization of lattice losses, and filtering the same to separate the product phosphoric acid therefrom. This has the great disadvantage, however, as stated above, of having to deal with the difficulty filterable nature of hemihydrate crystals, and requires that extensive precautions be taken to maintain conditions such that the hemihydrate remains stable and does not hydrate on the filter with consequent loss of filtration ability. Further, if phoshoric acid of higher concentration than 30-32% is to be made, losses are sustained even though the hemihydrate or anhydrite crystal form is produced.
Even if the hemihydrate is maintained in a sufficiently stable condition to permit filtration and washing without hydration, such of the small hemihydrate crystals which may be carried into the filter piping and subsequent equipment will hydrate therein and cause scale build-up and plugging of such piping and equipment. Further, such so- called "stable" hemihydrate, after removal from the filter, will hydrate in handling and storage areas to form cement-like blocks of material which are difficult to deal with.
Such recrystallization prior art schemes generally suffer from one or more basic defects. Primary among these is the necessity in some of them to filter the hemihydrate with the attendant difficulties in filtration and washing. Another problem is the necessity in certain of the prior art processes for the washing of crystals produced at an intermediate stage of the process. The wash water used in the intermediate wash must be recycled to the process to conserve the acid washed from the crystals, which results in dilution of the product acid. In order to wash the final crystal by-product, both to recover acid values and to obtain a clean by- product crystal, additional wash water must be used and recycled. Such multiple crystallization, multiple wash processes suffer from the fact that although only the final wash serves to purify the crystal by-product, all the washes dilute the final product acid.
A related prior art shortcoming is the need in some processes to thoroughly wash intermediate process crystals because phosphoric acid values not recovered in such intermediate washes are lost to the system.
Yet another difficulty in certain of the prior art recrystallization processes, is the necessity of separately preparing, maintaining and transporting an inventory of seed crystals, which are used to initiate the re-crystallization reaction.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method for the manufacture of phosphoric acid by the wet process, which yields a pure gypsum by-product, which minimizes phosphate losses from the process, which avoids the necessity of filtering hemihydrate calcium sulfate, and which "forgives" incomplete or even omitted washing of intermediate stage crystals by permitting recovery of any residual phosphoric acid which adheres to such crystals after the intermediate washing.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing phosphoric acid which comprises reacting calcium phosphate rock with a mixture of phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid in a reactor in which the sulfate concentration is controlled so as to preclude appreciable "blinding" of phosphate rock particles by the formation of a coating of calcium sulfate thereon, to yield phosphoric acid and phosphate-containing gypsum by-product, withdrawing from the reactor a slurry containing gypsum and separating product phosphoric acid therefrom, passing the gypsum to a first recrystallizer wherein the gypsum is recrystallized to hemihydrate, thereby releasing entrapped lattice phosphate values, passing the hemihydrate to a second, relatively high-sulfate, low-phosphate concentration recrystallizer wherein the hemihydrate is recrystallized to gypsum, separating the recrystallized gypsum from its liquid, washing the gypsum thus obtained, and withdrawing it as by-product gypsum.
The crystals in the recrystallizers are slurried in any suitable liquids. Preferably, the liquid separated from the final gypsum by- product is returned to the first recrystallizer, and the wash water used to wash the final gypsum by-product is returned to the second recrystallizer, the crystals contained therein forming a slurry of crystals in the respective liquids.
Recrystallization of gypsum to hemihydrate in the first recrystallizer is favored by any one or all of the following factors: increase in sulfuric acid concentration, in phosphoric acid concentration, and in temperature.
Preferably, recrystallization in the first recrystallizer is attained by introducing sulfuric acid therein, which not only increases the sulfuric acid concentration but, by virtue of the heat of dilution of the sulfuric acid in the slurry liquid, also increases the temperature of the slurry. The first recrystallizer may of course be heated by any other means, either alone or in addition to the heating obtained by sulfuric acid addition. Preferably concentrated sulfuric acid is employed.
Conversely, recrystallization of hemihydrate to gypsum in the second recrystallizer is favored by any one or more of the following factors: decrease in sulfuric acid concentration, in phosphoric acid concentration and in temperature. Preferably, recrystallization in the second recrystallizer is carried out by introducing water therein, which not only reduces the acid concentration, but cools the slurry since the water is usually provided at a lower temperature than the slurry which is introduced into the second recrystallizer. Naturally, cooling by any suitable means may be employed, either alone or in addition to the cooling obtained by addition of water.
Preferably, the wash water used to wash the recrystallized, by- product gypsum is added to the second recrystallizer.
As used in the claims, the term "recrystallizing" (the gypsum to hemihydrate and vice-versa) shall mean suitably increasing or decreasing one or more of the acid concentrations and temperature as described above, sufficiently to carry out the recrystallization by shifting conditions in the recrystallizers between hemihydrate and gypsum phases. FIG. 2, described hereinbelow, shows hemihydrate and gypsum phases at typical acid concentrations and temperatures.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the gypsum which is separated from the slurry withdrawn from the reactor may be washed with sulfuric acid to remove residual phosphoric acid from the gypsum crystals. This sulfuric acid washing is done prior to introducing the gypsum into the first recrystallizer, and the sulfuric acid solution separated from the recrystallized gypsum from the second recrystallizer is used as the acid wash.
The invention will be more fully explained in the following detailed discussion thereof, including a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, and illustrated in the attached drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a graph showing the relationship between the percent sulfate in the liquid phase of the slurry and the coated rock and lattice losses;
FIG. 2 is a graph showing gypsum-hemihydrate phases for various concentrations of phosphoric acid plotted against various concentrations of sulfuric acid with gypsum-hemihydrate equilibrium phase lines at various temperatures.
FIG. 3 is a schematic flow sheet illustrating an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a schematic flow sheet showing a section of the process of FIG. 3, and is keyed to the data of Table I.
The "controlled" sulfate concentration in the reactor means that conditions within the reactor are controlled so that the sulfate concentration is low enough, relative to the conditions in a given reactor, that coating or blinding of unreacted phosphate rock particles with calcium sulfate is substantially precluded.
The present invention comprises a novel, specified sequence of process steps which are characterized by the fact that coating of rock particles is substantially precluded in the reactor system, and the lattice losses sustained therein, and any soluble losses, are substantially entirely recovered by process steps carried out subsequent to the reactor. The result is an extremely high over-all phosphate recovery rate, and a substantially phosphate-free calcium sulfate by- product.
As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, a sulfate level in the reactor or attack vessel which will substantially preclude coating of the rock particles depends on the type of rock being reacted, the particle size of the rock, the mechanical arrangement of the reactor vessel, (including the physical points of addition of the rock and sulfuric acid, and the recycle phosphoric and sulfuric acids), recycle rates, the time sequence, if any, at which the reactants are introduced into the vessel, the hydrogen concentration of the liquid portion of the slurry (since this affects the solubility of the rock particles), and the concentration of impurities, such as silicates, in the slurry. Other things being equal, rock coating is avoided by a low sulfate concentration level, i.e., a level which does not exceed a given maximum level for the other conditions which obtain.
For example, a very reactive phosphate rock such as a ground, high- grade Moroccan rock could, under given conditions, be reacted in a reactor vessel with a sulfate concentration as high as 35 grams per liter without substantial blinding of the rock particles taking place. For a ground, high-grade Florida rock, a sulfate concentration as high as about 10 to 15 grams per liter could be sustained without blinding of rock particles. For a very refractory, non-reactive rock, even when ground to very fine particle size, such as a volcanic origin rock from South Africa (Phalamborwa), or Kola rock from Russia, it may be necessary to maintain a sulfate level as low as about 5 grams per liter or less in order to preclude substantial rock blinding. The foregoing values may of course vary depending on other factors, as discussed above. In any given case, all such factors must be taken into account to determine the sulfate level at which the reactor system can be operated without blinding or coating of the rock particles with calcium sulfate. In general, the more reactive a rock is the more quickly it dissolves and reacts, and the less susceptible it is to coating. Reactivity and rate of dissolution can be enhanced by grinding the rock to a fine particle size. As indicated above, the physical configuration of the reactor system and the manner in which the reactants are admixed will also affect the rate of reaction, and consequently affect "safe" maximum sulfate level in any given case. Given a specific plant, and operating procedures, and a specific rock feed, it is well within the abilities of anyone skilled in the art to operate the plant so as to preclude rock coating. It should be noted, as explained more fully hereinbelow, that operating the plant so as to virtually eliminate any rock coating, may not and probably will not be the most efficient mode of operation, under prior art practices,
In practice, phosphate rock, and recycled phosphoric and sulfuric acid, preferably supplemented with fresh sulfuric acid as required, is added to the reactor system vessel or vessels. The rock reacts with the acid in accordance with equations (1) through (3) above, resulting in a slurry of gypsum crystals suspended in an aqueous solution of phosphoric and sulfuric acids. The reactor system is operated at sulfate concentration levels which, considering the type of rock and other conditions as discussed above, are such that phosphate losses due to rock coating or blinding are substantially eliminated, although the lattice losses sustained may be very high. In fact, the lattice losses at this point may exceed the combined coating and lattice losses that would be sustained in an otherwise identical, conventionally operated reactor system. To illustrate, referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a graph with the total insoluble phosphoric acid yield loss for a wet phosphoric acid manufacturing process shown on the ordinate or vertical axis of the graph, the yield loss increasing in moving in an upward direction along the ordinate. The sulfate concentration in the liquid portion of the slurry is shown on the abscissa or horizontal axis of the graph, the concentration increasing in moving from left to right along the abscissa.
The relationship between "coated rock" loss (curve A) and "lattice" loss (curve B) as a function of sulfate concentration is shown, with "total insoluble" loss (curve A + B) being the sum of the coated rock and lattice losses. While the entire set of curves may shift along either or both axes of the graph, or "stretch" along one or both axes, depending on the factors discussed above (rock particle size, reactivity, etc.), the qualitative relationship between the curves will generally hold constant. In conventional wet process phosphoric acid processes, the aim is to operate the phosphate rock reactor at a sulfate level shown as line P so as to minimize the total insoluble losses. In accordance with the present invention, the phosphate rock reactor is operated at or to the left of line P' so that coated rock losses are eliminated as more fully described hereinbelow.
In accordance with the present invention, the reactor system may be operated to produce a relatively high concentration of product phosphoric acid, by maintaining the system at a temperature of between about 60. degree. C and 90° C. It is emphasized however, that the process of the invention is applicable to any reactor system and mode of operation. It is immaterial to the practice of the invention whether acid of conventional (30-33% P.sub.2 O.sub.5) strength or a higher strength acid is made. However, production of concentrated acid is aided by the controlled sulfate concentration which is maintained, in accordance with the invention, in the liquid portion of the slurry.
The reaction of the phosphate rock to form phosphoric acid is an exothermic reaction, and reactor system temperature levels are maintained by cooling the reaction mixture. This may be done by known means, such as air blowing or vacuum evaporation. Phosphoric acid at a selected strength of between about 25% and 45% may be produced, and a filterable and washable form of gypsum may be obtained from the reactor system by suitably controlling the conditions therein.
As aforesaid, operation of the reactor system may be by any suitable method, to produce any desired strength of phosphoric acid product. The development of techniques for controlling the reactor system have been the subject of much prior art work, are well known, and therefore need not be discussed in detail here. It suffices to say that any methods or techniques to control the rock reactor system may be employed. Preferred methods of controlling the reactor system are shown, for example, in my U. S. Pat. Nos. 3,522,003 and 3,522,004.
The concentration of sulfate in the liquid portion of the slurry is low relative to conventional practice for equivalent conditions, and although this has the advantages noted above, it usually results in a higher than normal concentration of calcium ions in solution. If the product phosphoric acid is to be used as a liquid fertilizer (eg, reacted to form diammonium phosphate) the high calcium level causes undesirable precipitates to form. Therefore, in accordance with another aspect of the invention, a quantity of sulfuric acid may be added to the gypsum slurry withdrawn from the reactor system to precipitate calcium as calcium sulfate. The additional precipitation takes place on the large quantity of existing gypsum crystals present, so that the formation of excessive numbers of small crystals does not occur.
Since substantially all the phosphate rock has already been reacted at this point, the sulfuric acid addition serves merely to reduce the calcium level in the liquid, and not to react additional rock, so that there is no problem of rock particle coating.
From the reactor system, the gypsum slurry is then fed to a crystal- liquid separating means, preferably a rotary pan-dump vacuum filter or vacuum belt filter, as is well known in the art. Product phosphoric acid is separated from the filter and withdrawn as the phosphoric acid product of the process. The gypsum crystals remaining on the filter are wet with residual product phosphoric acid, and it is usual in the art to recover such residual product acid therefrom by washing the crystals with water.
In accordance with the present invention, this intermediate wash may be eliminated, since the residual phosphoric acid will be recovered at a later stage of the process and the somewhat increased phosphate concentration caused by the residual phosphoric acid entering the recrystallizers is not usually deleterious to the process. However, circumstances may warrant conducting the intermediate wash. For example, it may be desired to keep the intermediate gypsum crystals free of residual phosphoric acid to avoid contaminating final product gypsum crystals when a single "shared time" filter is used to filter both the intermediate and final product gypsum crystals. There may also be other reasons, in a given case, for minimizing the phosphoric acid content of the recrystallizers by washing of the intermediate gypsum crystals.
Therefore, in accordance with another aspect of the present invention, in order to limit the quantities of water introduced into the process when the intermediate wash is employed, a dilute sulfuric acid solution is used in place of water to wash the residual phosphoric acid from the gypsum crystals. This sulfuric acid solution is preferably obtained from a later stage in the process, as hereinafter explained, and the used wash acid solution, with its admixed residual phosphoric acid, is recycled to the reactor system.
The gypsum crystals, whether or not freed of surface residual phosphoric acid by the sulfuric acid wash, contain a considerable amount of lattice-entrapped phosphate values in the gypsum crystals. The gypsum filter cake is accordingly passed to a first re-crystallizer into which sulfuric acid is added. A sufficiently high combination of temperature and sulfuric acid concentration in the first recrystallizer is maintained so that the gypsum introduced therein is recrystallized to the hemihydrate form of calcium sulfate, with the result that the lattice- entrapped phosphate is released from the disintegrating gypsum crystals. The hemihydrate crystals, having quite different crystallographic factors from the gypsum crystals, do not, under the conditions prevailing in the first recrystallizer, incorporate into their lattice structure dicalcium phosphate or other phosphate compounds. Additionally, the concentration of phosphoric acid is low as compared to the sulfuric acid concentration, and the relatively high sulfuric acid concentration depresses the calcium level in the liquid portion of the slurry. As previously mentioned, lattice entrapment of phosphate does not appear to occur in hemihydrate crystals in solutions containing not more than 30-32% P.sub.2 O.sub.5. Therefore, in order to preclude lattice entrapment of phosphates, the concentration of phosphoric acid in the first recrystallizer should be below 32% P.sub.2 O.sub.5 (44% H. sub.3 PO.sub.4). Normally, the phosphoric acid concentration is kept far below this value. For example, as shown below, in one example of the invention, the phosphoric acid concentration in the first recrystallizer is 2% (with intermediate crystal washing) and about 9% without intermediate crystal washing. The phosphoric acid concentration in the first recrystallizer should preferably be below about 30%, most preferably, below about 10%. The sulfuric acid concentration in the first recrystallizer will be high enough to maintain conditions in the hemihydrate phase for the temperature obtaining. Typical values for the required temperature and concentration ranges may be obtained from the graph of FIG. 2.
It should be noted that since the hemihydrate crystals of the present invention are not formed in the reactor system, hemihydrate crystal free of lattice-entrapped phosphates may be obtained regardless of how high a phosphoric acid concentration is maintained in the reactor system. The conversion from gypsum to hemihydrate is rapid under these recrystallization conditions, and is immediately triggered by the inventory of hemihydrate crystals in the recrystallizer, which serve as seed crystals for the recrystallization reaction.
The hemihydrate slurry, consisting of calcium sulfate hemihydrate crystals, a high concentration of sulfuric acid, and a low concentration of phosphoric acid (the latter obtained primarily from released lattice phosphate compounds), is then passed to a second recrystallizer, in which the mixture is diluted by the addition of water, preferably wash water obtained from a later stage of the process, as hereinafter described. The (wash) water also cools the mixture and the cooling effect of the added water may be supplemented with blow air or cooling of any type known in the art. The sulfate concentration level and temperature are thus immediately reduced to levels at which the calcium sulfate hemihydrate recrystallizes to gypsum. The reaction is rapid and the inventory of gypsum in the second recrystallizer serves as seed crystals for the recrystallization reaction.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the portion of the graph below a given isotherm or constant temperature line is the gypsum phase and the portion above the isotherm is the hemihydrate phase. As shown, decreasing temperature and decreasing sulfuric acid concentration favor gypsum formation, and relatively modest changes in acid concentration and temperature will shift conditions from one phase to the other. The phase lines are equilibrium lines between the two phases and are representative only. That is, the lines will shift depending on impurities in the solution, which means that different sources of phosphate rock will show different locations for the equilibrium phase lines.
Since the liquid portion of the slurry entering the second recrystallizer has a high sulfate concentration, and a low phosphate ion concentration, the lattice entrapment of phosphate values in the recrystallized gypsum is very small, and a substantially phosphate-free gypsum crystal lattice is produced. The gypsum slurry from the second recrystallizer is then passed to a second crystalliquid separator, preferably a pan or belt filter similar to the first separator. Preferably at least a portion of the dilute sulfuric acid liquid initially separated from the gypsum crystals so obtained is returned to the first filter, for use as the dilute sulfuric acid wash liquid. A portion of the second separator liquid is also diverted to the first recrystallizer to supplement and dilute the concentrated sulfuric acid added thereto and to control the solids content thereof. The sulfuric acid-wetted gypsum crystals are then washed with water to produce a high purity gypsum crystal free both of lattice phosphates and surface phosphoric and sulfuric acids, which is withdrawn as a saleable by- product suitable for use in cement, wall board or other construction materials.
The wash water containing the residual washed acid may be recycled to the process as the cooling, diluent water added to the second recrystallizer.
It is thus seen that the process of the invention avoids many of the problems associated with prior art recrystallization processes. Calcium sulfate hemihydrate is not filtered at any point in the process, and the inherent difficulties of filering the unstable hemihydrate are avoided. Rigorous control to maintain a relatively stable hemihydrate crystal is not necessary, since the hemihydrate once formed is recrystallized to gypsum in the very next step of the process. The existing inventory of crystals in, respectively, the first and second re- crystallizers provide seed starter crystals for the recrystallization steps, and the preparation and maintenance of separate seed crystal inventories is not necessary during operation of the process.
The process of the invention eliminates coated rock losses, and places all the rock into solution by reacting the phosphate rock in a controlled sulfate environment such that virtually no coating occurs, and then recovers the attendant lattice losses by recrystallizing the gypsum thus produced to hemihydrate. The necessity of handling or filtering hemihydrate crystals is avoided by immediately recrystallizing the hemihydrate to gypsum in a relatively high sulfate, low phosphate environment which results in virtual elimination of phosphate lattice losses. Any desired concentration phosphoric acid product may be obtained, and a high purity of by-product gypsum is also obtained, not only because of the conditions maintained and the sequence of reaction, crystallization and recrystallization steps, but because the totality of wash water introduced into the system is introduced onto the finished gypsum by-product crystals. In this manner, all the wash water is employed on the product crystals and none is expended on interim process crystals.
Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, 10 shows generally the phosphate rock reactor system which typically comprises two or more vessels 12 and 14 into which phosphate rock, sulfuric acid and recycled phosphoric and sulfuric acid are introduced by, respectively, lines 16, 18 and 20. The conditions in the reactor system are maintained so that gypsum calcium sulfate crystals are obtained. Phosphoric acid of desired strength may be obtained, as is well known in the art, by suitably controlling the reactor system. A high strength acid of between 35% and 45% P.sub.2 O.sub.5 may be obtained, or a more conventional acid strength of 30% up to 35% P.sub.2 O.sub.5 may be obtained. In general, a product acid strength of between 25% to 45% P.sub.2 O.sub.5 may be obtained. The reaction slurry is shown as being recirculated through the phosphate rock reactor system, as is conventional practice, via recirculation lines 22, 22A. The phosphate rock may be ground to a specified fineness before being introduced into the phosphate rock reactor system. This and other details of the phosphate rock reactor system, being well known in the art, are not shown. Any suitable phosphate rock reactor system may be used.
A portion of the gypsum slurry is withdrawn from phosphate rock reactor system 10 via line 24 and passed to a filter feed tank 26. Sulfuric acid may be added via line 28 to adjust the sulfate concentration of the liquid portion of the slurry upwardly. This precipitates calcium ions in the liquid portion of the slurry, the calcium sulfate precipitating onto the existing gypsum crystals. The slurry withdrawn via line 24 contains no unreacted phosphate rock since the sulfate levels maintained in the phosphate rock reactor system are low enough to preclude coating or blinding of the rock particles with calcium sulfate, and insure complete reaction of the rock.
The sulfate level-adjusted gypsum slurry is passed from filter feed tank 26 via line 29 to a first filter 30. Filter 30 may be of any suitable type. In the wet process phosphoric art a horizontal table vacuum filter consisting of a plurality of wedge-shaped pans is frequently employed. The slurry is dumped onto a section of the rotating filter and a vacuum is applied thereto, which suctions the liquid portion of the slurry through the filter cloth medium and leaves behind a gypsum filter cake. The phosphoric acid separated in this first suction section of the filter is withdrawn via line 32. A portion of this acid may be recycled to the reactor system via line 32a, and the remainder is withdrawn as product phosphoric acid via line 32b. The filter cake on first filter 30 is then washed in the wash section of the filter with a dilute sulfuric acid wash solution obtained from second filter 60 as described hereinbelow. First filter 30 is shown as divided into a suction section 30A and a wash section 30B. The dilute sulfuric acid wash solution is introduced onto wash section 30B of first filter 30 via line 62 and passed therethrough as indicated schematically by the arrows 62A. The sulfuric acid solution washes residual phosphoric acid from the gypsum crystals, and the used wash acid, containing the removed residual phosphoric acid, is recycled via line 20 to phosphate rock reactor system 10.
The acid washed gypsum crystals, containing entrapped phosphate values within the gypsum crystal lattice and any residual surface phosphoric acid not removed by the sulfuric acid wash, is dumped from the filter and passed via line 34 to first recrystallizer 40. It will be appreciated that although in the usual case the sulfuric acid wash of the gypsum crystals obtained from the reactor will remove most of the residual phosphoric acid wetting the crystal surfaces, the process is so designed that if washing difficulties should be experienced, the residual phosphoric acid not washed from the crystals is recovered, along with the lattice-entrapped phosphate values, at a later stage of the process. Concentrated sulfuric acid is introduced into first recrystallizer 40 via line 42. First recrystallizer 40 is heated to raise the temperature to that at which recrystallization from gypsum to hemihydrate will occur. As shown, the heat of dilution of the added sulfuric acid may be supplemented by heating that portion of the liquid filtrate obtained from second filter 60 which is diverted via line 66 to first recrystallizer 40. Heat exchanger 64 may be used for this purpose. Naturally, any other suitable means may be employed to heat recrystallizer 40.
It will be appreciated that in operation, there is at all times an inventory of hemihydrate crystal slurry in first recrystallizer 40. Accordingly, the gypsum crystals introduced thereto find a large quantity of hemihydrate "seed" crystals, and under the prevailing conditions of temperature and concentration the gypsum crystals rapidly recrystallize to hemihydrate form. As the gypsum recrystallizes to the hemihydrate form in first recrystallizer 40, the entrapped phosphate values contained within the calcium sulfate gypsum crystals are released and enter the liquid phase. They are not retrapped in the hemihydrate crystals because, as set forth hereinabove, the hemihydrate crystal is unable to contain the phosphate ion within its lattice structure.
The hemihydrate thus formed is withdrawn from first recrystallizer 40 via line 44 and passed to second recrystallizer 50. Used wash water obtained from second filter 60 is introduced into second recrystallizer 50 via line 53. If additional cooling is needed, air for cooling may be introduced via line 54 as shown, or any other suitable cooling method such as evaporative cooling, may be employed to cool the material in recrystallizer 50. The lower temperature and lower sulfuric acid concentration in second recrystallizer 50, and the inventory of gypsum seed crystals therein, rapidly convert the hemihydrate crystals back to the gypsum form.
The recrystallization to the gypsum form takes place in the low phosphate, relatively high sulfate content environment obtaining in second recrystallizer 50. The liquid entering recrystallizer 50 consists of the sulfuric acid liquid portion of the hemihydrate slurry and wash water from second filter 60. The only phosphate values entering crystallizer 50 are those contained on or entrapped within the gypsum crystals recovered from filter 30. The recrystallization of gypsum in second recrystallizer 50 thus takes place under conditions in which entrapment of phosphate values within the crystals is virtually nil. The recrystallized, practically phosphate-free gypsum is then passed via line 52 to second filter 60, which, like first filter 30 is divided into a suction section 60A and a wash section 60B. On second filter 60, a filtrate is separated in suction Section 60A. This filtrate comprises the dilute sulfuric acid solution removed via line 62, a portion of which is recycled to first filter 30 and a second portion of which is recycled to first recrystallizer 40. Wash water is introduced via line 68, onto wash section 60B of second filter 60. Residual sulfuric acid on the surface of the gypsum crystals forming the filter cake on second filter 60 is removed by the wash water which passes through the filter, as indicated by the arrows 68A. The used wash water, together with its residual sulfuric acid content is recycled to the process by being introduced via line 53 into second recrystallizer 50, wherein it serves to cool and dilute the slurry contained therein so as to help provide the requisite gypsum recrystallization conditions.
High purity by-product gypsum is removed from second filter 60 via line 69.
Referring now to FIG. 4, a portion of the flow sheet of FIG. 3 is shown in greater detail. Identical parts have the same designating numerals as shown in FIG. 3, and the line-designating numerals are supplemented with letter designators (A) through (M), which are keyed to Table I below. FIG. 4 also shows the suction and wash sections of the filters 30 and 60 separately, so that the composition of the gypsum being transferred from the suction to the wash section of each filter may be indicated. It will be appreciated that in the usual case, the filter is physically a single entity with individual filter pans being sequentially rotated through suction and wash sections. The various constituents of the process streams are shown in Table I, and are typical of the conditions which would be found in a plant operated in accordance with the invention.
The "gypsum" and "dicalcium" are shown on separate lines in Table I, but it will be understood that physically the dicalcium phosphate is entrapped within the lattice of the gypsum crystals. Also, for simplicity, no sulfuric acid is shown as such in line (A), although it is reasonably certain that there will be some present, not all of the "sulfate" being present as dissolved calcium sulfate. Further, the table reflects perfect displacement washing on filter 30. Naturally, perfect washing will not be attained in practice, but such soluble losses as are incurred will be recovered by recycling liquids from second filter 60 back into the process.
TABLE I
______________________________________
Quantity in Tons
Line in FIG. 4
Component (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F) (G)
______________________________________
Gypsum 4.979 0 0 4.979
0 0 0
(a) Dicalcium 0.121 0 0 0.121
0 0 0
Hemihydrate
0 0 0 0 0 0 4.300
H.sub.3 PO.sub.4
0.750 0.095
0.819
0.026
0 0.040
0.135
H.sub.2 SO.sub.4
0 1.905
1.381
0.524
1.450
0.805
2.710
H.sub.2 O 0.950 4.150
3.950
1.150
0.110
1.755
3.815
TOTAL 6.800 6.150
6.150
6.800
1.560
2.600
10.960
Percent by Weight
Line in FIG. 4
Component (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F) (G)
______________________________________
(b) H.sub.3 PO.sub.4
44.2 1.5 13.3 1.5 0 1.5 2.0
(b) H.sub.2 SO.sub.4
0 31.0 22.5 31.0 93.0 31.0 40.7
(b) H.sub.2 O 55.8 67.5 64.2 67.5 7.0 67.5 57.5
(c) Solids 75.0 0 0 75.0 0 0 39.3
Quantity in Tons
Line in FIG. 4
Component (H) (I) (J) (K) (L) (M)
______________________________________
Gypsum 0 5.100 0 5.100 0 5.100
(a) Dicalcium 0 0 0 0 0 0
Hemihydrate
0 0 0 0 0 0
H.sub.3 PO.sub.4
0.026 0.161 0.135
0.026 0 0
H.sub.2 SO.sub.4
0.524 3.234 2.710
0.524 0 0
H.sub.2 O 4.040 7.055 5.905
1.150 4.590
1.700
TOTAL 4.590 15.550
8.750
6.800 4.590
6.800
Percent By Weight
Line in FIG. 4
Component (H) (I) (J) (K) (L) (M)
______________________________________
(b) H.sub.3 PO.sub.4
0.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 0 0
(b) H.sub.2 SO.sub.4
11.5 31.0 31.0 31.0 0 0
(b) H.sub.2 O 88.0 67.5 67.5 67.5 100.0
100.0
(c) Solids 0 32.8 0 75.0 0 75.0
______________________________________
(a) dicalcium phosphate "trapped" as lattice loss in gypsum crystals
(b) % by wt. of liquid portion of slurry.
(c) % by wt. of total slurry, liquid and solids.
Referring again to FIG. 2, the sulfuric and phosphoric acid concentrations prevailing in, respectively, first recrystallizer 40 (Column G in Table I) and second recrystallizer 50 (Column I, in Table I) are shown thereon as points "R-1" and "R-2". In order for gypsum to recrystallize to hemihydrate in first recrystallizer 40, it is seen, by interpolating between the 60° C and 70° C isotherms, that the temperature in first recrystallizer 40 must be above about 64° C to drive the recrystallization reaction. Similarly, the temperature in second recrystallizer 50 must be below about 78° C to drive the recrystallization reaction to gypsum.
It will be noted that the effect of reducing the sulfuric acid concentration in second recrystallizer 50 is such that the temperature therein is not necessarily lower than that in first recrystallizer 40, although usually it will be. Under given conditions, the temperature in the second (hemihydrate to gypsum) recrystallizer may be greater than, about the same as, or even lower than that in the first (gypsum to hemihydrate) recrystallizer.
The "93%" sulfuric acid shown as being introduced via line 42 (Column E, Table I) into first recrystallizer 40 is conviently the commercially available 92.8% sulfuric acid. A concentration strength of "about 93%" sulfuric acid shall mean and include the commercially available 92.8% acid.
If the process exemplified in Table I and FIGS. 3 and 4 is modified by eliminating the sulfuric acid washing of the "intermediate" gypsum crystals, i.e., those separated on first filter 30 (in which case the sulfuric acid in line 62 would be passed directly to vessel 14), the concentration of phosphoric acid in second recrystallizer 50 would increase from the 1.5% shown in Table I to about 9%. (The increase represents the residual phosphoric acid clinging to the surface of the intermediate gypsum crystals.) Even at 9% phosphoric acid in the liquid of the slurry in second recrystallizer 50, there will be virtually no entrapment of phosphate values ("lattice" loss) within the gypsum crystals formed therein. Since the liquid portion of this slurry is separated on second filter 60 and returned to the process via line 62 whether or not the intermediate gypsum crystals are washed, the phosphate values contained in the liquid are recovered.
In accordance with the foregoing, it is seen that the invention provides a novel and efficient process for the manufacture of phosphoric acid by the wet process method, which process yields a high purity gypsum by-product, provides practically complete recovery of phosphate values, and which may be operated with any type of phosphate rock attack system, regardless of the type of product phosphoric acid (eg, conventional or high strength acid) being produced. The process of the invention avoids the necessity of filtering hemihydrate crystals with its attendant difficulties, and does not require a separate inventory of seed crystals to be maintained. All of the wash water introduced into the process is used to wash the final product crystals thus enhancing by- product purity.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, after reading and understanding the foregoing description, that numerous modifications and alterations may be made to the specific embodiments described, which alterations and modifications are, however, within the scope of the appended claims. For example, although the preferred embodiment shows separate first and second filters, a single "shared-time filter" may be substituted for the two filters. This is simply a single, large capacity filter, a portion of which would be used to carry out the function of the first filter, and another portion of which would be used to carry out the function of the second filter.
As will also be apparent to those skilled in the art, numerous valves, control devices, pumps, etc. have been omitted from the description and the Figures for the sake of brevity and clarity, the location and use of such devices being well known to those skilled in the art. | |
The focus of the Concept to Clinic challenge is to make AI advances useful — not just for data scientists interested in cutting-edge methods, but for clinicians working on the front lines of lung cancer detection and the patients they serve.
In early 2017, the Data Science Bowl produced a set of cutting-edge algorithms for detecting lung cancer in CT scans. These algorithms have demonstrated the potential for artificial intelligence to help radiologists catch lung cancer earlier and more reliably separate out false positive results. Through the Concept to Clinic challenge, we’ve engaged a global community of participants to collaboratively develop the functionality and experience that matter most in a clinical setting. Through this process, we are building an open source application that starts from cutting edge algorithms for detection and actually turns it into artificial intelligence that is useful to clinicians and patients.
A range of technical abilities from data scientists, software developers, and frontend engineers are needed to build the end-to-end application that loads images from patient scans, applies machine learning algorithms to find and interpret potential threats, and gives radiologists a clear user interface for their clinical work. Meanwhile, the experience of practicing radiologists must be built in from the very beginning to the way the functionality and user flow is designed, and ongoing feedback provides focus on the development priorities that are most important for real clinical value.
This challenge brings people together from across the globe to improve the tools we have to fight the world’s deadliest cancer. From the more than 500 developers using thousands of lung CT scans to build out the application, to the radiologists informing the most useful design decisions, and the lung cancer patients they are ultimately serving through their work -- get to know some of them below!
Meet some of the participants in the global fight against lung cancer
Serhiy Shekhovtsov
Full Stack Software Engineer
Lviv, Ukraine
Serhiy was a top backend contributor in the first milestone and is currently among the top five overall contributors to the project.
Who are you (briefly) and what do you do professionally?
I am a self-taught programmer from Lviv, Ukraine. Have been working as a full stack software developer for more than 8 years. Co-founder of ShortPoint - successful startup supported by Silicon Oasis Founders and 500 Startups accelerators.
What got you interested in this Concept to Clinic project?
- An opportunity to contribute to something that really matters on a global scale.
- Getting hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology stack.
- Tasks you implement and code you write will (mostly) be useful, no matter what is your position on the leaderboard, unlike it's with a vast majority of other online competitions.
- A chance to get a prize even if you are not at the top of the global leaderboard.
For more from Serhiy check out his e-chat with DrivenData.
Martin Musale
Software Developer
Nairobi, Kenya
Martin was a top community contributor in the first milestone and is currently among the top five overall contributors to the project.
Who are you (briefly) and what do you do professionally?
What got you interested in the Concept to Clinic project? How did you find the challenge and why did you choose to participate?
I love challenges! But what really got me interested was the scope of the project, to build a cutting-edge open source tool for clinics. It also involved meddling in some interesting technology i.e. ML, AI and algorithms. The technology stack was also very appealing. I loved the setup.
For more from Martin check out his profile on Concept to Clinic.
Jason Hostetter
Clinical Fellow, Neuroradiology
Baltimore, MD
Dr. Hostetter has been practicing radiology for four and a half years in Baltimore, after working as a full-time software developer before starting medical school. He is a member of the Technical Advisory Panel and has been instrumental to the design of this project.
Why did you choose to participate as an advisor for this project?
I believe in the power of like-minded groups of people, and have personally benefited from hundreds of open source projects. I loved the idea of leveraging the power of programmers across the world to tackle one of the biggest needs in medical imaging right now, data collection. Machine learning and AI is exploding right now in the world of medical imaging, but we have precious few reliable datasets to train algorithms, and fewer still good ways to collect it.
What do you see as the biggest areas where better uses of machine learning can help radiologists with their work?
Automating or streamlining mundane but important tasks. For instance, finding lung nodules and tracking their size over time. Same thing with lymph nodes or tumors in cancer follow-up studies. These tasks are tedious and time consuming for humans, but play a very important role in treatment. They also tend to be quite routine and with well-described parameters for reporting, which is perfect for a computer algorithm.
What are the benefits of an open source challenge like this? In what ways is this project useful?
Open source can not only drive the production of great software, it also brings together a community of people who believe in the same end goal. Newcomers can be brought into the conversation and learn about what is being created. Medical imaging is a relatively small world compared to the wider world of software development. This project helps skilled programmers see what problems our industry is struggling with, and gives them an opportunity to dive in to our world. With the ultimate goal of better health care for real people, I hope contributors can see the potential impact of what they produce.
For more from Dr. Hostetter check out his short interview with DrivenData.
Sally Samuels
Lung Cancer Survivor and Advocate San Francisco, CA
Sally is a lung cancer survivor whose cancer was detected early. Her life and advocacy offer a beautiful example of why early scans are so important.
Sally serves on the Addario Patient and Caregiver Advisory Board (APCAB) at the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation.
Hear Sally’s story firsthand and why, in her words, it’s so important to demand a scan.
Get involved
Open development in Concept to Clinic runs through January 25. A version of the in-progress application is now being used to collect feedback from clinicians and inform priorities for continued development.
Looking for ways to contribute? Visit the challenge home and sign up!
Like the project? Please help spread the word #concepttoclinic!
The Concept to Clinic challenge is a collaboration between DrivenData and the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation. | https://drivendata.co/blog/bridging-the-ai-application-gap |
After clearing the Preliminary stage, the next step for a candidate is the Main examination. The mains exam consists of total nine papers; four General Studies papers, two papers of Optional subject (Paper VI and Paper VII), one paper on Essay and two qualifying papers of mother language and English paper.
Marks:
Optional subject consists of a total of 500 marks out of a total of 2025 marks and hence play an important role to get selection in the Civil services examination.
Medium:
Optional papers can be answered in English or any of the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India. The optional papers can be answered in English even if none of the other papers have been answered by the candidate in English language.
Syllabus:
For the optional subject, the UPSC has given the detailed syllabus in its notification. Regarding the syllabus UPSC has also mentioned that- “the scope of the syllabus for optional subject papers (Paper VI and Paper VII) for the examination is broadly of the honours degree level i.e. a level higher than the bachelors’ degree and lower than the masters’ degree. In the case of Engineering, Medical Science and law, the level corresponds to the bachelors’ degree”. | https://www.vajiramandravi.com/upsc-optional-subject-online-course.php |
As a Ph.D. candidate in anthropology at the University of Albany, I research biocultural anthropology while teaching a variety of courses in anthropology. I believe anthropology is an indispensable discipline to help all people understand the shaping of human biology and health by sociocultural factors, and I aim to help people gain this knowledge through direct instruction and through my contributions to biocultural anthropological research.
Developed and taught Physical Growth and Development, a discussion-based course that encouraged students to learn and evaluate concepts of growth, including reading and critiquing scientific articles.
Designed labs for students to apply forensic anthropology methods and recording standards, culminating in students providing a full, professional-level biological profile of skeletal remains.
Supervised undergraduate instructors of Introduction to Feminisms in leading a discussion-based course that encouraged students to make connections between class concepts and personal lives.
2020 Ph.D., Anthropology, State University of New York at Albany.
Dissertation: Maternal Immigration Stress and Infant Stress Response. Professor Lawrence Schell, Chair.
2013 M.A., Anthropology, State University of New York at Albany.
Holdsworth, E. A., & Appleton, A.A. In review. Adverse childhood experiences and reproductive strategies in a contemporary United States population. American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
Appleton, A. A., Kiley, K., Holdsworth, E. A., & Schell, L. M. 2019. Social support during pregnancy modifies the association between maternal adverse childhood experiences and infant birth size. Maternal and Child Health Journal.
Holdsworth, E.A. & Schell, L.M. 2018. Stunting. in The International Encyclopedia of Biological Anthropology. Wiley-Blackwell.
Holdsworth, E.A. & Schell, L.M. 2017. Maternal-infant interaction as an influence on infant adiposity. American Journal of Human Biology, 29(5), e23023.
Appleton, A.A., Holdsworth, E.A., & Kubzansky, L.D. 2016. A systematic review of the interplay between social determinants and environmental exposures for early-life outcomes. Current Environmental Health Reports:1-15.
Appleton, A.A., Holdsworth, E.A., Ryan, M., & Tracy, M. 2016. Measuring childhood adversity in life course cardiovascular research: A systematic review. Psychosomatic Medicine.
Appleton, A.A., Holdsworth, E.A., & Ingle, M. 2016. Epigenetic alterations to NR3C1 and HSD11B2 and the developmental origins of mental disease risk. In D. Spengler & E. Binder (Eds.), Epigenetics and Neuroendocrinology – Clinical Focus on Psychiatry. Springer International Publishing.
Local challenges and sources of resilience among migrant mothers in a semi-rural region in New York State. In the SUNTA Panel Session “Intersections of care and wellbeing with resilience and adaptation in the migrant experience."
Allison A. Appleton and Elizabeth A. Holdsworth. U.S. Society for the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Conference, Chapel Hill, NC. October 1-2, 2018.
Effects of early life stress on physiological responses to chronic and acute stress in midlife in the United States.
Elizabeth. A. Holdsworth. Human Biology Association Annual Meeting, Austin, TX. April 12-13, 2018.
Adverse childhood experiences predict faster reproductive strategies and development.
Elizabeth A. Holdsworth and Allison A. Appleton. American Association of Physical Anthropologists Annual Meeting, Austin, TX. April 13-16, 2018.
Maternal experiences of childhood adversity are associated with age at menarche and offspring asymmetric fetal growth.
Elizabeth A. Holdsworth, Lawrence M. Schell, and Allison A. Appleton. U.S. Society for the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Conference, Detroit, MI. September 25-27, 2017.
Maternal early life adverse experiences and birth outcomes.
Acculturation and Depression Among Hispanic and Asian Americans.
Annual Meetings of the Human Biology Association, St. Louis, MO. March 25-26, 2015.
Infant Fatness and Mother’s Engagement.
E.A. Holdsworth and L.M. Schell. Annual Meetings of the Human Biology Association, Calgary, Canada. April 9-10, 2014.
Poverty of Environment, Poverty of Development: Intergenerational Pathways of Poor Health in Disadvantaged US Children.
L.M. Schell, J. Ravenscroft, E. Holdsworth. In the symposium, Can the future escape the past: Biosocial factors in the reproduction of poverty. Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association, Chicago, IL, November 20-24, 2013.
Ocobock, Cara and Christopher Lynn, hosts. “SoS7: Of Goldilocks & Baby Fat in birth Weight: Chat with Liz Holdsworth & Larry Schell.” Sausage of Science Podcast, Human Biology Association, 26 Feb. 2018.
© 2019 Elizabeth Holdsworth. All rights reserved. | https://www.albany.edu/~eh725847/ |
TECHNICAL FIELD
BACKGROUND ART
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTON
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION
MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEM
EFFECT OF THE INVENTION
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
EXPLANATIONS OF LETTERS OR NUMERALS
BEST MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Exemplary Embodiments
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The present invention generally relates to a controlling device for railway electric cars and specifically relates to a controlling device for railway electric cars that has a slipping/sliding controlling function to inhibit the wheels from spinning free and sliding.
As a controlling device for railway electric cars, systems that drive and control an alternate-current motor by using an inverter have already been put into practical use. As is well known, accelerations and decelerations of railway cars are realized by powers that are transmitted between iron rails and iron wheels within the small contact areas therebetween. Thus, a controlling device for railway electric cars needs to control the torque of the electric motor in an appropriate manner so that the wheels do not spin free. In other words, if the torque is too high, the wheels spin free, and a friction coefficient (hereinafter, it may also be referred to as an "adhesion coefficient") between the wheels and the rails decreases, so that the efficiency of transmitting the powers also decreases. As a result, problems arise where the railway electric cars cannot be accelerated in a satisfactory manner and where the wheels and the rails wear down. Conversely, if the torque is too low, although the wheels do not spin free, the railway electric cars cannot be accelerated in a satisfactory manner, and it becomes difficult for the railway electric cars to run on schedule. Also, the same applies to when a regenerative brake is used.
Conventionally, controlling devices for railway electric cars have a slip controlling system for inhibiting the slipping phenomenon of the wheels as described above. Generally speaking, such a slip controlling system is configured so as to determine a slipping state of the wheels by using rates of change of the wheels' speeds and a speed deviation among a plurality of wheels and to adjust the torque of the electric motor. There may be, however, some substances such as rain, snow, sand, and grease between the rails and the wheels. In addition, the adhesion coefficient greatly changes constantly according to the state of the surfaces of the rails and the wheels, the temperature, and the traveling speed of the railway electric cars. Thus, physical phenomena of the rails and the wheels are complex, and it is not easy to formulate a control law. For this reason, a large number of methods that can be used by slip controlling systems have been proposed based on theoretical studies from various aspects and data from test runs using actual railway electric cars (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
H06-335106
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.
The conventional techniques described above, however, have problems as follows: In the regular railway systems such as local trains in Japan, it is easy to recognize the slipping/sliding phenomenon based on the rates of change of the wheels' speeds and the speed deviation among a plurality of wheels, because the rates of change of the wheels' speeds are relatively high, and also, the speed deviation among the wheels is also relatively large when the wheels spin free or slide. However, while a railway electric car is running at a high speed (e.g., approximately 200 kilometers per hour or higher) in a high-speed railway system, the rates of change of the wheels' speeds are low, and the speed deviation among a plurality of wheels is also small when a slipping/sliding is occurring. Thus, a problem remains where it is difficult to recognize a slipping/sliding phenomenon based on the rates of change of the wheels' speeds and the speed deviation among the wheels and it is difficult to distinguish a situation where the railway electric car is in an accelerating state during normal travel, from a situation where a slipping/sliding is occurring.
In view of the problems described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a controlling device for a railway electric car, the controlling device being able to detect the slipping/sliding phenomenon during, in particular, high-speed travel and to exercise slipping/sliding control in an appropriate manner.
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, a controlling device for a railway electric car according to one aspect of the present invention is constructed in such a manner as to include a plurality of electric motors and a slipping/sliding controlling unit that generates a torque command value so as to inhibit a slipping or sliding based on rotation speeds of the plurality of electric motors, wherein the slipping/sliding controlling unit includes: a reference rotation speed calculator that calculates a first reference rotation speed and a second reference rotation speed by using the rotation speeds of the plurality of electric motors; first adhesion level index generating units that are provided in correspondence with the electric motors respectively, and each of the first adhesion level index generating units receives, as an input, the first reference rotation speed and the rotation speed of a corresponding one of the electric motors and generates a first adhesion level index that is an index for an adhesion level between a wheel that is connected to the corresponding electric motor and a surface that is trodden by the wheel, based on an acceleration deviation that is a difference between an acceleration calculated by using the rotation speed of the corresponding electric motor and an acceleration calculated by using the first reference rotation speed and based on a speed deviation that is a difference between the rotation speed of the corresponding electric motor and the first reference rotation speed; a second adhesion level index generating unit that receives, as an input, the second reference rotation speed and generates a second adhesion level index value by multiplying the first adhesion level index value by a gain that has been generated based on an acceleration calculated by using the second reference rotation speed; and a torque command value generating unit that generates the torque command value based on the second adhesion level index value.
According to an aspect of the present invention, even in the situation where a slipping or sliding is occurring during high-speed travel and where the acceleration deviation and the speed deviation are small so that it is not effective to exercise slipping or sliding control by adjusting the torque based on the first adhesion level index, it is possible to exercise slipping or sliding control in an appropriate manner by setting the gain generated by the second adhesion level index generating unit to a predetermined value smaller than 1. As a result, an advantageous effect is achieved where, without the need to additionally use new rotation speed information of non-drive shafts or the like, it is possible to recognize a slipping/sliding phenomenon only based on the rotation speed information of the drive shafts connected to the wheels, to detect a slipping/sliding state before the speed becomes greatly different from an actual value, and to exercise slipping/sliding control in an appropriate manner.
Fig. 1] Fig. 1
[ is a diagram of a controlling device for a railway electric car according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2] Fig. 2
[ is a diagram of a slip controlling unit according to the embodiment.
Fig. 3] Fig. 3
[ is an operation chart of a speed deviation DFM, an acceleration deviation DFT, and an adhesion level index ADL1, in a situation where a wheel 5A connected to a first shaft spins free.
Fig. 4] Fig. 4
[ is an operation chart of adhesion level indexes ADL1 to ADL4 of mutually different shafts, an adhesion level index ADLO to which a maximum value process has been applied, a torque command TO* corresponding to a steady period, and a torque command T* that has been adjusted by slip control.
Fig. 5] Fig. 5
[ is an operation chart of a first adhesion level index calculator 7A in a situation where a minor slipping keeps occurring.
Fig. 6] Fig. 6
[ is an operation chart of levels of FM1 to FM4, FMmax, ADL0, S1, S2, ADL, T0* and T* in a situation where a second adhesion level index calculator is functioning.
1
2
3
4A to 4D
5A to 5D
6
7A to 7D
8
9
10
11, 13, 19
12
14, 16
15, 17, 20
18
21
22, 23
24
25
26, 27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
Slip controlling unit
Torque calculator
Electric power converter
Electric motor
Wheel
Rail
First adhesion level index generating unit
Second adhesion level index generating unit
Maximum value calculator
Minimum value calculator
Differentiator
Reference rotation speed calculator
Subtractor
Low-pass filter
Judging device
Comparator
Inverter
Off-delay unit
ADL processing unit
Multiplier
First-order delay unit
Acceleration calculator
Acceleration deviation processing unit
Differential speed deviation processing unit
Acceleration responsiveness lowering unit
Slip detecting unit
Gain generating unit
Time constant setting unit
Exemplary embodiments of a controlling device for a railway electric car according to the present invention will be explained in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. In addition, although slip control is explained below, the same applies to sliding control.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
a diagram of a controlling device for a railway electric car according to an embodiment of the present invention. is a diagram of a slip controlling unit according to the embodiment.
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
First, a configuration of the controlling device for a railway electric car according to the present embodiment will be explained, with reference to . The reference character 1 denotes a controlling unit that performs a torque control so as to resolve a slipping or sliding state. In the following sections, to simplify the description, the controlling unit will be simply referred to as a "slip controlling unit". A torque command value T0* corresponding to a non-slipping state is input to the slip controlling unit 1. After a calculation has been performed on the torque command value T0* while a slipping state is taken into account, the slip controlling unit 1 outputs a torque command value T*. The reference character 2 denotes a torque calculator. The torque calculator 2 receives, as an input, the torque command value T* and outputs a gate control output G. The reference character 3 denotes an electric power converter. The electric power converter 3 is controlled based on the gate control output G, which is an output of the torque calculator 2. In the example shown in , a plurality of electric motors 4A to 4D are collectively driven.
Each of the reference characters 5A to 5D denotes a wheel. The reference character 6 denotes a rail. The electric motors 4A to 4D are connected to shafts of the wheels 5A to 5D, respectively, and cause the wheels 5A to 5D to rotate, respectively. Due to friction forces generated between the wheels 5A to 5D and the rail 6, the railway electric car obtains a propulsive force via the rotations of the wheels 5A to 5D. Further, the reference characters FM1 to FM4 denote speed signals detected by sensors (not shown) that are installed on the electric motors 4A to 4D, respectively. The speed signals FM1 to FM4 indicate rotation speeds of the shafts of the electric motors 4A to 4D, respectively.
Fig. 2
Next, a configuration of the slip controlling unit 1 will be explained, with reference to . The reference characters 7A to 7D denote first adhesion level index generating units that respectively generate adhesion level indexes ADL1 to ADL4, which are indexes of adhesion levels between the wheels 5A to 5D and the rail 6, respectively. The reference character 8 denotes a second adhesion level index generating unit that is provided separately from the first adhesion level index generating units 7A to 7D. The reference character 9 denotes a maximum value calculator that outputs a maximum value FMmax among the rotation speeds FM1 to FM4. The reference character 10 denotes a minimum value calculator that outputs a minimum value FMmin among the rotation speeds FM1 to FM4. The maximum value calculator 9 and the minimum value calculator 10 are provided within a reference rotation speed calculator 12. The reference rotation speed calculator 12 outputs the FMmin to each of the first adhesion level index generating units 7A to 7D, and also, outputs the FMmax to the second adhesion level index generating unit 8. In the present embodiment, the reference rotation speed calculator 12 calculates the minimum value FMmin and the maximum value FMmax, based on the rotation speeds FM1 to FM4. However, the present invention is not limited to this example. Any other arrangement is also acceptable as long as two reference rotation speeds are obtained, based on the rotation speeds FM1 to FM4.
Two signals representing the FMmin and the rotation speed FM1 are input to the first adhesion level index generating unit 7A. Similarly, two signals representing the FMmin and the rotation speed FM2 are input to the first adhesion level index generating unit 7B. Also, two signals representing the FMmin and the rotation speed FM3 are input to the first adhesion level index generating unit 7C. Further, two signals representing the FMmin and the rotation speed FM4 are input to the first adhesion level index generating unit 7D. The FMmax is input to the second adhesion level index generating unit 8.
Next, the first adhesion level index generating unit 7A will be explained. Each of the first adhesion level index generating units 7B to 7D is similar to the first adhesion level index generating unit 7A. The reference character 11 denotes a differentiator. The differentiator 11 receives, as an input, the rotation speed FM1 and outputs an acceleration A1, which is a rate of change of the rotation speed FM1 with respect to time. The reference character 13 denotes another differentiator. The differentiator 13 receives, as an input, the FMmin and outputs an acceleration A2, which is a rate of change of the FMmin with respect to time. The differentiator 11 and the differentiator 13 structure an acceleration calculator 29 serving as a first acceleration calculator. The reference character 14 denotes a subtractor. By using the acceleration A1 and the acceleration A2, the subtractor 14 outputs A3 (=A2-A1). The reference character 15 denotes a low-pass filter. The low-pass filter 15 receives, as an input, A3 and outputs an acceleration deviation DFT. The calculation sampling period of the differentiator 11 is set shorter, whereas the calculation sampling period of the differentiator 13 is set longer. The subtractor 14 and the low-pass filter 15 structure an acceleration deviation processing unit 30.
The reference character 16 denotes another subtractor. The subtractor 16 outputs a difference between the rotation speed FM1 and the FMmin as a speed difference V1. The reference character 17 denotes another low-pass filter. The low-pass filter 17 receives, as an input, the speed difference V1 and outputs a speed deviation DFM. The subtractor 16 and the low-pass filter 17 structure a differential speed deviation processing unit 31.
In the configuration described above, the acceleration A1 is an acceleration of the rotation speed FM1 of a first shaft, which is the shaft of the electric motor 4A, and is an instantaneous acceleration. In contrast, the acceleration A2 is an acceleration of the FMmin, which is the lowest rotation speed among the rotation speeds of the wheels 5A to 5D, and is a reference acceleration that has almost no instantaneous change. As described above, because the calculation sampling period of the differentiator 13 is set longer, the acceleration A1 has almost no instantaneous change. Thus, it is possible to use the acceleration A2 as the reference acceleration. The acceleration deviation DFT can be obtained by applying a first-order delay process in the low-pass filter 15 to the difference A3 between the acceleration A2, which is used as the reference acceleration, and the acceleration A1, which is an instantaneous value. Further, the speed deviation DFM can be obtained by applying a first-order delay process in the low-pass filter 17 to the speed difference V1, which is a difference between the rotation speed FM1 of the first shaft and the FMmin.
The reference character 18 denotes a judging device. The judging device 18 receives, as an input, the acceleration deviation DFT and the speed deviation DFM and outputs the adhesion level index ADL1 of the first shaft in a one-to-one correspondence manner, based on a combination of the input values. In other words, the judging device 18 judges an adhesion level state based on the acceleration deviation DFT and the speed deviation DFM and outputs the adhesion level index ADL1 indicating the adhesion state by, for example, weighting the acceleration deviation DFT and the speed deviation DFM with a predetermined ratio.
Fig. 3
is an operation chart of the speed deviation DFM, the acceleration deviation DFT, and the adhesion level index ADL1, in a situation where the wheel 5A connected to the first shaft spins free. While the horizontal axis expresses time, temporal changes in the rotation speeds FM1 to FM4, the speed deviation DFM, the acceleration deviation DFT, and the adhesion level index ADL1 are shown. Between a time t1 and a time t4, at least one of the deviations (i.e., one or both of the speed deviation DFM and the acceleration deviation DFT) increases. Accordingly, the adhesion level index ADL1 has a value smaller than 1. In particular, by looking at the adhesion level index ADL1 between a time t2 and a time t3, it is understood that the impact of the acceleration deviation DFT is more dominant than that of the speed deviation DFM. It is to be noted that when the adhesion level index is 1, it is judged that the wheel is not spinning free. It is determined that the lower the adhesion level index is below 1, the more the wheel is spinning free.
The same process is performed on each of the first adhesion level index generating units 7B to 7D. The adhesion level indexes ADL2 to ADL4 are thus obtained.
The reference character 25 denotes an ADL processing unit. Outputs of the first adhesion level index generating units 7A to 7D are input to the ADL processing unit 25. In other words, the ADL processing unit 25 receives, as an input, the adhesion level indexes ADL1 to ADL4 and, after performing, for example, a maximum value selecting process or an averaging process thereon, the ADL processing unit 25 outputs the result as an adhesion level index ADL0. In this situation, the maximum value selecting process is a process to select such an index value among the adhesion level indexes ADL1 to ADL4 that has the largest change from 1. The averaging process is a process to select the average value of the adhesion level indexes ADL1 to ADL4.
The reference characters 26 and 27 denote multipliers. The reference character 28 denotes a first-order delay unit that causes a first-order delay. A time constant used by the first-order delay unit 28 will be referred to as T. The adhesion level index ADL0 that has been output from the ADL processing unit 25 is multiplied by a gain in the multiplier 26, as explained below, and is further multiplied in the multiplier 27 by a torque command T0* corresponding to a steady period based on an operation command. The result is then input to the first-order delay unit 28 where a first-order delay is applied thereto and is subsequently output from the slip controlling unit 1 as a torque command T*.
While the wheel is not spinning free, the adhesion level index ADL0 is 1. On the contrary, while the wheel is in a slipping state, the adhesion level index ADL0 has a value equal to or smaller than 1 based on the combination of the acceleration deviation DFT and the speed deviation DFM. Thus, T0*>T* is satisfied, so that the torque is lowered by "T0*-T*". A time constant used for lowering or recovering the torque is adjusted by using the time constant T used by the first-order delay unit 28.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
is an operation chart of adhesion level indexes ADL1 to ADL4 of the shafts, the adhesion level index ADL0 to which the maximum value selecting process has been applied, the torque command T0* corresponding to a steady period, and the torque command T* that has been adjusted by slip control. As shown in , the torque command T* is output in a finely-adjusted manner according to the changes in the adhesion level index ADL0.
In the operation described above, it is possible to establish a setting where the acceleration deviation DFT is more dominant in terms of responsiveness to the slip control, so as to cause the acceleration deviation to converge by more finely adjusting the responding speed or the resolution capability of the reference acceleration. Thus, it is possible to exercise adhesion control in a fast and finely-adjusted manner, by using the speed deviation DFM and the acceleration deviation DFT.
In the present embodiment, the ADL processing unit 25 outputs the single adhesion level index ADL0 based on the adhesion level indexes ADL1 to ADL4, so that the torque command T* is output according to the adhesion level index ADL0. In other words, the torques of the four electric motors 4A to 4D are collectively controlled by using the torque command T*. However, another arrangement is also acceptable in which four torque commands according to the adhesion level indexes ADL1 to ADL4 are output without using the ADL processing unit 25, so that the torques of the four electric motors 4A to 4D are individually controlled by using the four torque commands, respectively.
Next, the second adhesion level index generating unit 8 will be explained. The reference character 19 denotes yet another differentiator that receives, as an input, the FMmax having been output from the maximum value calculator 9 and outputs an acceleration S1. The reference character 20 denotes another low-pass filter. The low-pass filter 20 receives, as an input, the acceleration S1 and outputs an acceleration S2. The differentiator 19 and the low-pass filter 20 structure an acceleration responsiveness lowering unit 32 serving as a second acceleration calculator. In other words, by making the calculation interval of the differentiator 19 larger and/or making responses of the low-pass filter 20 slower, the acceleration S2, which is an output of the acceleration responsiveness lowering unit 32, is arranged so as not to immediately change in response to a minor or instantaneous change in the acceleration. In particular, the responding speed of the acceleration calculated by the acceleration responsiveness lowering unit 32 is arranged so as to be lower than the responding speed of the acceleration calculated by the acceleration calculator 29.
The reference character 21 denotes a comparator. The comparator 21 compares the acceleration S2 with an acceleration detection level SSET. When the comparator 21 has determined that the acceleration S2 is larger than the acceleration detection level SSET, an output S3 of the comparator 21 indicates an "H" level (i.e., a high level). On the contrary, when the comparator 21 has determined that the acceleration S2 is equal to or smaller than the acceleration detection level SSET, the output S3 of the comparator 21 indicates an "L" level (i.e., a low level). For example, "1" may be used as an output signal indicating the "H" level, whereas "0" may be used as an output signal indicating the "L" level. The acceleration detection level SSET is a predetermined value that is set for each railway electric car. It is also acceptable to configure the acceleration detection level SSET so as to be variable. As explained below, the comparator 21 has a function as a slip detecting unit 33.
The reference characters 22 and 23 denote inverters. Each of the inverters 22 and 23 inverts a received input and outputs the result of the inversion. The reference character 24 denotes an off-delay unit. The output S3 of the comparator 21 is input to the inverter 22, so that the inverter 22 outputs S4. The output S4, which is an output of the inverter 22, is input to the multiplier 26 and is also input to the inverter 23.
For example, in the case where the output S3 indicates the "H" level, the output S4 indicates the "L" level. Accordingly, the output S4 having a value indicating the "L" level is input to the multiplier 26, so that the adhesion level index ADL0 is multiplied by the value of the output S4 (hereinafter, the "gain"). The value indicating the "L" level used in the multiplication performed in the multiplier 26 is, for example, "0". However, the present invention is not limited to this example. It is acceptable to configure the value indicating the "L" level so as to be an arbitrary value equal to or smaller than "1". Thus, it is possible to configure the gain so as to be, for example, a value equal to or smaller than "1". In the case where the gain is set to be a value equal to or smaller than "1", the sum of a value corresponding to a situation where the output S4 indicates the "L" level and a value corresponding to a situation where the output S4 indicates the "H" level is configured so as to be "1". In the case where the output S4 is "0", the adhesion level index ADL, which is an output of the multiplier 26, is "0". Accordingly, the output of the multiplier 27 is also "0". In other words, in the case where the acceleration S2 is larger than the acceleration detection level SSET, slip control is exercised by outputting "0" as the torque command T*.
On the contrary, in the case where the acceleration S2 is equal to or smaller than the acceleration detection level SSET, the output S3 indicates the "L" level, whereas the output S4 indicates the "H" level. In this situation, the gain is, for example, "1". Accordingly, the adhesion level index ADL, which is an output of the multiplier 26, is "ADL0". Thus, the torque command T* is determined by the outputs of the first adhesion level command generating units 7A to 7D. As explained here, the inverters 22 and 23 structure a gain generating unit 34, by using the output of the slip detecting unit 33. According to the present embodiment, the value of the gain is configured so as to be changed depending on which one of the acceleration S2 and the acceleration detection level SSET is larger. However, another arrangement is also acceptable in which, for example, the value of the gain is configured so as to be changed depending on which one among the acceleration S2 and two acceleration detection levels is the largest and the second largest. For example, let us assume that the two acceleration detection levels are referred to as a first acceleration detection level and a second acceleration detection level that is smaller than the first acceleration detection level. In this situation, it is possible to configure the value of the gain so as to become larger in correspondence with the following three ranges in the stated order: (i) a range in which the acceleration S2 is equal to or larger than the first acceleration detection level; (ii) a range in which the acceleration S2 is equal to or larger than the second acceleration detection level, but is smaller than the first acceleration detection level; and (iii) a range in which the acceleration S2 is smaller than the second acceleration detection level.
The output S4 is also input to the inverter 23, and an output of the inverter 23 is input to the off-delay unit 24. An output S5 of the off-delay unit 24 is input to the first-order delay unit 28. In this situation, when the output S5 of the off-delay unit 24 once gets to the "H" level, for example, the "H" level state is maintained for a predetermined period of time, so that a signal indicating the "H" level keeps being output to the first-order delay unit 28. While the output S5 is at the "H" level, the time constant T used by the first-order delay unit 28 is changed and set to a predetermined value. As explained here, the off-delay unit 24 functions as a time constant setting unit 35.
Even if the acceleration detection level SSET is configured so as to be a slightly larger than a normal acceleration, the output S3, which is the output of the comparator 21, remains at the "L" level in the normal state where the wheel is not spinning free or in a normal slipping state where the acceleration changes instantaneously. The reason for this can be explained as follows: Due to the function of the acceleration responsiveness lowering unit 32, the response of the changes in the acceleration is made slower. Thus, even if the acceleration of the FMmax exceeds the acceleration detection level SSET, the acceleration S2 remains equal to or smaller than the acceleration detection level SSET. Because the output S3 remains at the "L" level, the output S4 remains at the "H" level, while the output S5 remains at the "L" level. Thus, the adhesion level index ADL is equal to the adhesion level index ADL0, and also, the setting of the time constant T used by the first-order delay unit 28 is not changed, either. As a result, there is no change at all in the controlling state of the second adhesion level index generating unit 8. As explained here, in the normal slipping state where the acceleration changes instantaneously, the first adhesion level index generating units 7A to 7D exercise optimal adhesion control in a fast and finely-adjusted manner.
On the contrary, when such a slipping phenomenon is occurring in which the change in the acceleration from the normal acceleration is small, and the increase in the speed is slow, the first adhesion level index generating units 7A to 7D do not exercise so much control as to inhibit the slipping phenomenon because the speed deviation DFM and the acceleration deviation DFT are small. In addition, in the case where such a slipping phenomenon continues, the acceleration S2 becomes equal to or larger than the acceleration detection level SSET, whereas the output S4 gets to the "L" level, i.e., for example, "0", in the second adhesion level index generating unit 8, whereas the adhesion level index ADL becomes "0" regardless of the calculation results of the first adhesion level index generating units 7A to 7D. Also, when the acceleration S2 becomes equal to or larger than the acceleration detection level SSET, due to a response delay caused by the acceleration responsiveness lowering unit 32, the acceleration S2 does not instantaneously become equal to or lower than the acceleration detection level SSET, and this state is maintained for a while. Being triggered by the output S5 getting to the "H" level, the first-order delay unit 28 changes the time constant T. Further, for a predetermined period of time that is determined by the off-delay unit 24, the torque command T* is lowered by using the time constant that has been changed while "0" is used as a target value. After that, when the acceleration S2 becomes equal to or smaller than the acceleration detection level SSET, the torque command T* returns to a torque command corresponding to a steady period that is based on the adhesion level index ADL0.
Fig. 5
is an operation chart of the first adhesion level index calculator 7A in a situation where a minor slipping keeps occurring. While the horizontal axis expresses time, transitions of levels of FM1 to FM4, FMmin, A1, A2, A3, DFT, DFM, ADL0 corresponding to a situation where the second adhesion level index calculator 8 does not function are shown. The dotted line corresponding to FM1 to FM4 indicates the true speed. As for the level of FM1 to FM4, the deviation from the true speed increases due to the continuous minor slipping. It is indicated that a slipping is occurring. Also, it can be observed from this operation that the acceleration deviation DFT is small, while the change in the adhesion level index ADL0 from "1" is also small. Thus, it is understood that not so much control as to inhibit the slipping is exercised.
Fig. 6
is an operation chart of levels of FM1 to FM4, FMmax, ADL0, S1, S2, ADL, T0* and T* in a situation where the second adhesion level index calculator 8 is functioning. The chart indicates that, as for the level of FM1 to FM4, although the deviation from the true speed gradually increases over the course of time due to the continuous minor slipping, the deviation decreases again and that the slipping is inhibited by the control exercised by the second adhesion level index calculator 8. Because a first-order delay is applied to the acceleration S1 by the low-pass filter 20, the acceleration S2 exceeds the acceleration detection level SSET between the time t2 and a time t5, so that the value of ADL becomes "0". As for the torque command T*, the value thereof is lowered from approximately "1" to "0" in the time period from the time t2 to the time t3. The rate of change of the torque command T* is determined by the setting of the time constant T established by the first-order delay unit 28.
As explained above, according to the present embodiment, even in the situation where the acceleration deviation DFT and the speed deviation DFM are both small, and it is difficult to inhibit slippings with the control exercised by the first adhesion level index generating units 7A to 7D, it is possible to inhibit the slippings by using the second adhesion level index generating unit 8. As a result, without the need to additionally use new shaft speed information of non-drive shafts or the like, it is possible to recognize a slipping phenomenon only based on the speed information of the drive shafts, to detect a slipping state before the speed becomes greatly different from the actual value, and to exercise slip control in an appropriate manner. In particular, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to detect and inhibit slippings during, for example, high-speed travel.
The configurations described in the exemplary embodiments above are examples of the contents of the present invention. It is possible to combine the configurations with other publicly-known techniques or the like. Further, needless to say, it is possible to apply modifications to the configurations described above without departing from the gist of the present invention.
Further, the fields to which the slip control according to the present invention may be applied are not limited to controlling devices for railway electric cars. For example, it is possible to apply the slip control according to the present invention to other related fields such as electric automobiles.
As explained above, the controlling device for a railway electric car according to the present invention is useful in inhibiting slippings/sliding occurring during high-speed travel in high-speed railway systems and the like. | |
This blog post addresses the unique challenges of serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in rural places. Written by the executive director of Tumbleweed Runaway Program in Billings, MT, it also suggests how youth-serving professionals in rural areas can make their services and communities welcoming to all young people.
This HUD website maintains a list of states that enumerate sexual orientation and gender identity in their state fair housing laws. It also provides information and resources to report housing discrimination.
This manual, prepared for the CSAT seeks to inform administrators and clinicians about appropriate diagnosis and treatment approaches that will help ensure the development or enhancement of effective LGBT-sensitive programs. SAMHSA has also funded the development of a 22-module training curriculum to accompany this publication.
This guide aims to educate practitioners working in a wide range of settings about the role of family acceptance and rejection in contributing to the well-being of young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) and to help them implement best practices in engaging families to support their LGBT children.
Based on the lessons learned from the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative, the toolkit cultivates an approach that has left a legacy of success in schools and communities. This toolkit will show you how partnerships with representatives from sectors including education, law enforcement, mental health, juvenile justice, children’s services, families, and faith-based associations can take Three Bold Steps to create positive lasting change among our nation’s students.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month (LGBT Pride Month) is celebrated annually in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall riots, and works to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) Americans.
This is cross-posted in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children & Families The Family Room blog. See the original post here.
By Tyler Hatch, Truman-Albright Fellow, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation & Catherine Heath, Child and Family Program Specialist, Children’s Bureau
Sexual orientation and gender are important aspects of a young person’s identity. Understanding and expressing sexual orientation and gender and developing related identities are typical development tasks that vary across children and youth. For example, some youth may be unsure of their sexual orientation, whereas others have been clear about it since childhood and have expressed it since a young age.1 Expressing and exploring gender identity and roles is also a part of normal development.2 The process of understanding and expressing one’s sexual orientation and gender identity is unique to each individual. It is not a one-time event and personal, cultural, and social factors may influence how one expresses their sexual orientation and gender identity.3
Unfortunately, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth experience various challenges because of how others respond to their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. This is also true for youth who are questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity, or may be perceived as LGBT or gender variant by others.4 A landmark 2011 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report reviewed research on the health of LGBT individuals, including youth. Although this research is limited, the IOM report found that “the disparities in both mental and physical health that are seen between LGBT and heterosexual and non-gender-variant youth are influenced largely by their experiences of stigma and discrimination during the development of their sexual orientation and gender identity.”5 These negative experiences include high rates of physical and emotional bias and violence; rejection by families and peers; and inadequate supports in schools, employment, and communities because of their sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.
Stress associated with these experiences can put LGBT young people at risk for negative health outcomes. Research shows that due to these environmental challenges, LGBT youth are at risk for negative health outcomes and are more likely to attempt suicide, experience homelessness, and use illegal drugs.6 These issues may also contribute to anxiety, depressive symptoms, and feelings of isolation. Youth who express their gender in ways that vary from societal expectations for their perceived sex or gender are at risk for high levels of childhood physical, psychological, and sexual abuse.7 They are also at risk for school victimization.8 As a result, they may have poorer well-being than lesbian, gay, and bisexual peers whose gender expression is more closely aligned with societal expectations.9
To date, most research on LGBT youth has focused on the risk factors and disparities they experience compared with youth who are not LGBT. However, emerging research on resiliency and protective factors offers a strength-based focus on LGBT youth well-being. Addressing LGBT-related stigma, discrimination, and violence; building on the strengths of LGBT youth; and fostering supports such as family acceptance and safe, affirming environments in schools and other settings will help improve outcomes for LGBT young people. Federal and local policies and practices increasingly acknowledge and focus on the experiences and needs of LGBT youth. Numerous national advocacy and other organizations are also giving greater attention to LGBT youth in their work.10 Fostering safe, affirming communities and youth-serving settings such as schools for all youth requires efforts to address the challenges described here. At the same time, it is also important to acknowledge and build on the strengths, resilience, and factors that protect LGBT youth from risk, such as connection to caring adults and peers and family acceptance.
1 Institute of Medicine, 2011; Poirier, Fisher, Hunt, & Bearse, 20142 Institute of Medicine, 2011; Poirier, Fisher, Hunt, & Bearse, 20143 Poirier, Fisher, Hunt, & Bearse, 20144 Gender variant youth are not necessarily LGBT. In fact, any youth who does not fit typical social expectations for his or her mannerisms, behavior, or choice of clothing based on birth-assigned gender, for example, can be considered “gender variant.” This does not mean the youth is lesbian, gay, or bisexual—or identifies as a gender different from what he or she was assigned at birth (i.e., transgender).5 Institute of Medicine, 2011, p. 1426 Hunter & Schaecher, 1987; Reis, 1999; Reis & Saewyc, 1999; Ray, 2006; Ryan, Huebner, Diaz, & Sanchez, 2009; SAMHSA, 20147 Roberts, Rosario, Corliss, Koenen, & Austin, 20128 Toomey, Ryan, Diaz, & Russell, 20109 Rieger & Savin-Williams, 201210 American Association of School Administrators et al., n.d.; National Association of School Nurses, 2003; National Association of School Psychologists, 2006
Healthy relationships consist of trust, honesty, respect, equality, and compromise.1 Unfortunately, teen dating violence—the type of intimate partner violence that occurs between two young people who are, or who were once in, an intimate relationship—is a serious problem in the United States. A national survey found that ten percent of teens, female and male, had been the victims of physical dating violence within the past year2 and approximately 29 percent of adolescents reported being verbally or psychologically abused within the previous year.3
Teen dating violence can be any one, or a combination, of the following:
It can negatively influence the development of healthy sexuality, intimacy, and identity as youth grow into adulthood4 and can increase the risk of physical injury, poor academic performance, binge drinking, suicide attempts, unhealthy sexual behaviors, substance abuse, negative body image and self-esteem, and violence in future relationships.5
Teen dating violence can be prevented, especially when there is a focus on reducing risk factors as well as fostering protective factors, and when teens are empowered through family, friends, and others (including role models such as teachers, coaches, mentors, and youth group leaders) to lead healthy lives and establish healthy relationships. It is important to create spaces, such as school communities, where the behavioral norms are not tolerant of abuse in dating relationships. The message must be clear that treating people in abusive ways will not be accepted, and policies must enforce this message to keep students safe.
Homelessness is a major social concern in the United States, and youth may be the age group most at risk of becoming homeless.1 The number of youth who have experienced homelessness varies depending on the age range, timeframe, and definition used, but sources estimate that between 500,000 and 2.8 million youth are homeless within the United States each year.2
Youth run away or are homeless for a range of reasons, but involvement in the juvenile justice or child welfare systems, abuse, neglect, abandonment, and severe family conflict have all been found to be associated with youth becoming homeless. These youth are vulnerable to a range of negative experiences including exploitation and victimization. Runaway and homeless youth have high rates of involvement in the juvenile justice system, are more likely to engage in substance use and delinquent behavior, be teenage parents, drop out of school, suffer from sexually transmitted diseases, and meet the criteria for mental illness.3 Experiences of unaccompanied homeless youth are different from those who experience homelessness with their families. While negative experiences persist for youth who are homeless with their families, their experiences may not vary drastically from youth living in poverty.4 Studies have also found distinct variability in outcomes experienced by homeless youth, suggesting that youth experience homelessness differently.5
Providing timely and direct interventions to homeless and runaway youth is important to protect them from the risks of living on the streets and to support positive youth development6, yet despite the risks and needs of these youth, few appear to know of, and access, support services.7 Even more critical is addressing the family/parental needs to prevent youth and/or their families from becoming homeless and addressing their behavioral health needs through comprehensive methods that involve both youth and their families. | https://youth.gov/topic/lgbtq?page=5 |
Barabra Hill, Ed.D.
Second Advisor
Trevor Turner, Ed.D.
Third Advisor
Sheila Gregory, Ph.D.
Abstract
Although graduation rates are increasing in Georgia and in the United States, high school dropouts remain an issue of significant concern. Much of the focus of research in this area has been on describing the characteristics of dropouts rather than on developing effective interventions. Moreover, emerging research shows that potential dropouts can be identified with confidence as early as the sixth grade. High school is the time in which dropouts are typically identified and interventions begun, but the seeds of dropping out are often planted well before ninth grade.
This study is about school administrators’ perceptions of drop-out factors in three urban high schools. The research design lies within the qualitative spectrum. Data were gathered from semi-structured, open-ended interviews conducted with selected participants. Results showed there were no significant differences in the perception of high school principals as to the importance of specific intervention factors affecting student dropout rates. The participants agreed that instructional coaches, after-school and Saturday school programs and the use of data to target content needs of specific students were the common themes of support to students at-risk of not completing high school requirements.
Recommended Citation
Beasley, Harvey, "The Perception of Principals Related to Select Intervention Factors Affecting Student Drop-Out Rate in Three Urban High Schools" (2018). Electronic Theses & Dissertations Collection for Atlanta University & Clark Atlanta University. 113. | http://digitalcommons.auctr.edu/cauetds/113/ |
A deep learning system from Cornell, developed by asking human teachers to generate questions from Wikipedia posts, could be a boon for educators. Here's what it does, and the limitations it faces.
We normally use artificial intelligence (AI) to answer questions. But what if it could ask us the questions instead?
That's the subject of new research by Xinya Du, a first year student at Cornell University. Du studies natural language processing and machine learning, focusing on deep learning for natural language generation and question answering. Du first worked on question-answering systems, when it occurred to him to see if the AI could also generate those same questions. "It seemed to work," he said.
Du's AI system generates questions by studying a set of more than 500 Wikipedia articles and 100,000 questions about those articles, all composed by human teachers. The teachers were asked to create specific questions regarding some aspect of the information presented in the Wikipedia articles.
"Then, we utilize that data set to learn from how people ask questions regarding those paragraphs of those Wikipedia articles," said Du. "Such as subtype questions regarding location, time, and maybe of the 'would' or 'what' type questions."
For instance, if the Wikipedia article mentions a species dying during a natural disaster, the AI could generate the question, "Why weren't there birds during this period?"
"It's like our system infers that birds belongs to the species," said Du.
There are many potential uses for a system like this, especially in an educational setting or a chatbot realm. The system could aid chatbots, potentially, by generating real questions and linking them to responses.
Although there are occasional errors, the current system is great at generating fact-oriented questions, according to Du. Questions that require contextual knowledge, on the other hand, are more difficult for the AI to produce. For instance, the system could easily ask a question relating to the dates of a certain historical period when income levels fell. But any question of interpretation, like asking about how class distinctions were affected, would be more difficult for the system to generate.
AI experts see this as a potential contribution in education. Roman Yampolskiy, director of the Cybersecurity Lab at the University of Louisville, suggests that it "could be incorporated into toys to interact with children while improving their critical thinking skills."
Other AI experts expressed more skepticism.
Marie desJardins, AI professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and former chair of AAAI (the National Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence), thinks the research is "interesting in a limited sort of way." According to desJardins, "all of the questions it generates are very fact-based and concrete." Instead, she said, doing real question initiation would involve "modeling information that isn't in a text, and some kind of exploration model about pushing a dialog beyond what previous interactions have explored." Still, she said she sees importance in moving research in this direction.
Vincent Conitzer, professor of computer science at Duke University, said he sees limitations as well. He also added that AI initiating conversations is not new. "In fact, many chatbots seem to try to take charge of the conversation, introducing new topics, to avoid questions on other topics that will expose their lack of understanding," Conitzer said.
Regardless of its current limitations, Du said he believes that it's worth trying to generate these kind of context-related questions by introducing an outside knowledge base that can challenge the AI.
Still, he said, "I don't even know if all human teachers do that."
Also see... | https://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-researchers-trained-one-ai-system-to-start-asking-its-own-questions/ |
What do you mean by aggregate demand?
Aggregate demand is the final total demand of final goods and services which are produced in an economy at a given period of time. It is also called as the domestic final demand. The main aspect of aggregate demand is to specify the total amount of goods and services that will be exclusively purchased at a certain price level. Aggregate demand is basically the demand for the domestic product of a country in a given period of time. It is called by another name often, which is effective demand. The curve of the aggregate demand is drawn with the price level displayed on the vertical axis and the real output displayed on the horizontal axis.
The slope of the curve is downward which is resulted due to three effects: Mundell Fleming exchange rate effect, Keynes’ interest rate effect and the Pigou’s wealth effect. The Pigou effect reasons that the higher price ratio defines that the wealth is lower on ratio and hence resulting in lower consumption spending on the commodities. It will give it a lower quantity of the goods which are demanded in the aggregate demand. On the other hand, the Keynes effect complies that when th price level is higher, it will be assumed that the real money supply will be lower an hence making the interest rates higher. It will eventually result in forming the financial market equilibrium. On the long run, the result of Keynes’ effect will be that lower quantity of the goods will be demanded in the aggregate rate. Lastly, the Mundell Fleming exchange rate effect complies that there is a small open economy effect. It portrays the relationship between an interest rate, output rate and the economy’s nominal exchange rate.
The curve of the aggregate demand showcases the relationship of the two important factors which is the aggregate price level of a commodity and the quantity of output which is demanded by the consumers. The level of contingent of the aggregate demand is fixed upon a level within the nominal money supply in the economy. The aggregate demand curve can be shift due to many factors. The shifts in the aggregate demand implies the demand and price changes over a period of time. The Rightward shift of an aggregate demand curve results in the increase in the money supply in the economy, in government expenditure, consumption spending and the autonomous components of the investment. When the aggregate demand is increased, the aggregate supply curve shifts its curve which results in major increasing in the prices of the commodities.
If you have any queries and or doubts to be cleared, you can choose the Aggregate Demand assignment help desk and can take help in understanding the concept as well as completing the homework, assignments or even projects. We have wide choices of tutors from which you can chose one. Our tutors are very highly professional teachers and are prominent degree holders. Our tutors will help you competing the work as well as understanding the concept thoroughly. The tutors which are connected with you will provide you with some extra study materials to get you through with the subject with ease.
What are the various components of Aggregate demand?
The aggregate demand curve is an amalgamation many individual demand curves which signifies different sectors of the economy. It is usually defined as the linear sum of the four major separable demand sources. The equation stands like this:
AD = C + I + G + (X - M)
In the above equation, the following abbreviations are defined as:
- C stands for the consumption and is also as the consumer spending amount and is denoted in the aggregate demand, the equation which withstands this is ac + bc ( Y – T), in which T stands for Taxes and Y stands for consumer’s income,
- I stands for the investment,
- G stands for the spending amount by the government,
- N X = X – M is noted as net exports. In this X is the total exports and M denotes the total imports.
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As we saw above, the four important parts are stated in the list as real terms as well as nominal terms:
- The consumption ( C ) or the personal consumption expenditure is the demand which is constituted by the households and consumers and also include the unattached individuals. The process is said to be the consumption function. It I also taken to be the total consumption expenditure of the domestic economy. The consumption function is: C = a + MPC * ( Y – T ) in which a is the autonomous consumption of a commodity, MPC stands for the marginal propensity to consume and ( Y – T ) is stated as the disposable income.
- ( I ) which denotes the investment or the gross private domestic investment is the spending which are spent by the business firms and companies specifically for a factory construction. This is mainly on the private sector spending which is mainly aimed at the production process for any future consumable.
- ( G ) which denotes for the spending amount by the government or also called as the consumption expenditures and the gross government investment. It is also determined as G – T which is actually the difference between the expenditure ad taxes. GDP increases when the government expenditures increases or when there is a decrease in the taxes. It is added as a component of the aggregate demand.
- N X and also ( X – M ) is denoted as the net exports and is prominently denoted with the net demand by the rest of the world as for the country’s output.
So, the aggregate demand for a single country at a single time is copulated by the equation: D = C + IP + G + ( X – M )
As we have seen, the subjects of Aggregate demand have topics, which are very vast and has a very complex definitions and explanations. Due to this, students are not able to complete their assignments and projects on time. But you don’t have to worry, we are here to help you with all your projects, assignments and homework. We have a highly professional team of tutors which are always ready to help you out. Our team of tutors assure you a high quality 100% plagiarism free work and work completion within the deadline. We are available to help 24*7. Contact us or visit our website, myassignmenthelp.net.net to check about more services and offers. Our services are just a phone call away. | https://www.myassignmenthelp.net/aggregate-demand-assignment-help |
The steady rise in capacity utilization in the manufacturing sector over three quarters to the end of March 2022 is encouraging, but experts believe that tighter monetary policy conditions and weak demand could weigh on sentiment. investment.
Analysts said the 75-80% capacity utilization needs to be sustained over 3-4 quarters for it to translate into industry expansion momentum. In addition, there are also mixed signals within the sectors. While steel and cement are up, capacity utilization in autos and consumer goods continues to lag.
Capacity utilization is the ratio of actual output to the potential output that can be produced under normal conditions. Higher capacity utilization, accompanied by growth in the order book, signals robust demand conditions in the economy.
Cement demand likely saw a mid-teens rebound in the year ending March 2022, after reaching capacity utilization of around 70%. It is also expected to rise by a mid-to-high figure this year with the government’s push on infrastructure and affordable housing, and a pick-up in business capital spending, Fitch Ratings said in a report last week. Steel consumption is also recovering and is expected to have increased by 4.1% month-on-month to reach 9.4 MT in May and exceeded the pre-Covid production of May 2019 by 6.7%, said another rating agency ICRA.
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Capacity utilization in the manufacturing sector rose to 74.5% in January-March 2022, from 72.4% in October-December 2021 and 68.3% in July-September 2021, according to order books, inventory and capacity utilization survey of RBI or OBICUS, a quarterly report. quantitative survey, which collects information on the production capacity used per product at the enterprise level to infer capacity utilization at the aggregate level. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das referred to it after the June 8 monetary policy review and said investment activity is expected to strengthen, driven by rising capacity utilization.
But in sectors such as FMCG and automotive, demand concerns weigh heavily. While some automotive segments like commercial vehicles and SUVs are seeing an increase in demand, mass market segments like two-wheelers and small cars continue to struggle to gain volumes. With the semiconductor shortage easing a bit, wholesale passenger vehicle (PV) shipments in May improved from May 2019, a Covid-free year. But sales were still lower than in 2018 when the segment had seen strong growth. Wholesale shipments of two-wheelers in May were not far off the volumes achieved three years ago, but also below the numbers achieved nine years ago.
In FY22, according to data provided by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, two-wheeler shipments fell to a 10-year low of 1.35 lakh units. Similarly, demand remained subdued for FMCG businesses, with marginal sales growth visible in value, but declining demand as evidenced by lower volumes.
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Even in cement, faster additions of new capacity are expected to push utilization in the sector from around 70% in fiscal 2020 to 65%, as they are expected to outpace demand amid industry consolidation. , said Fitch Ratings.
It may therefore still be too early to embark on a path of capacity expansion and new investments.
“Typically, when capacity utilization stays around 75-80%, the industry starts thinking about expansion. But that’s subject to certain conditions — will the trend continue? Or is it due to a temporary phenomenon? When this holds then they will think about going to the drawing board and start making decisions…if it (capacity usage) now stays at this level for 1-2 quarters then there will be more certainty that demand is going to stay,” said Devendra Kumar Pant, chief economist, India Ratings.
But Pant would monitor whether demand would survive despite tighter monetary conditions, higher interest rates, a weaker MSP increase and weak wage growth. “If that stays broadly at the same level for Q1 (April-June 2022) and Q2 (July-September 2022), then we can say demand is there for a capacity increase despite the low rate scenario. high interest,” he said.
In a report released last Thursday, ICRA said its monitoring of business activity more than doubled to 38.7% in May 2022 from 16.4% in April 2022. But it reported monthly growth tepid 1.7% in May 2022. , implying mild sequential momentum amid geopolitical tensions, rising commodity prices, tighter monetary policy around the world and high levels of inflation.
Eight of 14 non-financial indicators saw May volumes improve from the pre-Covid level of May 2019, but six indicators lagged their pre-pandemic volumes, including auto production and sales in supply issues and limited demand in a high ownership environment. costs, diesel consumption and domestic airline passenger traffic as part of a gradual resumption of contact-intensive services. “CIFAR forecasts a broad-based recovery in private sector investment that will only take hold by the end of 2022, despite higher than expected capacity utilization of 74.5% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022 “, did he declare.
Apart from capacity expansion, India’s investment story is also boosted by greenfield projects that take advantage of the government’s Production Linked Incentives (PLI) scheme, which was designed to increase the capacity of domestic manufacturing, accompanied by greater import substitution and job creation. So far, the government has announced PLI programs for 14 sectors, including automotive and automotive components, electronics and hardware, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, solar modules, metals and mining, textiles and apparel, white goods, drones, and advanced chemistry cell batteries, but gains were only observed for certain sectors. With incentives under the PLI scheme exceeding Rs 2 lakh crore, stakeholders now feel the need to check whether companies reaping the benefits are creating value.
In his statement, RBI Governor Das also said that while urban demand is picking up, rural demand is gradually improving. “Contact-intensive services related to trade, hospitality and transport recovered in the fourth quarter of 2021-22… Capacity utilization is also expected to increase further in 2022-23. Investment should therefore strengthen, driven by higher capacity utilization, the surge in government investment spending and the deleveraging of corporate balance sheets. recovery in demand for bank credit and continued growth in imports of capital goods,” he said.
RBI’s OBICUS also showed new order backlog grew 10.5% quarterly in October-December, with backlog growth of 3.5% and backlog growth of 7. .8%. The average amount of new order books stood at Rs 224.4 crore in October-December against Rs 195.7 crore in the previous quarter, while pending orders averaged Rs 196.6 crore in October-December against Rs 207.4 crore in the previous quarter.
Capacity utilization reflects demand conditions in an economy where production processes respond to changing demand and fluctuate accordingly. Increased demand may translate into upward pressure on the general price level and higher capacity utilization may therefore be accompanied by higher inflation, he said. | https://mandello.org/mixed-signals-in-capacity-utilization-cement-steel-fmcg-automatic-lag/ |
Hadassa earned her Masters of Arts in Special Education from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1999. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Education with a concentration in Early Childhood Education from Stern College, Yeshiva University. Hadassa has a wealth of teaching experience ranging from general education to special education.
Coordinating service plans for individual students.
Mentoring classroom teachers, Title I instructors, and tutors on how to modify curricula for students’ varying needs.
Consulting with parents and school administrators on how to best serve students, in and out of the classroom.
Directs and administers Jon Peterson and Autism Scholarship Programs.
Dr. Oren Meyers has a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Fordham University. His internship training was at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Cleveland and Brecksville, OH and his post-doctoral training was at University Hospitals of Cleveland in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Oren serves on the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and is licensed by the State of Ohio and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Andrea completed her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education at John Carroll University, her Masters of Education in School Counseling at Kent State University, and her Intervention Specialist Program at Cleveland State University. Prior to working for A+ Solutions, Andrea worked for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District for over a decade in a variety of teaching positions and grades. She currently works as an Intervention Specialist, helping and advocating for students with special needs in several area schools. Andrea coordinates our tutoring and intervention services.
Brochie Weinberg received her M.S. at NorthEastern University in School Counseling and her LPCC, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor at John Caroll University . Brochie is a clinical counselor at A+ Solutions and provides individual counseling for children, adolescents and adults. She is also a school – based therapist at Yavne Junior High School where she provides individual and group counseling, classroom guidance, teacher training and faculty consultations. She runs social skills programs and creative workshops for preschool age children as well as adolescents on the topics of self esteem, handling emotions, friendship skills and study skills. Brochie works with children and adults with a variety of issues. In her personable approach, she draws from a wide range of theoretical orientations to creatively meet the needs of each client.
Courtney Evenchik received an MA at The Ohio State University in School Psychology. She is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and a member of the National Association of School Psychologists. Courtney is the Director of School Psychology Services for A+ Solutions and works as a school psychologist facilitating social skill workshops, administering psycho-educational evaluations, counseling students, and conducting consultations with school faculty. Courtney is a parent educator, instructor and lecturer for Bellefaire JCB and Parenting Simply.
Favia completed her Master of Arts in Psychology as well as her Specialist degree in School Psychology at Cleveland State University. She is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist who holds certification from the Ohio Department of Education as well as licensure from the Ohio State Board of Psychology. Favia has many years of experience conducting assessments and evaluations as well as determining appropriate interventions to match student needs, monitoring progress and consulting with parents and teachers regarding academic and social emotional issues. She develops trainings for teachers to help them meet the needs of diverse student learners and is an advocate for prevention and intervention services for students. At A+ Solutions, Favia conducts psychological and psycho-educational evaluations, performs parent and teacher guidance services and delivers professional development seminars.
Heather Baker received her Masters in Education with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Akron. She has worked in a variety of settings, including community, school, and residential settings. For 7 years, Heather has been treating children and adolescents with an autism spectrum and/or co-occurring mental health diagnosis in educational, community, home, and residential settings. She has worked with families to help meet the specific needs of each family member within the overall system. Heather has designed and developed a residential program for transitional age youth at the Monarch Center for Autism. She continues to work with families and youth who are affected by developmental disabilities in the Cleveland area.
Helen Wolf M.S., CCC-SLP is a licensed, certified Speech Language Pathologist. She received her Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology from the University of South Florida. She has extensive experience working in early intervention and with preschool aged children. She also has specialized training working with individuals on the autism spectrum. She currently works with school aged children addressing articulation, reading, expressive and receptive language skills, and pragmatics. Helen sincerely enjoys providing proactive, creative and effective therapy to all of her students.
Hope Portner is a licensed, certified Occupational Therapist. Since graduating with a B.S. in Occupational Therapy from Cleveland State University in 2001, she has concentrated her practice on the pre-school through high school years, providing direct intervention in the areas of motor planning, sensory integration, handwriting intervention and visual perceptual skills. In addition to direct service, Hope functions in a consultative role, collaborating with teachers and administrators and ensuring that parents’ concerns are heard.
Jennifer (Jenny) Wolinetz received her Masters in Social Work from Loyola University in Chicago. She also completed a post graduate training program in Gestalt Therapy from the Gestalt Institute of Central Ohio. Jenny is a Licensed Social Worker and has been in practice for thirteen years. She has worked with children, adolescents and families, and her career has included work in the medical and school settings.
Lauren is a licensed independent social worker and clinical supervisor. She is the clinical director of psychotherapy services at Aplus Solutions. She earned both her bachelors and masters degrees at Case Western Reserve University. She is an experienced clinician who works with children, adolescents and adults. She has a very holistic, eclectic, and creative approach to therapy, which combines a wide array of theories and therapeutic interventions tailored to the individual needs of the client. In addition to drawing from multiple clinical orientations, Lauren is certified in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction for teens and the Floortime approach. One of Lauren’s passions is trauma treatment and she combines multiple approaches including mindfulness, somatic, and cognitive based treatments including IFS and EMDR.
Nikki is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and a certified Ohio Behavior Analyst (COBA) with a master’s of science in Psychology. Nikki completed her behavior analysis coursework at the Florida Institute of Technology. For 15 years Nikki has been treating children, adolescents and adults with an autism spectrum and/or co-occurring mental health diagnosis in educational, community, home and residential settings. Nikki serves as the Associate Director of Monarch Lifeworks, adult autism services in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Nikki has experience as an adjunct professor for the undergraduate department of psychology at Kaplan University, teaching psychology coursework within the applied behavior analysis track of Kaplan. Nikki also provides behavioral consultation and assessment privately for A+ Solutions in Beachwood, Ohio.
Odette Hankins is a certified and licensed Speech-Language Pathologist who has been working with children since 1984. She works with children as young as two years old up to the age of twenty years. She specializes in the areas of articulation and language disorders, but she also sees children with voice and fluency issues. Special areas of interest include Down syndrome, autism, early language development and disorders and pragmatics.
Odette enjoys speaking with parents, teachers and other allied health professionals about ways to support students in their environment and how to promote age appropriate speech and language skills. She also enjoys providing information about the services offered by A+ Solutions.
Rick completed his Master of Education degree in School Psychology at John Carrol University and is currently working towards completing his Specialist degree. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Yeshiva University. He has been working with adolescents in a variety of settings for more than a decade. Rick has been a member of the faculty at Fuchs Mizrachi High School since 2013. In addition to classroom teaching, hea has developed numerous special programs and facilitates groups and individual sessions geard towards meeting the social-emotional needs of each student. Rick is now seeing tweens and teens for counseling.
Sandy Lyall-Kovacs is a certified Wilson Reading System tutor. She completed her Level 1 and Level 2 Wilson Reading coursework and training in 2001. She has been tutoring struggling readers privately since 2000. Sandy earned her M.A. in Education from Ursuline College in 2002 and is certified in both Elementary Grades 1-8 and Visual Art K-12. She has taught in both public and private schools in the Cleveland area. | http://thinkaplus.com/our-staff/ |
Risk Management is responsible for managing the insurance program for York University. This responsibility also includes managing all losses and claims that may impact the University. Risk Management will notify York's insurance carriers in the event of a loss or claim.
In the event of any loss (personal injury, property damage, automobile, etc.) the department involved must:
- File a report with the appropriate level of authority (direct supervisor, York Security Services, local police, etc.);
- Contact Risk Management;
- Make no admissions, settlements or offers, or sign any statements except as required by a police officer.
If you have any concerns about potential hazards on York University property, please use the Online Hazard Reporting Form or email [email protected].
For more information on reporting emergencies and urgent situations, please see Community Safety's guide on reporting.
For more information on incident reporting, please see the Standard Operating Procedure (PDF).
Deductibles
An internal deductible will be charged to departments. The deductible amount varies based on the type of claim. Please be advised that unreasonable delays in reporting losses can result in increased costs.
Auto Accident
If an automobile accident occurs on-campus:
- Contact York Security Services so that an accident report can be filed (York Security will contact emergency services if necessary)
- Notify Risk Management of the accident ([email protected])
If an automobile accident occurs off-campus:
- Stop immediately and investigate
- If anyone is injured, give first aid or contact emergency services
- Notify police immediately - get the responding officer's name and badge number
- Obtain information from other drivers involved in the accident as well as any witnesses
- If the accident is minor in nature, visit the nearest Collision Reporting Centre - this should be done within 24 hours
- Report the accident to Risk Management Services ([email protected])
Although many automobile accidents may appear minor in nature, it is common for third parties to suffer from bodily injuries after the incident. Failure to report an accident promptly may result in a delay or denial of claim.
Please use the Accident Reporting Guide (located in the glove compartment of every University-owned vehicle) to collect the information listed above.
Deductible - No Fault: No fault auto claims for University-owned vehicles carry a $250 deductible. Where reasonable, Risk Management Services will recover funds from third parties to reduce or eliminate deductibles.
Deductible - At Fault: At fault auto claims for University-owned vehicles carry a higher deductible and depends on the type of University-owned vehicle involved in the accident.
Injury Reporting
All incidents should be reported as soon as possible. In an emergency situation contact Emergency Services (911) and Campus Security.
Please use the York University Incident Reporting Form (Non-Employee) to report any incidents to us. This form is for reporting incidents related to non-employees (students, visitors, volunteers, etc.) only.
The form should be filled out by the staff/faculty members responsible for the injured parties. If a student is injured, their Faculty or Department Head should be notified.
For more information on Injury Reporting, please see the Standard Operating Procedure on Incident Reporting (Non-Employees).
Damage to University-Owned Property
For your convenience, please use our Property Claim Reporting Form. Upon submitting the form, Risk Management Services will contact you with further instructions regarding your property claim. This form is ONLY for reporting the loss of University-owned property. Please see the Personal Property Claim tab below for more information on damaged personal property.
In the event of a fire or flood please reference the Response to Fire and Flood Occurrence Guidance Checklist available through Health & Safety Resources.
In the event of major property damage requiring emergency response (water extraction, drying, decontamination, restoration, etc.) please call ...
Deductible: Property claims are subject to a $2,500 deductible to be charged to the department experiencing the loss. Departments who experience repeated loss, stolen, or damaged property can potentially face higher deductibles based on a review of their loss history.
Damage to Personal Property
Personal property of individuals, including students, faculty, staff, contractors, and the public is NOT covered by the University's insurance policies. Please refer to your own insurance policies for possible coverage of your property. | https://riskmanagement.info.yorku.ca/incident-reporting/ |
In his essay, “Mountains and Rivers Sutra”, 13th century Zen Master Eihei Dogen criticizes the monks he met during his five-year stay in China who insisted that Zen was over-rooted in Buddhism, that it was simply a new form of Taoism and that its practices were yet another method to awaken to spontaneous enlightenment. Dogen felt that to set up enlightenment as Zen’s primary goal ignored the fact that Zen is an expression of Buddhist teaching and includes deep study of Buddhist scripture. He insisted that presenting Zen as nothing other than an aesthetic spiritual experience robbed people of the healing potential of Buddha’s teaching.
Zen is not about the arts. The study of Zen writings is not a literary exploration. To adopt that view is to eliminate significant aspects of Zen and realize only one dimension of the practice. Let’s be clear: Zen is Buddhism and Buddhism is Zen.
Dogen saw himself as responsible for conveying Buddhism to Japan and was adamant that the Japanese people get it right. But we live in North America where the marketplace manipulates our values. If an object or an idea or a process sells, it’s good. In the marketplace, Zen has been reduced to a marketing tool for no other reason than to link a product with something good. Here in North America, as in Dogen’s 13th century China and Japan, Buddhism has been dropped from Zen. But Buddhism is the thread that ties Zen to its origins. Consider a needle as it slips through fabric. If it holds no thread, what has it done to the cloth? Nothing. Buddhism is not irrelevant to Zen; it is the thread that holds the practice together.
In the long view of history, Zen Buddhism was introduced to the West less than 15 minutes ago. It arrived with sincere intention to make the teachings understandable to the people who live here. North American teachers don’t know a lot. We do our best to transmit Zen in a way that is understandable to the West, but that doesn’t mean dropping the idea that Zen is an expression of the Buddhist teachings, nor does it mean divorcing Zen from its roots.
For these reasons, we at Sakura-ji, the Creston zendo, follow practices that Dogen introduced to Japan in the 13th century. We bow when entering the zendo, we burn incense, we sit and walk as the Buddha did, we chant in Japanese and we wear clothing designed for trainees in fifth century India, in eighth century China and in 13th century Japan. We honour these ancient traditions and resist changing them because they take care of the people who are looking for an authentic Zen practice.
Suggested practice: Try one traditional Zen practice in your daily life. The easiest is bowing. Choose one activity that you do regularly, like gardening or washing dishes, and bow before starting and after finishing them for two weeks. Investigate the impact of this practice on your body and mind.
Kuya Minogue is the resident teacher at Sakura-ji, Creston’s zendo. This column is part of a long essay on an essay by 13th century Zen master Eihei Dogen and is inspired by the teaching of Norman Fischer. For more information, Minogue can be reached at 250-428-6500, and previous columns are available at www.zenwords.net. | https://www.crestonvalleyadvance.ca/opinion/a-zens-eye-view-the-connection-between-zen-and-buddhism/ |
Make Them Hear You! is a weekly feature on KGNU, produced by Chris Mohr, letting listeners know how they can have their voices heard on issues up before Congress. You can hear it Wednesday mornings at 8.20am during the Morning Magazine.
Since voting is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy, we are devoting the entire month of June to shoring up our election security and fairness. This is a good time to make our thoughts heard, because weaknesses in our electoral system will be unfixable if we wait until next summer. We have one action for you to consider this week.
Support the drawing of fair electoral maps. The nonpartisan League of Women Voters protects voting rights by mounting legal challenges to gerrymandered district maps and working to establish independent redistricting commissions in states across the country, including North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Ohio. And last week, The U.S. Supreme Court handed Republican legislators in Virginia a defeat, leaving in place a ruling that invalidated state electoral districts they drew because they weakened the clout of black voters in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
The justices, in a 5-4 decision, sidestepped a ruling on the merits of the case. They instead found that the Republican-led state House of Delegates lacked the necessary legal standing to appeal a lower court ruling that had invalidated 11 state House districts for racial discrimination.
Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat and the state’s top law enforcement official, opposed the appeal and argued that the Republican legislators were not entitled to act on behalf of the state in the case. A new political map is being used for this year’s state elections.
“Virginia’s elections this fall will take place in fair, constitutional districts. It’s a good day for democracy in Virginia,” Herring wrote on Twitter.
The Supreme Court’s action let stand a 2018 ruling by a federal three-judge panel that the 11 districts all violated the rights of black voters to equal protection under the law under the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment.
The state’s Republican-led House of Delegates “lacks authority to displace Virginia’s attorney general as representative of the state,” Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote for the court’s majority. “In short, Virginia would rather stop than fight on. One house of its bicameral legislature cannot alone continue the litigation against the will of its partners in the legislative process,” Ginsburg added.
The court was not split on ideological lines, with Ginsburg joined in the majority by fellow liberal justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor as well as two conservative justices, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch.
The League of Women Voters Education Fund is leading many of the anti-gerrymandering cases.
If you have thoughts on gerrymandering, you can contact your Senators and congressperson as well as contacting or donating to the League of Women Voters Education Fund. | https://news.kgnu.org/2019/06/make-them-hear-you-2/ |
DNA is like everything else: it's not what you have, but how you use it
IMAGE: The figure captures the transition between left-handed Z-DNA and right-handed B-DNA. Z-DNA formation requires energy that is results from negative supercoiling produced by the action of an RNA Polymerase (Pol)....
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Credit: Alan Herbert
DNA sequences encode information in many different ways. Codons specify the amino acids involved in making a protein. Other DNA sequences specify the start and stop signs for where an RNA begins and ends, or how the RNA transcript is spliced together to make different protein variations from a gene. This coding is static - it does not change. In contrast, other sequences, called Flipons act dynamically to alter the readout of genes. Flipons are sequences that can switch between different DNA conformations, for example from right-handed B-DNA to left-handed Z-DNA, allowing a cell to modify the RNAs it is producing.
Different information is readout from the genome depending on the flipon conformation. Flipons allow a cell to change its response dynamically to environmental challenges. For example, Flipons regulate interferon responses to viruses and in cancer. Families where an RNA editing enzyme called ADAR is unable to recognize a Z-DNA flipon have uncontrolled interferon production, called a type I interferonopathy. In another example, oxidative stress causes base modifications that promote the Z-DNA flipon conformation. In these instances, flipons act as DNA sensor to activate protective pathways to repair and prevent damage to cells.
Flipons are an example of an instructive genetic code, one that directs the compilation of RNA transcripts from the genome. It works in a similar fashion to the way computer codes combine different elements to build a program. By changing conformation, flipons alter editing and splicing of RNA transcripts, allowing the creation of many different outcomes from the same DNA building blocks. The change in programming is dynamic. While the information in DNA is static, cells find many different ways to use that coding to adapt.
Flipons are a way of coding genetic information that affect how organisms evolve. Flipon increase the diversity of genetic programs, resulting more phenotypic variability for natural selection to act upon. This process can be thought of in terms of entropy, where the number of different transcripts produced from a genomic sequence is a measure of its entropy - the more possible transcripts, the higher is the entropy. An organism with higher entropy has an evolutionary advantage. There is a higher likelihood that an adaptation pre-exists for an individual to survive and reproduce when a population faces an environmental challenge.
The flip from one DNA conformation to another trades metabolic energy for genetic information. The relationship between entropy and information is captured in the figure by the term ΔE=kΔI (where E=entropy and I= Shannon Information and k = Boltzmann's constant scaled appropriately). Flipons are examples of the dissipative structures originally described by the Novel Laureate Prigogine in his book "Order out of Chaos" which describes the evolution of living systems.
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About Inside Out Bio
InsideOutBio is a start-up focused on developing a novel class of proprietary therapeutics to 'light' up tumors for the immune system to kill by reprogramming self/nonself pathways within cancer cells. Dr. Herbert leads discovery at InsideOutBio. These statements about InsideOutBio comply with Safe-Harbor laws. They are forward-looking and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. They are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them.
Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system. | |
When coal burns, the chemical bonds holding its carbon atoms in place are broken, releasing energy. However, other chemical reactions also occur, many of which carry toxic airborne pollutants and heavy metals into the environment.
Mercury: Coal plants are responsible for 42 percent of US mercury emissions, a toxic heavy metal that can damage the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, and is a serious threat to the child development. Just 1/70th of a teaspoon of mercury deposited on a 25-acre lake can make the fish unsafe to eat. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Emissions Inventory, US coal power plants emitted 45,676 pounds of mercury in 2014 (the latest year data is available).
Nitrogen oxides (NOx): Nitrous oxides are visible as smog and irritate lung tissue, exacerbate asthma, and make people more susceptible to chronic respiratory diseases like pneumonia and influenza. In 2014, US coal power plants emitted more than 1.5 million tons.
Particulate matter: Better known as “soot,” this is the ashy grey substance in coal smoke, and is linked with chronic bronchitis, aggravated asthma, cardiovascular effects like heart attacks, and premature death. US coal power plants emitted 197,286 tons of small airborne particles (measured as 10 micrometers or less in diameter) in 2014..
576,185 tons of carbon monoxide, which causes headaches and places additional stress on people with heart disease.
22,124 tons of volatile organic compounds (VOC), which form ozone.
Most of these emissions can be reduced through pollution controls—sometimes by a significant amount—though many plants don’t have adequate controls installed.
Under the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and other environmental laws, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the responsibility and authority to set and enforce emissions limits for pollutants deemed harmful to human health and the environment.
Climate change could cause irrevocable harm.
Of coal’s many environmental impacts, none are as harmful, long term, and irreversible as global warming. Global warming is driven by emissions of heat-trapping gases, primarily from human activities, that rise into the atmosphere and act like a blanket, warming the earth’s surface.
Consequences include rising temperatures and accelerating sea level rise as well as growing risks of drought, heat waves, heavy rainfall intensified storms, and species loss. Left unchecked climate change could lead to profound human and ecological disruption.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from combusting fossil fuels are the main driver of global warming. CO2 is also the main byproduct of coal combustion: nearly 4 grams of CO2 are produced for every gram of carbon burnt (depending on its type, coal can contain as much as 60 to 80 percent carbon).
Methane (CH4) often occurs in the same areas that coal is formed, and is released during mining activities. Methane is 34 times stronger than carbon dioxide at trapping heat over a 100-year period and 86 times stronger over 20 years; roughly 10 percent of all US methane emissions come from coal mining.
Carbon capture and storage technologies (or CCS) are emerging technologies that could allow coal plants to capture some of the CO2 they would otherwise release; the CO2 could then be transported and stored in a geological repository without harming the earth’s climate. A few projects worldwide are currently operating, but the technology remains expensive, especially compared with cleaner forms of generation, and it is still unproven at the scale needed to materially contribute to addressing climate change. The deployment of CCS would also not reduce other harmful pollutants produced across the fuel cycle of coal.
To date the federal government has invested on the order of $5 billion dollars in CCS research, including $4.8 billion under the Obama administration and millions of dollars during the Bush administration.
The Union of Concerned Scientists supports continued federal incentives for research for a limited number of full-scale integrated CCS demonstration projects, alongside private sector efforts. CCS technology could potentially play an important role in transitioning to a clean energy future, if significant cost, technical, legal and environmental challenges can be overcome. | https://www.ucsusa.org/clean-energy/coal-and-other-fossil-fuels/coal-air-pollution |
The major experiments and studies projected for 1974-1975 concern the mode and extent of heteroduplex formation and correction (recombination) in both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. For nuclear DNA we will assess the polarity of correction in (and failure of correction) several newly synthesized strains heteroallelic at certain loci and variously heterozygous elsewhere in the remaining genome. Allelic identification tests that preserve the geometric integrity of directly replica-plated ascosporal clones provide the basis for unambiguous and reliable detection of all conversions and post- meiotic segregations among unselected tetrads. Genetic factors modifying the extent of recombination over small regions will be evaluated in a series of six related hybrids that collectively mark and thereby provide recombination control over the total length of chromosome VI. These genetic studies will doubtless permit a decision on the question of whether heteroduplex nuclear DNA originates modally in a symmetrical or reciprocal manner or in an asymmetrical fashion generating only a single heteroduplex. Density label experiments that analyze the extent of mitochondrial DNA replication, recombination and transmission in synchronous zygotes and their first buds will permit correlation of genetic and molecular data.
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The Federalist Papers (Signet Classics) (original 1788; edição 2003)
por Alexander Hamilton (Autor)
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The Federalist Papers por Alexander Hamilton (1788)
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It is amazing to me how wise our founding fathers were regarding the essence of human nature. Almost everything we see in the news today with the assaults on the constitution were understood by these men over 200 years ago and planned for. These papers are a must read for any American.
Brilliant & eloquent!
Excellent edition.
It is a collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the collective pseudonym "Publius" to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution. The collection was commonly known as The Federalist until the name The Federalist Papers emerged in the 20th century.
The first 77 of these essays were published serially in the Independent Journal, the New York Packet, and The Daily Advertiser between October 1787 and April 1788. A compilation of these 77 essays and eight others were published in two volumes as The Federalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favour of the New Constitution, as Agreed upon by the Federal Convention, September 17, 1787 by publishing firm J. & A. McLean in March and May 1788. The last eight papers (Nos. 78–85) were republished in the New York newspapers between June 14 and August 16, 1788.
The authors of The Federalist intended to influence the voters to ratify the Constitution. In Federalist No. 1, they explicitly set that debate in broad political terms:
It has been frequently remarked, that it seems to have been reserved to the people of this country, by their conduct and example, to decide the important question, whether societies of men are really capable or not, of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend, for their political constitutions, on accident and force.
In Federalist No. 10, Madison discusses the means of preventing rule by majority faction and advocates a large, commercial republic. This is complemented by Federalist No. 14, in which Madison takes the measure of the United States, declares it appropriate for an extended republic, and concludes with a memorable defense of the constitutional and political creativity of the Federal Convention. In Federalist No. 84, Hamilton makes the case that there is no need to amend the Constitution by adding a Bill of Rights, insisting that the various provisions in the proposed Constitution protecting liberty amount to a "bill of rights". Federalist No. 78, also written by Hamilton, lays the groundwork for the doctrine of judicial review by federal courts of federal legislation or executive acts. Federalist No. 70 presents Hamilton's case for a one-man chief executive. In Federalist No. 39, Madison presents the clearest exposition of what has come to be called "Federalism". In Federalist No. 51, Madison distills arguments for checks and balances in an essay often quoted for its justification of government as "the greatest of all reflections on human nature." According to historian Richard B. Morris, the essays that make up The Federalist Papers are an "incomparable exposition of the Constitution, a classic in political science unsurpassed in both breadth and depth by the product of any later American writer."
On June 21, 1788, the proposed Constitution was ratified by the minimum of nine states required under Article VII. Towards the end of July 1788, with eleven states having ratified the new Constitution, the process of organizing the new government began.
America is a unique country, founded on individual liberty. The Federalist Papers are a conglomeration of newspaper editorials written by three of our founding fathers- Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison— explaining the constitution to lay people. Hamilton wrote a majority of the articles, mostly deconstructing arguments against the constitution. These articles illustrate liberty, from the ancient Greeks to Great Britain. The w the positives from each prior democracy and explain how America will overcome weaknesses.
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Three early American statesmen defend the political principles and ideologies set forth in the Constitution of the United States, in a new edition of the classic, which is accompanied by a selected bibliography, historical glossary, new introduction, andother resource material.
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2 edições deste livro foram publicadas por Liberty Fund, Inc.
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Uma edição deste livro foi publicada pela Tantor Media. | https://pt.librarything.com/work/12690/195466362 |
Greece, also known as the Hellenic Republic, is a Southern European country with a population of approximately 11 million people. The historical home of Western civilization, Greece played a huge part in the development of modern society, politics, and education, being the birthplace of Western philosophy and literature, as well as the home of countless influential mathematicians and scientists.
With one of the richest histories of any countries in the world, Greece continues to play a key role in modern times, being a founding member of the United Nations and the biggest economic power in the Balkan region. One of the symbols of Greece is its flag. Nicknamed 'I Galanolefki' and 'I Kyanolefki', which translate to 'The Blue and White' and 'The Azure and White', respectively, the Greek flag is immediately recognizable with its bold blue/white color scheme.
Like many European nations, the territory the world now knows as modern day Greece has held many flags over the years. During the Byzantine Empire years and Ottoman periods, for example, dozens of different flag designs were used. Most of them had no real resemblance to the modern Greek flag, but some did at least feature the same blue and white two-tone color scheme, as well as the famous Greek cross which has been a symbol of the Orthodox Catholic Church for many centuries.
Eventually, in 1822, at the First Greek National Assembly, it was decided that Greece needed to move on from its old revolutionary flags and select a flag to represent the entire nation. Three flags were designed, one for use on land, one for use abroad, and one as a merchant flag. The design chosen for use abroad was the design we known in the modern era, and in the years that followed, this flag was eventually chosen as the sole national flag of the nation of Greece, becoming the one and only official Greek flag in 1978.
The Greek flag is made up a white cross on a blue background in the top left corner, with nine horizontal stripes, alternating between blue and white, making up the rest of the design. The symbolism of the cross is clear and defined as a primary symbol of the Eastern Orthodox branch of Christianity for many centuries, but the interpretations of the stripes and colors have varied over the years.
Some people believe that the nine stripes represent the nine syllables of the phrase "Eleftheria i thanatos", which translates in English as "Freedom or Death" and is actually the national motto of Greece. Others argue that the stripes were chosen to represent the nine letters of the Greek word for "Freedom", which also ties in with the national motto. Some historians, meanwhile, argue that the symbolism of the stripes represents the Muses, the goddesses of literature, art, and science in ancient Greek mythology.
As for the colors, there are also various ideas and theories to explain the selection of blue and white. Some believe that they represent the sky and the sea, with the Mediterranean Sea playing a big part in the history of Greece and the nation being well known for having one of the longest coastlines of any nation in the world.
Others argue that the choice of colors was inspired by famous figures in Greek history and mythology. Alexander the Great, for instance, used the colors on his army banners, with the legendary Achilles also being associated with blue and white. The Byzantine Empire was also said to have used the colors regularly, but there's no general consensus on exactly why these two colors were chosen for the Greek flag, and the mystery may remain unsolved forever.
Greek law carefully controls use and displays of the Greek flag so as not to bring it into disrepute or dishonor. For example, the flag may be flown at many different locations, from the Presidential Palace to public schools, but must always be placed on a white mast with a white cross at the top of it.
The Greek flag cannot be damaged in any way, and if it does get torn or ripped, it should be burned respectfully rather than kept. Nobody is allowed to write on the flag or cover it up with additional symbols or images, and the Greek flag cannot be used by businesses or for any commercial use. It cannot be hung from windows as it always needs to be attached to a mast, but can be displayed at sporting events or other gatherings. | https://vacationidea.com/tips/greek-flag.html |
Our Wines – Long Cliff Vineyard & Winery, Inc.
A family owned and operated estate winery, Long Cliff is dedicated to producing high quality vinifera wines from Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Lemberger grapes.
Our grapes are grown on the family farm located within the Niagara Escarpment AVA. Production of these high-quality wines is made possible because of the unique climate and soil conditions of our Niagara Escarpment region.
When we first opened our doors on 11/11/11, we only had four wines to offer… Our list has grown since then, and will continue to in the years to come, but the commitment to producing only the finest in quality wines will remain unchanging. Born from a hobby, our passion is unwavering as we transition from a dream to reality. | https://longcliffwinery.com/our-wines/ |
Another kind of Trump obstruction
On December 18, 2019, the House of Representatives impeached Donald Trump on two articles: abuse of power, and obstruction of Congress. The latter was largely based on Trump’s refusal to recognize the House’s authority of oversight, and therefore not turning over requests for documents while also instructing witnesses not to cooperate, including in defiance of legally issued subpoenas (in both instances, regarding documents and witnesses).
Many on the Left (and many on the Right, for that matter) felt that there should have been other articles, including an article for obstruction of justice. Based in large part on Trump’s actions as described in the little-read Mueller Report, over a thousand former federal prosecutors, who served both Democratic and Republican administrations, signed an open letter that stated, “Each of us believes that the conduct of President Trump described in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report would, in the case of any other person not covered by the Office of Legal Counsel policy against indicting a sitting President, result in multiple felony charges for obstruction of justice.” (link)
The purpose of this post is to suggest that there could be a third charge of obstruction added to the list, and this one may be even more insidious than the other two: obstruction of education.
While many schools across the country have used the Trump era as an opportunity for teaching real-world issues, others, especially those located in the heart of Trump country, have become complicit in Trump’s actions — both the illegal ones and the unseemly ones — by not allowing teachers to discuss Trump and Trump-related events with their students. Some have gone so far as to threaten teachers with disciplinary action for pointing out easily verifiable statements of fact about him or his administration.
While classes in history and government may seem the most obvious for discussing Trump and his policies, English, speech, journalism and other communication courses should also be sites of Trump-related analysis, as it is through the manipulation of language that the President and his allies have managed to consolidate and maintain support among nearly half the country (but well beyond half in Trump country).
Perhaps the chief way that the commander-in-chief has retained his followers is through the promulgation of misinformation (i.e. lies). According to The Washington Post, whose fact-checkers have maintained a running list throughout Trump’s presidency, as of Dec. 10, 2019, he had told 15, 413 “untruths.” What is more, the number of false statements has been accelerating, and in 2019 he had made more false claims than in the previous two years. (link)
Between untrue tweets, false statements to the press during his frequent White House lawn gaggles, and utterances to his favorite personalities on Fox News, Trump and the Republican Party have been able to construct an alternate reality that paints Trump as a heroic figure standing against a deep-state conspiracy. Anyone who attempts to cut through the fog of misinformation to reveal a truer picture — journalists, activists, teachers — is a co-conspirator with the deep state.
Never mind that most of Trump’s misdeeds — including the impeachable ones — have been stated or acted out in public. In a downright Orwellian moment, Trump said to a group of veterans on July 24, 2018: “Just stick with us, don’t believe the crap you see from these people, the fake news.… Just remember, what you’re seeing and what you’re reading is not what’s happening …” (link)
In retrospect, it is frightening to see how well Trump’s tactics have worked: his followers literally do not believe what they see and hear themselves. A key element in Trumpian obfuscation has been the erasure of the line between fact and opinion. There are no hard, verifiable facts in Trump world. Everything is an opinion; therefore, his followers can dismiss statements of fact — by educators, for instance — as mere opinions. Then Trump-supporting students, parents (and perhaps even school officials and board of education members) charge teachers with pushing their own opinions on their innocent, doe-eyed students.
Teachers who are trying to share fact-based information with their students are cast as Rasputin-like brainwashers of young minds and therefore silenced, so that even the students from families who do not support President Trump are prevented from considering the ramifications of his presidency. The topic of Trump, in any context, is taboo in the heart of Trump country — which, as it happens, tends to be in the key Midwestern states that Trump must win in 2020.
Many of the students who are prevented from pondering the Trump presidency will be voting age by Election Day in November, making the Trump taboo in the classroom another variation of voter suppression, which the GOP has been using to maintain power for years. In fact, a recently leaked audio recording suggests Republicans will be ramping up their suppression efforts in 2020. Trump adviser Justin Clark told a group of supporters on November 21, 2019, that voter suppression is “going to be a much bigger program, a much more aggressive program, a much better-funded program.” (link)
Again, it is largely through propaganda via social media that the iron curtain has been erected between the distracted public and the true nature of Trump and his presidency. To that end, many schools have added courses, or at least units, that teach students how to navigate spaces like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to help them avoid falling prey to propaganda and gaslighting. (link)
In fact, professional organizations have officially advocated for this kind of educational experience in particular. In March of 2019, the National Council of the Teachers of English released its “Resolution on English Education for Critical Literacy in Politics and Media.” It reads that the NCTE
- promote pedagogy and scholarly curricula in English and related subjects that instruct students in civic and critical literacy, going beyond basic reading comprehension to the thinking skills that enable students to analyze and evaluate sophisticated persuasive techniques in all texts, genres, and types of media, current and yet to be imagined;
- support classroom practices that examine and question uses of language in order to discern inhumane, misinformative, or dishonest discourse and arguments;
- prioritize research and pedagogies that encourage students to become “critical thinkers, consumers, and creators who advocate for and actively contribute to a better world”;
- provide resources to mitigate the effect of new technologies and platforms that accelerate and destabilize our information environment;
- support the integration of reliable, balanced, and credible news sources within classroom practices at all levels of education;
- resist attempts to influence civic discussion through falsehoods, unwarranted doubts, prejudicial or stereotypical ideas, attempts to shame or silence, or other techniques that deteriorate the quality of public deliberation; and
- model civic literacy and conversation by creating a supportive environment where students can have an informed discussion and engage with current events and civic issues while staying mindful and critical of the difference between the intent and impact of their language. (link)
I will highlight in particular that English teachers are called upon to “resist attempts to influence civic discussion through falsehoods, unwarranted doubts, prejudicial or stereotypical ideas, attempts to shame or silence, or other techniques that deteriorate the quality of public deliberation.” Trump-supporting students and parents — and school officials who bow down to their pressure by not allowing teachers to discuss with their students current affairs related to President Trump (especially issues related to his impeachment) — are clearly “influenc[ing] civic discussion through … prejudicial ideas … and attempts to shame or silence.” Moreover, school officials who threaten teachers with disciplinary procedures are applying “other techniques that deteriorate the quality of public deliberation.”
It would, of course, be unprofessional and unethical for teachers to employ classroom practices meant to sway young minds — like using grades to reward anti-Trump commentary and punish pro-Trump commentary, or subjecting pro-Trump students to hostility — but it seems that what Trump supporters are afraid of are facts themselves being influential, so therefore teachers must be muzzled, no matter how easily verifiable the facts are, or how publicly Trump laid bare the deeds himself.
Preventing educators from discussing Trump and Trump-related issues with their students via intimidation is textbook fascism, “forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism,” which is part of the first definition at Dictionary.com. Historically, fascists have targeted journalists, writers, educators and intellectuals in general because they share the common characteristic of trafficking in the truth — and truth is the number-one enemy of authoritarians. It must remain veiled at all cost.
A final point I will make is that parents certainly have the right to shield their children from certain topics and specific ideologies, and that is why homeschooling and private schools exist, so that parents who do not support the diverse nature of public schooling can educate their children in another manner. I have no problem with that: it is democratic; it is quintessentially American. But parents should not have the right to turn public schools into private ones by dictating curriculum and classroom practices which impact all students.
When they do (or when they are allowed to do it), it becomes yet another sort of Trump obstruction: the obstruction of education. | https://tedmorrissey.blog/tag/propaganda/ |
Professor and Sidney & Erica Hsiao Endowed Chair in Marine Biology, Department of Biology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii. Research expertise: marine ecology and conservation biology, especially regarding temperate and tropical reefs and fishes. Fulbright Senior Scholar. Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellow. International Society for Reef Studies Fellow. Past Chair, U.S. Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee. Past Chair, U.S. National Science Foundation Ocean Sciences Advisory Committee. Past President, Western Society of Naturalists. Editorial boards: Coastal Management, Coral Reefs (past), Ecology, Ecological Monographs, PeerJ. ISI Citation Index recognition as most cited scientific author on coral reef ecology in Northern and Western Hemispheres (1994-2004). | https://peerj.com/MarkHixon/ |
The American Indian Studies program is available as a Committee Interdisciplinary Major and is designed to allow students to achieve the following learning outcomes:
- Analyze and explain the important stages of American Indian history, the complexity of cultural diversity within American Indian populations, and contemporary issues facing American Indian people within the Us.
- Provide interdisciplinary explanations for the intellectual, literary, cultural, linguistic and political history of American Indian institutions and the impact of economic forces on American Indian societies.
- Identify and assess different theoretical frameworks for explaining change in American Indian societies as well as relationships between sovereign Indian reservations, urban Indian communities and institutions, and the broader America society.
The completion of a submajor in American Indian Studies does not restrict graduates of the program to working solely with Native populations. The critical thinking skills that students acquire and theoretical frameworks that they learn to apply through AIS are transferable to the examination of many contemporary critical issues across the globe. For example, AIS methodologies also pertain to the effects of globalization on marginalized people and the preservation of traditional culture in the context of rapidly-changing intellectual, technological and physical environments. AIS helps students examine issues of conflict and peace from new perspectives that can reframe public debates and to learn more about the legal, sociological, environmental and historical contexts that both drive and circumscribe the more than two million American Indian people in the United States.
The Committee Interdisciplinary Major’s submajor in American Indian Studies requires completion of 36 credits in approved American Indian Studies and American Indian Studies-related courses. Of these 36 credits, 15 credits in advanced-level courses (numbered (300 and above) must be completed in residence at UWM. The College of Letters and Science requires that students earn at least a 2.500 GPA on all credits attempted for the submajor at UWM. In addition, a 2.500 GPA on all submajor credits, including any transfer work, is required. | https://uwm.edu/american-indian-studies/undergraduate/ |
Authors: Whiteside, David; Martini, Douglas N.; Zernicke, Ronald F.; Goulet, Grant C.
This study aimed to quantify which metrics could best predict pitching success. The study included 190 pitchers. They took one hundred fastballs, changeups, curveballs and sliders to analyze for each pitcher for a total of 400 pitches.
The regression model used found that pitch speed, release-location consistency, variation in pitch speed, and horizontal-release location were significant predictors of Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP). Yet those factors only explain 24% of the variance of FIP.
Pitch speed was a significant predictor that explained 10.4% of the variance of FIP. Based on the regression model, a 1% increase in pitch speed produced a 2.3% improvement in FIP. This suggests that, of the metrics analyzed, increasing pitch speed may be the most beneficial factor in improving performance. Of course, it is also believed that increased pitch speed also comes with greater loads on the arm.
Release-location variability of all four pitches was significantly correlated to FIP. Suggesting that throwing all pitches from the same release point, paired with an increasing pitch speed, should be main focuses of training.
Variation in pitch speed, the speed difference between a pitcher’s fastballs and offspeed throws, was another significant predictor of FIP. Interestingly, pitch-speed variation did not significantly correlate with FIP in any of the individual pitch types, which suggests that the pitch-speed difference should be examined over a pitcher’s whole repertoire, not individually.
A more pronounced horizontal-release location was also a predictor of FIP. The reasoning for this is unclear, but in theory this would suggest that lower-arm slots, like sidearm pitchers, have lower FIPs. Another reason could be that sidearm pitchers are more rare, but both are purely speculative.
Anthrompometric and Performance Comparisons in Professional Baseball Players
Authors: Hoffman, Jay R; Vazquez, Jose; Pichardo, Napoleon; Tenebaum, Gershon
This study assessed 343 professional baseball players for height, weight, body composition, grip strength, vertical jump power, 10-yd sprint speed, and agility. The playing levels ranged from MLB to Rookie ball, and all testing was done at the beginning of spring training.
Rookie- and A-ball players were significantly leaner and had lower lean-body mass than AA, AAA, or MLB players. Grip strength was higher in MLB and AAA than in Rookie and A ball. AAA reported the highest grip strength. Significant correlations were seen between grip strength and home runs, total bases and slugging percentage.
MLB players were faster than all other levels (.03-.07 secs faster). MLB players had higher vertical-jump measures than AA, A, and Rookie ball (.3-1.1 inches higher).
No significant differences were found in vertical-jump height, but MLB players had significantly greater peak and mean jump power than players in lower levels.
No significant differences were found in vertical jump height but MLB players had significantly greater peak and mean jump power than players in lower levels.
Regression analysis revealed that performance measures accounted for 25-31% of the variance in baseball-specific power production. Anthropometric measures failed to add any additional explanation to the variance.
Effect of age on Anthropometric and Physical Performance Measures in Professional Baseball Players
Authors: Manquine, GT; Hoffman, JR; Fragala, MS; Vazquez, J; Krause, MC; Gillett, J; Pichardo, N
This study broke professional baseball players into 7 cohorts based on age (from under 20-35+) to compare how different physical and performance metrics changed between age brackets. Lower-body jump power, speed, agility, grip strength and body composition were all examined.
Players from age group 20-22 were significantly lighter than players in age group 23-31. In general, pitchers were heavier than position players. A significant correlation was seen between age and weight, but age only explains about 7% of the variability of body mass changes. Lean body mass only had a significant increase in players over 23, with peak LBM coming in ages 29-31.
No significant differences were found between age groups in the 10-yd sprint times. An 18% difference in grip strength was found between the lowest strength group (under 20) and peak strength (age 29-31).
Vertical jump was consistent between players under 20-28 and became significantly lower in athletes playing in their 30s. This primarily came from a reduction in vertical jump in pitchers as position players maintained their verticals. This being said, there has been little evidence of a strong relationship between vertical-power and vertical-jump measures and pitching performance. It’s more likely that pitchers, as they age, rely more on pitching specific skills than any one performance measure.
The researchers do note an important caution at the end of the research paper. This was a cross-sectional study, not a longitudinal study examining the same players over the course of their careers. Results in this case will be influenced by genetics and skill.
Relationship between Shoulder and Elbow Isokinetic Peak Torque, Torque Acceleration Energy, Average Power, and Total Work and Throwing Velocity in Intercollegiate Pitchers (Open Access)
Authors: Pawlowski, David; Perrin, David H
These researchers wanted to see if there was a relationship between strength and power of certain muscles and velocity. Data collection occurred using isokinetic testing using a Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer.
Shoulder flexion/extension, shoulder internal/external rotation, elbow flexion and extension were tested at speeds of 60 and 240 degrees/second. Ten pitchers were tested for peak torque (PT), torque acceleration energy (TAE), average power (AP) and total work (TW).
For shoulder internal rotation at 240 deg/sec, significant correlations were found between throwing velocity and PT, TAE, AP, and TW. Significant correlations were also found between throwing velocity and shoulder external rotation (240 deg/sec), PT, AP, and TW. Interestingly enough, no significant correlations were found between throwing velocity and shoulder internal/external rotator muscle groups at 60 deg/sec.
The results of the study do not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship. But they do suggest specificity of exercise for training shoulder internal- and external-rotator muscle groups. The study also points out that the speed that throwing a ball occurs at approximately 9,000 deg/sec, so isokinetic measurements at faster speeds (240 deg/sec) may better represent testing that relates to throwing velocity.
Relationships between ball velocity and throwing mechanics in Collegiate Baseball Pitchers
This study wanted to investigate between pitching mechanics and how they related to throwing velocity. 54 pitchers were included (34 right handed pitchers and 20 left handed pitchers) from NCAA and NAIA schools. 26 body landmarks were tracked and the researchers looked only at the three fastest fastballs thrown for strikes.
The researchers found 10 variables that ended up accounting for 68% of the variance in ball velocity. They were: body weight, time from stride foot contact (SFC) to max external rotation (MER), knee flexion at SFC, elbow angle at SFC, length of time the head stayed behind the hips, maximum shoulder external rotation, maximum upper trunk rotation speed, peak elbow extension angular velocity, knee flexion at ball release and forward trunk tilt at ball release.
The average ball velocity of the 54 pitchers was 79 MPH. It would be interesting to see if these findings stood up with pitchers throwing at higher velocities (90 MPH). As pitchers get to elite velocities (85+) there is a good chance that the importance of different variables would change.
It’s also interesting that those 10 variables only accounted for 68% of variance of velocity was accounted for. Leaving an open question for what measurables could make up the other 32%.
Baseball Athletic Test: A Baseball-Specific Test Battery
Authors: Spaniol, Frank J.
This researcher examined current baseball literature to create a baseball-specific testing protocol by referencing body composition, flexibility, muscular strength, leg power, rotational power, agility, running speed, throwing velocity and bat speed studies.
This study is a great collection of data that creates an easy reference point for any coach who wants to compare measures of players of different ages and abilities by specifically comparing high school, NAIA, and D1 athletes.
Relationship Between grip, pinch strength and Anthropometric Variables, types of pitch throwing among Japanese High School Baseball Pitchers (Open Access)
133 high school pitchers participated in the study where grip strength and pinch grip strength were measured using a digital dynamometer. The researchers hypothesized that frequency of pitch types in pitchers would be influenced by grip and pinch strength measurements. The theory being that pitchers who are stronger in certain grip positions would then have a higher frequency of certain offspeed pitches thrown.
Grip Strength, tip, and palmar pinch strength and muscle mass of upper extremity of the pitchers dominant side were statistically greater than those of the non-dominant side. But key pinch strength of the non-dominant side was greater than dominant side.
The researchers found no significant correlation between throwing ratio of difference pitches and grip strength of tip, key or palmar pinch.
Additional research should be pursued in older populations to see if the results change or if there are any additional findings.
Contributing Factors for Increased Bat Swing Velocity
This is an excellent review of forty abstracts, papers and books of what training methods have been investigated for improving baseball and softball swing velocity.
Research on improving bat speed, using weighted bats in the on-deck circle and using under and overweight bats is included. The review also investigated whether significant relationships could be found between different strength and power metrics or resistance training and bat swing velocity.
Specific training with under and overweight bats was found to improve bat velocity, bat velocity will also increase with resistance training programs. Players with the greatest bat swing and batted-ball velocities had more lean body mass, greater strength and power.
There was a mix of conclusions in the literature of the importance of grip strength but the researchers concluded that additional forearm and grip exercises do not contribute to increase bat velocity.
The Role of Pelvis and Thorax Rotation Velocity in Baseball Pitching
Using marker sets on the thorax (upper body) and pelvis, the researchers studied amateur players too see how rotation velocity affected throwing velocity.
The researchers found that maximal pelvis and thorax rotation velocity, by themselves, were not associated with throwing velocity. However, the researchers did find a relationship between separation and velocity. Separation was defined as the gap of time between maximum pelvis rotational velocity and thorax rotational velocity.
The difference between peak velocities is incredibly small. The researchers believe that an increase in separation between peak velocities by 10 ms on average would increase throwing velocity by 1 mph.
Another interesting note is that the average rotation velocity profile of all eight pitchers had peak velocities before front-foot contact. Whether there is a larger difference between high and low velocity throwers is unknown.
On-the-Field–Resistance-Tubing Exercises for Throwers: An Electromyographic Analysis (Open Access)
This study investigated the activity of various shoulder musculature while performing rubber-tubing exercises. The subscapularis, supraspinatus, teres minor, and rhomboid major were measured with indwelling electromyography. The sternal portion of the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, middle deltoid, latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, lower trapezius, and infraspinatus muscles were assessed using surface electromyography measurements.
Fifteen athletes performed the following exercises: shoulder extension, shoulder flexion, internal-humeral rotation at 90 degrees of abduction, external-humeral rotation at 0 degree of abduction, internal-humeral rotation at 90 degrees of abduction, external-humeral rotation at 90 degrees of abduction, high-, middle-, and low-scapular rows, scapular punches, throwing acceleration, and throwing deceleration.
The study didn’t aim to conclude which exercises were best for specific muscles; rather, it sought to conclude which exercises facilitated the greatest activation in the most muscles.
Seven exercises resulted in at least moderate activation (>20% of MVIC) of all muscles tested: shoulder extension, shoulder flexion, throwing deceleration, throwing deceleration, external-humeral rotation at 90 degrees of abduction, scapular punches, and either high- or low-scapular rows.
Pectoralis Minor Contracture in Throwing Shoulders of Asymptomatic Adolescent Baseball Players (Open Access)
This study investigated further adaptations to throwing in youth athletes, specifically the length of the pectoralis minor (PM). Because of the way the muscle attaches to the scapula, shortening of the PM can change the position of the scapula and its range of motion. The authors hypothesized that the PM would be shorter in the throwing shoulder when compared to the non-throwing shoulder.
Participants were between 14-18 years old, had played organized baseball for at least one year, and had no pain in either shoulder. All 49 participants were from one baseball-training facility. Pectoralis-minor length was measured supine, sitting at rest, and sitting with the shoulder in maximal external rotation.
The study found that baseball players have significant differences in PM length and static scapular measurements in their throwing shoulders when compared to their non-throwing shoulders. While it is not known what the exact clinical significance of this is, it is enough reason to encourage athletes to include stretching of the PM in their routines.
Early Sport Specialization: Effectiveness and Risk of Injury in Professional Baseball Players
One-hundred and two current professional baseball players of the Atlantic League completed an anonymous seven-question survey. It asked if they specialized in baseball prior to high school and how many surgeries they had as a professional and high schooler that required them to sit out a year.
Sport specialization was defined as “intense, year-round training in a single sport with the exclusion of other sports.”
Of all 102 athletes, 48% (50 athletes) stated that they had specialized in baseball at an early age, with the mean age being 8.91 years old (3.7 SD). Those who specialized early reported more serious injuries during their professional baseball career than those who did not. However, the study did not find a relationship between specialization and youth injury.
While there isn’t a straightforward link between early sports specialization and success or injury, there will always be multiple variables at play. If athletes do choose to specialize in any sport, they should make sure that they take adequate time off during the year. | https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/pitching-research-baseball-reviews/ |
Veta Resources Inc. Announces Debt Settlement
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 19, 2018) - Veta Resources Inc. is pleased to announce that it has completed a debt settlement whereby it has satisfied $125,000 of trade payables through the issuance of 1,250,000 common shares of the Company ("Common Shares") and issued 750,000 Common Shares to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company in connection with past services provided.
Prior to the completion of the issuance of Common Shares, Mr. Jennings, owned 850,000 Common Shares, representing approximately 10.7% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares. Upon completion of the issuance of Common Shares, Mr. Jennings will own 1,600,000 Common Shares, representing approximately 16.1% of the Company's issued and outstanding Common Shares, on a non-diluted basis. Depending on market and other conditions, or as future circumstances may dictate, Mr. Jennings may from time to time increase or decrease his holdings of Common Shares or other securities of the Company. A copy of the early warning report will be available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Certain insiders of the Company acquired 1,250,000 Common Shares in connection with the transaction and their participation constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 — Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(b) of MI 61-101, as the Common Shares are not listed on a specified market and the fair market value of the participation by insiders does not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Company, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. A material change report will be filed less than 21 days before the closing date of the debt settlement and issuance of shares for services. This shorter period is reasonable and necessary in the circumstances to allow the Company to improve its financial position by reducing its accrued liabilities in order to make it a more attractive for potential merger and acquisition transactions.
About Veta Resources Inc.
Veta Resources Inc. has optioned two exploration properties located in southern Chile. The projects are referred to as the JOY West and JOY East properties and together represent a land package of approximately 3,450 hectares, or approximately 34.5 km2. Veta also has 100% ownership in three exploration properties which are also located in Southern Chile which represent a land package of approximately 73km2 The Company has 9,957,050 shares outstanding, is a reporting issuer under certain provincial security commissions and is not currently traded on an exchange.
For more information, please contact:
Brian Jennings President, CEO and CFO Tel: (416) 616-4230 Email: [email protected]
Statements in this release that are forward-looking reflect the Company's current views and expectations with respect to its performance, business, and future events. Such statements are subject to various risks and assumptions, some, but not necessarily all, are disclosed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators. Such statements and information contained herein represent management's best judgment as of the date hereof based on the information currently available; however actual results and events may vary significantly. The Company does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement.
News Provided by Newsfile Corp. | http://crweworld.com/canada/trendingnow/press-releases/710431/veta-resources-inc-announces-debt-settlement |
Tribes in Tanzania
Tribes in Tanzania : Tanzania is the home of more than 100 distinct ethic groups and tribes, which are different from each other with its own unique ways of life style and culture. The tribes in Tanzania differ from each other in most of the aspect while a few of them have some similar character, each one differ from dressing styles, economic activity, food that they eat, arts and crafts, customs and traditions and many more way. The best way to explore and experience this culture difference is staying in the village get involved in their unique way of life. Apart from the famous Maasai tribe there are more tribes that are found here, the most common culture that is wide spread not because they are large in populations but because they have a very unique life style that makes it as the most famous tribe in Tanzania and other parts of the world.
Tanzania Is located in the great lakes regions of East Africa, and it’s the 3rd largest country in Africa. The beautiful country is the perfect place for the safari attractions in the world and in Africa, rich with cultural heritages, beautiful beaches that can make you relax and over 120 distinct tribes and ethnic groups.
You will probably wonder how they communicate because of many tribes, Tanzania has national language which is Kiswahili. Yes everyone speaks their native language but the national language that is used by everyone is Kiswahili. This language is very important as it brought units to all the Tanzanians, well to the people of your tribe you can speak your native language but to the once that are not we use Kiswahili.
The most common Tribes that you will likely encounter on your tour in Tanzania.
On your tribe to Tanzania there are some common tribes that you will likely meet because of their geographical location. Most of them are located around the areas where most of the tourists visit.
Meet the famous Maasai tribe.
It’s the most famous tribe in Tanzania and in different parts of the world, they are population size is not large, but they are mostly famous because of its unique cultural practices. They are located on the Northern part of Tanzania in the Arusha town. They are population is estimated to be 800,000 people and more than 1 million including the Maasai from both Tanzania and Kenya. The Maasai in Tanzania are found around Serengeti national park and Ngorongoro national park, their habitat is one of the reason that has made them famous. About 1.4 billion tourists visit this national parks per year and most of them have the chance to meet the Maasai people and have a chance to explore about they are culture and ways of life. It’s very common to meet the Maasai around the national park as they graze their livestock’s because most of them are pastoralist and farmers.
The Maasai people are kind and very welcoming, they will always smile brightly when they see the visitors and most of them will welcome you to their kraals. In their kraals enjoy their traditional dances, foods, life style and see their houses. The women in the Maasai community make handcrafts jewelries, design earing, and many other decorations that they make from beads and sell them to the tourism, this is their community development project that they do to improve their life style. Grab a gift for your family and friends back at home and it’s also a great way to support women in this community.
On your way to Lake Victoria meet the Sukuma people.
They are found in Mwanza region on the northern part of Tanzania along the southern shore of lake Victoria. It’s the tribe with large population in Tanzania with approximate of 5.5 million people. They are main economic activities is fishing, animal keeping and farming. Most of the Sukuma people are Christians and they practice polygamy. The word Sukuma means north and that refers to the people of the north. This tribe is very famous due to their traditional dance famously known as BUGOBOBOBO which is the snake dance, in this dance they place with the snake in different ways.
Explore the culture of the Hadzabe tribe
The Hadzabes are located around Lake Eyasi in northern Tanzania, they famously known because they resemble the Bushmen from the Kalahari. They live in the caves in their decentralized communities that are found around the Yaeda valley and nearby rocky scrub hills. They are main activity is hunting, you might get the opportunity to see them while they hunt when you visit the lake Eyasi. They have a very unique sound of the language as they click they are tongue while pronouncing their words. It’s the most primitive tribe in Tanzania, they do not live any social life like other people, they mainly practice hunting and gathering just like the ancestors. The Hadzabe is among the tribes with small populations of about 1200-1300 total people. In this community the gender roles are well distributed as the men go for hunting and bring back home meat and honey while the women take care of homes, children as well as the gathering fruits and roots for their families.
Meet the Chagga tribe while trekking the Kilimanjaro Mountain.
This tribe has the estimated population of 2 million and hence becomes the 3rd largest ethnic group in Tanzania. They are found on the northern part of Tanzania in Kilimanjaro region and on the southern and eastern slopes of Kilimanjaro Mountain. When trekking the Mount Kilimanjaro or visiting the Kilimanjaro forest, they are the people that you will encounter most and it’s common to meet them as guides or escorting visitors while they climb the mountain. They are the richest tribe in Tanzania and have modernized than most of the Tanzanian tribes. They practice a large scale farming and use irritation agriculture. Most of them owns business most especially shops, they have moved in their homes and when to towns to open business and this has made them even more famous. They will go to other cities and do business but during Christmas holiday and New Year most of their clans meet in their mother land for the end celebrations. They do not practice centralized communities at all, each family is surrounded by its own coffee and banana plantations and this creates a perfect patch work effect across the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, they are also known as the tribe that loves money so much and would do any kind of work to get money.
On the coastal part of Tanzania meet the Zaramo community.
These people are found along the shore of Indian Ocean in Dar es Salaam and Pwani regions of Tanzania. They are main language is Swahili a language that they have adopted from the Arabic language , they have also adopted most of the Arabic culture in terms of dressing styles and religion because most of them are Muslim and very few from other religions. They are main economic activity is farming, fishing and livestock keeping.
Tanzania is the country that is peaceful and rich with so many amazing wonders, the availability of many ethnic group does not make them any less to cooperate with each other, the Swahili language has played the major role in promoting peace and unity as it is the land of peace and harmony and the safe place that anyone can visit even on the solo trip. | https://www.serengetiparktanzania.com/uncategorized/tribes-in-tanzania/ |
Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) Evaluation Methods: A Systematic Review
Alturkistani A., LAM C., Foley K., Stenfors T., Blum E., VAN VELTHOVEN M., MEINERT E.
Background: Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have the potential for broad education impact due to many learners undertaking these courses. Despite their reach, there is a lack of knowledge about which methods are used for evaluating these courses. Objective: This review aims to identify current MOOC evaluation methods in order to inform future study designs. Methods: We systematically searched the following databases: (1) SCOPUS; (2) Education Resources Information Center (ERIC); (3) IEEE Xplore; (4) Medline/PubMed; (5) Web of Science; (6) British Education Index and (7) Google Scholar search engine for studies from January 2008 until October 2018. Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and titles of the studies. Published studies in English that evaluated MOOCs were included. The study design of the evaluations, the underlying motivation for the evaluation studies, data collection and data analysis methods were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. The quality of the included studies was appraised using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool for RCTs, the NIH - National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute quality assessment tool for cohort observational studies, and for “Before-After (Pre-Post) Studies With No Control Group”. Results: The initial search resulted in 3275 studies, and 33 eligible studies were included in this review. Sixteen studies used a quantitative study design, 11 a qualitative and 6 a mixed-methods study designs. Eighteen studies looked at learner characteristics and behaviour and 23 at learning outcomes and experiences. Twelve studies used one data source, 11 used two data sources, seven used 3, four used 2 and one used 5 . Three studies used more than three data sources in their evaluation. In terms of the data analysis methods, quantitative methods were the most prominent with descriptive and inferential statistics the top two preferred methods. Twenty-six studies with cross-sectional design had a low-quality assessment, whereas randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies received higher quality assessment. Conclusions: MOOC evaluation data collection and data analysis methods should be determined carefully based on the aim of the evaluation. The MOOC evaluations are subject to bias, which could be reduced by using pre-MOOC measures for comparison or by controlling for confounding variables. Future MOOC evaluations should consider using more diverse data sources and data analysis methods. | https://www.paediatrics.ox.ac.uk/publications/1083373 |
that will find his home at Deutsche Grammophon!
The album features various compositions for Heart and Breath for various ensembles, as well as small interludes (Interruptions)
The concept behind Heart and Breath is that every musician involved in the piece generates his own tempo by listening to his/her pulse during the
performance. Fragile and intimate, these stunningly created performance effects are the basis for this conceptual compositional approach
Richard explains:
''Music for Heart and Breath is a series of compositions that use involuntarily moving organs of the human body (specifically the lungs and the heart) as
performance parameters. There are no time signatures: the tempos and rhythms are always governed by either the heart rates or the breathing rates of
the individual players. In the case of the latter, the performers are instructed to play directly in sync with their own or another player's individual breathing
(playing at the speed of their inhalations, their exhalations or both). To enable the players to hear and play in sync with their own heartbeats, they wear
stethoscopes and, naturally, generally play quietly.''
The music is performed by an exciting line-up of musicians, produced by Bryce Dessner Nico Muhly (Conductor, celeste/piano), Bryce & Aaron Dessner
(guitar) from The National, Kronos Quartet, the ensemble Ymusic. | https://www.urbanvinyl.org/products/various-artists-parry-music-for-heart-and-breath-lp |
LA-native songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer Adam Yaron specializes in story-driven pop songs that walk the line between a timeless and modern sound. The 21-year-old musician is a seasoned player and writer, who will graduate the USC Popular Music Program in May 2020 having worked with legends like Patrice Rushen and Michael Bearden. He is currently writing and producing everyday, collaborating with peers and LA writers in genres ranging from Pop to Country to Indie Rock.
Moving into the professional world, Adam is driven by his undying passion for creating eclectic music that touches, moves, and uplifts a listener.
As a writer and producer, Adam has had songs placed on “Pretty Little Liars (the Perfectionists),” commercials for the NBC’s “The Blacklist,” promos for PlayStation and NBA, and over 60 placements with the song “Winner” licensed to Sony Extreme. | https://www.songhall.org/scholarships/view/adam_yaron |
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