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warc | 201704 | Examine whether contaminants in your water supply met two standards: the legal limits established by the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the typically stricter health guidelines. The data was collected by an advocacy organization, the Environmental Working Group, who shared it with The Times.
Speculator V Chart Key 1 or more tests taken in the month 1 or more positive detections 1 or more tests above health limit 1 or more tests above legal limit
Speculator (v),
New York. Serves 408 people. 1 contaminant below legal limits, but above health guidelines
In some states a small percentage of tests were performed before water was treated, and some contaminants were subsequently removed or diluted. As a result, some reported levels of contamination may be higher than were present at the tap.
Number of Tests Contaminant Average result Maximum result Health limit Legal limit Total
#
Positive result Above health Above legal Monthly Testing History Chart key at top of page E.P.A. regulated Alpha particle activity 1.20 pCi/L 1.20 - 15 1 1 1 0 Yes 8 contaminants found within health guidelines and legal limits
Number of Tests Contaminant Average result Maximum result Health limit Legal limit Total
#
Positive result Above health Above legal Monthly Testing History Chart key at top of page E.P.A. regulated Barium (total) 2.50 ppb 5 2000 2000 2 1 0 0 Yes Bromodichloromethane 0.57 ppb 1 100 80 3 2 0 0 Yes Bromoform 0.53 ppb 1.60 800 80 3 1 0 0 Yes Chloroform 0.40 ppb 0.70 70 80 3 2 0 0 Yes Dibromochloromethane 0.83 ppb 1.60 60 80 3 2 0 0 Yes MTBE 3.50 ppb 3.70 - - 2 2 0 0 No Nitrate 0.77 ppm 0.82 10 10 5 5 0 0 Yes Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) 2.33 ppb 4.90 - 80 3 2 0 0 Yes
Units: ppb: parts per billion, pCi/L: picocuries per liter, ppm: parts per million, mrem/yr: millirems per year, MFL: million fibers per litre
121 contaminants tested for but not found
1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane, 1,1,1-Trichloroethane, 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane, 1,1,2-Trichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethane, 1,1-Dichloroethylene, 1,1-Dichloropropene, 1,2,3-Trichlorobenzene, 1,2,3-Trichloropropane, 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene, 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene, 1,2-Dichloroethane, 1,2-Dichloropropane, 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene, 1,3-Dichloropropane, 2,2-Dichloropropane, 2,4,5-TP (Silvex), 2,4-D, 3-Hydroxycarbofuran, Acetone, Alachlor (Lasso), Aldicarb, Aldicarb sulfone, Aldicarb sulfoxide, Aldrin, Antimony (total), Aroclor 1016, Aroclor 1221, Aroclor 1232, Aroclor 1242, Aroclor 1248, Aroclor 1254, Aroclor 1260, Arsenic (total), Asbestos, Atrazine, Benzene, Benzo[a]pyrene, Beryllium (total), Bromobenzene, Bromochloromethane, Bromomethane, Butachlor, Cadmium (total), Carbaryl, Carbofuran, Carbon tetrachloride, Chlordane, Chloroethane, Chloromethane, Chromium (total), cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, cis-1,3-Dichloropropene, Copper, Cyanide, Dalapon, Di(2-Ethylhexyl) adipate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Dibromoacetic acid, Dibromomethane, Dicamba, Dichloroacetic acid, Dichlorodifluoromethane, Dichloromethane (methylene chloride), Dieldrin, Dinoseb, Endrin, Ethylbenzene, Ethylene dibromide (EDB), Gross beta particle activity (pCi/L), Heptachlor, Heptachlor epoxide, Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), Hexachlorobutadiene, Hexachlorocyclopentadiene, Isopropylbenzene, Lindane, m-Dichlorobenzene, m-Xylene, Manganese, Mercury (total inorganic), Methomyl, Methoxychlor, Methyl ethyl ketone, Methyl isobutyl ketone, Metolachlor, Metribuzin, Monobromoacetic acid, Monochloroacetic acid, Monochlorobenzene (Chlorobenzene), n-Butylbenzene, n-Propylbenzene, o-Chlorotoluene, o-Dichlorobenzene, o-Xylene, Oxamyl (Vydate), p-Chlorotoluene, p-Dichlorobenzene, p-Isopropyltoluene, p-Xylene, Pentachlorophenol, Picloram, Propachlor, Radium-228, sec-Butylbenzene, Selenium (total), Simazine, Styrene, tert-Butylbenzene, Tetrachloroethylene, Thallium (total), Toluene, Total haloacetic acids (HAAs), Total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Toxaphene, trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene, trans-1,3-Dichloropropene, Trichloroacetic acid, Trichloroethylene, Trichlorofluoromethane, Vinyl chloride |
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Robotic Hand Gets Thumbs Up
Photonics.com Aug 2012
SAARBRÜCKEN, Germany, Aug. 7, 2012 — The first human-sized, five-fingered robotic hand also has a brain: it has the cognitive power to learn to grasp and manipulate a range of delicate and oddly shaped objects just as humans do.
A time will come when robots will be as ubiquitous in homes as personal computers, Bill Gates said in his January 2007 article in
Scientific American. Camera and infrared sensors on new video game consoles hint at a future when we will be able to control devices just by speaking or hand gestures, and self-propelled vacuum cleaners already navigate around homes.
But one challenge the robotics community struggles to solve is a robot’s ability to manipulate.
"We are not talking about grippers," insists professor Bruno Siciliano of the University of Naples, Italy. "Industry robots are pretty good at picking things up and putting them down. If robots are to really transform life and work alongside humans, then they must be able to handle items just as humans can with their hands. Manipulation is a complex task that robots must learn to master."
As coordinator of the Dexmart project (Dexterous and autonomous dual-arm/hand robotic manipulation with smart sensory-motor skills: A bridge from natural to artificial cognition), Siciliano led a collaborative team of robotics researchers from Saarland University and the University of Bologna in Italy.The anthropomorphic five-fingered robotic hand they built can handle eggs, pick up and turn around a credit card or take a pen from another person.
Their creation, dubbed the Dexmart Hand, involves optoelectronic sensors, polymer strings, high-speed motors and image-processing algorithms. Working together, the actuator system allows the hand to touch diverse objects, grasp and lift them and place them gently in a new position. The hand was able to lift an 11-lb load by over an inch within a split second using the strings.
A robotic hand gently holds an egg. © Markus Breig
Each finger is controlled by polymer "tendons" that mimic human tendons.
“The capability of the robotic hand is so near to that of humans that the vision of robots as personal assistants in the household, in the operating room as well as in industrial settings, is becoming more realistic,” said Chris May, a scientist at Saarland University’s Laboratory of Actuation Technology.
In addition to manipulation, robots must be able to behave autonomously, Siciliano said, responding to situations in appropriate ways that are not preprogrammed.
The cognitive power was supplied by scientists from Karlsruhe University, Second University of Naples and UK technology firm OMG. By sticking visual trackers on a special sensorized glove and performing manipulations that were captured on video, they used advanced image processing technology to study the fine details of human hand movements. The image processing algorithms created rules on how the robotic hand should handle and manipulate similar objects.
Coordinating the movements of five fingers, and their respective joints, was a challenge.
“If you look at each joint and what each motor would have to do individually, you are dealing with 20 degrees of freedom and that is too complex,” Siciliano said. His group took its inspiration from biology to simplify the problem.
“Research into human hand control and coordination has shown that we don’t control each joint separately; our brain controls all the joints at the same time in a coordinated fashion,” said Fanny Ficuciello of the Naples team. “Neuroscientists have demonstrated that human hand positions and movements can actually be simplified to just three so-called ‘postural synergies.’ These three synergies can describe about 80 percent of all possible grasping actions and positions.”
The Naples team's control system takes input from optoelectronic sensors on the hand (which measure the grasp pressure), working out the synergies and actuating the finger movements. The grip precision that these three create permits extremely refined manipulations.
The optoelectronic sensors are another innovation: several measure joint angles, tendon forces and tactile interactions with objects. Within the tactile sensor, advanced computational analysis of the captured light intensity inside a number of sensitive elements makes it possible to calculate the forces exerted on the object by the fingers and also whether the object is slipping out of grasp. Its developers have filed for a European patent.
A prototype hand and two fully sensorized fingers ran without error for four days last December at RobotVille, a European exhibit of 20 robots at the Science Museum in London, and successfully took a range of objects out of visitors’ hands.
The consortium is exploring the commercial viability of producing fully functional hands initially for the academic community.
For more information, visit: www.uni-saarland.de
GLOSSARY
photonics The technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant energy whose quantum unit is the photon. The science includes light emission, transmission, deflection, amplification and detection by optical components and instruments, lasers and other light sources, fiber optics, electro-optical instrumentation, related hardware and electronics, and sophisticated systems. The range of applications of photonics extends from energy generation to detection to communications and...
MORE FROM PHOTONICS MEDIA |
warc | 201704 | SHANGHAI – Macroeconomic conditions in any country are like running water. How large and fast is the flow? Where does it originate and where does it go?
The “main stream” of China’s economy is the vast flow of inward investment. China’s economy is prone to rapid growth, with buoyant investment demand sustaining powerful short-term inflationary pressures. As a result, credit controls on investment projects and a close watch on the money supply have been used to promote macroeconomic stability since China began its market reforms.
But in 2003, following five years of deflation, China’s economy entered a new phase. Overcapacity vanished, constraints on consumption were lifted, and a dramatic increase in household demand followed.
Since then, heavy industries – steel, automobiles, machinery, building materials, energy, and raw materials – have experienced an unprecedented investment boom, reflecting demand for urban construction, housing, transport, infrastructure, and equipment renewal. Not surprisingly, the economy began to overheat. |
warc | 201704 | Overview
The Norfolk Terrier is one of the smallest terriers around today. They have a wiry, hard, straight, weatherproof coat that comes in all shades of red, wheaten, black and tan, or grizzle. Ideally these terriers should measure 25cm at the withers and they weigh about 4-5kg.
Origin
The Norfolk Terrier dog breed has been around for over 100 years. The ancestors of this little dog may have included the Border Terrier and its ancestors, the Cairn Terrier and a red terrier from Ireland. During the late 1800s they were popular with the students at Cambridge University and became their mascot. This dog was originally known as the Norwich Terrier. Some of these dogs had erect pointed ears and others had ears that dropped down close to the head. In 1965 the drop-earred terrier was renamed the Norfolk Terrier.
Personality
Norfolk Terriers are intelligent, lively and friendly little dogs that can be a bit wilful at times. They can get on well with older children and many active elderly people seem to favour this breed. They should be socialised from an early age, particularly with cats, as they will chase them given half a chance. They love to bark and dig and so need these instincts to be channelled appropriately.
Health
Like many small breeds, they can suffer from kneecaps that may temporarily slip out of place (luxating patellas), but generally the Norfolk Terrier is a hardy breed.
Exercise
This little terrier will adapt to life in the city but does prefer the country life. They love the outdoors and like nothing better than to be allowed to dig for hours – a dog-digging pit in the garden would be most appreciated! An adult will require about an hour's exercise a day.
Nutrition
Small dogs have a fast metabolism, meaning they burn energy at a high rate, although their small stomachs mean that they must eat little and often. Small-breed foods are specifically designed with appropriate levels of key nutrients and smaller kibble sizes to suit smaller mouths. This also encourages chewing and improves digestion.
Grooming
The hard, wiry coat is relatively easy to keep in good condition with a good brush through once or twice a week. The coat will also need to be hand plucked twice a year. A professional groomer or the breeder will be able to give advice on this. |
warc | 201704 | I currently have my custom trays and am looking for refill gel. I leaned about Opalescence Boost. Can this be purchased by the home consumer or is it just used and applied at a dentist? If it can be used by a home consumer, is it safe (and not overly powerful to apply at home) as with all the other Opalescense products 10, 20, 35% etc.? What is the difference between this and the 10, 20, 35% products they also make? Thank you!
Opalescence Boost Teeth Whitening System: 3 Questions? Doctor Answers 3 Opalescence boost
Opalescence boost is a in-office only product. Special barriers need to be placed to protect your tissues. This is meant to be a quick whitening product. Usual results will be similar to using whitening trays for about 1-2 weeks. The main difference between this and the other products they offer is the formulation. If you were looking for a whitening tray product and wanted to stay with Ultradent, I would go with the 20% to avoid sensitivity. Our office has tried a few products and found Venus White Pro at 35% to give the fastest results with the least amount of sensitivity (of the take home products we've tested). Boost is a great product, but will require a visit to your dentist to have it done.
Opalescence Boost
This particular bleaching product is to be used in dental offices only. It is used for fast whitening and your gum tissues need more protection to avoid burning than you have with just your custom trays at home. It is 40% concentration which could result in some serious sensitivity as well as painful gum tissue if not done correctly. If you want to do it at home use Opalescense with a lesser percentage of bleach and you will do well.
Opalescence Boost works for teeth Whitening
Boost Opalescence was comprehensive office based whitening option, which is done under dentist supervision due to high concentration of whitening solution.
10,15 or 20% opalescence PF contains Carbamide Peroxide while Opalescence Boost contains 38% Hydrogen peroxide. Opalescence PF is more economical option when you already had custom trays .
You need to discuss with your dentist about different options. It almost depends upon how quickly your want whitening results. We at Hebron Smiles are using Boost system for a while and we have great success with it.
Patients are happy and almost little/ no sensitivity was reported by my patients after using Boost with desensitizer gel(part of system).
Ultradent has great whitening products.
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These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship. |
warc | 201704 | Petrol in Russia set to rise despite falling oil
Retail petrol prices in Russia have been going up for 9 weeks in succession, having added 1.4% since the start of the year, according to the country’s Statistics Service. During this time, oil markets have seen prices slide. WTI has gone down to about $84/bbl from around $105/bbl in April, with Brent crude decreasing to $99/bbl from $120.5/bbl in the same period.
“
In Russia there’s no 100% correlation between the prices for oil and petrol, as it is different taxes that make up for more than 50% of the final gasoline price,” Sergey Vakhromeev, oil and gas analyst at Metropol IFC, explained to Business RT.
“
With the petrol excise being constantly raised from the start of the year, it’s no surprise that petrol in Russia is going up”, adds Vakhromeev.
In July another increase of the petrol excise is set to come, with the cost of Euro-3 to increase to $0.184 per liter from the current $0.172.
The Russian state sets petrol excises that effectively have the biggest say in deciding the final petrol price in Russia, Vakhromeev explained.
Also, as part of the presidential election campaign Russian authorities gave instructions to put a lid on petrol prices, the Metropol expert told Business RT. This was just as wholesale prices were going up, creating losses for companies, Denis Borisov, Nomos –Bank analyst, reminded Vedomosti daily. The margin in the retail market was down to 11.7% as of the end of May from a February figure of 16.3%, according to data from Kortes – Russia’s information center for oil markets. So, by raising petrol prices Russian companies are trying to compensate for the losses, Vakhromeev concluded.
“
The number of cars in Russia is constantly growing, which means the demand for petrol is also rising,” the Metropol expert continued his line of reasoning.
Overall, petrol prices in Russia could add about 10% this year. “
The price rise should be above the annual inflation rate that is expected to be at around 6% this year. Russian companies would need not just to cover their costs that’ll rise at the inflation rate at the minimum, but also to make profits,” Vakhromeev explained.
In the meantime, on June 8 the leaders of Russia’s oil industry held the first meeting of the newly created “oil club.” This was initiated by Russia’s oil major Rosneft with Igor Sechin as its head. The club members are set to meet on a regular basis to “
discuss the state of affairs and hear the opinion of the head of Russia's largest oil company – Igor Sechin," according to Kommersant daily. Among the parties involved are Lukoil, Surgutneftegas, Bashneft, Gazprom Neft, Transneft and Itera. |
warc | 201704 | Buy a big Thanksgiving turkey this year because you will want plenty of leftovers to make these tasty post-holiday recipes. Be sure to make extra mashed potatoes for the yummy Turkey Casserole, too.
From hearty salads to easy turnovers and a simple casserole, there are plenty of delicious ways to finish off turkey leftovers, and keep the flavors of the holidays going.
Talking Turkey Is it dangerous to roast a turkey in a disposable aluminum pan? The danger is from getting burned while removing a flimsy disposable aluminum pan full of hot turkey from a hot oven. Unless handled carefully, the pan could buckle under the weight of the turkey, sending everything smashing to the floor.
How often should a turkey be basted?
Basting does not produce moisture or otherwise improve the flavor of the interior turkey, so frequency is a personal choice. Basting produces a golden brown, crispy skin.
Why is turkey meat (and chicken) sometimes pink close to the bone, even when it is fully cooked to 165 degrees or higher?
Young turkeys and chickens have immature porous bones, which may allow red pigmentation to leach into the meat. If the bird is fully cooked —165 degrees and juices run clear—and meat around the bones is still pink, it is not unsafe to eat.
Is it safe to stuff the turkey the night before?
No. It is a dangerous practice. Harmful bacteria can multiply in the stuffing and cause food poisoning even when the stuffed bird is refrigerated. The ingredients for the stuffing can be prepared in advance and refrigerated separately. To save time, chop vegetables such as onions and celery the night before.
Once turkey is safely cooked, does it matter how long you leave it out?
It is not a good idea to leave leftovers out for more than two hours. They will be safer and taste better if you refrigerate them as soon as possible and reheat thoroughly to 165 degrees or until steaming hot. Remove stuffing from the cavity, cut turkey off the bone and refrigerate or freeze all leftovers. Turkey Casserole Source: For more great ways to love your leftovers, visit http://www.hellmanns.com.
Ingredients:
4 cups leftover prepared stuffing, divided 4 cups (about 1 pound) coarsely chopped leftover cooked turkey ¾ cup mayonnaise, divided ¼ cup whole-berry cranberry sauce 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes 1½ cups (about 6 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese ½ cup celery, thinly sliced
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray an 8-inch baking dish with no-stick cooking spray. Spoon 2 cups ofstuffing into the baking dish and top with turkey. Combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise with the cranberry sauce and spread evenly over turkey. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup mayonnaise, potatoes and cheese in a large bowl. Evenly spread this on top of the cranberry and mayonnaise mixture. Top it all with celery and the remaining 2 cups of stuffing. Bake 40 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with dried cranberries.
Serves 6
Blushing Cranberry and Pear Turkey Salad Ingredients: ½ cup mayonnaise ½ cup whole-berry cranberry sauce or cranberry relish 4 cups torn romaine lettuce 2 cups baby spinach leaves or mixed salad greens 2 cups cooked turkey, diced 1 medium pear, cored and thinly sliced ¼ cup pecans, toasted and chopped ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise and cranberry sauce, then set aside. In a large bowl, combine romaine, spinach and turkey. Just before serving, toss with the mayonnaise mixture. Top with pear slices, pecans and onion. Garnish, if desired, with dried cranberries.
Serves 4
Turkey Turnovers Ingredients: 2 cups cooked turkey, shredded 1 cup cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces), shredded 1 cup cooked broccoli, chopped ½ cup mayonnaise ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 2 8-ounce packages refrigerated crescent rolls
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine all of the ingredients except the crescent rolls in a large bowl. Separate each package of crescent rolls into four squares; press diagonal perforations to seal. Spoon the turkey filling onto the center of each square. Fold the dough diagonally over filling to form triangles and press edges firmly to seal. Arrange the turnovers on a baking sheet and brush the tops lightly with additional mayonnaise. Bake 12 minutes or until the turnovers are golden. Serve warm.
Serves 8
Turkey Fiesta Salad Ingredients: ½ cup mayonnaise ½ cup salsa 6 cups romaine lettuce, torn 2 cups cooked turkey, diced 4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled 1 cup canned black beans, drained ¾ cup tomatoes, chopped ½ cup pitted ripe olives, sliced and drained ½ cup green onions, sliced
Tortilla chips
Directions:
Combine the mayonnaise and salsa in a small bowl and set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Just before serving, toss with the mayonnaise mixture. Serve tortilla chips.
Serves 4 |
warc | 201704 | What is a neuroma?
A neuroma is a benign tumor of a nerve. It becomes inflamed and irritated.
What are the symptoms of a neuroma?
The tumor can cause burning, chronic pain or the sensation of a hot knife cutting into the bottom of the foot.
Who is likely to get a neuroma?
Women who wear high heels are typical neuroma patients.
What causes a neuroma?
High heels compress the nerves, causing a neuroma to form or an incorrect gait can put excessive pressure on the nerve.
How is a neuroma diagnosed?
The physicians at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush examine the foot. He may order an X-ray, CT scan or MRI.
What are the treatments for a neuroma? Non-surgical Treatment Options
The orthopedic surgeons at Midwest Orthopaedics and Rush with offices in Chicago, Oak Park, Winfield and Westchester, recommend patients wear supportive shoes. A patient can get temporary relief by icing the foot, taking non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, resting the foot, using orthotics or massaging it.
If the neuroma does not heal, the physician may use steroid injections to reduce the swelling and pain.
Surgical Treatment Options
If less invasive treatments do not work, the physicians at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush may surgically remove the neuroma. This is called a "neuroma excision" and is an outpatient procedure. The patient stays off her feet for two weeks, then use crutches and a surgical shoe for four weeks. |
warc | 201704 | Rep. Dwight Kiefert is the sponsor of HB1215 which, if passed, would allow local school districts to decide if they want to allow concealed carry of weapons on school property. The bill would also allow those schools to keep that decision a secret if they choose.
I was curious about Rep. Kiefert why schools should be able to decide this matter in secret. I wondered if the bill might not get some push-back from parents wanting to know if concealed carry was happening at the schools where they send their children.
Kiefert explained that his concern is that school districts which debate the issue and decide to ultimately not allow concealed carry might be making targets of themselves, notifying would-be shooters that their schools will continue to be vulnerable. Kiefert acknowledged, however, that the bill would allow schools to make their decisions public if they wish.
Kiefert’s bill is separate from HB1283 which doesn’t have the provision allowing the decision to be made in secret and which also removes the state prohibition on concealed carry in churches.
I’m sympathetic to Kiefert’s justification for the secrecy, but I’m not sure I’m convinced. Our schools are already “gun free zones” by default, which I’m afraid makes them targets by default. I’d like to see schools end the “gun free zone” nonsense for the sake of making all our children safer, but that debate should be had out in the open. |
warc | 201704 | North Dakotans have become used to stories, in the past few years, extolling the state’s booming economy. North Dakota has some of the fastest growing employment numbers, and lowest unemployment rates. Personal incomes in North Dakota are growing faster than anywhere else in the nation.
Yet, according to Governor Jack Dalrymple’s executive budget recommendations, we need a 25% increase in human services spending.
The governor’s budget, “Provides a total general fund appropriation for the Department of Human Services of $1,176.9 million, $235.9 million, or 25.1 percent, more than the $941.0 million appropriated for the 2011-13 biennium,” according to an analysis from Legislative Management’s Budget Section.
The budget increase is to cover departing federal funds (leaving thanks to the state’s growing prosperity), as well as increased funding for administration of programs like SNAP (food stamps). But the question is, why do we have to spend more tax dollars in these areas if the state is becoming more prosperous?
Some might argue that the oil boom has created issues of its own. Rising prices, including rising rate, are hurting the impoverished. The influx of workers creates needs for human services, too. That might be understandable, to a point, but if we accept that argument entirely we’re left with this reality:
Social services spending goes up in good times and in bad.
In years past, when the state wasn’t seeing the rapid growth in population and prosperity it’s seeing now, the Human Services budget went up. And now that we have rapid population growth and prosperity, the Human Services budget is still going up. And not at any small rate of increase, either. As is stated above, the governor’s 25% increase in spending takes the Human Services budget over $1 billion for the first time in state history.
Public assistance programs are supposed to provide a safety net. But when times are good, when work is plentiful, shouldn’t that safety net (and the burden it represents to the taxpayers) get smaller?
Update: Via Legislative Council, here’s the trend line for Human Services spending. Notice that the average biennium increase since 2001 has been more than 15%, and last biennium specifically Human Services got more than a 44% increase:
And here’s the breakdown by funding source (notice that federal funds are tapering off and being replaced by state general funds):
If the state is getting more prosperous, and I believe it is, shouldn’t these lines be trending down? |
warc | 201704 | Filter Results: Publication Year
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Electronic-Prescribing, Computerized Prescribing, or E-RX has increased dramatically of late in the American health care system, a long overdue alternative to the written form for the almost five billion drug treatments annually. This paper examines the history and selected issues in the rise of E-RX by a review of salient literature, interviews, and field… (More)
The area configuration of healthcare resources, such as the number of hospitals per hundred thousand population, has often been used in healthcare planning and policy making to estimate the global access (potential access) of health services to a local population. However, the actual utilization of the "available" healthcare resources (revealed access) is… (More)
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Hundreds of tons of depleted uranium (DU) ammunition were used in previous armed conflicts in Iraq, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia/Kosovo. The majority (>90%) of DU penetrators miss their target and, if left in the environment, corrode in these postconflict zones. Thus, the best way to understand the fate of bulk DU material in the environment is to… (More)
Micro aerial vehicles may build a collective of smart sensor objects cooperating in civilian missions such as search and rescue, farmland monitoring, or surveillance. Wireless connectivity is a prerequisite for transferring images and other sensor data to the ground. Though aerial vehicles may set up a multi-hop wireless network on their own, vehicle… (More)
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It is widely accepted that future HPC systems will be limited by their power consumption. Current HPC systems are built from commodity server processors , designed over years to achieve maximum performance, with energy efficiency being an afterthought. In this paper we advocate a different approach: building HPC systems from low-power embedded and mobile… (More)
In the late 1990s, powerful economic forces led to the adoption of commodity desktop processors in high-performance computing. This transformation has been so effective that the June 2013 TOP500 list is still dominated by x86. In 2013, the largest commodity market in computing is not PCs or servers, but mobile computing, comprising smart-phones and… (More)
The performance of High Performance Computing (HPC) systems is already limited by their power consumption. The majority of top HPC systems today are built from commodity server components that were designed for maximizing the compute performance. The Mont-Blanc project aims at using low-power parts from the mobile domain for HPC. In this paper we present… (More)
Energy efficiency is a first-order concern when deploying any computer system. From battery-operated mobile devices, to data centers and supercomputers, energy consumption limits the performance that can be offered. We are exploring an alternative to current supercomputers that builds on the small energy-efficient mobile processors. We present results from… (More)
Power consumption and energy efficiency are becoming critical aspects in the design and operation of large scale HPC facilities, and it is unanimously recognised that future exascale supercomputers will be strongly constrained by their power requirements. At current electricity costs, operating an HPC system over its lifetime can already be on par with the… (More)
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Bilateral facial paralysis occurs due to basilar skull fracture which involves temporal bone. It might be is rare. Unlike unilateral facial palsy, it can be difficult to recognize because of a lack of facial asymmetry. Proper clinical history and thorough physical exam are needed for a diagnosis. To confirm high-resolution computed tomography scan and… (More)
More than one third of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) develop clinically significant vasospasm, as a leading morbidity and mortality factor for these patients. It is widely accepted that a) Degradation products of blood are the causative factors of vasospasm b) The amount of subarachnoid blood seen on admission CT is correlated to the risk of… (More)
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warc | 201704 | I just learned the term macros and found out that there are certain percentages of each you are suppose to eat. Every website I have read says something different so I am still as lost as when I started. Over the course of 2014 lost 60 to 70 pounds eating mostly lean meats, fruits, and vegetables. I have been stuck around my current weight for a year and want to start working toward my health and becoming leaner again. Any suggestions on the ideal ratio? and an explanation so I understand why
P.s.
I have a busy schedule which has caused me to pick up bad habits eating wise like skipping meals or grabbing unhealthy food to save time so any quick meal or snack ideas would be a great help too.
I just found this. I hope it helps. It allows you to adjust based on your needs (ex. High Carb, Moderate, Zone Diet, and Low Carb)
macronutrientcalculator.com
Ratios will be different for everyone. I pretty stick with 3rds. I do about 35/35/30 (P/F/C). I like higher protein for my migraines. Going LOW carb makes me sick and headachey, so I don't like the carbs to dip too low. You will have to figure out what works best for you. Pick a ratio and try it for 6 weeks. If it works = GREAT, if not (feeling headachey, weak, bloayed, whatever...) change your macros and try again.
I downloaded a ebook on macros and determined my BMR and TDEE and more to help me. For a busy person all the math (which isn't that much but I used to be a busy person and I probably wouldn't have done it as often then) might "scare" you away.
Read bodybuilding.coms articles on the subject. I do 40% Protein on good days but it's usually split pretty even in the 30's. I'm weight lifting so I'm trying to grow muscle and need a bit higher protein level. I use my fitness pal app to figure out numbers/precentages.
Hi
Reply |
warc | 201704 | General Electric Company Power’s Distributed Power business (NYSE:GE) announced it has signed an agreement with Simba Corporation Limited (Simba Corp.) as a new authorized distributor and services provider for GE’s diesel engines. Simba Corp. is a leading industrial company in East Africa with diverse interests in the energy, automotive, fleet management, financial services, hospitality and real estate sectors. The agreement will focus on a number of key industrial sectors that require more reliable on-site power including manufacturing, mining, oil and gas production, industrial facilities, and large-scale real estate developments.
GE is rapidly expanding its natural gas and diesel engine technology offerings for global customers seeking more reliable energy at or near the point of use. In 2014, the company introduced its new 2.6-megawatt (MW) 616 diesel engine, joining with the proven 228 and 250 diesel engine product lines to create a diverse diesel engine portfolio for stationary power generation. These diesel product lines complement the company’s natural gas and specialty gas engines.
“Simba Corporation’s power division has been a player in the power sector for over 15 years. We are therefore excited to sign this agreement to become an authorized distributor for GE’s 616, 228 and 250 diesel engine product lines and expand our product offerings,” said Simba Corporation CEO Adil Popat. “Energy is the key driver to achieving Vision 2030, Kenya’s national blueprint that aims at having the country reach a newly industrialized status and achieve a higher quality of life by 2030.”
GE’s distributed power technologies are ideally suited to help countries in East Africa strengthen their energy security by enhancing the use of their domestic energy resources to reduce local power supply shortages. With a GDP growth averaging 5 percent, Kenya is faced with increased energy consumption and aims to increase generation capacity to a total of 5,000 MW by 2016 and 23,000 MW by 2030. GE’s diesel engines will be a suitable option for customers due to their high efficiency, improved fuel consumption and ease of installation. The diesel technology also has a stable power output and reliable efficiency in the most demanding ambient conditions and its installation is fast and simple.
“With our agreement with Simba Corporation, we are taking another important step forward in our strategy to expand the deployment of our Distributed Power technologies in Kenya and throughout Africa to boost the production of cleaner, more reliable energy and support the region’s goals to create more sustainable local economic growth,” said George Njenga, sub-Saharan Africa leader for GE’s Distributed Power business. “The life cycle service support our diesel and natural gas engines receive is a crucial element of our commitment to our customers to achieve their business goals.”
Simba Corp. offers greater access to key industrial sectors in the country and has the financial resources to provide customers with needed energy solutions.
GE’s diesel engine distributorship agreement with Simba Corp. is the second diesel pact that GE has signed in Africa in 2015. In April 2015, GE announced it had signed an agreement with U.K.-based Clarke Energy to serve as GE’s first authorized distributor for diesel engine sales and services with responsibility for stationary power generation in Nigeria as well as Australia and India.
Since 2011, GE Africa’s sub-Saharan headquarters has been located in Nairobi. The headquarters is now home to more than 200 employees. GE is committed to supporting Kenya in realizing its Vision 2030 goals. (Original Source)
Shares of General Electric closed yesterday at $30.59, down $0.07 or -0.23%. GE has a 1-year high of $30.99 and a 1-year low of $19.37. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $29.24 and its 200-day moving average is $26.78.
On the ratings front, GE has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. In a report released yesterday, Credit Suisse analyst Julian Mitchell maintained a Buy rating on GE, with a price target of $34, which represents a potential upside of 11.1% from where the stock is currently trading. Separately, on November 16, Deutsche Bank’s John G. Inch maintained a Hold rating on the stock and has a price target of $28.
According to
TipRanks.com, which ranks over 7,500 financial analysts and bloggers to gauge the performance of their past recommendations, Julian Mitchell and John G. Inch have a total average return of 11.1% and 12.4% respectively. Mitchell has a success rate of 73.2% and is ranked #351 out of 3636 analysts, while Inch has a success rate of 76.7% and is ranked #516.
Overall, 2 research analysts have assigned a Hold rating and 7 research analysts have given a Buy rating to the stock. When considering if perhaps the stock is under or overvalued, the average price target is $32.00 which is 4.6% above where the stock closed yesterday. |
warc | 201704 | Evaluation of Mini Plates Anchorage With Forsus Fatigue Resistant Device Overview This trial is active, not recruiting.
Condition malocclusion, angle class ii, division 1 Treatments ffrd and mini plates group, conventional ffrd Sponsor Sherif A. Elkordy Start date January 2015 End date August 2016 Trial size 50 participants Trial identifier NCT02475785, CU001 Summary
The purpose of this study is to determine if the Forsus Fatigue resistant Device appliance with direct skeletal mini plates anchorage is capable of achievement of skeletal mandibular effects while preventing the excessive proclination of the lower incisors at the end of the treatment when compared to the conventional Forsus Fatigue resistant Device appliance applied to the upper and lower dental arches in female patients with skeletal Class II malocclusion
Study Design
Allocation randomized Endpoint classification safety/efficacy study Intervention model parallel assignment Masking single blind (outcomes assessor) Primary purpose treatment Primary Outcomes
Measure
correction of the skeletal Class II profile
time frame: expected average of 10 months
Secondary Outcomes
Measure
Dento-alveolar side effects
time frame: expected average of 10 months
Angle of soft tissue convexity
time frame: expected average of 10 months
Position of lips and Chin
time frame: expected average of 10 months
Eligibility Criteria Female participants from 10 years up to 13 years old.
Inclusion Criteria: - Skeletal Angle Class II division 1 malocclusion with a deficient mandible. (SNB ≤ 76°) - Horizontal or neutral growth pattern. (MMP ≤ 30°) - Increased overjet (min 5 mm) with Class II canine relationship. (minimum of half unit) - Mandibular arch crowding less than 3 mm. - At the time of insertion of the FFRD, the patients had to be in the "Middle Phalanx of the Middle finger" stage G or H (MP3 G or MP3 H stage) according to Rajagopal. Exclusion Criteria: - Systemic Disease. - Any signs or symptoms or previous history of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) as clicking, crepitus, pain, limitation or deviation. - Extracted or missing upper permanent tooth/teeth (except for third molars). - Facial Asymmetry. - Para-functional habits. - Severe proclination or crowding that requires extractions in the lower arch.
Additional Information
Official title Evaluation of Mini Plates Anchorage in Conjunction With Forsus Fatigue Resistant Device for Correction of Skeletal Class II Malocclusion in Growing Subjects: A Randomized Controlled Trial Principal investigator Sherif Elkordy, Phd Description 1. Background: Class II malocclusions are characterized by an incorrect relationship between the maxillary and mandibular arches due to skeletal or dental problems or a combination of both. The prevalence of this malocclusion was recently found to be 20.6% in the Egyptian population in the age between 11 and 14 years with mandibular retrusion as its most common characteristic. It was also mentioned that other populations showed the predominance of the mandibular retrusion (80%) as opposed to only 20% expressing excessive maxillary development. Class II profiles attractiveness was previously investigated in the literature. It was found that patients, their peers, orthodontists and oral surgeons, rated subjects with Class I profiles as more attractive than others with Class II profiles. It was also reported that the profile of normal adolescent patients were more favorably perceived by laypersons than untreated Class II division 1 malocclusion subjects. In growing patients having Class II mandibular retrusion, functional orthopedic appliances are commonly used for mandibular advancement based on the concept of growth modification. However, two main problems appeared to compromise the desired treatment outcomes of these appliances; the need for patient cooperation and the lack of the possibility of combining their use with fixed appliance therapy in order to shorten treatment duration. Many systematic reviews and meta-analyses were recently performed in the literature answering the question of whether removable functional appliances (RFAs) produced skeletal effects for correction the skeletal discrepancy through inducing actual increase in mandibular dimensions. Most recently two systematic reviews concluded that the skeletal effects of RFAs were minimal and could be considered of negligible clinical importance. They mentioned that treatment of Class II malocclusion with RFAs was associated with a minimal stimulation of mandibular growth, a minimal restriction of maxillary growth and more significant dento-alveolar and soft tissue changes. Fixed functional appliances were first introduced by Emil Herbst in 1905. Many types of fixed functional appliances were developed since then; including Jasper jumper and Twin force Bite corrector . The Forsus Fatigue Resistant Device (FFRD) was introduced by Bill Vogt in 2006. It represented a semi-rigid fixed functional alternative that was intended to overcome breakage problems of flexible fixed functional appliances. However, it was proven that dental changes were more significant than skeletal changes in the final occlusal results. These changes included mesial movement of the mandibular molars and proclination of the mandibular incisors. These unwanted tooth movements appeared to compromise the actual skeletal correction and jeopardize the stability of the results. Several attempts were proposed to counteract the unwanted dento-alveolar side effects of fixed functional appliances. Use of lingual arches, increase the dimensions of the archwires, the introduction of negative torque in the archwires and the use of lower incisor brackets with lingual crown torque are some examples. Some studies used the mini implants in an attempt to limit the unwanted dental effects of fixed functional appliances. These studies proved that mini implants anchorage reduced the lower incisors proclination but they in turn increased the upper incisors retroclination and were not able to achieve significant skeletal mandibular effects. Titanium mini plates were introduced for the use for orthodontic anchorage in 1999 as a skeletal anchorage system for open bite correction. They were proven to be well accepted by patients and providers, safe and effective adjunct for complex orthodontic cases. Other uses of mini plates in orthodontics included maxillary and mandibular molars distalization and orthodontic anchorage where it was reported that they were able to provide absolute anchorage. Bone anchored maxillary protraction using mini plates was reported to be successful in producing significant forward maxillary growth in Class III growing subjects. Recently mini plates were used for the direct loading of FFRD for correction of skeletal Class II malocclusion. They reported actual skeletal changes through the increase in the mandibular length with minimal dento-alveolar side effects. However, these results are only preliminary and have to be taken with caution because the study did not include control group. 2. Research Hypothesis: The null hypothesis (H0) of this research is that use of direct mini plate anchorage in conjunction with FFRD will not be able to induce skeletal rather than dental effects for correction of the skeletal Class II malocclusion in comparison with conventional FFRD therapy or with untreated growing Class II control subjects. 3. Objectives: The primary objective of this study is to determine if mini plates use in conjunction with FFRD will induce supplemental growth of the mandible in Class II malocclusion subjects with mandibular retrognathism. Secondary objectives include To determine if mini plates use in conjunction with FFRD will be able to: - Reduce the dento-alveolar side effects produced by fixed functional appliances in treatment of skeletal Class II subjects - Correct the soft tissue convexity in Class II subjects - Correct molar and canines relationships - Develop a patients' well-accepted treatment modality for correction of skeletal Class II malocclusion. 4. Study design According to the norms of the CONSORT STATEMENT, this study will be clinical with intervention, in which the allocation of the subjects will be randomized (block randomization). This study will be parallel with blinding for the outcome assessors. The primary purpose of this study will be treatment. 5. Participants - Settings and locations where the data are collected The treatment will be performed in the outpatient clinics of Department of Orthodontics of Cairo State University. This public university predominantly serves low-income population living in Cairo, Egypt. Data will be collected from April 2015 through August 2016. 6. Interventions Two groups will receive treatment. Group 1 will be treated with the FFRD and mini plates anchorage for 10 months or until the correction of the malocclusion . Group 2 will be treated with conventional FFRD for 10 months or until the correction of the malocclusion. A third untreated control group will be included with an observation period of 6-8 months. 7a. Sample size Our sample size calculation is based on a study which compared the use of Herbst appliance with and without mini implants anchorage and reported a significant increase in the Herbst mini screw group over their control group. The mean change in the mandibular length in the treatment and control groups were 4.6±2.43 mm and 0.9±2.09 mm respectively. Thus the mean difference was 3.7 with the within group standard deviation set at 2.26. Because three groups will be compared, Bonferroni adjustment was used as alpha level/number of comparisons = 0.05/3= 0.0167 to adjust for multiple comparisons. Power and Sample size calculation (PS) software (department of biostatistics Vanderbilt University) was used for sample size calculation. A t test was performed with the power was set as 0.9, allocation ratio of 1:1:1 and the Type I error probability (alpha) associated with this test was set as 0.0167. Results of the test showed that "The Group sample sizes of 11, 11 and 11 achieve 90% power to reject the null hypothesis of equal means with a significance level (alpha) of 0.0167" Therefore, 33 subjects will be needed, with 12 subjects in each group. To account for patient loss to follow up (attrition), a sample size of 45 patients will be selected and divided into three groups, fifteen each. 7b. Interim analysis and stopping guidelines In the group with mini plates anchorage, in case of mobility in the mini-plates in any subject, the load will be removed for about two weeks. After that, the load will be restored. If the mobility persists, surgical exposure of the mini plate will be done and either insertion of longer mini screws ion the same mini plate or a change in the position of the mini plate will be done. Any harms, adverse effects or unintended effects of the study intervention will be documented and reported. Post-surgical swelling and pain are anticipated and will be addressed by antibiotics and pain killers. Other unanticipated surgical harms have to be immediately managed and will be reported. Harms related to the orthodontic appliances will be managed by the principal investigator. 8. Randomization 8a. Sequence generation The randomization of the recruited subjects will be done with a randomized list, using random.org website. This list is made by an individual not involved in the clinical trial (S.B.) 8b. Type The type of randomization will be block randomization. The number of blocks and block sized were be blinded to the investigators. 9. Allocation and concealment mechanism - Each patient will be allocated a number from sequentially numbered opaque sealed envelopes after fulfillment of the inclusion criteria and signing the informed consent to be enrolled in the study. - According to the number, the patients will be then allocated into one of the groups using a randomization table. 10. Implementation Before the beginning of the research, the allocation sequence will be generated by a person not involved in the study (Dr S.B.). The random list will be sealed from the principal investigator who will enroll participants. After the participant takes a sealed number, S.B. will be contacted to implement the allocation. All the study contributors will have no access to the random list. The envelopes will be closed with the type of treatment selected for storage of the information. 11. Blinding Blinding will be carried out only for the data assessment because the researchers, participants and subjects can not be blinded. Therefore, a person who does not know the nature of the trial will analyze the data. Call for more information
Phone Principal Investigator Trial Trial ID Institution Location |
warc | 201704 | Atlas Energy LP Is inviting investors to put in at least $25,000 in an oil and gas drilling partnership in Texas and other states in exchange for shared revenue from the output from the wells. Its subsidiary, Atlas Resources LLC, is seeking to raise up to $300 million by the end of the year, with the company saying it will put in up to $145 million of its own money. However, according to
Reuters, a closer look at the company’s confidential offering memorandum reveals that outside investors may not end up reaping as much as they think.
The private placement venture is called Atlas Resources Series 34-2014 LP. Private placements are unregistered securities sold to a limited number of investors via brokerage firms. Brokers can only market them to accredited investors (investors that have $1 million in assets-primary residence not included-or $250,000/year income) or institutions. Because of inflation, the number of those that qualify to be able to invest in private placements has gone up and not every investor is a high-income one. There are even retirees who now qualify.
According to the Atlas memorandum, $45 million of the money raised will go to Anthem Securities, an affiliate, to pay commissions to brokerage firms. Up to $39 million will go toward purchasing drilling leases from a different affiliate. Some of the $53 million for transport and drilling equipment may also go to affiliated suppliers. $8 million is a markup for estimated equipment costs. Atlas will get $53 million for markups and fees once drilling starts. All this lowers Atlas’s exposure by at least 40%. Once revenue starts coming in, the company is entitled to 33% of this.
After looking at the marketing materials and offering memoranda of half a dozen oil and gas private placements in the last 15 years, Reuters discovered that Atlas’s deal, placing the issuer at greater advantage than outside investors, is not uncommon. And out of over half of the 43 private placements it has put out in the last thirty years, outside investors either broke even or sustained financial losses. In 29 private placement deals, Atlas faired better than investors.
Energy ventures are typically high risk. Wells can end up producing nothing and returns may be impacted by gas and oil costs. Granted, there are tax benefits, with investors able to write off over 90% of initial outlay the first year. However, the risks can outweigh the benefits.
It doesn’t help that brokers, who are supposed to conduct due diligence on every issue they sell to make sure it is suitable for each investor, sometimes depend on due diligence companies that are paid by the issuers. Regulators still don’t have much oversight over private placements, which are not subject to a lot of reporting requirements. Also, oil and gas private placements often come with hidden fees.
Special Report: For these oil and gas bets, the odds favor the house, Reuters, November 11, 2014
More Blog Posts: SEC Commissioner Wants Elder Fraud at Top of 2015 Agenda, Stockbroker Fraud Blog, November 29, 2014 Madoff Ponzi Scam Victims Recover Over $10 Billion, Institutional Investor Securities Blog, December 5, 2014 Goldman Sachs Must Pay $7.6M to Two Brokers for Wrongful Termination, Institutional Investor Securities Blog, December 8, 2014 |
warc | 201704 | Request Description
1.Which of the following is true regarding Investment Banks?2. We compute the profitability index of a capital-budgeting proposal by Initial outlay = $1,748.803. Project Sigma requires an investment of $1 million and has a NPV of $10. Project Delta requires an investment of $500,000 and has a NPV of $150,000. The projects involve unrelated new product lines.What is your evaluation of these two projects?4. Which of the following is most likely to occur if a firm over-invests in net working capital?5. The Securities Investor Protection Corporation protects individuals from6. If managers are making decisions to maximize shareholder wealth, then they are primarily concerned with making decisions that should:7. Buying and selling in more than one market to make a riskless profit is called:8. Given an accounts receivable turnover of 8 and annual credit sales of $362,000, the average collection period (360-day year) is9. Delta Inc. is considering the purchase of a new machine which is expected to increase sales by $10,000 in addition to increasing non-depreciation expenses by $3,000 annually. Due to the sales increase, Delta expects its working capital to increase $1,000 during the life of the project. Delta will depreciate the machine using the straight-line method over the project’s five year life to a salvage value of zero. The machine’s purchase price is $20,000. The firm has a marginal tax rate of 34 percent, and its required rate of return is 12 percent. The machine’s initial cash outflow is:10. A company collects 60% of its sales during the month of the sale, 30% one month after the sale, and 10% two months after the sale. The company expects sales of $10,000 in August, $20,000 in September, $30,000 in October, and $40,000 in November. How much money is expected to be collected in October?11. Capital Structure Theory in general assumes that:12. Which of the following best describes why cash flows are utilized rather than accounting profits when evaluating capital projects?13. Which of the following could offset the higher risk exposure a company would face if it’s current ratio and net working capital were relatively low?14. When the impact of taxes is considered, as the firm takes on more debt15. Accounting break-even analysis solves for the level of sales that will result in:16. When calculating the weighted average cost of capital, which of the following has to be adjusted for taxes?17. Which of the following statements best represents what finance is about?18. Apple Two Enterprises expects to generate sales of $5,950,000 for fiscal 2014; sales were$3,450,000 in fiscal 2013. Assume the following figures for the fiscal year ending 2013: cash $70,000; accounts receivable $250,000; inventory $400,000; net fixed assets $520,000; accounts payable $235,000; and accruals $155,000. Use the percent-of-sales method to forecast cash for the fiscal year ending 2014.19. Aspects of demand risk controllable by the firm include:20. The Oviedo Thespians are planning to present performances of their Florida Revue on 2 consecutive nights in January. It will cost them $5,000 per night for theater rental, event insurance and professional musicians. The theater will also take 10% of gross ticket sales. How many tickets must they sell at $10.00 per ticket to raise $1,000 for their organization?21. Which of the following goals is in the best long-term interest of stockholders?22. Compute the payback period for a project with the following cash flows, if the company’s discount rate is 12%.23. If you have $20,000 in an account earning 8% annually, what constant amount could you withdraw each year and have nothing remaining at the end of five years?24. Which of the following best describes why cash flows are utilized rather than accounting profits when evaluating capital projects?25. Which of the following financial ratios is the best measure of the operating effectiveness of a firm’s management?26. Which of the following is not part of the underwriting process?27. Long-term financial plans typically encompass:28. Metals Corp. has $2,575,000 of debt, $550,000 of preferred stock, and $18,125,000 of common equity. Metals Corp.’s after-tax cost of debt is 5.25%, preferred stock has a cost of 6.35%, and newly issued common stock has a cost of 14.05%. What is Metals Corp.’s weighted average cost of capital?29. You just purchased a parcel of land for $10,000. If you expect a 12% annual rate of return on your investment, how much will you sell the land for in 10 years?30. Which of the following is true about bonds? |
warc | 201704 | The first person I met in Varanasi was Tiwari
ji. Ageing, courteous and seemingly unaffected by the blistering heat, he met me outside the airport, enquired about the purpose of my visit ó ď Chunao cover karne ayein hain?Ēó and then led me to the waiting car. Once we were inside the vehicle, I had expected Tiwariji to turn the ignition key. He didnít. Instead he turned around, studied me briefly, and then broke into an uninterrupted speech in praise of Narendra Modi. For a moment, I feared that I had been tricked into hitching a ride on a rath instead of a car.
Varanasi, Tiwari
ji argued, would vote overwhelmingly in Modiís favour because of several reasons. Modi has been elected three times as chief minister of Gujarat. This, in Tiwari jiís opinion, is irrefutable proof of the manís ability as an administrator. Second, Modi, having consciously rebuffed the pleasures of domesticity, has dedicated his public life to seva. (Evidently, Tiwari ji was unaware of the existence of Jashodaben. A spectral figure, she was at last given the privilege to exist officially when her husband filed his nomination papers.) Most importantly though, Modi has become synonymous with vikas (progress). The markers of development, Tiwari ji said while trying, unsuccessfully, to avoid a crater on the road, are metalled roads, a reliable supply of electricity and clean water. Modiís rousing speeches and his seeming incorruptibility have also made him invincible among tainted electoral representatives.
Tiwari
ji was prevented from reciting the complete inventory of Modiís virtues by a cow, an animal that the BJP manifesto promises to elevate to the status of protected species. This particular bovine had urinated on a vegetable cart, forcing the vendor to confront the animal which stood blocking the narrow road. The mataís indifference seemed to have irked even the unflappable Tiwari ji. He informed me curtly that we had reached the old city.
In the following days, as I toured Varanasi on foot, a number of people endorsed Tiwari
jiís arguments in favour of Modi. They included shopkeepers on the road that led to the bustling Dashaswamedh Ghat, a group of elderly patrons of Pappuís tea shop near the Assi chauraha as well as pilgrims jostling to enter the alley that led to Vishwanathís shrine. On joining the dots of these conversations, a picture began to emerge slowly, one that reveals a heartening sign as well as several disappointments about democracy and India. The euphoria over Modi ó an outsider who is perceived to be an efficient ruler ó in an insular constituency like Varanasi reflects a fledgling demand for performance on the part of the electorate. Such a demand, if nurtured carefully, has the potential to strengthen the base of a representative democratic edifice where merit would undermine caste and community affiliations. Traditionally, elections have been won or lost in Varanasi on the basis of complicated arrangements that consolidate and, at the same time, polarize such communities as Muslim (3.75 lakh voters), Brahmin/Bhumihars (over 5 lakh voters) and Kurmis/Chaurasias (over 3 lakh voters). These configurations would become redundant if the people were to prioritize inclusive development above identity.
But the conversations also revealed a dangerously skewed understanding of both development and State responsibilities. Varanasiís enchantment with Modiís idea of
vikas conjures up an image of a society where governance would be adjudged by the quality of certain services demanded by a vociferous class of consumers. None of the respondents I interviewed knew of Gujaratís less prosperous areas, such as the sparsely populated Dangs district. Yet they seemed certain that Modi would transform Varanasiís turd-lined alleys and clogged sewers in a matter of days. Significantly, Modiís pitiful record in health and education remain irrelevant in Varanasi. Gujaratís drop-out rate is 57.9 per cent, higher than the national average of 49 per cent; the drop-out rates among Dalits and tribal people are 65 per cent and 78 per cent, respectively; the shortage of paediatricians and gynaecologists in community health centres is 94 per cent and Gujaratís IMR and MMR remain, worryingly, at 38 and 122.
Varanasiís apathy to such critical failures on the part of a three times-elected chief minister is a chilling reminder of the redundancy of social capital ó education, healthcare, and so on ó in the charter of peopleís demands. The Gujarat riots, and Modiís alleged abetment of them, are no longer a part of the Ďsecular imaginationí though. Modiís admirers in Varanasi contend that minor aberrations ó orchestrated murders as well as the penury and displacement of Muslims ó ought to be overlooked by an India desirous of meaningful economic transformation.
Even the nascent demand for performance and accountability ó the hallmarks of a mature democracy ó is not universal. One day, a little after dawn, I had made my way to Harishchandra Ghat. A couple of pyres had been lit (picture 2), the smoke fanned by the breeze from the river rose in strange shapes. A man came over and asked whether I was waiting to collect the ashes. We stood watching the flames in silence and then began a conversation in hushed tones. The stranger refused to give his name but confided that he was a Dalit. He survived by doing odd-jobs in and around the area: chopping firewood, taking tourists on a tour of funerals, and selling hashish. As a voter, his only complaint was that the Bahujan Samaj Party had refused to put up a formidable opponent against Modi. In Madanpura ó described as a
garh (secure enclave) by one Muslim respondent ó the mood seemed to be decisively in favour of Modiís primary challenger, Arvind Kejriwal. The demand of improved civic services ó electricity was available for only six hours and Madanpura was prone to flooding ó waned before the communityís anxiety about Modiís allegedly communal leanings. The rickshaw-puller who ferried me to Assi Ghat in the evening complained, among other things, of the absence of a credible candidate from the working class who could relate to his concerns about the rise in prices, the lack of social security for labourers, and the cartel that profits by exploiting beggars and widows.
The primacy of identity among the weaker sections is usually explained, patronizingly, as their vulnerability to sectarian forces and their lack of education. But in a fundamentally unequal society, identity serves as the only fulcrum around which the dispossessed people mobilize themselves in order to expose broader injustices. The closing of ranks among Madanpuraís Muslim residents against Modi, for instance, is a testimonial of the distance that the majoritarian Indian State has to travel to honour its constitutional commitment to equality and inclusiveness.
The elections in Varanasi also expose the pitfalls of reducing a democratic contest to a clash between contrasting personalities. Electoral issues critical to the constituency itself have been relegated to the margins amidst the clamour to elect a domineering but seemingly efficient candidate against his mellower but self-righteous rival. Varanasi is an unmitigated civic disaster. Fecal matter (picture 4), diesel boats, rotting flowers and ash on the shrinking river, the cacophony of traffic on its narrow roads, the litter on the lanes that lead to temples ó everything in the holy town seemed to mock the collective obsession with rituals of purity. Enquiries at a chemist shop revealed that most patients seek treatment for enteric and skin diseases, the signs of water-borne contamination. Statistics bear evidence of the magnitude of the crisis. Data released by the Sankat Mochan Foundation, which is fighting a losing battle to save the Ganga, reveal that at Tulsi Ghat, the Fecal Coliform Count (FCC) per 100 ml is 62,000. The permissible limit for FCC is 500 per 100 ml. This information is seven years old. The BJP, which is enthusiastic about the contentious river inter-linking project, remains suitably vague about the steps to clean the Ganga.
Yet another kind of contamination remains unacknowledged in the electoral fray: the desecration of Varanasiís
ghats (picture 1). Near Munshi Ghat, I had set up a meeting with Debashish Paul, a member of the Kautilya Society, a voluntary organization that operates from a splendidly ornate building that was once the temporary abode of Allen Ginsberg. Paul seemed to share the illustrious poetís radicalism. He smoked like a chimney, complained about air pollution, admitted that he admired Ashok Singhal but complained bitterly about BJP corporators, real-estate sharks and temple mahants who have connived to destroy the ghats and ancient buildings. In the 1990s, judicial intervention secured the fate of the iconic Darbhanga Palace. There were whispers of turning it into a heritage hotel. But not every other historical structure has been as lucky. Lolark Kund in Assi Ghat is in a shambles. A hotel stands cheek-by-jowl with the Man Mahal (picture 3), and countless havelis on the steps of the river have been turned into hotels. The urgency to protect these buildings is not only premised on their antiquity. These buildings are a reminder of the syncretism which, while informing the idea of India, predates India as a political entity.
Also under threat is another bastion of Varanasiís inclusive character: classical music. The decline in the popularity of the thumri, a form of music that binds diverse communities, is just one example. In Varanasiís alleys, I discovered several dubious institutions that claim to turn students ó essentially gullible foreigners ó into
visharads. Bismillah Khan has, expectedly, been fetishized. But his legacy, an effective bulwark against the poison of communalism, remains neglected. The evident polarization in Varanasi is a stark reminder of the fact that it is not enough to invest faith in democratic institutions to negate communalism. The dissipation of platforms that serve as channels to foster communitarian links has to be addressed. Their neglect is mirrored by the depletion in the ranks of patrons of the arts or of Varanasiís famed Ganga-Yamuna sanskriti.
Elections are essentially binary contests. Varanasi is thus being asked to choose not just between Modi and Kejriwal. The polls are also an unequal contest among opposed entities such as identity politics and development, ecology and populism, secularism and sectarianism.
Ironically, the greatest impediment to this battle to salvage Varanasi is the mystical aura of the city itself. In the evenings, as dusk fell, I used to sit on the
ghats and watch devotees light diyas and then float them on the darkening waters. I would hear the strain of the azaan from a distant mosque as well as the chiming bells from the nearby temples. The air would be heavy with the smell of incense and burning logs. And just for a moment, the polls, pollution, poverty and polarizationó everything that I experienced or learnt about during my stay ó would cease to matter. Staring at the bobbing specks of light, I would wish for nothing to change. |
warc | 201704 | A body falls in the woods and although no one is around to hear it, a clock starts ticking. It’s not made of gears or springs, but of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes.
The corpse dumps a huge flood of nutrients into the earth—a blend of fats and proteins that stands out among the carbohydrates typically found in leaf litter. Quickly, a dedicated coterie of bacteria, fungi, and nematode worms emerges to dine on this artisanal feast. “There’s this complete overhaul of the living community in the surrounding area,” says Jessica Metcalf from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Now, Metcalf’s team, led by Rob Knight at the University of California, San Diego, have shown that these cadaver microbes—let’s call it the necrobiome—change in a predictable clock-like way. It’s consistent in the species that show up, the order in which they arrive, and they pace at which they do so, seemingly regardless of soil types, seasons, or even species—the mouse necrobiome is similar to the human one.
This means that forensic investigators should be able to tell how long ago someone died, to within two to four days, by swabbing and sequencing the microbes that pervade and surround their body. That’s comparable to other indicators of time of death, such as the chemical content of the surrounding soil, or the developmental stages of corpse-eating blowflies. But while insects are scarce in the winter, the necrobiome clock ticks throughout the year.
The necrobiome will likely be used as one of several sources of forensic evidence, all complementing each other. (The microbes
inside a dead human body provide more clues; last year, other researchers showed that these microbes also change in clock-like way, post-mortem.) “When you have a case that’s being treated as a homicide, you want to collect as many different lines of physical evidence as possible,” says David Carter, a forensic scientist from Chaminade University of Honolulu, who was part of Metcalf’s team.
Back in 2013, Metcalf found predictable patterns in the necrobiomes of decaying mice, and could estimate the rodents’ times of death to within three days over a seven-week period. Building on those results, she left dead mice to rot on soil from three very different habitats—desert, prairie, and alpine forest—each with its own starter communities of microbes.
The team also worked with human cadavers at the Sam Houston State University Southeast Texas Applied Forensic Science (STAFS) Facility, where people will their bodies to forensic research. The STAFS staff left two bodies to decay on the facility’s grounds, two in the winter and two in the summer. “For this to be relevant for forensic science, we needed to show that this microbial clock really exists in an outdoor scenario, where you have scavengers, insects, and daily temperature fluctuations,” says Metcalf.
Despite the many variables in these experiments, the team found that both mouse and human corpses are quickly colonised by similar groups of bacteria, especially those that specialise in digesting fats and proteins. There are also plenty of microbes that process nitrogen, which is unsurprising given that corpses eventually rupture and leak nitrogen-rich fluids into their environment.
These colonizing bacteria are found ubiquitously in soils, but are usually rare. When animals die on top of them, it must be like manna from heaven—and their populations explode. “Dead animals are big, concentrated blobs of protein and fat, and these microbes are lurking in the soil ready to start eating our bodies when we die,” says Steven Allison from University of California, Irvine, who was not involved in the study.
This is a classic case of ecological succession, where living things colonize a new habitat in predictable waves. A scorched forest gets settled by mosses, ferns, shrubs, and eventually trees. Newborn babies get colonised by milk-digesting bacteria and then plant-busting ones. A whale carcass, sinking to the ocean floor, becomes host to hagfish, crabs, snails, and bone-eating snot-flower worms. A human corpse is no exception—in death, we become just another haven for life.
Our post-mortem fates are so foreseeable that Metcalf could use the data from mice buried in one kind of soil to estimate the time of death for animals buried in another. “We could even generate a clock based on the mouse experiments and predict the time of death of humans decomposing outdoors,” she says.
But “there’s still a lot of unexplained variation,” says Allison. “The predictable part of the corpse microbial communities is actually a fairly small fraction but since the communities are diverse, maybe that’s enough to make a good prediction of time of death in most cases.”
“It’s promising because with a relatively small number of experiments, we’re seeing predictable and reliable trends—but that’s a weakness too,” adds Carter. “We’ve only processed a small number of samples, so we need more data.” He wants to know if the necrobiome is predictable in other conditions. What about the tropics? What if there’s gunshot residue on somebody’s skin? What if they’re on antibiotics? Or they’re an alcoholic? “There are a lot of variables that it would be nice to investigate,” he says. “But that’s probably beyond my lifetime.” |
warc | 201704 | The new business secretary Sajid Javid is to pledge to cut red tape for companies by at least £10bn during the current parliament as he announces details of the enterprise bill that will form part of this month’s Queen’s speech.
Making his first speech since replacing Vince Cable, Javid will say that the government’s plan to preside over the creation of 2m jobs in the next five years will involve making Britain the best place in Europe to start a new business.
However, alongside the proposed assault on bureaucracy, the business secretary announced plans for a new government-funded body to help small businesses recoup the more than £30bn owed to them in late payments of bills.
The creation of a small business conciliation service was part of the Conservative manifesto and Javid said the proposal would help to settle disputes.
“Small businesses are Britain’s engine room and the success of our whole economy is built on the hard work and determination of the people who run and work for them,” Javid will say in a speech in Bristol, where he grew up in a flat above his parents’ shop.
“As business secretary, I will always back them and, in my determination to get the job done, one of my first steps will be to bring forward an enterprise bill that helps them to succeed and create jobs.
“As part of our long-term economic plan, we will sweep away burdensome red tape, get heavy handed regulators off firms’ backs and create a small business conciliation service to help resolve disputes.”
It is estimated that small businesses are owed £32bn in late payments but are often unaware of their rights or are reluctant to take legal action, fearing they will lose future business. The enterprise bill will extend the fight against red tape beyond Whitehall and for the first time include independent regulators.
Javid’s plans were welcomed by John Allan, chairman of the National Federation of Small Businesses. He said: “Our members have been clear on the need to make progress on cutting burdensome red tape and on addressing issues like the billions owed to small businesses in overdue payments.
“These are not easy issues to tackle and we will need the minister to work closely with our members and the wider business community to find solutions. We look forward to working with the business secretary and his team over the coming months.” |
warc | 201704 | Newspapers can and should find ways to charge for online content if they are to safeguard the future of quality journalism, the Financial Times chief executive, John Ridding, has said.
Stoking the debate over paid news content and the survival of newspapers, Ridding said newspapers need to abandon a "free is good" doctrine, work out what sets them apart and how they can charge for it, whether it be sports coverage or columnists. If they do not, revenues will continue to suffer.
"I fundamentally believe readers are willing to pay for quality journalism," Ridding told MediaGuardian.co.uk.
"One of the worries for the industry in general is kind of a cultural expectation that news information should be free and we would challenge that because we believe quality journalism requires investment and investment requires revenues."
Ridding, whose own newspaper group works on a subscription model, argues that the debate over paying for content has been unfairly polarised into specialised news at one end versus more general content at the other. He accepts that the FT's strategy of being "special and different" has made it easier for the paper to charge readers. But most publishers can find special content within their walls.
"It is definitely more difficult for more general publishers [to charge] but often I feel there's a more fatalistic response, saying 'It's not possible'," he said.
"I don't think it's a binary, black and white thing. All publishers should be thinking about what makes them different. Even their own brands give them a personality and identity which in many cases they have been building for centuries. All publishers need to be looking at what they specialise in."
Ridding stressed there was no "one-size-fits-all" approach to success online and said the FT saw micropayments as a potential addition to its current subscription model. And some content could be free.
FT luxury magazine How to Spend It will launch online this weekend, but there will be no charge while it builds critical mass.
But in general, Ridding is convinced readers are willing to pay for content. "It's not an easy set of decisions and calculations over how much to charge and what to charge for ... But publishers need to have confidence in the quality of what they produce. They don't have to have a doctrinal approach that all content has to be free."
The calculation publishers need to make is: "Do you gain more in revenue than you lose in readership?"
Ridding conceded that the current market is "very brutal". Indeed, this summer's first-half results from FT Publishing, the Pearson division that contains the Financial Times, showed a 40% slump in profits.
With several "fantastic brands" in the US having gone into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection over the past year, the former journalist is very worried indeed about where standards are going.
"Clearly we have to be worried about quality journalism," he said. "Journalism is a craft, it's a skill, it requires training, it requires investment."
The answer? "Unprecedented financial pressures need new revenue streams."
• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication". |
warc | 201704 | I’m not watching
Years of Living Dangerously, Showtime’s nine-part series on climate change. I’m not going to read Elizabeth Kolbert’s The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, despite its great reviews. When I see a long article in The New York Times about melting glaciers or flooded coastal plains or disappearing species or deforestation or desertification, I skip it. Why? Because I already know what’s happening and about to happen. Reading the fine print is just going to make me feel sadder than I already do, without giving me any action I can take that will do more than give me the illusion that I am making a difference.
At
The Nation, we have to believe that knowledge is power, or why would we spend our lives bringing people the bad news? And sometimes information does indeed spark change: they called the war in Vietnam “the living-room war” because television brought its horrors into our homes, and eventually that constant flow of violence and lies brought ordinary people into the streets to join the students and the peaceniks. There are plenty of issues where educating and mobilizing the citizenry has begun to transform society: violence against women and children, for example. The shame that is our prison system may be next.
But climate change is different. It is not something we can vote against or refuse to pay our taxes to protest. Writing letters to our congressperson will not help, nor will recycling our bottles and cans. Individual action—even the individual actions of hundreds of thousands of people in concert—won’t be enough. Climate change has too many sources, involves too many interest groups, crosses too many borders, slices through too many political alliances to make possible the kind of united national and international effort required to stop it. Also, doing nothing is too profitable. Perhaps that last is indeed the main thing. Too many people are making money out of feeding the insatiable consumer demand for more.
Some scientists think it’s already too late, but let’s say they are wrong, and the scientists who give us ten years or even twenty are right. Let’s say that if every developed nation were to drastically cut its greenhouse emissions beginning today, our poor old earth would mostly muddle through. Overlooking the rather large fact that these measures would cause the world economy to collapse, think what would have to happen: everyone goes vegetarian, uses cars and planes only for emergencies, gets rid of air conditioning, ceases to cut down forests to build new houses. In short, we radically restrict individual consumption in every conceivable way, while governments force industry, especially the oil, coal and gas industries, to do whatever is necessary to… do whatever is necessary. Given our system, how could any of that happen on the necessary scale, let alone happen in time?
Moreover, while we would be cutting back, India, China, Brazil, Indonesia and other formerly poor nations would still be surging forward. And how could we, who are vastly responsible for global warming in the first place, tell them, “Sorry, you got rich too late: no steak or family car or air conditioner for you? Go back to your villages and swelter.”
Climate change is the tragedy of the commons for the entire globe. For each individual, there is not enough motivation to alter our current behavior except around the edges to feel virtuous, if indeed behavior change were possible. (Americans may be driving a bit less, but how many Americans could do without their car?) For industry, the incentives are almost all the other way, and state and federal governments are largely industry’s captives. Among nations, there are too many competing interests and no sufficiently powerful international mechanism to lay out a course of action and enforce it. By the time the collective damage is done, it will be too late to undo it.
I hope I am wrong. |
warc | 201704 | To the Editor:
Regarding Ari Armstrong’s article “Rational Morality Requires Amnesty for Rights-Respecting Illegal Immigrants” (TOS Blog, July 2, 2014), I agree with Mr. Armstrong that illegal immigrants have the same moral rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” as everyone else.
But I disagree with his claim that they do not have a right to welfare. Illegal immigrants contribute to our system just as U.S. citizens and legal residents do, and they should have the same rights, including a right to welfare. Even legal residents who commit vicious crimes remain eligible for welfare. Why shouldn’t illegal immigrants who violate no one’s rights be eligible?
Laina Taelor
Deerfield Beach, Florida Ari Armstrong Responds:
The implicit premise in Ms. Taelor’s letter is that rights are granted by government. But this premise is mistaken. Real rights, moral rights—such as the rights to life, liberty, and property—are not granted by government; they exist prior to government. The reason we need government is to protect these preexisting rights. The alleged right to welfare stands in contradiction to these rights; most obviously, it contradicts the right to property, the right to keep and use the product of one’s effort, including the money one earns. When government takes money from those who earned it and gives that money to those who did not earn it, which is what government does when it “provides” welfare, it violates the property rights of those from whom it seizes the money.
When a person takes someone else’s money by force, we recognize that as a violation of property rights, and we properly call it theft. When government takes someone’s money by force and hands it to other people, this too is a violation of rights, and, although it may be legal, it is still theft and it is morally wrong.
Immigrants do not have a right to welfare—and neither do U.S. citizens or legal residents. Toward the ultimate goal of eliminating welfare programs altogether, government must phase out welfare handouts, not expand them. Accordingly, government should exclude immigrants from welfare handouts and begin sharply cutting welfare handouts to existing recipients. People don’t need welfare. They need freedom to work and to keep and use what they earn.
Ari Armstrong
Denver, Colorado |
warc | 201704 | Duran and Wolff-Poitevien worked with a translator to ensure the word choices were culturally appropriate for each language. Significant care was given to selecting culturally tailored colors, words and images. Interestingly, the traditional nurse’s cap image used on the postcard, considered an outdated image of a nurse in the U.S. today, is still prevalent in Haiti. This image resonates with this specific Haitian audience. Finally, the postcard format was selected because it’s readily visible in their preferred language without the barrier of an envelope.The objectives of the project, which was first addressed in 2010, implemented in 2011 and ongoing today are to: 1) Increase the number of Haitian customers who are contacted by the case manager. 2) Improve the Haitian customer’s experience and awareness of health plan services available to them. 3) Improve the customer’s ability to manage his/her health condition which initiated the need for case management. While longer-term use measurements will be studied, initial results show success with all three objectives and savings in health care costs.
Editor’s Note: October marks Health Literacy month. Health literacy is one of four key focus areas of Cigna Connects, our new corporate responsibility initiative and is a 24/7/365 effort at Cigna. Find more information on Cigna's health literacy work in the “Let’s Be Clear—Your Real World Guide to Health Insurance” section of our website:http://newsroom.cigna.com/letsbeclear About CignaCigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) is a global health service company dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense of security. All products and services are provided by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company of North America and Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. Such products and services include an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other related products including group life, accident and disability insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in 30 countries and jurisdictions, and has approximately 71 million customer relationships throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna®, including links to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com. |
warc | 201704 | Of all God’s commandments, the ban on idolatry might
seem to be the most outdated. It’s one commandment that must certainly be for another age, many assume— when people offered sacrifices before man-made statues or deified the sun, moon and stars.
In fact, idolatry is just as common today as it was in the Stone Age. Of course, the materials, technologies, trends and fashions are much different than they were then.
But human nature remains the same.
In the pivotal Old Testament prophecy of Leviticus 26, God reaffirmed the birthright promises He had made to Abraham. He told the Israelites of Moses’s day that they would receive the birthright blessings
then, if they faithfully obeyed God’s laws. In outlining these conditions to Israel, God placed special emphasis on two of the Ten Commandments.
Notice: “Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the Lord your God. Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 26:1-2).
Keep my sabbaths, God said, and don’t bow down to idols. These were the two great test commandments for the people of Israel. Now why would God emphasize these two in particular? Because these two, more than the others, were designed to keep man in the closest, most intimate contact with his Maker!
“I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage,” God thundered at Mt. Sinai, before reiterating the ten indispensable laws mankind has always needed to regulate their relationships with God and man.
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me,” God continued (Exodus 20:1-3). That word
before means “in place of.” God must have first place in our lives— always; without exception. This First Commandment forbids man from placing anyone or anything in front of God. It forbids idolatry.
Now notice how the Second Commandment flows right out of the great command to put God above all else. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God …” (verses 4-5).
This commandment obviously forbids the use of any
physical substitutes or aids man sets up in order to “worship” God. But what about the spiritual idols we set up in our hearts, as it says in Ezekiel 14:3? We may not bow down to any physical idols made of stone, wood or precious metal, but our modern world is filled with idolatry, just the same!
“Every person has his idol,” Herbert W. Armstrong wrote in his
Autobiography. For Mr. Armstrong, it was an egotistical sense of self-importance—the desire to attain status in the eyes of his peers.
For us, it may be an inordinate love of self—or vanity—as it was with Lucifer. His heart was lifted up because of his own beauty—so much so that he wanted to raise his earthly throne above his own Creator’s (Ezekiel 28:17; Isaiah 14:13).
Maybe it’s pursuing the physical beauty of
others that we place in front of God. Just look at how our Western culture glamorizes beauty, among women especially—as if good looks and a youthful appearance are all that matters. It seems the reverential treatment of celebrity icons has reached near-saturation point in society today.
Perhaps it’s physical wealth and materialism that prevents us from putting God first, like the young man who told Jesus he had obeyed all of God’s commandments since the days of his youth. But when Jesus told him to give up his earthly possessions, he went away sorrowful because his heart was so attached to material things.
Pleasure seeking also separates a lot of people from God—things like entertainment and sports or excessive television viewing. God’s way of life, after all, is very demanding. Among other things, He expects us to observe His weekly and annual sabbaths, to tithe on all of our income and to seek Him daily through effectual fervent prayers and diligent Bible study. If we find ourselves spending most of our leisure time pursuing things other than God, then pleasure-seeking might be an idol.
Some make an idol out of gluttony, drunkenness and other such addictions. Instead of looking to God in time of need, they turn to physical substances in order to cope or to escape.
Still others insist on putting friends or family members ahead of God. They would rather give God second or third place in their lives than face alienation from loved ones over their obedience to God’s laws.
And what about our profession or career? God praises those who work with all of their might, but if we turn to work, as some workaholics do, in order to avoid responsibilities at home or in the Church, then we can make a god out of working.
On the other hand, there are also those who simply refuse to work—who make a god out of idleness and ease.
Whatever it is, if we place it ahead of God and living according to His laws, it becomes a false god! If it interferes with our relationship with God, the Bible says, then it becomes an idol—and it must be crushed!
In the case of Mr. Armstrong, it took God 28 years to finally stamp out every last vestige of self-assured confidence, which was vain idolatry!
“Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry,” Paul wrote to the brethren at Corinth, well over a thousand years after Israel had come out of Egyptian captivity. He knew well that the idolatry command was not meant for some bygone age.
It was written for us. Like the rest of the Ten Commandments, it applies to our time today!
And it remains, even to this day, as one of two critically important test commands. If faithfully obeyed, it automatically draws us closer to our Maker!
Keep yourselves from idols, as John wrote to conclude his first epistle. Give God first place in your life. Make your relationship
with Him more important than anyone or anything else.
Nothing in this material life, after all, is as important as that. ▪ |
warc | 201704 | Traditionally, insurance policies were not purchased, they were sold. Ask any investment savvy 50 year old and he or she will most certainly have a life insurance policy offered by the state-owned insurer. However, gone are the days where life insurance was bought because you could not say ‘No’ to a persuasive insurance agent.
Over the years, the insurance sector has seen a significant rise in the number of insurance companies, both state-owned and private. Together, these companies and IRDAI have introduced major innovations with regards to products as well as distribution channels. According to the IRDAI annual report, at the end of March 2014, there are 53 insurancecompanies operating in India; of which 24 are in the life insurance business and 28 are in non-life insurancebusiness. In addition, GIC is the sole national reinsurer.
Clearly, the buyer today is spoilt for choice. However, when it comes to selecting an insurance provider, you need to weigh your options carefully. Here are a few tips that will help you choose the right insurance company:
Financial stability is one of the biggest factors in deciding the right insurance provider. You need to ensure that the company has the resources to fulfill its promises. Do your homework before you make the final purchase.
The best way to look for the company’s health is to check its CRISIL rating. For example, companies with rating of AAA are considered to have the highest strength to meet its obligations, followed by the companies that have AA rating and so on.
Insurance policies are not off-the-shelf products. In order to meet the varied needs of a policyholder, insurance providers offer innovative products. Your insurance needs are different at different stages of life. Shortlist the companies that offer products that meet your needs. The company you choose should offer all types of life insurance policies to ensure you get to choose.
Paying claims or maturity benefits is the primary role of an insurance provider. Often, claims are rejected due to missing documents and misinformation. Your insurance company should have a high claim settlement ratio and a hassle-free claim process to ensure that your nominees get the sum assured in your absence.
Insurance jargons can sometimes be overwhelming, especially for first-time policy buyers. Your ideal insurance provider should have well-informed and educated managers who understand your needs and offer prompt assistance.
Most insurance providers are working towards creating awareness about insurance and do offer online resources for learning and taking an informed decision. You can also expect Live Online Chats as well as telephonic/ email assistance while buying insurance online.
While not a limiting factor, the transparency that a company offers should play a vital role in your decision process. Research popular websites for getting independent feedback about an insurance company. Also look for the number of complaints and resolutions insurance providers on IRDAI’s website.
If you are overwhelmed with the information gathered from various sources, you may also consult your financial planner for advice. His experience and professional judgment will help you narrow down your options.
Your insurance policy is an important part of your financial plan. Its primary purpose is to offer you a protective financial cover in case of an unfortunate event.
So choose an insurance provider you can rely on.
"Be the CEO of your life"- Robin S. Sharma -
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Life insurance is another such thing, and the right time to learn about it- any time between when you start earning money to when you’re forced to stop.
Parting from a loved one is always difficult and there is no parting more difficult and grievous than the one that comes with death. However, even in such unfortunate circumstances, there are certain obligations that you need to fulfil.
Do you have a valuable possession you always wanted to insure but weren’t sure if it was possible to do so? After reading about these 5 strange insurances being availed in India, you’ll have your answer.
All insurance policies are available to everyone (subject to underwriting decisions). There are no special policies, so if you’re being told you’re being given preference, don’t take it at its face value.
Though working on filing an insurance claim after the death of a loved one is always hard, you must try and look at the bigger picture, which is that they wanted to make sure you are well taken care of. |
warc | 201704 | This essay has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work written by our professional essay writers.
Abstract- In the field of management, strategic known as the plan and a set of instructions that contribute to help the organization to reach its goals. In the field of military, strategy known as the art and method of engagement. Strategy is sometimes described according to the areas that are using it. Strategy formulation processes a difficult task and focuses on the prediction and forecasting the future. This research paper discusses and reviews the elaborate methodologies for Strategy formulation and how information technology may affect the organization strategy.
Key words: strategy, strategy formulation methodologies, strategy formulation.
I. Introduction
Strategic Management is a series of decisions and actions that lead to the development of an effective strategy to achieve the objectives of the organization, follow-up and assessment of opportunities and threats (Camillus, 2008).It aims to achieve a balance between the interests of various parties (Horovitz, 1981).Also it determines the future direction of the organization and a statement that it seeks through the analysis of environmental variables around it (Rose and Cray, 2010).
According to Rose and Cray (2010), there is no professional one specific word for the term strategy; the strategy is sometimes described according to the areas that are using it. For example, in the field of military, strategy known as the art and method of engagement and the distribution of forces and resources to achieve the objectives of the war. In the field of management, strategic known as the plan and a set of instructions that contribute to and help the organization to reach its goals (Eisenhardt and Sull, 2001). It is a long term plan that shows accurate steps and gives the instructions to be followed (Collis and Rukstad, 2008).
Strategy makes an organization takes the lead rather than be in a state of just has a reaction (Mintzberg, 1987). It is attempt to organize a series of qualitative and quantitative information in a manner that will allow decision makers to take action to help the organization to attain its goals (Collis and Rukstad, 2008). All organizations have strategies, whether declared or not and whether recognized or not (Andersen, 2004); (Harrington et al., 2004).
Hence, strategic decisions compared to non-strategic decisions which rely entirely on intuition and guesswork based primarily on objective criteria and scientific analysis, and not just on the past person experience or individual's feelings.
Strategy should indicate the intended target (Collis and Rukstad, 2008). The organization must have a goal to achieve for the strategy it applies as well as it should indicate the expected time to achieve that goal. The Strategy contributes to the organization in giving a competitive advantage for the organization by showing what is the thing that makes itself different from other organizations in its area of fields (Obolensky, 2001).
Strategy formulation is interested in clarifying and analyzing the factors affecting the strategy before the implementation of this strategy (Murthy, 2010).
Strategy implementation is implementing the strategic plan which means the exercise of the functions of planning, organization, direction, and oversight (Mintzberg, 1987). Furthermore, it implies conversion and translation of strategies and policies into actions through the programs and procedures (Andrews et al., 2009)
Strategy evaluation is monitoring and controling activities of the organization and the results of actual performance versus desired performance or planned (Collis and Rukstad, 2008). Evaluation shows weaknesses in the implementation of the strategy (Obolensky, 2001).
II. Levels of Strategic management
Strategic management consists of three levels: the corporate level, the business level, and the functional level.
The corporate level strategy concerning the organization as a whole, and it identifies trends in dealing with the external environment (Peng and Delios, 2006). Primary responsibilities for this level is thinking in the use of the strengths and weaknesses of the organization as a whole in making strategic decisions in general such as changing the type of main activity of the organization, or engage in a completely new activity. Corporate strategy affects the entire organization, and it takes a long time to show its impact on the organization (Mintzberg, 1987).
In the business level when the organization contains and controls smaller organizations or units, these small organizations or unites are strategic units in this level are responsible for the planning and organization of all activities of the strategic plan of the unit and take the necessary decisions to implement them (Devaraj et.al, 2004).
In the functional level special plan to implement a specific task. These strategies guided by the strategy of the strategic units, as well as the overall strategy (Collis and Rukstad, 2008). Relatively need short time to show their impact on the organization (Devaraj et al., 2004).
Business
Corporate
بب
Functional
Figure 1: Strategic management levels
In this paper, the focus is mainly on strategy formulation and the relevance methodologies.
III. Strategy Formulation
While the strategy implementation phase concerned with the management factors that affect the organization during the operations and production (Andrews et al., 2009), strategy formulation focuses on the prediction and forecasting the future. Good formulation of the strategy is a first step for effective implementation of the strategy. (Pollitt and Bouchaert, 2004). Strategy formulation processes a difficult task; however, applied strategy successfully is more difficult (Obolensky, 2001).
Miller and Toulouse (1986) state that strategy formulation includes future planning, analysis, pro activeness, and risk taking. Porter (2001) assumes that strategy formulation includes clear goal, set of benefits, distinctive value chain, trade-offs, and continuity of direction. According to Collis and Rukstad (2008), company statement consists of five basic elements: mission, values, vision, strategy, and balanced score card or estimation. Good strategy statements consist of objective, scope (domain), and means to achieve objectives.
Mission is the main guide for all decisions and efforts, and usually it covers a relatively long period of time (Horovitz, 1981). Mission is achieved through the use of existing resources of the organization (Lee et al., 2002). Mission can be answer to the following questions; for what is the establishment of the organization? What services does the organization offer?
According to Devaraj et al. (2004), Value is the Beliefs shared by members of the organization and seek to put them into execution, which are guided organization members during the execution of their work
Vision is the organization dreams and aspirations that cannot be achieved under the current and potential but it can be accessed in the long term (Collis and Rukstad, 2008). Vision can be answer to the following questions: what are the organizations' perceptions of what should be in the next ten years? Perceptions, attitudes, ambitions, what should be in the future?
Balanced score card or estimation can be described as operations are to track and control the activities of the organization and the results of actual performance versus desired performance (Gurkov, 2009). The managers at all administrative levels, depending on the feedback, are to take remedial actions and solve problems (Devaraj et al., 2004). Evaluation and oversight are last elements of the strategic management.
Objective is represent, the organizational goals and objectives that management seeks to access (Rose and Cray, 2010). The organization to be able to achieve its future objective .it should use resources to the optimum level that are currently available, to the extent those organizational goals realistic and reflective of internal and external environment of the organization (Collis and Rukstad, 2008). Organization management is in front of a chance of success in designing and implementing efficient and effective strategy. These objectives are clear and measurable and can be applied. Objectives imply the final results of the activities; in other words, it indicates what must be done?
According to Peng and Delios (2006), Scope (domain) acts or activities determined by the organization itself among the many acts or possible activities. Scope of work includes time frame, geographical, and demographic.
Means to achieve objectives are ways and means which will be undertaken by the organization to achieve its objectives (Gurkov, 2009). It means ways in which strategy will be implemented and that make the organization distinct from the others.
IV. Strategy Formulation Process
According to Rose and Cray (2010), strategy formulation process begins by analyzing the current situation of the organization; it clarifies the opportunities and risks, strengths and weaknesses of the organization.
While internal analysis of the organization shows the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, external analysis of the organization shows the opportunities and threats facing the organization. (Andrews et al., 2009). Strategic focus on improving the strengths and exploit the available opportunities, reduce the weaknesses and remove them, also overcome the risks (Obolensky, 2001).
Strengths are the advantages and possibilities owned by the organization compared to those obtained by the competitors (Ortega, 2010). Efficiency of the organization and the ability to move and make the best achievements of the industrial economy are one of the strength that the organization could have.
Opportunities or Chances are the positive changes in the external environment of the organization and that have a positive impact on them (Andrews et al., 2009). Opportunities present the facts in a particular place of the market within a specified time period, which produces material benefits and non-material to the organization if it was invested properly.
According to Obolensky (2001), Weaknesses could be in performance or possibilities; they are problems that hinder the organization to compete effectively. It is weakened capacity to make the appropriate decision in light of the analysis of the possibilities and resources of the Organization.
Risks or Threats are changes that occur in the external environment against the interests of the organization and may have a negative impact. Threats are events that if they showed up cause real harm to the organization. (Horovitz, 1981)
V. Strategy Formulation Methodology A. SWOT Analysis
According to Obolensky (2001) and Rose & Cray (2010), analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT), is a useful tool to analyze the general situation of the organization on the basis of the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
The external environment is composed of institutions, individuals, and social forces, political, economic, cultural and technological developments that affect the organization while the organization has no influence on them. The Internal environment consists of the physical characteristics and non-physical that describes the units of the organization. In general, environment implies the values that govern the administrative and technical practices.
SWOT
Internal Environment
Opportunities
Threats
Weaknesses
External Environment
Strengths
Figure 2: SWOT Analysis
an
Internal Environment
Weaknesses
Strengths
A bad reputation in the commercial market.
Poor achievement in the implementation of the plans.
Available financial resources.
Patent.
A strong reputation.
New innovative product or service.
Table 1: Internal Environment
Internal Environment
Internal Environment
Internal Environment
Internal Environment
an
External Environment
Threats
Opportunities
Potential entry of new competitors.
Change buying patterns, and changing needs of consumers.
Access to new markets in the marketplace.
Work with strategic partners in the field of industry.
Table 2: External Environment
Internal Environment
Internal Environment
Internal Environment
Internal Environment
an
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Strengths & Opportunities Strategy
Weaknesses& Opportunities Strategy
Threats
Strengths & Threats Strategy
Weaknesses& Threats Strategy
Table 3: SWOT Matrix
Internal Environment
Internal Environment
Internal Environment
an
This matrix will help in the development and selection strategy, where it is to use the information that was obtained from the analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (Andrews et al., 2009). The company is trying to overcome the weaknesses.
In strengths and opportunities strategy, the strategy is to pursue opportunities in the market that is compatible with the existing strengths of the company.
In weaknesses and opportunities strategy, the basic principle of this strategy is to get rid of the weaknesses in order to pursue opportunities.
In strengths and threats strategy, the strategy is to explore ways in which enables the company to use their strengths in order to reduce rates of exposure to external threats.
In weaknesses and threats strategy, the general principle of this strategy is to create a defense plan with the objective of preventing weaknesses of the company from creation a very high sensitivity impact, threats come from external environments.
B. Top-Down, Bottom-Up and mutually Approaches to formulate strategy
Top-Down: According to Rose and Cray (2010), the senior management responsibility for setting goals and strategic plans in full. Of the most important benefits of such approach is that senior management set in advance to where the organization intend to access, and directed various departments to work together to reach the desired goal, and therefore the department should consider in advance and to provide and identify methods that would facilitate the process of reaching that goal.
Senior Management
Workers
Senior Management
Workers
Goals and strategic plans
Senior Management
Workers
Goals and strategic plans
Plans
Goals
Top-Down
Bottom-Up
Mutually Sat
Figure 3: Top-Down, Bottom-Up, and mutually approaches
an
Bottom-Up: The departments responsible for preparing their own plans and goals and send them to senior management for approval and adoption. The staff provides their suggestions to their managers, who in turn raise these proposals after review and revision them to the highest levels of the organization (Obolensky, 2001). Bottom-Up strategy helps to create a general feeling among workers in the organization to participate in determining their objectives and therefore lead to improve and raise the morale of the employees in the organization. When workers participate in the organization in preparing the strategic plan, it will lead to a feeling of satisfaction among the staff, and drive them to make the maximum effort to achieve their objectives (Lee et al., 2002).
Mutually approach: The senior management responsible for setting goals and mission. Responsibility of the departments to design and develop plans to achieve the goals set, it is the most commonly used and all departments in the organization are involved. (Rose and Cray, 2010).
C. Porter Three General Strategies
Based on Porter (1991), there are three general strategies that help the organization to formulate their strategy and achieve competitive advantage. Overall cost leadership, differentiation, and focus.
Overall cost leadership means that the company may look to become the least cost of production which often achieved by economy in expenditure. This can be achieved through the optimum use of resources.
Differentiation means search for excellence, or the special characteristics in the field of industry. Organizations characterized by their ability to produce products or services in which something of value to the customer so that the unique tags from competitors.
Focus mean that the organization is focused on a certain segment of the market and tries to meet their demands. Thus, in this case, the institution aims to achieve excellence in the products or price or both.
These divisions proposed by Porter received attention and in return received some criticism. It can be an institution that aims to reduce cost and provide distinctive products in the same time (Obolensky, 2001). Porter's methodology helps to identify a clear strategy (Murthy, 2010). The strategy aims to clear the direction and conduct of all employees in one direction; it is hard to be a strategy to achieve excellence and low price (Rose and Cray, 2010).
D. Porter's Five Forces Model
According to Obolensky (2001), Porter presented a model that helps in the analysis of the external environment, which affects the strategies of the organization, called Porter's five powers which are: threats of new entrants, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, a strong contender among the participants in the competition, and threat of substitute services or products.
Threats of new entrants: In developing and formation, the strategy must be taken into account new entrants who bring new energy and a desire to own a stake in the market.
Bargaining power of suppliers: The suppliers of the biggest threats facing the institutions, is the fact that the resource contributes to a high degree in the price of the final product cost through the cost of purchasing raw materials.
Bargaining power of buyers: Customers is one of external threats that affect the organization's strategy and future plans, customers control the market share of the institution.
A strong contender among the participants in the competition: Organizations that share market shares and produce the same product, compete among themselves to attract customers and promote the products must be taken into account when analyzing the external environment of the organization.
Substitute services or products: Alternative products are a product differs from what is produced by others institutions, but they offer the same degree of saturation. The ability of any organization to produce products makes up an organization threatened with losing the market share of that organization.
The analysis of the external environment helps the administration in the formation of an early warning system in order to create the necessary preparations before the emergence of potential threats in a due time; thus be able to design efficient strategies to counter the threat and minimize its negative effects on the organization or a positive turn towards the achievement of strategic goals (Rose and Cray, 2010).
Organization can operate at maximum efficiency to exploit the opportunities and threats in the external environment by identifying the strengths and weaknesses in the internal environment of the organization; it makes sense that there is no organization equal force in all of its functions (Mintzberg, 1987).
Based on Porter (1996), value chain model used to analyze the main activities of the organization in order to identify sources of competitive advantage and therefore know the strengths and weaknesses in the current internal environment. Value chain Model consists of primary activities and support activities. The primary activities are: Internal supplies, operations, outbound logistics, sales and marketing, and Services. The supporting activities are: organizational structures, human resources management, technology development, and procurement.
VI. Role of Information Technology in Strategic Formulation
The Management Information System (MIS) provides information and reports needed by managers and decision makers in various levels (Murthy, 2010). MIS provides historical data on sales, prices, and production costs, and performance; it submitted to the Central Administration of such data for each unit of work, with the potential for comparison and evaluation (Ortega, 2010).In the lower management, they use the system to obtain the necessary data on the daily movement of material and use workers, expenses, and sales.
According to Ortega (2010), building a database of information strategy and the use of advanced systems in the processing and analysis of information contribute to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of operations and internal activities. Also, there are computer programs are integrated with manufacturing processes and production and contribute to the organization of each activity in the manufacturing environment and the end of the distribution of output of products and services. Accurate information is essential as a guide for action; every organization needs tools for data collection and tabulation to be a key as well as important evidence of performance, diagnose problems, sorting, and processing reports of critical information for strategic purposes. This is what can be achieved by information technology (Murthy, 2010).
Attribute associated with the Internet make it distinct from other means of information technology. Internet allows organizations to access to global markets, more effective marketing, connect effectively with partners and customers; also ability to link a particular activity with other activities, in addition to make the data available for a particular activity widespread within and outside the company (Porter, 2001).
VII. Summary and Conclusion
Organizations are looking for various elements that enable it to strengthen its position in the market and achieve competitive advantage. Strategic Plan is the plan laid down by the organization to achieve its goals. The formulation of the strategy concerned with a statement and analysis of the factors affecting the implementation of the strategic plan by the organization.
Porter introduced a model helps companies to choose one of the three comprehensive strategies and identifying potential areas of competitive advantage that can be taken by the company in its struggle with the five competitive forces. SWOT analysis a useful tool to analyze the general situation of the organization on the basis of the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Mutually approach for strategy formulation is the most commonly used and involving all departments in the organization.
Information systems should be compatible and consistent with the organization to provide the necessary information needed by the organization. Organization should be conscious and open to the effects caused by information systems, and the direction to take advantage of modern technologies used by information systems and be able to uses them. |
warc | 201704 | This essay has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work written by our professional essay writers.
Even though you may not initially understand some of the unusual terminology in the story (Soul of the World, for example), its themes are ones which are probably familiar to you. Can you think of some old, familiar proverbs or songs that capture some of these ideas? For example, think about what ends up being more important for Santiago-the journey….or the destination??? Where is it that Santiago eventually finds happiness? People have been writing and singing about the answers to these questions for years!
The novel integrates ideas and philosophies of many faiths and historical periods. Many of these ideas concern the pursuit of truth, one's intended destiny and the attainment of personal happiness. Coelho refers to these combined elements as one's "Personal Legend." He tells the story of Santiago in order to teach us how we may find and live out our own Personal Legends. These ideas, though, have been explored since ancient times in one form or another by countless faiths and peoples. Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Taoism, Christianity, Judaism, countless tribal cultures, in addition to ancient and modern philosophers, all attempt to define the idea of one's Personal Legend (though they may call it by different names), and all subscribe paths to achieving personal fulfillment. Thus, although the legend is about no faith or philosophy in particular, it is about all faiths and philosophies.
Alchemy is the medieval "science" of transforming rocks into gold. Alchemy plays an important part in the plot (literal level) of the story, but it also becomes a symbol, or allegorical device, in the legend (figurative level). Coelho is really using characters, events and symbols as tools to show us how to achieve spiritual alchemy. In other words, how do we find or recognize the "gold," -- our Personal Legend-- in the "rocks" of the everyday, ordinary, simple details of our lives? As Santiago discovers, sometimes the "gold" is not faraway, not glittery, not exotic, and not complicated, but it may require a journey of courage, faith and perseverance to discover what it is and where it is hidden.
In an interview, Paulo Coelho talks about "Four Pillars of Alchemy- four important "tips" for finding one's Personal Legend:
One must believe in "The Soul of the World." The ancient Latin term for this concept is "anima mundi." In short, this idea suggests that everything in the world is interconnected; that is, what one does affects everything else, from the smallest grain of sand to the largest whale, and vice versa. Writers and thinkers such as Plato, Walt Whitman and Khalil Ghibran have attempted to illustrate this interconnectedness in their works.
One must listen to the voice of the heart. Coelho suggests that sometimes we must follow our feelings and intuitions, even if we do not fully understand them. Through feeling one gains wisdom.
One must be faithful to one's dreams, for they both test and reward us. In other words, the path to achieving one's Personal Legend may not be an easy one, but we must endure the tests in order to gain the rewards.
One must "surrender oneself to the universe." Coelho suggests that we must allow ourselves to be open to recognizing and learning from omens and signs which come our way.
Questions for Novel Study:
Why does Coelho open with the modified myth of Narcissus? How does the new version differ from the original one? How does it change the myth's meaning? What might the author be suggesting about how we perceive ourselves and the world?
The novel opens with Santiago thinking about his sheep. What does he observe about their existence? How might the sheep symbolize the way some people live their lives? How does his observation that they "have forgotton to rely on their own instincts" foreshadow later events in the story?
How does Santiago's father react when his son tells him that he wants to travel?(p.9)
To what degree is his father's observation about travelers ("They come in search of new things, but when they leave they are basically the same people they were when they arrived.") true about Santiago?
Why does the old fortune teller say that Santiago's dream is difficult to interpret?(p.12-14). Why is Santiago suspicious of her?
The old man tells Santiago the story about the miner and the emerald on p. 24. How does it connect to Santiago's situation? What does he mean when he says that "treasure is uncovered by the force of flowing water, and it is buried by the same currents"? What does this quote have to do with the miner/emerald story?
What point does the old man's story about the boy in the castle and the drops of oil (p.30-32) make? How might this story apply to us in our modern lives?
How does the King assist Santiago in recognizing omens? When does Santiago use this help?
How do Santiago's thoughts and perceptions about himself and the world begin to change on pp. 42-44? Describe three things that Santiago sees now that he had never noticed before.
What lessons does Santiago learn by working at the crystal shop? Why do you think Coelho chose crystal? How does the crystal merchant's explanation for not taking the pilgrimage to Mecca (p.55) highlight the difference between Santiago and the merchant? What effect does the merchant say Santiago has had on him?
The Englishman and his goals are described on pp.65-70. What is he looking for? What does he demonstrate to Santiago that he already knows? On p. 78, he says that the progress made at the crystal shop is an example of the principle of the Soul of the World. What does he mean? How does he define this? How does he connect the idea to the relationship between the caravan and the desert?
The oasis is described in great detail. How does its lushness, laughter and color reflect what Santiago finds there? Where else in the story does Coelho provide details about the physical setting in order to lend more meaning to the events which occur there?
Explain how Santiago's union with Fatima represents the Language of the World, according to Santiago on p.93. Why does Fatima accept that her new husband wanders the desert, as she explains on p.98?
What is the meaning of the two dead hawks and the falcon in the oasis? How does this omen change Santiago's status in society?
During his trek through the desert with the alchemist, Santiago is told of many basic truths. The alchemist says,"There is only one way to learn. It's through action. Everything you need to know you have learned through your journey"(p.125). What are some of the things Santiago has learned through action?
Why do you think the alchemist tells Santiago the story about the man's dream about the two sons (the poet and the soldier) on p. 156?
Why did Santiago have to go through the dangers of the tribal wars on the outskirts of the oasis in order to reach the Pyramids? At this point, the boy remembers the old proverb: "The darkest hour of the night came just before the dawn." How does this apply to his situation now? At the end of the journey, why did the alchemist leave Santiago alone to complete it?
Earlier in the story, the alchemist told Santiago "when you possess great treasures within you, and try to tell others of them, seldom are you believed." At the end of the story, how did this simple lesson change Santiago's life? How did it lead him back to the treasure he was looking for?
Topics for Research:
What is alchemy? What processes were involved? Who performed it and why? Who were the famous alchemists of the medieval period?
Who is Melchizedek? What role does he play in the Old Testament?
What are the Five Pillars of Islam (p. 54). What is the Koran?
Explore the concept of Soul of the World as different religions and philosophies define it.
Research the tribal ways of the Bedouins of the Sahara (77).
Research one of the geographical settings from the novel.
What are the basic theories of Freud's or Jung's dream analysis theories? Catalog all of the dreams that occur in the book, and attempt to interpret one according to a theorist.
Research levanters, siroccos and other regional weather features described in the book.
Post-Reading Activities:
Map out Santiago's journey. Include obstacles he encounters and lessons he learns in their geographically correct locations. Provide a key which suggests ideas, progress, symbolism, etc. (I will explain)
Read Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" and keep a reaction journal which connects his verse to Coelho's Soul of the World idea.
Keep a dream journal for one week. Try to interpret what you think they mean on your own, then research what they might mean according to Freud or Jung, or according to an ancient culture (medieval, Egyptian, Greek, African,etc.)
Create a dance, pantomime, musical or other performance in which you use "Unspoken Language" to convey the story of Santiago.
Create a painting, collage, photo-essay, shapescape (I will explain) or sculpture which captures an idea, relationship or moment from the story. Provide a written explanation of your work.
Produce a creative writing piece which captures some of the central ideas of the book. Some ideas:
Journal: A Day in the Life of a Shepherd
Two or three songs (with lyrics) from "The Alchemist: The Musical"
Rewrite a portion of the story from a different perspective: Fatima, the Alchemist,the Fortune Teller, the crystal merchant the sheep!
Write Santiago's "How-To Find Your Treasure" Handbook, or "Personal Legends for Dummies"
Scrapbook (with explanatory notes) of Santiago's travels-feature pictures and items which Santiago accumulates as he learns about life
Letters between Fatima and Santiago
Unspoken Language Journal-Tune in to the various forms of unspoken language we experience around us every day. What gestures, facial expressions, intuitions and signals do we give and receive to guide us in our responses, actions, reactions and relationships? Observe interactions at school, at home, in nature, and in public places, and record incidents which illustrate that unspoken communication is sometimes as (if not more) powerful than the spoken word. |
warc | 201704 | This essay has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work written by our professional essay writers.
Mental retardation (MR) is the most common developmental disability and ranks first among chronic conditions causing major activity limitations among persons in the United States. In 1993, an estimated 1.5 million persons aged 6-64 years in the United States had MR, and the overall rate of MR was 7.6 cases per 1000 population(Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA).
According to the census of 1998, 7.60% of the total disabled population of Pakistan consists of mentally retarded people. Diagnosis of mentally retarded child in the family comes with great deal of challenges on the part of parents as well as siblings.
According to Cicirelli, Geottings & Seltzer, sibling relationships occupy a unique position within the study of human relationships, and are of potentially longer duration than any other human relationship. Sibling relationships, especially in comparison to parent-child relationships, are highly egalitarian and the sibling role remains part of the individual's identity regardless of changes in life events. These unique attributes contribute to the emotional and reciprocal influences that have been described among siblings at all stages in life (cited in Rimmerman & Raif, 2001). Sibling relationships are long-term and influential and can have a deep impact on children's development (Dia, Harrington, 2006).Most people grow up in a family with at least one brother or sister. The relationship between siblings can be manifested by rivalry and conflict, but can also be one of the closest and intimate relationships a person has in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Unlike parent-child relationships and children's peer relationships, there is far less empirical research dedicated to the study of sibling relationships, which is very surprising (Volling &Blandon, 2003) because sibling bond is only one of its kind among family relationships (Pruchno, Patrick, & Burant, 1996; Seltzer, 1989). These relationships are endorsed and not subject to individual choice. With the exception of adoption, siblings share the common genetic, cultural, and environmental characteristics and even after the death of one of the siblings, this relationship can be longer than any other type of relationship (Degeneffe & Burcham,2008).
The sibling bond fulfills many functions and provides reciprocated benefit but family dynamics become disturbed when one child in the family has developmental disability (Abendroth, 2009), because most children are raised with brothers and sisters and spend more of their time with their siblings than they do with their parents. Thus, when a child has a developmental disability or chronic illness, siblings' lives are affected (Lobato, Kao& Plante, 2006).
An estimated 7 million typically developing American children are siblings of children with a disability. Having a child with a disability affects everyone in a family. Having a child whose needs loom larger than those of other people in the family, and who has to be the priority, affects everyone (Levy, 2007). The birth of a child with a disability or chronic illness, or the discovery that a child has a disability, has a profound effect on parents and siblings as well. Children suddenly must adjust to a brother or sister who, because of their condition, may require a large portion of family time, attention, money, and psychological support. Yet it is an important concern to any family that the nondisabled sibling adjusts to the sibling with a disability. It is important because the nondisabled child's reactions to a sibling with a disability can affect the overall adjustment and development of self-esteem in both children (National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities, 1994).
There have been many reports of positive and negative outcomes to being raised with a disabled child. Siblings of disabled children develop greater understanding for disabled persons. They become more patient, tolerant, mature and responsible as well as develop pride on their brother or sister's accomplishment. But at the same time siblings may feel a myriad of feelings including resentment, jealousy, guilt, grief, fear, shame, embarrassment, and rejection. None of these feelings are bad but they may arise from a misunderstanding of the situation and a misinterpretation of parental behavior. The resentment and jealousy stems from the extra attention that parent and others give to disabled children (Alper,Schloss & Schloss, 1994). As in the pilot study by Peter Burke & Sue Montgomery, (2000), they noted that siblings of disabled children receive less attention from their parents due to extra care the disabled children require. Siblings may dislike the special concession given to the children with disabilities in terms of rules and regulations. It may become difficult for siblings of disabled children to accept that their programs and activities are scheduled according to needs of disabled children. Most of all siblings of disabled children are expected to help their disabled brother or sister and that demand may become burdensome when they do not even know that how to communicate with their brother or sister. As a result of being treated this way they may feel rejected and develop a low self esteem. They become even more tensed when their friends ask questions about their disabled brother or sister and they cannot answer accurately. They may also become fearful of developing the condition, catch it, or pass it on to their own children some day. As this sister of a child who has mental retardation said:
When I was young I used to get pretty good grades, but I went through a very painful period wondering when my grades would change and I would "grow retarded" like my sister. I never talked with anyone about those fears. Initially, I was afraid to talk about this because I dreaded the answer. Later, when I understood what retardation was, I felt guilty that I had such thought (Alper,Schloss & Schloss, 1994).
Siblings may feel 'left out' when parents do not share information regarding their brother or sister's condition with them because they have very little opportunity to know about disability of their brother or sister. Donald Meyer, the director of the Sibling Support Project in Seattle, Washington, says: "Brothers and sisters have an ever-changing need for information about their sibling's disability" (Morin, 2007). Siblings of disabled children often get confused due to their parents' reluctance to talk about their disabled children to their siblings. As Opperman and Alant (2003), reported that there is limited family interaction when there is a disabled child in the family and siblings of disabled children were given limited information and guidance about their disabled siblings. They want to know about their siblings' disability and are not sure that whether or not they should talk about their sibling's disability to their friends and other people. They don't understand that how to express their feelings about their disabled siblings. Their feelings may range from confusion to anger, fear, sadness and embarrassment. Sometimes their shame is so prominent that they wish they did not even know their brother or sister who acts so differently (Mazur, 2001). According to sister of 13 years old mentally retarded boy, she feels terrible about her reactions to his outbursts and expressed her feelings as:
''I know it's not his fault and that's the way he is, and so I shouldn't really be embarrassed, but sometimes I am'' (cited in Cook, 2003).
The normal children are called ''shadow siblings'' because the disabled child occupies the center of the family. Growing up at the margin does not help identity formation either (Meyer, 1994).According to santrock, 1993, a child's disability may have a significant effect on the functioning of the family and the home environment and may affect the psychosocial development of the nondisabled siblings. The effect of the child's disability may be particularly significant from childhood to adolescence when children experience major biological and physical changes. Siblings may feel lonelier, have fewer friends and experience more peer problems compared to other children of their age without disabled siblings.Siblings of disabled children are more concerned about the future of their brother or sister (as cited in Kouvava, Stampoltzis, Antonopoulou, Tsitas, Maka, Kalambouka & Zenakou). As Ishizaki et al. (2005) reported that psychosocial problems are more prevalent in siblings of children with disabilities than siblings of children without disabilities. Bagenholm and Gillberg (1991), reported that siblings of children with mental retardation were lonelier than their age mates of typically developing children and had more problems interacting with their peers (cited in Rossiter and Sharpe, 2001).
Siblings often have two views about the cause of their brother or sister's disability. One view is developed by the information given to them by their parents and the other view is developed on their private thoughts. These private thoughts may include the same feelings as researchers reported like guilt and fear. A disabled child in the family requires a great deal of time and energy. To fulfill this requirement non disabled siblings are often responsible for the care taking purpose of the disabled children. If non disabled child receive limited attention from their parents then pressure to be involved in caretaking tasks may lead to psychological disturbances. Non disabled siblings may be burdened by high aspirations to compensate their parental disappointments on the part of their disabled children. Non disabled siblings often get frustrated if they could not meet the expectations of their parents. Siblings of disabled children may feel anger more intensely and more often than siblings of non disabled children. Their level of anger and resentment may depend on the financial resources of the family, the number and gender of the siblings and the extent to which disabled child requires excessive time and attention of their parents. Having a disabled child in the family inhibits the communication in the family and thus non disabled children may feel loneliness (Mazur, 2001). Bagenholm and Gillberg (1991), found that siblings of mentally retarded children complained to be given more work and caretaking activities at home (cited in Rossiter and Sharpe, 2001). As Mortimer, 2008 reported that siblings of children with special needs can feel embarrassed, resentful, guilt jealous, sad, and feeling different from their peers. They may not want to invite friends home or be seen in public places with the sibling. Brothers and sisters may have feelings that are hard to express, even to close friends. They may feel sad about their sibling's disability or angry when their sibling doesn't act like a typical sibling in public. They may feel an overwhelming responsibility to do well in school and at home so that their parents don't have to worry about them when they have so many other worries (Chattanooga Times, November, 2009).
Greenberg, Seltzer, Orsmond, and Krauss, 1999, reported that almost 60 percent of the siblings of persons with mental retardation expected to assume primary care giving responsibility in the future and as compared to brothers, sisters of mentally retarded children are more often expected future care giving role and responsibility. Although both brothers and sisters help their parents for care of their disabled sibling but studies show that older sisters especially have increased care giving demands. Researchers suggest that these sisters have less time for them and have more conflict with the child who has disability (Arch National Resource Center, 1993).
Increasingly, the opportunities many siblings experience by growing up with a brother or sister with special needs are also being acknowledged. These include insight on the human condition; maturity from successfully coping with a siblings' special needs; pride in their siblings' abilities; loyalty toward their siblings and families; and appreciation for their own good health and families. Brothers and sisters of children with special health and developmental needs routinely face problems that are not experienced by other children. Defending a brother or sister from name-calling, responding to questions from friends and strangers, and coping with a lack of attention or exceedingly high expectations from parents are only a few of the problems siblings may experience(Arch National Resource Center,1993). Siblings of mentally retarded children deal with the same problems.
Retardation in a child surely has an effect on all family members. Studies indicated less intense sibling relationships when there is mentally retarded child in the family also expressing realistic concerns about the future (Eisenberg, Baker &Â Blacher, 1998). Siblings of children with mental retardation may be at greater risk for adjustment problems because of family stress related to the needs of the child with mental retardation (Lynch, 1993). Researches show symptoms of anxiety and depression in the siblings of mentally retarded children (Lobato, Kao& Plante, 2006).
Other concerns siblings may have include over identification ,fearing that they also have the siblings' condition; a perceived pressure to achieve in academics, or sports; feelings of guilt about having caused the illness or disability or of being spared the condition; feelings of resentment when the child with special needs becomes the focus of the family's attention or is permitted to engage in behavior unacceptable for other family members; and concerns about their and their sibling's future (Arch National Resource Center,1993).
Rossiter and Sharpe, (2001), found negative effect for having a sibling with mental retardation on the functioning of typically developing children. They also suggested that negative effect would depend on many factors as parents, other siblings, level of functioning of the mentally retarded children, the extended family, peer group, socioeconomic status, the community and so on.
Williams et al., (2010) concluded after identifying responses of the parent's perception of the effect on well siblings of children with disabilities, 61.1% reflected negative manifestations of increased risk in well siblings; 1.7% indicated no risk; and 37.2% reflected positive outcomes.
Rossiter and Sharpe, (2001), reported significant differences between the siblings of children with mental retardation in terms of their age as they found more positive functioning of adult siblings of mentally retarded children. Stoneman (1998), (cited in Rossiter and Sharpe,2001) reported that positive impact of having a sibling with mental retardation should also be considered and must recognize the possibility that some positive consequences may not appear until adolescence or adulthood.
According to Turnbull & Turnbull (1990), siblings of mentally retarded children need a continuous support to bear the challenges of their lives so that they can be better adjusted. Siblings need positive role models in the form of their parents, who can make them feel esteemed and cared for. They need to feel that they have their own position in the family and are not an afterthought. They must know that they are not responsible for the disability of their brother or sister and should not be pressurized to care for them or to be involved if they wish. Siblings definitely need support groups to provide an opportunity to learn new information and to share their experiences with one another. Parent organization, clinics, and therapists often organize groups of siblings to discuss their feelings and deal with mutual issues. Siblings can work out their negative feelings in a supportive environment and without the fear of offending parents and the brother and sister who has a disability (Alper, Schloss and Schloss, 1994). |
warc | 201704 | Kissam Quad wins Freshman Energy Conservation Contest
Posted in NEWS on Tuesday, April 3rd, 2007
[Originally published by Vanderbilt Student Communications on InsideVandy]
By Harish Krishnamoorthi
Students Promoting Environmental Awareness and Recycling announced Kissam Quad as the winner of its Freshman Energy Conservation Contest.
The contest, a pilot program for the organization’s sustainability and conservation initiative, took place March 18-31.
“We decided to sponsor the competition for several reasons. One was to increase awareness of the student body of energy use and the very simple practices students can do to decrease energy use,” said SPEAR President Jenny Magill. “The freshmen were the most obvious group to target because they will be here for the next three years.”
SPEAR encouraged students to follow the simple conservation measures posted on its Web site in order to compete.
Turning off appliances when not in use and using windows as a method of air circulation were two of the suggestions included in the list.
Kissam Quad decreased its energy use by 7 percent by utilizing techniques these techniques and others. This 7 percent equals approximately a .6 kilowatt-hour decrease per person.
Energy use data was collected with the help of the Office of Housing and Residential Education and Plant Operations.
Keagan Compton, a freshman living in Dyer Hall, said he felt that he did not have to do much to decrease energy consumption.
“Just a tiny bit of change from a bunch of people can add up to a lot of energy savings,” said Compton, who did his part in the competition by avoiding the use of his main lights and trying to watch less television.
“It’s seemed like a good idea to cut down on energy,” he said. “We take advantage of how much energy we use.”
Kissam and Hemingway Halls both turned off their common room and individual dorm room lights for large segments of time in order to contribute to their quad’s efforts.
“With as many rooms as there are in Kissam Quad, you shut off your main lights for a good hour or two and save a ton of energy, so I guess a little bit each day from everybody you can save a bunch of money, and 7 percent is good I guess,” Compton said.
In recognition of their efforts, residents of Kissam Quad will receive a pizza party with Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and a massage therapist April 15.
While this year’s competition included only the freshmen, SPEAR plans to expand the competition to the entire campus.
“This was a trial competition, and we’re going to do a more full-scale, broad competition that will include the entire campus,” Magill said. |
warc | 201704 | <p>Despite the almost daily advances in the <a href="https://www.verywell.com/what-is-hiv-aids-48621" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="1">HIV</a> sciences, the shadow of <strong>AIDS denialism</strong> still looms large, casting doubt and distraction among those who are often in the most need of care.</p><p>While the major voices of dissent (Peter Duesberg, Celia Farber) may no longer be able to grab the media spotlight they had back in the 1980s and 90s—when far less was known about HIV and fear provided a ready platform for those on the fringes of legitimate science—their messages and methods still have impact today.</p><p>To dismiss their ideas as medical "quackery" or remnants of a less enlightened past greatly underplays the effect that denialism has on the public's perception about HIV, as well as the unspoken fears and emotions they feed into.</p><p>As recently as 2007, a survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that 51% of minority <a href="https://www.verywell.com/men-who-have-sex-with-men-msm-48993" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="2">men who have sex with men (MSM)</a> agreed with the statement "HIV does not cause AIDS."</p><p>Research suggests that conspiracy views among this group was not so much driven by dissident beliefs per se, but by <a href="https://www.verywell.com/the-real-reasons-why-people-dont-use-condoms-49669" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="3">negative attitudes toward condom use</a>, as well as a general distrust of governmental and/or healthcare authorities.</p><h3>Where Does AIDS Denialism Begin?</h3><p>According to the Oxford Dictionary, a denialist is "a person who refuses to admit the truth of a concept or proposition that is supported by the majority of scientific or historical evidence."</p><p>Chris Hoofnagle, senior staff attorney of Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic at the University of California, Berkeley, extends the definition by stating:</p><blockquote><em>"Since legitimate dialogue is not a valid option for those who are interested in protecting bigoted or unreasonable ideas from scientific facts, their only recourse is to use... rhetorical tactics."</em></blockquote><p>Some of the rhetorical tactics identified by Tara C. Smith, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Iowa College of Public Health, and Dr. Steven Novella of Yale University School of Medicine include</p><ul><li>Portraying mainstream science as either intellectually compromised or interest-driven (e.g. biased by "drug money").</li><li>Selectively choosing which authorities to believe and which to dismiss in order to frame a conspiracy argument, or to suggest that a proven science is being debated.</li><li>Lowering the status of the denied science to that of deeply rooted (often persecuted) faith, while characterizing scientific consensus as dogmatic and suppressive.</li><li>"Pushing back the goalpost" by demanding more scientific evidence than is currently available, and then insisting upon new evidence when those demands are met.</li></ul><h3>Vulnerable to Denialism?</h3><p>Meanwhile, members of the public who embrace denialist beliefs are often seen to be vulnerable to misinformation or fraud, or simply lacking the education needed to make an informed judgment. Research from the University of Connecticut seems to suggest otherwise.</p><p>Of internet users in the study who endorsed a specific AIDS denialist belief, ratings for trust and believability were higher for a mainstream medical website (Tufts Medical School) than for two denialist websites they were shown (Matthias Rath, Jonathan Campbell). This seems to indicate that denialist messages don't as much instigate personal belief, but rather validate the suspicions and doubts of those unwilling (or unable) to accept medical fact against their own better judgment.</p><p>According to study conducted by the CDC, only 44% of Americans <a href="https://www.verywell.com/what-are-my-hiv-testing-options-49621" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="4">diagnosed with HIV</a> are linked to medical care. Misinformation about HIV—tied in with the fear of disclosure and lack of HIV appropriate care—is considered a key reason as to why many choose to delay treatment until the onset of <a href="https://www.verywell.com/symptoms-of-hiv-by-stage-48785" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="5">symptomatic disease</a>.</p><p>So while AIDS denialism may seem like ancient history to some, its ability to confound and disrupt remains just as potent as ever.</p><p><strong>More on AIDS Denialism - <a href="https://www.verywell.com/top-five-aids-denialists-48694" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="6">Top 5 AIDS Denialists</a> </strong></p><p><strong><sub>Sources:</sub></strong></p><p><sub>Bogart, L. and Thorburn, S. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15671808" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="externalLink" data-ordinal="7">"Are HIV/AIDS conspiracy beliefs a barrier to HIV prevention among African Americans?"</a> <em>Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.</em> February 1, 2005; 38(2):213-8.</sub></p><p><sub>Hutchinson, A.; Begley, B.; Sullivan. P.; et al. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17704688" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="externalLink" data-ordinal="8">"Conspiracy beliefs and trust in information about HIV/AIDS among minority men who have sex with men."</a> <em>Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome</em>. August 15, 2007; 45(5):603-5.</sub></p><p><sub>Smith, T., Novella, P. <a href="http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.0040256" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="externalLink" data-ordinal="9">"HIV Denial in the Internet Era."</a> <em>PLoS Medicine.</em> August 21, 2007; 4(8): e256.</sub></p><p><sub>Kalichman, S.; Eaton, L.; and Cherry,C. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3015095/#R19" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="externalLink" data-ordinal="10">"There is no Proof that HIV Causes AIDS": AIDS Denialism Beliefs among People Living with HIV/AIDS."</a> <em>Journal of Behavioral Medicine.</em> December 2010, 33(6):342-440 (Table 3).</sub></p><p><sub>Skarbinski, J.; Furlow-Parmley, C.; and Frazie, E. <a href="http://www.retroconference.org/2012b/Abstracts/43173.htm" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="externalLink" data-ordinal="11">"Nationally Representative Estimates of the Number of HIV+ Adults who Received Medical Care, Were Prescribed ART, and Achieved Viral Suppression-Medical Monitoring Project, 2009 to 2010-US."</a> 19th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI); Seattle, Washington; March 8, 2013; oral abstract #138.</sub></p> |
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Zentonil is a nutritional supplement that serves as an aid in all situations where the liver is known or suspected to be under stress. Zentonil tablets are formulated for dogs and cats to help support liver function. The tablets can be split into halves or quarters and are best given with no food in the stomach (either 2 hours before or 2 hours after a meal)
Zentonil Advanced 100mg are for cats. For the correct option for your dog please see below and match up to what your dog weighs.
Zentonil contains SAMe as well as Silybin (from Milk Thistle). The Zentonil rate is 100mg of tablet per 5kg bodyweight
Zentonil Advanced tablets contain the pure, stable salt of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), developed specifically for veterinary use in dogs and cats. Thanks to patented and highly exclusive microencapsulation technology, tablets may be split, crushed or chewed without compromising SAMe bioavailability. They also have the added benefits of silybin.
SAMe particles are individually microencapsulated before the addition of silybin, to preserve bioavailability. The silybin in Zentonil Advanced is complexed with phosphatidylcholine, which has been shown to significantly increase bioavailability.
The following table shows the daily feeding amount of tablets based on animal weight. The tablets can be split into halves or quarters and are best given either 2 hours before or after a meal.
Animal Weight Advanced 100 Advanced 200 Advanced 400 2.5kg ½ 5kg 1 ½ 10kg 2 1 ½ 15kg 1½ 20kg 2 1 30kg 1½ 40kg 2
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warc | 201704 | While we are celebrating a robust and healthy workplace, it becomes easy to allow our careers to coast. Choosing to become a non-active participant however may place a risk to our careers. Here are
5 warning signs
and how to use them to your best advantage.
You have been in your job longer than anyone in the company If you have not received an opportunity for promotion or some cross-functional movement within the last three years, you should wonder why. With the general exodus of older workers, employees are being moved at record speeds. Want a raise…chances are you may increase your salary by at 20% or more by leaving your current job. Fellow co-workers and bosses consider you an expert Why this may not seem so bad, the generalist type is usually the preferred choice for promotional consideration. Starting tooting your horn to a larger audience about broader concepts; wait for the new opportunities to respond. You were overlooked for a promotion you had “in the bag” Leverage this event by discovering what the “winner” brought to the table. Do your best to make your new boss look good as you begin your search for your next opportunity. Your direct boss and other supervisors recently quit If the ghosts of Enron and WorldCom come haunting, pay heed. Once you witness a mass exodus at upper levels, you may wish to ask yourself why. Start reviewing your options. One strategy includes changing the funding of current company stock into your retirement. Diversify! Your organization recently merged or was purchased by a large conglomerate After heeding #4, remember the word “rightsizing.” Re-package yourself and all of your finances to protect your future. Now is also a good time to practice interviewing again.
If you sense a theme here, you are correct. Staying in one place too long without getting any benefit may seriously hurt your career and your financial future. Take off the rose-colored glasses and look around! |
warc | 201704 | Setting up a business
ABN, GST, TFN: Setting up a business can be a minefield of acronyms. But essentially, there are 3 key steps to get you on your way.
ABN, GST, TFN: Setting up a business can be a minefield of acronyms. But essentially, there are 3 key steps to get you on your way.
Unless you plan on trading under your own name, you’ll need to decide on a business or company name. Think about making it catchy, easy to recall, and logical to spell (so customers can Google you). Then:
An Australian Business Number helps identify your business in public records and facilitates interactions with banks, the tax office (for GST registration), and other government departments. Although it’s not mandatory for solo business owners to have an ABN, most businesses will need one for invoicing or to create purchase orders.
If you plan on operating as an incorporated entity, the company needs to be registered with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. ASIC issues an Australian Company Number (ACN) for use in all business transactions. You need this before applying for an ABN.
Additionally, partnerships, trusts and companies need a separate tax file number (TFN) to do business. (Sole traders use their personal TFN when dealing with any business tax matters).
Apply for an ABN and TFN through the Australian Business Register.
If you think your business will earn $75,000 or more, you’ll need to register for GST (goods and services tax) through the ATO . The 10% GST you levy on customers is offset against any GST you incur in doing business: any difference is then calculated when completing your business activity statement (BAS).
There are a few other reasons why businesses might register for GST. Check with your tax adviser about your particular situation.
To be eligible to apply for Business One – Low Plan, your business must be registered in Australia.
General advice: This information is general only and does not constitute any recommendation or advice. It is current at the time of publication, and is subject to change. It has been prepared without taking account of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Because of this you should, before acting on the information, consider its appropriateness, having regard to these matters. Consider obtaining personalised advice from a professional financial adviser and your accountant before making any financial decisions in relation to the matters discussed in this document, including when considering the finance options for your business. |
warc | 201704 | Respect, Defense, and Self-Identity: Profiling Parricide in Nineteenth-Century America, 1852-1899 (Violence Studies 2) By: Phillip Chong Ho Shon (author) Hardback
1 - 2 weeks availability
Description Ever since Oedipus unwittingly killed his father and married his mother in Sophocles' play, parricide - the killing of a parent or another close relative - has been a dominant motif in works of literature, film, psychoanalytic theory, and criminology. Yet, parricide, for much of the twentieth and twenty-first century, has been framed as an adolescent phenomenon, with child abuse proffered as the overriding cause related to the killing of parents. Respect, Defense, and Self-Identity provides a new way of understanding parricides by analyzing the behavior of offenders and victims at the scene of the crime in relation to the sources of conflict. This book examines the conflict between parents and their offspring across the life course and argues that parricides are shaped by factors such as respect, defense, and self-identity. Respect, Defense, and Self-Identity is recommended for classroom use in courses such as criminology, homicide, family violence, and social work.
About Author Phillip Chong Ho Shon is Associate Professor of Criminology at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. He received his PhD in criminal justice in 2003 from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Shon has authored several articles and books, including How to Read Journal Articles in the Social Sciences and Language and Demeanor in Police-Citizen Encounters. His research interests include police behavior, police-citizen encounters, law and society, sociology of law, criminology, and homicide studies.
Contents Contents: Sources of Conflict - Weapon Usage in Nineteenth Century American Parricides - Pre-Offense Characteristics of Nineteenth-Century American Parricide Offenders - Post-Offense Characteristics of Nineteenth-Century American Parricides - Murder-Suicide and Mass Murder in the Context of Parricides - Existential Boundary Crossings: Parricides as Identity Projects - Comparing Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Parricides - Reconciling Theory and Data. Product Details publication date: 14/06/2014 ISBN13: 9781433121067 Format: Hardback Number Of Pages: 184 ID: 9781433121067 weight: 380 ISBN10: 1433121069 Delivery Information Saver Delivery: Yes 1st Class Delivery: Yes Courier Delivery: Yes Store Delivery: Yes
Prices are for internet purchases only. Prices and availability in WHSmith Stores may vary significantly
© Copyright 2013 - 2017 WHSmith and its suppliers. WHSmith High Street Limited Greenbridge Road, Swindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom, SN3 3LD, VAT GB238 5548 36 |
warc | 201704 | In the next month, we’re poised to see the latest death blow to centrism in both parties, with Republican Sen.
Richard Lugar of Indiana in the primary fight of his political life and a leading Blue Dog Democrat, Rep. Tim Holden, facing an unheralded but serious and well-funded challenger in next week’s Pennsylvania primary.
The retirement of moderate Sen.
Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, was only a blip on the radar screen monitoring the shrinking of parties’ centrist factions, which allowed compromise and deal-making to flourish in the past. The rise of the tea party movement may have spotlighted the GOP’s drift rightward, but the centrist decline is a bipartisan phenomenon.
It’s plausible that after the 2012 election, thanks to partisan redistricting and the ideological reorienting of the parties, there will be only three white Southern Democrats left in the House --
Jim Cooper of Tennessee, Gene Green of Texas, and David Price of North Carolina. Of the 34 Democrats who voted against President Obama’s health care law, 24 either lost their seats in 2010 or plan to retire after this Congress, and another six are facing difficult reelection campaigns. There’s little chance the moderate Blue Dog Caucus can plausibly survive after the election given that attrition. Meanwhile, the base is thriving: Three of the marquee Democrats running for Senate this year—Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, and Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts—are all running to the populist left.
Meanwhile, Republicans appear content to allow primary voters to render their verdicts on influential veteran members they view as insufficiently conservative—Lugar; Sen.
Orrin Hatch, R-Utah; and House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich.—even though they’ve never had trouble on their right flank in the past. But in the current climate, nuclear diplomacy is out, military hawkishness is in; past support of cap-and-trade is politically toxic; Solyndra is the buzzword of the moment; and ever having teamed up with the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., on legislation is an occupational hazard. The GOP battles are as much generational as ideological: House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s daring endorsement and donation to freshman Rep. Adam Kinzinger over longtime conservative Don Manzullo last month, in a member-versus-member primary, is indicative of the GOP primary electorate’s thinking.
The upcoming primaries in Indiana and Pennsylvania illustrate how the changes in the country’s electorate have put two respected congressional members at serious risk.
Lugar, whose voting record is traditionally conservative, is from a bygone era. His early praise of then-Sen. Barack Obama’s voting record on nuclear nonproliferation at the beginning of the 2008 presidential race foreshadowed his current political predicament. His pet issue is viewed by many as a relic of the Cold War, and any praise of Obama is toxic in a GOP primary. Meanwhile, he’s been serving in Washington so long that he no longer has a permanent address in his home state. These are glaring red flags that were being waved long before he mounted his reelection campaign.
The one missing ingredient was always the presence of a formidable primary challenger. Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock had a decent resume but a dry campaign style, and he initially struggled to raise money and win endorsements. But as in any race against a vulnerable incumbent, voters will render their decision primarily on their satisfaction with that incumbent. In a sign of where this race is headed, conservative groups have rallied behind Mourdock, who outraised the longtime senator last quarter and is in striking distance in the latest independent poll.
Holden’s predicament in Pennsylvania is a testament to the partisan workings behind the gerrymandering process, which has reduced the number of competitive districts where centrism would be an asset. The Blue Dog Democrat had regularly dispatched Republican opponents despite running in a district that regularly backed GOP presidential candidates. His opposition to abortion rights, gun control, and his party’s green-energy initiatives were political winners in his conservative-minded former district. But redrawn into a solidly Democratic one, Holden is now facing a serious challenge on his left from trial attorney Matt Cartwright—and finding that his old stances are now major vulnerabilities. The campaign has gotten nasty: Cartwright sent out mailers accusing Holden of being an acolyte of former Vice President Dick Cheney and a pawn of Big Oil.
Holden is the more-polished candidate. But his new district isn’t just different ideologically; about 80 percent of his constituents are brand new. So he doesn’t hold the incumbency advantage that most members start out with. Both campaigns are claiming they have the edge, and it’s likely to go down to the wire.
As my colleague Ron Brownstein wrote in last week’s
National Journal cover story, congressional campaigns are becoming akin to parliamentary elections, with fewer voters picking presidential and Congressional candidates from different parties. Indeed, both parties have become homogeneous to the point where they’re almost entirely sorted out along ideological lines. The term “moderate” is an anachronism these days.
This trend has significant implications for the future trajectory of both parties. Democrats have more to lose politically if their party continues its leftward drift, because conservatives outnumber liberals by a 2-to-1 margin, according to surveys of the American electorate, most recently a Gallup poll released in January. In the modern era, Democrats have depended on a coalition of liberals and moderates to win elections, and the 2010 midterm losses nearly decimated the latter faction. But Republicans have lately shown little tolerance for ideological apostasy on issues like immigration, which would allow them to expand their appeal beyond the conservative base.
For all of the political changes over the past two decades, the ideological composition of the country has remained remarkably constant, even as the number of members representing the middle has shrunk. That means whichever party is best able to find room for the future Lugars and Holdens will be the one with a head start at holding the Congress in the years to come. |
warc | 201704 | Hiring a personal trainer is one way to make sure you follow through on an exercise plan, often alongside a diet. Trainers can teach you proper form so you don’t injure yourself, which allows you to take on challenges and progress. There’s some science indicating that you’ll do better with help from a supervised trainer than on your own. Part of the job is to keep you motivated and both realistic and upbeat about your health. You need to communicate enough to come up with a plan you can follow — then stick to it.
Be honest and candid. Bare the facts about your health habits, over the last year up through the last two weeks. Hearing the truth from your own mouth could be an eye-opener. We humans are good at fooling themselves. You may think you’re eating pretty well, but hear yourself confess a bowl of ice-cream every night or two cans of soda a day. You may think you get daily exercise even though that hasn’t been true for two years. Detail medications you are taking and any injuries or surgeries you’ve had. Medications can affect your heart rate; some moves aggravate osteoporosis and can make your condition worse. Trainers are required to keep health information confidential. Set short and long-term goals. Be specific, including timelines, and ask your trainer directly to let you know if you’re on track. For example, if you want to slim down, ask your trainer to measure your fat using a calipers and re-measure after perhaps three months. If you’re building up stamina for a hiking trip, do your research and tell your trainer how many hours a day you’ll be on your feet and the elevations. Dress the part. Have good sneakers and wear clothing that allows the trainer to see your body’s angles. An oversized T-shirt and sweat pants will get in the way. Respect the stopwatch. Timing counts. Trainers specify 30- or 60-second breaks between sets and ask you to hold the intensity of cardio intervals for specific durations. Cooperate and your results will soar. Stick to the plan. Your trainer should give you routines to do in between sessions that balance an upper and lower body workout and focus on any weaknesses you need to remedy, says Philip Goglia, PhD, a Santa Monica–based personal trainer, registered nutritionist, and author of “Turn Up the Heat: Unlock the Fat-Burning Power of Your Metabolism.” You might think it’s okay to push yourself harder, but let your trainer know at the next session. On the other hand, if you’ve agreed to go to the gym two times a week in addition to your regular session — and it hasn’t happened — confess. Provide feedback. During your sessions, if the “burn” is starting to feel like actual pain, say so. Getting injured helps no one. If you want your trainer to yell at you Marine-style, and she’s on the gentle side, tell her. On the other hand if you feel beat up after your sessions, try being candid before you quit. You can say, “Lighten up, please.” A good trainer will hear you and adjust. Trust your trainer. It’s OK to ask questions about the reasons for certain exercises, but interrupting and arguing can hurt the relationship, frustrating both of you. Trust means being open. Trainers hate to hear “I can’t do that,” or “No way.” Give it a try. Enthusiasm will go a long way.
Waste time. Most trainers would like you to come early and warm up before the session begins. Definitely don’t show up late and say, “I think I need to fill my water bottle,” “Let me get a dry towel real quick,” or “Oh, I need another bathroom trip.” Don’t arrive on an empty stomach, coming off a cold or stomach bug, or on four hours of sleep. Don’t take time to text or email.
Most planners prefer to conduct focused 30-minute sessions rather than an hour with a lot of dawdling. That includes chit-chat. Trainers often are empathic people and become a confidante. If you do pour out your heart one session, minimize conversation on the next go-round. Your trainer could get overwhelmed or angry if your workout is the last thing on your mind every time you meet.
Complain. You’re paying a trainer to help you grow stronger and fitter. There’s a difference between giving feedback — “I need a minute” — and whining. Be a grownup and do those last few reps. Be unrealistic. Your trainer is there to motivate you, but you still have to do the work. You also need to get enough sleep and eat in line with your goals. If you aren’t seeing progress, don’t just drift off. It’s time for another discussion about what you’re doing outside the sessions. Your trainer may need to push you harder. It’s also possible that you’re doing well and are beating yourself up for no reason. Coast. A good trainer will frequently tweak your plan and move you forward. You shouldn’t be doing the same exercises at every session or for months. Notice how you feel before, during, and after your training sessions. Do you anticipate sessions, feel engaged at the gym, and empowered afterwards? If you’re coasting or bored, are you the problem? Decide to put more heart into it, or find a new trainer. Accept unprofessionalism. Good personal trainers hate it when they see their peers flirt or touch clients inappropriately, double-booking, watching TV during a session, missing appointments, selling supplements, or providing bad diet advice. Move on.
Updated:
January 11, 2016
Reviewed By:
Janet O’Dell, RN |
warc | 201704 | No matter what kind of car or truck you drive, it has a thermostat in it. This thermostat is responsible for monitoring and regulating the coolant temperature in your vehicle's engine. If you were to look at the thermostat you would see that it is a metal valve and has a sensor built right into it. The thermostat does two things - it closes or it opens - and that’s what determines how the coolant behaves. When the thermostat is closed the coolant is kept in the engine. When it opens, the coolant is then able to circulate. It opens and closes based on the temperature. The coolant is used to prevent your engine from overheating and causing serious damage.
Because the thermostat is always working and always opening and closing, it's quite common for it to fail. While there is no set mileage that predicts when it will fail, it's important to act on it once it becomes faulty. It's also recommended that you replace the thermostat, even if it's not failing, each time you do work on the coolant system that is considered major.
Here are some signs to watch for that can signal the end of the lifespan for your thermostat:
If your Check Engine Light comes on, this is always cause for concern. The problem is that you can't tell why it has come on until you have a mechanic read the computer codes and diagnose the problem. A faulty thermostat can certainly cause this light to come on.
If your car heater isn't working and your engine remains cold, it could actually be an issue with your thermostat.
On the flip side if your engine is overheating, it could be your thermostat not kicking in and allowing the coolant to circulate.
The thermostat is an important part in ensuring your engine is able to operate properly. The thermostat allows coolant to circulate when needed in order to cool down the temperature of your engine. Without this part working, you risk your engine overheating, or not warming up enough. Once the part becomes faulty, it’s important to have it replaced immediately. |
warc | 201704 | Something From Nothing: Fried Rice
Hi, I’m Alexis from Bean and Bee. I write about sustainable living in the suburbs, whether it be growing your own food, making less toxic choices for your home, or reducing waste. Today, I’m sharing one of my favorite recipes that you can make with a few staple ingredients and whatever leftovers you have on hand – fried rice!
This is a one skillet dish, so clean up is easy. Since this fried rice recipe makes use of a lot of leftovers, your refrigerator will have more room as well. I usually make it when we haven’t been to the grocery store in a week and we are down to random bit of food. “Something From Nothing Fried Rice” is a crowd-pleaser in my home. My kids will actually happily eat whatever veggies work their way into the mix and it’s heavy enough that my husband and I feel satisfied after a bowl.
Cooking this meal is more art than science, but there are a few essential ingredients.
Rice ( leftover is perfect) and soy or teriyaki sauce are key. You also need a protein – eggs work well, as does leftover meat. In the version shown in the pictures, I used two eggs and a leftover grilled pork chop from the night before. One of the beautiful things about this dish is you can use up food that otherwise wouldn’t be enough to make another meal out of.
Less food waste saves you money and reduces the amount your household sends to the landfill. Less waste in the landfill means less creation of methane, a dangerous greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Who knew a recipe could save the Earth?
Let’s get started!
1. Gather Ingredients Essential Ingredients Cooked Rice ( estimate about a quarter cup of rice per serving) Soy or Teriyaki Sauce Protein – Egg and/or Meat Flexible Ingredients
Use what is about to go south in your vegetable drawer, these are just suggestions.
Onions ( I prefer white, yellow, or green) Peas Leafy Greens Carrots Celery Red or Green Bell Peppers 2. Prep Ingredients
Dice your meat, if you have some, and any vegetables you’re using. If you’re using eggs, scramble them in a bowl and set aside.
3. Begin Cooking Brown your onions in a large skillet. Add vegetables and cook about halfway though. Stir in the rice. Add sauce to taste by drizzling over the vegetable / rice mixture and allow to cook for 1 minute. It’s ok if it gets a little crisp on the bottom. If using egg, make a well in the middle of the rice and poor the egg in. Allow the egg to cook halfway through before mixing into the rice and vegetables. Add the diced meat, if using. Let the mixture cook a few more minutes, stirring occasionally until all proteins are heated through. Once heated through, remove from heat and serve in bowls. If you like it a spicy, drizzle a little Sriracha on top.
Enjoy!
For the version pictured, I used leftover brown rice, 2 eggs and a grilled pork chop, onions, frozen peas, and leftover green salad (
arugula, red pepper carrots, cherry tomatoes). It made enough for two adults and two children with some leftover. |
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warc | 201704 | The North Carolina Association of Educators and six veteran teachers filed a lawsuit that contends the law passed this summer takes away requirements that school administrators follow a defined process when firing a teacher. The law starts a five-year process moving all teachers into employment contracts that make it easier to dismiss educators.
Rodney Ellis, the president of the NCAE, says before when a teacher was facing termination there was a process to protect them, so no one could be terminated without a proper investigation. He says the new law does away with that, and that cuts by the legislature is making it harder to do their job well.
"I had a teacher tell me one day she's actually sitting down writing hand copies out of her book because she doesn't have text books. We don't even have text books from this decade! At what point are we going to show the type of investment our students need," said Ellis.
Since August, teachers who haven't worked the four years in a school district needed to qualify for career status are being offered one-year contracts, the lawsuit said. Veteran teachers lose their tenure protections in 2018. The law also directs school districts to pick the best 25 percent of teachers in classrooms next year and offer them four-year contracts with pay raises totaling $5,000 in exchange for giving up tenure rights.
East Chapel Hill High School teacher Brian Link said he is participating in the lawsuit because the law cuts off the job security that led him to move to North Carolina instead of Florida.
"I believed this state respected and valued its teachers," Link said in a statement. "Now, three years into my career, I will have none of those basic employment rights that first made me want to come here."
A series of legislative changes this year have led teachers to sign petitions, plan walk-outs and prepare lawsuits. Public school advocates last week sued the state to try to block a law that would let taxpayer money be used by low-income students wishing to attend private or religious schools.
The state's top two lawmakers said they were not concerned with the NCAE filing "another frivolous lawsuit."
"While union leaders are focused on succeeding in the courtroom, we'll remain focused on our children succeeding in the classroom," Senate leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, and House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, said in a written statement.
NCAE lobbies for teachers at the General Assembly, but it is not able to negotiate labor contracts like a union because state law prohibits collective bargaining by public employees.
Berger has said previously that the Obama Administration has pushed states to develop teacher evaluation systems with teeth, merit pay for teachers, and holding teachers and schools more accountable for how much students learn.
North Carolina law for more than 40 years has said veteran teachers can't be fired or demoted except for a series of listed reasons that include poor performance, immorality and insubordination. Career teachers also have the right to a hearing where they can challenge the reasons offered for their firing or demotion.
Seventeen of the state's 95,000 teachers were fired for cause last year, the same as the previous year and down from 52 in 2009-10, according to an annual report released earlier this month.
Ann McColl, the NCAE's top attorney, said a case decided by the state Court of Appeals on Tuesday points out why that's important to teachers. "Without these protections all sorts of arbitrary actions can occur without any recourse," McCroll said.
A three-judge appeals court panel ruled unanimously that the Perquimans County school board fired teacher Vanessa Joyner without clear cause. The teacher had earlier reported school board member Ralph Hollowell's wife, who taught at the same school, for mistakes in administering a writing test, judges wrote in their ruling. Though the school district's superintendent and her building's principal recommended Joyner, Hollowell said he observed Joyner at work and had never-specified concerns about how she did her job, judges said.
Hollowell's claims that Joyner performed poorly was "essentially unsupported, undocumented hearsay presented by one biased member" and "was neither competent nor substantial," a lower court judge ruled in ordering Joyner get back her job. The state appeals court agreed. |
warc | 201704 | Teddy's previous owner had died in the hospital and Teddy was left alone at home for weeks without food or water, and on the verge of death when he was finally discovered. That's all in the past now, and today Teddy's happy and healthy! But it's been a long road to recovery, and now Tina and Teddy have a message for all pet owners: HAVE A PET, HAVE A PLAN!
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), most people don't have a plan for their pets in case of emergency. So here are 7 tips to help you be prepared to protect your pets in case of emergency.
HAVE A PET, HAVE A PLAN Designate a Friend or Relative Carry a Pet Alert Card in Your Wallet Create a Pet Dossier Make an Evacuation Pack Get Your Pet Microchipped Put a Disaster Sticker on Your Front Door Download the Free ASPCA App
Identify someone you know and trust to be your pet's temporary (or permanent) caregiver in case of emergency. They should have keys to your house and all of your pet's vital information.
This card lets authorities know in case anything happens to you that you have pets at home that need to be taken care of, and lists contacts who can care for them. Here are some you can download: https://www.letfamilyknow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Pet_Alert_Wallet_Card.pdf
Keep all of your important records about your pet in a file. Include a list of medications, behavioral concerns, veterinary information, what they like to eat, and anything else a caregiver might need to know about your pet.
Store an emergency kit and leashes as close to an exit as possible. Items to consider keeping in or near your "Evac-Pack" include:
Pet first-aid kit and guide book (ask your vet what to include)
3-7 days worth of canned (pop-top) or dry food (be sure to rotate every two months)
Disposable litter trays (aluminum roasting pans are perfect)
Litter or paper toweling
Liquid dish soap and disinfectant
Disposable garbage bags for clean-up
Pet feeding dishes and water bowls
Extra collar or harness as well as an extra leash
Photocopies and/or USB of medical records and a waterproof container with a two-week supply of any medicine your pet requires. Remember, food and medications need to be rotated out of your emergency kit-otherwise they may go bad or become useless.
At least 7 days worth of bottled water for each person and pet (store in a cool, dry place and replace every two months)
A traveling bag, crate or sturdy carrier, ideally one for each pet
Flashlight
Blanket
Recent photos of your pets (in case you are separated and need to make "Lost" posters)
Especially for cats: Pillowcase, toys, scoop-able litter
Especially for dogs: Extra leash, toys and chew toys, a week's worth of cage liner
You might become separated from your pets, so the ASPCA strongly encourages you to have a microchip injected into your pets. It's about the size of a grain of rice and sits beneath the surface of your pet's skin between the shoulder blades. The process is similar to a routine shot, takes only a few seconds, and your pet will not react any more than he would to a vaccination. No anesthetic is required. If your pet gets lost and is taken to an animal shelter or veterinarian, they will scan the microchip to read its unique dog or cat ID code, which will help get him/her returned home.
This lets authorities know in case of an evacuation that you have animals inside that also need to be rescued. Get your free sticker here: https://secure.aspca.org/form/free-pet-safety-pack
If you evacuate, and time allows, write EVACUATED on the sticker before leaving so authorities don't think there are pets inside.
With a few swipes, you can access critical advice on what to do with your pet before, during, and after a natural disaster-even if there's no data connectivity; store and manage your pet's critical health records; receive a personalized missing pet recovery kit, including step-by-step instructions on how to search for a lost animal in a variety of circumstances; build a lost pet digital flyer that can be shared instantly on your social media channels; and get the latest and most relevant news about pets and animal welfare. http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/aspca-mobile-app
You can find more useful information here:
http://awos.petfinder.com/shelters/CA763.html
http://www.aspca.org/animal-protection/los-angeles-initiative
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care |
warc | 201704 | The study found that when parents disciplined their teenagers by yelling, swearing at, or humiliating them two or more times a week, the teens were more likely to act up in school, lie to parents, steal, fight or show signs of depression.
About 1,000 two-parent families were involved in the study.
Researches suggest parents keep their cool, get control of their own emotions and then have a conversation with teenagers about the issue. |
warc | 201704 | Hyperthermia is a state in which body core temperature rises as a result of heat generation and absorption exceeding heat loss. Given that body temperature reflects the balance between heat gain and heat loss, hyperthermia is found most frequently under conditions such as exercise in which heat production is increased or in subjects such as infants or patients with dehydration who lack the ability to increase their heat loss in response to environmental heat. Thus individuals who engage in athletic activities and infants are at particular risk for heat-related illness. Heat stress has been recognized as a cause of illness for more than 2000 years. It is responsible for increases in population death rates during hot times of the year in areas exposed to particularly high environmental temperatures,1 and increases morbidity related to other diseases. Heatstroke, the most serious form of heat-related injury, is the second most common cause of athletics-related death after head injury.
It is important to differentiate fever, where the body temperature set point is elevated as a result of the influence of pyrogenic cytokines (see Chapters 198 and 227), from hyperthermia, where the temperature is elevated above normal because the heat-dissipating homeostatic mechanisms activated at temperatures above the set point are overwhelmed. In febrile patients, homeostatic mechanisms including vasoconstriction and shivering are activated to raise body temperature by increasing heat production and decreasing heat dissipation until a new set point is reached whereas in hyperthermic patients, homeostatic mechanisms attempt to lower body temperature.
Metabolic activity leads to heat production. If no heat were lost to the environment, resting heat production would raise body temperature by approximately 1°C/hr. This increase would be even greater during exercise, when heat production may increase as much as 4-fold. Heat may also be absorbed from the environment by radiation from the sun or the ground, or by convection when the air temperature exceeds body temperature.
Heat production and absorption are balanced by heat loss via four mechanisms.
Conduction carries heat between a body and a contacting surface along a temperature gradient. This is the primary mechanism of cooling during ice or water immersion. Convection transfers heat from the body surface to or from a gas or fluid circulating around the body. With conduction, heat transfer stops when the contacting surface temperature reaches body temperature, whereas with convection, circulation of fresh gas or fluid around the body preserves the temperature gradient between the body and the circulating gas or fluid thus increasing the efficiency of heat transfer. Radiation transfers heat from a warmer to a colder body via electromagnetic waves. Evaporation removes heat by promoting a phase transition from liquid to a gas. Of these four mechanisms, radiation is the principal mechanism of heat elimination in temperate environments. Heat loss by convection and radiation are increased by cutaneous vasodilation, a neurally mediated response to hyperthermia. As either heat production or environmental temperature increases, evaporation of sweat becomes the ... |
warc | 201704 | ActiveCare ®+S.F.T.
Synchronized Flow Technology
ActiveCare
®+S.F.T. is a clinically proven non-pharmaceutical mechanical solution that provides effective prevention of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) for hospital to home use. ActiveCare® is the only system that fully meets the ACCP 2012 Guidelines as standalone therapy without the need of drugs to prevent DVT after total joint replacement for the whole duration of prophylaxis: from hospital to home.
ActiveCare
®+S.F.T. identifies the patient’s normal venous blood flow pulses, and actively synchronizing it to the natural rhythm. Its compact size and unique portability allows it to be worn on a continuous basis.
ActiveCare
®+S.F.T. achieves an exceptionally high compliance rate, that can be easily monitored via the display on the unit’s LCD screen. It consists of a lightweight miniature mobile unit (1.65 lb), with compression sleeves that can be easily wrapped around the patient’s lower limbs. The system can operate either by built in rechargeable battery or AC/DC adapter. It is a safe and highly effective way to reduce the risk of blood clot formation and prevent DVT, with or with Aspirin. It is portable and capable of delivering continuous DVT prevention on a 24 hour basis for both acute care (in-hospital) and home care (post discharge) settings, based on its synchronized flow technology (S.F.T.) ActiveCare ®+S.F.T. is cleared for market in several geographies. Click here for detailed clinical research. ActiveCare ®+S.F.T. is the brand name of a medical device classified as Continuous Enhanced Circulation Therapy (C.E.C.T. ). As a Clinically Proven Noninvasive Alternative to Drugs, ActiveCare ®+S.F.T. Offers you Significant Benefits in the Prevention of DVT ®+S.F.T. Offers you Significant Benefits in the Prevention of DVT Monotherapy TreatmentActiveCare ®+S.F.T. has supporting data to allow the surgeon to make an informed decision, based on the patient risk as to his/her DVT prevention protocol. Namely, the use of ActiveCare+S.F.T. +/- aspirin or in conjunction with anticoagulant drugs. Reduced Bleeding RiskActiveCare ®+S.F.T. reduces the risk of major bleeding complications. 24-Hour PreventionActiveCare ®+S.F.T. is small and portable allowing patient mobility and 24-hour preventative therapy. Monitors Patient ComplianceActiveCare ®+S.F.T. routinely monitors patient true compliance, providing patients, caregivers and physicians real-time information. User-friendlyActiveCare ®+S.F.T. is user-friendly and has an LCD screen that provides data on patient compliance and troubleshooting information. Cost EffectiveActiveCare ®+S.F.T. is a cost effective DVT prevention therapy. The device reduces the need of drugs, blood products requirements and as such minimize the occurrence of major bleeding complications and the need for supplementary blood products that may lead to costly readmissions. Clinical Studies Show: Efficacy At least as good as any of the leading drugs in the market. 2 “Use of the mobile compression device with or without aspirin for patients undergoing arthroplasty of alower-extremity joint provides a noninferior risk for the development of venous thromboembolism compared with current pharmacological protocols.” 1 Superior Safety Clinically proven monotherapy for DVT prevention with no major bleeding complications. 3 ACCP 2012 Recommendation for Monotherapy DVT Prevention in THA,TKA and HF Surgery: “… we recommend the use of only portable battery-operated IPCDs capable of recording and reporting proper wear time on a daily basis for inpatient and outpatient.” 1
1. Falck-Ytter Y., Francis C.W., Johanson N.A., Curley C., Dahl O.E., Schulman S., Ortel T.L., Pauker S.G., Colwell C.W. Jr., Prevention of VTE in orthopedic surgery patients: Antithrombotic Therapy and Prevention of Thrombosis, 9th ed: American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines. Chest. 2012 Feb;141(2 Suppl):e278S-325S
2. Colwell, C.W. Froimson, M.I. Anseth, S.D., Giori, N.J, Hamilton, W.G, Barrack, R.L., Buehler, K.C.; Mont, M.A;. Padgett, D.E., Pulido P.A.; and Barnes, C.L., Thrombosis Prevention Using a Portable Compression Device as Monotherapy in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty.
J Bone Joint Surg Am, 2014 Feb 05;96(3):177-183
3. Colwell, C.W. Jr., Froimson M.I., Mont M.A., Ritter M.A., Trousdale R.T., Buehler K.C., Spitzer A., Donaldson T.K., Padgett D.E. Thrombosis prevention after total hip arthroplasty: a prospective, randomized trial comparing a mobile compression device with LMWH.
J Bone Joint Surg Am 2010;92(3):527-535
4. Froimson M., Murray T., Fazekas A.
, Venous thromboembolic disease reduction with a portable pneumatic compression device. J Arthroplasty 2009;24(2):310-316 Synchronized Flow Technology
Synchronized Flow Technology (S.F.T.
®), is a patented and proprietary technology that allows ActiveCare ®+S.F.T. to determine the venous phasic flow of each patient and to synchronize compressions to the patient’s after surgery individual flow pattern.
As a result, S.F.T. produces an optimal hemodynamic profile, while comfortably delivering its compression impact to the deep veins (50 mm Hg) with only minor impact on the legs or feet. |
warc | 201704 | Everything You Need to Know About Tufts Financial Aid
Financial aid packages are comprised of a combination of grants, loans, and work-study. Grants
Grants are awards that do not have to be repaid, and Tufts grants are always the largest source of grant aid received by Tufts undergraduates. Tufts Grants exceeded $70 million in 2015-16 and were by far the largest source of grant aid received by Tufts undergraduates. The amount of Tufts Grants ranged from $1000 to more than $60,000. Tufts students also receive grant funds from federal and state programs such as Pell and SEOG grants, ROTC scholarships, as well as funding from a variety of private sources. Over 34 percent of last year’s entering class received more than $18 million in Tufts grant aid.
Student Loans
Students with total family incomes of less than $60,000 will typically receive a financial aid package that includes no student loans. Their full need will be met with grant funds and work study. All other financial aid recipients will be awarded student loans as a part of their financial aid package. The standard freshman loan amount is $5,000, but individual loan amounts may range from $500 to $7,000 (maximum). No interest accrues on these loans and no payments are due until after the student graduates or leaves school.
Work-study
Financial aid recipients are usually also offered work study of up to $2000 per year. When students arrive in September, they can view our online employment listing for a campus job that matches their interest and academic schedule. Students are paid $11.00 – $15.00 per hour, and freshmen who choose work study jobs typically work 5 - 10 hours per week. Work study wages are paid directly to students to be used towards their living expenses on campus. Students who do not receive financial aid may still apply for non-work study jobs on campus and in the surrounding neighborhoods. Learn more about types of work study.
Merit Scholarships
Tufts does not offer merit or academic scholarships. All aid is based solely on financial need and is not adjusted for superior academic performance or extracurricular activities. The only exception is a small ($500 per year) award provided through the Tufts National Merit Scholarship program. ROTC program scholarships are also available.
Tufts National Merit Scholarships
Tufts National Merit Scholarships are awarded to National Merit finalists who notify the National Merit Corporation that Tufts University is their first choice. Scholarships are renewable for up to four years of enrollment at Tufts. Finalists who are eligible for financial aid will receive a $2000 annual Tufts National Merit Scholarship as well as any other need based aid for which they are eligible. Finalists who are not eligible for need based aid, or who do not apply for aid, will receive a $500 annual award.
ROTC
Students may use Army, Navy, and Air Force ROTC scholarships at Tufts. Scholarships may include funding towards tuition costs and, in some case, monthly stipends. Tufts ROTC students participate in ROTC through units at nearby Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). For details and application materials, contact Army, Navy or Air Force recruiters:
To learn more about programs, you can also read the Course Catalog. |
warc | 201704 | I love the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and its usage of great metaphors. It’s a story that can be taken away by anyone for its moral value regardless of your religious beliefs. It’s a story about a man and woman who were made for each other and loved one another. Adam and Eve had innocence. Both shared their lives together before guilt and sin became a part of their daily lives. There they were exuding purity in its highest form. They were nude metaphorically as well as literally. Then one day, they were told about the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge and were warned that that very fruit was something they needed to reject.
Eve, like millions of women (and men) out there, became curious about the forbidden fruit. The metaphor of the forbidden fruit goes beyond the idea of someone eating a piece of fruit. The forbidden fruit can be anything that we indulge in sinfully, whether it’s food, sex, love, alcohol, or even shopping. Things we let take control of us…almost to the point of developing an addiction. What’s your forbidden fruit from the Tree of Life?
Now Eve is standing there being tempted to take a bite of that juicy piece of fruit. The fruit she was given initially was not as appealing as the one hanging on the vine.
She soon forgets what she had in her hand and reaches for that unattainable fantasy…a dream. The thing she’s curious about is something she finds out is not all that she hoped for. The symbolism of it all is quite remarkable. While she ignores the first fruit she was given, she reaches for something newer and more exciting.
Comparing the fruit in the Garden of Eden to our life experiences takes some thought. Specifically, I am comparing the Garden of Eden to love and the love you are given. If you ignore love long enough, it shrivels up and becomes rotten. You end up disappointed and ruin a good thing. That forbidden piece of fruit you took a bite out of, ends up causing you a stomach ache and you become disappointed. That forbidden fruit that sneaks its way into your love life has split your significant other and you apart. You might try to salvage the original piece of fruit (love) you had and say, “damn it” and ultimately are left with nothing because it’s too late.
This is what happens in relationships. We always search for the next best thing while what we have right there in front of us is what’s right for us. We keep searching and searching and neglect the love we already have. Don’t get me wrong, not all relationships are meant to last. There are situations where it’s best for a couple to go their separate ways.
I find it interesting though that we live in a society where nearly 50% of all marriages end in divorce. Family therapist William Doherty reports that “…over 40% of divorced people regretted their divorce and thought it was preventable (Smart Marriages Conference, 1999).” So there you have it—there is still hope that a relationship can be saved.
I woke up in the middle of the night and had this epiphany. Ok, as a marital and family therapist, I will admit I am a bit ashamed of myself because this has always been something I talk to my clients about, but I believe if a relationship is gone into with maturity, hope, trust, and selflessness; there is a chance it can last for a lifetime. I myself started dating someone who has taught me to think of “us” in “our relationship” instead of “me” and “my relationship.” Instead of searching for another love to replace the man who found me, I choose to work things out. People are not perfect. I’ve noticed myself to search for that perfect man; my knight in shining armor. I finally woke up to realize that my perfect knight does not necessarily mean he has to reflect the woman I have grown to be.
How long should I search for that perfect someone? Is perfection even possible? What is perfection supposed to look like, anyways? His outer core may not be as shiny and perfect as that forbidden fruit on the tree in the Garden of Eden. That perfect piece of fruit or that perfect person…there just isn’t such a thing. Why are our expectations so high to the point it ultimately leaves us with rotten fruit in our hands?
I believe there is something in our past relationships and frame of minds that make us have such high expectations. Our epistemology can be defined as: a philosophical approach to defining how we know what we know…our belief system. For example, when I was a little girl, I was once bit by a dog. My epistemology (belief system from past experiences and knowledge), told me to be cautious the next time I met a dog so that I would not be bitten again. The same theory happens in love and how we enter and stay in loving relationships. The past hurts and broken relationships we have endured are carried into the present relationships we have. Heck, the relationship I’m in has had its ups and downs, yet, we have the desire to maintain our love for each other. I can’t imagine a future without him.
This means that we must learn to demonstrate trust, love, and loyalty in our relationships. It is not ALWAYS possible to do ALL the time…there are times my honey over thinks things and that bugs me at times and I know there are times he thinks I’m being bitchy or too demanding of him. Once again, this goes back to looking at our epistemologies and our knowledge on how we expect things to be in life. We seem to overlook details concerning the commitments we make and so this is where we fail in our personal relationships.
It’s no longer about what makes ME happy and what I need. Once I found someone who confessed his love and adoration for me, and asked me to be in his life forever, it became what makes us happy together as a couple. Without the “we” and “us” mentality, you have a recipe for failure! This is something I learned from the man I love. I admire and respect his passion and ability to risk it all for love. A relationship is a team effort. It takes work, risks, and trusting the process and the love of your life. Love is not just a word or feeling. Love is an action that requires effort. Love is something you don’t take for granted and expect to just fall in your lap.
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warc | 201704 | #10,750
Not quite a year ago we got the
first word of an outbreak of H5 avian influenza among British Columbian poultry farms, one which was eventually determined to be highly pathogenic (HPAI) and genetically closely related to the H5N8 outbreak in Asia.
In short order, we were seeing related H5N2, H5N8, and H5N1 viruses spreading across North American poultry farms and wild birds, kicking off the worst epizootic in American history.
The last reported poultry outbreaks were in early summer, and only one wild bird (
a mallard in Utah) has reportedly tested positive since then. The expectation, however, is that HPAI H5 will return this fall and winter and once again threaten poultry operations.
Over the summer and fall very aggressive surveillance systems have been put in place both in the United States and Canada (see
APHIS/USDA Announce Updated Fall Surveillance Programs For Avian Flu ). Among these setting up stations where duck hunters can have their birds swabbed and tested. Ducks are the natural reservoir for avian influenza viruses, can often carry them without ill effect, and the the logical place to find the virus first.
Which brings us to a media report this morning from Vancouver, B.C., stating a recently submitted duck has tested positive for the H5N2 virus. It is lacking in detail (
collection location, date, who confirmed the tests, etc.), and as it is still the wee hours on the west coast, I’ve not found any official government reports confirming this story. While I would stress this an for now, it wouldn’t be surprising if this were true, as we’ve been awaiting the return of HPAI H5 for several months. First the report, then I’ll return with a bit more. unofficial media report
Vancouver, BC, Canada / News Talk 980 CKNW | Vancouver's News. Vancouver's Talk
November 26, 2015 10:09 pm
A case of the Avian Flu virus has been confirmed in the Fraser Valley, after a duck was shot by a hunter earlier this week or on the weekend.
Ray Nickels from the BC Poultry Association confirmed the presence of the H5N2 virus, but says there’s little to fear.
“There’s no human risk here at all, it has to do with our industry concerns and about our bird health, but it is very dangerous for poultry flocks.”
Nickels says birds like ducks are carriers of the avian flu.
But he says strict regulations should protect commercial poultry.
“I think it’s fairly unlikely, given the strategies we have in place and that it is a wild duck, it’s not something that would be comingling with our poultry flocks.”
No word yet from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Hard hit North American poultry famers have had a long summer to prepare for the return of avian flu, and have received an abundance of guidance on beefing up biosecurity from both Canadian (see
Canada: CFIA Biosecurity Warning on Avian Influenza) and American (see APHIS: HPAI Biosecurity Self-Assessment Checklist) agricultural agencies.
Despite the upbeat assessment of their readiness in the media report above, only time will tell how successful these preparations will be in preventing outbreaks in poultry.
The good news is that the strain of HPAI H5 that arrived in North America last fall, while related to several highly dangerous H5 viruses (
H5N1, H5N6), has not been shown to infect humans. With any luck, that won’t change this fall or winter.
As one would expect, last June the CDC issued a
HAN:HPAI H5 Exposure, Human Health Investigations & Response, providing specific guidance to local health authorities.
For now, the threat posed by HPAI to humans in North America appears to be low. Something we examined in greater depth last July in
EID Journal: Infection Risk To Those Exposed To HPAI H5 Viruses – United States . The detection of H5N2 in a hunted duck is neither alarming or unexpected. It should, however, spur both backyard and commercial poultry producers to complete their biosecurity preparations for this winter.
Additional information for the poultry farmer is available at
http://www.poultrybiosecurity.org/, which provides a large, and constantly updated compendium of videos, documents, and PDF files on biosecurity. |
warc | 201704 | Car owners have realized and appreciated the need to keep their cars secure at all times. The use of transponder keys is a sure way for them to make sure that the cars are locked and less prone to theft. Research shows that a majority of car keys made after the year 1995 are actually transponder keys. Visit website
What is transponder keys used to do?
Transponder keys are basically devices that are designed to transmit a radio signal from a handheld device to a remote receiver. They are mainly used to start and unlock vehicles even though they are also used in things like gate openers and key-less entry systems. Each key is programmed to start a specific vehicle thus reducing the possibility of theft.
Do they work for all vehicle models?
Transponder keys are available for many different types of cars but they are more common in new high end models. A car can be retrofitted for transponder systems but this can prove to be a very expensive affair. This is because it involves creating and reprogramming the electrical system and the making of a new key. Most locksmiths are able to offer this service but you will have to go to an auto dealer in order for them to assess its suitability.
Why get transponder keys from locksmiths?
If you reside in Cary and you need transponder keys, a Locksmith in is the best expert to get you the most suitable transponder keys.
The fact that most locksmiths know a lot about locks means that they are in a good position to offer you the right keys. They can manipulate locks to fit specific keys and then you can use them as transponders.
The main concern of locksmiths is your safety and security, they will never try to risk by making locks or keys that are similar. That is why it is advisable to deal with people who are skilled on the job so that they can offer you the right services.
Getting your keys from the locksmith in is also cheaper as compared to working with a dealer or the car manufacturer. A locksmith will simply have to reconfigure your car and program it to suit a certain type of key. If they have the right experts in house, the job will be completed in the shortest time possible.
The interior covering for most walls is installed by drywall contractors. This is an important concept, especially when these walls are in kitchens, bathrooms, dining and living rooms. Every room in the home you live in or the commercial building you work in has this drywall installation and it can be a beautiful job or a mess, to be blunt about it.
Companies working with the drywall Raleigh home and business owners need must provide the types of installation or repair work that will help preserve the looks and insulating qualities inherent in the material. Some of that work will include:
Helping create warm and welcoming additions to each and every room already on site.
Repairing cracks in existing walls whether a small one from playful children or large holes due to damage from material handling equipment at a commercial warehouse.
Removal of older textured drywall and re installation on walls and or ceilings by www.drywallrepairraleigh.com
Removing, with all appropriate safety, material contaminated with molds, mildews or other dangerous substances because of fire, floods or weather events.
The knowledge to know which length and thickness is appropriate for each application.
Professionals who do the drywall Raleigh NC residents expect must be licensed to perform this work and present themselves as the professionals they should be. The customer service must have competent technicians on hand to answer questions about quality of craftsmanship and service call times. Drywall contractors will have a crew of trained personnel who will arrive with smiles and handle themselves with respect for your facility regardless of which type it is.
There are many specialty tools and supplies these experts in drywall Raleigh clients want that will be used to make their work easier and the results better. From the special foot tool they use to lift the pieces of drywall into place to the Banjo they use to tape it together, each technician will perform their craft with a grace and skill that is enjoyable to watch. Working together, you and them can create the space you need and want, on a budget that is not hard to take.
The importance of fleet tracking by Fleet Trax
Every company, from the biggest multinational corporation to the humble village shop at the end of the block, has assets that it either sells or needs to perform its business activities. These assets range from computers and office supplies and equipment to trucks and other vehicles to machines used to manufacture goods. All these assets need to be transported to and from the place of business, often needing to be kept in storage facilities when the distances are too great to permit delivery within a single day.
Thus transported naturally face dangers of all sorts that could result in them being lost. The transporting vehicle may be attacked by robbers or become damaged in a highway accident, along with the goods contained therein. The losses thus incurred can cost a company hundreds of thousands of dollars. Fleet GPS tracking can be used to reduce the chances of such mishaps, but its value goes fare beyond that: It can increase the company’s returns on investment. Let us take a look at how it can do so.
How It can help
The central principle of this article is best illustrated by means of an example. Let us suppose that Company X, a Minneapolis-based business that sells automobile parts, makes an order for 4,000 steering wheels, each costing $776 for a total of $3,104,000, from a manufacturer in Detroit. As the truck turns of the interchange between Interstates 55 and 80, a band of robbers holds the driver at gunpoint and makes off with the cargo, which they hope to sell themselves. Without a monitor, it would be difficult to track down the culprits and recover the stolen goods, which would mean over $3 million in lost goods—not to mention the loss of time and the money spent in the process. With a good system on the other hand, the driver could secretly alert the central company, which could dispatch a police unit to the location where, according to the GPS reader, the robbery was taking place, and the robbers would be apprehended before they could get very far.
This can also enable the company to save money on gasoline consumption, roadside assistance and overhead expenses while at the same time increasing productivity. They can even double the returns on investments made in merchandise and transportation.
Whether you are having problems with the electrical system inside your home, or you want to upgrade and install new equipment, it is so important for you to seek out a quality, high end electrician. An electrician is going to help you make sure everything is done correctly and legally. If you don’t, you could potentially run into more serious issues other than just the electrical grid not being legally installed. A large number of home fires occur because of faulty wires and other problems. These problems take place behind drywall and ceiling tile, which means a single spark has access to insulation and other material that quickly catches on fire, all while you do not know what is going on.
Keep Your Home Safe
There are going to be times where you might want to perform the home installation yourself. After all, it is your house, and it shouldn’t really take long. Plus, you can find information videos online that dictate exactly how to perform these procedures. The problem with this idea is that although you can find information regarding these procedures online and in books, without the experience to know exactly what to expect and how to perform the installation and process, you open yourself up to problems later on down the road. That is exactly why you need to rely on the certified and high quality assistance of a professional electrician inside of Raleigh http://durhamelectricalservices.com, and the rest of the region.
What to Look For
There are many different elements you need to seek out when it comes to finding the very best electrician. First, you want an individual who is licensed and insured. This means they have completed all of the necessary paperwork and legal documentation with the state. This also means that should a problem occur with the wiring that causes some sort of problem, you are protected and the insurance of the service provide is going to cover it. This way, you never have to worry about spending your own money for the process yourself.
On top of this, it is always possible to look for certain certifications. You want someone who is certified to work in residential areas, as there are different kinds of electricians who work on different grids.
How to Plan Out The Timeline For a Kitchen Renovations Chapel Hill Project
Stone will probably run the most money, but will also last the longest. It is available today in many different colors and patterns. If it’s beyond your budget, there are many artificially made faux stone materials that are very attractive and far less costly.
Planning. If you are contemplating a complete remodel, including tear-out, down to white walls, new cabinets, floor, counter, appliances, count on the project taking a minimum or six to eight weeks. The schedule can be delayed depending on the availability of certain materials you have chosen. You will need to make a family plan to deal with the upheaval, and how you are going to prepare and serve meals during this time for Taylor’s Cleaning and Restoration
After all, the kitchen is the hub of any house. You will want to avoid bumps and bruises in your kitchen remodeling on the way to your hub becoming your new paradise.
ids
Bids are something that can make a big difference when you are selecting a kitchen renovation Chapel Hill NC company. The process of explaining every charge that is a part of a bid is very important. A kitchen remodeling company also must have a fairly large staff. The staff needs to be able to work on an extremely careful and detailed schedule. The work is something that needs to get done on a deadline. If a company comes in and seems to just ignore the clock, it can be a bad sign for someone that is trying to get the work done on a strict budget.
There is an idea behind each function and each element in doors do. A door can have many functions besides just open and close. The industrial sectional doors are the ideal solution for large spaces and great maneuverability. Such doors are folded under the roof when releasing open space around the door opening. Thanks to the wide variety of range, industrial sectional doors are harmoniously integrated functional elements and architectural design industry structure, from a universal ship to the most sophisticated standard design building.
They are constructed with polyurethane filled panels to the overhead door providing high strength, thermal insulation and airtightness. Its smooth, quiet operation and efforts, is offset by lateral springs and upper springs. Optionally can lead glass windows, ventilation grilles, Portillon with and without base, … It is also possible to install in the sectional door, pedestrian doors, are a very practical solution to avoid having to open the door every time someone passes. Thanks to a small threshold of a few millimeters will reduce the risk of tripping and facilitates the transition smoothly. Sectional doors also feature anti-theft systems, both manual and automatic drive. The doors are equipped with drive motor of a self-locking gear. The doors with a height greater than 5 meters and have an effect on its weight burglar.
All Garage Door Spring Maintence Madison have drop system and protection against entrapment. Automation by electromechanical motor system itself, commanded by inside button, wave receiver, remote control, photocell and accessories. I call to mind that we help you select the best option for your company. All our facilities meet the requirements of current legislation UNE-EN13241-1 Sectional doors for residential use The traditional counterbalanced door, has taken a very decisive technological step. Then discuss sectional doors, especially the residential. Explain their different manufacturing capabilities and characteristics. |
warc | 201704 | It is a truism that life is short. But this truism is in tension with the very plausible claim that life-long commitments are hard. So which should go?
Or can it be, perhaps, that life-long commitments are hard—for those who have not existentially appropriated the shortness of life? If so, then we would have the following prediction: In societies where individuals are socially isolated from the fact of death, well-kept life-long commitments are more rare (either because life-long commitments are more rare, or because they are kept less well). I suppose this is one of those predictions that it would be really hard to make sufficiently precise to check. |
warc | 201704 | Whether you build websites as part of a design agency, as a freelancer, or with an internal team, you don’t design in a vacuum; you work with people. To collaborate and develop a shared understanding of goals and assignments, you have meetings. It doesn’t matter what kind of process you have—waterfall, agile, or “jazz improv”—you cannot get to site launch without having had at least a few meetings. In any design process, coming together insures your project against breakdown due to unrealistic expectations, limited resources, and differing definitions of the problem or the solution.
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Today’s web design professionals practice any mix of graphic design, information architecture, user interface design, usability testing, user research, and front-end or back-end development skills. The value of the modern web design professional is not those disciplines, however, but the ability to combine them to solve real problems, especially as a group. Effective group work requires structured, strategic meetings, and good facilitation provides that structure.
What does good facilitation look like?
Imagine the most fulfilling, collaborative design meeting you’ve ever had. Hours seemed to fly by, and those hours were productive. Political and mental barriers melted away and in their place were innovative ideas, or realistic solutions for complex problems. For several shining moments the team worked as one; the conversation or the activity was equally fun and productive, and you left the room feeling smart and empowered. It’s highly likely that someone in that meeting was a facilitator, either by design or by accident. If you can’t identify the facilitator, chances are it was you.
To the untrained observer, a great facilitator seems to perform Jedi mind tricks: a skill that we’ve all wished for during a troublesome meeting. Imagine if you could simply wave your hand to reach consensus with a disagreeing counterpart. Projects (and life) would be so much easier. Most of us have seen this happen in meetings. Without aggression or argument, and with seemingly little effort, a meeting Jedi guides the discussion into a productive and beneficial space. Some person in the room manages the process to explore and evolve contentions to reframe understanding around a shared goal. For example:
At a kickoff meeting for a web redesign project, a member of the team is fixated on putting dozens of Facebook Like buttons on each page, so that users can “like all the things.” The content strategist leads a team-based competitive game where working groups create and ship imaginary digital products that align social interaction to content that users care about. In subsequent discussion, social media becomes content strategy rather than a feature. Attack of the Like buttons averted. During the prototype phase of building an iPhone app, a team member becomes obsessed with the typography, (lack of) color, and other graphic design elements. The information architect demonstrates a sequence of transitions from prototype to final design for a number of tangentially similar projects. Obsession dissolves. While selecting from graphic design direction options, a client is convinced that the website must “look like my iPad.” The creative director leads the group through a freelisting activity, where the team lists every design problem the iPad solves, then explores the alignment between those problems and the project’s problems. The client associates specific techniques with overlapping problems. Conviction evolves into insight.
These examples share a similar pattern: they begin with dissonance, usually rooted in differing perceptions of a technology or design technique. Then, through a planned activity specifically designed to expose and explore that dissonance, the group develops a more sophisticated, shared vocabulary around the problem. Finally, the group reaches an understanding through persuasion, collaboration, or both. Good facilitation is the tactical skill that empowers you to orchestrate this process, and it’s a skill that anyone can learn.
Facilitation basics for any meeting
First published in 1976, How to Make Meetings Work introduced a role-based process, dubbed “the new interaction method” for improving any kind of meeting. For a successful meeting, someone in the room must assume one of the following roles:
a group member (most of the folks involved), an organizational leader, a recorder, and a facilitator.
A facilitator has the right combination of knowledge about the problem, a playbook of meeting protocols to open, explore, and narrow focus on the problem, and prior experience running a group through those protocols. The facilitator plays an entirely neutral role. By adopting neutrality, and not contributing or evaluating ideas, the facilitator creates a locus of trust.
Inspired by How to Make Meetings Work, Sam Kaner and Jenny Lind set out to document the core values, organizational strategies, and a diverse set of solid facilitation methodologies in their 2007 book, The Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision Making. The book argues that for organizations to be effective, they need to involve all members of the organization in the decision making process.
However, the natural dynamic of larger or multi-group discussions often leads to awkward disagreements and dead ends. Solid facilitation methods help you move around, over, or through these situations. A good facilitator “support(s) everyone in doing their best thinking” during a meeting—they build and execute participatory processes. To do so successfully, they serve four functions during a collaboration:
Encourage participation.This one’s a no brainer, but it’s harder than it sounds. There are bulls and daffodils in every meeting and it’s the facilitator’s job to elicit and balance everyone’s contributions. One approach is to have participants write down their ideas before speaking them out loud. This technique prevents bigger personalities from dominating by simply being louder, and it forces participants to write approximately the same amount of content. Another technique is to change the order of people called upon for ideas, ensuring that you have a clearly non-biased pattern: go around the table clockwise, then go counterclockwise, then choose randomly. Mix it up. Build a “shared framework,” or understanding of the problem.To build shared understanding, you must define what different concepts mean for different people, and make sure everyone agrees on a single meaning for key concepts. Building shared understanding is one of the toughest things facilitators have to do. One approach is to manage the scope of the discussion by establishing what you are and are not going to talk about in the meeting invitation, and reiterate the discussion’s scope at the beginning of the meeting. Seek inclusive solutions that “work for everyone with a stake in the outcome.”This requires the group to explore the design challenge more than some may be used to, especially senior leadership. (“Can’t we just build a website?”) Touch on the ways in which the website affects every person in the room, and the departments the project represents. It will take more time now, but will save time and headaches later. Early in the process, ensure everyone has voiced their ideas/feedback/concerns and make sure those concerns are clearly documented for everyone to see. Then, when someone hammers the same point repeatedly, it’s easy to point to the documentation and say This has been documented, and will be addressed. Finally, design solutions based upon shared responsibilities.If you’ve designed an amazing collaborative session and assigned all the work to a single party, you’ve wasted your time and your participants’ time. Good strategies depend on everyone involved participating. For web design, this translates into some simple best practices. Involve the developers in the early meetings. Make sure the information architects are part of the quality assurance scrums. Generally, be less siloed about the design approach based on discipline, and offer the option to participate whenever someone MAY have something to add. Facilitation basics for design collaborations
Being neutral and designing solid participatory processes will help you facilitate effective discussions. These four additional concepts have been invaluable in helping me connect with clients in meeting scenarios unique to the web and application design process.
Provide clear guidance through a series of steps intended to reach an agreed-upon end result.
Select the best activity for the problem at hand. The good news is there’s been a renaissance of fantastic resources that will help you build that playbook. Books like Gamestorming, Visual Meetings, Back of the Napkin, and Business Model Generation provide pre-built, engaging collaborative activities for design and beyond, built upon ideas found in game theory and sketch facilitation. These resources will help you align activities to the specific parts of your web design process, whether you are at the beginning, middle, or end. They also organize activities based on additional constraints such as time, materials, environment, and the number of people involved in the process. With a few sticky notes and a whiteboard, you can accomplish just about anything.
Always follow this pattern: allow for divergence of opinion, permit participants to explore those opinions within constraints, and then force ideas to converge. Divergence — Exploration — Convergenceis a simple but powerful pattern, prominent throughout meeting and facilitation literature. For more productive meetings, workshops, and conversations, always follow that sequence.
Ever been in a kickoff meeting where someone says “That’s a terrible idea!” in the first five minutes? It felt awkward and perhaps even hostile, because someone has jumped right to the end of the pattern (convergence) before you’ve had a chance to diverge and explore. By designing your kickoff interaction to embrace diversity in the beginning of the meeting, it establishes trust. That trust makes it safe for people to want to participate. As long as the subsequent prioritization process is transparent, people will feel like they were heard AND they participated in the outcome.
On the surface, the kickoff meeting’s goal seems straightforward—we need to agree on what we will—and will not—be doing for a particular project or sprint. But for even the simplest website redesign with a small client team, there could be half a dozen versions of that “what” in the room. Therefore you must elicit each version of what’s expected right at the beginning of the meeting. Establish the level of diversity in expectations—remember, as a facilitator, you’re not judging those expectations at this point. Once expectations are out on the table, explore the relative merits of each one. Then provide some methodology to prioritize, and if appropriate, eliminate options.
“The bookend” is a great technique I use to elicit expectations. At the beginning of a meeting, ask the group a grounding question about their expectations for the meeting. “Write this down: What do you want get out of the next two hours?” Have them put it aside for later. Before you leave, give anyone whose expectations have not been addressed during the meeting a chance to express their concerns. Collect those expectations, document them in a shared location, and address them in future collaborations or subsequent project work.
Provide a real-time representation of what’s going on during the meeting where people can see it.
One person—not a facilitator—must take notes during the meeting. Fail to assign a note taker and you flush any detailed insights gained during the meeting down the toilet. In addition, a facilitator should provide a visual representation of the discussion in a format that everyone in the room can quickly and easily reference.
There are lots of ways to do this. Use an easel with large, adhesive-backed paper. When you start a topic, label the top of the paper with that topic and number it (starting with number one) with a nice big Sharpie. Once the team fills the sheet with ideas, pull it off, stick it on the wall, and start a new piece, labelled number two. At the end of the meeting, pull all the sheets off the wall, roll them up, and transcribe them as an outline of the key issues raised. The note taker has the transcript, but this is the discussion’s larger narrative and a great way to remind folks of the key insights gained during a discussion.
As a facilitator, be effective at paraphrasing the essence of the ideas raised. When someone makes an important point (important either to the project, or simply important to them), take the time to verbally echo their point back to them with greatly reduced wording. Ask “Is this what you mean?” If you get a yes, Sharpie that idea large on one of those big sheets of easel paper. Keep capturing those mini-ideas, and display them where everyone can see them. Soon people will cut down on repeating themselves, be more to the point, and hit the discussion with new ideas faster.
This is also a powerful way to course-correct a meeting that has gotten out of hand. If a discussion lacks direction, discreetly get up, go to an easel (or whiteboard), and start capturing the essence of what people are saying. When folks ask “What the hell are you doing?!,” just say “This helps me follow the discussion.” I’ve introduced this ambush note-taking technique to people in both agencies and in-house teams. I’ve heard stories where people stand up and applaud when someone starts capturing the conversation in a visible way. People are much more careful about what they say when it’s being written down, and it’s a great way to focus people’s attention.
Keep in mind that everyone in the room, no matter what they say, believes that their recommended action equates to doing the right thing.
I can’t count the times I’ve been facilitating meetings where someone, out of the blue, has said the most ridiculous thing you could possibly imagine. “You know, I love that black and white image. Let’s make everything black and white. Everything, everywhere.”
After suppressing anger, or laughter, I always keep this in mind: we all have different perspectives on the process we’re involved in. But anyone who takes the time contribute truly believes that their idea is going to make things better. It may be off the mark, misinformed, or even crazy, but it’s more important for you as a facilitator to understand why that idea surfaced in their brain, and how it relates back to the value they hope to add to the project. The more you understand those values as the individual contributors perceive them, the easier it will be to design a project strategy that will not just be adopted, but embraced.
Use the force, Luke
Great web design is perceived as appropriate and enjoyable by users and clients alike. To get there, you have to have a process. To build consensus about where that process should go, you have to facilitate understanding of the myriad overlaps between business and user needs, art direction and brand, and innovation and ease-of-use. Great design is facilitating these forces.
May the forces be with you. |
warc | 201704 | The Trouble With Discipline: Part II "Our system was failing to meet its most basic responsibility: the development of productive and well-disciplined individuals." Dick Grote, Discipline Without Punishment
In the early 1970s, a troublesome mystery befuddled the executives of Frito-Lay. Abruptly one day, complaint letters from outraged customers began arriving at the company's headquarters. Angry writers reported the same upsetting experience: each had been shocked to discover, on a Frito-Lay potato chip, an obscene message written in felt-tip pen.
Having traced the source of the offensive chips to a particular plant, management dispatched training and development manager Dick Grote to the facility with instructions to track down the culprit responsible for the vulgar messages. What Grote found instead was a workplace culture that bred disobedience.
Grote learned that plant managers had fired fifty-eight of the factory's 210 employees for disciplinary reasons in the prior nine months. Supervisors were misusing progressive discipline -- verbal and written warnings, unpaid suspensions, and terminations -- as a way to rid the plant of unwanted workers. The excessive firings resulted in dismal morale and led disgruntled employees to sabotage the company's products.
The sheer volume of disciplinary actions at the plant allowed Grote to spot what is less obvious in most organizations; that is, that traditional progressive-discipline methods are highly ineffective.
In his book,
Discipline Without Punishment, Grote writes, "The problem wasn't the way we were administering the system. The problem was the system itself." Like discipline systems at most companies, Frito-Lay's offered employees no way to redeem themselves. Says Grote, "Virtually every employee who received a verbal warning received a written warning; almost everyone who reached the point of a disciplinary suspension was fired not long after." So he decided to change the system.
While keeping the progressive characteristic of the system, Grote eliminated punishment and replaced it with personal responsibility and decision-making. Warnings and reprimands became reminders -- coaching sessions in which employees are asked to take responsibility for their actions and commit to changing their undesirable behaviors. Unpaid suspensions became paid leaves during which employees can reflect on the seriousness of the problem -- without the resentment and financial hardships caused by withholding pay.
Over the next two years, the number of terminations resulting from disciplinary actions at the plant fell from 58 to two. Thousands of organizations have since followed Frito-Lay's approach with staggering results. In addition to firing fewer employees, these companies are also experiencing lower voluntary turnover, reductions in sick-leave usage, and drops in worker grievances.
"The basic premise of the traditional discipline system is that crime must be followed by punishment," writes Grote. With that in mind, too many organizations treat all of their employees like criminals.
So, is it time to overhaul your disciplinary system?Bookmark this post on del.icio.us
What do you think? Post a Comment |
warc | 201704 | 1 This is a revised version of a paper given at the 2nd International Congress on Ambiances, in Montr (...)
1Atmospheres are a strange sort of stuff. First of all, the term has two different meanings by both connoting the atmosphere around the earth – that is, a meteorological phenomenon – as well as the personal, spatial experience of engaging material things (Hasse, 2012, p. 19)1. In this latter understanding, both the ontological and epistemic status of atmospheres is somewhat vague (Böhme, 1995, p. 22 ; Rauh, 2012, p. 190-197). On the one hand people feel them, are affected by them, and may seek to retain them. On the other hand they cannot be touched, measured or seen, and people may never fully hold or even grasp their existence (Böhme, 1995; Zumthor, 2006). Over the last couple of decades scholars have explored this ambiguous nature of atmosphere (Anderson, 2009; Böhme, 2001; Goetz & Graupner, 2007; Stewart, 2011). However, rarely do scholars explore the political and moralising premises and potentials of atmospheres (but
cf. Hasse, 2012; Balina & Evgeny, 2009; Bisgaard & Friberg, 2006). Peter Sloterdijk highlights such politics of atmospheres, when he argues that,
For present-day cultures the question of survival has become a question of the way in which they are reproduced as atmospheric communities. Even physical atmospheres have passed to the stage of their technical producibility. The future era will be climate-technical, and as such technologically oriented. It will be increasingly seen that societies are artificial from the ground up. The air that, together and separately, we breathe can no longer be presupposed. Everything must be produced technically, and the metaphorical atmosphere as much as the physical atmosphere. Politics will become a department of climate techniques. (2011, p. 245).
2Following this, and with the development of climate technologies, it has become increasingly clear that both understandings of the term are indeed central to the way people perceive and act in the world, and will do so in the future. Climate technologies are developed to reduce a particular kind of impact of human practices on the environment. At the same time these technologies are changing the way people perceive themselves, each other, and the material world, through their impact on the experienced atmospheres of a place. Like many other technologies, these new things thus help people gain access to the world, perceive new aspects, and help shape what counts as real (Ihde, 1990, p. 48). Recent literature on materiality has focused on the role of objects in shaping morality (Verbeek, 2011), and although only explored in brevity here, I wish to suggest that despite the intangible and ambiguous nature of atmospheres, they also take part in mediating such political and moral regimes.
3In this article I want to investigate one such political aspect of atmospheres by exploring why the implementation of energy saving lighting technologies are generally contested in Denmark. While Sloterdijk may be correct in stating that atmospheres are taking centre stage of politics, it is also clear that there is not necessarily compliance from all parties involved in this era of climate politics. People may resist; they may not accept the facts that other people adhere to; people may be utterly ignorant to such facts, or indifferent to the moral regimes forced upon them by them (High & Mair, 2012; Proctor & Schiebinger, 2008). Technologies may not work as well as planned or not work together with other technologies; or, as in the case with the energy saving light bulb, people may not be satisfied with the very materiality of such new technologies. Light matters, but small differences in nuance may matter even more.
4As an anthropologist I am inclined to highlight the importance of taking cultural aspects of atmosphere more seriously; what are the cultural premises and social effects of atmospheres; what meanings are associated with the technology; what issues of gender, power, prestige, tradition, or public/private distinctions are at stake? But at the same time, it is also clear that exploring atmospheres also offers a particular lens for understanding cultural aspects of the orchestration of spaces and affects. In this case, understanding the adaptation of new lighting technologies, perceptions of pollution, and what a social event feels and
ought to feel and look like. Century long lighting traditions centred on the incandescent light bulb are not just discarded overnight. Such technologies have become embedded in social life through habits and norms about the way people interact (Bille & Sørensen, 2007; Garnert, 1993, 1994). The topic of this paper is then, why new technologies are resisted and how light unfolds in atmospheric orchestration of social life in Denmark.
5In the past three decades we have seen the emergence of ethical consumption as a large-scale economic potential (Carrier & Luetchford, 2012; Lyon & Moberg, 2010). When it comes to fair-trade or organic food, the ethical aspects of consumption are very much up front: paying a fair amount of money to the third world worker, and making sure the animals have had a minimum of rights before we consume them. People may choose
not to buy these products, but most often this is a decision based on price or habits, and not necessarily the qualities of the goods.
6However, when it comes to buying energy saving light bulbs, the matter is very different, at least in Denmark. The incandescent light bulb is by September 2012 officially no longer in production in EU. Politicians, lobbyists and NGOs want to decide what people will spend their money on for the common good of the planet. This follows a commonly used practice that when people do not themselves adopt a new technology, banning the old one is a powerful way to change habits, which then leads to rapid improvement of the new technology. For the new lighting technologies it is a bit different since the only technology that was sufficiently developed and available to common households at the initiation of the ban was the compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL), which many scholars and engineers already at that point critiqued for its poor qualities. However, the CFL bulb can also be seen as an intermediary technology, since hopes are, and were, high for the LED bulbs as the future means of artificial lighting. While the LED low energy consumption is promising, prices are still high and people are not yet used to the new possibilities of illuminating the homes that they offer. In return, many Danes have hoarded the incandescent light bulbs while scorning the CFL bulbs, and remain only potentially positive about the possibilities the LED may offer. Why would anyone be against saving the planet by saving energy and money on their electrical bill?
7The answers are of course manifold. One obvious answer is the technological fact that the light quality of the CFL bulb is different as it has higher colour temperature and lower colour reproduction than the incandescent bulb. It may be minor nuances, but it is noticeable, even to the point where some scholars argue that it has an effect on people’s sleep patterns (Czeisler, 2013). From an economic perspective the initial cost of the bulb is also higher than the incandescent, and rather than just throwing the fused bulb in the dustbin, people have to deliver them as special waste due to the mercury content. The fear is that this will not happen with great pollution as a result. The bulb also emits less heat, which in wintertime has to be compensated for by other means.
8Yet, a look around the globe also shows that the CFL bulb’s lighting qualities may be appreciated differently. Further south in Europe, in the Middle East and Africa there is for instance a preference for stronger direct white lights compared to dimmed and reddish glow further north, such as in Scandinavia. This observation is at times justified by what we may call the ‘geographical argument’ in which people’s lighting practices mimic the course of the sun. Short transition to night around equator is mimicked by strong interior light, while long transitions further north make room for more reddish glow. Lightscapes have thus in many ways become perceptual benchmarks of normality to the extent where one can talk about light cultures. The notion of a particular ‘Nordic Lighting’ (Sørensen & Haug, 2012) has become popular in Scandinavia, claiming that there is a particular natural light in this region, which guides the light practices. Nordic Lighting can be seen as part of an ‘authentic Nordic’ movement binding the Scandinavian countries together as a distinct cultural group, and includes the ‘Nordic Cuisine’, ‘Nordic School’, ‘Nordic Design’, and ‘Nordic welfare-model’. It is a shared sense of cultural sameness.
9When it comes to light, and the sense of atmosphere it creates, it is a tempting argument, which, however, is also somehow flawed. Copenhagen, Glasgow, and Moscow are approximately on the same latitude, but people have very different lighting practices. There is also an enormous variation in light setting from the mountains of Northern Sweden to the fjords of Norway, and to the hills in Denmark. It would be more correct to state that there is a particular
appreciation of light in Scandinavia, rather than it is the very nature of the light. Also, fashion may influence more strongly than the natural light, where the brown colours of the 1970s post oil crisis interior design, have now been replaced by a strong focus on natural light and whiteness, perhaps under the influence of popular Danish architects such as Henning Larsen – the ‘Master of light’.
10The point is that this appreciation of light shows that ‘good’ lighting quality should not be taken for granted as that which comes closest to daylight, such as the incandescent light bulb, but as that which makes most cultural sense. So clearly other issues are at stake with the contestation over new lighting technologies than simply a matter of any objective notion of ‘poor’ light quality or geographical determinism. One such issue that I want to explore here has to do with questions about the cultural perceptions of cleanliness, either aesthetically or bacteriologically, and by extension the role of light in shaping the feeling of a place.
11Light is thoroughly embedded in social practices, sensations of space, and notions of security, spirituality, and hominess that may be beyond words and meaning, and simply rely on sensuous immediacy and presence (Bille & Sørensen, 2007; Bille, in press; Sørensen & Bille, 2007). Electrical light, for instance, has become so common that many people often do not notice it, and when they do notice it, it is because something is somehow wrong: not working, too bright, too dim, too much glare, too poor quality, etc. From this position, one can perhaps suggest that
the best lighting design is unnoticeable, because it captures the atmosphere that people are accustomed to, expect, or anticipate. Merleau-Ponty’s famous dictum that we do not see light, but see in light, seems to hold ground (1964, p. 178). Yet, the new lighting technology has also made people in Denmark increasingly aware of light as an atmospheric co-producer, and many are frustrated over the lacking ability of the new technology to fulfil the social functions they need it for, and thus whatever they understand as good lightscapes.
12More than simply an issue of everyday aesthetics, and poor lighting technologies, lighting practices also ties in closely with notions of morality, beyond the close metaphorical relationship between religion, truth and light (Blumenberg, 1993; Kapstein, 2004). Just prior to the 2009 international climate convention COP15 in Copenhagen, Denmark, Thor Pedersen, a prominent member of the ruling party and former Finance Minister, proclaimed that the climate debate and initiatives to reduce CO
2 emission was getting out of hand, and interfered with people’s personal freedom. He remarked that he enjoys coming home to his empty house and see lights glowing from all his windows. The remark was met with moral indignation of wasting energy, and was used politically to question the government’s intentions and abilities to promote Denmark as the forefront of environmental sustainability, contained in the Danish promotional slogan ‘State of Green’.
13Yet, the remarks were also backed up by many people, who had become sceptical about the moral duty of reducing CO
2 emission that had emerged in Denmark. It was not scepticism about the debate over the ‘facts’ of global warming, but of the way small details in everyday life was to be minutely evaluated by its emission of CO 2, and thereby enforcing moral judgments. Thor Pedersen’s protest was about atmosphere in every sense of the word: it was about the earth’s atmosphere, because the energy consumption for lighting is a large percentage of the total CO 2 emission. It was also about a much more experience-near atmosphere of what the home ought to look and feel like, for it to be a proper welcoming home. Thus, in order to understand the resistance to energy saving technologies and behaviour that would reduce harm to one kind of atmosphere – the earth’s – we need to consider the impact of these technologies and lighting behaviour on the atmosphere that people opt for in their everyday life. The impact is one that inserts politics and morality into the consumption choices that people make when it comes to light.
14As mentioned above, an atmosphere is an elusive multi-sensuous
in-between that has to be felt as a co-presence and immediacy of subject and object (Böhme, 1995, 2006). An atmosphere is never stable or objective. Rather, it is a genre of socio-material interaction that is activated and aims at – or has its premises in – cultural concepts, interpretations, and anticipations. Thus, opting for particular atmospheres have cultural premises that among other things make subtle use of light to shape for instance cosiness, work productivity, or sense of security.
15To explore this impact of new technologies, I now turn to the orchestration of light in Danish homes and social life, and the central notion of
hygge, generally translated into cosiness (see Linnet, 2011). Hygge is often described and idealised as a particular feeling or way of being together; a feeling of informality, relaxation, and cosiness that rules much social behaviour in Denmark and both valorises situations and structures spaces (Winther, 2005, 2006; Gram-Hanssen, 2008). The term is used in everyday language to describe a wide range of social events, interactions and spatial settings, from the café, the modern minimalistic home, to an idyllic farmhouse, as well as appears in various grammatical forms of verbs, adjectives and nouns. Many Danes claim that the term is not easily translatable to other languages, although in Norwegian, German and Dutch terms exist that cover much the same kind of cosy, homey, informal, and relaxed atmosphere (Linnet, 2011, p. 2). It is an atmosphere shaped through the material infrastructure, whether one is sitting alone, tucked in under a blanket with a cup of tea, in a restaurant with a partner or friend, or at a larger social event. 2 My anthropological fieldwork in Copenhagen, Denmark, includes 60 qualitative interviews with adults (...)
16While there are of course many exceptions and variations over the structure, content and orchestration of this cosy atmosphere – its mental states and material infrastructures – light has a prominent role in shaping it. This generally implies dimmed lighting dispersed across the rooms to shape smaller spaces within spaces, often (but not always) assisted by candlelight. A common term used for such lightscape is
hyggelys or cosy-light. My informants often state that they light candles or dim the light to subconsciously remind people and themselves to relax and stress down2. A lit candle, or the dimmed dispersed light, is a welcoming sign both in public and private spaces as an invitation to cosiness even if it may imply being forced into norm-governed behaviour. The dimmed light announces that what is sensed – and what should be sensed – is a socially relaxed, informal atmosphere. That said, of course the preparation and maintenance of cosiness may indeed be stressful itself for the guests, hosts or family, as expectation may be high to make sure that everything is in place.
17It is a highly performative orchestration of space where lights are dimmed, turned off, curtains pulled, and candles replaced as time passes (
cf. Garvey, 2005; Stender, 2006). Light, in this sense, becomes a practice and a process that affects people’s moods. People turn on lights in rooms where they are not present to shape a sense that they are not alone; a woman may turn on the lights in the dark room where the husband is watching television or playing computer, to signal social life rather than solitude; and people dim the light as evening progresses to shape intimacy. The cosy atmosphere is in constant creation in both interpersonal and material ways. It involves a particular care for visual comfort in terms of glow, shadows and visually convoluted spaces. People may not notice that they are doing this, but when asked, all informants are able to reflect upon their actions and what kind of atmosphere they opt for. Informants are very much aware that light shapes spaces and moods, but this reflection mostly emerge when asked directly.
18By most estimates 20-25% of the energy in private homes is spent on light3. This, of course, also means that a large amount of CO
2 emission is caused by the use of light. With the implementation of EU regulations on energy saving light sources, the last incandescent light bulbs have now been phased out. Technologies such as halogen bulbs and LED exist, but the CFL bulbs have been widespread for reasonable prices, and the one that is commonly understood as the energy saving light bulb in Denmark. The more expensive and better quality CFL bulbs are rarely the ones being sold in supermarkets and DIY-shops.
19Some of my informants did emphasise that they use the energy saving light bulb because it lowers the electrical bill, but very few have been satisfied with the overall experience. While lauded for its energy saving capabilities, many people in Denmark have over the past decade scorned the low colour reproduction (
ra 80-85) and/or high colour temperature (>2900 Kelvin). Visually such qualities change the domestic infrastructure into what informants call ‘dull’, grey surfaces, compared to the reddish glow from the incandescent bulb (2700 Kelvin) and colour reproduction ( ra 99) more similar to daylight.
20Although the technology is rapidly improving, the average CFL bulbs sold in supermarkets have several problems when it comes to shaping
hygge. The bulbs have slow starting capacity, may not fit into the lampshades, have a more narrow direction of light, and are most often unable to work with the existing switches for dimming light; a seemingly indispensable practice in a Danish domestic context. And besides, the very shape of them, confronts any habitual sense of design. With the new technology, the ‘warm’, reddish, and subdued glow from the incandescent light bulb is replaced by a ‘colder’, ‘clearer’, some say ‘bluish’ light. In that sense, lighting technologies are ecstatic (Böhme, 1995, p. 155-176) in that the source of light – be it the sun, the lamp or a reflecting surface – can transcend its own tangibility and extend its particular ‘being’ onto the world and shape the way people perceive their environment. The effect is that while many Danes have unwillingly had to adopt the new technology, many people also hoard the incandescent light bulbs, or specifically use the bulbs they have left for selected spots in the house where they particularly seek cosy light, such as the living room. Shaping a cosy atmosphere, thus, wins over environmental ethics.
21While the Member of Parliament Thor Pedersen’s questioning of the moral imposition of environmental awareness only dealt with electrical light and energy consumption, more is however at stake in the debates about the earth’s atmosphere and environment when it comes to the use of candlelight. Many Danes have an excessive use of candlelight, called ‘living light’. Candles are lit at broad daylight at lunch tables and even cafés to announce the cosy moment. It is not so much a matter of visually being able to see, as it is the (subconscious) announcement of the potential for a ‘gathering’ of moods, materiality and social life into a cosy atmosphere. The excessive use of candle light amounts to the commonly held idea that Danes have the highest use of candlelight per capita in the world – to much distress for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. At Christmas time the average use of candlelight triples. In autumn and winter, a recent survey showed that 28 per cent light candles every day, with 31 per cent lighting more than 5 candles at a time4.
22It is not only candlelight that the Danes make excessive use of. There is also an intensive use of fireplaces. According to some statistics, the use of fireplaces in Denmark contributes to more particle emission on the streets than traffic5. One of my informants explained that during winter she would use the fireplace pretty much every day, despite the fact that the house has a new natural gas heating system. Whether in the fireplace or with the candlelight, the flickering flame shapes cosiness and a place of gathering: the smell, the sound, the direct warmth, and the subdued and moving light shapes a homey, cosy atmosphere. It may be that light brings (biological) life, but it is with a love for shadows and the dimmed light that many Danes live their social life – even if polluting the environment is the effect.
23Hence, from my interviews about domestic lighting and new technologies, there appears to be many connections between pollution and shaping atmospheres through light (Carter, 2007; Garnert, 1993, 1994; Shove, 2003). In the same way as the question of what is to be considered the proper visual orchestration of space, so too is what is considered dirty embedded in cultural understandings of ‘normality’. Light has long been used both as a social hygienic tool to lower crime and a medical tool to increase health. The social history of hygiene over the last 150 years has shown that the use of a guilt-inducing rationale for increased hygiene has required a reconfiguration of the senses, where dirt is to be considered simultaneously a moral and a physical issue (Campkin & Cox, 2007, p. 2; Schivelbusch, 1988; Schmidt & Kristensen, 1986). Like atmospheres, so too does dirt slip ‘easily between concept, matter, experience and metaphor’ (Campkin & Cox, 2007, p. 1).
24However, to my informants, such categories as ‘dirty’ and ‘clean’ are not necessarily opposites, or a distinction between good/clean and bad/dirty. To them there is a fine balance between cleanliness and what is called ‘sterile’. Some informants tell stories of how they vacuum the house before guests arrive and clean up their houses. This is not necessarily because it is really dirty, but just to do it and feel that the room is clean, thus ascribing both to a hygienic regime as well as a moral discourse of cleanliness imposed on the host. If the moral duty to have a clean home is not achieved, then others, such, as my informant Anne, describes how dimmed light:
[…] does not reveal details. Things are allowed to stand a bit in the shadow […] Borders dissolve. It may sound strange. But I think that, if you put fluorescent light in here, I would be able to see all the dust balls on the floor. Those things disappear when you have the cosy-light. (Islands Brygge, February 8
th 2012)
25Light in other words is part of producing an image of a clean home. However, there is a balance between the clean and the sterile. The sterile, both as aesthetic expression and bacteriological reality, does not fit in easily with the orchestration of domestic atmospheres. If the home is
too clean, too neat, too new, too planned, too designed, it would resemble a public office or hospital – not a home. In that respect, I would argue that the opposite of hygge or cosiness – at least in a material perspective – is not necessarily ‘the uncanny’, or ‘the un-cosy’, but rather the ‘sterile’. The sterile is a particular kind of sensuous encounter that both deals with regimes of knowledge about bacterial absence, as well as the very sensuous encounter with aesthetical and bacterial absences. The sterile allows for surfaces to step forward as surfaces containing the absent, and this is easily interpreted as a lack of personal touch on interior design and by extension lack of personality.
26If dirt is ‘matter out of place’, as Mary Douglas (1966, p. 44) famously argued, the problem of pollution as a by-product of lighting traditions becomes more ambiguous. What in one regime of knowledge is understood as dirty – such as particle pollution from fireplaces – is in another regime, a product of cosy lighting that links to cultural norms and identity among Danes. Particle pollution, in other words, may both be negatively viewed as dirt and positively viewed as a multi-sensuous co-producer of cosy atmospheres, even by the same individual. The smell of the soot, the slightly heavy air, and the aesthetically un-sterile expression of the warm glow from the subdued light, flickering flames and shadows that orchestrates the intimacy of the cosy atmosphere, shapes a space that does not look sterile, commercialised, or depersonalised, but rather, gives a cosy, intimate, and personal touch
to a home or space. Despite my informants’ diverse ways of inhabiting the flats and houses, and amounts of light used, a cosy home is not ‘perfect’. It is not something you buy from a shop, but something that is made, is personal, and just a bit not too clean. Thus, what is dirty in one bacterial register of knowledge is needed in an atmospheric register of experience. The home needs a bit of what would be considered ‘matter out of place’ in a bacteriological sense, to avoid the sterile, and thereby not being cosy.
27It is in this distinction between cultural perceptions of dirt and the sterile that the
ecstatic qualities of light that the CFL bulb offers, is hitting a nerve. The ecstasy of the bulbs makes things look ‘lifeless’ and ‘sterile’ to the informants. Their use of the term ‘sterile’ may be somewhat metaphorical – more denoting an aesthetic expression, rather than any measurement of bacteria – but nonetheless, it is a minute difference in light setting that challenges the cosy atmosphere.
28The point of the above exploration into the relationship between atmospheres and new technologies, is that understanding the appreciation of specific material qualities of light, the
ecstasies of the bulb’s colour reproduction and temperature, the patina and multi-sensuality of orchestrating lightscapes through the shadows, the flickering flames, and the glow from the subdued lighting, is at the heart of understanding the contestation against adopting a new technology. What would appear to be a moral good – saving tons of CO 2 release into the earth’s atmosphere by simply switching to the energy saving light bulb – is contested by the lacking ability of a technology to expose the visual world in a way that does not leave a ‘sterile’ impression (in whatever way that sterility is socially evaluated and continuously rethought). While the luminous aspects of atmospheres have become politically embedded for the greater good of the earth’s atmosphere, it does, then, not mean that people easily adopt such politics. People’s insistence on the specific materiality of cosy-light makes the cosy atmosphere a political issue. The incandescent light bulb is now phased out, but pressure is starting to be raised also on banning candlelight and wood stoves because of the pollution they emit. Atmospheres both as meteorological and experience are thoroughly embedded in politics.
29One could ironically propose that with the new lighting technology, people now see the light, but perhaps the best light is what people don’t see; what they don’t notice is there, because it fits with atmospheric norms, and doesn’t stand out as light,
as such, but simply integral part of the atmosphere. Between the intimate, personal experience of cosy atmosphere, and the distant atmospheric impact of CO 2 emission and particle pollution, environmental ethics comes in second place. In that sense, as Sloterdijk noted, the future is atmospheric. |
warc | 201704 | Ephedrine Vs. Yohimbe Transdermal 06-01-2004, 05:03 PM 06-01-2004, 05:49 PM Originally Posted by Edge I have never seen Y to inhibit dopamine uptake, in the literature, though i cannot 100% say it does not do this. Y is also more problematic centrally, because it blocks the primary pathway of NE inhibition centrally (for more on NE excess centrally, read Spook's leptin articles). Y also blocks the negative feedback on lipolysis, peripherally, while E meraly increases such signalling peripherally (and, if you look at how homeostasis opertaes, blocking negative feedback is generally a more frutiful approach. IOW, E tend to work better systemically, and Y does better if it avoids systemic access (expecially to the CNS). So, it is not that E will not work locally delivered, it just is not as advantageous as Y and it does not have as many drawback delivered systemically (especially to the CNS)
06-01-2004, 06:03 PM
Thanks ParOriginally Posted by Par Deus Interesting! I wanted to try a Ephedrine hombrew transdermal but guess not. I have a good source for Ephedrine but I cant find Yohimbe in Canada.
06-01-2004, 06:54 PM
To be clear, I am not at all saying that it would be worthless to do E transdermally, I am just saying that unlike Y, it works damn well systemically.
06-01-2004, 10:37 PM
Yup I understand. Ive just been hearing alot lately about products like yohimburn and such so I thought Id make a homebrew transdermal to save a few bucks on a test trial.Originally Posted by Par Deus
06-01-2004, 10:41 PM
06-02-2004, 12:59 AM
06-02-2004, 08:17 PM
Actually Par that might be a good question, I didnt really see the difference...Originally Posted by jweave23 Do you think I should add synepherine and caffeine to the mix like the lipoderm has? I ordered some Isoproanol, Benzyl Alcohol and Acetone and I am just about ready to make this brew. Oh and I found a place that sells Yohimbe in 500 Mg capsules, 100 capsules standardized to 1% for 40.00$ CAD, does that sound too expensive? This place does have a reputation of being expensive so should I keep looking or does that seem good price? Edit: I also just located a tincture of yohimbe bark for 25 bucks CAD. If its 65 mg per serving, and theres 120 servings per bottle, thats 7800 mg of yohimbe. Can this be used as well? Supplement Facts: Serving Size* 15 Drops Servings Per Container *120 *Amount per Serving*********************** *** mg Extract*********************** ************************** 65 mg + Dried Yohimbe Bark (Corynanthe yohimbe), 60-70% Pure Grain Alcohol USP, and Spring Water. Minimum Dry Herb Strength Ratio: 1:2 + Daily Value not established. Ecologically Wildcrafted * " Expiration Date: Approx. 4 years from the date of the purchase. Brand: Gaia Herbs 2 Fluid oz/60 ml Last edited by Edge; 06-02-2004 at 09:23 PM.
06-02-2004, 10:42 PM
Awwwwwwwwwwww nuts am I looking for yohimbine HCL when it comes to making a transdermal? Thats gonna make things 10% harder. Similar Forum Threads By dpk33 in forum SupplementsReplies: 18Last Post: 05-04-2014, 01:56 AM By Patuba in forum AnabolicsReplies: 16Last Post: 07-10-2013, 09:33 PM By uubiduu in forum AnabolicsReplies: 28Last Post: 03-17-2012, 02:18 AM By metalman302 in forum Weight LossReplies: 4Last Post: 12-11-2007, 08:22 AM By twerp in forum AnabolicsReplies: 5Last Post: 12-16-2004, 10:10 PM |
warc | 201704 | What could life have been like for such a monolith of the sea? Many theories float around about the megalodon's habitat and prey. Megalodon fossils have been discovered far and wide, from Japan to the United States, so researchers conclude that megalodon was an intercontinental species, living all over the world's ancient oceans. Due to the coastal locations where the most fossils have been discovered, experts believe the megatooth shark had similar habitats as the great white of today -- living offshore in more temperate climates and setting up nurseries in warm, shallow water closer to coastlines [source: Renz].
In 2009, a group of paleontologists from the University of Florida in Gainesville discovered the fossilized remains of a megalodon nursery in Panama that was made up almost entirely of juvenile megalodon tooth fossils. Between this new discovery and a breeding ground found in South Carolina, scientists believe that an infant megalodon could have been an average 20 feet (6 meters) long, the same size as an adult great white.
Because of its sheer size, this species was the top predator of its time and would have needed to eat a lot to survive. Experts estimate that the average adult female weighed between 50 to 100 tons (45 to 90 metric tons -- about the size of half of a blue whale) and could eat up to 2,500 pounds (1,136 kilograms) of food per day. That's over 500 pounds (227 kilograms) more than the average American eats in an entire year.
Life at the top of the food chain meant the megalodon could eat whatever it wanted, and with its supersized, serrated teeth and a wide mouth, it could disable whales and seals easily before gulping them down. A team of researchers in Australia determined the megalodon's bite force was so strong, it could crush the skull of a whale as easily as a human can eat a grape [source: Wroe]. So what happened to the megatooth shark that knocked it from the top of the food chain to complete extinction? Find out on the next page. |
warc | 201704 | Re-Examining the Role of Hydrogen Peroxide in Bacteriostatic and Bactericidal Activities of Honey
Front Microbiol, 2011;2:213. Epub 2011 Oct 25
The aim of this study was to critically analyze the effects of hydrogen peroxide on growth and survival of bacterial cells in order to prove or disprove its purported role as a main component responsible for the antibacterial activity of honey.
Using the sensitive peroxide/peroxidase assay, broth microdilution assay and DNA degradation assays, the quantitative relationships between the content of H(2)O(2) and honey's antibacterial activity was established(.) The results showed that: (A) the average H(2)O(2) content in honey was over 900-fold lower than that observed in disinfectants that kills bacteria on contact. (B) A supplementation of bacterial cultures with H(2)O(2) inhibited E. coli and B. subtilis growth in a concentration-dependent manner, with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC(90)) values of 1.25 mM/10(7) cfu/ml and 2.5 mM/10(7) cfu/ml for E. coli and B. subtilis, respectively.
In contrast, the MIC(90) of honey against E. coli correlated with honey H(2)O(2) content of 2.5 mM, and growth inhibition of B. subtilis by honey did not correlate with honey H(2)O(2) levels at all. (C) A supplementation of bacterial cultures with H(2)O(2) caused a concentration-dependent degradation of bacterial DNA, with the minimum DNA degrading concentration occurring at 2.5 mM H(2)O(2). DNA degradation by honey occurred at lower than ≤2.5 mM concentration of honey H(2)O(2) suggested an enhancing effect of other honey components. (D)
Honeys with low H(2)O(2) content were unable to cleave DNA but the addition of H(2)O(2) restored this activity. The DNase-like activity was heat-resistant but catalase-sensitive indicating that H(2)O(2) participated in the oxidative DNA damage.
We concluded that the honey H(2)O(2) was involved in oxidative damage causing bacterial growth inhibition and DNA degradation, but these effects were modulated by other honey components. |
warc | 201704 | Portland, OR
May 15, 2012 - The Bud Clark Commons, the year-old building that combines homes and services for homeless and low-income people in Portland’s Old Town, has won national recognition for its design.The American Institute of Architects and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has given the Bud Clark Commons the “Creating Community Connections” award in their annual design contest.
The unique eight-story building provides a continuum of services such as health, shelter, and counseling to help homeless people transition from instability to a more permanent home. It includes a walk-in day center with access to services; a temporary shelter with 90 beds for homeless men; and 130 efficient, studio apartments on the five upper floors designated for very low-income women or men.
The national jury of architects, design critics and government housing officials heaped praise on Holst Architects, the Portland-based firm that designed the building for the Portland Housing Bureau.
“The architect is really trying to say something here, and it is inspiring. The way the shelter addresses the street and the commons – it creates a place of invitation and dignity in a warm, lively kind of way. It invites a wider idea of constructive citizenry.
“This building is more than an institution. Considering the homelessness initiative – most homeless projects seem institutionalized and one dimensional, but this is not stigmatized, it is thoughtful and brings a new way of thinking about how these facilities should be done. It is a gorgeous project. This approach should be imitated.”
Dave Otte the lead architect on the project, accepted the award at the AIA’s national convention in Washington D.C.
Housing Commissioner Nick Fish congratulated the Holst team.
“The promise of Bud Clark Commons is to create pathways to self-sufficiency for people without a place to call home,” Nick Fish. “This is an exceptional honor for an exceptional building. In the Bud Clark Commons, the city and the design team have proven that design and function are not mutually exclusive.”
The building was developed by Home Forward, formally the Housing Authority of Portland, and built by Walsh Construction. Total cost of the project was $46.9 million, $29.8 million coming from the city’s urban renewal funds. It’s named for Bud Clark, Portland’s mayor from 1985 to 1992, the first to make ending homelessness a key mission of the city. It’s located at the gateway to downtown Portland, near historic Union Station and bordering the Pearl District, an upper-income mixed-use neighborhood.
The building stands out environmentally as well, using natural light, a solar-powered hot water system, energy-efficient lighting, green roofs, low-flow plumbing fixtures, bioswales and grey-water recycling to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save energy. All the building materials were locally sourced and sustainably harvested or produced. The building has a LEED Platinum certification by the United States Green Building Council, with savings from the use of energy-efficient technologies estimated at $60,000 per year. |
warc | 201704 | Contents - Previous - Next
This is the old United Nations University website. Visit the new site at http://unu.edu
Structural costs; thestakes; the struggle for the NIEO
The claims by Third World states for a 'New International Economic Order' formed a coherent whole whose logic was perfectly comprehensible. Substantial and sustained rises in raw materials prices, strengthened by a debt reduction and more favourable conditions for the transfer of technology, were the method par excellence of improving the financial prospects of a new stage of Third World industrialization. This industrialization, based on what conventional wisdom regards as 'comparative advantages', was conceived on the dual basis of relatively cheap manpower and natural resources allowing for exports to the developed world in an expanded network of world trade. The opening up of developed countries' markets to the export of the manufactures of the Third World would, according to the conventional wisdom, serve the collective interest by making the international division of labour more responsive to the source of inputs. Furthermore, industrial exports would help bridge the Third World food gap through imports replacing aid.
The rise in oil prices at the end of 1973 strengthened thecredibility of this programme by showing that it was possible tosecure alternative prices for raw materials, and that these werecertainly not 'unbearable' for the developed world. It showedthat the financial resources generated in this way could bedevoted to an acceleration of industrialization in thebeneficiary countries. In this sense, October 1973 marks aturning point in the history of international relations, themoment of consciousness of the Third World countries not
of theirrights but of their power.
It was, therefore, a programme in total accordance with all the sacrosanct principles defended by Western liberal orthodoxy. A programme taking greater heed than ever of the objectives of world economic interdependence and seeking to place this on a footing of comparative advantages. A programme that should have been shaped and proposed by the economics professors in the most conservative institutions rather than by the governments who had constantly been lambasted by those institutions for their bent to 'nationalism', a supposedly obsolete philosophy contrary to the interests of their peoples. It is an irony of history that the initiative came from the 'rationalist' Third World and was unanimously rejected by the apostles of the principles on which it was based!
The claim of the NIEO coincided with the most serious post-war crisis. It was even argued that the oil price rise - the first (and as yet sole) indicator of the implementation of the Third World programme for the NIEO - was the 'cause' of the crisis. A veritable campaign was orchestrated on this theme in 1973 and 1974, using every kind of argument and despite all the facts: the beginning of the international monetary crisis and the appearance of US external deficits since the mid-1960s, the precedence of stagflation, the scale and persistence of inflation rates irrespective of the calculable increase attributable to oil, the (still massive) placing of oil revenues on the Western finance markets, the modest role of petro-dollars in comparison with the movable assets of the transnationals in speculative fluctuations, and so on. The campaign has of necessity long hung fire: erosion of the oil price in the 1 980s and the reversal of the conjuncture ('the end of the era of OPEC') have never allowed it any funkier take-off.
The fact is, that the crisis has its main origin in the international division of labour in force, that challenged by the claims of the NIEO. We should remember that the former international division of labour confined the developing countries to the export of (agricultural and mineral) primary products, as their (import substitution) industrialization was strictly limited to their domestic market. This international division of labour was one of the bases on which the continuing prosperity of the previous quarter of a century was built. A prosperity confined, if truth be told, to the developed centres of the system. If the centres at the time in question enjoyed a high level of employment, continual growth in productivity and comparable growth in wages, for the underdeveloped peripheries and their growth rates the same mechanisms that give rise elsewhere to full employment and growth in real wages produced a continual rise in unemployment and underemployment, stagnation, or a fall in real wages and the rewards for rural producers; there the crisis was permanent. Only from the 1970s did the crisis begin to spread throughout the world system, that is, to pass to the developed centres as well.
If this is the case the best way to overcome the crisis would be to change the ground rules of the international division of labour and accept the claims of the Third World. It must be obvious that export industrialization in the Third World would provide work for a substantial number of the Third World's unemployed, create new outlets for the machine tools of the developed world and correct the imbalances in the profitability of various industrial sectors, since the falling rate of profit shown by the crisis arises from the inappropriateness of the current international division of activity.
Such measures to revise the international division of labour serve only to highlight the economic logic of the system. Here lies its logical strength and current weakness. Since: a) the world system cannot be reduced to a simple 'pure' economic logic, namely maximization of profit on a world scale, without regard to the division of the world into nations, the locus of operation of essential and immediate political forces; and b) the crisis cannot be surmounted except by implementation in a co-ordinated and systematic manner of the new international division of labour, nor is this the 'beet' solution in the light of national factors, nor is this solution the most 'probable'.
Peaceful, co-ordinated and systematic implementation of a new international division of labour might be the dream of a technocrat with a single purpose: the maximization of profit. Oddly enough the Third World states have behaved like this collective technocrat, while the Western authorities, apostles par excellence of the philosophy of profitability, have recoiled from the logical consequences of their own philosophy and rejected the industrial relocation that was on offer.
Accordingly, the internal logic of the programme for the NIEO reflected the contradictory character of capital accumulation on a world scale. To some extent the programme was initially a scheme to deepen the international division of labour through a levy on the rate of surplus value (super-exploitation of labour power at the periphery) it would have permitted a rising rate of profit on the world scale (and at this level looked like a programme of capitalist development), but in another way, within the framework of this common aim of capitalist development, the strategies of the monopolies and the imperialist states and those of the bourgeoisies and the peripheral states would have come into contradiction.
The imperialist monopolies took a narrow view of the 'neworder'. To them it meant taking greater profit from the cheapmanpower and natural resources of the Third World, by relocatingsegments of the production processes they themselves controlled.Under this strategy relocation was not aimed at creatingintegrated national industrial economies in the Third World,however outward-looking. On the contrary, the interest of themonopolies was in exporting discrete segments in such a way as toretain control over economic life as a whole on the world scale.In this framework the monopolies could make small concessions tothe 'host countries', or even in extreme cases renounce formalownership of the capital. Competition, the absence of integrationof the segments, their technological dependence, such as theobligation to sell their output on the oil-rich marketscontrolled by the monopolies, all reduced the meaning of formalownership of the capital; the monopolies could impose very harshconditions on their partners. It was
laissez-faire on thescale of a world under monopoly domination. In suchcircumstances, even the financing of the relocation through theThird World countries' own means could bring an additionalbenefit to the monopolies as vendors of turnkey factories. Thisprofitable exaction was in effect included in the pricingstructure. Meanwhile the exaction could be enlarged throughvisible financial transfers by way of technology sales, licensesand trade marks, and through interest on loans for plantexpansion. Sometimes even the pricing structure was distorted toremove the apparent profitability from the segments transferred:loans supposed to make good 'management deficits' are nothingless than resurrected forms of capitalism's perennial tendency toplunder. Financial neo-capital, in imitation of the oldmercantilist capital, appeared anew, as at the dawn ofcapitalism: 'primitive' accumulation is always with us.
This strategy has its own name - and not by chance - of 'redeployment'. It has the active support of the World Bank, the IMF and other institutions of the developed capitalist states, and wins acceptance as a 'new order' for the new enclaves of the 'free zone' kind. Obviously the strategy reduces to a minimum the local state's role, which becomes a mere administration policing the exploited labour force. It also aims to divide the Third World not only by widening the gap between countries of 'strong growth' and 'stagnant' countries, but also in setting the former to compete against one another.
What the Third World, or at least the driving element among the nonaligned, meant by a new international order was very different. Revision of the international division of labour along the lines described was intended to accompany and implement the establishment of a self-reliant industrial national economy.
The strengthening of the national state, and the active role of state policy were, in this strategy, to ensure that industry was not made up of discrete fragments, but of every stage of the production process. The resort to importation of the ingredients of these production lines (the purchase of turnkey factories) entailed a high level of exports, whether of 'traditional' raw materials or new industrial products. Hence the success of the strategies was largely dependent on the capacity to win concessions, which was in turn the programme for the new international economic order.
The conflict of these two 'interpretations' of the new order has appeared in all the negotiations on the industrial international division of labour and relocation. The points of discussion were the character and options of establishment, the degree of decentralized decision-making, the methods of financing the transfers, issues of personnel training and management, and access to external markets. The Third World states generally pressed for: the establishment of as complete industries as possible, with upstream and downstream links, agreed rules subjecting the management of industrial units to the state's industrial policy, an option for management of units by local staff, access to international distribution networks for manufactured goods to localized firms (as the lowering of protectionist barriers by the developed countries was not regarded as a sufficient guarantee of access to these markets), support for national technological research, regulated financing (to avoid, for example, a subsidiary of a multinational financing its investment by calling on local banking sources without bringing in new capital), regulation of transfers (a sharing of risks, ceilings on exportable profits, obligations to invest part of the profit in the national economy) and so on.
These demands were regarded as unacceptable by the multinationals whose sole interest was in partial relocation through subsidiaries under their virtual control.
Gradually, most of the Third World states have had to come to terms with the redeployment strategy. The only states in a position to negotiate are those that refuse the direct establishment of subsidiaries and seek an alternative in the purchase of turnkey factories within the framework of their overall industrialization policy.
The strategy of these states counted on the possibility of successful change of the international order through unilateral joint action, and through further action from North-South collective negotiations. The idea, it should be remembered, was to organize cartels of Third World producers who could insist on price revisions for raw materials. National control over natural resources should allow scope for manoeuvre not only on supply, but also and above all on exploitation of the resources that took into account long-term national interests and halted the rates of exploitation governed entirely by the needs of the developed world. With this new-found strength, the Third World countries hoped to enjoy a genuine negotiating power that would oblige the North to make concessions: for instance, access to its markets, a code of conduct for transfers of technology. Co-operation between Third World countries ('collective self-reliance') was part of this bid for strength (cf. Chapter 7).
This is the essential context for discussing the use of oil surpluses. On some views the NIEO was to be no more than the rise in oil prices alone and the relocation of export industry a minor operation. On this view the oil revenue surpluses should be made available to the developed financial markets to supply their own policies of intervention in relations between developed countries, and marginal support for the 'survival' of the old international division of labour in the developing countries. This rescued the attitude of 'aid' as a permanent safety-valve ensuring the perpetuation of a system that was increasingly unjust day by day. The actual use of oil surpluses has in fact served this purpose (cf. Chapter 6).
In the mid-1970s there was still the hope that the Third World would reject this narrow view. The non-aligned movement and the group of 77 were seeking a strategy for collective battle for across the board increases in raw materials prices, as the resolution on the solidarity fund and producers associations taken at Dakar in February 1977 showed. This strong and valid approach was not sustained. Under the pressure of the developed countries and the bias of UNCTAD and endless 'negotiation' and 'dialogue', the 'stabilization' fund strategy replaced that of producers associations for collective unilateral intervention where such was required.
So, in the end, the battle for the NIEO was lost. As well as the failure being noted, the causes have to be studied. Are they purely circumstantial (in the economic crisis)? Can they be attributed to 'tactical errors' by the Third World (its own divisions and weaknesses)? Or do these circumstances and weaknesses show the impossibility of autocentric development at the periphery of the modern capitalist system? We shall return to these fundamental issues (cf. Chapter 8).
This failure being so, what has actually happened? Relocation advances at tortoise-like pace, heightening differentiation with the Third World, feeding the illusion of possible compromise between the bourgeois national plan and integration in the world system for some, and marginalization for others. The seeming successes of Korea, Brazil and India have forced the collective plan of the NIEO into the background. We shall return to these successes (cf. Chapters 6 and 7) to assess their character and extent.
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warc | 201704 | Life is good in Aberdeen - but it could be even better. That was one of the messages in Mayor Mike Levsen's State of the City address last week, and it was an accurate one. We've come a long way, but the journey isn't over yet. The mayor and the city council have done a tremendous job working with economic development officials, the Chamber of Commerce, businesses and industries in terms of revitalizing our local economy. The city has made many exciting accomplishments during the past several years - and has just as many positive developments on its horizon. New businesses are opening, work is starting on new police and fire facilities, roads are being improved and housing projects are being initiated. But wait, there's more. It makes sense to believe that growth begets growth. The current new growth will likely attract even more new business, spur even more new housing and, with hope, increase sales tax revenues and - ultimately - bring even more new businesses to the area, continuing the cycle. These groups - and others - have been working hard to make advances that would improve economic growth and development for the city and the region. As we begin to see the fruits of these labors, one natural inclination might be to sit back, relax and congratulate ourselves on a job well done. Levsen warned against that, and he was right to do so. There's a lot of work yet to be done and, as Isaac Newton's first law of motion very firmly states: An object at rest tends to stay at rest. We don't want - or need - to be an object at rest. Excitement, enthusiasm and optimism should be infectious in our community and our region right now. This is the time to be fired up by our current success. We need to use that energy to work toward a future filled with new growth. Let's get going. |
warc | 201704 | California Gov. Jerry Brown's revenue-raising Proposition 30 was… (Wally Skalij, Los Angeles…)
SACRAMENTO — The election wasn't even over Tuesday when state Treasurer Bill Lockyer's phone started ringing. Activists of all stripes had the same message for him: With voters apparently poised to approve billions of dollars in tax hikes, it was time to spend more money.
"They had to be reminded the money has already been spent," Lockyer said.
As California tries to shake its national reputation as a financial bungler, policymakers in Sacramento will be managing an estimated $6 billion in annual revenue from Gov. Jerry Brown's newly approved tax plan, Proposition 30. The money is already included in the budget the governor signed last summer.
The bloodletting that has become a ritual part of assembling the state budget is expected to fade. But some of the issues that have made California's financial problems so persistent remain and could still create a budget gap if things don't go as planned.
In essence, analysts say, voters have stabilized the patient, but surgery may still be required.
Brown has long acknowledged that fixing the state's fiscal problems will require more work. He told reporters last week that "there are no cure-alls" and pledged to hold the line against new spending. As the former seminary student often does, he used a biblical allusion to make his point.
"We need the prudence of Joseph," he said.
The governor's plan will increase the state sales tax by a quarter-cent for four years and raise levies on high earners by one to three percentage points for seven years. Passage of Proposition 30 prevents billions of dollars in education cuts and gives the state an opportunity to end the fiscal year without a deficit for the first time in five years.
But California still has the lowest credit rating of any state. Its tax system is unstable. Borrowing costs remain high, and there are signs that the Brown administration's current $91.3-billion budget may be fraying at the seams as savings fail to meet expectations.
"By no means is California out of the woods yet," said Kil Huh, a director at the Pew Center on the States in Washington. "They've built up a set of challenges that are daunting for any state."
For starters, swings in the stock market can have an outsize effect on California's budget because the state relies so heavily on income taxes paid by the wealthy. In 2010, the richest 1% of Californians earned 21.3% of the income in the state and paid 40.9% of the state income taxes, according to the most recent government data available.
Gabriel Petek, an analyst at Standard & Poor's, noted that California has, over time, decreased more reliable sources of revenue, such as fees on motor vehicle registrations, while increasing less dependable ones, such as income taxes.
Revamping the tax base is politically treacherous. Voters approved strict limits on property taxes in 1978 with Proposition 13, which has since been considered the third rail in California politics.
"If I was dictator of the state, I would look at it," said Kim Rueben at the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center in Washington. "I'm not sure it will ever be looked at."
The responsibility for handling state finances now is expected to fall completely to Democrats, who are poised to gain a supermajority in each house of the Legislature. Republicans would no longer be able to block tax increases, which require a two-thirds vote.
Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) said in an interview Friday that changes in the tax system can bring "political peril" and are not high on his agenda.
California could also face budget gaps when Proposition 30's tax hikes expire. Administration officials are banking on improvements in the economy to make up for the loss of extra tax revenue then.
Some Republicans fear Democrats will increase spending so much that they'll try to make the tax hikes permanent.
"They won't be able to help themselves from continuing to expand the growth of government," said Sen. Ted Gaines (R-Roseville).
And $34.1 billion in debt has accumulated over the last decade as the state has deferred payments to schools, local governments, pension plans and other areas. Ana Matosantos, the governor's finance director, said the administration has a plan in place to pay down most of that "wall of debt" by 2016.
California also has $80 billion in general obligation bonds outstanding, requiring the state to spend nearly 9% of its general fund annually to cover the cost of that borrowing.
"It means you're spending several billion dollars for debt service that isn't available for schools or healthcare," Lockyer said.
Administration officials counted on saving $3.1 billion in the current fiscal year with the dissolution of redevelopment agencies, but so far those savings have fallen far behind expectations. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office said the state could end up almost $1 billion short.
Finally, tax revenue has failed to match projections. The administration's most recent report showed it falling 2.1% below expectations in the current fiscal year, a $379-million drop.
Marilyn Cohen, founder of Envision Capital Management in Beverly Hills, worries that Sacramento will face the same problems year after year.
"I have no confidence," she said, "that this state knows how to create a budget and hit their budgetary goals."
[email protected] For the latest California election results, go to latimes.com/electionresults and latimes.com/socalresults. |
warc | 201704 | Students at Kipp Academy of Opportunity in Hyde Park, part of a charter group… (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles…)
The Arkansas-based Walton Family Foundation announced Wednesday that it is donating $20 million to a nonprofit that recruits talented college graduates to teach in public schools for two years. The largest number of instructors, more than 700, is slated for Los Angeles.
The gift is a continuation of support that has totaled more than $100 million to New York City-based Teach for America over its 24 years. Walton’s cumulative contribution to TFA in Los Angeles is more than $10 million, according to the foundation.
“With this critical investment, Teach for America will be able to bring effective teachers into some of the most under-resourced classrooms in the country while simultaneously working to develop more of our talented corps members as long-term champions of educational equity and excellence,” said Matt Kramer, co-chief executive officer of Teach for America, in a statement.
Support from the Walton foundation has attracted notice because it’s associated with funding and advocacy for “school choice” efforts around the country. These include independently operated, public charter schools. The foundation also supports government-funded vouchers to subsidize the tuition of low-income students at private schools.
The foundation is funded by members of the family that founded the Walmart Corp., which has opposed unionization in its operations. Most charters are nonunion.
For its part, TFA has always cast itself as politically neutral and notes that its teachers join unions when they work in school districts with collective bargaining agreements.
The group lobbies both the federal and state governments to allow its teachers to enter schools as rated “highly qualified” under the law. That designation is important because schools with lower numbers of highly qualified instructors face possible sanctions.
The Walton foundation said the essence of its support for TFA has to do with the group’s twin core missions: to provide effective teachers where they are needed for low-income students and to develop alumni who become leaders who care about education, whether they remain in school systems or enter other fields.
“Teach for America is doing a great job of recruiting highly talented individuals into education,” said Ed Kirby, deputy director of K-12 education reform for the foundation. “It is a fabulous talent pipeline.”
In the L.A. area, 42 TFA alums have risen to the position of principal or higher working for a school district; 60 have done so in local charter schools.
In L.A. this year, 94% of the incoming corps found jobs in charter schools, which have been expanding in number. It’s “a special value that TFA has embraced placement in charter schools,” Kirby said. Many alums, he noted, become charter school leaders: “It’s amazing when you get out into the charter school market to see the degree to which TFA alums populate the leadership throughout.”
Walton is TFA’s largest donor, but the group has a diverse funding base. The Walton donation will cover about 20% of TFA’s expenses this year in the L.A. region. Other local major donors include the Wasserman Foundation, Ahmanson Foundation and State Farm Companies Foundation.
Altogether, Walton’s donation will help recruit and train nearly 4,000 first- and second-year teachers in nine regions, including Denver; Milwaukee; Newark, N.J.; New Orleans and Washington. Three cities — Detroit; Indianapolis; and Memphis, Tenn. — are receiving direct support from Walton for the first time.
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warc | 201704 | Last night, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing on Betsy DeVos, the nominee for Secretary of Education. Senators showed up with a lot of questions for DeVos, who has no experience in education policy but instead has a long record of supporting private school vouchers. Despite protest from the Democrats on the committee, the committee chairman allowed each senator only five minutes to ask all of their questions.
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions wrapped up its hearing on Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of education at 8:45 last night, and will be back at 10 this morning to hold another confirmation hearing. Up today: Trump’s pick for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.).
The Senate confirmation hearing of education secretary nominee Betsy DeVos has been postponed until Jan. 17. This is for the best. DeVos is a controversial appointee who hasn’t even completed her ethics review, and there’s no need to fast-track her nomination.
The 115th Congress convenes today with the swearing in of both new and returning members. The Democrats picked up a few seats in both the House and Senate, but the Republicans will maintain their majorities in both chambers.
Come Jan. 20, the Republicans will also have control of the White House. Congressional leaders, however, aren’t waiting for Inauguration Day to start pushing through the agenda of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence. Congress is going to move full speed ahead starting on day one. And Americans United will push back.
President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Betsy DeVos to head the U.S. Department of Education. As AU Executive Director Barry W. Lynn put it, this appointment “is an insult to public education.”
DeVos, an activist in Michigan Republican politics, has no background working in public education. In fact, it’s likely she doesn’t even support that concept. DeVos has spent most of her professional career running an organization that seeks to create voucher plans. Her focus has always been on private schools, not public ones.
President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Betsy DeVos as his nominee for Secretary of Education, despite the fact that she has no experience with public education. Instead, DeVos has led the crusade to create taxpayer-funded private school voucher programs, which undermine our public schools. What’s more, vouchers don’t improve educational outcomes, they lack accountability and oversight, they fund schools that discriminate and violate religious freedom.
Americans United is hard at work sounding the alarm about some of the people President-elect Donald Trump has tapped to serve in his cabinet.
Among the most troubling is Betsy DeVos, Trump’s pick to run the U.S. Department of Education. DeVos has no experience with public education. In fact, she’s hostile to the concept. DeVos has devoted much of her time over the years to prioritizing and promoting private school voucher plans.
There has been a lot of speculation about how President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to run the U.S. Department of Education, Betsy DeVos, might affect the issue of private school vouchers.
DeVos is known primarily for her advocacy of vouchers, and Trump has backed a nationwide plan with a staggering price tag of $20 billion. Many people are rightly alarmed.
But there’s another education-related issue we ought to be concerned about as well: creationism.
Yesterday, President-elect Donald J. Trump named Religious Right favorite Ben Carson to serve as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) secretary.
Carson, who’s a retired neurosurgeon, has no experience with affordable housing or fair housing laws. He does have experience, however, making controversial and bizarre remarks about any number of issues, including about religious freedom.
Carson joins a host of problematic cabinet nominees.
If there’s anyone out there who still thinks the Donald Trump presidency won’t be so bad for separation of church and state, chew on this: Trump offered the job of Education Secretary to
Jerry Falwell Jr.
That’s right: Trump was prepared to turn the U.S. Department of Education over to a biblical literalist who would have been absolutely unqualified for the job. |
warc | 201704 | When you’re a new B2B writer or copywriter, one of your biggest challenges isn’t finding prospects to approach. Rather, it’s about narrowing down your field.
It can feel as if everyone’s a prospect. And even when you’ve decided to focus on the corporate market, that still leaves you with millions of potential companies you could contact.
So where do you start? And whom do you target?
You have to prioritize. I’m about to show you an extremely powerful prioritization tool that will save you countless hours of wasted effort. And it will dramatically increase your chances of getting quick wins. It’s called the List Kickstarter Matrix (LKM).
The LKM will not only help you prioritize your outreach, it will also help you build that initial list of prospects. Let me first explain what each quadrant represents by giving you examples of who belongs in each quadrant, and then I’ll show you how to use this to create your list.
Golden Nugget
One of your all-time best friends is the marketing director at a midsize medical equipment company. They produce a lot of written materials. That would obviously be an ideal Golden Nugget. However, at this stage in your journey, even someone who could use your services in their own business could be a Golden Nugget.
For instance, let’s say that your real estate agent is pretty marketing-savvy and puts out a lot of content for his prospects. Or maybe a relative of yours owns a pretty successful IT consulting business and seems to know a bit about marketing and the importance of copy and content. As you move through your launch journey, those types of prospects may not be ideal. But for now, as long as you know them well and as long as they appear to understand the importance of marketing, they could be classified as a Golden Nugget.
Connector
Your next-door neighbor is VP of operations at a logistics company. He’s obviously not a marketer, but he may be able to refer you to his marketing VP. Also, he’s very well-connected in the local business community, so he can probably refer you to prospects that would be well-suited for you.
Solid Prospect
You have a key contact in an organization that produces a lot of written content and where your particular work background and experience could make you an ideal freelance resource.
Helping Hand
Your sister owns a small bakery. She wouldn’t be a prospect. In fact, she doesn’t really understand what you do for a living. But you’re confident that she’d be willing to hear more about what you’re doing and possibly refer you to some of her personal or business contacts who may be a better fit for you.
Poor Connection
Your friend Nate introduced you to his cousin at a party you attended last weekend. His cousin seemed like a very nice person. He even gave you his business card. But (a) you just met him, and (b) he owns a very small landscaping company. So he wouldn’t really be a good prospect or even a source of referrals.
How to use the LKM
Here’s how you can use the LKM to prioritize and organize your prospecting efforts.
First, focus on people you already know. Here’s how to do that:
1. Grab a notepad and divide a blank page into three columns. Title the first column “Golden Nuggets,” the second column “Connectors” and the third column “Helping Hands.”
2. Open your contact management application (or your Rolodex, address book, etc.). Go through each name one by one and decide if it fits into one of these three columns.
3. Try not to judge too much at this point. Remember, you’re not just looking for Golden Nuggets. You’re also looking for potential Connectors and Helping Hands.
4. Don’t ignore or write off Helping Hands. One of the Helping Hands in my network is completely responsible for my being where I am today in my business. That gentleman introduced me to someone who referred me to yet another individual who hired me 14 years ago. And that particular job was the impetus for my going freelance in 2006. I also probably wouldn’t have had the success I’ve enjoyed had I not reached out to one specific Connector early in my freelance career. That lady introduced me to what ended up becoming my longest-running client (seven years!).
Next, make an initial list of 10 Solid Prospects. Again, think of Solid Prospects as companies or organizations that produce a lot of copy or written marketing content … and where your particular work background and experience could make you an ideal freelance resource.
In other words, you don’t know them and they don’t know you. But because you chose them a bit more carefully, they have a higher probability of being receptive to your message than a random prospect from the Yellow Pages or a local business directory.
I found that it’s better to start with a small batch. That’s why I recommend you make a list of only 10 prospects (for now). If you try to assemble a bigger list, you’ll never take action. Instead, work with a small initial list, make the outreach, add to the list, take action, and so on.
Because you’re going to be adding and removing names from this list over time, this is going to be a dynamic list. It will evolve and change. And it will be the list you’ll spend the most time on because you’ll keep adding to it.
Here’s the basic criteria for assembling the first group for your Solid Prospect list:
1. They have to be a decent-size company (i.e., they have multiple departments, as opposed to a small, local company where the few employees wear multiple hats).
2. Also, look for companies that produce a lot of written materials (as evidenced by what they have posted and available on their website).
3. If you have a defined target market (or markets), focus on companies that are in those industries.
4. Target companies you think might be receptive to your outreach based on your overall work background and experience AND based on the nature of the products or services they sell. So when you look at your background, experience, past clients, etc., consider:
• Which industry or industries sell products and services that are fairly expensive? (When a product or service is relatively expensive, the value needs to be explained and justified. And that creates a need for marketing content.)
• Which of these industries are more prone to sell products or services that don’t just sell themselves? In other words, they’re not commodities or products that can are typically purchased off a website. Instead, they’re “considered” purchases.
• And finally, which industry or industries from your background sell products and services that are complex? (Your potential client has to spend time and resources explaining those products and services … and what those products and services DO for their customers.)
5.
Don’t overthink this. You’re NOT trying to come up with the optimal list of 10 prospects. That’s impossible at this point. Just come up with 10 that look promising enough based on the criteria I just gave you. If you end up with more than 10, that’s fine. But try to come up with at least 10. Need Some Help?
If you’re trying to get your B2B writing or copywriting business off the ground — or if you’ve already launched but are still struggling to break past that $1,500-per-month income ceiling — I may be able to help you.
My superpower is helping freelancers get their business off the ground quickly and with less risk.
I will work with you to help you get results faster, land progressively better clients and gain serious momentum.
I don’t make these coaching and training opportunities available very often. But I’ve just opened a window.
And enrollment closes next week.
You can learn more about it here:
This opportunity is not for everyone. You have to be hungry. You have to be serious, focused and determined to make this business work.
Sound like you? Visit this page to learn more before the enrollment window closes. |
warc | 201704 | Question: My girlfriend started training a few months back and now wants to change gears and not gain any more muscle but retain muscle mass. What is the right approach? Is not progressing on her lifts anymore going to do the trick? Answer: While very few men don’t want to gain more muscle (if a man says they don’t want more muscle they’re either an athlete trying to avoid going up a weight class, or they’re lying) and even fewer women will gain enough muscle for this to be a problem (unless they’re using anabolic steroids or other growth drugs). However, there are some women who are naturally very responsive to strength training and do gain muscle quickly and may want to simply maintain their physique without continuing to gain beyond some point.
You’ve already guessed the answer; the way to
stop gaining and maintain what you have is to simply reduce and remove the key factors from your workouts that are required for stimulating muscular strength and size increases; intensity and progression.
If you stop
progressing the resistance on exercises for muscle groups she doesn’t want to keep growing and have her perform those exercises only for a fixed number of repetitions whether or not she has achieved momentary muscular failure and maximum intensity of effort, those muscles will stop getting bigger and stronger. Assuming you make no other changes in her workout, if you keep her resistance and repetitions the same on those exercises they will eventually cease to be challenging enough for her to stimulate further improvements in strength and size.
The lack of these factors is a big part of the problem with many people’s training and the reason they are not making gains in strength and size. The vast majority of people do not train anywhere near as intensely as they are capable of, and many do not keep a workout chart or journal to track and evaluate their performance and systematically progress the resistance they use. Without these their progress will be hit and miss, and far from optimal, if they make any noticeable progress at all. So, to look at this another way, if you want to stop making muscular strength and size gains another solution would be to do what almost everybody else in the gym is doing, and if you want to get the best results possible do the opposite of them, train with a high intensity of effort and with progressive resistance. |
warc | 201704 | Even though my son wears a pull-up at night, it often will leak and get his mattress and sheets wet. What are the best products for protecting his bed? You’re smart to buy some coverings to protect your mattress. The... Read more »
Do insurance companies cover bedwetting alarms? In most cases, insurance companies do not cover bedwetting alarms. Because no prescription is necessary, insurance companies do not feel the obligation to provide this medical equipment routinely. The majority of families purchase a... Read more »
I read that I could set an alarm clock to go off once or twice during the night to help my 13 year old son stay dry. I am so frustrated because we have been doing this for 6 weeks... Read more » |
warc | 201704 | Visitors Now: Total Visits: Total Stories:
The Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Industry report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Market for 2016-2020. Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Market report focuses on the major drivers and restraints for the key players. To calculate the market size, the report considers both the direct revenue and the indirect revenue of the vendors.
Analysts forecast the global intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring market to grow at a CAGR of 7.11% during the period 2016-2020.
ICP monitoring is used to measure the pressure within the skull of an individual with severe head injuries to decide the type of treatment required and to track the progression of the condition during treatment. It is a vital for individuals who are under critical care in hospitals. ICP monitoring is indicated in most comatose individuals with severe head injuries. It should be used to treat an individual whose blood pressure level is above 20 mm Hg. The maintenance of cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) is essential, and the use of ICP monitoring reduces mortality in case of severe head injuries.
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The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.
Key Vendors in Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Market:
• Codman & Shurtleff
• Integra LifeSciences
• Medtronic
• RAUMEDIC
• Spiegelberg
• Vittamed
Other prominent vendors
• Ad-Tech Medical Instrument
• CAS Medical Systems
• Compumedics
• Electrical Geodesics
• Gaeltec Devices
• Haiying Medical
• HeadSense Medical
• Natus Medical
Get a PDF Sample of Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Market Research Report at: http://www.absolutereports.com/enquiry/request-sample/10340297 The Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Market is divided into the following segments based on geography:
• Americas
• APAC
• EMEA
Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Market Opportunities During 2016-2020:
With a purpose of enlightening new entrants about the possibilities in this market, this report investigates new project feasibility. Various details about the manufacturing process such as market drivers, impact of drivers, market challenges and impact of drivers and challenges, market trends, vendor landscape analysis and so on, is discussed in the report
Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Market Dynamics:
Market driver
• Increase in applications of ICP monitoring
Market challenge
• Competitive bidding process
Market trend
• Emergence of non-invasive ICP monitoring
In the end, the report makes some important proposals for a new project of Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of Global Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Market 2016-2020 industry covering all important parameters.
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Price of Report: $2500 Get Discount on Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Market Research Report at: http://www.absolutereports.com/enquiry/request-discount/10340297 About Absolute Report:
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Get more market research related news @ www.marketresearch.news |
warc | 201704 | Swine Flu and Your Kids How much should you worry? -Susan Crandell
In the middle of August I came down with the
flu. One day I had a sore throat, the next day a super-stuffy nose and a 102 degree fever. I was stay-at-home sick for only a couple of days, but coughed and blew my nose for weeks. I have no idea who I caught the virus from, and as far as I know I didn’t pass it on to anybody else. The way I figure it, if I was lucky, it was H1N1, and at the cost of a few sunny summer days just maybe I have achieved some immunity for the fall.
This new strain of H1N1 is unusual in persisting at a simmer over the summer. Now everyone’s bracing for the big fall onslaught. Not only do influenza infections rise as the mercury falls, but kids head back to school, where there’s lots of hugging and high-fiving.
So what does a concerned mom need to know about the risks?
As the first school bells ring, the good news is that the flu has not mutated into a more lethal strain as scientists feared it might; and the number of children who have died because of it – fewer than 40 – is not any more than would ordinarily die of the flu each year. (Easy to state as a statistic, but imagine those grieving parents.) The majority of these deaths occurred to children who are 5 or older. Two-thirds are kids who have pre-existing medical issues, particularly neurological conditions. |
warc | 201704 | I don’t remember exactly when I found
Postpartum Progress and Katherine Stone, but it was probably during my son’s naptime in late 2008. I was googling “postpartum psychosis,” desperate to find someone who could tell me I wasn’t a monster because of what had happened to me. My mind was still raw, my emotions fragile. I was scared. What would people think of me when they found out? Are my friends going to turn their backs on me? Am I ever going to be able to be a good mom to this beautiful baby?
In the back of my mind I couldn’t help but remember the story plastered over the news during the summer I graduated college (2001) and how the mom who was so severely sick from postpartum psychosis that she committed an unthinkable act and her five children were gone in an instant. We shared the same diagnosis, and yet I still had to search. If I looked hard enough, knew I’d find what I was looking for.
Postpartum Progress was one of the first websites generated from my search. Once the blog came onto my radar screen, I knew I had found the answers I was seeking. The community Katherine had built reassured me that:
No matter how isolating it felt at the time, I was not alone in what I was going through. With proper treatment and support I could recover and lead a successful, fulfilling life. There were thousands of other women across the globe who wanted to talk about postpartum mood disorders in order to break down the stigma. My story was important and I should share it to help other women and families.
Having lost complete touch with reality for several days, being forced into the hospital to get the treatment I needed in order to bring me back, and missing out on a week of my newborn’s life is enough to make any woman doubt her abilities as a mother. Especially a mother living with a mental illness.
I had been expecting postpartum depression to deplete my new mama energy and excitement. I was prepared for the baby blues which never came. I had read all the literature on PPD in the pregnancy magazines and pamphlets in my OB’s office. Several times.
With my diagnosis of bipolar type 1 in the spring of 2006, I should have anticipated the onset of psychosis after the birth of my first child in September of 2008. Especially given to the teeny amount of sleep I was (barely) surviving on during those four weeks when I was trying my hardest to be a breastfeeding mom. I should’ve known. I should’ve been ready. But I wasn’t listening when my
psychiatrist said we needed to have a plan for the inevitable and instead was left beating myself up over what happened until I found Postpartum Progress.
I spent many a naptime reading the blogs of the women who were featured writers on the site. Each time I read a new post, I felt my spirits lift a bit, the weight on my shoulders growing a little lighter. Eventually I found the courage to start talking more openly about my own mental health with my close friends.
Katherine showed me the beauty in bearing our scars to show other mamas we’re still here. We’re making it because we have each other and because we want to change society’s perception of maternal mental illness.
I applaud Katherine Stone and Postpartum Progress for the incredible work they’ve done over the past ten years. Because of the blood, sweat and tears Katherine and her volunteers have poured into the organization, they have been able to offer the following amazing resources to mothers and families seeking support and information about postpartum mood disorders:
PostpartumProgress.com– the most widely read blog in the world of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. “Plain Mama English” guidesto understanding postpartum mood disorders – lists of symptoms for the various PPMDs written in language moms can use to recognize whether something is wrong. Climb Out of the Darkness– Postpartum Progress’s annual worldwide fundraiser, raising awareness for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Mother’s Day Rally for Mental Health– held on Mother’s Day each year, contributors post letters to new mothers – one an hour for the entire 24 hours of Mother’s Day – to let moms who are struggling know that they can and will get through a PPMD. Private Peer Support Forum– a safe place for moms who are not yet ready to talk publicly.
I am in awe of everything Katherine has done for the good of all moms who experience postpartum mood disorders and I am so very grateful for her passion which fuels Postpartum Progress. In her I found the relief I so desperately sought out. The beauty in sharing my story to help others which led me to where I am today. Thank you so very much, Katherine!
Happy 10-year Anniversary, Postpartum Progress!!! |
warc | 201704 | Declaration of interest
None.
Abstract Background
Pathways from early-life conduct problems to young adult depression remain poorly understood.
Aims
To test developmental pathways from early-life conduct problems to depression at age 18.
Method
Data (
n = 3542) came from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Previously derived conduct problem trajectories (ages 4-13 years) were used to examine associations with depression from ages 10 to 18 years, and the role of early childhood factors as potential confounders. Results
Over 43% of young adults with depression in the ALSPAC cohort had a history of child or adolescent conduct problems, yielding a population attributable fraction of 0.15 (95% CI 0.08-0.22). The association between conduct problems and depression at age 18 was considerable even after adjusting for prior depression (odds ratio 1.55, 95% CI 1.24-1.94). Early-onset persistent conduct problems carried the highest risk for later depression. Irritability characterised depression for those with a history of conduct problems.
Conclusions
Early-life conduct problems are robustly associated with later depressive disorder and may be useful targets for early intervention.
Footnotes Funding
This research was specifically funded by the UK Medical Research Council (Grant ref: G0500953, BM) and the Wellcome Trust (Grant ref: WT084268MA, GL). A.S. gratefully acknowledges the support of the Wellcome Trust.
Royal College of Psychiatrists |
warc | 201704 | Every time we see someone in a Chevy Cobalt, we resist the urge to ask them if they’ve made plans to sell it. As it turns out, those folks might still receive a decent return, as owners of these recalled cars—and many other models with highly publicized problems—aren’t dumping them en masse.
According to a report from
Black Book, a trade publication that estimates residual values, some Cobalts actually increased in value after General Motors initially recalled 2005–2007 models for faulty ignition switches in February and expanded the problem to all Cobalts and many others at the end of March. From January through June 1, the average value of a 2005 Cobalt increased by 1.4 percent; the 2006 Cobalt went up 1.1 percent. While the 2010 Cobalt took a significant price hit between January 1 and March 1—at which point it hadn’t yet been included in the recall—all other models ended June 1 fairly flat, according to Black Book. (Disclosure: Black Book is owned by Hearst, which also owns Car and Driver.)
Ford has recalled the 2013 Escape 10 times since its late 2012 debut, half of those for major engine failures involving fires and fuel leaks on its 1.6-liter EcoBoost. Yet
Black Book found that the 2013 model “followed normal seasonal patterns” despite a sharp 3.0-percent month-over-month drop in May, the same month that Ford recalled more than 625,000 Escapes for airbag problems and sticky door handles. The 2013 models also followed depreciation rates of the previous-generation 2010–2012 Escape, even after Ford recalled 140,000 for overheating cylinder heads that led to engine-compartment fires.
What about Ford’s Firestone debacle, where tires suddenly blew out and caused SUVs to lose control and flip? Aside from lawsuits, Ford and other financing lenders made out just fine. Looking at the 2000 Explorer, sales actually increased (versus a year earlier) when the recall began in August 2000, and residual values jumped in November when Ford added three higher trim lines. It was a similar story for the 2008–2009 Toyota Camry, which still outperformed its class average for monthly depreciation by the end of February 2010, when Toyota’s unintended-acceleration recalls had reached critical mass. According to
Black Book, 2008 Camrys had a 3.0-percent depreciation rate (compared with 3.5 percent among its segment peers) and 2009 Camrys showed a 3.6-percent rate (versus 3.9 percent). NHTSA Launches VIN Look-up Tool for Uncompleted Recall Repairs Recalls Explained: How the Government Forces Automakers to Fix Things These Automakers Have Issued the Most Recalls in the Past 30 Years
Of course, these are specific examples at specific dates and times, and auto sales and the data they churn out are cyclical, highly volatile beasts. But in general,
Black Book said that while the “psychology” of a recall may make the cars appear to be at risk, “historical collateral data trends have shown that recalls typically do not adversely impact normal retention patterns of a vehicle, immediately after the recall is initiated as well as into the future.” Even so, if you’re looking at a used car, we’d still recommend using NHTSA’s new VIN look-up tool to find out whether it’s been recalled and, if so, if it has had the repairs completed. |
warc | 201704 | The Power of Sharing: Why VNA Foundation Joined the Reporting Commitment
January 23, 2013
Rob DiLeonardi is Executive Director of the VNA Foundation in Chicago, where he manages its grantmaking program and daily operations. He is co-founder and former Chair of the Board of the Association of Small Foundations (ASF), a national organization of 2,900 grantmaking foundations holding over $60 billion in assets. He has a longstanding interest in foundation transparency and outcome sharing; VNA's website and annual reports have eight times received a Council on Foundations' Wilmer Shields Rich Award for Excellence in Communications.
During the two decades I've worked for and with small grantmaking foundations, I've addressed problems ranging from healthcare access to domestic violence to homelessness. One of the most vexing problems I've faced over the years, however, relates not to the subject matter of my grantmaking, but rather to the results of it. Time and again, I've helped develop a grantmaking program to address a particular problem, only to find out after the fact that another foundation was funding the identical issue, often with a remarkably similar approach, in the same or a nearby area. We were addressing the same need, often via the same method, but doing so in blissful isolation. In short, we were reinventing the wheel, sometimes only a few miles apart.
Similarly, our foundation's board and staff have often wondered about latest funding trends. With only a limited number of dollars in our coffers, we want to spend them in the most effective possible way. It would be helpful for us to know exactly where other philanthropic dollars were being directed, both geographically and programmatically, as this knowledge would aid us in filling a gap or funding a complimentary niche -- a favorite strategy to maximize the impact of our grantmaking.
For these reasons, over the years I've tried many different approaches to ensure that the staff of the VNA Foundation is aware of other funders' work and that they are aware of ours. We subscribe to many electronic and hard copy newsletters, periodicals, and reports. We attend local, regional, and national conferences and networking groups. We convene grantmakers and grantees around common challenges, and encourage dialogues about successes -- and failures -- in addressing them. And we work hard to make our website an interactive, timely, and appealing resource. Yet, despite these various efforts, both the grantmaking data we share and that which we receive is often either stale (months or sometimes even years old by the time it reaches end users) or lacking the key details to make it useful.
My interest, therefore, was quickly piqued when I learned of the Foundation Center-supported Reporting Commitment, and the opportunity for the VNA Foundation to become a participant in it. The Reporting Commitment finally allows foundations the opportunity, and the mechanism, to release grant information in a consistent, open, and frequent manner. Although the Commitment's founding participants were large foundations, as soon as I became aware of the initiative I knew there would be value in participation by foundations of VNA's size. Small to medium-sized foundations are far more common in number, size and grantmaking level than their larger brethren. In fact, small foundations account for approximately half of America's total foundation grant dollars, and often provide the kind of essential local support that impacts lives on a daily basis.
In addition, most observers judge foundations by their effectiveness, efficiency, and transparency, not their asset size. Participation by smaller foundations like VNA (foundation philanthropy being one of the few settings in which a $50 million bank account is considered "small") is key, in my opinion, to making the Reporting Commitment's impact felt in more than a handful of sectors.
I am delighted to say that the VNA board of directors immediately saw the value in our participation in the Reporting Commitment, and my colleagues at peer foundations are seeing the light as well. All across the country, every day, foundations large and small are working to bring about small miracles or serve as catalysts for systemic innovation. With the help of the Reporting Commitment, perhaps our field finally has a mechanism by which that work can effectively be shared with colleagues and the public alike.
-- Rob DiLeonardi |
warc | 201704 | We’re in the age where marketing is recognized as the foundation for business growth. Therefore, marketers have to devote time to determining
exactly how each marketing dollar will be spent so they can optimize the ROI.
However, this can be hard if you’re just launching new campaigns for the first time and don’t have valuable historical data to rely on, especially if you’re venturing into a new channel. The way forward starts with outlining a detailed budget based on what you know about your company and your overarching goals. From the insights you gain from each investment, you can then adjust your understanding of your budget based on individual ROI metrics from campaigns. You might use a variety of metrics to determine your ROI (e.g. first-touch, last-touch, or multi touch attribution), but whichever you choose, seeing that end result can inform your budget decisions so you can allocate budget to the most effective channels.
Before you have valuable, historical metrics to inform your campaign optimization and budget allocation, here’s a sample marketing budget breakdown that you can use as a guide: Campaign Planning and Content Creation: 40-50%
To understand what returns you should be seeing on your marketing investments, you need to start with focused campaigns based on your goals. Ideally, your goals should map to each stage of the customer lifecycle. For instance, if your broad goal is awareness or branding, you might want to invest in a campaign that differentiates your brand from your competitors and offers value to your prospects so they come to associate your brand with value. If your goal is more focused on customer retention and growth, then your campaigns should be focused on how to keep your customers happy and make them more successful with complementary products or services.
Whatever your campaign objectives are, it’s likely that content will serve as the meat of them. Yet according to Content Marketing Institute, only 32% of B2B marketers have a documented content strategy, even though 88% are using content as a part of their core marketing mix. Digital content such as blog, social media posts, videos, ebooks, infographics, and the like all play a role in evolving a brand story that solidifies your standing in the market and makes your prospects
want to interact with your company, the first step in the customer journey toward converting them into satisfied customers. In addition to creating a scalable content creation process, you may need to seek out the services of vendors or consultants to help you refine your plans. You’ll also need dedicated writers to produce your content, and if your collateral needs exceed your marketing team’s capacity, you may need to hire a freelancer. Paid Advertising: 20-30%
While much of digital marketing content depends on organic reach—that is, reaching users of specific online outlets without paying for the privilege—paid advertising gives enterprises a leg up in the market. It’s especially important for brands that want to establish a market presence or enter an entirely new segment of the market.
For example, your company may have developed a new product targeting a drastically different buyer persona than you normally do. Paid marketing, be it in the form of online cost-per-click ads, social media ads, print ads, or even TV or radio commercials, can help you get attention right away, whereas unpaid, “organic” marketing may take longer to reach your intended audience. With paid advertising, you directly pay the channel that you’re advertising on for access to their audience. And if you do your research, you’ll know exactly which ones to invest in to reach
your target audience. These outlets typically provide the statistics you need to first calculate the ROI of placing an ad with them. An ad that costs money to place and then has another per click cost is only worth the investment if you are guaranteed to reach prospects with a high rate of likely conversion.
While sometimes an afterthought in the age of “free” marketing, paid advertising provides some of the most direct and immediate measures of ROI available. That is, you can count dollar-for-dollar exactly which advertisement brought in a certain number of conversions or a certain amount of revenue. Digital advertising is especially worthwhile, given the ease of publishing ads and the fact that the biggest channels (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, Target) offer excellent targeting options.
Workforce Marketing: 10%
Your workforce is an extremely powerful part of your marketing arm. Workforce marketing consists of aligning every member of your team behind company goals through increased education and advocacy-strengthening efforts. It might include internal meetings, events, and marketing collateral that “sells” employees on company culture and goals. These things don’t come free, but they’re well worth the investment as you build up employee knowledge, motivation, and morale. Beyond the this, the internal goodwill can be a major force in attracting both new leads and new hires.
Consider implementing an employee advocacy program, where you can invest in morale-building, educational seminars or create a free competition among departments. Allowing your employees to market for you enables you to reach new audiences and entices prospects on a personal level. As an internal investment, the ROI can be measured by tracking the number of leads brought in through your employee advocacy program. With a robust marketing automation platform, you can set social referral campaigns across major social media platforms that tracks referrals and their corresponding responses. This is also a great program to run for customer advocates as well, but if you’re just launching it, you may want to test the waters on your internal workforce first.
Software and Tools: 10%
Software and tools streamline and automate essential tasks, saving you precious time, money, and human resources, and letting you analyze and refine your marketing activities in much more intuitive ways. With the right solutions in place, you can assess the performance of every campaign and asset that you push out. You can also track key performance metrics to determine the success of each of your efforts for both current and past campaigns, which provides you with clear ROI projections.
For each of your campaigns, you should have your measurement strategies planned in advance since you need to set up the proper tracking–so consider what metrics you’ll want to track and ensure you have the right tools to do so. Some valuable tools for your marketing team might include:
A marketing automation platform, or engagement marketing platform,helps you streamline, automate, and measure your marketing tasks and workflows to increase operational efficiency and grow revenue faster. With it, you can increase demand, engage your buyers throughout the entire customer lifecycle, and measure the effectiveness of each campaign and channel. A content management system (CMS)provides an efficient means of letting the right individuals in your organization publish and organize content across your web presence. A customer relationship management (CRM) toolprovides complete oversight and detailed recording of buyer interactions and touchpoints, letting you track a customer’s progress through your sales funnel and enabling close analysis of what works in each relationship. By syncing your marketing automation platform with your CRM, you can improve sales and marketing alignment so that both teams are always up to date on each prospect’s interactions with your company. A social media management platformlets you manage your social campaigns by setting an editorial calendar, allowing you to monitor real-time social media conversations about your brand, products, and industry, identify immediate engagement possibilities, and analyze the impact of participation across each social platform.
Most importantly, these tools provide you the analytics and insight you need to determine and prove ROI. Although you can calculate some metrics manually, the bigger your marketing efforts grow, the more you will need the technology to handle all the data points flowing in from various places about your customers. The investment in this technology is the upfront portion of working out how ROI fits into your budget.
Events: 5-10%
A corporate presence at large industry events or your own company’s events can quickly deepen your market presence, showing prospects that you’re a real-world company with a unique identity. Events, be it tradeshows, conventions, conferences, or roadshows, can be prime opportunities to show prospects and customers, in a personal setting, why you and your solutions matter.
Costs can include registration fees, travel expenses, and collateral. Hosting your own event includes some of the above, plus venue rentals, catering, promotions, and other miscellaneous operating fees. It’s fairly simple to track how many fruitful conversations result from in-person contact. The impact of an event is measurable in a number of ways. For example, when prospects register for your event, visit your booth, or attend your session, a tangible lead is created.
In the thick of assessing marketing needs and trying to implement new campaigns, you often can’t see the forest for the trees. But with a well-planned budget that breaks down each activity with clear expectations of the investment you’re putting in and the value you’re getting out, you’ll be able to relax and focus on each marketing task, knowing that you’re building a strong foundation for your company’s continued growth.
How do you approach budget allocation in new areas or campaigns? I’d love to hear more in the comments below. |
warc | 201704 | STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields are supposed to be the new darlings of the academy, so I was slightly surprised when I heard an NPR piece on how researchers are struggling for funding. After all, even the politicians devoted to cutting education funding have spoken glowingly of STEM. My own university recently split the venerable College of Arts & Sciences, presumably to allow more money to flow to STEM without risking that professors in the soft sciences and the humanities might inadvertently get some of the cash. As such I was somewhat curious about this problem, but mostly attributed it to a side-effect of the general trend of defunding public education. Then I read “Bad Science” by Llewellyn Hinkes-Jones. This article was originally published in issue 14, 2014 of
Jacobin Magazine. I will focus on the ethical aspects of the matters Hinkes-Jones discussed in this article, which is centered on the Bayh-Dole Act.
The Bayh-Dole Act was passed in 1980 and was presented as having very laudable goals. Before the act was passed, universities were limited in regards to what they could do with the fruits of their scientific research. After the act was passes, schools could sell their patents or engage in exclusive licensing deals with private companies (that is, monopolies on the patents). Supporters asserted this act would be beneficial in three main ways. The first is that it would secure more private funding for universities because corporations would provide money in return for the patents or exclusive licenses. The second is that it would bring the power of the profit motive to public research: since researchers and schools could profit, they would be more motivated to engage in research. The third is that the private sector would be motivated to implement the research in the form of profitable products.
On the face of it, the act was a great success. Researchers at Columbia University patented the process of DNA cotransfrormation and added millions to the coffers of the school. A patent on recombinant DNA earned Stanford over $200 million. Companies, in turn, profited greatly. For example, researchers at the University of Utah created Myriad Genetics and took ownership of their patent on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 tests for breast cancer. The current cost of the test is $4,000 (in comparison a full sequencing of human DNA costs $1,000) and the company has a monopoly on the test.
Given these apparent benefits, it is easy enough to advance a utilitarian argument in favor of the act and its consequences. After all, if allows universities to fund their research and corporations to make profits, then its benefits would seem to be considerable, thus making it morally good. However, a proper calculation requires considering the harmful consequences of the act.
The first harm is that the current situation imposes a triple cost on the public. One cost is that the taxpayers fund the schools that conduct the research. The next is that thanks to the monopolies on patents the taxpayers have to pay whatever prices the companies wish to charge, such as the $4,000 for a test that should cost far less. In an actual free market there would be competition and lower prices—but what we have is a state controlled and regulated market. Ironically, those who are often crying the loudest against government regulation and for the value of competition are quite silent on this point. The final cost of the three is that the corporations can typically write off their contributions on their taxes, thus leaving other taxpayers to pick up their slack. These costs seem to be clear harms and do much to offset the benefits—at least when looked at from the perspective of the whole society and not just focusing on those reaping the benefits.
The second harm is that, ironically, this system makes research more expensive. Since processes, strains of bacteria and many other things needed for research are protected by monopolistic patents the researchers who do not hold these patents have to pay to use them. The costs are usually quite high, so while the patent holders benefit, research in general suffers. In order to pay for these things, researchers need more funding, thus either imposing more cost on taxpayers or forcing them to turn to private funding (which will typically result in more monopolistic patents).
The third harm is the corruption of researchers. Researchers are literally paid to put their names on positive journal articles that advance the interests of corporations. They are also paid to promote drugs and other products while presenting themselves as researchers rather than paid promoters. If the researchers are not simply bought, the money is clearly a biasing factor. Since we are depending on these researchers to inform the public and policy makers about these products, this is clearly a problem and presents a clear danger to the public good.
A fourth harm is that even the honest researchers who have not been bought are under great pressure to produce “sexy science” that will attract grants and funding. While it has always been “publish or perish” in modern academics, the competition is even fiercer in the sciences now. As such, researchers are under great pressure to crank out publications. The effect has been rather negative as evidenced by the fact that the percentage of scientific articles retracted for fraud is ten times what it was in 1975. Once lauded studies and theories, such as those driving the pushing of antioxidants and omega-3, have been shown to be riddled with inaccuracies. Far from driving advances in science, the act has served as an engine of corruption, fraud and bad science. This would be bad enough, but there is also the impact on a misled and misinformed public. I must admit that I fell for the antioxidant and omega-3 “research”—I modified my diet to include more antioxidants and omega-3. While this bad science does get debunked, the debunking takes a long time and most people never hear about it. For example, how many people know that the antioxidant and omega-3 “research” is flawed and how many still pop omega-3 “fish oil pills” and drink “antioxidant teas”?
A fifth harm is that universities have rushed to cash in on the research, driven by the success of the research schools that have managed to score with profitable patents. However, setting up research labs aimed at creating million dollar patents is incredibly expensive. In most cases the investment will not yield the hoped for returns, thus leaving many schools with considerable expenses and little revenue.
To help lower costs, schools have turned to employing adjuncts to do the teaching and research, thus creating a situation in which highly educated but very low-paid professionals are toiling away to secure millions for the star researchers, the administrators and their corporate benefactors. It is, in effect, sweat-shop science.
This also shows another dark side to the push for STEM: as the number of STEM graduates increase, the value of the degrees will decrease and wages for the workers will continue to fall. This is great for the elite, but terrible for those hoping that a STEM degree will mean a good job and a bright future.
These harms would seem to outweigh the alleged benefits of the act, thus indicating it is morally wrong. Naturally, it can be countered that the costs are worth it. After all, one might argue, the incredible advances in science since 1980 have been driven by the profit motive and this has been beneficial overall. Without the profit motive, the research might have been conducted, but most of the discoveries would have been left on the shelves. The easy and obvious response is to point to all the advances that occurred due to public university research prior to 1980 as well as the research that began before then and came to fruition.
While solving this problem is a complex matter, there seem to be some easy and obvious steps. The first would be to restore public funding of state schools. In the past, the publicly funded universities drove America’s worldwide dominance in research and helped fuel massive economic growth while also contributing to the public good. The second would be replacing the Bayh-Dole Act with an act that would allow universities to benefit from the research, but prevent the licensing monopolies that have proven so damaging. Naturally, this would not eliminate patents but would restore competition to what is supposed to be a competitive free market by eliminating the creation of monopolies from public university research. The folks who complain about the state regulating business and who praise the competitive free market will surely get behind this proposal.
It might also be objected that the inability to profit massively from research will be a disincentive. The easy and obvious reply is that people conduct research and teach with great passion for very little financial compensation. The folks that run universities and corporations know this—after all, they pay such people very little yet still often get exceptional work. True, there are some people who are solely motivated by profit—but those are typically the folks who are making the massive profit rather than doing the actual research and work that makes it all possible. |
warc | 201704 | Last week I had my last corporations class, my last administrative law class, and the last day of my externship. At the end of each of my classes – like in years past – the professor took a moment to impart a little advice. Some of the advice was specific to law school exams but much of it was general career advice: things they wish they had known, things that we should keep in mind as we strive to find the job/specialty that is right for us, and some comments about the legal job market.
Though some of the advice is frustrating (“law school exams don’t reflect what you need to know to be a good lawyer” – thanks a lot), I appreciate these brief insights from professors. I’m sure they say similar things to their classes every year, but I believe it is genuine each time. They truly do want us to succeed and are happy to send us to the next phase of our education/career with a few gems of advice.
During the last day of my externship, my supervisors took me out to lunch. As the lunch ended, more welcome advice: how to best position yourself at a law firm, a comparison of different types of jobs they have held within the legal field, and wise words about the reality of being a female litigator (and about being a mom and a litigator).
I pay close attention when these words are spoken, and truly appreciate them. But then it’s off to the next thing – taking the T back to campus, or settling down in the library to finish my outline, and the advice is only as good as my memory. Will I remember my supervisor’s recommendations about which government agencies are the best to work for if, someday in the future, I want to apply to work at a government agency?
So, from now on, I’m going to take a moment to write down any pieces of advice that really resonate with me. And if I could go back in time, I’d start this project at the beginning of law school. Whether it’s school-specific or about your broader legal career, there will be many people – professors, supervisors, mentors, older students – who offer excellent tidbits of information. You will recognize it and try to commit it to memory in the moment, but if you have the foresight to jot it down you’ll soon build up a resource to turn to when you’re gearing up for the next semester or next career move. |
warc | 201704 | By Kurt Brouwer
Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway had a rough year in 2008, with a share price decline of 32.1%. That was better than the S&P 500′s drop of 37%, but not up to Buffett standards. Despite generally very good operating results for 2009, Berkshire shares are significantly lagging the overall stock market gains this year, with a return of 5.63% versus 24.22% (through Nov. 11, 2009). Why are Berkshire shares lagging so much?
For some, the answer is Buffett himself. They think the old boy’s a bit over the hill. After all, the charismatic leader of Berkshire is 79. Others figure that the lack of a definite succession plan is hurting the company. And it may be that the lack of understanding of what the succession plan represents the biggest uncertainty about Berkshire.This Wall Street Journal piece [registration may be required] covers the issue pretty well [emphasis added]:
Finding Value in Berkshire Post-Buffett (Wall Street Journal, October 8, 2009, Scott Patterson)
By many measures, Warren Buffett had a good financial crisis.
The balance sheet of his conglomerate, Berkshire Hathaway, didn’t suffer major blows. Mr. Buffett used his vast cash stockpile to scoop up bargains, including a $5 billion investment in Goldman Sachs Group preferred shares. Their value has soared this year as Goldman’s stock has risen about 50% since his investment.
But Berkshire’s shares tumbled in 2008 with the rest of the market, and are up just 4% this year compared with a 12% gain by the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Why the lag? Analysts struggle to pinpoint an immediate concern, but one that is looming larger is the leadership plan…
…Eventually, the risky-stock rally will fade.
When it does, investors seeking better deals likely will gravitate to more-plodding value stocks such as Berkshire, said Mr. Howard…
In my view, Buffett and Berkshire made some very astute moves last year and so far this year too. In a piece written in July, Andrew Bary points out in Barron’s:
For Buffett Fans, the Price is Right (Barron’s, July 13, 2009, Andrew Bary)
WARREN BUFFETT HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGEof the past year’s financial turmoil to make more than $20 billion of promising investments for Berkshire Hathaway , including preferred stock and warrants issued by Goldman Sachs and General Electric , and a convertible issue from Swiss Re, the European reinsurer. Buffett’s investment coups haven’t registered on Wall Street…
This is an important point. Berkshire is selling for a fairly low (by historical standards) multiple of book value, which is the calculation of a given company’s total assets minus liabilities and intangible assets. So, we could easily see the company trade substantially higher if the book value grows and the company gets back to a more normal ratio of 1.6 or 1.8 times book.
Barron’s continues:
…Berkshire’s after-tax profits from operations could top $7 billion, or $4,500 a share, this year. Peak profits could approach $7,000 a share. And behind Berkshire’s rising earnings are the shrewd investments Buffett has made in recent quarters… The company bought $5 billion worth of 10% Goldman Sachs (GS) preferred stock; $3 billion of GE (GE) 10% preferred; and $2.75 billion of Swiss Re (RUKN.Switzerland) 12% convertible preferred. All likely have risen in value…
With recent activities at Berkshire such as acquring its very own railroad in Burlington Northern (BNI) and other factors, I suspect investors will take a fresh look at the company.
Disclosure: Kurt Brouwer owns shares in Berkshire Hathaway (BRKB) |
warc | 201704 | The very same data that foretold the end of the freefall back in April when it first turned positive, and economic expansion thereafter, looks like it will continue its ascent albeit more gradually in October. Here's my best estimate of how the 10 leading economic indicators appear to have performed in the last month:
The yield curve is still positive +0.25 Jobless claims were strongly better +0.1 Aggregate hours in manufacturing were up 1/10 of an hour +0.07 Stocks' 3 month gain is worth +0.05 Durable goods' strong growth add +0.05 Consumer nondurables up significantly +0.05 New home sales were flat 0.0 ISM deliveries down slightly, subtracting -0.05 Consumer sentiment was down -0.1 Real M2* has been trending slightly negative, so -0.1 Bottom line: it looks like October Leading Economic Indicators (and revisions to September) will net about +0.3, the seventh positive reading in a row. This suggests that economic growth will continue through this quarter and the first quarter of 2010 as well. Typically, even in the last two "jobless recoveries", jobs began to be added to the economy when the YoY LEI was up +5% or better. This month will replace the awful -1% of October 2008, meaning that for the last 7 months, the LEI will probably be up 5.9%. YoY they will be up about 4.2%. If the LEI simply print flat for November and December, the YoY growth will be +5.0 %, consistent with jobs being added in December or January. |
warc | 201704 | by Mary Alice Cookson
We asked two local pediatric ophthalmologists – Jennifer P. Mullon, M.D., president of Lexington Eye Associates, and Melanie Kazlas, M.D., medical director of Boston Children's Hospital Ophthalmology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary – to share their best eye-related information and advice on eye infection, conditions and allergies.
What are some serious eye symptoms parents should be concerned about? Mullon: Conditions for which prompt attention should be sought include any serious injury to the eye or eyelid, Herpes Simplex lesions of the eyelid, conjunctivitis associated with significant pain, a tense swollen red eyelid suggestive of cellulitis, or pain and redness associated with contact lens use. The sudden onset of vision loss in a child old enough to recognize this or the sudden onset of crossing of an eye or double vision also merit prompt attention. Conditions which present with findings, but not necessarily symptoms, include loss of the normal red reflex of the eye, or a white pupil. This may signify opacity within the normally clear tissues of the eye, such as a congenital cataract, a structural anomaly or, rarely, a tumor in the eye. Small amounts of pupil asymmetry are very common, but a significant pupil asymmetry (anisocoria), especially associated with a lid droop (ptosis) should be evaluated, as should abnormal rhythmic eye movements (nystagmus) during infancy. Light sensitivity, tearing and an unusually large eye can be signs of infantile glaucoma. What are some common acute eye problems in kids? Mullon: Conjunctivitis (pink eye) can be caused by infection, allergy, chemical agents, mechanical problems (such as in-turned lashes rubbing the eye) – basically any irritant to the ocular surface. The most common form of conjunctivitis is viral, which is usually self-limited and does not require treatment, although it can be quite contagious and does warrant frequent hand washing and attention to hygiene. It usually does not affect vision and causes no long-term issues. Children with viral conjunctivitis should remain out of school until the eyes stop producing discharge. Tear duct obstructions are very common in infants, and usually present during the first month of life as tearing or discharge of the eye. Fortunately, 90 percent of these obstructions resolve by the age of 1. Although we follow these infants from a young age, we typically do not intervene unless the symptoms persist beyond this period. A probing of the tear duct done under mask anesthesia is effective in relieving these obstructions most of the time. Blocked tear ducts do not adversely affect visual development. * Ocular allergies are common at all ages, particular seasonal allergies. These present as itchy, red, watery eyes, often with a scant discharge. The symptom of itch is the key to differentiating this condition from other causes of red eye. There are a number of ways to handle these symptoms, from simple artificial tears, to over-the-counter allergy drops, prescription allergy drops, or in some cases, steroid drops.
by Mary Alice Cookson
Should parents be concerned about frequent eye blinking? Kazlas: Eye blinking may indicate that something is irritating the eye, perhaps a foreign body or some dust or an eye allergy or even dry eyes. If the eye exam is normal, it could indicate a behaviorism like a tic, which the child usually outgrows. If the eyelid blinking is accompanied by facial grimacing or uncontrollable facial movements, this could indicate a more serious condition which should be evaluated by a pediatric neurologist.
Should they worry about crusty or goopy eyes? Kazlas: If the discharge is yellow or green or foul smelling, or if the white of the eye is red, then this may be conjunctivitis. What are the types of eye specialists that children typically see? Kazlas: A pediatric ophthalmologist is a physician and surgeon who has a medical degree (MD), and has completed, typically 5 years of training after graduating from medical school. In the 5 years after medical school, he/she completes an internship, an ophthalmology residency, and a fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus. Make sure your pediatric ophthalmologist is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is a member of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. A pediatric optometrist is a doctor of optometry (OD) who can diagnose childhood eye problems, prescribe glasses, and offer eye exercises and vision therapy. In Massachusetts, pediatric optometrists can prescribe eye drops but not medicines by mouth.
Is it best to see an eye doctor trained specifically in pediatrics? If so, why? Kazlas: Only an eye doctor who specializes in children and sees many children of all ages and developmental stages will be able to obtain the information needed to make an accurate diagnosis. A pediatric eye doctor often has a “toolbox” full of stickers, toys, entertaining videos and the ability to sing “Wheels on the Bus” or other children’s songs to make the experience of getting their eyes examined as pleasant as possible!
How is a glasses prescription determined for children? Mullon: A prescription for glasses for all children is determined by an objective measurement of the refractive error, by a process called cycloplegic retinoscopy, which requires no input from the child other than looking at the instrument. This measurement is almost always taken after the pupils are dilated with drops, as this is the only way to accurately measure the refractive error in children. Is it true that before a child becomes “nearsighted,” he first becomes “farsighted”? Mullon: Most children are born hyperopic, or farsighted, by measurement because the eye is a smaller eye. They develop normal vision without the need for glasses because the young eye compensates well for average amounts of hyperopia. They generally do not need glasses for this, unless they have amblyopia or strabismus. As children grow, they become less hyperopic, and some of these children will eventually become myopic, or nearsighted, as preteens, teens or young adults needing distance glasses.
by Mary Alice Cookson
If a child is prescribed glasses, how should they be worn? Mullon: Glasses are prescribed for children for different reasons. In some children, the glasses are given to help control their alignment and keep the eyes straight, thereby promoting development of binocular vision and stereopsis. In other children, the glasses are given to maximize visual development. … Older children are given glasses to see better at distance, and these can often be worn part-time or as desired. These children see an immediate benefit to the glasses. Myopic (nearsighted) children become more myopic over time as the eyes continue to grow, and therefore they find a greater need for the glasses over time. … For children with poor vision in one eye, glasses are often recommended for polycarbonate protection of the remaining good eye. These should be worn in any situation in which injury has a potential to happen.
What are some factors to consider in choosing eyeglasses for kids? Mullon: Glasses should always be fit by a licensed optician, particularly glasses for young children. They should not be ordered on-line. It is important that the visual axis of the lens is in the correct position for proper visual development. They should sit well on the bridge of the nose, which is often challenging in young children. Straps behind the head, or temples which curl behind the ear are often helpful in toddlers. It is mandatory that glasses for children be made of impact-resistant polycarbonate or equivalent safety material. What is astigmatism? Mullon: Astigmatism usually refers to a cornea with a steeper curve in one direction and flatter curve in the opposite direction. It can be compared to the shape of the side of a football, which is curved differently end-to-end than it is around the middle, as opposed to a basketball, which is the same curvature all the way around. Astigmatism is measured by refracting the eye, the same process as measuring myopia or hyperopia. When glasses or contact lenses are made for astigmatism, a different power is ground in one meridian vs. the opposite meridian, to account for the difference in corneal curvature. People with significant astigmatism tend to have a blur of the image, or sometimes distortion. Significant amounts of astigmatism in young children can adversely affect visual development, and these children are placed in glasses at a young age to promote better vision. For more information on children's eye health throughout childhood and deciding between glass and contacts, click here. Mary Alice Cookson is associate editor of Boston Parents Paper. |
warc | 201704 | Happy Christmas from all of us* at BRSM! Thanks for reading and all your comments and help over the past year!
*it's actually just me.
I think most would agree that synthetic chemists can now make just about any non-protein/non-polysaccharide natural product if enough time, resources and manpower are brought to bear.[1] But that's not to say that the field is yet mature, or stagnating, as there still remain so many challenges to make our science more efficient, practical, and free from its current over-dependence on rare metals and petrochemical feedstocks. Recently, synthetic biology has started to emerge as a serious alternative to total synthesis when large amounts of complex natural products are required. Just think how many total synthesis papers start with a desultory line about 'the dearth of natural material', before recounting an arduous one- or two-yearlong quest to make a few more milligrams of the compound in question. Perhaps it sometimes makes more sense to try a different approach and ask 'can't we just improve the natural source?'. We synthetic chemists like to think we're special because we have the ability to make new compounds never seen in Nature, but with an increasing understanding of enzymes and the genes that encode for them, organisms can now be coaxed into producing compounds that have never been seen before. If you're interested in reading further debate over the future of the two fields then you should definitely read this short piece in
Nature, in which champions of synthetic chemistry Phil Baran and Abraham Mendoza duke it out with Jay D. Keasling, a strong proponent of synthetic biology.
From
Nature, 492, 188.
Etc.
1. Of course, there still exists the question of 'should we?'. Aside from the importance of total synthesis in structural determination, and ignoring for the moment the oft quoted reason of solving supply problems, the other main justification offered by the practitioners of the art is the development of new methodology. I'd love to find a way to test this claim, but my feeling is that few generally useful reactions are discovered in long synthetic campaigns. Let me know in the comments if I'm wrong about this.
As a synthetic chemist I'm always on the hunt for interesting molecules to disconnect/speculate about, and a couple of natural products published at the start of this month (Organic Letters ASAP; DOI: 10.1021/ol3028303) immediately caught my eye:
So far so good! Don't start looking for mistakes yet! The problems start when the authors go on to suggest what I'm going to politely call a
most intriguing biosynthetic proposal:
It's not too bad at the start, borrowing heavily from Baldwin and Whitehead's hypothesis for manzamine and related alkaloids. The problems come one the authors need to go from the pyridinium dimer to the natural product itself. How the C4-C5 bond is supposed to form on the middle line is beyond me, and the arrows in the cyclopropane opening seem to go in entirely the wrong direction, but all that stuff seems entirely sensible compared to the madness on the top line. I know that people often play a bit fast and loose with steps in proposed biosyntheses; it's easy to shrug and go "there's probably an enzyme that does that", but this just shows no understanding whatsoever of arrow pushing. I can't believe this got into an ACS journal, or am I missing something?
I've got a few emails lately pointing me in the direction of good resources such as the much discussed How To Chemdraw video and the beautiful new name-reaction.com. I've also just recently become aware of great new(ish) blogs like Not The Lab, Doctor Galactic, The Chemistry Cascade, Chemistry Tips and Techniques, and The Organic Solution. However, I am sure that for every useful resource (blog, tutorial, reference...) that I've read, I've missed many more! Below are the links on my resource page at present, and you can see my blogroll on the right. I've just noticed that the former hasn't been updated in over a year. So, what should I be reading or linking to? Drop me a comment or email (
N.B. new address on about page)! Incidentally, if your bookmark/RSS feed to this site points to my old eristocracy.co.uk domain, you should change it as I'm losing that tomorrow. Update 1900: This was blogged earlier today by Tom Phillips over at A Chemical Education. Whoops! Update July, 2013: Part two! Because sometimes you just wanna flog that dead horse a bit longer, you know, to be safe. For a related post on things to check before publishing your controversial results to avoid potential humiliation, see my old piece on 'metal-free' reactions.
From
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 2.
It seems to me that people still talk a great deal about so-called 'non-thermal' effects in microwave reactions;
i.e. some kind of mysterious rate acceleration that occurs from excitation (or even stabilisation) of particular bonds or intermediates directly, in a fashion distinct from simple macroscopic heating of the reaction mixture. One of the most prominent critics of those who claim to observe these phenomena is Austrian chemist Oliver Kappe, who's been debunking claims of non-thermal effects for at least a decade and he's just written an excellent Essay in Angewandte Chemie on the subject. Now, few people would argue that a lot of reactions work better in the microwave, but this can often be explained by rapid internal heating or increased pressure; that is, by thermal effects, however dramatic. An example from Kappe's essay illustrates the incredible magnitude of rate improvement that's sometimes observed:[1]
From
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012, 51, 2. I'd originally planned to do four of these posts, but it looks like I've run out of time so I'll be getting back to more cutting edge work (as soon as something exciting is published). Maybe I'll post the last one in March Mulch. Check out Mulvember 1: Penfulvin A and Mulvember 2: Echinopines A and B!
Okay, I suppose I should start off by acknowledging that Mulzer isn't the corresponding author on this one (instead it's Mulzer group postdoc Jürgen Ramharter), but it's still a nice piece of work so I'm including it anyway. The target itself is one of the perennially popular
lycopodium alkaloids whose first member - lycopodium itself - was isolated way back in 1881. A number of classic syntheses of members of this family in the 1970s and 80s by famous alkaloid chemists such as Stork, Heathcock, Wiesner and Wenkert have set the bar pretty high, but work towards these targets continues to this day.[1] Particularly, the fawcettimine-type members of this family, to which lycoflexine belongs, have proved very popular in recent years with a new synthesis seemingly out every few months.
Update 02-12-12: If anyone wants/needs a copy of the original image without the text and arrow added, you can find it here.
Some of you may remember this synthesis of the world's longest polyene from a few months ago, covered by See Arr Oh here. I'm not going to say much about the the chemistry of this synthesis (Wittigs. Shedloads of 'em), or its significance, but I'd like to post a little addendum to the work here.
I just got an email from a friend of mine who, upon reading the paper, asked the obvious question 'but what colour is it?'. Lycopene, of course, is famously red:
Unable to find a answer to the question in the paper itself, or the Supporting Information he contacted the authors. After a few days, they sent a short reply and a beautiful image:
Now, how often do organic chemists get colours like that?
Although there have been a couple of interesting syntheses this week, I'm still very busy so I'm going to write about another Mulzer synthesis from my talk. See my previous post for the background to this tribute.
Since their fairly recent isolation in 2008 the echinopine sesquiterpenes have proved quite popular targets for total synthesis. In fact, four rather different total syntheses have been reported since their unusual and compact molecular architectures first graced the literature. The first of these was that of Johann Mulzer, published just a year after their isolation, in which both natural products were synthesised in near enantiopure form (starting from cyclooctadiene!) and their absolute configurations were confirmed for the first time.[1]
Like many research groups, the one I’m in does weekly literature talks so people get a bit of practice with powerpoint and public speaking. Because excessive freedom can be a bit daunting, although people are free to choose the topic of their own talk it has to fit in with a particular theme, which, at the moment, is living Germanic chemists. In this vein, last month I wrote and gave a talk on the life and work of Johann Mulzer. Now, as I've been a bit busy lately, and the literature has been a bit lacking in interesting total syntheses, I've decided to rehash my talk as a series of blog posts. On the upside, this should mean more posts for you guys and less hassle for me (as I've already drawn everything in ChemDraw). Also, although I didn't know this when I wrote the talk, it seems that Mulzer is finally winding down and I think he deserves a bit of send-off. I, for one, have learnt a lot from reading his papers over the past few years.
From a recent
Angewandte paper.
Unfortunately, most of the syntheses that I covered in my talk are already pretty well known, and many of them have also already been covered on Totally Synthetic at one time or other. Still, if you missed somehow missed reading about them there or prefer my more rambling style then read on!
Incidentally, if you’re wondering what the German text on the slide is all about, it’s taken from the group website and is usually rendered (non-literally) in English as ‘no battle plan survives contact with the enemy’, something all chemists who have worked in total synthesis know well![1]
Hi all, we* interrupt our* scheduled** programming to bring you an exciting** Chemistry Carnival entry! See Arr Oh recently had the brilliant idea of a Chem Coach Carnival, where people in different chemical careers describe their working lives to give others an idea of what it's like to be in their shoes. Here's my entry, which unfortunately seems to have turned out a bit too long: What do you do? As you might have guessed, I'm currently a 'postdoc' or post-doctoral research associate at a UK university. If you're not familiar with the academic hierarchy you can see where this fits in the academic food chain here, thanks to Karl Collins. What does a typical day involve? I'm one of three postdocs in a research group of around twenty people engaged in diverse projects across the spectrum of organic chemistry. When I was at school The RSC ran a campaign to tell people that 'not all chemists wear white coats', but I'm proud to do so for 90% of a normal day. At the moment I'm mostly working on a short-ish biomimetic alkaloid synthesis but in addition to my own project(s), I also get to field questions from PhD and MSci students, show people how to do stuff in the lab, write papers, work on my own crazy ideas, manage an MSci student and worry about what I'm doing with my life. I also do some teaching in the form of undergraduate tutorials, which is great fun. My job is essentially to solve an increasingly varied and intricate series of puzzles, and it's good. How did you get where you are? It sometimes feels like I've spent my whole life in full time education as I started university straight after school and my PhD a few months after I finished my undergrad. As it happens, I'm currently still at the same institution from which I obtained my PhD a few months back. Staying in one place like this is usually inadvisable, but it's not a bad university, there's a good climbing wall nearby, and my current position is really just a short term filler until I move to the US next year for a 'real' postdoc. Goodness knows what I'll do after that. Fortunately, thanks to the shorter British PhD, I've only just turned 26. How does chemistry inform what you do? I really can't know enough chemistry as it pervades everything I do at work. The deeper my knowledge, the better I'll be at my current job, and the greater the chance I'll have of getting another. Pros and Cons? It seems that this job combines most of the good bits of being an academic and a PhD student; on the one hand I get almost total freedom to do what I like, I still spend most of my time in the lab, I get to teach and I get to be familiar with all the stuff that other people in the group work on but I don't have to write grant proposals or a thesis, take exams, or attend many meetings. It's pretty much how I think being a chemist should be. The main problems with the job are that it doesn't pay that well; although money is rarely a problem for me, I couldn't start a family or buy a house; the hours are pretty long, and are only going to get worse when I cross the Atlantic; and it isn't a long term career, as doing more than a couple of one or two year postdocs is widely considered a bad idea. It can also be stressful and frustrating. A funny story? Reading through what I've just written I guess I come across as pretty keen on chemistry, but it hasn't been a lifelong interest of mine. I wanted to study physics at university but sucked at math so I ended up studying materials science. That turned out to be a little too last-but-one century for me; the amount of time we spent learning about steel and concrete really put me off. After a year I switched to chemistry, but was a mediocre undergrad as I spent most of my time running the university mountaineering club and planned to get a job in the outdoor industry when I graduated. It wasn't until my final year masters project that things changed for me. Although I usually did much better in inorganic chemistry, I chose to join an organic research group that looked interesting on paper, but to my surprise it turned out to consist only of one mostly retired emeritus professor and a young - but extremely talented - postdoc. To hear those two talk about chemistry was amazing; it was like listening to a conversation in another language, and as they swapped stories about this academic or that, discussed the latest Nicolaou paper or just stood around cracking jokes I realised that the world of organic chemistry was much more interesting than I'd ever realised. I loved the history, the in-jokes and the community. I wasn't a great masters student, but I doubt anyone else in my year learned as much as I did during their project. Four years later I'm still a chemist. And I'm not ready to stop learning yet.
** This is not true. |
warc | 201704 | First quarter earnings season is winding down and as of this evening, all 30 stocks in the Dow have reported earnings for the most recent quarter. Prior to today's large sell-off (largest for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq since Bernanke hinted at QEII) the major markets were all up more than 8% in the first month and half of the year. Much has been made about the strong earnings season, accelerating economic growth and positive tailwinds of fiscal and monetary policy. Based on the rampant bullishness pervasive in the market, it would seem only natural that individual stocks would have reacted positively to their strong earnings reports. Since the market has performed so well, I was curious about individual stock performance and decided to dig for some further information.
As of Friday's close, 27 of the 30 Dow stocks had reported earnings for their most recent quarter. I decided to look at each stocks individual performance in the first three days after reporting. Calculating the results for one day after reporting earnings, 14 stocks were up and 13 were down. The average move was slightly negative (-0.15%), paced by a more than 7% gain in General Electric (GE) and a 14% loss for Cisco (CSCO). Cumulative returns two days after reporting showed 12 stocks higher and 15 lower, with the average return a bit more negative (-0.36%). Returns worsened again after 3 days of cumulative returns (-0.65%), as only 9 stocks had risen while 18 had dropped. Considering the supposed strength in recent earnings reports, these results were somewhat surprising. Knowing how well the entire Dow performed during earnings season, I decided to take the research a step further and calculate the cumulative returns for each stock since three days after reporting earnings. For this metric, the period of time varied significantly, however the results were interesting nonetheless. In the period from three days after reporting earnings until Friday's close, an incredible 25 out of 27 stocks moved higher. The average return was over 3.5%, including significant gains from Bank of America (BAC), Alcoa (AA), Proctor & Gamble (PG) and Boeing (BA), which had each fallen more than 4% in the few days following their earnings reports. There are numerous interpretations of this data but I'll suggest a couple. The market has been expecting good earnings, so actual reports offered a buy the rumor, sell the news opportunity. After a few days, rumors of strong future earnings lifted nearly everyone. A different view might be that individually the earnings stories aren't that great, however expectations for future earnings are substantially positive enough to outweigh recent, backward looking earnings reports. (Interesting note: The remaining three Dow stocks reported earnings today. Home Depot (HD) and Walmart (WMT) both reported during pre-market hours and finished the session lower. Hewlett Packard (HPQ) reported after the close and was down nearly 8% at last check.) As today's market showed, a couple weeks of gains can be lost in a day. An interesting look at the best yearly starts in stock market history shows nearly all gains being given back in the first quarter before almost always moving higher toward the year end. Will this year be the same? Revolutions in the Middle East are creating significant headline risk and continue to spark upward pressure on oil prices. Something to consider, rising oil prices act as both a tax on the consumer and have a deflationary effect. As the Middle East consumes the headlines, European sovereign debt has been pushed off the radar. However, Portugal's yields have been moving higher and remain above 7%, the level that forced Greece and Ireland to accept bailouts. Don't be surprised if Portugal is forced to accept a bailout before the month's end. Also, austerity is starting to take hold at state and local levels in the U.S., as witnessed by recent rallies and shutting of schools in Wisconsin. These factors will all likely provide headwinds to the economic recovery and stock market as the year moves along. In regards to individual stocks, I recently sold my position in R.R. Donnelley (RRD) after a 20%+ gain. Although it's underperformed the market in the past couple months, I'd still recommend Abbott Labs (ABT) under $47. After today's move, I'd recommend starting positions in Microsoft (MSFT), under $26.70, and Astrazeneca (AZN), below $48.50. If the sell-off continues further, I'd look to add Walmart at $53. These suggestions are meant for investors with a time horizon of at least 2-3 years. Disclosure: Author has no position in RRD but holds long positions in ABT, AZN, MSFT and WMT. |
warc | 201704 | Something tells me that even though (on the East Coast anyway) it’s late in the work day on a Friday that kicks off a holiday weekend celebrating the working man and working woman, there are still plenty workers still at work as they read this. How’s that working for ya?
A post at the NY Times’ Complaint Box tackles a topic that many workers can surely relate to nowadays: How did we get to the point that it is more typical for employees to still be at work at 8 p.m. than it is for them to head home promptly at 5 p.m.?
It’s hard to say exactly when the death of 9-to-5, 5 days a week occurred, but at some point it passed on, replaced by 7-ish-to-sometime-after-dinnertime, 6 and sometimes 7 days a week. This too is a component of the “New Normal.” In an age when technology has increased efficiency and replaced manpower, how can this be called progress? And why are such hours expected of anyone hoping to avoid being labeled a slacker—or hoping to have a job at all?
Here’s an excerpt from the Times’ post, written by a freelancer who typical works 65 to 70 hours a week:
Nowadays, the day is done when your work is done. And the work is never really done. You can’t leave it until tomorrow because you’ll have too much to do tomorrow. The huge overhaul that transformed us into a more flexible, fun-loving society has righted itself: It is O.K. to wear jeans, O.K. to have a cappuccino machine, O.K. to surf a little during the workday, but it is not O.K. to leave at a reasonable hour.
Once again, the writer here is a freelancer, a member of the increasingly huge group of workers who have no benefits or job security. Which brings up an entirely different reason to lament.
Happy Labor Day!
Related:
What We Know About Employment (and Unemployment) Right Now It’s Quitting Time: Why Workers Are Leaving their Jobs in Droves If You’re Not Looking for a Job Now, You Probably Will Be Soon A Totally Unconvincing Story About How Workers Prefer Freelancing Over Full-Time Employment |
warc | 201704 | Product Details
Lasix
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Product Description
General information
Lasix is a loop diuretic used to treat high blood pressure or water retention (swelling) associated with congestive heart failure, liver disease, or kidney disease. The medicine prevents your body from absorbing too much salt. As a result it allows the salt to be passed in your urine. It is also used to control high blood pressure. Furosemide works by increasing the amount of urine produced and excreted, and by removing excessive water (edema).
Directions
It is recommended to take according to your doctor's instructions. The recommended adult starting dose for treating edema is 40 mg to 80 mg. If a satisfactory result occurs within 6 hours, the dose may be decreased or kept the same. If edema continues longer than 6 hours, the dose may be increased by 20 mg to 40 mg. When treating hypertension (high blood pressure), the dose of furosemide starts at 20 mg to 40 mg twice a day.
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Before starting your treatment with Lasix please inform your doctor if you have kidney disease, liver disease, gout, lupus, diabetes, or an allergy to sulfa drugs. It is not recommended to take the medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. This drug may make you dizzy or cause blurred vision. Seniors may be more likely to experience increased side effects from furosemide.
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The patients with the following conditions can't use Lasix: hypersensitivity, severe liver failure, acute kidney failure with anuria, liver coma and precoma, stenois of urethra, acute glomerulonephritis, urinary tract obstruction, precoma, hyperglycemic coma, gout, arterial hypotension, heart attack, pancreatitis and others.
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If you experience any of the following side effects immediate medical help may be needed: dry mouth, thirst, nausea, vomiting, fast or uneven heartbeat, muscle pain, weakness, drowsiness, restless, or light-headed, less than usual urination or absence of urination, easy bruising or bleeding, red blistering skin rash, hair loss, blurred vision, loss of appetite, joint pain, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, dark urine, rapid heartbeat, swollen abdomen. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
Drug interaction
Lasix can interact with the following medicines: aminoglycoside antibiotics (gentamicin and others) or Edecrin, another diuretics, aspirin Sucralfate (Carafate), ACE inhibitors (e.g., lisinopril, enalapril, fosinopril), corticosteroids (e.g., hydrocortisone, prednisone), diabetes medications (e.g., glyburide, rosiglitazone), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs; e.g., ibuprofen, indomethacin, naproxen), lithium, theophylline, angiotensin II receptor angatonists, antiseizure medication (e.g., carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin).
Missed dose
Take the missed dose as soon as possible. If it is almost time of the next intake just skip it and go back to your schedule.
Overdose
If you think you have overdosed the medicine seek emergency medical help at once. The overdose symptoms are loss of appetite, ringing in ears, severe weakness, dizziness, confusion, lightheadedness, or fainting.
Storage
Store the medicine away from children at room temperature in a dry and dark place.
Note
The information presented at the site has a general character. Note please this information cannot be used for self-treatment and self diagnosis. You should consult with your doctor or health care adviser regarding any specific instructions of your condition. The information is reliable, but we concede it could contain mistakes. We are not responsible for any direct, indirect, special or other damage caused by use of this information on the site and also for consequences of self-treatment. |
warc | 201704 | United States District Court, N.D. California
ORDER OF DISMISSAL
LUCY H. KOH, District Judge.
Plaintiff, a California state prisoner proceeding
pro se, filed a civil rights complaint pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff has paid the filing fee. For the reasons stated below, the court dismisses the complaint for failure to state a claim.
DISCUSSION
A. Standard of Review
A federal court must conduct a preliminary screening in any case in which a prisoner seeks redress from a governmental entity or officer or employee of a governmental entity.
See 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(a). In its review, the court must identify any cognizable claims and dismiss any claims that are frivolous, malicious, fail to state a claim upon which relief may be granted or seek monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. See 28 U.S.C. § 1915A(b)(1), (2). Pro se pleadings must, however, be liberally construed. See Balistreri v. Pacifica Police Dep't., 901 F.2d 696, 699 (9th Cir. 1988).
To state a claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, a plaintiff must allege two essential elements: (1) that a right secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States was violated, and (2) that the alleged violation was committed by a person acting under the color of state law.
See West v. Atkins, 487 U.S. 42, 48 (1988).
B. Legal Claims
Plaintiff claims that he was housed at Salinas Valley State Prison in November 2012. On November 21 and November 22, 2012, plaintiff's cell flooded. The flood appeared to originate from a chase located between two cells. On December 7, 2012, as plaintiff was getting out of bed, plaintiff slipped and fell on to the floor because the floor was wet. Plaintiff asserts that his cell flooded several times in November and December, and although complaints were made to maintenance, maintenance did not repair the plumbing in a timely manner, and plaintiff ended up injuring himself by slipping on the wet floor.
The Eighth Amendment's prohibition of "cruel and unusual punishments" imposes a duty on prison officials to, among other things, "take reasonable measures to guarantee the safety of the inmates.'"
Farmer v. Brennan, 511 U.S. 825, 832 (1994) (quoting Hudson v. Palmer, 468 U.S. 517, 526-27 (1984)). A prison official violates the Eighth Amendment only when two requirements are met: (1) the deprivation is, objectively, sufficiently serious; and (2) the prison official is, subjectively, deliberately indifferent to inmate safety. See Farmer, 511 U.S. at 834. The test for deliberate indifference is the same as criminal recklessness, i.e., the official must actually know of and disregard an excessive risk to inmate safety. See id. at 837. The official "must both be aware of facts from which the inference could be drawn that a substantial risk of serious harm exists, and he must also draw the inference." Id. Neither negligence nor gross negligence constitutes deliberate indifference. See id. at 835-36 & n.4; Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97, 106 (1976).
Even with liberal construction, the complaint does not state a claim for an Eighth Amendment violation. Claims regarding slippery floors, without more, "do not state even an arguable claim for cruel and unusual punishment."
Jackson v. Arizona, 885 F.2d 639, 641 (9th Cir. 1989), superseded by statute on other grounds as stated in Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1130-31 (9th Cir. 2000); see, e.g., McLaughlin v. Farries, No. 03-60771, 2004 WL 2030365 (5th Cir. Sept. 13, 2004) (per curiam) (unpublished opinion) (concluding that prisoner's slip and fall on accumulated water from leaky air conditioning unit, which the defendants knew about and failed to clean up was an appropriate action for negligence, but not deliberate indifference); Reynolds v. Powell, 370 F.3d 1028, 1031 (10th Cir. 2004) (concluding that although prisoner complained for two months about accumulated water in the shower, and finally sustained injuries from the slippery floor, "while the standing-water problem was a potentially hazardous condition, slippery floors constitute a daily risk faced by members of the public at large" and is not a sufficiently serious risk of constitutional dimension); Brown v. Basher, No. 10-0479 MCE EFB, 2012 WL 639446 (E.D. Cal. Feb. 27, 2012) (granting defendants' motion for summary judgment against a mobility impaired prisoner who ambulated with a cane and slipped and fell on puddle, created by a water leak, concluding that even though defendants knew about the puddle, the claim was one of negligence rather than deliberate indifference); Gilman v. Woodford, No. 05-0337, 2006 WL 1049739 (E.D. Cal. April 20, 2006) (granting qualified immunity to defendants when prisoner slipped and fell in puddle of water resulting from leaking ceiling, of which defendants knew); Edwards v. City of New York, No. 08-5787, 2009 WL 2596595 (S.D.N.Y. Aug. 24, 2009) (courts have held that allegations of wet conditions leading to a slip-and-fall will not support a Section 1983 claim even where... the plaintiff [] alleges that the individual defendants had notice of the wet condition but failed to address it."); Vines v. Hepp, No. 07-956, 2007 WL 3342583 (E.D. Wis. Nov. 8, 2007) (finding accumulated puddles of water in shower not objectively serious condition sufficient to implicate Eighth Amendment); Santiago v. Guarini, No. 03-4375, 2004 WL 2137822 (E.D. Pa. 2004) (holding toilet and sink leak in cell, causing slip and fall, did not present substantial risk to inmate's safety, and was not objectively serious conditions) Robinson v. Cuyler, 511 F.Supp. 161, 163 (E.D. Pa. 1981) ("A slippery kitchen floor does not inflict cruel and unusual punishments.'" (citation omitted)). Instead, to state a cognizable claim for relief, there must be a confluence of exacerbating conditions such that the slippery floor posed a serious, unavoidable threat to plaintiff's safety. See Frost v. Agnos, 152 F.3d 1124, 1129 (9th Cir. 1998) ("[s]lippery floors without protective measures could create a sufficient danger to warrant relief" when an inmate alleges facts that exacerbate the danger resulting from such conditions); Osolinski v. Kane, 92 F.3d 934, 938 (9th Cir. 1996) (a single, minor safety hazard does not violate the Eighth Amendment but allegations of conditions which "exacerbate[] the inherent dangerousness of already-existing hazards" or "render[] [an inmate] unable to provide for his own safety" are sufficient to state a cognizable claim for relief (internal quotations, brackets and citation omitted)).
Here, plaintiff states that his cell flooded several times in November and December 2012. Defendants informed the inmates that requests for work orders had been placed, and in the meantime, defendants allowed inmates out of their cells so that the water could be pushed out of the cells on several occasions. Plaintiff alleges no other facts or exacerbating circumstances that could elevate this simple negligence claim into a federal cause of action. Plaintiff's claim against defendants therefore does not state a constitutional violation.
See, e.g., Aaronian v. Fresno County Jail, No. 10-0518 JLT (PC), 2010 WL 5232969 at *2-*3 (E.D. Cal. 2010) (allegation that plumbing leak caused pool of water resulting in plaintiff slipping and falling does not raise cognizable conditions of confinement claim); Wallace v. Haythorne, No. 06-1697 MCE GGH P, 2007 WL 3010755, at *2-*4 (E.D. Cal. 2007) (finding no Eighth Amendment violation when prisoner fell after his foot slipped into a hole in the floor caused by a missing tile, even if defendants were aware that a non-prisoner employee had previously tripped on one of the holes)
District courts must afford pro se prisoner litigants an opportunity to amend to correct any deficiency in their complaints.
See Lopez v. Smith, 203 F.3d 1122, 1126-27 (9th Cir. 2000) (en banc). However, leave need not be granted where the amendment of the complaint would cause the opposing party undue prejudice, is sought in bad faith, constitutes an exercise in futility, or creates undue delay. See Janicki Logging Co. v. Mateer, 42 F.3d 561, 566 (9th Cir. 1994); see also Weilburg v. Shapiro, 488 F.3d 1202, 1205 (9th Cir. 2007) (recognizing that leave to amend is not necessary when plaintiff can provide no set of facts in support of his claim that would entitle him to relief) (citations and internal quotation marks omitted). Here, leave to amend will not be granted because the complaint well describes the incident, and it simply does not amount to deliberate indifference to a risk to the inmate's safety. This is not to say that the inmate was not hurt, as his allegations imply that he was. Rather, as Osolinski, 92 F.3d at 936-37, observed, not every injury translates into constitutional liability for prison officials. This is such a case.
CONCLUSION
Plaintiff's complaint is DISMISSED with prejudice for ... |
warc | 201704 | This year promises to be one of the most exciting of my career, as many personal projects will be coming to fruition on the ground while legalization looms in the air. It is with a bittersweet sadness, though, that I have so much time to devote to the cause, as it is only possible because my love, Gayle Quin, has passed away from cancer in the fall of 2016 after a long fight with cancer. This newspaper, and virtually everything I do in my life, is now forever dedicated to her memory and we are constantly trying to live up to her ideals and standards.
To start the year off we will be celebrating the 21st anniversary of the Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club, with our Annual General Meeting on Sun Jan 29, followed by a potluck at the VCBC. With a few open spaces on the board of directors, the club really needs some new, fresh faces to help out managing the huge potential our organization has. There will be door prizes at the AGM and lots of tasty food at the potluck, so hopefully lots of members will join us for the festivities.
One of the main topics we will be discussing is the eventual shift to adult sales. While the club has initially formed to protect patients suffering from serious medical problems, it is clear that if the club is able to survive and become a part of the new legal system, it will be licensed to sell to anyone over the age limit the province determines. At some point it will make no sense for the club to limit sales to patients while other dispensaries openly sell to adults, giving them the ability to give deep discounts to sick people.
With this new system, the club will still register patients separately and give them discounts and free access to the smoking room. It is my hope to create a special category for patients with cancer in palliative care situations. If we are doing well enough with sales and donations, it is my hope to provide a very deep discount and access to special products for patients dying from cancer. Next issue I will speak more of the special cannabis-focused palliative care facilities I wish to create in Gayle’s name.
Of course, the big news for the club is the reopening of the smoking room. When Victoria City council passed the bylaws regulating cannabis dispensaries in Sept, no consumption was allowed at all. Bylaw officials came to the club to inform us that we face fines and could risk getting a license if we kept our smoking room open. We felt we had little choice but to shut it down and fight to get it back. It did not take long before city council realized their mistake, as the majority have clearly seemed supportive of everything our club is doing, and so, with only one opposed, a quick vote gave our club an exemption to the bylaws.
Recently the VCBC has added its fine selection of raw cannabis strains to its menu for patients purchasing products by mail order. In the past we have stuck with shipping just our food and skin products, as the risk and headache did not make it worth the effort. However, with the city preparing to give us a license that states we can do mail orders, the time seems right for us to take things to the next level. With one grower supplying the club for 18 years, another for 15, and several more coming up to 14 years of providing medicine to us, we have one of the most experienced networks of committed growers in the world.
Many of my future projects will be specifically dedicated to my love. The next one will be the Gayle Quin Colouring Book, made up of front covers of the last few dozen issues of the Cannabis Digest. She absolutely loved colouring and it was always her dream to have a little book made of the front covers. We will do our best to have this ready for sale by her birthday on April 16.
After that, the International Hempology 101 Society plans on publishing a small cookbook and a better version of our cannabis carol booklet in the fall. These should all be simple $5 retail books that will help us share the knowledge and joy we have gathered over the years. In the future we hope to publish a larger cookbook and several other cannabis publications.
At UVic, the Hempology 101 student club is planning on hosting a series of debates this semester to help students and the public understand some of the details being considered in the legalization scheme of the federal government. If all goes as planned there should 3 debates at the end of each month, focused on growers, patients and dispensaries. It has been a few years since the club has done more than host the weekly Weds 420 circles, which have been happening for 18 years, and we are looking forward to watching that group grow back to its former size.
Those debates are being held in partnership with the BC Independent Cannabis Alliance, a loose-knit group I formed last summer to bring like-minded, local activists together to lobby the province. With so many important issues to deal with, we have been working very well as a team trying to convince the public, bureaucrats and politicians that creating an industry that includes craft growers and value-added products is the best route. Anyone interested in attending our monthly meetings should contact me.
With the provincial election coming up in early May, we are all hoping all three major parties in BC realize that the existing craft networks fighting to become a part of the new legal system need to be a part of any industry model they create. Everyone in the province concerned about tight regulations squeezing out current suppliers and distributors should help us write letters, ask politicians questions at debates and engage in social media. Together we can make the public realize that the best outcome for everyone is a fair, open regulatory system that includes small business.
Of course the next big party everyone is looking forward to is April 20. In Victoria we hope to add live music and more vendors to the mix this year, though we will refrain vendors from selling cannabis products for several reasons. We are hoping to have far too many people show up for Centennial Square to handle, forcing the city to give us a bigger better space for future years. Watch for posters with details about the performers.
Looking ahead to 2017, the future seems very bright indeed for the Cannabis Digest, the Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club and myself personally. I feel I cannot thank my friends, the writers and advertisers of this paper enough, as the Cannabis Digest would not have survived the last few years without volumes of support from you all. While there is still a struggle ahead, knowing I have such a strong foundation behind me makes me feel ready to take it all on again.
Smoke ’em if you got ’em. |
warc | 201704 | By Krissy Brady (OrganicAuthority)
If maintaining our workout motivation level was easy, we’d all look as fit as celebrities. Instead, we come home from work after a long day of sitting and unwind with… well, more sitting. We end up stuck on the inevitable hamster wheel of needing to exercise to boost our energy, yet not having enough energy to exercise (or so we tell ourselves). Oy.
If the usual workout motivation methods aren’t cutting it for you, below are 14 unorthodox strategies and mind hacks that will:
1. Instill the Five Minute Rule
When your workout motivation is less than stellar, convince yourself to exercise for just five minutes – no big deal, right? Once you get started, you’ll feel motivated to keep going. (You’ve come this far, so why not?)
2. Terrify Yourself
“Trying to get someone to realize the impact poor health has can be a powerful motivator,” says Mercy Medical Center’s Dr. Marc Leavy, M.D. “It’s all about finding an emotional trigger that helps motivate them into action.” If you need workout motivation, just look up all of the horrible health problems that comes with a sedentary lifestyle – the plank position doesn’t look so bad now, does it?
3. Bring on the Guilt
Let’s face facts: there’s
no excuse for not exercising, no matter how low your workout motivation level is. Sometimes you just need to remind yourself what you're losing by staying on the counch. That’s why I’m always armed and ready with the latest Victoria’s Secret catalogue. Suddenly, poof! I’m magically wearing my yoga tights and ready to practice. 4. Use Your Anger
Take every bad day, every bad date, and every annoying work colleague and create a highlight reel of frustrations for workout motivation. You’d be surprised at how much you’ll accomplish with that initial burst of adrenaline!
5. Do It “For” Someone Else
Exercise for your friends and family – when you accomplish goals for reasons outside of yourself, you’ll find it easier to maintain your workout motivation.
6. Find Inspiring Before and Afters
If you know someone who’s gone through an amazing transformation or have met others online who have stellar workout motivation, consider them your exercise Yodas – channel their energy to make your transformation a reality.
7. Lie to Yourself
There’s clearly an emotional cycle of moans and groans holding you back, so switch things up a bit: Pretend you’re someone who
never lacks workout motivation and is always on the ball. Eventually, you will be. “You don’t need motivation to brush your teeth or shower, do you? You just do it!” says personal trainer and author Michelle Bridges. “Use the same mentality for exercise.” 8. Wear Your Exercise Clothes to Bed
If I don’t exercise in the morning, the rest of my day is filled with one dreadful workout attempt after another. Until you fully adjust to your morning workout routine, I highly recommend sleeping in your workout clothes – you’ll be much less likely to hit the snooze button.
9. Bribe Yourself
Are Prada pumps calling your name? Do you want to take a trip with your hubby this year and look fabulous doing it? Vow to put a certain amount of money away every time you exercise – the bigger the prize at the end of the rainbow, the harder you’ll try.
10. Humiliate Yourself
Broadcast a public service announcement that says if you don’t reach your workout goal in X number of days/months, you’ll do something completely humiliating… and post it on YouTube. Then, watch your workout motivation skyrocket.
11. Watch TV
Make yourself a deal: If you want to watch
Scandal, you have to watch it while working out. You’ll bust out your exercise gear faster than you can say, “Gladiator.” 12. Bargain with Yourself
If your lack of workout motivation is making you groan like you’ve been poisoned, it's time to bargain: You don’t feel like going to the gym, but what
would you be willing to do? Go for a brisk walk? Learn the new workout your BFF’s been raving about? Make your workouts fun instead of an obligation. 13. Make It Quick
If not having enough time’s your go-to excuse for not exercising, then choose the mother of all workouts: High intensity interval training is a super-efficient, crazy-fast workout you can do in 20 minutes or less. In fact, you’ll be done the workout before you have time to talk yourself out of it!
14. Strip
Face off with your problem areas like it's high noon, then picture your body toned and healthy. How does it make you feel? Grab onto this feeling every time the workout motivation blues hit you as you say goodbye to your "before picture" self.
What tricks do you use to amp up your workout motivation level?
Related on Organic Authority: Image: daveynin
http://scrb.me//s-2859/a/dUQ Created by Outbrain Select |
warc | 201704 | Recently a video went viral online of Bill Gates losing a blitz chess game in nine moves to the new World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen, getting checkmated quickly:
The truth is deeper than it seems
Non-chess-playing friends of mine enjoyed forwarding me links to this. Their general impression was, ha, of course the nine-move checkmate makes sense given the gross mismatch in strength between Bill Gates and the world champion! You can also look at the YouTube video’s comments to get an idea of what a lot of people thought of the video.
I watched the game and noticed some very interesting features, on multiple levels, and came up with the idea of “9 lessons for 9 moves”, because it is hard to get an accurate picture of what serious chess is like through typical media portrayal that shows moves being made, and maybe plays up drama, but does not
explain what happened, or what could have happened instead, or what players were thinking: all this is left invisible. This Gates-Carlsen encounter is no exception. The comments from non-chess-playing friends made me feel the need to give a deeper picture. The main misconception that bothered me was that a world champion should be able to win a game against someone in nine moves. But it’s not so simple. In fact, I found amazing depths in the truth of what happened.
This article will actually be directed at three different audiences, simultaneously, through a separation of levels of observation:
Those who do not play chess or vaguely know the rules but do not play regularly Those who do play regularly and have chess tournament experience, but are below an expert level Those who are at expert or master level
The entire game, along with supporting variations, is embedded here so that you can click through what happened as well as what could have happened but didn’t. My detailed explanations follow after this embedded interactive board.
Lesson 1: Why Carlsen played a bad chess opening
The first observation to make is that Bill Gates probably knows how to play a basic chess opening as White. Very popular, for example, is to play 1 e4, as Gates in fact did (the late Bobby Fischer’s favorite), and then if Black symmetrically plays 1…e5, White plays 2 Nf3 attacking Black’s Pawn, then Black usually defends with 2…Nc6, and then White plays 3 Bb5 attacking that Knight. This would be the famous Spanish Opening, also known as the “Ruy Lopez”, after the Spanish priest of the 16th century (yes, chess wisdom goes way back!) who made a systematic study of this opening.
Carlsen plays both colors of this opening: in the recent World Championship match against Anand, for example, he played the Black side repeatedly with success in three games, drawing two and winning one.
But in this game against Gates, he did not play this opening. Instead, he played an opening that is usually considered unusual and not so good, the Nimzovich Defense. Why?
The short answer: because by
playing the best moves, Carlsen would have risked taking much longer to win a game against Gates. If you are a seasoned chess player, especially if you play blitz, you understand this. If you are not a chess player, or do not know much beyond the rules, this may puzzle you: how could playing better lead to winning much more slowly? The answer is that games are not won so much as lost.
Here’s an analogy. Suppose you find yourself being attacked by someone and you need to defend yourself. Do you put up your best blocks, and attack back with proper form, making sure to stay safe? Or do you do one of those risky roundhouse kicks you see in the movies, where you could get in a lot of trouble if you failed? Doing the “right” thing does not make for entertaining and short action movie scenes. So that’s what happened in this game: Carlsen gambled that Gates would not know how to play properly, and played an opening with an intention of possibly unleashing that roundhouse kick.
Lesson 2: Chess is psychological warfare
Gates seemed confused by the Nimzovich Defense. On move 2, he makes a perfectly good move, but the move Carlsen clearly had wanted to see. Gates was on autopilot, playing the Knight out to f3 as though Carlsen had played 1…e5 instead. There were other options. 2 d4 would also have allowed Carlsen to continue his game plan of advancing with 2…d5, but 2 Nc3 would have stopped that plan and made the game probably much, much longer.
Contrary to the popular misconception of chess as pure logic, it is actually primarily a psychological sport, in which knowing how the opponent might react is a valuable part of being competitive. This is true at the highest levels as well as in casual blitz chess. Carlsen won his world title last year largely on the basis of thwarting Anand psychologically, refusing to play “good” openings that he knew Anand would be prepared for, and playing bland openings instead. Here, in a flashy game against Gates, he took the opposite approach, deliberately playing a “bad” opening that expected Gates not to be prepared for.
Lesson 3: Refusing to play the best move because it may win too slowly
Gates played a poor move 3, being defensive in a position in which he could have seized an
advantage aggressively by capturing Black’s Pawn on d5.
However, Carlsen refused to punish this poor move. The obvious punishing move, that most club players would see and play, is 3…Nb4, attacking the White Bishop, and in fact winning it in exchange for the Knight, because if the Bishop moves, then White loses the Pawn on e4 that the Bishop is defending.
Again, this goes back to psychology. If Carlsen had played the obvious and best move, the game could have taken much longer to win. It would have been a matter of gaining a permanent advantage by winning the Bishop pair and ruining White’s Pawn structure on the d file, and then pressing further until victory.
If you look back at the video, you can see Carlsen hesitating before playing the “worse” move. In a real game against a real opponent, there is no doubt he would have instantly whipped out the strong 3…Nb4, no hesitation.
Lesson 4: The appeal of open vs. closed games
The gamble worked, because Gates took the Pawn on d5 on move 4, and Carlsen brought out his Queen, as he had intended from the very moment he played his very first opening move!
Note that Gates could have played e5
closing the position, to reach a perfectly decent game for White. In fact, I believe many club players would have instinctively played e5, in analogy with fundamental positions in the French Defense. Click through the embedded game board for a logical continuation of the game if Gates had played e5. Note that after White gets in d4 and Black gets in e6, the resulting French Defense setup is very closed and it will take a very long time for Black to win the game.
Closed games may not be as flashy and media-friendly as open games, but they are very strategically rich and beautiful to play and watch. It would have been interesting if Gates had gone into this French Defense setup and Carlsen had to patiently attack White’s center with f6, get the half-open f file, swing the dark Bishop against White’s King side, free the light-squared Bishop also, and bring the Queen around to the King side via Qe8, etc. There might even have been a thematic exchange sacrifice on f3 to break up White’s King side.
But this would not have been a nine-move media spectacle.
Lesson 5: The unexpected complexity of chess
On move 5, Gates correctly attacked Carlsen’s Queen with his Knight, and Carlsen played the Queen over to the King side. Although a thematic plan in this opening, under circumstances where Black has already played the light-squared Bishop out to g4 and is preparing to castle Queen side, this move actually looked to me like a blunder! But upon looking at it more, with the help of the computer, I saw that it was not.
(The following discussion is mainly for those of expert or master strength.)
The reason Qh5 looked like a blunder was because it seemed that White could play the very strong-looking Nb5, threatening to win the Pawn on c7 with check and also pick up Black’s Rook. Black could defend by Kd8, but that forfeits castling and guarantees White an advantage. Nd5 to defend instead looks possible, but then c4 chasing the Knight looks strong. After Black’s Nf4, White retreats the Bishop to defend, but renews the threat. However, after Black plays Bg4, the position then becomes a bit crazy, with Black having huge threats against White’s Knight on f3 and offering to give up both castling and the Rook on a8 for a big attack against White. After White plays d4, attacking Black’s Knight on f4, things look bad for Black.
It turns out that Black can castle Queen side, abandoning the Knight but then creating threats with e5 in order to regain the piece. So far, so good: an expert or master player could see all this because of the forced nature of the calculations.
But when I ran the position through a chess engine, the computer spit out a completely different approach, having Black not castle Queen side, but instead play e5 immediately, still offering to give up the the Pawn on c7, castling rights, and the Rook on a8. I did
not see this possibility. Nor have I analyzed the full ramifications. All I know is that yet again, chess engines reveal the surprising complexity of chess, one that the top world human players grapple with regularly. As an amateur, I am still repeatedly surprised by how intricate chess positions can be. If you are curious, you may wish to work out the possible continuations after the crazy-looking 9…e5.
It would have been fascinating if Gates had seen Nb5 and played it, forcing Carlsen to enter into these wild complications.
Lesson 6: Playing a good move can lead to losing quickly, but it’s not the fault of the good move
On move 6, Gates castled King side. This was a good move. A general principle that chess novices often neglect is King safety. Many games in chess are lost because one side did not protect the King by castling in time. Beginners are taught to castle as early as possible, as a rule of thumb. It is usually a great principle to follow, and it was in this game.
Yet, it was because Gates castled King side that he lost so quickly. Paradox? Yes. What happened was that he lost because of things that he did wrong
after castling. If he had played a worse plan, bringing the Bishop back to e2, then developing the Queen side with d3, and castling Queen side, the game would have been considerably longer for sure.
Sometimes it is tempting for a less experienced chess player to attribute a loss of a game to a move that was actually a good move, instead of noticing the true blunder that happened well after the good move. In particular, it would be very tempting to reason, “Black’s Queen is already aiming at my King side, so I shouldn’t have castled there into the attack.”
This happens in real life all the time: it is the logical fallacy of
post hoc, propter hoc, or “after this, therefore because of this”. For example, someone might hear about a runner dying of a heart attack and wrongly conclude that running is bad for your health, or someone else might hear about a runner losing weight and recovering from diabetes and wrongly conclude that running lots of marathons is the key to health.
Chess is a game in which, in the long run, you cannot succeed if you fall into the trap of logical fallacies: all psychology aside, it is still a game of logic, in which if someone plays a trick on you, you can learn the truth from it for the next time you face that same opponent or a different one, and perform better. That is the beauty of the game.
Lesson 7: The appalling practice of playing a terrible move in hope that your opponent doesn’t see how bad it is
On move 7, Gates played h3, attacking Black’s Bishop on g4. The obvious and good move is to exchange the attacked Bishop with White’s Knight on f3, trading Queens after White retakes with the Queen, and wrecking White’s King side Pawn structure to obtain a clear advantage. The average club player would play this continuation without hesitation since it is obviously good and best.
Unfortunately, with the Queens off the board, it would then have taken probably another thirty moves for Black to win the game.
Instead,
Carlsen played a shockingly bad, losing move: he ignored the threat to his Bishop on g4 and simply offered a sacrifice, while making an unjustified aggressive gesture with his Knight to d5 against White’s pinned Knight on f3.
I was not happy to see him do this, because I believe many people believed this was an authentically and well-played chess game, rather than media fluff, and because many chess players actually deliberately engage in this practice in serious games, and I would like to discourage it. I wrote this article largely because of this howlingly bad move. I wrote this article for my friends who were wowed by this “daring” attack but need to know the truth.
The truth is that this was not a serious game in which Carlsen played well. It was one of those games you might see played in urban parks by hustlers (I have played with such hustlers before; they typically let you win one and then try to get you to play them for more money and then start playing more and more for real). Carlsen played like a hustler in this game. Granted, it’s fun to do this sometimes, as long as everyone is in on the joke and knows what is going on. But this game has been forwarded around with no disclaimer that it was for entertainment purposes only.
Lesson 8: The right plan is more important than the right move; but what about the importance of failure?
Gates accepted the sacrifice. Again, it is important to emphasize that even though he got checkmated just one move later, it wasn’t because he was foolhardy in doing the right thing by accepting the sacrifice to achieve a
winning position.
He played the right move. But he didn’t play the right
followup move. He clearly had not calculated the implications of his move, however right the move was. If you do the right thing, but without really understanding why it was right, you can get into trouble. This is as true in chess as it is in regular life. It is important to make a move not in isolation, but in full context of what might happen afterwards.
For example, if you are stuck in the wilderness, and you know which direction the main road is, the right thing to do may well be to start moving in that direction. But this assumes that you have already seen that you are not walking toward a deep rift, or that you have seen a barrier but know you have the resources to overcome it. If you have not at least figured out some kind of plan, it may be safer not to head to the main road, but to head in a different direction toward terrain that looks less unpredictable, even if the route will take longer to traverse.
Should Gates have taken another path, instead of accepting the sacrifice? This is a hard question to answer. An improving player should always at least experiment with trying to play the best move possible, even if not perfectly equipped for the followup; you learn by failing while doing the right thing. But as a practical matter, there are good reasons to argue that failing too drastically may not help learning, and that playing more safely is a more incremental way of learning. I think it’s a hard judgment call sometimes.
For example, here, Gates could have done some meta-thinking, “Hmm, Carlsen wouldn’t be offering this free piece to me if he didn’t have some trick to play on me, so I should play it safe and decline to accept it, and instead play safely with 8 Be4 to simply defend my attacked Knight on f3.” If he had in fact done that, Carlsen’s trick would have been halted, because there are no more pieces he can bring in against the Knight on f3. Again, objectively the best for Black would be to trade everything down on f3, giving White doubled, isolated f Pawns, but this is the route to a very long game.
Unfortunately, I see this kind of meta-reasoning happen too often in club level chess, where a weaker player is afraid that the stronger opponent must have had a reason when playing a seemingly bad move, and therefore does not play the correct continuation against it. I think there is a fuzzy line between being pragmatic about one’s limitations and being too timid to dare to question a poor move and try to prove it wrong. This psychological tension is definitely an important part of the game, and can be a vehicle for developing self-awareness, trust in one’s own mind (rather than trust in the authority of those better than you), and continuous learning in case of making the wrong call.
I advocate erring on the side of learning from one’s mistakes by going out on a limb at least sometimes.
Lesson 9: Carlsen was really lost; life and death can depend on only one detail
In the final move of the game, Gates played a move that would be very good except for one flaw: it allowed instant checkmate.
But we cannot entirely blame him. Ignoring the checkmate oversight, the move was actually a
fantastic one. White takes the Knight on e5: If Black recaptures with the Knight, White wins the Queen on h5. If Black recaptures with the Queen, White capture the Knight on g4, left unguarded because of the deflection of the Queen that had protected it on h5.
So it looks like a brilliant move,
forcing the win of a piece. With Black two pieces down, victory would be in sight for White.
Unfortunately, there’s that checkmate.
In chess, you can do everything right, have everything figured out but one detail, and lose horribly. In fact, many high-level games actually go this way. What are analogies in real life? There are many.
In warfare, missing one vital piece of information could mean losing an entire battle. The Challenger tragedy. Mission-critical computer software. Professions such as surgery, race car driving hinge on detail. Competitive sprinting and hurdling.
Carlsen was really lost
Gates could have maintained a winning advantage by playing 9 Re1. This provides an escape route for his King in case Black came down to h2 with the Queen by first trading off White’s defensive Knight on f3. White’s King can escape to f1, e2, and then d1 as needed. Retaining a piece advantage, objectively White should win the game.
Of course, in practice, even if Gates had played correctly, I doubt he would have won. Carlsen would probably have castled Queen side and continued playing tricky moves while waiting for blunders, likely because of the blitz time format. It would have definitely been entertaining hustler-style blitz chess by Carlsen in any case.
For the benefit of those who want to see how quickly White can win, after Re1, if Black insists on trying to check White’s King to oblivion (which Carlsen would not have done), I have provided a sample forcing continuation by White.
Conclusion
That was an entertaining game.
But I felt I needed to point out to the wider public that in fact this was the diametric opposite of the brutally logical play that won him the World Champion title just months ago! He won here in nine moves not because he played the logical, correct moves, but because he resorted to every element of hustler psychology to try to create a quick decisive outcome. I hope that this article helps explain what happened.
Franklin Chen |
warc | 201704 | This article is part of a series hosted by The Strategy Bridge and CIMSEC, entitled #Shakespeare and Strategy. See all of the entries at the Asides blog of the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Thanks to the Young Professionals Consortium for setting up the series.
David Greig’s
Dunsinane, while set in the centuries-ago land of Scotland, offers a modern perspective on the nature of war, peace, language, and politics. The events of the production explore the interplay between Siward, commander of English forces in Scotland, Malcolm, the English-installed King of Scotland, and Gruach, formerly both Lady Macbeth and queen of Scotland. Through several rounds and layers of intrigue, Gruach sows enough discord and mayhem to keep English forces at bay. Malcolm, for his part, does his best to engage with Siward in an attempt to illustrate that the use of overwhelming force is not always tenable. After a betrayal late in the first act, the second act functions as an extended denouement, with less action and less emotion. Indeed, the conclusion of the play, with a wandering Siward numbly stumbling out of the scene, parallels the endings to French and U.S. operations in Vietnam, Russian and ISAF campaigns in Afghanistan, UN experiences in Somalia, and the US adventure in Iraq. 1
Nuanced allegiances come to the fore in the first act when Siward and Malcolm discuss their own perceived strengths. Siward wishes for Malcolm to act forcefully and seriously, rather than be thought of as a drunken playboy. Malcolm’s subsequent lecture on the desirability of being perceived as weak while operating from a position of strength mirrors current discussions on the rise of Chinese power in the Pacific, echoing Sun Tzu’s exhortation to “appear weak when you are strong.”
The arbiter of the legitimate exercise of violence in Scotland owes more effort than simply appreciating Gaelic songs and lilts.
That Malcolm channels Sun Tzu is not an accident — throughout the play, Malcolm uses a longer, strategic vision of conflict, whereas Siward focuses on the operational level. Siward initially senses that, having “ended” the fighting through the regime change at the end of Shakespeare’s
Macbeth, peace is nigh for Scotland and its clans. Throughout the play, Siward’s lack of vision and misunderstanding of the country that he now occupies enables Gruach and the Scottish clan leaders to undermine the English vision for peace. Gruach’s admonition at the end of the play — “you’ve been in Scotland a year, and you still don’t know the language!” — drives home the point that Siward, as the arbiter of the legitimate exercise of violence in Scotland, owes more effort than simply appreciating Gaelic songs and lilts.
Siward’s lieutenant, the tactical supervisor, has no appreciation for Scotland beyond its resources and his survival. He realizes through collaboration with his ostensible foes along with exploitation of war trophies that he has no investment in Scotland, and indeed survives through tactical fits of inaction. His inaction comes back to haunt him at the end of the first act, when, after witnessing a brutally treacherous and suicidal act, he helplessly cries out “we have
got to get the fuck out of here,” an exclamation that could be heard on any of a dozen fields of quagmire. 2
The slower, more deliberate second act has a scene with the line
“We win because if we don’t win – we lose – and if we lose – then what?”
Here again the play foreshadows discourse about assumptions of a zero-sum world of power. In instances such as China’s increasing influence in the Pacific and the adventures of Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, there exists a tendency to leave alternatives to military-centric actions on the table. This unexamined default course of action leads to a path dependency wherein strategic leaders are stuck; they cannot simply withdraw, nor can they simply win. Strategic leaders in those situations, as Malcolm remarks about the English in Scotland, are committed to an extended dance of saving face. In this case — as well with Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan,
et al — peace operations entail vastly increased losses of materiel, personnel, and treasure.
Greig acknowledges the creeping existential dread that has accompanied interventions since Korea.
Put another way, assumptions of power as a zero-sum game are increasingly outmoded.
3 Dunsinane anticipates requirements for transitioning towards alternative concepts of power and peace. Interestingly, through Siward’s downward spiral, Greig acknowledges the creeping existential dread that has accompanied interventions since Korea. In doing so, he makes the case that hard, coercive methods may only have existed as an effective means of exerting power and making peace for a narrow slice of the early 20th century. Dunsinane’s last and most vivid impression — that of the formerly upright and powerful Siward stumbling around a frozen loch, trying to “find a new country” — conjures images of Africa, Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent in the mid 20th century, with former powers retreating from far-flung lands and their subsequent search for a new identity. At the same time, Siward’s search for “a new country” calls to mind Hamlet’s “undiscovered country” of a life after death. Judging from Grieg’s narrative, newly post-colonial countries may indeed have to undergo a rebirth if their Siwards are to find peace. LT Vic Allen serves at the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command and serves as CIMSEC’s Director of Social Media. He can be followed at Medium here. All posts contain the authors’ opinions alone and do not represent any of the military services or the Department of Defense.
1. Ramberg, B. (2009). The Precedents for Withdrawal: From Vietnam to Iraq.
Foreign Affairs, 88, 2.
2. The mostly civilian audience laughed at this line, which struck me as oddly incongruent with the sad and violent end of the first act.
3. Read, J. H. (2012). Is Power Zero-sum or Variable-sum? Old Arguments and New Beginnings.
Journal of Political Power, 5(1), 5-31. Retrieved from http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1900717 |
warc | 201704 | Many people have given up on God. They feel that because things have not worked out the way they planned, serving God is not worth the time or the effort.
This feeling and attitude comes from not understanding God. There are some things that man must understand in order to grasp God’s love and greatness of God. It must be understood that God is not man. God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. Man makes a mistake when he tries to bring God down to his level. That cannot be done. Man’s ways and God’s ways are not the same. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the Earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). Down through the ages, men have tried to help God when they thought things should happen a certain way, the way they wanted things to go. Our world would be a different place today if Abraham and Sarah had realized that God did not need their help. When Sarah could not bear children, she gave her handmaiden, Hagar, to Abraham to have his child. From this relationship, Ishmael was born. Later, after Sarah had the promised child Isaac, the Bible states she dealt harshly with Hagar and Ishmael so that they fled from her. The descendants of the two boys have been fighting ever since. Men need to learn to study and apply God’s word to their lives. It needs to be understood that while God is not man, God is for man. When we look at the Biblical account of creation, we see that God prepared the Earth for man to inhabit before he created man. God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle and over all the Earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the Earth” (Genesis 1:26). Man had air to breath, land to stand on, water to drink, plants for food and work to do (Genesis 1:29, 2:15). When God saw man was alone, God made help for man. (Genesis 2:20-25). The family was formed, with Adam and Eve living in the garden God prepared for them. God provided all the things man needed. Then when Satan tempted mankind, man gave in and failed to obey God’s commands. Yet even when man rebelled against God, God still cared about them. The great love God has for man was seen in his willingness to send Christ to die for all men. This is the greatest love story ever known to man; God is for man. Finally, it must be understood that God waits for man. God gave man the ability to choose whether or not to follow God. God has given man all that is needed to make the right choice. He gave the only sacrifice that could be given for man (Christ); he has given his word to be written down so that everyone can know what is expected of them. God wants all men to be saved, but he will not make man follow him. Peter wrote, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God’s word teaches the necessity of faith, but not faith alone (James 2:17-19). Man must be willing to change his life or to repent, to confess that Jesus is the son of God, and then to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. |
warc | 201704 | Career Opportunities
Sections:
The Electro-Mechanical Technology program at College of DuPage prepares students to enter the industrial and manufacturing workplace with knowledge and skill levels in these areas:
Advanced multiskilled technician Programmable controllers (PLCs) Process control instrumentation Mechanical Maintenance Electrician's Preparation
Students who earn a Programmable Controllers certificate are prepared to do programming and maintenance of various programmable controllers.
The Process Control Instrumentation certificate program trains the student to inspect, calibrate, troubleshoot and repair various temperature, pressure, flow and level measurement instruments.
Students who earn the Mechanical Maintenance certificate learn skills in power trains, drive components, mechanical alignment of couplings, pumps and motors, and troubleshooting and repair of industrial components.
The Associate in Applied Science degree program consists of skills training in all three areas. This provides meaningful learning experiences that prepare students to enter the workplace as a viable part of a plant engineering group and/or a maintenance or repair technician team. This program stresses the electrical/electronic aspect, the mechanical aspect and the robotic/automation aspect of industrial and manufacturing processes. The program also is designed for individuals presently employed in industrial maintenance or plant engineering who want to upgrade their skills and/or cross train.
Program coursework includes theoretical background in fiber optics, industrial electricity, national electrical code, schematic interpretation, robotics and artificial intelligence, critical thinking for technology applications, and maintenance and repair coupled with extensive lab time spent in a "hands-on" learning environment.
Major Employment Areas in Electro-Mechanical Technology Plant engineering technician Industrial maintenance technician Maintenance mechanic Industrial electrician Industrial service engineer PLC technician/programmer Field service repair Controls technician
Gainful Employment Information
View information about this program, including estimated cost and employment opportunities.
Automated Manufacturing Systems Computer Aided Design Electronics Technology Manufacturing Drafting and Design Manufacturing Technology Mechanical Maintenance Mold Making Process Control Instrumentation Programmable Controllers Tool and Die Making
Andreas Vrettos, Coordinator
Technical Education Center (TEC), Room 1052, (630) 942-3390
Peter Deeman, Program Advisor;
Technical Education Center (TEC), Room 1047, (630) 942-2548
Monica Miller, Program Support Specialist
Technical Education Center (TEC), (630) 942-3074
Business and Technology Division
Berg Instructional Center (BIC), Room 2616, (630) 942-2592 College of DuPage
425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn IL, 60137
(630) 942-2800 (Main)
(630) 942-3000 (Student Services)
2017 College of DuPage |
warc | 201704 | Update 2010-01-20: This morning (lunch time GMT) the Twitter whale is showing again. How reliable a technology is and how this affects our business is another issue we could have addressed here. But we did not.
In the meantime, anyone curious about why their CEO fails with Twitter, or whether better (Twitter) micro-blogging might give your company a more personal voice and better client-engagement, this post is for you. This article will clarify where Twitter could fail you miserably and why social media experts may try to sell you snake-oil.
Context!? Smaller companies like ours simply do not have the resources to be active everywhere. Nevertheless, so-called social media experts tell you that being active in at least 10 channels is a must. Get real!
The opportunity costs could simply be too high for you. For instance, instead of spending another two hours on Facebook, why not talk to one or two clients?
Lesson 1: Regardless of what ‘experts’ tell you, focus on a maximum of two channels (e.g., Naijapulse, Identi.ca, Twitter), drop the time-wasters and focus on doing a good job wherever your customers participate. Doing a good job speaks louder than tweets These days, an increasing number of self-styled experts want to teach you the indispensable tricks to Twitter success: “In my opinion, Twitter is an indispensable tool, no matter what size of company you run (or work in).” – Susan Rice Lincoln – Find daily interesting information about what you do.
– Develop a list of jokes and tips to share on a daily basis.
So why doesn’t she take her own advice? It’s been 61 days since her last tweet on November 20 and dry spells of 30 days or more seemed to be a common occurrence in 2009. Usually, there is a spurt of tweets just before she holds a webinar or a workshop and not much after.
Lesson 2: Don’t just believe what others says will succeed, find out for yourself. One tweet each workday about something and at a time that your clients find valuable is a smart way to build a network of weak ties on Twitter. Relationships are reserved for family and friends – others need not apply Everybody insists that Twitter is great for relationships, but not really for most people in Europe. “The only way for a company to earn attention and loyalty is to develop an authentic and relevant relationship.”
“Trust is the life-force of successful relationship marketing, and trust is developed and strengthened through relevant communications through relevant channels at relevant times.” ((White Paper: Relationship marketing 3.0, p. 2))
As @richmeyer points out in one of his tweets (see right) – most of us don’t want a relationship with Nespresso, except maybe
George Clooney. We are satisfied with good value, and fast and courteous service.
Most important, I need to be able to trust the claims made by a brand in its advertising, product catalog or on its webpage (e.g., money back guarantee).
Lesson 3: Answer this key question – why be on Twitter? To find information that helps your clients solve their problems quicker or helps you work smarter. The follow/unfollow syndrome I recently came across the Sergio Rossi shoe brand and got curious and was amused by the tweet that my monitoring tool picked up, stating that the brand was enjoying positive feedback (see image at right).
So, I visited the site that gave Sergio Rossi a positive review and left a comment:
Dear Administrator,
I am wondering how you addressed the disclosure issue when doing this product review as required by the FTC? See here: http://commetrics.com/articles/sheer-transparency/
Did you get samples from Rossi? Did you take these pictures or images yourself or receive them from Rossi to be used?
Can you clarify this please?
Thank you.
Cordially
Urs @ComMetrics
Here is what happened:
a) The comment never make it onto the website – not good, and b) Rossi followed our Twitter account @ComMetrics for two days and then dropped us again, because we did not follow back. Trash the idea that because you follow me, I need to follow back. Following back is earned. As customers we want to follow suppliers’ or brands’ tweets only if we find they add value. More resources about Twitter, metrics and benchmarking – what is it worth to you? ComMetrics – Social media: Metrics to know and metrics to skipFAQ #1
ComMetrics – Social media: Metrics to know and metrics to skip FAQ #2
ComMetrics –
Three metrics: Influence, impact and outcome
ComMetrics – 6 steps to get started in measurement of social media activities
Daily Telegraph – Man arrested under Terrorism Act for Doncaster airport Twitter joke
ComMetrics –
Best 100 Twitter tools. Bottom line You can say one thing and do the other when you use Twitter, but in the digital world, nothing is forgotten. As a business person, you need to figure out your company or product’s best social media channel for yourself. Before you start micro-blogging or a Facebook fan page, you seriously need to examine the purpose of the exercise before you adopt a new technology as part of your goal-driven business. Take-aways I have been micro-blogging since late 2007 – a bit earlier than some people, definitely later than the geeks. As CEO of a small company, I have developed the following four insights:
1.
Twitter is not scalable, so following 150 people is my limit: If a person averages three tweets a day, I need to scan 450 tweets or ignore most of them. But if I do that, am I not misleading those I claim to follow?
You might say, “I use
TweetDeck and I screen and search for the best tweets using hashtags.” Good for you, but can you afford the time it takes to search through 8,000 tweets each day? “Yes,” you say. “When I ride an hour into the City every morning and back every evening… plenty of time to check and tweet.”
Is
spending two hours on Twitter everyday the best use of your time? (See also saving time on Twitter.) Maybe it would be smarter to talk to a fellow commuter, nap, read important papers or a great novel…
2.
Serious conversations happen elsewhere: If somebody wants to chat with me they may send me a direct message, but experience has taught me to move it to email, the phone or a face-to-face meeting to get to the heart of the matter faster.
Our clients are mostly businesses, industrial buyers and professional bloggers. Our best-case scenario is what happened one afternoon last week, when a Twitter follower called me from another country. The conversation went something like this:
“ Urs, I follow you on Twitter.” …3 minutes later… “ I have a client… and I thought about you.“
The rest is history and yes, my bottom line is making me smile. Twitter has gotten us business directly twice so far and people talk to me at conferences about my tweets, resulting in business relationships.
Stop worrying about the number of followers versus RTs and such. Instead,
find one customer who finds your tweets valuable and build your list of followers from there… Kimberly Castleberry suggests you use vanity metrics for your Twitter account – please don’t!
4.
Twitter can be useful if you have a purpose and stick to it: Having said all the above, I would not want to miss Twitter. The 75 smart people I follow provide me with know-how that I might otherwise not come across. Most follow back. In turn, they benefit from my quality tweets that help them benchmark smarter to perform better.
As my esteemed colleague Paul W. Reidl put it:
“For those of us who are old enough to remember client development before Al Gore invented the internet, I think that potential clients today have much, much more information available to them about potential counsel. That’s why having a positive social media presence is so important.” – @TMguy
For me, that means Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Xing – for you it may be different. Just remember,
unless your client or business partner believes you provide value and follows or connects, why bother? Please, leave a comment! We love to hear your thoughts: how do you feel about Twitter and your business? What is your experience with this subject? Have any tips to make sure we use Twitter more effectively? Please share your insights.
P.S. – Visit My.ComMetrics (register yourself – benchmark your blog(s) => improve performance). You can get updates for this blog on Twitter by following @ComMetrics or get a free subscription by RSS, or get new posts via email:
Article source: ComMetrics – 4 ways to Twitter success |
warc | 201704 | CONTENTSEssential Communication Skills
Communication is Individual
How Communication Happens
What Gets in the Way
Conflict Resolution
Improving Communication Skills
Communication Skills TrainingOne Day Open Course
Two Day Open Course
Five Day Communicate with Impact
Tailored Communication Training
One to One Coaching
Executive Communication Coaching
Also in this series Communication Skills EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Practical advice and information to help develop better business communication skills. Effective communication is within everyone's reach. We help keep the process of improvement easy and doable.
Good Communication Skills are essential
All effective communication takes real skill. However Communication skills can be worked on and developed, honed and added to on a daily basis.
The simple, more practical skills are at the heart of your interpersonal skills and the more you become aware of how communication works, the more effective your communication will become.
To really be effective in the business world, it is vital for you to communicate well.To be even a halfway good manager, you must be able to communicate exceptionally well.
Here we are going to look at the basics of communication dynamics. Learning the skills that will improve your communication, using effective communication in a way that will improve and promote better interpersonal relationships and creating an effective personal communication strategy.
Many great books have been written about the importance of communication skills, but for now if you can content yourself with just the bare essentials for becoming a more effective communicator, you will make substantial progress.
Your point of departure for any communication skills development is to look at what you start with. Anything you struggle with like working in a second language for instance, is a life long project that you must invest in little and often. Learning 3 or 4 new words a week maybe.
On the other hand things that you are more comfortable with, say chatting to people. These things are available for immediate use and improvement.
Next page communication is individual Home page good communication skills Read more about Communication Skills Training
Find Impact Factory's next available Open Communication Skills Course
For Tailored Communication Skills Training see Communication Skills Training
For One-to-One Communication Skills see Executive Coaching
If you want some in-depth thoughts about Communication, read the Communication Skills articles in our library.
For an example of a recent tailored programme see the Communication More Assertively Programme we ran for ATTA
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range of Open Courses in Communication Skills, with dates scheduled throughout the year. Click below to find a course. Communication Skills Programmes Contact Us
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warc | 201704 | President Bush says he would veto legislation that would amend federal law to give workers more time to file a complaint alleging pay discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
In May, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the deadline for workers to file a pay-bias complaint under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act is 180 days from the date the decision on their pay is made and communicated to them.
In general, an individual wishing to bring a discrimination lawsuit must first file a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission within 180 days "after the alleged unlawful employment practice occurred."
The question before the Supreme Court was whether the clock on that 180 days restarts each time an employee receives a paycheck that reflects past discrimination. The court ruled that it didn't
In response to the ruling, Democrats in Congress introduced the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2007 (H.R. 2831), which would specify that the statute of limitations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 runs from the date of each paycheck that is affected by a discriminatory decision.
The Bush administration strongly opposes the legislation.
"H.R. 2831 would allow employees to bring a claim of pay or other employment-related discrimination years or even decades after the alleged discrimination occurred," the White House said in a policy statement. "The effective elimination of any statute of limitations in this area would be contrary to the centuries-old notion of a limitations period for all lawsuits. Meaningful statutes of limitations in these sorts of fact-intensive cases are crucial to the fair administration of justice."
Link |
warc | 201704 | A MAJOR campaign has been launched to educate tens of thousands of cyclists on how to avoid being crushed to death by left-turning HGVs on the streets of London.
But what if the problem isn’t the cyclists but the lorry drivers? Most (all?) of the cyclists who have been killed by lorry drivers in London in the past year are not naïve novices but, as far as one can tell, highly experienced, cautious cyclists who are run down while cycling routes they use everyday. Where is the evidence that all those cyclists recently killed by left-turning lorry drivers wilfully undertook them? There is none, that I am aware of. So the whole thrust of this campaign is classic blaming the victim stuff. The Mayor's transport adviser, Kulveer Ranger, writes Six cyclists have died in collisions with lorries in the capital this year - five of them women. So, Kulveer Ranger, a senior figure at TfL, can’t even get the figures right. Seven cyclists have died this year, not six. Of course it’s hardly surprising that TfL can’t get the facts right when most news organisations don’t regard the regular killing of cyclists as in any way newsworthy. And the London Cycling Campaign (‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’) won’t mention them either, on the grounds that this might deter people from taking up cycling. The missing fatality is, of course, María Emma García Fernández, whose death failed to register on a single London or national news site and, bizarrely, was only recorded on this blog and two cycling discussion threads. A TfL study two years ago found that women are far more likely to be killed by a lorry because, unlike men, they tend to obey red lights and wait at junctions in the driver’s blind spot. Among those killed this year are Eilidh Cairns, 30, who died in a collision with a lorry at Notting Hill Gate in February. Now in the first place that’s the report which, as The Times revealed in 2007 was completed last July (2006) but has been kept secret. Which makes it three years ago, not two. Kulveer’s not very good with figures, is he? Secondly, juxtaposing those last two sentences is very misleading, because Eilidh Cairns was not killed by a left-turning lorry. Eilidh was on the right hand side of the lorry that killed her. No witnesses have come forward so we don’t know what happened; it’s possible that the lorry moved out from the left and ran her over from behind. The TfL campaign blathers about improving the relationship between cyclists and lorries. I never have a problem with inanimate objects. It’s lorry drivers who bother me. And there is a mountain of evidence to show that the road haulage industry is founded on widespread driver criminality, which both the government and the police turn a blind eye to. I am not interested in ‘improving my relationship’ with lorry drivers like this one or this one or this one or this one or this one or this one or this one or this one or this one or this one or this one. I would much rather see them prosecuted for breaking the law. We will do much more because changing London into a cycling city is about changing the way we feel about cycling. The Mayor’s cycle revolution will make taking to two wheels easier, more accessible and enjoyable. But most importantly it must make it even safer. Which is where road traffic law enforcement comes in. A subject which remains out of the frame for TfL but which has been authoritatively addressed here. 'Velorution' is also unhappy with TfL's campaign |
warc | 201704 | Wind Energy: A Technology & Industry Primer
Since the first wind plants over thirty years ago, there have been scarce educational and training opportunities for those considering work in the wind industry. The California Wind Energy Collaborative hopes to support the industry by meeting the classroom needs of the technicians, operators, engineers, and administrators of tomorrow’s wind plants and business offices. The course detailed here is nominally for technicians but is appropriate for business office personnel, decision makers, or anyone seeking a better understanding of the technology and science driving the wind industry.
Overview
Given over two full days, Wind Energy: A Technology & Industry Primer provides a comprehensive, technical foundation for those currently working or considering future work in the wind industry. Instead of replacing or duplicating on-the-job training, this course augments it by focusing on core fundamentals that traditionally aren’t covered, including aerodynamics, structural loads, and the engineering of power electronics and control systems. Topics such as grid integration of wind energy, environmental issues, and design of modern wind turbines will also be discussed. We believe that understanding these fundamental topics makes better technicians who are more aware in their working environment and more invested in their industry.
Basic prior knowledge of the wind industry or with wind turbines and electrical systems is assumed. However, this course is also appropriate for anyone seeking a better understanding of wind energy.
Date and Location
No classes are currently scheduled.
Curriculum
The course is structured into the fourteen sessions outlined below. The sessions are taught by experts from industry and academia. Instructors include Mike Behnke (BEW Engineering, a DNV Company), Kevin Jackson (Dynamic Design Engineering), Eric Jacobson (Pacificos Energy), C.P. van Dam (UC Davis), and Rob Kamisky (UC Davis). Fifteen minute breaks are scheduled between each session, with a one hour break at midday for lunch. Lunch will be provided. Each student will receive a reader that includes the material presented in the course.
The completion of this course does not make you a certified technician. You must be present to receive the reader material. Agenda
Talks will begin at 8:00am. The order of the presentations is subject to change. Please check back periodically for updates. You can view the sample agenda here.
Curriculum Details
Each topic will be addressed in a straightforward manner, with an emphasis on practical information, examples, and illustrations. A brief summary of each topic is given below.
Introduction and History The history of wind utilization is reviewed to develop an understanding of the different types of machines that have been developed to harness the wind, and how wind technology evolved from early medieval windmills and water pumps to modern utility scale turbines. Wind Characteristics and Resource Assessment An introduction to meteorology as it pertains to wind turbines will be presented. This includes topics such average wind speed versus gusts, turbulence and how the wind behaves in mountainous terrain. How anemometers measure wind and maintenance of common meteorological equipment will be discussed. Aerodynamics This topic explores how the wind interacts with a turbine rotor to turn a generator. Basic concepts such as lift and drag of an airfoil, and the amount of energy available in the wind will be considered. Pitch versus stall regulation of rotor speed will be discussed, as well as items such as the effect of blade contamination on rotor performance. Structures and Loads The source and magnitude of the structural loads on the different components of a wind turbine will be explored, from the rotor to the foundation. Both steady and cyclical forces will be considered, as well as concepts such as resonance, gyroscopic forces, and the sizing of wind turbine system components. Operation and Maintenance This hour will explore the engineering rationale behind maintenance procedures and will include a look at the tools used for plant and wind turbine operation and performance analysis. Safety and Training This hour will introduce site safety topics and also give an overview of other wind energy training options. Electrical Systems The electrical path from the generator to the power grid will be explained, including generation of electricity, power conditioning and conversion, SCADA, transformers, and high voltage connections. The interaction between the power grid and a turbine’s generator, and phenomenon such as turbine overspeed when disconnected from the grid will be discussed. Grid Integration With the cost of wind energy going down, more and larger wind plants are going up. This hour looks at the most contentious issues confronting the growth of the wind industry today: how wind generated electricity fits in with the rest of the electrical grid and the issues that keep grid operators up at night as they try to keep our lights on. Environmental and Site Issues Protecting equipment from wildlife, and wildlife from equipment, will be discussed including birds. The permitting process for a California wind farm will be explored, as well as issues such as noise and visual impacts of turbines. Issues such as exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR), aviation lighting requirements and lightning protection will be included. Questions
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to e-mail [email protected].
Acknowledgements
The California Wind Energy Collaborative is a partnership of the University of California and the California Energy Commission. This course is supported by the Energy Commission’s PIER program. |
warc | 201704 | I got stood up this week. Again. I showed up for a press conference with the rest of the press corps, only to watch a group of Australian dignitaries blow right past us.
Local officials apologised sincerely and suggested an alternate time and location. We re-arranged our schedule and locked the time in, only to get a text hours later saying that it was taking place imminently, on the other end of town.
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t take this personally. And I don’t intend to use column inches to settle petty grievances. The issue is that, in large things as well as small, when Australia’s priorities shift, the Pacific is expected to come along.
Or not. We can pretty much take it or leave it.
These days, officials don’t like to talk about donors and beneficiaries. They prefer to speak of development partners. Indeed, the Sustainable Development Goals create a different landscape to the one envisioned by the Millennium Development Goals that preceded them. The SDGs frame development in global terms; they don’t look at it as a bunch of rich countries helping their poorer cousins so much as everybody doing their part to improve the planet we all share.
At least, that’s how it’s supposed to work. But it’s a sad fact that, at a banquet, the person picking up the cheque is going to decide what’s on—or more importantly, what’s off—the menu.
Throughout its history, Australia has always struggled to situate itself, philosophically, culturally and politically. Until recent generations, England was still ‘home’. Arguably, it wasn’t until Kevin Rudd acceded to the PM’s chair that Australia began to think of Asia as its neighbourhood.
And just as arguably, it has yet to think of itself as a Pacific country.
That hasn’t stopped it from playing an integral—and mostly positive—role in the development of its neighbouring countries. Its influence is as undeniable as it is essential. Australia gives more than most countries, and most of what it gives, it gives to its nearest neighbours.
We’re grateful, make no mistake. The $35 million they dropped on Vanuatu in the wake of cyclone Pam is about 80% disbursed now. It made a lot of things possible that couldn’t even be contemplated before.
Shortly after the cyclone, ANU researcher Matt Dornan explained the significance of the number.
“Economic growth in 2015 is now forecast by the ADB to measure negative 0.5 percent of GDP, compared to the 4 percent growth forecast before the disaster.
“This would mean that the economy’s output in 2015 is $4 million USD lower than in the previous year, when it had been forecast to be $33 million USD higher.
“In other words, Vanuatu’s output in 2015 will be $37 million USD lower as a result of Pam than would otherwise have been the case.”
Australia, in other words, pretty much filled our financial gap single-handedly.
But that’s only if you measure the impact a certain way. Mr Dornan went on to argue that the cost was almost certain to be higher.
“If we assume for a moment that damage in Vanuatu does equate to approximately 30 percent of GDP (I believe it will be higher), this is equivalent to $248 million USD. Add to this lower economic growth in 2015 to the tune of $37 million USD, and we have a total economic cost associated with Cyclone Pam of $285 million USD. This figure dwarfs the response from development partners.”
He concludes with an important footnote: “these studies… are not concerned with economic welfare. Despite the frequent conflation of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with well-being, they are not the same….”
A smattering of work has been done to measure well-being, as Mr Dornan calls it, but until VANUATU 2030, our national sustainable development plan, was authored, we didn’t really have a development framework capable of conceiving of our national improvement in any terms except economic ones.
And it’s that bottom-line approach that is the cause of much of Australia’s reputation for vagary and wilfulness. Small but strategically important programmes are regularly under- or even de-funded because of a failure to understand—or perhaps an inability to measure—their disproportionate impacts.
It’s far easier for a minister to blow right by a Pacific islands journalist than, for example, an ABC or Fairfax reporter. Likewise, it’s far easier for Australia to reduce funding for PacLII than it is to drop support for its own legal-justice system.
And it’s easier for ABC to make cuts to shortwave broadcasting than to its mainstream domestic broadcasting services.
These cuts have a disproportionately large impact on the most vulnerable populations. But they’re small dollar items, and often are impossible to justify even on a cost-recovery basis. They seem to be inefficient and they serve only marginal communities.
But something that seems to have escaped Australia throughout its post-colonisation history is it quite literally lives on the margin. It is a continental land mass surrounded by the geographical equivalent of cake sprinkles on a vast ocean.
Australia outweighs its Pacific island neighbours in every quantum: Population, landmass, economic activity, resource base. So it’s natural, I suppose, that its own concerns should weigh more heavily. They always have. It’s not really a partisan issue, or even a policy issue. It’s just the way they see their world.
But that doesn’t make it right, and it certainly doesn’t make it good. Australia invests tens of millions in law and justice programmes throughout the Pacific, yet it seems perfectly at home with underfunding a programme that is integral to access to the law. The ABC holds itself up—rightly—as a paragon in public broadcasting, but doesn’t think about its constituency beyond suburbia.
Even before axing its shortwave transmissions, the ABC has consistently and methodically reduced its coverage of Pacific island issues, and the negative effects of this are far-reaching. Not only is Australia’s democratising influence reduced, but its national sense of neighbourhood is becoming increasing ill-defined. As the ABC portrays it, Australia is an island in a vast, empty ocean.
And it’s that day-to-day obliviousness that allows decision-makers in Canberra to make policy decisions whose impact never registers with them. They act with impunity, because they never see the results. And those results are sometimes dire.
As I write this, a Honiara resident is writing that large aftershocks from yesterday’s earthquake are causing the staircase in their building to crumble. Happily, ABC’s shortwave service is still operating. Until the end of January at least.
The income tax deployment, whose timing was largely dictated abroad, was nearly disastrous for us. Ultimately, it only served to open the door for more political turmoil at a time when Vanuatu is still reeling from successive shocks.
I could find a dozen more examples, but the point is made.
In fairness to the current government, foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop has demonstrated more nuance and engagement with the Pacific than virtually any other. She is proof that women have a place in politics and leadership—an invaluable lesson in most Pacific countries.
But leaders should know they have to listen to the least of the led. It’s not just the right thing to do; it’s their duty. |
warc | 201704 | No one can deny that the economy right now is awful and looking like it won’t be getting better any time soon. Millions of people go to work daily knowing that it is possible that they could get laid off at any time. For many young workers, this is their first exposure to such uncertainty and the tough times look like they are here to stay. Even though our President has said he is going to concentrate on jobs, you get the feeling it won’t make much difference and Obama jobs are just not going to materialize.
If you are one of the unlucky ones that is without a job, you need to do as many things as you can to give yourself the best chance of getting hired again. Sitting around all day complaining and feeling sorry for yourself isn’t one of those productive things. You can try to
make money from home online but for most people, getting a real job is the best option. Use The Online Job Sites
Nowdays, you must have your resume posted at the online job search sites if you want to give yourself the best opportunity to have an employer find and hire you. Many companies now do some or even all their recruiting online. If you don’t have your resume online where employers can find it, you are at a big disadvantage to everyone else who does. If you are one of those people who still resists technology and computers, now is the time to start learning.
The top free job search websites are:
1)
Job.com is free and is one of the biggest websites where you can search for jobs in your area and post your resume online so employers can find and view it.
2)
Monster.com is free and is the biggest of all the job web sites. You can both pst a resume and search for jobs.
3)
Snagajob is also free and if you are looking for part time or hourly work, this site is the first place you should go. Go To Job Fairs
If you are one of the ones looking for a job, you should seek out all the job fairs in you city. Even if they are not for the exact field you are in, it might be beneficial to go to all the ones that are related in any way to what you do. You never know what ideas you might get and what connections you might make by just getting yourself out there and mingling with both job searchers and employers.
Job fairs are great because they are a collection of companies that are all hiring or foresee hiring in the near future. Jobs are not going to come to you if you just sit home all day and getting out and making contacts is the smart thing to do.
Tell Your Friends and Neighbors
Along the same line is to tell everyone you know that you are looking for a job. This includes friends, relatives, past co-workers, neighbors and anyone else that you are friendly with. This does not mean to go out and beg your friends to help you get a job: it just means to let people know that you are looking and if you are lucky one of them might be able to give you a lead or two. In this economy, your pride is not something that you should be worried about as everyone from janitors to company presidents are finding themselves out of work these days.
Use Employment Agencies and Recruiters
Many middle salary jobs are found through employment agencies and recruiters. You will find that many times, if you post your resume online at one of the job web sites, your resume will be seen by recruiters. The call or email you get will not be from the company itself but from a recruiter they have hired to help find potential candidates.
Not only are you looking for a job but companies are always on the lookout for good talent that might fit in with their corporate culture. Job finding and has evolved and become a big business where there are lots of middlemen (recruiters) who’s only job it is to find people that might might qualify for jobs and to send them on to the various companies they work for.
Companies of all sizes use recruiters to sift through all the job candidates and find the ones that have the most attributes they are looking for. You too can use an employment agency or recruiter to help you with your job search but you will have to be prepared to pay for it. |
warc | 201704 | By JEFF KAROUB, Associated Press LANSING (AP) – A Republican-led state House panel approved a proposed replacement Thursday for an emergency manager law rejected by Michigan voters, despite concerns of critics who argued the process was rushed and the legislation subverts the will of the electorate.
The House Local, Intergovernmental and Regional Affairs Committee voted 9-5 along party lines, with one abstention, on what’s known as The Local Financial Stability and Choice Act. The legislation now goes to the full House for consideration.
Republican Gov. Rick Snyder and legislative leaders unveiled the plan late Wednesday. The plan gives four choices to communities and school districts found to be in a financial emergency: accept an emergency manager, Chapter 9 bankruptcy, a mediation plan the state describes as a “neutral evaluation process” or a consent agreement with the state similar to the one in Detroit.
As with the rejected law, the manager would have the power to change or cancel contracts, but local officials also could develop an alternative plan provided it generates equal financial savings. Should a local government choose an emergency manager, the state would pay for the manager, and local officials would have the option of removing the manager after one year and with a two-thirds vote of its governing body.
The governor and leaders of the GOP-controlled Legislature sought a quick replacement to the law voters decisively rejected in November. The state has been operating since under a previous law that gives managers fewer powers, but leaders argue it’s inadequate to deal with failing cities or schools.
State Treasury officials argued Thursday that the law now being used doesn’t allow the state-appointed manager to make any changes to the cost structure of a struggling local government. The proposed replacement retains many elements of the rejected law but “injects a great deal of choice to local units of government,” Howard Ryan, the department’s director of legislative affairs, said Thursday.
“This is a much more sophisticated process than we had before,” Ryan said.
Detroit Democratic Rep. Maureen Stapleton said she doesn’t deny the financial crisis facing many cities, including hers, but she said such legislation punishes those communities because of factors outside their control, including the recent economic downturn and disappearing state funds.
“We’re using sticks instead of carrots to fix it,” she said.
The leader for Stand Up for Democracy, the coalition that turned in more than 200,000 signatures to get the referendum on the ballot, said he was shocked to hear about the proposed alternative. Brandon Jessup said his group met recently with a Snyder administration official and offered several recommendations, including mediation as a first option, but nothing came of it. He first saw the proposal late last night.
“(The legislation) does not represent the will … of voters,” he said.
The proposal was announced the same day that Michigan Treasurer Andy Dillon said he’ll likely order a review of Detroit’s municipal finances, a 30-day process that could lead to a state takeover of its largest city that’s deep in debt and has a budget deficit of more than $200 million.
Emergency managers are in place in Benton Harbor, Ecorse, Flint, Pontiac and Allen Park, as well as in the Muskegon Heights, Highland Park and Detroit school districts.
(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) |
warc | 201704 | Andrea LupoLupo Interiors
Rochester Hills, MI
(248) 930-0204
www.lupointeriors.com
Andrea Lupo is a graduate of the College for Creative Studies with a BFA in Interior Design and is the owner and principal at Lupo Interiors, an interior design company located here in metro Detroit. She has been working in the field of interiors for 13 years, with a primary focus on residential kitchen and bath design, though she works on a wide range of projects from paint selection to whole-house remodels.
De-clutter
Sift through old and unwanted items that are taking over your space. Donate extra items to a great charity that will put them to good use or sell them for cash in your pocket. Simply cleaning up and organizing an existing space can help to see it in a fresh way.
Rearrange
Use what you’ve got. Try to think of the space in a new way by checking out websites or magazines that show similar room size or shape to get inspired. For example, place your main pieces against a new wall or pull them away from the walls altogether. Reorganize your decor or minimize it if needed. Arrange like items according to color into groupings for added interest.
Paint
Changing the overall color throughout a room or in an entire home will update a space with minimal investment and maximum impact. Be sure to include the ceiling and to not leave it basic white. A slight color change on the ceiling will help control the overall feel of the space. Paint a piece of furniture to give it a fresh new look.
Go Big
Add or update artwork and decor with larger-scaled items. Many times, the artwork and accessories on walls, mantles or in arrangements are too small for the space. Consider larger pieces (and less of them) as they help anchor a space without a lot of fussy details. It’s also a great way to add personality and life to a space where it might have been lacking.
Hire A Designer
Many interior designers will work with clients on a consultation basis and give input as to specific ways to impact your space for an hour or two of their time. This is a minimal investment considering that prior to tackling a renovation, no matter the scale, they can help with organizing and planning. Once the plan is in place, a client can go at their own pace to invest in pieces as they are ready. For larger, more permanent changes to a space, the designer will help to educate the client on the products available that will be the best fit for what the client would like to invest. Designers typically partner with others in the industry and many times can extend a slight discount for products and services when purchased through them.
Michael Ferro is freelance writer and a graduate of Michigan State University where he majored in Creative Writing and received the Jim Cash Creative Writing Award. Born and bred in Detroit, he currently resides in Ypsilanti Township. Additional writing can be found at Examiner.com. |
warc | 201704 | New Physics Have Not Yet Been Found
The bottom line from the Large Hadron Collider, so far, has been that (1) a new boson that is a good fit so far for the Standard Model Higgs Boson has been discovered and (2) all of the data gathered so far, which probes up to the 1 TeV energy scale, confirms an unmodified Standard Model prediction.
In other words, up to the 1 TeV energy scale, the has been no discovery of new, beyond the Standard Model physics at the LHC.
Of course, as theorists are quick to remind us, it is always possible that beyond the Standard Model physics could appear at energy scales greater than those probed so far. Maybe there aren't any effects that can be reliably discerned until one reaches the 5 TeV energy scale, for example.
The Standard Model As A Low Energy Effective Theory
Even many strong proponents of the Standard Model who are deeply skeptical of the leading beyond the Standard Model theories circulating today will often acknowledge that they too believe that the Standard Model is more likely to be a low energy effective theory. The Standard Model may simply capture the "low energy" behavior of the true, deeper, ultimate laws of nature that applicable in all circumstances. In these context, "low energy" means the kind of situations that we can observe in our laboratories on Earth which are pretty feeble compared to the awesome scale in time, space and matter-energy involved to the universe itself.
The Particle Physics Desert
The Standard Model's resiliance at high energies owes quite a bit to the concept of "running constants." It has formulas that explain how the strength of the three forces it describes vary with the energy scale of the interaction. Those three forces are the electromagnetic force, the strong nuclear force that holds quarks together in protons and neutrons which also holds atomic nuclei together, and the weak nuclear force that brings about the decay of heavy atoms and exotic subatomic particles.
If you do the math, adjusting for special relativity, but not any general relativistic or quantum gravity effects (which is what the Standard Model does), these forces become almost identicial in strength at a point known as the Grand Unification Theory scale, which appears to be a "natural" place to look for new physics. The Grand Unification Theory (GUT) scale is at about 10^13 TeV.
A few orders of magnitude greater than that, and also a strong candidate for new physics is the Planck scale (10^16 TeV), derived from combining fundamental physical constants in a way that produces a set of man made arbitrary units (they are called "natural units" but I've overused that term in this post and want to be clear about the intended meaning). At energy scales greater than the Planck scale, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle starts to wreck havoc on the equations of quantum physics and many quantum gravity theorists have doubts about whether a description of space-time as a continuous manifold (as it is modeled in both the Standard Model and General Relativity) is an accurate description of the universe a such high Planck scale energies and at the tiny distances of the Planck legth.
A core open question in particle physics is whether there are any new physics in the "desert" between the 1 TeV scale phenomena that are experimentally bound and the GUT scale. Wikipedia explains the concept:
In particle physics, the desert refers to a theorized gap in energy scales between the TeV scale and the GUT scale in which no new physics appears. The idea of the desert was motivated by the observation of approximate, order of magnitude, gauge coupling unification at the GUT scale. Is There An Oasis In The Desert?
Most active research in theoretical physics that is open to the possibility of beyond the Standard Model physics, proposes new physics that can be observed at the low end of the desert, a threshold that continually rises in energy scale as new experiments are conducted without finding new physics. Most supersymmetry theories (and most other GUT theories and many quantum gravity theories) predict that new physics (often subtle) will be discernable in the desert. For example,"[i]f neutrino masses are due to a seesaw mechanism, the seesaw scale should lie within the desert. . . . An alternative to a desert is a series of new physical theories unfolding with every few orders of magnitude increase in energy scale." Supersymmetry proponents hope to identify new supersymmetric particles, the lightest stable one of which could also explain dark matter phenomena seen by astronomers, typically visible at interaction scales of 1 TeV to 20 TeV or so, and having masses on the order of 100 GeV or more (i.e. close in mass to the Higg boson or heavier).
The less skeptical view holds open the possibility that new physics are "just around the corner" and will be discovered, if not during our own lifetimes, during those of our children or grandchildren or great-grandchildren if only our society is committed enough to finding it.
The conservative view is that there are probably no new physics in the desert, and that energy scales we have any serious hope of probing experimentally in the next few decades, or even centuries, are too tiny relative to the GUT scale to show any experimental indication of GUT scale physics. In other words, we are unlikely to discover beyond the Standard Model physics in any experiments that we can conduct in even the dimly foreseeable future.
How Huge Are GUT Scale and Planck Scale energies?
The interactions that are being probed at the Large Hadron Collider involve energy levels that have not been important in the cosmology of the universe after the first microsecond of its existence. We are fairly comfortable that, with the exception of dark matter, pretty much everything that has happened in the universe since then can be explained with the plain vanilla Standard Model of Particle Physics and plain vanilla General Relativity.
(So called "dark energy" isn't really a mystery as adding a single constant into the equations of General Relativity, as Einstein realized might be necessary a century ago, fully explains the observed effects of this phenomena. There are some loose ends in the area of neutrino physics that we haven't yet figured out, but we have good reason to believe that we may be able to figure out those issues within a few decades by simply filling in some only vaguely known values for Standard Model constants and figuring out at what rate (if any) neutrinoless double beta decay occurs.)
Put another way, pretty much all of the expansion of the universe after the first nanosecond (i.e. 10^-9 seconds) after the Big Bang has taken place at energy levels where the Standard Model and General Relativity are valid, and has expanded in size at the speed of light in the roughly 13.7 billion years since then. But, we aren't terribly sure precisely what dimensions the universe had during the first nanosecond of the universe, except that it was 13.7 billion light years across smaller than it is now. One estimate is that the universe was about one foot (10 cm) across at the end of the inflation period that started at around 10^-32 seconds after the Big Bang and might have been as much as seven feet across at the end of the first nanosecond.
(Purists will note that I'm cheating somewhat here, as General Relativity doesn't assign absolute times and distances to universe scale phenomena since these are observe dependent quantities even though there is a consistent way to reconcile the observations of all observers.)
It may require new physics beyond the Standard Model and General Relativity to explain the cosmology of the universe in this first nanosecond of its existence and this is what physicists are looking for now.
Reproducing the energies last routinely found in the universe in its first nanosecond, even if only fleetingly and in tiny volumes of space, is a challenge even for high eergy physicists that is to some extent a fundamental one, since the Big Bang cannot presumably, be reproduced (and we probably wouldn't want to do that even if we could). Squishing the universe (or even a tiny part of it with equivalent matter-energy density) into a package smaller than a compact car is unthinkable as an engineering proposition even with innovations over the entire lifetime of our species.
It isn't at all clear that physics involving interactions at scales where the Standard Model ceases to be an accurate effective low energy approximation of the true laws of the universe (or quantum gravity theories) would have any engineering applications, and even their cosmology implications would apply only to the first nanosecond of the universe's existence. The higher the energy scale beyond 1 TeV at which we fail to find new physics, the more true this conclusion becomes. |
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