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After Fort Lauderdale Shooting, Examining Airport Safety There have been a number of attacks in recent years in the more vulnerable parts of airports, including the 2013 shooting at LAX in Los Angeles - to last year's bombing in Istanbul's airport. For more on securing airports, we're joined now by Jeffrey Price. He's an aviation security expert and professor at Metropolitan State University. Professor, thanks so much for being with us. JEFFREY PRICE: Thank you. SIMON: After several incidents, should airports be secured at the perimeter? Do we need to rethink how transportation - how security is laid out? PRICE: I definitely think it's time for the airport side of the house to have really sort of the renovation that the airline side of the house had post-9/11. Post-9/11 we really focused more on protecting the aircraft, which has been the traditional target with the stand-up of the TSA, screening checkpoints being taken over by the TSA, personnel upgrading of all of that equipment. We did a tremendous amount to try and protect the aircraft even more. What was sort of left behind with all of that was protecting the airport. With the exception of increasing some credentialing requirements for airport ID badges, there wasn't much that spoke to the security of the rest of the facility. I'm not advocating screening everybody as they come in the building. I don't think that would be effective. And that has its own challenges. But there are other things that the industry can and should be doing to protect the public areas of the airport. SIMON: But let me ask. In an instance like this, I mean, this is a man who passed through airport security - isn't it? - you know, with a gun that he - apparently had all the documentation he needed to have. PRICE: Exactly? It was basically, for everything we know right now, a lawful process that he followed to get the gun onboard the aircraft and fly to the destination and retrieve the firearm. The challenge that's going to be brought up now is, well, should airlines even be allowed to carry that? Well, they have for about four or five decades. We haven't had too many problems as a result of that. Some people say, well, you should just ship your gun there. Well, he could have done that, too, and then driven over to where he shipped it to - and come right back to the airport. So I don't know that that process itself really needs to be looked at. The challenge we're really looking at is protection of a public area. And that's one of the most challenging things a security official will ever do - is protect a public area. SIMON: Well - and how do you do that in baggage claim realistically? PRICE: Realistically, first, there's an understanding that sometimes you can't prevent every single thing. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is respond to it. But by increasing law-enforcement patrols in the airport public areas, which I think is more important than any other area - not that any other life is less - worth anything or more. But when there's a shooting at a mall, the mall shuts down for a few days. When there's a shooting at an airport, the entire airport transportation system can be affected by that. So there's simple things you can do. Increasing law-enforcement patrols in those areas so you provide more immediate response. Then there's more complex things that you can do from technology using gunshot locators and other kind of mass-screening-type technologies that have been tested and used in the U.S. military to try and protect checkpoints. SIMON: Yeah. It's - is it - let me put it this way, Mr. Price. At some point, do security officials need to tell the American people, look. We can tighten up here - but something that's just an invitation for people to figure out another way around it. PRICE: Unfortunately that's the way security works - is that as soon as we plug one gap, people are looking for the next gap. And, sometimes, plugging one gap opens up another one. So you unfortunately end up in sort of an endless game of whack-a-mole, where you're rushing to whatever the latest security gap that's been identified or has already been identified - but just find the exploited. And there is a level of personal responsibility, as well - just personal awareness and doing what you can do to be aware of your surroundings to the best of your ability. SIMON: Jeffrey Price at Metropolitan State University, thanks so much. PRICE: Absolutely, Scott.

While digital assets are set to transform the financial world by delivering improvements in speed, privacy, cost and ease of use, crypto debit cards represent the bridge between the old and the new world of finance. Digital assets are increasingly gaining ground in most industries and have grown exponentially in recent years. It’s no secret that crypto currencies and other digital assets such as precious metals have grown tremendously, and it can only accelerate. The general public has already realized the many advantages offered by cryptocurrencies in terms of investment. Nevertheless, for a massive adoption in everyday life remains the question of the means of use. Can cryptocurrencies and precious metals be used as fiat money or are they meant to stay in our wallets until the end of time? The answer is simple: yes! Crypto debit cards allow these digital assets to be used for everyday expenses, such as paying for coffee in a bistro. Digital assets have already changed people’s perceptions of what is valuable. Thus, it is no longer considered that only a coin or a bank account number is the basis of the value. The question that remains is that of accessibility. Via trading platforms such as Bayment, that make buying and selling easier of a new cryptocurrency digital assets are now much more accessible: transaction speed, privacy, cost and ease of use are just a few of the benefits for many users. It is no longer a simple investment tool. A new step has been taken. Buying with bitcoin in any store is possible Crypto cards allow customers to pay in crypto currency at any location that accepts debit cards. They facilitate the spending on digital assets for the needs of daily life, without wasting time carrying out transactions to sell or buy assets. If you want to use your bitcoins or even precious metals for your daily purchases, the debit card is the way to go. Any value in a portfolio of digital assets must be able to continue to rise in value, but it must also be considered an asset that can be used in the physical world at all times.

South Africa has Omicron behind them and their good news could be a ray of hope for the US Johannesburg — Just eight weeks after the world first heard about itof , as researchers in South Africa who discovered the strain notified global authorities, that country’s wave of infections has fallen as much as it has risen. Not only that, South Africa weathered its fourth wave of COVID-19 with very little disruption to people’s lives. CBS News foreign correspondent Debora Patta reports that in the Johannesburg suburbs, restaurants are once again full, traffic is slow and the city is bustling. Omicron quickly became the focus of global concern as infections spread across South Africa at a tremendous rate. Within days, the country was at the epicenter of the pandemic. And then… well, not much happened at all. “A little relaxed” Patta and her team have been monitoring a COVID ward at a hospital in Gauteng province, which includes metropolitan Johannesburg and capital Pretoria, during the pandemic. Six months ago, during the nationwide battle with the Delta variant, the hospital was overwhelmed. Beds and oxygen in the intensive care unit were running out and the death rate was rising rapidly. “You’re human before you become a nurse, so it’s very, very hard to see people dying like that,” exhausted nurse Justice Mangala told CBS News at the time. However, during the Omicron wave, it looked like a very different hospital. It’s about half empty, very few patients need oxygen — and staff are under a lot less pressure. This time, Mangala told Patta, he could count the dead on his ward with one hand. “I’m a little reassured,” he said, “now that we have this second line of defense, which is our vaccine.” “A turning point in this pandemic” The vaccines, combined with high rates of previous infection, have boosted South Africa’s collective immunity to the coronavirus, dramatically so, according to vaccinator Professor Shabir Madhiduring the fourth wave. “The Omicron wave now accounts for less than 5% of all deaths that have occurred due to COVID-19 [in South Africa] since the beginning of the pandemic,” Madhi told Patta. He believes that although many more variants will emerge, the acute phase of the pandemic, with its devastating death toll, may well be over. “I am very optimistic that we have reached a tipping point in this pandemic,” he said. “I can’t imagine looking back at what we experienced over the course of the first three waves in South Africa.” Some high-income countries have warned against over-reliance on South Africa’s data, citing disparities in population ages and high infection rates there that have boosted immunity. And that came at a cost: while Omicron may be responsible for relatively few of them, South Africa lost about 94,000 people to the virus — a significant number in a country of fewer than 60 million people. Among those urging caution in the US is President Biden’s chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci, who said Monday it remained “an open question” whether Omicron would eventually be seen as the deathblow to the pandemic. “I would hope that is the case. But that would only be the case if we didn’t get another variant that evaded the immune response of the previous variant.” Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, meanwhile, stressed to CNN that many places in the US were still seeing steep increases in cases and hospitalizations, and he said the country “shouldn’t expect a national peak in the next few days.” But Madhi and other scientists in South Africa still struggle to understand their foreign colleagues’ reluctance to learn from the country’s experience — particularly given the widespread uptake of vaccines in the US and Europe and the firm belief that the vaccines are a good one Offer protection against serious diseases and death, with all variants that have appeared so far. South Africa is not alone either. There are also signs in the UK that the Omicron wave – which hit just as fast as South Africa – is waning, with infections falling sharply in recent days and no steep rise in deaths attributed to the Omicron wave. Scientists are optimistic that COVID-19 could soon be called an endemic disease rather than an epidemic in the UK. A disease is considered endemic when it remains circulating within a population, but with relatively little spread and no serious public health impact. So when the country or region in question learns to live with it, like the flu or other common colds caused by coronaviruses. Fauci said in his remarks Monday that even if omicron infections finally peak nationally in the U.S., the coronavirus is unlikely to simply go away, indicating a shift from pandemic to endemic. “We’re almost there, it’s the beginning of the end now, at least in the UK,” Professor Julian Hiscox, head of infection and global health at the University of Liverpool, who is a member of a state health advisory board, told CBS News’ partner network BBC News . “I think life in 2022 will be almost like it was before the pandemic.” “If a new variant or an old variant shows up, like any other common cold coronavirus, most of us get a runny nose and a bit of a headache and we’re fine,” Hiscox said. While case counts, hospitalizations, and deaths are still rising rapidly in many parts of the US, they are declining rapidly in New York City, one of the first places in the country to be hit hard by Omicron. With the data trend in the Big Apple very similar to that in South Africa and the UK, there is growing hope that the good news from Johannesburg will prove to be a harbinger of better news, at least for the United States.

Advanced sensor to unlock the secrets of the brain Researchers have announced the development of a state-of-the-art sensor that can for the first time detect signalling molecules, called cytokines, which operate in the living brain. Cytokines in the brain are secreted by glia cells that make up nearly 90% of all brain cells. Cytokines play a central role in controlling mood and cognition and may also contribute to a number of mental health disorders. "What we've developed is the first sensor capable of monitoring the release of these cytokines in the brain," says lead researcher Kaixin Zhang, a Ph.D. candidate at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CNBP) at Macquarie University. "Critically, there is mounting evidence that these glial-released cytokines play a central role in regulating a range of brain functions. In particular they are responsible for affecting mood, cognition and behaviour." "Our innovative new sensor has the potential to increase our knowledge not only of how the brain works, but may be able to shed light on conditions such as depression, stress, anxiety and even schizophrenia," he says. The sensor consists of a modified optical fibre which has had its surface treated with a capture protein. The protein reacts to the presence of cytokine molecules and is capable of monitoring local cytokine release in discrete and targeted parts of the brain. Professor Ewa Goldys, CNBP Deputy Director, and a senior researcher on the project, notes that brain functionality is an extremely complex area where scientific knowledge is still limited. "Our research in understanding cytokine secretion, neural circuits and how these two work together is essential to improving our understanding of the brain, in health and disease. Our sensor has opened a new window to the brain, but we still have far more to discover," she says. "The key benefit of our new sensor is that it enables the detection of cytokine release precisely as it happens, in living, naturally behaving animals, which is the key step on this discovery journey. To date, suitable tools have not been available to do this as the living brain is an incredibly difficult part of the body to access, and these cytokines are very difficult to measure." Published in the leading scientific journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, the cytokine sensor research was undertaken by an international team of scientists at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CNBP), Macquarie University, University of Colorado Boulder, Central China Normal University and The University of Adelaide. "This is a really fantastic example of the work which we do at the CNBP, which is all about creating state-of-the-art sensing tools that can measure the inner workings of the living organism," says Prof Goldys. "It may be early days in this research but it will be fascinating to see where this cytokine detection takes us. It may prove to be a pivotal point in the understanding, and eventual diagnostic and clinical treatment, of a whole range of health conditions."

If you need to use a hose during the cold winter months, it’s best to invest in a heated water hose. However, you can keep a regular rubber garden hose ice-free in winter by wrapping the hose in heat tape and/or insulation. Heat tape is also a great tool for thawing a frozen hose so you can resume using it even during the coldest winter months. At What Temperature Does Your Garden Hose Freeze? Any time temperatures drop down to 32℉ (0℃) or lower, your garden hose is in danger of freezing. While the water pipes in your walls are typically safe from freezing until temperatures reach 20℉ (-7℃), your hose is exposed to the elements. Even a single night of below-freezing temperatures is enough to freeze the water in a hose. - Water in hoses can freeze once temperatures drop to 32℉ (0℃). - Exterior hoses freeze much more easily than in-wall water pipes. - A hose can freeze when exposed to 6 hours or more of freezing weather. 6 hours of freezing cold is all it takes to freeze your garden hose. So, it’s best to store your hose or find a way to heat it before winter sets in. Can You Leave Your Garden Hose Outside in the Winter? It’s not recommended to leave your garden hose outside through winter. A hose connected to an exterior spigot increases the risk of trapped water that can cause water lines to burst. Also, ice inside your hoses can cause the hose to split, crack, and leak. Only leave your hose connected in winter if you need to use it for specialized watering or cleaning. - It’s best to disconnect and store your hose in winter. - A hose connected to a water spigot in winter can cause the spigot to crack. - Hoses are damaged by cold winter weather. - Only use hoses in winter if you absolutely must. If you’re wondering if you can leave a hose outside in the winter, consider the toll cold weather takes on your hose. Even a disconnected and drained hose will be damaged by the cold and ice of winter. Your hose will last much longer if you store it for winter, so it’s best not to forget. 3 Ways to Prevent Your Garden Hose From Freezing If you need to use a hose in winter then battling frozen pipes and ice blockages can be a nightmare. However, there are a few tactics that allow you to use your hose and outdoor faucet year-round. They are: Use a Heated Hose This heated hose will resist freezing in temperatures down to -40℉ (-40℃). That means that once you attach the hose to a spigot and plug the electrical component of the hose into an outlet, you’ll get a reliable flow of thawed water. - A high quality heated hose will resist freezing even when temperatures drop to -40℉ (-40℃) - A heated hose can be installed in minutes. - You can store your standard hoses for the winter to protect them from cold. Heated hoses are great because they require no extra work on your part. They simply screw into place and plug in. This makes them more durable and easy to set up than homemade heated hoses. - Can be used in extreme cold and has been tested down to -42 Fahrenheit. - Includes a 10 ft. power cord with lighting to maximize use throughout winter. - 200 psi - incredibly durable and sturdy to last you for many years. Wrap Your Hose with Heat Cable If you don’t want to purchase a heated hose, you can turn a standard garden hose into a heated hose by using a heat cable. Simply run a length of heat cable along your hose and use high-temp tape to keep it in place every 6 inches. Then, plug the cable in. The heat from the cable will keep your hose from freezing. - Use this heat cable to transform a regular hose into a heated hose. - Run the cable along the hose and tape it in place with high-temp tape. - Using heat cable is less expensive than purchasing a heated hose. One of the big benefits of using the heat cable method is that it is typically less expensive than purchasing a heated hose. Plus, you don’t have to worry about using different hoses for winter and summer. You can turn a standard hose into an all-weather hose. - This cable will only turn on when it is in a cold environment. - Includes 16 feet of high-temperature glass cloth tape. - Heavy-duty construction with a 4-year warranty. Insulate the Hose Another great method for keeping hoses ice-free in winter is to wrap the hose in insulation. This allows the water to retain heat even as it passes through the hose. However, water trapped in a hose can freeze if the hose is left out for a long time. So, it’s a great idea to install heat cable, then wrap the hose in insulation. - This self-adhesive foam insulation is great for hoses. - Install heat cable to prevent ice from forming, then wrap the hose and cable in insulation. - Wrap the hose tightly, leaving no gaps where air can enter. We like to use foam insulation with adhesive when wrapping hoses for winter. It’s flexible enough to allow use of the hose after you insulate it. Plus, unlike cotton pipe insulation, it won’t become waterlogged and frozen when used outdoors. - 1/8" thick, lightweight crosslinked polyethylene foam is perfect for both hot and cold pipes. - Incredibly easy to use - simply peel the release liner from the tape and apply it to any pipes. - Super durable and will not dry or crack. How Do You Thaw a Frozen Hose? Installing a heat cable along your hose and wrapping it in insulation is the best way to thaw a frozen hose and keep it ice-free. However, the quickest way to thaw a frozen hose is: - Lay the hose out as straight as possible. - Move along the length of the hose, picking it up as you go. - Search for areas where the hose is stiff, brittle, or won’t bend. This indicates the location of an ice clog. - Use a hair dryer or heat gun set on low heat to thaw the area(s) that are blocked with ice. This method can often thaw a frozen hose in 30 minutes or less. In order to prevent your hose from refreezing, drain any remaining water out of the hose after each use. What’s the Best Way to Prevent Your Garden Hose From Freezing? If you need to use an outdoor hose during winter, the best ways to make sure it doesn’t freeze are: - Replace your standard hoses with heated hoses for winter. - Install heat cable along your hose. - Wrap your hose in insulation. Although heat cable and insulation tape are typically designed for use on plumbing, they both work very well for keeping your garden hose usable even in extremely cold temperatures.

Now is the good time to downsize and enjoy your small but clean space in peace The key to a more organized and stress-free space is to declutter and downsize your home. Now, you might be wondering how downsizing helps with these. Research has shown that once you have a smaller space, you won’t have to worry about many things inside your home. It will also be easier for you to maintain your home, stay organized, and spend less time and effort decluttering. If you are waiting for a sign to let go of some of your things and move into a smaller home, this is it. Now is a good time to downsize because this will allow you to enjoy a peaceful and stress-free home. So what are the first few steps you can do when downsizing your home? What you can do is team up with Caring Transitions. It is a well-known company that offers services for seniors in regards to relocating, downsizing, and estate sales. There are many companies similar to them but what makes them unique is they also cater to all people regardless of their age. So if you are emotionally and physically ready to declutter and downsize your home, then keep on reading because George Pizzo will be giving you an idea of how they can help you go through this process. What drives Caring Transitions? George said that their company is full of experienced and informed professionals. Every area in all of their services is performed by their own staff who are well trained, certified, bonded and insured. When they work with seniors, their mindset is to try to eliminate the stress that is associated with moving and downsizing as much as possible. He also mentioned that there are many possible reasons why their clients decide to do the process of downsizing, relocating, or selling off all their possessions. Most of them lost their spouse, friends, or maybe they are getting on in age and they feel that life is not going as planned. This is a very stressful moment for them and they are definitely in their most sensitive state so letting go of things that are very valuable to them will not be easy. This is where Caring Transitions come in. They will help them sort through all of their belongings and determine what they can sell and donate. They will also help them pack and unpack at their new residence later on. Why do we accumulate so much clutter George admitted that he was also one of the generations who just saved everything that they have. He had a time when he had desks full of unnecessary things and closets full of clothes that he didn’t even use and hadn’t worn in years. He had a garage that fit two cars but now there is so much stuff that is accumulating in the area that even a bicycle can’t fit. This normally happens to a lot of people these days and it is very possible that it might happen to you too. One of the most common reasons is whenever you would think that you can’t just throw out a particular thing you have at home because you believe that you might not need it now but you would need it at some point in your life. Therefore, you would just leave it there at your home and hold on to it for so many years. Another cause is when you get married and you would buy a lovely house for yourself and your partner. Then you would have kids and would have to buy things for them until they grow up. All of it would just pile up throughout those years then it just gets left in the basement of the house. George provided 3 questions that you can reflect on to help with your clutter problem. - Why are you keeping it? - When should you start to get rid of it? - What can you sell and donate? The answers to these questions are simple. Get rid of the unnecessary things now and just keep the things that you know you can really use. Why do you need to hire Caring Transitions When George and his team work with their client, they always start with a goal and a floor plan of the new residence that their clients are moving into. The next thing they would do is to sort and organize the things to determine what they can bring with them. Once they’ve done that, they would clear out the area and help them move to the new place. But that won’t stop there, they will also help them pack, unpack, and organize all of their things. They do everything for their client because their goal there is to help seniors save time and effort, and minimize stress. So if you work with them, you won’t notice any heavy work and stress. He also shared some of his experience with his clients to give you an idea of how they work fast and effectively. He had a client from New Jersey that needed help in downsizing her home. She had 10 large moving boxes of unused clothes which she didn't have space for in her new place. George and his team helped her decide what to keep and sort the things that can fit in her new residence. There were five boxes of clothes that she didn’t need anymore so what they did was donate them to an estate sale. He also had a client of 3 family members who lived upstate New York, PA, Maryland. Their parents passed away and they needed help with downsizing their home. George mentioned that they had been working on clearing the house for over a year now but he was surprised to see that they didn’t make that much progress in that long period of time. The daughter’s room was full of things that needed to be thrown out and the kitchen cabinet was still full of clutter. But when their team stepped up and helped them declutter their home, all unnecessary things were just gone in an instant and you could feel the lightness of their home. According to George, once you work with them, it would not take you months to clear out your house. You will save a lot of time and money and reduce your storage costs. “When we start with an estate sale, our guys get the house sold faster. Families oftentimes attempt to do it themselves and get the house emptied out themselves but it typically takes them months.” - George Pizzo Downsizing Tips From An Expert George also gave a few suggestions that could help you when you are thinking of downsizing your home. First, he doesn’t suggest using storage units as they are just a waste of money. He instead advised getting rid of all the things you do not need so that you can get your house cleared out and get it sold immediately. Second, he also said that the time, effort, and costs that you put into holding a yard sale are a waste of time because you won't be making any money by doing that. What you should be doing with all of that stuff is to get a dumpster, start tossing everything out, and donate it right away to avoid accumulating things in your home. Lastly, he mentioned if you have a handful of things like 10 to 20 items that have some value and can be sold, what you can do instead of running a state sale is to put your things in their consignment shop and they will be the one to sell them for you. This will give you time to focus on other important things that you have to do in the moving process. So if you have a similar situation in your house where you need help with decluttering and downsizing your home, you can start by teaming up with Caring Transitions to achieve a fast and worry-free downsizing process. “I would say start now. It means to go into your closet and check those sweaters that you haven't worn in two years, those pants that have been folded up on the bottom which is the biggest culprit of this. Over time it'll just grow and grow and grow, and you'll end up with this massive problem. It’s going to end up costing time and money to resolve. So just get rid of them because you feel so much better when you don't have the clutter surrounding you.” - George Pizzo

Voters in the island nation of Cape Verde are set to cast ballots on Sunday to elect the country’s next president. The polls mark the end of the second and last mandate of Jorge Carlos Fonseca, the fourth president in Cape Verde’s history, since the country’s independence from Portugal in 1975. A second round of voting is provisionally scheduled for October 31, if no single candidate receives a majority. This will be the seventh round of elections since Cape Verde’s transition to free and multiparty elections in 1991. The 10-island archipelago off West Africa’s coast is often praised as an exemplary democracy in the continent, as it continues to rank high amongst indexes of transparency and political freedom. A record seven candidates are running – but the strongest contenders are two former prime ministers: Carlos Veiga, supported by the Movement for Democracy (Mpd) and the Democratic and Independent Cape Verdean Union (UCID); and José Maria Neves, running with support from the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV). Both Mpd and PAICV have dominated Cape Verde’s political scene for decades, having been key players in the country’s struggle for independence and its aftermath – which remains a key mobilising factor in today’s electoral campaigns. “In parliamentary elections, MpD and PAICV aggregate just over 90 percent of all votes, and almost all parliamentary seats,” explains Edalina Sanches, an assistant professor in African Studies at the University Institute of Lisbon, and author of Party Systems in Young Democracies. The two main challengers, who have garnered most of the media attention throughout the electoral campaign, have pledged to bring stability and consensus to face the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on a country that relies heavily on tourism. Veiga is often praised for his role in helping build the constitution, as one of the founding members of the MpD, a party that played a central role in Cape Verde’s transition to democratisation. The 71-year-old, whose role as an ambassador to the United States ended in 2020, held office as prime minister between 1991 and 2000. Neves, meanwhile, was elected as prime minister in 2001. He went on to hold the longest mandate in the country’s history, being elected three consecutive times until 2016. The 61-year-old is the former president and deputy of PAICV. Cape Verde has a semi-parliamentary system where the prime minister holds executive power and the president acts as a head of state, taking the role of a mediator. “The president’s role is far from being a merely ceremonial one,” said Sanches, noting it often lies in advocating for consensus in crucial decisions and intractable disputes, guaranteeing stability and protecting the constitution. “Presidents will not implement public policies, but they have the power to veto laws, to supervise government initiatives,” added Sanches. Cape Verde continues to battle an economic recession after output shrank by 14.8 percent in 2020, partly due to the country’s dependence on tourism, which accounts for 25 percent of the economy. In July, Olavo Correia, the finance minister and deputy prime minister, told parliament the country was going through the biggest “economic, financial and budget crisis of its history”. In the lead-up to Sunday’s vote, political discussions have focused on a range of issues, including urban violence, the need for a nonpartisan public sector and the diversification of the economy. “The debates have not been about electoral promises but rather about promises to influence the resolution of key issues – from justice to health, and the role and independence of the president in these issues,” said Sanches. Cape Verde’s large diaspora, often referred to as the archipelago’s “eleventh island” represents an important share of the vote, as foreign remittances make up 12.1 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Approximately 500,000 people live on the islands, while it is estimated that more than 700,000 live abroad, predominantly in Europe and the United States. However, observers caution that abstention is traditionally higher abroad and expect this trend to continue, with only about 57,000 voters registered outside Cape Verde. Abstention rates, however, are not a problem reserved solely for emigrated Cape Verdeans – the previous presidential election registered a resounding abstention rate of 64.5 percent. But Sanches believes the number of contenders this year and the presence of candidates such as Veiga and Neves are “extremely mobilising”, which may counter this recent trend. Still, the historical legacy of the main contending parties may begin to lose ground, particularly among the country’s younger population, who often do not feel incentivised to participate in the electoral cycle. Redy Lima, a sociologist working in Cape Verde’s Institute of Social and Legal Sciences, believes the issue lies partly in the disillusionment that many youth feel, particularly due to a lack of work opportunities and the recent growth in unemployment. Despite younger Cape Verdeans often being involved with rallies and even campaigning for political parties, this has not reflected in voter participation in recent elections. “Young people have been socialised in a completely different context,” said Sanches. “It is important that these parties can remodel and adjust to present conjectures, responding to the needs of the country’s youth, that make up an important sector of the population.”

The Ramayana of the sage Valmiki is a literary masterpiece in the Sanskrit language, which excels in beauty, style and diction. It is believed that the twenty-four letters of the Gayatri Mantra are hidden in the Ramayana. The beginning letter of every thousand words starts with one word of the Gayatri. The Gayatri starts with the word, "Tat" and the Ramayana also starts with the same word. Each word of the Gayatri is found in a consecutive sequence at the beginning of every thousand verses of the Ramayana. The Holy Ramayana is believed to be the Veda itself "Vedah prachethiasath aseed sakshath Ramayanatmana". Valmiki wrote the Veda itself in this mighty epic. Spiritual seekers read it as a protective cover for all the problems of life, and it acts as a shield. It is a well known practice amongst spiritual seekers to make a regular practice of reading the "Sundara Kanda" to imbibe into themselves the strength and prowess of Hanuman. No one can really plumb the depths of the meaning of Valmiki's Ramayana. Usually the reading of the Mahabharata is done in the morning, of the Ramayana in the afternoon and the Sreemad Bhagavatam in the evening. The Sanskrit verse which describes this is as follows: "Good people engage themselves in dice play in the morning (meaning the Mahabharata), at noon they engage themselves in talks about women(meaning Sita in the Ramayana), and at night, in theft (meaning the Sreemad Bhagavatam)". There are many controversies in the Ramayana such as the absence of Bharata during the coronation of Sri Rama, Rama's attacking Vali from behind a tree and finding fault with him with charges which do not seem feasible. Valmiki has produced in Rama, an aspect of human nature which is impossible to understand. He brings together in the same person the might of God and the frailty of man. This kind of presentation of the ideal man is either totally ignored by devotees or subjected to critical examination. Either way, the Ramayana is a great exercise in disciplining the mind in its attempt to bring God and man together in a single individual. Valmiki ofternrefers to Rama as narayana Himself. It is said that in this last moments, Ravana saw Rama as the mighty Vishnu or the God of the universe. The Ramayana should be studied diligently by everyone, for the dignity of the language in which it is w5ritten as well as the depth of the message it conveys, It presents before the reader the inscrutable manner in which God works and the fickle nature of all human decisions, Valmiki brings God to earth and raises the earth to Heaven, Since this type of blending is inconceivable to the human way of perception, there are endless interpretations of the Ramayana, presented by pundits, story-tellers and scholars. It is certain that an intensive study of Valmiki's Ramayana will fill the mind of everyone with inordinate strength and incalculable blessedness. Valmiki says that the glory of the Ramayana will remain as long as the sun and the moon last. The astounding descriptions of the rule of Rama and his administrative capacity reflect the very conditions of a life in Heaven. Great is the Ramayan. Glory to the way of administration of Rama in every field of life in this world. Mata Devi Vanamali has done a novel service to the religious community in expounding the involved meanings of the Ramayana text and making it attractive to the modern mind with beautiful English expressions. This book is a companion volume to her book on Lord Krishna called, Sri Krishna Lila. Sri Ramachandra Bhagvan ki Jai!

The first time Sonja Ortman got pregnant, in 1996, she was so afraid she'd transmit HIV to her baby that she chose to terminate her pregnancy. Pregnant again, in 2004, she was confident enough by then with the advancements made in HIV medicine to jump into the unknown. She returned to the obstetrician she saw during her first pregnancy, she says, 'to make the whole experience come full circle.' She went back and forth about whether to have a cesarean section, hoping for a vaginal birth instead but knowing it increased the risk of transmitting the virus to her infant during delivery. When her viral load spiked in her ninth month of pregnancy she felt pressured to make her decision. Her doctor at Planned Parenthood in Milwaukee posed one question to help her decide about her chances for transmitting the virus via either method: 'What do you want? Do you want 1% to 2%, or do you want one one-hundredths of a percent?' 'I said, 'Doctor, why didn't you tell me this nine months ago?' ' she recalls in an amused but still exasperated voice. 'So that was just the whole start of the parenting choices that we make,' the 41-year-old says. 'It's not about me as a woman experiencing childbirth; it's about the child.' A C-section brought her a healthy baby boy, Liam. And despite her admitted frustrations, she has a fond memory of her beloved doctor on that morning: 'He was as calm and cool as the orange Popsicle he was eating as he walked into the room in his scrubs.' No one ever said motherhood was going to be easy, especially when it's the mom who puts everyone else in the family first, even before her own needs. This is especially true for women already coping with HIV. HIV-positive women suffer from higher rates of depression, for starters -- in no small part because of the effects of social stigma that follows HIVers. And at least one study has found that mothers living with HIV have particularly poor medication-adherence rates, with only about half the women in the study taking their meds properly. Debra Murphy, a psychologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who researches HIV-positive mothers and was the lead author of the adherence study, says, 'If you're ill and depressed, that can have a negative impact on your kids [see related article 'Child Monitor.'] It's important for HIV-positive mothers to take care of themselves -- from medication adherence, keeping appointments, tending to their mental health, and not letting stigma influence the family.' Tonya Rasberry, a 35-year-old peer counselor at Babes Network, which provides social services to women with HIV in the Seattle area, might be an expert on how best to take care of herself and her family simultaneously. But she still falls into familiar traps, she admits. 'Moms always put all their stuff on the back burner in order to put their family forward,' Rasberry says. 'I've done it. I've canceled my HIV doctor appointments because I wanted to go to my son's basketball game.' Yolanda Rodriguez-Escobar, the executive director of Mujeres Unidas Contra el SIDA, an AIDS service organization that targets HIV-positive Latinas in San Antonio, repeats an old refrain, one akin to the airplane safety instruction about putting your oxygen mask on first before assisting others: 'You can't take care of anybody if you're not healthy.' Out of the Mouths of Babes Sometimes it's the kids who know best when it comes to self-care, Ortman says. Last year she flew home to Wisconsin in a rush after a week of work in Washington, D.C., so that she could be with 5-year-old Liam for Halloween. Even though she slept all day to rest up, she was still wiped out by the evening. When she reluctantly proposed going out for trick-or-treating, Liam was clearly thinking of his mom's needs. 'He told me, 'Mom, it's too cold and windy,' ' she says. 'He was the voice of reason, and I let it be OK to take care of myself.' Her husband put dinner on, and the family curled up with It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. 'Kids are wise,' Rodriguez-Escobar says. 'We as parents oftentimes don't give our kids credit for being astute or smart enough to say, 'Wait a minute. This is wrong. Mom, you need to take care of yourself.'' Acintia Robinson, a 46-year-old from San Diego, has also benefited from such precocious wisdom. She says she always wanted to be the perfect 'TV mom,' like on The Brady Bunch or The Partridge Family. After she was raped and infected with HIV in 1995, she says, 'I just knew my whole world had crumbled.' All her plans for the future, including a bid for city council, she recalls, seemed to fall away as she sunk into a deep depression. 'My 12-year-old daughter,' she says, 'told me at the time, 'Mom, you're such a strong person. You can do this!' And I just looked at her real strange, like, How do you know? She saw something I didn't know at that time. So I gathered up my strength, I took my -- what we call -- lemons, and I turned them into lemonade!' And Robinson found a new calling. For the past 14 years she has worked as an HIV advocate and peer educator. 'I'm really thankful for all my kids,' she says, 'because they don't look at it as I did something wrong or something was done wrong to me. They look at it like, 'My mom's an advocate, and she's out there fighting for the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS!' ' It's the Little Things HIV can demand that moms juggle more than their fair share of lemons. Chicagoan Joann Montes, who at 45 has been mother to six children, one of whom died of cancer not long after her own HIV diagnosis, weathered a perfect storm when she was working as a bank teller. It was the day of a daughter's parent-teacher conference, and she was trying to close down her station and get out the door. But the Friday rush wouldn't give her a break. At the time one of her anti-HIV meds was causing her to have terrible diarrhea. She was forced to bolt in the middle of a transaction, leaving an angry customer behind. She didn't make it to the restroom in time, though, and ended up in tears. Nevertheless, she rushed home, cleaned up, changed, and got to the conference. 'I made it!' she says with pride. 'I did not die of embarrassment.' Life struggles with the virus aren't only physical and mental; for a family trying to get by, they can drain the budget. Ortman works for a company that helps keep medical societies financially sound. Her husband, who is also HIV-positive, works as a case manager assisting people who are on Medicaid. Despite being professional experts on managing medical expenses, their own health bills have still landed them in a bankruptcy filing. Meanwhile, there's the thorny issue of public stigma. Living in rural Wisconsin, Ortman feels she needs to keep a tight lid on her HIV status and wonders how to handle the issue as Liam gets older. On that note, UCLA's Debra Murphy has a bit of wisdom to offer: 'You can't change the world, but you can change how the child sees you coping with it.' Robinson, a model out-and-proud HIVer, says her kids, while supportive of her, still wrestle with the public nature of their mom's HIV status. Her teen daughter has asked her to be careful not to speak at any local schools where word might get back to her peers. As for her grown son, she says, 'He'll call and say, 'Mom, I'm wearing a red shirt today, and I'm making sure everyone in the store knows today's World AIDS Day.' But he won't tell people, 'My mother is HIV-positive.' ' Rasberry recommends that HIV-positive moms get their kids involved in activities with other families who have HIV-affected parents to help normalize their growing-up experience. Babes, for one, arranges outings for moms and their kids, giving them picnics or free trips to the zoo and the aquarium. Rodriguez-Escobar goes so far to suggest getting older kids involved with peer-education work of their own. Rasberry says that HIV has, in fact, made her a better parent: 'I think I appreciate life more because I know nothing's promised. It's helped me be more open with my kids because I don't ever want to say I didn't teach them this or I didn't tell them that.' Meanwhile, Ortman is taking time to enjoy the ongoing miracle of her son's birth. 'I'm not going to spoil him rotten,' she says, 'but I am going to let him know, 'Hey, you're a special kid.' '

By Wendy Sweeter For the past 23 years, Jim Wilson has taught students about the different facets of agriculture and the FFA in Lennox. Growing up on a small cattle operation in Lander, Wyo., it would take him a few years before ending up in Lennox. Wilson graduated from high school in 1981 before attending Casper College for two years, where he was on the livestock judging team. He finished his bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from the University of Wyoming in 1985. When he graduated from college, Wyoming was fourth in the country for teacher pay but only had two ag ed teacher openings. He knew a local person was in line for one of those positions and the other one was half ag and half science, which he was not interested in. With relatives in Rapid City, Wilson started looking for teaching jobs in South Dakota. He found his first teaching job in Marion in the fall of 1985. He figured he would get some experience there and then return to Wyoming. Instead, he spent 10 years in Marion teaching ag. Then he bought the Marion Record and ran that for two years before being approached about the Lennox opening. Since his family farm was too small for him to go back to, teaching agriculture was a way for Wilson to stay connected to ag. “To me, being the ag teacher is different than being a normal classroom teacher because of the FFA component. It gives you a chance to build relationships with students that last for years,” Wilson said. In his time as an ag teacher and FFA adviser, Wilson has seen a lot of changes in the FFA program. Instead of targeting only production agriculture like when he was a student, FFA has expanded its programming toward the many different careers available in agriculture. He notes that shift in thought has been beneficial to the program in Lennox. “It is important in a community like Lennox because I have a limited number of true kids that come from a farm where that’s their main source of income,” he said. When the district split from Tea and the new high school needed to be built, Wilson had some changes then. He thought he would see a drop in his numbers when Tea split off, but numbers actually went up. Building the new high school allowed for his own shop separate from the industrial arts program. While a new space is nice, Wilson said what goes on in the room is what’s most important. “Ultimately, to me a room is a room. It’s what’s going on inside the room that’s more important than what it looks like. It was a big change,” Wilson said. In his time, they were able to build the learning lab on the northwest side of the school property. The idea came a few years ago when some students were inspired by a visit from Wilson’s daughter on horticulture when she was doing her master’s program. This year will be the third summer the hoop barn will be used for sheep and goat projects. With the coronavirus, Wilson said the plans are to go ahead with that project yet so far. In addition to the hoop barn, they also put up a high tunnel for growing vegetables. However, in December, high winds destroyed most of that.

The path to Canadian citizenship begins with obtaining permanent residency in Canada. Like the green card in the United States, the Canada Permanent Resident Card allows you to work and live in Canada. The best way to determine if you have permanent residency in Canada through one of Canada’s many immigration programs is to fill out the validation form. Then the Canadian immigration team will review your assessment carefully and respond to you within 24 hours. It can be very difficult to make sure you choose a Canadian immigration program that best suits your circumstances. You can fill out the free evaluation form to evaluate your qualifications for all immigration flows in Canada. The Canadian federal government gives each state the right to choose, especially in the case of provincial candidate programs. Over 80 Canada immigration programs are available for immigrants. To aid in the application process, below are listed options to guide anyone who is ready to migrate to Canada. Provincial Nominee Program In Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), they allow skilled workers and truck drivers to live and work in any of the 11 participating provinces and territories in Canada only if they are able to meet the province’s labour needs. The PN Program acts as a great model to any immigrants who wish to work in Canada as a truck driver. Due to the enormous demand of truck drivers across Canada provinces, applicants are at a good chance of success applying through PNP. 11 Provincial Nominee Programs in Canada - Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) - British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) - Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) - New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NW PNP) - Newfoundland & Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NL PNP) - Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP) - Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program (NS PNP) - Ontario Provincial Nominee Program (OINP) - Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) - Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) - Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) Atlantic Immigration Program The Atlantic Immigration Program is created for skilled workers who are in search of permanent residence in one of Canada’s four Atlantic provinces, namely: Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Atlantic Immigration program constitute of 3 programs, namely: Atlantic International Graduate Program Atlantic High-Skilled Program Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program For aspiring truck drivers, the appropriate program to apply is the Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program. Below are the prerequisite needed to apply for Atlantic Intermediate-Skilled Program: - A minimum of 1 year working experience in a position that requires a high school education or currently undergoing the job training. - A high school diploma which is equal to a Canadian credential. To ascertain the above listed necessity, it require of the applicant to take an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report, Language fluency test to prove eloquence in English or French which can help one to work and live in Canada. Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) TheTemporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) is another set of programs that meet Canada’s needs. Here, the temporary workers also support the success and growth of many industries, such as agriculture, transport, healthcare and technology. How to Apply through the TFWP To apply for TFWP, the below listed requirements crowns ones eligibility: - Valid job offer letter - Proof that you meet the requirements of the job offer - A Copy of a positive LMIA or LMIA number - Proof of English or French language abilities via test results - A valid passport - Financial stability proof When the above listed requirements are met then will Canada grant the applicant work permit. Whichever immigration program or work permit program one chooses to apply for, You must ensure to submit all the correct documents and meet the relevant deadlines to avoid complications.

The seventh Mishnah of the first perek of Moed Katan presents the Halacha that one may not marry during Chol Ha’moed because his bride ‘is a source of simcha for him.’ The Gemara in Moed Katan (8b) is unsatisfied with the reason mentioned in the Mishnah, and seeks to clarify further this seemingly peculiar Halacha where celebration of the festivals excludes experiencing the joy of matrimony. Five answers are provided. The first and most prominent explanation cites the concept of ‘we do not merge one simcha with another,’ and that we have to celebrate each individually. The other explanations given are: a groom will put aside the celebration of the chag, for the celebrations of his marriage the scriptural source (Devarim ) that states ‘and you shall celebrate your festivals’ excludes the celebration of matrimony the groom will be burdened in the preparations for his wedding, an such burdens are prohibited on Chol Ha’moed if marriage was allowed on Chol Ha’moed, all marriages would be postponed until Chol Ha’moed so as to avoid the need for preparing a separate wedding meal, and thus delaying the mitzvah of ‘pru ur’vu’ The Rishonim evaluate the answers mentioned in the Gemara to establish the fundamental reason behind the prohibition of marriage during Chol Ha’moed. According to the (3b), it appears that the principle reason for the prohibition is the first explanation; that ‘we do not merge one simcha with another,’ with the other explanations regarded as secondary. The Nimukei Yosef further explains that the reasoning behind the concept of not merging smachot with each other is that in the event of merged smachot, one would not celebrate either properly. For this reason each simcha is celebrated separately, to ensure that both are accompanied by the appropriate level of happiness. The Meiri understands the Gemara in the same way as the , that the primary explanation for the prohibition of marriage on Chol Ha’moed is the concept of ‘we do not merge one simcha with another.’ However, he offers a different, though subtle, reasoning. He explains that when two smachot are celebrated together, one is inevitably treated as inferior. Accordingly, in order to protect the integrity of each simcha, they are celebrated separately. The Rambam, in hilchot Yom Tov (7:16), mentions the Halacha of not marrying on Chol Ha’moed and provides what appears prima facie to be a new explanation that does not appear in either the Mishnah or Gemara This Halacha is mentioned a second time in Hilchot Ishut () while discussing prohibited relationships. The Rambam writes there that the reason for the prohibition is ‘as was explained (i.e. in hilchot Yom Tov) that we do not merge one simcha with another.’ From this Halacha we learn that the Rambam only accepts the first reason mentioned in the Gemara, and that his explanation presented in hilchot Yom Tov is the Rambam’s understanding of why we do not merge smachot. In the Shulchan Aruch (Even HaEzer 64) we learn of the obligation of a groom to celebrate his marriage and enjoy the company of his wife. The groom should not go to work and have festive meals. The Rama adds that he should even attempt to refrain from doing melachot. From here we may gain a better understanding of the Rambam that claimed a groom will forget the celebrations of the chag. Since the nature of celebrating marriage is the same as for Chol Ha’moed the groom is likely to forget that he is celebrating the chag in addition to his marriage.

Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony to the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. I am David Janovsky, program manager and analyst at The Constitution Project at the Project On Government Oversight (POGO). POGO is a nonpartisan independent watchdog that investigates and exposes waste, corruption, abuse of power, and when the government fails to serve the public or silences those who report wrongdoing. We champion reforms to achieve a more effective, ethical, and accountable federal government that safeguards constitutional principles. My testimony focuses on how to improve Congress’s ability to oversee the executive branch, particularly by improving compliance with congressional subpoenas.1 Today, I will discuss two reforms the Select Committee is particularly well suited to lead: first, reviving and modernizing Congress’s inherent contempt powers, and second, creating an entity to counterbalance the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC), one that can articulate a robust view of congressional legal prerogatives. Congress has the constitutional authority and responsibility to conduct investigations to support its legislative duties. One of the most important subjects of this investigative power is the executive branch. Without robust oversight, Congress cannot identify shortcomings in the faithful execution of the laws it has passed. The need for Congress to assert its authority and legislative prerogatives, including by compelling testimony and evidence, is clear. But for decades, presidential administrations have steadily escalated their opposition to congressional oversight. Relying heavily on increasingly aggressive legal theories advanced by the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, the executive branch has erroneously argued that many of Congress’s oversight tools violate the Constitution. For example, the executive branch claims that presidential advisers enjoy absolute immunity from compelled testimony, even after their employment ends.2 It tends to broadly define executive privilege,3 and it takes the position that the Justice Department does not have to — and indeed, will not — prosecute executive branch officials who have claimed executive privilege if they are referred by Congress for criminal contempt charges.4 The office has also claimed that Members of Congress don’t have the authority to request information on government programs or activities unless they chair a committee or subcommittee, or either chamber of Congress has passed a resolution authorizing such investigation or inquiry.5 This executive branch overreach is not a partisan phenomenon. Both Democratic and Republican administrations, dating back at least to Richard Nixon, have endorsed and advanced this campaign, regardless of which party is in the White House or the majority in Congress. Notable instances of executive obstruction in recent memory include the George W. Bush administration’s efforts to block the investigation into the firing of U.S. attorneys; the Obama administration’s refusal to release documents related to Operation Fast and Furious that resulted in Attorney General Eric Holder being held in contempt; and former Trump White House counsel Don McGahn’s flat refusal to testify in connection with the special counsel investigation. Regardless of one’s views on any of these investigations, they all represent instances in which Congress was deprived of timely access to information it viewed as essential to its oversight responsibilities. The executive branch’s escalation has far outpaced Congress’s ability to enforce its subpoenas, and the tools it currently possesses are simply inadequate. The Justice Department’s refusal to pursue criminal contempt charges against executive officials has led committees to file civil suits against intransigent officials, but this is not a sustainable solution. Three of the highest profile of these cases ended in settlements, but they took years to resolve while the Justice Department raised a series of absolutist, procedural objections designed to keep Congress out of the courtroom entirely.6 While most lower courts have ruled in Congress’s favor in these cases, the lack of controlling opinions from appellate courts ensures future litigation will be similarly protracted. Civil enforcement is a poor vehicle to vindicate Congress’s rights. In time-sensitive investigations, it takes far too long to be useful, often outlasting any given Congress, and it puts Congress’s prerogatives at the mercy of the judicial branch.7 It is true that Congress can, and has, used its other powers, like appropriations and confirmations, to incentivize compliance.8 However, not all committees have access to these tools. And more fundamentally, a system in which Congress has the choice of either gumming up the workings of government to carry out its constitutional investigative responsibilities or resigning itself to neglecting those responsibilities — with all the waste, fraud, and abuse of power that a government operating without oversight would entail — can’t be what the framers of the Constitution intended. Reinvigorating congressional oversight requires a multipronged approach. First, Congress must develop concrete enforcement procedures that allow it to sidestep roadblocks the executive and judicial branches have created. Second, Congress must work to restore the balance of powers between itself and the executive branch. Congress has the authority to enforce its subpoenas without the involvement of the executive or judicial branches. The “inherent contempt” power is well-established in historical practice and Supreme Court precedent. In the past, the House or Senate sergeants-at-arms have actually arrested and imprisoned people who have been held in contempt of Congress.9 However, Congress has not used this power in modern times, and the process should be updated to meet current needs. When executive branch officials defy subpoenas, the proposal calls for the creation of bipartisan select committees to determine if contempt charges are warranted and refer those charges to the full House. An accused official would have the opportunity to mount a defense prior to the House vote. Should they be convicted, the general counsel would be empowered to collect fines from them until the contempt is resolved. The proposal would also create processes for prosecuting contempt should fines prove insufficient. It would provide for a criminal contempt vote in the House, followed by a vote to appoint a private attorney to prosecute the case on behalf of the House in federal court. Again, this process would allow the accused official to present a defense, as in any court procedure. This proposal would overcome the Justice Department’s obstructionist refusal to prosecute contempt citations against executive branch officials, and it would result in a process where Congress, not the courts, would be the primary driver in the effort to enforce its subpoenas. A Congressional Office of Legal Counsel The framers envisioned a government of separate but interdependent powers in which ambition would check ambition. But the terms of the legal debate between Congress and the executive branch are skewed toward the latter. There has been a bipartisan commitment by presidents to advance the institutional power of the executive branch, an advancement often facilitated by the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). Even though Congress has equally — or even more — valid institutional interests, it does not have an advocate that consistently advances those interests. That’s why POGO joins a number of experts in endorsing the creation of a congressional office that could play a role comparable to that of the Office of Legal Counsel by articulating Congress’s legal positions outside the context of litigation.11 One of the most comprehensive analyses of this dynamic was published last year by Professor Emily Berman.12 Stated simply, OLC gives the executive branch a significant advantage in oversight disputes because its legal opinions set the terms of the debate. It allows the targets of congressional investigations to point to a preexisting body of work that dismisses Congress’s prerogatives and casts executive intransigence as a constitutional mandate, rather than a subversion of checks and balances. Without the counterweight of a comparable source of work defending Congress’s institutional interests, Members and staff are at a disadvantage. They may even take OLC’s interpretations at face value, for lack of alternative resources. An example from a non-oversight context is illustrative. OLC asserted in 1974 that conflicts of interest laws don’t — and in fact, couldn’t — apply to the president and vice president.13 Congress then explicitly carved both positions out of legislation that created criminal penalties for violations of conflicts of interest rules governing the conduct of executive branch officials.14 Congress would need to decide where it would be most appropriate to house a congressional OLC equivalent. Ultimately, we believe the best solution is the one Congress identifies as the most suitable, and the Select Committee is well positioned to lead that effort. However, we will offer some general observations. As Berman notes, there are likely four places to house this office: within the House and Senate counsels’ offices, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Congressional Research Service (CRS), or a new standalone office.15 The counsels’ offices are relatively small and have a full workload with litigation responsibilities. In addition, part of the reason OLC enjoys a perception — however inaccurate — as a source of independent legal interpretation is its structural separation from the Justice Department’s litigation components. A congressional equivalent would likely benefit from a similar separation. The Government Accountability Office has the advantage of already providing legal interpretations on behalf of the legislative branch, and it has well-established procedures for carrying out that work.16 However, as Berman notes, its interpretive mandate is limited primarily to appropriations and spending issues.17 As a result, it may not have a particular advantage in taking on the work of a congressional OLC. The Congressional Research Service does have subject-matter expertise, primarily in its American Law Division. However, in recent years public reporting and a hearing before the House Administration Committee have raised concerns that both the service and the division struggle with a culture that is reluctant to take firm stances on contentious issues and has trouble retaining experts.18 Those qualities would be essential to a congressional OLC, so if these issues within the service are not addressed, it may not be a suitable home for this new office either. As a result, a standalone office may be preferable. But, however it is implemented, a congressional Office of Legal Counsel is an idea whose time has come.19 Currently, there are simply too many barriers to effective oversight of the executive branch. Most of these barriers are the result of a concerted effort by presidents and the Justice Department to undercut Congress’s constitutional power to investigate. But Congress can push back. A modern inherent contempt procedure would give it the tools to enforce its subpoenas without delay and in the face of executive branch opposition. And an office to articulate and advocate for congressional legal prerogatives would put Congress on a more equal footing with the executive branch going forward. My colleagues at POGO and I look forward to helping the Select Committee take on these important reforms in any way we can. Thank you again for the opportunity to testify. For a countervailing view based on historical practice and caselaw, see Mort Rosenberg, The Constitution Project, When Congress Comes Calling: A Study on the Principles, Practices, and Pragmatics of Legislative Inquiry, 2nd ed. (2017), 70-83, https://archive.constitutionproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/WhenCongressComesCalling.pdf. 4 Prosecutorial Discretion Regarding Citations for Contempt of Congress, 38 Op. O.L.C. 1 (2014) https://www.justice.gov/olc/file/2014-06-16-pros-disc-contempt-cong/download; Whether the Department of Justice May Prosecute White House Officials for Contempt of Congress, 32 Op. O.L.C. 65 (2008), https://www.justice.gov/opinion/file/832851/download. 5 Memorandum from Curtis E. Gannon, Acting Attorney General, about “Authority of Individual Members of Congress to Conduct Oversight of the Executive Branch,” May 1, 2017, https://www.justice.gov/olc/file/1085571/download. 6 David Johnston, “Top Bush Aides to Testify in Attorneys’ Firings,” New York Times, March 4, 2009, https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/us/politics/05rove.html; Josh Gerstein, “Subpoena fight over operation Fast and Furious documents finally settled,” Politico, May 9, 2019, ; Ann Marimow, “Biden administration, House Democrats reach agreement in Donald McGahn subpoena lawsuit,” Washington Post, May 11, 2021, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/donald-mcgahn-subpoena-lawsuit-settled/2021/05/11/8c445dfe-b2ab-11eb-ab43-bebddc5a0f65_story.html; David Janovsky, “Congress May Be on Its Own,” Project On Government Oversight, September 3, 2020, https://www.pogo.org/analysis/2020/09/congress-may-be-on-its-own/. 7 The Supreme Court has recently shown signs that it prioritizes executive branch interests over those of Congress. David Janovsky and Sarah Turberville, “Congress Needs to Reclaim Its Time From the Courts,” Project On Government Oversight, November 18, 2020, https://www.pogo.org/analysis/2020/11/congress-needs-to-reclaim-its-time-from-the-courts/. 8 Courtney Bublé, “Republican Senator Holds Up Nominations While Awaiting IG Firing Explanations,” Government Executive, June 5, 2020, -senator-holds-nominations-while-awaiting-ig-firing-explanations/165963/; Rosenberg, When Congress Comes Calling, 308 [see note 3]. 9 Rosenberg, When Congress Comes Calling, 24-25 [see note 3]. 10 “Inherent Contempt Fines Rule,” Good Government Now, https://goodgovernmentnow.org/modified-inherent-contempt-enforcement-rule/. 11 See, for example, Emily Berman, “Weaponizing the Office of Legal Counsel,” Boston College Law Review, vol. 62, no. 2 (2021), https://lawdigitalcommons.bc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3938&context=bclr; Oona Hathaway, “National Security Lawyering in the Post-War Era: Can Law Constrain Power?” UCLA Law Review, vol. 68, no. 2 (2021), https://ssrn.com/abstract=3530588; Article One: Restoring Capacity and Equipping Congress to Better Serve the American People: Hearing Before the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress, 116th Cong. (January 14, 2020) (statement of Elise Bean, Co-director, Levin Center at Wayne Law), https://www.congress.gov/116/meeting/house/110374/witnesses/HHRG-116-MH00-Bio-BeanE-20200114.pdf; Harold Hongju Koh, The National Security Constitution: Sharing Power after the Iran-Contra Affair (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1990), 169-171. 12 Berman, “Weaponizing the Office of Legal Counsel,” 531-559 [see note 11]. 13 Memorandum from Deputy Attorney General Laurence H. Silberman to Richard T. Burgess, Office of the President, about “Conflict of Interest Problems Arising out of the President’s Nomination of Nelson A. Rockefeller to be Vice President under the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the Constitution,” August 28, 1974, 2, https://fas.org/irp/agency/doj/olc/082874.pdf. 14 18 U.S.C. § 202(c) (2020), https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:18%20section:202%20edition:prelim). 15 Berman, “Weaponizing the Office of Legal Counsel,” 562-566 [see note 11]. 16 Government Accountability Office, Office of the General Counsel, Procedures and Practices for Legal Decisions and Opinions, GAO-06-1064SP (September 2006), https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-06-1064sp. 17 Berman, “Weaponizing the Office of Legal Counsel,” 563 [see note 11]. 18 Oversight of the Congressional Research Service: Hearing before the House Administration Committee, 116th Cong. (June 20, 2019), https://cha.house.gov/committee-activity/hearings/oversight-congressional-research-service; Chris Marquette, “Public to get rare look inside the Congressional Research Service, with attrition, morale points of contention,” Roll Call, June 19, 2019, https://www.rollcall.com/2019/06/19/public-to-get-rare-look-inside-the-congressional-research-service-with-attrition-morale-points-of-contention/. 19 Congress came close to establishing such an office in the 1970s, but the House and Senate were unable to come to an agreement. Berman, “Weaponizing the Office of Legal Counsel,” 563 [see note 11]; The advantages of a congressional OLC would likely extend beyond the oversight context into areas like national security law. Hathaway, “National Security Lawyering in the Post-War Era: Can Law Constrain Power?” [see note 11].

Bats’ nighttime nature, joined with the way that they regularly live in caves, gave them a noteworthy “relationship with the hidden world and passing,” concurring to the Library Of Congress. Folklorist Frank C. Brown recorded that in the mid twentieth century, numerous Americans related bats with death or misfortune. What’s more, the fallen heavenly messenger Ariel was frequently portrayed as riding on a bat, as far back as Shakespeare’s time. They’re an in the middle of sort of creature Bats are the main flying warm blooded creature, and a few societies look at them as a “liminal” creature — not a significant bird, not exactly a vertebrate. Something different liminal? Halloween. “One of the fundamental topics of Halloween is liminality — the in the middle ness. It’s between one state and another state; among development and passing; among fall and winter, the start of the new year. There are a wide range of images of that in the middle ness,” Steve Siporin, a set of experiences educator and folklorist at Utah State University, told Popular Science. Fault Bram Stoker Agreeing to the Library of Congress, it’s not satisfactory when bats became related with vampires, however models show up in the vampire fiction of the last part of the 1700s and 1800s. In the most popular illustration of this genre, Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula, vampires can transform into bats freely: “I thought it well to know whether conceivable where the Count would go when he went out. I didn’t see him; yet I saw a bat ascend from Renfield’s window, and fold toward the west,” the person Quincey Morris describes. Others say that bats have been related with Halloween for many years, says thanks to to Samhain, a Celtic collect festival. Celebrations involve lighting huge fires, which draw in bugs — which, thus, draw in bug-chomping bats. In a somewhat unique hypothesis, Nate Fuller, an alumni understudy in Boston University’s bat science program, told Quartz that when Irish and Scottish outsiders went to the United States, they started to connect bats with Samhain, basically in light of the circumstance. A few types of bats will hibernate or fly south for the colder time of year, so in the northern U.S., you can see them amassing in October and November. We simply don’t get them A few specialists accept that bats are related with Halloween because they’re simply, all things considered, odd. “Individuals dread what we don’t comprehend, and with bats nighttime, and having a tendency to be little, they’re enigmatic,” Joy O’Keefe, overseer of the Indiana State University Bat Center, told Popular Science. “Even us bat researcher don’t have the foggiest idea about a ton about them. It just takes a couple of wrong goes to sustain legends and fears about bats.” However, in spite of the fact that they may be unpleasant, bats are additionally useful to the climate. They eat bugs — so numerous that, as per the National Wildlife Foundation, they save us somewhere in the range of $3.7 and $54 billion in bother control benefits each year. They likewise help fertilize more than 700 plants, including numerous we love to eat, like avocados, bananas, peaches, and mangoes. So when you put up bat-formed divider stickers before your Halloween party, recollect that they help us people, regardless of whether they freak us out. Dark specialty froth, googly eyes and fishing line are all you need to make an entire state of diving, weatherproof bats. Children of all shapes and sizes will cherish this fast and simple Halloween make, ideal for adding a creepy touch to your front yard.

10 more were added. The addition is 2 digits. The addition is 3 digits. The addition is 4 digits. Add and match. Add and Multiply. Add tens. Adding 3 numbers. Add 4 numbers. What is the addition chart? The addition chart is a fun way to introduce students to basic addition. Students can fill in the blank on the addition table chart with follow up worksheets. There are charts for Superstar. What is the answer key? There is an unlimited supply ofprintables for addition of whole numbers and integers, including both horizontal and vertical problems, missing number problems, and more. The answer key is included in the PDF and html versions of the worksheets. What is the reason why parents should access addition worksheets? Parents should access the addition worksheets to practice the repetitive practice kids need as they begin the race toward math mastery. We offer a lot of techniques to help kids master this skill. What are the best ways to teach children the addition operation? The best way to teach children about addition is with pictures. There are many activities for kids to do on card addition, dice addition, addition of shapes and picture addition. You can view all. There are additional activities. Enjoy all the activities in the learning addition. How many figures are included in the Advanced addition worksheet? There are advanced addition worksheets that include large numbers with more than 6 figures. Adding the numbers to the list. Word problems are added. You can practice these word problems to understand how addition is used. Number Bond addition. The kids learn addition in an interactive way with the number bonds. What is the name of the columns that add two, three, and four digit numbers? Add two, three, and four digit numbers. Column addition is adding columns of one, two, three, and four-digit numbers. Number families are added/ subtracted. The number family and number bond will teach students about the relationships between numbers. There are squares (puzzles). What is the first section of the Addition worksheets? You can find addition activities from addition facts and two-digit addition to column addition and addition with games on this page. The first section has some addition printables that should help out the beginning student. Teaching facts with interesting teaching strategies is the best way to do it. What is the color of the page that contains printable addition tables and charts? Tables and Charts are added. The tables and charts are available in both color and black-and-white formats. You can get some of these for free. What is the CCSS? This enormous collection of math sheets for students of elementary school, middle school and high school will help them build their skills. The practice covers all the key math topics like number sense, measurement, statistics, geometry and pre-algebra. What is the most comprehensive library of printable worksheets & digital games for kids? The most comprehensive library of games for kids. Thousands of teacher-crafted activities sync up with the school year. What is the addition facts unit printable? There are fact sheets for the numbers 1-9 in the addition facts unit. If your child is just starting to learn how to add, I would recommend printing these out. The number line is useful for beginning skills. What is the addition worksheets page at Math-Drills.com? We will add to your learning experience in many positive ways by adding the addition worksheets page at Math-Drills.com. There are addition facts and two-digit to column and games on this page. The beginning student should get a few pointers from the first section. What is the name of the worksheet that helps students master math skills? Reinforce learning in the classroom. If your students need practice with addition facts, carrying numbers, regrouping digits, adding fractions, or other core concepts, these will help them master math skills. They are available for all grade levels. What is the name of the worksheets that you can use to teach? A collection of easy to print addition and subtraction activities. Use fact families to teach. Get three if you memorise one. 10-2=8, 10-8=2 are the numbers. What is the name of the math explained in easy language? There are games, puzzles, videos, and quizzes about math. For kids, teachers and parents. What are the squares that add up to the given sum? You can use these square sheets to add vertically and horizontally in a variety of grid types, including 2x2, 3x3 and 10x10 with single and double digits. The addends that add up to the given sum can be found by finding the squares by the numbers in the rows. How many pages of printable worksheets are in this download? There are over 900 pages of freePrintables in this download. Shapes, addition, subtraction, multiplication tables chart, division, and more are some of the basic math operations that they cover. If you want to get all our practice in one place, you can buy our bundle here. What is the perfect tool for putting together a Landform unit study or science journal? There are more than 30 landform worksheets. It's great for putting together a Landform study. Over 30 different landforms are covered. Students are asked to color, describe, and locate famous or local examples of landform. What is the name of the riddles that weu2019ve published? Hundreds of brand new and original riddles for kids have been published on this site. We used the best of the riddles to make many free.

Mandarin Chinese is the official language of Mainland China and is one of the official languages of the United Nations. It is the most widely-spoken language in the world. Mandarin Chinese is sometimes referred to as a “dialect”. There are many versions of Mandarin spoken throughout China, and these are usually classified as dialects. Mandarin uses four tones (Other Chinese languages have up to 10 distinct tones) to clarify the meanings of words. Since many characters have the same sound, tones are used to differentiate words from each other. This is why many foreigners tend not to try but to play dumb. When learning new language vocabulary you must practice both the pronunciation of the word and its tone. The wrong tones can change the meaning of your sentences. The four tones in Mandarin are: high level – first tone rising – second tone falling rising – third tone falling – fourth tone Here’s where it gets tricky! First tone: ma1 or mā Second tone: ma2 or má Third tone: ma3 or mǎ Fourth tone: ma4 or mà Pinyin uses either numbers or tone marks to indicate the tones. Here is the word ‘ma’ with tone marks: The tones are used to determine the meaning of a Mandarin word. So mǎ (horse) is very different from mā (mother). Just sayin!PinyinChinese CharacterMeaningSound Clipmā媽motheraudiomá麻hempadiomǎ馬horseaudiomà罵scoldaudio

From the time we are young, our parents, teachers, pediatricians and other influential adults instruct us to eat fruits and vegetables as a way to stay healthy. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” or so we are told. While a diet high in fruits and vegetables is certainly better than eating potato chips and fast food hamburgers, the ketogenic diet asks us to stay away from a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including staples like apples, bananas, oranges, and potatoes. Why Does the Keto Diet Prohibit Certain Fruits and Vegetables? The most important aim of the keto diet is to limit the consumption of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which then becomes the main source of energy the body uses throughout the day. Insulin is thus also produced to help the body process the excess glucose. By starving the body of carbohydrates, the body will naturally enter into a state known as ketosis, wherein ketones (instead of glucose), become the main energy source the body uses. Optimum ketone levels in the body offer several health benefits, including weight loss, controlled insulin levels (and thus prevention of diabetes), increased mental focus, among others. While limiting carbohydrate intake is your main task with the keto diet, the limited amount of carbohydrates you are allowed to have should come from fruits and vegetables. What is Not Allowed? Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, yams, and asparagus are prohibited in the keto diet because they are extremely high in carbs while offering little else nutritionally. Furthermore, sweet fruits, such as apples, oranges, bananas and others are also on the do-not-eat list because of the high sugar and carb content. Most people on a keto diet aim to keep their carbohydrate intake under 30 grams per day and the USDA estimates1 that one large apple alone has over 30 grams of carbs. It is preferable to get the limited number of carbs from other fruit and vegetable sources that are lower in carbs per weight while also offering other nutritional benefits for the overall diet. What Fruits and Vegetables You Can Eat Instead of the more traditional tree fruits, berries are a much better fruit option for the keto diet. One cup of strawberries only contains 8 grams of carbs while a cup of blueberries, which are also high in antioxidants, contains only 17 grams of carbs. In addition, avocados are generally accepted as a positive fruit to include in your keto diet. One half of an avocado contains less than 2 grams of carbs while also being high in beneficial fats like Alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) and oleic acid. Leafy green vegetables, like spinach and kale, are usually considered good vegetables for the keto diet when consumed in moderation. Both of these vegetables are extremely low in carbohydrates while constituting an excellent source of fiber, folate, carotenoids, and other essential vitamins and minerals2 that your body needs.

Photography is a difficult art form to master. You need some degree of talent to succeed as a photographer, but the most important part of successful photography is putting in the effort to learn photographic techniques. You don’t have to be born with the ability to take an amazing photograph, but you will have to take the time to learn what you can about the techniques and secrets the professionals use. Continue reading this article to find those tips and more! If you wish to take professional pictures, you have to have a professional camera. For the best photos, look into buying a DSLR camera. Most professional photographers use these, so you need one too if you want to produce the same quality in your pictures that the experts do. To create pictures that resemble things like water colors, sketches, or oil paintings, use digital methods. Adobe Photoshop is the best-recognized software package for doing this, although there are other options available from other manufacturers. Often, turning a photo into a work of art is easy; simply apply a filter in the medium of your choice. A vital photography composition factor, is framing. Zoom in on your subject and eliminate any surrounding distractions. Your subject should fill the frame to add the most impact to your photo, avoiding clutter. In terms of great photography tips you can use, here is one that’s very underrated. Learn as much as you can about the speeds your shutter has. There are S, P, M,and A settings on your camera. The P setting is your program mode. The program mode allows you to set up the shutter speed and the aperture automatically. When you don’t know what you’ll be taking pictures of, it’s best to use this mode. Don’t be afraid to break some photography rules with your camera. Good pictures show personal expression and convey a message. Try to avoid the style of photos that you may have seen many times before. Try new, unique angles, and be creative. Experiment with your camera’s various features, along with angles and colors. An original object is something that is not required to take a great looking picture. A good photograph entails making a photo of something unoriginal interesting, because of their creative skills and talent. Practice and experiment until you find your own personal style! Make sure your batteries are always charged so that you never miss an incredible shot. Digital cameras usually use quite a bit of battery power, usually when using LCD screens, so always make sure your battery is fully charged before using the camera. If you are really serious about photography, then you might even want to carry extra batteries in your camera bag, so you never miss anything good. As you have seen, you can improve your photography and have a successful reputation that many other fields do not offer. A good picture requires more than a point and shoot camera. Photography is taking a ephemeral object or event and allowing it to live on forever. When you are choosing which photographs you want to display, look at each picture you have taken and only choose your favorites. Do not display all of your photos or ones of the same things over and over. It is very tedious to see this type of repetition. So keep it fresh while showing all your different photography skills.

There are 1,100 species in North America. All their larvae are plant feeders and very specific to a host plant. Often this will lead to common names being that of the host plant! Identification of sawflies is quite difficult even though they are common. Typically it’s the antennae and wing vein characteristics that provide the information for an accurate ID to the species level. Tenthredinidae (Common Sawflies) Tenthredo lobata – Common Sawfly

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service represents the sixth essay in a 23-part series about the James Bond cinemas. I encourage everyone to comment and join in on an extended conversation about not only the films themselves, but cinematic trends, political and other external influences on the series’ tone and direction. by James David Patrick I originally embarked on this voyage to watch and discuss all 23 James Bond movies because I wanted to look more closely at the temporality of the Bond adventures. A theme inspired by a moment in Skyfall when Daniel Craig retrieves the Aston Martin DB5 from storage, a car with which his Bond has had no prior relationship. Having had six different actors play the role with eleven different directors behind the camera, how did the series adjust from one actor to the next? Natural shifts in style and substance brought upon by external market influences and cinematic trends? How did filmmaking decisions attempt to explain the continuity from film to film? Or, conversely, did the filmmakers try to explain it at all? Part 1: Unveiling the First New Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service After Sean Connery quit the role of James Bond, Saltzman and Broccoli offered the role to then 22-year-old Timothy Dalton. Dalton declined, considering himself too young for the role. Lazenby meanwhile had moved to London in 1963, the year Dr. No was released. He became a used car salesman and then a male model before landing a commercial spot. In the Bond documentary Everything or Nothing, Lazenby said “I had nothing on my mind, night and day, except getting that job.” He purchased a Savile Row suit and a Rolex identical to James Bond’s and got his hair cut by Connery’s barber. Some stories suggest Lazenby met Cubby Broccoli at the barbershop and Broccoli liked the cut of his jib. Others suggest he snuck past the EON Productions secretary and once through the door introduced himself by saying “I heard you’re looking for James Bond.” Either way he willed himself into contention and survived the four-month Bond search. The picture below shows the five finalists for the role. (Don’t you just feel damn sorry for the other four gentlemen? Also, how did they get that far??) Broccoli and Saltzman were often slaves to public opinion, or at the very least, their perception of public opinion, often overcompensating to relative success or failure. Connery had been such a success in the Bond role that they intended to repeat that success by casting another relative unknown, a move they would certainly regret, both due to Lazenby’s off-screen personality and lackluster box office return. They never needed to express their regret publicly; Lazenby abandoned his seven-picture deal before the release of the film (he felt that the Bond series was a dinosaur that couldn’t survive the progressive 1970’s). The further course-correction undertaken after the relative “failure” of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, however, speaks volumes. I’d circled On Her Majesty’s Secret Service on my calendar because this would be the first film in which I could really focus on how the series shifted from one actor to the next (and back again, but that’s a chat for next week). Before watching the film for the first time in twenty years I did a little research about how Lazenby had been marketed. At the end of his tenure, Connery had been synonymous with Bond. The posters for You Only Live Twice put the phrase “Sean Connery is Bond” as large as the title itself. Advance posters for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, on the other hand,completely obscured Bond’s face in a portrait surrounded by eight bikini-clad women. (When in doubt, go back to the staples: guns and girls.) The primary theatrical poster returns to the Bond basics. It boasts “FAR UP! FAR OUT! FAR MORE! James Bond 007 is back!” (See poster above.) A tuxedo-clad Lazenby postures with a gun on skis. Diana Rigg’s cleavage on full display (also on skis). Telly Savalas fires upward at him from a bobsled (spoiler!). Helicopters. Explosions. Skiers with assault rifles. The style of the poster itself is standard hyperbolic artwork (exceptionally so considering Secret Service is a return to a more character- and narrative-driven Bond film) consistent with the last Connery posters for the spectacle films You Only Live Twice and Thunderball. Lazenby’s name appears small and at the bottom alongside Rigg and Savalas. Rigg would have been the biggest star in the film because of her role as Emma Peel on the Avengers. Other than the foreign film roles Lazenby had lied about on his resume, his only prior acting experience had been a Big Fry Chocolate commercial. On these new posters, as opposed to the You Only Live Twice Connery poster, the James Bond character is the only attraction, just as it was on the first Dr. No posters where Sean Connery’s name is barely visible and the movie is billed as “Ian Fleming’s Dr. No.” But even after fans were lured back by the Bond name and whiz-bang marketing, they still had to be convinced that Lazenby could be the face of the franchise. The series had reached a critical point. How would the filmmakers approach On Her Majesty’s Secret Service knowing they not only had to make a great movie, but also set the table for Bond’s future with an actor not named Sean Connery? The Formula Adopts a Variable Self-awareness has been an expected and almost necessary part of the modern Bond formula. As I suggested in my introductory essay to the series, Skyfall is remarkable because it succeeds at being both a quality movie and at hauling the requisite Bond baggage from the 22-prior films (whether it is a great Bond movie is up for debate). Fans love to be rewarded for their loyalty with knowing winks. In order for the movie to succeed on its own merit, however, those knowing winks cannot interrupt or detract from the narrative itself lest they seem cloying or pandering. Director Sam Mendes included dozens of sly references to past Bond films in Skyfall but only one called attention to itself as nothing more than a nod to the past – that DB5 resurrection (apparently from carbon storage due to its pristine condition). What screenwriter Richard Maibaum and director Peter R. Hunt depict in the pre-credit sequence of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service lays bare their concept for the series A.C. (after Connery). After Bond rescues a girl from the surf and fights off two would-be assailants, the girl drives away without a word leaving Bond stranded on the beach. Lazenby as James Bond then turns toward the camera and says, “This never happened to the other fellow.” On one hand, the line is an easy joke, a quick one-liner in the wake of violence – a Bond series staple. On the other, the line is a profound statement of awareness. James Bond talked through the camera to the audience. He’s saying I know that you know I’m not Sean Connery and I want you to know that I know you know I’m not Sean Connery. It’s a brilliant filmmaking decision, one of the most daring in the entire 007 series. That said, as a cinematic tool, it wasn’t a new concept. The popular contemporary films Alfie (1966) and best picture-winner Tom Jones (1963) would have already established this filmmaking trick in the public consciousness, albeit in the comedy genre. Breaking the fourth wall has a long history in comedy, going back to Groucho Marx who regularly used asides and fourth wall tricks in the Marx Bros. comedies of the 1930s. While the Bond films use humor to palletize violence and sex, they cannot themselves be considered comedic. The moment is brief, but bold, and lingers for only a second before the film cuts to the traditional silhouettes of the Bond title sequence, which is, in itself, a montage of scenes from old Bond films without the appearance of James Bond himself. Many fans take offense to this moment. They complain that it’s not a “Bond moment.” But I’m going to call this suggestion into question. It is absolutely a Bond moment. Because from this moment forward, Bond, to varying degrees, is linked to the self-referential awareness of itself as a series of films depicting events in the career of one 00-agent. If you, as the viewer, accept George Lazenby and Sean Connery as the same character then you are also a willing conspirator. The Roger Moore films stray temporarily from acknowledging the past before incorporating a number of references to the Sean Connery films (and a brief mention of his dead wife) in The Spy Who Loved Me. Like EON’s rebellion against the serious Bond film, against a James Bond with feelings, against James Bond movies too close to the source material, the temporary absence of self-awareness is also a knee-jerk reaction to the relative failure of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and an attempt to fully reboot the series. The modern James Bonds (Brosnan and Craig), however, bathe in self-awareness and in the tropes of Bond’s past. Audiences, for better or worse, crave this two-way communication. Do a simple Google search for “Skyfall Bond references” to find dozens of fan-made lists chronicling the self-referential moments contained within the film. Furthermore, consider the scene in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service that takes place when Bond resigns his post. As 007 cleans out his desk, he removes a number of items from his desk drawer, mementos of sorts: Honey Rider’s knife from Dr. No, the watch from From Russia With Love and the underwater breather from Thunderball. Even the janitor in the MI-6 offices is whistling the Goldfinger theme. Of course, these items aren’t mementos for James Bond – they belong to the audience (because Bond would consider such things frivolous). They’re tchotchkes we’ve collected and catalogued along our cinema travelogue. It’s an assault of references that are all again planted to remind everyone watching that George Lazenby isn’t Sean Connery, but he is James Bond. (He’s same character and he remembers the same things you do! Really. Honestly. We promise. Look. Here’s the stuff that belonged to the Sean Connery Bond that you, I mean, he, kept as souvenirs from his prior exploits!) Not only does On Her Majesty’s Secret Service introduce self-awareness into the Bond formula but the sixth Bond film also poses the first temporal anomaly in the series that suggests we cannot consider the Bond series to be linear. In You Only Live Twice Bond finally squares off against Ernst Stavro Blofeld face to face in what the Fleming books considered the climax of the Blofeld plot. Bond goes undercover as genealogist Sir Hilary Bray. Blofeld intends to lay claim to the title “Comte Balthazar de Bleuchamp” – Bleuchamp being the French form of the Blofeld family name. Had Bond actually met Blofeld previously this undercover scheme would not have been possible. Had they met before they also wouldn’t have required a scene of formal introductions in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. If the Bond franchise existed only on-screen, this kind of anomaly would be inexplicable. What we have, however, is a series that existed first on the page and was then translated to the screen in an order determined by budgetary constraints and perceived marketability. The curious thing about this is that the filmmakers in charge of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (Richard Maibaum and Peter Hunt being the most influential creative contributors) chose, on this one particular occasion to create a Bond movie that remained very true to the source material. So true, in fact, that they even chose not to alter the pre-existing on-screen relationship between Bond and Blofeld. If I were prone to wild conjecture (perhaps just this once) I’d suggest that as the editor of the first three Bond films and second unit director for the subsequent two, Hunt had formed a few strong opinions about the direction the franchise should take. And he was determined to follow through when he was finally offered the directorial job on On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, his directorial debut. That said, whatever his reasoning, it can’t be discounted. It boils down to this. Blofeld didn’t know Bond, and therefore, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service must, logically, take place before You Only Live Twice in the Bond chronology. Return for a second to the drawer Bond empties out in his office. He removed trinkets from Dr. No, From Russia With Love and Thunderball and the janitor whistles the theme from Goldfinger, but the movie recalls nothing from You Only Live Twice. This omission is either a convenient oversight or a deliberate choice. I suggest the latter, albeit with one caveat. In the opening credit sequence that I mentioned earlier – the one containing clips from the prior Bond movies flowing through an hourglass – contains fleeting moments from You Only Live Twice. I excuse this because the clips are played entirely for the viewer and likely weren’t a choice made by Maibaum or Hunt, but rather from above, from EON Productions and Saltzman and Broccoli. Since the typical opening sequence contains silhouettes of naked women writhing to a suggestive theme song (something that doesn’t really happen on screen), it shouldn’t be difficult to write this off as something outside and unrelated to the Bond spacetime. When he turned to the camera and uttered that one little phrase at the beginning of his sixth adventure, James Bond turned the franchise upside down. No matter your opinion of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service as a standalone film, it must be conceded that the film serves as a fascinating turning point in the series. Not only is it the first time the Bond role changes hands, but it is also a distinct departure in tone, style and substance from the movies that immediately preceded it. That many fans now consider it to be an upper-echelon Bond entry (meanwhile others wildly disagree) makes for a fascinating discussion about the value of hindsight and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’s lingering repercussions, both as a result of its perceived box office failure and the introduction of self awareness, a brand new variable to the tried and true formula. A strong case could be made that Daniel Craig’s Bond films have become a spiritual successor to Lazenby’s only outing. Consider the serious tone, the more personal look at the emotion and motivation behind 007’s actions. Also, lest we forget that On Her Majesty’s Secret Service introduced the tchotchkes that Bond must now carry around with him and scatter throughout his missions for our viewing edification. You can be quite sure that the contents of Daniel Craig’s Bond baggage fills far more than just a tiny little desk drawer.

You are out in the wild almost dying of thirst – and then you stumble upon a spring of water. But alas! you didn’t carry your portable water filter with you! Just as you are about to risk drinking unfiltered water, you remember reading on a blog that you can use a tampon to filter water. Day saved! Or is it? Can tampons be used for water filtration? Yes, a tampon can be used to filter water. However, it can only filter sediments and other debris but cannot filter pathogens and heavy metals. A tampon water filter should therefore be used as a pre-filtration system after which you should either boil or use water purification tablets to make the water 100% safe for consumption. How does a tampon filter water? A typical tampon consists of three parts: an applicator made out of materials like plastic or heavy cardboard materials to protect the actual tampon, a string to enable insertion and removal, and a piece of tightly packed cotton usually for different levels of absorbance. If you were out in the wild for days without clean water, a tampon could literally save your life. The only other item to this camper’s trick is an airtight bottle, eg. a 500ml plastic soda bottle. Here is what to do; - Cork your bottle tightly and then cut it in half to make a funnel - Push your tampon to the bottleneck until it is tightly positioned - Prick a small hole in the bottle and then allow your water to decant slowly into a cup or the other half o f the bottle that you cut - it will take some time but the result with be clear water that is completely free of all debris and dirt. . Are there any risks to using a tampon to filter water? A tampon filter will not remove heavy metals, bacteria, and other microorganisms from the water. It is only good for removing visible dirt. As tempting as it might be chug your cup of tampon-filtered water, boil it first to kill any diseases causing microorganisms in the water. if you are in full survival mode with no options, then you can drink the water but if you can wait, it is better to boil the water first. The following are some of the contaminants that your tampon water filter may not be able to eliminate from the water. - Bacteria: Not all bacteria are pathogens but the ones which are can be extremely harmful to the body. A bacterial infection such as a urinary tract infection or strep throat can result from drinking water that might look clean but is actually filled with these microscopic organisms. These diseases are cured by taking antibiotics. I cannot emphasize enough that you seek medical assistant If your water elicits physical symptoms such as - Viruses: Viruses are other pathogens that can be found in water and they are known to cause all manner of viral infections. Although viral infections due to drinking contaminated water are not as common as bacterial infections, they still occur so it is best to be safe than to be sorry. - Fungi: Studies have shown that when you drink water that is contaminated with fungi, you could suffer from a variety of allergies, intoxication, and a horde of fungal opportunistic infections - Parasites: Cryptosporidiosis and Giardiasis are the commonest parasitic infections that you can suffer from drinking contaminated water. The CDC warns against drinking contaminated water as it has been identified as the leading cause for Guinea worm, schistosomiasis, amebiasis, cryptosporidiosis (Crypto), and giardiasis How else can you purify water in the wild? - Boiling – Experts advise that you should bring the water to a boil and keep it rolling for one minute to kill all pathogens. No pathogen can survive high temperatures so boiled water is completely safe. - Chlorination – Adding just a few drops of bleach with minuscule percentages (5%) of chlorine into the unpurified water will kill all pathogens. To avoid using too much chlorine, always keep some chlorine tablets handy which you can use to purify your water. - Sunlight- fetch your water in a clear bottle and place it out in the sun for a full day. The UV rays from the sun will kill the microorganisms and the water will be safe for drinking. obviously, this method will not remove the suspended solids and other visible debris.

Simon M. Lorne Recent scholarship on the history of financial regulation—including David Moss’s thoughtful, provocative, and useful paper in this volume—suggests that the period of relative financial stability from approximately 1933 to 1980 was a golden age of regulation. The corollary, of course, is that we now need to resurrect the regulatory policies of that era. I think that analysis, which is based solely on the low number of bank failures during the era—either in absolute numbers or in assets as a percentage of GDP—ignores too much of the universe. Although the period in question was not one of general stagnation, there certainly were stretches of less-than-robust growth between 1933 and 1980. Given that the first decade was not a moment in economic history that anyone would like to repeat; that mobilization for World War II distorted the 1940s; and that pent-up demand and the early impact of the baby boom were driving factors in the 1950s, economists should be hard-pressed to draw generalizable conclusions. Moreover, it was a period of little, if any, financial innovation; what innovation there was took place outside of the world of financial regulation—as in, for example, the initial formation of hedge funds, attributed to sociologist and financial journalist Alfred Winslow Jones in the late 1940s. In short, I am not inclined to accept, at least without more convincing evidence, that the 1933–1980 period was, in fact, a golden age of bank regulation. I would also note that an extended period in which there are few or no bank failures could give rise to at least three analytical hypotheses other than the one on which David Moss rests his case. First, the low failure rate might simply be the result of little or no business activity. Substantially reduced business activity necessarily makes bank failures unlikely, so that one can deduce little from the observation. Nor should it necessarily lead one to believe that effective regulation caused the dearth of failures. As Moss observes, the best way to eliminate automobile accidents is to reduce the speed limit to zero and ensure that the law is enforced. But there are (almost certainly unacceptable) social costs associated with such an approach. From a different perspective, and even more troublesome, it might be that an absence of bank activity (and hence an absence of bank failures) was the cause, not the result, of an absence of business activity. To the extent that bank regulation was responsible for a low level of bank activity, perhaps we should damn it as the cause of relative economic stagnation, rather than praise it. Finally, of course, there is a measurement problem. We can ascertain an economic activity level of X and a bank failure rate of Y—with Y being close to zero in this case—but we cannot determine what a bank failure rate of Y + Z would imply for the level of economic activity. I rather suspect that we should affirmatively embrace some level of bank failure as a necessary accompaniment to a robust economy. To the extent one can reduce failures without sacrificing the level of economic activity, so much the better. But as with most such measures, we should be wary of trying to eliminate failures entirely, and we should recognize that attempting to do so entails costs. We do not, of course, need to accept the level of failures that characterized 1929 to 1930 or 2008 to 2009; it may well be, however, that we should desire a greater rate of failure than that we experienced in the period from 1933 to 1980. In much of the current literature, there seems to be a consensus (albeit one that I shall challenge) that deregulation was a root cause of the financial crisis of the last two years. Moss’s claim is more subtle: he argues not that too much deregulation was adopted, but that the prevalence of an antigovernment mindset led to a failure to regulate. We should look not at the regulations that were repealed, he suggests, but at the regulations that might otherwise have been adopted and were not. That hypothesis, of course, is largely untestable. In my view, only three significant elements of actual deregulation were at all relevant to the 2008–2009 crisis. The first was the adoption of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the repudiation of the Glass-Steagall Act. (I should note that I have always thought that the repudiation of Glass-Steagall was ill-advised. I also believe that the separation of investment and commercial banking that Glass-Steagall mandated—which in many ways is what Chairman of the Economic Recovery Advisory Board Paul Volcker is currently urging, with his suggestion to deny trading authority to banks—was and remains sensible.) However, while passing Gramm-Leach-Bliley may have been a bad idea, it was not a root cause of the crisis, except insofar as it allowed the universal banks to be bigger and necessarily more interconnected, and, therefore, more easily deemed too big or too interconnected to fail. The second instance of deregulation (at least it is typically viewed as such) was the decision by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to allow the five largest brokerage firms, the Consolidated Supervised Entities (CSE)—Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers, and Bear Stearns—to be governed by Basel II standards rather than by the SEC’s standard net capital rules. The condition for this allowance was that the firms voluntarily submitted to the CSE regulatory regime, which was itself based on Basel II but administered by the SEC. Too much has been made of this move. It was not—as some have argued—an inherently weak “voluntary” submission to regulation. The SEC retained all the authority over those firms any regulator could want. Moreover, if the broker-dealer subsidiaries of the firms had remained under traditional net capital standards, there would have been very little, if any, difference in outcome. The problem was that the SEC had only a handful of people to oversee the regime across all five institutions—far too few to administer a Basel II regime. By comparison, many times that number were embedded within Fed-regulated institutions. Furthermore, it came to light that the SEC was not any better than the Fed at administering the standards. After all, it is not as though Fed regulation distinguished itself during the crisis. The third arguably relevant area of deregulation was the congressional legislation that denied the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regulatory authority over certain derivatives. This issue is usually discussed in the context of credit default swaps and the fall of AIG. True, the legislation was specifically deregulatory—one of the few examples, in fact. However, if credit default swap (CDS) transactions had been subject to full regulation as securities, the broader outcome would have been the same. Under SEC regulation, all the CDS contracts written by AIG would have been considered “private placements” and thereby exempt from SEC registration and review. Moreover, they all were written in London, beyond SEC jurisdiction. Centralized clearing might well have been helpful, although not without its own issues: indeed, the centralized clearing agency becomes a single point of failure and is inherently too big—or better said, too interconnected—to fail. In any event, a lack of SEC and CFTC jurisdiction over CDS transactions was never an element in any failure of regulation that might be identified as a cause of the financial collapse. In short, the deregulatory mindset—congressional acceptance of the Chicago School—was not nearly as pervasive as recent analyses might lead one to believe. Even less, I think, was deregulation (or a deregulatory mindset) a cause of the crisis. Put differently, I do not believe the academic writings were nearly as influential in the political sphere as Moss and others suggest, nor do I think that branches of academic writings were as uniformly accepted as those critics propose. Here, I offer an analogy: we have a tendency in this country to elect presidents based on one candidate’s earning 51 or 52 percent of the vote to the opponent’s 49 or 48 percent. Inexplicably, we then act as though the victor has received some sort of overwhelming public mandate. I think Moss and others do much the same when they perceive a ruling economic ideology. It may be—and, indeed, quite possibly is—accurate to say that the Keynesians held sway and then the Chicago School held sway. But the two sides were always fairly evenly balanced; the opposing view was never very far from the scene. I cannot help but note that the one area of the financial system that did not contribute to the crisis was hedge funds, which are commonly described as an unregulated segment of the market. Hedge funds did not fail in any large numbers during the years of the crisis and clearly were a negligible factor as a cause of the crisis. In my view, that was because lenders would not allow hedge funds to acquire the amount of leverage that was common in the large, regulated institutions, and those high levels of leverage were an essential ingredient of the failures. This experience could easily, and fairly, be described as one in which the unregulated markets worked far more effectively than the regulated markets. It could also be seen as an example of moral hazard played out—that is, in the unwarranted reliance on the regulatory structure. After Long-Term Capital Management’s failure and bailout in 1999, lenders were generally aware that lightly regulated hedge funds posed a significant credit risk and did not permit them to take on a great deal of leverage. By contrast, in the presumably well-regulated financial institutions, leverage was allowed to reach significant heights simply because lenders trusted in the efficacy of regulation. At bottom, I believe the crisis should properly be seen neither as a market failure nor a regulatory failure, but as a failure of people in both private institutions and regulatory agencies. At the level of the firm, people were charged with recognizing risk; they simply failed to do so or, equally offensive, they failed adequately to do anything about it. In some instances, it was risk-cognition failure. In others, it was willful blindness. At the regulatory level, actively involved regulators, primarily the Fed, simply failed to realize what was happening. I am reminded of Citigroup CEO Charles O. Prince’s statement: “If the music’s playing, we have to dance.” People made the unwise decision to dance. After an incident occurs, it is easy to conduct a forensic examination and identify the points, and often the causes, of failure. Over time, we will reach that stage with respect to the recent crisis. As for firms that did not fail, it is much more difficult to ascertain which factors were critically important to their not failing, and which, although necessarily a drag on productivity, did not much add to the ultimately beneficial result. I liken such an endeavor to Leo Tolstoy’s opening of Anna Karenina, roughly translated as: “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” I cannot quarrel with David Moss’s historical data—there were fewer bank failures in the 1933 to 1980 period than in the post-2007 period. I can, however, question whether that fact is evidence of an unadulterated good in the earlier period, and I can also question what lessons should be drawn from it. The body politic will no doubt respond in the manner that Moss recommends; whether that will improve the public weal over time will probably never be known.

One of the toughest days in many people's lives is the day they realize that their parents need financial help. Especially if your mom and dad were always there for you when you needed them, it's only natural to want to return the favor when they need you. A lot of families are finding themselves dealing with not just their own financial issues, but those of their parents and grandparents, too. According to the Federal Reserve's 2009 Survey of Consumer Finances, 35% of households headed by those 75 and older carry debt, as do 62.1% of households headed by those between 65 and 74. That's a rough place to be, especially for people who have already retired or are anticipating retiring soon -- and for those who care about them. How Can You Help Your Folks? If your parents are among those in debt on a fixed income, it's important to remember that not only do they need to get through the current crisis, but also the rest of their lives. Be sure to consider both their immediate needs and what the implications may be for the future. Here are a few key do's and don'ts for you to consider when helping them through their jam. Do talk with them about their end-to-end financial picture. Consider all their assets, all their debts, all their sources of income, and all the places they're spending their money. There might be a few fairly easy tweaks available, like cutting back cable or downsizing a car, which can help them get back on more solid ground. If larger changes are needed, the sooner you have this conversation, the less painful it will be for both you and them. Don't offer to co-sign loans or credit cards or otherwise take over any of their debts. The moment you agree to take on their debts, their financial problems become your problems, and their creditors on those debts can come after you and your assets if they fail to make the payments. If you feel personally obligated to financially cover their debt, consider gifting them money to pay it off, instead of co-signing. Do look for signs of declining mental and physical health. Especially if your parents had previously been solid stewards of their finances, a sudden onslaught of debt might be a sign of underlying issues. If they're becoming susceptible to scams, forgetting to pay bills, or need to pay for help for daily household tasks, you and they may need to consider more significant changes to their living situation. Don't raid their protected assets for a "quick fix." Depending on what caused their debt situation and how deep they're in it, bankruptcy may actually be a preferable option. Their IRAs, qualified employer retirement plans (like 401(k) plans and pensions), and homes may be largely protected from most creditors, even in a bankruptcy (depending on both state and federal law). But the moment they take cash out of their IRA to pay a debt, they lose both that protection and the future use of that money. Do make connections with local elder-care charities, senior centers, and other reputable agencies. You may only have one set of parents going through these types of money troubles, but chances are there are others in your community who are dealing with similar issues as well. Not only will you find the opportunity to commiserate with others going through shared experiences, but they may be able to point you in the direction of programs specifically designed to help. It's Not Easy, but It Can Be Worth It Having your parents reach out to you for financial help may be one of the toughest things to happen in your life -- and theirs. Helping them in a way that keeps both today and the future in mind just might be the best gift you can give them to help assure that the remainder of their golden years remain golden.

Should Iowa students be required to learn patriotism, Americanism in K-12 schools? More emphasis on "Americanism and patriotism" should be required for Iowa students attending K-12 schools, according to a state government panel representing Iowa's military veterans. The Iowa Veterans Commission has adopted the initiative as part of its policy agenda for the 2018 session of the Iowa Legislature. Chairman Dan Gannon of Ankeny, a Marine Corps infantry veteran of the Vietnam War, said Wednesday he's hearing from other veterans that Iowa's schools aren't spending enough time teaching pupils about the sacrifices of veterans and the freedoms held by American citizens. “What we are trying to do, whether or not we get a bill passed, is to bring up the awareness that we need to go back to doing this," Gannon said. "You hear this stuff, and I don't know how true it is, about some schools not doing the Pledge of Allegiance. If we are not doing those kinds of things in our schools, what are they learning when it comes to our American history?" Gannon added. Veterans from throughout Iowa filled the Iowa Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday for speeches focused on veterans' issues. They heard remarks by Gov. Kim Reynolds and a host of others, and then spread throughout the building to lobby legislators. Besides the emphasis on patriotism and Americanism, the Veterans Commission's legislative agenda includes proposals to increase a military property tax break for veterans who are homeowners; expand veterans treatment courts; support efforts to transfer military job skills to the civilian labor market; improve mental health care for disabled veterans; and several other pro-veterans' proposals. Staci Hupp, a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Education, said there are currently no state requirements that patriotism and Americanism be taught in Iowa's schools, nor are there any requirements that students recite the Pledge of Allegiance. However, in Des Moines Public Schools, the state's largest district with 33,000 students, there are already a host of regular, ongoing activities underscoring the importance of American citizenship, said Des Moines Public Schools spokesman Phil Roeder. These activities range from having school days start with the Pledge of Allegiance at elementary and middle schools to having ROTC units at North High School and Central Campus. Schools having Veterans Day activities, mock elections, sing the National Anthem at sporting events, and offer a full curriculum with American government, civics, and U.S. history courses, Roeder said. The U.S. flag is displayed in classrooms and outside schools. In addition, elected officials regularly visit Des Moines Public Schools, Roeder said. Over the past couple of years, for example, President Barack Obama spoke at North High School; U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley met with students at East High; Gov. Kim Reynolds and U.S. Rep. David Young have made multiple visits to Des Moines schools; and state legislators frequently speak with students. The Des Moines School District’s education philosophy has as one of its expectations that students will "understand the rights and obligations of citizenship at local, state, national, and global levels," Roeder said. "It’s been said that ‘citizen' is the highest office in the land, and we try to educate young people who will go on to become thoughtful and engaged citizens," Roeder added. State Sen. Jeff Edler, R-State Center, vice chairman of the Iowa Senate Education Committeee, said he's visited with Gannon about his concerns. He said it's his impression that education about patriotism varies significantly from one school to another across the state. "Obviously we don’t want to put an unfunded mandate on the schools. That is a key concern. But I also do recognize the importance of the individual students understanding their roles as citizens in this great country," Edler said. Daniel Zeno, policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, said it would be "problematic" from a constitutional standpoint if Iowa students were required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. "But certainly the state encouraging learning about the Pledge and civics education are good and useful," he added.

DOWNERS GROVE, IL / ACCESSWIRE / March 13, 2020 / The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has released an important article in its signature publication, the Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (GIE) journal. The article, titled Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak: What the Department of Endoscopy Should Know, is written by ASGE member, Dr Alessandro Repici and his colleagues who have first-hand experience and are still in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis in Italy. Endoscopy is a place where patients and physicians have very close distance and physicians are exposed to splashes, mucus or saliva during procedures especially upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy. Moreover oral-fecal transmission has been postulated as a potential route for COVID-19 transmission. Endoscopy is also a place with significant concentration of people (staff, patients, caregivers, relatives, etc.) This is why establishing detailed and strict rules is of paramount importance to protect both personnel and patients. Even though health care personnel working in endoscopy units are not directly involved in the diagnostic and therapeutic evaluation of COVID-19 positive patients, endoscopy should still be regarded as a risky procedure. This risk of exposure and subsequent infection of endoscopy personnel is, in fact, substantial in cases of patients with respiratory disease that can be spread via an airborne route. The risk of exposure of endoscopy personnel is also not limited to upper endoscopy procedures, considering the recent detection of SARS-CoV in biopsy specimens and stools, suggesting a possible fecal-oral transmission. This could be even more relevant given that the virus transmission can occur during the incubation period in asymptomatic patients. Establishing infection prevention measures and guidelines within an endoscopy department is essential for creating a high-quality and extremely safe environment to protect both patients and personnel. In this new era of the COVID-19 outbreak, it is imperative that these measures be implemented and maintained to avoid further spread of the disease. “We recognize that ASGE members and their patients globally need to be diligent in maintaining individual health while minimizing disruption to day-to-day endoscopic practices and overall regional economies,” said John Vargo, MD, FASGE, President of ASGE. “It is a challenging time for the whole world, and endoscopists and physicians have the additional responsibility of protecting both patients and their own well-being.”

What is this subject about? Film Studies is the academic study of film and is designed to deepen your understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of film, the major art form of the twentieth century. It is an interesting and challenging course which will develop your written, analytical and creative skills. What will I study over the two years? The course will build on your prior knowledge of film through the study of a variety of different topics over two years. You will engage with a wide range of films, developing skills of observation, critical analysis and personal reflection. There will be a strong focus on film as an art form, with an emphasis on aesthetics and on how the language of film makes meaning for spectators. Topics studied include narrative and genre, spectatorship, the film auteur, and an exploration of political, social, cultural and historical contexts in relation to the films studied. The focus films include some mainstream Hollywood productions but also black and white, foreign language and independent films. The creative coursework component will give you the opportunity to apply knowledge and understanding through the construction of a screenplay or a short film. How is the course assessed? Assessment is by coursework on filmmaking or screenwriting (30%) and 2 essay-based exams (70%) at the end of your second year. What skills will I need and develop on this course? You will be encouraged to engage with a wide range of films, developing skills of critical analysis and personal reflection, as well as creativity and practical skills in both scriptwriting and filmmaking. What can the course lead to in terms of higher education and future careers? Many students go on to read Film Studies or Film Production at university but as the course is an academic A Level, it supports a variety of other subjects for university entry. Film Studies A Level has an excellent reputation and is accepted by the most competitive universities. What are the formal entry requirements for this course? Aside from the general entry requirements of the College, you will also need a minimum of: • Grade 4 in GCSE English Language Additionally a good level of creativity is a strong requirement for the creative thinking and application with the production work Subject combination advice Subject combination advice: Film Studies is a subject that by its nature requires students to consider individual, moral, ethical, social, cultural and contemporary issues. Therefore Film Studies combines well with any humanities subject; History, Philosophy, English, Politics or Sociology, for example. Also, as our specification strongly emphasises film as an art form, students will often combined it with other similar subjects, such as Photography, Fine Art, Performance Studies and others. Students are allowed to take Film Studies with Media Studies, as with the new specification they are notably different. A number of film students who are keen to join the film and media industries, either straight after college or after a film-based degree, combine Film Studies with one of our BTEC courses, in order to broaden both their practical and creative/analytical skills. We advise that you speak to a member of the Department for further information, if you are considering taking more than one qualification with us. What is the difference between Film A Level, Media A Level and BTEC media courses? Film Studies focuses purely on the study of film whereas Media Studies looks at a range of media (music videos, radio, TV programmes, newspapers, social media and more) but not film. Film Studies is closer in nature to English Literature, except the textual analysis is focused on film rather than the written word. Both Film and Media Studies encompass practical elements, with a 70% exam / 30% coursework ratio. The focus in BTEC, for the learner, is the acquisition of professional media skills which are theoretically underpinned and this is a ‘hands on’, practical course. The dominant learning paradigm is to ‘learn by doing’. The sharpest contrast between the two courses lies in the assessment of work.

I'm taking insulin now for my type 2 diabetes. I'm also very physically active. Is there anything I should know? Congratulations on being physically active! Exercise is one of the best things you can do to improve your insulin sensitivity—that is, your body's ability to use insulin. The more sensitive your cells are to insulin, the more glucose gets into your cells and the less glucose, or sugar, in your blood. There is even evidence that exercise can prevent type 2 diabetes in people with prediabetes (that is, people whose blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not at the level of having diabetes). It sounds as if you've been exercising regularly. However, when beginning a new or more strenuous exercise routine, it is important that you are evaluated for any preexisting medical conditions. These could include heart disease, high blood pressure, nerve damage or vision problems. Make sure you drink plenty of non-caloric beverages when exercising. If your blood sugar levels are low, exercise can cause them to drop. If you're using insulin or taking a sulfonylurea medication and your blood sugar levels are less than 100 mg/dL, eat a snack that contains at least 15 grams of carbohydrate. It is important to check your blood sugar immediately after exercising and several hours later to make sure levels haven't dropped too low. If your blood sugar tends to drop after exercising, you can reduce your insulin dose before exercise or eat a carbohydrate snack before exercising. Ideally, you should get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (for example, brisk walking) to help improve blood sugar control, maintain weight and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. You can get more bang for your buck by exercising four or more hours a week at a moderate to high-intensity level, such as brisk walking or biking. To lose weight and keep it off, aim for about seven hours a week of vigorous exercise. You should also perform some type of resistance exercise like lifting weights three times a week, targeting all major muscle groups.

Every time I start a new group of new-born mothers I ask them to define what motherhood is. What it means for them, for each of them personally, not for their mothers, grandmothers, teachers, favourite actresses or authors. And very seldom there will be a woman ready to answer. The majority of them will confess that they never ever thought about it. Too busy, too tired, too much focused on others, I understand. It is not an easy question because motherhood is elusive to define. To create a definition you must think of the most important key word, a noun that gathers the message and the meaning. It has a to be a noun that has an expression of the most important. The mothers I worked with came up with lots of different options, all received and respected equally by me. Here are some examples of such definition: unconditional love, hard work, sacrifice, unpaid job, etc. I am a mother too. And I do have my definition that I would like to share with you. Again, it is my personal deep work, a summary of my life and work experience and I do not impose it. My key word for motherhood is MISSION. Motherhood is a mission. It is a mission to bring into the world a baby and to do your best to help this baby to become a complete HUMAN BEING. It is about the child and it is a hard work that requires knowledge, skills, unconditional love and enormous sacrifice. But this is about mother too, and requires of mother to be willing to change, to develop and to grow herself. Being in a mission requires to expand and to evolve in every possible sense – physically, mentally, socially and spiritually. Because the vital job in this mission is to be a role model, an example, an inspiration. Every aspect of mother’s life will affect every single aspect of child’s life. Mother is a destiny, and nothing less! This mission is about becoming and influencing! Children do not belong to the mother, they are given to her for a certain amount of time and during this time the mother holds the power to form or to damage, to encourage or to put down, to create solid self-confidence or everlasting anxiety and fear, to teach the child to enjoy life or to complain all the time. Every child comes to the world as a HOPE. A hope for a new, better form of life. It is not the child’s responsibility to heal trans-generational problems and traumas, neglect or abuse, addictions or sickness that happens in almost in every single family in the world. And it is not child’s job to heal it. Child comes to the world to make different decisions and to live a decent life. A life of dignity and prosperity. And this is absolutely possible! With one condition. Only, if the mother knows well her mission and is willing to do the job. EVERY SINGLE MOTHER holds the power of CHANGE. Bringing change into the world is her mission. By the way, it is 100% applicable for fatherhood.

Can you please tell me the difference between patchouli light and patchouli dark essential oil? Patchouli essential oil has been used for traditional medicine purposes for more than a hundred years. Today, we recognise two kinds of patchouli essential oil, light and dark patchouli. Both oils are commonly extracted from the pogostemon cablin genus, and are obtained through steam distillation. However, the container or vessel on which the patchouli plant is distilled determines what kind of essential oil will be produced. When leaves are distilled in a stainless steel container or vats, the result will be light patchouli essential oil. This essential oil is a thin and golden brown coloured oil. Or when leaves are distilled in a cast iron container or vats, the resulting essential oil is a thick and rich brown coloured oil. There is not too much difference between patchouli light and patchouli dark essential oils when it comes to scent though.

The BaM project will look at the lives of people without a migration background living in ethnically diverse neighborhoods where everybody belongs to a minority now. In a city like Amsterdam, today only one in three youngsters under the age of fifteen has two parents born in the Netherlands. This situation, where everybody belongs to a minority, is referred to as a majority-minority context. This situation is becoming more and more common in many neighborhoods of large Western European cities. For example, in 40% of the neighborhoods of Amsterdam, people of Dutch descent are now a numerical minority.

In this tutorial, you’ll go through different Power BI design ideas that you can use and implement in your inventory management dashboards. This is the final step when creating a report in Power BI. You need to clean it up so that it gives off a better impression to its users. Previous tutorials have discussed how to build an inventory dashboard from scratch starting from the data model to the complex DAX formulas. All you need to do now is to customize its design. Change Currency Format To start, make sure that the units of your cards are in U.S. dollars. Be strict with the format of the currencies for every report that you’re doing in Power BI. Add A Background Next, focus on making your dashboard look compelling. People can see the visualizations effectively if they look good and organized. You have to emphasize what you want the people to look at by adding icons and colors and making the titles readable. The first thing you should do is put a background in your dashboard. Power BI doesn’t have a built-in theme or color palette, so you have to work on them by yourself. For this example, search for pictures online that are related to a warehouse. It may look like this. However, you should not put it behind the dashboard directly because the colors are inconsistent which will make it hard for you to get the contrast of the texts in your visuals. So, you need to put a color on top of the picture to cover all the different hues within it. To do that, you have to use Microsoft PowerPoint. Put the picture in a slide, create a rectangle, and then put it on top. Next, fill the shape with a color and make it transparent so you can still see the background. The filled rectangle on top normalizes all the colors in the picture. After that, bring in the image to your canvas and see that it covers the entire dashboard. From there, you can add color palettes and build something on top of it to give it more life. Always remember that people are very visual. If you make your dashboard good and visually relevant, they are going to ingest that information better and faster. Choose A Color Theme One of the most important among all the Power BI design ideas is choosing a suitable color theme for your dashboard. You need to counter the background color to make your visualizations stand out. You need to find and bring in colors that go with it. For that, there are online websites that can help you. A website called palettefx.com tells you the colors that align with the image that you have. When you upload the background picture, it will give you the colors associated to that image. This includes the image details, such as: the HEX, RGB, and HSL. From the colors given, you can now create a palette. Go to another website called coolers.co and click Start the Generator. Copy the HEX code of the colors given on the first website, paste it on the page, and then lock them. Once done, click the space bar to see more colors that relate to the original colors you gave. If you click space bar multiple times, it will show you different colors that still go with what you input. All the colors shown in the page are workable with the background that you have. The next thing you should do is get a range of different themes or colors that align with the dashboard’s design. You need to collect the HEX value of each color because that is what you will put in the .json file. This is what you’ll need to bring in to incorporate themes in Power BI. After that, import the theme to your canvas. You’ll see the changes in your visualizations. That is a quick and easy way to create a background and color palette for Power BI dashboards. An in-depth discussion of creating color palettes is available in the previous chapter. Make sure to review it. Work On The Visuals Next, you need to work on your visuals. Get rid of all the titles because you’re going to recreate them. Change the color of the data labels to a light color and the charts’ color to a dark one to match the dark background. To make your visuals pop, create a shape. Get rid of the fill and put a little transparency behind it. Remove the outline and send it to the back of each visualization. Format The Titles Next, change the title to Inventory Management and the text color to white. This makes it easier to identify what you’re showcasing. For the table, make sure that the colors of the data labels, values, fonts, and headers are white. Emphasize the header by putting a dark background. Add Data Bars You can then use and add data bars. Data bars are great because it shows you the values inside your column through bars. To do that, click the drop-down button of Inventory Stock Quantity in Values. Click Conditional formatting and then choose Data bars. Next, change the color of the Positive bar into whatever matches the palette. Do the same for Quantity Sold Over Last 12 Months and Inventory Value. After putting in data bars, you can now easily see the results inside the table and extract insights from it. Add Labels For Each Visual You now need to start putting the titles back because people will wonder what each visualization is for and what’s in it. Bring in a text box and then input a title. Copy that box multiple times and distribute it to all the visualizations. Change the title so that it corresponds to the visuals. Add a description near the title so that people will quickly understand what they’re looking at. Use Icons And Images The last thing to do now is to bring in some icons. This is one of the most underrated Power BI design ideas in the list. A lot of people overlook the value of simple details like these. There’s a cool website called flaticon.com where you can get icons and vectors. If you try to search warehouse, it will give you multiple icons that you can download and use for free. Make sure that you get icons that relate to what you’re showcasing. Once you do, add it to your dashboard and place it near its corresponding visualization. When creating an inventory management dashboard in Power BI, the last step is to always clean up and secure all the details. You should never forget to change the interactions in your report. You need to ensure that everything is properly filtering inside the visuals. The Power BI design ideas presented in this tutorial has allowed you to transition from a blank canvas to a very compelling inventory management dashboard. You’ve gone through heaps of visualization techniques and DAX formulas. The key is to simply utilize the techniques inside your reports and make your visualizations produce useful insights to add value to yourself and your organization.

Meetings and events are big business. Today (April 12th) is Global Meetings Industry Day—an advocacy effort organized by Meetings Mean Business to draw attention to the economic impact the meetings and event industry has in the U.S. and beyond. The events industry supports jobs, brings money to local economies, and boosts dozens of industries. We wanted to help quantify that impact. Here are 12 eye-opening statistics on the impact of the meeting and event industry. Happy #GMID18, everyone! Event planning job growth outpaces the average by 4% According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for meeting and event planners is expected to grow at a rate of 11% from 2016 to 2026. Compared to the total expected growth of 7%, event planners appear to have a bright future ahead of them on the job market. One less thing for planners to stress about. There were 1.9 million meetings in 2016 1.9 million meetings across one year—more than 5,200 every single day. This figure only includes gatherings of 10 or more people, for a minimum of four hours in a contracted venue. So if you wanted to use this number to get out of your daily standup, we can’t help you there. Meetings and events account for $325 billion of direct spending Those 1.9 million meetings resulted in some big spending. If you add up planning, production, travel, and other direct expenditures, meetings and events account for $325 billion of direct spending in the U.S. Of that figure, $120 billion comes from travel alone. The meetings industry supports 2.5 million jobs All that money directly supports 2.5 million jobs. This doesn’t include another 1.5 million indirect jobs and 1.9 million induced jobs, all across a wide cross-section of industries. The meetings industry supports $95.6 billion in salary and wages $95.6 billion in salary and wages comes from the meetings industry—bigger than the GDP of 147 countries. 42% of corporate meeting planners expect to have bigger budgets this year Corporations are putting more resources into their event efforts, with growing budgets and bigger teams. Every dollar spent on face-to-face meetings and business events generates an additional $1.60 for the U.S. economy Every dollar spent on meeting planning and production results in another $1.60 spent downstream—an increase of 160%. There were 251,236,000 meeting participants in 2016 Every 43 meeting participants supported one U.S. job How many meeting participants does it take to support one job? 43. So if you want to help grow the economy—sign up for more meetings. 98% of U.S. federal employees say that in-person meetings, conference, and events are important to advancing their agency’s mission. Trying to get 98% of people to agree on anything is a feat—I honestly don’t think you’d get 98% of people to agree that golden retriever puppies are cute. Yet 98% of U.S. federal employees agree that in-person meetings are important for their agency. 96% of small business owners say in-person meetings yield a return on investment When you run a small business, it’s all about keeping overhead low. Yet 96% of small business owners think in-person meetings are worth the investment. 93% of senior-level business managers believe face-to-face meetings improve their ability to close deals You can email and call all you want, but 93% of senior-level managers agree that a face-to-face meeting improves their ability to close a deal.

You know that feeling you get, when something you always thought was pretty cool coincides with something you love, and makes a whole pile of awesome? Benedict Cumberbatch on Sesame Street, the It’s a Wonderful Life episode of Warehouse 13, little boys dressing up as Darth Vadar for Superbowl commercials. All of that rolled into one big moment for me this week, when I found out that Foreigner—a British/American band that brought us “I Want to Know What Love Is” and “Feels Like The First Time”—was not only playing in my town, Portland, Maine, this week, but on stage with them would be the choir from Deering High School. I was a bit of a choir geek back in the day. Sure I toyed with Orchestra and the violin, I half heartedly learned the guitar, but it was to the choir room I found myself going year after year throughout high school. From Mr. Mason, our choir director, I learned lessons of diction and clarity that I still hear myself repeating on an almost daily basis. How long to carry an “s” sound in the middle of a word. When to use a hard “g” in “ing,” and when to swallow the middle of a word. From Mr. Mason I learned the opening pre-amble to “White Christmas,” memorized the words to “The Seven Joys of Mary,” and learned that a high E was within my range. It is no longer within my range. Turns out, this is something that the band has done across the country for the past six years as part of their effort to promote music education. Along with the chance to perform on stage with a band that has sold over 80 million albums, the participating choir gets $500 and the opportunity to sell Foreigner CDs on site. The sales go to the music education fund of the Grammy Foundation. The Choir’s role is only a minute long; they will sing backup on “I Want To Know What Love Is.” GM: What excites you most about this opportunity? Gil: This is a great opportunity for my choral students to actually be on stage with a world famous rock band. They’re usually in the audience looking up, but this time they will be on stage looking at the audience. GM: What excites the kids? Gil: Pretty much the same thing. The thrill of being on stage with a famous rock band. Actually, the parents are just as excited (maybe more!) about this adventure—they grew up with Foreigner. GM: Has the Glee effect had an impact on how you, and indeed how the kids, approach choir now? Gil: I just had this conversation with my students as we plan our music for the future. They would like movement to be a part of their singing and productions but also realize that the music must come first. They are thrilled about adding motion to their music. GM: Were you a Foreigner fan before this? Gil: I listened to them on the radio but I was more of a jazz fanatic. GM: What are you doing to prep yourself, and to prep the kids for Tuesday night? Gil: Not to down play our performance, but we will be just singing the chorus of “I Want To Know What Love Is” with the group on stage. We have a recording and video to watch. Most important we need to be professional throughout the entire performance and smile as big as we can. GM: What is your favorite memory of your own time with the groups of your youth? Gil: Again, being a jazz aficionado, I had the opportunity to see jazz musicians such as Cannonball Aderley, Buddy Rich, Bud Shank, Herbie Mann, and others at local jazz clubs. I hope my students will remember this concert and enjoy being a part of music on stage. Gil expressed his thoughts on music in our education system, thoughts that I can testify worked in my own life thanks to a strong music program. “For me, the purpose of music is performance. We work so hard at rehearsals to perform usually only one time. Hard work produces good results. They can go as far as they wish with hard work and dedication. Hopefully this will excite them and make them go further in life.” My own choir director taught me vocal tools that I use everyday so the key thing I wanted to know from Gil was what he most hoped the kids would take with them when they left his Choir. “I hope they take the love of music with them. I always tell my students that music is a life long personal partnership. In college there are many music groups, instrumental and choral. Every community also has musical groups that the public can join. Love music and performance, and keep it in your life as much as you can—it is good for the soul.”

Philip Kotler calls Tony “the Deming of innovation” and credits him with bringing predictability to innovation. Tony’s work has been published in Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review. He is also the author of two bestsellers, What Customers Want, and Jobs to be Done: Theory to Practice. Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers, by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur. Jobs to be Done: Theory to Practice, by Anthony W. Ulwick. What if there were a way to know that your product was going to win in the marketplace – and to know it even before you begin development? In this episode of the Product Momentum Podcast, Tony Ulwick – CEO of Strategyn and “father of the Jobs To Be Done framework” – joins Sean and Kyle Psaty, ITX’s VP of Marketing, to talk all things JTBD. Tony walks us along the process of innovation through the JTBD lens, offering a systematic way to deliver an innovative solution with every product release. Innovation, Tony says, is “coming up with a solution that addresses unmet needs.” When you talk to users, he adds, you’re better able to identify and address their needs. Then you can segment them to make sure you’re providing the right solutions to the right people. “Innovation doesn’t have to be a guessing game,” Tony says. “Once we have those inputs, we have the necessary insights to make innovation predictable.” Kyle [00:02:46] Yeah, awesome. And this was something that I know we had dropped you an email about because it really caught me, you know, sort of how do those two things interconnect? But maybe we could take a step back real quick and just talk a little bit about what is the Jobs-to-be-Done framework and just kind of tee it up for the audience who’s maybe not read your books or been involved as closely in following you? Tony [00:03:06] Yeah. So you know, it solves a problem, right? And so let’s go back a few years. The problem that we created the framework to solve was to prevent companies from failing at innovation, right? So let’s step further back than that. Let’s define innovation. Quite simply, it’s coming up with a solution that addresses unmet needs. It’s the front end of innovation. It’s everything before product development, right? So if you think of it like that, the ideal output of the innovation process would be a product concept that you know is going to win in the marketplace and you know it’s going to win before you even start developing it. That would be the ideal output of the innovation process. And of course, you have the development process that follows. Tony [00:03:46] But the goal is to get the right product into development and know that it’s going to work. So how do you do that, right? And the reason this started, I worked for IBM back in the mid-1980s and experienced a horrible product failure with the PC Jr. You know, we built a product we thought customers would want. They told us what they wanted. We built what they wanted. It wasn’t what they wanted. So how do you prevent things like that from happening? So that means that customer needs to have to be stable over time, at least through the development cycle, right. And it got us thinking, how do you come up with a set of customer inputs that remains stable over time? Tony [00:04:21] This goes back to Leavitt’s framework as well. You know, people don’t want the quarter-inch drill, they want the quarter-inch hole. But it occurred to me that if you study the creation of the quarter-inch hole, instead of talking about the drill itself, you can now think about the process that people are trying to execute, or the job they’re trying to get done. And you can quite literally break down that process into steps and figure out how people measure success along each step of the way. And those metrics are the customer’s needs. We call them desired outcome statements. And we know for any given job there may be anywhere from 50 to 150 different metrics they use to measure success. And we’re trying to figure out, well, of all those parts of the job they’re trying to get done, where are they underserved? You know, where do they need more value created? And where they overserved? Where can we reduce costs? Because the ultimate goal of innovation is to come up with a solution that gets the job done better and more cheaply. So if we have those inputs that I just described, we have the insights we need to make innovation predictable. So the goal of the framework is to solve the front-end innovation problem and allow us to understand what the customer is trying to accomplish, figure out how to find, how to secure, and how to claim a unique and valued position in the marketplace. Sean [00:05:35] So in order to be able to figure out what are those 50 to 100 metrics and how to value each for any given customer segment, how important is it to actually know and understand the customer segment? Because I think you said in your book, like every individual balances these things out differently, so you have to look at like, what’s the right balance of these 50 to 150 metrics? Tony [00:05:55] Yeah, well, let’s take it in order. So, you know, the first step of the process is to figure out, well, who’s our customer and what job are they trying to get done? So, you know, maybe it’s an interventional cardiologist who’s trying to restore blood flow in an artery, or maybe it’s parents that are trying to pass on life lessons to children. The first step is to try to figure out, who’s the group of people we’re trying to create value for and what job are they trying to get done? Then we come up with that list of metrics. You know, how do they measure success along each step of the way as they go about and get their job done? So it’s really important to understand all the needs, not just a handful. Let me explain why. You know, most innovation is just, you know, sustaining or incremental innovation. And the reason it is is because most companies will just discover one unmet need and work to resolve that need in the next product iteration. So they’re only getting the job done a teeny bit better. It’s just incremental improvement. Kyle [00:06:47] Just good enough, right? It’s good enough to release the next. Tony [00:06:51] It’s something. It’s better than nothing, right? But the reality might be there could be 30 unmet needs, right? If you knew all 30 of those unmet needs and you knew which ones were underserved, which ones were overserved, you know, knew where to create more value and where to cut cost, you could have multiple breakthrough iterations. In other words, the next release could be the satisfaction of 10 of those needs, not just one. And the iteration after that could be the next 10, the iteration after that, the next 10. So you’re marching down this path where you’re constantly getting the job done better and more cheaply than the competition. Tony [00:07:23] Now, the only way you can do that is if you know all the needs upfront. It takes a bit of discipline. So once we know all those needs, then we have customers prioritize them. And Sean, as you said, you know, not everyone agrees on what needs are unmet, right? There may be half the population that thinks, you know, these 10 needs are unmet and another half of the population thinks it’s another 10 needs that are unmet. So the way we resolve that is to, after we survey, we segment around the unmet needs. So we quite literally, instead of using demographics or psychographics or attitudes or behaviors to segment, we segment around the unmet needs. And the reason we do that, of course, is we don’t need a proxy anymore, right? A lot of personas are created with demographics and psychographics and so on, assuming that these personas have different unmet needs. Those assumptions are often incorrect. Let’s go at it directly. Since we know the unmet needs, let’s segment around the unmet needs and we can figure out, “Oh, half the population thinks these are the unmet needs, half thinks these are the unmet needs. Let’s come up with two products or two strategies if we want to target 100 percent of the population.”. Tony [00:08:29] But we can make our decisions, right. Maybe one segment is underserved and the other one is overserved. Maybe you need a differentiated strategy to target that underserved segment and you need a disruptive strategy to target the overserved segment. These are all the things you have to know in advance of coming up with the product concept. So that’s the order in which we do this. So knowing all those 100-plus need statements is critical. Having customers prioritize them is critical. Segmenting around them is critical. And now what we’ve done basically is marketing 101. We’ve defined the customer, we’ve defined their needs. We figured out which are unmet and if there’s segments of people with different unmet needs. And now we can start devising solutions targeting those specific segments that we want to go after. Kyle [00:09:09] Right. And then the customer segment isn’t just an idea of a person or a group of people. It’s literally a group of people that have a commonality and that’s the unmet need or perhaps the need that’s being met well that you can reduce cost on. Tony [00:09:22] Yeah, that’s exactly right. You know they have different unmet needs from each other because you’ve defined the segments around the unmet needs. So I’ll give you a quick example. You know, we worked in the dental space, dentists doing the tooth restoration, and this exact thing happened. We found highly overserved segments when dentists were working on patients that had healthy gums and required just a small filling. But they were very underserved when they worked on patients that had unhealthy gums and required a larger filling. And the reason, it turns out, is that in that situation, patients tend to bleed more, which makes visualization more difficult, which makes keeping the area dry more difficult and contouring that larger filling more difficult. So they become underserved because they’re in that particular situation. So now that you know that these two different scenarios exist with these needs-based personas, you can create a strategy for each, and they’re very different. And if you were just creating a product for the average, you’d have something in the middle that wouldn’t appeal to either group effectively. Tony [00:10:20] Let’s not make fun of vanilla ice cream. There’s nothing wrong with that. Sean [00:10:24] It’s my favorite, actually. All right. So these hundred, one hundred and fifty needs, are they the same across any product segment or market segment that you’re analyzing? I always see the needs as falling into like one of the two buckets, like the primary needs or the job they came to you to do, like, they thought about, “Hey, I need this job done like at this moment in time.” Tony [00:10:45] Yeah. Sean [00:10:45] There’s a bunch of parameters that are associated with their decision around what product to use. But then there’s second-order needs, the kind of needs that like Maslow talked about, you know, like the psychological needs that really help us build like long-standing relationships with our customers beyond solving that problem today. Tony [00:11:03] Yeah, you’re making a great point. You know, we often get the question, “how do we make customers love us?” Right. So customers do have emotional jobs they’re trying to get done as well. So we break out the different kinds of needs into categories. So what we talked about so far is the core functional job, which is the key to success because if you’re not creating value at getting the core job done, then nothing else is going to matter. But on top of that, customers have emotional jobs they’re trying to get done right. Sean [00:11:28] Right. Tony [00:11:29] You know, how they want to be perceived by others, how do they want to feel as a result. We want to know those as well. Sean [00:11:34] Those are the jobs they’re not going to tell you they have. Like, “I want to feel like I belong” or “I want to feel like I’m learning,” right? Tony [00:11:41] Well, you’d be surprised because when we ask customers those questions and we do it in this order, you know, we talk about the core functional job and they look at all the outcomes they’ve come up with. Then we say, “so, when you’re getting the job done, how do you want to be perceived by your peers and friends and others and how do you want to feel as a result of getting the job done?” They’re certainly able to communicate these emotional jobs as well. There are different statements in different forms than the outcomes on the core job, but they can be captured. People know what they are. And again, you’re just making the list at this point. When you’re doing the qualitative work, you just want to know, “well, what are all the emotional jobs.” And you may get two or three from one person and two or three different ones from another and, you know, overlapping from the rest, right. But you’ll end up with a list of maybe 10 or 15 emotional jobs that people want to consider. Tony [00:12:28] But there’s another area that we look at as well and we call them the consumption chain jobs. And this deals with the actual product consumption where people buy a product, they receive it, they store it, they open it, they interface with it, they repair it. Now people aren’t buying products so they can maintain them or repair them and store them, right. They’re buying products to get a core job done and to satisfy their emotional jobs. But if you create a product that is hard to set up and interface with and maintain and so on, it can fail those reasons as well. Kyle [00:12:59] Right. That’s where we get the like impact Apple has had on the way unboxing feels with basically every hardware product you can buy today. You know, it’s got to be like real crisp and things have to be smooth and there’s like a magnetic latch, you know, and that gives you a little bit of emotional belief, you know, a little bit of a kick as you get it open. Tony [00:13:17] Yeah, because it’s functionally simple, right? It’s so functionally simple, you feel like you’re an expert at setting this thing up. Why? Because they automated the whole thing for you and you don’t have to set it up. Kyle [00:13:28] Right. I have one on this emotional jobs topic, and this is a conversation I’ve had a few times with friends from the software product space. You start talking about, like, video gaming or entertainment or food. And as a product person, I think about like trying to create and innovate in, like, building a fantastic movie, say. Man, there’s so many emotional jobs that get layered into that, right? Like, how do you think about some of these categories, like food or entertainment when Jobs-to-be-Done framework is applied? Tony [00:13:58] Yeah. You’re asking a great question because these scenarios are more like on the fringe, I’d say, but it does work. So let me explain. We do a lot of projects with food. We did a project on reinventing the banana with Chiquita International years back. Kyle [00:14:12] Come on. That’s awesome. Tony [00:14:13] Yeah, I thought it was a prank call. They said, “we’re trying to…” But it was true. And you know, the way we do work in the food space is, you know, like they said, for example, you know, how do we improve the banana? It’s interesting. I’ll give you a little history on the banana. There’s 10000 different varietals, and you typically see just one varietal. And you can actually change the chemical structure of what people are getting in those bananas by picking different varietals and how you fertilize them, how you grow them. So there actually is flexibility in changing it. So it’s not actually a commodity in the sense that, like, you know, sand would be or something like that. So there’s some flexibility in what you can do to change the product to get the job done better. Tony [00:14:54] But nonetheless, what we did is we said, “Well, you know, let’s put it in the snack framework and say, Well, let’s look at all the jobs people are trying to get done when they pick a snack. Why would you pick almonds over a banana? You know, why would you pick chocolate over popcorn?” And on and on. And we came up with a list of well over 100 different jobs that people hire snacks for. And then we did the analysis to figure out well, “which of these jobs are most important and least satisfied?” And we found segments of opportunity based on the analysis that we did. And one interesting thing there is we found that a segment of people that had a handful of jobs that related to getting to sleep at night and staying asleep at night. And we had this discussion with Chiquita, they said, “you know what, you know, bananas have naturally occurring tryptophan in them, so we actually could come up with a variety that would help people go to sleep at night.” Tony [00:15:48] Yeah. Well, exactly. But, Kyle, you could probably guess at this. You know, why didn’t they do that, right? They didn’t want to go down that path. And of course, they felt it would impact their brand of banana, which is viewed as more of a morning energy food as opposed to a nighttime relax before you go to sleep food. But the point remains, you know, that opportunity existed to create a product that would get a different set of jobs done. Kyle [00:16:10] Wow. Tony [00:16:11] So you can innovate in spaces like that. You know, we’ve worked with teams on gaming as well. And the gaming experience is functional and it’s emotional. So there’s a fine balance. I’ve drawn a quadrant before where you have high function, high emotion, low function, low emotion, and in between. So, you know, certain products have different levels of function and emotion. Like if you’re down selling bricks, for example, it’s rather low function, it’s rather low emotion. But if you’re selling automobiles, it’s high function and high emotion. Kyle [00:16:43] Right. Tony [00:16:43] And if you’re selling clothing, it’s kind of over the top left where it’s kind of functional but quite emotional. But this gives you paths to innovate as well, because if you can make clothing more functional, then you getting more of the functional jobs done. You’ve heard of functional foods. They’ve been very popular for the last 10 years. You know, people are creating different food products to make them more functional because you can add ingredients to products to help get more or different jobs done. So that’s how it’s applied to some of those, you know, markets that are bit more on the emotional side than the functional side, but still, the application works quite well. Sean [00:17:16] Neat. So one of the ways we use your framework when we’re running our workshops, talking about products and jobs that we’re trying to do, is to create this list of jobs to be done, and then we break it down. Because one of the things I’ve found is that every job today, for the most part, every job is being done. Like they’re solving those first-level needs in some way today. Like even the banana, they’re getting their snack. They’re going to get it from somewhere. So how are they solving that today and how might we help them solve it better in the future? And then if you have all of your needs broken down, you can try to figure out, like, this is where we have this opportunity. So we know there’s a market need. Here’s where we could brainstorm out how could we solve this need better? Do you find any utility in looking at the past? Tony [00:17:58] Yeah. Well, when we get to ideation, you know, we’ll have our list of unmet needs that we want to go target. Some of them are outcomes. There might be 10 or 20 and we go one by one. And the question we generally ask is, “how is this being satisfied today? Are there features on current products? Are there features on your product? Are there features on competing products? Are there features on products in other markets?” And so on, until you start thinking through, like, how can you actually satisfy that outcome? So I think that’s certainly fair game in the way you structure your ideation sessions. Sean [00:18:29] All Right. So you foreshadowed about iteration. Kyle [00:18:32] A little cliffhanger. Sean [00:18:33] A cliffhanger there. And it seems like everywhere you turn, everybody’s talking about iteration, iteration, iteration, and your methodology to me seems to be more like, “Hey, before you go out there and start iterating, let’s put some energy into thinking.” So what’s your take on this clash between these two very different mindsets in terms of getting to market? Tony [00:18:52] You know, it’s interesting. Iteration is not productive, right? No matter how you cut it, iteration is not getting it right the first time. So you don’t want to have to iterate. The goal isn’t to keep iterating. The goal is to minimize the number of iterations. So how do you do that? Let’s again break apart the innovation process from the development process. The innovation process produces a concept that you know is going to win the marketplace, right? There shouldn’t be an iteration there. So once you get into development, you should not be iterating on what you’re creating. You already know what you’re creating. Here’s where iteration is OK: what you’re iterating on is the design. You know, what’s the best way to satisfy those needs that you’ve identified in the innovation process? And there may be different experiments that you’ve run and different ways to solve the problem, but you’re not iterating on what the product does. You’re iterating on how to get it to execute that function. Tony [00:19:46] And what we often see is that people have half-baked concepts that are going into development, so they’re iterating on the product concept while they’re designing the product concept. That intertwines development and innovation processes and making them both completely inefficient. That’s when we say don’t do that, right. Make sure the product concept that you put into development is coming to satisfy 10 unmet needs. Now how can you do that? Well, you have to know the 10 unmet needs you’re satisfying and make sure you come up with solutions that address them. Definitely doable. And then when you’re in development, that’s when you can iterate. Tony [00:20:20] There’s another nuance here, too, when you talk about invention and inventing technology and you have to experiment like Edison did, for example, in creating his technologies. He went through lots of experimentation. Now there again, failing fast makes good sense because you’re trying to discover, you’re trying to invent something that performs some function that could never be performed before. So iterating in the invention process makes perfect sense. Iterating in design and development makes sense. But still, you don’t want to keep iterating multiple times, right. But iterating in the innovation process doesn’t make any sense. It’s just a waste of time and unnecessary because innovation doesn’t have to be a guessing game if we can figure out what the unmet needs are in advance and make sure the product addresses them. Sean [00:21:05] So what you’re suggesting is there should be a better process, and you have one of the answers for putting the thought, the energy, into what problems should we be solving, what jobs should we be doing? And that should be done before we go to iterate. Tony [00:21:19] Right. So the iteration doesn’t come in conceptualization. Once you conceptualize the final product, it’s fixed. You know it’s going to win in the marketplace because you know it’s increasing the satisfaction level of multiple outcomes. Now that’s fixed, right? Now you go into development, you’re not touching what the product does. You’re iterating on how to get it to do what you want it to do. So how do you make it easy to install? How do you make it easy to interface with? How do you make it easy to transport? Right, all the consumption elements that are important during the design process, iterate on those. But even there again, I can argue that you can go out to customers and find out all their needs associated with installing a product. Right. And if you know what all those needs are and which are unmeant, you could focus on those most unmet installation needs and cut out the number of iterations even on the design part of the process. Sean [00:22:07] So the iteration is also important on the backend. Tony [00:22:09] Yeah. Sean [00:22:10] With technology anyway, there’s probably an infinite number of ways we can actually get things to work. And one may be more efficient than the other, and we also have to iterate on that because technology changes so fast. Tony [00:22:20] Yeah, that’s exactly right. So you’re iterating on the design, you’re not iterating on the concept of what the product does. Sean [00:22:25] Right. Kyle [00:22:26] Right. I think that gets confused a lot, though, right? Like this notion of like ultra-rapid release and “just observe the user,” it’s become a proxy for just talking to the user about what their needs are and what jobs are they trying to satisfy. And one thing I love about your ideas and the framework is that it just forces us all to get back in the mindset of talking to the user, talking to the customer. And, you know, obviously, you got to talk to them in the right ways. I’m wondering if you have two or three tips about how to get answers that are really productive from your users when you are talking to them. Tony [00:23:03] Yeah, I do. And it’s much simpler than you’d ever think. You know, people buy products because they’re trying to get a job done, right. All you have to ask them is, “What are you trying to accomplish?” Whether it’s the entire job when you’re trying to figure out, what is the entire job you’re trying to get done. You’re figuring out at a high level. We create job apps too. We go step by step and say, “OK, so what’s the first thing you’re trying to accomplish? What’s the next thing you’re trying to accomplish?” And so on. Even at the outcome level, what we’re doing is we’re saying, “when you’re executing this part of the job, what’s the first thing you’re trying to accomplish? What’s the next thing you’re trying to accomplish?” And the other question we ask is, “what are you trying to avoid?” All our statements get formatted as outcome statements, which we’ve written a lot about. They have very specific structure, and they all get organized in that same structure so that we have a complete set of customer needs. So whether you’re, you know, on the design team in UX or UI talking to customers, find out what are they trying to achieve, what are they trying to avoid? Those are the two key questions. And don’t talk about products, right? Kyle [00:24:05] Right. Don’t ask them for their solution, right? Tony [00:24:07] Yes. Kyle [00:24:07] Yeah, this is awesome. Really appreciate that. Sean [00:24:11] Yeah. One of my favorite books in the innovation space, you might recognize it’s written by yourself, it’s called What Customers Want. Tony [00:24:18] Isn’t that an old relic, Sean? I mean, that’s like from 2005, isn’t it? Sean [00:24:22] I’ll give it to my people when we hire them. But other than that, what are you reading these days or what do you think is a great book in our space for people who innovate to read. We always look for recommendations from our guests. Tony [00:24:32] Sure. Well, we have the 2016 version of the book as well, which is called Jobs to be Done: Theory to Practice, which is pretty instructional as well. So we certainly like that. And you know, we like the path that Alexander Osterwalder has gone down with his Business Model Canvas. And the reason I say that is, you know, we often see like three axes come together in order to achieve success. You have to have the right market. It has to be a good market. You can’t create a billion dollar business in a million dollar market, right? So you have to pick the right market. Then you have to pick the right growth strategy. And that’s what we’re talking about today, you know, picking the right segment to go after, the right unmet needs to target with the right solution. And then the third piece is the business model. So once you know you’ve picked the right market, then you know you have the right strategy, adding in that business model component, I think, is really rich. And those three components, when they come together and you’ve done all three correctly, it really mitigates the risk, which is the ultimate goal. Tony [00:25:44] Thanks for the kind words, Sean. I appreciate that. Sean [00:25:46] And maybe we can meet in person one day. Tony [00:25:48] I’d like that. Kyle [00:25:49] Thanks so much for being here. Tony [00:25:50] Thanks, Kyle. I certainly appreciate it. Good luck with your marketing efforts. Kyle [00:25:54] Yeah, we’ll be using your ideas. Thanks, Tony.

Music on the March Last weekend on Saturday, January 21st, the Women’s March happened around the country and the world. Although I had the intention of going in support of my sisters, known and unknown, other personal commitments took precedence. However, my beloved partner, Dena, headed downtown to the Sacramento capital with a few of her friends and about 20,000 others. I understand that a number of men and children also joined in. According to its official organizers, the Women’s March was not primarily an anti-Trump effort rooting for him to fail as president. And, its mission was to stand up for equality. The Washington Post stated that 500,000 folks attended the march in Washington, D.C. I’ve heard there were near 1,000,000 marchers across the country, and even more worldwide. It was encouraging to see so many individuals express themselves and take the time to lend their voice and presence to a peaceful demonstration in support of equality and justice. I’m aware that the grand tradition of marches, rallies, and demonstrations goes way back in this country. The roots of that tradition goes all the way back to the beginnings of American history, starting with the Boston Tea Party, the American Revolution, and the Abolition movement. The size expanded in the 1960’s with the Civil Rights movement, the Anti-War movement during the Viet Nam war, and the Women’s Liberation movement. Looking Back and Remembering After seeing some photos and videos on social media the day after, I was reminded of the Great March on Washington in 1963. For those of you who don’t recall, that gathering included the well known, I Have a Dream speech, by Martin Luther King, Jr. At the time, it was estimated that 250,000 folks showed up with the majority of marchers being black. As you may know, this march was the catalyst to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The music soundtrack for that event was a combination of folk music (Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and Peter, Paul, and Mary) and Negro spirituals (Mahalia Jackson, Marian Anderson, Odetta, and the Freedom Singers). As one of the best known folk artists from the 60’s (and beyond), Joan Baez has always considered social justice important which has included a focus on civil rights (nationally and internationally). In the early 60’s, she helped spark the folk music revival. She was one of the first artists to use their popularity as a vehicle for social protest while singing and marching in support of social issues. Along with singing at the March on Washington, she sang at Free Speech Movement rallies in Berkeley, CA and at Woodstock in the late 1960’s. In her later activities, she sang at Live Aid in ’85 and on an Amnesty International tour in ’86. This month, Joan turned 76. Happy birthday, Joan! Thank you for all of your musical inspiration and blessings over the years. Passing the Torch I was deeply moved by one particular young artist, MILCK, who organized a flash mob with a group of other women to sing at the Women’s March this month in Washington, D.C. During the march, she and her flash mob cohorts sang her original song, Quiet. Here’s her official video for the song. I challenge you to watch these videos and not be moved deeply like I was, especially by the full version of the song. According to the bio on her website, MILCK is an abuse survivor who’s also battled with depression and other issues. I respect all artists who have the courage to express creatively with focus and purpose, as a path to heal their personal pain. At the same time, it’s great to see the torch of social activism through music being passed on from elders such as Joan Baez to young artists like MILCK. There is power in the music. “We shall overcome!”

It seems that lots of contemporary medicines for anxiousness are artificial and also a current scientific trial revealed that individuals taking these medications were as distressed or a lot more distressed than they had been when the medications initially began to be used. This has actually led several to question if there is a much better method of managing this problem. Nevertheless, when you are taking medicine for a health problem you expect it to make you really feel far better and also aid you conquer the issue. Yet with the brand-new course of medicines called antidepressants the results appear to be that anxiousness, depression as well as various other issues are worse than they used to be. So can cannabidiol be used for stress and anxiety? There is much to consider around. One of the most fascinating things to note is that there is currently excellent proof that cannabidiol, also called CBD can actually combat the symptoms of clinical depression. In a current dual blind research study performed at the College of Toronto it was discovered that CBD not only prevented the accumulate of a chemical substance in the brain called neuroleptics, however it likewise acted to turn around the unfavorable effects of the develop. Cbd Rosin So can cannabidiol be made use of for anxiousness? The response is indeed. It might take a bit much longer for the advantages to emerge but there is absolutely a great deal of promising proof that reveals it can be used for dealing with stress and anxiety and boosting sleep patterns. In the recent dual blind research study done at the University of Toronto it was located that CBD slowed the develop of a chemical called serotonin in the mind which has an impact on mood and stress and anxiety. What are this chemical and also how does it affect our state of minds as well as anxiousness levels? It is a neurotransmitter chemical called serotonin. This is normally discovered in the brain and also when degrees are down it triggers us to feel sad and also stressed. Nevertheless when they are high, it makes us really feel good. It is this link between mood and serotonin, which have researchers interested in the capacity of cannabidiol to turn around the results of low serotonin degrees. So can Cannabidiol be made use of for stress and anxiety? The short answer is indeed, but with some potentially major adverse effects. Cannabidiol does have a valuable effect on memory and also lowered blood circulation in the brain, which has been related to minimized stress and anxiety as well as sleeplessness. Nevertheless, there are a variety of other problems that require to be taken into consideration when thinking of trying this as a treatment for anxiety. Cannabidiol can create major negative responses, if it is taken at the suggested dosages over an extended period of time. If you have any type of kind of heart or liver problem, or even a hatred among the components in Cannabidiol, it might seriously harm them. If you experience any type of allergic reaction, quit taking the medicine immediately and contact your health care company. It is likely that you will certainly be recommended to stay clear of the component in future items. Can Cannabidiol be used for stress and anxiety? The short answer is yes, however with some possibly serious adverse effects. Cannabidiol can imitate a moderate anti-depressant. However, it is not an energizer and so it has the prospective to accumulate in the system as well as create a variety of symptoms such as confusion, slowed breathing, a change in psychological standing, enhanced alertness, or other types of negative effects. The more extreme side effects are those pertaining to the heart and liver. If you have any sort of heart or liver problem, or an allergy to any of the components in Cannabidiol, it might seriously damage them.

It is the winding roads in life that are usually the most interesting. The same can be said when it comes to an individual’s professional journey and career path. Nicole Silverman demonstrates this truth as well as anyone. Ms. Silverman’s educational and professional journey has stretched from high school, college, and law school in the Sacramento area to the museums of Vienna, Austria, and back. It has taken unexpected turns, strengthened her beliefs, and broadened her perspectives. In addition, it has shaped her outlook on teaching when she began her role as professor in the Paralegal program at MTI College. “We learn so much from the things we experience. A big part of where I am today is the result of an experience I chose to pursue in my final year of law school that completely changed my perspective and led me down a new path within the field of law. So that’s something I always emphasize to my students, to never close themselves off to new opportunities, to go after the kind of experiences that can impact their outlook and career goals.” Ms. Silverman grew up in Sacramento and always stayed local, completing what she describes as the area’s “trifecta” in terms of her education—high school, junior college at Sacramento City College, and undergraduate study at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis). At UC Davis, she chose to follow one of her passions, history. Specifically, she majored in Early Modern American and European History, and as part of her undergraduate experience traveled abroad to explore some of the history of World War II in Vienna. Ms. Silverman’s initial plan was to put her degree in history to use by teaching—either at the K-12 level or pursuing advanced study in the field and teaching at the university level. However, while she felt that teaching was something of a natural calling, the more she thought about it, the harder it became to deny the powerful interest she had in another academic discipline—Law. “I’ve always been interested in law; I like the idea of service and helping people who are going through something very tough and need a voice. So, I decided that a career in law was right for me, but coming out of UC Davis, I wasn’t totally sure what my best next step would be. I thought about applying directly to law school, but then decided that going the route of a paralegal first would give me a really solid foundation.” Having grown up in Sacramento, Ms. Silverman was aware of MTI College, and knew that the school was held in high regard. She looked around at other respected paralegal programs in the area, but in the end, none of the others could match a key distinction of the Paralegal program at MTI College—the fact that it is approved by the America Bar Association (ABA). “In the legal world, that’s huge. None of the other programs I looked at, which were definitely good programs, had that ABA approval. MTI did.” Since she had already earned her bachelor’s degree at UC Davis, Silverman was able to complete the Paralegal program in just one year. From there, she was accepted at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. During her time in law school, Silverman balanced a heavy workload as a full-time paralegal/law clerk during the day and a law student at night. It was in her final year of law school when Silverman made a choice that would change the trajectory of her legal career. She decided to take part in McGeorge’s Prisoner Civil Rights Mediation Clinic (Prisoner Mediation Clinic), where she assisted federal judges in the Eastern District of California with co-mediating Section 1983 prisoner grievances. In the Prisoner Mediation Clinic, she conducted interviews with prisoners in the prison or via telephone, drafted confidential pre-mediation bench memorandums for the judges, and assisted in mediating settlement conferences between prisoners, the California Office of the Attorney General, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. “It was pretty eye-opening to see just how huge the power imbalance was when it came to prisoners’ legal needs being met. Their cases would take much, much longer to work their way through the system.” It was an impactful experience, and one that led Silverman to pursue work in the public defender’s office so that she could do her part to ensure that everyone, no matter their circumstance in life, would have a legal advocate. Through it all, Ms. Silverman never lost touch with her interest in teaching. After earning her Juris Doctorate (J.D.), she decided to reach out to her old acquaintance, Linda Gardenhire, the department chair of Paralegal Studies at MTI College. Ms. Silverman started to engage with students at MTI by taking part in panel discussions and speaking opportunities at the school. She is now in her second year teaching online torts, and substitute teaches on campus in a variety of legal courses. The positive experience Ms. Silverman had as a student at MTI, has carried over to her role as professor in the Paralegal program. “Unless you are from the Sacramento area, it is hard to know just how respected the Paralegal program is. I have worked with a lot of law firms, and the majority of paralegals you see there are from MTI. The overall quality of the program is something that I’m really proud to be a part of.” Nevertheless, teaching at MTI holds a special place for Ms. Silverman, because every day is an opportunity to empower students to achieve their goals. “It’s really fulfilling to see just how passionate the students are. They are motivated to learn the law, they are inquisitive, they ask a lot of questions, and they want to further themselves. You have to respect that. And it’s great being able to share my story with them as a source of motivation.” “These subjects can be pretty difficult. So when I see them succeed in class and that they genuinely understand the material in a way that’s going to contribute to their success down the road, it’s just a really good feeling.” When she is not teaching, clerking, or working as a independent contractor for multiple law firms, Ms. Silverman devotes her time to her son, and can usually be found at a local park cheering him on during his soccer games. She is looking into piano lessons and Spanish classes as other ways for them to spend quality time together. Ever the lifelong learner, Ms. Silverman is also considering pursuing a master’s degree in social work as a way to help survivors of sexual exploitation, an issue she has learned about through her work in the public defender’s office.

Looking for the best things to do in Andalusia, Spain? We spent two blissful weeks touring Andalusia, Spain’s spectacular southern province, and loved every moment. There is so much to see and do in Andalusia that you could easily spend a lot more time here. But if you don’t have a lot of time in Andalusia, you can still see the very best sights in just a few days. With its historic cities and charming white villages, Andalusia is a fabulous destination in Spain. You will love the tasty tapas and the flamboyant flamenco. And the rich history, culture, art, and architecture can’t be beat! THE 5 Unmissable Sights IN ANDALUSIA Seville, Granada, and Córdoba are the three major cities in Andalusia you have to visit. In these cities, you will find some amazing monuments. And loads of history. And in just three days, you can see the best sights they have to offer collectively: the five most stunning monuments in all of Andalusia. You can do this trip independently from Madrid. Or you can do it using public transport. Or you can opt for a guided tour. Whichever way you choose to visit, don’t miss the opportunity to see the best of Andalusia! #1 Explore the Alhambra of Granada Without a doubt, the Alhambra of Granada is the crown jewel monument to visit in Andalusia. Indeed, it was a story about this beautiful palace-fortress complex that first sparked my interest in visiting Andalusia. If you are looking for the best things to do in Andalusia, definitely put the Alhambra at the top of your list. WHY THE ALHAMBRA SHOULD BE AT THE TOP OF YOUR ANDALUSIA WISH-LIST First, you will love the stunning location. It sits on a hilltop surrounded by forests. The Sierra Nevada form a dramatic backdrop, creating the perfect picture postcard. Second, its beauty will have you exclaiming in wonder. The Alhambra was transformed in the 14th century into a magnificent architectural complex by Granada’s Moorish rulers. And finally, you’ll be checking off a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Allow several hours to explore the Alhambra and the Generalife Gardens. We spent six hours here, and could easily have spent a few more. If you can, splurge on a private guide. Your experience will be vastly enhanced. If not, read up as much as you can beforehand. Then wander the complex, with an audio guide for on-the-spot context and guidance. WHAT TO SEE AT THE ALHAMBRA Take the time to view and appreciate the gorgeous arabesque detailing and calligraphy that adorn the walls of the palaces. The lacy arches and the beautiful patterns are jaw-dropping beautiful. Do not miss the Court of the Lions, with the beautiful Fountain of the Lions, or the courtyard with the reflecting pool. From many parts of the Alhambra, including the fortress, you get panoramic views of the city of Granada. Your final view of the Alhambra should be from the Mirador de San Nicolas. The Mirador is located in the Albayzin on the hill opposite the Alhambra. Visit in the evening, when the rays of the setting sun light up the ochre-amber walls of “The Red One.” If you can, stay until it gets dark and the Alhambra is lit. This is a scene you will carry with you forever. The best time to visit the Alhambra is in the spring, when flowering trees and wisteria are in bloom in the gardens, and temperatures are pleasant. Advance reservations are an absolute must, to avoid disappointment. Also, you need to enter the Nasrid Palaces during the time slot indicated on your ticket. There is a cap on daily visitors and leaving availability to chance on the day of your visit is very risky. But if you go to book and find that tickets are sold out on the day you want to visit, you may still have options. If you go: Alhambra of Granada, Calle Real de la Alhambra, s/n, 18009 Granada, Spain #2 Admire the Royal Alcazar of Seville Also part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Real Alcázar de Sevilla is one of the top five monuments to visit in southern Spain. It definitely deserves a spot in your list of the best things to do in Andalusia! Getting to Seville from Madrid is a breeze, so once you’ve exhausted all the beautiful places to see in Madrid, add on the trip to Andalusia to see all the best monuments in Spain’s southern province. Seville’s Alcazar is a gorgeous example of the Mudéjar architectural style, with its mix of Christian and Moorish elements. Many of the most ornate parts of the complex were built under the Castile rulers. A part of the complex still serves as a royal residence. From the majestic entrance with its tiled lion to its many beautiful rooms and courtyards, you will be captivated by the beauty of the Alcazar of Seville. Don’t miss the stunning Courtyard of the Maidens, with its many arches, central pool, and orange trees. Other must-see rooms in the complex are the Salón de los Tapices, with massive tapestries adorning the walls, and the ornate Ambassadors’ Room. Also note the beautiful azulejos (decorative tiles) everywhere. The gardens are gorgeous, with a large orangerie and many flower beds enclosed by formal hedges. There are beautiful pools and fountains, and lovely architectural elements, some adorned with fragrant jasmine or climbing roses. Allow at least three to four hours to tour the Alcazar and its gardens. The best time to visit is in the spring, when the fragrance of citrus blossom and jasmine waft about you in the gardens and the days are pleasant. #3 Be Awed by the Grandeur of the Seville Cathedral Next on your list of the most amazing things to do in Andalusia should be a visit to the magnificent Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See in Seville. The Seville Cathedral is part of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the third largest church in the world, and the world’s largest Gothic Church. After the Reconquista, the mosque that stood in this location was converted to a church. But eventually, the existing structure was destroyed and a new, grand church was built in its place. The builders wanted the new church to be the best, most magnificent church in the world. And I think they succeeded in their mission! The exterior of the cathedral, with its Gothic spires, is grand. It stands in the middle of the historic center and you can’t help but stare at it in awe each time you walk by. The interior is just as stunning, with lots of religious art, a long nave, and the glitzy Capilla Mayor. After you explore the interior, walk out on to the beautiful Courtyard of the Orange Trees. Then climb to the top of the Giralda, the bell tower of the cathedral, for great views over the city. Allow about 1.5 to 2 hours. If you make the climb to the top of the Giralda, allow for at least two hours in total. If you go: Seville Cathedral, Av. de la Constitución, s/n, 41004 Sevilla, Spain #4 Marvel at the Majestic Plaza de España in Seville The Plaza of Spain in Seville was built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Expo of 1929. Looking at it, you would not think that it is a young building: it looks like it has been standing there forever. The Plaza of Spain is a mix of Renaissance Revival and Moorish Revival architecture, and it is one of the largest and most majestic plazas in all of Europe. Anchored by buildings that run around one end in a half-moon shape, with tall towers at each end, the plaza makes for a fun walk from end to end. A huge fountain makes a splash in the center of the plaza, and a moat runs around the rim. You can boat on the water, enjoying the Spanish sun. You can also walk around and admire the architecture. Or people watch. Or browse the stalls set up by vendors hawking fans, art, and other souvenirs. Don’t miss the beautiful tiled displays, one from each province of Spain. With lovely colors and intricate designs, the displays make beautiful backdrops for photos! Allow two to three hours. If you go: Plaza de España, Av de Isabel la Católica, 41004 Sevilla, Spain #5 Be Captivated by the Beauty of the Mezquita de Córdoba The Great Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba rounds out the list of the 5 most amazing sights in Andalusia. It is considered one of the greatest examples of Moorish architecture. So amazing is the interior that after the Christians reconquered Cordoba, they built their cathedral in the middle of the mosque rather than tear it down. The story of the building of the mosque is fascinating. So large was the scale of the endeavor that it vitalized the economy of the entire city. The Emir of Cordoba moved into the city so he could personally supervise the construction. And materials were sourced from all over the surrounding area. As you walk into the huge main hall, be prepared to be awe-struck by the enormous number of columns, topped by candy-cane double horseshoe arches. After you’ve taken in the big picture, walk around and admire the exquisite detail and workmanship of individual areas. The main prayer niche, called the mihrab, will amaze you with its rich gilding and ornate art. The Renaissance cathedral in the middle is gorgeous as well. It is very ornate, with lots of gilding and rich design. Allow about three hours. A Sample Itinerary from Madrid and Back Andalusia lends itself beautifully to a road trip: in fact, it is one of the most beautiful road trips you can do in Spain. So if you have a car, you can cover these top sights on a short road trip from Madrid. You can also cover these five stunning monuments on a 3-day trip from Madrid using public transport. Here is a sample itinerary! Day 1: MADRID TO CORDOBA Take the high-speed train from Madrid to Córdoba. The journey is about two hours. Plan on arriving in the early afternoon. Take a taxi from the train station to the Mezquita and back to the station after you are done. Take a high speed train from Córdoba to Seville, arriving late in the evening. This journey is about one hour. Check into accommodation in the historic center, close to the sights you will want to cover in Seville. DAY 2: SEVILLE Spend the day exploring the Royal Alcazar, the Seville Cathedral, and the Plaza of Spain. Spend the night in Seville but plan on taking an early morning bus (or train) to Granada. DAY 3: GRANADA The train ride to Granada takes 2.5 hours and the bus ride to Granada takes about three hours. After you check into your hotel, spend the day exploring the Alhambra and the Generalife. Take a taxi from the Alhambra to the Mirador de San Nicolas to view the Alhambra at sunset or after dark. Spend the night in Granada. DAY 4: GRANADA TO MADRID Take an early train from Granada back to Madrid. This journey takes about 3 hours and 20 minutes on a high speed train. Visiting Barcelona and eager to squeeze in a short visit to Andalusia? A high speed train can get you from Barcelona to Seville in 5.5 hours, or you can take an inexpensive flight, which will get you to Seville in under 2 hours. When to Visit Andalusia Visit Andalusia in the spring, when daytime temperatures are pleasant and the smell of citrus blossom is everywhere. Late fall or winter are your next best options. Summers get very hot in Andalusia and you won’t want to be walking around and exploring in the heat of the Spanish summer sun.

Morning journal prompts are a really effective way to get your started on a positive, intentional note. If you struggle with feeling anything remotely close to ‘positive’ in the mornings, don’t worry. I’m right there with you. For years, I dreaded the morning. In fact, my morning anxiety used to be so bad that it polluted the evening before, giving me evening anxiety as well! Incorporating journaling into a solid, positive morning routine has been nothing short of transformative for my mindset. What are the benefits of journaling in the morning? Journaling in general has plenty of benefits. It helps: - Improve self-awareness - Boost our mood - Promote self-expression - Vent our emotions in a healthy way It basically improves our mindset overall. But what’s so good about journaling in the morning specifically? Most of us are no stranger to morning anxiety and depression. In fact, it’s really common. We wake up with a pit in our stomach, dread in our heart, and a general feeling of fogginess. Sometimes, it’s so bad that we even start dreading the morning, the night before. We find it hard to sleep because we know that means waking up and having to face another day. Having a positive morning routine in place has been life-changing for my mindset and the way I approach mornings. Now – no joke – my mornings are one of the favourite parts of the day and they’re almost sacred to me. Journaling is a huge part of that morning routine. The benefits of morning journaling include: - Relieves anxiety - Motivates me to face the day - Encourages me to set aside just five minutes to myself as soon as I get up - Improves self-awareness and mindfulness - Helps me focus on the positives, rather than on what I’m dreading - Improves my mindset and mental health - Gives my morning clear structure - Gives me a small goal that I can achieve within minutes of waking up - Helps me deal with stress in a healthy way - Prevents me from bottling up emotion - Improves confidence and self-esteem Ultimately, morning journaling helps give my morning a bit of structure and intention, as well as start my day on a positive, motivating note. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find that if you start your day in a bad mood, it tends to continue unless you can really change things around. On the other hand, if you start your day in a positive way, this is likely to spread into the rest of your day too. You step out of your house and the world seems to shine a little brighter, you smile at people (who often smile back), feel more inclined to be proactive, and put a positive spin on situations that might cause you to fall into a negative spiral on your worse days. Morning journal prompts to get your day off to the best start Morning journal prompts are a great tool to use whether you’re new to journaling or a seasoned veteran like me. If you struggle with knowing what to journal about in the morning, prompts fill in the gaps and encourage you in the right direction. They put intention behind your journal practise and save you time because all you have to do is pick one and write, rather than just staring at the wall for 20 minutes. Here are some great prompts to write about about when you wake up in the morning. - How are you feeling this morning? How would you describe your mood in a word? How are you feeling on a scale from one-to-10? - How different do you feel compared to yesterday, if at all? - How do you generally feel about mornings? - What are five things you’re grateful for this morning? - What are you looking forward to today? - What are two self-care activities you can carry out today? - What’s your main goal for today? - What’s your intention for today? - What’s one way you can move your body today that will make you feel good? - How do you plan to experience nature today? - What are three things you can do this morning to ensure you have a good day? - What are two things that bring you comfort? - What are five things that make you smile? - What does your current morning routine look like? How do you want to change it, if at all? - What does your dream morning look like? - What’s one thing you love about the morning? - Write about one of the best mornings of your life. - How does journaling in the morning make you feel? - What’s something that’s causing you stress this morning? How do you plan to tackle it? Write a plan of action. - How are you feeling about the day ahead? - What’s your favourite song to listen to in the morning? Why not put it on now? - What’s one way you can show yourself compassion and kindness today? - What affirmation do you plan to focus on today? - How does the weather look outside today? What’s your favourite thing about this type of weather? - Write about a time you overcame a problem or hurdle. - Write about something positive that happened yesterday that you want to carry forward into today. - What made you laugh yesterday? - What’s one long-term goal that you’re working towards? How can you work towards it today? - What’s one good habit that you want to incorporate into your day? - What’s one bad habit that you want to try and break? How do you plan to work towards that today? - Write about something that happened yesterday that you can’t stop thinking about. How do you plan to deal with this today? - How do you plan to make time for yourself today? - Write about a person in your life that makes you feel positive and inspired. - How do you plan to “eat that frog” today? - What’s your favourite breakfast? - What are five things you like about yourself, right in this moment? - What do you dislike about mornings? How can you minimise this? - What were mornings like for you growing up? Do you think this had an impact on how you feel about mornings now? If so, how? (Check out my Journal Prompt Library for 750+ journal prompts to help you transform your mindset all in one place.) What else should I write in my morning journal? While prompts are useful for your journal practise, there are a couple of other techniques you can incorporate into your morning routine. These are the journaling techniques I’ve personally used and continue to use when I’m journaling in the morning. (They’re also the techniques I teach in my Master Your Mindset with Journaling course.) Practising gratitude means focusing on what you’re feeling grateful for in your life, rather than on what you’re unhappy about. It’s about focusing on what you do have, rather than on what you don’t. Simply writing a gratitude list three times a week has been proven to help improve your outlook on life, boost happiness, and relieve stress. Practising gratitude in your morning journal is the perfect way to get your day off to a positive start, as it encourages your mind to focus on positive things as soon as it’s had a chance to even think. This sends a ripple affect through your day. I still write a gratitude list every single morning and recommend it to anyone who’s just getting into the habit of journaling. Repeating positive affirmations either out loud or in your journal each morning is an effective way to boost your confidence (and manifest your desires, if that’s your thing). How do affirmations work? Well, by repeating something – in this case, a positive self-affirming statement – we ‘trick’ our brains into believing what we’re saying to be true. In many cases, we already possess these qualities we’re affirming, we just don’t believe them to be true yet, and repeating affirmations helps with this as well. Repeating affirmations in the morning helps give you a boost of confidence going into your day and, again, sets you off on the right foot. Some positive morning affirmations that you might want to write out during your morning journaling practise are: - I’m having a great day - I’m feeling happy and positive - I’m going to smash my goals today - I’m so grateful I get to experience life - I’m excited to see what today brings Short and simple, but fills me with motivation and confidence. It does the job. Setting small goals each morning is an amazing habit to get incorporate into your routine. Goal-setting first thing, and setting intentions for how you plan to go about your day, doesn’t just boost motivation in the moment, it also gives you a feeling of satisfaction and pride when you achieve one of them. While long-term goal-setting is also good for this, when you’re morning journaling, setting smaller, manageable goals is easier and often more effective in the moment. If your mental health isn’t in a good place, your goals can be as simple as brushing your teeth, making your bed, and going for a walk. If you’re already feeling motivated and ready to kick the day in the behind, setting slightly more ambitious goals – such as writing an entire essay, cleaning your entire bedroom, or doing your grocery shopping – is great for productivity. Three examples of small goals I set on a bad mental health day are: - Put on clean clothes - Make my bed - Eat a warm meal Whereas some examples of small goals that I might set on a ‘normal’ day include: - Finally make that dentist appointment I’ve been putting off - Zero out my email inbox - Write a blog post (like this one) What goals are important to you depends on your priorities and what you’re feeling capable of dealing with on any given day. However, goal-setting in the morning is definitely something that can benefit most people. If you’re anything like me, you probably love the idea of practising regular self-care and understand the benefits that come with it. However, finding the time or even just remembering to take care of yourself can be difficult, especially if your mental health is in a bad place. The ironic thing is that practising daily self-care can help prevent poor mental health and, when you do have a bad mental health day, make it easier to deal with. This is why I’ve made it a habit to schedule in self-care when I’m struggling to keep it at the forefront of my mind. I’ll do this in my journal in the morning, which encourages me to not only remember it because I’ve written it down, but to actually follow through with it. Writing it down also means you can look forward to it. I invite you to write down one self-care goal during your morning journaling session and commit to making time to actually carry it out. Self-care can be as basic as making sure you’re drinking water throughout the day. Some of my favourite self-care activities include: - Taking a walk in nature - Making a fancy coffee - Taking time out of the day to just exist in peace - Watching one of my comfort movies or TV shows - Lighting a scented candle - Taking a nap - Listening to music I try to make sure I pick at least one self-care activity each day to practise alongside my basic self-care, like taking a shower and eating. It really makes a difference to your mindset and mental health. Scheduling your self-care first thing in the morning also means that one of the first things you’ve done that day is put yourself first and prioritise your own well-being, which is one of the most productive uses of our time. Tips for morning journaling While some people do prefer to journal in the evening so that they can reflect on their day, I’ve always preferred morning journaling. It feels like it gives me a positive, productive start to the day. Plus, journaling as soon as I get up makes me less likely to forget to do it later on. As someone who has journaled in the mornings for years, here are my biggest tips: - Just start: It might sound simple to some, but one of the biggest hurdles people seem to have with starting a journal is just putting pen to paper. One of my best pieces of advice would ne to not overthink it and just write. You don’t even have to have a goal or any idea what you want to write, just get into the habit of writing in the morning. I have a whole blog post on how to start a journal, if you want a little extra guidance. - Set a reminder on your alarm: If you have a hard time remember to journal, most smart phones allow you to add a label to your alarm in the morning as a reminder. You can also set reminders on your phone or even keep physical reminders, like sticky notes, around your home. - Write in your journal first thing: I write in my journal as soon as I’ve made my morning cup of tea. However, if you’re just starting, you might want to write in your journal literally as soon as you wake up. This means you’re less likely to forget to do it later and means your first cohesive thoughts of the day are positive, productive ones. It’s also particularly helpful if you’re keeping a dream journal, as your dreams will be fresher in your mind. - Set a timer: If you’re strapped for time or worried about getting lost in your journal practise, simply set a timer for five-to-10 minutes to keep you on track. - Keep your journal next to your bed: Keeping your journal somewhere you’ll see it in the morning – like your nightstand – makes you more likely to remember to journal. - Don’t worry: Journaling should be a positive experience that makes your mornings feel lighter, not one that brings you stress or dread. Write what feels natural and don’t worry about forcing yourself to practise techniques that don’t feel right for you. For example, if you don’t like writing your affirmations, you don’t have to. Over time, you’ll learn what works for you and what doesn’t. Don’t sweat it. - Buy a journal you want to pick up: Buying a cute journal that you feel called to pick up makes a huge difference. If you love the look and feel of your journal, you’re more likely to want to write in it. The same goes for journaling stationary. I have a whole journaling gift guide, if you want to take a look at the multitude of journals available. - Meditate: Meditating before or after journaling helps clear your mind and improve mindfulness. - Practise self-care: Making sure you practise self-care before, during, and after journaling is important for maintaining good mental health. Journaling is what you make of it. It’s not a test or something you can do wrong. Don’t beat yourself up for missing a day, or put pressure on yourself to be “perfect” – there’s no such thing. Simply pick up your journal and write something – anything. How long should I journal for? There is no ideal amount of time to journal for. Ultimately, it comes down to how much time you have available in the mornings and what you want to achieve. If you’re doing deep, soul-searching shadow work, you might want to take a little longer with your practise. This may take you between 10 – 20 minutes. However, if you’re simply writing a gratitude list, this could only take five minutes or less. The best amount of time you should journal for comes entirely down to how much time you can fit into your morning routine and stick to consistently in order to get the most out of morning journaling. There’s no need to burn yourself by journaling for an hour every morning. This can be emotionally draining, off-putting, and difficult to keep up with. It’s also entirely unnecessary. Just five-to-10 minutes is plenty of time to fit journaling into your morning. I have a whole post on my five-minute journaling routine, if this sounds like something that would be helpful to you. What does a positive morning routine look like? While using morning journal prompts is great for a lot of people, in general, a positive morning routine looks different for everyone. I invite you to think about what makes you feel happy, productive, and positive and incorporate those things into your routine. What makes you dread mornings that bit less? What makes you feel energised? What helps you feel motivated to face the day? My personal morning routine, which I’ve kept consistent for a long time now, and I find prevents me from wanting to just lay in bed all day is as follows: - Set an alarm for 6:30am (I set it with a twinkly, chill alarm tone so that I don’t want to launch my phone across the room) - Make my bed - Light a scented candle - Get dressed into something clean and comfy - Make a cup of tea - Write in my journal, often using morning journal prompts - Brush my teeth and do my morning skincare routine - Sit at my desk and get to work I deliberately start my mornings in a calm, gentle way with candles, fluffy socks and hoodies. It makes the time of day that I used to hate most much more bearable, which I never thought was possible. Now my quiet, chilled mornings are sacred to me and are a key part of my self-care routine. We’re all different though. Perhaps you prefer to get up, drink a large glass of cold water and head straight out for a run. Perhaps you find doing yoga first thing in the morning helps you destress. Perhaps you like to get outside in nature and feel your bare feet on the ground as soon as you’ve rolled out of bed. Why not make a list of things you can do to make yourself feel good in the mornings? Then, try to incorporate some, if not all, of these things into your morning routine. Whatever you need to do to make dreading mornings a thing of the past.

Keyword bidding strategy Since 2018, Google has always encouraged us to use Smart Bidding’s strategy. Not only it is shown in Google’s public statement, our Google account manager repeatedly emphasized the benefits and importance of Smart Bidding to us in private. (Because you know product adoption is always one of their KPIs!!!) Google claims that Smart Bidding is the future. It can enhance the effectiveness and Performance of Ads as it utilizes the most advanced technology to convert traffic easily and to use mechanical learning to find patterns for conversion. However, is Smart Bidding as good as Google claims? This article will try to look at the effectiveness of Smart Bidding in keyword bidding. There are only two types of bidding strategies, one is Automated Bidding and the other is Manual Bidding. In Automated Bidding, Google automatically adjusts the bid for you according to certain conditions. And Manual Bidding is that you manually adjust the bid for each Ad group or keyword. The following is the bidding strategy and classification provided by Google Ads: - Maximize Clicks (Automated Bidding ) - Target Impression Share (Automated Bidding ) - Target CPA (Automated Bidding ) - Enhanced cost-per-click (Automated Bidding ) - Target ROAS (Automated Bidding ) - Maximize Conversions (Automated Bidding ) - Maximize Conversion Value (Automated Bidding ) - Manual Bidding (Manual Bidding) What is Smart Bidding that Google often advocates? Smart Bidding is one of the automatic bidding strategies. It focuses on some conversion-related conditions to help you place the bid automatically. Smart Bidding utilizes machine learning to optimize the bid every time to enhance the conversions or to improve the conversion value better. The Smart Bidding strategy includes the following: - Target CPA - Target ROAS - Target Impression Share - Maximize Conversions - Maximize Clicks - Enhanced CPC 1.Target CPA (Target Cost-Per-Action) Target CPA can optimize your bid to get the most conversion for your CPA (cost per conversion) goal. Simply put, it is to lower the CPA and advertising cost as well. Based on Kick Ads’ experience, we usually use 3 months of data to determine the CPA bid. Suppose Sally sells a Japanese candy box subscription service. She calculates that even if she spends USD15 on acquiring new customers, she still has money to pay the remaining expenses. Her goal is to set a cost-per-conversion at USD15. Then Google Ads will optimize her ads to achieve that goal. In order to maximize the effectiveness of “Target CPA”, you must have a great number of keywords and historical data, and to achieve more than 30 conversions in the past 30 days! As you can see in the above screenshot, you can set up your Target CPA in this bidding strategy! From the comparison results, although the average CPC is 9% higher than last month (from HK$6.43 to HK$5.93), the conversion rate was greatly improved, growing from 33 conversions in the first month to 41 conversions. The conversion rate rose 24%. Most obviously, CPA fell from HK$812.04 to HK$663.11 at a drop of 18%. In addition to changing the bidding strategy, we have been optimizing each campaign during the process, and adjusting the Target CPA bidding of each Ad group in time to exchange for a lower CPA. 1. It is recommended to observe at least two weeks or up to one month. (If the performance is better, the CPA and conversion number/value are ideal, you can keep using the strategy. 2. Only do the testing if you have enough budget and at least 3 months of data. Don’t waste too much energy on campaigns with fewer conversions. 3. Each campaign should have its own independent Target CPA because the Target CPA for different types of keyword/campaign is different. For example, the Target CPA of a brand campaign must be lower than that of a generic campaign. 4. You have to be patient when trying something new. Don’t change the bidding strategy from time to time as it may affect the performance of campaigns. 2.Target ROAS (Target Return on ad spend) Return on ad spend (ROAS) is the average value you get for every penny spent on advertising. Target ROAS focuses on achieving the highest conversion value), not the largest conversion. To put it simply, it is how much revenue or value you can get in exchange for a dollar of advertising. You can set up your Target ROAS in this bidding strategy! When to use Target ROAS? You need to have conversion tracking. If you are an E-commerce merchant and you already have a conversion value in Google Ads, you can use it. However, if your Google Ads / Google Analytics does not have a conversion value, you can refer to this article. But if you are mainly on B2B lead generation, you need to set a value for each lead/conversion to use ROAS. 3.Target Impression Share Google Ads has removed Target Search Page Location and Target Outranking Share in June 2019 and replaced it with Target Impression Share. Meaning that we are no longer able to aim to outrank certain competitors specifically as we did previously. Target Impression Share strategy is a combination of Target Search Page Location and Target Outranking Share. In short, it can help your ads to meet a specific impression threshold. Having a hard time understanding? You can refer to the image below to have a clearer picture of it. There is an option to set where you want your ads to show, either on Anywhere on the result page/Top of results page/Absolute top of results page. Once you have chosen your placement option, put your impression target goal – as high as 100% and maximum CPC bid limit then, you’re all set! For example if someone is searching for my brand and i want most of my ads to show at the top rank, i would choose Absolute top of results page and a 90% of Impressions share to target. Now, this might sound easy but it can be a little complicated. In fact, ranking at the top does not guarantee more conversions in return. The ad position should not be the only decisive factor. Maximizing the impression share could have a big possibility to shoot up the CPA as well. After all, conversion and CTR are the more important metrics to be considered. It doesn’t really matter how high the ad rank and how often the ad is showing. The most ideal strategy is to identify and capture your own so-called sweet spots. For that, we are less likely to use the Target Impression Share bidding strategy. 4. Maximize Conversions If you have a large budget and want to achieve a higher conversion rate to automate the process, you can consider using this smart bidding strategy. With the Maximized Conversion Auction strategy, Google can optimize the number of conversions instead of the total amount of conversions (total conversion value). As usual, there is no automatic bidding strategy that can guarantee success. So, please stick with it for at least 30 days, and then check the data to determine whether it is worth using it in the future. Table 3: 29 August 2019 – 4 September 2019 Table 4: 5 September 2019 – 11 September 2019 The above data are based on real cases. I changed the bidding strategy to Maximize Conversion on 5 September 2019. The main purpose is to see to what extent that Maximize Conversion can increase the conversion. The results of the testing surprised me after a week! The cost actually soared by 611%. The CPA rose from HK$20.57 to HK$114.52. Originally, 72 conversions were achieved with HK$1,481.17. But after switching to a new strategy, the cost rose to HK$9,000! Although Impressions and Clicks also increased a lot, but it doesn’t worth spending a lot just to get 20 more conversions than Manual CPC. We should be careful when using the Maximize Conversion, otherwise it will really outweigh the gains! Personally, I don’t like using this strategy! （But it doesn’t mean it won’t work. For me，once bitten, twice shy. I would rather go for Target CPA!) If you don’t have a fixed conversion channel and only want users to visit your website, then Maximize Clicks will automatically adjust your bid to achieve that goal. If your website doesn’t have enough traffic, you should first use Maximize Clicks. You can apply this auction strategy to your ad groups, campaigns, and keywords. When to use Maximize Click? If you are creating SEM ads for the first time and have no ideas about the bidding price and conversion of keywords, then you can try using Maximize Click first. It can help bring traffic to your website. When you are about to figure out the correlation of price and ranking of each keyword, you can switch to Smart Bidding or Manual CPC for better performance. It is an ideal strategy to use Maximize Click as the initial bidding strategy. But the focus of this auction strategy is to bring the most traffic with limited budget because the keyword with a lower price will have a higher proportion, but the keyword with a lower price may not be a good thing if its conversion rate is low. 6. Enhanced CPC When the algorithm determines that there is a higher conversion opportunity, ECPC will optimize by increasing the bid to attract the most conversions. If you have a large and flexible budget, and your primary goal is to attract conversions, you can consider this strategy. What is the difference between ECPC and Target CPA? With Target CPA, advertisers can set a goal for each conversion, and ECPC will try to attract the most conversions with the maximum CPC limit. But be careful! ECPC has set a 30% upper limit for bid adjustments in the past, but the limit was lifted in May 2017. This means that your bids may fluctuate more drastically, so strict monitoring is required. Enhanced CPC is neither as controlled as Manual CPC nor as smart as Target CPA. Honestly, I rarely use Enhanced CPC in recent years. You are welcome to share with me if you have any experience. Manual vs Automated Bid Strategies Based on our 2 years of experience, Kick Ads has four conclusions in terms of Automatic vs Manual bidding: 1. Manual used to perform relatively well in the past as we can better control the bid of each keyword, thereby adjusting the Average Cost per Click and strictly control the cost to achieve better cost-effectiveness. However, in recent years, the development of Smart Bidding has become more and more mature, and the machine learning behind it has also become more advanced, making the advantage of manual bidding lower. In addition, Manual Bidding requires manual control and optimization of bids, which requires higher manual and time costs. If the labor cost is included in the cost savings of Manual Bidding, the advantage of Manual is less obvious. There are a number of cases showing that Smart Bidding is better than Manual Bidding. 2. Smart Bidding also has shortcomings. Smart Bidding performs better in foreign countries because Smart Bidding requires a certain number of conversions to be effectively optimized. It needs more data for Machine Learning to make bidding more accurate. Take Hong Kong as an example, not many companies have more than a hundred or a thousand conversions in Google every month. There are less companies which can achieve more than 100 conversions per month in Google on average. It is not difficult for E-Commerce to achieve over one hundred conversions. But for the service industry, getting more than 100 conversions per month in Google Ads is really not easy. (Of course, this conversion refers to actions that have a direct impact on the business, such as querying or leaving a contact. Conversions such as Contact Page or Subscribe Newsletter are not included.) 3. What does KickAds usually do? When we create campaigns for new clients, if we don’t know how much we should bid on the keywords, we will first use Maximize Clicks. But remember to set the Max CPC Bid Limit. After about 2 weeks, when you know the bidding range of the keywords, you can switch to Manual CPC to control CPC and CPA more effectively. When the number of conversions has stabilized (let say 3 months later), you can use Target CPA. 4. Set the Average CPA number to Target CPA. Let the system learn, and then gradually reduce the Target CPA bid. It is recommended to replace the bidding strategy of the brand campaign first. You can observe other campaigns for a longer time before changing the bidding strategy. Slowly transfer the less competitive campaign to Target CPA. At this stage, it is better to keep the most competitive or generic keywords / campaign with Manual CPC. Google has been promoting Smart Bidding in recent years. As the development of machine learning matures, the advantages of manual bidding are getting lower. It is expected that manual bidding will be eliminated gradually. We are always the supporters of manual bidding and do not like using Smart Bidding. But the reality is that Google is the big boss. If you want to play the game, you have to follow the rules. You can choose not to place ads on Google (thinking to go back to Yahoo?Likely Impossible). Another option is to try optimizing your ads performance under Google’s rules.

Brain Tumors in Children Approximately 4,000 children and adolescents in the U.S. are diagnosed with primary brain tumors each year. What is a Brain Tumor? Brain tumors are the most common solid tumors in children. Approximately 4,000 children and adolescents in the US are diagnosed with primary brain tumors each year. Primary brain tumors start in the brain and generally do not spread outside the brain tissue. Most central nervous system cancers are brain tumors. Brain tumors, either malignant or benign, are tumors that originate in the cells of the brain. A tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue. A benign tumor does not contain cancer cells and usually, once removed, does not recur. Most benign brain tumors have clear borders, meaning they do not invade surrounding tissue. These tumors can, however, cause symptoms similar to cancerous tumors because of their size and location in the brain. Malignant brain tumors contain cancer cells. Malignant brain tumors are usually fast growing and invade surrounding tissue. Malignant brain tumors very rarely spread to other areas of the body, but may recur after treatment. Sometimes, brain tumors that are not cancer are called malignant because of their size and location, and the damage they can do to vital functions of the brain. Brain tumors can occur at any age. Brain tumors that occur in infants and children are very different from adult brain tumors, both in terms of the type of cells and the responsiveness to treatment. Anatomy of the Brain The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the brain and spinal cord. The brain is an important organ that controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, respirations, temperature, hunger, and every process that regulates our body. The brain can be divided into the cerebrum, the brainstem, and the cerebellum: - Cerebrum (front of brain) - composed of the right and left hemispheres. Functions of the cerebrum include: initiation of movement, temperature sensation, touch, vision, hearing, judgment, reasoning, problem solving, emotions, and learning. - Brainstem (base of brain) - includes the midbrain, the pons, and the medulla. Functions of this area include: movement of the eyes and mouth, relaying sensory messages (i.e., hot, pain, loud), hunger, respirations, consciousness, cardiac function, body temperature, involuntary muscle movements, sneezing, coughing, vomiting, and swallowing. - Cerebellum (back of brain) - located at the back of the head, its function is to coordinate voluntary muscle movements and to maintain posture, balance, and equilibrium. As a national leader in outcomes and quality, we understand cancer. What are the Symptoms of a Brain Tumor? The following are the most common symptoms of a brain tumor. However, each child may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms vary depending on size and location of tumor. Many symptoms are related to an increase in pressure in or around the brain, except in very young children (whose skull bones have not yet fused together), as there is no spare space in the skull for anything except the delicate tissues of the brain and its fluid. Any tumor, extra tissue, or fluid can cause pressure on the brain and result in the following symptoms: - Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) - caused by extra tissue or fluid in the brain. Pressure may increase because one or more of the ventricles that drain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF, the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord) has been blocked, causing the fluid to be trapped in the brain. Increased ICP can cause the following: - Vomiting (usually in the morning) - Personality changes - Decreased cardiac and respiratory function and eventually coma if not treated - Symptoms of brain tumors in the cerebrum (front of brain) may include: - Visual changes - Slurred speech - Paralysis or weakness on half of the body or face - Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) - Drowsiness and/or confusion - Personality changes/impaired judgment - Short-term memory loss - Gait disturbances - Communication problems - Symptoms of brain tumors in the brainstem (base of brain) may include: - Seizures Endocrine problems (diabetes and/or hormone regulation) - Visual changes or double vision - Headaches Paralysis of nerves/muscles of the face, or half of the body - Respiratory changes Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) - Clumsy, uncoordinated walk - Hearing loss - Personality changes - Symptoms of brain tumors in the cerebellum (back of brain) may include: - Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) - Vomiting (usually occurs in the morning without nausea) - Headache Uncoordinated muscle movements - Problems walking (ataxia) The symptoms of a brain tumor may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your child's physician for a diagnosis. What Causes Brain Tumors? The majority of brain tumors have abnormalities of genes involved in cell cycle control, causing uncontrolled cell growth. These abnormalities are caused by alterations directly in the genes, or by chromosome rearrangements which change the function of a gene. Patients with certain genetic conditions (neurofibromatosis, von Hippel-Lindau disease, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, and retinoblastoma) also have an increased risk to develop tumors of the central nervous system. There have also been some reports of children in the same family developing brain tumors who do not have any of these genetic syndromes. Some chemicals may change the structure of a gene that protects the body from diseases and cancer. Research has been investigating parents of children with brain tumors and their past exposure to certain chemicals, including pesticides and petroleum products. Children who have received radiation therapy to the head as part of prior treatment for other malignancies are also at an increased risk for new brain tumors. How is a Brain Tumor Diagnosed? In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination of your child, examination procedures for a brain tumor may include: - Neurological exam - your child's physician tests reflexes, muscle strength, eye and mouth movement, coordination, and alertness. - Computed tomography scan (also called a CT or CAT scan) - a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce horizontal, or axial, images (often called slices) of the body. A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs, such as the brain. CT scans are more detailed than general x-rays. - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - a diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of large magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to produce detailed images of organs and structures within the body. MRI is very helpful for looking at the brain and spinal cord. - X-ray - a diagnostic test which uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs onto film. - Angiogram - a dye is used to visualize all the blood vessels in the brain with x-rays in order to detect certain types of tumors. (This test is used less often than in the past because special CT or MRI angiogram techniques can now be used to look at blood vessels in the brain.) - Myelogram - an x-ray of the spine, similar to an angiogram. - Lumbar puncture/spinal tap - a special needle is placed into the lower back, into the spinal canal. This is the area around the spinal cord. A small amount of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) can be removed and sent for testing. CSF is the fluid which bathes the brain and spinal cord. - Positron emission tomography (PET) - in nuclear medicine, a procedure that measures the metabolic activity of cells. A PET scan may show areas of cancer that may not be seen on a CT scan or an MRI scan. Examination of a brain tumor depends mostly on the types of cells in which the tumor begins and the tumor location. What are the Different Types of Brain Tumors? The different types of brain tumors include the following: - Gliomas. The most common type of brain tumor is a glioma. Gliomas begin from glial cells, which are the supportive tissue of the brain. There are several types of gliomas, categorized by where they are found, and the type of cells that originated the tumor. The following are the different types of gliomas: - Astrocytomas. Astrocytomas are glial cell tumors that are derived from connective tissue cells called astrocytes. These cells can be found anywhere in the brain or spinal cord. Astrocytomas are the most common type of childhood brain tumor. Astrocytomas are generally subdivided into high-grade, medium-grade or low-grade tumors. High-grade astrocytomas are the most malignant of all brain tumors. Astrocytomas are further classified for presenting signs, symptoms, treatment, and prognosis, based on the location of the tumor. The most common location of these tumors is in the cerebellum, where they are called cerebellar astrocytomas. These tumors usually cause symptoms of increased intracranial pressure, headache, and vomiting. There can also be problems with walking and coordination, as well as double vision. - Brain stem gliomas. Brain stem gliomas are tumors found in the brain stem. Most brain stem tumors cannot be surgically removed because of the remote location and delicate and complex function this area controls. Brain stem gliomas occur almost exclusively in children; the group most often affected is the school-age child. The child usually does not have increased intracranial pressure, but may have problems with double vision, movement of the face or one side of the body, or difficulty with walking and coordination. - Ependymomas. Ependymomas are also glial cell tumors. They usually develop in the lining of the ventricles or in the spinal cord. The most common place they are found in children is near the cerebellum. The tumor often blocks the flow of the CSF (cerebral spinal fluid, which bathes the brain and spinal cord), causing increased intracranial pressure. Ependymomas can be slow growing, compared to other brain tumors, but may recur after treatment is completed. Recurrence of ependymomas results in a more invasive tumor with more resistance to treatment. About 5 percent to 10 percent of childhood brain tumors are ependymomas. - Optic nerve gliomas. Optic nerve gliomas are found in or around the nerves that send messages from the eyes to the brain. They are frequently found in persons who have neurofibromatosis, a condition a child is born with that makes him/her more likely to develop tumors in the brain. Persons usually experience loss of vision, as well as hormone problems, since these tumors are usually located at the base of the brain where hormonal control is located and arise (begin) from the optic nerve. These are typically difficult to treat due to the surrounding sensitive brain structures. - Primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET). PNET can occur anywhere in the brain of a child, although the most common place is in the back of the brain near the cerebellum. When they occur here, they are called medulloblastomas. The symptoms depend on their location in the brain, but typically the child experiences increased intracranial pressure. These tumors are fast growing and often malignant, with occasional spreading throughout the brain or spinal cord. - Medulloblastomas. Medulloblastomas are one type of PNET that are found near the midline of the cerebellum. This tumor is rapidly growing and often blocks drainage of the CSF (cerebral spinal fluid, which bathes the brain and spinal cord), causing symptoms associated with increased ICP. Medulloblastoma cells can spread (metastasize) to other areas of the central nervous system, especially around the spinal cord. A combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy is usually needed to control these tumors. - Craniopharyngiomas. Craniopharyngiomas are benign tumors that occur at the base of the brain near the nerves from the eyes to the brain, and the hormone centers. Most occur in children and young adults, but can develop at any age. Symptoms include headaches, as well as problems with vision. Hormonal imbalances are common, including poor growth and short stature. Symptoms of increased intracranial pressure may also be seen. Although these tumors are benign, they are hard to remove due to the sensitive brain structures that surround them. - Pineal region tumors. Many different tumors can arise near the pineal gland, a gland which helps control sleep and wake cycles. Gliomas are common in this region, as are pineoblastomas (a type of PNET). In addition, germ cell tumors, another form of malignant tumor, can be found in this area. Benign pineal gland cysts are also seen in this location, which makes the diagnosis difficult between what is malignant and what is benign. Biopsy or removal of the tumor is frequently necessary to tell the different types of tumors apart. Persons with tumors in this region frequently experience headaches or symptoms of increased intracranial pressure. Treatment depends on the tumor type and size. Treatment of Brain Tumors Specific treatment for brain tumors will be determined by your child's physician based on: - Your child's age, overall health, and medical history - Type, location, and size of the tumor - Extent of the disease - Your child's tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies - Expectations for the course of the disease - Your opinion or preference Treatment may include (alone or in combination): - Surgery. Surgery is usually the first step in the treatment of brain tumors. The goal is to remove as much of the tumor as possible while maintaining neurological function. Surgery for a biopsy may also be done to examine the types of cells the tumor is made of for a diagnosis. This is frequently done if the tumor is in an area with sensitive structures around it that may be injured during removal. Chemotherapy - Radiation therapy - Steroids (to treat and prevent swelling especially in the brain) - Anti-seizure medication (to treat and prevent seizures associated with intracranial pressure) - Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (Also called a VP shunt.). A VP shunt may be placed in the head to drain excess fluid from inside the brain to the abdomen. A VP shunt helps control the pressure inside the brain. - Bone marrow transplantation - Supportive care (for the side effects of the tumor or treatment) - Rehabilitation (to regain lost motor skills and muscle strength; speech, physical, and occupational therapists may be involved in the healthcare team) - Antibiotics (to treat and prevent infections) - Continuous follow-up care (to manage disease, detect recurrence of the tumor and to manage late effects of treatment) Long-Term Outlook for a Child with a Brain Tumor Prognosis greatly depends on: - The type of tumor. - The extent of the disease. - Size and location of the tumor. - Presence or absence of metastasis. - The tumor's response to therapy. - The age and overall health of your child. - Your child's tolerance of specific medications, procedures, or therapies. - New developments in treatment. As with any cancer, prognosis and long-term survival can vary greatly from individual to individual. Prompt medical attention and aggressive therapy are important for the best prognosis. Continuous follow-up care is essential for a child diagnosed with a brain tumor. Side effects of radiation and chemotherapy, as well as second malignancies, can occur in survivors of brain tumors. Rehabilitation for lost motor skill and muscle strength may be required for an extended amount of time. Speech therapists and physical and occupational therapists may be involved in some form of rehabilitation. More research is needed to improve treatment, decrease side effects of the treatment for this disease, and develop a cure. New methods are continually being discovered to improve treatment and to decrease side effects.

What is grinding in mechanical The workpiece is manually clamped to a lathe dog, powered by the faceplate, that holds the piece in between two centers and rotates the piece. The piece and the grinding wheel rotate in opposite directions and small bits of the piece are removed as it passes along the grinding wheel. In some instances special drive centers may be used to allow the edges to be ground. The workholding method affects the production time as it changes set up times. Grinding machine Wikipedia,A grinding machine, often shortened to grinder, is one of power tools or machine tools used for grinding, it is a type of machining using an abrasive wheel as the cutting tool. Each grain of abrasive on the wheel's surface cuts a small chip from the workpiece via shear deformation. Grinding is used to finish workpieces that must show high surface quality (e.g., low surface roughness) and high accuracyof shape and dimension. As the accuracy in dimensions in grinding is of the order of Grinding force was found to be relatively constant and decreased in value after the first ELID dressing stage was completed. Fine ELID grinding induces compressive surface stress of about 150–400 MPa. The depth of the compressive layer produced during ELID grinding what is grinding in mechanical,Grinding machine Britannica . Grinding machine: Grinding machine, tool that employs a rotating abrasive wheelto change the shape All of the many types of grinding machines use a grindingwheel made from one of the papermaking: Mechanical Jul 31, 2017· In the old times, the spices were ground manually by the individual families using a pestle and mortar, so that the spices retain their flavour to the maximum. But in the new era, that practice got replaced by mechanical grinding Grinding (Machining) an overview ScienceDirect Topics,Grinding force was found to be relatively constant and decreased in value after the first ELID dressing stage was completed. Fine ELID grinding induces compressive surface stress of about 150–400 MPa. The depth of the compressive layer produced during ELID grinding what is grinding in mechanical Grinding machine Britannica . Grinding machine: Grinding machine, tool that employs a rotating abrasive wheelto change the shape All of the many types of grinding machines use a grindingwheel made from one of the papermaking: Mechanical or groundwood pulp.Cryogenic Grinding Technology Satvam Spices and Mixes,Jul 31, 2017· In the old times, the spices were ground manually by the individual families using a pestle and mortar, so that the spices retain their flavour to the maximum. But in the new era, that practice got replaced by mechanical grinding of herbs in big factories. Grinding Machine Types and Uses of a Grinding Machine The grinding machine is a type of tool that is utilized for grinding work pieces. It basically use an abrasive wheel as the cutting tool. The rough surface of the abrasive wheel shreds off small portions of the work piece as required. It is also known as a grinder.what is grinding? grinding manufacturing operation,Jan 16, 2018· what is grinding ,grinding manufacturing operation,Grinding explained with diagram,grinding wheel,grinding operation,grinding diagram,grinding tool,grinding operation ppt, grinding operation is What’s the Difference Between Grinding Materials This remnant deformation is effectively removed through chemo-mechanical polishing using oxide polishing suspension. Nitinol. This is a nickel titanium alloy employed in endovascular stents.Vertical Grinding Has Advantages : Modern Machine Shop,Oct 28, 2004· In vertical grinding, the workpiece is held upright in a rotary chuck with the grinding spindle overhead. This configuration can improve roundness, facilitate single-setup processing and prolong the life of the machine. Loading and unloading may gets easier, too. Workpieces with relatively large diameters and short lengths benefit the most from vertical grinding. Metallographic grinding and polishing insight Struers Grinding is the first step of mechanical material removal. Proper grinding removes damaged or deformed surface material, while limiting the amount of additional surface deformation. The goal is a plane surface with minimal damage that can easily be removed during polishing in Grinding Definition of Grinding at Dictionary,Grinding definition, to wear, smooth, or sharpen by abrasion or friction; whet: to grind a lens. See more. Automatic Pneumatic Grinding Machine Mechanical Project The main objective of our project is to perform various machining operations using “Auto feed mechanism” in grinding machine with the help of pneumatic sources. For a developing industry the operation performed and the parts (or) components produced should have it minimum possible production cost, then only industry runs profitability. In small-scale industry and automobile BASIC PRINCIPLE OF GRINDING Mechanical engineering,Aluminum oxide grinding wheel is commonly used in making the grinding wheel and will be best suited for grinding the ferrous metals having high tensile strength e.g. hard steel, wrought iron etc. ; Silicon carbide grinding wheel is used to grind the softer, low tensile strength, high density and non-ferrous materials such as brass, aluminum and softer bronze. Specimen Machining, Test Specimens Laboratory Testing Inc. Low-stress grinding is available for applicable specimens and materials. Polishing, laser marking and custom packaging services are also offered. The full spectrum of mechanical testing specimens are routinely prepared at LTI, including charpy, izod, hardness and tensile test specimens.Chapter 17: Cutting Tool Applications — Grinding Methods,Chapter 17: Cutting Tool Applications — Grinding Methods and Machines. Grinding, or abrasive machining, once performed on conventional milling machines, lathes and shapers, is now performed on various types of grinding machines. What is Abrading? Definition from Corrosionpedia Jun 13, 2018· The adhesive nature of the coating is affected by the surface finish of the substrate.To accomplish this, various physical, chemical and mechanical treatments are required to remove surface contamination, oil, greases, surface layers and improve adhesion. 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A surprising study found participants who did not wear a fitness tracker lost more weight. If you’ve ever done a “quick lap” around the house to cram in some additional steps before bed, then you may want to sit down before this next announcement: Your Fitbit is a lie. The fitness technology industry has played us for fools and we stepped right into their trap. We were previously led to believe that using a wearable technology device (like a Fitbit, Jawbone, Garmin or any of those terrible smartwatches), coupled with diet and exercise, could increase our weight-loss potential. But according to a new study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, this is not the case. John M. Jakicic is a Professor at the University of Pittsburgh and the Chair of the Department of Health and Physical Activity. Between 2010 and 2012, he and his team of fellow researchers studied 471 eighteen- to thirty-five-year-olds who qualified as overweight or obese. After six months, the study participants were divided into two groups; one group was given a wearable device. According to Jakicic, the objective of the study was: “To examine whether or not when we gave a behavioral weight loss program to individuals who were overweight or obese if we added wearable technology—something that actually monitored physical activity and energy expenditure— whether that would actually enhance the weight loss over 24 months.” To their surprise, it did not. The control group ended up losing, on average, 5.3 pounds more than the group that utilized wearable devices. However, the study is not without its limitations. Jakicic points out that the device participants were given is now five years old, and was worn on participants’ arms (most wearable tech is now strapped to the wrist). Wearable technology is becoming ever more prevalent. Snapchat, which is in the process of rebranding to Snap, Inc., just announced the release of their first piece of wearable technology: Spectacles, sunglasses with a built-in camera that allows users to share what they’re seeing with their eyes directly on their Snapchat. But while wearable technology continues to evolve, Jakicic cautions that fitness tech is not a one-size-fits-all industry. In fact, he believes that if you’re successfully engaging in a behavioral weight-loss program, you should avoid purchasing a wearable device because, in his words, “You probably don’t need it.” “[Wearable devices] might actually give people somewhat of a false sense of security that they don’t pay attention to some of the key behaviors that they otherwise might pay attention to,” Jakicic says. “They’re relying on the device or the technology maybe a little bit too much and that may be why we saw a little bit less weight loss in that group.”

For you to choose from if you are interested in getting federal student loans, there are a few different types. For undergraduate pupils, there are 2 main programs that exist: Stafford and Perkins loans. Precisely what is the essential difference between Stafford and Perkins loans? The Stafford loan is considered the most popular variety of federal education loan on the market. These loans are accessible for pretty much everybody else who would like to visit university. The Stafford loan is really split up into two several types of loans: unsubsidized and subsidized. Whenever you submit an application for any type of federal loan, you need to fill out of the complimentary Application for Federal Student help or FAFSA. The details on this application informs the us government whether you’ve got an important need that is financial not. You can qualify for subsidized Stafford loans if you have a big financial need. It means that the interest rate on your loan will be lower when you qualify for subsidized Stafford loans. Moreover it ensures that the us government will pay the interest actually that is collecting on the loans when you are in university. This will make your debt on your own loans smaller because there’s nothing being put into the principal stability while you will be still at school. Then be given the opportunity to take out unsubsidized student loans if you don’t have a significant financial need, you will. These loans enable you to defer re re payments while you’re at school, however the interest is just put into the loan’s principal balance, which includes the end result of raising the debt degree. Perkins loans have become just like Stafford loans with the exception of a few differences that are key. Perkins loans are just for those who have actually a substantial monetary need. Which means you may be able to qualify for Perkins loans as well if you qualify for subsidized Stafford loans. Perkins loans additionally often include reduced rates of interest than Stafford loans. Another unique function of Perkins loans is the fact that they truly are notably supported by the university which you attend. With Stafford loans, the complete amount you borrow is supplied by the Direct Loan Program. With Stafford loans, an element of the cash for the loan is given by the college. The collection process will be different for each of these if you can’t afford to repay your student loans at some point in the future. If you fail to manage to spend your Stafford loans, you’ll begin getting collection phone telephone telephone calls and will have your wages garnished if you wish to cover the debt back. The us government also can bring your income that is federal tax as re re re payment for the financial obligation. With Perkins loans, they shall perhaps maybe perhaps not garnish your paycheck and take your revenue taxation reimbursement for re payment associated with the financial obligation. The 3rd variety of federal education loan you could qualify for is a bonus loan. The PLUS loan program is for moms and dads of university students and students that are graduate. If you’re currently completed with your bachelors level and you also like to get back to university getting a master’s level, you can use the PLUS program to borrow funds in your title. If you’re a moms and dad of a university student whom cannot be eligible for most of the cash that he / she requires alone, you are able to borrow cash with the aid of a bonus loan. You’ll borrow the cash and then use that cash to fund tuition, space and board, and costs. You must have a child that is enrolled for at least half-time in an approved college or university to qualify for this program if you are a parent. The downside aided by the PLUS loan system is the fact that there’s absolutely no elegance duration of these loans. You need to start making repayments straight away following the funds have already been distributed. In comparison, with Stafford loans, you don’t need certainly to make re re payments while university courses are now being taken. This provides you a tad bit more freedom into the payment associated with the loans. This option isn’t available with PLUS loans. While you are in graduate school, you you have the option of deferring payments while you are enrolled at least half-time if you are using this loan program. You might theoretically get authorized for several three of those loan programs sooner or later. When you have a significant monetary need, you can just just take down both Perkins and Stafford loans on top of that. Then if you choose to carry on your training, you can add an advantage loan to greatly help buy graduate college. In most cases, you ought to use the many funds from this system that delivers the interest rate that is best at the full time. To get Federal figuratively speaking along with other kinds of school funding, you need to finish the FAFSA or complimentary Application for Federal Student help. It can be very confusing if you have never completed this application before. It’s a document that is long calls for you to definitely offer various sorts of information. As soon as you conclude the application form, the Department of Education will review it and figure out in the event that you qualify for subsidized Stafford or Perkins loans if you need financial aid or. The initial step in the procedure is to have a FAFSA kind. Perhaps you are in a position to get a FAFSA kind from the school guidance counselor’s office that is high. You may also access the proper execution online from the Department of Education’s site. That you can complete the form after you have the FAFSA form, you will need to get together your information so. You need to find some as a type of ID, your Social Security card, pay stubs, tax statements and monetary statements. You will also need these documents for your mother and father if you should be nevertheless separate of your moms and dads. Once you have every one of the paperwork in position, you will have to finish the shape. The FAFSA kind includes a true quantity of various concerns that you’ll have to resolve. These concerns are made to ascertain your situation that is financial and of the moms and dads. It must be submitted to the Department of Education after you have completed the application. If you’re working online, you can just submit the applying on the internet site. If you’re using a paper application, you’ll need certainly to mail it into the Department of Education. You don’t need certainly to add copies of all of the of one’s records that are financial you send the document. Once you’ve completed the proper execution and delivered it in, you’ll need certainly to wait from the results. The Department of Education will review the paperwork and send you some then details about everything you be eligible for a. Am I able to Get Student Education Loans with No Credit or Bad Credit? Mostly loans are nothing like conventional loans by which you must have a particular credit history and a monthly earnings to be able to qualify. The the greater part of income that is lent or student loans originates from the Federal Direct Loan Program. The qualifications for approval don’t really have anything to do with your credit history with this program. The government that is federaln’t have a look at your credit rating or see for those who have any credit score to discuss about it. The skills because of this style of loan are very different from a old-fashioned loan approval procedure. With federal student education loans, you should be in a position to show a need that is financial the mortgage. You additionally have to become a united states of america resident or a qualified resident associated with the united states of america. You really must have finished from senior high school or have actually a GED to obtain education loan. You additionally have become working toward getting a diploma or some types of certification, based on where you’re going to college. Along with conference these requirements, in addition, you should have a Social Security quantity advance cash loans unless you are perhaps not an usa resident. You additionally have to join up utilizing the Selective Service and continue maintaining some known degree of educational progress when you are at school. You need to make use of the cash you get through the program that is federal buy training costs rather than for individual things. The us government may also wish to ensure that you would not have any student education loans that you’re in standard on at the time of the program. They are going to also check always to make certain that you don’t know just about any debts towards the government like tax financial obligation. Should you involve some sorts of outstanding financial obligation, may very well not have the ability to be eligible for any loans.

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) via the Colorado School of Public Health The Colorado Foundation for Public Health and the Environment through our program, the Regional Institute for Health and Environmental Leadership (RIHEL), and the Colorado Association of Local Public Health Organizations (CALPHO) provides training and leadership support in two specific ways: through our administrative partnership program and our staff expertise to develop trainings. Membership and Trainings The Rocky Mountain Public Health Education Consortium is a multi-state entity whose mission is to develop and implement a regional collaboration of university faculty and state agency Maternal and Child Health programs to improve the health status of and eliminate health disparities among women, children and families, including those with special health care needs. This is done by increasing the knowledge, skills, competencies and capacity of professionals, organizations and systems in the Rocky Mountain and surrounding states and Tribal Nations within the region. The consortium works to assure an educational network that includes but is not limited to the following programs: staff development, continuing education, certification and graduate degrees in Public Health with an emphasis in Maternal and Child Health. As a result of participation in the Consortium, MCH staff at CDPHE and in local public health agencies in Colorado will benefit from quality educational conferences, distance learning video workshops, written self-teaching modules and graduate level classroom sessions that the consortium produces. National Institute of Health via Colorado Clinical Translational Science Institute (CCTSI); The CCTSI Community Engagement Core is supported by NIH/NCRR Colorado CTSI Grant Number UL1 RR025780. The Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI) is a collaborative enterprise between University of Colorado Denver, University of Colorado at Boulder, six affiliated hospitals and health care organizations, and multiple community organizations with a goal to accelerate the translation of research discoveries into improved patient care and public health. The CCTSI was created in 2008 with funding from the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) initiative of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Community Engagement is critical to increase the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of clinical and translational research. Accordingly, the Community Engagement (CE) Core of the CCTSI endeavors to transform the existing community research infrastructure using community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles while building capacity in our community-academic partnerships. Our ultimate goal is to reduce health disparities in the Rocky Mountain Region through targeted investments in community translational research, followed by wider dissemination of successful practices. A dynamic Partnership of Academicians and Communities for Translation (PACT) guides the work of the CE Core while facilitating bidirectional exchange between communities and academic programs. The CE Core has engaged 20 existing community-academic partnerships in the PACT, which encompasses more than 4 million community members, including rural, minority and underserved populations. While CFPHE manages all the funds that are going into the community for this program using our Administrative Partnership program, CFPHE also oversees a Community Research Liaison (CRL) Program. CRLs work in diverse communities in urban and rural Colorado. CRLs respectfully engage communities to address the needs of communities, partners, patients, and health providers in order to cultivate relationships between academic researchers and individuals within a population and subpopulations so that they can identify community health priorities and design locally relevant studies that address real community, partner, patient and health provider needs. Patient Centered Outcomes and Research Institute (PCORI) PCORI was authorized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 as a non-profit, nongovernmental organization and is charged with helping patients, clinicians, purchasers, and policy makers make better-informed health decisions by “advancing the quality and relevance of evidence about how to prevent, diagnose, treat, monitor, and manage diseases, disorders, and other health conditions.” PCORI’s Pipeline to Proposal Awards (also called Pipeline Awards), a progressive, three-tiered funding approach, aims to accelerate research proposal submission and dissemination and to develop a nationwide foundation of patients, stakeholders, and researchers equipped and eager to participate in patient-centered outcomes research. Because PCORI has a limited headquarters workforce, the operational, programmatic, and fiscal duties associated with Tier I Pipeline Awards was awarded to CFPHE because of our significant research capacity building and award management experience (e.g., grant and contract award administration). PCORI contracted with five nonprofit organizations to serve as Pipeline Award Program Offices that will support the initiative nationwide and provide awardees with technical assistance and guidance. Four of the program offices will provide regional support: - Eastern states: Health Resources in Action, Boston - Midwestern states: Michigan Public Health Institute, Lansing - Southern states: Georgia Health Policy Center, Atlanta - Western states: Colorado Foundation for Public Health and the Environment, Denver In addition, the National Network of Public Health Institutes in Washington, DC, will serve as a national program office, assisting with projects that extend beyond a single region. The five organizations all have public health, healthcare, or research familiarity as well as experience in research capacity-building and award management. By supporting and managing the efforts of Pipeline to Proposal awardees in their regions, the Pipeline Award Program Offices advance the development of partnerships leading to teams ready and able to propose and conduct patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR). Specifically, the Pipeline Award Program Offices: - Assist awardees in developing communities, creating infrastructure and strategic planning, - Assist awardees in reporting their progress and PCORI in its progress evaluations, - Share lessons learned and collaboratively problem-solve as the projects progress, Poudre Valley Hospital Foundation Committed to develop community-based programs to foster improved healthcare and patient satisfaction while helping to control healthcare costs in the Northern Colorado region. Caring for Colorado Foundation Evolve Communications began the Una Boca Saludable project in May 2008 with a grant from the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation. Since that time, the project has been funded by The Colorado Health Foundation and the Caring for Colorado Foundation. Now with a fresh round of funding from Caring for Colorado, the project will continue its objective to reach Spanish speaking Latinos in Denver with vital oral health care information. The first two project phases were based on outreach utilizing mass media. However for this phase, the project will employ a different methodology, utilizing the skills and cultural competence of Health Promotoras (female Spanish speaking lay health workers) to teach basic evidence based oral health care skills at five Hispanic/Latino serving community based organizations. Evolve Communications will be joined on this project by Total Oral Prevention Strategies (TOPS) and CREA Results. Together, they are the project partners. The project goals are as follows: - To educate Spanish speaking Hispanic/Latino families in Denver about the importance of oral health care, utilizing the Health Promotora model. - To train 25 Spanish speaking Health Promotoras on basic evidence-based oral health care skills and information. - The newly trained promotoras will then work with five partner organizations to train a minimum of 100 community members (women, their children and other family members and caregivers) on basic evidence-based oral health care skills. - Trained community members will be encouraged to host educational events at church, school, and community gatherings, to disseminate their learning to other members of the community. The project partners will support up to 20 such events by the end of July, 2010. - As part of these activities, a 5-minute video in English and Spanish will be created to demonstrate the skills and knowledge base offered by the project. The video will enable the partners and community organizers to continue to disseminate information once the project has ended. The Colorado Department of Human Service’s Colorado Works Division is funding the BBYT Initiative with a grant from the Statewide Strategic Use Fund. The Blending and Braiding Your TANF Initiative (BBYT) is an opportunity for local communities to collaborate and learn to use multiple funding streams to support evidence-based and best practice services, while maintaining the transparency and accountability required by Temporary Assistance for Need Family (TANF)’s outcome-focused funding stream. Goals & Activities: - Research federal and state eligibility requirements and regulations to clarify what uses of TANF funds are permitted and how to maintain compliance while using TANF funds; - Work with 6 demonstration counties to provide technical assistance to create individualized, Colorado Works Division approved braiding plans with TANF and one or more additional funding streams to serve low income families; and - Develop concrete tools and provide statewide training to prepare any interested county to fully use their TANF dollars and braid them with other relevant funding streams. - The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, where the project director is housed; - The Colorado Systems of Care Collaborative, as the advisory group; - The Family Resource Center Association, family advocacy organizations, and local counties to provide insight, expertise, and implementation opportunities; - The Center for Systems Integration, to provide staff support and fiscal coordination expertise; and - The Colorado Foundation for Public Health and the Environment is the fiscal agent

Susan Sontag and the Photographs of the European Refugee Crisis “This morning’s collection contains the photograph of what might be a man’s body, or a woman’s; it is so mutilated that it might, on the other hand, be the body of a pig. But those certainly are dead children, and that undoubtedly is the section of a house. A bomb has torn open the side; there is still a bird-cage hanging in what was presumably the sitting room . . .” ~ Virginia Woolf, “Three Guineas”, June 1938 There is something deeply seductive about photography—whereas the text is most definitely a matter of interpretation, the modern media world grants a rare authority to the image, particularly photographs. To phrase it as the writer and critic Susan Sontag did, where the text renders a particular opacity, we credit photographs with a particular transparency. Where words fail, it seems photographs can speak. In our world of modern media culture, the photograph seems to possess a way of speaking that words simply cannot match. When tragedies and disasters strike, it is through photographs, rather than the pages of analysis, think pieces, and reportage that the reader can see the sheer scale of the problem. Given that Europe is in the midst of the largest movement of people since the Second World War, it is worth revisiting Sontag’s thoughts on photography to see how it can help us make sense of the images of desperate families seeking to escape to the perceived safety of Europe. As Judith Butler points out in her excellent article ‘Photography, War, Outrage’, Sontag was deeply skeptical of the potential for photography to actually alter our behaviour, and ‘in the late 1970s Sontag argued that the photographic image no longer had the power to enrage, to incite.’ Photographs, Sontag argued at the time, could transmit affect but she struggled to see how they could influence us beyond that. The image could make us feel, but crucially, the image could not necessarily make us do. This complaint is something common to NGOs and charities desperate to raise funds for various emergencies across the world—certain images seem to find enormous resonance with the public, yet there are some emergencies or disasters which struggle to gain sustained media attention. In many instances it seems that Sontag is correct in her fear that ‘photography has lost its capacity to shock’ and that ‘photography tends to aestheticize suffering to satisfy a consumer demand.’ Here, we turn to the migrant and refugee crisis of Europe and the shattering image of the drowned three-year-old Syrian child, Aylan Kurdi, whose small body washed up on a beach in Bodrum earlier this month. The image became laden with meaning, spreading across media Europe-wide, and in the words of the German newspaper Das Bild, ‘shaking a million people awake.’ Donations poured in and campaigns took off across Europe as ordinary people gave of their time, their money, and even their homes to help those who had recently arrived in Europe. Two flaws emerge in Sontag’s argument—the image of Aylan Kurdi did affect people and led to seismic political change across much of Europe. Yet many found this image, plastered so liberally over the pages of newspapers, hard to accept. Though it raised awareness of the scope of the refugee tragedy, there was also something deeply distasteful about media companies boosting their sales off the back of such a tragic image. Responding to the outcry, Das Bild took the bold step of removing all images from the print and web editions of the newspaper, leaving nothing but greyed out blocks and shadowy silhouettes where the images once were. As Judith Butler points out, Susan Sontag revisited the issue of photography in a later work, Regarding the Pain of Others; and here her argument seems to have vitally shifted. Moving away from her typical measured rationalism, she declared ‘let the atrocious images haunt us!’ Images of suffering, of vulnerable people, are often something we have become numbed to, but they can also hit home in a way that is very powerful even in the fragile world of media culture. The tragic images may have disappeared from Das Bild but the actions of thousands across many nations prove that these images can have power if we acknowledge that turning the page should not erase them from our collective consciousness. In her final collection of essays that deal with traumatic photographs, Sontag expresses a deeply felt vacillation between two reactions—an anger at the image ‘not just for making her feel outrage but also for failing to show how to transform that affect into effective political action.’ All too often images of suffering and of desperate faces can bring on great emotion AND a deep-seated political paralysis—the sheer scale of the issue dwarfs us and so we roll our eyes away asking, what can we do? Sontag’s answer is that we begin by looking and we must persist in doing so. ‘Let the traumatic image haunt us!’ Through that ongoing process of haunting, we can begin to understand that the photograph can be ‘an invitation…to pay attention, reflect…examine the rationalizations for mass suffering offered by established powers.’ Such words are a challenge that many across Europe have taken up, bringing hope, material goods, money, and resources to those who need them, while those established powers of government have been slow and reluctant to help those in need. It is the ordinary people, those moved by the images we have seen and the ghosts of the images gone, who have grasped that photography states ‘the innocence, the vulnerability of lives heading towards their own destruction, and this link between photography and death haunts all photographs of people.’ Our politicians would have us do the minimum possible, the turn away to face the next traumatic image, yet if those pictures of the vulnerable are to truly instigate change then our gaze must not be taken from them so quickly.

Non-nutritive swallowing occurs frequently during sleep in infants and is vital for fluid clearance and airway protection. Swallowing has also been shown to be associated with prolonged apnea in some clinical populations. What is not known is whether swallowing contributes to apnea or may instead help resolve these clinically significant events. We studied the temporal relationships between swallowing, respiratory pauses and arousal in six preterm infants at term using multi-channel polysomnography and a pharyngeal pressure transducer. Results revealed that swallows occurred more frequently during respiratory pauses and arousal than during control periods. They did not trigger the respiratory pause, however, as most swallows (66%) occurred after respiratory pause onset and were often tightly linked to arousal from sleep. Swallows not associated with respiratory pauses (other than the respiratory inhibition to accommodate swallowing) and arousal occurred consistently during the expiratory phase of the breathing cycle. Results suggest that swallowing and associated arousal serve an airway protective role during sleep and medically stable preterm infants exhibit the mature pattern of respiratory-swallowing coordination by the time they reach term.

The town of New Carlisle on Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula is getting a new English school nearly a year after a report found asbestos, mold and lead pipes in the current building. The new school will have the capacity to accommodate 145 students, from preschool to grade 11. Jonatan Julien, the minister responsible for Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, announced Friday that the province will devote $32 million to the project. “It’s a very exciting day,” said Wade Gifford, chair of the Eastern Shores School Board. “Finally, after tremendous effort from different people, we’ve managed to get what will be the most exciting news you’ve heard in a long time.” The announcement was indeed well received by the city’s English-speaking community. “The children deserve this new school, they need a new look with everything that [they] been through,” said Cindy Carney, whose son is in 8th grade at the school. “We’re really looking forward to it.” The school’s principal, Ian Gilker, said he was very pleased that the government had agreed to invest in the education of New Carlisle’s children. “Knowing that people are aware of our needs and are responding to them is great,” he said. New Carlisle High School was built in the center of town in 1914. The building slowly deteriorated over time, until the health risks became so severe that the school board closed it for emergency renovations last December. But even after it reopened a few months later, Carney said she couldn’t help but worry about her child. With plastic sheeting on the walls in some rooms and hallways, it “felt a bit like a haunted house,” she said. Years of dangerous conditions The board had been advocating for a new school for years, chief executive Hugh Wood said. He said they had applied for funding several times but were unsuccessful until this year. The school board commissioned a building inspection last year, hoping it would help it advocate for new space. When consulting engineers from Groupe Gesfor examined the school, they found that ambient carbon dioxide levels exceeded the government’s maximum threshold for safe exposure in almost half of the rooms they studied. Eighty-four students had to be relocated due to poor air quality. Carney, who also chairs the school’s board of trustees, said she felt uneasy when she learned how serious the situation was. “When your kids are in a school, you hope it’s safe and secure,” she said. “The numbers were a little scary for what our kids were breathing.” It’s a worry she won’t have soon. Construction is expected to begin next fall and should be complete by August 2024. “The kids are very excited, the staff are excited, the community is excited,” said Wood, who added that the board is very excited to finally be able to provide a bright, modern learning environment for students.

Things to Do in Lake Weir, Florida Nestled between the communities of Ocklawaha and Weirsdale, 5,700-acre Lake Weir is a recreational hub in central Florida's Marion County. The shoreline varies, connecting with residential communities, vacation cottages and undeveloped recreation areas. Ample access is available for fishing, boating, swimming and other activities, and there's plenty of action any time of year at Lake Weir. Lake Weir's spring-fed water and 20-foot depths make it unusual among Florida lakes, and Weir is home to excellent fishing for a variety of game fish. Largemouth bass are the main attraction. Submerged brush piles and beds of maidencane harbor lots of big bass, along with bluegill, sunfish and crappie. Anglers also catch catfish in deeper areas. Late winter and spring offer prime fishing conditions. A current Florida fishing license is required to fish the lake, and you can get one at most bait shops and sporting goods stores in the area, as well as online through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website. Carney Island Conservation and Recreation Area, on the western shore of Lake Weir, provides several public boat ramps. Restrooms, docks and ample parking for vehicles and boat trailers are available on-site. There is no horsepower limit on Lake Weir, making pontoon boats and fishing boats a common sight on the water. Neighboring Little Lake Weir -- also accessible through the conservation and recreation area -- is ideal for canoeing and kayaking, and a hand-launch site for smaller boats is provided. If you don't have a boat, you can rent one at Lake Weir Boat Rentals on Ocklawaha. You can choose between two sandy beaches at Carney Island Recreation and Conservation Area: one on Lake Weir and one on Little Lake Weir. No lifeguards are posted, so swimming is at your own risk. Restrooms, showers and playgrounds are located a short walk from both beaches, along with shady picnic areas with tables, barbecue grills and sheltered pavilions. The Lake Weir beach also has a concessions stand. Elsewhere on Lake Weir, swimming is available at Hampton Beach and Kiwanis Beach Park. About 5 miles of hiking trails meander through Carney Island Recreation and Conservation Area's 560 densely wooded acres. The trails cover mostly flat, easy terrain, shaded by a dense canopy of leaves. Features include scenic overlooks across the lake and a chance to spot a variety of wildlife, including beaver, heron and numerous bird species. You can access the trail system near the main entrance and pay station, or at either of the two beaches. Trail shelters are provided alongside the trails for overnight hikes. You can print a trail map from the Marion County Parks and Recreation website.

||In connection with financial difficulties of the federal government, the federal states and the local authorities as well as the need for private and public companies to restructure due to economic restraints, the privatisation of housing space has gained great importance in Germany. Privatisation can create significant perspectives, because the capital freed up is available for new investments in the more profitable core business of private companies and for other duties and responsibilities of the public authorities. Privatisation can take place by selling separate apartments, larger portfolios or whole housing companies. Privatisation models are the sale of apartments to tenants or other private persons, the portfolio sale to investors or going public. Because the privatisation to tenants is often difficult, many sales to investors are being conducted. For investors the purchase of residential portfolios offers a multitude of chances to achieve acceptable profits. Possible measures are the reorganization of housing companies, the activation of unrealised gains and the realisation of potential to raise rents. The privatisation through sales to investors is an emotionalized topic. Reports in the media concerning this subject are mostly affected by negative headlines. But the largest part of the sales proceeds smoothly and unnoticed by the public. As explained, the up-to-dateness of the topic housing privatisation is primarily given because of the difficult economic situation in Germany, which affects both the public authorities and the economy. Since this situation is not going to ease up in the foreseeable future, the tendency towards privatisation is probably going to continue. On the other hand the legislator is planning a couple of changes, especially regarding tax legislation. This could have significant influence on the process of housing space privatisation. Objective of the paper is to determine the current housing privatisation potential of the public authorities and the nonproperty- companies in Germany. This includes an analysis of the different market participants involved on the demand and supply side and their goals. Furthermore, it is evaluated in how far the privatisation potential is going to be realised. The considerations are made against the background of the probable introduction of REITs in Germany.

Today, we’re making almond milk, and I think it’s just as awesome, if not more so! Hubby and I only recently started getting into the world of almond milk, to tell you the truth. Not because of any dairy allergies or anything; we were just interested in venturing out and trying alternatives to cow’s milk. Why almond milk? Turns out, almond milk is actually pretty healthy! Compared to cow’s milk, it’s lower in fat, calories and cholesterol, and higher in vitamin A, vitamin E and iron. The only significant area that cow’s milk is better nutritionally, is protein. So if you need a dairy-free alternative to cow’s milk, almond milk is a great choice! That being said, I’ve been wanting to try making almond milk at home for a while, but it wasn’t until I read this article from Chrystal at Happy Mothering, which warned of the dangers of a common ingredient in coconut and almond milk, carageenan, which has been deemed carcinogenic. Yikes! Although the brand that we’ve been buying, Silk, didn’t list carageenan in the ingredients, it did have a bunch of other ingredients listed on the carton, mostly stabilizers and extra vitamins: How to Make Homemade Almond Milk That was it, I decided – I was going to make my own almond milk, once and for all. And I’m so glad I did. It’s so easy, it’s more natural, and honestly, it tastes waaaay better. Plus, you can add in your own extras to flavor it just the way you like! Soak your almonds You’ll start out by soaking 1 cup of almonds in just enough water to cover them by an inch or two. The recommended time is 8-12 hours, but if you can only do a couple hours, that’s fine too! Soaking the almonds not only helps to soften them, but it also removes the phytic acid (an enzyme inhibitor), to aid in digestion and nutrient absorption. Blend your almonds After soaking, drain the almonds and rinse them. Add them to your blender, and cover with 4 cups water. Turn the blender on high and let it go for at least a full minute. Turn it off. It will be nice and frothy. Taste the milk, and if you like it, you can move on to the next step. But if you’d like to sweeten it like I did, you can add some honey and dates. I added a big tablespoonful of raw honey and 3 dates. Turn the blender back on for another 30 seconds or so. Strain your milk Now, you can either leave it like this and drink as it is, which is a bit gritty, or you can strain the milk to remove the almond pulp. Simply line a fine strainer or sieve with 3-4 layers of cheesecloth (or better yet, use a nut milk bag!). Place the strainer over a bowl to catch the milk, and pour your almond milk through the cheesecloth-lined strainer. It will take a while, about half an hour or so, for all the milk to make it through the strainer. You can help the process along by pressing the almond pulp with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula. Or you can just get really impatient like I did, and proceed to squeeze the living daylights out of that pulp! … I don’t recommend this though. Patience is a virtue, afterall. 😉 After you’ve strained all the milk, you’ll be left with a good amount of almond pulp. Do NOT throw this away! You’ve just made almond meal (or flour), and can use this in a number of recipes for muffins, cookies, quick breads, etc. More on that below. Transfer your milk to a glass jar and keep it in the fridge, and use it as you would normally use cow’s milk. Put it on cereal, use it in smoothies, drink it plain or with chocolate syrup. I’ve also tried it in coffee, but didn’t like it at all, so I’d advise against that. Some extra notes: - It should keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, although we’ve kept ours for about a week without an issue. Just smell the milk; if it smells funky, then its time has come. - After a while in the fridge, the milk will begin to separate, so just make sure to shake or stir it real well before you use it. - You can experiment with flavoring the milk: increase the dates, decrease the honey, add some vanilla or cinnamon, cocoa powder, maple syrup… whatever your heart (or tummy) desires! For a thicker, creamier milk: I found this post from One Ingredient Chef, and he advises to heat your milk for a few minutes to help thicken it up to the consistency of regular milk or even cream! I’m trying this out for sure. What about the almond pulp? I’m glad you asked! Like I said before, please don’t throw this away. It’s very nutritious stuff, and it’s not everyday you can make something that uses the ingredients AND the byproduct for a truly no-waste product! Your almond pulp will be very wet and chunky. You have two options at this point: turn it into almond meal/flour or use it as is. Drying your almond pulp You’ll need to dry out the pulp before you can use it in recipes that call for almond flour. If you have a dehydrator, you can put it in at 115 degrees and leave it overnight until it’s dry. If you’re using an oven like I did, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, spread the almond pulp into a thin layer, and put it in your oven on the lowest possible setting. Start checking on it after a couple hours. Stir it up every once in a while so it dries evenly. Mine was done after about 3 hours. I’ve read you can also leave the door open to release any moisture, which helps it dry faster. I couldn’t do this because of my toddler running around, so I imagine it could go even faster if you’re able to do this. Once it’s dry, put it into your food processor and give it a good whirl to break up the pieces and process it to a fine powder. Behold, you now have almond meal (or almond flour)! The one cup of almonds should give you just about a cup of almond meal. You can use it in any recipe that calls for almond flour, or you can replace some (not all) of the wheat flour in your favorite recipes – muffins, cookies, quick breads are all great choices! How to Use Leftover Almond Pulp As great as it is to dry out the pulp and use it in recipes, I find that I just can’t use it all up fast enough. So I end up just throwing the wet pulp in a big freezer bag and storing it in the freezer until I’m ready to use it. I’ve made these almond pulp freezer fudge many times and love it! - 1 cup almonds (soaked and rinsed) - 4 cups water - 1 tablespoon raw honey (optional) - 3 dates (optional) - Blender and food processor - Sieve/strainer (bowl, and 3-4 layers of cheesecloth) - Baking sheet and parchment paper - Place almonds and water in blender and blend on high for one minute. - Add honey and dates, and blend for another 30 seconds. - Line strainer with cheesecloth and place over bowl. Pour milk through strainer and let sit for about half hour for all the milk to drain. - Transfer milk to glass container and keep in fridge for up to 4 days. - Spread out almond pulp on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at lowest setting for about 3 hours, until completely dry. - Put dried almond meal in food processor and whirl until it's a fine powder. Use in baking recipes that call for almond flour. Add honey and dates, and blend for another 30 seconds. Line strainer with cheesecloth and place over bowl. Pour milk through strainer and let sit for about half hour for all the milk to drain. Transfer milk to glass container and keep in fridge for up to 4 days. Spread out almond pulp on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at lowest setting for about 3 hours, until completely dry. Put dried almond meal in food processor and whirl until it's a fine powder. Use in baking recipes that call for almond flour.

The success of a development project relies on understanding the business need and defining the correct list of requirements. Requirement elicitation is the process of communicating and collaborating with key stakeholders to assemble the insight and identify the project’s needs. This article will provide an overview of why requirements elicitation is important for product teams, discuss different elicitation techniques, and outline the steps involved in eliciting requirements. What is requirements elicitation? Business analysts conduct requirements elicitation to identify the business need, scope, assumptions, and risks of a project based on data from key stakeholders. It’s an imperative part of requirements management as the outcome impacts the fundamental understanding of the project’s goal. Failure to clearly define business needs can lead to catastrophic results such as expensive mistakes or system failure. The importance of requirements elicitation for product teams Requirements elicitation is important for product teams because it is the main way product requirements are identified. The elicitation process unearths requirements insights from key stakeholders. By expertly asking the right questions of subject matter experts, enabling deep conversations, and recording findings, business analysts discover the true business needs to drive the project. In the absence of properly identified business needs and requirements, development costs will be over budget due to rework, users/customers will not get what they want, and projects will be unsuccessful. The requirement elicitation process An effective elicitation process is important for product teams to realize the following benefits: - Lower project costs by catching requirements problems before development begins. - Increase the likelihood that users and customers get what they want. - Reduce the risk of project failure. There are five main steps to the requirements elicitation process: You may be thinking, “How is requirements elicitation different from requirements gathering?” especially when the two terms are often used interchangeably. It is a good question, and it is acceptable to casually interchange them. However, there is a slight difference between gathering requirements and requirements elicitation that is worth pointing out when discussing the specifics of the requirements elicitation process. By definition, “gathering” is the act of collecting from scattered sources, while “eliciting” is the act of drawing out information from a source. Both acts are essential to the overall process of requirements elicitation and take expertise to execute properly. An effective way to prepare for requirements elicitation is for business analysts to gather all available requirements and study them for insights. A few techniques for requirements gathering include: - Document analysis, such as studying process models or researching regulations. - Analyzing system interfaces and business rules. - Reading available user feedback. The findings from requirements gathering can help identify key stakeholders and inform which requirements elicitation techniques might best suit the project. Business analysts can then begin the work of drawing out the enlightening experiences that fill in the missing requirements. Therefore, requirements gathering is the perfect first step in the process of requirements elicitation. Identifying key stakeholders As noted, requirements gathering can provide insight on relevant stakeholders. It is important to identify the right people up front so everyone can begin on the same page. Doing so eliminates the need to fill in missing requirements later that could potentially change the course of the project. Eliciting requirements from key stakeholders In this part of the process, business analysts need to determine which requirement elicitation techniques will provide the best results given the project at hand and appropriate stakeholders. There are a variety of requirement elicitation techniques, here are some of the most popular methods. Use case: Current solutions may not be innovative enough to meet the project’s goal. Designed to: Uncover new, innovative ideas and solutions. How to: Assemble a mix of key stakeholders for an open conversation on innovative ideas and solutions. As facilitator, the business analyst ensures that the conversation stays on topic and records ideas discussed. Focus groups – Use case: Business analysts need more information about specific aspects of the project. Time is short. Designed to: Help stakeholders be more forthcoming and articulate solutions. Get a lot of information at once. How to: Gather representatives from stakeholder groups. The facilitator asks questions to get team members to discuss specific areas of interest and records ideas discussed. Use case: Get an in-depth perspective from a specific subject matter expert (SME). Designed to: Obtain a stakeholder’s one-on-one insight on the business need or viability of given solutions. How to: Create questions that will allow the SME to be open about the issues on the table. Questions can be shared in advance or be conducted as a conversation. The interviewer should take notes and share them with the SME to ensure he or she correctly understood the SME’s point of view. Use case: When the development project is an augmentation of a current work process. Designed to: Provide a direct view of how a stakeholder performs a particular process. How to: Observation can be conducted passively—the facilitator watches the stakeholder work without interrupting—or actively—the facilitator asks questions about the work as it is being performed. In both cases, the facilitator should take notes and get feedback from the stakeholder on the information collected. Use case: When stakeholders do not understand written technical requirements and would benefit from seeing a version of the product. Designed to: Collect feedback from non-technical stakeholders by showing them an example with which they can physically interact. How to: At first prototyping can be executed via storyboard, interactive screen, virtual mock-up, navigation flow, etc. The exact method depends on the project, but it is usually an iterative process that is improved based on input. As more requirements come forward, more detailed prototypes are created to ensure they meet the expectations as recorded. Requirements workshops – Use case: When time is short, and the business need is not clear. Designed to: Get the stakeholders together in a structured, time-based setting to elicit, refine, and edit requirements. Stakeholders can discuss and provide immediate input on identified business needs. How to: Set a specific timeframe and agenda for the workshop. Include brainstorm, focus group, and prototype (if applicable) opportunities within the schedule. Use these to guide the discussion and record input. Use case: When business analysts need data from large groups of participants. Designed to: Obtain objective feedback from large groups of customers or end-users. How to: Choose participants wisely based on desired criteria. Create clear questions that do not lead the respondents. Questions can have a number of finite choices or be open-ended—for best results consider the goal of the question, as well as the number of respondents, to determine the best structure for proper analysis. As is often the case, a variety of requirements elicitation methods can be employed to unearth the business needs of a project. For example, a business analyst may ask specific requirements questions in a focus group, in a brainstorming session, or during observation. A business analyst may also conduct surveys before a requirements workshop, or create a prototype to be used during observation. Knowing which elicitation techniques to use for a given project comes with experience. The next step in the requirement elicitation process is documenting the requirements elicited thus far. There are a variety of formats for documenting requirements: a home-grown product requirements document (PRD), a government-mandated system requirements specification, a requirements management tool like Jama Connect, a spreadsheet, etc. The best tool for documenting requirements depends on the project. If the project has many stakeholders, complex development, or compliance or functional safety standards, it’s a best practice to choose a requirements management tool like Jama Connect. These are purpose-built to mitigate risks associated with complex systems and regulatory compliance. Assessing needs and researching functionality will help determine the best option for the project Confirming the findings Once business analysts document the requirements, it is time to make sure they are recorded correctly. Requirements are sent to all stakeholders to review so there is a collective understanding of what’s being developed. Stakeholders are likely to make refinements. It is also possible that this step elicits further requirements, which will necessitate revisions before approval can take place. Business analysts conduct the process of requirements elicitation at the beginning of a project and is ongoing throughout the development process. This is because change is always occurring and it’s never possible to know all the questions to ask or have all the correct answers upfront. Challenges of successful requirement elicitation The elicitation process may seem easy: ask the stakeholders what they want. However, it’s a much more rigorous endeavor. Here are some of the most common challenges of the requirements elicitation process. Finding the right stakeholders – Identifying the correct subject matter experts isn’t always easy. Hunt down “hidden” stakeholders who can be excellent sources of knowledge. Examples include customer-facing personnel like sales/support reps and maintenance techs. Uncovering the best insights – Unfortunately, stakeholders don’t always know what they want. In the practice of requirements elicitation, multiple elicitation methods can be used concurrently to identify the business need and an optimal list of requirements. The expertise is in realizing the best combination of techniques to yield success for that development project. Documenting the requirements – Using the wrong documenting tool for the job can be detrimental. Issues can arise with everything from reviews and approvals to managing change. Spreadsheets or home-grown PRDs may work for smaller, non-regulated projects. Whereas complex products or those in regulated industries greatly benefit from requirements management software that can streamline requirements elicitation and the overall process with features like live traceability and compliance management. Planning for change – Priorities shift and problems arise—it’s best to plan for it upfront. Be sure to have a process in place that allows time to address the problems, document changes, and new requirements, and conduct additional reviews. Again, in projects with fewer requirements, it won’t be as grueling to scour spreadsheets or PDRs to manage change. Though this kind of manual change management can still eat up many work hours and push projects off schedule and off-budget. With complex and regulated products, however, the scope of time and money wasted is much larger. In these cases, a tool like Jama Connect can save precious time and budget in the face of change. Having the right tool for the job is critical. Jama Connect is a requirements management tool that can transform how business analysts perform requirement elicitation for complex projects. See how Jama can streamline requirements elicitation and management.

TFAS Announces New International Program in Guatemala The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) is delighted to announce a new international program this summer – TFAS Guatemala! Held from July 16-30, 2022, TFAS Guatemala is a two-week educational leadership program hosted in partnership with Universidad Francisco Marroquín (UFM), one of Latin America’s foremost private universities advancing the ethical, legal and overall economic principles of a society of free and responsible individuals. The first week of the program will take place on UFM’s campus in Guatemala City, and the second week will be in the historic town of Antigua. TFAS Guatemala will expose bright young leaders from around the world to the political and economic necessities of a free society. We encourage you to nominate a university student or recent graduate who would benefit from participating! How Socialist Policies Destroyed His Home Country of Venezuela The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) outreach fellow Jorge Galicia joined The Daily Signal podcast on April 6 to discuss the Venezuelan reality and to share how socialism destroyed his country. He shared his own childhood experience and how he noticed his life change as he grew up. “I believe that what’s going on in Venezuela is the most pure version of socialism we have,” he said. “I don’t think we have seen a better example of socialism than the one we saw in Venezuela.” He shared the political and economic choices the ruling party made and how those transformed the once-wealthy Venezuela into what it is today. The infringement of rights inspired Galicia to become a political activist, through which he fought for his country’s freedom in spite of the danger he faced. Now Galicia works with TFAS as an outreach fellow. He travels to universities around the U.S. to speak to students about the realities of socialism. “I’ve been traveling to college campuses to give a historical review and to give an answer to that question of how Venezuela became what it is today,” he explained. “How did we go from being one of the richest places on earth, basically, to one of the poorest nowadays?” This is the question that must be studied and answered to prevent it happening in other countries, especially the U.S., as we see a greater inclination towards socialist policies. Matthew Continetti, Novak ’08, writes an article for The Wall Street Journal on the history of the American Right, the same topic as his forthcoming book, entitled “The Right: The Hundred Year War for American Conservatism.” Claudia Teran ’93 left her two-decade career at Fox Corp. for a new position as the vice president, deputy general counsel and global head of commercial at Snap. Jameson O’Connor ’17 is now an assistant district attorney in Johnson County, Kansas. Mike Kelly ’07 is running to serve on the Johnson County Commission in Kansas. He was recently re-elected to serve as Mayor of Roeland Park.

At Tomorrow Foundation, we are not only passionate about preserving our natural resources and environment. We are also dedicated to protecting the welfare of the millions of animals that also call this planet home. Unfortunately, hundreds of species of animals are on the brink of extinction in the wild thanks to climate change and other human interventions. Factory farming has also put undue stress, strain, and abuse on the lives of livestock animals. And even domestic pets aren’t completely free from abuse, neglect, and lack of a safe and supportive environment that meets all their needs. Wild or domestic, we believe all animals should be able to live full, happy lives in an environment that gives them everything they need. We’re working hard to create that world by working closely with experts and animal lovers alike to educate and take action on behalf of those that can’t speak for themselves. So, how exactly are we investing in better animal welfare across the planet? First, let’s explore a little more of what exactly animal welfare means for both wild and domestic animals as well as livestock. Habitat loss, poaching, and an increase in the number of annual natural disasters are threatening hundreds of species of wild animals with extinction. We are working with leading environmentalists and local communities to reduce their carbon footprint, fight against aggressive forest destruction for logging and other industries, and create a more sustainable relationship between them and the wild spaces surrounding them. We hope to preserve the natural habitats of millions of wild species so that they can continue to share this planet for generations to come. Millions of people depend on animals raised as livestock to provide them with the food they need to survive. While we first and foremost encourage people to increase their plant consumption and decrease their animal product consumption, we acknowledge the reality and necessity of livestock to continue to provide people with milk, butter, eggs, cheese, and meat. That’s why we advocate for the proper care and treatment of livestock, which includes regular veterinary treatment, good housing that includes proper airflow and light, and an environment free of abuse or neglect. While there are millions of happy pets in the care of loving and attentive owners, still more suffer from abuse, neglect, and other miserable living conditions. We are taking passionate action on behalf of these animals to ensure that all domestic animals live in happy, healthy environments. This includes: - Adequate supplies of food and fresh water - A safe and secure shelter that adequately protects them from the elements - Regular vet visits to ensure good health - Enrichment to fulfill their crucial behavioral and social needs, such as regular socialization and interaction Domestic animals bring so much into our lives, and we believe they should get the same love and affection back. How We’re Helping At Tomorrow Foundation, we’re taking action to ensure that these standards of welfare are met for animals across the globe. That means taking action, such as: - Educating local communities on why animal welfare matters. - Advocating with government officials for better protections on behalf of wild, domestic, and other animals. - Communicating with professionals who regularly work with animals such as zookeepers, veterinarians, and animal trainers to workshop ways to promote animal safety and welfare in their professions and ensure that the highest standards of care are being upheld. - Working with researchers on how we can preserve the natural habitats of threatened and endangered animals and ensure that wild animals have an appropriate habitat to live in for years to come. Why Animal Welfare Matters For as long as humans have walked the earth, we have shared it with millions of species of animals that also call it home. It is our duty and responsibility to preserve that home not just for us but for these animals. We rely on them for so much; food, companionship, even work, and they ask for very little in return. The animals of our planet are also a crucial part of its ability to sustain life. From assisting in food production to maintaining the appropriate balance of “pests” in our environment, animals are part of the delicate life cycle of the planet and should be protected, or else we risk throwing the entire ecosystem off-balance. So join us in dedicating yourself to helping protect and preserve the lives of animals worldwide who are part of this wonderful planet that we all share.

Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, et al. get to know practically everything about us over time. But unlike humans, their servers never forget, and data mining tools only get better. Advertisers, ID thieves, insurance companies, employers, whoever, and of course law enforcement are trying to get their hands on this data. Each in its own way. But law enforcement—we use the term loosely because we’re talking about countries around the world—can simply bully its way to the data. Now Microsoft has suddenly decided to “respect human rights and the principles of free expression and privacy” and display a “commitment to transparency,” as it wrote, under pressure from the Electronic Frontier Foundation and coalition partners (letter). And so it joined Google, Twitter, and others in disclosing not what kind of voluminous user data it collects or which companies and affiliates have access to it, but how many law enforcement requests for user data it received. Hence its new—and all cynicism aside, laudable—2012 Law Enforcement Requests Report. But Microsoft obfuscates about how often it gives out cryptographic secrets that would open up even encrypted user content to governments around the world. Microsoft has operations in more than 100 countries but only surrenders data in those 46 where it has “the ability to validate the lawfulness of the request.” Hmmm. So it received 70,665 law enforcement requests or court orders worldwide, potentially impacting 122,015 users of its Internet and cloud services, such as Hotmail/Outlook.com, SkyDrive, Xbox LIVE, Microsoft Account, Messenger, and Office 365. Of them 11,073 and 24,565 respectively in the US. Its subsidiary Skype, which is headquartered in Luxembourg and operates “pursuant to Luxembourg law,” received 4,713 requests, impacting 15,409 accounts. Of them, 1,154 and 4,814 respectively in the US, processed through Luxembourg. In 18% of the requests, Microsoft didn’t disclose any customer data. In 2.2% of the requests, it disclosed everything, texts of emails, photos, encrypted documents stored on SkyDrive, etc. In the US, that would involve a judge. And in 79.8% of the cases, Microsoft only disclosed “non-content” data, that is, e-mail address, name, gender, age, IP, and so on. Innocuous stuff. These requests don’t involve a judge. But…. Microsoft dove into its encrypted services, including Skype, with a warning, “no communication method is 100% secure,” followed by a list of ways in which the encryption of Skype and other services could be compromised. But Microsoft was skillfully vague about a crucial issue: what else was included in that innocuous category of “non-content” data? Crypto keys? They would allow a government that obtained them to open the encryption and get whatever data was there or listen to the conversation on Skype, for example. Were they considered “content” and thus part of the 2.2% that would require a judge? Or were they considered “non-content,” like gender, and thus part of the 79.8% that would not require a judge? Experts weighed int. As the EFF pointed out, Christopher Soghoian, Principal Technologist and a Senior Policy Analyst with the Speech, Privacy and Technology Project at the ACLU, is worried. “Microsoft’s response on Skype is very carefully worded,” he wrote. “Leakage of crypto keys would, as phrased, not be considered release of content.” Hence, it would fall into the “non-content” category. Like gender. Yet whoever gets the crypto keys gets everything. So those among the 600 million Skype users who still have the illusory confidence that their conversations and messages are secure have another reason to doubt it … in the 46 countries where Microsoft might routinely disclose crypto keys to “law enforcement.” The transparency report also included information on the number of National Security Letters Microsoft received since 2009. These NSLs are the nasty product of a provision in the notorious and bi-partisan Patriot Act that President Obama signed instead of vetoing it. With an NSL, the FBI can force a company in secret and without any prior judicial review to disclose private communications, data, and Internet activity of regular Americans. At the same time, an NSL gags the company and prevents it from even mentioning the existence of the NSL. Last week, a federal judge in San Francisco found them unconstitutional and ordered the FBI to stop issuing them—an Order now on hold, pending appeal. These NSLs are so tricky that Microsoft had to tiptoe into disclosing how many it had issued: “Pursuant to approval from the government,” it was only allowed to say that it had received between 1,000 and 1,999 NSLs affecting 3,000 to 3,999 accounts in 2011, and 0 to 999 NSLs affecting 1,000 to 1,999 accounts in 2012. That’s how secretive they are. Every company we interact with accumulates information on us and stores it to be used and abused, sold, traded, or stolen. We accept it because alternatives, if we want to lead a modern life, are limited. Yet, we get the willies knowing that governments, ours or a foreign one, can get access to some of this information as well. Of course there are differences. For example, a company is less likely to rain missiles down on us from the latest and greatest drone while we’re surfing some non-mainstream-media macro site.

What you need to know Inherent in every medical measurement is a degree of uncertainty: you must have a rough idea of the magnitude of that uncertainty to correctly interpret any reported measurement The greater the uncertainty, the greater the difference that needs to be observed between two measurements before you can be confident that a true change has occurred The “reference change value” (RCV) allows you to decide whether a change in two serial lab results is likely due to chance alone. The required change may be as small as 2% and as large as 50% depending on the test Biological variation is typically the largest contributor to the RCV. For analytical variation, your local lab director can tell you the measurement error of any test you are interested in Clinicians and patients need to interpret a multitude of medical measurements. These are often central to monitoring health and informed decision making. Has the serum cholesterol concentration come down since starting a statin? Have vitamin D levels gone up? Is the dose of thyroid medication correct? An understanding of the imprecision of medical measurements is essential to answer any of these questions. Even when laboratory and industry scientists have optimised their diagnostic testing processes to minimise inaccuracies, there always remains an error in any clinical measurement due to unavoidable, naturally occurring variability. This practice pointer explains the nature of measurement errors and offers a practical guide to both estimating the confidence interval of a single result and deciding if changes between serial laboratory tests reflect true changes or simply fluctuations based on analytical or biological variation.

What are Surfactants and How Do They Impact Surface Tension? In recent articles we’ve discussed what surface tension and surface energy are. Manufacturers need to acquaint themselves with these concepts because controlling surface quality through surface energy measurement of solid materials is the most predictive method of ensuring high performance bonds and coatings. An important tool in our toolboxes for controlling surface tension is the class of chemical compounds known as surfactants. They are pretty much universally found in cleaning agents, coatings, inks, lubricants, adhesives, and cosmetics: one important characteristic of surfactants is that they can help dissimilar substances mix (like oil and water). Surfactants are incredibly useful and beneficial...until they appear in places where you may not want them to be! Creating and maintaining chemically clean surfaces is a vital part of building reliable products in many instances. For example, automobile engine blocks are assembled with silicone sealants. If the surfaces are not chemically clean before applying the sealant, the engine will leak oil onto your driveway. Chemical cleanliness of sealing surfaces can be achieved through carefully monitored and controlled aqueous cleaning processes. These processes depend on surfactants to make contaminants soluble in the cleaning solution. However, if the surfactants aren't completely removed via a rinsing step, the end effect is that we have just replaced the original soils and contaminants with a new one that will also inhibit sealant adhesion: residual surfactant. Sometimes a chemically clean surface is all we need for manufacturing success. However, with many applications, we need to further engineer the surface through surface treatment to obtain desirable properties like corrosion resistance or strong and durable adhesion of coatings or adhesives. The presence of residual surfactants on these surfaces can prevent successful surface treatment. For inks, paints and adhesives to work properly they have to spread over the surface that they're applied to. This requires that the surface tension of the ink, paint or adhesive is lower than the surface energy of the substrate. (This is just another way of saying that the molecules in the paint, adhesive or ink need to be attracted more strongly to the surface than they are to each other). We can control the surface tension of a coating or adhesive by the addition of surfactants. Surfactants are directly related to surface tension and play a very important role in adhesion processes. But, how do they work and how can manufacturers make sure surfactants are doing their job without disrupting the work of creating chemically clean surfaces? By looking at what surfactants are intended for, their effect on surface tension and how to recognize when they are on our material surfaces, we can make use of these powerful manufacturing tools to create clean surfaces that can guarantee high-performing products. What is Surfactant? A surfactant, at its most basic, is a substance that is designed to reduce the surface tension of a liquid. For many operations in manufacturing processes, it is necessary for a liquid to spread out and wet a surface. Adding a surfactant to a coating or detergent lowers the surface tension of the liquid so it will flow more, covering the entirety of the surface. For instance, surfactants are often added to insecticides to ensure the substance fully spreads out over the entire surface of leaves instead of just a small portion of the plant. This allows the insecticide to be maximally effective. As a reminder, surface tension is the attractive force of the molecules present at the surface of a liquid towards each other. Modifications to the surface tension of a liquid is one factor that helps determine the performance of a bond between a solid surface and a liquid. It’s important to remember that the constituent parts of a liquid affect the surface tension of that liquid and the surface energy of the material it’s being applied to must be controlled in such a way that adds surfactant into the equation. To ensure a strong bond, the liquid and the solid surface must be chemically compatible. There are two major properties that we can characterize surfactants by in order to use them appropriately and to the proper extent. The single most important characteristic of a surfactant is the amount at which it will reduce surface tension to the desired level. This ideal amount of surfactant is called critical micelle concentration (CMC). Adhesive, coating and detergent formulators need to be aware of exactly how much surfactant is necessary to get the desired wetting once the liquid comes into contact with a solid surface. The second characteristic encompasses all the properties of the surfactant related to how it fits the needs of the application. Any time a chemical compound is introduced into a manufacturing process it has consequences that manufacturers must consider. The surfactant can do its job and reduce the surface tension, but what other effects is it having on the process? Considerations outside of its direct effect on surface tension, such as the possibility of its harmfulness to humans or the environment, need to be understood before using any surfactant. How Does Surfactant Reduce Surface Tension? Surface tension is high or low based on how attracted the molecules in a given liquid are to each other. Liquids, like water, have high surface tension because the molecules attract each other very strongly. Surfactant molecules have a weak attraction to one another. When a surfactant is introduced to a liquid like water, some of the surfactant molecules migrate to the surface of the water. This creates a layer of weakly attracted molecules on the surface of this water/surfactant compound. The surface tension of this liquid is lower than if it were just water. The surfactant molecules that remain in the bulk of the liquid form micelles, which are little aggregated bundles of surfactant molecules. These make it possible for certain substances to be soluble in the liquid when they otherwise wouldn’t be. This is essentially how detergents work. The surfactant molecules on the surface of the water the detergent is in makes it spread out and then the micelles make it possible to remove oils and waxes that can’t be handled by water alone. The point at which the surfactant molecules in the bulk of the liquid no longer form micelles is the CMC, which was mentioned earlier as the point where the ideal amount of surfactant has been introduced to the liquid. How Does Surfactant on a Surface Affect Manufacturing Processes? In manufacturing processes, any step that presents an opportunity to change the surface of a material positively or negatively, even if we’re just talking about at the molecular-level, this step is called a Critical Control Point (CCP). Any substance that comes into contact with a material surface at one of these CCP’s is potentially a contaminant. When we clean a surface with a detergent to prepare it for adhesive bonding, painting or printing, we need to finish the wash process with a thorough rinse cycle. If we do not remove all of the surfactant from the surface, we leave behind a thin layer of low surface tension contaminants that can interfere with adhesion of paint or a coating on the surface. The surfactant that helped clean the surface of our material now becomes detrimental to our bonding process. Many single stage washers, or washers with a poorly maintained or insufficient rinse stage, leave a thin film of surfactant on the surface of the parts. The parts appear clean but the thin film of the substance can interfere with the performance of the part when attempting to bond to it with an adhesive or coating. A common cleanliness test in manufacturing is the water break test, which is done by pouring water over a surface and watching whether it sheets off the surface uniformly, as it presumably would on a clean surface, or if the water breaks and doesn’t fully coat the surface due to a contaminant on the surface. In our experience at BTG Labs, we’ve seen this extremely subjective test used in many industries. We’ve even witnessed technicians, who use this test as their primary surface quality inspection, intentionally spraying the material surface with surfactants so the water would sheet off and “pass” the water break test. They probably didn’t realize they were sabotaging the adhesion performance, but contaminating their surfaces like that could have very real effects on the reliability of their final products. To bring this point home, consider what happens when you add a rinse aid to your dishwasher’s rinse cycle. The tap water in the dishwasher isn't pure. Water spots are the non-water 'stuff' left behind when the water forms droplets on the dishes before they dry. Rinse aids are mostly surfactants that are released during the rinse cycle. These surfactants reduce the surface tension of the water so it will 'sheet off' the plates and cutlery to form a film, not discrete droplets. When the film dries, there is still non-water 'stuff' there, but it's distributed as a thin uniform film and no longer visible as pesky, unattractive water spots. But now, there may be an additional non-water component left on the surface of your dishes: the surfactant. If you use a mug washed using this process and attempt to whip up some foamy milk for your morning latte, you may have a disappointing time trying to get it to froth. Any residual surfactant on the inside of the mug will reduce the surface tension of the milk and no matter how hard you try, it isn’t going to foam up. How Can You Know if Surfactant is Present on a Surface? Well, if your milk doesn’t foam, it’s a pretty good indicator. But if you need to determine if a surface in a manufacturing process is contaminated with a surfactant you use water. When you put a drop of water on a clean surface the drop quickly spreads out, making a low contact angle, and then stops. When you put a drop of water that has a thin film of surfactant on it, the water will continue to spread for several seconds. The water droplet absorbs the surfactant on the surface and the water’s surface tension decreases as it spreads, causing it to continue spreading after it would normally stop. On a clean surface without surfactant, a droplet of water will simply make contact, wet out and then cease moving. The amount of spreading the water droplet does after it would normally stop depends on the amount of surfactant left on the surface. Surfactants play an important role in manufacturing to help get surfaces chemically clean and prepared for bonding or coating, but when they are left behind after a cleaning process they become a major liability for manufacturers. Surfactants are great at lowering surface tension by changing the molecular composition of the surface of liquids, but they also can alter the composition of surfaces that need adhesives or paints to bond with them strongly and not slide off or cause inconsistencies that damage bond strength. The Surface Analyst has a patented Wetting Analytics software feature that equips manufacturers with the ability to instantly detect the presence and amount of surfactant on a surface. To ensure each CCP isn’t at risk of contributing to adhesion failure or compromised product performance. The Surface Analyst provides a clear, decisive and fast way to mitigate risk that comes from using necessary surfactants within your manufacturing process.

Fig. 1. A set-up for AFM-based electrostatic modes and possible configurations of lock-in amplifiers for multi-frequency electrostatic force studies. The AFM modes, which are based on the detection of tip-sample electrostatic forces , include Electrostatic force microscopy (EFM), Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and probing of local dielectric properties in various configurations including Maxwell stress microscopy and others , . These modes were introduced for mapping the variations of electrostatic force, measurements of local surface potential and dielectric permittivity. In these methods a conducting probe exercises the electrostatic force of a sample, which can be rationally modeled by considering a probe tip as an electrode in a tiny capacitor which it forms with the sample that acts as the second electrode, Figure 1 (right). For the operation of AFM-related electrostatic modes the probe is driven into a mechanical oscillation by a piezo-shaker at its flexural mode, ωmech, and the electrostatic forces are stimulated by a DC electric bias applied to the probe and/or an AC bias either at ωmech or at other frequency, ωelec. While scanning, the conducting probe simultaneously senses the mechanical and electrostatic force interactions with the sample. The effects of these interactions can be decoupled either by performing these measurements in separate passes at the same frequency (two-pass technique) or in the single-pass with the simultaneous detection of the mechanical and electrostatic interactions at different frequencies . The latter approach requires a use of several lock-in amplifiers in the detection system, Figure 1 (left). - Y. Martin, D. A. Abraham, and H. K. Wickramasinghe “High-resolution capacitance measurement and potentiometry by force microscopy” Appl. Phys. Lett. 1988, 52, 1103–10005. - S. Magonov, J. Alexander, and S. Wu “Advancing characterization of materials with Atomic Force Microscopy – based electric techniques”. In Scanning Probe Microscopy of Functional Materials: Nanoscale Imaging and Spectroscopy; Kalinin, S. V.; Gruverman, A., Eds.; Springer: Berlin, Germany, 2010; pp 233–300. - H. Yokoyama, and M. J. Jeffery “Imaging high-frequency dielectric dispersion of surfaces and thin films by heterodyne force-detected scanning Maxwell stress microscopy” Colloids Surf. A 1994, 93, 359–373.

NACCA ESR Nina Quabeck, University of Glasgow, wrote a review of NACCA Symposium 2018 hosted by the Cologne University of Applied Sciences last year in June. The article appeared in the German-language magazine Restauro. This past May, New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts hosted the symposium “It’s About Time! Building a New Discipline: Time-Based Media Art Conservation” in conjunction with their launch of the first masters-level training specialism in time-based media art conservation in North America. Over two days, an international group of educators, artists, art historians, museum curators and directors, collectors, gallerists, engineers, computer scientists, and conservators convened to discuss, debate, and share perspectives on the state of time-based media art conservation education and practice. In the first morning session, Christine Frohnert (Bek & Frohnert / NYU IFA) presented a historical overview of time-based media art education. Speakers representing conservation training programs in Berne, Vienna, Amsterdam, Rio de Janeiro, Stuttgart, and NYU shared their varied perspectives on “core competencies” as well as the many challenges they have faced in implementing training programs around time-based media art conservation. Agathe Jarczyk (University of Berne) explained that while skill sets can be deepened with experience, it is the unique role of conservation educators to foster a particular “mindset” in their students. These sentiments were reiterated throughout the symposium; Johannes Gfeller (State Academy of Art and Design, Stuttgart) noted that educators cannot and should not “teach recipes” but instead must arm their students to be critical thinkers and problem solvers. Jonathan Farbowitz (Fellow in the Conservation of Computer-Based Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum) explained how this mindset involves a fundamental curiosity, humility, and aptitude for collaboration, noting the importance of mentorship and constant learning that is critical for time-based media – if not all – art conservators. Over the course of the second day the institutional challenges posed by time-based media art conservation were discussed in conjunction with ongoing training needs. Iolanda Ratti (Museo del Novecento, Milan) discussed the training gap around contemporary art conservation in Italy, where education is still primarily focused around maintaining the material integrity of physical objects. Curator Lisa Catt and Conservator Asti Sherring (Art Gallery of New South Wales) explained how museums, as “active spaces” contain “objects in motion”; old frameworks focused on medium-specificity and material uniqueness, fail to accommodate artworks where change is an attribute rather than a loss. They advocated for a conservation ethos that centers around asking “what is the artwork?” and emphasizes transparency about artwork change and transformation. Jo Ana Morfin (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) emphasized the importance of “learning by doing with artists,” a notion that was picked up in a round table discussion on the interface between the artist and the conservator. Artist and NACCA PhD researcher Maria Theodoraki (University of Lisbon) expressed her view that conservators must overcome the perceived taboo of working with artists out of a fear that they may exert “influence” and change the work; artworks are ever changing, and conservators, she explained, are expert at interacting with self-awareness and sensitivity. In a final roundtable, Pip Laurenson (Tate), Tina Rivers Ryan (Albright Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo), Alfredo Salazar-Caro (Digital Museum of Digital Art) and Jill Sterrett (SFMoMA) discussed the “imagined futures” of time-based media art conservation. Sterrett remarked how “we plan for the future but can only really know the present,” stressing the importance of conservation’s role in negotiating between past, present, and future stakeholders. Rivers Ryan pointed to the importance of ruptures in museum structures prompted by works that break conventions and force museums into new directions. Rather than compelling artists and artworks to fit into existing conventions and norms, the tendency of modern and contemporary art to prompt new modes of thinking and doing should be embraced by institutions and be reflected in conservation training programs. Overall, this symposium highlighted the key role conservation training programs must play in preparing conservators to tackle the unique preservation challenges associated with works of modern and contemporary art. As such, this symposium will undoubtedly be regarded as a major turning point in the history of conservation and the development of the field.

It has been a year since I started to use a daily planner. I would say it’s not a standard planner but rather a mindset planner: the High-Performance Planner by Brendon Burchard. It helped me a lot to go through the season of being at home when COVID-19 shut the world down. I was working from home with 2 children, and my husband was in shock as he lost his job from one day to the next. We were confused, and I was so glad I went to this event of personal development by Brendon Burchard in San Diego less than a month ago, still feeling the energy and the power of being extraordinary. With the difference, nothing seemed extraordinary around me. The whole situation was not so good, we were not prepared to be in that situation. So I decided to follow what I was just learning, build a new routine. My routine was already filled with some intentionality, like exercising and planning the day. So what else? I decided to buy this mindset type of planner. Well, it takes some time to fill it. What I needed was to shift the focus from the negativity and fear around me, and start to operate to a mode of solution and creation of something new. During the day I had now to combine my children’s needs with work. This was when the naps became sacred time! But in this planner, it was the mindset part that really made a difference. My work schedule is in Outlook, so the tasks manager part was less important to have them in the planner. The mindset questions were really the key to put me in a state of service to my family and my team. Also, giving me some grace during the day was really important while I was learning a new routine. From all these, I have to admit I couldn’t keep up with the every day full planner, but there is something I still keep. And I do it every day! Today’s message to myself: This message is the feeling I want to feel or the message I need to hear and believe for the day. It is known as positive daily affirmations. I did some research and I found some point very interesting from the researcher Catherine Moore: What are Positive Affirmations? A Definition Fortunately, positive affirmations are almost as easy to define as they are to practice. Put simply, they are positive phrases or statements used to challenge negative or unhelpful thoughts. Practicing positive affirmations can be extremely simple, and all you need to do is pick a phrase and repeat it to yourself. You may choose to use positive affirmations to motivate yourself, encourage positive changes in your life, or boost your self-esteem. If you frequently find yourself getting caught up in negative self-talk, positive affirmations can be used to combat these often subconscious patterns and replace them with more adaptive narratives. Is There Science Behind Them? Science, yes. Magic, no. Positive affirmations require regular practice if you want to make lasting, long-term changes to the ways that you think and feel. The good news is that the practice and popularity of positive affirmations are based on widely accepted and well-established psychological theory. The Psychological Theory Behind Positive Affirmations One of the key psychological theories behind positive affirmations is self-affirmation theory (Steele, 1988). So, yes, there are empirical studies based on the idea that we can maintain our sense of self-integrity by telling ourselves (or affirming) what we believe in positive ways. Very briefly, self-integrity relates to our global self-efficacy—our perceived ability to control moral outcomes and respond flexibly when our self-concept is threatened (Cohen & Sherman, 2014). So, we as humans are motivated to protect ourselves from these threats by maintaining our self-integrity. The reason I went a bit deeper on this topic is that I am using it for ONE year, just now. And it is working. I feel better! I feel more confident and in control. I know some of you are a bit reluctant to jump on this practice. Also, I assure you, if you are doing this in writing or/and saying out loud won’t feel very natural for the first time! So don’t beat yourself down at the beginning, give it some time. It is turning ONE year, I am doing it! To help you, I took some of my daily affirmations from the planner and transcript here for you. If I wrote it here, it is because I used it. If it resonated with you, feel free to use it. Mine is very basic. I am now completing sentences with more than 3 words. I have some friends who have paragraphs, so it really depends. There is one rule: You can’t use NOT, NO, or another form of negative to positive affirmations. I am not fat. It is not a positive affirmation, instead, you should use something like I love my body. 35 of my positive affirmations. Those are yours. No judgment, only acceptance. - I am powerful. - I am capable. - I can put myself out there. - I work hard and I know what I do is good. - I am a visionary and I am up to try new things. - I am strong. - Everything will be ok because I believe in it. - I am brave, and I do things I am uncomfortable with. - I love my body and I nurture myself. - I choose joy. - I am enough, and I believe in myself. - I choose to be positive, and good things happen. - I am living my Dream. - I can calm down, and create a positive attitude. - I am the queen of productivity. - I am badass, powerful, and kind. - My 1% chance is my 100% opportunity. - I have the courage to speak up and make myself heard. - I give myself permission to do what is right for me. - I am confident in my ability to be a successful woman. 21. I give myself space to grow and learn. 22. I listen to my intuition and trust my inner guide. 23. I accept my emotions and let them serve their purpose. 24. My drive and ambition allow me to achieve my goals. 25. I trust that I am on the right path. 26. I am creatively inspired by the world around me. 27. My mind is full of brilliant ideas. 28. My energy is my superpower. 29. I am becoming closer to my true self every day. 30. I am grateful to be a mom. 31. I am learning valuable lessons from myself every day. 32. I am at peace with who I am as a person. 33. I stand by love. 34. I lead by significance. 35. I can do hard things.

Learn about Mysterious French Guiana, the history behind its existence, tourism, and population. San Marino is surrounded by Italy. It’s always been independent!It’s the third smallest country in Europe after the Vatican and Monaco!Zoom out in the map below to see how small this landlocked is! History of San Marino San Marino has always been a sovereign state as well as the oldest republic in the world, establishedContinue reading “San Marino – The world’s oldest Republic [Explained]” What is USSR meaning? What is USSR flag and symbol like? which countries were a part of USSR? What does USSR stand for? “USSR” or “the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics” is the name used for the 15 countries that got united and governed under Communism ideology. It existed from 1922 to 1991. We willContinue reading “What happened to USSR countries? (Part 3)”

How common is kidney disease in pregnancy? Approximately 1% of pregnant women have chronic kidney disease. Women usually know they have a kidney problem before they become pregnant. There are many causes of chronic kidney disease including diabetes, high blood pressure, lupus and other auto-immune conditions. Increasingly, women who have undergone a successful kidney transplant are also becoming pregnant. How will my kidney disease affect my pregnancy? In general, your risk of pregnancy complications is related to how good or bad your kidney function is at the time of conception. Can pregnancy make my kidney function worse? Women who have moderate or severely impaired kidney function need to consider the risks of a pregnancy carefully. Pregnancy can cause your kidney function to deteriorate and this can be permanent. However, women who only have mild kidney impairment do not usually sustain long-term damage from pregnancy. How should I approach pregnancy? I advise all women with kidney disease to have a pre-pregnancy assessment by their renal physician and a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist. This gives you an opportunity to discuss the potential risks and make a plan for the safest possible pregnancy. You may also need to adjust your medications. Several common blood-pressure medications are linked to fetal abnormalities. So are some of the anti-rejection drugs taken by transplant patients. It’s essential to change over to a pregnancy-friendly regime before you start trying to conceive. During pregnancy, regular assessments of fetal growth and kidney function are important. You need to see an obstetrician experienced in high-risk pregnancy. In particular, women with moderate / severe kidney impairment and women with kidney transplants should see a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Obstetrician for antenatal care.

Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft AG (AEG) (German: "General electricity company") was a German producer of electrical equipment founded as the Deutsche Edison-Gesellschaft für angewandte Elektricität in 1883 in Berlin by Emil Rathenau. The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point as measured at the ship's nominal waterline. Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, and is located adjacent to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. Ceremonial ship launching is the process of transferring a vessel to the water. The diesel engine (also known as a compression-ignition or CI engine), named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel which is injected into the combustion chamber is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression (adiabatic compression). The draft or draught of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull (keel), with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained. Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft (often just called Germaniawerft, "Germania shipyard") was a German shipbuilding company, located in the harbour at Kiel, and one of the largest and most important builders of U-boats for the Kaiserliche Marine in World War I and the Kriegsmarine in World War II. Gross register tonnage (GRT, grt, g.r.t., gt) or gross registered tonnage, is a ship's total internal volume expressed in "register tons", each of which is equal to. Kapitänleutnant, short: KptLt / in lists: KL, (Lang-en: Captain lieutenant) is an officer grade of the captains military hierarchy group of the German Bundeswehr. Laying the keel or laying down is the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction. Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 249,023 (2016). Korvettenkapitän, short: KKpt / in lists: KK, is the lowest senior officer rank in the German Navy / armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr). The Kriegsmarine (literally "War Navy") was the navy of Germany from 1935 to 1945. Length overall (LOA, o/a, o.a. or oa) is the maximum length of a vessel's hull measured parallel to the waterline. Minelaying is the act of deploying explosive mines. A motor–generator (an M–G set) is a device for converting electrical power to another form. A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to damage or destroy surface ships or submarines. Nazi Germany is the common English name for the period in German history from 1933 to 1945, when Germany was under the dictatorship of Adolf Hitler through the Nazi Party (NSDAP). A propeller is a type of fan that transmits power by converting rotational motion into thrust. Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. A ship's company comprises all officers, non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel aboard a naval vessel. SS Alexander Macomb was a Liberty ship of the United States Merchant Marine during World War II. A submarine (or simply sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. A submarine hull has two major components, the light hull and the pressure hull. A supercharger is an air compressor that increases the pressure or density of air supplied to an internal combustion engine. A modern torpedo is a self-propelled weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with its target or in proximity to it. A torpedo tube is a cylinder shaped device for launching torpedoes. U-boat is an anglicised version of the German word U-Boot, a shortening of Unterseeboot, literally "undersea boat". World War II (often abbreviated to WWII or WW2), also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, although conflicts reflecting the ideological clash between what would become the Allied and Axis blocs began earlier. The Flak 30 (Flugabwehrkanone 30) and improved Flak 38 were 20 mm anti-aircraft guns used by various German forces throughout World War II. The 5th U-boat Flotilla (German 5. Unterseebootsflottille), also known as Emsmann Flotilla, was a U-boat flotilla of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The 8.8 cm SK C/35SK - Schnelladekanone (quick loading cannon); C - Construktionsjahr (year of design) was a German naval gun used in World War II. The 9th U-boat Flotilla (German 9. Unterseebootsflottille) was formed in October 1941 in Brest.

Becoming a cook, not a chef. What was your youth like? I come from an area near Vichy in the Auvergne region. We always ate delicious food at home, and my father grew vegetables in the garden. After returning home from school, I would make the rounds to local farms to pick up milk and eggs. We lived close to nature. We would go to pick raspberries and string beans, and would raise rabbits and pigeons. Hunting and fishing was also a regular part of life. Everything we ate was fresh and of the highest quality. Picking mushrooms and chestnuts put you in tune with the seasons. I really learned about seasonality. I believe that understanding seasonality is essential to proper cuisine. My mom made home-style food that, whilst simple, was delicious, and I loved her cuisine with fresh and tasty ingredients. I was enthusiastic about exploring the cuisine of French terroir. While no one in my family had ever been in the restaurant business, I decided to take the plunge. Many who enter the culinary world are part of families who have been doing so for generations, so I was an outsider. How did your career as a cook begin? In those years, we didn’t have all of the cooking programs on television like we do today, and I wasn’t very familiar with restaurants, so when I was fourteen I entered a four year culinary course at the hotel school in Vichy. However, I never intended to become a Chef. I wanted to become a cook, who respects the products and who creates delicious dishes. In which kind of restaurants did you work at first? While at school, I trained at a small restaurant in the Parc naturel régional des Volcans d’Auvergne. This area is blessed by nature; it has protected wild goats and guinea pigs. The restaurant served local dishes such as coq au vin, crêpes, boeuf snacké, truffade, and la pachade. The place is not far from Michel Bras’s restaurant. This area is right in the center of France, and being a poorer region, the most common ingredients used in the kitchen are things like pork, cabbage, potatoes, or bacon. The region does welcome tourists, mostly domestic, who enjoy travelling on a budget, by going camping for example. There aren’t any luxury hotels. This restaurant, only had 5 or 6 staff including the owner and his wife. I learned to make classic style dishes like coq au vin or pounti aux pruneaux. After that I trained in Paris at Maxim’s. It was my first time in Paris. I then trained at CLAVE, a one-star restaurant in Clermont Ferrand in Puy-de-Dôme. I had never heard about Michelin-starred restaurants before, so it was a good opportunity to learn different styles. It is between 14 and 16 that one comes into its own and learns about life. These were valuable experiences where I learned about different ways of life, how companies work, what work itself is, about restaurant and kitchen brigades, with the chef, the second, a patissier, a sommelier, a maître d’hôtel and so on. Getting a lot of exposure at that age is crucial. While the city offers a plentiful supply of things like cola, bread, and milk readily available, people in rural areas might cycle six kilometers to buy necessities like bread. Seeing those differences in way of life is also part of a cook’s work or training or, should I say, education. Learning about all of these things is important. Eye-opening experiences working at a restaurant in London and serving in the military in New Caledonia Tell us a bit about what happened between your graduation from the vocational school and getting to where you are today. After graduating, I went to London to help with the opening of a restaurant, the chef and the team were French, the patrons were all British. All the ingredients, truffles, foie gras came from Rungis market in France. The restaurant was run by a Japanese company, they wanted to be the first in Europe to get a Michelin star and they got it. This was Les Saveurs. It closed, the chef was Joel Antunes. He is an amazing chef, in the US now; he had worked at Troigros, L’auberge du Pont de Collognes – Paul Bocuse, and others. He even worked in Bangkok, so he liked to make use of interesting ingredients like herbs, soy sauce and nam pla (fish sauce). Then, for one year, I had compulsory military service, so I was stationed on a navy boat in New Caledonia and cooked meals there. We went to places like Fiji, Tonga, and more. It was hard work, but it proved to be very interesting. For instance, I learned about preparing Tahitian style fish. It is tuna fish that is cut raw mixed with coconut milk, lime juice and carrots, somewhat like ceviche. I also got exposure to ancestral technics such as digging a hole in the ground by the seaside, lining it with banana leaves, stoking a fire, and then using heated stones as a cooking surface for fish or meat. There were also interesting flavors: yam, taro, manioc… vegetables we don’t have in mainland France. In addition to learning these fascinating techniques, we went to see where vegetables, bananas, vanilla beans, and pineapples were grown and harvested. I then stayed for some time in Indonesia, touring various places. I also went to Japan and New Zealand. Of course, I tasted my way through these countries. I then worked with Alain Passard for five years at Arpège. This was from 1993 to 1998. Then I spent two years in Australia, chef at a restaurant in Sydney. In 2000, I opened Astrance with Christophe. If you look at my background, I think it should be clear – my career-path has been culinary school, London, New Caledonia, a renowned restaurant, Australia, then Astrance. Given that background, I enjoy drawing on the cuisine of various countries. Therefore, I have no hesitation about using items like vanilla, coffee, coconut, mango, dashi, because they are part of my journey, of my life.

If you are a noncitizen and you have been the victim of a crime in the United States, you may be eligible to apply for a U-visa. However, the process to obtain this kind of visa is complex, and you may need a Naperville U-visa lawyer to address your questions and concerns. Fortunately, an experienced visa attorney could help you understand your legal rights and ensure that your application proceeds as smoothly as possible. What is a U-visa? U-visas were created by Congress under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act in 2000 to help law enforcement agencies investigate human trafficking, sexual assault and domestic violence. This law is meant to protect victims of such crimes who have also suffered significant physical or mental abuse. Qualifying for a U-visa You may qualify for a U-visa if you meet the following requirements: - You have been the victim of certain types of crimes - As a result of these crimes, you suffered substantial physical or mental abuse - You have or are able to provide information about the criminal activity. If you are 16 or younger or unable to provide information due to a disability, someone else could provide information about the crime on your behalf - You assisted or helped law enforcement during the investigation - You are otherwise able to be admitted to the United States or can apply for a waiver In addition, the crime must have either happened in the United States or violated U.S. laws. A person who has been the victim of a serious crimes may qualify for a U-visa. These crimes include: - Abduction, false imprisonment, or kidnapping - Abusive sexual contact, rape, incest, or sexual assault - Domestic Violence - Extortion or blackmail - Female genital mutilation - Manslaughter or murder - Obstruction of Justice, witness tampering, or perjury - Prostitution or sexual exploitation Other crimes may make an individual qualify for this protection, and it may be important to consult with a Naperville U-visa lawyer if an applicant is unsure of their eligibility. Applying for a U-Visa The process of applying for a U-visa first requires a person to file a petition using Form I-918 for U Nonimmigrant Status. In addition, an applicant will need to submit U Nonimmigrant Status Certification using Form I-918, Supplement B. In this form, an applicant must also obtain the signature of an authorized official from the appropriate law enforcement agency confirming that he or she assisted and/or are continuing to assist in the prosecution of the qualifying crime. Further, an applicant will need to submit a description of the criminal activity along with evidence supporting his or her description using specific forms. If an applicant is not able to be admitted to the United States for some reason, he or she will also need to file a waiver of inadmissibility using Form I-192, Application for Advance Permission to Enter as Nonimmigrant. Someone currently outside of the country will need to file his or her forms with the Vermont Service Center. The Vermont Service Center will then send additional instructions.

California Valley is located at approximately 35.32° North, 120.01° West. The zoned area of the valley is 24,083 acres (97.5 square kilometers) and it is approximately 1,970 feet (600m) above sea level. The valley is very nearly flat, bordered to the west by mountains (part of the Los Padres National Forest) and to the east by a major fault, the San Andreas Fault (part of the Temblor Range). Immediately south of California Valley is Soda Lake, which is part of the Carrizo Plain National Monument. Fewer than 500 people live in California Valley. Residents are attracted to the area by its dry climate and seclusion. Farming, ranching, petroleum development, solar energy projects, and BLM work related to the Carrizo Plain are among current, recent and planned activities in the area. California Valley is believed to have been visited by Native Americans passing through to the sacred site at Painted Rock, but no permanent Indian settlement existed due to a lack of easily accessible water. California Valley was originally a Spanish land grant, the El Chicote Ranch, that was used for seasonal cattle raising. Local newspaper archives suggest that outlaws hid in California Valley from time to time up until the 1930s. The original Spanish land grant was parceled out in 1960 into over 7,200 2.5 acre (10,000 m2) sections by optimistic real estate developers. According to their own advertising fliers, these 1960 developers believed that the California State Water Project might bring water to the area. After a more northerly route (closer to Highway 41/46) for the State Water Project was selected, many buyers lost heart, many properties were abandoned and the original developers went bankrupt. Several ranches and other developments built dirt or gravel airstrips and at least one paved runway was built and was at one time listed on aeronautical charts. A few hundred people have built homes in this isolated area since, but the mass growth once promised never materialized. A Community Services District (CSD) was formed to deliver services to these residents, which includes trash collection, improvement of roads and the upkeep of a Community Center with a small public library. Between 1960 and 2000, refuse and a number of old cars were dumped in the California Valley area, much of it by local residents, posing serious environmental issues. In 2006, a combined effort by the California Highway Patrol, California Department of Motor Vehicles, San Luis Obispo County Code Enforcement, and local businesses worked together to remove abandoned vehicles and accumulated trash. Natural resources and climate California Valley is on the Carrizo Plain, which is an arid grassland. Only limited drinkable groundwater is available. Nearby Soda Lake is an alkali lake and undrinkable. "The future development of California Valley is anticipated to be limited by water availability"—San Luis Obispo County General Plan. Alkaline soils hinder attempts at agricultural development. The Carrizo Plain National Monument, administered by the United States Bureau of Land Management, was established to protect elements of native history and the undeveloped ecology of the southern part of the valley. California Valley is located on Soda Lake Road about two miles (3 km) south of State Route 58. A small general store is closed, as well as the previously popular small restaurant. The community is served by a school and community center with library, open only on Wednesdays. Other than State Route 58 and Bitterwater Road, access is mainly through the Carrizo Plain via Soda Lake Road, which is a seasonal improved dirt road south of Soda Lake to State Route 33/State Route 166; or via smaller seasonal dirt roads to the east and south. No scheduled bus routes serve the community, and there are no rail lines. The private and restricted California Valley Airport Class II-C 4,200 ft (1,300 m) paved runway extends south from the community center but is not marked on current aeronautical charts and is painted at the south end with a white "X" indicating that it is closed although it can be used with advance permission. Community services are provided by the California Valley Community Service District (CSD). This includes road maintenance and limited trash service. The Community Center includes a fire station, small library, and community assembly hall. The address is 13084 Soda Lake Road, on the south side of Soda Lake Road, approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Highway 58, in the village of California Valley. The local zip code is 93453. Mail is delivered to drop boxes at the Community Center. Main roads (Belmont Trail, Soda Lake Road, Seven Mile Road) are paved to an extent. Others are packed dirt or decomposed granite. Other than the main roads, the only maintained roads are those with homes on them. Roads are frequently maintained only up to residential driveways. Blue "No Services" signs are posted at major intersections leading into the California Valley area. No gas stations exist in the California Valley area. The nearest gasoline stations are in Taft/Maricopa, Atascadero/Santa Margarita, and on the outskirts of Paso Robles. This has led to stranded travelers on a number of occasions. Tow truck service is available but may be delayed for several hours. Law enforcement is provided by the County Sheriff, but there is no local office or assigned unit. The California Highway Patrol infrequently patrols Highway 58. No medical services (doctors, clinics, hospitals) are available in the California Valley area. Fire and rescue services are provided by San Luis Obispo County Fire Station #42 located at the Community Center. The Station is staffed Tuesday through Thursday. Helicopter MEDEVAC service from Santa Maria and Bakersfield is available, weather permitting. The local school is Carrisa Plains Elementary School, built in 1953, with about 46 students in attendance. The few high school students are bused to Atascadero, California, which had one of the last high school dormitories in California until the 1990s for their use. The nearest community college is in Taft. The nearest four-year university is California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

You know that friends change your life, for better or for worse. You can be challenged, encouraged, and led to goodness by those who are around you. (We’ll leave the “worse” possibilities for your own analysis!) I have a friend that abounds in creative energy and good humor. She is in our life group. She has given me permission to put one of her Bible “skits” up on our website. You will find it here: For a list of all our skits, click here: And, I am either very late or very early with another Bible resource. We were all hampered in our Easter celebrations this year because of the virus. In our neighborhood, we were able to have a “non-gathering” in our cul-de-sac. We came up with a lesson plan that actively walked us through the 8 days of Easter week. You may want to use this for a small group, family devotionals, or a class lesson next year. When we did it, each family brought their own props. You will find that lesson here: More of our free Bible lessons are found here: I am very thankful for great friends and wonderful neighbors! This is a family challenge activity to do during your Corona Virus quarantine. The challenge is to find as many words as you can using the letters in CORONA VIRUS. Here’s one way to do it: Write out the letters in CORONA VIRUS. Cut them into squares and place them in a spot where everyone can see and use them. Place a sheet of paper and a pencil/pen next to the letters. (Each person could have their own paper or you could share.) As you have time, use the letters to make words then write those words on the paper. How many different words can you find this week? For a bonus challenge, see how many of the words that you find can be used in just one sentence or paragraph. Long ago, Grandma made the CURIOSITY GAME as a present for her grandchildren. This simple game is fun and can be used to help children understand and discover the world around them. Best of all, it doesn’t really require anything that you do not already have. Although you can download and print out DISCOVERY FORMS for free from Grandma’s website, you do not have to use them. In the CURIOSITY GAME, being the “loader” gets kids involved and helps them learn about “sets”. Being the “guesser” builds patience as they wait to reveal what they have discovered. Grandma has made videos about this game to help you learn how to play it. You will find them at: There is so much to discover! Enjoy discovering together! Many of our fun family memories come from playing together. We recently played “FISH BOWL” together. We liked it so much that we kept requesting to play it again. Our youngest grandchild is 6 and the oldest ones are 12. (The only problem we had with this game was in interpreting some of the handwriting and spelling!) The first time we played it, someone wrote “wiggly octopus” on one of the draw cards. I got that clue for the pantomime round and also for the “sheet” round, and the kids are still talking about it. Every game since there were several “wiggly octopus” draw cards written by grandchildren, and all anyone had to do was to either say “grandma” or point to me to get the whole group to say “wiggly octopus”. FISH BOWL also gives you an opportunity to discover what is going on in your family’s world. The latest fad, book, movie, job, etc., usually shows up in what is written on the draw cards, so you will have opportunities to ask questions that deepen your understanding of each other’s lives. Fish bowl doesn’t require that you purchase anything. You only need pencils, paper, a sheet, and a timer. You will find instructions on how to play fish bowl here:

Imagine you’re back in school. You sit at your desk, trying to focus. You roll your pencil between your fingers and attempt to force your ears and brain to work together. What did your teacher just say? The workbook before you seems hazy, and you give your head a gentle shake to reset your eyes. Suddenly, your teacher’s tone changes and they announce, “Ok! Everybody stand up. Take five minutes and move those arms! Go to a student across the room from you and say hello, or say an encouraging word. Jump up and down in place, or find enough room to do some stretches!” Imagine you’re in that classroom. How has your mood changed? Has your blood flow increased? What’s your pulse doing? Has your focus sharpened? Mood, behavior, and stress levels are affected by physical movement. If your mood automatically brightened and your entire outlook changed through this hypothetical teacher’s call to action, imagine how children could feel all across American classrooms in real life. Children Are Physical Children are designed to move. They have an innate desire to run, walk, climb, and dance. You’ll find them twitching, wiggling, and squirming when all else fails. For the most part, the younger they are, the more vivaciously their energy pulses and the greater their impulse is to move. Peter Grey, Ph.D. of Psychology Today, notes, “Children explore and play, freely, in ways designed to learn about the physical and social world in which they are developing.” National recommendations for children suggest that they should have vigorous physical activity for at least an hour a day, amounting to 10,000 steps or more. The National Education Foundation explains that this is often not the case. “Physical Education (PE) isn’t the only class that should emphasize movement! Whatever the grade or subject area, every teacher can effectively incorporate movement into the school day. Most students take fewer than 5,000 steps during a non-PE school day. (That’s including one recess!)” Children are woefully behind on the healthy physical activity threshold every day. This is a tremendous problem with real-life effects. We must recognize a child’s need for physical activity and stimulation in a country with rising childhood ADHD rates and young students with underdeveloped sensory systems. Children who aren’t moving often enough tend to lose focus and get into trouble for not paying attention. “Fidgeting is a real problem. It is a strong indicator that children are not getting enough movement throughout the day. We need to fix the underlying issue,” HuffPost examines the issue. “Recess times need to be extended, and kids should be playing outside as soon as they get home from school. Twenty minutes of movement a day is not enough! They need hours of play outdoors in order to establish a healthy sensory system and to support higher-level attention and learning in the classroom.” While outdoor play at home is a practical—and desperately needed—addition, many wonder if there is a way to promote a healthier academic lifestyle at school. Movement in School “Groups such as the National Association of Physical Literacy tout the importance of teaching kids to move while they’re young so that they will make movement part of their lives when they grow up. It all seems like a no-brainer….The challenge, though, is persuading school administrations to consistently make time for physical activity when they are pressed to meet stringent academic requirements and find the money to pay for some of the training.” The assessment above is an excerpt from CNN addressing how difficult it is to change what conventional classroom time looks like for American students. Implementing protocols to combat the lack of physical activity for kids seems like it should be an easy task. However, American schools are largely under-equipped to solve this problem. The Conversation points out that, while we’ve assessed office space for its effect on America’s obesity epidemic, heart disease, and other common medical ailments, the workspace for the next generation hasn’t received the same scrutiny. Thankfully, science has made some progress toward this goal. PubMed.gov examined a study out of Texas focused on evaluating stand-biased classrooms, where the children work in a standing position in contrast to students who spend their days sitting at a desk. The results echoed those of an earlier study that evaluated how “moving schools” impacted students’ physical well-being. The results indicated that having students spend at least some of their classroom time standing was beneficial in both cases. Currently, many teachers implement small movement breaks into their students’ daily routine, but the National Education Association (NEA) suggests that it should become a core attribute of American schools. “Once physical activity is woven into the daily routine, it can become part of the classroom culture. Students and teachers will feel the positive effects of being active.” How can students become more active on a regular basis? Schools and parents alike can focus on a few practical steps to encourage kids to utilize their natural impulses and expend that built-in energy! - Get Creative With the Workspace – Earlier, we noted that studies have examined creative or “moving” classrooms for students. The Conversation suggests this approach. “Classrooms with stand-biased desks are part of what we began to call an Activity Permissive Learning Environment (APLE), which means that teachers don’t tell children to ‘sit down,’ ‘sit still,’ or ‘don’t move around’ during class. Instead, they encourage movement such as standing, rocking, fidgeting, and walking….New approaches for addressing physical inactivity that are in harmony with children’s natural habits, tendencies, and engagement could be the way to go.” - Integrate Movement into Lessons – Teach 4 The Heart offers tips for getting students physically involved in their lessons. “…when doing a punctuation review lesson, kids can clap for a period, stomp for a question mark, and stand up and make a ‘pop’ noise for an exclamation point.” Another strategy is to use areas of the room as “answer zones” during a Q&A session, letting students move to different parts of the room to signify different answers. Adding role-play can also be a fun and energetic tactic to encourage students to move around, Teach 4 The Heart shares. - Count the Steps – Technology can be a valuable tool in combating a sedentary school experience. The NEA suggests, “When students arrive at school, keep count of their steps using inexpensive pedometers or phones (for older students). Tracking steps is motivating and can be incorporated into the classroom and reinforced at home. Help students set goals, track steps, crunch numbers, chart progress, and more.” - Take It Outside – Another practical idea from the NEA includes taking a short break and enjoying the outdoors. “Students enjoy the change of scenery and benefit from fresh air. Outdoor space allows for plenty of gross motor movement. Physical activity should become an expectation during the school day.” While kids can spend up to seven hours a day at school, not including extracurricular activities, the time spent at home can seriously impact their health and their success with homework. Just like at school, movement and exercise are key. Parents can work in tandem with their child’s school to help their child avoid a sedentary lifestyle while at home. - Get Them Outside – Encourage your kids to enjoy all of the wonders that the outdoors can offer! Harvard Health Publishing states, “Children…can certainly exercise indoors, but sending them outdoors—especially with something like a ball or a bike—encourages active play, which is really the best exercise for children.” - Participate With Your Child – When your kid sees that physical activity is important to you, it sets a good example. HealthyChildren.org offers some suggestions for activities you can enjoy together. “Help them learn a new sport or another physical activity. Or just have fun together by going for a walk, hike, or bike ride.” - Integrate Technology – The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion offers parents an interactive activity tracker to help ensure kids get the physical activity they need. “Could they [kids] get a little more active in the morning? What about after school? Remember, a little here and a little there—it all adds up throughout the day.” Physical activity is a must for children. It affects their emotions, mental state, and physical well-being. Academic success can also be linked to physical activity. According to The National Association of Physical Literacy, “87% of students who use physical literacy in their daily life report being more successful socially, emotionally and academically. Infusing physical literacy into the school day can also improve academic performance and decrease behavioral issues.” The American Academy of Pediatrics makes the connection between physical activity and several positive physiological effects, including: - Cognitive function - Enhanced angiogenesis - Increased oxygen saturation - Increased glucose delivery - Improved cerebral blood flow, - Increased neurotransmitter levels - Brain function Physical activity is a natural childhood function, so the vital connection between proper movement and enhanced developmental achievements is no real surprise. The challenge continues to be how to effectively incorporate an abundance of movement in an already-crowded education schedule. Incorporating physical activity into classroom and home culture in creative and innovative ways is just the starting point.

Media coverage of Puerto Rico focuses on unpayable debt. It steers clear of Puerto Rico as colony. Yet an off- and – on independence struggle has continued there for at least 150 years. A tipping point came in 1950 when Nationalist Party launched armed rebellion. It failed, and independence agitation subsequently has lagged due to repression, swelling emigration to the United States, and Puerto Ricans’ growing economic distress and dependency. Nelson A. Denis’s book, War Against All Puerto Ricans: Revolution and Terror in America’s Colony, lays bare Puerto Rico’s colonial status. He looks much more at U. S. repression than other historical markers of a troubled relationship. As proclaimed by the book’s title, repression really means U. S. war. The island police chief E. Francis Riggs spoke words appearing there as he explained why his police in 1935 had just murdered four residents of Río Piedras. Denis’s vivid language succeeds in highlighting the horror marking U. S. counter-insurgency actions against the Nationalists, who were moving toward open revolt. A comprehensive survey of facts and events becomes a rich history. Denis’ portrayal of obsessed, flamboyant, and even bizarre personalities is particularly memorable. The narrative gains dramatic effect through the author’s device of serially presenting seemingly unrelated reports without making correlations. Then connections become clear as the climax approaches. “This is not a pretty story,” cautions Denis, adding that, “If it helps you to understand the world in which we live, then I have done my job. The rest is up to you.” Indeed, he gets high marks for elucidating U. S. methods for moving from theft of a homeland to depriving Puerto Ricans of their cultural, economic, and political autonomy. Not least, this valuable book sends a reminder to U. S. anti-imperialists that a genuine U. S colonial subject lies close at hand. The emotional intensity of Denis’ narrative may stem in part from a personal connection. His mother had migrated from Puerto Rico, and the FBI in 1962 entered the family’s New York apartment and seized his Cuban – born father, who was then deported. Denis was eight years old and never saw his father again. That was why he became a lawyer, he explains. Over the course of 40 years he sought out first-hand information from former Puerto Rican Nationalists and other independence activists. He eventually gained access to mountains of U. S. intelligence files on Puerto Rico. Pedro Albizu Campos, president of Puerto Rico’s Nationalist Party from 1930 on, is the book’s central figure. In fact, Denis says, “the story of Albizu Campos is the story of Puerto Rico. It is also the story of empire.” Orphaned and poor, Albizu was the first Puerto Rican to attend Harvard College and was valedictorian of his law school class there. He spent 25 years in prison and dedicated his life to Puerto Rican independence. The book presents convincing evidence that radiation torture in prison hastened his death in 1965. The story is of both tragedy and heroism. As reported by the author, sugar cane production dominated the island economy in the 1930s; four U.S. companies owned half the arable land. Albizu led an island-wide strike of sugar workers in 1934. That and mounting Nationalist Party agitation triggered repression. Puerto Rico’s militarized police, the FBI, and U. S. Army collaborated in carrying out surveillance, intelligence gathering, and assaults on meetings and rallies. Massacres, assassinations, and disappearances ensued. In 1936, U.S. authorities imprisoned Albizu, who in 1937 began serving a ten-year sentence at the Atlanta federal prison. He spent the last three years of his term lodged in a New York hospital. Albizu returned in 1947 to a Puerto Rico burdened by economic troubles, pervasive fear, and an oppressive U. S. military. Nationalist Party recruitment was down. The island police, FBI, and Army intelligence shared secret police dossiers on 100,000 Puerto Ricans. Some 75,000 were under surveillance. A “gag law” criminalized even possession of a Puerto Rican flag. “For the past fifty years, the United States has been at war with Puerto Rico,” Albizu declared in June 1948. Not only do “they that steal our land,” but they also “sterilize our women [and] inject us with cancer and tuberculosis.” Denis elaborates on those manifestations of war. In July Albizu announced that, “Our country is past speeches. Puerto Ricans have to fight for their liberty with all arms at their disposal.” The climax came when the Nationalists launched armed assaults against symbols of authority. By the time the revolt began on October 28, 1950, informers had already alerted the police and army as to rebel plans. Thousands of U.S. troops descended on cities. Fighter planes bombed Jayuya and Utuado. Nationalists on a suicide mission struck at the governor’s residence. Two Nationalist Party members died trying to murder President Harry Truman. He had offended Nationalists by dismissing their rebellion as an “incident between Puerto Ricans.” Albizu was arrested and sent to La Princesa prison where would spend 14 years, almost his entire remaining life. Little optimism appears in these pages as to eventual national independence. In fact, Cubans preparing for their independence war against Spain had counted on parallel Puerto Rican movement toward independence. Members of Jose Marti’s Cuban Revolutionary Party even devised Puerto Rico’s flag. Why did the two paths diverge? In 1898 when the United States was taking over remnants of Spain’s colonial empire, Cubans had already fielded two armies in two independence wars. Fighting for social justice and independence, they defeated Spain’s army. Such a record promised no good for U.S. aspirations to own Cuba. By contrast, in Puerto Rico the door was open.

One of the most common complaints we hear from spouses and partners that live together is that often, their partner’s snoring is so loud that it interrupts a good night’s sleep for the other. If you have ever experienced this or are currently going through it, you will know how frustrating it can sometimes be when your sleep is interrupted due to something seemingly out of your control. Whilst no one wants to be the culprit in this noisy situation, many people do indeed suffer from snoring, a sound resulting from turbulent airflow that causes the tissues of the nose and throat to vibrate during sleep. Here are a few steps that you and your partner can take to combat that dreaded snore! - Make Sure You Are Sleeping On A High Quality Mattress You may be surprised to know that sleeping on a low quality mattress can actually be the cause of your partner’s snoring! If your mattress is old and sags in the middle, this will affect the position of your partner’s neck when they are asleep, blocking their airway in the throat. Sleeping on a good, medium-firm mattress such as a high quality memory foam mattress is crucial in the war against snoring.Once you’ve got a nice, high quality mattress, remember to raise your bed up by about four inches. Doing this will help keep throat tissues and the tongue from plugging up your partner’s airway, greatly reducing the chances of them snoring throughout the night. - A Weighty Issue Unfortunately, snoring tends to be more prevalent in those who are overweight as they tend to have bulky throat tissue. If your partner is above their ideal weight, this could be one of the reasons they are keeping you up at night with their snoring. The good news, however, is that this is completely reversible. Encourage your partner to adopt a healthy eating and exercise plan in order to shed the excess kilos. Their body and your ears will thank you for it. - Stay Away From The Booze Do you ever notice that your partner’s snoring gets even worse after a night out to the bar? This is because alcohol relaxes the muscles around the throat, making everything, well, floppier. The floppier muscles are around the airway, the greater the constriction for air to flow through. What does this equate to? Loud and thunderous snoring. Avoiding alcohol in the evening or prior to bedtime can often lead to a much more peaceful night’s sleep for both you and your partner. - Where There Is Smoke, There Is Snoring We are all already aware of how harmful cigarette smoking is to our bodies. Aside from causing Cancer, Emphysema, Pneumonia and bad breath, smoking also can cause or worsen a bad case of snoring. Cigarette smoke has the ability to swells the mucous membranes of the throat. In addition to this, it limits your oxygen intake to the lungs. If that is not bad enough, smoking can also cause blockages to form in the nose and throat. All of these are factors that can lead directly to snoring. If your partner is a smoker, encourage them to quit the habit, or purchase them nicotine patches as an alternative to smoking cigarettes. Their body will thank them in the long run. - Stay Well Hydrated Many people are unaware to the fact that being dehydrated can actually cause one to snore at night. Secretions in your nose and soft palate become stickier when you’re dehydrated, which can directly cause a person to snore more. Healthy women should guzzle down about 2.5 litres of total water (both from all drinks and food) a day; whilst men require about 4 litres of water a day. If you have problems drinking your required intake, here are a few tricks that will help you guzzle that H2O down. With these handy solutions on how to help cure your partner’s snoring, we are sure you will say goodbye to the earplugs and hello to a good night’s sleep. Everyone’s body differs, so patience is key. Should one particular solution not work for your partner, don’t lose hope – there are so many others to try out that will hopefully aid your snoring woes!

How a Trauma Therapist Can Help with Depression and Anxiety Therapy Experiencing a traumatic event can sometimes lead to other mental health conditions such as PTSD, depression, or anxiety. This does not always happen, but does frequently occur. A trauma therapist can help you work through your feelings in all these areas. You will be able to safely process what happened, your actions, and your emotions about the event so that you can move past it and continue to live a happy, healthy life. We get a lot of questions about trauma, depression, and anxiety at Perceptions Counseling Center, so we've put together this guide to help answer some of the basics. What is a trauma? Trauma is defined by Oxford as "a deeply distressing or disturbing experience". It can be the result of any negative event that profoundly impacts the victim. Examples include rape, domestic violence, natural disaster, severe illness or injury, death of a loved one, or more. It's important to note that the victim is the one who can say whether or not an event was traumatic. No two people experience the world in the same way so an event that is traumatic for one, might not be or might be less traumatic to another. What is depression? Depression is a common but serious mental health condition that affects half of all people at some point in their life. It is characterized by lowered moods, sadness, hopelessness, loss of enjoyment in life, and more. Although it's normal to feel sad sometimes, when the sadness lasts for two weeks or more and interferes with a person's daily life, depression is often considered as a possible diagnosis. Without depression therapy, sufferers sometimes turn to self-harm or suicide. What is anxiety? Anxiety is your body's natural "fight or flight" response to stressful situations. It's perfectly normal, and even expected, to experience it throughout your life. However, if you feel intense, excessive, or persistent worry and fear that makes living your daily life too difficult, you may wish to seek out anxiety therapy. Common symptoms of anxiety include headaches, trouble sleeping, fast heart rate, rapid breathing, spiraling thoughts, and excessive sweating, among others.

A town’s ‘walkability’ can breed success The American love affair with the automobile has shaped our cities and towns, often not for the best. Where it has more easily transported us to this great place in the Rocky Mountains, the automobile took precedence in our towns when U.S. Highway 40 was paved, widened and became the speedy motorway that exists today. Now nearly every Grand County town endures hurried traffic cutting through Main Street while business owners brainstorm ways to flag down drivers. The automobile took further precedence during questionable car-centric strip-mall planning in the 1970s-and-on, which resulted in vast parking lots in front of retail structures, with gaping curb cutouts, again pandering wholeheartedly to the automobile while the pedestrian was an afterthought. And when developers hope to invest in projects with promising economic benefit in our towns, proven on-site parking spaces continue to be a top and discouraging requirement, upwards to $10,000 per space, even when towns are struggling most of the year to fill up spaces they already have. But you don’t have to be an enlightened expert on economic development to know it’s really not highway traffic but foot traffic that physically brings dollars into businesses. A town’s greatest challenge is luring individuals out of their cars and onto the pavement. Here’s the thing: if your town has enough to offer, visitors will find a place to park, somewhere. Even if it’s a block or more away, they’ll walk (or wheel) their way to what first attracted them, and they may even stop in a business or two along the way. Discussed at length in the book “Walkable City” by Jeff Speck, a city’s or town’s “walkability” factor directly correlates to its success (or lack of success) — from sales tax revenues and property values to the general welfare of its people. In studying the most alluring downtowns, it’s usually those with a vibrant and concentrated mix of shopping, eating, entertaining, and sleeping located in interesting buildings that feeds into this quality-of-life quotient. Think of some of Colorado’s most successful downtown destinations: Larimer Square in Denver; Pearl Street Mall in Boulder; Bridge Street in Vail. Walks in these places are useful, safe, comfortable and interesting, in keeping with what Speck calls “a General Theory of Walkability.” “Lots of money and muscle have gone into improving sidewalks, crossing signals, streetlights and trash cans,” Speck writes, “but how important are these things, ultimately, in convincing people to walk? …Clearly, there is more to walking than just making safe, pretty space for it.” Creating vibrant downtown districts is what Roger Brooks, CEO of Destination Development, talks about in his webinar presentation of “The 20 ingredients of an Outstanding Destination,” which was recently shown in Grand Lake as part of that town’s Downtown Assessment. “If you don’t hang out in your downtown, neither will visitors,” Brooks said. He later underscored this with, “The health of your downtown is a litmus test for the health of your community.” Speck says the same: “The conventional wisdom used to be that creating a strong economy came first, and that increased population and a higher quality of life would follow. The converse now seems more likely,” he writes. “Creating a higher quality of life is the first step to attracting new residents and jobs.” Included in his 20 Ingredients, Brooks outlines how on three continuous blocks of any downtown, 10 businesses should be open after 6 p.m.; towns should brand themselves; summer outdoor dining at restaurants should be encouraged; and on-street parking encouraged, but off-street parking should be located somewhere that doesn’t interrupt the continuous flow of interest in a downtown. Directional signage should point visitors to where that public parking is. Brooks advocates sacrificing parking if it means creating a buzz in your downtown. “Exchange parking for outdoor dining,” he said. “The better your downtown, the farther we’re willing to walk,” adding, “Congestion is a town’s best friend.” Everyone must take part — government, property owners, business owners, and residents — to make a downtown successful. “Sometimes we get so into rules and regulations, we kill our downtowns,” Brooks said of government. Commercial property owners must do their part to attract the mix of businesses needed to make a downtown vibrant. Business owners must make their businesses attractive, available and competitive, and their merchandise fresh. And residents must strive to use their downtowns. “Walkability” can start on just one street block, experts say. One attractive walkable block may breed benefits in the entire core of town. With this basic prescription for economic development, each and every downtown in Grand County has outstanding things to offer. In downtown Winter Park, for example, the town invested heavily to improve Hideaway Park, which is now a central and exciting part of town with concerts, skateboarding and other events. It also has public restrooms in the heart of town near where people are willing to spend money. The challenge with Winter Park, however, is its walkability becomes less comfortable farther north as the businesses are set back and spread farther apart on Highway 40. With that said, perhaps Lions Gate Drive eventually could serve as a walkable commercial block of downtown, as suggested in that town’s comprehensive plan. This vibrancy with pedestrians enjoying the streetscape is likely what Winter Park Resort hoped for with its one block of new commercial space at its base. Downtown Fraser has charming Eisenhower Drive that leads to a wonderful grid of small homes. This area could attract more and more artists and artisans who eventually could transform spaces into storefronts. It already may be starting to happen organically. The best idea for downtown Granby I’ve heard so-far is capitalizing on what the Railroad Museum folks are starting to do, and brand downtown Granby as a railroad town. I’ve counted at least five restaurants situated uphill from the railroad, with a view beyond. Why not create a row of summertime outdoor eating spaces at the sides and backs of restaurants, where patrons can enjoy the view and see an occasional train go by? Granby also has a parking lot in the center of its downtown where there already have been farmers markets. Perhaps that should no longer be a parking lot but beautified as a gathering place, maybe with a fountain, even a gas fire pit for winter. This space could continue to be used for farmer’s markets and live music — all showcasing the railroad and view — flanked by two eateries with outdoor seating. Hot Sulphur Springs in my mind has great potential to be a Grand County sought-after destination. Its anchor business is the year-round hot springs resort, and there could be a wonderful mix of shops and restaurants in its downtown, tucked nicely away from Highway 40. Better directional signage could lead visitors to the walkable heart of Hot Sulphur Springs. And the town of Kremmling has its own advantages. It’s on its way to being the mecca for hunting, bicycling, rafting, snowmobiling and trail-running. Kremmling has an incredible downtown square. I picture restaurants with outdoor seating and exciting shops around that square to create some vibrancy and “walkability” that can spill over to other nearby businesses. Grand Lake is already the best-designed walkable town in the county. Its boardwalks, town park, diagonal parking and beachfront are ideal. But what Grand Lake could use, like many towns, is the reliability that if visitors come to its downtown, businesses will be open after 6 p.m. And, Grand Lake could better capitalize on its gem of a beachfront by making it more of a pedestrian plaza — blockading it with temporary barricades such as potted trees in summertime. Cars should park in public parking lots or on other streets, not on the beachfront, thereby depositing more pedestrians into the downtown. Whether embracing these ideas or others, it’s about tapping into the assets of our downtowns. Rewards for everyone can start with just one section of a street.

Glendoe hydro scheme In 2009, the first major hydro electric power station to be built in Scotland for almost 30 years, Glendoe on the eastern shore of Loch Ness, began generating electricity. Engineers began planning the Glendoe project as far back as October 2001. Formal construction work at the site started over four years later, in January 2006. It involved constructing a 960 metre-wide dam on the River Taff to create a new reservoir some 600 metres above the power station, giving it the greatest head of any hydro electric power station in the UK. An 8.6 kilometre tunnel connects the reservoir to the power station that is built 250 metres below ground level, about two kilometres from the banks of Loch Ness. Although some of the tunnel was created using traditional drill and blast techniques that would have been familiar to the Tunnel Tigers of the last century, much of its length was bored out using a massive tunnelling machine named Eliza Janeby local schoolchildren. At its height, over 750 workers were employed on the scheme. And, as in the days of schemes constructed in the decade following World War Two, those workers came from many different countries across Europe and beyond. Most lived in specially constructed camps high in the hills above Loch Ness, braving brutal weather conditions in winter, and the fearsome Scottish midges in the summer. The whole project was completed ahead of schedule and was opened by Her Majesty The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, in June 2009 – some 57 years after he had opened Fasnakyle Power Station in 1952. Unfortunately, later that year a rock fall blocked the tunnel, stopping generation until a bypass tunnel was constructed. Generation started again in the summer of 2012. Today, the main operating feature of Glendoe is its ability to react quickly to changing demand for electricity, being able to reach full output in just 90 seconds. Glendoe provides enough electricity annually to supply around 56,000 homes, the equivalent to a town the size of Gravesend. Gross head (metres) Average annual output Concrete faced rock fill

My name is Chris Lenon. I have a business background. I began thinking about climate change from a business perspective as a senior corporate tax adviser in 2000. I have considerable experience dealing with the OECD, the EC, and governments around the world. This has given me a unique global perspective, combined with an understanding … Read more Why read this blog? I decided I had to write about how the challenges we face in reducing emissions. I believe we do need to remove carbon, but we need realistic plans and timescales to do this, sharing the burden across society fairly and keeping our economies competitive within a world where not all countries are reducing their emissions … Read more About I took this photo this afternoon at Cotswold International Airport which is near Cirencester. Yes it does exist and as you will see 747s can land there. The reason for the photo today, is that it is roughly 12 months since Covid 19 started to take hold of our attention. Would any of us have thought it would have led to the grounding and taking out of service of 747s? I doubt it. What Covid has shown us, is that coping with change, let alone planning for it, is difficult. That our politicians are not very good with change. That lots of people are not very good at change because its not business as usual. The journey to a net zero carbon global economy involves a vast amount of change for all of us, individuals, businesses and political systems from the local council to national governments and beyond. What coping with Covid should teach us, is that lots of people are not skilled in dealing with change. That some deny what is going on. It is highly probable that changing to net zero will produce many of the same issues as covid. If anyone tells you this will be easy, they haven’t thought about it or they have a vested interest they are protecting or they are dissembling. Don’t underestimate the change that a net zero carbon economy requires. This is the headline from a Guardian article. The article is an interesting spin on Gurria’s 15 years at the head of the OECD. I worked with him in BIAC from 2006 to 2012, he’s a nice person in my experience. But OECD hasn’t really taken the lead in pushing this agenda forward, perhaps constrained by the attitude of its biggest member, the US under both Obama and Trump. I wrote a blog questioning why the OECD wasn’t working on the taxation of aviation and the tax subsidies which it enjoys. “Why is the OECD not reviewing the taxation of aviation?” I’d asked insiders why the work wasn’t being done and they pointed to a lack of funding and “more important” projects. The OECD is perfectly positioned to work on this subject. The zero rating of airline tickets and the exemption from fuel duty for airline fuel clearly sit within the OECD expertise. The issue of passenger duty also would fit. It is an obviously international issue in both tax and carbon. So, if the OECD wants to “Put a big fat price on carbon”, why doesn’t it do this work on the taxing of a form of emissions which is often discretionary? On removing this carbon subsidy? Instead that quote looks like a piece of greenwash. Do we want to put a big, fat price on all carbon? On domestic heating for instance? Or does the OECD lean towards taxation because it is part of their mandate, whereas regulation, which may be more suitable for some emissions, is more of a national competence. “The Welsh Government has also accepted the revised advice of the independent Climate Change Committee (CCC) that this goal is credible, feasible and – crucially – affordable. Environment and energy minister Lesley Griffiths made it clear the administration would push to achieve zero-carbon sooner than 2050. Latest analysis from the committee reveals that the most significant potential to accelerate emissions reductions in Wales is based on evidence suggesting greater abatement is possible in the industry and power sectors. This reflects the presence of a small number of high-emitting point sources in Wales, such as the Port Talbot steelworks. However, the committee has also highlighted that the path to net-zero will be partly or fully driven by societal or behavioural changes. “This means government, communities and businesses working together to change how we travel, shop, heat our homes, and switching to lower-carbon diets. In all cases, large reductions in the amount of energy and natural resources we use is necessary to achieve the targets,” said the government. Improved energy and resource efficiency would be critical, stressed the committee. “By the early 2030s, all new cars and vans and all boiler replacements in homes and other buildings must be low-carbon – we expect largely electric. “By 2040, all new heavy goods vehicles should be low-carbon. The South Wales industrial cluster (as well as other industrial sites in Wales) must either switch away from fossil fuels to low-carbon alternatives and/or install carbon capture and storage (CCS) at scale from the mid-2030s.” Significant land use change will be involved, argued the committee. “A transformation is needed in Wales’s land while supporting Welsh farmers.” By 2030, this should involve planting a cumulative 43,000 hectares of mixed woodland to remove CO2 from the atmosphere as they grow, increasing to a total of 180,000 hectares by 2050. Another 56,000 hectares of agricultural land should shift to bioenergy production (including short rotation forestry) by 2050. The committee’s report stressed that peatlands must be restored widely and managed sustainably. Low-carbon farming practices must be adopted widely while raising farm productivity. Ministers have promised to set out how the government intends to deliver the country’s new net-zero ambition in its next All Wales Plan. This will be published in advance of the United Nations climate summit, COP26, which is being held in Glasgow later this year. The themes in this analysis, echo those in “Zero Carbon Our Choice”, particularly “The committee assessment highlighted an accelerated shift in diets away from meat and dairy products, reductions in waste, slower growth in flights and reductions in demand for travel. Improved energy and resource efficiency would be critical, stressed the committee. “By the early 2030s, all new cars and vans and all boiler replacements in homes and other buildings must be low-carbon – we expect largely electric.” I hope that we can now begin an informed debate about how to achieve these goals which are demanding. One of the larger contributors to UK emissions is domestic power use for heating, hot water, etc taking 15% of UK emissions. The main fuel source for heating in the UK is gas with 63% of the total. The primary option for zero carbon emission heating (based on used zero carbon electricity) is an air source heat pump. Hydrogen may be an option in due course, but it will require a significant investment in renewable power as currently over 90% of hydrogen is produced using carbon sources. So, Air Source heat pumps or Ground Source heat pumps are the main option for carbon free residential heating and hot water (if they use non carbon electricity). This is simple technology, outdoor ambient heat is transferred to a coolant using a heat exchanger coil, this coolant is compressed and the temperature increased, this heated coolant transfers heat to the hot water store through a heat exchanger coil. A “standard” domestic air source heat pump can extract useful heat down to about −15 °C (5 °F). I had an air source heat pump installed earlier this year. The main difference from conventional central heating is that it operates at a lower background temperature throughout 24 hours a day. Its sophistication is that based on sensors outdoors that will adjust the temperature of the water in the system. The controls of the Unit . My calculations are that it is competitive with gas and four times as efficient as an electric boiler. The investment cost is higher than a gas boiler, but the maintenance costs lower. The costs are further reduced if electricity generated from residential solar is used. The issue for the UK is that a conventional plumber’s training is not sufficient for installing and maintaining air source heat pumps. As a result, there may be logistical issues in installing the over 20 million systems that would be needed in the UK. Only 207,000 systems had been installed in the UK by 2018 so the rate of installation would have to increase dramatically. There are UK producers of air source heat pumps, but most pumps fitted in the UK are imported. My experience of the air source heat pump is favourable. It is known technology capable of mass rollout. The take up to date is disappointing despite the Renewable Heat Incentive support. While new homes will have to fit non carbon heating from from 2025, the question is will consumers switch to this heating? Zero carbon is our choice as consumers – will we make that choice? I don’t usually write about tax here, but the tax status of the UK Chancellor has changed that. After the Brexit referendum, Teresa May in a speech said: “Today, too many people in positions of power behave as though they have more in common with international elites than with the people down the road, the people they employ, the people they pass on the street … but if you believe you are a citizen of the world, you are a citizen of nowhere. You don’t understand what citizenship means.” So how should we view the issues around the tax status of the Chancellor and his wife which have emerged. And yes, normally the tax affairs of a politicians spouse shouldn’t interest us, but the specifics of this situation are important. If reports are correct the wife of the Chancellor, Akshata Murthy, has filed her tax returns as a non domicile for UK tax purposes as she is allowed to. As the government website makes clear “UK residents who have their permanent home (‘domicile’) outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income.” The point is “permanent home” with the implication that this is where you will return after your stay in the UK (questions of citizenship are irrelevant, it is where you regard your permanent home to be). So how can one spouse in a marriage have a permanent home outside the UK and the other not, unless of course they are going to either split up or both return to the permanent home outside the UK? The problem here is that Mr Sunak is the Chancellor and was seen as potential Prime Minister. But can he hold these posts if his spouse doesn’t regard the UK as her permanent home and doesn’t pay tax on her considerable non UK income? Then it is reported Mr Sunak still holds a US green card. To quote Homeland Security “A Green Card holder is a permanent resident that has been granted authorization to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis. As proof of that status, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) grants a person a permanent resident card, commonly called a “Green Card.” So, Mr Sunak can live and work in the US on a permanent basis (he is a permanent resident of the USA) and his spouse has her permanent home in India. Lets go back to Teresa May, “Today, too many people in positions of power behave as though they have more in common with international elites than with the people down the road, the people they employ, the people they pass on the street … but if you believe you are a citizen of the world, you are a citizen of nowhere. You don’t understand what citizenship means.” Given their status for tax purposes are the Sunaks, in fact, “citizens of the world” or as May goes on to say, “citizens of nowhere”? And more importantly should the Chancellor of the Exchequer have this status given his role in tax policy and the economic future of the UK? Again, to quote May, does he understand what citizenship means, or is he one of those people in power who “behave as though they have more in common with international elites than with the people down the road, the people they employ, the people they pass on the street”? I was going to write about the conflict in the Ukraine and the implications, a couple of weeks ago, but as the situation has developed more themes have developed. The situation in Ukraine is a terrible indictment of our international structures and I’m afraid to say the UN, which has again proved itself incapable of action, given the veto powers of major states. But, aside from its veto, Russia’s power in Ukraine is a combination of the implications of challenging Russia and the dependence of Europe on Russian oil and gas. In my talks on net zero I discuss how many of the recent wars and conflicts have been about carbon (just think back over the last 50 years), Ukraine is not a war about carbon but is one which is being paid for by Russia from carbon income, income which European consumers and businesses have paid, and continues to pay, to Russia. The shock of what has happened has started to show how much which we have assumed in our world order to be reliable is actually either fragile or needs reconsideration. The impact on German policy has been dramatic in the field of defence, but in achieving net zero, Germany is still hamstrung by its no nuclear power policy. Back in 2000, 29.7% of German power generation came from nuclear, in 2022 it will be nil. Germany is not alone, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Portugal and Austria source no power from nuclear (they are fine buying nuclear power generated by their neighbours). So, the road to net zero will be paved by buying gas, and some of that gas will be bought from Russia. A non-nuclear policy for some of these countries funds Russia because they rely on gas. And now we see what that funding leads to. Those who continue to oppose nuclear and lament the fate of Ukraine, need to look at the consequences of their decisions to oppose nuclear power. Blackrock, has identified that the ramifications of Russia’s war and the positions taken by other countries may presage the end of globalisation. It is perhaps early to call this, but certainly we may have seen the high water mark of globalisation. As I wrote in Net Zero Our Choice, net zero and a dependence on electricity generated by non carbon sources leads to a regional not global market for power. Transmission losses limit the distance over which electricity can effectively be transported. It may also lead to a more local approach to supply chains (and Blackrock identifies this) from a security perspective but also because transporting goods across the world rather than locally has a power cost and will for some time have a carbon cost (think shipping). But such a change will increase costs as goods are produced in higher cost countries and regions to supply markets in those countries. Will our consumerist binge be constrained by price? The other theme about consumers relates to power and oil costs. The constriction of supply has led to price increases, dramatic increases. The response has been twofold, what do we do about the cost of living and what do we do about energy security? This is understandable as a reaction, and while politics is about short term and long term issues, politicians tend to prioritise short term issues. But what is happening is politicians calling for measures which are addressing these price and security issues by relegating the importance of the net zero trajectory. The UK is considering encouraging more gas production from the North Sea for energy security reasons. Given my writing above, this makes sense if the perspective is strategic in regard to Russia (better produce it ourselves, than pay Russia for it), but it doesn’t if that action slows down action leading to reducing carbon emissions – burning UK gas instead of Russian gas doesn’t reduce emissions. Is there a danger that as these security issues are addressed, we become comfortable with using gas – that won’t help achieve net zero. It is also understandable for governments to subsidise power costs to consumers from a political perspective, but if that subsidy is for carbon sources it won’t help achieve net zero. What that requires is investment quickly in nuclear and renewables by all European countries. Well the other comments have generally been trenchant in their criticism. I hadn’t missed the point. The paper recognises some parts of Europe are still heavily based on high carbon emitting coal. One might ask, in 2022, why the EC hasn’t done more to reduce coal in the power mix in the EU, when some countries have? This then leads to the statement that there is a role for natural gas and nuclear in the path to net zero. Well nuclear is zero carbon, but gas!!! Gas power plants have a life of 30 to 40 years so promoting gas investment until 2035, will mean that gas has a major role until 2065 to 2075 in the EU. How does this reconcile with net zero by 2050? The simple answer is it doesn’t. I pondered how this decision came about, was it great lobbying by the gas industry? Was it the result of a very good lunch at Scheltema? But then the coincidence with the end of nuclear power in Germany this month made it clear. Without nuclear in its power mix, Germany can only reduce emissions from coal by switching to gas and or renewables. Clearly it has decided to transition to net zero over a longer period than to 2050 (now 28 years away) through gas as well as renewables. So next time you read the glossy aspirations of the EC about net zero,remember how little has been achieved in removing coal in many EU countries, how gas will continue to be a major source and benefit from NEW investment. Will the EU reach its net zero targets by 2050 given this road map? Of course not. So,the taxonomy on gas is a consultation. There is a chance to remove gas. If it isn’t removed, it will say a lot about the reality of the EU achieving net zero by 2050….or not. I now drive a Nissan Leaf and very happy I am with it too. Its range is fine (Over 200 miles) and the cost per mile is about half of petrol for a 1.2 car. I’ve also been doing some work on the problems of pollution and congestion in London with a small group. Electric vehicles (like hydrogen vehicles) reduce pollution – they don’t remove particulate pollution as they still produce particulates from both the brakes and tyre wear. But they do remove carbon pollution. What they don’t do is affect congestion. If everyone switches to electric vehicles the air will be cleaner but if they make the same journeys congestion will not change. So, I think we need to rethink some of the measures which apply in our cities. As an electric car owner I am exempt from the London Congestion charge (annual registration of £10 – so almost exempt). So the congestion charge is actually, at present, a pollution charge, but its “object” is to reduce congestion – confused? The exemption for non carbon vehicles stops in 2025 when it does become a congestion charge. So, while electric vehicles help reduce pollution, they have no effect per se on congestion and local authorities will need to work on measures to reduce congestion. They can use pollution as a pricing point to discourage congestion/ encourage a switch to electric/hydrogen vehicles. Net zero will make our towns and cities more pleasant in terms of air quality, but it won’t reduce congestion. I’ve given 10 talks over 2021 on the issues which reaching net zero will provide. The range of responses has been fascinating as has the level of understanding ranging from excellent to a real ignorance. After one of the meetings there was an exchange led by some who were in complete denial about man made climate change, here is a quote: “It is clear that Mr B is convinced that human beings have the power to have a significant effect on the immense forces of nature which cause, and have always caused, climate change. He will not be convinced otherwise and I do not intend to try. I am however concerned that “climate-change” has become highly politicised. It has become a multi-billion dollar industry which channels vast amounts of public money into universities and other research institutions and media outlets and commercial enterprises which support and promulgate and benefit from its views. By contrast there is little or no funding for those who do not agree with them. In particular, for many years the BBC has failed in its duty to examine both sides of this very important case. We have now reached the point that the climate change industry worldwide has become a quasi religion which will not tolerate dissent and which demands obedience from governments and people alike.” These views still exist although they are often under the surface. What is equally interesting is that people who recognise climate change and the need to do something about it, but are not prepared to change their lifestyle. After a lengthy discussion about fossil fuel heating (gas central heating) someone said “but Chris you’re not going to take my gas central heating away from it, I love it”. Many of us are aware of climate change denial, but probably the more significant issue is personal change denial, a refusal to see the change in lifestyle which net zero inevitably involves. Unless individuals are prepared to change, net zero will not be achieved. In my previous blog I discussed the effect of government greenwash in relation to their carbon position and budget. Comments to the IPCC to tone down parts of its 2021 report are understandably mainly reported in the countries themselves and it is often difficult to see the bigger picture, so in my next three blogs I’m going to focus on coal, meat and oil and what governments around the world have said to water down the report. The primary comments on coal which have been leaked relate to Australia and Japan. To quote ABC News Australia “Documents suggest Australia also asked to be removed from a list of big coal-consuming countries. The draft report said “major coal-consuming countries are still far from phasing out coal”. “China, the US, Australia and South Africa continue to extract and use substantial amounts of coal,” it said. The official in Canberra noted Australia’s consumption was “an order of magnitude lower” than the other countries listed. Analysis from analytics firm Ember ranks Australia as the world’s 10th biggest coal-fired power generator. Australia remains one of the world’s biggest biggest coal producers and exporters.” To state the obvious, Australia has a population of 25.7m people (2020), South Africa 59.3m, USA 333.5m and China 1,446.6m. Given the relative population size it would be surprising if Australia had the same level of consumption as larger countries. But as the chart above showing consumption per head 2019 shows Australia is top dog in terms of coal consumed per head. I would suggest it is difficult to argue that Australia’s consumption is “an order of magnitude lower” than other countries. Instead, I think most people would say Australia is the largest per capita coal consumer and a major producer and needs to address these issues, not prevaricate and obfuscate. To quote Unearthed “Japan, which is hugely reliant on fossil fuels in its energy and transport systems, rejects a key finding in the report’s summary for policymakers detailing how coal and gas fired power stations will, on average, need to be shut down within 9 and 12 years respectively to keep warming below 1.5°C and 16 and 17 years to keep warming below 2°C. A director in Japan’s ministry of foreign affairs claims this paragraph is misleading and suggests deleting it “because the required retirements of fossil fuel power plants due to carbon budget depend on the emissions from other sectors as well as their capacity factor and the opportunities of CCS.”” “Japan also rejects analysis that “the overall potential for CCS and CCU to contribute to mitigation in the electricity sector is now considered lower than was previously thought due to the increased uptake of renewables in preference to fossil fuel”. The official argues that “it would be better to remove this sentence to be more policy neutral.”” I have written in “Zero Carbon our Choice” that fully scaled CCS (needed for power generation by fossil fuel to be net zero) has not been achieved to date. This doesn’t mean, of course, that it won’t be achieved. However, significant work on this has been in progress for 15 years and the usual time lag for scaled up, commercial new technology is 40 to 50 years according to an Imperial College London study (quoted in Zero Carbon Our Choice). To use the “opportunities of CCS” to keep coal power generation operational is bizarre – a Mr Micawber approach of “something may turn up”. At the very least how long does Japan propose we go on hoping for full scale CCS to allow fossil fuels to be used for power generation and still achieve net zero by 2050. So consider, if I buy a green piece of Japanese technology – made in Japan with fossil fuel power – how green is that technology I’m buying in lifecycle terms? Of course, this lobbying by countries is to protect economies which are carbon dependent from the effects of decarbonisation. To solve a global issue, carbon dependent economies are going to have to make serious adjustments and start reducing their use of carbon to power and fuel their economies and exports, and they will need to be honest with their populations what these changes entail. This sort of economic protectionism, the denial of the contribution to global emissions by these countries while other countries decarbonise is exactly what will lead to the call for border tax adjustments, otherwise carbon dependent economies will gain an economic and trade advantage in not decarbonising. Countries cannot expect to have a free ride in not reducing emissions without consequences (and GAAP permits tariffs for environmental protection). First, an apology, I haven’t posted recently as I’ve been immersed in my divorce which appears to be resolved after a long period of negotiation. So I’m back. COP 26 is shining a fascinating light on how serious players (be they governments, corporates or individuals) are about achieving net zero by 2050. This should not surprise anyone. The scale of change for many players to move to a net zero economic model is significant, well actually enormous, so attempting to slow the process, soften the impact and confuse the issue is to be expected. The number of attempts by governments to influence the latest report by the IPCC, is a perfect example. These attempts are about national self interest of those economies where carbon plays a significant part in their economic success. So Coal, Gas and Oil producer nations will experience a drop in economic activity, a change in their balance of payments, a resulting weakening of their currencies and a fall in taxation receipts when net zero starts to really bite, unless they change. In my book, Zero Carbon our Choice, I devoted a chapter to the losers from net zero and the impact on geo politics including increasing instability in some regions as carbon becomes less of a source of wealth, unless these countries are able to reinvent their economies for a post carbon world. Africa is an interesting example, while affected by the changes of climate, many African nations are also significant carbon producers of coal, oil and gas, so their response to net zero will be equivocal. The level of greenwash has scaled new heights. Perhaps best illustrated by Saudi Arabia promising net zero by 2060 but continuing to produce and sell petroleum products. But this greenwash isn’t just about producer nations, but about consumer nations as well. So in the run up to COP26, the EU has prepared its position to encourage other recalcitrant states to promise more, while at the same time moving forward on Nordstream 2 which will transport large quantities of gas to land in Germany and thence be distributed around Europe. This pipeline is a long term project, pipelines have expected lives ranging from 50 to 70 years, so this new pipeline will be functional in 2090. The Nordstream2 website sets out the rationale: “By 2035, the EU will need to import about 120 bcm more gas per year The production outlooks of major gas producers such as Netherlands and UK, as well as Norway, are falling. At the same time, demand for gas is expected to continue, owing to its lower carbon qualities. This means that the EU will need to import more gas. Nord Stream 2 will have the capacity to meet about one third of the EU’s import requirement.” “The new pipeline could play an important role in the EU’s climate strategy by making competitive supplies of natural gas available to replace high-carbon coal in the energy mix, in addition to providing back-up for intermittent wind and solar power. If the EU is serious about reaching climate goals, then the share of gas in the energy mix needs to increase to eliminate coal burning.” Japan is investing in new coal powered power stations. There are many more examples of government greenwash , but the question this poses is that if governments are economical with the truth about their net zero commitments, if they seek to move the debate and the carbon commitments to help their national economic interest, why should they expect either corporates or individuals to act in a different way? My real concern is that we will see many promises coming from COP 26 which on proper examination will not achieve net zero by 2050. Beware greenwash, there is a lot of it about, whether by governments, corporates or individuals. Despite Orson Welles diatribe about Switzerland in the Third Man, the country is an important and successful economy. So, the recent June 2021 referendum result from Switzerland should be a wake-up call for the Green lobby around the world about zero carbon. Voters voted against measures to reduce the country’s carbon emissions by 51% to 49%. The measures include a tax of airline tickets and a car fuel levy. Opposition was strongest in poorer, rural areas. My concern is that the referendum result is an example of the failure of the Green lobby to convince citizens of the measures needed to achieve carbon targets, of a complacency and laziness that people will accept measures whatever the cost. Unless this issue is addressed, then we will see further resistance to measures to reduce carbon which affect ordinary people and voters. It is not as though recent events do not provide examples where citizens have not accepted policies imposed on them. The gilet jaune protests, Brexit and Trump all illustrate that elites should not ignore the ordinary citizen. This appears to have been significant in Switzerland. Being told something is good for you or is necessary is not enough. No matter how many times Sir David Attenborough tells us what we need to do, when the actions start to affect our lifestyles and standard of living, then people will question the remedies proposed, particularly the poorer members of society. Instead, politicians and green experts need to be honest about the scope of change needed to achieve net zero. They need to be honest about what it will cost an ordinary family and the changes in their lifestyle and standard of living it will engender. They have to get out of the green bubble where the change to net zero is achieved effortlessly. It won’t be. Changing domestic heating, only allowing electric cars and pricing airline flights will all affect the poorest 50% the most. Reconciling reducing carbon and the cost on the poorer is a crucial challenge. This seems a great idea and as net zero needs finance, using corporate funds makes sense – or does it? The issue that isn’t talked about is that offsetting isn’t a limitless way to escape from decarbonising. Offsetting requires land and as Mark Twain said, they’ve stopped making it. So offsetting will compete with other land use, agriculture, housing, etc and there isn’t an infinite amount of land for offsetting given these competing demands. First mover advantage is therefore sensible as Apple is demonstrating. But which emission sources should be prioritised for offsetting? Should offsetting, in land use terms, in effect, be licensed by governments? If it isn’t regulated, will some activities that we really need lose out? Should the disposable business model be prioritised ( for example, upgrade your mobile phone every two years, don’t maintain the software for old models to nudge consumers to buy new phones or with new model i phones introduce a new charger and ensure the old charger won’t work) or should other sectors be prioritised? On the basis that net zero goes hand in hand with the circular economy, shouldn’t governments be thinking about which sectors should have priority over others for access to offsetting in strategic terms (cement, steel etc). This is not to criticise those businesses which are investing in offsetting, but to question whether we should allow the market to decide which businesses have access to offsetting, which is what is happening de facto at present. I gave the attached presentation to students and staff at the University of Gloucestershire in March. I have given other presentations to amenity societies tailored to their interests. What has been interesting is that people are unaware of how much their personal lifestyles will need to change to achieve zero carbon. As my subsequent post will show this is an indictment of politicians and advocates of carbon reduction who have failed to explain the consequences for ordinary people. There is a real danger of a backlash against proposals a la yellow vests in France. COP 26 needs to be honest with citizens about the changes as they affect them.

The Sheepadoodle is a cross of the Old English Sheepdog and Poodle, also known as Sheeppoo or Sheepdog Poodle Mix. It’s a medium to large dog breed at about 16 to 22 inches tall, weighing between 60 to 80 pounds. The lifespan of the Sheepadoodle is around 12 to 15 years. He’s a stunning dog breed who is becoming highly sought after for his remarkable personality, his serious good looks, and the fact that he’s exceptionally cuddly, like a big teddy bear. Let’s get ready to go on a Sheepadoodle journey, and find out all there is to know about this amazingly cute pooch! Contents & Quick Navigation #1 So, What Are Sheepadoodles Exactly? The mix will vary from pup to pup depending on which of their parents they take after. So you’re never quite sure what to expect, but cute is one thing that’s a certainty. They’re also extremely friendly and will love you and your family unconditionally. Sheepadoodles are designer dogs that breeders breed especially for dog lovers that are looking for an obedient dog that’s energetic, loving and kind. They also tend to shed very little, which means they’re great for those of you that want indoor dogs without all the hair! Sheepadoodles enjoyed a massive boost in popularity when Meryl Davis and her partner Fedor Andreev, both figure skaters, showed off their pet Sheepadoodle, Bilbo Tootie-Rose Baggins on social media. Even though Sheepadoodles aren’t purebred dogs, they’re still extremely valuable. They inherit the best of both parents, making for a remarkable pooch! The gorgeous suffix of ‘doodle’ came about in 1992, and wherever you find a Poodle crossbreed, you’ll come across the cute ‘doodle,’ in its name. More about the Poodle Poodles were extremely popular as pets in the past, especially for upper-class ladies. This was due to the small Poodle size which meant that carrying them around was incredibly easy. Interestingly, they were first bred in Germany to help hunt waterfowl. Their popularity has led many dog breeders to conduct experimental crossbreeding, and one of those successful breeding programs was with the Old English Sheepdog a.k.a. Sheepadoodle. More about the Old English Sheepdog Just like the name suggests, Old English Sheepdogs became popular in the 1800s with farmers who used them to herd sheep and to help control other animals on the farm. For centuries training was for rather heavy tasks around the farm. Sheepadoodles have a fascinating history, as do their parents! But why this combination? Breeders are after the intelligence and activeness of the sheepdog, combined with the family-friendly and low shedding characteristics of the Poodle which when crossbred create something special – the Sheepadoodle that we just can’t help falling in love with. #3 What can I Expect from my Sheepadoodle Temperament? As mentioned above, first generation Sheepadoodles inherit the intelligence and active nature of sheepdogs, and the low shedding and friendly nature of the Poodle. All in all, they’re brilliantly well rounded as pets and would be a superb addition to your home. They’re also super calm, sociable and obedient, which is why they’re often a favorite for families that have young children. They can be very gentle and also tend to be quiet around little ones, which is an excellent trait, especially if your baby needs a nap! Sheepadoodles also get on well with other dogs and pets too, as they’re not overbearing or domineering. Sheepadoodles are incredibly expressive, especially when they see you – so you know you’ll always have a happy buddy for life who will always look forward to you coming home! One thing to remember is that it’s not a good idea to leave them home alone for a couple of days at a time, get them to a pet hotel or foster them out to a friend or family member if you go out of town. The perfect pooch indeed! #4 Am I going to have to move out of my home for my Sheepadoodle? Even though they are large, you can make it work. If you live in an apartment, you might be pushing it, but if you commit to some serious exercise every day your new furry friend will be just fine! However, if you’re in a house with a relatively large yard, you’ll be good to go, but they’ll still need exercise and stimulation, so get those sneakers on! Standard Sheepadoodles are usually medium to large. As mentioned above the standard-sized Sheepadoodle grows to about 60 to 80 pounds (18 to 30 Kg) and a maximum of 16 to 22 inches (40 to 55 cm) in height. Sometimes, if the Sheepdog parent is huge, then the Sheepadoodle pup can grow quite a bit larger than other pups. One example is Zammy the therapy dog, which you can watch in this video: Also thrown into the mix are Mini Sheepadoodles that are a mix of Mini Poodles and Standard Sheepdogs. They measure under 20 inches (51 cm) in height and weigh between 24 to 44 pounds (11 to 20 kg). Miniature Sheepadoodles are also sometimes called a Micro Sheepadoodle. Mini Sheepadoodles are in demand far and wide due to their utterly adorable good looks and charismatic charm. It might not be as small as a toy poodle, but they are lovable and kind-hearted, and you’ll want to cuddle them all day. Sheepadoodles have sturdy and solid builds, with square or rounded faces and elongation at the snout. The skull has a broad look and appears dome shaped. They also have signature gorgeous low hanging ears, and their eyes are small and set between medium length hair. Coats can be anywhere between straight and curly. Sometimes, their fur can cover their eyes, so you might need to get those scissors out and do a bit of a trim occasionally to make sure they don’t go bumping into your furniture! Their different colors also make them a hit with potential owners. Sheepadoodles are born black, white or both. Their colors are separated in well-defined spots that can appear randomly on any part of the body. This makes for some adorable looking puppies, some of whom almost look like Panda bears, which make them even more endearing than they already are. Some Sheepadoodles come in white and red, but these usually cost more. There are also Sheepadoodles that are entirely brown or grey, but these are relatively rare. The parents normally determine the color of the pups. #6 How Long Will we be Friends for? As mentioned in the first paragraph the Sheepadoodles have an average lifespan of about 12 to 15 years. So you’ll have plenty of time with your new furry friend. How healthy are they? In general, the Sheepadoodle is a robust dog since it comes from two different purebred dogs. They don’t tend to have many problems and have something called ‘hybrid vigor’ – which means they tend to have fewer health issues than their parents due to the crossbreeding. However, they may inherit some tendencies from their parents genetically. These include bloating, joint swelling and pain, Cushings or Addison’s disease as well as certain types of cancer. #7 You won’t be Living out your Days Taking Care of Them Sheepadoodles are mostly hypoallergenic, which means that they don’t set off your sniffles and other allergy symptoms. However, not all Sheepadoodles are hypoallergenic as it depends on the genes they inherit from their parents. You’ll have to verify the hypoallergenic status of your dog from the Sheepadoodle breeders that you buy your dog from. They tend to have a short and curly coat like their Poodle parent and as we said before shed very minimally. This means that you won’t have hair all over your home, but that doesn’t get you off brushing, sorry! You’ll still have to brush your Sheepadoodle at least once or twice a week to get rid of any matted fur. In addition to brushing, you’ll have to check those gorgeous floppy ears out for any buildup of wax and dirt, which you will have to clean from time to time. Cleaning out your dog’s ears will help prevent infection which can be costly for you and painful for your pooch. Trimming the hairs around their ears is also another thing you can do if you want to help prevent ear infections. #8 Will they be Running Circles around me if I want to Train them? Luckily not, as they’re very confident animals that always want the approval of Mom and Dad. They’re fast learners and obedient too. Watch how training takes place in this video: They can also be taught to be watchdogs as they can recognize strangers and be trained to bark at them. However, there’s nothing to be alarmed about as they’re exceptionally gentle and will never hurt any family member. Training is pretty simple and easy to carry out. One thing that’s important to remember is that you should do early socialization as well as training that includes positive reinforcement – this way you’ll get your Sheepadoodle on track to be a well-behaved member of your family. #9 What’s for Dinner? Sheepadoodles should have a diet that consists of high-quality kibbles. As they’re so active, they should be fed at least 2-3 times daily. Give them small portions and adjust the amount of food you’re giving them if you see they’re putting on or losing weight. Don’t under any circumstances have a free flow of food in the home as they tend to lose all self-control and overeat, just like kids that have been let loose in a candy factory. Once in a blue moon, some wet food is a great idea but take it easy on this one as it may lead to your Sheepadoodle becoming overweight. #10 Are they recognized by any organizations? As mentioned previously, Sheepadoodles are not purebred dogs and therefore aren’t eligible to be registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) that only allows purebred dogs in. #11 Where can I find Sheepadoodle puppies and what does a Sheepadoodle cost? Sheepadoodle breeders can be found quite easily online, just like these: Best Sheepadoodles, Sheepadoodles By Design or Debs Doodles. Sheepadoodle puppies can cost anywhere between $1000 to $3000 depending on the color. You’ll have to pay even more if you want specific traits like eye color. The Micro Sheepadoodle we spoke about earlier, will set you back an extra $500 to $800 more than the Sheepadoodle. You can always choose to adopt a Sheepadoodle instead of buying one. There aren’t any rescue organizations dedicated to this breed, but if you scour Petfinder, you may find one by chance and the price you can get your very own Sheepadoodle will be significantly lower than buying from a breeder. Also, there are many Old English Sheepdog rescue organizations all over the world, Here are some of them: - New England Old English Sheepdog Rescue - Old English Sheepdog Rescue Network of the South East - The Old English Sheepdog Club of America - Midwest OES Rescue Some may have Sheepdog crossbreeds. If you’re going to adopt, you can expect to pay anywhere between $75 and $200 as well as a dog license fee which is about $10. Whether you buy or adopt, make sure you do it with a responsible and legal organization. Always be careful about where you get your Sheepadoodle from and make sure you visit breeders premises, meet the parents of the puppy and make sure the breeders know what they’re talking about. See how they interact with the puppies and if everything is clean and well looked after. Also, ensure that the Sheepadoodle breeders you buy from have some certification or license and avoid buying from backyard breeders at all costs. FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) 🤔 What is a Sheepadoodle? Sheepadoodles are the gorgeous mixed-breed offspring of a Standard Poodle and an Old English Sheepdog. Knowing its parents may give you an idea of what this crossbreed is, but hybrids are a surprise, so check out this section of our article to know what they really are. 🤧 Are Sheepadoodles hypoallergenic? This designer dog is mostly hypoallergenic, but keep in mind that it’s possible for a mixed breed to inherit more traits from one parent. That means NOT all Sheepadoodles will be allergy-friendly. So, how do you deal with this type of coat? Read up here! 🐶 Are Sheepadoodles good dogs? There’s a reason why they’re a family favorite. Sheepadoodles are calm and sociable canines and are extremely expressive. But those are not the only traits you can expect from this breed. 💰 How much is a Sheepadoodle? A Sheepadoodle puppy has a price that can range from $1,000 to $3,000. If you prefer a cuter version, the Micro Sheepadoodle is hundred-more-bucks expensive. Find out how much that is and start your search for your own pup here! Sheepadoodles are Oodles of Goodness, so Should I Buy One? Sheepadoodles are happy, outgoing and will love you wholeheartedly. They’re also exceptionally smart and make excellent pets whether you’re a family, a couple or flying solo. Once you have a Sheepadoodle, you’ll never look back. They’re practical, dutiful and friendly and in my opinion, they’re probably one of the best breeds to have as companions, as long as you give them a forever home and lots and lots of love as well as plenty of cuddles!

Best Ways To Calm Your Mind A huge number of us live with a degree of relentless pressure that turns out to be standardized to the point that more often than not, we don’t understand it’s there. While we probably won’t show clear indications of stress, cortisol — the hormone related to pressure — unleashes ruin on our psychological and physical wellbeing over the long haul. Along these lines, it’s imperative to make time to clear our brains and bring some peace in our lives, regardless of whether we’re not feeling especially restless. And Educators of international schools in Delhi guide students on how to make this habit of calming your mind in middle schools. Here are a couple of proposals you can use to make your minds calm and serene. When we can see our self-reactions and decisions at the time, we get an opportunity to practice self-compassion. This implies recognizing and tolerating reality and expanding a similar sort of empathy to ourselves that we would go to an old buddy in our circumstance. In doing this, we quit estimating ourselves against various norms contrasted with others. Zero in on the appreciation At the point when we’re confronting a progression of difficulties, it tends to be anything but difficult to slip into limited focus and spotlight on what’s turning out badly to the detriment of seeing what’s working out positively. In any event, setting aside the effort to record only three things every day that we feel thankful for can help restore a decent viewpoint on our everyday experience. Make time to meditate. Reflection has various constructive outcomes on the brain and body. It’s additionally misleadingly hard, which is the reason numerous individuals attempt it a few times; however, they battle to make it an ordinary habit. Students of schools in Delhi meditate every Saturday as meditation helps battle the physical and passionate effects of pressure and has enduring advantages that influence your efficiency, just as your capacity to unwind. Put in a safe spot to think for only 10 minutes per day throughout the following week or two and experience the advantages for yourself. Notice internal judgments While huge numbers of us dread judgment from others, the harshest reactions we experience are regularly self-perpetrated. Nothing messes and stresses the psyche like interior self-decisions, so focus on your ideal examples and notice when your inward pundit raises up. Monitoring these considerations as they happen is the first, and generally significant, advance towards supplanting analysis with quiet. Distance yourself from negative self-talk and convictions We can’t really stop ourselves from encountering negative self-talk and convictions; however, we can remove ourselves from them. Utilizing the expression “I notice that… [I’m making a decision about myself for overlooking that document this morning]” at whatever point we recognize a negative self-judgment or conviction encourages us to perceive the truth about these convictions: opinions, as opposed to facts. Setting schedules may seem like a formula for weariness, yet it really ingrains an everyday feeling of harmony in our minds. At the point when we have set schedules, we have fewer choices to make during the day. This opens up space in our brains for greater, more significant undertakings. Keep a diary Journaling is an extraordinary method to get our musings out of our heads and onto paper. Recording our most squeezing considerations and stresses every day has a comparative impact to conversing with somebody about them. By making time for the diary, you’re allowing yourself to deal with your considerations and emotions and to communicate them in a protected, private space. Exercise augments our feeling of mental health. As indicated by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, exercising for only 10 minutes can deliver endorphins, pain-killing synthetic substances that help instigate a condition of mental and physical health and peace.

Keeping your outdoor fire pit safe from pooling water should be a priority when setting up your pit. Most of the backyard fire pits we use are made of metal which over time will rust if left exposed to water and wet conditions. Long term exposure to water can rust away any metal fire pit. If the rainy season is about to start, you should be thinking about how to keep your fire pit from filling with water. Here are a few simple ways to keep your fire pit safe from filling with water. - Does Your Fire Pit Need Drainage or Coverage? - 5 basic ways to keep your fire pit from filling with water - How do I fix my fire pit if it got wet and rusted? Does Your Fire Pit Need Drainage or Coverage? Yes, your outdoor fire pit needs to have a drainage system or protected coverage during the rainy season or snowy weather. Let’s have a quick look at why covering up your fire pit and allotting a drainage system is essential. If your fire pit is not protected from water, the water will: - Rust away your metal firepit making it ugly and greatly reducing it’s lifespan - Rust and debris carried by the water will clog burners and vents reducing the efficiency of your fire pit - Water and residual ash will create a difficult to clean up mess in your fire pit - Rusty and clogged burners are difficult to ignite making your fire pit hard to start To keep your metal or gas fire pit performing well you must keep the water out of your fire pit. If you have a wood burning stone fire pit or one built with fire brick that has no metal and nothing to rust, you may not need to worry about covering it. There is nothing there that can be damaged by water. If it’s out in the middle of your yard, nothing is going to happen when ash spreads over your grass. 5 basic ways to keep your fire pit from filling with water 1. Store it in a covered area You can keep your fire pit indoors or any place that has a cover over it to protect it from rain and sunlight. It can be your basement, garage, storeroom, or spare corner of your home. Lightweight and portable fire pits are easy to move and store in a dry safe location. Wood-burning fire pit, portable propane fire pits, and other portable fire pits can be moved and kept under a roof. An in ground fire pit built into your yard or deck can’t be moved so you need to use other options. Never try to move a fire pit that is still hot. Make sure your fire pit has cooled down first. If it’s a wood-burning fire pit, let it cool down and clean out the leftover ash before moving it. A fire pit can take up to 24 hours to cool down entirely. Keep this in consideration to avoid any messy mistakes. 2. Use a tarp Using a tarp over your fire pit is a swift and easy way to protect it from rain and sun damage. Tarps work for virtually any type of fire pit whether it’s a portable fire pit or a permanent outdoor fire pit. This works for a wood burning fire pit, copper fire pit or stone fire pit. Don’t forget to keep your propane tank under the tarp as well. If you are using a wood burning fire pit, use a tarp to cover the firewood too. You can use any basic tarp from Walmart or Home Depot to cover your fire pit. This is a low cost option for those who don’t want to spend money on a pre-made custom fit fire pit cover. For an in-ground DIY fire pit you may not be able to find a pre-made fire pit cover. You may have to make do with a regular tarp in that case. Never put a tarp on a hot fire pit. Tarps and canvas covers are flammable and will melt or burn when exposed to high heat. Let your fire pit cool down for a few hours before putting a tarp over it. As a general rule, if your fire pit is too hot to touch, it is too hot to put a tarp on it. 3. Using Pre-made synthetic or canvas cover Pre-made covers made from canvas or synthetic materials are the choice of modern fire pit users. They look much better than a standard tarp for those who care about the appearance of their fire pit when not using it. They work well for All Types of Fire Pits. These poly-vinyl covers are very popular and available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The material is resistant to weather, water, and heat. They are lightweight and easy to fold for storage when it’s not raining out. You can find almost any shape of fire pit cover on this range. You can get matching fire pit and patio furniture covers for a stylish coordinated look. 4. Drilling Drainage Hole In-ground and metal fire pits need a drainage hole for water to drain out. If you have an open and in-ground fire pit in your backyard, you must have drainage for your fire pit. Otherwise, water will pool inside your fire pit causing it to rust. It can severely damage your fire pit burner making it difficult to light. If you have not already built it, don’t forget to make drainage for your fire pit. You can put a 12 inch layer of gravel under the fire pit. Use a metal grate on top of the gravel to keep debris out of the gravel. This should give sufficient area for water to drain to under our fire pit. If you built a fire pit on top of a patio slab, you need to consider the drainage. You can use a drainage pipe from the bottom of the pit to drain water away from your patio. If you’re building it over brick or pavers, you can remove them from under the fire pit to create drainage. If your metal fire pit has no holes for drainage you might consider drilling a few at the bottom of the basin. This will allow rain water to drain. It will also allow any condensation that forms while it’s under a tarp or cover to drain also. You can use a metal shower drain cover to cover the holes so ash and other debris don’t fall out of the fire pit through the holes. 5. Using Lava Rocks or Sand Gravel Lava rocks and sand gravel enhance your gas fire pit and work as the natural drainage system for your fire pits. Most gas and propane fire pits are perfectly compatible with lava rocks. The rocks cover the burners giving them some protection from the rain. Lava rocks don’t serve much purpose in a wood burning fire pit since they just get covered with ash and you will end up shoveling most of them away when you clean it up. While building an in-ground fire pit, a 1-inch layer of sand gravel with 2-3inch lava rock will work the best. You can use this water protection on an in-built fire pit too. However, while using lava rocks make sure they are completely dry before turning up the heat on your fire pit. Moisture trapped inside lava rocks can cause them to explode. If your lava rocks are wet, heat them up slowly and allow them to dry out before allowing anyone to be close to your fire pit. It is a good idea to put a metal grate over the fire pit to contain any exploding rocks until they have had a chance to dry. River rock and river gravel are not appropriate for use in fire pits. How do I fix my fire pit if it got wet and rusted? Most fire pits can be cleaned and the rust removed if they got wet. All hope isn’t lost just because it sat out in the rain for a long time. See the below video for some tips on how to clean up your fire pit and remove the rust if it did sit out in the rain getting wet for a long time. Keeping your fire pit dry when not in use to keep it rust free and looking nice. Pooling water in your fire pit will drastically shorten its life and make it more difficult to light. We hope you have found this helpful to find the right way to keep your fire pit safe from water. Remember to let your fire pit cool down before covering it up.

Coaxial cable, which is also known as coax is widely used for computer networks and cable TV connections. This type of wire is sensitive to noise and transfer the electrical signal through it. A few years back only a single coax cable was enough to meet your cable connection requirement. But with more devices like computers, TVs, etc., being installed in different rooms, you feel the need to extend your coax connection. Not just that, but you may also need to extend your coaxial connection when you change the location of your computer or cable TV. There are different ways of using which you can extend your coax cable. we will discuss three of the most popular methods that are followed by most users. So if you want to extend your coaxial cable, you should give this article a read. Many people tend to use cable splitters to extend their coaxial connection. Although this method is not recommended, it is still in practice. For those unversed, cable splitters are a device that helps you to introduce internet or cable connections to different locations in your home. In case, if you have just one line running into your house, the cable company is most likely to split the line and run it to different locations in your house. This is usually done during the initial installation process, so you don’t have to worry about any additional setups. But sometimes people want to change the location of their TV or renovate their home. In that case, you will need to use a cable splitter to change the location of your cable connection. To save yourself from paying the extra charges to the cable company, many of you would want to install another line or install a splitter yourself. It should be reminded that installing a splitter can reduce the signal strength. The signal refers to the speed at which your TV loads up the shows. If you have two TVs on in different rooms, you will notice that they are not loading at the same time. This happens because the signal strength has reduced. However, in most cases, the differences are not much, so it shouldn’t impact your overall experience. Having a reasonable number of cable splitters in your home doesn’t impact your devices much. If you are planning to install a cable splitter in your home, go through the details given below. It might help you install the splitter all by yourself. When installing a splitter make sure that it is close to the point from where the cable line comes into your space. You must also measure the coax cables to determine the right length, so you can cover the distance between the splitter and the devices you want to connect. It should be reminded that shorter cables are better than longer ones. This is because they occupy less space and also cause less line noise. Some splitters have two or more outputs. But it is better to buy a splitter with one output to avoid signal problems. If you are installing a splitter all by yourself make sure you follow all the steps correctly. In case, you find the steps to be tough, you should call your cable company. Here are the steps you need to follow: If you want a better alternative than a cable splitter, you should use a splice coaxial cable. This can help you connect two coaxial cables and thus, extend the Extend Coaxial Cable. But this is a long process, so you need to be patient with the steps. Before you start make sure you have the following requirements: Now, follow the steps given below to complete the process: You can also use a coax extender to stretch the length of your coaxial cable. Compared to the previous method, this one is much easier. But before you start, you need to gather a few things. This includes: Note: You may also need a few other items depending on your setup. Here are the steps you need to follow: The first step is to disconnect all the connections. For this, you need to switch off all the devices connected to the network. This is important for your safety, so you can prevent any accidents from happening. Ignoring this step can result in serious electrical hazards. This is why safety precautions should be of utmost importance. Once you are ready, plug the first coax cable into the wall outlet from the source of the connection. Make sure that you tighten the end of the cable nicely. You can either use pliers or your fingers to twist the connections. Now hook the one end of the first cable to the coax cable extender, and plug one end of the second cable into the other side of the extender. Plugin the other end of the second coax cable into the device in which you want to stream videos. To extend the length of the coax cable further, you need to repeat the same process with more coax wires and extenders. Ans: Coaxial cables are available in varying lengths. The length and thickness of the cable determine the signal strength it can transmit. This is why you need to choose the right cable length and thickness. Ans: If you need to connect a coax cable to a device and the length is not enough, you can use a second coaxial cable to extend the length. You can hook the two cables together using a coaxial coupler. Ans: A 50-foot cable can experience noticeable signal loss. Cable longer than 100-foot can drop as much as one-third of the original signal. Ans: Coax cables are not capable of giving a big shock. If the center conductor of a coaxial cable is solid copper, it can carry current well. This type of coax cable is used to power satellite dishes and amplify antennas all the time. Ans: Coax ground blocks are barrel connectors with a port to connect. All types of connectors introduce a small signal loss, about -0.5 dB. Extending the coax cable connection is easy if you know the right process. You can try any of these methods to extend your coaxial connection. However, we would recommend you to use either a coaxial extender or a splice coax cable. These two methods are any day more preferable to using a cable splitter

Federal tax filing can be a complicated process, especially if your filing status changes in the middle of a tax year. In general, your status for filing your federal taxes depends on whether you are considered unmarried or married on the last day of the tax year which is December 31st. Marriage is defined as a legal union between a man and a woman for the purposes of filing federal income taxes. Criteria for Filing as a Married Couple In order to file as a married couple, you must first determine if you fit the guidelines as outlined by the IRS to be considered married. A couple who is recently married can file as so if on the last day of the tax year the couple meets one of the following criteria. - If you are living together as husband and wife. - You are living together in a state that recognizes common-law marriage. - You are married and living apart but not considered legally separated or divorced. - You are separated but not considered divorced. Once considered married in the eyes of the law you must file as a married couple for that tax year. There are a few details that you must take care of as a newly married couple for legal purposes. - Work with your employer to adjust your tax withholdings to reflect a change in status and coordinate any other benefits available for married couples that can save you money. - Inform the Social Security Administration of a name change, if applicable. In order to properly file your taxes, your legal name must match the name on your social security card. - Decide as a married couple how you will file your taxes. Those who meet the criteria of being considered legally married persons must file taxes in one of two ways. Married Filing Jointly A joint return can be filed as long as both parties agree and sign a joint return. On a joint return form, both incomes; allowable expenses, and deductions are combined. A joint return can be filed even if one party had no income or deductions to report for that tax year. Filing jointly may put a couple into a higher tax bracket which has been a cause for some controversy in the past. When two incomes are reported together on a joint return, depending on the earnings, this naturally results in an elevated income level. The marriage penalty is the term used to describe the circumstances when a married couple filing jointly ends up paying more income taxes than if each individual were to file individually. It is true that this sometimes does result in a higher tax penalty, however, in past years Congress has been working to reduce the tax bracket ceilings on joint returns to make them a bit fairer for joint filers. It is possible depending on the income level of a married couple filing jointly, that a marriage penalty may apply. It is also true that tax credits or other benefits may be applicable for couples filing jointly.

Initiating the task of writing an assignment comes with a lot of quintessential aspects to review and consider. Unless you acknowledge those aspects or take enough time to review the same before approaching the final draft, you cannot add excellence to the work. This is the reason students often wonder, “Can anyone do my assignment online?”. So, if you too are looking forward to writing an assignment and submitting flawless papers on time, take some time to read this blog, even before you choose to consult an essay assignment writer. It shall take you through the nitty-gritty aspects of approaching an assignment and gauging the significance of reviewing a few important dimensions of academics. Here’s everything you need to know. 1. Focus on the topic whereabouts Never take assignment topics lightly. You should never proceed with a subject matter without conducting thorough research. - Evaluate and confirm whether the subject matter comes with too many contradictions or argumentative slants. - Elaborate on the same, based on “What?”, “How?” “Why?” and “When?”. - Draw the perfect outline and plan how you choose to use the right research methodology, introduce unique aspects, and extract the right references. 2. Accumulate all research findings You should know your research references thoroughly before starting off with an assignment. Here are some suggestions for you. - Do not just extract information from random digital mediums. - Instead, prefer referring to trusted platforms such as Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and Semantic Scholar for verified, relevant information. - Avoid extracting information that might spark controversies or represent your assignment in a different light. 3. Try to evaluate the problems or limitations Every assignment topic comes with certain problems and limitations. Unless you would evaluate the same thoroughly, you cannot conclude the paper with the right solution. Here’s what you must consider in this context. - Take a close look at the topic’s background history. - See what limitations/problems it brings along. - For example, if you are about to write an assignment on the pandemic, then closely observe the ongoing crisis and make note of every criticality associated with the phenomenon. - Now, chalk out the perfect plan to find solutions to the odds and go about the final draft accordingly. 4. Is the topic unique or repetitive in nature? This is yet another notable aspect to review when it comes to adding excellence to assignments. According to reports, most academicians are of the opinion that the gateway to writing a high-scoring assignment is to choose unique slants. If you don’t have an option or in case you have a pre-assigned topic to write on, then follow these suggestions to keep things unique and intriguing. - Even if you get a repetitive topic like Global Warming, do not just state the obvious or beat around the bush with the same old data and elaborations. - Rather, try to think out of the box and elaborate on the lesser-known facets related to Global Warming. - For instance, you can explore the realms of the future of global warming or the best practices that can lead us to combat the odds of global warming and the likes. Your readers should find things interesting to read through. Make this your motto and watch yourself improve in terms of drafting quality assignments. 5. How far is your opinion or perspective relevant? Different people have different perspectives on a particular topic or subject matter. And you cannot expect to impress them all. But you can at least come up with a rational perspective and place your opinion in a way so that the paper appears to be relevant and readable. Here’s how you can pay heed to this concern and go about the main body paragraphs accordingly. - Stick to the point, highlight the strong grounds and consider introducing the assignment with a couple of rational dimensions. - If you would at all introduce newer perspectives or talk about lesser-known areas associated with the topic, then make it logically acceptable. - Readers should not take it as just another biased opinion. It would only ruin things for you. - Nobody wants to sign up for self-imposed opinions. - Thus, go about your research thoroughly, make strong claims, keep things rational and start working on your assignment accordingly. 6. See if you have the right resources and tools Never in your life ever proceed with an assignment without securing enough resources and tools for the task. If there is a scholarly assignment to deal with, you should better keep a couple of important tools and resources handy. Here are some suggestions on the same, for your idea and reference. - If you are about to work on a lengthy assignment, then make sure you have an automated referencing tool at your disposal. - It will help you to save enough time, and go about the odds of manual referencing in a different and advanced manner. - Also, try and rope in advanced grammar tools to ease the process of checking for silly grammatical mistakes manually. - Keep a couple of more blogs and research journals at your disposal as well. - You can simply refer to the same and go about the final draft with ease. 7. Outline the right concluding note as well As mentioned earlier, an assignment is nothing without the right concluding note, you should structure the same beforehand. Here’s how. - Plan how you would establish a strong correlation between the introduction and the main body paragraphs. - Chalk out a couple of alternative research avenues as well, and urge your readers to explore the same. - Lastly, make sure to point out the reasons why readers should buy your opinion on the concerned topic. 8. Know whether the topic is apparently obsolete or not If you wish to make an impression of excellence, then avoid dealing with topics that are way too obsolete for your target audience. Rather, focus on the brighter side and deal with more recent news, events, and futuristic topics to create the right hook and keep your readers intrigued right from the very beginning. 9. Have you compared your outline with the original one? Last and certainly not least, you should always compare your paper with the original work. Most assignments are drafted on the basis of self-formed opinions and references extracted from other works. So, before you start off with the assignment, always compare your assignment outline with the original work. This will help you to keep duplicities at bay. If you find anything redundant or repetitive, you make changes in the outline accordingly and proceed with the paper. Now that you know about the nine important things to consider before writing an assignment, embrace the best practices and put your best foot forward. You are only a couple of steps away from securing the top spot in the semester result.

Commentary: Indiana should continue full funding of school safety grants A couple weeks ago I represented the families of the Virginia Tech shooting rampage as a speaker at the College and University Police Investigators Conference (CUPIC) sponsored by George Mason University. The VTV families, understandably concerned about school safety, three years ago formed the 32 National Campus Safety Initiative (32 NCSI) to form a think tank of national experts in school shootings, alcohol abuse, sexual assault, hazing, on and on. In the interest of disclosure, I was the Think Tank’s pro bono hazing expert, having written books and scholarly papers on the topic, as well as speaking on campuses from Maine to Oregon. The team of 32 NCSI experts came up with best campus safety policies and practices that all colleges can tap into for no charge to shore up deficiencies. Those policies and practices were revealed by 32 NCSI on Aug. 13, and the press coverage gained commentary in The New York Times and other outlets. Ironically, after I returned to Indiana from the conference, which had impressed me with the collective strong and urgent message that school safety is neither inexpensive nor expendable, I learned that the Hoosier state has slashed its school-safety budget by more than 50 percent. Indiana’s state government had earmarked a healthy budget for school safety officers and campus safety equipment (such as surveillance cameras) right after the Sandy Hook carnage in 2012. The money subsequently was released to schools in the form of matching grants. The project was the brainchild of Gov. Mike Pence, and he deserves credit for making Hoosier schools arguably safer in 2012. The governor hasn’t much chance of convincing voters he’s improved the educational quality of Indiana schools, but he can point to his leadership in 2012 with a sense of pride. This year, had he lobbied once again to continue the school safety grants without cuts, he could have won points with re-election campaign voters for using state tax dollars to keep Indiana schools safe and relatively crime free. Instead, the Pence administration slashed and burned its school safety commitment by about half. True, Pence’s supporters will argue a half-glass in grant support for school safety is better than no grant moneys at all. However, the grieving Virginia Tech families would counter that Indiana’s allocating around 50 percent fewer matching grant dollars is hardly comforting to parents who send their children to schools where bullying, hazing and outright violence with fists and weapons oft are common behaviors. Behaviors best stopped by trained and licensed security specialists with law enforcement experience. Should Indiana ever experience the ghastly and unforgivable massacres that devastated schools in states such as Virginia, Colorado and Connecticut, you can reasonably expect that Indiana’s lawmakers will find the moneys for school safety equipment and a big increase in hiring school safety officers. So how did this budget cut happen anyway? The school-safety budget cuts in 2015 were engineered by the State Budget Agency and by House Ways and Means Chairman Tim Brown, R-Crawfordsville. To date, Gov. Mike Pence has stayed mum. However, he does believe in spending money for security measures. Voters know this because he has lobbied for the Budget Committee to allocate nearly $1 million for fortified Statehouse doors. I personally have no objection to spending the money to ensure that our lawmakers work in safety, but I do want the halls of our schools to be similarly protected. “It is not our intention for anyone to lose their grant for school resource officers,” Brown said in a statement. No, that isn’t the intention perhaps, but with a budget cut that massive, schools clearly won’t find it as easy to field a topnotch security force. Here’s hoping that Rep. Brown and the State Budget Committee and Gov. Pence restore the matching grant dollars back to 2014 levels of support. There was a lot of hand wringing and finger pointing at the security police and administration at then-clearly underprepared Virginia Tech University the day 32 students and faculty paid the ultimate price for that lack of preparation. Indiana schools need not and must not be similarly underprepared. Hank Nuwer, a Franklin College Pulliam School of Journalism professor, frequently is called upon by national media to address hazing and other school safety issues.

Brian Cox's Wonders of the Universe is a gorgeous educational and reference app that takes you on a tour of the universe with Professor Brian Cox -- a particle physicist, Royal Society research fellow, and professor at the University of Manchester. You may also know him as the science broadcaster and presenter of the highly popular BBC2 series Wonders of the Solar System. When you first launch the app, you're presented with a brief, informative tutorial on how to use the app, then placed in the middle of the universe, out in space. You can pinch and zoom and scroll around to explore different galaxies, planets, stars and nebulas -- all of which is stunning to look at and in motion -- or you can select where you wish to go from the menu at the top of the screen. The included topics are sub atomic, atomic, Solar System, stars, Milky Way, galaxies, and universe. When you choose a topic to explore, the chapters will appear in a scrollable menu at the bottom of the screen. As you scroll through the chapters, the screen will zoom into the area of interest. To dive into a chapter, you just drag it up into the middle of the screen. The chapter will not become full width. Instead, it appears as a column in the center of the screen so that you can still see the universe behind it. I really like this -- it gives you the sense of floating out in space while reading. As you scroll through the chapter, you'll encounter images, infographics, photography, and videos. When you do, the media will automatically resize to full screen so that you can really enjoy it and get engaged. When you're done viewing the media, just simply continue scrolling and the app will size it back down and smoothly continue on with the chapter. Brian Cox is the presenter in the videos, and I must say, he's awesome. Every video I've watched has made me feel like I'm watching a TV show on the Discovery Channel. They are so well done that it actually makes me want to watch and learn more. As I read through the chapters and watch the videos, I become more thirsty for knowledge of the universe and Solar System. When you reach the end of a chapter, just continue to scroll, as if pushing the chapter off the screen, and you'll jump right back into space so that you can move on to the next chapter. I'm not sure if I've ever been able to confidently say that an app was perfect before, but Brian Cox's Wonders of the Universe is. It's perfect. - 200 interactive articles - 2.5 hrs worth of video - Hundreds of infographics, photographs, and images - Over 50 3D models - Brian Cox is awesome The bottom line Brian Cox's Wonders of the Universe is literally one of the best iPad apps I've ever encountered. It's a phenomenal educational tool that has the perfect mix of video, images, text, and hands-on interaction. I rarely comment on the price of an app, but this one should be going for at least $10, so the $6.99 promotional price is quite a steal.

Steelhead holding water Although we may never understand all of the variables that attract a steelhead to a given section of water, and ultimately what leads to a successful hook-up, the following paragraphs will hopefully give you some ideas to ponder before heading out the door with fly rod in hand. Steelhead can be particularly hard to catch, not necessarily because they won’t pursue a properly presented fly, but because you’re searching for a needle in a haystack. 99.99999 percent of the water is empty, and you’re trying to find that one fish that will take your offering. The reality is that many fly fisherman go years without success. Like most things however, once you consider the variables and process the information more carefully you can improve your chances of success. If you ask any successful northwest steelhead angler what are the most important aspects to becoming successful steelhead fly fisherman they’ll probably answer by stating something like “fish the right water” and/or “confidence”.These most basic of variables do go hand in hand, for without one, there isn’t the other.You most likely won’t catch Steelhead if you aren’t in the right water, and if you don’t catch Steelhead you won’t gain confidence. Before we even begin to talk about the water that Steelhead can be found in, tactics and fly selection, it is helpful to know something about the life of a Steelhead. While this paragraph isn’t meant to be an exhaustive discussion on this species, we’ll take a quick look at what a Steelhead is. The Steelhead is a sea-run Rainbow trout. Its Latin name is Oncorhynchus Mykiss. Over time, Rainbow trout evolved to go to the sea where they were able to feed more efficiently.After spending approximately 3 years in fresh water as juveniles, they migrate to the ocean as 6-7 inch smolts and feed on the abundance therein. Steelhead may spend 2-3 years in the ocean and may grow to staggering size before returning to their natal stream as sexually mature adults to spawn in the spring. Upon returning to fresh water, Steelhead begin to lose their silvery appearance and regain the color characteristics of Rainbow trout. It is during the upstream migration in preparation for spawning that we fish for Steelhead. Now that we understand what Steelhead are, and what their purpose for re-entering fresh water is, we’ll examine the water that they tend to be found in. While Steelhead must pass through every section of a given water system in route to their spawning beds, they choose certain sections of a river to rest, and/or spend time.This water is referred to as holding water.Holding water is generally described as water that is 3-6 feet deep and flows about as fast as you would normally walk. While this is true, there are subtle variances that also make one piece of water more appealing to a Steelhead than another. Some of the variables that make up good holding water are: flow, depth, river bottom makeup, and structure.By evaluating this basic set of variables you’ll better determine where to spend your time fishing. What creates great holding water is a function of geologic structure and its surrounding vegetation.For any given river system, the gradient, or slope, of the canyon or surrounding landscape through which the river flows determines the speed of the water. So, obviously, in some sections the river flows exceedingly fast, while in other sections within the same river system the flow may be nearly stagnant. High flows would exhaust the migrating Steelhead so they tend to push through fast water as quickly as possible. In extremely slow water, Steelhead may not get the oxygen they require and/or the temperature in the slack water may be above a comfortable level. Another crucial element that must be considered for good holding water is a run that has a deep section where the Steelhead can move to and hide if it feels threatened. In many cases this deep section may be 15 or so feet deep. By throwing away the fast and the slow water, we then arrive at those sections of the river where depth and flow is such that the Steelhead can receive the oxygen it requires, the protection it desires, and without so much force that it would exhaust the fish. It is within these sections that you must concentrate your efforts fly fishing for Steelhead.So now that we have a general idea of the good holding water and what to look for, lets move onto other elements of good holding water. The makeup of the river bottom needs to be considered. The structure for good holding water is usually made up of large stones or gravel.Sandy runs almost never contain steelhead for long as the sand tends to irritate the gills. Look for runs that have stones as large as your fist, maybe larger. yes”> In addition to the makeup of the bottom, runs that contain large boulders are especially appealing to steelhead as they offer protection from the currents. Holding water can vary widely in length and width. On coastal streams, holding water may only be 30-40 yards in length and 30-50 yards in width, and in some cases may be even shorter. In contrast, on large river systems, they may be hundreds of yards in length, and may be over 100 yards in width. A very important point to remember is that Good holding water may be separated by hundreds of yards if not miles of river that is either too fast or slow to hold fish.Because of this, having some means of traveling fairly quickly to the next section of good holding water may mean the difference between success and failure. Keep in mind that fishing for Steelhead is seldom if ever a numbers game, one or two fish in a day is considered a very good day! In addition to traditional holding water, other places that may occasionally hold fish for brief periods of time are referred to as resting water. Resting water is found directly above or to the side of a section of very fast water, or a chute.This fast water is usually the result of a large change in elevation over a short distance. As the fish come up through the fast water, or chute, they need a moment to rest before making their way further upstream and will find small pockets of slower, softer water to rest and may take a properly presented fly. Now that you have some idea of what to look for, head to your local river and spend some time observing the water and look for situations as described above.On many small coastal rivers it is possible to gain a height advantage and hike along a given river system while peering into the water. By utilizing polarized glasses, you can now start concentrating on spotting Steelhead. It may take you 10 or 15 minutes of observing a run before finding fish and/or determining that it is empty.Often times, if you can spot one Steelhead you may spot additional Steelhead in the same run.Depending upon light conditions and water clarity, some days are better than others for spotting fish.Look for “shadows” that are about 2 feet in length (fish often look smaller in the water). After locating these “shadows”, look for the wavy motion of a fish as it holds its position.You may also notice a “flash” as the silvery sides reflect light from the sun. Spending time observing fish in their comfortable natural environment will give you a better idea of where fish will likely be the next time you decide to fish. Once you’ve been able to routinely predict where fish will be holding you’ll have better judgment of where to fish on an unknown river. Remember that Steelhead are almost constantly moving. You may find several Steelhead in a specific location today only to find that same location without fish tomorrow. Locate and write down the locations where you have spotted fish. Also write down places where you observe fish caught. This list of locations will be later used as part of your game plan, which we’ll discuss shortly. A very important point to remember is that run timing will also play a crucial role in your success.Sometimes there just isn’t anybody home. You’ll need to do some research before heading out the door to determine whether the river system you’re interested in fishing has fish and when the run is.Some river systems get Summer Steelhead, while other get Winter Steelhead.Some rivers get a mixture of both, but one run may be stronger.Don’t waste your time fishing during periods when fish are absent. Ok, so now its time to customize your own game plan. You’ve done some research, you know which rivers get Steelhead, and when the run typically begins and ends.You’ve spent some time researching a river and have learned where Steelhead typically hold. You’ve checked the flows and have determined that they are conducive for good water conditions.It is now time to grab your fly rod, and head out fishing. Pick one of the runs on your list, fish it thoroughly, and then move onto the next run in your list. By fishing hard, and presenting your fly in those places which are most likely to hold fish, eventually, your efforts will pay off.

What Is the Definition of Muscular Fitness? Muscular fitness is when a group of muscles are able to contract continuously without beginning to fatigue. On the other hand, cardiovascular fitness focuses on the levels of oxygen that the muscles receive and use. The main difference between muscular and cardiovascular fitness is that a limitation of oxygen being supplied to the muscles will occur in cardiovascular fitness. In muscular fitness, the oxygen to the muscles is not being decreased, but the muscles are simply not able to continue contracting. The more times a muscle is able to contract without becoming fatigued, the better the muscular fitness is. Muscular fitness is nearly as important as cardiovascular fitness to ensure that the muscles are able to endure long periods of contractions. Many people who participate in field sports may not practice regimens focused on muscular fitness because of the need to focus on cardiovascular fitness. Muscular fitness is still important for athletes who have a cardiovascular focus because it allows the muscles to execute running, jumping, and kicking over longer periods of time without fatigue. In particular, rowers and athletes who engage in repetitive muscle movements can greatly benefit from fitness routines that focus on strength.

A persistent problem in U.S. government analyses of new fossil fuel infrastructure has been their tendency to overlook how expanding oil supply also increases consumption and, therefore, net CO2 emissions. This was the biggest flaw in the U.S. State Department’s analysis of the Keystone XL pipeline. The U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) made the same mistake in its draft analysis of new Artic and Atlantic offshore oil drilling. Yet in the final report, issued in November, BOEM starts to correct the problem. As BOEM Director Abigail Ross Hopper states in the foreword, this last report was intended to be “the most comprehensive analysis conducted to date by a Federal resource management agency of the GHG emissions associated with the activities it authorizes.” And indeed, the report goes well beyond what the agency had done previously. In particular, the report marks one of the first times that a federal resource management agency has quantified the global market implications of a U.S. fossil fuel supply decision. Here is the key sentence, from page 23: “for the global oil market, MarketSim substitutions under the No Action Alternative show a reduction in foreign oil consumption of approximately 1, 4, and 6 billion barrels of oil for the low-, mid- and high-price scenarios, respectively, over the duration of the 2017–2022 Program” (compared with production if the areas were leased as in the Proposed Program). Though this may not seem surprising, the statement means that, in BOEM’s own assessment, not leasing the areas in the 2017–2022 Program would decrease rest-of-world oil consumption. That is a big acknowledgment, because before the agency had concluded (as had State Department previously) that changes to oil supply would not make any difference in global oil consumption. Unfortunately, BOEM stopped short of doing the simple calculation of what that change in oil consumption would mean for CO2. But it isn’t hard to do. Using standard energy contents (from the U.S. Department of Energy) and carbon contents (from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), and discounting the oil used in products and not combusted (International Energy Agency), this reduction in global oil consumption translates to 2.3 billion tonnes CO2 in high-price scenarios for oil, 1.6 billion in mid-price scenarios, and 0.4 billion with low global prices. These decreases in rest-of-world emissions dwarf the official estimated increases in U.S. emissions that BOEM’s official Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement reports for its No Action Alternative (relative to the Proposed Program), which instead amount to just 0.13 billion, 0.12 billion and 0.013 billion tonnes CO2 for the high, mid, and low-price scenarios, respectively.Those calculations exclude the far larger emissions attributable to the global market effect. So, for the first time, BOEM’s new analysis makes clear that the potential incremental impact on global greenhouse gas emissions over the life of the 2017–2022 Program, accounting for international oil consumption effects, could be 2 billion tonnes CO2 (in high price scenarios), exceeding a year of emissions from the entire U.S. transportation sector (1.7 billion tonnes CO2). Whether BOEM’s calculation influenced President Obama’s subsequent decision to withdraw the Arctic permanently from oil exploration is anybody’s guess. And President Trump may well seek to overturn that decision, leading then to increase in CO2 emissions. Still, for a federal resource management agency to correct its math and recognize the impact of increasing oil supply on global oil consumption (and, implicitly, CO2 emissions) is notable. Analysts elsewhere – at U.S. state environmental agencies, or consultants who work on environmental impact assessments, or national energy ministries in other countries – should adopt similar analytical techniques.

A key lever for ensuring institutional quality and supporting institutional change” (Sorcinelli, Austin, Eddy & Beach, 2005, p. xi). There is not a single answer that may solve all of the homelessness issues – it must be a mixture of the entire ballot options, plus higher education of the authorities and most of the people, and a change in attitudes. Though there are alternatives to public education resembling personal or various colleges, only mother and father with plenty of money to spare can afford to ship their youngsters to those types of institutions—and if they will afford it, generally it ends up being a waste of cash. John Locke ‘s work Some Thoughts Concerning Education was written in 1693 and still reflects conventional education priorities within the Western world. Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City – New Zealand Festivals, Agent Seminars & Alumni Networking. The Tuesday confirmation listening to for Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for education secretary, supplied some readability on her views, but also left some key questions solely partially answered or unanswered. As an individual who has devoted myself to education for over 26 years, I am involved that this alternative will make the general public education within the United States fall even further behind and grow to be even more inequitable. The program was lastly eradicated after a protracted, brutal campaign to demonize the students, the teachers and Tucson Arizona’s Mexican American community; the most recent of a long historical past of cultural genocide enacted in opposition to Mexican Americans and indigenous people in the United States. Judith Kocik, director of an grownup education program and Kip Fonsh, faculty committee member and director of education for a county jail, clarify the devastating influence of Pearson’s purchase of the GED. I’ve additionally discovered loads about special education lecturers from this Hub- I hadn’t recognized about the particular certifications one may need, for example. In his 11 years of teaching at Hillcrest Elementary in the Lake Stevens School district in Washington State, Bob Coleman has witnessed how educational technology can assist advance collaboration and engagement within the classroom. As mentioned within the Education in Focus transient , employment patterns differ between fields of examine, depending on the gender imbalance. Listed below are some free field journeys I have taken classes on and the types of actions they have been capable of do. I did this stuff when I taught in each city and rural colleges, so they can be finished almost wherever in the state. As you can see, developing and sustaining an Individual Education Plan for your special needs little one is of utmost significance. The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) fully helps the decision of the Senior Employees Affiliation of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non Tutorial Staff Union (NASU) and the Nationwide Association of Academic Technologists (NASU) to embark on a 5-day warning strike from Monday sixteen January 2017 to compel the federal authorities to fully implement the tenets of the 2009 FGN/ Non Teaching Workers Union settlement.

Hi, need to submit a 250 words essay on the topic IMPACT OF VIDEO GAMES ON STUDENT GPA and STUDY HABITS. According to Diamong and Sauer (2014) video games have no effect on GPAs. Specifically Math and Reading performance remain unaffected among adolescents. On their part, Mifsud, Vella and Camilleri (2013) cited mixed outcomes on learner literacy. Blumberg et al (2013) noted the lack of findings on the effects of violent video games on GPA prevents an informed position on the issue. In light of these balanced findings, common thing is that proper instruction could control any negative impacts of video games on GPA. Blumberg, F.C., Altschuler, E.A., Almonte, D.E., & Mileaf, M.I., (2013). The Impact of Recreational Video Game Play on Childrens and Adolescents Cognition. New Directions for Child & Adolescent Development, 2013(139), 41-50. Mifsud, C.L., Vella, R., & Camilleri, L., (2013). Attitudes towards and effects of the use of video games in classroom learning with specific reference to literacy attainment. Research in Education, 90,

Baby Heart Beats the Odds – Guest Blog From the Heart and Stroke Foundation As February is heart month, we’ve invited our friends over at the Heart and Stroke Foundation to share a story of just how far we’ve come in medical advances. While we’ve still got a ways to go, RLCF is committed to funding investment in health science as it is such a crucial area to ensure better quality of life for all. Baby Heart beats the odds Moments after giving birth to twins, one of Miranda Brown’s new sons was immediately whisked away for testing when the nurse detected a heart murmur. An anxious hour later, Miranda was told the grave news that her son Henry need to be airlifted from Kamloops to Vancouver Children’s Hospital immediately to save his life. “I couldn’t even breathe,” Miranda says. “It was so terrible. It was so big. I couldn’t even comprehend it at that point.” Born on Nov. 12, 2013, with a heart with just three chambers and completely lacking a pulmonary artery, Henry had his first open-heart surgery within five days of life. Four months later, he had another grueling eight-hour surgery that implanted an artificial artery and a patched the hole in his ventricle to create the required four chambers. He improved immediately. “It was amazing,” says Miranda. “He was pink. It was instant.” Henry’s condition is still complex and fragile; he is expected to have another surgery anytime within the next two years as well as in the future to replace the arteries as he outgrows them. February is Heart Month and charting Henry’s survival shows us how far we have come with research in creating more survivors of heart disease – even the tiniest ones. Henry was the victim of one in 10,000 odds of such a heart defect. But, heart conditions in babies are not that unusual; one in 100 babies is born with a congenital heart defect in Canada. The Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Heart Month Report explains that, “Thanks to medical advances in Canada and around the world, survival of children with congenital heart disease has greatly improved. Sixty years ago, fewer than 20 per cent of infants born with complex heart defects reached adulthood, but today, more than 90 per cent do.” And children with heart defects can expect longer, healthier lives. According to the report, “Improved care throughout their lives can help them to avoid or manage complications and live life to its fullest.” It’s through cardiac research that every day becomes more hopeful for those with heart disease. The Heart and Stroke Foundation is investing close to $34 million in research this year, funded by generous donors. This brings the Foundation’s research investment since its inception in 1952 to $1.42 billion, making it the largest contributor to heart and stroke research in Canada after the federal government. It’s all part of the race to save lives.

Emojis are Japanese icons adapted in several forms of cyber communication and have become popular in the United States since Apple incorporated them in iPhone keyboards. Emojis tend to represent minority groups in a stereotypical manner and do not represent certain minority groups at all, such as African Americans. Misrepresentation or the absence of minority groups portrays the social hierarchy and power granted to the white man. The highest members of the strata happen to dominate the emojis because the stereotyped icons show a lack of understanding and acceptance of other cultures in society. There variation of white emojis range from age to different features, such as brown or blonde hair. The representation of white phenotypic characteristics demonstrates how society guarantees social acceptance of such features. Some white emojis, such as the image of the police officer, appear to hold positions of power, emphasizing the idea that minorities do not commonly occupy skilled jobs like these. In addition, the blonde princess represents that only pure and royal whites can obtain power. In fact, I am surprised that they do not have a white king. The white angel also shows white purity, while an image of white hands held up in a prayer position implies that religion or Catholicism is a white concept. In addition, the absence of non-white females demonstrates a lack of awareness of the intersectionality between race and gender in society. The way in which emojis ignore minorities is obvious throughout social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. For example, pop star Miley Cyrus began a cyber rebellion on Twitter over the exclusion of certain ethnicities in iPhone emojis. Emojis have several meanings and can be used to carry out a conversation without the use of words. The language and culture emojis produce are essential in current social media since we use them so frequently. Yet, social media stereotypes or leaves out those who occupy the bottom of the strata. However, we still communicate the feeling of exclusion and racism without emojis or the use of words, emphasizing the power of social media and society. Will adding images of African Americans or addressing intersecting identities in iPhone emojis change anything? Unfortunately, I do not think offering one’s race a space in an emoji icon will give one more life chances, but it still demonstrates how systemic racism plays a role in even the smallest images and forms of communication.

I do quite a bit of travel to China for speaking engagements as well as other Asian innovation hotspots, and I can tell you that some of the most forward-thinking innovators are blazing trails that corporations in the West will soon follow. Forbes recently highlighted the innovative culture and opportunities there, in a new article titled, “Why Should Companies Look To Asia For Innovation?” Here’s an excerpt: Large companies may find that the best place to look for these ingredients is Asia. Here are three characteristics which make Asia a fertile ground for innovation. In developed economies, which enjoy a high standard of living, people innovate from a position of sufficiency. In many of parts of Asia, people still struggle to live without electricity or clean water. The continent is home to 70% of the “Base of the Pyramid” population which lives on less than $8 per day. Business people in these markets are attuned to the issues faced by the local population. They understand the struggles of daily life firsthand. Entrepreneurs in these locales innovate from a position of need. They build and invent to shift the living standard in their society, while operating within very difficult constraints. This forces creativity and ingenuity. Reliability, efficiency and renewability are automatically part of the mindset and design process because excess resources simply don’t exist. Asia has a diverse mix of people who observe different religions and speak different languages. Coming from over 25 countries, people have different income levels, value systems and daily routines. This diversity is reflected in consumer choices. Diverse buyers force a product or service to work in several settings. Products and services in Asia must be able to cross borders and function in multiple settings. By default, product development in Asia means that language requirements, pricing issues, service teams and other localization issues must be dealt with upfront. This level of adaptability is baked into the innovation process, making other market adaptations easier down the road.

US Senator Patrik Toomey has introduced a special framework for fine-tuning stablecoins in terms of transparency and security. The name of this draft is Stablecoin Transparency of Reserves and Uniform Sale Transactions Act of 2022, also known as the TRUST Act. With this, the US officially accepts stablecoins as part of its banking and financial ecosystems. This makes the US the first Western nation to do so. The TRUST Act aims to regulate stablecoins to increase their usefulness for daily payments. Stablecoins are those cryptocurrencies that attempt to peg their market price to a reserve asset such as gold or fiat currencies. They are popular for digital transactions, converting virtual assets into “real” traditional assets such as US dollars. Tether, USD Coin, and Binance USD are some popular stablecoins pegged to American fiat currency. Under Senator Toomey’s TRUST Act, stablecoin issuers must secure an official license that qualifies them as legitimate financial firms. Issuers may opt for Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) or Government Money Transmitter licenses or other similar positions. Stablecoin issuers must also establish a regular audit system and have a clear structure of asset redemption policies. Detailed specifications on the asset to which their stablecoins will be tied have also been mandated by issuers for submission to the relevant authorities, the TRUST Act states. The document also specifically refers to the dollar-backed stablecoins as “payment stablecoins.” The TRUST Act clarifies that it only applies to these payment stablecoins. “The legislation affects non-payment stablecoins (e.g., commodity or virtual currency-backed stablecoins, or algorithmic stablecoins),” it reads. The development comes after US President Joe Biden recently signed executive orders on government oversight of the cryptocurrency industry. Stablecoins have been under US government scrutiny for some time. Many US-based crypto-focused companies issue stablecoins, which allow owners to facilitate quick payments while saving on the transaction fee typically charged by banks. Reports had surfaced over the past year suggesting that the US government was actually trying to regulate these relatively stable cryptocurrencies, which are less affected by market fluctuations due to their underlying stable reserves. According to CoinGecko, the current stablecoin market cap is over $188 billion (approximately Rs.14.56.57 billion). Earlier this April, the UK officially recognized stablecoins as official tender. “The Government intends to legislate to bring stablecoins – when used as a means of payment – into the payments perimeter and create conditions for stablecoin issuers and service providers to operate and invest in the UK.” it was said in an official blog post at the time.

By Robert Frost? (Tsuriotoshia sakana wa ookii; “The fish that got away is big”) The things that you lost your chance at, or failed to get, seem all the more appealing because of the pain of missing out. The fish that you nearly caught but let slip feels like it was especially large and desirable. A sort of “the grass is always greener.” The opposite of “sour grapes.” We begin toward the end, with the topic-marker particle は (wa). The noun marked as the topic of discussion is 魚 (sakana), “fish.” What kind of fish is specified by a compound verb: 釣る (tsuru), “to fish,” in conjunctive form and coupled with 落とす (otosu), “to drop” or “to lose,” in past tense, which allows it to attach to and modify a noun. And finally, the comment on this fish-that-was-fished-up-and-then-dropped takes the form of a single adjective in conclusive form: 大きい (ookii), “big.” Contrast this with the English-language expression about the fish that got away being magnified by lies on the fisher’s part, either to inflate their own prowess (at nearly having landed something truly impressive) or hide their faults (at having allowed an ordinary catch to escape). Some versions replace the compound verb with 逃した (nogashita), “let escape.” The character 魚 can also be read as uo without any change in meaning. There are a number of synonymous phrases as well; two of them specify catfish or eel as the lost catch, while especially tragic ones extol the wisdom or beauty of lost children. (Tsuriotoshita sakana wa ookii to iu kyoufu ni tsukekonde, ima shika nai you na toushi kikai to misekaketa sagi ga sono toki hayatteimashita.) [There was a scam popular at the time that took advantage of people’s fear that the chances they missed were the best ones by dressing itself up as a now-or-never investment opportunity.]

It is not uncommon for job seekers to look for tips and tricks to highlight their resume. A question that candidates often ask is, “Should I add color to my resume?” Some sites will tell you “yes”, this color is recommended. Then detail how to apply the pizza in your resume. We’re here to tell you that color is usually not the answer, even in 2021. The staff at ResumeSpice shares some of the main reasons for this (while resume types can be in color). 1. You may not be able to read your resume in color. There is simply no choice of font color better than black because bright or bold colors can be stunning or difficult to read. And since recruiting managers only take about seven seconds to review every resume, you do not want to risk sending an unreadable resume. Here is one example of a resume that is difficult to read visually because of the color: Light colors on light colors such as this white font on a red background are visually jarring. You do not want your resume to be the source of a manager’s migraine! And not only this resume includes a picture – Another common mistake in a resume – It also places a light colored font on a white background. This combination makes it difficult for the reader to read. Even bright or dull resume colors will not appear when printed by foremen. Typically, your resume will be printed on a gray scale, making a non-black color bright or even unreadable. The takeaway? Black and white never go out of fashion. 2. Avoiding color is more professional. A touch of personality can be added to a resume, but using purple or red text is not the way to achieve this. We recommend letting your accomplishments and segment of your accomplishments demonstrate what you bring to the table. These parts can help communicate your values, desires and personality. Employers know this, which is why they look at this section to get a better idea of who you are. Instead of using color, divert attention to the content of your resume in other ways. For example, highlight your headlines. You can too Use capital letters in your titles To further highlight the information: Also, do not Underestimate the power of words. Use powerful actions to draw attention to your accomplishments and accomplishments. For example, instead of saying, “gave the necessary assistance to distribute new employee benefit plans in one day without interruption,” you could say, “Allow accurate delivery on the first day of new employee benefit plans without interruption.” These strategies, used wisely, are much more effective than adding colors. 3. Resumes do not appear identical on different platforms. We live in an age where anything, from a desktop computer to a clock, can display digital information from around the world. What does this say about color in a resume? Your resume may not look the same on your computer as it does on someone else’s device. Adding color to your background or entire document may not translate well to another platform. You may also want to consider what looks best on smaller screens. You want your resume to be easy to read for recruiters and employers. Also, think about Candidate Tracking Systems (ATS). ATS scans instantly identify black-and-white resume information. There is a chance that ATS will not detect bright or dull colors. ATS also returns a resume to the recruitment manager in black and white. If you use light text color, your resume information may not be displayed correctly. With that in mind, why would you want to risk color hurting your chances of a successful ATS scan? Do I need to add color to my resume? Only for creative roles. Color in a resume is not always possible. This is a potential option if you are a graphic designer or in a similar creative role where designing your resume reflects your skill set. Here are other roles where resume color is more acceptable: - Interior Designer - Fashion Designer - Artistic director - make up artist - Visual artist - Web developer - Acting artist These roles allow you to demonstrate your creativity and skill in certain programs. For example, if you are applying for the position of artistic director, using the brand colors for your resume can show that you are familiar with its brand guidelines. Alternatively, if the role requires you to be a super illustrator, you can design your resume in this program with specific colors. Here is an example of a color that is properly used in a pattern designer’s resume: Note that the colors are not crazy or stunning. Instead they emphasize the applicant’s skills. This designer also uses a pattern in her resume that matches the job position. But this is the rare exception – for the non-creative professionals, it is better to stick to black and white (and avoid cluttered patterns!).

A job is a regular and official activity that you do, and receive money for your activity. It is also called a profession or an occupation. You can have a full-time job (40 hours a week) or a part-time job (around 25 hours a week) :The word job is a countable noun .Right after graduating from college, I worked two jobs so that I could pay off my student loans faster .Terry has had seven jobs in the past five years The word work is more general than “job” – whereas “job” is a specific occupation/profession, “work” refers to general efforts and activities done to accomplish a goal. “Work” can be done both inside an official job and outside a job :The word work also refers to the context of your place of employment – so we can say .I start work at 7 AM .I start my job at 7 AM .I finish / leave work at 4:30 .I finish my job at 4:30 .An informal way to say leave work is get off work .We go to work by car .We go to our job by car .I went to the bar with some friends from work I can’t access Facebook when I’m at work. (not at my job) :Work is an uncountable noun, so it cannot be plural .I have three works to do this week .I have three projects to do this week .I have three things / tasks to do this week Your career is the total progression of your professional life. It can include many different jobs over the years. You can have a career in (a field) – for example, a career in politics / journalism / teaching / finance

Research Document 2017/056 Pup Production at Scotian Shelf Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) Colonies in 2016 By den Heyer, C.E., Lang, S.L.C., Bowen, W.D., and Hammill, M.O. To estimate grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) pup production, we conducted digital-photographic aerial surveys of breeding colonies on Sable Island and smaller islands along Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia in January 2016. A total of 74,889 pups was counted on the mosaic image from Sable Island. Given the high quality of the imagery, no correction to the count was applied for pups that could not be seen on the image. Small corrections were made for pups that were missed by the image reader (0.022) and for pup mortality (0.051) prior to the survey. To estimate the proportion of pups born at the time of the survey, a transition model was fit to the stages of known-age pups and the distribution of the pup stages collected weekly in the colony between December 14, 2015, and January 29, 2016. We estimated that 97% (SE=1%) of pups had been born by the time of the Sable Island survey. The estimated total pup production for Sable Island in 2016 was 83,600 with 95% confidence limits of 63,600 to 103,500. Pup production on Sable Island has continued to increase, but at a slower rate than it did in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Three digital-photographic aerial surveys were completed at Hay Island. Snow cover and the rocky shore of Hay Island made counting pups more challenging, but there was reasonable agreement between the multiple whole island counts (1,833, 2,002, 2,301). The model of the distribution of pupping was fit to the limited pup stage transect data available for these islands using the Sable Island pup stage durations. We estimated that 100% of pups had been born by the time Hay Island was surveyed by drone on January 28. The Sable correction for pre-survey mortality was also applied to the count. The estimated number of pups born on Hay Island was 2,500 with 95% confidence limits of 1,700 to 3,200. This is similar to pup counts in 2007 (2,600) and 2010 (2,500), suggesting that this breeding colony may have reached carrying capacity. A total of 1,849 pups was counted on four small islands (Round, Mud, Noddy and Flat) in the vicinity of Seal Island, southwest Nova Scotia. This was the first aerial photographic survey for these colonies. After applying corrections for mortality and the proportion of pups born, the total pup production estimate for the four islands in southwest Nova Scotia was 2,100 with 95% confidence limits of 1,800 to 2,400. This is about a 5-fold increase from visual counts from helicopter in 2010 (417). A helicopter survey of the coastline from Yarmouth to Cape Breton was used to obtain visual counts of pups born at other coastal Nova Scotian colonies. The total pups along the coast east of Halifax, not including Hay Island, has increased from 50 in 2010 to 78 in 2016. In total, 4,600 pups were produced by Coastal Nova Scotia breeding colonies, which accounts for 5.1% of the 88,200 pups born on the Scotian Shelf.

A Gingerbread House makes an excellent backdrop for notes as you discuss the characters, settings, and the beginning, middle, and end of every gingerbread story the class reads. Read one gingerbread book each day, and as a class, document the characters, settings, refrain, and ending of each story. Every day, the class should review the notes for the previous stories before starting a new one. Then, while filling in the details of the current day’s story, your students should compare it to the stories they already read. You can incorporate the Super 3 research method (Plan, Do, Review) into your gingerbread unit by making gingerbread friends! PLAN: For their “plan”, each student should draw a gingerbread friend they would like to make. DO: After completing their friend, the student should take their drawing to the decorating area for the "do" step where they will use candies and colored icing to recreate their plan on a real gingerbread cookie. REVIEW: After executing their plan, they should "review" it alongside their cookie and self-evaluate how their initial drawing and the final cookie compare. In several versions of The Gingerbread Man fairy tale (including this one), the Gingerbread Man is outsmarted by a wily fox while crossing a river. Once your class is already familiar with the original story’s ending, start another read-aloud. As you near the end of the story, ask your class: “Now that the Gingerbread Man is on the fox in the water, is there a way that he could escape?” Write down all the (very creative) answers your students come up with, and inevitably someone will suggest, “He should jump into the water.” Pretend that you haven’t considered this possibility and say, “We should do an experiment and see if this solution will work!” The experiment is simple: Put a gingerbread cookie in a basin of water, and wait to see what happens! Ensure that each student sees the results by taking turns observing the bin. Have your students complete a data sheet to document their observations, predictions, and the outcome. They will discover that, alas, jumping into the water wouldn’t save the Gingerbread Man, as he would have crumbled into a soggy mess! Gingerbread Men are infamous for running away, and you can stage your own classroom escape using an actual gingerbread cookie, a cardboard cutout, or even a gingerbread doll. Announce with great distress that your Gingerbread Man has gone missing, and you need the class’s help tracking him down. Each student should create a “Lost Gingerbread Man” poster to hang in the hallway. They can decorate a pre-cut gingerbread man and write descriptive words that include where he should be returned if he is found. While traveling through the halls the rest of the day, instruct your class to be on the lookout for the runaway cookie. But they need to be quiet, because if they make too much noise, he might run away again! At the end of the day, a very helpful teacher should bring the Gingerbread Man back to the classroom, saying that they found him thanks to all the posters the class made. What a relief! At the end of your fun and festive gingerbread unit, there’s only one thing left to do: Read more sweet stories about gingerbread cookies!

Twelve school girls and boys from Taunton Preparatory School have achieved their mission to swim the English Channel becoming one of the youngest teams ever to complete it. Swimming in two teams of six, the pupils took on the brave challenge of swimming the English Channel on Sunday evening. Setting off from the shores of Dover late on Sunday afternoon, they accomplished the 21-mile six-person Relay Team Crossing largely during the night through the choppy waters of the Channel, arriving in France at sunrise. The Channel 4 celebrity “Sink or Swim” team set off at the same time as the Taunton School 12-year-olds who were delighted to get some great advice from Ross Edgley who was the Celeb team’s coach. Emotionally and physically exhausted, but riding high on adrenaline, the 12 youngsters arrived back at school late on Monday afternoon to a hero’s welcome of cheering peers and teachers. Most of the students are from Somerset and Devon, so chose to raise money for The Neonatal Unit at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton. Many of the students were born at the maternity unit in Musgrove and so far, they have raised almost £5000. The squad began their endurance pool based training in May 2018 and then undertook acclimatisation training at Wiveliscombe outdoor pool over the Christmas holidays in water temperatures of only 19degC with frost all around. Since then they have completed over 300 hours each of training in Clevedon and Lyme Regis, as well as in the schools two swimming pools several times a week. During August, they completed the Clevedon Long Swim and the following day took on The Chestnut Appeal Plymouth Breakwater Swim. They began night swimming training in Lyme Regis a few weeks ago. The students were supported by Taunton School’s Long Distance Swim Coach Hamish McCarthy who is an experienced open water swimming coach. He led a team of 13 and 14 year-olds across the Channel in 2016. The students then were racing against a team of Marines who they managed to finish just two minutes behind. Hamish is also Head of Geography and Pastoral Head of Years 7 and 8 at Taunton Prep School, and last year won the Somerset Activity and Sport Award for Contribution to School Sport. Hamish said: “When you’re 10 years of age and you make the decision to train for the English Channel it’s aspirational; when you are then 12 and swim most of it at night it’s just extraordinary, a great feat of courage and resilience. I believe our students are one of the youngest teams to have undertaken a channel relay swim since the rules changed some 30 years ago. Many of our pupils only turned 12 in July and August. Having spoken to Channel Swimming and Pilots Federation staff, they didn’t know of another team that had been younger. It really is an incredibly overwhelming achievement.” Isabel said: “It was very dark and difficult at times but the water was warmer than what we’ve been training in so wasn’t too bad. It was good to know that I was safe; Mr McCarthy wouldn’t let anything happen to us and the boats are with you the whole time. When we got to France we landed on massive rocks with waves crashing!” Martha said: “I felt a bit uneasy at the start. Between the relay we were trying to get to sleep but mostly lying awake because it was cold on the boat. I’d do it again though!” Poppy commented: “I didn’t think I’d be able to do it at the beginning of the training but I conquered by fears and did it.” Elizabeth said: “In one of our training sessions we saw a dolphin which was great”. Louis added: “I cheered on my friends when they were swimming when I wasn’t resting. It was really fun.” Maddie said: “I’ve been swimming since I was 3 so I can swim quite fast. I don’t know if I could swim the whole thing now but maybe I will when I’m older.” To qualify under the Channel Swimming and Pilots Federation rules, all students have had to swim for two hours in sea temperatures of 16degsC and pass a stringent medical examination. All have to be 12-years-old when the swim occurs. Cara Cunnginham was the youngest at just 12 years and 8 days old, the minimum age being 12 years and 3 days.

With pleasure, I introduce today's guest blogger, my colleague, Steve Eddins. He has been heavily involved in image processing capabilities in our tools and more recently has also contributed substantially to designing additions and improvements to the MATLAB language. Earlier this summer, I was writing some color-space conversion code. At one point in the code, I had a Px3 matrix called RGB, which contained P colors, one per row. I also had a 1x3 vector, v. I needed to multiply each column of RGB by the corresponding element of v, like this: RGB_c = [RGB(:,1)*v(1) RGB(:,2)*v(2) RGB(:,3)*v(3)]; But since I was using an internal developer build of MATLAB R2016 (released on September 14), I didn't type the code above. Instead, I typed this: RGB_c = RGB .* v; In R2016a and older MATLAB releases, that line of code produced an error: >> RGB_c = RGB .* v Error using .* Matrix dimensions must agree. In the new release, though, MATLAB implicitly expands the vector v to be the same size as the matrix RGB and then carries out the elementwise multiplication. I say "implicitly" because MATLAB does not actually make an in-memory copy of the expanded vector. Today I want to explain this new implicit expansion behavior of MATLAB arithmetic operators (and some functions). I will talk about how it works and why we did it. For the next part of the discussion, I'll use an example that almost everyone at MathWorks uses when talking about this topic: subtracting the column means from a matrix. Suppose you have a matrix A. A = rand(3,3) A = 0.48976 0.70936 0.6797 0.44559 0.75469 0.6551 0.64631 0.27603 0.16261 And suppose you want to modify each column of A by subtracting the column's mean. The mean function conveniently gives you each of the column means: ma = mean(A) ma = 0.52722 0.58003 0.49914 But since ma is not the same size as A and is not a scalar, you couldn't just subtract ma from A directly. Instead, you had to expand ma to be the same size as A and then do the subtraction. In the first decade of MATLAB, expert users typically used an indexing technique called Tony's Trick to do the expansion. ma_expanded = ma(ones(3,1),:) ma_expanded = 0.52722 0.58003 0.49914 0.52722 0.58003 0.49914 0.52722 0.58003 0.49914 A - ma_expanded ans = -0.037457 0.12934 0.18057 -0.081635 0.17466 0.15596 0.11909 -0.304 -0.33653 In the second decade (roughly speaking) of MATLAB, most people started using a function called repmat (short for "replicate matrix") to do the expansion. ma_expansion = repmat(ma,3,1) ma_expansion = 0.52722 0.58003 0.49914 0.52722 0.58003 0.49914 0.52722 0.58003 0.49914 Using the function repmat was more readable than using Tony's Trick, but it still created the expanded matrix in memory. For really large problems, the extra memory allocation and memory copy could noticeably slow down the computation, or even result in out-of-memory errors. So, in the third decade of MATLAB, we introduced a new function called bsxfun that could do the subtraction operation directly without making an expanded vector in memory. You call it like this: ans = -0.037457 0.12934 0.18057 -0.081635 0.17466 0.15596 0.11909 -0.304 -0.33653 The "bsx" in the function name refers "Binary Singleton Expansion," where the term "Binary" in this context refers to operators that take two inputs. (No, it's not anyone's favorite function name.) This function works and has been used quite a bit. As of a year ago, there were about 1,800 uses of bsxfun in 740 files. But there were complaints about bsxfun. Besides the awkward name, there were other usability and performance issues associated with bsxfun. - Not many people know about this function. It's not at all obvious that one should go looking for it when looking for help with subtraction. - Using bsxfun requires a level of programming abstraction (calling one function to apply another function to a set of inputs) that seems mismatched with the application (basic arithmetic). - Using bsxfun requires relatively advanced knowledge of MATLAB programming. You have to understand function handles, and you have to know about the functional equivalents of MATLAB arithmetic operators (such as plus, minus, times, and rdivide). - It is more difficult for the MATLAB Execution Engine builders to generate code that is as efficient as the code for basic arithmetic. - Code that uses bsxfun doesn't appear mathematical. (Some go so far as to call it ugly.) And so, fourteen years after Cleve Moler originally proposed doing it, we have changed MATLAB two-input arithmetic operators, logical operators, relational operators, and several two-input functions to do bsxfun-style implicit expansion automatically whenever the inputs have compatible sizes. The expression A - B works as long as A and B have compatible sizes. Two arrays have compatible sizes if, for every dimension, the dimension sizes of the inputs are either the same or one of them is 1. In the simplest cases, two array sizes are compatible if they are exactly the same or if one is a scalar. Here are some illustrations of compatible sizes for different cases. - Two inputs which are exactly the same size. - One input is a scalar. - One input is a matrix, and the other is a column vector with the same number of rows. - One input is a column vector, and the other is a row vector. Note that both inputs are implicitly expanded in this case, each in a different direction. - One input is a matrix, and the other is a 3-D array with the same number of rows and columns. Note that the size of the matrix A in the third dimension is implicitly considered to be 1, and so A can be expanded in the third dimension to be the same size as B. - One input is a matrix, and the other is a 3-D array. The dimensions are all either the same or one of them is 1. Note that this is another case where both inputs are implicitly expanded. Here is the initial set of MATLAB operators and functions that now have implicit expansion behavior. + - .* ./ .\ .^ < <= > >= == ~= | & xor bitor bitand bitxor min max mod rem hypot atan2 I anticipate that other functions will be added to this set over time. This change to MATLAB arithmetic was not without controversy at MathWorks. Some people were concerned that users might have written code that somehow depended on these operators producing an error in some cases. But after examining our own code base, and after previewing the change in both the R2016a and R2016b Prereleases, we did not see significant compatibility issues arise in practice. Other people thought that the new operator behavior was not sufficiently based on linear algebra notation. However, instead of thinking of MATLAB as a purely linear algebra notation, it is more accurate to think of MATLAB as being a matrix and array computation notation. And in that sense, MATLAB has a long history of inventing notation that became widely accepted, including backslash, colon, and various forms of subscripting. Finally, some were concerned about what would happen when users tried to add two vectors without realizing that one is a column and the other is a row. In earlier versions of MATLAB, that would produce an error. In R2016b, it produces a matrix. (I like to call this matrix the outer sum of the two vectors.) But we believed that this problem would be immediately noticed and easily corrected. In fact, I think it's easier to notice this problem than when you mistakenly use the * operator instead of the .* operator. Also, the relatively new protective limit on array sizes in MATLAB (Preferences -> MATLAB -> Workspace -> MATLAB array size limit) prevents MATLAB from trying to form an extremely large matrix that might cause an out-of-memory condition. As part of the research we did before deciding to make this change, we reviewed how people use bsxfun. I'll finish the post by showing you what some of the most common uses of bsxfun look like when you rewrite them using implicit expansion in R2016b. Apply a mask to a truecolor image. % mask: 480x640 % rgb: 480x640x3 % OLD rgb2 = bsxfun(@times,rgb,mask); % NEW rgb2 = rgb .* mask; Normalize matrix columns (subtract mean and divide by deviation). % X: 1000x4 mu = mean(X); sigma = std(X); % OLD Y = bsxfun(@rdivide,bsxfun(@minus,X,mu),sigma); % NEW Y = (X - mu) ./ sigma; Compute the pairwise distance matrix. For two sets of vectors, compute the Euclidean distance between every vector pair. % X: 4x2 (4 vectors) % Y: 3x2 (3 vectors) X = reshape(X,[4 1 2]); Y = reshape(Y,[1 3 2]); % OLD m = bsxfun(@minus,X,Y); D = hypot(m(:,:,1),m(:,:,2)); % NEW m = X - Y; D = hypot(m(:,:,1),m(:,:,2)); Compute outer sum. This example is from the implementation of the toeplitz function. See also my 25-Feb-2008 post on neighbor indexing for another application. cidx = (0:m-1)'; ridx = p:-1:1; % OLD ij = bsxfun(@plus,cidx,ridx); % NEW ij = cidx + ridx; Find integers that are multiples of each other. This example is from the computation of the Redheffer matrix in the gallery function. It illustrates implicit expansion behavior in a function as opposed to an operator. i = 1:n; % OLD A = bsxfun(@rem,i,i') == 0; % NEW A = rem(i,i') == 0; I want to finish with a shout out to all the MATLAB users who have asked for this behavior over the years. File Exchange contributor Yuval spoke for all of you when he included this comment inside the implementation of his submission: % We need full singleton expansion everywhere. Why isn't % it the case that % % [1 2] + [0 1]' == [1 2;2 3] ? % % bsxfun() is a total hack, and polluting % everybody's code. Yuval, this one's for you.

In 2006, California elected Debra Bowen Secretary of State to make our elections as secure as possible. Debra Bowen fulfilled that promise by establishing a Top-to-Bottom Review of California’s electronic voting systems. The review found that the voting systems were easily hacked, as many other studies have proven before and since.1 So she made the touchscreen machines available to people who needed them, but returned most of us to voting on verifiable, countable, paper ballots. That much is well known of Debra Bowen’s record, but much of she did never made the news or has been taken for granted. To set the record straight, what follows is a review of what she accomplished. Taking Elections For Granted The public has taken for granted what Debra Bowen has meant for elections in California. We should not forget the following… In 2007, companies like Diebold were flogging their “world class” voting systems all over the state and country. In reality they were selling snake oil. The voting systems before 2007 then were very hackable.2 Guess what? They still are. I just reviewed a system 2 weeks ago with several avoidable security holes, and whose user interface hit a new low – for anything I have seen in this century.3 It’s only the conditions that Bowen placed on using such machines in 2006 that limited the risk of using them. 8 years later, I am not aware of any state, other than maybe New York, that matches California. Thank you, Debra Bowen. Think back to the messes that were Florida 2000, and Ohio 2004. Remember Katherine Harris? Ken Blackwell? Many Americans don’t know it, but the current Ohio Secretary of State, Jon Husted, was authorizing the installation of unknown “experimental patches” on ES&S voting machines just weeks before the 2012 presidential election.4 This is without mentioning the numerous state officials who were purging voter rolls and implementing voter ID laws, just to suppress American votes across the country. Even in California, in 2015, the republican candidate for Secretary of State, Pete Peterson, astoundingly declared that “it has never been shown that a DRE (touchscreen) machine has been susceptible to fraud.” By comparison, Debra Bowen is an all-star. Just this summer (2014), in the very close statewide race for controller, Asm. Perez had to pay for a partial recount. Out of 30,000 recounted ballots, the results changed by less than a dozen votes. Out of 30,000. I was told yesterday that a similar recount was conducted for a San Diego city council race. One vote changed. One. It is important to note that in California, we can recount the paper ballots, and that the system worked where it was checked. Thank you, Debra Bowen. Debra’s innovative security conditions way back in 2007 included (a) compilation and delivery of the software to the counties by the Secretary of State, not by Diebold and friends, (b) sequencing the use of several election management systems to avoid virus propagation, and (c) effectively restricting the use of touchscreen machines in most counties to one per precinct. The last point is what put many of them into warehouses, and brought most of California back to paper ballots. Without those paper ballots, any hand recount, including the controller’s race, becomes exceedingly difficult. Thank you, Debra Bowen. Many county registrars were against Secretary Bowen from the get-go, and a couple of them filed a lawsuit in 2007 because they wanted to keep using their secretive voting machines. But the judge ruled that Debra Bowen was doing her job. In the summer of 2013, we saw a smear campaign targeting Debra Bowen. The campaign included insinuations that she was responsible for the thousands of voting machines that county registrars bought before she became Secretary. Computer scientists and election integrity advocates warned the registrars that the machines were hackable. They are now sitting in warehouses. Debra Bowen did what California elected her to do, toss out the junk. Thank you, Debra Bowen. The smear campaign pointed out that the state’s computer systems needed upgrading, including for business licenses and campaign finance. But Bowen faced large-scale budget cuts during her tenure, 25% or more. Many of the complaints came from the very quarters that took delight in jamming up Sacramento for so many years and now want to blame someone else for the results. No thank you, irresponsible critics. There were complaints about the voter registration system. Again, they didn’t tell you about the budget cuts and about procurement procedures that are a tangled nightmare. Add into the mix a lone bidder for the job that couldn’t deliver, and Bowen had to restart the whole project, long procurement procedures and all. I’ve seen plenty of tech projects in private industry that bombed, one for half a billion dollars. Making complex computer systems work is very difficult. Being in government doesn’t make it easier. PEW research participated in the smear, claiming that California’s elections ranked near the bottom. In that ranking, they failed to include the most important question: who has the most secure vote collecting and counting systems in the country? Because Debra insisted that it be based on paper ballots, California should be near the top. Thank you, Debra Bowen. What you didn’t know about Debra Bowen Then there is the critical work behind the scenes that this and a few other advocates witnessed. To start, there has been for over a decade, a push to introduce Internet voting (IV) across the country. Putting a paperless, therefore unverifiable voting system on the wild west that is the Internet is reckless, and a very serious long-term threat to our elections.5 Yet numerous elections officials and politicians think it’s a great idea. But that does not include Debra Bowen and the vast majority of cybersecurity experts.6 For three years running, 2011, 2012, 2013, bills were introduced in the California legislature pushing for Internet voting. Advocates went to Sacramento each time to explain why not.7 In 2011 and 2012, there were just three of us testifying before the Assembly elections committee, against the guys in the fancy suits who were telling us that it’s inevitable. Just three of us … and Debra Bowen’s representative. In 2013, a push for an Internet voting pilot (AB 19) came from some of the leaders of the Democratic Party. The Secretary of State and many advocates said “no”. Democracy won. We blocked all three bills. Thank you, Debra Bowen. On the national level, the Pentagon has been pushing Internet voting since before 2003. In 2010, in Washington, and 2011 in San Francisco, the Pentagon hosted conferences to launch a pilot IV project. At both those meetings, they got heavy resistance from cybersecurity experts and from Debra Bowen’s Deputy Secretary of State, Lowell Finley. We succeeded in stalling the pilot project and finally, this year, due to long, hard lobbying by Verified Voting, killing it. Thank you, Verified Voting, Lowell Finley, and Debra Bowen. In 2013, election integrity advocate, Tom Courbat, got a groundbreaking bill introduced, AB 813 (Melendez), to post detailed precinct reports on the Internet. We made a call to Evan Goldberg, Debra’s chief of staff, who saw to it that AB 813 got Debra’s support. It sailed through the legislature unopposed, and became law. Thank you Tom Courbat, Melissa Melendez, Evan Goldberg and Debra Bowen. In 2014, Senator Alex Padilla introduced SB 360, a bill designed to make it legal for Los Angeles County to build a brand new voting system. The final version of SB 360 streamlines the development process, and I am looking forward to seeing what LA comes up with. A critical component of that bill was jettisoning federal testing, and replacing it with complete testing by the state of California – at least as good as the federal testing. You have to be a policy wonk to know this, but the politicized, and corrupt federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC) rejected version 2.0 of their own voting system guidelines, in spite of the fact that it had been endorsed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The EAC is still just using version 1.1. Late in 2013, Bowen’s office announced that they were writing the new state guidelines. Included in the 170+ pages of those guidelines are two critical sections from version 2.0 concerning testing and disability requirements.8 Those guidelines will become official in April. They are the best voting system standards in the country. Thank you, Secretary Alex Padilla, Lowell Finley and Debra, Bowen. Thank You, Debra Bowen Over the years, when the issue was vital – fair and accurate elections, California could rely on Debra Bowen and her staff doing the right thing, right. She put the high standards and staff in place that make California a great place to vote. Thank you, to the entire SoS staff, and to Debra Bowen.

Kid's Serving Sizes for Fruits & Vegetables Fruits and vegetables provide plenty of valuable vitamins and minerals to help spur a child's growth and development, but the servings your child needs aren't the same as an adult's. Understanding kids' serving sizes can help prevent overeating or undereating and keep your child functioning at his best. Toddlers who are 2 to 3 years old need about 1 cup of fruit per day, and this increases to 1.5 cups per day for kids between ages 4 and 13. For boys between 14 and 18, 2 cups of fruit per day are necessary, while girls in this age range can stick with 1.5 cups per day. For kids under 6, limit juice to only a half-cup per day at most and only serve 100 percent juice, not juice drinks with added sugar. After age 7, keep juice consumption below 12 ounces per day. A half-cup of dried fruit is equivalent to a whole cup of regular fruit. Toddlers who are 2 to 3 years old need about 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables per day, and children between 4 and 8 need 1.5 cups of vegetables per day. Between the ages of 9 and 13, girls need 2 cups of vegetables a day and boys need 2.5 cups. Girls between 14 and 18 years old need 2.5 cups of vegetables per day, and boys in this age range need 3 cups per day. Note that 2 cups of leafy greens count as a single 1-cup serving. For other vegetables, 1 cup by volume is a single cup serving. Vary vegetable consumption to include leafy greens, brightly colored red and orange vegetables and legumes. Most children don't consume all of their daily servings of fruit or vegetables in a single meal, but instead eat the total amount spread out between three meals and two snacks throughout the day. Younger kids can usually eat about a quarter-cup to a half-cup of fruit in a single sitting, while older kids and teens can handle a half-cup or whole cup of fruit at a time. A young child may only be able to handle a quarter-cup of vegetables at a time, while an older child can eat a half-cup to a whole cup of vegetables at once. An easy way to estimate portion sizes is to give your child about 1 tablespoon of fruits or vegetables per year of age at a time, offering a 4-year-old about 4 tablespoons per meal and a 7-year-old approximately 7 tablespoons per meal. Portion sizes served at restaurants aren't generally based on healthy serving sizes, so don't use the amount that comes out of the kitchen as a guide to how much your child should eat. A single restaurant portion could include more than your child's entire daily serving allotment of fruits or vegetables. If your child is particularly active, such as being heavily involved in sports, he might need more servings than typical for his age.