text:
UCL graduate wins Posters in Parliament research prize
5 February 2016
Amanda Campbell, who graduated last year from the UCL Bartlett School of Architecture, has won first prize in a national competition for her research on a biodegradable tent for music festivals.
The annual competition, which took place on Tuesday 2 February, provides an opportunity for students to present their work, at the Houses of Parliament, to legislators and policy makers and to demonstrate they are part of a new generation of emerging researchers able to meet global challenges.
Amanda’s interdisciplinary research developed an environmentally sustainable alternative to abandoned temporary structures, such as festival tents, by engineering composites from biodegradable materials.
Amanda said: “It was a great opportunity to talk about my work and get feedback and advice. Overall it was an almost surreal experience which I really enjoyed and there is a huge sense of achievement going over previous work and portraying it visually on a poster and of course receiving the first prize award!”
More than 40 students and recent graduates presented their work – two of whom were from UCL. Alongside Amanda, Victoria Monroe (UCL Economics) presented her research on gender disparity in income.
The event is part of the British Conference of Undergraduate Research (BCUR) which gives undergraduates and recent graduates the opportunity to show that they have undertaken research at the cutting edge of their field.
UCL has set out plans for all degree courses to encourage students to carry out research. Over the last two years, the university has developed a model unique to UCL: the Connected Curriculum. At its core is the idea that intellectually curious students learn best when they experience first-hand the challenges and achievements of conducting research.
Amanda said: “It takes work out of just the academic sphere and into the real world, where arguably it is more inspiring and engaging. It also gives students an experience of where research can take them, demonstrating that all their hard work doesn’t have to end when their course does.”
UCL President & Provost Michael Arthur said: “We have put huge emphasis on research-based education in our strategy and have been implementing this through the ‘Connected Curriculum’ initiative, so it is wonderful to see this being acknowledged at the national level and, best of all, through the hard work of our students. Very many congratulations – we are all very proud of Amanda’s achievements.”
- Amanda's company website: www.comp-a-tent.com


text:
Create a personalized photo album: Collect all the pictures of your puppy and create a photo album with personalized captions and memories. This would be a great way to reflect on all the happy moments you've shared with your furry friend.
Plan a surprise outing: Plan a surprise outing with your puppy to their favorite spot, such as the park, the beach, or a pet-friendly restaurant. Make it extra special by packing a picnic or buying them a special treat.
Organize a charity event: Organize a charity event in your community to raise awareness and funds for local animal shelters. This could be a dog walk or run, a puppy adoption event, or a bake sale. Make sure to spread the word on social media and invite friends and family to participate.
Pamper your puppy: Take the day off to pamper your furry friend with a spa day. This could include a bath, grooming, and massage. You could also make homemade dog treats and spend the day playing and snuggling with them.
Create a video montage: Collect all the videos you've taken of your puppy and create a video montage with their favorite music. You could share this on social media or keep it as a special memory for yourself.
Remember, the most important thing is to spend quality time with your puppy and show them how much you love them. Make the day special and unforgettable by creating new memories and cherishing the old ones.

domain: pet


As an opening act to the much-anticipated long-awaited HoloLens 2 at Mobile World Congress Barcelona on Sunday, Microsoft showed the standalone Azure Kinect time for the flight sensor, which also happens to provide improved human and environmental understanding. of the next generation's enhanced reality head.
Initially introduced in May, the Azure Kinect developer package is now available for pre-ordering $ 399, which is in line with similar peripherals like the Occipital Structure Core.
Of course, the Kinect name is familiar to players and consumers as motion detection peripheral for Xbox and Windows. While Microsoft has discontinued the product as a consumer product, the depth sensor has been the key to the geographic mapping feature and the recognition of the original HoloLens.
Azure Kinect not only serves as a deep donor for HoloLens 2 but also as an affiliate for business enterprises. The standalone unit includes a 1MP sensor and a 12MP CMOS sensor with a rolling door for the RGB camera along with a set of seven microphones that can act as eyes and ears for any computer.
According to published technical specifications, the device is compatible with Windows 10 and requires a computer with at least a seventh generation Intel CoreTM i3 processor (dual core 2.4 GHz with HD620 GPU or faster), 4 GB memory and one dedicated USB3 port.  The device, along with the software development package, allows users to integrate environmental awareness into modern factories, stores and even hospitals. According to a video published by Microsoft, the company provided early access to Azure Kinect to only three companies. One of these companies Datamesh is a data-analysis company based in China that uses a strengthened reality to train first line workers in the manufacturing industry.
"In China, the manufacturing industry has 400 million industrial people, but only 5% of them are technically enabled," said Jie Li, CEO of Datamesh, in a video (below) illustrating how Azure Kinect can be used by business owners. ecosystem and we see that there is a great potential in education, quality control and how we can detect a mixed reality object. "
Meanwhile, AVA Retail has integrated Azure Kinect into its autonomous storage technology.
" Azure Kinect gives you two main components – the sound that happens in space, as well as the video – and the accuracy of that sensor has been one of the best, "says Atul Hirpara, CEO of AVA Retail, in the same video." In addition, since the field of view is larger, it can cover more area with a smaller unit. "
Finally, the video shows how Ocuvera produced a fall prevention system for healthcare facilities that uses the data vision to detect patients at risk of falling into real time, a solution that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella referred to during the company's presentation at Microsoft's Mobile World Congress event.
"We've probably used all the deep cameras built around the world. There is no other camera. It can do what we needed. We are the only computer-based fall prevention solution in the market," said Steve Kiene, CEO of Ocuvera. is a game changer in every way, and if you come back, if you feel emotional about what you can do you will find great things that people have never thought to do, and you can do it with Azure Kinect. "
While Microsoft has placed HoloLens 2 as the new wave of modern computing for business, Azure Kinect has been the solution – and operating groups that design infrastructure for these companies, it is a suitable dual function for Kinect's latest incarnation, which, even in its original life as a gaming equipment, was a popular toy for tinkerers as well.
Although Azure Kinect was designed for business It easily finds its way into the DIY AR headset ecosystem, where projects like Leap Motion Project North Star use innovative ways to build new AR units. It will be interesting to see how some members of the manufacturer community will integrate the unit into their projects in the near future. months and years
Don't miss: How to pre-order ller holoLens 2


Originally published on Tue September 18, 2012 3:50 pm
With just a month to go before opening its 68th season, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra has gone silent. A bitter labor dispute between the ASO musicians and orchestra management has resulted in a lockout — meaning the players have literally been prevented from entering the Woodruff Arts Center and stripped of their salaries and health benefits.
Originally published on Sat September 8, 2012 8:17 am
100 years ago today, John Cage was born. In celebration of his birthday, we asked contemporary musicians across a wide range of genres and backgrounds — not only in classical music, but also pop, rock, metal, electronic and experimental — what they've taken from the late composer's musical and philosophical ideas.
As far as single-disc compendiums of Camille Saint-Saëns' shorter orchestral works go, this new release on the Chandos label buries the competition. Neeme Järvi may have been 74 when he made these recordings with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, but he conducts with the zest of a Gustavo Dudamel, setting a new standard for everything on this consummately programmed disc.
Weekend Edition's series on the sounds of street music winds down with a classical guitarist: Philip Rosheger, who performs on the corner of Vine and Walnut in Berkeley, Calif. Rosheger says he was keen on music from an extremely young age — which didn't sit well with his father, a bandleader in the U.S. Air Force.


Acebeam D20, the powerful and portable diving light, is equipped with a powerful CREE XHP35 HD LED. The maximum output of 2000 lumens is fueled by 1*21700 (3.6V 4800mAh) battery for the output strong and long runtime. The smooth reflector provides an extreme reflective effect and an maximum focus beam distance up to 250 meters. This portable scuba diving light is with the ability to dive to an incredible depth of 200 meters.
The solid and compact ACEBEAM D46 is a powerful dive light which is equipped with a CREE XHP70.2 LED, and generates the excellent brightness up to 5200 lumens. It emits the max beam distance of 398 meters. D46 is powered by 4*18650 batteries, which allows a maximum runtime of up to 15 hours at the lowest brightness level of 450 lumens. The versatile modes of output (Mode 1 - Mode 4, SOS) are easily accessible by simply rotating the side switch. D46 is designed for a depth of up to 200 meters . There is a standard 1 ball joint diving arm for easy camera set-up. D46 is not only a diving light, but also can be used on land as searchlight too. D46 is a perfect light for different illumination.
ACEBEAM D45 is the most powerful dive light, featuring max 4000lumens ! The light is controlled by a reliable type 316 stainless steel push-button ON/OFF switch system with 4 levels of brightness. It comes with a sturdy Goodman-style glove for hands-free operation,a standard 1' ball joint for easy camera set-up.D45 is the perfect light for a diver serious about their illumination.


text:
Lacey Brown, who had sung â€œRuby Tuesdayâ€ (watch video here), was voted off after the dreary and tedious Rolling Stonesâ€™ night at the American Idol Top 12 live show on Wednesday (March 17). The 24 year-old church singer from Texas still performed â€œThe Storyâ€ for the Judgesâ€™ Save card but, unfortunately, it was the end of the road for Lacey.
America has chosen their Top 11 Idol contestants. If you want to continue to see your favorite perform on the Idol stage week after week, you need to vote, vote, vote! Americaâ€™s vote will decide who is going to be the next American Idol.
Americaâ€™s Top 11: Aaron Kelly, Andrew Garcia, Casey James, Crystal Bowersox, Didi Benami, Lee Dewyze, Michael â€˜Big Mikeâ€™ Lynche, Katie Stevens, Paige Miles, Siobhan Magnus and Tim Urban (photos below).
Next week is Teen Idol week on American Idol, according to AINow. It will be a big challenge for Siobhan or Big Mike to get in the teen spiritâ€¦ we would love to hear them sing Miley Cyrus‘ songs. LOL! On the other hand, this can be Aaron and Katieâ€™s big week!
2010 American Idol Season 9 Top 11 PHOTOS & VIDEOS
American Idol Top 12 Rolling Stones Songs Night (click links to watch video):
- Michael â€˜Big Mikeâ€™ Lynche – â€œMiss Youâ€
- Didi Benami – â€œPlayinâ€™ With Fireâ€
- Casey James – â€œItâ€™s All Over Nowâ€
- Lacey Brown – â€œRuby Tuesdayâ€
- Andrew Garcia – â€œGimme Shelterâ€
- Katie Stevens – â€œWild Horsesâ€
- Tim Urban – â€œUnder My Thumbâ€
- Siobhan Magnus – â€œPaint It Blackâ€
- Lee Dewyze – â€œBeast Of Burdenâ€
- Paige Miles – â€œHonky Tonk Womenâ€
- Aaron Kelly – â€œAngieâ€
- Crystal Bowersox – â€œYou Canâ€™t Always Get What You Wantâ€
Posted under American Idol

domain: entertainment


Originally Posted by DallasBoosted
Most shops don't really reply to emails. Take the lines off and see where the leak is and what caused it (rubbing? defective line?) and if its something they need to address with a defective line replacement etc, then call them and take it up with them.
I called the wrong location, I got a hold of chad at the New Mexico location and he is the man. They are just in the process of merging the 2 stores.
Stett is making me fully stainless lines with red and blue fittings and since I brought this to his attention this will be available for the N54. He also told me to take the fitting apart, cut those hose and reassemble and the leak will be gone more than likely.
Chad is a stand up guy, my fault
for doubting them....I fully admit that.
JB4 G5, WEDGE flash, Walbro 455 LPFP, HFS-4 meth kit 4-AN SS lines, BMS OCC, RB turbos W/3.5 N20 sensor, RB valve, BMS DCI, 3" AR Dps, Custom OC W/ SS lines, ER FMIC, ER CP W/HKS BOV, M3 control arms W/upgraded bushings, M3 Strut Brace, M3 front sway, Meyle HD tie-rods, HPA rear toe arms, Wavetrac LSD, DEFIV kit, Ohlins R/T Cois W/12KG swift springs, Power-Flex subframe bushings, stoptech rotors, Rogue Tranny Mounts, Morr VS8.2 rims 245/295


DOVER — Kent County Levy Court Commissioner Eric Buckson has won the 16th Senate District Republican primary against incumbent Sen. Colin Bonini and former U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Kim Petters.
Mr. Buckson won the race with 51% of the vote; Ms. Petters finished in second with 27% , while Sen. Bonini came in with approximately 22%.
Since there is no Democratic opponent in the 16th Senate District in the Nov. 8 general election, Mr. Buckson will replace Sen. Bonini after his 28 years in office.
The competitive race had been the subject of controversy in recent weeks, and despite attacks about Mr. Buckson’s record as the 4th District commissioner on Kent County Levy Court, he came out on top, saying that he would stand on what he was running for and against attacks on his voting history.
Mr. Buckson has been a Kent County Levy Court commissioner for three-and-a-half terms. He is the son of David P. Buckson, a former governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general of Delaware.
The recent retiree had a 30-year career in education, as a teacher and coach at Polytech High School. He worked in physical education and led the school’s wrestling team.
A self-proclaimed “commonsense conservative,” Mr. Buckson’s platform includes protecting the right to bear arms, fixing infrastructure in the 16th District, supporting veterans and first responders, and placing an emphasis on trades and skills in schools.
When asked last week about the experience of campaigning, Mr. Buckson said he would be “tremendously grateful,” regardless of the outcome.
“I’m very proud of the work that myself, my family and my supporters have put in during this time, and I’m excited about the opportunity in front of me to share that Senate seat with the folks in my community, in my district, the ones who have taken the time to put up all their signs on private property in their yards,” he said.
"I’m excited about the opportunity to share that seat with the folks in my community, to represent them, not just during the General Assembly, but 365 because they know when they reach out to me, I’m going to get back to them. I will do what I can to help them.
“That’s something that I earned as a commissioner of Levy Court. That’s something I will continue to do as their state senator.”
Sen. Bonini issued a concession late Tuesday night, thanking the 16th District residents for allowing him to represent them for nearly 30 years.
“I am incredibly grateful for the honor of serving as the 16th District state senator for 28 years. Melissa and I want to thank everyone who has been so supportive over the years — it’s really been such a blessing, and we are very thankful,” he said. “To my opponents, I wish sincere congratulations to Eric for his victory and to Kim for a hard-fought race.
“Thank you again for the tremendous privilege of serving as your state senator.”
On primary day — also his birthday — Mr. Buckson spent the evening with his family as results came in. He had earlier said, “My plans are to work through the finish until 8 o’clock and then figure it out."
“After that, I don’t have plans for after 8 o’clock. I am focused on getting to the finish line, and once that’s over with, I’m sure, at some point in time, I will celebrate, regardless of the outcome. I will celebrate with the folks who worked side by side with me throughout this entire campaign.”


text:
NICE has assessed DySIS and the Niris Imaging System to help the NHS decide whether to use these products.
A colposcopy is an examination that uses a colposcope to give a magnified view of the cervix, to check for abnormalities. DySIS is a new type of colposcope, and the Niris Imaging System is a piece of equipment that is used alongside a normal colposcope. The aim of DySIS and the Niris Imaging System is to give healthcare professionals more information than a normal colposcopy.
NICE has said that DySIS works well and provides value for money, and should be considered when NHS organisations are planning to buy colposcopy equipment. NICE has said that there is not enough evidence to work out if the Niris Imaging system provides value for money.
This guidance represents the view of NICE, arrived at after careful consideration of the evidence available. When exercising their judgement, healthcare professionals are expected to take this guidance fully into account. However, the guidance does not override the individual responsibility of healthcare professionals to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual patient, in consultation with the patient and/or guardian or carer.
Commissioners and/or providers have a responsibility to implement the guidance, in their local context, in light of their duties to have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations. Nothing in this guidance should be interpreted in a way that would be inconsistent with compliance with those duties.
Commissioners and providers have a responsibility to promote an environmentally sustainable health and care system and should assess and reduce the environmental impact of implementing NICE recommendations wherever possible.

domain: medical


text:
Not every complaint to a manager constitutes protected activity, but some do.
If an employee complains about what she reasonably believes is discrimination—using language that should tip off her employer that she’s raising discrimination—the complaint is protected.
Punishing the employee for complaining under those circumstances may then be illegal retaliation.
Take note: An employee can win a retaliation lawsuit even if the employee’s original underlying complaint turns out to be unfounded, or there was no illegal discrimination going on. The law encourages employees to raise concerns about discrimination. Punishing them for voicing these concerns is just as illegal as discriminating against them in the first place.
Recent case: Dena Brown, who is black, worked as a call center representative for Diamond Financial Products. She had a 40-hour workweek. When Brown noticed that white employees were allowed to work just 35 hours per week, she asked that her schedule be cut back to 35 hours, too.
Her supervisor refused. Brown then spoke with her boss’s supervisor, telling him she felt “this was not equal employment opportunity and was discrimination.”
Two weeks later, Diamond fired Brown. When she asked why, she was told she was an at-will employee and “there was nothing she could do about it.”
Turns out, Brown could do something about it and she sued for retaliation. The court said the case could go forward because her informal complaint about equal employment opportunity was protected activity. (Brown v. Diamond Financial Services, No. 07-CV-10623, ED MI, 2007)
Final note: This case teaches two lessons. First, just because an employee is “at will” doesn’t mean she can be fired for raising discrimination concerns. Second, any difference in the terms and conditions of employment based on race may be discrimination.

domain: law


text:
Karauli is a small town a few hours away from Delhi in beautiful Rajasthan. It is an old princely state situated in the golden triangle of India (Delhi/Jaipur/Agra.) It retains a lovely rural feel one can find extraordinary palaces and heritage buildings and monuments here. You can walk around the Old Quarter where there is a marketplace selling trinkets like bangles made of lacquer and silver, wooden utensils and indigenously manufactured kitchen items.
This place is a sweet lover’s haven and you can try exclusive Indian sweets here like petha made of pumpkin, jaggery, peanut, gajak made of sesame seeds and many other mouth watering sweets.
It is actually possible to stay at a royal palace in Karauli which had been built in 1938 for its ruler. The speciality of this place is not only its royal heritage but also the fact that it produces most of its own vegetable and grains from its adjoining farm house and dairy. The palace is decorated with original paintings from the royal era and replicated furniture which were used by royalty. The Masala Chai or spiced tea here is extremely famous.
Other must visit places in Karauli include the Bhanwar Vilas Palace, Madan Mohanji Temple, City Palace, Kalyanji Temple, Mahaveerji Jain Temple and the Kaila Devi Sanctuary and National Park. This national park acts as a buffer zone to the famous Ranthambore National Park and is synonymous with Project Tiger. The Chambal river flows through this Park and it is covered with lush greenery. You may spot jackals, wild boars, leopards, sloth bears, hyenas, wolves and if you’re lucky you just might spot the effervescent tiger too.
Another place worth a visit is the Karauli City Palace which is said to be 600 years old being built in the 14th Century. You will find a treasure trove of architecture, stone carvings, gorgeous glass work, classic paintings and frescoes here.
You can travel in quaint little tuk-tuk’s here or you can even take a jeep safari to the stunning Timangarh Fort which was constructed in 1100 AD. All in all the Old Quarters of Karauli will make for a unique small town visit apart from the usual touristy spots.

domain: geography


Keep your wits sharp and your edge sharper…or something like that. This is the knife making crew sweatshirt for knife makers to stay warm when they’re away from the forge.
• 8.0 oz., 50/50 cotton/polyester
• Classic fit
• Reduced pilling and softer air-jet spun yarn
• 1×1 athletic rib knit collar, cuffs and waistband, with spandex
• Double-needle stitched collar, shoulders, armholes, cuffs and waistband


text:
Do people return fruit or veg that proves unusable or unacceptable when cut into?
- full price avocados ~$4 or more that have grey streaks in flesh (not bruised),
- potatoes that have some sort of disease (I think) with dark brown blotches inside,
- apples that would seem to have been frozen and are spongy with brown discolouration about one third of the way out from the core,
- oranges or mandarines that are so dry as to be inedible.
I’m talking about produce that you can’t tell from outside what you are actually getting. TBH, the only thing I really care about is throwing out expensive avocados. And maybe now I am a spud short for my dinner plan.
Do people take it back?

domain: food


text:
Breakfast: the most important meal of the day.
We’ve all heard this from our moms, grandmoms, teachers, or friends. But do we agree? Kale yeah we do!
But that all depends on what you eat for breakfast. Try swapping a bagel and coffee for a green smoothie and you will feel supercharged and finally understand why breakfast is so important.
If you spend most mornings rushing just to make sure you’re dressed and on time for work (and getting the kids ready if you’ve got ‘em), walking out your door with a healthy breakfast in your hand ain’t easy. We are both busy moms ourselves, and ran into this problem in our early green smoothie blending days.
In the past few years, however, we’ve figured out a fabulous #smoothiehack to help you get blending, and sipping that leafy green goodness no matter how hectic your morning. (That way, you can spend those extra minutes tucking a note in someone’s lunchbox, or making sure you remember your water bottle.)
Ready? Here’s our secret: we started freezing leafy greens.
We know, we know. It sounds so simple! But the payoff is major, people—for your health, and your wallet, because it helps you avoid wasting tasty veggies and greens.
We typically use fresh greens for a couple days right after we go grocery shopping. Then, we measure out two cups of greens into each freezer bag, and toss ‘em on in the freezer. Then, as we run around making sure little teeth are brushed and school clothes are on, all we have to do is grab a bag of frozen greens and dump them in the blender!
Yep, that means no more bleary-eyed battles with the measuring cups. Greens stay good in the freezer for a couple of months instead of a week in the fridge. Boom! We know you love saving time and money as much as we do, Rawkstar!
How to freeze leafy greens
Spinach, kale, and chard all freeze beautifully. And, if you freeze your greens in one big batch instead of 2 cup quantities, just make sure to note that 2 cups of fresh greens equals 1 ½ cups of frozen greens.
note: While frozen greens are fantastic for smoothies, don’t use them for your salads… you’ll be very disappointed! (Turns out, ice chunks aren’t as fun as croutons.)
Wash leafy greens
Wash the greens well. To help remove any bugs, add a little white vinegar to the water and swish well. Shake to remove excess water, pat, or spin dry.
Remove the leaves from the stems (if there are large stems present, like kale), and chop or tear leaves into pieces. To do this quickly, hold the stem in one hand and run the other one along the stem to rip the leaves away from the stalk. (Some blenders can handle the stems, but others can’t. Do what works best for you!)
Label storage bags
Label bags with the amount and type of green. Adding the date can be helpful if these will be stored for a while.
Measure out greens into BPA-free, freezer-safe bags or containers. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal.
Pack leafy greens into bags
Pop the bags into the freezer and store until ready to use.
Hint: if we’re feeling extra organized, we measure out the frozen fruit for each smoothie and add it to the bag of greens before we freeze. You can check out our make ahead smoothie prep tips here.)
Share your favorite hack…
Do you have a favorite smoothie hack? If you do, share it with us in the comments below. We always love hearing from you guys!


08.20.12 - NASA will host a media teleconference at 5 p.m. EDT today to discuss the selection of a new Discovery-class mission that will further NASA's exploration of the solar system.
08.20.12 - NASA is preparing to send unmanned scientific aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean to study tropical cyclones and the processes that underlie hurricane formation and intensification.
08.16.12 - NASA will host a media teleconference at 1:30 p.m. EDT, Friday, Aug. 17, to provide a status update on the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.
08.14.12 - Astronauts and cosmonauts will perform two spacewalks outside the International Space Station this month.
08.13.12 - NASA will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EDT (10 a.m. PDT), Aug. 14, to provide a status update on the Curiosity rover's mission to Mars' Gale Crater.
08.13.12 - WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama will congratulate members of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover team at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., at 11 a.m. EDT (8 a.m. PDT) this morning.
08.10.12 - NASA's RBSP mission is set to launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at 4:08am EDT on August 23, 2012.
08.09.12 - NASA will hold a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Aug. 15, to discuss an extraordinary galaxy cluster that is smashing several important cosmic records.
08.07.12 - NASA will preview a pair of spacewalks involving U.S., Russian and Japanese crew members aboard the International Space Station at 2 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Aug. 14.
08.07.12 - NASA will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. EDT, Thursday, Aug. 9 to discuss the upcoming launch of the Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP).
08.01.12 - NASA's social media followers at seven field centers around the nation will virtually come together at a NASA Social on Friday, Aug. 3.
08.01.12 - NASA will issue a news release to announce new agreements with industry partners for its Commercial Crew integrated Capability (CCiCap) initiative at 9 a.m. EDT, Friday, Aug. 3.
07.30.12 - News briefings, photo opportunities, and other media events at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., are set for the upcoming landing of NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars.
07.30.12 - NASA Television will broadcast the launch and for the first time, the same-day rendezvous and docking of a Progress cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS).
07.27.12 - Media representatives are invited to view NASA's Morpheus lander at the agency's Kennedy Space Center at 3 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Aug. 1.
07.27.12 - NASA Television will broadcast the attempted redocking of an unpiloted Russian cargo spacecraft to the space station for engineering data collection beginning at 5 p.m. EDT Saturday, July 28.
07.27.12 - NASA's Chief Technologist Mason Peck and Space Technology Program Director Michael Gazarik will visit Oceaneering Space Systems in Houston at 1 p.m. CDT, Wednesday, Aug. 1.
07.27.12 - WASHINGTON -- NASA Chief Technologist Mason Peck will visit Space Florida's Space Life Sciences Lab, located just outside of NASA Kennedy Space Center's security gates, on Monday, July 30 at 12:30 p.m. EDT. Peck will meet with Space Florida President and CEO Frank DiBello and small business leaders to discuss collaborative partnerships with NASA.
07.19.12 - NASA managers are rescheduling the launch of an inflatable heat shield technology demonstration flight from the agency's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va., until no earlier than Sunday, July 22.
07.19.12 - NASA Television will broadcast the move of a Russian cargo spacecraft at the International Space Station and the demonstration of a new docking system beginning Sunday, July 22.


text:
Trafford based charity, Manchester Care and Repair, is celebrating today after receiving a National Lottery cash boost, so it can expand vital home repair support to older people and those with disabilities across Manchester.
The group has received more than £8,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK, for its ‘Handy Helpers’ project. The National Lottery Community Fund distributes money raised by National Lottery players, who raise £36 million each week for good causes throughout the UK**.
This will help the charity to recruit a team of volunteers for the first time, who will assist the group’s dedicated handypeople to complete everyday tasks, from moving furniture to installing safety rails or even fixing gutters.
The group’s experienced team of passionate handy people will teach local young volunteers new skills, providing them with the opportunity to give back to their community. As the team is relatively small and composed of tradespeople who have many years of experience under their belts, the charity is hoping to provide a source of wisdom to its new volunteers.
Many of the tradespeople have been part of the charity since its inception in the 1990s and have developed genuine friendships with the people they support over the years – making it more than your typical customer relationship.
As lockdown restrictions are expected to be relaxed further next week (Monday 19th July), the charity is hopeful its ‘Handy Helpers’ will be able to clear a backlog of repairs now they can visit people in their homes again.
Alice Mason, Executive Director at Manchester Care and Repair said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, we’re now able to recruit five local volunteers to enable our resident handy helpers to do jobs that require two people. Many of the people we support have been shielding throughout the pandemic, becoming increasingly isolated, and losing their mobility and confidence. Now we can visit again, we have a lot of requests for our handy helpers to fix problems that have been mounting up all year, which thanks to this vital funding we’ll be able to support with.
“Handy helpers will do all sorts of jobs around the house. They might be moving furniture to help someone move around their home more easily or to make space for adapted equipment. Even small jobs like changing lightbulbs, putting up curtains or re-tuning televisions make a huge difference to people’s health, wellbeing and dignity.”
Despite the relatively small size of the charity, it is well regarded among the people of Manchester, with approximately 6,000 people using its services every year. Residents who need support are referred to the charity from other organisations in the area, as well as from GPs and through word of mouth.

domain: sociology


text:
I’m ecstatic to announce the publication date for Keepers of Arden: The Brothers Volume 2 is set for December 22nd, 2014! As of now, the Kindle version will definitely be available. The other distributors will likely be a rollout. Instead of blogging each time a new distributor lists my book for purchase, I’ll just make a quick tweet on Twitter and a post on Facebook. In addition, I’ll keep the My Books tab updated with purchase links. I’ll also be conducting a giveaway on the 22nd to celebrate the release, so please stop by my website to see what I’ll be gifting.
In other news, the horror anthology I’ve been kindly included in has moved into the final editing stage. Tom Conyers has put tons of time and work into the collection of stories, and I’m eager for the final product to be published. As soon as we get a firm publication date, I’ll let everyone know. All contributors’ proceeds will be donated to a charity, so I’m even more honored to be included.
I guess that’s all for now. I’m getting ready to pick up another Jim Butcher book and I hope to post a review for it on Thursday. If you haven’t picked one up yet, I encourage everyone to check out his Dresden Files series. Great way to escape during this crazy holiday season.

domain: literature


The public is invited to an event focusing on the entire UniverCity Year (UCY) and all its projects. The presentation will be Wednesday August 16th, 7 PM in the Monona Public Library – Municipal Room.
UCY program director Jason Vargo, assistant scientist with the Nelson Institute and the Global Health Institute UW-Madison, will lead the presentation summarizing the courses. Staff leads will highlight projects that are most useful, realistic for implementation, gained the most interest at committee levels, or that need more discussion. A question and discussion period will close the presentation.
The UCY program paired academic courses, faculty, staff and students with projects identified by the community. Monona was the first community to participate in the new UW-Madision program. Twenty-three UW–Madison classes participated, working on 30 projects. Monona identified four project focus areas: parks and recreation, housing and economic development, “Connected Monona” and active transportation. Students, faculty and staff worked on the projects through courses as well as individual projects.
Some of the projects included recommendations for improvements to the master plans for Ahuska and Winnequah parks; improvements to Monona’s transportation infrastructure for safe and accessible biking and walking; improving the usability of the city website and providing programming for the community radio station WVMO; and examining affordable housing and preservation of single-family neighborhoods.
All reports are available on the UCY website for reading and downloading at univercity.wisc.edu/monona/#projects.


text:
Social Security & Retirement Income Planning Do Not Have to Be Confusing
Retirement You® partners with experienced financial professionals nationwide to teach the latest strategies to reduce market risk and increase retirement income. Watch the video below to learn more.
Get the "2018 Social Security & Retirement Tax Updates" Guide
To get a FREE electronic copy of our all-new PDF guide, click the button below. There is no cost or obligation.
SPECIAL PDF DOWNLOAD
3 Simple Steps to Retirement Success
In just 3 simple steps, our straightforward planning process will help you navigate the path to creating a successful retirement income plan.
Understand Your Goals
The first step is to meet with our local financial professional to learn about your current situation and what your goals are for retirement. How much income do you need? What are your Social Security options? Are you taking too much risk?
Create Your Reports
After we work together to understand your goals, the next step is to look at where you are at currently and create your customized Social Security & Income Planning reports. This will show you a income projections throughout retirement and the probability of success.
Finally, you will have an opportunity to work on any areas of need and receive recommendations based on your specific situation. With a hands on planning approach, our partners educate you on strategies to help reduce market risk and increase retirement income.
PROVEN EXPERIENCE: Since 2014, Retirement You® has worked with a skilled network of featured local speakers to help educate 1000's of attendees in 100's of cities nationwide.
Want to be notified when Retirement You® comes to your area?
Copyright © 2015-2018 A4 Digital - All Rights Reserved.
Not affiliated with Social Security Administration or any other governmental agency.
Retirement You is property of A4 Digital and provides marketing services only. A4 Digital does not offer Financial, Legal or Tax Advice. The workshops are hosted by independent financial professionals that are required to be licensed in their state(s) of jurisdiction. Insurance and/or financial services may be offered at a later date based on your specific situation. Testimonials provide a basic overview of feedback received from workshop guests and are not representative of any specific attendees.
10575 N. 114th St. Suite 110
Scottsdale, AZ 85259

domain: economics


Chair on the Board of Directors
Bawa was born in Ghana and educated there as a teacher. He taught in Teachers College, Secondary School and at the University of Cape Coast between 1988 and 1996. He has worked for and established NGO’s in Ghana. Bawa brings to the board international experience in the areas of education, social welfare and disabilities.
Bawa studied health and welfare administration and ultimately social work in Norway and worked for the Child Protection Service in Norway. Bawa holds qualifications in Social Work, Religion Studies and holds a Doctorate in Education.
Bawa is currently lecturing at UNE in Special Education and Social Work.
Rosemary is an Aboriginal Elder currently living in Glen Innes where she volunteers with the Pathfinders Open Door program. Raised in Tingha and Mungindi NSW, Rosemary has experienced a very unique, colourful and gifted life to date. During her early stages of her long and accomplished career Rosemary helped to form the Tingha Aboriginal Corporation, providing local Indigenous families with housing. As well as this, Rosemary volunteered with the Health Commission to eradicate tuberculosis amongst Indigenous people living in Tingha and surrounding regions.
Rosemary has served with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and on the Aboriginal Development Commission as well as serving on numerous other boards and committees. Rosemary has worked as an Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer and has worked with the Department of Community Services for many years as an Indigenous advisor and foster carer.
Through all of this experience and much more, Rosemary has acquired a great understanding of Indigenous issues as well the issues faced by many youth today and is a valuable member of our organisation. Rosemary currently works with assisting Indigenous people living with disabilities in her local area on top of her many hours serving as a volunteer for Open Door and as a Director of Pathfinders.
An Indian by Heritage, Malaysian by birth and an Australian by choice (naturalised in 1972), Michael has lived in Australia since 1961. He is married with five children and one grandson.
Michael has recently retired from paid employment (Oct.2012) which spans across some 45 years. Almost all of his work has been in Health and Community Welfare; both with the Government and Non-Government Organisations.
In Health, after his initial training in Australia, Michael has worked mainly as Health Service Manager in Hospitals and in Community Health.
In the Non-Government Organisations Michael has been involved in Aged & Disability Service, Drug & Alcohol Service, Aboriginal Medical Service, Mental Health Recovery Support Service and in Residential Care for Homeless Children.
Michael has taught:
Michael’s involvement with Management Committees has been with:
Since retirement Michael is involved as a volunteer with the Armidale Animal Shelter, Armidale Care for Seniors, Armidale Neighbourhood Centre and Armidale Meals on Wheels.
Member on the Board of Directors
Professor Lonne is the Discipline Leader of Social Work in the School of Health at UNE. Bob’s distinguished career has included direct practice and managerial positions in the mental health, statutory child protection and juvenile justice fields in both Queensland and Western Australia. . He has been an academic at QUT, University of Queensland and UNE and has held senior leadership roles.
Professor Lonne is recognised by Inquiries as an expert witness regarding child protection systems and was cited over 40 times in Queensland’s Carmody inquiry report into the child protection system. He and his UNE colleagues have undertaken research for the NSW ‘Their Futures Matter’ reforms (FACS) investigating assessment tools and policies for the ‘front door’ of child protection systems to improve access by families and children in need, and along with colleagues from other universities he has undertaken research about children’s views of safety for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
His PhD research examined the factors affecting the recruitment and retention of rural social workers, as well as the process of personal and professional adjustment they experienced when relocating to take up a position in a rural community. He has demonstrated high level national leadership in a number of areas including:
Professor Lonne remains very active in high level policy forums and committees concerning areas such as child protection reform and workforce issues affecting the health and community services. He also works closely with a number of community-based human service organisations.
Professor Lonne attended the Australian 2020 Summit in relation to the issues affecting rural communities. He was the National President of the Australian Association of Social Workers from 2005-2011, having been twice elected by members, and was formerly the Elections Officer for the International Federation of Social Work.
While the Board is responsible for the Governance of Pathfinders, the daily Operations and Administration of the organisation is overseen by CEO Alan Brennan. Alan holds qualifications in Social Work, Psychology, Education and Law.
He has worked in Human Services in New South Wales for the past 35 years and his experience spans the fields of Child Protection, Social Welfare, Disability, Juvenile Justice, Community Development and Education. Alan has worked in both the government and non-government sector.
Alan is passionate about the protection and betterment of the lives of children, young people and their families and has been the General Manager and CEO of Pathfinders since 2004.


Some tall tales for sure
There are bound to be plenty of tall stories about the ones that got away at a gathering of members and former members of the Byron Bay Services Angling Club at The Rails on Saturday, June 5, from 2 to 5pm.
It has been organised to mark the 50th anniversary of the club’s foundation.
A club spokesman said the gathering was open to anyone who had been involved with the club over the years. He said anyone interested in joining the club also was invited to attend.
The club last weekend competed in a Far North Coast Fishing Club outing and finished behind Lismore in the team’s event, with club member Hoss McGrath winning the individual event.
Inquiries about the club can be made to Trevor Mead on 66856583.


With the ProTour season ready to start in Australia at the Tour Down Under this January, the UCI's latest anti-doping tool, the biological passport, is also set to hopefully make 2008 one of the cleanest cycling years ever. One key element to the increased out-of-competition tests (7000 tests in 2008 as compared to 1000 last year) is the introduction of a reliable riders' whereabouts system, the ADAMS computer system (Anti-Doping Administration & Management System).
With ADAMS, ProTour but also Pro Continental riders will submit and update their schedules online, making known their whereabouts every three months. The data will then be available not only to the UCI, but also to WADA and the various national anti-doping agencies, resulting in a better coordination of the controls. While this represents a considerable progress, the CPA (Cyclistes Professionnels Associés, the Rider's association) has voiced its concerns over the feasibility of such a system, where every hour of every day must be determined three months in advance.
While being all for the improved anti-doping tool in principle, Stéphane Augé, member of the CPA council, explained to L'Equipe on Thursday that the new system still represented "a substantial intrusion into our private life. If, three months ago, I said 'today I'm going to be at home', and that I take a walk with my kids - wham! I may be in trouble. And if I had planned to go for a training ride one morning, and it rains, I can't decide to ride in the afternoon without notifying the UCI? It seems very difficult to me to state what I'm going to do every hour, every day."
While the UCI is currently working on the possibility of changing one's schedule with a text message sent from a mobile phone, riders have to available for testing every day from 7am to 9.30pm. Three unjustified missed controls within 18 months result in a disciplinary procedure. "A missed test can immediately have far-reaching consequences," Augé continued. "In my team (Cofidis), after the trauma we went through with Moreni last year [Cristian Moreni tested positive during the 2007 Tour de France, and the whole squad was sent home - ed.], if a guy misses a test he'd be under pressure for the whole season. On December 19, together with some other riders (CPA president Cédric Vasseur, David Millar, Benoit Joachim, Philippe Gilbert and Davide Rebellin), we met with UCI representatives and asked for the system to be more supple."
The riders proposed different ideas to make the system more acceptable for the peloton, yet without reducing its efficiency. "Some would like a time window of two hours every day for the controls," Augé explained. "For example, the riders would have to be available every day, without exception, from 8-10am. After that, they can do whatever they please. Being controlled at 8am or at 5pm doesn't change much. Another idea is to have two or three hours to reach the inspectors in the case of a test. That way, we wouldn't have to be exactly where we planned to be three months ago. And a doping drug doesn't disappear within three hours - at least, I don't think so."
The proposals made by the CPA are being studied by the UCI at the moment.
Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*
Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets
After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59
Join now for unlimited access
Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1


Yesterday's Canadian Parliamentary session included a moment of dramatic idiocy, when the Tory Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Dean Del Mastro climbed to his hind limbs to declare that wanting to rip your CDs to listen to them on your MP3 player was like buying a pair of socks and then stealing a pair of shoes to go with them.
“It’s like going to a clothing store and buying a pair of socks and going back and saying by the way it wasn’t socks that I needed, what i really wanted was shoes. So I’m just going take these, I’m gonna format shift from socks to shoes and I’m not gonna pay anything because it was all for my feet,” he says.
A better analogy: it's like buying a bottle of wine and then demanding to drink the liquid in contains from a glass of your choosing.
This is in the context of Canada's disastrous pending copyright law, Bill C-11, which has even worse digital lock rules than the failed US Digital Millennium Copyright Act, a law that's been in force since 1998, suggesting the Tories haven't learned a thing about technology policy over the course of the entire current century.
Mr Del Mastro is the MP for Peterborough, a city outside of Toronto with a large university population. Students of Trent, this guy is your MP. Remember when Sam Bulte lost her "safe" seat because she wouldn't side with the people instead of off-shore copyright giants?
Idiotic Copyright Comparisons in Canadian Parliament
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has just filed a lawsuit that challenges the Constitutionality of Section 1201 of the DMCA, the “Digital Rights Management” provision of the law, a notoriously overbroad law that bans activities that bypass or weaken copyright access-control systems, including reconfiguring software-enabled devices (making sure your IoT light-socket will accept third-party lightbulbs; tapping […]
In spring, 2015, American farmers started to spread the word that John Deere claimed that a notorious copyright law gave the company exclusive dominion over repairs to Deere farm-equipment, making it a felony (punishable by 5 years in prison and a $500K fine for a first offense) to fix your own tractor.
The Bookworm Rug (100% woven polyester) come in 2′ x 3′ ($28), 3′ x 5′ ($58) and 4′ x 6′ ($79), and feature a selection of spines from some rather good books, including Iain Banks’s debut “The Wasp Factory” some Virginia Woolf, Charles Bukowksi and Haruki Murakami. (via Bookshelf)
Home audio has taken some big leaps forward in recent years–not just in terms of sound quality, but also in the style department. The FRESHeBAR Leather Soundbar, now 56% off in the Boing Boing Store, is proof.The FRESHeBAR comes packing almost all the options you’d ever need for a home sound system, including Bluetooth streaming capabilities.The unit’s 90 […]
Much of what goes into creating an amazing photo happens in the digital darkroom. Here’s your chance to master all things photo editing: the Ultimate Adobe Photo Editing Bundle, now available in the Boing Boing Store for just $29.99.Across 8 courses and over 41 hours of intensive instruction, you’ll learn the fundamentals of Adobe’s suite of photo […]
3D printers are hot, but they’re also pricey. While the prospect of cranking out everything we can dream up is enticing, cost is often one factor that keeps us from jumping onto the 3D printing train.Now, thanks to M3D, that doesn’t have to be the case. You can now get its flagship 3D printer–plus four reels of filaments–for just […]


text:
Scenes of size
Virt-a-mate is a microphile’s dream
Protected: A big big hug
My kind of foot massaging
There Is No Alternative
One step at a time…
Insults have consequences
For a lack of a better word
Ben boston! November Comic!
Her name is November! And Ben!
By the fireplace
Take that picture, mortal
Perfectly tailored outfits make for joyful trying in
The gentle interview with jaie
There will be blood.
How could I know the dancer from the dance?
Of dance and squishing bodies
Continue reading “How could I know the dancer from the dance?”
Storyboarding my everyday life.
It’s a giant butt.
Newmon’s possibly one of the shyest writer there is. And we all love shy people, don’t we?
A visual play on this essential word…
Mademoiselle Tina Jones
The microscopic interview with OpenHighHat
First story for tiny chubba. First light. It’s an excellent first I’d say!
Hug the undersquid & Heel taming.
Harboring a secret
Claudio lous, italian style.
I thought you’d like to know what I was up to, 14:45 this afternoon.
Wonderslug’s Tina’s shrine
I was slightly playful, at worse.
Continue reading “Wonderslug’s Tina’s shrine”
Everyone gets their first time.
Continue reading “Cameron Arrow”
theborrowergts meets Milo Manara
Meet the borrower
Continue reading “theborrowergts meets Milo Manara”
My favorite is…
Did I ever mention my love for planes?
Continue reading “Foreplane”
To my little Tomato, to you.
My little tomato’s gone. My little tomato’s not gone.
There, inside, is this inneffable story of the both us, colliding, creating, destroying like two kids stumbling upon a particularly fun toy and never getting enough of the play. The fact that he’s been subjected to destruction 100% more than me doesn’t change this fact :
He now lives inside this huge and unfathomable being he crashed into. Me.
Size people, friends, here are some graphic memories of the terrific storm.
A balanced breakfast
Published on DeviantArt in 2018.
Rendering / writing : Openhighhat
Editing / writing : Tina
It’s a quiet day, and this book’s real good!
I just… It’s touching how they manage to put so much heart into these stories, thinking they’ll never get to experience the real thing…
The cyootest interview with Mandy
Amanda the forsaken, mandy the pants, mandy the silly, mandu… Mandy is a wonderful giant and personality. Mandy is a terrific writer. Mandy is cruel. Mandy is playful. Mandy is silly. Mandy is the cyootest in every possible way.
On Math, feet, domination and submission, on being a giantess and telling fatalist stories… read her:
Mandy is proudly herself.
The interview with SorenZer0
Since 2010, SorenZer0 has been one of the most prolific, proficient and creative artist on the size scene. You likely already have stumbled upon his finely crafted pics, depicting cruel and tantalizing scenes of domination and giant women.
And you probably haven’t forgotten them.
Your first entry.
There it is, blank. Almost blank.
Here will be articles, interviews, thoughts, directories, links, maps, wonders and miracles. We’ll see. It was needed and I just need to see why.
Let this beautiful monster guide you, mortals.


text:
A new year (Chinese and haole) is here and it’s time to start planning the big Euro 2013 trip. This year we’re heading to Scandinavia, probably in the July timeframe. Still a lot of blanks on the schedule, but one sort of exciting potential opportunity is sailing on one of the ships in the 2013 Tall Ships Race.
Country list right now includes:
- Maybe Latvia and/or St. Petersburg, RU
- Perhaps an entry or exit city (Paris, London, ?)


text: Heyy I'm Bre. I'm thinking about doing only Kpop MV sets and stuff. What do you guys think?? Obviously I'll also do other sets, but I'll start taking requests for Kpop music videos, girl versions of guy group music vids, and imagines. Requests are always open!!

domain: artistic


text:
Viva Italia Program Details
Study Abroad Program
Rome and Tuscany
Application Due April 7, 2017
Cultural Anthropology Immersion Experience, with optional additional Social Justice Project in Diversity or Women's Studies
August-September 2017 (between summer and fall quarter)
Led by Gem Baldwin
Viva Italia Itinerary:
Live la dolce vita (the sweet life)…
In this multi-regional, 17 day exploration of Italy, students will have the opportunity to experience Italian culture, and develop their understanding of art, religion, food, and ecology in current and historical contexts. Students will explore the importance of history and tradition to modern culture, and the unique balance between human life and the natural landscape of Italy, as seen, tasted, and felt in Rome and Tuscany.
Students will begin in The Eternal City, Rome. Here, we will have the opportunity to experience the beauty of ancient and modern society thriving side by side, with the objective of discovering and interpreting the strong connections to history that make Italy what it is today, as well as the continuing evolution of Italian Culture.
Students will explore the ancient Catacombs de Priscilla, where at least 35,000 ancients were entombed beneath the streets of Rome, along with their most valued treasures and esteemed works of art. Students will also have the opportunity to discover The Vatican, world capital of the Catholic Church, including its epicenter, St. Peter’s Cathedral. Finally, “when in Rome,” students will have plenty of time to do what Italians do best- relax, eat, and enjoy the incredible richness of The Eternal City, truly one of the Magna Opera (masterpieces) of human civilization.
Pompeii and Positano
Immediately following our time in Rome, students will either have two free days for reflection and further exploration in Rome, or take the (recommended) optional trip to Pompeii and Positano.
Pompeii is a cultural enthusiast’s dream. The city was completely destroyed by a volcanic eruption in the first century A.D. Although the eruption caused great destruction, it also created an unique opportunity to view an ancient culture frozen in time. Explore the city to see what Italian, art, food, culture and religion were like thousands of years ago.
After our tour of Pompeii, we will take a train a train to the beautiful coastal village of Positano, where we will spend the rest of the day and the night. Positano presents an excellent opportunity to observe the subtle but clear differences between mountain and coastal villages, as well as the continuity of Italia.
After reconvening, departing Rome, students will embark on an eco-cultural tour of the Tuscan region, visiting picturesque hilltowns and vineyards, volunteering at a local vineyard, and receiving cooking lessons in the Tuscan tradition. Students will experience first-hand the deep reverence Italians have for the land on which they live and grow their delicious food. Students will experience healing and relaxation Italian Style with a therapeutic retreat to the healing waters of Terme di San Giovanni. Everyday wellness is essential in Italy, and that is why hot springs, or Terme as they are called, are such a major part of Italian culture.
For the final leg of the trip, we will be taking in the enchanting sights, sounds, and flavors of Florence. Florence, or Firenze, as it’s called in Italian, is widely known as the world capital city of the Renaissance, of Italian culture, and art. Students will have the opportunity to participate in an effort to counter act the degrading impact of mega-tourism in Florence with a wonderful organization dedicated to keeping this city beautiful through structured volunteer clean ups. This work, far from mundane, fosters a deeper connection to the city, the ambience, and the region.
Students beware: you may just fall in love with Firenze: the breathtaking architecture, the rhythmic and mystical bells that fill the city at regular intervals throughout the day, and the mysterious, narrow, medieval streets…
Viva Italia Accommodations and Transportation
These will be chosen to maximize time, location and cost for students. Students should be prepared to travel lightly as they will be expected to take trains, buses, and shuttles, and share basic accommodations. Students with particular requests or needs will be accommodated if possible with advance notice.
Viva Italia Class Credit
All VIVA ITALIA Students will enroll in ANTH& 206: Cultural Anthropology, a 5 credit Social Science course that meets the Cultural Diversity requirement. Students that are interested can engage in an additional creative or research project focused on a current social justice issue in Italy, and register for up to 5 additional credits of Diversity Studies or Women’s Studies 156: Special Topics.
The VIVA ITALIA Program will require two pre-trip meetings and readings in August, daily entries in a field journal while traveling, and a post-trip reflection project. Additional 156 projects will be individually arranged.
Course requirement: a laptop or other device for accessing Wi-Fi and writing while traveling.
Cities and Villages: Rome, Florence, Dicomano, Cortona
Optional: Pompeii and Positano.


text:
Welcome to the website for the EMBO Practical Course on Phylogenetics in the ‘-omics’ era
10th – 17th January 2016
The field of molecular evolution and phylogenetics is undergoing a shift from single gene style analyses to analysis of large volumes of genomic and transcriptomic data. This brings a new set of challenges to the biologist such as how to integrate existing data with this new -omics data, and in how to appropriately analyse these data.
The course is taking place in Iquitos in Peru, which looks something like this:
For more about Iquitos, check here
The team of international experts we have assembled have exceptional skills and experience in this research area.
This course is designed for molecular biologists, evolutionary biologists, and bioinformaticians interested in the history of organisms and their genes and genomes. This course will provide the students with all the critical skills for the analysis of large scale –omics data in an evolutionary framework.
Check out the sections at the top of the page form more information on the venue, programme and instructors.

domain: biology


text:
supplemental data results ingenuity pathways 1 supplemental data results ingenuity pathways analysis...
Click here to load reader
Post on 12-Jan-2020
Embed Size (px)
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA RESULTS Ingenuity Pathways Analysis – To gain a further insight into the potential mechanisms of the effects of n-Pen c 13 in mice, the identified proteins were mapped to networks available in the Ingenuity database. Three networks were identified and were ranked by the score in the p-value calculation of the IPA assay, which ranged from 11 to 53. The highest-scoring network revealed a significant link with hematological disease, immunological disease, and respiratory disease. Furthermore, cancer, cellular growth, proliferation, and cellular assembly and organization might also be influenced in the other two networks. The components of these networks are shown in Supplemental Table 4. The scores take into account the number of focus proteins and the size of the network to approximate the relevance of the network to the original list of focus proteins. We then focused on the network with the highest score, which consisted of 21 focus molecules and 14 interconnecting molecules (“non-focused” proteins that were not present in our list). We then carried out a Function ＆ Disease analysis and Canonical Pathway analysis of the 35 identified proteins in the highest-scorings network using Ingenuity software. The Function ＆ Disease analysis results showed a significant correlation with acute allergic pulmonary eosinophilia (7 proteins) and cell movement (10 proteins), while the Canonical Pathway analysis revealed that actin cytoskeleton signaling, leukocyte extravasation signaling, integrin signaling, NRF2-mediated oxidative stress response, FAK signaling, tight junction signaling, and acute phase response signaling were the most significant signaling pathways modulated by n-Pen c 13 (Supplemental Fig.S3). We also carried out data mining on the highest-scoring network to explore two proteins (galectin-3, laminin-γ1) associated with allergic airway inflammation, but not in our proteomics data (Supplemental Table 3). EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) – Total mRNA of lung tissue was isolated with QuickPrep Micro mRNA Purification Kit (GE Healthcare) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Lastly, the mRNA samples were added 40 U RNase out (Invitrogen), which is a potent inhibitor of ribonucleases. The mRNA from experimental samples was used to synthesize cDNA using MMLV reverse transcriptase (EPICENTRE® Biotechnologies) and oligo (dT) as a primer. cDNAs were amplified using specific sets of primers listed in Supplemental Table 1. Levels of mRNA expression of cytokines and chemokines were determined by PCR in a 20 μl reaction volume using Taq ReadyMix (Kapa Biosystems) on the ABI Prism 2720 (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif., USA). For each of the samples, PCR products were separated in a 2% agarose gel visualized under ultraviolet light. Densitometric analysis of PCR products was carried out using the UVP image analysis system and normalized by β-actin. Signaling pathway analysis – Proteins found to be differentially expressed by 2-D DIGE analysis were subjected to Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA) (Ingenuity Systems) and used as a starting point for building biological networks. This analysis uses computational algorithms to identify networks consisting of focus proteins (proteins that were present in our list) and their interactions with other proteins (“non-focused”) in the knowledge base. Scores were calculated for each network according to the fit of the network to the set of focus proteins and used to rank networks on the Ingenuity analysis. IPA uses the proteins from the highest-scoring network to extract a connectivity pathway that relates candidate proteins to each other based on their interactions. The involved Function ＆ Disease and Canonical Pathways were shown to be significantly associated with these candidates. In addition, we also searched for other proteins involved in this network using the build tools of IPA.
Supplemental Table 1. Primer sets for reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction analysis
Sequences Product size
Targets Forward Reverse (bp) IL-4 5'-GAAGAACACCACAGAGAGTGAGCT -3' 5'-GACTCATTCATGGTGCAGCTTATCG-3' 180 IL-5 5'-GTGAAAGAGACCTTGACACAGCTG-3' 5'-CACACCAAGGAACTCTTGCAGGTA-3' 290 IL-13 5'-AAACTGCAGCAAGACCGTGAGTCC-3' 5'-TGGCAGACAGGAGTGTTGCTCTGG-3' 311 CCL17 5'-CAGGGATGCCATCGTGTTTCT-3' 5'-GGTCACAGGCCGCTTTATGTT-3' 179 CCL22 5'-CTGGGTGAAGAAGCTACTCCAT-3' 5'-TAGAAACTTGGGAGGTGTGTGG-3' 493 TNF-α 5'-GGCAGGTCTACTTTGGAGTCATTGC-3' 5'-ACATTCGAGGCTCCAGTGAATTCGG-3' 307 IL-10 5'-ACCTGGTAGAAGTGATGCCCCAGGCA-3' 5'-CTATGCAGTTGATGAAGATGTCAAA-3' 237
Supplemental Table 2. Experimental design for 2-D DIGE comparison of lung lysates from n-Pen c 13-sensitized and PBS-treated mice.
Gel No Cy2 Cy3 Cy5
1 Pooled std n-Pen c 13 PBS
2 Pooled std n-Pen c 13 PBS
3 Pooled std PBS n-Pen c 13
4 Pooled std PBS n-Pen c 13
Supplemental Table 3. Identification of proteins with altered expression levels in the n-Pen c 13-treated versus control mouse lung by nano-LC-MS/MS analysis.
Protein name Spot No. Theoret. Mass
(pI/kDa) Sequence coveragea
NCBI Accession no.
Average ratio (2-D DIGE)b
Cytoskeleton and related proteins F-actin-capping protein subunit alpha-1 4 5.34/32.919 34% gi|595917 1.23 Actin, cytoplasmic 1 5 5.29/41.71 27% gi|74213524 1.89 Coronin-1A 6 6.05/50.957 19% gi|74192405 1.76 Macrophage-capping protein 11 6.73/39.216 25% gi|74138419 1.66 Rho GDP-dissociation inhibitor 2 15 4.97/22.836 51% gi|33563236 1.61 Cofilin-1 21 8.22/18.548 66% gi|6680924 1.37 Vinculin 24 5.54/123.781 46% gi|148669535 -1.39 Annexin A2 36 7.55/38.652 68% gi|6996913 -1.22 Coactosin-like protein 34 5.13/16.507 53% gi|159163110 1.74 Actin related protein 2/3 complex, subunit 5 43 5.47/16.218 39% gi|74185013 1.23 Moesin 45 6.22/67.725 50% gi|70778915 -1.29 Protein folding Protein disulfide-isomerase A3 3 5.88/56.643 44% gi|26353794 1.21 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein 37 5.07/72.377 54% gi|2506545 1.22 Heat shock protein 90 kDa beta (Grp94), member 1 38 4.74/92.418 52% gi|6755863 1.21 Oxidoreduction Alcohol dehydrogenase (NADP+) 13 6.9/36.564 50% gi|10946870 1.28 Ferritin light chain 1 17 5.66/20.788 83% gi|148690909 3.89 Superoxide dismutase [Mn] 19 8.8/24.662 41% gi|53450 1.2 Peroxiredoxin 1 22 8.26/22.162 53% gi|6754976 1.22 Aldehyde dehydrogenase, mitochondrial 28, 29 7.53/56.49 38%/58% gi|74226796 -1.32/-1.33 Electron transfer flavoprotein subunit alpha, mitochondrial 30 8.62/34.988 21% gi|146345417 -1.46 Carbonyl reductase (NADPH) 2 32, 33 9.1/25.942 43%/50% gi|6671688 -1.37/-1.47 Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family, member A1 42 7.89/54.447 51% gi|191804 -1.32 Immune response Annexin A1 12 6.97/38.71 55% gi|70912321 1.26 Advanced glycosylation end product-specific receptor 9, 10 5.78/42.642 15%/17% gi|110225341 -1.34/-1.41 Cellular metabolism Alpha-enolase 7, 8 6.37/47.111 29%/39% gi|70794816 1.45/1.53 Phosphoglycerate mutase 1 14 6.67/28.685 63% gi|12844989 1.34 Fatty acid-binding protein, epidermal 18 6.14/15.127 31% gi|6754450 1.86
Transaldolase 39 6.57/37.363 24% gi|33859640 1.21 Transketolase 40 7.23/67.588 47% gi|6678359 1.23 Pyruvate kinase isozymes M1/M2 41 7.18/57.878 61% gi|1405933 1.24 Propionyl CoA-carboxylase alpha-subunit 44 7.02/79.61 40% gi|15667251 -1.22 Others Serum deprivation response protein 1, 2 5.15/46.74 31%/17% gi|20270267 -1.69/-1.78 Translationally-controlled tumor protein 16 4.76/19.45 49% gi|6678437 1.33 Glutathione S-transferase Mu 1 20 7.71/25.953 52% gi|6754084 -1.47 Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A3 23 8.2/31.862 32% gi|82918359 1.41 Serum albumin 25, 26 5.78/68.688 24%/21% gi|74137565 -1.43/-1.63 Dihydropyrimidinase-related protein 2 27 5.95/62.239 24% gi|40254595 -2.04 Carbonic anhydrase 2 31 6.49/29.015 44% gi|33243954 -1.37 Chloride intracellular channel protein 3 35 5.98/26.829 29% gi|46395972 1.38
a. Sequencing coverage is defined as the percentage of the whole length of the protein sequence which is covered by matched peptides identified by the nano-LC-MS/MS analysis.
b. Ratio of protein expression levels were calculated using DeCyder software as the -fold change between normalized spot volume between n-Pen c 13-sensitized mice and PBS-treated mice tissue lysates (Student’s t test was based on the log of the ratio between n-Pen c 13-sensitized mice and PBS-treated mice; p < 0.05).
Supplemental Table 4. Physical function analysis using IPA generated three networks which are ordered by a score denoting significance. The highest-scoring network, which comprises 21 proteins in our list, revealed significant changes in hematological disease, immunological disease, and respiratory disease. In addition, the other networks revealed changes in cancer, cellular growth, proliferation, cellular assembly, and organization.
Top Network Score Focus Protein Molecules
Hematological disease, immunological disease, respiratory disease 53 21
ACTB, Actin, Actin-Actn-Ptk2-Pxn-Vcl, AGER, ALB, ALDH2, Alpha actin, ANXA1, ANXA2, Calpain, CAPZA1, CFL1, CORO1A, COTL1, DPYSL2, ENO1, ERK, F Actin, FABP5L2, FSH, Hsp90, HSP90B1, HSPA5, IL1, Mapk, MHC Class I (complex), MSN, NFkB (complex), PDIA3, PHACTR1, PKM2, PLS1, SOD2, TPT1 (includes EG:22070), VCL
Cancer, cellular growth and proliferation, hematological disease 25 12
ACO1, ALDH16A1, ALDH1A1, ARPC5, CA2, CAPG, Cbp/p300-Maf-Nfe2l2, CBR2, CTNNB1, ETFA, FABP, FTH1, FTL, GADD45A, glutathione, GSTM5, HNRNPA3, HNRPDL, HRAS, IFI6, IFNG, IR

domain: health


text: The main aim of this study was to investigate the performance of development method for methylparaben and butylparaben determination in skin ointment product by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The method validation parameters were evaluated as per International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) Guidelines. The method shows the specificity has retention time of methylparaben and butylparaben at 2.10 minutes and 6.64 minutes, respectively. The mobile phase had acetonitrile, methanol and phosphate buffer with the ratio of 10:40:50 v/v. The flow rate was set as 1 ml/minute and the maximum absorption was observed at 270 nm using Shimadzu SPD-20A Prominence UV-Visible detector. Correlation coefficient values are 0.9998 and 0.9996, respectively. The specificity, linearity, accuracy (established by % recovery), precision (repeatability and intermediate precision), the sensitivity (limit of detection and limit of quantitation), and robustness were validated for methylparaben and butylparaben in skin ointment product. The validation results fulfilled the acceptance criteria of validation method based on ICH Guideline.


text:
Bely’s real name was Boris Bugaev. His father was a professor of mathematics at the University of Moscow, and it was partly through acquaintance with his father’s friends that he gained knowledge of and access to the Russian Symbolist movement in literature. His own university education was in mathematics and philosophy, and he quickly became identified with Symbolist aesthetics and was branded as “decadent” by conservative critics. He had a long-lasting interest in mystical doctrines, and in 1912 devoted himself to a study of the anthroposophy of Rudolf Steiner.
Many of these concerns are put into practice in his heavily symbolic and allegorical novels. Both The Silver Dove and Petersburg are written in prose that relies heavily on poetic devices such as kaleidoscopic images, passages of fantasy, and evocative symbols. In The Silver Dove, for example, Bely introduces in an early chapter a “ragged bush” that stands beside the highway from Tselebeyevo to Likhov and from the village appears to be a “dark wayfarer.” This bush appears several times and, since it is on the road to Likhov, seems to lead mysteriously to the East and all that region’s attendant menace. Similarly, in Petersburg there are hallucinatory appearances of Peter the Great, in the apparition of the Flying Dutchman. The bush and the Flying Dutchman both contribute to the impression of a transcendental dimension to Bely’s fictional realm that can be expressed only figuratively.
Bely’s status with Soviet critics, equivocal at best, and the comparatively late translation of his works into English have hampered the development of his reputation as a major twentieth century artist. His devotion to Symbolist theory and his undeniable gift for its application make him a significant figure in the history of modernism. His sensitivity to the great changes impending in Russia led to these two novels of East and West in which so much of twentieth century history is enigmatically prefigured.


text:
The European Commission has launched its much-anticipated Offshore Renewables Strategy, a document that sets goals for a massive increase in the continent’s offshore wind capacity
The strategy foresees 60 GW of offshore wind in the EU by 2030 and 300 GW by 2050. Europe currently has around 12 GW of offshore wind capacity.
Under the strategy, offshore wind is set to be the number one source of electricity Europe consumes by around 2040.
The European Commission believes that achieving these objectives would not only bring significant benefits in terms of decarbonisation of electricity generation, but also important co-benefits in terms of jobs and growth, contributing to the post-Covid 19 recovery.
It believes that the scaling up and development of the offshore wind industry would occupy less than 3% of the European maritime space and can be achieved in a way that is compatible with “strong protection of the environment and biodiversity.”
The strategy describes offshore wind as a story of “undisputed European technological and industrial leadership” and highlights “vast potential” in Europe’s seas – from the North Sea and Baltic to the Black Sea, and from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.
“Nonetheless,” it says, “it is a very challenging horizon… that offshore renewable energy capacity should be multiplied by 25 times by 2050.” The investment needed is estimated up to €789Bn (US$933Bn).
“Going for 300 GW of wind by 2050 means a massive change of scale for the sector… at a speed that has no equivalent in any other energy technologies in the past,” the strategy says.
Today 3 GW of capacity are added per year, a rate that is expected to reach 7 GW after 2030. “Such a pace of change requires overcoming a number of regulatory and practical obstacles and ensuring that throughout the supply chain all players can step up and sustain the expected increase in rates of deployment.”
The strategy says market forces, technological advances and price development will continue to drive offshore renewable energy growth in the coming years, but greater involvement of the EU and member states is needed. Under stated policies, the current and projected installation pace would lead to only approximately 90 GW in 2050.
To change gear, the strategy says, the EU and member states should provide a long-term framework for business and investors and promote the harmonious coexistence of offshore installations with other uses of the sea, without negatively impacting the environment and biodiversity.
To meet such ambitious targets, the EU and member states will also need to facilitate grid infrastructure development, enhance cross-border co-operation and co-ordination, provide research funding, promote the competitiveness and resilience of the entire EU supply chain and encourage it to fully leverage its export potential on global markets.
To achieve this pace of growth, much emphasis will also need to be placed on marine spatial planning and on the development marine spatial plans (MSPs). The Commission plans to work together with member states to integrate offshore wind into national maritime plans, which are to be published in March 2021. It will also facilitate effective cross-border co-operation between states in each sea basin in the preparation of MSPs and support multi-use pilot projects with states and regional organisations and foster the development of a common, holistic approach to MSPs. In parallel with the development of the offshore wind strategy, the Commission has presented a guidance document on wind energy developments and EU Nature Legislation.
Responding, WindEurope said it welcomed the Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy and said the European wind industry is ’ready to deliver.’ However, it also noted that “beefing up offshore wind requires large-scale investment in ports, grids and the supply chain.”
“A 25-fold increase in offshore wind requires major investment in infrastructure. Huge investments are needed in offshore grid connections and in the reinforcements of onshore grids,” WindEurope said.
“Ports need €6.5Bn of investment over the next 10 years. They need extensive space, heavy loading quays and deep berths. Ports are the hubs for operation and maintenance of offshore windfarms and they will become the assembly base for floating offshore wind.”
WindEurope said Europe also needs a sound industrial policy to expand its offshore wind supply chain. Today the supply chain produces 3 GW of turbines a year; in the future it will need to produce 18 GW.
“Innovation and trade policy need to be right too,” WindEurope said. “Offshore wind is now taking off in Asia and will do shortly in the US. This presents additional export opportunities for the European wind industry.”
WindEurope chief executive Giles Dickson said, “This is a very good strategy. It confirms the vision for offshore wind to be Europe’s number one source of electricity. It is also spot on in recognising the necessary investments to deliver that – in grids, ports and the supply chain.
“And it identifies all the right policies that will drive those investments: industrial policy; state aid rules; and the mechanisms to ensure predictable revenues for offshore windfarm developers at least cost to society.
“Offshore wind is cheap now but it requires high upfront investments. So minimising financing costs is crucial to keeping overall costs low. Revenue stabilisation is central to this. If banks see stable revenues they lend at low levels of interest.”
Mr Dickson also highlighted the key role for the contract for difference (CfD) mechanism, which many countries now use to finance offshore wind. “”CfDs are the best mechanism,” Mr Dickson said. “Not least as it reduces costs for governments: they pay out but the windfarms pay them back when prices are high. It is very good the strategy highlights the importance of revenue stabilisation.”
WindEurope also highlighted the employment opportunities growth in offshore wind capacity will bring and its ability to help economic recovery. “77,000 people work in offshore wind in Europe today. That will be 200,000 if governments deliver on their offshore wind plans for 2030,” it said. “Each new offshore wind turbine generates €15M of economic activity. The EU Recovery Plan can help support the necessary infrastructure investments, notably in grids and ports. Member states should reflect this in their recovery and resilience plans.”
Mr Dickson also highlighted the way the strategy provides an enabling framework for offshore windfarms connected to two or more countries. “These so-called ‘hybrid’ offshore windfarms will play an important role. They save money and space and improve energy flows between countries and the enabling framework for them must be implemented as soon as possible,” he said. Up to 7 GW of offshore hybrids are already in the pipeline.
“Another good thing about the strategy is that it is a truly European strategy that will enable all European coasts to benefit from offshore wind,” Mr Dickson said. “It supports the further expansion of floating offshore wind, which will be needed for the deeper waters in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea, which will help islands too. Europe has two small floating windfarms today but will have 300 MW of floating by 2022 and 7 GW by 2030. The scale-up needs financial support, which the strategy recognises.
“It is important to invest in new technology and innovation. Floating offshore will be up to a third of all offshore capacity by 2050. Now is the time to invest in large-scale demonstration projects to reduce costs. But continued R&I investments in bottom-fixed technology will also pay off. The learning curve is far from over yet,” Mr Dickson concluded.


Created by Iraqi and Syrian women who have found refuge in Germany, the UK and Jordan in 2018, the pieces in this exhibition examine how refugee women negotiate their identities and senses of belonging through shaping social relations, challenging religious boundaries and facilitating community belonging and integration within their new diasporas.
The art was created in collaboration with University of Birmingham academic Dr Yafa Shanneik and internationally-renowned artist Dr Rachel Gadsden, who was assisted by Palestinian artist Amna Ali Hussein.
The exhibition is part of Shanneik’s research project, funded by the British Academy and Council for British Research in the Levant.
In a series of art workshops with the refugee women and families in 2018, Gadsden used the 'body mapping' technique, an artistic tool for creating life-sized images, that traces the contours of the individual's body.
Through the workshops, the women were able to counter gender-based narratives of fragility and vulnerability and develop narratives of strength, courage and empowerment.
This exhibition runs from until 21 March and is part of a six-month series titled 'Displaced Series' which explores displacement, identity and social perception.
You'll be the first to hear the latest Mayflower news, events, and more.


text: The Plasmodium falciparum rab6 gene encodes a 208 amino-acid polypeptide. Two recombinant versions of P. falciparum Rab6 protein were expressed in Escherichia coli: the full-length protein and a truncated form containing residues 1-175. Both forms were purified from the soluble fraction of bacterial extract and were purified by ion-exchange chromatography and size-exclusion chromatography. Purified proteins were crystallized at pH 6.5 using the hanging-drop vapor-diffusion technique at room temperature. The full-length protein diffracted to 2.4 Å and belongs to the tetragonal space group P43212 or P41212, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 80.6, c = 90.4 Å. The crystals of the truncated protein were isomorphous with those of the full-length construct and diffracted X-rays to 2.2 Å resolution.

domain: chemistry


text:
An extravagantly long leather key loop easy to locate in a bag or purse. Slips easily over wrist and hangs neatly over a doorknob. Solid stainless steel carabiner holds multiple key rings, and clips onto a bag or clutch zipper. Key ring included.
- + Dimensions: Length 10", Width .25"
- + Material: Natural milled leather, nickel hardware
- + Made in the USA
BAGGU® Founder Emily Sugihara studied at the Parsons School of Design and worked for J. Crew before starting BAGGU® in 2007. The company makes simple, high-quality bags in an array of bright colors and is known for their standard tote design – a bag that allows you to throw almost everything and the kitchen sink in! BAGGU® products are durable and fill many uses, pulling inspiration from Japanese simplicity and design from the 1960s and 70s.
- + Domestic: $4.50 USPS First Class
- + International: please contact firstname.lastname@example.org with your international shipping address for international shipping rates.
Return Policy: This item is final sale. We want you to be happy with your purchase, however, so please contact us with any issues you may have at email@example.com.

domain: design


text:
The insurer Axa began with a new business model in which it will offer medical services directly to people, instead of paying a third party through a policy. In an alliance with the Colombian group Keralty, the French firm opened three clinics in Mexico City this month with an investment of four million dollars to provide medical care from general consultation to specialties and analysis.
"This alliance means that we will directly provide health services. What we normally do as an insurer is to sell financial protection so that, in the event of a catastrophic illness, we help pay the bills, and with this what we do is provide direct service, with doctors who are part of our payroll, is something that we had never done before," said Alejandro Perez Galindo, CEO of the new firm Axa Keralty.
In an interview with El Sol de Mexico, the executive said that with this scheme they expect to reach a million additional customers to those that the insurer has in its insurance scheme for major medical expenses, which are 1.2 million. To this end, the company will invest 120 million dollars in the construction of 50 health care centers nationwide by 2024.
Despite the economic slowdown observed in the country, Axa Keralty is confident that there is potential for growth in Mexico. Perez Galindo even says that if they see positive advances within the next five years, they would commit to increasing their investment. "Mexico has important potential. I think it is normal that with a change of administration the cars are misaligned, but you have to align them and have confidence. In the industry we have much to do in the country," said the executive on the situation that the country is going through.
One of the reasons why there is a high potential in Mexican territory for the business of medical care is the most constant health problems among the population, such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, among others. "We do not have good health indexes. We are one of the countries with the highest rate of obesity and the number one in childhood obesity. In addition, 16 percent of the population lives with diabetes and between 10 and 12 percent suffer from hypertension. There is a very important need for health," he said.
Also, Pérez Galindo recalled that only eight percent of Mexicans have insurance for major medical expenses, which is a product for a high socioeconomic segment and is difficult for the middle class to access. "We believe there is enormous potential to serve more Mexicans with more affordable products," said the company's director. He explained that the Axa Keralty clinics will have general practitioners and specialties such as pediatrics, gynecology, family medicine, as well as the possibility of conducting chemical studies and X-rays, among others.
The idea of the new company, he said, is to cover between 80 and 85 percent of health problems that occur among the population, since the clinics are open to the general public. "Anyone can go for a consultation, which costs 400 pesos, or pay a package of two thousand 550 pesos per year Essential Medicine that includes limited consultations in general medicine, pediatrics, and gynecology, or the Intermediate Plan of four thousand 200 pesos, which includes the rest of specialties," said the director of Axa Keralty.
Perez Galindo added that in the coming months will launch new packages, including some designed for companies that want to ensure their employees. This year, the firm will open five clinics in Mexico City, with an investment of more than five million dollars and which will have the capacity to treat between 50,000 and 80,000 patients. Next year will begin its expansion into other cities, starting perhaps in Monterrey, to achieve coverage of 200,000 people in its first two years, concluded Perez Galindo.

domain: news


Does the CreateDisposition flag of a client depend on Server's response ?
vmittal05 at gmail.com
Fri Jan 27 18:14:07 UTC 2023
We are observing this behavior with Robocopy on Windows 10, where the same
client behaves differently against 2 different versions of Samba -
We have set the max protocol to SMB2.
It sets FILE_OPEN for 4.4.4 and FILE_OPEN_IF with 4.9.5 for the directory
Our VFS module performs its own ACL checks which is misbehaving with the
While we are trying to fix our ACL checks to handle this, I am trying to
understand why would a client want to change that flag
The SMB2 spec says that the application decides the CreateDisposition flag.
Since the client is same in both cases, is there something in the initial
responses by the server that would cause this ?
More information about the samba-technical


text:
Supplies of S-400 systems to Turkey may begin within two yearsMilitary & Defense September 25, 18:14
Ukraine involved in illegal arms deliveries to South Sudan — Amnesty InternationalWorld September 25, 18:01
Russian general's death in Syria result of US double-dealing in war on terror — diplomatRussian Politics & Diplomacy September 25, 17:42
Russia's top diplomat says conditions in Syria ripe for defeating terroristsRussian Politics & Diplomacy September 25, 17:07
Russian envoy notes US actions in Syria as Washington's true colors on anti-terror policyRussian Politics & Diplomacy September 25, 17:00
Economy minister believes new technologies will drive Russia’s economyBusiness & Economy September 25, 16:50
Russian, German scientists boost gas sensor accuracy that can be used in detecting cancerScience & Space September 25, 16:45
US may try to sponsor protests ahead of presidential election in Russia, diplomat warnsRussian Politics & Diplomacy September 25, 16:36
Russian military deny strike against Syrian opposition units near Deir ez-ZorMilitary & Defense September 25, 16:11
MOSCOW, February 4. /TASS/. Russia prepares to introduce a ban on turnover of genetically modified products. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered to hand draft law improving state management in genetic engineering in parliament.
The bill imposes a ban on growing genetically modified GMO plants and breeding animals in Russia, except for their use to conduct research. Meanwhile, supervisory procedures for GMO discharges in the environment and the monitoring of GMO’s impact on people and environment and the influence of products manufactured with the use of GMOs or containing GMOs are introduced, the government said.


text:
Labour's Alan Whitehead tries to interrogate why Ofgem still has no specific remit for decarbonisation
Here's bit of an oddity: the CEO of Ofgem has been hinting recently that it would be good to have a little more clarity about environmental and decarbonisation requirements in Ofgem's brief. This is...
Volvo Trucks unveils plans to launch three all-electric models next year and produce hydrogen fuel cell trucks by mid-decade
'Leading by example': Green economy welcomes stretching target to slash UK emissions 78 per cent by 2035
But big questions remain over how the UK will meet hugely ambitious new targets, after government signalled it will not sign off on all the CCC's policy recommendations
Tech giant pledges to deliver carbon neutral operations by 2025 and a net zero emission value chain by 2040
British fashion brand launches ‘made to last’ sustainability manifesto geared at transforming into a fully regenerative and circular business model by 2030


text:
Want to make confetti cannon video effects?
Wondering how to add confetti explosion overlays onto video? Well, if you have Adobe After Effects look no further! We’ve got three simple video tutorials which will have you emitting colorful particles in minutes.
These short video guides explain how to create amazing confetti particles using both the built-in CC Particle World effect, and the additional (but highly recommended) Trapcode Particular plugin from Maxon.
So, if you need to add a celebration effect to your event promotion, product launch or milestone achievement video, fire up After Effects and follow these handy tips.
How to make a confetti cannon – no plugins
In this short video tutorial Joe, from Goatman Arts, explains how to create a confetti cannon in After Effects using the built-in CC Particle World effect.
Joe adjusts the Particle World physics and emitter settings to produce a confetti explosion with falling and fading particles. By duplicating the effect he creates additional trails and adds further randomness and, using the Colorama effect, he also randomizes the particle colors.
By pre-composing the animation Joe shows how we can quickly and easily change the confetti cannon direction without having to mess around with camera settings or the confusing 3D emitter positioning.
How to make falling confetti – no plugins
In this tutorial Matthew at TipTut uses CC Particle World to produce a falling confetti effect. He shows us a great technique, using Fractal Noise and Colorama, to create a dynamic colorization system. This makes the individual confetti particle colors easier to control.
By giving the CC Particle emitter a wide radius the confetti particles fall, with an even density, across the entire screen. He also adjusts the velocity to create a colorful snowfall look.
Matthew does a fantastic job of explaining many of the CC Particle World settings in this video.
How to make exploding confetti with Trapcode Particular
Using Particular allows you to totally customize each confetti particle’s look – giving you much more control than the built-in CC Particle World effect.
Nick carefully explains the adjustments needed in Particular to customize your confetti shape, and fine-tunes the physics settings to produce a highly realistic, ticker-parade confetti explosion.
Short on time? Here’s some instant confetti overlay effects!
We love confetti (who doesn’t?!) and have created some handy confetti overlay producers and animated footage, which you can quickly incorporate into your video projects.
For editable confetti animation inside Premiere Pro choose our Motion Graphics Template:Get from Enchanted Media Get from Adobe Stock
For bundles of confetti cannon overlay clips (which can be used in most video editing apps) choose from our footage packs:Colored Confetti Pack Gold and Silver Confetti Pack
How about some free confetti overlay effects?Free Confetti Falling Video Free Confetti Overlay Images
That’s all for now!
Please share this awesome page of inspiration with others (they’ll thank you for it!) and be sure to follow our YouTube channel for more video content freebies!


text:
Digital distribution retailer GOG.com has announced a new Games in Development plan that will operate much like Steam Early Access. It will allow gamers to buy a game that is currently in development, and their funds and advice will help aid the direction of the final product.
GOG separates itself from Steam by stating that games will be “hand-picked,” and it also offers a 14-day “no questions asked” refund policy. The first five games that will be available are Starbound, Ashes of the Singularity, Project Zomboid, TerraTech and The Curious Expedition, each of them already available on Steam Early Access.
GOG.com Managing Director Piotr Karwowski further explains.
“Our goal has always been to offer a selection of titles that are both excellent and worth your time. Nowadays, we’re seeing more games that are already great experiences while still in development. We want all gamers on GOG.com to have access to what these titles have to offer, but we want to get it right, carefully evaluating each and every game, offering a 14-day refund policy, and providing GOG Galaxy support with update rollback and more.”
The update rollback will allow players to access older versions of the game through GOG Galaxy if they do not like any changes that the developer has made.
“If a game update breaks something or introduces unwanted changes, GOG Galaxy lets you easily rollback to any previous version of your game while you wait for the fixes… As an added bonus, rollback actually stores historical snapshots throughout a game’s development — that means you can always revisit any point in the game’s history with a single click.”
The entire first wave of games are available now for a 15 to 40 percent discount until Feb. 2.