When you visit the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, you’ll not only get to explore one of the best museums in the world, but you’ll soon be welcomed by a newly designed four-block plaza. Since the plaza hasn’t been updated since 1968, the new environmentally-friendly plaza is sorely needed.
New features designed to complement the symmetrical facade, will include new fountains, shady seating areas, allées of majestic Littleleaf Linden trees and an impressive stormwater management system. The new system will also help ease the urban heat island effect so common in cities. A suspended paving system will allow new tree pits to collect and utilize up to 80,000 gallons of rainwater! Underground detention areas will collect excess water and slowly release it into the stormwater system, lessening demand on the city’s aging infrastructure.
For more information and images, visit the website of Olin Studio, the lead design consultant for The David H. Koch Plaza. The expected completion date is fall 2014.


Two nurses at Aundh Civil Hospital faced suspension following a major blood mix-up incident that occurred on Saturday. The hospital found them guilty after a preliminary enquiry. The mix-up led to two patients receiving transfusions with the wrong blood groups.
The patients involved were a 54-year-old man with pneumonia and another person aged over 70 admitted for anaemia. One patient had blood type B+, while the other had A+. Pune Civil Surgeon Dr N S Yempalle conducted the enquiry and took action against the nurses.
As per Dr Yempalle, the nurses cannot work in private hospitals during the investigation and will be stationed at rural hospitals in Jejuri and Shirur. Even there, they are only allowed to mark attendance, not work. The suspension orders were issued under the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1979. The preliminary enquiry revealed that the blood bags clearly mentioned the blood groups and patients’ names. However, during the transfusion, the nurses swapped the pouches, resulting in the mix-up.
After one of the patient’s relatives noticed the error, both patients were moved to the ICU for observation. The son of the pneumonia patient reported that their conditions were stable.
This error is serious, and both patients will be under observation for 72 hours to ensure their stability. The incident highlights the importance of proper procedures in medical facilities to prevent such errors from occurring.


- Myths and Legends : The Spirit of Dead Kings - The afterlife of charismatic monarchs (Myths & Legends);
- The Community House.
- CA Network Flow Analysis 9.x / 10.0.x Remote Command Execution;
- The Life of Alexander the Great (Modern Library Classics).
The Windows-based PlantFLOW is Rebis' software solution for calculation of steady state pressures, flow velocities and temperatures in gas or liquid piping networks used to size pipes, balance flows, select equipment, and evaluate different valve scenarios. Also included is the ability to visualize system performance problems that exceed user-specified criteria through color-coded graphics and pop-up data windows, as an alternative to manual review of output reports.
By graphically selecting a range of points, with one command the user clicks on the model in order to make global changes to pipe diameters, valve loss, pipe roughness and other parameters, or check differences in pressure, velocity or temperature between any two points.
Visual Analytics for Network Flow Analysis
Get the latest industry news, insights, and analysis delivered to your inbox. I agree to the Terms and Privacy Statement. Company Name Siber Limited. Contact David Eastwood.
Author links open overlay panel Yuhong Wang a 1 Kevin Cullinane b. Abstract The proliferation of hub-and-spoke operations in maritime container transportation has resulted in the widespread consolidation of traffic flows.
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Howard Kurtz reports that CBS is preparing to issue a statement that may (or may not) concede the documents are forgeries and may (or may not) apologize to the viewing public, the president, and/or Viacom shareholders for either (a) failing to properly vet the documents or (b) spending ten days stonewalling while all confidence the memos were real evaporated.
Meanwhile, Daniel Weiner advances a hypothesis about Memogate’s origins (þ Baseball Crank) while Sean Hackbarth wonders why nobody’s asking questions about USA Today’s role in the affair.
The Washington Post reports that the Bush guard memos were faxed to CBS News from a Kinko’s location in Abilene, Texas, which just happens to be down the road from Bill Burkett’s home.
On the other hand, it’s possible that CBS producer
Marla Mary Mapes (or some other person working on the story) faxed the documents to New York herself while in Abilene pursuing the story, and Burkett was uninvolved. So it’s hardly a smoking gun as to the source of the documents.
Also, the WaPo account quotes, on its jump page, a comment (attributed to Bill Burkett, although there’s no way to authenticate that it is genuine) from this comment thread at Steve Verdon’s weblog, Deinonychus antirrhopus. Interesting… (þ OTB)
Update: Via Jim Glass in comments at Tom Maguire’s place, WaPo writer Howie Kurtz has part of an interview with Rather:
"If the documents are not what we were led to believe, I'd like to break that story," Rather said in an interview last night. "Any time I'm wrong, I want to be right out front and say, 'Folks, this is what went wrong and how it went wrong.' "
Glass says “It's a little late for that, Dan.” Six days and counting, I think.
“60 Minutes II” doesn’t air in Jackson until 1:35 a.m. overnight (in its place was some sort of TV movie). What does my TiVo program guide say is on the show?
A hoax some consider responsible for helping launch the war in Iraq; actors Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker talk about their life and marriage.
Signifying Nothing has obtained a copy of the “hoax” originally scheduled to be presented before Rathergate started:
It’s all so obvious now.
Update: Here’s a genuine image from the CBS website that apparently comes from the “picture worth a thousand words” department:
Of course, that’s Dan’s boot on the shovel.
As anticipated, CBS’s new defense is that the sentiments expressed in the memos are real, even if the documents themselves are forgeries.
In other words, the memos were real before they were fake.
Plus, I think CBS and Dan Rather might be upset that George W. Bush outsourced their camels.
Now it all makes sense:
I’ll bet that Dan Rather didn’t get to sleep with Jennifer Garner.
Life is rough like that sometimes…
Colby Cosh nominates a post by Evan Kirchhoff, no Bush fan, as “Best Thing Written On The Subject” of RatherGate. I tend to agree; go read the whole thing, as it’s absolutely merciless throughout. Meanwhile, Susanna Cornett dismisses the idea of Republican dirty tricks, apparently the “out” CBS is going to use for this scandal, as being rather (pardon the pun) lame:
As for the Republicans engineering it… please! Doesn’t CBS realize how thoroughly pathetic and childish that makes them sound? First, it’s very clear that the documents wouldn’t pass serious scrutiny at any time, so even if the Republicans did engineer it, I don’t think even they would have assumed CBS would actually take them seriously! They would have credited CBS with more intelligence, which would have obviously been a flagrant error. Second, if the Republicans were to have engineered this, they would have done a much better job of it. Finally, and actually most importantly, despite the efforts of the MSM to convey the opposite impression, I don’t think the Republicans play that dirty (at least in that arena).
Evan Kirchhoff also has some free advice for his fellow Democrats:
I’ll let you in on a secret: until the recent memo fiesta, I was 100% certain that Bush was AWOL in some sense from something at some point in Texas, since I vaguely remember this going around once or twice before (insert typical rumor about alternative service with Captain J. Daniels, if you know what I mean). Thanks to the CBS/DNC revisitation of the issue, I have boringly learned that there was some kind of flex-time system that operated with an annual “points” scale, and apparently (as I understand this) if you look at Bush’s attendance points, they line up adequately. So now I’m apathetic about AWOL at both the regular and the meta-level.
Currently there are about 7 weeks remaining until the election. If you like, you can spend another two or three of them trying to reverse this conclusion, and if you dig hard enough you might discover that Bill Gates has a time machine he hasn’t previously disclosed to shareholders. But I really think you ought to consider the pure opportunity cost of that project, because with the month nearly half over, it’s starting to look like the entire campaign plan for September consisted of a handful of pseudo-kerned .doc files and Kitty Kelley’s Bush the Coke-Huffing Monkey.
While they’re at it, the DNC might also want to look into finding some campaign workers who actually know what John Kerry stands for. Now, granted, that’s perhaps difficult given Kerry’s own Heisenbergian tendencies, but at least some minor effort on that front would be nice.
I could have sworn I linked Michael Totten last night. Grr… Michael Munger has thoughts in a similar vein today, although I think the more likely explanation (here comes Occam again) is that some deranged, historically clueless anti-Bush person produced the documents—and they’d have gone nowhere if 60 Minutes had done anything approaching due diligence. To believe that anyone planted the documents to discredit the AWOL charges (something that I find nearly impossible to believe could be done, given the other uncertainties in Bush’s records during the era anyway) requires the following assumptions on the part of the forger:
- The person who gave the documents to CBS could never be traced back to the forger (i.e. Bush operatives).
- Someone (CBS) would believe the documents were genuine at first glance, despite all the anachronistic features of the documents.
- CBS would not consult any experts in document authenticity, or even if they did, the experts would be too stupid (or too in hock to CBS) to figure out the documents were anachronistic.
- Other people, with fewer resources than CBS, would figure out the documents were fake.
The first three steps require some sort of Jedi mind control on the part of (presumably) Karl Rove, which is a completely idiotic belief on the basis of Lawrence’s Rule (if nothing else).
Anyway, I think the truth about Bush’s National Guard assignment—and the truth about a lot of things that go on in elite politics and in the South—is embodied in this statement by Virginia Postrel:
I also think that Bush got special treatment, probably without anyone having to ask for it. Given his family's connections and the way Texas operates like a small town, people would have looked out for him.
I made a similar point about Clinton during all of his scandals: he didn’t “suborn perjury” from his supporters—they’d have lied for him without his asking, or his (or anyone else’s) needing to ask. There are limits; this sort of thing wouldn’t happen if you killed someone in cold blood, for example,* but it’s a cornerstone of small-town dynamics that many fail to appreciate.
* Well, it might have happened during the Jim Crow era if the victim was an “uppity Negro” or other malcontent; ultimately, that was the problem in Neshoba County
, because quite a few people so confused their “loyalty” to the community to the point that they dismissed basic human decency.
Dean Esmay is right; anyone speculating in public over the identity of the “memo forger” without evidence is (a) an idiot and more importantly (b) doing the exact same crap CBS pulled in the first place—making charges based on stuff that could just be made up. Sheesh. (þ OTB)
In comments at The Captain’s Quarters, “Judge Crater” writes:
There seems to be no amount of time that is too small (at least in New Jersey) to invoke the “Torricelli Option”.
With the RNC so late, Bush had problems as it was in Illinois. I can’t imagine trying to pull the “Torricelli Option” off in 50 states.
To effectively replace a presidential candidate, you don’t have to exercise the “Torricelli Option”; all that has to happen is the Democratic electors have to agree to support a single candidate when the Electoral College meets in December. A few electors might run foul of “faithless elector” laws if they supported someone other than Kerry, but (to my knowledge) nobody has ever been seriously punished for violating them—and, besides, the deed will have been done, as there’s no way to revoke the vote of a faithless elector.
Besides which, the odds of this happening are about zero; even if Kerry melts down due to blowback from Rathergate (a prospect that’s dubious at best, unless it turns out some higher-up in the campaign typed the memos himself), it’s hard to believe any Democrat consensus candidate could emerge other than Edwards, who’s already on record as lending credence to the memos.
Bruce Rolston notes that all four memos raising questions about George W. Bush’s service reproduce exactly in Microsoft Word (þ Colby Cosh). As he says, one could buy one memo looking exactly like a Word document on the basis of coincidence… but four? That seems pretty implausible to me, at least.
What about the Selectric Composer—could Killian have used it? That’s not very likely either. And, you too can be a handwriting expert for the day. (Both links to Jeff Harrell’s The Shape of Days.)
Update: Surely if CBS lies to its interview subjects they would’t also lie to the American people, would they? And surely CBS would tell us if the guy allegedly pressuring Killian had retired 18 months before the memo was allegedly written? Right? Bueller?
A senior CBS official, who asked not to be named because CBS managers did not want to go beyond their official statement, named one of the network's sources as retired Maj. Gen. Bobby W. Hodges, the immediate superior of the documents' alleged author, Lt. Col. Jerry B. Killian. He said a CBS reporter read the documents to Hodges over the phone and Hodges replied that "these are the things that Killian had expressed to me at the time."
"These documents represent what Killian not only was putting in memoranda, but was telling other people," the CBS News official said. "Journalistically, we've gone several extra miles."
The official said the network regarded Hodges's comments as "the trump card" on the question of authenticity, as he is a Republican who acknowledged that he did not want to hurt Bush. Hodges, who declined to grant an on-camera interview to CBS, did not respond to messages left on his home answering machine in Texas.
So the “trump card,” Hodges, didn’t actually verify the documents’ authenticity (and CBS went out of its way to tell him the memos were in Killian’s handwriting), and Staudt was apparently only able to influence the Guard in 1973 via telepathy.
I suppose the good news is they didn't rig anything to explode (yet). And it's not like 60 Minutes has a record of basing stories on fake memos or anything:
In 1999, "60 Minutes" apologized, as part of a legal settlement with a Customs Service official, for reporting on a memo that was later found to be fake."
Oh, scratch that one then.
I think this whole “forged documents” thing is taking off.
Meanwhile, Occam’s Razor suggests that the theory that the documents might not be forged (discussed by Gary Farber) is unlikely. I find it difficult to believe that by coincidence, someone would produce a document with a 1973 typewriter that would look essentially identical to the output of the copy of Microsoft Word 2002 on my desk, down to the inter-letter spacing [not the kerning - Ed.], superscripting of the ordinal “th,” and margins, or that someone would go to the trouble of purchasing a non-standard typewriter ball for a military-issue typewriter (were these golfballs even in the GSA contract with IBM?) and install it just to write memos about a particular officer for filing—but switch back to the standard one for other correspondence. (But Gary is to be commended for at least taking the time to seriously think about this, something a lot of people haven’t done.)
I think Colby Cosh nails it in a sentence:
If the reports are accurate, CBS—estimated annual news budget: one squillion dollars—has been taken in by a fraud that, roughly speaking, anybody over the age of 30 in the industrialized world could have spotted.
Of course, I strongly suspect the people doing the real legwork on this story either (a) are like my students and don’t remember an era before ubiquitous computing or (b) are folks like Dan Rather who haven’t touched a typewriter in 30 years. Speaking of Dan, CBS News is saying we don’t need no—investigation. That stand, er, does not seem wise.
This post is by request from a reader. Never let it be said that Signifying Nothing is indifferent to its audience.
Interesting: it seems that at least some of the documents that are raising questions about George W. Bush’s service (or lack thereof) in the National Guard are forgeries (☣ Little Green Footballs).
Incidentally, I duplicated the experiment here with my copy of Word 2002 SP 3 at work, and also came up with an identically laid-out memo. (The date is indented four inches, if you want to try it yourself.) What may be most interesting about this experiment is not the typeface*—although the “smart ordinal” feature is something of a giveaway—but the default margins, which are 1.25 inches on each side in Word, a size that is relatively atypical.
Does this mean the whole story is fake? Probably not. But it does mean that Democratic operatives need to catch up in the forgery department to the French intelligence services.
* Times New Roman is pretty much a carbon copy of the original Times font, with equivalent letter spacing and the like, so it’s plausible that a 1971 typewriter or phototypesetter would produce an indistinguishable typeface with the right type (I believe by 1971, high-end phototypesetters were available that worked on the modern raster principle of page generation; one suspects National Guard units did not have this equipment on hand, however).


South Africa Rules Out Privatizing Eskom to Plug Funding GapKevin Crowley and Amogelang Mbatha
South Africa ruled out privatizing Eskom Holding SOC Ltd. to solve the state-run electricity supplier 225 billion-rand ($21 billion) funding shortfall, Public Enterprises Minister Lynne Brown said.
“It would be a grave mistake to privatize this critical player in the economy,” she said in an e-mailed statement. “To my knowledge, Cabinet has not discussed the matter of privatization, and there is no need to unnecessarily raise temperatures around this matter.”
Eskom bond yields jumped the most on record today after the South African Communist Party, which has members in government, said there were moves afoot to privatize parts of the state-run utility. That would leave bondholders with fewer assets over which to make a claim in the event of a default, according to Elena Ilkova, a credit analyst at FirstRand Ltd.’s Rand Merchant Bank unit.
The government’s departments of energy and public enterprises and the National Treasury are working on a way to close Eskom’s funding shortfall. The utility’s bonds have a 50 percent chance of being lowered to junk by the end of September, Standard & Poor’s said June 20. That would significantly raise borrowing costs.
Eskom’s funding deficit for the five years to 2018 arose last year after South Africa’s energy regulator granted the utility only half the tariff increases it requested. The state-run electricity provider was forced to schedule managed blackouts in March and June as it struggled to keep the lights on after a decade of underinvestment in power stations.
While privatization is off the table, the government needs to make decisions “on the extent to which future build projects will be undertaken by the private sector” to ensure the long-term stability of Eskom, Brown said.
“It is critical that the private sector participates in the energy sector and through IPPs, this practice is firmly entrenched,” she said, referring independent power producers.
Yields on Eskom’s $1 billion of bonds due in August 2023 increased 25 basis points to 5.97 percent by 5:13 p.m. in Johannesburg, the most since they were issued in August last year. The South African Communist Party, which is in alliance with the ruling African National Congress, said earlier it was aware of moves to privatize parts of Eskom.
“There are individuals within the broader liberation movement who would gladly support privatization,” spokesman Alex Mashilo said in an interview, declining to identify anyone. The SACP is opposed to privatization because it would lead to increased electricity prices for the poor, he said.
The government has committed to backing 350 billion rand of Eskom’s debt, of which the company has used about a third.
Brown said she is exploring a “portfolio of options” to plug Eskom’s funding gap.
“There has been serious public speculation about public-sector equity injection, assets being sold, private-sector equity and tariff hikes,” Brown said on July 29, according to a separate statement from her department today. “These are levers which must be considered in any serious discussion.”


The group is expected to have to pay liquidated damages of at least $20m (pounds 12m) but it could also end up bearing some of the costs of bringing the fleet of C-130J aircraft into service. The 13-month delay in delivery could also affect any deal that Lockheed Martin wins to supply the RAF with more Hercules aircraft.
Lockheed had been due to begin delivering the first of the 25 aircraft to the RAF last November but they will not now start to arrive until January next year. The hold up has been caused by delays in getting FAA certification for the new aircraft. This has taken two years rather than than the 9 months forecast by Lockheed.
Meanwhile, Lockheed said it was in talks to bring GEC on to its Joint Strike Fighter programme alongside British Aerospace. BAe will be a main risk sharing partner if Lockheed wins the full production order - 3,000 jets worth $750bn. GEC is supplying flight controls and some avionics for two demonstrator aircraft. The US Defense Department will choose between Lockheed and a rival consortium led by Boeing in 2001.
Lockheed, which is also buying Northrop Grumman, another US defence contractor, is in talks about the possibility of the French fighter manufacturer, Dassault, and Germany's Deutsche Aerospace joining the JSF programme.
"We want to be a global company, not just one that sells its products overseas, and that means looking for global partners to help us," said Micky Blackwell, president of Lockheed's aeronautics division.
He said that it was not interested in joining forces with Airbus Industrie until the consortium was privatised.Reuse content


From: Radio Tron (no email)
Date: Tue Feb 02 2010 - 08:19:36 EST
Hi, I'm a volunteer on an OpenBSD free-shell (cyberspace.org). Staff has turned off email because of SPAM (hogs our bandwidth and staff time).
1. Can we configure postfix such that it first checks a user's home directory for a .postfix_white-list file and accepts mail (MAIL FROM:) only if there is a match between what's in the white-list file and what it sees in the MAIL FROM field?
2. Can we configure outgoing mail such that postfix delivers only 5-mails/5-hours/user?
3. Can we group users into categories? Some get 0mails/hr, 5m/5h, 10m/5hr etc..
4. Can we collect statistics to see who receives and sends a lot of mail?? (mailing list traffic, etc)
I checked the Definitive guide but it talks of a system wide white-list of domains(smtpd_sender_restrictions), but I was wondering if you could do that on an individual basis.. setting up some kind of regex (*.yahoo.com or ) which can be removed when required if she turns abusive. Basically we could then provide a web-based white-list adding program on the users home page. Is there some way to store the hash postfix uses in each individual users home_dir vs storing it centrally??
Thank you for your time.


text:
25-year-old Patrick Bess has not spoken with his family since September 18, 2021.
His family filed a missing person’s report on Dec. 21.
Bess is believed to be homeless.
He has been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) as a missing and endangered person.
If you have seen Patrick Bess or know where he can be located, please contact Det. Cody Thomas at 629 201 5537.

domain: news


text:
While homemade dressings are probably the best, a quick and easy substitute is either Amy's / Annie's (T.J.'s version) or Bragg's brand. They make the best products that include the highest grade quality ingredients, and are readily available at any local natural foods store and Whole Foods.
Pour them on salads and grain bowls to make your veggies sing!
Amy's Goddess is my fave ~ tahini creamy lovin at its finest, or the Shitake Sesame or Balsamic ~ YUM!
We've been loving the Bragg's Ginger Sesame on all our greens lately too!
As for breakfast, I am a sucker for this insatiable, gluten-free, decadent granola, Love Crunch. There are so many flavors, but my favorite is the raspberry chocolate combo with some almond milk. OMG. Sometimes we sprinkle a little on our smoothie too! SOOO GOOD! It may not be the healthiest because of its added raw cane sugar, but once a week (or twice) is fine I think! ;)
Or you could be a little healthier with this SuperFood Cereal, and trust all the ingredients in it:
Both are available at Natural Food Marts!
Get on it!

domain: food


text:
TianziFang / TaiKang Lu
The Tianzifang area located off Taikang Rd is a fun rambling network of cafe’s, shops, bars, boutiques and galleries built into converted Shikumen style housing (Chinese: t 石庫門, s 石库门, p shíkùmén, lit. “Stone Warehouse Gate”) Many shops occupy the first level, while some of the second and third levels continue to be residents’ housing, which accounts for the laundry (underwear included) that you’ll find hung out to dry over the tiny walk-ways.
Every since I discovered this area many years ago it has held the spot of “favorite place in Shanghai” for me. Of course, when I first found it it was a 20 min walk from a subway station, and now there’s a subway station right across the street—so it has become considerably more popular.
Go during a weekday or weekday night and you’ll have 300% less crowds. Either way, its fun to wander around (and you will spend a lot of time wandering, getting anywhere quickly in that maze is almost impossible), window shopping, taking photos, enjoying some art, or finding a special gift.
There are an abundance of places to eat, drink, or shop, so don’t be afraid to just go and explore. Many shops sell the quintessential tourist trinkets, but there are also many boutiques that are reminiscent of shops I’d find back in the US that hold random niche items, and one-of-a-kind gifts—making it a great place for locals and tourists alike. There’s also an awesome “Propaganda Art” shop that will meet all your Mao needs (for a price of course).
Here are some of the eateries that I’ve enjoyed time and time again (I should probably stop enjoying them, and explore more, but it’s just so hard when you know you’ll like someplace 🙂
More Than Toilet. Yep, I’m starting with dessert (even though, I hear they serve food as well). This restaurant started in Taiwan, and has now made it’s way to Shanghai. Definitely worth the stop for dessert and a laugh. Ice cream is served in porcelain shaped “squatty potties” (we are in China after-all), seats and tables are made out of toilets, and the ice cream looks like a poo! The first time I went was purely for the novelty of eating in a restaurant so committed to poo, but to my delight the ice cream is quite good!
If you’re in the mood for some American style burgers at a decent price head to New York Style Steak & Burger. I’ve never tried their steak, but I’ve eaten my way through almost every style of burger on the menu and they were all fabulous. Their prices have slowly been creeping up, but it’s still one of the best deals you’ll find for a burger in Shanghai.
Craving Thai food? Head to Lapis Thai. Great food, fun environment, but remember to bring some water otherwise you’ll end up paying ¥10 per bottle as they don’t provide it free.
Another great eat is Pho No. 1 which serves Vietnamese food.
If you’re ready to stop for a drink check out Friend’s Bar. The owner is super nice and it’s a fun little path-side place for a drink. Plus, who can pass up a drink at the Friend’s Bar with your friends?! (We couldn’t, it was just too apropos).
Many of these restaurants occupy all three levels of their site. So they’ll look extremely small when you first enter, but heading in and up will usually reveal many more nooks of seating. Head up to the second or third level as that’s often where they’ll have an outdoor area on a small deck, or even just next to a window for a nice view. You may even catch the neighbors out preparing laundry or enjoying a sunny day as well.
Have you found a favorite eat in Tianzifang? Share with us!

domain: geography


text:
Technology Coordinator and Trainer in the Rapid City Area School District
Strand 1 of the new technology standards (Nature and Concepts of Technology) relies heavily on systems thinking and design. Educational technology fits well into Information and Communication Technologies. There is so much change coming that we need to find out how to deal with teaching our kids.
Strand 1 includes:
History and Progression
Relationships with other fields
System is made up of several parts that all work together. We are surrounded by all kinds of systems. Systems help us to see how individual parts work together, understand complicated things, and deal with future changes.
System thinking can be broken down to the simple model of input, process, and output. Feedback is also a necessary element to make certain the system works.
How do we use this model? Relate the to the student world. Introduce – Plan – Analyze
Use the system all the time and kids will start thinking that way.
It could take between 7 and 20 years of students being exposed to systems thinking before it really pays off.
The Design Process (Technological Method)
Define the problem
Select the best solution
Produce the solution
Test and evaluate the solution
Report the results
Wayne did a wonderful job explaining the systems thinking method.
For more resources, see Wayne’s website:

domain: design


Guest speakers from Greece and abroad, as well as
top executives and partners of Siemens in Greece joined the event while more
than 200 customers, company partners and representatives of scientific,
educational and institutional bodies were given the opportunity to hear and
learn about the new technological developments that drive digital
transformation worldwide, their benefits and their contribution to the
sustainability of markets and societies.
The keynote speeches were complemented by
specialized, themed technology sessions focusing on technologies that drive
Digital Industries and Smart Cities, as well as an interactive app exhibition.
The keynote speeches were, in fact, preceded by the
Tech Meetup Sessions, where senior Greek market executives had the chance to
learn about technologies that transform everyday life, in the fields of Digital
Industries and Smart Cities.
As part of the Digital Industries Sessions, top
executives from Siemens Greece, FEAC Engineering, Depia Automations and the
AM4GR Initiative presented the latest technological trends in Additive
Manufacturing, digital transformation, machine design and manufacturing, as
well as Simulation and Digital Twin industrial solutions. Moreover, the event featured a presentation of
the AM4GR initiative. The latter is a know-how and interconnection centre for
Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing aiming to enhance the industrial
sector of Greece. Siemens S.A. is among the founding members of this
During the Smart Cities Sessions, Siemens Smart
Infrastructure and Digital Industries representatives shared their knowledge on
value creation through digitization and smart buildings, as well as the latest
developments in electromobility, while a special Session entitled Smart Water
focused on the benefits of digital solutions and applications in the water
industry. The highlight of this session was a detailed presentation of Siemens'
collaboration with the Municipal Water Supply and Sewerage Company of Larissa
(DEYAL), including the use of advanced digital automation solutions in water
and sewerage facility management, the irrigation of urban parks and rural areas
with high energy efficiency pumps, as well as energy cost savings thanks to 4.0
solutions. These sessions featured also a Mendix representative speech on low
code programming platforms.
The central event began with a speech by Dr. Vasileios
Chatzikos, CEO at Siemens S.A., and Dimos Sapidis, CEO at Siemens Mobility S.A.,
whose speech was entitled "The Digital World of Tomorrow: Accelerating
Sustainability in Industry and Infrastructure”. The event’s keynote speaker,
Dr. Mathias Oppelt, Head of Customer driven Innovation at Siemens AG Digital
Industries, focused on the future of industrial activities. He was followed by
Haris Toloumis, Global Product Line Manager, Smart Infrastructure at Siemens
AG, who, in his turn, focused on smart buildings and on the technologies and
solutions that reduce their environmental footprint. Last but not ultimate was
the speech by MAGOS. MAGOS is a fine example of start-up entrepreneurship. The
company presented its exoskeleton glove that enables one to touch and feel in a
VR environment and its range of applications. The main event stage closed with
a comprehensive discussion on the subject of digital transformation, the
concept of co-creation and synergies of technology providers and start-ups in
the new business ecosystem.
In his speech, Dr Vasileios Chatzikos, CEO at Siemens
S.A., said, among other things: "We are particularly happy that after two
years of pandemic incursion, we are finally able to present our innovations to
select customers and partners. Their presence at this
event demonstrates that they see us as a trusted technology partner for their
digital transition. We know that
to make industry and infrastructure more sustainable we need to combine the
real and the digital worlds. Siemens
Greece is poised to offer the most modern and pioneering digitization
technologies suitable for the domestic market, thus helping to cut down on
production times, reduce the environmental footprint, save time, energy and cost.
Our next step in the market is to create synergies that will enable us to
jointly shape the future of all industries and markets thanks to a
collaborative ecosystem. The solutions and technologies for a better and more
sustainable tomorrow are already here and it is up to us how, when and to what
extent will use them."
Mr. Dimos Sapidis, CEO at Siemens Mobility S.A. and
Head of Smart Infrastructure at Siemens S.A., highlighted the fact that
“Sustainability is key for next generation projects in the fields of
infrastructure and transportation. At Siemens we work with customers and
partners to create an ecosystem that intuitively responds to people's needs,
supporting them to achieve their business goals. I hope that this event has
demonstrated beyond any doubt that Siemens is a trusted partner, whose holistic
solutions shall contribute to creating the cities of the future."


text:
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domain: travel


The monster within
As Mr Mercedes returns for a second season, showrunner Jack Bender tells DQ about adapting Stephen King’s crime novel for the small screen and the importance of character in TV drama.
While Stephen King is well known for stories with elements of fantasy, science-fiction and the supernatural, Mr Mercedes arguably ranks among the most conventional novels he’s ever written.
Strictly a cat-and-mouse crime thriller between a retired cop still trying to solve the case that got away and a psychotic serial killer plotting one final rampage, it was adapted for television by AT&T’s Audience Network, which launched the show last year.
The first 10-part season saw former detective Bill Hodges (Brendan Gleeson) go head-to-head with Brady Hartsfield (Harry Treadaway), the man known as Mr Mercedes after driving a car into a crowd, killing several people in the opening minutes of the show.
So far, so traditional cop drama. Yet season two, which debuts in the US on August 22, goes “a little more into ‘Stephen Kingdom,’” director and showrunner Jack Bender tells DQ.
Merging story elements from King novels Finders Keepers and End of Watch, the second and third instalments of the Mercedes trilogy, season two is set a year after the events of season one. Hodges has set up a private investigation firm while Hartsfield is in a coma, on life support and in a vegetative state. But when unexplainable occurrences begin to affect hospital staff members attending to Hartsfield, Hodges is haunted by the feeling that the comatose killer is somehow responsible. Watching the opening two episodes, it certainly feels like the show is shifting towards traditional King territory.
“The big issue was where we left Brady at the end of season one, with his head bashed in. What were we going to do with the storytelling? So we followed the breadcrumbs Stephen had laid out to work out how we give Harry room to act and move and not just have him in a hospital bed with a voiceover,” says Bender. The answer was to dramatise Hartsfield’s inner thoughts, with Treadaway occupying a dark basement filled with computer screens that serves as his eyes out to the world.
“So Hodges is our everyman and the show remains character-driven, but we definitely had to go out on the tightrope and push the envelope. That was my most challenging task this year, aside from keeping the show as wonderful as it was. The task was to walk that tightrope in terms of both the scripts and storytelling and the performances so the show remained believable.”
Bender first worked with King on the first two seasons of Under the Dome, the CBS series based on the author’s book about the residents of a town inexplicably trapped under a giant dome. They had become friends when Bender had earlier worked on ABC’s mystery drama Lost and, after Under the Dome, sought to partner on a new project.
“Then one day I got this crazy-big package in the mail – he didn’t tell me it was coming – and it was proofs for his new book, Mr Mercedes. Needless to say, I was very excited. I read it and immediately wanted to do it for a couple of reasons,” Bender recalls. “One, Stephen King had really never tackled the detective genre before. And the plot was very much the retired detective and the serial killer from the horrible crime he could never solve.”
King had initially suggested his book be turned into a movie, but Bender recognised the opportunity to take more time to delve into Hartsfield’s childhood and his abusive relationship with his mother, perhaps even to illicit some understanding from the audience as to what drove him to commit such an atrocity. But it was the fact that King had written about the monsters inside his characters, rather than those on the outside, that appealed to him most.
“My focus is to tell good stories on whatever platform,” says Bender, a former actor who has also directed episodes of Game of Thrones, The Sopranos and Lost. “Marty Bowen, the exec producer, really planted a seed in my head that this could be a really classy series – meaning cable, which allows you able to make episodes without commercials and that aren’t restricted to 43 minutes and 10 seconds.
“I had some episodes of The Sopranos that were 60 minutes and some that were 47 minutes. [The Sopranos creator] David Chase would cut the show, with HBO’s support, to whatever length he wanted it to be. It allowed you the flexibility to make each episode a movie in of itself that builds the bigger story. I just think it’s an exceptional time for storytellers.”
Bender admits he’s not a big fan of the title ‘showrunner,’ but that’s the role he took up on season one and carries into season two. “I oversee everything. I edit, dub, I do everything,” he admits. “I guess at the end of the day, on Mr Mercedes that’s my job.”
He has also directed 16 of the show’s 20 episodes – eight in each 10-part season – and praises the “brilliant” team assembled around him, in particular the cast led by Gleeson and Treadaway. David E Kelley (Ally McBeal) is the lead writer on the series, which is available outside the US on Starzplay via Amazon Prime Video Channels.
“You might be directing a scene that is a massacre or the finale of season one, which has more production jazz going on, or a scene with Holland Taylor [who plays Hodges’ neighbour Ida] and Brendan Gleeson sitting at a table on her porch playing eight pages of a brilliantly written scene by David Kelley talking about his sex life. But every day you have to keep your eye on the prize and guide it and be open to the creativity around you,” Bender says. “I am surrounded by great technicians and great creative people. I guess the biggest task is to stay open; to trust my instincts but listen to everyone around me and make the 100 decisions you have to make every day.”
Bender took particular care in creating the contrasting worlds of Hodges and Hartsfield, using different camera lenses and lighting styles, or putting the camera closer to or higher above one character than the other. “Yet I never wanted the show to go too far and be self-conscious,” he adds. “I didn’t want anything that takes away from the characters and what they’re up to, and the tension that surrounds them in a particular scene. So I attempted to establish that style and adhere to it with the other directors coming in and still allowing them to be creative.”
King based the massacre at the start of the story, in which Brady mows down dozens of people queuing for a jobs fair, on a real-life incident that took pace several years before cars became the weapon of choice for a spate of terrorist attacks – as London witnessed again this week. So during the planning phase of the series, which is produced by Sonar Entertainment and distributed by Sony Pictures Television, Bender was clear that he didn’t want to embellish or exploit this tragedy for the cameras.
“I didn’t want to do gorgeous, graphic slow-motion of bodies and limbs flying through the air and blood splattering and action music,” he explains. “I wanted this show to be unembellished and raw.”
That decision also led him to refuse a soundtrack for the series, instead introducing music through Hodges’ extensive vinyl collection that he keeps in his house. “It’s the only thing in his life, except for his tortoise Fred, that he takes care of. He plays the songs and we could have that be part of the show,” Bender says. Hartsfield also listens to music, including Ramones track Pet Sematary – just one of several nods to King’s other novels during the series (Brady also wears a clown mask during the massacre, which the book describes as looking eerily like a certain Pennywise the Clown).
“It’s a fine line but I tried to go raw and real and with the rest of the show, I was just thinking back on John Cassavetes’ movies and those extraordinary performances where the camera just sat on some people for a while. That also dictated some of what I wanted to do with the show.”
Plans are already underway for a third season that could combine further elements of King’s novels, perhaps with original storylines too. But will the writers find a way to keep Hartsfield alive for a third run? Bender – who is already working on another King adaptation, The Outsider – teases: “You know, one never knows.”


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Spiritual Message: The Willingness of The God For Prosperity
Spiritual Message: The Willingness of The God For Prosperity. God’s Willingness on Your Behalf. Second Peter 1:1 gives us an important key to God’s willingness toward us. It says: Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Notice who Peter is writing to:
To those that have obtained precious faith with them. He is talking to us because we have obtained the same faith.
- Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord (v. 2). There is a knowledge of God that will enable God’s grace to be multiplied to you. Grace has been defined as unmerited favour, but grace is much more than that. Not only is it unmerited favour, it is God’s willingness to use His power and ability on your behalf.
- It was because God was willing to get personally involved to provide salvation that I was saved.
- God’s willingness to use His power and ability on our behalf, and His peace is multiplied to us through the knowledge of God. The word peace literally means prosperity. It means “to be joined together as one.” If we are joined with Jesus, that’s prosperity any way you look at it!
God is not just willing. His willingness is multiplied to us. Some say, “I know God is able, but I don’t know whether or not He’s willing.” He won’t until you find out He will.
- You must have the knowledge of God’s willingness to prosper you. In the first chapter of Mark, a leper came to Jesus and said, If thou wilt, thou can’t make me clean. Jesus then stretched forth His hand and laid it on the leper. No healing power flowed until Jesus said, I will; be thou clean. As soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed, and he was cleansed (vv. 4042).
- The leper knew Jesus could heal him; but he didn’t know whether or not He would heal him. Jesus, anointed with the Holy Spirit, laid His hand on the leper, but no healing came until He answered the man’s question.
No prosperity will come until you answer the poverty question: Does God want me poor?
- When you know God will, then He is willing. If you are in doubt about His willingness, He won’t. God’s willingness and prosperity is multiplied to you through the knowledge of God. As you gain the knowledge of God, you will have faith in that knowledge, and it will multiply God’s willingness toward you.
Prosperity in All Areas
- It is possible for prosperity to be limited to only one area of your life. People who are diligent in certain areas will prosper in those areas.
- Some denominations are diligent in presenting salvation; they are successful in that area. Others, who are successful in the area of healing and walking in divine health, fail when it comes to finances.
- Many don’t understand why this happens. In trying to answer these questions, some have said, “Well, it must not be God’s will for me to be prosperous or healed.”
- We could spend all our time dealing with divine healing and get people healed; but if we did, not many would prosper financially. We must find a balance.
Romans 4:3 says,
- Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. The word righteousness is an Old English word that means “right standing with God.” Abraham was in right standing with God.
- It is possible for an individual to be in right standing with God in the area of salvation, but not be in right standing on healing or finances. He may be thinking and believing wrong. His preconceived ideas may be contrary to Scripture.
- A person who is in right standing with the Scriptures on healing will usually get healed, but that same person may be out of right standing concerning finances. He might believe that it’s a sin to have money or drive a new car. He could be right in his heart, but wrong in his head.
- In the soulish area he can be wrong. If his soul is not prosperous in that particular area, then usually he will not prosper in that area. A person in this condition will not give much into the ministry because he doesn’t believe God wants him to have anything. Therefore, he never believes in a return and, if it comes, he misses it. It takes a prosperous attitude to reap a financial harvest.
God’s Word says, Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper (Ps. 1:3).
- You can apply this verse to supply even small needs. For instance, I have used it even on fishing trips. A few years ago I was fishing with two fellows. One kept saying, “There aren’t any fish left here. We caught them all out of here two years ago!”
- Having had enough of that negative talk, I grabbed my rod and reel, jumped out of the boat, and waded away from the unbelief.
- I started saying, “Whatever I do will prosper, in the name of Jesus! No weapon formed against me will prosper!” (I knew that supper would be slim if we didn’t catch some fish!)
- Before long, I had caught a five-pound bass. One of the fellows asked, “What did you catch him on?” I yelled back, “Psalm 1:3!” I have filled a stringer many times with that verse.
- It’s time for Christians to get a healthy attitude toward prosperity in every area! God even wants you to prosper in the little things.
Jesus Became Poor that You Might Be Rich
- For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich (2 Cor. 8:9). Jesus suffered the curse of the Law: poverty, sickness, and spiritual death. When He was here on earth, He was poverty-stricken according to the world’s system. He didn’t have a house or a place to lay His head. Yet all His needs were met because He operated according to spiritual law.
- He became poor . . . that ye through his poverty might be rich. Someone has suggested that this was talking about Jesus being poor spiritually. How poor was Christ spiritually? He raised the dead, cast out demons, healed the sick. No, He was not poverty-stricken spiritually in His ministry.
- Jesus became poor so that you might be rich—but He’s not poor anymore! Everything He did was for us. His poverty brought us access to prosperity.
Joint-heirs with the King
- Romans 8:17 tells us we are joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. That means whatever He has, we have access to through the Word of God. Jesus said, When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth… All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you (John 16:13,15).
- We must realise that God is not poor and that we are redeemed from the curse of poverty. God wants us to walk in victory spiritually, physically, financially, and socially.
Ask According to God’s Will
- Jesus made the following statement several times in His ministry: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you (Matt. 7:7).
- Someone may say, “That can’t be true, because I asked and didn’t receive.” Statements like Matthew 7:7 must be qualified. You must ask in faith. If you apply the principles of God’s Word, then you will know the will and purpose of God. As a result, faith will come; then when you ask, you will receive. Jesus said in John 15:7, If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
- Someone may say, “If this statement was true, everyone would be a millionaire.” No, there is more to it than that. Jesus didn’t just say, “If ye abide in Me, ask what you will,” He included a qualification: “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask what ye will.” God’s Word is His will, and God’s will is His Word. When His Word abides in you, then His will abides in you.
God sent his word, and healed them (Ps. 107:20). They (God’s words) are life unto those that find them, and health (medicine) to all their flesh (Prov. 4:22).
- It is God’s will to heal you in every way you can believe—spiritually, physically, and financially. God’s Word will work to that end, if you will learn to apply it wisely.
Saying and Believing
- The Word of God tells us to speak what we desire. In Mark 11:23,24 Jesus gives the foundation principles for the God kind of faith: Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
- Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
- In this passage of Scripture, the word therefore connects the two verses. Jesus is saying, “When a man believes and doubts not in his heart, he will have what he is saying; therefore, he will receive what he desires when he prays.”
When you pray, believe you receive what you desire! In other words, pray for the desire, not the problem!
- When I first read this verse, I thought it worked for whosoever; but Jesus didn’t say that. He said it would work for whosoever shall say. Saying that the principle works for whosoever is like saying, “Farming will work for anybody.” Farming works only for those who plant seed.
- To operate the principle of Mark 11:23, you must plant the seed; and to do this, you must get your mouth in motion! You won’t receive your desire just because you say it. You will receive it because of the way the Kingdom of God operates. Saying it is involved in working the principle.
Believe and Don’t Doubt
- Besides saying, this principle says the whosoever must believe and doubt not in his heart.
- Speak your desire, then meditate on it. Keep it in your mouth. This will put it in your heart; then faith will come and what you desire will eventually come to you.
- Whosoever believes those things which he saith shall come to pass. Notice he believes everything he says will come to pass; and because of that, he shall have whatsoever he saith. If you say the wrong things—words of doubt and unbelief—you are on your way to trouble because you are sowing the wrong seed.
- Wrong seed will bring a wrong harvest. These are Kingdom principles; and to operate in the principles of the Kingdom, we must have the wisdom of God. The Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding (Prov. 2:6).
Things To Remember
- God is willing to use His power and ability on your behalf.
- Know that God wants you to prosper in all areas.
- Prosperity requires diligence.
- It takes a prosperous attitude to reap a financial harvest.
- Jesus became poor so that you might be rich.
- His poverty brings you access to prosperity.
- God wants you to walk in victory spiritually, physically, financially, and socially.
- Pray for your desires, not your problems. Meditate on and speak your desire.
- बाइबिल से 400+ “धन्य” वचन-नीतिवचन (भाग 3) | Bible Se 400+ DHANYWAD Ke Vachan। Niti-Vachan
- बाइबिल से 400+ “धन्य” वचन (भाग 1) | Bible Se 400+ DHANYWAD Ke Vachan (Blessing Verses)
- बाइबिल से 400+ “धन्य” वचन ( भाग 2 ) | Bible Se 400+ DHANYWAD Ke Vachan Bhajan Sanhita se

domain: literature


The highly-anticipated plan to enhance nearly 60 miles of the White River in central Indiana has been unveiled. Officials say the White River Vision Plan provides a deep dive into a shared vision for the section of the river in Marion and Hamilton counties focusing on environmental and ecological health, equity, public safety and activation. Hamilton County Tourism Inc. Chief Executive Officer Brenda Myers says the goal of the project is to make the White River more prevalent in the eyes of central Indiana residents.
In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, Myers said the developers are using nine principles as a framework for the project.
"They range from protecting wildlife and the environment to protecting ownership along the river. Those nine principles are really focused on making the river first and foremost important in our lives so that we care enough about it to take care of it. One of the things we heard loud and clear from residents is they want access to the river, they want the river to be cleaner, (and) they want us to protect the river. Striking a balance between the health of the river and use of the river I think will be critically important as we move forward."
The plan identifies seven "anchor areas" that will be a major focus of the project. They include commercial corridors, historic districts, cultural destinations and catalytic program opportunities along the 58-mile stretch of the white river. The plan offers recommendations for each area, including:
- Strawtown Koteewi Park: Build on the park’s regional success and existing master plan, focus on environmental health and historic interpretation, including a new trail from Potter’s Bridge Park to Cicero, a viewing tower and an expanded area for launching kayaks and canoes, invasive plant species removal, and historic signage and installations.
- Downtown Noblesville: Support Noblesville’s downtown revitalization with new riverfront links, including the incorporation of existing elements and projects like the Riverwalk and increased or enhanced river access, and new ideas like sustainable design practices, shadier streets, and riverfront terraces.
- Allisonville Stretch: Centered on the asset of Conner Prairie, this area focuses on community engagement to protect natural areas, support the existing Conner Prairie’s master plan, and local collaboration to improve pedestrian crossings.
- Oliver’s Crossing: Situated around I-465, Oliver’s Woods and surrounding retail destinations, this anchor district builds on the opportunity for nearby post-production quarry lands close to the river for flood storage and outdoor adventure activities programming, as well as recommendations to connect public open spaces in this stretch with trails and riverfront landowner partnerships.
- Broad Ripple: The vision for this beloved canal district reconnects the area to its riverfront by relocating parking and connecting across the levee at 64th St. to Holliday Park via the planned Broad Ripple Riverwalk and trail. It protects the historic character of residential neighborhoods and Broad Ripple’s commercial district, helps with early implementation of the planned boat launch, riverbank restoration, river walk, and terrace river edge projects. It also recommends that artists and the Indianapolis Art Center create temporary or permanent art installations.
- Downtown Indianapolis: Building on key opportunities like the recent Riverside Park master plan and current needs of the Emrichsville Dam, the plan leverages partnerships to redesign the dam for multi-functional environmental, water quality, and recreational benefits to the neighboring Near Westside community and guides sustainable development outside the floodplain.
- Southwestway Park: At the plan’s southern boundary, this large ecological asset emphasizes environmental education through grant funding and a ranger “outpost,” creates a new entrance from Southport Road, establishes multiple new river access points and recommends a 10-year restoration and management program.
Myers says the effort has been a great collaboration between Marion and Hamilton counties.
"I think one of the things that this White River Vision Plan can do is also help establish come goals for other parts of the White River. The state has been wonderfully involved through a White River caucus and that White River caucus, we hope, can help expand some of the visioning of this part of the river to other parts of the White River."
Myers says organizers will spend the summer looking at the governance of the plan and how to move it forward. Once that is situated, she says the group will start prioritizing items in the plan in both counties.
Members of the public can view and comment on the full 222-page White River Vision Plan by clicking here.
As part of the unveiling, organizers will this week host a series of activities and events, which will continue Tuesday with river cleanup events both in Indianapolis and Hamilton County. You can view the full list of events by clicking here.
Myers says the developers are using nine principles as a framework for the project.


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Gregory Dick, MD
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Rockville, MD 20850
About Gregory Dick, MD
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domain: medical


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As cruise ships are not able to dock here you will be tendered ashore. The town has less inhabitants than cruise passengers visiting.
Printable map to take along.
Right and bowhead whales, once plentiful in the waters of coastal Labrador, attracted whalers from the Basque country (northern Spain and southern France) during the 16th century. A thriving industry based on the production of whale oil for export to Europe developed along the Labrador coast during the mid to late 1500s. The busiest port for this historic enterprise was the sheltered harbor of Red Bay.
Tour the Visitor Interpretation center; immerse yourself in Labrador's rugged coastal beauty; and enjoy an iceberg and whale watching tour.
It's considered normal to tip 10-15% of a restaurant bill. Tips are also usually given to bell hops, concierges, room cleaners, cab drivers, hairdressers, hotel attendants and, by savvy drinkers, bar staff.
You will find ATMs in many grocery stores, malls, airports and so on, and most are linked to the international networks, the most common being Cirrus, Plus, Star and Maestro. You can also grab cash from an ATM if you use a major credit card although this method tends to be more expensive because, in addition to a service fee, you'll be charged interest immediately.
In Canada the main languages are English 59.3%, French 23.2% (both official); other 17.5%. Quebec and New Brunswick being the most "French" The rest of the country is English speaking.
Holidays in Canada
Thank you for printing this article! Please don’t forget to come back to whatsinport.com for new and updated port guides.


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A slot is a narrow opening, especially one for receiving something, as a coin or a letter. It can also mean a position or an assignment, as in “he was given the slot at the top of the class.”
The word slot has many synonyms including slit, hole, groove, vent and aperture. It is also a common term in aviation and racing. In the latter it refers to the space between the face-off circles on an ice hockey rink. It may also be used to describe a lane in motor racing, for example, the inside lanes of a racetrack.
Whether you’re looking for a quick, easy way to play free slot games or just want to try your hand at a new genre of game, you can do so on a number of websites. These sites don’t require you to download any additional software or register, and most have an interface that works well on most devices. In addition, they do not use pop-up windows that distract players from the game experience.
In slots, the symbols that are shown on the reels can win you credits if they match certain combinations. The amount you can win depends on the paylines in the slot and the symbols themselves, so check the paytable to see if a particular game offers what you’re looking for.
Another important thing to look for in a slot is its Return to Player (RTP) percentage and variance. The RTP is the likelihood that a slot will give you back more money than you put in, while the variance is how much and how often it pays out. Some people prefer low variance slots, while others like high variance ones that may not pay out for a long time but give larger winnings when they do.
The newest slot machines offer different bonus features that can increase your chances of winning big. Some of these bonus features include Wild symbols, which replace other symbols on the reels to create more wins. These symbols can also be stacked to create bigger payouts. These types of bonuses can be very lucrative if you know how to use them.
A new feature that has become popular in some online slot games is the Hold and Spin bonus feature, which allows you to keep spinning until you get regular symbols replaced with money or jackpot awards. This can be very beneficial for your bankroll if you manage to get the right symbols, but it’s best to read the rules of each slot game before playing it.
Lastly, look for games with high-quality graphics and sound. This will ensure that the gaming experience is as enjoyable and exciting as possible. A good site will also provide a detailed guide to help players navigate the casino. This will help them choose the best games based on their preferences and skills. Also, they will be able to find out more about the various bonuses and rewards available.

domain: game


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They are on the frontline of our health care system, doing much of the legwork in our hospitals.
We often hear about nurses wages in the news, and its become a hot topic of discussion, especially since the highly increased demand on their services due to the pandemic.
In July 2021, the government announced they would be increasing nurses wages by three per cent, which, according to gov.co.uk, will equate to, on average, an additional £1,000 a year.
We take a look at what our Derbyshire nurses are getting paid, and delve into some of the responsibilities they take on in their versatile role.
How to become a nurse?
The most conventional route into nursing is by studying for a nursing degree at university. It's the most employable course in the country, with 94 per cent of graduates in full-time employment six months after finishing.
Nursing degrees combine both theoretical and practical study, preparing students for the frontline of health care.
Courses typically last either three of four years.
One of the first decisions students need to make is what field of nursing they want to study in, these are: adult nursing, children's nursing, learning disability nursing and mental health nursing.
Other paths into nursing include registered nurse degree apprenticeships (RNDA).
What do they get paid?
A registered nurse's salary begins at band five of the NHS pay scale. A newly qualified nurse working 37.5 hours a week at Royal Derby Hospital can expect to take home £25,655.
As their experience increases, they can expect to climb up to around £31,534 per annum.
This can be increased with over-time.
Recruiters look for individuals who are candidate highly motivated, good team workers and keen to learn.
And what about nursing associates
A nursing associate is a fairly new role in the NHS.
Their job is to work with healthcare support workers as well as registered nurses to deliver care. The NHS describes it as one of the stepping stones to becoming a nurse.
A nursing associate at Queens Hospital, in Burton - and falls under the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust - can expect to earn between £22,549 and £24,882 each year.
Do sisters and charge nurses make significantly more?
A charge nurse is a registered nurse who is in charge of a ward at a hospital.
As well as delivering expectational patient care, this role also involves overseeing the ward to ensure everything is going smoothly, and coordinate between staff nurses and physicians.
This is a management role pays out between £32,572 to £38,053 per year.
Will I ever be unemployed?
A competent nurse with a solid work ethic is unlikely to ever face unemployment due to the chronic shortage of nurses in the UK.
Furthermore, once a registered nurse, an individual can take their skills anywhere in the country.
While the role can be physically demanding, emotionally draining and require a plethora of varied skills, it's one which offers significant potential for career advancement and can be incredibly rewarding.


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Decks are a great addition to any home’s backyard, providing space for friends and family to enjoy quality time together outdoors. When embarking on a deck home improvement project, there are many elements to consider, including handrails. Here are three handrailing ideas for ground-level decks.
Vinyl handrails are the first idea for ground-level decks. You’ll need to choose an appropriate material for your handrails upon installation, and vinyl is a popular choice. Vinyl has many benefits when you use it as a deck handrailing material.
For example, vinyl is affordable and easy to install, facilitating a simple and easy process. Another great thing about vinyl is that you don’t have to worry about splinters like you might with wood handrails. Vinyl is also low maintenance, easy to clean, fire resistant, and incredibly durable. If you’re looking for the perfect material for your deck’s handrails, vinyl may be the best option for you.
Adding safety features to your deck handrails is a great idea that will improve overall functionality and help to keep your family safe. However, not all handrails are the same. If safety is a primary concern for you, you’ll want to choose handrails with safety features in mind.
For example, do you live with elderly or disabled individuals who may need a handrail to assist them when navigating the deck? Or do you have young children who need to hang on to a rail when getting on the deck? If this is your case, then you will want a handrail with a smooth material that is easy to grip and an appropriate height to provide necessary support and protection.
After you choose your preferred material and determine the function of your handrails, you can start coming up with design ideas. If the main purpose of your handrails is safety and security, you might prefer to keep your design minimal. But if you want to add some decorative touches to your handrailing to enhance your outdoor space, there are many ways to do so.
For example, different features like decorative porch spindles, post caps, finials, and ball tops help you to add that extra charm. With proper decorative elements, you can create anything from Victorian to contemporary designs.
Consider these three ground-level deck handrailing ideas as you begin working on your deck. And don’t forget: Mr. Spindle has everything you need to build the deck of your dreams!


At least 42 dead in Germany as storms ravage Europe
Heavy rains and floods lashing western Europe have killed at least 42 people in Germany and left many more missing, as rising waters led several houses to collapse yesterday.
Unusually heavy rains also inundated neighboring Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium, where at least four people were reported dead.
Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia states were the worst hit in Germany by the deluge, which has caused rivers to burst their banks and threatens to bring down more homes.
At least 18 bodies were recovered in the region around the western town of Ahrweiler alone, a police spokesman said. Local officials had earlier reported up to 70 people missing. Farther north, the district of Euskirchen in NRW reported 15 dead.
Desperate residents sought refuge on the roofs of their homes as helicopters circled above to rescue them from the rising waters.
Pensioner Annemarie Mueller, 65, looking out at her flooded garden and garage from her balcony, said her town of Mayen had been completely unprepared for the destruction.
"Where did all this rain come from? It's crazy," she said.
"It made such a loud noise and given how fast it came down we thought it would break the door down."
Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "shocked" by the devastation and thanked the "tireless volunteers and emergency service workers" at the scene.
NRW leader Armin Laschet, who is running to succeed Merkel in September elections, canceled a party meeting in Bavaria to survey the damage in his state, Germany's most populous.
"We will stand by the towns and people who've been affected," Laschet, clad in rubber boots, told reporters in the town of Hagen.
Four of the dead were in the city of Schuld south of Bonn where six houses were swept away by floods, a police spokesman in the city of Koblenz said.
Several other bodies were recovered from flooded cellars across the region.
The environment ministry in Rhineland-Palatinate warned it expected floodwaters on the Rhine and Moselle rivers to rise with more rainfall.
In NRW alone, 135,000 households were without power.
Emergency workers struggled to evacuate people in endangered buildings and two firemen were killed on Wednesday in the line of duty in the towns of Altena and Werdohl.
Police set up a crisis hotline for reporting missing loved ones and residents were asked to send in videos and photos that could help them in the search.
Regional official Juergen Pfoehler urged people to stay home and, if possible, go to higher floors of their houses.
The German military deployed some 400 soldiers across the two affected states to assist in rescue efforts.
In the city of Leverkusen, a power outage triggered by the storms led to the evacuation of a hospital with 468 patients.
City authorities reported that after intensive care patients were moved to other facilities overnight, the other wards would have to be cleared in the course of the day.
Belgium has also seen several days of heavy rain that has caused rivers in the French-speaking region of Wallonia to burst their banks. Four were reported dead.
The provinces of Liege and Namur were especially affected, with the resort town of Spa completely flooded. In the town of Chaudfontaine, daily Le Soir reported that nearly 1,800 people had to evacuate.


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A man from Charlotte bought an old Coast Guard light station named Frying Pan Tower. Recently, he’s been exploring what it means to be truly isolated.
Hive to Honey: A Photo Essay
With more beekeepers than any other state, North Carolina knows what it means to tend the ancient friendship between human and bee.
A Note From Elizabeth Hudson: Looking Ahead
Our State has always been a source of celebration and connection. And we don’t intend to turn away from that now.
How Much Do You Know About North Carolina’s Craft Beer Scene?
Brewing has a long history in our state — even longer than you might think! Here’s a toast to those who paved the way for great beer, and to those who carry on the tradition.
Neighborhood: Winston-Salem’s West End
This neighborhood was designed in 1890 as a picturesque “streetcar suburb.” It feels much the same now as it did back then.
Ramblin’ Man: The Crossing
When the trees part and the trail slopes down to flowing waters, a hiker must decide: Try your luck and leap from rock to slippery rock — or take a deep breath and ford the stream?
The 1960s: How a Silent Vigil Changed Duke University
As the nation mourns the loss of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., college students in Durham take action on campus.
When the Concert Comes Home
Across North Carolina, folks have opened their living rooms and yards to friends and neighbors for house concerts that bring communities together through the intimacy and fellowship of song.
A Fisherman’s Muse
Ramona came to Dean Dosher as a kind of daydream, so he built her from memory and vintage parts. Now, when he pilots her along the Lockwood Folly River, the journey is a homecoming and a discovery.


Support your meditation or yoga practice with this plush cushion.
Support your body during meditation or yoga practice with this plush round cushion. Easily slides under your neck, knees, or bottom to relax your muscles and your mind. Exterior cover is easily removable for cleaning.
Round Meditation Bolster Features:
- Plush cushion helps you relax
- Supports your body during meditation, yoga, or relaxation
- Exterior cover can be removed for cleaning
- Features a sturdy carry handle for easy transport
Measurements: 27"L x 9" W.
Material: Filled with natural cotton batting around a foam core.
Care Instructions: Removable cover is machine washable. Line dry.


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French fries are a common (I would say essential) part of any cookout, especially when paired with burgers or hot dogs. There was a time when the only French fries I could find in Aldi were their seasoned fries, which are tasty but also have some kick … or else I’d have to wait around for the occasional Special Buy. Of late, though, I’ve seen more variety in their Regular Buy French fry selection, including these.
Season’s Choice Crinkle Cut French Fried Potatoes come in a two-pound bag in the frozen Regular Buy section. The bag has a perforated top that can be torn open, allowing you to pour the fries out of the bag. It’s not resealable, but the hole created by the perforation is small enough that you can clip it or fold it shut easily enough. Be aware that these fries are high in sodium and don’t have a lot of nutritional value, although most people probably don’t expect French fries to be health food.
The bag contains three different cooking methods: deep fry, standard oven / toaster oven, and electric skillet. The deep fry method involves preheating the oil to 350 degrees, filling the basket 1/2 full of frozen fries, and deep frying 3 to 3/12 minutes before removing and spreading on absorbent paper. The oven instruction call for preheating the oven to 450 degrees, spreading the frozen fries on a dark, non-stick baking sheet or shallow baking pan, baking for 13 minutes, then flipping and cooking for 11-13 more minutes before serving. The electric skillet method involves heating 3 tablespoons of cooking oil to medium heat (350 degrees) before adding the frozen fries in a single layer, stirring to evening distribute the oil, covering and heating for 9-10 minutes (stirring frequently for uniform cooking), and finally removing and spreading on absorbent paper.
With both the deep fry and electric skillet methods, the instructions recommend non-hydrogenated liquid cooking oil. In all methods, users are instructed (to no one’s surprise) to serve immediately.
We cooked these up using the oven method, and they came out just fine. They’re crispy, have a nice French fry taste, and go excellently with ketchup or just a little salt. Pair them with your burger of choice and you’ve got yourself a meal. In our view, they taste as good as any national brand or store brand French fries we’ve ever had.
Simple to make and good to eat, the Season’s Choice Crinkle Cut French Fried Potatoes are perfect for those times when you need good old-fashioned French fries. If you’re looking for more seasoning or punch, however, you can check out Aldi’s seasoned French fries.


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[This particular amulet has been sold! But you can still make a custom order or check out my Etsy shop to see other enchanted items :)]
8 € or 10 USD (international shipping included)
Algiz, the rune of of Valkyries, represents spirituality and connection with the gods. Its energy will provide you with both protection and courage to face your obstacles.
The rune has been burned into juniper wood and sealed with natural homemade resin extracted from pine trees, granting it both protection from water and a magic fragrance of Finnish woods :)
# Item description:
* Approximate dimensions: 2,5 cm x 2,5 cm x 3 mm (thickness)
* Polished juniper wood
* Painted with pine tree resin
* Approximate weight: 5 g
* Made of up-cycled leather, juniper wood, and brass
Note: If you are allergic to brass or copper, I can replace it for leather.
PayPal is my preferred payment method. But for other payment options such as credit and debit card, visit my shop @ Loitsu Crafts Etsy. Shipping worldwide from Finland. For more shipping info & before purchasing any item, please take a little time to read my shop policies.
Hand forged sterling silver and malachite pendant and ear hanger set, fresh off my jeweler’s bench!
I designed these for an amazing, incredibly inspiring couple as a surprise birthday gift from one to the other. Together they organize and lead demonstrations and rallies for black lives matter and climate change. They give so much of their time, energy, and spirit to change the world for the better and I am honored to be able to do a very small something for them in return.
Elven forest treasure vial necklace, almost ready ;) I just need to find some pretty moss and lichen fragments to put inside along with small golden quartz and rose petals. It should be up in my etsy just around samhain ;)

domain: artistic


text: Have you considered a bird as a pet? They can make outstanding pets. They are highly intelligent and social. However, pet birds can also be destructive, loud, and demanding. A pet bird can also be very loving and affectionate. Find out if a pet bird is for you.

domain: pet


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Researchers from Samsung’s AI Centre positioned in Moscow have created a brand new device that may turn into nonetheless facial photographs into video sequences of the human face making speech expressions.
Consistent with the learn about, the device creates life like digital speaking heads via making use of the facial landmarks of a goal face onto a supply face — for instance, a nonetheless photograph — to permit the objective face to regulate how the supply face strikes.
“Such skill has sensible packages for telepresence, together with videoconferencing and multi-player video games, in addition to [the] particular results business,” Samsung mentioned.
Whilst the life of “deepfake” generation is not one thing new, Samsung’s new device does now not use three-D modelling and most effective calls for one to create a face style. If the device is in a position to use 32 photographs to create a style, the device will be capable of “reach [a] best possible realism and personalisation ranking,” Samsung mentioned.
See: What’s AI? The whole thing you wish to have to find out about Synthetic Intelligence
The facility to create a “deepfake” video with a restricted quantity of photographs is because of the device having a big databank of speaking head movies that correspond to other audio system with various look, consistent with Samsung. Thru depending in this databank, together with the facial landmarks from the supply face, the device is in a position to create more than a few realistic-looking face fashions.
After that, the device makes use of generative antagonistic community that compares the more than a few face fashions in opposition to every different to resolve which style is probably the most “actual”. Through filtering in the course of the more than a few fashions created, the device is then in a position to select a last style this is used for the video-sequence.
So-called “deep pretend” movies are recently a big worry for US lawmakers, who’re frightened that AI-manipulated movies of other people announcing issues they by no means did may just change into a countrywide safety risk.
In September, Fb COO Sheryl Sandberg introduced that it had created a machine-learning style to stumble on probably bogus pictures or movies to take away deep pretend content material from its platforms.
Samsung expands its AI lab in Montreal
Samsung’s synthetic intelligence lab based totally in Montreal, Canada might be expanded and relocated to the Montreal Institute for Finding out Algorithms.
Fb’s fact-checkers teach AI to stumble on “deep pretend” movies
Fb is dealing with an uphill combat automating the detection of incorrect information in pictures and movies.
Concern now not deep fakes: OpenAI’s mechanical device writes as senselessly as a chatbot speaks
Non-profit AI analysis group OpenAI brought about relatively a stir by means of appearing off a brand new deep studying way that creates some quite convincing english-language paragraphs, launching a brand new bankruptcy within the “deep fakes” saga. One has most effective to learn a bit of extra intently to look the cracks that betray the loss of common sense and consistency.
AI will do away with 1 of eight jobs in Asia by means of 2024 (TechRepublic)
Synthetic intelligence and automation will thieve extra jobs than it complements, consistent with an MIT Generation Evaluation file.


Legislation Would Prohibit Workplace Discrimination Against LGBT Americans / Senator Casey is Cosponsor of Bill / Measure Passed Senate Last Week with Support from Both Sides of Aisle
Washington DC- Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) called on Speaker John Boehner to quickly bring the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which recently passed the Senate in a bipartisan fashion, to the floor of the U.S. House for an up or down vote. The legislation would bar discrimination against LGBT Americans in the workplace. Casey, a cosponsor of the bill, voted to bring the measure to the Senate floor last week. Speaker Boehner has yet to commit to an up or down House vote on this Senate passed bill.
“This bill is simple. It says that employees should be judged on how they do their job and not who they are,” Senator Casey said. “The Senate came together on a bipartisan basis to end workplace discrimination against LGBT Americans and the House of Representatives should do the same. Speaker Boehner should give this bill an up or down vote on the House floor. I believe it would pass.”
The full text of Senator Casey’s letter can be seen below:
The Honorable John Boehner
United States House of Representatives
Dear Mr. Speaker:
I write to urge you to act swiftly and bring up S. 815, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) for a vote in the House of Representatives. As you know, the Senate passed S. 815 on November 7 in a bipartisan vote of 64-32.
Today, in twenty-nine states, including Pennsylvania, you can be fired just for being gay or transgender. A June 2013 Pew Research report indicated that more than one in five LGBT employees has experienced employment discrimination. The absence of basic employment protection for this community hurts hardworking citizens and hampers economic growth, costing employers an estimated $64 billion each year resulting from unnecessary turnover. Many companies, including the majority of Fortune 500 companies, have enacted pro-diversity policies and found that these policies increase profitability. I am proud that many Pennsylvania employers have recognized the benefits of inclusion and taken the lead by voluntarily enacting non-discrimination policies.
ENDA provides a commonsense solution to the problem of workplace discrimination by extending critical employment protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers. The version of ENDA introduced in the House of Representatives, H.R. 1755, currently has 193 bipartisan cosponsors. ENDA has engendered such widespread support because it embodies the American ideal of fairness: employees should be judged on their skills and abilities in the workplace, not on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
You have publicly expressed your concern that this legislation will lead to unnecessary litigation. This fear is not founded in the experience of states that already offer employment protection for LGBT workers. A 2013 Government Accountability Office report analyzing discrimination claims in states that offer such protection found that on average, only 3-5% of total employment discrimination claims were based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
With bipartisan support in both chambers, ENDA deserves an up or down vote in the House. All U.S. workers deserve to be judged on the quality of the job they do, nothing more, nothing less. I again urge you to allow a vote on ENDA on the House floor before the end of the year. Thank you for your consideration of my views on this important matter.
Robert P. Casey, Jr.
United States Senator


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On this day in 1900, writer Henry James first writes to Edith Wharton, whom he will finally meet in 1903. Wharton, then 38, had published her first collection of stories, The Greater Inclination, the previous year. An enormous admirer of James, she modeled parts of her work after his, including his attention to form and his interest in ethical questions. The two became great friends, and James encouraged her writing.
Wharton was born to a wealthy, patrician family in New York in 1862. She grew up in an opulent world where pre-Civil War society kept the nouveau riche at bay, maintaining its own isolated sense of superiority. Wharton, expected to become a typical wife, mother, and hostess, instead showed intellectual talent and began to write at an early age. She had begun to fear spinsterhood when, at age 23, she married prominent socialite Edward Wharton–who had no profession or money worth speaking of. The match was unhappy and troubled, but the couple did not divorce until 1913. Wharton returned to writing, often dealing with themes of divorce, unhappy marriages, and free-spirited individuals trapped by societal pressures.
Wharton’s 1905 novel, The House of Mirth, told the story of a New York socialite with a strong sense of individuality who cannot adapt to the roles expected of her. The book became a bestseller.
Wharton traveled abroad frequently and after her divorce began writing for women’s magazines. Her novella, Ethan Frome, detailing a New England farmer trapped by the demands of the women in his life, is still one of her best-known works. Her 1920 novel, Age of Innocence, won the Pulitzer. Wharton published numerous other books, but some of her later work suffered from the deadlines and pressures imposed by writing for money. She remained in France during World War I, assisting refugees, and was made a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor in 1916. She published another bestseller, Twilight Sleep, in 1927, and her autobiography, A Backward Glance, in 1934. She died in France in 1937.


German police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann will announce the results of the search of a reservoir in Portugal soon. Reports from the Mirror suggest detectives from the Federal Criminal Police will report their findings after spending days searching land next to the Arade Dam last week.
They used sniffer dogs, radar and search teams to scour the location just 31 miles from where three-year-old Maddie vanished in 2007. Prime suspect Christian Brueckner, 45, once referred to the location as his "little paradise".
After the dig cops left behind two-foot deep bore holes and it is believed the soil they recovered from them is being forensically analysed in Germany.
It was thought this analysis, which could lead to vital clues about Maddie's disappearance, could take months. Reports now suggest the results could be revealed as soon as Thursday.
It still remains unclear as to exactly why investigators decided to search the land near the dam so thoroughly. Police teams were seen methodically chopping down trees and hacking away at undergrowth to expose an area just a short distance from the water.
Photographs appear to show the remains of a camp at the mysterious spot with broken furniture, a torn ship’s buoy and even what appeared to be a makeshift toilet fashioned from a chair.
Portuguese sources point to an informant giving police a specific tip-off that Brueckner visited the site just days after Maddie went missing from her room in Praia da Luz.
This tip-off is believed to have been matched with geolocation clues found in the convicted paedophile's vile stash of 8,000 of videos and images. Together it is thought these clues combined sparked the search at the remote site.
It was claimed they were searching for a camcorder and a gun tossed into the water but Portuguese police sources were quick to dismiss that.
Regardless of what is found at the site, top German criminal profiler Axel Petermann, says the cops were right to dig at a place so close to Brueckner's heart.
He told the Mirror: “The criminal perpetrators who I got to know over the years tend to hide their victims in places where they feel safe and can assess danger.
“These are places which are secluded and secret and where they can stop and assess various risks.
“They can also be places where they feel good, and where there is a certain private memory of a certain act. So, I think the search activity may have been going in this direction.
“My recommendation when dealing with suspects in the case of missing people, is always to find the places where these suspects spent time, where they had secrets, where they could assess risks, so from this point of view I think the investigators’ current search was very important.
“You must always delve into the life of the suspect so you can find out about their preferences, their tendencies, their favourites locations where they liked to spend time.
“And I don’t think you can really find any better possibilities than to look in secret, confidential locations.”
Brueckner, who is currently behind bars in Germany for raping a 72-year-old American woman at her Algarve home in 2005, has always denied he has anything to do with Maddie's disappearance.
He is currently due for release in 2026 and argues that police and prosecutors are “attempting to create a monster” to “divert and let people think that I am the right one”.
But chief public prosecutor Hans-Christian Wolters, who is pursuing the case against Brueckner, has said in the past they have “concrete evidence” that tragic Maddie is dead and believe Brueckner killed her.
Wolters confirmed that they will be making an announcement about the results of the dig soon. Yet he suggested that his investigation team may not have discovered any crucial evidence just yet.
Mr Wolters said: “We will issue a short press release. But please don't expect too much, especially nothing spectacular.”