text:
What Are the Key Elements of a Minimalist Home Decor Style?
Minimalist home decor is a popular style that emphasizes simplicity, functionality, and clean lines. It's all about creating a calm, uncluttered space that allows you to focus on what's important. Whether you're looking to embrace minimalism fully or just incorporate some of its principles into your home, here are the key elements of a minimalist home decor style that you need to know.
1. Neutral Colors
The first key element of a minimalist home decor style is neutral colors. Minimalism is all about simplicity, so you want to keep your color palette simple and understated. Stick to whites, blacks, grays, and other muted colors to create a calm, cohesive look.
2. Clean Lines
Clean lines are another critical element of minimalist home decor. Straight lines, sharp angles, and geometric shapes all work together to create a clean, uncluttered look. Avoid ornate furniture designs, patterns, or anything that adds unnecessary visual clutter to your space.
3. Functional Furniture
When it comes to furniture, minimalism is all about function over form. Every piece should serve a purpose and be as simple and functional as possible. Look for clean-lined furniture that is sturdy, practical, and timeless. Avoid anything that's too trendy or ornate.
4. Simple Decor
Minimalism is all about keeping things simple, and this applies to decor as well. Keep decorative items to a minimum, and focus on adding elements that have a purpose. A few well-placed items like a vase of flowers or a piece of art can add interest without cluttering your space.
5. Natural Elements
Natural elements like wood, stone, and plants can add warmth and furniture texture to your minimalist home decor. These elements are both functional and beautiful, and they add a sense of calm and relaxation to your space.
6. Decluttered Space
A cluttered space is the enemy of minimalism, so it's essential to keep your space as decluttered as possible. Get rid of anything that doesn't serve a purpose or bring you joy, and keep only what you need. Store things out of sight as much as possible to keep your space looking clean and uncluttered.
7. Plenty of Light
Light is essential in a minimalist home decor style. Plenty of natural light is ideal, but if that's not possible, make sure you have plenty of artificial light sources like lamps and overhead lighting. Keeping your space well-lit will help it feel bright, open, and inviting.
8. Negative Space
Finally, negative space is a key element of minimalist home decor. Negative space refers to the areas of your home that are left intentionally blank, without any furniture or decorative items. This space helps to create a sense of calm and relaxation and keeps your space from feeling cluttered or cramped.
What is the difference between minimalism and simplicity?
Minimalism and simplicity are two different design concepts, but they are often used interchangeably. Simplicity is about paring down to the essentials and creating a sense of calm and relaxation. Minimalism takes this concept a step further and focuses on creating a space that is functional and uncluttered.
How do I incorporate color into a minimalist home decor style?
While minimalism often emphasizes neutral colors, that doesn't mean you can't incorporate some color into your space. However, it's essential to be intentional about the colors you choose and use them sparingly. A few pops of color can add interest to your space without detracting from its minimalist feel. Consider using color in decorative accents like throw pillows, blankets, or art pieces.
Can I still have a cozy home with a minimalist decor style?
Absolutely! A minimalist home decor style doesn't have to be cold or sterile. You can still create a cozy, inviting space by incorporating natural textures like wood and incorporating soft, cozy textiles like blankets and rugs. Just make sure to keep your decor simple and understated to maintain a minimalist feel.
Do I need to get rid of everything to embrace a minimalist decor style?
No, you don't have to get rid of everything to embrace minimalism. Instead, focus on keeping only what you need or what brings you joy. Take a critical look at your belongings and consider donating or selling anything that doesn't serve a purpose in your life. The goal of minimalism isn't to live with nothing but to live with intention and purpose.
If you're interested in learning more about minimalist home decor, here are a few resources to check out:
- Apartment Therapy's guide to minimalist home decor
- The Spruce's tips for creating a minimalist home
- Decoist's minimalist home design ideas
- Becoming Minimalist's blog
Minimalist home decor is all about creating a calm, uncluttered space that allows you to focus on what's important. By incorporating elements like neutral colors, clean lines, functional furniture, simple decor, natural elements, decluttered spaces, plenty of light, and negative space, you can create a minimalist home that is both beautiful and practical.


text:
Yesterday Disney Animation Studios announced plans for CG-animated comedy adventure Moana, a story about a spirited teenager on an impossible mission to fulfil her ancestor’s quest, planning for a cinematic release for the film in late 2016, with the duo of Ron Clements and John Musker to direct the film. Previous Disney films that Clements and Musker have worked on include The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and The Princess and The Frog.
The plot for Disney’s Moana is as follows:
In the ancient South Pacific world of Oceania, Moana, a born navigator, sets sail in search of a fabled island. During her journey, she teams up with her hero, the legendary demi-god Maui, to traverse the open ocean on an action-packed voyage in which they encounter enormous sea creatures, breathtaking underworlds, and ancient folklore.
John Musker on working on the Moana project:
Moana is indomitable, passionate and a dreamer with a unique connection to the ocean itself,” Musker said. “She’s the kind of character we all root for, and we can’t wait to introduce her to audiences.
Ron Clements added:
John and I have partnered on so many films from The Little Mermaid to Aladdin to The Princess and The Frog. Creating Moana is one of the great thrills of our career. It’s a big adventure set in this beautiful world of Oceania.
Think some people will be disappointed that it’s a CG-animation that Disney are going with here for Moana, but they have been going in the right direction in getting that Disney Renaissance vibe back with the last few films like Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph and Frozen.

domain: artistic


text:
DON'T MISS: TO HER WITH LOVE
Growing up in Canada, Paul Shaffer remembers seeing Lulu perform “Shout” on the TV music show “Shindig.” (It was 1965.) “Fantastic,” he says. “She killed me as a kid. She is a voice that so many singers cite as an influence.”
Lulu hit it big two years later in the US with “To Sir With Love” — the theme for the Sidney Poitier film in which she also had a part. And tomorrow, Shaffer is playing in the band backing Lulu at B.B. King’s in her first New York City concert.
The David Letterman band leader sees a similarity in Lulu and today’s Brit girl singers like Adele: “Both of them have their roots in American gospel and soul music,” he explains. “This gig is all about her going back to these roots.” Adds Shaffer, who will be playing alongside the Fab Faux’s Will Lee, Jimmy Vivino and Rich Pagano, “I am really like a little kid looking forward to this.”
8 p.m. at 237 W. 42nd St.; (212) 997-4144, bbkingblues.com. tickets start at $36.
— Billy Heller
CHECK IT OUT!: SKIN OF HER TEETH
Ever hear the one about the impressionist and the circus star? It’s no joke — just an elegant new show at the Morgan, about Degas and the making of his masterpiece “Miss La La at the Cirque Fernando.” Painted in 1879, it immortalizes a mixed-race Prussian bodybuilder (real name: Olga) who caught Degas’ eye as she swung 70 feet in the air, held up only by the rope between her teeth. The painting, on loan from London, features a gorgeous domed hall and the acrobat looking, as curator Linda Wolk Simon puts it, “like a secular angel.” Simon has surrounded “Miss La La” with sketches, photos and posters, some picturing La La’s co-star: the 155-pound cannon she held up by a rope between her extremely strong teeth. When the cannon was fired, Simon reports, “La La didn’t even flinch.” Madison Avenue at 37th Street; themorgan.org; free admission Fridays 7 to 9 p.m.
— Barbara Hoffman
WATCH IT!: UNCONVENTIONAL
Star Joan Blondell called “Convention City’’ (1933) “the raunchiest [film] there has ever been.’’ Producer Robert Lord claimed this sexy and reputedly hilarious comedy about conventioneers and Atlantic City gold-diggers was chiefly responsible for rigorous enforcement of Hollywood’s Production Code by censors the following year. No prints are known to exist, but Film Forum will offer a dramatic reading by local actors of the surviving script for this lost pre-Code classic on Monday at 6:35 p.m. It’s part of a monthlong retrospective of 1933 movies. Houston and Varick streets. Info: filmforum.org and nypost.com/blogs/movies.
— Lou Lumenick
GET IN FASHION!: SEW DIFFERENT
If you’re weeping into your Badgley and your Mischka that Fashion Week is over, cheer up. The edgy Williamsburg Fashion Weekend is back for its sixth year, today and tomorrow. And founder Arthur Arbit (a longtime tailor) promises his event is different.
“It’s not just aesthetics. It’s more about how conscientious they are about creating their clothes — using sustainable fabrics, factories that don’t use slave labor,” says Arbit. He cites Nathalie Kraynina from Bulgaria, who gives underprivileged women jobs. “That’s something I’m adamant about promoting,” Arbit says. In his “different approach,” he says there are performance-based shows — plays and music — and no runways.
Doors open at 8 p.m.; $15 (day of show) at The Space, 50 N. Third St., Williamsburg; williamsburgfashionweekend.com.
— Doree Lewak


text:
- Rick Owens Velvet dress
Rick Owens Velvet dress
We can count on Rick Owens for a daring encounter with velvet. A sexy slit and exposed back zipper add seductive touches, but are balanced by the demure neckline and beautiful draping effect. Style with shoulder-grazing silver earrings for a most elegant entrance.
Similar to rick owens velvet dress
Marc Jacobs Tulle-panel sequin-embellished gown is on sale!
Only One Navy Velvet Bodycon Dress is on sale!
All For One Silver Metallic Velour Bodycon Dress is on sale!
Missguided Tall Black Choker Neck Bardot Velvet Dress is on sale!
TwinkleDeals Slit Floor Length Slip Metallic Dress - Silver - Xl is on sale!
TwinkleDeals Slit Floor Length Slip Metallic Dress - Silver - S is on sale!
Attico Velvet robe dress is on sale!

domain: design


text:
The US housing market took off early in the COVID-19 pandemic, and housing prices have risen sharply since then. The typical value of mid-priced homes jumped by more than 20% last year, from $ 284,000 in April 2021 to $ 344,000 in April 2022, according to home sales data compiled by real estate data firm Zillow. ..
However, much of the home sales surge was due to investors, not family members or first-time homebuyers.
According to real estate firm Redfin, investors accounted for 18.4% of total US home sales in the fourth quarter of 2021, which is more than one-sixth of home sales. A real estate investor can be a large company like Blackstone, or a local company or a wealthy individual. No matter who the investor is, their goal is the same – to profit from the real estate market by turning the house over or turning it into a rent.
Some major metropolitan areas have even more investors than the national average. Florida dominates the list, with five cities on the top 10 list across the country. Jacksonville, Florida is ranked 3rd in the country for investment real estate, with Miami (6th), Orlando (7th), Tampa (8th) and Fort Lauderdale in the 10th place in the country.
While the Jacksonville market totaled only $ 712.2 million, the total investor-managed real estate market share was just under 30%, sufficient to push it up to the third place in the country.
Miami investors accounted for an estimated 27.5% of home sales in the fourth quarter of 2021. That’s more than a quarter of home sales. All metropolitan homes purchased by investors during the last three months of 2021 are worth a total of $ 2,158,004,581.
Orlando, on the other hand, accounted for an estimated 25.9% of home sales in the fourth quarter of last year. The total value of all metropolitan homes purchased by investors during the last three months of 2021 is $ 1,138,404,449.
In Tampa, investors accounted for an estimated 24.2% of home sales in the fourth quarter. The total value of all metropolitan homes purchased by investors during the last three months of 2021 is $ 1,598,507,095. Finally, in the metropolitan area of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, investors accounted for about 21.0% of home sales over the same period. That’s one-fifth of home sales. All metropolitan homes purchased by investors during the last three months of 2021 totaled $ 1,143,778,531.
As the table below shows, large fluctuations in average home prices between different metro markets have had a significant impact on market share.
|Rank||Metro area||Investor market share, Q4 2021 (%)||Median Home Prices, April 2022 ($)||Total investment home sales, Q4 2021 ($ M)|
|1||Atlanta, Georgia||32.7||$ 430,000||2,857.3|
|2||Charlotte, North Carolina||32.1||$ 400,000||1,255.1|
|3||Jacksonville, Florida||29.8||$ 300,000||712.2|
|Four||Las Vegas, Nevada||29.2||$ 435,000||1,738.0|
|Five||Phoenix, Arizona||28.4||$ 460,000||3,795.0|
|6||Miami, Florida||27.5||$ 525,000||2,158.0|
|7||Orlando, Florida||25.9||$ 363,000||1,138.4|
|8||Tampa, Florida||24.2||$ 390,000||1,598.5|
|9||Nashville, Tennessee||21.4||$ 465,000||800.3|
|Ten||Fort Lauderdale, Florida||21.0||$ 465,000||1,143.8|
|11 11||San Diego, California||20.3||$ 925,000||2,352.5|
|12||Anaheim, California||19.8||$ 875,000||2,683.4|
|13||Detroit, Michigan||19.4||$ 81,700||119.1|
|14||Sacramento, California||19.1||$ 518,000||1,181.0|
|15||Los Angeles, California||18.8||$ 1,025,000||6,747.4|

domain: news


The Japanese have always been fascinated with efficiency, economy and all the other boring aspects one may encounter with a new car.
In keeping with that tradition and mixing it up with the cutting edge of technology, Honda is going to move towards electric power with another two models.
These two new models are the Honda CR-V and the Honda Fit, both of which are to be introduced in Los Angeles at with electric motors under the bonnet.
The two Hondas are bound to share some considerable amount of the electric drivetrain which is a bit of a concern due to the great difference between the models.
Whereas the 2013 Honda Fit EV is expected to have enough of a battery to weight and power relation that it can manage a top speed of 90 mph and a total range of around 100 miles the 2013 CR-V will probably be less capable than that.
It’s early to make estimates on how much the crossover will suffer when faced with the hardship of the real world under electric power but it shouldn’t take long for us to find out.
An official unveiling of both the 2013 Honda CR-V EV as well as the Honda Fit EV will take place sometime past November the 16th, when the Los Angeles Motor Show opens its gates.


text:
- Robert Half
This is Pam from Papillon Digital Designs. Thanks Carolyn and Allison for having me on today.
Today's project challenge is doing "Something New/Something inspiring"
I love the above quote as it is especially apt today as not only am I doing a Layout which is not in my comfort zone but my layout subject is Mine - Independence Mine - Alaska.
My layout is an interactive-spinner layout. I was inspired by hot of the press spinner template. But I did not like the heart and oval shapes that came with. So decided to use cameo for making my own.
Here is the layout
Now I will be garrulous and try to explain both how and why I chose to do what I did as I go along.
First thing I did was make a silhouette file
The white spinner wheel is cut as a template so that you can put a brad and then turn it to mark the frame for the photos on the actual spinner wheel. The frame on the spinner is 1/4 " lesser than the opening on the layout to give it a mat effect ( I used 3x2 photos so the opening on top is 3-1/4" x 2 -1/4". Now these pictures will maybe show what I am talking about better.

domain: hobby


Browse Washington bases, veterans assistance and military friendly businesses.
NEW LONDON, Conn. — President Joe Biden is scheduled to deliver the keynote address during this month’s graduation ceremonies at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday named Col. Lisa Hou as his pick to head of the state’s National Guard and serve as commissioner of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
More active duty sailors who are being forced to switch ratings now qualify for early separation, should they decide to leave the active Navy.
Although many military members and Defense Department civilian employees could benefit financially from a 14-year-old federal student loan debt forgiveness program, the benefit is underused and misunderstood, according to a new report from government auditor.
WASHINGTON — The Air Force carried out the first flight test of a “Skyborg” drone last month with an Kratos UTAP-22 Mako equipped with a bespoke autonomy system, moving the service one step closer to fielding an uncrewed “loyal wingman” for human pilots.
The aircraft carrier Gerald Ford has wrapped up its post-delivery test and trials.
I’ll never get back the 144 minutes I spent watching the midnight premiere of “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker,” a movie that took everything we knew and loved about a galaxy far, far away and crashed it into the forest moon of Endor.
Happy day all you airmen, sailors, soldiers and Marines. Enjoy this safety brief as you stroll from the latrine. It’s no secret that you love to cut loose, but please read this advice whilst dropping a deuce. It might save you from a pesky Article 15, or at least prevent a drunk-fueled punch to the spleen.
Thursday marked the final day of mandated buns for soldiers as the Army announced that it will now permit ponytails for women, regardless of uniform.


text:
Large Antique French Gilded St Louis Bowl with Undulating Rim.
Circumference 70 cms / 28 Inches
Fill in this form to send us your enquiry
Add me to your email mailing list
Fill in this form to email this item to a friend
Please fill in the information below


The apex trade body of the country has termed the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Supplementary Duty (SD) Act-2012, as it is in its present form after changes to it, still 'not prepared' and 'much-lingered' in respect of its re-evaluation.
The comments of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) came in a recent letter to the chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) just one month ahead of implementation of the law.
Referring to suggestions from economists and stakeholders, the chamber in the letter expressed the fear that implementation of the law in its present form might fuel inflation and go against the interest of the general people and also create resentment in society.
The apex chamber body took exception to the bypassing of the decisions that came from stakeholders' meetings during the last two years regarding changes to the law.
"There is a possibility that the law will spark resentment, if any provision incorporated into it goes against trade liberalisation and state-policy," the letter said.
Since 2012 the apex chamber body has been saying that the VAT-SD law in its existing form is in no way implementable in the country's socio-economic context, the letter has said.
The government deferred implementation of the new-look law in 2017 for two years following opposition from the business community.
The law in its latest form is now scheduled to come into force on July 1. But some fiscal measures in it would come into effect from the day of budget announcement, scheduled for June 13 as per Provisional Collection of Taxes Act 1931, NBR sources said.
In the letter the chamber body said a rebate system must be valid for the products that would enjoy multiple rates, otherwise it would fuel inflation.
The FBCCI said although implementation of the law had been deferred by two years, no visible steps had been noticed during the period to re-evaluate it.
"The FBCCI has been persuading the NBR to conduct an impact assessment of the new VAT law since 2017. On February 18, 2019, the chamber body again made a proposal to conduct a cost-benefit analysis considering time constraints which remained shelved," said the letter, signed by FBCCI Secretary General Hussain Jamil.
Responding to the FE's query regarding the FBCCI's letter, NBR Chairman Md Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said the revenue board had incorporated a number of suggestions from the trade bodies into the law.
"We have raised the VAT exemption ceilings and turnover tax limit in line with the recommendations of the FBCCI," he said.
He also said the government made its position clear in the last budget consultative committee meeting with the FBCCI.
"We have taken adequate steps to make the new VAT law suitable for the general people," he said.
FBCCI President Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin said the chamber wanted that the government share the recent amendments and changes to the law.
The NBR skipped a scheduled meeting with the chamber regarding amendments to the VAT law, he said.
On May 2, 2019, a scheduled meeting on VAT law implementation and amendments between the NBR and the FBCCI was postponed. The FBCCI expressed its disappointment over postponement of the meeting despite issuing its notice.
The apex chamber said it was yet to get any of the minutes of the FBCCI-NBR meetings, held in the last two years regarding the VAT law or see any reflection of the meetings' decisions in it. The FBCCI safeguards the interest of its 484 member organisations ranging from small businesses to producers in all stages.
"Any law or policy of Bangladesh should be consistent with the government's Vision 2021 and 2041. The FBCCI does not support any policy that fails to integrate Bangladesh's vision," it said.
© 2017 - All Rights with The Financial Express


text:
Artlantis 18.104.22.168009 Cracka master in new creation and well-suitable to all 3D building application accessible in the marketplace, it’s the simplest and fastest solution to the development of real world cartoon and computer animation. Artlantis Studio 8 is outfitted with effective latest technologies to create awesome photos. Artlantis Latest Verson Download 2022 has amazing precision. Artlantis Full Version Download is created with an simple-to-use but effective and appealing software. Artlantis Free Download mixes modifying and application design and offers many resources for making tasks in a easy and outstanding way. Discuss your Artlantis Studio 2022 Crack Free Download from the link beneath. Also benefit tremendously from this serial number. Artlantis Crack Download You do not must be expert in pc photos obtaining to understand and the utilization of artlantis is simple.
Artlantis 2022 Crack v9.5.2 With Keygen Full Version [Latest]
Artlantis Studio 2022 crack free download + Key is the quick stand-alone 3D making application developed particularly for designers and makers, ideal for rapidly and easily making high quality 3D renderings, QuickTime VR Panoramas. The essential utilizes of this advanced motor is making of inside and outside facades of structures. Change your 3D model into a totally practical and stunning style using actual physical components. Artlantis 2022 Keygen is used by specialists, superior clients and newbies alike to replicate, gift and talk their endeavours, Generating both higher first-rate photos and animated graphics with placing picture-realism in document time! Artlantis Studio Serial Number Download is created and created as a 3D making mechanism, particularly for designers and creative designers, Easy making of high quality 3D graphics, 3D conseil, 3D objects and animated graphics.
Artlantis Studio 2022 with crack full version is the maximum updated powerful 3-d photos software. It’s excellent for designers that allows you to carry out 3-d animation and additionally 3-d objects. It looks as if a photo of utility. Your planet acts like 3-d. Atlantis Studio is frequently a utility that lets you honestly fashion extraordinarily Bizarre and easy sorts in Eva evaluations CAD software which include AutoCAD collectively with different comparable CAD PC programs. You’re capable of layout a 3-d object shape that includes a home. Supplied via means of animation illustrations and headquarters. Insanely excellent every rendering program in particular designed for architects and designers.
Artlantis 22.214.171.124009 Crack 2022 With Keygen Full [Updated]
You can create actual fashion within the use of this lovable utility. Your small version will precisely appear to be the unique one that you need to build. You may upload critical notes that are most effective you may see in that version.is an easy and green 3-d rendering platform as a front-runner in architectural visualization. It is the very best and fast method to assemble sensible rendering and animation and is a notable rendering companion. It can apply to the technical depiction of indoor and door architectural scenes. It’s great velocity and performance of rendering, Clean person interface are refreshing. Architectural impact drawings, and multimedia creation.
You may use this application to create an overall performance from different famous formats. This is one of the motives why this variety of offerings is extensively utilized by architects, designers, and specialists. It could be very well-known because of it’s pleasant interface and broadly speaking PC literate humans do now no longer require the education for running this ultra-modern model of the program. Is the device utilized by civil engineers of their fields of architects. It is the speediest device this is regarded at that point for the execution of applications.
Artlantis 9.5.2 Crack With License key Full Version 2022 Updated
The software provides automated lighting realignment and excellent lighting effects created to aid you in making photo-realistic versions, by simply identifying the radiosity from the Sun or the sky. Placing illumination effects could be done utilizing the 2D watching window, that makes it effortless to illuminate conseil and some other large moments. A recognized innovator in examine window technologies, the system is the making software utilized by designers, designers and urban style experts in more than 80 nations around the world.
Intuitive overall performance answer designed for customers developing notably expert designs. Atlantis is extensively utilized in Archived. It permits customers to create photorealistic shadows, images, textures, splendid 3-d designs. It’s completely like-minded with fashions designed the use of maximum 3-d software. Identified chief in preview window technology, Atlantis is the rendering program utilized by architects, designers, and concrete layout specialists in more than eighty countries. Is a perfect and intuitive overall performance software answer for customers developing notably expert designs in actual time.
Artlantis 126.96.36.199009 Features Key:
- Produce and save customized colors and discover numerous project choices.
- VR Items for starting an editable side to side angle graphically.
- Getting a collection rich in a range of components appropriate for making.
- By using this declaration, it is possible to change and enhance the sync of the picture and notice the adjustments rapidly.
- Automated actual physical sun.
- Capability to make inside and outside facades of the creating.
- The main and helpful function of the application system is the fresh toolbar for simple accessibility.
- Produce and save customized shaders and think about numerous options on tasks
- Resources for modifying the position of rays, dark areas, and so on.
- Atlantis is a famous app that you may get everyone that may be used for distinctive purposes.
- If your choice is the best illustration then it is truly well.
- It has an awesome illustration in three dimensions.
- It is a well-applying 3-d software that includes VR panoramas, animations, and similarly introduced objects.
- Could be very beneficial for pictures of animations with cellular fashions.
- Make motion pictures when fashions can rotate i.e. interactive panoramic images.
- It’s very person-pleasant and works after asking you that which one your choice calculation version i.e.
- Atlantis engine calculation/ Maxwell render calculation.
- It offers you to make outstanding substances and designs.
- It is an effective device to make outstanding images.
Artlantis 2022 Serial Number:
Artlantis 2022 Activation Code:
Artlantis 2022 Product Key:
How To Install:
- Download Artlantis 9.5.2 Crack From Below URL.
- after install this software.
- With set-up is complete.
- Done THis Latest Edition


- ABOUT US
- CASE STUDIES
April 5th, 2022
An image of Waltham Forest Town Hall boasting newly installed Clement steel windows stars on the front cover of the latest issue of Conservation & Heritage Journal. The issue features an article about town hall refurbishment projects where bespoke steel windows by Clement have been installed.
You can read the article, which also takes a look at Old Marylebone Town Hall and Norwich Town Hall here.
You can view our case studies via this link.
Article kindly supplied by Expert Witness.


text:
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is both a story of scientific progress and a biography of the poor Southern family whose matriarch, Henrietta Lacks, made that progress possible. It is also a critical exploration of the interplay between science, race, class, and ethics in the United States. Finally, it is, at times, the personal narrative of Rebecca Skloot, a reporter who worked for 10 years to learn these stories and to tell them. Cassandra Campbell’s performance captures the full range of tone in these elegantly woven narratives. She delivers what the story demands of her, uniting several storytelling styles into one single, dynamic voice.
In her narration, Campbell makes particularly masterful use of distance and proximity. At some points in the story, she has the cool tone of an investigative reporter, duly noting the gruesome evidence of patient mistreatment at the Hospital for the Negro Insane in the 1950s or the horrors of medical malpractice in the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. When she tells the stories of the members of the Lacks family, her voice is warm and compassionate, but still carries the distinct distance of a biographer/observer. And, at a few rare but poignant moments in the story, Campbell’s voice sounds exposed and intimately close to the listener’s ear, as the narrative brings us inside Skloot’s own struggle to understand and cope with the uncomfortable truths and thorny issues Henrietta’s story raises.
Bahni Turpin, who performs the dialogue for all the members of the Lacks family, supplies those voices with more than the appropriate dialect. Though she speaks for several different characters some of them appear only briefly or infrequently in the story Turpin manages to give unique weight and depth to each. Her portrayal of Zacharia Lacks, Henrietta’s youngest son, is perhaps most exceptional in its taciturn conveyance of anger, love, and pain. Emily Elert
Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells, taken without her knowledge, became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first immortal human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than 60 years.
If you could pile all HeLa cells ever grown onto a scale, they'd weigh more than 50 million metric tons - as much as a hundred Empire State Buildings.
HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bombs effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions. Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.
Now, Rebecca Skloot takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the colored ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s to stark white laboratories with freezers full of HeLa cells; from Henriettas small, dying hometown of Clover, Virginia, a land of wooden slave quarters, faith healings, and voodoo, to East Baltimore today, where her children and grandchildren live and struggle with the legacy of her cells.
Henrietta's family did not learn of her immortality until more than 20 years after her death, when scientists investigating HeLa began using her husband and children in research without informed consent. And though the cells had launched a multimillion-dollar industry that sells human biological materials, her family never saw any of the profits. As Rebecca Skloot so brilliantly shows, the story of the Lacks family, past and present, is inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we are made of.
©2010 Rebecca Skloot; (P)2010 Random House
"One of the most graceful and moving nonfiction books I’ve read in a very long time…The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks…floods over you like a narrative dam break, as if someone had managed to distill and purify the more addictive qualities of Erin Brockovich, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and The Andromeda Strain.…it feels like the book Ms. Skloot was born to write. It signals the arrival of a raw but quite real talent.” (Dwight Garner, The New York Times)
"Writing with a novelist's artistry, a biologist's expertise, and the zeal of an investigative reporter, Skloot tells a truly astonishing story of racism and poverty, science and conscience, spirituality and family driven by a galvanizing inquiry into the sanctity of the body and the very nature of the life force." (Booklist)
"Science journalist Skloot makes a remarkable debut with this multilayered story about 'faith, science, journalism, and grace.'...A rich, resonant tale of modern science, the wonders it can perform and how easily it can exploit society's most vulnerable people." (Publishers Weekly)
This book is better than a novel and WAY better than a science book. I'm both a better human and more sensitive, intelligent person for having listened to it. Thank you to the author, narrator, and of course, the Lacks family.
A very important work on so many crucial issues of humanity and science. A brilliant listening experience. I hadn't expected this book to enthrall me as it did
Congratulations and thanks to Rebecca Skloot
Although I found the story heart drenching hearing of all this families turmoil, I think the HELA project may have been one of the greatest contributions to humanity. Despite the fact that the family was robbed of the riches that came with the scientific development, the royalty that comes with being an ancestor of Henrietta Lacks is simply priceless. This most definitely a must read for all.
Sci-fi, detective, cozy. Only give 5s to those books I think stand above the rest. 4 is a good solid book. 3 is average, nothing special.
Overall a very good book. Rambles on a bit and is a bit preachy in spots. Still, one of those books everybody should read.
Just someone who likes a little bit of everything but mostly Sci-Fi/fantasy & Mystery Thrillers. I love Audiobooks because it makes whatever project I'm working on a little more enjoyable. I only wish I could leave reviews on books that I didn't get from Audible..I need another tb....
It 's rare that I write a review, especially so since it's a true story. Also, I listen or read to so many books that I get harder and harder to impress.
I started the story of Henrietta Lacks this morning and could not turn it off. By the time I finished I'd used more than a few tissues.
No question that this family was taken advantage of.
No question that a price could ever be placed on the contributions that Henrietta Lacks made to science and medicine and, no question that this book was worth every second or worth every dime.
This is not a story about how Black people were used and taken advantage of...It's about so much more. It's a story about a family, any family who might have been used and taken advantage of. It's about a daughter's love, it's about truth, it's about perseverance and yes it's about science.
Cassandra Campbell and Bahni Turpin brought Ms Skloot words to life, making the characters seem so real and alive that I cried with them and cheered for them. I look forward to listening to more by this author and these narrators .
HeLa is a scientific phenomenon wrapped in the human character story of a young black woman named Henrietta Lacks, who died of cervical cancer. She left behind five children and cancer cells that would become immortal as they continue to be THE most powerful tool scientific research has known. The strength of her cells and the wonders that science has worked through and with them are only part of the story. Henrietta's life story and the lives of her children as they struggle to live without her & to learn 20 years later that their mother's cancer cells have become immortal. Meticulously researched and chronicled. yet rich with conversation. Choice of audiobook narrators was a wonderful addition to the story. Thank you Rebecca Skloot for your perseverance to share the truth and honor Henrietta
One of the best!
It has some of the heart and technique of The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down.
Rebecca Skloot draws you in to care deeply about Henrietta and Deborah as she does.
Report Inappropriate Content
If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.

domain: library


text:
Maternal Mortality: Childbirth Carries Deadly Odds
The Washington Post highlights growing maternal health trend and the issues of maternal mortality worldwide
In Sierra Leone, the country with the world's highest maternal mortality rate, one in eight women dies in childbirth. The primary causes of death are preventable, as poverty, lack of education, and poor infrastructure often prohibits women from getting the care they need. Circumstances often dictate that women about to give birth prefer the dirt floor of home deliveries to the hands of qualified strangers in a distant hospital. When women do make it to the hospital, they are often forced to purchase their own medications, blood, and surgery–an expense that can add up to several months wages.
Even at Sierra Leone's best maternal hospital, the Princess Christian, the mortality rate is above average. "Maternal death is an almost invisible death", stated Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund. With the eyes of the world on other global health threats like malaria and HIV/AIDS, this preventable problem is rarely addressed.
For more information visit The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/11/AR200810...

domain: sociology


The news keeps on rolling in, and for this 23rd straight day of updates, we have a mix of things, including the latest confirmed band for the next local battle of the bands, the closely nearing deadline for registrations, and a pile of shorter recent news items, but first, here's some information on a new upcoming metal album release, and when we'll be reviewing it on the site!
Dafter, Michigan metal solo artist Ken "SweetKenny" Sutton will release his fifth original solo album "Doo Hickey" on March 31st! (Well, his sixth if you count last year's best-of compilation.) As revealed on his various online pages, including the album's page on his website, the album will see Ken teaming up with Detroit-area guitarist Scott Schroen (of The Ugly Radio Rebellion), who he has worked with on past material, but Ken will handle some guitar parts along with all other instruments. Sound-wise, Ken revealed that this will have "the Detroit rock sound", the sound of Sammy Hagar meeting The Doors, and a progressive rock feel, which all sounds intriguing added up! Scheduled to be released through his independent label Waterfall Records in just under two weeks, the full album (which is of EP length with only 6 songs) can be heard for free at this location, but it WILL be available for sale on the 31st through online music sites such as CD Baby, iTunes, and Amazon, presumably for 99¢ a track or $5.94 for the full release.
With a streaming copy available online (and with Ken sending me an advance copy), I'll confirm right now that "Doo Hickey" will be the subject of this month's CD review at the SMS! It'll be our first Sault Michigan review since last summer, and as a result, I've tentatively bumped our review of Woods of Ypres' "Independent Nature 2002-2007" to next month, likely close to the Juno Awards for obvious reasons. Stay tuned by March 31st for our review of SweetKenny's newest album, and for more updates soon!


Hello and welcome to this module on building sanitation systems. In this module, we are going to combine everything that was covered in the previous modules, the products, the functional groups, and the technologies, into complete systems. The goals of this module are to first, introduce what a sanitation template is, second, to understand how to work with the sanitation template by following the flow paths of each product and then selecting each technology for each functional group, and finally, to be able to build a complete, logical sanitation system. This is an example of what we call our system template. We will discuss each of the parts in detail as we progress, but for now, let's focus on the products. The products, as you will remember, are the materials that flow through and are generated within the sanitation system. We read the system template from left to right. On the left, you can see a list of the products in the first column: input products. You can identify the products by the rounded side and the color, as well as the name, of course. You can see that there are lines connecting the products to the rest of the elements in the diagram. These lines indicate the flow path of the particular products so it shows you what technology the product will pass through. You can see also that there are two thicknesses of lines. The thicker black lines are those which are most commonly followed and should be considered as the most important. The thinner lines are those that are somewhat less important or optional. For example, the main products are feces, urine and flushwater. These are all connected together with a thick black line that flows into the first red box. We'll talk about these boxes later, but for the moment, look at the bottom of the products, and look at the anal cleansing water and the dry cleansing material. These two products both have thin lines attached to them because realistically, they're not the most important thing to consider. Also, you'll notice that the thin line goes in two directions. up and across here. That means that the products can go either to this first technology box over here, or be mixed in with the products above. The choice would basically depend on the local context and conditions. It's worth stressing here that although we use system templates to help us guide the decision making process, they cannot solve all of your problems. There's still a fair amount of context specific information and engineering, that's needed to build a proper system. What we can also see are the products that are within the system, blackwater for example. Fecal sludge is another example of a product that did not go into the system. Notice it was nowhere here on the left. Fecal sludge, like all the other products that you can see within the system, emerged from different technologies. Some of the products will emerge in the same form as they entered and some of them will be transformed, like how urine, and feces, and flushwater were transformed into fecal sludge and effluents. Now we are going to focus on the functional groups. The titles of each functional group are listed across the top and are color coded in the way they were before. Within each functional group column there are technology boxes. Each technology box, under each functional group heading, lists the possible technology choices for that functional group, for that product. In essence, it is like a matrix. The products are listed on the left and are flowing from left to right. The functional groups are the columns, and where the functional groups intersect with the product paths, for example here, the technology options are listed in the technology boxes. You will notice that there is not a technology box for every functional group. Not every product requires a technology from every functional group. Gray water, for example, does not enter the system through the user interface. Remember it comes in from another water source in the house, but not the toilet. Therefore, the gray water bypasses the user interface and enters the sanitation system directly at the point of collection and storage. In this case it could be a septic tank, an AVR, or an anaerobic filter. Your job therefore, as the engineer, is to follow each product along its flow path until it intersects with a relevant functional group and then choose the most appropriate technology from the options listed. The choice will depend entirely on the local context and conditions. Let's actually do that now and select the technologies that we will need to form a complete sanitation system using this template as an example. Normally, we would know much more about the population, but in this case we are going to have to make some assumptions. Let's assume that the population is made up of wipers, and that they throw paper in the toilet, so we don't need a separate technology for it. Our gray cleansing material will follow this light line and mix it in with our urine, feces and flushwater. The urine, feces and flushwater, along with the toilet paper, will all flow into the user interface, and here we have two options. We can either choose a pour flush toilet or a cistern flush toilet. Let's, for the case of this example, choose a pour flush toilet. Here it is, we've marked it down so that we can build our system and continue from here. Once all the products go into our pour flush toilet, they are mixed together and referred to as "blackwater". The blackwater needs to be collected and stored. So here, it flows into the collection and storage functional group and again we see we have three choices, a septic tank, an AVR, or an anaerobic filter. Let's say that we were designing for a small group of houses and there's a little bit of space, so we want to install something that's a little bit robust that can handle the variation of the blackwater inflow and we decide on an anaerobic baffled reactor. Here it is, we've selected it for this technology interface. The ABR creates two different products, the effluent and the sludge which settles to the bottom. The effluent, which is created constantly, needs to continually leave the system. In our example, let's say we have a bit of space so we can pipe our effluent into a soak pit shown here. The effluent will infiltrate through, and because we have some space, will be absorbed by the soil without any real impact on the surrounding area. So we've taken care of the effluent, we've followed it through. Now we need to deal with the sludge. The sludge that accumulates into the AVR will need to be emptied periodically. So let's assume that we are working in an area that has emptying businesses that own and operate pump trucks to suck out and transport the accumulated sludge. Here's our truck, it's come along and it is emptying this layer of sludge from our AVR. The truck will now need to transport it. We're lucky in this case, because there is a functioning treatment plant dedicated for the sludge. It happens to be based on a planted drying bed. Here we can see the planted drying bed with the truck emptying the sludge into the grit chamber. The sludge will be layered on top of the filter. The effluent will filter through the porous layers beneath and will come out on this side. The sludge, as it accumulates, will dry and be turned into a dry sludge product. This dry sludge that comes off will need to be taken care of in some way. So what we're actually going to do is just give it away to some of the local farmers so that they can use it as a soil ammender and help to improve the porosity and water storing properties of the soil. Remember however, the planted drying bed produces two products, the dried sludge which we've given away, but also the effluent which comes out here, and which needs further treatment. What we're going to do is dump it into one of the small, local waste stabilization ponds that happens to be nearby. Quite lucky for us, but also, a very useful technology. So the effluent from the planted drying bed that we have here will flow into our waste stabilization plant. Now as a final step, we need to get rid of all this effluent somehow, so what we're going to do is we're going to actually put fish into a final finishing pond and dilute that effluent so that we can grow fish and hopefully generate some revenue in the process. Of course, we could have chosen different technologies at each step for every product so this is just one of many possible combinations. But still you can see how we linked all of the technologies for each of the products all the way through to the very end. Furthermore, this is just one template. The choices we have were limited because of the type of input products and the logical sequence of technologies that were specific to this template. In summary, the system template is like a matrix of products and functional groups. Technologies are selected by following flow paths that guide each product through the necessary functional groups. There are a variety of technologies that can be chosen so the ultimate decision is based on the context, the designer, and the end use objectives. In the next section we will discuss the nine different templates that include nearly every possible technology combination.


Show Us Your Holiday Lights | Community Spirit
Western New Yorkers were out in force this weekend stringing their homes with holiday lights and setting out decorations on their lawns. Now it’s time to share your handiwork with our viewers and WGRZ.com visitors.
Send us a photo of your holiday lights display and we’ll post it here, plus we’ll be selecting photos to feature in newscasts and on our Facebook page in the coming weeks. Please be sure to include your name and location so others can come out and enjoy your display in person.
Here are some tips on how to get the best photograph possible.
And some advice from National Grid on preparing a safe and economical display.
Upcoming Events near Clarence
Most popular stories from nearby communities
- Gambia Male Convicted of Misuse of a Passport and Aggravated ID Theft
- California Man Pleads Guilty to Unauthorized Access Device Fraud
- Kenmore Mercy Hospital patients receive gift of moblity thanks to national charity
- CERT Recipe Book Marks Group’s 10th Anniversary
- Tribute to Angels event raises funds for Kenmore Mercy Hospital


Downloadinstavideos.com is a team of professionals focused on providing the best web tool to download Instagram videos quickly and easily.
With our web application, users will have at their disposal a powerful software capable of downloading their favorite Instagram videos without limitations and 100% free of charge. Videos downloaded from Instagram are stored directly on your servers, not ours.
Therefore, when downloading, Downloadinstavideos.com will not store any videos that the user has downloaded. Our web application is for anonymous use.
For any doubt or suggestion about the operation of our tool, do not hesitate to contact us through the web form that you can find here.
We do not host or transmit any copyrighted content on (or from) our server. Users download content directly from Instagram.com's CDN server. This website is not affiliated with Instagram.


text:
Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics recently released a report on the country’s economy, comparing the status quo from 2014 and 2015 with likely projections in 2016 and beyond. The report titled; Nigerian Economy: Past, Present and Future, stated that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth will be 5.61 percent in 2019 unlike when it was 6.22 percent in 2014.
Although the country experienced a decrease in the value of imports/exports, the report states that the relative lower price of the Nigerian Naira is expected to result in cheaper prices of non-oil exports, and curb increases in imports.
According to the report, the GDP growth in 2016 will be lukewarm due to a few reasons such as political uncertainty prior to and six months after the elections, and intermittent supply shocks of refined petroleum products.
Due to the Central Bank’s adjustment of the foreign exchange management framework, the analysts at NBS expect a gradual easing in prices beyond 2016. According to the report, over the 2017 to 2019 period, Headline inflation is expected to average 9.01 percent.
The report also states that the country’s growth rate will improve by the end of 2016 at 3.78 percent. The growth rate will however increase to 5.03 percent in 2017 and 5.61 percent in 2018 but in 2019, there will be no improved growth rate. Total Trade is forecasted to increase on the margin, increasing by 2.41 percent as imports increase by 2.88 percent and exports increase by 2.16 percent.

domain: finance


text:
Communicating scientific concepts with a greater understanding
One of the very basic and most crucial parameters that every scientific figures illustration embraces is precision. No wonder why scientific illustration services play a key role in delivering precise artwork to facilitate learning in medical settings. The team of artists at MAP Systems has immense expertise and solid experience in crafting varied artworks of different complexity levels for different scientific communities including medical research groups, mariner research groups, communities involved in wildlife research and natural medicine, etc.
At MAP Systems, we employ experienced art directors who head a squad of skillful scientific illustrators who have the talent to carry out projects for varied industries including universities, research companies, publishing houses, etc. The standard of our works testifies the skills and proficiency we possess.


text:
Coalition combats counterfeit and stolen goods
The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Floor & Decor, along with the National Association of Wholesalers-Distributors, Plumbing Manufacturers International and the Power Tool Institute, have joined the Washington, D.C.-based Buy Safe America Coalition.
The coalition consists of a diverse group of retailers, consumer groups, wholesaler-distributors, and manufacturers who support efforts to combat organized retail crime and protect consumers and communities from the sale of counterfeit and stolen goods.
Stories of massive theft rings targeting home improvement retailers continue to emerge regularly, the coalition says. A man in Knoxville, Tenn., was arrested and charged earlier this year after $50,000 US worth of power tools and other equipment were located at a residence.
Meanwhile, in Florida, a theft ring stole at least $83,000 US in merchandise from several Home Depot and Lowe’s stores between 2017 and 2019, according to police reports.


This case involves a plumber who was called to repair a corroded pipe in a maintenance shed on a commercial property. The plumber attempted to enter the shed but found that the rolling door would not open because the wire cable had become tangled. He attempted to loosen it with one hand while holding up the door with the other. The door was too heavy for him to hold up and came down on his foot. The impact caused a severe injury to the plumber’s foot leaving him permanently disabled and unable to work. It was alleged that the contractor who installed the door used the wrong type of door for the space. An expert in rolling door installation was sought to review the case and determine if there was any negligence in the installation.


text:
Polka Dots for the 50’s, 60’s, & 70’s: The Dressy Interpretation
Polka dots can be worn for any occasion. I so enjoy exploring my closest, to find items that are most common in everyone’s collection. I then deem it challenging to style them differently and (hopefully) fabulously!
The polka dot blouse is quite a favorite in my family. Even though this featured clothing is made in three different colors and styles, I’ll exhibit them in various yet similar ways. In keeping with tradition of our now familiar categories for this week’s series, I’ll start with the more formal edition.
Quote of the Day: “If you can learn to love yourself and all the flaws, you can love other people so much better.” Kristin Chenoweth
50’s Polka Dots Blouse:
One of my good friends actually gave me this blouse. It came with a camisole for underneath, since it’s slightly sheer. I thought I’d wear the blouse over my dress and let the sash hang low to create some asymmetry.
60’s Polka Dot Blouse:
This is one of Nancy’s favorite blouses. Because it is sleeveless it works perfectly for pairing under cardigans and jackets. Also, I feel that the ruffles in the front make it more interesting & flattering.
70’s Polka Dots Blouse:
Mom made this blouse many (and I mean many) years ago. Even though it’s a front tie blouse, I threw the ties over her shoulder (so should I call it a back tie blouse? ha ha) to let the belt have most of the focus. Since the blouse is a cotton material, the ties actually stay put this way.
Thanks for reading my styling blog! How many polka dot items do you have in your closet?
Some photography by Kari Strand Photography


text:
Culturally Responsive Teaching : Lesson Planning for Elementary and Middle Grades, by IRVINE
Note: Supplemental materials are not guaranteed with Rental or Used book purchases.
- ISBN: 9780072408874 | 0072408871
- Cover: Paperback
- Copyright: 9/19/2000
How do I plan lessons for today's diverse classrooms? This book helps pre-service teachers answer this question and learn to create and use such lessons in their classrooms. It is the first book to provide well-developed content-specific lesson plans that reflect cultural diversity in the United States. Rather than taking the traditional foundations-oriented, culture and history approach, this text translates that cultural and historical knowledge of specific minority groups into examples for instructional use. The text features entire field-tested units for elementary and middle grades in four content areas, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. For example, in the language arts unit, "Stories, Stories, Stories," students tell, write, and read stories that build on their cultural background and experiences. The math unit explores informal geometry in the patterns of Navajo rugs, African textiles, and Mexican pottery. The science unit connects weather experiences to cultural folk myths and sayings. The social studies unit examines changing requirements for voting in the USA. The text can be used as a supplement for general or elementary methods, student field experience, or multicultural education, or as a main text in practice-oriented multicultural education and multicultural curriculum courses.


Depression is leading cause of illness, disability worldwide – WHO
Depression is the leading cause of illness and disability across the globe, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced. The condition’s prevalence rose more than 18 percent in a decade, with 300 million people now suffering from it.
The WHO’s figures, released Thursday, studied worldwide depression from 2005 to 2015, showing an increase of more than 18 percent during that period.
The organization said it has identified “strong links” between depression and other non-communicable disorders and diseases.
“Depression increases the risk of substance use disorders and diseases such as diabetes and heart disease,” it said in a statement, noting that the reverse is also true – that people suffering from those conditions also have a higher risk of depression.
It went on to state that depression is also “an important risk factor for suicide, which claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year.”
Despite the prevalence of depression, the WHO noted that many countries are severely lacking when it comes to providing resources for those with mental disorders – and some do not provide any support at all.
However, the problem is not limited to developing countries. In fact, nearly 50 percent of people do not receive treatment in high-income countries, according to the WHO.
“On average, just 3 percent of government health budgets is invested in mental health, varying from less than one percent in low-income countries to five percent in high-income countries,” the organization said.
It went on to state that investment in mental health “makes economic sense,” noting that “low levels of recognition and access to care for depression and another common mental disorder, anxiety, result in a global economic loss of a trillion US dollars every year.”
But lack of support is not the only hurdle standing in the way of those with mental disorders. According to the WHO, a fear of stigma also prevents those in need from accessing treatment.
In an effort to break that fear, the WHO has launched a year-long campaign called ‘Depression: Let’s Talk,’ which is aimed at encouraging those suffering from depression to seek and obtain help.
“For someone living with depression, talking to a person they trust is often the first step towards treatment and recovery,” said Dr. Shekhar Saxena, director of the WHO’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse.
The WHO’s director-general, Dr. Margaret Chan, said she hopes the new numbers will prompt countries to take mental health more seriously.
“These new figures are a wake-up call for all countries to re-think their approaches to mental health and to treat it with the urgency that it deserves,” she said.
The figures were released in the run-up to World Health Day, which will take place on April 7.


Linbo rallies Grant but bangs head again
The postgame handshake line extended to the end of Grant's bench, where the hero sat. Jazzlyn Linbo's left hand supported her head, as Warren players, one by one, grabbed her right hand.
Grant's athletic trainer sat in the chair next to Linbo, who had no recall of her fourth-quarter heroics.
"I blacked out a little," said Linbo, who sat the final 33.7 seconds of Grant's 67-66 win in fourth-day action of the Grant Holiday Tournament on Friday.
The 6-foot-2 Linbo and Warren's 6-1 Annika Gustafson each had two hands on a missed Grant free throw with the host Bulldogs clinging to a 65-64 lead. With the ball behind Linbo's head, the two post players tumbled to the court backward, never letting go of the ball. While Gustafson escaped with a scraped elbow, Linbo hit her head on the court. A day earlier against De La Salle, Linbo hit her shoulder and then her head on the floor, causing her to miss the most of the second half.
"It was the same spot as today," Linbo said.
"We're going to find out tomorrow morning," Grant coach Kevin Geist said of the extent of Linbo's second bump to the head in 24 hours. "But it looked similar and sounded the same as yesterday when she hit her shoulder first."
The victory, which included squandering a 12-point lead in the second quarter, put Grant (10-5, 3-1 tournament) in position to successfully defend its championship. The Bulldogs will play at 10 a.m. Saturday against Deerfield, which is also 3-1 in the tourney after losing to De La Salle on Friday. If Deerfield wins, the Warriors will win the title.
It was Linbo who rallied Grant in the fourth quarter, after Trenise Powe's 3-pointer put Warren (5-10, 2-2 tourney) up 64-54 with 4:04 left. Linbo's personal 11-0 run (3-pointer, three-point play, 3-pointer, 2-of-2 free throws) gave Grant a 65-64 lead with 1:31 to go.
Linbo finished with a game-high 26 points (4 of 6 from the arc), 8 rebounds and 4 blocks.
"She's a tough match," Warren coach John Stanczykiewicz said. "If you put a big on her, she's going to look to take you to the basket. If you put a smaller player on her, then she begins to work inside a little bit more. We just didn't have an answer for her."
Linbo scored 10 points, including a pair of 3s, in the first quarter, but Warren limited her to just 2 shots in the middle quarters.
"We found her (in the fourth)," Geist said of Linbo, who had 14 points in the final quarter. "We made the right read. It was much different from (Thursday, 67-30 loss to De La Salle), when we were forcing stuff. When she's open like that, it's going to be a long night for the opponent."
Caroline Sharpe sank four of Warren's eight 3-pointers and led the Blue Devils with 16 points. Sophomore post Grace Lynch had 15 points and 10 rebounds (8 offensive), and freshman guard Zion Levy tallied 15 points (two 3s), 6 rebounds and 3 steals.
Warren used a half-court press to spark a 22-2 run in the second quarter that turned a 27-15 deficit into a 37-29 lead with 2:20 left before halftime. But the Blue Devils, who were up 40-35 at the half, shot just 6 of 20 from the foul line for the game.
"It's tough to lose, but it's really fun to play a game like that, that's close and competitive," said Gustafson, who came off the bench to score 4 points and grab 6 rebounds.
MaCalyn Flores and Kylie Whyte added 14 and 12 points, respectively, for Grant. Each player along with Katelyn Dupree (8 points) sank two 3s.
After Powe (5 points) hit her 3-pointer midway through the fourth, Warren didn't score again until Gustafson's putback at the buzzer.
"There are just times where we're just not aware through possessions," said Stanczykiewicz, whose team has been without point guard Jesette Ezernack (high-ankle sprain) since a win over Mundelein on Dec. 6. "I thought we gave some possessions away, where we lost our focus."


text:
EU ETS Review: Political agreement after trilogues
16 January, 2023
The EU ETS is considered to be the cornerstone of the EU Climate Policy. The EU institutions achieved a provisional deal on December 18, concluding the interinstitutional negotiations that began on July 11.
In this policy brief, we reflect on the main points that have been disclosed at this time with the clear understanding that this may require an update when the official text emerges. The formal adoption by both the European Parliament and Council is expected to take place during the first quarter of 2023, and the EU ETS Directive to be implemented afterwards. The revised EU ETS should apply as of 2024.


text:
What is the Citrus Gall Wasp?
Around Melbourne, Citrus gall wasp (Bruchophagus fellis) has become a large problem for backyard citrus growers. It is a small, 3 mm in length, shiny, black wasp that is native to Australia. It originated in northern parts of Australia where the native finger lime is the normal host plant. However, the Citrus Gall Wasp has also adapted to use our introduced citrus trees as host plants.
It was first recorded as a pest of citrus in Queensland and New South Wales in the 1930s. During the last decade, it has spread to the Riverina and Sunraysia regions of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and the southern parts of Western Australia.
The citrus gall wasp causes unsightly lumps in citrus trees. This is the tree’s reaction to foreign bodies of the wasp larvae, that are incubating in the branch. Traditional thinking is that these galls are stressful to the trees. It is also believed to create weaker branches and lower the productivity of the trees.
There are two natural predators of the citrus gall wasp. The wasps Megastigmus brevivalvus and M. trisulcus insert their eggs directly into the citrus gall wasp egg. There it slowly develops in the host larva, eventually killing it. When well established, these wasps can parasitise more than 90% of gall wasp larvae. Neither of these natural predators has established populations in Melbourne, to make a significant impact on the gall wasp.
Citrus Gall Wasp Life Cycle
The citrus gall wasp has a life cycle that spans one calendar year. The adult wasp emerges from its woody gall in late spring or early summer. The emergence of the wasp is determined by the temperature. Most wasps emerge around the same time (within 20 days of each other). Warmer springs will see them emerge earlier than cooler springs.
Once the wasp has emerged, it has only 5 to 7 days to mate and then lay up to 100 eggs under the green bark of a citrus tree.
The eggs hatch after 2 to 3 weeks and feed within the stem for the next 9 to 10 months. During this time the tree will promote woody growth around the infected area. These galls become visible from about December and will gradually enlarge through autumn and winter.
After a short pupation period in spring, the adults emerge from little holes in the galls and the cycle continues.
Adult wasps normally do not move very far, but can be transported longer distances on prevailing winds or by movement of infested branches or trees. They usually re-infect the same tree, or another one nearby.
The NSW DPI has been trialling some different treatments in commercial citrus orchards. One organic treatment method is showing promise. It involves spraying calcined kaolin clay (Surround®) twice during the citrus gall wasp emergence period. This disrupts the egg laying and has shown to reduce gall occurrence significantly.
Observations that I’ve made when growing citrus
At Leaf, Root & Fruit we implement and maintain many edible foodscapes across Melbourne. Citrus trees are a popular fruit tree and many of our clients have them in their gardens. Over the years, this has given me plenty of opportunities to watch and observe the Citrus Gall Wasp in action. Here are a few observations:
- Citrus Gall Wasps tend to infect mainly lemons, grapefruit and to a lesser extent oranges.
- Whilst they will infect mandarin and Tahitian lime trees, they seem to prefer lemons and grapefruit as their host
- I’ve never seen an infected cumquat
- I’ve never noticed them on any of the native limes such as the finger lime or sunrise lime. This is ironic, because they are the original host plants for the citrus gall wasp. We’ve had a lower number of native citrus trees available to inspect for gall wasp, so this may not be accurate. UPDATE 07/07/16… this how now been disproved. Our gardening community report that they gall wasp does very much infect the native citrus and cause galls (see comments section below).
- The gall wasp always lays its eggs in very lush, new growth. This is evident as galls are most easily seen six months later at the base of light-green coloured shoots.
- Citrus trees are traditionally fertilized heavily in spring, summer and autumn. Heavy fertilizing in spring promotes a flush of new growth that is preferred by Citrus Gall Wasp.
- There is a public awareness campaign to “Prune in June”. Removing all citrus galls from a tree in June results in a flush of strong new growth in spring. This new growth is preferred by Citrus Gall Wasp.
- Slow growing, underfed trees are rarely infected by Citrus Gall Wasp in spring
- The Citrus Gall Wasp problem is now so widespread and established in Melbourne that eradication of the wasp from the area is going to be impossible through pruning or other mechanical methods.
- Citrus trees infested with Citrus Galls can still be quite productive. I’m not sure that the galls are as stressful to the tree as traditional theories have made out.
An alternative theory on controlling citrus gall wasp in Melbourne
Based on the observations above, I have come up with some theoretical practices that are worth trialling for growing citrus in Melbourne.
Avoid pruning out the gall wasps in winter. Doing so unbalances the tree so that it has a larger root system area than foliage area. This causes the tree to try to restore the balance by growing vigorously in spring. The vigorous spring growth results in a flush of new foliage that the gall wasp prefers. Yearly pruning regimes, such as this perpetuates the cycle. The “Prune in June” program is likely to result in a downward spiral of the tree over the course of several years until you are left with nothing but a stick. Most fruit trees are covered in fruit (and possibly blossom) in winter, so it is another good reason not to “Prune in June”.
Avoid heavily fertilizing trees in winter or spring. This also results in a flush of new growth that the gall wasp prefers and perpetuates the cycle. Unfortunately, citrus trees are heavy feeders and require a lot of nitrogen rich nutrients. Without these heavy feeds, the leaves will go yellow and they may not be as productive as heavily fed trees. In some cases, I’ve waited until December to feed my citrus trees and this has meant that they have remained uninfected by the gall wasps. Feeding citrus trees in February or March can result in a second flush of new growth that is preferred by the Citrus Leaf Miner. This means that to avoid pests the only time to feed citrus in Melbourne is Late December and all of January. This is probably not enough for supporting productive healthy citrus trees. So there is a conundrum for the Melbourne based citrus grower. It seems we can have a well-fed productive tree, or an underfed, yellowing, pest-free tree, but not both!
Grow a variety that is not preferred by the Citrus Gall Wasp. Most people know someone else with a lemon tree and in winter they are a staple of local food swaps. So why not grow a mandarin, native finger lime or cumquat instead? There are plenty of other varieties out there to try. Check out our citrus variety guide for more ideas.
The Leaf, Root & Fruit Citrus Gall Wasp Experiment
To test these theories, we are going to set up a trial to see which management practice is most beneficial for growing citrus.
We will purchase ten small lemon trees that are relatively identical in size, shape and stage of growth. The trees will be paired up and allocated to five different treatments:
- Citrus Galls pruned out in June every year, fertilized monthly Sep to May.
- Citrus Galls pruned out in June every year, fertilized monthly in Dec and Jan only.
- Citrus Galls not pruned out, fertilized monthly Sep to May.
- Citrus Galls not pruned out, fertilized monthly in Dec and Jan only
- Citrus Galls not pruned out, fertilized monthly Sep to May, treated with calcined kaolin clay (Surround®).
This experiment will run for several years. We will be regularly looking at the overall tree health as well as productivity. Further details on the experiment, as well as periodic updates will be found on our Citrus Gall Wasp Experiment Page. We will also keep you updated on the results as they develop and share them on our Facebook Page and our newsletter.
Want to know more about growing citrus in Melbourne? Check out our handy 5 part growing guide.
Have you made any similar observations to ours? Do you have any thoughts or great ideas on how to control citrus gall wasp in Melbourne? Please include them in the comments section below.

domain: biology


text:
London– Researchers have revealed that that the risk of atrial fibrillation is not linked to the amount of body fat, but instead to large muscle mass, or more precisely, a high fat-free weight.
Atrial fibrillation affects as many as one in three persons in the industrialised/Western world during a lifespan. And when it comes to preventing the condition, the medical doctor’s best advice is often weight loss. However, a new study, published in the journal Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine, shows that the risk of atrial fibrillation is not linked to the amount of fat, but rather to the fat-free weight.
“It appears that people with high fat-free weight do have a high risk, regardless of whether they have a lot of fat on their body or not,” said study researcher from Fenger-Gron Aarhus University in Denmark.
In many people’s eyes, large muscle mass is likely seen as the opposite of high body fat, but it turns out that to some extent, the same people have a lot of both.”And when these people have a high risk of atrial fibrillation, we tend to interpret it as proof that too much fat is harmful,” Grom added.
The study, which is based on a review of the literature on the importance of body fat and fat-free mass for the risk of atrial fibrillation, also contains a meta-analysis which summarises the results of all relevant studies in the field.
The starting point for the work was, among other things, the research group’s own study, in which they analysed the body mass of 56,000 participants in the Danish ‘Diet, Cancer and Health’ project.
“Our results point to the importance of remembering to also look for this condition in people who are muscular and without overwhelming body fat – even though they appear to be very healthy and robust,” he said
However, the researcher emphasises that the results encompass only the risk of atrial fibrillation and do not gainsay that too much body fat increases the incidence of infarctions, diabetes and many other health problems. (IANS)


text:
A Dublin woman who is anxiously awaiting the results of a coronavirus test has told how she ended up on her floor unable to breath because she had been made to feel too afraid to attend hospital.
The terrified 60-year-old, who has asthma and lung disease COPD, became so frightened she would die that she even made sure her adult son who lives with her knew where her will was.
The healthcare worker, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Dublin Live she had been feeling unwell for several weeks.
Despite being in a high-risk category, she was left waiting 10 days for a COVID-19 test before she had one on Saturday, March 28.
She said: "I'm used to fighting infections and viruses but this was very, very severe. It was really not budging.
"What happens with this is, when you get an ordinary cold or flu you get all congested and you can relieve that with antibiotics but you cannot budge this.
"It's absolutely horrific. It sticks to your body and you cannot budge it."
She attended a local hospital two weeks previously when she began to feel very unwell but was told by staff that she shouldn't be in the hospital due to her being in a high risk category for contracting the deadly bug.
She said the attitude of staff made her feel "like I had the plague".
The devoted mum-of-one was not told at this stage not to use the nebuliser or steroids she occasionally has to use to manage her condition.
She was advised not to use the medication until she knows if she has been infected with the deadly bug.
Last Tuesday night, she became extremely unwell with breathing difficulties that left her on the floor but she was afraid to attend hospital or use her medication.
"I had gone from a really high temperature, to hyperventilation, to ice cold, which affected my lungs and I was on the ground and couldn't breath.
"That's why I rang the hospital on Tuesday night. They were worse (then when I contacted them before).
"First of all the receptionist said she wasn't taking any messages over the phone and couldn't do anything over the phone.
"I told her I only had a query and didn't want to come down to the hospital, I just wanted to know if I could use my nebuliser or take steroids because I was afraid I wouldn't be here in the morning if I didn't."
Luckily, she was eventually put through to a nurse who advised her to use the nebuliser if she absolutely had to but the woman was so traumatised by the experience that she even made sure her 32-year-old son knew where her will was in case the worst happened.
"That's something I never thought I would have to do. I told my son the will is there and everything is organised and explained to him what he'd have to do."
The caring mum had her coronavirus test last week at the testing facility that has been set up on the LE Samuel Beckett on St John Rogerson's Quay.
Describing the experience, she said: "When you get there you have to wait outside in a queue and you have space between each person.
"They call you in one by one and you have to have your details of your GP and the whole lot.
"When they send you a text they send you a code number so I had all that in my phone for them.
"Before you go into the tent they confirm your identity and then they bring you in and use a sanitiser that's supplied on the wall and you're met by the nurses and the doctor who are all covered in PPE.
"The test only takes a second. It goes in through the back of your throat and up around your nose."
She was given a information pack as she left the test but later realised there were some vital things missing from it.
"With that sheet you're supposed to be supplied with two surgical masks when you're leaving and you're to get a small disposable plastic waste bag but no gloves. I wasn't given anything."
The worried Dubliner said she feels let down by the health service as she continues the agonising wait to find out if she has the killer virus.
"Everything you're being told is conflicted and you don't know what to do. You can just go by your own devices. You really need to have some kind of training with your existing illness to know what's going on."
A HSE spokeswoman told Dublin Live: "While the HSE cannot comment on individual cases we would advise anyone with concerns about their health to contact their GP or hospital liaison.
"Emergency Departments are open and seeing patients who are seriously ill.
"People should not ignore other symptoms outside of those associated with Covid-19, we want to reassure them that our Emergency Departments are open 24/7 for people who are seriously ill or injured and if their life is at risk. In an emergency, don’t wait, call 112/999."

domain: medical