|Publication number||US4955177 A|
|Application number||US 07/428,346|
|Publication date||11 Sep 1990|
|Filing date||27 Oct 1989|
|Priority date||27 Oct 1989|
|Publication number||07428346, 428346, US 4955177 A, US 4955177A, US-A-4955177, US4955177 A, US4955177A|
|Inventors||Joseph S. Lerner, David Krukas|
|Original Assignee||The Loveshaw Corporation|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (5), Referenced by (22), Classifications (7), Legal Events (6)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
In the tape sealing of rectangular shipping cartons, a preliminary requirement involves folding of the carton front, rear and side flaps from upwardly directed positionings of each to closed lateral positions wherein the side or major flaps overlay the front and rear (minor) flaps with longitudinal edges of the folded side flaps defining a, e.g., upper carton seam, sealing tape thereafter being applied in a sealing course over this seam with anchorage lengths of the tape course being adhered to portions of the carton front and rear walls. By simplest means, the flap folding can be hand effected by a machine operator immediately prior to passing the closed contents-containing carton onto the conveyor of a taping machine. This procedure is in most cases undesirably labor intensive for continuous carton sealing operations so flap folding devices are used, these devices generally being part of the tape sealing machine or an adjunct thereto so that passage of an open flap carton through the taping operation will result automatically in operation of these flap folding devices to effect flap closure before the carton reaches a tape applying station. U.S. Pat. No. 3,382,645 discloses a form of such flap folding devices, which devices comprise, inter alia, front (minor) flap folding arm 146, obliquely downwardly extending folding plows 233 for folding the carton side (major) flaps and a rear (minor) flap folding kicker 161. Normally upwardly disposed plates which are pivoted near their bottoms also can be used to effect folding of the carton side flaps. When the front edges of these side flaps on a forwardly travelling carton engage the plates, the plates are caused to pivot and with that pivoting movement fold down and inward the carton side flaps.
While the aforementioned devices employed for side flap folding operate satisfactorily for the intended purpose, problems can be encountered in certain instances in their use. These devices operate on the basis of the front edges of the side flaps of a forwardly travelling carton coming into contact with an obstruction. i.e., a fixed or rigid folding plow or twisted folding rod, or a plate pivoted at its bottom, to initiate and carry out the side flap folding movement. Where heavy material carton structures are involved, i.e., double and triple wall corrugated material cartons, the stiffness of this material as present in the upstanding side flaps can lead to failure of the side flaps to bend or bend properly on contacting the folding devices so that due to this malfolding coupled with momentum effect in the travelling carton, there can result undesirable happenings such as a ripping of the side flaps away from their associated carton side walls or formation of a new false score in the carton structure or only partial flap folding and consequent partial flap sealing. In these prior devices, the whole reaction force of the engagement of the side flaps with the folding devices is transmitted to the side flaps. In addition to the heavy, stiff nature of carton materials, the score line provided where a side flap meets an associated carton side wall and which is intended to function as a flap folding axis may be of low quality so that the side flap will not start to fold down and inward when it engages the folding device but rather impact the device and tear or rip away from the associated side wall where it has joinder thereto.
The above-described problems also are prevalent in respect of a class of rectangular shipping cartons which are formed from corrugated paperboard stock fabricated in the Far East and manufactured from a material base which lacks a certain quality of stiffness and strength to resist tearing, e.g., paperboard made from rice and rice plant fibers.
Thus it is to be understood that flap folding devices as are known can be a problem not only with use of cartons made from paperboard stock which is too stiff or strong but also with those made from paperboard which is not stiff enough and lacks tear-resistant strength because in both situations, use of such flap folding devices frequently results in unwanted and unacceptable flap damage.
An object of the invention is to provide an improved flap folding apparatus for folding down and inwardly from upstanding positions, the side flaps of a rectangular shipping carton to a lateral closed positioning of same relative to the carton side walls so that a tape sealing course can thereafter be applied over a seam at the top of the carton defined by confronting longitudinal edges of said side flaps.
Another object of the invention is to provide simply constructed yet highly effective carton side flap folding apparatus which is readily and conveniently embodied in or as an adjunct to a carton taping machine.
A further object of the invention is to provide carton side flap folding apparatus which functions in such manner as to effect optimized side flap folding without hazard of tearing or ripping the side flaps at the point of joinder of said flaps to their associated carton side walls or otherwise damaging the flaps when the side flaps come into contact with the folding apparatus during passage along a forwardly directed travel course.
A still further object is to provide carton side flap folding apparatus which utilizes highly strengthened structure of the carton to initiate side flap folding by engaging an arrangement of flap folding plates with the said strengthened structure so that this structure rather than front edges of the side flaps absorb the engagement impact requisite to bring about folding plate movement in a flap folding direction.
In an advantageous form, the apparatus of the invention comprises a pair of flap folding plates carried on a head beam structure a distance above the conveyor of a taping machine, the plates being located upstream of a taping mechanism on the machine. The plates are each mounted to rotate about a respective one of a pair of plate support axes, such axes being disposed to extend obliquely down in the carton travel direction and in convergence toward each other. Tension springs are connected with the head beam structure and the plates serve to apply bias force to the plates tending to normally dispose the plates in an upright orientation. The plates are carried on rods fixed to the head beam structure, the plates, e.g., having clip or sleeve means thereon which sleeve means embrace the rods so that the plates are rotatably mounted on the rods. The rods define the pivot axes, the plates having a first part which in upright plate orientation extend above their pivot axes and a second part which extends below such axes. The second parts of the plates have an appreciable downward reach so that they extend at least some distance below the carton top corner structure defined by the intersection of the carton front wall with the side walls. This provides that when a carton being conveyed in a forward direction on the machine conveyor comes into contact with the folding plates, it is a highly strengthened structure of the carton, i.e., the top corner structure which makes contact with the second parts of the plates to start the rearward pivoting movement of the plates to initiate and fulfill side flap folding. The front edges of the upwardly directed side (major) flaps also will engage with the plates but the main contact impact is absorbed by the carton corner structure so that while the front edges of the side flaps are in contact with the folding plates during the folding operation, the impact loading transmitted to the side flaps is slight by comparison with that on the corner structure so that tearing or ripping of the side flaps is obviated and any false folding as well. As the folding plates are pivoted rearwardly by the action of carton forward travel they maintain contact with the side flaps at the front edges of each and produce the inward and downward folding of these flaps to closed lateral position relative to the carton enclosure. The carton in passing downstream of the plates will arrive at the machine taping station where taping of the carton is carried out, e.g., with taping mechanism of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,039,367.
The head beam structure comprises an elongated member extending longitudinally of the conveyor and has a rear end disposed rearwardly a distance of the flap folding plates mounting location. This elongated member has a forwardly and downwardly inclined rear end surface which serves as a flap folding shoe which is engaged by an upwardly directed front (minor) flap of a forwardly moving carton and causes folding downwardly and rearwardly of this front flap to a closed position in which it will lie below the side flaps when the latter are folded. The machine also can be provided with a carton rear flap folding kicker of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,382,645.
The flap folding plates can be used for flap folding purposes with cartons having a range of carton widths. For example, the plates are arranged such that allows flap folding to be carried out on cartons having widths in a range of anywhere from 3 or 5 inches up to 20 inches or more. Where cartons of varying heights are intended to be used, the head beam structure is so supported that it can be adjusted vertically over a range of heights above the conveyor.
The flap folding apparatus also can be used for folding the bottom side flaps on a carton. In such instance the plates would be supported at a location beneath a carton forward travel course and the arrangement would be opposite in certain respects to that where the apparatus is used for folding top side flaps. For example, this reversal of component dispositions would mean that the bottom side flap folding plates would be pivotable about axes which extend obliquely upwardly and converge, the bottom corners at the carton front would engage second plate parts which have appreciable upward reach, the plates would pivot forwardly and the bottom side flaps would be folded inwardly and upwardly by the folding plates.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts in carton flap folding apparatus which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
A fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention will be had from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a carton taping machine which has been provided with flap folding apparatus in accordance with the invention, there being shown a forwardly travelling carton on which the side flaps thereof have been folded to an almost closed position, the taping mechanism of the machine being located a distance downstream from the folding plates;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view looking in the forward direction of the machine from the conveyor entrance end and illustrating the manner in which the folding plates pivot rearwardly to fold down the carton side flaps;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 but the carton not being shown and the folding plates being disposed in normal upright orientation;
FIG. 4 is a view of an upper part of the machine shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the machine side opposite that shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a shipping carton with the front flap folded and the rear flap partly folded but the top side flaps upwardly extending; and
FIG. 6 is a side view depiction illustrating the manner in which a forwardly travelling carton advances into the folding plates with the top corner at the carton front so positioned as to strike the uprightly oriented plates over an appreciable lower portion expanse of said plates and thereby absorb the brunt of impact rather than allow same be transmitted in any consequential measure to the front edges of the carton side flaps.
Throughout the following description, like reference numerals are used to denote like parts in the drawings.
FIG. 5 depicts a rectangular shipping carton 10 of the type with which the flap folding apparatus 12 (FIG. 1) is used. Carton 10 has opposite upstanding side walls 14, 16 which are joined together at their ends with upstanding transversely extending front wall 18 and rear wall 20, the intersection of the side walls and front and rear walls defining relatively strengthened corner structures at these intersections, e.g., the top corner structures 22, 24 at each side of the front of the carton. The carton has upper side flaps 26, 28 (shown extending generally vertically upwardly) formed as integral members with the respective side walls 14, 16 a front flap 30 made integral with front wall 18 and a rear flap 32 integral with rear wall 20. Front flap 30 is shown in a folded closed position and rear flap 32 is disposed in its upwardly directed position before same is folded down incident the closing and eventual tape sealing of the carton. Score lines 34 are provided in the carton where the flaps are joined to the various walls, these score lines serving to define hinge points or bend lines about which the flaps are to be folded. The side flaps 26, 28 have front edges 36 and carton closure is effected by first closing or folding down the front and rear flaps and then the side flaps to closed lateral positions overlaying the front and rear flaps. The long edges of the folded side flap define a carton top seam over which a sealing tape course is applied with that sealing course being anchored at each end down some distance on the respective carton front and rear walls. Folding flaps to "closed or lateral" position will be understood as meaning folding these from upright position to one where the flaps are generally perpendicular to the carton side and front and rear walls.
The carton 10 with which the flap folding apparatus can be used can be made from a wide range of paperboard materials inclusive of those used for rugged two and three ply corrugated paperboard stock to materials which are not particularly strong and have low tear-resistant strength. The flap folding apparatus can be used with cartons 10 having a varying range of dimensions. For example, carton widths could be in a range of 3 or 5 to 20 inches or more, and heights in a range of 2 or 3 to 30-36 inches or more. In describing the flap folding apparatus 12 next, continuous reference is made to FIGS. 1-4.
The flap folding apparatus can be provided as an adjunct unit in a carton taping operation which includes carton taping machine 5 such as being a satellite component connected by roller conveyor to the entrance to machine 5, or it can as shown in FIG. 1, be embodied as part of the machine itself. The taping machine 5 which is only one of many types with which the invention can be used includes base structure 40 on which is mounted a forwardly travelling conveyor 42, the conveyor having an entrance end as at 44 and a discharge end as at 46, a carton 10 entering onto the conveyor being conveyed forwardly to effect flap folding and tape sealing before it discharges from the conveyor. Side guidance rails 48 can be provided on the machine as well as a support standard 50 located near the conveyor discharge end and employed for mounting adjustably vertically thereon of a head beam structure 52, the adjustment being provided, e.g., by a bracket 110 carried on the head beam which encircles the standard and a locking wheel 112 for locking the bracket in selective positions. Head beam member 52 in the forward end part mounts a taping cartridge 54 of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,039,367, that taping cartridge including, inter alia, a tape stock 56 and a pair of roller tipped tape applying arms 58, 60 which as the carton passes under the cartridge apply pressure sensitive face sealing tape in a sealing course to the top of the carton in the manner as described in the '367 patent. The rear part or section of the head beam member 52 (as best seen in FIG. 3) comprises a flange 62 and a relatively deep web 64, the rear end of the web having a downwardly and forwardly inclined edge 66 which serves as a folding shoe to fold down the front flap 30 of a forwardly travelling carton when it comes in contact therewith, the folding occurring prior to the time the soon-to-be described flap folding plates are engaged by said carton. Further the lower edge 68 of the web serves as a "suppressor" to keep the front flap, as the side flaps are being folded, in its lateral folded position. The rear flap 32 also is folded down before side flap folding takes place, the kicker 161 (FIG. 1) being used for that purpose and functioning as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,382,645. The suppressor edge 68 also serves to maintain rear flap 32 folded as it passes thereunder and for which purpose the rear part of the head beam can be provided with a greater rearward reach, e.g., to an extent as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 4. In this manner suppressor edge 68 will be positioned to engage the carton folded down read flap as soon as that flap has been folded by the kicker plate.
The head beam member forward part is of widened character as compared to the flange and deep web configuration of the beam member rear part and it is from that widened part that the flap folding apparatus 12 is mounted reference being had to FIGS. 2 and 3 in elaborating in more detail as to this mounting. A pair of rods 70, 72 are mounted to the head beam member, these rods including each a front upright section 74 fixedly secured to the head beam member. The front sections merge with elongated main sections which main sections are inclined obliquely downwardly in the forward direction from the rear of the head beam member and converge toward each other as may be best seen from the FIG. 2 depiction of same wherein these main sections appear in dashed lines as in said FIGURE they are on the forward side of the flap folding plates 76, 78. Each rod 70, 72 also includes an upright rear end section 80 bent substantially at a right angle to its associated main section. The main sections of the rods 70, 72 define pivot axes for the flap folding plates. These pivot axes are as can be seen, inclined oblique to the carton forward travel path, the inclination being down in regard to plates used for folding top side flaps and up for plates used for folding bottom side flaps.
Flap folding plates 76, 78 are elongated relatively widened thin members made of stainless steel, light sheet metal or thermoplastic and the ends of each are provided with a stiffening end flange 82, the respective plates 76, 78 being mounted on the respective rods 70, 72, the plate mounting being in the form of spaced clip or sleeve means 85 carried on the plates and encircling or embracing the rod main sections so that the plates are rotatable on the fixed rods. Since the rod main sections are obliquely disposed, the folding plates have the same oblique character, i.e., they are rotatable in envelopes which are oblique and converging, this being evident from FIGS. 2 and 3.
As can be seen from FIG. 4, the plates 76, 78 are carried on the rod main sections in such way that the expanse of the plates is generally symmetrically arranged about the associated plate pivot axis. Thus each plate has a first part 90 which when the plates are in upright orientation, is disposed above its associated pivot axis and a second part 92 disposed below the pivot axis. Normally the flap folding plates will be disposed in upright orientation, being maintained in such by the bias applied action of tension springs 94, the springs being connected to the head beam member as at 96 and to the plate first parts as at 98.
The invention has as its main purpose, the effective, positive folding of carton side flaps without such being done in anyway that could result in side flap damage and in recognition of what heretofore has been a serious problem of prior devices in causing side flap damage incident engagement of the flaps with the devices as the flap folding causation, looks to utilization of a more rugged structure of the carton as the primary motion producing instrumentality to initiate and sustain flap folding motion. This is as was pointed out earlier achieved by engaging carton corner structure for such purpose. Thus the flap folding plates 76, 78 are arranged, arrayed and sized such that in normal upright orientation of each, the second parts of the plates will have a downward expanse to an extent to insure that the top corner structure of a forwardly travelling carton will engage the plate second parts to initiate folding plate rearward motion. FIG. 6 depicts this and as will be seen, the top corner structures 22, 24 of the forwardly travelling carton 10 are disposed above the lower tip ends 97 of the flap folding plates 76, 78 when the latter are upright and travel along movement line 155 to make impact with the plates at location I. Thus, this, the main impact of the carton structure/plate engagement will be with these carton strengthened parts although the front edges 36 of the side flaps 26, 28 also will engage the plates. Utilization of the top corner structure of the carton to initiate flap folding plate pivoting coupled with the effect of the forwardly travelling carton momentum insures that plate pivoting is provided without recourse to any pivoting effect as might be provided by engagement of the side flap front edges with the folding plates and thus there is consequently an obviating of any tearing or ripping effect on the side flaps which heretofore could occur when said side flaps came into contact forcefully with an abutment as presented by prior folding devices. The manner of operation of the folding apparatus will be described next.
Normally and before the flap folding apparatus 12 is operated, the flap folding plates 76, 78 will be in the upright orientation shown in FIG. 3. A contents-containing carton 10 to be tape sealed in the tape sealing machine 5 will with its side and front and rear flaps extending upwardly, be introduced onto the entrance end of conveyor 42. This may be by reason of an operator placing same there but more usually, it will be a consequence of the in-line continuous flow of filled cartons along an automatic carton sealing operation path. When the carton has moved forwardly to the appropriate location, edge 66 of the head beam will be engaged by and fold down the carton front flap and a sensor means (not shown) will be actuated to operate rear flap kicker 161 to fold the carton rear flap. The carton will thereafter continue forward travel and the top corner structures 22, 24 of the carton will strike the second parts of the folding plates 76, 78 and initiate rearward pivoting of these plates. Only a fraction of a second later, the front edges of the side flaps will engage the folding plates but with a minimized impact effect on the side flaps as the carton corner structures already have absorbed the brunt of the inertial impact of the carton with the folding plates. In pivoting rearwardly, the folding plates are in contact with the side flap front edges and their pivoting movement is transmitted to the side flaps as a folding force to fold these side flaps downward and inward. FIGS. 1 and 2 depict an intermediate folded position of the side flaps. Continued forward travel of the carton continues to cause pivoting of the folding plates and correspondingly the side flaps until the latter are folded to substantially horizontal disposition. The carton with all its flaps folded downwardly passes to the taping station at which the carton is taped and it thereafter passes onto the discharge end of the conveyor.
The above description deals with flap folding at the top of a carton and assumes a carton's bottom side flaps previously were folded as a result of case erection operation and/or carton presence at contents loading station or operation. The folding apparatus of the invention as one skilled in the art readily sees, can be used to fold the bottom side flaps in the same manner and with the same folding plates except such plates would be of reversed character as compared to the plates used for top side flap folding. A carton blank could be partly erected at a station and have all its top flaps and the bottom side flaps left extending in generally vertically directed disposition, but the bottom minor flaps would be folded. The partly erected carton then would be placed on a support such as a T-shaped member and be transported along on the support by belts engaging the carton side walls. A folding apparatus would be located along the travel path of the carton, being set below that path so it can operate to fold the carton bottom major flaps in the same way that the top ones will be later folded. The folding apparatus will be in all respects the same as that for top folding except for reversal of the positioning of the components, e.g., the plate second part of the bottom folding plates will when these plates are in vertical orientation will be above the first part since it is that plate part which the carton bottom front corners will strike. In this regard it is noted that it is the part of the plates which is proximal the carton as distinguished from that remote from the carton when the plates are vertically oriented that the carton corner structures will engage.
It will be understood that various modifications can be made in the flap folding apparatus described above without departing from the scope of the inventive concept disclosed.
|Cited Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US3382645 *||20 Dec 1965||14 May 1968||Loveshaw Corp||Carton clamping and guiding means in an automatic carton closing machine|
|US3466843 *||24 Mar 1967||16 Sep 1969||Mumper George J||Carton closing and taping machine|
|US3505774 *||23 Oct 1967||14 Apr 1970||Gidge Lester||Pressure pad box taping machine and method|
|US4039367 *||31 Dec 1975||2 Aug 1977||The Loveshaw Corporation||Tape applying mechanisms of carton sealing machines|
|US4640731 *||30 Apr 1985||3 Feb 1987||The Loveshaw Corporation||Apparatus for taping cartons|
|Citing Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US5511362 *||24 Nov 1993||30 Apr 1996||Nippon Flute Co., Ltd.||Box sealing method and apparatus|
|US5772568 *||17 Jun 1997||30 Jun 1998||Tien Heng Machinery Co., Ltd.||Carton flap folding and sealing machine|
|US5782064 *||13 Jun 1997||21 Jul 1998||The Mead Corporation||Box folding apparatus|
|US6318048 *||8 Oct 1999||20 Nov 2001||Illinois Tool Works Inc.||Case sealer mast and trolley assembly|
|US6668525 *||30 Aug 2002||30 Dec 2003||Zsolt Toth||Carton, a blank for producing a carton, and methods and apparatus for erecting, closing, and sealing a carton|
|US6880309 *||17 Nov 2003||19 Apr 2005||Antonio Marchetti||Device for straightening and closing the front flap for a self-dimensioning machine for closing parallelepiped boxes|
|US7140165 *||30 Nov 2001||28 Nov 2006||Dole Food Company, Inc.||Apparatus and method for sealing boxes|
|US7331154||27 Nov 2006||19 Feb 2008||Dole Food Company, Inc.||Apparatus and method for sealing boxes|
|US7571588 *||14 Jun 2006||11 Aug 2009||Illinois Tool Works Inc.||Case sealer with wash-down, knockdown, and reversible capabilities|
|US8109062 *||10 Feb 2011||7 Feb 2012||R.A. Pearson Company||Packaging case closing and tape sealing machine and processes|
|US8499532 *||5 Jun 2009||6 Aug 2013||Ranpak Corp.||System and method for sealing packing containers|
|US9199426||27 Jul 2011||1 Dec 2015||Flexicell Inc.||Tier cap forming apparatus|
|US20030101688 *||30 Nov 2001||5 Jun 2003||Serafin Albarran||Apparatus and method for sealing boxes|
|US20030101693 *||28 Jun 2002||5 Jun 2003||Hoe Shih Hsiung||Carton flap folder|
|US20040093829 *||17 Nov 2003||20 May 2004||Antonio Marchetti||Device for straightening and closing the front flap for a self-dimensioning machine for closing parallelepiped boxes|
|US20070157546 *||27 Nov 2006||12 Jul 2007||Dole Food Company, Inc.||Apparatus and method for sealing boxes|
|US20070158237 *||21 Dec 2004||12 Jul 2007||Adams Nicholas J||Process to prepare a haze free base oil|
|US20070289256 *||14 Jun 2006||20 Dec 2007||Illinois Tool Works Inc.||Case sealer with wash-down, knockdown, and reversible capabilities|
|US20110041464 *||5 Jun 2009||24 Feb 2011||Ranpak Corp.||System and method for sealing packing containers|
|US20110131925 *||10 Feb 2011||9 Jun 2011||R.A. Pearson Company||Packaging Case Closing and Tape Sealing Machine and Processes|
|CN105836173A *||13 May 2016||10 Aug 2016||江苏科技大学||Adjustable omnibearing automatic folding and carton sealing machine|
|EP0542341A1 *||4 Nov 1992||19 May 1993||Augusto Marchetti||Device for closing the side flaps of boxes with fold-down flaps|
|U.S. Classification||53/136.4, 493/183, 493/117, 53/377.2|
|27 Oct 1989||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: LOVESHAW CORPORATION, THE, NEW YORK
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNORS:LERNER, JOSEPH S.;KRUKAS, DAVID;REEL/FRAME:005168/0228
Effective date: 19891027
|15 Aug 1990||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: LOVESHAW CORPORATION, THE, (FORMERLY LOVESHAW ACQU
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:LOVESHAW CORPORATION, THE, A NY CORP.;REEL/FRAME:005403/0939
Effective date: 19900807
|9 Apr 1993||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: CHEMICAL BANK, AS AGENT, NEW YORK
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:LOVESHAW CORPORATION, THE;REEL/FRAME:006484/0647
Effective date: 19930331
|19 Apr 1994||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|11 Sep 1994||LAPS||Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees|
|22 Nov 1994||FP||Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee|
Effective date: 19940914


text:
The sale of fresh sperm over the internet is to be banned following a government clampdown. Ministers will outlaw anonymous donations and introduce new rules forcing all sperm samples to be frozen and screened.
The Department of Health will this week write to internet sperm providers telling them they will face strict new rules forcing them to freeze sperm for six months and screen it for viruses, including HIV.
The government action follows complaints that the internet sperm donations are not fully regulated and that some samples, biked by courier to women's homes, are old or may not always match the requirements of clients for physical type or background.
The new rules, which will come into force next year, will mean that fresh sperm will no longer be able to available to women by mail order.
A source at the Department of Health said: "We are saying they will not be able to sell fresh sperm direct. They will have to guarantee it has been screened for six months, the same way as clinics do. They will be subject to the same rules and will have to freeze sperm."
Internet sperm sites charge up to £2,000 for sperm donated by men which, they say, is of good quality and is subjected to rigorous screening. The anonymous service, provided by websites operating in the UK and abroad, has helped thousands of women, many of whom are single or in lesbian relationships, to conceive.
Under the new rules, internet sperm will be subject to the same rules governing UK sperm banks and fertility clinics. They have to freeze sperm for six months, the incubation period for HIV, to ensure that it is safe to use. They also check that the sperm is sufficiently strong and mobile to survive the freezing and rethawing process and enable women to conceive.
The change in the law will be welcomed by fertility groups which have called for stricter rules on internet sperm sites. "We are not happy with the use of fresh sperm. It's good that this loophole will be closed," said Allan Pacey, secretary of the British Fertility Society. "It's a good idea to change the law because at the moment there are real safety issues."
The change in the law will also end the right of internet sperm donors to remain anonymous.
There has been a huge increase in demand for fresh sperm via the internet since the Government introduced new rules affecting fertility clinics in the UK. Clinics have complained that they have been unable to persuade men to donate sperm after the Government withdrew the right of donors to keep their identity secret.
Currently children conceived using donated sperm at a clinic have the right to contact their father when they reach 18. But internet sites are not currently governed by these rules and can take donations from men who will remain anonymous when their offspring grow up.
"Currently the health concerns from internet sites are very significant because the sperm is not screened for months. There is a very big worry," said Josephine Quintaville, director of Comment on Reproductive Ethics. " We would welcome getting rid of anonymity."
The Government will this week tell the internet sites they will have until April 2007 to comply with the law. The Government will tell them that an EU directive governing the use of human tissues will mean they can no longer be exempt from the same rules governing sperm banks and fertility clinics that do not operate online.
The clampdown follows a consultation on reform of of fertility laws where concerns about internet sites were raised. The new rules are likely to mean that frozen sperm will in future be biked round to women's homes and can be kept in the freezer before self-insemination.
CASE STUDY: 'We were both worried by the risk of disease'
Lesbian couple Eve Carlile and Ros Hudson discussed having their own child for nine years before they decided to use a sperm donor.
Following private treatment at a fertility clinic in London, they now have a one-year-old son, Jude. Ms Carlile, 30, a solicitor, said they eventually decided against ordering sperm through the internet.
"We didn't use [the sperm donor website] Man Not Included because we were worried about the safety aspect and sexually transmitted diseases. That was really a major reason; doing that is incredibly risky," she said .
She and Ms Hudson, 31, an accountant, were clear from the beginning that they did not want contact with the father of the child. The couple do know that their son's biological father was of Macedonian descent, and his profession a physiotherapist but no more than that. "The thing is, if you wanted a donor who was 6ft tall with red hair, and the sperm is turning up on the back of a motorbike courier, how do you know if the donor really was 6ft tall with red hair?" asked Ms Carlile.
"When you look at sperm donation, you want to try to replicate something and how do you know what you're really getting if you do that over the internet?"

domain: news


Voices from the frontline of the climate crisis.
Podcast series the Descendants of Hai Ba Trung
October 19, 2022
UNDP Viet Nam is producing its first-ever podcast ‘Descendants of Hai Ba Trung’ or ‘Hậu duệ Hai Bà Trưng’, showcasing voices from the frontline of the climate crisis. Each episode showcases the journey of women from all backgrounds sharing their experiences in mobilizing their communities and taking action in the field of agriculture, disaster risk reduction, circular economy etc; to adapt and mitigate climate change.
We encourage you to share this inspiring podcast with your network and join hands with us in ensuring that women’s voices are not ‘left behind’ but rather heard at all levels.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/76iu2aL1mgVa9ADuEfjIh6, or


The world has been shocked by Ukraine’s recent statement that it used the Patriot air defence system to successfully intercept a Russian hypersonic missile. An air defence system could not be expected to be able to stop the Kinzhal missile, which is claimed to be one of Russia’s most sophisticated weapons. However, this Ukrainian interception has raised questions about the effectiveness of Russia’s missile weapons.
Russian President Vladimir Putin presented the air-launched Kinzhal missile in 2018 as a component of Russia’s “next generation” arsenal. It can carry nuclear or conventional warheads and travels at a top speed of ten times the speed of sound. The missile can carry a payload of up to 480 kg over a distance of 1,500–2,000 km (932–1242 miles).
The Kinzhal missile’s interception by Ukraine is a noteworthy achievement, especially in light of the ongoing hostilities between Ukraine and Russia since the annexation of Crimea in 2014. In a Telegram post, the commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, Mykola Oleshchuk, acknowledged the successful interception and expressed his congratulations to the Ukrainian people on this momentous day. The intercept apparently took place on May 4 during a midnight raid over Kiev.
The Patriot system’s successful interception of the Kinzhal missile casts doubt on the precision of Russia’s hypersonic missile capabilities. Russia has not yet acknowledged or responded to Ukraine’s assertion. This interception, however, highlights the critical function of air defence systems in thwarting cutting-edge weapons like the Kinzhal missile.
The Kinzhal missile’s successful interception is also evidence of how closely Ukraine and the United States are aligned. Utilising the Patriot air defence system, which was produced in the United States, has allowed Ukraine to successfully fend against Russia’s high-tech arsenal. Since Russia’s acquisition of Crimea, the United States has been a steadfast supporter of Ukraine and has given it military support to fend against Russian aggression.
In conclusion, Ukraine’s effective use of the Patriot system to intercept the Kinzhal missile has cast doubt on Russia’s missile capabilities. The triumph underlines the value of air defence systems in fending off cutting-edge weapons and demonstrates how strong the alliance between Ukraine and the US is.


Premises Licence ApplicationNotice ID: COL1627343
Licensing Act 2003 Section 34
Notice is hereby given that Osman Rasih has applied in respect of the Silk Road VIP Lounge, 4 St Botolphs Street for a variation to the Premises Licence under the Licensing Act 2003 to allow for: To amend the hours for regulated entertainment, sale of alcohol and hours of opening. To improve conditions attached to the licence and remove any outdated/unenforceable conditions Representations to this application must be made in writing, by 20/03/2020 to the Licensing Authority, Colchester Borough Council, PO Box 889, Rowan House, 33 Sheepen Road, Colchester, CO3 3WG. The register of licensing applications can be inspected between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday at the offices of Colchester Borough Council, 33 Sheepen Road Colchester or online http://www.colchester.gov.uk/licensingregister It is an offence on summary conviction, to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with this application, the maximum fine for which is £5000.


text:
by Bill O’Grady and Kaisa Stucke
[Posted: 9:30 AM EDT] Financial markets are stronger this morning on better than expected trade data out of China. March exports rose 11.5% from last year. Last month the same measure fell 25.4%. However, the data does fluctuate due to the variance in dates of when the Chinese New Year is celebrated. On a rolling three-month basis, both exports and imports are down around 10%. Overall, the data is good news for China, but somewhat less so for the world economy. After all, if China is running a trade surplus, it is essentially acquiring aggregate demand from the rest of the world. These conditions would be appropriate if the world was dealing with inflation, but that is not the case and so China running trade surpluses will become a bigger issue for the developed world. It is already an issue in the U.S. presidential primary season.
Two interesting articles in the FT and NYT are focusing on the problem of IS. Although IS remains in control of significant territory in Syria and Iraq, airstrikes and ground attacks are taking their toll on the group. Targeting its oil flows and the drop in oil prices have cut its funding. Attacks from Kurdish troops and Iraqi forces are reducing the area controlled by the group. Although this is good news, like most things in life, even good outcomes carry unexpectedly negative consequences. As IS has been losing territory in the Middle East, it has been stepping up terrorist attacks in Europe. It is unclear if the group can maintain operational tempo as it loses territory; we suspect it may not as it will lose its training ground and funding for operations. Another problematic development is that as IS has been losing territory in the Levant, it has been gaining territory in what is left of Libya. History has shown that terrorist groups tend to thrive in failed states and Libya may be the most significant failed state in the world today.
The FT article notes that something of a power vacuum is developing as IS loses territory. In most cases, IS leaves behind a shattered infrastructure that neither Iraq nor Syria can afford to rebuild, and no outside power will be comfortable providing funding for rebuilding without a working government in place. Defeating IS is a worthwhile goal but there does not appear to be a plan for the aftermath. Given that the government in Baghdad is Shiite-dominated, we doubt the Sunnis who live in what was western Iraq will be comfortable with a return of Iraqi dominance. Western Iraq and eastern Syria are ripe for an outside Sunni power to move in and take control. We will be watching to see whether Saudi Arabia and/or Turkey decide to fill the void created by defeating IS.


text:
Rated 4.5 out of 5 by 77
Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by Gavin78 Nice, clean & comfortable hotel. Very good value.
Well positioned & very pleasant hotel Happy & welcoming staff. Having attended a nearby function, our very late return to the hotel did not appear to be a problem. We would certainly return.
December 1, 2013
Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by curlybedhead Will use this again
Stayed here when we had a night out in Leeds. Much cheaper than city centre places we were looking at, and only about £15 each way so still worked out cheaper than us both staying in leeds,.
Room was really nice and beds very comfortable. Pretty basic so don't be expecting miniature soap or shampoo, but everything was spotless and bed was really clean and comfy.
One of the best aspects was the blackout curtains which meant we slept through till about nine undisturbed, and that breakfast was served till 11.30am on weekends, check out is 12, so really unrushed and chilled.
Will definitely use it again if I go out in Leeds again.
November 23, 2013
Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by mikei relaxing stay and excellent customer service
This was an overnight stay on the way to the Durham Lumiere event.Very friendly greeting efficient check-in service not bombarded with too much info and helpful answers to my questions about the Toby Carvery next door. Comfortable night's sleep(minimum noise - thanks to request for quiet room!)Relaxed breakfast with good range of options.Check-out service equally friendly and efficient.Would stay here again if opportunity arose
November 20, 2013
Rated 4.0 out of 5.0 by Nigelm Great Place-Shame about the bed
Very clean and nice hotel.Breakfast very good and staff very helpful.Room very clean and furnished nicely.
The only down side was the springy mattress.Terrible nights sleep as when either myself or my wife moved,due to the mattress being very bouncy we kept waking up.Suggest the bouncy mattress are changed to a firmer type.
November 19, 2013
Rated 4.0 out of 5.0 by Stuart1980 Pretty good hotel with excellent breakfast
The hotel in general was pretty good, beds are a bit like jelly which where not the best but everyone has a preference, Staff are very friendly and rooms are spotless. Breakfast provided a large variety from continental to cooked.
Make sure you check the breakfast times as we where unaware that the breakfast times changed from the weekends to weekdays and ended up having to buy breakfast next door.
November 15, 2013
Rated 4.0 out of 5.0 by FPK451 staff always helpful
I've stayed here a few times and it has always been a good experience. Rooms are always crisp and clean.
Facilities nearby- pubs and restaurants- are good value... Thank you.
November 5, 2013
Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by Vovo79 Great service
When we checked inn on the 1/11/13 at 7p.m. The lady who was at reception was just fabulous great Customer service keep it up
November 5, 2013
Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by stephj really clean and very comfortable
Stayed here before a dance course so was pleased with the peaceful surroundings and very comfy beds. Room extremely clean, telly quality excellent, free wifi, lovely breakfast :-)
November 4, 2013

domain: travel


text:
Small group, stimulating and relaxed environment.
Group transportation from St. George in executive 4WD Sprinter Van.
Comfortable, highly rated, nightly accommodations.
Outfitted and guided slot canyon hikes.
Constructive critique sessions with post processing instruction and guidance.
Led by photography guides with over 20 years working in Zion.
Zion & Grand Staircase Southwest Utah Photo Tour
The adventure begins in St. George, Utah, at the St. George Shuttle office, about 40 miles southwest of Springdale, the gateway town to Zion National Park, where we find ideally lit subjects all day long. Our exploration will take our small group to close by and easy to access iconic locations as well as to beautiful hidden gems off the beaten path in and around the park including a 4WD trip to stunning and sweeping views of Zion’s towering walls and an outfitted slot canyon hike into the Virgin River Narrows (or an equally compelling canyon also with flowing water) that offers an intimate canyon experience.
Each night we return to our comfortable accommodations (Trip Advisor’s ‘Certificate of Excellence’ recipient) close to the park entrance and conveniently located near a coffee shop, market, and restaurants.
The second part of our journey is based out of Kanab, Utah, where we explore a section of one the longest and deepest slot canyons in the Southwest, where reflected light beautifully accents the often narrow, twisty canyon walls creating visually appealing images even this time of year. This canyon is non-technical, but it does require a little scrambling or a taking a slightly longer side-trip to avoid the 8′ scramble. Water and mud may also be present so we recommend bringing shoes you don’t mind getting wet or muddy.
While based out of Kanab, we will explore the Toadstool Wilderness area – a location where there are balanced rock formations that look like mushrooms, and the Movie Set – a location with multi-colored cliffs comprised of alternating red, white, purple and grayish-blue strata, forming an interesting and photogenic backdrop.
On the final morning, we leisurely return to the St. George Shuttle office in time for your afternoon flight or follow-up itinerary.


text:
The Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life welcomes “auto czar” Ron Bloom ’77 to campus April 8.
Bloom will speak on “We almost lost Detroit: A hopeful tale about cars, crises, cities and America,” at 7:30 p.m. in PAC 001.
After graduating from Wesleyan with a BA in history in 1977, Bloom received an MBA with distinction from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration in 1985. After working as the assistant to the president for United Steelworkers, Bloom was appointed by President Obama be the senior advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury on the President’s Task Force on the Automotive Industry. In this role, the “auto czar” presided over the restructuring of General Motors and Chrysler as the government attempted to bail out both companies.
In 2011, he worked as the assistant to the president for manufacturing policy at the White House, providing leadership on policy development and strategic planning for the administration’s agenda to revitalize the manufacturing sector. Bloom led the discussions with the auto industry which resulted in the industry’s support for new standards that will double the fuel economy of cars and light trucks, saving consumers over $1.7 trillion and reducing oil consumption by 2 million barrels per day.
Bloom currently is vice chairman of U.S. Investment Banking at Lazard where he focuses on mergers and acquisitions, restricting and infrastructure.
On April 29, 2010, he was named as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in the category of World Leaders. In the Time 100 issue, Bill Saporito wrote that “his role in brokering the rescue of General Motors and Chrysler while preserving more than 100,000 jobs demanded a synergist who could work both sides of the equation with authority and respect.”
In addition to the evening talk, Bloom will meet with students enrolled in Professor of History Ron Schatz’s American Labor History class, and also with selected students and faculty in Woodhead Lounge at 4:30 p.m. Anyone interested in participating in the informal conversation should RSVP to Rob Rosenthal, director of the Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life, at email@example.com.


Almost four years after a girl ended an unwanted being pregnant with abortion tablets got at a Phoenix health center, she finds herself mired in an ongoing lawsuit over that decision.
A contemplate allowed the girl’s ex-husband to save an property for the embryo, which had been aborted in its seventh week of pattern. The ex-husband filed a wrongful loss of life lawsuit against the health center and its docs in 2020, alleging that physicians didn’t construct upright informed consent from the girl as required by Arizona law.
Across the U.S., folks have sued for negligence in the loss of life of a fetus or embryo in cases where a pregnant person has been killed in a automobile crash or a being pregnant changed into as soon as lost attributable to alleged wrongdoing by a health care provider. However a court action claiming the wrongful loss of life of an aborted embryo or fetus is a extra recent device, proper experts said.
The experts said this rare tactic would perhaps changed into extra fashioned, as anti-abortion groups have signaled their desire to additional limit reproductive rights following the U.S. Supreme Court docket’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Females’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade. The Arizona lawsuit and others that can also just apply is also an strive to discourage and intimidate suppliers and harass plaintiffs’ inclined romantic companions, experts said.
Lucinda Finley, a law professor at the University at Buffalo who specializes in tort law and reproductive rights, said the Arizona case is a “harbinger of things to come serve” and known because it “troubling for the future.”
Finley said she expects narrate lawmakers and anti-abortion groups to make employ of “unheard of options” to strive to forestall folks from touring to construct abortions or block them from acquiring details on where to search one.
Probably essentially the most rude instance is in Texas, where the Texas Heartbeat Act, signed into law in Would possibly also 2021 and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court docket in December, permits personal citizens to sue a individual that performs or aids in an abortion.
“Or no longer it is great better than these wrongful loss of life fits,” Finley said.
Civia Tamarkin, president of the National Council of Jewish Females Arizona, which advocates for reproductive rights, said the Arizona lawsuit is allotment of a better agenda that anti-abortion advocates are working toward.
“Or no longer it is a lawsuit that appears to be a trial balloon to salvage how some distance the approved loyal and the plaintiff can push the limits of the law, the limits of motive, the limits of science and treatment,” Tamarkin said.
In July 2018, the ex-husband, Mario Villegas, accompanied his then-wife to three clinical appointments — a consultation, the abortion and a apply-up. The girl, who ProPublica is no longer identifying for privacy reasons, said in a deposition in the wrongful loss of life suit that at the time of the plot the two were already talking about acquiring a divorce, which changed into as soon as finalized later that yr.
“We weren’t happy collectively at all,” she said.
Villegas, a inclined Marine from Globe, Arizona, a mining town east of Phoenix, had been married twice prior to and has varied young folks. He has since moved out of narrate.
In a impress his then-wife filled out at the health center, she said she changed into as soon as looking out out for an abortion on yarn of she changed into as soon as no longer prepared to be a guardian and her relationship with Villegas changed into as soon as unstable, per court details. She also checked a field declaring that “I am contented with my decision to end this being pregnant.” The girl declined to talk on the story with ProPublica out of apprehension for her safety.
The next yr, in 2019, Villegas realized about an Alabama man who hadn’t wanted his ex-female friend to have an abortion and sued the Alabama Females’s Heart for Reproductive Selections in Huntsville on behalf of an embryo that changed into as soon as aborted at six weeks.
To sue on behalf of the embryo, the would-be father, Ryan Magers, went to probate court where he requested a contemplate to appoint him because the non-public consultant of the property. In probate court, a contemplate can also just appoint any individual to characterize the property of a individual that has died with out a will. That consultant then has the authority to distribute the property’s sources to beneficiaries.
When Magers filed to open an property for the embryo, his approved loyal cited varied Alabama court rulings engaging pregnant folks and a 2018 amendment to the Alabama Constitution recognizing the “sanctity of unborn lifestyles and the rights of unborn young folks.”
A probate contemplate appointed Magers consultant of the property, giving him proper standing to sue for damages in the wrongful loss of life command. The case, believed to be the first instance in which an aborted embryo changed into as soon as given proper rights, made nationwide headlines.
Or no longer it is unclear how many states enable an property to be opened on behalf of an embryo or fetus. Some states, cherish Arizona, don’t explicitly make clear what counts as a deceased person of their probate code, leaving it to a contemplate to contemplate. In a handful of states, regulations make clear embryos and fetuses as a person at belief, which would perhaps enable for an property, but it is rare.
An Alabama circuit court contemplate sooner or later disregarded Magers’ wrongful loss of life lawsuit, citing that the claims were “precluded by Lisp and Federal regulations.”
Villegas contacted Magers’ approved loyal, Brent Helms, about pursuing a identical action in Arizona and changed into as soon as referred to J. Stanley Martineau, an Arizona approved loyal who had flown to Alabama to discuss over with Helms about Magers’ case.
In August 2020, Villegas filed a petition to be appointed personal consultant of the property of “Puny one Villegas.” His ex-wife antagonistic the action and contacted an exact advocacy group pondering about reproductive justice, which helped her construct a approved loyal.
In court filings, Villegas said he prefers to take into yarn “Puny one Villegas” as a girl, even supposing the intercourse of the embryo changed into as soon as by no plot certain, and his approved loyal argued that there isn’t very any longer an Arizona case that explicitly defines a deceased person, “so the jam appears to be an open one in Arizona.”
In a 2021 spin arguing for dismissal, the ex-wife’s approved loyal, Louis Silverman, argued that Arizona’s probate code would now not authorize the appointment of a non-public consultant for an embryo, and that granting Villegas’ ask would violate a girl’s constitutional correct to contemplate whether to shield a being pregnant to term.
“U.S. Supreme Court docket precedent has long protected the constitutional correct of a girl to construct an abortion, alongside side that the choice whether to construct so belongs to the girl alone — even where her partner, companion, or ex-companion disagrees with that decision,” Silverman said remaining yr.
Gila County Superior Court docket Rating Bryan B. Chambers said in an command denying the spin that his decision permits Villegas to produce the argument that the embryo is a person in a wrongful loss of life lawsuit, but that he has no longer reached that conclusion at this stage. Villegas changed into as soon as later appointed the non-public consultant of the property.
As states resolve what’s staunch in the wake of Dobbs and legislators imply new abortion regulations, anti-abortion groups such because the National Correct to Life Committee contemplate civil fits as a attain to put into effect abortion bans and have released mannequin legislation they hope sympathetic legislators will reproduction in statehouses nationwide.
“To boot to to criminal penalties and clinical license revocation, civil therapies would perhaps be serious to produce certain that unborn lives are protected against unlawful abortions,” the community wrote in a June 15 letter to its narrate mates that integrated the mannequin legislation.
James Bopp Jr.,usual counsel for the committee, said in an interview with ProPublica that such actions would perhaps be critical on yarn of some “radical Democrat” prosecutors have signaled they’ll also just no longer put into effect criminal abortion bans. Final month, 90 prosecutors from all over the nation indicated that they would perhaps no longer prosecute folks who look abortions.
“The civil therapies apply what the criminal law makes unlawful,” he said. “And that is the reason what we’re doing.”
The National Correct to Life Committee’s mannequin legislation, which advocates prohibiting abortion moreover to forestall the loss of life of the pregnant person, recommends that states allow civil actions against folks or entities that violate abortion regulations “to forestall future violations.” It also means that those which have had or have sought to have an unlawful abortion, to boot to the expectant father and the oldsters of a pregnant minor, be allowed to pursue wrongful loss of life actions.
Below the legislation, an action for wrongful loss of life of an “unborn little one” will likely be handled cherish that of a piece one who died after being born.
In a single regard, Arizona has already utilized a part of this mannequin legislation because the narrate’s lawmakers have chipped away at salvage admission to to abortion and enacted a myriad of regulations on docs who present the plot.
The narrate’s “informed consent” statute for abortion, first signed into law by then-Gov. Jan Brewer in 2009, mandated an in-person counseling session and a 24-hour ready length prior to an abortion. It permits a pregnant person, their husband or a maternal grandparent of a minor to sue if a health care provider does no longer correctly construct the pregnant person’s informed consent, and to earn damages for psychological, emotional and bodily injuries, statutory damages and approved loyal bills.
The informed consent regulations, which have modified over time, mandate that the affected person be suggested about the “seemingly anatomical and physiological traits” of the embryo or fetus and the “immediate and long-term clinical risks” linked to abortion, to boot to choices to the plot. Some abortion-rights groups and clinical mavens have criticized informed consent processes, arguing the materials would perhaps even be deceptive and personify the embryo or fetus. A 2018 review of various studies concluded that having an abortion does no longer develop a person’s menace of infertility of their subsequent being pregnant, nor is it linked to a better menace of breast most cancers or preterm start, among varied concerns.
The wrongful loss of life suit comes at a time of unheard of misunderstanding over abortion law in Arizona.
Till Roe v. Wade changed into as soon as handed down in 1973, organising a constitutional correct to abortion, a law relationship to prior to statehood had banned the plot. In March, Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican who has known as Arizona “essentially the most loyal-lifestyles narrate in the nation,” signed into law a invoice outlawing abortions after 15 weeks, and said that law would supersede the pre-statehood ban if Roe were overturned. However now that Roe has been overturned, Arizona Felony loyal Customary Worth Brnovich, one other Republican, said he intends to put into effect the pre-statehood ban, which outlawed abortion moreover to recall the lifetime of the person looking out out for the plot. On Thursday, he filed a spin to capture an injunction on the law, which would produce it enforceable.
Adding to the muddle, a U.S. district court contemplate on Monday blocked allotment of a 2021 Arizona law that would perhaps classify fertilized eggs, embryos and fetuses as folks starting at belief, ruling that the approved loyal usual can not employ the so-known as personhood law against abortion suppliers. Following the Supreme Court docket decision in Dobbs, eight of the narrate’s 9 abortion suppliers — all positioned in three Arizona counties — halted abortion services and products, but following the emergency injunction some are again providing them.
In the wrongful loss of life command, Martineau argued that the girl’s consent changed into as soon as invalidated on yarn of the docs didn’t apply the informed consent statute. Despite the true fact that the girl signed four consent documents, the suit claims that “proof exhibits that in her trudge to maximise profits,” the health center’s owner, Dr. Gabrielle Goodrick, “reduce corners.” Martineau alleged that Goodrick and one other physician didn’t uncover the girl of the inability of “maternal-fetal” attachment, about the selections to abortion or that if no longer for the abortion, the embryo would likely have been “dropped at term,” among varied violations.
Tom Slutes, Goodrick’s approved loyal, known as the lawsuit “ridiculous.”
“They didn’t reduce any corners,” he said, adding that the girl “clearly knew what changed into as soon as going to happen and with out a doubt, strongly” wanted the abortion. With out reference to the guidelines the girl got, she would no longer have modified her mind, Slutes said. Slutes referenced the deposition, where the girl said she “felt completely informed.”
Martineau said in an interview that Villegas is now not motivated by collecting cash from the lawsuit.
“He has no desire to annoy” his ex-wife, Martineau said. “All he needs to construct is produce certain that it would now not happen to one other father.”
In a deposition, Villegas’ ex-wife said that he changed into as soon as emotionally abusive all over their marriage, which lasted nearly 5 years. In the initiating, she said, Villegas seemed cherish the “biggest guy I’ve ever met in my lifestyles,” taking her to California for a week as a birthday gift. However because the marriage improved, she said, there have been times he would no longer enable her to salvage a job or trail away the house except she changed into as soon as with him.
The girl alleged that Villegas made mistaken social media profiles, hacked into her social media accounts and threatened to “blackmail” her if she left him all over his failed marketing campaign to be a justice of the peace in Gila County, outdoors of Phoenix.
Villegas denied the allegations about his relationship but declined to lisp additional for this tale, Martineau said.
Carliss Chatman, an companion law professor at Washington and Lee University in Virginia, said certain civil therapies would perhaps even be a mechanism for males to proceed to abuse their inclined companions thru the court system.
“What happens if the father who is suing on behalf of the fetus is your rapist or your abuser? Or no longer it is one other attain to torture a girl,” Chatman said.
Chatman added that these proper actions typically is a deterrent for physicians in states where abortion is banned after a undeniable gestational length, on yarn of the specter of civil fits makes it tougher for docs to salvage insurance.
The lawsuit has added to the stresses on Goodrick, who has been performing abortions in Arizona on yarn of the mid-1990s, and her note. She said that on yarn of the lawsuit changed into as soon as filed, the annual price of her clinical malpractice insurance has risen from $32,000 to $67,000.
Earlier than suppliers in Arizona halted abortions following the Supreme Court docket decision, folks would start up lining up outdoors Goodrick’s health center at 6 a.m., typically with lawn chairs in hand, cherish “a live performance line,” Goodrick said.
“Yearly there would possibly be one thing and we by no plot know what it would perhaps be,” Goodrick said just no longer too long in the past at her Phoenix health center. “I am fashion of desensitized to it all.”
Nicole Santa Cruz is a reporter overlaying concerns of inequality in the Southwest.


We supply both traditional and novel NDT solutions. For example : -
- For FPI we supply overhead strip lights and handheld lamps , which via the use of embedded micro processing, provides products that outperform anything else currently on the market in terms of efficiency, output power , battery life etc
- A patented machine vision system (The ML-3000) that performs fully-automated high-speed FPI inspection that detects every indication on millions of parts to a sizing accuracy of 50 microns.
- An ATEX Zone 0 system that can detect and monitor the progression CUI 24/7 without having to remove outer cladding or insulation.
- Non-contact, non-ionising devices , that can detect voids and cavities behind solid surfaces, perform inline /end of line inspection of composites and even offer an alternative to x-rays for the detection and imaging of non-metallic,, low density parts.
Other offerings are secure cloud-based data repositories for continuous condition monitoring and bespoke commissions for hardware design (and associated software) for a broad range of equipment such as UT, PEC, flow-meters etc.
Products & Services
UK -Based NDT Equipment Manufacturer and Supplier
A UK- based manufacturer of NDT equipment for multiple industrial sectors and disciplines.


Today’s post features Professor George McKay writing in response to the death of Nelson Mandela about some of the experiences of South African jazz musicians under apartheid in the 1960s.
Today’s guest post is by Suzanne Bull MBE – Chief Officer at Attitude is Everything – a project working towards improving access to live music for disabled people. Here she explains the origins of the project, the philosophy behind its continuing work with market leading festivals and venues, the Charter system of best practice and the forthcoming State of Access report.
Louise Dodgson, Editor of The Unsigned Guide on the perils of pay to play at the grassroots level – she discusses what pay to play is and isn’t, and how to avoid pay to play.
Today’s guest post by Jonny Walker – singer, songwriter and founder of the Association of Street Performers – comes in the face of recent moves against buskers by Camden council, which is considering draconian restrictions and fines. In advance of the council decision next week, Jonny outlines the ramifications of these proposals and the relationship of street music to city life.
A repost of a blog post by Dr. Stephen Henderson, an authority on event marketing and management and Senior Lecturer at Leeds Metropolitan University. Here he discusses the matter of ‘impact’ and points towards the need for a clear-sighted approach to defining it.
Professor Simon Frith (University of Edinburgh) interviews Paul Latham, Chief Operating Officer of Live Nation UK and Chairman of Creative and Cultural Skills. Together they discuss Paul’s career in live music, the current state of the industry and the future of live music in the UK and globally, the relationship between the live and recording industries, and issues around secondary ticketing.
Eileen Hogan, of University College Cork, discusses the annual Arthur’s Day celebration and the relationship of Guinness – along with its parent company Diageo – to live music, along with the wider implications of corporate sponsorship for cultural activity and identity.
Visual artist Jenny Soep discusses her experiences of drawing live music, the pros and cons of using ‘traditional’ and digital materials, her personal guidelines for drawing live music, and links to other artists who draw or visualise live music in one form or another.
Today’s guest post is by James Hadfield, an English writer and photographer based in Tokyo, where he writes about music and other subjects for The Japan Times and Tokyo TimeOut amongst others. In this piece he looks at the ubiquity of pay-to-play, or noruma, in the Japanese capital.
This guest post by Darren Mueller- saxophonist, teacher and PhD candidate at Duke University – reflects on how live jazz performances are haunted, and infused, by the recordings of the past.


text:
With just 10 days to go before the announcement of the Gilas Pilipinas team that will compete in 2017 SEABA Championship, head coach Chot Reyes continues to stress that no one from the pool has secured their spot yet — well, except for Andray Blatche.
But if there’s one player that has impressed coach Chot, it’s 25-year-old Meralco Bolts rookie Ed Daquioag.
“There’s been great improvements from a lot but I think the standout has been Ed Daquioag,” the eight-time PBA champion coach shared on Tuesday evening at the Meralco Gym.
And being part of the program has helped the native of Dingras, Ilocos Norte build both his confidence and his game.
“From the time he first stepped in and the way he has been playing and moving now — just in his body language, he has confidence and the way he has been shooting three-points — he has added that to his game,” the five-time Coach of the Year furthered.
This season, the product of the University of Santo Tomas basketball program is averaging 6.5 points on 43.8 percent shooting to go along with 1.2 assists. But his improvements have now been noticed even by the Meralco staff.
“[Gilas assistant coach] Jimmy [Alapag’s] been telling me is that the confidence he has gained here in Gilas is spilling over to the way he is playing in Meralco,” Reyes shared.
“If you’re going to ask me, all of the new guys are improving. But I think the standout is Ed Daquioag.”
According to Reyes, they have always had their eyes on bringing Daquioag to the pool ever since his days with the Growling Tigers. During his collegiate days, Daquioag helped steer the Growling Tigers to three silver finishes.
The only question to his game, though, was his three-point shooting, currently 34.8 percent from distance.
“We’ve always liked his game. He is a combo guard that can play both the point and the two. The question really was how deadly he can be from the three-point line,” Reyes admitted.
“He’s proving that so far and he is going to be the other guys a run.”
When pressed, Reyes added that Mike Tolomia is impressing him as well.
“The other guy that I can think of right now is Mike Tolomia.
“I think he is going to give the other established guards on the team a tough run as well,” Reyes declared.


text:
TUCSON, AZ (KOLD News 13) - While many look forward to February 14, florists have a different day marked on their calendars. February 13. One of their busiest days of the year.
"We've been planning for weeks." said Pati Velasquez, a Professional Floral Designer at The Flower Shop on 4th. “It’s non stop. It’s constant. You know, you have to be like one step ahead.”
Prep for the heart-filled holiday started about a month ago when the shop placed the order for all the flowers. But even with the early start and nearly 2,000 roses taking over the shop, inventory is starting to run thin.
“We’ve kind of blown through a big chunk of the product with stuff on the website and now we’re starting to run out of those things.” said Velasquez.
Competing with the big brand supermarkets is not always easy. But Pati says their unique touch on the holiday staple is what draws customers to them year after year.
"They want something very personal and that’s what we do.”
It’s why Chad Stanger chose to avoid the supermarket.
“They make the same thing over and over again, and it’s kind of a bash process.” said Stanger.
The shops uniqueness is also what brought Bob Jorin into the store on Wednesday, who is visiting from Wisconsin. He picked them up for his wife Penny, who he has been married to for the past 20 years.
“When you think of it, it’s the best investment you can make.” said Jorin. And when asked what his advice is to all the last minute shoppers? “Do it now, and especially not now. Just when you think of it, buy your girl a little something it’s really worthwhile.”
But it’s not just the holiday rush The Flower Shop on 4th has to worry about.
“We’re not only serving for Valentine’s Day we still have standing orders.” said Velasquez. They still have to deal with orders for things like hospitals, birthdays, funeral homes. Yet they still do it all with a smile on their face.
“We enjoy being here and you can see it in our work.”
Making their work a true labor of love.
The Flower Shop on 4th plans to be open until roughly 6 p.m. Valentine’s Day. They are taking walk-ins as well as late orders until they run out of supplies.


- Subscribe TodayGet a Free Book of Lists
Sign Up for the Baltimore Morning Edition Newsletter
Send this story to a friend
Maryland schools superintendent must attack education inequality
- Staff Baltimore Business Journal
Lillian Lowery, Maryland’s new state schools superintendent, proved herself a force to be reckoned with in Delaware, where she led the state to receive the first federal Race to the Top grant. We know that great schools change everything: from the economy, to our communities, to a child’s future. But to have great schools, we need great leaders.
Lowery’s track record is inspiring. She has been in the education reform trenches, serving as a principal in Fairfax, Va., and as Delaware’s Secretary of Education. She led one of Delaware’s largest school districts out of a $28 million budget deficit and convinced her state board to unanimously approve the expansion of the high-performing Newark Charter School. We hope she will bring that same energy and urgency to the vexing problems facing Maryland’s public schools.
But the road ahead won’t be easy. Maryland has the second-largest achievement gap in the nation between low-income students and their wealthier peers. While we’re proud of our “Best School System in the Country” designation by “Education Week,” it’s imperative that we acknowledge that there’s another side to our education story: as a state, we’re struggling mightily to serve all our students. For example:
• On the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 18 percent of black students in eighth grade scored at least proficient on the math exam, compared to 56 percent of white students.
• By eighth grade, low-income students are more than two grade levels behind their more advantaged classmates in reading and more than three grade levels behind in math.
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
- Most popular
- 16 glitzy photos of Bozzuto's fast-leasing Union Wharf in Fells Point
- Seawall plans ambitious multi-block project to transform Remington into 'Main Street'
- Former Under Armour exec Scott Plank invests in Belvedere Square; link to Senator Theatre planned
- Little Italy's Della Notte closes its doors
- Houlihan's closes Inner Harbor restaurant
- 22-story proposal for 1 Light St. gets design approval, but developer lacks financing
- After 25 years, Chesapeake restaurant to reopen June 20 in Station North
- F.N.B. buying Baltimore County Savings Bank parent for $79M
- Six-acre East Baltimore park gets initial OK from design panel
- University of Maryland Medical Center to begin layoffs at end of month
- Careers at Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless | Local Opportunities
- Mortgage Underwriter III 1st Mariner Bank | Baltimore, MD
- Sales Maryland Reprographics Inc. | Baltimore, MD
- HIM Manager Kforce Healthcare | Baltimore, MD
- Senior Technical Program Manager (Data Management) Tata Consultancy Services | Baltimore, MD


text:
MassDOT this summer will replace 14 deteriorated bridge superstructures on I-93 in the city of Medford. The superstructure replacements at the core of the "93Fast14" project will take place on weekends in June, July and August (except for the 4th of July), avoiding impact on weekday rush-hour traffic.
The 93Fast14 project is part of the Patrick-Murray Administration's historic Accelerated Bridge Program to repair the Commonwealth's structurally-deficient bridges.
Follow the latest construction and traffic information on the 93Fast14 website, and check out the video explaining the project below.
Safe Streets Smart Trips High School Video Contest Reminder! posted on Aug 31
Calling All Massachusetts High School Students! MassDOT announces the second annual Safe Streets Smart Trips Statewide High School Video Contest. The contest serves as an initiative within the Massachusetts Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) to promote safe walking, bicycling, and driving behaviors within the Commonwealth. …Continue Reading Safe Streets Smart Trips High School Video Contest Reminder!
Concord: New MBTA Commuter Rail Bridge to Roll into Place This Weekend posted on Aug 28
As part of the ongoing rehabilitation of the Fitchburg Commuter Rail Line, the MBTA is replacing the old railroad bridge over Route 62/Main Street in Concord with a new bridge to be rolled into place Saturday, August 29. The current bridge has low clearance and …Continue Reading Concord: New MBTA Commuter Rail Bridge to Roll into Place This Weekend
Knowledge Corridor: New Holyoke Train Station Celebrated posted on Aug 27
Lt. Governor Karyn Polito and MassDOT Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack today joined Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse along with state and local officials to celebrate the opening of the new $4.3 million Holyoke Train Station on the Knowledge Corridor and restoration of Amtrak Vermonter Line …Continue Reading Knowledge Corridor: New Holyoke Train Station Celebrated


text:
The State Duma of Russia adopted the law on ratification of the agreement between Russia and Turkmenistan on strategic partnership.
The agreement envisages that the relations of strategic partnership between the two countries will be based on the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, equality and mutual benefit, peaceful coexistence and mutual trust.
The agreement between the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan on strategic partnership was signed in Ashgabat on October 2, 2017.
The agreement notes that the parties' strategic partnership is aimed at expanding cooperation in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres, creating favorable conditions for mutual security, countering global threats and challenges, and strengthening regional stability.
The parties expand and deepen cooperation in the fight against terrorism and other manifestations of extremism, various forms of transnational organized crime, corruption, illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, weapons, smuggling and illegal export of cultural property, and other manifestations of new threats and challenges to security. In addition, the agreement states that Russia and Turkmenistan shall protect the ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious identity of ethnic groups living in their territories.
Russia is a leader in the ranking of the largest foreign trade partners of Turkmenistan. In recent years, cooperation has intensified at the regional level, including with Tatarstan, St. Petersburg, Astrakhan and Sverdlovsk regions. With the participation of Russian capital, more than 190 enterprises are registered in the Turkmen market, which implement more than 240 investment projects. Among the traditional partners, there are KAMAZ and Areti companies and Siberia airline. At the same time, Russia's Gazprom, a traditional trade partner, completely stopped purchasing Turkmen gas in 2016.
In 2018 Tambov Region increased beet pulp export by 11% to 144 thous. tons worth $20.5 mln compared to the previous year.
Russia has become the largest importer of Chilean cheese at the beginning of 2019.
In January, 2019 Russia’s export of wheat and meslin amounted to $519.9 mln and increased by 19.1% compared to the same period of 2018.
About the models of business development in another country and professional secrets is told by a practicing expert on work in international markets Anna Trubetskaya