Boxing bombshell Ebanie Bridges has been left heartbroken by the impending departure of Raphinha from Elland Road.
Chelsea are close to a £55million swoop for the Brazilian after the Blues look to have fended off competition from Arsenal and Barcelona. And Raphinha could become the second key player to leave Leeds this summer with Kalvin Phillips set to swap Leeds for Manchester City.
But the news the Leeds fan favourite could be on his way has left the Blonde Bomber heartbroken. Bridges tweeted: "Now Raph," with a broken heart emoji and a gif of a man crying in bed.
READ MORE: Ebanie Bridges blasts critics of her Leeds love as she makes "vagina" reference
Raphinha was key to Leeds United's survival in the Premier League last season, despite the sacking of Marcelo Bielsa.
However, after helping the Yorkshire side remain in England's top flight, the Brazilian had his heart set on a switch to Catalonia. But due to Barcelona's ongoing financial situation, the Blaugrana were unable to match Leeds' valuation.
This left the door open for Chelsea to swoop and match Leeds' asking price, which Arsenal had been trying to lower with multiple offers.
Do you think Chelsea can challenge for the title next season? Let us know in the comments section below
Raphinha could be one of many new faces at Stamford Bridge next season as Thomas Tuchel looks to shake up his attack.
With Romelu Lukaku on his way back to Inter Milan, the Blues have targeted moves for Raheem Sterling and Richarlison.
Arsenal 'frantically spent day trying to revive Raphinha move' after Chelsea hijack
Three ways Chelsea could line up with Raheem Sterling and Raphinha in dream new attack
Chelsea close in on £55m Raphinha deal that won't stop Raheem Sterling move
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Shepherdsville man arrested following hours-long SWAT incident
SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A Shepherdsville man has been arrested during an hours-long attempt to serve a felony arrest warrant ending early Wednesday morning.
According to the Shepherdsville Police Department, detectives attempted to serve the warrant for Michael Simpson around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday at a home in the 200 block of Stevens Drive.
Detectives spoke with Simpson at the door of the home, but then immediately shut the door and refused to leave.
After multiple attempts to get Simpson to exit the building with no response, St. Matthews Police Department’s SWAT team was called to the scene to assist.
St. Matthews Police were able to communicate with Simpson, but he continued to remain inside the home.
Police said after several measures to persuade Simpson out of the house peacefully, he walked out the front door and was taken into custody around 1:17 a.m. on Wednesday.
No one was injured in the incident, including Simpson, according to Shepherdsville Police.
Shepherdsville PD was also assisted by the Louisville Metro Police Department, Hillview Police Department, Shepherdsville Fire, Bullitt County EMS, Bullitt County Detention Center, Kentucky State Police and Bullitt County Animal Control.
Copyright 2023 WAVE. All rights reserved.


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The rise of Burlingame girls’ water polo is all but complete.
In 2019, the Panthers captured the Ocean Division crown, which necessitated a move to the Bay Division.
The Panthers held their own in abbreviated Bay play during the 2021 spring season and with the entirety of that team returning for the fall, expectations were high.
Burlingame (10-1 PAL Bay) has now nearly climbed to the top of the Bay Division mountain. Going into Wednesday’s showdown with Menlo-Atherton, the Panthers and Bears were tied for the division lead.
Following the Panthers’ 9-8 win, they now sit alone in first place with just one match to play.
“The whole season came down to this one game,” Burlingame head coach Dennis Clement said. “We came out firing.”
M-A fell a game behind Burlingame earlier this season after dropping a decision to Woodside Sept. 20. But the Bears came back to hand the Panthers their only Bay Division loss a week later, setting up Wednesday’s showdown.
Wednesday’s game was everything a match to decide a championship should be: back-and-forth action in a game that wasn’t decided until the final minute — in both regulation and overtime.
“The JV team was cheering. The boys varsity team was cheering. The energy in the pool was amazing,” said Burlingame utility player and co-team captain Lily Hartley.
It was Hartley’s goal with 22 seconds remaining in regulation that tied the score at 7-all and it was her strike on the power play with just over a minute left in the first overtime that gave the Panthers a lead, 8-7, one they would not relinquish.
While it is Natalie Sullivan Wu who garners most of the attention for Burlingame for her goal-scoring prowess, it was a total team effort offensively that gave Burlingame the key win. Sullivan Wu and Hartley each had three goals and combined for four assists. Gizel Ortiz, Alex Gratch and Maryanne Maxwell all added goals, as well.
“[Sullivan Wu] is not the only goal scorer (on our team),” Clement said.
Added Hartley: “We’re all capable of scoring outside shots. We’re all capable of scoring in the set, of scoring off the drive. It was great. I was so happy everyone had the confidence to shoot.”
Menlo-Atherton (8-2) was led by Ella Nelson, who finished with a match-high five goals. Whitney Allen scored a pair, including the go-ahead goal in the fourth period.
The game featured six ties and six lead changes. The teams were tied at 5-all after three quarters of play before Sullivan Wu hammered home a backhand shot to put Burlingame up 6-5 early in the fourth.
M-A rallied back. The Bears tied the score coming out of a timeout with 2:38 remaining in regulation, with Viviana Luna netting her shot off a lob from the right wing.
A little over a minute later, the Bears regained the lead. Allen swam onto a long outlet pass from M-A goaltender Katharine Rochte and beat the Burlingame goalie for a 7-6 Bears’ advantage.
Burlingame was in trouble on its final possession of the fourth quarter, but with only a couple ticks left on the shot clock, M-A was whistled for exclusion, giving the Panthers a man-advantage and, more importantly, a new shot clock. Starting with 25 seconds left, Sullivan Wu found Hartley on the left point and she unleashed a shot that found the back of the net with 22 seconds remaining to tie the match at 7-7.
“Natalie is one of my closest friends,” Hartley said. “We work together a lot at practice.”
Hartley struck again midway through the first, three-minute overtime period to give Burlingame an 8-7 advantage. With the Panthers back on the power play, Hartley, again, launched a shot from the left point, picking out the far right corner of the goal.
M-A goaltender Rochte managed to get a hand on the shot, deflecting it off the post. But the ball ricocheted off the post, heading left and into the goal.
With 11 seconds left in the opening overtime period, the Panthers extended their lead, with Maxwell converting a Sullivan Wu pass into a 9-7 advantage.
M-A cut the lead back to one, 9-8, when Allen scored off the left wing off a Nelson pass with just under two minutes left in the second overtime period.
M-A had one last chance to send the game to a golden-goal finish but, on a restart at midpool, Sullivan Wu jumped the M-A player, coming up with the steal and all but icing the game for the Panthers.
“Today, we definitely turned it up a notch,” Clement said.

domain: news


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Port Chester, NY Assemblyman Steve Otis (D- Rye) and State Senator Shelley Mayer (D-Westchester) announce today that the Village of Port Chester was awarded a $676,048 Climate Smart Communities (CSC) grant from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), to increase walkability and pedestrian safety along Main Street by upgrading sidewalks, intersections, crosswalks, and implementing other traffic control measures. This advances Port Chesters innovative downtown streetscape and waterfront plan that would redesign the Villages Main Street to connect its downtown to a new waterfront promenade. The project will also include new public green spaces, landmark plazas, street furniture, planters and lighting.
Assemblyman Otis said, The momentum Port Chester has achieved for attracting new businesses continues with this key state grant to upgrade the pedestrian and shopper experience downtown. Congratulations to Mayor Falanka and the village board for these efforts. Governor Cuomo and a number of state agencies have been very supportive of Port Chesters important infrastructure projects.
Senator Mayer said, I am glad to support the Village of Port Chester in its efforts to secure this grant for the Downtown Walkability Project. Port Chester is a gem of the Sound Shore communities with a great deal of potential for further economic development. The Downtown Walkability Project will support local economic activity and the many small businesses that line Main Street. I commend Mayor Falanka on his efforts to secure additional state funds to support Village projects and protect local property taxpayers.
Mayor Fritz Falanka said We once again thank the State, especially Governor Cuomo, Assemblyman Otis and Senator Mayer, for investing in the future of Port Chester. Were on the verge of a re-birth, with an enhanced downtown streetscape, connected to a re-opened waterfront, supplemented by a new mixed-use development. This grant provides a missing piece in the ability to fund the implementation of this vision. Its Port Chesters time.
New York States Climate Smart Communities program helps local governments take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate. The program offers free technical assistance, grants, rebates for electric vehicles and funding to assist climate smart infrastructure projects such as Port Chesters Walkability Project announced today.
Port Chesters infrastructure and economic development initiatives have received significant ongoing support from a variety of state agencies and programs. Past funding includes approximately $5 million in interest-free financing for the villages ongoing sewer rehabilitation work through the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporations (EFC) Clean Water State Revolving Fund and over $1.5 million in Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA), NY Office of Homes and Community Renewal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and NYS DEC for related clean water projects. Port Chester has also been awarded $1,167,500 towards the villages Bulkhead Reconstruction grant from the Department of State Local Waterfront Revitalization Program and $25,000 for Downtown Design Guidelines from the Office of Community Renewal.


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- The Republic of Costa Rica lies on the Central American isthmus between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, consisting of a mountainous backbone – rising to 3819m at the summit of Cerro Chirripó, its highest point – flanked by low-lying coastal strips. Though set in one of the most geologically active regions on Earth, Costa Rica has suffered less from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions than its northern neighbours – the worst incident in modern times was the earthquake that struck near Cartago in April 1910, killing 1750 people.
- The country’s population is largely of Spanish extraction, though there’s a substantial community of English-speaking Costa Ricans of African origin around the Caribbean coast, along with 65,000 or so indigenous peoples. Costa Rica is a young country: out of its population of 4.5 million, more than a quarter are aged under 15; men currently enjoy a life expectancy of 77, women of 81.
- Costa Rica’s main exports are coffee and bananas, though in recent years income from these products has been overtaken by that from tourism. The country’s recent prosperity has also been partly funded by massive borrowing – per capita, Costa Rica’s levels of debt are among the highest in the world. Despite widespread poverty (around 21 percent of the population), the free and compulsory primary education system means that the country boasts a literacy rate of 95 percent, the best in Central America.
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domain: geography


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Your Dedicated Specialists
We Help You Understand Options and How to
Maximize Your Financial Resources!
Similar to a college financial aid office, Senior Living Financial Specialist is here to
help you identify and maximize financial resources that are available based on your unique situation. In a single phone call, your personal Financial Specialist will provide guidance and recommendations on the best way to pay for senior living.
There are Options Available To Make Senior Living Even More Affordable!
Understanding your options and how to maximize your financial resources is our goal
Short Term Bridge Loans
A bridge loan helps you join the financial gap when buying a new home while selling your existing one. It is designed to provide you with funds to help with a down payment while you are waiting to sell. This type of short-term financing helps you meet your immediate cash flow needs. A bridge loan allows buyers to put a contingency-free offer on a new home and is considered highly attractive to a seller with multiple offers.Learn More
For Veterans and their spouses ages 65 and over, Veteran’s Aid (VA) benefits can help cover some long-term healthcare costs. These tax-free benefits can be used to pay for skilled nursing care, assisted living communities, specialized home care services or adult day care services. Disabled or sick veterans may also receive help paying for caregiver support, pain management, 24/7 medical/nursing assistance and daily activities like bathing, dressing, meal preparation, and medication reminders.Learn More
The housing market is booming right now! Selling your home may be an option worth exploring if you are looking to finance the retirement of your dreams. A senior-focused Realtor® can help you get the best price so that you can afford long-term care. A reverse mortgage provides another option for homeowners ages 62 and up. This money can cover retirement expenses and comes right out of the equity in your home.Learn More
Long Term Care Insurance
Long Term Care (LTC) Insurance can be used to pay for services including adult day care, assisted living and nursing home communities, and in-home nursing services. Monthly premiums and plans are flexible to meet a variety of needs for seniors on a budget. LTC insurance offers a daily or monthly care allowance. Seniors can also customize coverage areas to include specific services depending upon their lifestyle and needs.Learn More
For some retirees’ out-of-pocket medical costs are a significant expense. The U.S. tax code offers a special tax credit for seniors. Many can claim these expenses on their taxes with itemized deductions. According to the IRS, deductions can include only the part of your medical and dental expenses that exceeds 7.5 percent of the amount of adjusted gross income. Itemized deductions can be used to pay for property taxes, mortgage interest, and medical and dental expenses.Learn More
Life Insurance Cash Value
If you need cash to supplement your retirement needs cash value life insurance allows policyholders to access money while still alive. This form of permanent life insurance lasts for a lifetime and features a cash value savings component. A portion of the premium goes toward building up a cash value while accruing tax-deferred interest. Seniors can withdraw this money to supplement retirement expenses or as a source to pay for unexpected emergencies.Learn More
Moving is one of the top stressors in life. Senior move managers make it easier for seniors to transition from one home to another. They help relieve the burden associated with moving and offer services like free-in-home consultations, personal transportation to the new residence, a comprehensive moving plan, room by room downsizing, and shipment of personal belongings. Certified move managers are licensed, bonded and insured to help take the stress out of moving.Learn More
Do you need guidance on ways to pay for your senior living community?
We help you understand your options and ways to maximize resources available to you! We believe all seniors and their loved ones should have knowledge of and access to all available resources that help cover the cost to live in the senior living community of their choice.
We have a brief survey that will help get the process started.
Schedule a time to talk to a senior living financial specialist today.
Senior Living Financial Specialist is here to help you identify and maximize financial resources that are available based on your unique situation. In a single phone call, your personal Financial Specialist will provide guidance and recommendations on the best way to pay for your senior living community.
Our Community Partners
This concierge service provided by Vitality influenced our decision to play my mother at the Vitality Pleasant Hills Community in Little Rock. Their expertise helped us avoid pitfalls that could have delayed approval on our application for Veterans Aid & Attendance.
The Financial Specialist was very helpful and gave me comfort in knowing what was possible to help pay for my sister's new chapter in senior living. I found working with the Financial Specialist to be very easy, friendly and helpful. I felt I could call her and I would get a return call. I trusted her.

domain: finance


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Lance Bass is Engaged!
It has been an exciting week for Lance Bass, starting with the much anticipated ‘NSync reunion at the MTV Video Music Awards and ending in an engagement.
According to US Weekly, the former boy-bander popped the question to his boyfriend Michael Turchin just a few days after the MTV appearance.
The report says Bass, who came out in 2006, proposed with a black diamond band after asking his intended’s parents for permission.
On Saturday (August 31), Turchin tweeted, "Happiest guy in the world." The couple have been dating since December 2011.

domain: celebrity


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Unfading Echoes: Nguyen Duy Tri’s “The Last Sunshine” and the Resonance of Memory
From the poignant reflections of his Keep Memories Nguyen Duy Tri • The Last Sunshine • 2022 turns his poignant gaze to the realm of music with “The Last Sunshine.” This hauntingly beautiful song is not merely a sonic tapestry, but a powerful exploration of our relationship with the past, echoing through the tapestry of his own remarkable career.
Weaving a Tapestry of Time: Keep Memories Nguyen Duy Tri • The Last Sunshine • 2022
The lyrics of Keep Memories Nguyen Duy Tri • The Last Sunshine • 2022 dance delicately between past and present, painting vivid pictures of sun-drenched childhood days, lost loves, and dreams held in the amber of memory. There’s a bittersweet ache in the lines, a nostalgia that acknowledges the passage of time while cherishing the fragments that remain. Through his evocative metaphors and heartfelt vocals, Duy Tri allows us to experience the warmth of those last rays of sunshine before dusk engulfs the day.
A Chorus of Reflection: Keep Memories Nguyen Duy Tri • The Last Sunshine • 2022
Choosing 2022 to release “The Last Sunshine” feels particularly significant. It comes after the introspective journey of “Erase Memories,” and amidst a world still grappling with the shadows of pandemic and global turmoil. It’s a reminder that even in times of collective introspection, our individual memories remain an anchor, whispering stories of resilience and love from days gone by.
Echoes of a Melodious Journey:
Duy Tri’s career itself provides a rich context for the song. Having navigated the highs and lows of the music industry, from early struggles to international acclaim, each milestone etched its own mark on his soul. These experiences resonate in the lyrics, adding depth and authenticity to the artist’s contemplation of time and change.
Music, the Memory Machine: Keep Memories Nguyen Duy Tri • The Last Sunshine • 2022
Keep Memories Nguyen Duy Tri • The Last Sunshine • 2022 underscores the potent power of music as a keeper of memories. Melodies have a way of burrowing deep into our souls, becoming inextricably linked to moments of joy, sorrow, and everything in between. With each listen, the song transports us back to those sun-drenched days, reminding us of the beauty and fragility of life’s tapestry.
Composing a Future Tapestry:
Just as music preserves the past, it also has the power to shape the future. By actively seeking out music that resonates with our hopes and dreams, we can create new memories that will echo through the years to come. “The Last Sunshine” serves as a gentle nudge to embrace the music that moves us, for it is in these melodies that we build the soundtrack of our lives.
So, listen close to the echoes of Keep Memories Nguyen Duy Tri • The Last Sunshine • 2022. In its tender yearning and nostalgic embrace, it reminds us that our memories are not burdens to erase, but threads woven into the very fabric of our being. Let the music guide you, not only to reflect on the past, but also to compose a future filled with vibrant melodies and sun-kissed moments waiting to be made.

domain: artistic


The following is a summary of “Output force and ratio of laparoscopic graspers: an evaluation of operating room ergonomics,” published in the SEPTEMBER 2023 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology by Olig, et al.
Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive technique widely used in gynecology. However, it’s associated with surgeon discomfort or injury risks, such as “Laparoscopist’s thumb,” a condition characterized by thenar paresthesia. The disease can be caused by prolonged or excessive grip force using laparoscopic instruments. Despite its recognition, there needs to be more data to guide surgeons in choosing ergonomic instruments that can reduce these risks. For a study, researchers sought to assess the efficiency and ergonomic qualities of commonly used ratcheting laparoscopic graspers by comparing the ratio of applied tissue force to required surgeon input. The evaluation focused on a small-handed surgeon to provide potential metrics for enhancing surgical ergonomics and instrument selection.
Various laparoscopic graspers with different ratcheting mechanisms and tip shapes were assessed, including brands like Snowden-Pencer, Covidien, Aesculap, and Ethicon. A Kocher instrument was used as a comparison for open procedures. Thin-film force sensors (Flexiforce A401) were employed to measure the forces applied. Data were collected and calibrated using an Arduino Uno microcontroller board and MATLAB software. A single-handed, complete closure of each grasper’s ratcheting mechanism was performed three times. The maximum required input force in Newtons was recorded and averaged. The average output force was measured using the varying thickness force sensor with and without LifeLike BioTissue.
The output ratio (the highest output force relative to the required input force) was considered to identify the most ergonomic ratcheting grasper for a small-handed surgeon. The Kocher instrument required an average input force of 33.66 N, with the highest output ratio being 3.46 (112 N output). The Covidien Endo Grasp was the most ergonomic, with an output ratio of 0.96 on the bare force sensor (31.4 N output). The Snowden-Pencer Wavy grasper was the least ergonomic, with an output ratio of 0.06 when applied to the bare force sensor (5.9 N output). In general, the output ratios of these instruments improved as tissue thickness and contact area increased. It was noted that the additional input force provided by the surgeon did not significantly increase the output force for any of the instruments.
Laparoscopic graspers vary in their ability to provide reliable tissue force without requiring excessive input by the surgeon. Output force and output ratio are potential quantitative measures of laparoscopic instrument efficiency and ergonomics. Providing surgeons with such data could help optimize instrument selection, potentially reducing the risk of conditions like “Laparoscopist’s thumb.”


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Wreaths, Awesome White Hydrangea Wreath Pink Hydrangea Wreath White And Yellow: stunning white hydrangea wreath
Published at August 16th, 2017 10:45:45 AM by Ancelato
Tagged as hydrangea wreath etsy topic with green hydrangea wreath discussion as well as white hydrangea door wreath object or blue hydrangea wreath topic along with hydrangea wreath blue object with hydrangea wreath diy object also Wreaths, So don't forget to check out the main article in stunning white hydrangea wreath
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domain: design


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Declan Mills is from Dublin, where his first encounter with Tai Chi was firstly through Liam Murray and subsequently with Terry Christie in the late 1990's. He joined the Master Ding Academy in 2011 looking to deepen his experience of movement and meditation. It quickly fulfilled everything he had been looking for and within a short time he was coming to several classes per week, one day and weekend workshops and going to Master Ding's workshops and residential retreats until he became a Master Ding Academy Instructor in fairly short order. He continues to train just as intensely and also goes to workshops, training weekends and retreats organised by Master Ding.
Declan holds an MA in Theatre Studies from Mountview Academy (London) and the University of East Anglia.
Certified Instructor Master Ding Academy (London) Traditional Yang-Style Tai Chi Chuan.


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Govt. audit exposes lapses in some COVID-designated private facilities in East Godavari
The East Godavari district authorities have decided to cancel the permission given to some private hospitals to treat COVID-19 cases for alleged commercial exploitation of the medical oxygen and Remdesivir injections being supplied by the State government.
In a joint press conference on Thursday, Collector D. Muralidhar Reddy said, “The audit done on the use of medical oxygen and Remdesivir injections in various private designated COVID-19 hospitals has unearthed violations of the COVID-19 protocol and creation of artificial scarcity of oxygen and Remdesvir. We will soon denotify those hospitals.”
The audit has also exposed admission of COVID-19 patients beyond the permissible bed strength in certain hospitals. More than 90% of the 77 designated COVID-19 hospitals in the district are private facilities.
“A team led by Joint Collector G. Lakshmisha has already completed the audit on the use and storage of medical oxygen in the private hospitals where it had found many lapses that triggered a public outcry,” said Mr. Muralidhar.
District Medical and Health Officer Dr. K.V.S. Gowreeswara Rao told The Hindu that a report has been submitted to the State government for further action against three hospitals – Team and Sanjeevani hospitals in Kakinada and Sai Hospital in Rajamahendravaram – where a ‘mismatch of Remdesivir supply and use has been reported’.
CCCs in Agency
Two COVID Care Centres (CCC) are being set up at Rampachodavaram and Chintoor in the East Godavari agency. “However, critical care will not be provided at the CCCs. Serious cases here will be shifted to Rajamahendravaram,” said Mr. Muralidhar Reddy.
Joint Collector G. Raja Kumari, monitoring COVID-19 deaths and protocol, said that a fleet of 22 Mahaprasthanam vehicles have been deployed in the district for transportation of bodies from hospitals. The price has been fixed for those seeking transportation facility for long distances.
The district authorities are seeking support from the gram panchayats to attend to the needy and perform the last rites of unclaimed bodies in villages by roping in youth organisations.

domain: medical


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Photoreceptors are deﬁned as pigment molecules that process the energy and informational content of light into a form that can be used by the plant. A pigment that contains protein as an integral part of the molecule is known as a chromoprotein. Thus, photoreceptors typically are chromoproteins. The chromophore (Gr. phoros, bearing) is that portion of the chromoprotein molecule responsible for absorbing light and, hence, colour. The protein portion of a chromoprotein molecule is called the apoprotein. The complete molecule,or holochrome, consists of the chromophore plus the protein.The principal photoreceptors found in plants are described here.
CHLOROPHYLLS ARE PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR HARVESTING LIGHT ENERGY FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Chlorophyll is the pigment primarily responsible for harvesting light energy used in photosynthesis. The chlorophyll molecule consists of two parts, a porphyrin head and a long hydrocarbon, or phytol tail.
A porphyrin is a cyclic tetrapyrrole, made up of four nitrogen-containing pyrrole rings arranged in a cyclic fashion. Porphyrins are ubiquitous in living organisms and include the heme group found in mammalian hemoglobin and the photosynthetic and respiratory pigments, cytochromes.
Esteriﬁed to ring IV of the porphyrin in chlorophyll is a 20-carbon alcohol, phytol. This long, lipid-soluble hydrocarbon tail is a derivative of the 5-carbon isoprene. Isoprene is the precurs or to a variety of important molecules, including other pigments (the carotenes), hormones (the gibberellins), and steroids.
Completing the chlorophyll molecule is a magnesium ion (Mg2+) chelated to the four nitrogen atoms in the center of the ring. Loss of the magnesium ion from chlorophyll results in the formation of a non green product, pheophytin.
Types of chlorophylls
Four species of chlorophyll, designated chlorophyll a, b, c, and d, are known. The chemical structure of chlorophyll a, the primary photosynthetic pigment in all higher plants, algae, and the cyanobacteria, is shown in Figure.
Chlorophyll b is similar except that a formyl group(—CHO) substitutes for the methyl group on ring II. Chlorophyll b is found in virtually all higher plants and green algae,although viable mutants deﬁcient of chlorophyll b are known.
The principal difference between chlorophyll a and chlorophyll c (found in the diatoms, dinoﬂagellates, and brown algae) is that chlorophyllc lacks the phytol tail.
Finally, chlorophyll d, found only in the red algae, is similar to chlorophyll a except that a (—O—CHO) group replaces the (—CH CH2) group on ring I.
PHYCOBILINS SERVE AS ACCESSORY LIGHT-HARVESTING PIGMENTS IN RED ALGAE AND CYANOBACTERIA
Phycobilins are straight-chain or open-chain tetrapyrrole pigment molecules present in the eukaryotic red algae and the prokaryotic cyanobacteria
Types of Phycobilins
The preﬁx, phyco, designates pigments of algal origin. Four phycobilins are known. Three of these are involved in photosynthesis and the fourth, phytochromobilin, is an important photoreceptor that regulates various aspects of growth and development.
The three photosynthetic phycobilins are phycoerythrin (also known as phycoerythrobilin), phycocyanin (phycocyanobilin), and allophycocyanin (allophycocyanobilin).
In addition to the open-chain tetrapyrrole, the phycobilin pigments differ from chlorophyll in that the tetrapyrrole group is covalently linked with a protein that forms a part of the molecule. In the cell, phycobiliproteins are organized into large macromolecular complexes called phycobilisomes.
The fourth phycobiliprotein, of particular signiﬁcance to higher plants, is phytochrome, a receptor that plays an important role in many photomorphogenic phenomena.
Interconversion of Phytochrome
Phytochrome (literally, plant pigment) is unique because it exists in two forms that are photoreversible. The form P660 (or Pr) absorbs maximally at 660nm. However, absorption of 660nm light converts the pigment to a second, far-red-absorbing form P735 (or Pfr). Absorption of far-red light by Pfr converts it back to the red-absorbing form. Pfr is believed to be an active form of the pigment that is capable of initiating a wide range of morphogenetic responses.
Carotenoids comprise a family of orange and yellow pigments present in most photosynthetic organisms.
Found in large quantity in roots of carrot and tomato fruit, carotenoid pigments are also prominent in green leaves. In the fall of the year, the chlorophyll pigments are degraded and the more stable carotenoid pigments account for the brilliant orange and yellow colours so characteristic of autumn foliage.
Because the carotenoids are predominantly hydrocarbons, they are lipid soluble and found either in the chloroplast membranes or in specialized plastids called chromoplasts.
The carotenoid family of pigments includes carotenes and xanthophylls
Carotenes are predominantly orange or red-orange pigments. β-carotene is the major carotenoid in algae and higher plants. Note that in β-carotene and α-carotene (a minor form), both ends of the molecule are cyclized. Other forms, such as γ-carotene, found in the green photosynthetic bacteria, have only one end cyclized. Lycopene, the principal pigment of tomato fruit, has both ends open.
The yellow carotenoids, xanthophylls, are oxygenated carotenes.

domain: chemistry


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Penn West Petroleum Ltd. (NYSE:PWE)
Q1 2016 Earnings Conference Call
May 16, 2016 11:00 am ET
Paul Surmanowicz - Senior Corporate Finance Analyst
Dave Roberts - President and CEO
David Dyck - SVP and CFO
Gregg Gegunde - SVP, Exploitation, Production, and Delivery
Greg Pardy - RBC Capital Markets
Brian Kristjansen - Dundee Capital Markets
Good morning. My name is Melissa. And I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to the Penn West First Quarter Financial and Operational Results Conference Call. All lines have been placed on mute to prevent any background noise. After the speakers' remarks there will be a question-and-answer session. [Operator Instructions] Thank you. Mr. Paul Surmanowicz of Corporate Planning and Capital Markets, you may begin your conference.
Good morning and thank you for joining us on this conference call discussing our first quarter operational and financial results.
With me this morning is, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dave Roberts; Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, David Dyck; Senior Vice President, Exploitation, Production, and Delivery, Gregg Gegunde; and Vice President, Finance, David Hendry. On this call, we will provide a discussion referencing a webcast presentation, which is also available on our Web site at pennwest.com before moving on to Q&A.
Before we begin, I would like to point out that we will refer to forward-looking information in connection with Penn West and the subject matter of today's call. By its nature, this information contains forecast, assumptions and expectations about future outcomes, so we remind you it is subject to the risks and uncertainties affecting every business including ours. This slide and the appending contain a summary of the significant factors and risks that could affect Penn West or could affect future outcomes for Penn West, which are discussed in more fully in our public disclosure filings available on both the SEDAR and EDGAR systems.
I would now like to turn the call over to Dave Roberts.
Thanks Paul. Good morning and thank you to everyone for joining us on the call today.
I think we should first pause and extend our collective thoughts to those affected by the wildfires in the northern part of the province. We hope everyone's friends and family are safe during this very difficult time.
2016 has persisted in a challenging commodity price environment for both the industry and the market. However, in the face of this difficult time, I'm pleased to report that we delivered a strong quarter operationally, thanks to the relentless efforts of our teams. The great work accomplished in 2015, allowed us to start 2016 on very solid operational footing.
We continued to experience strong production performance from both of our two core plays the Cardium and the Viking. As a result, our volumes considerably exceeded expectations with average production of 77,010 barrels of oil equivalent per day, well above our 2016 full year guidance.
Additionally, a lower amount of production volumes were shut-in than previously anticipated which also contributed to our strong results. All this is a direct result from our continued production reliability and exceptional operational execution that we have been building on over the proceeding three years.
We continued to endow our teams with the task to further discipline to strengthen our cost structure and this quarter was no exception. We demonstrated excellent cost control and executed successful cost reduction initiatives all of which have positively benefited the company as evidenced by our results.
Our operating costs were significantly lower than guidance at $13.02 per barrel of oil equivalent and this was achieved from our ingenuities and persistent hard work to achieve stronger operational performance. In addition, G&A costs were $1.97 per BOE, again, well below our guidance due to the realignment of our staffing levels to best reflect our expected activity level throughout 2016.
We believe, we can reduce our absolute G&A costs by an additional $15 million to $20 million in comparison to 2015. And we will continue to find ways to drive our cost structure down and improve our business.
Consistent with our commitment to reducing our indebtedness, we were able to execute several dispositions, which contributed to improving our financial flexibility. We announced in the first quarter approximately $230 million in dispositions. I believe, we can achieve more and we will continue to strive for additional asset dispositions to further reduce our debt. Our top priority for 2016 remains the improvement to health of our balance sheet, which I believe can be accomplished as we continue to seek improvements in our cost structure and our debt levels, so that we are well-positioned to move forward once commodity prices recover.
Although, our path remains challenged at this point in time, I believe this enterprise will persevere. We have the portfolio of assets. We have the talent in-house and we are working to have the financial strength to emerge from this depressed cycle even stronger than when we entered.
With that, I will turn the call over to David Dyck for further comments.
Thank you very much Dave, and good morning everyone.
Let me start-off by addressing our current senior debt compliance and I would like to make it very clear that we were in full compliance with all of our financial covenants as at March 31, 2016 including the senior debt to EBITDA covenant that was 4.4x relative to a 5x limit.
Additionally and subsequent to the quarter, we paid our normal course senior note maturities on May 5, 2016, of $30 million using our existing revolving credit facility with our banks. We currently have $686 million of unused credit capacity available on our $1.2 billion credit facility and $224 million of cash from A&D proceeds. Consequently, we have more than adequate liquidity to meet our upcoming May 29, 2016 senior note maturities of $185 million.
As we have previously disclosed, we are currently engaged in negotiations with our lenders to amend our financial covenants. Prior to the end of the second quarter of 2016, which if successful will mitigate the risk of defaults in 2016 and further into the future at prevailing commodity price levels. A successful agreement with our lenders will allow us to continue focusing on operating our business and addressing our debt levels. These negotiations are complex and take time as it is critical to get the proper deal done in place that meets both side’s needs. Accordingly, we have hired two very capable advisors supporting the negotiation process, investment banking firm Rothschild out of New York and Calgary based PricewaterhouseCoopers.
We are focused on reaching an agreement with our lenders in the current quarter, otherwise at current commodity price levels we believe we will not be in compliance with our existing financial covenants at the end of the second quarter.
In addition to engaging with our lenders and in order to reduce the risk of default, we are continuing to pursue additional asset dispositions and considering several other options which may include obtaining additional sources of capital from strategic investors.
As mentioned by Dave earlier, our top priority remains reducing our debt and approving the health of our balance sheet. Although, we have raised over $1 billion in cash proceeds from our disposition programs since the start of last year, we believe that there is still more that needs to and can be done. We have proven that our ability to transact remain strong throughout this price environment and we are confident that we can continue to execute on accretive deals.
We understand this is an uncertain time for our shareholders, however, while there are no guarantees we believe we have the ability to move past this in hopes to continue our strategy of reducing debt, improving our balance sheet, achieving operational excellence and ultimately increasing shareholder value.
As a result of asset dispositions, the monetization of foreign exchange contracts and strong funds flow from operations, our net debt decreased by approximately $200 million compared to the fourth quarter of 2015 and by approximately $0.5 billion within the last six months. In addition, our net debt does not currently reflect previously announced proceeds from the sale of Slave Point and other non-core assets totaling approximately $180 million in proceeds. We recognize that we must further reduce our debt through additional asset sales and stay focused on ways to improve our cost structure.
During the first quarter funds flow from operations totaled $47 million compared to total -- compared to capital expenditures of $18 million demonstrating our commitment to live within our means. The increase to funds flow from operations was primarily due to our successful operating and G&A cost savings which more than offset a reduction in net revenue from the weaker commodity price environment in the quarter. We expect to continue our strong cost reduction efforts throughout the remainder of this year.
As a result of successful cost savings initiatives and production results in the first quarter we are pleased to announce that we are updating our 2016 full year guidance metrics. Our exploration and development capital budget for the year remains unchanged at $50 million with an additional $20 million to be spent on decommissioning expenditures. Our annual production is expected to remain unchanged between 60,000 and 64,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day after the effect of property dispositions closed during the first quarter and including approximately 3900 barrels of production associated with the Slave Point disposition.
We are reducing our operating cost guidance to between $17 per Boe and $18 per Boe down from $18 per Boe and $18.75 per Boe. We expect our G&A for the year to remain between $2.50 per Boe and $2.90 per Boe.
I'll now turn the call over to Gregg Gegunde to discuss our operations.
Thank you, David.
Last quarter, we demonstrated that despite the commodity price environment we were able to continue our strong momentum from the fourth quarter of last year to execute on our program that meet or exceed our key operational targets. During the quarter, Viking and Cardium activity was limited to completing and bringing production on from previously drilled wells. We brought online 21 wells into Viking and five wells into Cardium.
At our Viking play in Dodsland, we continue the application of the 12 ton 12 stage completion techniques on the half mile laterals. This drilling and completions methods has allowed us to realize additional cost reductions within the area. Moreover, eight of the 21 wells that were brought on production this quarter were drilled and completed utilizing a one mile well bore design. The stabilized wells have shown production performance to-date that is well in excess of their respective type curves.
We expect that the new application of the one mile lateral design on our high-graded reservoir acreage will result in a reduction of our go forward finding and development costs by an impressive 30%. [Indiscernible] implementing this design were supported by our land position as we move forward with the expansion of our Viking play.
In our Cardium play, we brought one well on production in the Crimson area and four wells in the Pembina J-Lease area and prop over the past year we have improved our drilled complete equipping and tying processes, consequently achieving significant improvements in cycle times. In addition, our spud to first production cycle time has been reduced by an impressive 90 days to 14 days through improved simultaneous operations. We have experienced per well savings of approximately $1 million from the approved operational changes that we have implemented.
For 2016, we're running a two well rig program, this quarter we drilled seven gross wells and brought 10 gross wells on production. Our activity for the remainder of this year is focused on proper approximately 90% of our working interest expenditures continue to be paid by our joint venture partner.
Our capital program this year really allows us to focus on our strong asset base and continue to fine tune our processes for optimal performance and results. Our J-Lease program including the wells brought on production in the second half of last year continue to exceed our expectations with strong performance and low decline rates. In addition in our Crimson area, we also continue to exceed expectations with production well above type curve.
Waterflood implementation and design work is proceeding in the Crimson area as well. Last year, we announced that our J-Lease program was impacted by infrastructure constraints as we experienced several gas gathering line failures which restricted our operation -- our production volumes. During the first quarter, we replaced seven kilometers of the Station 8 pipeline to improve the reliability of the gas gathering system. The project was completed under budget and significantly ahead of schedule.
The pipeline has generated positive results by increasing oil production by approximately 1000 barrels of oil equivalent per day post repair, with several fourth quarter 2015 wells still being optimized. In Willesden Green, we achieved stronger results in the second half of 2015 and first quarter of 2016 by targeting higher pressure zones with near by waterflood support. The performance from these wells continues to exceed our expectations.
This slide is a great representation of the successful cost saving initiatives that we have undertaken. We have reduced our absolute operating costs at our existing properties by over 20% since 2013. This is primarily a result of our focus on operational excellent practices resulting in improved run times, successful cost reduction, strategies, staff realignment and lower than anticipated macro cost environment. In addition, we are confident that we have the ability to further reduce our absolute operating costs by approximately 20% on a year-over-year same field basis excluding the impact of dispositions.
I'll now turn it over Paul to conclude our discussion.
Thank you, Gregg. That concludes our formal remarks. So, at this point I would like to turn the call over to the operator for questions.
Thank you. [Operator Instructions] Your first question comes from the line of Greg Pardy from RBC Capital Markets. Your line is open.
Thanks and good morning. Just a couple of questions, one is, I'm just curious as to how much heavy oil you've now got shut-in as is it sort of 1 to 5,000 barrels a day? And then, the second question is, unit OpEx is going to have just a huge bearing on driving your numbers to the balance of the year and then into 2016 and a lot of the commentary you've made has been around reducing absolute cost, which would suggest those unit numbers will remain in relatively good shape even though your volumes are coming down. Could you give us any color on both of those?
Greg, this is Gregg Gegunde. Your first question in terms of how much heavy oil we have shut-in, we haven't been just selectively choosing what type of production we have, it’s not necessarily heavy oil. I can't really answer that question effectively in terms of what percentage is heavy oil, but the oil we have shut-in is, it's a combination of some heavy oil; there is other areas where operating cost is a little bit higher and some gas production as well, so it's a combination of all three elements.
In terms of our operating…
And how much would that be then in just in total on Boe basis?
The Boe basis we’re somewhere in the region of about 2000 Boes roughly.
The second part of your question was, if I heard you correctly is, how we are -- continue to drive our operating cost as a function of declining production rates?
So we -- as I mentioned in the discussion we see partially 20% reduction in our operating costs. Some of the things that we've done here over the past three years is, we refocused our efforts in terms of better planning understanding our operations to a higher extent. We see our operating cost continuing to coming down as we move forward with this. The offset in terms of production losses, we'll carry essentially, but we see our overall cost coming down significantly.
Yes, Greg. And I'll just add a little color to that. I think because you are asking the question about what's the marginal number going to be. And I think -- you probably already done the math, but I think the upper end of our prior range it's kind of suggestive of what our in quarter costs could ultimately get to. So, still really good performance less than $19 per barrel.
Okay. So, thanks for that Dave. So, you are suggesting it's potentially 19 by the fourth quarter of this year?
Yes. I think that's upper end.
Okay. Thanks a lot.
Your next question comes from the line of Brian Kristjansen from Dundee Capital Markets. Your line is open.
Thanks guys. Following up on Greg's question with respect to shut-ins, you mentioned Dave at the beginning of the call that part of the reason Q1 was better was because some of the previously shut-in volumes came on. Could you quantify what that amount just specifically in Q1 was? And is the 2000, what is currently shut-in?
This is Gregg, here again. In Q1, the total amount that we shut-in as I mentioned to the previous caller is approximately 2000 barrels production of Boes that we have shut-in, largely that volume was in Q1. So that's number approximately 2000 barrels.
Okay. There weren't previously shut-in barrels that came back in Q1?
No. There wasn't.
[Operator Instructions] There are no further questions at this time. I will turn the call back over to the presenters.
Thank you, everybody for joining us on the call today. We look forward to updating you on our progress and when we provide our 2016 second quarter results in the coming months.
This concludes today's conference call. You may now disconnect.
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feature of prairie...the central part of the prairie region. Species of porcupine grass, grama grass, wheatgrass, and buffalo grass dominate the vegetation. Sand hills are common in the western portion bordering the shortgrass plains.
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domain: biology


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Mattel Studios and Netflix’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe will make their debut for a whole new generation and has updated some of their classic characters like Man-At-Arms.
Life-long He-Man fan and Executive Producer Rob David has been preparing for this debut his whole life. He developed the newest version of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe for Netflix and wanted to tell Prince Adam’s story from the beginning for a new generation. At the show’s core, it’s about four teenagers and their cat. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is a true coming-of-age story about friendship and found family.
Rob David and Co-Executive Producer Jeff Matsuda shed some light on what fans can expect from these updated versions of the classic Masters of the Universe characters. We had the chance to chat with the two to discuss the upcoming changes and what actor, Antony Del Rio, brought to the role of Duncan AKA Man-At-Arms.
The Illuminerdi: This is truly an ensemble where we follow four teenagers and their cat. I mean, it’s a true coming of age story. Jeff, can you… And this is one of my favorite characters here. Can you talk to me about Duncan, Man-At-Arms, and his relationship with Adam in the series? Because this is a version that I hadn’t seen in the character before.
Jeff Matsuda: First, I want to give a shout to Antony Del Rio, who plays him for the voice casting. And a lot of times when the voice casting is so great, like what we have on this show, he just killed it on the first day. And because of how he acted, he actually affected the storylines and the way he was written as it went.
Rob David: We basically wanted Duncan to be part of this team and to be a part of this team truly to go on this coming-of-age story. And so, we double down on the kind of master inventor component of it, the archetype of the father figure, the mentor I gave to Cringer, to allow Cringer also be a full master and to kind of have Adam be in the jungle tribe and have that connection to them.
But originally I wanted Duncan to have a little bit more… Like he was a year older than Teela and Adam and he was going to be a little bit older brother to kind of have that. And then we got Antony’s audition. There was another actor who kind of did it really well and did it more as the character was conceived and written, but Antony had this extra… This kind of vulnerability and this kind of insecurity to him that just… To Jeff’s point, just really kind of spoke to us.
And then realized that like, ‘Oh my God, this is just wonderful. And we should lean into that.’ I mean, he was always written in the Bible, in the re-imagining to be the apprentice of Kronis, but Antony’s performance kind of gave that even more of a spotlight, that he has to now prove that he’s not just a tool of Kronis, but he’s his own builder.
Another thing that I really like about this series as well as the theme of found family. Jeff, can you speak to that a little bit?
Jeff Matsuda: Well, I thought it was just really cool the way, I mean, we start out with Adam and the tiger tribe and that’s where he’s from. And then there’s this… He also has this dad, who’s King Randor and then you have Krass, who is sad for the loss of maybe losing Adam to this new family. So I think it’s cool that they all find their way home to him to a degree.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Has Something For New Fans And Old Fans
Jeff Matsuda reaffirms that this version of Masters of the Universe has something for everyone. You won’t need to know any of the storylines that came 30 years earlier. This is a fresh and updated take on the characters that put its full focus on telling a good story.
Jeff, what are you excited for new fans to take away from this version of He-man and the Masters of the Universe?
Jeff Matsuda: What I’m excited for is that they could get into the love that their parents have for He-Man and own it for themselves. And I think for me, it’s just so cool. I went to the He-Man Con with Rob a while back and I’d see these cosplaying characters going up there and they would say, “Please make a show I could watch with my kids.” And that really struck me when I saw that day, I was like, “Wow, that’s, that is the coolest concept.”
I have kids as well and I watched their shows. I wish when I was watching Blue’s Clues and Little Einsteins, shows I love, I wish I had a He-Man show like this to watch and binge watch with my kids. A lot of times when people say kids shows, there’s this assumption of being dumbed down or being simple, this show really isn’t, it is something I would love to watch.
Rob and I and the whole crew, tried to make something for everyone. I mean, it’ll work for kids. But I’ll work for all of us. It’s an epic tale. And the first season is great and it keeps getting better every season, which is to me, nuts. Because I loved the first one.
Rob and Jeff’s passion for the new Masters of the Universe series shines through. Both creators are deeply invested in telling a new story of He-Man for everyone. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe begins streaming on September 16th, 2021. Are you excited to see a re-telling of Masters of the Universe? Let us know on Twitter or in the comments below.

domain: entertainment


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Works with Executive chef to manage daily kitchen activities, including overseeing staff, aiding with menu preparation, inventory, managing supplies, ensuring food quality and freshness Provides meal quality and consistency by following designated recipes. Ensures team delivers high-quality, cost-effective dishes promptly.
Manages all activities in the kitchen, including food preparation and production, and supervision and training of kitchen staff
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Supervises and inspect all preparation and cooking equipment on a regular basis to
ensure that they are kept clean, sanitary, and in perfect operating order and that kitchen
is in good condition
Ensures that food products, presentation, and plating are of the highest quality, and are
prepared to serve in a timely manner
Assumes the role as Executive Chef in his or her absence
Takes charge of kitchen opening, closing and other side duties as directed by the
Assures adherence to all standards of food quality, preparation, recipes, and
presentation in conjunction with the specifications
Monitors holding and storage operations, stocking and food rotation, and guarantee food
service sanitation standards are met
Assures kitchen personnel is trained in best cleanliness and sanitation practices
Assists with menu planning, inventory, and management of supplies.
Keeps stations clean and complies with food safety standards.
Offers suggestions and creative ideas that can improve upon the kitchen’s performance.
Schedules staff shifts
Manages the kitchen inventory and ensures supplies are fresh and of high quality
Solves problems that arise and seizes control of issues in the kitchen
Maintains a professional approach with coworkers and customers
Ensures a first-in, first-out food rotation system and verifies all food products are
properly dated and organized for quality assurance
Keeps cooking stations stocked, especially before and during prime operation hours
Manages food and product ordering by keeping detailed records and minimizes waste, plus works with existing systems to improve waste reduction and manage budgetary concerns
Ensures proper food temperatures when cooking and proper storage afterward
Works with head chef to maintain kitchen organization, staff ability, and training
Leads all kitchen crew meetings, pre-shift meetings in absence of Executive Chef
Daily and weekly meetings with FOH management
Tasting of new menu items with management
Excellent record of kitchen and staff management
Exceptional cooking skills
Ability to effectively manage the kitchen staff, motivate them and assign duties fairly
Familiarity with the best practices in the hotel and catering services industry
Must have experience calculating figures and amounts and performing mathematical
functions to meet the business needs
In-depth knowledge of federal, state and local food handling regulations
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Ability to multitask and work quickly under pressure
Advanced knowledge of food professional principles and practices.
Working knowledge of human resources management.
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method/time, all ingredients and quality standards, taste, appearance, texture,
temperature, garnish and method of presentation.
Able to work and remain focused in a fast-paced and ever-changing environment.
Positive and professional attitude
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Ensure adherence to recipes, safety practices and sanitation standards in the kitchen
Manage on-the-fly requests with ease and poise
Ability to bend, stand, and stoop for long periods of time, and working long hours in hot
High school or GED equivalent required, formal culinary training or associate degree in
culinary arts preferred
Minimum 2 years’ experience in a similar role in a high-volume environment •
Certificates and Licenses:
Manager Food Handler Certificate
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk; sit and use hands. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Must be able to stand, lift and bend for extended periods of time. Role may include job duties or tasks requiring repetitive motion. Exposure to hot kitchen elements or cleaning materials.
Frequent use of hand to finger motions, handle or feel objects, reach with hands and arms
Compensation: Salary (Based on Experience)
Benefits & Perks: Health Insurance, Potential Bonuses, Dining Discounts, Free Parking
Pizza, Californian, Italian
Upscale Casual, Casual Dining, Fine Dining, Restaurant Group

domain: food


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This article was published in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 6, (MUP), 1976
John Tait (1813-1888), racehorse owner and trainer, was born on 5 November 1813 at Melrose near Edinburgh, son of Robert Tait, jeweller and engraver, and his wife Margaret, née Maitland. Trained as a jeweller he with his wife Janet, née Buchanan (d.1880), and daughter, reached Hobart Town in the Hindo on 2 November 1837 and opened a business. He soon moved to New South Wales and in June 1843 became the licensee of the Albion Inn, Hartley, and in 1847 took over the Black Bull Inn at Bathurst. Strong and wiry, his 'great skill as a boxer' enabled him to cope with his rougher patrons.
In 1847 Tait won the New South Wales St Leger at Homebush with Whalebone. He soon acquired a string of horses from such local breeders as Thomas Icely and George Lee and engaged Noah Beale as trainer and James Ashworth as rider. In 1851-54 at Bathurst, Parramatta, Homebush and Penrith he won races with stakes totalling about £2500, including two more St Legers with Cossack and Surplice and three Queen's Plates with Cossack (twice) and Sportsman, carrying his first colours, a black jacket and red cap. In 1854 in a match race at Homebush Sportsman defeated John Eales's Cooramin for £1000-a-side. Tait had probably moved to Sydney in 1853 and become licensee of the Commercial Hotel, Castlereagh Street.
In 1855 he sold his racehorses and visited England with Ashworth to choose breeding-stock. With Alfred Cheeke he imported Warwick, New Warrior and Magus, who sired Clove, winner of the first Australian Jockey Club Derby in 1865. He returned early in 1857 and was in partnership with Cheeke for several years in a stud farm at Mount Druitt and in racing some good horses. Tait adopted his famous racing colours of yellow jacket and black cap and in the early 1860s he set up with stables at Byron Lodge, Randwick. In the mid-1860s he acquired the Overland Stores at Dubbo which he still owned in 1888.
Unlike his fellow sportsmen Tait 'went into racing as a business'; as his fortunes depended upon the winning of many races he closely supervised the training of his horses, which always ran in top condition. His most famous horse was The Barb, 'the black demon', among whose 17 wins in 24 starts were the A.J.C. Derby and the Melbourne Cup in 1866 and the Sydney Cup in 1868 and 1869. In 1868 The Barb won the Metropolitan and defeated E. de Mestre's Tim Whiffler in the Queen's Plate but weighed in 2 lb. (.9 kg) light; Tait vainly offered £100 reward for proof of foul play. He owned two triple Derby winners: Fireworks, who won 12 of his 16 starts including the 1867 A.J.C. Derby and the Victoria Racing Club Derbys in both 1867 and 1868 (when the date for the race was changed to 1 January); and Florence who in 1870-71 won the A.J.C., V.R.C. and Queensland Turf Club Derbys and the V.R.C. Oaks Stakes. His other notable horses included three Melbourne Cup winners: Glencoe (1869) who also won the A.J.C. Derby, The Pearl (1871) and The Quack (1872). Goldsbrough won the Epsom-Metropolitan double for him in 1875 and Amendment won Tait's last big race, the 1877 Metropolitan. 'Caspian', writing in the Australian Town and Country Journal on 1 May 1880, estimated that between 1865 and 1880 Tait had won almost £30,000 in stakes without added money. Known as 'Honest John', he won repute for fair dealing with the press and protested only once—after the 1866 Sydney Cup when Pitsford crossed Falcon and 'hocked' him; Thompson, the offending jockey, was disqualified.
In bad health in 1880 Tait visited England and on 18 August in London he married a widow Christian Ann Swannell, née Garie, who had borne him six children. By 1883 he had moved to Toddington, The Boulevard, Petersham, where he was noted for his hospitality. A justice of the peace from 1879, he was a committee-man of the Animals Protection Society and a New South Wales commissioner for the 1887 Adelaide and 1888 Melbourne exhibitions. On 21 May 1888 he collapsed and died of heart disease; he was buried in Waverley cemetery without religious rites. Tait was survived by two sons and a daughter of his first wife, by his second wife and by two sons and two daughters of their children. His estate was valued for probate at £24,296.
Martha Rutledge, 'Tait, John (1813–1888)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/tait-john-4685/text7753, published first in hardcopy 1976, accessed online 29 March 2017.
This article was first published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 6, (MUP), 1976

domain: history


This robot has a compact, cylindrical body, so it can turn round in small spaces, as well as folding arms, which can do tasks such as fetching objects and opening curtains.
The robot is controlled easily, by using the touch interface on a smartphone or speech recognition. It can also be controlled remotely by a caregiver, while communicating with the user.
“For robots to operate in ordinary living spaces, the most important factor is their size. So, in developing this one, we’ve prioritized making it compact.”
The robot’s height can vary between 83cm and 1.3m, so it can reach things in high places. When the robot picks something up, it can also use a suction mechanism, so it can handle thin objects like paper as well.
“Regarding capabilities, we actually surveyed people with disabilities, together with the Japan Service Dog Association, to find out what capabilities users want a robot to have. The results showed that there’s a strong need for robots that can pick up dropped objects, fetch wanted objects, and communicate remotely, to report an emergency, for example. So the first thing we’ve done in developing this robot is, we’ve given it those three capabilities.”


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FILMS | SCHEDULE | ABOUT TIFF | EVENTS | SEARCH | SUBMIT FILMS | SPONSORS | PRESS | SHOP | TIBURON FILM SOCIETY | ARCHIVE | PHOTO GALLERY | LODGING | SITEMAP
In Search of Mozart
Running Time: 128 minutes
Cast: Ronald Brautigam, Renée Fleming, Magdalena Kožená, Lang Lang, Louis Langrée, Julian Rachlin, Roger Norrington, Imogen Cooper
Director: Phil Grabsky
Description: [Screening @ the Tiburon Film Society]
Considered the greatest composer of all time, Mozart is without doubt one of history’s most remarkable men. But what do we really know about him? In Search of Mozart, directed by the multi award-winning film-maker Phil Grabsky, reveals the complexities of the man and his music through the letters of Mozart himself, his family and friends. This is the definitive Mozart feature documentary, filmed in ten countries throughout Europe, and made in association with the world’s leading orchestras, opera houses, musicians and historians.
In Search of Mozart is the first ever major feature-length documentary on Mozart’s life.
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When Jake Bugg played a gig at the Cavern he fulfilled one of his musical dreams.
The 20-year-old chart topper put on a secret gig for selected fans at the Mathew Street venue late last year.
“It was pretty special,” says Jake. “I love secret gigs, and it was great to do it just for the fans who have supported me all the way along. It’s somewhere I’ve always wanted to play too. Very intimate, very cool. It was during the afternoon too, that time of day when the kids were just coming out of school. The atmosphere was brilliant.”
The next time he’s in Liverpool it will be playing a much bigger venue – the ECHO arena. He’s just announced his first headline show at the waterfront venue.
“The Liverpool crowd is really up for it – really into the music.
“Like so many bands have said before it is always a great place to play because you have to be on top of your game. There is so much great music from the city that you have a lot to live up to. It has to be good.
“It’s hard to play gigs in London or other places down south. people stand there with their arms folded going ‘impress me’. I’ve never heard of that in Liverpool.
“I listen to a lot of Liverpool artists – obviously The Beatles, but also The La’s and Echo and the Bunnymen.”
Fans in this country are unlikely to see Jake play a venue as small as The Cavern any time soon.
“I do fairly big venues now in the UK,” he says, modestly. “But when you go to a new country it’s like starting again. I love it because I love the small venues and the challenge of winning a new crowd around.”
Jake’s eponymously titled debut album went straight to number one, sending him into the record books as the youngest solo male to debut at the top of the charts with their first release. It has sold more than one million worldwide and cemented him as one of the most exciting new talents to emerge in recent years.
He has toured with Noel Gallagher and Snow Patrol in the US, and was nominated for two Q Awards (Best New Act, Best Solo Act) and the Barclaycard Mercury Prize, as well as Brits and NME Awards. He drew one of the biggest crowds of the weekend at Glastonbury last year, as well as at Reading/Leeds Festival, T In The Park and Summer Sonic in Japan.
He has two albums under his belt, and he’s hard at work penning that tricky third record.
“I try to write all the time,” he says. “I don’t listen to any music backstage and I spend as much time as I can just locked away trying to write.
“I certainly never listen to my own songs backstage, or even play them. I play them onstage and that’s it. The crowd get the full intensity of them if they are played that way.
“I do listen to music though, recently I’ve been listening to The Beatles and The Bee Gees a lot. Great songwriting is always an inspiration.
“Modern music came later for me. I remember hearing Arctic Monkeys for the first time, and I didn’t really like it. It was only when I got a bit older that I started thinking, ‘That’s bang on, that’s great.’ It took a while.”
Jake now has a summer of festivals ahead before he calls into the ECHO arena in October.
“I’m looking forward to being back in Liverpool,” he smiles.
“I’ve done the Cavern now but I still need to do a lot of the touristy stuff. I want to do the Magical Mystery Tour. I heard that on the tours of John and Paul’s houses that one guy kept asking to play their guitars. Normally they say no but this time it was Bob Dylan. That’s pretty cool that he just got on the bus with everyone else. But then I guess that’s what you’d expect from Bob Dylan.”
Jake Bugg plays the ECHO arena on October 18. For tickets, call the ECHO ticket line on 0844 800 3680.
Win Leeds Festival tickets
Jake Bugg is also playing at the Leeds Festival at Bramham Park on August 22-24, with not three but four headliners. Queens Of The Stone Age and Paramore share headline duties alongside Arctic Monkeys and pop-punk legends Blink-182. For the full lineup and to buy tickets visit www.leedsfestival.com.
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USDA Looks to Improve its Food Safety Messaging to Consumers
Date: Tue, 10/13/2020 Broadcast: 04
Remark: USDA is working on improving its food safety outreach efforts to consumers. Stephanie Ho has the story.
PARTICIPANTS: Stephanie Ho. Deputy Undersecretary for Food Safety, Mindy Brashears. Director of Food Safety Education for FSIS, Chris Bernstein


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Justine McCarthy: Legal system is against the public interest
Bias towards skilled defence teams means fear of losing cases and money has eclipsed the desire for justice, harming future prosecutions
If Anglo Irish Bank had been Anglo Spanish Bank, investigators would not be sitting around waiting for an invitation to interview “witnesses” who may have helped destroy the nation’s economy. Under Spain’s inquisitorial justice system, the judge would have had the protagonists arrested for contempt. Their documents and computers would be seized, their phones tapped, their passports confiscated, and a prosecution file completed quicker than you could say “mañana”. That’s why Spain has as many white-collar criminals in jail as Ireland has handbag snatchers.
If the Ryan report on child sexual abuse in Catholic church-run residential institutions had been, say, the De Jong report, Dutch prisons would be heaving with priests, nuns, and some bishops. The Dutch inquisitorial system is kinder and more efficient than


One message from CEOs last week was the government needs to form Plan B in case the dairy slump worsens.
Lisa Owen put this to Finance Minister Bill English on The Nation and he responded:
. . . We run economic policy that underpins a flexible, resilient economy, so if prices are down in one area, we would expect people to— we’ve got a set of rules that enable them to react fairly quickly to that, and we don’t try and hide the message the world is sending us, for instance, about dairy prices. And lots of other countries, they’re increasing subsidies to farmers in order to brush over and hide that price signal. So this economy will diversify if there are other markets which are willing to pay more for our products. That’s where the investment will flow. And the good news on the horizon is that the US economy is recovering. It’s the world’s largest economy. It’s showing signs of sustainable growth. And that New Zealand businesses are responding to that positively, and I don’t agree with politicians—
But, Minister, that’s your plan A. That’s your plan A. Where’s your plan B?
Plan A is a flexible, resilient economy. If plan B is about politicians sitting on the sideline deciding where hundreds of millions of investment should go next, then we’re not interested in that sort of plan B. It will fail, as it’s failed in the past.
But business people who are on the front lines – 75% of the top business minds in the Mood of the Boardroom – they want you to have a plan B. Are they wrong?
Well, I’ve asked them about what their plan B is, and none of them have a plan B. They’re certainly inviting—
Maybe they’re relying on you for plan B, Minister.
They’re certainly not inviting politicians to say, ‘Right, we’re going to shift a couple of hundred billion— a couple of hundred million of investment from industry A to industry B.’ They are backing the Government approach, which is to ensure that we keep our costs down, the Government invests in infrastructure, because no one else can do that, we work on the pipeline of skills into the labour market so there’s people there that they can employ, and they make their risky commercial investment decisions, and that’s what they’re doing right now. Right around the country, businesses will be thinking about where to direct their investment, given that dairy’s not looking so good for the next year or two; tourism, wine, ICT is all looking better for the next two or three years. And they’ll make those decisions a bit more precisely and more sensibly than government would. . .
Plan A is what got New Zealand through the GFC and the economy growing again.
We need more of it – lower government spending, concentrating on addressing the causes of welfare dependency, investing in education and infrastructure, opening more trade opportunities . . .
That’s the business of government and private enterprise isn’t as Mike Hosking reminds us:
What’s a bloke buying a farm got to do with the government?
What has any person setting up a business got to do with the government?
When a shop closes is it the government’s job to mop it up?
When a factory down sizes… Is the govt supposed to do something?
Dairy, like all business products and markets is beyond a government scope.
A government is there to provide over arching policy direction… Like tax and trade deals and welfare.
It’s not there to milk the cows, man the tills and set the price for commodities. . .
If the CEO’s know what’s good for them and their businesses they won’t be asking government to get involved in them.
We don’t need Plan B and we definitely don’t need government minding the business of business.


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Had a ‘Vehicle Services Division’ letter land in your mailbox? It isn’t uncommon. These letters will likely say that you need to make a payment to keep your warranty. Or claim that you haven’t activated your existing warranty. Before you reach for your phone, it may be worth asking yourself, is this Vehicle Services Division letter a scam?
In most cases, a Vehicle Services Division letter is a scam. Scammers send these letters en masse hoping to get a few bites. However, some letters are genuine and alerting you that your warranty is expiring. If the letter has the date your warranty expires, and the number of miles you have driven, then the letter is authentic.
While at first glance, the letter could appear to be an official notification from a government agency or another reliable company. But, the Federal Trade Commission strongly advises against trusting these offers for vehicle warranties.
In fact, the companies behind such messages often create an illusion of being affiliated with your car dealer or manufacturer. In reality, their intention is most likely to sell you a service contract.
And 99% of the time, these companies sending the letters are not even associated with your car dealer or manufacturer in any way.
If you decide to respond to their offers, they will likely pressure you into disclosing personal financial information and demand an immediate down payment.
But beware! Many of these companies might not even be in business when the time comes for you to utilize the warranty coverage.
In this guide, we’ll look into the details of these letters to help you identify what a Vehicle Services Division letter is. And more importantly, how you can determine whether you’re looking at a real warranty notification or a scam.
Let’s dive into this!
What is a Vehicle Services Division Letter?
Simply put, a Vehicle Services Division letter is a letter that either:
- Says that your vehicle’s warranty is expiring.
- Says that you have yet to activate your vehicle’s warranty.
- Comes from a third-party warranty company trying to get you to buy one of their warranties.
The design of these letters can vary. Most will have VEHICLE SERVICES DIVISION emblazoned on the top of the envelope and letter. You may also see the words ALERT and PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL.
It’s even possible the letter has some basic details about your vehicle. There will be a phone number to call. In rare cases, there may be a website link too.
These letters are often encouraging you to give the sender a call to make a payment or buy monthly coverage. Keep in mind, it may not necessarily say that you need to make a payment on the letter. But, as soon as you reach somebody on the phone, they’ll ask for some cash.
In most cases, these letters will say that if you don’t pay now, you could end up having to pay some hefty repair fees later on.
This is how most scams work. They make it seem as if it is ‘urgent’ that you hand your cash over. It gives people a lot less time to think about things.
Truth is, it pays to be skeptical when handling such documents. So get ready to investigate the facts and find out what has really been sent your way.
How to Recognize a Vehicle Services Division Scam Letter
If you’re trying to spot a fake vehicle services notification letter, here are four telltale signs to watch out for:
- Identification of the vehicle you currently own
- Immediate response required language
- Intimidating wording to call immediately, or to confirm receipt of notification letter
- At the very bottom of the letter, look for three small lines of text that may read similar to this: This is a solicitation for interest in a vehicle service contract. This offer is not from your vehicle manufacturer.
Is a Vehicle Services Division Letter a Scam?
99% of the time – yes a Vehicle Services Division letter is a scam. The problem is that, unless you know what you’re looking for, it may seem like an official notification from the vehicle manufacturer.
While some scam Vehicle Services Division letters are sent out to hundreds, if not thousands of people, most are not.
A lot of these letters are highly targeted. When you receive one, it may have your name or basic details about your vehicle on it. Truth is, this information can be gathered from your vehicle’s VIN.
However, just because your personal details are included in the letter, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t about to be scammed.
Let’s run you through some of the things that you need to think about before determining whether the Vehicle Services Division letter is a scam.
Always Assume it is a Scam
First things first, when you receive a Vehicle Services Division letter, always assume it is a scam. As we said, there is a 99% chance you are going to get scammed if you call the number on the letter. So, if you can’t work out whether the letter is real or fake, then assume it is a scam. You’ll probably be correct.
Remember, if you call one of these numbers, the person on the other end of the line will try and get financial information from you. They are pros at it. Even if you think you’ll never hand your details over, you’ll be surprised at how convincing some of these scammers are.
You Won’t Receive Random Letters From Your Vehicle’s Warranty Provider
A scam Vehicle Services Division letter can arrive at any time. In fact, some people receive them when they don’t even own a vehicle!
Perhaps the best way to tell whether the letter is real is to check when your vehicle’s factory warranty expires. Most vehicle warranties last 3-5 years or a certain number of miles.
If you aren’t anywhere close to the expiration of your warranty, then we can guarantee that your warranty provider won’t be sending you any letters.
So, if you’ve received a letter within months of a vehicle purchase (or you don’t even own a vehicle), then throw it away. That’s a scam letter.
Check to see if The Company Name & Number Matches Up With Your Vehicle’s Warranty
Most scam Vehicle Services Division letters won’t have a company name or even a website address on them. It will just be a phone number. If you don’t see a company name, then right away you know it is a scam.
If there is a company name then make sure of the following:
- It matches the name of your vehicle’s warranty provider (check your paperwork).
- The phone number matches the phone number for your vehicle’s warranty provider.
Remember, scammers can get basic details about your vehicle, but they’ll rarely have correct information about your warranty provider.
Has The Correct Information About Your Vehicle
As we said, scammers are sophisticated. They can get a lot of information about your vehicle (from publicly accessible databases). This can give the illusion that the letter is real.
However, there are some pieces of information that scammers can’t get. So, if you don’t see this information listed on the Vehicle Services Division notification, you know you’re dealing with a scammer.
- Date your vehicle’s warranty expired.
- The number of miles you have driven (this will be recorded at your yearly service, for warranty purposes).
- The price you paid for your vehicle.
Claim to be Able to Extend The Factory Warranty
No company other than the car manufacturer itself can extend your car warranty. Fact is, these warranty scams make it impossible to get coverage when needed.
In Doubt? Call Your Vehicle’s Warranty Provider
Remember, if in doubt, always assume that the letter that you have received is a scam. However, if the letter has arrived exactly when you expect it to arrive (i.e. your factory vehicle’s warranty is expiring), then give your vehicle’s warranty provider a call.
Use the phone number from the paperwork you received from the dealership, not the number on the Vehicle Services Division letter.
Contacting the vehicle manufacturer is the best way to determine if your warranty has indeed expired.
Vehicle Services Division FAQs
How do car warranty companies get your information?
Third-party warranty companies use vehicle and address information along with publicly available mailing lists to find names and phone numbers of individuals whose cars may be approaching the end of their factory warranty periods.
How do I stop getting car warranty mail?
To reduce the amount of unwanted junk mail, you can register for the Direct Marketing Association’s mail preference service. While it may not eliminate all unsolicited mail, it is a helpful step. There is a $4 fee for ten years of service.
How do I find the phone number for my vehicle’s factory warranty?
To find your vehicle’s factory warranty phone number, check the owner’s manual or the manufacturer’s website. If you bought the car from a dealership, ask them for the number. Otherwise, contact the manufacturer’s customer service with your vehicle’s VIN.
What Happens if I Fall Prey to This Warranty Scam?
Contact the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to file a complaint immediately. The FTC may be able to help issue a refund.
Final Thoughts: Vehicle Services Division Letter
Simply put, it is important to be aware of fraudulent Vehicle Services Division letters that may make their way to your mailbox. It is usually best to not trust scammers who send these offers, as they often create an illusion of being affiliated with your car dealer or manufacturer and demand an immediate down payment.
Always double check the source of the letter before giving away any personal financial information. If there is no indication that the letter came directly from your car dealer or manufacturer and a warranty expiration date isn’t included, it’s much better to be safe than sorry.
If you have encountered an extended warranty scam, it is important to report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and your state’s attorney general office.
In case the scammer reached out to you via phone, you can also report the call to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This helps to protect yourself and others from falling victim to these fraudulent activities.
Do not bite on a scammers bait, and never feel compelled to respond just because they sent you a letter, even if the envelope and letter looks official.
Recently received a Vehicle Services Division letter and need help identifying if it’s real or not? Leave your comment below and we will help. 👇
Last Updated on September 24, 2023


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Letter to the Editor:
In 1969, an Army Corporal was returning from a tour of duty in Vietman. Upon arriving at San Diego, CA he was greeted by protesters of the war. One of the protesters ran up to the soldier and spit in his face yelling 'Why are you fighting this war?'. The soldier's reply was 'So you have the right to stand here and protest and act as childish as you have.'
The attitude of the protesters was the attitude of parts of America during that war period.
I served during this time period and never felt any satisfaction for having served until I attended the Veterans program at the STC High School. When they filled the gym with students and they all stood and clapped to honor those of us who served, it renewed a certain pride I haven't felt for sometime. I hope the other Vets in attendance felt the same.
So a very special THANK YOU to the STC Student Council, Band, Choir, staff and especially the students.
God bless you all and God bless America.