California continues to ease into reopening amid coronavirus fight
More hiking trails and recreation areas reopened Saturday as California continued to ease into the recovery phase of its fight against the novel coronavirus.
The Angeles National Forest on Saturday reopened 23 popular trails, four trailheads and 19 roads in the San Gabriel Mountains. Forest officials also will begin gradually reopening campgrounds, picnic areas and other “developed recreation” sites that have been off-limits since early April.
That was preceded by the reopening of Los Angeles city and county trails May 9, followed by L.A. County beaches Wednesday.
The city of L.A.’s Slow Streets initiative, which limits street traffic to neighborhood residents so people can walk, run and bike, launched Friday in Del Rey and Sawtelle.
“Learning to live with COVID-19 means finding creative ways to get outside while staying close to home,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a statement.
The locations were chosen for plans they created to adhere to public health guidelines, officials said in a news release. People using the streets are required to engage in active recreation, wear a face covering and keep six feet away from others at all times.
California is moving through Phase 2 of relaxing its stay-at-home orders. Along with many outdoor areas, businesses deemed at lower risk have been gradually permitted to reopen, with retailers offering curbside pickup only.
Many retailers are still adjusting to the new rules, which also require that they put in place physical-distancing guidelines and infection-control protocols.
At the Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles, Kip’s Toyland reopened Friday with only one worker per shift.
The store was not allowing anyone inside Saturday, but that didn’t stop customers from trying.
“We have had a surprising amount of people that have actually come up to the door even though we’ve been trying to do mainly phone orders,” employee Eli Margolis said, “so I’ve been doing this kind of crazy thing of having to run around the whole store and show them something they might like.”
“It was kind of difficult. But that’s on me to kind of figure out and make suggestions.”
A coronavirus test with results within 15 minutes could prevent the virus’ spread and the LAPD is pushing city officials to get the equipment.
Margolis said there had been four customers at the retro toy shop by early Saturday afternoon. He sold some puzzles, a hobbyhorse and the board game Sorry!
“For the most part I think it’s still kind of this weird stagnant period right now, especially with everyone still trying to refigure out — especially stores like us trying to redo our whole game plan and figure out how to kind of function in this new world,” he said. “It’s strange for sure.”
Flowers by Eugene in La Puente was permitting customers to come inside Saturday but requiring them to wear masks. A manager there also described the attempt at moving toward normalcy as surreal.
“It’s still kind of weird,” said the manager, Liz, who declined to give her last name. “I feel like it’s slowly getting better because we do have people coming in and calling.”
The store has been physically open since last week but had been taking online and phone orders before that.
While customers were slowly returning, the florist was facing a different hurdle.
Almost 200 at Mother’s Day church service were exposed to the coronavirus by an attendee with COVID-19, officials say.
“The problem is we’re limited in our flower supply because of what’s going on,” Liz said. “Flowers, it’s pretty scarce out there right now. The few people that have flowers out there now are asking for a lot.”
Now Serving is a small independent bookstore in Chinatown that specializes in cookbooks and culinary books. Ken Concepcion, who owns it with his wife, Michelle Mungcal, said customers haven’t been inside the shop since March, and he has pivoted to online sales and worked to showcase his inventory on his website.
“I still think we don’t know enough about the virus to where we can make definitive choices,” Concepcion said. He said they have a toddler and an employee who lives with an elderly relative.
“It seems irresponsible if we were just to let anybody come in,” he said.
Customers place orders online, then swing by to pick them up, with the store now serving as a kind of warehouse.
“We’ll place their goods on a table outside our door,” Concepcion said. “There’s a lot of waving, but there’s not a lot of other interaction.”
Gov. Andrew Cuomo urged lawmakers to put politics aside and focus on helping New York and other states receive funding from the federal government.
Still, some businesses said it was difficult to serve customers remotely.
“It doesn’t feel normal,” said Donna Tabut, assistant manager of Book Alley in Pasadena. “We’re primarily a used bookstore. A lot of customers, they like to look at the book.”
Browsing is a key part of the store’s business model, she said.
“Someone will come in, they can’t find the book that they were looking for, and they’ll come up to the register with 10 books that they weren’t expecting to find.”
Still, the store was taking orders through its website, as well as by phone and email. Customers were also able to walk up and look at the display window.
“As long as you’re six feet away from the store wearing a facial covering, we’ll try to assist you in whatever way we can,” Tabut said. “But we can’t allow anyone into the store at this moment.”
Coronavirus: Some Angelenos loosen up their personal boundaries as they try to balance safety and mental health
At Just Ride L.A., a bicycle shop in downtown Los Angeles, business has been open throughout the pandemic, and it has been booming.
“We can’t even do rentals anymore because we don’t have any more bikes to rent,” sales manager Darina Parker said. “They’re flying off the shelves. We can barely hang onto any bikes.”
Because the shop does bicycle repairs, Parker said, it was deemed an essential business and was allowed to stay open. Before the pandemic, Parker said, the shop sold three or four bicycles a day, but now it sells 10 to 20.
At Golden Apple Comics on Melrose Avenue, the doors are still closed to customers, but people are picking up orders in the back parking lot. Owner Ryan Liebowitz said his shop hasn’t received a shipment of new comics since March, thanks to shutdowns in printing, distribution and shipping, but he expects new comics to start arriving next week.
“Comic book stores live and die every week by their shipment,” Liebowitz said.
Until curbside pickup was recently allowed, Liebowitz said, Golden Apple was relying on customers who subscribe to titles through the store and on online sales, with expanded online events intended to connect with customers.
In cities across Mexico, morgues are full and funeral homes are jammed but nobody knows for sure how many people have died in the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our online sales are through the roof,” he said. “We’re waiting on Phase Three, where we can let people inside the shop. That hasn’t happened yet.”
Counties that meet certain criteria can apply for a variance to move more quickly through Phase 2, allowing for the opening of additional businesses, like dine-in restaurants and shopping malls.
Riverside County notified Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday that it was requesting such an acceleration, saying it had met six of the seven criteria to reopen more quickly.
The county has a plan to protect essential workers and expand contact tracing capabilities; it also has ample testing capacity, the ability to protect vulnerable residents and enough surge capacity in its health system, the county Board of Supervisors wrote in a letter to Newsom.
When it comes to the seventh requirement — that a county must demonstrate that it has contained COVID-19 by having no deaths in the previous 14 days, and no more than one case per 10,000 residents over the same time frame — county officials said it was not attainable.
“In our opinion, the metrics are unrealistic for urban counties, and Riverside County in particular, where our geographic size and population make it impossible that no deaths from COVID-19 will result in a 14-day time frame,” they wrote.
Instead, they wrote, it would be more appropriate to adopt federal benchmarks, which the county is already meeting due to downward trends in cases, positive test results and flu- and COVID-19-like symptomatic cases.
Butte County is one of 22 counties that has certified to the state that it meets the conditions for additional businesses to reopen.
But after a person who attended an in-person religious service on Mother’s Day tested positive for the coronavirus, public health officials issued a strongly worded warning to residents not to speed too quickly through the process.
The person received positive test results the day after the service, which had more than 180 attendees, officials said Friday in a news release.
Gatherings of any size remain prohibited, even in counties that are reopening more quickly than the rest of the state. But the organization that held the service chose to open its doors despite the rules, exposing the entire congregation to the coronavirus, officials said.
“This decision comes at a cost of many hours and a financial burden to respond effectively to slow or stop the spread of COVID-19,” the release said, noting that health officials are working to notify all those who attended the service and instruct them to self-quarantine. The county health department also is working with healthcare partners to obtain testing for all attendees, officials said.
“At this time, organizations that hold in-person services or gatherings are putting the health and safety of their congregations, the general public and our local ability to open up at great risk,” Danette York, Butte County’s public health director, said in a statement urging residents to follow stay-at-home orders.
“Moving too quickly through the reopening process can cause a major setback and could require us to revert back to more restrictive measures,” York said.
Butte County’s public health officer, Andy Miller, announced Saturday that he is resigning, effective July 10. The decision was not related to any particular incident or disagreement, the county public health department said in a news release.
Miller’s contract was up for renewal in the fall, and he wanted to give the health department more time to recruit a replacement, the release said.
“We are prepared to recruit for a health officer who, like Dr. Miller, will lead us as we bring our economy back and keep this virus at bay,” Shari McCracken, the county’s chief administrative officer, said in a statement.
In Los Angeles County, which is home to nearly half the state’s confirmed coronavirus cases and more than half the related deaths, officials have said it’s extremely unlikely they would attempt to apply for a variance to reopen more quickly than the rest of the state.
But like the state, the county has seen varying impacts from the virus, with some areas hit less hard than others.
For that reason, L.A. County officials are trying to determine whether it’s possible for individual cities that meet the benchmarks to move to the next stage of reopening before other parts of the county do.
Supervisor Kathryn Barger said Friday that the cities of Santa Clarita, Lancaster and Palmdale have approached the county to inquire about reopening and appear to meet Newsom’s criteria.
She said she has asked county counsel and the Department of Public Health to provide an analysis of whether there’s anything in the governor’s order that would permit the cities to do so.
“I think it’s important for cities to be able to meet their own benchmarks and safely reopen so they are not dependent only on the county,” Barger said.
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It is with a very heavy heart that I write this today. On 12th June 2016, the world was subjected to the most violent singular attack on the LGBT+ community in recent history.
My heart goes out to the victims of this tragedy, but also to their friends, families, the LGBT+ community, and every person in this world who believes in freedom and liberty - because this was also an attack on them.
But this is not a time to dwell on the circumstances that led to this attack. It is not a time to allow a deeper divide to be driven between our communities. Mahatma Gandhi famously said, "An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind" and I completely agree.
It is now the time for us all to stand together and to support each other.
I founded OUTstanding to prove that LGBT+ could be visible, safe and successful in the workplace and am so proud of the continued commitment we all make to improving LGBT+ rights and opportunities at work.
But employees don't stop being that when they walk out of the door; we must be visible in our support at all times, in all places.
We have already seen some of the world's most influential companies publicly show their support, with moving statements from Google, JP Morgan, Aviva, Vodafone, PWC and Virgin to name a few, as well as the incredible show of solidarity displayed in the vigils that were held all around the world yesterday.
I urge you all to display your commitment to ending inequality; to visibly show the world that we WILL stand together and prove that hate DOESN'T win.

domain: sociology


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Raleigh, N.C. – The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina (ACLU-NC) and the North Carolina Justice Center (NCJC) have filed a 150B-4 petition for a declaratory ruling to the North Carolina Department of Transportation North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV’s) requesting that the DMV clarify its policy and procedures around issuance of driver licenses to lawfully present noncitizens who are eligible for driver licenses under state law. DMV has been wrongfully denying driver licenses and/or providing limited-term driver licenses to noncitizen North Carolinians. This unlawful and unconstitutional practice is causing deep harm, interfering with North Carolinians’ ability to care for their families and perform activities necessary for daily life.
“Despite their clear statutory eligibility for full-term driver licenses, North Carolina DMVs have denied driver licenses or improperly provided a limited-term driver license,” said Muneeba S. Talukder of the ACLU of North Carolina. “We are asking that the DMV issue a declaratory ruling that comports with the law and the U.S. and North Carolina constitutions and provide clear guidance to its staff so that our clients and other immigrant North Carolinians can resume their daily obligations.”
In North Carolina, over 90 percent of the population relies on cars to go to work and the ability to drive is an essential part of being able to navigate everyday life. The DMV’s improper license denials have harmed many lawfully present immigrants like our clients. Our clients have been unable to maintain steady employment, and have had difficulty driving to medical appointments, caregiving responsibilities, and other obligations.
“The consequences of DMV’s failure to issue licenses to lawfully-present immigrants fall most heavily on low-income and rural North Carolinians, who often lack the means to pay for expensive ride-sharing services and do not have access to public transportation.” said Kate Woomer-Deters, Senior Attorney at the North Carolina Justice Center. “Loss of a driver license can be financially catastrophic as well as causing serious challenges to North Carolinians’ ability to care for themselves and their family members.”
Unlawful denials of driver licenses from immigrants who are otherwise eligible to drive also opens up the very real possibility that immigrants are being funneled into the criminal legal system. Immigrants are lawfully attempting to obtain their license, but when they are denied and must drive to meet their everyday obligations, they are faced with potential criminal consequences for driving without a license.
Our clients are among many immigrants in North Carolina that are potentially impacted by NCDMV’s practice of denying standard full-term driver licenses and in some cases denying even limited term driver licenses.
The ACLU of NC, along with other civil rights organizations, has already filed suit against the DMV (Johnson v. Goodwin) challenging the DMV’s practices of revoking driver licenses for people who were unable to pay traffic fines.

domain: politics


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Every summer needs a soundtrack. Here is our ultimate Spotify summer playlist for 2020 to get you feeling fun and free.
The summer is finally here. This summer might not be a conventional one, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a whole lot of fun. Whether you’re looking for ways to entertain kids at home while self-isolating or need an incredible, family-friendly playlist for a long road trip, we have you covered. This is the ultimate Spotify summer playlist for 2020.
We’ve included some modern gems and also classics that never seem to get old, but always get you dancing. The songs below will be a hit with your kids, but parents will also warmly welcome them. So pump up your Jooki and make some memories with the Spotify playlist below!
‘These Days’ by Rudimental
This song was released in 2018 and features Jess Glynne, Macklemore, and Dan Caplen. It's a catchy song that's loved by all generations. There's just enough repetition to get younger kids interested, and there's a sense of nostalgia about the song that we believe makes it a modern-day classic. We guarantee you'll look back at this song one day with fond memories of summer 2020.
‘Are You Gonna Be My Girl?’ by Jet
This song, released in 2003, definitely deserves a place on our Spotify summer playlist! It’s upbeat, catchy, while also being very family-friendly. There are no words you need to worry about, and your kids will love to get up and dance to this hit.
‘Watermelon Sugar’ by Harry Styles
This recent chart-topper is a great addition to this year's summer playlist! This song is all about the special feeling of summer. Your kids will love it, and we think you’ll become quite addicted, too.
‘Roar’ by Katy Perry
Who doesn’t love this song? This pop-rock classic is just what you need to get the adrenaline pumping. This motivational song is all about gaining independence and speaking up for yourself — values we advocate here at Jooki.
Check out these fun exercises for kids to do at home
‘I Gotta Feeling’ by Black Eyed Peas
This song is so feel-good and upbeat, we can’t imagine anyone not liking it. It’s a great song for kids to sing along to on a long car ride, and it’s one parents will love hearing, too.
‘Trolls Wanna Have Good Times’ by Trolls World Tour
Trolls World Tour was released this year, and kids are obsessed. We don’t blame them. There’s nothing like a troll cover to get you in a good mood. This song is sure to please your kids, and we bet that, secretly, even parents will be enthused to have this on their Spotify summer playlist.
‘When I Am Older’ by Olaf the Snowman
This might sound like a strange addition to a summer playlist, but we couldn’t resist. As well as Trolls World Tour, Frozen 2 is a recently-released movie that has captured the hearts of kids all over the world. Any Spotify summer playlist without at least one Frozen 2 song will be sure to disappoint your kids, and we can’t have that!
This summer, take the time to educate and communicate with your kids on important matters. Check out our advice on how to talk about diversity with children.
‘You're Welcome’ by Maui
We're on a roll with amazing movies. In this song, Dwayne Johnson sings as Maui, a demigod with a massive ego. The movie is full of songs that remind us of summer, fun, and excitement. This is one we believe will get the kids laughing — and entertain the adults in the room.
‘The Hippopotamus’ by Planet Smashers
This is a silly, upbeat song your kids will love to dance around to in the garden. It’s a song that tells your kids what dance moves to make, so even the most reluctant will feel encouraged to dance away! Parents will love the music, and it’ll save you having to listen to your kid’s favorite Disney song for the thousandth time! Is your kid a fan of audiobooks?
Take a second to look through these audiobooks kids love
‘Shake It off’ by the Sing Cast
The incredible Sing movie features animals that are competing in a singing competition. There are a lot of classics in this movie, but for this summer, we think Shake it Off is a track you and your kids will love. It’s a little addictive, though, so you have been warned — your kids might want to listen to it repeatedly.
‘Everything Is AWESOME’ from The Lego Movie
Like Trolls, the Lego Movie is a feel-good film that appeals to everyone, regardless of age or music preferences. Everything is AWESOME is, quite simply, awesome. It’ll unite your entire family and lift everyone’s mood. It’s the perfect addition to your Spotify summer playlist.
‘Life Is a Highway’ from Cars
We mentioned long trips this summer. If this is on the cards for you, Life is a Highway is the perfect song for your playlist! The song is from the Disney movie Cars, but it’s so good it sounds like a hit in its own right, so we think adults and kids will love to sing along to this track.
Check out these podcasts for kids
‘I'm a Believer’ by Smash Mouth
I’m a Believer is a track that dates back to 1966 when the Monkees made it an instant hit. It was rereleased by Smash Mouth in 2001 to accompany Shrek, and it’s been a favorite ever since. People love this up-tempo, feel-good song, and it seems perfect to accompany the summer months.
‘Splish Splash’ by Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin released this song in 1958, and who would have thought it would still be popular in 2020? There’s something undeniably catchy about this song that kids just latch on to, making it a great fit for any family summer soundtrack.
‘Jump around’ by House of Pain
While we’re talking about classics, Jump Around is a great way to get your kids to work off that extra energy! We guarantee your family will love and bond over this song, which never seems to get old.
The Jooki is the perfect music player for kids. Buy one today and discover why so many families are falling in love with our smart touch technology, colorful characters, and powerful speakers.

domain: artistic


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Husband, 67, pleads guilty to child abuse after his four young sons were so neglected they could only communicate in grunts
- Wayne Sperling could spend up to seven years in prison for the abuse
- He was arrested last year after a doctor treating one of the boys noticed the child was filthy and had bruises consistent with pinching
- Authorities found their Denver apartment covered in cat feces and urine and the boys, aged two to six, could only grunt and were not toilet trained
- The children are now living together with a foster mother - and they have not once asked about their parents
- The couple also lost custody of two other children after they pleaded guilty to child abuse in 2007
- Sperling's wife, Lorinda Bailey, 36, was sentenced to 90 days in prison
A father whose four young sons could communicate only in grunts when authorities rescued them from a filthy Denver apartment pleaded guilty to felony child abuse on Thursday.
Wayne Sperling, 67, could spend up to seven years in prison when he is sentenced on December 30. He also faced other charges, but these were dropped in exchange for his guilty plea.
He and his wife, Lorinda Bailey, were both charged after their sons, aged two to six, were found in sickening living conditions in their apartment last October.
The abuse was revealed when an emergency room doctor, who was treating the youngest boy for a cut to his forehead, noticed that he was unwashed, smelled of cigarettes and had bruises consistent with pinching.
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Guilty: Wayne Sperling, pictured in November 2013, has pleaded guilty to felony child abuse after his four young sons were found living is sickening conditions last year. He faces up to seven years in prison
Authorities discovered Sperling, his 36-year-old wife and the boys living in an apartment filled with cat feces, urine and flies across every surface inside the house.
Prosecutors say it one of the most horrific cases they've ever seen, but the state's child abuse laws kept them from pursuing harsher penalties because the boys did not suffer serious physical injuries.
The youngsters were taken in by a foster mother and are improving, prosecutors said.
They have never asked about their parents.
'Considering what they've gone through, they're doing remarkably well,' Denver District Attorney spokeswoman Lynn Kimbrough said on Thursday. That the boys are living together has 'helped them in their ability to try to recover from the horrifying neglect they were living in.'
Sentenced: His wife Lorinda Bailey, 36, pictured last year, was sentenced to 90 days in jail last week
After they were rescued and given bagged lunches to eat, the boys acted as if they hadn't seen normal food before, Detective Teresa Gessler testified in Bailey's case.
They patted the sandwiches and played with the apples and after an adult mimed eating an apple to encourage them to eat, they licked the fruit, she said.
When the boys were placed with the foster mother, prosecutor Bonnie Benedetti said, they did not know how to dress themselves.
Benedetti said they are still not all toilet-trained and their snack cupboard has to be kept locked to prevent them from hoarding food.
The case warranted felony charges because it was a repeat child-abuse offense.
Cruel: The couple had already lost three children after being accused of child abuse in 2006
Scene: The couple's apartment, pictured, in Denver was covered in cat urine and feces and dead flies
The couple, who have a 30-year age gap, lost custody of other children amid similar allegations in October 2006, after passers-by reported two young children playing in the street.
The children mostly grunted and pointed to communicate, and officers found a home full of trash and rotten food.
Bailey and Sperling pleaded guilty in June 2007 to misdemeanor child abuse in that case.
Bailey was sentenced last week to 90 days in jail and five years of probation after pleading guilty.
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domain: news


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In 1952, Max Cline started Cline Truck Manufacturing Co. in Kansas City, Kansas. Before that, he had been top salesman at Dart Truck Co. in the same city and felt the need for well-built, heavy-duty, no-frills vehicles for off-road earthmoving and other special applications.
With other personnel from Dart, the small new company quickly established a market for its vehicles, and in its first year of operation received an order for nine crane carriers. By the end of 1954, Cline had built more than 32 trucks for various applications. More designs followed, and in 1956 the St. Joseph Lead Co. ordered two 10-ton underground trucks, the first of many such orders.
Max Cline died in 1957, but truck production continued and sales expanded into different markets. Cline built single and tandem-axle vehicles and trailers to serve the logging industry, special slag haulers for steel mills, and sold vehicles to railroad companies featuring road/rail conversions.
In the 1960s, drill-rig carriers and coal haulers were the most popular company products. The 35-ton 6x4 coal hauler powered by a 380-hp Cummins NT-380 engine became almost a standard item in the Appalachian coal fields. Cline claimed its long chassis, three-axle design with 10 rubber tires on the ground lowered tire costs, increased stability on tight corners and enhanced safety at the dump. It also resulted in a lower loading height allowing wheel loaders to center the load properly. By the mid-1970s Cline coal haulers included rear dump sizes from 12- to 65-ton capacity and tandem-drive tractors capable of pulling up to 90-ton wagons.
In the early 1970s, Cline enjoyed substantial sales of its rugged 50-ton tandem-drive coal hauler. Offered with Detroit or Cummins power in the 420-hp range, it came with 6-speed power shift transmission and torque converter. This truck was renamed the Isco IC-250C when Cline became a division of Isco Manufacturing Co. in 1972. During the Isco era, the range included rigid-frame dump trucks from 13- to 50-ton capacity, a 23-ton articulated dump truck, a tandem-drive tractor unit capable of pulling 90-ton wagons, and vehicles equipped with the patented "Ryd-a-Rail" conversion for road and rail use.
In 1979, the Cline name re-emerged under new owner T & J Industries, which kept the company until 1985. Since then, Cline Truck Manufacturing has operated as a division of C.B.T. Corp. C.B.T. discontinued building the trucks in 1993 but still rebuild and service older Cline trucks.
You can read more about the evolution of construction equipment in Keith Haddock's book "Giant Earthmovers an Illustrated History" available in most bookstores. Also, consider a membership in the Historical Construction Equipment Association, www.hcea.net.

domain: history


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The aim of this study was to analyse the consequence of radial or femoral access during coronary interventions to radiation dose, fluorography time and a number of pseudoaneurysms following each type of intervention.
According to the results of many recent studies (RIVAL, RIFLE-STEACS, STEMI RADIAL), current guidelines favour radial over femoral access during coronary intervention for safety, especially in cases of acute coronary syndromes. However, several papers have referred to problems in the design of these studies and the management of antithrombotic therapy. The influence of access site on radiation dose and fluorography time is also still unclear.
We retrospectively analysed 4522 patients who underwent coronary angiography in 2012 and 2016 in a single centre in the Czech Republic. We compared the access site with the average radiation dose and mean effective dose that each patient received in Gy/cm2 or mSv, respectively. We also compared average fluorography time in minutes and the incidence of pseudoaneurysms.
The radiation dose was a body mass index (BMI)-dependent parameter since each five points of body mass index increased radiation dose approximately by 23%. Use of femoral access resulted in lower fluorography time in all subgroups (p < .001) and decreased radiation dose in patients with coronary artery bypass grafts (CABGs) by 26% (p = .044). On the other hand, there has been 16 times lower frequency (p < .001) of post-catheterisation pseudoaneurysms after radial access than after femoral access.
Both the radiation dose and fluorography time were lower after femoral access compared to radial access in patients with CABGs. On the other hand, radial access led to significantly fewer periprocedural pseudoaneurysms. Radial access therefore should be considered as the preferred access site during coronary intervention in patients with a high risk of pseudoaneurysm development, and femoral access should be considered for patients with a high risk of contrast-induced nephropathy.

domain: literature


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39. Living with Limitations
For us Silver Surfers life takes on new turns, some of which we expect, and others which creep up on us. We arrive at retirement and many of us wonder why. Why should I give up work when I’m just as able as I was and I am a fount of knowledge and experience? There is the difficulty, we ARE a fount of knowledge and experience but unfortunately some of that knowledge is rapidly being superceded by new knowledge and as great as my experience is, it doesn’t count for much in a world where youth, vibrancy and all-out demands are made. Coping with these changes is often difficult. For some of us we’re glad retirement has come; we were aware that it was becoming a struggle to maintain the demanded pace at work. But there is an even bigger difficulty which most of us struggle with in some degree or another - that of becoming more limited in our capabilities.


SAMBALPUR: We are happy to note that Rajya Sabha (RS) Members of Parliament (MPs) of Odisha ensured a debate on the Mahanadi river water dispute in the RS today. Good that many of the participants in the debate, cutting across party lines, urged both Chhattisgarh and Odisha to resolve the matter through proper dialogues. “That is exactly what we have been urging to both the governments through our just jaunched ‘Mahanadi River Basin Peace Building Initiative,” said Ranjan Panda, Mahanadi River Waterkeeper.
It was observed from the debates that there are many ambiguities and misinformation that still exist on this issue. It seems neither the Chhattisgarh government nor the Odisha government have got the complete information with regard to utilisation of Mahanadi water for various purposes. Chhattisgarh especially has not shared informatoin on various dam and barrage projects it has taken up upstream that have the potential to impact Mahanadi water flow.
“It is therefore important to set up a joint technical committee with mediation of the central government and help of independent groups to collect, compile and analyse all the data and then come out with a detailed white paper on water availability and use in the river basin,” said Panda.
“Chhattisgarh should agree to stop all existing constructions regarding which Odisha has no information or has not given consent till such a status paper is ready,” urged he further.
“The Minister of State for Water Resources admitted that some projects have been constructed by Chhattisgarh during the last two years without approval of the CWC. That speaks about how we need a strong mechanism between states to jointly monitor projects. Both the states should immediately start such a negotiated mechanism through a dialogue,” demanded Panda.
“The MPs in RS also echoed our concerns regarding the Inter-State Water Disputes Act 1956. This Act has been insufficient to play an effective role in providing solutions to disputes such as the current one and thus has failed in ensuring cooperative federalism. The country needs to revisit this Act and revise it after ample public consultations,” urged Panda.


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Sally Mayes, a Tony nominee for her performance in the 1993 revival of She Loves Me, will star in the Cape May Stage production of Kim Powers’ new comedy Sidekicked, which will play the New Jersey venue beginning August 7.
Roy Steinberg, the artistic director of Cape May Stage, will helm the limited engagement, which continues through September 20.
Mayes, last on Broadway in 2005 in Steel Magnolias, will play TV star Vivian Vance, who was best known for her role as Ethel Mertz, Lucy Ricardo’s best friend, on the long-running I Love Lucy. Vance’s numerous Broadway credits included Music in the Air, Anything Goes, The Cradle Will Rock, and Skylark.
Sidekicked is set on the last night of filming I Love Lucy, where Vance has a lot to get off her chest. The production will also feature costumes by Tony winner Jess Goldstein.
SEE WHAT IS COMING TO BROADWAY IN THE NEAR FUTURE
Playwright Powers is a two-time Emmy winner, Peabody Award winner, and the author of the novels Dig Two Graves and Capote in Kansas. He is the senior writer for ABC’s 20/20.


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The global virtual events market size has been growing lately, surprising no one. But what kind of growth are we looking at, and how long is it predicted to sustain? For those who are hoping for smooth sailing into the future with virtual events, this post gives a snapshot of predictions.
- How Big is the Global Virtual Event Market?
- How Much Has the Virtual Events Market Increased Recently?
- Global Virtual Events Market Analysis and Segmentation
- Forecast and Trends for Virtual Event Market Growth
- Final Thoughts
How Big is the Global Virtual Event Market?
By some estimates, in 2021 the global virtual event market size was valued at $114.12 billion. However, there are a few competing estimates on exactly how big the global virtual event market is. Among other things, the market is fragmented with several companies occupying market share, so depending on point-of-view and which slice of the market one occupies/looks at, the numbers can vary.
One thing’s for sure, though, expansion has been powered by an increase in corporate events. While the Covid-19 pandemic certainly drove a rise in the deployment of digital event platforms, it also appears that the platforms have stuck. Likewise, before the option to “WFH” expanded at many workplaces, many companies were already finding it desirable to explore virtual and hybrid options for attending their events. It seems likely pandemic conditions only accelerated what was already a trend toward adopting virtual events and virtual technology.
How Much Has the Virtual Events Market Increased Recently?
Currently (or, as of spring 2022), the market size was estimated as expanding at an approximate 20% rate. If we take the “$114.12 billion in 2022” figure as hypothetically accurate, a fairly reputable source article places the global market size of virtual events as around $77 billion in 2019. A $77 billion to $114 billion increase over 4 years (2019-2022) is mathematically a bit more than 20%, although virtual event adoption undoubtedly spiked in 2020-21. Having said all this, one thing is for certain: in recent years the global virtual event market size has expanded dramatically!
Global Virtual Events Market Analysis and Segmentation
Recent analysis has pinpointed at least two major trends in virtual event market segmentation.
Segmentation by Application
Currently “Unified Communications as a Service” (UCaaS or UC) is leading the virtual events market. This is a cloud-delivered unified communications model supporting six major functions of enterprise telephony, meetings (including audio/video/web conferencing), unified messaging, instant messaging and presence, mobility, and communications-enabled business processes. This means infrastructure is delivered, operated, maintained, and owned by UC providers. UC solutions facilitate communication “anywhere, anytime” with the benefit of improved employee productivity through the use of collaboration tools and software. UC was first adopted by large organizations however upcoming growth will likely be fueled by small- and mid-sized enterprises.
Segmentation by Geography
North America is positioned for significant market share over the coming period, and market growth in this region is forecast to be faster. Since North America has many global retail and IT organizations, global virtual events organized by these companies will drive market growth. The US is a key driver for the North American virtual events market.
Forecast and Trends for Virtual Event Market Growth
Widespread use of communication platforms and collaboration tools in an expanding number of areas and industry verticals, such as education, healthcare, retail and e-commerce, and even construction and manufacturing is predicted to power further market growth in the period through 2030. While growth is decelerating as the pandemic abates, the market is still predicted by some to reach a value of $657.64 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 21.4% over the coming 8 years.
In short, the global virtual event market size is still positioned to keep growing larger. Now is still an excellent time to take steps towards adopting a more virtual or hybrid event strategy, and to shop around for a best-in-class virtual event platform. Embracing new developments in doing business such as UC while also carefully watching the trends and forecasts is a winning approach that will lead to increased productivity and competitiveness overall and futureproof your business for some time to come.

domain: economics


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Moving Settlement Passes Legal Test: Expert
An internationally renowned Israeli expert has stated that a plan to relocate a West Bank neighborhood to state-owned military zone is legally sound.
According to Professor Yoram Dinstein of Tel Aviv University, the relocation of the Ulpana neighborhood in the settlement of Beit El to a nearby military zone captured by the IDF in 1970 will stand the test of Israel’s High Court, as it would be implemented for the purposes of security. This based on the fact that in 1979, Israel’s High Court accepted the argument that Beit El was built for the purpose of security, and that its existence is tied to the security needs of the military.
Dinstein was hastily summoned to Jerusalem on Sunday for meetings between the Prime Minister’s Office, the Defense Ministry and Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein.
During the discussions Dinstein stated that the High Court would most likely not intervene in such a move, as he believes that there is no difference between the need to protect the residents of Beit El in the large territory that was captured for military purposes in the 1970s, and that of today. He added that it is enough that the IDF announce its presence in the military zone in order to allow the move.
For more, go to Haaretz.com

domain: law


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The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War – New Hampshire Department will hold a dedication ceremony for a new Grand Army of the Republic sundial, to take place on the State House Plaza in Concord on Nov. 19, 2013 at 1 p.m.
Nov. 19 is the 150th anniversary of the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery by President Abraham Lincoln. At that event, he presented the Gettysburg Address, one of the best-known speeches in American history. The Address will be read at the Nov. 19 dedication.
New Hampshire’s original G.A.R. sundial was dedicated on April 9, 1942, coinciding with the 1865 surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia to General Ulysses S. Grant. That sundial’s whereabouts became unknown sometime in the last decade.
G.A.R. memorial sundials are also located at state houses in Iowa, Illinois and Ohio.
“The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War are direct lineal descendants of Civil War Veterans. Organized in 1881 by the Grand Army of the Republic, it became the legal heir of the G.A.R. by an act of Congress in 1954,” said Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War – New Hampshire Department Deputy Commander David Nelson. “The S.U.V.C.W. – New Hampshire Department feels that not only is it an honor and privilege to replace the missing sun dial, it is also our duty as descendants of the G.A.R. to do so.”
The Hardtacks, a New Hampshire-based musical duo, are scheduled to perform Civil War-era music as part of the ceremony.
In addition to the S.U.V.C.W. – New Hampshire Department, Cocheco Pattern Works of Somersworth, Concord Photo-Engraving, McBey Machine Shop and Patriot Foundry and Castings of Franklin, Cassidy Brothers of Rowley, Mass., and the N.H. Department of Cultural Resources donated or discounted their services, or made financial contributions for this project.
For more information about the S.U.V.C.W. – New Hampshire Department, visit nhsuv.iwarp.com/Deptnh.htm.


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Constructed to mimic running shoe design, the silver sock locks in the heel and mid-foot, while allowing the toes to move freely;
Seamless toe box minimizes friction, preventing blisters and chafing; high tab heel and extra deep heel pocket prevents socks from slipping down;
Medium-volume cushioning ensures comfort and durability for extended training and endurance events
- CONTOURED FIT A sock must fit snugly to ensure no movement on the foot. Movement causes irritation; irritation causes blisters. End of discussion. We offer 4 specific sizes and socks that fit perfectly.
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- PROPRIETARY “DRYNAMIX” MOISTURE MANAGEMENT FIBER - MADE IN THE USA Supersoft moisture management fiber, developed exclusively by Balega, wicks moisture away rapidly, keeping you cool and dry all day long.
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The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, application and industry.
[EUPRwire, Mon Nov 12 2018] Portable Inverter Generator Market: Overview
Increasing need for portable power has driven the world towards adopting devices that can generate electricity at the user’s convenience. Consumers, particularly homeowners, around the globe are purchasing portable inverter generators to enable themselves with an ideal power source for moving around a fixed physical space such as living room, cafeteria or garden. Rising occurrence of power outages has also propelled the demand for portable inverter generators. With power grids in developed as well developing countries incurring a stand still due to circuit failures, companies and individuals are suffering from huge losses, which are collectively summing up to millions of dollars. Regularized power supply continues to remain a challenge in underdeveloped parts of the world, and these countries are emerging to become the strongest consumer base for portable inverter generators. In such places, fuels such as diesel and gasoline are easy available, while the access to proper electricity supply remains nascent. Manufacturers of portable inverter generators are actively focusing on tapping such markets for catering to the power needs of the consumers.
In addition to the growing instability in the global power distribution network, a steadfast proliferation of electronic devices in consumer lifestyles is also driving the demand for portable inverter generators. For outdoor purposes, lack of electricity access is now being overstepped as a challenge as portable inverter generators are being used by campers and adventurists across the globe. However, the key downside towards the growing adoption of portable inverter generators is the use of fossil fuels in generation of raw electricity. Currently, diesel and gasoline are the key fuels used for powering up portable inverter generators, and overconsumption of these fuels is spiking the environmental imprint of these devices. With more portable inverter generators being sold every year, the global consumption of such limited fossil fuels has surged, creating a global environmental distress. As a result, manufacturers are being supervised with respect to their production capacities, and more R&D work is being commissioned to develop portable inverter generators that can run of biodegradable fuels such as biogas.
Request 170 Page Sample Report Now:
According to the recently published report by Fact.MR, the global market for portable inverter generators is expected to expand robustly at a CAGR of 9.9% during the forecast period. The study projects that by the end of 2026, more than 3.3 Bn units of portable inverter generators will be sold globally. A regional analysis developed in the report further reveals that North America will represent the largest market for portable inverter generators through 2026.
High Demand for Gasoline Portable Invertor Generators with 1000-2000 W Power Capacity
The report has analyzed the global portable inverter generators market on the basis of the fuels used and the power capacity. In terms of sales, more units of gasoline portable inverter generators are expected to be sold globally during the forecast period. Through 2026, diesel portable inverter generators will register fastest growth at a CAGR of 11.1%. With respect to the power capacity, 2000-3000 watt and 3000-4000 watt segments will register fastest growth at a CAGR of 10.7%, while over 1 Bn portable inverter generators with 1000-2000 watt power capacity will be sold in the global market by the end of 2026.
The report has profiled leading manufacturers of portable inverter generators, and these companies are expected to remain active in the expansion of the global portable inverter generators market through 2026. Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., Generac Holdings Inc., Champion Power Equipment, Inc., Hyundai Motor Company, Toshiba Corporation, Wuxi Kipor Power Co. Ltd., Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Lifan Industry (Group) Co., Ltd., Ryobi Limited, Subaru Corporation, Sciencesoft USA Corporation, Siemens Healthineers, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, and Xinapse Systems Ltd. are observed as the key companies manufacturing and supplying portable inverter generators across the globe.
Report Overview at https://www.factmr.com/report/372/portable-inverter-generator-market


UP Police Recruitment 2022 | Check here Current & Upcoming Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police Constable Recruitment Bharti Notification on Gurugovt.com
UP Police Recruitment 2022 – Apply Online For Constable Posts: Uttar Pradesh police department has released a recruitment notification for Male and Female Constable posts. Candidates who passed their 12th class can apply online. According to official website Released Soon Civil police and arms constables posts. Interested & eligible candidates in UP Police Recruitment 2022 can check here full details like as how to apply, age limit, selection process, physical measurement, Grade pay, Syllabus etc are given below. candidates can submit their application online through official website from Released Soon with the help of details are given below:-
UP Police Constable Bharti 2022 Summary:
|Jobs Type||Police Jobs|
|Post Name||Constable (Male & Female)|
|Total Posts||Released Soon|
|Starting date to Apply||Released Soon|
|Last Date to Apply||Released Soon|
UP Police Recruitment 2022 Jobs details:
Total Posts: Various
Civil Police: Various Posts
- General category
Arms Constable: Various Posts
- General Category
UP Police Constable Recruitment 2022:
If you are looking defense jobs in Uttar Pradesh Police department then you are right palace and right time Uttar Pradesh police recruitment and promotion Board has give a good chance for apply Constable Vacancies for 12th pass male and female candidates. Don’t waste your time and apply online early before last date. Other state of UP can also apply online UP Police recruitment 2022. According to government rules 5% vacancies are available for other state candidates. more complete details read full instructor are given below.
For Male Candidates:
- Age limit of candidates should be Between 18 to 22 years as on july 2020(Candidates born between July 1998 to July 2002 both date are include).
For female Candidates:
- Female candidates age limit should be between 18 to 25 years as on July 2020(Candidates should be born between 2nd July 1995 to 1st July 2002 both dates are include).
Interested candidates should be passed 12th Class from a recognized university/Board.
- This is the first step of UP Police Bharti 2022. In the written test each question are objective type. Written test will be 300 Marks with subjects General knowledge, general Hindi, Mental Ability, Reasoning Etc. Minus marking should be active in written test.
This is the second step, in this step should be check original documents like as Age certificate, 10th & 12th Mark sheet, Domicile etc.
Physical Measurement For Male Candidates
- Height should be 168 Cm for General/OBC Candidates & 160 Cm for SC ST Candidates.
- Candidates chest should be between 79 to 84 Cm for general/OBC Candidates & 77 Cm to 82 Cm for SC, ST candidates with 5 Cm expended.
Physical Measurement For Female Candidates
- Height should be 152 Cm for General/OBC Candidates & 147 Cm for SC ST Candidates.
- Candidates should be 40 KG at the physical Time.
UP Police Recruitment 2022 Race Ability
Male candidates should be complete 4.8 KM run in 25 Minutes & Female candidates must be complete 2.4 Km run in 14 Minute.
Final procedure merit list
merit list are the final step in up police recruitment 2022. In the merit board has make a list on the category and marks obtain basis.
Candidates Should to pay application fees which is Rs 400/- with Online (Net Banking, Debit card, credit card) and Offline (E-challan).
How to Apply UP Police constable bharti 2022
- First of candidates go on the official website uppbpb.gov.in.
- Then click the 41520 constable recruitment 2022 link.
- Fill up here require details like as name, Father name, Age, Qualification, districts, state etc.
- Now click on the submit button, and create a challan. this challan should be deposit in the bank.
- Save and print this application form for further use.
Starting date of Apply Online: Released Soon
Last date to apply online: Released Soon
Last date to create Callahan: Released Soon
Grade Pay for UP Police
For civil constable, Sports Quota, PAC & Other posts to recruited in pay scale (Per Month) Rs.5200-20,200 Grade Pay Rs.2000/-
UP Police Constable Admit Cards 2022:
Candidates who are fill the online application for constable posts can download and check status admit card.
UP Police Constable भर्ती से रिलेटेड कोई Question आपके दिमाग में ह तो वो कमेंट में लिखे । हमारी टीम आपकी सहायता करेगी धन्यवाद


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Managing director of Liverpool Ian Ayre has come out with his support for the controversial Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, Sky
The Reds top goalscorer this season, with 19 in all competitions made more headlines at the weekend, scoring the winner in the FA Cup third round tie at Mansfield despite handling the ball before finishing.
Ayre said: “There have been plenty of decisions which have gone against Luis this season.
“These things seem to follow Luis around and it’s unfortunate, but he has our full support. He’s a fantastic player who makes a huge contribution to the club.”
The 25-year-old has scored five goals in his last three matches for Liverpool, and continues to be the shining light at Anfield ahead of Sunday’s Premier League showdown at Old Trafford with bitter rivals Manchester United.
It will be his first match at Old Trafford against the Red Devils since he refused to shake Patrice Evra’s hand in the corresponding fixture last season, which led to a lot of bad publicity for the Merseysiders.
It isn’t the first time Suarez has caused controversy with his hands. His famous handball on the goal line in the 2010 World Cup quarter-finals denied Ghana a place in the semi-finals, at the expense of Uruguay.
See what the expert tipsters at OLBG are tipping on Man Utd v Liverpool


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Fans of “The Bachelor” and Saint Lucia can now explore the same route the TV show finalists took while visiting/filming on the island via the Red Rose Trail interactive map, which showcases hotspots visited by Juan Pablo and his bachelorettes. The interactive map leads you to various tour packages. For more information, visit facebook.com/SaintLuciaTouristBoard.
Or, you can recommend couples live out their own fantasy vacation by boarding a catamaran cruise as the sun sets, horseback riding on an exclusive beach, and enjoying cuisine at Anse La Raye and Dennery weekend seafood fiestas. For other on-island tours and special Red Rose Romance packages from various Saint Lucian hotels and resorts, visit stlucianow.com/thebachelor.
Though this season “The Bachelor” didn’t end up with a proposal, Saint Lucia has a few unique proposal spots. Here are their top 10 to recommend clients who might be planning a proposal getaway: The Pitons, Tet Paul Trail Tour, Anse Mamin, Saint Lucia Helicopters, Rain Forest Sky Rides, Pigeon Island National Landmark, Mamiku Gardens, Marigot Bay, Horseback Riding on the Beach, and A Sunset Sail Catamaran Ride.

domain: entertainment


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We left the Mount Rushmore Black Hills area and traveled to Badlands National Park for two nights of dry camping in the park. What a beautiful view of the grasslands we had from our front door with a buffalo as our camp host. He was there the entire time, grazing and paying no attention to everyone camping. Badlands National Park is made up of 244,000 acres with the largest expanse of protected prairie ecosystem in the National Park system.
The Lakota Indians called the area “land bad” and French fur trappers referred to the area as “bad land to cross.”. While It is an area of peaks and valleys, wide prairies and wide extremes of weather and appears formidable, much of the land is level, fertile and covered with grasses. The land was homesteaded years ago with many ranchers’ descendants still living on the land with ranches of cattle and sheep. The livestock feed on the native grasses and wheat is often grown.
This area was once sea level and volcanic activity pushed up the ocean floor leaving marshy plains. For approximately 30 million years layers of mud, sand and gravel were deposited. Prehistoric animals roaming the area died and were buried beneath the river sediments. The area is known today as being a rich source of fossils. About one to four million years ago erosion began to outpace the deposits, leaving colorful spires and formations. The movie at the visitors center said the formations are eroding at the rate of an inch a year!
The earliest people were mammoth hunters who came to the area over 11,000 years ago followed by nomadic tribes. By the mid 18th century the Lakota (Sioux) were present and used horses from the Spaniards. French fur trappers were the first Europeans followed by soldiers, miners, farmers and homesteaders. After 40 years of struggle culminating in the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890 the Lakota were confined to reservations.
Our first night a storm came up. We first noticed the lightning while taking an evening walk. As the night went on the lightning increased to an explosion of light, a constant light show we had never seen the likes of. Our weather system clocked wind gusts of 50 mph followed by rain and hail and we were really rocked in the RV. The most frightening thing was we were in the middle of nowhere with no place to go for shelter. We could not follow the storm’s progress on TV or radio like we did in Denver. We both have weather alerts on our phones and both phones were going crazy. We watched the intense center of the storm pass fifteen miles north of our campground by using a radar weather app.
There is nothing quite like having your phone saying you are in a life threatening situation and should seek shelter and having no place to go! The next day a worker at the visitors center told us it was one of the worst storms he had seen and there had been tornado clouds above us. Some other tourists told us two hours to our south there were several semi trucks turned on their sides by the wind.
The next day we drove the Badlands Loop Road, marveling at the scenery before us. The area reminded us somewhat of the Painted Desert in Arizona but not as colorful. The views and rock formations were magnificent. We saw bison, mule deer, a coyote and many prairie dogs. There is a very nice visitors center with a movie and exhibits about the area.
We were relieved not to have another bad storm during the evening but we were awakened during the night by a thunderstorm with heavy rain. Thankfully it did not include wind and hail.
We left the campground early the next morning since we had a couple places to visit near the small town of Wall.
The first was the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. During the Cold War the Ellsworth Air Force Base located nearby was one of the key facilities whose mission was to install the launch facilities in the 1960s, maintain and launch the Minuteman Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM). Two of the ICBM sites have been preserved. Launch Control Facility “Delta One” has a guided tour which requires a free ticket and “Delta Nine” missile silo has a self guided tour. The guided tour can only accommodate 72 people a day and the tickets are usually all given out before 8:00 AM each morning. We toured the excellent visitors center with very informative displays and then drove to the site of the self guided tour. Under the STrategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) in 1991, the U.S. and U.S.S.R. began to reduce their stockpiles of nuclear arms. Both countries agreed to preserved one missile to preserve the history and significance of the Cold War. The missile is there without the warhead and the door is welded half open. There are no longer any missile silos in South Dakota.
We stopped for lunch at Wall Drug, a huge tourist trap located in Wall, SD where everything under the sun with a western theme is sold. I did get some cute pictures of Bill!
We ended the day with a stop at the “Wounded Knee: The Museum”. This Museum documented in detail through exhibits and photos the events leading to the massacre, the capture by the 7th Calvary, the massacre of 300 Lakota men, women and children on December 29, 1890, and its aftereffects. It was heartbreaking. The actual site of the massacre is located several hours away near the Nebraska and South Dakota border.
After leaving Wall we drove an hour to Black Hawk outside of Rapid City for a two night stay so we could get the oil changed and tires rotated on the RV.

domain: travel


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Calgary Public Library offers free legal information programs at Central Library and our community libraries across Calgary. All programs are free. Advanced registration is welcomed but not a requirement. Drop-in patrons are always welcomed.
Calgary Public Library acknowledges and values our longstanding partnership with Calgary Legal Guidance, which makes these free programs possible for the community.

domain: library


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Indie Super-Star (and all around awesome person) Susan Kaye Quinn writes some of my favorite sci-fi books ever. So when I heard she was coming out with a steampunk fantasy romance, I may have done a little dance in my writing chair.
THIRD DAUGHTER is out today and I’ve already rushed over to get my copy. Take a look at the blurb below – sounds fantastic, right? And I LOVE the cover! Yay for diversity – an east-indian alternate world? Sign me up!!! I can’t wait to dive into this one!
Third Daughter (Dharian Affairs #1) The Third Daughter of the Queen wants to her birthday to arrive so she’ll be free to marry for love, but rumors of a new flying weapon may force her to accept a barbarian prince’s proposal for a peace-brokering marriage. Desperate to marry the charming courtesan she loves, Aniri agrees to the prince’s proposal as a subterfuge in order to spy on him, find the weapon, and hopefully avoid both war and an arranged marriage to a man she does not love.
Third Daughter is the first book in the Dharian Affairs Trilogy (Third Daughter, Second Daughter, First Daughter). This steampunk-goes-to-Bollywood (Bollypunk!) romance takes place in an east-indian-flavored alternate world filled with skyships, saber duels, and lots of royal intrigue. And, of course, kissing.
If it sounds like something you’d like to check out, you can add it to Goodreads.


Salvador is a modern cosmopolitan city sitting on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Founded in 1549, Salvador was the first capital of Brazil and has strong African ties. Salvador city is on a peninsula on the northeast coast of Brazil which shields the large All Saints Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. With an international airport and daily flights from Europe, this is a very popular city to visit. The city is the third largest in Brazil. Salvador, Brazil has a tropical climate including rainforests and lush vegetation. The old city has a one hundred metre high cliff which runs along part of the city, this essentially divides the city into an upper and lower city accessed by steep roads or the famous Elevator Lacerda built in 1869 and still functions perfectly today. The lower city has many old historic buildings that the government has placed under its care to start a new regeneration programme. The upper part of the old city is named Pelourinho, this wonderful area has many historical sites, rich colonial architecture, interesting museums, a range of restaurants, inexpensive bars, and artisanal shops, all with a fun feel about it. Here you will hear and see the street artists performing music and dance, with groups of young men demonstrating the art of capoeira, albeit the focal point for tourists, Pelourinho is certainly well worth the visit along the winding cobblestone streets.
Salvador city also holds the world’s biggest street carnival in February of each year, with millions of domestic and foreign visitors, hotel accommodation is at a premium. Many of the residents in Salvador rent their houses or apartments out at a high cost and travel the short distance to Itaparica Island for a few weeks of tranquillity to escape the crowds in Salvador. Traveling north of the city there are kilometres of gorgeous beaches, this is where many of the international branded hotels are now situated, with excellent road infrastructure this is just 100km from Salvador city. Over the past 15 years a high level of funding into the infrastructure of Salvador has taken place, the city now boasts excellent roads, a new modern metro system completed in 2018, linking the international airport to downtown Salvador. Salvador has attracted international investment with the construction of many high-rise buildings. With a shortage of development land vertical living, unfortunately, is contributing to high property costs and increases in population in the city. The interior of Salvador is where the "new city" has developed, full of residential neighbourhoods, shopping megaplexes, spectacular office blocks and knotted highways, all of which can be quite alienating without actually having a friend or colleague to show you around. Residents are considered some of the friendliest people on the planet. Tourist are welcomed with open and friendly arms by the majority of local residents. Getting around is easy with Metro, taxis or the UBER app which works great in the city. If you ever get stuck for words, just mention football and the conversation with the flow, don’t be surprised to see at 0600hrs football games and volleyball matches on the beach as the average Brazilian more than loves their sport, and its plain to see. Salvador's International Airport is one of Brazil's main airports. All of the biggest Brazilian airlines have flights to the Bahian capital city. Less than 30 minute from the airport to the ferry port so to getting to Salvador city is pretty simple. Salvador city has recently become a more popular stop for international cruise routes and in its summer months welcomes two cruise ship per day holding thousands of tourists at the brand new cruise terminal. You will see the tourists enjoying Salvador and helping the local business thrive


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A new class EC 7, Translocases, has been added to the EC list. It will be part of ENZYME from release 2018_10. Read more about EC 7 here.
ENZYME entry: EC 126.96.36.199
View entry in original ENZYME format
View entry in raw text format (no links)
|(R)-2-hydroxyglutarate + acceptor <=> 2-oxoglutarate + reduced acceptor|
- The enzyme has no activity with NAD(+) or NADP(+), and was assayed in
vitro using artificial electron acceptors.
- It has lower activity with (R)-lactate, (R)-2-hydroxybutyrate and
meso-tartrate, and no activity with the (S) isomers.
|PRIAM enzyme-specific profiles||188.8.131.52|
|KEGG Ligand Database for Enzyme Nomenclature||184.108.40.206|
|IUBMB Enzyme Nomenclature||220.127.116.11|
|MEDLINE||Find literature relating to 18.104.22.168|
entries corresponding to 1.1.99.-
All ENZYME / UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot entries corresponding to 1.1.-.-
All ENZYME / UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot entries corresponding to 1.-.-.-

domain: biology


There have been plenty of 500cc two-strokes from Husqvarna throughout dirt bike history. But, since the brand’s rebirth a few years back, it has shied away from two-strokes above 300cc. We teamed up with former factory Kawasaki race team mechanic Jonny Weisman, who now owns The Ride Shop in Arizona, to build a modern Husqvarna TC500CR two-stroke of our own.
Some builds go from concept to completion very quickly without any issues at all. This was not one such project! This build was a long, slow grind with tons of fabrication on just about every aspect of the build. After all, a 2001 Honda CR500 engine doesn’t just drop right into a new-generation Husqvarna FC450 chassis. If it did, we would see them all over the place. Like we just mentioned, the chassis started off as an FC450, but it wasn’t bought all at one time. First, the main steel frame was purchased on eBay, and the entire lower engine cradle was removed. A new cradle was fabricated by Weisman that would later house the new 500cc Honda powerplant.
Surprisingly, once the main frame was modified, everything else was kind of straightforward on the chassis. The FC450 four-stroke air boot was removed and replaced with a unit off a TC300 two-stroke, but it didn’t just bolt right in place. Heat was applied, and the rubber was massaged into the correct form. Besides drilling some vent holes on the air-filter cover, the FC450 airbox was left unchanged.
With all the major cutting, welding and sculpting done, Weisman focused his attention on some of the finer details relating to the chassis. The stock Brembo braking master cylinders and calipers got a brown Cerakote finish. A Fasst Company rear-brake spring system was also added, replacing the OEM Husqvarna system that always seems to break. We also used Fasst Co. Flexx handlebars in hopes of reducing overall vibration, and added impact absorption is never a bad thing in our book.
The FC450 comes off the assembly line with an air fork setup from WP. This system is probably the best air fork design we have tested, but since this is one of those over-the-top projects, the decision was made to covert it over to a spring system. Sounds simple, right? Weisman is one of the first people to do this a few years back, and now it’s commonly referred to as the KYB conversion kit. In very simple terms, all the WP internals are removed, some minor modifications are performed on the remaining parts, and Kayaba spring internals are put back in. Yes, it’s a lot more complicated than that, but that’s the bottom line. While the suspension was apart, it received coatings just about everywhere. Yes, this gives it a cool look, but also reduces friction, allowing the parts to move freely and improved performance. Other bolt-on items added to the chassis include a GPR Version-4 stabilizer system, Seat Concepts custom gripper seat and an SRT complete wheelset wrapped in Dunlop MX33 tires.
Usually, when we get to this point on a two-stroke conversion build, it’s time to bolt in the engine, fire it up and go riding. Not the case on this build. There is almost more to talk about in regards to the powerplant of our TC500CR than the rest of the bike. This particular CR500 engine began life in 2001, and since then it has undergone a Terminator-type evolution that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger proud.
OEM Honda center cases are almost impossible to find, and if you do locate some, the price might stop your heart. Our TC500CR has center cases CNC-machined from solid billet aluminum by Built and designed to use all OEM Honda internals throughout. As you can imagine, they aren’t inexpensive and have a price tag of around $1,700 per set. The billet components don’t stop there. The ignition cover is also CNC-machined out of billet aluminum and doubles as a electric-starter mount. Panthera Motorsports out of Canada makes an entire system for the CR500 that includes starter motor, billet aluminum ignition cover/mount, billet flywheel, steel flywheel holder, stator, one-way bearing, stator backing plate, main ring gear, crown gear, intermediate gear, general bearing, gaskets, bolting insert, rectifier, starter relay and all the wiring required. Yes, it’s a long list and retails for around $2000. The outer carbon fiber cover was done by Weisman.
Internally, the entire transmission was gone through with deburring, polishing and tumbling everything, and the special treatment didn’t stop there! Oh, we almost forgot to mention the complete Rekluse Core Manual clutch with TorqDrive technology replaced the stock unit as well. Crank Works balanced, trued and installed their stroker rod. We also went 1 1/2mm bigger on the bore, so total cc on our engine is about 510. A Boyesen Rad Valve was heavily modified for fitment, Cerakoted to match the inner clutch cover and a 38mm Air Striker Keihin was attached to feed our TC500CR fuel. The last piece to the fabrication puzzle to the engine itself was a compression release built into the stock Honda head. It doesn’t get any cooler than a cone pipe on a two-stroke, and the Scalvini unit built for the Honda CR500 is a true cone pipe. There was some moving around of a mounting bracket or two, but other than that, the Scalvini exhaust bolted right on.
What would a big-bore 500+cc modern-day Husqvarna two-stroke look and run like? If it was like our TC500CR project, we guarantee they would have no problem selling every one produced. From start to finish this project took Jonny Weisman at The Ride Shop just over two years to complete, spending what some would consider a small fortune. The finished product is impressive on paper, but to really appreciate his work, you have to see it in person. Here at the magazine we love these types of builds because it takes vision, skill and creativity to make it happen. Sometimes they are all show and no go, and that’s kind of a bummer. The TC500CR is show with go that will make just about any big-bore two-stroke lover smile. It has tons of bottom-end grunt and loves to be short-shifted. Starting is a breeze, as you can imagine, and even kick-starting the TC500CR is fairly easy. We wouldn’t do it without a boot on that’s for sure.
Once comfortable with the power delivery of the TC500CR, Weisman dialed in the suspension with the race sag in the rear set around 105mm, and up front the fork at 5mm in the clamps. Each test rider liked different clicker settings depending on their speed, but in general they liked the overall plush, comfortable feel the setup provided. Cone pipe, carbon fiber, coatings galore, bolt-on bling and a fire-breathing powerplant, this project has just about everything a die-hard two-stroke enthusiast could ask for! The only question we have is, “How do we top this one?”


SPS/IPC/DRIVES 2011 | Day 1
We report on the TwinCAT 3 release, the new multi-touch panel generation, the new EtherCAT Coupler and attend the annual press conference with Hans Beckhoff.
SPS/IPC/DRIVES 2011 | Day 2
The new AM8000 and AM8800 servomotors are presented along with compact drive solutions. We outline advantages of TwinCAT 3 for existing and new users and inform about the export offensive.
SPS/IPC/DRIVES 2011 | Day 3
The focus is on the next-generation Embedded PCs, the Visual Studio® integration of TwinCAT 3 and Scientific Automation with Condition Monitoring and power monitoring functions.


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LoCash at the Emerald Theatre, 3 Things To Know
If they had never formed LoCash, Preston Brust and Chris Lucas would be considered successes in country music.
The duo co-wrote several hits, including Tim McGraw’s “Truck Yeah” and Keith Urban’s chart-topping “You Gonna Fly.” But they’ve also made their mark as artists in their own right.
The Nashville duo’s third album, “The Fighters,” debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and launched the Top 5 hits “I Love This Life” and “I Know Somebody.” They were nominated for ACM and CMT awards this year and are currently up for Vocal Duo of the Year at next month’s Country Music Association Awards. They’re also on the latest leg of McGraw and wife Faith Hill’s Soul2Soul Tour.
So while they may be fighters, but Brust and Lucas have reason to be loving every minute of this life they’re living...
• Sixteen months after “The Fighters” came out, Brust says he and Lucas are pleased with how the album has been received by fans. “When we write a song we try to connect to people’s hearts and speak to them through music -- as cliché as that sounds that’s really what we’re trying to do every time we sit down to write a song,” Brust explains by phone. “With ‘The Fighters’ it seems like we really connected with people like we want to. Whenever we perform ‘I Love This Life’ you can watch the crowd light up -- their hands get a little higher, the sing a little louder, smile a little bigger. That’s when you know the lyrics of the song are hitting them in their heart the way you hoped it would.”
• The CMA nomination has given LoCash what Brust calls “the trifecta” of country’s three major award shows. But he says that to he and Lucas, “it’s another party. Every excuse to have a party, we love it. But the CMAs is a big deal; Everybody wears tuxedos, and it’s kind of like the promo of country music. It’s the one that you bust out your best. I don’t want to say it’s the classiest, ‘cause the ACMs is huge, but there’s something about the CMAs and about getting nominated in both that makes you feel like you’ve truly been embraced by the industry.”
• LoCash is starting to think about what’s next and, according to Brust, already has about four songs recoded, with more in motion. “By the time October ends we should have six or seven, then we’ll probably record five or six more and try to turn the album in this year,” Brust says. “I think right now there’s just a little bit of pressure, but seeing how e connected with people’s hearts on (‘The Fighters’), I want to get that again. That’s important to Chris as well. I just want every song to stand up to a song on the last album -- not necessarily the same them, but I want to be able to be proud of it like we are ‘The Fighters.’”
If You Go:
• LoCash, Audrey Ray and Joey Vee
• 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26.
• The Emerald Theatre, 31 N. Walnut St., Mount Clemens.
• Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.
• Call 586-630-0120 or visit theemeraldtheatre.com.
Send your thoughts and comments to


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PřF:Z0050 Mapping in geomorphology - Course Information
Z0050 Mapping in geomorphologyFaculty of Science
- Extent and Intensity
- 1/1/0. 2 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
- doc. RNDr. Petr Kubíček, CSc. (lecturer)
- Guaranteed by
- doc. RNDr. Stanislav Řehák, CSc.
Department of Geography - Earth Sciences Section - Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. RNDr. Petr Kubíček, CSc.
- Prerequisites (in Czech)
- NOW ( Z0126 Geomorphological mapping )
- Course Enrolment Limitations
- The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
- fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
- Geography and Cartography (programme PřF, M-GR, specialization Physical Geography)
- Course objectives
- Data sources for mapping. Laboratory preparation - thematic maps, methods for geomorphological evolution. Mapping practice based on IGU Legend. Geomorphology in other mapping context.
- Language of instruction
- Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
- The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
General note: Určeno i pro KH. Pro KG určeno při vhodném zaměřením DP.
- Enrolment Statistics (recent)
- Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2001/Z0050

domain: geography


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1961 is the 50th anniversary of the JFK Presidency.
Here is the audio track of President John F. Kennedy speaking at the 8th annual Conference on International Economic and Social Development held at the Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. on June 16, 1961.
In his speech the President addresses the new foreign aid program and the need to overturn communist regimes in order to end social and economic injustice.
Kennedy's take on how to win the world over to our side had more to do with social and economic justice than bombers and troop deployments.
Following his assassination in 1963, America did not continue to follow along his path...
If you want the short version... skip to 12 minutes in.


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Revios Reinsurance U.S. Inc.
For over 19 years, companies providing products that include auto insurance or homeowners insurance such as Revios Reinsurance U.S. Inc. have been around to help consumers. No matter which part of Texas you may be in, whether it be Houston, Alpine, Angleton, Aransas Pass, Castroville, Cleburne, Corinth, Fort Worth, Friendswood, Galveston, Gun Barrel City, Haltom City, Huntsville, Nacogdoches, Pasadena, Pattison, Port Isabel, Roanoke, Rockport, Round Rock, Saginaw, San Angelo, Stamford, Sulphur Springs and San Antonio. Even though Revios Reinsurance U.S. Inc. may offer affordable prices; take advantage of free online insurance quotes to compare the costs. Sometimes insurance quotes may be misspelled as: insurence quotes, insurance qoutes, insurance quote. There are many factors that go into the cost of an auto insurance policy.
About Revios Reinsurance U.S. Inc.
Revios Reinsurance U.S. Inc. General Information:
|Type of Entity:|| CL|
|Status of TX License:|| Active|
|NAIC Number:|| 87017|
|TDI Company Number:|| 5866|
|Company Type Code
|Home City/State:|| Los Angeles, CA|
|Date Formed:|| 04/07/1977|
|Date Licensed in Texas:|| 07/03/1986|
|Date License Cancelled:|| |
|Company Status:|| Normal Operations|
|Class Code:|| Life & Health|
P O Box 30
175 Bloor Street East North Tower
Toronto Ontario M4W-3R8
|Office Number:|| (416)598-4677|
|Toll Free Number:|| (800)661-8934|
|Fax Number:|| (416)598-3901|
Types of Insurance Licensed to Write:

domain: finance


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It’s been a busy few days at the studio. It’s times like these that blogging becomes overwhelming. This post will be heavy with images and short on words (I hope).
The mommy and me sessions have been so popular. Don’t forget you can still schedule your mommy and me session for $50 through the end of May. And you can see from my previews below, this is not only for mothers and young children. In fact what started this was an image of an adult woman with her mom. Don’t think for a second that you are too old for photos… NEVER!!
We also saw baby Eason for his 6 month session and had some fun with him both inside and outside!
And finally- we are still photographing seniors for the class of 2012. We know that senior year is a busy one and that time flies by. Don’t head off too college before having your senior portraits done! Kate brought her boyfriend along for a few photos as well.


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Adisutjipto Airport, Yogyakarta, will again run direct flights on the Yogyakarta-Bali route, starting Friday 26th November.
“Air travel from Yogyakarta’s Adisutjipto Airport to I Gusti Ngurah Rai Bali will operate every day,” said Adisutjipto Airport General Manager Agus Pandu Purnama in a written broadcast.
Flights with this route, continued Pandu, will run at 7:50am WIB and 3:40pm WIB with Wings Air airline. He said the Yogyakarta-Bali air trips are using the ATR type propeller planes with a capacity of approximately 60 people.
“The journey from Yogyakarta to Bali takes approximately one hour and 30 minutes,” said Pandu.
In accordance with the circular of air travel provisions by the Transportation Ministry no. 96, he continued, the conditions for travelling between Java and Bali islands are to show a vaccination card with a minimum of the first dose and a negative PCR result that is valid for three days. Alternatively, travellers can show a vaccination card with at least two doses and a negative antigen result that is valid for one day.
Image source – Wikipedia


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Global Village Tours is a company born from decades of traveling the globe. We have been to the right places, the wrong places and everything in between. We wanted to offer people a ready made route to get to some of the worlds most obscure locations, and doing so in a way that is both safe and reliable. Our head office in Ireland is manned by experienced and passionate world travelers who work tirelessly with our offices in Cuba, China, Europe and the Middle East to make sure you are getting an authentic and honest experience in all of our locations. This is real traveling!
Global Village Tours originated as a company offering group tours with a difference, specialising in some of the most unusual destinations in the world. We have more recently added the feature of bespoke tours which give people the option to work with us in designing your own private itinerary catered to your interests, budget and calendar. Typically our group tours tend to be a great way to meet like minded adventurous travelers, while the bespoke tour offers a bit more privacy and flexibility with dates and things you would like to see.
At Global Village Tours safety and security is our first priority. There is nothing that means more to us than the safety of our staff and customers – we dont take chances when it comes to this aspect of our tours. For certain regions the Foreign Office are obliged to notify citizens of any potential dangers associated with traveling to that location and we constantly confer with them and our agents on the ground to insure everyone is in safe hands. There is no question regarding safety that we havent heard, so dont ever hesitate to ask. And remember, when conducting your own research on a region, be aware of sensational news stories and hearsay!
We always recommend travel insurance. Although we place a massive emphasis on safety, its always advisable to expect the unexpected, and travel insurance should be an essential not a luxury. Some of our destinations like Cuba do require mandatory health insurance too. Let us know where you're planning on visiting and we will best advise!
It varies depending on the type of tour. Most of our tours are capped at a maximum of 20, at this point we typically split the group in two during the day and then enjoy dinner and drinks together at night. This means you get the intimacy of a smaller group for sightseeing while still enjoying the social bustle of a little more people at night. Alot of our Central Asia / Middle East tours can be capped at 10 people as we prefer not to leave such a big footprint. In North Korea things run pretty smoothly and tend to be pretty organised so we take groups of up to 24. Tour caps are also a good reason to settle a deposit up sooner than later!
The majority of our pax are actually single travelers, followed by friends and then couples. If you are traveling alone and would like a private room there is an affordable single supplement, if not we can happily pair you with a same sex companion for the trip.
Full payment should be made no later than 6 weeks out for most tours. To ensure your place on the tour you can pay a deposit and we will hold your place. Also be sure to do this in enough time to allow for visas to be granted and any vaccinations where needed. If you have to cancel your place on the tour after the deposit is paid you will forfeit your deposit.
You'll need an open mind, a sense of humor and a taste for adventure – which you probably already have if you've come this far. Upon confirming your place we will send you some pre tour info regarding clothing, equipment, etc. Packing light is always more convenient, unless its snowing in North Korea!


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Golden Prague Festival 2017 competition: Call for entries to be launched soon.
Golden Prague ©
We hope that you will kindly accept our invitation again this year for September 27 – 30, 2017. The 54th edition of the International will take place at the beautiful New Stage of the Prague National Theatre.
The call for competition entries will be launched April 1, 2017 at www.festivalgoldenprague.cz. We will keep you updated.


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Today the architect’s craft seems to have taken on a different connotation than that of a few decades ago. Theoretical research in architecture, although present, seems to be something separate from actual practice. A phenomenon of approval in today’s architectural production is rampant in the world, returning to society buildings from the form that prevails over any type of content. Architecture no longer revolves around man but around the economic possibilities of the client, it is the advent of Economical style.
If you write the word “contemporary” on Google, the first result that is displayed as far as its meaning is “that takes place, happens, takes place, lives, operates in the same period of time, or even in our own”. This term, placed as a result of the word architecture, creates a combination that wants to express a temporality, although ephemeral by its nature, of the architecture that is produced in this historical period. What these two terms do not fully express, however, is the relevance of what is produced in the architectural field. If we reflect on the architecture that is produced today, it is to be said that it can certainly be defined as contemporary as such, but can it also be defined as current as a sign of our time?
Taking into account the European landscape of the last century, a series of trends, languages, movements and experiments that have connoted the whole of the 20th century emerge to mind. Since the first modernist schools, the so-called neo-avant-garde and then postmodernism have moved on. After (perhaps) the latter, the tenuous presence of digital in the early 2000s was weakly presented. Since the end of digital there has been the total lack of new architectures. A “new” that must be understood in its sense of unprecedented and capable of advancing the architectural debate.
Given this premise, reflection must now be centered on that current architecture that is produced today. Except for some works, which can be considered as singularities in this historical period, there is a tendency towards a kind of homologation in architectural production. To stand out in most cases and to make current production apathetic, it is the proliferation of forms that, although different from each other, present themselves as arbitrary glazed surfaces placed on a structural skeleton. As if to rival or remember a kind of International Style, shiny buildings of all sizes soar equal in cities around the world. A critical connotation that unites this kind of architecture, in addition to the formal aspect of the facade, is the total absence of any relationship with the context. The genius loci, the spirit of the place, is put in the background to make room for a new feature of this kind of buildings: identity based on non-identity. No sort of formal language related to context is used to attenuate the appearance of new buildings within panoramas perhaps characterized by a strong identity. The change of place is no longer a major concern in a game where empty boxes of equal value are placed in order to pursue purely economic interests. The phenomenon of globalization, which until a few decades ago could only be associated with the financial field, is now transfiguring in a convoluted way on architectural discipline. It is the advent of Economical Style, an irreverent caricature of the International Style which demands an architecture of form that is prescient to the content.
The reasons that led us to this situation can be traced back to three phenomena that have developed in recent decades: the lack of criticism, the loss of values and the drastic change in the architectural-committal relationship. The lack of criticism is perhaps the priority cause of the drying up of architectural culture today. Looking at the Italian situation of the second half of the 20th century, we find a very strong debate among the exponents of the last century. Gregotti and Rossi represented the standard-bearers of two factions whose ideas ignited a devastating debate in Italy. The stance in favour of architectural discipline, as well as in the political sphere, was considered an essential moral duty to participate in the ideological battle that had been created. The concept of criticism was considered as an instrument of meeting and comparing the ideas that were proposed and was the lifeblood for the growth of architectural culture. Today, unfortunately, the lack of this component has resulted in the zeroing of any discussion and therefore the denial of a cultural increase in discipline. Magazines, the first vector of ideas and an essential tool for dissemination, now represent (for the most part) paper volumes more similar to interior furniture catalogs than to containers of knowledge. To replace these, the diverse world of the internet came into play, where the rapid and immediate availability of images reduced architectural criticism to just two judgments: beautiful and ugly.
The loss of values, linked to the decay of the great ideological systems, then led to a kind of disorientation in the architectural sphere. Whereas previously the way forward was more obvious and marked by the great historical events, such as a social revolution or war events that generated values and objectives to pursue, today we wander into indifference among the various problems of the culture of our time.
In the end, the change in the figure of the client and the architect can be considered as the third complicit factor of the situation in which we live. The arrival of the Economical Style has reduced the roles of the architect, but in favor of the birth of new subjects within the architectural production process. The aspects of the design management of major interventions, or in general of projects that see the investment of large capital, are no longer left solely in the hands of the architect. Whereas until not too long ago the architect had an overall management of the project, today new figures such as that of the Project Manager have entered the field within the decision-making process. The project itself, with the Economical Style, leaves the architecture in the background to give greater importance to financial aspects at the local and global level that look at the economic potential of the building and the maximum exploitation of the latter. The architect today, more than a real management of the project, in most cases, deals with assigning to a structural skeleton an arbitrary form whose only function is that of appearance.
But why do we need to make progress? In a world that for the most part declares itself democratic, a dictatorship, among the most silent, continues to propagate: that of architecture. Well aware of how strong this term can be, I believe that no other word, except “dictatorship”, can make the role of architecture better from its origins. Architecture is not democratic. Architecture is a practice, which, however satisfying it may be in many respects, remains in all respects an imposition against those who benefit from it or for those who simply see it every day. The concept of functional, beautiful and livable remains, indefinitely, a matter of the subjective type. There will never be a unanimous opinion on these issues, and it is precisely this condition that does not make this discipline democratic and therefore dictatorial.
This imposition, decreed for the reasons previously exhibited not only by the architect but also by the client, becomes a discriminating reason why it is necessary to be able to get out of this condition of stasis where the appearance of the building is primary element with respect to the relationship that man has with the building itself. The “architectural dictatorship” does not necessarily have to be seen as a negative view of this discipline. The whole history of architecture is connoted by this kind of imposition and the results, indemibly subjective, are in everyone’s eyes. However, one wonders whether current production, which lies between construction and architecture, is something we want to continue to impose on us.
There are two options that can push us out of this situation. The first is based on the progressive exasperation of this phenomenon, which it is hoped will lead to an awareness of the current situation and the development of a new way of doing architecture. The second is the one that foresees the expectation of a great schism or event within society, a phenomenon of such intensity that it can lead to the alteration of our daily way of life.
The responsibility of the architect must not be confined to building regulations only. The role of the architect, that is, what distinguishes this figure from that of an engineer or a surveyor, is the empathetic ability to make sure that a new intervention can create a link with what is around him. Making architecture is a discourse of sensitivity to the context and society. The prevarication of economic factors on the dynamics just exposed, should externalise in the architect a conflict of interest and not a tacit condescension towards anything in the form of construction. Building means altering a reality, a place and a society and it is for these reasons that in the first place the architect must be aware of the moral responsibility that his work implies. Today, to make architects and define themselves as such, it is necessary to think about a simple concept: what is more important? Ethics or aesthetics?
Translated into English by Gabriele Agus.
– Colin Ward, Architettura del dissenso, Milano, elèuthera, 2017.
– Marco Biraghi, L’architetto come intellettuale, Cles, Einaudi 2019.
– Deyan Sudjic e Helen Jones, Architecture and Democracy, London, Laurence King, 2001.