- GCX 4 PWR series: with an efficiency of 2.95 ¦Ìmol/J
- 160 watts, PPF: 472 ¦Ìmol/s
- Separate dimming for growth and flowering spectrum
- Full spectrum with additional UV and Far-Red (365 to 730 nm)
- For cultivation areas of 60x60 cm (boost) and 80x80 cm (eco)
Highest efficiency, dimmability and full spectrum for small grow boxes - the Greenception GCx 4 PWR LED grow lamp
Greenception consistently utilises the further development and improvement of LED technology. This results in grow lights with an efficiency and functionality that make the heart of every indoor grower beat faster. The square shape of the GCx 4 PWR fits perfectly with the usual square grow boxes and thanks to the 2-channel dimming, the light spectrum can be perfectly adapted to the growth and flowering phase. You can use the GCx 4 PWR in boost mode for cultivation areas of 60 x 60 cm and in ECO mode for areas of 80 x 80 cm.
Highly efficient full spectrum LEDs. Enhanced with UV light and Far-Red
In order for your plants to produce a particularly high amount of terpenes and a high active ingredient content, they need UV radiation and Far-Red. The photosynthesis rate is also significantly improved and strong root growth is promoted. Greenception therefore equips all seriesX lamps with special additional LEDs for these spectra and thus covers the entire colour spectrum from 365 nm to 730 nm, which is important for your plants. Thanks to its efficiency of 2.95 ¦Ìmol/J and a power consumption of just 160 watts, the GCx 4 PWR delivers a PPF of a whopping 472 ¦Ìmol/s.
With stepless 2-channel dimming - red and blue colour spectrum can be regulated separately
Unlike most other lamps on the market, the GCx 4 PWR allows the two light spectrums for growth and flowering to be regulated separately. Thanks to the stepless dimming, you have complete control during every phase of your grow and can therefore not only maximise your yields, but also save a lot of energy, especially during the growth phase.
Smart Install - flexible suspension and mounting
The lamps in the new seriesX all have a Smart Install rail on the driver box and on the light strips. This allows you to install the lamp as a compact unit or the light strips up to 5 metres apart. A hook or eye with lock nut is simply inserted into the Smart Install rail and can then be combined with cable ratchets or similar. The large sliding space in the rails provides a wide range of suspension options. You can even separate the light strips from the driver box and attach them directly to the ceiling. A distance of only a few centimetres between the ceiling and heat sinks is sufficient.
- Power consumption: 160 W
- Mains voltage: 100 - 277 V
- Wavelength range: 365 ¨C 730 nm
- Photon flux density (PPF): 472 ¦Ìmol/s
- Efficiency: 2.95 ¦Ìmol/J
- Dimensions: 400 x 400 x 110 mm
- Weight: 3.8 kg
- Beam angle: 120¡ã
- Passive cooling, quiet and energy saving
- Permissible ambient temperature: -5 ¡ãC to +40 ¡ãC
- Max. rel. Humidity: 90% RH
- Lifespan: > 50,000 h
- IP 65
Scope of delivery:
- 1x Driver box
- 2x LED strip with slide-in connector
- 1x Suspension set
- 1x Device plug 1.5 m


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Many people across the nation and the world recognize the authority of the Smithsonian in regards to the pursuit of historical truth. The Smithsonian museum in the nation’s capital city is a must-see for anyone who happens to be in the area. So, what does it mean when an institution like this reports on the discovery of some historical proof of Jesus and his ministry from more than 2,000 years ago?
It’s certainly got some people excited.
What was discovered that has the Smithsonian and others excited?
In a remote part of Israel, along the edge of the Sea of Galilee, archaeologists have discovered the remnants of a synagogue dating back to the times of Jesus. This is significant because the Gospels record that Jesus grew up in this area and learned and taught in these synagogues. To this date, no confirmed synagogues from the time period have been discovered here.
This has largely not been a problem because synagogues did not typically appear in small towns, but in larger cities like Jerusalem. The residents around Galilee were mostly fishermen and craftsmen who lived in small towns. In communities like these, it was common for believers to gather in a household or other public areas for practicing their faith together.
With this new discovery, though, we can see that when the gospels mention Jesus teaching in a synagogue around Galilee, it’s possible that they meant this literally, and not just as in someone’s household.
For many people, this confirms a belief that is already held. For others, this provides new evidence that may help the journey toward a relationship toward God.
Do we need archaeology to confirm our faith in Jesus?
The short answer is no, but it sure does add some excitement to faith. Many of the stories in the Bible are metaphorical and it can be difficult to know where to draw the line between metaphor and literal history and fact. Furthermore, the writers of the gospels didn’t record their stories until many years after the events, so it’s not shocking to think that some of the details may have been fuzzy.
But still, it’s exciting to learn that in this part of the world, archaeologists discovered the heel of a man’s foot nailed to a board as described in Roman crucifixion, confirming that this practice was real and took place in this part of the world.
Christians should continue to monitor discoveries like this to learn more about how our Lord has worked in areas like Galilee in the past. It can help us explore the line between metaphor and history, story and fact. And, it can help us grow our faith and show evidence to others who may need it for their own journey.

domain: history


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Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Reading Roberto Calasso’s Tiepolo Pink persuaded me to look carefully, for the first time, at the Tiepolo oil sketches that fill almost a room at the Metropolitan Museum. As ever, I had less time than I would have liked. Was astonished by their upwardness. Sense of being drawn up into the sky – the whole company, nymphs and swans and chariots upward, upward, into the vast swirl of the heavens.
Calasso’s book in a revelatory sense about time. Father Time a recurring figure in Tiepolo’s oeuvre – and shown here. I believe the older man in blue between cherub and swans. (The hours are with Aurora in her chariot.)
The sensation of time in looking at these oil sketches was very peculiar. In the heavens, the time is divine time, the time of myths and disporting, and this time is circular, though not without sequence. Particular moments have been shown, dramatic moments, but the whole story, known to the gods, if not to us, is implicit there.
This is part of the feeling of mystery, the story is known, but it is not clear that it will be known to us, as we might like to believe, “in the fullness of time.” Can’t escape the feeling that these powerful inscrutable faces, intent on the project of carrying forward day and light, are in an intractable relationship with the narrative flow of their story in a way that does not even resemble the way we recount the incidents of our days to one another.

domain: artistic


text: On 08/06/2013 just after 10:00 pm Officers from the Frederick Police Department responded to the 200 Block of Rockwell Terrace for a report of an assault. Upon arrival the victim advised she was assaulted on her front porch by a male that followed her while she was walking home. The victim was not injured and was able to give a good description of the suspect. The victim further stated the male advised he had a gun and attempted to take the keys to her vehicle. The male eventually fled the area on foot. A K-9 track and search of the area was unsuccessful. OFC. Donovan was able to relay the description of the suspect to other officers. Several hours later a suspect matching the description was located by OFC. Sparks in the downtown area. The suspect, later identified as Joshua Colonna Jones, was detained and positively identified by the victim. At the time of this press release Mr. Jones is being processed into the FCADC on the following charges; Attempted Robbery, and 2nd Degree assault. Anyone with more information on this case is asked to contact OFC. M Donovan at 301-600-7541. Case # 13-49918, Investigating Officer- OFC. M. Donovan, Authoring Officer- Cpl. Alcorn.

domain: news


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Flower-n-Garden™ Blown In
Flower-n-Garden Planting Soil is an all natural and organic soil blend designed for growing flowers and vegetables. Full of beneficial ingredients including compost and organic amendments to build the proper environment for your plants.
How to use
Works as a ready‐to‐use soil blend or soil amendment in raised beds and all other areas of your garden. Always follow the water and fertilizer requirements of your individual plants.

domain: hobby


text:
V.23 No.31 | 7/31/2014
Knocked Up (In Space)
“Extant” on CBS
Steven Spielberg offers up overly familiar sci-fi with CBS’ Knocked Up In Space series, “Extant.”
V.21 No.43 | 10/25/2012
Time-hopping sci-fi tale soars—but how high?
Among the books often labeled unfilmable is David Mitchell’s 2004 sci-fi hexaptych Cloud Atlas. Somebody finally decided to wrestle that tiger, though, and the results are structurally (if not always emotionally) miraculous—a $100 million genre-hopping art house blockbuster in search of a sympathetic audience.


We can build your tools or jigs by machining and welding Tig or Mig. Parts can be small in size or up to 20 tons.
To meet the growing needs of its customers, ACTI initially worked, and now is linked with an association to UNIO (Romania) to ensure the production of parts requiring mechanical welded structures of large sizes, machining to final assembly.
Thanks to this approach based on the work of our team we can offer:
- The manufacture of mechanical welded structures for the automotive industry, shipbuilding, metallurgy, energy, environment, inclusive machining and assembly of mechanical, electrical, hydraulics and pneumatics, the control with CMM machines.
- The finished products have an average weight of more than 5ton like drums for cables, winches, crane and other equipment for the shipbuilding industry; technological lines for metallurgy, mining, automobile, aeronautics; mounts and brackets (We work sheets from 20mm to 170mm in thickness, weight ranging from 5 to 36 tons.)
- The high-precision milling (Diameter 100mm to 500mm, max weight: 16ton, max length: 8000mm)
- Gear wheels and gearboxes casings (Teeth: cylindrical exterior / interior and helical module 0,5-30mm, diameter from 100mm to 5000mm, grinding: max diameter 1250mm, max 25mm module)
- Tanks and containers under pressure
- Belt conveyors Rollers and drums
- Dimensional control MMT machines


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Dimaculangan, 3 others returning for PLDT
PLDT High Speed Hitters will have four holdover players from its last year’s lineup ahead of the 2022 Premier Volleyball League season.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, PLDT announced the return of Rhea Dimaculangan, Christine Joy Soyud, Toni Rose Basas and Nieza Viray.
Apart from the four, PLDT is expected to unveil its new recruits in the coming days.
PLDT underwent massive revamp in the offseason by tapping George Pascua to be its head coach, replacing Roger Gorayeb.

domain: sports


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Hey internet. This is post 150. Just in case you were wondering.
Marie woke up in a cold sweat as the sun began to rise.
She was not in her office.
She was not having a hallucinogenic episode.
She was still barefoot in a tropical rain forest with no money, no purse and no way to get home, and there was something slimy touching her foot.
Marie shrieked and jumped out of the way. Instinctively, she slashed out with the hand that was still gripping the broken piece of Louboutin heel.
The dog that was sniffing at her instep merely blinked and sat down at her reaction. It was a chubby, short legged mutt of some kind with a snout that was too long for its small face. He snorted and licked his nose in a way that suggested that he was far too old and apathetic to care about her shenanigans, thank you very much.
Marie sat up and brandished the broken heel at the mutt, but the dog didn’t move.
“Shoo,” Marie hissed, fluttering her hands. She was not a dog person. Not even in a tropical jungle.
The dog wagged his tail once, hitting the earth with a soft whumph, and squirmed his way forward so that he could rest his head on her shins. Marie tugged her leg away.
“Shoo,” she repeated, a little louder. The dog got up, turned around in a full circle, and delicately sat down on top of her leg. Marie made one more futile attempt to scare it away, but the dog closed its eyes and wheezed a long sigh, and she decided to let the issue drop.
Marie rubbed the sleep out of her eyes with her left hand and sighed as the dog snuggled into her lap. Around her, the jungle was starting to wake itself up with all the customary screeches and calls.
The dog in her lap let out a contented fart.
Marie started to cry.

domain: pet


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Travel photography is about so much more than following a step by step guide and visiting popular destinations. It’s about stepping off the beaten path in search of something unique.
Provence Lavender Fields – Valensole Plateau Want to skip through purple fields of lavender as bees buzz happily around you and the warm summer sunshine lights up the sky above?
Once the snow melts and summer arrives the landscapes and alpine scenery around Briançon flourish. If you’re planning a visit to France this year, save a little time in your itinerary for a visit to the French Alps.
Want to create photographs that make your friends want to jump in the image and be there with you? When visiting a new destination there is always a check list of major attractions, monuments and sights to visit and taking a photo to say you’ve been there is all part of the fun.
Dubai – Photography Experience Aerial photography has long been one of my fascinations. Seeing the world from above; the patterns, formations and colours of nature, it’s like mother nature has creatively laid out all her goods ready to capture.
Where are the best Places to Photograph Sunset? As the day comes to and end and the sky erupts into a palette of pinks, oranges and reds you want to be in the right spot at the right time to capture the perfect sunset that completes your travel album.
What are the best villages to visit in Provence? Keep reading to find out… The Provence region of France is like a gourmet platter of all things photogenic.
The Best Photo Locations in Paris, France *Updated April, 2018 with new locations, recommended hotel and map!* Paris evokes a feeling of wonder.
Iceland Photography Workshop 2017 Recap Join the adventure in 2018, read below for details! Iceland is one of those ideal destinations that provides endless opportunities to hone your photography skills.
Learn to Photograph Sunrise Photographing the warm glow of a sunrise is perhaps the most relaxing scene to capture…or is that because I’m usually still half asleep at the time?
Iceland Photography Location Guide – Reykjavik to Hofn It’s a country where waterfalls, icebergs and volcanoes converge to create otherworldly landscapes.
A Guide to Getting Started as a Travel Photographer The title of ‘Travel Photographer’ is the pinnacle for many creatives with that ever enduring sense of wanderlust.
Burano is like a rainbow lollipop of Italian goodness. A short ferry (Vaporetti) ride from Venice, Italy, this little gem sits proudly with such a distinctive appearance and joyful vibe that a visit is essential if you’re in the area.
Water and cameras don’t mix well at all. Whether it’s drops of rain, humidity or you’ve gone and dropped your camera in the water by mistake, a wet camera is not ideal.
Iceland Photography Workshop with The Wandering Lens! In a land where glaciers meet volcanoes and rugged cliffs lead to icebergs resting on a black sand beach, photo opportunities are never ending.
Remember when photography meant taking 24 photos per roll of film? Crossing your fingers as you waited for the roll to be developed, hoping at least one had okay lighting and colours?
Learning to adjust your cameras shutter speed is one of the first steps to controlling how a photo is created. Knowing how fast or slow you want the shutter to be will help the camera to let more or less light into the image, hence producing the creative result you hope to achieve.
Beautiful Beaches to Photograph Around the World Coastal landscapes have a way of drawing photographers to their shores. Whether it’s their crystal white sands, alluring clear waters, rugged rock formations or people watching potential.
Iceland is another world filled of natural inspiration and all things photo worthy. Photographing the diversity of landscapes has long been the main motivation behind my work.

domain: geography


Devils 4 Lightning 1
TAMPA — Back-to-back blowouts of the abysmal do not a recovery make. They do, however, diminish the risk that the Devils will choke away a fourth straight Eastern Conference title.
The Devils cracked the 100-point mark for the fourth straight season and fifth time in their history with last night’s 4-1 triumph over the ready-for-summer Lightning.
Combined with their thrashing of Atlanta Friday, they outscored the two worst teams in the East by a 10-1 margin and opened a four-point lead on Washington and game-in-hand Philly for the conference crown.
The triumph gave the Devils a chance to finish at .500 on the road tonight when they Florida to complete their away schedule. They stand 17-18-5 on the road, compared to their 28-10-3 mark of last season, when they set the NHL record for road victories.
While beating the NHL’s dregs is the best the Devils could do in their last two, they did so handily, lifting Larry Robinson’s record to 3-2 since taking over from Robbie Ftorek. The back-to-back victories were their first since Feb. 27-29, when they beat Montreal and Nashville. The Devils are 8-12-2 in their last 22 games.
This was over early as Patrik Elias and Vladimir Malakhov converted both ends of a five-on-three power play, Elias tapping in Petr Sykora’s pass across the goalmouth at 4:06, and Malakhov finding a loose puck at the front of the net while all attention was being paid to Randy McKay in a goalmouth pileup at 5:16.
The Devils have scored eight power play goals in five games under Robinson, allowing only two.
Scott Stevens scored for the second straight game, netting his eighth of the year at 12:01 during a four-on-four with a left-circle wrister that went under Zac Bierk.
Elias added his second of the night and 35th of the season with 7:56 left in the game.
Martin Brodeur lost his chance at back-to-back shutouts when Fredrik Modin scored with only 3:40 remaining.
Devils close season at home against Buffalo Thursday and Florida Saturday afternoon … Devils went 3-1 vs Tampa this season.


Do poets peak early? Apparent evidence that they do is provided by the striking list of poets who made major contributions in spite of dying young. But they are only part of the discipline.
Read Whole Story
During Hurricane Sandy, there were pieces of metal siding being blown down the street outside, clanging around in the wind. And the trees were shaking violently. But in my warm studio, I was at peace and composing up a storm of my own.
Kathryn Findlay is the Principal Director of Ushida Findlay Architects. Gaining prominence in the nineties, the practice is known for its use of exper...
It is a "space for production, reflection and today's challenging art, but with a structure that is pro-active and flexible."
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Childers Men's Shed gets the go-ahead
NOT-FOR-PROFIT organisation Childers Men's Shed can progress its plans to establish a facility in the Childers town area following the approval of its development application.
Planning and Development portfolio spokesman Cr Ross Sommerfeld said the development would be constructed in two stages.
"The first stage will comprise of a 15m by 10m shed and on-site car parking for 10 vehicles, which can be accessed via North St," Cr Sommerfeld said.
"Stage two is a 5m by 10m extension to the eastern end of the building."
Divisional representative Cr Tony Ricciardi said he was thrilled to see the community group moving forward with their plans to establish the Childers Men's Shed.
"This parcel of land, which the Men's Shed Association has been awarded a 10-year lease over, was set aside by the Isis Shire Council for community use," Cr Ricciardi said.
"This property adjoins a larger parcel of land which at the time was identified for future sport and recreation initiatives so it is fortunate we have been able to find a use for the land in keeping with that vision."
As a not-for-profit organisation Cr Sommerfeld said the Childers Men's Shed was eligible for a 100% discount on its infrastructure charges.


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Recently the news has been full of reports about terror and violence. The cause is often ethnic and religious differences. For a refreshing change of pace, here is some good news about our youth here in the East End of Alameda.
On Dec. 8, Bryan Schwartz released Scattered among the Nations, a collection of photos and stories from the world’s most isolated Jewish communities. The book, which took Schwartz more than 16 years to complete, features captivating images of Jewish communities and their stories of maintaining connections to Jewish culture and customs. The book’s collaborators, Jay Sand and Sandy Carter, helped Schwartz with photography and content

domain: sociology


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Emily Ratajkowski was seen taking her 15-month-old son Sylvester Apollo on a stroll in New York City.
The 31-year-old model, who recently celebrated her birthday, put her stunning body on display in an orange and blue tie-dye outfit.
She married Sebastian Bear-McClard in 2018 after splitting from Jeff Magid.
The Lying and Stealing star recently took a sizzling selfie in her home with an iced coffee in hand in a white crop top and matching pants.
Emily Ratajkowski goes braless in an orange crop top
Emily Ratajkowski looked like a fashionista in an orange mini skirt paired with a matching crop top and black cowboy boots while out in New York with her son.
She accessorized with dark sunglasses, a gold watch and large hoop earrings. The brunette model wore her long hair parted in the center and it fell straight behind her ears.
The model recently celebrated her birthday on an exotic beach, On, June 7, she shared a series of photos with her 29.3 million followers.
She noted her tan in the caption, writing: “Burnt n happy birthday girl.”
With a sandy beach and palm trees for a backdrop, Ratajkowski wore a giraffe-print bikini with strings around her torso adding a floral bucket hat in one of the photos.
The model shared another series of bikini shots the following day from the luxury Hotel Esencia in Tulum, Mexico.
Emily Ratajkwoski pays tribute to her son with three tattoos
On Instagram, the My Body author shared photos of new tattoos dedicated to her son, Sylvester Apollo Bear.
“Sly forever ♾,” she wrote in the caption.
The proud mother frequently shares photos of her son with her Instagram followers.
The IG post shows the “Sly” tattoo, a nickname for her son, on the side of her foot and the inside of her arms, in different fonts.
A second photo shows the mother and son duo reacting to something off-camera,
In an interview with ELLE last November, she opened up about motherhood and giving birth. “I was unsure if I wanted to end the book with motherhood, because I hate the idea that you become a mother and everything changes. It’s something I talk about in the book: You go from child to sex object to mother,” she said, continuing:
“But it was one of the most powerful physical experiences. Being in a room and trusting my body—even though there are people around me who say that they know it better than me or that they have a right to it in some way—was hugely impactful.”

domain: entertainment


text:
Ozone water treatment uses ozonation as an oxidizer to generate a clean, disinfected water supply. Utilizing a system of filtering processes, ozone is attached to any particles found in your water including iron, chlorine, bacteria, sulfur, viruses, and much more. With ozone water treatment in North Aurora, IL, you never have to worry about cloudiness or bad taste and odor in your home’s water used for drinking, cleaning and showering. Eliminate stains on your laundry, fixtures, and dishes by filtering the calcium, sulfur, tannins, and other minerals that cause them. Because every water system is different, all of our units is customizable to ensure you get the best purified water possible.
The Best Treatment For You
Ozone Pure Water’s extensive variety allows our team to offer residential, commercial, and even industrial ozone water treatment in North Aurora, IL. With treatments that range from whole house purification at the well to countertop and under-the-counter that clean your water directly from the faucet, our team has a system that’s perfect for every situation and budget. Each of our treatment systems includes all the parts you need, and can be quickly installed for immediate utilization. With our extensive inventory, you can always find the parts you need and have it quick.|Never worry about replacement equipment again with our extensive selection and quick shipping.}Our ozone water treatment team around North Aurora, IL can advise you on specific product types and styles to ensure you get the ideal part for your system. Whether you’re in the market for a new ozone water treatment system or it’s simply time for a new injector, our experts can ensure you get precisely what you need.
Ozone Pure Water Equipment
- Filter Options – Our team can assist you in deciding which kind of filter will be best for your needs.
- Ozone Equipment – Our selection includes any system equipment you might need for your system.
- Ozonators – Our ozonators are available in multiple sizes, styles, and strengths to ensure you get the ideal ozone mixture for your water supply.
To guarantee that the water you use and drink every day is always pure in North Aurora, IL, an ozone water treatment system is a great idea. The ozonation process has unparalleled ability to get rid of bacteria, viruses, and other harmful contaminants from your water, leaving it clean and pure. The Ozone Pure Water treatment system can also remove particles such as chlorine and other chemicals left behind by other treatment systems.
Speak to your Ozone Pure water representatives today at 800-633-8469 and begin your ozone water treatment in North Aurora, IL.

domain: chemistry


Disturbed plans to return to the studio later this year and record an acoustic EP before starting work on its next full-length studio album, according to an interview with singer David Draiman by German outlet Rock Antenne. Asked when fans can expect to hear new music from the group, Draiman answered, “Well, the plan at this particular point in time is to take a little bit of time off, spend some time with our families, get some personal stuff done. We have an acoustic EP that we’re working on. That’s something we’ve wanted to do for years that we just never had the time or the opportunity to.”
The idea of Disturbed doing an acoustic EP is not a foreign concept for the band. Draiman told us a while back that Disturbed has always wanted to put melody in its music: [“There’s a huge contingency of kids that want stuff that they can just bash their head open to, you know, and that’s great. We provide that as well. But to us, when we make our music, it has to be fused with melody. The aggression and the power needs to be harnessed with hooks that stay with you.”]
- Draiman added that the band will probably record its seventh full-length album in 2018 for release later that year, with touring to take place in 2019.
- An acoustic EP now could also capitalize on the success Disturbed has had with its cover of Simon & Garfunkel‘s “The Sound Of Silence,” which has been a massive hit that has introduced the band to new audiences.
- Asked if any “Sound Of Silence” fans had been confused by the group’s normally heavy sound, Draiman replied, “I haven’t seen any of that . . . Granted, ‘The Sound Of Silence’ is an amazing and beautiful moment within the performance every single night, but it’s definitely not the situation that I was warned of, potentially.”
- Disturbed’s latest album, 2015’s Immortalized, ended a four-year hiatus for the quartet and was its fifth album to enter the Billboard 200 chart at Number One.
- “The Sound Of Silence” was certified platinum last June for sales or downloads of more than one million copies, while Immortalized has moved more than 500,000 copies.


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SPCA of Hancock County
141 Bar Harbor Rd, Trenton ME 04605
Business operations may be affected due to COVID-19. Please contact the business directly to verify hours.
Most Recent Comments
The people here care very much about the residents. I adopted a 5yo girl Bailey. She turned out to be the most incredible, intelligent and loving dog ever. Show them kindness and love and you will get it back 100s times over back.
I have two rescue dogs and one abandoned cat that I got from SPCA and they bent over backwards to make it as easy as possible for me. Such great and caring people. Please donate! Every little bit helps.
I was there late on Friday afternoon to see a dog. The people could not have been nicer and the facility is hopping busy. Lots of pets and lots of activity. Clean, bright, happy animals and happy people.


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|Wednesday, 16 June 2021|
Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA), 97-02-27
Bulgarian Telegraph Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
From: Embassy of Bulgaria <email@example.com>
EMBASSY OF BULGARIA - WASHINGTON D.C.
BTA - BULGARIAN TELEGRAPH AGENCY
27 February, 1997
 PRESIDENT STOYANOV ON VISITS TO POLAND, CZECH REPUBLIC, HUNGARYSofia, February 26 (BTA) - President Stoyanov left Wednesday afternoon for Warsaw, a first stop in a his four days' trip to Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary at the invitation of the Heads of state of these countries.
We have a lot in common with Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary, the main being our aspiration to European and Euro-Atlantic integration, Stoyanov said before his departure. These former Socialist countries confidently took the road of reforms, firmly identified their foreign policy priorities and achieved national consensus among their political forces, the Bulgarian President added. In his view Bulgaria also has a large potential but has been very slow to mobilize it.
The bilateral ties with Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary are at a low point, despite Bulgaria's traditionally excellent relations with them countries and the absence of historically-rooted obstacles to future relations, Peter Stoyanov said. This visit is intended to show that Bulgaria also knows the road to Europe, which is to use self- reliance, to take a clear road of reforms, to keep national dignity and self-confidence and to create mutual trust between citizens and the powers that be, the President said.
The schedule of President Stoyanov's visit includes a meeting with Polish President Kwaszniewski on Wednesday. Later on that day he will address the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Polish Sejm and Senate. On Thursday the Bulgarian President will meet with Marshal of the Senate Struzik, with Prime Minister Cimoszewicz, with Leader of Freedom Union Balzerowicz, with Solidarity Chairman Kszaklewski, with former Polish President Lech Walesa, famous Polish film directors Krzyszstof Zanussi and Andrzej Waida as well as with representatives of the Bulgarian community in Poland. President Stoyanov's meeting with Waclav Havel is scheduled for Friday. On Saturday the he will have talks with Hungarian President Arpad Gonzc.
At a news conference Wednesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Boiko Mirchev said "In this critical moment in Bulgaria's history we want to show that we have potential and true willingness to come closer to these states and that they are our role model". He also specified that during the visits Bulgaria will try to draw support from these states for its CEFTA membership, as well as for prompt signing of free trade agreements with Poland and Hungary. Such an agreement between Bulgaria and the Czech Republic is already in force. The visit will seek to confirm Bulgaria's unity of views and aspirations for full NATO membership, without trying to rival Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary, Mirchev said.
The new head of "Eastern Europe and CIS" Department at the Foreign Ministry and Bulgaria's long-time Ambassador to Hungary Vesselin Filev said that economic cooperation will be among the priority issues during Stoyanov's visits to the three states. Filev recalled that Bulgaria's commercial exchange with the three states has been on the decline over the past few years. Since the time of CMEA Bulgaria also has unsettled loans in Russian roubles to Poland and Hungary.
 FOREIGN MINISTER BACK FROM BRUSSELS. BULGARIAN BID FOR NATO TO BE DISCUSSED TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER APPLICANTSSofia, February 26 (BTA) - The North Atlantic Council decided February 26 to discuss Bulgaria's candidacy for membership in NATO together with those of the other 12 applicants, Foreign Minister Stalev said upon his return from Brussels Wednesday. Bulgaria's bid was categorically supported by the US, Turkey, Greece and the rest of the member countries.
Stalev was in the Belgian capital to participate in the third session of the EU-Bulgaria Association Council. He held talks with NATO Secretary General Solana and WEU Secretary General Cutileiro. The Bulgarian Foreign Minister expressed satisfaction with the work of the Association Council which finalized the protocol for easing customs requirements for Bulgarian goods entering EU markets. An EU assistance of 20 million ECU to support socially disadvantaged families will be disbursed any minute.
At the end of the ongoing visit of the IMF mission, Bulgaria will welcome representatives of the European Commission who will negotiate on an additional loan to support Bulgaria's balance of payments. "We wish to sign an agreement with the IMF and set in motion a procedure to raise money from the G-24 to support Bulgaria's balance of payments," Stalev said. He also said European Commissioner Hans van den Broek will arrive in Bulgaria in mid- March.
 PRESIDENT STOYANOV IN POLANDWarsaw, February 26 (BTA Corr.) - Bulgarian President Stoyanov and Mrs Stoyanova arrived Wednesday on an official visit to Warsaw. The President is accompanied by Minister of Construction Karadimov, Deputy Foreign Minister Mirchev, other officials and Bulgarian business persons.
En route to Warsaw President Stoyanov told the accompanying reporters that the political focus of his talks in the three central European capitals will be to persuade his partners to "lobby in favour of Bulgaria's interests for European and Atlantic integration." "I will try to persuade my hosts that Bulgaria is embarking on a new road of development, the road of clear structural reforms, that it has decided to put an end to its previous rambling and will gradually become a very attractive partner for foreign investors," the Bulgarian President said.
At the presidential palace in Warsaw the President and Mrs Stoyanova were formally welcomed by the Polish President and Mrs Kwasniewska. Immediately after that the two presidents held talks, followed by discussions between the two delegations. At a joint news conference with Mr Kwasniewski following the talks, President Stoyanov said: "In the person of President Kwasniewski I found an advocate of the idea that negotiations on full NATO membership for all former socialist countries must start simultaneouslyî. Mr Stoyanov emphasized that the subject of NATO had topped the agenda of the one-to-one talk that took longer than scheduled. "There are broad unutilized areas for cooperation between Bulgaria and Poland in trade, economics, tourism and culture," Stoyanov also said.
For his part, the Polish President expressed the conviction that Poland and Bulgaria will soon be admitted to the European Union and NATO. Mr Kwasniewski is pleased that Poland and Bulgaria are of the same mind on the questions related to the development of free trade areas, membership of the Central European Free Trade Agreement, the EU and NATO. He described the talks with his Bulgarian counterpart and the talks at the minister level as "open and candid." Poland will support Bulgaria's accession to CEFTA, Mr Kwasniewski assured the audience.
"Modern Bulgaria needs a modern Left, a modern Social Democracy," Mr Kwasniewski said, asked by a Polish journalist whether he can help in the reforming of the former Communist Party in Bulgaria on the strength of his experience as one of the founding members of the Polish Party of Social Democracy. Kwasniewski expressed the view that events in Bulgaria during the last two years "will help the new people, who look at things in a new way, to create a new party and adopt a new approach."
Later in the day, the Bulgarian President met with the foreign affairs committees of the Polish Sejm and Senate and addressed them. In the evening the President of Poland and Mrs Kwasniewska entertained the President of Bulgaria and Mrs Stoyanova at a formal dinner.
 BULGARIA WILL ASK FOR RESCHEDULING OF ITS PARIS CLUB DEBTSofia, February 26 (BTA) - On Thursday Prime Minister Stefan Sofiyanski will send a letter requesting a rescheduling of the Bulgarian debt to the Paris Club of government creditors, finance minister Gavriiski said after a meeting of the Financial Stabilization Council on Wednesday. Bulgaria has so far signed three agreements for rescheduling its USD 1,200 million debt to ten creditors of the Paris Club. It is now urging a rescheduling of payments worth USD 45 million to USD 50 million, due this year. This would start a discussion on rescheduling other payments too, the minister said.
The government can develop a programme that would facilitate the signing of a new stand-by agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), by the end of next week, said members of the Council led by the Prime Minister. IMF mission leader for Bulgaria Anne McGuirk, who also participated in the discussion, reaffirmed a programme can be agreed with this cabinet, and the IMF can release the first tranche of a loan during this government's term.
The programme in question will include government measures for macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform, including the introduction of a currency board. It will be sent with a letter of intent signed by the finance minister and the central bank governor. "The amount of the IMF loan will depend on our budget," Gavriiski said. If the IMF approves the programme, it will lend the funds for its implementation.
In addition to the stand-by agreement, discussions will be held about a programme on additional financing which the IMF has the right to extend in an emergency. Apart from that, we shall negotiate for financial support with the mission of the European Union which arrives shortly before the departure of the IMF mission, Gavriiski said.
Privatization proceeds will be the main funds to finance the operation for the debt rescheduling which we hope to do in the next few days, Gavriiski said. According to him, the forthcoming payments will not be financed by means of securities but by real money. The scheme will help increase the internal reserves of the central bank as the payments will be made in leva which means that the central bank foreign currency reserves may grow by USD 150 million.
 PRIME MINISTER SOFIYANSKI TO VISIT MACEDONIA THURSDAYSofia, February 26 (BTA) - Prime Minister Sofiyanski will leave for Macedonia Thursday on a two-day working visit at the invitation of Macedonian Prime Minister Crvenkovski. Bulgarian-Macedonian relations, and specifically the opportunities to intensify economic cooperation, will be on the agenda of the visit, the Government Press Office said. The Bulgarian head of government is also scheduled to meet with Skopje Mayor Penov Thursday.
 FOREIGN MINISTRY ON BULGARIAN EMIGRANTS IN TURKEYSofia, February 26 (BTA) - "Bulgaria is closely and tactfully following the discussion in Turkey on the foreign citizens illegally residing on Turkish territory," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Radko Vlaikov told a news conference Wednesday. He expressly indicated that this is not a problem of bilateral relations.
"We set great store by the promotion of our relations with Turkey, an important partner of Bulgaria," Mr Vlaikov said, adding that he finds needless tensions created by the media on the question of a possible repatriation of Bulgarian citizens from Turkey.
Mr Vlaikov also said that in this case the Bulgarian citizens residing in Turkey are not treated separately from the rest of the foreign nationals there. According to him, many countries of Europe have problems with illegal economic immigration, and each country, including Turkey, is entitled to address it in conformity with its domestic legislation.
On Wednesday the Turkish Government repealed a regulation on the repatriation of Bulgarian citizens of Turkish origin who have arrived to Turkey on tourist visas and overstayed, the Anatolian News Agency reported, quoting Turkish Defence Minister Turhan Tayan. Addressing Parliament, which debated the issue Tuesday even though it was not on the preliminary agenda, Mr Tayan described the respective Turkish Interior Ministry regulation as "wrong and unenforceable." According to Anatolian News Agency, Mr Tanyan said that "30,000 Bulgarian Turks, who have arrived on tourist visas, will be issued residence permits."
Turkish Interior Minister Meral Aksener told Parliament that the regulation which her department circulated to the provincial governors is similar to a regulation issued in 1992. She also noted that the current regulation was promulgated with the knowledge of Prime Minister Necmettin Eerbakan. During the parliamentary debate, the regulation drew fire from MPs of the opposition Motherland Party, the Democratic Left Party and the Republican People's Party. Mr Askener said that the latest events and the economic crisis in Bulgaria have increased the probability of an exodus of Bulgarian Turks to Turkey and that the regulation in question was adopted in order to forestall such a development, the Anatolian News Agency said.
 PRIVATIZATION TO BE SPEEDED UPSofia, February 26 (BTA) - The Structural Reform Council at its first meeting Wednesday decided to speed up privatization, said its secretary Mladen Georgiev. The council was set up last week to directly manage the restructuring of the economy and negotiate structural reform loans with international institutions.
The meeting was attended by International Monetary Fund Mission Leader for Bulgaria Anne McGuirk who arrived here Tuesday and World Bank Resident Representative Alberto Musalem.
Musalem announced the World Bank is forming a team of experts to discuss with the council a programme for structural reform, said the government press office.
The council decided to privatize assets primarily through auctions, competitive bidding and public sales, rather than through negotiations with potential borrowers, as has been the practice so far.
The council formed working teams of experts to deal with privatization, the liquidation of money-losing companies, the banking system, public welfare and informing the public. It will work for the establishment of a consortium to handle lending to privatization projects by international banks and financial institutions.
"We received assurances from the representatives of the international financial institutions that they would support the programme for speedy structural reform," said Georgiev.
"I expect that the privatization of the Sodi chemical plant in Devnya (northeastern Bulgaria), the cement plant in that city and the cosmetics company Alen Mak in Plovdiv (southern Bulgaria) will be finalized soon," the director of the Privatization Agency Vesselin Blagoev said. In mid- December 1996 Belgian Solvay bought 60% of the shares in Sodi for $160 million. "I expect the revenue from the speedy privatization of large companies to exceed the funds under the agreement with the IMF," Blagoev said.
 STRUCTURAL REFORM COUNCIL NEGOTIATES WITH IMF MISSION LEADER MCGUIRKSofia, February 26 (BTA) - "Until the end of next week, when the mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will complete its work here, Bulgaria must be ready with a written programme for the signature of a new stand-by arrangement," the Government Press Office said Wednesday after the first meeting of the Structural Reform Council in which the IMF mission, led by Ann McGuirk, took part. The Council's Chairman, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Bozhkov said, quoted by the Press Office, that this is necessary so that the programme, as agreed in Bulgaria, could be approved on the spot in Washington D.C.
Resident representatives Alberto Musalem of the World Bank and Franek Rozwadowski of the IMF also attended the Council meeting.
The cabinet must draw up guidelines for work on the agreement with the IMF which should be taken up by the next cabinet, Mr Bozhkov said during the discussion. A list of major priorities of action must be urgently compiled. The list will be submitted to President Peter Stoyanov, who will call the Consultative Council for National Security. Guarantees will thus be sought from the political forces that the next 38th National Assembly, irrespective of its composition, will honour the same priorities, Mr Bozhkov added.
An agreement with the IMF must be reached very quickly with serious activity on the part of Bulgaria, and it is very important to reverse the impression of the international institutions that Bulgaria is merely paying lip service to reforms, Mr Bozhkov told the participants in the Council. He argued that work with the World Bank and IMF teams must be pursued on a daily basis.
Mrs McGuirk assessed the draft programme which was handed to her as a good basis and starting point for work with the Sofiyanski Cabinet. She blamed the lack of commitment and enthusiasm for the non-implementation of certain aspects of the programme under the previous agreement between Bulgaria and the IMF and stressed that the Fund will insist that this should change.
A specific timeframe and priority actions of the stabilization programme must be outlined during the negotiations, Mrs McGurk said. She said that the 1997 budget should provide for a social safety net.
A working group of representatives of the National Bank of Bulgaria, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice must prepare the legal framework for the introduction of a currency board, Mrs McGuirk recommended. She asked for politicallevel assurances at short notice that the agreement between the political forces on conduct of these negotiations will be extended during the tenure of the next government.
The IMF officials said the Fund is ready to provide qualified assistance to Bulgaria in view of the country's limited foreignexchange reserves. In their view, however, the Government must identify the areas where such assistance is needed.
"Even though we work fast and on short-term documents, the decisions should be perceived as long-term, one should think in scope and in perspective," Mr Musalem said at the meeting, quoted by the Government Press Office.
 CHARGES AGAINST MEMBERS OF EX-CABINETSofia, February 26 (BTA) - All materials about the grain crisis collected by the Interior Ministry will be ready Wednesday or Thursday and handed over to the Prosecutor General, Interior Minister Bogomil Bonev told the press Wednesday. Former Prime Minister Videnov did not know what the nation's grain supplies were," the minister said. "Videnov believed traders were correct to export grain looking for a better price," Bonev said, declining to specify the amount of grain illegally exported from this country. "Videnov's ignorance does not prove him innocent, he is responsible for the grain crisis," Bonev also said.
Pernik, February 26 (BTA corr.) - Manyo Manov, deputy of former agriculture minister Vassil Chichibaba, falsified grain balance figures, the deputy leader of the large trade union amalgamation CITUB Zhelyazko Hristov said in Pernik, western Bulgaria, Wednesday. "We have the minutes of an Agriculture Ministry meeting and we know who stood for what," said the union leader. All documents have been handed to the Prosecutor General.
Hours before the cabinet took office, companies were still being sold off, said Hristov. Former Industry Minister Dachev bought the leather factory Poulpoudeva in Plovdiv.
Sofia, February 26 (BTA) - Former minister of health Mimi Vitkova illegally rented out a medical hostel to health ministry staff, Dr Dimiter Ignatov, leader of the Bulgarian Doctors Union, told a press conference Wednesday. The decision to this effect, sponsored by Vitkova, was made by the cabinet in May of last year. Such hostels were built to meet the housing needs of young specialists temporarily living in Sofia to do postgraduate work. Last year the health ministry employed 175 people and the apartments provided were 48. Fifty-one families lodged housing requests of which 35 were approved. Of these 35 families only 9 were of doctors, said Ignatov. Most had worked for the health ministry for less than two years. Some joined the staff only to receive housing, he said. The intention of these people was to later on buy the apartments at low prices with the permission of the Sofia regional governor. The apartments would have cost next to nothing, said Ignatov. The Doctors Union would inform the prosecution of this case, said Ignatov.
 MOLDOVA IS ASKED FOR GRAIN ASSISTANCESofia, February 26 (BTA) - Agriculture Minister Hristov sent a letter to Moldovan Agriculture and Food Minister Gheorghe Lungu, asking for humanitarian assistance or commodity credit of bread grain to be returned by October or November 1997 at current international prices. Hristov said Bulgaria would need at least 250,000 to 300,000 t of bread grain to last her until the new harvest.
 BULGARIA RECEIVES DONATIONSSofia, February 26 (BTA) - Humanitarian organizations, firms and private persons have sent donations worth millions of leva for Bulgaria's socially disadvantaged.
The German Red Cross sent the Bulgarian Red Cross (BRC) medicines worth 86, 753,000 leva, the BRC press office said on Tuesday. The medicines will go to the Child Cardiology and Cardio Surgery Clinic with the National Cardio- Vascular Diseases Centre.
Representatives of the Spanish Red Cross are expected to arrive soon to assess this country's most urgent needs. The Spanish Red Cross expressed readiness to send humanitarian aid to Bulgaria. The Greek Red Cross has also prepared humanitarian aid for Bulgaria, the BRC said. It will be directed to the border regions of Smolyan, Haskovo and Kurdjali (Southern Bulgaria). The BRC has compiled and sent lists of social institutions in greatest need of aid to which Greece will also send donations.
The Future for Bulgaria Foundation received 810 packs of baby food worth USD 1,620, donated by Israeli national Aby Nathan through the BRC. The Foundation also received medicines from Emilia Genadieva of Italy worth 16, 556,198 leva.
The Sofia Committee of the BRC will select 1,000 Sofianites to receive 6 kg of staple foods each from a shop of the Stambouli firm in Sofia. A soup kitchen will be opened in Lom for the poorest citizens of that town on the request of the Gypsy community, the BRC said.
The Sofia municipality received foods worth 2 million leva on Tuesday. Pasta, rice, instant soup and sugar, provided mainly from the Bulgarian community in France, will be distributed among the 30 soup kitchens in Sofia. Aid for ten orphanages across Bulgaria is being raised by the Sylvie Vartan for Bulgaria Association.
The Civil Defence received 140,000 packs of potassium iodide worth 160 million, said Colonel Svetoslav Andonov of the Civil Defence on Tuesday. They were sent by the Europe commission with the Council of Europe within the framework of a project to maintain readiness in Central and Eastern Europe in cases of nuclear accident or transborder pollution. Radiation control equipment, alarm equipment and personnel training will be the next projects of the committee.
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domain: design


@zaasmi said in Cs 432 assignment 1 solution:
Question No. 2: In which circumstances, it is unnecessary to use simulations? Justify your answer with at least three valid arguments.
Don’t Simulate When
Jerry Banks & Randall Gibson
Simulation modeling has become an essential tool for analyzing anticipated performance, validating designs, demonstrating and visualizing operations, testing hypotheses, and performing many other analyses. It is the preferred tool in a variety of industries and in some industries, it is even required prior to all major capital investments. In previous articles we have discussed the “how’s” of simulation modeling–how to get started, how to select software, how to manage a successful project, and so on. The underlying assumption of these earlier articles is that simulation modeling is the correct tool for the problem that you are trying to solve.
A question that is often overlooked but should be asked is as follows: Is simulation modeling the right tool for the problem? This article discusses cases in which simulation modeling is inappropriate. In the past, simulation modeling was reserved for only very large or specialized projects that required one or more programmers or analysts with specialized training and much experience. The recent proliferation of simulation software has let to a significant increase in applications–many by users without appropriate training or experience. It has also lead to an increasing dependence on simulation to solve a variety of problems.
Although many of these projects are successful, the tool can be, and sometimes is, misapplied. We’re concerned that this can lead to unsuccessful projects, and that simulation modeling, or the simulation software, may be mistakenly held at fault. An awareness of when quantitative problem requirements or when qualitative project dynamics indicate that simulation may not be appropriate should help avoid this mistake. In this article, we present some guidelines to consider before selecting the analysis tool for your next project.
DON’T SIMULATE WHEN:
Rule (1) The problem can be solved using “common sense analysis” Consider the following example: An automobile tag facility is being designed. Customers arrive at random to purchase their automobile tags at a rate of 100 per hour. The time for a clerk to serve a customer varies, but averages 5 minutes. What is the minimum number of clerks required?
Thus, to avoid an explosive situation, at least 9 clerks will be needed. The more clerks, the shorter will be the average time waiting. This problem could have been analyzed by simulation, but that is unnecessary, and would take longer to program and run than the above solution.
Rule (2) The problem can be solved analytically (using a closed form) There are steady-state queuing models, probabilistic inventory models, and others that can be solved using equations–i.e., in a closed form–and this is a much less expensive method to use compared to simulation. In the license tag example above, assume that all of the times are exponentially distributed. How long do the customers wait in the queue, wQ, on the average, if there are 10 clerks? This is called an M/M/c model where the first M indicates Markovian arrivals, the second M indicates Markovian servers, and c is the number of parallel servers. Markovian is another way of saying that the values are exponentially distributed.
An equation can be used to determine the probability that the system is empty, from which the average number in the system can be determined. A graph was developed by F.S. Hillier and G.J. Lieberman to accomplish the same result. Using that graph, the average number in the system, L, is 10.77. Little’s equation relates L and w, the time in the system. This is certainly a much faster analysis than using simulation.
Rule (3) It’s easier to change or perform direct experiments on the real system This might seem obvious, but not always. We’ve seen cases where a model will be commissioned to solve a problem, and actually take more time and money to complete than a simple direct experiment would have required. Consider the case (a true story) where a detailed model of a drive-through fast food restaurant was constructed and used to test improvements on customer service time of adding a second drive up window. The model took weeks to complete. We observed a competitor test the same concept by staging a second person with a remote hand-held terminal and voice communication along the drive-up line, and completed the entire study in a matter of days.
The rule of thumb here is: If the problem involves an existing system, which can be perturbed or measured without undue consequences, look first for a direct experiment to answer the questions. In addition, a direct
experiment avoids all questions relating to whether the model was detailed enough, or was properly validated, etc.
Rule (4): The cost of the simulation exceeds possible savings Although almost every simulation project has many “qualitative” benefits, the expense of the model, data collection and analysis is usually justified by the expected quantitative stake. Accurately estimating the total costs of a simulation project requires some experience. Factors to be considered include:
Project planning, problem definition and process documentation
Model Development and testing
Data collection, review, and formatting
Experimentation and analysis
Possible updates or enhancements to the model
Project documentation and presentations
Also to be considered are costs of the simulation software (if not readily available) and computer resources. Simulation of a complex problem can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars. Models of large facilities with complex operating procedures and control logic (such as a large distribution center), or the need to use real (historical) data or actual product location and quantities can raise the cost even higher. Generally, simulation project costs are compared to potential savings or cost avoidance. If the potential savings are not clearly greater than the estimated simulation costs, the model may not be justified. On the other hand, some simulation projects are undertaken because of perceived risk for systems that are too complex to understand otherwise. The model provide a level of insurance to understand if and where possible problems lurk. Can a price be calculated for this risk reduction?
Rule (5): There aren’t proper resources available for the project Primary resources required to complete a successful simulation project include people, software/computers, and money. The most critical component in any successful simulation project is people–experienced analysts who understand the problem, select the proper level of detail, translate it into a simulation model requirement, program the model, etc. It’s hard not to agree with this statement, yet surprising how often we see attempts to solve important problems with simulation by a person with little or no training and without proper experience.
Simulation is both an art and a science, with the art gained through experience, and the science gained through proper training. The advanced simulation software now widely available certainly helps, but it’s not a substitute for the proper people resources for a project. If a properly trained simulation modeler is not available for a project, it might be best (and less risky) to look for outside help. Remember that a poorly constructed model is worse than no model at all, because the flawed results may be used anyway.
The next most critical resource for a project is funding. Assume that you are to manage a project, you have properly trained people and you have the appropriate software, but the project cost estimate is twice the available project funding. How to proceed? Our recommendation is not to simulate. Most likely, the project objectives will have to be compromised and corners cut in the model design and planned analysis experiments in order to come close to the budget. This will put the project goals at risk, because the resulting model may not be capable of providing the required results. Simulation, or the software selected, or both, will be mistakenly held at fault.
Rule (6): There isn’t enough time for the model results to be useful Another class of insufficient resources is time. This is usually caused by one of three reasons:
The project schedule is too short; Model development and testing takes too long; or The window is too narrow.
This is a very frustrating, but not uncommon problem: You’ve worked hard to complete a model, carefully verified and validated it, and are in the middle of running experiments, when you’re told that “the decision has already been made to proceed with the facility because we didn’t have time to wait for the simulation results.” Simulation studies tend to be commissioned at the last minute, many times as a final check. Often the schedule is unrealistic to begin with. If there isn’t sufficient time to conduct a proper project, the analyst must make coarser assumptions, skip details, or otherwise cut corners in an attempt to meet the schedule. How do you know if critical detail was left out and the results are not meaningful? No textbook can define where the level of detail should be set–this is based on experience, on a project-by-project basis.
Often, when we see a simulation project go beyond the estimated schedule, we can trace the blame to an inexperienced analyst working on the solution. A simulation model should be detailed enough so that the questions posed can be answered, but not too detailed. A typical error for an inexperienced user is to start with too much detail in the model, which invariably takes longer to develop and test than was initially estimated and scheduled. Remember one of the simulation maxims: If the results aren’t used, the project may be regarded as a failure. It may be better if you don’t use simulation if there’s just not enough time allowed in the overall project schedule to produce results and put them to use. This means allowing time to change the system design and re-simulate if needed!
Rule (7): There is no data–not even estimates During the design phase of a simulation project, one of the most critical tasks is to determine if the data required to meet project expectations and support the level of detail planned for the model is available, and if not, how it can be obtained. In some cases the data may not be available, and either impossible, impractical, or too expensive to collect. Don’t fall into the trap of committing to a project and building the model before checking to see if the necessary data is available. The temptation will be to proceed with the analysis anyway, since you’ve already expended the effort to build the model, and people may be counting on the results. It is possible to perform sensitivity testing using estimates of the data values, but this still requires estimates about the range of values for critical data
Rule (8): The model can’t be verified or validated This problem is usually caused (again!) by lack of one of three critical ingredients: people, data, and time.
The project analyst may not understand how to properly verify the model (lacks sufficient training and/or experience). You may not have useful performance data for comparing the model results against test scenarios in order to validate the model. The project schedule doesn’t allow for sufficient testing and/or validation activities.
The correct procedure is to first complete a base case scenario by comparing the model results agains those for the real system (or expected of the real system), then use this case to compare future test cases. There are many other methods that can be used, even if we don’t have data for the base case. A few of them are as follows:
The “degeneracy” test
This test looks to see if the model behavior degenerates appropriately to extreme inputs. What happens when arrival rates get really high? How does the model respond? Do bottlenecks develop where expected? The “face validity” test This test applies “common sense” to analyze model outputs for the base case. Is the output reasonable? Can we explain model behavior based on experience with similar systems?
The “sensitivity analysis” test
For repeated test cases with different input values, do the outputs change in the direction anticipated? Do they all track together? These test procedures may help to build confidence in the model, but you must still question if it is sufficient to support the decisions that may be made based on simulation results. If the model is not properly verified and validated, results will be questioned and may not be accepted.
Rule (9): Project expectations can’t be met
Nine times out of ten, the failure to meet project expectations is due to a failure to properly educate the decision makers about what is realistic and possible when solving the problem with a simulation model. Management may have unreasonable expectations–usually, they expect too much, too fast. When it can’t be delivered, they may mistakenly blame simulation technology, or the analyst. Here’s another version of the problem:
People with no experience in simulation often conclude that once a system is modeled, the model will be capable of answering any question that they ask of it. It can be difficult to explain, especially late in the project that models are only capable of answering explicit questions that they were designed to address. In the remaining one of ten times, the analyst overestimated either his or her own capability or the capability of the software being used. Here’s an example:
The problem is to simulate a large beverage plant, with production in the hundred thousand cases per day range. Questions to be answered require a very detailed model. The analyst decides to model each individual can or bottle through the entire process. With several hundred thousand active entities flowing through a detailed simulation, the model runs in something close to real time, and the animation proves useless because of unreasonably high demand on graphics. The analyst struggles to validate the model, but can produce only one experiment run a day. Management quickly loses interest. If the project expectations are unreasonable, and cannot be modified or controlled, the project will be very difficult to successfully complete, and may be a “don’t simulate” candidate.
Rule (10): If system behavior is too complex, or can’t be defined
The system to be simulated must be thoroughly understood before simulating or the analyst will be forced to guess or be creative. Some systems are so complex that building an accurate model (within an acceptable schedule and budget) is not possible. This is often the case where (complex) human behavior is a critical part of the simulated system.
For example, because modern automated distribution centers are complex, they are frequently simulated prior to implementation or modification. Most are driven by computerized warehouse management system (WMS) software, which selects and combines orders to process. Almost all of the actual order processing (picking) is performed manually, and people run the facility, even in automated facilities. Typically, the scenario simulated is an average day, and the model results can be quite accurate. But in a real facility when an unusual event occurs and the orders start falling behind schedule, people will change their normal
behavior or activities to find a way around the system constraints in an attempt to meet the schedule. This behavior can be quite varied and virtually impossible to completely describe and simulate for all possible scenarios. Model results for these crash-case scenarios almost never match what occurs in the real system, and simply are unreliable.
Simulation can be such a powerful analysis tool that it tends to be regarded in some industries as a universal solution. Every problem is not a nail with simulation as the hammer! Perhaps, in part, because of the variety of success stories in recent years (for otherwise intractable problems), or perhaps in part because of the ready availability of sophisticated simulation software packages claiming that anyone can use them, simulation is frequently the only tool considered. Not all of these projects have a successful conclusion. Simulation is often mistakenly blamed, when in fact it was just misapplied.
Simulation projects cost money, and can produce a significant return on investment when conducted properly. If the project is successful, then the money is well spent and will promote the technology. If the project is not successful, it hurts the reputation of simulation and, by association, each of us. Don’t commit to a simulation project if there is no need or if there’s a real chance that it can’t be properly completed, can’t meet the project goals and expectations, or the results won’t be available in time to be used. Each analyst has a responsibility to make every project successful, to help continue the use and acceptance of simulation
Banks, J., “Selecting Simulation Software,” Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1,", AUTOFACT '95, Chicago, Illinois, November 13-16, 1995.
Banks, J., and R. Gibson, “Getting Started in Simulation Modeling,” IIE Solutions, November 1996.
Harrell, Charles, and K. Tumay, “Fundamentals of Industrial Engineering: Simulation Made Easy,” IIE
Solutions, July 1997.
Hillier, F.S., and G.J. Lieberman, Introduction to Operations Research, Fifth Edition, McGraw-Hill, 1990.
Rohrer, Matt, “Seeing is Believing: The Importance of Visualization in Manufacturing Simulation,” IIE Solutions, May 1997.


Melville, NY - July 28, 2015 - A three foot long Crocodile was turned over to the Suffolk County SPCA today by Town of Huntington Animal Control Officials.
Chief Roy Gross of the Suffolk SPCA said that Jerry Mosca, Director of the Huntington Animal Shelter received an anonymous call that the Crocodile was in a box in a parking lot at 25 Melville Park Rd., Melville, NY. Mosca responded with another Animal Control Officer and found the Crocodile in an open top cardboard box.
Gross said that Mosca told him that the Crocodile was very aggressive and its mouth had to be taped shut.
A joint investigation will be conducted by Investigators from the Suffolk County SPCA and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Police to try and determine who left the Crocodile in the parking lot.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Suffolk County SPCA at 631-382-7722. All calls will be kept confidential.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.


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There is growing recognition that mental and physical well-being is of ever-increasing importance and concern to students in higher education. In a 2009 study, students across multiple countries rate the importance of well-being higher than money, and the desire to live a fulfilled life.
Academia is an environment where stress abounds. Academic and social pressures combine in a combustible mix of young adult worries and burdens that ultimately manifest into an emotional health melting pot of anxieties. A large body of studies has shown that whether feeling the impact of living away from home for the first time, or the stress and isolation caused by long hours of study, students can be vulnerable to anxiety and depression. These are trends that have certainly been exacerbated by the Covid pandemic over the past two and a half years.
It is likewise resultant that the state of mental health of the student population would be directly linked to that of the faculty and staff, who serve on the front lines as a primary means of support for students. Growing demands on their time, lack of work-life balance, and decreased work security – especially during the time of Covid – have resulted in faculty reporting high psychological distress and elevated physical health symptoms. While it is clear that the student and faculty/staff populations are distinct academic groups, it is foreseeable that the mental well-being among these groups is tightly interleaved.
In a panel talk, ‘Wellbeing across the academic community’, at the Learning and Teaching Conference held in June 2022, I had the opportunity to interrogate these issues with Dr Deborah Holt, Ruthanne Baxter, and Dr Davies Banda. Along with the participants and Dr Mark Hoelterhoff (who chaired the panel), we outlined our views on how we can enhance well-being across the academic community.
Given that a positive mental health environment enhances a student’s ability to learn, and that the student-faculty relationship is so strongly coupled, it is necessary that faculties play a role in creating and fostering healthy learning environments by integrating well-being concepts into curriculums and nourishing a comprehensive, collaborative, and healthy academic lifestyle.
Over the years, researchers have been working on how to best promote positive mental health among students. Christine Alvarado, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of California, San Diego, is creating an inclusive and empathic classroom environment by encouraging transparency among her students. To combat a negative – or even neutral – emotional learning environment, Dr Alvarado implements strategies to keep students engaged, supported, and responsible for their own time management and learning.
SOVA (Supporting Our Valued Adolescents) is a project where a young person who feels anxious or depressed can go to find information and support from others who have been there too. Through this project, researchers have done interviews and focus groups to help them design the website.
Works like these serve as inspirations for my own research project. I am developing Psychreg Resilience Project (PReP) to help young people in low- and middle-income (LAMI) countries boost their resilience through a blog-based intervention.
As my fellow panellists and I have discussed, a sense of belonging is also a critical component of success at the university level. Students struggling with a sense of belonging are less engaged, less attentive, and tend to avoid participation in active discussions or group activities.
To allow students to thrive academically, university leaders have started taking steps to promote wellness and foster campus cultures that prioritise wellbeing as a value. Similarly, the historical stigmas associated with mental health issues are slowly being erased. The University of Edinburgh has created a dedicated Health and Wellbeing Centre for students. The fully accessible centre houses the main bases for Student Counselling, Student Disability Service, the Equally Safe team, the University Health Centre, and an independent pharmacy. Students can come to the building for same-day counselling appointments, and regular scheduled appointments, as well as accessing the Wellbeing Lounge.
Student wellness centres at other universities, like the University of Oxford and the University of Hertfordshire, have developed models that ensure students’ mental well-being is being addressed on all levels, including emotional, physical, social, intellectual, and financial. The establishment of facilities like these at the centre of campus activities has also served to lessen the shame associated with seeking help. In the US, the University of California system of schools has established a Healthy Campus Network (HCN) that encourages faculty members to offer course credits, research hours and internships to those who participate. These examples show that institutions are investing in improving the health and quality of life of their campus communities.
Creating, designing, and promoting a culture of well-being would help to eliminate the negative connotations associated with mental health, and start to build a foundation of inclusivity and an environment that acknowledges positive well-being. Student Minds, the UK’s student mental health charity, empower students and members of the university community to look after their own mental health, support others, and create change. They train students and higher education staff across the UK to deliver student-led peer support interventions as well as research-driven campaigns, resources, and workshops.
While it is clear that universities and organisations are recognising and responding to the growing problem of mental health, a student doesn’t necessarily have to rely on an institution for support. A self-care plan can similarly help enhance your health and well-being and manage your stress. Learning to identify activities and practices that support your well-being as a student (or faculty) can help to sustain positive well-being during your time on campus. Developing healthy eating habits, regular exercise, and emphasising a healthy sleep routine are essential aspects of a personal self-care programme. Technology solutions, like smartphone apps, can also make support more accessible (while also allowing for methods of collecting measurable data) and provide students with a means to reach out in relative anonymity for the help they require.
The largest mental health survey ever conducted on UK university students reveals an 8% rise year-on-year of those with serious personal, emotional, behavioural or mental health problems for which they needed professional help. The figure now stands at almost half of the student population (42%).
Universities that demonstrate the highest level of commitment to student well-being will be rewarded with increased academic performance, higher retention rates, and better graduation statistics. A holistic approach to well-being will ultimately benefit the academic community.
As the panel closed, Dr Mark Hoelterhoff discussed the formation of THRIVE: a research and collaboration network that he leads through The University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Data, Culture and Society. Participants were encouraged to get involved and continue the conversation on we can best promote well-being across the university community.
An earlier version of this article was published on Teaching Matters.
Dennis Relojo-Howell is the managing director of Psychreg.


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Honestly, I had a hard time after high school.
I felt like everyone my age left Gilbert, went to an out of state college, and never turned back.
I felt left in the dust.
I had good friends here and there, which eased the blow a little, but I grew to hate being in the town I grew up in.
Fast forward… I met Chad, we got married, and moved into our first ward as newlyweds.
We were in Mesa, which is the neighboring town to Gilbert so not exactly in the same place, but still like 5 miles away from my parents haha
I still was sad that we never got out of the “Gilbert (or Mesa) bubble”.
Now we live down the street from both our parents. We are currently in the same stake I grew up!
But, something changed.
Yes, our ward boundaries changed, but I started making effort.
I started to reach out to those around me. & because of this, I made friends. So, I was happier.
Not only that, but I felt like I am starting to feel like I BELONG.
I belong here. I belong in this ward. I belong where we are now.
I changed myself and because of that, I gained AMAZING friends and am happier in my circumstances even though they didn’t even change!!
So, on this #sparklingsunday I am here to tell you,
if you aren’t happy in your circumstance,
in your surroundings,
in your relationships,
whatever it maybe,
YOU HAVE THE POWER WITHIN YOU TO CHANGE IT.
You are able to change your attitude about your life by reaching outward instead of retreating inward.
You got this!


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- February 3, 2022
- Posted by: MasterAdmin
- Category: Altcoins
rose 0.6% on Tuesday, ending the day around $38,700. Ethereum added 3.7%, while
other leading altcoins in the top 10 are growing: from 0.5% (Binance Coin) to
12.8% (Solana). The total capitalisation of the crypto market, according to
CoinGecko, rose 1.5% to $1.86 trillion overnight.

domain: economics