Aloha! Hawaii is the main theme for the seventh series of the Snowpark Tour. But instead of some hula hula dance on the beach the participants will have to show their skills on a board in the best snow parks in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. At ten tour stops the riders can qualify for the big finals at the Kitzsteinhorn in Zell am See-Kaprun (AUT) on March 15 and 16. But the next big thing is Lech on January 26 and 27!
Since 2004 Lech is a guaranteed stop for the Snowpark Tour (Picture: Lorenz Holder).
At the Schlegelkopflift in Lech/ Arlberg a 3 kicker line with tables between 10 and 15 meters is waiting for the rookies, along with a wallride, a double kinked box, a C box, a kinked, straight and rainbow rail. Not bad, eh? As the event is already in a little bit more than a week the online sign up is not possible anymore but you can sign up on location, on Saturday, January 26, at 10.30 a.m. Check www.snowparktour.com for futher information!
The sign up is for free and the jam session format takes the pressure from the young riders: Within a certain amount of time everybody can do as many runs as he/ she wants and Mellow Constructions is offering the perfect snow parks for the contests – fun and safety are what count the most. International Rossignol, Quiksilver and Roxy pro riders are doing the judging and besides set ups from those companies, the winner in Lech will also take home a wild card for one of the most important Austrian contests, the Ästhetiker Jam Wängl Tängl. Additionally the best four riders (plus the best two female riders) of every single tour stop will qualify for the finals at the Kitzsteinhorn in March where the Snowpark Lech has got a title to defend as it won the final team battle last year!More information and sign up on www.snowparktour.com
Dates Snowparktour 08:
12th/ 13th of January 2008 Engadin St. Moritz (SUI)
19th/ 20th of January 2008 Sillian (AUT)
26th/ 27th of January 2008 Lech am Arlberg (AUT)
02nd/ 03rd of February 2008 Adelboden (SUI)
05th/ 06th of February 2008 Zugspitze/Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER)
09th/ 10th of February 2008 Flumserberg (SUI)
23th/ 24th of February 2008 Flachauwinkl (AUT)
01st/ 02nd of March 2008 Saas Fee (SUI)
08th/ 09th of March 2008 Fellhorn/Oberstdorf (GER)
14th of March 2008 Kitzsteinhorn/Kaprun (AUT) (Tourstopp)
15th/ 16th of March 2008 Finals at the Kitzsteinhorn/Kaprun (AUT) with party in the castle of Kaprun (15th of March)


A recently appoint president of the Kern Community Foundation begins her article about her foundation with a good historical perspective on the localism in a community foundation.
"'So what is a community foundation?'
"Having joined Kern Community Foundation almost one year ago, this is the question that comes up most frequently in conversations.
"The community foundation model was born more than 100 years ago by banker Frederic Goff in Cleveland, who realized the value of creating a permanent fund that would benefit citizens in his community for generations to come. Some of the earliest investments of the Cleveland Foundation included research that led to reforms in public education and criminal justice. One effort even helped create a system of public parks and open spaces that increased access to nature for all city residents."--Kristen Barnes,


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In Kyriacos C. Markides’s newest book, Eastern Orthodox mysticism meets Western Christianity as the internationally renowned author takes readers on a deep journey back in time to unveil the very roots of authentic spirituality.
In his previous book The Mountain of Silence, Markides introduced us to the essential spiritual nature of Eastern Orthodoxy in a series of lively conversations with Father Maximos, the widely revered charismatic Orthodox bishop and former abbot of the isolated monastery on Mount Athos. In Gifts of the Desert, Markides continues his examination of Easter Orthodox mystical teachings and practices and captures its living expression through visits to monasteries and hermitages in Greece and America and interviews with contemporary charismatic elders, both male and female.
Markides’s pursuit of a deeper understanding of Orthodoxy takes him to the deserts of Arizona and a stay at a new monastery in Sedona; to the island of Cyprus and a reunion with Father Maximos; on a pilgrimage to holy shrines aboard a cruise ship in the Aegean Sea; and finally to the legendary Mount Athos, home to more than two thousand Orthodox monks. Markides relates his journey and reflections in a captivating style while providing important background material and information on historical events to give readers a highly accessible, in-depth portrait of a tradition little known in the West.
Gifts of the Desert will appeal to a wide range of people, from Christians seeking insights into their religion and its various expressions to scholars interested in learning more about the mystical way of life and wisdom that have been preserved on Mount Athos since the fall of the Byzantine Empire and the Great Schism that separated the Eastern and Western Churches. Perhaps most important, however, is the bridge it offers contemporary readers to a Christian life that is balanced between the worldly and the spiritual.
Markides, a sociology professor who has written extensively about healers and mystics, resumes his exploration of Eastern Orthodox Christianity by taking readers on pilgrimages to places as diverse as Sedona, Ariz., and the Greek island of Patmos. As he did in The Mountain of Silence, Markides uses the charismatic Father Maximos to answer questions about the faith. This time, Maximos holds forth on such topics as anger without sin, death and near-death experiences and the "primal passions" of hedonism and narcissism. But before Markides can pose his questions, he must contend with a major change: Maximos has become bishop of the Church of Cyprus and is far less available than when he was a monastery abbot. To gather material for this book, Markides often has to "ambush" the bishop with help from those who know his schedule; the creative ways he manages to connect with the holy man make for good reading. Markides keeps his theme fresh by introducing new places and figures, such as an Orthodox monastery in the Arizona desert and the well-known Kallistos Ware, Greek Orthodox bishop and convert from Anglicanism. Readers who enjoyed Mountain will be most interested in this sequel, but newcomers will find it accessible as well.

domain: library


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The Bureaux Bookshelf
“I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.” – Jane Austen
Home and Design
Creative and thoughtful books to read to and with your young ones.
Worldy flavours and exciting techniques await.


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It’s even more impressive in HD:
Click to enlarge.
The plane appears to be leaving Shanghai, which is weird, because that doesn’t look like the usual trajectory and angle for a normal commercial aeroplane on that route. How was it taken? Either the pilot has a very long arm, or the plane had a rig with the camera attached to the front. Perhaps it’s a publicity shot for some airline. Or maybe it’s all a great Photoshop job. [Thanks Richard!]

domain: hobby


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Bed Bath & Beyond to close 7 more stores in Michigan
Detroit Free Press
Bed Bath & Beyond will close seven more stores in Michigan, the company recently revealed.
The closures are part of the company's goal to avoid bankruptcy and operate approximately 360 stores.
The retail chain plans to close an additional 150 stores and raise more than $1 billion funding through a public stock offering, according to USA TODAY.
The Michigan stores closing are:
- Flint: 3605 Miller Road
- Holland: 3050 Beeline Road Suite 30
- Okemos: 1982 West Grand River Ave.
- Portage: 5930 S. Westnedge Ave.
- Saginaw: 4420 Bay Road
- Troy: 650 John R. Road
- Westland: 35615 Warren Road
Bed Bath & Beyond previously announced other Michigan stores were set to close.
More:Bed Bath & Beyond to close 5 more Michigan stores
More:Bed Bath & Beyond closing more stores and selling stock to avoid bankruptcy
After the closures, nine Michigan stores will remain, according to the company's list of locations. The stores to remain open include:
- Beverly Hills: 31535 Southfield Road
- Grand Rapids: 4901 28th St. SE
- Novi: 43610 West Oaks Drive
- Petoskey: 910 Spring St.
- Rochester Hills: 1242 South Rochester Road
- Roseville: 30801 Gratiot Ave.
- Sterling Heights: 12020 Hall Road
- Taylor: 23871 Eureka Road
- Traverse City: 3301 North U.S. 31

domain: economics


SEATTLE — The splotches of red T-shirts around Alaska Airlines Arena were the first clue Washington’s Women’s National Invitation Tournament opener was going to be odd.
Fans of underdog Eastern Washington did their best to make their presence felt in the arena of their in-state rival, and the school from east of the mountains almost took over the game, too.
It took two overtimes for UW to win 65-60. Sophomore point guard Jazmine Davis had the key play, sending a bounce pass inside to sophomore Aminah Williams to make the score 63-60 with 23 seconds left in the extra period. After Eastern Washington missed a 3-pointer, Davis closed out the game with a pair of free throws in the final seconds.
It wasn’t the first big play from Davis, as the Huskies needed a two-pointer from their leading scorer with 13 seconds left in regulation to tie the score at 49 and avoid the first-round upset.
Washington (21-13) plays Pacific (26-7) on Sunday in the second round of the WNIT. The Tigers advanced by defeating Arkansas-Little Rock 69-65 on Friday.
Down 10 points early in the second half, EWU worked its way back into the game behind sophomore point guard Kylie Huerta’s timely 3-pointers and by working freshman forward Hayley Hodgins (Chiawana) in the paint.
UW senior guard Kristi Kingma tied the score at 53-53 with 1:24 left in the first overtime, and the Huskies weathered four EWU shots and offensive rebounds to extend the game. In the second overtime, it was Kingma who hit a 3-pointer with 4:08 remaining that gave UW a lead it would not relinquish.
Despite a shorter lineup, the Eagles almost matched the Huskies on rebounding (52-51) and earned six blocks to UW's three. The visitors found comfort offensively with the home team’s hoops, shooting 35.8 percent overall compared with UW’s 31.8.
UW freshman Heather Corral hit a jumper with 10:55 left in the first half that sparked a 12-0 run that gave the Huskies a 22-13 lead.
Davis led with 22 points, while Kingma finished with 13.
Hodgins, whose mother, Karen, is UW’s fourth-leading scorer all-time, led the Eagles with 20 points.
EWU, which finished third in the Big Sky Conference, has never won a postseason game.
The matchup was Washington's fourth against an in-state school. UW defeated Washington State twice and Seattle University once in overtime at KeyArena.


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#912 Is The Foreign Interference Scandal Overblown?
Foreign Interference by the Chinese government into Canadian politics is probably the biggest news story of the year, and yet we know so little about it. What was the interference? Why did it occur? Did it work? Who was involved?
August 21, 2023
CRUDE #8 – Spies, Lies and Private Eyes
Ever get the feeling someone is watching you? If you’ve been to an environmental protest recently, you might be right. Private intelligence firms, the RCMP and even Canada’s spies have all been caught collecting information on everyday Canadians speaking out against the oil industry.
July 23, 2019
#214 Black Mirror Canada
"From mass dissemination of false information, to impersonation, leaking foreign documents in order to influence political and legal outcomes... the
possibilities for the types of activities contemplated in [Bill C-59] are limited only by imagination."
January 15, 2018
#113 CANADA 150: Here’s Who’s Pissed Off So Far
CBC’s miniseries “The Story of Us,” is only two episodes in, but manages to upset literally everyone (except Joseph Boyden). Justin Trudeau endorses CBC’s Canada150 fiasco--and his favourite microbrew, Labatt150.
April 6, 2017
#93 Hurt Me Right In The Democracy
Vice's Justin Ling joins Jesse to talk about the US election, naughty CSIS, and CBC's lukewarm takes.
November 10, 2016
When CSIS Comes Knocking pt. 2
Earlier this summer, we heard about CSIS agents making unannounced visits to Muslims. Now, one of those men joins us.
August 23, 2016
When CSIS Comes Knocking
Vicky and Supriya talk to human rights activist Monia Mazigh about CSIS's unannounced visits to Muslim men's homes and workplaces.
July 12, 2016
#129 Spy Shit
Freelance journalist Matt Braga joins Jesse to talk about spy shit - the Panama Papers, CSIS, C-51, and Ben Makuch's ongoing battle with the RCMP.
April 10, 2016
#95 Interview With Anonymous
First, the National Post's Adrian Humphreys on working with Anonymous. Then, Jesse interviews #OpAnonDown about their recent leaks on CSIS foreign stations, their John Baird threat, and more.
August 17, 2015
#11 John Baird/Anti-Terror
Why is the media so incurious about John Baird's sudden resignation? Why is Baird being so vigorously lionized? Torontoist staff writer Desmond Cole talks with Jesse about this, and about what we're not allowed to discuss as we submit to new anti-terror laws.

domain: news


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A Hawaii bill allowing same-sex couples limited benefits traditionally reserved for married couples became state law on July 8th without Governor Ben Cayetano’s signature. The legislature passed the bill in conjunction with passing a proposal to amend the state’s constitution to ban same-sex marriages. The legislation came in response to a State Supreme Court ruling that a state law banning same-sex marriages was unconstitutional. The law provides “couples” the right to share medical insurance, joint property ownership and inheritances. The law does not allow the couples to file joint income taxes or have right to child custody.
Many, however, criticize the new law because it does not apply specifically to same-sex couples and because it does not give all the benefits of marriage. The law says that any two people who are eighteen or over and unable to legally marry each other can apply for the benefits. Technically, the people do not have to know each other, live together or even live in Hawaii to apply for benefits. Gov. Cayetano supported the intent of the legislation, but not the wording and will try to change it in the next session. He commented, “Apparently the religious right did not want the bill to be seen as specifically tailored to same-sex couples. Unfortunately, the Legislature gave in to that, but created another problem.”


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On top of moving right now, I’ve just begun another quilt design class – from the same lady (Elizabeth Barton) as the first one. This one, Working in Series, is kind of a continuation – about taking the idea and stretching a few different but related ways. It’s totally fascinating – but wow – what a lot of exercises to get through. we’ve spent the first week surfing the net (and looking at any art books that we have or can get our hands on) looking for artists in any medium that works in series and does something that we like – gradually helping us to decide what WE really like and want to focus on. I’ve decided to continue my work on that French street, and maybe others like it. Now, I need to figure out what it is that I like about it…… that is a bit tougher.
The next step then, is to sketch, do watercolour sketches, collages, photocopies, photographs…. anything to give us an idea of just how far we can take it…. and to help us really grasp what the focus of our fascination really is. There are about 30 pages of notes and examples to go through, another 4-5 exercises, and I haven’t done the texture part of lesson 1 yet.
Guess I have my work “cut out for me”, so to speak. Glad the watercolours aren’t packed yet. Will there be room in my suitcase?


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Fenland Runing Club couple spur each other on to personal bests in Swansea
- Credit: Archant
A Fenland Running Club couple smashed their personal bests at the Admiral Swansea Bay 10km race on Sunday.
Justin Showell knocked 63 seconds off his previous best to finish 406th out of 2,988 finishers in 44 minutes 10 seconds.
Joice Showell took three minutes off her previous record, finishing 1,919th in one hour one minute and four seconds.


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Long Synchronism Poems
Long Synchronism Poems. Below are the most popular long Synchronism by PoetrySoup Members. You can search for long Synchronism poems by poem length and keyword.
Perfect Fabric of Peace
synchronism, dream, feelings, night, peace,
The long, motionless hours of night;
a nod, a blink or deep breath away from
a new day's noise and bustle.
Modern life, soon enough, will secure
its grip on each of us.
Many prefer the reticent solitude offered
October Dawn-October Dusk
synchronism, appreciation, color, seasons, sky,
Dawn's light gained gently in the east,
casually erasing the remnant of a fine, misty
fog away from a deep and enfolding night.
The eastern skies rang out, a bell choir
peeling, in gold and strawberry light.


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Mambu, the market-leading SaaS banking platform, has secured another high profile senior executive in the Asia Pacific region announcing the appointment of Pham Quang Minh as General Manager, Vietnam.
Mr Minh, an accomplished digital bank and fintech executive, was most recently Executive Director at TMRW, the Asian digital-only bank powered by UOB Group, and brings with him a wealth of knowledge of the digital banking sector.
“The financial services sector is at an exciting stage in Vietnam,” Myles Bertrand, Mambu’s Managing Director, APAC stated in a press release sent to Vietnam Insider. “While we have been servicing the region from our APAC head office in Singapore up until now, we felt the time was right to really grow our presence in the country. Minh has a very impressive background in digital banking consultancy, and has intimate knowledge of the Vietnamese industry and key players. His strengths in digital transformation, growth hacking and talent development are ideally suited to establishing our presence in Vietnam.”
Minh has more than 25 years’ experience in business management and technology consulting in financial services, and many years of international experience.
“I’m honoured to join the Mambu family and I look forward to building a highly effective local team here in Vietnam,” said Minh. “There is still a very high proportion of the Vietnamese population that is ‘unbanked’, and Mambu Vietnam is primed to help banks, non-banks and fintechs enhance financial inclusion for those members of the Vietnamese community that are currently excluded from financial services, as well as improve the digital banking experience for their current customers.”
According to a research by Vietnam Insider, Mambu is a leading cloud-native banking platform that operates in a Software-as-a-Service model, enables banks and financial institutions to build new banking and lending experiences in the cloud. Mambu’s most high profile customer in Vietnam is TNEX, the new digital bank launched by MSB in 2020.


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Fundraising accounts are an excellent way to fund a dream project, a charity or medical work.
But one woman appears to be using hers to fund her lavish lifestyle.
Margarita Tomovska, 27, has created a fundraising page on GoFundMe to encourage the public to donate $100,000 Australian dollars (£55,000) because she can’t get a job.
This isn’t the first time Tomovska, dubbed the ‘Mercedes Mum’ has hit headlines.
Last year she raised some eyebrows after allegedly clocking up 125mph during a police chase in her £206,000 car.
During the six-mile chase, her toddler daughter was in the backseat without a seatbelt on.
The police in New South Wales, where Tomovska lives, restricted her rights to see her daughter after the altercations.
She wrote on her GoFundMe page: “They have made it very hard for me to maintain a job as no one would hire me due to the bullshit from raptor and ACA combined.”
READ MORE: Police officer photo shoot goes viral
Raptor is the New South Wales police organisation and the ACA is the Australian Childcare Alliance.
She continued: “So I created this GoFund me [sic] to raise some support against the bullshit that they have done to me and everyone else. It's about time we fight back. Enough is enough!”
The woman regularly posts pictures on Instagram featuring designer bags and luxury cars. She also regularly posts pictures of herself at the casino.
Many people have taken to GoFundMe to air their concerns over her page.
One user wrote: “Sell everything you have and you don’t need to go out asking for money.”
“Who will be dumb enough to donate to this fraud?” Another commented.
There are reams of comments all brandishing the woman as “selfish” and “disgusting”.


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Fair Housing Laws
Fair Housing Act
Here's what you need to know about how the federal Fair Housing Act can protect your rights:
Download information about the federal Fair Housing Act.
Download an analysis of how the federal FHA applies to situations involving secondhand smoke in apartments.
Download an independent analysis of the authority of Housing Authorities and Section 8 multiunit housing owners to adopt smoke-free policies in their residential units.
Filing an FHA Complaint
If you believe that your rights under the FHA have been violated, you can file a complaint with the Office of Fair Housing of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
You can download the FHA complaint form and mail it directly to your local HUD office or you can file your complaint online via the HUD web site.
Maine Human Rights Act
Here's what you need to know about how the Maine Human Rights Act can protect your rights:

domain: law


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Cetaceans are a group of animals containing whales, porpoises, and dolphins, including some of our planet’s most iconic aquatic mammals. However, despite living their lives in water, these creatures must breathe air to survive. This seems like a pretty inconvenient way of going about things – especially considering the fact that their ancient ancestors actually lived on land. So why did cetaceans make this evolutionary U-turn and decide to take a permanent dip?
Meet the cetacean family tree
The earliest cetaceans are known from fossils found in Pakistan and India. The cetacean species Pakicetus lived about 50 million years ago and was a wolf-sized, four-legged land animal that lived near riverbanks and lakes. Wear on their teeth indicates that pakicetids hunted fish.
Then, 49 million years ago came the arrival of Ambulocetus. These creatures had more flipper-like limbs and were 3.4 to 3.7 meters (11 to 12 feet) long.
Protocetids lived in the middle Eocene, around 49-37 million years ago. One genus called Rodhocetus lived around 47 million years ago. Their nostrils were further back on their snouts and they used their tails for propulsion while swimming.
Basilosaurids emerged around 41 million years ago and were the first to be completely aquatic. Their nostrils were pushed back, resembling a blowhole, and their tiny hind limbs would have been pretty useless on land. The genus Basilosaurus translates as “king lizard” – they were originally thought to be dinosaurs! Another genus, Dorudon, gave birth to their young underwater.
Modern cetaceans emerged around 34-30 million years ago and are split into two categories, mysticetes (baleen whales) and odontocetes (toothed whales).
Why switch from the land to the water?
So why did cetaceans spurn a land-based lifestyle in the first place? As Dr Curt Stager told North Country Public Radio in 2016: “It actually makes perfect sense really to an evolutionary biologist.”
“The really kind of the underlying principle here would be that whenever there’s an opportunity, based on your body design for mutations, if there’s an opportunity to make a living, something’s probably gonna move in there and do it,” Stager explained. “And if there was a niche in the water, something that got adaptations that let it survive there, it will survive there.”
One 2018 paper explored the question of why land animals began to live in the sea, finding 69 cases of this happening. The study suggests that this phenomenon is related to an abundance of food in the watery depths.
How cetaceans' bodies changed for life in the water
First of all: cetaceans are mammals, and mammals nurse their young on milk, so how on earth does this work underwater? Well, their nipples are hidden under folds of skin called mammary slits, inverted to make them more hydrodynamic. Although footage of breastfeeding is rare, sperm whale calves have been observed making their way into the mammary slit using their lower jaw to get at some thick, fatty nourishment.
As alluded to before, cetacean nostrils gradually migrated from the snout to a location on top of the skull, becoming blowholes. Cetaceans also gradually lost the need for hind limbs over time, so did away with them, and their front limbs became the flippers that now propel them through the water.
Toothed whales have evolved echolocation, which helps with navigation and finding prey in waters where visibility is low. They generate sounds in their heads, which bounce off things and are thus reflected back to the whale. This lets them piece together a picture of what’s going on around them.
Baleen whales get their name from the comb-like filter-feeding apparatus inside their mouths that they have instead of teeth. This allows them to feed on teeny weeny prey such as krill and plankton, gulping down gigantic mouthfuls of water and then pushing it out again to trap their dinner in their mouth. Baleen is made of keratin, much like human hair and fingernails.
How cetaceans’ genes changed during their aquatic metamorphosis was explored in a paper published in 2019. Researchers screened for genes that code for proteins that were lost somewhere along the evolutionary timeline, before toothed whales and baleen whales became distinct but after cetaceans split from Hippopotamidae – fun fact, whales and hippos are each other’s closest relatives alive today!
The team found 85 inactivated genes, some of which could be related to aquatic adaptations. One of these was SLC4A9, which is involved in the secretion of saliva – food doesn’t really need much else to lubricate and wash it down when you’re gulping it down with a nice big mouthful of seawater. Blood coagulation-associated factors F12 and KLKB1 were also lost. This could be because diving induces blood vessels to narrow, and this happening frequently could increase the risk of blood clots.
A timeline of cetacean evolution
“Within eight million years, the ancestors of whales go from being fully terrestrial, such as the four-legged, furry Pakicetus which lived around the edge of the Tethys Sea, to fully aquatic,” explained cetacean researcher Dr Ellen Coombs in a 2022 statement. “This is super quick in evolutionary terms.”
Coombs is lead author of a paper on what cetacean skulls tell us about the story of their evolution. “We've gathered the most expansive cranial data set for whales which exists on the planet. Our data came from both specimens of living species and fossilized whales,” Coombs said.
This data spanned around 53 million years, cetaceans’ whole evolutionary history. This included 88 living species, representing about 95 percent of cetaceans alive today, and 113 fossil species.
“Because the cranium captures many of the most extreme shifts in feeding, respiration, and sensory structures, it is ideal for understanding these rapid and radical changes, but no previous study has reconstructed the evolution of the cetacean cranium through the full breadth of their extinct and living diversity,” added Coombs.
Examining these cetacean noggins revealed that cetaceans evolved in three bursts: one 47.8-42 million years ago in the late Eocene, another around 39 million years ago in the mid to late Oligocene, and finally a lesser one around 18-10 million years ago in the mid Miocene.
The first burst involved ancient cetacean ancestors called archaeocetes first dipping their toes into an aquatic lifestyle alongside walking about on land, doing things such as catching freshwater prey, and adapting accordingly. Their skulls and facial features evolved quickly, which the paper authors attribute either to high productivity prompting rapid change or having little competition.
The second wave involved the origin of neocetes, which is a group that diverged into two sub-groups to suit different niches: mysticetes and odontocetes. The researchers suggest that this fast diversification could have been due to constraints that needed to be overcome via evolution. The skull features of mysticetes were observed to evolve slower than odontocetes. The third wave mostly involved the specialization and diversification of odontocetes.
This incredible example of evolution has resulted in the emergence of many fascinating and beautiful creatures – including the critically endangered vaquita, the world’s rarest marine mammal. This group of animals also includes a contender for the heaviest animal ever, the extinct Perucetus colossus; and the biggest animal on our planet, the blue whale!

domain: biology


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Just a couple of weeks ago, the world witnessed a rather unusual but massive campaign called “Free the Nipple”, in which protesters from 60 countries across the world took to the streets in protest of the female bare chests being censored and females not being allowed to be topless in many public places, unlike their male counter parts, which seemingly shows the duplicity that exists in our society when it comes to gender equality.
While this campaign got eye balls from around the world, there is another campaign, not known by many, which is changing the lives of women, especially in Iran. On May 3, 2014, an Iranian journalist, Mashid Alinejad, started a campaign to liberate Iranian women from the obligatory hijab (head scarf) that was made compulsory in 1979 after Iran’s Islamic revolution.
The soft yet powerful protest started on a Facebook page, My Stealthy Freedom. Here, Iranian women, of all ages and generations are not just empowering and inspiring society with pictures of themselves without the obligatory hijab, but have created quite a ripple in the Iranian parliament as well.
The Iranian Parliament faced numerous obstacles in passing a recent bill aimed to reinforce compliance with the women’s dress code. The Parliament has been advised by various legal bodies to suspend this bill. This is probably the first time since the Islamic revolution that a legal body associated with the Parliament has been made to caution the MPs not to adopt a more conservative bill on the enforcement of the dress code.
The movement has undoubtedly gained lots of opposition. One of the first backlashes was a sarcastic Facebook group called “Men’s stealthy freedom” poking fun at the women and demeaning them. A lot of religious fundamental women started campaigning in favour of the hijab, however, the protest died sooner after it began.
A lot of women who posted their pictures online were subjected to punishments and over 100 men went onto the streets demanding these women be arrested. Many religious clerics have spoken out against the Stealthy Freedom movement, but this hasn’t changed the resolve of the women, and many supportive men who want to bring about positive change.
In Tehran, the women’s sleeves are getting shorter, boots are getting back in vogue and the hijab is getting looser. But this is just the start of an inspiring campaign that aims to liberate its women and it surely deserves way more attention that it is currently getting.

domain: sociology


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The cycling organization revoked one trans cyclist’s silver medal for not meeting new rules on how trans athletes can compete.
A day after winning second place in a USA Cycling event, trans athlete Leia Genis saw her distinction taken away. During the USA Cycling Elite Track National Championship in Pennsylvania on July 27, Genis won second place in the Individual Pursuit event.
Less than 24 hours later, a USA Cycling official informed Genis that she would lose that position because she failed to meet recently updated requirements for transgender athletes. The organization also barred her from competing in further events at the championship.
In an official statement, USA Cycling said that Genis failed to provide the documents necessary for competing in the elite women’s category. That category requires Genis to meet guidelines on trans athletes that Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) — cycling’s governing body — approved in June.
Those rules went into effect for USA Cycling on July 1 and require trans athletes in elite women’s categories to show proof of testosterone levels below 2.5 nmol/L for 24 months. According to USA Cycling, Genis was “made aware” of the policy in March 2022.
When the organization reviewed Genis’ eligibility for the elite event, a representative found that she had not completed the “required steps.”
“As a result, USA Cycling refunded Ms. Genis’ registration fees, vacated her event results, and removed her from further events at the 2022 USA Cycling Elite & Junior Track National Championships,” USA Cycling said.
Writing on Instagram, Genis called the move by USA Cycling “blatant” transphobia.
View this post on Instagram
Rapidly Changing Rules for Trans Athletes
After Genis posted on Instagram, USA Cycling told Road.cc that the decision resulted from a technicality. Genis switched from non-elite categories to elite ones, which then disqualified her.
“Ms. Genis was participating in non-elite categories and fell under USA Cycling’s Policy VII Non-Elite Competition guidelines,” the organization said. “Ms. Genis subsequently upgraded but did not provide the UCI with the necessary documents to race in the Elite Women’s category.”
Across professional sports, the rules for transgender athletes continue to change. The UCI updated its policies in June, barring trans athletes like Emily Bridges from competing until 2023.
However, not all sports organizations agree on rules for whether trans athletes can compete.
World Triathlon just passed new rules similar to UCI’s. The regulations will allow trans triathletes to compete as women, as long as they follow stricter guidelines for testosterone levels. They also require that athletes comply with longer waiting periods after transitioning.
That differs from British Triathlon and the World Rugby League, which both opted over the last year to ban trans women from competing in the female category altogether.


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Madonna labelled a 'gruesome attention seeker' by Morgan
Madonna, 64, has hit back at her critics as she urged them to “stop bullying” her in a new social media post. The Queen of Pop took to Instagram last night to share a plea with her 18.6 million followers amid a fresh attack from rapper 50 Cent, 47.
The In Da Club rapper shared a picture on November 6 that mocked a TikTok video uploaded by the Like A Virgin singer, in which she was seen angrily lip-syncing to Vent by Baby Keem.
The picture was accompanied by the title: “Madonna using rap music for clout on TikTok is pathetic and truly disturbs my spirit.”
50 Cent added in the caption: “I told y’all grandma was on bulls**! like a virgin at 64. LOL” before hashtagging his own alcohol brands.
In the picture shared to her Story on Sunday night, Madonna could be seen gazing into the camera, with her face partially covered by the caption: “Stop bullying Madonna for enjoying her life. Also....”
The following clip showed the musician miming to her hit song, Give It To Me.
The pair had already locked horns last year after 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis James Jackson III, wrote that Madonna's photos were “the funniest s**t! LOL".
50 Cent’s remarks came after Madonna shared one specific snap featuring her legs and pert bottom protruding out from under a bed.
He added that Madonna was “under the bed trying to do like a virgin at 63. She shot out, if she don’t get her old a** up. LMFAO".(sic)
Madonna later hit back, logging onto the social media platform to post a throwback snap of her smiling and hugging 50 Cent.
Madonna wrote: "Here is 50 Cent pretending to be my friend. Now you have decided to talk smack about me!
"I guess your new career is getting attention by trying to humiliate others on social media," she added.
Madonna continued: "The least elevated choice you could make as an artist and an adult.
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"You're just jealous you won't look as good as me or have as much fun when you are my age!
"Too bad there are no sour grape emojis," she added alongside a frustrated face emoji and the hashtag "#50Cent".
Madonna also shared a number of Stories in which she used a green alien filter as she encouraged her followers to be themselves.
She told her fans: "Cheer up, things could be worse.
"You could be me for instance, permanently.
"Personally I like the way I look, but there are those that find it hard to appreciate people and things that are different," she said.
The star went on: "And they try to shame me, or humiliate me, or make me feel less than because I am not like everyone else.
"But in fact, I cherish my uniqueness and I've grown stronger because to be unique is to be rare," she ended the clip.


text:
At the same time global wine consumption has stablised since the 2008 economic crisis and is estimated at 240 million hectolitres for 2015, up slightly on 2014. As a result, the world wine trade continues to grow in volume to 104.3 million hectolitres (up 1.8%) and especially in value which rose by 10.6% to €28.3 billion.
The statistics formed part of a state-of-the-global-wine-market address by the Director General of the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (or OIV) Jean-Marie Aurand at the Organisation’s headquarters in Paris recently.
As China’s and New Zealand’s vineyard surface area continued to increase, EU vineyards decreased slightly between 2014 and 2015. Spain remains the clear leader in terms of the cultivated surface area with over a million hectares (1.021 million ha), ahead of China (0.82 million ha) and France (0.78 million ha).
The biggest wine producer in the world at 49.5 million hl, Italy, grew production by 12% in 2015 compared to the previous year. France followed Italy on 47.5 million hl and then Spain (37.2 million hl). Production in the US ran at 22.1 million hl.
In the Southern Hemisphere, production declined in Argentina to 13.4 million hl but increased in Chile to 12.9 million hl and remained stable in Australia at 11.9 million hl. Production fell slightly both in South Africa (11.2 million hl) and China (11 million hl).
With a consumption figure of 31 million hectolitres, the US confirmed its position as the biggest global consumer country. Consumption was relatively stable in Italy (20.5 million hl) and Spain (10 million hl), yet continued to erode in France (27.2 million hl) compared to 2014. The level of consumption in China is estimated at 16 million hl – a slight increase of 0.5 million hl compared with 2014.


text:
Day of Decision
What is the day of decision? Why should it concern you and your family? What will its end bring?
THE period since 1914 has been a critical time in the history of the human race. It has witnessed two world wars that were the most destructive of human life and property that mankind ever waged. It has seen atomic weapons make their entrance on the world stage with the spectacular destruction of two modern cities and has watched those weapons grow in destructive power to the point where all earthly life is threatened. It has seen the world become divided into two violently opposed camps, with each side poised and ready to wage an all-out atomic war.
This small moment in the great stream of time has been far from pleasant for the more than two and a half billion people inhabiting the earth. It has not brought them happiness, peace or a feeling of security. In spite of the phenomenal progress made by science during this period man feels less certain of the future than at any time in his past.
More than 1900 years ago Jesus Christ foresaw this turbulent period and prophesied about it. The things he foretold have come to pass. They mark this period as the time of the end for the present world or system of things. This is the time for a great change to take place. It will be a change for the good of mankind because it will be of God’s making. The prophet Daniel spoke of it when he said: “And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.”—Dan. 2:44, AS.
That kingdom will bring about the end of this present wicked system of things and will establish a new system of things that will bring perpetual peace and security to this war-torn planet. The fact that we are now living in the period when this change for the better is due to take place means we are in a day of decision. Everyone must decide whether he wants to live in that new system of things under the rule of God’s kingdom or cling to this old system of things and perish with it.
This is not a fanciful dream but a statement of fact. Consider it as a warning that is given for your own good. It is during this day of decision that God purposed that this warning should be proclaimed throughout the earth. He is giving earth’s teeming millions ample time to decide whether they want to live under the rule of his kingdom or not.
LIKE NOAH’S DAY
The situation in this period since 1914 is remarkably similar to that of the last days of the world before the great Flood. That world was also a wicked system that brought forth bad fruits. Its day of decision was during the period when Noah was warning of the flood. It was during that period that they were free to decide their own fate. They could choose to separate from that world and submit to the will of God, or they could cling to it and perish with it. Only eight persons made the wise decision. They were the ones who survived the end of that system of things.
Christ drew a parallel between that ancient day of decision and the one in which we now live. He said: “Moreover, just as it occurred in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of man: they were eating, they were drinking, men were marrying, women were being given in marriage, until that day when Noah entered into the ark, and the flood arrived and destroyed them all.” (Luke 17:26, 27) This modern age is manifesting the same indifference to the divine warning as did the age before the Flood.
This modern-day warning as well as the proclamation of the good news that God’s kingdom under Christ now rules from the invisible heavens is making available to earth’s inhabitants the necessary knowledge for making a right decision. It is actually separating them into two groups, just as the preaching of Noah produced two groups. One group heeds the warning and rejoices over the good news of the Kingdom’s establishment and of Christ’s enthronement in the invisible heavens. The other group rejects the proclamation and ignores it. They react to it just as the people of Noah’s day reacted to his message.
SHEEP AND GOATS
Christ gave an illustration that foretold how earth’s inhabitants would be divided by their attitudes toward the good news of the Kingdom and the proclaimers of it. He said: “When the Son of man arrives in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.” (Matt. 25:31-33) Thus the two groups that result from the world-wide preaching of the good news of the established Kingdom will be separated to Christ’s right hand of favor and to his left hand of disfavor.
This dividing work has to be done while the old system of things with its sea of mixed peoples is still existing. It is not something that can be done quickly; it requires a period of time, just as Noah’s preaching did. Since Christ revealed in his illustration that he, the King, would be the One to supervise the separating of the people, he must be ruling in Kingdom power during the time when it is being done. Thus he would rule for a period while his enemies are still in power, and that is precisely what he has been doing since the last days of this system of things began in 1914.
The separating of earth’s inhabitants by the good news of the Kingdom has been in progress for many years, but it will not continue beyond the lifetime of those who were living when it began shortly after 1914. Jesus made that clear when he said. “Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.” (Matt. 24:34) He meant the generation living when the world events that he foretold as marking the last days would be taking place.
As it is impossible to serve faithfully two masters who are enemies of each other so is it impossible to serve the King, Christ Jesus, and at the same time serve the interests of this corrupt world. The Bible writer James said regarding this: “Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God.”—Jas. 4:4.
A person has to decide whether he will stand with God’s kingdom under Christ and serve God’s interests as his “sheep” or stand with this corrupt world and serve its selfish interests and be classed with the “goats.” It is a serious decision that cannot be avoided.
EXECUTION OF JUDGMENT
Christ foretold that “this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for the purpose of a witness to all the nations, and then the accomplished end will come.” (Matt. 24:14) As long as that preaching is being done earth’s inhabitants will continue under the King’s judgment, but when it ends his decision will be final. His judgment will then be executed. Regarding those who end up on the King’s left, in the goat class, God said through his prophet Isaiah: “I will destine you men to the sword, and you will all of you bow down to being slaughtered, for the reason that I called, but you did not answer; I spoke, but you did not listen; and you kept doing what was bad in my eyes, and the thing in which I took no delight you chose.”—Isa. 65:12.
This execution of divine judgment through the King, Christ Jesus, will take place at the coming battle of Armageddon. At that time God’s King will destroy this wicked system of things and all who are clinging to it. The words of Enoch will then be fulfilled: “Look! Jehovah came with his holy myriads, to execute judgment against all and to convict all the ungodly concerning all their ungodly deeds that they did in an ungodly way and concerning all the shocking things that ungodly sinners spoke against him.”—Jude 14, 15.
But what about those on the King’s right hand, those he judges as his sheep? Christ tells us in his illustration: “Then the king will say to those on his right: ‘Come, you who have my Father’s blessing, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the world’s foundation.’” (Matt. 25:34) They receive this favorable judgment because they made the right decision.
The period in which we live is critical not only because of an atomic-war threat but because all people are on trial before God’s enthroned King. They are under judgment with their lives at stake. That is why this day of decision is of vital concern to everyone.

domain: literature


text:
The wedding was an intimate affair, with only family and close friends attending the ceremony.
The 52-year-old groom was seen dressed in a white kurta-pyjama while Ankita donned a bright yellow lehenga and floral jewellery. There is so much love and joy in these pictures that it will surely make you want to be in love as well.
Ankita looks like a flawless blushing bride and Milind looks dazzling as ever.
The couple has been posting their pictures from Alibaug, where they are now staying for the celebrations.
Gallery- Check Out These Pictures From Milind Soman And Ankita Konwar's Haldi Ceremony! Flaunting a pink Assamese mekhala chador and gajra ornating her neatly tied bun, Ankita looks mesmerised in Milind's eyes. "Milind took his Instagram account and posted a picture with a caption, "#focus on the good.#BetterHabits4BetterLife #surroundedbylove".
Milind and Ankita enjoyed their mehendi and haldi ceremonies on Saturday afternoon, followed by a sangeet at night.
Milind and Ankita's friend Devashish Guruji also posted some pictures on his Instagram story from the venue. They would subsequently go on to particpate in several marathons, sometimes with Milind's mom for company.
Milind and Ankita, your love and relationship has always given us some serious relationship goals (and have broken a few hearts too!).

domain: entertainment


text:
Panang (taken from the name of the island of the West Coast of Malaysia) curry is a peanut rich and creamy red curry that is popular with Westerners. Like with all other Thai curries, this is best served alongside a simple portion of steamed white Jasmine rice.
That oily sheen is how cracked coconut curries should look (there is no oil added).
Vegan Panang (Penang) Curry
Panang curry is much loved for its rich peanut-y flavour, which is unique to this particular curry. Be sure to use a peanut butter without added sugar, and add more if you want a bolder flavour.
- ¼ cup red curry paste
- 2 cups coconut cream or fatty coconut milk with only ingredients coconut and water
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon palm sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon smooth unsweetened peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon seasoning sauce
- 2 teaspoons thin soy sauce
- 2 kaffir lime leaves, torn, plus extra for garnish
- 1-2 cups firm chunks of tofu (for best texture, deep fry first)
- Handful fresh Thai basil
- Crack 1 cup of the coconut cream by simmering it over over medium heat until solids separate and oil surfaces (it will look slightly curdled at first and then develop into a more clear liquid). If your coconut milk refuses to crack, add two teaspoons of coconut or vegetable oil to the milk. Add curry paste and fry for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the remaining coconut milk/cream, palm sugar, peanut butter, seasoning sauce, soy sauce and torn kaffir lime leaves. The curry should be salty and sweet, so make adjustments as you see fit. Mix well and tip in tofu.
- Just before serving, stir a handful of Thai basil through. Serve with steamed jasmine rice. Garnish with thin slices of kaffir lime and fresh Thai basil, if desired.
- Serves 2, with steamed rice
- Cuisine: Thai

domain: food


text:
I am a latecomer to literature, even to reading. When I started reading it triggered my own words which were sleeping deep inside me. I began with letters to friends. I tried to put my own thoughts, ideas and dreams in it. They accepted my words. There I learned the power of language.
At the early stage I did try to imitate many great writers. But fortunately, all such works are rejected by good editors. Only later I found my own way of style and language in storytelling. When I found my way, readers accepted my writings. It was a long process.
Now you are focusing on love stories. But you have to see other people, their pain, their agony, their alienation, their desperation, you may have better stories to tell.
My leisure time and other ‘companies.’ I sit and work six to eight hours for literature. That’s why I have twenty-four books in twenty years.
I never obligated and many of my subjects are from outside. And also I realise readers enjoyed the subjects from unknown lands. As I am writing a ‘novel’ I don’t want to bother about lines between fact and fiction. Novels are a beautiful mix of fact, fiction and fantasy.
In the first draft the book had more discussions and discourse on Shia and Sunni conflict, even from early Islamic period. Then I felt it is something boring for a fiction reader. So, I removed most of it and kept only some things. If the reader is interested, go for other books for detailed history.
The scene described in the chapter named CCTV, page number 247 onwards.
Actually I don’t know. I wish every reader must understand what I mean in a novel.

domain: artistic


|Publication number||US3908636 A|
|Publication date||Sep 30, 1975|
|Filing date||Feb 15, 1974|
|Priority date||Feb 15, 1974|
|Publication number||US 3908636 A, US 3908636A, US-A-3908636, US3908636 A, US3908636A|
|Inventors||Page Robert E|
|Original Assignee||Page Robert E|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (5), Referenced by (21), Classifications (4)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
United States Patent 1 1 Page [541 PORTABLE PULSE SENSOR Robert E. Page, 3427 Dumas St., San Diego. Calif. 92106 221 Filed: Feb. 15, 1974  Appl. No.: 442,705
 US. Cl. l28/2.05 T; 128/205 P  Int. Cl. A61B 5/02  Field of Search 128/205 A, 2.05 E, 2.05 P,
128/205 Q, 2.05 R. 2.05 S, 2.05 T; 179/1 LLL/I/I/II/l/ll/l/I/II III/[III III llll $908,636
1 1 Sept. 30, 1975 Primary ExunIi11erWilliam E. Kamm Attorney. Agent. or Firm-Richard S. Sciascia; Ervin F. Johnston; William T. Skeet  ABSTRACT A cardiovascular monitoring system employs a photoelectric monitoring circuit to obtain analog signals corresponding to the heartbeat of a subject. The monitoring system is housed within a small portable case which may be carried on the person of the subject. Cooperating amplification and detection circuitry are housed within the case and provide an audible tone corresponding to each pulse beat of the subject. Control switching is provided to initiate the monitoring of a subject's pulse beat and to terminate it upon placement of a finger of the subject in the monitoring test station. Additionally, the arrangement and selection of components permit waterproofing such that underwater operation is possible.
7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures III/ Ill/l/I/I/I/l/l/Il/Il/II/I/l/l/IZJ/IIIII/J U5. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet1of2 3,908,636
I II// I I I I/III/l/l'////I///////////////////////////////////// FIG.2
US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet20f2 3,908,636
RATE SENSOR XTL SPEAKER BATTERY MICRO SWITCH PORTABLE PULSE SENSOR STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to the field of biomedical instrumentation. By way of further explanation. this invention pertains to the electronic instrumentation of the cardiovascular condition of a living subject. In still greater particularity, the invention provides a portable and simplified means of alerting a subject to his own cardiovascular activity. By way of further characterization, this invention pertains to a highly portable instrument which permits a subject to conveniently determine his cardiovascular activity rate without unduly interrupting his activities.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART In modern times great advances have been made in biomedical instrumentation. Particularly, significant strides have been made in the instrumentation for obtaining information pertaining to the circuitry system. Such information has become the basis of the diagnosis of certain abnormal conditions as well as the termination of normal conditions in a variety of animals, including humans.
Because most of this research activity has been centered about esoteric information useful in laboratory and hospital situations, the field measurement of such vital factors as pulse rate has changed little over the years. This traditional method involves listening to the audible pulses produced by the heart of the subject by mechanically and acoustically coupling ones acoustic sensory channels to the body cavity of the subject. The apparatus permitting this acousting coupling, termed stethoscope, form the basis of the historical development of the cardiovascular instrumentation arts. While such techniques and instruments are time-proven, they nonetheless are intrusive and require a relatively quiet environment to be satisfactorily operable. Additionally, the use of this technique requires some training and ex perience.
It is often necessary for a subject to determine his own pulse rate. For example, a subject who has undergone heart surgery is cautioned to limit-his physical activities until a complete healing has occurred. It is, therefore, important for such subjects to have an objective indication of their pulse rate uncolored by emotional and other subjective factors.
Likewise. subjects operating in environments foreign to normal terrestial activity who are supplied breathing gases must hold physical activity within certain bounds. Because of the high emotional stress and other factors encountered in these working environments, for example in outer space and underwater, it is difficult for the subject to accurately gauge his level of physical activities without an objective indication.
Thus, there has been a need for an instrument which will provide an indication of cardiovascular activity without psychological intrusion on the subject, or which would require a minimum expenditure of timeby the subject. Additionally, a system which would permit a subject to monitor his own activity with a minimum of curtailment thereof has remained an unsatisfied need in the biomedical field."
SUMMARY oF THE INVENTION The invention provides the portable pulse rate monitor which provides an audible tone corresponding to each heartbeat of the subject. A photoelectric sensor is responsive to variations produced by a light beam shining through a portion of the subject's anatomy and converts this electrical energy to audible tones. By counting the number of audible tones occurring within a fixed period of time, the subject may obtain objective information as to his level of cardiovascular activity. Selection of circuitry components and enclosure within a suitable case have rendered the circuitof the invention highly portable and effective for individual applications.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved cardiovascular instrumentation device.
Another object of this invention is to provide a portable pulse sensor.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pulse sensor having an audible signal.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a portable cardiovascular instrument having an audible signal.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a portable pulse sensing system which may be employed by a subject to determine his own pulse rate.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a portable cardiovascular instrumentation system having a noninvasive photoelectric input.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a portable cardiovascular pulse detection system which is activated and deactivated by placing the system in an operative or inoperative position.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a pulse detection system capable of personal transportto extra-terrestial work areas.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a portable pulse detection system using a noninvasive photoelectric input and having an audible tone indication of the pulse beat of thesubject.
These and other objects of the invention will become more readily apparent from the ensuing specification when taken together with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top elevation view of the device of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the device of the invention taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the device of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, a cardiovascular instrument of the invention is indicated generally at 11. An opaque case 12 encloses the device and provides a mounting foundation for the various elements comprising the circuitry of the instrument. Case 12 may be of any suitable opaque plastic material or lightweight metal. In developmental models. commercially available plastic cases have proven satisfactory. A colored lens 13 is mounted on the upper surface of case 12. An aperture 14 in one end of case 12 permits the insertion of finger 15 of the subject within the interior of case 12.
Referring to FIG. 2, a sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1 reveals the general placement of the components within the interior of case 12. As shown, an
electric lamp 16 is positioned beneath lens 13 and above a photocell 22. The positioning of lamp ]6 is such as to provide an illumination of the fingernail area of the subjects finger 15. The circuit board 17 is secured to the upper surface of case 12 and mounts the various electronic components comprising the circuitry of the invention. An electroacoustic transducer 18 is also mounted to the upper surface of case 12 and occupies a position above circuit board 17. Electroacoustic transducer 18 may be a crystal type speaker element constructed of two face-shear cut crystal elements. For example, that shown in US. Pat. No. 3,562,451 granted to Walter W. Mullen, Jr. et al. on Feb. 9, 1971 for Microphone and Headset for Underwater Swimmer" hasproven practical in developmental models of the invention, particularly when used in underwater environments, as will be more fully discussed herein.
An electric battery 19 is positioned below circuit board 17 and is operatively connected in circuit therewith. Battery 19 may be of any suitable type, but is preferably a nine volt miniature type with snap-on terminals. Such batteries are well known in the electronics art, and offered by a variety of manufacturers. A microswitch 21 is positioned to comprise the terminal end of the test station for receiving finger 15 of the subject. It is positioned suchas to be actuated by the insertion of finger 15 through aperture 14.
On the lower surface of the test station, opposite electric lamp 16, is a photocell 22. A variety of photocells for miniature applications are known on the market and choice among them will depend upon other circuit parameters. In general, however, small variable resistance photocells used in the photo industry have proven satisfactory in this application. A second switch 56 is also mounted on the upper surface of case 12 and is connected to circuit board 17. Switch 56 may option-- ally be provided to connect and disconnect a rate determining circuit, as will be more fully discussed herein.
The various elements shown in FIG. 2 may be held in their desired locations by a suitable clear plotting compound which renders the entire unit waterproof to moderate depths where divers customarily operate and thereby provides a waterproof encapsulating mounting. Any suitable transparent potting compound may be used for this purpose. However, it should be noted that that sold under the trade name Scotch Cast-8", manufactured by the 3-M corporation has proven satisfactory in developmental models.
Referring to FIG. 2, the circuitry comprising the invention is illustrated. As previously made clear, the pulse at the finger is detected optically as a change in brightness in the light passing through the finger caused by variations in blood volume therein. This light is provided by lamp 16 which is connected to battery 19 via a current limiting resistor 24. Lamp 16 may be of any desired type, however, in developmental models a lamp designated as type 345 has proven satisfactory. The light which passes through the finger impinges photocell 22 which may be of the CL903L type. Photocell 22 is connected to battery 19 by means of current limiting resistor 25. The pulse caused variations in resistance cause a charge to be applied to capacitor 26 which is coupled to an integrated circuit 29.
Capacitor 27 acts as a noise filter and is placed across photoresistor 22, as shown. The change in electrical flux represented by the change in voltage across capacitor 26 is coupled to integrated circuit 29 by means of by-passing resistor 28. Feedback gain control is provided by resistors 31 and 32 and are of such a value as to provide a gain of approximately 1,000 by integrated circuit 29.
The output ofintegrated circuit 29 is coupled via capacitor 33, to a second integrated circuit 36 which is connected to function as a differentiator. Biasing arrangements for circuit 36 are provided by resistor 34 and capacitor 35 and the differentiating feedback circuitry is comprised by capacitors 37 and resistors 38 and 39. The output of integrated circuit 36 is, resistor 41 and capacitor 42, to a transistor switch which includes transistors 43 and .44. A resistance 45 connects transistors 43 and 44 to form a transistor switch which is supplied voltage by resistance network 46 and 47 which, in turn, is stabilized by capacitor 48. Transistor switches 43 and 44, which may be types 2N2222 and 2N2907 respectively, operate a pulsed audio oscillator which is comprised by a third integrated circuit 51.
integrated circuit 51 is connected as an oscillator by feedback resistance 52 and capacitor 53. These components are chosen so as to provide the desired audio tone to be monitored. Although 1,000 cycles have proven satisfactory in developmental models, other frequencies may be chosen if desired. For example, if the device is to be used primarily by in an underwater invironment personnel, the audio frequency may be chosen which could be monitored by passive search sonars such that, in emergency situations, the pulse detector may be used in emergency homing beacons.
The output of integrated circuit 5.1 is taken from load resistor 54 by means of switch 56 and coupled to crystal transducer 18. If desired, switch 56 may be thrown to the nonillustrated position and connect a rate sensor circuit 55 in the pulse monitoring circuit.
Rate sensor circuit 55 is simply a conventional time controlled gate circuit which may be left open for a predetermined length of time. The length of time that the gate is left open is chosen such that the number of pulse counts heard during that interval may be multiplied to obtain a conventional pulse rate. Thus, if the period which gate 55 may be left open is 6 seconds, the pulse count multiplier would be 10. Such a large multiplier, while satisfactory in some instances, does not provide an accurate pulse count. Of course, pulse rate sensor 55 may be open for a period of 60 seconds, in which case the pulse count would be the commonly accepted pulse rate. However, such long periods have proven unsatisfactory, in that they are intrusive on the activities of the subject and permit a loss of count during such a long interval. A 15 second interval has proven satisfactory for most circumstances, in which case the multiplier is four and such a computation may be easily made by a subject if an actual pulse rate is desired. Such a timing circuit is shown in Electronic Circuit Design Handbook", 4th edition May 1971, TAB Books Blue Ridge Summit, Pa. 17214 at Page 92 and Rate sensor circuit 55 may be omitted from the device of the invention and, of course, switch 56 would also be omitted in such circumstances. Alternatively, rate sensor circuit 55 may be permanently wired into the circuit and, in such instances, switch 56 would also be dispensed with.
MODE OF OPERATION The mode of operation ofthe device of the invention is essentially the mode of operation of the circuit of FIG. 3. However. to initiate the circuits operation it should be noted that the subject simply places his finger in aperture 14 sufficiently far to trip switch 21. This assures that his finger is in the test position. The tripping of switch 21 connects battery 19 in circuit with the various components to be supplied voltage. Such a power connection starts the circuit to operate and audible pulses are heard from speaker 18. [n the illustrated position of switch 56, FIG. 3, audible pulses will be heard as long as finger remains in the test station. However, if switch 56 is thrown to the nonillustrated position. a pulse count will start on insertion of the finger 15 in the test station to operate switch 21 and will continue for the predetermined time period for which the rate sensor gate is 'set. Of course, the pulse count indicates if the pulse rate has exceeded the predetermined rate so that the subject may take precautionary measures.
The foregoing description taken together with the appended claims constitute a disclosure such as to enable a person skilled in the electronics and bioinstrumentation arts and having the benefit of teachings contained herein to make and use the invention. Further. the structure herein described meets the objects of invention, and generally constitutes a meritorious advance in the art unobvious to such a skilled worker not having the benefit of these teachings.
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings, and, it is therefore understood that within the scope ofthe disclosed inventive concept, the invention may be practiced otherwise than specifically described.
What is claimed is:
l. A cardiovascular instrument for audible detection of cardiovascular activity of a living subject comprising:
a case adapted for portability and unobtrusive storage upon the person of the subject;
a test station within said case for receiving an appendage of a subject under test;
an aperture in said case positioned to communicate with said test station within said case for passing an appendage of the subject therethrough into said test station;
a light source positioned within and effectively mounted on said case, adjacent said aperture, and on one side of said test station in a position to impinge an appendage of the subject inserted through said aperture into said test station with light energy; an electro-optical transducer means positioned within said test station and effectively mounted on said case opposite and in optical alignment with said light source for being occulted by a appendage of the subject when inserted through said aperture into said test station to thereby receive light which has passed through said appendage of the subject; circuit means attached to said case and positioned therein and electrically connected to said photoelectric transducer for receipt of electrical signals therefrom and production of larger amplitude signals having a predetermined relationship to the cardiovascular activity of the subject and including a rate determining circuit which connects said larger amplitude signals to said electroacoustic transducer during a predetermined time interval; electroacoustic transducer means attached to said case and positioned therewithin and electrically connected to said circuit means for producing acoustic signals in response to the larger amplitude electrical signals produced thereby;
electrical power source means mounted to and within said case and electrically connected to said light source and said circuit means for the supply of electrical operating potentials thereto; and
switch means attached to and positioned within said case means at the terminal end of said test station for engagement by the appendage of the subject when inserted through said aperture into said test station and electrically connected between said source of electrical power and said light source and said circuit means for establishing electrical power when the appendage of the subject is inserted and for interrupting electrical power when the appendage is withdrawn from said test station.
2. A cardiovascular instrument according to claim 1 in which case is made of an opaque material.
3. A cardiovascular instrument according to claim 1 in which said light source is an electric lamp.
4. A cardiovascular instrument according to claim 3 further including:
a transparent lens mounted in the wall of said case in juxtaposition to said electric lamp to indicate the operative condition of the instrument 5. A cardiovascular instrument according to claim 1 further including a second'switch means connected in circuit to selectively by-pass said rate determining circuit.
6. A cardiovascular instrument according to claim 1 in which said electroacoustic transducer means is a two-element piezoelectric unit.
7. A cardiovascular instrument according to claim 6 further including a water proof mounting in which said circuit means, said electro-optical transducer, and said electroacoustic transducer are encapsulated.
|Cited Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US2918054 *||Sep 9, 1957||Dec 22, 1959||Goolkasian Peter A||Electrically responsive repetitive-surge indicators|
|US3229685 *||Apr 19, 1963||Jan 18, 1966||Emerson Electric Co||Blood pressure measuring|
|US3556084 *||Nov 29, 1967||Jan 19, 1971||Budde Carl A||Medical pulse analyzing apparatus|
|US3562491 *||Oct 19, 1967||Feb 9, 1971||Dick Co Ab||Master controlled copy count method and apparatus|
|US3651798 *||May 15, 1970||Mar 28, 1972||Parke Davis & Co||Blood pressure indicator and noise|
|Citing Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US4030483 *||Apr 26, 1976||Jun 21, 1977||Stevens Jack D||Pulse rate monitoring device|
|US4074710 *||May 28, 1976||Feb 21, 1978||City Of Hope National Medical Center||Intrathoracic pressure biofeedback method|
|US4083366 *||Jun 16, 1976||Apr 11, 1978||Peter P. Gombrich||Heart beat rate monitor|
|US4129124 *||Feb 10, 1977||Dec 12, 1978||Elektro-Apparatebau Olten A.G.||Pulse-rate indicator|
|US4181134 *||Sep 21, 1977||Jan 1, 1980||Mason Richard C||Cardiotachometer|
|US4198988 *||Jul 26, 1978||Apr 22, 1980||Nasa||Pulse transducer with artifact signal attenuator|
|US4239048 *||Feb 6, 1979||Dec 16, 1980||Multitronics Corporation||Cardiotachometer using autocorrelation techniques|
|US4353152 *||Feb 21, 1980||Oct 12, 1982||Novatec, Inc.||Pulse rate monitor|
|US4407295 *||Oct 16, 1980||Oct 4, 1983||Dna Medical, Inc.||Miniature physiological monitor with interchangeable sensors|
|US4819860 *||Jan 9, 1986||Apr 11, 1989||Lloyd D. Lillie||Wrist-mounted vital functions monitor and emergency locator|
|US4844084 *||Jun 7, 1988||Jul 4, 1989||Omron Tateisi Electronics Co.||Electronic blood pressure meter|
|US4850369 *||Oct 7, 1987||Jul 25, 1989||Omron Tateisi Electronics Co.||Cuff for blood pressure measuring apparatus|
|US5080098 *||Dec 18, 1989||Jan 14, 1992||Sentinel Monitoring, Inc.||Non-invasive sensor|
|US5228449 *||Jan 22, 1991||Jul 20, 1993||Athanasios G. Christ||System and method for detecting out-of-hospital cardiac emergencies and summoning emergency assistance|
|US5469739 *||Jul 12, 1994||Nov 28, 1995||Bait Data, Inc.||On-line fishing depth indicator with encapsulated components|
|US7179230 *||Apr 24, 2001||Feb 20, 2007||Arkray, Inc.||Pulsimeter and measuring system comprising the same|
|US20030142588 *||Apr 24, 2001||Jul 31, 2003||Masanao Kawatahara||Pulsometer and measuring system comprising the same|
|US20050044909 *||Aug 28, 2003||Mar 3, 2005||Volker Lange||Knob cylinder with biometrical sensor|
|EP0350546A2 *||Jul 12, 1988||Jan 17, 1990||Advanced Techtronics, Inc.||Instrument and method for noninvasive testing for glucose and other body fluid constituents|
|EP0350546A3 *||Jul 12, 1988||Jan 31, 1990||Advanced Techtronics, Inc.||Instrument and method for noninvasive testing for glucose and other body fluid constituents|
|WO1982000088A1 *||Jul 3, 1980||Jan 21, 1982||Prime Microelectronic Instr In||Cardiotachometer using autocorrelation techniques|


Cristiano Ronaldo gave his old youth club teammate and true friend Albert Fantrau a new car and a gorgeous home in return for a very generous deed – and that’s an understatement!
Scouts told the team that whoever scored more goals would be accepted to their academy. Both Ronaldo and Albert had scored a goal and Albert was now up to score again as he beat the goalie and just needed to place the ball in the empty net to be accepted. However, he pulled one of the most selfless acts, as Ronaldo himself said “All he had to do was to score that goal but he passed it to me and I scored the third goal, so I got that spot and went to the academy.” Albert never did continue playing to that level of competitiveness and admitted to curious journalists that he was unemployed, but also had the life of his dreams – a beautiful house, car and family. He also genuinely admitted about his friend Ronaldo that “He was better than me.” A very ego-less man who was rewarded one way or another for his truth abiding and abundant thinking ways .
When Ronaldo had won the UEFA champions league, rather than celebrate his triumph with his teammates, he decided to split the crowd and find his true teammate from back in the days who attended the game in Lisbon. Cristiano Ronaldo approached Albert and gave him a humongous hug of affection and gratitude. A remarkable moment for the history of sports that shows what genuine friendship, unselfishness and loyalty are all about.
“I have to thank my old friend Albert Fantrau for my success. We played together for the same team in the U-18 championship. When a scout came to see us he said that “Whoever scores more goals will come into our academy.”” – Cristiano Ronaldo
- Thanks to thisdaylive.com for the image.
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We study each and every one of the projects individually, avoiding standard solutions that in the long run will only drive up the total cost of the supply.
This development stage of the engineering project is what gives greater added value to the client with a view to the constructive and maintenance phases, thus:
- We establish calculus from the boundary conditions described by the client, and the regulations of the reference country.
- We tackle the development of the structural analysis through the use of the latest generation software.
- We integrate the resulting elements from the previous phases of calculus and structural analysis in 3D design models.
- We ideally integrate the different materials involved in the structure and we ensure their optimization.
- We eliminate risks of corrosion in those components especially conditioned through the use of unconventional materials in the sector.
- We visualize the geometric compatibility of the different structural elements and the project as a whole.
- We offer greater organizational capacity during the installation in structure work.


Gutty Tour Precision 800 Rangefinder – where precision meets elegance.
Experience golfing precision like never before with our Gutty Rangefinder, offering advanced features with 6x magnification for a crystal-clear view, flag lock with pulse vibration for accurate targeting, seamless yard & meter measurements, and switch effortlessly with slope switch mode technology to conquer any course.
|Product Dimensions||110 x 70 x 35mm|
|Laser Type||905 nm|
|Power Supply||Lithium battery|


Multifunction Meter – Everything You Should Know
A multifunction meter is a device that combines several measurement functions into a single instrument. Here are 7 things you should know about multifunction meters:
- What is a multifunction meter?
A multifunction meter (mfm meter) is an electronic meter device that integrates multiple measurement functions. It can simultaneously measure various electrical parameters such as voltage, current, frequency, and power, and can also perform data processing, recording, and communication operations. The multifunction energy meter is widely used in the field of industrial automation control and electric power.
- What is the multifunction meter working principle?
The working principle of the multifunction meter is based on the principles of electromagnetic induction, voltage division, and current mutual inductance. The multifunction energy meter converts the electrical signal to be tested into a standard voltage or current signal through the induction circuit and then undergoes steps such as amplification, filtering, digital-to-analog conversion, and processing to obtain the measurement results of various electrical parameters and display them on the LCD screen or computer interface. and record.
- How does a multifunction meter work with electrical components?
The work of multi-function meters and electrical components is realized through signal output and reception. The most common way is to transmit the measurement data to control equipment such as a computer or PLC through a communication interface to realize real-time monitoring and processing of data. At the same time, the multi-function meter can also directly output control signals to drive various electrical components to operate. It plays an important role in equipment operation management and safety assurance and can help users effectively grasp equipment status and performance, detect and deal with faults in time, and improve production efficiency and quality.
- What are the advantages of the multifunction meter?
The advantage of a multifunction meter is that it can perform a variety of data analysis and recording in addition to basic measurement functions. This multi-functional feature makes it suitable for a wide range of occasions. For example, in the medical field, multi-function instruments can measure the patient’s body temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure, and other data, and automatically convert them into charts for analysis and comparison after recording, effectively helping doctors make diagnosis and treatment decisions; in industrial production, the multifunction meter can record important data such as temperature, pressure, flow, etc., in order to maintain the standard and stability of production.
- Where is the multifunction meter application?
The application of multifunction meters is very extensive. For example, in manufacturing, multifunction meters can be used to monitor the operating status of plants and machines, including recording parameters such as temperature, pressure, flow, and electrical energy. These data can be monitored at any time to adjust and maintain equipment in time, thereby improving production efficiency and quality. In addition, multifunction meters can also be used to detect and analyze the quality of products in the production process, such as detecting the nutritional content and quality of food, detecting the output power and efficacy of medical equipment, etc.
- How to choose the right multifunction meter?
Several factors need to be considered in choosing a suitable multi-function meter: first, you need to know the specific content of the measurement, because different multifunction meters are suitable for different measurement ranges and accuracy; second, you need to consider whether the appearance and size of the meter are suitable for the occasion; finally, the price of the multifunction meter is also an important consideration.
- Where to buy the cheap multifunction meter?
There are many suppliers of multifunction meters in the market, and it is necessary to conduct certain investigations and comparisons before choosing a multifunction meter that suits you. You can retrieve relevant information and product reviews through the Internet, or go to a physical store to view and try different brands and models of meters, so as to finally choose a product with stable performance and favorable price. If you want to buy an industrial multifunction meter with rs485, Blue Jay which is a China electric meter manufacturer can be one of the good choices for you. Here you can choose single phase multifunction meter or 3 phase multifunction meter. All multifunction meters are UL/CE certified.
- Blue Jay Multifunction meter connection diagram
The wiring diagram of the multifunction meter needs to pay attention to the connection mode and interface of each part. Generally speaking, you need to read the manual first to understand the functions of each interface and the corresponding cable connection method, to avoid data errors caused by incorrect connections. Here is the Blue Jay multifunction meter connection diagram in the following:
This multifunction meter wiring diagram is suitable for 194J, 194Y, and 194Z multifunctional meters.
This multifunction meter wiring diagram is suitable for a 194Q multifunctional meter.
This multifunciton meter wiring diagram is suitable for 194DR.
In a word, a multifunction meter is a very important device, which has a wide range of applications and can provide measurement and analysis of various parameters, thereby helping people to better control and monitor various processes and parameters, improve work efficiency and accuracy degree, improve product quality and safety, and contribute to the development of science and technology.


text:
Mumia Abu-Jamal's Radio Broadcasts
Higher Quality Audio files available email@example.com
Copyright 2009 Mumia Abu-Jamal/Prison Radio
"Inheriting An Empire II"
1) 1:41 Inheriting An Empire II MP3
2) 2:45 Inheriting An Empire II MP3
Inheriting an Empire
[col. writ. 2/21/09] (c) '09 Mumia Abu-Jamal
Of all the myriad things to inherit, perhaps the worst is an empire, for such a transmission brings with it the duty of defense, which, in time, invariably becomes defending the indefensible.
For empires are constructed of crimes, and similarly so maintained.
They are birthed in invasion, nursed on occupation and raised on the cruel gruel of repression, torture and brutality.
That is their intrinsic nature as shown by the abundant examples of history. This was shown best by Rome, which ravaged the then-known world to enrich the 'eternal city'. Nations were invaded, their nobles either slain or enslaved, puppets were installed, and the natural resources extracted to feed the ever-hungry maw of Rome.
For millions of Blacks, the Obama election has sparked a new way of thinking and speaking of an America that has, heretofore, been a subject of considerable ambivalence. For perhaps the first time in U.S. history (certainly since Reconstruction), millions speak of the U.S. as "we", instead of "they."
This may well be a turning point in American history.
But is the American Empire "ours" simply because a Black man is the nation's chief executive?
Did we vote it into being, or did we merely inherit it?
Most who voted for Obama certainly didn't vote for the Iraq War, one of the most overt imperial projects in modern U.S. history. They supported a quick and decisive end of the war - not its continuation nor its expansion.
Indeed, of all Americans, Blacks opposed the war the most vehemently, according to national polls.
Perhaps it was the deep memory of national oppression that made it so unseemly to support such an oppressive occupation against the Iraqi people; perhaps it was the clumsiness of the government's lies used to 'sell' the invasion.
But empires begotten by violence and exploitation are poisonous things that damage both sides of this deadly duo.
The British Empire toiled for generations to conquer and exploit over 1/2 of Africa, most of Asia and two-thirds of the Americas. But all of that crumbled when the nation was almost broken under the weight of the Germans, and she was too weak to hold her colonies. Indeed America, as the strongest to emerge from the war, inherited much of Britain's loss, as well as other European powers.
It inherited the Vietnam War when the French could no longer sustain it, and paid a heavy price of death and defeat.
Empires shouldn't be inherited lightly, like knick-knacks from an elderly grandma.
This is especially so in democracies, where the people allegedly determine public policy, for what public policy could be more dire than imperial war?
--(c) '09 maj
The Power of Truth is Final -- Free Mumia!
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"When a cause comes along and you know in your bones that it is
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For additional information and to order Mumia's new book We Want Freedom,
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domain: history


text:
Experimental Studies for Development of a Purification Process for Single and Mixed Amine Solvents
Amine solvents used for the removal of CO2 from flue gas are subject to solvent degradation, which results from the reaction of impurities in the gas stream. This leads to the formation of degradation products, which could lead to many operational problems such as changes in the solvent absorption capacity and physical properties. Amine thermal (distillation) or non-thermal (ion-exchange or electrodialysis) reclamation are usually used to purify the solvents. In post-combustion CO2 1- The reclamation process might not effectively handle single or blended amine solvents. The solvent recovery could be low while its content in the waste stream could be high. The high consumption for water and energy cannot be justified. capture, thermal purification seems to be the only feasible method due to its ability to remove all types of degradation products. However, thermal reclamation has suffered from some challenges as follows: 2- Blended solvent could be difficult to purify due to the complicated nature of amine mixture with the degradation products. 3- The recovered solvent could be contaminated with light degradation products that have a closer boiling point to amine or are even lighter than amine. To develop an efficient reclamation process, laboratory investigation was carried out for monoethanolamine (MEA) and monoethanolamine/methyldiethanolamine (MEA/MDEA). MEA is considered a reference solvent while MEA/MDEA is a potential candidate solvent for CO2 capture. A number of degradation products were selected to create artificially-degraded solvents. The laboratory work was intended to address three issues: understanding the impact of degradation, testing batch thermal reclamation and activated carbon treatment of contamination in recovered solvent. The impact of degradation studies revealed that the degradation products have a noticeable impact on the solvent physical properties and absorption capacity. The measurement of density and refractive index showed proportional increases with degradation level. Moreover, the solvent absorption capacity diminished with increase of their concentrations. Process simulation of a CO2 In the thermal reclamation study, recovery of single and blended solvents was maximized to greater than 90-95% under deep vacuum. MEA was recovered in one step while MEA/MDEA was recovered in one or two steps. Optimum solvent recovery varied based on the degradation level and test conditions (temperature and pressure). capture plant with ProTreat shows that the plant suffers from the presence of heat stable salts (HSSs). Recovered single or blended solvents exhibited at least some level of contamination; however, MEA solvent had less contamination than MEA/MDEA which depended on the types of degradation products selected for each system and the reclamation conditions. Adsorption treatment with three activated carbon types to remove the contamination was successful in the case of MEA/MDEA (50-60% removal), while the contamination removal for the MEA solvent was unsatisfactory (<10%). Three industrial samples of degraded lean amine solvents were thermally purified and treated with adsorption. Almost all degradation products were eliminated in the two treatment steps, showing the new hybrid reclamation process (thermal at increased vacuum plus activated carbon) is a feasible method in treating industrial solvents.


It’s been a really tough spring. A global pandemic and national anti-racism movement has brought to light a few glaring discrepancies in our systems. So what’s next? Among requests to put our money where our mouth is… the battle cry to action I’ve been hearing over and over is – GO VOTE!
Local elections are often passed off as too tedious a task in my generation. We save our right to vote and political attention span until something big comes up – like a presidential ticket. However, these past few months have been a great reminder that local officials impact our lives in a very BIG way. Please consider voting in your local polls this election season.
New Orleans Early voting started June 27th and ends July 4th
Election Day is July 11th
See more information on voting times at Nola.com.
For Louisiana voters, the LA Gov website is a go-to resource for all things voting related.
Once registered, you can easily sign in to find your voter precinct, election locations, dates, and view a sample ballot.
The folks at Antigravity magazine put together a very good summary of what we will see on our Louisiana ballots this election:
This Louisiana election season, we will be voting in the presidential primary, electing a judge, and electing people to the Democratic and Republican parties in the state. This includes Democratic and Republican Parish Executive Committees and State Central Committees.
These committee representatives will put forward and support candidates who share the same ideals as their own. Locally, this is an opportunity to elect people who share our ideals, and who will in turn hopefully champion candidates who also espouse those values.
And this is a strange source, but Ben & Jerry’s has a surprisingly amazing blog presence and today I found a great post outlining the top reasons to vote in our respective local races. “Most of the things that impact your daily life happen on a local level and are influenced by local politics, but because we are bombarded by national stories every moment of every day, we find ourselves thinking nationally, not locally. It’s time for that to change.”
Who you vote is up to you, and we highly recommend doing research to make sure your voting choices align with your own values. If you don’t have tons of time to ask questions and research for yourself, there are sites and publications that make this part a little easier based on what you think is important.
Antigravity magazine is a go-to for me every election. They have a Liberal Democratic viewpoint and publish facts about candidates showing up on our local ballot. Check out their July issue online or in the stands for more information.
If you have a voter guide recommendation of your own, please comment here!


text:
FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Protesters lined the sidewalk across from Fairmont State University entrance to bring awareness on the recent decision from the University Board of Governors on future programs.
In Spring 2020, the BOG voted to eliminate majors in the music, theatre, music education and theatre education programs.
Falcons Fighting for the Arts protested to get the information out to students who are not aware or were in town when this decision was made.Member Francene Kirk stated the program has been at the university for more than 100 years, and it was heartbroken to see it go.
“One of the things we have on our signs our here is where’s the plan because we don’t know how that’s going to happen,” Kirk described. “We have not been told how that is going to happen. We have asked repeatedly through the press and through emails to tell us what the plan is and we haven’t gotten any information.”
Kirk and others in the community are filing a lawsuit due to the BOG making this decision behind closed doors. They plan to file at the Marion County Circuit Court once their attorney has the complaint written.
“This is the birthplace for the International Thespian Society. It is the birthplace for Alpha Psi Omega,” explained Kirk.
Falcons Fighting for the Arts plans to protest an entire week at 8 a.m., noon and 4 p.m.


JEFFERSON, LA — A Jefferson Parish sheriff’s deputy was fired last week when a Sheriff’s Office investigation determined that he had been selling synthetic marijuana online after it was outlawed in Louisiana.
Scott Sigur is alleged to have made at least three sales of the synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018 after it was banned in August 2010 and to have profited to the tune of $50,000 to $80,000.
Sheriff Newell Normand said that the results of the investigation had been forwarded to the district attorney’s office and that criminal charges were pending.
“We’ve been able to determine that there are in fact three sales that occurred in Louisiana after the date that the substance JWH-018 was actually outlawed in Louisiana,” Normand said.
Detectives began investigating Sigur in April 2012 following a tip that the deputy was selling marijuana.
Sigur was fired on Thursday, ending nearly ten months of investigation.


text:
PROVIDENCE IN THE NEWS
Check out the latest media coverage featuring Providence Health Care.
Media mentions regarding the passing of Thomus Donaghy:
If you need to reach PHC’s Infection Prevention and Control Team (IPAC), please call local 69357. Do not contact individual IPAC team members.

domain: medical


Digvijay Singh urges MP CM to provide security to RTI activist
Bhopal: Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh has asked the Madhya Pradesh government to provide security to Right to Information (RTI) activist Devendra Prakash Mishra.
Singh made this request to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in a letter on Thursday.
He said that Mishra had expressed concern over the safety of his life, especially after woman RTI activist Shehla Masood was shot dead in broad daylight on August 16 last year in front of her house in the state capital.
Mishra has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in Madhya Pradesh High Court challenging the allotment of 15 acres prime land to Gammon India. He has claimed the land was given at throwaway prices for building a shopping mall, a residential and commercial complex in the city`s South T T Nagar area by the Chouhan-led BJP government under the re-densification scheme.
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