After some initial reluctance, nowadays transition from conventional analogue-to-digital radiographic technique is realized in the vast majority of institutions. The eventual triumph of digital over conventional technique is related to its undoubted advantages with respect to image quality and improved image handling in the context of a picture archiving and communication system. CR represents the older system, which matured over decades and experienced some important recent improvements with respect to dose efficiency and work-flow efficiency that strengthened its position. It represents a very versatile, economically attractive system that is equally suited for integrated systems as well as for cassette-based imaging at the bedside. DR systems offer superb image quality and realistic options for dose reduction based on their high dose efficiency. While for a long time only integrated systems were on the market suited for a large patient throughput, also mobile DR systems became recently available. While for the next years, it is likely that DR and CR systems will coexist, the long term perspective of CR will depend on further innovations with respect to dose efficiency and signal-to-noise characteristics while for DR economical aspects and broader availability of mobile systems will play a role.


text:
Goddess Gaia is the great mother of creation and the soul essence of the earth itself. Her energy provides potent nurturing support. You must be grounded in order to connect with this powerfully healing and replenishing mama earth energy. Being grounded invites the healing essence of Goddess Gaia into your auric field.
When you are grounded and rooted in mother earth, an energetic bridge is created that directly connects your auric field to the loving energy she provides. You are then deeply supported and nurtured on all levels by her gentle restorative energies.
Being grounded supports a sense of well being on all levels. Grounding provides support for anyone who struggles with being present in the here and now. When you are rooted in the earth, a sense of calm safety is created.
When you are grounded, the integration of healing shifts and changes becomes easier. It also provides a more balanced and harmonious life experience.
Grounding can be very helpful whenever you are feeling:
There are many easy-peasy ways to ground:
So, the next time you are feeling off kilter, take a moment to ground. And before you know it, you will be feeling balanced, calm, nurtured, protected, and safe!

domain: literature


text:
For those selling on-line or in catalogs good photos of your items is essential. When you sell in person your customers can look at the actual piece, hold it, and see its beauty and value. When you must convey that with a picture you want to be sure that picture is perfect. This is just a basic guide to creating photographs that will best represent your work.
The first thing required is a good camera. There are many levels of digital cameras on the market. You can certainly do everything that you need to do to take product photos for your purposes with a point and shoot camera - one that has auto focus and auto exposure (which are basic to most). You do not need the best camera available but you do want a camera that has certain features that are required for good product photography.
The first feature that is a must have is Macro mode. A macro is a close up photograph. A camera lens has a set range of distance at which it will take clear images. This range determines how close you can get to the subject to take a focused image. Generally the shortest distance most lenses on point and shoot cameras will focus on is about three feet. While this may seem close it is really not close enough for product photography where the aim is to get close detail of the product. For this you need to be able to focus as close as six inches or closer and that is what the Macro mode setting on a camera will do. What is important to understand about macro mode is that this has a set range of distance also - and that range will change at different changes between the wide angle and telephoto range of your lens. So, if you set to macro and you are set to full wide angle you are set to the closest distance that you can get an image in focus. This range will always be specified in your camera's manual. If you move the telephoto control on your camera you will change that range and you will need to move the camera further away from the object in order to get a focused photo. Again, these ranges are stated in your camera manual. Some cameras add a Super Macro mode along with Macro mode. The Super Macro mode will allow you to get as close as a fraction of an inch to your image. This will make a remarkable image but generally this is way to close for a product photo. Remember, you want detail but you don't want your work examined as if under a microscope.
A second feature to look for on a camera is the ability to change the white balance on the camera. Most cameras come with auto-white balance, but there are situations where the auto setting will not do what you need it to do. White balance is the adjustment of the photograph to the light that it is taken in. Incandescent lights give off a yellow glow and when an object is photographed under regular room lights the image tends to look yellow. Auto-white balance should correct this but it does not always do so. Many cameras - but not all - will allow you to set the camera to the light you are shooting in. The type of light is indicated by little pictures - a light bulb for standard incandescent light bulb light, a bar with little rays coming from it for fluorescent lighting (which tends to give off a blue tint), a sun for sunlight, etc. When shooting under room lights you will want to set your camera manually to the incandescent setting to get a balanced, non-tinted image.
A third very valuable feature to look for on a camera is a good optical image stabilization system. This is a system built into the camera that will compensate for any movement of the lens when a photo is taken. This is especially important when macro shooting because when shooting that close even the movement of the camera button will blur the image. Canon Powershot cameras excel in Optical Image Stabilization. Other cameras offer this feature as well, but many rave over the results from the Canon cameras. This has been my experience as well. If you have a camera without this feature then a must have is the next thing to get for product photography.
The second thing required (unless you have a good optical image stabilized camera) is a tripod. As stated above, when shooting in macro mode the slightest breath of movement will result in a blurred image. A tripod will hold your camera solid and steady. It also has the advantage that it sets a fixed distance between the camera and the object that you are photographing. You want a decently made tripod that will hold your camera steady. They attach easily with a screw knob to a screw hole that is on the bottom of most cameras, put there for just this purpose. A floor standing tripod is best, but you will see small tripods and similar gadgets that will hold your camera on the table you are shooting on. These can be just as good, but they are not as steady as a good floor tripod.
To be continued...

domain: hobby


*fits 2012 – 2018 Model (including S8 Plus)*
These lightweight pipes fit in place of the heavy OEM Pre-Silencer. Using test pipes removes the flow restriction placed on an exhaust system.
The silencing effect is removed, enhancing the aggressive engine sound.
Made from T309 (1.4828) stainless steel.
*Recommended For Off-Road and Track Use Only*


text:
My son and I watched it last night. We weren't too impressed but I'll give it another try. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and say maybe the first show was just setting up the characters and giving some background? Or maybe I'm just reading too much into it.
I watched it - kinda sucked.
I really wanted to like it - great cast (love monk guy and jerry o'connel) and the show was shot really well. Visually it looks really good. But the writing was pretty bad. It was like a bad sitcom that looked like a movie.
PLEASE FIX IT !!! I'm willing to give it another shot
I actually thought "Carpoolers" with the unknown but hilarious Fred Goss (sons and daughters) was pretty funny at times. Certainly better than most sitcoms out there. Here Jerry thinks a wild Coyote is a lost dog.
And one from sons and daughters for those with wives and kids.
“When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it." ~Frederic Bastiat

domain: entertainment


‘A high-performance carbon hardtail with all the advantages of the bigger 29in wheels but as agile as a 26in bike. Through Active Brake Cooling, a wing-like support stay for the brake, airflow is directed towards the brake disc. The GTC carbon frame is produced using the Twin Mold Monocoque Technology. The over-sized tube diameters of the head tube and the PressFit bottom bracket guarantee optimum lateral stiffness. The post mount rear brake saves weight. Optimum strength to weight value results from the tapered head tube with integrated headset. Shimano SLX and XT 3×10 components are very reliable. The Sun Ringlé Radium 29 wheelset is lightweight and durable. The 100mm Manitou Marvel 29 TS Air suspension fork has adjustable damping and a remote lockout. Test winner MountainBIKE 07/12: “CUBE offers with the Reaction GTC 29 not only an enticing 29er … the package rocks out there in the woods. The rider is sitting in the bike, a sporty but not too stretched out position. Precise and balanced, the Reaction cuts through the trails .. the low front delivers an attacking feeling for the downhill. The result: affordable and damn good!“’
Cube AMS 120 29er bike
‘The perfect entry to the 29er world for all trail riders. Comes with a top suspension fork with QR15 thru-axle for improved stiffness. High Performance triple-butted 7005 aluminum. Thanks to Agile Ride Geometry the 29″ bikes retain the lively handling feel of 26″ bikes. Efficient ride control with minimal bobbing and brake influence, with identical performance for all frame sizes. Internal cable routing saves weight, protects from dirt and delivers a clean look. Rock Shox Recon 29 Silver Air fork with remote lockout. Sun Ringlé Radium Wheelset, light and strong, QR15 at the front and X12 at the rear end. Shimano BR-M395 hydraulic disc brake for reliable performance. Manitou Radium Expert Air damper, remote adjustable, lockout. Efficient Shimano 3×10 gearshift components with Shimano Deore XT rear derailleur. Dependable Easton EA30 stem and seatpost, RFR Flat RaceBar for perfect 29er handling.’
Kona designers came up with a version of the popular AfricaBike, the Afrikid, together with a group called ‘A Better World’ to help out some children who have to walk large distances on their own to school every day. See the Cog and the links on it for more details on the great work that Kona is doing to help out in the world
Round 2 of the Irish Gravity Enduro Season was held over the weekend and saw another domination in the ladies category for team MBW Kona, first and second again for Michelle Muldoon on her Process and Liz Hastings on her Cadabra respectively. Other riders out on the day included Scott Coyne, on a Process, who after a serious crash still managed to place 5th in the 20-29 category, Garry Davoren on a Process DL, did well to finish after a big off on stage three, Joseph Clancy just 14 on his Kitsune, and Neil Martin on a Satori ripped up the trails so hard he managed to puncture again… Blistering times set by all and the young team is only getting bigger and better, roll on the good times at the next round in Ticknock, Dublin on the 15th and 16th of June! Here’s a few photos Eric took of the day and the link to the Kona Cog is here.
There are several children’s bikes in the shop at the moment, both boys and girls. Come in to the shop and see whats on offer… With in excess of 10% off you’re bound to find something to suit!
Cuda Blox Was €125 Now €110 Livi Proffessional Was €160 Now €140
Ammaco MX 18 Was €139 Now € 125 Cuda Shredder Was €210 Now €175
Cuda Mayhem Was €190 Now €170 Cuda Flex Was €230 Now €205
Salcano Mountaineer Was €240 Now €210 Salcano Mountaineer Was €240 Now €210
Da Vinci Terra Was €199 Now €175
Within the next month there are a large number of races, sportive, and mountain bike events. We would encourage you all to check out the health of your bike well in advance of any event you may be planning on entering. A quick check list will include; gears and brakes, cable condition, brake pad condition, pedal and cleat condition, bearing condition, and for mountain, suspension and bearings. If you would like to have your bike checked over by someone in the shop here feel free to give us a call or drop over and we’d be happy to help! A smooth running bike will help make those long cycles a lot more comfortable and enjoyable!
Over the next few weeks you will see the big red van at the following events:
18th – 19th May Ballyhourra Gravity Enduro
25th – 26th May Tour de Conamara
31st May – 1st June Cancer Care West Charity Cycle from Donegal to Galway
2nd June Lough Corrib Croi Cycle
This just in! Cube Agree GTC Race…
‘The super lightweight carbon fibre frame comes with internal cable routing and ready to race Ultegra components. The Gran Tourismo Modular Monocoque Carbon Fibre Frame features full carbon bearing housings and all details are weight and stiffness focused. Hybrid Cable Routing gives a clean look and great function. Mechanical or electronic transmission components can be mounted without compromises. The tapered steerer delivers optimum stiffness and a better distribution of forces. The RFR geometry with relaxed and comfortable riding position makes riding out of saddle easy and gives agile handling. Oversized carbon tubes for the main frame and chainstays deliver maximum stiffness and the best strength to weight ratio. Thin seat stays and a flat top tube give flex for comfort. The Easton EA 50 Aero clincher wheels are lightweight and aerodynamic. The Easton EA 30 is light handlebar with a wing shape for a comfortable hand position and optimum ergonomics.’
A great price at €1999
The first real test of the season, Biking.ie’s National Seies, the Gravity Enduro round 1 in Carrick Mountain, Co. Wicklow sold out with 350 competitors. The racing conditions were tough as there was a large amount of rain over night but all that cleared up by the time we hit the first stage. MBW Kona riders included Joseph Clancy on his Kitsune, Michelle Muldoon on her Process, Neil Martin on his Satori and Liz Hastings on her Cadabra. All riders did well throughout the day, only struggling in the muddy lower sections of stage 5 except from Neil who sailed through on the flat 29 inch rear wheel of the Satori, amazing result and finish from him after picking up a puncture half way down the stage! The day finished with one very happy fourteen year old, finishing 9th in his category (14-18) after his first Gravity Enduro, a first place for Michelle, second for Liz from the biggest ever field of ladies, and one very worn out tyre for Neil! Well done all, and bring on the next round in Ballyhoura, Co. Limerick!
Visit the original link here


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As Steve Schmidt reflects on the remarkable men’s basketball program he has built at Mott Community College, evidence of that success adorns the wall behind him.
From the trophies, including four national championships sitting just above his head, to encased jerseys worn by some of the Bears’ finest players lining the top of the wall, the boisterous Schmidt has plenty to show for his labor as his 27th season begins.
“Sometimes, it’s hard to acknowledge that it’s been 27 years, or half my life,” says the 55-year-old while sitting just a few yards from the gymnasium that was named for him in 2009. “I learned a long time ago that coaching is a lifestyle and I’ve never looked at it as a job, because there are no set hours. At this level, a coach does more than just coach – I work until the job is done. Fortunately, I like to work and I’m very driven.”
In 1991, Schmidt took over a program that was in disarray, and has since driven it to unprecedented heights. He boasts a 689-167 record through the first two games of this season. That includes eight National Junior College Athletic Association Division 2 Final Four appearances, seven national championship game berths and national championships in 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2012.
Along the way, the Bears have also captured 15 conference, ten state, and nine regional titles and produced four National Players of the Year and 22 All-Americans. Schmidt has been named NJCAA Coach of the Year four times.
His teams have posted an astonishing 29-6 record in the NJCAA National Tournament for an .828 winning percentage that is the best in history. “During my time at Mott, I’ve been able to reach, work with and learn from the players I’ve coached,” Schmidt says. “They have truly taught me a lot about how to coach them and I’ve loved the journey of building this program. There have been bumps in the road and I’ve been knocked down, but always came back stronger.”
However, what really makes Schmidt beam with pride is the 92 players who have moved on to four-year schools, including several who have played in the NCAA Tournament and at least 16 who have played professionally overseas. “In many cases, they were the first person in their family to earn some type of degree and hopefully set a new direction for future generations,” Schmidt says. “I coach to make an impact on the players.”
One of the latest players impacted by Schmidt’s influence is freshman guard, Jordan Roland, an honorable mention All-Stater, who helped Flint Beecher to three Class C state championships. “I came to Mott because I know coach Schmidt is going help me get the most out of my talent and help me get to the next level of college basketball,” says Roland, who started in the Bears’ season-opening loss to Jackson Community College, finishing with a team-high four assists in 19 minutes. Diandre Wilson, an All-American and the Bears’ leading scorer last season, is the latest to land at a four-year program signing with Division 1 New Jersey Institute of Technology in June.
For Mott Athletic Director Al Perry, the reason coaches seek out Schmidt’s players is obvious.
“Coach Schmidt’s success has helped raise the profile of Mott Athletics by introducing the nation to Mott Basketball on a frequent basis over the last decade and a half,” he says. “He also does things the right way with a set of standards and an expectation of discipline that all students must abide by. This unbending standard is an ideal that NCAA programs have noticed, and is why they consistently recruit Coach Schmidt’s players.”
From the time he first picked up a basketball as a youngster in Lansing, Schmidt has always tried to do things the right way. He quickly developed a respect and reverence for the sport. In fact, Schmidt struggled to satisfy his appetite for hitting hardwood and playing hard. All the games, drills and practices forced the replacement of both his hips about a decade ago. “I could never get enough of playing and even in my mid-forties, I was competing in as many recreational league games as possible, but it took a toll and I started to have trouble even walking,” he says.
After averaging 20 points a game and being named All-State his senior season at Lansing Waverly High School, Schmidt took the same path to Division 1 basketball as many of his players. He first continued his career at West Valley Junior College in San Jose, CA, where he was named the team’s MVP, before landing at Central Michigan. After playing his final game there in the spring of 1985, he found a unique way to prolong his playing career, joining the Washington Generals, the hard-luck team the Harlem Globetrotters always frustrate and defeat during their shows.
Generals’ owner, Red Klotz, signed Schmidt after meeting with him during a Globetrotters appearance in Big Rapids. He spent the next three years, well, trotting around the globe doing his part to make the shows entertaining. For him, that meant, among other things, being ever mindful of the fact that Globetrotters’ legend “Sweet” Lou Dunbar might yank down his shorts as he was attempting a free throw.
“The whole experience helped me relate to and work with people, and I helped entertain people in 27 countries,” Schmidt recalls. “It was really fun, but they sometimes disliked me because I was a very physical player. One game, I accidently ran into Lynette Woodard (the first female Globetrotter) and nearly knocked her out. People didn’t know if it was part of the show or whether they should laugh.”
Following his time with the Generals, Schmidt dove right into coaching, simultaneously serving as a volunteer assistant at Lansing Community College and Waverly. “That was a time of two practices a day and four games a week and I was not making a dime,” he says. “I was having a lot of fun and realized I wanted to be a head coach. To do that, I needed to learn how to interview for jobs.”
The first job he interviewed for? Mott, in June of 1991. Intending to simply brush up on his interview skills, Schmidt was taken aback when offered the job – which he initially turned down. By late September, however, he was having second thoughts and heard the position had not been filled. Without calling first, he jumped into his car and drove back to Flint.
Upon entering Ballenger Fieldhouse, he was greeted by players Yusuf Harris and Mark Herron, who didn’t know who Schmidt was, but somehow recognized he was a basketball coach. “I went looking for the athletic director at a volleyball game and met the two young men,” Schmidt recalled. “They asked, ‘Will you please, please consider being our coach?’ That really pulled at my heart. I couldn’t say no to them.”
Schmidt was hired, but had no idea what he was thrusting himself into. “I didn’t know that the administration had been thinking of shutting down the entire program because of various issues with players, and that first year, we had Yusuf and Mark and a couple of other guys who could play,” Schmidt said. “The rest were just guys we recruited around campus. We couldn’t even do the most basic of drills at that first practice, but somehow through hard work and love of the game, we finished at .500 (14-14). Not bad, considering the AD told us we’d be lucky to win three games.”
By 1995, Mott had won its first state championship and Schmidt had added valuable assistant, Carl Jones, to the staff, who is still there despite having never before played organized basketball. “Carl is a very smart guy, who isn’t afraid to disagree with me,” says Schmidt, who is also assisted by Greg Hamlin and Bill Schnorenberg. “I got to know Carl because he was already working for Mott when I came there and eventually asked if he could help me. He’s taught himself the ins and outs of basketball with recruiting and evaluating. Players gravitate to him.” Added Jones: “It’s been a great ride for us in building the program. I’ve loved every minute and I think things really took off when we started signing quality players from Detroit, Chicago and other places.”
Indeed. In 2001, Mott reached the national title game for the first time with the help of Chicago area star, Rashi Johnson, who later played for Michigan State. Two years later, National Player of the Year, Jay Youngblood from Southfield, led the Bears to their first national championship. “That first championship was very special and Jay was not my first choice in recruiting, but thankfully, other people saw something in him that I didn’t,” Schmidt said. “Also, I’ll always remember two players from Detroit Redford (Demarcus Ishmeal and Darrell Evans), who helped me understand more about defense.”
Another National Player of the Year – Flint Northern’s Kevin Tiggs – paced Mott to the 2007 national title while a third Player of the Year – Chicago’s Jeremie Simmons – led them to the 2008 championship. The Bears went 70-5 those two seasons. Four years later, Chicago native and Player of the Year, John Taylor, lifted the Bears to a 35-1 record and a fourth national title.
“I really don’t have a time frame as far as continuing, because I still enjoy what I do and wake up every day looking forward to the challenges of coaching,” says Schmidt, whose team was 24-7 last year and ranked eighth in the first NJCAA Division 2 poll of this season.
“Sometimes, when I’m in a bad mood or not feeling well, I’ll come into our gym, sit and look up at that wall with my name on it and say, ‘Wow. That’s amazing’,” he says. “I want to continue to do everything I can to uphold that name out of gratitude for the people who went to bat to make putting my name on the gym possible.”
Those people probably can’t express enough gratitude to Schmidt for transforming Mott into a national power.
“I learned a long time ago that coaching is a lifestyle and I’ve never looked at it as a job …”
Photography by Eric Dutro

domain: sports


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The revamped version of lifestyle makeover show Queer Eye is back for a second series on Netflix and we couldn’t be more excited.
Even better is the news that the Fab Five, who were recruited as brand new stars for the first series’ comeback, have all signed up to proffer their expert advice again.
We take a closer look at Bobby Berk and his eye for interior design.
What is Bobby Berk’s role on Queer Eye?
Anyone coming to the Fab Five searching for a makeover knows that it isn’t just their personal appearance they need to brush up on – their entire life needs to look the part.
That’s where Bobby Berk’s know-how comes in, as he guides people through smartening up their homes to make their interiors every bit as polished as their new look.
What does Bobby Berk do outside of Queer Eye?
Interior design isn’t just a passing hobby for this member of the Fab Five – Bobby has a hugely successful interiors business, Bobby Berk Home.
The company trades online and also has bases in New York, Miami, Florida and Georgia.
He later set up an interiors and design arm of the company which trades from Los Angeles, where he lives with his husband Dewey.
How does Bobby Berk think Queer Eye has changed?
The designer told Variety that it was important for viewers to learn more about the Fab Five’s lives this time around.
He said: “One of the things we wanted to bring that the original show wasn’t able to was a look into our lives. Back in 2003, it was groundbreaking and controversial at the same time for gays to be on TV, but it was accepted because they kind of stayed in their lane.
“They were designers and hairdressers and cooks and it was kind of like ‘Oh that’s fine’, but to be husbands and fathers — that wasn’t.
“One of the things we wanted people to know is that we’re just like other people. Karamo is a dad who gets texts from his kids saying, ‘Where’s dinner?’ Just the fact that we’re just like everybody else is something we wanted people to see.”
Queer Eye season 2 will return to Netflix on Friday, June 15.

domain: artistic


text:
For Immediate Release
President Obama Ignores the Bad Economics and Backs Nuclear Loans
WASHINGTON - In response to President Obama’s Announcement, Jim Riccio, Greenpeace’s Nuclear Policy Analyst, issued the following statement:
“President Obama today announced that the U.S. Government will back
loan guarantees to construct two new nuclear reactors in Georgia—the
first new nuclear facility in thirty years. Unfortunately, the
President is setting up the American taxpayer for the next corporate
bailout. The U.S. Congressional Budget Office has already determined
that these loans stand a greater than 50% chance of default.
“Wall Street will not back nuclear power, so President Obama has put
Main Street on the hook for these risky nuclear investments. Last year
Moody’s Investment Services called new nuclear power a ‘bet the farm
risk’ and Citi has called new nuclear power a corporation killer.’
Warren Buffet’s corporation Mid American has already determined that
new nuclear power doesn’t make economic sense. The President should
have listened to ‘the World’s Greatest Investor’ rather than nuclear
Even the president said during his speech that nuclear energy has some
‘serious drawbacks.’ We’re not really seeing anything but drawbacks to
another corporate bailout that gives new meaning to the phrase ‘toxic
asset.’ It is a dirty and dangerous distraction from the clean energy
future the President promised America.”
Sustain our Journalism
If you believe in Common Dreams, if you believe in people-powered independent journalism, please support our Spring drive now and help progressive media that believes as passionately as you do in defending the common good and building a more just, sustainable, and equitable world.
Independent campaigning organization that uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems, and to force solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.

domain: news


Cars enthusiasts are most probably aware of the ceaseless battle between Lamborghini and Ferrari. Well, it’s no wonder why the two car brands have always compete one another. Both of them stand out through powerful cars that come in a body of unique design. This supercar rivalry is probably the longest and most exciting one.
Now, Lamborghini’s latest hypercar has already made its debut and comes with some goodies that will definitely catch your attention. Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 sports a new 6.5-liter V12 engine with an AWD layout that produces 700HP. The car delivers a power to weight ratio of 2.25 Kg/hp, the highest power of any car in its class. It takes only 2,9 seconds to sprint from 0 to 60mph. Aventador reaches a top speed of 217mph which can only make us daydream even more of owning and driving such a car.
Lamborghini Aventador stands for a whole new level of performance setting new benchmarks in the super sports car department. Moreover, the car design is breathtaking thanks to its uncompromisingly crisp contours poured into an extreme, awe-inspiring look.
Ferrari 458 Italia is another rockstar when it comes to supercars. This one sports a 4.5-liter mid-mounted V8 that delivers 570 horsepower at 9000 rpm sprinting to 60mph in just 3.3 seconds and reaching a top speed of 202mph. This car is a massive leap from the previous mid-rear engined sports cars that Ferrari has come up with.
Ferrari 458 Italia is a mixture of creative flair, cutting-edge technology, passion and style. It’s a completely new car from many points of view: design, aerodynamics, handling, engine, instrumentation and ergonomics. Ferrari 458 Italia also stands out through its innovative driving environment which features a new kind of steering wheel as long as a new dashboard.
Equipped with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, Ferrari 458 Italia is also impressive through its design. The car has a compact and aerodynamic shape that underscores the concepts of lightness, simplicity and efficiency.
Well, it’s obvious that both cars deserve appreciation and admiration. Still, those who prefer Lambo will stick to Lambo and those who’re into Ferrari will stick to 458 Italia. Since the two monsters on wheels have drawn so much attention, the guys at Underground Racing thought that a battle between the two cars would do just great. And they posted a video of the two cars racing, too.
The only thing is that we’re dealing with a twin-turbocharged Ferrari 458 Italia that produces 700HP which brings it closer to Lambo’s hypercar. Though it doesn’t seem fair that Ferrari races in a tuned version, the race is actually worth watching every second. Check the video below to see which one actually won the race. Let us know what you think about it in the comments section below.


text:
HOPE U LIKE IT ... colours are not all the same but i tried hard to get them right...
Request from shadowlover101: [Link]
Ref Used: [Link]
Flash Draw Created Jul 11, 2011 640 x 460px Unless noted Copyright 2011 MahaRizvi98.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
g-job!! I gave 5 hearts and favs.
:D But it is still meh request XD
I guess you spelled it wrong, it suppose to be "request from veanette" :p LOLOLOL, i know, i'm very mean xD just kidding, just wanted to say that i LOVE roxas xD he his so cute! Because you drew him, i must say, he becomes even cuter when YOU drew it
I LOOOOOVE IT ^^ YOU DID AWESOME :DDDDDDDDDDDDD Omigawd this is so good you put so much effort into roxas :DD I kno he is kinda hard to draw cuz his hair xDD Anyways i love it , and tytyty ♥
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text:
Check out Young Dream Chaser, the latest track from Lil Chuckee, which dropped on Sunday, June 23rd, 2013. Lil Chuckee's movement grows stronger with each new release, and Young Dream Chaser has further strengthened that fact. It's a solid addition to the commendable body of work Lil Chuckee has been creating since stepping foot in the rap game, and we're definitely looking forward to what Lil Chuckee has on deck.
Have you heard Lil Chuckee's Versace (Remix)? If you're down, make sure to visit Lil Chuckee's profile page for the newest info, news, songs, and mixtapes.
Can you dig it?


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Welcome to our new website! Mahalo for supporting Made in Hawaii !
Midori Jewelry Hawaii
- caribbean green quartz - ss findingslength from top of ear wire: about 1-5/8"
sunnyside aqua necklace
sea & sky earrings
open pineapple gold necklace
puka shell & light amethyst necklace


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Wendy Williams splits from husband Kevin Hunter
Williams' attorney confirmed news of the split to the New York Post's Page Six column on Thursday.
LONDON - Wendy Williams has split from her husband Kevin Hunter, after 21 years of marriage.
The 54-year-old talk show host has been married to Hunter - who executive produces her eponymously titled talk show, and with whom she has 18-year-old son Kevin Jr. - for 21 years, but it seems they've decided to call it quits as the pair have filed for divorce.
Williams' attorney confirmed news of the split to the New York Post's Page Six column on Thursday (11.04.19), while a separate source told the publication that Williams handed Hunter the divorce papers at around 6:30am that same day.
No reason has been given for the split, but infidelity rumours have plagued the pair for several years, although Williams told her viewers earlier this year that she was "very much in love" with Hunter, and would not be divorcing him.
She said: "I'm still very much in love with my husband. Don't ask me about mine."
Pointing to her wedding ring, she then added: "It ain't going anywhere. Not in this lifetime."
Meanwhile, news of the split comes after Williams recently revealed she has been living in a sober house in order to overcome her addictions, and Hunter revealed at the time that the whole family was "doing well".
He said: "We're doing well as a family.
"We are moving forward with working on her sobriety and doing the work to help others, not just ourselves."
The producer also said Williams; recovery was not going to happen overnight, adding that it's a "family process".
He continued: "It is a family process.
"Anybody that has to deal with this knows this [is] a family process ... and we are dealing with it and moving forward."

domain: celebrity


text:
In lieu of a Columbus Day Post, we’re sharing tidbits of 3 Bellyitch Bumpwatch alums who have Native American heritage. It is also Thanksgiving in Canada today and they too are celebrating the indigenous people who lived there before European settlers arrived.
Did you know….
Angelina Jolie‘s mother, the late Marcheline Bertrand, claimed Native American ancestry. She and her partner, Native American activist and poet John Trudell, founded the All Tribes Foundation to benefit Native Americans.
Jessica Biel’s mother’s family is part Native American.
A feature in Vogue in 2010 read “those crazy-high cheekbones are shared by her younger brother, mother, and grandmother. When she tells me that her parents dehydrate their own food, culture their own vegetables, and make their own coconut kefir, I can’t help laughing. ‘I actually do, too’” she says.”
Cree Summer grew up on the Red Pheasant Reserve in Saskatchewan. Her dad Don Franks, a Canadian musician and her mom Lili Red Eagle, an African American from Cali raised Summer on a reservation and she is an adopted member of the Plains Cree First Nations.
Summer posted a photo of herself as a child on the Reserve on Twitter a few years back.

domain: sociology


I recently participated in an IASA initiative to document skills needed by Software Architects. I wrote an article on Implementing System Quality Attributes - see below.
Here's the location of the article on IASA: http://www.iasahome.org/c/portal/layout?p_l_id=PUB.1.269&p_p_id=20&p_p_action=1&p_p_state=exclusive&p_p_col_id=null&p_p_col_pos=3&p_p_col_count=4&_20_struts_action=%2Fdocument_library%2Fget_file&_20_folderId=61&_20_name=01-Implementing.pdf
Here's the location of the IASA initiative: http://www.iasahome.org/web/home/skillset
Here's the article on Skyscrapr: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/architecture/bb402962.aspx
What do you think?
In this article I aim to describe how to implement system quality attributes in software solutions with the expected benefit of improving return on investment from IT systems
When I was a teenager my friend’s father gave him the family spare station wagon as his first car. It was an old, decrepit Ford LTD station wagon that wasn’t exactly the type of car one at our age would flaunt to attract the type of attention we were after. But it was the only car either of us had, so it was just fine…of course, once we could fix it up a bit that is. We decided to turn it into a something more to the aesthetics of a roadster by raising the rear wheels, replacing the carburetor with a set of after-market dual-carburetors, replacing the aged seats with 5-point harness racing bucket seats and giving it a new coat of paint.
During that experience, I remember leafing through loads of catalogs containing descriptions of parts from various after-market manufacturers which all matched the published Ford LTD station wagon specifications for the 454 Cleveland V8 engine, interior seat mounts and rear suspension brackets needed for the car’s conversion. We chose what we could afford and installed them ourselves following simple installation instructions. We didn’t need to rebuild anything, nor force-fit any of the parts, nor fabricate any custom mounts to reuse that old station wagon for our new purposes. At the time, this event meant nothing to me other than a bit of fun over a couple of weeks during our summer break.
Now, let me tell you a very different story surrounding a very similar event. I once delivered a software solution for a customer who was a market leader in the online retail industry focusing primarily on selling computer goods. The solution consisted of a set of systems which automated order acceptance through fulfillment business processes. The customer was thrilled the day the solution went into production as it meant to him that he could reduce the costs by automating much of the manual activities for these processes and direct his focus on empowering his marketing group.
Wahoo, drinks for everyone…until a couple of years later.
The industry became increasingly more competitive and in order to survive, my customer needed to diversify into several lines of retail goods, he needed to outsource billing services to lower costs, lower his prices by comparing multiple suppliers’ price offerings and improve customer satisfaction by committing to delivery dates by partnering with multiple shipping partners. He hoped to win new customers and to improve customer satisfaction. The systems I developed were not built to easily support this type of change in the business nor were they well designed to be compatible to the flurry of IT packages that hit the market which provided specialized components for system integration, customer care management, faster supplier enablement, marketing campaign management, etc. I ultimately had to redesign parts of the architecture. This took considerably more time than it would have taken if I had initially designed them for change in the first place. In the end, the systems required a major overhaul to meet the needs the business.
Let’s go back to my story of converting my friend’s station wagon and repurposing it for the needs of two teenagers versus my experience converting my customer’s online retail systems to support multi-store channels, multi-supplier relationships, and provide for more sophisticated functionality. The two experiences were conceptually similar in their scenario but far different in their execution. A few years ago I began to think about this and ask myself some questions. Would it have been possible for my original online retail systems to have been more resilient to change in the business processes as well as changes in IT technologies? Is it possible to design systems to become more resilient to change and improve the chances for not having to perform major overhauls? I believe it is.
I’m not suggesting we software architects are the sole contributor to reach the level of efficiency the automobile industry has today, as this takes experience, industrialization, collaboration between car manufacturers, healthy competitive market of part suppliers, adherence to automobile industry standards and quality control, which we in the software industry salivate for. What I am suggesting is that we should consider learning from the design concepts that make the automobile industry unbelievably successful and see how we go.
I propose that Solution Architects, in addition to contributing to the delivery of a working system to customers, are also responsible for ensuring system quality with the express intention of building systems to be resilient to change. In this article, I will describe an approach for building systems designed to sustain changes in business processes as well as changes in technology platforms for Solution Architects to leverage and reap the long-term benefits of improving customer’s return on investment.
To implement system quality, it’s best to start with a plan. Software quality, by definition, is the degree to which software possesses a desired combination of attributes (IEEE 1992). Therefor, in order to improve system quality, we need to focus our attention on software quality attributes. Ultimately, there are only a few system quality attribute primitives that all system qualities can map to. In my experience I’m quite fond of the system quality attributes listed in Appendix A: System Quality Attributes which include Agility, Flexibility, Reusability, Performance, Security, etc. Note that these are by no means the definitive set of system quality attributes nor are the definitions the only acceptable definitions to consider. I’ve used these and have been relatively successful with them. The important thing to remember is to come up with a set so that you can clearly communicate with stakeholders the system quality impacts of your architecture decisions.
Back to my story regarding the station wagon conversion…I was pleased with the amount of effort it took to modify and extend the Ford LTD station wagon. The designers of the Ford LTD station wagon predicted that there would be a need for owners wanting to replace parts with after-market components and designed the car to be maintained, in my case upgraded, to be compatible with parts from other car part vendors.
There are a few system qualities that contributed to this positive experience such as Maintainability and Testability but there is one system quality which stands out – system Flexibility. The Ford LTD station wagon designers specifically implemented the Ford LTD design for Flexibility. Maybe not in these exact terms, but I do think they thought about making the design of the automobile to be composed of other automobile part manufacturers other than what Ford produced. Of course, the primary driver for the Ford designers to optimize for Flexibility was probably not for benefit of the after-market car part manufacturers but rather to give Ford the benefit of choosing from several bidding car part manufacturers and choose the right balance of quality and cost for their production model. As a consequence, car part manufacturers benefitted from after-market sales by providing upgrade replacement parts to the same flexible design specification.
Someone smart once stated "You can't manage what you can't measure", therefore you need to think about the measures of system quality to make sure you can plan how to go about monitoring them throughout the software lifecycle. You will need to plot out just what you will expect the system designers to build so that it is optimized for system quality. A good approach that you can leverage to plan how to implement system quality is the IEEE Software Quality Metrics Methodology (IEEE 1992). Basically, this methodology suggests following these steps to define and monitor system quality metrics:
1. Establish software quality requirements
2. Identify software quality metrics
3. Implement software quality metrics
4. Analyze results of these metrics, and finally
5. Validate the metrics
The IEEE Software Quality Metrics Methodology (IEEE 1992) is more of a framework than a strict methodology. You need to add the details yourself to make it work.
First, prioritize the system quality attributes before spending time identifying software quality metrics so as to speed up this process. That is, what’s the point of spending time identifying software quality metrics for system quality attributes you are not going to monitor because they are deemed not a priority?
Second, don’t strictly follow the serial process regarding steps 4 and 5, “Analyzing results of the metrics” and “Validate the metrics” respectively. Because it is good practice to monitor for the existence of well-engineered system quality requirements as part of the overall solution requirements, it is a good idea to monitor for them. As Karl Wiegers notes “software quality attributes or quality factors, are part of the system’s nonfunctional (also called nonbehavioral) requirements.” (Wiegers 2003) The assumption here is that including system quality requirements into the solution’s project requirements improves the chances for a high-quality solution. For this reason, don’t assume that you have to complete each step before moving to the next and find yourself missing the boat on an opportunity to improve system quality. For example, you may just find yourself well into the design phase of your project by the time you get around to completing steps 1 through 3. As you monitor and analyze the metrics regarding system quality requirements, you recognize that you’re too late to go back and inject missing system quality requirements for the project and now you’re left with a bit more risk for a poor-quality solution being developed.
Now that you have a set of defined system quality attributes to draw upon, the next step is to prioritize them for your particular solution and think about how you will go about monitoring for them throughout the software development lifecycle with the aim of determining if system quality is being implemented.
Ideally, you would want to optimize for all quality attributes, but in fact this is nearly impossible because any given system has Tradeoff Points (Clements 2002) which prevent this. A Tradeoff Point is a property that affects one or more attributes. Essentially, changing one quality attribute often forces a change in another quality attribute…either positively or negatively. This is important because knowing the prioritized system quality attributes and their Tradeoff Points aids the decision-making process during design activities.
The graph below is taken from the book Software Requirements Second Edition (Wiegers 2003) and describes an example set of system quality attributes and their Tradeoff Points.
Table 1: System Quality Tradeoff Points
Here’s a quick example to illustrate Tradeoff Points. Let’s say that there is a need for a system service which aims to provide a means for processing banking transactions. The business has noted in the requirements that it must be fast. Assuming that the system designer has not read this article, she immediately begins to optimize the service for Performance. In this hypothetical case, the system designer might opt to build a high-performance application by building a system which
· Captures system requests directly from UDP communications port
· Uses proprietary message communication semantics
· Accepts system requests and processes application logic for system requests in a single process space.
· Embeds application logic in procedural code
· Persists data in local memory space for quick put/get operations.
· Sends responses to system calls in real-time to a high-performance receiving application preferably as close to the hardware level as possible using a proprietary binary communication transport.
Such a system has a number of Tradeoff Points. The three that stick out for me are:
· Interoperability. It will be difficult to interoperate due to the unstructured, unreliable UDP communication protocol as well as unsupported message formats not based on industry standards.
· Flexibility. The application’s decomposition doesn’t lend itself to be changed and reused for other purposes due to the proprietary protocols, coupled messaging and application logic as well as propriety memory store. The application also lacks application decomposition with encapsulated boundaries preventing the ability to plug other components into the system.
· Reliability. UDP communication packets are unreliable as packets could be lost, in-memory data is not persisted to disk and could be lost if the memory is released via a process fault, reboot, etc.
It may be that these sacrifices are intentional and accepted in order to achieve a high performance system…but maybe not. The business and IT owners may actually want the system to be flexible enough to withstand changes to the business processes it supports or technology changes that are inevitable. The point is that tradeoffs are made when optimizing system quality attributes and that if systems are designed with this understanding upfront, then there are less surprises down the road.
There are several processes which describe how to prioritize system quality attributes to derive system architecture such as Software Engineering Institutes (SEI) Attribute-Driven Design (Kazman 2000). In addition, there are some fairly well documented Tradeoff Points from SEI’s ArchitectureTradeoff Analysis Method (ATAM). ATAM is a very sophisticated method for determining Tradeoff Points through attribute characterizations which use the Stimuli-Architectural Decision-Responses construct (Kazman 2000).
ATAM is focused on the evaluation of software and includes in the method techniques for identifying and prioritizing system quality attributes. There are several other techniques/methods for identifying system quality Tradeoff Points in the industry. Which to use and how much to use from these industry practices depends on a number of things such as budget, resource competency, time to deliver, and solution size and complexity.
I often tend to simply adopt key concepts from these, infer from the solution requirements a set of likely important system quality attributes and collaborate with the key stakeholders to decide on three high-priority system quality attributes to focus the team on. So, my advice to you is to understand the approaches out there and weigh them for each solution to determine what’s best to include in your plan.
We have defined a plan and are ready to define the metrics of system quality to monitor and track them throughout the software development lifecycle. The purpose of using metrics is to reduce subjectivity during monitoring activities and provide quantitative data for analysis.
So, what metrics should a Solution Architect inject into the solution to better address system quality? Any good system architecture has quality requirements, so this is a good place to start. To help explain let’s take a specific system quality attribute that I consider very important to deliver Agility to the business and IT stakeholders which is system Flexibility. Here are some Flexibility metrics to consider as an example of what to monitor for:
· Quality of Service (QoS) system requirements. The Solution Architect is responsible for the integrity of a solution and not having well-defined system requirements can lead to confusion downstream and eventuate in a poor quality solution. So, to mitigate this, ensure that system requirements include QoS requirements specifically for those which are correlated to the prioritized system quality attributes. Also, accompanying QoS requirements with Use Cases and Quality Scenarios (Bass Kazmann 1999) will further improve communicating the requirement to the project team and mitigate misinterpretation. For the purposes of the Flexibility example, here are two QoS examples:
1. “A business user who has at least six months of experience in the field shall be able to modify core business processes automated by the system without requiring a change in the system’s source code which, when done, these changes are placed into a queue to be tested, with no more than one hour of labor.” This requirement demonstrates the ability for the system to withstand changes in the business process.
2. “A software engineer can change, including effort to research, design, code, unit test and document, the Find Customer function in the solution to point from the current SAP CRM module to the Microsoft CRM provided Customer Search service interface and release the code changes to the testing environment within one day.” This requirement demonstrates the ability for the system to withstand changes IT systems.
· System patterns that improve quality. The Solution Architect should also identify system patterns which should be used to optimize for the prioritized set of system quality attributes. In my example of system Flexibility, patterns such as Façade (Gamma 1995), Adapter (Gamma 1995), Service Layer (Fowler 2003) and so on improve system Flexibility.
· System anti-patterns that degrade quality. Solution Architects should provide additional guidance on what system designers are to avoid and one method to do this is to identify the anti-patterns which negatively affect system quality. In my example of system Flexibility, anti-patterns such as Shared Database (Hohpe Woolf 2004) and Data Replication (Fuller Morgan 2006) degrade system Flexibility.
The point is that it’s up to the Solution Architect to identify metrics which are used to measure system quality. Unfortunately, no one has fully defined all measures based on scientific mathematics so this can be a challenge. Aim to define as much as you can, leverage existing metric definitions from industry practices as a starting point and build on it from your experience.
Once the system quality metrics are defined, embed them into the solution artifacts and monitor for their adoption througout the software lifecycle.Dduring the build and testing phases, review the system and find deviations from what you defined. These deviations should then be considered for correction.
Through implementing software quality into the solution using the approach described in this article, the solution is better positioned to not only give the business owner a quality solution but also improve its chances to withstand changes in the business and technology therefore maximizing the return on invesment.
Let’s go through a quick summary of the three key points in this article. First, build high-quality software. While this may seem obvious I’m just pointing it out once again for the few who somehow could have missed it. J Second, understand that there are industry practices which guide Solution Architects to build high-quality software systems and they should be leveraged. And thirdly, you will need to build a plan for implementing system quality into your solution and to avoid optimizing for all quality attributes as this is nearly impossible to do. Instead, prioritize them and take the top 3 quality attributes and focus your attention on them. Ideally, if you succeed, you will have improved the chances that your software will last longer and reap the long-term benefits of improving the customer’s return on investment.
1. What are the most significant system quality attributes which contribute to Agility and how would you weight them?
2. Beside Quality of Service requirements, design patterns and anti-patterns, what other measurable metrics could you monitor to track system quality?
3. What other methods beyond giving guidance to system designers could you employ to improve system quality? That is, are there methods that other team members could adopt as their responsibility to improve system quality?
Agility is the ability of a system to be both flexible and undergo change rapidly. (MIT ESD 2001)
Flexibility is the ease with which a system or component can be modified for use in applications or environments other than those for which it was specifically designed. (Barbacci 1995)
Interoperability is the ability of two or more systems or components to exchange information and to use the information that has been exchanged. (IEEE 1990)
· The aptitude of a system to undergo repair and evolution. (Barbacci 2003)
· The ease with which a software system or component can be modified to correct faults, improve performance or other attributes, or adapt to a changed environment. (2) The ease with which a hardware system or component can be retained in, or restored to, a state in which it can perform its required functions. (IEEE Std. 610.12)
Reliability is the ability of the system to keep operating over time. Reliability is usually measured by mean time to failure. (Bass 1998)
Reusability is the degree to which a software module or other work product can be used in more than one computing program or software system. (IEEE 1990).
This is typically in the form reusing software that is an encapsulated unit of functionality.
Supportability is the ease with which a software system is operationally maintained.
Performance is the responsiveness of the system – the time required to respond to stimuli (events) or the number of events processed in some interval of time. Performance qualities are often expressed by the number of transactions per unit time or by the amount of time it takes to complete a transaction with the system. (Bass 1998)
Security is a measure of the system’s ability to resist unauthorized attempts at usage and denial of service while still providing its services to legitimate users. Security is categorized in terms of the types of threats that might be made to the system. (Bass 1998)
Scalability is the ability to maintain or improve performance while system demand increases.
Testability is the degree to which a system or component facilitates the establishment of test criteria and the performance of tests to determine whether those criteria have been met (IEEE 1990).
· The measure of a user’s ability to utilize a system effectively. (Clements 2002)
· The ease with which a user can learn to operate, prepare inputs for, and interpret outputs of a system or component. (IEEE Std. 610.12)
· A measure of how well users can take advantage of some system functionality. Usability is different from utility, a measure of whether that functionality does what is needed. (Barbacci 2003)
Gabriel Morgan has over 18 years developing software and is currently Director of Enterprise Architecture Recreational Equipment Inc (REI).. He has extensive experience in the design, development and implementation of distributed software systems and experience solving enterprise application problems such as flexibility, performance and scalability. He has a patent-pending process and tool for performing system quality reviews called the Microsoft System Review. His current interests lie in improving the value of IT through strategic planning and enterprise architecture methods.
PingBack from http://msdnrss.thecoderblogs.com/2007/09/07/the-formula-for-agility-2/
Recently, I caught wind of a discussion about use or overuse of Inversion of Control and Dependency Injection.
Recently, I caught wind of a discussion about use or overuse of Inversion of Control and Dependency Injection
I began writing a quick response to Eric’s question in this blog about Architect’s high-order bit is
Modeling helps improve the success of delivering a high-quality solution A primary responsibility of
Welcome to the July 1, 2008 edition of Carnival of Enterprise Architecture (Issue #10). Business Process Management Stephan Grindley presents Enterprise Asset Management Software - a Great Way to Manage posted at Asset Management Articles. Bozidar Spirovski


text: Dictated to her friend Olive Gilbert and first published privately in 1850, “The Narrative of Sojourner Truth” is the memoir of Sojourner Truth, an African American woman who struggled against the bondages of slavery in the early 1800s. Sojourner Truth was born into slavery around 1797 but escaped with her infant daughter in 1826, finding refuge in the home of Isaac and Maria Van Wagenen of New Paltz, New York. Subsequently in 1828 she would become the first black woman to win a case against a white man when she sued to recover her son, who was still enslaved. Born Isabella Bomefree, Sojourner changed her name to signify her belief that God had tasked her with the mission to go forth and preach the message of abolition. With the strength of her spirituality, Sojourner Truth would overcome many struggles in her life and go on to become a leading abolitionist and champion of women’s rights. One of the most famous slave narratives of all time, “The Narrative of Sojourner Truth” is an important historical document of slavery in the United States during first half of the 19th century.

domain: history


text:
A day after BJP and AIADMK announced that they would contest the Lok Sabha elections together, DMK and Congress finalised seat-sharing for the polls. The Congress will contest on 9 seats in Tamil Nadu and 1 seat in Puducherry out of total 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state. DMK president M K Stalin made the announcement at party headquarters Anna Arivalayam in the presence of Congress General Secretary incharge of Tamil Nadu Mukul Wasnik, TNCC chief K S Alagiri and other senior leaders following conclusion of seat-sharing talks.
Stalin said that the constituencies to be allotted to Congress will be announced later. He also said that DMK would finalise seat sharing with other allies for the upcoming elections soon.
In the 2014 elections, both the DMK and the Congress had failed to win a seat. AIADMK, led by the late Jayalalithaaa, had won 37 of the 39 seats.


text:
The Department of Bioengineering will organise a new DBE seminar – Spring 2021.
- 3rd May 2021, 14:00 – Online
- Speaker: dr. Ruben Soares(Science for Life Laboratory – SciLifeLab, Solna; KTH Royal Institute of Technology – Department of Protein Science, Division of Nanobiotechnology & Head of Applications at APLEX Bio, Sweden)
- Title: “Isothermal nucleic acid amplification in microfluidic systems: From point-of-care diagnostics to in-situ genotyping”
- More information.

domain: chemistry


text:
The climate crisis has become a part of our everyday lives. For some of us, this means being confronted with our environmental reality by daily news reports, by articles we read online, or by increasingly hard-to-ignore and erratic weather patterns, as well as their destructive aftermath. But for others, living during the climate crisis does not merely mean living with the knowledge that our world is changing—growing, producing, polluting—at an unsustainable rate, but actually feeling the crisis in climate crisis.
Researchers in New Brunswick, across Canada, and around the world are investigating the effects of the climate crisis on our mental health, including the ways the 2018 Wolastoq (Saint John River) flood has affected and is still affecting the province’s rural river communities.
In June, the Conservation Council of New Brunswick (CCNB) released a report that envisages the future climate of the province and outlines steps residents can take to ensure that their futures are long and far from dire. In “Healthy Climate, Healthy New Brunswickers,” Louise Comeau, director of the CCNB’s climate change and energy program and a research associate at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) in Fredericton, writes, “Mental health professionals are increasingly worried about the psychological effects of climate change.” The report adds that the effects of climate change, including flooding and extended power outages, “can undermine well-being and cause ‘eco-anxiety,’ a ‘chronic fear of environmental doom.’”
The CCNB report references an in-depth 2017 American Psychological Association (APA) assessment. According to the APA’s guide to “Mental Health and Our Changing Climate,” major “acute mental health impacts” include: increases in trauma and shock, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), compounded stress or anxiety, substance abuse, and depression.
Major “chronic mental health impacts” include: higher rates of aggression and violence, more mental health emergencies, and an increased sense of helplessness, hopelessness, or fatalism. They can also include intense feelings of loss.
The APA guide not only outlines the effects of climate change on individuals but also illustrates how “stress from climate change has been observed among various communities.” Communities are beginning to feel “that their sense of self-worth and community cohesion” have decreased in light of altered interactions with their changing environments.
The CCNB report also relies on a 2018 article in the International Journal of Mental Health Systems by Katie Hayes, a researcher at the University of Toronto. Another article published the same year by Hayes, in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, addresses the ways “mental health indicators” might be incorporated into climate change adaptation assessments.
Both the APA assessment and Hayes’s articles spotlight the disproportionate effects of climate change on marginalized communities. According to Hayes, these communities include “Indigenous peoples, children, seniors, women, people with low-socioeconomic status, outdoor labourers, racialized people, immigrants, and people with pre-existing health conditions.” Health effects caused by climate change “amplify existing inequities—placing marginalized people, who generally have contributed the least to the climate change problem, at the greatest risk.”
Julia Woodhall-Melnik, an assistant professor of social science at UNB Saint John, is investigating the ways the Wolastoq flood in 2018 has impacted rural river communities in and around the Kingston Peninsula and Jemseg areas. Looking at mental health effects and shifts in social capital, Woodhall-Melnick and her team surveyed communities that experienced displacement as a result of the flood. The team’s findings have yet to be published.
According to the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization, between 2,000 and 3,000 people were displaced from their homes during the flood.
Displacement causes what many researchers have termed “solastalgia,” or the pain experienced from physical dislocation or from the assault on or transformation of a home place. The province’s river communities have a distinct connection to place, and, according to the APA, displacement can leave displaced communities “literally alienated, with a diminished sense of self and increased vulnerability to stress.” Rural communities, inherently alienated from the immediate financial, physical and mental health, and emergency service benefits of larger municipalities, are all the more vulnerable to stress brought about by a changing climate.
But it’s a mistake to believe that residents who are not physically displaced by flooding are exempt from lingering mental health effects. Those whose homes are not flooded may feel something like “survivor’s guilt,” because they cannot or could not substantially help others.
Mental health concerns as they relate to the climate crisis are sticky issues, not because we lack the knowledge or resources to affectively tackle each—and both, together—but for social and political reasons.
Mental health and climate change both have certain political and social stigmas that make acting on them undeniably difficult. Some or most of the world has accepted that we are, indeed, in the midst of a climate crisis. However, often this acceptance comes at a psychological distance: for those of us living in geographical locations not yet profoundly affected by extreme weather events, it’s a change that will become apparent at some far and future date; it’s a global problem, not a local one. Hayes cites sociologist Anthony Giddens, who calls this distancing the “Giddens Paradox.”
Citing George Marshall, author of Don’t Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change, Hayes writes that our reluctance to act “is reinforced by the Western political discourse on climate change as a future-facing problem that intentionally overlooks the centuries of industrialization, fossil fuel consumption, and land degradation that contribute to anthropogenic climate change.” This idea is echoed by Swedish activist Greta Thurnberg’s January proclamation, “Our house is on fire. I am here to say, our house is on fire.”
The palpable tension created between the political and social denials of the climate crisis and the energetic “we must act now” rhetoric of climate change researchers and activists is as ceaseless as it is confusing. We’re experiencing more than just weather whiplash. We’re experiencing a whiplash of personal and political agency.
Additionally, writes Hayes, attributing “climate-related extreme weather to mental health outcomes is also challenging because there are few visible indicators of trauma when people are experiencing mental illness, mental problems, or affirmative mental health; as such, it becomes more difficult to establish direct cause and effect relationships.”
But all is not lost. According to Hayes, there are “positive psychological consequences of extreme weather events, like feelings of compassion, altruism, sense of meaning, post-traumatic growth, or even increased acceptance of climate change and engagement with climate mitigation.”
Mental health professionals and other provincial support systems in New Brunswick are in a position to better help rural communities along the Wolastoq and around the province cope with and prepare for the worsening effects of the climate crisis. As Comeau writes in the CCNB report, “We ask stakeholders interested in protecting New Brunswickers’ health to encourage the provincial government to make physical and mental health protection and promotion a driving force behind climate change mitigation and adaptation planning and implementation.”
Lauren R. Korn is a research assistant for the RAVEN project Summer Institute and an M.A. student of Creative Writing at the University of New Brunswick.

domain: psychology


text:
Chemists and students in science and engineering at Oregon State University have created a new type of chemical test, or assay, that’s inexpensive, simple, and can tell whether or not one of the primary drugs being used to treat malaria is genuine – an enormous and deadly problem in the developing world.
The World Health Organization has estimated that about 200,000 lives a year may be lost due to the use of counterfeit anti-malarial drugs. When commercialized, the new OSU technology may be able to help address that problem by testing drugs for efficacy at a cost of a few cents.
When broadly implemented, this might save thousands of lives every year around the world, and similar technology could also be developed for other types of medications and diseases, experts say.
The Latest on: Test for fake drugs
via Google News
The Latest on: Test for fake drugs
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- 'Fake ecstasy' from China is flooding UK clubs: Drug support groups warn about 'dangerous' 4-CMCon August 19, 2021 at 3:45 am
The knock-off 'MDMA' named 4-CMC - which users have likened to the potent drug Meth - is being sold in place of or within real ecstasy pills and powders. It has been found in Manchester.
- This is why it's so hard to detect if your drugs have been messed withon August 16, 2021 at 7:00 pm
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- Rat poison is just one of the potentially dangerous substances likely to be mixed into illicit drugson August 16, 2021 at 5:29 am
Impurities are often added to recreational drugs to mask poor quality. Sebastian Leesch/EyeEm via Getty ImagesOver 150 people in Illinois started bleeding uncontrollably after using synthetic cannabis ...
- Is it illegal in arizona to get caught with fake urine during an emploment drug test?on August 14, 2021 at 7:31 pm
I don't think you would face any criminal charges for that, but you can be pretty sure you won't be getting the job. Be aware that this response does not create an attorney/client relationship. I live ...
- How to sesh safely when fake and high strength drugs circulateon August 13, 2021 at 7:40 am
High strength pills often come in and out of circulation: the double-dose, peach and lilac Donald Trumps from 2019 being recent examples. “High strength drugs are a regular cause of harm to people who ...
- Global Counterfeit Drug Detection Device Market 2021 Growth Opportunity – Spectris, Spectral Engines, Consumer Physicson August 9, 2021 at 7:05 am
The Global Counterfeit Drug Detection Device Market is anticipated to grow rapidly from 2021 to 2027, according to a new study released by MarketQuest.biz. The research looked at the market’s dynamics ...
- Hempfield man accused of attempting to fake court-ordered drug teston August 2, 2021 at 11:31 am
A Hempfield man who police say rigged a smoothie drink pouch to a rubber hose was charged Monday with attempting to fake a drug test, according to court documents. Kevin J. Harrold, 56 ...
- COVID-19 test results at KIA not fake – GHSon August 1, 2021 at 5:43 pm
It added “she also made an allegation that test/result at KIA are fake. This is also not true ... is constantly being monitored by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).
via Bing News


Lee Price emails us about the Bush Boom:
We now have job numbers for the entire 8 years of the Bush Administration. In the last 8 years, payroll jobs are up only 1.6% (0.2% annual rate). That's far and away the slowest 8 year gain on record. In the 8 years of Clinton, jobs grew by 20.7% (2.38% annual rate). In the 70 years of available data, jobs have grown at an annual rate of 2.2%. For the 62 years before Bush the average was 2.4%.
Not all the bad economic performance of the Bush years was Bush's fault--but at leeast 1/3 of it was. Not all of the good economic performance of the Clinton years was Clinton's responsibility--but my assessment is that roughly half of it was. And the Obama administration has so far made a very good start on pursuing a responsible and pro-American economic policy.
On the other hand, during the Bush years the President's Council of Economic Advisers hired 37% more interns than during the Clinton administration...


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The light from a thousand stars, some of it travelling for more than 10,000 years, finally ends its journey in my camera.
This photo was taken from my favourite star location, Porteau Cove Provincial Park, and is a rework of a series of images I shot in January.
April 16th, 2013
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Freeway Isolation and Gas Bag Inflation – Tom Rossi
California is an interesting place, politically I mean. Geographically, there is a whole lot more land area where conservatives are in the majority. It’s in the areas of concentrated population – the Bay Area, Los Angeles – where people tend to vote in their own favor (to whatever degree possible) rather than in favor of corporations and the super rich.
This week I drove deep into conservative territory – central California, where agriculture is king. All the radio stations change as you head into the San Joaquin Valley and there’s not so much variety. Faced with the total lack of any kind of jazz music, I found myself listening to none other than the big gas-bag himself – Rush Limbaugh.
It had been a while since I last was subjected to Rush (it really burns my butt that the name of one of my favorite rock bands is now synonymous with cretinous drivel) and I listened for most of an hour. I have to admit, I was smiling and laughing pretty much the entire time.
On this particular day, Limbaugh added the Center for Science in the Public Interest to his usual vilifying rants about President Obama and the terrible things he does to America. Debating the details of his blithering blather aren’t really important. It’s not important to have a long discussion with a four-year-old about why one plus one is two and not three.
But this was “call-in day” when listeners can call in and profess that they agree that one plus one is three. I wondered how the callers could take this stuff so seriously and even enjoy it – and not sarcastically, like me. Each caller started with something like, “I love your show” or “I’ve been a fan for years.”
While my mind drifted and I watched the cars around me, going down the freeway, I began to think about how cars tend to separate us from each other.
In most areas of California, people spend huge proportions of their lives in cars, much of that time alone. But it’s not just that they are alone; it’s that they are isolated. Their thoughts, sometimes spoken out loud to the empty seat beside them, are unchecked by any social interaction.
When you are isolated, you can easily go down a narrative path that is neither algorithmic nor logical, but there is no one to point that out.
During the 2008 election circus, if you were on the road, alone, and you heard some genius on AM radio say that Barack Obama is a terrorist, and you didn’t think of this question yourself, there would have been no one next to you to ask, “What does that mean? Do these people think that Obama would plant a bomb in the White House? Or on Capitol Hill? Is that really what these people think?”
I grew up in a car town, surrounded by other car towns. There was little public transportation and I almost never saw anyone walking. People drove their cars everywhere, all the time, then drove directly into their garages, never having to suffer the burden of actually talking to their neighbors.
It’s easy, in these circumstances, to feel separate and dependent only upon yourself and your family. It’s easy to start thinking that the “others” are only competition for what you want: money and resources of various kinds. It’s easy to think of yourself as a downhill skier rather than a member of a hockey, basketball, or football team.
Something strange happens when you literally rub shoulders with your fellow astronauts on spaceship Earth – they actually begin to feel human.
It seems that isolation from a wide sample of people, whether in fact due to time spent in cars or something else, correlates better with voting habits than does any other factor except possibly wealth. If you look at the map, from the 2004 presidential election, of where people voted Democrat versus Republican, Democratic voters were located in places with high population density – New York City, San Francisco, Miami, Denver, Seattle, Baltimore, etc.
Ideas, opinions… thoughts of many kinds cry out for discussion. We are a gregarious species and we work better together.
Tom Rossi is a commentator on politics and social issues. He is a Ph.D. student in International Sustainable Development, concentrating in natural resource and economic policy. Tom greatly enjoys a hearty debate, especially over a hearty pint of Guinness.


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A Modern Portrait Photography Studio Based in Norfolk, Virginia
A Modern Portrait Photography Based in Norfolk, Virginia
Hello. My name is Jennifer, and I'm the owner/operator of Exposed Moxie Photography, a photography studio based in Norfolk, VA.
Before I found my love of photography I had a successful career in marketing. I have a BA from SUNY Albany [I'm a native [upstate] New Yorker] and have worked in the financial, technology, healthcare, education, and real estate sectors as a marketing professional.
Cliche as it is, after I had my son, I knew it was time to move forward on my own path meshing my two worlds (marketing and photography) together. It quickly became clear that what made me special was both my ability to connect with people and my marketing know-how creating imagery that connects YOU to YOUR consumers.
I specialize in modern portrait photography, including but not limited to:
Personal Branding for realtors, fitness and yoga studios, therapists, politicians, brokers, authors, public speakers and coaches, and financial advisors etc.
Headshot Photography like, executive headshots, actor headshots, including kids headshots (or commonly known as child star headshots), residency/resume headshots, and realty headshots
and finally Commercial Photography for Doctors, Dentists, Accounting Firms, Yoga Studios, and Restaurants etc.
I've been a professional portrait photographer in Hampton Roads for over ten years, the bottom line: first impressions matter.
Make sure you put your best face forward, book your session today!
Most people don't know how to "look good" in front of the camera, we clam up and get awkward, and then once the camera goes off we have a haphazard smile and pure fear in our eyes. Listen, I've been there. I love watching the transformation -- from an everyday person into a powerhouse feeling capable, confident, and assured; really owning who you are all in small window of time. If this sounds like you, then you've come to the right place!


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photo credit to my sweet friend Amanda. check out her blog here!
I do not believe that our circumstances shape our lives.
This is somewhat of a lie, but bear with me I will get there. I am slowly seeing that I don't totally see this as truth. There is a small bit of truth in it, but I am currently struggling and wrestling with coming to somewhat of a conclusion on this.
So here is what I do believe. I believe in attitudes and intentions.
I have no idea what is going to happen to me in my life. It's slightly terrifying, yet wonderful and exciting at the same time. But, I do know who I am. Well, I'm still discovering it, but I am starting to know more and more. I'm imperfect and broken. But I am redeemed.
Just seeming to have only tasted a bit of this life and world, it is easy to fear the unknown.
Our surroundings, our jobs, our friends, are extremely vital to our stories. They are unique to each of us. They are though constantly changing, fluctuating, failing, succeeding, and growing, and while they are integral parts of our story, they do not ultimately define us.
I think about the story of Hosea and Gomer. When I think of this story, and even as I am reading a book on it now, I think of how Hosea sees Gomer, not as a harlot, whore, or prostitute, but as his beloved, his bride.
It is the story of a prostitute, trapped and believing that is all that she will ever be. She is bound and destined for that life. But in the midst of her personal hell, this strange man will not stop pursuing her, loving her, and caring for her. She can not seem to wrap her mind around just why this man is treating her this way, despite who she is and what she's done. In her filth. In her dirtiness. In her impurity. In her lies. In her rebellion. In her hardheartedness. In her determination to keep her walls up. In her cunningness. In her unthankfulness.
In this broken, scandalous story we see redemption. The thing that gets me the most is that Hosea returned for his wife after she attempted to return to the life she once had.
I learned a long time ago we've control of little in this world... It doesn't belong to us. It's out of our hands... All we can change is the way we think and the way we live.
What a perfect description of life. Of your life. And mine.
I think of it like this. That is why our past, our sins, who we used to be, are so very important. Because each hurt, pain, and situation that seemed out of our control inched us closer and closer to that sweet, loving redemption. Because those things which left so many scars brought us to our new identity.
Identity defines, gives purpose, provides meaning. Identity is WHO we are and what we are, and it is what we will leave behind and what we will bring with us.
Because maybe, there is so much more to life then then popularity, fame, and praise. But, yet still our selfish natures crave all of these things.
So often I quickly fall back into this mentality of making my surroundings, belongings, and reputation seem "perfect" or impressive to others.
Why in the world do we seek to please or impress if it all just dies away anyway?
And when this happens, I quickly fall back into the reality of the situation. My inclination is to bring attention and affection to myself, and I am quickly met by feelings of loneliness and a desire for more.
I am learning to strive for better, bigger dreams, yet learning to be content with where I am, what I have, etc. To love the lost, broken, and hurting wherever I am should be my goal.
I am a sojourner on this earth. Sometimes I feel like I am a child, holding onto my Father's hand, dragging him, yelling at him to hurry up so we can get to the exciting place. This is where I am now, but I recognize and have been in the place before where He is tugging my hand, telling me clearly to continue and press on, even if I want to stay where I am at. So full of patience.
And this rant, or whatever it is, is about Him in the end.
About my Father.
It is about learning more and more just how much of a confused mess I am. It's about how sometimes I sit down to write and feel so discouraged by the not-knowingness. By knowing He is faithful, good, and trustworthy, but not feeling it. Not knowing where things will lead, where I am going, or will I ever really figure it all out?
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it." Revelation 2:17
When I become discouraged, I am reminded that I can always have a fresh, clean start. Every day has new mercies in it. New beginnings. He is the perfecter of my faith. I am on my way to a better understanding of it all, to a relationship with new depths.
Because in the end, all that matters is our inheritance, our new identity. To live. To keep loving.
and sometimes to face the unknown with boldness and confidence.


The mountain lion was spotted at about 9 p.m. Sunday near a home located in the hills between Morrison Canyon Road and Kimber Park Court, according to police.
The homeowner spotted the animal on the property, and saw it had the carcass of one of the homeowner's livestock, police said.
The mountain lion was forced off the homeowner's property and back up into the hills without further contact.
The Police Department is reminding residents that if they encounter a mountain lion, they should try to appear larger by raising their arms, or to throw stones, branches or whatever is in reach without crouching or turning their back on the animal.
Residents should speak firmly in a loud voice, with the idea of convincing the animal that humans are not prey. People, particularly in the area where the mountain lion was spotted, should also try to keep pets inside and not feed them outside, according to police.
If anyone spots a mountain lion in their neighborhood in Fremont, they should call the Tri-City Animal Control services at (510) 790-6630, or the Fremont Police Department at (510) 790-6800.


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Sen. Thad Cochran has certainly made his mark on the state of Mississippi and his alma mater, Ole Miss, during his 40 years in the U.S. Senate. And now he’s retiring.
Cochran earned a psychology degree and then a law degree from the university, which is now home to the Thad Cochran Research Center that is part of the School of Pharmacy.
A press release from Cochran on Monday said he will officially resign April 1 due to health problems.
“I regret my health has become an ongoing challenge,” Cochran said. “I intend to fulfill my responsibilities and commitments to the people of Mississippi and the Senate through the completion of the 2018 appropriations cycle, after which I will formally retire from the U.S. Senate.”
It has been a great honor to serve the people of Mississippi and our country. pic.twitter.com/IYk3qsFxKa
— Senator Thad Cochran (@SenThadCochran) March 5, 2018
Cochran, 80, was first elected to the Senate in 1978 and is the 10th-longest serving senator in American history.
The Ole Miss community had a lot to say following Republican Sen. Cochran’s resignation announcement.
Cody Smith, a second-year law student at Ole Miss, works as an extern for Gov. Phil Bryant’s office. During his undergraduate career, Smith worked on Cochran’s 2014 campaign. He said the senator’s departure is detrimental to the university.
“Sen. Cochran was always helpful to student advocates,” Smith said. “Every time a delegation would go to D.C., he would meet with them personally to hear their thoughts. Ole Miss is losing one of its biggest advocates in Washington.”
Smith said attacks on Cochran’s character drove him to get involved with the campaign.
“Sen. Cochran represents a time where you could disagree without anger and where you could disagree on issues but still find common ground to work for a better future,” Smith said. “We need more leaders in the mold of the ‘quiet persuader.’”
Senior international business and French double major Terrius Harris interned in Cochran’s office last summer.
Harris said although he worked with the assistant to the chief of staff rather than with Cochran directly, he gained invaluable knowledge about U.S. government.
“Everyday felt like a combination of ‘House of Cards’ and ‘Full House,’ as the work that was being done and subjects discussed were vital to the safety and well-being of the American people, but even among all of the seriousness of the internship, the staffers made me feel like I belonged to a family,” Harris said.
Although he said he’s saddened by Cochran’s retirement announcement, especially since it’s due to health issues, Harris is choosing to focus on the legacy Cochran will leave behind.
“As a strong leader in public service, fighting for the betterment of all men for longer than I have been alive, I admire Sen. Cochran’s dedication to Mississippi and the American people,” Harris said. “I am proud to have had the opportunity to see only a glimpse of the legacy that he will leave behind on Capitol Hill.”
Senior integrated marketing communications major Clifton Carroll was also an intern in Cochran’s D.C. office last summer.
Carroll said he met Cochran a few times during his internship and said Cochran has “done more for this state than just about anyone ever.”
“Having him as the chairman of Appropriations has been huge for Mississippi, and we cannot thank him enough for all he’s done,” Carroll said. “He will be greatly missed, and I think it will be a long time before we see someone do as much for Mississippi as he has.”
Carroll said people often describe Cochran as a gentleman, and he agrees.
“He never runs negative ads against his opponents, and he treats everyone on both sides of the aisle with respect and courtesy,” Carroll said. “I think he is the kind of man that we need to see more of in politics – someone with respect and integrity who will fight for what he believes in but also respects those that disagree.”
Adam Ganucheau, UM alumnus and political reporter with Mississippi Today, said Cochran’s retirement could launch a major game of political musical chairs.
“Maybe with the exception of 1947 and 2008, I don’t believe there’s been a wilder year, politically speaking, in Mississippi history,” Ganucheau said. “Sen. Cochran’s early retirement will tremendously shake up politics in the state, and the implications might extend into the next several years.”
Gov. Bryant is tasked with appointing someone to serve in Cochran’s seat until the special election.
“That could affect who runs for which seats not only in the federal midterms this year, but in the statewide elections next year,” Ganucheau said.
Ganucheau said there will likely be lots of national media attention focused on Mississippi, and although that can be a good thing, it’s often not.
“Depending on which Democrats may run for that seat, you’ll hear speculation about whether the state could elect its first liberal Dem in the modern political era,” Ganucheau said. “As Republicans in Washington try to stave off attacks from the right within their own party, the right Democrat could have a case to make from the left. There will be a lot of money spent in both Senate races, and I suspect there will be a lot of mud slinging.”
Ganucheau has covered various events that Cochran has attended and said he has gotten to know several of his colleagues, staffers and friends.
“I’ll say this about Sen. Cochran: Very few people – even political rivals – have negative things to say about him,” Ganucheau said. “He’s the kind of politician who truly set aside partisan differences his whole career to do what he thought was best for Mississippi.”
Ganucheau pointed out that Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Democrat from Vermont, is one of Cochran’s closest friends in the Senate and the two have worked together on dozens of spending and agriculture bills.
Ganucheau said it’s important to note that Mississippi relies more on federal funds than any other state and the U.S. has a record of Mississippians controlling the federal purse.
Cochran served as Appropriations chairman from 2005 to 2007 and has served presently since 2015. Sen. John C. Stennis served as chairman between 1987 and 1989. In the House, Rep. Jamie Whitten served as chairman of House Appropriations for 14 years from 1979 to 1993.
“Losing that control over federal spending could be very bad news for Mississippi, a state that has ranked last or close to last in most key economic statistics since Reconstruction,” Ganucheau said.
This is the last year that Cochran could serve as Appropriations chairman due to term limits, but since Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah isn’t running again this year, Cochran would’ve been made Senate president tempore, according to Ganucheau.
“In addition to being third in line for the U.S. presidency, that leadership position has a lot of clout over every committee, including Appropriations,” Ganucheau said. “I suspect we’ll immediately miss having his leadership positions in the upper chamber.”