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Saturday, April 25
The incredible transformation of the BMA continues with the reopening of the African and Asian galleries, debuting to Members and donors on April 25. The Museum is home to one of the earliest and most important collections of African art in an American art museum. Help us celebrate the reinstallation of this outstanding collection and the exquisite Asian collection in renovated and expanded galleries dedicated solely to the arts of African and Asia.
Members First Night Preview Party
Saturday, April 25, 8-10 pm
Celebrate the reopening of the BMA's expanded and beautifully reinstalled galleries for African and Asian art. Enjoy music, art-making, hors d'oeuvres, and more!
Introductory Talk, 6-6:30 pm
Reception and Preview, 6:30-8 pm
Members save 20% during this weekend of spring savings at The BMA Shop.
Members Exclusive Shopping Event
April 11, 9–11 a.m.
Coffee and pastries sweeten the deals even more during these Members-only hours.
Make a masterpiece at the BMA! Bring your children or grandchildren for afternoon art-making led by one of the Museum’s teaching artists. Inspired by the BMA’s collection and fueled by your creativity, these family classes provide an opportunity for in-depth instruction and interaction, as well as developing art techniques and having fun! Reservations suggested but not required. Email firstname.lastname@example.org.
March 14 – Designing Furniture April 11 – Finding Balance
Don’t miss out on these and many other exciting Member events! Call the Members Hotline for more information: 443-573-1800
The BMA Council and Corporate Council are donor recognition programs for the Museum’s most generous annual supporters. BMA Council Membership begins at $1,200 and Corporate Council Membership begins at $2,500. To become a Council Member and receive invitations to upcoming special events, please contact Sally Ruppert at 443-573-1806 or email@example.com.


The following information is taken from the CD32 FAQ
Q: Is there an RGB output on the CD32 to connect my multisync monitor?
A: There are easily accessable RGB signal test points on the CD32's circuit board. The diagram is at the end of the FAQ. The SX-1 and CD32x both have RGB connectors on them.
A: Peter Kittel wrote: If you have the French version of the CD32, you have RGB at the S-Video jack. In this case, this jack is no more of standard “Hosiden” type, but is a Mini-DIN with 8 pins. The four extra pins carry R,G,B, and CSync.
firstname.lastname@example.org wrote: Cables (maybe with extra logic) are being sold in France, which allow you to connect your CD32 to a 1084, presumably using that SCART-RGB output.
The RGB signals are available from a test port, TP9…
| | | <--- Kickstart ROM .-. Desc Equiv pin #s | | | |o| | | | |o| | `--' .----. <--- Akiko |o| | | | |o| HSync 159 | | | : <--- TP9 |o| VSync 160 | `----' : |o| Red 163 and 164 | .. :O.--. |o| Green 165 and 166 `-------'`----------' | |o| Blue 167 and 168 ^ ^ `------- |o| CSync 157 | | |o| Ground 161 and 162 Expansion port Pin 182 `-'
The RGB signals come from the D/A conversion unit and lead directly to the expansion port. These signals are, however, not amplified. In addition they are weakened by the S-Video output unit.
As a result I (aim to) insert a 47 Ohm resistor to each colour signal connection. You may also reduce the load by interrupting the signal supply to the S-Video unit. Set pin 174 of the expansion port to GND to achieve that (174 –> u36 (4066) signal switches).
The sync signals connected to the expansion port are unbuffered. As a result you may re-synchronize your Amiga by an external tact source. You schould at least buffer the CSync line; there is no external synchronisation possible on this pin.
Hint: make use of an XOR gate chip. You may negate certain sync line(s) to adapt your Amiga to (old? ) multiscan-monitors (the A4000 monitor adapter box will do the same; without the possibility of selected negation).
Written by Klaus Hegemann, posted as part of 'CD32 expansion port info' by Anders Stenkvist in comp.sys.amiga.hardware, forwarded by Michael King.


BLANTYRE, Malawi, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- As the world commemorates the International Youth Day, youths in Malawi have pledged to support the health sector through different life-changing actions.
According to the Ministry of Health in Malawi, the health services have been interrupted heavily due to COVID-19.
For instance, Malawi Blood Transfusion Service (MBTS) recently hinted that blood supply in hospitals has gone down because many of its supplies are closed.
For days, Anita Kautsi, 45, has been moving around Blantyre hospitals in search of blood for her anaemic child. According to her, the situation was hectic. For MBTS, this is one of the biggest challenges that the institution is facing during this time.
In trying to reverse the situation, the youth in Malawi have pledged to devote themselves in blood donation and raising awareness on COVID-19.
Thompson Simwaka, 22, has been donating blood to MBTS for three years. According to him, it's very important for the youth to be on the forefront in helping the health sector due to challenges it is facing.
"I urge my fellow youth to voluntarily go and donate blood. As youths, we have a big role to serve in our societies with our full potential," he said.
Similarly, Milcaf Yelesani, a student at the University of Malawi, has urged the youth across the country regardless of their background to come together in finding solutions to global problems.
"The world is looking forward to us, the youth, to become more proactive, whilst we are still young, we should do everything possible in efforts of bringing tangible solutions," he said.
This year, youth across the world are celebrating the international youth day under a theme "Youth Engagement for Global Action", however, due to COVID-19 restrictions, youth in Malawi are celebrating at their homes. Enditem


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Age, Biography and Wiki
Nanci Griffith was born on 6 July, 1953 in Seguin, Texas, United States, is an American singer-songwriter. Discover Nanci Griffith's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is She in this year and how She spends money? Also learn how She earned most of networth at the age of 67 years old?
|Age||68 years old|
|Born||6 July 1953|
|Birthplace||Seguin, Texas, United States|
We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 6 July. She is a member of famous Songwriter with the age 68 years old group.
Nanci Griffith Height, Weight & Measurements
At 68 years old, Nanci Griffith height not available right now. We will update Nanci Griffith's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.
|Body Measurements||Not Available|
|Eye Color||Not Available|
|Hair Color||Not Available|
Who Is Nanci Griffith's Husband?
Her husband is Eric Taylor (m. 1976–1982)
|Husband||Eric Taylor (m. 1976–1982)|
Nanci Griffith Net Worth
Her net worth has been growing significantly in 2020-2021. So, how much is Nanci Griffith worth at the age of 68 years old? Nanci Griffith’s income source is mostly from being a successful Songwriter. She is from United States. We have estimated Nanci Griffith's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.
|Net Worth in 2021||$1 Million - $5 Million|
|Salary in 2020||Under Review|
|Net Worth in 2019||Pending|
|Salary in 2019||Under Review|
|Source of Income||Songwriter|
Nanci Griffith Social Network
|Nanci Griffith Twitter|
|Nanci Griffith Facebook|
|Wikipedia||Nanci Griffith Wikipedia|
On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Nanci Griffith among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.
After several months of limited touring in 2011, Griffith's bandmates The Kennedys (Pete & Maura Kennedy) packed up their professional Manhattan recording studio and relocated it to Nashville, where they installed it in Nanci's home. There, Griffith and her backing team, including Pete & Maura Kennedy and Pat McInerney, co-produced her album Intersection over the course of the summer. The album included several new original songs and was released in April 2012 on Proper Records.
In recent years, Griffith has toured with various other artists, including Buddy Holly's band, The Crickets; John Prine; Iris DeMent; Suzy Bogguss; and Judy Collins. Griffith has recorded duets with many artists, among them Emmylou Harris, Mary Black, John Prine, Don McLean, Jimmy Buffett, Dolores Keane, Willie Nelson, Adam Duritz (singer of Counting Crows), The Chieftains, John Stewart; and Darius Rucker (lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish). She has also contributed background vocals on many other recordings. Griffith suffered from severe writer's block for a number of years after 2004, lasting until the 2009 release of her The Loving Kind album, which contained nine selections that she had written and composed either entirely by herself or as collaborations.
Griffith was born in Seguin, Texas, and her career has spanned a variety of musical genres, predominantly country, folk, and what she terms "folkabilly." Griffith won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 1994 for her recording, Other Voices, Other Rooms. This album features Griffith covering the songs of artists who are her major influences. One of her better-known songs is "From a Distance," which was written and composed by Julie Gold, although Bette Midler's version achieved greater commercial success. Similarly, other artists have occasionally achieved greater success than Griffith herself with songs that she wrote or co-wrote. For example, Kathy Mattea had a country music top five hit with a 1986 cover of Griffith's "Love at the Five and Dime" and Suzy Bogguss had one of her largest hits with Griffith's and Tom Russell's "Outbound Plane".
In 1994, Griffith teamed up with Jimmy Webb to contribute the song "If These Old Walls Could Speak" to the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Country produced by the Red Hot Organization. Griffith is a survivor of breast cancer which was diagnosed in 1996, and thyroid cancer in 1998.
Griffith won the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album for Other Voices, Other Rooms. Griffith was awarded the Kate Wolf Memorial Award by the World Folk Music Association in 1995. In 2008, the Americana Music Association awarded her its Americana Trailblazer Award. Lyle Lovett, who contributed backing vocals to some of "The Blue Moon Orchestra's" recordings, had won it before her.
Griffith refers to her backing band as "The Blue Moon Orchestra." This reference is believed to have been drawn from both the title of one of her earliest albums, Once in a Very Blue Moon, and its title selection, which reached No. 85 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 1986.
Griffith's high school boyfriend, John, died in a motorcycle accident after taking her to the senior prom, and subsequently inspired many of her songs. She was married to singer-songwriter Eric Taylor from 1976 to 1982. In the early 1990s, she was engaged to singer-songwriter Tom Kimmel, but the couple never married.
Nanci Caroline Griffith (born July 6, 1953) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter, raised in Austin, Texas, who lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Griffith appeared many times on the PBS music program Austin City Limits starting in 1985 (season 10).

domain: celebrity


- LINEAR DECO
Product No. Model IP Rating Downloads Miniature Downlighter Twin IP20
MINIATURE SPOTLIGHT can be surface / track mounted or be designed to be incorporated into the ‘DAL Pro Art Picture Light’. It has a small Ø32mm diameter housing that can be fully adjusted to 0-90° vertical / 0-350° horizontal. Available in various beam distribution, spot, medium, flood and also elliptical. It is constructed in high quality extruded aluminium, steel and plastic with durable powder coat white painted finish RAL 9010 as standard. Remote driver that can run more than one pair of spotlights which can be located near a the fitting to maintain it’s minimalistic appearance.
It has the latest high output LED technology, high efficiency and excellent colour consistency. It has a special designed heat-sink which is passive, to disperse the heat from the LED which ensures the maximum operational life.
Standard colour temperatures: 3000K, 4000K (as standard) colour rendering Ra 90+, 2-3 step Macadam. Life 50000 hours
(minimum). Available with fixed non dimmable driver or DALI / 1-10V dimmable driver. IP20 construction. Built to conform to the requirements of BS EN 60598-1 and IEC 598.


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Type: Leafy Green Vegetable
Flavor: very tender, subtle bitter/sweet flavor
Use: Consumed raw or cooked
Grown by: Horticulture Research Station
Short Term Storage: Romaine is very fragile and its leaves wilt quickly. It should be stored unwashed in an open plastic bag in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator (3-5 days)
Preparation: Wash leaves under cool running water to remove dirt before cooking or eating.
Pairing: Romaine leaves are great to use as wraps for fresh cheese, tacos, or egg salad. It also makes the perfect salad base and can be topped with almost any fruits, nuts, or dressing for a refreshing salad. Romaine is great on sandwiches as well. It can also be used on top of pizza, or in stir fry, pasta, and soup dishes to add color and flavor.
Nutrition: Adults should consume 1.5-2 cups of leafy green vegetables per week according to the USDA MyPlate recommendations. Red leaf butter lettuce is rich in calcium, magnesium, and potassium
Grilled Romaine Lettuce
**What are romaine hearts? Just the inner leaves of romaine lettuce that stay somewhat tightly together, not the outer leaves.
3 to 4 romaine hearts
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar (or cider vinegar)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1.Prep the romaine hearts—pull off any old leaves. Chop off the top 1 or 2 inches of the lettuce head, and shave off the browned part of the root end, leaving the root end intact so that the lettuce head stays together.
2 Prepare your grill for high, direct heat. Paint the lettuce hearts all over with the vinaigrette. Prepare the vinaigrette. Put the oil, vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk with a fork to combine.
3 Grill the romaine hearts until lightly browned on all sides, turning every minute or two until done.

domain: agronomy


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This is broken down into two parts (a & b). the ‘a’ part reports the gross amount of distributions you received from pensions and annuities, while the ‘b’ part reports the taxable portion of these distributions.
For example, you may have received a distribution of $12,000 from your 401(k) plan, but only $10,000 of that amount was taxable. The $12,000 gross amount would, therefore, go in line ‘a’, and the $10,000 taxable amount would go in line ‘b’. Line ‘b’ is the amount that contributes to your overall taxable income.
Distributions from the following accounts are entered on this line of your tax return:
- 401(k) plans
- 403(b) plans
- Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)
- Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)
- Foreign pension plans
- Governmental 457 (b) plans
- Thrift Savings Plan
Discover more about this section of the 1040 form if you feel unsure about what you need to do.
Report pensions & annuities directly on your 1040 form

domain: economics


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Biy Ordo Guesthouse
READ THE REVIEWS, WRITTEN BY
By far the nicest place I’ve stayed in months — clean, roomy, A/C and washroom in each dorm, good wifi, great access to local transport, and excellent value. The staff speak English, provide free maps, and can provide lots of information for Osh and Kyrgyzstan…
HOTEL’S LOCATION & MAP
Follow the 14th street and then turn right.

domain: travel


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Work will finally start this March on major infrastructure upgrades to Mill Street, Little Bridge Street, the municipal parking lot along High Street, and part of Brae Street. At a cost of just over $7.2 million, the work will be carried out in five phases and is expected to last until August 2023. A detailed schedule is being developed with the contractor, Thomas Cavanagh Construction Ltd.
While the project is likely to bring disruption to merchants and residents in the area, the core work is urgently needed – water and sewer mains are about ninety years old, well past their best-before date.
The work will also entail new landscaping and streetscaping, sidewalks and curbs, and repaving.
Many of the buildings in the area will have to be connected to temporary water services, involving expected service interruptions of four to eight hours. The garbage and recycling schedule will remain the same. More information will be provided to those affected as it becomes available.
Local merchants have been through a difficult couple of years as COVID has battered business – regardless of any inconvenience, be sure and make the effort to get out and support them as this work progresses.
Planned project phases:
A – Brae Street – From Mill Street to High Street
B – High Street / Parking Lot
C – Mill Street – Almonte Street to Brae Street
D – Mill Street – Brae Street to Little Bridge Street
E – Little Bridge Street – Mill Street to Bridge Street
F – Mill Street – Little Bridge Street to Bridge Street

domain: news


TinyOwl Technology Pvt Ltd, a Mumbai-based startup that offers a location-based mobile app for food ordering, is in talks with its existing investors, Sequoia Capital and Nexus Venture Partners to raise $5 million in its Series B round of funding.
"We plan to raise $5 million. The amount may increase. As of now we have interest from our existing investors. The whole amount may come from them," Harshvardhan Mandad, co-founder and CEO of TinyOwl, told Techcircle.in. "It may take two-three months," he added.
The money will be used for the company's geographical expansion.
The service is currently available only in Mumbai. It plans to launch its services across four more cities -- Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Pune -- in the next six months. It also plans to hire 200 more employees across technology and business development departments. It currently has 300 employees.
The company raised $3 million from Sequoia and Nexus in December last year. "So far we haven't burnt the entire amount," Mandad said.
Separate emails sent to Sequoia Capital and Nexus Venture Partners did not elicit a response.
Founded in March 2014 by a group of IIT Bombay alumni, TinyOwl allows users to order food from restaurants and have it delivered at their doorstep. Consumers can manage the entire process including selecting and ordering the dishes and tracking the delivery. Users can either make payments through their credit card or opt for cash-on-delivery. The app is available on Android and iOS platforms.
The company is not making any money now but it soon plans to start charging 10 to 20 per cent cut from the restaurants, it signs up.
It has expanded to over 4,300 restaurants from 3,500 during last month. It claims it facilitates 3,000 to 5,000 transactions per day, with the average value of order being Rs 300.
Onine food ordering is one of the hottest sectors in India that has seen a lot of action, of late. Leading players in the space include Rocket Internet-backed Foodpanda.com and Axon Partners Group-backed JustEat.in. Foodpanda acquired Delivery Hero-backed online food ordering venture TastyKhana for an undisclosed amount in November last year.
(Edited by Joby Puthuparampil Johnson)


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Living With Books: 140 Years of Library Borrowing Records at the APS
The American Philosophical Society’s archive (Series VII.2.e) holds an astounding record of nearly 140 years of reading by Members of the Society from 1802-1941. The Society’s Librarians documented the borrowing of thousands of books by some of the most important scientists, intellectuals, and politicians from the early republic to the Second World War in three unassuming folio “loan books.” The extreme breadth of the data offers historians of the book an unusually rich source to understand elite reading habits, intellectual interests, and cultural tastes at the first learned society in North America.
The Society’s book collecting was scattershot throughout most of the 18th century, but a critical mass of material was built during those early decades. The Society became more serious about the care, development, and use of its collections after 1800. Beginning in 1802, the Society’s officers changed the Library’s regulations to allow any resident member to borrow any book in the Library for one month as long as a security deposit was left to assure the book would be returned “uninjured.” A one-half dollar fine would be levied each month the book was late. When Members returned books, the title was struck through in the ledger, and, while mostly legible, some entries require some effort to decipher. A quick perusal of the first loan book shows that early Members were very interested in reading the latest findings in scientific journals, reflected in a rule approved in October 1803 banning the loan of the latest number of any journal.
While the loan books don’t record the borrowing of Founders like John Adams or Alexander Hamilton (see the New York Society Library’s City Reading project for examples of their library use), some very important early American figures borrowed books from the Society. A short list includes Benjamin Smith Barton, Nicholas Biddle, Alexander Dallas Bache, Mathew Carey, William Short, Thomas Cooper, and Titian Ramsay Peale.
A few examples of borrowing offer an intriguing glimpse into the work habits and research interests of early Members. In 1804, the painter and museum owner Charles Willson Peale borrowed a half-dozen books, including John White’s highly illustrated Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales, the third volume in the natural history series of the Encyclopédie méthodique, the first book of plates from d’Alembert and Diderot’s Encyclopédie, and Georges Cuvier’s Lecons d'anatomie comparée (a two-volume set given to the Society by Cuvier in 1801). The architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe borrowed a volume of “plates belonging to the English edition of Denon’s Egypt” in 1807, a volume not in the Society’s collections today. The zoologist, etymologist, and conchologist Thomas Say checked out Denys de Montfort’s second volume of Conchyliologie systématique et classification méthodique des coquilles in 1820, probably soon after he returned from the Long Expedition to the Rocky Mountains in 1819-1820.
Many more examples are waiting to be mined from these volumes. Once understood more fully, these loan books offer the promise of an expanded view of the bookish preferences of elite scientists and thinkers over nearly a century-and-a-half of American history.

domain: library


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CHAPEL HILL — Even while North Carolina began to recover from its 1-4 start in the ACC, coach Roy Williams worried what might happen if the Tar Heels two best players went cold. The thought might still concern him, though at least now UNC has proven it can win otherwise.
Williams has often made a point this season to talk about urgency, and the Tar Heels need to play with more of it. After that, though, his second-most popular point might be his desire for better balance and for the Tar Heels not to rely solely on junior forward James Michael McAdoo and sophomore guard Marcus Paige to provide points.
Finally, just when teams need to be at their best, UNC appears to be becoming the kind of balanced team Williams might appreciate. The Tar Heels won their past two games at Florida State on Monday night, and at home against Duke on Thursday night thanks in large part because role players asserted themselves.
Kennedy Meeks, the freshman forward, scored a career-high 23 during the victory at Florida State. That helped UNC overcome McAdoos least productive game of the season no points and five fouls in 13 minutes.
Then, against the fifth-ranked Blue Devils, Leslie McDonald scored 21 points two fewer than Paige and McAdoo combined to score and he made nine of 12 shots, a performance that suggested his miserable shooting slump might be over. McDonald entered Thursday night having made just two of his previous 16 shots.
That the Tar Heels won those games is enough to please Williams and his team. But that they won them without a pair of dominant performances from their two best players is an indication of the increased balance at UNC, which plays against Wake Forest on Saturday at the Smith Center.
Me and Leslie have really just been trying to get in each others ear, McAdoo said after the victory against Duke on Thursday night. Hes definitely been helping me and my mindset coming into the game attack, attack, attack. So I knew he was going to break out of this shooting slump it was just a matter of time.
During the first five games of UNCs eight-game winning streak, McAdoo was his teams best player. He averaged more than 18 points and eight rebounds per game during that stretch.
Then came the scoreless game against the Seminoles. Against Duke, he excelled defensively but struggled offensively again, and finished with 10 points on 5-of-14 shooting. Paige, meanwhile, went scoreless in the first half on Thursday night before his strong second half. He has made a habit of following quiet first halves with dominant second halves, and he finished with 13 points against Duke.
Amid Paiges first-half struggles, and McAdoos difficulties on offense, McDonald had an opportunity. He took advantage of it.
He was really the one getting us going in the first half, Paige said of McDonald. I was awful in the first half. I had a bunch of turnovers, didnt play great defensively. But Leslie was our guy tonight.
UNC players have scored at least 20 points 19 times this season. Paige and McAdoo have combined for 14 of those.
UNCs victories against Florida State and Duke represented the first time this season that the Tar Heels received 20-point performances in consecutive games from two players besides Paige and McAdoo. While those two have often carried the Tar Heels, Williams had been waiting for other players to emerge as consistent scoring options.
The past two games suggest his wait might be over.
Carter: 919-829-8944; Twitter: @_andrewcarter


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The Difference Between Monocrystalline Solar Panel Cells and Polycrystalline Silicon Solar Panels
1. The conceptual difference between monocrystalline solar panel cells and polycrystalline silicon solar panels
Monocrystalline solar panel cells are mainly made of monocrystalline silicon. Compared with other types of solar cells, monocrystalline solar panel cells have the highest conversion efficiency. Due to the shortage of polycrystalline silicon raw materials in recent years, the market share of monocrystalline silicon has increased slightly. Now, most of the batteries seen on the market are monocrystalline silicon. The silicon crystal of monocrystalline solar panel cells is very perfect, and its optical, electrical and mechanical properties are very uniform. The conversion efficiency achieved by monocrystalline solar panel cells in the laboratory is 24.7%, and the conversion efficiency of common commercialization is 10% to 18%. Due to production process problems, monocrystalline solar panel cells generally have semi-finished silicon ingots in cylindrical form, and then go through slicing, cleaning, diffusion junction, back electrode removal, electrode fabrication, peripheral corrosion, and anti-reflection film deposition to make finished products.
Polycrystalline silicon is easy to identify from its surface. The silicon wafer is composed of a large number of crystalline regions of different sizes (the surface has a crystal-like crystal shape). The photoelectric conversion at the grain interface is easily disturbed, so the conversion efficiency of polysilicon is relatively low. At the same time, the consistency of optical, electrical and mechanical properties of polysilicon is not as good as that of monocrystalline silicon cells.
2. The processing difference between monocrystalline solar panel cells and polycrystalline silicon solar panels
Generally, the four corners of monocrystalline solar panel cells are rounded. The thickness of monocrystalline solar panel cells is generally 200μm to 350μm thick. The current production trend is to develop towards ultra-thin and high-efficiency. When making polycrystalline silicon cells, the high-purity silicon as the raw material is not purified into single crystals but melted and cast into square silicon ingots. It is then processed into thin slices and similarly processed as monocrystalline silicon.
The highest efficiency of the polycrystalline silicon solar panel laboratory is 20.3%, and the commercialized one is generally 10% to 16%. The polycrystalline silicon solar panel is a square piece, which has the highest filling rate when making solar modules, and the products are relatively beautiful. The thickness of polycrystalline silicon solar panels is generally 220 μm to 300 μm thick. Some manufacturers have produced solar cells with a thickness of 180 μm, and they are developing towards thinness to save expensive silicon materials. Polycrystalline solar panel cells are square or rectangular at right angles. The four corners of monocrystalline solar panel cells have rounded chamfers. A module with a money-shaped hole in the middle is a monocrystalline solar panel, which can be seen at a glance.

domain: chemistry


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Scotch-Fix™ Removable Adhesive Pads are putty pads, conformable and leaving no residue, they are ideal for lightweight mounting on painted or wallpaper surfaces. Holding up to 300g, these removable adhesive pads stick to a variety of porous and non-porous surfaces.
Change your decoration as quickly as inspiration strikes with Scotch-Fix™ Removable Adhesive Pads. Ideal to stick to your favourite poster, photo, or artwork and mounts effortlessly to a variety of surfaces–even rough, painted breeze block. Comformable putty pads, it removes easily from both your object and surface, and is up for being used again, and again. Scotch-Fix™ Removable Adhesive Pads allow you to customize the size of your adhesive and above all, the putty pads don't leave any white or yellow residue on any surfaces. No risk for your painted walls or wallpaper to be marked or damaged.

domain: artistic


Thank you for being a friend
A longtime friend to Oak Ridge, and one of the best known United States senators, was given the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce's highest award Thursday during a noon luncheon.
Former U.S. Sen. Howard Baker Jr. was given the Eugene L. Joyce Lifetime Achievement Award, the fifth time the Chamber has presented the prestigious award.
Previous award winners include Wanda Craven, Tom Hill, Gene Caldwell, and George Mathews.
Making the 2008 award even more special for Baker was that he and the late Gene Joyce were longtime friends.
"Gene Joyce and Howard Baker were true visionaries," said Stacy Myers, after giving a history of the award, recognizing past recipients, and the criteria for the award, citing Joyce's contributions to Oak Ridge.
Myers said Baker had always been a strong supporter of Oak Ridge's federal facilities' mission and TVA's mission.
Joyce, a longtime Oak Ridge attorney, was also a lobbyist, a city leader and was one of the most active residents in city, county, state and federal government politics. He was also the founder of Technology 2020. The Chamber created the Eugene L. Joyce Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998 in honor of his many achievements.
Joyce died May 8, 2003, at the age of 85.
Jim Normand, Joyce's stepson, and Tom Hill, former publisher and co-owner of The Oak Ridger, told the packed meeting room at the DoubleTree Hotel, several stories involving Joyce and Baker, often bringing laughs to those present.
Normand talked about a time in 1978 when Joyce, a staunch Democrat, told his family he had been asked to endorse Baker, a Republican, stating that "he didn't know how that would go over." Normand said Joyce was told that it would be "political suicide," but Joyce said, "‘I've got to cross lines and be a Howard Baker Democrat.'"
Hill talked about an embarrassing moment in his involvement with Baker and the Oak Ridge community. He said he thought Baker spent too much time at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and not enough time in the community. He said he took Baker to an outdoor event and realized that Baker knew nearly everyone there, "and their kids' names."
"I told him he could spend as much time at the lab as he wanted," Hill said.
The Eugene L. Joyce Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual who performs outstanding service to Oak Ridge.
"The two people who shaped my views about Oak Ridge were Gene Joyce and my father, who was devoted to Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge was deeply devoted to him," Baker said in appreciation of the award.
Baker, a Huntsville native, served three terms as a U.S. senator and rose to national prominence during the Watergate hearings of 1973 and 1974 as vice chairman of the Senate Watergate Committee, the highest ranking Republican on the committee.
He served as minority leader from 1977 to 1981 and as majority leader from 1981 until he retired from the Senate at the end of his third term. He was a candidate for the 1980 Republican presidential nomination and served as President Reagan's chief of staff in 1987 to 1988.
Reagan awarded him The Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984.
For the next 13 years he worked in several Tennessee law firms; and in 2001, President George W. Bush appointed him as U.S. ambassador to Japan.
Earlier this year, the Japanese government gave Baker the Order of the Rising Sun award, one of Japan's most prestigious awards.
Beverly Majors can be contacted at (865) 220-5514.*


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Looking at doing a loopable GIF animation. Mission Accomplished!
Inspired by the landscape in Chilliwack BC, where my family is from. Painted as Christmas gift, 36″x24″ Giclée Canvas.
A shirt for a previous student of mine, Jordan.
Visit http://soundcloud.com/mattvogt for more!
Another track of learning explorations… this time it’s about pianos….
New track exploration, working on completing full track experiences, not individual studies. This one I really tried to push a full sound and somewhat have some structure, contrast, dynamics hmmm..
Completed a banner for http://report.sciencealberta.org/
I think I forgot to mention! Lazslo Kovacs and I created a game for the Android market entitled Finger Swinger.
- Jon Snyder came up with the idea
- Laszlo programmed it!
- I did the art and music
It’s free – get playing today!!
Mom came down with a brain tumor and the magical staff at the Royal Columbian Hospital removed it just fine! She’s 110 %. I was so moved by the whole ordeal I presented this to our neurosurgeon, Dr Heran. Awesome guy
That’s my sister, thanks to Joel, my brother in-law at 4th Dimension Reprographics for the great canvas print!!
Below is a collection of marketing materials I’ve done for a variety of clients (through http://VogtVisuals.com) ! Most are email fliers, PDF, JPG, which can double nicely to craigslist etc. I really like doing these! Thanks for viewing!
Not the first time I painted inspired by the Vedder Bridge, I visit the trail there.
What’s this???? Is it true???
Small teaser, they’re WIP – work in progress yo. Thanks for viewing eh!
USB Prayer Beads
Whoa! It sure feels crazy updating this site, especially a wordpress site not for a client. Did you know I started this site around 2005-2006?
New Projects and Updates:
Well I destroyed the old sculpture. There was some wierd topology pinching which I thought the Z Brush geometry helpers would fix (such as equalize, re-mesh etc)… well they didn’t, instead they destroyed my ZSphere polygroups, so I just started over again with great results.
(costume design… next time)
So I’m reading the 6000 page Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth. It’s a really, really good book and I’m about 2/3 through. I know they’ve make a TV series etc etc (which I close my eyes to) but for me, reading fiction (a rarity – though a growing interest), grants me the opporunty to stretch my visual storytelling database. I thought I’d share a sketch I’m working on, it’s a love-hate kind of thing me and this piece, it’s coming along:
I’m a pretty big fan of the cloud’s treatment, the random skeletal type connections, the warm/cool tones, flowing composition and some random structure smack dab in the middle…. hmphm
Work in progress, like all these projects! Woohoo!!
Ever try the Z Brush sketchpad???? It’s pretty fun once you understand how the tools translate. Plus! You can draw in symmetry!!! Joy!
In this case, tonight I open Z Brush without a project in mind – once the ‘energy’ was in the right place, ie: I felt good, I sketched a couple gestures and the idea of a mother holding her child said go gogogoggoo!!! That’s all it took. I’d like to learn more about fabric folds etc so I think this would a good project to do so….
Hey sports fans! I’ve created a page on this website dedicated to my latest passion – music creation! I swear my ears have gotten bigger playing with this stuff. I love music and always have. More info to come!

domain: hobby


I hook my Roku up to the Wi-Fi and it worked great for a couple of weeks. Then I turned it on and it would not hook up to Wi-Fi. Showed good signal strength but would not connect. Tryed every suggestion but would not connect. Returned unit for exchange. Hooked new unit up and it connected to Wi-Fi and worked great for a couple weeks and then same issue again. Returned unit again but upgraded to a higher quality unit hoping for better results. No luck. No issues with any other products hooked to Wi-Fi.
If you are experiencing the same issue with multiple devices, it would lead us to believe that the issue is not the devices, but mostly likely your wireless network.
Can you provide more information about the issue you were experiencing? What specific Roku model devices were you using? What kind of wireless network were you using and who is you internet service provider?
With more detailed information, we will be able to assist you further.


Rap has been a powerful form of rhythmic expression for many years. While NPR credits its origins to block parties in 1970s New York City, Four over Four suggests that rap actually traces back to West Africa, where storytellers used it to share their tales accompanied by the ƅеаt of a drum.
One rapper who embodies this rich tradition is Burna Boy, also known as Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, as highlighted by The New York Times. Hailing from Nigeria, Burna Boy can be likened to the West African historians of old, using his music as a conduit for stories of the past, present, and future. Despite facing setbacks early on in his career, such as label issues in 2015 and being overlooked by influential figures in his home country (as reported by African Glitz), Burna Boy’s fortune took a drɑmɑtic turn in 2018.
According to The Fader, Burna Boy’s breakthrough came through an unex.pec.ted turn of events. In 2018, he released an album featuring a song titled “Ye.” Coincidentally, around the same time, Kanye West also released an album titled “Ye.” Kanye’s fans searching for his album stumbled upon Burna Boy’s track, and upon listening to it, some decided to explore the rest of Burna Boy’s work. This led to a surge in international recognition for the Nigerian artist. Fast forward to 2022, Burna Boy has solidified his position as a respected artist both locally and globally.


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The Considerate Killer is the fourth in the superb Nina Borg series of thrillers by the Danish duo, Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis. Sadly, it reads like the last of the series.
A neurotic nurse who looks for trouble
Nina Borg is a neurotic Red Cross nurse nearing middle age. Her several neuroses have alienated her husband and distanced her from her two young children. These afflictions include an obsession with knowing the time from one minute to the next and a pronounced tendency to insert herself into what are obviously life-threatening circumstances. The first three books in the Nina Borg series establish these patterns beyond any doubt. In The Considerate Killer, she finds herself once again in mortal danger — but this time it wasn’t her choice.
The Considerate Killer (Nina Borg #4) by Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis @@@@@ (5 out of 5)
Emergency surgery in the snow
Returning to her car in a parking garage with her arms full of groceries, Nina is savagely attacked and nearly killed by two massive blows to her head. She is saved only by the intervention of a passerby. The incident leaves her lying in a hospital bed without any memory of the day’s events — and reinforces her ex-husband, her mother, and her children in thinking that she is hopelessly destined to be a victim of violent crime. As this action unfolds, the man who loves her — an officer in Denmark’s police intelligence service (PET) — is recuperating from a nearly fatal gunshot wound in a recent incident. Nina saved his life then by administering emergency surgery in the snow. As soon as he learns of the attack on her, he rushes to the hospital to support her and insert himself into the investigation of the incident by local police.
Far away in the Philippines
Meanwhile, months earlier, far away in the Philippines, three young medical students have formed a firm friendship. One of the three, the son of a wealthy and powerful Philippine politician, persuades the others to move in with him to the spacious luxury apartment his father has purchased for him. The complexity of the developing relationships among these three young men constitutes a parallel plot that unfolds as Nina’s recuperation proceeds. Naturally, the two plot lines will intersect, and explosively so.
Outstanding Danish thrillers
The connection to the Philippines will not surprise any fan of these novels. In each of the preceding three books, Nina has become involved with violent crimes centered in other foreign countries, including Hungary and Ukraine. Following a familiar pattern, Kaaberbøl and Friis maximize the suspense by alternating scenes from the past in the Philippines with the story of Nina’s slow recovery in Denmark. The intersection of the two plot lines builds suspense to an unnerving degree and allows the authors the opportunity to add depth to the principal characters. You can expect nothing less from this talented pair of thriller writers.
For further reading
This book is included in my list of The 10 best books of 2016. And for a guide to the best Scandinavian mysteries and thrillers, check out The best Nordic noir series from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland.
You might also enjoy my posts:
- Top 10 mystery and thriller series;
- 20 excellent standalone mysteries and thrillers; and
- 20 outstanding detective series from around the world.
For an abundance of great mystery stories, go to Top 20 suspenseful detective novels (plus 200 more). And if you’re looking for exciting historical novels, check out Top 10 historical mysteries and thrillers reviewed here (plus 100 others).
And you can always find my most popular reviews, and the most recent ones, plus a guide to this whole site, on the Home Page.

domain: literature


text:
War criminals against war crimes
Ibtisam was 15 when Islamic State (also known as ISIS/ISIL/Da’esh) came to her village. It was 9 a.m., and the gunfire of the approaching forces was getting louder. Her family piled into their car and fled; in need of baby milk, they passed by the city of Duhok, Iraqi Kurdistan to stock up. That was when they were caught. The men were executed immediately; Ibtisam and her two younger sisters were taken into captivity in the city of Tal Afar.
After several weeks they were moved to another building with around 700 other women and girls, where her younger sisters – one of them five months old – were forcibly removed from her. She and another girl were singled out by a much older man who took them home and raped them. The next morning, finding the house apparently empty, they were able to escape. They reached a road and hailed a taxi; luckily the driver was sympathetic and gave them refuge in his home, hiding and disguising them as best he could. But it soon became unsafe for them to stay there, so he took them to a friend’s house. Passing through a checkpoint, they were again caught by ISIS, and taken to a basement full of other women and girls. There they were beaten regularly, as a message to any others who might try to escape. When her friend started vomiting blood, they were taken to a hospital; but when she stopped, they were taken back to the basement and beaten again. They were again sold as sex slaves, and resold and raped repeatedly over the months that followed.
This is one of many disturbing testimonies from a report published this month by the House of Lords Committee on Sexual Violence in Conflict. Ibtisam (not her real name; the testimonies in the report are anonymous) was a Yazidi, one of hundreds if not thousands who have lived through similar experiences. The plight of the Yazidis was briefly front-page news in autumn 2014, but the Committee’s report shows that such experiences are far from unique.
In fact, the report refers to 19 countries in which conflict-related sexual violence is particularly prevalent. That list derives from another report, prepared by the UN Secretary General for the Security Council last year. Across all 19, the report noted, “non-state actors account for the vast majority of incidents," referring in particular to “those pursuing extremist ideologies in Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Nigeria, Mali, Libya and Yemen.”
That list is significant, for violent extremism it not the only thing these countries have in common. The other is that all of them have been willfully destabilized by British government policy, creating the conditions for that extremism to flourish.
Take Yemen, for example. The depth of British involvement in the Saudi bombing campaign which began last year is on such a scale that it could be seen as a British war by proxy. Since it started, Britain has overtaken the US to become the leading supplier of weapons to the Saudis, providing all the bomber jets, missiles and bombs necessary for the campaign, which has killed at least 10,000 people, left 90 percent of the population without access to safe water and sanitation, and pushed 14 million to the brink of famine. The British military also have six “advisors” embedded with the Saudi Air Force to help with targeting, with suspicions that nearly 100 more British soldiers are also involved in some capacity.
The Secretary-General’s report on sexual violence was issued before the Saudi bombing started. But he noted that 148,108 people had already been internally displaced by the fighting in Yemen, with “the majority of those displaced… women and children, who faced increased vulnerability to sexual and gender-based violence. A marked increase in violence against women has been observed in conflict-affected areas, with the most prevalent manifestations being rape, sexual assault and early marriage. A disturbing link exists between the presence of armed groups and an increase in early and forced marriage, resulting in the sexual abuse of some of the poorest and most vulnerable girls in society.”
The 148,000 refugees exposed to such risks has now increased to an estimated 2.5 million, as a direct consequence of the British-supplied and directed escalation. British government policy, then, has likely facilitated an approximately 16-fold expansion of sexual violence in Yemen.
But a similar story could be told for every country on the Secretary-General’s list. In Syria, the “non-state actors…pursuing extremist ideologies” that “account for the vast majority of [sexual violence] incidents” have been consistently supported by the British government, and continue to be so. Providing diplomatic support and even special forces for the insurgents since 2011, Britain has been encouraging and facilitating their expansion ever since, implicated in the delivery of 3000 tons of weapons to them in November 2012 (delivered via Croatia to evade an EU arms embargo) and successfully lobbying the EU to end the arms embargo altogether the following year.
It has been training these militias in Jordan, and is now providing them with air support: in discussions prior to airstrikes last year, David Cameron explicitly stated that his allies on the ground would not be the non-sectarian Syrian Arab Army under the control of the elected government, but rather 70,000 militia fighters, 40,000 of which have been identified by his own national security advisor Mark Lyall Grant as “radical Islamists.” As is well known, ISIS emerged precisely out of the groups Britain had been helping to destroy Syria, and even now, in the midst of a supposed “war against ISIS,” Britain still refuses to attack the group when they are fighting the Syrian government.
Equally well established is that it was precisely the foothold they gained in Syria, with Western support, that allowed ISIS to then take control of large swathes of Iraq, itself already weakened by decades of British-US bombings, sanctions and occupation. The 1,500 civilians estimated by the UN to be held in sexual slavery by ISIS in Iraq, then, like those suffering sexual violence in Yemen, largely have Britain and its allies to thank for their predicament.
Then, of course, there is Libya. Early in 2011, Britain led calls for NATO intervention in support of a violent and racist insurgency led by the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, originally the Libyan franchise of Al-Qaeda. The utterly predictable outcome of NATO’s destruction was the country’s rapid slide from the most developed and prosperous in Africa to the continent’s latest failed state, with all the attendant poverty, kidnappings, gang warfare and sexual violence that entails. “Extremist activity in Libya,” said the UN report, “is a source of serious concern given regional trends regarding sexual violence committed by armed groups” – that is, the armed groups armed and brought to power by NATO.
But NATO’s actions in Libya were much more far-reaching than this. The destruction of Libyan state authority meant that, following the collapse of the government, most of the army’s arsenal fell into the hands of the region’s various militias. As a report by Al-Jazeera Center for Studies (AJCS) noted, “terrorist groups like AQIM [Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb] acquired heavy weapons such as SAM-7 anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, transporting them back to the Sahel region” (encompassing parts of Mali, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Chad, Nigeria and elsewhere). Subsequently, “courtesy of AQIM, these arms have been transferred to groups such as Ansar Dine [and] Boko Haram… emboldening and enabling them to mount more deadly and audacious attacks.”
Both the 2012 war in Mali, and the rise of Boko Haram, then, are the direct fallout of NATO’s Libya war. Of Boko Haram, the UN report wrote that “forced marriage, enslavement and the “sale” of kidnapped women and girls are central to Boko Haram’s modus operandi and ideology.” As for Mali: “In November 2014, non-governmental organizations filed 104 criminal complaints against armed groups for incidents of conflict-related sexual violence against women and girls that took place in 2012 and 2013. These incidents were filed as war crimes and crimes against humanity, and have been attributed to members of the Mouvement national de libération de l’Azawad, Ansar Dine and the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa,” all of them beneficiaries of the regional instability and weapons free-for-all generated by NATO’s war.
The British government, then, has played a pivotal role in not only igniting those conflicts characterized by serious sexual violence, but in directly supporting and arming the very groups perpetrating that violence. For that same government to now be claiming to be leading a global “Initiative” to “Prevent Sexual Violence in Conflict” is a supremely sick joke – and that it is fronted by William Hague, the foreign minister who oversaw British support to Al-Qaeda and their allies in Libya and Syria, is an insult to the thousands of victims of that policy.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.


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text:
By Lambert Strether of Corrente.
“Watch out for the use of ‘science-based’ arguments during the coming TAFTA/TTIP: I predict it’s a phrase we’ll being hearing a lot of, soon” [Open Dot Dot]. If an argument is really “science-based,” it won’t use proprietary data.
“Analyst: Trans-Pacific Partnership ‘unlikely to go ahead'” [New Zealand Herald]. “The TPPA cannot get through the US congress as it is,” [Lori Wallach, visiting New Zealand] said. “Under the certification system the agreement won’t get voted on or go into effect until the US congress is satisfied.”
Malaysian House and Senate approve a motion to sign TPP [Channel News Asia].
Tonight’s Republican Debate
“Anecdotally, a potential Trump supporter in Iowa told The Washington Post that she thought skipping the debate fit well with Trump’s brand” [WaPo]. “‘Everything that he does is so well thought out,’ Tara Wachendorf, 27, said while awaiting a Trump rally Tuesday in Iowa City. ‘He’s good at creating controversy, and that’s what’s bringing him more voters. People like that.'” Kayfabe, I’m tellin’ ya. Except at some point, kayfabe may be broken for the crowd, with real blood in the stands, not fake blood in the ring.
Trump’s skipping the Republican debate because Megyn Kelly. “Fox News Statement Taunting Trump Was ‘100 Percent’ Roger Ailes” [New York Magazine]. The statement: “We learned from a secret back channel that the Ayatollah and Putin both intend to treat Donald Trump unfairly when they meet with him if he becomes president,” Fox said. “A nefarious source tells us that Trump has his own secret plan to replace the Cabinet with his Twitter followers to see if he should even go to those meetings.” “While Trump could cost Fox News debate-night ratings, officials at the network said Rupert Murdoch, the executive co-chairman of Fox’s parent company, 21st Century Fox, gave Ailes his support over the phone” [Reuters].
“Finding a Cure for Bernie Sanders’ and Hillary Clinton’s Health Care Plans” [Truth Digest]. Good summary from two doctors:
On Sunday, just two hours before the final Democratic debate before the Iowa caucus, Sanders released a new plan. It made two excellent improvements on his previous legislative proposals.
First, he writes that he would create “a federally administered single-payer health care program.” This is a major improvement over the complexity, cost and inconsistency of having 50 state administrators—it will save money and provide equal coverage for all. Second, he expanded the coverage of his plan so that all medically necessary services would be covered.
Most of his announcement Sunday focused on how the plan would be paid for. His plan includes a 2.2 percent tax, which he calls a premium, on certain households. For example, Sanders’ website states that this would apply to a family of four with income over $28,800. There would also be a 6.2 percent payroll tax. Then it provides for a progressive income tax, beginning with those making over $250,000 annually. Capital gains and dividends would be taxed at the same rate as other income, tax deductions for the wealthy would be limited and the estate tax would be changed.
While this plan gives his opponents a talking point—”Sanders would raise taxes on the middle class”—the reality is that it would actually save people money because families would no longer be paying premiums. In addition, the payroll tax would lower costs for businesses.
“Ta Nehesi Coates’ Bernie Sanders Brain Fart Isn’t Even About Reparations” [Black Agenda Report]. “[Bernie is] really no kind of socialist at all. Bernie know this, and has rarely if ever called himself one in recent years. But he allows, even encourages us to call him that this year because socialism is popular, even though Ta Nehesi Coates thinks it should not be.”
“Campaigning in style: How Jeb Bush blew through his warchest” [Reuters]. “Money donated by both large and small donors kept the Bush camp traveling in style. There were stays at luxury hotels including the Wilshire in Beverly Hills, the Viceroy in Florida, the St. Regis in Dana Point, California, and the W in Stamford, Connecticut, the campaign finance filings show.” I’m so happy Bush and his gang of grifters took $250 [million] off some stupid squillionaires. Who are now whining about it.
“Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrived in Philadelphia Wednesday to meet with African American ministers and also to hold a fundraiser” [NBC Philadelphia]. “And also.”
“Cruz, Trump and the Missing White Voters” [Real Clear Politics].
Sanders will agree to more debates if Wasserman Schultz fixes the mess she made [The Hill]. “The campaign is requesting one each in March, April and May. All three must not be scheduled on a Friday, Saturday or holiday, and all three must include Martin O’Malley along with Sanders and Clinton.”
“‘What the president has tried to do, what Vice President Biden has tried to do, is to be as evenhanded as they could be,’ [Sanders insisted after a White House meeting] [AP] “‘And I know there was some discussion the other day about a Politico interview in which he was tipping the scale towards Secretary Clinton — I don’t believe that at all.’ … “[Sanders] emphasized that he owed Obama a political debt for coming to campaign for him in 2006, saying ‘I have never forgotten that.'” So, Clinton offers Obama a crude bribe (nomination to the Supreme Court) and Sanders praises Obama’s neutrality. Who’s the classier?
“On the Democratic candidate side, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California made clear to reporters at a party retreat in Baltimore that she was thrilled with the prospective new voters that Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is drawing to his presidential rallies” [New York Times]. “But Ms. Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, is not so enthusiastic about some of his proposals that could require raising taxes. “We’re not running on any platform of raising taxes,” she said.” Not even to save people money. Or their lives.
“Bernie Sanders’s political revolution, explained” [Vox]. The explanation:
- A Democratic Party–wide move to the left on economic issues, focused on challenging the power of the wealthy and corporations (and, by extension, the power of the Republicans those interests tend to back)
- A new economics-focused electoral appeal aimed at nonvoters of all races — and at white voters who’ve tended to support the GOP
- A continued mobilization and organization of many of those core supporters, so they’ll keep fighting for change once President Sanders is in office
Interesting. Not seeing it so far, however. But this: “[Obama]’s been criticized for failing to make use of his massive organizing operation once in office.” Obama did not not NOT “failing to make use” OFA; he instantly dismantled it. That’s the second time I’ve seen this history airbrushed this week.
“Sanders draws big crowds in Duluth and St. Paul” [Minnesota Post]. “More than 14,000 people came to St. Paul’s RiverCentre — a third of them in an overflow crowd — for the Vermont senator’s evening speech, and earlier, about 6,000 people packed his afternoon rally at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center” [Star Tribune].
“With just a few days to go before the Monday caucuses, we believe Clinton is decently positioned to survive Iowa. Momentum and excitement appear to be more on Sanders’ side, but he may be over-reliant on a base of supporters that are not well distributed throughout the state and a bit less likely to turn out at the level he needs” [Larry Sabato, Center for Politics]. “If despite all this, Clinton still comes up short, let’s not forget that Iowa’s Democratic activists are overwhelmingly white and somewhat more liberal than in many other states where Clinton will be favored due to strong minority backing. So a Clinton loss here is far from fatal.”
“Six months after it began, the federal investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server shows no signs of slowing down” [The Hill]. “‘It does give pause to Democrats who are concerned that there may be another shoe to drop down the road,’ said Andrew Smith, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire.” And then there’s this:
The former secretary of State did not appear to send most of the emails now marked classified. Instead, they were largely sent or forwarded to her by aides.
“If I’m in Clinton’s campaign, I’m more worried if am Cheryl Mills, Huma Abedin or Jake Sullivan than if I’m Hillary Clinton,” [said Bradley Moss, a lawyer who specializes in national security and protection of classified information]. Mills, Abedin and Sullivan were all top aides of Clinton’s at the State Department. Abedin and Sullivan continue to hold high positions in Clinton’s presidential campaign.
“De Blasio will be joined [in Iowa] by his wife, Chirlane McCray, as they seek to help Clinton defeat U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont for the Democratic presidential nomination, according to de Blasio’s political team” [Newsday]. “David Peterson, a professor of political science at Iowa State University, said he didn’t believe Mr. de Blasio’s visit would make much of a difference. He said Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, would be a bigger draw” [Wall Street Journal, “Weekend in Iowa Awaits Bill de Blasio”]. Yes. Clinton can offer a bribe to Obama in the form of support for a Supreme Court nomination. But apparently, she can’t (or won’t) make an offer Warren can accept, and endorse her. Odd, that.
“Mayor Bill de Blasio won’t be going to the Groundhog Day ceremony at the Staten Island Zoo this year” [CBS New York]. “Staten Island Chuck, which was really a female groundhog named Charlotte, famously slipped from de Blasio’s grasp during his first Groundhog Day ceremony as mayor. The animal died a few weeks later, apparently from internal injuries.” So, Bill, if anybody Iowa offers you an animal to hold, don’t do it!
“Paul Krugman Unironically Anoints Himself Arbiter of ‘Seriousness’: Only Clinton Supporters Eligible” [Glenn Greenwald, The Intercept]. I used to think somebody had kidnapped Operative K and replaced him with an alien replicant, but sadly, I now think he’s just becoming more himself.
“The Audacity of Hope: The Trump Version” [Cook Political Report]. Five reasons Trump will lose. “Given how wrong so many of us were about Trump’s staying power in the first place, it’s understandable why so many are wary to write him off as either the nominee or a general election winner. However, let’s not mistake his progress thus far as simply one of his own creation. Trump’s success has also been built upon the failure on the non-Trump “establishment” to coalesce around their own standard bearer. He’s also faced almost no serious attacks by his opponents.”
Durable Goods Orders, December 2015: “The factory sector ended 2015 with a giant thud. Durable goods orders fell 5.1 percent in December vs expectations for a 0.2 percent gain and a low-end estimate of minus 3.0 percent” [Econoday]. And it’s not all aircraft, either: “Orders for civilian aircraft lead the dismal list, down 29 percent in December. The other main subcomponent for transportation, motor vehicles, also fell, down 0.4 percent in a reminder that vehicle sales were slowing at year end. Capital goods industries show deep declines: machinery down 5.6 percent, computers down 8.7 percent, communications equipment down 21 percent, and fabricated metals down 0.5 percent.” Some punchbowl that was, Janet. And:
“The headlines say the durable goods new orders decreased. The three month rolling average improved this month but remains in contraction. This is not a good report” [Econintersect].
Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Index, January 2016: “Kansas City manufacturing, along with that of Dallas, are suffering the worst of any regions in the nation’s factory contraction. Kansas City came in at minus 9 for the ninth contraction in 10 months” [Econoday].
Jobless Claims, week of January 23, 2016: “Jobless claims, having risen to 6-month highs and raising questions over the strength of the January labor market, fell back a sizable 16,000 in the January 23 week to a lower-than-expected 278,000” [Econoday]. “But continuing claims, where data lag by a week, rose a steep 49,000 in the January 16 week to 2.268 million for the highest reading since August.” Then again, it was a holiday week. But “the rolling average marginally improves” [Econintersect].
Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index, week of January 24, 2016: “The consumer comfort index opened January below 44 and has inched its way, despite all the volatility and losses for the stock market, to 44.6 in the January 24 week” [Econoday].
Pending Home Sales Index, December 2015: “Sales of existing homes popped higher in December but a further gain for January is uncertain given only a 0.1 percent rise in pending home sales which follows a downward revised 1.1 percent decline in November” [Econoday]. “It usually takes one to two months for contract signings to close with greater delays possible given new mortgage documentation rules that were implemented in November.”
Shipping: “Rail contraction continues” [Econintersect].
Honey for the Bears, Froth Desk: “Nest Thermostat Goes From ‘Internet Of Things’ Darling To Cautionary Tale” [Techdirt]. You’d think it would be hard to screw up a thermostat (and bad if you do, because who wants to freeze in a cold snap?) Well, Silicon Valley has done it!
Honey for the Bears, Froth Desk: “Could Theranos Go From Unicorn To Unicorpse?” [Forbes].
The Fed: “Strains are emerging in just about every corner of the global credit market. Credit-rating downgrades account for the biggest chunk of ratings actions since 2009; corporate leverage is at a 12-year high; and perhaps most worrisome, growing numbers of companies — one third globally — are failing to generate high enough returns on investments to cover their cost of funding” [Bloomberg]. “Pooled together into a single snapshot, the data points show how the seven-year-old global growth model based on cheap credit from central banks is running out of steam.
“Japan’s financial watchdog has started examining high-frequency trading, algorithms and dark pools, asking brokers for information about the practices” [Japan Times].
Today’s Fear & Greed Index: 20, Extreme Fear (previous close: 19) [CNN]. One week ago: 13 (Extreme Fear). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed).
Michael Burris, the market genius from The Big Short: “Fresh, clean water cannot be taken for granted. And it is not — water is political, and litigious” [New York Magazine]. “What became clear to me is that food is the way to invest in water. That is, grow food in water-rich areas and transport it for sale in water-poor areas. This is the method for redistributing water that is least contentious, and ultimately it can be profitable, which will ensure that this redistribution is sustainable.” Hmm.
“Piping in Poison” [The New Republic]. “In fact, the health and behavioral effects of lead from the early to the mid-20th century, as suggested by recent extrapolations from our current knowledge, were likely enormous. It’s estimated leaded pipe alone increased infant mortality by as much as 30 percent in some cities, and led to as much as a 25 percent rise in homicides.” Just… Yikes.
“A day after NBC News reported that none of the corroded lead pipes at the core of the Flint water crisis have been removed, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder admitted he has no immediate plans to replace them” [NBC]. “Instead, he said, the state is focusing on using phosphates in the water to coat the corroded pipes and keep the lead from leaching out.”
Police State Watch
“Death of Mentally Ill Inmate Locked in Hot Shower Until His Skin Fell Off Ruled Accidental” [Alternet].
Black Injustice Tipping Point
“The Bronx Slave Market (1950)” [Viewpoint Magazine]. From 2015, but worth a read.
“Intelligent design without a creator? Why evolution may be smarter than we thought” [The Conversation]. “I don’t think invoking a supernatural creator can ever be a scientifically useful explanation. But what about intelligence that isn’t supernatural? Our new results, based on computer modelling, link evolutionary processes to the principles of learning and intelligent problem solving – without involving any higher powers. This suggests that, although evolution may have started off blind, with a couple of billion years of experience it has got smarter.”
“A small group of holdouts continued the tense standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge on Thursday, one day after eight others abandoned the site as federal, state and local authorities tightened their grip on the armed occupation” [USA Today].
“Oregon militiamen fell right into the feds’ trap: Sorry, liberals, the government was right to wait before taking them out” [Amanda Marcotte, Salon]. A little hippie-punching, as Susie Madrak calls it, along with “liberal” as a term of abuse (helpfully accompanied by “worrywarts” and “hand-wringing”). Fun stuff.
“Three more arrests at Oregon refuge as some holdouts leave voluntarily” [Los Angeles Times]. Atmospheric; includes the non-official story.
News of the Wired
“Unity, Plurality and/or Hybridity? Assessing the Global Pattern of Political Cultures” [World Values Survey Books].
“Wearable sweat sensor paves way for real-time analysis of body chemistry” [Nature]. “Flexible plastic sensor sends molecular test results to a smartphone.”
Readers, feel free to contact me with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, and (c) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. And here’s today’s plant (Tia):
Tia: “Storm-blasted Russian Olive.” Wow, that’s gorgeous!
If you enjoy Water Cooler, please consider tipping and click the hat. Winter has come, I need to buy fuel, make a happy plumber happier, and keep my server up, too. Water Cooler could not exist without your support.


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Weekly outlook — S&P 500 CASH INDEX
The S&P 500 cash index ($SPX) closed at 2057.14 Friday, down 10.53 points for a net weekly loss of 0.5%.
Last week: SP500 index went sideways and repeated its prior week’s range. But it did close lower than the previous week and gave a bearish impression; it does not look like the short-term correction has ended yet.
This week: The expiration of the major monthly option this week will cause the index to have a choppy and unexpected move. We have the VIX option expiration on Tuesday, the two SPX index options on Wednesday and Thursday, and the ES option on Friday. All of them will be influenced by external news and their own popular strike prices.
After the S&P500 index reached its high at 2111.05, the price made a minor short-term pullback. So far there is no sign the market is turning around. Instead the intermediate-term PMO slows down its rate of increase and stalls at its neutral area.
The 20-week ema hasn’t crossed below the 40-week ema yet, but it failed to give a sign of a strengthening price rally. Mainly the 20/40ema lines both pulled the price down toward them, which weakened the price action on the upside move. It suggests the index could continue going down even if there is a bounce in short-term.
A potential H&S pattern continues to form in the SP500 index. The 2089.50 high could be the top of the right shoulder. The neckline could be in the 2035 -25 zone, slightly above the 200-day moving average line.
Short-term PMO indicator is still decelerating, while the OBV indicator declines. A break below the 200-day moving average line, could trigger an intermediate-term correction and push the index down near 2000-1975 zone for testing.
But due to the major option expiration activity, we may see the index attempt to hold above the 2025 level.
A move above 2093.50 level will breach the bearish H&S pattern and trigger a run on buy orders above it, possibly sending the price up to the 2100 level.
Daily outlook – S&P 500 MINI FUTURES (ES)
This section contains the detailed buy/sell levels for this week. It is reserved for paid subscribers.
You can get instant access for as little as $9 a month by following this link.


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LYCKLIG Grey 100% Cotton Rug 2 sizes
Beautifully crafted chunky knit handwoven rug in grey. Extra interest is provided in this rug with the warp in mustard yellow which lightens the appearance of the rug and tones with today's colour schemes of grey, mustard and teal - see close up photograph.
Bound edges - no fringe. Reversible. Available in 90 x 150 cm and 120 x 180 cm.
Machine washable on a wool setting maximum 30 deg C in 8kg+ machine.


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Going back to the IMF for a bailout programme not an option – Finance Minister
Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has reiterated government’s stance to not resort to the International Monetary Fund [IMF] for a bailout programme.
The Minister’s assertion follows calls by rating agencies such as Fitch Ratings and some economic analysts in the country for the country to seek an IMF bailout programme given its liquidity and financing challenges occasioned by high budget deficits, rising debt stock and low domestic revenue mobiisation.
Speaking in an interview on Accra-based Asaase Radio, the Minister noted returning to the IMF wiII retrogress government’s efforts of developing the country “Beyond Aid.”
“We have to confront the fact that we can be masters of our own destiny and why do I need the IMF to tell me what to do? We came out of the IMF quickly when we came into power in 2017.
“They (IMF) remain trusted advisors, but whether that instrument of being under the IMF is the only way for a country to grow, I beg to differ. I’m not sure that, that’s the path in emancipating one’s economy.”
“The story of Africa and Ghana has been whether we have truly leveraged our resources in such a way as can truly be used for our own development … which I do believe that we can!,” stated Mr Ofori-Atta.
Contrary to government’s believe that going to the IMF will entail a debt restructuring programme and send wrong signals to investors about the country’s inability to service its debt, Fitch Ratings asserts that Ghana returning to the IMF would rather bolster investor confidence, and could help Ghana regain access to international debt markets given that Ghana’s effective loss of access to international markets increases risks to its ability to meet medium-term financing needs.
“We believe that macroeconomic stresses and pressures on liquidity would probably intensify if Ghana remains unable to issue and does not seek timely support from the IMF,” noted Fitch.
Fitch also notes that the medium-term outlook for Ghana’s finances remains challenging as the country’s problems have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Revenue, the agency asserts, remains structurally low with very high-interest costs thereby projecting general government interest expense at almost 47% of revenue in 2022 which is well above the median for ‘B’ rated sovereigns of 11%.
According to Fitch, government’s current fiscal consolidation strategy offers a path to debt sustainability, but the country’s gradual pace of deficit reduction leaves it vulnerable to slippage risks.
Ghana’s debt stock currently stands at a little over Ghs 335 billion representing 76.1 percent of GDP.
At end of the second quarter of 2021, the government’s fiscal deficit to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was estimated at 6.1%, higher than the budgeted target of about 4.5%.
Total revenue and grants was estimated at 6.4% and 5.1% respectively. Domestic revenue excluding grants was 7.7% of GDP.
Tax revenue was estimated at 6.4% of GDP in July 2021, as against 5.9% in July 2020 with total expenditure for the first seven months of 2021 being 13.9% of GDP.
The IMF for this year and 2022 has projected a financing gap of 12.6% and 10.4% respectively.


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SEOUL, April 15 (Korea Bizwire) – Hyundai Motor announced that it will offer special test drives for its All New Tucson together with car sharing operator Green Car from April 14 to May 12. Anyone with a drivers’ license is eligible to take a test drive with the compact SUV. For the promotion, Hyundai will run 50 car sharing zones centered on popular areas like subway stations and campus areas.
Drivers can use the vehicles for up to 5 hours, but the opportunity is limited to just one time. Reservation is possible using Green Car’s smartphone application and Internet homepage. A Hyundai Motor official said, “The test drive program targets those in their 20s and 30s, the main customers of the All New Tucson, and is focused on their free test drive style and driving experience.”
Image Credit: Hyundai Motor / email@example.com


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In 2014, your Farm Bureau membership will support more than $700,000 directed to a variety of community projects in Ohio. And that’s just the start. Farm Bureau’s network of volunteers and community advocates extend this investment by responding to local needs and identifying opportunities to make an impact. From farm to fork, the organization’s mission centers on amplifying the benefits provided by Ohio food and agriculture to communities across the state. Here are some examples.
Today, it doesn't matter if you grow food or purchase it, Ohio Farm Bureau invites you to work with your neighbors to enhance the quality of life in your community and the unique ways agriculture touches our lives.Become a Member


Why Auto Service at Nissan Of Thousand Oaks?
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Westlake Village Flat Tire Repair and New Tire Installation on Thousand Oaks Blvd
Flat tire put a damper on your travel plans? Put the thrill back in your ride with flat tire repair from Nissan Of Thousand Oaks, or shop for brand new tires near you. Your Westlake Village Nissan dealer on Thousand Oaks Blvd carries the biggest tire brands available. You'll find high-quality tires for any season, any vehicle — all at a great price point. Shop all-season, winter and performance tires online or in-store for your car, electric vehicle, truck, SUV/CUV or van.
If you're not sure it's time to replace your tires or need help picking the right size/type, just drop by the tire shop at Nissan Of Thousand Oaks. Our knowledgeable technicians can very quickly tell if your tires are too worn, unrepairable, or unsafe to keep driving on. You may find your tires need to be replaced if your vehicle drives roughly or if your tires have bulges, unusual wear or tears.
Your closest Nissan tire shop is also the spot to go to for tire rotation, balancing, shocks, struts and wheel alignment in Westlake Village. These important services can support tire performance and ride comfort.
Nissan Of Thousand Oaks - Brake Checks, Brake Pad Replacement and Brake Service
Are your brakes squealing, grinding or less responsive than they used to be? Nissan Of Thousand Oaks is the place to go for brake service and repair near you. We service brake systems on Nissan vehicles, but also brake systems on other cars. Make a brakes and rotors service appointment, and we'll start with a free brake inspection.* What's included? Our technicians will check brake fluid levels and color, and identify symptoms of a brake fluid leak. The technician will also examine your brake rotors, pads and drums for wear. This process helps us troubleshoot why you're experiencing brake troubles, such as why the brake warning light is illuminated, why you feel a grinding in the brake pedal when slowing, why your car pulls to one side or why it's taking longer than normal to slow down. All of these indicators can mean it's time for brake pad, brake fluid or brake rotor service.
*Certain restrictions apply. See Dealer for details.
Westlake Village Oil Change with Superior Service
Oil changes are a key part of your regular vehicle maintenance plan. When your engine has fresh oil pumping through it, its many moving parts work together effectively. When oil gets too old, your engine will fight to perform like it was designed. Pieces rub against each other, create too much friction and even cause your engine to overheat.
During your appointment at Nissan Of Thousand Oaks, your engine oil will be drained and refilled with top-notch oil that's right for your vehicle. Your neighborhood Nissan dealer in Westlake Village stocks the best full synthetic, synthetic and high mileage oil for your Nissan. A technician will also install a new oil filter with an anti-drainback valve. This valve keeps oil in the filter when your engine isn't running to help reduce engine wear on start-up.
No need to make an appointment for this car maintenance service in Westlake Village, either. Oil changes are one of our Express Services, as well as cabin and air filter replacement, tire balancing and rotation, struts, shocks, wiper installation and factory scheduled maintenance. Visit during our Express Service hours, and we'll take care of your vehicle on your timeframe. Find an Express Dealer for one of the best oil changes in Westlake Village.
Modern Car Battery Testing, Repair and Replacement in Westlake Village, CA
If your Nissan or other vehicle is slow to start, makes a clicking noise when you turn the key or often needs a jumpstart, it might be a good time to visit Nissan Of Thousand Oaks on Thousand Oaks Blvd for a quick battery test and potentially a new car battery. An illuminated dashboard battery light or dim interior lights The battery's job is to provide the jolt of energy needed to start your engine and then run essential accessories, such as your lights. Without a powerful battery, you could be left with an engine that won't crank and a vehicle that won't budge.
Your nearby Nissan dealer is a great place when you're looking for car battery replacement near me in Westlake Village. No matter the issues you're having, we'll "jump" start your visit with a complimentary battery inspection* and a conversation. We'll test the battery's charge level and suggest the best battery replacement for your car: either a standard flooded, enhanced flooded or absorbed glass mat battery. Don't wait until you have a dead battery and an inconvenience on your hands. Make an appointment at your local Nissan auto shop at 3570 Thousand Oaks Blvd for efficient battery service. We take care of all types of cars, electric vehicles, trucks and SUVs.
*Certain restrictions apply. See Dealer for details.
Even If It's Not a Nissan? Yes! Maintain and Repair Your Ride at Nissan Of Thousand Oaks
The thrill of the road calls! Even if you drive something other than a Nissan, you can book a car maintenance appointment in Westlake Village with one of our experienced technicians and count on exceptional customer care. Bring your bumper-to-bumper questions and problems to Nissan Of Thousand Oaks, and we'll bring our A-game. Head our way for brakes, batteries, tires, oil and more. Check our site for new Nissan service offers to see how affordable essential vehicle maintenance can be.


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Prince William is reportedly very chummy with the other parents at Prince George’s school. A fellow parent at Thomas’s Battersea School in London told Vanity Fair that both William and George are treated the same as everyone else. William apparently even works out with some of the moms after they drop the kids off in the morning. Visit INSIDER.com for more updates.
It’s been over a year since the Duke of Cambridge dropped Prince George off for his first day at Thomas’s Battersea School in London.
Since then, both Prince William and the young royal seem to have settled


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Top 25 Thanksgiving Wines
People often ask us, "What's the best wine to have on Thanksgiving?" The great thing is that there's no one wine that's perfect. There are many options that work well, but finding the right wine to go with the turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and other dishes can be tricky. Lucky for you, our wine experts have done the heavy lifting and picking for you & your Thanksgiving meal!

domain: food


Professor Timothy Schowalter argues that a better understanding of insect contributions to ecosystem services will improve our ability to sustain delivery of ecosystem services.
Our increasingly urban population is losing appreciation for our dependence on the services ecosystems provide. Human survival and well-being depend on ecosystems for provisioning services (such as food, fiber and fresh water), cultural services (such as recreation and spiritual retreat) and supporting services necessary for resource production (such as primary production, pollination, decomposition, soil formation and biological control of ‘pests’). These services are provided at no cost, but their value is difficult to assess because only provisioning and some cultural and supporting services have market values. However, global value of ecosystem services has been estimated at US$33 trillion (~€28.7tr) annually. Our dependence on these services becomes apparent when delivery is threatened. For example, much attention is now being paid to the global decline of insect pollinators that are responsible for 35% of global food production. The cost of hand pollinating crops that require insect pollinators would be prohibitive.
Insects deserve particular attention because they are largely unrecognised regulators of ecosystem processes that sustain the delivery of services. While the critical role of pollinators in supporting global food supply has become widely recognised, insects are critical to virtually all other ecosystem services, as well. However, insects are also targets of pest control efforts that may have unintended consequences for ecosystem services.
How do insects contribute to ecosystem services?
Managing insects and ecosystem services in ways that ensure the sustainability of ecosystem services is not optional, but rather is critical to human survival. The consequences of undermining the sustainable delivery of ecosystem services include famine, water shortages, threats to human health and economic disruption. Social unrest and population displacement increase the likelihood of epidemics of crowd diseases, often vectored by insects.
Insects or their products are valuable food resources in many cultures. Honey has been among the most important commercial trade products for millennia. Grasshoppers, cicadas, caterpillars, beetles, and other insects are important sources of protein and revenue in many parts of the world. About 1,500 edible insect species are consumed by 3,000 ethnic groups in 113 countries. Because insects require less energy for metabolism than do warm-blooded vertebrates, insects produce protein 300-fold more efficiently than cattle. Investigators have found that harvesting grasshoppers for food during an outbreak in Mexico substantially reduced grasshopper abundance and reproduction and provided US$3,000 revenue per family, compared to US$150 cost per family for insecticide treatment had control tactics been implemented. Furthermore, replacing vertebrate protein with grasshopper protein would significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the amount of grain required for protein production, thereby increasing grain availability for human consumption.
A number of insect species provide widely-used medical or industrial products. Blow fly maggots have been used for wound healing for thousands of years. Their medical value lies in their selective feeding on necrotic tissue, leaving clean tissue when they depart. Their use is seeing a renaissance because, unlike more invasive surgical techniques, maggots improve wound healing with less risk of infection. Insects also provide several important pharmaceutical compounds, such as cantharidin (from blister beetles) for wart removal, alloferon (from blow fly larvae), a powerful antimicrobial compound, and promising anti-cancer compounds from wasp venom. Insects are also a source of several important industrial products, especially silk and cochineal (red) dye. Silkworms are the only source of commercial silk, still among the most valued and widely-traded commercial products.
Insects are often the objects of tourist destinations. Many people travel to visit overwintering aggregations of monarch butterflies in Mexico, for instance, and related species in tropical Asia. Butterfly houses are popular in many areas, offering tourist opportunities to enjoy representative butterflies from around the world.
Supporting services include ecosystem processes necessary for the delivery of provisioning or cultural services. Insects are integral components of ecosystems and often provide important feedbacks and indirect effects that maintain consistency in rates of ecosystem processes in a changing environment.
Pollination services have generated the greatest attention to ecosystem services. Bees and other pollinators are necessary for the pollination of 60-90% of plant species and are critical to 35% of global crop production. Although honey bees are most often cited, thousands of native bee species and other pollinators are more efficient pollinators for many crops and other plants. The fruit set of highland coffee increases with increasing bee diversity. Insect pollinators (including hover flies, bumble bees and other insects, as well as honey bees) increase oilseed rape seed weight by 18% and market value by 20% per plant. Consequently, pollination services have recognised monetary value. Declining pollinator abundance in many areas has prompted efforts to implement land use and pest management tactics that promote pollinator activity and to protect or restore native habitats necessary to sustain pollinator diversity and abundance.
Although the current focus is on pollinators, insects are instrumental in maintaining other ecosystem services, as well, and their disappearance would threaten our quality of life. The decomposition of plant and animal detritus is necessary for the release of nutrients that become available for new plant growth and for the removal of disease organisms in carcasses. Termites and dung beetles, in particular, provide a major agricultural service by removing and burying livestock dung, thereby preventing the fouling of pasture forage by dung accumulation, increasing carbon and water storage in soil, reducing nitrogen loss via erosion and volatilisation, and reducing livestock losses due to blood-feeding flies.
An example from Australia illustrates the importance of dung beetles. Australia has native dung beetles adapted to feed on the dung of native marsupials, but they do not feed readily on the dung of introduced livestock. When accumulating livestock dung fouled pastures and threatened livestock production, the government launched an expensive, but ultimately successful, research programme to find, test and release dung beetle and predaceous mite species from other continents to remove dung and kill blood-feeding fly larvae that develop in dung. This programme illustrates the expense of replacing ecosystem services that may be lost.
Sustaining human survival and well-being depends on the consistent delivery of ecosystem services. Obviously, variation in supply can lead to overabundance or famine. Other organisms face similar challenges. Species that compose ecosystems are adapted to regulate each other’s populations through feedback mechanisms that minimise variation. Feedback works like the thermostat of an air conditioning system: when room temperature departs from a set temperature, the thermostat triggers an electrical feedback that turns on the heat or the air conditioner, as necessary, to return the room temperature to the set point. In ecosystems, similar feedback regulation occurs when a population increases above its carrying capacity (the maximum population size at which available resources can sustain the population). Overabundance and stress resulting from resource limitation initiate the population growth of predators and parasites, which reduce population growth of prey. As population growth declines, predation eases, and the population returns to carrying capacity.
A diversity of predaceous arthropods and insectivorous vertebrates provides the important regulation of prey populations, including many pest species. Biological control has been valued at US$5.4 billion per year in the USA. The economic benefit of natural biological control of coffee pests in Costa Rica has been estimated at US$75–US$310 ha-1 year-1, a benefit per plantation equivalent to the average annual income of Costa Ricans. Predation also controls abundances of disease vectors. The complex interactions that limit tick abundance and spread of Lyme disease depend on the diversity of small mammal species. Similarly, bird species diversity limits the abundance of reservoir hosts for West Nile Virus and reduces the incidence of human cases.
Although most people believe that herbivores are bad for plants, in fact native herbivores regulate primary production near carrying capacity in the same way that predators and parasites regulate populations of their hosts. Outbreaks are most likely when environmental changes increase host plant density or stress, creating favorable conditions for herbivore population growth. Outbreaks typically remove stressed plants and reduce the density of host plants, thereby increasing vegetation diversity and stimulating nutrient cycling, improving conditions for plant growth. Obviously, this may not meet management goals to maximise resource production, but would help meet management goals to sustain ecosystem services.
Insects contribute to ecosystem services in significant ways, in some cases mitigating their effects as pests. Managing insects and ecosystem services in ways that ensure the sustainability of ecosystem services is not optional, but rather is critical to human survival. Better understanding of insect contributions to ecosystem services will improve our ability to sustain delivery of ecosystem services.
Professor Timothy Schowalter
Louisiana State University
+1 225 578 1827


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Rhythm of the Coast: Kash’s musical gifts open doors and opportunities
It’s the last Rhythm of the Coast segment where News 25 features a black musician making history along the Coast.
Kashus Colpepper has a voice that draws you into his music. He’s a 24-year-old musician who only started playing guitar three years ago.
His talent opened doors in his musical career and allows him to occupy space no one before him has. He’s an inspiration, even if he doesn’t know it yet, as the only black musician playing live music in Downtown Ocean Springs.
At 24-years-old Kashus Colpepper, AKA Kash, from Alexander City, Alabama is making Black History on the Mississippi Gulf Coast as the only black musician and singer booking gigs on Government Street in Ocean Springs. “You really become a part of the community once you start playing music and it opens a lot of doors around here.”
His range of music tastes and styles paired with his raspy deep voice sets him apart. “A mix between folk, country, blues, r&b, soul, stuff that makes you feel good.”
Similar to most black musicians, Kash got his start in church. He grew up in a family of singers, his mother and sisters all sang in church. In 2017, he joined the Navy and moved to Mississippi. In 2019, he picked a guitar for the first time and his world opened up. “The Peter Anderson Festival down here in Ocean Springs, that was a big eye opener for me. I was like this will go somewhere if I just keep going. I don’t know it just blew my mind.”
He started his career performing at open mic nights and the crowd reactions to his musical gift left to job bookings. “Salty Peach was one of the first spots I started playing at and from here it just, people started finding out about me down here and it just grew across the whole Coast.”
You can call him Mr. Booked and Busy. “Six or seven gigs a week and putting that on top of my regular job, I just like this is crazy. Does anyone else see what’s going on? This stuff is crazy man.”
In his short 24 years of life, following his passion for music led to an unexpected fulfilling career and he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Catch Kash live Friday night in Gulfport at Centennial Plaza from 5 to 8 p.m.