Ahead of the Bell: US Factory Orders
WASHINGTON (AP) — A government report Wednesday is expected to confirm that businesses stepped up orders in January for machinery and other factory goods that signal investment, indicating confidence in the economy.
A preliminary report last week showed a 6.3 percent increase in orders for so-called core capital goods, which also include equipment and computers. It was the biggest one-month gain in more than a year for the category.
Economists expect total factory orders fell 2.2 percent in January from December, according to a survey by FactSet. But that's mostly because of a steep drop in volatile aircraft orders that was also captured in last week's durable goods report.
The Commerce Department will report on January factory orders at 10 a.m. EST Wednesday. The report will include a revised estimate for durable goods, which are expected to last at least three years, and an estimate for non-durable goods, which include clothing and food.
Economists pay close attention to core capital goods because they are a good measure of business investment plans. The category excludes aircraft and military orders, which can fluctuate sharply from month to month.
An increase would suggest companies kept expanding their production capacities in January, even as automatic government spending cuts loomed. The cuts started to take effect on March 1.
A separate report last week showed manufacturing grew in February at the fastest pace since June 2011. The report from the Institute for Supply Management said growth was bolstered by gains in new orders and production.
The automatic spending cuts could force the Defense Department and other agencies to trim their budgets for this year. That could result in reductions in federal purchases of manufactured goods, which threaten to slow factory growth and the broader economy.
In addition, consumers may be more cautious about making large purchases as they adjust to higher taxes. In January, Social Security taxes rose for nearly all Americans who draw a paycheck and income taxes increased on the highest earners.
Still, recent reports indicate steady job growth and a strengthening housing recovery could offset some of the impact of the tax increases and spending cuts.
The economy created an average of 200,000 jobs per month from November through January, up from 150,000 the previous three months. The Labor Department issues its February employment report Friday.
Consumer confidence rose in February and service companies experienced their best growth in a year, according to private surveys.
The overall economy grew at an annual rate of 0.1 percent in the October-December quarter, reflecting in part less restocking by businesses and a sharp drop in defense spending. Economists believe growth will rebound to around 2 percent in the current quarter.


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The Life And Death Of Malcolm X (El Hajj Malik El Shabazz), American Muslim Minister, Black Nationalist And Civil Rights Activist, As Recounted By American Television Journalist Gil Noble In A Special Report Of His Long-Running WABC-TV Weekly Public Affairs Show "Like It Is", Produced Immediately After Minister Shabazz's February 21, 1965 Assassination, Presented In The Highest DVD Quality MPG Video Format Of 9.1 MBPS As An Archival Quality All Regions Format DVD, MP4 Video Download Or USB Flash Drive! (Black/White, 1965, 56 Minutes.) #ElHajjMalikElShabazz #MalcolmX #GilNoble #LikeItIs #WABC #WABCTV #Ministers #BlackNationalists #CivilRightsActivists #Muslims #BlackMuslims #AfricanAmericans #BlackPeople #BlackNationalism #AfricanAmericanCivilRights #AmericanCivilRightsMovement #BlackCivilRights #CivilRightsMovement #AfricanAmericanHistory #MalcolmXAssassination #AudubonBallroom #Assassinations #MalcolmXDay #DVD #VideoDownload #MP4 #USBFlashDrive
Malcolm X, American Muslim minister, black nationalist and civil rights activist, an electric and popular figure during the American Civil Rights Movement best known for his advocacy for the rights of blacks (May 19, 1925 - February 21, 1965) was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska. He relocated to New York City's Harlem neighborhood in 1943, after spending his teenage years in a series of foster homes following his father's murder and his mother's hospitalization. In New York, Little engaged in several illicit activities, and was eventually sentenced to ten years in prison in 1946 for larceny and breaking and entering. In prison, he joined the Nation of Islam (NOI) and changed his name to Malcolm X. After his release, he quickly became one of the organization's most influential leaders after being paroled in 1952. During the civil rights movement, Malcolm X served as the public face of the controversial group for a dozen years, where he advocated for black supremacy, the separation of black and white Americans, and rejected the notion of the civil rights movement for its emphasis on racial integration. He also expressed pride in some of the social achievements he made with the Nation, particularly its free drug rehabilitation program. In the 1950s, Malcolm X endured surveillance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the Nation's supposed links to communism. In the 1960s, Malcolm X began to grow disillusioned with the Nation of Islam, and in particular, with its leader Elijah Muhammad. Expressing many regrets about his time with them, which he had come to regard as largely wasted, he instead embraced Sunni Islam. Malcolm X then began to advocate for racial harmony after completing the Hajj, whereby he also became known as el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz. After a brief period of travel across Africa, he notably repudiated the Nation of Islam, and founded Muslim Mosque, Inc. (MMI) and the Organization of Afro-American Unity (OAAU) to emphasize Pan-Africanism. Throughout 1964, his conflict with the Nation of Islam intensified, and he was repeatedly sent death threats. On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was preparing to address the OAAU at the Audubon Ballroom on Broadway at West 165th Street in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City when he was assassinated by Thomas Hagan, Thomas Johnson, and Norman Butler, three members of the Nation of Islam. The trio were sentenced to indeterminate life sentences, and were required to serve a minimum of 20 years in prison. Evidence of conspiracy regarding the assassination, and its conception and aid by leading members of the Nation and law enforcement agencies, have persisted for decades after the shooting. Malcolm X was posthumously honored with Malcolm X Day, which commemorates him in various cities and states nationwide. Hundreds of streets and schools in the U.S. have been renamed in his honor, while the Audubon Ballroom, the site of his assassination, was in-part redeveloped in 2005 to accommodate the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center.
Malcolm X Day, is an American holiday in honor of the civil rights leader Malcolm X which is celebrated either on May 19 (Malcolm's birthday), or the third Sunday of May. Malcolm X was posthumously honored with Malcolm X Day, which commemorates him in various cities and states nationwide with festivals, parades and live performances. In 2015, the commemoration waas been proposed as an official state holiday in the U.S. states of Illinois and Missouri. As of 2019, so far only the city of Berkeley, California observes the holiday by closing its city offices and schools.

domain: sociology


text: Americans are about evenly split over impeaching President Donald Trump and removing him from office, as support for that move has risen among independents and Republicans, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS after the announcement of a formal impeachment inquiry by House Democrats last week. About half, 47%, support impeaching the President and removing him from office, up from 41% who felt that way in a CNN poll in May. The current level matches the high point for impeaching Trump in previous CNN polling – 47% said they felt that way in September 2018. RELATED: Full poll results The share who favor impeachment and removal from office now narrowly outpaces the share who say they don’t feel that way – a first in CNN polling – although the two figures are within the poll’s margin of sampling error. Opposition stands at 45% in the new poll, down from 54% who said so in May and the lowest point in CNN polling on this topic. The change since May has largely come among independents and Republicans. About three-quarters of Democrats favor impeaching Trump and removing him from office, roughly the same as in May, while among independents, support for impeachment and removal has risen 11 points to 46% among independents and 8 points to 14% among Republicans. The shift has also come notably among younger Americans. Sixty percent of those under age 35 now say they support impeaching Trump and removing him from office, up from 43% who felt that way in May, while support for the move among older Americans has held about even (42% now vs. 40% in May). Previous CNN polling on impeachment has not found such a stark gap by age. And that shift is concentrated on the GOP side. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents under age 50, support for impeaching Trump and removing him from office has risen from 9% in May to 22% now, while views among older Republicans and Republican leaners have held about even with just 8% in favor of impeachment and removal from office. The survey also finds 48% say Trump used the presidency improperly to gain political advantage against a potential 2020 opponent in his interactions with the president of Ukraine, 39% say he did not use his office improperly and 10% say they don’t know enough to say. The partisan divide on this question mirrors that on impeachment and removal from office: 74% of Democrats say he used the office improperly, along with 47% of independents and 17% of Republicans. About seven in 10 Republicans (71%) say Trump’s actions in this situation were not an improper use of the office. Americans are more likely to say that most congressional Democrats back impeachment because they believe Trump committed impeachable offenses (49%) than because they are out to get Trump at all costs (38%). That’s a shift from public sentiment about the House majority’s motivations in impeaching former President Bill Clinton. In 1998, just before the full House voted to impeach Clinton, 47% felt that most congressional Republicans backed impeachment because they were out to get Clinton, while 42% said it was because most congressional Republicans thought he had committed impeachable offenses. On the GOP side, the public is about evenly split over whether their opposition to impeaching Trump is more because they are out to protect the President at all costs (42%) or because they believe he has not committed impeachable offenses (43%). That’s a closer divide than on public perceptions of Democratic handling of Clinton; 51% thought House Democrats were out to protect Clinton at all costs. This CNN poll was conducted by SSRS using its Omnibus survey platform. Interviews were conducted by landline and cellular telephone with 1,009 adults nationwide between September 24 and 29. Results among the full sample have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. It is larger for subgroups.


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domain: hobby


text:
With the swarming bodyweight loss websites on the internet, the actual need with regard to true as well as effective greatest weightloss program as well as information has turned into a search effort. How can you figure out the very best weight reduction system ideal for a person? Can there be any kind of gauge, calculate, or regular for this?
Many people find bodyweight loss the chronic effort. For a few, the losing of lbs may appear lasting however it is simply a brief occasion. They cannot know until these people once more stand within the range and located that they possess regained the lost bodyweight – worse, the obtained is greater than the lost. On the some other hand, several popular diet programs are found ineffective simply because they lack the lasting aspects of what the greatest weightloss program truly is.
Therefore, things we need in order to find in a weightloss program? Here are the efficient factors and strategies in order to consider:
Exercise. Exercise is actually a cliche within the health and fitness industry. No matter exactly how cliched the word is actually but this still continues to be among the real factors with regard to weight reduction. Recent research have demostrated which it is actually advisable in order to exercise half an hour with regard to 5 days within the week. Alternatively, an additional research has shown which 5 minutes of exercise 3 occasions each day is additionally efficient. Thus, there is absolutely no cause with regard to visitors to give the actual “no coming back exercise” reason. Always find period as well as discipline to physical exercise four to 5 times the week and improve your own exercise intensity degree each and every 2 weeks.
Train along with Weight load or Do A few Weight lifting. Weight coaching can help you drop a few body fats much better. Muscle tissue burn fats. However, cardio exercises are nevertheless efficient for losing weight fast since this burns up calories but muscle tissue acquired from weight lifting provides a person the upkeep for the healthier and leaner appear. It is best that at the actual minimum, you improve your weight load 5% every 2 weeks through its current weight. With regard to example, in case you tend to be raising 30 kilogram weight load after that you must, in the actual minimum, lift thirty-one. five kilogram weights right after 2 weeks.
Keep a document. Maintain a document associated with your own food intakes and also the stuff that hinders a person to your fat reducing. This document is efficient in monitoring your meals intake, action, and way of life. In this particular way, standard better strategy and concept on exactly how to strategy your bodyweight loss objective better. Nevertheless, do not really be as well overly mindful in having a record. It really is not really good to over do the actual recording responsibility otherwise a person will lose enjoyable in your lifetime. Just keep a few info in your lengthy phrase memory and move all of them later within your record guide or journal.
Quit overindulging. The actual reasons as well as factors behind why a person overeat so that a person can control and eventually stop overeating. If the actual primary reasons are tension and pressure, then discover methods to channel your power better. Most overeating issues are due to tension and pressure at function or family life. Understand to the actual cause associated with your overeating and inquire with regard to psychological help if required.
Sign up for a support group. Produce or join a weight reduction support group for a person. In this way, you might have individuals to back a person upward to hold a person motivated for the weight reduction goal. These types of are the folks that will certainly kick your own ass whenever necessary in order to keep a person within your bodyweight loss objective. Your social group must become heterogeneous within nature. This particular means which you have to create your own support group arriving through your pals, instant family members members, office friends, as well as other pivotal individuals in your lifetime. In this situation, generally there is definitely a individual who can monitor a person wherever environment you tend to be.
Learn from the foods. Meals in fast meals chains and restaurants tend to be not normal anymore. A few, if not most, already are supersized. If you possess observed the food item in almost all these junk food stores, burgers, fries, sodas, and more tend to be all supersized. Therefore, usually watch your diet plan. This particular is already the great time to use suggestion # 3: maintain the record. Always possess the track on exactly what a person eat it means that you understand exactly what you must understand and you must perform.
Get joy in little improvement. Acknowledge yourself whenever a person have done small as well as consistent weight reduction advances. One of these too severe upon yourself if a person are not able to shed off lbs which easily. The crucial right here is consistently dropping associated with unwanted body body fat. One the other side of the coin hands, do not become saddened for a few weight benefits after several exercises; this may be because of the muscle tissue you build. Keep in mind that muscle tissue are heavier than body fat, thus, weight gain will not necessary follow that a person are getting fatter — it may be which you might be obtaining leaner. Over all, continually be honest in order to yourself in case you really possess gained a few pounds because of to body fat or because of muscles.
Chew up your meals well. Through chewing your own food nicely, you consume slowly. This particular is simply because, after you have get in a few food, this takes twenty minutes in order to signal your mind of the actual feelings associated with fullness. Therefore, if a person eat quick, there is actually a large tendency you have taken the lot associated with food inside 20 moments when compared with consuming gradually. Aside from which, nibbling the food well assists your own body easily metabolize exactly what you eat. Additionally, it stops through constipation as well as indigestion problems.
Eat less foods with unhealthy body fat. Eat fewer foods which contain unhealthy fats like transfats, unsaturated fats, and cholesterol while eat foods which contain healthy essential fatty acids arriving through nuts, fish natural oils, olive oils, almonds, as well as some other healthy oils. Fatty acids consist of omega 3 as well as tissot 6 that tend to be great for the heart which assists with promoting audio health as well as healthy cardio performance.
Become healthy, not really thin. Becoming thin really does not indicate that a person are healthful. What is actually the really worth of becoming thin whenever you appear skinny as well as dull? Therefore, focus your own energy upon being healthful by mixing exercises, healthful foods, as well as balanced way of life all with each other. The lack of these factors may outcome through imbalance – unhealthiness. This is difficult to obtain slim muscles or obtain muscle tissue fast when a good discrepancy occurs.
All within almost all, the very best weight reduction system does not exclusively depend on the different diet plan applications out there that you could get, and so, it really is all about choosing the actual best weight loss system ideal for your body. This takes research to discover the actual best weight loss physical exercise program for you personally. However, usually choose the program which comes in natural and never those ones that market expensive and easy options to weight reduction. Never perform some shortcuts within your bodyweight loss goals or a person will probably pay the cost later on. Bodyweight loss is not really simply a physical issue, this is also the ethical and private issue towards 1 self.

domain: health


Embark on a journey throughout history and learn about some of the most infamous guns of the sky – devastating aircraft-based weapons.
Back in the early 1900s, airplanes were considered a novel concept, a daring accomplishment, and an unproven innovation that hadn’t really found its niche in society. But along came World War I and it didn’t take long for the airplane to be pressed into service as a wartime tool of significant importance. While hundreds of WWI planes were used as surveillance vehicles and observers of enemy movements, pilots soon began bringing their rifles into the cockpit – and the notion of an airplane as an offensive weapon came to be.
From the early bolt-action rifles propped against a pilot’s leg in the conflict of 1914-1917 to the awe-inspiring firepower of today’s modern Gatling-style cannons, one only needs to look skyward to witness some pretty amazing weaponry. Let’s look at some of the infamous guns of the sky – focusing on WWI, WWII, Vietnam, and today.
The French outfitted their contemporary Voisin III bomber airplane with massive 37mm cannons that were effective against targets in the sky and on the ground. The Spad XII was another French-designed airplane that saw use among French, British and, American pilots. It was fitted with a 1.46-inch, 12-shot cannon that was specifically designed to down enemy aircraft. The War ended prior to any additional weaponry-based innovations in airplanes, but pilots quickly found that a dedicated, plane-mounted gun could be a much more ferocious weapon than a rifle brought into the cockpit. It wouldn’t be until the late 30’s that guns of the sky would become considerably more advanced.
The Great War was devastating on all fronts and part of this stemmed from the serious weapon innovations that came to be during the 30s and 40s. The Nazis used Mk 108 30mm cannons in their Me-163 Komet “fighter plane,” guns that could launch up to 650 armor-piercing, incendiary, or high-explosive rounds per minute. One well-placed shot on an Allied plane would knock the pilot out of the sky.
Me-163 Komet “Fighter Plane”
The Americans countered with the T9 anti-aircraft gun, mounted in the domestic Bell P-39 Airacobra. The plane was essentially crafted around the massive 37mm cannon – much like today’s A-10 Warthog. As the P-39 wasn’t a great dogfighter, the Army reassigned it to a ground attack role and it showed tremendous capabilities in this realm.
Fast forward 25 years and we’re in the midst of the Vietnam War. When we look at the guns of the sky then, it boils down to two main classifications – the cannons built into the fighter jets of the day and the weapons mounted on 1970s-era bombers. The F4 Phantomand General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark both housed massive stores of cannon rounds and were adept at dogfighting against enemy MiG fighters and striking ground targets. The tremendously-capable C-130 Hercules cargo plane was quickly converted by the Air Force into the AC-130 Spectre – a massive gunship that could decimate enemy positions with 20mm and 40mm cannons, and literally tons of bombs.
F4 Phantom Jet
TODAY’S GUNS OF THE SKY
No list of today’s airplane-mounted weapons would be complete without mention of the Air Force’s incomparable A-10 Warthog. This purpose-built aircraft was built around General Electric’s devastating 30mm Gatling gun – itself a marvel of modern engineering. It can fire up to 4,000 heavyweight rounds per minute and make mincemeat of tanks, missile positions, enemy combatants, and even buildings at the touch of a button. Beyond airplanes, today’s urban war zones are ideally suited to heavily-armed helicopter gunships like the AH-64 Apache. These choppers account for nearly 3 out of every 4 enemy kills in contemporary fighting in Iraq, mainly due to the presence of the Apache’s 30mm M230 machine guns and advanced enemy engagement software.
When you think of the advances of airplane and helicopter-based gun systems over the past 100 years, it is no wonder the level of accuracy, efficiency, and overall wartime devastation has grown exponentially. One A-10 equipped with the 30mm Gatling gun could match up to dozens of WW1-era tanks or airplanes – without breaking a sweat. If you’re ready to experience some of the most unique, exhilarating, military-grade weaponry on the planet (without having to take a flight in a USAF jet), Visit The Range 702 in Las Vegas today!


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It is rare that a historical era can be defined with precision, but the fall of the Berlin Wall 20 years ago this week is just such a rarity. The breaching of that monstrosity marked the end of the Soviet empire and ushered in a era of both hope and considerable confusion. There is no mistaking the extraordinary significance of Nov. 9, 1989, but that vista is also a testimony to human failure. The world has been unable to construct a new vision and a new order. It is damning, indeed, that we continue to inhabit “the post-Cold War world.”
The Berlin Wall appeared without warning Aug. 13, 1961. It was built by a communist government that ruled East Germany with violence, paranoia and repression. The wall was designed to halt the flow of migrants from East to West, a surge of humanity that sought to flee the Iron Curtain via a bolt hole hundreds of kilometers from the West. Eventually, the wall stretched nearly 150 km around the entire city of West Berlin, a concrete monstrosity dotted with barbed wire, 302 armed-guard towers, and numerous other means to keep East Berliners inside. While West Berlin became a symbol of freedom and hope, the wall, by contrast, was an equally powerful symbol of evil and fear, a symbol that was periodically bathed in blood: It is estimated that some 5,000 people tried to cross the wall; at least 136 people were killed in the effort.
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domain: history


text:
- What are stages of production?
- What are the disadvantages of job production?
- What is one off production example?
- What companies use batch production?
- What are the 7 factors of production?
- What is an example of job production?
- What are production techniques?
- What are the main features of batch production?
- Why is one off production used?
- What is the definition of batch production?
- What is the law of production?
- What is single item production?
- What are the 4 types of production?
- What products are continuously produced?
- What is continuous flow process?
- What is high volume production?
- Does Coca Cola use batch production?
- Which layout is mostly used for batch type of production?
- What are the 4 main scales of production?
- What is an example of batch production?
- What is the difference between mass and batch production?
What are stages of production?
Overall, there are three major steps to a successful video production: “Pre-Production” (Planning before you actual shoot) “Production” (The actual recording of your video program) “Post-Production (Editing).
What are the disadvantages of job production?
Job productionAdvantagesDisadvantagesHigh quality productProduction costs likely to be highCan customise ordersProduction time may be longerWorkers involved in entire production process from start to finishInvestment in machinery may be higher as specialist equipment may be needed
What is one off production example?
One off production is the manufacture of a single product/item. This can include large scale projects, such as a bridge, ship, stadium, multi- storey building or tower, Other examples of one offs are – specialist jewellery, made to measure clothing, bespoke furniture and many more.
What companies use batch production?
Examples of businesses that may use batch production are food shops and car manufacturers. There are a number of advantages of using batch production. Because groups of similar products are being produced at the same time, it is often possible to use machinery for much of the production process.
What are the 7 factors of production?
Factors of ProductionLand/Natural Resources.Labor.Capital.Entrepreneurship.
What is an example of job production?
Custom made clothes are an example of job production. It is where a single product is made at a time. … Job production tends to be labour intensive, and often highly skilled labour is required. Examples include building ships, bridges and buildings, handmade crafts like furniture and made-to-measure clothes.
What are production techniques?
Production methods fall into three main categories: job (one-off production), batch (multiple items, one step at a time for all items), and flow (multiple items, all steps in process at once for separate items).
What are the main features of batch production?
The batch production method possesses the following characteristics:The work is of repetitive nature. … There is a functional layout of various manufacturing processes.One operation is carried out on whole batch and then is passed on to the next operation and so on.Same type of machines is arranged at one place.More items…
Why is one off production used?
Prototypes are made to see if a product works before it goes into large scale production. One off production takes a long time and often means it is expensive. A classic product could be a mobile phone prototype, a one off specialist product, handmade items, etc.
What is the definition of batch production?
Batch production is a method of manufacturing where identical or similar items are produced together for different sized production runs. The method allows for products to be mass-produced in batches with small to major changes to the product, from car doors through to children’s toys.
What is the law of production?
law of variable proportion is written as follows: • “ In a given state of technology, when the units of variable factor of production are increased within the units of other fixed factor, the marginal productivity increases at increasing rate up to certain point than after this it will decrease.” …
What is single item production?
This is when only one item is made and is sometimes called ‘one-off production’. Sometimes a company will make one item and test it to see if it works or if it needs to be improved. … Single item manufacture usually involves skilled people carefully making a special product for a customer, such as a piece of jewellery.
What are the 4 types of production?
Four types of production1) Unit or Job type of production.2) Batch type of Production.3) Mass Production or Flow production.4) Continuous production or Process production.
What products are continuously produced?
Some common continuous processes are the following:Oil refining.Chemicals.Synthetic fibers.Fertilizers.Pulp and paper.Blast furnace (iron)Metal smelting.Power stations.More items…
What is continuous flow process?
The continuous flow process involves moving one work unit at a time between each step of the process — with no breaks in time, sequence, substance, or extent. For most applications, continuous flow saves time, energy, and costs and when implemented correctly, it can: Reduce waste.
What is high volume production?
High-volume manufacturing is the same as mass production: fabricating large quantities of goods in short periods of time. Goods that are produced in high volume often have little or no variation. For example, an auto-parts manufacturer might create thousands of units the exact same part to send to automobile factories.
Does Coca Cola use batch production?
Coca Cola bottling company uses continuous flow manufacturing (CFM). … Each stage adds to the products, this is typical among bottling plants. Coke used this method because the products being distributed by the company are in wide variation and is sold in bulk amounts.
Which layout is mostly used for batch type of production?
Process layoutProcess layout is recommended for batch production. All machines performing similar type of operations are grouped at one location in the process layout e.g., all lathes, milling machines, etc. are grouped in the shop will be clustered in like groups.
What are the 4 main scales of production?
There are four terms used to describe the scale of production in relation to manufacturing a product:prototype and one-off production.batch production.mass production.continuous production.
What is an example of batch production?
Batch production, where groups of items are made together. Each batch is finished before starting the next block of goods. For example, a baker first produces a batch of 50 white loaves. … Most cars are mass-produced in large factories using conveyor belts and expensive machinery such as robot arms.
What is the difference between mass and batch production?
Batch production is generally utilized to create unique batches of items. In other words, the same production equipment can be used to make different batches of different items at different times. … Mass production, on the other hand, has the ability to produce a variety of different items all at the same time.

domain: economics


Prison guards stabbed with pen
Two prison guards were taken to hospital after being stabbed with a pen and a third was doused with hot coffee during an attack at Casuarina jail which has renewed pressure for a purpose-built unit for prisoners with mental health issues.
WA Prison Officers Union secretary John Welch said one officer was lucky not to lose an eye during the incident at the men's jail on Saturday.
Mr Welch said the officer had been stabbed in the face with the pen, causing a 3cm-long gash under his eye. A second had been stabbed in the torso and a third had hot coffee poured on him.
The stabbed officers were taken to hospital and released on the same day but had been unable to return to work.
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Mr Welch said the prisoner involved had been assessed as having serious mental health issues and had previously been treated at the maximum-security Frankland centre at Graylands Hospital.
Mr Welch said prison staff had been told the Frankland centre was short of beds and capacity at Graylands was under more pressure because of the closure of another unit at the hospital.
"Our members are not trained or equipped to deal with these people and this incident is an example of what can happen when they have to manage prisoners who have serious mental health issues," he said.
"The previous government promised to establish a purpose-built forensic unit to house mentally ill prisoners. Clearly this hasn't happened and we want the current Government to commit to this plan."
A spokeswoman for the State Forensic Mental Health Service said the former patient understood to be involved in the assault was discharged in a mentally stable state in February and not because of any bed capacity issues.
The prisoner had been referred back to the service and was being accommodated within the statutory timeframe of one week.
The Mental Health Commission said services in prison and secure beds would be examined as part of a 10-year plan for mental health services.
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An Easy to understand and Affordable Layout: An irreversible electromagnetic field is created in the stator, or stationary area, of the motor by either irreversible magnets, which prevail in fractional horse power applications, or electro-magnetic windings, which are made use of in applications that need 5 or even more horse power.
Gasket Sealant Prices and ListingsThere are lots of places online that you can purchase Gasket Sealant such as online automotive parts retailers and local mechanics. The best place to purchase your next Gasket Sealant is on eBay. They have one of the best inventories of new and used parts on the planet, not to mention that certain sellers are offering free shipping on orders. Click below to see the current pricing on eBay.
Whether you are a home owner who's useful at dealing with points around your home or a skilled technician that collaborates with different sorts of machines, at some issue you will certainly collaborate with industrial motors. You could locate them with various horse power, rates, voltage, structures, enclosures, as well as mountings depending upon their numerous uses. Two of one of the most typical engine types are Air Conditioning and also DC, describing engines that use alternating current and also direct current, specifically.


2020 Ford Mach 1 Interior, Exterior, Release Date, Review – Amid many versions of legendary Ford Mustang, few of them can take exclusive place. Mach 1 is most likely the most famous. 007 drove it in “Diamonds are forever”. Also, this performance package had several far more editions, but every time it handled to make a strong effect. The before we noticed it had been in 2003, nevertheless it lasted merely for a year. The new release is approaching as 2020 Ford Mach 1. We presently saw Bullit for the following time of year. On top of that, Ford offered us a trace of one thing impressive and indeed unexpecting. It is a 2020 Ford Mach 1 all-electric model. But, it is not some still if this type of or edition for 2020 can get the total electrification.
2020 Ford Mach 1 Exterior
It’s been 15 several years given that the previous Mach 1. So, we can not evaluate it to its forerunners. Also, the car generally delivers something unique and different. So, comparing to regular Mustang doesn’t perform possibly. We can look at it on the new Bullit. Colourations, style, interior equipment – all the things are distinctive for every edition of this car. We can only do you know what new 2020 Ford Mach 1 will bring. The base is entirely in the standard model. However, makers are going to add larger tires. Adjusting of other body parts, which include hood and spoilers are also specific, but unconfirmed.
2020 Ford Mach 1 Interior
Nonetheless, supporters know that Mach 1 will include the most up-to-date equipment for the cabin. Also, the high-class experience could get a enhance from leather material car seats and upholstery. Creative designers probably will make a mixture of classic-school information and present-day visual appeal to get reap the benefits of both segments.
2020 Ford Mach 1 Engine
Performance package for the 2020 Ford Mach 1 will make the change. The typical engine for Ford Mustang is a 2.3-litre EcoBoost that offers 310 hp with aid from the turbocharger. Mach 1 is certainly obtaining a more significant and even more strong displacement. A preferred for the spot under the bonnet is a 5.0-litre V-8 Coyote powertrain. The renowned mill can develop 435 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. This will likely settle down this edition among Mustang GT and Shelby GT500 models. Coyote engine is making use of a 10-speed automatic transmission for smooth products alter. Also, particular revocation and braking systems will help make answer greater and sportier. Gasoline consumption is not significant to customers of the 2020 Ford Mach 1.
2020 Ford Mach 1 Release Date And Price
Last time after we noticed the Mach 1 release, Ford recognised the 35th wedding of the vehicle. Now, Mustang is in the new generation following 50 years of manufacturing. And while curiosity for the regular model is slipping, Ford can keep the interest in it with particular versions. The 2020 Ford Mach 1 is just one of these. Also, we can expect to have Shelby and Employer 302 shortly. Nonetheless, we still will need to check if Mach 1 can come as an all-electric car, or Ford tried to position to various other Mustang.


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The aliasing effect, the Fejer Kernel and temporally aggregated long memory processes
This paper derives the spectral density function of aggregated long memory processes in light of the aliasing effect. The results are different from previous analyses in the literature and a small simulation exercise provides evidence in our favour. The main result point to that flow aggregates from long memory processes shall be less biased than stock ones, although both retain the degree of long memory. This result is illustrated with the daily US Dollar/ French Franc exchange rate series.
|Date of creation:||01 Jan 2003|
|Contact details of provider:|| Postal: Praia de Botafogo 190, sala 1100, Rio de Janeiro/RJ - CEP: 22253-900|
Web page: http://epge.fgv.br
More information through EDIRC
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- Diebold, Francis X. & Rudebusch, Glenn D., 1989.
"Long memory and persistence in aggregate output,"
Journal of Monetary Economics,
Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 189-209, September.
- Francis X. Diebold & Glenn D. Rudebusch, 1988. "Long memory and persistence in aggregate output," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 7, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
- Breidt, F. Jay & Crato, Nuno & de Lima, Pedro, 1998. "The detection and estimation of long memory in stochastic volatility," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 83(1-2), pages 325-348.
- Cheung, Yin-Wong, 1993. "Long Memory in Foreign-Exchange Rates," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 11(1), pages 93-101, January.
- Chambers, Marcus J, 1998. "Long Memory and Aggregation in Macroeconomic Time Series," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 39(4), pages 1053-1072, November.
- Chambers, MJ, 1995. "Long Memory and Aggregation in Macroeconomic Time Series," Economics Discussion Papers 2766, University of Essex, Department of Economics.
- Deo, Rohit S. & Hurvich, Clifford M., 2001. "On The Log Periodogram Regression Estimator Of The Memory Parameter In Long Memory Stochastic Volatility Models," Econometric Theory, Cambridge University Press, vol. 17(04), pages 686-710, August.
- Brewer, K. R. W., 1973. "Some consequences of temporal aggregation and systematic sampling for ARMA and ARMAX models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 1(2), pages 133-154, June. Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)


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Bed of Roses Teardrop Earrings
Make these dainty dangling teardrop earrings in our very popular Bed of Roses. Each of these tiny roses are handpainted with molten glass. We have the teardrops in 6 colors. Just change the Swarovski Crystal to match and make for you and your friends. It takes just a few minutes. Components needed are shown below and click here for a free printable PDF.
Products (Total Items: 6)

domain: artistic


text:
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UK Edition ▼
03 December 2009
Emmerdale could see new gay storyline
Opening of Chinese gay bar delayed
Anger at New York Democrats who voted against gay marriage
Paul O’Grady welcomes second grandchild
Swedish minister suggests aid funding could be cut over Uganda’s anti-gay bill
Irish civil partnerships bill presented to parliament today
Peter Tatchell: The Equality Bill is less than equal
US bill could see witness immunity for gay soldiers
Vatican distances itself from cardinal’s homophobic comments
US suffers another setback for gay marriage in New York’s Senate
Two hundred students walk out over trans classmate using girls’ locker room
Anti-gay Kentucky clerk jailed for contempt of court
This terrifying new Windows 10 feature could ‘out’ kids to their parents
Brad and Angelina support child John’s decision to self-identify
This gay Christian athlete has a powerful message for Kim Davis
Homophobic clerk remains in jail, but deputies will allow gays to marry
Hooray! Steve Grand said yes, and is going to the Marine Corps Ball
People are throwing serious shade with hilarious Kim Davis in jail memes
Did Google’s G just get… gayer?
Australian MP: If Greece can hold a referendum in 2 weeks, why can’t we vote on marriage yet?

domain: politics


text:
Team Name: 260 Litros
Members: Nacho Pellejero & Simon Mendizabal
Location: Basque Country, Spain
Discipline/s: Adventure Travel and getting into Ultradistance races
Favourite WTB Product/s: Ranger´s 3.0, KODA saddle, KOM tough i45 rim
About Us: "260litros" comes from a long friendship of two guys which decided in 2017 to leave everything behind and go in search of new adventures and experiences with their bikes. “When we started our trip we though about going from southern Patagonia to Peru in six months but as days passed we started to feel that this could be our way of living for the next years and decided to keep on going until Alaska, for the moment.” Nowadays after almost four years, 10 Andes crossing, 5 countries and more than 23000 kms we reached Ecuador and are excited to continue with new experiences throughout the following countries. We wanted to leave behind all routine. We wanted to stop saying: “one they we will...” We just did it. “Our goal is to reach Alaska and after traveling through several places around South America with incredible single track trails, lakes and rivers we though that it would be amazing to be able to combine both activities bikepacking and packrafting, that is why we recently changed our entire equipment for making it possible. We love adventure, remote and hard planning routes. All the americas are packed with lots of single track trails that go up in the mountains or deep in the jungle and lead to some river or lakes so we though, why not turning into bike-rafting?” We always dreamed with racing so this why we are now preparing ourselves to participate in the most known ultra-distance races around the world as soon as it is possible.
Social Media: Instagram

domain: travel


WESTERN suburbs food lovers can rejoice as Presbyterian Ladies’ College introduces a new food event to its calendar this month.
Farm2Fork was established by the Peppermint Grove school’s boarding community to showcase some of the State’s top produce through a gourmet food experience.
The inaugural event will celebrate WA produce, while educating foodies about farm to fork dining, with more than 20 dishes on offer, including lamb, pork, beef, seafood, vegetables and grains, as well as fine wines and craft beer.
All food and drinks will be sourced from WA producers, with many attending the event to talk to guests about how and where their produce comes from.
PLC Old Collegian Sara Wilson (nee Horwood, 1981) and her husband Keith will be showcasing their dorper lamb and free-range eggs from their farm Gimlet Grove, located in Jilakin Downs, three hours southeast of Perth.
“These sorts of events where producers and consumers can connect and learn more about where their food comes from are vital to ensuring that we continue to eat and enjoy fresh, local ingredients,” Mrs Wilson said. “We have some of the nation’s most amazing produce available in Western Australia and supporting local farmers and local produce ensures that this quality can continue for generations to come.”
The Wilsons’ participation in PLC Farm2Fork is a family affair, as Sara and Keith’s youngest daughter, Emma, is currently a Year 11 boarder at PLC and their eldest daughter, Annabel, graduated from PLC last year.
“I’m really looking forward to the night and being able to talk with consumers about the produce they will be eating,” Mrs Wilson said.
“I encourage anyone who’s coming along to have a chat to any of the producers that will be there.
“It’s a great chance to connect and understand how your food makes it to your plate.”
Principal Dr Kate Hadwen, a former boarder from rural WA, said she was passionate about supporting boarding families and educating people more broadly about agriculture.
“Farm2Fork is going to be a very special event and we hope that after a successful first year, the event will become a staple on the Perth food scene in years to come,” she said.
“There are some mouth-watering dishes on the menu so far, with more than 20 to try.
“Combining good food and great company, it’s going to be a night to remember and all in support of our PLC Boarding House.”


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India today forward Chandrayaan-2 while moving ahead of its space mission.
Chandrayaan 2 is planned to land on the Moon's South Pole in the first week of September.
Scientists say that this terrain of the moon is quite complicated and the country already landed on the moon has not been able to reach this area.
Scientists hope that water and fossils can be found here. The interesting thing is that India's Chandrayaan is on the mission when the whole world is celebrating 50 years of human arrival on the moon.
On July 20, 1969, American astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped on the surface of the Moon and created a new history of man's success.
But did you know why Neil Armstrong was chosen for this mission?
Michael Collins, Apollo 11 mission astronaut, remembers this election something like this.
(For BBC Android's Android app you here Click can do. You us Facebook, Twitter, Instagram And Youtube But also can follow.)

domain: geography


text:
Authors: Carol Rose
Double Cross My Heart
Copyright Carol Rose 2012
Cover image courtesy of
Cover by Joleene Naylor
All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part (beyond that copying permitted by U.S. Copyright Law, Section 107, “fair use” in teaching or research. Section 108, certain library copying, or in published media by reviewers in limited excerpt), without written permission from the publisher.
“I ain’t never beat up a guy in a tux before,” the grinning thug commented, his outstretched hand closing around the crisp hundred dollar bills.
“Enjoy yourself,” Alex Holt recommended, “just don’t break my jaw or any other vital part.”
Dusk had settled on the parking lot next to the hotel, only a few stragglers still making their way into the Gala. The chill wind off Lake Michigan careened around the tall buildings as evening fell, tugging at Alex’s dinner jacket.
“So you’re clear on what you’re to do?” he asked.
“Hell, yes. When this bitch,” he held up a photo, “comes to her car, I do a snatch and run.”
“That’s right. Make sure you get the right woman. I’ll be right behind her as she leaves the hotel. Then when you’re mugging her, I come to her rescue. You run off, dropping her purse as you go.”
The grin on the mugger’s face broadened. “I don’t usually drop things.”
“Don’t worry about your reputation,” Alex told him sardonically. “I’m paying you handsomely to botch this purse snatching.”
The other guy shrugged, shoving the bills into his pocket. “Weird way to try and impress a woman.”
“I’m a weird kind of guy,” Alex said. He’d never before done anything as strange as pay to get assaulted in order to meet a woman, but this was a special situation…and he suspected a special woman. “You know which car is hers?”
“Yeah.” The thief looked affronted. “That black BMW sports car over there.”
“Memorize the plate number I gave you,” Alex instructed. “I don’t want any mistakes and if you mug the wrong woman, you’re on your own. I never met you.”
“I won’t go handling anyone but your woman,” the mugger assured him.
“Go easy on the ‘handling.’ I don’t want her hurt.” Alex’s words were crisp. He might be coloring outside the lines by approaching Eden Merritt this way, but he wouldn’t forgive himself if he let her get hurt. “In fact, I don’t want a scratch on her. Focus your efforts on me and make it look realistic.”
“Okay,” the other guy promised, the grin still on his face.
Eden sipped from the glass in her hand, her gaze idly surveying the glittering crowd. As these kind of charity events went, it was a good party, but she had other things on her mind. If her boss, Michele Broussard of Michele Cosmetics, hadn’t gone on a protracted vacation, Eden would be at home working on the details of the “Passions” ads. The ad campaign had to be looked over before she could sign off on it and she still had the latest report from Robert Bergere to read.
Moving through the chattering crowd, the women beautiful in designer gowns and jewels, the men looking elegant in tuxedos, Eden worked her way around the room. She spoke to a number of acquaintances, moving steadily toward the door.
Feeling tired, her feet aching in a pair of costly new heels, Eden headed toward the exit. Through the ballroom doorway she went, leaving the hotel.
The wind off the lake skittered around her, lifting playfully at the skirt of her short green evening dress. Because she was cutting out early, the sidewalk leading to the lot where she’d parked her car was empty.
Her head full of plans for the new wrinkle-reducing product, Eden didn’t notice the shadow beside her car until it moved suddenly.
A startled shriek escaping her throat, she shrank back in terror from the masked man, her heart rate tripling in a matter of seconds. He seemed huge in the inadequate light, looming up between her and the hotel.
“Your purse, lady,” her attacker said in a bizarrely genial tone as his big, meaty hand latched on to her arm.
Involuntarily, Eden squeaked and pulled back from him, the sensation of his hand on the skin of her arm panicking her. The cold metal of her car behind her, her attacker in front of her, she could see no escape.
Her hand shaking, she held out her purse.
“Hey!” A man’s voice called out from across the parking lot, the sound of his footsteps coming closer. “Is someone in trouble?”
Her power of speech suspended by terror, she couldn’t do more than croak out a strangled plea, the sound seeming to evaporate as it left her mouth. Turning toward the newcomer, her attacker kept hold of her arm, her purse now in his huge hand.
“What are you doing?” the other man demanded, his voice sharp as he sprinted up to her car. “Let go of her!”
The last word was barely out of her rescuer’s mouth when the attacker’s fist slammed into his face. His head snapped back, but he blocked the bigger man’s next blow in a surprisingly wiry move.
Frozen, Eden watched as the two men traded blows, in the narrow space between the parked cars, her formally-attired rescuer taking the worst of it. He was not quite as tall as the mugger and not as heavy. Taking a couple of vicious blows to his midsection, her rescuer doubled over. He fell back against her car with a grunt of pain.
It was over in a matter of seconds. Without a glance at her, the thief turned and fled into the darkness.
“Oh my God,” she said, moving to where he sagged against the trunk of her little Z4. “Are you all right?”
“Did he…hurt you?” the man asked, his words painfully labored.
“No. Thank God, you came out just then.”
In the dim light, Eden couldn’t see clearly, but she could see well enough to identify him. She knew her Sir Galahad had a nice pair of muscular shoulders, short, dark hair and the kind of blue eyes that got women in trouble.
He was Alex Holt, the big-dog businessman who’d been honoree of the evening’s charity event. Feared and respected for his business-acumen, tonight he had been lauded for his significant donations to cancer research.
Looks, money and chivalry all in one incredible package.
Eden smiled inwardly. She might have gotten the bejeebers scared out of her and lost her purse, but she couldn’t imagine a better consolation prize. At least one area of her life was looking up.
“You want four boxes of Payday candy bars?” the grocery store clerk asked incredulously. “We don’t normally sell them by the box, ma’am.”
“I know,” Eden Merritt said shortly. She stood in a discount grocery in Buck Town which was far from River North where she lived. Lately, her demand for her daily fix of Payday bars and chocolate milk had grown to such proportions she could no longer supply her need at her usual grocery. It was just too damned embarrassing.
No matter how much she wanted to call Alex, go over to his place and toy with the thought of having sex with him when she'd only known him two weeks, she knew she wouldn't. Too soon, and she was too damned distracted. A moment like that she wanted to enjoy, if it did end up happening for them.
Now, she plunked down a hundred dollar bill on the counter and said tersely, “Just ask the manager if you sell them by the box, okay? And could you make it quick?”
It was already past ten o’clock in the evening and before returning to her apartment, she had to stop at the grocery two blocks over to pick up several gallons of chocolate milk. There were worse addictions. At least, the stress-relieving properties of Payday bars and chocolate milk wouldn’t land her in jail, although diabetes was a possibility.
She still remembered the day she ate her first Payday bar when she was ten years old. Her father’s half-sister, Kim, who was Eden’s age, had forgotten the salty-sweet treat she’d left at the Merritt’s ratty apartment. After Kim had gone, Eden had stuffed the pilfered candy bar into her mouth as she lie on her narrow bed in the stifling, small room she shared with her step-brother of the moment. Back in those days, even treats as inexpensive as candy were hard to come by.
From that day on, Payday bars—soon joined with dark and chocolaty milk—had been her drug of choice.
Collecting her change from the mentally-dense checker five minutes later, Eden carried her boxes of treasure out to where her BMW Z4 sat waiting. The lights overhead buzzed noisily underlining the emptiness of the dark parking lot. Eden had lived in Chicago so long, she discounted the ever-present city noises.
Getting into her car, she locked the doors, shuffling her boxed Payday booty into the passenger seat next to her slim briefcase.
From the console between the seats, her phone beeped, an indicator of a missed call. Despite her growing sugar craving, Eden started the car and picked up the phone. She ought not to care if anything were wrong at Michele Cosmetics corporate headquarters, but habits died hard and she knew any number of department heads would respond to an emergency by punching in her number first.
Cocooned against the night as she sat in her locked car, Eden listened to her voice mail.
“It’s me,” Jessica’s recorded voice proclaimed. “Just checking in on how things are going in corporate hell. Sure glad I’m not there anymore and wishing you weren’t either. Call me.”
With a wry smile at her best friend’s message, Eden tossed the phone next to the boxes on the passenger seat. She tore into the top box, ripping the flimsy cardboard as she struggled to get the lid off.
The candy wrapper opened easily and she sighed as the smell of salty, roasted peanuts and candy nougat filled the car.
How could Michele have stabbed her in the back this way?
Biting into the Payday, she fought off the sense of unreality and made herself grapple with the truth.
After years of devoting her life to her company goals, Michele Broussard, Eden’s boss and mentor at Michele Cosmetics, had gone off on a seniors’ cruise, found a younger man and lost her mind. Those were the pertinent facts as far as Eden was concerned.
The woman she’d looked up to and respected, the closest thing she’d had to a successful female role model, had apparently reconnected to her emotional side and given her rational mind the heave-ho.
At the prompting of her sixty-year old lover, Michele was busily making-ready to appoint his niece as Michele’s successor at the head of the company. As hard as it was to comprehend, Michele was jettisoning Eden along with her rationality.
Never mind that as director of operations Eden had worked as her right-hand these past five years. Never mind the fact that promises had been made many times over. Forget all that.
Her teeth severing a bite of Payday bar, Eden told herself to particularly forget how she’d thought she’d found a mother figure in Michele…someone she could respect and trust.
Her own mother lived her life in a series of emotional and financial crises. The seemingly sane, calm and supportive Michele had been a wonderfully refreshing change.
That should have been her first hint at how wrong her perception of Michele had been, Eden thought. Maybe there weren’t any sane women when it came to the male species.
Angrily crunching her way through another bite of peanut-covered nougat, Eden snapped her seat belt in place and shifted into gear, wheeling out of the lot.
She was eating too many Paydays this last month. She knew that, but this particular taste on her tongue had always meant a furtive sense of reward to her. Growing up with a father who rarely worked and a mother who’d never come to terms with her poor relationship choices, Eden hadn’t found many rewards. The ones she had discovered, unfortunately, never came without a price.
Never was that fact more evident to her.
Even that original stolen Payday had haunted her. Despite growing up with nothing, she’d never been able to cheat or steal, particularly from someone she liked. Two years after the fact, she’d mailed three bucks to Kim with a confession.
But regardless of that original, absolved guilt, salty peanuts and sweet nougat still tasted like reward to Eden.
She’d never understood how she’d escaped the family tradition of lying, stealing and generally living off of other people. But even if her situation now would be easier if she were more like her shiftless, irresponsible father, Eden identified more with her uncle George’s work ethic. George might be a prick, but he’d single-handedly built his own multi-million dollar cosmetics company.

domain: literature


text:
While it is anticipated that computer generated virtual reality (VR)-based surgical simulators with both visual and haptic (touch) feedback will significantly improve minimally invasive surgical (MIS) training, leading to substantial reduction in operating room (OR) errors and patient morbidity, existing simulators have not been widely accepted in the medical community due to the following major drawbacks: (1) they lack realistic physics- based simulation algorithms of surgical tool-soft tissue interactions in real time;(2) the computational organ models are not firmly based on experimental data;and (3) they provide primarily psycho-motor skill training, i.e., training in hand-eye coordination and motor skills necessary for tasks such as tool movement, cutting, suturing, etc with little training in cognitive skills associated with higher level mental functions related to workload management, planning, communication, decision-making and problem-solving. In the previous grant period we focused on issues (1) &(2), while in this renewal proposal we plan a logical extension of our work and concentrate primarily on the last issue. Based on adult learning theories [LaWe91] and literature in flight simulation technology [Le05], we argue that the next generation ('Gen2') surgical simulators must provide both cognitive and psycho-motor skill training. Cognitive skill training translates to the following two fundamental requirements: (1) Cognitive fidelity, i.e., the simulator environment should, as closely as possible, replicate the high stress environment in the OR and (2) Cognitive feedback, i.e., it should provide real time assessment of the quality of each task performed, suggesting corrective measures and alternative procedures. The goal of this project is to design, develop and evaluate the next generation ('Gen2') surgical simulators that will provide both cognitive and psycho-motor skill training. To accomplish the goals of the project, a multidisciplinary team has been assembled to achieve the following Specific Aims: SA1) To design and develop the fundamental technology behind Gen2 surgical simulators. SA2) To develop Gen1 and Gen2 simulators for the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) procedure based on the emerging single incision laparoscopic surgical (SILS) approach. SA3) Establish the validity of Gen1 and Gen2 SILS LAGB simulators, as training tools by conducting experiments at the Skills Lab at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston to ensure that the scores measured on the simulators reflect the technical skills they intend to measure. SA4) Evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive fidelity and feedback on surgical skills training and learning using the simulators by following the learning curves of subjects over time and measuring their skill retention and quality of diagnostic judgment after training on Gen1 and Gen2 SILS LAGB simulators. Success in our research will establish this technology as a potential standard in next generation surgery simulators and the technology developed will accrue benefits outside of surgical training, e.g., in the design of new surgical tools and surgical techniques.
The goal of this research is to develop and validate a comprehensive computer-based technology that will allow surgical trainees to practice their surgical skills on computer-based models. Surgical procedures and techniques, learnt and perfected in this risk-free manner before application to patients, will translate to fewer operating room errors, reduced patient morbidity and improved patient outcomes resulting in faster healing, shorter hospital stay and reduced post surgical complications and treatment costs.
|Ye, Hanglin; De, Suvranu (2017) Thermal injury of skin and subcutaneous tissues: A review of experimental approaches and numerical models. Burns 43:909-932|
|Nemani, Arun; Ahn, Woojin; Cooper, Clairice et al. (2017) Convergent validation and transfer of learning studies of a virtual reality-based pattern cutting simulator. Surg Endosc :|
|Demirel, Doga; Yu, Alexander; Baer-Cooper, Seth et al. (2017) Generative Anatomy Modeling Language (GAML). Int J Med Robot 13:|
|Qi, Di; Panneerselvam, Karthikeyan; Ahn, Woojin et al. (2017) Virtual interactive suturing for the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS). J Biomed Inform 75:48-62|
|Suvranu De, Rahul (2017) A multi-physics model for ultrasonically activated soft tissue. Comput Methods Appl Mech Eng 314:71-84|
|Sankaranarayanan, Ganesh; Li, Baichun; Miller, Amie et al. (2016) Face validation of the Virtual Electrosurgery Skill Trainer (VEST©). Surg Endosc 30:730-8|
|Nemani, Arun; Ahn, Woojin; Gee, Denise et al. (2016) Objective Surgical Skill Differentiation for Physical and Virtual Surgical Trainers via Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy. Stud Health Technol Inform 220:256-61|
|Gromski, Mark A; Ahn, Woojin; Matthes, Kai et al. (2016) Pre-clinical Training for New Notes Procedures: From Ex-vivo Models to Virtual Reality Simulators. Gastrointest Endosc Clin N Am 26:401-12|
|Dargar, Saurabh; Akyildiz, Ali Cagdas; De, Suvranu (2016) Development of a Soft Tissue Elastography Robotic Arm (STiERA). Stud Health Technol Inform 220:77-83|
|Dorozhkin, Denis; Nemani, Arun; Roberts, Kurt et al. (2016) Face and content validation of a Virtual Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery Trainer (VTEST™). Surg Endosc 30:5529-5536|
Showing the most recent 10 out of 104 publications


The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report yesterday warning that over the next 20 years, global temperatures are expected to reach or exceed 1.5°C of warming – meaning we can anticipate increasing heat waves, longer warm seasons, and intensifying rain and floods. Placed high up in the firing line of the influential report is the harmful effects methane is having on the planet, something that ought to make the many shipowners who have opted for LNG-fuelled newbuilds shudder.
“This report is a reality check,” IPCC working group co-chair Valérie Masson-Delmotte said.
Adopted in 2015, the Paris agreement has aimed to limit global warming to well below 2.0°C – preferring the target of 1.5°C. However, the IPCC report projects the earth will reach 1.5°C of global warming halfway through 2034.
Around 0.3C of the 1.1C that the world has already warmed by comes from methane
“Stabilising the climate will require strong, rapid, and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and reaching net zero CO2 emissions,” IPCC working group co-chair Panmao Zhai said, adding: “Limiting other greenhouse gases and air pollutants, especially methane, could have benefits both for health and the climate.”
The report has a strong focus on methane, something that is emitted from LNG-powered vessels and by energy majors in creating LNG. The role of methane, aerosols and other short-lived climate pollutants had not been discussed by the IPCC until this week and is now set to get much of the attention that CO2 has had in recent decades.
According to the IPCC, around 0.3C of the 1.1C that the world has already warmed by comes from methane.
The report puts “a lot of pressure on the world to step up its game on methane,” said IPCC report reviewer Durwood Zaelke, president of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development in Washington, DC.
“Cutting methane is the single biggest and fastest strategy for slowing down warming,” Zaelke said.
In April this year the World Bank issued a report on decarbonising maritime transport in which it specifically recommended countries pull back from investing in further LNG bunkering infrastructure.
Taking a swipe at LNG as a fuel, the bank recommended that countries should avoid new public policy that supports LNG as a bunker fuel, reconsider existing policy support, and continue to regulate methane emissions.
“LNG is effectively liquefied methane, and methane is itself a highly potent GHG. Over 20-year and 100-year time horizons, methane is respectively 86 times and 36 times more potent a GHG than CO2. Therefore, any GHG emissions from unburnt methane released to the atmosphere – called methane leakage – can diminish or even entirely offset the theoretical GHG benefit of the use of LNG,” the bank warned.
Keen to dismiss the methane leakage argument, two LNG bunker lobby groups revealed details in April of an independent, peer-reviewed study that claims GHG reductions of up to 23% are achievable now from using LNG as a marine fuel, depending on the marine technology employed. This is compared with the emissions of current oil-based marine fuels measured from well-to-wake .
This report used the latest primary data to assess all major types of marine engines and global sources of supply with data provided by original equipment manufacturers including Caterpillar MaK, Caterpillar Solar Turbines, GE, MAN Energy Solutions, Rolls Royce (MTU), Wärtsilä, and Winterthur Gas & Diesel, as well as from ExxonMobil, Shell, and Total on the supply side. Methane emissions from the supply chains as well as methane released during the onboard combustion process – also known as methane slip – have been included in the analysis.
Peter Keller, chairman of lobby group SEA-LNG, commented at the time of the report’s release: “Often based on outdated data, methane slip has become an overused argument for those wishing to justify inaction.”
The study claims that by 2030 methane slip will have been “virtually eliminated” as technological improvements continue.
In gt terms, 28.4% of the global ship orde book is for LNG fuel capable tonnage, according to the latest data from Clarkson Research Services.


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'Tighter UK visa rules to control migrants, bogus colleges'
Defending tightening of visa rules for students coming to the UK, a British minister on Wednesday said "proper policing" was needed to crack down on "bogus colleges" and check inflow of migrants.Updated: Jul 28, 2010 20:25 IST
Defending tightening of visa rules for students coming to the UK, a British minister on Wednesday said "proper policing" was needed to crack down on "bogus colleges" and check inflow of migrants.
"We are committed to controlling the total number of migrants coming to Great Britain and the way we will be doing that is by cracking down on bogus colleges in Britain, which are encouraging people into the country who are not students," Minister for Universities and Science, David Willets said.
Speaking to reporters in Chennai on the sidelines of a panel discussion at IIT-Madras, he also said that there had been problems with foreign students who were not competent enough as students, though they entered Britain claiming to be so.
"There have been problems, not linked to India, in the past where sometimes the necessary controls every nation must apply have not been properly applied. Some people claiming to come to Britain to study were not competent enough. So it is a matter of proper policing," he said.
Willets, however, said his country valued the links between Indian students, academicians and their British counterparts. He also wished more British students come to India for studies.
Britain had in February this year announced new measures aimed at cutting the number of student visas issued abroad and prevent misuse of the immigration system.
Under the new measures, successful applicants from India and other countries outside the European Union will have to meet a higher bar on English language requirement.
Students taking courses below degree level will be allowed to work for only 10 hours a week, instead of the previous 20.
First Published: Jul 28, 2010 20:22 IST

domain: news


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Capital Volvo of Albany owner Eric Kahn said today he has acquired the Jaguar and Land Rover dealerships of Keeler Motor Car Corp. and is relocating them next to his Volvo dealership on Route 155, New Karner Road, in Colonie. Terms of the acquisition weren’t disclosed.
“Customer service will continue to be our top priority,” said Kahn, who also owns the Friendly Honda dealership in Poughkeepsie. “We will maintain the same high quality staff; we essentially rehired all of the employees and relocated them to the Route 155 site.”
Kahn purchased the Volvo dealership from Keeler in 2006.
“While we have achieved so much at Capital Volvo this past year, we believe the Jaguar and Land Rover brands will complement Volvo and bring the business in Albany to a new level,” Kahn said in a press release announcing the acquisition.


Current situation or problem:
Currently in FOLIO there are two data export apps: Data Export and Export Manager. Each of them uses a different technology and it prevents for combining those two into one app which could also support other exporting needs
Investigate and document what would be required to move to Sprint and evaluate possible impact.
Out of scope
Actual migration will be addressed in separate feature based on the findings


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1. Hoi An
Hoi An is just 30 minutes south of Da Nang. This small city is home to about 300 expats, including many Australians. Hoi An is full of businesses that cater to the large number of international visitors who come to see its historic communal halls, temples and residences—preserved for centuries following the 16th and 17th century settlement of Chinese, Japanese and European traders.
Beautiful An Bang Beach is just north of Hoi An, and two world-class golf courses—one designed by golf celebrity Greg Norman—are just 13 kilometres from town.
2. Vung Tau
Vung Tau, a small seaside resort town just a short drive or boat trip away from Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC, formerly Saigon), has attracted a fairly large Australian expat population. It was a popular town for rest and relaxation during the war, and was the headquarters for the 1st Australian Logistics support Group.
The town is known for its pretty beach, attractive parks, golfing and its outstanding seafood restaurants. Vung Tau expats can easily make daytrips to HCMC while enjoying the tranquillity of living in an inexpensive and laidback town.
3. Nha Trang
Nha Trang was my first home in Vietnam. Its bay is the most beautiful that I’ve ever seen. I loved the great food, the lively expat community and the friendly locals. My expenses, including an apartment just five-minute’s walk from the beach, were $1,000 per month, and that was living luxuriously.
Russian and Chinese expats have recently discovered Nha Trang, though there are still around 1,000 western expats, including many retirees, who live in this beachside gem.
Hue is a hidden gem. Not too many expats have moved to the central coast city of Hue yet—probably less than 100 at this time—but those who I’ve met all love living there.
Hue is about an hour north of Da Nang and like Hoi An, it’s a city rich in history. since it receives its fair share of tourists, Hue has many excellent restaurants and a well-developed infrastructure.
5. Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is Vietnam’s largest city, full of shiny skyscrapers and French colonial mansions, the best shopping, incredibly good street food and the largest population of expats in the country. It also has the best medical care in Vietnam, though Hanoi is a close second. It’s not for everyone—it’s big, brash and commercial—but it has its charms.


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It is so easy to prepare fresh spinach, and it makes a quick and healthy side. Packed with iron and other great nutrients, spinach has so much to offer and is delicious too! This is a versatile side dish and you can use different ingredients for different flavors. Since it only takes a few minutes to make, you can have it ready in no time.
Bag of fresh spinach (baby spinach if possible)
Olive oil or butter
1-2 tablespoons chopped garlic
Salt to taste
Heat approx 1 tablespoon butter or oil in a pan.
Add your garlic and then spinach.
If necessary, press on the spinach with a spatula to help it wilt, and then continue to stir.
Cook briefly, as you only need to quickly wilt the spinach. I prefer mine very fresh, not browned – I remove it from the heat as soon as it is wilted.
Add salt if desired, to taste.
You can also do other combinations – such as a dash of rice wine vinegar, and top with white sesame seeds.
As far as servings, I could easily eat the whole bag of spinach! However, you could probably get 2-3 servings out of the “average” size bag of baby spinach.

domain: food


Victoria seeks input on digital strategy
- 24 June, 2014 11:54
The Victorian government is seeking public input on a digital strategy for the state. The state's technology minister, Gordon Rich-Phillips, this morning launched a website that allows Victorians to have their say on the strategy.
"We want to use the Digital Economy Strategy website and co-production approach to invite innovative and effective strategies for boosting Victoria's digital capability, capacity and skills," Rich-Phillips said in a statement.
"We are particularly interested in hearing how government can actively help to improve digital capabilities."
The government is seeking input on five themes: digital inclusion, productive and competitive SMEs, digital infrastructure, digital innovation and entrepreneurship, a skilled workforce, telecommuting, and leadership in government.
"We expect that these themes will expand and diversify as contributors suggest new ideas and ways of approaching the strategy," the minister said.
"We must develop our capacity to use digital technologies to drive productivity and innovation across our economy, enhance existing industries and generate new value-adding industries and jobs," the minister said.
The consultation runs until 30 July.
Queensland last week launched its digital strategy, titled GoDigitalQld Queensland Digital Economy Strategy and Action Plan.
In May, Victoria issued an ICT Strategy Update.


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“Assembly Theory,” a pioneering theoretical framework bridging physics and biology, offers transformative insights into biological evolution and its place within universal physical laws. With applications from the search for alien life to understanding life’s origins, it promises to reshape numerous scientific fields.
An international team of researchers has developed a new theoretical framework that bridges physics and biology to provide a unified approach to understanding how complexity and evolution emerge in nature. This new work on “Assembly Theory,” published today (October 4) in Nature, represents a major advance in our fundamental comprehension of biological evolution and how it is governed by the physical laws of the universe.
“This opens up the exciting possibility of using Assembly Theory to design new experiments that could solve the origin of life by creating living systems from scratch in the laboratory.” — Professor Lee Cronin
Previous Work and the Molecular Assembly Index
This research builds on the team’s previous work developing Assembly Theory as an empirically validated approach to life detection, with implications for the search for alien life and efforts to evolve new life forms in the laboratory. In prior work, the team assigned a complexity score to molecules called the molecular assembly index, based on the minimal number of bond-forming steps required to build a molecule. They showed how this index is experimentally measurable and how high values correlate with life-derived molecules.
Mathematical Formalism in Assembly Theory
The new study introduces mathematical formalism around a physical quantity called “Assembly” that captures how much selection is required to produce a given set of complex objects, based on their abundance and assembly indices.
“Assembly Theory provides a completely new lens for looking at physics, chemistry, and biology as different perspectives of the same underlying reality,” explained lead author Professor Sara Walker, a theoretical physicist and origin of life researcher from Arizona State University. “With this theory, we can start to close the gap between reductionist physics and Darwinian evolution – it’s a major step toward a fundamental theory unifying inert and living matter.”
Applications and Future Potential
The researchers demonstrated how Assembly Theory can be applied to quantify selection and evolution in systems ranging from simple molecules to complex polymers and cellular structures. It explains both the discovery of new objects and the selection of existing ones, allowing open-ended increases in complexity characteristic of life and technology.
“Assembly Theory provides an entirely new way to look at the matter that makes up our world, as defined not just by immutable particles but by the memory needed to build objects through selection over time,” said Professor Lee Cronin, a chemist from the University of Glasgow and co-lead author. “With further work, this approach has the potential to transform fields from cosmology to computer science. It represents a new frontier at the intersection of physics, chemistry, biology, and information theory.”
Toward a Deeper Understanding
The researchers aim to further refine Assembly Theory and explore its applications for characterizing known and unknown life, and testing hypotheses about how life emerges from non-living matter. “A key feature of the theory is that it is experimentally testable,” said Cronin. “This opens up the exciting possibility of using Assembly Theory to design new experiments that could solve the origin of life by creating living systems from scratch in the laboratory.”
The theory opens up many new questions and research directions at the boundary of the physical and life sciences. Overall, Assembly Theory promises to provide profound new insights into the physics underlying biological complexity and evolutionary innovation.
Reference: “Assembly theory explains and quantifies selection and evolution” 4 October 2023, Nature.

domain: biology


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Jimmy Greene on Soprano Saxophone
For my soprano saxophone setup, I want something that really closely mirrors the feeling of my tenor saxophone setup. And just like the tenor, my V16 mouthpiece, ZZ reeds and M|O aged gold ligature gives me enough expansive flexibility-- to be able create any sound that I want in the moment. I’ve been playing Vandorens probably since I was very young. They’ve set the standard for quality, craftsmanship, and consistency with all their equipment, and I’m proud to play their equipment today.


This is a very rare example a totally complete and in fantastic condition German 10cm Granate 15 high explosive shell dated 1918 which is a very large and heavy projectile. The shell is in fantastic condition still the case is it's nice shiny brass colour with black painted finnish the shell its self has its balck and white striped paintwork clear to see.The shell completely unscrews and comes apart like it should do very nicely and it has all its original markings on the head clear to see on the bottom of the case not so clear to see the shell has been very well cleaned retains a lot of original colour it is completely empty and inert and overall perfect condition for display and very rare shell for any collection the shell was fired by Kanone M04 L/30 field gun. The shell came from a private collection on the on the Somme battlefield of 1916-1918.The shell comes with a A5 laminated information card.
THIS ITEM IS FREE UK SHIPPING. FOR INTERNATIONAL BUYERS IT IS A REDUCED RATE PLEASE ASK BEFORE PURCHASE.THIS ITEM CAN ONLY BE SHIPPED TO THE UK AND EUROPE.


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1pcs 70g Natural Rough or Polished Rose Quartz Specimen from Madagascar
Ships directly from the supplier! Due to an influx of orders, please allow 1-3 weeks to arrive upon order!
Natural rose quartz is opaque to translucent macrocrystalline quartz of pink to rose-red color. It normally occurs in the cores of large pegmatites as solid masses of rose colored quartz whose individual crystals have poorly formed boundaries.
Some rose quartz contains microscopic rutile crystals which are oriented at right angles to the c-axis of the rose quartz in three directions, each 120 degrees apart. When viewed at a specific angle with a source of light a star-effect is visible. This is known as asterism.
The color of rose quartz is still not completely understood. It has been said to be due to a number of different minor impurities present in the rose quartz including titanium, manganese and even colloidal gold. However, recent studies using micro-analytical methods have discovered that the color of massive rose quartz is actually due to microscopic mineral fibers in the rose quartz. X-ray diffraction tests on these microscopic fibers yielded patterns similar to the mineral dumortierite but slightly different, suggesting the possibility of a totally new and as yet unknown fibrous mineral causing the color in massive rose quartz. The rare transparent euhedral crystals of rose quartz owe their coloration to aluminum and phosphorous impurities. Their pink color is photosensitive and can fade in sunlight.
Rose quartz is recognized by its color, transparency, hardness, glassy luster, conchoidal fracture, occurance and general lack of cleavage.

domain: chemistry


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Photos: National Western Stock Show’s Grand Champion, Trevor
The National Western Stock Show's Grand Champion, Trevor, was on display at the Brown Palace Hotel & Spa in Denver, CO, January, 25, 2013. The Grand Champion, weighing in at 1335 lbs. was raised by Shilo Schaake of Westmoreland, KS. The Reserve Grand Champion, Nick, 1275 lbs, was also shown by Jessica Webster of Runnells, IA. The skittish champions were joined by a third steer, Willie, right, raised by Lauren May, of Mineral Point, WI, for moral support.


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Frontline fighters in the mosquito wars3 min read . Updated: 07 Sep 2010, 11:44 PM IST
Frontline fighters in the mosquito wars
Frontline fighters in the mosquito wars
New Delhi: The only way to destroy the mosquito is to make it breed," declares E.C. Thomas, film-maker, amateur scientist and the inventor of a quirky contraption that uses a combination of a suitcase-sized water tank and a system of ingenious, but elementary valves and siphons to trap mosquito larvae.
Though Thomas’ device, christened “Take it Eazzy" as a play on his name, is still a prototype, he’s part of a disorganized global league of researchers and manufacturers exploring ingenious alternatives against the insect and the diseases it spreads, such as the current dengue outbreak in the national capital.
Also See Ingenious Devices (Graphic)
Unlike traditional research that focuses on drugs and vaccines, this band of mosquito baiters rely on a variety of approaches, from mosquito magnets and mosquito traps, that try to exploit everything from genetics to mosquito psychology. This includes their fear of bats and dragonflies, dependence on human blood, and a compulsion to breed rapidly.
In February, scientists at the University of California, Irvine, Oxford University and Oxitec Ltd, a medical firm, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of being able to create “wingless" mosquitoes that were genetically engineered to have weak muscles. No-fly mosquitoes, they reasoned, would be unable to travel and spread disease.
An Auckland-based manufacturer has developed a commercial product that uses a combination of synthetic chemicals and light displays to lure mosquitoes into a trap—a high-speed fan that sweeps the mosquito into a special bag where they choke and die.
The Sunbeam Electronic Mosquito Repeller, made by a Californian company, emits ultrasonic sound waves, mimicking the dragonfly—the insect’s key nemesis—and thereby keeping mosquitoes away.
American Biophysics Corp. makes mosquito magnets that work by emitting a steady stream of carbon dioxide, heat, moisture and octenol. The carbon dioxide fools the mosquito into assuming a human being is around and lured within range, is sucked in by the magnet, which dehydrates and thus kills the pest.
Thomas’ machine relies on what he calls the mosquito’s biggest weak point—the need to breed. It consists chiefly of a steady supply of 10 litres of water in a rectangular basin.
“Think of the water tank as a high-end bar," Thomas explains enthusiastically. “The female mosquito is desperate for any source of still water—water coolers, ruptured rubber tyres. So the tank looks most inviting and, to the mosquito, the best place to lay its eggs."
The tank has a vent at the bottom that opens every 10 days, the time typically taken for larvae to hatch. This drains out the eggs into another tank containing pebbles, salt and sand, which kills the larvae. The vent opens and closes by siphon effect.
“The chambers are designed such that even if some larvae do hatch into mosquitoes, they are trapped. There’s no outlet. The tanks are kept dry through evaporation. So there’s no external energy required to keep the cycle going," Thomas said.
The system is most effective in regions with substantial mosquito infestation. In preliminary tests in his yard in Alapuzha district of Kerala—known for regular chikungunya outbreaks —there was a marked decline, he said, in mosquitoes over three years.
“It’s not a quick fix solution. But given a sufficient number of tanks spread out over several places, you will certainly see a noticeable decline," said Thomas, who is scheduled to meet health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad later this month for a demonstration and thereafter possible funding.
Experts say his idea is conceptually sound, but will need more tests before being validated.
A.P. Dash, former director of Delhi-based National Institute of Malarial Research, said any approach to address the mosquito problem was welcome.
“Several organizations as well as individuals are trying out a variety of devices," he said. “But these devices need years of testing. However, it’s time that we moved beyond drugs and vaccines to curb mosquitoes."
According to the World Health Organization, mosquitoes are estimated to infect more than 700 million people annually in Africa, South America, Central America, Mexico and much of Asia, with at least two million dying every year from such diseases.
India has about a million cases of malaria every year, with about 1,000 deaths. And Delhi, with above average rainfall this year and construction work related to the Commonwealth Games, has reported over 1,300 dengue cases—among the highest in the last five years—and four deaths due to the mosquito-borne disease.
C.R. Pillai, an emeritus professor with the Indian Council of Medical Research, said mechanical approaches cannot be a stand-alone solution.
“The aedes larvae (the dengue carrier) can survive longer than the anopheles (carrier of malaria) and only needs a bit of moisture. No device can beat evolution. You have to target parasites as well as the carriers," he said.
Photo by Pradeep Gaur; graphic by Ahmed Raza Khan/Mint


NHTSA's Benefit Model in the Proposed FMVSS 216 Roof Strength Standard 2007-01-0373
As part of a comprehensive plan to reduce the risk of death and serious injury in rollover crashes, NHTSA has proposed upgrading the roof crush resistance standard, FMVSS 216. To evaluate the benefit of this proposal, the agency examined real-world data on injuries and fatalities that would be prevented by the proposed rulemaking. This paper provides a detailed discussion of the statistical and engineering approaches used to derive benefit estimates on fatalities calculated by NHTSA for the proposed upgrade. It concludes the NHTSA estimate of 13-44 lives saved annually is not reliable due to extreme sensitivity of the benefit calculation to the paucity of field data and questionable engineering assumptions.


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COLLEGE STATION, Tex. (KBTX) - Giving back and helping others doesn't take just kindness, it takes time. With our busy lives, that's a hard commodity to come by.
Now, Peace Lutheran Church in College Station has found a creative way to help feed people without working around the clock.
"We're all always willing to give,” said longtime Peach Lutheran member Laura Bay-Williams “Money's the easy thing, food's the easy thing. Time is the hard thing."
Bay-Williams works full time as a veterinarian, but she spends her Sundays at church. That's where she's noticed something about the neighborhood.
"The area surrounding us, sometimes those families, it's a little struggle between the next paycheck," Bay-Williams said.
Her solution? The 'Blessing Box.' Church and community members keep it stocked with food, on their own schedule, and anyone who needs a bite can take one.
"We have a playground just down the street. Lots of neighborhood children come and go,” said Bay-Williams. “If there is a child passing by that's hungry, there are granola bars in there."
It didn’t take long for the rest of the church and surrounding neighborhood to get on board.
"When Laura first explained it to me, she didn't explain it to me, she just said, 'We're doing this!'" Peace Lutheran Pastor Jim Abbott laughed. He's watched as the food has turned over, again and again.
"It's small-scale,” Abbott said. “We're not going to fix the world, but we are going to help our neighbors."
"It's not designed to meet your food needs for a week,” said Bay Williams. “It's designed to meet, ‘Oh gosh, I didn't have breakfast for the kids this morning because I didn't even have time to go to the store.’ Come pick up a packet of oatmeal.”
A box that blesses those giving and receiving.
“The saying on the box is ‘Take what you need. Leave what you can. Above all be blessed,’” said Bay-Williams. “And I think that that really sums it up nicely."
Bay-Williams and Pastor Abbott say they would love to see more ‘blessing boxes’ crop up around town, whether at religious centers or community centers. In fact, they’ve shared the plans used to build the box. You can find them in the Related Documents.
Peace Lutheran Church is located at 2201 Rio Grande Blvd, College Station.