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Filed under: Mind
An eating disorder can impact your performance, both physically and mentally. But you can take steps to overcome it.
Eating disorders are serious conditions involving a person’s attitudes and behaviors toward food, weight, and body image. People with eating disorders eat extremely small or excessive amounts of food and usually feel embarrassment, disgust, and depression.
Eating disorders can be triggered by a number of causes, including genetic, biologic, behavioral, emotional, psychological, and social factors. Service members must meet certain physical requirements and often set even higher expectations for themselves. Pressure to be at an ideal weight or have the best physique can contribute to an eating disorder.
Even the most resilient service members are not immune to these triggers, and female service members are affected more than males. In addition, the number of diagnosed eating disorders in the military seems to be increasing, and many military members with eating disorders may go undiagnosed.
Not getting enough food or not eating healthy, consistent amounts of food means that your body is not being optimally fueled. And even worse, eating disorders can take a serious toll on your physical and emotional health, and your relationships.
The key to overcoming an eating disorder is seeking help as soon as you can and putting in the time. (It doesn’t go away overnight.) Research shows that psychotherapy is often the most successful approach, but treatment is complex and draws on expertise from other fields such as nutrition and medicine.
Stress affects your body, and the condition of your body can cause stress. If you have PTSD, you could be so chronically stressed that it contributes to a heart condition. Or if you had a heart attack, you could feel so traumatized that you become anxious. What’s more, stress could have contributed to your heart attack in the first place. This back-and-forth relationship also occurs between physical pain and depression. You physically hurt, so you feel down…you feel down, and so you hurt more.
This link between mind and body is amazing. Sometimes it can feel like it’s working against us, but you can also use the mind-body connection to your advantage! For instance, you can learn to push through strong emotions with mindfulness, reduce your blood pressure with a self-driven technique called autogenic training, or turn on your body’s relaxation response through deep breathing.
There are lots more ways you can put the mind-body connection to work to reduce your stress. Get more ideas by exploring HPRC’s Mind-Body Skills section.
As your heart beats, the amount of time between these beats varies. In other words, your heart rate is constantly changing—speeding up and slowing down. Though it might seem counterintuitive, more of this “heart rate variability” (HRV) is better for both your physical health and how you cope with stress. And you can learn to listen and use it.
Some heart-rate monitors allow you to monitor your HRV and the effects of different training routines on it. Or you can check out biofeedback to help you master stress-management techniques such as paced breathing by giving you immediate feedback about your heart rate. Either way, HRV is a tool that can help you find the optimal timing for recovery or lighter training within your long-term workout regimen. In fact, HRV can even show when you’re at greatest risk for injury.
Pushing yourself is an important part of performance optimization, but you also need to regulate your emotional and physical stress. Biofeedback can help with your emotions, and heart-rate monitors that measure HRV can help optimize your physical training over months and years. Visit “Vary Your Heart Rate to Perform Your Best” to learn more about how you can use HRV.
Noticing whether your hands and feet are running hot or cold is one way to tune in to how stressed or relaxed you are. They’re also useful indicators to change—with the power of your mind—those feelings of stress.
There are many stress-reduction techniques to choose from. Here’s the simplest tool there is: Put on some relaxing music. Choose music that has repetitive rhythms, predictable patterns, a low pitch, and no vocals or percussion. This kind of music can help manage anxiety and pain, change brain activity, and increase skin temperature (similar to the hand-warming technique called autogenic training).
Combining approaches to stress reduction can also help. With this in mind (and simply because it sounds good), HPRC tweaked the autogenic training MP3 that we released earlier by adding music to the beginning and end. It’s a minor change, but we hope it will enhance your autogenic training experience.
Nootropics—also referred to as “cognitive enhancers,” “smart drugs,” or “memory enhancers”—are substances intended to improve mental performance. They include drugs used to treat a variety of conditions that affect mental performance such as Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, epilepsy, schizophrenia, stroke, aging, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). For example, drugs in the racetam family—such as piracetam, aniracetam, oxiracetam, and pramiracetam —are considered nootropics. Some nootropics are marketed for use as dietary supplements to enhance the mental performance of healthy humans.
Nootropic products that contain any “racetam” or similar drugs are not legal dietary supplements as defined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), although many also contain vitamins and other natural or synthetic dietary supplement ingredients. In the U.S., piracetam, aniracetam, pramiracetam, and oxiracetam are currently neither controlled substances nor FDA-approved drugs. FDA has issued statements indicating that piracetam-containing “dietary supplement” products do not fit the legal definition of a dietary supplement, since “racetams” do not occur naturally and are not derivatives of any natural substance.
Although scientific study of nootropics is ongoing, there isn’t enough reliable information available to say with confidence whether any specific nootropic agents are safe or effective. Studies that have examined the effects of these compounds on the mental performance of healthy humans have yielded mixed results, so further study is needed. In the absence of reliable research, we generally suggest extreme caution.
For more Frequently Asked Questions about dietary supplements, visit the Operation Supplement Safety (OPSS) FAQs.
Not everyone is affected the same way by exposure to injury and death. Many who do experience psychological wounds, however, come out stronger as a consequence, and so can you. If you’ve experience a traumatic event or experiences, there can be an upside: It’s called “post-traumatic growth” or PTG. It’s about finding a “new normal” that is even better than how things used to be. PTG can mean better relationships, openness to new possibilities, personal strength, spiritual change, or heightened appreciation of life. In addition (and researchers are still trying to understand why), if you get PTSD, you’re actually more likely to experience PTG. Nobody wants to experience PTSD, but if it happens, you may have an amazing opportunity to come out the other side with some unique strengths.
If you’ve ever worn a cast, you know that the muscles in that area are weak when your cast comes off. Or maybe you’ve experienced this feeling after being bedridden with other injuries. Muscles lose strength from not being used, but there’s more to it than that: Your brain also “forgets” how to send the signals needed to move parts of your body.
Mental imagery helps your brain “remember” how to move your body. When you use imagery that focuses on the physical (not just visual) sensations associated with moving specific muscles, your brain sends the same kinds of signals actually used to move those muscles. Doing imagery while you’re injured may reduce strength loss.
Does this mean that if your elbow is in a cast, or if you simply prefer couch time to working out, you can get bigger biceps just by thinking about doing curls? No, but it does mean that during any stage of recovery from an injury, even before you are able to move, you can play an active role in making rehab go more smoothly. And it reinforces what earlier research tells us: Mental imagery can augment physical practice, helping your body to learn physical skills.
You probably realize that learning from your mistakes can enhance your performance. But do you know it can also enhance your relationships? Acknowledging mistakes can be easier said than done. Before you can learn from your mistakes, you have to admit to them.
Admitting mistakes can be powerful. When you own up to your mistakes in relationships with other people, it makes it easier for the other person to really forgive you, allowing both of you to move forward. Whether in your interactions with others or in learning skills such as SOPs for handling a weapon, fully acknowledging your mistakes enables you to learn from them.
But sometimes you may have difficulty admitting that you screwed up. If you’re a perfectionist, for example, your identity can get wrapped up in being the person who always does things right. Admitting you screwed up can open the door to intense feelings such as shame and doubt. However, hiding from those feelings won’t work; they’ll eat at you in some way. Instead of hiding from them, try facing them.
Here are some tips for owning up to your mistakes and moving forward:
- Face shame and doubt by simply being mindful of those feelings, letting them come and go.
- Recognize when you’re falling into a thinking trap such as “I must be perfect,” and experiment with more helpful thoughts such as “I strive for excellence.”
- Forgive yourself and others when mistakes happen, trusting that people really do learn from their mistakes.
Mistakes happen. Give yourself (and others) permission to label mistakes as changeable behaviors rather than reflections of who you are.
That mental state dubbed “the zone” by the media is what scientists call “flow.” It happens when you perform at your best easily because you’re performing automatically, without overthinking, focusing only on what’s happening right now.
To help yourself perform better more consistently and possibly even experience flow, consider these typical blocks and how to overcome them:
- Personal demands: It’s hard to focus on the task at hand when there’s personal stuff on your brain. Do what you can in advance, and shift to the present moment with self-talk such as “focus.”
- Mission complexity and ambiguity: If it feels as if there are too many “moving parts” in a task, try to gain clarity up front. Ask questions and use mental imagery to see in your mind’s eye what needs to be done.
- Interpersonal conflict: Everyone replays arguments mentally. Resolve them at the front end or put them on hold during a mission. Routines can help you bring your attention to the here and now.
- Paralysis by analysis: Thinking too hard is another way that people sometimes get stuck. Trust your training and let your best performances unfold.
- Limited control or resources: Deciding what is in your control and what isn’t can help you focus on what’s most important in the present moment.
- Isolation: We all need other people. Be active in seeking support.
- Intense workload: If anxiety about what’s in front of you is getting in the way, try embracing excitement about whatever you’re facing.
- Boredom or underutilization: When you know you need more challenge, ask for it.
Big demands require big resources. Overcome mental blocks to performance by continuing to develop your mental resources.
Many of us have the habit of focusing on the negatives in life and expecting the worst outcome. This tendency can be compounded by military training that teaches you how to assess risks and plan for the worst outcome. If you tend to focus on the negatives in life, you’re shortchanging yourself. Try to appreciate the little things in your day that you may take for granted. Focus on appreciation and gratitude. Try breaking your habit of focusing on the negative for just one day; instead spend it acknowledging and appreciating the ordinary good things in your life.
- When you wake up in the morning, stop and take a moment to say good morning to your day.
- If you are in a relationship, take a few minutes to really look at and appreciate your significant other.
- If you are deployed with your unit, pause to think about how your buddies support and help one another to get through a rough day.
- Before you eat lunch, reflect for a moment and think about something that keeps you going everyday—maybe it’s as simple as the first cup of coffee in the morning, an easy commute, or your buddy’s positive attitude. Take a moment to be grateful for that.
- At dinner, spend a moment thinking about your loved ones. Have you told them lately something you appreciate about them?
- Finally, before you go to sleep, acknowledge something about yourself you’re proud of.
Start again tomorrow, reflecting back to today—did acknowledging the magic of the “everyday” help you have a better day?
For more information on mental strategies, visit HPRC’s Mind Tactics domain.


Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office refutes has belief of Alderman David Moore (17th) that warming centers in 17th Ward repurposed as migrant shelters to sooth concern among South Side Chicago residents
In the letter, Moore identified Thurgood Marshall Library, Ogden Park, and Marquette Park as locations earmarked for migrant shelters due to changing weather conditions. However, the Mayor's Office clarified that warming centers have never been considered as shelters for asylum seekers in the 17th Ward.
The Department of Family and Support Services opens its six warming centers when temperatures drop to 32 degrees or lower, with one location falling within Moore's ward. Additionally, city-operated libraries and park facilities can serve as warming centers during specified hours, weekends, and holidays.
Despite Moore's claims, the Mayor's Office assured the community that libraries and park facilities would not be used as shelters, emphasizing that no residents or programming would be displaced. However, residents point to the many other park facilities already being used as migrant shelters such as the Broadway Armory, Gage Park Fieldhouse and Leone Park Fieldhouse. Programming at these facilites were either canceled or moved elsewhere which could be hard for some neighborhood residents to travel to.
Moore did not respond to inquiries about the basis for his belief in the conversion of warming centers into migrant shelters. In his letter, he expressed frustration with the administration's perceived exclusion of alderpersons from decision-making processes that impact their wards.
This controversy arises amid Governor JB Pritzker's announcement of an additional $160 million in state funding to aid and house migrants facing freezing temperatures. The allocation includes $65 million for a "winterized soft shelter site" accommodating up to 2,000 asylum seekers. This initiative aligns with Mayor Johnson's plan to establish winterized tent camps in Roseland and Brighton Park.
As the city faces an influx of over 22,000 migrants and an ongoing need for temporary shelters, the debate over the use of public spaces intensifies. Many residents of Chicago have openly protested the use of public buildings that they pay taxes for but can't use for migrants who pay no taxes.


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Marketed by Stefano Calafà
Via dei Colli Immobiliare operates in the most scenic part of Italy – the regions of Umbria, Tuscany and Le Marches – well known for their dreamy landscapes and friendly atmosphere. Founded in early 2004, the agency has since them helped dozens of foreigners to find their home in Italy; we are a small team of highly qualified professionals who believe in a personal and direct relationship with final clients. Stefano Calafà has a financial background, with a degree in Business Administration, a master degree in International Management and some years working as a portfolio manager and as a foreign exchange expert in international banks. He moved to Umbria in 2003, allured by the splendid countryside and by the prospects of a simpler and quieter life; indeed, after he has founded Via dei Colli in 2004, life has not always been quiet! Emma Coles joined Via dei Colli in 2010 as sales assistant. She has an international economics oriented education, and has dabbled in interior design, while working for a large Italian furniture retail chain. Emma first came to Italy as a child in 1990, when her parents relocated to Italy in search of a laidback life style, immersed in the nature and tranquillity of Umbria. She later moved to France in 2000 to study and work, returning to Italy permanently in 2004.

domain: geography


Greco Brothers Aqueous Degreasing Systems provide an economical means of removing oils using water based mild alkaline detergents. The recirculation pump provides liquid agitation while oils, grease and other contaminants are continuously skimmed, separated and filtered. Oil can be tapped off the surface of the oil collection compartment by opening a drain valve, or the system can be provided with a belt skimmer that will continuously remove oil. The hand-held spray lance allows the operator to direct the cleaning agent at particularly stubborn soils. Standard sizes range from 16" x 16" x 16" to 24" x 24" x 24". Custom units can be built to nearly any size and configuration.
Belt Skimmer: An automatic belt skimmer is installed in the oil collection compartment. The oil is continuously skimmed from the top surface of the compartment, and deposited in a separate container for disposal.
Platform Agitation: If the primary contaminant is oil, the liquid agitation created by the standard high-capacity pump is sufficient. For more difficult applications with hard-to-remove contaminants, we offer an optional platform agitator which keeps the parts in continuous motion under solution. Platform agitation enhances the effectiveness of the degreaser by providing greater turbulence and flushing stubborn contaminants from the parts.
Recycler Compartments: Recycler dragout compartments can be added to the system to reduce consumption of both cleaning compound and water. Recycler compartments serve as static water rinses. The work piece is immersed in the compartment immediately after it has been cleaned, rinsing off the majority of the cleaning agent. It is then immersed in additional recycler compartments or in a running water rinse. The first recycler compartment is constructed as an integral part of the cleaning system It's drain line is connected to the pump reservoir of the aqueous degreaser. When the solution level in the pump reservoir of the aqueous degreaser begins to run low, the detergent-rich rinse water from the recycler compartment is used to replenish it. Fresh city water is then fed to the recycler to maintain its level and to reduce the concentration of detergent. Additional recycler compartments can be added as subsequent rinses. Each compartment will automatically maintain the level of the compartment before it, and will replenish itself with water from the compartment following it. When ordering, add "-R" to the model number.
Ultrasonics: Ultrasonics are always an available option on Greco Brothers' equipment. Ultrasonic power provides very aggressive cleaning and is especially useful when the contaminant is lodged in small holes or crevices. If the parts being cleaned are contaminated with polishing compounds, heavy grease or other hard to remove particulate, ultrasonics should be considered. Please consult your salesperson for proper size and configuration.


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Phnom Penh (FN), Oct. 3 – Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen warned the residents living in Angkor area not to bargain the compensation with the authority, speaking in the graduation ceremony of nearly 4,000 students of Vanda Institute, held on Monday (Oct 3) at OCIC, Phnom Penh’s Chroy Chongvar district.
“Now the government is pleased to request the residents to move to new well-prepared area with proper compensation. However, when the time comes, those families that refuse to move will not get even a cent of compensation,” the premier warned.
The government commits that Angkor Wat shall not be removed from the World Heritage List.
In August 2022, minister of land management Chea Sophara in cooperation with relevant ministries and authorities organized a campaign to resolve the problem of illegal construction in the Angkor area and other regions. This campaign came after Cambodia received a red alarm from UNESCO to remove Angkor Wat from the World Heritage List given that the residents settle anarchically surrounding Angkor area.

domain: news


Engineering ToolBox - Resources, Tools and Basic Information for Engineering and Design of Technical Applications! Flue gas dew point temperatures for some fuels.
Average dew point temperatures for typical fuels like
anthrasite bituminous manufactured gas natural gas oil semi-bitumius
are indicated in the charts below
Excess air is the ratio of
air supplied to the combustion process to what is theoretically required for perfect combustion ( stoichiometric combustion). Related Topics Boiler house topics, fuels like oil, gas, coal, wood - chimneys, safety valves, tanks - combustion efficiency. Related Documents Optimizing boilers efficiency is important to minimize fuel consumption and unwanted excess to the environment. Combusting testing of fuel oil and gas burners. Flue gas dew point temperatures and condensation of water vapor. Combustion air and flue gas for common fuels - coke, oil, wood, natural gas and more. Stable and efficient combustion requires correct mixture of fuels and oxygen. Properties like heat values, air/fuel ratios, flame speed, flame temperatures, ignition temperatures, flash points and flammability limits. Stoichiometric combustion and excess air.
About the Engineering ToolBox!
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The Engineering ToolBox (2010). Fuels Flue Gases - Average Dew Points. [online] Available at: https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/flue-gases-average-dew-point-typical-fuels-d_1584.html [Accessed Day Month Year].
Modify the access date according your visit.


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Whole30 Vegan: What, Why & How
Hi friends! I have been conducting a little experiment over here and I am excited to finally share with you. The reason I didn’t share sooner is because I didn’t want anyone to influence my choice about doing this too early into my commitment as that always makes it easy to stop – I wanted to gain a little momentum first! With 7 days under my belt I am feeling pretty confident to share my journey thus far, and to invite you along with me on my Whole30 Vegan journey! PS: you can see day to day updates by following me on instagram!
What is Whole30?
The original Whole30 plan is a short-term “nutrition reset” founded by Melissa Hartwig that is said to have been designed to “help you put an end to unhealthy cravings and habits, restore a healthy metabolism, heal your digestive tract, and balance your immune system.”
“Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat—even the “healthy” stuff.
So how do you know if (and how) these foods are affecting you? Strip them from your diet completely. Cut out all the psychologically unhealthy, hormone-unbalancing, gut-disrupting, inflammatory food groups for a full 30 days. Let your body heal and recover from whatever effects those foods may be causing. Push the “reset” button with your metabolism, systemic inflammation, and the downstream effects of the food choices you’ve been making. Learn once and for all how the foods you’ve been eating are actually affecting your day to day life, and your long term health.”
Is Whole30 Vegan Possible?
Yes and no. I mean technically no because I will not be consuming meat, but with a few minor adjustments sorta-kinda yes; you can still mirror the program, and I am going to show you how I am doing just that.
Why am I doing the Whole30 Vegan?
Well the main reason I am doing this Whole30 vegan experiment is because I have been experiencing bloating and inflammation in my body. I also have had various skin irritations, the main one being a slew of tiny bumps that randomly appear on my chest, shoulders and belly- which come and go seemingly without any identifiable reason. My intuition is telling me it is something I am eating, but I don’t know what- so in order to find out I wanted to do a total reset/elimination diet. At the end of last year I did a food intolerance test in an effort to get to the bottom of the symptoms I listed above but I haven’t had much luck in pin pointing what it is. I mean it could not be food related at all but I’d like to at least see, and if that ends up being the case then I’ll close the chapter on that and keep investigating.
Back on the subject of food intolerances: wheat and oats are 2 foods that actually showed up on the food intolerance test I did at the end of 2017, and if I am going to be honest I haven’t been very diligent about cutting it out- so I figured I would once and for all commit to 30 days of SOMETHING to help me (hopefully) get down to the bottom of these issues I have been experiencing for quite some time now.
In the spirit of total honesty: I also have been experiencing MAJOR sugar and carb cravings, which over the last 5 or so months I was very lax about “treating myself” when they popped up, but the indulgences had become so frequent they were no longer “treats” and had become a daily part of my diet- no bueno. Overall my eating habits had become quite erratic, and unbalanced; and this whole experiment is less about how I look and more about how I FEEL, and if I am going to be 100% honest with you: I have been feeling like total crap. I am hoping with this major reset to be able to identify what foods are causing me to bloat, itch, and have crazy cravings; and I am also hoping to reestablish a healthy relationship with food and find more balance in my diet.
Whole30 Vegan Guidlines
(or rules as they are called on Whole30.com)
- No sugar or sweeteners of ANY kind (that means no maple syrup, agave nectar, honey, coconut sugar, sucanat, cane juice, stevia, xylitol, etc.)
- No alcohol
- No grain (that means no wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, quinoa, etc.) as well as any grain derivatives (which means rice oil, corn oil, cornstarch, rice syrup, etc.)
- Limited legumes: beans, peas, lentils*
- Limited organic non-GMO soy*
- No peanuts (yes that also means peanut butter)
- No dairy (which for us vegans is just fine- we don’t do dairy anyways!)
- No carrageenan, MSG, sulfites (all 3 of which are common additives)
- No making “healthy” or “compliant” treats or foods made with approved ingredients
*As you can see numbers 4 and 5 are starred, and here’s why: in the original Whole30 guidelines all legumes, beans, peas and soy products are a no no; but because we as vegans are not consuming any meat, it is a good idea to integrate legumes, peas, beans and some non-GMO + organic soy products as additional sources of protein, especially if you plan to workout during the 30 days you are complying with the Whole30 Vegan diet. It is very important that if and when you eat any of these items that they are non-GMO, organic, and prepared properly: that means beans need to be soaked prior to eating so that they can be digested properly, and always go for organic, non-GMO tofu that is also sprouted!
Alright I am going to leave you with this for now!
My next post will be the Whole30 vegan shopping list, my starting stats, overview of my first week + week 1 meal plan! Make sure you subscribe to my blog to get notified when a new blog post goes live! 🙂
PS: have you checked out my new vegan e-book?!
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional! PLEASE consult a medical professional prior to adhering to this diet and this meal plan.

domain: food


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Limited edition of 300. Heavy-duty sleeve and insert. Tales of H.P. Lovecraft is a collaboration between The Duke St Workshop (following the 2014 Cabin 28 CD (VAN 277CD)) and highly regarded horror actor Laurence R Harvey (The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) (2011), The Editor (2014), The Human Centipede 3 (Final Sequence) (2015)). The album contains two stories (From Beyond (1920) and The Hound (1922)) by the king of cosmic horror, H. P. Lovecraft. Lovecraft laid the foundations of modern horror; without him the golden age of horror films in the late 20th century would have been very different. The setting is a perfect meeting ground for both actor and group, who bond over their mutual love of horror history. The artists approached the stories like screenplays to create a soundtrack in the mind to rival the narrative and visual thrust of film. Exploring emotional undercurrents and dimensions not present in the original works, these new readings were adapted and edited for the record by poet and friend of the group John The Baptist. Harvey reads the stories with empathy and great skill, weaving through the material with consummate dexterity. The music takes in industrial, library electronics, '80s krautrock, and hushed, Satie-like piano meditations alongside the group's established sound palette. Features artwork by British comic book artist Sean Phillips (DC Comics, Marvel Comics).
This vinyl record is available only in limited quantities.
Each record is protected within its record sleeve by a white vellum anti-dust sleeve.
All items are shipped brand-new and unopened in original packaging. Every record is shipped in original factory-applied shrink wrap and has never been touched by human hands.

domain: literature


November 8, 2012
CaneSport TV: Countdown to Kickoff
CaneSport Publisher Gary Ferman talks with CavsCorner.com's Brad Franklin about Saturday's matchup against the Cavaliers in this CaneSport TV production. Be sure to tune in.
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Hyderabad: An Indian national was allegedly killed in Ishbiliya area of Kuwait after apparently engaging in a public brawl with his compatriot, who stabbed him with a knife. The deceased is a native of Jagtial district of Telangana. According to reports, security men and paramedics rushed to the location after the Operations Unit in the Interior Ministry received information about the fight.
Upon arrival at the scene, the security personnel found the victim in a pool of blood and the paramedics took him to Farwaniya Hospital but the victim died on the way, said reports. A case has been registered and investigations are underway by the local authorities of Kuwait.
Complete your TV viewing experience with the best of Hollywood entertainment and News. Get the Times Movies And News pack at just Rs 13. Ask your cable/DTH provider for Times M.A.N. pack now. Know more


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Jane Bond: Scaling the Ladder
Agent Jane Bond is on the case, uncovering the mystery of bond laddering.
Have A Question About This Topic?
Savings is a critical tool to ensure positive cash flow in your personal finances.
How are you protecting your own memory through adequate legacy planning that will pass your gains safely on to your family.
Beneficiary designations allow assets to pass directly to whomever you designate thus by-passing the costs and time involved with the probate process.

domain: finance


The RayTemp 28 is a professional infrared thermometer contactless with double alignment of laser points.
The thermometer incorporates a 30: 1 optical ratio (distance / target diameter ratio), which allows users to measure small targets from a distance or anything difficult to reach.
The thermometer has a three-button keypad, allowing the user to select the required mode, i.e. max, min, differential or average temperatures, to view max / min and configurable high / low alarms.
Adjustable emissivity allows the user to measure a variety of surface types.
The RayTemp 28 has a clear and easy-to-read custom LCD display which has a backlight when ambient light levels are low and a auto power off function which turns off the instrument after 35 seconds, thus maximizing battery life.
Each unit is housed in an IP54 splash-proof enclosure to help reduce the risk of damage in harsh environments and comes in a protective ABS carrying case.
Two instruments in one
The RayTemp 28 incorporates a miniature K-type thermocouple probe socket which allows a wide range of type K thermocouple probes to be used for a variety of temperature measurement applications, including air, liquid and surface temperatures.
No probe is included to allow the user to select the ones that best suit their application.
Range - infrared: -50 to 1350 ° C
Range - probe: -50 to 1370 ° C
Resolution: 0,1 ° C to 1000 ° C thereafter 1 ° C
Accuracy - infrared: ± 2 ° C or ± 2% of the highest value (0 to 1350 ° C) otherwise ± 4 ° C or ± 4% of the highest value
Accuracy - probe: ± 1 ° C or ± 1% whichever is greater
Field of view : 30: 1 target ratio
Emissivity: 0,95 default - adjustable from 0,1 to 1,00
Battery: 9 volts PP3 alkaline
Autonomy: 40 hours of continuous use
Display: Custom LCD
Dimensions: 83 x 95 x 192 mm
Weight: 275 grams
Housing material: ABS plastic
Water / dust resistance: IP54 protection
Measuring scale : Celsius / Fahrenheit


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China Supplier 4N5 Gallium Metal 1 Kg Price
1.Low melting point and high boiling point
2.Stable in air,when the liquid is converted into a solid,the bolume increased by about 3.2%,hardness increased 1.5~2.5
Suitable for plastic bottle and must be left some space,can't be packed with glass containers.
1.Used to make gallium compounds,low melting point alloys,welding or semiconductor materials
2.Used to make gallium-indium alloy and instead of mercury to make high temperature thermometer and pressure gauge.
Low temperature solder wire
Dongguan Wochang Metal Products Co., Ltd. has long been focusing on the development ofzinc/aluminum/lead alloy products and the R&D of alloy materials. The company has long-term experience in alloy production and products, and is one of the few manufacturers in China from alloy raw materials to finished alloy products.
The company has 10 sets of Zinc Alloy Die Casting Machinery <30-400T>, 2 sets of Lijin Aluminum Die Casting <280-400T>, 6 sets of centrifugal casting equipment, 10 sets of fully automatic Yizumi injection molding equipment <120-280T>, 5 sets of Haitian powder metallurgy equipment<120-280T>.
The company also has its own mold room, spectrum analyzer, fuel injection, polishing, CNC, dripping, tapping, assembly, packaging and other departments.It alos has 2 sets of large-scale alloy smelting equipment and complete supporting smelting equipment.

domain: chemistry


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We're rather fond of convenience at Stuff and, clearly, so is hi-fi master Arcam. Its Solo has long been our favourite one-box combination of CD player, DAB radio and amp, and now it's taken an axe to the unit to produce a more compact, cheaper version called the Solo Mini.
That downsizing pitches the Solo Mini straight into the micro-system territory ruled by the likes the Onkyo CS-515DAB – a pretty respectable unit costing just £300, complete with speakers. So can Arcam's cheeky whippersnapper convince us to drop another three tons?
If we're judging on looks alone, yes. Only the Onkyo's mother could love it, and that goes for most of the micro crowd: they tend to be boxy and cursed with overcomplicated fascias.
But the Mini is a far classier product – it's cool and understated with an obvious nod to Apple's very own Mac Mini, particularly a discreet and effective slot-loading CD mechanism.
Build quality is excellent and the front-mounted connections are well thought-out: there's a USB port, headphone out and 3.5mm jack in.
Round the back, every square centimetre is studded with one connection or another, including no less than five separate stereo analogue phono inputs and a plug for Arcam's excellent rDock iPod dock, which gives full functionality over your player through the Mini's remote control.
And the audio outs are equally well-specced. Small as it is, the Mini could form the heart of a formidable hi-fi set-up.
Punching above its weight
Internally, the Mini uses a number of components from more expensive Arcam products, including the digital-to-audio converters and high-precision clock from its standalone CD player, the CD73.
Sonically, this results in a highly assured, detailed and solid performance. All musical genres sound precise and punchy, with a degree of midrange depth and insight that makes it a great all-round performer.
The radio section is also very impressive. DAB stations ring out with useful midrange solidity, with the treble never getting out of control, and FM stations sound equally good.
The Mini's sound might not be the very last word in detail and realism, but its style, functionality and performance add up to a fantastic package. If space and budget dictates a micro system but you want something better, classier and prettier than most models out there, the Solo Mini is the only choice.

domain: hobby


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Last week on Sea Change Radio, we heard from renowned energy expert Vaclav Smil, as he spoke about his book, Energy Transitions, the future of electric vehicles and why he has largely avoided the media spotlight up to now. This week, the second part of host Alex Wise‘s discussion with Professor Smil, as they discuss the ins and outs of fossil fuel – from peak oil to the Alberta tar sands and natural gas fracking – as well as some possible ways to help solve America’s energy puzzle.
This week on Sea Change Radio, a rare interview with renowned energy expert and futurist, Vaclav Smil. A Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Environment at the University of Manitoba in Canada, Smil is the author of 29 books dealing with energy, environment, population, history, and technical advances.In Part I of host Alex Wise‘s two part discussion with him, Professor Smil delves into why he has shied away from radio and television appearances since being labeled a “climate change denier” by some environmentalists. He discusses his latest book on energy transitions and shares his thoughts on how long it may actually take for us to wean ourselves from a fossil fuel-based global economy.
This week on Sea Change Radio we hear from two people who, on separate coasts and in different ways, are pursuing their missions for a more sustainable future. First, host Alex Wise talks with Kinkead Reiling, Co-Founder of Amyris, a Bay Area bio-refining company that hopes its sugar-derived petroleum substitute will, within a few years, offer a competitive, low-emission, sustainable alternative to jet fuel and diesel. Then, Sea Change Radio founder Bill Baue interviews Bob Massie, a pioneer in the movement toward corporate social responsibility, founder of the Global Reporting Initiative, award-winning author and now a candidate in Massachusetts for the U.S. Senate.
This week’s guests on Sea Change Radio both are waste crusaders in their own unique ways. First, host Alex Wise speaks with conceptual artist Matthew Mazzotta about his Park Spark Project, which shows how dog poop can be used to make electricity using methane digesters. Then we hear from Jonathan Bloom, a food waste expert, blogger and author of American Wasteland, who has unearthed some frightening realities about the amount of food we waste from field to fridge.
California’s Kern County is the state’s primary producer of oil. But the stuff that comes out of the ground in this desert region of southern California isn’t the black liquid many of us imagine rushing like a geyser out of the earth, but a thick goopy substance that must be forced out of the ground. What do they use to do that? A resource that’s nearly as valuable in this dusty corner of California’s Central Valley: water. Our guest this week is Jeremy Miller, an investigative journalist who’s written an article in the February issue of Orion Magazine. He tells us all about Kern County, how the methods used to extract the cruddy crude are pitting agricultural interests against oil interests, how water is being expended in the endless pursuit of petroleum, and how, by reducing our dependence on oil, we’d also be preventing the waste of that life-giving compound, H2O. They say water and oil don’t mix, today on Sea Change Radio, we discover what happens when they do.


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Recently, multi-parent populations have been developed and used for QTL analysis. Responses of the antioxidant system in QGY-7701 cells to the cytotoxicity and apoptosis induced by 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride. To determine factors associated with low persistence in patients initiated on generic cialis cost drug treatment for hypertension. Besides the improvement of the respiratory signals, the identified CGO templates can be used diagnostically when viewed in relation to corresponding ECG data. This is particularly true when modeling the aortic valve, where the FSI between the blood and the valve determines the valve movement and the valvular hemodynamics. Estradiol enhances primary antigen-specific CD4 T cell responses and Th1 development in vivo.
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Outpatient utilization, health status, and self-efficacy were followed over 30 months. Streamlined flow in the portal vein: demonstration with MR angiography. Cognitive deficits are frequent in epileptic patients and can be considered epileptic behavioural markers. Nucleotides and mucin release from cultured airway epithelial cells. Laparoscopic fundoplication is safe and effective for GERD-related cough, with quite high satisfaction degree form patients. Both patients had the diagnosis stablished on clinical grounds, positive sorology (IgG) for toxoplasmosis and computed-tomographic (CT) scan of the brain showing lesions consistent with T.
Second-harmonic generation imaging of collagen fibers in myocardium for atrial fibrillation diagnosis. Callus harboring the foreign gene was recovered from the bombarded tissue by selection on medium containing kanamycin. We investigated the clinical features and identified the dosage-sensitive sex reversal AHC critical region of the X chromosome gene 1 (DAX-1) mutation in this kindred. Stress response to high osmolarity in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes. Painted playground markings had a positive short-term effect on school recess physical activity levels. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is the most commonly used chemotherapeutic agent in the management of patients with colorectal cancer.
Interestingly, the VNTRs identified here often encode polyglutamine stretches and are frequently located within genes potentially involved in the regulation of transcription. These results are likely due to uniform treatment protocols, intensification of induction and post-remission treatments with comprehensive supportive care. Description of a nanobody-based competitive immunoassay to detect tsetse fly exposure. We aimed to study tumoral differences between patients who developed HCC after DAAs as either a recurrence or de-novo HCC. Sensitivity-based adaptive learning rules for binary feedforward neural networks. An in-depth evaluation and recommendation of the most cost-effective approach for these tests is presented.
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Fossil lepidopterous leaf mines demonstrate the age of some insect-plant relationships. Bronchoscopy was performed on two separate occasions, 3 h after saline inhalation and after inhalation of 50 mug LPS in saline. The glucose load brought about an increase in the plasma insulin concentration at each injection, but the insulin response to glucose and the rate of glucose disposal were increased during the meal. A retrospective survey of documents related to 42 needle stick injuries over a 6-month period. When choroidal neovascularization was induced, highly effective transfection of the decoy was observed 3 to 14 days after photocoagulation, after which the level decreased. First, chemical structures are generated through a canonical construction path.
Effect of proline analogues on activity of human prolyl hydroxylase and the regulation of HIF signal transduction pathway. Benzodiazepine use buy viagra online in Belgian nursing homes: a closer look into indications and dosages. When the preeclamptic patients have hematuria or high titer of serum IgA, renal diseases are frequently complicated with preeclampsia. This review focuses on evolving therapeutic strategies related to the pathophysiological processes of GERD and insufficient response to PPIs. More generally, this work shows that the balance of competition within and among biofilms can be pivotal in the evolution of quorum sensing. Effects of tail docking on health and performance of beef cattle in confined, slatted-floor feedlots.
We have identified regions in the promoters of the PYC1 and PYC2 genes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae involved in their regulation in different culture conditions. Stromal cell derived factor-1: its influence on invasiveness and migration of breast cancer cells in vitro, and its association with prognosis and survival in human breast cancer. A critique of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey 2002. epigaea did not form reciprocally monophyletic mitochondrial DNA clades. Mean post-SFGT levels were significantly lower than mean pre-SFGT levels on each self-report measure in the SFGT sample.
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THE INNER INSTRUMENT
BY SWAMI SIVANANDA
Antahkarana (the inner instrument) is a broad term which includes mind, intellect, memory and
egoism (ahankara). The one antahkarana assumes different names, just as the same man
assumes the name of judge when he works as a judge in the law courts, or president when he
serves in a society or association, and store keeper when he is in charge of the stores.
When you walk through a mango garden, the will and doubt are done by the mind - it thinks
whether the mango is good or not. The intellect comes to its aid; it determines that the mango
is 'good'. Then the chitta (mind stuff) finds out how to get hold of some of the mangoes from the
gardener. Ahankara self-arrogates. It demands the mango at any price. The mind executes this
order by passing it to the feet (karma indriya) to take the man to the gardener. Ahankara buys
the mango and eats it. The impressions of the mango remain in the mind and the vasana
(tendency) is formed in the mind. The thought of enjoyment comes to the mind later on. And
this, through memory (in the form of a subtle vasana) produces thought (sankalpa) and troubles
the man again and again, to enjoy the mango.
This cycle: desire, thought, action, goes on from eternity to eternity. This brings bondage to man.
When the vasana is repeated several times, it becomes a strong passion. Then the man is a slave
of the passion and indriyas (senses). A strong sense hankering is called a trishna. The difference
between desire and vasana is that the vasana is subtle and hidden in the subconscious mind,
whereas the desire is gross. The pleasure derived from the enjoyment of the object brings
attachment in this mind. Attachment is moha.
The man who is attached to objects, who is full of sense vasanas, is tied to those objects. Escape
becomes nearly impossible for him. Escape is possible only by destroying these knots, by
knowledge of the witness, the director of this mental factory, who has kept up this show inside.
If you can clairvoyantly visualize the inner working of this mental factory you will be dumb-
If you can clairvoyantly visualize the inner working of this mental factory, you will see that it is
like a big telephone exchange - the messages come from diverse houses and firms into the central
exchange. The operator plugs, connects and disconnects the various switches. So too, the mind
plugs, connects and disconnects. When you want to see something, the mind puts a plug into the
other four senses (centers of hearing, smelling, taste and feeling). When you want to hear
something, the mind plugs into the other four centers.
The Inner Instrument by Swami Sivananda 2
The mind functions at an unimaginable speed. There are numberless pigeon holes in the
subconscious mind where various sorts of things are recorded in perfect order. There they are
classified, grouped, labelled with accurate precision.
One impression rises up as a thought wave and comes to the surface of the mind. It tickles the
jiva (individual) into action. You can also see various colors in thoughts - spiritual or holy thoughts
are tinged with beautiful yellow color. If there is thought of anger, dark red arrows shoot out
from the mind. There is perfect order in the cosmos - the working is smooth and harmonious
because there is the antaryami (inner controller) behind it, directing and guiding. In the mere
presence of the inner ruler, the indwelling, interpenetrating presence, the mind and other inner
faculties work without any friction.
There are different regions for sentiments, emotions, instincts, impulses. There are highlands and
lowlands in the mind. There is the spiritual plane and there are the planes of the instinctive mind
and the intellect. On the one side, the will steps in to execute a certain strong desire of the mind.
The other faculties, such as memory and the power of judgment and reflection stand behind, in
a disciplined array, to help their master, the will. After the will has executed the order,
imagination comes forward and speculates. Memory helps imagination.
Then the three gunas (qualities of nature), the various modes, and the thirteen evil vrittis (lust,
anger, etc.), show their faces in different colors. They come to the scene, do their work and then
retire for a rest. Words cannot describe how thrilling this scene is. Develop this clairvoyant astral
sight through purification and concentration.
Do not forget the inner ruler who is awake even when the mental factory is closed down
temporarily. Purify the mind. Practice concentration. Develop the power of the mind. Eventually
you will merge with him.
- - - - -
Wake up from this long slumber of ignorance,
Purify, meditate and attain wisdom,
And roam about happily.
So says Sivananda.
SOURCE: SIVANANDA DAILY READINGS (10 - 11 JULY)

domain: psychology


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Exclusive: Ferry Corsten’s WKNDR – Episode #27
In this latest edition of Ferry Corsten’s WKNDR, Ferry provides us with a technical look at the production process behind his hit track “Not Coming Down” off of his latest album WKND! That’s right, Episode #27 takes you right into the studio with the legendary trance producer!
While those of you who dabble in some production work yourself will not be surprised by the amount of work that goes into producing a track, others will be surprised to see the incredible amount of layers that go into creating even the simplest of sounds. Believe me, if it was easy, we’d all be Ferry Corsten…

domain: entertainment


The main cause of deterioration of reinforced concrete structures is corrosion of reinforcing steel. It causes cracking and eventually spalling of the concrete cover, reduction of cross-sectional area of reinforcing steel and damage to the bond between concrete and reinforcement. The present paper concentrates on investigation of the effect of corrosion on the interface between reinforcing steel and concrete. It starts with a brief overview of existing experimental data as well as analytical and numerical models considering the corrosion-induced deterioration of the steel-concrete interface. A new model of the corroded steel-concrete interface is then developed based on available experimental data. The model takes into account two bond mechanisms, namely adhesion and friction, and includes the influence of corrosion. The interfacial model is calibrated using experimental data from pull-out tests and then implemented in an axisymmetric formulation into a finite-element numerical model. Concrete modelling includes the effect of drying shrinkage. The thermal analogy method is implemented for simulations of corrosion and drying shrinkage. Finally, the finite-element model is used to simulate pull-out tests of corroded plain round bars. Results of the finite-element simulations are presented and compared with test results.


Story | 09 May, 2022
Artificial Intelligence (AI) analytics and data visualization technologies can help practitioners to access, utilize and disseminate information in a strategic and cost effective way for management and conservation in remote areas. The new report reviews the existing state-of-the-art on remote…
Story | 08 Mar, 2022
The IUCN-WCEL’s Ocean Law Specialist Group submitted written evidence in response to a recent inquiry convened by the U.K. House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee entitled “UNCLOS: The law of the sea in the 21st century”.
Page | 04 Feb, 2022
Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), also referred to as Nature-based Solutions for Adaptation, involves a wide range of ecosystem management activities, such as the sustainable management of forests, grasslands, and wetlands, that increase the resilience and reduce the vulnerability of people and…
Story | 23 Oct, 2018
The Oceans, Coasts and Coral Reefs Specialist Group has published its report in a series highlighting ongoing work under each WCEL Specialist Group.
Story | 15 Sep, 2018
Stefano Burchi was recently appointed Chair of the WCEL Water and Wetlands Specialist Group, with Professor Owen McIntyre becoming Chair Emeritus.


The British Royal Navy has presented a series of futuristic submarine concepts, which are expected to bring about changes in underwater warfare operations over the next 50 years.
The new concepts have been designed as part of a Royal Navy project named Nautilus 100 by a team of young engineers and scientists from UKNEST, a not-for-profit organisation in the UK.
They include futuristic concepts such as a crewed mothership with a manta ray-like appearance, unmanned eel-like submarines and fish-shaped torpedoes launched to swarm against enemy targets.
If materialised, these concepts are expected to transform the future underwater combat environment worldwide.
UK Defence Minister Harriett Baldwin said: “These remarkable designs display the great promise of our young engineers and scientists, and the great ambition of the Royal Navy.
“This kind of innovation is at the heart of defence and the UK's world-leading capability. That's why we are using our rising budget to invest in high-tech capability to keep our armed forces at the cutting-edge, and our £800m Innovation Fund aims to take advantage of exactly these kinds of futuristic ideas.”
The mothership would be shaped like a whale shark or manta ray and constructed using strong alloys and acrylics, with surfaces that can morph into shape and potentially be capable of launching eel-shaped unmanned underwater vehicles incorporated with sensor pods.
The pods would have the ability to damage an enemy vessel or dissolve on demand at the end of an operation in order to avoid detection by the enemy.
In addition, the submarine may feature hybrid algae-electric cruising power and propulsion technologies, including tunnel drives that work in a similar manner to a Dyson bladeless fan.
This would enable the vessel to travel at a speed of up to 150k.
Image: Concept design of the unmanned eel-like submarine was created as part of the British Royal Navy’s Nautilus 100 project. Photo: courtesy of the Royal Navy.


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Earlier this year, I wrote about the ongoing saga of efforts to reform Florida real estate insurance law in a blog post entitled: Florida insurance companies continued to use “fraud” as a red herring in their legislative agenda.
Throughout the article, I explained that the efforts to reform the legislation, as foreshadowed by the insurance companies and their lobbyists, were driven behind the “F” word vehicle: fraud. Insurers and supporters of the legislative reform argued that fraud committed by unscrupulous contractors, roofers, policyholders and their attorneys was one of the main reasons for increased premiums for Florida homeowners. In support of their one-sided argument, these proponents cited the recent collapse of two insurance companies, Avatar Property and Casualty Insurance Company and St. John̵7;s Insurance Company, as those affected by this alleged abusive behavior of policyholders and their attorneys.
When discussing “fraud” and why would be smart to implement systems to counter the behavior of bad players in the real estate insurance industry, I explained:
However, the word “F” is not a one-way street. Contrary to many people’s beliefs, insurance companies continue to evade their contractual and statutory obligations despite their relentless concern to defend “rampant” lawsuits.
Actually dealing with the really frivolous litigation is step one in starting to solve the problem of our real estate insurance market, but why stop there? If legislative efforts are to focus on holding the bad policyholders accountable for “fraud”, the same efforts must be made to combat the unspoken immunity that is insurance company fraud: The ongoing plans for the Managed Repair Program under the guise of a “Right to Repair,” 2 blackmail lawsuits against insurance companies that waive their liability to “independent” third-party adjusters who are anything but independent; shocking return that I never even thought could continue to appear in bad faith acts.
Recently, on May 26, 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 2B, which adopted many measures in an effort to alleviate rising insurance costs for homeowners. Among the various measures to be implemented in the real estate insurance industry, the recently signed bill included specific sections aimed at combating “insurance fraud” – although such measures as expected appeared to be significantly unilateral, allowing insurance companies to continue to avoid debt. for similar behavior.
In conjunction with the new property insurance legislative reform, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis held a press conference announcing new “anti-fraud initiatives,” in which he said:
“As the area’s policyholders know, Florida’s insurance market is in trouble. We are seeing more private operators leave the market, and we are seeing Citizens’ insurance policies grow. Governor DeSantis has rightly called for a special session to reform insurance, and lawmakers will have an opportunity Florida societies are under attack by fraudsters who are willing to try anything to play the system. They are stealing from all of us! To win this war, we need the troops, the weapons, and a full commitment to the mission. So in this special session, I will present five initiatives aimed at cracking down on the type of fraud that increases all our prices. “1
Patronis identified five separate proposals as part of this initiative:
1) The first proposal for the upcoming session is to set up three Anti-Fraud Homeowner Squads. These three teams will be an addition to the two I-4 Corridor teams that were lined up last year. To stand up for the troops, the Department of Financial Services (DFS) will request 23 new positions, including: Fifteen detectives and three supervisors to work on cases; Three lawyers and an administrator to prosecute cases; and an analyst to expedite investigations.
2) The second initiative would create a $ 3 million campaign against fraud and public education. In many cases, policyholders do not understand that they are signing their rights or that litigation will only slow down their claims and may result in mortgages on their property.
3) The CFO’s third initiative proposes an amendment to Florida’s False Claims Act so that whistleblowers can reclaim damages in Qui-Tam cases. Qui-Tam cases are where the public can file whistleblowers’ reports of fraud, without necessarily being a victim, or as part of the fraud that is taking place. This reporting mechanism will encourage the public, financially, to come forward and report fraud.
4) Qui-Tam’s proposal is in line with the CFO’s fourth proposal to award calls for the “Florida Fraud Fighter Reward” tip line. The current law only issues judgments when there is a conviction. The proposal lowers the standard, from conviction to arrest, for tipsters to qualify for the $ 25,000 anti-fraud program to get more participation.
5) The fifth proposal would make changes to the Benefit Allocation Act (AOBs), including a ban on the packaging of AOBs.2
While all of these are fantastic initiatives and proposals that are truly welcome in our industry, not a single insurance company or insurance company scam is mentioned through all five of these proposals. Not only were real estate insurance companies not included in any of these law reform efforts to curb bad actors, but the new legislation implemented a new law that made it even more difficult to sue insurance companies for unfair claims handling. The following was included in the Senate’s Bill 2B, which was recently signed into law:
Bad faith – Determines that a policyholder may not win in a property insurance in bad faith, unless he or she finds that the property insurer has violated the insurance contract.
By the way, remember how the legislative reform efforts used Avatar and St. John’s case as a reason why such a legislative reform was necessary? When the credibility and details of the position were examined during the special session, the proponents of the theory could not point out where or what data showed that Avatar and St. John’s faced his death due to frivolous litigation and fraud with policyholders.
Interestingly, however, Florida, through the Department of Financial Services, must review, analyze and maintain “financial autopsies” of insurance companies that fail. Unfortunately, in recent years, these reports have been completed and effectively “shot down in a box” as Miami Herald states.3
Since 2018, there have been a total of 7 different property insurers that have gone bankrupt; and four of them went bankrupt in the last 13 months alone. The Miami Herald/Times dived deeper into the data and requested insolvency reports from five of the seven property insurance companies that recently went bankrupt. They were provided with only one insolvency report, and the data showed that it was the insurer’s own behavior that caused its failure:
The Herald / Times requested insolvency reports from the Department of Financial Services on five real estate insurance companies that have collapsed since 2014. The department has just completed a report, on the 2014 failure of the Jacksonville-based Sunshine State Insurance Company, according to Galetta. The 73-page report found that the company’s demise was due in part to the fact that it sent millions of dollars in fees to its affiliates, which were not approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation.
Sunshine State Insurance had about 37,000 insurances when it was found insolvent by the Office of Insurance Regulation in 2014. Earlier that year, it told regulators it had discovered an accounting error that cost the company the ability to meet Florida’s excess requirements, according to a report at the time by Insurance Journal. Consultants hired by the state dug into the company’s officials, finances, emails and board minutes – and accusations against the company were raised by a whistle-blower.
They found that Sunshine State Insurance’s parent and sister company withdrew millions of dollars from the company through written and “oral” agreements. In the 10 months prior to the liquidation of the company, Sunshine State Insurance paid its parent company $ 708,830 in two separate “corporate charges” based on oral, not written, agreements.
Florida law requires such payments in writing and pre-approval by the Office of Insurance Regulation, but company executives never sought such approval, the report states. Sunshine State had another agreement, also not approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation, with a sister company to pay “surcharges” of more than $ 1.5 million between 2009 and 2014, the report said.
And in 2013, the year before the company was liquidated, Sunshine State paid another sister company $ 13 million in fees, salaries and expenses. Sunshine State’s CEO and president received bonuses based on how much the insurer paid his sister company, which the report says “may be an inherent conflict of interest in his position of trust.”
Nine months before the company was liquidated, Sunshine State’s CEO told the sister company’s board that he felt he deserved a $ 600,000 bonus for the amount of money the insurer paid. He received a $ 200,000 bonus that year.
The authors of the report concluded that accounting errors and millions of dollars in unauthorized fees lowered the company, and it was already insolvent in 2005. None of the sister companies mentioned in the report are active in Florida. Last year, at the request of the Office of Insurance Regulation, lawmakers passed a law that allowed the office to seek more information about insurers’ relationships with affiliated companies.4
Of the seven insurance companies that have gone bankrupt since 2018, we only have one insolvency report to go from, and the information revealed that it was the insurance company itself that caused its demise, rather than “junk litigation” or behavior from policyholders and their agents. Yet, when the time comes in the spring when legislators are set to address current laws, the finger is always pointed at policyholders’ advocates as the reason why such an area requires reform.
As I said in my latest blog on this issue: The word “F” is not a one-way street: we will soon see if the efforts to reform the legislation in Florida’s property insurance laws create meaningful changes even though it was one-sided in nature and only targeted bad actors on one side of the field.


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Wal-Mart is back in the tackle business…Akron remembers its tackle heritage…fishing opener everywhere…ramp rage is to be avoided…the Fishin' Magician…fish tales…Hi-Def spoon…Finnish fly tiers are breaking the law…a scary day in a writer's life…Field & Stream finds a Julius vom Hofe…catching a grander…White Haven vet enters the rodmaking field…it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!
The Big Lead: Wal-Mart to return to its roots, stocks fishing tackle.
A walking tour of Akron will bring you past some tackle making history.
In Washington state, there is no one opening day.
Why avoiding "ramp rage" is a good thing.
The Fishin' Magician says trout season is upon us.
Time to fuel some fish tales.
Trout fishing begins in Pennsylvania, too.
The Hi-Def baitfish spoon has evolved.
In Finland, are they selling parts of endangered species for fly tying?
One writer recounts the scariest day of his life.
What's the price to pay if you get hooked on fishing?
Spend your tax refund on a fishing rod.
Field & Stream's vintage tackle contest digs up a Julius Vom Hofe.
Why competition is so fierce in the Baltic tackle trade.
Rick Day buys his own tackle shop.
How to catch a 1000 pound fish.
Finishing with a Flourish: A White Haven man enters the rodmaking business.
-- Dr. Todd


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Following The Collaborations show(covered), New York graffiti legends Crash (featured), Bio (Tats Cru) have teamed up with British Vandal Nick Walker (interviewed) for a new print release called Sea of Love to be released on November 14th on here for $400. The edition is sized at 21.5 x 21.5 inches and comes signed an numbered (70 + 15 AP’s + 1HC). Discuss Nick Walker here.
Nick Walker (interviewed) will have a new print entitled Manhattan Bridge on sale on Monday, 2nd October at 2.30pm GMT. The print features the artist’s gentleman vandal character walking across the streets of NY looking at the Manhattan Bridge. The 12 colour silk print is produced in an edition of 99 on Somerset Velvet 300 gsm paper and sized at 74 cm x 95 cm. It will be available for £450 online here at the appropriate time. Discuss Nick Walker here.
AM recently had the pleasure of stopping by the studio of legendary graffiti writer & artist Crash (featured) at his Bronx work space. Crash was not alone as Bio (Tats Cru) & Nick Walker (interviewed) joined him in one of many work sessions as the three artists prepared for their group exhibition featuring newly created artwork. As the title of the show indicates, The Collaborations builds on a concept which started over two years ago on the Lower East Side where Nick, Crash & Bio created a mural on Elizabeth street, […]
On November 15th, Nick Walker (interviewed) will bring back his signature The Morning After (TMA) series with a fresh new body of work to be unveiled in NYC. There will be five iconic paintings, each to pay homage to the legendary bridges that connect New York City. Working along with Billboard4 & Beyond Art Creative, the UK street artist has chosen TMA Brooklyn as the print release for this event. Those lucky enough to have recently visited New York may have already seen the image (above) on the streets near East Village (64 […]
Tonight, British street artist Nick Walker returns to New York City to unveil a fresh exhibition at Wall Works Gallery in the Bronx. Entitled the last ride, this show features a different approach frp, Mr. Walker as the Bristol native showcases his fascination with the Big Apple through original works on paper. Utilizing his legendary talent with stencil art, the Vandal makes a determined return running amuck through the city that never sleeps. Check out an exclusive look at some great works from this show below. Discuss Nick […]
AM recently attended the opening of Nick Walker’s (interviewed) exhibition at the Quin Hotel in Midtown New York City. Marking the kick off of the first ever artist in residence for the hotel, the famed UK artist pulled out some great stencil compositions to deck out his paintings. We noticed a few NYC specific artworks and of course a few works featuring Walker’s iconic Vandal character. Curated by the Quin’s DK Johnston, a diverse selection of mediums such as canvas, paper and editions were all on display […]
On January 21st (6-9pm), Nick Walker (interviewed) will be opening a solo show at the Quin Hotel in New York. As the hotel’s inaugural artist-in-residence, the British artist already has 15 original pieces for display in their permanent collection. The newest body of work will be sure to put his stencil skills on display as well as bring us along some further adventures with his iconic Vandal. Discuss Nick Walker here.
Nick Walker (interviewed) will have a new print entitled The Last Ride on sale on Monday, the 12th October, at 3.30pm DST UK time. The print was inspired by a portrait by Butterfly featuring the UK artist in his signature vandal outfit riding a carousel horse next to the Eiffel Tower during a visit to the French capital. Produced in an edition of 150 on Somerset Satin 410 gms and sized at 66cm x 96 cm, it will be available for £400 online from the UK-based artist’s website. Discuss Nick […]
Last week, Nick Walker (interviewed) opened his new show at Above Second Gallery entitled Entropy. If in September, we brought you a look while the Bristol-based street artist was creating new body of work in his studio, so we come full circle now with a look at the artwork hanging in the Hong Kong showspace. Included are his new series of number pieces as well as stencils inspired by the local urban landscape. Discuss Nick Walker here.
Ahead of his upcoming solo show Entropy at Above Second Gallery opening September 17th in Hong Kong, we popped by the studio of Bristol-based Nick Walker (interviewed). For this new exhibition, the British street artist has been exploring new ideas and broadening the scope of his signature Gentleman Vandal series to more abstract imagery and new techniques playing with metal and sculpture. “A new element I am exploring with this show is ‘Numbers’ which I call the Smoke series. Originally I was inspired by Jasper Johns some time back and began […]


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Cornelia Funke: America is different. Germany is too!
January 28, 2019
Peter Koepf interviewed author Cornelia Funke to discuss her experiences in finding literary success as a German author living in the United States and the inside view of German-American relations.
What kind of clichés have you noticed?
For example, I’ve noticed that many people think Europeans are more social and humane than Americans. But my experience has shown me that the exact opposite is true. I would say Americans are friendlier, more polite and more willing to help. And I would argue that we Europeans are often very unfriendly to one another, that we’re very ill-tempered in our dealings with one another. In contrast, I have the sense that the US still has a very high level of social cohesion. Perhaps it’s the legacy of the pioneering era – an age in which one needed to work together with others in order to survive – that’s still very present in people’s minds. In the US, people deal with each other at eye level. Social differences are considerably less noticeable and often simply ignored. I still find it very moving to see how deeply Americans believe in humankind and the future.
Germans are critical of the US and yet our lives are immersed in American culture. We watch American films and listen to American music. How do you reconcile these two forces?
It’s hard to understand. On the one hand, European culture embraces American culture, and many Germans identify with the US. On the other hand, those same people often argue that the US is populated by hillbillies alone. It’s a schizophrenic posture, it’s pharisaical, or doctrinaire. I’ve notice on several occasions that people in Germany – in contrast to other European countries – simply have no idea of the richness of American culture. Many world-famous artists, such as Guillermo del Toro and Neil Gaiman – neither of whom is American but both of whom are very famous in the US – are hardly even known in Germany. This betrays a strange degree of provinciality. Indeed, we only feel like Europeans when we’re in America.
But that’s changing. The number of German high school students going to the US for a year is rising. Young people are watching American TV series on Netflix…
I hope so. Nothing – no political program or official government statement – can compete with human contact. We need more exchange programs that allow both sides to learn first-hand what is valuable in the other. Only people who’ve never ventured beyond their own borders are able to maintain a stubborn national approach. But culture has always been multinational. For example, for a classical musician, it’s perfectly normal to work with musicians from all over the world. In fact, it’s almost impossible to sell artists any form of nationalism as a fixed identity.
Furthermore, when I attend, say, a literary festival in Sydney, I don’t limit myself to the German stands. Instead, I venture out and speak to other authors as peers, no matter where they come from. Plus, my readers come from all over the world. Business is also fully international these days, and nationalism simply no longer plays the role right-wing forces would like it to. We’re seeing the reemergence of an old order, like a monster out of the sea. But we all know the future will be multinational and multicultural.
Read the full article on The German Times here
“Mississippi. An Anthropocene River” Reimagines the Mississippi River
Mississippi. An Anthropocene River takes the concept of the Anthropocene – the period of history during which humans have been the dominant influence on climate and the environment – into the field. The project, organized by the Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin and the Max Planck Institute, investigates the Mississippi River as an exemplary landscape of global environmental change.Read More
The PopUp Tour Goes Back to School
The PopUp Tour in Atlanta started a new day in the tent with the SchoolFest, which invited over 200 students from all over Georgia to participate in a host of different live shows, workshops, science labs, and more that taught students about STEM as well as Germany and the German-American friendship. This interactive experience was full of fun activities that engaged students with design elements, virtual reality, and future study abroad opportunities!Read More
Photo Essay: US Anne Marie Hunter Shares Snapshots of her Exchange in Germany
This year, Kansas City journalist Anne Marie was given the opportunity to take part in the “Goethe Close-Up” exchange program. Sponsored by the Goethe-Institut and Wunderbar Together, the project gives cultural journalists working in print, online, and radio media the opportunity to swap work places with journalists from another country for three to four weeks.Read More

domain: sociology


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International Palms Resort (2020)
New Hotel for You! The oceanfront International Palms Resort, which is also just a short walk from “I Dream of Jeannie Lane”.
Welcome to the International Palms Resort and Conference Center! We are looking forward to accommodating the USA Beach Running Championships group. We are pleased to offer a rate of $99.00 for a room with a king bed or a room with two double beds (2 nights minimum). Rate is net and does not include 12% tax. Also, our hotel has a $11.95 resort fee, which includes pool towels, beach access, equipment for basketball, volleyball, shuffle board, tennis and corn hole courts, complimentary internet and complimentary parking.
Please make sure everyone in your group knows that the earlier they call in to reserve their rooms, the better. The number for our direct line to reservations is: 321-392-1647.
BOOKING LINK: CLICK HERE
If a rooming list is being provided, please make sure it is received prior to the cutoff date listed above.
Dan Anderson | Director of Sales
International Palms Hotel
Stay Dates: 5/10/19 & 5/11/19
Hotel: Four Points by Sheraton Cocoa Beach
Rate: $159.00 per room/per night + 12% sales tax
Booking Link: BOOK NOW! USA Beach Running Championships
You may also call the hotel direct for reservations at (321) 783-8717 and mention the group “USA Beach Running Championships”
Reservations must be made by April 10, 2019
3435 N. Atlantic Ave
Cocoa Beach, FL 32931
At the Courtyard Marriott Cocoa Beach/Cape Canaveral hotel it’s easy to find your place in the sun – a towel on the beach or a chair by the pool – and soak up the warmth, ambiance, sights and sounds of this amazing destination. Just 200 yards from the beach, Courtyard Cocoa Beach surrounds travelers with the conveniences that make business and pleasure travel easy. This hotel features our new lobby with inviting, flexible spaces to work or relax in, including a poolside lounge, mineral pool and Jacuzzi, room service and a full service restaurant with Starbucks coffee. Featuring a décor that is inviting, sophisticated and comfortable, our well-appointed rooms are designed to enhance and complement your Cocoa Beach Florida vacation experience. Some rooms offer views of the Atlantic Ocean and nearby Banana River. An enjoyable vacation is more than just your surroundings. Our friendly, professional staff members know they are a key part of your vacation experience and you’ll always find them pleasant and responsive to your needs. The Courtyard by Marriott Cocoa Beach is a convenient beachside hotel with easy access to Port Canaveral cruises, local restaurants, shopping, and local attractions such as Ron Jon’s Surf Shop, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, and the Brevard Zoo.

domain: travel


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Thank you for publishing the opinions of Vermont physicians in your recent Nov. 7 issue. Vermont Society represents the majority of Vermont doctors and healthcare providers who recognize the harmful effects of cannabis inhalation or ingestion individually and collectively for public health and individual well-being.
I personally found attorney Steuben’s comments concerning and misinformed. Certainly nothing should be burnt and then the smoke intentionally inhaled, especially psychoactive drugs. Our lungs were meant for clean fresh air and anything else is less is sub-optimal and potentially harmful. Steuben mentions the 1950s which is the time when the tobacco industry and its attorneys were misleading the American public just like the marijuana is industry is misleading the public about the commercialization and industrialization of THC as somehow being recreational. As physicians our charge is the health of all Vermonters, as opposed to attorney Steuben, an attorney brought in from out of state to promote the marijuana industry for profit.
David R. Charnock, M.D.,FACS, Rutland


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LEGAL PROTECTION OF THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION IN ROMANIA AND EUROPEAN UNION
Challenges of the Knowledge Society
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document that formally recognized free and compulsory elementary education as a basic human right. Thus, the right to education is fundamental in the development of each individual and at the same time a key element in developing and enhancing wellbeing and quality of life for the whole European society. Considering the fact that education is both a human right in itself and an indispensable means of realizing
... means of realizing other human rights, the objectives of this study are to identify barriers that need to be overcome and, at the same time, to raise public awareness on the right to education because, as is well known, if individuals knows their rights they are empowered to claim them. The importance of this study consists on the fact that the analysis is focused, in a first stage, on clarifying the essential features of the right to education as a human right, so that, in a second stage, to be presented the European and Romanian legal frameworks protecting the right to education. As a novelty, this study attempts to outline how it is implemented the right to education in Romania, highlighting achievements, but without trying to avoid weaknesses and the less pleasant aspects.

domain: library