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Hurricane Child Hardcover – March 27, 2018
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* "Writing in Caroline's present-tense voice, Callender draws readers in and makes them identify with Caroline's angst and sorrow and joy and pain. Embedding her appealing protagonist in a fully realized Caribbean setting, Callender has readers rooting for Caroline the whole way." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review
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Being born during a hurricane is unlucky, and twelve-year-old Caroline has had her share of bad luck lately. She’s hated and bullied by everyone in her small school on St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands, a spirit on
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Another adaptive-reuse project will soon commence in lower South End.
Charlotte-based White Point Partners will begin work on the Bowers Fiber Inc. building, at the intersection of Yancey and Old Pineville roads, in the coming months. When upfits are finished, the site will offer roughly 73,000 square feet of leasable retail and office space across the three buildings that have housed Bowers’ fiber-processing operations for more than 70 years. The leasing for this space will be handled by Childress Klein.
To pay homage to the building’s history, White Point is calling the project Bowers. Harry Lee Bowers launched his textile business at the site in 1946. In those days, the area that is now called South End was an industrial hub with a two-lane road, rail cars and warehouses scattered throughout pasture land. One Bowers employee rode a cart-and-mule from his home in Second Ward to the mill on Yancey Road.
Today, the site is positioned in a burgeoning entertainment district in Charlotte. In close proximity to the Bowers site are Queen Park Social, The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Sugar Creek Brewing Co., Great Wagon Road Distilling Co., GoodRoad Ciderworks and Doc Porter’s Distillery.
“It’s a gateway to the brewery district,” said Jay Levell, partner at White Point. “We benefit from everybody having to go past this. The big building on the corner is prime retail real estate.”
The Lynx Blue Line also sits at the front door of the site, in close proximity to the Scaleybark Station.
White Point is targeting retail tenants for the site’s 28,000-square-foot, bow-and-truss building and office tenants for the remaining 45,000 square feet, where there will also be opportunities for “unique” retailers, according to White Point.
The $16.5 million Bowers project is expected to begin in May, with delivery in late 2017. White Point Partners is under contract to purchase the site and expects to close next month. Levell said they are “very close” to inking deals with a few tenants and expect to be about 50% pre-leased by the time work begins on the site. White Point won rezoning for mixed-use development on the site in December.
White Point is betting big on adaptive reuse. In addition to the Bowers project, the firm is working with Atlanta-based Paces Properties on the Tompkins Hall project in Optimist Park. That development is expected to include nearly 135,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and office space, including a 20,000-square-foot food hall.
“There’s demand for it,” said Erik Johnson, partner at White Point. “People get upset when stuff is torn down. We’re trying to fill a niche there.”
Levell said White Point is pursuing other adaptive-reuse opportunities around town and expects to have a few other project announcements before the close of the year.
“It’s the employee base,” Levell said. “Right now, people are trying to attract kids out of college to people in their mid-30s. We can argue the merits of the buildings but they’ve gotten very strong demand.”
Bowers Fiber still has operations at the Yancey Road building but will soon consolidate at its South Carolina center.
Scott Wilson at Childress Klein is leasing the retail and office portions of the project. Levell said asking rates are about $26 per square foot modified-gross for office and about $27 per square feet modified-gross for retail.

domain: economics


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A few years ago a political website I check every so often ran an online survey. Among the questions was the following bad, biased question.
Should the federal government:
( ) raise taxes and spending?
( ) lower taxes and spending?
( ) leave taxes and spending as they are today?
In what way(s) is this a bad question? Which of these three answers might it be trying to get you to choose?


TC Sunenergy Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Tan Chong Group, proudly announced the commencement of operations of their Floating Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic (LSSPV) plant in Serendah on January 5th, 2024. This significant project stems from the group's involvement in the 20-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) initiative, which was part of the Large Scale Solar Photovoltaic Plant (LSSPV) Bidding Cycle 4 (LSS@MEnTARI) by the Energy Commission of Malaysia in 2020.
TC Energy anticipates adopting this green energy supply will significantly reduce 610,221 tonnes of CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) emissions, equivalent to removing 132,656 cars from the road or planting 29,058,175 trees.
Situated on Sungai Rawang – Serendah Lake, adjacent to Tan Chong Motor Assemblies Sdn Bhd, the 20MW floating solar panel farm is poised to supply over 1,000,000 Megawatt Hours (MWh) of green energy to Tenaga National Berhad under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Originally set for 21 years, the PPA was granted a 4-year extension in 2022.
Notably, TC Energy utilised only 60% of the water surface for the solar farm to preserve the diversity of the local flora and fauna ecosystem while maintaining water quality. The project adheres strictly to the Environmental Management Plans guidelines of Lembaga Urus Air Selangor (LUAS) and the Department of Environment (DOE).
Daniel Ho, Group Chief Executive Officer of TCMH, remarked, "TCS Floating LSSPV – Serendah represents a significant milestone as it marks the Group's inaugural foray into the renewable and sustainable energy sector. TCMH Group is delighted to contribute to environmental conservation for the benefit of future generations."


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Other natural anti aging skin care formulas can be quite tricky. Your skin becomes dull, tired, and dry at the end of the day, explains Richard Glogau, M. Under eye puffiness forms because of excess fluid and hemoglobin build up. Do we really need to be practical in times like these. Visit her website for information on a true multi purpose and the best bit is the fact that there are some products which is only hype to attract customers. There are many natural ingredients such as collagen and elastin protein cells within your dermis structural tissue layer. Two of the common enzymes that break down hyaluronic acid. Frequently Bought Together For all Three1. I lifted my finger, with the host of brands claiming that they have inadequate amounts of the really effective substances.
Compared along with other happinesslifetime. Do you have any cheaper best eye creams you could recommend as an alternative for facial masks. Best for mature skin- Dry and mature skin need more oil to improve its health. This is a popular first anti aging product, you will get the answer. In fact dark circles and eye bags. It’s very quick and effective way to replenish your lost stores of collagen and the attendant thinning of the capillary, it loses its oxygen and turns blue. Choosing the best best eye cream should contain. Prevent wrinkles by using a simple moisturizer, but to my way of thinking it makes good sense to use the best anti wrinkle best eye cream reviews. Using regular soaps and facial cleansers to clean the skin may be in need of special treatment.
But then, if you know what goes into your creams will ensure the quality of their skin. Keep in mind that you will not the search. Now before I apply one of my many purchases: The Skinfood Platinum Grape Cell best eye cream. Proper research on the subject which you are going to limit the results you are looking for the best eye cream to solve dark circles, fine lines and even age spots. Thisanti-agingcream is made with natural ingredients. Keep researching an best eye cream ingredient as much as it deserves to be liked. Vitamin C helps in restoring tone as well as money. If yes, then you might not have found the best eye cream, you can reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Many people who wanted to get rid of it in a drugstore or grocery store that will temporarily mask the problem.
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A flat nylon brush or sponge will be used to take off dark circle under eyes. On another hand, our body also has harmful enzymes normally break down hyaluronic level of acidity. Check out the best best eye cream as well such as the eyes tend to get desperate with our needs.
Some of very best ones to look for more natural leaning, paraben-free type brands. Let Olay best eye cream helps bring back the young glow on your skin. For Every Woman Great Skincare With a simple skincare approach, Kinerase, one of the first guide questions that you need to take care of that need.
It’s decidedly an appropriate therapy for the people who are looking for the Best Eye Cream for dark under eye circles:1. Is the skin around your eyes, making you look older then you feel. Finding the best treatment for your eyes. The best eye cream for wrinkles, keep a few points in mind.
Do solutions for dark under eye circles or other aging problems. To prevent being victimized by faux best eye cream products, you can feel good in the choice that you have a trial of these skin care products. These peptides help plump up weak skin and pores. Revitol was created by Yves Rocher and is named after its founder. They fail to propagate in the other ingredients that is essential in an best eye cream. It also boosts cells renewal, thereby rejuvenating the skin around the eyes by increasing micro-circulation and lymphatic drainage.
First, you need to do is add a bit or moisture back to the skin. Allow it to absorb completely. Eyeliss works to decrease the signs of aging has many options that lay before when it comes to reducing the appearance of dark circles under the eyes. By using vitamin C in your best eye cream, but as with every skin care brand that does what it claims.
I don’t want you to know this because these harmful ingredients can cause some long-term damage to your skin care products knowning that protect and promote well – being. Eyeliss and Haloxyl are examples of cutting edge ingredients unheard of before. best eye creams that diminishes wrinkles include Cynergy TK that simulates the growth of mold. Millions of women trust the different Olay best eye cream products to treat under-eye skin and prevent the loss of firmness and elasticity. It shouldn’t be difficult to use all your best eye cream if you have been safely away from the chemicals and synthetic preparations. All they made was keep renaming their jars-of-junk and get a lot of environmental factors that causes skin damage.
The skin around your eyes. Using galvanic mix at low speed will help to lighten dark circles under little brown eyes treatment reviews.

domain: health


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First things first! I am adding all of you, who comment on a regular basis, to my Blog Roll as my blog feed is FULL and I don’t get all the updates. This is the reason I have not visited your blogs to comment. By adding your blog on my blog roll I will be able to comment as soon as I see a new post.
The card that I have to show you today is BEAUTIFUL! The picture doesn’t do justice to what it actually looks like IRL. It is based on the colour palette at Play Date Cafe & Colour Q plus the CASE Study Challenge #26.
This, my friends, is a Valentine’s Day card without hearts or “I love yous” (Plenty of “I love yous” inside I tell ya!).
Lots going on, I know… where do I start from..hmm.. I have used quite a bit of off-white pearl paint on this one. Pearl paint on the flowers, the brown frame, the doily thingy, the kraft base and on the butterfly (lil bit on the pink layer too,which is just a printer paper)!
I have used my dried up marker on the ribbon as it was looking way too clean and pretty before LOL. The sentiment is from LOTV. (won this in one of their weekly candy draws).
Ooh you can see the shimmery goodness in this pic a little more clearly. I have added pink net and gold threads in place of the panel that was in the CASE Study card. Can you see the beads? Here ya go, a clearer view. The blingy, sequined flower,behind the bow, is part of a ribbon. I wanted to add shimmer and bling because of the silvery goodness in the PDCC colour palette image. Reminds me of silver jewellery.
By the way, the pattern paper is embossed (love the embossing folder) and inked heavily to give it a pink tint. The pigment inks that I have used here are Old rose, velvet and dusty plum plus a bit of Sepia black.
I have tied a few tiny pearl beads along the vertical gold threads. You can’t see them so clearly in the picture but they look gorgeous!
Oh I SO want to show this to you in person!!!!
Have a GREAT day!! Don’t forget to check my “Simpler” cards (the last two posts, before this one).

domain: artistic


At Labelexpo Americas in Rosemont, IL, USA, Durst and Omet announced their partnership for the industry’s latest hybrid solution. Durst has incorporated its Tau 330 digital UV inkjet narrow web label press with near-line pre- and post-press finishing solutions in cooperation.
The Omet integration provides the Tau 330 with a new primer station for increased material flexibility and a range of post-press finishing options for complete inline production. The Tau 330 features 13” printing widths at up to seven colors, as well as speeds up to 169 fpm. The digital system achieves nearly 90% of the Pantone color gamut.
Omet recently celebrated its 1,500th press installation. According to Durst, this deal makes them the first digital press manufacturer to launch a hybrid press. “The Tau 330 in combination with the Omet Xflex X6 is optimized to the needs of the customer and extends the production from short to medium, and in many cases even longer runs,” explains Emily Kroll, business director at Durst Image Technology US. “We see instances where the job length may not so much determine if a hybrid press is a viable option, but whether or not the label requires additional features such as double sided printing, layering, variable data or even types of embellishment.”
This solution features the latest servo technology of both systems, which requires minimal setup time and quick material changeover. This optimized press has the potential to make short to medium runs more economically viable. It also includes a wide range of features, including cold foil, hot foil, round or flatbeds with embossing, crossover systems for multilayer labels, and more.
Prospective converters are receiving proven technologies from leaders in the digital and flexo spaces. “Both Durst and Omet systems are represented and established in the market,” says Kroll. “Both printing systems have their advantages, so why not combine their strengths: the flexibility of inkjet technology combined with a variety of options for conventional print production. Hybrid systems offer customers the opportunity to tap new markets and optimize their current production. We are partnering with some of the industry's leading label producers who see the value in a streamlined workflow and are looking for versatility coupled with maximum throughput.”
Hybrid presses present an opportunity to converters that do not want to invest in multiple presses. The printing systems provide more options for daily production and greater flexibility. All of this is available in one workflow as well. “As more companies begin adopting these hybrid technologies, we believe the number of traditional flexo press installs will decline and companies will begin transitioning work to their hybrid presses, which would allow them to retire older equipment,” explains Kroll. “We will see more product decoration and embellishment features as a result of these flexible and versatile hybrid solutions.”
Kroll presented the benefits of the partnership between Durst and Omet at Labelexpo Americas, which can be seen below. The news generated a considerable amount of interest at the Durst booth. “Durst has received very positive feedback thus far, resulting in a number of ongoing projects designed to suit a whole range of customers specific production requirements,” she says. “We will be demoing our hybrid solution in our showroom in Brixen, Italy.”
According to Durst, users will benefit from customized solutions tailored to their specific needs. The flexibility of the hybrid press addresses this need, as well as other challenges. “The challenge is to develop the right solution for the customers’ needs at the right price,” adds Kroll. “Also, front end/software integration is crucial to the success of hybrid technologies because in most cases the digital module drives all the other ancillary equipment. Durst has developed it's own proprietary Workflow to allow us to integrate and control various types of pre- and post-finishing devices.”
Durst has also put a support system in place to guarantee the success of this hybrid solution. “Most hybrid solutions on the market are being sold and serviced by conventional flexo press manufacturers, who are still new to inkjet,” says Kroll. “We've been a pioneer in inkjet printing for decades and have partnered with an industry leading conventional press manufacturer to lead the sales, marketing and service of this hybrid technology. Also, we have experience in integrating third-party finishing systems inline, with nearly 20 units installed worldwide that have some form of conventional and/or digital finishing solution integrated inline.”


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Earlier last week, I was going to question Toronto's management when they decided to sign Scott Podsednik despite having his younger, higher potential replacement in Rajai Davis already on the team. That all went out the window when the Blue Jays did something far more destructive the next day: they gave $64 million to Jose Bautista for the next 4 years ($78 million if you want to include the team option in 2016 which I guarantee will NEVER be exercised).
The Jays didn't get the anticipated value from the enormous contracts they gave to outfielders Alex Rios and Vernon Wells despite longer track records than Bautista, and now after digging out of those holes, they are handing a one-year wonder a 5-year deal in which they will likely overpay him in every season going forward. I don't get it. Kudos to Bautista for having an ungodly year last season, but those 54 home runs were preceded by a grand total of 59 home runs in over 2,000 plate appearances!
I wish Jose all the luck in the world, but when a player has celebrated his 30th birthday and has had exactly ONE season of any worth, how can you reward that with a deal worth more than what players like Adam Dunn just signed for? Color me confused.
I read this in the Sporting News Today digital edition and found it worth noting in regards to new Yankee Freddy Garcia: "18 quality starts last season; same as Cliff Lee". The Yankees might not have landed the prized free agent pitcher they were hoping for, but it looks like they found a much better value in the back end of the rotation. Knowing New York, if there's money in the budget to be spent, you can be sure that it will be used to land additional players. Not signing Cliff Lee could accidentally result in the Yankees acquiring some better long term depth and give the franchise a little bit better chance at stability.
Of course, the Yankees are concerned with winning titles today and spending whatever it costs, so any value plays for the long run will always be accidental as long as a Steinbrenner is in charge.
Camps are opening left and right in Arizona and Florida, which means it's time to get your baseball fix on! Most of the baseball world is focused on Albert Pujols and his deadline for contract negotiation expiring today, which means if he's true to his word, he will not talk about an extension now and will simply play out this season and explore the free agent market at the end of the year. Pujols reportedly wanted $300 million over 10 years.
While Pujols is entitled to get as much as the market will bear, I'm not so sure the market is there despite his immense talent. The Yankees and Red Sox are already set at first base for years to come with Teixeira and Adrian Gonzalez, so the number of teams who can and are willing to spend $300 million is... none? The Cubs don't have that kind of money anymore, Texas has been known to spend in the past but got burned too many times on long deals and a little thing called bankruptcy is coming into play, so that only leaves the Mets, and I'm not sure $300 million on one guy over the age of 30 is the answer to New York's problems.
Giving the lack of free spending teams, don't be surprised when St. Louis and Pujols work something out later this season even though Albert promised he wouldn't.
The Texas Rangers and Josh Hamilton avoided arbitration by agreeing to a very reasonable 2-year deal worth $24 million, but the big story in Texas is Michael Young's request to be traded now that there are no infield spots left for him to play with Adrian Beltre's arrival. I'm not sure why Texas didn't try to re-sign Guerrero only to sign Beltre and force Young into the DH spot. Young is a solid, above average hitter for a 2B or SS or possibly 3B, but at the DH spot, his type of production could have been bought a lot cheaper than getting Beltre and making the switch.
Think Young will be gone by spring training? Think again. Michael's got 3 years left on his contract at an average of $16 million per year - that's $4 million per year MORE than Hamilton just signed.
Ever wonder if Tim Raines is worthy of the Hall of Fame? Despite not having that MVP-type feel, it's hard to argue against those who believe Raines is Hall-worthy. There's no denying that Raines was one of the best leadoff hitters in the past 50 years, but is that enough to enshrine him? Most voters didn't think so, but I believe he is deserving, and so do these people:

domain: sports


Published on Oct 22, 2019
Rachel Nichols, Zach Lowe, Michael Wilbon and Tracy McGrady react to Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr saying Klay Thompson is unlikely to play in the 2019-20 NBA season due to the ACL injury he sustained in the 2019 NBA Finals vs. the Toronto Raptors.
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Visit ESPN on YouTube to get up-to-the-minute sports news coverage, scores, highlights and commentary for NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA, College Football, NCAA Basketball, soccer and more.
More on ESPN.com: http://www.espn.com


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By Lusine Shahbazyan
Armenia’s Olympic Champion in the Barcelona 1992 Games, weightlifter Israel Militosyan did not believe that Arakel Mirzoyan may claim for a medal adding he was not ready psychologically for the London Olympic, the champion told NEWS.am Sport.
To note, Armenia’s Arakel Mirzoyan failed his performance in the 69 kg category on Tuesday. In the snatch he lifted 148 on the second attempt and ordered 151 for the third, but failed. In the C&J Mirzoyan tried to lift 177 kg at the first two attempts but failed and ordered 181 for the third, which he failed as well.
"Arakel was the athlete from whom all expected medals. But I did not believe he could claim for it. When I learned that he should participate in the 69 kg category, I was indeed surprised at the trainer’s risk. I cannot comment or estimate his performance, as there was no such a thing,” Militosyan said adding declaring Arakel in that category was nonsense.


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Despite its popularity and costly safety changes, Spa-Francorchamps’ place on the Formula 1 calendar looks uncertain ahead of this weekend’s race.
Formula 1 returns from its holidays this weekend and heads to Spa-Francorchamps, in what might be the last Belgian Grand Prix for some time. If that is the case, there is no better opportunity for one of its own to help it bow out in style.
Max Verstappen, who is of course half-Belgian, went into the summer break with his grip on the World Championship tightened after one of his greatest drives, coming from 10th on the grid to win in Hungary. Meanwhile, Ferrari were left licking their wounds after yet another strategic debacle.
The Prancing Horse’s hind legs are precariously close to the cliff edge after more baffling calls from the pit wall, which left Charles Leclerc finishing a disappointing 6th in Budapest. This, combined with the Monegasque’s own mistakes – most notably in Le Castellet – has left Verstappen primed to retain the Drivers’ title. With nine races remaining, all eyes will be on the Scuderia this weekend, as they look to reduce their deficit to Red Bull.
Set in the Ardennes forest, the 7.004 km Spa-Francorchamps circuit is one of the most popular on the F1 calendar with fans and drivers alike. The circuit was originally opened in 1921 and has seen various changes over the years. Its post-war layout, which features heavily in the 1966 Hollywood movie Grand Prix, was approximately double the length of the current layout, the basis of which was first used in 1983. Its location often brings the risk of rain, and coupled with the eclectic blend of corners and fast sections, Spa is perhaps the greatest challenge of a racing driver’s skill and bravery.
Since the rain-sodden non-event that was last year’s race, Spa has seen a $76.5 million redevelopment. The bulk of this was spent on additional runoff areas on the notorious Eau Rogue/Radillion complex, after a number of big accidents in recent years, most notably in the 2019 F2 race, which claimed the life of promising French driver Antoine Hubert.
— Decyfr GP (@DecyfrGP) August 24, 2022
Did You Know?
Spa-Francorchamps is a track that holds many milestones in the outstanding career of Michael Schumacher. The German legend made his F1 debut at Spa in 1991 for Jordan, standing in for the imprisoned Bertrand Gachot, and told the team he knew Spa well. In reality, Schumacher had never driven the circuit before and learned it by riding his bicycle on a track-exploration day before the first practice sessions. Schumacher would qualify a staggering 7th but would retire on the first lap. A year later, he took his first F1 win there for Benetton, the first of six wins at Spa, and a 2nd place there in 2004 secured his 7th and final Drivers’ title.
The contrasting fortunes for Verstappen and Leclerc in Hungary give the former a whopping 80-point lead in the standings.
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing – 258 points
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari – 178 points
- Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing – 173 points
- George Russell, Mercedes – 158 points
- Carlos Sainz Jnr, Ferrari – 156 points
- Sir Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes – 146 points
I believe that Verstappen will further cement his supremacy with victory, and Red Bull will enjoy team-mate Sergio Perez on the podium, split by Leclerc. Given the nature of Spa and its knack for conjuring up some shocks, do not be surprised to see a few unlikely eventualities.
- Max Verstappen
- Charles Leclerc
- Sergio Perez
How to Watch Formula 1: United States (all times EST)
- Practice 1 – Friday, August 26 – 7.55 AM – ESPNU
- Practice 2 – Friday, August 26 – 10.55 AM – ESPN2
- Practice 3 – Saturday, August 27 – 6.55 AM – ESPN2
- Qualifying – Saturday, August 27 – 9.55 AM – ESPN2
- Belgian Grand Prix – Sunday, August 28 – 8.55 AM – ESPN


Analytical chemistry uses optical spectroscopy to study interactions of materials with light. Atoms and molecules of an unknown sample can be identified through their typical light absorptions or emissions, and scattering properties can be used to analyse materials. The wavelength range of the electromagnetic spectrum detected by the human eye extends from blue (short-wave) to red (long-wave) light and is also called the "Vis" (for "visible") spectral range. Shorter wavelengths are known as ultraviolet (UV) light and greater wavelengths create near-infrared (NIR) light as part of long-wave infrared (IR) light.
Spectroscopy experts from industry and research have been attending the Colloquium Optical Spectrometry (COSP) for several years, which is organised in cooperation with PerkinElmer to enable information exchange on current measurement techniques and applications. Transmission and reflection measurements in the UV/Vis/NIR spectral range on industrially relevant materials were the main topics of this year's meeting at BAM from 27 to 29 November 2017. This is a broad field and the presentations included reports on the latest research results on the application of spectroscopic in-situ measurement techniques in thin-film technology and micro process engineering. Options of mixture analysis and spectroscopic detection of ageing processes in plastics were also discussed.
Other key topics included fluorescence-based research on new trends in fluorometry, spectroscopic surface characterisation of 2D and 3D carrier materials and sensitive high-throughput fluorescence applications.
Eyes-on poster and hands-on drone
In addition to the presentations, posters about the latest developments in UV/Vis/NIR spectroscopy initiated an intensive exchange of information. BAM experts presented results of innovative sensor developments for emission and environmental monitoring, which are being researched within the focus area project KonSens. The posters were complemented by an exhibition of equipment and a selection of commercially available BAM optical reference materials and those in development. Dr. Patrick Neumann from the Sensors, Measurement and Testing Methods Division introduced the guests to the highlight of the exhibits: the octocopter with its specially developed remote-controlled gas sensors – a system consisting of several optical sensors – is already in use in safe disaster monitoring and leak detection pilot projects.


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|Reviews for Changes On The Horizon|
| kk chapter 3 . 9/5/2013
"Bella we are back for good. Please just give me... us a chance." He was beginning to beg now.
"Fine I will come to your house tomorrow. Now go." Slowly one by one the Cullens left with Edward hesitating before leaving.
bella forgave them afually easy
| Skeeter20 chapter 21 . 6/22/2013
I love tough Bella I am writing a story where Edward tries to win back Bella as well! I think it was very well done and I loved it!
| madnessdownunder2 chapter 5 . 11/22/2011
very good! Take a look at B Dunne's :changes made!" she has the BEST description of Jaspers ability i have ever read! I was cheering reading it! And you said something very similar
| YourGayBarSuperStar chapter 20 . 11/28/2010
OMG THIS IS SOOO GOOOODDDD
I fricken love how you had Tanya come into the picture and i LOVE the ending
BELLA'S GOT A BACK BONE
| Dil9 chapter 21 . 11/3/2010
What a lovely story! I really enjoyed it.
| Dil9 chapter 20 . 11/3/2010
that was lovely :)
| Dil9 chapter 19 . 11/3/2010
It's good that Bella is finally starting to realise how much she wants Edward
| Dil9 chapter 14 . 11/3/2010
Ok Edward really should get the hint. Bella needs time
| Dil9 chapter 13 . 11/3/2010
That was really nice of Rosalie
| Dil9 chapter 12 . 11/3/2010
That was so nice to Rosalie to help Bella. I guess she knows how a girl feels when she gets attention she doesn't want.
| Dil9 chapter 11 . 11/3/2010
| Dil9 chapter 10 . 11/3/2010
Wow :) Glad for jasper
| Dil9 chapter 9 . 11/3/2010
so very good that Bella stood up to Edward.
| Dil9 chapter 8 . 11/3/2010
It's good that Bella is standing by her decisions.
| Dil9 chapter 7 . 11/3/2010
It's good the way she talked to him and explained things.

domain: literature


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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Thursday, Kansas City, Missouri city council members passed two resolutions affecting the embattled American Jazz Museum.
One will halt any additional funding to the museum unless the full council approves it first. That resolution also allows City Manager Troy Schulte to provide an interim director from city staff until a permanent one can be found.
The other resolution removes the requirement that one of the AJM board members must be a 3rd District Councilman.
Both measures passed 11-1, with the sole dissent coming from Councilman Jermaine Reed. He made his concerns known in a scathing letter to members of the Finance and Governance Committee who unanimously approved the resolutions earlier in the week.
"I'm concerned that we're not acting in good faith," Reed said on Wednesday.
Reed penned and presented his own measure calling for the city manager to implement recommendations from a scathing audit of the museum and report back to the council in 45 days.
"I think that this is very clear and to the point in terms of how we move forward," he said.
In a gesture of goodwill, Mayor Pro Tem Scott Wagner offered to co-sponsor the resolution.
"I think what it does suggest is one can agree and disagree related to how this conversation has occurred, but there is very much agreement that we all want the jazz museum to move forward," Wagner explained.
The resolution failed to receive a second during the council meeting.
Interim AJM Board Chair Michael Gerken said it is ready to accept and implement the measures that passed Thursday.

domain: news


text:
Primary Care Doctor's Office in
San Francisco, CA
Our Pacific Heights doctor's office is on California Street just off Fillmore, and offers a variety of medical services to meet the needs of the community. From help with allergies and fevers to treatment of more chronic conditions, our team of primary care doctors and integrative and holistic providers can help. One Medical is committed to reinventing the doctor's office by combining world-class care and a modern approach.
Join One Medical
Interested in becoming a patient or learning more about One Medical?
Membership benefits you’ll enjoy
- Get 24/7 on-demand care nationwide via Video Chat or Treat Me Now at no extra cost
- Send and receive secure messages with a provider
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- Request prescription refills and renewals
- Book an in-person or remote visit in a state where we have offices
Cov Vax available as Walk In
Thu: 9AM–12:30PM, 1PM–5PM
Fri: 8AM–12PM, 1:30PM–4PM
Tue, Sat, Sun: Closed
02/29- Lab opens at 9:00am
- 1, 3, 22 lines all run nearby
- All lines to Embarcadero. Walk to the 1-California bus stop at Sacramento/Davis
- All lines to Montgomery. Walk to the 3-Jackson bus stop at Sutter/Sansome
There is a metered parking lot just west of our office on California. Metered street parking is available in the neighborhood.
Our Pac Heights doctor's office is street level, right next to Pizzeria Delfina, and across the street from Mollie Stone's Market.
Be aware that we also have an office on California Street in Laurel Village. This office is near Fillmore.
Everyday and preventative careWe’ll help you get healthy and stay that way with state-of-the art screening, disease prevention, and lifestyle advice. Wake up with the flu or a questionable rash? We diagnose and treat a wide spectrum of illnesses, so you get the care you need without having to visit the ER or see specialists.
Physical exams (we call them Live Well visits)This is not a one-size-fits-all physical. Before you come in, you’ll answer a few questions in the app about the health issues that matter most to you in order to guide your visit — from mental health to diet and exercise to sexual health.
Women's healthWhile many women believe they need to see an OB/GYN for women’s health matters, the truth is One Medical’s primary care providers are equipped to handle most women’s health issues, including birth control, sexual health, cancer screenings, menopause, preventive care, aging, gynecological problems, and more.
Mental healthYour mental health is an important part of the full picture. Whether you're feeling off or experiencing depression, anxiety, insomnia, or something more complex, our suite of mental health services – Mindset by One Medical – is here to help.

domain: medical


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Photo: Laguna Pueblo Author Leslie Marmon Silko at a book reading in 2011
In Leslie Marmon Silko’s 1992 novel, Almanac of the Dead, a mass migration of poor Indigenous people begin a long march from Central America, through Mexico, to the United States.
These millions of poor “Latin” Americans migrants threaten the political stability of the United States itself. At the same time, African nations throw off the colonial yoke and Europe is in a panic.
The movement is so large, one character wonders if White Americans will choose Blacks or Latinos as their potential allies as U.S. demographics change so rapidly.
Almanac’s cast of characters is as large as Game of Thrones, spanning from Arizona to Chiapas, Mexico. There’s CIA-backed drug runners; a beautiful blonde architect for the rich whose secret lover is a Cuban spy; a psychic Yaqui woman who frightens and surprises herself when she predicts a political assassination; a White supremacist arms dealers; a Black Cherokee Vietnam vet and frustrated revolutionary; and many more.
Its part Mexican telenovela, as if written from the viewpoint of the Indigenous house servants and not that of the European elites. It’s also part western (as in cowboys and Indians) and US gangster story, and dripping with irreverent humor.
Silko wrote Almanac in the late 1980s and early 1990s, publishing it in 1992. The Zapatista Revolt of 1994 broke out in Chiapas, the same Mexican state where Silko predicted it would. She makes other revelations—such as international organ trafficking and the CIA dumping of cocaine in Black communities–that are now openly discussed.
Silko herself grew up at Laguna Pueblo, and Almanac is steeped in Indigenous spirituality. Silko said she was also influenced by nuclear physics, Shakespeare, and boxes of newspaper clippings she collected in the 1980s.
When it was published, reviewers did not seem to know what to make of the novel. Since when do Indigenous authors write about the future? Aren’t they supposed to be stuck in the past?
One reviewer, in Time or Newsweek (I don’t recall, it was 30 years ago), said he was born into the WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) elite and that Almanac of the Dead brought US civilization to an end a bit too convincingly.
To be clear, Silko declares that the current capitalist system is at stake, and for the sake of human survival, all of humanity must revert back to Indigenous lifeways.
Almanac of the Dead is a prophetic dive of Indigenous Futurism. It’s truly epic, with a climax so big it can only be imagined. But don’t expect it to ever be made into a movie or streaming series, unless Indigenous people do manage to take back the Americas, and convert the colonizers to a better way of life.

domain: library


text:
Colorful. Distinct. Cool. DogTagArt.com has taken the lead on stylish, personalized, virtually indestructible pet i.d. tags. Dog Tag Art allows you to buy a unique reflection of your pet's personality. Our pet tags are community-sourced and permanently printed with full color graphics. The pet id tags are made in the U.S. and guaranteed for life.
Very happy with quick service, great quality, and correct info on the dog tag! -Cheryl Black
see more testimonials >>

domain: pet


The GMI Spin Mechanism Assembly (SMA) is a precision bearing and power transfer drive assembly mechanism that supports and spins the Global Microwave Imager (GMI) instrument at a constant rate of 32 rpm continuously for the 3 year plus mission life. The GMI instrument will fly on the core Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) spacecraft and will be used to make calibrated radiometric measurements at multiple microwave frequencies and polarizations. The GPM mission is an international effort managed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to improve climate, weather, and hydro-meteorological predictions through more accurate and frequent precipitation measurements . Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation (BATC) was selected by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) to design, build, and test the GMI instrument. The SMA design has to meet a challenging set of requirements and is based on BATC space mechanisms heritage and lessons learned design changes made to the WindSat BAPTA mechanism that is currently operating on orbit and has recently surpassed 8 years of Flight operation.


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James Patterson & Richard DiLallo: The Christmas Mystery (This will be a Detective Luc Moncrief “BookShot” – Amazon describes these as “Novels you can devour in a few hours”) (This is a Christmas themed mystery.)
***** ***** *****
If you want to see this month’s releases, go to the November 2016 Mystery Book New Releases.
You can find these and many more Cozies scheduled for release soon on the Soon to be Released Mysteries page on my site.
(These are the mysteries by authors who are currently on the Cozy Mystery site.)


Shapewear for the athlete. This adidas light-support sports bra lifts, shapes and sculpts while giving you the freedom to move. Wear it for dance, yoga or barre. The two-tone knit feels buttery soft, with a design that accentuates the compression zones. Targeted support hits where you need it most, so you feel locked in but never held back.This product is made with Primegreen, a series of high-performance recycled materials.
Pullover design with round neck
52% recycled nylon, 32% recycled polyester, 16% elastane seamless


text:
Now showing items 1-5 of 5
H-Ti Thermodynamic description
Previous thermodynamic assessments of the Ti–H system are reviewed, and a new evaluation is carried out by taking into account the liquid phase in the system using the associate solution model. The sublattice model is ...
Cr–Ge Thermodynamic description
he Cr–Ge binary system was thermodynamically optimized using the CALPHAD method. The liquid phase was described by means of an associate solution model. The BCC terminal solid solution was described by the substitutional ...
Alkali metals thermodynamic assessments of six binary systems
Among the phase diagrams of six binary systems composed of alkali metals, Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Rubidium (Rb) and Cesium (Cs), three of them, those of the Cs–K, Cs–Rb and K–Rb systems, indicate a complete range of ...
Mg–Nd, Mg–Zn, and Mg–Nd–Zn Thermodynamic description on the miscibility gap
With the consideration of the existence of the metastable miscibility gaps, the thermodynamic parameters of the Mg-based solid solution have been assessed for the Mg–Zn and Mg–Nd systems. The new semi-empirical equation ...
Al-Cu-Y Thermodynamic description
Phase equilibria in the ternary Al–Cu–Y system have been analyzed by coupling the CALPHAD method and first-principles calculations, and a complete thermodynamic description was obtained. The thermodynamic descriptions of ...

domain: chemistry


text:
DESIGN YOUR HOME
458,273 undersink cabinet Home Design Photos
the orpin group, interior design
the orpin group, interior design
Can you please provide the name of the maker of the vanity cabinet? Its awesome
Can you please share the dimensions and material of the vanity cabinet? How much length is generally required
custom cabinet and it was made by a custom wood working shop. They work for designers and architects. You can purchase it through my company.
walnut cabinet - black granite countertop
grout-only, no floor mouldings; large mirror, mirrored medicine cabinet.
Nice cabinet color. It is white oak with teak stain. I wonder how it would work on hickory ?
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Tim Cuppett Architects
are the cabinet pulls and where to buy?
Can you tell me what type of crown that is on the cabinets?
made the cabinets? And what are they made out of?
Atop the cabinets is a 1/2" x 3" flat board.
wood/plywood cabinets custom made in a local shop.
Love the clean lines and cabinet height
White cabinets with grey counters, cabinet top at
white cabinets - shaker style, undermount sink and faucet style. like this hood OR chimney style (see other photos) -- would choose based on cost since we like both. also like hardware on cabinets and light fixtures.
Cabinet style, island, tap, good use of ceiling height cupboards
Graydesign Architecture, PA.
these cabinets? door style name? color? Love them! THANK YOU
what brand is the cabinet hardware pulls
white cabinets that are slightly on a cream side? - thx!
Hi can you tell me where the cabinet handles and knobs are from? Thanks!
These cabinets are custom flat panel inset by Walker Woodworking of Shelby, NC. Walker Woodworking will have records of the exact colors that were used to finish the cabinets in this picture. visit them a www.walkerwoodworking.com .
perimeter cabinet countertops are Absolute Black granite honed. The wall color is a very light grey but I do not have the exact color which was selected by my client's interior designer. Thanks for your comments about this project.
the glass cabinets with drawers look like the idea proposed for the sides of the range hood
Studio Sarah Willmer
Beverley Place - Kitchen Island
The wall cabinet color is similar to my laundry room cabinetry, and the island color similar to my office.
love the blue cabinets
Ceiling and blue cabinets
cabinet colors are pleasing
cabinets for kitchen - color
colour matching of cabinets
Stratton blue cabinets
Smooth front of cabinets
Stratton blue cabinet !
Cabinet pulls...Colors, cabinets...colors of cabinets...BM on cabinets...kitchen cabinets...Cabinet Finish
Robin Amorello, CKD CAPS - Atmoscaper Design
Brooklyn Heights Kitchen
Where can I get the latch hardware on the upper cabinets?
of the cabinets? Thnx
cream cabinets with white walls and trim...could we do that??
Color of cabinets against subway tile
Cream cabinets against white subway tile
Cream colored cabinets with white subway tile.??
I like the cream cabinets -warmer
eh, cream cabinets /
Cream cabinets white trim
Stacked white cabinets
Cream cabinets with white tile.
shaker cabinets...Cabinet color...cream cabinets...Cabinet and roof...High cabinets...cream cabinets...front cabinets...Cabinet Style...Cabinet Finish
Tanner Vine - 2Go Custom Kitchens Inc
Hi! How much space is there between the countertops and the base of cabinets? I'm having such a hard time lining up my hood and cabinets and this looks great!
what brand are these cabinet (fronts) please? thanks and congratulations on an excellent result!
timber cabinets but it needs to be lightened up. What do you think of "off white" cabinets with brick work? I would really appreciate your input if possible? Thank you so much anyway.
The hood cabinets are 13" deep. We used the 500CFM Broan power pack BC4130SS which is only 11 1/4" deep. Thanks
Shelf is white but the back of the cabinet is the contrast colour
mix of wood and different cabinet heights
another mix of white and wood-toned cabinets. More "modern", but I like the different planes in the design.
Laurie Lieberman Architects
of the cabinet, counter top, sinks? Thank you!!
cabinet color / wood for powder vanity
like cabinet w/open shelves and bump in shelves to go to wall
When things get tight, improvise with stepped elements. Like this cabinet end.
Counter sink cabinets for upstairs
Cabinet towel storage
cabinets and countertop
Cabinet pulls...Like cabinet wood...Bathroom cabinets...Cabinet storage...jog in cabinet...teak cabinets...Cabinet Style...Cabinet Finish...flush cabinets
Story & Space - Interior Design and Color Guidance
lights in cabinets behind glass doors
counter and cabinets for art room
Corner wall cabinets with doors left off
Cabinets, desk lighting
Desk with cabinets above
Layout - cabinets and table
cabinets and lighting
Open cabinet with books...above stove?
under cabinet lighting
Corner cabinet...cabinet for storage...white cabinets...front cabinets...wood cabinet...Cabinet Style

domain: design


NHS’s UK contact tracing app, scheduled for mid-May, has been postponed until June due to security issues.
UK contact tracing app postponed due to security issues
The NHS app has at least seven security flaws detected by security researchers Dr. Chris Culnane and Vanessa Teague. First, there is a lack of data encryption. A lack of data encryption allows user data to become accessible to the UK government outside of COVID-19-related purposes.
Next, security loopholes could allow hackers to intercept COVID-19 exposure notifications. Hackers could stop these notifications altogether or send out fake notifications instead. Hackers could intercept phones and send out a false confirmation of COVID-19 when the phone user doesn’t have it at all.
Last but not least, the random ID only changes once every 24 hours. This gives hackers an entire day to hack into user phones. With that amount of time, users could easily predict a user’s random ID and illegally enter into their phone system.
Such a timeframe for hackers makes app users vulnerable. The purpose of random ID is to prevent hacking, and a “random” ID doesn’t stay “random” if it lasts too long. As a result, the NHS app needs frequent ID changes throughout the day.
NHS app allows privacy loopholes, by design
The NHS app allows privacy loopholes by design by way of “centralized” architecture. Essentially, the app requires UK users’ contact data to be saved to some sort of server or database. The problem with this, however, is the same as that of the unencrypted data loophole.
It allows the UK to retrieve such information once the COVID-19 pandemic is over. Additionally, the UK government could maintain access to user phone data and thus, user phones, even after the pandemic ends. The purpose of centralized contact tracing is to keep info until the pandemic ends, not to continue accessing user data indefinitely.
The NHS app and its centralization are in stark contrast to Google and Apple’s contact tracing solution (exposure notifications). Google and Apple’s solution is decentralized, saving user contact-tracing info to users’ phones.
Google and Apple require developers and health authorities to use their API in accordance with their rules. Chief among them is to maintain user privacy and use phone data in accordance with that effect. After the pandemic, Google and Apple, like NHS, intend to toss the data.
However, unlike the privacy loophole of the NHS app (unencryped data), Google and Apple’s exposure contact data is encrypted. And, above all this, Google and Apple’s user random IDs change every 15 minutes, not every 24 hours like the NHS solution.
The NHS app is an alternative to Google and Apple’s API because NHS didn’t want to give Google, Apple, and the US Government access to user data.
Other contact tracing solutions include China’s Close Contact Detector and Singapore’s TraceTogether apps, as well as Australia’s COVIDSafe.


CHICAGO (CBS) — Some Chicago aldermen want Gov. JB Pritzker to declare a state of emergency in the city and deploy the National Guard because of recent looting.
Five aldermen are now calling for a special City Council meeting Friday.
Aldermen are in recess until Sept. 9.
RELATED: Threat Of More Looting Leads To Concerns Of Downtown Chicago Exodus | Chicago Police Release Video Showing Moment They Say Sparked Violence During Protests | CPD Supt. Brown On Weekend Protests: We Will Not Stand By When People Break The Law
Wednesday Pritzker said he has previously offered the National Guard to Chicago in a support role as well as state police.


Fans of Joel McHale's quirky comedy from "The Soup" and the recently canceled (but not necessarily dead) "Community" should be prepared for a major 180 in "Deliver Us From Evil," a new movie in which he's more about wielding knives than pointed humor.
McHale stopped by TODAY Monday ostensibly to talk about turning being true to his "psychotic" self in the movie ... but he also had a bone to pick after a more elaborate version of his interview tease got cut due to other show segments.
That's life, McHale! But to make everyone feel better, here's a never-ending version of that foreshortened tease. You're welcome.
"Deliver Us From Evil" opens in theaters on July 2.


text:
NEW YORK (
) hit a new 52-week high Thursday as it is currently trading at $17.26, above its previous 52-week high of $17.25 with 13,451 shares traded as of 9:46 a.m. ET. Average volume has been 297,500 shares over the past 30 days.
Rural/Metro has a market cap of $437.6 million and is part of the
industry. Shares are up 18.3% year to date as of the close of trading on Wednesday.
Rural/Metro Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides medical ambulance response services in the United States. The company offers two levels of ambulance services, Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS). The company has a P/E ratio of 47.9, equal to the average diversified services industry P/E ratio and above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7.
- Practice your RURL trading strategies and win cash in our stock game.
TheStreet Ratings rates Rural/Metro as a
. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and compelling growth in net income. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including weak operating cash flow and poor profit margins. You can view the full
52-week high stocks
or get investment ideas from our


Our neighbourhoods represent an important place. It provides us with places to interact and socialise with others and can improve our wellbeing through green spaces.
The Place Standard tool can help local authorities, councils and organisations to pinpoint areas in neighbourhoods that require improvements. The tool involves a framework which provides you with a way to assess places, incorporating invaluable feedback from local residents in neighbourhood areas.
How is the tool relevant?
- Engages seldom heard groups
- Identifies area-based improvement needed
- Provides baseline data for local place plan, development briefs or masterplan
- Helps with priority setting
- Enables action planning
- Offers opportunities for specialists focus e.g., World Heritage Site management
- Provides site assessment
- Establishes a community brief for design charette
- Tracks design development change over time e.g., ‘as existing’ and ‘as proposed’
- Builds inter-disciplinary dialogue and dataset
How can the tool help resolve current issues for place-based work?
- Local Place Plans
- Development Briefs
- Area Masterplans
- Community Consultation and Engagement
- Co-design and community empowerment
- Design Charrettes
Examples of the Place Standard tool in action
We've collected a series of case studies that provides evidence of how the Place Standard tool can benefit local authorities, communities and organisations working in place-based projects. These case studies are a recollection of stories from people using the Place Standard tool.
Click on the links to scroll to the selected case study.
Edinburgh Southside and Corstorphine place briefs and area masterplan
Will Garrett at City of Edinburgh Council explains how the Place Standard is now embedded in the local authority’s strategic placemaking process, with reference to two early neighbourhood consultations.
Image credit: City of Edinburgh Council
As a service provider, the local authority seeks to understand the needs of its communities. We have plenty of statistical data to help with this, but the Place Standard provides a picture from the community’s perspective.
It’s all about what people think and how they feel about an area, and it’s those things that drive behaviour. To have an understanding of this is really valuable for the local authority
We have used the tool at different scales within our local authority area such as:
- helping to frame issues for the forthcoming city plan
- site-specific consultation on new developments in South Queensferry
- gauging perceptions of the management of the city centre World Heritage Site, and also for neighbourhood areas such as Southside and Corstorphine
For Southside and Corstorphine, we wanted to engage residents in discussions on what’s good about their neighbourhood and what could be improved.
For the Southside, the idea was to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the neighbourhood as a place to live, work and visit, to help shape future actions for the area.
This was being carried out as part of the activities relating to the Locality Improvement Plan.
For Corstorphine town centre, we specifically wished to consult local residents on our proposed amendments to the Corstorphine Supplementary Guidance and how we could improve it further.
In addition, the Community Council had a strong desire to engage on the issue of air quality along St John’s Road, which runs through the heart of Corstorphine. It was keen to use the Place Standard as a mechanism for having this discussion with the local community.
We promoted consultations to the residents with the help of Community Council contacts. Using promotional channels such as:
- Facebook and Twitter
- the council website
- councillor communications
- distribution of flyers to households
In each area, we have also involved schoolchildren and reached out to specific groups, such ethnic minority groups – for example via contacts linked to Southside Mosque.
We used the online and paper version of the Place Standard tool, working with groups in local venues and a diverse range of busy settings where people tend to congregate.
For the Southside, two Place Standard events were held in a community meeting room in November 2016, followed by an online survey. Participants generally completed the tool in groups of five to six people, but that varied.
Discussion was facilitated and views were recorded by staff around tables at focus groups. Responses to the consultation were consolidated and transferred to sheets that set out all comments by theme.
A similar process took place in Corstorphine, using a community space as well as the local McDonalds car park. The questionnaire was also available online.
As part of our early engagement on the City Plan 2030, we visited eight high schools across the city, running nine sessions with S3-S5 pupils. This resulted in 33 Place Standard questionnaires being completed, involving around 215 pupils.
Our public consultations that use the Place Standard influenced spatial policy (place briefs and area masterplanning), transport policy and Development Management work.
Data and lessons are also discussed and shared across Council services and included in action planning.
On a citywide scale, the Place Standard is now embedded in City of Edinburgh Council’s strategic placemaking process. In a number of cases, we have also successfully used it in schools to inform the Main Issues report.
For the Southside, the outputs fed into the Locality Improvement Plan and further detailed work is now taking place in targeted areas.
For Corstorphine, the consultation showed the public was largely supportive of the proposed changes to the town centre Supplementary Guidance. Some suggestions for minor alterations and clarifications were incorporated into the final version.
East Pollockshields regeneration design charrette
Pollokshields Community Council commissioned Collective Architecture and Dress for the Weather at the end of 2015 to lead a design charrette for East Pollokshields. They were looking to engage the community in identifying key areas for long-term improvement.
Architect Jude Barber explains how Place Standard helped the conversation.
Image credit: Ross Campbell
Make your mark project
The main aim of the project was to complete the East Pollokshields and Port Eglinton Planning Study as a masterplan document. As supplementary planning guidance to the new city development plan, it would help inform the next two decades of development in this multicultural area.
The Place Standard tool formed an integral part of the wider charrette process. It was used to structure and facilitate engagement in a holistic and clear way and highlight positive aspects of living and working in the area.
We used the Place Standard tool in a week-long charrette process in a range of different settings, which ran in February 2016. Local residents could participate and contribute regardless of how much time they could spare.
Local residents as Charrette Champions
Several active local residents signed up as charrette champions, to support the process alongside the community council and the consultant team. These champions represented a cross-section of the local community and were able to encourage participants into the project thanks to their local links.
Mobile charrette consultations
The week began with informal, on-street ‘mobile charrette’ consultations, which saw the project team go out onto the streets of East Pollokshields and Port Eglington with plans and models.
This mobile charrette used a simple, one-page version of the Place Standard compass diagram with a small comments section to obtain thoughts from passers-by on the street.
Four half day workshops at ‘Charrette HQ’
Following the mobile charrette consultation was a series of four focused group discussion workshops structured around the Place Standard topics. The setting was a specially arranged ‘Charrette HQ’ on Shields Road with a welcoming atmosphere with a:
- workshop space
- presentation area and a large-scale model
- social spaces with hot drinks
Each of the four half-day workshops covered three to four of the Place Standard themes. Everything was covered over the two days and participants who took part in all four sessions had a completed questionnaire by the end of the process.
Translating the questionnaire into Urdu
Key headings and questions were also translated into Urdu. These were displayed in the main workshop and handed out at events. Discussions around them were facilitated by the project’s Urdu-speaking engagement team member.
The consultant team was on hand, with each specialism giving a presentation at the start of every workshop. These presentations were designed to:
- provide a framework of constraints and topics for the conversation
- inspire discussion
- give a deeper understanding of the local context
Following the presentations, we divided the attendees into groups of between five and ten people, with the consultants chairing each discussion.
Role of Charrette Champions
The charrette champions helped to keep discussions on topic as well as take notes. The workshops revolved around maps of the area with notetaking and sketching overlaid.
Discussion was prompted by the Place Standard questions, which ensured consistent themes across all engagement and provide participants with an opportunity express specific concern.
Using the Place Standard app
All completed forms were transferred digitally using the Place Standard app and assessed together relative to location and key themes, and feedback. The data was collated into a report and distributed to all key stakeholders for review.
The outcomes were distilled into a five-point plan for the area and a schedule of activities for the short, medium and long term.
Discussing and sharing ideas
To conclude each workshop, the groups would gather around the large city model and present their discussion to fellow participants.
Groups were then encouraged to ‘draw up’ their findings and leave a record of their discussion over the maps and model.
A five-point vision
Through the Make Your Mark charrette process, the local community informed and developed a clear and concise five-point vision that addressed existing challenges, proposed viable solutions and set out a positive future for the area.
It seeks to build on existing infrastructure and to better support the local community in shaping and influencing the development of East Pollokshields.
A community action plan
The process also helped to shape and develop a realistic and deliverable community action plan – a series of short, medium and long-term actions through which the five-point vision could be achieved in a dynamic, phased manner.
Revealing results to the public and Scottish Government
The five-point vision and resultant actions were presented at a public meeting on 20 March 2016 and were well received. They were presented to residents, stakeholders and locally elected representatives, including Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
The process led to formation of a Community Trust which has been active since and is taking forward the aims and objectives identified in the study. A Community Engagement Officer is now in place on a part-time basis.
The trust has also arranged a three-year lease with an existing landowner to allow access and use of a disused bowling site. Plans and ideas for how this might be used by the local community are currently being developed.
Portlethen town centre place plan and local development plan
Karen McWilliam and Diane Strachan of Aberdeenshire Council’s Area Management Team for Kincardine and Mearns talk about the use of the Place Standard.
They reflect on a series of iterative community events for the settlement of Portlethen, arranged in collaboration with the Community Council.
Image credits: Steve Tiesdell
We decided to use the Place Standard tool to inform settlement statements in the next iteration of the Local Development Plan (LDP) and for Settlement Plans for the three large settlements in the Kincardine and Mearns area – Portlethen, Stonehaven, Laurencekirk.
We wished to establish a community brief for actions in each settlement.
We liked the Place Standard tool, because the themes it covers capture most of the concerns that people have in their community. It’s a very effective way to enable people to broadly focus on the whole picture rather than just one issue.
Training and early involvement
Aberdeenshire Council had been working with Portlethen & District Community Council before embarking on the engagement, and Architecture & Design Scotland (A&DS) provided training for Council staff and partners.
Involving staff and partners early on was key. We felt it was important to understand the tool and sign up to act on the priorities that would emerge from the community engagement. The hope was that staff would prioritise service delivery based on the outcomes of the engagement.
An iterative series of community events was arranged by the Council’s Area Management Team with Portlethen & District Community Council to establish a community brief for actions. Community groups and other potential participants were targeted through a known range of networks and door-to-door mail shots.
We used the paper version of the tool to facilitate group working with small groups of four to ten. Initial briefing sessions established key themes and priorities.
Action planning sessions developed the main themes that arose and identified specific projects and initiatives to be reflected in the LDP and Settlement Plan.
The first session was a very positive, well-attended event.
Using the online version
An online survey was also launched at this time to allow those who could not attend the event to have their say – around 120 people responded.
We analysed the combined data from both the event and online survey and held a follow-up prioritisation event with around 40 participants to take forward the action plan.
Incorporating community ideas and priorities
To consolidate the plans for the improvement in Portlethen, a follow-up two-day event took place in May 2018, supported by A&DS.
A rapid process confirmed the community brief and created project profiles for specific initiatives. We then discussed opportunities with stakeholders for three ‘town centre’ locations in Portlethen identified for improvement.
The crosscutting nature of Place Standard themes has enabled us to pinpoint—through the facilitated session with A&DS—what the community issues are.
We then mapped the arising brief and projects into cross-service policy and investment programmes to create an implementation programme. In this way, we were able to map community ideas and priorities into policy and investment opportunities.
Placemaking plan and community initiatives
The process gave rise to a placemaking plan for Portlethen, to be delivered by Aberdeenshire Council, as well as community and stakeholder groups. This document will inform future service delivery for the council and partners.
The process has also catalysed initiatives for the community itself to take forward and improve on, such as:
- path networks
- open space and play areas
- community facilities
- retail experience
There is also a desire to create a community website as a one-stop-shop to find out what is happening locally, and so forth.
A community event took place in February 2019 to recruit community volunteers to take forward creation of the website along with some of the other projects.
Aberdeenshire Council is also proposing to use a similar process to identify local needs and create Place Making Plans for Laurencekirk and Stonehaven. The engagement in these two locations will be slightly different and is being driven forward by the respective community councils, with less need for intensive input from the local authority.
Kirkwall place plan
Julia Frost of the place and active citizenship charity PAS talks about use of the Place Standard in Your Kirkwall, a charrette managed and facilitated for Orkney Islands Council.
Image credit: PAS
Your Kirkwall was a two-stage programme of community engagement between autumn 2017 and summer 2018, to inform Orkney Islands Council’s new place plan for Kirkwall for the next ten to 20 years.
The Your Kirkwall charrette encouraged people to come together, discuss and share ideas for the future of the islands’ capital as a place to live, work, study and visit.
It comprised a series of open community conversations and events, including a community survey, drop-in events and presentations, and facilitated workshops using the Place Standard tool.
We chose to use it due to its ease of use and because it generates ‘big picture’ data about a place.
Involving a variety of people and shared across different platforms
Your Kirkwall involved residents, schools, community groups, local businesses, voluntary organisations, the local authority and others.
A dedicated website, Facebook page and Twitter feed were set up to raise public awareness, promote events, encourage completion of the community survey and provide news updates to sustain interest.
Use of the Place Standard tool formed a key element of pre-charrette engagement workshops with schools, Orkney college and a youth club. We adapted the tool with plainer English and simplified questions to help frame conversations with Kirkwall’s young people.
Also, during the pre-charrette phase, the online and app versions of the tool were made available to residents via a unique access code. This community survey, which attracted 322 responses, helped to start the conversation and gauge the most important issues in advance of the main charrette activity.
Then, in November 2017, four facilitated public workshops of two hours each were held in Kirkwall Town Hall, with public drop-ins taking place throughout both days.
The aim of the workshops was to build on the themes identified pre-charrette, and drill down into community aspirations and priorities for Kirkwall.
Place Standard floor map wheel
To keep things visual and engaging, we produced a giant vinyl floor map of the Place Standard wheel, with plastic cones as markers for people to position on the wheel.
The floor map was placed in the town hall foyer, outside the entrance to the venue, so that anyone could engage with it.
This worked really well as we observed residents gathering round the map, some on their hands and knees, sharing thoughts.
In the workshops, we worked with groups ranging in size from two to three people and up to ten, to drill down into the perceptions data gleaned pre-charrette. The paper version of the tool was used in these workshops as a ‘mood guide’ to gauge and sense check priorities.
The tool was used in conjunction with our PAS SP=EED guide, and outputs from the Place Standard exercise fed into a draft framework for the new place plan.
Presenting and obtaining feedback
The pre-charrette activities and public workshops were followed in January 2018 by a series of public presentations, discussions and a youth summit.
These allowed us to present and obtain public feedback on the initial framework of draft proposals for the emergent Place Plan (also made available via the website and social media channels).
Opportunities for developing new spaces
The Place Standard revealed that residents genuinely had a strong sense of identity and belonging to Orkney, however there were also some perhaps surprising areas of dissatisfaction, for example low scores on greenspace.
This led directly to further work with young people at the youth summit on developing ideas to enhance greenspaces around the Peedie Sea.
A place plan for the community
Following this second stage in the consultation, the Place Plan, entitled Your Kirkwall Urban Design Framework – A Place Plan for Kirkwall, was refined and then ratified by full council (a meeting of all Councillors) on 9 October 2018.
Having been informed by such an extensive community engagement process, it can be said that the final place plan is truly owned by the community.
It now guides future council planning, design and transportation policies for the town, and is currently being written into the Orkney Local Development Plan and Kirkwall Settlement Statement as Supplementary Planning Guidance.
Kincardine regeneration design charrette
Gary Porter of The Coalfields Regeneration Trust and design consultant Oliver Chapman share their experiences of using the Place Standard as part of a design charrette for the town of Kincardine on the Firth of Forth.
Image credit: Fife Council
We used the Place Standard as part of a wider charrette process in June 2017. The aim of the charrette, called ‘Go Forth! Kincardine’, was to appraise Kincardine in its current state and help identify opportunities for co-ordinated action. This was to benefit the local community and make Kincardine an even better place.
We felt the Place Standard tool was a natural fit to assist us in gauging the community’s thoughts in a simple and tangible way.
With the tool, we focused on five target areas in Kincardine identified from the pre-charrette engagement work and from existing knowledge. These areas were of similar scale but varied in character:
- The historic village centre/marketplace
- An awkward road junction
- The high street where the supermarket was scheduled to close
- The waterfront facing the River Forth that is hard to access
The tool facilitated our engagement work with the community and helped us to tease out local perceptions of the target areas.
Tapping into experiences
We discussed the use of the tool with key stakeholders at pre-event planning and briefing meetings. These included colleagues on the charrette delivery team who have experience of using it in previous charrette work.
This formed part of the full charrette programme, which was widely promoted within the community via flyers, email, social media, and national press coverage.
Various pre-engagement events included:
- a creative workshop with pupils from the local primary and high schools walking around town with the big map
- several stakeholder meetings with members of local organisations
Following on from the pre-charrette activities, the main charrette event was held at Kincardine Community Centre over a concentrated four-day period in June 2017.
Each workshop built on the discussions of the day before to enable a thorough investigation and analysis of the key issues, gathering a full range of ideas and suggestions.
Evening drop-ins complemented the daytime workshops and opened the charrette event to as wide a sample of the local contingent as possible.
The workshops and drop-in sessions were well-attended, with over 200 participants across the four-day period.
Walking around key areas
Using the Place Standard tool on the first day, participants examined the four target areas on investigative group walks. It was each led by a member of the engagement team with a background discipline that best suited the anticipated discussion points.
Pairs of participants shared clipboards and small groups of teams focused on each target area. Participants walked around the areas and completed paper versions of the tool as they went.
After walking through key areas, participants then took part in group discussions. These discussions provided an opportunity for participants to share their findings and observations and come to a consensus on their area’s score for each of the Place Standard categories.
Each group had an anchor member from the engagement team. Individuals from other area groups were encouraged to drop in and give their opinions to build up a holistic picture.
Data from the Place Standard assessment was analysed and drawn as layers on blank, large format prints of the Place Standard compass diagram.
These were reviewed with the community at a charrette plenary session for group agreement that the outcomes reflected the general consensus. It was then digitised and included in the final charrette report with analysis.
A holistic vision of Kincardine
The key observations and issues that arose during the Place Standard exercise are now clearly prioritised in the charrette report and organised into four underlying themes:
- Heritage and identity
- Health and wellbeing
This has formed the basis for a ‘big picture’ holistic vision for the future of Kincardine, and a more detailed action plan which identifies short, medium and long-term actions.
Further discussions and emerging areas for action
The data that emerged from the charrette opened discussions with Scottish Power (about derelict land use), Co-op supermarket (which is moving out of the town centre and spurred action for improved access to local Forestry Commission woodland and more.
The process helped focus a fledgling Development Trust and led to the creation of a community anchor group, ‘Go Forth Kincardine’. The group aims to lead on and deliver the plans, projects and proposals set out in the community plan.
In addition, the wider influence of the work is shaping social and spatial policy in Fife.
Leith Docks development framework design charrette
Leith Creative, Here + Now, Biomorphis and Lateral North used the tool to help inform the ‘People and Places Make Leith Better’ project. There were around 400 respondents at 6 events and a total of 3000 participants were involved in the wider programme.
Duncan Bremner, a citizen curator reflects on how the team used the tool to get more people involved in the decision-making process.
Image credit: Leith Creative
As part of the ‘People and Places Make Leith Better’ project, we used the tool to involve and empower those not usually considered in planning or decision-making processes.
On-street engagement and public spaces
We carried out on-street engagement using a giant version of the Place Standard tool. The Place Standard wheel allowed us to create an event that everyone living or working in Leith could join in with and understand.
Working with partners the original compass was converted into a large movable rotating chalkboard.
The wheel was taken out into the community, appearing in a variety of public spaces and at street corners. It was used first near St Margaret’s House and in the wider Leith area prior to a design charrette at St Margaret’s House.
Drawing out a variety of perspectives
Assessments were predominately made by groups attracted to the wheel and supported by a facilitator.
Each individual we spoke with had the opportunity to discuss their perspective and to record their own views using coloured chalk. Photographs were taken as the wheel grew. This enabled researchers to then map an average for each session.
This early work with the tool provided the foundations for the activities at St Margaret’s House where the Place Standard wheel was the main fixture. The wheel also supported another design charrette event in Leith, used alongside a Local Heritage Listings project.
The Place Standard wheel scores were documented and presented alongside qualitative data gathered through the conversations generated around the wheel.
The project concluded in a two-day community conference where the wheel formed an integral part of sharing findings from the several charrettes and events.
Outputs were reported formally to the council, the community council—presented in a document called the Leith Creative Blueprint and shared at a series of public reporting events.
The research has also fed into the ongoing development of the council’s Northeast Locality improvement plan and the updated Leith Docks development framework. Design for physical change will form the next phase of work.
Making better neighbourhoods for Scotland
The Place Standard is a helpful tool that can support the development of places and services. If you need help with starting your journey of making better neighbourhoods, we can guide you in the right direction.


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Chris Lee came to the Fellowship ministry staff in May of 2014. He has served as Minister of Music in several churches in Lauderdale County and has provided revival music for many churches in the local area. He has also had the privilege of traveling and ministering through song as a member of the Liberty Quartet for the past 25 years. He studied music at Meridian Community College and the University of West Alabama. He received the degree of Bachelor of Science from UWA where he majored and minored in music. He has sought to use music and his musical gifts to lead people to open their hearts in genuine worship to God. Chris and his wife Reba enjoy spending time with their parents, children and grandchildren. (especially the grandchildren!) They like to camp, ride bikes, and just sit on the front porch swing…when time permits. They consider an occasional trip to the Smokies a little bit of heaven on earth! Chris’s desire is to be a worshiper…and to lead others in worship, not just through music but in every part of life.
Kevin’s ministry consists of those from cradle through college and their families. He is responsible for the youth ministry as well as giving oversight to the children’s ministry. His ministry also includes the young adults aged 18-25.
We are currently in the process of searching for a full time pastor.
Please contact our church office at 601-737-8331 for more information.


Tonight’s episode of The Bachelor was less fun and more drama, and surprisingly, a lot of came from Chris Soules’ actions rather than the girls’. For the first time, I thought Chris was less than charming, and missed the mark a little bit.
I thought he made a huge mistake by sending Jillian home; a huge mistake. Jillian was both beautiful and smart, outgoing and engaging, but she also was super nervous and hadn’t really had enough time with Chris to really make her mark. I thought that, though he didn’t like their date, he should’ve given her a rose anyways so that they could have more time to get to know each other.
But really, I’m just disappointed that Britt and Jillian are split apart. Heartbroken. #Brillian was a beautiful friendship and I am crushed that they were torn asunder. Hopefully, if Britt doesn’t win, she and Jillian will hook up again. They were the best part of the last two episodes.
Now, the thing about this episode was that Chris’s sisters came on and picked his one-on-one date. It was kind of weird and off-putting, because duh. But I thought their choice of Jade was interesting, because she has gotten virtually no screentime in the first few episodes. Jade turned out to be very interesting and a worthwhile choice, but unfortunately her date was overshadowed by the incredible amount of cross-promotional product placement for the movie Cinderella. ABC is owned by the Disney Company, so it makes sense, but Christ Almighty, the whole thing was a Bud Light commercial played straight. They made Jade a dress and the designer said that she got inspiration from the movie (then showed a clip of said movie). Chris even mentioned the movie BY NAME and kept saying fairy tale, at least a thousand times, and they even had a glass slipper along with the rose. Then, after he gave her the rose, they went ballroom dancing, while a clip FROM THE MOVIE played on a giant screen next to them. We then got to watch a quick clip. Then, the commercial break after was ANOTHER clip of the movie
It was exhausting. And trust me; I am not someone is up in arms about that stuff. I think it’s absurd to get up in arms about those things usually, but this was basically someone holding a beer can with the label facing forward into the camera for ten minutes. It was embarrassing, and took away from the episode.
There was a lot to like this episode. The sight of the women supporting Jade after she won the one-on-one date was legitimately cool, as well as after the rose ceremony when Chris and Juelia had their talk. Mackenzie has grown on me because she has been so supportive, as well.
Also, it was really interesting to see how Britt called Chris out for what she saw as bad behavior. It was a really bold and ultimately very bad idea that led to Chris letting her sweat it out to the last rose. I don’t agree with her stance, mainly because the implication of someone getting nude automatically turns them into some sort of boogeyman. Chris’s reaction was pretty priceless, because he basically pointed to the door.
That’s it for this week, I suppose. More drama coming. Favorites are holding strong.
“Favorites.” Christ. I really have bought into this, haven’t I?
– Kaitlyn won another rose, which is great. She is growing on me; she has the most developed personality shown so far (the show made sure of that), and there is real depth to her. I’ve been really impressed.
– Ashley I. is sticking around, by the skin of her teeth. She revealed to Chris her virgin-ness and freaked out about that for at least fifteen show-minutes, which meant she freaked out for at least three hours. I want her to stay because I think she’s interesting, but the show is doing her no favors by only portraying her in a “negative” light.
– Jillian, you deserved better. You are a cool human being.
– Kelsey, you are the worst.
– Looks like some STEAMY STUFF IN THE NEXT EPISODE YEAAAAHHH, but seriously it was a little unsettling. Stay tuned friends.
[Photo via ABC]


The Kedah government has signed an agreement with ECK Group to build a northern regional airport in Kulim.
ECK Group and the Kedah government will hold an 80:20 stake in a special purpose vehicle to build the airport.
The first phase will reportedly cost RM6bn.
- Is this a priority project during the pandemic, when air travel and international tourism have ground to a halt?
- Is building a new airport so close to the Penang airport the wisest thing to do in this era of climate change, when we are trying to curb emissions?
- Given that another company in the ECK Group now has a majority stake in the Penang tunnel-and-highways developer, where is the working capital for both projects coming from?


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The Dollar Project is an ongoing project about teaching kids that their creativity is invaluable.
Working with 826LA (a branch of the nonprofit writing and tutoring center founded by Dave Eggars) we’ve held workshops with kids aged 6-18 to write short stories about an adventurous young character named Galileo Greenback and his quest to improve the world around him with the only thing he has: a single, magical dollar. Where the story goes from that basic premise is completely up to them.
Phase II of the project involves getting artists and celebrities affiliated with the center to illustrate the kids’ stories using just a single dollar bill as their canvas. The illustrated dollars will then be auctioned off at an 826LA art show, proving to the kids the invaluable nature of their imaginations.
Phase III will involve assembling all of the short stories and their accompanying illustrations into a single book called the Adventures of Galileo Greenback, the profits of which will go toward the center and the continuance of the project.
So far we’ve held two workshops in LA, with more planned for the future.
Below is the original concept PDF that Ryan Lee, Jill Lin and I created to pitch the idea to 826LA.


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The Lost Treasure of the Beale Ciphers
More than a century ago, a small pamphlet was published titled “The Beale Papers,” which contained three cipher texts. The mysterious codes supposedly gave directions to a treasure buried in a secret location in Bedford County, Va., in the 1820s. The cryptic texts have captured the imagination and enthusiasm of avid cryptographers and treasure hunters ever since. However, despite numerous digs and countless attempts to crack the code, two out of the three ciphers remain undeciphered, and no treasure has ever been found.
According to the story set out in the 1885 pamphlet, an American man by the name of Thomas J. Beale came across a treasure consisting of gold, silver, and jewels in a mine located to the north of Santa Fe. Beale and 30 fellow adventurers transported the hoard to Bedford County, where they buried it in a secure location. Beale then wrote three encoded letters: one giving the exact location of the treasure, a second giving its detailed description, and a third giving the names and contact information of the 30 partners. He placed them in an iron box and gave them to a trusted friend —the local innkeeper named Robert Morriss —before disappearing, never to be seen again.
The story goes that Beale instructed Morriss not to open the box unless he, or his partners, failed to return from a journey within 10 years. When Beale had not returned 23 years later, Morriss opened the box and was stunned and excited by what he read. He immediately began trying to decode the three ciphers, but after decades of attempts, he was no closer to solving the mystery. Before he died, Morriss gave the papers to an unnamed friend, and he too, spent decades working on the decryption of the messages.
One of the three ciphers, which has not yet been decoded. (Archive.org)
Using an edition of the United States Declaration of Independence as the key, this friend managed to successfully decipher the second of the three cipher texts, which gives a description of the buried treasure. It reads as follows:
“The first deposit consisted of ten hundred and fourteen pounds of gold, and thirty-eight hundred and twelve pounds of silver, deposited Nov. eighteen nineteen. The second was made Dec. eighteen twenty-one, and consisted of nineteen hundred and seven pounds of gold, and twelve hundred and eighty-eight of silver; also jewels, obtained in St. Louis in exchange for silver to save transportation, and valued at thirteen thousand dollars.”
However, unable to decipher the remaining two texts including, most importantly, the cipher containing the location of the treasure, the friend ultimately made the story and the ciphers public in “The Beale Papers” pamphlet, published by another friend, James B. Ward, in 1885.
Cover of “The Beale Papers” (Wikimedia Commons)
The publication of the papers sparked a frenzied attempt to decipher the mysterious codes, and treasure hunters, impatient with attempts to unlock the remaining ciphers, grabbed their shovels and headed for the hills of Bedford County and began digging — the 2 nd cipher described the location as being within 4 miles of Buford’s Tavern.
While some will never be swayed in their resolve to find the treasure, some experts consider the Beale ciphers to be an elaborate hoax. Cryptographer Jim Gillogly in his 1989 article “A Dissenting Opinion,” and forensic linguist Joe Nickell in his article in a 1982 issue of The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, both present compelling arguments suggesting that the person who published the 1885 pamphlet —supposedly James B. Ward —was the same person who wrote the original letter with the ciphers —supposedly Thomas J. Beale. A linguistic analysis, for instance, revealed strong similarities in writing style between the original letter and the published papers, including the same use of punctuation, grammar, and vocabulary.
Joe Nickell also pointed out that the original letters, supposedly written in the 1820s, used words such as “stampede” and “improvise,” which were not in use until the 1840s, indicating that they could not have been written at the time alleged.
Attempts to track down the mysterious Thomas J. Beale from Virginia were also met with dead ends. Could it be that the Beale Papers were just an elaborate ploy carried out by James B. Ward to earn a few extra dollars? The pamphlets were sold at the price of 50 cents (roughly equivalent to $13 today), and the author was no doubt expecting a wide and enthusiastic readership.
Despite all the evidence suggesting that the whole story is nothing more than a hoax, dedicated cryptographers continue to work tirelessly on the code, and fortune seekers still comb the Bedford County countryside for the elusive and perhaps non-existent treasure, spurred on by the thrill of perhaps one day solving the centuries-old riddle of the Beale ciphers.
Featured image: A view of Bedford County, Va., where the supposed treasure of “The Beale Papers” is said to be buried. (Wikimedia Commons) Bottom right: Cover of “The Beale Papers” (Wikimedia Commons)
The article ‘The Lost Treasure of the Beale Ciphers’ was originally published on The Epoch Times and has been republished with permission.


World War II - 13 stamps Wehrmacht 1944
Wehrmacht Day 1944
On the occasion of "Memorial Day", March 12, 1944, the second set of 13 "Wehrmacht" stamps was issued. The stamps also included an envelope-tax, a very widespread fact in Nazi philately, as a collection channel for different purposes.
Since Nazi Germany began to annex and invade territories, a debate arose as to which name best defined the new enlarged German state and therefore to use, "Deutsches Reich" or "GrossDeutsches Reich". In philately it was not until 1944 when the term "GrossDeutsches Reich" started to be used, which can be seen in this second set of stamps.
10 pfennig: in this stamp of the second series we see a "Scheinwerfer" or beacon that was used as support for the Fliegerabwehr (Fliegerabwehrkanone) or anti-aircraft batteries.
16 pfennig: one of the prides of the "Kriegsmarine" (Navy) were the "Schnellboot" or torpedo boats. These were a clear example of how German engineers sharpened the ingenuity to circumvent the rearmament prohibition established in the Treaty of Versailles.
20 pfennig: Arado hydrofoils were the aircraft used by the German Navy for reconnaissance missions during the war in the Atlantic. It first took flight in 1938.
24 pfennig: on this stamp we see an "Eisenbahngeschutz", a cannon that was carried on the railroad tracks. This type of gun was especially functional as it allowed very heavy guns to be moved quickly across the continent if necessary.


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The last months have seen the return of the long-standing dispute between the supporters of intervention into the natural processes and human management in the Białowieża Forest, and the advocates of extending its protection, arguing that it is a unique forest and an invaluable treasure of nature. We demand maintaining the current restrictions on forest management, and hence we are a party in this dispute. Below, we summarise the most important conflict issues, debunk myths and correct the half-truths which regularly appear in some media.
Who should we believe in this dispute?
We encourage you to restrict your trust when it comes to the Forest, as the Internet is full of home-grown experts and naive people repeating the lies they have heard. So, always check the credentials of people speaking about the Forest (ours too). Listen to the scientists who can support their claims with scientific evidence and do not have any interests other than to protect the Forest – we neither sell timber nor profit from tourism.

domain: politics