By Mark Dominiak
Special to TelevisionWeek
Last week my kids and I were in channel-surfing mode and wandered across “The Princess Bride” on A&E. We quickly began repeating lines from the film.
Miracle Max: “With `All Dead,’ there’s usually only one thing you can do.”
Inigo: “What’s that?”
Miracle Max: “Go through his clothes and look for loose change.”
“The Princess Bride” has always been one of our favorites and we quickly became engrossed in the story.
This particular cinematic interlude not only sparked a good idea for a column but also provided a welcome reminder of how compelling stories can capture viewers’ attention. After all, this is the perfect time of year to watch the power of compelling stories in action. Classic holiday stories such as “A Christmas Carol,” “A Christmas Story” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” will probably be on many viewing lists during the next couple of weeks.
It’s also a likely bet that storytelling will be part of many social agendas as well. Get-togethers with family and friends usually include a healthy dose of narrative sharing. Christmas Eve in our home always ends with bedtime reading of “The Night Before Christmas.”
Storytelling is perhaps the most powerful communication tool human beings have ever devised. We accomplish much through the action of storytelling. We share ideas, experiences, emotions and rituals. Stories are an outstanding way to convey complex ideas and principles.
Stories help people deepen connections to one another. They engage us on many levels-with the spoken word, with conjured visual imagery, with body language and with raw emotion. Very few forms of communication, let alone advertising, can deliver as complete and compelling a message as can stories.
At its best, advertising as a communication form can do a wonderful job of telling compelling stories, powerfully engaging consumers and deepening relationship bonds between consumers and brands. Media plans can play an important role in helping advertising communications reach this lofty level.
Here are four planning strategies that can enhance the ability of the advertising message to convey a story:
This is the simplest of the strategies. It relies on consumers’ deep engagement in story content they’ve selected. The assumption is that if consumers are deeply engaged in programming, the chance of completely absorbing advertising communication is increased.
A hot example of a program in which to ply this strategy is “Lost.” In giving cheers to “Lost,” TV Guide’s Dec. 19 issue states, “It turns out audiences will come back every week to follow stories-if they’re good.”
Capturing a consumer’s attention within a quality environment week in and week out is a good thing. If creative messages can be crafted to take advantage of compelling story environment, communication impact will follow.
The Sequential Story
A powerful story environment changes with the nature of the target a planner is trying to reach. It’s unlikely many media planners found the recent airing of “Samantha: An American Girl Holiday” on The WB worthwhile fare to watch, but for young girls and moms, it was a must-see. The two-hour presentation tapped into the strong connection many young girls have with American Girl dolls-not just the toys but the stories that surround them as well.
Tide took wonderful advantage of the program content and storytelling environment to drive home branding.
Its effort included a series of spots designed to tell a story, such as animated spots showing families preparing for a special event threatened by a winter storm.
Each unit showed families washing or folding clothes before leaving for the mysterious event. The campaign included multiple billboard placements and within-pod animated spots followed by Tide-branded :30s.
The final spot revealed town members heading to a clothing drive-not even rough weather could stop the good-hearted folks from a kind deed. Viewers were then encouraged to join Tide in a clothing drive.
Capping off the integration, the “Samantha” presentation itself included a clothing drive for orphaned children. At program’s end, girls were asked to chip in like Samantha did to help Tide and American Girl gather clothes for the homeless.
Arguably some of the best story content on television since its inception has originated on “The Hallmark Hall of Fame.” Quality stories, quality actors and quality production have been Hallmark’s hallmark for years. Viewers know they will be treated to compelling stories.
Hallmark has done a wonderful job as an advertiser within the environment it has created. Units of choice are 60-second or longer spots and each unit is a story in its own right. Creatives love to sink their teeth into the opportunity 60 seconds of real estate provides. The challenge for media planners is to provide creatives with that opportunity.
Medium as Message
The best place to leverage this principle is at the cineplex. Consumers enter theater environments for the specific purpose of watching a story. Comfortable seating, lowered lights and a huge screen all work together to make the storytelling experience more dramatic. Well-crafted messages placed in a cinema environment enhance the moviegoing experience and are welcomed by consumers.
Two other worthy medium-as-message environments are video/DVD and in-content product placement. In both environments, the challenge is for messages to present a compelling story or for the brand to be effectively woven into the story.
When planners simply make the space purchase and neglect to work closely with creatives in crafting executions, message communication will fail to leverage the opportunity of the storytelling environment.
As you dive into storytelling environments this holiday season, think about how you might better use these powerful opportunities to connect brand messages to engaged consumers with your 2005 plans.
Mark Dominiak is principal strategist of marketing, communication and context, Insight Garden LLC.


Inflation, interest rates, deficit, debt, capital adequacy ratio -
Just a month ago these were relegated to the realm of economic gibberish. Politicians, pundits and the public snorted when economists tried to explain how important it is to protect our achievements regarding the above.
Euphoria reigned and the reforms of the last three years looked like voodoo orchestrated by loopy economists who had no idea what was really going on.
Yet these five parameters, and many other more complex ones, describe the structure of the Israeli economy and capital market. They are the true shield of the home front and battlefront, too.
Tel Aviv stocks have fallen 14% from their peak in May 2006. The dollar has risen 1.9% against the shekel from its nadir of two weeks ago. The deeper Israel trudges into the mud of Lebanon, the more likely stocks and the shekel are to erode.
Yet Israel's economy has proved resilient, and to understand why, we have to take a longer view beyond the rates of the shekel and stocks in the last two months.
Pricing levels on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange are high by any historic parameter. The shares in the big banks have lost 20% from their peak, but they're still 30% to 40% above their shareholders' equity.
Far, far from the Katyushas
For the sake of comparison, throughout the gay 1990s, the banks usually traded at around their equity value. During the intifada four years ago, their share prices imploded to 50% of their equity.
In the last two months, the entire Tel Aviv Stock Exchange has taken a beating. Blue chips have fallen to 775 points. But note that was their level at the end of 2005, and nobody saw a military conflict coming back then.
In general, the TASE's reaction to the war in the north seems very relaxed indeed if we recall that Wall Street, which is nowhere near the Katyushas, had been slithering south. Nasdaq lost 6.5% in the last two months, returning to its level of a year before. Well before the first shot was fired, asset prices in emerging markets were tumbling the world wide.
The price of capital must be seen from the longer perspective too. Short-term interest rates have risen from 5.7% to 5.9% in the last month. Long run interest rates rose from 6.4% to 6.6%. But the interest rate gap between the shekel and dollar is zero, roughly the lowest it's ever been. During the last intifada, the interest rate gap widened to about 4%.
Forward, ram head into sand!
One might explain the remarkable resilience of Israeli stocks as Israeli soldiers march into Lebanon, through the irrepressible optimism of investors as they ram their heads into the sand, and refuse to notice the change in regional risk premiums.
Or one might say that the optimism of Israeli and foreign investors alike relies on the very same fundamentals with which we began.
*The government's low budget deficit and the treasury's commitment to keeping it that war: Before the war, the treasury figured it could almost balance the books this year, running almost no deficit at all. It has room to maneuver if the war drags on.
*The national debt/GDP ratio has been declining. Israeli debt remains high by international standards, but it its declining trend and the commitment by the Finance Ministry and Bank of Israel to reducing its further are of tremendous importance.
*After ten years of painful disinflationary policy, Israeli inflation has been contracting for three years now, to western levels. Everybody remembers the first Lebanon war as the days of hyper-inflation and the government's loss of control. In these days of Lebanon war II, we have come to take western levels of inflation for granted, and the markets are fully confident that Bank of Israel governor Stanley Fischer will keep it there.
*Four years ago, the banks were the weakest link in Israel's financial chain. The credit sprees during the boom years, and corporate Israel's total dependence on the banks for loans, threatened the very stability of the system. But the leverage at the banks has been reduced and a whole market of credit outside the banks has developed, which reduces the risks of another credit crisis, even if we sink in the mud of Lebanon up to our knees.
Since Israel opened its economy fully to capital movements at the end of the last decade, we have been hit by two extreme security situation-related shocks. We failed the first test of the first intifada; the economy fell back into protracted recession and extreme steps had to be taken in order to avert financial meltdown.
The second shock is happening now, just as we're wider open than ever before to capital flows. Tens of billions of shekels belonging to foreigners and hundreds of billions belonging to Israeli investors could up and flee at any moment, at the click of a mouse, if confidence in our resilience crumbles.
When the cannons roar, it is time to truly appreciate how important it is to preserve responsible economic policy. The public and government need to concentrate on the northern front and the fight with Hezbollah, without worrying about a new front of battle opening up: an economic one.
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By Ben Lovejoy
Unnamed congressional staffers have accused Apple of trying to water down an anti forced labor bill that would place obligations on US companies to ensure their supply chain was not involved in such abuse. The bill aims to end the use of forced Uighur labor in the Xinjiang region of China.
The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act passed 406 to 3 in the House in September and has now reached the Senate. We learned last month that Apple enlisted a lobbying firm to engage with Congress, but no explanation was offered at the time
The post Apple accused of trying to water down anti forced labor bill appeared first on 9to5Mac.

domain: news


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Bloomington’s mayor, John Hamilton, gave a speech last week on Thursday, released in a Facebook video, that revealed the basic approach the city will take to spur a local recovery from the economic impact of COVID-19. It’s a program the mayor is calling “Recovering Forward.”
The speech prompted a response from county elected officials in the form of a pointed press release issued late this Friday afternoon.
By way of background, the mayor had sketched out the initial part of his recovery plan at a Bloomington city council work session the Friday before. To jump start the effort, the initial part of the plan includes a request to the Bloomington city council for a $2-million appropriation.
Overshadowing the rest of the speech was the mayor’s renewed pitch for an increase to the local income tax, something he’d announced as a goal on New Year’s Day. The amount of the proposed increase last week was reduced—from a half point to a quarter point—compared to the proposal he’d made earlier.
The way the local income tax works is already a point of friction between Bloomington and Monroe County government.
But escaping mention in the local press was this passage from the mayor’s speech:
I’ll note that the City’s recovery investment can and I believe should be in parallel with a similar county government investment in recovery, with their also-healthy financial reserves. I’ve urged our colleagues in county government to expand their support for eviction protection, for our public health system, for the criminal justice system reforms so sorely needed, and for other recovery needs.
That paragraph from the address, among others, piqued the interest of the mayor’s “colleagues in county government”—who wondered why the mayor felt it was his place to urge them to do anything at all.
On Tuesday evening, the seven-member Monroe County council, which is the elected fiscal body of county government, held a video-conferenced public forum on the future of law enforcement funding.
Described on the agenda as a “community concerns and law enforcement resourcing meeting” the three-hour event was led by Latosha Williams from the Community Justice and Mediation Center. Attendance by the public reportedly peaked around 150 people.
Councilors imposed the hiring freeze because they had concerns about the clarity of the county’s financial picture, given the unknown revenue impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The objections to Swain’s proposed filling of two vacant deputy positions came in the context of nationwide and local demonstrations over the May 25 killing by Minneapolis police of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, along with other recent police killings of Black men and women.
A Georgia-based company that recently bought local sign manufacturer Hall Signs is asking Monroe County for a tax abatement worth about a quarter million dollars.
In a preliminary step last Tuesday, Monroe County councilors gave the proposal a unanimous vote. The county council will likely take a final vote at its regular meeting next month, which falls on July 14.
The order came in response to anti-police-brutality protests that have taken place nightly starting May 29.
The vote by commissioners to order enforcement came towards the end of their Wednesday meeting.
That meant the meeting was bookended with votes related to the protests. At the start of the meeting, commissioners took turns reading aloud a resolution on criminal justice reform, which they voted to adopt without deliberating further on it.
Among the “resolved” clauses of the ordinance is one that says commissioners “respectfully request the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department to continue to develop written policies which implement Eight Can’t Wait principles …”
By a bit after midnight on Wednesday morning, no sheriff’s deputies had arrived at the Monroe County courthouse lawn to enforce a local ordinance on hours of use for the grounds. [Updated at 2:24 a.m. on June 10, 2020: Sheriff’s deputies arrived around 12:30 a.m. Details appended below.]
For the last dozen nights in a row, the courthouse lawn, at the corner of Walnut Street and Kirkwood Avenue, has been the scene of protests against against police brutality and for the defunding of law enforcement.
Based on statements from the Monroe County legal department—made earlier in the day and at the county council’s Tuesday meeting—the expectation was that on Tuesday night, the hours of operation for the courthouse grounds would be enforced by sheriff’s deputies.
Two three-person committees were disbanded by the Monroe County council last Tuesday. One was an “executive committee” established at the start of the year. The other was a “COVID‐19 budgetary and fiscal review committee” created at the end of March.
Councilors aren’t against the idea of subsets of Monroe County’s fiscal body working on public policy issues. But they want to avoid inadvertent violations of Indiana’s Open Door Law (ODL).
Last Tuesday’s vote made it about a month after the memo was issued, when the council decided to dissolve the two committees. But one member of the budgetary committee, Marty Hawk, had already resigned—around the time the memo was given to councilors.
Several new committees were established by Bloomington’s city council at the start of the year, on a 5–4 vote. It generated enough controversy that councilmembers continue even now on occasion to conduct implicit debate about the existence of standing committees, when they’re deliberating on other topics.
The Monroe County council’s nearly four-hour meeting on Tuesday was capped off with a presentation from councilor Geoff McKim, who relayed some good financial news.
Monroe County will receive about $1.4 million in supplemental local income tax (LIT) revenue for its general fund this year. That will be added to the roughly $13.3 million of LIT revenue in this year’s general fund budget.
McKim made a recommendation for use of the $1.4 million, based on the uncertain impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on future county revenues. The county should put the extra LIT revenue in the county’s rainy day fund, McKim said.
No vote was taken on the question. It’ll likely come up at the council’s work session on May 26.
Some of the decisions, like spending money on refurbishment of the Alexander Memorial, were put off again, while others, like the overhaul of telecom infrastructure in the Nat U. Hill meeting room, got approved.

domain: economics


Once in a while, we want to affirm the values that San Francisco Forest Alliance stands for. We’re a grass-roots organization of people who love nature and the environment, pay taxes responsibly, and want access to our parks and wild places – with our families.
Citizens care about their city Parks, and want to keep healthy trees and to open access to natural areas. Citizens expect city management to act responsibly and in the public trust, for FAIR allocation of 2008 Clean & Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond funds.
SF Recreation and Parks Department (SFRPD) and particularly the Natural Areas Program (NAP), obsessed with Native Plants, is cutting down trees, restricting access, using more toxic herbicides than any other section of SFRPD (excluding Harding Park Golf Course), and using financial resources that could better be used for things our city’s residents really want.
Watch our video on Youtube, (where you can also sign up for the SF Forest Alliance Youtube channel):
OUR MESSAGE TO SAN FRANCISCO AND SFRPD
What we stand for can be summarized in four key areas: Trees, Access, Toxins, Taxes.
- TREES: Stop destroying city park trees and the surrounding thickets and habitat. We support hazardous tree removal, but we’re beginning to see “hazard” used as an excuse for removing any large tree. The probability of death by tree-failure is half the probability of being struck by lightning. By contrast, trees save a life every two years in San Francisco by fighting pollution and sequestering carbon. [Edited to correct the number of lives saved.]
- ACCESS: Open public access to trails and natural areas for people and their families, including children and pets. NAP plans to eliminate 9 miles of trails, and close some areas to dogs. As SFRPD moves into Natural Areas, the first thing that goes up is signage restricting users to designated trails. The only acceptable activity in a “Natural Area” is walking along that trail. No exploration or climbing or games or picnics.
- TOXINS: Eliminate use of toxic pesticides in the Natural Areas. NAP is the single largest user of “Tier I” (most hazardous) herbicides within SFRPD, (aside from TPC Harding Park, which is a golf course managed by PGA Tour, and effectively outside SFRPD’s control).
- TAXES: Manage valuable Bond funds to actually benefit the park-users and align with their priorities. Redeploy resouces wasted in the natural areas. NAP’s experienced gardeners would be a blessing to city parks that have lost their gardeners to budget cuts. The money spent rebuilding trails that don’t need it could pay for fixing some of the rest-rooms that didn’t get funded. (An SF Weekly report showed that instead of the 35 restroom renovations voters had expected, only 21 actually got done.) Money paid for herbicide spraying could pay for a rec center program.
Excellent explanation as to what we who care about our environment and parks are trying to point out and prevent. I especially agree about the restrooms. How about doing something *useful* and helpful for our parks for once.
BRAVO !!! Can this newsletter be send hard copy certified letter to every Board of Supervisor the Mayor and heads of SF City government, incl NAP , Park and Rec, Urban Forests …well done…where do we go from here…..thank you for your work one and all on this clear issue..
Pingback: Open Letter to SF Weekly | San Francisco Forest Alliance
Thanks Kathleen for your support and excellent suggestions!


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321 Gang, Inc. announced today that it is now a Scaled Agile Inc. (SAI) Gold SPCT Partner, and that 321 Gang Director of Technology, Harry Koehnemann, Ph.D., a contributor to the SAFe Lean Systems Engineering (LSE) Principles, has achieved the elite designation of SAFe Program Consultant Trainer (SPCT).
This talk presents the new SAFe 4.0 and discusses how these, and the other additions, help large, engineering system builders realize the benefits of lean and agile practices.
Many have discussed, and some have questioned, how Scrum and agile principles apply to non-software disciplines. Can they apply? Will they provide benefits? We’ve been working with a large program that has gone “all in” scaling and applying agile. They build complex defense systems with hundreds of mechanical, electrical, and embedded software engineers and significant compliance demands. This program is completely organized around delivering value through dozens of cross-functional agile teams, strongly influenced by SAFe LSE for alignment and coordination.
Harry Koehnemann, Director of Technology at 321 Gang is presenting Applying the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) to Lean Systems Engineering at the GRUC Webcast on September 10, 2015 at noon Eastern. The Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe®) is an industry-leading, publicly-facing framework for scaling Lean Agile development practices. It is based on Lean and Agile principles, Systems thinking, and product development […]
321 Gang’s Director of Technology, Harry Koehnenmann, will be presenting on Applying the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe®) to Lean Systems Engineering (LSE) at the IBM Continuous Engineering Symposium at 11:05 AM on May 12, 2015 in Dallas, Texas.
View WebcastThis talk presents the current state for SAFe LSE and show how applies to large product and program development. We will motivate the need for lean systems engineering by showing the challenges of traditional engineering in the context of and show how SAFe LSE can support systems that have variability and uncertainty.
In this 46 second video excerpt of Harry Koehnemann’s interview, he discussed how 321 Gang helped one the three major US car manufacturers to modernize their engineering life-cycle and system development process to allow them to focus on the driver experience.
View WebcastLarge programs are routinely late and over budget. Commercial complex systems gain quality only via expensive testing. Stunning, newsworthy failures occur with disturbing frequency. How can these risks and issues be mitigated? It’s a tough problem but there is a solution that is better than merely managing complexity; one must actively reduce it to permit scaling. This includes elements like organization-follows-architecture, and iteration to tighten feedback loops. We’ll show you! Please join us.


A security incident occurs when the company’s computer infrastructure has been breached. These types of incidents are mostly preventable or manageable with strong security programs such as ServiceNow security incident response systems. If your company does not devote enough resources to a strong security and resolution implementation system, you may lose thousands of dollars and valuable data and face lawsuits due to your inaction. Here, we give some examples of security incidents that all companies in the digital age are likely to face.
Data breaches or unethical hacking
One of the most prevalent types of external threats is unauthorized users, otherwise known as unethical hackers, accessing your valuable data or the protected data of your clients. This can have serious consequences for your business. Sensitive data can be extremely valuable, and your business can face lawsuits as a breach. Signs of data breaches include log-ins to your server from unknown locations or unknown accounts asking for access to your data or servers.
Data breaches can happen from both outside or inside the company. Always watch out for these tell-tale signs to prevent this sort of accident. If it does happen, isolate the server that has been breached to prevent spread. Put in place measures that prevent this from happening again in the future, such as by implementing multiple security layers or complex passwords.
Unauthorized overwriting of data or systems
This can be carried out by individuals or pre-programmed malware. Usually, a computer virus will be able to access your servers or IT system and either overwrite your data to fill up all your server or disk space or alter certain aspects of your system. This is dangerous as it can take control of your organization away from your hands. A number of tasks can be carried out by overwriting system commands, such as revealing sensitive information, making purchases, and carrying out fraudulent wire transfers. You can even get locked out of your own system through this rewriting process. Prevent this from happening by having various malware protection layers in place, such as firewalls and antiviruses. Train your employees in security, and always look for weaknesses in your systems.
Unusual traffic patterns
Unusual traffic patterns generating in or out of your servers can mean that a security event has taken place. A large volume of data being transferred from your network could indicate that it has been breached. If you are receiving multiple hits on an unknown website from your servers, it could also mean that your servers are being hacked and used by some other company. To detect such issues, always look at your use patterns. If your data consumption pattern changes sharply, that could indicate that someone else is using your server space or is logging in to your system.
The best way to keep your company protected is to invest heavily in security. Thorough training of all employees is also necessary to eliminate risks of human mistakes. Unscrupulous people and negligent users both pose similar threats to IT infrastructures.


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(as of Sep 07,2022 22:27:37 UTC – Details)
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domain: entertainment


text:
In the introduction to an issue of Ploughshares edited by the late poet Jean Valentine, who died in December, she says: “My dreams were very important to me right in the beginning. I had a teacher in college who said ‘You could write from your dreams’ and that was like being given a bag full of gold.” Inspired by Valentine and her award-winning first collection, Dream Barker, write a poem that begins with an image from one of your dreams. Allow the internal logic of dreams to guide your lines.
Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

domain: artistic


text:
That's Just Fine
Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer may have to pay a fine for an ethics violation, as the Associated Press reports: HELENA - The official overseeing an ...
Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer may have to pay a fine for an ethics violation, as the Associated Press reports:
HELENA - The official overseeing an ethics complaint against Gov. Brian Schweitzer said Thursday that the governor appears to have violated state law by distributing a public service announcement after filing for re-election.
University of Montana law professor William Corbett, appointed hearings examiner in the case, said state law bans the use of state funds to produce PSAs featuring an officeholder who has stated his candidacy. He recommended that Schweitzer be found guilty of violating the law and fined $750.
"The narrow issue is, am I allowed as governor to record messages for radio stations while I'm running for governor?" Schweitzer said. "This law professor says the law is ambiguous and the intent of the Legislature cannot be known. On that basis, I agree with him.
"It's hard to see how there can be a fine of $750 for a law that's ambiguous."
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About Rural Communities
When we think of communities, we tend of think of urban communities. But about 20% of the population of the UK actually live in rural communities, and their needs are understandably different from those in urban areas.
They face different challenges, often travel more, especially by car, and the rural population is rising – mostly as a result of people moving away from cities. That means a different emphasis on needs, values and services in rural communities.
The Needs Of A Rural CommunityIn the countryside, people use cars more and travel greater distances these days. Much of that is because city residents have moved away from urban areas and commute to work. Because of this, smaller roads hold more traffic now, meaning there can be greater traffic congestion in villages, so rural councils have to deal with that.
But those aren’t the only transportation issues facing rural residents. Bus services have been widely cut, and many areas have little or no train service, making things harder for older residents, and access to healthcare has been a growing concern, too, especially with the closure of a number of the old cottage hospitals.
Every community needs a centre, a focal point, and in countryside communities, that is generally the village hall, which might be part of the church, a separate building or even a British Legion hall. Where it might once have seemed just a place to hold WI meetings, these days the role of the village hall has greatly expanded. You’re likely to find playgroups there for young mothers, a farmer’s market once a month and all manner of activities encompassing the whole community.
One of the greatest challenges for a rural community has been keeping a young population. With house prices constantly rising due to the influx of people from the cities and fewer job opportunities, it can become harder to make young people stay, and every community needs to be self-renewing, so keeping the young around becomes important for communities, whether it’s education, bringing in employment opportunities or finding ways to make housing affordable to the young who’ve grown up there and don’t wish to leave.
Many communities have faced these challenges head on to keep their part of the countryside vital and growing, and there are plenty of organisations to help them, such as Action with Communities in Rural England and the Commission for Rural Communities.
The Future Of The Rural CommunityRural communities are in no danger of dying out, and nor will farming become a lost art, as the need for food production constantly grows.
With government help, many rural communities have really begun to tackle the important issues facing them. Some are national and some are specific to particular communities, and many communities are working together to help bring about change.
One area that’s being addressed is to find the balance between longtime residents and the incomers, integrating them into the community, rather than the constant feeling that they’re outsiders. Many are eager to be involved and help bring about change, but first they needs to understand the needs of those who’ve lived there all their lives, rather than impose their own values. Conversely, longtime residents also need to adapt, as the countryside is definitely changing.


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- The Wrestling Observer reports that former WCW and WWE star Ernest “The Cat” Miller is now working as the Director of Chuck Norris’ World Combat League.
– After it was reported that Ryback vs. CM Punk for the WWE Title would take place at the January 7th RAW, and even strongly teased by WWE at RAW and this week’s RAW tapings, word came out that the match might not happen after all. Now we know why.
There is strong talk that the match won’t happen on January 7th because the idea is to milk Ryback vs. Punk for as long as they can without actually doing the match. Eventually it will happen but officials really want Punk healed up because they have him set for a major WrestleMania 29 role. They want to make sure he doesn’t come back and re-injure the knee, putting all Road to WrestleMania plans in jeopardy.
The Hottest WWE news, photos and videos delivered to your inbox in one convenient newsletter. Sign up now and give it a try!
|9||*Spoiler* Another Stipulation Added to Team Cena vs. Team Authority at WWE Survivor Series|
|9||TNA Announces New Multi-Year TV Deal, Dixie Carter Comments|
|9||*Spoiler* Huge, Huge Name Scheduled to Make WWE TV Debut at Survivor Series|
|8||Screeching Weasel Frontman Blasts CM Punk, Calls on Female Fans to Challenge Punk to Fight|
|6||The Latest On When Roman Reigns May Return To The Ring, Check Out Sting's WWE 2K15 Entrance|


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Varsity Brands carefully guards its products with copyrights in several of the 2-D artistic designs that appear on its uniforms, as well as on other apparel. When competing athletic clothing manufacturer Star Athletica began copying Varsity’s designs, Varsity turned to Goodwin for a legal remedy.
Varsity sued Star Athletica for infringing five of its copyrights. The federal Copyright Act allows designers to obtain a copyright in any “pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work.” An exception applies when the work “is the design of a useful article.” Star argued that the uniforms were a “useful article,” and the colorful designs cannot be separated from the uniform, so the copyrights are invalid. The district court agreed with Star, but the court of appeals ruled for Varsity. The Supreme Court took the case “to resolve widespread disagreement over the proper test” for separability under the Copyright Act.
The Supreme Court voted decisively (6-2) in favor of Goodwin client Varsity Brands, ruling that copyright protection is not undermined even though a design may follow the outline of a cheerleading uniform (or a guitar, or a ceiling panel) on which it appears. The Court held that the test is simply whether the design feature would qualify as a copyright-eligible work on its own, when imagined apart from the useful article. Here, the designs can be pictured on a painter’s canvas, or on a T-shirt; they are separable from the uniform fabric on which they appear. The Court’s clarification on a murky area of copyright law was met with cheers from the fashion industry and other designers who can be expected to look to copyright law to protect their products from knock-offs.

domain: design


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Have your kids ever been to a real farm? Do they know what a carrot looks like while it’s still growing in the ground? Who has had the chance to pick a tomato right from the vine and taste it when it’s truly fresh or watch chickens as they cluck around the yard looking for something good to eat?
Visiting a working farm helps kids to truly understand where fresh food comes from and what it takes to make everything grow. We’re fortunate to have many working farms in the Boston area and enthusiastic farmers who want to show the kids around. The cows, pigs, goats, chickens, geese and more are always willing to participate!

domain: agronomy


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Perkins will remain in that position until a new city clerk is appointed.
Perkins will take over the responsibilities from Marie Macias who officially leaves the position later this month to go into retirement.
How did we do? If you found an error or a gap in our reporting on this story, please
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Tag: Institution of Civil Engineers
Bentley Systems Announces Two Colleagues Become Fellows with Professional Engineering Associations in the U.K.
Bentley Systems, Incorporated (Nasdaq: BSY), the infrastructure engineering software company, today announced that two of its colleagues have qualified as Fellows with highly regarded professional associations.
ENGINEERING SUCCESSES CELEBRATED AT THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS EAST MIDLANDS ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY
On Thursday 10 June, the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) held this year’s EastMidlands Awards Ceremony (EMMAs), which took place online due to the...
Highest sustainability honor awarded to Expo 2020’s engineering, infrastructure, landscaping, public spaces and more
DUBAI– Eight infrastructure projects across Expo 2020 Dubai have been awarded the highest rating under CEEQUAL, the internationally recognised sustainability assessment for civil engineering, representing a...
ASCE signs ‘landmark’ agreement on sustainable development
Knowledge of sustainable development should be a key requirement for engineers, according to a joint statement of intent signed by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the British-based Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), and the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering (CSCE).


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Rectangles Rock n Roll Quilt Workshop
An ideal 2-day workshop for those who have a stash of jelly rolls or fabric in the cupboard to use.
2-day workshop. Pattern included.
Join Pauline to create this easy straight 2 ½” wide strip quilt, which can be made any size.
Each block is made from striped pieces. After the blocks are pieced, they are then quilted individually and joined together using one of Pauline’s Quilt As You Go (QAYG) Techniques.
The borders on the quilt are then quilted, before joining them on to finish the quilt.
You’ll take your project home to complete at your leisure.
If you are interested in Pauline teaching her workshops for a guild or a shop, please get in touch by completing our Workshop Enquiry Form below. We will then contact you to discuss further details and dates.

domain: hobby


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INDONESIA (Staff Report) – A team of Australian-led researchers have discovered a 700,000-year-old hobbit on the Indonesian island of Flores, shedding new light on human evolution.
The new fossils, however, are not extensive. A partial lower jaw and six teeth, belonging to at least one adult and two children, are all researchers have.
The dwarf-like ancestors of modern man stood at just one metre tall and are estimated to be a million years older than a hobbit found on the island a decade ago. Researchers have termed the discovery as an important step in understanding evolution.
The University of Wollongong’s Gert van den Bergh led the team who found the fragments. Talking about the teeny weeny brains he suggested that shrinking may have occurred because they were marooned on the island in a simple ecosystem with few predators, where perhaps they did not need such a big brain.
“But what is clear is that they made stone tools, so they weren’t stupid,” he said.
The process, called “island dwarfism,” was well known in animals, with some species shrinking as much as six-fold in adapting to an environment with fewer resources.
Dr van den Bergh said the discovery was significant because the fossils were much older than the previous hobbit find known as “Homo floresiensis”.
“It was such a strange creature — only a metre tall with such a tiny brain and a mixture of primitive and advanced characteristics — and nobody really knew for sure what it was or what we should conclude,” Dr van den Bergh said.
Debate over the hobbits of Mata Menge has already kicked off. Other researchers are skeptical of the idea that the cave hobbits and the Mata Menge hobbits are closely related.
An independent reviewer for the Nature journal, Aida Gomez-Robles from George Washington University’s Department of Anthropology, backs the link between Homo erectus and Homo floresiensis.
Following is a short insight into the discovery and how it can totally revamp the concepts of evolution.


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is it possible to use removeMovieClip() successfully in a
I am loading an external swf using loadMovie() and am using a
preload function so that I can modify the width and height of the
loaded swf. This works except for removing the preloader using
The same code works as intended in the component itself.


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LGBTQ+ Movies And Shows You Need To Watch This Pride Month
June is celebrated as Pride Month, a time dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community around the world.
June is celebrated as Pride Month, a time dedicated to celebrating the LGBTQ+ community around the world. Over the years, media and movies have also become more inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community. With the world in a lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak, celebrate Pride Month with these heart-touching LGBTQ+ movies and shows.
LGBTQ+ Movies & Shows To Watch This Pride Month
Feel Good is a British comedy-drama that holds true to its name. Created by Mae Martin and Joe Hampson, this show holds a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Mae Martin is funny yet wholesome as the recovering addict and struggling comedian. Friends fans will also enjoy seeing Lisa Kudrow as Mae’s mother in the series. All six episodes of the series have been released.
Little Fires Everywhere
American drama web miniseries Little Fires Everywhere is based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Celeste Ng. The series has a heavyweight cast featuring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. Little Fires Everywhere deals with many social issues such as classism, racial discrimination, and gender discrimination. Released on Hulu in March this year, the series consists of eight episodes.
The Half of It
The Half of It is a beautiful coming of age film that centers around Ellie. While Ellie is gay that isn’t the takeaway of the story. Ellie becomes friends with Paul who has a crush on a girl. It turns out so does Ellie. However, this doesn’t immediately descend the film into a downward spiral of friendship but uplifts into a story about discovering yourself.
Pose is a drama television series about New York City’s African-American and Latino LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming ballroom culture scene. The first season is set in the 1980s while the second season takes place in the early 1990s. The show was renewed for a third season by FX in June.
Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan
Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is great in the way that it does not stereotype gay relationships or individuals. Ayushmann Khurrana and Jitendra never fall into the cringe gay character stereotypes and actually build up a real, human story that the audience can care about. You root for the star-crossed lovers in this movie like any other heterosexual pairing and a lot of it has to do with the way the story has been told.
Betty is based on Skate Kitchen and takes on social stereotypes surrounding women. Betty is a slur used to refer to female skateboarders but our characters don’t really care. They are ready to show the world the true meaning of girl power and they’re doing it by bringing down stereotypes on skates.
The Favourite was a period black comedy film that came out in 2018. The film explores the relationship between Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough (Rachel Weisz), and Abigail Masham (Emma Stone). The two cousins are locked in a race to be court favorites of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman). Featuring an ensemble cast of Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone, and Olivia Coleman, the film packs a punch when it comes to performances.
The 2017 Academy Award winner for best picture, Moonlight presents three stages in the life of the main character, a young, gay African-American man. We get to experience his youth, adolescence, and early adult life. Moonlight explores the difficulties he faces with his sexuality and identity. It also explores the physical and emotional abuse he goes through.
Moonlight is a hauntingly human film that treats topics like poverty, race, and homosexuality with raw honesty.

domain: sociology


2015 Audi A4
updated: October 21, 2015 12:06 | launched: October 21, 2015
Due for a model change soon, the current A4 is still a force to be reckoned with in the D-Segment where many of its competitors stand. Unlike the equivalent BMW or Mercedes-Benz, the Audi A4 is front wheel drive but that doesn't mean it's dull to drive. The handling is still sharp and can give sporty cars a run for their money when the going gets twisty.


CASPIAN - Criss-Cross Top
CASPIAN (Caspian Sea)
- Criss-Cross Top.
- Custom Cut Cups, taking two straps into one Clasp Back.
- Made with High-Quality, 4-Way Stretch, 80% Nylon | 20% Spandex fabric.
- Fabric is in a deep, matte finish and of a perfect weight for the design.
- Hand Wash | Air Dry.
Save $5 by getting the Designed Set here;
QUESTIONS? WE'VE GOT ANSWERS.
Color Black, White, Deep Blue, Deep Orange, Deep P


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Illusion Magic Show Stage
If you love being part of the action you will love the audience in all of our shows.Philip and Henry is also one of the largest resource for magical fun in North America. The team of professional magicians at Philip and Henry delight audiences of all ages with eye-catching magic tricks and hilarious comical performances.
Philip and Henry can provide astounding illusion magic show and magic programs with our incredible magicians. Let our illusion magic show and child birthday party planning put a smile on everyone's faces. Think how wonderful it would be if our illusion magic show would be present in your event. Get ready for a hilarious magical performance and illusion magic show that will tickle your funny bone and delight your senses.
Whether on or national television we have entertained millions with our comedic flair and magical illusion magic show performances.Our expert magicians have captivated audiences from all walks of life---from corporate birthday parties to college dances and we've saved the biggest bad of tricks for you. The workshop begins with Philip and Henry's magician showing the class a special magic trick then giving the participants a chance to guess how it was done. Then, when the secret is revealed, the magician will patiently teach them how it was appropriately done. We offer illusion magic show and other entertainment for school, daycare, corporate, camp, adult party, and any special occasion.
Your guests are sure to be entertained because we bring you illusion magic show that are very creative, entertaining, and truly magical. Not only we feature illusion magic show , we also offer the following options for everyone to enjoy:
So whether your guests are waiting to be seated or enjoying a meal, Philip and Henry will make sure that their experience with our illusion magic show is fun, exciting, and memorable.
- hilarious magic shows
- magical rings
- grand illusion show
- standard adult show
- magic for birthday or private parties
- college/university shows
- corporate events
- fundraising events
- magic silks and ropes
- disappearing objects
- illusion magic shows
- The Amazing Bag of Magic Tricks
- birthday magic party theme entertainers
- adult magic shows
- magic shows for children
- mingle magic
- child birthday party planning entertainers
With illusion magic show , our amazing entertainment services are all high-energy with lots of audience participation and interaction.Philip and Henry takes pride in the fact that we are one of the largest entertainment companies offering illusion magic show , birthday magic party theme, and child birthday party planning. And for more than 20 years now, we have made people from coast to coast gasp in wonder because of our illusion magic show , birthday magic party theme, and child birthday party planning.
PHILIP & HENRY USA, INC.
For your illusion magic show needs


Leaders Oppose Division Of Kashmir
5 February 2004
Karachi: Division of Kashmir will not be acceptable, not only to Kashmiris, but also to the 140 million Pakistanis. If anyone made an attempt to divide it he would have to face the wrath of the whole nation. This was the consensus that was reached at a seminar, entitled 'Islamabad Declaration and the Future of Kashmir', which was held on Thursday. The seminar, organized by PML-N Sindh in connection with the 'Kashmir Day', was presided over by Raja Zafarul Haque. The PML-N chairman was flanked by leader of the opposition in the Senate, Mian Raza Rabbani, who is also the PPP's Deputy Secretary-General, prominent politician Meraj Mohammad Khan and PML-N Sindh leaders acting President Imdad Chandio and General-Secretary Mamnoon Hussain while Khwaja Tariq Nazeer conducted the proceedings. Referring to the Islamabad declaration they said this was not the only document, as was claimed by Gen Pervez Musharraf, in which India had conceded that Kashmir was a disputed territory. This fact was accepted by New Delhi in the Simla agreement and also in the Lahore declaration. Accusing the rulers of making compromises on national issues, Raja Zafarul Haque said that it was due to incompetence that the present government had backtracked on almost all issues of importance. They have had an easy sailing because they did not have too many opponents, he said. He termed the attitude of the present rulers towards the nuclear scientists as harmful for the country. Tracing the country's history, he said despite opposition and foreign pressures the nuclear programme was kept operational for more than 30 years. The PML leader said that had Pakistan not possessed the nuclear device, India might have issued an ultimatum, asking for its surrender within a stipulated period. It was because of Pakistan's nuclear capability that India had not indulged in adventurism. Raja Zafarul Haque said conspiracies were being hatched against Pakistan's nuclear programme since the last 30 years but every government, whether elected or caretaker, had resisted foreign pressures except the present one. He said the government's policies would not last long as in the beginning the people were not fully aware of their implications. Today the government was not being run by Mir Zafarullah Jamali but by Gen Pervez Musharraf as the premier called the president his boss. Referring to the case of scientists, he said that instead of adopting a national stance over the issue, Gen Musharraf had said repeatedly that some scientists, in their individual capacities, and not the government had been involved in nuclear proliferation. He said the present rulers, who used to say that Kashmir was a core issue and no talks could be held with India without a discussion on it first, had made a U-turn. New Delhi used to say that there was only one difference in the approach on Kashmir between India and Pakistan. India stood for status quo on Kashmir while Pakistan wanted to break the status quo. But now, he said, this difference had been removed. Mian Raza Rabbani accused Gen Musharraf of giving priority to his individuality over national institutions and said important decisions were being made outside the parliament. Even the cabinet was often not taken into confidence. Highlighting the need for a national consensus on the Kashmir question, he said the same could be reached after a debate on the issue in the parliament. However, he made it clear that no solution of Kashmir would be acceptable to the people if Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif were kept out of discussions. He said that as far as the nuclear scientists were concerned, it was ARD's stand that the issue should be placed before the parliament and if it was too sensitive the Parliament session could be held in camera. He said the so-called 'mercy petition' of Dr A.Q. Khan instead of being sent to the cabinet for consideration should be sent to the parliament. Meraj Mohammad Khan said Dr A.Q. Khan had saved Pakistan by offering his sacrifices once again. He said the present government had taken so many U-turns that he had a hunch that it was going to take one on nuclear programme as well. He said that as Pakistan and India both were nuclear powers, the Kashmir issue could not be resolved through war but through dialogue. He said what a turn history had taken that those who were opposed to the Lahore declaration were now sitting at the feet of Indians.


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He presented the trend of strengthening of online activism on the expense of traditional methods of working of the civil society sector. He underlined the need for adjustment of the civil society sector towards online model of working. Furthermore, he emphasized that many state agencies around the world, including many international organization have already made a step further and have established an online model with the public. However, he mentioned specific problems which occur in regard to information flow through the current online model, which very often depends on foreign money, thus, he reiterated that the internet communication did not fulfill the expectations for promotion of free flow of ideas and that states even today can control the information flow.
Additionally, he also mentioned the security risk which internet poses for many activists and organizations.
He also opened the debate about the ownership of the internet data, while expressing the need for opening a debate about models of online activism, which will not be owned by any private owner or a possibility for state surveillance.
In the end, he said that he still does not see a trend which will contribute to significant change of the current model of online activism, but hopes that the opening of such debate could initiate process of changes.


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We are pleased to announce that preparation for the 19 National Exhibition of Agricultural Technologies “AGROPROM 2020” organized by “Expo-Center METEOR” have already begun! It will take place from 26-28 February, 2020 on the territory of the Agrosoyuz Holding, Dnipro. This national exhibition of the agricultural industries will provide an opportunity for everyone involved in agriculture and related activities to expand and diversify their business in Ukraine.
At “AGOPROM 2020”, farmers will have opportunity to be given access to integrated solutions to improve productivity and simplify farming, while agriculture-service providers will have a platform to showcase and market their products, techniques and technologies to the participating farming community.
AGROPROM 2020 – GENERAL INFORMATION:
February 26-28, 2020
Wednesday & Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location: AGROSOYUZ Holding
1 Nyzhnedniprovska Str.
For more detailed information, please contact us: email@example.com
Tel./fax: +38 (0562) 357-357
Mailing address: PO Box 796,
Dnipro, 49008, Ukraine
of producers, Processors and Exporters of Grain, 1997-2021.
When quoting and using any
materials reference to the Ukrainian Grain
Association is obligatory. If you use the
Internet, you must also use the hyperlink
to http://uga.ua Site development
To register on the website, please contact the administration UGA firstname.lastname@example.org


To print this page, select "Print" from the File menu of your browser
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Late night news & current affairs
TV PROGRAM TRANSCRIPT
Datacasting auction cancelled
It was hailed as the beginning of a whole new world of television and a potential big money-spinner. But the Australian Government's sale of datacasting licences has ended with a whimper. The Government had been hoping for a big bang- hundreds of millions of dollars in extra revenue now the planned auction in two weeks time has been cancelled.
Compere: Tony Jones
Reporter: Nick Grimm
NICK GRIMM: Interactive television makes life easier.
That may have been the promise but Communications Minister Richard Alston is finding that interactive television is making his life anything but easy.
In theory, Australia's digital datacasting licences should have been able to sell themselves.
The technology offered advertisers direct access to almost every household in the nation, via a television set.
The Government's sales pitch said it all.
SEN RICHARD ALSTON, COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER: Today marks an important milestone on the road to the new world of digital television.
NICK GRIMM: But that milestone now looks further away than ever.
The Government's embarrassing cancellation announcement coming just 11 days before the auction was due to be held.
STEPHEN SMITH, SHADOW COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER: This is a complete complete debacle for the Government.
Their datacasting regime is in tatters.
It's a billion dollar blunder.
NICK GRIMM: As overseas experience has shown, datacasting offers anyone with a television equipped with a set top box access to the Internet and potentially a limitless range of services.
The Federal Government had been counting on raising around $2.6 billion from the sale of the datacasting spectrum.
It punches a big hole in Government revenue but for the PM today, it was a case of easy come, easy go.
JOHN HOWARD, PRIME MINISTER: Well, a lot has changed in relation to the whole spectrum scene including a changed market view about the value of investments in this area.
These things come and go.
The bottom line is whether we have a strong bottom line and we still have one.
NICK GRIMM: When the Government unveiled their policy established free to air commercial broadcasters were the big winners.
Potential providers said they would have to add here to content rules preventing them from showing anything resembling existing television.
The list of illegal content was as long as your arm.
SEN RICHARD ALSTON: Drama, current affairs programs, sporting programs, entertainment and lifestyle programs, comedy programs, documentaries, reality television programs, children's programs, light entertainment and variety programmes.
NICK GRIMM: Little wonder then that interests in buying into datacasting soon waned.
In the process the Government had made powerful enemies, in particular News Limited's Rupert Murdoch.
With datacasting policy in tatters, it seems it was all for nothing.
PAUL BUDDE, COMMUNICATIONS ANALYST:; I think the grand vision has been flawed from the very early beginning in 1996 when it was conceived.
That's the stage where you start splitting up technology in bits and pieces and try to please everybody involved in the industry by giving them a little piece of technology.
NICK GRIMM: Analysts are tipping that datacasting will now remain in limbo after the election, the Opposition promising to offer prospective datacasters and viewers more freedom of choice.
Nick Grimm, Lateline.


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Once upon a time there was a woman who was a witch. She caused only pain and suffering, and she ruled her world carefully, taking what she wanted and commanding those subject to her.
Once there was a woman who entered the witch’s domain. She had a heart of kindness and courage, and her eyes saw to the soul of everyone she met. It was to her the hurting and broken came, for they knew that with her there was refuge and healing.
The witch did not like the woman, and she did everything she could to drive her away. She belittled her, and repaid honor and kindness with disdain. She called the woman a second choice. She called the woman’s kindness hatred toward herself, thinking that the woman lived the same way she herself did. She cast shadows across the woman’s character.
And to the outside world it would appear that the witch had won. The woman left the witch’s domain. But the shadows of the witch could not stick to the woman. Her beauty was undimmed, and the beauty of her character shone through all the more when everything seemed darkest.
The witch did not win. The great God of the woman’s heart won, though at a great cost. And the unseen evil in the world shuddered and fled.

domain: library


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(This is 3.75 stars)
“Say Anything” is a 1989 offbeat senior high school teen rom-com drama full of naiveté, brimming with emotions, peppered with some humor.
“Say Anything” is an enlivening take on the turmoil of young love. Ok, I have to admit it’s somewhat cheesy, but what teen love isn’t? We’re not talking of Jesse and Celine from Before Sunset maturity level here. It’s one of those rare movies that capture that once in a lifetime love. You’ll see unforgettable performances from John Cusack and Ione Skye. It’s a solid coming-of-age movie. Bonus: there are no evil principals here, lol!
Lloyd lacks direction in life, and by utilizing that in a relatable manner common to graduating seniors that age, who aren’t certain of their life’s path and hammering the iconic boom-box-in-the-air ode to his love maneuver, this movie speaks with so much fluency.


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What is the greatest threat to a steel structure? The answer is corrosion. About 85 percent of all steel is carbon steel, which means it is more susceptible to oxidization, or rusting. Left unprotected and susceptible to the elements, carbon steel often shows oxidization within a matter of a few days. As steel oxidizes, the integrity of the metal is affected, which in turn affects the quality and strength of the product or structure the steel was used to build.
Several factors contribute to the corrosion of steel, including humidity, temperature, pollution and rainfall. The corrosion rate of steel can vary greatly, depending on the environment, use and makeup of the steel. However, one thing remains the same—steel will corrode, and quickly, if steps are not taken to protect it.
While there are several solutions to help prevent the corrosion of steel, one of the most effective and most common methods used by steel fabrication companies in Indiana is galvanization. Let’s take a closer look at this corrosion prevention method.
What is galvanization?
Simply put, galvanization is a method of rust prevention that involves coating a steel surface with a thin layer of zinc. Zinc helps to prevent water and oxygen from reaching the steel underneath the surface by acting as a sacrificial metal. What this means is that the zinc coating takes the steel’s place as the forefront exposed to the environment and suffers corrosion rather than the steel underneath.
How does it work?
Zinc is more reactive than iron and loses its electrons more quickly. This simply means that, when exposed to moisture and air, the electrons in zinc are more likely to react to the environment than the electrons in steel, which results in the zinc taking the brunt of the oxidization while also protecting the steel.
How is it applied?
There are several methods of galvanization. However, the most common galvanization method is hot-dip galvanizing. In this method, the steel is submerged in a bath of melted, molten zinc. The end result is a thick, robust layer of zinc that covers the entire surface of the steel. In some instances, when a thinner layer of zinc is required, another method called electrogalvanizing may be used. In this method, a current of electricity is run through a saline and zinc solution. The electric charge of the solution allows the zinc to adhere to the steel surface, which results in a zinc coating that is much thinner than the one obtained through hot-dip galvanizing.
Quality steel fabrication companies in Indiana know that galvanization is the preferred way to protect steel, which is why we use this method at Benchmark Fabricated Steel. No matter what steel product or structure you are looking to have made, you can trust that we will create a quality product that will also be able to stand the test of time. To learn more about our steel fabrication services and the extra steps we take to best serve our customers, give us a call today!
Categorised in: Steel Fabrication
This post was written by Writer

domain: chemistry


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EMAP gas delivery systems must be accurate and repeatable hence why expensive pre-mixes are often used. Engineered, on-site custom gas mixers can reduce cost whilst maintaining quality.
Equilibrium modified atmosphere packaging gas delivery systems are used to surround both cooked and uncooked food and natural commodities (for example meat, cheese, fruit and even cut flowers) within a controlled atmosphere. Essentially, food packaging is filled with gas rather than simply air. The reasons for doing so are numerous and obviously includes the prevention and suppression of decay but also to delay ripening or maturation plus the maintenance of appearance, colour and flavour. The “equilibrium” is based upon the process of O2 transmission through the packaging film being matched by the O2 consumption of the packaged commodity and, in the opposite direction, the diffusion of CO2 (a by-product of respiration in living plant tissue) through the packaging depending upon the films CO2 transmission rate.
Historically, packaging plants have used pre-mixed gases delivered in cylinders. This makes complete sense when a single pre-set gas mix is required as the engineering is simple, straight forward and cost effective. However, modern cultivation methods do result in a wider product variation and it is now more desirable to be able to vary the gas mix accordingly. Equally, the modern packaging plant does not cater for just one single product line so again the gas mix must be capable of being changed. If each of these changes results in as different pre-mix then it becomes a very expensive and space-consuming business. In parallel, the piping systems required for multiple pre-mix gas systems can be complex and component-rich thus increasing cost and maintenance whilst also increasing the risk of leaks and cross contamination.
An alternative is to create the required mixture from pure source gases with a gas mixing system. Typical gases include Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide.
Alicat mass flow controllers are well suited to the creation of custom gas mixing systems. Their inherent flexibility and adaptability may be utilized to great effect within the food industry. Alicat mass flow controllers are pre-calibrated for 98+ gases and gas mixes. Therefore, a delivery system that was initially setup to blend N2 and O2 can be quickly reconfigured to blend CO2 and CO without any change to hardware. Furthermore, with COMPOSER™, the user can program their own gas mixtures directly from the home screen of the device or via serial communication if that is preferred. It is possible to save up to 20 additional user-made gas mixtures.
Alicat mass flow controllers do not change range when you change the gas selected. A controller configured for 1 SLPM full scale of air will remain at 1 SLPM controller whether flowing Nitrogen or Carbon Dioxide. There are no conversion factors (known as k-factors) so the accuracy statement remains valid regardless of the gas type. Alicat mass flow controllers operate superbly over a minimum of 200:1 turn-down ratio and, with a new revision being released imminently, this will be further increased significantly. Thus a 10 SLPM mass flow controller will accurately deliver to 0.05 SLPM and beyond.
All Alicat instruments are equipped with a multi-drop RS-232 or RS-485 interface. This allows the system developer to read and set all of the mass flow controllers through a common RS-232 or RS-485 serial interface. This eliminates the complex, expensive, and failure-prone analog interfaces that have been the industry norm for control interfaces. An Alicat BB9 or a BB3 multi-drop box , combined with Alicat’s Flow Vision™ MX gas blending software simplifies the system integration process even further.
A summary of the benefits of dynamic gas mixing from Alicat controllers can be seen as :
Combine elemental gases (including common sub-blends) to be mixed on demand.
Improved flexibility to change the mix ratio.
Mix gases at the point of use.
Save money: using MFCs to mix onsite is typically cheaper than buying pre-mixed blends
Accommodate wide ranging gas ratios and flow rates.
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Process monitoring via compact, practical solutions for remote desktop or industrial settings.
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Tel +44 (0) 1953 609930


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About the Centre
The Centre for Literature and Archives focuses on the curation, analysis and editing of manuscripts. Bringing together colleagues from English, Modern Languages and Cultures and History, the Centre aims to promote the university’s Special Collections, which specialises in writers with South West links such as Ted Hughes, Daphne Du Maurier, Agatha Christie, Charles Causley and Henry Williamson. The Centre has also established links with other archives of national and international significance. Besides organising conferences, exhibitions and public lectures, it takes an active role in pursuing the further acquisition of literary papers.

domain: literature


Kia has confirmed that it will unveil its Concept EV, a large RV (Recreational Vehicle) and specialised mobility solutions at the 2023 Auto Expo
Kia India has today announced that it will showcase a host of products at the 2023 Auto Expo in Greater Noida. The South Korean auto major has confirmed that it will unveil its Concept EV ‘developed and designed to reflect innovation in the automobile’. In addition, a large RV (Recreational Vehicle) and specialised mobility solutions will also be on display.
The Kia Pavilion at Hall no. 7 spans 3,150 sq m and it will enable a range of engagement activities including Kia EV6 Simulator zone, a Technology zone showcasing a live demonstration of Kia Connect, a KIN wall of fame highlighting Kia’s local milestone, a smart plastic recycling unit, etc. Speaking of the exhibits, Tae Jin Park, MD & CEO, Kia India said,
“As a young carmaker, it has been our constant endeavour to offer a unique experience to our patrons. For about 4 years, we have been an inspiration for many, and the Auto Expo 2023 will not be any different. Through our diversified product showcase, we will offer visitors a glimpse of a sustainable tomorrow.”
As the Kia KA4 premium MPV will be revealed at the biennial motoring show and it has officially been teased as well. The KA4 spawned the fourth-generation Carnival in early 2020 in many international markets. It is more upmarket than the existing Carnival on sale in India and gets a more futuristic design appeal.
The teaser shows the presence of wraparound LED tail lamps, a sleek headlamp cluster with integrated LED Daytime Running Lights, a large greenhouse, etc. The interior will also be more premium than the India-spec Carnival with twin-screen layouts and a slew of more advanced features and technologies.
The Kia EV9 concept will also make its domestic premiere along with 7-Seater Kia Sorento SUV at the 2023 Auto Expo and it has a large footprint in a similar fashion to the Telluride. The three-row flagship SUV concept has several commonalities with the EV6 electric crossover including the E-GMP platform and its production model is due for launch in the global markets in the near future.


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These elegant Celtic Warrior double round drop earrings would make a beautiful gift for someone special or for yourself as a treat. They are one piece of jewellery that is sure to attract attention. Why not finish the look with the chic matching triple pendant?
The stunning Celtic Warrior collection was inspired by the intricate engravings on the Ardagh Chalice which is housed in the National History Museum of Ireland in Dublin. The Ardagh Chalice dates back to the early 9th Century and was found in 1868 by two men digging for potatoes in Ardagh, Co Limerick.
Claddagh Jewellers - The Celtic Jewellery Specialists - From Galway with Love!

domain: history


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Introduction: Keloids are the result of excessive scar tissue formation. Besides their poor aesthetic appearance, keloids can be associated with severe clinical symptoms such as pain, itching, and rigidity. Unfortunately, most therapeutic approaches remain clinically unsatisfactory. Recently, injections with botulinum toxin A (BTA) were proposed for the treatment of established keloids in a clinical trial. In this study, we aimed to verify the effects of intralesional BTA for the treatment of therapy-resistant keloids using objective measurements. In addition, the underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated using cultured keloid-derived fibroblasts. Materials and Methods: Four patients received BTA (doses varying from 70 to 140 Speywood units per session) injected directly into their keloids every 2 months for up to 6 months. Differences in height and volume were evaluated clinically and measured with a 3-D optical profiling system. Keloid-derived fibroblasts were treated with different concentrations of BTA, and expression of collagen (COL)1A1, COL1A2, COL3A1, TGF-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, fibronectin-1, laminin-β2, and α-SMA was determined by real-time quantitative PCR. MTT and BrdU assays were used to analyze the effects of BTA on fibroblast proliferation and metabolism. Results: Intralesional administration of BTA did not result in regression of keloid tissue. No differences in expression of ECM markers, collagen synthesis, or TGF-β could be observed after BTA treatment of keloid fibroblasts. In addition, cell proliferation and metabolism of keloid fibroblasts was not affected by BTA treatment. Conclusion: The suggested clinical efficiency of intralesional BTA for the therapy of existent keloids could not be confirmed in this study. Based on our data, the potential mechanisms of action of BTA on keloid-derived fibroblasts remain unclear.
In skin, scars form as the result of a complex physiologic wound healing cascade and may arise following any insult to the deeper dermis . Hypertrophic scars (HS) and keloids are the pathological results of excessive scarring and – in addition to their poor aesthetic appearance – are often associated with clinical symptoms such as itching, pain, and increased rigidity. Aberrations in the wound healing process promote HS and keloid formation, and an imbalance between anabolic and catabolic phases during wound closure is possibly relevant. Further risk factors for pathologic scars include genetic susceptibility, localization in specific anatomic sites, prolonged inflammation, wound infections, and delayed epithelialization . Compared to HS, keloids appear to be the result of a more sustained and aggressive fibrotic process . Current evidence points to a more prolonged inflammatory period with a specific immune cell infiltrate present in the scar tissue of keloids resulting in increased fibroblast activity with greater and more sustained extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition .
In the developed world alone, a total of 100 million patients develop scars each year as a result of 55 million elective surgeries and 25 million operations after accidental trauma . A recent survey performed in the USA confirmed that many patients are disappointed with the resulting scars irrespective of gender, age, or ethnicity . As demonstrated in this survey, many patients would highly value any opportunity to improve or minimize scarring following surgery or trauma . However, most therapeutic approaches remain clinically unsatisfactory, probably due to poor knowledge of the complex mechanisms underlying the process of excessive scarring.
Reduction of the muscular tensile force during scar formation as well as restoration of the balance between fibroblast proliferation and cellular apoptosis may represent a novel therapeutic option for the aesthetic improvement of postsurgical scars . Botulinum toxin A (BTA) paralyzes local muscles and reduces skin tension caused by muscle pull, thereby decreasing scar tension and subsequent inflammation in wound edges . Indeed, Gassner et al.  could demonstrate that BTA injections into the musculature adjacent to the wound within 24 h of wound closure resulted in enhanced wound healing and less noticeable scars compared to placebo. Recently, intralesional injections with BTA were also proposed for the treatment of established keloids in a prospective, uncontrolled study . BTA was injected into the lesions at 3-month intervals for a maximum of 9 months at a concentration of 35 units/ml. Total doses ranged from 70 to 140 units per session. At the 1-year follow up, three of the 12 included patients demonstrated excellent results, 5 patients had good results, and 4 patients had fair results. This therapy did not fail in any of the patients. When analyzing clinical symptoms, scar regression was noted from the periphery in all of the patients, followed by flattening of the lesions. Within the follow-up period of 1 year, no signs of recurrence were noted in any of the patients. As a mechanism, the same group could then demonstrate that BTA was able to reduce the expression of TGF-β1 protein in fibroblasts derived from scars and significantly reduced their proliferating rate .
As BTA promised to be very effective in the treatment of pathologic scars, this study aimed to verify the effects of intralesional BTA on keloids resistant to any previous therapy using objective measurements. In addition, the potential underlying molecular mechanisms of BTA treatment on keloid tissue were investigated using cultured keloid-derived fibroblasts.
Material and Methods
Four patients (2 male, 2 female) suffering from keloids for longer than 2 years resistant to any previous therapy (e.g. kryotherapy, intralesional corticosteroids, silicone sheets) and presenting to the scar clinic of the Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, from May to July 2011, were included in the present study after signing informed consent forms. Keloid scars were defined clinically as itchy, raised, erythematous tumors projecting beyond the original wound margins. A detailed patient history including duration, any predisposing factors such as trauma, infection, or any inflammatory skin disorder, any prior treatment implemented, and family history was obtained. In all 4 patients, any prior treatment was discontinued for at least 6 months before starting treatment with intralesional BTA. For treatment, BTA (Azzalure, 125 Speywood units diluted in 0.5 ml saline) in a total dose varying from 70 to 140 Speywood units per session was injected directly into the keloid tissue every two months using a 24-gauge needle for a maximum of 6 months.
3-D Optical Profiling
3-D optical profiling (Primos 3D Imaging; GFMesstechnik GmbH, Vectra 3D) was used to objectively measure the differences in height of the keloid scars at baseline and after 2–4 treatment sessions.
Fibroblast Culture and BTA Treatment
Primary fibroblasts were isolated from tissue biopsies obtained from keloids from 3 independent patients after signing informed consent. Different patients with keloids were chosen for fibroblast isolation as an additional, partial keloid excision for fibroblast isolation could have negatively influenced the outcome of BTA treatment. However, keloids chosen for fibroblast isolation were comparable to those that were treated with BTA injections with respect to body location and the skin color of the respective patients. First, subcutaneous fat was removed from keloid specimens and washed in PBS. For separation of the dermis, specimens were incubated overnight at 4°C in sterile Dispase II (Roche) solution (4 mg/ml). The next day the epidermis was detracted and the dermis was minced into pieces of 2 mm2 in sterile cell culture dishes. Explants were gently covered with Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (PAA Laboratories) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and penicillin (100 U/ml), and streptomycin (100 µg/ml) (PAA Laboratories), and incubated in a humidified incubator at 37°C and 5% CO2. Fibroblasts were grown out of the tissue and after 3–4 weeks cells were detached by trypsin and re-plated. Passages 3–6 of keloid-derived fibroblasts were seeded at a density of 1 × 104 cells in 12-well plates. After 48 h, the cells were placed in serum-free medium for at least 24 h before starting the experiments. Medium was changed to DMEM with 1% fetal bovine serum, and BTA (Azzalure, 5–10 U/ml) was added to cultured cells for different time periods.
Real-Time Quantitative RT-PCR
For gene expression analyses cells were harvested after 24 h and total RNA was isolated using an RNA Miniprep Kit (Zymo Research). cDNA synthesis was performed with 1 ug of total RNA using a DyNAmo cDNA Synthesis Kit (Finnzymes). Expression of collagen (COL)1A1, COL1A2 and COL3A1, TGF-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, fibronectin-1, laminin-β2, α-SMA, and PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) was determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR) using Evagreen PCR Master Mix (BioRad) as specified by the manufacturer. All primers were synthesized by Qiagen, and β-actin was used as housekeeping gene for normalization. All PCR assays were run in the Bio Rad CFX96 Real-Time System.
Cell Proliferation Assays
Fibroblast proliferation was determined by BrdU assay (Roche Applied Science). Cells were incubated with BTA for 72 h and BrdU added to the cell culture for the final 24 h. Incoporated BrdU was then detected by an anti-BrdU antibody labeled with HRP. Absorbance was measured at 370 nm using a microplate reader.
The MTT assay was performed using an MTT cell proliferation kit (R&D Systems). After 72 h of incubation with different concentrations of BTA, 30 µl of MTT reagent were added to the medium and the cells were incubated for another 4 h at 37°C. After addition of the solubilization solution, absorption of the produced formazan was measured at 570 nm.
All graphs and statistical calculations were made using GraphPad Prism 5.0 (GraphPad Software, Inc.) Statistical differences between groups were determined using a two- or one-tailed Student’s t test. Values are expressed as means ± SD and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Repeated injections with BTA for up to 6 months did not change the macroscopic appearance, morphology, or size of keloid scars in 4 patients (fig. 1a). Objective measurements using optical profilometry confirmed the visual impression and confirmed no significant change in keloid volume and height after BTA therapy (fig. 1b–d).
In cultured fibroblasts isolated from keloid scars BTA treatment did not change the expression of TGF-β1–3, COL1A1, COL1A2, or COL3A1 (fig. 2a, b). Also, the transcriptional activity of genes involved in the synthesis of ECM proteins which are excessively activated in keloid scars such as fibronectin 1, laminin-β2, and α-SMA was unchanged after BTA treatment (fig. 2c).
Consistent with the macroscopic impression that the cell proliferation of keloid fibroblasts was unchanged after BTA treatment, the expression of the proliferation marker PCNA remained unchanged after BTA therapy (fig. 2d).
These observations were confirmed in BrdU and MTA assays demonstrating that keloid fibroblasts treated with BTA show similar proliferative and metabolic activity when compared to control treated cells (fig. 2e, f).
Currently, successful treatment of keloids remains difficult. As a consequence, both clinicians and their patients value even the smallest improvements in the appearance of those pathologic scars after treatment. In an effort to successfully treat keloids, various novel approaches have been introduced in recent years including various laser techniques, intralesional 5-FU, interferon injections, or topically applied imiquimod (to name a few) . Very recently, the use of BTA was suggested to extend the spectrum of treatment for excessive scars. Xiao et al.  studied 19 patients suffering from HS who received intralesional injections of BTA (2.5 units/ml at 1-month intervals, exact substance unknown) for a total of 3 months. At a 6-month follow up, all patients presented with clinical improvement of their scars resulting in high subjective satisfaction. Clinical symptoms such as erythema, pruritus, and a pliability score decreased significantly after BTA injections when compared to baseline . In another prospective, uncontrolled study, Zhibo et al.  demonstrated that BTA injected into 12 keloids (70–140 units per session every 3 months, exact substance unknown) resulted in significant improvement of the treated scar at a 1-year follow up. In this study none of the patients showed failure of therapy.
At present, the effect of many therapies used for excessive scars has never been tested in clinical trials. Only a few therapeutic modalities have been shown to be effective in well-designed prospective studies with adequate control groups. As the reported results for BTA treatment for excessive scars are very promising, we attempted to elucidate the potential beneficial effects of BTA on scar appearance in an objective manner. A three-dimensional optical profiling system was employed to measure decreases in scar height and volume after BTA treatment. Measurements were taken at baseline and 3 months after the final injection. The Primos 3D imaging system projects light onto a specific surface of the skin and records the image with a CCD camera. Skin surface micro-topography is reconstructed using temporal phase shift algorithms to generate 3-D images . Subsequently, an intraindividual comparison between baseline and later time points is made and any subjective influences on scar evaluation can be avoided. Nevertheless, objective evaluation of BTA-treated keloids using optical profilometry confirmed the macroscopic assessment and no significant changes after BTA therapy compared to baseline could be detected in our patients. Although we treated a relatively small number of patients and used different doses of BTA, at least a slight improvement in scar height or volume should have been noted if BTA is as effective in reducing scar height as previously described [8,11]. Thus, based on those observations, the suggested clinical efficiency of intra-lesional BTA for the treatment of existent keloids remains uncertain.
Doubtless, due to poor understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms underlying the process of excessive scarring, most therapeutic approaches remain unsatisfactory . Excessive scar tissue formation results from increased deposition of large amounts of ECM in the dermis . Pathologic scars are densely populated by fibroblasts and inflammatory cells which maintain a fibrogenic micro milieu by secreting TGF-β and other cytokines . Increased production of collagen, proteoglycans, and fibronectin, deficient ECM degradation, and remodeling are the consequences . Current research in keloid pathophysiology further suggests that alterations of the fibroblast phenotype by several growth factors and downstream signaling pathways are involved in the pathogenesis of excessive scar formation . In particular, TGF-β cytokines and downstream smad pathways are key regulators in early stages of normal scar and/or keloid formation. While TGF-β1 and TGF-β2 represent the most important stimulators of collagen and proteoglycan synthesis, administration of TGF-β3 reduces connective tissue deposition [16,17,18]. Effects on those signaling mediators could be responsible for the proposed effect of BTA on excessive scars. Indeed, a recent in vitro study by Xiao et al.  reported that BTA may exert its beneficial effects on excessive scar appearance by inhibiting the proliferation of fibroblasts and by decreasing the levels of TGF-β1. In order to investigate the potential underlying molecular mechanisms of BTA treatment on keloid tissue, we incubated keloid-derived fibroblasts with different concentrations of BTA and the expression of various factors known to be involved in excessive scar formation were determined. However, no differences in expression ECM markers such as fibronectin-1, laminin-β2, or α-SMA, markers for collagen synthesis or TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3 proteins could be observed in keloid-derived fibroblasts after BTA treatment. Also, no differences in the proliferative and metabolic activity of keloid-derived fibroblasts after BTA incubation were detected when compared to nontreated cells.
Thus, while reduction of the tensile force by prophylactic BTA injections into the musculature adjacent to the respective wound during the course of wound healing and scar formation might represent a comprehensible mechanism of action for aesthetic improvement of postsurgical scars, the proposed mechanisms of action of BTA on existing keloids as suggested elsewhere remain unclear . Certainly, more in-depth studies on the in vitro and in vivo effects of BTA on pathologic scars and/or mature keloids are needed before a comparatively expensive therapy for this particular indication can be postulated. Also, distinct factors such as genetic background, race, the phase of keloid development, and the location of the pathologic scar could have an impact on the success of this proposed treatment method.

domain: health


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X-ray imaging is an essential tool for health care providers to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of illness and injury.
The Habif Health and Wellness Center offers these exams on site to ensure timely and accurate testing. The department is located adjacent to the medical exam rooms in the Habif Health and Wellness Center and is readily available during medical appointments to avoid any delay in care.
Our Radiological Technologists and Physicians
A nationally licensed radiological technologist licensed in the State of Missouri will perform the examination. Our technologists have many years of experience and are certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.
All X-ray exams performed at the Habif Health and Wellness Center are evaluated by Washington University Physicians who are board certified in Diagnostic Radiology. You can expect top quality care from these experienced physicians who are affiliated with The Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology and Barnes-Jewish Hospital. In the event that your exam suggests you would benefit from more advanced imaging, that care can be coordinated quickly and efficiently by the Habif Health and Wellness staff and The Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology. This coordination assures the best possible communication regarding your individual needs to provide timely diagnosis and treatment.
Obtaining Copies of Your X-Ray Reports and Exams
Copies of your X-ray reports and discs can be obtained free of charge after a HIPAA-compliant release form has been signed by the student.
Location and Hours
Radiology is provided at the Habif Health and Wellness Center Monday through Friday 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Needs for radiology exams outside of those hours will be referred to The Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology or Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
Cost and Payment
The charge per X-ray varies. The charges will be billed to the respective insurance plan. As with all services, you may pay by cash, check, credit card or place the charges on your student account. Questions about cost and coverage should be directed to your insurance company.
If you have any questions about radiology services, please contact Aaron Daugherty at 314-935-6666, option 0, or by email.

domain: medical