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Diets low in carbohydrate and high in fat (LCHF) have become increasingly popular lately. Many experts in the field of epidemiology and cardiovascular disease have expressed grave concern and warned that this change in dietary pattern may increase the risk of heart disease. Some have argued that LCHF poses a threat to public health in many countries around the globe.
A recent increase in butter consumption may reflect the magnitude of the problem and is by many considered alarming. Butter consumption hit a 44-year high in 2012, according to US government data, while margarine is at a 70-year low. In Germany today, butter outsells margarine by a three-to-one margin, and the gap is widening. A similar increase in butter consumption is reported in Scandinavia and many other European countries.
Although butter fits well with an LCHF lifestyle, choosing butter may also reflect the fact that people are changing their perception of food and searching for healthier alternatives. They’re moving away from highly processed foods and artificial ingredients.
The question whether LCHF is harmful or not touches the core of our understanding of the causes of heart disease and the reasons for the so-called coronary heart disease (CHD) epidemic. That’s why this debate is both important and challenging. Let me tell you why so many specialists believe LCHF may be harmful. Then, maybe you can have your say on the issue.
The Coronary Heart Disease Epidemic
For the past 60 years, CHD has been a major health concern. Although initially most prominent in high income countries, today over 80% of the world’s deaths from cardiovascular disease occur in low and middle-income countries. An estimated 17.3 million people died from cardiovascular diseases in 2008, representing 30% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, an estimated 7.3 million were due to CHD and 6.2 million were due to stroke.
The clinical presentation of CHD varies greatly. Sometimes it is a silent chronic disease that progresses slowly. In other cases it is sudden, unexpected and unpredictable. Through the decades, CHD has brought to an end the lives of many people in their prime. It has robbed wives of their husbands and husbands of their wives. It has tragically, without warning, robbed young children and adolescents of their parents.
The most malignant form of CHD, acute heart attack (acute myocardial infarction) was relatively unknown in the beginning of the 20th century. Then came the epidemic. In the 1950s acute myocardial infarction was recognized as one of the most common causes of death in the industrialized world.
The symptoms were often dramatic and devastating. A previously healthy person was suddenly hit by severe chest pain, commonly associated with serious irregularities of heart rhythm, often resulting in sudden death. The survivors often had to deal with the consequences of damage to large parts of their heart muscle, sometimes resulting in heart failure, severely compromised quality of life and a shortened life span.
Although still an important cause of death around the world, the death rate from CHD has declined in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and all European countries. It is in the countries with the highest incidence that the greatest decline has occurred. Studies have reported up to 80 percent decline in mortality from CHD in the last 30 – 40 years in countries like the UK, Slovakia, Poland, Netherlands, Ireland, Finland, Iceland and Sweden. A recent Swedish study indicates that CHD deaths are still falling, both among the old and the young.
It is a bit unclear how much of the decline in death rate from CHD is due to a reduction of the incidence of the disease and how much is due to improved survival of those affected. Obviously prognosis has improved and some studies have reported declining incidence of CHD.
Another question is whether the decreasing trend in CHD mortality is due to changes in major cardiovascular risk factors, better medical and surgical treatment, neither of these or both.
Many investigators have used the so-called IMPACT model to analyze the role of preventive measures versus treatment measures on the death rate from CHD. All these studies report that more than half of the mortality decline is attributable to reductions in major risk factors.
The Role of Diet
Although there are some differences, the interpretation of the data from countries where the IMPACT model has been used follows a common path. Lowering of blood cholesterol appears to be an important contributor to the decline in mortality from CHD in many of these studies. Therefore, dietary measures aimed at lowering blood cholesterol are usually highlighted by investigators. The Icelandic experience is a good example.
Icelandic investigators reported an 80% decline in death rate from CHD between 1981 and 2006. Based on the IMPACT model approximately 73% of the mortality decrease was attributable to risk factor reductions. Among these, a reduction in blood cholesterol played the biggest role, and appeared more important than reduction in smoking, lower blood pressure and less physical inactivity. Importantly, adverse trends were seen for obesity and diabetes, increasing mortality by 4% and 5% respectively”
The investigators concluded that:
“The large fall in cholesterol between 1981 and 2006 reflects major changes in the Icelandic diet following the issue of Dietary Goals for Icelanders”.
These goals are very similar to the dietary goals for the U.S and most European countries. Let me quote the Icelandic paper again:
“The National policy is based in the dietary goals where the reduction of saturated fat, mainly from milk and dairy products, lamb and margarine, is greatly emphasized. The food policy and the dietary goals have greatly influenced nutrition education and awareness in the country”.
“Icelandic food supply data clearly demonstrate the subsequent changes. In the 1970s, the diet was characterized by high consumption of whole milk and dairy products, margarine, butter, lamb, mutton and fish. However, between 1981 and 2006 there was a 73% drop in whole milk and dairy consumption, and the supply of lamb and mutton decreased by 50%”.
“From the 1990s, the consumption of total fat in percent energy has decreased from 40% to 36%. But more importantly, the composition of fat has also changed from more saturated and trans-fatty acids to cis-unsaturated”.
Interestingly, while these changes occurred, the consumption of refined sugars increased (sugared beverages in particular) and fish consumption decreased. So, although less total and saturated fat may have contributed to lowering of blood cholesterol among the Icelanders, it is obvious that many of the alterations in dietary habits between 1981 and 2006 were of negative nature. This is also reflected by the fact that overweight and obesity more than doubled during the same time period.
So, finally, here’s the point: If the decreased consumption of whole milk, dairy, lamb and mutton played such an important role in lowering cholesterol and reducing the death from CHD among the Icelandic people, LCHF must certainly pose a threat, but….
Saturated Fat – The Villain or a Red Herring
So, once again it all comes down to saturated fat; dairy, butter and red meat. However, keep in mind that no food product contains only saturated fat and no other types of fat. Pure saturated fats or pure unsaturated fats are never consumed. For example, beef contains a high proportion of monounsaturated fat in addition to saturated fat. Dairy (milk, cream, cheese and butter) is the only food class where the proportion of saturated fat is much higher than the proportion of other types of fat.
Through the years we have been led to believe that saturated fatty acids (SFA) elevate blood cholesterol. We have also been told that high cholesterol will increase the risk of heart disease. Therefore, it’s easy to assume that consuming SFA will increase the risk of heart disease. However, the problem is that the effects of SFA on cholesterol and different lipoproteins have been oversimplified. Furthermore, the epidemiological evidence linking saturated fats with CHD was weak from the beginning.
Although SFA may elevate total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, they appear to elevate HDL-cholesterol as well. Therefore, the availability of atherogenic lipoproteins doesn’t necessarily increase. Furthermore, SFA lower small dense LDL particles and raise large buoyant LDL particles. Large particles generally impose less risk than small particles. So, stating that saturated fats adversely affect blood lipids is misleading.
Although carbohydrates are less likely to elevate total and LDL-cholesterol, they often elevate triglycerides and lower HDL-cholesterol. These lipid changes may harbor negative cardiometabolic effects.
One of the first papers that advised decreased intake of SFA was published in 1961 by The American heart Association. Some of the support for this came from observational studies, including Ancel Keys Seven-Countries Study, which suggested a relationship between SFA intake and the risk of death from CHD.
Later, in the Nurses’ Health Study a greater ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to SFA was associated with lower risk of CHD. The Finnish Mental Hospital Study published 1979 found fewer deaths from CHD and lower rates of heart attacks in a hospital that administered dairy products in which SFA’s were replaced with PUFA’s, compared with regular SFA-containing dairy products. On the other hand, the intervention component of the Minnesota Coronary Survey did not show that increasing the amount of PUFA at the expense of SFA did result in less risk of CHD.
Intake of different types of fatty acid in relation to the risk of CHD was studied in the large Nurses’ Health Study. When carbohydrates were used for comparison, trans-fats were most strongly related to the risk of CHD. SFA intake was not significantly related to increased risk of CHD when compared with carbohydrates. So, replacing SFA with carbohydrates was a wash. In fact, a pooled analysis of large cohort studies indicated that there was a significantly greater relative risk for CHD with carbohydrates compared with SFA. However, MUFA’s and PUFA’s were associated with lower risk compared with carbohydrates.
A systematic review of of the evidence supporting a causal link between various dietary factors and coronary heart disease was published in 2009. The pooled analysis from 43 randomized clinical trials showed that increased consumption of marine omega-3 fatty acids and a Mediterranean diet pattern were each associated with a significantly lower risk of CHD. Higher intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids or total fats were not significantly associated with CHD, and the link between saturated fats and CHD appeared weak.
For the last five years, a number of reports (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) have cast doubt on the association between the consumption of SFA or major foods that contain SFA (meat and milk) and the risk of CHD. These studied can’t be neglected when analyzing the current evidence for the association between SFA and heart disease.
Will the Popularity of LCH Trigger a New Epidemic of Heart Disease?
Trans-fats are the only type of fats that seem to impose more risk for CHD than carbohydrates. There’s no evidence that replacing other types of fats with carbohydrates will reduce risk. So, reducing carbohydrates and increasing fat consumption should not increase the risk of heart disease, unless carbohydrates are replaced by trans-fats. Therefore it is unlikely that the declining death rate from heart disease may be explained by decreased consumption of saturated fat. Furthermore, if trans fats are avoided there is no reason to believe that the popularity of LCHF will trigger a new epidemic of heart disease.
It’s now 2014 and the death rate from CHD continues to decline, despite LCHF being around for quite many years now. If there comes a day when we will see a slowing of the decline or an increase in death rate, I guess many experts will blame changed dietary habits associated with the popularity of LCHF. In fact, a reversal of the decline in population cholesterol levels was recently reported in Sweden, where the popularity of LCHF is very high. However, as of today this has not been reflected in a reversal of the decline in mortality from CHD.
In most countries where the death rate from heart disease has fallen, overweight, obesity and type 2 diabetes have increased. Because obesity is strongly linked to cardiovascular risk, many experts are surprised that the incidence and death rate from CHD continue to decline. Most likely, there is a time lag between the increased incidence of obesity and death rate from CHD. Ultimately, if obesity trends are not reversed, it is unlikely that the decline in CHD mortality will continue.

domain: biology


Out of the Blue (2006)
Director: Robert Sarkies
Cast: Karl Urban, Matthew Sunderland, Lois Lawn
Synopsis: Based on the Aramoana Massacre that occurred on 13 November and 14 November 1990. Resident David Gray, an unemployed gun collector, went on a rampage in which 13 people were shot dead, before Gray himself was shot by police.
Out of the Blue is the kind of film that’ll have you looking sideways at that single bloke in his thirties who lives across the road from you. With a complete absence of any kind of dramatic conceit, writer/director Robert Sarkies has managed to produce a powerful film marred only by a lull in proceedings around the 70-minute mark.
Matthew Sunderland plays David Gray, a scruffy loner living in a sleepy village nestling in a picturesque bay. It’s the kind of place where nothing really happens: dogs bark and a lone kid throws a ball against a wall for something to do. Gray used to get on with his neighbour, a middle-aged single father on the cusp of moving in with his new girlfriend but, as Gray has grown increasingly withdrawn their relationship has deteriorated to the point where a mundane domestic argument inexplicably escalates into a shocking massacre. The beginning of the carnage, when it eventually arrives — and Sarkies is very deliberate in slowly introducing us into the lives of a number of Aramoana’s residents; We don’t really get to know them that well, though, only as well as you might know your own neighbour in this day and age — is so understated that you almost find yourself disbelieving what you’ve seen. Gray rattles off a number of shots at near point-blank range. They sound like the report of a kid’s popgun, and his victim stumbles backward and turns, taking five or six steps before eventually falling to the ground. Gray then embarks on a random murder spree, killing anyone who happens to cross his path, irrespective of their age.
The reasons for Gray’s sudden murderous outburst are described only in vague references — inappropriate levels of attention from the local police, his bank’s decision to charge him for cashing a cheque — but the real Gray’s reasons are probably just as enigmatic. While there are no heroes in the accepted cinematic term, as with all tragedies of this nature, individual acts of heroism performed by normal people take place, particularly by an old lady with new hips who crawls from the roadside to her house to raise help for a neighbour she barely knows who has been unlucky enough to catch a couple of Gray’s bullets.
While Sarkies effortlessly sidesteps any tendency towards sentimentality for the most part, there are a few weaknesses in the film, mainly in the way that the fates of a number of those who are stalked by Gray are never really clearly explained. But apart from this, and a noticeable drop in tension towards the climax, the film provides a near-flawless fly-on-the-wall style re-telling of one normal neighbourhood’s devastating tragedy.


White House press secretary Jay Carney on Thursday gave a blistering response to an op-ed from Russian President Vladimir Putin which mocked the idea of American “exceptionalism” and warned the U.S. not to strike Syria.
“Unlike Russia, the United States stands up for democratic values and human rights around the world,” Obama’s top spokesman said in response to Putin’s piece, published in the New York Times.
Carney called it a “great irony" that Putin's op-ed was the byproduct of freedom of expression, saying such rights did not exist in Russia. But he added that White House officials “were not surprised” by Putin’s confrontational tone.
The verbal slugfest between Moscow and Washington came as Secretary of State John Kerry met with his Russian counterpart in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday in hopes of brokering a deal forcing Syria to turn over its stockpile of chemical weapons.
The Obama administration has charged Syrian President Bashar Assad with using chemical weapons against civilians in his country's two-year brutal civil war. Obama had been pressing Congress to authorize a strike against Syria to punish Assad for crossing his "red line," but embraced the Russian proposal earlier this week amid weak support from lawmakers and the public for military action.
When asked if Obama trusted Putin, a constant thorn in his side, Carney was noncommittal.
“We’ll see what happens,” he responded.
Obama on Thursday at the White House said he was "hopeful" the Geneva talks would "yield a concrete result."
Assad on Thursday said Syria would turn over its chemical arsenal to international control and would sign a treaty banning such weapons, but the White House said that pledge did not go far enough.
“Words don’t count when it comes to the Assad regime,” Carney said. “Actions count."


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Get the answers to the Ideal Protein FAQs below.
While on the Ideal Protein Weight Loss Protocol you will find that the cost is equivalent or similar to your regular food costs and in many cases, can even be less expensive. During your first visit, we will do a comprehensive health profile review and analysis, and you will leave that appointment with everything you need to get started on the program. This includes your first week of food, your first month of supplements, a little extra food to curb hunger during the first week, a shaker bottle and a great tote bag to bring back with you each visit for your food. The cost to get started for this appointment is $399.
Once you have made the commitment to yourself and to your coach to begin the journey, we will have you fill out a comprehensive health history. This will be reviewed by your coach as well as a medical professional, if necessary. We see clients with Type 2 Diabetes, Sleep Apnea, PCOS, high blood pressure and more. Because clients see a rapid improvement in their health, we work closely with your doctor, so they can ensure you are on the proper medications as you lose weight and regain your health. We highly recommend attending one of our FREE Introductory Workshops to prepare for beginning the program. Clients that attend a workshop are given a $50 credit on their initial appointment. Ready to register for an educational workshop? This is a great intro to our program and is a great opportunity to bring a support person or friend along! There’s strength in numbers.

domain: medical


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I wanted to try medical marijuana. Why couldn’t my doctors help me? - Cannabis News
Medical marijuana may have come to the states, but there is no integration with the medical community. Patients get their information from friends and the media, and are left largely at the mercy of marijuana vendors.
I managed to get through college in the 1980s without smoking marijuana.
It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with cancer in the 1990s that I decided to give it a try.
The anti-nausea medicine I was taking to combat the side effects of chemotherapy made me feel like I was going to jump out of my skin and it didn’t banish my queasiness. So I took matters into my own hands and asked a friend for some marijuana.
Click here to read the complete article
Shari Berman ~ StatNews.com ~


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AvalonBay Communities Inc. fell the most since January after the apartment landlord lowered its full-year earnings forecast and reported a decrease in rental revenue from its Washington-area properties.
Rental revenue from more than 4,400 apartments in the metropolitan area fell 0.1 percent in the third quarter from a year earlier, the only market with a decline, the Arlington, Virgina-based real estate investment trust said in a statement yesterday after U.S. markets closed.
The Washington area, which is facing a glut of newly built units amid slowing job growth, accounts for about 16 percent of AvalonBay’s net operating income. About 30,211 apartments are under construction in the region, more than half of which will open this year, according to Delta Associates.
“This is really not surprising,” Alexander Goldfarb, a REIT analyst with Sandler O’Neill & Partners, said of AvalonBay’s results in an interview today. “But obviously, the first time you see a market go negative, everyone’s like ‘Ooh, call up the paramedics, get CPR.”
A bigger surprise is the company’s increased turnover across all of its communities, Goldfarb said. AvalonBay, the biggest publicly traded U.S. apartment owner after Equity Residential, reported a turnover rate of 70 percent for the quarter, compared with 65 percent a year earlier.
The shares fell 4.3 percent to $128.50. They have dropped 5.2 percent this year, compared with a 3.2 percent decrease in the Bloomberg REIT Apartment Index of 18 multifamily landlords.
Washington is poised to be one of the only major U.S. cities with a decline in apartment rents this year after a surge in construction outpaced job growth, leaving the nation’s capital with a glut of properties.
Rents in the metropolitan area, including the suburbs of Maryland and Virginia, will fall as much as 2 percent on average, making it the only market in the top 20 U.S. cities other than Detroit to have a decline, Delta Associates said in April. Rents will drop further in 2014, data from the Alexandria, Virginia-based property-research firm show.
AvalonBay lowered its outlook for 2013, saying funds from operations, a measure of cash flow used by REITs, probably will be $5.09 to $5.15 a share. The company in July forecast FFO for the year of $5.05 to $5.25 a share.
Federal government spending cuts limited employment, creating “headwinds” for Washington-area apartment demand in the first half of the year, Sean Breslin, AvalonBay’s executive vice president of investment and asset management, said on a conference call with analysts today.
“So the threat of a government shutdown and debt-ceiling debate didn’t help our third-quarter results,” he said. “We expect the D.C. market to continue to be challenged for the next few quarters, given the uncertainty in the mind of both direct and indirect government workers and the continued impact of new supply.”

domain: news


Havana, March (RHC)-- The U.S. government, through its embassy in Havana, is asking countries currently receiving Cuban medical aid to stop the spread of COVID-19, to reject that contribution.
The Cuban News Agency reported that the embassy twitted on Wednesday that "the government of Cuba keeps most of the salary its doctors and nurses earn while serving in its international medical missions while exposing them to egregious labor conditions."
The message from the U.S. embassy has ellicited numerous expressions of repudiation on social media. It takes place when the island participates in the confrontation with COVID-19 in China, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Suriname, Grenada, Jamaica, Belize, and Italy.
Contrary to this position of Trump's government, several world leaders, former presidents, and international personalities have recognized the selfless work of the Cuban professionals, who offer their solidary and disinterested help wherever they are needed.
Once again, the White House attacks the Cuban health professionals, who have carried out missions in 164 countries in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Asia.
Washington has stepped up its campaign to discredit the Cuban doctors, who were forced to leave their posts in countries like Bolivia, Brazil, and Ecuador. Those country's right-wing governments and supporters of President Trump have accused the Cubans of instigating and fostering the social protests that these countries have faced.


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Just when you thought IKEA had everything it has upped the ante. That’s right, IKEA solar panels are a thing now.
From Wednesday customers in Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia will be able to purchase IKEA solar panels from its new Solstråle range.
IKEA has partnered with Australian solar company Solargrain to introduce this new system to market.
There are two solar packages in IKEA’s Solstråle range. Solstråle Basic is a 6.6kW system that allows users to draw power from the sun and feed electricity back into the grid.
Solstråle With Battery comes with a 6.5kWh lithium battery that allows for solar power storage. You can use what you harvested during the daylight hours at night as well.
A smart meter and micro-inverter will also be sold separately within the range.
Pricing for both systems varies, depending on where you are in Australia, and the size of your house. For example, a Basic package starts at $4005 for customers in Perth but only starts at $3,227 for those in Melbourne.
Solstråle With Battery starts at $10,246 in Melbourne, $10,952 in Perth and $11,240 in Brisbane. You can ask for a quote here.
Expressions of interest are currently open for people in New South Wales, South Australia and the ACT. There is no word on when it may be available for Tasmania and there are currently no IKEA stores in the Northern Territory.
Australia is the seventh country to have IKEA solar panels introduced. We join Switzerland, the Netherlands, Poland,Belgium, Italy, Sweden and Germany. According to IKEA the company is hoping to have them available in all 30 of its markets by 2025.
This isn’t IKEA’s first foray into sustainability. In 2018 IKEA Australia introduced a ‘take-back’ service that allowed customers to return unwanted IKEA furniture in exchange for store vouchers. At the time IKEA Australia stated that it wanted to be a 100% circular economy company by 2030.

domain: economics


This year's Bestival Toronto marked my first Bestival experience and I thought it was an incredible spectacle and sensational event. It really takes the festival experience up several notches beyond the typical music festival that provides a few of stages in a field intermixed with beer tents and food trucks.
There are so many things to see and do at Bestival outside of the fantastic musical line-up and the crowd really goes above and beyond, dressing up and making it a real occasion. Bestival features many stages with distinctive vibes from The Main Stage to The Big Top to the Bollywood Stage to the Sunday Best Balearic Bar and the Cosmic Commune. There are activities and games, entertaining staff/actors, the Inflatable Church, the Summer of Love Costume Parade & Party, roving entertainers and costumed characters, and so much more.
I can't wait for next year and hope to see other festivals taking on more of a spectacle vibe over and above the great music.
Please check out all the posts and photos that Roy Cohen and I captured from the Bestival Toronto 2016 weekend:
Posts of Day One photos from around the site:
Posts of Day One bands:
Posts of Day Two photos from around the site:
Posts of Day Two bands:


The electric charges are the sources of the electromagnetic (EM)
fields. When these sources are time varying, the EM waves
propagates away from the source and the radiation takes place.
In general, the radiation can be considered as a process of
The radiation of the electromagnetic wave into the space is
effectively achieved by using a conducting or dielectric structure
called antennas or radiators.
A metallic device used for radiating or receiving radio waves is
According to IEEE, antenna is defined as a means for radiating or
receiving radio waves. Thus antenna is regarded as a transition
between the free space and transmission line.
The antenna is a matching device between free space and the
Impedance matching: matches impedance of
transmission line to the intrinsic impedance of
free space to prevent wanted reflection back to
Two main purposes of Antenna
Antenna must be designed to direct the
radiation in the desired direction.
Antenna - How it Works
The antenna converts radio frequency electrical
energy fed to it (via the transmission line) to an
electromagnetic wave propagated into space.
Antenna is a transducer which converts electrical
energy into EM wave and vice versa.
Antenna can be used as transmitting antenna or receiving
antenna. It has directional properties. It is the important
component of a wireless communication system.
Different antennas are used in different systems. But all
the antennas possess basic fundamental properties which
are same for all.
-radiation pattern -radiation intensity
- gain -directivity
-power gain -antenna efficiency
-effective aperture - radiation resistance,
- beamwidth - bandwidth, etc.
The type of system you are installing will help
determine the type of antenna used. Generally
speaking, there are two ‘types’ of antennae:
- this type of antenna has a narrow beamwidth; with the
power being more directional, greater distances are
usually achieved but area coverage is sacrificed
- Yagi, Panel, Sector and Parabolic antennas
- this type of antenna has a wide beamwidth and
radiates 3600; with the power being more spread
out, shorter distances are achieved but greater coverage
- Isotropic antenna
• Log periodic dipole array
- BW is smaller than LPDA
- typical gain 12 – 14 dBi
Reflector Driven element (dipole)
• Yagi antenna
main lobeside lobe
- very wide BW, with constant SWR
- typical gain 10 dBi
An antennas polarization is relative to the E-field of antenna.
– If the E-field is horizontal, than the antenna is Horizontally
– If the E-field is vertical, than the antenna is Vertically Polarized.
No matter what polarity you choose, all antennas in the same RF
network must be polarized identically regardless of the antenna
The electric field is vertical to the ground (In the maximum
The electric field is parallel to the ground (In the maximum gain
Polarization Requirements for various frequencies
Polarization may deliberately be used to:
– Increase isolation from unwanted signal sources (Cross
Polarization Discrimination (x-pol) typically 25 dB)
– Reduce interference
– Help define a specific coverage area


I tec 20 - the high-performance beam that saves on quantities
With its special design and its load-bearing capacity, the I tec 20 beam opens up some interesting new vistas when it comes to optimising equipment usage on the site. The plastic facing protecting the flange, and the field-proven end reinforcements from the 'top' beams, make this an extraordinarily robust formwork beam.
High load capacity
achieved by innovative composite technology
permitted bending moment M = 9.0 kNm
permitted shear force Q = 20.0 kN
rigidity E x I = 640 kNm²
weight = 5.6 kg/lin.m
Save on equipment
thanks to optimised load capacity
up to one-third fewer floor props on timber-beam slab formwork Dokaflex 30 tec
up to 30 percent fewer form-tie points on Wall formwork FF100 tec and Large-area formwork Top 100 tec
50 percent fewer primary beams in the superstructures of fully loaded Staxo 40 load-bearing towers
More repeat uses
thanks to all-round protection
extra-long lifespan, thanks to the proven 'top' beam-end reinforcement
reduced close-out costs due to the I tec sheet that protects the whole length of the flanges
Thank you for your interest - Composite formwork beams.
Please, fill in the form below to receive more information on this topic and access it conveniently from your email later.
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Celebrities fall in love, get married, and have children just like the rest of us.
However, when it comes to naming their children, stars do things a little differently.
Actually, VERY differently.
[Image via WENN.]
We know what you're thinking: Why is Khloé Kardashian posing with the world's tiniest prisoner?
LOLz, JK! That's clearly not a convict!
Auntie Khloé is actually expressing her love for her niece North West, who looks just downright adorable in her striped Onesie!
Awww!!! Those two are so stinking cute!!
She posted the absolutely perfect Instagram pic earlier today and we adore it!!!
The caption read:
Sitting in the Jimmy Kimmel Live audience maybe? Ha!


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Rutherfordton is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The
population was 4,213 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Rutherford ...
Chartered in 1787, Rutherfordton is one of the oldest towns in Western North
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Discover Rutherfordton, North Carolina with the help of your friends. Search for
restaurants, hotels, museums and more.
Visit Rutherford County in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Home to
small towns: Lake Lure, Chimney Rock, Rutherfordton, Spindale, Forest City.
Established in 1787, Rutherfordton is among the oldest towns in Western North
Carolina and is the seat of the oldest continuous government in the region.
by transportation officials. Westbound traffic from Rutherfordton is being detoured
left on N.C. 9, right on N.C. 108 in Mill Spring, right on U.S. 74 West, right on ...
Visit Rutherfordton, North Carolina, a great small town near Asheville with plenty
of things to do and home to the Bechtler House.
One of the oldest towns in Western North Carolina, Rutherfordton has a rich
At First United Methodist Church of Rutherfordton, NC, we seek to offer Christ to
our community through open hearts, minds and doors. We strive to intentionally ...
Zillow has 449 homes for sale in Rutherfordton NC. View listing photos, review
sales history, and use our detailed real estate filters to find the perfect place.

domain: geography


List of publications.
IEEE VIS, Oklahoma
Aimen Gaba, Vidya Setlur, Arjun Srinivasan, Jane Hoffswell, Cindy Xiong
The language for expressing comparisons is often complex and nuanced, making supporting natural language-based visual comparison a non-trivial task. To better understand how people reason about comparisons in natural language, we explore a design space of utterances for comparing data entities. We identified different parameters of comparison utterances that indicate what is being compared (i.e., data variables and attributes) as well as how these parameters are specified (i.e., explicitly or implicitly). We conducted a user study with sixteen data visualization experts and non-experts to investigate how they designed visualizations for comparisons in our design space. Based on the rich set of visualization techniques observed, we extracted key design features from the visualizations and synthesized them into a subset of sixteen representative visualization designs. We then conducted a follow-up study to validate user preferences for the sixteen representative visualizations corresponding to utterances in our design space. Findings from these studies suggest guidelines and future directions for designing natural language interfaces and recommendation tools to better support natural language comparisons in visual analytics.
How Do We Measure Trust in Visual Data Communication?
Hamza Elhamdadi, Aimen Gaba, Yea-Seul Kim, Cindy Xiong
Trust is fundamental to effective visual data communication between the visualization designer and the reader. Although personal experience and preference influence readers' trust in visualizations, visualization designers can leverage design techniques to create visualizations that evoke a ``calibrated trust," at which readers arrive after critically evaluating the information presented. To systematically understand what drives readers to engage in ``calibrated trust," we must first equip ourselves with reliable and valid methods for measuring trust. Computer science and data visualization researchers have not yet reached a consensus on a trust definition or metric, which are essential to building a comprehensive trust model in human-data interaction. On the other hand, social scientists and behavioral economists have developed and perfected metrics that can measure generalized and interpersonal trust, which the visualization community can reference, modify, and adapt for our needs. In this paper, we gather existing methods for evaluating trust from other disciplines and discuss how we might use them to measure, define, and model trust in data visualization research. Specifically, we discuss quantitative surveys from social sciences, trust games from behavioral economics, measuring trust through measuring belief updating, and measuring trust through perceptual methods. We assess the potential issues with these methods and consider how we can systematically apply them to visualization research.


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The Hemet Valley Art Association recently announced its scholarship winners.
Students and their families along with art teachers gathered with members of the Hemet Valley Art Association at the association’s gallery for the April 9 reception where the winners were announced.
Marilyn Hein, chair of the scholarship committee, announced the results of the judging, with the winning works lined up in front of the gallery.
Best of Show and a $600 prize went to Aaron Orozco of West Valley High School for his “Driver/Drive” colored pencil drawing. He said his design was inspired by a character from the movie “Drive,” according to a press release.
Aiden Wallace of Hemet High School won the top prize of $500 for his acrylic piece “Species”, an imaginary montage of Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species” images. He collected reference images from which to work to create his works.
Ana Mater, who was unable to attend the awards ceremony, took second place, a $250 prize, for her colored pencil and ink drawing “Introspection”.
Diego Lucio of Tahquitz High School won third place, $100, for his scratch art, “Crest.” He said his inspiration was Mayan art and he composed his personal coat of arms from symbols and images that were meaningful to him, according to the press release.
The students’ works will be exhibited at the gallery until the end of April.
The Hemet Valley Art Association was established in 1963 with the mission to encourage and develop the appreciation of the fine arts by offering courses for adults and young people and by offering educational programs, art exhibitions and the program of scholarships.
The Hemet Valley Art Association gallery at 144 N. Harvard St. is open 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday through Saturday. For more information, visit hemetvalleyartassociation.com or call 951-652-4592.

domain: artistic


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Hostin isn’t looking at their track record. She is upset because they have RELAXED some of the mandates and gone back on what they said was dangerous.
Think about this they have so brainwashed these people that when the authority that
put these mandates in place say we need to pull back. The NON medical person doesn’t believe them.
Sunny Hostin, one of the hosts of ABC’s “The View,” announced on Monday that she does not “believe” in the latest guidelines from the CDC regarding quarantining with COVID-19.
Specifically, she referenced the guidance updated by the CDC on December 27, which shortened the recommended isolation period for people with COVID-19 from 10 days to five days. After five days, people are advised to wear masks around others for another five days.
This updated guideline drew bipartisan criticism for contradicting previous guidelines and providing a “confusing” message to Americans.
Hostin added herself to the list of critics, outright rejecting the CDC’s update.
“I’m really concerned about this new CDC guidance. I know the science is evolving. I know our knowledge is evolving. But now the CDC is saying that after five days of being infected, you don’t have to test negative, you can go out. You can go back to work and just wear a mask. I don’t believe that. I think that after five days if you’re not testing you can certainly still be infectious, and you can certainly still spread the virus to other people,” Hostin said.
Prior to her recent comments, Hostin was a staunch defender of CDC policies and vaccine mandates, stating that “you can’t just make a decision for yourself” in regard to public health.
“What we’re talking about is public health. It’s not only about you. It’s about the public. So you can’t just make a decision for yourself. You have to make a decision with other people in mind. And in my view, it’s very selfish to decide only based on yourself,” Hostin said at the time.
Story continues at: Not so Sunny


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The General Overseer the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, has mocked the minister of works, Mr. Babatunde Fashola over statement that Nigerian roads are not too bad.
The senior pastor lamented the decay of infrastructure in the country.
DAILY POST reported that Fashola had insisted that Nigerians roads are not as bad as being portrayed.
The former Lagos Governor stated this while addressing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
“The roads are not as bad as they are often portrayed. I know that this is going to be your headline, but the roads are not that bad,” Fashola had said.
Addressing his congregation on Sunday, Pastor Adeboye said, “I travel a lot on Nigerian roads and when I travel by road particularly, I understand when someone says the roads are not completely bad.
“I understand that it is a true statement because the roads are not just very bad; they do not exist anymore. It is a road that exists that can be classified as very bad.
“I have travelled within towns and distances that I used to cover within 15 minutes now take up to an hour. Our stagnation must come to an end.”
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Why did they do it ?
Why do people commit the crimes they do
There are many different answers to this.
One of them would be that the offender, or the person committing the crime is mentally ill or mentally disabled. They don't know that what they're doing and will most likely be sent to institutions to cater to their needs after committing their crimes.
Another one is poverty. Females in poverty are highly likely to steal for their family given that they cannot provide for them. Other times, people just steal to profit off of it out of their own greed.
Revenge is a big factor in a love of battery or murder charges. A lot of murders happen from those who are feuding, which isn't uncommon.
Other people kill for love. When you're madly in love, someone can manipulate you into killing for them if you aren't thinking properly. Just today I heard about a woman who was in a gang that killed a witness to prevent her boyfriend from going to jail.
This one, the most unfavorable, is that people can commit crimes to fuel their own sick fantasies, which is truly disgusting.
by Flowering Heart2 years ago
Why do people disguise who they reaaly are, why do people lie, is it possible to be 100% honest?Lying does it exist because of that fear of rejection takes over our very being, is it because we do not trust anyone...
by lapin4 years ago
why did you ask the question: why do people stay in bad relationships ?Also are men more likely to walk out on a bad relationship than women or do women stay longer in a bad relationship in the vague hope the...
by rexy23 months ago
Black magic ...love potions.. why do people believe in it and why do that do it....?maybe half the world is full of demons.... and maybe half the world do not believe in it.... but there is a lot of jealousy out...
by JonTutor8 years ago
Religions preach sin .... but why these folks commit crimes..... and then blame it on "God".... Atheists gotta be better.... take responsibility. Gotta read this horrible story:...
by James Kenny5 years ago
What are the greatest unsolved mysteries in history?
by Amrita2 years ago
Which is more important money or love? and why?
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domain: psychology


Experimental Analysis of Lag Sources in Pinned Photodiodes
A measurement method is reported to distinguish the different mechanisms that lead to image lag in image sensors based on pinned photodiodes (PPDs). This new method can differentiate between the lag caused by a potential barrier or pocket and gate traps independently of charge spill-back. This is in contrast to usual lag characterization techniques, which only provide a quantitative measurement of the photocharge amount that is not transferred to the sense node in the frame of interest. The method reveals itself as useful to optimize pixels for high-speed and low-noise sensors based on PPDs.


Ring doorcam footage shows a stranger springing into action to warn a family of 11 that their home had caught fire. » Sign up for our newsletter KnowThis to get the biggest stories of the day delivered straight to your inbox: https://go.nowth.is/knowthis_youtube » Subscribe to NowThis: http://go.nowth.is/News_Subscribe ‘She saved our family, no exaggeration about that,’ said homeowner Josh Ellis, of Good Samaritan Haily Strong. ’She stayed and she saved our family. I mean, the house was ablaze. For more amazing viral stories, subscribe to NowThis News. #Fire #rescue #neighbors #Politics #News #NowThis Connect with NowThis » Like us on Facebook: http://go.nowth.is/News_Facebook » Tweet us on Twitter: http://go.nowth.is/News_Twitter » Follow us on Instagram: http://go.nowth.is/News_Instagram » Find us on Snapchat Discover: http://go.nowth.is/News_Snapchat NowThis is your premier news outlet providing you with all the videos you need to stay up to date on all the latest in trending news. From entertainment to politics, to viral videos and breaking news stories, we’re delivering all you need to know straight to your social feeds. We live where you live. http://www.youtube.com/nowthisnews @nowthisnews This video "Stranger Saves Family of 11 From House Fire", first appeared on https://nowthisnews.com/.


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Deputy Permanent Secretary of Labour Mr. Singhadet Chu-umnart commenced the seminar on Export Markets and Social Compliance, saying that Labour Minister General Sirichai Distakul has given great importance to the prevention and elimination of child labour, slavery and human trafficking. However, he said that as it remains necessary for the Thai export industry to employ migrant workers to drive the business and national economy forward, there must be measures to ensure a balance of true demand and supply of migrant labour to ensure effective migration. This is the reason behind the creation of regulations and emphasis for collaboration from all parties, in order to create safe, transparent and ethical employment processes for migrant workers.
Over the past decade, Thailand has increasingly required migrant workers to fulfil labour demands. Part of the reason is because the Thai working population is getting smaller, coupled with an increase in the aging population, resulting in a labour shortage and necessity to fill the gaps with migrant workers to ensure consistent economic growth and social development. Thailand currently houses 3 million migrant workers with a trend for this number to grow, particularly in the seafood processing and fishing industry which is a crucial economic foundation for Thailand. The nation has made many efforts to improve migrant worker management, to which the Ministry of Labour is a major part of the efforts in pushing for fair employment, with the most recent enactment of the Royal Decree on Recruitment of Foreigners BE 2559. The decree outlines that employers are responsible for any recruitment-related fees for foreigners, aiming to control recruitment businesses and agencies importing foreign workers. The Ministry of Labour has also increased the number of inspectors and interpreters, as well as channels for migrant workers to access assistance, information and advice. The ministry has given great focus to anti-human trafficking and protection of foreign workers, particularly giving attention to businesses at risk of child labour, slavery, debt bondage and human trafficking, whereby promoting good labour practices and amending relevant legislation and regulations. These have included the Ministerial Regulation Concerning Labour Protection in Agricultural Work B.E.2557 and the Ministerial Regulation to Protect Labour in the Sea Fishing Industry. B.E. 2557, which require children to be 18 and over to be eligible for employment. The regulations have already been enforced with serious penalties impost on violators.
Mr. Singhadet said that the Ministry of Labour is focused on ensuring integration of work by all units, preventing human trafficking, child labour and slavery through inspections and control of businesses to comply with good labour practices. He said that establishing an understanding of regulations and social compliance is a crucial part of effective labour migration both sending and receiving countries, including the worker themselves and employers, which will help ensure that such recruitment is transparent, safe and up to international standards.
Source: Ministry of Labour

domain: law


This classic Lionel accessory has all the terrific action and traditional quality of the 1940-50 original. The illuminated bascule bridge is made of die-cast metal and stamped steel construction and features a powerful DC motor for years of reliable operation. The bascule bridge can be placed in any O or O-27 three-rail layout, using the frame provided and is designed to operate at 12-18 volts AC current.
- Powerful maintenance-free motor
- Red warning light on bridge top
- Sturdy metal construction
- Illuminated building
- Bridge raises and lowers
Gauge: Traditional O Gauge
Dimensions: Dimensions: 23" x 11" x 10"
This beauty New and has never been used. It includes all the parts and instructions.
The Bascule bridge is designed to be compatible with traditional tubular O-gauge or O-27 gauge track, however it easily works with Lionel FasTrack too. All you will need to do is to obtain 2-sections of Lionel Fastrack transition to O-Gauge track sections. This is Lionel stock number 6-12040. You will also need 2 - 4 sections of traditional tubular O-Gauge 10" Straight track. These will be used to transition from the FasTrack to the traditional track so that it can meet up with the ends of the bridge. The bridge itself has the track rails built in so you don't lay track across the bridge.


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Steers, Lady Blues sweep Sweetwater at home
Friday was a big night for Graham High School soccer. The Lady Blues and Steers hosted Sweetwater. The Lady Blues opened the doubleheader with a 3-0 win, their first of the season. The goals came in bunches for the Steers who earned their first win of the season with a 7-0 win.
Lady Blues 3, Sweetwater 0
The Lady Blues opened the game not playing to their potential. With several chances to dominate possession of the ball, there were multiple turnovers with bad passes and rushing up the field. Defensively, the Lady Blues held Sweetwater to one shot, a penalty kick in the second half.
It was in the second half when the Lady Blues ran away with the match. With three minutes played in the second half, Alexis Renfro scored the first of two goals. With an assist from Braylee Mayes, the Lady Blues held their first home lead of the season. Five minutes later, the lead was increased by Melany Simental. Renfro, with an assist from Kate Carrillo, scored her second goal with 13 minutes left in the game.
“The first half we watched a ping-pong match. We were rushing and not keeping possession of the ball very well,” Lady Blues coach Misty Mills said. “At halftime, I spoke to the girls about playing our game no matter who the opponent is. Our goal is to play possession soccer. We adjusted our formation and they came out and played a much improved second half. This group of girls is very coachable, which has allowed us to tweak our formation during games when it has been needed.”
For the rest of the story, see the Jan. 19 edition of The Graham Leader.

domain: sports


Paul's Insights: 2018 Wrap-up
To sum up 2018, Paul talks about the property downturn in the last few months and what caused it, why he's not fussed by share markets going down, InvestSMART's new capped fees model and the significance of $451 and why downturns can be good for regular investors. Paul's Insights will return in 2019.
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The Muleshoe Ranch Preserve and Cooperative Management Area consists of nearly 55,000 acres in the rugged and spectacular Galiuro Mountains of southeastern Arizona. Long known by a few for the wild and austere beauty and diversity of these vast natural lands, the Ranch was acquired by The Nature Conservancy in 1982. An incredible array of threatened, rare, or endangered species and natural communities are protected in the preserve and Cooperative Management Area.
The Muleshoe contains a mosaic (!!!) of public and private lands administered by The Nature Conservancy through a Cooperative Management Agreement with the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. The spirit of cooperation has strengthened the capabilities of being active stewards of these vital natural areas.
Within the Muleshoe is found most of the watershed area for seven perennial or permanently flowing streams. The combined several miles of flowing water represent some of the best remaining aquatic habitat in Arizona. The streams protect rare examples of native fish communities, with populations of the threatened Gila chub (Gila intermedia) found in Bass and Redfield Canyons. With the serious decline of the vast majority of native fish species, the conservation of these native fish communities is a primary goal of the Muleshoe Ranch Preserve.
A number of other rare and unique species are found in the ecologically diverse southern Galiuro Mountains. The riparian or streamside forests found growing along the streams are a brilliant, lush green as compared to the austere desert uplands. The cottonwood, sycamore, ash, walnut, and several willows compose a mixed woodland in the canyons adjacent to the streams. The size and structure of these communities varies with the geologic conditions of each watershed.
In Hot Springs Canyon the riparian forests vary tremendously depending upon water availability. Some 85% of the regions wildlife species depend upon these streamside communities at some time in their lives. A significant number are totally dependent upon it. The vast majority of our threatened or endangered species in Arizona are members of a riparian community.
The importance of this area to early settlers is seen in the numerous ranches and homesteads that dotted the area in the last 150 years. They were also critically dependent upon the riparian communities for their survival in a rigorous landscape.
All of these species demonstrate strategies for surviving the hot and dry environments of the rocky upland areas. Efficient utilization of water through unique storage cells, reduced leaf area, and short active growing seasons, has provided for a great diversity of desert plants.
Several desert animals can be observed in this area. Both the Gila monster and the Desert tortoise reach their eastern distributional limits on the western portion of the Muleshoe. The Desert tortoise has become increasingly rare throughout most of its range in the Sonoran and Mojave deserts. The Gila monster is one of only two venomous lizards in the world; yet, there has never been an accidental bite. If left alone, they are essentially harmless.
In the same vein, there are several rattlesnake species at the Muleshoe. The most likely to be seen on the nature trail are the Black-tailed rattlesnake, Arizona black rattlesnake, and the Western diamondback rattlesnake. All they ask of us is to pay attention to what we are doing. If you observe one, simply walk around it - giving it plenty of room - and leave it alone. They are very important predators upon a number of small mammals including packrats (Neotoma spp.), cotton rats and kangaroo rats.
Javelina or collared peccaries, can be observed throughout the Muleshoe, but are particularly fond of prickly pear cactus and the tender heart of the Schott's agave.
The riparian or streamside forests of Fremont Cottonwood and Gooddings willow as you see along Hot Springs, provides for an incredible diversity of birds. Nesting records from this type of habitat show that more species of birds nest in the cottonwood-willow community than in any other vegetative type in North America.
Several unique and increasingly rare subtropical birds can be seen in this area. These would include Zone-tailed, Gray and Black hawks which nest in the tall trees. These are examples of "obligate" species, those that are entirely dependent upon these riparian forests. The Yellow warbler, Summer tanager, Vermilion flycatcher and Northern beardless tyrannulet are also seen here.
Common ravens nest in the rocky cliffs adjacent to Hot Springs, and Peregrine falcons nest on the cliffs in the upper watersheds of Bass and Double R canyons. Peregrines can be seen in the skies over the nature trail.
A tremendous diversity of birds exist at the Muleshoe Ranch Preserve. The range of habitat types protected at the Muleshoe embrace a cross-section of the birds of Arizona. From Spotted owls in the higher elevations to the varied bunting on the shrubby slopes around HQ, expect the unexpected at the Muleshoe. Please report any unusual sightings to the Muleshoe staff.
When found together, these tall mesquites form a closed canopy woodland or bosque (a Spanish term for woodland or forest). In openings where it is sunny, graythorn and wolfberry, among a variety of shrubs, may form dense thickets. Mesquite bosques are the fourth rarest plant community type of the 104 identified in the United States.
Mesquite/hackberry woodlands develop on these terraces as these level benches are removed from the influences of the stream. Mesquite trees can send roots over 75 feet down to reach water. they will often be found in drier areas of the riparian habitat. The occasional old cottonwood, ash or walnut tree tells of high water tables and stream processes and influences of the past.
Mesquite trees are members of the legume family. They produce very edible beans rich in protein, sugars and carbohydrates. It is one of the most important food resources available. The other favorite food of javelina are mesquite beans which will fall to the ground during the late summer and fall. Coyotes and packrats live off mesquite beans much of the time. Native Americans used, and still do use, mesquite beans for a variety of food products.
Packrat middens, or the large piles of sticks and other debris gathered up by the industrious packrat can be seen scattered throughout these woodlands. They are active mainly at night, and are constantly collecting seeds, odd objects and anything else that catches their interest. Called "our first curators" by those who have unraveled the secrets of a few ancient middens found in southern Arizona, they have taught us much about the evolution of the vegetative communities of southern Arizona.
This area was the site of the Post Office that was built in the canyon in 1890. There were numerous people living in the canyon at that time- for a brief time it turned out to be. But the springs undoubtedly contributed to the initial success.
Springs higher up in these hills provide water for the Desert bighorn sheep that dwell in this area. The bighorn herd in the southern part of the Muleshoe were re-introduced after being held for a time in the Bland pasture.
You can also see the high welded wire fence that crosses this area. It fences in what we call the Bland pasture, where an experimental herd of african antelope were kept for a short time. They did poorly on the available food resources and were not maintaining adequate nutrition, so they were moved elsewhere.
The Nature Conservancy has established several vegetation monitoring plots throughout the Bland pasture. We plan to conduct several small prescribed fires to gauge the effects of fire on the vegetation at different intensities and seasons. Several areas on the preserve, we feel, were once more dominated by grasses instead of the more shrub-dominated uplands we see today. We feel that fire may have been one of the forces that kept the shrubs from "invading" the grassland areas. This is but one facet of our stewardship or longterm biological management plans for the Muleshoe Ranch Preserve.
The evidence of past floods is quite apparent. Piles of debris composed of logs and branches and leaves provide habitat for a diversity of lizards and insects. Flooding is very important in the process of regeneration of the riparian tree species. It prepares sandbars and banks for the germination of seeds. Flooding also helps to recharge groundwater and recycle nutrients in the riparian system.
A number of the larger mammals such as mountain lion, black bear, coatimundi and javelina will forage in this area as well as use the stream channel as a corridor for traveling from one area to another. Look for their tracks along the trail.
Although Hot Springs in the vicinity of the Nature trail does not have the permanent flow of water necessary for the fish downstream, where it does begin to flow, several of the five native fish species in the Muleshoe stream can be found.
Native fish are by far the most threatened group of animals in Arizona. The loss of habitat and the introduction of exotic species has led to alarming declines. Of the 32 native species that lived in Arizona waters, one is extinct and four are gone form Arizona. Of the remaining 27, 21 are either threatened or endangered or are under review for possible listing as threatened or endangered.
The Nature Conservancy in Arizona has dedicated a significant effort on behalf of these native fish. The Muleshoe Ranch preserve contains some of the best remaining streams supporting only native fish species. The globally threatened Gila chub, a pool-loving species, is found in several streams on the Muleshoe.
The Canyon hackberry is also a very important tree species. It produces a berry that is a favored food of coatimundis, foxes, and a number of smaller mammals. The coatimundi, or coati, is a unique mammal found in this region. It is a relative of the raccoon and often travels in groups or troops. Commonly seen in trees, they are expert climbers through the canopy. Curious and comical, the coati is a delight to observe.
The berries provide food for a host of birds such as the phainopepla. In good years when berry production is quite high, the berries will provide critical winter food for bluebirds, waxwings and robins.
A number of vines can be seen in this woodland. Canyon grape, passion flower, and clematis vines droop from the trees, forming dense pockets of vegetation.
Another conspicuous plant found in this area is the cane cholla. The flowers are a bright magenta and are visited by native solitary bees, and "joints" or segments of the cactus can be seen in packrat middens.
This community, as do all riparian communities, depends on water to sustain its moisture dependent plant and animal species. The Muleshoe is one of the best-watered areas in southern Arizona with a large number of springs with perennial or permanent flow. We are working with the BLM and USFS to protect these vital water resources. The ability to manage the watersheds of several of these streams for the riparian resources - the rare communities and species - is one of the great opportunities and conservation goals of the Muleshoe Ranch Preserve.
Along Bass and Redfield canyons are found the mixed broadleaf deciduous forests composed of sycamore, alder, walnut, ash, Bonpland willow and occasional cottonwood. Some 75% of Arizona's wildlife depends upon these communities at some critical point in their life-cycles.
These lush, and rich forests provide immense relief from the rigors of the hot and rocky uplands. One can think of these riparian forests as sub-tropical forests, and a large number of the obligate bird species are sub-tropical such as the Zonetail, Gray and Black hawks. their fate depends upon the successful protection of these sub-tropical habitats - both here and in their wintering grounds in Mexico.
All rocks visible in the hills and cliffs in view from the Ranch Headquarters are volcanics that are less than 65 million years old and overlie much older rocks, some of which are exposed to the north, and on the east side of this part of the range. Younger (recent) rocks border the Hot Springs Creek bottom. These are both recent (0 - 10 million years - perhaps) debris eroded from the older rocks (volcanics and older debris), partly indurated (compacted) through the action of water-bourne minerals such as silica and gypsum. The water collected by Hot Springs Creek is constantly rearranging these recent gravels and either expose or cover portions of the older Galiuro volcanics in the Muleshoe area.
Outpourings of the different ages of volcanics has been intermittent and interlayered with gravels and conglomerates eroded from the earlier volcanics and probably even older sediments. These older interlayered gravels and conglomerates are very similar to those being deposited today by Hot Springs Creek. We are witnessing currently a probably very short interval following uplift of the older rocks being eroded and eventually to be followed by additional vulcanism.
Buried volcanics are thought to be furnishing the heat that converts percolating surface water to the hot water now issuing from Hooker Hot Springs. A fault under the Muleshoe very likely is acting as a conduit for the spring water and continues downward far enough to penetrate and be heated by the earlier volcanics.
The "Gila Conglomerate" found in the northern portion of the Galiuro Mountains and farther north in the Globe-Superior mining areas, may be represented by some of the similar-appearing conglomerates seen in the southern Galiuros. It is not known that that such a correlation has been made.
To date the Conservancy and its over half million members have been responsible for the protection of over 5.7 million acres in 50 states and Canada. It has helped like-minded partner organizations to preserve millions of acres in Latin America and the Caribbean. While some Conservancy-acquired areas are transferred for management to other conservation groups, the Conservancy owns and manages some 1100 preserves - the largest private system of nature sanctuaries in the world.
The Conservancy uses a pragmatic three-step approach to conservation:
Won't you join us? Membership begins at $15 per year. If you are already a member, would you consider a donation to the Muleshoe Ranch Preserve to assist in the on-going operations and management of this vast and rich natural area?
Return to Day 18


BORA-3 is an acoustic shot detection system based on a high performance state-of-the art technology. It uses both the shock and muzzle blast waveforms to detect and locate guns with supersonic particles. BORA-3 is a swap product making it suitable for personal use. BORA-3 uses the same technology as the BORA-1 and BORA-2 products only with a smaller size. Its hand terminal is composed of a versatile touch panel with a user friendly menu. Display presents the information such as target distance, azimuth and elevation angles. In addition, sensor GPS coordinates can be observed thanks to a GPS, IMU, and magnetic compass integration.
BORA-3 increases the situational awareness of personnel. It is a tactical product performing in demanding environments including remote mountainous areas as well as highly reverberant urban districts.
BORA-3 is unique not only due to its high performance but for its flexible architecture. This leads to integration of additional capabilities to the sensor system.


For over a year, since Minneapolis bars and restaurants went smoke free, St. Paul bars and restaurants have seen a rise in business from anxious smokers who don't want to brave negative windchills and crowed sidewalks for the sake of their cigarette habit.
Now, all public places in the Twin Cities will be smoke free, a utopia for groups like the American Lung Association of Minnesota and people like St. Paul city councilman Dave Thune who proposed the St. Paul smoking ban in January and passed it in the City Coucil with a 4-3 vote.
The aforementioned people have trumpeted the ban as a boost to public health, a victory for all citizens in favor of healthy living. The final ordinace itself is a laughable document that relishes its own Big Brother language.
In Section 281.01 of the ordinance entitled "Chapter 238: Public Smoking in Licensed Liquor Establishments and Restaurants," the City Council delares the purpose of the ban to "Affirm that the right to breathe has priority over the desire to smoke."
Smoking ban legislature asserts that a total smoking ban protects the health of those in the restaurant business, as well as protecting all of us from the damaging effects of tobacco in the environment. Apparently, it is up to people like Thune and St. Paul mayor Chris Coleman, to decide what is best for our health.
If smoking is so dangerous and detrimental to our health, then why not make smoking completely illegal? Unless the selling of cigarettes is made illegal, it is ridiculous and costly for bar and restaurant owners to operate under a prohibitive and overly idealistic ban.
When will a smoking ban stop and other health-mandated laws begin? Now, suburbs near Los Angeles are thinking about banning smoking from places like outdoor patios and parks. If we allow our government to start drawing invisible lines around our lives, what's next? Will fast food be outlawed because it makes us fat? Will we see another Prohibition?
Smokers do not need people like Thune to tell them their choice is detrimental to their health. In an era of Surgeon General warnings, The More You Know advertisements, and DARE education, most citizens of this country know that smoking is dangerous for your health. But as bueaucratic government officials will tell you every day, we aren't smart enough to make choices for ourselves.
I am not a smoker, and in fact, I hate the stench of smoke lingering in my hair or on my jacket after visiting a smoky establishment. But I believe a smoking ban is overbearing and costly for bar and restaurant owners, many of whom, with the support of their employees who are subjected to second-hand smoke, protest the smoking ban.
No one will be deterred from smoking because they can't do it in bars, but those who do smoke will see their options dwindle. That means their money stops circulating, and small bars and restaurant owners and employees suffer the financial consequences. Already, a petition against the ordinance by 16 bar and restaurant owners has been denied by the Ramsey County District Court. The city council is offering bars and restaurants loans to help ease the transition into smoke-free land, but many owners say the loans won't be enough.
If bar and restaurant owners wish to be smoke free, they should declare their establishment so. But as long as smoking, like drinking alcohol or eating fatty foods is legal, and business owners and their employees are willing to brace the legal risks of smoking, they should be left alone.
Opinions Editor Stephanie Soucheray is a junior from St. Paul, Minn. She majors in English and in history with a concentration in media studies.


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Whether she sings in the shower or not
When we take a shower, we’re all alone. We’re calm and we don’t feel shy. Our stress level decreases and our brain starts producing dopamine, causing feelings of pleasure. In these moments, we want to sing about our mood whether it’s good or bad.
In fact, this behavior helps a person “restart” themselves and relax even if they know that someone’s at home. This is good because if we feel we can’t show our emotions for a long time, it has an effect our psyche which could cause stress and lead to fights and arguments.
It’s not surprising that men pay attention to this because it helps them imagine and process the mood of their partner which will help them and the future of their relationship.
The way she texts
Only the bravest among us are comfortable just showing their emotions and actually discussing their feelings. Most of us (especially those of us that are accustomed to dropping hints) try to do it without even making eye contact. Texting is a space where women can reveal their true feelings and are usually more sincere, and men know this.
That’s why men try to decipher all the signs that they get in messages and track how often, why, and when women text them.
Here’s another interesting fact: Linguists say that the words that that we use tell a lot about our character. Frequent phrases like “I think, I feel” mean that a person is focused on themselves. If a person always tries to persuade you that they are sincere using “I bet, believe me,” they may be lying. It’s easier to pick up on this while texting which is why people who are tuned in to this, successfully use this method to make judgments about the other person.

domain: sociology


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I am organizing a book tour for both bloggers and bookstagrammers. The book is a contemporary romance with elements of magical realism called The Fire God Tour by Michele Sims. The tour will run from June 7th to the 11th and review copies will be available in print depending on shipping, distance etc... Giveaway will be a signed copy of the book!
Hey Bookworms! I am organizing a mini book tour for upcoming historical fiction, The Search by Tiffani Velez. The tour will run from May 24th to the 28th and I am looking for hosts. ARCs will be available shortly and there will also be a giveaway-- A $25 Amazon gift card!
Welcome to the book tour for Wendy L. Anderson's latest novel, Ulrik! We have an exclusive excerpt for you and a chance to win a digital copy of the book!
Check out the cover for upcoming release, Ouijanaut by Phil Motel!
Ouijanaut is a psychologically dark love story with themes of life, death and the afterlife, and may be unlike anything you’ve read before.
After dropping out a semester short of college graduation, Bailey Madison inherits the management of her family’s struggling ice cream shop in Seward, Alaska. When Kingsley Tours needs her prime location to expand their business into the Last Frontier, Bailey must use her wits and creative ice cream recipes to save her shop.
Usually carefree and self-centered Brahms Kingsley must prove to his father he can buckle down and lead Kingsley Tours as the company grows. But how can he close Bailey’s shop when she still holds a place in his heart?
Brahms must choose between pleasing his father and earning the love of a woman he never forgot.

domain: entertainment


text: I love the oval shape with flat round bead detailing. It has a look of substance and history. I named it after the city of Kingston, Ontario because it's a beautiful city with lots of history. This design is classic and versatile. Wear it with anything. Oxidized silver-plating never tarnishes. 17/8" drop. FREE SHIPPING.


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What is a Merchant Cash Advance?
A merchant cash advance is a type of loan that is equipped for small businesses that are B2C. MCAs are an advancement on your future sales. There is an agreed upon amount that is predetermined and advanced to your business. The funder will take out a percentage of every transaction your company makes until the fixed amount is paid off. An MCA is the fastest way that a business can get the money they need for business expenses.
This type of financial plan is great for businesses because the amount taken out of your account is based solely off of your sales. If your business is having a slow day, less will be taken out. If your business is having a busy day, more will be taken out. Your business’ cash flow will then fluctuate with your business so you will never be low on working capital. The transactions are automatic as well, so you will never have to worry about writing a check to the funder.
Who Qualifies for Merchant Cash Advances for Businesses?
Businesses that have little to no collateral to put forth, small credit history, and a lower credit score may be eligible for a merchant cash advance. Many lenders don’t have complex standards for qualifying, so many businesses are eligible. Many small businesses appreciate this type of funding because it is fast and can get small businesses the funds they need without breaking the bank over time.


Installations: A League of its Own Page 2
Michael had limited time for the pre-wire. "One day, we stopped by to see how the electrician was doing, and the builder told us the pre-wire had to be done by the next afternoon." To prevent electrical interference, low-voltage wires were run through PVC jackets in the top and bottom plates, and cables fed through the attic were kept 1.5 to 2 feet from power lines. A dedicated circuit was run from the main breaker panel to a subpanel to keep the room's power lines isolated from the rest of the house's AC circuits.
Along with multiple drops of RG6 (for A/V) and Cat-6 (for the home network), Michael ran multi-mode fiber-optic cable, even though none of the gear currently uses it. "In 5 years, when you can download HD movies over fiber-optic in 10 seconds, the Johnsons will be able to plug in a laptop and download a movie," he says.
Whereas countless home theaters are heavy on design and light on performance, this one is refreshingly the opposite. Almost all the electronics are from Parasound's Halo series, and all the speakers are in-wall models from James Loudspeakers. Handling the front left and right channels is a pair of biamped Baby Grand Concerto SDX speakers, which have a soft-dome tweeter, two 8-inch midrange drivers, and a 10-inch subwoofer; a 1,200-watt, rack-mounted James Model Six amp sends 600 watts to each sub. The James 83-SDX center speaker, like the Baby Grand Concertos, has a soft-dome tweeter and two 8-inch midranges. Lastly, two pairs of 82-SDX in-walls (each of whose tweeters is complemented by a single 8-inch midrange) are used for the side and rear surround channels. All the enclosures are made of welded aircraft-grade aluminum and use proprietary drivers.
|Sony VPL-VW100 SXRD 1080p front projector Screen Research ClearPix2 THX-certified 140-inch screen (2) Samsung LN-T4081 1080p 40-inch LCD HDTVs (2) James Baby Grand Concerto SDX in-wall left/right speakers James 83-SDX in-wall center speaker (4) James 82-SDX in-wall surround speakers (side and rear) (2) James EMB-1000 10-inch subwoofers James 1000PPT 10-inch in-wall subwoofer Parasound Halo D 3 THX Ultra2-certified universal DVD player Parasound Halo C 1 THX Ultra2-certified surround controller Parasound Halo A 51 THX Ultra2-certified 400-watt 5-channel amplifier Parasound Halo A 21 THX Ultra2-certified 400-watt 2-channel amplifier (2) James Model 6 600-watt subwoofer amplifiers Panamax MAX 5400-PM power conditioner/surge protector Philips Pronto TSU9600 touchscreen universal remote control Ethereal audio and video cables|
James speakers feature proprietary equalization circuitry called AFDC (Adjustable Frequency Distribution Circuit), which lets them be tuned to a room's acoustics. (The circuitry replaces the conventional crossover networks used in most speakers.) By turning a dial on the front of each speaker, you can change the speaker's equalization curve so that its frequency output and tonal characteristics can be adjusted to deal with room anomalies.
"The goal is to get an across-the-board frequency response," Michael explains. "These speakers let you tune the system at the output side, instead of reprocessing the signal in the processor." The circuitry also protects against overloads (James says that none of its speakers have failed due to excess power), which is why the speakers don't have maximum power ratings.
A pair of James EMB-1000 subwoofers sit behind the projection screen, and a 1000PPT in-wall "power-pipe" sub at the back of the room. The outward-facing 10-inch woofer on the EMB-1000 subs is actually a passive radiator that's acoustically coupled to an amplified 10-inch woofer behind it. This lets the sub deliver very low frequencies at elevated sound levels without high-excursion distortion. Meanwhile, the 1000PPT sub uses a hidden enclosure with a long-throw 10-inch driver and a 4-inch-diameter port. The latter is actually a flexible tube that can be snaked to the edge of a wall, ceiling, or floor and terminated with a grate or grille. The 1000PPT is powered by its own 600-watt, rack-mounted amp.
Every piece of electronics - primarily from Parasound's line of THX Ultra2-certified components - is housed in a rack in the equipment closet. A 400-watt-per-channel Halo A 21 stereo amp powers the front left and right speakers, while a 5-channel Halo A 51 pumps equal amounts of power to the center and surround speakers. Connected to a Halo C 1 processor/controller are a Halo D 3 universal DVD player, a DirecTV HD receiver/DVR, and two DirecTV HD receivers, which feed the two LCD TVs. The gear is guarded by a Panamax MAX 5400-PM surge protector/power conditioner, as well as by surge suppression at the electrical subpanel.
Dave acknowledges that he didn't know much about the Halo gear and had to rely heavily on his installer's choices. Confirms Michael: "Dave gave considerable trust to my guidance. But he's been everywhere and seen everything, so I wanted to give him a system that would really stop him in his tracks. We talked about the differences between receivers and separates, and we talked about Parasound's product line, its warranty, and its position and image in the industry. I like the gear because it's bulletproof - and in conjunction with the James Loudspeakers, if Dave wants to go full-volume, he can. He's not the kind of guy who wants or needs products that have tons of bells and whistles. He understood the performance differences, and he wanted absolutely top-caliber sound quality."
While Michael and Dave quickly agreed on the Sony VPL-VW100 SXRD front projector, the 140-inch Screen Research ClearPix 2 screen was a late addition. "We'd originally spec'd a smaller screen," Dave says, "but when build-out was done, we were surprised by the size of the room. Michael said the original screen was going to look too small, and he recommended the larger one. I'm certainly happy with that decision."


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Mitski planning an LP, on tour, playing DbA w/ Free Cake & Turnip King tonight; Frankie Cosmos touring (dates, stream)
by Andrew Sacher
Brooklyn singer/songwriter Mitski is planning to release a full length this fall/winter via Double Double Whammy (home of Frankie Cosmos), but ahead of that she dropped a digital single on the label, "FIrst Love / Late Spring." The track opens up with a sparse keyboard/vocal intro that sounds like Mitski might be in the same twee realm as Frankie Cosmos and her other labelmates, but then it turns out "First Love / Late Spring" is actually an explosive pop song. Check it out below.
Mitski is currently on a tour that includes a hometown show tonight (6/4) at Death by Audio with her labelmate Free Cake For Every Creature and two solid indie rock bands, Long Island's Turnip King and Chicago's Clearance. Admission is $7 at the door. She's also got a Northside show happening on June 14 at Trash Bar with Small Wonder, Eskimeaux and Yours Are The Only Ears. All dates are listed below.
A few of Mitski's other upcoming dates are with her labelmate Frankie Cosmos, who (as usual), also has many dates coming up including plenty in NYC like Pitchfork Northside, MoMA Nights, and more. All of her dates are listed below too...
Mitski - "First Love / Late Spring"
Mitski -- 2014 Tour Dates
6/4 Brooklyn, NY @ Death By Audio w/ Free Cake, Turnip King, Clearance
6/5 New Brunswick, NJ @ Cooler Ranch w/ Frankie Cosmos
6/6 Philadelphia, PA @ Golden Tea House w/ Frankie Cosmos
6/7 Baltimore, MD @ The Bahamas w/ Flashlight O
6/14 Brooklyn, NY @ Trash Bar w/ Small Wonder, Eskimeaux, Yours Are The Only Ears
Frankie Cosmos -- 2014 TOur Dates
Thu-Jun-05, New Brunswick, NJ @ Cooler Ranch w/ Mitski
Fri-Jun-06, Philadelphia, PA @ Golden Tea House w/ Mitski
Wed-Jun-11, Brooklyn, NY @ Baby's All Right - Northside Festival
Fri-Jun-13, Brooklyn, NY @ St. Vitus - Northside Festival Pitchfork Showcase
Fri-Jun-20, Toronto, ON @ NxNE - MiO Streetcar Series
Sat-Jun-21, Toronto, ON @ NxNE - The Great Hall
Fri-Jun-27, Brooklyn, NY @ Shea Stadium w/ Bethlehem Steel & more
Fri-Jul-04 , Brooklyn, NY @ The HO_SE w/ Old Table, Told Slant, Hello Shark, Small Wonder
Thu-Jul-17, Boston MA @ Great Scott w/ Krill, Warehouse, Free Pizza
Tue-Jul-29, Hamden, CT @ The Space*
Wed-Jul-30, Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair*
Thu-Jul-31, Burlington, VT @ Monkey House*
Sat-Aug-02, Toronto, ONT @ Horseshoe*
Sun-Aug-03, Ferndale, MI @ Loving Touch*
Tue-Aug-05, Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle*
Wed-Aug-06, Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop*
Thu-Aug-07, Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Café*
Thu-Aug-14, New York, NY @ MoMA Nights
* - solo tour w/ Porches and Hospitality


Oculus Reveals “Oculus Ready” PC Line for Out-of-the-Box VR Support; Includes Alienware, Asus, and Dell Systems
With the highly-anticipated Oculus Rift making its final, public debut in the first quarter of 2016, those that don’t own a PC capable of the more demanding system requirements for VR can do so with a fresh system that’s ready for the device right from the gate, as Oculus will unleash a whole line of “Oculus Ready” PC models.
Oculus announced a collaboration with PC manufacturers Alienware, Asus, and Dell to bring a line of “Oculus Ready” PCs to retailers alongside the Oculus Rift’s debut in early 2016. These systems were described by Oculus as a “high-performances PC optimized for the Rift,” with each of the models optimized for Oculus Rift at the recommended system requirements for the headset.
The line of “Oculus Ready” PCs will include options from Alienware, Asus, and Dell: the cheapest model from the lineup so far comes from Asus at $949, while the rest of the systems from Alienware and Dell are being offered starting at $999.
The Oculus Rift VR Headset is expected to release in Q1 2016 – the new line of “Oculus Ready” PCs in collaboration with Alienware, Asus, and Dell will also release alongside the headset in 2016.


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Great little coffee shop next to Whiting Ranch. Over-the-top bagel (breakfast/lunch) sandwiches and all of the normal espresso beverages. They have wifi as well and good seating (indoor and outside). Great place where people hang out before (generally) making the Whiting Ranch trek.
“Clean coffee shop next to Whiting Ranch, Wifi”

domain: food


The Cayman Islands financial services industry is the #1 earner/cash cow for the Cayman Islands government.
This is a typical in the Caribbean, where most regional nations earn the bulk of their monies from tourism. The fees, registrations and licenses doled out earned roughly 39 percent of the total revenues for the Cayman Islands central government last year according to statistics produced in the annual financial statement by the Ministry of Financial Services.
A significant sum of $102.7 million dollars was earned in regulatory licenses and fees alone and just over $138 million dollars were earned in “entity” registrations (designated as company/corporate registrations). These figures are for the Cayman government’s 2014-15 fiscal year and are the latest out. These two were the largest contributors of the financial services sector. Following behind regulatory licenses, fees and the aforementioned “entity” registrations was the trade and business licenses issued for these financial services companies. These licenses earned the nation’s government $1.7 million dollars while immigration-related fees charged to financial services companies totaled just over $13 million dollars for the fiscal year.
These taxes, fees and dues accounted for $255.6 million of the $659.6 million dollars the government earned in revenues in 2014-15. A massive portion of the total earnings indeed. These numbers also do not take into account the business that is conducted by the statutory authorities and by companies owned by the government itself. The financial services industry doesn’t just provide the lion’s share of cash for Cayman’s governmental operations. When one looks at the statistics, it can reasonably be estimated that the financial services sector accounted for roughly 16 percent of all the jobs in the Cayman Islands during fiscal year 2014. Thisfigure includes in it the legal and accounting service industries within the overarching industry itself. Additionally, these careers created by the sector are higher paying than averageand over 71 percent of financial services jobs were held by Caymanians citizens in that year. The government’s latest human resources report also states thatCaymanians held +/- 74 percent of careers in the civil services sector.
This report from the Ministry also took into account the impact on the economy overall. It proffers that over 50 percent of the Cayman Islands GDP (gross domestic product) could be accredited to the financial services industry, accounting and legal services professions. The report also states that these are measures of direct impact on the economy only. The indirect impact from things such as the purchases of goods and services can add an additional 5 to 10 percent to the nation’s gross domestic product. There are also tourism related implications from the financial services sector that cannot be ignored. It has been estimated that over 31,000 visitors came to the Cayman Islands during 2007 as clients,conference attenders and vendors. This segment of tourism accounts for 100,000 nights stayed in local hotels and condominiums and these persons visiting the islands spent an estimated $20 million whilst here. When all of this is tallied up it is plain as day that the financial services industry is a cash cow for the nation’s government and certainly the #1 industry earner for the Cayman Islands.
John has been working as an agent with ERA Cayman Islands for 8+ years specialising in high-end real estate, hospitality and property management. Formerly of Vail, Colorado; John has set down his roots in Grand Cayman. John holds a degree in business law from the University of Saint Thomas.


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Disclaimer for new readers: Welcome! I am in the process of illustrating a full tarot deck for Llewellyn Worldwide, the artwork has been shared here with permission from the editor. There is no release date yet for the deck, but it should be sometime in 2015. It will be a full 78 card deck with no borders. The author behind the project is Ann Moura, who is widely known for her Green Witch books.
Here is final illustration for The World Tree. Traditionally in Tarot this card relates to The World. The tree is an Ash Tree, like that of Yggdrasil; the World Tree from Norse Mythology.
Symbolically the Ash Tree stands for stability, magical strength, connections and spirits. To symbolize the year Ann Moura requested the leaves be painted in transition of the seasons, which is further symbolized by the Crane flying overhead.
When the deck is complete there will be more thorough descriptions of the cards and their meaning in the book Ann Moura is writing to go along with the deck. At current I have completed 16 illustrations for the project out of 79.
The illustration process for this card was fairly painless. The original sketch had the tree centered in the middle but as I progress with the piece I realized it would give the card a much more dynamic and powerful view to utilize the Dutch Angle. When I sent the colored version to the author and Art Director for approval they agreed with my assessment. Here is a gif file of the full process for your viewing pleasure:
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this little look into my illustration process. As always I’d love to hear from you, so please leave a comment. If you like the artwork I would also like to encourage you to share it with your friends.
To view all cards posted on the blog so far, please click here: Green Witch Tarot


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Heineken to feature James Bond in ads
Heineken is once again tying up with the James Bond franchise, in a move that will feature the film's character, played by Daniel Craig, feature in its ads for the first time.
The global campaign will launch in September to coincide with the release of 'Skyfall', the latest film in the franchise, which stars Craig as Bond. Heineken has been a partner of the James Bond franchise since 1997.
It will be themed around the brewer's 'Open Your World' campaign, which is into its second execution following its launch last year.
Heineken will again invest heavily in digital and will drive activity through its global Facebook page.
Heineken chief commercial officer Alexis Nasard said: "The trust that we have built has allowed us to take the partnership to a new level by linking Skyfall directly with global 'Open Your World' campaign. We are confident our activation plan will ignite the conversation with our consumers and film viewers."
Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, the Skyfall producers added: "The level of collaboration with Heineken is unprecedented."
This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk
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- Black horse returns in new Lloyds Bank campaign
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- Geometry Dubai hands over Cannes Grand Prix amid controversy


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Why do nice guys finish last
If you happen to be a very nice guy and feel that pretty women are not usually attracted to you, then you should know that you are not alone. What that means is that people all over the world often feel the same way. It is possible that you have noticed a few good looking female friends of yours, make some really bad choice in choosing boyfriends. You could also have had feelings for some of them only to find out that they are not attracted towards you. This could be a total misperception or true up to a certain extent, but here are a few theories regarding the phenomenon.
The most common problem with men is that they mix up being nice with lack of a backbone. That means women are annoyed by guys who act too nice and depend on their acceptance and opinions a bit too much. You should treat a woman nice, but that should not mess up your original personality.
Nice guys are often shy guys and unfortunate as it is, women are not exactly turned on by shy guys. Nervousness and coyness are two associated features and they seldom manage to impress a woman. Confidence on the other hand is the key thing to impress women. Women are attracted more towards men who are confident, especially at social gatherings and most of the times when he is with her.
It is a fact that women do appreciate nice guys, but that particular nice guy may finish last with her, if he does not have other attractive traits other than the gentleness. It is an age old fact that strong men attract beautiful women, but that does not mean that you cannot be nice and strong at the same time, all it means is that you need to send out the right signals to her.
What it all comes down to is what type of a nice guy the concerned person is. When a woman says that she would like to date a nice guy, what she actually means is that she would like to date a charming and social guy with a strong personality who treats “her” nicely.


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Duke Innovative Pain Therapies
A Multispecialty Practice at Brier Creek
10207 Cerny Street, Suite 114
Raleigh, NC 27617
Appointments and Referrals:
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Duke Innovative Pain Therapies is the first-of-its-kind pain practice in the world. This team of highly-trained pain management specialists is dedicated to transforming the way people suffering from chronic pain receive care and treatment, with a focus on non-opioid pain therapies, in a personalized environment that allows for optimal comprehensive care.
Treatments and Services Offered:
- Musculoskeletal/neuropathic pain management
- Orofacial pain management and sleep disorders
- Primary headache disorders management
- Medical pain management
- Physical therapy
- Clinical psychology for pain and stress
- Clinical neuroscience-guided treatments