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Perth 2011: ISAF Sailing World Championships
Well I have just returned from coaching at the ISAF World Sailing Championships at Perth, Australia, and it was certainly an interesting regatta and overall a very positive one with so many learning points to take forward to 2012. From here the only way is up.
Despite not having the best result on paper the first thing to mention is Lijia Xu qualified for the Olympics so the first and main objective has been met. It was a difficult regatta which could have easily gone the other way but she showed her true strength of character.
Coming off a win at Sail Melbourne Lijia was keen to get racing, unfortunately a little too keen and was caught over the line in the first race. It must have been very close indeed and I had a chat with the race officer who kindly let me listen to the tapes which shows she was over in the very last second, just accelerating that little bit too fast.
Her disappointment was not with the lost race but that fact she did not get a chance to race. Having been looking forward to the Worlds for so long it was frustrating not to join in.
However the next race she made amends with a solid second place, although unfortunately she had an incident at the windward mark with another boat. I checked the notice board before leaving the club and there were no postings at all. I asked the girls who said there were no protests and I checked the time, which was well after the time for protests to be in. There were also several of the Chinese translators there so I felt safe to go home.
Upon arriving home I checked the results to find that there had been a protest and Lijia had been disqualified. Not wishing to rob her of a good night’s sleep we just went for a long walk and a talk and so she was unaware until the morning.
Fortunately there had indeed been some issues with the posting of protests which had gone up several minutes too late. Lijia handled herself very well in the pre-hearing and got the protest re-opened. Due to thunderstorms there was no racing that day and we held the protest. Again Lijia spoke very well in the protest room but ultimately lost. The emotional tiredness was obvious as she slept most of the way home.
With just one more day of racing before selection for the Gold fleet Lijia sailed an extremely solid day with 11, 9, 9 putting aside the difficult first day and showing her true strength she qualified for the Gold fleet by just a few points.
Safely in the Gold fleet which was based on the top 50% of sailors after the initial three days Lijia came out with a bang scoring 2, 2, before a disappointing 26. To me this clearly showed what she is capable of, and the poorer result gave us points to work on. Indeed not a single sailor had three top results that day.
The final day of Gold fleet racing and getting into the medal race was a tough call. My advice was simply to do your best and see what happens. She knows she can win and a third place in the first race of the day brought her ever closer, until it transpired she had again been over the line. A ninth in the final race saw her finish 25th and qualify for a spot in the Olympics. A great result considering she was counting two disqualifications (there was only one discard in the series).
We now return to China for more physical training before taking to the water again after Christmas. The road to the Olympics goes on…
They say that you can experience all four seasons in one day in Melbourne and that was certainly true. In the space of a couple of days we had flash flooding which saw the road completely disappear and the drains back up, to bright sunshine which meant I burnt my arms even with factor thirty suntan cream. I was so worried about getting burnt on my face I had so much lotion I looked like a ghost. We had some quite windy races and also winds so light I could see my reflection in the water, so I was surprised the regatta was not more high scoring.
I have also, along with a number of mates, started to grow a moustache for the month of November in aid of Cancer for Men. I lost one of my best friends from University to cancer as well as my Uncle who lived with me for 23 years. So this has always been close to my heart. I started off not shaving for a full week and I am gradually removing the facial hair to leave a moustache at the end of the month before shaving it off on December 1st.
I was a bit concerned that my top lip may look rather pale after being hidden from the sun for a month, especially the strong Australian sun, but we shall see. Interestingly the Chinese have not asked about my sudden increase in facial hair, whereas for the Western sailors it is the first thing they ask when they see me. In fact when I went to a local Gym to find a place for the team to train the first thing the lady behind the counter said was, “Good on you,” pointing at my hairy top lip.
The regatta itself was a mixed bag and certainly a learning experience for me. I feel the more time I work with Lijia before the Olympics the better. She won Sail Melbourne which is the first regatta in the 2011/2012 World Cup series which was a great start but it is just that, a start… training starts again tomorrow and she has asked to be pushed hard!
Off to China
Well I spent most of the UK Radial Nationals trying to get a Chinese Visa and there were some very early mornings writing letters, booking flights and other administration duties, but it was worth it when it was finally done. In fact I was more pleased when I checked my Blackberry that my Business Visa had been sorted (allowing me to come and go freely over the next twelve months) than the fact that I had won the Nationals for the fifth time!
I remember very well leaving launching as late as possible. With no wind at 9:00am and a cut off time of 3:00pm it is always tempting to wish for no racing especially when you are winning the Nationals and therefore the only way you can go is down! It also happened that on the last day my Visa was due to be processed by 12:00 (I literally got a Visa as fast as possible). However at 12:00 there was no news and the wind was filling in, and no news at 12:15, 12:30, 12:45. Eventually I had to launch or risk missing the race. In fact the Silver fleet which were held back were queuing to launch as I (the very last person to launch in Gold) finally made it to the water.
Luck was with me and despite a very slow sail to the start (no towing allowed) I made it out just in time for the start of the Standard rigs. I dumped my stuff off at the Committee boat (I must say a quick thanks to Duncan Hepplewhite who looked after my stuff the rest of the week) and we were off. A poor start near the pin end made it hard for me to get from the left to the favoured right side of the course but I managed to round in the first half dozen which is where I stayed all the race. With the rest of the top Brits fairing even worse than me off the line I was pretty safe for the Championships.
There was however a very strong international contingent and going down the final run I was just behind my closest rival (for third overall). I opted for the left hand side, which had paid on the previous run but lived to regret it as it peeled off slightly to the right. With a huge group of boats behind I could not get back across without going through a huge amount of dirty wind, so I opted to stay where I was, rather than risk dropping out of the top ten. As it was I stayed leading boat on the left but lost a couple of boats on the right with my closet rival winning the race to take third by a point (I would have won on tie-breaker)<sigh>.
However sometimes it is good to be disappointed as it only makes you drive harder. I had had a very busy week with many things on my mind, so it was a fair result considering a few minor hiccups that happened like a broken rudder, a non-ratcheting ratchet block which I replaced by a non-turning ratchet block, not to mention a few sleepless nights as I worked out how I was going to get everything done before I went to China (previously I was booked pretty much every day in the UK up until the World championships in Perth) but it is all done and dusted and I can now look forward to a new challenge. Time to get practising with those chop sticks!!!
Olympic test event
The Olympic test event was certainly that, a testing event for Sailors and Coaches alike.
The conditions ranged from terrible Tuesday (a very light and shifty Northerly) to big Wednesday (when the waves meant even going upwind in a RIB was less than comfortable).
Unusually the courses changed nearly every day. In fact in the initial programme the Radial class was due to race on two different courses on the same day, which has got to be unheard of.
It must have been especially hard for the Women Windsurfers who are used to racing in Portland Harbour and did not have a single race in there. However as always the cream rises to the top and there were few surprises in the top ten of any fleet.
One thing which was strange was how short the courses were, meaning three laps rather than the usual two and may have suggested why the courses were so far from WPNSA. I would hope for the real games we will be back to longer beats (and just two) like at most international regattas.
Overall it was a very positive experience, especially the opportunity to try out the medal race area near the Nothe fort. Being close to the entrance to both Portland and Weymouth Harbour, not to mention the high land by the fort itself, this is going to be a tricky place to race and may well decide many medals in a year’s time. Any one who won a race here should be very proud indeed as this certainly bodes well for 2012.
Now more than ever it is clear how important training at the Olympic venue is, as it really could do anything!!!
Sail for Gold regatta
What better way to see how you would perform in Weymouth in the summer than racing in Weymouth during the summer! It is therefore no surprise that for many federations the performance at this year’s Sail for Gold regatta is a key part of the selection for the Olympic test event in August.
After all if you can medal at Weymouth in the summer of 2011 then there may be a good chance you can repeat the feat in the summer of 2012. This has in fact been one of the largest regattas with over 1000 sailors taking part whereas the actual Olympics is restricted to just 380. Not only is this a good chance for the best sailors in the world to test themselves against each other but also for those who are considering running a campaign for 2016 or beyond to see just how high the bar is.
It certainly has been a tough week with big wind and waves plus long days on the water. To do this regatta unsupported would be extremely tough, with the sail in after a long day’s racing exceeding an hour with the local marina fuel station doing a great business with the 340 coach boats, not to mention all those boats actually involved in the running of the regatta.
The racing itself was extremely tight and I was coaching the Laser Radials which shared its course with the Laser Standards with the race area approximately east of the Eastern entrance of Portland harbour. The WPNSA did a great job of coping with the huge numbers.
With around 400 days to go this is certainly a proving ground for the Olympic hopefuls but no doubt the runners and riders will become clearer after the test event. With many sailors vying for the single spot at the games in each class it is an exciting time and the media for the event was superb with live radio (although once I did have to tell one of the on-the-water commentators which race he was watching), tracking each day, and better than ever medal race coverage.
You can see more here.
Also check out some of my photos here.
I was recently asked by Leonardo Ferrante from Argentina about the length of ropes to use for his new Laser. Now rigging the boat correctly is very important which ever class you sail but things are often changing as people test new ideas, and new materials become available, to try and get the best possible set up. However the basic principles remain the same.
The first principle is keep it simple! Use the minimum amount of rope you need, so you have less rope to pull and there is less rope to tangle. Where possible use the minimum purchase as this reduces the amount of rope needed and the minimum thickness as this reduces friction.
However before you even start to think about the lengths of rope, you must think which ropes you need. After all if you were going to walk around London you would want to make sure you were not trying to use a map of Paris.
For the sail controls you want to use rope with a minimum amount of stretch. Obviously if you use a stretchy rope then it would affect the lengths required but you definitely do not want to use a stretchy rope for the sail controls otherwise when a gust hits, the stretching of the rope would give you a fuller sail, which is the last thing you want.
Indeed the only place that you want a stretchy rope is on the rudder downhaul so the rudder is held tightly. If there is any slip the rudder does not come up as there is still plenty of rope tension holding it down. I would recommend a 3:1 system here.
The best ropes at the moment are Dyneema for stretch and I suggest using these on all the primary control lines (I also use this on the traveller but I have an outer hard wearing sleeve to protect it). However for the secondary line it is nice to have a softer rope which sits well in the cleats as well as being kinder to the sailor’s hands (not everyone wears gloves), so I use maffoli. Many people also use this as a mainsheet but I believe it is too soft for this and when not under tension it can tie itself in knots!
The primary lines are those which take the main load, whilst the secondary lines are those which go through the cleats and actually end up in the sailor’s hand.
When looking at the lengths it is important to have a good splice. A good splice to me is tapered (so there is no hard edge) with the splice length approximately ten times the thickness of the rope. Remember it will take a little while for the splice to bed in, so make the ropes around 2 cm shorter than you think and then re-measure them after a couple of hours sailing. Fingers crossed you will have got it spot on first time.
So to answer Leonardo’s specific questions.
For the kicker primary you want the secondary block very near to the primary block when the kicker is all the way off. Just ensure that the splice is not in the top block where the block is pinched as this will affect the smooth running of the rope. The primary needs to be 90 cm long.
For all the secondary lengths it depends on how you tie the handle. I like a nice big handle (so I can put my whole hand in it). If you can put only a couple of fingers in the handle then you are limited by the stretch of a couple of fingers. I also run a length of rope from the handle to attach to my centreboard, so if the handle slips to leeward I can still pull my kicker on. It is also worth noting many of the full time full rig sailors remove some of the secondary purchase but the majority of people don’t. The secondary needs to be 300 cm long.
For the outhaul primary I have the system set up so the blocks on the primary just touch when you have the foot of the sail as tight as you are ever going to want it (the clew strap is as far along the boom as it can go). This minimises the amount of rope used. The primary needs to be 100 cm long.
Again for the outhaul secondary I make a generous handle, with the handle sitting firmly by the cleat when the outhaul is fully released. The secondary needs to be 300 cm long.
The primary line needs to be slightly overlong so that you can comfortably tie it each time. In light winds I rig the downhaul both sides so as not to twist the sail. At 66 kgs I need to pull the downhaul on alongside the boom, so in around 16 knots plus I rig it down the port side meaning I can pull more on. This slightly twists the sail but it is more important to get enough on (I choose port side to have the advantage on starboard tack off the line and we usually go round marks to port). The primary needs to be 90 cm long.
The secondary length required varies depending on whether the primary is down one side or another. Indeed in light winds it is best to have a small amount of slack in the downhaul to make it really easy to get off. This is not necessary in strong winds, which means you have much more secondary rope. The way I get round this is to make a much larger handle (but not large enough to get your foot through – just in case) and I also leave a bit of a tail. The secondary line needs to be 300 cm long.
All the control lines may be ordered made to measure from: www.thenottinghillriggingco.com
I am still testing mainsheets but I have used the Rooster Polite mainsheet for many years. There may be a better mainsheet out there but I haven’t found it yet. I use 13.5 metres. You can order it from www.roostersailing.com
Video of me rigging a Laser
Failing to plan is planning to fail. My key regatta this year is the Radial World Championships in La Rochelle from July 16th to 23rd . I have just returned from the French Europa cup also held in La Rochelle , and hence a perfect warm up regatta.
It has been over ten years since I raced at La Rochelle (the Worlds were last there in 1999). So I am pretty much starting from scratch. It was actually a very easy trip, just catching the ferry from Weymouth (where I live) to St Malo, then less than a four hour drive to La Rochelle, far quicker than when the World Championships were in the UK last year (in Scotland).
Doing this regatta allowed me to get to know the local venue (getting lost can be a bit stressful so it’s nice to know your way around); choose good accommodation: I had booked the closest apartment to the boat park but on inspection, it is right by a road and the local pubs and nightclub. So may not be too quiet in the summer. Hence I have opted to stay in the same place as I did this week (better the devil you know). Still just a short walk from the boat park but in a much quieter area, and as an added bonus it was cheaper!
I have also had the chance to test out all the gear I shall be using. The Neil Pryde kit has been great. Over the winter I got used to wearing ½ length hikers over a full winter wetsuit and I really enjoyed the extra comfort whilst hiking, having both a wetsuit and hikers provided. So now the weather has warmed up I am using a summer wetsuit. This means I still get the added protection on the thigh but without dying of heat exhaustion, and as an added bonus there are no silly tan lines (which you get on your legs when you wear ¾ hikers).
I am also now very used to my current rope set up and the Maffoli’s nice and soft on the hands as well as being low stretch. The only thing which will be different is I shall have a new boat for the World Championships.
Rest and recuperation is also a key part of training. I am now off for a week’s windsurfing holiday with Pompey Students Windsurfing Club before heading back to Weymouth. This gives me a well earned break from sailing whilst still testing my wind awareness, balance and fitness. Once back in Weymouth it will be a return to my usual routine, concentrating on my weak areas: core strength and flexibility using Pilates and Taekwondo as well as correcting any muscular imbalances in the Gym (particularly working on the shoulders and upper back which can become rounded with all the static holding you do whilst sailing). Lastly I will go and see my Physio and see what sort of shape I am in after being away for a month.
The start of the season
Well the season has now well and truly started even if no one remembered to tell the wind. My broken elbow no longer stops me sailing although it does make some pretty horrible noises. I guess it sounds like having a ratchet block in my arm (you can hear it clicking every time I straighten or bend my elbow). However my physio assures me it is not bone on bone or I would be in unbelievable amounts of pain! So I continue to have physio twice a week to get the bicep to relax and let go, allowing the arm to straighten fully. I have also recently had acupuncture: after all if someone stuck pins in me I would let go!
The good thing about having time off is that it has given me plenty of time to do some writing which also helps me think about sailing tactics, even if I have not always got it right myself! Also looking at the big picture: My first Olympic campaign was in a Laser: it is clear now that I was way too small for this to be practical; my second was in the 49er but unfortunately I had to pull out when two of the discs in my neck prolapsed, and my third campaign was going to be in the Tornado but this lost its status as an Olympic class. Currently I am committed this year to coaching both Sail for Gold and the Pre-Olympics and I wonder what 2012 will bring!
So far I feel I have had a productive year. I have been working with Neil Pryde on sailing gear. It is amazing what a difference good sailing gear makes. One of the things I like the most is the difference grippy hikers make. Much like doing pilates, you do not so much notice the benefit of doing it (having the hikers) but you really notice the loss when you don’t (you start slipping up and down the decks). In fact the kit is so good I have at times been too warm at the Radial Spring Qualifiers… something which has never happened to me before!
I also continue to work with Gareth Griffiths on the Laser rigging: getting ropes for the primary control lines which do not go flat (and break the blocks). We are trying out a traveller with a cover so that it is not slippery (like pure Dyneema) as this leads to the traveller blocks slipping inboard in light winds and can allow the rope to slip in the cleat. We are also trying to consider the average Laser sailor: for example we recently went back up to 4mm and started using a shorter rope which was kinder on the hands (not everyone sails five days a week and has tough hands) for those times when you pull the rope, not the handle.
Lastly, Crew Fuel has been very useful in trying to increase protein intake without eating half a cow each week. I have found the sachets very useful although my energy requirements in recent weeks have been down as we haven’t had very much wind!!!
Dinghy developments and Crew fuel
I have just returned from the Dinghy Show at Alexandra Palace which really marks the start of the UK sailing season and is a great place to see all the latest developments. I was on the Laser performance stand supporting the UKLA in my role as Training Officer. It was great to be able to show people the new Training Handbook which along with the training DVD every Laser Class Association Member will soon receive.
It was also really good to see that Laser Performance have recently updated their XD rigging systems and are now using Dyneema (SK 90) replacing the previous Vectran systems. I actual seemed to spent more time showing people the benefits of the latest rigging systems than I did talking about the class association!
Another interesting development was the self bailer spring Phil King developed for his own use. Time will tell how long it lasts but no doubt it will be more durable than the existing rubber rings. Further testing is obviously required but this looks a great idea to me.
The UKLA Chairman, John Ling, picked up an award from Gael Pawson, Yachts and Yachting Editor, for the best Class Championship for the record breaking worlds at Hayling Island in 2010 (not such a good event for me, as this is where I broke my right arm!)
As always it was nice to meet people who had bought and enjoyed my first book: Be Your Own Sailing Coach and sign a few copies. It always amazes me the wide range of people who have bought the book and it is great to be able to help people whom I would never have the opportunity to coach in person.
Lastly, having spent lots of time examining rigging (I am particularly pleased with my new traveller for 2011, which is low stretch, sits well in the cleat (many low stretch ropes are shiny and slip in the cleat) plus is very durable.) I have also been considering looking after the sailor.
Crew fuel has a wide range of great tasting products which mix well and come in a convenient and mess free sachet. Sports drinks are by far the quickest and easiest way to refuel after sailing (or indeed any sport). I always think the taste is one of the most important things, as however good a product is, if you don’t like the taste… you won’t use it!
In order to be successful in life (not just in sailing) you need to set goals. After all, failing to plan is planning to fail. Goal setting will be a key part of my coaching when I work with Olympic medallist and former World Champion Lijia Xu and the Chinese Radial team for the Olympic test event at WPNSA in July.
I have now been using a great little programme called Goalscape which is the best software for goal management, providing a graphical representation of your goals, allowing them to be time scaled and in as much detail as you could possibly wish in a very easy to use package.
Goal setting is the key theme of Be Your Own Sailing Coach and above you can see a Goalscape which I prepared for Top laser sailors using Be Your Own Sailing Coach. Now Be Your Own Sailing Coach is a jack of all trades, giving you important information on key aspects of sailing but then allowing you to go away and work on your most crucial areas. The difficult part of writing the book was deciding what to put in and what to leave out. I could easily write a whole book just on sailing tactics!
Goals have always been very important for me, for example the recent completion of the UKLA Training handbook. Now perhaps this was not done in the time scale that I had first hoped but it is now finished and it is a real and tangible benefit for those joining the UKLA.
I have recently been working with professional rigger Gareth Griffiths on updating the Laser rope systems. Many of the current systems in common use are woefully inadequate, where use of the wrong products is likely to lead to premature wear and breakage and prove expensive. For example, in the case of Vectran (which is UV sensitive) and Kevlar (which dislikes going round corners), Dynema would be a better product.
I have actually known Gareth for many years going back to the National Schools Sailing Association as part of the Kent Schools Sailing Association. I was team captain for my final year and went to the Nations Cup to represent England in the Laser with Paul Goodison. Wow that seems a long time ago!
Anyway Gareth brings a wealth of experience with him and is quick to point out that dinghies are not using systems, such as spectra chafe covers (which would be ideal for a Laser traveller) which are common place in racing yachts.
It really doesn’t matter if you are a club sailor or Olympic hopeful. Having an awareness of the best systems means better working systems, lower maintenance (and any breakage can be damaging to a regatta result) and actually overall lower cost. This is obviously going to be an on-going project but I’ve included a couple of pictures of the latest developments.
New Year in Cornwall
Well I had a super holiday… It was great that both Burn Park and the Clowance Estate had health centres which did massage. So I actually came back in better shape than when I went. I even finally managed to get back on my bike once, but I took it very easy, just a very short ride in the daylight when the weather was good!. The highlights of the holiday included the Eden project and looking all over Tintagal Castle for King Arthur!
My arm is now feeling much better, although there is still a long way to go. I guess I will be back sailing properly in a couple of months. It does not feel “right” but it is now just aching all the time rather than being painful: I have not had any sharp, stabbing pain (my arm telling me to stop doing what ever it is I am doing right now!) for a little while. So I feel able to get back to training slowly. The arm still trembles uncontrollably when I try and straighten it but the range of movement is coming back. There are also occasional pins and needles in the last two fingers on the outside of my right hand but this is becoming less frequent which is also good news.
I am looking forward to getting back to my local Weymouth gym, Future Physiques for the first time in months, to do some gentle upper body work. I must admit to being more than a little bit disappointed when I tried to do a wide grip pull up before I went on holiday and found I couldn’t even do one (I used to be able to do sixteen!) However on holiday I managed to do my first one which I was dead chuffed with (I have never been so pleased to get my chin over the bar)! It should now only be a matter of time for me to build back up…
Having spent so long out of action I feel I need more rest than previously (I really don’t want to push too hard, too soon and have a setback). So I have decided to have a mid week break. I find it very hard to simply rest so I am going to use Wednesdays as an opportunity to do some writing. This means I can still think about sailing but give my body a chance to recover. This also works very well as Wednesday tends to be the most popular day for my Be Your Own Sailing Coach talks.
Now my main aim is to be back fit for the World Qualifiers which start in mid March. Although I missed the first half of the series (the three October qualifiers) due to my broken arm, which means I have to count a last place in my series, I hope that if I get some really good results this spring I shall still be able to qualify for the Radial World Championships in La Rochelle this summer.
Jon Emmett has over 20 years of coaching experience from grass roots to Olympic Gold.


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More and more foolish people today are under the delusion that there are no absolute truths. That there are no moral absolutes. That morality is obsolete. That humans can decide for themselves what is right and wrong, true or false.
Actually, the idea that there is no absolute truth is both ridiculous and self-defeating. We believe there is absolute truth – you may not. Interestingly, under your ideology, you have no right to disagree with us because you claim to believe that our position is as valid as yours! Under our ideology, we have every right to disagree with you.
Sadly, there are many absolute truths that the world seems to want to ignore today. One of these truths is that Islamic scripture demands the subjugation to Islam of all people on the earth. This is verifiable by anyone who will take the time to research the subject. Therefore, since we believe Islam is a false ideology, we reject Islam and are willing to speak out publicly to say so. Is this intolerance? Of course not! At least it is not unless we set out to harm individual Muslims who have not harmed us or anyone else.
As humans striving toward a thoroughly moral lifestyle, we believe that there are many absolute truths to which all humans should agree simply because they are absolute. Some of these absolute truths are:
- The universe was created by an intelligent force that is outside and separate from the universe.
- As the creations or “children” of this Creator, we have an obligation to attempt to learn the nature and the will of the Creator.
- As fellow creations of the Creator, all humans have an equal right to life and to the right to earn the necessities of life such as adequate food, shelter, clothing etc. as well as the basic responsibility, as far as they are able, to provide for themselves (as opposed to expecting others to look after them).
- Humans are responsible, as far as they are able, to protect and preserve the lives of other humans.
- All humans have the right to hold and honestly express their opinions and beliefs as long as they avoid advocating the killing, conquest, oppression, subjugation or humiliation of other innocent humans and as long as, in their speech or actions, they avoid inflicting actual harm on other innocent humans.
- No human can be expected to avoid giving offense to other humans because humans can choose to take offense for anything to which they object. That is; offense is taken, not given. And, to put it bluntly, being offended will not harm a healthy and rational human!
- Humans do not have the right to be dishonest or to lie to others – particularly in public. While everyone occasionally makes mistakes, and should be forgiven for these lapses, deliberate dishonesty for personal or political gain is particularly reprehensible.
- All humans should try to obey the reasonable laws and practices of the society in which they live except when these laws and practices are contrary to the absolute truths mentioned here. In such cases, honest and courageous humans will openly speak out to oppose these laws and practices – and they have an inalienable right to do so!
- There are legitimate and general standards of good and evil. One of the best summaries of these standards can be found in the Ten Commandments listed in the Bible which is honored, at least nominally, by all three major monotheistic ideologies (Judaism, Christianity and Islam).
- Humans have a responsibility to be good stewards of the earth.
- All human philosophies, ideologies and movements that actually oppose one or more of these absolute truths or the 10 Commandments should be viewed with a great deal of caution, scepticism and suspicion.

domain: sociology


When: March 26-27 2011
The Texas Cannonballs, from Austin, headline a two-day music festival that starts at 1 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, March 26 and 27. $10 per day. Also performing are Felix y Los Gatos, the Dave Fuller Trio, Haywire, the Hog Canyon Band, Barry and Friends and Under the Cottonwood Tree. Call for more information.


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EXCLUSIVE: Peter Antico is fighting an uphill battle to become the next president of SAG-AFTRA, but he believes he has enough support from members to push him over the top when votes are counted Thursday. His supporters include Sylvester Stallone, Cuba Gooding Jr, Mickey Rourke, Andrew Dice Clay and Morgan Brittany.
Long an outspoken critic of the union’s current regime, he split from the main opposition group, Membership First, because he said they weren’t doing enough to challenge incumbent Gabrielle Carteris and her slate of Unite For Strength supporters.
A business and financial wonk, Antico blasted the union and its pension plans for failing to prevent a string of embarrassing embezzlements, and is harshly critical of what he sees as lavish staff salaries and reckless spending, including more than $5 million in rent last year for the union’s headquarters in Hollywood and more than $6 million in New York, and over $66,000 annually on SAG-AFTRA pins to be handed out a souvenirs.
“We spend approximately $24 million in rent all over the country that doesn’t provide any equity to the members,” he said in a telephone interview.
Antico, a veteran stuntman who’s outraged by the recent deaths of stunt performers on The Walking Dead and Deadpool 2, maintains that “there is not one safety provision written into our collective bargaining agreement, and the new contract takes away our much needed rest periods.” This, he said, “is criminal negligence and will cause additional deaths on the set.”
He hopes to cobble together enough support from working actors, stunt performers, background players, dancers, singers and voice-over artists to pull off a major upset.
“The singers, dancers, stunt performers and voice-over artists have received no gains but a cost of living increase in the last four contract negotiations,” he said. “This is supposed to be one union, and yet it seems to only benefit a very limited group of actors and the staff. And this year, on TV shows only, stunt coordinators only got a 5% increase in their flat rates, with no residuals.”
“Jobs for singers,” he said, “are disappearing through nonunion choirs, nonunion music library houses, and nonunion trailer music for the major films, whose production companies are signatory to our contract. These jobs are disappearing because we can’t get the union to fight for singers.”
Dancers, he said, are often “doing hazardous work that should come under the category of stunts, with wire work and acrobatics, and their salary does not reflect the jobs they’re doing. The union needs to do a better job fighting for them.”
Most of the union’s contracts have some coverage for extras, but limit the number of union extras that have to be hired. “Background artists didn’t get one more job added in the latest contract,” Antico said. “I believe all union jobs should be required to hire only union background, and there should be no job caps. If it’s a union job, it should be union jobs.”
Background extras, he said, “Should no longer have to pay call-in services to submit them for jobs, but have free access to every show in their region as a benefit of being a union member. SAG-AFTRA should be the call-in service, and refer background actors for all jobs in regions where they live. If you create benefits to belonging to a union, that will give people a reason to join. If there’s no value added, there’s no reason to join.”
He’d also create an “an updated membership portal which with the click of an app button, a performer can submit to any union job in any region in the country.”
An outspoken opponent of the new film and TV contract, which was approved overwhelmingly by members, he said that “enforcing the contract is number one, and it hasn’t been enforced in years.” And using technology, he said, is the best way to enforce it.
“There is widespread underpayment of residuals because of the lack of the proper tools to track them,” he said. “The first thing I’d do if elected is change the entire technology platform at SAG-AFTRA. I would change the way the business is run by using the tools of machine-learning, artificial intelligence and face and voice recognition so that we can track all performers’ content globally, 24 hours a day, in real time. These tools are available now but are not being used because the current leadership does not understand how to run a business. If you could track every time a performer was in an episode of television, a commercial, or film, you’d then be able to go after residuals on a factual basis.”
SAG-AFTRA members working on shoots outside the country, he said, are also only receiving a fraction of the residuals they’re owed, or none at all. “I have found that many American TV shows are being shown in Mexico, Europe, and Asia with the titles changed so that no residuals are paid.”
And he says that when films are shot outside the country under SAG-AFTRA contracts, the American casts are routinely being ripped off by residuals “pooling.”
“This needs to stop,” he said. “When a SAG-AFTRA performer works out of the country, residuals are supposed to be split amongst only the members of SAG-AFTRA. But the current illegal practice is that producers will add in all the foreign performers and dilute the residuals pool, cheating our members out of the correct moneys owed to them. For example, if there are 45 foreign actors and five SAG-AFTRA actors, the five SAG-AFTRA actors are supposed to spilt all the performers’ residuals under the SAG-AFTRA contract. But instead of the five actors splitting 100% of the residuals, they’re splitting 10% and the producers keep the other 90%.”
He’d also launch a major rebranding of the union. “In order to promote more union contracts, we must start branding ourselves. All we have now is a sign on a building and a business card.”
He says he’d also get out of the lease on the current headquarters and find a new location in Los Angeles and create a “Google-style campus where you would have broadcast studios, voice-over booths, miniature sound stages, rehearsal halls for actors and stunt people, a screening room, and computers and cameras so actors could upload and send their video auditions to producers.” Similar “performers’ communities” would be set up “in every major hub where SAG-AFTRA has an office.”
He said he also wants to create a “SAG-AFTRA channel and put it on a network, thus employing our own actors and enriching contributions to our pension and health plan.” All this, he said, could be done for much less than the union is currently paying in rent on buildings that “are not user-friendly and where actors feel like they’re in a government building where you can’t get in to see anyone.”
“I want to turn SAG-AFTRA into a profit-producing business model that creates equity to support all performers,” he said. And he says he wants to do all this with integrity. “I believe that the most important qualities to possess are ethics, principals and honesty, above all things. Since 2009, there has been a gross lack of integrity and financial accountability and transparency at SAG-AFTRA.”
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domain: news


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In January 2018, governor Charity Ngilu banned charcoal burning and all related businesses in the county. This directive elicited a plethora of mixed reactions. From court petitions to accusations of economic sabotage, the ban was opposed from all corners of neighbouring counties.
Two years down the line, the people of Kitui can now marvel at the wonders the ban has brought to the tourism sector.
Speaking on Wednesday, February 13, the Kenya Wildlife Services Senior Assistant Director Dickson Lesimirda, commended the aftermath of the ban. He noted that the resulting greener environment at Tsavo East Game Park is a welcomimg sight to wildlife.
Lesimirdan further said that more than 600 elephants have reportedly inhabited the Game Park. Alongside the elephants, atleast 200 buffalos and other wildlife including several lions are back in the reserve.
“The charcoal ban in the region by the county government attracted more rainfalls in the recent past than before and the game reserve is regaining its former glory. More animals are trooping back,” director Lesimirdana said.


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By Mary Wierbicki, May 1, 2018, Updated 3:50pm
The media is NOT the media of years ago. We once were able to read investigative reporting, where they did research and reported facts. In the electronic age, this is no longer the case. It’s all about opinions and slander, rather than stating facts and real journalism. Just look at the White House Correspondence dinner! It’s now up to individuals to find the facts and stand against the false accusations that is now the “media” or MSM as they are referenced.
A Michigan state Senator running for Governor did his research and alerted his constituents about Sharia, the Muslim Brotherhood, and it’s affiliates. Next, the “media”, his colleagues in the state Senate, and his own party began attacking. NOT refuting, NOT presenting facts to change his stand, but verbally attacking him. That is a mobster mentality and bullying for the sake of shutting it down. Thankfully, the Senator did not back down!
Now the real investigative journalists/national security intelligence analysts are taking a stand to prove the Senator is correct… Sharia is here, the Muslim Brotherhood does exist, the Muslim Student Association is on most every campus across America, and the Explanatory Memorandum is the guide to Civilization Jihad against North America!
Here’s the Senator and the national security analyst responses (some are individual posts here on The United West):
Sen. Patrick Colbeck denounces Muslim Brotherhood in Michigan Senate speech
Michigan: Gubernatorial candidate slammed by both parties by pointing out reality of “civilization jihad”
A Democrat candidate for Governor of Michigan. Who Are His Friends/Supporters?
Michigan Candidate for Governor – “Brave Enough to Stand Against Sharia”
The Muslim Brotherhood’s Muslim Students’ Association: What Americans Need to Know
Correcting Disinformation on Shariah from Buzzfeed
Video: Muslim Student Association pledges allegiance to the Muslim Brotherhood
A Rebuttal to CAIR’s Dawud Walid and His Article “Take A Stand Against Anti-Muslim Fearmongering”
Gubernatorial Candidate Speaks Truth About Muslim Brotherhood & Even Michigan GOP Cowers
Each one of these articles or videos are laid out from factual information. Dispute them or stop the attacks! When did this country get based on lies, name-calling, and character assassination?

domain: politics


A truck carrying asphalt overturned near Silverton on Silver Falls Highway near Quall Road Monday morning.
Both truck and trailer were hauling hot asphalt which spilled onto the road and down the embankment. The total amount of asphalt spilled was approximately 40 tons. Additionally, about 20 gallons of diesel had spilled onto the roadway.
To reduce the impact on the environment, fire crews worked quickly to contain the diesel and Silverton Public Works and the Truck Company worked together to scoop up the asphalt while it was still to clear the roadway quickly.
The driver of the truck was checked by Fire and Woodburn Ambulance personnel and was transported to a hospital.
An investigation continues into the cause of the crash.


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Are You In An Abusive Relationship?
Domestic violence can take many different forms. It involves physical, emotional, mental, economical, and sexual abuse. At first, the control and manipulation your partner uses can be very subtle. The abuse can and will increase over time. Answer "yes" or "no" to the following questions:
• Does your partner continually criticize what you wear, what you say, how you act and how you look?
• Does your partner humiliate or make fun of you in public places and social situations?
• Does your partner often call you insulting and degrading names?
• Do you feel like you need to ask permission to go out and see your friends and family?
• Do you turn down invitations to be with your friends and family because your partner will be angry at you for going with them?
• Do you feel you need to apologize to people or make up excuses for your partner's behavior?
• Do you feel like no matter what you do, everything is always your fault?
• If you're late getting home, does your partner harass you about where you were and who you were with?
• Has your partner threatened to hurt you or the children if you leave?
• Does your partner force you to have sex whether you want to or not?
• Are you afraid to say no to sex?
• Have you been repeatedly accused of flirting or having sex with others?
• Does your partner restrict you from getting a job or going to school?
• Has your partner hit you or threatened to hit you?
• Has your partner ever pushed, shoved, kicked or slapped you?
• Do you ever explain away bruises, cuts, or other injuries as results of how "clumsy" you are?
• Do you feel nervous or afraid for your safety when your partner becomes angry?
• Are you afraid to disagree with your partner?
• Are you frightened by your partner's violence towards other people or animals?
• Do you change your behavior or "walk on egg shells," depending on your partner's mood?
• Do you ever think "If only I was prettier," or "If only I cleaned the house better," or "If only I had kept the children quieter," etc., "then my partner wouldn't have been angry?"
If you answered “yes” to even one, you may be in an abusive relationship. If you need to talk, call: 740-947-1611, 24/7 crisis intervention.


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Matt Weber didn’t have to wait long to get hands-on experience at Illinois State.
Now a senior molecular and cellular biology major, Weber was impressed by how much lab experience he was able to get in his first few years at Illinois State.
The Dunlap native wants to be a medical doctor, so he’s also been able to tailor his work as an upperclassman to achieve that goal. The focus on the undergraduate experience at ISU’s School of Biological Sciences has also given Weber the ability to work one-on-one with faculty and opened doors to research opportunities which may be limited to graduate students at other schools.
Illinois State also offers special pre-professional plans of study (and advisors) for students looking to become doctors, pharmacists, physical therapists, and other professionals.
“Ever since I was about 7 years old, I’ve really I wanted to be a physician,” Weber said. “I definitely confirmed that by being a student here at Illinois State and being able to get awesome hands-on experience.”
See what it’s like to be a biology major at Illinois State in the video above.
Adam Rahn can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Hands-on learning in animal science classes in the California High School agriculture department will be more manageable in the future with the development of a school farm and learning lab.
The ag department plans to fence in about 1.5 acres of school grounds beside and behind the existing ag buildings, as well as construct a 30-by-40 foot pole barn with a 10-foot lean-to on either side.
The local agriculture program has dedicated spaces for hands-on learning in its shop and greenhouse. The school farm/learning lab would provide the same experience with livestock.
However, it will not be set up to house animals on a permanent basis.
Four animal science classes talk about theory, but have no practical application, Bieri said.
Many Central Missouri ag programs include some form of a school farm or learning lab, he said.
With an estimated cost of around $9,000, sponsor Adam Bieri said the FFA chapter intends to pay for and provide labor for the project.
The agriculture leaders will seek specific approval from school and city officials before setting posts, but they hope to begin work this spring, Bieri said.
Hands-on experiences might include:
sheep shearing clinic
fitting demonstration for fair showing
proper vaccination methods
pregnancy checking cows
petting zoo for elementary
judging and evaluating animals


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Raiders: No, Davante Adams won’t regress without Aaron Rodgers
The chemistry never left between Adams and Carr
The last time Carr and Adams took the field together as official teammates was in 2013, nearly one full decade ago. As such, it’s only reasonable to the question: Has the chemistry between Adams and Carr faded since Fresno State? The answer is no.
It’s a fair assumption to assume Carr and Adams didn’t see each other frequently once they hit the professional level, being one resided in Wisconsin, with the other on the west coast. Surprising, that assumption wouldn’t be accurate.
While on the Rich Eisen Show, Derek’s older brother, David Carr, gave the world some insight into what’s been happening behind the scenes.
“In the bay area, [Davante] bought a house right next to Derek. They worked in the off-season. They train together”, Carr told Eisen. “Derek moves to Vegas, Davante moves to Vegas.”
What’s more, David explains that his younger brother, Derek, compares each receiver he’s worked with to Davante Adams. “Every receiver. he does this like Davante..”, David went into detail explaining. “He’s always felt like [Adams] is hands down the best receiver he’s ever played with. He’s said that since he was 19 years old”.
Over the years, Carr has grown as a quarterback, and Adams has blossomed into a receiver in a league of his own. Although not the same players they were at Fresno State, the duo has made a great effort to stick together over the years, meeting each off-season and hosting workouts.
So, has the chemistry between the duo withered? No, because the pair didn’t allow much time to pass without meeting up and playing football together.

domain: sports


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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Leggett & Platt Inc. LEG, +1.45% said after the market closed Wednesday that fourth-quarter net income rose 21 percent from the year-ago period, topping most forecasts. The Carthage, Mo.-based diversified manufacturer said its profit was $59 million, or 30 cents a share, vs. $48.9 million, or 25 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call were expecting a profit of 23 cents in the latest quarter. Revenue rose to $1.14 billion from $1.01 billion; the mean First Call estimate was $1.05 billion. Leggett & Platt also said it expects to post first-quarter net income of 26 cents a share to 31 cents a share, surrounding the mean First Call projection of 28 cents. For the full year 2004, the company expects a profit of $1.15 a share to $1.35 a share; analysts are anticipating a profit of $1.23 a share.
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domain: finance


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Weather conditions that occur after flooding are just as important for plant survival as during flooding. Prolonged saturation of soils will stress oxygen-starved roots.
- Cooler temperatures allow root and seedling diseases to develop, while plant growth is minimized.
- Cool, cloudy conditions also limit plant recovery from physical damage caused by silt and crop debris.
- Hot and windy conditions following flooding also do not provide favors to the roots.
- Rapid soil drying can cause crusting that limits plant growth. Continued drying of soils is stressful if prolonged soil saturation has resulted in root die-back or limited root system expansion.
Corn can only survive two to four days of totally saturated soil condition when the growing point is at or below the soil surface. This being V5-V6 growth stage. Warm temperatures often shorten the survival period to only 24 hours, but cool temperatures increase survival. Larger corn can handle saturated soils.
When soybeans become flooded, oxygen is very limited for respiration. Flooding in general has a negative impact on the symbiotic nitrogen fixation and mycorrhizal colonization of the roots. Soybeans can survive 48 hours underwater easily, and can even survive submersion for a week under favorable condition both during and after a flooding event.
-Courtney Brown; Burrus Missouri Intern

domain: agronomy


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Kootenay Park Lodge
Vermilion Crossing, Kootenay National Park, Vermilion Crossing, BC
The clean cabins at Kootenay Park Lodge get high marks from our customers. Free WiFi in public areas, free self-parking and a restaurant are available. Built in 1923, this 3.5-star cabin has 11 cabins. Balconies/patios and fridges are available in all cabins.

domain: travel


Large main compartment with cotton drawstring closure. Jute detailing. Resistance up to 5 kg weight. Cotton, 150 g/m2, Jute.
Material: Cotton, 150 g/m2, Jute
Colour of Frame: Various Colours
Product Length: 33.00 cm
Product Height: 44.00 cm
Product Weight: 100 gram
Recommended Printed Method: Screenprint
Print Width: 250 mm
Print Height: 250 mm
Export Carton: 100 PCs
Export Carton Weight: 12 kg
Export carton (Length x Width x Height): 46 cm x 51 cm x 25 cm
There are no reviews yet.


The Megahalems heatsink features a twin tower design with condensed fin structure. The fins are aluminium and follow a descending contour towards the inside of each tower.
An overview of Megahalems
Profile of contours
At the top of the heatsinks Prolimatech have used a scratch-resistant stainless steel material with the Prolimatech logos engraved. From the top view, the six heatpipes can be seen protruding out.
The top of Megahalems
As mentioned, there are 6x 6mm copper heatpipes which are nickel plated which pass through the baseplate and up through the fin stack. The baseplate is also copper with nickel plating and has a semi-transparent finish.
A plethora of heatpipes
Although there are no included cooling fans, there is support for 120/140mm fans. Attaching a fan to the heatsink is simple, the fan clips fit into the grooves which run vertically down the side of the heatsink, the v shaped bend in the clip slots directly into the screw holes on the fan as pictured below.
Fan clips allow 120/140mm cooling fans to be attached easily
We will be using a Noctua NF-F12 PWM cooling fan for our tests as it came out as one of the best fans we have tested in our Ultimate Cooling Fan Grouptest 2012 Review.


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Staff member Sandra Keith leaves next week to represent New Zealand at the international pairs lawn bowls competition in Hong Kong.
She and fellow Black Jack Serena Matthews hosted a fundraiser evening at the Allenton Bowling Club for the staff. Divided into teams we were set some tough challenges on and off the greens.
All the best Sandra for the competitions! We are proud of you!
Our champion bowler Sandra Keith with young fans, Gabriel, Ines and Simone
Kylie, Tracy and Debbie enjoy the evening
Winning team, from left Chris, Alan, Tracy, Gordon and Gabriel
Ken and Alan showing good form.

domain: hobby


DMCA hosts ‘Marine Safety Awareness Campaign’ for fishermen in Dubai
- Event held during UAE Maritime Week 2019
- 150 fishermen attend lecture and training sessions
The Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) recently concluded the ‘Fishermen safety awareness campaign’ organized to enhance the awareness of the fishing community in the emirate. The event was in line with the government’s economic diversification policy and growth agenda.
Amer Ali, Executive Director of DMCA, said: “The recently held awareness campaign was the continuation of DMCA’s relentless efforts to ensure maritime safety in Dubai and the UAE. Dubai is a key player in the regional and global maritime industries. The fishing community is an important part of the industry and integral to the UAE’s cultural heritage.”
The latest leg of the campaign, which began in January this year, was held at the Fishermen’s Port 3 in Umm Suqeim, Dubai. A total of 150 fishermen attended the event to learn about the latest global best practices in relation to sustainability and safe navigation initiatives. During the entire campaign, DMCA already held a series of awareness lectures and training programs in Arabic and Tamil.
Mohammed Khalifa Al Huraiz, Director of Waterway Control, DMCA, said: “Our fishermen learned about the latest best maritime practices and standards to help them better manage their operations. The event’s success has further inspired us to continue our educational and awareness efforts so that we can further enrich knowledge and build capacity in the development and management of maritime operations. Our efforts are in accordance with the highest standards of maritime safety, safe navigation, and operational efficiency. The confidence of international maritime leaders in Dubai, one of the leading maritime capitals and the best shipping centers in the world, remains high.”


produced water technology Applications in Asia & Middle East
Water & wastewater treatment solutions for oil & gas upstream industry
Sustainable Technologies for Treating Produced Water for Reuse or Deep Well Injection. Oil and gas exploration and production are highly complex and capital-intensive processes. Producers face many challenges, including the constraints of climate, environment, and geography. As companies extract oil and gas in ...
By Fluence Corporation Office in Beijing, CHINA.
Filtration plants for solid-liquid separation and dewatering of treated effluents for chemical/pharmaceutical industry
Bilfinger Water Technologies produces and installs filtration plants in chemical – pharmaceutical fields since the early 1970s. The filtration systems developed by Bilfinger Water Technologies during this 30 year-experience are particularly appreciated in solid liquid separation processes and ...
By Aqseptence Group GmbH Office in Moscow, RUSSIA.
Aquatech Oil Sands-Produced Water Treatment
on the cost of oil production. Aquatech provides water treatment technologies that includes the recycling of the produced water used the process which has a direct impact on their the cost of oil production. ...
By Aquatech International Corporation Office in Guangzhou, CHINA.
Overcoming municipal water treatment challenges
reliable water treatment technologies to effectively produce high quality water. If plagued by PFAS and PFOS, reverse osmosis is an excellent remedy. Desalitech’s Closed Circuit Reverse Osmosis (CCRO) systems excel where other reverse osmosis systems fail. CCRO systems provide maximum water recovery of up to 98% ...
By Desalitech - a DuPont brand Office in Tel-Aviv, ISRAEL.
Produced water management for the oil and gas industry
A combination of factors in recent years has led to increased attention to water management in the oil and gas industry. Some of these factors include: limited water resources in certain areas, development of water-intensive technologies to better exploit unconventional plays, excessive transportation/disposal ...
By Pentair Filtration Solutions, LLC Office in Dongcheng, CHINA.
Integrated Environmental Solutions for municipal industry
water and groundwater, they require cost effective technologies to produce potable water while managing waste water discharge for smart, sustainable water ...
By Hyflux Membranes Office in Shanghai, CHINA.
Industrial Wastewater For Red Meat
AQUA Industrial Watertreatment is very experienced in the treatment of wastewater produced in the red meat industry. Many cattle, sheep and pig slaughterhouses throughout the world rely on AQUA Industrial Watertreatment technology. The waste water produced during the production of red meat is highly ...
By Marel Water Treatment B.V. Office in Beijing, CHINA.
Atmospheric Water Generators
WaterMicronWorld, Ltd utilizes a revolutionary AWG (Atmospheric Water Generation) technology to produce safe and drinkable water. AWG refers to the technology of extracting and producing purified drinking water from the humidity present in the air. To produce pure water, it requires no plumbing or any type of external water ...
By Atmospheric Water Generators-WaterMicronWorld based in THAILAND.
Need help finding the right suppliers? Try XPRT Sourcing. Let the XPRTs do the work for you


text:
5 years ago229 views
Photographer Captures Life of Rural Chinese People - as part of the news series by GeoBeats.
Things are changing in China. Over the past generation, consumerism has seen an enormous surge. Chinese photographer Huang Qingjun has spent about a decade traveling around to remote areas and capturing on film the possessions of rural families.
Going to 14 of the 33 provinces in China, his photos have documented the drastic changes taking place there.
He asks the families to bring all of their things outside of their house and pose for a picture alongside them.
He told the BBC that as his project reaches the ten year mark he wants to return to the locations that he initially photographed to see how things have changed.
Photojournalist Peter Menzel undertook a similar project in the early 1990’s, only with a much broader scope. He endeavored to use photos to display how average families around the world live, by showcasing them outside of their homes next to all, or most, of their worldly belongings. Using socio-economic statistics generated by United Nations and World Bank, Menzel’s work shows how differently people live in different places. He published his photos in a book entitled ‘Material World.’

domain: geography


Exciting times for the Hope Badge Computer.
Tonight, I’ve worked out most of the kinks with interfacing the new SRAM module which you can see in posts below this, to the J68 soft-core CPU.
This means that I can now write to memory locations using 68000 assembly, and display color graphics on the screen.
The current resolution is 800 x 480, which matches the LCD. I have attached a VGA LCD Monitor to the FPGA. That interface, the computing shield that you can also see a couple posts down, uses a 12-bit DAC, therefore, the current color depth is 12-bits. Which works out to be 4096 colors. I can support 16-bits on the 7.0 touchscreen, or 16-bits using a better/different DAC for VGA. This is without any other modifications.
The plan is to get to 24-bit color, but everything in due time!
Time to start practicing my 68K assembly!


| Event Information
MSE Seminar: Dr. Michael Strano, MIT
Nanofluidic Platforms for Knowledge Gaps at the Water-Energy Nexus
Abstract: Fluids confined inside single digit nanopores (SDNs) with pore dimensions comparable to the size of the fluid molecules can exhibit transport phenomena and thermodynamic properties, including phase transitions, which differ remarkably from those in the bulk phase. Here, we develop a high-throughput platform utilizing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as SDNs to precisely investigate fluid phase transitions under strong confinement and characterize environmental coupling effects. By immersing CNTs, opened by focused ion beam (FIB), in water reveals phase transitions with concave-up trajectories dominated by the internal fluid desorption (adsorption) at high (low) temperatures. To model these water phase transitions, we have developed an equation of state (EOS) and utilize molecular simulations carried out in a hybrid statistical mechanical ensemble. This ensemble maintains the confined water in quasi chemical and thermal equilibrium with separate chemical potential and thermal reservoirs, respectively, under non-isothermal conditions. Importantly, this thermodynamic theory entails a self-consistent determination of the phase transition temperature as a function of the water-CNT interactions and CNT diameters, thereby enabling an accurate characterization of the enthalpy of phase change through fitting to the experimental data. Remarkably, as a control sample, local laser heating of as-grown CNTs in vacuum, we discovered thermally reversible radial breathing mode (RBM) downshifts of unopen CNTs by an extraordinary 10 to 15% with hyperbolic trajectories, which is attributed to a reversible increase in damping. The concave-down trajectories can be described using the harmonic oscillator model across 93 different Raman scans. Additionally, recent theoretical and experimental work by our laboratory has enabled the solution phase, irreversible polymerization of 2D polymers, specifically 2D Polyaramid 1 (2DPA-1). The monomers concatenated in two directions forming a molecular sheet, offering a novel ultra-strong 2D platform with stacked matrices and accessible porosity for gas or fluid transports through SDNs. Overall, our comprehensive experimental and theoretical investigations demonstrate the exceptional promise of CNTs as precision systems for various nanofluidic applications, and 2D polymers hold potential for molecular separations at the water energy nexus.
This Event is For: Graduate • Faculty


text:
Sources Experts & Spokespersons
Embassy Row, published by Sources as part of the Parliamentary Names & Numbers directory, lists all embassies and high commissions to Canada, and all Canadian embassies, high commissions and consulates abroad. Each e...
Sources Select Resources
Banquet of Chestnuts
The Banquet of Chestnuts, known more properly as the Ballet of Chestnuts, refers to a fête in Rome, and particularly to a supper held in the Papal Palace by Don Cesare Borgia, son of Pope Alexander VI...
Salt + Light Television
Programs range from daily news and current events to special features and films. Most programming falls into one of five categories:
National and international stories of Catholic Action and Social J...
Sources is an online portal and directory for journalists, writers, news editors, researchers. Use Sources to find experts, media contacts, spokespersons, scientists, lobbyists, officials, speakers, university professors, researchers, newsmakers, CEOs, executive directors, media relations contacts, spokespeople, talk show guests, PR representatives, Canadian sources, story ideas, research studies, databases, universities, colleges, associations, businesses, government, research institutions, lobby groups, non-government organizations (NGOs), in Canada and internationally.
© Sources 1977-2018. The information provided is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form or by any means (whether electronic, mechanical or photographic), or stored in an electronic retrieval system, without written permission of the publisher. The content may not be resold, republished, or redistributed. Indexing and search applications by Ulli Diemer and Chris DeFreitas.

domain: library


text:
Pan African Conglomerate, Dangote Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Niger State Government for the establishment of a $450 million jumbo state-of–art sugar complex.
This is in a move to ensure self-sufficiency in sugar production through the government’s backward integration policy.
The $450 million pact will see the company produce raw sugarcane on a 16,000 hectares of land at Lavun Local Government through an out-grower scheme.
According to the President of the Group Aliko Dangote, the project will generate over 15,000 jobs in the state and bring about a complete economic turn-around for the state.
Dangote noted that his investment was informed by his Company’s firm belief in the potentials of the Nigerian economy, adding that the new outlay will add value and create jobs for Nigerians.
“The Dangote’s Integrated Sugar Project in Niger State will also include the establishment of integrated sugar mills, generate power, produce molasses, ethanol fuel, biomass and produce animal feeds,” he said.
Group Managing Director of Dangote Sugar Plc, Abdullahi Sule added that the integrated sugar mills will have the capacity to produce 160,000MT of raw sugar.
The company, is currently operating an out-grower scheme in rice production in a number of states, and has Africa’s largest sugar refinery in Lagos and a sugar cane plantation in Numan, Adamawa State.

domain: food


text:
BY KATHERINE WARE
Americans had long considered Europe to be the international capital of art and style when the radical artistic movement known as modernism began to emerge there in the mid- to late 1800s.
The term “modernism” describes a style of art that was driven by the dramatic changes in communication, transportation, and industrialization during that period as well as the subsequent violence and chaos of World War I. Other intellectual developments, such as Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, Niels Bohr’s research on atomic particles, and Sigmund Freud’s inquiry into the unconscious mind, also provided a catalyst for artists to explore new subjects and to create an artistic language for contemporary times.
Modernism was initially embraced in the United States by a small, interconnected group of vanguard artists, primarily based in New York City and other urban centers. After World War I, these artists, along with writers and other cultural figures, sought to distinguish modernism from its European roots and worked to establish a uniquely American voice in art. America’s growing industrial prowess provided the inspiration for artists—both citizens and émigrés—who felt that new technologies such as automobiles, telephones, and radios signaled a new and efficient way of life, stimulated by American ingenuity and efficiency. Others rejected the shift toward an increasingly urbanized, consumerist culture by celebrating the country’s unique geography, as well as rural and indigenous traditions. An American Modernism, at the New Mexico Museum of Art from October 2, 2015, to February 21, 2016, explores the tensions between these motives and the struggle to define a distinctively American art for the modern age.
As part of the search for what was genuinely American, many artists turned to the country’s distinctive geography. Especially for East Coast artists, the western plains, canyons, and deserts were fresh and even exotic subjects. Sites such as the Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, and Canyon de Chelly were ancient and impressive reminders of natural forces beyond human influence and cultures that long predated the establishment of a place called the United States of America. Here, at home, were sights that easily rivaled the cathedrals of Europe or the temples of Greece.
Largely due to the hospitality and drive of Mabel Dodge Luhan, New Mexico played a central role in the modernist search for American content. Well connected in the New York art world, she presided over a lively salon in Greenwich Village before relocating to Taos in 1919. There she established a compound for visiting artists, Los Gallos, providing a special gathering place that offered stimulating company, contact with rural and nonassimilated traditional cultures, and the rich resource of the New Mexico landscape.
One of her earliest visitors was Andrew Dasburg, an established member of the modernist art movement and a regular at Lujan’s New York salons. When Dasburg first came to Taos, he was beginning a concentrated engagement with the work of French artist Paul Cézanne. Paralleling Cézanne’s interest in Mont Sainte-Victoire, a peak in southern France that he painted many times, Dasburg found inspiration during his annual visits in the mountain landscape of New Mexico. In his watercolor composition Sangre de Cristo, from about 1933, he uses sinuous, undulating lines to portray the mountain as a living entity, suggesting that its energy can hardly be contained on the page. Dasburg’s use of brown tones, punctuated by just a bit of color, focuses our attention on the earthen nature of his subject.
John Marin also painted extensively in the landscape during his two extended summers at the Los Gallos compound. Though new to the desert Southwest, Marin arrived as a mature artist and immediately came to terms with the unfamiliar scenery, creating about a hundred watercolors. In addition to his vigorously painted outdoor views, Marin also made a watercolor of San Francisco de Asís Church, in Ranchos de Taos, which he portrayed as a collection of rhythmic, interconnected planes.
The medium of watercolor, as employed by European modernist artists including Paul Cézanne and Auguste Rodin, carried for American modernist artists an association with informality, even amateurism, that satisfied their aversion to the labored craftsmanship of traditional oil paintings. Critic Paul Rosenfeld suggested in 1930 that watercolor (along with photography, the short story, and verse) was a medium well suited to the American spirit of “extreme changeability and momentum, incertitude and freedom from precedent,” among other qualities.1 Easily adapted to outdoor use, watercolor also allowed artists the freedom to work outdoors and directly from nature.
The American soil, not yet having revealed its exhaustion in the impending Dust Bowl, was for many a symbol of the country’s purity and fertility. In his review of William Carlos Williams’s 1925 book In the American Grain, D. H. Lawrence (another denizen of Taos) declared, “All creative art must rise out of a specific soil and flicker with a spirit of place.”2 This personal relationship with place, both local and the particular, was considered essential to American modernism, and many artists cultivated it in New Mexico. Working outdoors whether with watercolors, pencil, or camera—offered artists a chance to commune with the native soil as they worked to move beyond realism and description to communicate some texture or presence that was genuine to the experience of place.
Cady Wells was a relative newcomer to the art scene when he moved to New Mexico in 1931 and began to work intensively in watercolor. Originally from New England, Wells was deeply enamored of the southwestern landscape and became one of its most eloquent visual interpreters. In his untitled painting of one of northern New Mexico’s spectacular summer storms, painted in the early years of his career, Wells devoted half of the composition to a palpable and threatening sky. The artist’s adaptation of the cubist style, seen in the fragmentation of the valley floor, combines with a series of slashing lines to suggest the specific tenor of a high-desert storm that casts a deep blue mantle over the scene and wrings out a vigorous downpour on the landscape below.
This focus on ancient and even eternal subjects provided a strong ballast for a subset of artists working in the period between the two world wars, offsetting the strain of tremendous social upheaval and change. The natural world— and the beauties of the New Mexico landscape—offered a rich visual resource for formulating national identity, a site for reimagining the future, and an important counterbalance to the rise of industrialization, urbanism, and commercialism.
1. Paul Rosenfeld, “The Marin Show,” New Republic, February 26, 1930, 49.
2. D. H. Lawrence, “American Heroes,” The Nation 112 (April 14, 1926), 413.
Katherine Ware is curator of photography at the New Mexico Museum of Art and organized the exhibition An American Modernism. She is currently at work on a solo exhibition of the photographs of New Mexico photographer Anne Noggle and a show about artists inspired by lowriders.

domain: artistic


text: Find t-shirts inspired by the Marvel character of Dr. Strange. Dr. Stephen Strange was first introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in his title movie released 2016. His next solo feature, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, is set to be released next. Shop for awesome t-shirts featuring this unique superhero with magical powers.


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Los Barriles Mexico vacation resort, Sea of Cortez, sport fishing,
Los Barriles East Cape Baja Mexico Sportfishing
Sea of Cortez Sport Fishing
Our beautiful beach resort is located half-way between La Paz and Cabo San Lucas, and lies on the Sea of Cortez. This region is noted for its sandy beaches, skin diving, beach combing, swimming, wind surfing, and big game fishing. It is one of the few spots in the world where Marlin are taken year-round.
Our modern, fully air-conditioned rooms, some with kitchenetts, overlook the sandy beach and the crystal-clear water of the Sea of Cortez.
Our roof garden restaurant and cocktail lounge is located on top of the hotel, overlooking the swimming pool, palapa bar, fishing fleet, Sea of Cortez and the mountains surrounding the town of Los Barriles.
The owners and operators of the beach resort, the Martin Verdugo family, have lived in Los Barriles on this beautiful beach for five generations and though they have developed the property into a modern resort, the charm of old Mexico has been retained. We take pride in offering you excellent facilities and service.
Los Barriles Sport Fishing
The waters off Los Barriles offer a wide range of fishing possibilities. Try your hand fishing for the mighty striped, black, and blue marlin, dorado, sailfish, or roosterfish.
It is hard to imagine the shot of adrenaline as you battle with some of the greatest fighters in the world. It is an extraordinary experience to catch one an experience of which you will never forget.
East Cape Baja Mexico Fishing Package Deal
Based in 4 people per boat 2 per room:
4 nights in the hotel, fishing, tackle, breakfast every morning, box lunch
for the days you are fishing.
Los Barriles Sport Fishing Boats
We have six Super Cruisers, California 28 ft. They are diesel powered fully equipped boats. We take a maximum of 4 fisherman plus crew. Rods and reels can be provided or you can bring your own fishing gear.
Types of Fish
This is only a small sampling of the wide variety of fish caught in the Sea of Cortez.
Marlin: Individuals can get up to 13.5 feet and 692 pounds, but here they average 9 - 10 feet and 150 - 250 pounds.
Sailfish (Sp. Pez Vela): To 10 feet, 9 inches and 180 pounds (average 7 ft., 100 pounds).
Yellowfin Tuna (Sp. Atun): To six and one-half feet and 450 pounds
Dorado (Hawiian mahi mahi): To 6 feet 9 inches and 87 pounds. Most average 2.5
- 4 feet and 10 - 30 pounds and are caught over deep water trenches.
The Grouper can get up to 6.5 feet and 200 pounds. They
inhabit reefs and sea mounts just offshore and around islands.
Roosterfish (Sp. Pez Gallo): To 5 feet and 114 pounds, averaging 1 - 2 ft. and 15- 30 pounds.
Jack Crevalle (Sp. Tana or Cavalla): To four feet and 40 pounds. Found along gravel/cobblestone bottoms, they take trolled or drifted live baitfish, or cast chrome spoons.


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REAL ESTATE – The Government of Singapore Investment Corporation’s GIC Real Estate has bought two Munich properties from Hines for more than €300m.
Its bought the new completed office properties on Georg-Brauchle-Ring, which are pasrt of the “Uptown München” development completed in 2005.
“The 38-story Uptown München Tower is a landmark building, and is the tallest and one of the most attractive office buildings in the Bavarian capital. It is completely leased to O2 Germany, a leading telephone operator, for a fixed 15-year term. The campus building is fully leased to Adobe Systems, two local companies and Hines,” a statement said.
It said the move means GIC is now the biggest investor in Uptown München.
"Our decision in 2001 to establish ourselves in Munich by developing Uptown München has been affirmed," says Alexander Möll, the Hines project manager who was responsible for the sales negotiations with GIC RE.
"Despite the sometimes difficult market situation for commercial property over the last few years, it has become evident that top-quality buildings are justified and can be successfully marketed."
“We are pleased to acquire these two office buildings in the successful Uptown München project developed by Hines,” added GIC RE president Seek Ngee Huat.
“These Class A properties are well-located, have been leased long-term to strong credit tenants and provide a stable rental income. This investment is in line with our investment objectives and a fitting addition to our core global office portfolio, which also includes other prime office properties such as 30 Gresham Street in London, Shiodome City Center in Tokyo, Franklin Center in Chicago, Chifley Tower in Sydney and Seoul Finance Centre in Seoul.”
Hines was advised by Colliers Property Partners Immobilien-Kontor Schauer & Schöll, who stated that this was the largest single asset deal that has ever been signed in Munich.

domain: economics


text:
This question is part of the following Ask The Expert session:
Electroporation can be used to engineer cells to express a range of proteins from secreted proteins, membrane proteins or cytosolic proteins. In terms of protein biotherapeutics, MaxCyte clients have expressed recombinant antigens, full IgGs from multiple species, bi- and tri-specific antibody, FcSv, Fab and Fc, or other fusion proteins. One benefit of electroporation over other transfection technologies is the ability to easily control the ratio of plasmids during cotransfection, a property particularly useful for multi-subunit proteins. MaxCyte systems are the only FDA approved instruments and thus can produce cGMP grade materials which can be used for toxicology and clinical studies.

domain: chemistry


Title: Wholesale Rice Dryer Supplier
Description: The New International Machinery is offering a wide range of rice processing machines, rice dryer, rice polishing machines, rice destoner, rice separator, pneumatic rubber sheller, material handling elevator and many others.
Listing Added: 2013-01-25 10:38:50
Listed in the following Categories:
- Industrial Goods and Services
:: [Incorrect Info/Broken Link? Please Let Us Know]


text: EUR/USD - 1.4533.. Although comments fm EU Commissioner Almunia n ECB's President Trichet y'day continued to pressure the single currency this morning n the pair fell to as low as 1.4502 in Asia. Indicated defensive bids around 1.4500 contained euro's downside n price rebound to 1.4549 on short covering ahead of today's important U.S. jobs report (non-farm payroll n unemployment rate). At the moment, selling interest fm various accounts is building up in the region of 1.4550-1.4580 with mixture of offers n stops located at 1.4600, 1.4620/30 n further out abv 1.4668/75 res area, while stops (sizable) is seen below 1.4490/00 with bids fm incl. st specs n sovereign accounts located at 1.4460/70 n 1.4420/30. Eurozone PPI for August due at 09:00GMT are forecast to be 0.4% m/m n -7.5% y/y compared to -0.8% n -8.5% respectively in previous month.


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Exciting Masai Mara Migration Deal
3 days 2 nights safari tour Masai Mara National Reserve
Karen Blixen Coffee Garden Restaurant
Fine Dining Babette . Atrium the glass House. The Outdoor Garden Area. strong For more information about our new opening
Read more... Published on: 07/Jun/23
- Fixed Departure – Join-in safari.
- Private pick-up from within Nairobi can be arranged at a cost (refer below under optional extras).
- Duration – 2 nights/ 3 days.
- Covers one of the wonders of the world and the annual wildebeest migration in Masai Mara.
- It can operate as a private safari.
- Customizable only if booked as a private tour.
- Total Duration: 3 days
- Group Type: Join in
Day 1: Nairobi – Masai Mara Game Reserve
You shall depart Nairobi early morning at 07.30hrs (pick-up at Karen Blixen Coffee Garden & Cottages), and depart by road heading to Masai Mara Game Reserve (journey time is approximately 5-6 hours). Arrive at the lodge or camp in time for lunch. After lunch, you shall enjoy an afternoon or evening game drive then later return to camp or lodge for dinner and overnight.
”Masai Mara Game Reserve is world-renowned for its exceptional populations of lions, leopards, cheetahs, and elephants, and the annual migration of wildebeest, zebra, Thomson’s gazelle, and other antelope, to and from the Serengeti every year known as the Great Migration. It is considered the 7th wonder of the world.”
Meals: Lunch and Dinner are included,
Accommodation: Accommodation is also included
Day 2: Masai Mara Game Reserve
You shall take an early morning game drive followed by breakfast at the camp or lodge of your stay. After lunch, you shall proceed on a late afternoon game drive in Masai Mara Game Reserve. Alternatively, you can opt to have breakfast at the lodge or camp of your stay and then head out for a full-day game drive with picnic lunches.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner are included.
Accommodation: Accommodation is not included.
Day 3: Depart Masai Mara and drive back to Nairobi
After having breakfast at your booked camp or lodge, check out, and enjoy a game drive as you leave Masai Mara Game Reserve heading back to Nairobi.
Meals: Breakfast included
Accommodation: Not included.


Athlone based Senator, Gabrielle McFadden, has called for ATM machines to be installed on the west side of the town.
“Starting from the bridge in the centre of Athlone and heading west, the nearest ATM machine is more than one mile of a walk away. From the same point, heading east, there are more than a dozen ATMs within a one-mile radius.
“I am currently leading an initiative to look at ways to rejuvenate the west side of Athlone and this is just one issue that has come to my attention. While the commercial centre of the town has moved eastwards in recent decades, the west still has a lot to offer and I am determined that it can be a vibrant tourist, commercial and residential area for the future. An ATM is just part of the fabric of any urban area that most people, tourists or locals would expect.
“The ‘Left Bank’ area, taking in the Luan Gallery, Athlone Castle, the Quay, Castle Street, Main Street and High Street is an area popular with tourists, home to many fine restaurants and pubs, including the oldest pub in Ireland, Sean's Bar - and is a base for viking cruises and other tourist attractions.
“I have written to the banks, asking them to consider putting just one ATM in this area, but I am also suggesting to local businesses that this is a service that would be appreciated by many," Senator McFadden highlighted.


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China plans to lift a visa requirement for Taiwan residents traveling to the mainland, according to state media. The move comes ahead of Taiwan’s presidential election next January.
Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, reportedly made the comments at an annual summit between Taiwan and the mainland which was held in the southern Chinese city of Xiamen.
State news agency, Xinhua, citing a senior Chinese politician, did not give a date as to when the policy was due to take effect.
Currently, Taiwanese residents must apply for an “entry permit,” similar to a visa, before being allowed to travel to the mainland.
A card which would allow automatic entry will replace the passport-like document that has been previously used as a entry permit, Xinhua reported.
The announcement is seen as an inducement from China to Taiwan ahead of the island's planned presidential election in January.
China and Taiwan have been under separate rule since the Communists defeated the Nationalists and subsequently took power of the mainland in 1949.
However, relations have waned in recent years when China-friendly Ma Ying-jeou won the 2008 Taiwanese presidential election and then secured re-election in 2012.
Since his election, Ma's pro-Beijing Kuomintag party has sealed more than 20 trade deals with China and a tourism boom as mainland visitors flock to the island.
Hundreds of thousands of Taiwanese nationals travel to mainland China for work or leisure each year.
In March last year, thousands of young Taiwanese participated in massive protests, occupying the houses of parliament in Taipei in an unprecedented demonstration against a planned deal for closer ties with China.
Earlier this year Beijing scrapped plans to allow unlimited entry to Hong Kong for mainland Chinese visitors.
The decision to restrict entry to mainland Chinese was aimed at curbing the practice of "parallel trading" in which visitors who cross the border buy up highly sought after goods such as baby formula and resell them in China's border towns.
The influx of millions of Chinese to Hong Kong prompted protests by residents which led to clashes with police.
Visitors are now restricted to one visit per week.
jlw/jr (AFP, Reuters)


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Orlando Greek Restaurants
Greek cuisine is appreciated around the world, and Orlando is no different. With multiple Orlando restaurants serving traditional Greek cuisine, you should be able to satisfy any craving.
Greek cuisine is known for its use of olive oil and for being easily paired with good wine. In traditional restaurants menus normally vary with the time of year and the availability of seasonal ingredients. Fresh, full of flavor, and delicious, we hope you enjoy our selection of Orlando Greek restaurants.
Follow Our Local Experts
"I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it" - Rosalia de Castro


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Nowadays, the term haute cuisine is becoming more and more familiar to us. Many do not really know what haute cuisine means and what place it has in our environment, but this term originated in Paris after the French Revolution. It was then that this type of service began to be offered in hotels and restaurants, with the aim of modernizing the cuisine of the time and providing greater refinement to its guests.
In those days, the quality of the ingredients and the modernity of its elaborations were the main characteristics of haute cuisine or haute cuisine in French. Today it continues to be a modern cuisine where extreme quality is sought both in its ingredients and in its preparations.
Characteristics of Haute Cuisine
This type of cuisine is known for being a cuisine of excellence and absolute perfection, both in its execution and in the ingredients with which it works. The main characteristics are:
Techniques of this type of cuisine
The genius of these magical Xefs will never cease to amaze, from food critics to any diner. It is the magic of those who make this type of cuisine, who build creative recipes that impress even the most foodie.
The techniques of this type of cooking are those that transform the idea of these geniuses of gastronomy into an enlightening dish. We present some of the main techniques:
After informing you about the key elements of this type of cuisine, we can only recommend you to have a gastronomic experience in a restaurant like this. This way, you will be able to taste and make real all that we have told you.
A restaurant of this type has different menus, in addition to a varied menu. If you feel like tasting dishes prepared in a restaurant where the quality of the raw materials and the excellence in cooking prevail, we invite you to our Restaurant Aflamas.


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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe fundus autofluorescence imaging features of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis and to correlate fundus autofluorescence features with clinical activity. Methods: A retrospective case series was undertaken to evaluate nine eyes of six patients with active CMV retinitis. Patients were evaluated with a comprehensive ophthalmic examination, fundus autofluorescence imaging, and fundus photography. Oral valganciclovir, intravitreal ganciclovir, intravitreal foscarnet, or an ganciclovir implant was administered as clinically indicated. Results: In all nine eyes with active CMV retinitis, a hyperautofluorescent signal on fundus autofluorescence imaging was correlated spatially with the border of advancing CMV retinitis. Stippled areas of alternating hyperautofluorescence and hypoautofluorescence were observed in regions of retinal pigment epithelium atrophy from prior CMV retinitis. In three eyes with subtle CMV reactivation, a hyperautofluorescent border was helpful in the detection and localization of active CMV retinitis. In another patient, diffuse, punctate hyperautofluorescence after intravitreal ganciclovir and foscarnet was a concern for medication-related toxicity. Conclusion: Fundus autofluorescence imaging was valuable in highlighting areas of active CMV retinitis in all patients in this series, including two patients with subtle clinical features. Fundus autofluorescence may be useful as an adjunctive imaging modality for the detection of CMV activity and aid in our understanding of the structural changes during episodes of CMV retinitis.
ASJC Scopus subject areas

domain: medical


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While updating I found this news from early 2005. I'm sure it was known well before that time. Now in 2008, are we there yet. Instant replay yes, but where was implementation back in the day?
D. Mail 3.8.05 "VITAMIN D CAN REDUCE PROSTATE RISK"
A new study reveals Vitamin D cuts a man's risk of prostate cancer by almost half. Researchers in Boston analysed blood & found men with the highest vit D had a 45% less risk of prostate cancer. They believe vit D inhibits cell growth & has anti-cancer properties. Vit D is lower in older men who are most prone to prostate cancer. The recommended daily amount of vit D is 400 iu but some experts think that is low.
And today we learn that this remarkable (fat soluable) vitamin might protect from low level radiation.
Our center offers high quality, high dose Vitamin D in several potencies. All profits help support our work.


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Horses don’t get this kind of treatment – what if…Hazel Blears was relevant?
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has said white working-class voters turn to the British National Party because they feel ignored by mainstream parties.
Mainstream parties? You mean like the very one that is in government now?
She now bleats about the BNP and who they are targeting, those who are poor, live on council estates and are, obviously, too thick to know how complicated government is and don’t understand that government isn’t working for them. I mean – whoop, Blears knows all!
Working-class people have been ignored since Thatcher was involved in any kind of politics, even Blair ignored them, Brown is doing that, too. Add to that Cameron AND to some extent, Nick Clegg.
So the BNP (British National(ist) Party) are coming in to say, “Look, mate – these dicks are just ignoring what you have to say and what your fears and aspirations are” – and some of those people are listening. Certainly not all – basically because working-class people are not as thick or ignorant as Blears would like people to believe.
She says other parties had to work to win back voters on “ignored” estates.
The minister made similar comments in 2006 after the far-right party made gains in the local elections.
That says more about the BNP than Nick Griffin could ever say – and he is a first class twat! If, and this is only a hope that I have, the BNP had a leader that had something upstairs rather than his racist crap – the BNP could make serious in-roads into local government. As he is a prize idiot they can’t – and Nazi Saluting him means, thankfully, nought!
This required a revival of local political culture, a significant shift of power from the centre to the community and politicians who look and sound like the people they represent, she writes.
Huh? You mean get anyone who looks and sounds as if they come from a council estate and lock up the vote? Rather than getting someone in who really understands what the hope and fear is? The woman is a moron!
It had employed a “cunning strategy” of “detoxification”, she says, and hit the streets with newsletters and petitions, and reached out to thousands via their website and blogs.
This is why Blears hates those of us who blog – we’re solicitous. She, on the other hand, is a dope!
“Estates that have been ignored for decades; voters taken for granted; local services that have failed; white working-class voters who feel politicians live on a different planet.”
And you have just offered the proof! If you want to listen to local voters, look at how many don’t vote in local elections – and you could try to get your PC crap out of local politics full stop – that would work wonders to heeling the BNP – but the mainstream parties are too stupid to do that.
[She] revealed support for the BNP was “tiny”.
“It is focused on a small number of specific areas such as Leicester and east London.
“And unlike during the 30s, modern British fascism does not enjoy any sympathy in the civil service, chattering classes or the media,” she writes.
I linked to Wiki because even Blears can understand Wiki – can’t she? Note that she uses the ‘Chattering Classes’ in a Liberal context – The Labour Party IS a Liberal concept that is, well was – it is a Conservative concept now, a party that is for the people.
With Blears commentating, The Labour Party has no chance in the next election – unless Cameron starts his Thatcherite crap.
Mr Clegg – you missed another chance!