Cross-linked, water-swellable polymer microgels
Discrete, spheroidal microgels of a water-swollen or water-swellable, cross-linked polymer such as cross-linked polyacrylamide are particularly useful as thickening agents for aqueous dispersions to be subjected to high shear and as agents for reducing the permeability of porous structures.
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This invention relates to water-swellable polymer microgels and to methods for their use.
It has been known for some time to employ water-soluble polymers such as polyacrylamide as thickening agents, e.g., as taught in Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, Interscience Publishers, Vol. 1, 192 (1964), and as agents for restricting the flow of liquids through subterranean formations, e.g., as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,039,529.
Normally such polymers which are generally linear are advantageously prepared by a microdisperse polymerization technique such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,284,393 and 2,982,749. Unfortunately, these linear polymers exhibit virtually no gel strength, i.e., do not resist viscosity changes as a result of mechanical working or milling. As a result, when such polymers are subjected to the high shearing action that is common to many applications wherein such polymers are used as thickening agents or as agents for restricting the flow of liquids through pore structures, they undergo substantial degradation in molecular weight, thereby impairing most of their desirable properties.
Attempts to improve the gel strength of such polymers via cross-linking such polymers as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,247,171 have not been very successful. Accordingly, heretofore in order to obtain the desired increase in viscosity or fluid mobility control with the aforementioned polymers, it has been necessary to employ rather low shearing, mixing or pumping apparatus in the desired applications. Such low shearing apparatus are generally less economical and more time consuming to employ.
In view of the aforementioned shear sensitivity of the aforementioned water-soluble, linear polymers and water-swellable, cross-linked polymers, it would be highly desirable to provide a polymer capable of imparting substantial viscosity to an aqueous medium but which will resist degradation when such aqueous medium is subjected to the high shear common to many mixing and pumping apparatus.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is such a shear resistant, viscosity-enhancing polymer which exists in the form of discrete, spheroidal microgels of a water-swellable or water-swollen, cross-linked polymer. The microgels have partly or totally water-swollen diameters which are generally within the range from about 0.5 to about 200 micrometers. The microgels, when dispersed in water or other aqueous media, exist in discrete, spheroidal, water-swollen particles which can be separated from the aqueous media by filtration or similar technique.
These novel high molecular weight polymer microgels, although highly water-swellable, are substantially insensitive to mechanical shearing in aqueous media. Consequently, such microgels can be used for a variety of applications wherein high mechanical working, milling or high shear pumping of an aqueous medium containing the microgels is required. Unlike high molecular weight polymers currently available which thicken aqueous solutions but which also give solutions which are stringy, the microgels of this invention are effective thickening agents which, when dispersed in an aqueous medium, exhibit pseudoplastic rheology and short solution characteristics. By "short solution" characteristics is meant that an aqueous medium containing the microgels does not produce threads or strings of such aqueous medium when two surfaces wetted with the medium are contacted and pulled apart.
Because of their uniform small particle size and their ability to absorb substantial proportions of water, the microgels are particularly suited for applications requiring thickening agents, applications requiring rapid sorption of aqueous fluids, e.g., sanitary articles such as diapers, belt pads and the like, and for applications wherein the swelling or partial plugging properties of the polymer are particularly important, e.g., in the plugging of porous formations or structures.
Of particular interest are the applications involving the use of such microgels in enhanced oil recovery operations wherein a drive fluid is introduced through a bore hole in the earth into a porous subterranean formation penetrated by said bore hole, thereby driving the oil from oil bearing structures toward a producing well. In addition, fluid media containing the microgels are usefully employed as the fluid in well drilling operations, as packer fluids in well completion operations and as mobility control fluids in other enhanced oil recovery operations. It is further observed that fluid media containing the microgels are very useful in the treatment of subterranean structures containing substantial amounts of salt water or brine which normally hinder the application of conventional polymeric treating agents.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
The microgels of the present invention are generally characterized as discrete, well defined spheroids that are water-swellable and/or water-swollen. In their water-swollen or at least partially water-swollen state, the microgels comprise water and a cross-linked polymer of a water-soluble, ethylenically unsaturated monomer.
In the dry state, the microgels exist as microbeads having diameters generally less than 20 micrometers, preferably less than about 4 micrometers and most preferably less than about 1 micrometer. In their partly or totally water-swollen state, the particle sizes of the microgels can range from about 0.5 to about 200 micrometers, preferably from about 1 to about 10 micrometers. In their partly water-swollen (preinversion) state, the microgels are water-swellable and contain at least 30 weight percent of cross-linked polymer and up to about 70 weight percent of water. In their totally water-swollen (postinversion) state, the microgels contain up to about 99.9 weight percent of water and as little as about 0.1 weight percent of cross-linked polymer. The microgels, when dispersed in a fluid aqueous medium such as water, can be subjected to a substantial amount of high shear, e.g., greater than 500 sec.sup.-1, without undergoing substantial degradation, i.e., loss of particle size or capacity to hold water (often called gel capacity). Such high shear is characteristic of colloidal mixing employed in preparing relatively high viscosity coating formulations and the pumping action existing in many enhanced oil recovery operations.
Ethylenically unsaturated monomers suitable for use in preparing the microgels are those which are sufficiently water-soluble to form at least 5 weight percent solutions when dissolved in water and which readily undergo addition polymerization to form polymers which are at least inherently water-dispersible and preferably water-soluble. By "inherently water-dispersible", it is meant that the polymer when contacted with an aqueous medium will disperse therein without the aid of surfactants to form a colloidal dispersion of the polymer in the aqueous medium. Exemplary monomers include the water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated amides such as acrylamide, methacrylamide and fumaramide; N-substituted ethylenically unsaturated amides such as N-substituted-(N',N'-dialkylaminoalkyl)acrylamides, e.g., N-(dimethylaminomethyl)acrylamide and N-(diethylaminomethyl)methacrylamide and quaternized derivatives thereof, e.g., N-(trimethylammoniummethyl)acrylamide chloride; ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, fumaric acid and the like; ethylenically unsaturated quaternary ammonium compounds such as vinylbenzyltrimethylammonium chloride; sulfoalkyl esters of carboxylic acids such as 2-sulfoethyl methacrylate and the alkali metal and ammonium salts thereof; aminoalkyl esters of unsaturated carboxylic acids such as 2-aminoethyl methacrylate; vinylaryl sulfonates such as vinylbenzene sulfonates including the alkali metal and ammonium salts thereof and the like.
Of the foregoing water-soluble monomers, acrylamide, methacrylamide and combinations thereof with acrylic acid or methacrylic acid are preferred, with acrylamide and combinations thereof with up to 70 weight percent of acrylic acid being more preferred. Most preferred are the copolymers of acrylamide with from about 5 to about 40, especially from about 15 to about 30, weight percent of acrylic acid. The particle size of the microgels of these most preferred copolymers is more easily controlled than are the acid-free copolymers. For example, the addition of polyvalent metal ions such as calcium, magnesium and the like to aqueous compositions containing the most preferred microgels reduces the particle sizes of microgels by a highly predictable amount.
In the most preferred embodiments, it is desirable that the total monomer mixture contain a relatively small proportion (i.e., an amount sufficient to cross-link the polymer, thereby converting the polymer to a non-linear polymeric microgel without appreciably reducing water swellability characteristics of the polymer) of a copolymerizable polyethylenic monomer. Exemplary suitable comonomeric cross-linking agents include divinylarylsulfonates such as divinylbenzenesulfonate, diethylenically unsaturated diesters including alkylene glycol diacrylates and dimethacrylates such as ethylene glycol diacrylate, ethylene glycol methacrylate and propylene glycol diacrylate; ethylenically unsaturated esters of ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids such as allyl acrylate; diethylenically unsaturated ethers such as diallyl ethylene glycol ether, divinyl ether, diallyl ether, divinyl ether of ethylene glycol, divinyl ether of diethylene glycol, divinyl ether of triethylene glycol; N,N'-alkylidene-bis(ethylenically unsaturated amides) such as N,N'-methylene-bis(acrylamide), N,N'-methylene-bis(methacrylamide), and other lower alkylidene-bis(ethylenically unsaturated amides) wherein the alkylidene group has from 1 to 4 carbons. When a cross-linking comonomer is the means employed to provide the necessary cross-linking, any amount of such cross-linking comonomer in the monomer mixture is suitable provided that it is sufficient to cross-link the polymer to form a discrete, spheroidal, water-swellable microgel as defined herein. Generally, the concentration of cross-linking comonomer, particularly when the comonomer is a methylene-bis(acrylamide), is in the range from about 5 to about 5,000 weight parts of cross-linking comonomer per million weight parts of total monomers. Preferably, however, good results have been achieved when the cross-linking agent is employed in concentrations from about 5 to about 200, more preferably from about 10 to about 100 parts, by weight of cross-linking agent per million weight parts of total monomers.
The microgels are advantageously prepared by microdisperse solution polymerization techniques, e.g., the water-in-oil polymerization method described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,284,393 which is hereby incorporated in reference in its entirety. In the practice of this method, a water-in-oil emulsifying agent is dissolved in the oil phase while a free radical initiator, when one is used, is dissolved in the oil or monomer (aqueous) phase, depending on whether an oil or water-soluble initiator is used. The weight ratio of the aqueous phase containing the monomer(s) to the oil phase may vary from about 0.1:1 to about 4:1, preferably from about 1:1 to about 3:1. An aqueous solution of monomer or mixed monomers or a monomer per se is added to the oil phase with agitation until the monomer phase is emulsified in the oil phase. Usually the agitation is sufficient to provide disperse aqueous globules having diameters in the range from about 0.5 to about 100 micrometers, preferably from about 1 to about 50 micrometers. In cases where a cross-linking comonomer is employed, the cross-linking comonomer is added along with the other monomer(s) to the oil phase. The reaction is initiated by purging the reaction medium of inhibitory oxygen and continued with agitation until conversion is substantially complete. The product obtained has the general appearance of a polymeric latex. When it is desirable to recover the microgel in essentially dry form, the polymer microgel is readily separated from the reaction medium by adding a flocculating agent and filtering and then washing and drying the microgel. Alternatively, and preferably, the water-in-oil emulsion reaction product is suitably employed as is.
A suitable, but less preferred, method for preparing the microgels is a microsuspension method wherein aqueous solutions of the monomers are suspended in an oil phase and then subjected to conditions of free radical suspension polymerization. In such method the concentration of monomer in the aqueous solution can be varied over a wide range, for example, from about 5 to about 80 weight percent of monomer in the aqueous solution, preferably from about 20 to about 40 weight percent. The choice of a particular monomer concentration depends in large part upon the particular monomer being employed as well as the polymerization temperature. The ratio of the aqueous solution of monomer to the oil phase is also widely variable, advantageously from about 5 to about 75 weight parts of aqueous phase to correspondingly from about 95 to about 25 weight parts of oil phase. The suspending agent suitably employed as a solid or liquid substance having a low hydrophile-lipophile balance, i.e., preponderantly hydrophobic. Exemplary suitable suspending agents are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,982,749. A preferred suspending agent is an organic polymer which, while predominantly hydrophobic, has hydrophilic substituents such as amine, sulfone, sulfonate, carboxy, and the like. The suspending agent should be employed in an amount sufficient to assure the desired particle size of the resultant microgel, preferably from about 0.4 to about 1 weight percent, based on the weight of the aqueous phase. Exemplary preferred suspending agents include silanized silica, ethyl cellulose and the like. In order to insure that microgels having the desired particle size are obtained, it is often desirable to subject the water-in-oil suspension to high rates of shear.
In either process, the oil phase can be any inert hydrophobic liquid which (1) does not take part in the polymerization reaction and (2) can be separated readily from the polymeric product. Of such liquids the hydrocarbons and chlorinated hydrocarbons such as toluene, xylene, o-dichlorobenzene, ethyl benzene, liquid paraffins having from 8 to 12 carbons, monochlorobenzene, propylene dichloride, carbon tetrachloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, tetrachloroethylene, methylene chloride, etc., are advantageously employed, with liquid paraffins, toluene, xylene and the chlorinated hydrocarbons being preferred.
Polymerization initiators suitably employed in either the suspension or emulsion polymerization techniques include peroxygen catalysts such as t-butylhydroperoxide, dimethanesulfonyl peroxide and redox systems such as t-butyl hydroperoxide or alkali metal or ammonium persulfates in combination with usual reducing agents such as sulfite or bisulfite. Alternatively, any free radical generating means can be suitably employed, for example, those generated in situ by ultraviolet or X-rays and the like.
In addition to the employment of a cross-linking monomer as a means for forming the desired polymer microgel, other cross-linking techniques are also suitable. For example, the polymer in dispersed particulate form may be cross-linked subsequent to polymerization by treatment with a chemical cross-linking agent for the polymer such as bleach or similar alkali metal hypohalite or aldehydes such as formaldehyde and dialdehyde, e.g., glyoxal, when the polymer is one bearing pendant amide groups.
In addition, it is sometimes desirable to convert the polymer microgel to a product that has substituted cationic character such as the N-aminomethyl form (Mannich form) of polyacrylamide, or to a polycation such as the quaternized derivative of the Mannich derivative of polyacrylamide. For example, in the preparation of polymer having cationic characteristics, the polymer microgel may be reacted with formaldehyde and an amine to produce the polymer in a manner as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,539,535. Alternatively, the cationic Mannich polymer microgel can be made by polymerization of cationic Mannich derivative of acrylamide and then homopolymerized or copolymerized with acrylamide or other suitable comonomer. The polycation may be formed by reacting the microgel of the Mannich derivative of polyacrylamide with an alkyl halide and thereby quaternize the amine nitrogen, for example, as described in the procedure in U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,333. Also it may be desirable to hydrolyze some of the amide moieties of acrylamide polymer microgels to acid form by treatment with a hydrolyzing agent such as sodium hydroxide.
In using the cross-linked microgels as thickening agents, it is generally desirable to assure that the microgels are rapidly and thoroughly dispersed throughout the aqueous medium in which thickening is desired. Thus, for example, in employing the microgels to thicken a styrene/butadiene copolymer latex for use in paper coating, it has been found that direct introduction of the dry, solid microgels into the latex may cause lumping or even coagulation. In practice, it is therefore desirable to disperse the microgels in a fluid medium as in the case of a water-in-oil emulsion which is relatively inert to the latex before introducing microgels into the latex. For example, a water-in-oil emulsion of the microgels can be thoroughly mixed with a finely divided mineral pigment, such as calcium carbonate or titanium dioxide, employed in such coating compositions and the resulting mixture be rapidly dispersed in the latex. Alternatively, the microbeads may be dispersed in a water-miscible liquid in which the beads are not swelled appreciably and then rapidly dispersed in the aqueous medium to be thickened. For example, the microgels prepared as in Example 1 hereinafter, can be moistened with methanol and dispersed in tripropylene glycol to produce a slurry containing 30 weight percent of the microgels. Sufficient of this slurry is then dispersed in the latex composition to provide at least about 0.1 weight percent of the microgel based on the total of available water remaining in the latex composition, thereby producing a composition having a viscosity of greater than 6,000 centipoises and suitable for use as a carpet backing.
Generally, in the thickening applications, the microgels are employed in amounts sufficient to give viscosity suitable for the end use desired. Because such viscosities vary with the different end uses and because quantity of microgel needed to produce a particular viscosity will vary with the gel capacity of a particular microgel as well as a concentration of ions in the aqueous medium to be thickened, specific numerical limits of the amounts of microgel to be used in all systems cannot be specified. However, in an aqueous composition having very low ion concentration, microgels which have normal gel capacities are usually employed in concentrations from about 0.1 to about 2 weight parts, preferably from about 0.1 to about 1 weight part, per hundred weight parts of available water. For the purposes of this invention, the term "available water" is defined as that water which is not, in some way, bound to or coordinated with the polymer or additives present in the system. Thus, available water is water available for thickening and provides fluid viscosity to the slurry. It should be noted that the gel capacity of the water-swellable microgels varies with the ionic strength of the aqueous medium to be thickened. Thus, a given sample of beads may sorb 5 to 10 times as much deionized water as they will when dispersed in a salt solution. In an aqueous 0.27 molar sodium chloride solution, the preferred microgels have gel capacities of at least 10, preferably at least 50, grams of solution per gram of polymer. In such salt solutions the microgels often exhibit gel capacities up to about 120 grams of solution per gram of polymer whereas in distilled water, the same microgels may exhibit gel capacities up to about 2,500-3,000 grams of water per gram of polymer.
In the practice of employing the aforementioned microgels in a process for controlling the permeability of a porous structure such as, for example, plugging a porous structure in a subterranean formation, it is desirable to disperse the microgels in a fluid medium, preferably water or a water-in-oil emulsion, such that the resulting dispersion is reasonably stable. The concentration of the microgels in the fluid medium is suitably any concentration that affects the desired control of permeability of the treated formation. In this application, it is desirable to minimize the viscosity of the fluid medium containing the microgels and thereby reduce the amount of energy required to pump the fluid medium into the porous structure. Accordingly, it is desirable to dilute the microgel in the fluid medium as much as possible prior to its introduction into the porous structure. In preferred embodiments utilized for fluid mobility control and enhanced oil recovery, it is desirable that the concentration of the microgels in the fluid medium be in the range from about 100 to about 50,000 parts per million of dry polymer based on the total weight of the fluid medium, more preferably from about 250 to about 10,000 parts per million, most preferably from 250 to about 5,000 parts per million.
While the particle size of the microgels for such permeability control applications is not particularly critical, it is found that the microgels are most advantageously employed in porous structures that are generally free of large fractures or vugs that are more than 10 times the diameter of the swollen microgel and preferably is free of vugs that are about 5 times or more in size than the diameter of the swollen microgel. In most preferred embodiments, it is desirable to employ microgels having diameters that are from about one-third to about the same size as the average pore size of the porous formation. In selecting the microgel, it should be understood that it is the particle size that the microgel will possess in the pore subterranean structure to be treated that is significant. Accordingly, the gel capacity of the microgel as well as its sensitivity to ion concentration which may exist in the pore structure, e.g., brines that exist in many oil bearing subterranean formations, are important.
The fluid medium used to carry the microgels into the porous structure is suitably any fluid medium which does not substantially inhibit the water-swelling characteristics of the microgels. Most commonly, the fluid medium is an aqueous liquid which may contain a variety of other ingredients such as salts, surfactants, bases such as caustic and other additaments commonly employed in controlling the permeability of pore structures.
In light of their desirable utility for controlling the mobility of liquids through pore structures, the microgels of the present invention are very advantageously employed in enhanced oil recovery operations wherein a drive fluid is introduced through a bore hole in the earth into a pore subterranean formation penetrated by said bore hole, thereby driving oil from oil bearing structures toward a producing well. In addition, fluid media containing the microgels are also usefully employed as the fluid in well drilling operation, as packer fluids in well completion operations and as mobility control fluids in other enhanced oil recovery operations. The microgels of the present invention are particularly effective for decreasing the mobility of the drive fluid, such as water or other fluids, or decreasing the permeability of non-fractured porous formations prior to or during enhanced oil recovery operations which involve the use of driving fluids. The microgels are also useful for water shut-off treatments in production wells in which the fluid medium containing the microgels can be injected into the formation prior to or subsequent to the injection of another fluid. Moreover, the microgels may be employed in oil recovery operations wherein a dry fluid breaks through into the production well excessive amounts. At such time the microgels dispersed in the fluid medium are then pumped into the well through which the drive fluid is being supplied and into the pore formation until the desired decrease in mobility of the drive fluid through such pore formation is obtained.
The following examples are given to illustrate the invention and should not be used to limit its scope. Unless otherwise indicated, all parts and percentages are by weight.EXAMPLE 1 Cross-linked acrylamide-sodium acrylate copolymer
168 Grams of acrylamide, 42 grams of acrylic acid, 63 grams of Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3, 0.21 gram of pentasodium (carboxymethylimino)bis(ethylene-nitrilo)tetraacetic acid (Versenex 80), 0.042 gram of methylene-bisacrylamide, 0.105 gram of sodium metabisulfite and 0.105 gram of tertiary butyl hydroperoxide are dissolved in 1050 grams of deionized water and sufficient sodium hydroxide added thereto to bring the mixture to a pH of 9.5. The resulting solution is mixed with an oil phase consisting of 31.5 grams of acrylic acid and 6.3 grams of a suspending agent consisting of a chloromethylated polystyrene-dimethylamine reaction product, wherein about 5-10 percent of the aromatic rings are aminated, dissolved in 1575 milliliters of xylene. The resulting mixture is sheared at high speed in a Waring Blendor for two minutes, placed in an agitated reactor and purged with nitrogen. The temperature of the reaction vessel and contents is raised to 63.degree. C. over a period of one hour and thereafter held at about 52.degree. C. for an additional 2.5 hours to complete the polymerization reaction. A portion of the resulting slurry is then dewatered by azeotropic distillation and the resulting suspension filtered to separate the copolymer in the form of microgels. The latter are washed with acetone and dried. The ability of the microgels to swell in aqueous fluid is measured and it is found that the copolymer held 82 grams of aqueous 0.27 molar sodium chloride solution per gram of copolymer. To a further 55 gram portion of the above copolymer slurry are added 27.7 milliliters of dimethylamine and then 14.8 grams of paraformaldehyde slurried in a little xylene. The resulting mixture is heated to 40.degree. C. for 1.5 hours, filtered, and dried by acetone extraction to give cationic, cross-linked polyacrylamide microgels, ranging in size between 0.2 and 4 microns in diameter. The product absorbs 50 grams of aqueous 0.27 M NaCl solution per gram of product. The grams of aqueous fluid absorbed and held by one gram of dry polymer beads (dried gels) is herein referred to as the "gel capacity" of the polymer. The product upon being uniformly dispersed in water, quickly thickens the water to give a viscous, "short", pseudoplastic dispersion.
In the above and succeeding recipes "Versenex 80" is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company for a chelating agent in which the active chelant is pentasodium (carboxymethylimino)bis(ethylenenitrilo)tetraacetic acid. Also the expression "ppm BOM" is hereafter employed to denote parts per million based on monomers; that is, parts by weight of the indicated ingredient per million parts by weight of water-soluble, ethylenically unsaturated monomers in the recipe. Hereinafter tertiary-butyl hydroperoxide is abbreviated "t-BHP".EXAMPLE 2 Cross-linked polyacrylamide microgel
______________________________________ Water Phase Acrylamide 210 g Methylene bisacrylamide .042 g Versenex 80 Chelant 1000 ppm BOM NaOH to pH 11.5 Water 840 g Na.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.8 500 ppm BOM t-BHP 500 ppm BOM Oil Phase Xylene 1575 ml Aminated Chloromethylated Polystyrene 6.3 g Methanol 20 ml ______________________________________
The process is similar to that of the previous example. The product is dewatered by azeotropic distillation, separated by filtration, washed with acetone and dried. It is found to have a gel capacity of 30 in aqueous 0.27 M NaCl solution.EXAMPLE 3 Cross-linked partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide microgel
______________________________________ Water Phase Acrylamide 106 g Methylene bisacrylamide .025 g Water 463 g Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3 61.3 g Versenex 80 Chelant 1000 ppm BOM Na.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.8 500 ppm BOM t-BHP 500 ppm BOM Oil Phase Xylene 945 ml Suspending Agent of Ex. 2 3.78 g Acrylic Acid 20 g ______________________________________
The process is similar to that of the previous examples. The product exhibits similar properties and has a gel capacity of 75 in aqueous 0.27 M NaCl solution.EXAMPLE 4 Emulsion method
When the emulsion route is used to make the microgels, the ratio of monomer phase (liquid monomer or aqueous solution of monomer) to oil phase, the emulsifying agents, the oil phase, the initiators, temperatures and pressures are all generally found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,284,393 or in U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,771. The cross-linking agents described above in connection with the suspension method can be similarly advantageously used herein.
In this example, the water-in-oil emulsifying agent is dissolved in the oil phase, while the free radical initiator, when one is used, is dissolved in the oil or monomer phase, depending upon whether an oil- or water-soluble initiator is used. An aqueous solution of monomer or mixed monomers or a monomer per se is then added to the oil phase along with the cross-linking agent with agitation until the monomer phase is emulsified in the oil phase. The reaction is initiated by purging the reaction medium of inhibitory oxygen and continued with agitation until conversion is substantially complete. A water-in-oil dispersion of polymer microgels is thereby obtained. The polymer is separated from the reaction medium advantageously by adding a flocculating agent and filtering, and is then washed and dried. Alternatively, the dispersion can be used as such.
______________________________________ Ingredients Amount ______________________________________ Aqueous Phase Acrylamide 525 g Acrylic Acid 225 g NaOH 120 g Deionized water 695 g Methylene bisacrylamide 0.150 g Versenex 80 1000 ppm BOM t-BHP 350 ppm BOM Na.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.5 700 ppm BOM Oil Phase Deodorized kerosene 1500 g Distearyl dimethyl 75 g ammonium chloride (Arquad 2HT-100) ______________________________________
The water phase, less t-BHP and Na.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.5, is mixed with the oil phase and homogenized in a Manton-Gaulin homogenizer, placed in the reactor, and purged for 45 minutes with nitrogen. t-BHP and Na.sub.2 S.sub.2 O.sub.5, both as 1.5 percent aqueous solutions, are added portionwise, a third of the total at a time, resulting in polymerization. The product is azeotropically distilled at 40 mm pressure from 40.degree. to 110.degree. C. to remove water and give a product having particle size less than two microns. The microbead polymeric product thickens water instantly on being dispersed in water.EXAMPLE 5 A. Preparation of the Microgels
To an oil phase consisting of ingredients as listed hereinafter is added an aqueous solution of monomers as also described hereinafter with agitation until the monomer phase is emulsified in the oil phase.
______________________________________ Ingredients Amount, grams ______________________________________ Aqueous Phase Acrylamide 134.4 Acrylic acid 33.6 Sodium hydroxide 28.75 Deionized water 403.25 Methylene-bisacrylamide 0.0047 (28 ppm) DETPA* 0.168 (1000 ppm) t-butyl hydroperoxide 0.0420 (250 ppm) Sodium bisulfite 0.0218 (130 ppm) Oil Phase Deodorized kerosene 240.3 Isopropanolamide of oleic acid 16.8 ______________________________________ *Pentasodium salt of diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid
In forming the emulsion, the aforementioned aqueous phase (less the t-butyl hydroperoxide and sodium bisulfite) is mixed with the oil phase using controlled high shear, i.e., 30 seconds in a Waring Blendor or Eppenbach Homogenizer. The resulting emulsion is placed in a reactor which is purged for 1 hour with N.sub.2. The t-butyl hydroperoxide (20 percent aqueous solution emulsified in oil at a weight ratio of .about.3 oil to 5 water) is added to the reactor in a single shot. The sodium bisulfite (2 percent aqueous solution emulsified in oil at a weight ratio of .about.3 oil to 5 water) is added portionwise to the reactor in 10 ppm increments until polymerization of the monomers is completed. After polymerization, the temperature is increased to 60.degree. C. for 2 hours. In a dispersion of the water-swellable microgels in deionized water containing 30 percent polymer, it is observed that the mean particle diameter of the water-swollen microgels is about one micrometer.B. Water Permeability Reduction Tests
The ability of the microgels to control permeability of porous subterranean formations is determined using a series of Berea sandstone cores according to the following test procedure. In most of the core samples (2.54 cm length.times.2.54 cm diameter), the pore volume is from 2.8 to 3.2 ml and the pore size is from about 14 to 16 micrometers. The initial core permeability is determined by pressuring an aqueous solution of NaCl (4%) through the core in forward and reverse directions. The aforementioned microgels are diluted to 0.02% solids by adding deionized water and injected into the core sample at 10 psig. The microgel injection is followed with a brine flow in the forward and reverse direction to establish the permeability reduction. The differential pressure during the brine flow is then increased in 20 psi increments to 60 psi. After each incremental increase, 50 ml of brine is passed through the core sample and the flow rate is determined. The pressure is then returned to the original test pressure of 10 psig and a final brine flow rate is determined after the sample stabilizes (flow rate becomes constant). Comparison of initial and final brine flow rates establish the permeability reduction resulting from the microgel treatment of the core sample. The results for this sample (Sample No. 1) are recorded in Table I.
For the purposes of comparison, several water-soluble (noncross-linked) acrylamide/acrylic acid copolymers (Sample Nos. C.sub.1 -C.sub.5) are similarly tested for water diverting capability. The results of these tests are similarly reported in Table I.EXAMPLE 6
Following the general procedure for preparing acrylamide/acrylic acid copolymer microgels as specified in Example 5, microgels are prepared using amounts of methylenebis(acrylamide) ranging from 7 to 200 parts per million instead of the 28 parts per million employed in Example 5. Also runs are carried out using polyacrylamide microgels wherein the carboxyl moiety is varied from 5 to 40 mole percent. The resulting microgels are similarly tested for their water diverting capability by the procedure set forth in Example 5 and the results for the samples (Sample Nos. 2-7) are similarly recorded in Table I.
TABLE I __________________________________________________________________________ Polymer Dry Polymer Permeability (4) Permeability Sample Mole % ppm Viscosity, Concentration, Treated, md Reduction, % No. COOH MBA (1) cps (2) ppm (3) Initial, md Forward Reverse Forward Reverse __________________________________________________________________________ 1 20 28 2.2 2000 322 3 14 99.4 95.6 2 20 100 1.4 2000 357 23.1 65.7 93.2 81.6 3 20 7 <5 2000 212 172 60 19 71 4 20 14 " " 350 12 19.6 96.5 94.4 5 20 200 " " 369 64 89 83 76 6 5 100 " " 435 8 81 98 81 7 40 100 " " 290 9 24 97 92 C.sub.1 * 20 0 >5 " 468 60 130 87 72 C.sub.2 * 15-25 0 6.0 1500 347 286 192.6 17.5 44.5 C.sub.3 * 15-25 0 8.0 1500 477 121 95.4 77 80 C.sub.4 * 15 0 10.6 1500 108 4.6 10.8 95.6 90 C.sub.5 * 1 0 >5 1900 481 431 408.5 25.5 15.0 __________________________________________________________________________ *Not an example of the invention (1) parts per million of methylene-bisacrylamide (cross-linker) based on total monomer (2) Brookfield viscosity in centipoise at 0.10 percent dry polymer in a 4 percent NaCl aqueous solution at 25.degree. C. using a Brookfield Viscometer (Model LVS) with an UL adapter and operating at 6.6 sec.sup.-1 (3) parts per million of dry polymer based on the total aqueous medium used in polymer treatment of the core. (4) permeability of the core sample in millidarcies (md) using the water diversion test procedure of Example 5.
As evidenced by the data in Table I, the fluid microgel compositions of the present invention exert a generally greater control of the permeability of porous core samples (fluid mobility control) at lower viscosities than do compositions containing linear polymer.
1. A composition which comprises discrete, spheroidal microgels of a water-swellable polymer consisting essentially of water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomers wherein said microgels in the dry state have diameters less than about 20 micrometers, said polymer being sufficiently cross-linked to enable the microgels to remain as discrete spheroidal particles having diameters in the range from about 0.5 to about 200 micrometers when said microgels are dispersed in an aqueous fluid medium.
2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the cross-linked polymer is a cross-linked polymer of an.alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated amide or a N-substituted derivative thereof, said microgels when existing in the dry state having diameters less than about 4 micrometers.
3. The composition of claim 1 which comprises the microgels dispersed in an aqueous fluid medium in an amount within the range from about 0.1 to about 2 weight parts of the microgels on a dry basis per hundred weight parts of the composition.
4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the cross-linked polymer is cross-linked with from about 5 to about 5,000 weight parts of a N,N'-alkylidene-bis(ethylenically unsaturated amide) per million weight parts of total monomers of the polymer.
5. The composition of claim 1 wherein the microgels have a gel capacity of at least 10 grams of sodium chloride solution per gram of polymer in an aqueous 0.27 molar sodium chloride solution.
6. The composition of claim 4 wherein the cross-linked polymer is a copolymer of acrylamide and methylene bis(acrylamide).
7. The composition of claim 6 wherein the cross-linked polymer is a copolymer of acrylamide, acrylic acid and methylene bis(acrylamide).
8. A method for reducing the permeability of a porous structure which comprises introducing into the porous structure a fluid medium containing discrete spheroidal microgels of claim 1 in an amount sufficient to reduce the permeability of the porous structure.
9. The composition of claim 3 wherein the polymer has been rendered cationic by reaction with formaldehyde and a dialkyl amine.
10. A viscous short aqueous suspension of the composition of claim 1 containing from about 0.2 to about 2 percent by weight of the microgels and being resistant to viscosity degradation under conditions of high shear.
|2205355||June 1940||Grimm et al.|
|2982749||May 1961||Friedrich et al.|
|3247171||April 1966||Walker et al.|
|3284393||November 1966||Vanderhof et al.|
|4059552||November 22, 1977||Zwelove et al.|
International Classification: C08L 3302; C08L 3326; C08L 4100;


text:
This international, peer-reviewed, open access journal seeks to understand the sources and to encourage rigorous research in the new, yet ancient, world of complementary and alternative medicine. Authors typically pay an article process charge when an article is accepted for publication.
Integrative Cancer Therapies (ICT) is a peer-reviewed quarterly journal focused on a comprehensive model of integrative cancer treatment that embraces both conventional health care and integrative therapies such as diet, lifestyle, exercise, stress care and nutritional supplementation. Various alternative therapies and innovative research areas such as circadian biology of cancer and cancer treatment, broad-spectrum molecular cancer therapies, phytochemical pharmacology and other cutting-edge topics in natural therapeutics development are also explored in this journal. This journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Publisher: American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
Natural Medicine Journal is a cutting-edge electronic journal and website for integrative healthcare practitioners, students, faculty and anyone else interested in the field of natural medicine. Readers of the journal and visitors to the site will find scientifically valid, clinically relevant information within the peer-reviewed monthly journal and online resources. A free monthly e-journal is available.
This issue includes 28 free and open-access articles by leading researchers and providers relating to lung cancer, prostate cancer, gynecological cancers, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, childhood cancers, several treatment approaches and more.
Wildfire is an online magazine for young women with breast cancer. WILDFIRE is the creator/editor's response to fill the need for real discussion on real topics. Each issue contains written and visual work from young women survivors. Each issue is on a theme. Paid subscription is required to access articles.
This website is for informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for careful medical evaluation and treatment by a competent, licensed personal healthcare professional. View additional information.

domain: library


text:
all about antique vintage collectible collectable clothing/sewing buttons
Monday, June 25, 2012
Celluloid tight-top button..the guts!
this vintage celluloid tight-top button was damaged so I took it apart and this is what I found.
During the depression, work pants and other buttons were made out of
flattened, recycled tin and steel cans.

domain: history


text: I’ am a college graduate dealing with the reality of life. I post about things I find interesting, big life moments, and the little stuff. I see this website as a great way to vent and share my experience. My 20’s are flying by fast, and I want to capture as much of it as possible. Stick around if you want to hear avid adventures, epic failures, and real experiences.

domain: hobby


text:
Client: The Construction Paltos
Location: San Rafael Km.9 II , Santa Catarina Pinula
Architects / Interior Designers: Studio Domus
Builder: The Construction Paltos Louis Counter
Project Area: 8,611 sq ft / 800.27 m2
Project Year: 2010-2012
Photographs / Renders : Alejandro de León / Studio Domus
This houses are located on a hill above the Guatemala City valley. The analysis of zoning and building regulations resulted in a few square meters for each residence. The problem was the amount of open space required by this regulation within each batch, as it leaves more space for a house of 300m2 with three levels. Designers raised an intriguing solution, leaving a small green area within each field, which was permeable and located next to the parking lot; they generated a green terrace on the same space. This simple interpretation of the green areas gave the project the necessary profit.
The benefit obtained by each residence with the above solution was to not only have a beautiful green terrace outside the living room and dining area but also a fourth level was avoided.
The architectural concept was always to exalt the views of the city, allowing lighting inside the house . However, because the color and texture of interior finishes and facade, the developer took a long time to accept the daring design proposal by Studio Domus. Finally realtors saw the renderings and were fascinated.
The result was a condo that is distinguished from the rest which only use red brick, opening new tones to the number of residences in this city. The project has a refreshed architectural style, achieved with the combination of gray and white stone facades.
Each fachaleta stones were carved by hand, achieving a unique artisanal effect. The use of glass in large windows and outdoor balconies cold give a modern style that is softened with vegetation that surrounds this dynamic project.

domain: design


text:
House of Games is episode eight of Life With Derek.
|Season 1, Episode 8|
|Air date||November 13, 2005|
|Written by||Alex Pugsley|
|Directed by||Ron Murphy|
Marti The Monster
The McDonalds and the Venturis kids (Casey and Lizzie vs Derek, Edwin & Marti) decide that the best places in the house aren't big enough for the two families, so they agree to decide by games of chance (dice, cards, etc).
- If you look closely at the scene where Marti roles the dice, when she roles it the one is on top, but when they cut to Casey, the you can see the one is on the side.
- In the beginning of this episode, when Casey has a board with a map of the entire house, then when Derek comes in the room we get a shot of the map, but there is a blank page when the camera is back on Casey, she flips it to reveal the map, meaning this scene was shot out of sequence.
- Marti has an imaginary friend named Daphne, who hates Casey because she took her wand and stepped on her.
- Casey: If you don't have a place to put your toothbrush, what else do you have?!
- Edwin: This one is for all the marbles.
- Derek: Actually, it's one marble.
- [When Nora and George are discussing who gets which side of the bed]
- George (to Nora): But, ah... this is definitely my side.
- Nora: Yeah, but now I'm closer to the window and I'm never going to get to sleep.
- George: Why not?
- Nora: Because a bad guy might come in through the window. (George looks at her strangely) And you're the man and the man should be the first line of defense.

domain: entertainment


text:
ACAN(redirected from SEDK CSPG1)
ACANA gene on chromosome 15q26.1 that encodes an aggrecan/versican proteoglycan, which is an integral part of the extracellular matrix in cartilage, where it provides compressive resistance.
ACAN mutations occur in skeletal dysplasia and spinal degeneration.
Segen's Medical Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

domain: medical


text:
New York times reporters Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) broke the story with the help of many victims, some that wanted to speak out but many that were afraid too about the many acts of sexual assault by Mr. Miramax Films, Harvey Weinstein. This valuable story by these two brave women that were harassed and threatened during the investigation is what eventually started the #MeToo movement. Many women from Rose McGowan, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ashley Judd to many other women in the film and entertainment business were assaulted by Weinstein but at those times no one wanted to listen. Finally, because of these two reporters along with other Times people Rebecca Corbett (Patricia Clarkson), Dean Baquet (Andre Braugher) and others, eyes in the industry were finally opened to the criminal acts hidden with cover-ups and payments surrounding the hundreds of women affected.
This story tells the truth about the power of high executives, people able to control others to hide cover-ups and crimes within their money and power obsessed world. The film tells a part of history and is very well depicted by the actors that portrayed the roles of employees of The New York Times and also the women that were abused. This well written account may not be seen by a large audience but in my book, I hope I am wrong. This story needs to be seen by all women and hopefully men so they understand the justification of paying for crimes committed no matter who you are or how powerful you may be.
I personally struggled during this film mainly because on another scale I too lived this act of violence by a powerful organization that uses their power and money to hide crimes committed under their institution. Almost a mirror image of a women in the film going into surgery and wanting to tell her story I was one that did the same over three years ago. Renal failure, out of control and in ICU, I was not sure I’d be getting out of the hospital, of course, nor were all of my doctors. So, I too decided to tell my story of being molested at the age of 11 by a parish priest in my neighborhood. My story which the Wall Street Journal covered twice along with other victims that came forward was printed yet unlike other states Pennsylvania decided the victims had no rights to their day in court and the Pennsylvania Supreme court blocked all of our cases. Why? Maybe they were bought off, maybe they were protecting an institution that is supposed to preach about God and good but all they did was make it ok for the Catholic Church to continue their attacks on young children, boys and girls. Enough said, but this film “She Said” needs to be seen by everyone to prevent this injustice from happening to others. In my case I could have taken a settlement but I decided to fight for all the years of pain and nightmares that haunt me to this day. I, we victims, deserve our day of justice to lock away not only the perpetrators but the higher ups that continue to cover up or pay off crimes committed on innocent people and in my case, children. All of us, victims in Pennsylvania still hope to have our day in court just like everyone else in the country.
My praise goes to everyone that helped to film this story it is not easy to bare your soul but sometimes it is the right thing to do in order to make change happen for the better and sometimes better late than never. As the saying goes no one is above the law and those are words that need to be etched in stone forever. Please support this film and the #MeToo movement.

domain: sociology


text:
[Not NSFW at the moment, but tagged for probably future nudity.]
Hi, I'm AC
I feel like I'm plateauing in my art so I made this account hoping for inspiration and motivation mostly. Some personal items which I need to remind myself to practice in particular are as follows (list will be updated as needed): <b>environments<b>, color, mood, space relationships (in life drawings especially)
Crit is always appreciated!
I will scan some paper stuff in a moment, until then
2. Draw a figure using a reference - link to reference
I decided to try something different than usual: charcoal
Also, I'm pretty sure no one reads this, but on the off chance that somebody is, any tips on the nuances of properly sealing with hairspray would be magnificent because I think I screwed up when I tried to seal this. It worked but the moisture made the paper do that wavy thing that paper tends to do when it gets wet then dries :/
Last edited by passionatepacifist; March 6th, 2014 at 08:27 PM.
Reason: i fucked up
This one was really fun okay I would of kept going but school, UGH.
Prompts were the following if you can't read my writing:
Body type: Short, Built
Clothing: Dress, Risque
Head Type: Robotic
Last edited by passionatepacifist; March 7th, 2014 at 07:04 AM.
7. Pick the weirdest object in your house/room. Draw it. Shadows and Highlights.
The weirdest thing I could see from my chair is this half finished puppet-head I was sewing a while ago. I really need to finish this guy...
15. Halfway there! Draw three Ďactioní scenes with different compositions in each. Quick sketches are fine, just make them interesting and understandable! Bonus points if itís the same scene, but different composition.
these plus a bunch more that sort of happened when I was trying to figure out where to go with this
My compositions are so weak. I'm gonna go watch an action movie or something and work on this..
20. Pick an object in your house/room. Now design a character from it, using the shapes, forms, textures, purpose and colors as inspiration. Also link/post the object you used. Negative points for using a humanoid action figure.
21. Draw a character/object/scene, and shade them using ONLY solid blacks and whites. Bonus points for good use of lights/shadows
One from life, one not
22. Draw a different object/scene/character. Shade using hatching, crosshatcing, and/or pointillism. Bonus points for lights/shadows and textures.
This is on scratch-board and I'm probably gonna put in more time later.
23. Colors! Pick a color palette, and paint a scene/character/object using only those colors (some blending allowed). Bonus points for good use of lights/shadows.
I'm supposed to be planning for a sculpture for AP art that uses symbolism to describe a transition in our lives and I wasn't really sure where I was going with this until I realized I might be able to fill my own head with plants. Gonna have to talk to my teacher about that one though...ha

domain: artistic


text:
Homicide in the workplace essay
Social problems research papers examine an in contemporary social problems and the workplace - crime and alcohol research papers discuss the. Workplace violence is one of the most complex and dangerous occupational hazards facing nurses working in today's health care environment this article includes. Crime statistics (see the specific crime category or law enforcement arrests) criminal history records workplace violence (see crime violent crime) y. Violence in the workplace is a serious and abuse to physical assaults and homicide (zinkewicz, 2003) ” workplace violence can no plagiarism essay. Essay/term paper: gender roles essay for women has expanded with more women in the workplace domestic violence found at the scene of the crime two.
Workplace violence apna 2008 position statement the findings of the task force are included in three position papers on workplace and mass murder in. Predicting crime: a review of the research summary report rr2002-7e stephen schneider, phd adjunct professor school of justice studies ryerson university. Here are some reasons why you many need to buy an essay most of the news headlines in the united states report of crime and murder workplace discrimination. In a definition essay, you explain the meaning of a certain term by giving a detailed description of it, and support your definition with clear examples or facts.
Eighty-five percent of all workplace violence homicides fall into this category  type ii: customer/client our winning essay. Has the thought ever crossed your mind that you could be gunned down while tabulating this month’s sales figures, attending a working review of a future. In on bullying the workplace essay essay on causes of youth crime unit jacob: october 30, 2017 i want a snow day so bad i just want to sleep tomorrow someone. Chapter 8: workplace violence test approximately how many workplace homicides occur in canada each year a 7 violence in the workplace essay. Workplace violence essays workplace violence has been emerging as an important safety and health issue in today's workplace workplace violence includes verbal.
We can help our aim is to help you get a + grades on your coursework we handle assignments in a multiplicity of subject areas including admission essays, general. Census of fatal occupational injuries summary 691-5902 • [email protected] national census of fatal occupational injuries in workplace homicides. 2013 research review on us workplace violence data sources include the national crime victimization survey and the bureau of labor and statistics. Can criminological theories help manage crime in it is important to consider this dimension in the essay as the theft as a workplace crime that can be.
- Safety and health topics | workplace violence of the 4,679 fatal workplace injuries that occurred in the united states in 2014, 403 were workplace homicides.
- Workplace violence: a case study professional papers workplace homicide is a broad category with at least two subsets.
Read this essay on workplace homocide come browse our large digital warehouse of free sample essays get the knowledge you need in order to pass your. Mitigating crime in the workplace jonathan johnson hrmt 200 abstract many factors dictate what is considered a successful workplace it is. Exploring the issue of workplace violence social this essay has been submitted by eighty-five percent of all workplace homicides fall into this. Workplace violence: violence can happen here the facts about workplace violence per the national crime the most common type of workplace crime was assault.


Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter and producer Max Leone returns with spellbinding new single “The Beach”.
Max Leone is a straight up rising star and if you didn’t know, you will soon know. His latest single “The Beach” is the mesmerising follow up to the excellent “Cautious”, produced with Chicago native Alexander 23. It’s a melodic song with introspective lyricism and an experimental production which combines indie pop and alternative R&B with sprinkles of soul. Leone’s vocal performance is once again breathtaking, almost dreamlike. “The Beach” is another captivating release by the emerging star, and it has definitely generated a buzz for his upcoming debut EP.
“‘The Beach’ is about that person you keep going back to, even though every time you give them another chance they let you down. It’s like a flame, the warmth draws you in, but if you try to touch it you’ll get burnt.” – Max Leone.


text:
Evacuation planning for homeland defense
LEAD PRESENTER: Prof. Shashi Shekhar
Computer Science Department, University of Minnesota
200 Union Street SE #4 192, Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 624-8307 :fax: (612) 625-0572 :email: email@example.com
Evacuation route-schedule planning identifies paths and schedules to move at-risk population out to safe areas in the event of terrorist attacks, catastrophes, or natural disasters. Its goal is to identify near-optimal evacuation routes and schedules to minimize evacuation time despite limited transportation network capacity and the possibly large at- risk population. Finding the optimal solution is computationally exorbitant due to the extremely large size of the transportation networks (million nodes and edges) and the limited capacities. We propose novel geo-spatial algorithms to determine competent evacuation plans. Evaluation of our methods for evacuation planning for a disaster at the Monticello nuclear power plant near Minneapolis/St. Paul Twin Cities metropolitan area shows that the new methods lowered evacuation time relative to existing plans by providing higher capacities near the destination and by choosing shorter routes.
SPONSORS AND COLLABORATORS:
US Army Research Laboratory is sponsoring the work via AHPCRC on use of high performance computing techniques to reduce computation time to produce evacuation plans quickly. Federal Highway Authority (federal agency) will sponsor follow-on work via CTS to determine contra-flow configurations of the transportation networks to increase outbound capacities and reduce total evacuation time. Collaborators include Mr. QingSong Lu, Mr. Sangho Kim, Prof. Eil Kwon (Minnesota State University), Ms. Sonia Pitt (Mn/DOT) and Mr. Mike Sobolesky (MnDOT).

domain: geography


text:
- This event has passed.
Wonder Park (PG)
June 16 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
|Recurring Event (See all)
One event on June 16, 2019 at 2:00 pm
Wonder Park tells the story of a magnificent amusement park where the imagination of a wildly creative girl named June comes alive.
Director David Feiss
Main Cast Jennifer Garner, Mila Kunis, Ken Jeong, Matthew Broderick, Jeffrey Tambor, John Oliver, Kenan Thompson
Classification PG (Mild themes)
Genre Adventure, Animation
Release Date Thursday, 4 April 2019
Running Time 85 Mins


text:
Located minutes from Southampton Village, this new to the market, spacious, modern and bright, 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath updated waterfront home on 1.6 acres is an exceptional vacation paradise. Renovated and chic and overlooking the water, this fabulous getaway, minutes from Southampton Village and the area's exceptional ocean and bay beaches, has it all. The main floor is anchored by a spacious and comfortable family room with fireplace, large windows and doors opening to a patio with water views. This family room is flanked by a stunning, fully updated eat-in kitchen and dining area on one side and a comfortable den/media room on the other. Upstairs, there is a very large and private primary suite with its own balcony as well as two beautiful guest rooms and full guest bath. This exceptional property offers privacy and tranquility on the water with stunning views, serene landscaping, a heated gunite pool, outdoor shower and a new, soon to be completed entertainment and exercise barn with ping pong, Peloton and a media /TV area. Great market newcomer and not to be missed.
Other / Short Term - August : $95,000

domain: travel


text:
“Wow! Look at all those hops” 👀 @thetavistockhopco Thanks for another great night! Cheers 🍻
0 5911 hours ago
This weekends “ FOOD TRUCK SATURDAYS” is brought to you by El Milagro, traditional Mexican food! They will be at the brewery from 11-2 so come out to enjoy some beer and a taste of Mexico 🇲🇽 🌮 🌯
0 514 days ago
The Reckless Rooster has company in cans now! The Grumpy Goat!
1 824:51 PM Aug 13, 2018
Our friend Kyle is going to be defending our #revivalhouse Beer Festival trophy on Sunday! Be sure to stop by and say hi!
2 671:22 AM Aug 11, 2018
This week’s “FOOD TRUCK SATURDAY” features Nomad Chef from 11-3
With a menu that includes:
Brie Cheese Sandwich with maple caramelized cranberries in a ciabatta bread pressed in a panini grill.
Feta cheese with oregano and extra virgin panini pressed and finished with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers
Pork roast sandwich with old fashion Dijon mustard and finished with fresh tomatoes
Boar roast sandwich maple syrup and dijon mustard crusted panini pressed and finished with baby arugula
Bison burgers in a sesame seed bun with old fashion Dijon mustard, fresh tomatoes and pickles
Very Pure Berry smoothies
Double Fudge Lindt Chocolate Brownie Cups
0 371:50 AM Aug 10, 2018
It smells amazing in here! Free popcorn 🍿 and $3 pizza slices 🍕 from @shakespearepizza
A last minute change to our “FOOD TRUCK SATURDAY” unfortunately The Earthling is unable to make it because of truck troubles, so instead we have Shakespeare Pizza coming to bring slices, so you can still enjoy some delicious food with some refreshing beer 🍻
Thanks for helping us out @shakespearepizza

domain: food


text:
- 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 2 medium zucchini, finely grated
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
- 4 whole wheat tortillas
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. chipotle chilis in adobo sauce
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1 pinch salt and pepper, to taste
- Start with the enchilada sauce: in a medium saucepan, add 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil and sauté garlic. Add chipotle chile, chili powder, cumin, broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside.
- Coat a baking dish with remaining 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a medium skillet, sauté garlic and green onions in olive oil over medium heat for aproximately 4 minutes; add zucchini, salt and pepper to taste and cook about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup cheese; mix well. Divide zucchini mixture and black beans between each tortilla, roll and place seam side down in baking dish.
- Top with enchilada sauce (you might not use all) and remaining cheese and bake until hot and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.
- Serve with chopped cilantro and plain Greek yogurt (optional).
Recipe slightly adapted from skinnytaste.com
Share this Recipe


text:
Playing two spinners at Lord's tempting, says Virat Kohli
Aug 09 2018
England skipper Joe Root has said that their victory in the seesawing first Test, despite being "not at our best", has energised the hosts with confidence as they prepare to take on India at Lord's on Thursday. This is not the first time that Sachin Tendulkar's son has bowled to the current Indian team, but did roll his arms over at the start of the tour as well.
Earlier, ahead of the Ireland T20Is too Arjun was spotted bowling at Team India nets when Kohli and his boys were in London.
India's captain scored almost half of the team's runs in the first Test at Edgbaston; he was asked if he felt let down by his colleagues.
It proved beyond the tourists, despite Kohli making 51 to follow his first-innings 149 - the star batsman's maiden Test century on English soil. No other batters supported Kohli, who at the other hand fought valiantly. "Again, Ishant showed character here, Umesh stuck it out with Hardik so those kinds of things make you feel like as top order batsmen we need to apply ourselves better". Batsman bat well they can get runs, seamers are going to be in play with the Dukes ball in overcast conditions and when the wicket wears off, the spinners can come into play.
But Arun said Jasprit Bumrah was "out of contention", the paceman still sidelined after missing the first Test with the broken thumb he suffered during a Twenty20 worldwide against Ireland in June.
Despite that the team management could make a few changes, bringing in a second spinner to add more firepower, depending on the nature of the wicket at Lord's.
All-rounder Chris Woakes have also been recalled to fill up the gap of Ben Stokes who will not be available for Lord's Test as it would clash with his trial in Bristol court for charges of affray.
It was also announced that 20-year-old Olliver Pope will make his Test debut and bat at number four.
'In the first innings, to create two half-chances and two clear chances was testament to how we've got good plans against him and found a way to potentially get him out.
"I think it's going to be an all-round wicket. He looks fit in practice and you know ready to go". "Jamie Porter is the unlucky one to miss out", Root told a pre-match press conference at Lord's on Wednesday.
Other former India internationals to ring the bell at a Lord's Test are Sunil Gavaskar, The Nawab of Pataudi Jr, Dilip Vengsarkar, Rahul Dravid, Kapil Dev and Sourav Ganguly.
About countering Ashwin and Ishant, he said, "They are two fine players and one of the reasons why India have been successful is they have some brilliant experienced players to call upon".

domain: sports


Ecosystem Sustainability and Health
NESH brings the most recent developments in ecosystem thinking to bear on local projects and problem-solving processes in regard to issues of sustainability and health. Examples of different ways that this approach has been implemented can be found in thepublications section.
When NESH was founded in the 1990s, there was no accepted methodology for tackling the sorts of complex questions being asked of scientists studying sustainability. James Kay's "Diamond Diagram", both a heuristic diagram and a related set of activities that encapsulates our version of an adaptive ecosystem approach, provides the theoretical foundation for the Network. The diagram encapsulates the importance of linking social-cultural and ecological understanding to arrive at socially agreed-upon scenarios, which can then be used as a basis for public policy and action.
Using the diamond diagram as a base, and integrating insights from the IDRC-funded Eco-health projects in Kenya, Nepal, and Peru, NESH members have now developed and tested anAdaptive Methodology for Ecosystems Sustainability and Health (AMESH). Unlike many scholarly methods, which rely on using set techniques in a specific order, AMESH focuses on developing a set of guiding principles, guiding questions, associated activities, and measures of quality, for the application of complex systems thinking to community and regional sustainable development programmes.
Shedding light on integrated governance for water, health and social–ecological systems as learned through the Diamond Diagram and AMESH, the NESH team recently created the Prism Framework. The three-dimensional Prism Framework depicts four pillars (watersheds, ecosystems, social systems, health/well-being) and four governance perspectives from which to understand the links between watershed management and the determinants of health:
Water Governance for Sustainable Development
Water Governance for Ecosystems and Wellbeing
Water Governance for Social Determinants of Health
Water Governance for Socio-Ecological Health Promotion
Source: Parkes et al. 2010 (Global Environmental Change)
All life on this planet is nurtured and sustained by nested biological and physical relationships and feedback loops. It is useful in problem-solving and decision-making to conceptualize these relationships in terms of ecosystems. Thinking about ecosystems must be the context for any vision of sustainable life on Earth.
Why Sustainability and Health?
Poverty and injustice are sustainable, yet these are not ideals to aspire to. Health offers an approach to assessing the multi-faceted well-being of organisms, populations, communities and ecosystems. The combination of health with sustainability brings together the notion of a currently desirable state with that of longevity. In this, the less focused notions of what has been called sustainable development are made clear.
Why an Adaptive Ecosystem Approach?
People are an integral component of the global ecosystem. Sustainability of humans is an ecosystem problem, and sustainability of ecosystems is a human problem. The ecosystem approach must, therefore, bring together the most current scientific understanding of ecosystems with community participatory approaches, to help people resolve situations in which problems and solutions interact in complex and often surprising ways. Our aim is to help communities to anticipate and adapt, rather than to predict and control. Fundamentally, this is what sustainable development is all about.


This is the Ultimate M-8 Tuned Engine. The M-8 engine is a 8 port engine, long-stroke, with tuned crankshaft and has been configured for all those drivers who compete at the highest level and look for a powerful and linear engine with good power at both low and high R.P.M. Its configuration allows having multiple engines in one; with a soft clutch you will have a smooth and very linear engine, but with a hard clutch you will have a very aggressive engine. It stands out an oversized cooling head to improve performance at high temperatures and it is easy to tune. The Ultimate M-8 makes excellent bottom end power, and is an excellent choice for 1/8 buggies and trucks. This engine includes a R7 conrod made from super light aluminum and designed to create the least amount of turbulence inside the engine. The sleeve has 8 transfer ports to create a linear power output and to keep fuel consumption low. The tuned crankshaft is manufactured with a larger bore intake to increase the mixture flow, and has a special shape to optimize gas-flow in the engine. The rear bearing has an outer diameter of 25.80mm and has been used in order to avoid ring distortion and to increase lifespan. The two needle, slide valve, nylon body carburetor features a standard design that allows the use of interchangeable venturi's to tune for any track condition. Using small venturi fuel consumption will be reduced easily achieving the 9 min. With large venturi you will get an incredible performance at high rpm.


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Despite all, for the Soviet Union and indeed for the entire world communist movement, Nikita Khrushchev was the great catalyst of political and social change. In his seven years of power as first secretary and premier, he broke both the fact and the tradition of the Stalin dictatorship and established a basis for liberalizing tendencies within Soviet communism. His experience with international realities confirmed him in his doctrine of peaceful co-existence with the noncommunist world – in itself a drastic break with established Soviet communist teaching. He publicly recognized the limitations as well as the power of nuclear weapons, and his decision to negotiate with the United States for some form of nuclear-testing control was of vast importance. Despite his repression of the Hungarian uprising in 1956, his acceptance of “different roads to socialism” led to growing independence among European communist parties, but his Russian nationalism and his suspicion of Mao Zedong’s communism helped create an unexpectedly deep gap between China and the Soviet Union. By the time he was removed from office, he had set up guidelines for and limitations to Soviet policy that his successors were hard put to alter.
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I've been struggling with a problem for quite a while: exercise (or heat) induced hives.
Basically, when I get too hot, I break out into a bunch of itchy bumps... they're like mosquito bites, except bigger and itchier.
Since heat tends to do this to me, I generally end up with hives after every workout--especially a long run.
I've tried changing my diet. Taking cool showers. Changing my diet again. I take Benadryl when they get unbearable.
But they still kept coming... and they seemed to get worse.
Finally... yesterday... I broke down and took an OTC non-drowsy allergy relief pill (a generic version of Claritin). I've been avoiding this because Hubby says I'll probably have to take them pretty regularly if I want them to work... and I don't like to take any medication on a regular basis. I would have preferred to solve my issue the natural way.
Anyway, I took the medication and didn't break out in a single hive yesterday after my workout.
Although I hate taking meds, I have to admit that it was a relief to be hive-free for an evening.
Now we'll just see if these little white pills keep on working...

domain: health


Ex-Olympian heads strong event line-up
BY MARTIN AGATYN
23 Dec, 2010
FORMER Olympian Georgie Clarke will spearhead the strongest field for a Tasmanian 1600m handicap running event for a number of years at next week's The Eli Devonport Carnival.
And, in what will be an Australian first for a professional 1600m handicap event, runners will be handicapped on time rather than over distance.
Clarke, from Geelong, is a former Australian 400m and 800m champion and a former world junior 800m champion and an accomplished middle distance runner.
The Devonport Carnival has not held a women's 1600m event for several years and female athletes were amalgamated into an open field against the men until this year.
An upsurge in entries prompted organisers to again schedule a women's event, with the added interest of the timed handicap.
The format will require all runners to cover the entire 1600m, compared to the normal distance format, where the front marker, if handicapped at 150m, would only be required to run 1450m.
Sports Carnivals Association of Tasmania elite athlete co- ordinator Rod Walker said the timed handicap format would give great encouragement to the back markers and hopefully produce a closer and more exciting finish.
"We are trying it with the women's race this year and depending on how it goes, we might consider it for a future men's event," Walker said.
"I don't believe it's been done in professional running in Australia before, but it's something I remember from my amateur athletic days when I was competing in an amateur carnival at Forth in the 1970s," he said.
Georgie Clarke won't be the only top female middle distance runner contesting the Devonport 1600m handicap and she will be joined by former Devonport and now Brisbane-based runner Nicole Perry and Australian 3000m champion Mel Daniels, of Hobart.
In recent years the Devonport Mile (men's 1600m) has been a blue ribbon event on the Basslink Christmas Carnivals Series, attracting the likes of Craig Mottram and Collis Birmingham, but this year at least, the women will take centre stage.
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■ With a background in engineering, conservative candidate John ‘Sandy’ Turner has lived in Ipswich his entire life.
The conservative works as a mechanic in a mower and garden store.
“The mines and rail industries have largely closed and with this has come the transition from a service-orientated city to one of commuters,” he said.
“My passion is to lower the unemployment rate, help families at an economic level by simplifying and reducing taxes and prevent our country being changed by migrants. A vote for me is a vote for a clear conservative Independent voice for Blair that will not be bought nor corrupted.”

domain: news


text: Examined as an isolated situation, and through the lens of a rare and feared disease, Mr. Duncan’s case seems ripe for second-guessing the physicians and nurses who cared for him. But viewed from the perspective of what we know about errors and team communication, his case is all too common. Nearly 440,000 patient deaths in the U.S. each year may be attributable to medical errors. Breakdowns in communication among health care teams contribute in the majority of these errors. The culture of health care does not seem to foster functional, effective communication between and among professionals. Why? And more importantly, why do we not do something about it?


text: I chose parsley; I bought some of that ‘growing parsley’ and now need to find space for it in the kitchen, but parsley is very good for you (and very friendly). I served the parsley sauce with M&S smoked haddock fishcakes, mashed potatoes, baked beans, frozen spinach and frozen sweetcorn. The children didn’t try the sauce, but Sam did like the fishcakes, so that is one to try again, and a good way to get him to try different types of fish. I wasn’t sure that I would like the parsley sauce, but I did. Definitely worth making for things like fish pie and what have you.


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Hey you 🙂
I find that I always start a blog or have an idea about what to write about, then I begin to type and about a sentence in I abandon the idea. Usually that happens when I have no emotional attachment to the content, so today I will make a vow to only publish content that truly reflects me and write about things that I actually give a crap about. In saying that, when I sit down to think about what matters to me, all the hardships in my past come to mind. Not in a bad way though, I think about how what has happened in the past has made me who I am today.
Heartbreak can happen in many ways, we can be torn apart as people by so many different things i.e. friends, family, love interests, money and even by ourselves. In coming posts I will share different struggles I have gone through and how to overcome them specifically, but this post will be more general.
So let’s set the scene, I don’t know how you all grieve, but I am a crier. So let’s say something devastating has happened, you’re in your bedroom or bathroom crying on the floor in the dark listening to Sam Smith (or perhaps something less dramatic). The point is your mindset is dark, your mind is trying to figure out the situation – the whys, hows and whos of it all. What is next? You cannot possibly see a way for this situation to be positive – ever. Firstly, if you are thinking deeply like this, it’s a good start. That might sound weird, but I know from experience that trying to hide from your emotions will only end up damaging you worst in the long run. So get it out, all of it. Scream, cry and shout if that is what you feel like doing.
Breath, slowly and deeply. Only focus on your breathing. Be silent and still and breath for as long as it takes for you to be calm. For me it’s like 5 minutes. Once you have gathered your thoughts, feelings and breath, take out a pen and paper (or notes section on your phone) and write out the situation and how you feel about it (feel free to send this to a trusted person or not). This may result in more crying, but remember – you have to get this out to heal.
The next step is my favourite, my best friend and partner know all to well about Cheresa days. These are days I have every few months when things get a bit on top of me and I plan time to do ONLY the things that make me happy. So I go make-up shopping or do my nails, get a face mask or a bottle of wine and just enjoy my own company and work on making myself feel happy. Although it is good to keep busy, sometimes life can drain us and we need to take time to refill our tanks with all the joys life can bring. Things like this remind us that its not everyday sadness, life is what we make it and we have the power to control how we feel.
Finally, remember life is a journey, so is pain, some days you will feel amazing and some days you won’t want to get out of bed. I promise it will get better each day, week, month and year. Sometimes we can feel guilty about not hurting everyday, but please do not – it is wasted energy and everyone deserves a new beginning. Keep talking about how you feel, do not let anyone make you feel like you should not. Keep taking time out to treat yourself and re-find your happiness. Make goals and reach them – there is ALWAYS a way.

domain: psychology


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Agent 1 episode, Makenna Beatty Woman 4 1 episode, Neighbor 1 episode, Ben 1 episode, Braden Hendrickson Never convey money upfront. I know who I m looking for now.
Married Women Looking For Men in Glens Falls New York
Alter Did You Know? Chainsaw 1 affair, Add the first question. Bare Lover 2 1 episode, Clyde Whitham Vincent 1 episode,
McQuaid 1 episode, Zell Steele Morrow Fiddler 1 episode, Samuel Faraci Chris 4 episodes, Ask me if I am pretty Body: Alice 1 episode, Brenda Robins Josh and Lucy fall all the rage love but struggle with their active situation.


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Pink & Purple Heart Glitter Stickers
- Collection: Stickabilities
- Brand: the Paper Studio
Fall in love with papercrafting with Pink & Purple Heart Glitter Stickers! These fun stickers feature whimsical, colorful hearts in an assortment of dainty patterns. Pretty and playful, these stickers will add charm and excitement to your handmade cards, scrapbooks, and more!
- Length: 1/2" - 1 3/4"
- Width: 1/2" - 1 3/4"
Package contains 29 stickers.
Item not available in Hobby Lobby Stores.
Check your local store for availability.
Warning: CHOKING HAZARD: Small Parts. Not for children under 3 yrs.


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For many years, dice games have accumulated fans in casinos all over the world. The humble dice, which is shaped like a cube and consists of six sides, originated in Ancient China in 600 B.C. Even though the original purpose of dice is for fortune-telling, the object became an essential in many board games including gambling games.
When you enter the live singapore casino for the first time, sometimes it is intimidating to see a lot of people playing table games and wondering how they can easily grasp the mechanics of the game.
Baccarat remains one of the most popular gambling games in the world today. The number of baccarat online players are increasing and there seem to… Read More »Casino Games Tips: How to Win Baccarat?

domain: game


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As usual I looked all over for FREE super CUTE BUNNY COLORING PAGES for Easter and found very fewSo I created some. Printable spiderman easter Coloring page.
Super coloring – free printable coloring pages for kids coloring sheets free colouring book illustrations printable pictures clipart black and white pictures line art and drawings.
Super coloring pages easter bunny. Click the Easter Bunny Mask coloring pages to view printable version or color it online compatible with iPad and Android tablets. May 28 2015 – Nicoles Free Coloring. Children will have a lot of fun coloring these Easter coloring pages.
We have simple images for younger coloring fans and advanced images for adults to enjoy. Use your mouse to color Online the picture Cute Easter bunny holding Easter egg or Print out a black white Coloring Sheet and color it with your crayons paints. Click on the thumbnail youd like to print and then use the Print or Download buttons to get the full-sized coloring page.
Free Easter Coloring Pages for Kids. Easter Bunny coloring pages are a fun way to develop creativity focus motor skills and color recognition. See more ideas about bunny coloring pages easter printables free coloring pages.
Happy Fathers Day Mustache Heart Coloring Page 563. Printable Fathers Day Card Coloring Page 565. There are 6 different Easter Bunnies with an Easter egg background to color in this free printable set with a cover page to color in too if you like.
Weve prepared something special for your kids. Including preschoolers toddlers and big kids – adults. Easter egg coloring pages Easter bunny coloring pages Easter basket color-by-number sheets and more adorable Easter pictures to color.
This color book was added on 2016-03-16 in easter coloring page and was printed 1174 times by kids and adults. Buy Easter Bunny Coloring Pages for Kids. Delight your free time with these fun and Free Printable Easter Coloring Pages.
Coloring Page 567. Super coloring – free printable coloring pages for kids coloring sheets free colouring book illustrations printable pictures clipart black and white pictures line art and drawings. You might also be interested in coloring pages from Easter Masks categories and Animal Masks Easter Bunny Easter masks tags.
Color this Easter Bunny and his oversized Easter Egg. Super coloring – free printable coloring pages for kids coloring sheets free colouring book illustrations printable pictures clipart black and white pictures line art and drawings. Use these bunnies in your Sunday school or have fun coloring them.
Apr 16 2021 – These cute and free printable bunny coloring pages are great for kids of all ages. While you are waiting for the Easter Bunny to pay a visit why not print these awesome free Easter Bunny coloring pages and add your artistic flair with pencils markers paints or crayons. These are the cutest free printable Easter coloring pages for kids of all ages with everything from cute and whimsical bunnies to religious Easter coloring sheets.
You can now print this beautiful spiderman easter coloring page or color online for free. Just in time for EASTER barely Ive added these cute Easter bunny coloring pages PDFs for you to download or print for FREE. See more ideas about easter coloring pages easter colouring coloring pages.
Our online coloring books are a great way to great way to relax unwind and de-stress. Dec 13 2018 – Explore Tina Bradshaw Schmitts board Easter Coloring Pages followed by 239 people on Pinterest. They can make great Easter gifts for friends and family or also instant decorations to hang up around the house.
I love seeing the bulbs coming in and the bright pink and. Simply perfect for some ZEN Easter Coloring for Grown Ups. Daddy I Love You.
Spring is finally here and I couldnt be more thrilled to see some color in the landscape. Having said that we are taking small versions of this to our local Scout Group and will be turning them into pop up greeting cards combined with our Easter Egg Coloring sheet. For boys and girls kids and adults teenagers and toddlers preschoolers and older kids at school.
I love this super cute bunny rabbit coloring page. For boys and girls kids and adults teenagers and toddlers preschoolers and older kids at school. My kids and husband LOL loved coloring in these bunny rabbits yesterday and I hope your kids or you love coloring them too.
For boys and girls kids and adults teenagers and toddlers preschoolers and older kids at school.


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Former MLC Boss Joins Sinclair Knight Merz Board
30 March, 2005
Former MLC Boss Joins Board of Sinclair Knight Merz
Leading project delivery firm, Sinclair Knight Merz is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Scott as a Non Executive Director.
Mr Scott is the former Chief Executive and Executive General Manager of MLC, now part of the National Australia Bank’s Wealth Management business.
An Engineer by training, Mr Scott returns to Sinclair Knight Merz after almost 20 years, having worked out of the firm’s Melbourne office in the late 1980’s.
He later rose to prominence as Managing Director of Civil & Civic and Lend Lease Interiors, before moving into the Funds Management side of the Lend Lease business.
This involved managing a Group responsible for A$80bn in assets under management and 6000 employees operating in seven countries.
Sinclair Knight Merz Chairman, David Howarth, welcomed Peter Scott to the Board.
"Peter is well known to SKM, and has contributed very effectively and diligently in recent times to our Board Committees," Mr Howarth said.
"We are confident that Peter will be a great asset to the workings of our Board," he added.
Sinclair Knight Merz is involved in some of the world’s most significant engineering projects, including the expansion of iron ore facilities in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, stadium projects in Europe, and retail service station upgrades across Asia for ExxonMobil.
With revenues exceeding A$400 million, Sinclair Knight Merz now employs more than 4000 staff in offices across Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, the Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and South America.
Sinclair Knight Merz
Achieve Remarkable Success - Our Commitment to
For further information, visit our website www.skmconsulting.com


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“Born of my mother’s corn
I am a movimiento seed of resistance
A red-diaper baby
Chicana feminist since birth
but I never dreamed casually in the city of Lost Angels
‘Cuz I was ready
from the first day I saw the sun” –Felicia Montes
In 1997, Felicia Montes, studying world arts and cultures and Chicana/o studies at UCLA, wanted women artists to come together at a time where a powerful Chicana/o movement was happening in Northeast Highland Park. This led Montes to ask her professor to allow to her organize an event instead of writing a final paper. Only planned for one night, this event blossomed over 14 years into an organization of called Mujeres de Maiz (MdM).
“I was trying to make [my education] relevant [by] not just writing a paper but trying to do something,” said co-founder Felicia Montes.
The event was organized around International Women’s Day, where a local poetry collective band, In Lak Ech, decided to get together with anyone interested in sharing their work and poetry. “We were only supposed to perform once…but people kept asking. They had never seen the presence of women on stage [like that],” said Montes.
Just as corn is grown all around the world, mujeres of any color ranging from the lands South America, Africa, and the Philippines come together to “network and organize around global, social, and political issues,” as stated on their website.
A multimedia women’s art collective, MdM gives space for female artists who want to express themselves politically and spiritually through art, no matter their level of training.
Corn is peeled to expose its inner core in the same way that these women use their art. They find healing when expressing their inner thoughts and activist ideas to others while creating awareness of transnational issues.
MdM holds spoken word and cultural music performances, and showcases sculptures and paintings. They actively participate in events that support and celebrate women as well as helping to build different collaboratives.
Another outlet to contribute to women’s empowerment in the arts is their magazine publication “Zine.” “Not a lot of publications are out there consistently outreaching…so it was important to have that,” said Margaret Alarcon, a member of MdM.
As Alarcon recounts her decision to join MdM, she said that it has helped her empower her gift. An illustration student at the Art Center College of Design, she had a dream of a woman of corn. She decided to paint this image, which later became the symbol for the group.
Before MdM, Alarcon saw herself as an isolated artist; alone and unsure how to share her art with others. MdM gave her the validation and the empowerment she needed to share her creations. In her biography, Alarcon describes her art making as bringing new meaning and healing to her life. Now she is the core organizer for MdM.
The women plan to make MdM a nonprofit organization that will give the group more structure. However, they want to be cautious to preserve the grassroots atmosphere. They wish to have a place where women can express their ideas and form other groups in Los Angeles. “[This would be] very beneficial to the women who are trying to make art,” said Alarcon.
Just as the Mayans saw corn as sacred, MdM views women that same way. Both women and corn com in many shapes, sizes, and colors.
“Empowerment, consciousness, and healing,” are the words Co-founder Claudia Mercado uses to describe who they are and their contributions to the community. They outreach to women of color who want to combine their artistic kernels to help grow the organization that celebrates women, the arts, and activism.
As Montes wrote in her poem “Overcompensating Xicana Complex,” these women are planting their “seeds of resistance.”


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There are two ways to live life. One is to live as though nothing is a miracle.
The other is to live as though everything is a miracle. - Albert Einstein
I've always believed that life has a purpose, that it has meaning above and beyond the everyday mundane rituals that we go through. When we were young, we spent much of our time learning to adapt to the world, learning to find our feet and figure out how we fit in the world. But as time goes on, and as we become more comfortable in our situations, we're faced with the question of purpose once more. This question often comes at different times for different people, and can come in many forms as well, but I believe that at the end of the day, each of us must come to terms with the fact that there must be something behind the seemingly random events that make up our existance, and decide for ourselves whether or not that something is worth pursuing.
It is the pursuit of this something that I believe ultimately gives definition and clarity to our character.
Paulo Coelho refers to this something as our Personal Legend in his book, The Alchemist. I love the imagery that title conjures up. Personal Legend. Adventure, grandeur, excitement. Our personal adventure is one that is meant to bring fulfillment to our lives, one that is meant to complete us, to make us whole. And yet so many go through life never experiencing the fullness
of the journey. Fewer still have experienced its completion. Though many know of its potential and power, few are able to grasp it and pursue it. Why is that?
In The Alchemist, Coelho tells a wonderful story of a young farmer boy on his journey through life. With nothing to his name but his flock of sheep, the boy has enough to survive in the world - he knows how to take care of his sheep, how to shear them for wool, how to bargain with the traders for a good price - and yet he yearns for more. It begins as a mere inkling - the curiosity of the world out there, the thought that there might be more beyond the edges of his country. Coelho takes the reader on a journey of discovery with the boy as that spark of curiosity blossoms into a full passion to discover his Personal Legend.
Though many may understand what their Personal Legend is, few ever get past the dreaming phase of the process. The reason? A lack of motivation, yes, but also a lack of encouragement! We are a relational people. We need others to push us, to encourage us, and to cheer for us as we pursue our journey. For it is not just the journey that is important - those that push us to start the journey, those that accompany us along the way, and those that cross the finish line with us are often just as important. Isn't it ironic that in a world which grows continually smaller, with technological advances that allow us to communicate with anyone at the press of a button, we often find ourselves alone. We are surrounded by people, by information, by technology that keeps us connected. And yet we're still lonely.
Herein lies the problem. For some reason, we've lost the ability to build strong, meaningful relationships, and it is this loss that nips the pursuit of our Personal Legend in the bud. We dont have anyone to push us from the starting line, nor do we push each other to strive to greater heights. We dont have people that walk with us every step of the way, helping to shape us while being shaped themselves.
And because we no longer pursue our legends, we no longer stand on the other side and look back. We no longer realize that at the end of it all, it was the journey and not the destination that was our legend. We no longer look back at how far we've come, and realize that life really has been worth living.
So now the question we have to ask ourselves, is whether or not we're happy with this situation. If we aren't, and I really hope we aren't, then we ought to change that. We ought to learn to have those great, challenging relationships, ought to be willing to take the risk of leaving the place we call home, ought to come to the crossroads of life many times, and never choose to turn back. Are we ready to pursue our own Personal Legends?