One of the first laws passed after the Republicans took over Congress last year -- making the House and Senate answerable to the same labor and safety rules that other Americans must obey -- has led to the discovery of a number of serious fire hazards, Congressional officials say.
The first-ever safety review of Congressional offices and work areas found more than a dozen sites where containers of paint thinner, solvents and other flammable liquids were improperly stored and handled. In one workshop, inspectors found about 25 five-gallon containers of solvent sloppily stored.
Most of this storage is at the basement or lower levels of occupied office buildings so that a resultant fire would quickly progress up through these buildings," said the report by the Office of Compliance, an independent agency created to enforce the health and safety laws. Lawmakers got the report on Friday.
"This deficiency coupled with the lack of an effective emergency action plan creates the potential for catastrophe," the report said.
Inspectors found that virtually no offices had emergency plans and few employees knew what number to call in a crisis. "The most significant finding of the inspections was the fragmented, largely uncoordinated and insufficient planning for a fire or bomb emergency," the report said.Continue reading the main story
Days after inspectors flagged the offending sites earlier this year, officials from the office of the Architect of the Capitol, which maintains Congressional buildings, moved the explosive liquids to special storage rooms or cabinets, said a spokesman for the office, Ben Wimberly.
"It's a good thing we have these new rules and inspections," Mr. Wimberly said. "We're talking paint thinner here, not rocket fuel. But still, you're always going to have people with containers out where they're not supposed to."
Other Congressional officials said efforts were under way to create a better emergency plan for the Capitol.
Congress is like a small, bustling city of 25,000 people that has many of the services of a minor metropolis, including restaurants, beauty salons, paint shops and upholstery studios.
By unanimously approving the Congressional Accountability Act last year, lawmakers agreed to put themselves under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
While the safety rules do not formally take effect until Jan. 1, inspectors led by Dennis P. Duffy marched over 20 million square feet of Congressional real estate from February to May handing out warnings for loose wires, overloaded electrical outlets and hazards that could cause someone to trip, like torn carpets.
While Mr. Duffy declared most of the Capitol safe, inspectors found many other risks besides the flammable liquids. Workers who handled corrosive chemicals like battery acid had no emergency eye wash stations. Several emergency exits were locked. Faulty ventilation systems pumped gas fumes from garages and loading docks into lawmakers' offices. In addition, the report mentioned, smoking is permitted in most Congressional office buildings.
Many of these problems could be corrected quickly, the report said, and Mr. Wimberly said many have been addressed.Continue reading the main story


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Sometime because of cultures a large number of cultures are treated as one culture, for example in Pakistan there is a lot of cultures but still to the out countries they treat as just like one culture and is known as Pakistani culture. Celebrities are used to promote most fashion designs that lead to increased sales as their fans aim to emulate their style. He fleetingly engages with an important characteristic of the post-modern condition, that is, the death of subjectivity and the emergence, in its place, of widespread social schizophrenia. He argues that this reproduces unhelpfully the old distinction between the high arts and the low, less serious, popular arts. In the second definition the author says that the culture is the programming of mind so it includes everything related with the mind programming and because of these different minds programming different group of people distinguish from each others. It is associated with the tendency of the society to reject or go against objective truth and the global view of certain cultural aspects.
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Jameson, going back to Mandels Late Capitalism, has argued that the kinds of cultural phenomena which might be described as post-modern form part of the logic of advanced or late capitalism. With one order you receive 5 in 1 Top quality of custom paper free feature Plagiarism report (on demand) free feature Own membership area free feature Discounts free feature Affiliate program free feature Order now With increased modernization. According to an author Anthropologists say a culture s biological and marital kinship rules and patterns of reciprocal obligations define family9, the definition varies of different cultures. Post-modern cultural movements first emerged in the 1960s in painting, architecture, and literary criticism. There is a vacillation between the high psychoanalytical use of Lacan and a much looser notion, one which seems to sum up unsatisfactory aspects of contemporary cultural experience. Norris, Lost in the funhouse: Baudrillard and the politics of postmodernism,. And there is Hall, who sees in fragmentation something more reflective of the ongoing and historical condition of subaltern groups.
Against Jameson, Stuart Hall (1981) has recently said that it is just this decentring of consciousness which allows him, as a black person, to emerge, divided, yes, but now fully foregrounded on the post-modern stage. Culture is the identity of a group of people living in specific place; they have their own sketch of life what the culture says they follow that. Many theorists whose stands after culture culture essay life postmodernism text value were seen to criticize the mass culture are no longer held in high regard. Structuralism has replaced old orthodoxies with new ones. Society diversified and expanded in the way that modernity, as characteristically progressive, had wanted it to, however, society had also proliferated its constituent spheres to such a point that it could no longer be understood as unified and explainable(11). Postmodernism has contributed to a consumer culture which involves a construction of an active lifestyle with increased mobility. By 1990's many people now started to look at this relation ship positively due to increased research on the subject(4). Through the use of advertising and by designing stylistic variety into their products, manufacturers elevated things into the category of fashion goods that had before just been utility goods, like towels, bedding, and bathroom fixtures. The tinny shallowness of mass culture is, he argues, directly reflected in the schizophrenic subject of contemporary mass consciousness. Get help with your essay today from our professional essay writers!
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Importance of culture : Culture has great importance. Copyright: Authors hold copyright on their work and may republish it anywhere, so long as prior publication in PMC is acknowledged. In essence, creativity in the domestic setting seems to have succumbed to productivity within the public domain. Elsewhere it constructs a new hierarchy, with Hollywood classics at the top, followed by selected advertising images, and girls and womens magazines rounding it off. This notion means that postmodern features will have the dominant effects that were observed by high modernisms. Social inequalities have led to a rise in movements whose major aim is to counter globalization. "Consequently, to speak of postmodernity is to suggest an epochal shift or break from modernity involving the emergence of a new social totality with its own distinct organizing principles".6 Postmodernists view society as something that can no longer. Postmodernism therefore can be seen as moving away or a step away from modernism. Many artists emulate pioneers of abstract art such as Jackson Pollock who viewed the process of making art to be as important as the finished product. Jamesons unified man could be taken to be a preFreudian, Enlightenment subject, and thus be discredited by those who have paid attention to Lacans notion of the fragmented subject. This form of architecture brings in new innovations and inventions in terms of building designs as opposed to forms seen in modern architecture.
Studying consumer culture under postmodernism brings about questions of relevance. Varies: Culture always varies. Postmodernism, or the cultural logic of late capitalism, New Left Review 146. All papers are plagiarism free, placing an order takes 3 minutes. This is in the sense that cultures of different places have been integrated by globalization.
Missing Works Cited Length: 1306 words (3.7 double-spaced pages) Rating: Purple Open Document Anti-aesthetic photography Life After Postmodernism : Essays on Value and Culture - UVicSpace Life After Postmodernism is a pioneering text on the question of value in the postmodern scene. Bocock,., (1997) Consumption, London, Routledge,.53-7 and.76-82. Edited by Hal Foster. According to Jameson, however, unfragmented subjectivity, by contrast, produced great works of uncluttered heroic modernism. Best Custom Writing Service, we'll write an essay from scratch according to your instructions. Advertisements define pleasure and lifestyle. Postmodernism in film making has the ability to fuse the reality with fiction. Reviews: PMC publishes reviews of scholarly books in our fields of interest.
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The unity of current affairs television,. The anti aesthetic hal foster pdf. The formal features of postmodernity express the logic behind the present social systems. Postmodern works usually employ different styles to generate complex meaning. Postmodernism : History, Theory, Fiction Linda Hutcheon No preview available - 2004 Civilizing Rituals: Inside Public Art Museums Carol Duncan No preview available - 1995 All Book Search results » Title The Anti-aesthetic: essays on postmodern culture, author Hal Foster Editor. Some cultures have big houses while some have small. Reader reports are anonymous and are sent to authors.
Like Jameson he decries this state and looks forward to something more robust and more reliable, something from which a less fractured sense of self and community might emerge. For the time being, the following formatting restrictions should be observed: In-line images (on the page) must.jpg.gif formats, and must be the size at which you want them to display, with the maximum allowable width being 420 pixels. Every culture gives most importance to their culture. D, (2007) As Seen in Vogue: A Century of American Fashion in Advertising. If both readers recommend publication, we accept; if they differ, we usually send the essay to a third reader; if they request revisions, we send the essay once revised back to them for re-evaluation. Postmodern art fuses high and low culture while modernists used mostly forms of art they considered low. Economic globalization has led to a total transformation of social structures bringing in social inequalities. Without education humanity is not possible, therefore almost all the cultures gives importance to education and they possess only education for their success. Through analysis of growth of consumerism, various concerns arise.
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For example, Osvaldo Yero, an artist who emerged in the 1990s, has based his work on the technique and poetics of the plaster figures. This usually takes between 1-3 weeks. Enlightenment was period when science and art greatly prospered. There are also some cultural people who dont construct houses also, all life they pass in different places. Modernists have accused postmodern architecture as being vulgar because it goes against old cultural designs. Artists such as Manet and Picasso employ these features more effectively in their works.

domain: artistic


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If you’re looking for a gaming headset that works across devices and consoles, the Razer is for you. The company announced its brand new Barracuda X gaming headset that will play well with multiple devices such as smartphones, tablets, computers, and of course, game consoles.
This is thanks to the Razer, which comes with a small USB-C transmitter along with the headphones, which means it works on devices like the Nintendo Switch by plugging it into the charging port and connecting the headphones to it wirelessly. It also works with other consoles like the front-facing USB-C port on the PS5, and even with phones or tablets that rely on USB-C for charging.
However, if you’re not exactly a fan of wireless, Razer will also bundle a USB-A to USB-C port so you can plug it into devices like your PC or even the Nintendo Switch dock. Other features include the use of the Razer TriForce 40mm drivers and a detachable cardioid microphone.
The Razer Barracuda X is priced at $ 100, which isn’t too bad considering its versatility. So head over to Razer’s website if this sounds like a pair of headphones that you might be interested in.
Filed in. Read more about headphones and Razer. Source: press.razer

domain: entertainment


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domain: law


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|Description||Situated in the cosmopolitan suburb of Sea Point, with picturesque views of the Atlantic coast and a mere fifty meters walk from the vibrant Sea Point promenade, Hôtel Le Vendôme is a luxury boutique hotel, marrying French old world charm, with elegance, comfort and renowned South African hospitality. From this central and luxurious base, the acclaimed winelands and Cape Peninsula, with its pristine beaches and indigenous flora and fauna, wait to be discovered. |
Hôtel Le Vendôme's fine dining restaurant, Rive Gauche, is renowned for its culinary masterpieces. Complemented with superb international and local wines, the cuisine, served in equally tasteful surroundings, is fit for any aspirant king or queen. Adjoining the restaurant, you will find a boutique with a select range of clothing and accessories, designed exclusively for the hotel. Hôtel Le Vendôme's sparkling poolside offers you an oasis of tranquility where you may enjoy an outdoor breakfast, light refreshing lunch or sunset cocktail "al fresco". Or indulge in an appetizing meal from Le Cygne, the hotel's casually elegant restaurant overlooking the pool.

domain: geography


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In a greenhouse used for growing plants, sunlight comes in through the glass roof and walls and is turned into heat rays. Heat rays are shaped differently than light rays and cannot easily get back out through the glass. So, the inside of the greenhouse stays very warm. The "greenhouse effect", or global warming, is the gradual warming of the Earth because carbon dioxide and other gases in a layer around the Earth prevent heat from escaping to space.
The layer of gases is supposed to keep some heat close to Earth. The problem is that humans have increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by more than a third since the Industrial Revolution and so the layer of gases is holding in too much heat. Millions of cars, and power generation plants and factories all over the world, are burning fossil fuels (e.g. gasoline, coal), which puts more and more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. At the same time, millions of trees that could have helped to absorb the carbon dioxide are being cut down.
During the past 100 years, the average global temperature has increased about 0.75 degrees Celsius. The ten hottest years on record have all occurred within the last fifteen years. A global temperature change of only a few degrees could make a big difference. The average world temperature during the last Ice Age was only 5 degrees C lower than it is now. Global warming of
1 to 5 degrees C could cause a major shift in weather patterns. We're already seeing more droughts and more intense tropical storms, warm areas becoming extremely hot, and melting of polar ice caps. If the current pattern continues, there will be a rise in sea level, flooding of low-lying areas (e.g. state of Florida, country of Bangladesh), and major habitat changes.
What can we do to prevent global warming? Part of the solution lies in reducing the burning of fossil fuels and making sure we have lots of trees. A growing tree can take in more than 20 kg of carbon dioxide a year.
Get a feel for how global warming works with a simple experiment. Place two jars on their sides, in the sunshine.
Put a piece of dark cloth into each jar. Place a thermometer on each cloth so that you can read the thermometer through the glass.
Put the lid on one jar. Turn both jars so that their open end faces away from the sun.
Watch the thermometers. Record the temperatures every minute. When a thermometer gets close to its highest temperature, stop the experiment (the thermometer may break).
In which jar does the temperature rise fastest? How much faster does it rise? Why? How is this like a greenhouse?
Try the same experiment on a cloudy day. How are the results different?
You can experience the greenhouse effect for yourself on a hot summer day. Get into a car that's been parked in the sun, with the windows closed. The car's interior should be very hot – even if the outside air temperature is just pleasantly warm. The closed car acts like a greenhouse.


As Atherton considers a separation from the Menlo Park Fire Protection District, which has provided the town's fire services for decades, the town's leaders assert that there's good reason to consider such a move: Atherton contributes far more revenue to the fire district through its property taxes than it receives in benefits, they maintain, citing a survey commissioned by the town for fiscal year 2015-16.
The fire district, on the other hand, maintains that such a move would be a Gordian knot that would be difficult to untangle and would have serious repercussions for the district if it were carried out.
Although Atherton has 8% of the residents in the fire district, it provided 31.7% of the district's total property tax revenues, which led to a subsidy by the town of more than $7 million in tax revenue for the fire agency's coffers, according to the 2015-16 survey.
"This is the double-edged sword that residents of Atherton and neighborhoods like West Menlo Park have to deal with," district board member Virginia Chang-Kiraly told The Almanac. "When you live in the wealthiest zip code in the country sometimes you have to pay for things that primarily benefit other people."
Atherton also pays a higher share of taxes to the Las Lomitas and Menlo Park City school districts and the Sequoia high school district, even though not very many Atherton residents have children who attend schools in the districts, she noted.
Atherton could conceivably contract out its fire services, but some sort of arrangement would have to be made with the district about what to do with Fire Station 3, which is in Atherton, Chang-Kiraly said.
"Station 3 is the fire district's property, and we also own the neighboring property next to the station," she said. "Five stations out of seven are located outside of Atherton but also serve the Atherton community."
Losing Atherton as a region in its service area would be a tremendous blow to the district and, depending on how the exit was handled, would result in major budget cuts, said Robert Jones, who was elected board president earlier this month.
"We would have to adjust, and we would have to make it work for us with less funds," he said. "Hopefully, we wouldn't have to go out of business or consolidate."
Former fire board member Peter Carpenter thinks that Atherton's concerns represent an ethical issue because the taxation system is based on ability to pay rather than on the value of the services that are received.
"We live in a society that says that people who are better off pay higher taxes than people who are not better off," Carpenter told The Almanac. "What the Atherton Town Council has said is that we don't think we should pay more than what the cost of our services are.
"Atherton residents pay more for every public service than they receive in direct benefits from (the providing agencies), not just fire," Carpenter added.
Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman said in an interview that the effect on the fire district and the remaining communities in the district could be "devastating."
"The amount of money we would have might not cover all the costs of providing the services to other communities, and there would need to be a dramatic reduction of those services," he said.
If Atherton were to proceed with an exit plan, it would have to get the permission from the San Mateo County Local Area Formation Commission (LAFCo), which "has not been encouraging' of the idea up to now," said Martha Poyatos, the commission's executive officer.
"We encourage dropping boundaries and becoming larger rather than becoming smaller," she said. What the town is talking about "isn't consistent with anything I see in LAFCo law."
If Atherton applied to LAFCo for permission, it would trigger a property tax exchange in which the county Board of Supervisors would negotiate with the town on the proportion of property tax revenue to be transferred into its coffers to provide fire protection service, Poyatos wrote in an email.
"The most that the town could get is what the fire district currently receives from property taxes generated by the town of Atherton, but it could get less because it's subject to negotiation," Poyatos said.
If LAFCo were to approve the application, Atherton residents would be entitled to a protest period. If more than 50% of residents protested, the approval would be canceled; if 25% to 50% protested, the Board of Supervisors would call an election and a simple majority would be needed for approval.
● Read related story here.


Jewell was in Kivalina Monday to hear what residents say are their concerns as erosion linked to climate change and rising sea levels threatens their way of life—and the very island the community is built upon.
February 17, 2015
A special highlight of KNOM’s broadcast schedule and news reporting earlier this year was the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) convention, held in late October in downtown Anchorage. In more ways than one, your support allowed us to bring this important gathering to our listeners.
November 25, 2014
As AFN endorses candidates in the Governor and Senate races, Bering Straits Native Corporation follows suit, with an additional endorsement for Don Young.
October 27, 2014
Sled dog racing is Alaska’s state sport and Gov. Sean Parnell has officially endorsed Alaska as a “right to mush” state.
August 15, 2014
In late October, KNOM was proud to present live, “gavel-to-gavel” coverage of one of the most important annual gatherings in the state of Alaska: the Alaska…
November 27, 2013
“It was inspiring to be surrounded by so many reflective, positive people,” Emily says about the 2013 Alaska Federation of Natives convention in Fairbanks.
November 1, 2013
In Monday’s news: Kivalina’s water tanks need 16 more days of pumping to reach capacity before winter freeze, but still lack filters; Alaska chlamydia rates are…
September 9, 2013
In Monday’s news: Iditarod 41 in full swing; Tribes to get more votes at AFN conventions; Polar bears’ endangered species listing upheld by US Court of…
March 4, 2013
In Thursday’s news: Shell cancels 2013 Arctic drilling season; Alaska’s redistricting plans waiting on outcome of US Supreme Court case, case challenging need for federal oversight…
February 28, 2013
In Friday’s news: Laureli Kinneen reports on five workshops at the 2012 AFN Convention; 25 Kuskokwim subsistence fishermen are heading to trial for alleged illegal fishing;…
October 19, 2012


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We have a design application that requires “narrow” (scribe) radial reference lines for alignment at assembly. I have never seen an example in any literature for using GDT to control the location of lines relative to specified Datums. Because the line - like on a steel scale - has width - say .005-inch - I was considering using position. But this seems like overkill. Does anyone have any suggestions or examples I might review?
One could argue that at some size scale, lines on a part become bona fide features. I think of a vernier scale on a measuring device…tight control of fine lines. The same could be said in other weird situations, like text or logos or scannable patterns stamped/lasered/etched into a surface. I suppose your view depends on where you stand; somebody likely has to apply tolerances in these cases.
How’s this for a practical approach? Lay out the lines in a supplemental 2D drawing using basic dimensions related to datums, then indicate that the entire (real and measurable) width of a scribed line must fall entirely within some small distance from the ideal, basic line. The result is 2D zone of acceptability. Not official GD&T, but I’d bet that lots of “things” get applied to part surfaces using a method similar to this. I have seen adhesive decals applied using a gauge with a window in it, same concept.
I admit that this method is not perfect. For example, where do these ideal lines actually exist? Are they on one of the planes of the DRF, then projected onto the imperfect part surface? How deep does the rabbit hole go?
Above is a snippet.

domain: design


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Subclinical laminitis and its association with pO2 and faecal alterations: Isikli, Aydin experience
Laminitis subclínica y su asociación con pO2 y alteraciones fecales: experiencia Isikli, Aydin
Ibrahim Akin,1* Ph.D, Deniz Alic Ural,2 Ph.D, Mehmet Gultekin,3 Ph.D, Kerem Ural,3 Ph.D.
Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Veterinary, 1Department of Surgery, 2Faculty Farm, 3Department of Internal Medicine, 09016, Isikli, Aydin-Turkey.
Received: June 2014; Accepted: December 2014.
Objective. The aim of this field trial was to investigate the relationships among subclinical laminitis, hematological, ruminal and faecal alterations. Materials and Methods. To this extent dairy cows presenting subclinical laminitis (n=11) and to those of other healthy cows without laminitis (n=10) were enrolled and assigned into two groups. All animals were receiving the same daily ration formulated to contain 47% cornsilage and 18% hay, mainly. Effects of subclinical laminitis challenges on measurements of feces, and blood samples, were investigated to determine which of these measurements may aid in the diagnosis. pH changes in ruminal fluid collected via rumenocentesis were measured. Besides the following parameters were also measured; blood pH, faecal pH and faecal scoring. Blinded investigators performed the sample collection. Results. No statistical differences between the groups were detected for blood gas values studied regarding pCO2, HCO3, BE, indeed mean that pO2 values decreased statistically (p<0.05) and faecal pH was significantly decreased (p<0.05) in cows with subclinical laminitis in contrast to healthy controls. Conclusions. pO2 values and faecal pH may be valuable as indirect indicators of subclinical laminitis in cattle
Key words: Dairy cattle, laminitis, nutrition (Source: CAB).
Objetivo. El objetivo de esta prueba de campo fue investigar las relaciones entre la laminitis subclínicay alteraciones hematológicas, ruminales y fecales. Materiales y métodos. Las vacas lecheras que presentaron laminitis subclínica (n=11) y las vacas sanas sin laminitis (n=10) fueron reclutadas y asignadas en dos grupos. Todos los animales recibieron la misma ración diaria que contenía 47% de ensilaje de maíz y 18% de heno, principalmente. Los efectos de la laminitis subclínica sobre las mediciones de las heces y muestras de sangre, fueron investigados para determinar cuál de estas mediciones pueden ayudar en el diagnóstico. Se midieron los cambios de pH en el fluido ruminal recogido a través rumenocentesis. Además, también se midieron los siguientes parámetros; pH de la sangre, el pH fecal y la puntuación fecal. La toma de las muestras se realizó a doble ciego. Resultados. No se detectaron diferencias significativas entre los grupos para los valores de los gases sanguíneos estudiados en relación con la pCO2, HCO3, BE; lo que significa que los valores de pO2 disminuyeron estadísticamente (p<0.05) y que el pH fecal se redujo significativamente (p<0.05) en las vacas con laminitis subclínica; en contraste con los controles sanos. Conclusiones. Los valores de pO2 y pH fecal pueden ser valiosos como indicadores indirectos de la laminitis subclínica en el ganado.
Palabras clave: Ganado de leche, laminitis, nutrición (Fuente: CAB).
The economic significance and animal welfare consequences of lameness in dairy cattle are substantial (1). Subclinical laminitis (inflammation of the corium within the hoof) is a well recognized trigger condition for many of disorders in the hoof, and is considered by predisposing factor in lameness in dairy cattle (2,3). Therefore, it has been considered the main factor to iniating lameness following lactations in dairy cows (4).
Lameness is one of the major cow health concerns regarding dairy industry (5-7). Physical etiology of lameness, are discussed in detail (3,8,9), indeed nutrition is frequently dictated as a major cause of lameness. Despite what has been discussed, the significant relationship regarding lameness and dietary composition is comparatively poorly described. Contrarily, ruminal functioning is almost suggested as the predisposing factor, even if lameness is attributable to nutrition (10). On the basis of previous works lacking detailed information, the present authors examined ruminal pH, blood pH, faecal pH and blood gas during subclinical laminitis in dairy cows with the aim of identifying any relationships among laminitis and those aforementioned physiological parameters in association to a suitable nutrition.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Study site and geographical location. The present retrospective study was performed in a private dairy farm located at Isikli, Aydin province of Turkey. Aydin city is located at the Eagean region of Turkey. The dairy farm consisted 500 dairy cattle. The latter city has warm climatic conditions in general, which is quite suitable for dairy farming. The diet involved for the dairy cattle in the present study was shown in table 1.
Inclusion criteria and sampling. Cows enrolled in the present study were examined in the hoof trimming chute in an attempt to evaluate the presence of the clinical findings (involving yellowish discoloration and waxy hoof, heel erosion, sole haemorrage, white line separation, abnormal hoof grown), of subclinical laminitis (11). Cows, diagnosed within subclinical laminitis had two or more mentioned laminitis-like lesions of the subclinical laminitis, and were enrolled within the study as subclinical laminitis group. Healthy group did not present mentioned lesions and regular hoof shape was detected.
Regarding time of sampling for collection of ruminocentesis and other relevant parameters, samples were collected at a time when rumen pH is likely to be near the lowest point of the day, as reported previously (12). As the ration was fed as a total mixed ration (TMR), the samples were withdrawn at 4 hours after the cows get access to the fresh ration. All samples were collected once throughout the study period.
Rumen pH measurement. The pH of the rumen fluid samples collected at 15.00 of day time, as reported previously (13), at optimal recommended timing for ruminal pH measuremets, 5 hours after forage and concentrated fed separately were determined immediately after collection with an electronic caliber Accumet Basic 15 pH meter. The pH data were summarized as minimum, maximum and average pH.
Faecal sampling and analysis. Faecal samples, were collected after restraining the animals and disinfection of the perianal area. Each individual sample was photographed, and then was thoroughly mixed. A subsample of 10 g was mixed into distilled water of 10 ml. This was followed by the faecal pH measurement using the same caliber, used for the rumen fluid pH measurement.
Blood sampling and analysis. Whole blood withdrawn into vacutainer tubes with K3EDTA, was analyzed at the Veterinary Faculty, Central Laboratory located in Adnan Menderes University, Aydin (data not shown). Heparinized whole blood was also analyzed for pH, pCO2, pO2, Na+, K+, and Ca2+ using a Irma Trupoint blood gas analyzer.
Statistical analysis. Normal distributed data were analyzed by independent samples t-test to compare means of two groups. Faecal scores were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test. p≤0.05 were considered to be significant. The results were presented as the means ± SE.
The average values of analyzed parameters and their standard error of the means were presented in table 2.
No statistical differences between the groups were detected for blood gas values studied regarding pCO2, HCO3, BE, indeed mean pO2 values decreased statistically (p<0.05) in cows with subclinical laminitis.
Ruminal fluid pH changes. Normal rumen pH condition was detected within the vast majority of the animal enrolled in group ScL, whereas only one cow with subclinical laminitis had a ruminal pH value of 5.79, in which is a critical value regarding subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) (14-17).
Faecal alterations. Faecal pH and faecal scoring results were shown in table 2. Analysis deemed statistical significance for faecal pH values.
Subclinical laminitis signs. Relevant clinical findings were shown in figure 1.
Ruminal changes and its interpretation. In the present study Subacute Ruminal Acidosis (SARA) was not a contributing factor the relationship among physiological parameter detected and laminitis, as 1 cow was diagnosed with suspected SARA. Gozho et al (14) stated determining SARA by rumen pH between 5.2-5.6 for at least 3 hours continuously in a daily measurement via an indwelling pH catheter. For the entire context of the present study, ruminal acidosis was considered to occur when ruminal pH<5.8, and acute ruminal acidosis when pH<5.2, even if any case was observed. Indeed more severe alterations within the ruminal pH might be necessary to predict changes in ruminal epithelial functioning (16,17), the availability to use of pH 5.8 as a threshold bypass the efficacy of low pH on fiber digestion, as well as the probable risk regarding epithelial damage. In the present study solely 1 cow presented a ruminal pH value of 5.79, suggesting that other cows were not experiencing SARA, at least at the time of study enrollment. Therefore SARA was not accompanying to laminitis for the animals involved at the present study.
Faecal changes and its interpretation. The faeces of stock may provide significant knowledge regarding indirect proof of clinical and sub-clinical acidosis. Several factors involving parasites and diseases may result in scouring. Herds possessing large percentage of soft and un-formed faecal content, cows with a high prevalence scouring or faecal material within the perineum might be showing acidosis. This condition might be supported with other relevant indicators, including the prevalence of lameness, ration evaluation, rumen sampling, milk fat concentration and reduced chewing activity for a better and definitive diagnosis (9,13,15). As aforementioned above only 1 cow with a critical value for SARA was presenting scour, with a faecal score as 1. Interestingly the latter score did not have an effect on total clinical score in group ScL, resulting within no statistical significance between groups.
SARA alterations did not have influence on faecal pH (13,18). In a relatively new study it was suggested that there was differences in faecal pH between 09:00 and 15:00, indicating that the timing of the faecal pH analysis must be considered for evaluation of the faecal pH (13). In contrast Morgante et al (12) determined that cows with SARA [ruminal pH>5.8 (acidotic cows)] presented a faecal pH (6.50±0.04) lower than that from cows (6.65±0.03) without SARA (ruminal pH>5.8). Eastridge (19) stated that faecal pH might be reduced, even in case of excessive amounts of starch escape digestion, resulting in large elevation of hindgut fermentation. Relevant differences in the dietary concentrate contents among the present study and those of Li et al (13), Morgante et al (12) and Enemark et al (18) may be briefly explained within the discrepancy among the effects of SARA on faecal pH for those studies. Only one cow with laminitis was diagnosed within a critical value for SARA due to low ruminal pH, as 5.79, in the present study, whereas the rest of the animal did not present SARA.
Faecal pH was variable and did not correlate with the ration involved in the present study. Faecal pH showed differences among groups, in which cows with subclinic laminitis presented a significantly lower faecal pH. It has been well known that faecal pH monitoring is strongly dependent on duration between sampling and measuring, besides may be influenced by management factors, (cattle movement/feding, barn cleaning i.e.) (20). In the present study the duration between sampling and analysing was too short (within seconds), suggesting that time was excluded as a factor influencing analysis.
From another point of view as SARA alterations did not have influence on fecal pH (15, 18), whereas timing of the sampling had had disperancy on fecal pH as must be taken into consideration (15). Fecal pH is lowered when excessive amount of starch escape digestion from the rumen and intestines, resulting with an increased hindgut fermentation (19). It should not be unwise to draw a probable conclusion that lower fecal pH obtained among cows with subclinic laminitis may be due to increased hindgut fermentation. In aggreement within this opinion, available data from horse with laminitis suggested that metalloproteinase enzymes produced by Streptococcus bovis in the hindgut might be the existing cause for laminitis (21). Even if the latter enzymes are involved in dairy cattle laminitis, they may exist within hindgut origin. According to the latter hypothesis, laminitis may be a consequence of abnormal hindgut fermentation of carbohydrates instead of ruminal acidosis in cattle (22), as aforementioned above.
Significant blood gas alterations.
pO2 changes. Given the statistical changes in the present study, mean pO2 values decreased statistically (p>0.05) in cows with subclinical laminitis. This may be partly explained from the observations/conclusions arising in a prior study evaluating the blood gas changes in induced laminitis among horses (23). In an attempt to draw conclusion from the latter study one should precisely evaluate the results. During experimentally induced laminitis in horses there was a significant alteration in the median palmar venous pO2 and concurrent decline in the median palmar avO2, observed during the onset of lameness. According to the latter investigators, several factors might have influence on this.
There was no difference in the arterial oxygen pressure excluding out external conditions (i.e. mechanical or atmospheric influences). Besides no concurrent alteration was noticed in respiratory rate or frequency. Investigators suggested some probable explanations including: (i) changed blood flow over the capillary vessels (vasoconstriction/arteriovenous shunting); ii) lack of oxygen delivery to the tissues, iii) declined cellular utilization of oxygen, via altered tissue metabolism or any obstruction for cellular respiratory enzymes; iv) thickened or edematous vascular membrane resulting within a failure of oxygen to diffuse out of the capillaries to the tissues (23). pO2 decline detected in horse in the latter study involved digital arteries, however the blood samples and therefore the results of pO2 values were related to central blood. It must be mentioned that obtaining a venous sample is easier than an arterial sample. Venous blood may possess enough information for assisting in clinical decisions; besides the vast majority of blood gas values are similar in venous and arterial blood (24). In agreement within the latter authors, and as expected, the latter two conditions (i.e. iii and iv.) might play a pivotal role for pO2 alterations, during laminitis, as identified within the cows of the present study.
Oxygen supply into tissues is a life threatening requirement for survival. The pO2 is one of the major part of a physiological condition of an organ, resulting from the association among oxygen delivery and consumption. Tissue oxygenation is altered during pathological conditions (25), such as hepatic hypoxia (26) or laminitis in horses (23), that may result with decreased pO2, meant hypoxia a significant correlation was evident between hepatic tissue pO2 and arterial blood pO2 in hypoxic rabbits (26). Another study among horses with laminitis revealed that median palmar vein pO2 was increased in horses with laminitis.
On the other hand in dairy cows with subclinical laminitis no acid base imbalance were detected, whereas in that study in Portuguese language, solely abstract was available in English revealed that the results of pO2 was unknown (27). It should also be noted that hepatic hypoxia (26) might also play a role for significant pO2 changes detected. However the present authors could not draw this conclusion, as the limitation of the study was lack of hepatic enzyme analysis. Further analysis are warranted analyzing serum biochemical changes, evolving ALT, AST and other relevant hepatic enzyme changes. None of the cows in this study developed severe alterations in acid-base balance or hypothermia, which could have effected the availability of oxygen. It is possible to state that further research of this phenomenon may lead to the development of blood gas analysis, and probably pO2 as a presumptive diagnostic tool in cattle with subclinical laminitis.
Pain may accompany an autonomic response elevating adrenergic nerve activity and plasma catecholamine levels. As a result vasoconstriction of arterioles, reduced wound perfusion, and decreased tissue pO2 may occur (28). Therefore the present authors may possibly suggest that the other condition that might be resulting within the decreased pO2 in cattle with subclinical laminitis is that pain.
This study has demonstrated that there might be a correlation among subclinical laminitis and pO2 values. As aforementioned above and pO2 values might probably indicate the pathophysiological changes that occur as part of the pathogenesis of the condition. Besides faecal pH alternatively might be a supportive finding in cattle with subclinical laminitis, at least for the present cases observed in this study. Obtained data did not support that fecal pH may be an early indicator of laminitis, besides decreases in fecal pH both at onset and during disease condition, whereas it may be a helpful parameter in in cattle with subclinical laminitis.
1. Richert RM, Cicconi KM, Gamroth MJ, Schukken YH, Stiglbauer KE, Ruegg PL. Perceptions and risk factors for lameness on organic and small conventional dairy farms. J Dairy Sci 2013; 96(8):5018–5026.
2. Sagliyan A, Gunay C, Han MC. Prevalence of lesions associated with subclinical laminitis in dairy cattle. Israel J Vet Med 2010; 65(1):27-33.
3. Lean IJ, Westwood CT, Golder HM, Vermunt JJ. Impact of nutrition on lameness and claw health in cattle. Livest Sci 2013; 156(1–3):71–87.
4. Pilachai R, Schonewille JTh, Thamrongyoswittayakul C, Aiumlamai S, Wachirapakorn C, Everts H, Hendriks WH. Diet factors and subclinical laminitis score in lactating cows of smallholder dairy farms in Thailand. Livest Sci 2013; 155(2–3):197–204.
5. Bell NJ, Bell MJ, Knowles TG, Whay HR, Main DJ, Webster AJF. The development, implementation and testing of a lameness control programme based on HACCP principles and designed for heifers on dairy farms. Vet J 2009; 180:178-188.
6. Harris DJ, Hibburt CD, Anderson GA, Younis PJ, Fitspatrick DH, Dunn AC, Parsons IW, McBeath NR. The incidence, cost and factors associated with foot lameness in dairy cattle in south-western Victoria. Aust Vet J 1988; 65:171-176.
7. Bicalho RC, Oikonomou G. Control and prevention of lameness associated with claw lesions in dairy cow. Livest Sci 2013; 156: 96–105.
8. Choquette-Levy L, Baril J, Levy M, St-Pierre H. A study of foot disease of dairy cattle in Quebec. Can Vet J 1985; 26: 278-281.
9. Enemark JMD. The monitoring, prevention and treatment of sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA): a review. Vet J 2008; 176:32–43.
10. Ural DA, Cengiz O, Ural K, Ozaydin S. Dietary clinoptilolite addition as a factor fort he improvement of milk yield in dairy cows. J Anim Vet Adv 2013; 12(1):85-87.
11. Greenough PR. Bovine laminitis and lameness: a hands-on approach. España: Elsevier; 2007.
12. Morgante M, Gianesella M, Casella S, Ravarotto L, Stelletta C, Giudice E. Blood gas analyses, ruminal and blood pH, urine and faecal pH in dairy cows during subacute ruminal acidosis. Comp Clin Pathol 2009; 18:229-232.
13. Li S, Khafipour E, Krause DO, Kroeker A, Rodriguez-Lecompte JC, Gozho GN, Plaizier JC. Effects of subacute ruminal acidosis challenges on fermentation and endotoxins in the rumen and hindgut of dairy cows. J Dairy Sci 2012; 95:294-303.
14. Gozho GN, Krause DO, Plaizier JC. Rumen lipopolysaccharide and inflammation during grain adaptation and subacute ruminal acidosis in steers. J Dairy Sci 2006; 89(11):4404-4413.
15. Li S, Gozho GN, Gakhar N, Khafipour E, Krause DO, Plaizier JC. Evaluation of diagnostic measures for subacute ruminal acidosis in dairy cows. Can J Anim Sci 2012; 92(3):353-364
16. Aschenbach JR, Gabel G. Effect and absorption of histamine in sheep rumen: Significance of acidotic epithelial damage. J Anim Sci 2000; 78:464–470.
17. Penner GB, Beauchemin KA. Variation among cows in their susceptibility to acidosis: Challenge or Opportunity? Adv Dairy Tech 2010; 22:173-187.
18. Enemark JMD, Jørgensen RJ, Kristensen NB. An evaluation of parameters for the detection of subclinical rumen acidosis in dairy herds. Vet Res Commun 2004; 28:687-709.
19. Eastridge ML. Major advances in applied dairy cattle nutrition. J. Dairy Sci 2006; 89:1311-1323.
20. Jacque K. Effects of induced rumen acidosis on the fecal shedding of Escherichia coli in lactating dairy cattle [Honors thesis]. Columbus, Ohio: The Ohio State University; 2012.
21. Pollitt CC. Equine laminitis: A revised pathophysiology. AAEP Proceedings 1999; 45:188-192.22. Oetzel GR. Introduction to Ruminal Acidosis in Dairy Cattle Preconvention. Dairy Herd Problem Investigation Strategies. American Association of Bovine Practitioners 36th Annual Conference, Columbus 2003; 1-11.
23. Kirker-Head CA, Stephens KA, Toal RL, Goble DO. Circulatory and blood gas changes accompanying the development and treatment of induced laminitis. J Eq Vet Science 1986; 6(6):293-301.
24. Verma AK. The interpretation of arterial blood gases. Aust Prescr 2010; 33(4):124-129.
25. Carreau A, El Hafny-Rahbi B, Matejuk A, Grillon C, Kieda C. Why is the partial oxygen pressure of human tissues a crucial parameter? Small molecules and hypoxia. J Cell Mol Med 2011; 15(6):1239-1253
26. Yang W, Hafez T, Thompson CS, Mikhailidis DP, Davidson BR, Winslet MC, Seifalian AM. Direct measurement of hepatic tissue hypoxia by using a novel tcpO2/pCO2 monitoring system in comparison with near-infrared spectroscopy. Liver Int 2003; 23(3):163-170.
27. Rodrigues M, Deschk M, Santos GGF, Perri SHV, Merenda VR, Hussni CA. et al. Avaliação das características do líquido ruminal, hemogasometria, atividade pedométrica e diagnóstico de laminite subclínica em vacas leiteiras. Pesq Vet Bras 2013; 33(1):99-106.
28. Akca O, Melischek M, Scheck T, Hellwagner K, Arkilic CF, Kurz A et al. Postoperative pain and subcutaneous oxygen tension. Lancet 1999; 354(3):41-42.

domain: biology


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I graduated from the University of Bristol in 2018 with an integrated Master’s degree in Neuroscience with a study in Industry (MSci). Following graduation, I worked in project deployment with an NHS CCG in a patient data management team. This team aimed to produce dashboards that integrated patient data from multiple sources (primary, social and secondary care) to create a more holistic approach to patient care. Now, my research project investigates the role of free-text comments of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs). It looks at how natural language processing can be used to explore how the text provides a further understanding of cancer patient outcomes, compared to the closed questions alone.
My primary area of research is natural language processing techniques and applying them to PROMs free-text comments. Also, I am interested in:
- analysis of short text and user/patient-generated text
- semi-supervised classification of short text
- knowledge bases to enhance text analysis with domain-specific semantic knowledge
- MSci in Neuroscience, University of Bristol, UK

domain: medical


About 31% of Gambians majority of whom lives in the rural areas are currently employed in the agricultural sector.
Indonesia will build stronger cooperation with Gambia’s agricultural sector, according to a statement issued by the Indonesian Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, on Sunday (25/07). The embassy also represents Indonesia in neighboring Gambia.
Agriculture Rural Farmers Training Center (ARFTC) director Asumana Njaedi said Indonesia has been very helpful in providing Gambian farmers with training, while also giving them useful knowledge related to the sector, as quoted by state-run news agency Antara.
Meanwhile, Indonesia will also help the African nation to rebuild the ARFTC, which was established by the Indonesian government in Jenoi, Gambia, in 1998. The facility is situated on 6.6 hectares of land.
Gambia is primarily an agricultural nation with most of its people being dependent on the farming sector. However, Gambia needs assistance from other countries, such as Indonesia, to develop the sector.
As the country that benefits most from agriculture, Indonesia also held a workshop in Jenoi on March 21-28 relating to matters such as food processing, cultivation techniques, micro-farming and mechanization.
The workshop was followed up by another in Lembang, West Java, on April 1-14.
“For 17 years, Indonesia has provided capacity building programs to 5,400 participants in South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East,” the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ information and public diplomacy director general Esty Andayani said, as quoted by the ministry’s website. He added that agriculture remains one of the Indonesia’s flagship programs.
According to the foreign ministry website, Indonesia has also provided aid through the ARFTC in support of the agricultural sectors of other West African countries.
Between 2010 and 2013, the ARFTC has trained almost 6,000 farmers from Gambia and neighboring countries such as Senegal, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau and Guinea.
Indonesia recorded $1,4 billion in agricultural exports in the first half of this year, down 18.14 percent compared to the same period last year
Source: Jakarta Globe


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You had to be tough to live out here by yourself for years miles from nowhere and this women was just that. Use your imagination. She used two box canyons to corral her animals one which had a spring. This is also where these grow only.
You are looking at one of the box canyons above this building. The other is a ways to the right (east) of this one.
The exact location of this site is lower center right.


Secret tunnels, suicide belts, bullets and syringes. As Iraqi and Kurdish forces slowly retake the villages and towns around Mosul that were captured by the Islamic State in June 2014, what has been left behind paints the picture of a movement that was prepared for war and nothing else, says Magnus Wennman.
The staff photographer for the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet visited those villages in the hours after Islamic State militants were chased out. “Bomb experts did their best to look for all the homemade bombs left behind, and then we were able to get into some of the houses used by ISIS,” he tells TIME. “I got the feeling that those who lived in the villages did not prepare for a future there.”
Wennman’s carefully composed images paint the picture of a region in the mist of yet another upheaval as the battle to root out ISIS continues. His work shows men, women and children escaping the front lines, most of them with few belongings. “The stories they told were terrible,” he says. “Stories of starvation, torture and rape.”
“The refugee camps outside Mosul are already full,” the photographer adds, “but they are still waiting for all the people who are trapped inside in Mosul. It seems that ISIS forces them to remain inside [the city].” So far, close to 10,000 people have fled the fights, with a million still trapped inside Mosul.
Wennman is back in Stockholm now, but he hopes to return to Mosul soon, as the large-scale operation to retake the city is poised to last weeks.
Alice Gabriner, who edited this photo essay, is TIME’s international photo editor.
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Synopsis by Jason Buchanan
The teenage drama of Dawson's Creek crosses with the two-fanged frights of Buffy the Vampire Slayer as the mortal students of the prestigious Mansbridge Manor boarding school struggle to find something in common with their bloodsucking classmates. Mansbridge Manor is the kind of institution where the leaders of tomorrow receive their education, but there's a secret population at this school - a population that can only come out after dusk has fallen over the countryside. Some of these undead students simply want to fit in and get the best education possible, but others aren't willing to give up their predatory lifestyles quite so easily. Originally produced for Canadian television, Vampire High is the first four episodes of the series of the same name re-edited for release as a feature film.


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Rubicon is much more than just a trail and the name of a Jeep® Wrangler model, it’s something that has been ingrained in the DNA of the Wrangler.
The renowned Rubicon Trail in northern California is one of the most rugged and challenging off-road trails in the world, and it has attracted Jeep Wrangler and Jeep enthusiasts for more than a half century.
Along the 22-mile path, the Rubicon Trail is part road and part trail with large boulders, rocky terrain and enormous granite slabs with steep inclines and sharp drops.
Jeep owners have accepted this challenge since 1953, during the early days of the commercially produced Jeep Wrangler. That year, nearly 150 friends took their Jeep vehicles on the path through the Sierra Nevada Mountains as a way to support the local economy, and it became the first-ever “Jeep Jamboree.”
Not only has the “granddaddy of all off-highway trails” attracted Jeep Wrangler owners for years, and even led to naming a model of the Wrangler after the iconic Rubicon Tail, it has also been used by Jeep engineering teams for more than four decades.
The teams have used the Rubicon Trail, and others, to improve the off-road capability of Jeep brand vehicles and to aid in the development of new models and technologies.
Using these trails has led to innovations, such as:
- Rock-Trac 4:1 transfer case
- Quadra-Drive II
- Tru-Lok locking axle differentials
- Disconnecting front sway bar
- Underbody skid-plate protection
- Front Dana 44 axle
- Long-travel, multi-link suspension designs
- Brake lock differential (BLD) on all models of the all-new 2018 Jeep Wrangler
- Steel front and rear bumpers (on Rubicon high-end models)


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Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Oct 4, 2011 - Juvenile Fiction - 448 pages
The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.
What people are saying - Write a review
LibraryThing ReviewUser Review - mrsdanaalbasha - LibraryThing
I remember the first time I read Hush Hush, it wasn't just that the cover was breathtaking with silver, black, white and red, it was filled with thriller, sexiness (Patch!) and edginess Vee and Nora ... Read full review
LibraryThing ReviewUser Review - KR_Patterson - LibraryThing
I kind of liked it but not a lot. Not sure why I feel this series went downhill after the first book, I seem to be in the minority on that. Not sure if I want to keep reading the books in this series. Just not compelling enough. Read full review

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Sat, Dec 4
- This event has passed.
Winter Wonderful Holiday Stroll
Fri, December 3 | 4 PM - 8 PM
It’s the most wonderful time of the year and GCC is spreading cheer. Join us as we welcome back our annual Holiday Stroll event with holiday magic and new surprises around every corner.
4:00 PM – Olaf ice sculpture carving demonstration
5:00 PM – Tree lighting by Santa Claus
5:30 PM – Performance by Cranston High School East Chamber Orchestra
5:45 PM – Performance by Cranston West Falconettes and Westernettes
- Enjoy strolling music and entertainment throughout GCC including the Brown Derbies, Providence Drum Troupe and more!
- Grab a cup of hot cocoa and a warm cider donut from the Black Dog Donut truck!
- Enjoy family-friendly crafts at Ohanga
- Sip and shop and create DIY bracelets at Ali Jean
- Snag a free GCC winter hat from our swag station (while supplies last)
- Take your photo with Santa while he greets guests around the property
- Enjoy the holiday magic with our ice garden, holiday lights and other surprise and delight moments throughout the night!
- Write letters and Santa, we’ll make sure the big guy gets them!
We hope you join us as we kick off the most magical season of the year! Stay tuned on this page for an official holiday stroll schedule and map.


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Adam Bate makes the unlikely case for Hull boss Steve Bruce to be seen as a football trendsetter.
Follow the latest from the written press with the best gossip and speculation from the papers.
Download our latest podcast as Neil Reynolds and Jeff Reinebold discuss the big NFL issues.
Are keepers undervalued? Ian Watson talks to former Chelsea performance director Mike Forde.
Daniel Storey assesses Liverpool's 5-0 win at Tottenham that saw Andre Villas-Boas lose his job.
|Period||Runs||1st||2nd||3rd||Win%||To £1 level stake|
|17/11/2013||9-2||Brem||7f||Gd||P J Werning||R Werning||Dark Fellow (GER)||7/1|
|18/10/2013||8-3||Bade||7f||Gd||Maxim Pecheur||R Werning||Noverrio Danon (IRE)||16/1|
|31/8/2013||4/16||9-4||Bade||7f||Gd||P J Werning||R Werning||Toulio (GER)||8/1|
|24/8/2013||1/17||8-11||Bade||7f||Gd||P J Werning||R Werning||Dorietta (GER)||7/1|
|24/2/2013||8-11||Dort||6f||std||P J Werning||R Werning||Dragoslav||12/1|
|13/1/2013||8-9||Dort||8f||std||P J Werning||R Werning||World Cup (GER)||100/1|

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text:
The NRL season will be less interrupted by a representative schedule, following an announcement by the governing body that the judicial code for non-club games has been amended.
“Under the reform, players competing in representative matches will receive fines for grades one and two offenses rather than the NRL Telstra Premiership,” the NRL said in a statement.
“Penalties for offenses will be calculated as a percentage of the player’s representative match payments. Each player has a separate ‘Representative Judicial Record’ which is reset each year.”
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Final Guide: State of Origin Game 1
This means that all players are less likely to miss games for NRL clubs in the next few weeks if they are fouled by officials for their behavior at the State of Origin or International.
Although the NRL says there will be match suspensions for more serious and recurring offenses, an increased penalty means players will be on the field longer than before.
“Additional, annual All-Star fixtures and other Test matches will be officially recognized as representation matches under the Judicial Code, to serve bans on all players who have been selected, or are eligible to be selected,” the statement read.
The new changes will begin with a game in this year’s Origin series, which will take place in Sydney next Wednesday night.
In addition to changes to representative matches, there will now be additional penalties for players missing out on final games for their club.
“Players who commit a ‘third offense’ under a judicial code in a final series match will be liable to a fine rather than a stay for most offenses,” the NRL said.
“Reckless high tackles of any grade will not be eligible for fines, and any subsequent offense in the final series will attract a suspended stay.”
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‘Battle at the Gate’ by Jenny Jenkins
Battle at the Gate is a kids history book written about the last battle of the New Zealand wars, the Battle of Gate Pa, Tauranga. It is written by homeschooling mum, Jenny Jenkins, and published by Penguin, and teaches the character qualities of compassion and forgiveness.
In 1869 British warships began landing soldiers in Tauranga, and local Maori built a pa to defend themselves. On April 29th almost 2000 soldiers attacked the pa after it had been shelled all day by heavy artillery. The 200 Maori inside the pa were mostly Christians, having had a resident missionary for about 30 years. They beat back the British charging into the pa, and won the battle.
That night a Maori woman risked her life to take water to a dying British officer.
A poignant story stunningly illustrated by award winning artist, Bruce Potter. Suitable for ages 7 to adult. Great story for Home Educators, Bible in Schools, Sunday School and Good News Clubs.
Find out more from the website https://sites.google.com/site/battleatthegate/home


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Thiruvananthapuram: Responding to Karnataka's closure of the Thalassery-Coorg state highway 30, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to the Prime Minister on Saturday to draw his attention to the same.
In his letter, Vijayan told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Karnataka Police's actions have "resulted in the blocking of the Thalassery-Coorg State Highway-30".
"This road connects Kerala with Coorg in Karnataka via Veerajapettah. This route is a lifeline for the flow of essential commodities to Kerala. If this is blocked, vehicles carrying essential commodities will have to travel a much longer route to reach our State," Vijayan wrote.
He requested the PM to intervene in the matter and ensure that essential commodities see a smooth flow to Kerala during the nation-wide lockdown.
Reportedly, Vijayan sent the letter to the PM on Friday evening. He slammed the Karnataka authorities for blocking all roads to Kerala with heaps of soil. Patients from Kasargod were also not able to access hospitals in Mangaluru for dialysis.
(With inputs from ANI)
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“Do you know where we are going?” I asked Nataleigh as we rolled out of her downtown condo parking lot.
We had planned to hike in Elora, but neither of us had taken the time to look up the route nor our specific hiking destination. As social media pros in our day-to-day jobs, I guess we both figured that we could rely on our iPhones to guide us.
Or maybe it was foreshadowing to later that day when two digital gurus would have to dump their iPhones and rely on both paper and dirt maps to navigate the Elora Conservation Area.
The day started off on a high thanks to Nataleigh’s attention to detail. She delivered a vanilla latte from Starbucks when I arrived. But it wasn’t the kind gesture of a coffee at eight o’clock on a Sunday morning that was remarkable. It was the fact that she had demanded the black marker from not one, but two baristas, so that she could customize my cup.
In the end, neither would surrender their black Sharpie, so Nataleigh was forced to use a ball point pen to mark the cup.
That’s right! She not only put my Twitter handle on it, but she also customized it with the official hashtag for the hike: #KiliHikeTO. Talk about dedication.
There’s extra humor to this story for readers who also follow me on Instagram. I regularly post photos of my Starbucks cups, which are often mislabelled by baristas who attempt to write “Jaime” on them. Some of the best names include: Jay, Jammi, Jammy, Jim, Jimmy, James, Jame, Jam and Gene.
Nataleigh and I met a couple of years ago when she was interning for the Toronto Argonauts. She was helping out with some digital communications for the team while I was heading up social and digital media for the Canadian Football League.
We regularly cross paths online as we roll in the same circles – but it has been ages since we’ve hung out in person.
After an eternity on the road, we finally weaved our way through southwest Ontario to the unincorporated community of Elora. Thankfully, driving through town doesn’t take very long, because it took us a couple of tries before we found the Elora Gorge Conservation Area and the genesis of our hike.
After paying our park fee, we were handed a map and told that there were plenty of hiking trails.
We pulled into the parking lot for hikers and it was empty. It was time to blaze our own trail.
After glancing at the map, we decided to wing it and headed into the trees past a series of warnings signs reminding us to stay back from the gorge, which was about a 20-30 foot drop.
When in doubt, I always go right. Bad decision. We made it about 100 feet and ran into a big fence that marked the edge of the conservation area. We were forced to turn around, so we made our way along the narrow, rocky path to a set of stairs that led down below some cliffs to a platform overlooking the gorge.
The view was spectacular. We took some pictures and watched a group of people try and navigate the river in canoes and kayaks. The water was moving pretty fast.
We followed the trail along the wall of the gorge until we hit a bridge. We crossed over and made our way back along the opposite side of the gorge. We reached a second fence – one with a hole in it – so we decided to see what was on the other side.
We ran into a nice woman who drew us a map in the dirt and tried to explain to us how we could complete a circle and make it back to our point of origin. Unfortunately, her Jack Russell Terrier kept grabbing the stick out of her hand, so the map was a mess.
We did find the bridge to take us back over the gorge. However, we ended up on the main street in town. Instantly, our gorge hike turned into an urban jaunt complete with fudge shops and small town knickknacks.
Eventually, we found the dirt trail that led back to the conservation area. That’s where we encountered two lovely old ladies who were quick to inform us that the trail ended and we would not be able to get past the fence.
“Well, there is a hole in the fence that you could crawl through,” said one of the women. “Although, I’m not sure you’ll fit,” she added, looking squarely at me. “You’ll get pretty dirty crawling along the ground.”
Nataleigh and I are both the type of people who relish this sort of challenge. So we approached the fence and saw the hole. It was the same fence that had blocked our way when we started our hike. But we had missed the hole.
A second later, Nataleigh lunged up onto a low wall and propelled herself over the fence. The old ladies watched with wonder.
Now it was my turn to hurdle the barrier that stood between us and the end of our hike.
Nataleigh is much taller than I am, so I entered this challenge at a disadvantage. Nevertheless, I hopped up on the wall and leveraged myself off the bent metal fence and over the top. I landed gracefully on the other side. The old ladies looked a bit shocked and made another comment about how they weren’t sure if I was going to make it.
“I’m a lot more determined on the inside than my physical appearance may let on,” I joked.
The four of us shared a laugh before Nataleigh and I continued on our way to complete the hike – a 7.4 km tour of Elora.
The combination of misadventures and the company made this one of my more enjoyable and memorable hikes. We covered a broad range of topics from politics to social media to career anxiety.
Career anxiety is a topic that I’m very passionate about. I believe that the pressure on Generation Y is intense because tools like LinkedIn allow for career benchmarking. I love LinkedIn, but the fact that resumes and career accomplishments are so out in the open can lead to people feeling like they are falling behind. This is one reason why I think Generation Y is at odds with current workplace hierarchies.
- READ Nataleigh’s blog post about our hike
- SIGN UP NOW to join me for a #KiliHikeTO
- DONATE NOW to support the #Climb4Cord
People expect to be VPs by the time they turn 30 because they see other people their age with similar titles. The only problem is that people often give themselves bogus titles. We all know someone who calls themselves a CEO despite being in charge of a sole proprietorship.
Nataleigh expressed some concerns with her career progression, but she has nothing to fear. Her energy and enthusiasm are boundless and her knowledge of social media at a business level is strong. She currently leads the social media training for a large real estate firm, helping brokers develop new ways to market themselves in a rapidly changing landscape. This is impressive.
It is always energizing to be around people who have strong drive and big ideas.
ODDS AND ENDS
The past week or so has been awesome on the training front. On Friday night I was back running hill sprints. Saturday I fit in a 16.5 km bike ride through the Don Valley. Sunday was the hike in Elora. Monday I was able to get in 45 minutes of cardio followed by a great stretch, all before work. I completed the two-a-day on Monday night in the gym with Marshall.
The Friday night hills thing is starting to take off. Chris and Heidi joined me after work to run hills in Blantyre Park. We did three sets of 10 sprints up the grass hill. I started strong, but faded fast, getting lapped by both Heidi and Chris near the end.
Click the image to watch the video
I felt good after the sprints, but during the exercise, I felt like my heart was going to explode from my chest.
This leads to my next area of intrigue. Tanya, who blew past me on the Grouse Grind a couple of weeks ago, went for a VO2 Max test this week at Peak Centre. Peak Centre is providing testing and training support for the #Climb4Cord. I’m visiting their Ottawa location in June when I’m in town for some campaign board meetings with Canadian Blood Services.
After hearing about the test from Tanya, I’m a little terrified to take it and also find out the results. The good news is that I should gain some valuable insights and still have six weeks to make any necessary adjustments to my training schedule before I leave for Africa on August 3rd.
The #Climb4Cord features a group of business leaders who will be climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in August 2013 with the hopes of raising $750,000 for the campaign For All Canadians, which is dedicated to building Canada’s new national public cord blood bank. Click here to donate to my personal page or for more information on the campaign please visit: http://campaignforcanadians.ca/


Water distillation Unit BASIC/PH4 & XL Bhanu – India
Manufacturer : Bhanu – India
The stand is powder coated for long rust free Operation.
Heater is a 3KW Chromium plated heater fitted with a thermostat, which shuts off automatically in case of water supply failure.
The Boiler & Condenser are designed for high efficiencyand provided with threading for easy plumbing of condenser.
Boiler is provided with Teflon screw cork for insitu cleaning of the boiler.
All plumbing connections to the equipment are made via screw thread connector
Dimensions (W x D x H): 50 x 15 x 45 cm
Weight: 6 kg
Power : 220/240V, 50/60 Hz 1 pha. Heater 3KW.
Water supply: Tỷ lệ dòng tối thiểu 1 lit/min.
Min. pressure : 3 p.s.i. (0.2 x 105 NM-2)
Output :4 lt/ hr
Conductivity (Raw water): 3.0 – 4.0 µS/cm
Conductivity (Treated water): 1.5 – 2.0 µS/cm
PH 5.5 – 6.0
Distillate quality: Pyrogen free
PHU BINH PHARMACEUTICAL TRADING CO., LTD
North office: 3 Fl., 21T1 Hapulico Complex, 83 Vu Trong Phung, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi
South office : No.2C, Dinh Bo Linh Str, P.15, Binh Thanh Dist, Ho Chi Minh City
Hotline: 0466756999 / 0915283300 / 0915283302


Privacy Report Card for Parental Control Solutions
Parental control network devices (e.g., WiFi routers) and software applications are a very common solution to help parents protect their children while they are online. However, the majority of such parental control solutions have access to a significant amount of sensitive data that could be targeted by attackers. We investigated these solutions for possible privacy and security threats. The results of our investigation are presented under the Results Summary tab. Based on these results, we give some recommendations for parents as well as our developers in our FAQ.


The present invention provides a DC high voltage converter having an oscillator driver, main switch array and topological enhanced capacitors. The switch array utilizes MEM cantilevers and topological capacitors for charge storages for the generation of a high voltage output from a low voltage input.
Lagebrake, Lawrence; Onishi, Shinzo; Samson, Scott; and Popuri, Raj, "MEMS DC to DC switching converter" (2012). USF Patents. 287.
University of South Florida


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Time can be the biggest roadblock to recovery for many individuals. Chances are that you may have too many commitments in your life to take the time you need for your recovery completely. If you have been struggling with addiction, meeting your basic needs and caring for your family is more difficult and energy-consuming. Or maybe the circumstances of your addiction may not require full-time care. Perhaps you have been through addiction treatment programs in the past and need minimal support. If either of these sounds like your personal situation, Gulf Breeze Recovery’s partial hospitalization program may be a better fit for your needs. Receive the care you need without derailing your daily life.
What Is a Partial Hospitalization Program?
A partial hospitalization program or PHP addiction treatment program offers structured support during a fixed block of time. Many inpatient programs do not offer this much flexibility. This means that you can still complete life tasks around addiction treatment programs, such as caring for loved ones or working specific shifts. With this balance of structure and freedom, you have more opportunities to engage with and apply what you’ve learned in your daily life. Gulf Breeze Recovery offers a PHP that gives you the chance to take advantage of our beautiful facilities for a holistic treatment experience that allows you to return to your home each night.
How Can a Partial Hospitalization Program Benefit Me?
If you are an on-the-go individual, you may find it difficult to give all of your time to recovery. However, the structure of a recovery treatment program may require you to spend time working through personal therapy and group therapy. You will have moments to slow down and process with a partial hospitalization program while honoring your busy schedule. Some benefits that individuals have reported for this type of program include the following:
- Gives your time back to you so that you can care for your loved ones. This can include child-care and caring for elderly parents.
- Provides you a comfortable and safe space where you can practice your new skills, as well as your daily household experience.
- Helps manage chances for relapse as it helps you to cultivate a supportive community and offers additional treatment and tools.
- Offers you time to transition from residential or inpatient treatment back to your daily life.
- PHP offers many of the benefits of higher-cost care at a more affordable price point.
- Allows you to work certain night shifts or attend night school classes.
As you can see, there are many benefits when you get the care you need from a program that fits your specific recovery goals. PHP with Gulf Breeze Recovery allows you to assess how much treatment you require, and we will meet you wherever you are in your needs.
A Holistic Partial Hospitalization Program
A PHP will stabilize your symptoms from where you are by providing a safe and calming environment. Our experienced professionals use holistic methods to address the needs of your mind and body. Our holistic PHP options offer many benefits. Holistic care means that our professional staff will work with you toward a well-rounded recovery. When you engage your mind and body in your treatment experience, you will feel stronger and more empowered in your journey to recovery.
Seek More Information about a Partial Hospitalization Program with Gulf Breeze Recovery, Today
Finding the treatment that best serves your individualized needs allows you to thrive in recovery. Gulf Breeze Recovery offers addiction treatment programs personalized to your needs as part of our holistic treatment goals. We mix these whole-body and mind methods with evidence-based treatments to support your needs. We invite you to call us at 833.551.2304 to learn more about our innovative addiction treatment programs and our serene and engaging environment. Restore your peace on our white-sand beaches. With Gulf Breeze Recovery’s partial hospitalization program, you will remain in control of your own life.


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Another short bicycle tour in Turkey. It only took 10 days to cycle from Ihlara to Antalya. The unusual thing about this tour was just how flat it was: ~8000m of climbing in 700km. That doesn’t sound so flat so we have to put those numbers in context. That’s the same climbing:distance ratio as our trip from Hamburg to Stockholm this summer and lower than any other trip I’ve done in Turkey. I guess you’d have to tour in Holland or Bangladesh to get a much flatter tour than this one.
I started by heading south out of Ihlara straight toward the picturesque volcano, Hasan Dağı. I ended up skirting the northern and western flanks of the mountain, enjoying the views from different angles.
Before I even left those mountain views behind, I was into one of the flattest areas of Turkey, the Konya Plains.
A few km east of Karapınar I spent the night at the crater lake, Meke Gölü, a surprisingly short climb above the plain. Many Americans are not familiar with the Ramsar Convention signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971 to protect wetlands of international importance. Turkey’s a signee, and Meke Gölü is one of the designated areas. Apparently that’s not enough to protect it from groundwater pumping for irrigation. The lake almost doesn’t exist anymore because the groundwater’s been drawn down so much. This isn’t boutique vegetable country. The crops here are sugar beets and barley, used for beer and animal feed. Meke Gölü and the animals dependent on its water lose out so people can drink beer, eat red meat, and put sugar in their tea.
A day later I managed to find another small climb out of the plains, this time to visit the ruins of a 5th century church, Binbir Kilise, at Madenşehri. I had learned about this ancient Christian center when I visited the Karaman Museum in May. It was too far off from my route then to make the detour, but it was only a small detour and short climb for me this trip. I believe there are more churches nearby (at Üçkuyu and Değle?) so it could be a good area to go back to.
From Madenşehri I coasted back to the plains and went from sugar beets and barley to corn. In Arıkören I learned how they measure moisture content in corn. The corn is used for animal feed and the price/kg depends on the moisture content (less water higher price). After drying the corn in the sun, the farmer brings a couple ears and removes some grains:
A random selection of grains is ground:
Then you put the ground corn onto this fancy German machine, and it reports the moisture content. In this sample, it was 19%, but the farmer was disappointed as he expected 17% from his less scientific bite-and-chew technique.
After another day of riding through the flats, I was very excited to get to the hills/small mountains above Apa. It was all apples around Bağyurdu where an apple packer generously restocked my supply with three kinds of fresh, super tasty apples. From there I expected to be in the mountains the rest of the way to the coast, but the man was right when he told me after two more small climbs, it’d be flat to Seydişehir.
I treated myself to a warm hotel room in Seydişehir, making it easy to get an early start for the very fun, very pretty ~800m climb up Reze Beli. This turned out to be one of the best paved passes I’ve ridden in Turkey. It reminded me of Göğübeli Pass from Elmalı. It was an easy climb with very little traffic and wonderful views.
I had checked the weather forecast while I had internet access in Seydişehir so I knew the day/night temperatures were going from the very pleasant 13°C/0°C I’d been enjoying to 4°C/-10°C with snow in the forecast two days later. I figured Reze Beli one day and the climb above Derebucak the next day, and I’d make it down to the coast before the storm hit. Almost. I almost made it.
Like I said, Reze Beli was easy. The climb between Derebucak and Körpülü Kanyon was longer and more up and down than I expected. Heck, even getting to Derebucak from Reze Beli was longer and more up and down than I expected. This area is pretty but not to be rushed.
Fun dirt road riding:
with pretty mountain views and fall colors lower down.
You can see from these photos that it had already started to rain. I had ridden in thick clouds for a while as well. I kept pushing and pushing trying to lose more elevation before it got dark. A few km before Düzağaç the deluge started. There was no flat land to put up a tent. It was dark, and I was completely soaked by the time I got to the village. It’s amazing really for how much I’ve cycled-toured how rarely this has happened. In retrospect there was a brilliant camping spot higher up where I had waited out a short, heavy rainstorm. It was getting late by that point, but some sunshine and thought of camping even lower encouraged me to continue. Oops.
I was invited into a warm, dry house in the village. I spent the night on a large mattress on the floor with the two sons of the family. The young one kept rolling on top of me and managed to sleep through all the pushing I did. I didn’t sleep much (so I know that the wind, rain, and lightning lasted much of the night), but I was sure thankful to have fairly dry clothes in the morning.
Düzağaç is only two days easy riding from Antalya (one from Belek), but, wow, it’s a world away. It’s a poor village of farmers and shepherds with so little cash that there’s not even a store. The nearest middle school is 20km away in Beşkonak, and there’s no transportation.
Seems like it’s become something of habit to end these tours with a visit to a Roman ruin. This one’s Aspendos.


text: Russian war journalist Alexander Rybin has been found dead after promising to reveal details about corruption in the occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol. Rybin's body was discovered near the city of Shakhty in Russia's Rostov region. His on-air report criticized the Putin regime for its slow reconstruction efforts in Mariupol, which was devastated by Russian forces during Putin's 2022 invasion. Rybin claimed that there was extensive corruption in the city and that large sums of money had been sent from Russia. He intended to provide more details about this corruption in a live broadcast but never made it back to Moscow. His cause of death was determined to be cardiomyopathy, but there were no signs of foul play. This comes as a series of Russian journalists and media figures have died under mysterious circumstances. Zoya Konovalova, chief editor of Russian state TV company Kuban, and her ex-husband were found dead in their bedroom, and Ilya Kyva, a former party leader in the Kyiv parliament, was found dead near Moscow in a suspected assassination by Ukrainian secret services. Other journalists, including Anna Tsareva and Vladimir Sungorkin, have also died in suspicious circumstances.


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Almost five years since I began this blog/encyclopedia. Wow. And about 17 since I started drawing the Arcane Compass. You'd think I would've made more headway by now ....
Excuse # 71 - I've been busy; life has thrown me a huge curve-ball; and I've been working on other things.
(And excuse #21 - I'll ramble all through out this and probably not make much sense).
Way back when, like about four decades ago, my mom introduced me to the old '66 Batman t.v. series, quickly followed by comic books. It's totally her fault. Giving such an impressionable youth, with an over-active imagination and the desire to create, such material. In ways, more expensive than crack-cocaine .... I think I made my first comic book shortly there after. A simple thing, really - just a bunch of stick figures, drawn on notebook paper (I only had a pencil to work with, so no inking) and lovingly bound with three short pieces of yard (I had to have a little help from mom).
Reflecting back on the past, I remember the days when all I had were colored pencils, ink pens and magic markers (don't think Sharpie© was around back then). Even then, I was more of a design illustrator than not (I think that part is dad's fault) - but I remember making some pretty cool pieces - before I was introduced to painting, and years later - Photoshop.
Things have been weird the past few days. Weird enough that I got to thinking about doing some old-style drawing again. Kinda getting back to my roots, as it were (but not stick figures on notebook paper tho). So, I broke out the old coloring pencils and Sharpies© -
Forgot to take a photo during the initial layout part, but here I've already inked it, and I'm putting a hex grid on the map. Instead of doing it the smart way (which, after doing all those lines and such, you'd thought I'd taken the easy way), I decided to just use the hex pattern I already had (notice the single hex, bottom right corner?) .....
So, after an indeterminate amount of time, I have the land mass and near-by waters hexed; some topographical lines are laid in, and I've started some coloring.
Here's a "distance" shot - showing the colored pencils. No finished shot yet, I'm still doing some color shading and labeling and such - to finish up the map. Talk about an investment of time ....
However, it'll be a "handmade" map, something that seems to be almost non-existent in the business world today. I realize that doing a map like this is a huge investment of time. I started a little before 11am, then next thing I know I'm looking at 3:30pm .... and I'm not even close to being finished yet.
Now, in Photoshop or Illustrator, I'm sure I would've been done with time to spare.
I guess the grip I'm trying to get to is that sometimes, technology isn't your friend. With this map, I feel more invested in it, more like I've actually done something - instead of making a computer file, somewhere in the megabyte, or gigabyte, range. Sometimes, the old way, the slow way, is the best.
Now on to what I was being distracted by before this distraction - a pirate ship! A cardboard, to-scale, pirate ship! Cool, huh?
So, yeah. I start this a few weeks back, during the lull before the killer storm, I suppose. It's been a rough time since Thanksgiving Eve, and my adult game is nowhere on spot - hasn't been since then. Long story short, my mom passed away March 11, after a long medical battle. So it might take me a little while to get all my weasels at the same rave again.
I think it's good that I'm easing back into artwork, especially touching base on how I started all those years ago. I do intend to continue with the story of the Arcane Compass. I just can't promise when that will be. Don't give up hope, as there are still loads and loads of tales that I wish to share. It's just that I have a more difficult time finding motivation, and/or time to work on my art.
So hang in there - I know I am. And you can just bill me for the time you just used to read all this. 😈
Until next time,
EDIT - right after I posted this, it hit me! Please, no notes of condolences, no "I'm sorries," nothing of the such is necessary. Please. I've gone through enough of those, I'm ready to move on. Thank you for understanding.