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|Language by Touch*|
by C. H. Spurgeon
From the September 1873 Sword and Trowel
LL OUR READERS ARE, or ought to be, well acquainted with the wonderful case of Laura Bridgman, the blind, deaf, and dumb girl, whom Dickens saw in America, and so graphically described. She not only learned to sew and knit, but to read, write, and calculate. Although every avenue of communication with her seemed to be closed, she was instructed through the sole medium of touch till she became a highly intelligent girl. The name of Doctor Howe, her patient instructor, deserves to be had in grateful remembrance; he was the pioneer in the difficult task of teaching blind, deaf mutes, and all who have followed him confess their obligations to his example.
It is not, however, at all generally known that Mr. Patterson, of the Parochial Schools of the Manchester Union, has achieved the same result in other cases. A small shilling book, by George Wallis, of the South Kensington Museum, gives a brief account of the cases of Mary Bradley and Joseph Hague, who were by Mr. Patterson's persevering efforts upraised from a condition of living death into active mental life. The girl Mary Bradley was abandoned by her mother in a damp cellar, while suffering from some virulent disease, and so lost both sight and hearing at three years of age. She was, when first noticed, a motherless and fatherless child, without ear or eye, a most wretched inmate of the infant department of a workhouse, where the other children cruelly made sport of her, hitting and pulling her with their hands, while she screamed and vainly stretched out her hand to seize them. Happy for her was the day when she was admitted to the institution for the deaf and dumb. It was, however, far more easy to take her into the institution than to know what to do with her. "The obvious course for her instructor seemed to be to watch her habits, and to endeavor to adapt his own course and the efforts of those around her to them. With this view she was left for some days to her own resources, in order that the bent of her inclination might be seen and judged of. Finding herself in a new position, she was occupied for a time in becoming acquainted with the locality, and the persons and things by which she was surrounded. She made no attempt to make known her wants by signs, as is usual in the case of the deaf and dumb. If she required help her habit was to shout and scream; and, as her utterances were by no means agreeable, every one was interested in relieving her wants. Since her loss of hearing and sight she had been in no position in which signs could have been understood, had she made any; but it never seemed to occur to her to do so. In fact, she was at this time one of the most uncouth and wild-looking objects it is well possible to conceive. She had recently had her head shaved in consequence of some disease in the skin of the scalp, and with a crouching, groping attitude, she had more the appearance of a scared and timid animal seeking some mode of escape from danger, than of a human being endowed with a rational soul."
The first step in teaching was to make her acquainted with the names of things around her. Mr. Patterson placed before her objects distinctly differing in shape, such as a pen, a book, a slate. As the visible letters could not be placed before her, the signs used by the deaf and dumb were used instead, but as she could not see them, her fingers were, touched by Mr. Patterson in the proper form. This plan was a complete failure for a long time, for the poor girl failed to connect the pen or the book with the sign appropriate to it. Every day the work had to be commenced anew; the appliances were varied, and great kindness and patience exercised, but no beam of intelligence entered the darkened mind for five weeks. But to the resolute nothing is hopeless, God rewards determination: all at once, as with a sudden burst of sunshine, Mary Bradley's face lit up with full intelligence; she had found the clue, she had connected the sign with the thing signified, and she proceeded to sign upon the fingers of her teacher the names of each of the articles. This was a grand beginning, and was energetically followed up. "Mr. Patterson then cut out the letters of the alphabet in cardboard, and gummed them to a sheet of stiff pasteboard, so that they stood in relief, and could be sharply felt and distinguished from each other by the fingers. By this means she soon became acquainted with all their forms, and mentally associatedsay penwith the signs upon her fingers and the object which these signs represented. Her progress now became daily more and more evident. She took great delight in her work, and with the limited time at Mr. Patterson's disposal, it was difficult to keep pace with her desire for the knowledge of names. From these she was taught the quality of things. When new words of this kind were intended to be taught, the objects were generally placed before her, as an illustration of comparison: for instancea large book and a small one, a light object and a heavy one, thick and thin, rough and smooth, hard and soft, sweet and sour. Objects possessing opposite qualities were placed within her reach, and she very readily acquired the words to express them. Thus the work went on step by step, every day's lesson being a preparatory one for the next day. Verbs were taught much in the same way, the word being given with the action: standing, sitting, walking; eating, drinking, laughing, crying, &c., &c., generally in the form of the present participle, and in connection with a noun, as being an easy change from the adjectivesas, a boy standing, a girl crying, &c.
"At length the great inconvenience presented itself of the want of a lesson-book adapted to meet the case. In order to supply this want, a case of type for printing in relief was obtained, and some lessons were printed, which were readily deciphered by the pupil through the sense of touch. It was, however, soon discovered that the operation of composing the type was an exercise which was not only very amusing to her, but also very instructive. A little box was constructed in which she could arrange the type in sentences, etc., which were dictated to her by natural signs, the teacher using her hands in the same way as he would use his own to sign similar sentences to a seeing deaf child, and this became a never-failing source of interest. It made her familiar with the various modes of construction,the greatest difficulty which the deaf and dumb have to encounter. Every new word was at once applied to its appropriate meaning."
When she was ten years old, and had been under instruction two or three years, she learned to write, and before long exchanged letters across the Atlantic with her sister in deprivation, Laura Bridgman. With this mental growth the girl's temper improved, and her manner became subdued, though before she had been exceedingly irritable. She lived to the age of twenty-six, suffering with great patience during the later years of her life. The great truths of revelation had been made known to her, and she greatly rejoiced in reading the gospels in the form printed for the use of the blind. Calling together her chief benefactors, site calmly and formally declared how she wished her small possessions to be disposed of, then fell asleep, we trust to wake in the image of Jesus. The little book before us only fails with regard to spiritual experience, of which we should have liked far more; however, as it is sold for the benefit of the deaf and dumb, we have no heart even to hint at a fault. That which is described awakens gratitude in our heart, and leads us to pray that all other poor creatures in a like case may come under similar judicious and generous influences.
The boy Joseph Hague was the son of a deaf and dumb mother, was born deaf, and became blind before he was two years of age. When he was eight years old he became the fellow pupil of Mary Bradley, who was delighted to communicate all she knew to her young companion. Only imagine one poor blind, deaf, and dumb child teaching another. With the boy much the same process had to be gone through as in the case of the girl, and the two together progressed much more rapidly than could have been anticipated when Mary alone was the pupil. Joseph aspired to do all that other blind boys could do, and soon progressed from making his own bed to the manufacture of baskets, in which he became a clever workman, and left the institution in due time to live with his father and mother.
Both cases are very wonderful, and read like a reproduction of Laura Bridgman and Oliver Caswall, described in "American Notes." It has even suggested itself to us that God allowed two such unhappy little ones to be upon the stage of life at the same time that they might together feel their way into intelligence. The practical lesson to us all is to be thankful for our senses, educate them to perfection, learn all we can by means of them, and use them for the glory of God. Ye who have eyes, observe the handiwork of your Maker, consider his marvellous works, and read constantly in his word. Eyes are not sent to aid us in regarding vanity, or to flash with the glances of passion, but to weep for sin, and to be lifted in gratitude to the Redeemer God. Ye who have ears, hear the word of God with attention and grateful obedience. Such delicate organs are not intended to pollute the mind with the hearing of lascivious or idle talk, but to edify the soul with holy instruction. Ye who have tongues, sing unto the Lord, and speak well of his name. Let those who are fluent consecrate their utterance unto the Lord, proclaiming to all around them the gospel of Jesus; and let all, whether old or young, endeavor to sing the praises of God, ay, and to sing them well too; let the voice be cultivated, so that public worship in the department of song may be rendered to the Lord in the best and most harmonious manner. Surely it cannot be right that the devil and the flesh should have the best music. No, let us give eye and ear and tongue to him who in his bounty gave to us these precious boons, and in his tenderness has preserved to us the use of them.
C. H. S.
* Language by Touch: A Narrative Illustrating the Instruction of the Blind and Deaf Mute. By George Wallis, South Kensington Museum. London: W. Tweedie, 337, Strand.


The offbeat choreography was executed with finesse. Swarada Bhave and Eesha Pinglay, senior students of well-known dancer-dramatist Vaibhav... ...http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/dance/natyarangam-saw-disciples-of-vaibhav-arekar-perform-with-finesse/article8649729.ece?secpage=true&secname=entertainment
Hero Aadi's upcoming film is said to be a family entertainer titled Chuttalabbayi. He is currently completing the dubbing part for the film. Though... ...http://www.teluguone.com/tmdb/news/News-en-60929c1.html
Chuttalabbayi, starring Aadi and directed by Veerabhadram Chowdary of Aha Naa Pellanta and Poola Rangadu fame, is currently in dubbing stage.... ...http://www.indiaglitz.com/chuttalabbayi-in-dubbing-stage-telugu-news-159560.html
Playing the villain seems to be in. In the last couple of weeks, established heroes like Sudheer Babu, Aadi Pinisetty and Suriya made headlines for... ...http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/Dark-Menacing-Evil-TheseTollywood-heroes-dont-shy-away-from-showing-off-their-grey-side/articleshow/52411999.cms
The children in school uniform who are seen carrying the huge rice bags weighing more than 50 Kilograms are mostly students of primary and middle.... ...http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/kashmir/story/218382.html
LAKE SIDE HEIGHTS situated in Kundli,...


text:
Waiting for the Ghostship by UteBigSmile ()
Members remain the original copyright holder in all their materials here at Renderosity. Use of any of their material inconsistent with the terms and conditions set forth is prohibited and is considered an infringement of the copyrights of the respective holders unless specially stated otherwise.
Good morning my friends, I wish you all a marvelous Sunday!
PS. This image has been done as usually!
Image Comments (27)
AureliusdeMercoeur () 8:51AM | Sun, 08 November 2020
Une belle image sur le thÃ¨me du Vaisseau FantÃ´me !!
virginiese () 9:06AM | Sun, 08 November 2020
Magnificent compo and very cute model ! Great artwork !
eekdog () Online Now! 9:54AM | Sun, 08 November 2020
not much of a wait, ship is coming in. nice work.
JoeJarrah () 9:55AM | Sun, 08 November 2020
Like Senta from Der fliegende HollÃ¤nder... excellent image!
Jean_C () 10:38AM | Sun, 08 November 2020
Superbe composition et magnifiques couleurs, excellent travail, Ute!
miwi () 4:54PM | Sun, 08 November 2020
Wundervoll Komposition,da hast du die kleinen Pixelchen mal wieder in eine wunderbare Ordnung gebracht!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
artdreamer () 3:40AM | Mon, 09 November 2020
Erg mooie creatie met dat mooie schip op de achtergrond.
Nightwind () 4:22AM | Mon, 09 November 2020
Outstanding imagery! You take care of yourself too. hugs
Heatherlly () 12:17AM | Tue, 10 November 2020
Very spooky! The background you chose is absolutely perfect for this character!
daggerwilldo () Online Now! 2:43AM | Tue, 10 November 2020
You do some really good work. You are very talented and creative. I hope you are doing well. Please keep them coming.

domain: artistic


text:
Hackers are ramping up attacks on retirement accounts — how to keep yourself safe
The thought of losing your life savings to hackers can be terrifying — and it’s why two of Houston financial adviser Michelle Gessner’s clients didn’t want to consolidate their retirement assets, even if the move would be financially savvy.
The couple had already been the target of identity theft in the past, then with their credit cards, and they were afraid that if they rolled all their money together, they’d be “sitting ducks” at risk of losing their entire nest egg. “The question is real and understandable,” Gessner said. “This is a real concern.”
Gessner was able to talk them through their fears, and showed them the custodians she works with — such as Fidelity, TD Ameritrade AMTD, +0.13% and Schwab SCHW, +0.04% — all guarantee protection in the event of a hack. When she saw how worried these two clients were, she wrote a blog post for all her other current and future clients to help ease their minds. Gessner also follows strict cybersecurity measures of her own, including two-factor authentication and constant surveillance. “My laptop and my assistant’s laptops are like a fortress to get into,” she said.
Bank accounts are a top target for hackers, and retirement accounts may not be far behind. Cybercriminals are moving toward retirement and loan accounts. Although the number of consumers affected by identity fraud has declined between 2017 and 2018, hackers are targeting new types of financial accounts — such as customer rewards programs and retirement plans, according to the 2019 Identity Fraud Study from Javelin Strategy & Research.
Part of the problem is identity theft, which can provide hackers the keys to getting into important accounts. Data breaches have become common — Target TGT, -0.48%, Sony SNE, -1.57% and Microsoft MSFT, +2.30% were all targets of major data breaches in recent years — and provide scammers with credit card information and billing addresses. Capital One COF, -1.18% was also hacked in 2019, revealing information of more than 100 million of its customers — including dates of birth, income and payment history and Social Security numbers.
Sometimes, hackers may use information they find for their own endeavors, but they may also sell this sensitive data on the “dark web,” a part of the internet only found using specific browsers. The dark web is where cyber crime usually begins.
There are many layers to stealing from retirement accounts — most financial institutions have numerous security measures in place before a withdrawal occurs — but if it were to happen, it could result in the loss of tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars. Retirement accounts in particular can be a hacker’s dream, as they’re not checked nearly as often as other financial accounts and retailer sites.
Savers need to be sure that they access their accounts in a secure manner, so that they aren’t the next victim. Fraudulent activity can be harmful to an individual, especially when it affects that person’s future. “The financial hardships that may be caused by identity theft or a scam can last for months or years after your personal information is exposed,” said Paige Hanson, chief of identity education at Norton Life Lock.
Here’s what you can do to keep your accounts safe:
Check your accounts — but just for security purposes Financial advisers typically suggest not to frequently check your retirement accounts, as market volatility may cause a balance to appear lower than normal and thus, concern individuals about their retirement security. But people should occasionally sign into the account, just to ensure nothing has changed pertaining to account information. “We often don’t check our retirement accounts as often as other accounts, such as your email, credit card or bank account,” Hanson said. She suggests setting up notifications that alert the account holder when someone has logged into the account, conducted a transaction or changed a password.
If you notice transactions you’re unfamiliar with, contact the compliance department of the custodian immediately, Gessner said. You can also find login history for your account after you’ve signed in.
Secure your accounts
Always be cautious with sensitive information, such as Social Security numbers, passwords, and addresses or phone numbers. People may not know when this information has gotten into the wrong hands, Hanson said. “Thieves may not use your information for months or even years, waiting for a time when you may not be as attentive to the risk,” she said.
Password managers can store or even generate secure passwords, much better than generic codes like “123456” or “password.” People can also turn on two-factor authentication, which means someone logging into the account would need to input the password and then a code sent via text message, email or phone call.
Pay attention to who or what institution is receiving your personal information. Many consumers shop online, or register for subscription services and newsletters that could easily be hacked, said Adi Peretz, senior consultant and head of research at CyberInt. “Once you disclose that to a third party, that puts you at risk of being exposed,” he said.
Other tactics: change the password on a router, which is how hackers can access a person’s home internet — and any device linked to it; change the default Domain Name System, which internet service providers initially create; and use a VPN, which creates an “encrypted tunnel” for data sent and received, Hanson said — it’s especially useful when on public Wi-Fi.
Keep your devices updated
Don’t click on unfamiliar links via email or web searches, Gessner said. And always use the most updated software and operating systems when on your computer or mobile device. An out-of-date program may not have the same security measures as the newest version, or they may no longer be supported, which creates vulnerabilities.
“Cybercriminals frequently use known exploits, or flaws, in your software to gain access to your system,” Hanson said. “Patching those exploits and flaws can make it less likely that you’ll become a cybercrime target.”
Written by our friend: Alessandra Malito is a personal finance reporter based in New York. You can follow her on Twitter @malito_ali.

domain: news


text:
This is just me complaining
So I am 36.5 weeks today and I had my appointment yesterday. For the past week and a half I have been having on and off contractions with pain, discomfort and pressure that goes all the way around my pelvis (lower belly, hips, tailbone...) so I was thinking oh maybe I will be at least slightly dilated when i go for my next appointment. I go yesterday and my doctor (who is fantastic) was like oh wow she is still super high! In my mind I was thinking great all this discomfort for nothing. So she is trying to make sure that baby is head down and finally after some really uncomfortable minutes of pushing and prodding she says just making sure I feel a head down there, but you are still super closed. See you next week!
This is baby #2 and I know I still have 24 days until my EDD (estimated due date) but I am so ready to be done at this point. I want my baby girl in my arms already.
Sorry I am just complaining and being a big baby right now lol.
Hope everyone have a great weekend!

domain: health


text:
Mini Aquaponics Workshop and BuildDate & Time
October 5, 2014
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm
At this workshop you will build your own 10-gallon aquaponic system, perfect for growing fresh lettuce, kale, swiss chard (even basil and mint!) right in your home, office or classroom. These small systems are easy to manage and are ideal for beginners. Construct your own system, and learn everything you need to know to start gardening with fish and plants in your home.
Cost: $50 (including materials)
Capacity: 15 people
As with every Urban Adamah event, please bring a canned good to donate to our food bank. Thanks for your support!

domain: agronomy


Hanssen recalls a situation involving a large corporate client, which called with a complaint about its video system going offline. “What happened was that in an attempt to go green, the company was turning off power to sections of the facility,” he recalls. “The integrator had not ensured the cameras were powered by mission critical power, and therefore they were not exempt from those power cycles.”
Hanssen’s recollection points up the need for security dealers and integrators to strive for nothing less than excellence when designing a video surveillance system.
If the system is to be as reliable as intended, dealers and integrators must keep in mind a myriad of considerations, from existing infrastructure to environmental factors to the staff operating the system. In the pages to follow, SDM talks with integrators and other video surveillance system experts about these considerations and much more.
KEYS TO RELIABLE VIDEO SYSTEM DESIGNSAchieving excellence in video system design always starts with understanding the problems the customer wants to solve, says Kurt Will, executive vice president of St. Louis-based Will Electronics, a 53-year-old security integrator of CCTV, access control and intrusion systems.
Once the security dealer or systems integrator has an accurate picture of the problems, they can devise solutions that put cameras in correct positions, create monitoring stations if cameras are going to be actively monitored or recording solutions if customers require the images to be recorded.
Excellent video system design also must take into account proper infrastructure. That means understanding the physical as well as logical layout of any existing system, says Hanssen. His company, Salient Systems, started in medical imaging in 1995, transitioned to video surveillance in 2000 and now focuses on video management systems.
Understanding the existing system’s physical and logical layout means involving clients’ IT departments from the very start or bringing IT resources to the table, Hanssen says.
Mike Kuhn, vice president of business development with Schaumburg, Ill.-based Convergint Technologies, a systems integrator responsible for security, building control systems and fire-life-safety applications, is another observer who stresses the need to meet with the client’s IT department, particularly if tying in to existing systems.
By doing so, the integrator can learn about the various standards that department has established and discuss with the IT staff the standard to which the integrator will need to adhere as the closed circuit TV system is built out, Kuhn says.
“That incorporates switches, cables, jacks, testing procedures used, and all of the things they would have on the network side of their business,” he adds.
Too often overlooked is the fact that environmental factors can impact today’s IT equipment, which have stricter environmental envelopes related to temperature, humidity, airflow, dust, dirt and proper power controls, Hanssen adds.
Taking the system’s environment into full account during the design stage can ensure better, if not optimal, working conditions for equipment, which in turn will translate into better and more reliable systems for the long-term, he says.
Cost-effectiveness is another crucial consideration, says Scott Sereboff, CEO with Dallas-based Veracity USA, specializing in video surveillance applications. “You need to have the video surveillance system designed to provide the maximum coverages with the minimum number of cameras,” Sereboff says.
“You can go into a building and throw up cameras all over the place and get coverage, but you’re going to waste the installer’s time, and the end user’s money,” Sereboff declares. “So the first thing you must look at is actual installation need, and decide on the cameras that will actually cover that need. A combination of standard IP and megapixel cameras will potentially provide 50 percent more coverage with fewer cameras.”
The system design also must take into account that the people operating the system will be not $80-an-hour IT specialists, but security guards toiling for perhaps one-eighth to one-tenth that wage.
“Systems must be designed with the lowest common denominator in mind â€” and that’s the operator of the system,” Sereboff says.
AVOIDING THE PITFALLSAs Hanssen’s recollection at the outset of this article attests, security dealers and systems integrators must sidestep landmines that can undermine efforts to achieve excellence in video systems. Kuhn believes avoiding pitfalls starts with carefully ensuring that the addition of IP-based camera systems does not disrupt a client’s existing business network.
“You’d better know what you’re doing,” he says. “If you start degrading the quality of their data and other business processes, those IT managers are going to come looking for you.
“They’re already hesitant to put any kind of streaming video on their networks, and once you put it on there and start to degrade their business processes, it’s not going to be on there very long,” Hanssen promises. “If you are not properly trained and don’t have the certifications from the manufacturers, you’re going to mess up your first jobs.”
Failure to manage expectations of clients can be another serious stumbling block, Sereboff says. He believes integrators must talk with their clients about what the clients expect from a system design and rein in overly optimistic expectations.
“They will tell you they want the sun and the moon,” he says. “But you have to drill down, and find out what they really want is a nice view of the sky.”
For example, Sereboff says many clients want real-time recorded imagery from their cameras. Their specific request might be to store 30 cameras for 30 days at 25 frames per second. But such a system would necessitate an enormous amount of storage. If the system design instead called for storing 30 cameras for 30 days at five frames per second, the client would reap a huge reduction in cost.
“In order to find out what your customer truly needs, you have to educate them on what they actually want,” Sereboff says. “Because chances are, they don’t actually know what they want.”
From his standpoint, Hanssen believes a common mistake is failing to provide appropriate environments for cameras and other equipment being installed.
In some settings, equipment can be placed in un-air conditioned space, causing it to overheat and shut down. “You must fully understand the current infrastructure in place, as it relates to current production networks and the environment,” he says.
Inability to recognize all potential weak spots in the client’s end-to-end physical security layout also can prove nettlesome, Hanssen says.
For instance, a system design might call for a vandal-resistant dome-covered camera in an area the client believes to be a possible trouble spot, he says. But the same design might overlook a networking closet elsewhere in the system that is not properly secured.
Those intent on disrupting the system could gain access to that closet and unplug the cameras, or plug in a laptop and attack the network.
If not secured, similar mischief could occur back in the server room, where the video management servers could be powered down or unplugged from the network.
When concentrating on physical security, system designers also can overlook IT security, Hanssen adds. “It must be addressed in an intelligent manner,” he says. “Again, you want to involve the customers’ IT departments in determining how best to secure the video surveillance systems from an IT perspective.”
If security dealers and systems integrators listen carefully to what clients are telling them they will use the video for instead of giving them exactly what they think they need, reliable, economical systems and more satisfied customers are bound to result.
SIDEBAR: The Components of ExcellenceChris Goff, senior design consultant with Sonitrol Security Systems of Hartford, Conn., a 37-year-old security provider specializing in school and municipality security, believes achieving excellence in video system design involves paying close attention to the details, which include but are not limited to the following:
Equipment performance. Goff believes in keeping a demonstration kit that includes several types of cameras. A good kit should hold a standard analog camera, a basic IP 640-by-480 camera, a 1.3-megapixel camera and a 5-megapixel camera. A printout detailing the difference among cameras also should be part of the kit.
Equipment limitations. Goff recommends capturing video at the proper record rate for the recommended model in the demonstration kit, which will allow the client to witness proof of performance before installation proceeds.
Review of expected results. The customer should indicate number of days of storage expected, as well as who will have responsibility for network hardware. “You will find in most cases, the client will either provide network hardware, or ask to include specific hardware they will manage after the installation,” Goff says.
“That will leave us responsible for cabling, software and field equipment,” Goff continues. “In cases where a separate network provided by the integrator is desired, the integrator must be capable and certified in network design to install an independent network.”
Recording settings. Balance between camera capabilities (up to 30 images per second) and actual recommended recording rate of 5 to 10 images per second should be discussed, due to the fact recording settings affect the length of storage. Needs and types of storage mediums should be reviewed as well. Technical teams from the software provider are skilled in discussing storage and server requirements.
“It takes multiple meetings and communication to align the expectations, and understand design implications and challenges,” Goff says, adding that this is the best way to achieve the result of common purpose and direction.
SIDEBAR: Look to Clients for InputGaining the right information from clients is crucial to forging excellence in video system design. At its most basic, that information must include what the current video system is being used for, what the client likes and doesn’t like, and what the client expects from a new system, says Scott Sereboff, CEO of Veracity USA, Dallas.
Beyond that, client expectations in terms of functionality, scalability and performance requirements need to be clearly identified before the system design process can begin, adds Cynthia Freschi, president of North American Video, a Brick, N.J.-based security systems integrator.
“In addition, any information on what, if any, existing systems need to be integrated with the new system – including information on existing and new infrastructure – should be mandatory,” Freschi reports.
North American Video looks for key client input at many points, including the site review stage. At the time of initial recommendations, the company expects clients to weigh in with their thoughts about security expectations relative to actual budget.
When presenting its proposals, the company wants clients to discuss their short- and long-term objectives. “This allows us to identify and address specific issues that may affect the longevity of the systems outlined in our proposals,” Freschi observes. “Of these concerns, the need for future system expansion is of most importance.”
For his part, Kurt Will, executive vice president of Will Electronics, St. Louis, believes gaining the desired information from clients can be most difficult when serving larger corporations. “You may be meeting with one individual,” he comments. “But at the same time, you may be expected to meet the expectations of other individuals who are not part of that meeting.”
SIDEBAR: Resources, Education and TrainingA number of helpful resources are available to systems integrators to help them with excellent system design.
“Equipment manufacturers and suppliers are often a good source of technical information relative to the feature/performance attributes of specific products,” says Cynthia Freschi, president of North American Video, Brick, N.J. “It is also advisable you seek out peers in the industry who have experience with the type of system planned, to see what challenges they faced during the design/build process.”
Anixter, a supplier of communications products used to connect voice, video, data and security systems, is an excellent resource about the cable infrastructure side of the business, according to Mike Kuhn, vice president of business development with Convergint Technologies, Schaumburg, Ill. “They can help you, as an integrator, determine the procedures and rules to install the network infrastructure needed to support an IP-based camera system,” he says.
Anixter’s Glenview, Ill., laboratory undertakes independent testing of devices and cables to determine which components deliver the best results when being used to install an IP-based camera system, Kuhn says.
The company tests the cameras of every manufacturer to determine which ones, for instance, provide the best picture quality or perform best in low-light situations.
Education and training resources also abound. One resource used by Convergint Technologies is an online program for technicians provided by CompTIA, Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., according to Kuhn.
“It’s an online certification program to teach technicians about terminology and different components making up a network,” Kuhn explains. “You buy seats for your technicians to take the training through the Internet, and they send certification back to you that you’ve passed those courses. It’s a really good curriculum to put your technicians through to give them the knowledge they need â€” without putting them in a classroom.”
Kuhn recommends learning more at www.comptia.org. Organizations such as Security Industry Association (SIA) (www.siaonline.org) and the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) (www.asisonline.org) may provide certificate-level training desired by systems integrators. The latter, for instance, offers the Physical Security Professional (PSP) and Certified Protection Professional (CPP) programs of ASIS, says Kurt Will, executive vice president of Will Electronics, St. Louis.


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text:
If you`re a developer, you`ve most likely heard of GitHub – the popular code hosting platform used by millions of developers around the world. But did you know that when you contribute to a repository hosted on GitHub, you`re agreeing to certain terms and conditions that govern the use of your code?
Enter the GitHub Contribution Agreement. This agreement lays out the terms under which you, as a contributor, are making your code available to the world.
So, what exactly is the GitHub Contribution Agreement? According to GitHub, it`s “a legal document that defines the terms under which contributions are made to a repository on GitHub.”
Essentially, when you contribute code to a repository on GitHub, you`re granting a license to the owner of that repository to use, modify, and distribute your code. The GitHub Contribution Agreement sets out the terms of that license agreement, including any limitations or conditions that apply.
Why is this important? For one, it helps protect your intellectual property rights as a developer. By agreeing to the terms of the GitHub Contribution Agreement, you`re ensuring that your code will be used in a way that aligns with your intentions – whether that`s simply sharing your work with the community, or allowing others to modify and enhance it.
Additionally, the GitHub Contribution Agreement helps provide some clarity around issues of liability and accountability. By agreeing to the terms of the license, both contributors and repository owners can better understand their respective responsibilities and obligations.
So, what exactly do the terms of the GitHub Contribution Agreement entail? In general, the agreement grants a license to the repository owner to use and distribute your code as they see fit, without any expectation of compensation. However, the license can be subject to certain limitations – for example, you may specify that your code can only be used for non-commercial purposes, or that any modifications made to your code must be published under the same license terms.
Ultimately, the GitHub Contribution Agreement is an important tool for ensuring that code contributions are made and used in a transparent, accountable way. As a developer, understanding the terms of this agreement is critical to protecting your intellectual property and ensuring that your work is used in a way that aligns with your goals and values.
So, the next time you contribute code to a repository on GitHub, take a few minutes to review the Contribution Agreement and ensure that you`re comfortable with the terms. And if you`re a repository owner, be sure to make the license terms clear and transparent to any potential contributors – so that everyone involved can benefit from the collaborative power of open source development.

domain: law


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aeserywrote a review of Mountain Hardwear Flip Sleeping Bag: 35/50 Degree Synthetic on April 27, 2011
I was truly skeptical about this bag, especially since I'd been burned by 'innovative' sleeping bag designs in the past. I decided to throw caution to the wind and replace a sleeping bag that was twice what the Flip cost(but had a big elastic hole in the back...). I just got back from an early Spring trip out to the Olympics and can attest to the Flip's versatility.
I started out the evening covered by the 50 degree side and sleeping on the 35 degree side. When the temperature dropped to almost-freezing, I turned the bag over (still skeptical) and slept like a baby for the remainder of the night. The second night was at a higher altitude and still I was adequately warm in just long johns! You won't be disappointed by this bag (which, BTW, is great for using as a blanket if you or your partner tends to sleep at a different comfort level than you do and you want to snuggle).
There's more than enough leg room (in fact, I had my pants rolled up in the bottom AND a stuffsack with an 8oz fuel canister), a handy pocket on the 35 degree side, and a relatively snag-free zipper. I'd like to buy a compression sack because I know it can pack down smaller.

domain: travel


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Well being encompasses all aspects of your life that create wellness…mind, body, spirit, planet. The environments we live in, our relationships, the work we do, the food we eat, our movement, and our mental health all affect our well being.
When we work together we touch on all aspects of well being to help you reach your chosen lifestyle modification goals.
If you would like to learn more about how to approach these four pillars browse through these blog categories below or learn more about how having a Well Being Advocate can help you build your own.
Breathing consciously helps us bring energy back into our bodies. This helps us focus, re-energize, and keeps us in the groove.
Self care options for managing PMS and cramps naturally.
WORK WITH ME
Would you like individualized access to a certified Health Coach and Well Being Advocate? I’ve got you covered! You’re the boss, I’m the partner. We work together to reach the goals you choose for yourself.
I create customized, one-on-one health coaching and well being advocacy programs for you. We schedule meetings that you can attend from the comfort of your own home.
Contact me directly to schedule a free health history interview and take your first step on your journey to your true north!


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Taxpayers who missed the earlier ITR (income tax return) deadline of July 31 can now file their tax returns by August 5.
Business | NDTV Profit Team | Updated: August 02, 2017 09:57 IST
The government has extended the deadline for filing of income tax return (ITR). Taxpayers who missed the earlier deadline of July 31 can now file their tax returns by August 5. Can you claim HRA (house rent allowance) if the landlord is not providing you his or her PAN? If the annual rent paid by the employee exceeds Rs. 1 lakh per annum, it is mandatory for the employee to report the landlord’s PAN to the employer. The tax law also says that in case the landlord does not have a PAN, a declaration to this effect from the landlord along with the name and address should be filed by the employee.
Tax experts say that an employee can still claim tax benefits under HRA in his or her tax return. “The requirement for furnishing PAN of landlord is only to one’s employer only. However, once a person is to file his/her income tax return, there is no requirement to furnish the PAN of landlord,” says Sandeep Sehgal, director of tax and regulatory at Ashok Maheshwary & Associates LLP.
Even if the company may not allow HRA exemption to the employee, due to non-availability of PAN or declaration by the landlord about not having PAN, still the employee has the option to claim so while filing his or her income tax return, he says.
Mr Sehgal however says that it could attract scrutiny from tax authorities. “The tax authorities can examine the cases to verify the genuineness of the claim made by the employee,” he says. “It is expected that HRA claims will be closely scrutinised henceforth considering the consistent introduction of measures during past few years. In fact, the chances are greater if the claim doesn’t appear in Form 16 but claimed in the return.”
To substantiate the claim, the employee needs to keep a record of the rent agreement/lease deed, rent receipts, intimation to the society for the occupancy etc., says Mr Sehgal. Also, it is advisable to ensure that the payments are made through bank as cash transactions may not be considered genuine, he adds.
In some cases, the Income Tax Department may question the tax exemption taken on both HRA and home loan, says an expert.
Written by Surajit Dasgupta | Last Updated: October 10, 2016 10:36 (IST) | NDTV Profit
Income tax exemption on both HRA, repayment of home loan can be claimed
However, taxman could ‘closely monitor’ such a situation, says an expert
Income Tax Department may disallow one of the claims, he adds
Yes, you can claim income tax exemption on both house rent allowance (HRA) and repayment of home loan. If you are living in a house on rent and servicing home loan on another property – even if both the properties are located in the same city – you can claim tax benefit for both.
But “this situation could be closely monitored by the Income Tax Department particularly where the amounts are relatively higher and may also disallow one of the claims if sufficient explanations are not available”, says Amit Maheshwari, managing partner at Ashok Maheshwary & Associates LLP.
- Mr Maheshwari cites some cases when the tax department may not raise questions:
When the person may have moved from rented house to own house during the year or vice versa
- When the person’s own house could be smaller in size and the person may have moved to a bigger house rented by him/her
- When the children of the person may be studying in the locality of the rented house and during the year it was not possible for him/her to change the school and consequently he/she was not able to move to the new house bought
But in some other cases, the Income Tax Department may question the tax exemption taken on both HRA and home loan, Mr Maheshwari adds.
“Hence, in all such situations, the individual has to ensure that the related documentations (like lease deeds, possession/completion letters, etc.) and justification regarding the same are readily available with him/her if the such query is raised,” Mr Maheshwari says.
Salaried individuals who live on rent can claim HRA to lower taxes. It is partially exempted from taxes. However, if the individual does not live in a rented accommodation, HRA is fully taxable.
The deduction on HRA is the lowest of the following under Section 10(13A) of the Income Tax Act:
- Actual HRA received from the employer
- 50 per cent of (basic salary + dearness allowance) for those living in metro cities (40 per cent for non-metros)
- Actual rent paid less 10 per cent of salary
On the other hand, if you are servicing a home loan you can claim tax benefits on principal and interest payments. Principal repayment, under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, is exempted up to Rs 1.5 lakh. And on interest repayment, exemption can be claimed up to Rs 2 lakh, under Section 24.
In this year’s Budget, the government had announced an extra deduction of Rs 50,000 on the interest component of home loan for first-time buyers, where the loan does not exceed Rs 35 lakh and the value of the property is up to Rs 50 lakh.
Income tax laws allow tax payers to claim various benefits, with respect to the house occupied by the assessee – whether it is owned by you or taken on rent. Conditions for claiming are…
By: Housing.com/news | Retrieved on 27th July 2016 from Moneycontrol.com
Income tax laws allow tax payers to claim various benefits, with respect to the house occupied by the assessee whether it is owned by you or taken on rent.
Conditions for claiming tax benefits on house rent allowance The tax benefit on house rent allowance (HRA) is only available to a person, who receives HRA from his employer and is not available to a self-employed person. To avail of this benefit, the employee should have incurred the expenditure on rent, with respect to a residential house property occupied by him/her. The benefit of HRA is not available on rent paid for a residential house that is occupied by any other person, irrespective of whether he is dependent on the assessee or not. It is also not available, in cases where the accommodation is either partly or fully owned by the assessee himself.
So, if an employee lets out the property to his employer and the employer in turn, allots the same to the employee and recovers some rent on this account, the HRA benefit cannot be claimed. Likewise, if the employee is a joint owner of a property and pays some rent to the other joint owner/s of the property, the HRA benefits on such payment cannot be claimed.
According to rule 2A of the income tax rules, the benefits of HRA shall be restricted to the lowest of the following three amounts:
(a) HRA actually received.
(b) Excess of rent paid over 10% of basic salary.
(c) 50% of basic salary in case the employees is in any of the four metro cities, or 40% in case he resides in any other place.
The law does not stipulate that HRA benefit cannot be claimed, if the tax payer owns a house and is already claiming tax benefits with respect to a housing loan.
Conditions for claiming tax benefits on home loans The main condition, for the allowance of the deduction on the principal and interest components of a home loan, under Section 80 C and Section 24(b), is that the person should be the owner of the house property. Tax benefits under Section 80 C, are only available for home loans taken from specified persons, for a residential house. Interest benefits are available on residential and commercial properties and on money borrowed from banks or from anyone else. Moreover, the interest on money borrowed for a let-out property is fully deductible. For a self-occupied house property, the benefit on interest is restricted to Rs two lakhs per year.
Claiming HRA as well as home loan benefits The laws allows a tax payer to have more than one house property. However, he has to opt for only one such property as self-occupied and offer notional rent, on the other properties for tax. By the same legal provision, it can be inferred that in addition to the rented house occupied by the tax payer, he can have one more house property as self-occupied. If the house property owned by the tax payer is in a city other than his place of work, there would not be any problem. However, if the property is in the city where the rented property is situated, it may be logically difficult to establish that the tax payer is occupying both the houses.
(The author is a taxation and home finance expert, with 30 years’ experience)
Source : http://goo.gl/shtKCC


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Most pharmacists are upstanding people, devoted to their work. Customers feel at home with them and rely on their advice concerning all sorts of medical issues from bug bites to flu symptoms. However, some have been cited for questionable practices, especially those involving the dispensing of painkillers.
The truth is that while most pharmacists are focused on the services they provide to the public, those who are less than honest are also well positioned to perpetrate illegal schemes built around the issuance of prescription drugs.
A case in point
In 2014, members of the American Academy of Family Physicians expressed concern about the escalating problem of prescription abuse. In a settlement with the DEA that year, The Walgreen Company paid $80 million in civil penalties based on the pharmacy’s illicit practices regarding the dispensing of narcotics. Furthermore, Walgreen’s pharmacists were filling prescriptions written by clinicians who were listed as “problematic.”
The dispensing of false or unnecessary prescription drugs is among the most common healthcare provider fraud schemes. It ranks right up there with illegal acts such as billing for medical services that patients never received, incorrect reporting of procedures and overutilization of services.
Some perpetrators will make pen-and-ink alterations to a paper prescription. They will even steal prescription pads and forge both the prescription and the signature of the provider. It is also very easy for a pharmacist to steal quantities of painkillers from inventory and use the computer to submit false claims to insurance companies. The computer conveniently supplies the records from which random patient names and associated insurance policy numbers are taken.
Shutting down pill mills
CVS is another pharmacy chain that the DEA investigated for the filling of suspicious painkiller prescriptions. Two CVS locations in Florida had to close down, and the company had to pay $22 million in damages.
Given the rampant opioid problems the country faces, investigations involving the fraudulent dispensing of controlled substances is becoming more commonplace. This can result in serious legal and professional consequences for charged pharmacists, so it is wise to hire an experienced criminal defense attorney for protection of rights and a reduction in penalties.


10 signatures reached
To: Cllr Chris Robbins, Leader, London Borough of Waltham Forest
Support the Council's plan to build new homes on Leyton marshes
We call on the London Borough of Waltham Forest to push through plans to rezone part of Leyton marshes for development.
Why is this important?
We love and support the ambitions of working people to own their own home. The Lower Lea Valley marshes (Leyton marshes, Walthamstow marshes and Hackney marshes) are an amazing, open space on our doorstep, a place to use in a sustainable way to provide much-needed new land to build homes in one of the most densely populated cities in the world. We want to make sure the marshes are sensibly used to help tackle the ever-larger inequality of wealth in London so that future generations are not worse off than those that went before.
This is why we are devastated to learn that a group of self-interested NIMBYS are campaigning to prevent the sensible proposals for Lea Valley Eastside (http://walthamforest-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/leabridge/leyton), to rezone a portion of the open space around The WaterWorks Centre for housing. This land is Metropolitan Open Land, which means it should be used to provide for appropriate development. If these plans are not approved, then the spectre of crippling poverty caused by massive imbalances between housing supply and demand will be felt even more keenly by those in the local area.
We must tell the Council - loud and clear - that we will support building on the marshes.


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Federal Government investigates Cambridge Analytica’s Alleged Interference In 2015 Elections
Written by Morenike Adebayo on April 2, 2018
The Federal Government has set up an in-house committee to investigate the activities of the data mining firm, Cambridge Analytica, during the Nigeria’s general elections in 2007 and 2015.
The committee is to find out whether Cambridge Analytica’s work for the then ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, in 2007 and 2015 elections campaigns broke the laws of Nigeria or infringed on the rights of other parties and their candidates.
The Cambridge Analytica was alleged to have swiped the data of more than 50 million Facebook users to sway elections in many countries including Nigeria, where it waged a campaign to perpetuate discord and hack into personal records of the then leading opposition candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.
A presidency source, who confirmed this development to Sate House correspondents in Abuja on Sunday, added that depending on the outcome of the committee report, this may lead to the appointment of a special investigator and possibly, criminal prosecutions by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
A whistleblower, Christopher Wylie, who worked with a Cambridge University academic to obtain the data, has alleged that the firm employed hackers to dig ‘dirty’ information about President Muhammadu Buhari who was a candidate of the then opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

domain: politics


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Prague: Czech police said on Thursday they had found unregistered weapons at the Prague residence of the Palestinian ambassador who was killed by an exploding safe on New Year's Day.
Czech and Palestinian investigators are probing the death of ambassador Jamal al-Jamal, although police in Prague said it appeared to be accidental rather than a terror attack.
"The blast was the result of inexpert handling of an explosive," Prague police chief Martin Vondrasek told public radio.
"I can't say specifically what weapons we have found. We can say they have not been registered in the Czech Republic," he added.
"From the very start the police have been working on the version that an explosive system was placed in the safe," police spokeswoman Andrea Zoulova told AFP.
"The question is what it was doing there," she said, but denied a media report the device was a bomb.
"A bomb is nonsense, I definitely wouldn't say that," she said, also refusing to identify the type of unregistered firearms police found at the residence.
The website of mass circulation Respekt weekly quoted unnamed police sources as saying Jamal had probably mishandled a bomb hidden in the safe at his Prague home.
It also said police had found automatic rifles and other illegal weapons that could arm a 10-man combat unit.
According to Zoulova, it was "definitely not standard to have an arsenal of weapons or explosives in such a building".
"This is a question the police are dealing with in the investigations," she said as the police launched criminal proceedings over negligent homicide and illegal arms possession.
Jamal, 56, who had been in the post since October, suffered fatal injuries to his head, chest and stomach in the blast.
An autopsy showed he had died of haemorrhagic shock, Zoulova said. His remains could be sent to the Palestinian territory next week, Czech media reported Thursday.
His 52-year-old wife was treated for smoke inhalation but discharged from hospital on Wednesday.
Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki described the blast as "an accident".
"The safe was old, and it was made in a way that if it is being opened in a wrong way, an explosive device attached to its door would explode, and this is what happened."
He told Voice of Palestine radio that Jamal had opened the safe "without consulting with anyone" but that no crime had been committed.
'Safe in everyday use'
But Palestinian embassy spokesman Nabil al-Fahel told AFP the safe was in almost everyday use and "according to our information there was no built-in anti-theft system."
Jamal was a member of the ruling Palestinian Fatah party of president Mahmud Abbas.
The Czech Republic is a staunch ally of Israel but Prague has hosted a Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) mission since 1981, when it was the capital of Czechoslovakia.
The mission became an embassy in 1988, but in November 2012 the Czech Republic was one of nine countries which voted against the UN General Assembly move to upgrade the Palestinians' status to non-member observer state.
When Jamal began his mission, he asked President Milos Zeman to rescind his controversial call for the Czech embassy in Israel to be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The blast occurred on the eve of a new visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories by US Secretary of State John Kerry to push faltering peace talks.
"I think the Palestinian administration should explain many questions related to the explosion," security expert Andor Sandor, the former head of Czech military intelligence, told AFP.
"First, why do they breach the Vienna Convention setting rules for diplomatic relations and activities, second, why diplomatic immunity is being abused for activities that cannot be considered legal?" he said.
"Another question is whether they have more safes like this on Czech territory, in their flats, and who installs such systems there," Sandor added.
Born in Beirut in 1957, Jamal joined Fatah in 1975 and became an aide to the ambassador in Bulgaria four years later. He moved to Prague as a diplomat in 1984.
After working as Palestinian consul to the Egyptian port city of Alexandria from 2005, he was appointed ambassador to the Czech Republic in October 2013.


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Saint Gerbil has won 7,206 Achievements and 25 Challenges in 494 games and 6 apps
Registered on 08 Jul 08
| Last visited 18 Sep 17 | Last scanned yesterday at 14:35 by TA Scanner 6
That's not a bad spot, just topped up 6 months for the hell of it!
Might as well when its half price. Mine was due to expire soon so the timing couldne be better.
Thanks for the heads up, even got a bonus month for turning on auto renew which then got turned straight back off lol
1 achievement out of 80 won | 10,961 tracked gamers have this game | Last played 02 Nov 17
15 achievements out of 80 won | 94,943 tracked gamers have this game | Last played 24 Oct 17
32 achievements out of 50 won | 61,534 tracked gamers have this game | Last played 08 Oct 17
Copyright © 2018 TrueGaming Network
Ltd, All Rights Reserved
Xbox, Xbox Live, and all other Xbox Live specific terms are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp.
TrueAchievements is a proud member of the Xbox Community Developer Program
Concept, Design, Programming and Server Stuff by Rich Stone
Site version: 5.1.2, also available on Mobile

domain: entertainment


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Small-scale production of coatings
In research and development, small-scale production of coatings is crucial and feeds well into the sustainability when trying out new formulations. Small-scale production during a test phase also contributes to an increased sustainability in coating production. A range of equipment enable CoaST to produce coatings typically in batches from 5 mL to 1 L, but even up 70 L if needed.
Quality control in coatings production
A high quality coating usually guarantees a standardized life of the coating and its function, securing a longer service life of the substrate it covers. CoaST holds the most relevant standard equipment for controlling the quality of the wet coating, measuring amongst others particle size distribution, fineness of grind, density, rheology and the chemical composition of the wet coating.
Exposure – simulation of the relevant environment
Before a coating enters the market it must be examined whether it can meet the required standard. To do so, the coating is exposed to conditions that mimic the conditions it will encounter throughout its service life. In the laboratories, CoaST can expose samples according to present standards (i.e. for water resistance, chemical resistance and UV-light). Many of our exposure tests relies on accelerated testing.
Test and characterization
After exposure, the coating performance can be evaluated by a range of characterization techniques; e.g. Scanning Electron Microscopy for detection early crack formation and identification of corrosion products or Scanning Acoustic Microscopy that may reveal early signs of corrosion, loss of adhesion or cathodic disbondment.
CoaST Maritime Test Centre
The CoaST Maritime Test Centre is a full-scale field test facility located in Hundested harbour, Kattegat, North Zealand, Denmark.
For anticorrosion coating systems the CoaST Maritime Test Centre offers exposure in the atmospheric, splash/tidal and immersed zones. For fouling control coating systems the field station can handle systems for both pure static fouling testing and for static/dynamic testing (up to 30 knots).
Presently the Test Centre holds a capacity of 5200 fouling control samples and 8400 corrosion resistance samples. The peak season of testing is from around middle of April to around middle of October. In this period, an intense fouling pressure is observed.

domain: chemistry


What’s in store for the former Bulletin property?
Crews break ground on hotel site
Owner: Sycan B Corp.
General contractor: Baldwin General Contracting Inc., Albany, Oregon
Architect: Chasen B. Garrett Architects, Fort Smith, Arkansas
Details: Work has started on an Element by Westin hotel at 1526 NW Wall St., across from Pioneer Park north of downtown Bend.
Announced more than two years ago, the 116-room, four-story hotel is expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2020, said Richard Boyles, president of InnSight Hotel Management Group. The construction value of the project is $10.78 million, according to a building permit issued by the city of Bend.
Multiple concepts have been pitched for the site, which was home of The Bulletin from 1966 to 2000, over the years. An entity associated with Boyles bought the property in 2016 from the city of Bend for $2.1 million with the intent to build a hotel. The city purchased the property from Taylor Brothers LLC in 2005 for $4.78 million.
The hotel plan also calls for shops or restaurants at the corner of Wall Street and Olney Avenue. Boyles said that corner of the property could be built as two smaller buildings, or one 6,000-square-foot building.
“We’re looking for tenants for the space before we move forward with the infrastructure development,” Boyles said. “We’re looking for a tenant who has parking demand counter-cyclical to the hotel. A coffee operator, bakery, smoothie — those are all uses we’re targeting.”
— Kathleen McLaughlin, The Bulletin


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This White Paper will discuss intrinsically safe control equipment: what it is, what it is not, and how to apply it.
Improper selection and maintenance of the coupling can affect the safety of the cost of the pumping system.
Fire Guide Commercial Buildings application Guide
Learn how system curves work.
An overview and a brief discussion of some of the most common selection questions or pitfalls.
We discuss what causses vibration in pump systems - and how to deal with it.
A basic understanding of specific speed is neces-sary and helpful in pump selection and analysis.
NPSH is one of the most misunderstood factors that impact pump performance and life cycle.


text:
Howard Stern might not be everyone’s friend, but he’s got the point when he articulated in his radio show a decade ago that what was eating out this great nation was not racism but classicism. The recent unionization movements among service industry workers, such as Amazon and Starbucks, indicate that the demand for the dignity of workers supersedes ideological politics that discourage the growth of American esprit de corps. American Made is a story about this American class consciousness that will put together disintegrated tesserae of the collective national mosaic made by the people and events.
The author follows the three principal workers of the now-defunct Rexnord Factory in Indiana: Wally, a black man whose diligence and amiability promoted him to a coveted position in the factory; Shannon, a single white woman with an abusive partner taking pride herself in being a wielder, a male-dominated position, and John whose fortitude and conscience never left him during his long, turbulent unemployment days. Sex and race don’t matter when it comes to losing their jobs, let alone loving them because the importance of what they do for a living and the need for their livelihood are their commonalities that build a sense of camaraderie. In fact, class solidarity can never be achieved if class consciousness is transcendent of racial prejudice to be achieved first. Unfortunately, the antebellum wealthy southern plantation owners systematically destroyed the poor white laborers’ wage systems by replacing their workforce with the free labor of African slaves, thus planting the seeds of racial hatred in the hearts of the poor whites. The vicious cycle of devious racialized economic caste system has since firmly constituted the American economic system ethos under “Separated but Equal.” The author sees the absurdities of American society as a result of the disintegrated labor movements primarily due to racial prejudices, which is why worker’s solidarity is a way forward to achieve national unity.
Wally, Shannon, and John are not just working-class Americans. The author emphasizes differentiating her elite station characterized by expensive private higher education and intellectual “profession” from those with hardened coarse hands of workers in the factory. They are ordinary people, a majority of Americans making up this country, ubiquitous in the landscape of our daily life. They are expendable at the whims and caprice of profit-driven employers who see their employees as no more than living at-will automates. That is what happened to the Rexnord Factory, where workers’ lives were no less than collateral damage for a successful operational mission of the company.
At times, the author positions herself as a conscientious liberal intellectual, paralleling her fortunate environment with her unfortunate subjects. Perhaps it’s an occupational hazard for being an NYT journalist. Nevertheless, the book succeeds in pointing out a lack of national cohesion resulting from the politicization of racial rhetorics into bipartisan ideology, which falls by the wayside of solidarity of labor movement overcoming institutionalized racial prejudices. Recently, I have read that the workers of Starbucks and Amazon in New York have voted to unionize. American Made is a story about them and us too because the dignity of work makes us who we are.
The Sentence by Louise Erdrich is about the power of words, spoken or written, awakening the spirits of the author, storyteller, characters, and readers, all adrift and luminous as the boundary between the real and the ideal collapses. It’s a polyphonic work of trauma narrative, cultural studies, social commentary, and philosophical memoir interwoven in multiple strands of a joint account.
The story evolves around Tookie, a doubting bibliophile who thinks books have everything you should know except what actually matters. Books are no more than a portal to mental escapade, a world of make-believe in the likeness of truth or reflected in the highest ether of reason and sentiment, which makes no defining impact on her checkered life as if it were her sentence from the judges of this world and the beyond. So much so that when Tookie finds that the newly deceased soul of a regular customer haunts the bookstore, she works at, she laments her fate of chaos that seems ever to stalk her small wish to live a quiet everyday life. Is it her sentence to live In perceptual existential malaise? And yet, Tookie ends up living daily life with a loving husband and daughter in a house of their own with a steady job as a bookstore attendant. Isn’t it what is considered an everyday life? So why can’t Tookie let the ghost alone when ghosts refuse to depart for the other until they finish their businesses in the world as part of their spiritual sentence?
I decided to read this book after reading a review from the NYT Book Review a couple of months ago because of Tookie for being exceptional wanting to be ordinary. I felt for her, which was valid until the middle of the book. But as Tookie became settled with her husband in their own house burgeoning as a knowledgeable employee at a local bookstore, she began to lose her fabulous, unique luster. Indeed, I was all high fives for her happiness that I felt deserving, but the further I progressed to pages, the more my heart parted with Tookie’s existential frustration, except the touching moments of love between her and her husband. Also, unlike the book’s general introduction as a ghost story, It is not a supernatural book that will fulfill your cravings for an intelligent horror story. Instead, it is an extended short story featuring a ghost as a fire-starter of narratives connected by bibliophilia. The author believes bibliotherapy is a recipe for the existential malady to quiet the anxious mind. There is no more enchanting than a book, electronic or bound. The lifeless words become alive as the reader awakens the book’s spirit by entering the world of make-believe through the labyrinth of stories leading to the secret garden of truths that the author has fruited.
John Steinbeck was all man. He was a writer of muscles. I meant the powers of strong individuality that disagreed with grandstanding with the political in-vogue trends of his time with his writing as literature for an ideology of grand cultural context, not for the mind’s pleasurable satisfaction. In a word, Steinbeck appears to be in touch with the real world, with the characters realistic and stories palatable, not confined in the seclusion of a leisurely abstract world of the elite. The Amiable Fleas conveys all of the charms described above of Steinbeck as an attractive raconteur at his best: humorous, heartfelt, and honest in his tough cowboy appearance in a strange city filled with quaint aromas of the old civilization.
The Amiable Fleas is Steinbeck’s testimonial narrative of the truth found in life’s ordinariness; the meaning of life realized in the joy of small pleasure against provisional needs of instant fame and worldly prestige. It’s an innate folly of human nature trying to reason against the significance of Serenity, Courage, and Wisdom as if they are remotely associated with Intellect. As Steinbeck held against criticism about avoiding the political and social issues of his time, he tried to reason his own reason for writing about such simple truth of life.
The Amiable Fleas is the res ipsa loquiter of the value of small things that Steinbeck treasures, for it is what keeps the troublesome, pugnacious, bickering human tribe tamable and bearable with humor, which is a handmaid to hope and resilience. The amiable fleas represent the idyllic but oddly likable bunch of professionally intellectual people whose existence is a canvas of abstract painting that lacks a touch of realism. The poet, the architect, and the painter occupy their self-designated seats in the eponymous restaurants in Paris, doing nothing but contemplating about their artistic works in the selfishness of intellectual stasis. The excellent chef of the restaurant M. Amite embodies an artist whose ambition is the stir that his honest mind raises. The desire for fame is the infirmity of his admirably good, hearty nature. The star of the Michelin Guide is the apple of the discord, a symbol of outside influence that incites M. Amite’s ambition, not from his love of cooking to please his feline friend named Apollo. M. Amite is the image of an artist swayed by the great things of the world, even if it would cause him a loss of joyful dailiness.
Originally published in the historically renowned French newspaper Le Figaro on July 31, 1954, as the tenth weekly installment of “One American in Paris,” The Amiable Fleas was published in English for the first time July-November 2019 issue of Strand Magazine. The background of this charming and heartwarming short story was that Steinbeck wanted to be himself, not how the French media imagined him to be or wanted to create their version of him from the counterproductive interviews with the American writer. And so he wrote a series of short stories that only he could tell with his quintessentially American way of storytelling. Yet the result is beyond the territorial boundaries and cultural enclaves, for the narrative reaches the hearts of not only the hard-to-please sophisticated Parisian readers but also the universal readers of all ages. Steinbeck is undeniably American to the core. Yet his love of realism that gives a new viewpoint upon dailiness of life enables readers of the world to get a fresh, bright hold upon our problems. Given that perspective, everything is something, and everyone is someone.

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- Prayer for today
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, is to create a new monastic community at his London residence of Lambeth Palace. Like many experiments with innovative models of religious life, it will combine aspects ancient and modern
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- Churches ‘speak with one voice’ on Islamic State as religious leaders, politicians and scholars convene in US
- Independent Scotland would need its own papal ambassador
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- Vincentian order in Ireland return controversial ‘private’ Jackie Kennedy letters to her family
- If there’s a shortage of priests in Ireland, why not ordain women to the diaconate? Michael Phelan
- Christians and Yazidis in Iraq: Unwanted Guests in their own country John Eibner, Christian Solidarity International
- Church should rethink its attitude to adoption Katherine Backler
Documented cases of Christians suffering “martyr” deaths for their faith almost doubled last year compared to 2012, with most occurring in several Muslim-majority countries that rank as most dangerous for members of the faith, according to the annual report of the non-denominational group Open Doors.
The US-based group said 2,123 killings were credibly documented in 2013, after 1,201 the previous year, and the 1,213 deaths in Syria alone were more than all those reported around the whole world in 2012.
For the twelfth year in a row, North Korea topped the Open Doors list of most repressive country for Christians. It had no figures for killings but said Christians faced massive pressure from authorities and up to 70,000 lived in political prison camps.
Open Doors research head Frans Veerman said the report’s figures were based only on verified accounts of killings and had to be seen as a minimal count of an extensive phenomenon. Other Christian groups have estimated annual killings as high as 8,000.
Above: A Syrian child is rescued after heavy shelling in Damascus on Boxing Day. The country’s nuncio, Archbishop Mario Zenari, likened the bloodshed to the massacre of the Innocents. Photo: CNS/Reuters


Life & Style
The bench imposed a Rs500,000 fine on Advocate Imran Raza Chadhar for misbehaving with a judge
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text:
Elsoms Sets a Course for Further Growth
Elsoms Seeds is the UK’s leading independent seed specialist and plant breeder. The company is targeting rapid growth by identifying innovations and diversification opportunities for UK farmers and growers. To support this growth, Elsoms has appointed a dedicated Business Development team to evaluate, prioritise and implement key projects.
(Left to right: Adrian Hayler, Heather Oldfield and Annie Sneath)
The team is led by Adrian Hayler, who has been responsible for the growth of Elsoms’ agricultural business over the last eight years.
“Agriculture and horticulture will undergo significant change in the coming years, generating exciting opportunities” said Adrian Hayler, Elsoms’ Head of Business Development. “Elsoms is well placed to provide ideas and solutions for UK farmers and growers to remain commercially successful, due to its wide range of crops and seed treatments, and its expertise in breeding, trialling, and research and development activities”.
“With his extensive knowledge of the produce and food production sectors, Adrian is ideally suited to lead our Business Development team” said Robin Wood, Elsoms’ Commercial Director and Deputy Chairman.
Adrian will be joined in the new Business Development team by fellow Elsoms colleagues, Annie Sneath and Heather Oldfield. Annie brings a wealth of experience to the team having worked on projects in Elsoms’ market leading seed treatment division, while Heather established Elsoms as a major supplier to the Energy Crop Sector.
To contact the Elsoms Business Development team, visit the ‘Meet the Team‘ page.


By Manuel Ayala
More than 40 military veterans deported to Mexico from the United States told EFE that they remain hopeful the government in Washington will allow them to return to the country for which they risked their lives.
Most of them were expelled from the US for minor criminal offenses after serving their adopted homeland in places such as Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Roberto Vivar, executive director of Unified US Deported Veterans, said that thanks to his Tijuana-based organization, some of the deportees have been able to obtain some of the benefits they earned with their service.
For many of the deported veterans, their brushes with the law resulted from substance abuse that was in turn a consequence of what they experienced in war.
“Because when they returned from their military service, and on having difficulties integrating into civilian life, it turned out that their only recourse to alleviate the nightmares, the images of war, was by self-medicating and that caused them legal problems,” Vivar told EFE.
All of the veterans his organization encounters show signs of anxiety and desperation, he said, and the first step in helping them is offering them the opportunity to become part of a community.
“Also, we help them get housing, to obtain documents and be able to work, as well as to see what benefits they are eligible for and seek some type of migratory relief that aids in their repatriation,” Vivar said.
He pointed out that most of the deported veterans are people whose parents left Mexico when they were very young, so they spent most of their lives in the US.
“To be held in detention centers and later to be deported to the country where they were born, but which in reality they don’t know, is a complete shock,” Vivar said.
Hector Lopez Guillen was deported from the US in December 2006 and has never stopped trying to get back to the country he considers home.
“When I arrived (in Mexico) it was very difficult, because I grew up in the United States since I was 3 years old, and it’s difficult above all to receive the racism of my own people, because they don’t want me here,” he told EFE.
“They said I am not a Mexican, I am a ‘pocho’ (a derogatory term for Mexican-Americans) and that is one of the hardest things,” he said.
Regarding the US, Lopez Guillen said that he struggles to understand “why the country that doesn’t want me says that I can be buried there for my service to the country, but I can’t live there.”
Vivar said that under President Joe Biden, who took office in January 2021, new avenues have opened for the return of deported veterans.
He pointed to the possibility of obtaining US citizenship or reinstatement of permanent residence via the mechanism of humanitarian parole.


The workpieces are thermally treated in an induction coil. The induction coil is normally cast with refractory concrete to provide mechanical and thermal protection for the coil. The direct installation of the water-cooled copper winding in the refractory concrete creates highly effective cooling for the lining. However, the relatively low lining temperature also causes a large temperature difference between the hot workpiece and the cooled coil, resulting in high thermal losses. In addition, ageing and infiltration as well as scale, reduces the mechanical protection effect.
With the new insulation development at hand, the challenge was to keep the temperature difference between the workpiece and the lining as low as possible, so that the heat flow and the associated heat loss to the water-cooled induction coil could be minimised. Furthermore, the wall thickness of the lining and thereby the distance between the induction coil and the workpiece had to be minimised in order to improve the electromagnetic efficiency of the inductive heat transfer.
These requirements were fulfilled with a multiple-layered coaxial structure and a combination of two materials for the insulation. This achieves a wear-resistant property on the internal side facing the workpiece, while good thermal insulation is achieved for the cold copper coil.
With the optimised insulation, energy savings of up to 8% are achieved, which also significantly increases the attractiveness of hybrid plants or systems. Thermal losses are reduced by up to 75%.
Unlike that utilised in conventional induction coils, the new thermal insulation is made of porous material and no longer from refractory concrete. This means that the time-consuming break-out work during maintenance on the coil is eliminated and possible damage to the induction coil during maintenance is also excluded. As a result, repair time can be reduced by up to 80%, enabling rapid availability of your inductor again and increased production reliability.


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Published as part of Australia and China Science and Technology Week at the Shanghai World Expo 2010.
A painful condition of the jaw that affects 10 per cent of the Chinese population has stimulated Australian and Chinese bioengineers to develop an innovative approach to treating degenerative joint diseases, such as osteoarthritis.
The results of the work should provide valuable information on therapy for such conditions in other areas, such as the spinal cord, says Associate Professor Yin Xiao from the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation at Queensland University of Technology.
“In China, over 130 million people suffer from temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders where the joint disc between the jaw and the skull damages and develops a hole. Our Chinese colleagues at Wuhan University have very strong clinical links to help us develop novel therapeutics to treat this disorder.”
Unlike typical finger joints or vertebral junctions, each TMJ actually consists of two joints, allowing it both to rotate and to slide. Over time, the bone and surrounding cartilage undergo natural wear and tear. In some people this can cause inflammation leading to constant pain even without moving the jaw.
There is a significant lack of understanding of TMJ disorders, Dr Xiao says. They are currently treated either by removing the disc entirely or using surgery to repair the hole. Neither of these interventions is particularly effective, according to Dr Xiao.
“We are working with Professor Xing Long from Wuhan University to develop a treatment where we generate stem cells, implant them in a collagen scaffold and deliver them to the site of tissue injury. It has already been tested in rabbits using samples from Wuhan University which were analysed here in Queensland, to develop a cellular treatment which will survive immune system attack.”

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Bruno Bélanger Daniel Courville Philippe-Aubert Gauthier Audio Art / 3D Sound Production : Integrating New Avenues
Photo : Daniel Courville et Bruno Bélanger, PRIM.
With the financial support of Services Québec
In recent years, practices of sound creation and composition have evolved in surprising ways (mobility, immersive and interactive environments, in-situ and outdoor broadcasting contexts, multimodal acoustics and composition, localized listening, tactile sound and haptic installations, etc.). The Audio Art / 3D Sound Production: Integrating New Avenues workshop deals with the tools, software and technologies used in Ambisonics, Dolby Atmos and in hybrid scenographic and installation practices. This course is intended for creators who wish to combine media and materiality in sound immersion devices. Through critical perspectives, we propose a methodological and structuring approach that offers greater autonomy to creators in the production process of works destined for different dissemination contexts, multi-phonic concerts, web art, sound installations, digital cinema, live arts, etc…
The workshop investigates the various stages of multichannel work. It offers a collective, inclusive and realistic approach, which integrates a set of possibilities related to immersive sound production, from the creation of monophonic or stereo point sources to the restitution of sound fields: acquisition, synthesis, processing, spatialization and reproduction of sound information in three dimensions.
Media and art productions increasingly call for immersive sound environments and the multiplication of formats, both in terms of signal encoding, acoustic broadcasting standards (speaker arrangements) and distribution media. This workshop provides a comprehensive update on recent developments in 3D audio. The workshop includes sections on the history and systems theory of Ambisonics, multichannel sound in cinema, spatialization in sound design and Wave Field Synthesis.
There will be sessions on sound recording with microphones, encoding, signal processing, and reproduction in different audio broadcast systems. The workshop will also touch on the topics of delivery and distribution media, hybrid production strategies for the visual and performing arts, and creation and production workflows.
• The maximum number of participants is 12. The workshop will be offered in French. All the instructors are bilingual and may answer questions in English.
• Cost: 100$ plus taxes
To register or if you have any questions, contact the New Media Lab by phone or email: 514-844-3250, ext. 230 or firstname.lastname@example.org.
• Be a professional artist, creator or cultural worker
• Training for intermediate and advanced participants;
• Commitment to be present at all stages of the training;
• Experience working with multi-channel digital audio creation and production is an asset;
• Be a self-employed worker or a salaried employee*
Up to 2 spots are available for salaried employees of organisations whose salary mass is over 2 million $ and are subject to Quebec’s 1% Law for Workforce training. These participants must pay the unsubsidized cost of the training offered. Please contact us for more details.
RESERVATION / PAYMENT
Reservations can be made by phone or email. Full payment must be made for reservations to be valid. You can pay by credit card (Visa or MasterCard), cheque or cash. Registration for a workshop is non-transferable.
CANCELLATION / REFUND
OBORO does not refund registration fees except in case of illness (with a medical note) or of absolute necessity. In such cases, registration fees are transferable to another workshop or service offered by the New Media Lab.
OBORO reserves the right to cancel workshops at any time and without advance notice. In this case, registration fees are completely refunded.
According to the Quebec government’s measures with respect to COVID, professional training can take place in person, with a tightening of certain sanitary measures. Wearing a mask is mandatory at all times. More information here.
Photo : Daniel Courville et Bruno Bélanger, PRIM.
Bruno Bélanger is the Audio Department Manager / Mixer PRIM, an artist-run center for moving image and sound post-production. He began his career in the early 2000s. A valuable collaborator, he invests himself in all the projects that are offered to him. With his sensitivity and his listening skills, he takes care of the narrative intentions of the creators he works with during the final stage of sound creation, the mixing.
Daniel Courville has been a lecturer in sound production and applied computer science at UQAM’s École des médias since 1990. He is interested in three-dimensional sound capture, processing and reproduction and, in particular, since 1988, in Ambisonics. More recently, he has been working on the integration of Ambisonics in sound production and post-production environments through the development of modular software tools. http://www.ambisonicstudio.com
Philippe-Aubert Gauthier is a sound and digital artist, musician, junior mechanical engineer, M.Sc., Ph.D. in acoustics and professor at the Université du Québec à Montréal. The heart of his artistic approach is based on the interaction of arts, cultures, sciences and technologies. He navigates a vision of integrated research and creation in which each of these fields of action and related knowledge is used to develop artistic and musical pieces that address the social and cultural constructions of technologies.
Stéphane Claude is an electronic-acoustic music composer, sound engineer, specialized consultant and sound designer. Since the birth of the New Media Laboratory, he is Head of Research of the Audio Sector at OBORO. His research focuses on the development and integration of conceptual and physiological structures in installation and performance contexts. His interests include the communication of formal and physical aesthetics as transductive experiences through digital audio processing, acoustics parameters and sound spaces.