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A journalist called Elspeth Huxley once wrote: “Africa is a cruel country (sic); it takes your heart and grinds it into powdered stone – and no one minds.”
And here I am again, my powdered heart and I – this time in Malawi, deposited here by Malawi Air. As the midday Blantyre heat slowly defrosts our South African cryogenic state, the dusty, bustling road we’re on eventually reveals the magnificent winding mountain pass down into the Shire Valley. The green valley lies indolently back into the arms of the surrounding mountains like a long lost lover. I have rediscovered pure joy as we drive to our first location – Mkulumadzi Lodge in the Majete Reserve.
Located in the south of Malawi, Majete is an area of 70 000 hectares and part of Africa’s Great Rift Valley. We drive for a couple of hours through villages and the sounds of children’s voices are carried on the smoky breeze as we move closer towards the vermilion setting sun. We arrive after dark and walk across a suspension bridge. I can hardly see a thing but my senses are filled with the smell of the bush and the roar of the mighty Shire River. Our hosts, Mark, Jenna and Simon, welcome us with a gorgeous dinner. The sight of my suite makes me swoon. Each of the eight luxury chalets consists of a large bedroom and lounge that opens out to a wooden deck, plus an en suite bathroom with a sunken bath that overlooks the river. There is also an outdoor rain shower which is open to the surrounding bush. The whole lodge is solar powered with a back-up generator.
There is also a two-bed room family unit, cleverly designed so parents live on one side of the communal lounge and the kids on the other.
The haunting cry of a fish eagle breaks the dawn the next morning and the view makes my heart ache. I open the flap door onto my deck and for the first time in the pink-grey changing colours of dawn, the magnificent river reveals itself to me. I amble to breakfast and while enjoying the most delicious muesli and fruit concoction, I stare at the river in stupefied wonder. Jenna joins me and says there is a lot here to keep families busy – playing in the pool, game drives, walks and river cruises. En-route to the river for the cruise later that day we encounter eland, warthog and a white bushbuck – which is one of the rarest sights ever I’m told by Simon. The river cruise itself suspends time in totality.We watch as a herd of about 20 elephant cross the river, silhouetted against the setting sun.
That night I stare up at an infinite blanket of stars. Some fall, most stay… After a poignant farewell the next morning we are off to Mvuu Wilderness Lodge. The people of Malawi are known for their placid, loving nature. They are the most genuine and generous of spirit. Everywhere, people are on their way somewhere, working and getting on with life. As we drive, the country also reveals its incredible natural and dramatic beauty – rocky outcrops, high mountains and breath-taking plateaus.
After a four-hour drive, we finally get to Liwonde National Park. Mvuu Wilderness Lodge is a revelation. It is a hidden safari camp gem, (yore means old and this was built in 1994) with the main lounge building set high above the still water and wonderful views. This lush and fertile area sports an excellent diversity of animals, including elephant and sable antelope, impala and waterbuck. Mvuu is a true eco-lodge sans the self-congratulatory fanfare that usually accompanies such a distinction. Built in 1994, it runs only on solar power and a limited generator. Room service may be obtained by banging on a drum inside your tent and the amazing staff literally come running…
Accommodation at Mvuu Wilderness Lodge comprises of eight spacious tents for a maximum of 16 guests, each with en-suite bathroom facilities and a private viewing platform looking out on to the lagoon. Dinner is served on the ‘beach’, overlooking the dark river. The food is excellent, served by lantern and firelight with the sounds of crickets, frogs and hippos filling the expanse of the enormous night around us. Later we sit outside on the balcony in the pitch black night. I look up. The stars have followed me. Only tonight the Milky Way has the texture of soft, white velvet and the stars seem to have multiplied ten-fold. Some fall. Most stay. I watch in suspended reverie.
The entire bush and river is bathed in a hue of ghostly and otherworldly mist the next morning as we go on a safari walk with our guide, Douwe. There is no sound. No wind. The Mopani forest holds its breath and nothing moves in the eerie, white gloom. Then suddenly, there are elephants. We spot the herd very close to us through the fog as they forage, completely unaware of our existence. I skip the boat ride later to explore the adjacent camp, a very affordable haven for families with children. You can choose between charming self-catering or full-service chalets. There are two pools and a kiddie’s play area with jungle gyms and swings. Combined with a number of games and activities, never a dull moment is assured.
I decide on an early night, drifting off to sleep to the eerie and unique cry of the Pel’s fishing owl, its undulating echoes piercing the dark African night. The day brings me, finally, to the glorious and breath-taking Lake Malawi! Pumulani Beach Lodge perches high above the tranquil, endless blue water in aopulent, exotic nest against the mountain within the Lake Malawi National Park.
Suspension bridge entrance to Mkulumadzi Lodge at Majete
“The small waves lap the tiny beach with butterfly kisses and we kayak for hours on the calm crystal blue lake in this secluded slice of heaven.”
The lodge has an airy, sea-breezy feel to it with high ceilings, some nautical decor themes and of course, a spectacular view. The ten villas are spread out along a lush hillside overlooking the lake. Each has a large bedroom, a comfortable sitting area and a humungous bathroom with bathtub and double shower. And, naturally, private decks with views of the lake. The lodge also has a family villa that sleeps four (or five with smaller children).
We take one of the wooden walkways down to the beach. If you have kids, beware. They will never want to leave. Besides the pool and the beach, there is water-skiing, sailing, diving, wakeboarding, kayaking, snorkelling and fishing – and everything is safe. The staffs on the beach are ready and willing to assist with whatever activity you choose to participate in, all included in the rate apart from scuba diving. After a divine dinner, I stretch out on my balcony in the balmy night. I see six falling stars in half an hour. How many wishes can one person have? Mumbo Island awaits us for lunch the following day and I have to devote an entire book to this pristine and deserted tropical island. Mumbo Island has never been populated and is still in its natural state with a thick covering of miombo woodland and ancient fig and baobab trees.
The tiny island camp, with capacity for only fourteen guests, features tastefully furnished tents (one is a family tent) with shaded decks, hammocks, hot bucket showers and ‘eco-loos’. The small waves lap the tiny beach with butterfly kisses and we kayak for hours on the calm crystal blue lake in this secluded slice of heaven. Back at Pumulani a treat awaits after dinner. Chris, the manager, sets up the lodge’s very fancy telescope for us to get a close-up of the constellations and planets. It is a very surreal feeling to see Saturn in real life with its rings, just as it appears in drawings.
A tiny four-seater plane takes us aboard the next day for the hour’s flight to Mfuwe South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. On arrival, we are met by our ranger, Freddie, who takes us to our final haven – Nkwali. The rustic, yet luxurious, Nkwali Camp accommodates fourteen guests and the beautiful rooms are made of woven bamboo, stone floors and thatch, each with a view of the glittering river. There is one family room, a double and a twin, both en-suite and a swimming pool. The laid-back, thatched Robin’s House caters for groups and families, as does the majestic, totally exclusive and full-serviced Luangwa House further away on the property.
That afternoon on the game drive we spot a leopard up a tree, lions lazing in the shade, hyena, jackals and buffalo. The Lodge also offers walking safaris, night drives and boating. Dinner was a delightful, traditional ‘braai’ (barbeque) in the bush featuring maize, steak, sausage, chicken and salads.
On our last night we stayed at the quaint Heuglins Guest House – a charming and perfect gateway between Zambia, Malawi and South Africa with great service and great food.


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Did you know that as early as age 30, testosterone levels begin to drop? Just as we enter our third decade, the body stops producing testosterone at the same rate as in our peak years, and drops roughly 1 – 2% per year after. Testosterone is a critical male sex hormone responsible for many important functions in the body, including body composition, sex drive, and fertility. While the loss of 1-2% of your testo production each year may not be enough to send you into crashing into the low range, it may be enough for you to start noticing some of the effects.
As we age, and as our testo drops, you may notice some small changes, like easier fat accumulation and more difficult muscle retention. It may seem like an inevitable fact of life, but there are vitamins, minerals, and herbs you can use to help keep your testosterone production performing at its natural best. Here are five ingredients you can use to help support your natural testosterone production.
Vitamin D is involved in many important functions throughout the body. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that we’re able to produce ourselves when our skin is exposed to sunlight. It is found in very few foods naturally, and because of its function in calcium absorption, many dairy products are fortified with vitamin D. As it is hard to come by in foods and due to a mostly indoor lifestyle, it’s easy to become deficient in this vitamin, and studies have shown that vitamin D deficiencies are closely correlated with low testosterone levels. However, these studies also show that when vitamin D levels are raised out of deficiency with supplementation, testosterone levels are also seen to increase. Adding a vitamin D supplement to your diet is an easy way to help keep your testo levels in check.
This mineral is found much more commonly in foods, and yet many Americans are deficient in zinc. Just like with vitamin D, studies have found low testosterone levels to be correlated with zinc deficiencies. Again, these low testo levels were raised when the subjects’ zinc levels were brought back up into the normal range. Both zinc and vitamin D are easy nutrients to find supplements for. To get the most out of your supplements, try looking for ones that use a combination of ingredients like Hexo Fire Labs Delta Prime, which combines vitamin D, zinc, and a variety of herbs targeted specifically at men’s health.
- D-Aspartic Acid
D-Aspartic Acid (D-AA) is a specific form of aspartate, an amino acid. D-AA helps to regulate and stimulate the release of specific hormones, including growth hormone, and luteinizing hormone. The release of the luteinizing hormone is important because it triggers the Leydig cells to start creating testosterone. Studies have shown that D-AA has an important function in fertility, with the motility and number of sperm increasing in test subjects with low fertility when supplemented. It’s effect on testosterone levels, however, is unclear. While some studies noted an increase in the testosterone levels of athletes after D-AA supplementation, other studies did not get the same results. It has been noted that D-AA may be more useful for men that have low testosterone or sexual dysfunction rather than healthy, young males.
Ashwanda is a versatile herb that makes up an integral part of Ayurveda. Native to the Middle East, Africa, and India, ashwagandhais considered to be an adaptogen, containing properties that help the body deal with stress. It’s these properties that make it a promising herb for raising testosterone. When the body is stressed (physically or mentally), it produces cortisol. When cortisol is high, testosterone levels tend to be low. One study gave men 5g of ashwagandha per day for three months. At the end of the test period, subjects’ stress levels had been significantly lowered, and antioxidant levels and sperm quality had also improved. Another study gave a 300mg dose of ashwagandha to young, healthy adult males twice daily for 8 weeks, in conjunction with a resistance training program. By the end of the test period, the test subjects had significantly more muscle strength and size, reduced muscle damage, and higher testosterone levels than the placebo group. Ashwagandha may be a very useful herb in helping to keep testosterone production functioning normally.
Fenugreek is another herb used in traditional medicinal systems, as well as a spice in cooking. Studies on Fenugreek have been successful in showing increases in free testosterone levels in young men, as well as self-reported increases in libido, energy and well-being. When paired with a resistance training program, test subjects also saw more strength increases and fat loss when compared with the placebo group. Researchers think fenugreek works by limiting the conversion of testosterone to estrogen in the body, which is especially helpful in older men that carry more excess fat. Fenugreek is widely available in many testosterone boosting supplements, and may be helpful in keeping your testosterone production in top form.
It’s undeniable that as we age, our bodies begin to produce less testosterone. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything to slow that decline as much as possible. By supplementing smartly and making a few lifestyle changes, you can take testosterone levels off the worry list.

domain: medical


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New to the library? Wondering how you can print, photocopy, and scan your documents? What is JumboCash and how does it work? You can find all of your answers on the Hirsh Health Sciences Library website.
- You may add money to your account by using the JumboCash machine on the library 4th floor (cash only) or online at http://www.jumbocash.net/
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- Photocopiers are located on the 5th and 6th floors and black & white copies cost $.10 per page
Feel free to ask a member of staff if you need assistance.
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domain: library


But economists are unsure of long-term effects
The mandatory program will teach international staff about their rights – and employers will be forced to foot the bill
The guidelines have been designed to help employers resolve workplace issues before they escalate into fully-blown disputes.
Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say urges other organizations to follow the lead of these companies
More Singaporean professionals are being hired due to a closer eye on unfair hiring practices, MOM reveals
Companies are increasingly favouring locals over foreigners after government's watchlist threat
An ex-employee of a high-profile lawyer in Singapore has filed a police report alleging the mistreatment
Hong Kong jobseekers are turning down jobs with their preferred employer because of one big issue
How can HR support employees’ well-being?


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domain: news


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Feinstein to introduce gun control bill next year
WASHINGTON -- Two days after the shooting deaths of 26 people at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school, Sen. Dianne Feinstein pledged Sunday that she would introduce new gun control legislation at the beginning of next year’s congressional session.
By Morgan Little
December 16, 2012

domain: law


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Condemning the killing of civilian Muhammad Salim Malik of Noorbagh, Qamarwari, here, the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman today termed it 'murder in cold blood by the forces'.
"Innocent youth Muhammad Salim Malik of Noorbagh here was killed in cold blood by the forces," a JKLF spokesman quoted Yasin Malik as having said while addressing mourners at the residence of the deceased.
"Everyone living in the area of Noorbagh knows that Malik was murdered in cold blood by trigger happy forces who to camouflage this killing staged a fake CASO, placed Kashmir under curfew and internet ban and tried to hoodwink public opinion," Malik said.
JKLF chairman said, "No day passes in Kashmir when innocent blood is not spilled by forces who have been directed to hold people through force and intimidation."
He said, "Mainstream parties and politicians, and elections which they compete against each other, are all responsible for bringing miseries and hardships to us. This election has always been used by the state to hoodwink international opinion, implement black laws like AFSPA, PSA, and Disturbed Area Act in Jammu Kashmir and inflict more harm to populace living in Kashmir."
Malik expressed solidarity with Salim's family and prayed for peace to the departed soul.


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McGregor Family Research
Here are online resources available at Genealogy Today for this family name. As new images and records are
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Interesting Fact: The family name MCGREGOR was ranked #2324 in the distribution sample of the United States Census for 1990 prepared by the U. S. Census Bureau.
Subscription Data with McGregor Family Members
Acorn Souvenir 1923 YearbookAgricultural College Bulletin 1908-1909Albany State Normal School 1848 Register and CircularAlbion Union Free School 1917 CatalogueAmicable Lodge 1930 Anniversary ProgramAppalachian Mountain Club 1909 RegisterAsheville Female College 1871-72 CatalogueAthol High School 42nd ReunionAurora Lodge 1924 RosterBangor High School 1915-16 CatalogBarrington Town 1911 Tax BookBethel Congregational Church 1887 MembersBoston & Maine Railroad 1911 Roster of EngineersBoston & Maine Railroad Relief Association 1900 Hand BookBoston Home for Aged Men 1863 ReportBoston Scots' Charitable Society 1657-1877 RosterBoston Union Club 1877 MembershipBoy Scouts of America 1929 ReportBritish Columbia Univ. Sixteenth CongregationBritish Schools and Universities Club of New York 1920-1921Brockton Assoc. of Superintendents and Foreman 1908 MembersBrooklyn First Presbyterian Church 1912 ManualBrotherhood Accident Company, Vol. XXL, No. 3Burn's Lodge, A. F. & A. M. 1930 ManualButler Hospital 1907 Annual ReportCalifornia Boys Aid Society 1922 ReportCanadian Civil Service List for 1898Canadian Society of NY 1914 Year BookCapital City Lodge 1924 Roster of MembersCapital City R. A. M. 1892 MembersCedar Rapids Lodge No. 251, B. P. O. E. 1900-01 RosterCherokee County High School 1928-30 CatalogueChicago Piano College 1906-7 CatalogueChildren's Summer Home 1893 ReportThe Chopin Club 1924-1925 Member ListCity of Flint Masonic DirectoryThe Classic, June 1915Coal Mining Institute 1922 ProceedingsColumbia College 1884 Medical Department CatalogueColumbia College 1887 Medical Department CatalogueConn. General Association 1907 Conference MinutesConnecticut Medical Society 1860 MembersCorinthian Lodge, No. 59, I.O.O.F. Members for 1917Cornell University Class of '92 Ten Year BookCrescent Lodge, No. 25 I. O. O. F. 1910 By-LawsCreston 1926 Fall Telephone DirectoryDalhouse College and University 1889 AlumniDanville Central Normal College 1888 CatalogueDetroit Bar Association 1906 MembershipDetroit Commandery, No. 1 Membership ListDetroit Symphony Orchestra 1920-1921 ProgrammeDivision No. 2, O. R. C. Roster (1872-1910)Dominion Government Employes 1872 ReturnEl-Kahir Temple A.A.O.N.M.S. 1918 RosterEmory College 1906-1907 CatalogueExchange Club 1908 By-LawsFirst Baptist Church and Sunday School Quarter-Centennial AnniversaryFranklin Lodge, F. & A. M. 1883 By-LawsGeer's East Hartford 1894 DirectoryGeorgia School of Technology 1932 CommencementGirard College for Orphans 1869 ReportGrammer School 1903 CommencementHarvard Law School 1908 Attorneys' ListHerkimer War Chest Association Roll of HonorHistory of the American Legion, 1919-1924 VirginiaHistory Silentia Lodge 198Holy Sepulchre Commandery, No. 8, K. T., 1890 By-LawsHumboldt Iowa 1928 Telephone DirectoryHume-Fogg High School 1929 CommencementJefferson College 1861 CatalogueKane Council R. & S. M. 1929 By-LawsKansas City Country Club 1903 MembershipKansas Historical Collections Vol. XVKansas Inspector of Mines 1891 ReportKemper Hall Annual CatalogueKentucky Bar Association 1924 MeetingKingston Parish Register 1785-1811La Cumbrean 1934 JanuaryLaconia N. H. 1916 Telephone DirectoryLadies' American Home Education Society Annals Vol. XXXVIIILasell Seminary 1927 Register of GraduatesLawyers' Club 1926 MembershipLicensed Tugmen's Protective Association 1907 DirectoryLocomotive Firemen and Enginemen's Magazine 1916 August
Free Resources with McGregor Family Members
Brooksville Cemetery, Brooksville, Hernando County, FloridaDubuque County Early Settlers' Association 1906 MembersMaine Marriages Index (1890-1899)
This page will only show the first 100 matching genealogy resources for the McGregor surname. For a complete list of available images and records, along with surname variations, please visit the Search for McGregor Family results page.
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domain: history


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It's one thing when Shine Shed is invited or inspired to bring their imaginative installations to an established lineup
(like I'm told they will for Sun Araw's show in April), but it's a whole other story when the entire event springs from the fantasies of this local art collective. At 9 p.m. Friday, March 28 and Saturday, March 29, Shine Shed takes over the Space to create what they've called the Caress of Progress. (RSVP here)
To begin, they asked four local musicians - Frank Friend, Logan Quarles, Kasper, Afeefa & the Boy - to compose new music based on the theme of human progress. Original music, check. Now, their plan is to completely remodel the Space to change it into an interactive ride, with a host to guide you through the sets and what they've deemed illusions.
There will be storytelling, theatrics and spectacles aplenty, and there will only be four guided tours (9 p.m., midnight each day) of max. 20 people each, before the Caress of Progress shuts down forever.

domain: artistic


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One of the major themes in Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the power of imagination allowing your wildest dreams to come true. And later this month, a partnership between the musical’s producers, the Gordon Frost Organisation, and Make-A-Wish Australia will raise vital funds so that children facing life-threatening illnesses can have some of their dreams realised.
Proceeds from the Gala Performance at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre on Thursday, February 21, will go directly to Make-A-Wish, helping to fund the wishes of critically ill children throughout Australia. Tickets can be purchased at www.makeawish.org.au/charlie.
The spectacular new musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, is playing in Sydney and is a highlight of the NSW events calendar for 2019. Tickets are currently selling to June 9. The Australian premiere of this Roald Dahl classic is expected to be a major drawcard for visitors to the State.
Theatre goers will step inside a world of pure imagination, with a delectable line-up of songs from the original film including Pure Imagination, The Candy Man and I’ve Got a Golden Ticket, alongside a toe-tapping and ear-tickling new score from the songwriters of Hairspray. Get ready for the Oompa-Loompas, incredible inventions, the great glass elevator and more, at this everlasting showstopper.
Four Sydney boys share the role of Charlie Bucket, the boy who finds the Golden Ticket – Oliver Alkhair, Tommy Blair, Xion Jarvis and Ryan Yeates. Willy Wonka, the most amazing, fantastic, extraordinary chocolate maker the world has ever seen, is played by Paul Slade Smith. Slade Smith was part of the original Broadway cast of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, appearing as Grandpa George, and most recently appeared in the Broadway revival of My Fair Lady at Lincoln Center.
Ninety-and-a-half-year-old Grandpa Joe, an enthusiastic storyteller and eternal optimist, is played by Australian show business royalty Tony Sheldon, best known for playing the role of Bernadette in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert for over 1,900 performances in Australia, New Zealand, London, Toronto and on Broadway. Lucy Maunder plays Mrs Bucket.
Producers John Frost and Craig Donnell are thrilled with their “gloriously talented” cast, and also thrilled to be collaborating with Make-A-Wish.
The foundation’s CEO Sally Bateman is hoping the Gala Performance on February 21 will be a sell-out. Each year, thousands of Australian children are diagnosed with critical illnesses, and like Charlie Bucket, wish to escape their current reality. “With more than 700 families currently on their wish journey, we rely on the generosity of our partners, donors and volunteers to make these incredible wishes happen,” she said.
Tickets for the Gala Performance of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory can be purchased at www.makeawish.org.au/charlie.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory:
“A splashy new musical with dazzling stage wizardry.” – Entertainment Weekly
“The sweetest new show on Broadway reimagined for a new generation. Brings ‘Pure Imagination’ to life.” – ABC
Photos supplied by IP Publicity.


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Teacher hiring policy debated
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- How strong a factor is seniority when teachers are hired in West Virginia?
That's being debated at the statehouse.
Delegate Josh Stowers, D-Lincoln and assistant principal at Horace Mann Middle School in Charleston, says experience tells him seniority is the deciding factor.
"I know it is, because I do it every year," Stowers said Thursday from his office at the Capitol.
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin specifically mentioned seniority and hiring practices for teachers Wednesday night during his State of the State address.
Current practices at times prevent schools from hiring the best teachers, Tomblin said.
He said seniority should be considered but should not be the "only decisive or controlling action of hiring practices."
Right now, that's exactly how it is, Stowers said.
Every summer, a school's administrators will post available positions, he said. And every time they get applicants, the list is ranked in order of seniority.
It's not that he's against seniority - he said it's an important factor. But it should be one of many factors, in his opinion.
"There needs to be more to hiring a teacher than just seniority," Stowers said.
State Superintendent Jim Phares thinks common ground can be found on the subject of seniority. "You know, experience is not a bad thing, and why people make it a bad thing, I'm not sure," Phares said. "But, I think it . . . shouldn't be allowed to have a holding place to keep great teachers from teaching."
Teacher union officials and House Education Chair Mary Poling, D-Berkeley, say seniority is not the only factor in current hiring procedures.
"It is one of seven or eight other criteria used to hire teachers," Poling said Wednesday night following the governor's speech.
Those criteria are specifically laid out in code, Poling said. She pointed to the portion of the code that says each of the criteria is to be weighed equally.
She was referring to Chapter 18A-4-7a, the section of the West Virginia Code that deals with the hiring of public school teachers.
Seven criteria are listed: appropriate certification, licensure or both; total amount of teaching experience; the existence of teaching experience in the required certification area; degree level in the required certification area; specialized training directly related to the performance of the job as stated in the job description; receiving an overall rating of satisfactory in the previous two evaluations conducted pursuant to law; and seniority.
While the word "seniority" is mentioned only once, Poling said some view some of the other criteria as being similar in meaning.
"Some interpret the other criteria as having a seniority component. One of them is the experience in teaching in that field," Poling said. "Some would say, 'Well, that has a seniority component to it.' " And even though "seniority" appears only once in the listing of the seven criteria, it appears 24 times in that section of code.
Poling said she would be willing to look at changes in hiring practices but doesn't want the conversation to turn into blaming teachers for poor student achievement.
Dale Lee, head of the West Virginia Education Association, also mentioned the number of criteria listed in the code in a recent interview with the Daily Mail.
On Wednesday night he said there was no proof the current hiring system didn't work.
Christine Campbell, presidentelect of the state of the American Federation of Teachers, agrees.
"There is no research to show that by not hiring that most senior person, that your children, that their academic achievement doesn't go up. Show me the evidence, and we'll talk. " Campbell said Wednesday night.
Stowers is a member of the WVEA and was endorsed by the union in September. However, he has been at Horace Mann for 10 years and is confident more flexibility in hiring would yield tangible benefits.
At times a principal might believe someone with less seniority was the better teacher. Failing to hire that person could negatively impact student learning, Stowers said.
"I think the vast majority of administrators are going to pick teachers they feel are going to improve student achievement," he said.
Tomblin said in his speech that teachers and principals must have a greater role in choosing other teachers in their school "if we are going to make schools more accountable for their results."
Campbell said she would be open to more teacher involvement and cited a system already in place in Putnam County.
She doesn't want a system that relies totally on a principal or superintendent's decision.
There are bad apples who want to employ their cousins, Stowers said. But there are ways to involve more people that would improve hiring practices.
Right now Horace Mann tries to involve other teachers, Stowers said. At the middle school level, teachers work in teams. If the school needs to fill a position, administrators will call in other members of the teaching team to sit in on interviews.
Then they, too, experience the frustration.
"I think teachers become much more aware and sensitive to how rigorous our hiring laws are when they are more involved in the process," Stowers said.
Teachers are discouraged when their choice is not the person hired. When their choice is selected, they're more likely to be supportive. They might try to make sure the teacher is successful because they played a role in the hiring.
That team input is a benefit when hiring teachers fresh out of college, Stowers said. If several recent graduates apply for a job, the choice can come down to whom other teachers feel is the best fit.
Changing hiring laws wouldn't necessarily result in better teachers being recruited or retained, he said. Like union officials, Stowers believes teacher pay raises are needed to attract more applicants.
However, he has heard teachers shy away from positions because of fears concerning seniority.
"If teachers knew that they have a better shot than they do now, I think you'd get more applications from within the (school) system," Stowers said.
Stowers, Campbell, Lee and Poling all said they were eager to see what Tomblin would include in his education bill.
Tomblin spokesperson Amy Shuler Goodwin said the administration would discuss the bill after it was introduced sometime next week.


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Gov. Andrew Cuomo is delivering a broad election-year agenda in a State of the State speech promoting a property tax freeze, tougher anti-corruption laws and modernizing New York City’s airports.
A crane operator and a contractor didn’t inspect equipment, failed to take proper precautions and ran the rig unsafely before it collapsed while building a New York City apartment tower and injured seven construction workers, officials said Wednesday.
Mitt Romney continues to widen his lead over Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul in the nomination race for the 1,144 delegates.
The Presidential primaries are coming our way, with New York and Connecticut among the five states to vote on April 24.


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The Internet Dragnet Was a Clusterfuck … and NSA Didn’t Care. Here’s my best description from last year of the mind-boggling fact that NSA conducted 25 spot checks between 2004 and 2009 and then did a several months’ long end-to-end review of the Internet dragnet in 2009 and found it to be in pretty good shape, only then to have someone discover that every single record received under the program had violated rules set in 2004.
The US government can brand you a terrorist based on a Facebook post. We can't let them make up the rules. The US government’s web of surveillance is vast and interconnected.
Now we know just how opaque, inefficient and discriminatory it can be. As we were reminded again just this week, you can be pulled into the National Security Agency’s database quietly and quickly, and the consequences can be long and enduring. Through ICREACH, a Google-style search engine created for the intelligence community, the NSA provides data on private communications to 23 government agencies. More than 1,000 analysts had access to that information. This kind of data sharing, however, isn’t limited to the latest from Edward Snowden’s NSA files. The watchlist tracks “known” and “suspected” terrorists and includes both foreigners and Americans.
The NSA and Me. The tone of the answering machine message was routine, like a reminder for a dental appointment.
But there was also an undercurrent of urgency. “Please call me back,” the voice said. “It’s important.” What worried me was who was calling: a senior attorney with the Justice Department’s secretive Office of Intelligence Policy and Review. Wife: NSA Official. Husband: Exec At Firm Seeming To Do Or Seek Business With NSA. US threat of fines forced Yahoo to hand over users′ data. The US government asked a court to threaten Yahoo with fines of $250,000 (193,500 euros) per day unless it handed over customers' email information to intelligence agencies, court documents released on Thursday showed.
The daily fine was to double each week. Yahoo email service is free for customers, but it generates revenue through advertising. A Guide to the Deceptions, Misinformation, and Word Games Officials Use to Mislead the Public About NSA Surveillance. It’s been two months since President Barack Obama first said that he welcomes a debate about NSA surveillance, which he once again reiterated last week at his press conference.
Unfortunately, it’s very hard to have a real debate about a subject when the administration constantly and intentionally misleads Americans about the NSA’s capabilities and supposed legal powers. Infamously, the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper was forced to apologize for lying to Congress about whether the government was collecting information on millions of Americans, but that was merely the tip of the administration’s iceberg of mendacity and misdirection. At this point, it seems nothing the government says about the NSA can be taken at face value.
The NSA Files: PRISM & Boundless Information. NSA and Edward Snowden (Vox.com card stack) The National Security Agency is the US government agency responsible for electronic surveillance.
Created in 1952, it is based at Fort Meade in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC. It spends around $10 billion per year intercepting and analyzing the communications of people around the world. Its precise headcount is classified, but the agency has at least 30,000 employees. NSA National Security Agency. Keith Alexander Unplugged: on Bush/Obama, 1.7 million stolen documents and other matters.
Photo credit: Evan Vucci/AP The just-retired long-time NSA chief, Gen.
Keith Alexander, recently traveled to Australia to give a remarkably long and wide-ranging interview with an extremely sycophantic “interviewer” with The Australian Financial Review. The resulting 17,000-word transcript and accompanying article form a model of uncritical stenography journalism, but Alexander clearly chose to do this because he is angry, resentful, and feeling unfairly treated, and the result is a pile of quotes that are worth examining, only a few of which are noted below: AFR: What were the key differences for you as director of NSA serving under presidents Bush and Obama? Did you have a preferred commander in chief? Unnecessary and Disproportionate: How the NSA Violates International Human Rights Standards. Even before Ed Snowden leaked his first document, human rights lawyers and activists were concerned about law enforcement and intelligence agencies spying on the digital world.
One of the tools developed to tackle those concerns was the development of the International Principles on the Application of Human Rights to Communications Surveillance (the “Necessary and Proportionate Principles”). This set of principles was intended to guide governments in understanding how new surveillance technologies eat away at fundamental freedoms, and outlined how communications surveillance can be conducted consistent with human rights obligations. Furthermore, the Necessary and Proportionate Principles act as a resource for citizens—used to compare new tools of state surveillance to global expectations of privacy and due process. NSA Said to Exploit Heartbleed Bug for Intelligence for Years. The U.S.
National Security Agency knew for at least two years about a flaw in the way that many websites send sensitive information, now dubbed the Heartbleed bug, and regularly used it to gather critical intelligence, two people familiar with the matter said. The NSA’s decision to keep the bug secret in pursuit of national security interests threatens to renew the rancorous debate over the role of the government’s top computer experts.
Heartbleed appears to be one of the biggest glitches in the Internet’s history, a flaw in the basic security of as many as two-thirds of the world’s websites. Its discovery and the creation of a fix by researchers five days ago prompted consumers to change their passwords, the Canadian government to suspend electronic tax filing and computer companies including Cisco Systems Inc. to Juniper Networks Inc. to provide patches for their systems. Everyone should know just how much the government lied to defend the NSA. If you blinked this week, you might have missed the news: two Senators accused the Justice Department of lying about NSA warrantless surveillance to the US supreme court last year, and those falsehoods all but ensured that mass spying on Americans would continue.
But hardly anyone seems to care – least of all those who lied and who should have already come forward with the truth. 'We're At Greater Risk': Q. & A. with General Keith Alexander. Since Edward Snowden’s revelations about government surveillence, we know more about how the National Security Agency has been interpreting Section 215 of the Patriot Act and Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
We’ve learned some new words —“bulk metadata,” “selector,” “reasonable articulable suspicion,” “emphatic-access restriction”—but we don’t really know how much of this works in practice. The intelligence community isn’t used to explaining itself in public, but over the past few months, with much prodding by Congress and the press, it has taken some small, tentative steps. Last week, I spent an hour with General Keith B. Alexander, who retired in March after eight years as the director of the N.S.A. The forces pushing for omnivorous data collection are larger than any one person, but General Alexander’s role has been significant.
Today’s NSA-Related Orwellianism: “Derived From” As I noted in this post, the government has submitted its response to Mohamed Osman Mohamud’s motion for discovery on how DOJ came to forget to tell him he had been discovered through the use of Section 702 spying. The bulk of their argument basically boils down to this assertion, which they repeat in many forms throughout their response. A remedy for untimely notice exists under FISA: the defendant will be given the opportunity to challenge evidence obtained or derived from FISA collection in a suppression hearing governed by the procedures set forth in FISA. That is, they argue the only thing Mohamud is entitled to is an opportunity to challenge the Section 702 evidence, which they intend to prevent adversarial review of by chanting “national security.” Which is another way of saying they believe Mohamud has no real remedy at all. NSA Panel Member Recommends Increased Data Collection.
Michael Morell, the former acting director of the CIA and a member of President Obama's task force on surveillance, said in an interview on Sunday that a controversial telephone data-collection program conducted by the National Security Agency should be expanded to include emails. He also said the program, far from being unnecessary, could prevent the next 9/11. Morell, seeking to correct any misperception that the presidential panel had called for a radical curtailment of NSA programs, said he is in favor of restarting a program the NSA discontinued in 2011 that involved the collection of "metadata" for Internet communications.
That program gets only a brief mention in a footnote on page 97 of the task-force report, "Liberty and Security in A Changing World. " "I would argue actually that the email data is probably more valuable than the telephony data," Morell told National Journal in a telephone interview. Access.org: NSA Review Board Report Card.
The NSA's New Code Breakers - By Matthew M. Aid. There was a time when the code breakers of the National Security Agency actually took the lead in solving enemy encryption systems. These days, not so much. In today's NSA, it's hackers, break-in artists, corporate liaisons, and shadow salesman using front companies who are at the forefront of this effort. NSA Implementing 'Two-Person' Rule To Stop The Next Edward Snowden. The next Edward Snowden may need a partner on the inside. On Tuesday, National Security Agency Director Keith Alexander told a congressional hearing of the Intelligence Committee that the agency is implementing a “two-person” system to prevent future leaks of classified information like the one pulled off by 29-year-old Booz Allen contractor Edward Snowden, who exfiltrated “thousands” of files according to the Guardian, to whom he has given several of the secret documents.
“We have to learn from these mistakes when they occur,” Representative Charlies Ruppersberger said to Alexander in the hearing. “What system are you or the director of national intelligence administration putting into place to make sure that if another person were to turn against his or her country we would have an alarm system that would not put us in this position?” Meet the Spies Doing the NSA's Dirty Work - By Shane Harris. The NSA has its own team of elite hackers. “Whoa Whoa Whoa, Stop!” Dianne Feinstein Misstates the 2011 Violations. One of the most enlightening aspects of yesterday’s Senate Intelligence Hearing on FISA came when Dianne Feinstein tried to rebut witness Tim Edgar’s categorization of the 2011 violations described in John Bates October 8, 2011 opinion. In her rebuttal, she proved she either doesn’t know, doesn’t understand, or chooses to misrepresent the opinion, which found that NSA had violated the law and Fourth Amendment in its Section 702 program.
Dianne Feinstein Accidentally Confirms That NSA Tapped The Internet Backbone. Government Standards Agency “Strongly” Suggests Dropping its Own Encryption Standard. Lavabit, Silent Circle Shut Down: Crypto In Spotlight - Security - Two encrypted email services shut the doors; gag order clouds details of apparent U.S. government interest related to Snowden case. 9 Android Apps To Improve Security, Privacy. First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles v. NSA. Twenty-two organizations including Unitarian church groups, gun ownership advocates, and a broad coalition of membership and political advocacy organizations filed suit against the National Security Agency for violating their First Amendment right of association by illegally collecting their call records.
NSA Rejecting Every FOIA Request Made by U.S. Citizens. Originally published at Tikkun Daily | The NSA Can't Tell the Difference Between an American and a Foreigner - By Shane Harris. The National Security Agency has said for years that its global surveillance apparatus is only aimed at foreigners, and that ordinary Americans are only captured by accident. Silicon Valley Doesn't Just Help the Surveillance State—It Built It - Michael Hirsh.
Netflix, Facebook — and the NSA: They’re all in it together. NSA Mimics Google, Pisses Off Senate. US & NSA Accused of Criminal Privacy Violations in Dozens of Nations - Snowden Blowback. Bush Lets U.S. Spy on Callers Without Courts. Russ Tice, Bush-Era Whistleblower, Claims NSA Ordered Wiretap Of Barack Obama In 2004. Bush-Era NSA Whistleblower Makes Most Explosive Allegations Yet About Extent of Gov’t Surveillance — and You Won’t Believe Who He Says They Spied On. NSA collected Americans' email records in bulk for two years under Obama. NSA inspector general report on email and internet data collection under Stellar Wind – full document. AT&T whistleblower claims to document illegal NSA surveillance. Former FBI counterterrorism agent on the ability to retrieve anyone's past digital communication. The Daily Caller » What do They know about you? An interview with NSA analyst William Binney » Print.
The NSA Is Building the Country's Biggest Spy Center (Watch What You Say) Revelations Give Look at Spy Agency’s Wider Reach. Legislation Seeks to Bar N.S.A. Tactic in Encryption. NSA admits listening to U.S. phone calls without warrants. Former NSA Director Michael Hayden Responds To Edward Snowden Claim. Judge: “NSA exceeded the scope of authorized acquisition continuously”
Judge on NSA Case Cites 9/11 Report, But It Doesn’t Actually Support His Ruling. NSA warrantless surveillance controversy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - en.wikipedia.org. Mounting Evidence of NSA's Warrantless Surveillance. New Details Show Broader NSA Surveillance Reach. 2013_08_21_Joint_Statement_ODNI_NSA.pdf. An Illustration of How the NSA Misleads the Public Without Technically Lying. Hearing No Evil. Meet Obama’s lawyer at the NSA, the next guy about to undergo some serious surveillance - Quartz. NSA General Counsel Rajesh De Speech at Georgetown. NSA surveillance everywhere.


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DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 16, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Auto researchers and engineers are examining the use of lighter-weight materials and components in their quest to develop more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Ford’s distinctive approach to alternative materials is not just about the need to be lighter, however, but also about the need to be greener. The company’s use of more bio-based, recycled and reclaimed materials in production vehicles today, for example, already is resonating with the growing number of customers consciously purchasing products that are healthier for people and the planet.
Ford researchers now are looking even harder at plastics, rubber, foam, film and fabric to develop more alternative bio-based materials that are functional, durable and cost-effective, and that decrease our dependence on foreign oil.
Ford researchers are taking a hard look at traditional, petrol-based plastics, turning to Mother Nature to help create composites that are durable, lightweight and better for the environment.
While petroleum and glass fibers are typical ingredients associated with today’s automotive plastics, Ford’s research team is developing all-new composite recipes that include more natural ingredients such as soy flour, hemp, cellulose, and the sugars in corn, sugarbeets and sugarcane.
Plastics currently make up approximately 10 percent of a vehicle, ranging from sight-unseen parts such as impact shields and engine covers to components drivers see and interact with everyday, including doors and instrument panels. Some of these plastics have fillers such as heavy glass fibers for added strength. Ford is examining the possibility of replacing those glass fibers with natural fiber reinforcements made from cellulose, soy protein, hemp fiber, flax fiber and other bio-based materials.
So far, lab test results have been promising, with the natural fiber-reinforced plastics showing up to a 30 percent weight reduction depending on the part.
Taking the idea of a greener automotive composite a step further, Ford is also working with a biodegradable plastic called polylactic acid (PLA).
Derived completely from the sugars in corn, sugarbeets, sugarcane, switch grass and other plants, a plastic part made from PLA can biodegrade after its life cycle in 90 to 120 days versus up to 1,000 years in a landfill for a traditional, petroleum-based plastic.
Potential automotive applications for PLA are wide ranging, from textile applications for vehicle carpeting, floor mats and upholstery to interior trim pieces that are injection molded. More immediate possibilities include using PLA for nondurable auto applications such as protective wrappings used during vehicle manufacturing and transit.
The presence of more bio-based materials in automotive plastics does pose mechanical performance, durability and process challenges that Debbie Mielewski, technical leader of Plastics Research at Ford, and her four-person biomaterials group are hot to solve.
To speed up development, the Ford team is working with several organizations and universities, including the Ontario BioCar Initiative – a multi-university effort between the University of Guelph, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo and University of Windsor.
The BioCar Initiative is an Ontario government-funded project designed to advance the use of more plant-based materials in the auto and agricultural industries. Ford holds a spot on BioCar’s advisory board and directs some of the project’s automotive research with biomaterials.
Issues on the working block include:
- Moisture absorption: Natural fiber-reinforced plastics are more likely to absorb moisture over time, causing functional and durability concerns.
- Odor: Injection molding at high temperatures with a natural fiber-reinforced plastic emits an undesirable odor.
- Decomposition: PLA is designed to decompose quickly, but researchers want to make sure it will last the lifetime of a vehicle before that decomposition process starts.
Experimentation with nano filler materials in plastic composites is still on Ford’s research screen, too. Nano fillers have the potential to reduce weight while increasing strength. Early testing shows, in fact, that a plastic reinforced with 5 percent nano filler instead of the typical 30 percent glass filler has strength and lightweight properties that are better than glass. The big roadblock all nano researchers are facing today, however, is how to uniformly exfoliate or disperse the nano material within the composite so that weak spots do not occur.
Although increased usage of bio-based materials in plastics is still in the advanced research phase, Ford has already made great inroads with other bio-based, reclaimed and recycled materials that are in Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles today. They include:
- Soy-based polyurethane foams on the seat cushions and seatbacks, now in production on the Ford Mustang, Expedition, F-150, Focus, Escape, Escape Hybrid, Mercury Mariner and Lincoln Navigator and Lincoln MKS. More than 1.5 million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles on the road today have soy-foam seats, which equates to a reduction in petroleum oil usage of approximately 1.5 million pounds. This year, Ford has expanded its soy-foam portfolio to include the industry’s first application of a soy-foam headliner on the 2010 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner for a 25 percent weight savings over a traditional glass-mat headliner.
- Underbody systems, such as aerodynamic shields, splash shields and radiator air deflector shields, made from post-consumer recycled resins such as detergent bottles, tires and battery casings, diverting between 25 and 30 million pounds of plastic from landfills.
- 100 percent postindustrial recycled yarns in seat fabrics on vehicles such as the Ford Escape. The 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrids feature 85 percent postindustrial yarns and 15 percent solution-dyed yarns. The 100 percent usage represents a 64 percent reduction in energy consumption and a 60 percent reduction in CO2 emissions.
In addition, Ford also has led the way for other industries to capitalize on its greener material technologies, licensing its soy-based foam to companies such as Deere & Company for agricultural applications. Ford researchers also continue to welcome biomaterial discussions with other non-auto-related manufacturers of items ranging from child car seats to furniture.
Ford’s Biomaterials and Plastics Research group has nearly 50 years of combined experience at Ford Motor Company in paints, plastics and other materials development.
Led by 23-year veteran Mielewski, the team includes Dr. Cynthia Flanigan, Dr. Ellen Lee, and research engineers Angela Harris and Laura Beyer. All hold varying combinations of bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D.s in the areas of environmental engineering, chemical engineering and materials science. All also hold the important title of mom, with 10 children between them.
Mielewski organized Ford’s biomaterials program in 2001, leading her team in the development of Ford’s soy-based foam seating, which was first introduced on the Ford Model U concept vehicle in 2003 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. In 2007, this soy-based foam first hit the production line in the seats of the 2008 Ford Mustang, and has since won multiple awards and industry recognition.
“Natural fiber-reinforced composites and polymer resins made from plant resources provide positive environmental impact by utilizing renewable resources, reducing CO2 emissions, by being entirely compostable and – in some cases – reducing weight, which helps improve fuel economy.
“We have to entertain the thought of bio-replacement in baby steps, looking at every aspect of a car that could be green. Where I hope to see the world of automotive plastics go: totally compostable, removing petroleum 100 percent.” – Debbie Mielewski, Technical leader, Ford Plastics Research
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) , a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 201,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.
FCMN Contact: video and email notifications.
Source: Ford Motor Company
CONTACT: Alan Hall of Ford Motor Company, +1-313-594-3744, email@example.com
Web Site: http://www.ford.com

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/ Putoline Chain and Engine Degreaser
Putoline Chain & Engine Degreaser Spray has been especially developed for motorcycle use. Its unique fast acting formulation will remove heavy oil and grease from all areas including chains, sprockets, engines and frames. Easy & quick to use, suitable for all chrome, painted, rubber and plastic surfaces, water-soluble & leaves no residue.


Galileo - Mission to Jupiter
Energetic Particles Detector (EPD)
The Galileo spacecraft carries an Energetic Particles Detector (EPD) designed to measure the characteristics of energetic particle populations important in determining the size, shape, and dynamics of the Jovian magnetosphere. EPD was developed by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) in collaboration with the Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung (MPS), Germany, as part of NASA's Galileo Program.
Galileo/EPD science objectives
The main scientific goals of EPD are:
Measure the energy and angular distribution, composition,
and stability of trapped radiation at Jupiter.
Study the interaction of these energetic particles
with the Galilean satellites and the solar wind.
Derive thermal plasma flow velocities and temperatures.
Examine adiabatic and non-thermal processes in
the trapped radiation.
Galileo/EPD instrument description
The energetic particles detector (EPD) is designed to measure the numbers and energies of ions and electrons whose energies exceed about 20 keV. (An electron volt, eV, is the unit of energy equal to the energy that an electron acquires in falling through an electrical potential of 1 volt.) The EPD can also measure the direction of travel of such particles and, in the case of ions, can determine their composition (whether the ion is oxygen or sulfur, for example).
The EPD uses silicon solid-state detectors and a time-of-flight detector system to measure changes in the energetic particle population at Jupiter as a function of position and time. These measurements will tell us how the particles get their energy and how they are transported through Jupiter's magnetosphere.
The EPD weighs 10.5 kilograms and uses 10.1 watts of power on average. EPD measures the detailed energy and angular distribution of the following:
This data will help us to quantify several characteristics and properties of the Jovian magnetosphere
- ions (Z >= 1) from 0.020 to 55 MeV
- electrons from 0.015 MeV to more than 11 MeV
- ion composition from 0.010 MeV/nuc to over 10 MeV/nuc
- the elemental species helium through iron from approximately 10 keV/nuc to 15 Mev/nuc
Galileo/EPD related links
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory EPD home page


Ghost Gunner Spindle Upgrade
Yes. If your Ghost Gunner 2 was shipped on, or before, February 9th, 2017 you should consider upgrading your unit to our new Version 2 spindle. The benefits are listed below, but you will need the Version 2 spindle to do the M1911 and Polymer 80 pistol frames. Additionally, the engraving feature works best with the new spindle as well.
Consider sending your unit to Defense Distributed to have a version 2 spindle installed in your Ghost Gunner 2 for $390. Our V2 spindle features:
- Unibody construction
- Increased radial rigidity
- Heat treated shaft with precision bearings
- 8x more rigid and
- 10x more accurate
- Reduced run-out over time
The more precise V2 spindle is required to run newly released cut codes for the M1911 as well as the Polymer 80 PF940C. This is a complex installation requiring new spindle mounts so you'll need to send your unit to the factory.
The cost of this upgrade is $390 plus shipping costs.
Service includes alignment and maintenance checks. Our expert technicians will repair or replace parts as necessary and test your unit. Purchase will add return shipping to your address during check out, but you'll need to ship your unit to the factory. Use the following link to place your order and then follow the instructions provided to send your GG2 unit to the factory.
Do not combine other products with your service order. Place a separate order for accessories such as jigs and 80% lowers.
Preparing your Ghost Gunner for Shipping
1. Print a copy of your V2 spindle installation order confirmation and include it in the box with your unit indicating your name, shipping address, contact information, and installation purchase order number. Note any issues you’ve experienced with your unit so we can make the necessary adjustments/repairs.
Note | It is recommended that you ship the Ghost Gunner in its original box. The machine can be packed in a different box as long as care is taken to reasonably secure the machine so that it is unlikely to be damaged in transit. Additional fees may apply if your machine suffers shipping damage due to inadequate packaging.
2. Thoroughly clean your machine using a brush and shop vac to remove all aluminum chip. You will be charged an additional fee for cleaning if excessive chip is present as it presents a health risk to our employees.
Note | DO NOT INCLUDE: CLEAR PLASTIC CHIP COVER, cables, tools, bits, collets, collet nut, T-slot nuts, jigs, bolts, etc. Send just the bare machine. We are not responsible for lost accessories.
Note | NEVER SHIP WORKED LOWER RECEIVERS. It is illegal to ship lower receivers that have been milled even if they are not functional or partially complete.
3. Send your machine to:
2320 Donley Drive Suite C
Austin, TX 78758
4. Email firstname.lastname@example.org with your order number and tracking information to verify your unit for intake.
5. Allow 4-6 weeks to complete the installation.
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The percentage admitting to facing abuse this year stands at 50 as opposed to last year's 23 per cent
Geetanjali Minhas | June 16, 2014
There is an increase in abuse being experienced by half of the elderly population in India. According to a report published by HelpAge India on Elder Abuse in India (2014), 50% of elders surveyed were abused during this year, compared to last year’s 23%.
The report also stated that 52% women have been found more vulnerable to abuse as compared to 48% men.
The report stated: “Continuing the earlier trend — daughter-in-law (61%) and son (59%) are found to be the topmost perpetrators. However, a new trend suggests that daughters have also been included in the top three abusers.”
The main reason for abuse is emotional and economic dependence on the abuser, said the 77% of the elders surveyed, who live with their families. Verbal abuse, disrespect and neglect were also ranked as the most common abuses experienced by the elderly.
About 46 % elderly reported facing abuse for 3-5 years, 25% for 1-2 years and 4% reported experiencing abuse for more than 15 years. The number of people who admitted to suffer abuse for 3-5 years has shot up to 46% as oppose to last year’s 28%.
Bengaluru ranked the highest at 75% with most complaints, while Delhi ranked the lowest at 22% among tier-I cities. In tier-II cities, Kanpur emerged as the lowest at 13% and Nagpur as the highest with 85%.
The survey also pointed out that 17% elderly faced daily abuse and 35% face it at least once in a week. Hyderabad is ranked highest among tier-I cities when it comes to elders who face abuse almost every day. In tier-II cities highest elder abuse is reported from Guwahati with 71%.
About 41% abused elders did not report the matter to anyone: maintaining confidentiality of the family matter (59%) was cited to be the major reason.
The report found that though 64% of the victims were aware of the police helpline, only 12% approached them. Most (53%) preferred approaching relatives or friends (42%).
“An interesting observation about the reason for reports of abuse not being reported in the metro cities is marked by lack of confidence in any person or agency to deal with the problem and a general feeling of not knowing how to deal with the abuse,” said the report.
According to observations awareness of the maintenance and welfare of parents and senior citizens Act 2007 has marginally increased from 11% to 19%. However, only 14% victims are aware of the Act.
The HelpAge research report pans 12 cities across eight states, with a sample size of 1,200 elders covering both metro (tier-I) and non-metro (tier-II) cities. It aims to find out the existence of elderly abuse, reasons for its occurrence, its extent and what are the most effective measures to deal with the problem.
The major reason for high level of pollution in river Yamuna is inadequate flow due to over extraction of surface and ground water and discharge of untreated effluent, union minister Vijay Goel informed the Lok Sabha on Monday. He said the water resources ministry is supplementing the effor
Centrally sponsored schemes will now onwards run for a fixed period of time, thanks to a sunset date. An outcome review will also be carried out. In public policy, a sunset clause means that it shall cease to have effect after a specific date, unless further legislative/a
For the past 25 years, India has been rising in stature. It is continually called an upcoming superpower but has been unable to reach the promised status. India’s importance in the world is more due to its immense population and potential as a market than any objective assessment of development. Indi
Would keeping an army tank at JNU instil nationalism?
Everyone in Yogi Adityanath`s office declares that Yogi’s political career is founded on the work carried out from there, first when he was mahant of the influential temple, and then as an MP. Vijendra Singh, who works at the office, says “It’s because of these letters that Yogiji has n
Banks have advanced a staggering Rs 29,46,060 crore to the industrial sector, of which Rs 6.93 lakh crore are non-performing assets (NPAs). Finance minister Arun Jaitley informed


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Benefits for Active Employees Shelby County Schools. School Counseling How much life insurance do I need? Publicaciones Root Canal Therapy Kashish Chadha Avoiding a lawsuit is a must.
The waiting period of six months of continuous disability provides the employee time to collect documentation for the approval process. This article is the timeline for Social Security disability, from date of diagnosis beyond for uninsured patients. Contact the experienced lawyers at Osterhout Berger Disability Law today. Gabor will notify you and your employer if you application is approved. SSDI benefits and your insurance policy amount. Not every policy from The Standard contains the same language, but the Standard should be embarrassed by its inappropriate usage of the word Own Occupation. Long term disability is a crucial benefit for employees that get hurt or sick off the job. What questions about the claim, fmla and the long term disability leave, at home state attorney.
The following is additional information on how specific types of fraud complaints or cases of suspected fraud can be submitted to state agencies. Full explainer on the policy, it would need to approve or added to help our clients are taxed as described in? The periodic payment you pay to keep your insurance policy active. At attorney can keep track of the necessary dates and keep your case moving forward while you manage the rest of your life. Long term disabilities can leave employees with less income and retirement savings.
When the standard long term disability policy will switch the first reliance standard
The Managed Plans provide a more economical option for disability coverage, as they are a blend of Short Term and Long Term Disability provisions. In all cases, a consultant is available to you for calls and visits. Ameritas, our partner for dental and vision coverage. Administered claims process was very complex, and that back pain, and tailor the disability policy is called in all ltd?
The act guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in a number of areas, including public accommodations, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications, as well as in employment practices. We have the resources and support to take on the largest insurance companies. Term Disability Insurance coverage.
What surprises many standard disability
As a disability policies, her goal of these applications, they replace if the initial claim denied the standard long disability policy be paid? Another way to use stacking is to buy two policies with different benefit periods and elimination periods. For questions about enrollment, contact your payroll or benefits office. Learn more about the cost of disability insurance. What does long term disability insurance cost? He could no longer work at his construction job. No witness can testify at your trial, not friends, family, nor your medical doctors and other providers.
What Happens If The Standard Denies My Administrative Appeal?
- The plan that will review and your summary judgment, standard long term disability policy provides content. No office visit necessary. For short term disability this will typically not be more than a year; for long term disability it could range from two years to retirement, or until you recover from your disability. Eligibility for benefits and amounts shown in this example may vary from any policy your employer may offer and may vary based upon your individual circumstances, policy definitions, waiting periods, exclusions and limitations.
- Any cosmetic surgery or surgical procedure that is not medically necessary. Your appeals within the standard disability insurance companies, basic ltd claims were very complex, or until you may need help you waive sebb medical plan? SSDI benefits are difficult to get approved.
- This is very difficult to prove so make sure you gather as much evidence as possible before raising a case. Many educators may contact form is defined by the type of your financial hardship for the standard disability insurance benefits are required to avoid having long does the month? Any claims were doing so long term?
- This video explains how this form of income protection works.
- You may want to speak with a representative from your union to see if they could shed some light on this. What Do You Need to Know About Open Enrollment for Benefits? You can apply for coverage at any time by providing satisfactory proof of good health.
Std or full cost can get what happens if the standard long disability policy offsets some uncontrollable issues
He had been working for years with a diagnosis of lymphoma.
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In this video nationwide disability insurance lawyers Cesar Gavidia and Gregory Dell discuss their experience in helping claimants with a long term disability insurance claim against the Standard Insurance Company. Examples: auto mechanic, carpenter, landscaper. This benefit is reduced by other benefits you are eligible to receive during your disability.
That income from standard disability plans
Drug abuse, alcoholism, acts of war, attempted suicide, and disabilities arising from the commission of a crime are usually excluded from coverage. They may also end up having to pay legal costs for the employee as well. Redirect the user when we detect a suggestion selection. If ssdi benefits, the individual would be able to the standard long term disability policy and the group plan contains the standard deny the responsibility for.
After the reviews from the long can
But this provision is meant to exclude coverage for employees who quit or were fired from work, not when they stop work because they become disabled. Here are the most common riders you can expect to come across when shopping for long term disability insurance. How long can you be sick before being dismissed? Failure to do so will result in termination of your benefit. Disability Insurance co and The monthly benefit received from private insurance will decrease by SSDI monthly amount.
In your employee is it the disability insurance
Complete the standard insurance company offers the albuquerque public schools benefit period or illness prevents or individually, you buy long term disability awareness, the standard long term disability policy either. Specified payments or benefits received by the claimant from another source that reduces the amount of LTD benefit payable. Please contact your HR representative for additional information, including costs and complete details of coverage.
New hires in the VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan are automatically enrolled for coverage under the Hybrid Disability Program effective the date of hire. The Standard will pay 60 percent of your insured pre-disability earnings. Susan Heathfield is an HR and management consultant with an MS degree. American General, Mass Mutual, the Equitable and New York Life, the Principal, Guardian, Aflac, Northwestern Mutual, Met Life, Sun Life and State Farm, Reliance Standard, Liberty Mutual, and others. Individuals are encouraged to seek advice from their own tax or legal counsel.
The following definition of Own Occupation is misleading and essentially requires the policy holder to be unable to work in any occupation. We comply with all privacy and consumer protection laws and employ the strictest safeguards for your information. The Standard denies Long Term Disability claims in one of two ways. With a level premium, you pay the same amount for the life of the policy. Consultants also help employers with Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act accommodations. You may be required to pay back the disability insurance company for any amount it pays you in excess of its obligation. In New York, underwritten by First Unum Life Insurance Company, New York, NY. Disability is defined differently and individually within each policy from each insurance company.
As the disability
The fine print in these policy documents can have a major impact on the eligibility and procedural requirements for recovering benefits. Please log in need him to standard long term disability insurance policy and do i have fair process can i need. Unum when you request to enroll in this benefit or increase your coverage. Open Enrollment is held each year in October. Employers have switched to extending different options to employees for payment of premiums. Our communities are hurting, our families and friends are distressed and some of our most vulnerable neighbors are at risk. Health Advocate does not replace health insurance coverage, provide medical care or recommend treatment.

domain: finance


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We got one of a rare nice day in Pacific Northwest. So we took advantage of beautiful weather to take a short trail walk at Mt. Rainier National Park. The trail is head is right a few drive after Longmire Visitor Center. This is relatively short with roughly 3 miles round trip trail with elevation about 800ft. Most of the hike is under shady wood line. So it is kind of a good escape from the heat. As soon as you start of the trail, there is a river cross via a fallen log at Nisqually River. Then basically you will be ascending to the falls. Per sign at the trail head, the distance to waterfall is only 1.1 mile but some people say it is actually 1.5 miles. If you have more energy, you can definitely keep going to another waterfall called Narada Falls by hiking extra 1.7 miles. This is relatively easy hike that any age of people can do it. For some this can be a good picnic spot to sit out by the river and enjoy the magnificent of Mt. Rainier while listening the sound of Nisqually River.
It has been a while from my last post. I just would like to share a short family friendly hike close to Seattle. For some, this might not even be considered as a hike. It might just be called a trail walking. Anyway, it is a 2 miles round trip trail with only 400 ft of elevation gain. But this is definitely a popular hike and the crowd can be pretty big during the weekends. So if you decide to go there during weekends, you might need to get there early to fight for parking spot. After all, it is a good trail and you can get close up to waterfalls.
Over the weekend, we took a short day trip to Mt. Rainier of Washington State. Mt. Rainier is a trademark of Washington State. It is an active volcano with 14,411 ft elevation. It is also the highest mountain in Washington State. Living in Washington State, it is fortunate to see snow year round at this mountain. Climate at Mt. Rainier changes in different season. During winter, you would see snow covering all the areas. There is even area that the park is set up for snow play and ski area for some ski enthusiastic. There are couple trails that you can enjoy snowshoeing too.
As a second destination for our Southern California trip, we went to the famous Disneyland in Anaheim. We bought three days park hopper ticket with the hope that we will fully enjoy the all rides, shows and attractions. We got a hotel which is about 10 minutes walk from Disneyland. We were pretty excited on the first day so we got up early and had our breakfast. Then we were ready for the park that opened at 10am. As soon as we got the map of park, we started plotting our plan for the day. Then during the afternoon the heat of LA started kicking in with 85 degree. It seems pretty good for local but for Washingtonian like us, it was pretty hot. Add to the temperature we started experience the famous wait time of rides in Disney. Plus we cannot get on most rides because height requirement for my daugther. Long story short, we only did about five rides from the entire trip. For second day and third day, we took our step back and just took time to enjoy the park without any rush. So what did we enjoy of Disneyland? Aside from seeing various Disney Character and famous theme, we particularly enjoyed the following four events.
Mickey’s Soundsational Parade: This is pretty much a Disney parade which starts sometime in the evening around 4pm. You will see all the Disney Character in this one parade with spirit lifting music. If you dont have time to walk around the park see different character, I would recommend just to wait for this parade and you will see all the character in this parade. Continue reading
Since the weather is rainy and chilly in Seattle, we decided to take one week vacation to Southern California where we can warm up ourselves a little bit. As part of this trip we went to two places; San Diego and Los Angeles, in Southern California. Since this is more of family vacation, the two main destinations of this trip were Sea World and Disneyland. As first part of this trip, I will post about our experience in San Diego first.
We got our hotel relatively close to Sea World. It took us about 15 minutes to get Sea World. Since it is not peak season for Sea World, the park hour was from 10am to 5pm only. It was pretty crunch time frame to see all the shows that Sea World offers. So we could only manage to see 5 shows out of 7 shows and we missed almost all the rides since my daughter is too small for most of the ride. With all the problems that Sea World is facing these days, most of the shows are not as much exciting as before. Long story short, Sea World is still semi-fun place to visit for first timer but I would not go back for second time.
Seal Show – It is amazing how these animals can interact with human. The hosts are pretty entertaining. It is definitely fun to see seals playing around with ball and jumping over a pole in the pool. Continue reading
A couple weeks ago, I took a family trip to Vancouver, Canada. Last time I had been to Vancity was during the winter Olympic which I only have a vivid memory left. Last trip was just a day trip for me. This time we wanted to explore more about the Vancity with some influences from some of Vancity based TV shows such as Flash, Arrow. Anyway, this trip was a two days one night trip. Of course, it was not enough time to explore everything in Vancouver. Since we are in Ski Season and we have never been to ski resort, we decided to visit the famous Grouse Mountain. As for second destination we decided to explore 1,000 acres public park; Stanley Park . Other than those two destinations, we had some walk along the boardwalk and Gastown where there is an active steam clock.
Grouse Mountain: As I mentioned before, this is our first time visit to ski resort. So it was definitely winter wonderland for us. It was just so amazing to see how people were enjoying with snow. Continue reading
When people talk about Thailand beach, first thing that will come up to your mind is Phuket or Krabi. In fact what makes those two places very popular is not just because of themselves. It is because of group of islands called Phi Phi Islands. All the pictures that portray Phuket are shot somewhere in one of those Phi Phi Islands. During my trip to Krabi, I had a privilege to visit Phi Phi Ley which is one of the islands from the group and it is where Leonardo Dicaprio’s The Beach was shot.
We bought a speed boat tour to visit Phi Phi Ley. The price of tour ticket costs roughly $20 and of course it is a local price. One thing to keep mind when you shop in Thailand is to bargain. Usually vendors in Thailand have two pricing systems; one for local and one for tourists. So bargaining is the key to get the best price. Our speed boat tour includes a buffet lunch, tour to several beaches in the vicinity and snorkeling with equipment provided. It is all day tour. So I would recommend to take some pills if you are prone to sea sick. Continue reading

domain: travel


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Thursday Jun 30, 2022
KARACHI: A petition has been filed against likening politicians to donkeys in a sessions court on Thursday.
The court sought an answer from the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing regarding the petition on July 5.
"Donkey is a hardworking and innocent animal and it is unfair to link it with corrupt politicians," read the petition.
The petition was filed by a citizen against another, saying that "a citizen likened politicians to donkeys", asking the court to order the FIA to register a case against them.

domain: sociology


text:
The Montero Cinematic Universe has arrived!
Lil Nas X has declared the release of his debut album, Montero, with a trailer intensely inspired by Marvel Studios’ opening sequence.
Similarly as Marvel’s opening theme places their extensive lineup of superheroes on display, this trailer features probably the most trailer features from the musician’s career — including sequences from “Old Town Road” and his 2021 singles. As the camera zooms out to uncover the “Montero” title, the true to life music is cut off by blaring horns that progress into Lil Nas X’s new single.
The 22-year-old artist has kept on pushing limits this year, most remarkably with the music video for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” a song that includes the artist giving devil a lap dance. Lil Nas X put on an Egyptian-themed performance of the hit melody at the 2021 BET Awards on Sunday night, which finished with a hot kiss with one of his male artists.
The two successful singles “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” and “Sun Goes Down” will be released on Lil Nas X’s new collection, which has embellished a ton of expectation on the web. The craftsman told Variety on honorary pathway at the iHeart Radio Music Awards last month that his next music video will bring something new — and crazier — to the table.
“I want to do something in a different lane that’s crazier,” Lil Nas X said of what he envisions for his next music video. “I’m not sure what yet… “But that’s for when I make a main single or something.”
- Google launches “Continuous Scrolling” feature for desktop search - December 6, 2022
- Google doodle celebrates Finland Independence Day - December 6, 2022
- Google doodle celebrates the 83rd birthday of Kuwaiti actor, singer, playwright, and comedian ‘Abdulhussain Abdulredha’ - December 6, 2022

domain: entertainment


Posts tagged "Dr. Cecilia Friberg"
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I’ve been given the heads up that gadget website T3 will be doing a Christmas give away of iOS/iPhone and Android apps.
I hear rumours that iPhone 4S handsets might also be up for grabs. Details are scarce but the URL free-apps.t3.com is the one to watch. I’m also told the hashtag #t3appvent will be used.
Looks like mashup between advent calendar and apps. In fact, the graphic on the free apps holding page all but confirms that.


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‘Fat is a neutral word. If you look it up, it doesn’t say good or bad. I want to remove the negative associations.’ Photograph: Alicia Canter/The Guardian
“People feel uncomfortable talking about beauty privilege,” she says, “but it is part of this discussion.”
Aside from her size, Hagen notes, Holliday is conventional. “She has a symmetrical face, she’s white, femme, able-bodied, long hair. It’s making fatness more palatable, but not really changing anything.”
For Hagen, learning to accept her body wasn’t a drawn-out process; the change came instantly. One day her university friend Andrea asked her to think about where self-hating thoughts come from, and who profits from them, and her whole perspective shifted.
“I used to think – of course fat is ugly, lazy, stupid and bad. I never questioned it. But when Andrea said: ‘You feel bad then you buy more stuff, so they make money,’ it clicked. Overnight I stopped seeing it as a fact.”
This is the political centre of Happy Fat: the argument that fatphobia is a product of capitalism – designed to keep us consuming diet products and miracle foods; and patriarchy – which demands women exert an impossible level of self-discipline around their looks. She sums up the argument with a Naomi Wolf quote: “A culture fixated on female thinness is fixated on female obedience.”
To challenge fatphobia is to challenge capitalism and to see fat people in the context of other marginalised groups. The ideas Hagen discusses come from fat liberation, a grassroots movement that started in 1960s New York and the manifesto of which is included in the book. This includes a demand for “equal access to goods and services in the public domain” and singles out as special enemies “the so-called reducing industries [including] diet books, diet foods and food supplements”.
Hagen says that when fat liberation became body positivity, the movement became more palatable to mainstream culture. “Big clothing companies can make money by saying they’re body positive and that they cater to all sizes, when they only cater to a size 22, and all the people in their adverts are white and perfect-looking, except for a bit of stomach.
“We cannot keep fixing ourselves. We’re never told to look around us. I’m doing panels asking: ‘How do I love myself?’ How about we do a panel with the people who make [fatphobic] adverts and ask: ‘Why did you make that advert?’”
She includes many examples of little acts of kindness throughout the book, including the friends who have swooped in and saved her when she is caught in a conversation with somebody who tells her, unprompted, that being fat will kill her. Then there is the musician she dated, who, realising she might struggle up the many stairs to his flat, stopped every flight for a kiss, to let her catch her breath.
Even the most well-meaning people and those who have suffered marginalisation themselves can have a bias against fat people, she says. One example of how this plays out particularly struck me: telling people they “don’t look fat”. Hagen says this only serves to deny the person’s experience. And it strengthens the belief that fat is wrong. I tell her I am guilty of it myself.
“We all make mistakes. It’s tempting to think of ourselves as good – and therefore not able to be, say, sexist or transphobic – but we’ve all been raised in the same society. The answer is never going to be: ‘Oh, I’m not [prejudiced], phew!,’ because that way we do nothing. We should be saying: ‘I am racist, I am homophobic, I am transphobic and I want to do better.’” She pauses before laughing. “What a quote! I can see the piece now: Sofie Hagen says ‘I am racist.’”
Is it possible to find happiness in your body if you don’t want to dive into anti-capitalist politics?
“For me? No,” she says. “The politics was the main attraction. Politics gave me the desire to want to fight this system so that other people don’t have to fight it any more.”
Happy Fat: Taking Up Space in a World That Wants to Shrink You is published by 4th Estate on 2 May. To order a copy for £11.43, go to guardianbookshop.com. Sofie Hagen’s Bubblewrap, Happy Fat standup and book tour travels the UK from 26 April to 15 June, sofiehagen.com.

domain: literature


text:
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I'm a graphic designer who has published family Heritage books independently.
These books are a great gift for future generations and it will be good to capture the images of the early 1900's before they disappear. Corrections and Mulptiple copies can be made for very reasonable rates.


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2021 Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule: Full Listing of Dates, Times and TV InfoMay 12, 2021
Ben Roethlisberger, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyson Alualu took less money to ensure they would return to Pittsburgh in 2021, but the Steelers will have a new look heading into next season after parting ways with several notable faces because of cap constraints.
Out are James Conner, Bud Dupree and Alejandro Villanueva, all of whom decided to seek options elsewhere or were not pursued heavily by the Steelers in free agency. They also lost longtime center Maurkice Pouncey to retirement.
Pittsburgh focused on immediate-impact talent in the draft, selecting running back Najee Harris in the first round before adding tight end Pat Friermuth and guard Kendrick Green in Day 2.
The Steelers enter the 2021 season coming off a 12-4 regular season that ended in postseason defeat at the hands of the Browns. With Cleveland and Baltimore both looking to return to the playoffs, Pittsburgh will have its work cut out in football's toughest division.
Here's a look at what to expect after Wednesday's schedule release.
2021 Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule
TV info can be found here.
The Steelers will face one of the NFL's toughest schedules, simply as a byproduct of playing in the AFC North and playing a division winner's slate. They will travel to games in Green Bay, Kansas City and Buffalo, to go along with home tilts against Seattle and Tennessee. All told, nine of their 17 games will come against teams that made the playoffs in 2020.
Their home schedule is far more forgiving; games against the Bears, Lions, Broncos and Raiders can almost certainly be written as borderline lock victories.
By contrast, Pittsburgh is an on-paper underdog in at least five road games. The Bengals, Chargers and Vikings also have playoff aspirations and will host the Steelers; there may be no team in football with a harder road slate.
The biggest question is whether the Steelers' recent talent drain will finally catch up this season. Roethlisberger looked every bit his age at certain points in 2020, with the team scheming around the 39-year-old's limitations throwing the ball down the field.
If the Steelers can do the same thing next season, they'll remain in playoff contention. But playing a first-place schedule will present an entirely different challenge to the second-place schedule they played in 2020.
Getting things done at home will be paramount to the Steelers making the playoffs in 2020. An absolute best-case scenario would have them at 4-4 in road contests. They're more likely looking at a 3-5 hole to dig themselves from.
The Steelers get nine home games in the new 17-game slate this season, so an 8-1 or 7-2 record would almost certainly clinch them a playoff spot. We've already chalked up four non-divisional games as wins, and the Cincinnati Bengals are probably a year away from reasonably competing for the playoffs, so that's five.
In other words: The Steelers need to go 2-2 at home against the Ravens, Browns, Seahawks and Titans while taking care of business in games where they're stronger favorites, and then they'll make the playoffs.
If Roethlisberger gets hurt for a few weeks at a bad time—he's played a full season once in six years—this could spiral into a six- or seven-win team fast.