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The Friends of Valley Forge is now the
Valley Forge Park Alliance
This year marks a special anniversary for us – in 1976, Valley Forge became a national park and a group of visionary citizens united as “Friends” to support it. Forty years later, we have grown into a national alliance of corporations, organizations and individual who share the goals of supporting and protecting the hallowed grounds of Valley Forge but also recognize an ever growing community that extends beyond the boundaries of the Park.
To celebrate this milestone, we are now the Valley Forge Park Alliance. We welcome you to join the Alliance and help us to support and preserve Valley Forge National Historical Park!
|Tuesday, December 6 7 pm Washington Memorial Chapel||Free Event|
About the Speaker
|Saturday October 17* 9 am – 1 pm||Comfortable clothing & sturdy footwear recommended|
|* subject to rescheduling based on weather|
Thanks to the great work of NOVA (Network Of Volunteer Associates), sponsored by Lockheed Martin, the Hut Brigade has been busy assisting NPS staff with daubing and doing whatever necessary to bring the new huts to completion so that visitors can enjoy. Join the fun and make a great contribution to this important work. No prior construction or building experience is necessary however you must be at least 16 years old to participate. For more information, email email@example.com.
|Saturday, December 10 & Sunday, December 11 1 – 4 pm|
|151 Library Lane, Malvern, PA|
Celebrate the season with a special open house and tour of the Historic Knox Estate in Valley Forge National Historical Park. The estate grounds were the headquarters site of General William Maxwell during the Valley Forge winter encampment and later was the home of United States Attorney General Philander Chase Knox in the early 1900s.
Experience the mansion in holiday decor, take a guided tour through its historic halls, and enjoy light refreshments provided by Robert Ryan Catering. Read more about the history of the estate.
Advance reservations required – space is limited
$15 per person • Proceeds benefit the Valley Forge Park Alliance
Call 610-783-1777 or visit vfparkalliance.org for more information.
Parking: Parking for this event is in the Wilson Road parking lot. Overflow parking is available in the Knox parking lot located on Valley Creek Road (SR 252). Click here to view map. Both parking locations are an approximately five minute walk to the Knox house. Drivers may drop off passengers at the front door of the Knox house and then park in either the Wilson Road parking lot or Knox parking lot. Please note that Library Lane is one-way towards the Knox house from its intersection with Yellow Springs Road.
Special thanks to Robert Ryan Catering for their generosity in catering this event. The National Park Service has leased the historic Philander Chase Knox Estate to Valley Forge Park Events, LLC (A partnership between Robert Ryan Catering & Design and The Party Center) in an effort to enhance this and other sites within Valley Forge National Historic Park for generations to come.
The Army Arrives! Commemoration of the Continental Army’s March-In to Valley Forge
|Monday, December 19 6 – 8 pm VFNHP Visitor Center||Free Event|
Commemorate the arrival of Washington’s Army at Valley Forge. Night includes continuous lantern tours plus holiday shopping in the Encampment Store, light refreshments period music and more.
Weather dependent - Call 610-783-1099 for more information.
Student Transportation Funds for Teachers
The Friends of Valley Forge Park has established a fund to provide free transportation for qualifying school groups to visit the Valley Forge National Historical Park (VFNHP). The goal is to make it easier for teachers and students to access the exhibits and many educational resources offered by the VFNHP. Funds to reimburse the costs of transportation are currently available, on a first-come, first-served basis, to Schools in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey Regions (schools should be within a 45 mile radius of VFNHP). read more
Valley Forge Legacy: The Muster Roll Project
The Valley Forge Muster Roll is dedicated to the memory of those who were at the Valley Forge encampment from December 19, 1777 to June 19, 1778. The Continental Army used monthly muster rolls to track the army’s strength. Each roll contains names, ranks, dates of enlistment, and other notes on soldiers’ assignments, activities, or conditions. In addition, the names officers, camp followers, civilians and others present at the Valley Forge encampment are included. You may be surprised at the wide array of people who were at Valley Forge.

domain: history


Due to a slow evolution in time, drought is often a phenomenon whose consequences take a significant amount of time with respect to its inception to be perceived by the socio-economic sector. This feature allows for the mitigation of some of the impacts of drought, provided there is an effective monitoring system to provide information to decision makers. Effective monitoring of droughts can significantly help early warning systems.
In sub-Saharan Africa, effective rainfall monitoring contributes to the allocation of aid during periods of drought. An important aspect of drought monitoring and the development of an early warning system is the ability to effectively forecast future drought events. Forecasting future drought events in a region is very important for finding sustainable solutions to water management and risk assessment of drought occurrences.
Data driven stochastic models have traditionally been used for drought forecasting. Autoregressive integrated moving average models (ARIMA) have been the most widely used stochastic models for hydrologic drought forecasting. Stochastic models are linear models and are limited in their ability to forecast non-linear data.
To effectively forecast non-linear data, researchers in the last two decades have increasingly begun to utilize artificial neural networks (ANNs) to forecast hydrological data. ANNs have been used in a number of studies as a drought forecasting tool.
In this project, We use Feedforward Artificial Neural Network as model for SPI drought forecasting.
Input data in a excel file, which was collected from a station. This file has the following index :
Year Month Precipitation EDI NAO SOI
Year Month Precipitation SPI Index NAO SOI
seventy percent of data are used for training data and thirty percent for test data.
In this code, Simple ANN without hidden layer is used.
In this MATLAB code, best number of neurons in hidden layer is found in a loop.
In this code, haar wavelet transform is used with ANN.
One of the important parameters in wavelet is level. In this code, we find the best level for wavelet transform in a loop.


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Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are additionally conducting trials of its vaccine in adolescents and younger youngsters.
A coronavirus illness (COVID-19) vaccination from German biotechnology firm CureVac is given to a volunteer at the beginning of a collection of scientific trials at a college clinic in Tuebingen, Germany. Reuters
US Ought to Authorize Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19[female[feminine vaccine for kids 12 and older early subsequent week, U.S. media reported on Monday. Pfizer has utilized for emergency use authorization for its Covid vaccine for kids and adolescents aged 12 to fifteen, in line with CNN, citing a authorities official. “The FDA must change the authorization for the emergency use of the vaccine, however the course of should be easy,” CNN reported.
The US Meals and Drug Administration is predicted to grant this approval early subsequent week. Following the FDA’s determination, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention advisory committee will meet to suggest the usage of the vaccine.
An FDA spokeswoman declined to present particulars on the approval schedule, saying The Washington Publish: “We’re working to evaluation this request as rapidly and transparently as attainable.”
The Pfizer vaccine is at the moment licensed for individuals 16 years of age and older in the USA.
The US pharmaceutical big mentioned on the finish of March that it had submitted knowledge from a scientific trial involving 2,260 younger individuals between the ages of 12 and 15 that confirmed the vaccine to be extremely efficient and effectively tolerated. Different exams on younger youngsters are underway.
Moderna is conducting trials of its vaccine in adolescents, with outcomes anticipated this summer season, in addition to in younger youngsters.
Johnson & Johnson can be planning pediatric trials for its vaccine.
Increasing vaccine authorization to adolescents might open up the U.S. mass immunization program to tens of millions extra.
The nationwide vaccination price peaked round April 11, in line with official knowledge, and though 55% of American adults have now acquired a number of doses, there’s nonetheless a protracted solution to go to realize common immunity in opposition to Covid.
Most people most excited about getting the vaccine have already rolled up their sleeves and have executed so.
However the reluctance to get vaccinated stays a significant impediment: a big share of American adults don’t plan to be vaccinated and will doubtlessly refuse to have their youngsters vaccinated.
Amongst Republican voters, 29% say they may by no means take the vaccine, in comparison with 5% of Democrats and 9% of independents, in line with a latest Kaiser Household Basis ballot.

domain: news


This is the moment to either complete the post-communist democratic transition or become further mired in the culture of corruption and impunity that has threatened to strangle Romania's fledgling democracy.
"What we will become depends on this generation." Speaking about the rising tide of civic engagement in Romania, Ligia Mahalean, a Cluj-based activist and co-founder of the Anti-Corruption Umbrella, emphasised to me that the future of Romanian democracy depends on how this generation stands up to entrenched interests and political corruption. This is the moment to either complete the post-communist democratic transition or become further mired in the culture of corruption and impunity that has threatened to strangle Romania's fledgling democracy.
Since 2017, Romanian civil society has demonstrated its resilience and experienced a resurgence. Citizens are more politically engaged now than ever before. Demands for change handed incumbent President Klaus Iohannis a strong victory over Social Democrat candidate and former prime minister, Viorica Dăncilă in the election on 24 November. With a fresh mandate and sufficient political momentum to strengthen judicial independence and prosecute corrupt politicians, Mr Iohannis must engage more deeply with a reinvigorated civil society to pursue a more aggressive anti-corruption agenda.
Romanian civil society has only awakened in the last decade, but its organisation is impressive and its focus on rampant political corruption is sharp. For instance, large protests first erupted in 2012 over a proposed mining project in the village of Roșia Montană, which would have poisoned all of Transylvania's drinking water with cyanide. Then in 2015, it was revealed that a deadly fire occurred at the Colectiv nightclub in Bucharest because officials were bribed to ignore violations of safety rules. And in late January 2017, the government issued an emergency decree to raise the monetary limit on what was considered "corruption." In response, huge crowds poured into city squares around the country in the largest protests Romania has seen since the fall of communism. The government retreated in all of these instances due to intense popular pressure. As a result, people saw that political pressure through protest can make a difference.
When the government shifted its strategy to one of incremental changes, in which emergency decrees and other policies were put into place slowly in the hope of wearing down the protestors, civil society had to adapt its tactics. To avoid exhausting the people who come out to protest, organisers have focused on large, targeted demonstrations in order to pressure the government. A protest "has to have a purpose," Ms. Mahalean told me, "so we tried to make sure that we took the occasions when protesting would actually have a concrete impact and when the popular emotion was there." There is no perfect formula for knowing when the time is "right," and there is debate among organisers about when to call for a protest. Therefore, organisers must be deeply connected to all sectors of their communities so that they know when people are ready to vote with their feet.
With a fresh mandate and a strong victory in the presidential elections this past Sunday, "the right moment" has presented itself to Mr Iohannis. In order to deliver on his promise of restoring Romania, he must engage civil society in developing an anti-corruption agenda. Just as activists must be intimately connected to their communities to know when the popular mood is ready for a demonstration, the president must carefully listen to Romanian citizens' demands. He has shown that good governance can win an election, but he will need the backing of citizens every step of the way in order to repel the special interests of the elite.
Furthermore, activists and protestors have proven themselves to be a powerful force in Romanian politics. They have already achieved the cancellation of a large mining project, the resignation of a prime minister over a deadly nightclub fire and the withdrawal of emergency decrees designed to increase impunity. Civil society organisations have shown that they have a strong and wide-reaching base of popular support - and they know how to apply pressure. It would be a mistake to leave civil society organisations out of the creation and implementation of an anti-corruption agenda.
Lastly, the stars are finally aligning for a new type of governance in Romania. The party that has been responsible for the attacks on the judicial system and the rule of law has lost its parliamentary coalition and was defeated badly in May's European elections. The new prime minister is an ally of Iohannis, and the former head of Romania's National Anti-Corruption Directorate is now in charge of the new European Public Prosecutor's Office. Most importantly, the population has demonstrated that it is willing to repeatedly engage in large-scale protests. All of these factors, coupled with Iohannis' strong victory in the presidential election, put him in a prime position to aggressively pursue policies that will clean up Romanian politics.
The good news is that Mr. Iohannis has already shown that he is willing to engage with civil society. Before announcing last May's referendum on judicial independence, he met with NGOs and protest organisers to hear their perspectives and gain their support. Mr Iohannis must pursue this channel of communication more aggressively so that he is constantly aware of the positions and ideas of the organisations that are closest to the population. Now is the time for him to demonstrate that he has what it takes to fight corruption, restore the integrity of the judicial system and ensure that no one is above the law.
This can best be achieved through sustained dialogue with the activists and organisations that know how to build a movement. Romania's resurgent civil society can help chart the best path forward to promote a culture of democracy.
Devin MacGoy is a student researcher at Georgetown University. He studies Romanian politics.
Are you a recognised expert in your field? At Euronews, we believe all views matter. Contact us at firstname.lastname@example.org to send pitches or submissions and be part of the conversation.


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SINGAPORE - HSBC Private Banking has made another senior hire for its new ultra high net worth unit focused on serving super rich families in Asia, following two senior hires in March.
Chan Eng Chien has been appointed head of ultra-high net worth solutions, South-east Asia, a newly created role. According to his LinkedIn page, he was most recently head of sales South Asia at Credit Suisse in Singapore and left the role in March.
At HSBC, he will be expected to provide bespoke and tailored solutions to ultra wealthy clients whose transactions tend to be "more intricate" and require "pulling in different kinds of specialists", the bank said.
This comes after HSBC announced plans in 2018 to double private banking headcount in five years. Two-thirds of the roles will be client-facing relationship managers, investment counsellors and product specialists.
"We're making that pivot to growth by substantially investing in our bench strength attracting the best talent in the industry," said Philip Kunz, head of private banking, South-east Asia.
On progress, he said: "More than ever, our HR (human resources) team is fielding calls from candidates searching us out to be part of the team. Even internally we're seeing staff increasingly transfer from other parts of HSBC into private banking."

domain: economics


Despite the absence of global regulatory harmonisation, ESG standards are becoming a central feature of public discourse, whether via supranational organisations such as the EU or through social and environmental activists with international reach such as Extinction Rebellion. However, there is currently no common definition of what makes a ‘sustainable’ company or what constitutes good ESG practice, which in turn gives rise to problems when measuring and reporting ESG.
A new paper from Capco, ‘ESG in financial services – today and in the future’, explores the ESG challenges within financial services and examines the technologies that could help address them. It considers the new types and sources of data that are emerging in the real economy, and looks at how the FS industry can integrate them within products and services to generate more coherent ESG information and drive better decision-making:
- Monitoring sentiment: AI-driven sentiment analysis could be key for tackling the shortcomings around ESG measurement, and by extension enhance the public perception if such metrics. It can be used to access the unstructured data which makes up around 80 percent of the world’s data, opening up new opportunities to investigate sentiment towards companies via previously unavailable information.
- Network Theory – understanding ESG links: Information networks can be utilised to help understand the ESG profile of a company through better information gathering. Similar to sentiment analysis, network theory principles can navigate through vast networks to compile true ESG profiles. Researchers can investigate relevant connections, such as companies’ supply chains or business dealings, to gain insights into how companies behave today and in the past – and the likelihood of them behaving unethically in the future.
- Combining diverse technologies: By using technologies drawn from diverse industries it is possible to benefit society and make widescale ESG reporting possible. Firms could, for example, combine satellite imagery, AI sentiment analysis and drones to measure the impact of their operations on the environment in real-time.
- Tokenisation – ratifying ethical supply chains: To truly create a standardised and coherent ESG picture across markets requires a way to share data, in real-time, across industries. One potential technology that could help combat this issue is tokenisation, which enables the creation of a real-time and verifiable shared database of assets and attributes a secure code or identifier to them. Tokenisation’s founding principles are centred around trust and security, and this makes it a prime candidate to help solve some of the issues around ESG measurement.
Charles Sincock, Managing Principal and ESG lead at Capco, comments:
“The lack of consistency in approaches to ESG is a real worry for the investment market. There needs to be far greater transparency within ESG data and around ESG scoring to enable financial institutions to be certain that they are investing in a truly sustainable cause. Greater transparency comes through better data collection and more reliable data sources.
Alongside increased transparency, there needs to be a supported, recognized framework which is sponsored by the industry and regulators – the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) could be a powerful force in providing more clarity to such frameworks.. For financial companies, this would be valuable for all elements of the finance chain, as they would be able to see how well they are performing and also how others are performing.”
“The technologies we highlight in our paper can be combined to gain a greater understanding of each organisation’s operating landscape. By better understanding networks such as supply chains, energy usage and employee habits, targeted interventions in response to new information or regulation will be possible – giving businesses the opportunity to approach ESG in a flexible and agile fashion.”
Capco is a global management and technology consultancy headquartered in London


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One of the scariest experiences you can have with an air conditioner is when it emits a chemical smell each time you turn it on. In addition, it is hard to tell whether the problem is easy to solve or if you are minutes away from gas poisoning. You should know that even a faint chemical smell means something is going on that an AC professional needs to address. In such a case, you may also want to know what is causing the smell and possible solutions. With that in mind, here are three distinct smells you might get from your AC unit and what they mean.
When It Gives Off an Ether Smell
Ether and chloroform have a very distinctive and unmistakable smell. Hence, you will find it difficult to relax indoors when the odor is circulating from the unit. You should know that the smell results from a refrigerant leak as it passes through the evaporator coils. In such a case, you may also notice that the AC runs longer than usual, emits bubbly noises, and the house is always stuffy. It is crucial to note that the refrigerant is hazardous, and you shouldn't breathe it in. Instead, call a technician to assess the system's condition and repair the leak immediately.
When It Emits an Acidic, Musty, or Ammonia Smell
Be wary of an acidic or ammonia smell coming from the unit. In this case, the smell can emanate from the evaporator coil, the condensate line, or ductwork. Since the AC cools the house by condensation, water is a common byproduct. However, if the water does not drain from the evaporator coil, it can mix with dirt and encourage rotting and mold growth. With time, mold and mildew will cause a musty or chemical smell.
The smell could also emanate from a clogged condensate line because of a similar dirt and moisture collection process. More so, failure to clean your unit will allow mold to spread to your ductwork. Hence, an expert must clear dirt buildup and clogs to eliminate conditions that support mold growth.
When It Smells Like Household Supplies
You might also notice that your AC smells like your household supplies. This is common if you place cleaning supplies or paint too close to the indoor unit. That said, you want to avoid placing chemicals close to your AC as it will pull the smell they emit and circulate it in your house. In this case, the solution is storing the supplies away from your unit and in air-tight containers.
These are simple and effective ways to handle chemical smells coming from the AC. Remember that you should call an HVAC company if the odor is persistent and causing side effects like headaches, nausea, and other physical symptoms.Share

domain: chemistry


The 2017 Ford F250s we're just as capable as any of the other later model year trucks in their class and were actually able to achieve a pretty astounding towing capacity of up to 18,500 lbs.! In order to achieve those types of ratings though, your truck had to be equipped properly because on the lower end of the spectrum, these trucks were only able to achieve a 12,200 lb rating, which was more than a 6,000 lb. difference between the two numbers!
There is a lot to go through in the charts in order to verify your maximum trailer weight rating, but I break all of that information down in this article and go through everything individually to make it a lot easier. Let's get started!
I recommend that you read through your owner's manual to get familiar with your 2017 truck and that you abide by all of Ford's recommendations and requirements.
2017 F-250 Overview
Overall Towing Capacity: The 2017 Ford F250s had an overall towing capacity that ranged from 12,200-18,500 lbs. and varied depending on many different factors. These factors included the engine you had equipped, your axle ratio, your cab style, your wheelbase length and your bed length.
Some of these factors impacted the numbers much more than other factors, but all of them had an impact in some way.
Engine Options: There were only two engine options that were available for these trucks and this was a 6.2 L engine or a 6.7 liter engine, which was found on a lot of the later model year F250s. The 6.2 L engine was a gasoline-powered engine, while the 6.7 liter engine was a diesel-powered engine.
Trucks that utilized the 6.7 L engine had slightly higher overall trailer weight ratings compared to models that had the 6.2 L engine equipped. It was hard to compare the two engine's specs side-by-side because there were different axle ratios that each engine used, but if we look at the data overall, we can see that the 6.7 liter engines had the ability to produce 1,000 to 2,000 lbs. more capacity, on average.
Axle Ratios: Like I already mentioned, the axle ratios that were used for each engine were different and if we look at the charts, we can see that models equipped with the 6.2 L engine used either a 3.73 or 4.30 rear axle ratio. Trucks that had the 6.7 L diesel engine equipped, utilized either a 3.31 rear axle or a 3.55 rear axle.
Assumed Weight: I was able to find the assumed weight that Ford specifies when listing their maximum trailer weight ratings and this includes the driver and one passenger in the truck, each of which weighs 150 lbs., for a grand total of 300 lbs. of assumed weight. Here is what I found in Ford's Guide:
"Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight assumes a towing vehicle with any mandatory options, no cargo, tongue load of 10% (conventional trailer) or king pin weight of 15% (5th-wheel trailer) and driver and passenger (150 lbs. each). Weight of additional options, passengers, cargo and hitch must be deducted from this weight"
Enter your text here...
Standard and Gooseneck Charts:
The 2017 Ford F250s had quite a few different variables when it came to the charts, as you can see from the images below. It was also able to achieve a quite impressive maximum trailer weight rating too, set at an impressive 18,500 lbs.!
If we look at the charts, we can see that we'll have to plug in a few different variables in order to get an accurate figure for your specific truck. You will need to know the cab style or cab configuration that you have on your truck, along with the axle ratio and what engine you had equipped.
Along with those couple of items, you will also need to know whether you have a four-wheel drive or two-wheel drive model, the length of your wheelbase and how long your bed is. There are also two different specs listed and this is labeled as max weight carrying and max weight distributing, which we will dive into later in this article and all the other elements as well.
Trailer Frontal Area & Tailgate Clearance: I also listed the trailer frontal area considerations that I found in the guide and this is basically the amount of area on the front of the trailer, which creates drag and the more drag you have, the less safe it is to tow on the road, so manufacturers will usually list a frontal area in square footage that you should not exceed.
For these model year trucks, Ford recommends a maximum of 75 square feet of frontal trailer area for all fifth wheel and gooseneck hitches, while that number is reduced down to 60 square feet for all other types of hitches.
If you are planning on using a fifth wheel or gooseneck hitch, then you will need the other image I have posted below, which talks about the clearance from the ground to the top of the tailgate.
Tongue Weight Rating:
The tongue weight rating was listed at the bottom of the charts and smaller print that I was able to magnify and posted a screenshot of below. You can click on the image to enlarge it if you would like to read it, but it states that the trailer tongue load weight should be 10% of the trailer's total weight for conventional hitches and 15% for fifth wheel hitches.
In the owner's manual, it states that you will not want to go below or above 10 to 15% of your trailer's total weight for conventional hitches or 15 to 25% if you're using a fifth wheel or gooseneck hitch.
What Axle Ratio Do I Have?
The first variable on your truck that we are going to talk about is the axle ratio, because you need to know what your axle ratio is in order to plug that into the chart and get your specific trailer weight rating.
You will want to find your axle code, which can be found on the certification label that is located on the driver side door or driver side door pillar. All you have to do is open your driver's door and look for a label that looks like the one posted in the image below. At the bottom of this label, you will see the word axle, along with a two-digit code below it.
Once you have your code, you'll need to use the axle ratio code cheat sheet that I have posted below, that I was able to find in Ford's guide. These axle ratios that are listed in this chart apply for not only the F-250 series trucks but also the 350-550 series trucks as well, so I went ahead and outline the four different axle ratios that were available for this model year truck.
Just for reference, the four different axle ratios that were available were the 3.3 one, the 3.55 oh, the 3.73 and the 4.30 axle ratios. This chart will also verify whether you have a limited slip, non-limited slip or an electronic locking rear differential, which doesn't matter when it comes to the trailer weight ratings but will give you a little more information about your rear axle.
Moving down the list of the many variables, we get to the wheelbase measurements, which were labeled in inches and in the charts, they were labeled as 142" WB, 148" WB etc. The wheelbase measurement is basically just the measurement from the front wheel to the rear wheel, measuring from the center of the wheels. I included an image below that illustrates what I am talking about.
You will have to physically measure your wheelbase in order to know what your measurement is, so you can plug it into the chart. This process is going to be a lot easier with two people.
Box (Bed) Lengths:
Moving on down the list, we are now going to talk about the box lengths that are listed in the charts, which is just another way of saying the bed length of your truck. There were only two different bed lengths available, and these were an 8-foot bed or a 6 3/4 foot long bed, which is also known as a standard bed.
You can measure these if you would like, but keep in mind that an 8-foot bed is going to measure a bit longer than 96 in. (approx. 98 inches) and the standard bed will measure approximately 81 inches.
Weight Carrying vs Weight Distributing:
The next variable that we need to talk about that was mentioned in the chart was weight carrying vs. weight distributing trailer weight ratings. The weight carrying metrics are what most people are going to look at because the weight distributing metrics are for people who are using a weight distributing hitch in their setup.
If you look at the fifth wheel and gooseneck chart, you do not see the weight carrying vs weight distributing figures, like you do in the conventional chart. So, the weight distributing numbers will only apply for those of you out there that are using a conventional hitch and you have a weight distributing hitch installed, as well.
Finally, we get to the cab styles or cab configurations that are listed in the top of the charts. The 2017 F250s had three different cab styles available but didn't make a huge difference in the overall trailer weight ratings, especially if we compare a truck with the same engine option and axle ratio, just looking at the different cab configurations and seeing the subtle differences in the trailer weight ratings.
I posted an image below of what the three different cab Styles or cab configurations look like, to give you a better idea of what your truck is utilizing.
Trim Levels Explained:
There were five different trim levels available for these model year trucks, which I was able to find listed in the super duty brochure and these were listed as the: XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum trim levels.
The trim level you had on your truck did not affect the trailer weight ratings that were listed in the chart directly, but some trim levels had certain options that were standard, like the engine that was equipped in the truck, which would indirectly affect your trailer weight ratings.
GVWR and GAWR Figures:
GVWR & GAWRs: The gross vehicle weight rating and gross axle weight ratings were not listed anywhere in the charts, like the gross combined weight rating were, but I was able to find information on where you can find these specs.
Certification Label: You can actually find both of these metrics on the certification label, that we already talked about when we were looking for our axle codes. Again, this label can be found on the driver side door or driver side door pillar and looks like the label that is shown in the image below.
At the top of the label, you will find the gross vehicle weight rating, along with the front and rear gross axle weight ratings.
Standard Equipment & What's Included...
Now, a lot of the basic trailer equipment is included with these trucks, like they are with many other model-year F250s and I posted a chart that I found that lays out what's included with these trucks and also what's included with the additional tow package (535) that is needed in some cases to achieve higher ratings.
I was not able to find any information on what's included with the optional 9,900 lb. gross vehicle weight rating (68D) package. If I do, I will update this post as soon as possible.
(4) In-cab, no controller (SRW). (7) F-350 DRW/F-450 only. (8) Requires 6.7L diesel engine. (9) Chrome (Lariat/King Ranch) or Polished (Platinum).
Trailer brakes are an absolute must when pulling a heavy trailer behind you because your truck's brakes are only designed to stop your truck when it is fully loaded, not your truck plus the additional weight of a trailer, which for these model your trucks, can be a substantial amount of added weight.
Ford requires that you have trailer brakes installed on your trailer if it weighs 1,500 lbs. or more and remember these brakes will have to be independent of your vehicle's braking system. You will also want to check with your local state or county laws to see what they require as far as trailer brakes and trailer weight.
Other Notes I Found:
As I was making my final rounds in the owner's manual, I came across a couple of notes that I thought were worth mentioning. The first note talks about how you will have to reduce the gross combined weight rating of your truck by 2% for every 1,000 feet of elevation change.
If you're traveling or planning on traveling to higher elevation areas, then you will need to keep this little fact in the back of your mind and adjust your trailer or vehicle weight accordingly.
The other note talks about the octane rating of gasoline, if you have a gasoline-powered engine or the 6.2 L engine. Ford does not recommend getting gas that has a lower octane rating of 87, which (they state) is usually offered in higher elevation areas.
All of the information in this article was gathered from just a handful of resources, all of which I posted links to below. Most of the information I gathered came from Ford's Tow Guide, which includes a lot of the images, but I was also able to find a lot of other helpful information in the owner's manual and the 2017 Super Duty brochure.
Last updated on April 27th, 2022 at 06:47 pm


November 29, 2009
Granger Bay – Flickr pic of the day
Justin says, “I was on my last day in the Cape after being down for a business trip and I just had to do some nature snaps, as Cape Town has some of the best natural views around.
“Taken at 19h10, the photo shows just how beautiful Cape Town can be – even heading into the dark of night!”
See more of Justin’s photography on his website.
Do you have images of Cape Town you’d like to share with us? We’d love you to join the Cape Town. Live it. Love it. Flickr group!
Image © Justin Lee aka Cheap Trick 2009


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It’s been a lot more than a yr considering that the start of the federal mask mandate for transportation and the need for inbound tourists to the U.S. to offer a damaging COVID-19 check end result. And whilst the mask mandate was most not long ago prolonged less than a thirty day period back (and is now established to expire on April 18), vacation industry leaders and travelers alike are expressing their readiness for both of those requirements to close.
Just how prepared are Individuals to see the vacation mandates eliminated? This earlier 7 days, we requested extra than 700 U.S.-based mostly TripIt consumers irrespective of whether they wanted the mandates to expire, be taken off, or continue—and whether or not the prospective elimination of people mandates would impact their programs to vacation in the long run.
What travelers claimed disclosed an noticeable readiness for returning to vacation normalcy. That is, the majority of respondents (54%) reported they want the federal mask mandate for transportation to expire. In addition, 60% of respondents mentioned they want the COVID-19 tests necessity for international journey eradicated.
Here’s what else tourists told us.
Most Us residents completely ready for masks on planes to come off
When we requested vacationers their preferences relating to the federal mask mandate for transportation:
- 54% claimed they want the mask mandate to expire
- 30% want the mandate to be re-extended
- 16% really don’t have a desire either way
If the mask mandate had been to expire, virtually a third of respondents (32%) claimed they’d be much more probably to travel 53% reported the mandate ending would not make them extra or a lot less most likely to vacation. Just 15% explained the mandate ending would bring about them to vacation much less.
Would an close to the mandate imply an close to masking on transportation? Our facts suggests that it is not very likely. Indeed, 39% of respondents approach to however use a mask on a plane and other varieties of public transit 28% claimed they’d don a mask if they were being feeling sick while traveling. One-third of tourists (33%) claimed they’d be finished with masks if/when the mandate ends.
Our details also shows those people who want the mask mandate to be re-prolonged will also—overwhelmingly (93%)—continue to wear masks on general public transportation no subject what, with virtually all of the remainder carrying out so although unwell (6%) and considerably less than 1% scheduling to no lengthier have on masks on general public transportation at all.
Nearly 50 percent of Us residents will strategy much more intercontinental travel if tests need is eliminated
Travelers felt even far more strongly about the removal of the worldwide testing need. Our knowledge reveals:
- 60% of respondents want the necessity eliminated
- 27% want the policy to keep on being
- 13% mentioned they really do not have a choice possibly way
We also requested vacationers how the probable removal of the global tests requirement would influence their journey options. Nearly half (44%) mentioned they’d be additional probably to travel if the requirement was eliminated just 10% explained they’d be fewer likely to travel and 46% said ending the policy would not effects their travel strategies both way.
Equivalent to the survey knowledge we introduced in early March, Americans’ air vacation readiness carries on to climb. And it would seem, with readiness will come the hunger for normalcy—and moving on from pandemic-era mandates.
Methodology: TripIt surveyed additional than 700 U.S.-dependent end users to understand their sentiment toward the federal mask mandate for transportation and the COVID-19 tests necessity for global travel to the U.S. The survey took area April 1-4, 2022.
About the Author


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Ms. N, 35, surveyed the packed waiting room and sighed. After eight years as a nurse practitioner in the pediatric unit of an inner-city medical center, she was feeling burned out. She had taken the job with the best of altruistic intentions, but now, when she looked at the crowd in the waiting room, she didn’t feel inspired—she just felt tired.
One of the waiting patients was 6-year-old Mary G., who was brought in by her mother. “Her jaw hurts, and she’s been crying from the pain,” Mrs. G explained.
The NP noted that Mary had a swollen jaw and that her temperature was 102°F. She diagnosed tooth decay with infection, prescribed amoxicillin, and referred the patient to the medical center’s dental clinic for treatment.
A week later, Mary and her mother were back. The child had taken the antibiotic as prescribed, but her jaw was more swollen and her fever had not abated. Ms. N again referred the family to the dental clinic, where a dentist extracted one of Mary’s teeth. He told Mrs. G the decaying tooth had created a small fluctuant mass on the child’s lower jaw and was responsible for the continuing fever. With the tooth removal and the antibiotic therapy, her symptoms should resolve, he said.
But the swelling and fever were still present when the pair returned for a follow-up, and the dentist began to question his diagnosis. He told Mrs. G to bring Mary back in a week for another follow-up. When he noted that Mary’s jaw remained swollen and the fever still hadn’t broken, he sent the family back to the pediatric clinic.
Mrs. G brought Mary to Ms. N two more times over the course of the next two weeks, pointing out that the little girl now had neck pain and stiffness in addition to the fever and swelling. The NP recorded that the child was not improving, prescribed a different antibiotic (clarithromycin), and referred the child to the dental clinic again. This time, the dentist also noted the swelling and neck stiffness and referred Mary back to the pediatric clinic. Despite these repeated referrals back and forth, Ms. N never called the dentist, nor did he call Ms. N to discuss the case.
Frustrated by six weeks of appointments with no progress, Mrs. G ultimately took Mary to the emergency department of the local hospital. The fever, neck pain, and swelling had become more severe. At the hospital, a CT scan revealed a deep neck-space infection extending from below the jaw into the cervical spine. Mary had developed osteomyelitis, and it had destroyed parts of her top two cervical vertebrae.
Mary required a long hospital stay and extensive surgery to treat the infection and had to wear a cervical collar for several months. Her top two vertebrae grew back fused on the right side, permanently impairing her movement and preventing her from turning her head or looking over her shoulder. In addition, the doctors warned, she would likely suffer accelerated degenerative disk disease in the vertebrae below the fused bones.
About a year later, Mrs. G saw a television ad for a plaintiffs’ attorney who specialized in medical malpractice. She called the toll-free number and made an appointment. At the meeting with the attorney, she explained how the child had been shuttled back and forth between the pediatric and dental clinics for six weeks while her condition deteriorated.
“Each one thought it was the other’s responsibility,” Mrs. G said. “The nurse kept saying it was dental, and the dentist kept saying ‘go back to the nurse.’ Each time we went one place, they sent us back to the other, but they never talked to each other!”
The attorney listened, reviewed the medical records Mrs. G had brought, then called a physician for advice. “If this infection had been caught, say at least two weeks earlier, would the damage have been this severe?” he asked.
“No,” the physician replied. “If it had been diagnosed earlier, she almost certainly could have been successfully treated with IV antibiotics. That would have avoided surgery and the resulting vertebral damage. Had the two clinicians communicated, they should have been able to properly diagnose.”
The attorney turned to Mrs. G. “I’ll take the case,” he said.
After visiting the medical center and reviewing the on-site records, the plaintiffs’ lawyer hired several experts to build his case: a family practice physician, an NP, a dentist, a professor of pediatric otolaryngology, and a board-certified spinal surgeon.
Armed with their reports, the attorney filed a lawsuit against Ms. N, the dentist, and the medical center on behalf of his young client. It was now 2½ years after the incident. The attorney was aware that the state had a two-year statute of limitations on filing a malpractice case, but he wasn’t concerned. He mistakenly believed that in the case of a minor, the statute of limitations wouldn’t start running until she reached age 18.
Ms. N’s insurance company provided her defense attorney. He assured her there was nothing to worry about because the plaintiffs’ lawyer had missed the filing deadline.
“We’ll just ask for the case to be dismissed,” he said confidently. “We won’t even get to the negligence issue.”
But when the plaintiffs’ attorney explained why he thought he had acted correctly, the judge applied the doctrine of “equitable tolling,” ruling that it would be unfair to the plaintiff if the lawsuit were dismissed on such a technicality.
A trial was scheduled, but before jury selection began, the parties settled out of court for $750,000.
The equitable-tolling doctrine can rescue a case that ordinarily would be dismissed because it wasn’t filed on time. Although infrequently used, judges can allow a late filing if dismissal would be extraordinarily unfair, provided the attorney demonstrates due diligence in pursuing the claim.
Here, the plaintiffs’ lawyer visited the clinic, hired numerous experts, read their reports, and made every attempt to pursue Mary’s claim. The judge felt all that activity showed good faith and that the little girl deserved her day in court.
No one will ever know what Mary’s prognosis might have been under other circumstances. She might not have responded to treatment, or other complications might have arisen. But risk management should not rely on hoping the case will be dismissed because the plaintiffs’ lawyer made a technical mistake.
Communication, both with patients and other clinicians, is essential in patient care. When the dentist referred Mary to the clinic after the extraction follow-ups, Ms. N should have called him before sending the child back to the dental clinic. Similarly, the dentist can be faulted for not calling Ms. N and telling her that Mary’s deteriorating condition didn’t appear to be caused by a dental issue. And Mrs. G could have voiced her frustration to Ms. N after the second round of referrals, long before she found it necessary to consult a lawyer.

domain: medical


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Reviewed Date: 12/21/2022
The regulations require employers to record all fatalities, injuries and illnesses that are work-related (29 C.F.R. § 1904.5) or that are new cases (29 C.F.R. § 1904.4) resulting in:
- Death (29 C.F.R. § 1904.7(b)(2));
- Days away from work (29 C.F.R. §1904.7(b)(3));
- Restricted work or transfer to another job (29 C.F.R. § 1904.7(b)(4));
- Medical treatment beyond first aid (29 C.F.R. § 1904.7(b)(5));
- Loss of consciousness (29 C.F.R. § 1904.7(b)(6));
- Needle stick injuries (29 C.F.R. § 1904.8(a));
- Cuts from sharp objects that are contaminated with another person’s blood or other potentially infectious material (29 C.F.R. § 1904.8(a));
- Medical removal under OSHA standards (29 C.F.R. § 1904.9(a));
- Hearing loss (29 C.F.R. § 1904.10(a));
- Tuberculosis (TB) (29 C.F.R. § 1904.11(a)); or
- A significant injury or illness diagnosed by a physician or other licensed health care professional. 29 C.F.R. § 1904.7(b)(7).
An injury or illness is work-related if an event or exposure in the work environment either caused or contributed to the resulting condition or significantly aggravated a pre-existing injury or illness. 29 C.F.R. § 1904.5(a). The work environment is by OSHA 29 C.F.R. § 1904.5(1)(b)(1) defined as “the establishment and other locations where one or more employees are working or are present as a condition of employment.” The work environment includes not only the physical location, but also the equipment or materials used by the employee during the course of his/her workday.
An injury or illness is considered pre-existing if it resulted solely from a non-work-related event or exposure that occurred outside the work environment (C.F.R. § 1904.5(b)(5)). The act deems a pre-existing injury or illness “significantly aggravated” if the event results in death, loss of consciousness, one or more days away from work, days of restricted work, days of job transfer, or medical treatment. A case is considered “significantly aggravated” when no medical treatment was needed for the injury or illness before the workplace event or exposure or when a change in medical treatment was necessitated by the workplace event or exposure if the condition’s aggravation would likely not have resulted but for the occupational event or exposure. 29 C.F.R. § 1904.5(b)(4).
According to 29 C.F.R. § 1904.5(b)(2) employers do not have to record injuries or illnesses under the following conditions:
- At the time of the injury or illness, the employee was present in the work environment as a member of the general public.
- The injury or illness involves signs or symptoms that surface at work, but result solely from a non-work-related event or exposure that occurs outside the work environment.
- The injury or illness results solely from voluntary participation in a wellness program or in a medical, fitness, or recreational activity such as blood donation, physical examination, flu shot, exercise class, racquetball, or baseball.
- The injury or illness is solely the result of an employee eating, drinking, or preparing food or drink for personal consumption (whether bought on your premises or brought in). For example, if the employee is injured by choking on a sandwich while in your establishment, the case would not be considered work-related. However, if an employee was preparing a meal for a business-related meeting and is injured, the case would be considered work-related.
- The injury or illness is solely the result of an employee doing personal tasks (unrelated to employment) at the establishment outside the employee’s assigned working hours.
- The injury or illness is solely the result of personal grooming or self-medication for a non-work-related condition, or is intentionally self-inflicted.
- The injury or illness is caused by a motor vehicle accident and occurs on a company parking lot or company access road while the employee is commuting to or from work.
- The injury is the common cold or flu. Contagious diseases such as tuberculosis, brucellosis, hepatitis A, or plague are considered work-related if the employee is infected at work.
- The illness is a mental illness unless the employee voluntarily provides you with an opinion from a physician or other licensed health care professional with the appropriate training and experience stating that the employee has a mental illness that is work-related.
In situations where you have difficulty determining whether the precipitating event or exposure occurred in the work environment or away from work, 29 C.F.R. § 1904.5(b)(3) provides that employers must evaluate the employee’s work duties and environment to determine whether one or more events or exposures in the work environment either caused or contributed to the resulting condition or significantly aggravated a pre-existing condition.
Another question that often arises is how to handle injuries and illnesses that occur while an employee is traveling. 29 C.F.R. § 1904.5(b)(6) provides that “injuries and illnesses that occur while an employee is traveling are work-related if, at the time of the injury or illness, the employee was engaged in work activities “in the interest of you.” Examples include travel to and from customer contacts; conducting job tasks; and entertaining or being entertained to transact, discuss, or promote business at the direction of you. Injuries and illnesses that occur when the employee is traveling do not have to be recorded if the employee has checked into a hotel or motel for one or more days or has taken a detour for personal reasons.
Injuries or illnesses that occur when the employee is on travel status do not have to be recorded if they meet one of the exceptions listed below. 29 C.F.R. §1904.5)b)(6).
|If the employee has…||You may use the following to determine if an injury or illness is work related.|
|Checked into a hotel or motel for one or more days.||When a traveling employee checks into a hotel, motel, or other temporary residence, he or she establishes a “home away from home.” You must evaluate the employee’s activities after he or she checks into the hotel, motel, or other temporary residence for their work-relatedness in the same manner as you evaluate the activities of a non-traveling employee. When the employee checks into the temporary residence, he or she is considered to have left the work environment. When the employee begins work each day, he or she re-enters the work environment. If the employee has established a “home away from home” and is reporting to a fixed worksite each day, you also do not consider injuries or illnesses work-related if they occur while the employee is commuting between the temporary residence and the job location.|
|Taken a detour for personal reasons||Injuries or illnesses are not considered work-related if they occur while the employee is on a personal detour from a reasonably direct route of travel (e.g., has taken a side trip for personal reasons.)|
Injuries and illnesses that occur while an employee is working at home will be considered work-related if the injury or illness occurs while the employee is performing work for pay or commission in the home, and the injury or illness is directly related to the performance of the work rather than to the general home environment or setting. If an employee, for example, drops a box of work documents and injures his/her foot, the case is considered work-related. If an employee is injured because he/she trips on the family dog while rushing to answer a work phone call, the case is not considered work-related. If the employee is electrocuted because of faulty home wiring, the injury is not work-related. 29 C.F.R. § 1904.5(b)(7).


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A few of my readers have reached out to me via e-mail, asking for ideas on the best chakra books for healing that are currently available on the market. Although I am not an expert on the topic, I do know some people who are, and they have authored some fantastic books on it.
My all-time favourite book, and without a doubt the best book available for crystal enthusiasts and chakra healers, is
Chakra Awakening by Margaret Ann Lembo
As both a best-selling book and a spiritual practitioner, Margaret is well regarded in the field of spiritual advancement. In addition, she is a prominent figure in the field. This book brings together Margaret’s extensive understanding of crystal healing, aromatherapy, and positive thinking, as well as the ways in which it might help to activate your chakras. Because the information is straightforward and uncomplicated to comprehend, even a newbie will have no trouble adhering to the instructions that she gives. In addition to enlightening you, the stories and anecdotes that Margaret includes in this book will keep you thoroughly delighted.
If you would like to learn how to do something, you should most certainly read this book.
- Get rid of any negative energy.
- Your chakras should be aligned and balanced.
- Find the regions that are out of alignment or need to be modified.
- You want to take charge of your future, don’t you?
- When creating sacred spaces, it is helpful to make use of noises, fragrances, and herbs.
Another one of everyone’s favourites is;
The Chakra Bible: The Definitive Guide to Chakra Energy by Patricia Mercier
This book is best suited for novices who are looking to gain a deeper comprehension of the role that chakras play in the human body. It is attractive to look at, simple to read, and has many wonderful photographs and illustrations. Patricia is a natural holistic healer who has years of experience in a variety of healing modalities, including yoga, reiki, meditation, crystal and light healing, holistic massage, and stress management.
She makes use of this vast store of information in this book, in which she explains in an understandable and straightforward manner how to
- Acquire an understanding of the several chakras that may be found throughout the body.
- Discover which colours and stones are associated with each of the seven chakras.
- The practises of aura healing and readings, yoga, meditation, and other stress reduction methods that can be used to help you become more in sync with your chakras.
- To stimulate the awakening of your chakras, you might make use of crystals, colours, scents, and certain yoga positions.
Another fantastic book on the topic may be found here:
Chakra Clearing by Doreen Virtue
Doreen is a licenced counselling psychologist who also has experience working as a clairvoyant and is in contact with the spiritual realm of angels. She has been a guest on a wide variety of programmes broadcast on American television, including Oprah, CNN, and Good Morning America, amongst many others. Because Doreen hosts a call-in chat programme once a week, you always have the opportunity to discuss your discoveries with her regardless of when you call in. Included with this book is a guided meditation CD that will assist you in putting the material that you learn in the book into practise. This book places a significant emphasis on ridding one’s environment of bad energy and replaces it with the spiritual strength that comes from within.
Because it is written in a style that is relatively straightforward, the book can be utilised and comprehended with relative ease. If you are interested in learning more, read this book.
- Regarding the examination of chakras and auras.
- instructions on how to maintain your chakras clean and free of obstructions at all times.
- I am interested in experiencing the guided meditations that are included on the CD.
- Clearing your chakras can be accomplished by practises such as meditation, the use of specific colours, angel therapy, and visualisation.
- Help you gain a deeper comprehension of the role that each chakra plays in your body.
If you believe that I have overlooked any books that ought to be included on this list, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me through this website or at [email protected] I will evaluate each book on its own before including it on the list, so your feedback is very much appreciated.

domain: library


text:
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Aerosol on canvas by NASTY and L'ATLAS
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domain: artistic


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Although we’re not fans of classifying food as “good” or “bad” (there really is no morality when it comes to food), there’s no denying that some foodstuffs gets a not-so-great rap. But is it justified? Sometimes a food item really gets a worse rap than it deserves.
Here are 5 foods that can be good for us:
1. Chocolate - Yes, it is true. Chocolate can be good for you. Now before you joyously scoff down that O’Henry, know that it’s the dark chocolate that gets the nod as the healthier kind. Try for 60-80% cocoa. And stick with 1oz per day (= the size of two 9-volt batteries).
2. Fat - Think canola and olive oil. Yes, some fat is good for you. We actually need some fat in our diet to absorb the fat soluble vitamins – A,D,E,K. The trick: not getting too much. Use it when cooking and make your own salad dressing and you’ll get the two tablespoons recommended per day.
3. Coffee - In the health world, coffee has been in and then out and then in again but the most recent research has given coffee a thumbs up. My take is that you can’t go wrong in reasonable doses. After all it is a calorie-free option, plus it contains helpful antioxidants and minerals like magnesium. Where coffee drinkers mess it up is when they “double-double” it (aka add high fat cream and sugar). If your gonna drink coffee, stick to milk or black only please. And if you are sensitive to caffeine, ask for decaf….duh.
4. Eggs - As they continue to recover from mass hysteria regarding links to high cholesterol and heart disease, the mighty egg moves on. Teaching point: If you’re having bacon and eggs, the saturated fat in the bacon is the part that can raise your bad cholesterol, not the cholesterol in those eggs.
5. Pizza - I think pizza gets a totally unfair bad rap. The word “pizza” covers such a broad category of options. How does greasy, thick, white pizza crust with fatty pepperoni and layers of saturated fat cheese even compare to a multigrain, thin-crust, veggie-laden pizza with protein (goat cheese, chicken, etc)!? It doesn’t. It’s a different food altogether. Pizza can be good for you. Read the labels and compare brands or make your own with decent toppings.
- A & M, GetRealGurls Nutrition

domain: food


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Applecross provides a unique online service for people investing in UK property. Working with our team you can learn about the UK market and start to build your property investing portfolio right here.
The property investment site, and video’s are currently in English. We will expand to Chinese, Arabic and Russian language versions in the coming months.
With over 23 years' experience in UK property investment and buy to let, we can guide you every step of the way.

domain: finance


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This is a really interesting question because most of us make the assumption that salads are healthy without giving the answer much thought. In fact the word ‘salad’ seems to epitomise health. Whenever I have asked clients to name a healthy food one of the first responses I am used to hearing is ‘salad’.
One of your 5-a-Day
A salad can be an extremely healthy option and counts towards your 5-a-day. In fact it could possibly count as more than that depending on the portion size because 80g is an adult portion size of fruit and vegetables in the UK. Salad leaves are full of fibre, and fibre helps to lower cholesterol and prevent constipation, which in the longer term could help to prevent bowel disease and cancer.
We should be aiming to eat at least 30g of fibre per day according to the SACN report Carbohydrates and Health, but unfortunately fibre intakes in the UK and US are on average far less than this.
What’s Really in Your Salad?
However do not be fooled into thinking that because you have chosen to eat a salad that you are in fact making a healthy choice. The ingredients chosen to put into a salad, plus the dressing will ultimately determine whether a salad is healthy or not.
Many modern day salads bought in restaurants and eateries may contain a lot more fat, sugar and salt than you would imagine. The quality of the ingredients used will also have an impact on the health benefits.
For example salads containing chicken may contain a lot more fat than you expect. Wang et al. from London Metropolitan University found that modern day chickens contain 20% more fat than they once did, due to modern farming practices and feeding, no longer making chicken a low fat lean option.
A Cobb salad from a large American chain contains 7g of unhealthy fat per portion. Current dietary advice is to decrease the amount of unhealthy fat in our diets because eating too much can raise the level of cholesterol in the blood, which can over time increase the risk of developing heart disease and stroke.
This same salad contains a whopping 3.4g of salt, that’s over half the recommended daily UK intake of 6g for an adult. Too much salt can raise your blood pressure, which again over time puts you at increased risk of developing heart disease and stroke.
Adding croutons to a salad will add nothing but fat, sugar and large amounts of salt. If it’s the crunch factor you are after then why not try cashew or walnuts instead. They contain mono and polyunsaturated fats, fibre and other vitamins and minerals or try slicing up some mange tout.
Make a Healthier Choice
Try to avoid salads that contain processed meat such as bacon, ham or prosciutto as well as chicken as this will only add to your unhealthy fat and salt intake. Why not swap processed meat for cooked prawns.
They are a good source of omega-3, iron (prevents anaemia) and zinc (helps process carbohydrate, fat and protein in the body) and a great source of selenium (plays a role in reproduction).
Consumption of processed meat should be kept to a minimum, so no more than 70g (cooked weight) per day to reduce a possible risk of bowel cancer.
Instead try adding vegetables to your salad leaves rather than meat. Salad vegetables are generally cheaper to buy than meat and anything left over can be used in sandwiches, wraps, flat breads or rolls for lunches.
The wonderful thing about salad is that it is so versatile and need not be expensive to make. Adding tomatoes, peppers, sliced (fresh rather than jarred) beetroot and grated carrots can increase antioxidant intakes of vitamin C, lycopene, and beta-carotene.
Avocados are a fabulous source of good fats, which can in fact help to reduce cholesterol. Cucumber is another great source of fibre and water as is celery and sugar snap peas.
Artichoke hearts in a jar can add texture and flavour and will sit in the fridge to be used in other recipes, while beans, such as kidney and butter beans or chick-peas are a valuable source of vegetable protein and will help to make you feel fuller for longer.
Obviously you do not need to add all of these ingredients at once, it’s more about picking and choosing what you fancy and how simple or fancy you want it to be.
Dress it Lightly
The last thing to consider when preparing or buying a salad is what to dress it in? Are all of these fancy dressings that are on the market really necessary and have you ever bothered to find out what they actually contain?
A well known American chain’s Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing contains 32g of fat 5g of which is saturated fat and 1.3g of salt, so not at all healthy and a long ingredients list with long chemical names which include additives and preservatives. Remember if a product is to sit on a shelf for a few months something has got to stop it from going off. Most other dressings are typically high in fat and salt.
For a dressing that’s low in fat, sugar and salt and contains no additives or preservatives try two tablespoonfuls of extra virgin olive oil or cold-pressed rapeseed oil (both mono-unsaturates and good for your heart), a drizzle of good quality balsamic vinegar, a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of cracked black pepper.
This works just as well as those expensive salad dressings.
Or if you are in a restaurant hold the dressing.
Honestly the salad will probably taste just as good without it.
So to come back to the original question is your salad healthy? That really depends upon what you choose to put into it and on it.
Do you constantly suffer from bloating, gas or indigestion when you eat salads or other healthy foods?
If yes, you could be suffering from digestive issues, go to the next page and watch the 3 tips to reverse these digestive-related issues –
About the Author:
Sonya Kaila graduated from Queen Margaret University with a BSc Nutrition in 2009 and went to work as a Nutritionist with a third sector organisation in Edinburgh trying to tackle health inequalities and food poverty in the city. Part of her role was to educate people into making healthier food choices in order to reduce their likelihood of developing disease later in life and also organising and writing health promotion events, health promotion literature including posters and leaflets and writing articles for the media.
Sonya lives outside of Edinburgh with her two daughters Rhea and Amelia, and enjoys everything food related, pilates and gardening.
Which wonderful friends in your life would appreciate learning about making their salads healthy?
Please help them by sharing this eye-opening article with each of them using any of the social media and email buttons below.


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LIV And Let Live
If golf’s new upstart can find a high-end market for its events while the big tournaments on the traditional tours control the main story of the sport, then peace can reign once more
The 150th Open Golf championship at St Andrews last month represented everything that is good about the sport, from the iconic and historic venue to the mental strength of the participants through to an audience on site in Scotland that rose through the week to a total of 290,000. But within moments of Cameron Smith’s win and celebration, the shadow that has been the arrival of LIV Golf was cast once more.
Rumour swirled of Smith’s potential defection from the traditional fields of the game’s historic powerhouses in the PGA and DP World Tour towards the new kid on the block backed by seemingly limitless funding supplied by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. With the aggressive signing of some of the sport’s top stars for tens of millions of dollars, LIV Golf has become the ultimate disruptor.
At the highest level of the four Majors in the men’s game, and five in the Women’s game, golf attracts an audience that is sizeable and well heeled. The money involved in backing an event on the US PGA Tour starts at $10m and escalates quickly. A look at the brands that sponsor tournaments — from Mercedes-Benz to Rolex, and major finance to pharma corporations — tells a story, as does the enormous prize money on offer to the players.
Cameron Smith’s last tournament win before the Open was at The Players Championship earlier this year. The prize money for that event in 2023 will be €25m. Sixty five golfers currently playing have earned more than that sum from prize money through their careers, including Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy. However, now the golden circle that has endured for decades is under threat from the Saudi-backed challenger fronted by Greg Norman.
LIV Golf has shaken up formats by having limited field events that are played over 54 holes (thus the Latin numerals ‘LIV’) and three days as opposed to 72 holes over four days. The players all tee off at the same time, shortening the action from almost 16 hours of live play at St Andrews to only four hours when they teed up at the Donald Trump owned Bedminster course in New Jersey at the end of July.
The LIV prize money on offer is either fantastic, ridiculous or obscene, depending on your point of view.
Having lived for a time in the Middle East, my guess is that LIV Golf is not going to go away any time soon, and that it will find a place on the sporting landscape.
Rory McIlroy spoke for many golf fans with his condemnation of the new arrival, as did Tiger Woods, who was reported to have been offered $1bn to take part. Sport without jeopardy is just an exhibition, and that is what has been served to the relatively small attendances at the first LIV Golf events.
There is a danger that if more top players go over, both sides might lose by damaging the narrative of the sport and ultimately reducing its appeal. Imagine two All-Ireland championships with Dublin playing in one and Kerry in another, or two Premier Leagues where Liverpool and Manchester City never get to compete against each other.
In a high-stakes poker game, both sides are showering a small amount of professional sportspeople with massive money. The PGA has responded to the LIV threat by increasing price funds at its tournaments, and the prize money pool for eight of the top tournaments in the US in 2023 will be $54m more than this year.
Sport is compelling when the best compete against the best. That should remain the end game for all involved once the initial heat has cooled. If LIV Golf finds a high-end market for its limited number of events but the big tournaments on the PGA and DP World Tour continue to control the main story of the sport, then peace can reign once more.


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My wife and I are about to have our first child. She’d like to stay home with the baby after it’s born, so we’ll be losing about half our income. We’ve looked at our budget, and we can stay in the house but things would be very tight. I’ll make $42,000 this year, with a potential bonus of $23,000 at the end of the year. Our house payment is $1,550 a month. Do you think we should downsize to a smaller home and live more comfortably?
I hate it when people have to leave their homes. It can be a hurtful thing to the heart and spirit.
If you had $65,000 as a steady income the house payment wouldn’t be a big deal. But you can’t count on a potential bonus, and from your guaranteed income, more than half your take-home pay will be wrapped up in a house payment. You’d probably have to take a part-time job, or save any bonus you get to subsidize your income just to have a realistic chance of making ends meet.
I’m all for mom staying home with the kids – especially a little baby – whenever possible. But when it comes right down to it, Mike, you and your wife have to decide if it’s worth the part-time work and budget hassles to stay where you are.
Moving is no fun, especially when it’s something you’re forced to do. But you don’t want to be a slave to your house payment either!
* For more financial help please visit daveramsey.com.
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CNL Software Showcases PSIM for Large Scale Deployments at Intersec 2017
Source: CNL Software
GLOBAL RELEASE – January 10, 2017 - CNL Software, a world leader in Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) software, is pleased to announce that it will be showcasing the latest advancements to its IPSecurityCenter? PSIM solution at Intersec 2017 on Stand No. S2-D40, Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The latest version of IPSecurityCenter PSIM adds a wide range of enhancements to enable large scale federated systems to support mission critical environments, both in government organizations and private enterprise.
Intersec comes at a time where the rise in the number of security incidents globally is driving security professionals to look at better methods to fight against the evolving threats from new technologies such as drones and new threats such as small organized criminal cells. This has created the need for more situational data, and has meant that 90 percent of today’s data has been created in just the last two years, with more being created every second. The demand for integrated, automated, intelligent, and large scale management systems has never been greater, both in public space and private enterprise.
“We are seeing larger and more complex control room systems every year within the region. Interestingly security is not the only focus, with organizations looking to leverage intelligence to support other business and operational functions utilizing the technology, people and processes that were traditionally considered as purely security investments”, says Daniel Bloodworth, General Manager – Middle East. “At the same time we are seeing our solutions expanding into more security sensitive environments, with technologies such as radar, sonar and tracking becoming part of infrastructure protection programs. Both trends are creating more data, and with it comes the need to architect solutions that can be scaled, distributed and managed across vast enterprises.”
“The 2017 edition of Intersec is set to be the largest and most international edition to date, the perfect platform to meet our industry peers and discuss the huge strides we have made in managing complexity out of security operations” comments Adlan Hussain, VP Marketing. “The next 12 months will see even more data to manage from a wider range of sources in the control room. It will be complex, and often challenging, but will help the security industry increase its capabilities, its value and ultimately its relevance in today’s information age. We have prepared for this change and are now helping customers and partners to drive it.”
Stand No. S2-D40 Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, UAE – January 22-24, 2017
For more information about our solutions and deployments, please visit us on the CNL Software Stand S2-D40 at Intersec Dubai, International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Dubai, January 22-24, 2017. To book a demonstration please email firstname.lastname@example.org


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When a technician comes to your home, the only things you need to provide are a large towel and a place for our technician to set up equipment.
We are happy to serve Hospice Patients.
Senior Feet is a In-Home Service Provider. We travel to your personal home, assisted living facility, hospital, nursing home, retirement community or rehabilitation center.
We serve Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Newport News and Hampton.

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By Chef José Andrés
Serves 4-62 pounds hanger steakConfited Piquillo Peppers (recipe below)Preheat the grill. Take the steaks out of the refrigeration and let them come to room temperature. Salt the steaks generously with coarse sea salt. Grill them for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until they reach your desired doneness. Let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving, making sure to slice on the bias. Sprinkle a little more coarse sea salt on the steaks, and serve alongside confited piquillo peppers.25 Piquillo peppers (Spanish wood-roasted sweet peppers), or one 13-ounce can1 teaspoon sugar2 garlic clovesSalt to taste1 cup Spanish extra virgin olive oil2 Hanger steaksHeat the oven to 250 degrees. Place 5 of the peppers in a small bowl, along with the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water. Use a hand blender to puree them well. Arrange half of the remaining peppers in one layer in an 8-inch terra cotta or ceramic casserole (this works best when the peppers don’t overlap). Spoon half of the pepper puree on top, and smooth it out with the back of the spoon. Split open the garlic cloves by placing them on a chopping board and pressing down hard with the base of your hand or with the flat side of a knife. Scatter the garlic over the purée, and sprinkle with salt to taste. Make another layer of peppers, and cover with the remainder of the puree. Salt again. Cover the peppers with the oil. Bake in the oven for 1½ hours, until they are completely tender. Remove, allow to cool to room temperature, and serve.Note: To cook this dish successfully, you need to more oil than you’ll eat. Keep the leftover oil for dressings or for sautéing another dish later.
Enter to win a trip for two to Ribera y Rueda, Spain’s most prestigious wine regions in 2024! Here’s your chance to experience the best bodegas (wineries), tour with winemakers and taste amazing wines while taking in historical sites. Stay in luxurious accommodations, partake in late lunches and tapas crawls.


Thank you for the report of your test with the FM dipole; sorry to hear that it didn't give you 2 and 4.
There are two factors involved. The antenna might not be long enough to give the gain that you need for 2 and 4. My test of the FM dipole showed that it had about 11 to 12 dB less gain than a folded dipole 88" long using THHN 14 gauge wire.
The other factor is the noise level, which is very high on channels 2 and 4 from electrical interference. Your indoor antenna needs to be located where the noise level is as low as possible.
My tests have shown me that the noise level with the FM dipole is also lower by about the same amount as the signal, giving the same SNR. This means that the FM dipole might have enough gain for the signals, but there isn't enough difference between the signal and the noise.
I made some more tests yesterday to compare tbe 88" folded dipole with the FM dipole, using the channel 3 output of a Channel Master converter box as a test signal and my Sadelco 719E signal level meter. The meter has a speaker so that I can hear the sound of the noise and the video carrier of the signal, in addition to being able to measure their strength. I used the meter on the left:
88" folded dipole
signal: -3 dBmV (-52 dBm)
noise: -13 dBmV (-62 dBm)
The signal is 10 dB stronger than the noise. A digital signal needs to be at least 15 dB stronger than the noise for reception. I could have used a stronger test signal to make the difference greater than 10 dB, but it didn't matter for this test to compare the two antennas for gain.
FM folded dipole
signal: -15 dBmV (-64 dBm)
noise: -26 dBmV (-75 dBm)
The signal is 11 dB stronger than the noise with the FM dipole.
The 88" folded dipole has 12 dB more gain than the FM folded dipole.
There are two thngs you can try:
1. Build an 88" dipole like I did
2. Try to find a location that has less electrical noise interference
The second one will require trial-and-error by you because you don't have a meter to measure the noise. You can suspect interference from CFL and LED lamps. You can also use a portable radio operating on batteries that will tune the AM broadcast band to hunt for noise sources. Tune it to a vacant frequency at the low end and at the high end of the AM broadcast band. Sometimes a high noise level on the broadcast band will also indicate noise on VHF channels. It doesn't need to be an expensive radio. I use a Jensen MR-550 AM/FM Portable radio. Use it on AM not FM; it works better on AM to hunt for noise. The built in AM loop stick antenna acts as a direction finder.
Maybe you could also set up a temporary antenna outside as a test.
What balun did you use to connect the FM dipole to your TV?


By Myrna M. Velasco – January 10, 2018, 10:00 PM
from Manila Bulletin
The re-imposition of 12-percent value-added tax (VAT) on the wheeling charge of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) under the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act will hike transmission rates by P0.072 per kilowatt-hour.
Prior to the TRAIN Law, the transmission charge of NGCP was exempted from VAT charges – courtesy of its franchise when it assumed the concession deal for the country’s transmission assets in 2009. But that was removed by a specific provision under the TRAIN Act.
“At the earliest, we expect that to be implemented this February billing if NGCP will already be billing its load customers in the January billing cycle,” Meralco Vice President Lawrence S. Fernandez said.
As prescribed under Section 9 of Republic Act 9511, or the franchise of NGCP, it was stated that “the payment by grantee (in this case NGCP) of the concession fees due to PSALM (Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation) under the Concession Agreement shall not be subject to income tax and value added tax.”
With that provision reversed, it will hike power rates further. In the November 2017 billing of consumers, government charges in electric bills already hover at P1.18 per kWh (inclusive of VAT charges for other rate components) so with the calculated increases, that will go up to more than P1.26 per kWh.
Fernandez said the higher transmission charge will be on top of the P0.01 per kWh estimated cost impact that the coal excise taxes as well as those on diesel taxes will have on the electricity rates.
He qualified that such rate pass-on will be done on staggered basis in the electric bills of Meralco customers.
“For the generators, that will depend on their stock of coal – if they bought it new or if they still have stocks prior to the TRAIN Law’s implementation,” he said.
Fernandez added “our expectation will be staggered effect of the coal excise tax…on our own, we are coordinating with our suppliers.”


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Grow an Edible Landscape
The term “edible landscape” is or will become quite familiar to many North Carolinians in future years due to the popularity in local foods, sustainability, and cooking. An edible landscape challenges the home gardener to incorporate fruit- and vegetable-producing plants into the overall design. It is not necessary to substitute these plants for all ornamentals in the landscape. The idea is to progress from the typical backyard garden and develop a plan that uses edible plants to solve functional landscape problems.
For example, try planting fruit trees. No matter how small the space, there is some species and variety of fruit that can be planted. Dwarf varieties generally reach a height of 6 to 10 feet and should bear fruit within three to four years. Semi-dwarf varieties grow to approximately 15 to 20 feet. Consider apples, figs, peaches, persimmon, and Asian pears.
Instead of planting junipers, liriope, or cotoneaster to cover the ground, think about planting strawberries, cucumbers, or melons as a ground cover. With strawberries, an area with well-drained soil that receives at least 6 to 7 hours of direct sunlight will produce lush green foliage, spring blossoms, and early summer fruit. Be certain to choose a variety adapted to your area, like Chandler or Camarosa, and plant disease- and insect-free plants. Set individual plants 12 to 18 inches apart in the spring, allowing runners to develop and mass over the entire bed. Clean cultivation is essential. Strawberries are perennials, but their beds need to be renovated every three to four years.
Blueberry bushes are a good substitute for a holly hedge. The Rabbiteye type is more widely adapted to different soils than are high-bush varieties. Rabbiteye blueberries will not tolerate the cold climate of the mountains but grow well all across the piedmont. Blueberries are an ideal year-round addition to the landscape. They have delicate white or pink flowers in the spring, the summer fruit has an attractive blue color, and the fall foliage adds great red and yellow colors to the landscape. In addition, blueberry plants lend themselves to the “organic” approach of gardening, because pesticides are rarely needed in home garden plantings. Blueberries require a lower pH than many other small fruit crops. Before planting, take a soil test. Acid soils (with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5) usually promote best growth. Modify soils by adding plenty of organic matter and by mulching with 4 to 6 inches of decayed sawdust or pine bark. Two or more varieties should be planted to ensure proper pollination. Plant the bushes in full sun about 4-1/2 to 5 feet apart.
For a very dry, full sun bed try plantings of thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary, comfrey, lemon balm, chives, mint and other herbs for flavoring and medicinal purposes. Many herbs are extremely tolerant of drought and shallow soils while requiring little to no pesticides.
Use vertical gardening of fence, posts, and walls to train blackberries, grapes, Malibu spinach (which is not a true spinach but an awesome summer spinach-like annual vine), melons, and cucumbers.
Finally, do not forget our native and naturalized foods for natural areas like persimmon, pawpaw, scuppernong, ramps, elderberry, walnut, and many others.
Extension offices in every county offer publications on vegetable gardening and on the culture and care of fruit trees, blueberries, strawberries, figs, and so much more. So challenge yourself to grow more!

domain: biology