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There are a wide range of applications of surface treatments for race engines and transmissions, and an even wider range of surface treatments and coatings competing for our business. One surface treatment process that continues to find use in both engines and transmissions, having been popular for several decades, is phosphating. Some of the basic applications of this family of surface treatment processes were covered in a previous article on phosphating.
There is however some debate as to the effectiveness of phosphating as an aid to running in; the use of phosphated camshafts and cam followers remains common, so we should investigate this further. Fortunately there are some well-researched technical papers to help guide us. Those by Devlin et al (1) and Chen et al (2) give us some insight into the effect of phosphate coatings on friction and wear. Farrara and Ritter (3) acknowledge the deleterious effect that the hydrogen evolved during phosphating has on the fatigue strength of high-strength steels, so where we are using high-strength steels and are considering phosphating, we need to be wary of the potential disadvantages and how we might mitigate them.
The debate about the effectiveness of phosphating is more to do with the mechanism by which it is achieved rather than whether it has proven effective. In some people’s opinion, the phosphate conversion coating acts as a fine abrasive, effectively lapping the cam and follower surfaces. However, phosphate coatings are also known to have a porous structure that promotes the retention of oil at the component surface. If the component is well-oiled before installation, it is likely that there will be more lubricant present during the initial start-up, and it’s been postulated that it is this lubricant availability at start-up which aids running-in. If there is an extended period between the engine being built and it being started, however, there is a danger that the cams and followers will have corroded, and oxidised surfaces can be abrasive. Phosphating, especially when oiled, is known to inhibit corrosion.
One area where we need to exercise caution is where fatigue properties are concerned, as there is more than one effect to consider. Phosphating can reduce friction, and in an environment where the cyclic stress is affected by friction (for example, conditions of dry sliding or boundary/mixed lubrication), this can reduce the stress amplitude, which should increase fatigue life.
As noted in the previous article, hydrogen is evolved at the component surface during the phosphating process. Hydrogen diffusion into the surface can result in embrittlement and a marked reduction in fatigue life, particularly in the case of high-strength steels. This is the same mechanism that makes electroplating of high-strength steels something to be careful of. There are ‘baking’ processes that mitigate the loss of ductility and strength due to hydrogen embrittlement, but there is no guarantee that hydrogen embrittlement can be completely eliminated.
A further mechanism by which phosphating has been shown to decrease fatigue life is where the acid reagents can attack the metal surface, corroding it and leaving ‘etch pits’ that act as local stress concentrations.
To summarise, one has to choose phosphating for the applications for which it has proven to be of benefit, and to consider the possible fatigue effects on certain materials – especially high-strength steels.
1. Devlin, M.T., et al, “Effect of Phosphate Coatings on Fatigue and Wear”, paper no 722, presented at the National Lubricating Grease Institute’s 74th annual meeting, 2007
2. Chen, Y., “Improvement of Contact Fatigue Strength of Gears by Tooth Surface Modification Processing”, Proc. 12th World Congress of the International Federation for the Promotion of Mechanism and Machine Science, Besançon (France), June18-21, 2007
3. Farrara, R.A., and Ritter, J.C., “The Effect of Phosphate Coatings on Fatigue Crack Initiation in Quenched and Tempered Low Alloy Steel”, US Army Armament Research Technical Report MRL-TR-90-14, 1990
Written by Wayne Ward

domain: literature


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Looking for a place to eat can be quite a journey for hungry vegans and vegetarians. With very little vegetarian items on the menu, it can be quite hard when the options are so limiting. Thankfully, we’ve hunted down a handful of delicious Sydney restaurants who cater to all ethical vegheads.
Yellow, 57 Macleay Street, Potts Point, 02 9332 2344, yellowsydney.com.au
If you’re after an all-vegetarian bistro, Yellow has a vegetarian OR vegan tasting menu focused on delivering contemporary meals created with locally grown produce. Located inside the Yellow Building in Potts Point, they do brunch and dinners. Try their fermented pumpkin with persimmon and blood plum sorbet! Yum!
Two Chaps, 122 Chapel Street, Marrickville, 02 9572 8858, twochaps.com.au
Combining creativity and freshness, Two Chaps marries the contemporary nature of their dishes with a more ethical mindset with all respect to food production and food consumption. Their “ever-changing” produce menu reflects this philosophy by engaging with the community and using locally home grown ingredients. Expect your bread and handmade pastas to be crafted using organic Australian flour.
Loving Hut, Shop 6, 18-20 Greenfield Parade, Bankstown, 02 9709 4396; also locations in Cabramatta and Canley Heights, lovinghut.com/au.
For new transitioning vegans living off fake meat, you might appreciate an Asian-vegetarian vegan chain like Loving Hut. Their most popular options are their Viet-Style “Chicken” Salad, vegetarian pho noodle soups and sweet and sour “fish”.
Soul Burger, 49 Perouse Road, Randwick, 02 9398 7496, soulburger.com.au
Burgers are not what usually comes to mind when you think of vegetarian food. They can be just as filling. Soul Burger is known for curating wholesome, delicious, plant-based burgers. Dig your chompers into their mint falafel burger, thick herbed fries and coconut oil shakes.

domain: food


Bicycles can be a big part of enjoying the outdoors and exploring a new area. Here we have five different solutions to taking bikes when you go truck camping. Pick one and get in gear.
1. Cargo Rack and Rear Carrier For Two Bikes
Submitted by: Tim Ray-Tahtinen, 2007 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD, 2003 Northstar TC650
I needed a rear carrier for gear and two bikes. It also needed to maintain my entry and departure angles because the lion’s share of camping we do is off-road. I also needed to be able to access our camper with ease while on the road. A swing-out system was needed. I wanted my cake so we could eat it too.
Very few suppliers had what I was looking for. Those that did were not affordable. So I took an aluminum Northern Tool rear receiver carrier, a trailer axle hub, some scrap steel tubing, aluminum tubing, and a rear section of a dual bike carrier and put them together.
I started by butchering the aluminum carrier and adding a strong back 2×4 aluminum rectangle tube. Then I fabricated a steel receiver unit that lifted the whole assembly over the top of my rear tailgate. We use our tailgate as a rear deck when our TC650 Northstar is installed.
I welded a bike carrier rear add-on section in place on the back of the aluminum carrier.
And presto, I have a finished swing-out cargo/bike rack. I will be taking it into the backcountry of the North Rim this year.
It took me about 30-hours to complete this modification and cost me $100 for the carrier, $175 for the bike section, $85 in materials, and $40 for the spindle. About $300 in total. In my opinion, the skill level of this modification is extremely hard. You need to know aluminum and MIG welding.
2. Back Seat Bike Mount
Submitted by: Mike Borrego, 2005 Dodge 3500, 2008 Host Yellowstone
This mod was a result of needing a better way to carry our two bikes. Since the camper extends about 3.5-feet beyond the rear hitch, it wasn’t practical to use a rear hitch-mounted bike rack.
I have been using a front hitch-mounted rack for several years, but the bikes were getting wear marks and always full of bugs. In 2008, the bikes traveled on the front-mounted rack all the way from Colorado to Alaska and back.
The first rack was a side fold-over. It actually folded over at 65-miles per hour and caused a lot of damage to the bikes.
I replaced the rack with a swing-out type rack after that, but it was hard to keep the bikes from rubbing against each other. It was also very difficult to drive at night with the bikes on the front since they blocked part of the headlight beam. I needed a safer and more secure way to carry the bikes.
After some trial and error, I figured out a way to put the bikes in the rear seat of my 2005 Dodge Ram 3500 quad cab. The rear seat is a 60/40 folding seat with a fold-out cargo tray. Both bikes wouldn’t fit with the rear seat folded up, so I completely removed the rear seat. That gave me about 5-inches of additional space.
The mod is fairly simple. It took about two-hours to figure out the location and spacing. It takes about 30-minutes to install with most of the time spent on removing the rear seat.
There are eight bolts holding the seats in place that need to be removed plus one bolt that holds the center seat belt. To remove the seats they need to folded up and then lifted up about 2-inches to unhook the seat back from the rear cab wall.
The fold-out cargo tray is attached to the seats with two nuts on each seat. I detached the cargo trays from each seat and reinstalled them using a spacer washer underneath the mounting hole to take the place of the seat bracket.
I then cut a piece of 2×4 the length of the cargo tray for each side. Using the existing slots in the outside edge of the cargo tray, I mounted the 2×4 pieces using 2-inch wood screws in four places.
I purchased two inexpensive bike fork mounts with a flat base to hold the bikes in place. I tried some different spacing and locations for the fork mounts to determine the best location. Then, I secured them to the 2×4 with 1.5-inch wood screws.
I added a nylon cable clamp where the rear tire sits and use a bungee with a ball end to secure the rear tire. I also purchased four large S-hooks and bent them at about a 60-degree angle and placed them on the rear seat bolts before I reinstalled the bolts.
It’s necessary to reinstall the seat bolts to keep the road noise down and prevent dirt or moisture from entering into the cab from the open hole. This gave me an anchor point on the base of the rear wall to help secure the front tires to the rear wall with bungee cords.
It is very easy to load the bikes by moving both front seats all the way forward. Once the bikes are in place, the front seat can still slide back to the most rearward position.
There is also room in between the bikes for our biking gear, pump, and other items. I am a ham radio operator and usually take my radio gear with me on our trips. There is still enough room left to load three cases with my radios, a small bag with an antenna, and a 6-foot folding tripod.
To unload the bikes with all this extra gear, I slide both front seats all the way forward, move the radio cases to the front seat, undo the bungee on the rear tire and loosen the fork mount and roll each bike out. It takes less than five-minutes to load or unload both bikes.
I have done three long trips since doing this mod and it has worked out just fine with no hassles or changes needed. It took me three-hours to complete this modification and cost me $65. In my opinion, the skill level of this modification is medium.
3. Mounting Brackets In Dinette For Bicycles
Submitted by: Tom Strock, 2003 Chevy 2500HD, 2000 Bigfoot 9.6
We love to take our toys with us when we travel. Our kayaks, strapped upside down to the roof racks, are out of the way and can handle any type of weather. However, our bikes posed a different set of challenges.
We used to carry the bikes hanging from a rack-mounted to the back ladder. They would need to be removed to get access to the kayaks on the roof. They were also subject to dust and rain which makes a muddy mess.
We tried a rear hitch-mounted bike rack. That hindered back door access while still having to deal with wet muddy bikes. Then I had an aha moment, “What about putting the bikes inside the camper?”
Our Bigfoot camper has a face-to-face dinette that easily makes into a bed. This area should be large enough to carry two bikes. But, how could we hold them in place securely enough for travel?
Then I remembered that several years ago I had bought a couple of quick release clamps that bolt on the wall. You store your bikes by clamping the front forks into them.
I cut a piece of 2×4 long enough to snugly fit between the wall and the lip of the bench seat that holds the cushion in place. Removing the bike’s front wheel (with the same type of quick release) allows the handlebars to be turned 90 degrees. This provides clearance up to the steps and through the door with the back wheel rolling up the steps and into the camper.
Then I clamped the mounting bracket into the front fork and lifted the bike onto the bed. After making sure that the handlebars were clear of the window blinds, I lag bolted the bracket into the 2×4. I repeated the same process for the second bike. The 2×4 simply sits on top of the dinette seat and is not fastened in any way.
The mounting brackets hold the bikes in place very securely. The front wheels store vertically between the back wheels which can be swung over close to the wall providing additional room for storage or to sit on the edge of the seat. There is enough room for the back cushions to remain in place while the seat cushions either fit under the table or on the bed.
While the bikes are usually the first thing unloaded upon reaching our destination, they can be left in place for an overnight Walmart stay giving us access to everything in the camper except the table.
Once the bikes are unloaded, the 2×4 is lifted out and stored under the camper or picnic table. No tools, no straps, no mud, and no more wet bike seats.
It took me about 15-minutes to make one cut on the 2×4 and to drive the four 1/4-inch by 1-inch lag bolts. The mod cost me nothing because I had everything on hand. You should be able to buy everything for less than $30. In my opinion, the skill level of this modification is easy.
4. Rear Bike Storage Using Bike Fork Mounts
Submitted by: David Carvalho, 2006 Ram 3500, 2013 Alaskan camper
I carry two full-size bikes without having to have a hitch-mounted carrier or put my bikes inside. I installed bike fork mounts to the rear of the camper. I can safely carry two bikes on the back of the camper without the use of a hitch-mounted bike carrier.
The bikes ride up high on the camper, one on each side. I can still enter the camper with the bikes mounted. I can also raise and lower the camper without removing bikes.
Mounted this way, the bikes don’t get all the bugs or road grime. An expensive swing-away carrier is not required. The bikes are easy to load from the stairs or platform.
It took me one hour to complete and cost $50. In my opinion, the skill level of this mod is easy to medium.
5. Front Hitch Solution For Generator, Spare Tire, and Bikes
Submitted by: Lucien F. Langlois, 2012 Ford F250, 2004 Lance 1025
This modification was created because of a need to have shore power available both on the road and for extended stays in boondocking areas and campgrounds that don’t offer shore power. Let me back up for a second and say that this truck camper modification is the third generation modification. It’s sort of a transformer-type mod that grew as new demands and ideas came into being.
My truck is a Ford F250 Super Duty 4×4 and it has a snowplow. The first need was to adapt the snowplow mount to a front receiver hitch which I fabricated. The receiver hitch had to be bolt-able. The idea here was to install a bike rack.
I fabricated the bike rack out of two-by-two inch steel tubing, and various aluminum storefront window extrusions. This setup worked great.
Left: Not for Mickey Mouse, slot for safety chains. Right: Safety chain slot 1/4″ steel plate
Left: The heart of the front hitch that bolts onto the snowplow undercarriage. Right: Front hitch upside down view, note padlocks on retaining 1.25″ bolts
The bikes are mounted low to the ground and do not interfere with my view while driving.
The next idea occurred after an extended winter stay in Key West, Florida without a generator. It was apparent that a generator would be my next truck camper modification. The logical place to store a Honda ie2000 generator was upfront.
I quickly came up with a design and plan. It sort of helps that I am a retired general contractor with a shop full of tools capable of fabricating almost anything.
The generator mount is modular in that it can be bolted onto the fabricated receiver hitch.
All mounting bolts and hardware are grade eight qualities for extra strength.
We took an adventure ride up into the wilds of Labrador. Although the adventure trip was cut short because of a forest fire, I had prepared myself with another front hitch modification. The trip into Labrador was close to a thousand miles of gravel roads. This was definitely a two spare tire trip.
I fabricated a mount for that additional spare tire on the front hitch opposite of the generator mount. I can just hear Truck Camper Magazine readers saying, “Is he crazy? All that weight up front!” Well, with the spare tire, generator, and bikes, it still didn’t add up to the weight of a Fisher Snow Plow.
Disclaimer: The modifications above are submitted by Truck Camper Magazine readers. It is your responsibility to make sure that any do-it-yourself modification project you undertake is safe, effective, and legal for your situation.


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¼ cup thyme leaves
¼ cup coconut flour
2 Tbl dijon mustard
2 tsp salt
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp cloves
2lb ground beef
Combine all ingredients except beef.
Add beef and massage in the spice mixture thoroughly. Rest the mixture for 5-10 minutes.
The resting allows the coconut flour to absorb moisture and hold the meatballs together.
Form the mixture into individual meatballs with your hands. This batch makes about 18 large (2 oz) meatballs. Allow to rest while you heat a nonstick pan on the stove with about 3Tbl of oil.
Coconut or Avocado oil works well here. Olive oil has too low of a smoke point.
Sear each side of the meatballs. No need to cook the meatballs completely through. Just be sure to brown all around the outside.
If cooking in a pressure cooker:
Layer the browned meatballs in the cooker’s insert. I used a 4-quart size.
Pour about 1 cup of liquid in. Tomato sauce, broth, etc. Liquid should come at least halfway up the meatballs.
Close the lid and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
When the timer goes off depressurize the cooker, open it up, and check that the internal temperature of the meatballs is at least 155F.
If cooking in the oven:
Use a large baking dish and place the browned meatballs in one layer.
Add your sauce and bake at 350F until the internal temperature of the meatballs is at least 155F. 20-30 minutes. The temperature should keep rising to about 160 after you take the meatballs out of the oven.
This recipe was based entirely on random things in the fridge and happened to turn out delicious. Use this as a way to get rid of older spices or fresh herbs.
This could also be great with ground pork, or 50/50 pork and beef.
Cooking with liquid in the pressure cooker is required. Follow the instructions on your own machine. However, you do not need to add liquid to the meatballs if you are cooking in the oven. It just helps lock in moisture.


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Concessions and discounts for students
As a student, you may be eligible for a number of concessions on goods and services, which can save you money.
Low Income Health Care Card
This card entitles you to a number of savings – and they're not just limited to health. Issued by the government agency Centrelink, the benefits include:
- concession rate on some vocational education tuition fees
- discounts on prescription items listed under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
- outpatient dental services at the Royal Dental Hospital, community health centres and country public hospitals
- free ambulance and air ambulance travel in Victoria, either in an emergency or on the recommendation of a medical practitioner
- concessional rates on gas and electricity bills between May and November
- free eye examinations and low-cost glasses through Victorian College of Optometry clinics
- discount on car registration
- concession tickets on public transport.
Travel concessions for local students
If you're studying a full-time undergraduate course on campus, you can apply for a Tertiary Student ID card from Public Transport Victoria (PTV). This special ID card allows you to use a concession Myki ticket on trams, trains and buses, giving you a 50 per cent discount on travel throughout Victoria.
Note that this card is not the same as your Swinburne student ID card.
The following students are not eligible:
- postgraduate students
- international students
- New Zealand citizens
- Study Abroad students.
International students, New Zealand citizens or permanent residents, and undergraduate Study Abroad students may be eligible for an International Undergraduate Student Education Pass (iUSEpass). This card gives you 50 per cent off the cost of an annual Myki pass. To apply, you will need to get your own code for an iUSEpass from the international counter at Swinburne's studentHQ. Once you have your code, you can use it to buy your discounted Myki pass from the Public Transport Victoria website.
Travel concessions for postgraduate and part-time students
If you have a current Low Income Health Care Card, you are eligible for a 50 per cent discount on public transport in Victoria.
Discounts on textbooks
As a student, you are eligible to become a member of the Bookshop, where you can buy books, stationery, art supplies and merchandise at a discount and sell your text books for cash when you’re finished with them.
Free legal advice
Swinburne Student Life offers free, independent legal advice for all students.

domain: finance


Tropical depression in Atlantic expected to weaken
MIAMI — A tropical depression in the Atlantic is expected to weaken by the weekend.
The depression's maximum sustained winds Thursday morning are near 35 mph (55 kph). The U.S. National Hurricane Center says some weakening is expected and the depression could degenerate to a remnant low pressure area by Saturday.
The depression is centered about 1,070 miles (1722 kilometers) east of the Lesser Antilles and is moving northwest near 6 mph (10 kph).
It's expected to turn toward the west-northwest by early Saturday.
The depression does not currently pose a threat to any land.


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All right, this falls into the category of “who knew?” And it seems the perfect post for a summer Friday.
There is a World Rock Paper Scissors Society. Their tagline is, “Serving the needs of decision makers since 1918.” They even have a world championship, slated for October…you can buy tickets to the event. Really, who knew? Or am I the last to know of the latest hot new sporting event?
Now I know where to turn next time a megabucks mediation gets stuck on the last $5,000.
Found via TechCrunch. Thanks…I think.
What kind of legal professionals labor long and hard over their intellectual property . . . and then give it away? Law professors who teach alternative dispute resolution, that’s who....By Ellen Waldman
From John DeGroote's Settlement Perspectives “If you are going to do a half-ass job, don’t do it at all.” My dad gave me that advice years ago, and I never...By John DeGroote
James Alfini shares his concern of lawyers being trained to do case evaluations instead of mediation, but still using the term 'mediation' when they're doing case evaluations.By James J. Alfini

domain: law


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On January 4, 2023, the Federal Court of Canada (the Court) issued its decision in GNR Travel Centre Ltd v CWI, Inc, 2023 FC 2, dismissing two appeals in consolidated proceedings and affirming the Trademarks Opposition Board’s (the Board) decision. The Court confirmed that a retailer’s trademark permanently affixed to goods manufactured by a third party constitutes “use” of the retailer’s trademark on the goods within the meaning of the Trademarks Act (the Act).
GNR applied to register the trademark GNR CAMPING WORLD & Design (the Mark) in association with goods (recreational vehicles) and related services. CWI Inc (CWI) opposed the application. The Board found that GNR had established that it had used the Mark in association with the goods, but failed to establish that it used the Mark in association with the services. Thus, the Board found that CWI’s opposition succeeded with respect to the services but not with respect to the goods. The Board also rejected the confusion-based ground of opposition, finding that GNR had met its burden to show that there was no likelihood of confusion between the Mark and CWI’s CAMPING WORLD trademarks. Both parties appealed.
On appeal, with respect to whether the Board erred in granting the application with respect to the goods, CWI argued that when GNR placed its Mark on goods that it sold that were manufactured by another and with the manufacturer’s trademark attached, the placing of GNR’s Mark on it by affixing a sticker to it did not constitute use of the Mark in association with the goods. The Court disagreed, stating that CWI’s interpretation of the Act, namely that only an original manufacturer of a good could show use of a trademark affixed to those goods and no other party in the supply chain, was narrow, and that there was nothing in the Act to prohibit placing more than one trademark on a good.
On the issue of whether the Board erred in refusing the application with respect to the services, GNR submitted that the Board misunderstood or misapplied the burden of proof under the Act, and that CWI did not meet its evidentiary burden. The Court found that the Board did not err in rejecting the application for the Mark in relation to the services since GNR had failed to provide sufficient evidence to establish use of the Mark in association with the services as of the claimed date of first use. The Court found that simply stating that GNR was providing services without stating how the services were associated with the Mark was insufficient to meet its burden of proof.
Lastly, CWI submitted that the Board erred in its assessment and weighing of the factors under the confusion analysis. However, the Court held that the Board did not commit any palpable and overriding errors in its confusion analysis.
Summary By: Sharan Johal
Disclaimer: This Newsletter is intended to provide readers with general information on legal developments in the areas of e-commerce, information technology and intellectual property. It is not intended to be a complete statement of the law, nor is it intended to provide legal advice. No person should act or rely upon the information contained in this newsletter without seeking legal advice.
E-TIPS is a registered trade-mark of Deeth Williams Wall LLP.


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Internationally respected technical textiles journalist Adrian Wilson brings readers his latest news and views directly from the floor of the industry's leading exhibitions and conferences..
Dornbirn 2012: The future’s for sharing
2nd October 2012, Dornbirn
In marking its 50th anniversary in 2011, the Dornbirn Conference celebrated the contribution of the manmade fibres industry to society over the last half a century.
At the 2012 event in Austria from September 19-21 – with over 100 individual presentations and record attendance of over 800 delegates – the emphasis was very much on what the industry can now contribute over the next fifty years and what major changes are on the horizon.
Sarah Volk, of the Zukunftsinstiut – a business think tank based in Kelheim, Germany – for example, spoke of the changing face of transportation needs, observing that the car is losing its special emotional position with the younger generation. By 2036, she said, six billion people would be living in urban areas, and a decade earlier still, public transportation will need to have doubled to meet the needs of city dwellers. E-cars and sharing will come much more to the fore, she predicted.
Click to enlarge image
Susanne Müller, meanwhile, of the Hochschule Niederrhein in Mönchengladbach, Germany, spoke of the changing face of textiles and clothing procurement as environmental thinking comes increasingly to the fore.
We are moving, she said, into the era of ‘Sustainism’ – a term to define a cultural movement which is ethically and environmentally responsible, socially and geographically inclusive, collaborative, networked, sensitive to nature and informed enough to make the most of leaps in technological advances and both globalism and localism.
“Sharing and open sourcing will become critical,” she said, “both in respect of communication and showing respect and responsibility towards the environment.”
This observation chimed with the opening address of Friedrich Weninger, CEO of Lenzing and president of the Austrian Manmade Fibres Institute.
“The model of industrial partnerships is now one that the European manmade fibres industry has to be looking at,” he said. “The automotive industry has been the pioneer in this respect. It’s about long-term planning, spreading the risk and opening up access to all markets around the world, in addition to the flexibility it can provide, the need for smaller inventories and a just-in-time philosophy.”
Macro economic problems, however, continue to have an impact.
“We are currently faced with tremendous problems in Europe,” Weninger said, “not least that the chasm between the banking economy and that of the real world continues to widen. Banking is still lacking transparency and is too big, despite half-hearted attempts to regulate it which have not been effective. It continues to erode trust not only with business, but with the general public too.”
Specific to the manmade fibres industry, Peter Driscoll, of UK-based PCI Consulting, made some interesting observations on how the market is likely to change in the coming years.
Global fibre production in 2012 will be 80.2 million tons, and climb by 3.8% to 83.2 million tons, he said, with manmade fibres accounting for around 67% of the total.
The notion of a cotton shortage, however, he deemed a myth.
“The spike in cotton prices in 2010 was primarily because the market panicked in response to the floods in Pakistan and Indian government measures,” he said. “But there is always eight-to-nine months of cotton in stock around the world at any one time. As a result of the price spike, however, the cotton industry lost about a million tons of sales.”
He added that between the years 2010 and 2015 the amount of recycled fibre – primarily polyester – on the market, will have risen by 400%.
“There is currently a massive effort going into recycling and over half of the polyester staple fibre in Europe is already recycled, although in China, it’s currently not so significant” he said.
In the longer term, however, the biggest gains would be for polyester filament, and specifically in spunbonded nonwoven fabrics, Driscoll predicted.
“I don’t see the gains to be made by nonwovens in roofing felt or interlinings,” he said. “I see them in the whole gamut of current textile applications. Why not?”
PCI predicts that having climbed from just over 2 million tons in 1990 to over 5 million tons in 2010, nonwovens will more than double again to reach 10.58 million tons by 2030. And while around 25% of 2010 production was polyester filament spunbond, over 45% will be made in this way by 2030.
Only time will tell.

domain: news


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Tag Archives: cactus
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona, USA.
Snow in the desert is unexpected and makes for surprising sights. Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, USA.
Cholla does such wonderful poses in the light. I cannot resist taking its photo.
Nothing like back-lighting to accentuate the spines on cholla. Cholla cactus, Bluewater State Park, New Mexico, USA.
At least, I think that was what this was called. It’s over 2′ in diameter and so nicely round. Here’s a long view towards Lawson’s Spring with lots of these on the hillside. Oliver Lee Memorial State Park, New Mexico, … Continue reading
This old piece of cactus pad has rooted and is now sprouting new pads. I love the tenacity of desert plants. Oliver Lee SP, New Mexico, USA.
Valley of Fires, New Mexico, USA.
Just the left over skin of the prickly pear fruit.
How hungry would you have to be? Probably javelina hungry. Near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, USA.
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, USA.
A hand-painted sign with cholla embellishment. Hillsboro, New Mexico, USA.
Handmade metal pink flamingo teasing the cholla. Hillsboro, New Mexico, USA.

domain: geography


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The sun has gone down but you still want to play. Fortunately, you can! Hangout at these favorite Outer Banks outdoor restaurants for fun and games!
Looking for a great place to enjoy a drink with family and friends? Brewed & Bottled is a list of some of the best breweries and vineyards in the OBX.
There is nothing quite like enjoying a frosty local brew or a glass of wine while on vacation. Here on the Outer Banks, you can take your pick. There are plenty of establishments that offer craft [...]
Looking for good food and fun for the whole family? These restaurants are sure to deliver both. With a great family atmosphere and kid-friendly menus, these establishments will also put a smile [...]
Outer Banks Guides OBX Beach Access Wedding Guide to the Outer Banks My Outer Banks Home Duck, Corolla and the Northern Beaches
Three Dog Ink 111 East Baltic • Nags Head, NC 27959 P 252.261.6490 • F 252.261.5476
We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

domain: entertainment


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Queen’s birthday – Mother’s day Thailand…
Thailand is not only a place where tourist from around the world flock for the beaches or the shopping butRead more
Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park – An Ide…
Many tourists flock to the heart of Thailand, the capital city of Bangkok, in search of its iconic shopping experiences,Read more
The Ayutthaya Historical Study Centre in Thailand …
Thailand is considered as one of the top tourist destinations in the East, there are various types of tourists whoRead more
Asiatique The Riverfront – Bangkok’s Fascinati…
Bangkok, Venice of the east has a myriad attractions. Things to do around Bangkok are so many, you would haveRead more
Lumpini Park in Bangkok – A Getaway within the C…
One of the most exclusive districts of Bangkok is Sathorn which is the home to several hotels and residences, suchRead more
WIHAN PHRA MONGKHON BOPHIT – One of the largest …
The capital city of Thailand is always throbbing with an energy quite unlike any other. Bangkok sees bustling shoppers duringRead more
Thailand, especially the capital city of Bangkok, has become one of the world’s famous shopping destinations and has a range of locales that go from affordable and youth-centric, to very high end.
This massive house of retail therapy is the third largest shopping complex in all of Asia, and the biggest in Thailand. This is an indoor shopping mall with an astonishing 430,000m2 of gross leasable place. You’ll find nothing less than the most reputed international brands within.
This mall is found in the heart of the Siam district, and as its name suggests, showcases the pinnacle of luxury. The finest fragrances, the most trendsetting fashion, and even luxury cars can be found for sale at Siam Paragon. If you find the best shop guide in Bangkok, it’ll definitely have Siam Paragon in it.
Before any of the recent leviathan luxury malls appeared, there was Emporium, the original high-end shopping in Bangkok. Emporium only concerns itself with widely recognised luxury brands, so don’t expect to find anything other than the most reputed names.
This isn’t a mall at all, but a place that offers an uncompromising luxury shopping experience. This high-end avenue features boutique store after boutique store and makes constant appearances on media such as Shopping in Focus.
Auburn Silver is a travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world. Google+


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Deb Archambault returns to the BBH flock
Bartle Bogle Hegarty USA welcomes Deb Archambault as Head of Production.
It's a homecoming for Archambault, returning to the BBH flock after eight years outside of pasture. During her gap years, she helped launch the little statue with big ambitions, Fearless Girl, developed an album of reimagined LGBTQ+ love songs, Universal Love, featuring artist's Bob Dylan, Kesha, and St Vincent, and oversaw a multitude of other unique projects, both here on Earth and in the metaverse. Most recently, Archambault helped Coke Zero Sugar continue its ongoing debate about greatness with a series of ads that will run throughout March Madness.
"Once a black sheep, always a black sheep. I couldn't be more excited to be back. BBH has creativity embedded into its DNA. The bar for great work is ridiculously high, and I'm thrilled to continue the legacy of elevated craft and creative excellence. In the new world of advertising where algorithms reign and brands are playing it safe, it's bespoke ideas with impeccable execution that will be the great differentiator."
"When it comes to production, Deb is the industry's preeminent creative problem solver. She's proven time and again that where there's a big idea, she will find a way to make it happen," said Erica Roberts, Chief Creative Officer, BBH.
"BBH USA has no shortage of big ideas, and we couldn't be more excited for Deb to help us bring them to life like only she can.

domain: artistic


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The Nairobi County Government is embarking on a groundbreaking journey towards inclusive digital transformation and sustainable development through a collaborative effort with private sector industry leaders and International Development Partners, spearheaded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
This strategic coalition aims to harness the power of data science to address existing paradoxes and complex challenges that can only be unraveled through scientific data analytics, including Artificial Intelligence. Notable participants in this collective effort include the World Bank, Safaricom Plc., GIZ, Meta, Google, Communications Authority, Ministry of Information and Technology, and other key stakeholders.
Anthony Ngororano, the Resident Representative of UNDP, underscored the significance of utilizing data science and technology to drive progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He emphasized that UNDP Kenya is committed to equipping Nairobi with the capacity to effectively utilize alternative data sources for precise development analytics.
Deputy Governor Njoroge Muchiri, speaking on behalf of Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, expressed gratitude to the UNDP and the consortium of partners for their commitment to transforming Nairobi. He highlighted the shared goal of serving the people of Nairobi while ensuring transparency and accountability.
Njoroge Muchiri also assured the consortium of partners of the County Government’s dedication to harnessing alternative data sources, including the potential of Big Data Analytics. This data-driven approach is poised to foster development in a rapidly evolving urban landscape, promoting order, dignity, hope, and opportunity for all residents.
Kefa Omanga, Director for Donor Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement, elaborated on the diverse opportunities emerging from leveraging alternative data. These opportunities span a spectrum of critical domains, including healthcare, transportation, poverty reduction, environmental sustainability, disaster risk reduction, and education.
Omanga emphasized, “It is time we invested in science to achieve the best returns on emerging opportunities in our city. Nairobi is undisputedly a pace setter nationally and in the region, making it imperative to ensure that it thrives.”
The coalition’s collaborative spirit was evident at the event, with representatives from various stakeholders present, including Anthony Ngororano, the UNDP-Resident Representative, Brian Mulama, County Executive for Mobility and Public Works, Victor Otieno, Chief Officer for Digital Economy and Startups, Diana Sang from the UN Foundation, Benjamin Makai from Safaricom, Dr. Tim Kelly from the World Bank, Winnie Karanu from Microsoft, and other key figures.
This partnership between the Nairobi County Government, private sector giants, and UNDP marks a significant stride towards utilizing data science and technology as catalysts for transformative change in the urban landscape. As the city of Nairobi navigates challenges and opportunities on its path to sustainable development, the convergence of expertise and resources holds the promise of a brighter future for all its residents.


Good news for visitors to Glacier National Park. Officials have reopened the full length of the Going-to-the-Sun Road to private vehicles as crews work to contain the fire that closed it, reported the Montana Standard.
The National Park Service closed the west side of the scenic highway on Aug. 12 due to a lightning-caused fire on the northwest side of Lake McDonald. The road from Apgar to Logan Pass was reopened to shuttle traffic two weeks ago.
The fire has burned nearly 23 square miles of land and 13 homes and forced the closure of Lake McDonald Lodge for the season. Officials say up to a half-inch of rain fell on the fire Sunday. It is 35 percent contained.
Park officials say Logan Pass access will close on or before Oct. 15.


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TRAVERSE CITY — Don’t be surprised if next year’s Division 3 softball regional looks a lot like this year’s.
Gladstone came away with Saturday’s regional championship, but the other three entrants lose only two seniors apiece.
The Braves pulled out 3-1 and 4-1 victories over Traverse City St. Francis and Boyne City to earn the title and a return trip for Tuesday’s quarterfinal across town at Traverse City West.
Gladstone (25-2) scored three runs in the decisive sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie with Boyne City. Gladstone has won regional titles the last four years, but after largely romping through the regular season, the Braves have been adept at pulling out close postseason contests.
“In our district tournament, we came up against Negaunee, and that was an 11-inning game,” first-year Gladstone coach Ashley Hughes said. “I tell them, ‘You never know what to expect.’ Nobody is going to bow down and say, ‘OK, it’s yours; take it.’ It’s regionals, so we know we’re up against tough competition every step of the way.”
Boyne’s Kaitra Wilkins and Rainy McCune are the team’s only seniors, while the battery of pitcher Emma Shumaker and Hannah Hoth are both sophomores.
“They play good ball,” Ramblers coach Sandy Clausen said. “We’ve moved people around a little bit during the season. I’ve got kids who are juniors who have played three season here. I look forward to our future. It just didn’t happen for us in our last game. They were looking forward to it. But they also know Gladstone has been here tons and it’s an extremely tough program.”
Hughes said she expected a tight game with Boyne, after witnessing the Ramblers win 10-5 over Tawas in the other semifinal.
“I saw Boyne City just rocking that pitcher in their first game against Tawas,” Hughes said. “It was hit after hit after hit.”


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Located in 20 minutes walking distance from Pista Azzurra, the 3-star Hotel Rosanna offers beautiful rooms.
The property is located within a 20-minute walk from the city center. This property is located in the heart of Lido di Jesolo.
The hotel is easy access to the public beach in Lido di Jesolo.
Hotel Rosanna consists of 55 rooms where guests can enjoy free wireless internet, a minibar, satellite TV, a personal safe and a dressing area. Some rooms overlook the sea. The bathrooms come with a bathtub, a hairdryer and a bidet for more comfort.
The property is 10 minutes’ walk from Terrazza Gioiosa offering dishes of Mediterranean cuisine.
It will take a 30-minute drive to get to Marco Polo airport.
Laundry, housekeeping and newspaper service as well as free self parking, a safety deposit box and a vending machine are available for guests' use.
The beach facilities include outdoor chaise lounges, cabanas and umbrellas. Such activities as horse riding and bowling are also provided.

domain: travel


Streaming + Download
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Purchasable with gift card
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
glass-mastered CDs in full color digipacks
edition of 200 copies
Includes unlimited streaming of Winter
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 14 days
edition of 200
You own this
Recorded january 20-23, 2011 at Smiling Cow Studio, Madrid
released December 6, 2011
Wade Matthews - digital synthesis, manipulated field recordings
Alfredo Costa Monteiro - amplified springs, electric motors, radio
all rights reserved


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Comfort pet supplement is a blend of herbs, minerals, vitamins and probiotics that supports the connective tissues that support the joints. It has been shown to reduce inflammation, stimulate natural joint lubrication and promote healing. Comfort increases mobility while diminishing the pain of an animal compromised with joint stiffness. Use this natural pet supplement whenever an animal is experiencing joint stiffness or soreness due to age, dysplasia or physical stress. It works especially well with Vitamin C and a good diet to increase mobility and alleviate pain.
Canine: 1 tsp per 30 pounds of dog per day; Feline: 1/8 tsp. per 8-12 pound cat/day. Approx. 85 tablespoons in a 6.5 oz. bottle.
Chicken Liver Digest, Montmorilonite Clay, Magnesium Oxide, Dried Brewers Yeast, Vitamin E Supplement, Bioflavonoids, Horsetail Rush, Chamomile, Aspergillus oryzae, Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bacillus Subtilus Fermentation Products, Sodium Ascorbate, tumeric Methylsulfonymethane (MSM), Methionine, L-Proline, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Manganese Proteinate (organic chelated trace mineral), Zinc Proteinate (organic chelated trace mineral), Copper Proteinate (organic chelated trace mineral), Copper Sulfate, Manganese Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Sodium Selenite. Nutrients per teaspoon: Bioflavonoids 60 mg, Vitamin C 53 mg, Pyridoxine 12 mg, Manganese 1.2 mg, Pantothenic Acid 12 mg, Niacin 12 mg, Zinc 1.2 mg, Copper 1.2 mg and Selenium .12 mg

domain: pet


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The Cynthia Decker Collection
In discussing her evolution as an artist, Cynthia Decker relates:
“A s a child, I would draw and paint at any opportunity. My Mother taught computer science at a local college, and we had a computer in the house when not very many people had home computers. With a computer instructor for a mom, and an engineer for a dad, my earliest art materials were green and white perforated computer paper, and I used to doodle on used punch cards.
I began drawing on the computer —pixel by pixel in green and black monochrome— on an Apple II computer when I was about 13. Throughout high school and college I studied and practiced drawing and design, and as the technology became available to me I started digital painting, while continuing to work in traditional media; pastels, acrylics and oils.
I left college to begin a graphic design career and continued to teach myself and explore new digital media. I began using 3D software in 1998 and was immediately hooked.
Initially, my portfolio was exclusively online, and I participated in many web-based galleries. People began requesting prints through my website and after doing research into fine art printing, I began creating and selling high resolution archival prints of my work in 2002. That same year I had my first solo show, and I believe it was the first show of non-photographic digital work in North Carolina.
I believe the digital medium is finding its place in the art world, and that artists should use, value and enjoy all available means of creative expression. I hope that artists and art lovers everywhere continue to push the boundaries of what constitutes a fine art medium.
I live in the beautiful North Carolina mountains with my husband, who is a product designer and an all around incredible guy, and my stepson, who is a budding architect, technology lover and fantastic kid. Aside from creating 3D images, I enjoy my friends and family, working out, disc golf, martial arts, board and video games, movies, cooking, and gardening.”


Since Fluid MotorUnion is one big family, it only makes sense that Fluid’s loving mother, Marilynn, drives a car gnarlier than your own.
Marilynn’s M45 has been a long term project, one that took quite some time to perfect. Number one on the agenda was the fitment and ride height. It sits on air and has had the fenders yanked to the point of perfection.
There are rare times anymore when you identify with like-minded people, especially with similar passions for thinking outside the box. Yet, that is exactly what we have found in the Nic and Ben over at eGarage. These gentlemen have a fervor for exploring all aspects of automotive culture and are willing to a hold a high standard in terms of how they capture it. This resonates greatly with us at S|W, and we couldn’t be happier to partner with them.
This is how S|W:Australia gets down on a Monday night. Hope you enjoy yours!
Monday Night Specials from Semina Fonseka on Vimeo.
Over the past few years, there has been a influx into the world of aftermarket automotive centered around wheel fitment. It’s not that wheel fitment is a new concept, or that’s its been re-invented, but rather has evolved into places that hold no bounds. Wheel companies have progressed to offering aggressive fitments tailored to the millimeter of a customer’s liking, but typically that means shelling out a few more bushels of wheat then you might be accustom to.
Burnouts in one of the busiest intersections in downtown Chicago in a 400whp flat-black E38 known as nothing other than Gold Wheels. That’s how we spend our Saturday nights, screaming through cross-streets with open cutouts and barking velocity stacks.
It’s never easy to put Gold Wheels in to words, and its inarguably a love/hate car; but I have no question that everyone who sees the car in person, and more importantly, hears the car, falls in love instantly.


Last year was quite a roller coaster for pension planners – mainly thanks to the government’s announcement of pension reforms. The imminent death of the annuity industry was foretold, financial planning businesses saw their share price soar while life insurers plummeted, and we all spent a considerable amount of time speculating as to what the longer term impact might be. With just a few months until the new rules come into force, let us look back at these and other major events of 2014.
The annuity is dead – long live the pension
The stock markets had no doubt as to the impact of the government’s programme of pension reforms. Within a few days of the announcement of the reforms in the chancellor’s Budget in March, life insurers such as Legal & General saw their share price fall by 12 per cent while IFAs such as Hargreaves Lansdown rose 15 per cent. With no requirement left to buy an annuity and restrictions or disincentives on drawdown and cash lump sums largely removed, a new world of retirement planning was quickly envisaged. Clients would be able to take larger lump sums and invest outside of the pension environment – using Isas, property and structured products – or take advantage of a much more flexible drawdown regime to take higher incomes than were previously allowed under the Gad limits. The net result? More need for personal financial planning, less demand for annuities.
The new landscape is equally attractive for high net-worth individuals as it is for those with more modest ambitions. Wealthier pensioners have more freedom to invest, allowing them new lifestyle choices. Lower income pensioners can take a significant lump sum instead of a pittance in annuity pension – offering them new lifestyle choices too. At the lower end of the spectrum the state could lose out if retirement pots are exhausted too quickly. But despite this obvious concern, the reforms have been met with widespread approval – so much so that it is difficult to envisage a government eyeing its popularity rating ahead of an election not following through with the proposals as promised.
Rumours were spreading among the defined benefit pension community last year of a higher volume than usual of transfer enquiries being made by members. It should not be a surprise that final salary scheme members want to benefit from the freedoms now available to other pensioners, but they can only get them by transferring out.
Transfers are normally good for DB schemes as the cash transfer value is less than the actuarial cost of the benefits. So trustees will be minded to grant them where possible – and that will lead to a bumper case load for IFAs specialising in pension transfer advice. Many noted an uptick in queries over the winter, although it will not be until after April that these translate into action. In order to facilitate this it was announced that the onerous qualification requirements to allow IFAs to advise on transfers would be relaxed; although this has not been clarified.
And what is not clear is whether a recommendation to transfer is always necessary for a client to proceed – or whether evidence that advice has been taken (whatever that advice concluded) is sufficient to satisfy the new rules governing this process. Many pension administrators currently refuse to accept transfers without an IFA recommendation. But the new rules do give transfer advisers more scope so that, taking all a client’s circumstances into account, positive recommendations are by no means out of the question. But either way, the new rules announced in 2014 were expected to keep IFAs busy for the next few years.


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Mode of Injury:
Date of Injury:
Date of Treatment:
"I'm excited to go back to school and get back to life rather than letting my concussion hold me back."
Camilla's symptoms included vision problems, light sensitivity, not feeling like herself, and stress.

domain: medical


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Main / Shopping / Garmin gps 60 waypoints
Garmin gps 60 waypoints
Name: Garmin gps 60 waypoints
File size: 810mb
Thank you for choosing the Garmin GPS 60 handheld navigation system. This Owner's Manual . Creating a Man Overboard Waypoint .. Averaging . Garmin GPSMap 60CSx FAQ: Waypoints and POIs. 1. There are a variety of programs that can send waypoints over the USB or serial cables to your GPS. Before you start Get a Garmin GPS 60 Please note that occasionally all Tracks, these are recorded automatically as you move; Waypoints.
ExpertGPS lets you get the most out of the waypoints on your Garmin GPS 60 by making it easy to assign the best. Garmin GPS GPS 60 Manual Online: Averaging Waypoint Location, Editing A Waypoint. The GPS 60 Can Calculate An Average Position For A Waypoint Over . I have a Garmin GPS 60, and have been using EasyGPS on my laptop to communicate with it. I can create waypoints in EasyGPS and upload.
crowdqualifier.com, () GPS Map 60 Map Navigator Owner's Manual, A waypoint is any point on a map that you mark and is stored in the GPS's memory. I am new to this game and have recently aquired a Garmin GPS Just the basic Does anyone know how to enter a waypoint in Lat and L. I just bought the gpsmap 60csx and cant figur how to delete all the waypoints all at once. each week I download the nearest caches I.


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ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A mountain trail race on Father’s Day ended tragically for an Alaska family when their teenage son was mauled and killed by a large black bear.
Patrick Cooper had already turned around after reaching the halfway point in the popular 1.5-mile mountain race when he somehow veered off the trail and became lost.
He got separated from the group and sent a text to a family member saying he was being chased by a bear.
It took a couple hours for responders to locate the teen, whose body was found about a mile up the path.
Race director Brad Precosky said the bear was found at the site, guarding the body. A park ranger shot the 250-pound bear in the face, but the bear ran away.
Alaska State Troopers said the boy’s remains were airlifted from the scene on Sunday.
State park staffers were scouring the area Monday looking for the bear, state Fish and Game spokesman Ken Marsh said. Sunday’s attack was believed to have been a rare predatory move, not a defensive action such as when a female bear will protect her cubs, he said.
Read the full story on Alaska Dispatch News.


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Departure of their excellencies the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen, Tuesday, 3rd August, 1886 : programme of demonstration.
1886 souvenir programme [which has been stiched into silk using green silk thread] on the departure from Dublin of the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen. Border illustration includes detailed images including Irish fauna, harps and a tiny image of a boat on a lake. Programme of demonstration includes: 'Phoenix Brewery Band and Mounted Band ['Carmen'], Horsemen of the United Carmen's Association, Dublin United Trades' Council, in Carriages, Coal Porters' Society and band ...'
|Published / Created:||
Dublin : Wilkes, for the Departure Committee, 1886.
This item is held in the Ephemera Department.
Physical description: 1 sheet of silk : ill. ; 39 x 26 cm.
|Call Number||View in||Collection|
Reproduction rights owned by the National Library of Ireland.

domain: library


Since announcing that bookings were open for Ovation of the Seas’ Australian itineraries, Royal Caribbean Australia has seen a phenomenal response over the course of just a few days, receiving thousands of bookings and far exceeding expectations.
From the time that bookings opened at 9am on Thursday 18 June, the phone rang off the hook with over 200 percent more calls than average in a 24 hour period. Similarly, on Thursday the www.royalcaribbean.com.au website visits increased by 70 percent. Via Espresso, the number of agent enquiries increased by 177 percent.
“We knew Australians would be excited about Ovation of the Seas, especially since more than 20,000 people pre-registered their interest when we first announced that she was to be home-ported in Australia. However, the response we’ve seen has exceeded our expectations and is testament to the strength of the demand of the Australian market for our style of cruising, and the newest, largest and most technologically advanced cruise product Australia has ever seen,” says Sean Treacy, commercial director, Royal Caribbean International, Australia & South East Asia.
“In preparation for the increased level of online activities, our team were on hand in case of any technical issues, and while the increase in calls, Espresso and website traffic certainly pushed capabilities, we are pleased to report that we’ve received positive feedback from our friends and fans.”
“Ovation of the Seas is certainly the star of the show this week, but we’re also seeing an increase in interest in our brand and fleet more widely in Australia and New Zealand. Ovation joins our other five outstanding ships based in Australia – Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Legend of the Seas, as well as Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Solstice.” said Sean.


To participate in this program, the environmental contact at your hospital must receive an invitation email with a survey link which will enable the hospital to submit their environmental data online.
An open invitation to participate in 2022 GHS scorecard (collecting 2021 data) will be sent out March 2023. The survey will remain open until late spring 2023.
Email email@example.com to join the data call announcement email list.
The representative that filled out the previous GHS survey should have a PDF copy of the scorecard, a PDF copy of the survey, or a link to view the completed survey online. If you would like to verify that your hospital has participated in the program, please email firstname.lastname@example.org.
Some minor revisions have made to survey questions based on feedback from participants.
The biggest change for the previous Green Hospital Scorecard was the addition of several new sections including Transportation, Food, Climate Change, and Energy Behavior. Also, there was an addition of a drop down menu with hospital titles and some revised questions.
For 2023, the Coalition revised the Climate Change and Transportation sections to include updated questions on climate resilience and battery-powered micro-mobility questions.
Similar to previous years, one general survey link will be sent to everyone; a unique URL to resume a saved survey will only be generated once the participant clicks SAVE. Hospitals with multiple sites should use the same link to open and save a survey for each site.
The Coalition is hosting a free one-hour informational webinar on how to complete the upcoming survey. Register for the 2022 GHS Introductory webinar HERE.
A webinar recording along with presentation slides will be sent to all registrants and posted on our website.
No. You can use the circled numbers 1-12 at the top of the survey to navigate through the different sections at any time. Navigating to a different section will not cause other information to be lost.
Yes. If you wish to exit the survey and return later, click SAVE at the bottom of any section. You will be prompted to enter an email address to which a link will be sent for resuming the survey. This link is unique to that survey and can be used to repeatedly access that survey, even after additional changes are made and saved. Each time you make changes and click SAVE, you will have the option to enter an email address to which a link will be sent. You may enter the same email address or a new one - the link generated will be the same and everyone who has this link will still be able to access the survey.
Yes. If you wish to share a survey, so that others may edit or add information, simply send/forward them the email with the link to your saved survey. There is no limit to how many people can access or edit a survey, but multiple users should not access the survey at the same time. Note that anyone with the unique link to your survey can view and edit any information that has already been saved.
Yes! We are currently translating the survey into French and are looking for participants to complete the new French submission and offer feedback. If you are interested in piloting the French survey, please email email@example.com.
Hospitals with multiple sites should use the generic link to open and save a new survey for each site. The first question of the survey asks for the Hospital Site Name, which should be used to distinguish each site's survey. After submitting or saving and exiting from a survey, clicking on the original, generic link will open a new blank survey. The process can be repeated for each hospital site.
If you are a returning participant, the Coalition will only receive data collected in previous years if you checked the information release box on the 2016 survey. Access to this data allows GHS to benchmark your facility’s progress against previous years. For help with this, please contact firstname.lastname@example.org
The Coalition will encrypt all data and store it on a secure server. The Coalition will never divulge or share your data or contact information or third parties without your permission.
With the exception of the Coalition, only individual hospitals can view their data. Data will be de-identified for reporting purposes. Each hospital will only be identified in their Individual Performance Reports. These reports will be sent privately to each hospital and highlight their performance against a backdrop of de-identified and aggregate data from other hospitals.
Yes. To ensure that you can successfully return to your partially completed or completed survey, cookies in the internet browser need to be enabled. A partially completed survey is a survey where "Finish" was never clicked on the last page of the survey. A completed survey is a survey where "Finish" was clicked on the last page.
- To exit a partially completed survey - once you are done entering the data on a particular page, click "Next" to move to the next survey page and then close the survey by exiting the browser.
- To re-enter the survey, click on the survey link that was included in the invitation email originally sent to you on November 13, 2017. Re-entering a partially or fully completed survey consists of the following steps:
- Re-entering a partially completed survey will take you back to the page that you were on when you exited the survey.
- Re-entering a fully completed survey will take you to a page with the following message "You have already completed this survey. Click the Edit icon next to the response you wish to edit" Just below you will see 3 columns; the first column on the left has the "Edit" icon that will take you back to the survey. The other 2 columns have date stamps of when the survey was started and last completed. Each row represents a unique survey. For hospitals with one site, there will be only one row. For hospitals with multiple sites, there will be multiple rows.
Yes. If you send them your unique link, they will be able to see the survey and all the information that was populated.
Please see question above "Can I start the survey and come back to it later" for more information.
As part of the Green Hospital Champion Fund (GHCF) initiative, a committee comprised of hospital and environmental professionals was formed in 2011 to identify key indicators that reflect hospitals’ environmental performance with respect to their operations, management, and policy adoption. The committee proposed that these indicators should expand on the fundamental areas of Energy, Waste, and Water conservation by including measures of Corporate Leadership and Pollution Prevention.
The committee advised that establishing indicators were not enough and, in addition, a program would be needed to promote adoption of the indicators and foster competition among hospitals through performance benchmarking. With no existing program that met these requirements at the time, the committee advised the GHCF to proceed with the development of a program dedicated to Ontario's hospitals. In 2013, the OHA launched the GHS program. In addition to helping hospitals report their energy use, water consumption and waste, the project also supports the hospital sector reporting under O. Reg. 397/11 by ensuring small and medium sized hospitals report accurate information to the Ministry and that hospitals have good information to develop robust Conservation Demand Management (CDM) plans. The Project is the only comprehensive healthcare benchmarking tool in Canada measuring energy conservation, water conservation, waste management and recycling, corporate commitment and pollution prevention.
The Green Hospital Scorecard currently does not take into account the different climate zones since a vast majority of participating sites are in Ontario. However, this is something that we are working on, given the increasingly national participation in the GHS.
The Green Hospital Scorecard is a voluntary program that benchmarks Ontario hospitals’ environmental performance, including measures in Energy, Waste and Water conservation, Corporate Leadership and Pollution Prevention. The Green Energy Act requires “public hospitals” to report energy consumption and prepare energy conservation and demand management plans. For more information, please see Green Energy Act.
The Green Hospital Scorecard collects similar data in the Energy area as the Green Energy Act. It collects previous year’s data, e.g. in 2013 it collected 2012 data, while the Green Energy Act collects data from two years before, e.g. in 2013 it collected 2011 data.
You can provide feedback at any time by emailing your comments and suggestions to email@example.com.
- Academic Hospitals – All acute general and paediatric hospitals that are members of the Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario (CAHO).
- Community Hospitals – Acute care hospitals that do not fit the definition of a small or academic (teaching) hospital.
- Non-Acute Hospitals – Complex continuing care (CCC), rehabilitation, and mental health hospitals. Have stand-alone CCC or rehabilitation beds. They may or may not be members of CAHO.
- Small Hospitals – Have less than 3,500 weighted cases, a referral population of less than 20,000, and are the only hospital in the community.
It is a concept that focuses on:
- Selecting less toxic and more environmentally preferred materials for use within the hospital.
- Considering the impacts of building construction on the environment and within the hospital.
It consists of:
- Environmentally Preferable Purchasing aims to reduce an organization’s environmental impact upstream through the purchase of products which have environmentally preferred qualities such as recycled content; recyclability; durability; fuel energy and/or water conservation; a non-hazardous nature; waste minimization; packaging consideration, etc. These qualities are often referred to as Environmental Purchasing Guidelines or Green Product Guidelines. These guidelines are a set of criteria, often targeting a specific product, that evaluate the product based on environmental considerations so that the most appropriate alternative can be selected. Environmental Purchasing/Green Product Guidelines should specify products and services that:
- Are considered more environmentally sound.
- Examine the supplier’s environmental management standards.
- Build environmental clauses into contracts.
- Rate supplier performance against environmental criteria.1
- Toxins Management aims to reduce the downstream impacts caused by managing materials, products and services within hospital that are considered toxic to human health and environment, as well as the disposal of special and toxic wastes. Examples of toxins management include ensuring that all hazardous substances have current Material Safety Data Sheets, providing appropriate education to those dealing with potentially hazardous substances to, where applicable, reducing the use of hazardous chemicals and materials. Some of the toxic materials include: mercury, PVC (vinyl plastic) and phthalates, brominated flame retardants, hazardous ingredients in cleaning products as well as pesticides. An example is eliminating mercury-containing medical devices in favour of safer non-mercury alternatives, or phasing out phthalate-containing PVC medical devices and switching to safer plastics.2 Resources that can assist with developing and updating policies and plans include:
- Substances listed under Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
- Substances listed under Ontario Regulation 347 under the Environmental Protection Act.
- Pollutants listed in your Sewer Bylaw.
- Chemicals targeted in the Stockholm Convention, Persistent Organic Pollutants list.
- Government of Canada’s Chemicals at a Glance.
- Environment Canada’s Management of Toxins Substances – provides information on toxic substances managed under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and related policies and plans, including the Chemicals Management Planand the Toxic Substance Management Policy.
- Health Care Without Harm Toxic Materials and Safer Chemicals.
- Green Screen for Safer Chemicals Guidance and Method documents.
- Sustainable Construction/Renovation Practices aim to reduce the environmental impacts of hospitals through the selection and use of sustainable construction and renovation materials, and engagement of sustainable construction/renovation practices. An example is selecting less toxic and volatile organic compounds in building materials during new constructions or renovations.2
Government of Canada's Chemicals at a Glance.
Environment Canada's Management of Toxins Substances - provides information on toxic substances managed under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and related policies and plans, including the Chemicals Management Plan and the Toxic Substance Management Policy.
Health Care Without Harm Toxic Materials and Safer Chemicals.
Green Screen for Safer Chemicals Guidance and Method documents.
Sustainable Construction/Renovation Practices aim to reduce the environmental impacts of hospitals through the selection and use of sustainable construction and renovation materials, and engagement of sustainable construction/renovation practices. An example is selecting less toxic and volatile organic compounds in building materials during new constructions or renovations.2
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) defines “environmental policy” as a statement by the organization of its intention on its overall environmental performance, setting out environmental objectives and targets, and providing a framework for action. It can be standalone or incorporated into the organization’s overall mission or vision. A policy statement can also be referred to as Environmental Mandate, Environmental Commitment, Vision Statement, Mission Statement or Goals and Objectives. An organization-wide policy or specific policy, like Environmentally Preferable Purchasing, encourages sustainable practices in the organization and helps ensure that green efforts do not fade with employee turnover. The organization’s environmental policy is used as a touchstone for the various initiatives including other policies such as Environmentally Preferable Purchasing, Toxins Management, Energy Conservation, Sustainable Construction/Renovation Practices, Water Conservation, Waste Management, etc.1
Organization-wide and specific policies should reference and support each other.
Organizations that have not invested in Pollution Prevention and Environmental Planning and Management activities might consider drafting an organization-wide environmental policy before looking at specific policies, targets and action plans. The development of environmental policy should consider the organization’s mission, vision and values, as well as integration with other existing policies and commitments.
Organizations that have invested in Pollution Prevention and Environmental Planning and Management activities but do not have an organization-wide or specific policy, might consider drafting one and making it official.
Drafting environmental policies and aligning them with an organization’s existing mission, vision, values as well as other existing policies and commitments allows the organization’s personnel to use these policies as a foundation for developing targets and action plans that are more meaningful to the organization.
Examples of hospital-wide environmental policies:
Examples of specific-policies:
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy: Health Care Without Harm
Toxins Management Policy:
Mercy Hospital (US)
Duke University and Duke Medicine, Occupational & Environmental Safety Office (US)
Sustainable Construction/Renovation Practices Policy:
An Environmental Target is a detailed performance requirement that arises from environmental policies, and which needs to be set and met in order to achieve the policies’ various objectives. Setting realistic expectations is critical.1
- Environmental Preferable Purchasing: Reduce packaging waste by 20% by 2016, increase reusable products by 15% by 2017.
- Toxins Management: Establish inventory of toxic materials by 2017 or phthalate-containing PVC medical devices with safer plastics by 2017.
- Sustainable Construction/Renovation Practices: Implement green renovation procedures/guidelines by 2015
An action plan designates responsibilities for achieving targets. It defines the means and time-frame by which targets are achieved, which can include: training, processes, procedures and controls, measurement system, auditing protocols, review and revision of existing documentation. An essential point of an action plan is to say what will be done and by when.1
Example: To reduce packaging waste by 20% by 2016, sample of steps in Action Plan can include:
- Establish a packaging waste baseline, June 2014, Waste Officer
- Select and prioritize feasible products and suppliers, December 2014, Waste/ Purchasing/ Finance Officers, etc.
If your records do not include tonnage, your waste hauler can help you estimate tonnage.
Many recycling service providers do not provide exact weights for recyclable materials on invoices.
Alternatively, you can estimate the amount of weight that is being removed: contact your recycling hauler and confirm the size of the carts/bins they provide for each recyclable item you are separating from the waste stream (e.g. 64 gallon bins, 95 gallon, etc.). Ask them the average weight per full cart for each material group.
If you are being charged for service based on a price per bin, you can then calculate how many carts/bins are emptied per week and multiply them to reflect annual totals.
If you are paying a flat rate, ask the driver that services your site how many full bins of each material are emptied on average per week. Ask for this information in writing.
For example: you have 12-95 gallon carts full of mixed paper per week. The average weight per cart is estimated to be
110 kg. 110 kg x 12 carts per week x 52 week= 68,640 kg per year or 68.6 metric tonnes.
For front-end or rear-load cardboard bins (large metal outdoor containers), ask your hauler for an average weight per lift and multiply this number based on the how many lifts per year are completed. If your hospital has a compactor dedicated to cardboard, then the hauler can provide you with weights for each time that compactor is emptied.
Hospitals are encouraged to include a clause that specifies mandatory weight reporting per material group when tendering their upcoming waste and recycling contract.
Another method is to audit your recyclables by material group for a specific time period and then extrapolate this total to annual figures. For example, if your recycling is picked up once per week, after your next pickup when your bins are empty, begin your audit cycle. While the carts/bins are empty, get a weight for each bin type. Just before your pickup, weigh each material bin full, including the cart, and then remove the weight of the cart to obtain the weight of the contents. Once you have an average per material, you can count the number of full carts per material, or better yet, weigh them all. Extrapolate these numbers to reflect annual totals. You will need an electronic scale with a large sturdy platform to facilitate this process.
For more information on the regulatory side, you can review the Ontario Regulation 102/94: Waste Audits and Waste Reduction Work Plans.
The Scorecard defines Biomedical Waste according to the "Guideline C-4: The Management of Biomedical Waste in Ontario"where “biomedical waste” means:
(a) human anatomical waste,
(b) human blood waste,
(c) animal anatomical waste,
(d) animal blood waste,
(e) microbiology laboratory waste,
(f) sharps waste,
(g) cytotoxic waste,
(h) waste that has come into contact with human blood waste that is infected or suspected of being infected with any infectious substance (human), or
(i) a waste containing or derived from one or more wastes described in clauses (a) through (h),
Biomedical waste does not include,
(j) domestic waste,
(k) treated biomedical waste,
(l) dialysis waste not saturated with blood or blood products that is tubing, filters, towels or disposable sheets
- Thompson, D., Tools For Environmental Management: A Practical Introduction and Guide, University of Calgary Press, 2002
- Health Care Without Harm, Hospital Policies, Accessed on May 20, 2014 at Health Care Without Harm


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The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system creates a conflict of interest within local authorities, parents of children with SEND told MPs today.
Councils are tasked with drawing up education, health and care plans, which outline what provision children with SEND need to help them fulfil their potential, but they are also responsible for ensuring that provision is funded.
This dual role was the “biggest failure” of the SEND system, parent George Holroyd, whose son is blind and autistic, told the Commons Education Select Committee today.
“The biggest failure of the system for me is still the same as it was before – which is the people who define the needs of your child, who advise you, in fact, on their needs…they are also the people paying for it, a different part of the same council is then paying for it,” Mr Holroyd said.
“If you have strong views about what your child needs and you can back it up, then you have a high chance of getting that.
"If you don’t really know – you’re busy, you’re working, you’ve got other kids – then they will be defined much more narrowly, even within the same county. So you can have very similar children who have very different provision…based completely on the parents.”
Other parents giving evidence echoed this view.
“A lot of the antagonistic behaviour comes from the local authority being caught between the law, which says it’s a needs-based system, and the funding, which is a ration system,” said Penny Hoffman-Becking, a trustee of the now-closed SEND family voice, a parent-carer forum for Kingston and Richmond.
Beth Foster, of the Hampshire Parent Carer Network, said that a lot of parents recognised the “game of chicken” that local authorities played over who would give up first as they moved towards a tribunal.
“I think it’s quite a bullying kind of tactic,” she said. “But I know a lot of our parents have recognised that sort of behaviour and I think it comes down to there [being] little resources and trying to figure out where to put them and who is going to fight hardest for it.”
When asked by committee chair Robert Halfon if the system was particularly adversarial, Ms Hoffman-Becking replied: “Many parents are living in a constant state of anxiety. Even if you’ve managed to secure something good now, there is always the worry that it will be cut next month or next year, and our children are uniquely vulnerable.”
Finding a way through the 'maze'
Mrunal Sisodia, co-chair of the National Network of Parent Carer Forums, said that some parents who did not know how to work the system might benefit from “key workers” from independent advice and support services.
“The parents who are the most vulnerable need key workers who can help them navigate the system. As long as the system is going to stay a maze, you need local support, people who understand the local system, who can talk to them face-to-face.”
Commenting on the evidence, Anntoinette Bramble, chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said: “We face a looming crisis in meeting the unprecedented rise in demand for support from children with SEND.
“Parents rightly expect and aspire to see that their child has the best possible education and receives the best possible support.
“Councils have pulled out all the stops to try and do this, but are reaching the point where the money is simply not there to keep up with demand.
“Schools are also being pushed to the brink by the underfunding of SEND, at a time when there is already severe pressure on general schools funding.
“This risks creating a perfect storm, where not only does this mean schools can’t provide the extra support pupils with SEND need, but it means other pupils and teachers suffer the consequences of funding being squeezed on a daily basis, by not getting the support in the classroom that they need.”
The hearing came as Ofsted launched its annual report, which has raised concerns about the "worrying gaps" in SEND provision around the country.
The DfE has been contacted for comment.

domain: sociology


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Lahore honor killing: Police submits report in court
LAHORE: Police on Thursday submitted its report in Lahore High Court (LHC) about the murder of Farzana Parveen outside the court, ARY News reported.
A division bench of the LHC headed by Justice Umar Atta Bandial heard the case, in which CCPO Lahore Shafeeq Ahmed Gujjar submitted the written report.
Farzana Parveen was recently bludgeoned to death by her relatives outside the high court over marrying a man of her choice.
The police report says that the crime scene was 100 meters away from the gate of the high court. The policemen deployed for the security of the court could not leave their security duty so as they couldn’t go to the rescue of the victim.
The CCPO informed the court that four out of six nominated accused and nine out of 20 unidentified suspects, had so far been arrested.
Police will present the charge sheet of the case within a week’s time,” the CCPO assured the court.
The court adjourned the hearing until 10 July.


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Govt to procure 8 lakh MT of Aman paddy, rice
Published: 02:52 PM, 28 October 2020 Updated: 03:21 PM, 28 October 2020
The government will procure aman paddy directly from marginal farmers, to this end, targets have been set — 2 lakh metric tonnes of paddy at Tk 26 per kg, 6 lakh metric tonnes of cooked rice at Tk 37 per kg and 50,000 metric tonnes of atap rice at Tk 36 per kg from the domestic market.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Food Planning and Conservation Committee of the Ministry of Food on Wednesday. The meeting was held via online videoconference.
Agriculture Minister Dr. Md. Abdur Razzaque, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Health Minister Zahid Maleque, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr. Md. Enamur Rahman and other senior officials of various ministries and departments joined the meeting.
After the meeting, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder said 2 lakh metric tonnes of paddy will be procured from November 7 this year to February 28, 2021, at the rate of Tk 26 per kg, cooked rice at the rate of Tk 37 per kg from November to February 28 and atap rice at the rate of Tk 36 per kg.
Although the government procured paddy and rice every year during the Boro season to ensure a fair price for the marginal farmers, only rice was collected during the Aman season. Apart from rice, paddy is also being collected during the aman season from last year, he also said.
“So far, 10.81 lakh metric tonnes of food grains are stored in the government warehouses,” he added.
It is worth to be mentioned that the government procured 6 lakh metric tonnes of paddy at Tk 26, 3.38 lakh metric tonnes of cooked rice at Tk 36 and 43,401 metric tonnes of atap rice at Tk 35 last year.

domain: agronomy