I’m involved in a big not-hackspace project at the moment, meaning I’ve not been up to much recently. However, I was foresighted enough (many weeks ago) to sign up to go to Maker Faire UK 2014 in Newcastle as part of the Nottinghack collective. Maker Faire UK was hosted by the Centre for Life in Newcastle, Saturday and Sunday 26th/27th April. It’s now the Tuesday afterwards and the memories are still almost as exiting as the real thing! I’ve had a quick look in the media for reports and stories and whilst the outside attractions got plenty of coverage (although admittedly GIANT CAR-CRUSHING ROBOHAND!) I’ve not seen much of the inside stuff – which although smaller in size, was equally amazing. So here are a few of the things I thought were awesome: I used to spend every Friday night between the ages of 8 and 12 watching Robot Wars and wishing I could have a go. Well, more than a decade later, I had the chance! Four mini-bots in a 10-foot square arena with no fire, spinning blades or house robots is a little tamer, but there were a couple of full-size robots on display (and I got to carry one!) Venom, not unlike Razor – probably my favourite house robot! An incredibly detailed Lego model of St Pancras station took centre stage… … complete with a bovine passenger! Nottinghack made a good show, featuring Mouse’s Dial-a-Thing (incredibly popular!)… …Ein the duck is ready to welcome the hoards of curious visitors… There were some incredibly colourful and intricate 3D-printed items on display upstairs with Shapeways… …and intricate laser-cut marquetry pieces on Just add Shark’s table. Returning for another year were Rusty the horse and Elsie Dragon… …and the largest puppet I’ve ever seen (Binbot) went for a walk outside! There was so much stuff I’ve barely scratched the surface. I had a fantastic time, met some great people and came away with some memories I’ll not forget in a long time!
A while ago I purchased a lovely pair of Clarks shoes in a very pale blue. I used them a lot whilst working one summer and they were great, until, one day, I got caught in a downpour. The pourous leather soaked the water up like a sponge and it took the dye with it. I don’t have any pictures, unfortunately, but the leather had become discoloured and a slightly less charming grey.
I hate throwing things away and I knew that no charity shop would accept my shoes in their current state, so I decided I would do something about it – there was nothing wrong with them that wasn’t cosmetic. Like a number of my “projects”, this was put to one side and left for a while. I was having a clear-out one afternoon and found the shoes. Searching the internet identified a range of leather dyes and a couple of hours later I had decided I was going to purchase a bottle of Fiebings dye and attempt to turn the leather into a mid-blue.
I had slightly underestimated the vividness of the dye and the leather turned out very blue! Being of the (initially) shy sort, I didn’t feel brave enough to wear these outright, but most importantly, the dye didn’t conceal the worst of the watermarks as I’d hoped – it made them worse in some places!
I dug some old denim scraps out of a box at Nottinghack – I had previously donated a small amount of old denim in the form of a couple of pairs of jeans. I have no idea where, or from whom, this idea arose (something on the internet a long time ago I suspect) but I decided the way to go was to cover the more stained sections with denim. The shoes weren’t ever going to be water-resistant, so it didn’t matter too much which glue I used, so I grabbed a bottle of PVA and some small scissors from the workshop.
I applied a good layer of PVA to each section and cut a piece of denim larger than what I needed. I had played about with cutting templates from paper, but soon discovered it was easier to shape the denim once it was attached to the shoe.
It was just a case of applying scraps of denim in turn and carefully cutting around any “features” – the design of the shoe included some attractive stitches.
I also tried to carefully align the weave of the fabric so that the grain was placed as attractively (and consistently) as possible. It was also tricky to find the right colour of denim – one of the pairs of trousers had been stonewashed and keeping the colour consistent was tricky. I also tried to dab glue along the edges of the fabric to reduce any fraying that might occur with use.
And that’s it! An asymmetric design, accomplished in one evening. I can also report that the shoes wear no differently to before and are as comfortable as ever!
For a while now my trusty laptop (HP Pavilion DV7) had occasionally been reluctant to start up – the fan would fire up, the optical drive would whir and beep and the LEDs on the NUM lock and CAPS lock would flash. Then flash again. And again. The screen wouldn’t light up; no welcoming Windows logo. My temporary fix was to power off, remove the power cable/battery and hold the power button down for between 15-30 seconds. Replacing the battery I could usually be sure of a successful start-up.
This went on for about a year – until around 2 weeks ago. My dodgy fix no longer worked.
A brief search on the interwebs took me to the HP website, which contained a useful table detailing the “blank screen error codes”. This indicated that a fault lay with the CPU. Now, I’m not really that clued up on laptop hardware (despite having previously replaced the keyboard after a spilt-coffee incident) and after identifying where the CPU actually was, the idea of completely dissembling the laptop, possibly irreparably, wasn’t particularly attractive. Neither was a trip to the laptop repair shop, who may not have been able to do anything – one piece of information I hadn’t been able to ascertain was whether the CPU was soldered in place or held in by a clamp.
On the off-chance the CPU WAS held in by a clamp I performed a quick search and identified a new replacement on eBay for around £15. So my quandary:
- Attempt to dissemble the laptop, identify how the CPU was held in and attempt to replace it (£15 vs possibly broken laptop);
- take the entire laptop to a local repair shop and hope they can fix it (probably ££ – £££)
- put onto eBay for spares/repairs and buy a new laptop (£600-700 for something suitably new and shiny)
Now, the last option isn’t really an option as I don’t have the disposable income. To be honest, I couldn’t really afford to take it to a repair shop, either. Another internet search identified lots and lots of laptop disassembly tutorials and videos. It didn’t look too hard and you don’t need any tools more special than a mini screwdriver. So all I needed was a free day.
Two weeks after my laptop “died” I had a free day. So, feeling not a little nervous, I placed it on my desk. One last push of the power button; no blue windows screen. This was it. Out came the battery, the hard drive and wireless card; surgery began!
Out came the hard drive…
The keyboard and display were next…
The palm rest itself was held on by 14 screws…
My prize – the motherboard!
The CPU itself was easy to remove
Just over an hour and a significant number of tiny screws later, I was sat looking at the motherboard and an (organised) heap of parts. Thankfully, the CPU was held on with a clip; I knew that if I reassembled the laptop and it still didn’t work I could try replacing it.
Three and a half years of fluff…
Whilst I had the motherboard out, I decided it might be a good idea to check exactly how clogged-up the fan was, as I could see a strand of hair had wrapped itself around the hub and wasn’t coming off without a fight. A good idea, too – the dust had built up and was 5-6mm thick on the heat sinks!
Having brushed the fan and heat sinks clean, I resat the CPU, bemoaned the fact I had no thermal grease to refresh the well-and-truly dried-out original and reassembled the laptop. On a whim, I pressed the power button. The optical drive whirred and beeped, the LED’s flashed… and the screen lit up! The windows logo appeared! It lived!
Small enough to be missed…
A stray thought struck me… the fan was awfully quiet… In fact, it wasn’t turning at all. I thought back. Surely removing the fluff can’t have made THAT much of a difference… Oh. I’d forgotten to plug the fan back onto the motherboard. That particular plug was underneath the fan, meaning I’d have to completely dissemble the laptop again.
Oh well. At least I’d get some practise!
(PS – Firstly, apologies for the poor quality pics. They were mostly taken in a it of a hurry as I was reassembling the second time. I also apologise for my poor organisation of screws, which should have been taped back onto the piece of paper with a description of where each one lived! I didn’t lose any, or have any left over, but two mysterious C clips dropped out as I put the palm rest back on!)
Thanks go to Matt L, who stopped laughing long enough to take this picture after I asked him if he minded “...taking a picture of the back of my head.“
I’ve been getting bored recently. After graduating I spent the summer working for a lettings agent who were particularly busy with the annual tide of students departing and arriving. It was nice being lent a car and driving around the local area, as I’ve learnt a lot of routes and seen places that I would otherwise have had no reason to go to. Anyway, that finished a couple of weeks ago and whilst the job kept me physically occupied, my head was relatively underused and as a result I’ve been rather bored. To top it off, my old Uni login no longer works so I can’t occasionally access research papers out of nostalgia (open access excepted, of course).
I began reading a few books, but couldn’t really get into them. One series that I particularly enjoyed during my teens (14-16) was Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time. I got as far as book 11 and have been picking up the later books as I’ve seen them in charity shops, but have stalled at number 13. One particular, albeit more minor, character that stood out to me was an “Aes Sedai” (think sorceress) named Cadsuane Melaidhrin – an old, strong character that took no stick from anybody, peasant or King (in fact, rumours suggest she’s spanked a few Royals). In particular, she is described as having an assortment of hair ornaments dangling from a bun on the top of her head, which are thought to enhance her powers. Now, mystical powers aside, I’ve always been attracted to shiny things (magpie in a past life?) and the thought of dangling sparkly things from my hair sounded attractive. Of course, I’ll just have to live with constantly needing to untangle rogue strands and the inevitable annoyance of small things bouncing off my skull…
I started looking around on the internet for attractive or unusual hairsticks, as I quickly discovered that holding my fairly long hair in a bun is quite difficult using only pins and a hair band. Also, I’m going to look daft enough with things hanging off my head, so the bun will be in the “normal” place at the back, not on top. A forum dedicated to discussing long hair pointed me towards Ketylo sticks and Etsy – and my sparkly-senses went wild. Unfortunately, all the interesting stuff is in America and Canada and UK VAT (20%) and RM’s handling fee (£8) makes importing such things rather expensive. I nearly spent $100 until I realised that the additional costs of bringing it into the country by post would cost rather a lot – nearly half the cost of the items!
I decided to make something. My first point of call was the Bead Shop in Nottingham’s city centre and I spent far too much buying Swarovski beads and sterling silver findings. If I’m going to make silver jewellery, I don’t want it to turn copper in 18 months time!
I didn’t have a design in mind, as I was making it up as I went along, but I did know I wanted it in silver and I did know I wanted to thread beads onto eyepins (small metal bar which you can loop at both ends). So I sat down and began threading beads onto pins and building a chain of beaded pins and jump rings.
Finally, the accessorised hairsticks I’d nearly bought were clipped to a ring at the not-pointy-end of the stick then clipped onto the other end with a miniature hair grip. I thought that was rather large, so have improvised with the small rubber band and ring set-up you generally tend to see at the ends of spectacle chains. Slightly more discreet, but I could only get white. Ideally I’d like black, but that was all I could get at short notice. So each end of my chain has a trigger clasp, the rubber loop allows one end to hang from the stick and I’ve drilled a small hole through the stick and attached a larger jump ring which allows the other end to be clipped on securely.
Actual working time was probably 3-4 hours, mainly because I had to learn how to bend the eyepins to form a new loop, but partially because the jump rings kept popping open. I reckon I could do it again in 90 mins or less, assuming I had all the parts necessary. It would be nice to solder the jump rings closed, but I don’t have access to the tools for that.
It’s been a while since I’ve worked on the physical form of my Alethiometer table, although I’ve thought about it a lot. So far I’ve started to learn to program an arduino and have a working piece of code for selecting and illuminating the LEDs. I’m starting to appreciate the size and complexity of the challengwe ahead, an inevitable web of files and strings all working to generate a simple visual output. The next step was to get hold of a sheet of ply and start wiring up the LEDs and motors, whilst planning to laser cut some veneer for the central compass design.
After the mirrors and tube were replaced the laser was still being problematic. Lots of heads were scratched on the Nottinghack google group and in the studio at the ‘space and eventually it was agreed that the most likely fault lay with the power supply. This had to be ordered from the manufacurer in Hong Kong (correct me if I’m wrong!). This arrived a couple of weeks ago. Anyways, I happened to be at the space playing with EL wire when the laser was reinstalled and tested. It lives! I therefore hope to be doing lots of cutting and engraving in the near future, starting with some more marquetry and wax-inlaying…
In other news, I passed my degree with a 2:1 and no retakes! Not sure I’ll be rushing to add MSci after my name (it’s long enough already!) but if anyone knows someone who’s looking for a recent graduate with lab experience of genetic cloning techniques and development of blood stem cells, please do drop me a message…
…Okay, so not exactly a Tron Bike. But I had a couple of lengths of EL wire to play with and a poor imagination. After a lengthy trawl on Google I decided the easiest way to utilise it would be to outline my bicycle. My partner’s bike was wrapped in EL wire which, whilst glowing like the Blackpool illuminations, didn’t look particularly special in my opinion (sorry, dear). I played about with the length of wire I had and some tape and decided that outlining the frame had a nicer effect than spiralling around it.
The next task involved deciding on a way to attach the wire to the bike. Some “caterpillar” grips had been left with the wire – rubber grips with a sticky backing, into which the EL wire clipped. Unfortunately, despite carefully cleaning the frame with meths before applying the caterpillars they soon detached. I was looking for a method of attaching the EL wire without cable ties, which were messy. I didn’t want anything permanent, or that might damage the paintwork too much should I need to remove the wire for any reason. I settled on Sugru, which claimed to stick to almost anything. It did for a time, but whether I was too stingy with how much I applied or whether the paint was inappropriate as a surface I don’t know, but a good third of the blobs of Sugru soon either detached or broke up.
I then had a stroke of genius. I have no idea where it came from; an overheard conversation? Something I’d read on the internet? But I decided to try hot glue. Now, the internet suggests that EL wire doesn’t respond well to heat and I can quite happily believe the paint or plastic would be easily denatured by hot or prolonged exposure. A brief test on the end of the wire indicated however that the short exposure to the molten resin didn’t appear to have an effect on its ability to glow, or the colour emitted. Given the metal frame would act as a heat sink I was confident that the wire would not be damaged during application. Two weeks later the stuff still sticks and the EL wire still glows, so I appear to have guessed correctly.
Meanwhile, I was trying to work out the optimal way of powering the EL wire. The obvious choice were Li-ion batteries, which are reasonably compact and relatively light (in comparison to a lead acid), but I didn’t know which transformer I had or how much power it would draw. My dad provided the answer; on a rare visit home to my parents we sat down with a multimeter, the EL wire and transformer and an assortment of batteries including some 1.2V AA, a handful of rechargeable and single-use 9V and an old 12V motorcycle battery. We used the mutimeter to measure the voltage provided by the batteries and applied them to the transformer. Obviously the motorcycle battery worked well. To be honest we didn’t even try the AA batteries, as we didn’t have any way of tying a number together. The 9V batteries provided some interesting results, though. The brand-new single use batteries powered the wire nicely, whilst the rechargeable batteries failed to make even a faint glow. Measuring the voltage of the batteries showed around a 0.3V difference between the two groups; the single-use batteries provided around 9.6V, whilst the rechargeables varied between 9.30 – 9.35V, indicating that the wire could be powered successfully from a minimum of 9.6V supply.
The next task was to work out how much current the wire was drawing, and whether this varied between the 1m and 3m lengths of wire I had to hand. In practice there was very little difference; both drew around 0.2A. Coupled with the knowledge that the wire can be supplied by a 9.6V battery, we determined that eight AA batteries would be sufficient to power the wire for, theoretically, anywhere near 10 hours (assuming 2.9Ah batteries were used, allowing for any resistance or wasted energy – the transformers squeal quite nicely at a frequency above 12,000Hz, as my dad was blissfully unaware when I mentioned it). A quick trawl on the internet identified some 2.9Ah AA batteries at around £5 for 4, so I purchased two packs along with a couple of battery holders with built-in switches (about £1 each). I removed one of the switches, wired the holders in series and finished by unceremoniously taping the two together. A terminal block was attached to the two dangling power wires and I inserted the first transformer, switching the power to *on*. Result! As expected, the EL wire illuminated with an eerie glow. I then wondered if two transformers could be run off the same battery pack and added a second one in parallel to the first by screwing an additional transformer into the terminal block. THis gave me an additional glowing wire. Since then, I’ve discovered that you can buy splitters which attach between the wire and the transformer, allowing multiple wires to be powered by one transformer instead of the multiple-transformer setup I have. I may eventually get around to purchasing in order to reduce the number of transformers I’m using. But for the meantime, the entire pack – batteries, transformers and dodgy wiring – fits nicely into my saddle bag with room for a puncture repair kit, my handy set of Allen keys and a couple of nitrile gloves.
And that’s it! The batteries remove easily from the holder and pop into a normal charger and so far I would guess I’ve had around 4hrs use without a charge. I’d like to get my hands on a couple more battery packs, or find a more compact, lighter way of powering the wire (even for a short period of time) so as to completely outline the bike in blue, as I’d like attach two power packs and transformers to the wheel hubs in order to illuminate the rims. It has been done by others before me (google it!) and I’ll most likely lose interest and move onto another project before I get around to doing it (maybe I’ll go back to my Alethiometer table?!). In the meantime it’s fun to think about. Having been through Google images I also like the idea of integrating EL wire into clothing, such as on a motorcycle jacket or corset (something I previously thought about doing with Lilypad stuff and some conductive thread) and maybe if I had the time, money and a slightly less distracted mind I’d do all of this. But for now, I’m satisfied with my Tron Bike!
As it turns out, there was more at hand than a single degree error, now rectified. Thankfully, the method I mentioned in my last post was a success! However, I am now a couple of segments short. The laser power was now fluctuating to the point it could no longer penetrate the perspex I was using. Very strange. Marginally changing the power settings had no effect (I was using settings recommended to me by the laser’s owner). A test cut in my material of a small, 8mm diameter circle was a success. I set up the laser to cut a single segment. The image was perfectly transcribed into the plastic; but not through the plastic. Looking at the cut it became apparent that the laser power was decreasing with the length of the cut; the start of the cut penetrated the 3mm perspex with no problems, but after 30mm or so the beam no longer penetrated. I’m not sure how deep the cut was at the end, but I couldn’t press the shape out nor free it with a Stanley knife.
After a couple of weeks, other users’ experiences of the laser came to light and the alignment issue seems to have reappeared in addition to the power issues. As I type, new parts (a tube and mirrors) are being shipped from abroad in an attempt to fix the issues. Lets hope so, as I may be struggling to find another laser cutter if not!
Table update: another small section complete! Or at least, almost. I made a small error.
Spot the error
The alethiometer table has many sections (I’ll get round to posting the designs eventually!), one of which is a ring around the compass rose, inside the ring of symbols, with the full 360 degrees marked. This will be a slight variation on the wax inlay technique, as I’ll be using a gold gilting product called Rub ‘n’ Buff (Gold leaf) in place of the wax. A quick test before I ordered some expensive nearly-black perspex demonstrated that, with the addition of a little ethanol, the excess gold can be wiped off. The added bonus is that the ethanol also clears off the smoky residue left through the cutting process, without visibly scratching the mirror-like surface.
After a disastrous afternoon cutting the sections out on the laser I managed to cut the twelve sections of the ring. After a short chat with the chap who owns the laser cutter and a few minutes playing around with the settings, we identified the problem. The power dial had been replaced the previous evening, so I had completely the wrong settings. This meant that as the laser was cutting through the material the plastic became so hot it was melting behind the laser and sealing the cut. This cost me a full sheet of perspex and a couple of hours of my time, but I learnt an important lesson; perform a practise cut beforehand. At least then I’ll know I have the right settings!
Did you see it? The top three pieces are missing the last degree mark (on the right hand side). How I managed to miss this when I directed the laser to cut I’ll never know. I can’t leave them like that; I’ll have to fix it. Cutting another sheet of perspex is not an option. So I have to accurately place each segment onto the laser bed in order to engrave a single, 5mm line in exactly the right place at exactly the right angle. Now, what I could do is cut the full shape out of a piece of scrap perspex or ply, drop each incorrect segment into the hole and engrave the missing line. This way I can almost exactly place each section and merely direct the laser to engrave the missing line.
I’ll let you know how it goes.
When talking about my hobby, one thing people ask me is “How did you get into this?” – “this” being my main project, the table.
There are a number of things which contributed to this, really. The most influential of these was my introduction to Nottingham Hackspace. To be honest, I would never have had the idea, let alone thought it possible, had I not had access to the wonderful community and workshop facilities. Occasionally members run “workshops” where they bring a specific skill or task to an evening or weekend and demonstrate or teach anyone who is interested. It was one such workshop, run by a chap called Martin Raynsford (msraynsford.blogspot.co.uk), which introduced me to the art of marquetry.
Marquetry, for the unknowing, is a process by which pieces of veneer (thin slices of wood, usually of different colours or a particularly exotic species) are inlaid into an object, usually wood and glued into place. Martin had been using a laser cutter in order to precisely cut the veneer and inlay it into engraved pieces of wood, to great effect.
The workshop involved making a simple wooden coaster and inlaying pieces of veneer cut on the laser cutter, to form an image and your name. Needless to say, the act of arranging the pieces and glueing them into place was fiddly! In the end two methods emerged – glueing a few small pieces at a time and allowing the glue to dry before continuing, or assuming the design was less complicated, arranging the pieces next to the coaster, filling the inlay with glue then quickly transferring the veneer into place. A quick dab with a piece of paper towel and pressing a clean, scrap piece of ply over the top and weighing it down was essential. This was because the veneer has a tendency to curl upwards as the water-based glue was absorbed by the dry wood. Once dry, the coaster could be sanded smooth then oiled, stained or varnished to a variety of finishes.
The whole workshop took a couple of hours and my first coaster was a success, given to a friend as a house-warming present (I had personalised it with her name). I was not satisfied with making just one coaster, so a few days later I began trawling the internet for a design I liked to make a set of my own. This was where I first began to learn how to use Inkscape. The image I chose was similar to a Celtic knot-like pattern (I have no idea if that is the correct term!). The image was imported into Inkscape. The tool “Trace bitmap” provided me with a template, albeit a complicated one, so I simplified the drawing slightly by removing lots of small sections, whilst trying to keep at least an abstract form of the original pattern.
Two copies of the drawing had to be made – the shapes of each section in order to cut the veneer and block-filled sections to engrave the coaster. The latter was “mirrored” and inset, to allow for the diameter of the engraving laser beam, whilst the former was outset. This changes the drawing minutely by shrinking or expanding it half the width of the laser beam, approximately 0.15mm. If I had not done so, there would have been a gap the width of the laser beam around each piece of inlaid veneer!
A couple of hours of cutting later and I was ready to begin inlaying the coaster. In the end I opted for a variety of colours of veneer – my partner had purchased a mixed pack of coloured veneers for a similar project (http://fowkc.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/fluxx-box/) and I merely “helped myself” to the leftovers. Of which there was quite a lot. This produced a variety of pleasing combinations and I now have a selection of unique coasters scattered around my living room and desk, coated with a clear varnish to protect from inevitable cup-rings. In fact, I was so pleased, I engraved my name into the back!
Thirty-six newly finished tiles!
One section is complete – the production of the symbols! This is probably my favourite part, despite the pitfalls of the process. 36 individual, unique, wax-inlaid perspex tiles, each featuring one of the symbols from the alethiometer.
So how did I do it?
Step one was obviously to find an image of the symbols. There are dozens of images of alethiometers on the internet, but only two were useful. One of them is below (apologies to the person who posted this on the internet – I’ve lost the original link)
Stock image of the alethiometer symbols
So I separated each symbol and saved them as individual .png files, using Paint. They were then imported into Inkscape and rotated until they were upright and exported as a bitmap (.png again, but if these had just been saved as they were the page background would have been saved as well and I didn’t want that).
Meanwhile, in DraftSight, I created a CAD design of the tiles. Overkill, possibly, but Inkscape wasn’t accurate enough to keep me happy. Using Draftsight I could draw two circles centered on the origin, direct the program to draw a line dissecting both circles, then use Pattern>Circular pattern to replicate the line every 10 degrees around the circles. these could then be cut into individual tiles. One tile was then saved as a .dxf (R13 ASCII).
In the meantime, I ordered some perspex from http://www.plasticstockist.com. Specifically, 3mm thick Silk Opal 040 (51% light transmission). This is a partially transparent, slightly off-white perspex with a matt side. Given that the symbols in the alethiometer illuminate (admittedly only in the film, but it looks awesome!), I want to mount LEDs underneath the perspex in order to create that golden glow. This cost me something in the region of £7, excluding postage.
I had originally sized, aligned and saved the complete tiles in Inkscape and attempted to import both the tile outlines and symbol images as a complete file into the laser software NewlyDraw, but it was having none of it. Using DraftSight, I replicated the tile drawing until I had 36 copies and arranged them as economically as possible. The laser cutter I would be using has a maximum bed size of 200 x 300mm, which restricted me to a maximum of thirteen tiles per cut, in two rows of five (alternating between upright and upside-down) and one row of three, rotated through 90 degrees. Obviously the third cut would only produce ten tiles – this allowed for a practice cut to be made, to ensure that the settings were correct for both cutting and engraving the perspex – I wanted an engrave depth of around 1mm.
Newly lasered tiles
The practice cut was successful, so I went on to cut the first sheet of thirteen tiles. Not much to look at originally, but that would soon be fixed. Approximately a month before the idea emerged, someone I knew posted this link (http://www.redtorope.com/2011/02/laser-engraved-wax-filled-high-contrast-panels-for-electronics-projects/). Essentially this involves filling the engraved plastic with a contrasting wax. Crayola wax crayons were mentioned, but I didn’t fancy shelling out for an entire pack just for one crayon, and I would probably need three or four to fill all the tiles. A couple of hours scouting around the internet and I came across some furniture repairer’s filling wax, in “Ebony black”, priced at £3.50 for a single stick. Marginally softer than crayola crayons, but ultimately cheaper and without the wasted crayons.
Melting the wax into the engraved channels using a heat gun
Removing the excess wax
The remaining wax is easily cleaned off using ethanol
The method I eventually settled on (which worked better in a warmer room, given that the workshop was pretty much the same as the outside temperature – somewhere around zero degrees centigrade!) Involved heating the perspex tile with a hand-held heat gun and warming the wax until it was soft, but not runny, then vigorously rubbing over the engraving. Once I was satisfied with the amount of wax laid down, a quick blast with the gun to melt the wax and fill the cracks. Obviously, I had applied an excess, so this was carefully scraped off using the practice tile. Any remaining wax could then be easily cleaned off using a little ethanol and some paper towel.
The three stages of wax-filling
And that’s it! This job was a little more time-consuming than I originally imagined, as I originally had quite a few problems getting decent images, accurate drawings and persuading Inkscape and the laser-cutter software NewlyDraw to do what I wanted them to do, but the end result is worth it.


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As we wrap up 2012, we at The Occasional can't help but look back at the year that shaped us, the world that gave us the events we covered, and most importantly the white people who set the examples that the rest of of us follow. Without those hardworking whites, we would not exist. None of us would. And it's time we honored them, the forgotten race.
#1 Best white person of 2012
She was hailed as the "Marlon Brando of the WASP set" at the young age of 15 after her statically electric performance as Angela Chase in My So Called Life. At 16, she fulfilled every white woman's fantasy twice over and played Juliet to Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo in Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet." Now, she does what all white people do after they've peaked: fight terrorism on Showtime. So just how did Homeland's heroine win the distinctive honor of The Occasional's Best White Person Of The Year?
Claire "Catherine" Danes – better known as "Claire" Danes – certainly come a long way from her humble beginnings in New York City's economically grim Upper West Side! She's been acting since she was 13 and calling the shots since before she could drive. How much whiter could someone's life story be? Unreal!
Despite her lifelong success, she's never been afraid to try something new in the indie film circuit. From "Shopgirl" to "Igby Goes Down" to "Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines" Claire has always been able to spot an indie script and, with her star power, give it the legitimacy that it deserves. We at The Occasional are sure that in the future she will heralded alongside such white actress luminaries as Liz Taylor, Meryl Streep, Annette Benning, and that white lady who looks like a boy and was in that boxing movie.
Claire Dane's acting has been described as as "magnificent," "amazing," and "that one face she makes that looks like she just bit into a burrito full of spiders." Not just anyone can make water come out of their face the way Claire can, and that's why she's our White Person Of The Year. Catch her every Sunday night on Homeland!

domain: entertainment


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Apple, Fig & Jujube Chutney
Those past weeks of Fall have been the occasion to rediscover figs and jujubes. For the figs, during our Bordeaux workshop (check the ‘Workshop’ section), I was given to taste some white figs from the trees and I cannot remember eating anything so delicious.
Back in Paris, I had them in mind for recipes (I will soon share a savoury tart with figs as well) and wanted my boy to taste them. I don’t remember liking them as a child, maybe often because of their lack of taste or their thick skin or their texture. He did not like them raw. That’s not a problem, the idea is to have him taste everything and make his own mind.
Nevertheless, so he could like figs and because he loves everything with vinegar (so do I), I had the idea, then, to cook them and make a chutney with other seasonal fruits.
Firstly, I found jujubes at my favorite fruit vendor. He told me with all his legendary kindness their origin. Jujubes are from the same family as grapes or figs. They grow in Northern Africa, are green when they are not ripe enough and taste like apple. Once the fruit is ripe, it turns from a caramel color to a dark purple-black tone. When it wilts, it will taste and look more like a date.
Then, I had to find the apples.
Every year, we go to a farm with my little boy to harvest some apples with our rain boots and our wheelbarrow. It’s the occasion for me to show him how fruits and veggies are grown, what’s seasonal and why we do not eat strawberries and raspberries all year long.
We the organic apples in our basket, I was ready to make my chutney.
- 1 red organic apple, peeled, cored and diced
- 10 purple figs, cleaned, stemless and quartered (small quarters)
- 2 handful jujubes, cleaned, stoneless and quartered
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 small size shallots, peeled and sliced thinly
- 100 ml balsamic vinegar
- 50 ml cider vinegar
- 70g cane sugar
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp four spices mix
- 100 ml water
- In a large pan, pour the olive oil, the spices and the shallots
- Slightly brown the shallots in the spiced oil
- Add the two different vinegars and let it simmer on low heat for few minutes
- Add the apple, the figs and the jujubes, mix well
- Add the water and let it simmer on low heat till the mixture has the consistency of a jam (as you’ll eat the chutney with meat, you don’t want to have a too liquid texture)
- Pour the chutney in a pot with a lid. You can keep the chutney in your fridge for approx. two weeks. If you want to keep it longer, you will have to sterilize the pot beforehand

domain: agronomy


text:
Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys
Immigration | Serving Hammond, LA
Baton Rouge Immigration Law Firm
Navigating You Through the Complex Immigration Process
With hundreds of $1 million and above settlements and verdicts, our law firm has exceeded over $1.5 billion in recoveries for our clients. Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys has the resources, experience, background, and determination to obtain maximum justice for our all of clients in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Alexandria, Shreveport, Ascension, Livingston, Zachary, Hammond, Lake Charles and Monroe. Immigration law is complex and can be confusing. Immigration laws change regularly. With potential immigration reform taking place soon, you need lawyers you can trust with experience, knowledge, and skill to fight on your behalf.
If you are considering working or living in the United States or obtaining permanent resident status, do not try to handle these matters on your own. Only the attorneys at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys can help you along the way to protect your rights.
Benefits of working with Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys:
- Flexible plans & affordable prices
- Attorneys who have successfully helped our immigration clients
- Up-to-date on immigration law
- Legal counsel in both Spanish & English
- Admirality & Martine Law
- Animal Bites – Plaintiff
- Aviation Accidents – Plaintiff
- Birth Injury
- Brain Injury
- Construction Accidents
- Mesothelioma & Asbestos
- Motor Vehicle Accidents – Plaintiff
- Nursing Home
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- Product Liability Law
- Toxic Torts
- Trucking Accidents
- Workers Compensation
- Wrongful Death - Plaintiff
At Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys, we feel honored and privileged to be attorneys in this great country of ours. In undertaking this responsibility, we are guided by strong beliefs and convictions that affect and determine how we represent our clients. Call Gordon McKernan today at 225-926-1234 to arrange your free initial consultation.
Attorney Gordon J. McKernan
- Louisiana, 1992
- Texas, 1993
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana, 1992
- U.S. District Court Western District of Louisiana, 1992
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Louisiana, 1992
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas, 1993
- U.S. District Court Western District of Texas, 1993
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, 1993
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Mississippi, 1997
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Mississippi, 1997
- Loyola University New Orleans School of Law, New Orleans, Louisiana
- J.D. – 1992
- Honors: Moot Court
- Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- B.A. – 1989
Professional Memberships and Achievements:
- Baton Rouge Bar Association, Member
- Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, Member
- Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, Executive Council, 1994 – 1996
- Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Governors, 1997 – 1999
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Member
- American Association for Justice, Member
- Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, Member
- Safety Council Baton Rouge Chapter, Member, August 30, 2010 – Present
- Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, Council of Directors, 2000 – 2001
- Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association, Member
- Million Dollar Advocates, Member
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum, 2005 – 2011 American Trial Lawyers – Top 100 Trial Lawyers, 2005 – 2016 Super Lawyers®
- English (Primary)
Shared Tobacco Settlement
Mass tort shared tobacco settlement results in a $575,000,000 settlement.
HMO verdict for Deceptive Insurance Practices
Deceptive Insurance Practices case settles for $222,000,000.
Mass tort settlement for chemical exposure case.
Mass Tort Settlement for Chemical Explosion
Mass tort settlement for a chemical explosion case.
Class action settlement for chemical exposure
Class action settlement for chemical exposure case.
Verdict for Brain Damaged Infant
A 1-1/2 year old and 2-1/2 year old sister fell into a pool at an apartment complex. The infant was brain damaged and later died, and the sister is now quadriplegic.
Class action settlement for exposure to pesticide
Class action settlement for exposure to pesticide.
Class action settlement for chemical exposure
Chemical exposure class action settlement.
Construction worker severely injured on the job
Our client was a construction worker that was severely injured on the job.
Defective bridge rail design causes double leg amputation
A defective bridge rail design causes severe auto accident resulting in a double leg amputation.
Commercial Big Truck Accident Causes Brain Injury to Young Boy
As a result of a commercial big truck accident, a young boy suffers brain injury.
Two Worker's Asbestos Exposure
Two former chemical plant workers dying of lung cancer won a $12.8 million state award, blaming their illness on asbestos used in industrial insulation.
Sexual assault in motel
A national motel chain settled out of court for what is said to be the largest settlement in a rape case.
Bicyclist Hit by Car
Bicyclist hit by car in Morgan City, LA. Case resulted in multiple serious long term injuries and a settlement of $8,415,000.
GSU gas explosion resulting in severe burns
Gas explosion resulted in a severe burn injury. $8,400,000 Verdict was obtained for our client in trial.
Low highway shoulder caused accident & paraplegia
An $8.25 million court award against the state Department of Transportation and Development was issued by Judge Edward Brent Dufreche.
Doctor Dies in Helicopter Crash Due to Defect in Fuel Mixture
A doctor dies as a result of a helicopter crash with defective fuel mixture, resulting in $8,025,000 verdict.
Explosion on boat causes burns over seaman's body
An explosion on boat causes burns on 70% of seaman's body.
Big Rig Hits Company Truck
Our client was involved in a wreck with a big rig that hit his company truck. Case resulted in serious injuries and a verdict of $7,650,750.
Highway Defect Causes Paraplegia
Our client suffered paraplegia from a wreck caused by a highway defect. $6,750,000 settlement.
Accident on oil platform causes brain damage
Oil rig worker settles for $6 million after suffering extensive facial fractures and brain damage.
18 Wheeler Rear End Wreck
$5,000,000 settlement for a 33-year old LPN, rear ended by an 18 Wheeler on I-12 in Baton Rouge.
British Petroleum Gulf of Mexico explosion causes wrongful death
The British Petroleum Gulf of Mexico explosion in 2010 was responsible for the wrongful death of our client.
Big Rig Accident Causes Serious Injuries
Big rig accident causes serious injuries and $4,200,000 settlement.
Neck injury causes paralysis
Our client suffered a neck injury that resulted in paralysis.
Pump casing fractured spraying client with chemical causing severe burns & later death
While working, the pump casing fractured spraying our client with a chemical, TiCl4, causing severe burns and later death.
Wrongful death in commercial trucking accident
A settlement has been reached in the case of a 1996 accident that claimed the lives of three Jones County residents.
Seven Figure Settlement in Injury Case
John Doe v. ABC Ins. Co. Settled for $3,750,000 in an injury case.
Truck Driver T Boned by 18 Wheeler
Our client, a truck driver, was hit by an 18-wheeler that ran a stop sign and T boned his truck.
Brain damage with left hemiparesis after auto accident
Our client suffered from brain damage with left hemiparesis after an auto accident.
Wrongful Death Judgment Against Entergy
Judgment against Entergy for $3,260,000 for a wrongful death case.
Auto Wreck Results in Severe Injuries
Our client was involved in an auto wreck causing severe injuries and resulting in a verdict of $3,250,000.
Military Vehicle Hits Client resulting in wrongful death
Military vehicle pulled out in front of client resulting in a wrongful death and a verdict of $3,250,000.
Amusement Ride Injury
Our client suffered injuries falling from an amusement ride, resulting in a verdict of $3,000,000.
Double amputation of legs from electrical shock
An employee of an oil company suffered severe electrical shock when a gen pole came in contact with high power lines.
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domain: law


text:
BMPRIA | definition of BMPRIA by Medical dictionary
BMPRIA A gene on chromosome 10q22.3 that encodes a member of the type-I bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-receptor family of transmembrane serine/threonine kinases, which binds BMPs and plays a central role in endochondral bone formation and embryogenesis. Type-I receptors require their respective type-II receptors for ligand binding. Type-II receptors phosphorylate and activate type-I receptors, which autophosphorylate then bind and activate SMAD transcriptional regulators.
BMPRIA mutations are associated with primary pulmonary hypertension and brachydactyly type 2A.
Segen's Medical Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in periodicals archive
Mochida et al., "Wnt inhibitors Dkk1 and Sost are downstream targets of BMP signaling through the type IA receptor (BMPRIA
) in osteoblasts," Journal ofBone and Mineral Research, vol.
BMP Receptor (BMPRIa
and BMPRII) Expression Levels Were Upregulated with Hypoxia and I/R.
Mapping of hereditary mixed polyposis syndrome (HMPS) to chromosome 10q23 by genomewide high density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) SCAN and identification of BMPRIA
loss of function.
BMP4 and BMP type I receptor (BMPRIA
) are overexpressed in coronal phase of a rat molar.

domain: literature


text:
I’m sharing my award winning Olive Oil Orange Chiffon Cake recipe that is nut free and dairy free that won 1st place at the San Mateo County Fair previously! Be sure to read all of my cake baking tips in the post before you start baking. This is moderately difficult recipe but bakes a light, fluffy, and moist cake for me everytime.
I’ve also included an ingredient list at the bottom due to multiple requests. I’ve created a post about what’s in my cupboard as well. This post was originally published on June 2, 2015 and updated on December 19, 2023 (minor edits to the recipe and new photos).
Disclaimer: I am a brand ambassador for Rodelle and receive products to use and review. Please check that all ingredients are suitable for your allergies and be sure to ask your medical care team regarding any allergy related questions (I do not share medical advice). As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.Jump to Recipe
Recipes Adaptations and Baking Tips:
This recipe as written is peanut, tree nut, milk, soy, fish, and shellfish. Since this cake is light and airy and does not rely on gluten formation, is possible to make this cake wheat free by using a safe gluten free mix. I haven’t tried this recipe by Serious Eats, but I think it has great potential with lots of tips on how to adapt any chiffon recipe to be gluten free.
Egg is a key ingredient that defines this cake as a chiffon cake, so while it’s always possible to make an egg free cake, I don’t think that it will be a chiffon cake.
Cake Pan Tips:
- Clean pan: The cake pan must be absolutely clean and free of residues in order for the cake to rise well.
- Right tube pan: If you have a tube cake pan already, I think a light colored 10 inch angel food pan with prongs/feet will work the best for this recipe. I bought the worst one for myself when I first got married. It was dark colored (can never get the timing right), “non-stick” (it stuck anyways, but the cake needs to cling to the pan as it rises, so it’s an unnecessary feature), and didn’t have feet to help keep the cake balanced and level when cooling upside down. My mom gave me hers (pictured below) but if I ever needed a replacement, I would buy something like this Wilton cake pan (affiliate link).
- Contingency plan: Sometimes the cake rises taller than the tube which makes it challenging to cool upside down. So before you start baking, I recommend that you can prop the pan up by the prongs by using upside-down cups or bowls of equal height. Try it out before you’re dealing with a very hot cake in the pan.
Tried and True Cake Baking Tips:
- Egg temperature: Eggs straight out of the refrigerator are easier to separate, but room temperature eggs are easier to whip up and aerate, so I separate the eggs first and let them hang out while I work on other steps.
- Pure egg whites: The egg whites must be completely free of any debris or liquid in order to form stable foam. Be sure that the bowl and whisk are clean and dry and that the egg whites are free of egg yolk and shells.
- Separate the whites and yolks: If you have trouble with separating eggs, separate the egg whites into a small bowl and transfer them one at a time into your large mixing bowl so that if an egg yolk accidentally breaks, you can avoid contaminating all the egg whites. You can use the egg whites with broken yolks for other purposes but you’ll need extra eggs on hand as back ups.
- Why EVOO: Extra Virgin Olive Oil is my oil of choice for health reasons and it tastes fine in this recipe. The original recipes use vegetable oil, which could mean soy, corn, or canola. I don’t like that soy turns rancid quickly, corn seems inflammatory as I feel a lot of aches and pains when I use corn oil, and I can’t find a non-GMO canola oil that I can trust to be nut-free.
- Less sugar: I’ve also reduced the amount of sugar in the recipe by 1/2 cup (33%) to suit the preferences of my mom and mother in law. I also use organic sugar which seems to taste sweeter and allows me to use less sugar in most recipes.
- Light touch: Be gentle when folding the egg white into the egg yolk mixture, the resulting batter should become lighter in color and foamy.
- Check ingredients: Check your baking powder, drop a spoonful into an ounce of water, it should fizz otherwise replace it. Check your cream of tartar, it has a long shelf life and should look dry and powdery. Test the cream of tartar by adding a spoonful to half cup of water and adding a spoonful of baking soda, it should fizz vigorously.
- Read first: This is a no-fail recipe for me but it is a moderately difficult recipe. Be sure to review each of the tips above and the recipe below before you start.
Baking with Dad: Cake Mix Magic
Making cakes with my parents was a magical experience as a little girl. My dad was influenced by his experience as a U.S. Army cook during the Korean war and I remembered he used boxed cake mixes to make a cake. I was amazed by the transformation of powder plus water turned into a thick liquid which went into the oven and came out as cake, pure magic to a 3 year old. I abided by his reminders to walk softly and be quiet. Now that I am a parent, I wondered if baking a cake was how he gained my cooperation for some peace and quiet.
Baking with Mom: Traditional Chinese Recipe & Method
A few years later, my mom wanted to show me something after dinner and with a little bit of excitement in the air, she cleared the table and brought out some eggs, flour, and sugar, a couple of mixing bowls, a cake pan, a spatula, and a pair of chopsticks. I watched her carefully separate the egg yolks from the egg whites, mix the flour, sugar, and egg yolks together, and then use chopsticks to beat the egg whites until they were glossy foamy peaks. Take a moment to think about that, my mom beat egg whites with chopsticks, she’s amazing. Then she showed me how to fold the egg whites into the batter, transferred everything into a cake pan and steamed the cake. The cake tasted just like the Chinese steamed cakes from dim sum restaurants and Chinese bakeries and we made this together often.
Baking by Myself: I Baked A Lot of Cakes
Fast forward a few more years and my mom took me to her friend’s house to play with her daughter, Nancy. I can’t remember much of the play date and not sure if I ever saw Nancy again. But I do remember I came home with a recipe for Orange Chiffon Cake which I probably made hundreds of cakes throughout my teen years. I always had to make two, one for our family and one to take to an event with friends or family almost every weekend.
Over the years, I varied the recipe upping the orange flavor, reducing the fat, reducing the sugar, and played around with the technique. I could make the cake from memory and shared the recipe with anyone who wanted it.
I Won A Blue Ribbon with this Chiffon Cake Recipe
Several computers and many years later, I wanted to enter the San Mateo County Fair’s baking contest and enter the chiffon cake category because I knew I had a great chance of winning. But I couldn’t remember my version of the recipe and couldn’t find a copy either. So I had to start over with a new recipe. I learned that a man named Henry Baker invented the chiffon cake, which was a cross between an angel food cake and a pound cake, and used oil.
I decided to adapt two orange chiffon cake recipes from Joy of Baking and Epicurious’s Gourmet Magazine (March 1992 edition) and incorporated some of the techniques that I’ve learned from baking so many cakes. My cake won first place in the 2010 San Mateo County Fair, so you can be sure that this cake recipe is a keeper!
Olive Oil Orange Chiffon Cake Recipe
This recipe is adapted from Joy of Baking and Epicurious/Gourmet Magazine March 1992.
- 9 eggs (room temperature) you’ll only use 7 yolks, reserve 2 yolks for other purposes
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- OR 2 1/4 cup cake flour
- 1 cup sugar divided
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large oranges (or 3 medium oranges) zest and juiced (need 3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Wash, towel dry, and air dry a two piece 10 inch tube cake pan and, for beating the egg whites, a large mixing bowl and whisk (or whisk attachment).
Position your lower oven rack so that the cake will be in the center of the oven and check that your upper rack is high enough so that you can easily place the filled cake pan later. Preheat oven, 325 °F.
Separate the egg yolks and egg whites, place 9 egg whites into a freshly washed and dried mixing bowl for your electric mixer and 7 egg yolks into a second large mixing bowl.
Whisk together or sift the flour, cornstarch, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt into a medium sized bowl.
Wash and dry two oranges and zest the oranges over the flour mixture.
Use a fork or wire whisk to stir the flour for 30 seconds to break up any clumps of zest or baking powder, set aside.
Juice the oranges and add 3/4 cup of orange juice to the bowl of egg yolks.
Add oil and vanilla extract to the egg yolks and use a whisk or fork to mix until blended.
Add the flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture and mix with a spatula until just combined, do not over mix, and set aside.
Use your electric mixer to beat the egg whites on the high for about 2 to 2.5 minutes (or use a clean and dry whisk) until the eggs have soft peaks.
Add the cream of tartar and 1/4 cup of sugar to the egg whites and continue beating for 1 minute if using a mixer or until there are stiff glossy peaks, with a pointy tip when you take the whisk out of the egg whites.
Use a spatula to transfer 2 large scoops of egg whites (up to 1/3) to the flour and egg yolks mixture and gently fold in the egg yolk by using the spatula to “cut” into the center of the ingredients, scraping along the bottom, up the side of the bowl, lifting the thick batter from the bottom to the top, and turning the bowl as you go with each fold.
Fold in the remaining batter until there are no more clumps of egg white, be gentle and patient.
Gently tap the bowl on the counter to release any large air bubbles.
Transfer the batter into the tube pan, use a spatula to even out the batter, and a damp paper towel to wipe up any drips.
Bake for 50 minutes (up to 1 hour, time may vary). The cake is ready when golden brown and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Flip the cake and allow it to cool upside down in the cake pan, allow 1-2 hours.
When cooled, insert a long thin knife in between the cake and the pan and carefully run the knife along the edges of the pan and the tube.
Hold the tube from the bottom and use your other hand to twist the pan away from the cake.
Slide a knife in between the bottom of the cake and the base, carefully lift the cake out of the tube base and transfer onto a cake platter.
Serve plain, with a scoop of fresh cut fruit, or with a dollop of whipped cream.
My Favorite Brands:
Many readers have asked about which brands I buy and use, which I believe are peanut and tree nut free. Please note that we all have different allergies and what works for me, might not work for you. You are responsible for verifying allergen safety before using or consuming by reading the labels, contacting the manufacturer, and/or discussing with your medical care team. If you are interested in what other products that I like to use, please check What’s in My Cupboard.
• All Purpose Flour: Gold Medal or King Arthur
• Cornstarch: Rapunzel Organic Corn Starch
• Sugar: Kirkland Organic Sugar
• Baking Powder: Clabber Girl Double Acting Baking Powder
• Olive Oil: Kirkland Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Vanilla Extract: Rodelle Vanilla Extract
• Cream of Tartar: Spicely Cream Of Tartar – Glass Jar
Other Nut Free Cake Recipes You Might Like:
• Carrot Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting – Nut free with an irresistable frosting
• Easy Lemon Cake – Nut free, egg free, fast and easy
• Aunty Karen’s “Ma Lai Go” – Nut free, Chinese steamed sponge cake, it’s a dim sum classic
• Chocolate Wacky Cake – Nut free, egg free chocolate cake
• Easy Apple Pear Spice Cake Recipe and That’s It Review – nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free and a tiny bit spicy
Thanks for reading, please help Nut Free Wok!
If you like this post or recipe, please be sure to give a 5 star rating, leave a comment, and share this post! Your support means a lot to me.
Subscribe to Nut Free Wok’s email subscription (be sure to respond to the confirmation email). You will be notified by email next time I publish another post or recipe and I won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone.
I may mention the names of stores and/or brand names of products that I use because readers ask and I share products and sources which I use and think may be helpful to readers, all opinions are my own. Please note that manufacturing practices and ingredients can change at anytime without notice and readers are always responsible for assuring allergen safety before buying or consuming foods. NutFreeWok.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Thank you for reading!

domain: food


text:
Man accused of shooting mother-in-law | Crime
A Cross County man is in custody, accused of shooting his mother-in-law in the chest.
Nathan Lamb, 26, of Wynne is charged with battery in the first degree, residential burglary and two counts of aggravated assault.
According to police and court records, at approximately 10:41 p.m. Sunday Lamb shot Vonda Chism at her home in the 1200-block of Canal Street in Wynne.
Chism was taken to the Cross Ridge Hospital then flown to the The MED in Memphis with a gunshot wound to her left chest.
Lamb told investigators during questioning he went to his in-laws’ home to speak with his estranged wife, Joanna Kay Lamb.
An argument ensued and Lamb went home to get his rifle, according to the affidavit.
Lamb reportedly told officers he loaded his rifle then drove back to his in-laws. He said he parked his truck “down the street” at the corner of Thomas and Canal.
Then he went into the house.
In a written statement to police, Joanna Lamb said her estranged husband “busted in the door, shot Momma and then pointed the gun at me” and the couple’s nine-month-old child, whom she was breastfeeding at the time.
According to the court records, Lamb said he “couldn’t really remember” the exact sequence of events; but, he reportedly admitted he shot Chism, then the gun jammed.
Lamb said he “repeatedly” pulled the trigger, but the gun wouldn’t “shoot anymore” so he threw it onto the floor.
The victim’s husband, Eddie Dale Chism, came out of a bedroom and the two men began to fight, the affidavit reported.
Lamb then ran out into the front yard and waited for police to arrive.
According to the police report, when officers arrived Lamb said "I shot her. The gun is in the house."
Officers reportedly seized a Remington .22 caliber rifle and an empty shell casing from the scene.
Lamb is currently being held in the Cross County Jail.
Copyright 2013 KAIT. All rights reserved.

domain: news


text:
President Bush and European leaders made little effort to conceal significant differences over global warming, capital punishment and missile defenses as he visited there for the first time since taking office.
The allies were nearly as unhappy about his plans to abandon the Antiballistic Missile Treaty as Russia has been; Mr. Bush met with President Vladimir V. Putin on Saturday. And Mr. Bush's rejection of the Kyoto Protocol limiting emissions of heat-trapping gases was politely but firmly criticized by European leaders, who said they would move ahead with or without the United States. Before meeting Mr. Putin, Mr. Bush called for letting all the democracies of Europe join the NATO alliance eventually -- including states that once were members of the Warsaw Pact or Soviet republics.
John H. Cushman Jr.Continue reading the main story


When you say the "vertical one, going into the frame", are you taking about the screw that goes through the top of the swingarm near the rear axle? The swingarm has a threaded insert pressed into it that is not supposed to move. Without seeing it, it sounds like the threaded insert is spinning; either that or the screw is stripped.
The screw can be a pain to get out if the insert is spinning, but one trick is to put side-force on the screw and try to jerk it in one fast motion to break it loose. It doesn't sound like there is enough room, but if you can get a punch, screwdriver, or small cold chisel under the chain guard, try to hit the top of the insert so that it dimples into the swingarm to lock it in place.
I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself
And falls on the other. -Macbeth knew I.VII


Experiencing the Jeep Cherokee Service Shifter Light can be daunting, but understanding its meaning is key to keeping your ride in top shape. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll unravel the secrets behind this crucial warning, offering insights into causes and reliable solutions. Get ready to conquer any Service Shifter Light challenges with confidence!
What Does The Service Shifter Message Mean On A Jeep Cherokee?
The Service Shifter message on a Jeep Cherokee is an indication that there’s a problem with the vehicle’s shifting system. When this message appears, the Jeep’s computer has detected an issue with the transmission shifter, which may affect the vehicle’s performance and safety.
The message also indicates a problem with the shifter assembly or the control wiring. It’s essential to address this issue promptly and seek professional assistance to diagnose and fix it before it leads to further complications or costly repairs.
Causes Of A Service Shifter Warning on Jeep Cherokee
Several issues can cause the Service Shifter warning on a Jeep Cherokee. Here are some of the most common causes:
Faulty shifter assembly
The shifter assembly in a Jeep Cherokee is a mechanical component that allows the driver to select different gears in the transmission. Over time, the shifter assembly can become worn out, and the components inside can fail, causing the warning to appear.
Common symptoms of a faulty shifter assembly include difficulty shifting gears, a loose or sloppy feeling shifter, or the inability to shift gears at all. If the shifter assembly is the cause of the warning, it may need to be replaced entirely, and it’s best to have it serviced by a professional.
The shifter assembly is controlled by a network of wires that send signals to the Jeep’s computer to tell it which gear the driver has selected. If there is an issue with the wiring, such as a frayed or damaged wire, it can cause the Service Shifter warning to appear.
Symptoms of wiring problems include intermittent warning lights or difficulty shifting gears. A trained technician can diagnose wiring issues using specialized tools and repair or replace the affected wiring as needed.
The transmission is a crucial component of any vehicle, and if it’s not functioning correctly, it can cause a wide range of problems, including the Service Shifter warning. Symptoms of transmission issues include difficulty shifting gears, rough shifting, or grinding noises while shifting. The transmission is a complex system, and it’s best to have a trained professional diagnose and repair any issues.
Faulty Fuse Box
If the fuses or fuse box in your vehicle become faulty, it could be another reason why the service shifter light comes on. One or more fuses may become blown, which can trigger the service shifter warning light to illuminate. The fuse box is responsible for distributing electrical power to various components of the vehicle, and if it’s not functioning properly, it can cause electrical issues in the car.
Malfunctioning of Light
The other reason for the service shifter light to come on is due to a malfunction of the light itself rather than any issue with the vehicle. If the light is not functioning properly, it may turn on or off for no apparent reason, and the issue can often be resolved by fixing the switch.
In this case, the service shifter light may be providing false information about an issue with the shifter, even if no problem exists. If the switch for the light is faulty, it may cause the light to turn on or off at random times, even if the shifter is functioning correctly.
Like any modern vehicle, the Jeep Cherokee has a sophisticated computer system that controls many of its functions, including the transmission. Sometimes, a software glitch can trigger the Service Shifter warning, and the computer system may need to be reset to clear the warning. If the warning persists, it could indicate a more severe issue and a professional diagnostic may be necessary.
Low transmission fluid
The transmission fluid is critical to the proper functioning of the transmission in a Jeep Cherokee. If the fluid level is low or dirty, it can cause the transmission to malfunction and trigger the Service Shifter warning. Symptoms of low transmission fluid include difficulty shifting gears, slipping gears, or a burning smell from the transmission.
If the warning is caused by low transmission fluid, it’s essential to have the fluid level checked and topped off if necessary. In some cases, the fluid may need to be drained and replaced, or there may be a leak in the system that needs to be repaired.
Faulty transmission control module
The transmission control module (TCM) is a component of the Jeep’s computer system that controls the transmission’s functions. If the TCM fails, it can cause the Service Shifter warning to appear.
Symptoms of a faulty TCM include difficulty shifting gears, rough shifting, or the transmission getting stuck in a particular gear. A trained technician can diagnose a faulty TCM using specialized tools and replace the component if necessary.
How To Fix The Service Shifter Message On A Jeep Cherokee
The steps to fix a Service Shifter message on a Jeep Cherokee will depend on the root cause of the warning. Here are some common solutions based on the most common causes of the warning:
- Replace the shifter assembly: If a faulty shifter assembly is causing the warning, it may need to be replaced entirely. It’s best to have this done by a trained technician, as the process involves disassembling the center console and other parts of the vehicle. The technician will remove the old shifter assembly and install a new one, ensuring all components function correctly.
- Repair or replace wiring: If wiring issues are causing the warning, a trained technician can diagnose and repair or replace the affected wiring. This may involve tracing wires throughout the vehicle to find the source of the issue and repairing or replacing the damaged wires. Once the wiring issue is fixed, the Service Shifter warning should go away.
- Repair or replace the transmission: If the transmission is the cause of the warning, it may need to be repaired or replaced. This complex process involves disassembling the transmission and repairing or replacing damaged components. A trained technician can diagnose the issue and recommend the best course of action.
- Reset the computer system: If a software glitch is causing the warning, resetting the computer system may help. This can be done by disconnecting the battery for several minutes, which will reset the system and clear any temporary software issues. If the warning persists after resetting the computer, a more severe issue may be present.
- Top off or replace transmission fluid: If low transmission fluid is causing the warning, the fluid level should be checked and topped off if necessary. If the fluid is dirty or burnt, it may need to be replaced entirely. A trained technician can handle this process and ensure that the correct type of fluid is used.
Is There A Recall For The Service Shifter On Jeep Cherokee?
Yes, there has been a recall related to the service shifter on Jeep Cherokee vehicles. In 2018, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) issued a recall for more than 200,000 Jeep Cherokee SUVs due to a defect that could cause the vehicle to roll away when shifted into park.
This defect was caused by a faulty park-assist system that could fail, leading the vehicle to roll away even if the gear shifter was in the “park” position. The recall affected 2014-2019 model year Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with a 2.4-liter engine or a 3.2-liter engine and a nine-speed automatic transmission.
FCA notified owners of the affected vehicles and instructed them to bring their vehicles to a dealership to update the powertrain control module (PCM) software. The recall was conducted free of charge to owners.
If you own a Jeep Cherokee and are unsure if your vehicle is affected by the recall, you can check by entering your vehicle identification number (VIN) on the NHTSA website or by contacting your local Jeep dealership. It’s important to address any recall-related issues promptly to ensure the safety and reliability of your vehicle.
How To Switch Off A Service Light?
Sometimes, despite taking your vehicle to a mechanic, the service shifter light may remain on for no apparent reason. If you’re certain that there’s no problem with your vehicle, you may choose to turn off the warning light. Here are some ways to do that:
Restart Your Engine
If you’re driving and the service shifter light comes on, try stopping and restarting your engine. This can sometimes clear the service message and turn off the warning light. Restarting your engine is especially effective when you shift from automatic to manual on steep or rocky terrain.
Unplug Your Battery
Another way to switch off a service light is to disconnect the Jeep’s battery. Start by waiting for about 30 minutes after unplugging the negative and positive ends of the battery. This helps to reset the computer’s voltage and eliminate the warning lights.
When reconnecting the battery, be sure to follow the same steps in reverse. Keep in mind that this may cause other warning lights, such as the service air suspicion, vehicle display, and 4WD drive to turn on.
This is because low voltage can cause the ECU to malfunction, leading to warning lights. If you see these lights come on, consider using a diagnostics code reader to erase them.
Change the Oil
A low engine oil level can cause parts to overheat, triggering the service light. If this is the case, you may need to replace the oil to restore normal operation. Check your owner’s manual to see the recommended oil level and type for your Jeep.
Replace the Shifter
If the service shifter light remains on after trying the previous steps, it could indicate a more severe issue with the gear shifter. In this case, replacing the shifter and rebooting the engine is best.
Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions and seek professional help if needed. After replacing the shifter, the service light should turn off.
What does the Service Shifter message mean on a Jeep Cherokee?
The Service Shifter message on a Jeep Cherokee indicates that there may be an issue with the vehicle’s shifter assembly, wiring, transmission, or computer system.
Can I still drive my Jeep Cherokee if the Service Shifter message is on?
It is not recommended to drive your Jeep Cherokee if the Service Shifter message is on, as it may indicate a serious issue that can lead to further damage or safety concerns.
How can I reset the Service Shifter message on my Jeep Cherokee?
The Service Shifter message can sometimes be cleared by disconnecting the battery for several minutes to reset the vehicle’s computer system. However, it’s important to have the underlying issue diagnosed and repaired to prevent the warning from reappearing.
How much does fixing the Service Shifter message on a Jeep Cherokee cost?
The cost of fixing the Service Shifter message on a Jeep Cherokee will depend on the root cause of the warning. Repairs can range from a simple wiring fix to a more complex transmission repair or replacement. It’s best to have the issue diagnosed by a trained technician to determine the cost of repairs.
How often should I have my Jeep Cherokee’s transmission fluid checked?
Jeep Cherokee’s transmission fluid should be checked regularly, especially if you notice any issues with the transmission. A good rule of thumb is to check the fluid every 30,000 to 60,000 miles, depending on your vehicle’s model year and driving conditions.
In conclusion, if you notice the Service Shifter message on your Jeep Cherokee, it’s important to take action to diagnose and repair the underlying issue. The causes of this warning can range from simple wiring issues to more complex transmission problems, and it’s crucial to have a trained technician diagnose the problem to ensure the proper repair is made.
Ignoring the warning and driving your vehicle with the Service Shifter message on can lead to further damage and safety concerns. You can avoid costly repairs and keep your Jeep Cherokee running smoothly by taking prompt action.


Here are a list of faults I've had on my 1996 WB 1.8 16v:
* Electric Boot Release mechanism failed
* Radius arm needed replacing (caused handling to be a nightmare!)
* Heater only gets luke warm (Alfa specialist think it's the directional flaps in the heater matrix.... too expensive/too much hassle to replace)
* Petrol Filler Cover Flag fell off (probably not a common fault!)
* Fuel Injector warning light illuminates every few months and engine looses power (cleaning Airflow meter connections sorts this one)
* Indicator relay clicking at Random (cleaning contacts on stalk cured this)
* N/S Electric wing mirror stopped working
* O/S Electric window mechanism/motor is very noisy
* Alarm goes off for no apparent reason now and again
Other than the above, just general consumables (brake disks/pads, exhaust etc).
I've now covered over 25,000 miles and still going strong. Would definetely consider another.
Hope this helps. RobT


Road Closed Due to Suspicious Package in Brampton
Part of a road has been closed due to an ongoing police investigation in Brampton.
Peel police recently reported that Lowry Dr. is closed between McLaughlin Rd. and Regan Rd. due to the investigation.
Peel police Const. Mark Fischer told inbrampton.com that the closure has been prompted by a suspicious package.
The road will remain closed while units look into the incident.
There’s no word on what the package looks like or who received it at this time.
Updates to come.
UPDATE: The road reopened by 2:45 p.m.


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KATHMANDU: The kitchen, set up in Bhaktapur, began serving meals on June 19, 2015.
Kathmandu, Nepal, June 22, 2015: The Earthquake Relief Centralized Kitchen Project, a joint activity of the Akshaya Patra Foundation, Jamsetji Tata Trust and Sipradian Sahayata Sanstha arranged and served its first suppers on Saturday, June 19, 2015. The Akshaya Patra Foundation fabricates and works honor winning incorporated kitchens in India from which it conveys hot, nutritious dinners to 1.4 million school kids crosswise over India day by day. As being what is indicated, Akshaya Patra is particularly qualified to situated up a crisis field kitchen in under one week’s opportunity to help the survivors of the two staggering quakes in Nepal. Soon after these overwhelming earthqualkes it was found that countless individuals were destitute and without access to clean water and sustenance.
Thirty-three individuals from Akshaya Patra’s Team set up the kitchen in five days—a record…
View original post 456 more words


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A lot goes into a drawing even before I put a pencil or crayon mark on the page.
KNOWING THE PLACE: I'd walked on Grove Street as it curves and becomes W. 7th many times, in all seasons. That curve borders this large grassy expanse. It was a floodplain of the Cedar River before the flood wall and dike (unseen to the left) were built. This is a distinct Cedar Falls neighborhood of single family houses with yards, a nursing home, a church, and the Viking Pump Foundry. The Foundry, which was behind me as I stood at my easel for this drawing, is what makes this neighborhood not quiet on workdays. It's only a few blocks from downtown. On the other side of the dike are railroad tracks leading to the coal burning utilities plant and a City park that hugs the bank of the Cedar River.
WHAT CAPTIVATED ME: the shadows on the grass, the grove of dark tree trunks, the steeple of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church through the trees before the leaves would unfurl fully and obscure it, the small dark red shed behind the tree trunk on the left, the soft colors of early Spring. All of this was in my mind's eye, before I actually started to draw.
WAITING FOR THE RIGHT DAY
The preceding days had been either too cold, rainy or windy. On this late April day all was quiet and early Spring idyllic. We all know here in the Midwest how breathtakingly rapid Spring can unfold. I knew I had a narrow window of opportunity to capture what beckoned.
STARTING WITH A QUICK COMPOSITION SKETCH--soft pencil in my pocketsize Moleskin. Sometimes, my Moleskin sketches are all I need to do if I feel they've captured what I call "the truth of a place". But this time, I was pretty certain a larger, more developed piece in color was called for. I'd bicycled the 1/2 mile from my house, carrying my roaming studio in panniers: portable easel and my drawing accoutrements.
UNDERDRAWING--9B water soluble graphite applied with a wet brush on warm gray Canson Mi-Teintes paper.
BRINGING IT TO COMPLETION: After about two-and-a half hours on-site, I'll have an almost finished Neocolor II water soluble wax pastel drawing. That's about all I can handle standing in one spot. Anyway, it's alway good to take some space, step back and peruse afresh in the cloister of my studio. Sometimes, as with this drawing, I'll do some minimal tweaking (usually of value relationships), before I call it done. Go to my post HERE'S THE CHURCH AND HERE'S THE STEEPLE on the Urban Sketchers blog to see the finished work up close.

domain: artistic


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Supplemental Video for Stover AE, Brick DJ, Nethercott HE, Banuelos MG, Sun L, O’Dowd DK, Schwartz PH. Process-based expansion and neural differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells for transplantation and disease modeling. J Neurosci Res. 2013 Oct;91(10):1247-62.
J Virol. 2013 Oct;87(20):10968-79. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01120-13. Epub 2013 Jul 31.
Later passages of neural progenitor cells from neonatal brain are more permissive for human cytomegalovirus infection.
Pan X1, Li XJ, Liu XJ, Yuan H, Li JF, Duan YL, Ye HQ, Fu YR, Qiao GH, Wu CC, Yang B, Tian XH, Hu KH, Miao LF, Chen XL, Zheng J, Rayner S, Schwartz PH, Britt WJ, Xu J, Luo MH.
Congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is the most frequent infectious cause of birth defects, primarily neurological disorders. Neural progenitor/stem cells (NPCs) are the major cell type in the subventricular zone and are susceptible to HCMV infection. In culture, the differentiation status of NPCs may change with passage, which in turn may alter susceptibility to virus infection. Previously, only early-passage (i.e., prior to passage 9) NPCs were studied and shown to be permissive to HCMV infection. In this study, NPC cultures derived at different gestational ages were evaluated after short (passages 3 to 6) and extended (passages 11 to 20) in vitro passages for biological and virological parameters (i.e., cell morphology, expression of NPC markers and HCMV receptors, viral entry efficiency, viral gene expression, virus-induced cytopathic effect, and release of infectious progeny). These parameters were not significantly influenced by the gestational age of the source tissues. However, extended-passage cultures showed evidence of initiation of differentiation, increased viral entry, and more efficient production of infectious progeny. These results confirm that NPCs are fully permissive for HCMV infection and that extended-passage NPCs initiate differentiation and are more permissive for HCMV infection. Later-passage NPCs being differentiated and more permissive for HCMV infection suggest that HCMV infection in fetal brain may cause more neural cell loss and give rise to severe neurological disabilities with advancing brain development.
J Inherit Metab Dis. 2014 Mar 12. [Epub ahead of print]
Effects of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation on acyl-CoA oxidase deficiency: a sibling comparison study.
Wang RY1, Monuki ES, Powers J, Schwartz PH, Watkins PA, Shi Y, Moser A, Shrier DA, Waterham HR, Nugent DJ, Abdenur JE.
OBJECTIVE: Acyl-CoA oxidase (ACOX1) deficiency is a rare disorder of peroxisomal very-long chain fatty acid oxidation. No reports detailing attempted treatment, longitudinal imaging, or neuropathology exist. We describe the natural history of clinical symptoms and brain imaging in two siblings with ACOX1 deficiency, including the younger sibling’s response to allogeneic unrelated donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).
METHODS: We conducted retrospective chart review to obtain clinical history, neuro-imaging, and neuropathology data. ACOX1 genotyping were performed to confirm the disease. In vitro fibroblast and neural stem cell fatty acid oxidation assays were also performed.
RESULTS: Both patients experienced a fatal neurodegenerative course, with late-stage cerebellar and cerebral gray matter atrophy. Serial brain magnetic resonance imaging in the younger sibling indicated demyelination began in the medulla and progressed rostrally to include the white matter of the cerebellum, pons, midbrain, and eventually subcortical white matter. The successfully engrafted younger sibling had less brain inflammation, cortical atrophy, and neuronal loss on neuro-imaging and neuropathology compared to the untreated older sister. Fibroblasts and stem cells demonstrated deficient very long chain fatty acid oxidation.
INTERPRETATION: Although HSCT did not halt the course of ACOX1 deficiency, it reduced the extent of white matter inflammation in the brain. Demyelination continued because of ongoing neuronal loss, which may be due to inability of transplant to prevent progression of gray matter disease, adverse effects of chronic corticosteroid use to control graft-versus-host disease, or intervention occurring beyond a critical point for therapeutic efficacy.
Recently Dr. Schwartz went to UC Davis and presented the work his group is doing on MPSI. This work is currently supported by CIRM. His talk was well received.
Dr. Schwartz’s group will be presenting current findings in autism in San Diego. Emphasis will be on the bioinformatic approaches he is currently undertaking.
Pediatrics 2040 event where Dr. Schwartz will be a speaker:
Friday October 4th 2013
11:00 am – Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cells – Moderator: Phillip Schwartz, PhD
Overview: Stem Cell Therapy
– Phillip Schwartz, PhD
Ethical considerations/Sources of cells/GMP Issues and problems associated with tumorigenicity and immunogenicity.

domain: medical


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Background: Vaccination has determined a dramatic decline in morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases over the last century. However, low perceived risk of the infectious threat and increased concern about vaccines’ safety led to a reduction in vaccine coverage, with increased risk of disease outbreaks. Methods: Annual surveillance data of nationally communicable infectious diseases in Italy between 1900 and 2015 were used to derive trends in morbidity and mortality rates before and after vaccine introduction, focusing particularly on the effect of vaccination programs. Autoregressive integrated moving average models were applied to ten vaccine-preventable diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, hepatitis B, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, and invasive meningococcal disease. Results of these models referring to data before the immunization programs were projected on the vaccination period to estimate expected cases. The difference between observed and projected cases provided estimates of cases avoided by vaccination. Results: The temporal trend for each disease started with high incidence rates, followed by a period of persisting reduction. After vaccine introduction, and particularly after the recommendation for universal use among children, the current rates were much lower than those forecasted without vaccination, both in the whole population and among the 0-to-4 year olds, which is, generally, the most susceptible age class. Assuming that the difference between incidence rates before and after vaccination programs was attributable only to vaccine, more than 4 million cases were prevented, and nearly 35% of them among children in the early years of life. Diphtheria was the disease with the highest number of prevented cases, followed by mumps, chickenpox and measles. Conclusions: Universal vaccination programs represent the most effective prevention tool against infectious diseases, having a major impact on human health. Health authorities should make any effort to strengthen public confidence in vaccines, highlighting scientific evidence of vaccination benefits.
- ARIMA models
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Molecular Medicine
- Immunology and Microbiology(all)
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Infectious Diseases


A women’s transitional shelter that could rival the $11.5-million Homeless Hilton is set to open sometime before the end of the year in the Ave and Dav neighbourhood.
All told, the new shelter will cost city taxpayers at least $9.2-million just to open its doors, which includes the $7.2-million purchase price of the tony building (including closing costs) plus the $2-million-plus budget to renovate it, according to figures provided by city officials.
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The $11.5-million Shelter Assessment and Referral Centre at 129 Peter St. — which finally opened in November of 2010 — was labelled the Homeless Hilton after it went 100% over budget.
The Davenport Rd. shelter will initially serve 53 women, says city spokesman Pat Anderson — equating to $173,584 per homeless client.
That doesn’t include the operational costs of $105-a-day per client.
Now I’m not saying there shouldn’t be this kind of shelter; I’m saying it is one expensive band aid. Surely to goodness city staff didn’t need to purchase such a ritzy site, that vacant city sites were available.
But it was an easy fix. The location initially served as a “low barrier” shelter for transients, plunked into the neighbourhood with no consultation from then-local councillor Joe Cressy.
When residents questioned the influx of drunk and drug-addicted clients, Cressy held a press conference with former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson (who lives nowhere near 348 Davenport Rd.) to attack residents for daring to oppose it.
But now Cressy has moved on to the new Ward 10 where he will no doubt guilt residents into accepting what is sure to be the fallout (based on the history of other respite shelters such as this one and 21 Park Rd.) of new $2.5-million pre-fab respite shelters being erected in Liberty Village and in Gore Park.
According to Anderson, the Liberty Village site — located in the parking lot of Lamport Stadium — will be open by Dec. 15; the one in Gore Park (directly across from the Princes Gates) is slated to be ready by January 2019.
LEVY: City's homeless shelters to get pricey makeover
LEVY: Homeless crisis, what crisis?
Inquest into homeless man’s death in Toronto recommends more social services
Clearly money has become no object in the city’s mission to serve all homeless and transients.
Judging by the way respite shelters are being rammed into vibrant neighbourhoods (like Liberty Village) following minimal and shall we suggest, less than honest communication with residents about the impact of these shelters, City Hall doesn’t appear to give a damn about tax-paying, law abiding homeowners.
It is interesting to note that all of these decisions are being made before the results of the latest Street Needs Assessment (homeless census) are released, deliberately I believe not until the end of November. Never mind getting a handle on where these transients are coming from.
The homeless industry is indeed flourishing at City Hall.
I believe Mayor John Tory is giving the city’s Shelter Housing and Support bureaucracy the message that they can spend whatever it takes to ensure not one person is left on the streets
Ironically, however, just in the past few weeks, I’ve seen plenty of street people under blankets within walking distance of City Hall.
I asked Tory about it during the Toronto Sun‘s editorial board the week before the election.
He told me his obligation is to make sure there’s no one in the middle of February who freezes to death on the streets of Toronto.
“What would you have me do with those people as the mayor of the city of Toronto … I can tell you right now I’m not going to be standing in front of TV cameras or the people of Toronto, or the people of the world, saying in the city, we just said, ‘too bad, people are going to have to sleep to death in the middle of winter’ I won’t do it,” he responded, bristling.
Just to clarify, I don’t want anyone to freeze to death on the streets of Toronto. I’d just like to see our city’s bureaucrats and the mayor try to find a way to deal with the homeless without resorting repeatedly to expensive band-aids that solve nothing.


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Bitcoin’s three-month-long tightening trading range may end in about 48 hours, says Morgan Creek Digital executive Jason Williams.
Williams tells his 41,000 Twitter followers that BTC appears to be poised for a big move as the leading cryptocurrency approaches the apex of an ascending triangle pattern on the short-term timeframe.
“This feels like a little World Cup of sorts. Bitcoin could break out on or about the 22nd. I don’t think I would want to be on the sidelines going into this… Bitcoin volatility could be extraordinary to the upside.”
The Morgan Creek Digital co-founder is not the only analyst who expects the end of BTC’s tightening range soon.
Crypto strategist Ethereum Jack sees the king cryptocurrency exploding within the next seven days as Bitcoin’s spot volume hits a level that precedes significant price expansion. A dwindling volume indicates that many traders are on the sidelines while waiting for an asset to provide clarity in terms of direction.
Meanwhile, the pseudonymous crypto trader Walter Wyckoff believes that Bitcoin will breach resistances as it gets a helping hand from a bullish S&P 500.
“Probably SPX [is] gonna rip on vaccine news and if that happens [it is] gonna pull up BTC. I think that futures opening on legacy will give a clue on what we should expect for the breakout of BTC. Can’t see Bitcoin giga dumping while markets make new highs.”
But not all analysts see BTC a strong Bitcoin rally on the horizon. Trading veteran Peter Brandt expects Bitcoin to suffer a major move to the downside.
“I think personally the surprise is that we see a shakeout in Bitcoin. This is not a prediction, but I’m trying to think through the market psychology, which is we have a sharp break in Bitcoin maybe back to $7,000-$7,500.”


The Freshman Lady Tigers scored more points in the second quarter on Tuesday than visiting Hillsboro produced in the entire game, which paved the way for a huge win.
Glen Rose won its third game in a row by a 50-12 margin.
“I believe that’s our biggest (margin of victory) this season,” said coach Carrie Lytle. “The key was our solid shooting. Even though we were ahead in points, we were getting outrebounded and so that’s something to improve.”
Glen Rose took the first quarter 9-4 and then led 27-4 at halftime.
“The girls did a good job of pushing the ball down the court and keeping their eyes open for their teammates,” Lytle said.
Glen Rose maintained total control, winning the third (9-3) and the fourth (14-5) soundly.
Megan Bretton and Brenna Taylor each scored nine points to set the pace.
“Megan did a great job of driving to the hole,” Lytle said. “She has a nice touch on the ball and is showing consistency. Brenna does a nice job of keeping the ball high when she gets offensive rebounds and going back up with it.”
Bailey Brown and Dakotah Ponce each scored six.
“Bailey is improving, as far as seeing her teammates ahead in transition and getting them the ball,” the coach said. “Dakotah is coming along. She’s consistent about working on her moves and driving to the basket.”
Other scorers included Page Green (4), Amanda Jones (4), Sabrina Watson (4), Hailey Allen (2), Kensy Massey (2), Anna Douglas (2) and Mackenzie Morrison (2).
“Page did a nice job of hustling,” the coach said.
The Lady Tigers will return to action on Friday in Stephenville at 8 p.m.
“We need to keep working on cutting to the basket and blocking out when the shot goes up,” Lytle said. “The girls are doing really well, but we have to play much better on Friday against Stephenville.”