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Five Cutting-Edge Industry Monographs
NRPA presents five cutting-edge industry monographs by a team of expert researchers led by Distinguished Professor Dr. John L. Crompton of Texas A&M University.
The full Executive Summaries and Bios for each author are available below, in PDF format.
The Benefits of Physical Activity: The Scientific Evidence
Dr. Geoffrey Godbey and Dr. Andrew Mowen
In an era in which health costs have become the biggest single expenditure in U.S. society, the central importance of physical activity in preventing and improving a wide variety of health problems is now well understood. As this has happened, public park and recreation services' central role in promoting and providing physical activity has been increasingly documented by scientific research.
Measuring the Economic Impact of Park and Recreation Services
Dr. John Crompton
This monograph provides a hands-on guide for professionals so they can do economic impact studies that measure the economic return residents receive on park and recreation department investments. Park and recreation department personnel can do these studies in house at nominal cost in time and resources. Examples of how to effectively present the information to stakeholders are given.
Parks and Other Green Environments: Essential Comp. of a Healthy Human Habitat
Dr. Frances E. (Ming) Kuo
This monograph presents an overview of what scientists have discovered about the relationship between nature and human health, focusing on the most compelling findings. It focuses on three classic indicators of health drawn from animal research.
Air Quality Effects of Urban Parks and Trees
Dr. David J. Nowak and Dr. Gordon M. Heisler
This paper will explore how trees in cities, particularly in park settings, can improve air quality. It will discuss the current tree resources in cities in the United States, why each attribute of air quality is important to local residents, and how trees and parks can improve air quality in our cities.
The Rationale for Recreation Services for Youth: An Evidence Based Approach
Dr. Peter A. Witt and Dr. Linda Caldwell
This monograph was written to assist park and recreation professionals and elected officials to better understand the important role of park and recreation services, facilities, and programs in the process of youth development.
For more information about the monographs, contact NRPA Customer Service at 800.626.NRPA (6772)


Program-Transformation.Org: The Program Transformation Wiki
TXL: Tree Transformation Language
Homepage: _URL_
The TreeRewriting language TXL (developed by JamesCordy at Queen's University in Kingston, Canada) supports the definition of transformation rules on first-order terms of a given context-free grammar. Rules not only specify a rewrite, but also the strategy for applying it. Strategies are chosen from a small set of implicit top-down search strategies augmented with explicit scoped application of parameterized subrules in the style of a first-order functional language.
TXL is programming language and rapid prototyping system specifically designed to support the specification and rapid implementation of source analysis and transformation tasks of all kinds. TXL has been used to process over four and a half billion lines of source code in commercial Year 2000 automated maintenance systems, and provides the reverse engineering capabilities of commercial software engineering systems such as Embarcadero Describe(tm).
The TXL language is a hybrid functional / rule-based programming language with unification, implied iteration and deep pattern match. Each TXL program has two components:
 - A description of the structures to be transformed, specified as an EBNF grammar in ambiguous context-free form
 - A rooted set of structural rewriting rules, specified by example using pattern/replacement pairs.
As a programming language TXL is unique in that it is has a pure functional superstructure that provides scoping, abstraction, parameterization and recursion, over Prolog-like structural rewriting rules providing pattern search, unification and implicit iteration. The formal semantics and implementation of TXL are based on formal tree rewriting, but the trees are largely hidden from the user due to the by-example style of rule specification.
CategorySystem | TransformationSystems | Contributions by EelcoVisser JamesCordy


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- Enter a word for the dictionary definition.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Way \Way\, n. [OE. wey, way, AS. weg; akin to OS., D., OHG., & G. weg, Icel. vegr, Sw. v[aum]g, Dan. vei, Goth. wigs, L. via, and AS. wegan to move, L. vehere to carry, Skr. vah. [root]136. Cf. Convex, Inveigh, Vehicle, Vex, Via, Voyage, Wag, Wagon, Wee, Weigh.] [1913 Webster] 1. That by, upon, or along, which one passes or processes; opportunity or room to pass; place of passing; passage; road, street, track, or path of any kind; as, they built a way to the mine. "To find the way to heaven." --Shak. [1913 Webster] I shall him seek by way and eke by street. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster] The way seems difficult, and steep to scale. --Milton. [1913 Webster] The season and ways were very improper for his majesty's forces to march so great a distance. --Evelyn. [1913 Webster] 2. Length of space; distance; interval; as, a great way; a long way. [1913 Webster] And whenever the way seemed long, Or his heart began to fail. --Longfellow. [1913 Webster] 3. A moving; passage; procession; journey. [1913 Webster] I prythee, now, lead the way. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 4. Course or direction of motion or process; tendency of action; advance. [1913 Webster] If that way be your walk, you have not far. --Milton. [1913 Webster] And let eternal justice take the way. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] 5. The means by which anything is reached, or anything is accomplished; scheme; device; plan. [1913 Webster] My best way is to creep under his gaberdine. --Shak. [1913 Webster] By noble ways we conquest will prepare. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] What impious ways my wishes took! --Prior. [1913 Webster] 6. Manner; method; mode; fashion; style; as, the way of expressing one's ideas. [1913 Webster] 7. Regular course; habitual method of life or action; plan of conduct; mode of dealing. "Having lost the way of nobleness." --Sir. P. Sidney. [1913 Webster] Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. --Prov. iii. 17. [1913 Webster] When men lived in a grander way. --Longfellow. [1913 Webster] 8. Sphere or scope of observation. --Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster] The public ministers that fell in my way. --Sir W. Temple. [1913 Webster] 9. Determined course; resolved mode of action or conduct; as, to have one's way. [1913 Webster] 10. (Naut.) (a) Progress; as, a ship has way. (b) pl. The timbers on which a ship is launched. [1913 Webster] 11. pl. (Mach.) The longitudinal guides, or guiding surfaces, on the bed of a planer, lathe, or the like, along which a table or carriage moves. [1913 Webster] 12. (Law) Right of way. See below. [1913 Webster] By the way, in passing; apropos; aside; apart from, though connected with, the main object or subject of discourse. By way of, for the purpose of; as being; in character of. Covert way. (Fort.) See Covered way, under Covered. In the family way. See under Family. In the way, so as to meet, fall in with, obstruct, hinder, etc. In the way with, traveling or going with; meeting or being with; in the presence of. Milky way. (Astron.) See Galaxy, 1. No way, No ways. See Noway, Noways, in the Vocabulary. On the way, traveling or going; hence, in process; advancing toward completion; as, on the way to this country; on the way to success. Out of the way. See under Out. Right of way (Law), a right of private passage over another's ground. It may arise either by grant or prescription. It may be attached to a house, entry, gate, well, or city lot, as well as to a country farm. --Kent. To be under way, or To have way (Naut.), to be in motion, as when a ship begins to move. To give way. See under Give. To go one's way, or To come one's way, to go or come; to depart or come along. --Shak. To go one's way to proceed in a manner favorable to one; -- of events. To come one's way to come into one's possession (of objects) or to become available, as an opportunity; as, good things will come your way. To go the way of all the earth or to go the way of all flesh to die. To make one's way, to advance in life by one's personal efforts. To make way. See under Make, v. t. Ways and means. (a) Methods; resources; facilities. (b) (Legislation) Means for raising money; resources for revenue. Way leave, permission to cross, or a right of way across, land; also, rent paid for such right. [Eng] Way of the cross (Eccl.), the course taken in visiting in rotation the stations of the cross. See Station, n., 7 (c). Way of the rounds (Fort.), a space left for the passage of the rounds between a rampart and the wall of a fortified town. Way pane, a pane for cartage in irrigated land. See Pane, n., 4. [Prov. Eng.] Way passenger, a passenger taken up, or set down, at some intermediate place between the principal stations on a line of travel. Ways of God, his providential government, or his works. Way station, an intermediate station between principal stations on a line of travel, especially on a railroad. Way train, a train which stops at the intermediate, or way, stations; an accommodation train. Way warden, the surveyor of a road. [1913 Webster] Syn: Street; highway; road. Usage: Way, Street, Highway, Road. Way is generic, denoting any line for passage or conveyance; a highway is literally one raised for the sake of dryness and convenience in traveling; a road is, strictly, a way for horses and carriages; a street is, etymologically, a paved way, as early made in towns and cities; and, hence, the word is distinctively applied to roads or highways in compact settlements. [1913 Webster] All keep the broad highway, and take delight With many rather for to go astray. --Spenser. [1913 Webster] There is but one road by which to climb up. --Addison. [1913 Webster] When night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


Poetry Module: Ozymandias by Percy Shelley 1 of 2
This blog is about the poem Ozymandias which was written in 1837 by Percy Shelley. It is a poem taken from the Power and Conflict section of the GCSE AQA Poetry Anthology
Today we will………..
 - Learn about the context of the poem and the Romantic movement which the poet Percy Shelley was part of
 - Annotate the poem and dig deeper into its possible meaning
You will need…….
 - A pen, pencil and coloured pen or highlighter if you have one
 - A copy of the poem
By the end of this blog you will….
 - Have a good understanding of what the poem is about the significance of key words and phrases
You Do
Context: Watch this video in order to learn about the historical figure " Ozymandias" and the poet Percy Shelley who wrote it and answer the questions that follow
Tasks for You
Here is the poem for you to read again. Pay particular attention to the words which are highlighted
I met a traveller from an antique land,
Who said—"Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal, these words appear:
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away."
Getting to grips with this sonnet
You Do
These questions will help you to understand this poem which is a sonnet.
A sonnet is a particular form of poetry which usually has fourteen lines using any of a number of formal rhyme schemes, typically having ten syllables per line.
 1. Who was Ozymandias and why did the Egyptians think it was important to build statues of such figures?
 2. What state is the statue in? Look up any vocabulary that you do not know and consider the phrases " trunkless legs" and " shattered visage."
 3. What do the phrases "wrinkled lip" and " sneer of cold command" suggest about his personality?
 4. What is a pedestal in this poem? What is written on it and why?
Taking it further….
Explore this link to find out more about Egyptian Sculptures
Recap on what you have learnt with this quick quiz
If you would like to find out more about the Romantic movement which Percy Shelley was a part of – click here


Be Prepared To Make A Mistake!
By January 3, 2014July 29th, 2016Uncategorized
The thought of singing for some people is petrifying, even for the experienced.
The fear of making a mistake or sounding bad is crippling and can really hold some singers back, even when they are not on stage.
Don't B Afraid
But the path to a kick ass voice and an exhilarating experience is one that is full of cracks, breaks, squeeks, yells and punch-yourself-in-the-face moments. Embracing those IS the key…
So many students are restricted by the possibility of making a mistake when busting out a song or exercise. And, for sure, that mistake that is feared so much may actually happen and sound like a Banshee. Que the punch-in-the-face moment.
However, with a bit of technical knowhow it's usually really easy to help a singer hoover up that mistake and remain intact mentally and physically but…
In steps the Self-critic.
A level of self-criticism can be important for a singer, but this attribute can leave many rigid because of the disappointment it causes. One scenario where this becomes an issue is when a singer is first exploring a new register in their voice, and the most tricky new register to be getting to grips with is chest voice. Almost entirely an issue with the female voice, discovering and settling the chest register can generate some squeezy and uneasy sounds on the road to comfort. If the singer has a strong tendency to judge their own sound too quickly and harshly then it is quite likely that resolving chest voice for that singer could take a long time and potentially not be solved at all. You must know the thought process when you sing something and think "Oh god, that sounds bladdy awful". Looking at the bigger picture though it's best to leave the critic at the door, as the sound of a new vocal coordination is often not perfect but is technically on its way to the right destination.
Looking at different situations when singers are trying to extend range or sustaining notes higher up, this practice will also inevitably have its own instances where you may accidentally sound like a bullfrog but hey, that's all part of the process. Again, singers avoid parts of their voice or certain repertoire because they have fluffed it in the past and sometimes that has been on stage, which will definitely be part of the root of fear. But as technical bods we know that the singer is probably a vowel change away from success, but with an unwillingness to attempt it through fear of screwing up they may never get to find out. Say the singer did attempt it; creating consistency hitting those tricky pitches then requires repetition which will never be 100% successful and you'll break occasionally, but every time it goes wrong you learn a little more about why and will be able to readjust for success. That learning process is priceless and will ensure your consistency in future. If you are not prepared to make those mistakes then breaking new barriers can't be experienced.
Putting aside the problem solving approach above, when it comes to being an artist self-criticism also stops the flourishing of Mistake Harold Jmusical improvisation and interpretation. It takes a singer who is very comfortable with their own sound and isn't afraid to make mistakes to be able to explore new boundaries in style too. You don't want your mind cluttered with a dialogue that is judging yourself, but rather be completely free of those thoughts and feelings so that you can connect with your audience, deliver a song with pertinence and improvise without limitation. Approaching a song like this will all have MASSIVE impact on your performances.
In brief, find a teacher who can help you with whatever it is you want to achieve but also make sure that person is someone who you can trust and be comfortable with. This will make the naffing-it-up nature of great vocal education much more comfortable. Also, put your trust in that teachers ability to critique you and lead you to the right sound, which may not be instantaneous.
With that easy environment in place (and creating that will hopefully be in the teachers prerogatives) you are free to explore and experiment until your hearts content. You'll sing new things you don't like, and you'll sing new things you do. This WILL add to your voyage of discovery and WILL help you achieve a voice that is a joy to use and to listen to you.
Please reach out to us with your stories of achievement and the mistakes you had to make along the way. Of course if we can help in any way then please contact us.
Chris Johnson Vocal Coach
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Shape, Mother Jones, and Other Magazines "Plant" Trees for Arbor Day
Magazine Industry Sustainability Leaders Save Trees By Using Recycled Paper
April 26, 2005
Washington D.C. – This Arbor Day, while many citizens plant trees to beautify their communities, the magazine industry will finish another month of consuming about 2.5 million trees. However, a small and growing number of leading magazine publishers are making sure that 2,789 trees stay planted each month simply by choosing paper made from recycled consumer waste.
"A tree saved is a tree planted," noted Frank Locantore, Director of the PAPER Project at the nonprofit organization Co-op America. "By printing on postconsumer recycled paper, publishers are not only protecting trees but are also ensuring that other parts of the environment and public health are protected. The publishers' paper choice is a move towards sustainable production as it reduces greenhouse gases that are warming the planet, preserves living space for wildlife and human beings, and conserves energy and water for other uses." Postconsumer recycled paper is made from materials that a consumer recycled, as opposed to materials that a manufacturer recycled, such as scraps from the manufacturing process.
"Virgin" paper production consumes vast amounts of resources and emits enormous amounts of harmful pollutants, as described in a white paper entitled Turning the Page available on the Co-op America website. In addition to the 2,789 trees saved each month, the 17 magazines participating in our recycled paper usage survey also prevented emission of over 450 thousand pounds of greenhouse gases and conserved 108 million BTUs of energy and one million gallons of water. These numbers are the outputs of a paper calculator created by Environmental Defense, a nonprofit organization headquartered in New York City.
Publishers who decide to reduce the destructive effects of magazine paper production are asking their suppliers for recycled paper—many paper mills have the ability to use postconsumer content upon demand. While E - the Environmental Magazine and Mother Jones have been using postconsumer recycled paper for years, others such as Ms., Shape, and Salon are recent converts.
The award-winning photography in the National Audubon Society's magazine, published on 17% postconsumer recycled paper, dispels any myth about the print quality of the paper. David Seideman, editor-in-chief of Audubon, says, "We have received eleven awards in the past six years from American Photography and from Communication Arts—I think our award-winning record demonstrates our recycled paper's high performance."
Some magazines have found additional ways to support the environment and public health through publishing decisions. "As a women's magazine, we place tremendous priority on protecting women's health," explains Ms.'s associate publisher, Alicia Daly. "Because dioxin is a by-product of chlorine bleaching and dioxin has been linked to cancer, we wanted to avoid contributing to a problem our readers care so much about."
Doug Moss, publisher and executive editor of E - the Environmental Magazine, which is printed on 30% postconsumer recycled paper, believes the benefits are clear. "Our forests, the quality of our air and water, and indeed our own health will be much better served by a magazine industry that uses postconsumer recycled paper and cleaner production and whitening processes."
Magazine publishers interested in improving their sustainability bottom line can get information and assistance from the publishers'guide, Different, Not Difficult: How to Make Sustainability Happen, produced last fall by AVEDA, Quad Graphics, the National Wildlife Federation, and Co-op America. The guide offers both the business case and a "how to" for using environmentally preferable papers and production methods. Publishers can download the guide at _URL_ or call 1-800-58-GREEN to receive a free copy by mail. Publishers can also contact Frank Locantore directly at _PHONE_.
The seventeen publications who participated in our survey are Adbusters, Audubon, Co-op America Quarterly, Defenders, E - the Environmental Magazine, The Herb Companion, Herbs for Health, Home Power, Mother Earth News, Mother Jones, Mothering, Ms., National Wildlife, Nature Conservancy, Ranger Rick, YES!, and Your Big Backyard. The trees saved by the magazine publishers are considered to be a mix of hardwoods and softwoods, with an average height of 40 feet and average diameter of 6-8 inches.
Co-op America, at _URL_, is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1982 and based in Washington, DC. Co-op America's mission is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.
Contact: Frank Locantore, _PHONE_, or _EMAIL_
# # #
Please contact Todd Larsen by email


Protection against ros requires nadph a product of
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Unformatted text preview: r (B) Regeneration of reduced glutathione for protection against reactive oxygen species in animal cells that do NOT utilize ribose 5 phosphate for nucleotide biosynthesis (C) Lactic acid fermentation in muscle (D) Activation of epinephrine signaling pathway in muscle Answer: ______ B (E) (3 pts) For the answer in Part D, provide a brief explanation for your answer. Protection against ROS requires NADPH, a product of oxidative phase of PPP. Even though oxidative phase is not inhibited by transketolase inhibitor, buildup of R5P will inhibit oxidative phase of PPP. Question 4. (10 pts) In a suspension of photosynthetic green algae with photosystems I and II, three experimental condition changes led to changes in the compounds listed in the following table: Switching suspension from light to dark Exhaustion of all CO2 (light...
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This note was uploaded on 01/22/2014 for the course BIOC 462b taught by Professor Grimes,tsao,borque during the Spring '08 term at Arizona.
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(b. 1697, Venezia, d. 1768, Venezia)
Imaginary View of Venice1740-42
Etching, 295 x 425 mm
British Museum, London
In the early 1740s Canaletto made an important journey outside of Venice along the Brenta canal with Bellotto towards Padua, and executed a number of drawings that were to form the basis of etchings and paintings. The stimulus of new surroundings seems to have had a very positive effect, because these works, although perhaps his least known, can in some cases be counted as the most innovative and attractive.
The etching in particular are noteworthy. He executed in total 34 plates, probably between 1735 and 1746, and published 31 of them together. The views included depictions of Dolo, Mestre, Padua, Venice and the lagoon - in fact almost the entire range of subjects Canaletto explored on canvas. The artist proved himself as adept at capturing the nuances of atmosphere, texture and visual anecdote in this graphic form, as in his more prolific paintings. But exactly how he learnt the art of etching is not known, he may have been essentially self-taught.


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As a physical means and tool, ultrasonic technology can produce a series of near extreme conditions in the medium of chemical reactions. This energy can not only excite or promote many chemical reactions, accelerate the speed of chemical reactions, but even change some chemistry The direction of the reaction produces some unexpected effects and miracles. This is sonochemistry.
Experimental grade sonochemical equipment
For quick start
Typical applications include homogenization, emulsification, dispersion, depolymerization, and wet milling (reduced particle size), cell disruption and disintegration, extraction, degassing, and sonochemical processes;
The newly designed display can easily observe the actual working frequency and perform power / amplitude adjustment;
Automatic frequency tracking ensures good working conditions at all times.
Ultrasonic dispersion，The use of emulsifiers is not required, and in many cases, the diameter of the dispersed particles can be less than 1 μm. It can be carried out in one phase of solid, liquid, and gas in the same substance, or in different solids, liquids, and gases. It has been widely used in food sample detection and analysis, and preparation of nanomaterials.
Ultrasonic emulsification，It refers to the process of mixing two (or more than two) immiscible liquids to form a dispersion system under the action of ultrasonic energy. One liquid is evenly distributed in the other liquid to form an emulsion. It is also possible to prepare an emulsion that cannot be obtained at all by ordinary methods. For example, an ordinary emulsion can only obtain an emulsion of 5% paraffin in water, and in a sound field, an emulsion of 20% can be obtained. Fuel is mixed with water to emulsify and burn.
|Amplitude / power adjustable range
|Launch head effective immersion depth
|Standard launch head diameter
|The standard configuration
|Ultrasonic host + NC drive power + experimental stand
|Soundproof box + alarm output + remote control + corrosion-resistant TIP
Hangzhou Successful Ultrasound Equipment Co., Ltd is a Experimental grade sonochemical equipment manufacturers and Experimental grade sonochemical equipment factory, we offer Experimental grade sonochemical equipment for sale online. We have a number of ultrasonic technology patents certificates. Can be customized processing. Please write down your requirements, including product use, size, power, effect, purpose of use, etc., and send them to us, we will carefully discuss your needs and then reply to you. You can also click here to learn more about the application of ultrasonic products.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


text:
- This week's traffic impacts.
- Phase 3 construction began June 30, 2010 and paints the steel beams above the roadway.
- Crews completed Phase 2 of the project in December 2010. This phase cleaned and painted the piers in the Columbia River and bridge towers on the Washington side.
This project will clean and paint the steel framework of the SR 433 Lewis and Clark Bridge. The fresh coat of paint will help prevent future corrosion to the steel, preserve the bridge's structural integrity, and prolong the life of the bridge.
The Lewis and Clark Bridge is being painted in three phases:
Phase 1 cleaned and painted the Oregon approach of the bridge structure, and was completed in February 2008.
Phase 2 cleaned and painted the piers in the Columbia River, and the bridge towers on the Washington side. This phase began April 7, 2009, and was completed in December 2010.
Phase 3 paints the superstructure of the bridge above the roadway. This phase began June 30, 2010, and is expected to be complete by fall, 2013.
Why is WSDOT
painting the Lewis and Clark Bridge?
Originally built in 1929, the 82-year-old, one-mile long Lewis and Clark Bridge is a historic landmark and vital transportation connection for Washington and Oregon. The bridge carries an average of 21,000 vehicles per day, 13 percent of which are trucks.
The Lewis and Clark Bridge was last painted in 1984. Since then, the protective coating on the bridge has deteriorated, exposing the steel to the weather and elements, which has resulted in rust and corrosion. Painting this historic bridge will preserve and restore the bridge's structural integrity and protect the steel from future corrosion.
As stipulated in Washington and Oregon's Border Bridges Agreement, construction and maintenance costs for the Lewis and Clark Bridge are shared equally by the two states. WSDOT is the lead agency for this project and manages its delivery with funding and design coordination from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).
The End Result
The steel framework of the bridge will be cleaned and repainted with a protective coating. The project will restore and revitalize this historic landmark and transportation connection, and prolong the life of the bridge.
- Preservation: This project helps prevent future corrosion, and preserves the bridge's structural integrity.
- Economic: This project preserves a vital bi-state transportation connection, allowing it to continue handling commuter and heavy freight traffic for years to come.
What is the project timeline?
February 23, 2009: Phase 2 construction contract awarded to Certified Coatings Company, Inc. of Concord, Calif. with a winning bid of $5.1 million.
April 7, 2009: Phase 2 construction began.
December 2, 2010: Phase 2 construction completed.
April 30, 2010: Phase 3 construction contract awarded to Odyssey/Geronimo JV of Houston, Penn. with a winning bid of $33.7 million.
June 30, 2010: Phase 3 construction began.
Fall 2013: Phase 3 construction anticipated to be complete.
Why didn't WSDOT paint the bridge while the deck was being replaced in 2002-2004?
During the deck replacement project, the contractor applied the first primer coat of paint to all the steel beams located under the deck. However, it was impossible to paint the entire bridge at the same time deck panels were being replaced because of the short, 8-hour work window available to the contractor each night.
Project signage will reflect the cost of construction engineering, project bid award and sales tax.
- Pre-existing funds: $6.7 million
- Total estimated cost of Phase 2: $6.7 million
- Pre-existing funds: $27.7 million
- 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA): $12.3 million
- Total estimated cost of Phase 3: $40 million
The total cost of this project is split evenly between WSDOT and ODOT as are all bridge projects on the Columbia River between the two states.
How can I get more information?
Area Engineer Lori Figone
WSDOT Kelso Area Engineering Office
2400 Talley Way
Kelso, WA 98626
Phone: _PHONE_, or toll free _PHONE_
PO Box 1709
Vancouver, WA 98668-1709
Or you can use the online feedback form.
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text: In the World Library of Educationalists series, international experts themselves compile career-long collections of what they judge to be their finest pieces - extracts from books, key articles, salient research findings, major theoretical and practical contributions - so the world can read them in a single manageable volume.John MacBeath has spent the last 30 years researching, thinking and writing about some of the key enduring issues in education. He has been involved in advising on policy both nationally and internationally, and has contributed books and articles across topics as diverse as the curriculum, the nature of schooling, homework, self evaluation, and leadership. In this book, John MacBeath brings together eight of his most influential writings including chapters from his best-selling books, articles from leading journals, and excerpts from his contributions to the press. Also included are examples of press responses to research reports and to controversial issues. Starting with a specially written Introduction, which gives an overview of John's career and contextualises his selection, the chapters cover topics such as:Developing Skills for life after schoolThe Talent EnigmaSchools on the Edge: responding to challenging circumstancesLeadership as a Subversive ActivityDo Schools have a Future?Through this book, readers can follow the themes and strands that John MacBeath has researched and written about over the last three decades and see his important contribution to the field of education.


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Swaminarayan Akshardham, Delhi, India • 360° Aerial Panorama
This panorama can be opened in several different resolutions. High resolution panorama with the best quality is about 7 Mb large and it is suitable for fast internet connections and modern computers. For slower internet and old weak computers we created the smaller low resolution panorama. Some small details have been sacrificed but the size of low resolution panorama is nomore than 2 Mb.
Open Aerial Panorama (high resolution)
As you might know, almost all followers of Hinduism live in India, and no wonder the world's largest Hindu temple is situated in the capital of India.
Speaking of Delhi landmarks, one would traditionally mention Red Fort, Qutub Minar, and India Gate on Kingsway. So how come Swaminarayan Akshardham (which means "temple of the God"), a magnificent and beautiful temple, is not so famous? The answer is simple: it is very "young".
It was opened in 2005. The construction took over 5 years and involved 7 thousand artisans and 3 thousand construction workers from all over India. Their combined efforts gave birth to a building 42 meters high, 94 meters wide, and 106 meters long. The structure of Akshardham consists of 234 pillars, 9 shiny domes, 20 four-sided towers, and over 20 thousand figurines depicting themes from Indian mythology. There are over 148 statues of an elephant alone!
All the facing was done by hand. Outer surface of the temple is faced with pink sandstone, while the inner surface is faced with white marble. In India, pink color symbolizes love for God, and white color symbolizes absolute purity and peace.
Thanks to its enormous size the temple is included in the Guinness Book of World Records. The temple complex takes up 12 hectares of land and includes the temple itself, several parks, a museum, a large cultural center where one can learn about Indian traditions and customs, water canals, which you can traverse by boats, and lots of cafes and souvenir shops.
Every evening there is a laser show with dancing fountains on Swaminarayan Akshardham grounds. The fountains are built in the form of a lotus placed inside a large bowl-shaped basin. The inner side of the basin serves as steps and benches for thousands of viewers.
Construction of this beautiful site was funded by donations and done through a spirit of volunterism. In order to fill in all man-made lakes and canals surrounding the temple required huge supply of water from 151 ponds around the country. In a country, where clean water is as precious as gold, it was quite a generous donation as well.
Let's take a moment and listen to Stas Sedov's story about the photo shoot.
During last days of our trip across India we planned to shoot several sights in the capital of the country: Red Fort, Qutub Minar, and others. We didn't plan to photograph Swaminarayan Akshardham. We knew that we couldn't even bring a cell phone inside the temple, not to mention other heavy photo equipment. However, our success in Taj Mahal encouraged us to request a photo permit for Swaminarayan Akshardham.
When we entered the temple first time we had only one document in our hands: photography permit for Delhi and Taj Mahal. At the time we were not sure what to expect, but we decided to take our chances anyway. Even if we failed with a permit, at least we would see a new wonder of the world.
The next thing we know, we are talking to the middle-age man from the local administration. It's hard to remember what exactly we were talking about, but we got him interested in our project. At the moment he didn't give us a definite answer. But he did ask us to give him time to see if it was possible to get permit for aerial photography. Meanwhile he assigned a guide to give us a half-hour tour around museums and the temple grounds.
To tell you the truth, I didn't know of Swaminarayan Akshardham existence. For me it was just another Indian temple. But that was before I entered its premises...
Usually, at the end of every trip, when almost every day you see wonders of nature and artisan masterpieces, your emotions get "washed out". It is very unlikely that something would be able to surprise you. But this was an exception! To say that I was surprised is to say nothing! I was smitten by the grandeur of the idea and its magnificent implementation in stone. It's hard to describe the range of feelings you experience while walking the grounds of Swaminarayan Akshardham. You feel harmony, tranquility, and strength of your spirit. The only time I experienced something similar was during my visit to the Meteora monasteries in Greece.
Our guide told us that the temple has no iron elements in its structure, and no cement. The concrete was used only in the foundation. The rest was made of stone. Marble and granite for the construction was delivered from all over the world. It was processed using special technology, and then joint together. All pillars of the temple are stacked, and all stone elements are turned 90 degrees after being connected. It was done to provide seismic resistance in case of earthquakes, which sometimes happen in India. Imagine the level of precision required for stone processing to assemble this big "puzzle".
Beside the buildings' structure, wall facing is quite impressive: stone figurines cover the walls all around! The size of the carvings ranges greatly: from actual size to palm size, but even the smallest figurines have the highest level of detail.
The time of our excursion flew by. I was heading toward the exit, but felt confident that we would be back here.
We were called the following evening and granted the permit to photograph Swaminarayan Akshardham. Our first photo session was scheduled early in the morning, just before the site opens for tourists. Pigeons, flying in the morning sky, quickly welcomed our RC helicopter to their flock.
It was the most comfortable photo session we had in India: both by the atmosphere and the working process. Everything indeed went very smoothly. The temple security arranged an area for us in the center of the alley for the night shooting. The temple lighting was switched on 15 minutes earlier than usual especially for our photo shoot. We just couldn't do a bad job in these perfect conditions.
Leaving premises I realized that I had just completed my most important photo shoot in India. It wasn't Taj Mahal that won me over in this extraordinary and amazing country, but Swaminarayan Akshardham! I truly hope to return to this temple one more time someday.
nikunjnik's shingala, India
"I did not know about this temple. It is magnificent and I hope to visit it some day. Thanks!"
Birgit Blume, Germany
C D PATEL, India
Pravinbhai Thaker, India
Nitin Thacker CA, India
"I hope to visit this TEMPLE one day. What a marvel? Only unique foresight, planning and will of God can enable one to build such a unique structure. Jai Swaminarian to everyone"
Praful Rughani, United Kingdom
"Probably best place to visit and see Indian artitechture, it is amazing"
Ghanshyam Patel, United Kingdom
ANIL UPADHYE, India
"Maybe the best place on earth."
Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Iran
مجمد فرخی, Iran
"There is no doubt that Akshardham temple is now identity for Delhi. Delhi missed its spiritual soul for over 900 years and now with Akshardham temple the 'REAL SOUL' of Delhi-Sanatan Dharma is ever impressive and divine. Congratulations to AIRPANO team that you have truly captured the architectural SOUL of Akshardham temple... Amazing...Captivating...Art in its best form and technology..."
Praful Jethwa, Australia
"Vary nice many thanks"
Harshad Patel, United Kingdom
""I just visited Swaminarayan Akshardham temple (DELHI,INDIA) in May 2007. I love that! Must visit again!" "8TH WONDER OF THE WORLD""
JOÃO JOSÉ BRÍGIDA, Portugal
nishith chauhan, India
"""Really, BAPS Swaminarayan Temple is great, Even I am living here in India but, I didn't see it, but because of this panorama I amazed the great temple.., And a amazing photography with its bested photographer""
Rushiraj Gadhavi, India
"Wonderful, Never seen such a beautiful monument Delhi should be proud of this wonderful creation."
jayantilal Amin, United Kingdom
"i like Swaminarayan Akshardham is a so big and so good i coming india and i am go to"
Jatin patel, USA
"it was so beautiful i cried"
patricia towner, United Kingdom
"This is the wonderfull place in the world...I'm proud to be a''BAPS''"
Saiyam Patel, India
"Fabulous & wonderful job done by airpano.com team, Genuinely this website is mind-blowing. It is true that we can pass our whole time without blinking eyes.I really appreciate for this, awesome."
Prajwal Sah, Nepal
"magnificent and wonderful monument by the Hindu devotees by self-help post independence."
chandra shekhar, India
VINEETH kunnath


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Splash (fluid mechanics)
In fluid mechanics, a splash is a sudden disturbance to the otherwise quiescent free surface of a liquid (usually water). The disturbance is typically caused by a solid object suddenly hitting the surface, although splashes can occur in which moving liquid supplies the energy. This use of the word is onomatopoeic.
Splashes are characterized by transient ballistic flow, and are governed by the Reynolds number and the Weber number. In the image of a brick splashing into water to the right, one can identify freely moving airborne water droplets, a phenomenon typical of high Reynolds number flows; the intricate non-spherical shapes of the droplets show that the Weber number is high. Also seen are entrained bubbles in the body of the water, and an expanding ring of disturbance propagating away from the impact site.
Physicist Lei Xu and coworkers at the University of Chicago discovered that the splash due to the impact of a small drop of ethanol onto a dry solid surface could be suppressed by reducing the pressure below a specific threshold. For drops of diameter 3.4 mm falling through air, this pressure was about 20 kilopascals, or 0.2 atmosphere.
Splash plate
A plate made of a hard material on which a stream of liquid is designed to fall is called a "splash plate". It may serve to protect the ground from erosion by falling water, such as beneath an artificial waterfall or water outlet in soft ground. Splash plates are also part of spray nozzles, such as in irrigation sprinkler systems.
See also
- Harold Eugene Edgerton, whose Milkdrop Coronet is arguably the most famous photograph of a splash
- Slosh, other free surface phenomenon
- Lei Xu et al., "drop splashing on a dry smooth surface", Phys. Rev. Letts. (2005)


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Shell collecting is a wonderful pastime. It doesn't cost a thing, and it is full of possibilities for pleasure and learning alike. Children love shells because they are safe and easy to pick up, they are great for decorating sand pies, or for making into pictures in the sand.
Challenges can also be thrown down:
Who can find the biggest or the smallest shell on the beach?
How many different kinds can you discover?
Who can find the most brightly coloured?
Which is the prettiest shell of all?
The possibilities are endless...
Young children are also fascinated to learn more about shells, especially when they discover that these beautiful objects are a creature's habitat. You can explain that shells;
If you are visiting foreign shores, you may find different types of shells washed up on the beach. But be careful. The balance of nature is a matter of concern to us all, and there is also a word of caution when it comes to shell collecting. In an increasing number of countries there are local regulations that restrict or even prohibit the collection of shells, and it is important to check what rules apply to any coastal area you are visiting. International conservation agencies advise that where shells may be collected, only a limited number should be taken away from any beach.
- are made by molluscs – animals with soft bodies and no bones. For this reason, they build shells on the outside of their bodies, to protect them and keep them safe inside.
- They don't keep changing their shells and replacing them with larger ones as they grow, but they live in the same shell, making it bigger as they get older.
- When your child finds an empty shell on the beach, it is because the mollusc that lived inside has died, and the discarded shell has been washed up with the tides. So we are not causing any harm to an animal when we pick up an empty shell, but it's important to remember that if your child picks one that has a creature moving inside it, they should leave it where it was found.
- It's also wise to explain to your child that lifting rocks to see what is underneath may disturb or damage marine creatures, because it is probably home to lots of animals, including molluscs inside their shells.
The greenest approach is to enjoy finding the shells, but to leave them on the beach afterwards. Children can spend endless hours happily decorating sandcastles with shells, and making interesting patterns using shells on the beach. Children can do some sketches of their favourite shells or take a digital photo so they have a permanent reminder of them.
However, there are times when they really want to take their shells home. If this is the case, a great time can be spent searching for the most perfect examples – your child can then select the best single shell of each kind to take home. In my experience, children are always happy with this thoughtful compromise, and parents can feel satisfied with their own responsible approach to an activity that will always be cherished
as a wonderful childhood memory
Five Fun Things to Do with Shells at the Beach
1) Write your name or funny messages in the sand with shells
2) Decorate sand-pies and sandcastles with different shaped shells
3) See how many different types of shell you can find, and draw pictures of them in a pretty design on some paper, to hang on the wall at home
4) Hold a competition to see who can find the smallest or the largest shell on the beach
5) Who can find the smoothest shell, the most brightly coloured shell, the heaviest shell?
Ingrid Thomas is the author of The Shell: A World Of Decoration And Ornament (Thames & Hudson, £35).


LIVE VIDEO: WUSA 9 at 6pm Watch
Smoking Alcohol Could Lead To Overdosing
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WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA9)--The images are all over YouTube. Young people inhaling the fumes from liquor. The methods they use are crude. Vaporizing the alcohol with air pumps or pouring the booze over dry ice. Then huffing.
"If you do it too much at one time it kind of overwhelms you," says Broderic Allen.
There in lies the problem say medical professionals. Smoking liquor sends it straight to the lungs and brain. Thus bypassing the metabolism process. Dr. Gaylord Lopez, the Director of the Georgia Poison Center, says "Smoking alcohol is like a night of binge drinking in an instant."
"You are getting that immediate high and that's the dangerous part," says Dr. Kirsten Hawkins, the Chief of Adolescent Medicine at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital here in Washington, DC. "You are not realizing how much you are getting.
"Binge drinking for a male is 5 drinks in a row. For a young woman it is 4 drinks in a row. So they may effectively get 4 or 5 drinks of alcohol by inhaling the vapors in a short period of time."
This could lead to alcohol poisoning or overdosing, which can be life threatening, warns Dr. Hawkins
Dr. Hawkins says while there isn't any actual scientific research looking into a correlation between lung damage and inhaling alcohol she believes the possibility is there. "We can compare it to other things that are inhaled. And we know that our lungs are not meant to be inhaling [illicit] medications, alcohol, and tobacco.
"The other issue too is the infection risk. If kids are inhaling at the same time there's concern for Meningitis. We know that Meningitis is more common in young adults and teenagers. So if they are sharing the same bottle when inhaling that's another risk associated."
So what's the attraction for those who do it? In Broderic Allen's case he smokes alcohol, he says, to avoid calories. "Once you lose the weight you want to keep it off. So I figured I could have my cake and eat it too."
However, medical professionals say you are still getting calories. Plus warns Dr. Hawkins from MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, "We do know that when you are under the influence of alcohol you are more likely to eat as well. So that might defeat the purpose."
The videos on the web also claim you can hide your liquor consumption from parents and police by inhaling the vapors. This is false too. You can still get a DUI the same as if you drink. Plus it's against the law for anyone under 21 to consume alcohol, whether it be by drinking it or smoking it.
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Greater sensitivity = longer range
Range is an important requirement for most any RF application. Long range achieved through greater receiver sensitivity is an envied position among RF product manufacturers. Extended range achieved in this fashion provides an excellent cost benefit to the customer. Digi achieves its long range with proprietary modulation and demodulation techniques coupled with one with of the best receiver sensitivity specifications in the market.
Receiver sensitivity is the lowest power level at which the receiver can detect an RF signal and demodulate data. Sensitivity is purely a receiver specification and is independent of the transmitter. As the signal propagates away from the transmitter, the power density of the signal decreases, making it more difficult for a receiver to detect the signal as the distance increases. Improving the sensitivity on the receiver (making it more negative) will allow the radio to detect weaker signals, and can dramatically increase the transmission range. Sensitivity is vitally important in the decision making process since even slight differences in sensitivity can account for large variations in the range. To better understand this relationship, the following example is provided.
Compare the Digi 9XStream radio (with -110 dBm sensitivity) to a commercial radio receiver with a sensitivity of -90 dBm. The Friis transmission formula can be used to calculate received power (or signal strength) at any receiver location under line-of-sight conditions. This formula is given by:
P R = [P T G T G R? 2 ] / [F S (4pr) 2 ]
P R = received power
P T = transmitted power
G T = gain of transmit antenna
G R = gain of receive antenna
F S = losses due to multipath, obstacles, etc.
? = wavelength
p = pi
r = distance between transmitter and receiver
The following values were used to compare the range limitations of these radios:
P T =100 mW
G T and G R =2 dB, or 1.585
F S = 21 dB, or 125.89 (experimentally determined)
? = 0.333 meters
The table below demonstrates the power received at the receiver over the specified range between the TX and RX antennas, assuming line-of-sight conditions.
Since the range doubles every -6 dB in line-of-sight conditions (-12 dB in urban environments), the 18 dB sensitivity difference in modules corresponds to 23= 8 times the range using the Digi wireless module!
In similar fashion, Digi wireless modules offer 32 times the range of -80 dBm modules and over 100 times the range of -70 dBm modules!


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The purpose of this section is to provide a broad overview of the methodology used to construct the four separate Indices of Deprivation. Those wishing to access more detailed information should follow the links to the Indices' technical reports shown in the 'Useful links' section.
The methodologies used to derive the separate indices of multiple deprivation are broadly similar. In each case, the index measures the level of multiple deprivation experienced by individuals in small areas. Firstly, levels of deprivation are measured for a number of separate dimensions or 'domains'. The number and title of domains varies between each index but each measures deprivation across key themes of income, employment, education and health.
For each domain, deprivation is calculated according to a series of summary statistics or 'indicators'. These indicators are designed to measure key features of a particular deprivation theme. The choice of indicators is agreed through consultation and varies between each index. Typically there are between two and six indicators per domain.
For each index, the indicators are combined in broadly the same way to provide a domain level measure of deprivation. Where possible and most notably in the income and employment domains, indicators are summed and divided by the 'at risk population' (for example, the number of income support claimants as a proportion of the total population) to give an overall area rate of deprivation. Where rates are not possible, appropriate weights for combining indicators into a single deprivation score are selected using a range of techniques including Maximum Likelihood factor analysis.
The domain level scores which represent specific dimensions of deprivation are then ranked and transformed to an exponential distribution. Weights are then applied to provide the overall Index of Multiple Deprivation for each country in the UK. The weights are selected according to a number of criteria which are used to assess the level of importance attached to each domain theme in the overall measurement of deprivation. As each index uses different indicators and domains, the weights applied to aggregate domain scores are different.


text: Form is emptiness; emptiness is form. Form is non other than emptiness as emptiness is non other than form. What is emptiness? What is form? Is an empty cup thoroughly empty? If so how could it be empty if it's full of emptiness? A cup can only be fully emptied when it emptyed of it own emptiness.


text:
I need help with this question!
The formula to find the area of a square is L^2, where L is the side length.
Therefore, to find the side length of square #1, we want to find the square root of x^2+4x+4.
We can factor this, since it's a perfect square:
x^2+4x+4=(x+2)^2, the side of the square is x+2.
Therefore, the side length of square #3 is twice of this, or 2x+4.
The area of square #3 must be (2x+4)^2.
I hope this helped,


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Employment equity laws ensure workplace fairness
Explore This Story
At long last a measure of employment equity is coming to the Peel District School Board (PDSB) with its recently announced "Journey Ahead Action Plan." This plan, which the PDSB states will "transform" its work sets out findings, timelines and tasks for "Equitable Hiring and Promotion" flows from a settlement of a human rights complaint by a teacher, Ranjit Khatkur who had alleged before the Hearings Tribunal of Ontario that the PDSB's hiring and promotion practices were resulting in the systemic exclusion of applicants of racially and culturally diverse backgrounds. The 15-page Action Plan includes such measures as conducting a demographic survey of the school board workforce, removing artificial barriers to hiring, and training principals on how to conduct bias-free job interviews.
Sadly, PDSB is not the only workplace that is plagued with discrimination. Most employers, like the PDSB, don't voluntarily change their practices. It often takes legal proceeding to compel them into action.
Just think where Khatkur and other worthy job applicants might be at this point had Ontario not repealed its 1993 Employment Equity Act.
Employment equity laws and policies focus on redressing inequalities by requiring employers to plan to end discriminatory practices facing women, racialized and aboriginal peoples, people living with disabilities and others who are similarly disadvantaged.
Supreme Court of Canada Justice Rosalie Abella's 1984 royal commission report documented how these disadvantaged groups populate the bottom rungs of the labour market — facing systemic discriminatory barriers in getting and keeping good jobs and earning fair pay. Justice Abella found that "systemic discrimination," while often not intentional, was embedded in the labour market and employers' systems of hiring, promotion, conditions of work and pay. She called for employment equity laws and policies since insufficient progress was being made with voluntary measures or under a complaint-based human rights laws.
The 2004 Federal Pay Equity Task Force Report relying on Statistics Canada data again documented the pay disparities faced by these groups and called for strengthened pay equity laws to address them. The federal government rejected this report. While some progress has been made since 1986, a recently released Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives report, "A Living Wage as a Human Right," documents how discrimination continues to affect the ability of many workers to earn a living wage. This persistent state of inequality continues while the income of the average CEO has grown to 189 times the income of the average Canadian.
Despite this evidence of widespread inequalities, Conservative governments have strongly opposed employment equity laws. In 1995, the Ontario Conservative government repealed Ontario's then Employment Equity Act, 1993 based on false allegations that the law created reverse discrimination and arbitrary quotas. Nothing could have been further from the truth — the law just required employers to make sure that all qualified candidates were considered on an equal footing.
The Federal Employment Equity Act and Federal Contractors Program were established in 1986 as a way for Canada to move forward to meet its international and domestic human rights obligations. Under the act and the program, there is a mandatory obligation for employers to first identify the barriers in their workplaces which are faced by these disadvantaged groups and then, working with a union if any to take steps to plan for the elimination of those barriers and enact positive measures, goals and targets which will lead to a more representative and inclusive workforce.
Yet last June, without notice or public consultation, Canadians woke up to discover that one of their important protections, the mandatory obligations of federal contractors to plan and work toward discrimination-free workplaces had been eliminated by a legislative amendment buried deep in the Federal omnibus budget bill.
Until June 2012, federal contractors had to commit to comply with the Employment Equity Act in order to obtain government contracts. More than 1,000 employers are currently covered by the program, involving 1.2 million employees. Now, the law leaves it to the minster's discretion to decide what rules federal contractors should follow.
Why is it important for rules to be mandatory? Because history has shown that employers need government rules to ensure that they act fairly. Employers are very familiar with developing plans which identify a problem and set targets and timetables for resolving that problem or developing a new product. Employment equity laws just require businesses to use that same model for maintaining discrimination-free workplace.
Effective human rights enforcement is one of the best investments a country can make. With disadvantaged groups struggling in this volatile economy and Canada needing to take advantage of the skills and qualifications of all its workers, this is not the time to scrimp on human rights enforcement. A labour market that allows vulnerable workers to be channelled into low-paid, undervalued work when the economy needs their skills will not be able to compete successfully in the global economy.
Planning to achieve and maintain employment equity will attract and retain the most talented workers, increase productivity, stimulate the economy and increase competitiveness while giving everyone equal opportunities to work. We need to strengthen the Federal Employment Equity Act and we hope the new premier-designate will bring similar legislation back to Ontario.
Mary Cornish is chair of the Equal Pay Coalition; Avvy Yao-Yao Go is director of the Metro Toronto Chinese & Southeast Asian Legal Clinic; John Rae is former president of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians.
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April 30, 2010
Dear Mayo Clinic:
My 47-year-old wife was diagnosed with a rare granulosa cell tumor (GCT) of the ovary. Her treatment included surgery to remove the uterus and ovaries. The tumor was stage 1, but we are nervous about a recurrence. What can she or her doctors do to monitor her health in the future?
Granulosa cell tumor is a slow-growing cancer that starts in the granulosa cells that surround the eggs within the ovary. Diagnosed and treated early, it's not likely to return. However, GCT of the ovary requires regular and long-term follow-up with a doctor, including an annual blood test to check for markers that could indicate the cancer's return.
Here's some more background to help put GCT of the ovary and the risk of recurrence in perspective:
GCT of the ovary is most often diagnosed at stage 1. That means the tumor cells have not spread beyond the ovary. Symptoms often are vague and can include bloating, discomfort in the pelvis area or bladder and bowel changes. The tumor produces increased estrogen levels, which can cause heavy or abnormal uterine bleeding and increase the risk of endometrial cancer. During an exam, a physician will often feel an enlarged ovary or a mass (or lump) on the ovary.
GCT of the ovary is unusual. It accounts for about 5 to 7 percent of all ovarian cancers. GCT has two types — adult and juvenile. Despite the names, the categories don't relate strictly to tumor size or patient age. However, juvenile GCTs occur most often in women under 30 years of age. Adult GCT, which accounts for 9 out of 10 tumors, is slow growing and the average age of diagnosis is 52. From what you've shared, this was probably your wife's diagnosis.
Your wife had the standard operation for stage 1 adult GCT of the ovary, hysterectomy and oophorectomy — surgery to remove the uterus and ovaries. Bilateral oophorectomy, removal of both ovaries, is recommended for women who have completed child-bearing. For a GCT that appears to have spread beyond the ovary, the surgery likely would also have included removal of lymph nodes in the pelvis and along the aorta and removal of the omentum (an area of fat attached to the lower part of the stomach). Radiation or chemotherapy usually isn't considered unless the cancer has spread beyond the ovary.
After surgery, a patient should see an oncologist or gynecologist for close tumor follow-up. Initially, this should be two to three times per year. After five years, follow-up can be conducted annually. Checking levels of the hormone inhibin via a blood test is helpful for tumor follow-up if levels were elevated prior to the initial diagnosis. Elevated levels of inhibin A, inhibin B, or both are an indicator of recurrence, although it's possible for the cancer to recur without change in these hormone levels. Periodically, the doctor will order a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis to look for any signs of recurrence, especially if there are new symptoms.
When caught early, GCT of the ovary most often doesn't recur. If cancer does recur, it's usually 10 to 15 years after the initial treatment. That's why long-term follow-up is important. The long-term prognosis for GCT of the ovary is good. The five-year survival rate is 92 to 100 percent for stage 1 disease in both the adult and juvenile types of GCT.
Unlike many other illnesses, no lifestyle factors (for example, weight or smoking) affect the course of the disease or its possible recurrence. If you have daughters, they are not at increased risk for GCT of the ovary because of your wife's illness; GCT has no known inherited genetic cause. In fact, we aren't sure what causes this cancer, although research is ongoing.
It's great your wife sought treatment before the cancer had spread. While GCT of the ovary grows slowly, once it has spread, this cancer is very challenging to treat.
— Jamie Bakkum-Gamez, M.D., Gynecologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.


A Guide to Wireless Range & Repeaters
Imagine the following conversation:
– "How many friends do you have?"
– "Um, just simplify it for me and give me a single number."
This is how us engineers feel when people ask, "What's the wireless range?" It's an incredibly complicated topic, but the question implicitly demands a simple, single answer.
In this post, I will try to explain the factors that affect wireless range, and also present some tips on how to maximize wireless range in your SmartThings home network.
No, Do Not Bring In Da Noise
Surprisingly, probably the most important factor that determines the range between a device and your Hub has nothing to do with the device or the Hub–it's actually the amount of electromagnetic "noise" that is present in the environment.
Here are a few things that affect wireless noise:
- Wi-Fi access points (both yours and your neighbors')
- cell phones
- microwave ovens
- baby monitors
- fluorescent lights
- wireless game controllers
Since ZigBee works in the 2.4 GHz frequency space, it is most affected by 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks and microwave ovens. Z-Wave, on the other hand, works in the 900 MHz frequency space and is most affected by cell phones and baby monitors. These are just examples, and unfortunately there are lots of electronic devices out there constantly adding to the background noise.
- Switch to 5 GHz Wi-Fi
- Change your Wi-Fi channel
- Give the Hub some space
- Use repeaters
There's a whole section on repeaters below, but the short story is that repeaters can be used to relay messages between devices and the Hub, effectively increasing the overall range of the network–even when things are noisy.
- Look at the noise
- Move!
Kidding, of course. But if you live in a dense urban environment you are surrounded by WiFi networks, cell phones, and lots of other gadgets. In contrast, if you live out in the country or on a farm somewhere, chances are your home network has a much greater range.
A repeater is any ZigBee or Z-Wave device that is always powered on. For example, a SmartPower Outlet and the SmartSense Motion Sensor (when it's powered through its USB cable). A repeater can act as a relay point, so that a device that is too far from the Hub can talk to a repeater that is closer, and the repeater relays the messages back and forth to the Hub.
graphic1Repeaters can talk to other repeaters, and a very robust "mesh network" can be formed, as in this diagram.
Fixing this depends upon whether we are working with ZigBee or Z-Wave devices.
In about 5-10 minutes, the device will give up trying to talk to its missing parent and find a new one–the repeater we added half-way between the device and the Hub!
Finally, when you turn the Hub back on the repeater will establish a link with the Hub, and all will be well.
Obstacles and Detours
Even mostly transparent materials such as wood and drywall still introduce some power loss in the wireless signal, leading to potential range issues if many floors and walls have to be crossed.
- Visualize the paths
Try to visualize the paths that wireless signals take from devices to their closest parent. If you have the flexibility, arrange devices and repeaters to have line-of-sight between each other, or at most 1 floor or 1 wall between them.
- Watch out for barriers
– metal objects or sheets (e.g., refrigerator, garage door)
– cinder block
– concrete walls
– bodies of water (e.g., aquaria, water beds)
- Use repeaters
- Don't place your Hub on a metal table or metal shelf
Angles, Orientations, and Reflections
Now here is the worst possible antenna.
Here is a less-good location – the hub is near a window and the maximum power orientations are pointing out the window and away from the house.
_TAG_, Featured
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Join the conversation! 42 Comments
 1. Per the article."…since Z-Wave devices do not automatically look for new parents"…. how do you get a Smartthings Motion Dector (USB plugged into 110v) to act as a relay??
 2. i want to buy a hub, and motion sensors (that work also as repeaters, which of them is?) and open/closed sensors (i've heard that one of them trigger when window is broken, which one is?) I need model since i see there are 3 door sensor and 2 motion and i can't decide which to buy, thanks
 3. I second this…
 I would like to know the answer to this question also.
 4. This article on wireless range and repeaters is very
 interesting and helpful. It does raise a few questions that I hope someone can
 1.How does one get Z-Wave devices to use a new parent in a repeater network?
 The comment in the article kind of left us hanging. I assume Z-wave devices only look for a parent on power up. Correct? Is it a matter of powering up the devices in specific order moving toward the hub to get the network setup you want?
 2. How do you know what parent a device is using in a repeater network(both ZigBee and Z-Wave? I'd like to know if the repeater setup is actually working and devices are connecting as planned.
 - 1) There is an option inside the mobile app to reform your Z-Wave network (after adding devices for example). A little tricky to get to but here is how: Location > Settings (gear icon) > tap your Hub Name > Z-Wave Utilities > Repair Z-Wave Network
 2) There are some visualization tools we are working on but right now there isn't much for viewing and optimizing this node structure.
 - I just set up a second Z-wave outdoor outlet and I had the exact same question. Looking at alttext answer below and trying it out now. Thanks
 - Its a good practice to perform a Z-Wave network repair periodically — periodically when you are adding new Z-Wave repeaters. You can find the "Repair Z-Wave Network" utility in the Z-Wave Utilities menu available in the hub settings found under location management in the mobile app.
 5. Use any ZigBee power outlet or pluggable devices. Our own SmartPower Outlet is a good option. _URL_
 6. What is the best repeater to use that will connect with my Schlage lock, which I have been led to believe uses an encrypted ZWave and therefor requires an encrypted bridge?
 7. Excellent article Andrew. Thanks!
 8. How do I know which frequency does Z Wave or Zigbee support? If I buy any zigbee device or Z wave device will it work?
 Another question: Do you have a signal booster or repeater available?
 - You don't need to know the frequency of these devices. You can look at the compatible products list here:
 Generally anything that plugs in acts as a repeater and boosts the signal for the network it is a part of (ZigBee extends ZigBee and Z-Wave extends Z-Wave)
 - Z-Wave devices operate on different frequencies depending on the region you buy them from. Some can operate on all frequencies but need to be set, and will default to the region you bought them from too.
 A Z-Wave device purchased in Europe will not talk to its U.S. counterpart.
 - My understanding is that zigbee and z-wave devices do not talk to each other. SmartThings hub has two antennas and allows you to use either or both system. However — a major strength of both systems is the mesh network. The more devices you have the bigger and more robust the system. With a series of zigbee devices and another series of z-wave you would have two smaller mesh networks instead of one larger.
 9. I am able to get z wave controllers on alibaba that I want to use. But they do specify diff frequency like 968.5 hz for US etc. Can I integrate them? _URL_
 10. So what does the power direction schematic (end of the above article) look like for the new V2 SmartThings hub? Looks like I should move the hub as it's right next to my wireless router, so as long as I'm moving it I'd like to know which direction it should be oriented.
 11. Is the maximum power directions the same for the v2 hub?
 12. I have smarthings and every device i have is z wave. Now i am thinking of buying the zigbee devices (door sensors) from smartthings. Do you think I can use a rule which is composed of both zigbee and zwave devices?
 - My understanding is that this will create two mesh networks. One will be comprised of zigbee devices and the hub the other of zwave devices and the hub. If you are looking to extend your z-wave network using zigbee devices that isn't going to work. This is based on past reading not past experience…
 13. So – how does the orientation of the hub work? If it is that directional, i'd think they would have put little arrows on the bottom of the SmartThings hub. Suggestions???


text:
Alternate Wetting and Drying: AWD
Alternate Wetting and Drying is an irrigation method that helps save water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in rice production.
Typically, rice is produced in constant flooded conditions. Saturated soils tend to produce methane through natural processes. By carefully managing irrigation water and allowing soils to temporarily oxygenate throughout the growing season, a process known as Alternate Wetting and Drying, this natural methane production process can be minimized. Our previous investments in technologies like Zero Grade make it possible for us to manage this technique on some portion of our farm.
Diagram Credit: Dr. Joe Massey


Man flu officially exists (according to men)
Man flu
Written by Steven White
It's official: man flu does exist.
Or at least men believe it does, according to new research on man flu. It found that men call in sick and go to the doctors more frequently with common colds than women do. The poll of 2,000 adults also revealed one in 12 men have visited the doctor with a runny nose.
But despite men taking more time off work for the common cold, 84% claim to 'battle through' it without letting it affect their day-to-day life.
Nick Thayer, a pharmacist at Well Pharmacy, said: "When suffering from a cold, it is feasible that a person can keep going and power through their symptoms. But it's a misconception that people can 'battle through' flu, as the symptoms are too severe and can last for weeks.
Only 56% of men called in sick to work. While just 55% cancelled social plans when they thought they had flu. This suggests to me that they probably just had a particularly nasty cold rather than actual flu."
The fairer sex?
Cases of man flu are resulting in women being less compassionate. Just half of women showing signs of sympathy compared to 66% of males. And any sympathy mustered lasts just 33 hours on average.
However, females are more likely to take care of their loved ones, with 61% topping up medication and generally making their partner feel comfortable. And nearly 40% of women said their partner refuses to do anything due to sickness, and reported feeling under pressure to do more around the house as a result.
Somewhat unsurprisingly then, the study conducted by, found over a third of agreed that illness caused relationships arguments.
Man flu jab
Despite flu having a significant impact on the quality of life of those surveyed, nearly half had never had a flu vaccination. Just under two fifths of Brits haven't had the vaccination because it hasn't been recommended to them by a professional. And one quarter were under the impression it's mainly for the elderly. While one third believe they are healthy and don't need one.
Nick Thayer continued, "This research highlights the fact that people usually only get a flu jab if a medical professional has told them to. If the jab hasn't been recommended for them, then fit and healthy adults often don't get one. I would recommend that everyone who can get a flu jab, gets a flu jab. It helps protect you, your family and others in your community from the virus.
And the flu jab isn't just available at your doctors. You can pop into your local pharmacy for the flu vaccination, without an appointment. Only half of those surveyed were aware of this."
Well Pharmacy offer free flu jabs if you're eligible on the NHS. Or £9 if you're not eligible.
Check your eligibility here. Sniff sniff…
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Returning values
As well as receiving data, functions can also send back data. To do this, write a dash then a right angle bracket after your function's parameter list, then tell Swift what kind of data will be returned.
Inside your function, you use the return keyword to send a value back if you have one. Your function then immediately exits, sending back that value – no other code from that function will be run.
We could rewrite our square() function to return a value rather than print it directly:
func square(number: Int) -> Int {
 return number * number
Now we can grab that return value when the function is run, and print it there:
let result = square(number: 8)
If you need to return multiple values, this is a perfect example of when to use tuples.
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text: This study investigated the influence of top-down and bottom-up information on speech perception in complex listening environments. Specifically, the effects of listening to different types of processed speech were examined on intelligibility and on simultaneous visual-motor performance. The goal was to extend the generalizability of results in speech perception to environments outside of the laboratory. The effect of bottom-up information was evaluated with natural, cell phone and synthetic speech. The effect of simultaneous tasks was evaluated with concurrent visual-motor and memory tasks. Earlier works on the perception of speech during simultaneous visual-motor tasks have shown inconsistent results (Choi, 2004; Strayer & Johnston, 2001). In the present experiments, two dual-task paradigms were constructed in order to mimic non-laboratory listening environments. In the first two experiments, an auditory word repetition task was the primary task and a visual-motor task was the secondary task. Participants were presented with different kinds of speech in a background of multi-speaker babble and were asked to repeat the last word of every sentence while doing the simultaneous tracking task. Word accuracy and visual-motor task performance were measured. Taken together, the results of Experiments 1 and 2 showed that the intelligibility of natural speech was better than synthetic speech and that synthetic speech was better perceived than cell phone speech. The visual-motor methodology was found to demonstrate independent and supplemental information and provided a better understanding of the entire speech perception process. Experiment 3 was conducted to determine whether the automaticity of the tasks (Schneider & Shiffrin, 1977) helped to explain the results of the first two experiments. It was found that cell phone speech allowed better simultaneous pursuit rotor performance only at low intelligibility levels when participants ignored the listening task. Also, simultaneous task performance improved dramatically for natural speech when intelligibility was good. Overall, it could be concluded that knowledge of intelligibility alone is insufficient to characterize processing of different speech sources. Additional measures such as attentional demands and performance of simultaneous tasks were also important in characterizing the perception of different kinds of speech in complex listening environments.


20 Dairy Spring Cleaning Tips
Hoard's Dairyman:
20 Dairy Spring Cleaning Tips
Wed, 04/27/2011
It may not seem like spring weather, but spring is here! That means it's time to clean, replace, and check on your equipment and facilities. David Bray at the University of Florida provided several items on this checklist for your dairy farm's spring cleaning list. While Florida's summer climate is different than other regions of the U.S., the same concept can be applied in your area.
1. Clean out high organic matter dirt (MUD) in pastures and lots and add new dirt, especially in calving areas.
2. Clean your barn cooling fans now and whenever they look dirty. Dirty fan shields can cut fan efficiency in half. This not only moves air to cool cows, it also helps to remove moisture and dry the place out.
3. Make sure your sprinklers, foggers, etc, work. It was a cold winter, and many pipes froze and/or broke. Dirty nozzles don't add much water. Check timers for the proper time for adding water. Constant water is not as efficient as intermittent sprinkling and saves water. Set your sprinkler thermostat at 75 degrees F or lower during the hot season. Sprinklers need to run at night because cows get hotter at night than daytime on those hot nights. You need timers to control sprinklers at night, so they only run when cows are eating and standing at the feed line. Running sprinklers when cows are in the stalls will waste great volumes of water and raise the humidity in the barn.
4. Clean and rebuild your pulsators. Wash out and change the filters on your vacuum controller (unless you have a variable-speed drive); make sure all ATOs work. Believe it or not, dealers do sell new pulsators.
5. Replace all milk hoses, wash hoses, pulsator hoses and jetter cup holders. Replace all rubber hoses in the milk house that may add water to the pipeline and /or bulk tank wash. These hoses harbor pseudomonas and coliforms and can raise your bacteria count. If rubber hoses are used to wash udders, change them, also.
6. Check every cow in the herd for blind quarters. Band the cows' legs so they are not milked. This will lower your SCC and SPC. Consider drying off or killing these quarters.
7. Replace all of your floor-mounted cow wash sprinkler nozzles once a year. Spring is a good time to do this. They not only clean cows; they cool cows also. Several short wash cycles are more efficient and use less water.
8. Check the pipeline and bulk tank chemical concentrations. If you change brands or suppliers, they may need to be checked. With new LPC concerns, this is important.
9. Clean your condenser fins on your milk coolers. Dirty fans cut down cooling and efficiency, and you get warmer milk at higher electric costs. If they are near a dusty area, concrete the area to keep the dust off the condensers.
10. Cull your chronic mastitis cows now. It will lower your cell count, and your help is sick of treating them.
11. Clean out the back third to half of your free stalls at least 10 to 12 feet deep and add new sand. Keep your stalls bedded every 4 to 5 days and groomed daily.
12. Clean out cooling ponds. Pump out the water, clean out the sludge, and spread it someplace where the cows do not have access to it.
13. Let ponds sit dry for the sun to work on the bacteria. Mycoplasma and other nasty stuff live in ponds. You must clean them out at least once a year if you continuously add water to the pond. If you DO NOT continuously add water, you need to sample the ponds for mycoplasma, and clean out the ponds once or twice during the summer.
14. Mow and spray careless weeds in all pastures; calves, heifers, dry cows.
15. Remove nonfunctioning machinery from working areas and disregard items that are no longer used or ineffective. Throw away (recycle) bale twine or feed sacks that may have accumulated over the winter.
16. Tidy the farm, remove fallen tree limbs, plant some flowers. Show the pride you have in your cows, your management, and your homestead.
17. Repair or fix any gates or doors that may have been damaged over the winter. It is a safety concern for animals and people. It also affects the public's perception of how you manage your operation.
18. Replace light bulbs, and check batteries for those needing to be changed.
19. Keep a stiff upper lip. If you made it through last year, you can make it through this year.
20. Clean out your mind, go visit other dairies. Some of them are doing amazing things and others are not. You can get new ideas or be glad you don't own some of them.
While it seems there is less time in each day to get the needed tasks completed, we do need to make the time to get actual and proverbial wheels greased, the batteries recharged, and a spit-shine on those boots so that your operation can run smoothly throughout the upcoming year. Whether you take one of these items or all 20 to task, it's a great way to embrace the new beginnings of spring!


Proselytizing While Fighting Trafficking: Human Rights Violation?
The question, "is proselytizing acceptable?" is perhaps discussed more frequently today than in the times of
David Livingstone.
One of the issues that's come out of the current discussion over best practices in fighting human trafficking has revolved around proselytizing.
Shortly, we'll publish part one of our interview with Claude d'Estrée, Buddhist Chaplain at the University of Denver and head of the Human Trafficking Clinic. Prompted by a UN conference, he and colleagues were asked to come up with a Code of Conduct for organizations doing anti-human trafficking work. He co-authored it with Yvonne Zimmerman, whose interview on this blog launched a discussion about the ethics of anti-trafficking efforts. As a little preview of the interview, here's what Claude had to say about it:
Erik Campano: How have groups you have observed as proselytizing reacted to your Code of Conduct?
Claude d'Estrée: [laughing] Not well. I should have predicted this, right? Which is to say: the religious groups and organizations which don't do this have no problem with it. But the ones that are violating it have strong disagreement on many different layers. Not the least of which is to say that secular forms of therapy are providing a form of normative values no different than if it is Christian based.
OK, so Claude d'Estrée is referring to guideline #5 of 5, of his proposed Code of Conduct:
1) Religious education and activities shall not be a compulsory aspect of the services provided to survivors of forced labour and human trafficking.
2) Conversations about religion and spirituality must always be initiated by trafficking survivors, not by anti-trafficking advocates or workers.
3) Anti-trafficking advocates and workers must respect the religious backgrounds of their clients, even when these backgrounds are different than their own
4) Anti-trafficking advocates and workers will provide religious literature, training and instruction only when this is solicited by the trafficking survivor. These may never be offered by the organization providing primary services.
5) Pastoral counseling, religious based therapies, and spiritual direction are not a substitute for standard therapeutic models and should only be offered at the request of the trafficking survivor. Again, these may never be offered by the organization providing primary services.
Let's just focus on #5 here. What d'Estrée is saying is that what is commonly called "Christian counseling" can't replace traditional psychotherapy, psychiatry, social work counseling, and so forth. But (and we get into this in the interview), often, Christian counseling is offered to "victims" (or potential "victims") (I'm using scare quotes because that word is currently in dispute; consider them included for the rest of this post). What frightens some observers concerned with human rights is that the psychotherapeutic process could be used as a way to impose Christian symbols and language onto people who don't come from Christian cultures. That in trying to make broken, vulnerable human trafficking victims whole again, religious NGOs manipulate their psychology so that they start believing and behaving like Christians. Would (or would not) that come pretty close to violating the UN's decree that freedom of religion and belief is a human right?
On the other hand, if you asked certain Christians, they'd say that you're only whole when, for example, you've accepted Christ as your savior. Which, might, of course, create a cognitive dissonance in the part of the NGO worker, who, on one hand, wants to respect human rights, but on the other hand, believes in the universality of his religious belief — and the importance of spreading it.
The solution of d'Estrée and his colleagues is to require the NGO to refer the victim out to a separate organization, so there's no conflict of interest between the rescuer and the therapist. That, of course, comes with its own major challenge: actually getting the funding to have secular, normative psychotherapists available to help counsel rescued victims. When you're on the ground (as d'Estrée has been, many times), working with real, suffering people, it's a lot harder to make these distinctions or know what to do in emergency situations.
Evangelism in anti-human trafficking, according to d'Estrée, is separate from proseltyzing, in that during evangelism the victim initiates the interest in exploring the religious tradition. There's no quid-pro-quo: I'll follow your religion because you rescued me from a brothel.
How do you distinguish evangelism from proselytizing? Are either acceptable in anti-trafficking efforts? Is the #5 standard fair? Realistic?
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 - _URL_ Byron Young
 Whatever helps the "victim" most. The person offering the help is doing so because they found something that makes them want to help others. However, counseling should not be forced on a person, whether is it religious or psychological counseling. Psychiatry is it's own religion of sorts and doesn't help but does more harm than it helps. Not a science at all. These folks are responsible for the Holocaust … need I say more?


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Ruth's Blog: Hands up any teacher who wants to exclude four-fifths of the class?
Every time we ask a "hands up" question, we exclude the four-fifths of the class who don't put up their hands. And if six raise their hands and we choose only one to answer then we exclude five more. It's an unintended consequence, of course, but it goes some way towards explaining why so many children get to "sleep" through lessons, letting others take the strain.
Many schools have banned hands-up but most continue with the tried (and unproven) method against all the evidence that it harms concentration, disappoints and demoralises.
E.M. Forster asked: "How do I know what I think, until I see what I say?" How many times have fine, coherent arguments practised in your head come apart once you try to articulate them? Articulating a thought forces us to engage. It makes us organise what we know and what we don't know.
It's much easier teaching one child – we can get them to repeat what they have understood in their own words, step by step. Then, if they haven't got it, we can try different words or approaches. With 30 children in a class, however, it's much harder to replicate the back and forth dialogue that keeps a child totally engaged.
It's not fair
Hands-up is a lose-lose situation. Who do you choose to answer the question?
The hands-up children who always know the answer? (It's not fair, I never get picked.)?
The shy, the afraid to be wrong children who don't raise their hands? (Please, please don't pick on me.)
The polite children who put on an interested face, head down, slightly tilted?
The bored who keep their heads down?
The ones who raise their hands to pretend they know the answer? (And, if chosen – odds on they won't be - they put on perplexed face and say they've forgotten what they were going to say!)
Or the ones who hadn't noticed you'd asked a question?
Pull out the stick…
Some teachers put sticks in a pot with the children's names on, and pull them out at random. This might be good for keeping children on tenterhooks – it's so scary, who knows who will be chosen? It might be YOU next! But only one or two of the class get to articulate what they think they know.
Answer with a partner – after every question
If a question is worth asking it's worth everyone answering. Pairing children with partners at the start of every lesson - ready for answering questions together - gets them to discuss the question and agree on an answer. They aren't frightened to respond because the answer belongs to both of them and they will have practised it first.
The teacher has time to monitor how well the pairs are doing and can choose those with helpful answers to feed back. It saves humiliating the ones having difficulty and helps embed the right answer. We are all much more likely to remember a solution if we have first struggled to reach it ourselves.
"Hands up" questions are an impediment to learning and yet the technique is still widely used worldwide. So hands up all those who think it is time for a change.
© Ruth Miskin Literacy Ltd 2021 | All rights reserved


text:
The recreation of Shackleton's Boat - The "James Caird" comes to The Beale Park Thames Boat Show
Shackleton's voyage: In 1914 Sir Ernest Shackleton mounted an expedition to cross the Antarctic from sea to sea, but his ship, the Endurance, soon became trapped in the pack ice of the Weddell Sea, and after nine months was finally crushed and sank. The ship was abandoned in November 1915 and the 28 men crossed a chaotic maze of ice in three salvaged boats, one of which was "James Caird", to make their way to landfall on Elephant Island. By this time the world was at war and no-one knew that Shackleton and his men were alive, winter was approaching and supplies were running loShackleton and the seamanship of Frank Worsley. This leadership style is central to the motivational curricula at business schools all over the world. w, so the only option was to go and get help, the nearest being 800 miles away on South Georgia. Shackleton and five men set out in April 1916 and, after 17 days of gales, constant pumping, and chipping ice from the hull and rig to prevent capsize, they landed on South Georgia. They then climbed a four thousand foot mountain climb before three of them staggered into Stromness whaling station to raise the alarm. It took three rescue attempts to finally reach the crew. The fact they survived such an epic voyage is a remarkable testament to the leadership of Shackleton and the seamanship of Frank Worsley. This leadership style is central to the motivational curricula at business schools all over the world.
The re-build of Shackleton's boat, the "James Caird", comes to the Beale Park Thames Boat Show, as students from the International Boatbuilding Training College (IBTC), continue their build of a replica of the boat at this year's show – 5th-7th June.
The IBTC was approached at the Earls Court Boat Show, in December 2007, by The Honourable Alexandra Shackleton, to build a boat that could handle the Southern Ocean. From that came an agreement, as a training project, to build a replica of the "James Caird" for the environmentalist and explorer Tim Jarvis, who is leading the expedition to re-create the voyage and mountain climb.
The part built "Caird" will be at the Beale Park Thames Boat Show, where the IBTC will work on the deck beams and caulking; constructing each section, just as the original, which was built at the Isle of Dogs, in London, in 1913.
"We are delighted to be at the centre of such an exciting project," said Nat Wilson, Managing Director of IBTC. "The "James Caird" is a significant build, so having the opportunity for our students to demonstrate the skills and craftsmanship which they are learning is a huge benefit, particularly as they use the show to help them network and meet boat builders."
Nat continued, "The original boat was constructed of Baltic Pine on steamed Elm frames; in the absence of these, the students are using European Larch on steamed Oak. She is copper fastened with keel stem and a stern of grown Oak.
The students have planked her to the same sheer and then built up a further three planks, as was the original "Caird", and she will be decked in and canvassed. Caulking will be with cotton and she will be paid up with white lead putty, and then the whole boat painted white."


text:
This painting reflects upon current environmental crises, particularly in relation to Tasmania's lost natural habitats and its extinct or threatened plants and animals. It borrows the format of Tasmania's 1917 coat of arms and refers to the motto inscribed beneath, Ubertas et Fidelitas (Fertility and Faithfulness).
The two Tasmanian Tigers display, in place of the coat of arm's original symbols of industry and agriculture, an art historical symbol of fertility – Gustave Courbet's L'Origine du monde (The origin of the world, 1866). Set against a brown landscape decimated after decades of exploitation by the agricultural and forestry industries, the painting heralds a land stripped of life. The optimistic "fertility and faithfulness" of a hundred years ago has here been replaced by a barren landscape governed by avarice and neglect.
Egg tempera on linen canvas