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Survival of the People
Logic puzzles require you to think. You will have to be logical in your reasoning.
There is an island with 10 inhabitants. One day a monster comes and says that he intends to eat every one of them but will give them a chance to survive in the following way:
In the morning, the monster will line up all the people - single file so that the last person sees the remaining 9, the next person sees the remaining 8, and so on until the first person that obviously sees no one in front of himself. The monster will then place black or white hats on their heads randomly (they can be all white, all black or any combination thereof).
The monster will offer each person starting with the last one (who sees everyone else's hats) to guess the color of his/her own hat. The answer can only be one word: "white" or "black". The monster will eat him on the spot if he guessed wrong, and will leave him alive if he guessed right. All the remaining people will hear both the guess and the outcome of the guess. The monster will then go on to the next to last person (who only sees 8 people), and so on until the end.
The monster gives them the whole night to think.
Devise the optimal strategy that these poor natives could use to maximize their survival rate.
1) All the 10 people can easily understand your strategy, and will execute it with perfect precision.
2) If the monster suspects that any of the people are giving away information to any of the remaining team members by intonation of words when answering, or any other signs, or by touch, he will eat everyone.
3) The only allowed response is a short, unemotional "white" or "black".
4) Having said that, I will add that you can put any value you like into each of these words. For example, "white" can mean "my mother did my laundry" and "black" can mean the guy in front of me is wearing a black hat.
Hint1) First hint is an example. Here is a simple strategy that will guarantee safety to 50%. Guy #10 (when he guesses) says the color of the hat on guy #9. Thus #10 may die or may luck out, but #9 will save himself since he will know his hat color. Thus #8 helps #7, #6 helps number #5, and so on. You thus save numbers 9, 7, 5, 3, and 1, or half the people. But you can do a lot better than that.
2) The best strategy will save a minimum of 90% of the people.
Here it is: The first guy to guess (guy #10) will be the only one to assume the following value for the words "white" and "black": The answer "black" will mean that there are an odd number of black hats that he sees. The answer "white" will mean that there are an odd number of white hats that he sees. This way one by one all the other 9 people will know the color of their hats.
Let us say that guy #10 (first to speak, and sees the hats of the remaining 9) says "white". That should mean to everybody else that he sees an odd number of white hats. At this time guy #9 will either be wearing a white or a black hat. If he is wearing a white hat he will only see an even number of white hats, and since guy #10 said that there is and odd number of white hats, guy #9 will know that he is wearing white and will say it. But if guy #9 is wearing a black hat, he will see an odd number of white hats (just like #10 did), and thus will know that he is wearing a black hat and will say it. No matter what #9 answers, guy #8 (who heard guy #10 and guy #9) can now easily incorporate the color of hat on guy #9 into the original answer of guy #10. This will allow #8 to know if he should see an odd or even number of white hats in front of him to determine his own hat color. The same thing repeats with #7-1. And they all get it right except of course #10, though he may get lucky.
Jan 18, 2003
Jan 21, 2003
|Wow, this one makes a lot of sense logically. Great teaser.|
Jan 25, 2003
|it makes sense but i would never have came to that answer|
Jan 29, 2003
|What's wrong with simply saying the color of the hat of the person infront of you? Same survival percentage.|
Jan 30, 2003
|In reply to "Asbestos'" comment. You would only save 50% that way. If you say the color of the person in front of you (lets say black), he/she still has to say black not to get eaten (regardless of what the color in front of them is). So therefore the 3rd person in line will not know their own color since the person before them saved themselves and didn't necessarily speak the color of the next person.|
Feb 06, 2003
|Nice teaser...but situation might mess up after the number 9 guess says his answer. And plus the monster might have put them on not white black white black...etc.|
Feb 07, 2003
|Golfer, there's nothing wrong with the logic in this teaser. It will work no matter what arrangement of hats the monster uses. Also, assumption #1 states that person number 9 WILL NOT mess up. I must say that this is a terrific logic teaser in my opinion.|
Feb 11, 2003
|This was a great riddle with great logic. The best i could do was save a minimum of five depending on the arrangement of hats. |
Feb 15, 2003
|I think it was a bit long personally but it does all make sence so great teaser|
Feb 15, 2003
|The logic works well. Actually, even if person 9 makes the wrong answer, the monster will eat that person, which would be a pretty strong indicator that they made the wrong decision. This could also be accounted for. The only person who need be correct is 10, the rest can be saved by their own logic.|
Feb 15, 2003
|Wow, that was an exellent teaser!|
Feb 15, 2003
|Another way to win is if the 10th guy tells everyone that "white" means your hat is the same color as the guy in front of you and "black" means your hat is a different color from the guy in front of you. Therefore, the only two who have to rely on luck are the 1st and the 10th|
Feb 16, 2003
|This will not work Pookie21. You need to say the colour of your hat in order not to get eaten. |
Feb 17, 2003
|Awesome logic teaser, one of the best I have seen. I could only think of the 50% solution, so I was going to stand and fight to the death. Maybe dig a large spike filled covered hole behind the 10th person as a trap for the monster. But that is not really solving the teaser, it is a Captain Kirk type of solution. 8^)|
Feb 27, 2003
|This is by far the best teaser I've read here. course, i just got here and am going thru the'most popular list'.|
BTW, I came up with the even guys sacrifice by saying the color of the guy in front of thems color, like many of you. Which would result in AT LEAST 50% survival (odds-wise more like 70 or 80%). Think about it... however tyhe solution is brilliant! 90% guaranteed, with 100% possible.
Really cool puzzler!
Feb 28, 2003
|That's going STRAIGHT to my favourites list... TOTALLY a GREAT teaser. It was really fun n.n; and really hard as well Oo;... I came up with some weird thing that was just a guess... nice brain BTW. |
Apr 11, 2003
|Boy, would I not wanna be the last person in line...|
May 06, 2003
|Wouldn't mind being the last guy. Being the first guy is a problem. Brilliant teaser!|
Jun 17, 2003
|My solution was that the last person would say Black or White depending on how many times the colour changed in front of him. Black for even no. of times and white for odd no. of times. From this each person could find out his own colour by seeing the no. of colour changes and deciding whether he is the same colour as the one in front. The given soln. is much simpler, though.|
Jul 02, 2003
|Ya, I got this one. If you know anything about computers, this is the same concept as parity. The way I did it is that White means there are an even number of white hats, while black means odd. Take 0 to mean even. Great riddle|
Nov 15, 2003
|Great Logic! I loved the teaser. |
Jan 05, 2004
|A 3.0/3.0 teaser. One of the


Punishment of 10 lashes
Punishment of 10 lashes Punishment of 10 lashes
Download Urdu Download Hindi
A new teacher becomes master of the village school. He is a small man, and the parents are afraid that he will not be able to control their unruly children.
In the first class, the teacher tells the children to decide on the rules for class behaviour. Together they decide to abide by the following rules:
The teacher asks, "How should these crimes be punished?"
One of the senior boys says, "They should be punished with 10 lashes."
Later another boy steals the lunch of this senior boy. He is caught, and the teacher says that the crime must be punished.
However, the senior boy sees that the boy to be punished is weak and is not able to bear the punishment. So he tells the teacher to punish him instead.
This is what al-Masih did for us. He took on the punishment that we deserved.


text:
Taylor polynomials: Square root
if different from the Exponential function or the Sine function because this function is not defined for all values (its domain is not the whole real line), then it has no sense to say that a polynomial approaches the function for all values of x or that the power series converges for all values of x.
We can calculate the Taylor's series at x=0 easily, using Newton's Binomial Theorem, but the function is not defined when x is smaller than -1.
Then our interest is to study what happens when x is greater or equal to -1.
"In the interval (-1, +1) the parabolas approach the original curve more and more as the order increases; but to the right of x = 1 they deviate from it increasingly, now above, now below, in a striking way." (Felix Klein)
We call this interval (-1, +1) 'circle of convergence' of the power series. It is a typical behavior that a power series converges inside the circle of convergence and diverges outside. We understand better the use of the word 'circle' when we go to the Complex Plane.
It is interesting to study what happens at the 'border' points. At the point x = -1, the branch of the original curve which appears in the drawing ends at a vertical tangent, "all the parabolas extends beyond this point but approach the original curve more and more at x = -1, by becoming ever steeper". At the point x = +1, symmetrical to x = -1, the parabolas approach the original curve more and more closely too.
We can see what happens with some functions with singularities, for example, Taylor polynomials (4): Rational function 1."
Felix Klein - Elementary Mathematics from an Advanced Standpoint. Arithmetic, Algebra, Analysis (pags. 223-228) - Dover Publications

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


text: Technology in Social Studies Let's face it, technology is everywhere around us. Many schools today have migrated and moved some of the activities on the technical side so students can access their lessons from everywhere. Some teachers write the social studies or blogs so every student can read them. Some of them unite in groups on FaceBook, MySpace etc. There are many, many ways for your teachings of social studies for kids to become remotely available. Here I am going to help you find the ways to do this. 1. Join Blogspot so you can have a public blog. Everyone of your students will be able to read your posts and leave comments on them. 2. If you want some more sophisticated way of blogging, try and get your own hosting, domain and install WordPress. You can do almost anything with this tool, insert add ons, change templates, and many, many more. 3. I've discovered one very good web 2.0 service called Ecto. It actually allows you to have 'virtual classroom' for groups of students. Here's how they describe it: Ecto is a hosted, open networked Personal Learning Environment. Use Ecto to transform learning into an interactive, collaborative, and student centered activity. Ecto is the only learning management system built from the ground up on the principals and architecture of social software. I only told you some of the services, in fact there are LOTS of opportunities out there that allow you to communicate with your students in a way they can reach you at home. So good luck with your social studies teachings! I am ex. social studies teacher who dedicated his work writing articles for the current teachers how to become more effective in teaching students on your social studies class.


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Название: Solution of Ornstein-Zernike equation for wall-particle distribution function
Авторы: L. Blum, G. Stell
The Ornstein-Zernike (OZ) equation is considered for the wall-particle distribution functiong 0(x) in the case of a flat, impenetrable wall atx = 0 and a fluid of hard-core particles whose centers are constrained by the wall to occupy the semiinfinite spacex >/2, where is the particle diameter. A solution is given in terms of the wall-particle direct correlation function c0(x) forx >/2, the bulk-fluid direct correlation function cB (t), and pB, the average bulk density. Explicit formulas for the contact surface density, total excess surface density, and the Laplace transform of the fluid density near the wall are given. For mean spherical type approximations, c0 (x) forx >/2 and cB (t) are both prescribed functions; for this case, a closed-form solution is obtained. An example is discussed and additional equations that enable one to go beyond the approximations considered above are introduced.


Dr Andrea Gori
Research Associate in Bacterial Genomics
Division of Infection and Immunity
University College London
Andrea received his PhD in Biosciences from the University of Exeter working both on the genetics and the function of a particular plasmid family found in Campylobacter jejuni. He started his first postdoctoral position at UCL in 2017. His main research interest is Bacterial Genomics: he focuses on the description of the changes in genotype in carriage strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae following vaccine introduction in the settings of the Malawi's second largest city (Blantyre), both from a genomic and a functional genetic point of view. During his postdoc, he also worked on describing the differences between lineages of Streptococcus agalactiae characterised by a different virulence profile.
Links to recent publications:
1) Gori A, et al. 2020. Pan-GWAS of Streptococcus agalactiae highlights lineage-specific genes associated with virulence and niche adaptation. mBio 11(3):e00728-20.
2) Obolski U, Gori A, et al. 2019. Identifying genes associated with invasive disease in S. pneumoniae by applying a machine learning approach to whole genome sequence typing data. Sci Rep 9(1):4049.


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The basic principles for preparing the balance sheet of non-trading concerns are same as of trading concerns. The balance sheet of non-trading concerns may be prepared either in the order of permanence or in the order of liquidity. Some specific items that usually become the part of the balance sheet of non-profit organizations have been discussed here.
A simple format/specimen of balance sheet of non-profit organization is given below:
Notice that the sample balance sheet of non-trading concerns given above is similar to that of trading concerns with the exception of capital fund in place of owner's capital or owner's equity. This sample only presents the format and does not depict the complete list of items that should appear on the balance sheet of a non trading concern. The items appearing on an actual balance sheet of a non-trading concern may be more or less than the items in above sample.
Example – preparation of balance sheet from receipts and payments account and some additional information
The receipts and payments account of Nice Sports Club for the year 2018 is given below:
You are also provided with the following additional information:
- Subscription amounting to $360 was outstanding on December 31, 2018.
- The taxes for the first three months of the year 2019 were paid in advance.
- The telephone expenses amounting to $75 were outstanding on December 31, 2018.
- The miscellaneous expenses amounting to $100 were outstanding on December 31, 2017.
- The value of investment was $18,500 on December 31, 2017.
- The stock of stationary was $250 on December 31, 2017 and $190 on December 31, 2018.
- On December 31, 2017, the book value of building and motor car was $20,000 and $2,500 respectively.
- The depreciation @ 5% is to be provided on the book value of the building.
- The club sold its car at a loss of $500 during the year. No depreciation is to be provided on car.
Required: Using above information, prepare an income and expenditure account for the year ended 2018 and a balance sheet as on December 31, 2018.
Stationary expense for the the year = Opening balance of stationary + Stationary purchased during the year – Closing balance of stationary
= $250 + $400 – $190
Tax expenses for the year = Taxes paid – Taxes paid in advance
= $750 – $150*
*Advance payment of taxes:
The taxes have been paid for fifteen months ( i.e., for current year as well as for first three months of the next year).
($750/15) × 3
Telephone charges = Telephone charges paid + Telephone charges outstanding
= $300 + $75
Miscellaneous expenses = Miscellaneous expenses paid during the year – Miscellaneous expenses for the last year
= $800 – $100
*Computation of capital fund:
Capital fund = Assets at the beginning of the year – Liabilities at the beginning of the year
= (Building + Car + Investment + Subscription receivable + Stock of stationary + Cash) – (Miscellaneous expenses payable)
= ($20,000 + $2,500 + $18,500 + $1,000 + $250 + 1,500) – ($100)


text:
Ensemble Kalman filter data assimilation (DA) can now be conducted within the software framework of CESM. This form of DA uses the multi-instance capability of CESM in which CESM advances an ensemble of model states of one or more CESM components forward to the same forecast time, when observations are available. Then the ensemble of forecast model states is passed to the Data Assimilation Research Testbed (DART), where each state is adjusted toward the observations which are available at that time. For details of this process see an introduction in BAMS (2009) and/or the DART home page. DART then passes the ensemble of adjusted model states back to CESM to be used as initial conditions for the next forecast.
The references above describe the many uses of ensemble data assimilation, which include:
generation of analyses (blends of model forecast and observations which are a better description of the physical system than either by itself),
model development testing against actual observations (as opposed to other analyses),
sensitivity analysis between model variables of interest in a particular synoptic situation,
variability studies using the ensemble of equally valid model states, observation system simulation experiments (OSSEs).
This use case outlines assimilation for a CAM (F comp set) build only. Assimilation is possible with the ocean component (B comp sets), and experimental assimilations with the land component (I comp sets) have been conducted. Additional use case descriptions will be added to cover those and any future evolution of the CESM+DART software. This use case assumes that the user is familiar with setting up and using CESM, and is willing to learn how to set up and use DART in the CESM context. There is no simple example which users can grab and run, because understanding what is being run is crucial to success and there are many choices to be made.
The major steps of assimilating observations into CAM follow.
Download DART. DART relieves researchers of the need to develop data assimilation capabilities, but familiarity with data assimilation and the DART facility is required in order to use it productively. This can be gained through the DART tutorial.
Build the DART executables for a simple model to check that DART has been installed correctly.
Build the DART executables for CAM, following a similar procedure to 2.
The script.../DART/models/cam/CESM_setup.csh builds a CAM which combines the user's desired features and DART's required features. The characteristics of the CAM and assimilation set in CESM_setup.csh are:
locations of the build, run, and archive directories,
features of the $CASE to be built,
locations of input files, including the initial ensemble of CAM (and CLM and CICE) states
date and timing characteristics of the assimilation,
machine and resource characteristics.
- Copy CESM_setup.csh to the directory where the user wants to build CAM. - Edit that CESM_setup.csh to set most of the assimilation parameters. - Run CESM_setup.csh.
Set the rest of the assimilation parameters:
- cd to $CASE - Edit input.nml to set other characteristics of the assimilation. For details see the online help pages or the html in the user's $DART/filter/filter.html#GettingStarted. - Edit assimilate.csh to set the location of the observations to be assimilated. Sets of real observations are available for use, or synthetic observations can be created using the user's model.
Submit the job using $CASE.submit in the $CASEROOT directory.
Output from the assimilation is handled by the CESM archiver(s), which has been modified to handle DART output. Output appears in a new short-term archive directory.../archive/.../dart/hist. The 3 files created at each assimilation time are
Prior_Diag.YYYY-MM-DD-SSSSS.nc: the ensemble mean, spread, members (optionally), and 'inflation' fields from before the assimilation (at the end of the forecast).
Posterior_Diag.YYYY-MM-DD-SSSSS.nc: same as Prior, but from after the assimilation.
obs_seq.YYYY-MM-DD-SSSSS.final: the actual observations assimilated and the ensemble members estimates of those observations.
The obs_seq.final files are usually processed by the obs_diag program in DART (.../DART/diagnostics/threed_sphere/obs_diag.f90), and the resulting NetCDF files are usually processed with Matlab scripts included in DART (or similar). Little knowledge of Matlab is needed to use them. The Prior and Posterior files can be examined with any NetCDF viewing tool.


text:
THE UDL RULES
Here are 10 easy rules that capture the basics of our Ultimate Dodgeball League.
- Our Dodgeball court is about the quarter of size of a large gymnasium with a centerline and 8 players are on each side of the court.
- Dodgeball is primarily self-refereed, and played with the honor rules. During league play, there are 2 referees stationed at the end of the centerline, that help facilitate the game. Referees start the game, confirm hits and catches, and count ball possession time.
- There are 6 balls, split into 2 even groups on the centerline. During the opening rush (when the game starts), players may retrieve balls or throw/roll them back to their teammates
- You are out if: 1) you step on or over the centerline; 2) a thrown live ball hits your body(below shoulders while standing); and 3) you throw a live ball and it is caught by an opponent.
- A thrown live ball can only hit out 1 player. Thrown balls that hit the ground, the wall, other balls, a teammate, or other objects before hitting the opponent are considered dead balls, and are ineligible to hit players out.
- You may block a thrown ball with a held ball. However, if you drop the blocking ball during the act of blocking, or if you fail to make a clean block (as in the thrown ball still ends up hitting or grazing your body afterwards), you are out.
- If you are out, sit on the bench on your side in the order you got out (think of it as being in an "resurrection" line). If your teammate catches a ball, the player at the start of your team's "resurrection" line comes back into play (the teammate must be in the line at the time of the catch to be eligible to be brought back in).
- You can only hold a ball for 10 seconds, afterwards, it will be considered dead. Dead balls need to be rolled over immediately to the other team.
- If the game comes down to 1 player per side, they have 10 seconds to hit each other out; if not, "Showdown" comes into effect. The game is paused, each player gets two balls, two balls are lined up at the ends of the centerline, and the centerline is dissolved. The first player to get the other player out wins.
- Have fun, shake hands, make friends and be spirited!


text:
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Competitive neutrality means that state-owned and private businesses compete on a level playing field. This is essential to use resources effectively within the economy and thus achieve growth and development. Therefore the principle of competitive neutrality is gaining wide support around the world. But how to obtain it in practice, is a much more difficult question.
The purpose of this report is to help respond to this question. The report identifies the most important issues that governments need to address in order to achieve competitive neutrality. It is framed around eight building blocks, including choosing the best corporate form, achieving a commercial rate of return, accounting for public service obligations, improving debt neutrality, and making public procurement open and transparent. It provides country examples of how to implement competitive neutrality policies in practice.
The report is not about privatisation. Rather, it aims to provide guidance to policy makers who want to make sure that the presence of the state owned enterprises in the market place does not thwart private entrepreneurs, skew competition or lead to other inefficiencies. Understanding how to avoid unintended economic consequences that may follow from state ownership is particularly important for policy makers that face the challenge to balance the commercial objectives of state owned enterprises with other important policy objectives: A challenge that permeates all levels of government.
The book may be read in conjunction with two publicly available stocktaking papers:
Overview of OECD work on competitive neutrality

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


You will require a password from your builder to access My Builder
You will require a password from your builder
A: 230 x 76 x110mm. Of course, not everyone follows these measurements to the letter, but this is the 'Australian Standard'.
A: These are bricks built to withstand saline (salty) environments and their exposure grading is determined by a lab test. They are recommended when building up to 1km from a surf coast or up to 100m from a non-surf coast.
A: Efflorescence is a fancy way of describing the white, salty powder that sometimes appears on bricks (usually from salts in cement and mortar). Fortunately, the powder is completely harmless and will usually weather away with time. You can brush it off, although it may return if the salt source is still active.
A: The most common mix is a) one part cement, b) one part lime and c) six parts sand (M3 1:1:6, though the 'Australian Standard' lists 7 other mix options). Whichever mix you choose, however, we strongly recommend one containing lime as it makes the mortar more durable and less prone to cracks.
A: 'Thermal Lag' is a term used to describe the way bricks both absorb and release heat slowly (hence the 'lag' part). It helps keep brick homes cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
A: The best time to clean brickwork is while it is being laid. Mortar smears should be cleaned as soon as possible using a scrubbing brush, running water and a sponge. If mortar hardens, acid cleaning can be used, but only as a last resort.
A: PGH bricks are made from clay, shale and other minerals that are moulded into the 'brick' shape then fired (cooked) at temperatures up to 1200°C.
A: Actually they're better. Thanks to improved technology, not only are today's bricks are stronger than ever before, they also come in a wider variety of colours and textures.
A: A brick's 'face' is the side designed to be seen. Most bricks only have one 'face' and therefore it is important that bricklayers lay them correctly.
A: Bricks with holes (or 'extruded bricks') are manufactured with these holes to ensure that when they are fired, they cook evenly. The holes, up to 30% of material thickness, have no effect on the insulation or fire resistance of the brick (as confirmed by Australian Standards).
A: Yes. In fact, bricks are one of the few construction materials that can. The only circumstance where a brick might not be suitable for reuse is if that brick was not manufactured for a saline environment or wasn't intended to be a 'face' brick.
A: Absolutely. Bricks have a remarkably low environmental cost, an extraordinary long life. Their thermal mass even reduces the need for artificial heating and cooling.
A: When designing energy efficient buildings, the architect and consulting engineers need to be able to calculate the heat loss or gain of materials used to construct the buildings. This is why building materials are categorises into 3 categories: Light (L), Medium (M) and Dark (D). Light coloured being a low solar absorptance and Dark coloured being a higher solar absorptance.
A: Yes. Depending how these pavers are laid, however, not all are right for all driveways. Please call us on 13 15 79 if you need more information.
A: Not all pavers are manufactured for use in marine environments. Fortunately, PGH has a large selection of products that are suitable for these environments.
A: There are definitely situations where a slope may be too steep for laying pavers. The best way to discover if your driveway is suitable is to discuss it with your licensed tradesperson.
A: The majority of PGH pavers are sealed with Pavegard. This coating that helps guard against efflorescence and staining.
A: No. Due to issues with staining and drainage, it is an industry practice not to lay pavers on crusher dust.
A: We guarantee that all our products will be fit for purpose. Due to the natural variation that occurs in fired clay products affecting colour, texture and other features, however, we can't guarantee our products will match any sample or brochure.
A: PGH pavers are made from fired clay, ensuring their colour and strength will last a lifetime.
A: The minimum amount varies between states due to different packaging configurations. To check the minimum in your state call us on 13 15 79.
Yes. Cultured Stone products are suitable for both, and allow you to bring the outdoors inside, emphasizing design and continuity in colour and texture.
Base colour is blended throughout the entire product. Colour overtones are applied and integrated into the product during the casting process.
Cultured Stone is the registered brand name for our extensive line of manufactured stone veneer products.
Cultured Stone products are cast in moulds taken from carefully-selected natural stone, using a process that faithfully captures even the faintest detail. Each colour and texture uses its own blend of Portland cement, lightweight natural aggregates and iron oxide pigments. Even on close examination, these manufactured stones look and feel just like the originals.
Flat pieces are sold by the carton in square metre lots, and corner pieces (by the carton) are sold by the linear metre. Watertables / Sills and Cap Stones are also available.
The installed cost of Cultured Stone products is usually much lower than the installed cost of natural stone. Cultured Stone products require no additional footings, foundations or wall ties (depending on height), and installation time will be considerably less than when using natural stone.
As Cultured Stone products are a lightweight concrete material, they typically last as long as any quality concrete or masonry material such as concrete block, brick etc. Cultured Stone products carry a 50 year limited warranty.
Occasional washing to remove surface dust and dirt is all that is required. Cultured Stone products are virtually maintenance free. Never use any harsh detergents or chemicals on Cultured Stone products.
Cultured Stone products may be applied over most properly prepared, clean, untreated, structurally sound wall surfaces such as wood, wallboard, masonry or metal. See the Cultured Stone Installation Instructions for details. _URL_ PGH BRICKS & PAVERS PTY LTD
Just as natural stone, Cultured Stone products will experience normal weathering during the life of the installation, no different than any other cement based material. See actual printed warranty for details.
Brick Terms
The sharp edge formed by any two surfaces meeting at an angle.
Brickwork, normally of a contrasting colour or texture, one or more courses high.
The specific production run of bricks or pavers.
Building Code of Australia.
The edges of the face of some bricks are bevelled or sloped, providing a softer decorative effect.
A mixture of two or more brick types.
Brick sand
Also called 'brickies sand'. Common term for sand used for making mortar. Colour can vary by region and therefore impact the mortar colour achieved.
Brick Veneer
Construction where a timber or metal frame is covered with a lining material for internal walls and a single leaf or layer of brickwork forms the exposed exterior of the building.
An aesthetic treatment during firing to create light to dark blushes. Also known as 'flashing'.
Bricks that are to be covered up, or used where they are not seen.
Very fine non-structural cracks on the face of the brick.
Damp course
A course, or layer, of impervious material in a wall or floor to prevent the migration of moisture. Also called 'damp-proof course' or DPC. The Building Code of Australia requires the DPC to visibly extend beyond the mortar.
Dry Pressed bricks
Solid bricks that are made by pressing clay into individual moulds.
A white or sometimes coloured powder, often furry in appearance, that can form on the surface of brickwork. This is caused by salt deposits in the mortar and can easily be brushed off. It disappears over time.
The long surface of a brick to be exposed in a wall.
A method used during firing to create light to dark blushes or areas of deepened colour.
Footings or foundations
The base of a building, usually concrete, designed to transfer loads to the ground.
A glass substance melted onto bricks to create glossy spots.
Full or double brick
Construction where most of the external and internal walls are made of brick. The external walls are usually composed of two layers of brick, with a 50mm cavity between them.
A red, or sometimes orange, aesthetic burn on the brick face.
How the layer of mortar between two bricks is finished.
Containing only one colour.
A mixture of lime, cement, sand and water.
Owner builder
A builder who controls the building process of their own home, managing the project and coordinating subcontractors.
A package or bundle of bricks or pavers prepared for delivery.
A brick face texture where the face of a brick is chipped off.
A texturing process where a coloured solution is applied and kiln fired into the body of the brick to create a permanent, ceramic finish.
Tumbled or rumbled
A term used to describe the distortion of brick edges.
A form of efflorescence derived from yellow or green salt deposits that is particularly visible on light-coloured bricks.
Weighted Sound Reduction Index (Rw)
A measure of the reduction in sound level passing through a wall.
Wirecut bricks
Also called extruded bricks, these are bricks with holes made by forcing a column of clay through a die,


How Artificial Intelligence Affects Software Testing
How Artificial Intelligence Affects Software Testing
January 13 14:31 2020
There are countless headlines on the net about AI and the way it transforms everything. What about its impact on software testing? How can AI testing change the future for QA? If you still don't know the answers, it's time to look behind the curtain of this cutting-edge technology. As always, QATestLab presents useful info to help you to be well-oriented in the latest trends.
What is Artificial Intelligence in Software Testing?
Manual and Automation – these two leading testing warriors effectively go hand in hand to detect software errors and defects. Still, we have something to be improved. Line after line of 'clicking this', 'checking that' – this approach is incredibly expensive in both time and money. But AI has all chances to resolve this problem once and for all.
So, what is AIOf course, it's less about HAL 9000 from Kubrick's Space Odyssey, and more about algorithms and statistical models. In fact, one of the most popular applications of AI is machine learning. It is a set of algorithms that allows teaching machines to perform human-like tasks without explicitly programming procedures. Machines just learn from experience and adjust to new inputs.
What is artificial intelligence in testing? AI promises to handle repetitive, monotonous responsibilities and so free up time to more valuable work. AI software testing can deal with writing, executing, and testing code. But this is not just the automation of routine pieces of work. This procedure is continually improving as AI devices constantly learning from human input.
Artificial Intelligence vs Automated testing
Isn't AI just automated testing? Well, although these terms are often used interchangeably, they have slightly different meanings. Automation is the part of software testing, but it can or can not be powered with Artificial Intelligence.
Automation is mainly developing an application that is adapted to do things automatically with minimal human assistance. Artificial Intelligence, in turn, is a branch of computer science and engineering of making intelligent machines.
Manual Testing and AI
So many talks about AI for automated testing and no single word about manual testing. Why so? It is logical, it is practically impossible to involve AI into hand-crafted testing. It is manual on its essence. But this doesn't mean AI can offer nothing for manual testing. Right now we have the following solutions:
 - AI can identify critical areas in the code
 - AI can be used for tools to validate UI
 - AI can keep the existing scripts updated automatically
Nevertheless, in most cases, AI is used for automated testing, and its main purpose is to improve automation.
Applications of AI in testing: Opportunities & Real cases
How to use AI for software testing? From functional to non-functional, it can be used for every software testing scenario. Identifying and resolving test errors and even performing usability testing – all this can be improved by AI's advanced abilities. Here are key applications for this:
Application of AI in testing
Automating writing test cases. With AI, testers can get rid of flaky test cases and maintenance of unit tests. This occurs through the following way: detecting code that isn't covered by existing test suites, traversing the control path of the source code, figuring out which parameters need to be passed into a method under test. As a result, testers are happy because AI generates new improved unit tests.
Automating API test generation. The biggest problem with creating API is that it often requires repeating countless user's actions. AI has a solution for this. It can recognize patterns inside the traffic, create a comprehensive data model of observed parameters, and then generate needle test that will work much more effectively.
Visual validation automation testing. Visual validation is impossible without Selenium. Still, this platform has a certain set of challenges. AI and machine learning algorithms, in turn, promise to provide self-healing at runtime to address the common maintainability problems.
Self-healing the execution of Selenium tests. Selenium is widely used for UI testing, but again this platform is far from being perfect. Users have lots of problems with maintainability and stability. AI, in turn, offers self-healing the execution of Selenium tests. These tests can find elements across all environments and learn from "human-in-the-loop" intervention.
AI & ML Tools for Automated Testing
Lots of promises from AI, but how to turn them into reality? Indeed, the easiest way to observe the power of AI is the usage of various tools and frameworks. Here are some of the most popular AI testing tools and its brief description:
Testing Tools for AI
Applitools. This AI software is a full-packaged automation framework that makes visual testing very easy. Tackling visual UI regression testing, Applitools easily catch any defects and errors an app may have.
Sauce Labs. This app will come in handy if there is a need to run continuous integration tests securely and efficiently. The main focus here is testing on the cloud. Sauce Labs developers use AI to gather, examine, and observe production user data to generate a smarter type of regression testing.
Test.AI. Test.AI is mainly used as an extension for tools like Selenium and Appium. It allows executing test cases faster and having errors or breaks a little less often. All this because can find any common element in the apps such as search text boxes, login buttons. In such a way, QA engineers don't have to worry about all those magic IDs, CSS, or XPaths.
Mabl. Just like Test.AI, Mabl uses machine learning to eliminate the need for writing huge lines of code by hand. In Mabl language, you "train" your tests to interact with your program. When you're done with training, your enhanced tests will run at a predetermined amount of time and alert you.
ReTest. This artificial intelligence software operates similar to all the previous AI-driven platforms. The only difference is that it is suitable for non-programmers. Here there is no need to code.
TestCraft. Another platform powered with machine learning algorithms that work on top of Selenium. It requires absolutely no programming skills. TestCraft allows manual testers to create tests quickly & eliminate maintenance overhead.
The Future of AI for Software Testing
Welcome to the world of automation with AI! The digital wagon of this modern world is already running on the machine learning driven fuel. Software testing is not an exception. AI allows QA engineers focus on more complex tasks, replacing the monotony of the testing process with the word "creation".
All this is actually good. But, what's next? To summarize, we can say that testing with the participation of living people will not go anywhere in the near future, but machine learning will allow us to change this work.
Have something to add? Feel free to give your opinion in the comment section below. Visit our blog to learn more about the latest trends in the world of technology and Quality Assurance / Quality Control processes.
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Raymond Loewy: Google Doodle celebrates 120th birthday of the 'father of industrial design'
Loewy is widely considered to have revolutionized his industry creating product designs for everything from refrigerators to cars and spacecraft
Google has marked the 120th birth anniversary of industrial designer Raymond Loewy.
He is widely considered to have revolutionized the industry creating product designs for everything from refrigerators to cars, cigarette packets and spacecraft.
He also designed logos for Exxon and Shell as well as the former BP logos. He was also responsible for the design of the Coca-Cola vending machines and the iconic Greyhound Scenicruiser bus.
Loewy, considered by many to be the father of industrial design, was born in Paris on November 5, 1893.
Whilst serving in the army during the first World War he was injured and boarded a ship to America in 1919. Loewy claimed to have made the trip to America with only his French officer's uniform and $50 in his pocket.
After initially working as a window designer for department stores, and as an illustrator for for Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, he received his first industrial design commission in 1929.
His first commission was from Sigmund Gestetner, a British manufacturer of duplicating machines, who called on Loewy to improve the appearance of a mimeograph machine. Further commissions followed before in the mid-1930s he opened a London office that continues to operate to this day.
The work of his design firm was said to be so prolific that Loewy once declared: "the average person, leading a normal life, whether in the country, a village, a city, or a metropolis, is bound to be in daily contact with some of the things, services, or structures in which R.L.A [Raymond Loewy Associates] was a party during the design or planning stage."
Among his main clients was the Pennsylvania Railroad, for whom he designed passenger locomotives, developing a distinctive shroud design for K4s Pacific #3768 to haul his newly redesigned 1938 Broadway Limited. He also had a strong relationship with the US car maker Studebaker, among many others.
Today's doodle shows a locomotive bearing a resemblance to the K4s Pacific #3768 shroud design.
It uses the wheels of the train to form the word Google.


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AbstractDuring the World War II theory of the magnetron was developed by S. Tomonaga in collaboration with M. Kotani. Assuming a parabolic potential between the cathode and the cylindrical anode of the magnetron, he calculated the electron orbits perturbed by the oscillating field of the anode. Secular change of the electron orbit results in the formation of rotating space charge inside the split-anode magnetron, which is found to enhance the oscillating field when a resonance condition is satisfied. Professor Koichi Shimoda 1.


Hot News >
The Proper Role of Science: Sir Peter Gluckman
posted Mar 6, 2017, 2:49 PM by SOS SaveOceanScience [ updated Mar 6, 2017, 2:50 PM ]
The Proper Role of Science: Sir Peter Gluckman
( REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom )
Listen to Full Episode 54:00
The Harper government muzzled scientists. Donald Trump's administration is now doing the same. But a better relationship between science and government is possible. Sir Peter Gluckman is the Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of New Zealand. This episode draws on a conversation he had with host Paul Kennedy and a talk he gave organized by Canadian Science Policy Centre, and hosted by the Institute for Science Society and Policy at the University of Ottawa. His point: science's proper role is to help decision-makers make scientifically-informed decisions.
Science is in trouble: it's under attack from the outside and elitist on the inside. So what should science be doing?
01:19 01:19
Science in a troubled age
"Is scientific advice of any value at all? If experts in a post-trust, post-truth world are marginalised as elites and can't solve our problems anyhow, do they have any value? In my opinion, scientific advice in this context is more important than ever...
Scientific uncertainties can be inappropriately exploited and injected into complex societal debates. We've seen many values debates obscured by inappropriate co-option of science to avoid the values debate. We've seen that in climate change, where there wasn't really a lot of debate over anthropogenic climate change for a long time. But there were awkward economic debates to be had. We're seeing it over the safety of genetically modified foods and so forth. And I think this issue of science being misused as a proxy for societal values-based debate is very bad. I think it short-changes democracy."
Science as elitist
"The scientific community is not beyond reproach. Science can get easily caught up in an elitist framing, particularly when we're arrogant. Because we must admit that science cannot solve every problem. Nor can we claim that it does. Nor can we claim that we know better than politicians how to solve the problems of the world.
We've seen many examples of scientists expressing considerable hubris and arrogance in trying to say they know what to do and ignoring the many other dimensions of addressing a problem. And of course, science is not the only input into policy-making."
Science vs common sense
"I think the issue [is] how you interpret the data. For example, you could pour a whole of the data into a computer and it might turn out something like: "where people eat more ice cream, there are more burglaries" -- to use a silly example. It doesn't mean that ice cream eating causes people to be naughty and steal things. What it's just telling you is there's a confounder, and the confounder is on hot days, people leave their windows open, and where windows are open, burglars are more likely to enter them.
You can't look at data without having an understanding of the system within which the data is looking. And particularly, just using that simple example, if you knew nothing about anything else you might naively think that eating ice cream caused people to become burglars.
But when you get into things like the relationship between poverty and crime, or environmental contamination and ill health, these issues become really important. And you have to have expert domain knowledge to interpret what the data might be saying to you, and to ask the right questions of the data."
Making science accessible
"I think if we go back to when I was a young scientist -- which was a few decades ago -- I think those scientists [who] appeared in the media were seen to be show ponies. It was disregarded. They lost respect from their colleagues. Now I think we understand that scientists who are good communicators are critical parts of the relationship between science and the rest of society. And that relationship is critical if science is to be well-used by society."
Scientists as knowledge brokers
"Scientists especially in the brokerage role need to recognize that in a democracy, policymakers have the right to ignore -- but hopefully not to deny -- the evidence, even if in my view it's unwise and ultimately counterproductive to do so. But the reasons they might ignore the evidence might involve many values-based considerations that scientific knowledge could inform but cannot resolve: political ideology, public opinion, fiscal consequences, diplomatic consequences, etc. The nature of democracy means that there are always multiple trade-offs at play in every decision a government makes, and different stakeholders have very different perspectives."


How much did that set you back? (Money phrasal verbs)
by Kate Woodford
Persley Photographics (c)/Moment/Getty
Persley Photographics (c)/Moment/Getty
This week we're looking at the wealth of phrasal verbs in English that relate to money, including those used for having and not having money, those for saving money and those for spending it. Starting with a very common phrasal verb, if you pay off a sum that you owe to a bank or person, you give them all of it: I'm hoping to pay off the debt within two years.
As regards spending money, if you pay a lot for something, especially when you don't want to, you may use the informal phrasal verb fork out: I'm not forking out fifty dollars for a ticket!
If you spend part of an amount of money that you have saved, you might say you dip into that amount: Unfortunately, I had to dip into my savings to pay for the repairs.
If you say that something sets you back a particular sum, you mean that it costs that amount:
It's a nice car, but it'll set you back thirty thousand pounds.
How much did that set you back?
Meanwhile, in UK English, someone who buys something expensive may be said to splash out: She splashed out on a fancy new camera.
Still with spending money, if you settle up with someone, you pay them the money that you owe them: You get the tickets, Evan, and I'll settle up with you later.
If several people who are buying one thing together chip in (UK, informal), they all give some money towards it: We all chipped in and bought James a really smart coffee machine.
As for saving money, if you put away a sum of money, you save it, usually in a bank: He puts away a little every month.
Other 'away' phrasal verbs are used with this meaning, though they often have the extra meaning of 'to hide' or 'to save secretly'. Salt away and squirrel away are two such phrasal verbs:
He'd salted away several thousand pounds over the years and no one knew.
She had a fortune squirrelled away.
Some phrasal verbs relate to having not enough money. Someone who scrapes by, only has enough money to pay for the basic things they need: Even with both of us working full-time, we only just scrape by.
With too little money, someone might decide to cut back on what they spend, by intentionally spending less: I'm trying to cut back on my expenses.
They might also borrow a sum of money from a friend to tide them over for a short period. To tide someone over is to supply someone for a short time with money: I gave her a hundred pounds to tide her over till she gets paid.
Finally, someone who comes into money, receives it after a relation dies: She came into a bit of money when her grandfather died.
13 thoughts on "How much did that set you back? (Money phrasal verbs)
 1. Pingback: How much did that set you back? (Money phrasal verbs) – Cambridge Dictionary About words blog (July 27, 2016) | Editorial Words
 2. Hello Kate, let me express my gratefulness for this useful post, these phrasal are usually used in everyday conversation and I've improve a bit more my vocabulary, thank you so much.
 However, I would like to ask you for help because I have not understood "sets you back" phrasal at all. Could you explain me that? With another example maybe!
 1. Kate Woodford
 Hi Javier! Thanks for your lovely feedback – it's so nice to hear! Regarding 'set you back' perhaps it might help if you think of a sentence with the verb 'cost' in it, for example, 'The trip will cost (you) a thousand Euros.' Now replace 'cost (you)' with 'set you back', so 'The trip will set you back a thousand Euros.' It really just means 'cost' and is usually used about large sums of money. I hope that helps! All the best to you.
 3. Ivan
 Hi, Kate. You write really interesting and useful articles. I've enriched my vocabulary because of you. I only wanted to ask if you could place all phrasal verbs' list in the end of the article in order to memorize without looking through the text every time?
 1. Kate Woodford
 Ivan, thanks for the lovely feedback! That's a really interesting suggestion regarding the vocabulary. I'm going to discuss it with the team next week. All the best!
 4. Khairil
 Hi Kate thanks for your articles. I'm from Malaysia. Most of these words really useful and makes my daily usage vocab more richness. I'm agree with Ivan if you could listed the word at the end of the articles so easier for us to memorize it.
 5. vasudevan ragunathan
 Hi Kate. Thanks for this article and the various usage of various terms concerning money matters. Gee i never realized that there were so many. I have been using some myself and now i have a coulpe more that i can use in my daily conversations. Cheers. Devan from Malaysia
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|A Debate Dashboard to Support the Adoption of Online Knowledge Mapping Tools
This event took place on 31st March 2010 at 11:30am (10:30 GMT)
Knowledge Media Institute, Berrill Building, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, MK7 6AA
Several web tools, also known as argument mapping tools, have been developed so far, which apply an organizational and visualization approach based on argument mapping. An argument map is a representation of reasoning in which the evidential relationships among claims are made wholly explicit using graphical or other non-verbal techniques. Argument mapping provides a logical rather than time-based debate representation of users' contributions. This representation model has proved to provide users with several advantages, such as: i. encouraging evidence-based reasoning and critical thinking; ii. improving the understanding of wide amount of knowledge; iii. driving conversation toward effective deliberation; iv. expanding our capacity to grasp more complex discussions. Nevertheless those technologies still do not have widespread diffusion and the level of adoption is low.
The aim of my PhD thesis is to investigate new technological solutions to support the adoption of argument mapping tools. The main barrier to the adoption of mapping tools is the existence of constraints to the conversation that force users to respect pre-established communication formats and rules. Moreover, the literature suggests that the loss of information and feedback during conversation represents another important barrier to the adoption of mapping tools. Therefore, the loss of immediacy, due to the formalization, coupled with the lack of information about users, interaction processes, and generated content, entails the users a higher cognitive effort and time consuming to learn how to use the tool. This makes the benefit/cost ratio too low for the average user, thus causing limited adoption (Davis, 1989). To tackle this problem, we propose a Debate dashboard in order to provide users with visual feedback about the interaction between users and the content generated by them. This feedback aims at reducing cognitive efforts and making the benefits associated with using of arguments maps more evident. The dashboard will be composed of visualization tools which deliver such feedback.
The webcast was open to 100 users
| Click below to play the event (5 minutes)|
|Apologies for the occasional audio artifact in the recording.|


Plumbing Tips To Keep Cat And Dog Hair Out Of Drains
Having a pet is a huge responsibility. Pets can add wear and tear to carpets, furnishings and plumbing in your Annapolis home. Keeping drains and pipes free from clogs and chewing can be a daunting task, but can also be accomplished in a few simple steps.
Annapolis, MD Drain Cleaning ServicesPrevent Fur Clogs
Giving your dog a bath is a great way to keep their fur looking great and keep dirt and debris off of their skin. Dogs with longer fur can tend to shed year round and so clogs can happen. The best way to keep fido's hair from clogging your drain is to use a drain strainer. This will catch the fur and keep it from building up in the pipes and causing a clog.
Cover Exposed Pipes
In bathrooms and kitchens we can sometimes see exposed pipes. Small animals (puppies) really love to chew and do not make a discerned difference between pipes and chew toys. Be sure to cover these exposed pipes to keep them out of fido's mouth. Chew scores can not only damage the pipe, but may also cause fido to get sick if piping material is swallowed.
Open Drains And Pipes
Places like laundry and utility rooms can sometimes have open drain pipes. These are a multifaceted issue when animals are in the home. First, hair and fur from the animals can build up and cause drains to become clogged. Second, kittens and toy breeds of dogs and puppies can fall into these open drains and get caught. This is not only a nasty clog, but the animal can become harmed.
A third issue with open drains is the possibility of animal toys or other refuse falling into the drain and clogging it. Make sure that all open drains have some form of covering that cannot be easily removed or pushed aside. If an animal does happen to fall into an open drain, call a professional immediately.
Do Not Flush
Many cat products claim to be flushable. This is simply not true. The only thing that should be put into a toilet to be flushed is human refuse and toilet paper. Cat litter will build up and cause clogs in your Annapolis home's pipes. As the litter is flushed into the system, it will cause scratches and abrasions to the piepes that can eventually cause breaks and splits to the pipes. Do not ever flush cat litter.
Don't let your fluffy pup clog up your drain! If you need drain cleaning in your Annapolis, MD home call Heidler Plumbing INC. at _PHONE_ today!


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What's the Latest Development?
The ability to respond sensitively to loved ones can be carried across different types of relationships, says a new study out of the University of East Anglia, UK. "Looking at 125 couples with children aged 7 to 8 years, the study...examined a few factors: the way the couples are attached toward each other; the parenting styles they use with their children; and their 'caregiving responsiveness'," defined as the capacity to be tuned into what another person needs. "If you can do responsive caregiving, it seems that you can do it across different relationships," said Abigail Millings, lead author of the study.
What's the Big Idea?
Being a responsive caregiver means identifying when someone has had a bad day, for example, and knowing how to respond appropriately. It also means knowing how to respond to the good stuff in life. But because the study's data do not speak to causality, Millings wants to explore how caregiving and parenting relate to one another in other family structures. If it is found that improving caregiving responsiveness in one relationship does indeed improve relationship functioning elsewhere, "it may be possible to use this idea to design a self-help program that enables people to improve their own relationships."
Photo credit: Shutterstock.com


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Dark-Adapted Two-Color Fundus-Controlled Perimetry in Macular Telangiectasia Type 2.
Heeren TFC., Tzaridis S., Bonelli R., Pfau M., Fruttiger M., Okada M., Egan C., Charbel Issa P., Holz FG.
Purpose: Macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel) is a bilateral neurodegenerative disorder of the central macula. Previous findings indicated more functional impairment in low light conditions. We sought to further characterize retinal dysfunction using dark-adapted two-color fundus-controlled perimetry ("scotopic microperimetry"). Methods: Participants of the MacTel Natural History Observation Registry study and age-matched healthy controls underwent retinal imaging including dual wavelength autofluorescence macular pigment optical density (MPOD) measurement. Retinal sensitivity was assessed with scotopic microperimetry using cyan (505 nm) and red (627 nm). Disease was graded into classes of MPOD loss (0 to 3). For perimetry analysis, the differences of the mean sensitivities (MacTel minus controls) were compared at each test location and the results were aggregated to global indices. Results: Thirty-four eyes (19 patients, mean age 62.2 years) were compared with 25 eyes (25 controls, mean age 61.5 years). Both cyan and red sensitivity were lower in MacTel. This was more pronounced at oneand three-degree eccentricity. Eyes with MPOD class 0 did not exhibit a functional deficit. Class 1 had impaired cyan, but normal red sensitivity. Class 2 and 3 behaved similarly and had impaired cyan and red sensitivity with a relatively higher cyan impairment. Conclusions: Rods might be compromised to a greater extent than cones. Linking to previous studies, our results might also hint toward (postreceptoral) dysfunction of the cone system in very early disease stages. Macular pigment loss and global perimetry indices seemed to reflect functional impairment and might be useful as adjunct measures for disease progression.


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10 of the Highest Paying Jobs for Veterans
10 of the Highest Paying Jobs for Veterans
The men and women who have served our country face many struggles when they come home. In addition to needing to adjust to life as a civilian, they must seek employment in a job market that doesn't necessarily want to hire veterans. Some of the reasons that employers may not hire veterans include a misunderstanding about the skills offered through the military (including organizational skills and discipline) and negative stereotypes associated with veterans.
Another reason veterans are overlooked for employment is because employers are worried they may be deployed. For example, you wouldn't want someone to help with college homework if you were worried they were going to leave for a vacation, leaving the job unfinished. Despite this negative situation, there are high-paying jobs for veterans—you just have to know where to look.
1. IT Specialist or IT Team Leader
Veterans are known for their technical skills and leadership. This means it is likely you are over-qualified with the skills for this job. While you may need specific certifications depending on the field, some places offer on-the-job training, while IT school is generally a quick, affordable education.
2. Chief Information Security Officer
People with a military background know that protecting information is of the utmost importance. People in this field take advantage of a rising job trend—technology. As technology keeps advancing, so do the number of jobs available in the field. The job is to follow along with new trends in the world of cybersecurity and to provide the latest updates to systems to maintain information integrity.
3. Senior Program Manager
Veterans are taught using a strict regime and project management. This promotes a useful skill in the workplace—the ability to manage and handle projects. A high-ranking veteran may be able to secure this type of job by speaking about their management in the military, while others may need to work up to this position.
4. Construction Project Manager
Are you interested in building things? The unmatched skills that veterans have while managing is a great way to delegate tasks. Another reason this job is a good one is because delegating tasks does not always require physical labor. For disabled veterans who may have an injury, this gives them an opportunity to create good things in the world, regardless of their injury.
5. Telecommunications Equipment Expert
Connecting with people is a great part of any job—but some require only a little small talk and you can focus on the task at hand. This position lets you problem solve as you install and repair telecommunication equipment. You may also be tasked with finding out how to make the necessary connection in people's homes.
6. Logisticians
If you are interested in this position, it provides an interesting challenge for anyone. It also has a high job growth, with an expected 22% increase, or 27,600 new jobs being introduced in the next four years. This job entails acquiring, distributing, and delivering products with the goal of minimizing costs and maximizing efficiency. Additionally, you can find this work in almost any consumer industry.
7. Healthcare
There are many opportunities for employment in the healthcare field, including work as a registered nurse or physical therapist. If you worked in nursing or physical therapy while deployed, focusing on health care gives you a chance to give back while showcasing your skills. Additionally, some nursing programs will let you apply the time you have spent in the field as credits toward your degree, so you need less schooling than the average civilian.
8. Translator or Interpreter
If you were deployed for a long time, it is possible you picked up on some of the native language in an area. This is very useful if you plan on becoming an interpreter or translator following deployment, because finding people who can speak two languages fluently is difficult. Even if you do not choose to go into this field, make sure you add this marketable talent to your resume. Most employers will appreciate your ability to learn a second language.
9. Business Administrator
This field is ideal because it lets veterans showcase leadership skills. However, this is not the only area where veterans excel. Veterans also have high levels of adaptability and problem-solving skills from their military career, which will help a lot in this position. Additionally, it offers many options for moving up in your career, whether to the head of a company or moving on to open your own business.
10. Human Resources Manager
More veterans than ever are being brought into different areas of employment, partially because of the work of Veterans' Affairs. As sensitivity to veteran needs becomes more important, it is likely that more veterans will be hired in this area. This is because veterans know best what people need to find employment after returning from life in the military. If you are interested in this field, it does pay well, but it is also a great chance to give back to other members of service, by easing them through their transitional period.
Veterans are one of the most overlooked minorities for employment for several reasons, including an inability to translate their skills, negative stereotypes, and deployment. This has led to an employment rate higher than it is for non-veteran males in the same demographic, as much as a 10% veteran unemployment rate at times. By looking at the places above, you can find not just a job—but a high-paying job.


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Prescribed Fires Burn Hazardous Fuels at Supawna Meadows Grasslands
Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge staff recently used prescribed fire to control hazardous fuels and reduce the chances of wildfire on refuge land.
Fire control officers burned two areas on the refuge February 19th. Refuge managers targeted one burn area because it was covered mostly by phragmites, a tall, reed-like non-native plant that has invaded marshlands and become a fire hazard. The burn will improve wildlife habitat by returning nutrients to the soil as well as open the marsh to native vegetation.
The project was supported by employees and equipment from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, five national wildlife refuges, the Northeast Region's Zone Fire Program and the Service's New Jersey field office. Fish and Wildlife Service staff came from Blackwater, Supawna Meadows, Great Swamp, Wallkill, and Cape May refuges to work on the project.
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The Chilko sockeye is the Michael Phelps of salmon. Once a year, it swims 650 kilometers up British Columbia's Fraser River, fighting rapids and strong currents, to reach a spot where it can lay and fertilize its eggs. New research reveals that the fish is well-adapted to this journey—it has a bigger, better heart and uses oxygen more efficiently than do other local salmon. And thanks to these attributes, the Chilko sockeye may be more likely than these other fish to survive a warming world.
Not all of the Fraser River's salmon swim as far as the Chilko sockeye. Some stay relatively close to the coast; others swim a bit farther upstream to spawn. There are so many different migration distances that the fish have split into 100 distinct populations—one of which is the Chilko—with different swimming behaviors and body types.
Hot summers take a toll on these migrations. In 2004, for example, 80% of some salmon populations died of heat stress before reaching their spawning destinations. Water temperatures in the Fraser River have risen 2°C in the past 60 years, and, with global warming, researchers expect even bigger die-offs to come. Erika Eliason, a graduate student at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, in Canada, wanted to know whether different populations of Fraser River salmon were better than others at handling the heat.
Over three summers, she caught 97 salmon heading upstream and gave them stress tests in a portable "fish treadmill" mounted on a boat trailer. With the fish in this enclosed tank, she could increase the current speed of the water and raise the water temperature from 8°C to 26°C to determine how well the fish swam at different temperatures. At the same time, Eliason monitored the amount of oxygen in the water to learn how well their bodies were utilizing oxygen, a measure of athletic ability. She then dissected some fish to look at their hearts. All together, she studied individuals from eight populations.
The Chilko sockeye was the most versatile. It swam best at 17°C, a moderate river temperature, but it could cope with the hottest water tested, 26°C. The Weaver sockeye, which spawns downstream of the river's big series of rapids, collapsed in water above 21°C. Its heart was smaller and had a poorer blood supply than did the hearts of Chilko and other salmon populations that had to fight the rapids, Eliason and her colleagues report online today in Science. Moreover, Chilko hearts appear to be more sensitive to adrenaline, making it easier for them to keeping going when overheating. "I was surprised at how much variation there was between populations," Eliason says.
"The message is pretty clear that these sockeye salmon are highly adapted to the energetic demands of their upstream migration," says Brian Riddell, a fisheries scientist who heads the Pacific Salmon Foundation in Vancouver. "I am continually amazed at how well adapted these animals are to their environment."
Evolutionary biologist Michael Kinnison of the University of Maine, Orono, says it's useful to know which populations are most vulnerable to climate change. The Chilko sockeye may do okay, but the Weaver sockeye will likely have a much harder time surviving if the river continues to warm. Still, these vulnerable fish may have other traits—such as disease resistance—that might be valuable under other conditions. So Riddell is calling for protection of all of the Fraser River's salmon populations. That may mean restricting fishing during unusually hot summers to reduce the stress on these fish, Eliason says.
But ecologist Thomas Quinn of the University of Washington (UW), Seattle, questions whether climate change is threatening salmon as much as some experts think and therefore says corrective measures might not be necessary. Aquatic biologist Daniel Schindler of UW agrees, saying that salmon may change the timing of when they go upriver to spawn to avoid extreme river temperatures.


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Even for Experts: Phishing & Training Campaigns set up within seconds with LUCY Software 4.3 [Video]
It can't be better! Cybercrime Prevention in Seconds! Also for Pros: A new Phishing and Training Wizard for Campaign Creation is available in LUCY V4.3. LUCY Software is the leading solution for cybercrime prevention.
Watch the 2-minute video and discover how to set up, start and send a complete simulated phishing attack and a security awareness training course to your employees in two minutes. We explain how this works:
- You need LUCY Server V4.3 as local installation or Cloud Appliance (Download).
- Log into LUCY and select 'New' and 'Campaign Wizard' options in the Campaign Dashboard.
- The wizard for creating the simulated phishing attack will start. Select the type of attack you want to use. Available are hyperlink-based, web-based, file-based, USB attack, Mail+Webfilter test, pure training without attack simulation or the Malware Simulation to test your infrastructure.
- Select the template on which the phishing attack should be based, define the attack language.
- Name your attack scenario and select the client under which the attack should run.
- If you want to add a training to the phishing attack, please select the corresponding checkbox.
- Now define the properties of the phishing attack: attack domain, sender name (of the simulated phishing email), sender email and subject of the message. You can already work with variables to address the victims individually here. The configuration of the attack part is now completed.
- Awareness Training part: Now select the appropriate sensitization training and the language to be used. There are hundreds of quizzes, videos, games, interactive courses, posters, etc. to choose from.
- Now also define the properties of the training lesson: source domain, sender name, sender e-mail and subject. This information is then used to send the user an invitation e-mail to complete the training.
- Select a predefined recipient group that is to receive the attack and the training or enter the recipients now.
- Done! Check your entries in the recapitulation of the phishing and training campaign and
- Press ‚Start'. Alternatively, professionals can go into the detailed settings of the attack and make further revisions! So even specialists benefit from the efficiency gain in campaign creation through the LUCY V4.3 Campaign Wizard.
Strengthen your staff against Internet attacks with LUCY Software! There is no better product for cybercrime prevention.


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Gas Exchange in Fish
Last updated 18 March 2013, created 16 September 2012, viewed 1,816
Good for Revision purposes and main class introduction.
Includes starter activity, an activity including pupils acting gas exchange in fish demonstrating both parallel flow and the benefits of counter current flow, and exam question activity involving the whole class participation. It makes exam question answering that little bit more fun :)


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social justice: promoting respect and equity upon all people of all minority and majority demographics
SJA: short for social justice activist/activism/awareness - promoting social justice with the specific goal of educating people to be more equitable and respectful of all people regardless of demographic (or, someone who does all this). Best taken as a compliment.
SJW: short for social justice warrior/wanker - someone who uses social justice and social justice activism/awareness to bully, harass, and dogpile people, often over semantic mistakes as much as legitimate offense, refusing to accept apologies or acknowledge mistakes for being just that, and general using SJ(A) to be an asshole. As you can probably tell, it's generally not used as a compliment.


When the bell rings at the end of recess, 10-year-old Jordan Duzenack will be taking the slide to return to class at Big Thompson Elementary School.
"We get to go down the slide instead of having to go downstairs," the fourth-grader said about the built-in, embankment slide that offers quick transportation from the upper playground's playing field to the lower playground filled with brand-new playground equipment.
Jordan and her friends rode the slide a few times after school Thursday on the day it opened to the students as part of the playscape dedication ceremony. Donors and supporters of the first natural playscape at a public school in Larimer County turned out to celebrate the completion of the five-year, $540,000 project.
The playscape integrates hands-on learning and playing in the school's outdoor areas that includes a playground, a playing field and learning centers.
"I think it's a lot better than the other one," said 11-year-old Adam Cagnina about the playground. "The other one had old equipment. This one has new climbing equipment and that spinning thing everyone likes."
The spinning thing is a piece of playground equipment with bars for holding on to while twirling above recycled rubber that is soft in case of accidents or falls. The north side of the playground is separated from the upper playground by the eco-zones climbing wall, which contains the slide and pictorial information about the Colorado mountains and animal life.
"Our ultimate goal is to get kids outdoors and help them have a better understanding of their environment," said Linda Strand, GOCO board member.
The playscape includes five main features, the climbing wall, an outdoor education center, a one-eighth-mile eco trail around the upper playground, a water flume that demonstrates how water interacts with the landscape, and a bioswayle drainage area with native vegetation.The upper playground playing field is made out of recycled rubber turf that replaces the much disliked pea gravel.
"It's fabulous. It's totally safe for kids," said Dawn Hennessy, physical education teacher at the school, adding that the pea gravel limited activity and was the source of injuries. "The kids would slip and fall and would get bloody knees."
Construction on the playscape began on the last day of school in 2013 and was mostly completed by the start of school this year.
"It took tremendous effort to get it all done," said Kerri Rollins, school volunteer. "It's better because it incorporates the natural features of the area surrounding the school. It complements the school's focus on nature and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). And it allows for more imaginative play and learning."
The playscape was funded by a $322,200 grant from GOCO, $50,000 from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, $20,000 from the Larimer County Open Lands Program and other sources of funding and in-kind donations from businesses and clubs.
"I like the spinny thing and the bars. The ground is bouncy now, and there's a lot more fun stuff," said Zoe Rollins, a third-grader at the school and daughter of Kerri.


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The ship's anchors, trypots and other parts have been lying amid the coral heads and patches of sand for more than 170 years—never found in part because Kure is so frightening to shipping that most folks try to stay clear.
(Image: A trypot from the Gledstanes lies on the sea floor at Kure Atoll. Trypots are the massive iron containers in which whale blubber was boiled down to oil. Credit: Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.)
The island has a long list of shipwrecks to its credit, including the Gledstanes, the whaler Parker in 1842, the 1870 wreck of the USS Saginaw, the 1886 wreck of the Dunottar Castle and a series of fishing and other boats.
The other islands of the archipelago are also sites of numerous shipwrecks. Pearl and Hermes Atoll is named for two whalers that went aground and ended their careers there.
A marine archaeology crew aboard the NOAA ship Hi'ialakai was specifically looking for evidence of the Gledstanes earlier this week, because they knew it had wrecked on this island. The work at Kure is part of a month-long marine archaeological survey that is trying to document shipwrecks within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, which extends more than 1,000 miles from the waters between Kaua'i and Nihoa, past ten reefs, small islands and atolls, to the waters just west of Kure.
"Today was a great day to be a maritime archaeologist," wrote monument marine archaeologist Kelly Gleason at the monument website on Aug. 13, 2008: _URL_
Archaeologists have looked for the Gledstanes before, but have been thwarted by weather, currents, surf and other issues. This year, conditions were better.
(Image: A diver documents a massive anchor wedged in the Kure Atoll reef. It is believed to have come from the British whaler Gledstanes. Credit: Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.)
"At the end of the first drift dive of the day, the team discovered a pile of iron ballast and some chain. The ballast led a trail into the dramatic spur-and-groove topography of the reef of Kure Atoll, where further artifacts were scattered as they wrecked in 1837. Four massive anchors, iron ballast, what appear to be two cannons and a trypot filled with bricks, copper sheathing and a fastening are all tucked into the dynamic grooves of the reef," Gleason wrote.
The ship was destroyed, but its crew was able to make it ashore on one of the sandy islets within Kure's lagoon. There, they built a 38-foot boat and a small group of them sailed for help, managing to get to Honolulu, where arrangements were made to save the rest of the crew.
"The story of the Gledstanes and her survivors is limited, but adds to the important legacy of shipwreck survival stories at Kure Atoll," said Hans Van Tilburg, maritime heritage coordinator for NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries' Pacific Islands Region.
The researchers did a pile of research to give them an idea where to look in the six-miles-across lagoon.
Some details were provided by cruise participant Dee O'Regan, editor of Sea History Magazine, of the
National Maritime Historical Society.
"When Dr. Hans Van Tilburg began studying historical records for information on USS Saginaw's wrecking event of 1870, he located a hand-drawn map that Saginaw's survivors had made noting the location of the whaler Gledstanes on the east side of the atoll. Armed with an historical chart, notes, and a hand-held GPS, the team searched the spot thought most likely to hold the remains of the ship. After preliminary surface surveys, one dive and there it was. Remarkable," O'Regan wrote in a blog posted at _URL_
Researchers are still looking for other ships, and are trying to identify wreck sites for which they have no clear identities.
© 2008 Jan TenBruggencate


Plant 323
Senegalia senegal (L.) Britton (Fabaceae)
Gum acacia
Acrimonious, arcane argument in the mid-2000s resulted in all African acacias losing their place in the genus Acacia. However, such scientific name shifts change nothing regarding the ecological, cultural, social and economic importance of these leguminous African trees. Researchers from the Oxford Forestry Institute spent decades investigating the biology and genetic improvement of multipurpose African acacias.
Globally, gum arabic is the most economically important material produced by African acacias. The international gum arabic trade is ancient. Egyptians were trading it from at least 3400 BCE, using it in everything from mummification to cosmetics and inks. By the seventeenth century and eighteenth century, gum arabic trade with Europe had shifted to West Africa.
Between 2014 and 2016, crude gum arabic exports from Africa (primarily Sudan) were worth over US$150 million; the majority was imported by France and India. This polysaccharide-rich gum is the dried sap that leaks from the trunks and branches of two African acacias: Senegalia senegal and Vachellia seyal, of which the former is the most important.
Gum arabic dissolves in water to produce highly concentrated, low-viscosity solutions, with multiple traditional and industrial uses where thickening and stabilisation are necessary. Moreover, it is capable of stabilising oil-in-water emulsions.
Traditionally, in Africa, gum arabic is a famine food, which is also used in medicine and in household activities, such as glue and ink making. Industrially, the main use of gum arabic is in confectionary, for texture improvement, and in beverages, as an emulsifier and flavour enhancer. It also has multiple roles in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, printing, photography and firework manufacture.
The natural distribution of Senegalia senegal extends in a band from Senegal through sub-Saharan Africa to the Red Sea, south through East Africa to South Africa across Arabia and into India and Pakistan. It grows best in deep, sandy, well-drained soils in warm, sub-desert environments.
Traditional Sudanese gum gardens evolved from bush-fallow systems where cereal crops were planted annually until the soil was exhausted and cereal yields fell. Crop production was shifted, and the area replanted or regenerated with Senegalia. Since Senegalia fixes nitrogen from the atmosphere, soil fertility of the abandoned areas gradually increased, and eventually cropping cycles could be re-established.
Current desertification in sub-Saharan Africa is being ameliorated by planting gum acacia, which brings benefits to people and the environment. Soil fertility and stability is improved, whilst the trees provide fuel wood, animal fodder and income for local communities.
Further reading
Diop S et al. 2018. Combating desertification and improving local livelihoods through the GGWI in the Sahel Region: the example of Senegal. Journal of Resources and Ecology 9: 257-265.
Fagg CW and Allison GE 2004. Acacia senegal and the gum arabic trade. Oxford Forestry Institute.
UNCTAD 2018. Commodities at a glance: special issue on gum arabic. United Nations.
Stephen Harris


Vedic Tvastr "whose chariot is vehement"
Rulers of Mittani Empire.
The first king was Shuttarana
His dynasty followed the Hindu/Vedic custom of naming the child after paternal Grandfather.
We have Kirata city in Turkey.
Full Name: Kirata
Primary Country Code: TU (Turkey)
First-order administrative division code: 00 (Turkey (general) )
Region Font Code: 4 (Russia/ Central Asia)
Unique Feature Identifier: -753482
Unique Name Identifier: -_PHONE_
Latitude in decimal degrees: 37.733333
Longitude in decimal degrees: 44.016667
Kirta (1500 BCE) = Kreeta/Crown or Kirti=Fame
Shuttarna = Sudhana or Sudharsana (Gautama Buddha's father name was Sudhodana)
Paratarna = Pratardhana in Vishnu Sahsranama
Shaushtatara = Suacadhara (Pure?)
Artatama = Like Rudra Daman.
Shuttarna II
Artashumara = Artha Kumara
Artatama II
Shuttarna III
Shattivaza/ Kirtiwasa = Sathya vakya, Sathya Vacha, Kirti Vacha, Krittivasan is name of Lord Shiva
Shattuvara= Satvavara or Sathyavaran
Wasashatta = Vasu satva or Sathya
Shattuara II =
Shiva is called Kirata,Hunter.
By Ramanis blog
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Advanced Performance (Gifted and Talented)
The Advanced Performance programme is intended to stretch, challenge and enrich the learning of our most able pupils. These pupils are identified using baseline testing (entrance test, Yellis and Alis) and faculty nominations as a result of on-going assessment and progress made in lessons. This is to ensure a much more inclusive system and one that caters for young people whose intellectual development is not necessarily linear. As with all our pupils, our abler are set target grades based on their baseline test results, and progress towards meeting these is assessed through regular data collection points throughout the year. If pupils are not on track they will be mentored or given 1:1 support to be so, and for those who need further challenge target grades are adjusted and replaced by aspirational grades. At all stages, pupils are encouraged to exceed externally set expectations.
Advanced Performance is coordinated and monitored by an experienced Lead Teacher. He liaises with Heads of Faculty and ensures that each faculty has its own subject-specific policy for Advanced Performance, is aware of each pupil's individual strength(s), and regularly reviews its performance in meeting the needs of this important cohort of pupils.
Differentiation occurs in all lessons, even within groups which are taught in sets, to ensure that work is pitched at an appropriately high level to cater for individual needs and interests, and all teachers' incorporate Bloom's taxonomy of higher level thinking into their teaching. Schemes of learning include sections on stretch and challenge, accelerated courses are offered where appropriate, and quality assurance is rigorously maintained to a high standard through lesson observations, learning walks, scrutiny of pupil work and thorough analysis of examination results.
Enrichment across all Key Stages is a key aspect of our Advanced Performance programme and nurturing a love of learning is, we feel, of paramount importance. Hence, each faculty offers at least one in-depth faculty challenge session which gives groups of pupils a chance to experience a unique opportunity for learning outside the normal parameters of the curriculum. This is a chance to foster a love of learning without constraint and to encourage independent learning outside of school. An extensive variety of activities are also available to pupils:
- Enquiring Minds
- Digital Leaders
- Budding Authors
- CASA' (Collegiate Aeronautical and Space Administration)
- Collegiate Chorus
- Cantamus Choir
- Orchestra String Quartets
- Wider activities include Amnesty International, Team Uganda, and Saffi Coffee.
An annual trip to a programme of lectures given by Academy Conferences is offered, and Year 11 pupils who are aspiring for Oxbridge entry are encouraged to set their sights high via the annual 'Aim High' trip to the University of Cambridge in May during which pupils get a chance to meet an Admissions Tutor, tour a College and experience the atmosphere of this famous university city.
Reading lists are available in our Independent Learning Centre to prepare pupils for Oxbridge entry and to develop an appreciation and understanding of philosophy and ethics at various levels.
The school offers Year 5 and 6 Advanced Performance Enrichment Days each year for pupils from local primary schools, with our experienced staff offering a wide range of challenging activities.
Pupils' success is celebrated through the publishing of work in 'Aspire!' showcasing a range of pupils work across all key stages and areas of the curriculum.
Finally, we do not believe in exclusivity. If pupils have a gift or talent, we shall identify it and nurture it. With hard work and the support of a dedicated staff, we do believe that there is 'room at the top' for all those pupils with the potential and commitment to strive for the very best.
For more information contact Mr G R Stephenson, Lead Teacher for Advanced Performance Email: _EMAIL_


Applications of Graph Sampling
Shweta Jain, University of California, Santa Cruz
Thursday, May 3th, 2018, 11h, salle 26-00/101, Campus Jussieu
Large graphs have become commonplace making many of the traditional graph-theoretic algorithms infeasible. Moreover, sometimes we don't have access to the whole graph. This has led us to revisit graph algorithms and necessitated graph sampling. In this talk, I will explore 2 applications of graph sampling. In the first application, called TuránShadow, we propose a method for efficient counting of k-cliques. It uses the classic result called Turán's theorem to give provable error bounds. We also do extensive evaluation of the method on real-world graph instances and demonstrate that it is fast and extremely accurate. In the second application, we propose a method called SADDLES to estimate the degree distribution when we are given only limited access to the graph, and accessing the graph is costly. We assume we have access to uniform at random (u.a.r ) vertex, u.a.r neighbor of a vertex and the degree of the vertex. We compare SADDLES with many other state-of-the-art methods and demonstrate that SADDLES requires far fewer samples to achieve the same degree of accuracy.
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Consider a BPSK signal where each bit is represented by a triangular pulse with width T and height A. What is the "energy per bit" for this BPSK pulse with A=1V and T=0.002s? Write your answer to two decimal places.
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On October 14, 2015, the Cybersecurity Task Force (Cybersecurity Task Force) of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) adopted a cybersecurity "Bill of Rights" that proposes certain rights for insurance consumers relating to the protection of their personal information by insurance companies, insurance producers and other entities regulated by state insurance departments. The Bill of Rights also outlines specific notices, information and actions that consumers should expect from such entities, particularly in the event of a data breach. This Bill of Rights, if adopted by NAIC's Executive/Plenary Committees, could ultimately be incorporated in NAIC Model Acts and Regulations, and could be adopted by insurance companies on their own initiative.
The cybersecurity Bill of Rights is one of several insurance regulatory measures designed to ensure the safeguarding of personal information of insurance consumers. This information is particularly sensitive because it often contains social security numbers, financial information, and medical information. In light of this sensitive nature and the increase in high profile data breaches, the NAIC formed the Cybersecurity Task Force in January 2015 to monitor cybersecurity developments and make recommendations to the NAIC concerning security of such information. The Task Force's activities took on a sense of urgency when, one month later, the widely-publicized Anthem, Inc. data breach occurred. In June 2015, the NAIC adopted the Task Force's Principles for Effective Cybersecurity Insurance Regulatory Guidance ("Cybersecurity Principles") setting forth 12 cybersecurity principles to guide the regulation of cybersecurity by insurance departments. In late July 2015, the Task Force published its first draft of the cybersecurity Bill of Rights.
In our August, 2015 post, we discussed the first draft of the Bill of Rights and questioned the extent to which it could have a binding legal impact on the states, each of which regulates insurance pursuant to laws that often vary by state. In both substance and form, the first draft of the Bill of Rights suggested that insurance consumers are legally entitled to certain notices, information and actions related to data and data breaches. However, in many states, such rights are presently either partly or entirely absent from the applicable insurance laws. In essence, the Cybersecurity Task Force presented a Bill of Rights to consumers that did not accurately state those consumers' current legal rights.
The Cybersecurity Task Force recognized this problem, and its second draft included a statement to the effect that a consumer's specific rights may vary based on state and federal law. Still, for many interested parties, the revised draft did not go far enough to alert consumers that the Bill of Rights is an "aspirational" document (as the Cybersecurity Task Force described it) that merely outlines rights that states should adopt — and does not create or codify any law.
In this vein, some commentators urged the Cybersecurity Task Force to include a preamble stating that the Bill of Rights is a general summary provided for informational purposes only, and that a consumer's specific rights are based on and subject to state and federal law. While the Cybersecurity Task Force declined to include a preamble along these lines, it announced on October 14, 2015 that it would seek to amend certain NAIC Model Acts and Regulations ("Model Laws") to align them with the Bill of Rights. State legislators and regulators could then consider adopting the amended Model Laws, and if adopted, the amended laws and regulations would then give legal effect to the Bill of Rights. The Model Laws to be considered for amendment include:
- Insurance and Privacy Protection Model Act (#670);
- Privacy of Consumer Financial and Health Information Regulation (#672);
- Standards for Safeguarding Consumer Information Model Regulation (#673); and
- Insurance Fraud Prevention Model Act (#680).
The Bill of Rights is not yet an official NAIC document, as it must still be adopted by the Cybersecurity Task Force's parent committees, the NAIC's Executive/Plenary Committees. Given the important questions about the legal import of the Bill of Rights, it is possible that such committees will require further revisions.
Insurance companies considering adopting the Bill of Rights on their own initiative in the interim should reflect upon the possibility that in doing so they could be viewed by state insurance regulators as having made a binding obligation that could be enforced under authority of unfair and deceptive trade practice requirements.
Additionally, consumers would have the right to:
- expect their insurance company, agent or any business they contract with to take "reasonable steps" to keep unauthorized persons from seeing, stealing or using personal information;
- receive notice from the consumer's insurance company, agent or any business they contract with if a data breach has occurred;
- receive at least one year of identity theft protection paid for the by the insurer or agent involved in a data breach (a prior draft provided two years of protection); and
- certain actions and remedies with respect to consumers' credit reports as a result of a data breach.