TypeScript Type Guards, a quick introduction
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Type guards are a way to check the type of a variable. Specifically a way for the compiler to narrow the type of a variable. This help the compiler check for errors.
There 3 major types
 - typeof
 - instanceof
 - user defined
Let's look at examples
typeof type guard
let num = string | number;
if(typeof num === 'number') {
 // x is a number. we can can any number methods without getting errors from the compiler
In the snippet above the variable num could be of 2 types, string or number. To perform certain operation to this variable we might need to know the type before performing the operation. In this case be we use a typeof type guard using a if statement. Inside the if block the type of num is narrowed down to number.
Note This type is limited to string, boolean, number and symbol types.
instanceof type guard
Similar to typeof type guard, the instanceof type guard is used to narrow down class instances. Let use an example.
class Dog {
 bark() {
class Cat {
 meow() {
type HousePet = Cat | Dog;
function callOwner(pet: HousePet): void {
 if (pet instanceof Dog) {
 } else {
In the snippet above the argument pet of the callOwner function could be of two types, Dog or Cat. Here two types guard are used to detect the type of the pet before calling the associated method. The if block us used to check the Dog type while else block infers that we have a Cat.
User defined type guards
These type guards can be used to check interfaces. To implement user defined type guards we need to implement a function. This function is special because it's signature is different than regular function. This return of this function is called a type predicate. The type predicate has
 - the name of the parameter parameter
 - followed by 'is'
 - followed by the type of the we are checking
Lets look at an example.
interface Car {
 horsePower: number;
interface Plane {
 wings: number;
function isCar( c: Car | Plain) c is Car {
 return (c as Car).horsePower!== undefined;
In the snippet above, we wrote a type guard that checks that a variable is of type Car. This function requires 3 things
 1. a parameter to check
 2. The type predicate
 3. The body of the function perform a check an returns true if the parameter is of the wanted type, otherwise returns false.
Authored by


text:
It's expensive to live in Silicon Valley, and for years developers have pointed to the region's many parks and conserved landscapes as a major reason for the high cost of housing. If land is conserved it cannot be used for homes, the argument goes, and this forces up housing costs, pricing moderate income buyers out of the market.
It may be a logical argument, but it not a valid one, according to recent research out of Stanford University, which released a story in mid-March:
In a study conducted by the university's Bill Lane Center for the American West, executive director Jon Christensen, sociology graduate student Carrie Denning and landscape ecologist Robert McDonald analyzed whether land conservation efforts in Silicon Valley – which has about 116,000 acres of protected parks, forests, waterfronts and wildlife refuges – have hurt housing development.
Their findings, published online in the journal Biological Conservation, suggest that land protection may not have much of an impact on the number of housing units available in the region. That's because most of the protected land isn't suitable for development, they say.
Yesterday, the San Francisco Chronicle published its own story on the Stanford research.
Using a complicated measure to determine how development would have proceeded if more than 100,000 acres set aside for parks, wetlands and protected forest and wildlife areas had been left open for construction, the researchers found that only about 6.5 percent more housing units would have been built...
About 41 percent of those 51,000 new dwellings would have been in areas where the typical house is on a half-acre lot and sells for $1.5 million, which wouldn't provide the affordable housing the Bay Area sorely needs.
As the Chronicle story suggests, the lack of land suitable for new homes is one more reason to increase the density of housing in already developed areas, especially those served by public transportation.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


text:
Maintenance vehicles, such as salt spreaders or dustcarts, are vital for a modern city and its dwellers. Management of complex machinery requires a vast amount of specific data – sprinkling distance, covered spreading area, amounts and types of materials used, working hours and many more parameters. You can have all this and more at your fingertips with our solutions
Waste management services are one of the most relevant topics of this decade, as it is related to waste recycling and environment saving. Specific equipment is used in waste removal, thus, a dedicated solution is required to prevent improper operations and to ensure an optimal and safe usage. GPS devices can easily help achieve these goals.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


Nicholas Stevens is a Lecturer in the School of Materials at The University of Manchester and a member of the Materials Performance Centre research group. His areas of expertise include Electrochemistry and Corrosion Science in which he likes to combine both experimental techniques and Finite Element Modelling to understand how systems work. Dr Stevens has worked on projects sponsored by multinational companies such as BP, AWE, Grundfos, EDF, Nexia PLC, NDA, AkzoNobel, Rolls Royce, and others, and has supervised PhD and Postdoctoral research in areas including nuclear power, long term nuclear waste storage, atmospheric corrosion, corrosion in cement, corrosion under coatings, cathodic protection and localised corrosion. His main interest is in systems where there is a complex combination of different governing equations that couple together to determine the behaviour of a system, such as when electrical distributions and mass transport both influence an interface. Dr Stevens has over 16 years experience using the COMSOL multiphysics environment to rapidly generate models, and also programs in Matlab, and uses electrical circuit modelling software such as the SPICE derived models.


text: Generates a [[[QuestionnaireResponse]]] instance based on a specified [[[Questionnaire]]], filling in answers to questions where possible based on information provided as part of the operation or already known by the server about the subject of the [[[Questionnaire]]]. If the operation is not called at the instance level, one and only one of the identifier, questionnaire or questionnaireRef 'in' parameters must be provided. If called at the instance level, these parameters will be ignored. The response will contain a [[[QuestionnaireResponse]]] instance based on the specified [[[Questionnaire]]] and/or an [[[OperationOutcome]]] resource with errors or warnings. The [[[QuestionnaireResponse]]] instance will be populated with an unanswered set of questions following the group and question structure of the specified [[[Questionnaire]]]. If *content* parameters were specified or the *local* parameter was set to true, some of the questions may have answers filled in as well. In the case of repeating questions or groups, typically only one repetition will be provided unless answer values exist that would support populating multiple repetitions. Population of the [[[QuestionnaireResponse]]] with appropriate data is dependent on the questions and/or groups in the [[[Questionnaire]]] having metadata that allows the server to recognize the questions. This might be through *Questionnaire.group.question.code*, through extensions such as the [[[_URL_ extension or through use of the [[[ConceptMap]]] resource. Regardless of the mechanism used to link the questions in a questionnaire to a "known" mappable concept, solutions using this operation should ensure that the details of the question and associated linkage element are sufficiently similar as to safely allow auto-population; i.e. the question text and context must be sufficiently the same, the value set for the question must fall within the value set for the mapped element, the data types must be the same or convertible, etc.


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ED-MEDIA 2008 paper: The Alternate Reality Game: Learning Situated in the Realities of the 21st Century.
Abstract: Even though the literature has long recognized the potentials of gaming for learning and implementations of games do exist in education, there appears to be a paucity of theorizing on the potentials of Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) as effective learning tools for the 21st century. Looking through a constructivist lens, this paper is an introductory exploration of the needs of the current participatory society and how the educational utility presented by this genre can address them. As ARGs blur the lines between real and alternate realities, we come to a place at the edge of constructivism where the need for a more nuanced theorizing incorporating the 'reality' aspect of learning becomes apparent. As a point of departure for future research and contributions, Reality Situated Learning (RSL) is introduced as a new theoretical framework.
Current ARG: The Lost Ring.
Authors: Magda Dominik, University of British Columbia, Canada


safe driving courses near me
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Call 0433 606 536
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Driver Training Syilabus
Hi, my name is Jacqui Huntley Founder of IAD. I would like to help drivers improve their driving skills and behaviors'.
This site is for everyone that drives a vehicle and wants to advance their driving skills.
Learner Drivers will be able to reference this site as a useful resource while leaning to drive with a qualified instructor.
When we learn to drive there is a great many subjects to cover, but, I find that most people have not gone through the full process other than by example, watching or the sheer 'adrenaline fueled' experience of learning "Not to Do That Again!!"
I have attached a list of things drivers should be taught when learning to drive.
Look and see if you can tick off the whole list. If not, let me know if you would like me to cover a subject and I will try and concentrate on the areas/skills.
Keep Reading and understand the road rules, regulations, signs, road markings and penalties.
Together we can improve the knowledge of all drivers.
A.) The Structure lesson plan: Core Knowledge,
 1. Car components, Safety checks before starting engine:
seat belt
Neutral /park
Gears, automatic select, synchronised gear ratio, & flappy paddles.
foot on brake/clutch pedal if needed to start the engine.
 1. Controls lesson, move away, (mirror, signal, Maneuver) MSM, blind spot. Co-ordination of hands and feet.
 1. Pull push Steering technique, position normal driving, bends, parked cars, gear changes, uses of gadgets, reversing one handed steering, parking position.
 1. Use of gas pedal and foot brake.
 1. Gear changing how, when, smoothness.
 1. Slowing down and stopping, MSM, (Position, Speed, Look) PSL and accuracy.
 1. Move off uphill & downhill.
 1. Emergency stop, two sec rule, rule of the road, stopping distances, skid control.
 1. Angled start, clutch control, steering coordination, observation, alertness.
 1. Turning left and right major to minor roads MSLPSL.
 1. Turning left and right minor to major.
 1. Junctions, one-way systems, stop and give way, road signs and line markings, Traffic lights/controllers, rail crossings, pedestrian crossings.
 1. Roundabouts turning left, right straight on.
 1. Turn in the road or change direction in the street.
 1. Reversing left and right. Rules and other road users when reversing.
 1. Reverse parking, parallel or in to bay.
 1. Meet, Cross and overtake traffic and other road users.
 1. Emerging.
 1. Narrow roads, correct position, give way etiquette.
 1. Making Progress, zones of vision, following distance/ separation gaps & Anticipation.
 1. Bends
 1. Car dynamics
 1. Driving at speed
 1. Stopping at speed
 1. Entering a carriageway
 1. Exiting a carriageway
 1. Driving on motorways, highways, dual carriageways. Lane control overtaking.
 1. Stopping in safety lanes, hard shoulders.
 1. Pulling away from a safety lane or hard-shoulders in to the path of traffic.
 1. Passing high sided or long vehicles, e.g.; road trains.
 1. Recognising road signs, lane positioning, in good time, & when in dense or light traffic.
 1. Driving in tunnels.
 1. Weather conditions: Rain, fog, ice, snow, heat, flooding & high winds.
 1. Road works.
 1. Night driving & headlamp usage.
 1. Unsealed roads.
 1. Vehicle characteristics; tyres, types, tread patterns and pressures. Vehicle weight, cornering, Momentum, visibility, maneuverability, assessing risks, blind areas, behavior of other road users, bikes, motorcycles & pedestrians.
 1. Difference between urban and rural driving & long-distance driving.
 1. What to do in the event of an accident or breakdown.
 1. Action to take when leaving a car in a parked position, anti-theft measures
 1. Car equipment and components, carry out routine checks and how to change a tyre.
Being a Driver, involves learning co-ordination of hands and feet, forethought, anticipation, quick response and continuous concentration of road and vehicle Dynamics. But there's more than just physical ability.
Here is a mental list that ensures others and your safety when driving.
 1. Driver responsibilities.
Knowledge of the rules and regulations, common driver etiquette.
Road laws, road signs & markings.
Mind-set & anticipation.
Ability to drive with conscious thought.
Ability to recognise unconscious thought.
Knowledge of the roads.
Dynamics of the road, car and mind distractions.
Prediction of other road users and their ability.
Recognise tiredness, off days & distractions.
Passenger safety.
Passengers, electronics & digital distractions.
respect with regard to the 'Use of Speed'.
Motorway freeway lessons


text:
Youll know red-osier dogwood from its red-to-burgundy bark and twigs, which is a favorite among gardeners who appreciate a splash of color during the gray of winter.
The shrub grows 4½ feet to 20 feet tall and can be found from British Columbia down through California and over to the East Coast.
Wildlife also is drawn to this perennial shrub, which puts out clusters of flowers that are white or greenish in color from June to August. The white berries they ripen in late summer and can stay on the plants into winter are a favorite of birds, including scarlet tanagers, cedar waxwings and wild turkey. Black bears, squirrels and beavers are among the mammals that eat the fruit and foliage, while deer, mountain goats and elk eat the twigs and foliage.
While the berries have been described as bitter and inedible, they were a food source among North American tribal people, although not those along the coast of the Pacific Northwest. Coastal people used the bark and twigs medicinally. That includes the Straits Salish, who used the bark to make a tonic tea. Tribes in California peeled the twigs and used them as toothbrushes, while the Apache and others used the inner bark as part of a tobacco mixture that they put into sacred pipes. The Ojibwa and Chippewa used the bark as a dye.
Sources: Local naturalist Rae Edwards; Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon; Washington Native Plant Society; United States Department of Agricultures Natural Resources Conservation Service
Reach Kie Relyea at _PHONE_ or _EMAIL_.


suggest that if the sentencing court here had given any indication that it considered a lesser departure and stated why it believed such a departure would not suffice I could not find the present sentence permissible. However, since the ultimate goal of the Guidelines is to achieve similarity in sentences for similar offenders, and since our precedents require the court to state its reasons for the magnitude of the departure when it departs from one CHC to a nonadjacent CHC provided for by the Guidelines, it seems to me illogical to conclude that no such explanation is required when there is a large departure above the top CHC, into a realm with no boundaries.
For these reasons, I would vacate the judgment and remand to permit the district court to resentence Thomas and, with respect to any large departure above the imprisonment range provided by the Guidelines, explain its reasons for the magnitude of the departure.
Hon. Charles M. Metzner, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, sitting by designation


text:
Money, income and prices under fixed exchange rates: Evidence from causality tests and VARs
This paper investigates the impact of changes in monetary variables on the domestic and foreign sectors, the determinants of central bank policy, and the response to foreign monetary changes in Mexico and India. Multivariate Granger-causality tests, variance decompositions and impulse response functions are utilized to examine propositions regarding causal relationships among key economic variables. The results indicate that domestic monetary policy did not affect output in either country. A substantial balance of payments offset to changes in domestic credit was found in India, but not for Mexico. The Mexican central bank pursued an accommodative monetary policy, but did not sterilize. In India, the central bank sterilized, but did not respond to income or price fluctuations. Output responded in each country to changes in foreign money.
When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jmacro:v:15:y:1993:i:4:p:747-768. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.
If references are entirely missing, you can add them using this form.


Indologist confirms maize in ancient sculptures
Jonathan Stone jonathan at Cup.DSG.Stanford.EDU
Tue Oct 27 17:31:11 EST 1998
In article <715c2s$fh9$2 at>, brianm at (Brian McLaughlin) writes:
|> I still say that kernals, husks and cornsilk would yield a
|> complete identification as maize. I have yet to see these
|> three elements, but I will try to hunt up the publications
|> you mentioned.
There is also the question of how the beading pattern changes as the
object narrows at the top. doe the number of beads stay relatively
consant but shrink in size, or do they stay about the same size but
reduce in number?
i havent noticed a True Beleivers answer that question yet;
did i miss it?
More information about the Bioforum mailing list


text:
The definition of a mime is a performer who expresses himself using body movements and no words.(noun)
An example of a mime is the French actor Marcel Marceau's character Bip the Clown.
Mime is defined as to perform using only body movements and no words.(verb)
An example of mime is crouching down while putting your hands on all four sides and on top of you, as if you're trapped in a box.
See mime in Webster's New World College Dictionary
Origin: L mimus < Gr mimos, imitator, actor
See mime in American Heritage Dictionary 4
Origin: Latin mīmus
Origin:, from Greek mīmos.
Origin: M(ultipurpose) I(nternet) M(ail) E(xtensions).
Learn more about mime


No Religion Higher than Truth
What is Theosophy?
 The Theosophical Society was founded in 1875 by Madame Helena Blavatsky, William Quan Judge, and Henry Olcott. Lodges have since formed all over the world. The primary mandate is to make Theosophy known as a practical living Wisdom, which can uplift human consciousness to a realisation of the Oneness of life. Therefore, although the Society has no official creed of its own and upholds freedom of thought.
Madame Blavatsky
Helena Blavatsky
The 3 Objects of the Theosophical Society


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Perception of shapes is possible by touch and by sight. Kim and Zatorre have been using a coding of shape information into sound information to examine the nature of shape perception. They use boards with 2D drawings on them have textured surfaces giving visual and tactile targets. These are coded to give matching 'soundscapes' where one dimension is coded by frequency and the other by stereo panning. With current and previous experiments, they show that subjects can be trained to identify both visual and tactile targets from soundscapes. Further subjects trained to match sound and touch can do the matching of sight and sound without further training.
Here is the abstract:
Shape is an inherent property of objects existing in both vision and touch but not audition. Can shape then be represented by sound artificially? It has previously been shown that sound can convey visual information by means of image-to-sound coding, by whether sound can code tactile information is not clear. Blindfolded sighted individuals were trained to recognize tactile spatial information using sounds mapped from abstract shapes. After training, subjects were able to match auditory input to novel auditory-tactile pairings. Furthermore, they showed complete transfer to novel visual shapes, despite the fact that training did not involve any visual exposure. In addition, we found enhanced tactile acuity specific to the training stimuli. The present study demonstrates that as long as tactile space is coded in a systematic way, shape can be conveyed via a medium that is not spatial, suggesting a metamodal representation.
Not mentioned in the abstract is their theory of what these experiments say about the perception of shapes.
This transfer of crossmodal learning further supports our hypothesis that shape can be represented at a highly abstract level in a form independent of the sensory modality in which it is learned. This amodal, abstract representation of shape is closely associated with the findings of human imaging studies that identified the lateral occipital region as a common brain region involved in shape recognition by both vision and touch and by audition using the same type of sound transformation used in the current study.
It is interesting to think of shape perception as a link between two aspect of perception: the housing of our perceptions in a three dimensional space and the separation of our perceptions into distinct objects. Both of these seem hardwired and at the foundation of the form our conscious awareness takes.
Kim, J., & Zatorre, R. (2010). Can you hear shapes you touch? Experimental Brain Research, 202 (4), 747-754 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-_PHONE_-6


Trenchers Utah Excavation
The most obvious use of trenchers is to create a trench, of course. But, this kind of machinery also has many other uses and here at Utah Excavation, we make the most out of it for different construction projects.
What are Trenchers?
A trencher is a piece of equipment for earthmoving that uses a teethed metal chain made of high strength steel for ripping into the ground just like the way chainsaws do into trees.
Just like excavators, trenchers rip the soil up as well as the roots that are in the way to form a trench. Manually digging trenches could take several workers and hours to complete. Thanks to this equipment, it is possible to cut down the number of people and amount of time required for finishing the project.
Trenchers and Their Different Types
Ride-on trenchers or walk-behind trenchers are the two types you can choose from. Portable trenchers or walk-behind trenchers make it easier to dig trenches even in more narrow spaces. A ride-on trencher can give higher performance and even cover more digging depths unlike their walk-behind counterparts.
Chain trenchers and wheel trenchers are the two types that you can find today:
Chain trenchers are trenchers designed like chainsaws. This trencher makes use of a digging chain or belt for cutting the ground. The belt wraps around the metal frame or boom and can be adjusted for controlling the cut's depth. The bucket-type excavator helps in cutting hard ground. Their flexibility allows chain trenchers to cut deep and narrow trenches for the utility companies.
On the other hand, wheel trenchers feature toothed metal wheel that can be used for soft or hard soils. A wheel trencher works best in places with numerous rock formations. These trenchers that are also known as rockwheels can cut pavement and form access beneath the roads for the utility companies.
These feature 6 to 8 cutting elements in the wheel and the design lets the wheel cut at different depths. Ejectors and spacers move away excavated materials from the edges of the trench.
Common Uses of Trenchers
Forming drainage
Use chain trenchers to form drainage trenches for sewage or water runoff to save time and money required for digging several feet of soil.
Cutting pavement
Wheel trenchers can be used for cutting through concrete, pavement or rock. These can be operated on difficult ground conditions and create straight and clean trenches.
Digging for the electrical wires
Chain trenchers can come in handy for digging underground for telecommunication or electrical wires from power poles to households.
For homeowners who want to save themselves from long hours of tiresome shoveling that can result to blistered hands, smaller walk-behind trenchers have the ability in reducing the time required to finish the project.
Snipping roots
Aside from cutting concrete and forming rows in the soil, a portable trencher features a blade that can act as a rotary mower blade that can sever roots. When working the soil and roots are discovered, the chain blade of the trencher should be held place as the blade spins. Inch the blade forward little by little and allow the blade to snip the roots.


text:
In many situations, the search for non-textual information is driven by a specific topic rather than the values of a data record's attributes. Therefore, data is often indexed with census nomenclatures, classifications or thesauri to allow a user to search with keywords. MURBANDY is a user-friendly graphical interface which supports query formulation using this indexing languages and at the same time visualizes the semantic dependencies between them and other search attributes. The generic version of the user interface is able to display dependencies between keywords and an arbitrary number of databases during query formulation, and lets the user interactively explore and manipulate his query at a very detailed level.
References in zbMATH (referenced in 1 article, 1 standard article )
Showing result 1 of 1.
- Hermes, Bernd; Stempfhuber, Maximilian; Demicheli, Luca; Lavalle, Carlo: MURBANDY: the (so far) missing link: user-friendly retrieval and visualization of geographic information (2003)


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New work from a team of astronomers led by Carnegie's Jennifer van Saders indicates that one recently developed method for determining a star's age needs to be recalibrated for stars that are older than our Sun. This is due to new information about the way older stars spin, as spin rate is one of the few windows into stellar ages. Their findings have implications for our own solar system as they indicate that our Sun might be on the cusp of a transition in its magnetic field.
Just like planets, stars rotate around an axis. As stars age, this spin slows down due to the star's magnetic field acting on its stellar wind, which is a flow of gas moving away from the star. The loss of mass, as the flowing gases get caught in the magnetic field and spin outward until they are ejected, affects the Sun's angular momentum and causes the slowdown. In this way, the magnetic field acts like a brake.
About a decade ago, it was discovered that this phenomenon can be used to calculate the age of a Sun-like star if its rotation rate and mass are known. The process is called gyrochronology. However, in their new paper, van Saders and her team demonstrate that stars don't spin down exactly as expected when they get older. The correction affects the gyrochronological calculation for older stars.
Prior to gyrochronology, scientists would use properties of a star that change over time like the surface temperature and luminosity to infer its age. However, the changes are so slow and minimal that precise inferences of age are difficult. Another newer method involves studying sound waves in the interiors of stars, which can detect changes in a star's deep core where hydrogen is burned to helium. However, these kinds of observations are expensive and require bright targets, so they can't be used for many stars. Measuring rotation, on the other hand, is fairly straightforward — if we can validate and calibrate gyrochronology, it could be a powerful tool for measuring ages in large numbers of stars
"The ability to determine a star's age is important for improving our understanding of the life cycles of astronomical systems — for cataloging how the star and the objects near it have changed through history and for predicting how they might change in the future," van Saders said. "Gyrochronology has the potential to be a very precise method for determining the ages of the average Sun-like star, provided we can get the calibrations correct."
Data from the Kepler spacecraft now make it possible to test the calibrations of gyrochronology for stars older than our Sun, which is what van Saders and her team set out to do. What they found is that standard models predict more slowdown as stars age than actually occurs, leading the team to conclude that the magnetic field's braking action is weaker in intermediate-aged and old stars — stars older than the Sun.
Their findings imply that something fundamentally changes in the magnetization of stellar winds as stars get older. If so, our Sun could be close, in an astronomical sense, to a critical transition to a weakened braking power for its magnetic field. This is something that would likely occur on timescales that seem long to humans but very fast in comparison to the lifetime of the Sun. It's impossible to say how quickly based on current data, but the team is now working on answering this and related questions.
More concretely, it means that using current gyrochronologic calculation techniques will not be as accurate for stars that are more than halfway through their lifetimes as they are for younger stars.
"I think this is a very important result that will greatly improve our ability to understand the stellar aging process," said John Mulchaey from Carnegie.


text:
23. The craft of agriculture.106
The fruit of this craft is the obtainment of foodstuffs and grains. People must undertake to stir the earth, sow, cultivate the plants, see to it that they are watered and that they grow until they reach their full growth, then, harvest the ears, and get the grain out of the husks. They also must understand all the related activities, and procure all the things required in this connection.
Agriculture is the oldest of all crafts, in as much as it provides the food that is the main factor in perfecting human life, since man can exist without anything else but not without food. Therefore, this craft has existed especially in the desert, since, as we have stated before, it is prior to and older than sedentary life.107 Thus, it became a Bedouin craft which is not practiced or known by sedentary people, because all their conditions are secondary to those of desert life and their crafts, thus, secondary and subsequent to (Bedouin) crafts.
God is "the Creator, the Knowing One." 108


text:
Do you have your doubts about the usual explanations for biblical Elohim? A Reassessment of Biblical Elohim addresses a number of areas essential to the understanding of this designation for Israelís God in the Hebrew Bible: its grammatical form, the basic meaning of the term as a common noun, its role in Israelite religion, and its function in certain portions of biblical literature. First, the plural form of Elohim is examined in light of biblical, cuneiform, and other epigraphic sources. Having established the basic meaning and significance of the term, the author discusses the evidence of Elohim's role in the religious life of Israel prior to the exile. The gains of this investigation are then brought to bear on the Elohistic material in the Pentateuch.
Joel S. Burnett is Assistant Professor of Religion at Baylor University.
© 2014, Society of Biblical Literature. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Mary Ann Shadd Cary
Birthplace: Wilmington, Delaware
Died: 1893 (Washington, D.C.)
The oldest of 13 children born to Harriet and Abraham Shadd, leaders of the free black community who were active in the Underground Railroad, Mary Ann Shadd understood at an early age the importance of racial equality. Because Delaware was a slave state and forbade the education of blacks, Shadd was sent to a Quaker school in West Chester, Penn. Returning to Delaware as a teacher, the 16-year-old took a post ministering to less fortunate African Americans. In response to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, Shadd published a pamphlet, "A Plea for Emigration or Notes of Canada West," which espoused emigration to Canada; Shadd herself moved north in 1851. Now living in Chatham, Canada, Shadd established her own newspaper, Provincial Freeman, which endorsed racial and sexual equality. In 1856, she married Thomas F. Cary with whom she had one daughter, Sally (Thomas died in 1860). Shadd Cary later moved to Washington D.C., where she helped recruit for the Union Army and opened a school for African American children. She attended Howard University Law School, graduated in 1870, and became the first African American female lawyer. As a lawyer, she focused on fighting for women's rights, including their right to vote.
Shadd Cary met John Brown in 1858. Impressed with Brown's militant abolitionism, she published Voice from Harper's Ferry, based on the notes of Osborne P. Anderson, the sole survivor of John Brown's raid on the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Va.
More on Mary Ann Shadd Cary from Fact Monster:
Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.


text:
A high percentage of COVID-19 cases in hot spots are among people of color, particularly Hispanic and Black residents, according to a new analysis released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Among 79 counties identified as COVID-19 hot spots, 76 had a disproportionate number of cases among communities of color between February and June, according to the data released Friday.
The CDC said that another 126 counties were also considered hot spots, but those did not have enough racial data of COVID-19 cases to include in the analysis.
Disparities among Hispanic people were found in 59 of those counties as well as among Black people in 22 of the 79 counties. Those groups made up a greater proportion of cases despite making up a smaller part of the population compared to white people.
North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Arkansas, Utah, Florida and Tennessee had the highest numbers of counties with disparities among Hispanics, while Michigan and South Carolina had the highest numbers of counties with disparities among Black people.
People of color are more likely to be considered essential workers, such as in meatpacking and health care fields, putting them at greater risk for exposure to the virus.
Other studies have shown that people of color disproportionately experience serious COVID-19 illness or death because they are more likely to have underlying health conditions due to unequal access to health care and discrimination in health care settings.
Studying the impact on communities of color in hot spots can help better direct testing and prevention resources, the CDC authors wrote, and "improve community-wide health outcomes related to COVID-19."


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It is the most important and delicate operation, during which stigmas lose 20% of their initial weight and become special saffron.
We spread the fresh stigmata on metal fabric screens on wood embers. The dehydration is always carried out at more than 70 ° C and lasts about half an hour. To determine if the saffron is well dehydrated, the sense of touch is used and the color, aroma and appearance are observed. This process is vital for the determination of the organoleptic characteristics of saffron (color, flavor and aroma), in addition to the size it reaches.
The dedication we put into this process, the appropriate hygienic conditions, the rapid transformation process and the high temperatures used make a homogeneous saffron of excellent quality, without risks from the point of view of food safety.


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- the actual radio hardware - currently only the HopeRF rfm12 module, connected via SPI, is supported - an USB dongle is work-in-progress
- currently realized as linux kernel module
- the interface the kernel provides to the userspace is realized as character-interface (for the HopeRF rfm12-module this is /dev/rfm12).
- containing all the information for supported devices (such as radio controlled power sockets, etc.). The library uses shared-memory - so every instance using the library is sharing its configured devices states. Communication with the module happens via a character-device exposed by the driver (see above).
- applications directly using this library
- Actually any application can be linked against and using the library directly, but this probably only makes sense for testing applications or applications providing a more sophisticated network interface, such as the XML-RPC / JSON-RPC applications do. There's also an application, implementing an ncurses interface.
- frontend applications
- those applications are communicating via IP using high-level protocols such as XML-RPC / JSON-RPC, provided by mentioned applications using the library above. Those are bloated (especially XML), but (kinda) well-specified, inter-operable, easy-to-use on modern platforms such as iOS, Android and other platforms providing high-level programming languages / interfaces.


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For immediate release: September 7, 2011
Media Contact: Communication Office
Vermont Department of Health
BURLINGTON – The Vermont Department of Health is reminding residents and volunteers to take all precautions to avoid injuries and illness during cleanup work after the flooding.
"We want everyone to stay safe and healthy after the flood," said Health Commissioner Harry Chen, MD. "Experience from other states tells us that the number one health risk comes from injuries during cleanup. And although children want to help, give them tasks that keep them out of harm's way."
Residents, cleanup workers and volunteers do not need to have a tetanus booster (Tdap) shot to work in the flooded zone. Take precautions to avoid injury and exposure to flood water if you have an open wound. Seek immediate medical attention for wound care and a tetanus booster shot, if needed.
Health Department district office staff are distributing latex-free gloves and N95 masks with instructions for use, along with safe cleanup guidance and drinking water test kits to the towns hardest hit by the flooding. N95 masks are also available at most hardware stores.
The Health Department's website has extensive information and resources to help. Go to _URL_, then click on 'After the Flood', including "Creating a Healthy Home – A Field Guide for Clean-up of Flooded Homes" and information about cleaning up mold.
Basic precautions to take during cleanup:
- Keep children and pets out of the affected area until cleanup is done.
- Wear study footwear, long-sleeved shirts and pants. The Health Department also recommends wearing goggles and an N95 respirator (mask) when cleaning up dust, sand, silt, dirt and mold that can get into the air.
- Be careful when using power tools. Take care to avoid slips, trips and falls.
- To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, never use gas-powered tools, generators or heaters inside or within a confined area.
- Wash hands often and well, especially before handling food, smoking, or any other hand-to-mouth behavior.
- Be careful to not overexert. Take rests, drink plenty of liquids, protect yourself against sun.
# # #


places were usually recorded as a county name rather than town name despite the fact that many appear to be a town name. For example, most researchers would conclude that a convict recorded as having been tried at "Southampton" was tried in the town of Southampton in Hampshire. However in early years "Southampton" was also used as a county name for Hampshire and some of these convicts were actually tried at other places within Hampshire. Researchers would miss appropriate entries if they attempted to search by town so the town search field has been omitted. The county name or usual abbreviations will allow researchers to locate this information.
Trial Session
Although a huge number of different sessions are recorded in the Database many were in fact interchangeable names. For example, "general session of the delivery of the gaol" was written elsewhere "assize". Also "general quarter session of the peace", "quarter session of the peace", "session of the peace" and "quarter session" were often used interchangeably. Where sessions were an extension of each other they were combined; when recorded differently in different sources they were separated by a slash.
Dates are recorded as found in the Base List with alternatives listed as Editor's Remarks. Occasionally the Base List entry needed to be "corrected" in which case an Editor's remark will explain the action taken. Seasons and festivals were included – eg. Midsummer, Lent – and have been recorded in brackets in the screen entry. Occasionally one source will provide a season while another provides an actual date. Both have been included in the Database although it is important to note that discrepancies will sometimes occur.
Several possible trial dates can be given for a convict in the records. A sentence handed down for a non-capital conviction was usually dated from the first day of the five to ten day session during which the trial took place, not on the actual day of the trial or the day the sentence was formally pronounced (usually on the last day of the session). Capital convicts not executed immediately after the session were issued with a respite while a reprieve from the death sentence was considered. This could take weeks, months, or in many early cases, years. If a decision was made to reprieve a convict to a sentence of transportation, the sentence was dated from the date of the reprieve, not the date of the original trial session. Some differing dates are the result of clerical errors made when the original record was created.
Most convicts were transported with either a 7 year, 14 year or life sentence, although a handful of other sentences were recorded.
Editor's Remarks
This field covers comments made by the Editor. It includes references to entries that are "crossed out", to convicts also recorded on earlier or later transports, to differing or additional information contained in other convict lists or secondary source references and so on.
Details are included noting the location of all of the original records from which the information contained in these entries has been extracted. Individual page references have not been noted.
Text in this section has been adapted from the Introduction to the CD-ROM Convicts to NSW _PHONE_ published by the Society of Australian Genealogists in 2002. The Introduction was compiled by the Editor: Carol J Baxter, and the data was captured by the Australian Biographical and Genealogical Record.


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Home > Phrasal Verb Dictionary: Letter F
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T W Z
music, sound, light, hope) When something fades away, it gradually
becomes weaker until it disappears; it fades. Die away
a moment the noise faded away, and only the sound of a light breeze,
and ringing, filled my ears.
(insep) (family, life, marriage, relationship,
house, car, business, deal) When something falls apart, it desintegrates
or falls to pieces.
- The building is falling apart.
- His marriage fell apart when he cheated
on his wife.
on [Fall back on somebody, fall back on something].- (insep) When you fall back on somebody or something, you turn
to them or use it when in difficulty or because no other choice is available;
- It's great to have a friend to fall
- People fall back on alternative
medicine when modern drugs don't work.
had no money to fall back on.
(insep) When you fall behind or something falls behind, it remains at the
same level or standard.
- Your schoolwork has fallen
- He fell behind with the rent
and was asked to leave the flat.
(insep) When you fall down, you fall
accidentallly or because something is in a poor state of repair.
fell down and hurt her knees.
- She tripped
and fell down
Fall for [Fall for somebody].-(insep)
When you fall for somebody, you fall in love with them.
fell for him in a big way.
- Why does he
always fall for the wrong women.
Fall for [Fall for something].- When you fall for something, you are tricked or deceived.
could you fall for such an old trick?
fell for his talk and bought the encyclopedia.
Fall off.- 1 (insep) (bike,
horse, button) When you fall off something, you separate from it and
- He fell off his bike and hurt himself.
2 (insep) (attendance,
interest, quality, profits) When something falls off, it decreases
or becomes less or fewer. Drop off
- Attendance has fallen
off this term.
(insep) (a situation, somebody) When
two people fall out, they quarrel or have an argument and stop being
- They've fallen out over some stupid misunderstanding.
- I don't like Bill - I fell out with him when he sold me a car that didn't work.
Fall over.- (insep) When you fall over, you fall to the ground.
- She slipped on the ice and fell over.
- He fell over and broke his leg.
- My daughter is learning to walk so she falls over quite a lot.
(insep) (idea, plan, project, arrangement,
scheme, proposal) When something falls through, it fails and it's abandoned.
- The deal fell through for reasons that are not clear.
- The sale fell through at the last minute.
- The employees decided not to work for him and his plan fell through.
with something [Be fed up with something / somebody].- (insep) When you are fed up with something or somebody, you are tired, depressed,
bored or no longer interested in them.
- Are you
as fed up with what's going on in Washington as I am? I've become increasingly
concerned about the current direction of our country.
Ferret out [Ferret something out].- (secret, the truth, details,
error, facts, information) When you ferret something out, you succeed
in finding some difficult or secret information. Dig out
managed to ferret out the secret.
Fight off [Fight something off].- (infection, cold, illness, attack,
enemy, competition) When you fight something off, you try to avoid
or get rid of it.
- I'm taking lots of vitamin C
to help me fight off this cold.
weakens your immune system, making it harder for your body to fight
Figure out [Figure something out].- When you figure something out, you manage to understand.
- Have you figured out what the problem is?
- I just can't figure her out.
for [Fill in for somebody].- (insep) When you fill in for somebody, you do their job temporarily
because they can't. Cover for, sit in for, stand
- Colleen was pleased that Gwen
Swick was able to fill in for her, as Gwen was an old friend and they
had worked together many times.
Fill in [Fill somebody in, fill somebody in on something].- (details) When you fill somebody in, or fill somebody in on something, you give them information.
- My assistant will fill you in on the details.
- For those who haven't see it, let me fill you in on some of the highlights.
Fill in [Fill something in].- (form,
cheque, name, coupon, space, questionnaire,hole) When you fill
something in, you complete it with the correct information.
gave me a form and told me to fill it in.
- You will be asked to fill in a questionnaire designed to measure your quality of life.
Fill up [Fill up, fill something up].- (glass, car, tank, bottle,
container, theater) When you fill something up or something fills up, it
- You should always switch off the
engine before you fill up with petrol.
filled up the kettle with water and made everyone a cup of tea.
Find out [Find out, find something out].- When you find something out, you discover or get
- What will she say when she finds
- When you lose everything you find
out who your real friends are.
(insep) When you fit in, you get on with a group of people or you feel
as if belonging to a group.
difficult for them to fit in with the way of life here.
Flake out.-
(insep, informal) When you flake out, you fall asleep.
- He flaked out on the sofa.
Flare up.- (insep) When you flare up, you become angry.
- He was an alcoholic and would flare up at anything.
Flick through [Flick through something].- (insep) (magazine, book,
album, article, channels, cards) When you flick through something,
you read or look quickly at the pages of a magazine or book. It also
means to change repeatedly from one station or channel to another. Flip through, glance over, leaf through
flicked through the channels on the TV, hoping for some news.
- I was flicking through the channels when I saw her on the telly. I couldn't believe it.
Flip through [Flip through something].- (insep) The same as flick through.
Flush out [Flush somebody out].- (rebels, resistance, militants,
guerrillas, criminals) When you flush somebody out, you force them
to leave a place.
- The Angolan armed forces have recently flushed out the rebels from the area.
- In the port of Umm Qasr, to the south, royal marines have been flashing out the last pockets of resistance.
Fob off [Fob somebody off].- (patient, creditor) When you fob somebody
off, you stop somebody complaining by giving them silly answers.
keep ringing them and complaining but they just fob me off! They couldnt
Fob off [Fob something off].- (responsibility) When you fob something off, you manage to make somebody
accept something faulty, worthless or difficult to deal with.
try to fob off your responsibility on others!
- I don't want to be fobbed off with excuses, I want to know who is responsible for this problem!
out [Freak out, freak somebody out].- When you freak out, you react in an anxious,
excited and wild manner to something.
- My parents would
freak out if I talked to them about this.
freak out and do something stupid every time something bad happens.
Frighten away [Frighten something away].- When you frighten somebody or an animal away,
you make them leave using fear. Scare away, scare off
- They feel a refinery
would frighten away tourists and potential tourism investors.
Frighten off.- the same as frighten away.
Fuck about.- (taboo, slang) When you fuck around, you behave
in a stupid way which annoys people.
- After a ridiculous
amount of fucking about and watching crap on TV, I eventually persuaded
them to leave.
Fuck around.- The same as fuck about.
Fuck off.- (taboo) (insep) When you tell somebody to fuck off, you tell
them in a very offensive way to leave you alone. Bugger off, sod off, piss off
started yelling at me again and then told me to fuck off.
Fuck up [Fuck something up].- When you fuck something up, you make of mess of it. Balls up, cock up, mess up
- Every time we win, we go and fuck up the next match with a stupid result.


+27 _PHONE_
 Who's Online
Update_July2013: Orthopaedics - Normal abnormalities in childhood
Jai Chitnavis
MA, FRCS, FRCS(Ed), Royal College of Surgeon's Research, Fellow, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford, UK.
Christopher Bulstrode
MA, MCh, FRCS(Orth), Clinical Reader and Consultant in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
Some orthopaedic problems in childhood are part of the child's normal musculoskeletal development, but others are due to epiphyseal dysplasias and neurological deficits. In this article, the authors describe normal orthopaedic abnormalities in childhood and identify when children should be referred for an orthopaedic opinion.
Certain features of a child's normal musculoskeletal development can worry parents. Many of these features involve the legs and most children will grow out of the features. However, a few abnormalities, including some epiphyseal dysplasias and neurological deficits, will not disappear and it is important to exclude them.
General practitioners then have the difficult task of explaining the nature of these normal 'deformities', and reassuring parents. A follow-up appointment is sometimes enough, but a specialist opinion is often necessary for a definite diagnosis and management plan.1
Curly toes
Curly toes are very common, and are often inherited. The outer three toes are usually involved (Figure 1). Curly toes usually do not need treatment, but some children with a fixed deformity develop pressure symptoms. The risk of developing such symptoms is lower if the toes can be straightened passively. Strapping curly toes do not alter their natural history. However, parents should be aware that surgery is possible for symptomatic curly toes.2
Figure 1: Curly fourth toes. Treatment is only necessary if the toes are symptomatic.
Over-riding toes
The most common form of over-riding toe is the fifth toe over-riding the fourth, but other variations exist (Figure 2). These deformities are permanent and often cause local irritation and thickened skin.
Figure 2: Thickened skin in a patient with an overriding fourth toe.
Strapping the over-riding toe is not an effective therapeutic measure. Surgery can be used to correct it.
Flat feet
Ignorance about postural causes for low medial arches helped many people escape military service in the past. As a result, there is a tendency to associate flat feet in children with physical handicap.
The medial longitudinal arch does not develop until children are 2-3 years old. Before this age, all children have a fat pad which gives them a 'flat foot'. It is easier to distinguish non-pathological, postural flat feet (Figure 3) when a child starts walking. Pathological flat feet are much less common and can be secondary to:
 - cerebral palsy;
 - peroneal spastic flat foot;
 - down's syndrome.
Postural flat feet are pain-free, supple and have good muscle power. The medial arch can be displayed by asking the child to stand on tip-toe (Windlass test) or to hyper-extend the big toe. Pathological flat-feet are often painful, weak and have abnormal tone (either stiff or lax). The arch cannot be actively recreated.
Figure 3: Loss of medial arches in a child with non-pathological flat feet. The arches can be demonstrated by asking the child to stand on tip-toe.
There is no evidence that children with non-pathological flat feet require special shoes, in-soles or physiotherapy. Children who are thought to have serious pathology need specialist orthopaedic assessment.2-4
Parents often mistakenly blame in-toeing for their children's clumsiness in learning to walking. As many as 10 percent of 2-5 year olds are thought to have in-toe. Of these, 40 percent will develop a walking pattern which has a small degree of in-toeing.1 In most cases the main problem is excessive shoe wear. The feet of in-toeing children tend to flail sideways when they run - parents concerned by this can be reassured that many champion athletes were in-toed as children!
In-toeing may be caused by:
 - misshapen feet, eg metatarsus varus ('hook foot');
 - normal feet being turned inwards by causes higher up the leg, eg internal rotation of the femoral shaft (femoral anteversion), which causes the whole leg to twist inwards, or the tibia twisting inwards (internal tibial rotation).2
Metatarsus varus
This common abnormality, which may be apparent at birth, is usually evident by the time the child begins to walk. It involves a medial or varus displacement of the metatarsals (Figure 4). The heel is normal and the foot can be dorsiflexed beyond 90 degrees. This differentiates it from club-foot. About 90 percent of cases resolve by 4 years of age. It is impossible to identify the 10 percent which will not resolve.
Figure 4: Medial displacement of the metatarsals in a child with bilateral metatarsus varus.
Passive stretching of the foot was advocated in the past, but is no longer thought to be effective. Parents should be aware that surgery is possible and that the results are usually good.2,3
Internal tibial torsion
In-toeing in a toddler is usually secondary to an internal twist or torsion of the tibia. The child's parents may be worried about an inwardly turned foot and bowed leg. On closer inspection, the feet are medially rotated, but the patellae point forward. If this is symmetrical and the child is otherwise normal, the torsion is physiological and will correct itself by 4 years of age. There is no need for splints or special shoes.3,4
Persistent femoral anteversion
In femoral anteversion, the femoral head and neck point forwards in the same direction as the patellae. This is normal in a newborn baby. The head and neck of the femur usually spiral as the bones grow, and the anteversion decreases to a maximum of about 15 degrees in adults. Any delay to this process results in persistent femoral anteversion.
A child with femoral anteversion has to internally rotate the femurs to keep the femoral head in the acetabulum. This results in the whole leg turning inward, and the patellae facing each other ('kissing patellae'; Figure 5a) and feet in-toeing. When they run, their feet tend to fly outwards. Children with femoral anteversion prefer to sit with their feet spread laterally, knees bent and hips internally rotated (the so-called 'W' position; Figure 5b).
Figure 5: Persistent femoral anteversion a) 'Kissing patellae'. b) Children with persistent femoral anteversion often sit in the 'W' position, with their feet spread laterally, knees bent and hips internally rotated.
On examination, children with persistent femoral anteversion have limited external rotation of the hips with their legs extended, but internal rotation may exceed 90 degrees. Conservative measures are not usually effective, but parents should encourage their child to sit normally.
Eighty percent of cases resolve by the time the child is 8 years old. However, anteversion gets worse when the cause is pathological, eg secondary to cerebral palsy. These children may need femoral osteotomy when between 8 and 10 years old.2,3
Out-toeing is less common than in-toeing. The main causes are, in many ways, the opposite of those predisposing to in-toeing.
Femoral retroversion
The femoral head and neck point backwards relative to the patellae, so the child must externally rotate their leg to engage the head of the femur in the acetabullum. This mimics the 'Charlie Chaplin' stance. The whole leg is affected in femoral retroversion, so the patellae and feet are turned outwards. The medial longitudinal arch is reduced and the child appears flat-footed. On examination, internal rotation is limited.
Children with dysplastic hips occasionally present with femoral retroversion. It is therefore important to look for hip instability when examining them. Femoral retroversion rarely requires surgery, as most cases resolve within a year of the child starting to walk.1-3
External tibial torsion
A child's tibia usually twists outwards, from a degree of internal rotation to external rotation. If external rotation of the developing tibiae is excessive, the feet will be out-toed even though the patellae point inwards, resulting in 'squinting patellae'. Although external tibial torsion may result from cerebral palsy or polio, most cases are developmental and resolve as the child grows.2
Calcaneovalgus foot
In calcaneovalgus foot ('banana foot') the forefoot and heel point laterally. The foot looks curved (like a banana) when it is examined from below. Most cases are bilateral and associated with external tibial torsion. The deformity is thought to be secondary to the way the foot was positioned in utero. Almost all cases recover with time and passive stretching does not alter the natural history.1
Parents are sometimes concerned about a rounded back and shoulders in the adolescent child. Roundback is a painless condition which can be corrected by posture. The kyphotic curve is often long and smooth and there may be


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Growth Trends for Related Jobs
How Does the General Schedule Step Scale Work?
Most of the salaries of U.S. government civil service jobs fall under the General Schedule pay system. The system provides for a series of grade and step increases in pay which permits an employee to advance through a given profession as their experience and proficiency increases.
The General Schedule System
There are fifteen grades within within the federal government general schedule pay system. Each job title is assigned a series of grades associated with the job, progressing in salary from lowest to highest. Within each grade, there are a series of ten steps, which are salary increases. These are known as step increases or within-grade increases.
Entering Government Service
When a person is hired by the federal government, the employee is assigned a pay grade within the job series, depending upon his or her knowledge, education and experience. For instance, an entry-level biologist with a bachelor's degree may enter federal service as a GS-5. Within the same job series, an advanced researcher with a doctorate. and many years prior experience may enter as a GS-13 or higher. In almost all cases, a person entering government service will start at step one of their grade.
After one year of service, the person is eligible for a within-grade increase. If performance has been satisfactory and a supervisors approves, the individual moves from step one to step two, with the associated increase in pay. The individual may increase in steps annually until step four, when the waiting period changes to every two years between steps four through seven. After step seven, the period of performance changes to every three years through step ten.
Exceptions to Step Increases
If an employee's work is not satisfactory, a step increase may not be awarded. On the other hand, exemplary employees may be eligible for a Quality Step Increase. This is an increase given in addition to their scheduled increases. To be eligible for a QSI, an employee must have the highest rating possible on the annual appraisal and must not have received another QSI within the previous year.
Step increases provide employees with an increase in salary as they become more proficient in their professional career. Employees may also be promoted from their present grade to the next higher grade as they take on more professional responsibility. When this occurs, they once again start at a lower step and become eligible for step increases within their new grade.


Why do dogs bite their paws?
I have a female 4year old boxer. She bites her paws all the time. I need to know why she bites her paws?
Asked by Member 538050 on Nov 28th 2007 in Health & Wellness
 - This question is closed.
Best Answer
Not all dogs bite their paws. A little nibble now and then could be a common, normal itch. But if the chewing or licking is excessive then there is definitely some other cause.
The most common causes for foot chewing include allergies or boredom/stress.
What is she eating? Check the label for some common allergens such as corn or high amounts of grains, artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors. You may also want to try switching food brands completely and choose a formula with a different meat source and a different grain source than what you are currently using. Or try grain free food, home cooking, or a raw diet. Take treats into consideration as well.
To determine whether it is stress or boredom, look at her daily routine. Is she home alone a lot? Does she have a job? Is she well socialized and adaptable to new situations? Consider games or activities to stimulate her mind. This could be an organized sport and training, at home thinking games, or at home trick training.
Gio answered on Nov 29th.
Other Answers
Kaiden *aka BOO*, PAWS
My first reaction would be to say that they itch. However, I am learning that it can be something more like fleas. *They bite at their paws for a variety of reasons. The 2 most common are as follows:
1. Allergies/irritants which have caused irritation between the toes or on the pads.
2. Full anal glands.
Either case have it checked out..
Kaiden *aka BOO*, PAWS answered on 11/28/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer
I've heard of several dogs who bite at their paws when they are stressed, much like a nervous tic. Has there been any changes in her life lately (a move to a new house, new baby, less walks, less people home, someone moved out?) If so, I would suggest trying to deflect her attention from the paws, perhaps giving her a toy each time she goes for her paw? I'm not an expert, but after getting a check up at the vet, I would look into possible stressors.
take care!
Rudy answered on 11/29/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer
I would have it checked, but I would beleive it to be allergies. If she licks at them to a point where they start getting discolored then I would lean more toward allergies than anything
Member 521584 answered on 11/29/07. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


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search for characteristics, which help to mediate how LR impacts alcohol outcomes. Methods: Two hundred and ninety-four men from the San Diego Prospective Study were evaluated for their LR to alcohol using alcohol challenges at similar to age 20. At similar to age 35, the same subjects filled out the SRE regarding the number of drinks needed for effects 15 to 20 years earlier. The two different LR scores for these men were used in SEM analyses evaluating how LR relates to future heavy drinking and to drinking in peers (PEER), alcohol expectancies (EXPECT), and drinking to cope (COPE) as potential mediators of the LR to drinking pattern (ALCOUT) relationships. Results: While the 2 LR measures that were determined 15 years apart related to each other at a modest level (r = 0.17, p < 0.01), the SEM results were similar regardless of the LR source. In both alcohol challenge-based and SRE-based LR models, LR related directly to ALCOUT, with partial mediation from PEER and COPE, but not through EXPECT in these 35-year-old men. Conclusions: Consistent with the > 60% overlap in prediction of outcomes for the 2 LR measures, and with results from functional brain imaging, alcohol challengeand SRE-based LR values operated similarly in SEM models in these men.
Copyright 2010, Research Society on Alcoholism
Thomas DP; Fitz JW; Johnston V; Townsend J; Kneebone W. Wholesale data for surveillance of Australian Aboriginal tobacco consumption in the Northern Territory. Tobacco Control 20(4): 291-295, 2011. (31 refs.)Objectives Effective monitoring of trends in tobacco use is an essential element of tobacco control policy. Monitoring tobacco consumption using tobacco wholesale data has advantages over other methods of surveillance. In the present work, a research project that monitored tobacco consumption in 25 remote Aboriginal communities and its translation to a policy to implement this monitoring routinely in the entire Northern Territory of Australia is described. Methods. Tobacco consumption and trends were estimated using wholesale (or occasionally sales) data from all retail outlets in 25 remote Aboriginal communities. Self-reported consumption was estimated from the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey in 2008. Local consumption results were fed back in posters to local organisations and health staff. Results. Estimates of consumption from wholesale data and self-report were similar (6.8 and 6.7 cigarettes/day/person aged 15 and over). Consumption was higher in the tropical Top End than in arid Central Australia, and 24% of tobacco was consumed as loose tobacco. The overall trend in monthly consumption was not significantly different from 0. Local communities could be ranked by their local trends in monthly consumption. Conclusions. Monitoring tobacco consumption using wholesale tobacco data is a practical and unobtrusive surveillance method that is being introduced as a new condition of tobacco retail licenses in the Northern Territory of Australia. It overcomes some problems with consumption estimates from routine surveys, enables rapid feedback and use of results and is particularly well suited for hard-to-reach discrete populations, such as remote Aboriginal communities in Australia. It has already been used to evaluate the impact of local tobacco control activities.
Copyright 2011, BMJ Publishing Group
Torvik FA; Rognmo K; Tambs K. Alcohol use and mental distress as predictors of non-response in a general population health survey: The HUNT study. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 47(5): 805-816, 2012. (52 refs.)To investigate to what degree alcohol use and mental distress are associated with non-response in a population-based health study. From 1995 to 1997, 91,488 persons were invited to take part in a health study at Nord-Trondelag, Norway, and the response rate was 69.2%. Demographics were available for everyone. Survey answers from a previous survey were available for most of the participants and a majority of non-participants. In addition, the survey responses from spouses and children of the invitees were used to predict participation in the aforementioned study. Crude and adjusted ORs for a number of predictors, among these alcohol consumption and mental distress, are reported. Both heavy drinkers (OR = 1.27) and abstainers (OR = 1.64) had a higher probability of dropping out in comparison to people who usually do not drink. High levels of mental distress (OR = 1.84) also predicted attrition. Alcohol use and mental distress are moderately associated with non-response, though probably not a major cause, as controlling for other variables weakened the associations. Nevertheless, the moderate but clear underrepresentation at the crude level of people with high alcohol consumption, abstainers and people with poor mental health should be taken into consideration when interpreting results from health surveys.
Copyright 2012, Springer Heidelberg
Wheeler DC; Waller LA. Comparing spatially varying coefficient models: A case study examining violent crime rates and their relationships to alcohol outlets and illegal drug arrests. Journal of Geographical Systems 11(1): 1-22, 2009. (24 refs.)In this paper, we compare and contrast a Bayesian spatially varying coefficient process (SVCP) model with a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model for the estimation of the potentially spatially varying regression effects of alcohol outlets and illegal drug activity on violent crime in Houston, Texas. In addition, we focus on the inherent coefficient shrinkage properties of the Bayesian SVCP model as a way to address increased coefficient variance that follows from collinearity in GWR models. We outline the advantages of the Bayesian model in terms of reducing inflated coefficient variance, enhanced model flexibility, and more formal measuring of model uncertainty for prediction. We find spatially varying effects for alcohol outlets and drug violations, but the amount of variation depends on the type of model used. For the Bayesian model, this variation is controllable through the amount of prior influence placed on the variance of the coefficients. For example, the spatial pattern of coefficients is similar for the GWR and Bayesian models when a relatively large prior variance is used in the Bayesian model.
Copyright 2009, Springer
Wicki M; Gustafsson NK; Makela P; Gmel G. Dimensionality of drinking consequences - cross-cultural comparability and stability over time. Addiction Research & Theory 17(1): 2-16, 2009. (40 refs.)Despite the long tradition for asking about the negative social and health consequences of alcohol consumption in surveys, little is known about the dimensionality of these consequences. Analysing cross-sectional and longitudinal data from the Nordic Taxation Study collected for Sweden, Finland, and Denmark in two waves in 2003 and 2004 by means of an explorative principal component analysis for categorical data (CATPCA), it is tested whether consequences have a single underlying dimension across cultures. It further tests the reliability, replicability, concurrent and predictive validity of the consequence scales. A one-dimensional solution was commonly preferable. Whereas the two-dimensional solution was unable to distinguish clearly between different concepts of consequences, the one-dimensional solution resulted in interpretable, generally very stable scales within countries across different samples and time.
Copyright 2009, Taylor & Francis
Woods ER; Buka SL; Martin CR; Salganik M; Howard MB; Gueguen JA et al. Assessing youth risk behavior in a clinical trial setting: Lessons from the Infant Health and Development Program. Journal of Adolescent Health 46(5): 429-436, 2010. (36 refs.)Purpose: The purpose of this article was to describe the use of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) with known 17-18-year-old patients in follow-up of a multisite randomized clinical trial, and to develop a new scoring algorithm indicating the degree of risk-taking behavior for between-group analyses. Methods: Seventy-five questions from the YRBSS were incorporated into the study questionnaire, with the development of safety plans to guide the disposition of participants. The YRBSS questions were grouped into two categories (with three subdomains each) named problem behaviors (conduct problems, sexual behavior, and suicide/hopelessness) and substance use (cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana use), with scores for each subdomain indicating high, moderate, and low risk. Results: Of the 677 participants, the safety plan was activated 215 times for 199 (29.4%) of participants. Risk behaviors included binge drinking (149), alcohol/substance use and driving (41), depression (22), hopelessness (37), and suicidal ideation (13; all in the past). No emergency room evaluations were required. The subdomain scaling was analyzed by demographic characteristics, and findings were consistent with the literature; for example, higher rates of conduct problems in males, more suicidal ideation in females, greater sexual risk in African Americans, more substance use in males and whites, and more alcohol use in youth with mothers with higher levels of education. Conclusions: YRBSS can be administered in a research setting with appropriate safety precautions. These results should provide a useful guide to the application of the YRBSS to other adolescent populations in the future.
Copyright 2010, Society for Adolescent Medicine
Ye Y; Kaskutas LA. Using propensity scores to adjust for selection bias when assessing the effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous in observational studies. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 104(1-2): 56-64, 2009. (60 refs.)Background: The effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is difficult to establish. Observational studies consistently find strong dose-response relationships between AA meeting attendance and abstinence, and the only experimental studies favoring AA have been of 12-step facilitation


text:
The learners will define courage and relate courage to the concept of a "hero." They will describe the characteristics of a hero.
One 20-minute lesson
The learner will:
This character education mini-lesson is not intended to be a service learning lesson or to meet the K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice. The character education units will be most effective when taught in conjunction with a student-designed service project that provides a real world setting in which students can develop and practice good character and leadership skills. For ideas and suggestions for organizing service events go to _URL_.
Tell the learners they are going to use a strategy called "Think, Pair and Share." They are to take a few minutes to think about someone from history or the present, a real or fictional character, that they would call a "hero." They should also be ready to explain why they think this person or character is a hero. After allowing a few minutes to think, ask the learners to pair by forming groups of two or three, and then to share their idea of a hero and the rationale.
Lesson Developed By:Betsy Flikkema
All rights reserved. Permission is granted to freely use this information for nonprofit (noncommercial), educational purposes only. Copyright must be acknowledged on all copies.


text:
Thursday, March 02, 2006
"The Oldest Road In St. Louis County"
"St. Charles Rock Road, the first road through St. Louis County, was laid out in 1772 as "The Road to St. Charles" by the Spanish. The road began in St. Louis (where it was called "Kings Road"), followed in a general direction the route now used and led to the bank of the Missouri River opposite St. Charles. In 1819, St. Charles Road was established as a post and stage road; in 1837 it was first incorporated as a turnpike. In 1865, St. Charles Road was rebuilt with macadam (successive layers of small broken stones) and renamed St. Charles Rock Road. In 1921, it became the first concrete state highway in St. Louis County."
Excerpted from the official website for the City of St. John, St. Louis County, Missouri.


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Tunni Lines menu item to toggle the Tunni Lines mode. With Tunni Lines on, you can move both handles on a curve in sync. The results will balance their proportions and tune the curve tension.
Canvas (drawing area)
- Alt-click near a segment to select the entire contour.
- ShiftAlt-click near a segment to add the entire contour to the previous selection, or remove it from the selection.
- CtrlAlt-click near a line segment to convert the segment to a curve segment. CtrlAlt-click near a curve segment to Balance the segment.
- To perform a rectangular marquee selection, Drag on the canvas to select multiple Nodes and/or Handles. Alt-drag for a freeform marquee selection. You can also hold down Shift, to add to the previous selection or remove from it.
- Click on the canvas to deselect.
- Drag on an unselected segment to edit the segment.
- Click on a segment to subselect the segment, i.e. select only the segment, not the entire contour.
- Alt-click on a segment, or double-click on a segment to select the entire contour.
- ShiftAlt-click on a segment, or Shift-double-click on a segment to add the entire contour to the previous selection or deselect it.
- CtrlAlt-click on a segment to add a Node in that position.
- ShiftCtrlAlt-click on a segment to add an extremum Node to that segment (if it's needed).
- Alt-drag on a selected segment to duplicate it.
- With one or more segments selected, tap Backspace to merge their adjacent Nodes, i.e. remove them and try to keep the path unchanged.
- With one or more segments selected, tapping Del or FnBackspace will break the contour at the Nodes adjacent to the segments and delete these segments.
- Click on a Node to select it. Shift-click on a Node to add to the selection. Alt-click on the selected Node to remove from selection.
- Double-click on a Node to convert it between Sharp and Smooth. If the Node is between a Curve and a Line segment, a Sharp Node will be converted to Tangent.
- Alt-double-click on a Sharp Node to Normalize its sharpness. This will change all Handle positions on both adjacent segments so that you get a "natural" corner.
- ShiftAlt-double-click on a Sharp Node to convert the node into a Smart Corner. A Smart Corner can produce a rounded corner or an inktrap. It's live and non-destructive, and you can change the radius of the Smart Corner. If you double-click on the Smart Corner, you can change the radius of all Smart Corners in the current element. Right-click on a smart corner to Apply it, i.e. convert it to a regular contour with the rounding or inktrap applied.
- Alt-double-click on a Smooth Node to Harmonize its position i.e. equalize the Curvature on both sides of the Node.
- ShiftAlt-double-click on a Smooth Node to convert the Node to a Genius Node (one that will always remain harmonized even if you move the handles).
- Drag a Node to move it and its associated Handles. This also works with multiple selected Nodes.
- Shift-drag a Node to move it and its associated Handles along the horizontal or vertical axis. This also works with multiple selected Nodes.
- Alt-drag a Node to move it but keep its Handles in place (also works with multiple selected nodes).
- CtrlAlt-drag a Node to move it, and proportionally nudge all Handles of both adjacent segments. This also works with multiple selected nodes.
- AltCmd-drag a Smooth Node to move it and Normalize its smoothness. This also works with multiple Smooth Nodes. When smoothness is normalized, all Handles of both adjacent segments are recalculated so that "best" smoothness is achieved. This is equivalent to Fontographer's "Auto-Curvature" functionality. Note that this doesn't work for editing TrueType curves.
- ShiftAlt-drag a single Node to slide it along a segment. The Handles will be recalculated to keep the current form of the segment. If it's a Smooth Node, you can slide it only within the current segment. If it's a Sharp Node or a Start/End Node of an open contour, you can continue sliding it outside the current segment (i.e. smartly extend the segment). This does not work for multiple Nodes.
- With one or more Nodes selected, tap Backspace to merge these Nodes, i.e. remove them and try to keep the path unchanged.
- With one or more Nodes selected, tap Delete or FnBackspace to Break contour at these Nodes, or to break the contour and delete the adjacent segments. This is controlled in File > Preferences > Editing. We recommend the first setting ("break contour") because with this setting, if you select some nodes and tap Del once, the contour will be broken, and if you tap Del again, then the segments will be deleted.
- Click on a Handle to activate it. Shift-click on a Handle to add to the selection.
- ShiftAltclick on a Handle to retract it.
- Double-click on a Handle of a Sharp Node to align its angle to the opposite Handle.
- Shift-double-click on a Handle of a Sharp or Smooth Node to align its angle to the closest horizontal or vertical axis.
- Alt-double-click on a Handle of a Smooth node to slide the Node to the closest extremum.
- Drag a Handle to move it. Also works with multiple selected Handles.
- Shift-drag a single Handle to move it without changing its angle. This does not work for multiple Handles.
- Shift-drag multiple selected Handles to move them along the horizontal or vertical axis.
- Alt-drag a Handle to also move its opposite Handle. For a Sharp Node, it aligns the opposite Handle to the same angle. For a Smooth Node, it also puts the opposite Handle at the same distance to the Node. Also works with multiple Handles.
- With one or more Handles selected, tap Backspace or Delete to convert a Curve Segment to a Line Segment.


What does Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) mean?
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Once enrolled, an automatic monthly transfer of funds will take place – a transfer from the customer's account to the company's account. 2. How do I sign up? The sign up form is on this website or ask your agent for a copy. 3. What information do I need to sign up for EFT? You will need a checking or savings account and a copy of your invoice. 4. Is there a transaction fee for using EFT? No, Patrons customers do not pay a transaction fee when using EFT to make their payments. 5. Is there still an installment service charge? There are no monthly service charges. 6. What is the amount and the date funds are transferred from my account? Your invoice shows the amount. The payment will be deducted out of your bank account on the due date, except for weekend or holiday payments, which will be deducted the next business day. 7. After my enrollment, when will the first transfer occur? Typically, it will be the payment period following the initial sign up. Once your enrollment is in effect,... more
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Related Videos


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A group of researchers have developed a way to identify pirated movies by reducing the original to a signature genetic code. The system can match even videos that have been altered or had their colors changed to the source, an area where many video piracy mechanisms fall short.
Drs. Alex and Michael Bronstein and Professor Ron Kimmel have come up with a way to isolate a certain subset of data from video files that serves an analogous role to a fingerprint at a crime scene. While the creators haven't published research on this exact project in order to guard the proprietary technology, it works by applying a series of grids over the film to reduce it to a series of numbers.
Once the film has been systematically reduced, copyright holders can take the "DNA signature" of the video and scan sites that host pirated videos for it. According to the three researchers, the signature should be able to find correct matches even if the videos' borders have been changed, commercials have been added, or scenes have been edited out, which is a capability that sites that patrol for piracy, like YouTube, currently lack.
There are no details on the limitations of the system, such as video length, style, or quality. "We have a fully working prototype and have established a company that commercializes it," Dr. Bronstein told Ars.
While the website is no more revealing about how the video DNA matching works, Bronstein adds that they've already had a few companies interested in licensing the technology.


What Is Remineralising ToothpasteTooth Demineralisation Explained
The enamel on your tooth is one of the hardest and most mineralised parts of your body. Its main function is to protect the sensitive inner layers of your teeth from decay and sensitivity. Unfortunately, the enamel may become weaker over time from losing its mineral content, exposing your teeth to decay. This process is known as demineralisation and can happen for various reasons, mainly due to poor or inefficient oral hygiene and high or frequent sugar intake.
With the right toothpaste, however, you can replace the lost minerals and strengthen your enamel. In this article, we are going to look at the effects of demineralisation on your teeth, what remineralising toothpaste is and how it can help prevent further damage.
What Is Demineralisation?
Tooth demineralisation is a process where enamel loses calcium from its hydroxyapatite structure as a result of an acid environment in the mouth. Unchecked, it results in erosion and in extreme cases exposes the tooth to the decay process
Saliva acts as a buffer and neutralises acids in the mouth as part of a natural process and also remineralises the enamel. However, in extreme cases such as frequent consumption of acidic drinks, it cannot cope with the loss of calcium and this is where remineralising toothpaste are necessary
Losing Calcium
The enamel is mainly made of a mineral called calcium phosphate. According to a research study by Tufts University, your tooth's enamel gains and loses this mineral among others every single day. The acids produced by the bacteria in your mouth and the foods you eat dissolve these minerals while your saliva, which contains small amounts of fluoride, phosphate and calcium replaces it. However, the number of minerals lost are too large to be replaced by the minerals in your saliva alone.
Loss of calcium may be the result of consuming too many sugary foods, acidic foods or poor dental and oral health care in general. It may also be due to calcium leeching from the tooth enamel to compensate for a calcium deficiency elsewhere in your body. This condition is typically experienced by people living with osteoporosis. All these processes lead to demineralisation, which weakens your tooth enamel, raising your risk of cavities.
Signs of Demineralisation
 - Tooth sensitivity
 - Dental caries
 - Weakened enamel
 - Tooth pain
 - Tooth discolouration
 - Visible cracks
Risks of Demineralisation
You are at a higher risk of demineralisation if;
 - You have a high consumption of sugary foods at regular intervals
 - You do not practice good oral hygiene
 - You drink carbonated and fruit drinks
 - You brush your teeth vigorously with an incorrect brushing technique
 - Suffer from bruxism– tooth grinding, especially at night
 - You have low saliva flow. Increase your saliva flow by chewing on sugar-free gum and drinking more water. Saliva substitutes may also be taken if needed.
 - Use of drugs: Certain drugs tend to cause your mouth to dry out. Hence, they do not allow the saliva in your mouth enough time to neutralise the acids and naturally remineralise your enamel
How to Avoid It
Fortunately, there are a few ways you can help your mouth become a healthier place by avoiding demineralisation. Here are some of them:
 1. Practising good oral hygiene: this helps keep the bacteria away. Proper oral health includes brushing your teeth two times a day for two minutes and flossing once a day. Using a fluoride mouthwash at a separate time to or at least half an hour after brushing your teeth is also advisable.
 2. Use fluoride toothpaste: Fluoride toothpaste helps strengthen teeth and is the best aid for remineralising your teeth
 3. Cut down on sugars: Try to cut out most of the sugars you eat and drink, especially added sugars. Other than the obvious candy and soda, learn to look at processed food labels and avoid consuming sugary crackers, cereals, bread and certain canned foods etc.
 4. Increase natural food intake: add foods that are rich in minerals and vitamins to your daily diet to help increase remineralisation. Look for eggs, fish, cheese, apples, and dark leafy vegetables
 5. Add vital vitamins: Increasing vitamin D intake has been shown to prevent tooth decay
 6. Chew sugar-free gum: According to a study, chewing sugarfree gum helps remove plaque, carbs and sugar stuck in your teeth and also encourages the secretion of saliva
 7. Cut down your dairy consumption: While dairy products are a natural source of calcium, the lactose in traditional milk tends to increase acidity in your mouth
 8. Drink more water: Water helps remove harmful items from your mouth. Rinsing your mouth with water also helps reduce demineralisation
Remineralising Enamel
One of the best and most effective ways to remineralise your enamel is by using toothpaste that contains calcium phosphate, and stannous fluoride or any other form of fluoride. The secret, however, is to let the toothpaste sit on your teeth long enough to give the fluoride time to act. Whenever you brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste, your enamel absorbs small amounts of minerals replacing what you lost throughout the day. Over time, and with the consistent brushing with remineralising toothpaste, your enamel becomes stronger and more resistant to decay.
What Ingredients Should A Remineralising Toothpaste Have?
 - Stannous Fluoride/Other Forms Of Fluoride: Fluoride is a key ingredient in the aiding of tooth remineralisation.
 - Calcium Carbonate: Strengthens your tooth enamel by providing the essential calcium. This mineral also helps pull out debris from your teeth and remove stains.
 - Bentonite Clay: This mineral is rich in calcium, which is crucial for remineralising the enamel on your teeth.
 - Baking Soda: This ingredient is highly alkalising and is often used in dental products to help maintain a healthy PH balance.
 - Cacao: This ingredient contains important compounds that aid in fighting tooth decay. For instance, it contains theobromine, which has been found to be more effective than fluoride at remineralising the enamel. It also contains polyphenols, tannins, and other flavonoids that help improve your overall dental health.
 - Activated Charcoal: This contains strong whitening and detoxifying capabilities.
 - Xylitol: Effective at remineralising the enamel and since it is also sugar alcohol, its taste makes toothpaste a little more palatable.
 - Concentrace Minerals: This ingredient contains various minerals, which help support the mineralisation process.
 - Clove Essential Oil: Helps in improving oral health by fighting bacteria in your mouth and slowing down decalcification.
Dedicated Mouthwash & Pastes To Aid Remineralisation
If you suffer from tooth demineralisation, your dentist may prescribe you a specific mouth rinse or paste. Neither of which can be classified as a toothpaste but are more efficient in providing calcium in an absorbable form. Two common brands prescribed are:
INNOVA Mouthwash
Innova mouth wash for tooth remineralisation
GC MI Paste Plus
tooth demineralisation explained
When To See Your Dentist
We cannot stress enough the importance of visiting your dentist regularly to get a major head start against enamel demineralisation.
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Joseph Xuereb


How To Understand Shopper Behaviour During A Pandemic
Covid-19 has changed many things in 2020, and shopper behaviour is high on the list. With the pandemic still hanging like a dark cloud over the bricks-and-mortar retail environment, shoppers' expectations have shifted.
Relaxed in-store browsing has largely given way to a more focused approach. Consumers are now more likely to arrive in-store with a clear shopping agenda, and they expect a higher level of focused service when they do go into a retail outlet.
Understanding how shopper behaviour is changing through the Covid-19 crisis is vital for retailers. But capturing these shifts in behaviour while still remaining 'covid-safe' has become a challenge, particularly for accompanied shops.
In the pre-covid world, physically shadowing a shopper and observing their behaviours during an in-store visit provided many valuable insights into consumer behaviour. However, following a shopper around a store has become socially unacceptable during the pandemic and perceived as being risky.
But that doesn't mean Covid-19 has put an end to this valuable research tool. Here at The Growth Activists, our research team was recently challenged with undertaking pandemic-affected accompanied shops for a client project. So we tapped into that ubiquitous device – the mobile phone.
Our researchers connected with shoppers on a mobile-based video call, and asked shoppers to direct their phones at what they were seeing in-store. There was a low barrier to getting research participants on board with this methodology as many had already had the experience of shopping and video-calling a friend or relative to get their opinion on a potential purchase.
We found that conducting mobile phone-based accompanied shops provided surprising benefits. In fact, it was so successful that we're not even considering going back to the traditional in-person approach.
Here are five key benefits of conducting mobile phone-based accompanied shops:
 1. Greater intimacy with the respondent: Physical accompanied shops can leave the respondent feeling that they are being 'watched'. Communicating via mobile, on the other hand, creates a much more relaxed shopping experience for the respondent. Subsequent insights are therefore much more representative of true shopping behaviour.
 2. Borderless connections: Faced with state border restrictions, The Growth Activists team conducted accompanied shops across multiple cities and states in one day. This saved significant time and travel costs. But most importantly it enabled nation-wide insights to be delivered rapidly for a retailer with a national footprint.
 3. Following the shopper's eye: We asked respondents to flip their camera around while they were in-store and describe what they were looking at in real time. This enabled our researchers to identify what caught the shopper's eye, and determine not only how but also why they were navigating the retail space in the way they were.
 4. Accurate capture of the experience: Using digital recording tools, such as the record function in Google Meet, enabled our team to create highly accurate recordings of the retail space, pull out fantastic video snippets, and transcribe shopper comments within minutes.
 5. Complete honesty in the responses: Chatting on a mobile phone is second nature for most people. This familiarity enabled our team to build greater rapport with each respondent, and gave us the ability to freely converse with shoppers and prompt them through their headphones to drive truthful and frank anecdotes.
If your organisation has put qualitative research on hold due to the pandemic, or has not yet trialled new research methodologies, there is good news for you. The innovations in methodology coming out of the pandemic are delivering insights that are better for your business across multiple fronts – faster delivery, greater geographic breadth, cost-effectiveness and improved reliability of insights.
There has never been a more important time to be attuned to changing customer behaviours – these insights can make the difference between your brand just surviving or actually thriving in 2020 and beyond.
This article was first published in Inside FMCG. Rob Shwetz is a Partner at The Growth Activists, and leads the Research & Insights practice. Rob has 25 years experience across customer and business insights, media, communications and customer experience with organisations including Fairfax, Publicis and Mediacom. To discuss your research strategy Rob can be reached at