About Erin - Erin Smith, M.Ac., L.Ac.
I feel truly blessed to have discovered a life's work as rewarding and fulfilling for me as practicing acupuncture and Chinese medicine. I am eager everyday to go to the office or be invited into a patient's home to provide the best holistic medical care that I can. I truly value and cherish each individual that I am privileged to work with, and I am inspired and humbled at every unique story and set of experiences that is shared with me by each of my patients.
What is most rewarding for me in my work is discovering that I have made a difference in someone's life. So many patients come to acupuncture at the end of the western medical road. They have tried every procedure, medication, have a laundry list of medical conditions and symptoms, and still have found no relief from their suffering, which is something I can personally relate to. What I enjoy the most is when these patients start to finally have some relief, even after decades with their conditions, and they are inspired to make changes and start living a more healthy and balanced life. This is the reason I became an acupuncturist, to have as many experiences like this as I can, and nothing brings me greater joy.
What is the biggest misconception that you hear about acupuncture?
I have heard from a lot of people over the past several years say that they will not try acupuncture because they do not believe in it. The biggest misconception about acupuncture and Chinese medicine is that it is a belief system or religious practice, when in fact it is a science of nature and medicine that has been in existence, observed, and practiced for thousands of years.
The development of Chinese medicine and theory did occur in a culture based in Taoist, Buddhist, and Confucian values, but the same is true of western medicine, which has its roots in Christianity, as well as Judaism and Islam. No matter what your religious beliefs are, many people from any walk of life can benefit from the use of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Although having an open mind about what you are doing will always have a positive impact on your health and well being, it is not essential to "believe" in acupuncture for it to have a positive impact on your life, which many modern studies have proved to be accurate. Just as many people who believe in Daoism and eastern religions have and will benefit from the use of antibiotics, just as many Christians, Jews, Muslisms, and all other walks of life can and will benefit from the use of acupuncture and other modalities of Chinese medicine. No matter what your religion is, both are medical sciences, and both help to save lives and ease suffering.
The most important thing I do to stay healthy is watching what I eat. I am very conscious to avoid all processed foods and meats that are not from the wild or pasture raised, and at this point, I am about 80-90% successful in this goal. It has taken a long time and a lot of diligence, research, and label reading to get to this point, but in my opinion, this is the best thing anyone can do for their health. There are a lot of food companies, and even members of government agencies, that do not have the consumers best interest or long term health in mind when they sell us their products or create government policy. Without getting too political here, if you consume mostly processed, chemically derived foods, your health will suffer for it eventually, and you will most likely spend much more on pharmaceutical drugs and medical procedures then if you spend a little bit more on the food you are eating 3 times per day. Food is, and always will be, the best medicine. Stay tuned for more information about healthy eating in my blog, and check out my Resources for Healthy Living page as well for more information.
Aside from organic, grass fed, and home grown food, I also make sure I get plenty of exercise. My favorite forms of exercise at the moment are walking, hiking, and practicing yoga and taiji. I also try to keep the amount of stress I carry to a minimum. To help ease my physical, mental, and emotional bodies, I make sure I spend a lot of time in nature, get regular acupuncture and massage treatments, meditate regularly, and make sure I have enough time for friends, family and fun! Finding what you are passionate about in life and spending your time in service of that is another very important feature for a happy and healthy life.
A lot of people have asked me this question, and I thought I would share a little about my path to becoming an acupuncturist to whoever may be interested. I was lucky enough to discover from an early age that my passion in life is in helping to reduce the suffering of others.
When I was 2 years old, I was diagnosed with a rare health condition, which led my doctors to do further testing. At the end of one of these tests, I went in to cardiac arrest and had to be revived with the insertion of a glucose filled syringe into my lower leg. They thankfully were able to save my life, however that experience would alter the quality of my life forever. The day after the procedure, my lower leg swelled up to 3 times it's normal size due to the improper injection of the glucose solution into my leg. I had developed compartment syndrome overnight, and an emergency surgery was performed to reduce to pressure and save my leg. This first surgery unfortunately led to the improper growth and development of a rapidly growing toddler leg and ankle. From the ages of 12-21, I had another 8 surgeries in attempt to correct the various problems in my leg and ankle, which was leading to a lot of pain, discomfort, and an inability to participate in sports and other activities I wanted to as a young girl.
When I was about 15 years old, I started receiving physical therapy in Mt. Airy, Maryland in recovery from one of my surgeries. I will never forget my physical therapist, Lisa Taylor, who first inspired me to dedicate my life to helping others. She was very generous in helping me get a job as a physical therapy receptionist and soon after a technician. I continued working as a technician for the rest of high school, and all throughout college at several different physical therapy clinics throughout Maryland. I worked with a lot of fantastic therapists, who taught me so much about patient care and working with all types of people who are in pain and suffering.
When I was working on my undergraduate degree at Villa Julie College (now Stevenson University), one of the doctors I worked with, Dr. Steven Friedman, introduced me to tai ji chaun as an internal martial art form that may help me with the problems I still suffered with my leg. I started taking tai ji chuan at USKA in Owings Mills, Maryland, and got introduced to eastern philosophy and medicine as well. I immediately became engrossed in what I was learning, and realized that my true passion lies in the eastern traditions of holistic thought and medicine. I started receiving acupuncture and practicing tai ji on a regular basis, and my life slowly started to transform. The amount of pain I experienced on a daily basis was decreasing, my function was increasing, and my mind was expanding into the realm of eastern medicine, where it has lived ever since.
By the end of my sophomore year of college, I knew that I wanted to become an acupuncturist. That summer I took a road trip with my dad and started looking at Chinese medicine schools all over the country. I was attracted to and inspired by many of the schools I visited, but I ultimately fell in love with Portland, Oregon and attended NCNM for classical Chinese medicine starting in 2007. My time at NCNM and in Portland truly transformed my life and helped me to become the person I am meant to be. I met some of the greatest teachers, friends, and colleagues that one could every hope for, and I am truly blessed and forever grateful for my time there and the journey that led me there to become an acupuncturist, and a more inspired and consciously living human being.
One of the greatest lessons I have learned thus far, is that despite the hardships we may go through in life, it is important to realize that those hardships are usually in service of a greater plan, even if it is hard to realize that during those times of suffering. Without the experiences I have had in my life, although there were many times of pain, I would probably not have discovered what I was meant to do in this life. I am lucky for all experiences I have had so far in my life, and I hope to inspire others to live up to the lives they are meant to live, and help ease their pain during those times that are difficult and full of suffering.


text:
UCAS End of Cycle Report Shows Record-breaking Numbers
The 2014 End of Cycle Report shows UCAS acceptances were at an all-time high, with some interesting stats relating to diversity too…
According to the report, this is the first time ever that the UCAS service placed over half a million people in higher education.
Entry rates for 18-year-olds in 2014 increased for both males and females in England and Wales, with more females than males accepted for the 2014-15 academic year – a record 57,800 more females than males were accepted across subject areas overall. So that means the 2014 figures suggest that young women were two thirds more likely to enter higher education than young men.
There were also promising figures relating to acceptances of young people from the most disadvantaged areas.
In 2014 a record 1.8 million offers were made overall by higher education providers.
Extra-curricular experience means faster progress at work
Apprenticeship Vacancies Up Almost A Third
Finding Employment Tops Young People's Concerns

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Athletes!! Come by our photo booth to take a quick pic with your medal after the race. We'll be parked in front of our new space on 72nd Street between Riverside Boulevard and West End Avenue. Then, head on in to check it out - staff will be on hand for some post-race recovery with stretching, massage, and foam rolling. You deserve it!
Fans! Looking for a place to cheer on your friends and family? Join us at our tent on 72nd Street between West End Ave and Riverside Blvd.
"It's easy as a new mom to feel overwhelmed and make excuses to not exercise. So give yourself realistic expectations. Consider two times a week instead of five. Also be patient with yourself. The core is generally the last thing to come back and it truly is different for everyone. Don't start comparing yourself to others. Know that with your time - if you find a system that is sustainable - you will get to where you want to be."
Check out Buggy Barre for low-impact, isolated, controlled movements or MamaFit for a non-stop workout with cardio, core, and glutes.
During pregnancy, a certain amount of stretching of the fascia in the abdomen is necessary and natural. Much of this occurs at the linea alba (translation: white line), which is the fascial connection between the two rectus abdominus muscles.
In the first 8 weeks after birth, the body heals and the stretching reduces. But for almost half of women, the fascia between the abdominal muscles remains wider than normal, a condition called diastasis recti.
Did you know? The separation at 8 weeks has been show to remain unchanged at 1 year in the absence of intervention (ie. physical therapy, guided exercise).
Diastasis recti often leads to failed load transfer, meaning decreased stability of the lumbopelvic region (think core), and decreased support of pelvic organs, associated with a risk of pelvic floor dysfunctions such as incontinence or prolapse.
While laying on your back, place your fingers just above your belly button and lift your chin towards your chest. Feel for a soft gap between your two ab muscles. Also, observe for any possible bulging or "doming" of your stomach.
If you are having pain or associated symptoms, don't hesitate to reach out to your physical therapist for an assessment and possible intervention.


text:
/ New Orelans is a city of complete idiots.. im not going there anytime soon
Pages (11): « Previous 1 ... 7 8 9 10 11
New Orelans is a city of complete idiots.. im not going there anytime soon
Stormlover
ladybug Wrote: ONCE AGAIN, no one is defending Nagin, just spreading the blame around. There is plenty of room for the state, FEMA and Bush, and Nagin has nothing to do with them he is local to New Orleans.
I agree Nagin had better things to worry about then talking to some nut minister on the phone. I would be outraged if he would have been taking calls like that. If his minister had a plan other then to complain to Nagin why didn't he put it into action?
I would rather drink my koolaid then whatever it is you drink/drank that has you stuck on Nagin.
I agree to disagree and quit
This was a very well known,very highly respected leader in the city that was shunned like that,and for you to call him a nut with no knowledge shows how you think.My point wasn't so much that an individual was shunned but that thousands upon thousands were by him.
For Nagin to have more important things to do than the safety of his most helpless citizens shows his lack of concern.
Who said Nagin had better things to do then the safety of his most helpless citizens....refusing to take a phone call from a minister doen't say that. I am sure the minister was not told that Nagin had better things to do other then worry about safety of his most helpless citizens. I would bet the farm he was told he had more important things to do then to talk to that fellow.
I dont' know which black minister you are talking about but I don't know one black minister in New Orleans that is a highly respected leader in the city.
The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
ladybug Wrote: Who said Nagin had better things to do then the safety of his most helpless citizens....refusing to take a phone call from a minister doen't say that. I am sure the minister was not told that Nagin had better things to do other then worry about safety of his most helpless citizens. I would bet the farm he was told he had more important things to do then to talk to that fellow.
I'll get his name...maybe you misunderstood,but he was told that Nagin had more important things to do than to deal with transportation for those that couldn't get out.LB you would argue with a wall I bet*Rolleyes
And since you don't know that there is a respected,caring black minister that cares about his community and the people,well,I guess it must not be so then...I guess this historian writing the book made it all up too....jeez
Tireman4
ladybug Wrote: I dont' know which black minister you are talking about but I don't know one black minister in New Orleans that is a highly respected leader in the city.
Wow. Those are strong words.
Tireman4 Wrote: Wow. Those are strong words.
Sorry, but I don't know any. There are many who play the racist card every time something happens they don't agree with and many who the low lifes and criminals of New Orleans like but none that any productive tax paying citizen of New Orleans are the surrounding areas respect and consider a leader in the city of New Orleans. If they care so much about the citizens why didn't they do something to get them out of harms way. What are they leading other then revolts and protests and collecting money. A few of them should have lost their tax exemptions from this last election since they were preaching politics and not religion from the pulpit.
All they ever do is gripe and complain about others and rarely, if ever, do anything themselves. Oh, excuse me JJ brought in some people who were suppose to be Orleans parish citizens wanting to work but turned out to be bums from other states. They bussed them in to vote in the election but couldn't bus them out prior to Katrina. Give me a break...highly respected - ROF
The people who follow these guys wouldn't know respect if it hit them upside their head.
Wow LB...just wow...you're arrogance is amazing.I KNOW I am talking to a wall now.Have a nice afternoon LB./knockonwo


Merge onto Interstate 95 South (NOT NJ turnpike) toward Central Philadelphia. Take the I-676/US-30 Exit- Exit # 22 towards Central Philadelphia/Independence Hall. Take the Callowhill Street ramp towards I-676/US-30 East/Independence Hall. Turn Right onto Callowhill Street and go past 8th Street. Turn left on the next small street with a small sign to Vine Street. Turn right at the first street before going onto Vine Street, which is Wood Street (Street sign might be missing). The church is on your left (the parking lot entrance is before the church).
Merge onto I-76/Schuykill Expressway East toward Philadelphia. Stay to the left when the highway divides to be on I-676 East/US 30 Exit # 344 towards Central Philadelphia. Exit I-676 at 15th street. At the top of the ramp, stay straight to continue on Vine Street to 11th Street. Go left onto 11th Street. Cross through the traffic light on Vine Street and go right at the first street, which is Wood Street (Street sign might be missing). Go one block to 10th Street and turn right and then an immediate left. The church is on your right (the parking lot entrance is after the church).
Take Route 1 S, than Merge onto I-95S. Then follow the direction "From the North Philadelphia" above.


text:
La conoscenza di questo sovrano, il cui nome non compare in alcuna delle liste reali, deriva dal ritrovamento di una statua che lo rappresenta. Questa venne alla luce nel 1957 a Benevento e doveva far parte del corredo del locale tempio di Iside, fatto costruire dall'imperatore Domiziano alla fine del I secolo. La statua, dedicata ad Amon-Ra, doveva in origine trovarsi nel grande tempio di Amon a Karnak e venne successivamente portata nell'antica Beneventum probabilmente da un privato. Oggi il reperto è esposto nel locale Museo del Sannio.
La statua contiene i nomi del sovrano inseriti nei cartigli, simbolo di regalità:

mr šps s rˁ ini - Mershepsesra Ini Amata è la regalità di Ra, Ini

Il nome di questo sovrano potrebbe trovarsi nelle righe perse. a causa del frammentarietà del documento (colonne 6 e 7), del Canone Reale.

Cronologia

Note

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni
http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk//Welcome.html
http://www.ancient-egypt.org/index.html
http://www.eglyphica.de/egpharaonen

Sovrani della XIII dinastia egizia

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Network Engineer responsible for engineering, implementation, and design of Mission Partner Environment (MPE) networks and equipment.
Analyze voice, video, radio-frequency, and/or data communications networks, including planning, designing, evaluating, selecting, and upgrading operating systems and protocol suites and configuring communication media with concentrators, bridges, and other devices.
Configure routers, switches, VPN concentrators, firewalls, and TACLANES, (specifically Brocade and Juniper and General Dynamics TACLANES) to support the USAREUR MPE-related network environments.
Plan network layouts and configures systems to user environments.
Support the acquisition of hardware and software as well as subcontractor services as needed.
Configure VPN tunnels on Brocade and Juniper devices and configure TACLANES, to include installing encryption keys.
1. CCNP and an active Secret clearance is required.
2. IAT Level II Certification is required at start.
3. Project Management Professional is desired but not required.


I drove up to the observatory here. Took about a hour and a half from where I live. I made it to the bottom of the mountain safely then it was a crazy 12 mile drive up the mountain. Anxiety set in quickly! I looked to the right and saw how high up I was and said, "Oh NO!…keep your eyes on the road and look at nothing else!" The air is already thin up there so I took slow, deep breathes so I didn't start having a panic attack. Luckily, they had sidebars most of the way up and there were cars behind me…I was the leader.
I just kept wondering when the drive would be over. I think it took another 30 minutes to make the drive up going about 20 miles per hour. I finally made it up there and let out a sigh of relief. The anxiety had me hot and sweating. Plus they told me to dress warmly because it's colder up there and it was such a hot, beautiful night, it wasn't even cold! I'm out here bringing two sweaters, Bearpaw boots, and thermals under my pants. I survived though…went straight home and took a shower.
They provided us a "dinner"…sandwich, chips, water, and two bars I believe. I just ate the snacks as I'm not a low quality sandwich person. Then we headed up to watch the sunset and talk about the place and telescopes. The sunset was beautiful but nothing compares to watching it over the ocean.
Next we split into two groups and one went star gazing while the other looked through the telescope. I looked through the telescope first…YAY! We looked at Mars, Saturn, and groups of stars. It was really amazing, especially seeing the rings around Saturn. Next up was star gazing with binoculars. I thought it was pretty cool that you can see things in the sky with binoculars. I LOVED looking at the Milky Way. I actually saw something fly across the sky…aliens? Lady told me it was a satellite, but who knows? I wish I could have pictures of the things I saw but that's a much more expensive program.
Lastly, was coming back down the mountain. They covered our headlights because you can't have lights shining near an observatory. It might mess up a perfect shot of something in the sky. So had to drive down in complete darkness following each other. Oh I was scared! I got too far away from the car in front me a few times and just about died on the inside. You basically had to keep flashing your break lights otherwise you couldn't see a thing. And for the record they say red light does not pick up as easily as white light. We drove like that for a mile then they took the patches off our lights and we were free to go. It was more fun bending the corners coming down.
All in all it was definitely worth it. I went all by myself and had fun. I'll have to get me a pair of binoculars to go star gazing one day in the jungle. The sky is really interesting.


Supermodel Cushing somehow captures the aloofness of a human who doesn't want to be on set paired nicely with the unique strut of somehow not comfortable in their own body. It's an ASOS video model signature that's not easily copied.
But it's really his facial expressions that capture what we're all thinking. "This video seems pointless?, Who watches these anyway?, Why am I here?, What is my purpose? Should Clay have won the first season of American Idol over Ruben?"
Soon-to-be fashion superstar Cushing ends the video with a small tease to the camera and a look of "Is that thing still on?" and "Did I just change the modeling industry forever?"


text:
Buchanan Books In Order
Publication Order of Buchanan-Renard-MacKenna Books
Heartbreaker (2000) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Mercy (2001) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Killjoy (2002) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Murder List (2004) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Slow Burn (2005) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Shadow Dance (2006) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Fire and Ice (2008) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Sizzle (2009) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
The Ideal Man (2011) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Sweet Talk (2012) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Hotshot (2013) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Fast Track (2014) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Wired (2017) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Grace Under Fire (2022) Hardcover Paperback Kindle
Regency, romantic and medieval; that is what comes into anyone's mind when you mention the name, Julie Garwood. As one of the most decorated romantic suspense writer of this era, Julie Garwood grew up in a very large family of Irish heritage. According to Julie, the Irish heritage is one of the main reasons why she was able to take storytelling much easily. Apart from her Scottish heritage, another factor that played a key role in her storytelling skills was the fact that she was the sixth of seven children. As the second youngest in the family, Julie Garwood was able to learn self-expression by being imaginative, forceful and quick at a very tender age.
Ever since she was young, she has always had a passion for creating stories. But despite her love of storytelling, Julie Garwood did not think of it as a career but rather as a passion. It was until the youngest of her children joined the school, then she decided to make a career out of writing. After publishing her first two books that targeted young adults, Julie Garwood turned her interests to historical fiction novels. Her first ever novel, the Gentle Warrior was published in the year 1985. To this date, over 40 million copies of her works have been printed with most of them translated into several languages across the world. Furthermore, Garwood's most popular novel, For the Roses was adopted by one Hallmark Hall of Fame production which is working on a project for CBS.
Irrespective as to whether the setting is medieval Scotland, frontier Montana, Regency England or modern-day Louisiana, all her themes are constant. They include loyalty, family, and honor. Most readers who have had the time to go through her works claim that the humor and the poignancy in her works are what usually keeps them coming for more. According to Julie Garwood, her goals are to make the reader fall in love, laugh and cry. In other terms, she wants to take the readers to another world for a little bit of time after which they are going to feel as if they were on an adventure.
All of her novels are recognized for their quirkiness of her heroines who always clumsy and tend to get lost anywhere. As a writer, Julie Garwood is not afraid to tackle very difficult issues that most people may be afraid to talk about openly. In one of her books, Julie tackles the issue of spousal abuse that is rampant in many families though it remains a well-kept secret. In addition, all her novels are historically accurate. The accuracy can be attributed, to the fact that she has a tendency to refer at least to three book sources from the University of Kansas Library before completing any of her novels. Despite being successful in the genre of historical romance, Julie Garwood decided to venture into a new field by deciding to write contemporary romantic suspense.
Like all her historical romance novels, her contemporary romantic suspense novels still laid emphasis on family relationships and as to whether a group of friends or blood relatives have styled themselves as a family.
The Heartbreaker
Referred to many as a true blue romantic suspense, the Heartbreaker is the first installment in the Buchanan-Renard series. In the Heartbreaker, a psychopath killer confesses about his involvement in the murder of a young girl to a priest. After the confession, he makes his intention known. The heartbreaker is planning to kidnap, torture and kill the sister to the priest. The highly shaken priest contacts his best friend and super FBI agent, Nick. Nick becomes more than determined to ensure that the priest's sister, Laurent is safe. If you have never read the book before, then be more than sure that the first chapters of the book are going to scare you a little bit.
Throughout the storyline, there is a simmering attraction between the FBI agent Nick and Laurent, the sister of the priest. However, this attraction does not mature until the latter stages of the story. Hence, this book is more of a slow-burn romance novel. As the first installment of the Buchanan-Renard series the plot is very well developed. Apart from the development, the plot is also well planned with a number of twists and plenty of suspicions. Despite the fact that the storyline is dark, Julie Garwood added a little bit of humor just to keep the storyline from becoming very intense. Apart from the humor and darkness, all the characters were developed to perfection; they are not only interesting but also very likable.
Mercy is the second installment of the Buchanan-Renard series, and it begins when Theo Buchanan falls ill while at the New Orleans gala. Dr. Michelle Renard works very hard and fast to ensure that she can save his life. No sooner, Theo Buchanan finds himself trying to save Dr. Michelle's after she is a target of a deadly crime gang. The crime gang goes by the name, the Sowing Club. The Sowing Club is a devious group of four, which is driven by greed, to gather millions of dollars in a secret bank account. Now the only person, who might know who they are and what they have done, is Mitchelle. Is Dr. Michelle Renard going to be captured by this bloodthirsty gang or is Theo going to be the hero and save her life? Only, time will tell.
Julie Garwood is one among the few authors with the ability to take readers, from one location to another in a very captivating and mind-blowing way. In addition, she also has the aptitude of instilling her signature sense of humor which in turn leads to a very heartwarming and enchanting storyline. All her works and novels usually contain some decent suspense and textured secondary characters, which, in the long run, leads to a plot that is not only coherent but also very credible and unpredictable. As a master of the art, Julie Garwood is undeniably one of those readers that must be in the upper echelons of your reading list.
Book Series In Order » Characters » Buchanan
One Response to "Buchanan"
Carly Corday: 4 years ago
Is that introduction to Julie Garwood and the novel summaries up there an example of her writing? Does she not know Ireland from Scotland? Did she actually type "irrespective as to whether"? And all the rest of that goop up there?!? Or does she have a weak assistant who does it for her, without benefit of proofreader? So what we have, I guess, is a WORLD full of readers ready for 50 Shades of Gray, and not much else. Fifty Shades of Gray is actually looking BETTER to me as of now. (And the movie was another animal entirely. It was superb. 🙂 )


The Chiltern seven drawer chest is perfect for any home or rented accommodation. Manufactured in the UK to order this is a high quality piece of contract furniture that adheres to all strict crib source 5 fire regulations regarding furniture in a multi tenant occupancy.
With plenty of storage through the seven drawers, users do appreciate the space and quality that Chiltern furniture provides.
Height 27.5", Width 48", Depth 16.5"


On the campaign trail in the lead up to the 2018 Ontario election, the right-wing conservative Doug Ford raised problems with the provincial health care system and promised his constituents that "help is on the way." Now that Ford is Ontario's conservative Premier, he is not helping the health care system, but putting it–and this vital public service–on the chopping block. Ford is placing our health and the health of our families in the hands of those whose primary concern is to profit, not to meet our needs. How do we stop this? How can we organize to collectively improve rather than privatize and destroy this public good? The last time anything threatening as this happened in Ontario, the labour movement responded with the Days of Action. What can we learn and creatively adapt from that experience?
Join Natalie Mehra and Michael Hurley for a discussion about Ford's threat to the public health care system in Ontario, and what we need to do to secure, rebuild and improve public health care for all.
Michael Hurley is the President of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions and was the first Vice-President of CUPE Ontario.


text:
Andrew Chapman, author
The Rib of Adam
The Rib of Adam – a preview
The Rib of Adam-readers' comments
The Rib of Adam – an excerpt
Heresy in 13th Century Southwest France
The Leaving – author's preview
The Leaving – an excerpt
The Leaving – readers responses
Ikon – a novel
Ikon – the author's introduction
The writing of Ikon
Ikon – an excerpt
Readers' responses to Ikon
An Ottoman Supergun
A 15th Century Ottoman harem…
Ideas before their time
The Four Johns….
Beyond the Silence
Beyond the Silence – a novel
Beyond the Silence – an excerpt
Readers' responses to Beyond the Silence
Andrew's Videoblogs
Second fiddle
The Spiral Stair
Mr Bloggs
Mr Bloggs and the elephant hat
Mr Bloggs and the Custard Tart
Mr Bloggs and the terrible Friday – an unsavoury story.
The Vicar who talked about God – an Anglican tale
Cargolade – a spiral story
Grandparents always lie
Away in a …….
Andrew Chapman introduces his new novel……
Southwest France, early in the 13th Century. A young woman is taking her dying father on a long journey to undergo a strange initiation ceremony. Grazide, the daughter of a blacksmith is deeply disturbed by what her father has insisted she should do. This is the era when many inhabitants of the region are involved in heresy, principally the unorthodoxy known as Catharism.
We are taken back to a time when she is growing up in a small village. It is a time of conflict. Northern French forces have been recruited by the Church into a war against the heretics, known as the Albigensian Crusade and the land is being systematically despoiled, its people ravaged. Her village and her family are not unaffected. As she matures into womanhood she finds her independent nature and her self-determination opposed by the misogyny of the age. Despite this her belief in her own autonomy struggles to assert itself.
We follow events that encompass the aftermath of war, the building of new towns and the devastating Papal inquisition that seeks to eliminate heresy from the region once and for all.
This is a novel whose strong narrative carves out a vivid picture of these turbulent times – at the same time exposing the forces that seek to oppress a woman who strives to take possession of her own life.
Publication date – 4th December 2019
order your copy here
Share on Twitter and Facebook
© 2021 - Andrew Chapman, author


text:
({
	DOWNARROW_KEY: 40,
	UPARROW_KEY: 38,
	ENTER_KEY: 13,
	TAB_KEY: 9,

    /**
     * Test case created for W-2089843. Where anchor tags were not clickable on mobile. Running on all platforms that AutoComplete works on
     */
    testTouchListElm: {
	browsers : ["-IE7", "-IE8"],
	test : [function(cmp){
			this._changeInput(cmp, "h");
	    }, function(cmp){
	    	//Grab Autocomplete List
		    var autoList = cmp.find("autoComplete").find("list");

	        //Get the anchor in the list to click as the user would
	        var ul = autoList.getElement().getElementsByTagName("ul")[0];
	        //Test case for W-2428589
	        $A.test.assertTrue($A.util.hasClass(ul,"visible"), "Class name should contain visible");
        	var listAnchors = ul.getElementsByTagName("a");
	        $A.test.clickOrTouch(listAnchors[1]);
	    }, function(cmp){
	        //assert
	        var actual = cmp.find("autoComplete").find("input").find("txt").getElement().value;
	        var expected = "hello world2"
	        $A.test.assertEquals(expected, actual, "List element in autocompleteList is not clickable!");
	    }]
    },

    testTouchListElmWhenUseAutocompletePanelSet: {
    	browsers : ["-IE7", "-IE8"],
    	attributes: {usePanel: true},
        test : [function(cmp){
				this._changeInput(cmp, "h");
    	    }, function(cmp){
    	    	//Grab Autocomplete List
    		    var autoList = cmp.find("autoComplete").find("list");

    	        //Get the anchor in the list to click as the user would
    	        var ul = autoList.getElement().getElementsByTagName("ul")[0];
    	        //Test case for W-2428589
    	        $A.test.assertTrue($A.util.hasClass(ul,"visible"), "Class name should contain visible");
            	var listAnchors = ul.getElementsByTagName("a");
    	        $A.test.clickOrTouch(listAnchors[1]);
    	    }, function(cmp){
    	        //assert
    	        var actual = cmp.find("autoComplete").find("input").find("txt").getElement().value;
    	        var expected = "hello world2"
    	        $A.test.assertEquals(expected, actual, "List element in autocompleteList is not clickable!");
    	    }]
        },

        /*
         * Test case to avoid infinite loop when there are 0 items and no header/footer
         * Bug: W-2800886
         */
        testFocusOnEmptyListDoesNotTriggerInfinteloop: {
    		test : [function(cmp){
    			autoComplete = cmp.find("autoCompleteNoData");
    			autoList = autoComplete.find("list");
    			$A.test.assertFalse(autoList.get("v.visible"), "Autocomplete list should not be visible");
    			autoList.set("v.visible",true);
            }, function(cmp){
            	$A.test.assertTrue($A.util.hasClass(autoList.getElement(), "loading"),
    				"Loading indicator should be present");
            	var input = this._getInput(cmp,"autoCompleteNoData");
                try{
                	this._fireKeydownEvent(input, this.DOWNARROW_KEY);
                } catch (e) {
                	$A.test.fail(e.message);
                }
    		}]
    	},

	testDownArrowSelectsNextItem: {
		test : [function(cmp){
			this._changeInput(cmp, "h");
			var input = this._getInput(cmp,"autoComplete");
            this._fireKeydownEvent(input, this.DOWNARROW_KEY);
			this._fireKeydownEvent(input, this.DOWNARROW_KEY);
			this._fireKeydownEvent(input, this.ENTER_KEY);

		}, function(cmp){
			this._validateItemSelected(cmp,"autoComplete","hello world2");
		}]
	},

	testDownArrowLoopsToFirst: {
		test : [function(cmp){
			this._changeInput(cmp, "h");
			var input = this._getInput(cmp,"autoComplete");
            for (var i=0;i<11;i++) {
				this._fireKeydownEvent(input, this.DOWNARROW_KEY);
			}
			this._fireKeydownEvent(input, this.ENTER_KEY);
		}, function(cmp){
			this._validateItemSelected(cmp,"autoComplete","hello world1");
		}]
	},

	testUpArrowLoopsToLast: {
		test : [function(cmp){
			this._changeInput(cmp, "h");
			var input = this._getInput(cmp,"autoComplete");
            this._fireKeydownEvent(input, this.UPARROW_KEY);
			this._fireKeydownEvent(input, this.ENTER_KEY);
		}, function(cmp){
			this._validateItemSelected(cmp,"autoComplete","hello world10");
		}]
	},

	testDownArrowSelectsHeader: {
		test : [function(cmp){
			this._changeInputHeaderFooter(cmp, "h");
			this._goToHeaderOrFooter(cmp, "header", this.ENTER_KEY);
		}, function(cmp){
			this._validateSelectEventFired(cmp,"header");
		}]
	},

	testUpArrowSelectsFooter: {
		test : [function(cmp){
			this._changeInputHeaderFooter(cmp, "h");
			this._goToHeaderOrFooter(cmp, "footer", this.ENTER_KEY);
		}, function(cmp){
			this._validateSelectEventFired(cmp,"footer");
		}]
	},

	testDownArrowToFooter : {
		test : [function (cmp) {
					this._changeInputHeaderFooter(cmp, "h");
					this._goToHeaderOrFooterFullList(cmp, "footer", this.ENTER_KEY);
				}, function (cmp) {
					this._validateSelectEventFired(cmp,"footer");
				}]
	},

	testUpArrowToHeader : {
		test : [function (cmp) {
					this._changeInputHeaderFooter(cmp, "h");
					this._goToHeaderOrFooterFullList(cmp, "header", this.ENTER_KEY);
				}, function (cmp) {
					this._validateSelectEventFired(cmp,"header");
				}]
	},

	testDownArrowLoopsFromFooterToHeader : {
		test : [function (cmp) {
					this._changeInputHeaderFooter(cmp, "h");
					this._goToHeaderOrFooter(cmp, "footer", this.ENTER_KEY);
				}, function (cmp) {
					this._validateSelectEventFired(cmp,"footer");
				}, function (cmp) {
					this._goToHeaderOrFooter(cmp, "header", this.ENTER_KEY);
				}, function (cmp) {
					this._validateSelectEventFired(cmp,"header");
				}]
	},

	testUpArrowLoopsFromHeaderToFooter : {
		test : [function (cmp) {
					this._changeInputHeaderFooter(cmp, "h");
					this._goToHeaderOrFooter(cmp, "header", this.ENTER_KEY);
				}, function (cmp) {
					this._validateSelectEventFired(cmp,"header");
				}, function (cmp) {
					this._goToHeaderOrFooter(cmp, "footer", this.ENTER_KEY);
				}, function (cmp) {
					this._validateSelectEventFired(cmp,"footer");
				}]
	},

	testTabAfterInput : {
		test : [function (cmp) {
		        	this._changeInputHeaderFooter(cmp, "h");
					var input = this._getInput(cmp,"autoCompleteHeaderFooter");
					this._fireKeydownEvent(input, this.TAB_KEY);
		        }, function (cmp) {
					this._validateSelectEventFired(cmp,"");
				}]
	},

	testTabAfterHighlightingHeader : {
		test : [function (cmp) {
		        	this._changeInputHeaderFooter(cmp, "h");
		        	this._goToHeaderOrFooter(cmp, "header", this.TAB_KEY);
		        }, function (cmp) {
					this._validateSelectEventFired(cmp,"");
				}]
	},

	testTabAfterHighlightingFooter : {
		test : [function (cmp) {
		        	this._changeInputHeaderFooter(cmp, "h");
		        	this._goToHeaderOrFooter(cmp, "footer", this.TAB_KEY);
		        }, function (cmp) {
					this._validateSelectEventFired(cmp,"");
				}]
	},

	_validateItemSelected: function(cmp, id, expectedText) {
		var actual = cmp.find(id).find("input").find("txt").getElement().value;
		$A.test.assertEquals(expectedText, actual, "Expected item not selected");
	},

	_validateSelectEventFired: function(cmp, expectedText) {
		var actual = cmp.find("autoCompleteSelectedEventResult").get("v.value");
		$A.test.assertEquals(expectedText, actual, "Expected item not selected");
	},

	_getInput: function(cmp, id) {
		return cmp.find(id).find("input")
	},

	_changeInput: function(cmp,inputValue) {
		cmp.get('c.handleInputChangeAutoComplete').runDeprecated({"getParam":function(value){return inputValue;}});
	},

	_changeInputHeaderFooter: function(cmp,inputValue) {
		cmp.get('c.handleInputChangeAutoCompleteHeaderFooter').runDeprecated({"getParam":function(value){return inputValue;}});
	},

	_fireKeydownEvent: function(cmp, keycode) {
		cmp.getEvent("keydown").setParams({
			keyCode: keycode,
			domEvent: {
				type: "keydown",
				preventDefault: function(){}
			}
		}).fire();
	},

	/**
	 * Navigates to Header or Footer and performs a keydown with the specified key
	 * To Header: Down Arrow from Footer or from default inital state
	 * To Footer: Up Arrow from Header or from default initial state
	 */
	_goToHeaderOrFooter : function (cmp, option, key) {

		var input = this._getInput(cmp,"autoCompleteHeaderFooter");

		if(option === "header") {
			this._fireKeydownEvent(input, this.DOWNARROW_KEY);
		}
		else if(option === "footer") {
			this._fireKeydownEvent(input, this.UPARROW_KEY);
		}

		this._fireKeydownEvent(input, key);
	},

	/**
	 * Traverses the entire list to reach the Header or Footer and
	 * performs a keydown with the specified key
	 */
	_goToHeaderOrFooterFullList : function (cmp, option, key) {
		var arrowKey = null;
		var input = this._getInput(cmp,"autoCompleteHeaderFooter");

		if(option === "header") {
			arrowKey = this.UPARROW_KEY;
		}
		else if(option === "footer") {
			arrowKey = this.DOWNARROW_KEY;
		}

		for (var i=0;i<12;i++) {
			this._fireKeydownEvent(input, arrowKey);
		}
		this._fireKeydownEvent(input, key);

	}

})

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The Broadway Hotel - a member of Classic British Hotels - is the essence of quintessential England, situated in the centre of the picturesque Cotswold village of Broadway. The excellent Courtyard Restaurant, complete with ebony minstrels gallery serves the freshest local produce from the Vale of Evesham. The hotel is ideally located close to Cheltenham and Stratford.
Celebrate Valentine's Day with a truly romantic weekend stay in the Cotswolds. Allow The Broadway Hotel to spoil you while you show your loved one how special they are. The distinctive character, intimate atmosphere and excellent food and drink will make your stay truly memorable. Indulge in a one night stay over Valentine's weekend and arrive to find a box of 'Hotel Chocolat' chocolates and a chilled half-bottle of pink Champagne in your room. Included in your romantic break is a three-course candle-lit dinner in the restaurant and full English breakfast the following morning. Feb 11th – Feb 21st 2011. From £200 per room.
Enjoy a lazy day with us in the Cotswolds. Arrive at your leisure to enjoy a complimentary glass of wine before partaking of a splendid three-course Sunday lunch (please advise your required time when making your booking). Relax in one of our lounges or in the garden with a choice of Sunday newspaper (one per room), please state your preference on booking, laze with a book or magazine, or take a stroll around the picturesque Cotswold villages. This one-night stay is from £99 per room based on two people sharing a standard double/twin room on the Sunday evening, includes Sunday lunch and a full English breakfast on the Monday morning. Exp. 31st October 2011. From £99.00 per room.
Stay in a double room at The Broadway Hotel and receive a complimentary upgrade to a Superior room (subject to availability), a bottle of champagne on arrival, 3-course table d'hote dinner in the Courtyard Restaurant and full English breakfast. This one night stay is available for £199 per room. Exp. March 31st 2011. Sunday - Friday. From £199 per room.


text:
Blue Jackets' Jarmo Kekalainen Finding Success Later in Drafts
March 30, 2020 by Dave Hall
On Feb. 13, 2013, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced Jarmo Kekalainen as their third general manager in franchise history.
Since taking over the role, he and his drafting team have been responsible for a total of seven drafts, all of which have had their expected ups and downs. Aside from the obvious first-round selections, his ability to seek hidden gems throughout the third-to-seventh rounds has been an area worth praising.
Related: 5 Forgotten Picks of the 2005 NHL Draft
Thanks to stellar scouting, Kekalainen and company have managed to steal a number of players from under the nose of the rest of the league. Here are some of his more coveted late-round draft picks since his arrival.
2013 – First Kick At The Can
3rd round – 89th overall – Oliver Bjorkstrand
The 2013 entry draft marked Kekalainen's first opportunity taking the podium as the new GM of the Blue Jackets. With the exception of taking Alexander Wennberg with their first pick, the first two rounds were a slight disappointment. However, as the draft settled into the third, they managed to hit their first home run.
With the 89th pick, the Blue Jackets would select Oliver Bjorkstrand, a skilled forward from the Portland Winterhawks. The Danish winger was fresh off an impressive rookie season, posting 63 points in 65 games. This included a run to the Memorial Cup that saw him and the Winterhawks fall just one win away from taking home the ultimate prize. He would go on to enjoy a very nice career in the Western League, compiling 290 points through 193 games, good for a career total of 1.50 points-per-game.
Oliver Bjorkstrand is earning his rights as a third-round steal (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
In the 2015-2016 season, three years after being selected, he would transition his game to the pro-level with the Jackets affiliated AHL squad. He played an integral role in his rookie season, leading them to their first Calder Cup championship in team history.
Related: Blue Jackets' Bjorkstrand Finally Bringing His Best Game
Today, he has evolved into one of the club's heart-and-soul players. His numbers at the NHL level are by no means jaw-dropping, with 133 in 246 games. However, his game continues to grow to new lengths with each season. The 24-year-old has a knack for finding the net with his elusive shot and sports very soft hands. While he is not the biggest player on the ice, his compete level is bar-none and holds the capability to make players around him better. You can expect him to play a very heavy role in this team's future.
2014 – Signs of A Future Number One
3rd round – 76th overall – Elvis Merzlikins
The 2014 draft was arguably the GM's most disappointing to date. Luckily, he was able to salvage the weekend with yet another third-round gem. With the 76th pick, the Jackets selected a Latvian netminder by the name of Elvis Merzlikins.
Elvis had been showcasing his talents in Switzerland, surging through the ranks for the HC Lugano system. He would remain overseas for the next five seasons, dominating the top league and earning his status as one of the sports top goaltending prospects.
Elvis Merzlikins, Columbus Blue Jackets (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
In Oct. 2019, the now 25-year-old would make his anticipated transition to the NHL. With the loss of former number one, Sergei Bobrovsky, Merzlikins would skip the minor league and fast-track straight to the Jackets starting goalie rotation. Despite a very rocky start, the Latvian netminder settled in shortly after Christmas and took the league by storm. From January to February, he would go on an incredible run of 11-5-4, which included five shutouts in 10 matches. It's no secret that Elvis is in the plans for the future and has the potential to be the team's unanimous starter going forward.
2015 – Back To Back Gems
6th Round – 159th overall – Vladislav Gavrikov
Kekalainen bounced back in 2015 with a solid bundle of picks. This draft was stockpiled with names such as Zach Werenski, Gabriel Carlsson and Kevin Stendlund, all of which are currently on the roster in 2020. After a few mid-draft misses, they would finish strong with two surprise defenders.
First came Vladislav Gavrikov, a heavy-set Russian rearguard. He spent the last four seasons in the KHL where he chipped in for 48 points in 206 games with both St.Petersburg and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. He made his Columbus debut earlier this season and to the surprise of many, has been one of the more consistent players on their blue line.
Vladislav Gavrikov of the Columbus Blue Jackets (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
While his ability to shut down offenders is his top-highlighted attribute, the 24-year-old has shown some unexpected offensive flair, putting up 18 points in 69 matches. He does not make many mistakes and plays a very sound two-way game. His 6-foot-3 frame is a much-welcomed addition to the Jackets backend and will surely pay off in spades come playoff time.
7th round – 189th overall – Markus Nutivaara
With their seventh and final pick, the Jackets were happy to select Markus Nutivaara, another solid two-way defender hailing from Finland.
After spending just one year with Karpat in Finland's top league, Nutivaara would jump over to the NHL and instantly fill a role on their bottom-four pairing. Much like Gavrikov, Nutivaara was not known for his offensive capabilities but still managed to find the scoresheet from time to time. He may not "wow" you with his play, but has shown consistent play at both ends of the ice. He should continue to be serviceable at the NHL level for years to come, proving to be a very successful seventh-round player.
2016 – Solid Depth
7th round – 185th overall – Calvin Thurkauf
With their final pick of the 2017 draft, the Blue Jackets would select a serviceable depth centreman from Switzerland, Calvin Thurkauf. He was a solid player in the Western Hockey League, posting 115 points in 121 games with the Kelowna Rockets. He recently wrapped up his third full season with AHL affiliates, Cleveland Monsters and has been developing smoothly.
Calvin Thurkauf, is a skilled forward who will bring solid depth for years to come. (Marissa Baecker/Kelowna Rockets)
He managed a career-best 26 points this season while skating on the team's top-six. With a plethora of injuries on the Blue Jackets, the Swiss-born pivot enjoyed a brief cup of coffee in the NHL where he took part in three games. Although he went pointless, the promotion is a good indicator as to where his game is and his current status in the organization.
While a bottom-six role is likely his cap, he should provide the team with sound depth for future seasons.
2017 – The Golden Draft
4th round – 117th overall – Emil Bemstrom
The 2017 entry-draft proved to be the best that Jarmo Kekalainen has on his resume. With seven picks in total, they managed to address decent offensive capabilities, top-notch goaltending, and a solid depth defender. With that being said, let's take a look at the fourth round where the Blue Jackets selected Emil Bemstrom, a pure goal-scorer out of Sweden.
Emil Bemstrom shows potential to be an elite goal-scorer at the NHL level (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Since being selected, The 21-year-old has solidified himself as one of the more consistent point producers overseas. Last season he earned a permanent spot in the SHL where he led his team in goals with 23 and finished with a total of 35 points.
Bemstrom made his NHL debut this season and has fluctuated in regards to consistency. His transition was destined to hit a few bumps, so his 20-point rookie point total should not be a worry. The 21-year-old sniper possesses an elite level shot and in time holds the potential to become a 30-goal scorer at the top level.
2018 – Under The Radar Goaltending
6th round – 173rd Overall – Veini Vehvilainen
Veini Vehvilainen is a Finnish backstop who hadn't put up spectacular numbers overseas as a teenager, keeping him undrafted for many years. It wasn't until 2018, after earning the SM-Liiga Goaltender of the year award, that the Blue Jackets took a chance on him. Much to the Jackets' luck, Vehvilainen would go on to post yet another stellar season post-draft, taking home the trophy for a second consecutive season. The 23-year-old has shown fantastic development with age and is now considered a standout goaltender who should compete for an NHL job.
With the club's own 6th round pick, #CBJ select Finnish netminder Veini Vehvilainen 173rd overall. He had a 1.89 GAA and .925 SV% in 35 games w/ Karpat in Liiga and had a 1.57 GAA and .933 SV% in 17 playoff contests to help the club to a league championship.
— CBJ Public Relations (@BlueJacketsPR) June 23, 2018
He made his transition to the America League this season, where he split his time between the pipes with the Cleveland Monsters. Do not let his mediocre 2.76 GAA and .901 fool you. His play has been far better than his numbers show and has even managed bumped a few goaltenders down the depth charts as a result. Depending on what happens with the Blue Jackets' goaltending situation during the offseason, do not be shocked to see him earn a game very soon.
2019 – Quality Not Quantity
4th round – 144th overall – Dmitri Voronkov
Due to a trade deadline frenzy that kept Kekalainen very busy, the Blue Jackets were held to just three draft picks in 2019. Yet, still managed to draft smart, taking three players who all seem to be exceeding expectations this season.
Most noteworthy being Russian forward Dmitri Voronkov, a heavy centreman who can play both sides of the ice. At 19-years-old, he has enjoyed a successful rookie campaign in the KHL with 12 points on the year, including two points in four postseason matches.
He put his name on the map earlier this season when he made his first appearance in the World Junior Championships. Despite losing in the gold medal matchup, Voronkov was named player of the tournament for team Russia, finishing with seven points in seven games.
A Drafting Guru
Drafting good players is essential to any professional organization. After seven entry-drafts in the books, it is clear that Jarmo Kekalinen thrives on finding hidden gems throughout the deeper ends of the draft. This gives Columbus a much-needed advantage over many teams throughout the league.
Dave Hall
I am a West Coast hockey fan who loves everything about the game. I have been a Canucks fan my entire life but thoroughly enjoy watching every team play. My previous experiences is with the Victoria Royals (WHL) as a Communications Intern and a writer for Dobberprospects, who I currently still provide content with. I am an Arena Programmer by day and love writing about hockey in my free time.
Categories Blue Jackets History, NHL Entry Draft Tags Elvis Merzlikins, Jarmo Kekalainen, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Vladislav Gavrikov


Zaytoven is continuing his run of turning from a producer to an artist with a new single today called 'What You Think'.The new song features the lethal combination of Ty Dolla Sign and Jeremih along with Zay's longtime collaborator, OJ Da Juiceman. This follows his previous single 'Wake Up & Cook Up' with Quavo and 2 Chainz back in December.
Zaytoven is the newest artist signed to Motown Records and is currently prepping the release of his debut album. Listen to 'What You Think' below (currently only out in some international markets).


"OP Trust does not meet its Statement of Responsible Investment Principles" by investing in these types of projects.
These proposals are in fact modified run-of-river hydroelectric dams – peaking operations that are well-known to cause severe environmental and ecological damage.
Do you want to see HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of YOUR PENSION funds invested in hydro projects that threaten Ontario rivers and their aquatic ecosystems?
Do you think OPTrust can meet its commitment to its Statement of Responsible Investment Principles when funding these projects that are environmentally, socially, and financially questionable?
These types of hydroelectric dams will have numerous negative impacts on Ontario rivers – and it is your financial contributions that are helping to fund them.
If you agree that your pension fund should not be funding these types of hydroelectric dams, you can contact OPSEU Trust Fund at 1 Adelaide Street East, Suite 1200, Toronto, ON M5C 3A7 – or call their office at 1-800-906-7738 to let them know how you feel.
The health of Ontario Rivers is in your hands.
 Environment Canada. 2001. Threats to Sources of Drinking Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Health in Canada. National Water Research Institute, Burlington, Ontario. NWRI Scientific Assessment Report Series No. 1. 72p. Page 69 – 15. Impacts of Dams/Diversions and Climate Change; T.D. Prowse,1 J.M. Buttle,2 P.J. Dillon, 2 M.C. English, 3 P. Marsh, 1 J.P. Smol4 and F.J. Wrona1; 1Environment Canada, National Water Research Institute, Saskatoon, SK; 2Trent University, Peterborough, ON; 3Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON; 4Queen's University, Kingston, ON. Full document available.


This week I've been out of town for work which usually is a great time to get out and photograph something new that I don't always see in Seattle. Monday and Tuesday I was in Friday Harbor which I know is a beautiful place so I brought my camera and tripod expecting to get some nice night shots after work. Well there is one thing I was worried about, the weather. Unfortunately the weather didn't allow me to get out and take the photos I had planned.
I've read several blogs challenging people to try and take photos that are within 10 feet of you as you read the post. Many times I look around the room and am clueless about what I'd photograph. Most times I ignore this challenge cause I can get out and shoot something outside. Well as you in Seattle/PNW know Monday night was a stormy, windy and rainy night. Needless to say I didn't get a chance to take pictures of the Harbor. Instead I was cooped up in my motel room for the night. I decided to try and find things interesting in the room and was messing around. Here are a few photos that I took at my motel room in Friday Harbor. To tell you the truth I'm not sure I like the photos but thought I'd share anyways! This was my attempt at being creative in my given surroundings. What do you guys think? All photos were taken by my 50mm prime lens that I reviewed in a previous post here: How Nifty is the Nifty Fifty?


【Application】: for mining, railways, energy, cement, chemicals, construction and other industries broken process.
【Products】: This series of impact crusher machine can handle the length of 100 ~ 500 mm below the material, the compressive strength of up to 350 MPa, with crushing ratio, broken material was cube particles, etc., for crushing Hard material.
Impact crusher equipment is widely used in a variety of ore, cement, refractory materials, aluminum earth SBM, emery, glass raw materials, mechanism building sand, building aggregate, artificial sand and a variety of metallurgical slag crushing and coarse grinding operations , Especially for silicon carbide, emery, sintered bauxite, sand and other high hard, special hard and abrasion resistant materials than other types of crusher higher efficiency.
The so-called impact crushing refers to the object in the free state by the strike force, and along its natural cracks, bedding, joints and other weak parts of the selective fragmentation and broken. It is different from the hammer broken objects in a state of restraint under the strike, but also with other shear, pressure, grinding broken different, and thus the lowest energy consumption in the crushing process, and because of its ability to selectively break To the monomer separation of useful minerals and to obtain more cube products. Application of the impact of the impact of the impact of crusher, is the use of high-speed hammer to the crushing chamber of the material for high-speed impact, the impact of material crushing, and the impact of the block was high-speed rushed to the counterattack plate, Again after the impact of broken, and from the counterattack plate back to the hammer hit area repeated the above crushing process, while the material in the hammer and counterattack between the round and round, there is still between the collision impact. When the broken material particle size is less than the gap between the hammer and the counterattack plate, it is discharged from the lower part of the machine after the broken product.
For the different size of the material of its broken energy is different, the more small materials due to the gradual reduction of internal defects, the greater the energy required for its broken. According to the relationship between energy and linear velocity formula: A = mra.
With the improvement of excavation capacity, the size of the material after excavation is increasing, and the single rotor impact crusher has limited the increase of the particle size due to the reason of its own structure and so on. Therefore, the double rotor impact crusher has been developed. In order to improve the role of the second rotor and the development of a high degree of difference set the double rotor impact crusher, according to the hammer wear and energy consumption and the relationship between the rotor speed, the first at a lower speed on the material rough , While the second rotor at a higher speed on the material in the crushing, improve the crushing ratio.
The vertical impact crusher is the representative of the impact crusher used for crushing the material. We know that the wear of the hammer is a non-linear increase in the speed of the hammer rotation, and the speed of the hammer when the crushing is very high, the relatively low quality material can not enter the effective strike area of the high-speed rotary hammer Just in the highest line speed range), resulting in crushing effect and hammer wear and tear increased. Vertical impact crusher used in the center of the way feeding, feeding the material after the initial speed is close to zero, gradually accelerated from the rotor after the projectile out of the impact of broken, to improve the impact of crushing effect and reduce the wearing of wearing parts The This crusher has evolved into mechanical and self-contained two categories.
Second, the impact of crusher crusher in the actual use of the existence of uneven material, and easy to "run large" situation, the impact hammer crusher can solve these problems.
The material is fed from the feed tank into the hammer working area and is crushed by the impact of the high-speed rotary hammer. At the same time, the material is further crushed by a high-speed impact on the counterattack plate and returned from the counter- In the head work area, continue to repeat the above crushing process, and finally into the hammer area (hammer and bar between the work area), in the bar on the hammer and further hammer and grinding effect. Practice has proved that the material is not in the rotor cycle is fully broken, but to go through a number of cycles to be fully broken. Large pieces of material may not be sufficiently broken during the impact process. It can be broken by the rolling action between the counterplate and the hammer plate. This effect has been confirmed by the actual experiment (in the absence of the bar, the maximum product size does not exceed the hammer plate and counterattack plate gap size).
(1) transmission (including motor) with dual motor or single motor drive belt drive mechanism, two motor drive two motors were installed in the spindle assembly on both sides, two motor pulley belt with the spindle pulley connected, So that both sides of the spindle force balance, does not produce additional torque. The single motor drive spindle by the unilateral force and additional torque, the general motor power above 55KW (single motor power), recommended dual motor drive.
(2) Spindle assembly: The spindle assembly is mounted on the base to transmit the power from the V-belt and the rotation of the support impeller. Spindle assembly by the bearing, spindle, bearings and other components.
(3) Impeller: Impeller structure is a hollow cylinder, installed in the spindle assembly on the top of the shaft head, with a conical sleeve and key to connect the transmission torque, and high-speed rotation, the impeller is a vertical impact crusher of the key components. The mineral feedstock enters the center of the impeller from the center inlet of the upper part of the impeller. By the impeller center of the fabric cone material will be evenly distributed to the impeller to the various jet flow to the launch channel outlet, the installation of special materials made of wear-resistant block, wear parts can be replaced after wear, the impeller will accelerate the material to 70 ~ 100m / s speed out of the impact of the impact to the whirlpool crushing chamber of the ore bed, a strong self-crushing.
(4) to the hopper: the structure of the hopper for an inverted edge of the body, the inlet set wear ring, from the feeding equipment from the hopper into the crusher.
(5) feeder: distributor installed in the upper part of the whirlpool crushing chamber, its role is to feed the hopper to the material, so that part of the material from the center into the tube directly into the impeller is gradually accelerated to a higher speed out of the project, So that part of the material from the outside of the central tube, bypass into the vortex crushing chamber outside the impeller, from the impeller out of the high-speed material impact crushing, no increase in kinetic energy consumption, increase production capacity and improve the crushing effect.
(6) vortex crushing chamber: vortex crushing chamber structure for the upper and lower cylinder composed of circular space, the lower cylinder on the upper and lower cover open two holes, the upper part of the cylinder, the lower part of the material mouth. The impeller in the whirlpool crushing cavity high-speed rotation, vortex crushing chamber can also stay in the material, the formation of material bed, the material crushing process occurred in the vortex crushing chamber, the ore bed will be broken and vortex crushing chamber Wall separated, so that the role of crushing only between the material, and play a role in wear-resistant self-lining. An observation hole is provided on the upper cylinder cover plate to observe the wear of the wear block at the impeller runner opening and the wear of the top liner of the whirling crushing chamber. The crusher must be tightly sealed during operation. The distributor is fixed in the upper cylindrical section of the whirling chamber. Impeller high-speed rotation of the air generated in the vortex crushing chamber through the feeder, the impeller to form the internal air flow i from the circulatory system.
(7) base: vortex crushing chamber, spindle assembly, motor, transmission devices are installed in the base, the middle of the base for the four prism space for the installation of spindle assembly, and in the four prism space on both sides of the formation of row Material channel. Dual motor mounted on both ends of the base, the base can be mounted on the bracket, can also be installed directly on the basis.
(8) Bracket: According to the different working conditions of the crusher - open-air operations or indoor operations, the user may consider configuring the bracket or not configuring the bracket.
(9) lubrication system: the use of molybdenum disulfide dry oil lubrication, lubrication of the spindle assembly for the upper part of the bearing and the lower bearing, in order to facilitate the oil, the machine will be the oil pump to the oil cup to the outside of the machine, with regular oil refueling. The impact of impact crusher production capacity of the factors to conduct a general understanding.
In general, the impact of impact crusher production capacity of many factors, in general, there are so five factors, I will be the following five aspects of the narrative and put forward the corresponding solution.
1. Hardness of the material: the harder the material to dry up the more difficult, but also the more serious wear and tear on the equipment. Sand production is slow, low capacity. So we need to pay attention to some of the material selection.
2. Material composition: impact crusher in the material containing the more powder the more the impact of sand, because these fine powder easy to affect the delivery of adhesion. So for the powder content of the material should be more than a sieve ahead of time. The fine powder as far as possible from the material screening out, so as not to affect the impact of the normal operation of the sand machine.
3. Impact crusher crushing material fineness: fineness requirements, that is, the requirements of the sand out of the material the more fine, the smaller the ability to make sand. This aspect to the specific requirements, if no special requirements, the general will be fineness of the material can be set to fine.
4. Material viscosity: the greater the viscosity of the material, the more easy to adhere. Viscous materials in the SBM impact crusher will adhere to the sand chamber in the inner wall, if not timely cleaning, will affect the impact of sand machine efficiency, serious may also affect the impact of sand machine normal jobs. Therefore, in the choice of materials, we must pay attention to the viscosity of the material is not too easy.
5. Material humidity: that is, when the material contains a large amount of water, the material in the impact of the sand machine is easy to stick, but also easy in the material during the delivery process caused by clogging, resulting in reduced sand capacity. To solve this problem, first of all in the material selection time will strictly control the humidity of the material, if the choice of material humidity is too large, can be used sunshine or air drying, etc. to reduce the percentage of moisture in the material.
1, the machine is the nineties developed a new type of fine gravel equipment, is currently widely used in the world to replace the crusher, the roller, the ball mill models.
2, the structure of new, unique, balanced operation.
3, energy consumption is small, high yield, broken than large.
4, the device is small, easy to operate, easy installation and maintenance.
5, with plastic function, the product was cubic, the bulk density.
6, the production process, the stone can form the protection of the bottom, the body without wear, durable. 7, a small amount of easy wear parts with special hard wear-resistant material into a small, light weight, easy to replace the accessories.


Ideally suited for asphalt repairs around manholes, catch basins transition areas, for reworking rough pavement areas and for Street Print® applications. Infrared heat softens asphalt pavement several inches in depth and allows the asphalt to be raked and rolled in place without a seem.
The result is a seamless, contiguous repair. Our infrared pavement heaters are offered in several styles: hand-push (walk-behind), trailer, truck, skidsteer and paver mounted. Our paver mounted units are specified as required equipment by several state DOTs. Hotbox asphalt reclaimers (1/2, 1, 2 or 4 tons) can be added on trailer/truck systems.
Asphalt Technology Products - Heat Design Equipment Inc.
Check out our product catalog of heavy equipment and vehicles that we offer here at Heat Design Equipment.
Two optional heaters can be run as portable units independent of the trailer; Average heat time to pliable surface: 5 minutes; Built in, automatic 24-volt battery charger; Weight: 1,850 to 2,200 lbs.
infrared converters generate the infrared radiation used to heat the asphalt pavement. For pavement texturizing applications the heating time is 1-3 minutes. For asphalt repair applications heating time is 5-6 to achieve a softening depth of 2 ½ inches. In either application the asphalt is heated without damage. Heating area is 5' wide by 6' long.
Trailer mounted 48 square foot Infrared Heater with 8 UltraGlo converters. The Kasi IR-480 utilizes infrared radiation to heat existing asphalt pavement. In 3 minutes the pavement will be sufficiently softened to apply pavement texturing.
The HDE trailer mounted Infrared Asphalt Heaters are each designed for particular applications asphalt repair machine that will heat up and soften a localized area of the surface course asphalt, allowing for the area to be re-worked and compacted fixing any surface deterioration.
The LB 2-16 is entry level infrared unit equipped with a total of 16 Sq. Ft of infrared heating area. The LB 2-16 is ideal for smaller potholes, oil spots, or birdbaths.
Designed for small- scale production of recycled asphalt for pothole repair . and hot box comes in 1/2- and 1-ton capacities as either a slip-in (truck mountable) unit or a trailer model. . 4-48 Infrared Infrared Heater & 4000 Hot Box Reclaimer.
The Tech 20 features a 5 ½'L x 4'W heater with one single 24V blower motor mounted on a single axle trailer. This machine is the perfect size for driveways, parking lots and potholes.
Trailer mounted, 48 sq. ft. Infrared Heater with 8 UltraGlo ® converters. The Kasi IR-480 utilizes infrared radiation to heat existing asphalt pavement. In 3 minutes the pavement will be sufficiently softened to apply pavement texturing.
The KM 4-40 is the industry standard when it comes to Infrared Asphalt Heaters. The versatility and dependability on the KM 4-40 are unmatched. If you are considering adding infrared repair to your business look no further than the KM 4-40 infrared asphalt heater.
The reversible rotary conveyor is driven by a hydraulic motor and supported by heavy-duty ball bearings. A mix/anti-bridging device features separate hydraulic drive and controls.
The frame is mounted on 4 steel casters offering the user excellent maneuverability on nearly any king of asphalt surface and it hold 2, 40 gallon propane cylinders. The included handle allows the user to push or pull the infrared asphalt patcher and removes easily for compact storage.
Engine Heater Kit For CATERPILLAR Paving BG2255C Asphalt Paver w/3056 Eng. See more like this Engine Heater Kit For CATERPILLAR Paving BB760 Asphalt Paver w/3056 Eng.


Every mum will have their own birth story or tips they'll share with you; from where they were when they went into labour to the magical moment their precious little bundle entered the world. But there's often a few crucial facts that seem to get left out of the equation. Facts that most mums to be would actually prefer to know rather than be shocked on the day!
For some reason, most films and TV programmes show women suddenly crippling over in pain, waters breaking in a huge splosh on the floor, screaming they need to push and half an hour later, ta-da! Baby is born. For a rare few, this might be true, but for the majority of women, labour can last many hours. On average, for first time mums who are in active labour, it lasts 8-12 hours, but it's not uncommon to have 24-48 hour labours – every woman is different. Also, for many, your waters don't break until you're actually delivering the baby or in advanced labour and it's usually more of a trickle than a gallon of water hitting the ground!
This is a hot topic for me, but ladies, don't feel you have to lay on your back, legs akimbo, screaming with a team of cheerleaders around you to give birth. Unless you need to be monitored (and even then, you can go on your side or all fours) or require medical intervention, then laying on your back as you labour or give birth really isn't the best position – and if you want a calm and quiet experience, you can. Let gravity do some of the hard work and try out different positions that YOU feel best in.
It's the strangest feeling, but when you're ready to push, wild horses can't stop you. It's like your body has been possessed and you'll want to smack anyone that tells you not to push.
4: The world's biggest poo!
Your baby is moving down the birth canal and squashing all your insides as it does. Giving birth feels like you're having the world's biggest poo, like the baby is actually coming out of your bum! Also, the chances are you will poo as you're giving birth. It's something most of us wouldn't be shouting across the table in Starbucks as we share our birth experience, but it happens, so don't worry!
5: The world's biggest period!
You've enjoyed 9 months with no Aunty Flo, but now it catches up with you. I'd seen babies being born on the TV and knew there was blood and fluids, but no-one said I'd have the mother of all periods lasting anywhere between 2 and 6 weeks afterwards, whether you've had a vaginal delivery or C-section!
'I've bought you a lovely new towel and PJs to take to hospital to wear after you've had baby' my mum said as she handed me a white Chanel towel and lovely pair of silk, cream and light blue PJs. 'Oo great, thanks!' I said as I naively packed them in my hospital bag. Then after giving birth and realising my bits n bobs resembled crime scene, I wondered if my mum had somehow confused 'giving birth' with 'going to a health spa'? Luckily, I had a pair of black tracky bottoms with me. Ladies, PACK BLACK!
While we're on the topic, remember to pack your own sanitary towels in your hospital bag or prepare to be issued with giant white bricks of cotton wool. With what your delicate area has just gone through, you want something as comfy, secure and absorbent as possible down there.
Why does no-one tell you about delivering the placenta? After giving birth, it's nothing particularly painful (in comparison) but it's nice to know something else needs to come out after you think it's all over.
Luckily I didn't need stiches with any of mine, but although I was expecting to have rather sore bits, I wasn't expecting to feel like I'd been kicked up the bum by a horse! Yes, your bits are tender, but your backside feels like it's taken the bigger beating.
After you've had baby, you'll be offered some food and drink (usually tea and toast) after. It is without doubt, the nicest tea and toast you'll ever have, so enjoy!
Everyone has a different experience, some great, some not so, but depending on your hospital, be prepared to be transferred onto a ward with other women and babies after you've given birth. Personally, I couldn't wait to get home and was able to leave the labour ward within a few hours. Although my hospital doesn't send dad's away when visiting hours are over, many hospitals do, leaving mums feeling alone and vulnerable as they're left in a room with strangers and their babies. Ask your midwife or hospital what their procedures are so you and your partner are prepared.
That first car journey from hospital to home will probably be the slowest and scariest of your life. You'll be guarding your new born like a lioness over her cub, screaming at your partner or whoever is driving to slow down and be careful, even if there's a line of traffic cursing you for driving at 15mph!
I could probably go on for longer, but I'll stop for now. Feel free to add your own 'I wish I'd known' stories! I'm expecting baby number 3 shortly and have found that labour and birth shouldn't be made into a scary thing. It can and should be a wonderful experience, it just helps to know some of the less glamorous things to expect before they come as a shock!


text:
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <pthread.h>
#include <semaphore.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <time.h>

#define PRODUCER_SPEED      50000       /* producer thread sleep time in micro seconds */
#define CONSUMER_SPEED      80000       /* consumer thread sleep time in micro seconds */
#define BUFFER_SIZE         20          /* total number of slots */
#define NUM_PRUDUCERS       3           /* total number of producers */
#define NUM_CONSUMERS       4           /* total number of consumers */
#define NUM_ITEMS           30          /* number of items produced/consumed */

void *Producer(void *args);
void *Consumer(void *args);

typedef unsigned char piece;
typedef struct {
    piece buf[BUFFER_SIZE];
    int in;       // Next empty slot
    int out;      // Next full slot
    sem_t full;
    sem_t empty;
    sem_t mutex;
} Buffer;

Buffer buffer;

int main() {
    pthread_t pids[NUM_PRUDUCERS], cids[NUM_CONSUMERS];
    int i, *iRef;
    void *ret;
    // Setup the sems
    sem_init(&buffer.full, 0, 0);
    sem_init(&buffer.empty, 0, BUFFER_SIZE);
    sem_init(&buffer.mutex, 0, 1);
    srand(time(NULL));
    // Create the threads
    for (i = 0; i < NUM_PRUDUCERS; i++) {
        iRef = (int *) malloc(sizeof(int));
        *iRef = i;
        pthread_create(pids + i, NULL, Producer, (void*) iRef);
    }
    for (i = 0; i < NUM_CONSUMERS; i++) {

        iRef = (int *) malloc(sizeof(int));
        *iRef = i;
        pthread_create(cids + i, NULL, Consumer, (void*) iRef);
    }
    // Join the threads
    for (i = 0; i < NUM_PRUDUCERS; i++) {
        pthread_join(*(pids + i), &ret);
    }
    for (i = 0; i < NUM_CONSUMERS; i++) {
        pthread_join(*(cids + i), &ret);
    }
    // Finish up
    exit(0);
}

void *Producer(void *args) {
    int i;
    piece item;
    int id;

    id = *((int *) args);
    for (i = 0; i < NUM_ITEMS * NUM_CONSUMERS; i++) {
        usleep(PRODUCER_SPEED);
        item = (piece) (rand() % 255);
        /* If there are no empty slots, wait */
        printf("Producer #%d:\tWaiting for one of the slots to open up\n", id);
        sem_wait(&buffer.empty);
        /* If another thread uses the buffer, wait */
        printf("Producer #%d:\tWaiting for control of the buffer\n", id);
        sem_wait(&buffer.mutex);
        buffer.buf[buffer.in] = item;
        buffer.out = buffer.in;
        buffer.in = (buffer.in + 1) % BUFFER_SIZE;
        printf("Producer #%d:\tPutting '%d' in the buffer\n", id, item);
        /* Release the buffer */
        printf("Producer #%d:\tRelinquishing control of the buffer\n", id);
        sem_post(&buffer.mutex);
        /* Increment the number of full slots */
        sem_post(&buffer.full);
    }
    printf("Producer #%d:\tFinished producing %d items\n", id, NUM_ITEMS * NUM_CONSUMERS);

    return NULL;
}

void *Consumer(void *args) {
    int i;
    piece item;
    int id;

    id = *((int *) args);
    for (i = 0; i < NUM_ITEMS * NUM_PRUDUCERS; i++) {
        usleep(CONSUMER_SPEED);
        /* If there are no full slots, wait */
        printf("Consumer #%d:\tWaiting for one of the slots to fill up\n", id);
        sem_wait(&buffer.full);
        /* If another thread uses the buffer, wait */
        printf("Consumer #%d:\tWaiting for control of the buffer\n", id);
        sem_wait(&buffer.mutex);
        item = buffer.buf[buffer.out];
        printf("Consumer #%d:\tGot '%d' from the buffer\n", id, item);
        buffer.out = (buffer.out + 1) % BUFFER_SIZE;
        /* Release the buffer */
        printf("Consumer #%d:\tRelinquishing control of the buffer\n", id);
        sem_post(&buffer.mutex);
        /* Increment the number of full slots */
        sem_post(&buffer.empty);
    }
    printf("Consumer #%d:\tFinished consuming %d items\n", id, NUM_ITEMS * NUM_PRUDUCERS);

    return NULL;
}


text:
https://www.timesunion.com/living/article/Ranking-ranch-s-many-varieties-14054016.php
Ranking ranch's many varieties
By Grace Wong, Chicago Tribune (TNS)
Published 6:30 pm EDT, Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Ranch dressing, photographed in studio on Wednesday, May 22, 3019, for an article comparing various brands of ranch dressing. (Terrence Antonio James/Shannon Kinsella/Chicago Tribune/TNS)
Photo: Terrence Antonio James/Shannon K
We don't just use creamy white ranch dressing for our vegetables. Oh, no. We use it as a dip for our pizza, wings, chips, cheese curds and egg rolls; as a marinade for meats to throw on the grill; and as a topping for nachos, burgers, wraps, sandwiches and potato skins. The dressing has become the mark of a true Midwesterner, an indicator that residents wear as a badge of honor.
And why shouldn't we? Typically made with a combination of buttermilk, salt, garlic and fragrant herbs and spices, it's rich and versatile with a lovely tang that excites the palate.
According to the Santa Barbara Independent, the condiment was created by Steve Henson, who worked as a plumbing contractor in Alaska in 1949 and fed it to his crew. After Henson retired, he and his wife Gayle settled at Hidden Valley Ranch near Santa Barbara, Calif., in 1956. With outdoor activities and home-cooked meals, the ranch catered to tourists who quickly spread the word about the dressing served with their salads. By the early 1970s, the sauce was nationally coveted.
Ranch is king, according to the Association for Dressings and Sauces, beating out Italian, blue cheese, Thousand Island, Caesar, balsamic vinaigrette and French. It's been that way since 1992, according to Slate. It can be found on nearly half of all restaurant menus nationwide, said Mike Kostyo of Datassential, which conducts food industry market research. These days, you can find myriad versions of it, from wasabi to chipotle to barbecue, and 70 percent of consumers say they either love or like ranch.
We at Chicago Tribune Food & Dining are Team Ranch. But with a huge variety of brands, which one is best for your dipping and spreading? There's only one way to find out — a blind tasting.
We tried 14 brands of bottled, shelf-stable plain ranch dressings, avoiding ones found in the refrigerated section. (The top 10 are on page D4.) After including the major labels, we also added store brands. We also tried gluten-free and dairy-free dressing to be inclusive of people who cannot have dairy or are on a restricted diet but still wish to partake.
Tasters didn't know which brand of ranch they were trying. Each dressing was placed in a bowl and served with carrot sticks for dipping. Tasters were asked to comment on the appearance, aroma and flavor of the ranch and how they felt it would pair with foods such as the carrot sticks or pizza. Participants were also asked to comment on aftertaste and consistency.
The ranch dressings were purchased at stores that included Trader Joe's, Target, Whole Foods and Aldi. Prices listed are what they are priced normally, without any promotions or discounts.
Tasters for ranch had strong opinions, with some of the brands receiving the lowest scores ever seen by this series. The winner won by a landslide and the loser, well, reviewers were not shy about their thoughts.
See the results below, listed from worst to best.
10. Daiya Homestyle Ranch Dressing
Daiya's ranch was dairy-, gluten-, soy- and egg-free. One taster said that despite being strangely sweet, the dressing had texture and flavor profiles one would expect from ranch dressing. Another participant wrote that though the dressing looked cheap, it tasted better than expected. But many complained that it tasted chalky and smelled like cheese. Another said it simply tasted weird, while one taster picked up mango and coconut flavors. "It tastes wrong," one participant said. $4.99, 8.36 ounces
9. Newman's Own Ranch Dressing
With a runny consistency and evident spices, Newman's was super-sweet and sour with a chemical note. Some said it tasted like a factory, and others complained it was too citrusy, almost like an AirHead candy. Another taster said that it tasted like cheap pickles. $4.39, 16 ounces
8. 365 Organic Ranch Dressing
Tasters praised this 365 ranch from Whole Foods for its not-too-thick, not-too-thin consistency and said it hit the tangy and sour notes that they looked for in a good ranch dressing. However, multiple people said it tasted less like ranch and more like Caesar dressing, writing that the flavor was off and totally unbalanced. One taster said it was "pretending it's ranch," but others said it may be good on salad, pizza or fries. $3.99, 16 ounces
7. Simply Balanced Organic Ranch Dressing
This ultra-thick, Target-brand dressing had a strong, garlicky scent and a super thick consistency. "This tastes like ranch I grew up eating," one taster said, complimenting it for its vinegar profile and calling it the "ideal carrot dip." But other participants had issues with it tasting too much like mayo and not enough like ranch, saying that the flavor was too mellow. $2.87, 12 ounces
6. Wish-Bone Ranch Dressing
This is the kind of ranch dressing that one taster would serve to vegetable-averse children to convince them that vegetables are good. It could also be a good complement to cheese curds, but most tasters complained that Wish-Bone was oddly sweet without any tang or herb flavors. Tasters said this was a lighter style and looked cheap on a table. $2.49, 15 ounces
5. Trader Joe's Organic Ranch Dressing
For people who want a dressing that is on the sweeter end and without that tangy zip, this is the one for you. Although it had an egg-forward flavor and a thinner consistency than others, tasters complained that it "lacked something to tie it together." Another went as far as to say "this is absolutely not ranch. I refuse to accept it." A more optimistic taster said it had potential if served with fries. $2.79, 16 ounces
4. Ken's Steak House Ranch Dressing
"Unremarkable, but gets the job done without messing it up," one commenter said. Ken's Steak House also received compliments for its rich flavor, consistency and appearance. Although one taster said she would dip her pizza in this ranch, another participant said it reminded him of the ranch from the salad bar in middle school. "It's a little boring," one said. $3.49, 16 ounces
3. Tuscan Garden Ranch Dressing
The most common praise for this Aldi-brand ranch dressing was the consistency, which is thicker than most of its competitors. Participants said Tuscan Garden would be good on fries and wings and has a creamy flavor that reminded them of buttermilk. But some complained that it was too sweet, almost like ranch candy, and had a strange aftertaste. $1.49, 16 ounces
2. Kraft Classic Ranch Dressing
Although Kraft Classic didn't receive marks as high as the winner, tasters were pleased with its balanced flavor and called it "generic and inoffensive" with a great consistency and pleasant, egglike aroma. However, others said it tasted cheap, like a grocery store brand, and one taster complained that the consistency was too thick for a dressing. $3, 16 ounces
1. Hidden Valley The Original Ranch
Hidden Valley's The Original Ranch is proof that sometimes, the original really is the best. Tasters loved this one for its creamy texture, strong tang and peppery flavor. One commenter said this would go perfectly with pizza, and another said that the more she tasted it, the more she grew to like it. Another participant accurately called it "classic," and another said "it tastes like ranch and makes me happy." $2.49, 16 ounces


This web page is intended to help you find information for the urban transportation industry. If you need help, please contact Nina Smart, Liaison Librarian, at 778.782.5043 (Monday to Thursday ), or nsmart@sfu.ca. Additionally, help is available at Ask a librarian.
Air Transport Association of Canada (ATAC) "safe, reliable, efficient and affordable air transportation of people and goods"
Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) "help ensure that the national transportation system runs efficiently and smoothly in the interests of all Canadians"
University of Toronto Transportation Research Institute (UTTRI) research on "roads, transit, freight and active transport modes (walk and bike) across a range of perspectives" Sample report: Is Uber a substitute or complement to public transit?
Vision Zero Canada "campaigns for the elimination of traffic violence for all road users including drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists"
Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) "A Better Journey for Everyone"
Encyclopedia of Global Industries [2017, 2011 and 2007 editions] e.g. "Rail Transportation"
IBISWorld Industry Reports Sample reports: "Rail Transportation in Canada" and "Rail Transportation in the US"
World Factbook U.S. government profiles of countries and territories around the world. Information on geography, people, government, transportation, economy, communications, etc.
IRJ International Railway Journal "managers, engineers and manufacturers of the world's railroads, commuter rail, metro, light rail and tram systems"
ITF International Transport Forum (OECD) "think tank for transport policy...covers all transport modes"
ITDP Institute for Transportation and Development Policy "Accelerate the growth of sustainable transport and urban development around the world"
Railfuture (UK) "Campaigning for better rail services for passengers and freight"
Transport Research & Innovation Portal (TRIP) "in-depth information on large programmes and specific projects across Europe and at national level"
UIC The Worldwide Railway Organisation "Promote rail transport at world level with the objective of optimally meeting current and future challenges of mobility and sustainable development"
Conference: Urban Transport 2018 24th International Conference on Urban Transport and the Environment. Other notable conferences: Global Public Transport Summit (CUTA); Canadian Transportation Research Forum; Transportation Research Board annual meeting; and Transportation Association of Canada.
The geography of urban transportation [print] covers "passenger and freight dynamics in the American metropolis; the urban transportation planning process, including the use of GIS; and questions related to public transit, land use, energy, equity, environmental impacts, and more"
Handbook of research methods and applications in transport economics and policy (online) "covering issues such as estimating cost functions, modelling of demand, dealing with externalities, examining industry ownership and structure, pricing and investment decisions and measuring economic impacts"
Urban access for the 21st century : finance and governance models for transport infrastructure (online)"sets out a road map for the provision of urban access for all"
CUTA (Canadian Urban Transit Association) "Canada's Voice for Public Transit and Integrated Mobility"
Center for Transit Oriented Development (US) " practices, policy reform, research, analysis, and investment tools to support TOD implementation"
Human Transit blog "developments in public transit in the developed world, especially in North America"
National Center for Transit Research (US) "to make public transportation and all other travel choices, safe, effective, efficient, desirable, and secure"
Public Transport Research Group (Australia) "Research on public transport systems, users, planning and policy"
Note: Many of the resources on this page were gleaned from Mark Bodnar's business guide Industry Surveys, and thanks to Alex Thumm for other suggestions.


text:
Home Africa Live Ethiopian FM calls for enhancement of win-win partnership with Algeria
Ethiopian FM calls for enhancement of win-win partnership with Algeria
Ethiopian Minister of Foreign Affairs Workneh Gebeyehu on Thursday called for the enhancement of a win-win partnership with Algeria, praising Algeria's role in Pan-Africanism.
Gebeyehu was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 4th session of the Algerian-Ethiopian Joint Committee which he co-chaired with Algeria's Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ramtane Lamamra.
"Algeria has always been a leader in the Pan-Africanism, working for social and economic integration. It has played an important role to that end, and we seek to develop a win-win partnership with it," Gebeyehu said.
The Ethiopian FM added that the session was an opportunity to strengthen relations between the two countries.
He also underlined the "convergence of views" between the two countries on regional and international issues of common interest, especially as regards the coordination of positions on African and international issues.
"The two countries have developed close and strategic relations," he said. "We have not exploited all potentialities, especially in the economic field."
The Ethiopian Foreign minister said that his country would spare no effort for "an integrated, peaceful and stable Africa."
Previous articleFirst African-American woman appointed to the New York Court of Appeals, Sheila Abdus-Salaam, found dead
Next articleChinese investors complete acquisition of Italian football giant AC Milan