The last several months I've had a steady increase in my passive income each month; however this month it has declined, but I knew it probably would. There's a couple of reasons that factored into why both total income and passive income decreased, but I was aware active income would decline and was relatively certain passive income would fall.
Sometimes there are ebbs and flows of a business and it's important to understand why and to plan accordingly.
My goal in revealing my income each month through income reports is to show you the progression and hopefully provide some inspiration or little nuggets of information that helps you in your journey.
In my post on How to Make Money Online Traveling in an RV and the video on YouTube, I announced a huge change that I made in my life.
After traveling for a year, full-time, I wanted more freedom, and I was working 60-80 hours a week. I was considerably stressed even though I love this company that I worked for – but the pace was starting to get to me, and I just felt like I needed a change. I was documenting my travels on the blog and YouTube and was able to tap into my creative side again – something I hadn't used in a while – and it felt great and nourishing to my soul.
I took the BIG LEAP and quit so I can focus my attention on my endeavors in business – like building my online business and coaching/consulting practice. Even though I was working remotely this whole time – I still felt that I needed a change.
Now I'm even more location independent because I don't always have to stress about making sure there is an Internet connection – even though I depend on it for my own business – at least for a couple of days. I can relax more and take in the landscape in places that are more remote and not feel like I need to rush through it to make sure I'm available for my job.
It's exciting, thrilling, and a little nerve-wracking, but I feel thrilled with my decision and am pushing forward!
Why Am I Sharing My September 2018 Income Report?
Sharing what I earn each month and from what sources will not only allow me to document my income but also to see the growth or where I need to make adjustments. It's motivating for me to see how far I can push myself each month to be creative and reach my goals.
I have a vision in my head of what I want to create, but that also means listening to you, the Story Chasing viewers, to get your feedback and understand more of what you desire in order fulfill your dream journey.
I want to be the example, the experiment, to you all so you can see that you can also accomplish your desires. Who knows how long it will take me to reach my overall goal of replacing my former income, but as long as I don't quit, I don't see how I can't win at this little experiment.
I hope by posting my income report that it provides you with some inspiration as to what's possible for you and your journey. My biggest hope is that I can share with you all a different lifestyle that's not necessarily the "social norm," but that is entirely enriching and makes me feel more alive than I've ever felt. This is why I named my blog and YouTube channel Story Chasing.
It makes me pretty happy to create new stories and moments in my life and fill my brain with these special memories of my travels and the people who I've met along the way.
July was my first month after quitting my job so the September 2018 income report will be my third income report since starting to work full-time in my own business while also traveling full-time.
I have the StoryChasing.com blog and also the YouTube channel – which by the way, if you like what you see on my YouTube channel, please hit that subscribe button and click on the notification bell so you'll know when I upload a video each week.
After taking some rest time in July, the month after I quit my job, I got busy in August accomplishing more and understanding more of what I wanted to communicate through my channels while still traveling and editing videos. In September, it was more about organization and prepping for efficiencies and work ahead.
I set a goal to fill in an editorial calendar through the end of the year and accomplished this goal. I took some time to determine what content I knew needed producing with quest videos, everyday travel videos, income report videos, and then in between would be how-to videos.
It makes the process easier of knowing what content I'll be producing in the future so I can stay on track, make sure I get the shots that I need during filming and specific areas of my travels and prepare me for my next goal of learning batch process workflow.
I seriously needed to figure out a way to create more efficiencies with the process of editing videos, blog posts, SEO research, and all the steps in between to provide the finished product of a video and blog post. Doing one video/post at a time is not efficient and takes up a considerable amount of time each week.
In my endeavor to create more efficiencies, I started to look at how to batch process the workflow so I am spending less time with work and more time traveling and diving into the Story Chasing community.
It was an exciting process to determine the best course of action, but I think I've come up with a good game plan and feel that it's already starting to help me.
My goal for September was to continue working towards increasing to 5,000 subscribers on YouTube.
I'm slowly getting there. We gained 384 subscribers to the community for an ending total of 4,715 subscribers on YouTube.
I'm so happy with that number. Again, I'm going to keep on pushing through, producing content that you all can connect with, I hope, and numbers will continue to grow.
I must have mastered the art of slowing down because I was just recently called "pokey" by a fellow nomad, uh um, Joe.
Well, I can't help myself when I'm enjoying these lovely views of the Pacific ocean and incredible sunsets. So, Pokey it is!
If you're new to my blog, here's a little bit about me and what I do.
I'm Amber, and I started StoryChasing.com and my YouTube channel last year in the second quarter of 2017 after selling my home and everything I own to travel full-time in an RV. When I first started out traveling, I had no idea where I was going, and then I came across a book called National Geographic 300 Scenic Highways & Byways. What a great way to see the country and learn about the areas around, so I started a quest to accomplish all 300 highways and byways – with no end date by the way.
From the beginning, I documented my travels across the United States and Canada, through photos and video, so I could show that I've completed all 300 highways and byways. I'm the sole traveler, writer and videographer, marketer, editor, administrator, accountant, driver and whatever other hat is thrown my way in this adventure.
I travel with my fur baby, Lily, who is a 10 lb Whippet, Chi, Rat Terrier mix and a fantastic traveler with her car seat so she can see outside and be safe in her harness that clips into the seat.
Over the course of my travels, I get asked quite a bit if I'm fearful to travel solo. I even made a video about it and how I overcome fear. It's been one of my more popular videos because I believe it addresses a fear that we all have – whether you're a man or a woman – about being by yourself and living in this world without subjecting ourselves to the constant fear of others and media. I've discovered that the world out there is kinder and more beautiful than I anticipated and that I'm also much stronger than I ever imagined. I've conquered plenty of fears this year, but I believe those fears are just opportunities to overcome and the greatest success and reward are on the other side of that fear.
I have worked in some capacity in Accounting since I was 17 years old and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Accountancy and am a Certified Financial Crimes Investigator. Most of my career I was working in property management, construction, and real estate with the last company being a Private Equity Firm specializing in acquisitions and development of multi-family housing where I was the Director of Asset Management Accounting. Though I loved my job, the company, and the people I worked with, I knew it was time for a change and to see what I could do with my own company.
I've been blogging on and off for over eight years and have created many websites and blogs and learned quite a bit about making money online. I just needed to figure out what I wanted to do to make money online.
As my viewers started asking me questions, a natural business started to form where I could teach others the knowledge I have on various subjects. I'm so thrilled to be working in this capacity and to help others. I've been coaching women for several years as well, and it's an immensely fulfilling joy to help these woman overcome experiences in their life.
I'm also business consulting for acquisitions/dispositions of real estate and multi-family housing.
Lastly, some of my income – that you'll see below in the September 2018 income report – also comes from an e-book I wrote about five years ago that helps people overcome rosacea naturally. It's not generating much income right now since I haven't been focusing on marketing very much in the last couple of years. When I first wrote the book, it was generating about $200-$400 per month.
I've completed a breakdown by passive income and active income with totals for each. I knew my income would decrease this month with viewers vacations ending and kids back in school. September always seems to be one of those transition months for blogs, at least mine, where it slips a bit and then regains traction in the upcoming months.
This is a decrease over August at 10.82%.
Consulting/Coaching – $600 which I knew would decrease since the bulk of the work related to contracting for my previous employer is coming to an end.
My bottom line goal is to increase my passive income, month-over-month by approximately 16.25% and I did not meet that goal with an 11% decrease.
All of the income above is before expenses and taxes and represents my gross revenues.
Continue to reach viewers looking for an alternative lifestyle in minimalist living, traveling full-time, learning how to earn income on the road, and growing YouTube subscribers to 5,000+.
Begin the process of outlining a new product for sale to diversify my income.
Complete at least two extra videos to put in the queue for scheduling. I'm going to be busy in January and part of February with Xscapers convergences, meet-ups at RTR, and other meet-ups and need to have at least six videos ready to go. I don't think I'll be able to concentrate on editing and publishing during that time but will get quite a bit of footage.
Please leave me a comment below on how you liked this September 2018 income report. Was something missing or something you'd like to see?
This was SUPER helpful! I lost my business of 16 years due to a traumatic brain injury and now an scrambling to make supplemental income with youtube. (I can no longer work any job requiring a schedule due to the TBI flare ups.) My other goal is to start a blog, initial goal actually and my calling, but haven't figured out yet how to set the darn thing up.
Kelly – So glad this was helpful to you and sorry to hear about the TBI. Hopefully, you can get your other business ideas off the ground that will be helpful to you.


Uninterrupted power supply of 5MVA initially; which would be later augmented to 10MVA.
The entire study was based on review of available secondary data, field studies and collection of primary data and discussions with various stakeholders including the local bodies and the regulatory agencies. In addition, informal generic consultations were held with the local community to understand their perception about the proposed industrial development in their area, water availability and the related issues.


My fiercest critic [I'm sorry for the typos! I'm sorry! Please stop shouting at me!] just harangued me for my lazy and inadequate response to these comments on institutions.
So allow me to make amends.
Firstly, the terms we use are vague and confusing. What is an institution? What is governance? I like Paul Romer's use of "rules." It is easy to think concretely about what rules are, and why they might matter. Even if you think his prescriptions are a little crazy, he does a very good job of explaining the importance of institutions (rules), and you should really watch the TED talk if you haven't already.
Secondly, you are absolutely right, we don't know what needs fixing. Which is exactly my point – we know what good institutions are, but we don't know how to make them.
Institutions are thus critical to the development process. But for each of the functions performed by institutions, there is an array of choices about their specific form. What type of legal regime should a country adopt—common law, civil law, or some hybrid? What is the right balance between competition and regulation in overcoming some of the standard market failures? What is the appropriate size of the public sector? How much discretion and how much flexibility should there be in arrangements for the conduct of fiscal, monetary, and exchange rate policies?
Unfortunately, economic analysis provides surprisingly little guidance in answering these questions.
This chart is from the same Rodrik Finance & Development article. There is a fair amount of variation, but in the world of real-world data, that is about as tight a correlation as you are ever going to find.
Finally Bottomupthinking asked "Maybe the institutions operate so badly simply because they are not really understood by most of those who live in or with them (the wider populace)?", which leads me to believe that we are again confusing terms? In any case, I think we agree on the difficulty of improving rules, governance, institutions, whatever you want to call it.
Lant Pritchett is doing some very interesting work on the related-but-not-quite-the-same question of state implementation capacity.
At their current pace of progress countries like Haiti or Afghanistan or Liberia would take hundreds (if not thousands) of years to reach the capability of a country like Singapore and decades to reach even a moderate capability country like India.
My basic issue is that we don't have a coherent definition of institutions and usually the way that institutions are operationalized doesn't follow from the theory. Institutions as rules are basically just really hard to measure. My second point is that what most of the this literature taught us is that usually social stuff matters more (ceteris paribus) than geography. That is a very important finding, but I've yet to see a solid way of teasing out institutions from other examples of persistent social stuff.
The best example of the dangers of loose operationalizations of institutions is Glaeser et al's (2004) article "Do Institutions Cause Growth." They show that setter mortality can be used to instrument for human capital instead of institutions and will produce essentially the same findings as AJR and RST. The Glaeser paper also does a great job critiquing the concept of institutions.
Good points, I basically agree with you entirely. Perhaps I should have framed the initial discussion in terms of good governance (which is still pretty vaguely define, but perhaps slightly more concrete?).
I agree that good governance is vague, but I think it is also thought to consist of more than rules, which in this case is a good thing. The more I think about this, the more that I think we should ditch most of these umbrella concepts. They give us an often misleading sense of generalizability, and we should probably just say exactly what we mean and see if we can build up from that. While I'm dreaming, I also want a pony.
On what is now a side note (and was the original point of your post), I agree completely with the pro-migration arguments.
The problem is anyone with an even basic knowledge of legal history and comparative law will be able to tell you that while it might be obvious ex post, it's rarely the case ex ante. We spend a very long time refining the content and application of rules through amendment, precedent etc., and as a result, what rules exist in different places look very different, both across space and within one place across time.
Rules and institutions (formal and informal) matter, but we assume we know much more about them than we really do.
I also do not share Pritchett's pessimism about improving institutions. Hong Kong built a civil service from scratch in less than 50 years. It's probably the most efficient in the world now. India has a way better set of institutions now (in most states, don't forget it's federal) than it did twenty years ago.
Thank you. I will try to shout less (it WAS a lazy response though).


I've been busy the last couple weeks for New Year's so wasn't able to post anything. I did a lot of traveling by going to New York City for New Year's weekend and then went on a ski trip after it.
Two weeks ago my training was inconsistent due to all the traveling. However, this past week was very good. I followed Tim Cattogio's training schedule and did two workouts, three easy runs, a medium long run, and a long run. My first workout was a 12x1:00 hill workout at Attitash Mountain. It was pretty t0ugh seeing as it was my first hill workout in a very long time.
The skiing at Attitash was very fun. I wasn't all that great of a skiier so fell many times and left the establishment pretty sore. However, I was able to get in a few runs with my former high school cross country teammates, Brian Cohen and Mike Moverman, whom were also on the ski trip. It's always good to catch up with friends and see how they're doing. Fun times on the ski trip.
The second workout was an 8x1/2 mile repeat training which I thought would be harder after the ski trip left me sorer than Grant Hill. My intervals, which I did around my neighborhood, ranged from 2:35 to 2:20 for the last one and felt pretty good. Today I did my long run which I figure is the most important element of marathon training. I did 1 hour, 45 minutes and covered roughly 15.5 miles.
I was very happy with the week. I was also very happy with the continued influx of money for the fundraiser. We are currently only about $10,000 away from our new goal of $35,000 after only a month and we still have about six months to go! The continued support is amazing and is greatly appreciated by the entire committee. We are looking to be one of the top CCFA fundraisers, which would be incredible for our first year. The committee was also able to discuss the L O C O fundraiser which will take place on March 22nd. We're all looking to this as a nice celebration and a way to increase our numbers down the final stretch of fundraising. Thank you to everyone for the support. It has been amazing so far.


Coach Decker kicked off the season with a meet and greet dinner at his house for all parents and athletes in the program.
Multiple Teams · Feb 19 Ridge softball makes it to the top of the mountain!
The Ridge softball program didn't take the 3-day weekend off. On Saturday, February 13th, all 3 levels met at Thunderbird Mountain before sunrise to hike/run and do a light workout before meeting back at the field for a full practice. The teams also participated in a cardio workout and full practice on Monday, Feb. 15th.


text:
UAE Secret Jails in Yemen: Unknown Fate of Inmates
1 year 11 months
Research And Publications Aug 02, 2017
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) secret jails in the occupied southern parts of Yemen have become a place for exercising extreme torture tactics against inmates who face unknown fate.
A secret network of at least 18 prisons along southern Yemen have been home to brutal and inhumane torture, according to an investigation by the Associated Press.
Torture methods have included what is known as "the grill" which is when a person is "tied to a spit like a roast and spun in a circle of fire," according to the AP.
The prisons are run by the United Arab Emirates or Yemeni forces "created and trained by the Persian Gulf nation," according to multiple accounts from former detainees, families of prisoners, civil rights lawyers, and Yemeni military officials.
While senior American defense officials confirmed that US forces participate in interrogations of detainees at the prisons, but denied "any participation in or knowledge of human rights abuses," according to the AP. Though the US could still be in violation of international law if they had questioned detainees who have been tortured.
According to Tasnim dispatches, families of captives in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) secret prisons in southern Yemen gathered recently in front of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) bureau and expressed concern about the unknown fate of their relatives.
The abduction and apprehension is not the final stage of extreme brutal torture, these are all titles and features of secret prisons mentioned in a special report prepared by an international institution in Yemen. These prisons have been administrated by the UAE directly, a country who is trying to finish the war in its benefit at any cost.
In this regard, a Yemeni citizen told Tasnim, "The report that revealed the existence of secret prisons of the UAE's aggressors has demonstrated that Yemeni issue has come under attention rightly and fairly. However, what have remained hidden is much bigger."
Families of prisoners and captives in the UAE jails condemned disrespectful and insulting behavior shown towards prisoners. They have called for speedy freedom of their relatives.
Another Yemeni citizen told Tasnim, "We ask all the human right organizations to pay attention to issue of human rights in Yemen. We want them to pursue the conditions of prisoners and captives, because our captives in the enemy mercenaries' prisons are facing ill-treatment. We want them to adopt a practical measure to fruit results."
"We want all the organizations that are advocates of the human rights to do something. Today and by the means of such gatherings which could be assumed as a last opportunity for these institutions, we ask them to secure the freedom of our captives and encourage an Islamic behavior or at least humanitarian behavior towards them," a Yemeni citizen noted.
A Yemeni women said also that "my child, Faisal Jame, is a prisoner and I do not know what has happened to him in Ma'rib province, he knows nothing about us and we have no news about him for over one year and five months."
While the US Secretary of Defense James Mattis denies participation of his forces in the Yemeni prisoners' extreme torture, families of captives highlight the international organizations' reports on US forces' participation.
Source: https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2017/08/01/1480144/uae-secret-jails-i...
Tags: Torture
UAE: Egyptian Detainee Alleges 'Brutal' Torture
News Feb 25, 2016
Guards Attack Detainees in al-Rezin Prison
News Jun 01, 2017
Egyptian Mosaab Abdel-Aziz Writes from UAE Prison
News Apr 01, 2016
Torture Survivor and British Citizen, David Haigh, Launches Legal Challenge Against Emirati Authorities
#twitter #UAE spyprogram #Tayseer Al-Najjar #Journalism is not a crime #Osama Al-Najjar #Press Freedom #freedomofmovement #Iyad El-Baghdadi

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Pen Industry: The pen, pencil, marking device, and artists' materials manufacturing industry consists off jobs regarding to manufacturing pens, fountain pens, ballpoint pens, refill ink cartridges, metal pen points, and mechanical pencils; wood-cased lead pencils, holders, and leads; crayons; rubber marking and branding merchandise; artists' materials, for example drawing boards, palettes, colors, waxes, and drafting equipment; carbon paper; inked ribbons for typewriters and other business machines; and related merchandise. jobs regarding to the manufacture of drafting instruments are included in the instruments and apparatus industry (instruments industry); jobs regarding to the manufacture of drawing, writing, and stamp pad inks are included in the chemical industry (chemical industry).
This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 8th, 2004 at 8:07 pm	and is filed under Job Descriptions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


Karen, a 47-year-old mother of three, loves to participate in activities with her large extended family – from school events to church functions to birthday celebrations. In fact, her family often depends on her to plan and organize multi-generational gatherings.
In late 2001, however, complications from Karen's diabetes led to gastroparesis*, a condition characterized by chronic nausea and vomiting. The condition left Karen bedridden.
"The nausea was so bad, day and night, that I had to stop all activities," Karen recalls. "I could not sit up or converse with people. I couldn't even cry about it, because crying made me feel sicker. A simple activity like watching television became impossible."
Karen tried prescription and over-the-counter drugs in search of relief, but nothing helped. Behavioral therapy and breathing techniques failed too.
"I could never be far from a bathroom," explains Karen. "My diet consisted of a little yogurt, crackers, and a food supplement. Occasionally, I sucked on a lemon to relieve the nausea."
After a year of symptoms, Karen met with a team of physicians whose testing indicated that gastric electrical stimulation might relieve her chronic nausea and vomiting symptoms.
"I was thrilled to have an option that might give me my life back," Karen says. "The gastric emptying test and endoscopy before the implant were tolerable compared to other procedures I've had. In fact, the only discomfort I felt was my chronic nausea."
Unfortunately, Karen's excitement met with a major obstacle. Her healthcare insurance company considered neurostimulators to be experimental devices, and wouldn't cover it under her plan. With support from her physicians and family, Karen won her fight to gain reimbursement for the implant after an 18-month delay.
Karen underwent a procedure for a neurostimulator in 2004. While the effectiveness of gastric electrical stimulation hasn't been shown, and results differ for each patient, it has helped Karen. "Since receiving Enterra Therapy, I've gone from focusing on coping with my gastroparesis to living a regular life," she says.
"I was able to eat a normal diet again and participate in family activities, including our regular cook-outs," Karen says. "One of my greatest thrills was being able to eat a hamburger again."
Karen credits her family for bolstering her courage, and her physicians for teaching her how to care for herself properly. "If I still run into problems, it's because I've made poor dietary decisions," she explains.
"Ultimately, the responsibility of what goes into your stomach lies with you."


text:
package io.jooby.annotations;

import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
import java.lang.annotation.Target;

/**
 * Set a path for Mvc routes.
 *
 *

 *   @Path("/r")
 *   class Resources {
 *
 *     @GET("/sub")
 *     public void method() {
 *     }
 *   }
 *

 *
 *
Path Patterns

 *
 *
Jooby supports Ant-style path patterns:
 *
 *
Some examples:
 *
 *

 *
{@code com/t?st.html} - matches {@code com/test.html} but also {@code com/tast.jsp} or
 *       {@code com/txst.html}
 *
{@code com/*.html} - matches all {@code .html} files in the {@code com} directory
 *
com/{@literal **}/test.html - matches all {@code test.html} files underneath
 *       the {@code com} path
 *
{@code **}/{@code *} - matches any path at any level.
 *
{@code *} - matches any path at any level, shorthand for {@code **}/{@code *}.
 *

 *
 *
Variables

 *
 *
Jooby supports path parameters too:
 *
 *
Some examples:
 *
 *

 *
 /user/{id} - /user/* and give you access to the id var.
 *
 /user/{id:\\d+} - /user/[digits] and give you access to the numeric id
 *        var.
 *

 *
 * @author edgar
 * @since 0.1.0
 */
@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
@Target({ElementType.TYPE, ElementType.METHOD})
public @interface Path {
  /**
   * @return Route path pattern.
   */
  String[] value();
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: can I get help in solving this equation using simplex method big-M method Objective:
$\max Z= 100x_1+300x_2+400x_3$
s.t.   $10x_1+20x_2+30x_3≤1600$
$\;\,\quad10x_1+15x_2+20x_3≤1500$
$\;\,\quad x_2+x_3≤50$
$\;\,\quad x_1+x_2+x_3=70$
$\;\,\quad x_1,x_2,x_3≥0$

A: $\max Z= 100x_1+300x_2+400x_3$
s.t.   $10x_1+20x_2+30x_3≤1600$
$\;\,\quad10x_1+15x_2+20x_3≤1500$
$\;\,\quad x_2+x_3≤50$
$\;\,\quad x_1+x_2+x_3=70$
$\;\,\quad x_1,x_2,x_3≥0$
You have to convert it into the standard form by adding slack variables. So it becomes:
$\max Z= 100x_1+300x_2+400x_3$
s.t.   $10x_1+20x_2+30x_3 +s_1 = 600$
$\;\,\quad10x_1+15x_2+20x_3 +s_2 =1500$
$\;\,\quad x_2+x_3+s_3=50$
$\;\,\quad x_1+x_2+x_3=70$
$\;\,\quad x_1,x_2,x_3,s_1,s_2,s_3≥0$
$c^T=[100, 300, 400, 0, 0, 0], b=[1600, 1500, 50, 70]$
$$A=\begin{bmatrix}
10 & 20 & 30 & 1 & 0 & 0\\
10 & 15 & 20 & 0 & 1 & 0\\
0  & 1  & 1  & 0 & 0 & 1\\
1  & 1  & 1  & 0 & 0 & 0
\end{bmatrix}$$
The basics columns are these that construct the identity matrix, the columns $4,5,6$ of the matrix $A$, are the three first columns of the identity matrix $I_{4 \times 4}$. So you have to add the last column:
$$A=\begin{bmatrix}
10 & 20 & 30 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0\\
10 & 15 & 20 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0\\
0  & 1  & 1  & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0\\
1  & 1  & 1  & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1
\end{bmatrix}$$
So $c^T=[100, 300, 400, 0, 0, 0, M], b=[1600, 1500, 50, 70]$
Base: $B=[P_4 P_5 P_6 P_7]$
The tableau is:
$$\begin{matrix}
B & c_B & b & P_1 & P_2 & P_3 & P_4 & P_5 & P_6 & P_7 & \Theta \\
P_4 & 0 & 1600 & 10 & 20 &30 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1600}{30} & L_1\\
P_5 & 0 & 1500 & 10 & 15 & 20 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 & \frac{1500}{20} & L_2\\
P_6 & 0 & 50 &  0& 1 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 & 50 & L_3\\
P_7 & M & 70 &  1& 1 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 1 & 70 & L_4\\
    & z & 70M &M-100 & M-300 & M-400 & 0 & 0 & 0&0 & & L_5
\end{matrix}$$
$M$ is a negative number.
To complete the column $\Theta$: you have to find the smallest number of the line $z$. Let $P_i$ is the column which number at the last line is the smallest, and then $\Theta=\frac{b}{P_i}$.
The smallest number at the last line is: $M-400$, so $\Theta=\frac{b}{P_3}$
The smallest number at the column $\Theta$ is $50$. So the smallest number of the last line($z$) is the column $P_3$ and the smallest number of the column $\Theta$ is the line $L_3$ that correspond to the line $P_6$, so the column $P_6$ gets out of the base and the column $P_3$ gets in.
The pivot is the element at the column $P_3$ and at the line $L_3$
So $L_3'=L_3/1$, $L_1'=L_1-30 L_3'$, $L_2'=L_2-20 L_3'$, $L_4'=L_4-L_3'$
$\begin{matrix}
B   & c_B & b & P_1 & P_2 & P_3 & P_4 & P_5 & P_6 & P_7 & \Theta \\
P_4 & 0   &100&  10 & -10  & 0   & 1 & 0   & -30 & 0   &         &L_1'\\
P_5 & 0   &500&10   &-5   & 0   & 0 & 1   &-20  &0    &         &L_2'\\
P_3 & 400 & 50& 0   & 1   &  1  & 0  & 0   &  1  &  0  &         &L_3'\\
P_7 & M   & 20&1    & 0   & 0   &0  & 0   & -1  &  1  &         &L_4'\\
    & z   & 400 \cdot 50+M \cdot 20 &  M-100   &  400-300   &  400-400   &0     &0     &400-M     & M-M    &         &L_5'
\end{matrix}$
So it becomes:
$$\begin{matrix}
B   & c_B & b & P_1 & P_2 & P_3 & P_4 & P_5 & P_6 & P_7 & \Theta \\
P_4 & 0   &100&  10 & -10  & 0   & 1 & 0   & -30 & 0   &   10      &L_1'\\
P_5 & 0   &500&10   &-5   & 0   & 0 & 1   &-20  &0    &   50      &L_2'\\
P_3 & 400 & 50& 0   & 1   &  1  & 0   & 0   &  1  &  0  &   -      &L_3'\\
P_7 & M   & 20&1    & 0   & 0   &0   & 0   & -1  &  1  &   20      &L_4'\\
    & z   & 20000+20M  &  M-100   &  100   &  0   &0    &0     &400-M     & 0    &         &L_5'
\end{matrix}$$
(The smallest number at the last line is $M-100$, so $\Theta=\frac{b}{P_1}$)
The smallest number at the column $\Theta$ is $10$ that corresponds to $P_4$, so the column $P_4$ gets out of the base and the base $P_1$ gets in.
$L_1''=L_1'/10$, $L_2''=L_2'-10L_1''$, $L_3''=L_3'$, $L_4''=L_4'-L_1''$
So the tableau is:
$$\begin{matrix}
B   & c_B & b & P_1 & P_2 & P_3 & P_4 & P_5 & P_6 & P_7 & \Theta=\frac{b}{P_6} \\
P_1 & 100   &10&  1 & -1  & 0   & 1/10 & 0   & -3 & 0   &   -&L_1''\\
P_5 & 0   &400&0   &5   & 0   & -1 & 1   &10  &0    &   40      &L_2''\\
P_3 & 400 & 50& 0   & 1   &  1  & 0   & 0   &  1  &  0  &   50      &L_3''\\
P_7 & M   & 10&0   & 1   & 0   &-1/10   & 0   & 2  &  1  &   5      &L_4''\\
    & z   & 21000+10M  &  0   &  M   &  0   &10-\frac{M}{10}    &0     &100+2M    & 0    &         &L_5''
\end{matrix}$$
The column $P_7$ gets out of the base and the column $P_6$ gets in.
$L_4'''=L_4''/2$, $L_1'''=L_1''+3L_4'''$, $L_2'''=L_2''-10L_4'''$, $L_3'''=L_3''-L_4'''$
So the next tableau is the following (Since there is no more column in the base with the coeffient  $M$ ($P_7$) you don't have to fill this column):
$$\begin{matrix}
B   & c_B & b & P_1 & P_2 & P_3 & P_4 & P_5 & P_6 & P_7 & \Theta=\frac{b}{P_6} \\
P_1 & 100   &25&  1 & 1/2  & 0   & -1/20 & 0   & 0 &    &   50&L_1'''\\
P_5 & 0   &350&0   &0   & 0   & -1/2 & 1   &0  &    &   -      &L_2'''\\
P_3 & 400 & 45& 0   & 1/2   &  1  & 1/20   & 0   &  0  &    &   90      &L_3'''\\
P_6 & 0   & 5&0   & 1/2   & 0   &-1/20   & 0   & 1  &    &   5/2      &L_4'''\\
    & z   & 2500+45 \cdot 400  &  0   &  -50   &  0   &15   &0     &0    &     &         &L_5'''
\end{matrix}$$
Now at the last line you have a negative element. You apply one more time the Simplex method so that you have only elements $\geq 0$.
$L_4''''=2L_4'''$, $L_1''''=L_1'''-\frac{1}{2}L_4''''$, $L_2''''=L_2'''$, $L_3''''=L_3'''-\frac{1}{2}L_4''''$
The last tableau is:
$$\begin{matrix}
B   & c_B & b & P_1 & P_2 & P_3 & P_4 & P_5 & P_6 & P_7 & \Theta=\frac{b}{P_6} \\
P_1 & 100   &20&  1 & 0  & 0   & 0 & 0   & -1 &    &   &L_1''''\\
P_5 & 0   &350&0   &0   & 0   & -1/2 & 1   &0  &    &         &L_2''''\\
P_3 & 400 & 40& 0   & 0   &  1  & 1/10   & 0   &  -1  &    &         &L_3''''\\
P_2 & 300   & 10&0   & 1   & 0   &-1/10   & 0   & 2  &    &         &L_4''''\\
    & z   & 21000  &  0   &  0   &  0   &10   &0     &100    &     &         &L_5''''
\end{matrix}$$
Now we have finished. At the last line all the elements are $\geq 0$, and it is only $=0$ at those columns that are in the base.
So which is now the solution? Which is the maximum? Can you find these?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
FRANCE - THE MACRON LAW: What it changes in Competition Law
Competition, EU and Trade - Competition e-briefings
French Law 2015-990 for economic growth and activity, known as the "Macron Law"[1], entered into force on 6 August 2015.
The Macron Law introduces some major innovations to French competition law[2]. The main legal changes include revisions to certain procedures before the French Competition Authority, (the "Autorité de la concurrence", the "FCA") such as the French settlement procedure and national merger control procedures. The Macron Law also provides procedural changes in the FCA's enforcement powers and includes specific measures in the retail sector.
1. Changes to the Settlement Procedure (Transaction)
Under French law, a company can apply for a fine reduction for anticompetitive practices when it agrees to refrain from challenging the formal statement of objections ("SO") issued by the FCA following an investigation on potential competition infringements.
This procedure, known as the "non contestation des griefs" procedure, can be compared to the settlement procedure before the European Commission, whereby a company can be granted a fine reduction of up to 10% under EU Regulation 773/2004 of 7 April 2004 and Regulation 622/2008 of 30 June 2008.
Prior to the Macron Law, the French regime was considered to be insufficiently attractive since companies had no certainty as to the amount of fine reductions to be granted by the final ruling; they were simply given an indication of the maximum fine, which could be cut by half. As a reminder, the maximum fine is 10% of the worldwide turnover of the relevant group under both French and EU law. Nonetheless, companies had no idea of the fine when they applied for, and accepted, settlements upon receipt of an SO. The maximum fine amount is, indeed, rarely imposed.
Under the Macron Law, companies will now be informed of the potential range of fines expressed in Euros, i.e. with a maximum and a minimum fine, when they apply for a settlement. If this range is not satisfactory for the company concerned, the company may choose to withdraw its application for settlement so as to defend the case against the infringements alleged in the SO.
It should also be noted that the French leniency program now provides for a slightly simplified procedure. The FCA may now adopt a decision granting full immunity from fines to a company reporting competition infringements (e.g. cartels) without a full written report being issued by the General Head of Investigation (Rapporteur Général).
2. Amendments to the merger control procedure[3]
Timeframes for merger assessment
The Macron Law introduces a new 'stop-the-clock' mechanism in the context of a Phase I review period for transactions falling within the jurisdiction of the FCA. A Phase I assessment in principle lasts 25 working days, but this period may now be suspended when the parties have failed to inform the FCA of any new elements as soon as they occur or failed to communicate all or part of requested information within the time limit granted during the review period.
Moreover, the additional period for in-depth analysis (Phase II) may now be extended where the parties submit amendments to previous remedies proposals to obtain an FCA clearance. Nonetheless, the Macron Law limits the overall Phase II assessment period to a maximum of 85 working days.
Suspensive effect of merger filings
As a reminder, mergers and acquisitions may not be implemented until a clearance has been obtained from the FCA for transactions falling within its jurisdiction, as with EU Law.
However, the Macron Law introduces the possibility for the party notifying a merger to ask the FCA for a derogation from that "suspensive" effect. If the FCA agrees to this, it shall provide the relevant party with a letter granting it permission to proceed with the merger without the need to wait for the FCA's clearance decision.
Nevertheless, the Macron Law provides that the derogation will be void if, within three months after the implementation of the merger, the FCA has not received a complete notification.
3. Specific Measures in the Retail Sector
In line with an opinion issued earlier this year[4], the FCA must now be provided with any agreement between independent companies active in the retail sector for consumer products or between central purchasing entities, where that agreement pertains to the joint negotiation of the purchase or the selection of products from suppliers.
Such agreements must be submitted to the FCA at least two months before their implementation and the FCA is entitled to initiate proceedings if such an agreement raises competition concerns under the general prohibition of anticompetitive agreements (art. L. 420-1 of the French Commercial Code). A Decree should further define the companies concerned by these rules, based on the turnover of the companies concerned.
4. Local Anticompetitive Practices
With the Macron Law, the FCA is now entitled to refer cases to the Ministry for the Economy (and therefore the "Direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des fraudes", hereinafter referred to as the "DGCCRF") when they involve local anticompetitive practices. Local anticompetitive practices only affect a geographic market of limited local dimension, in particular but not limited to the retail sector.
The DGCCRF remains entitled to deal with local cases on its own initiative, however it will now receive additional FCA referrals, provided that the DGCCRF orders injunctions or offers settlements when applicable in such cases.
[1] Law 2015-990 of 6 August 2015 "pour la croissance, l'activité et l'égalité des chances économiques"
[2] A separate e-brief will be available on changes brought in by the Macron Law in relation to commercial and distribution law.
[3] Please see the Eversheds Guide to International Merger Control – Navigating Multi-Jurisdictional Merger Control for more details on France and other countries' regimes
[4] FCA opinion 15-A-06 of 31 March 2015, relating to the relationship between central purchasing entities and referencing entities
Dan Roskis
Connect with Dan Roskis on LinkedIn
Eversheds Sutherland International
Brexit: knowing where you stand - Understanding the EU-UK trade deal 解析英国-欧盟贸易合作协议及其影响
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Education briefing - 10 Key questions to ask when undertaking your consumer law reviews this spring term - A list for HE providers
US Target China's National Offshore Oil Corporation with Export Sanctions


The open "beta" Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 on the PC, in principle, was successful, although there were some shortcomings. For example, owners of cool systems did not like the restriction on frame rates. Recall that above 90 frames per second in the "beta" could not be set, and this is very solid for most systems, the value of the owners of the top configurations was cramped.
But yesterday, the developers of the disgruntled reassured – in the release version of Black Ops 4 there will be no restrictions on FPS … in standard multiplayer and in zombie mode. But in the "Royal Battle" of Blackout, the number of frames will still be limited to 120. Later, when the servers are stabilized, the limit will be reduced to 144. And then, if the servers allow again, they will be removed altogether.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 will be released on October 12th.


Formed in March 2011, the Southern Border Communities Coalition brings together 60 organizations from San Diego, CA to Brownsville, TX.
As the government continues to pour more and more resources into the U.S. Border Patrol without providing appropriate accountability and oversight, border communities have borne the brunt of these policies, which have adversely impacted businesses, our residents' human rights, the environment and international relations.
Ensure that border enforcement policies and practices are accountable and fair, respect human dignity and human rights, and prevent the loss of life in the region.
Promote policies and solutions that improve the quality of life in border communities.
Advance a positive image of the border region.
Support rational and humane immigration reform policies affecting the border region.
In 2012 Southern Border Communities Coalition is committed to Bring Justice Home! Join us and demand that the U.S. Border Patrol respects human life.


Deskside, recycling bin offers an easy, effective way to recycle paper. Place beside traditional wastebaskets to make it easy to separate waste paper. One side of the sturdy plastic container is marked with the chasing arrows, recycling logo. Mold-in handles on the sides allow easy lifting.


text:
15 Brandywine Valley Gardens and Arboretums to Visit This Spring
Hunt Staff April 2, 2019
Barnes Arboretum
This hidden gem, located in Merion, sits on 12 acres and boasts over 2,500 varieties of plants, some of which date back to the 1880s. The property was home to the Barnes family, who cultivated the land, and curated and augmented the species previously assembled there by Captain Joseph Lapsley Wilson. The Barnes Arboretum is open from May through September and includes a peony and lilac collection, an herbarium, and a medical plant garden. Keep an eye out for the blooming magnolia collection in spring.
300 N. Latch's Lane, Merion, Pa.
Barnes Arboretum. Photo by R. Kennedy/Visit Philadelphia.
Chanticleer Garden
Once home to the Rosengarten family, this Wayne estate's gardens are now open to the public during the warmer months of the year, and the house can be toured by appointment. Today, 14 gardeners and groundskeepers maintain the immaculate grounds. Spend a lazy day strolling through Bell's Woodland, which showcases North American forest plants, the teacup garden, Asian Woods and more. In spring, be sure to explore the Bulb Meadow, which boasts Spanish bluebells and daffodils. The Cut-Flower Garden is also a treat in late spring, as foxgloves and hollyhocks add pops of color to the landscape and draw butterflies and birds.
786 Church Road, Wayne, Pa.
Delaware Center for Horticulture
The Delaware Center for Horticulture works to unite the community through a shared passion for plants and helps increase ecological sustainability. Whether you're looking for a casual stroll or a place for a family picnic, the DCH is a beautiful backdrop, especially in the spring.
1810 N. Dupont St., Wilmington, Del.
E.I. du Pont Garden at Hagley Museum and Library
This two-acre garden found on the sprawling grounds of Hagley is a must visit for anyone exploring the museum. The gardens were restored in the 1970s and boast a riot of color throughout the year. In spring, find flowers like crocuses, hyacinths, jonquils and tulips in neat rows.
200 Hagley Creek Road, Wilmington, Del.
Hagley Museum. Photo by Flickr user TravelingOtter.
Gardens at Nemours Estate
One of the largest formal French gardens in North America, these historical grounds were designed after the ones surrounding the Palace of Versailles. You could spend hours exploring the different features like the Boxwood Garden, the Reflecting Pool, the Sunken Gardens and the Colonnade.
850 Alapocas Drive, Wilmington, Del.
Jenkins Arboretum and Gardens
Explore a robust collection of trees, shrubs and wildflowers at Jenkins Arboretum and Gardens. The romantic grounds have an equally sweet beginning: The home and property, originally a wedding gift for H. Lawrence and Elisabeth Phillippe Jenkins, were later established as a foundation in Elisabeth's name by her husband. Elisabeth was an avid gardener, and today the arboretum has more than doubled to 46 acres. Explore the walking trails, botanical garden, and the rhododendrons and azaleas collection, which hail from around the globe. In spring, expect to see snowdrops, Virginia bluebells and wild tulips in bloom.
631 Berwyn Baptist Road, Devon, Pa.
Jenkins Arboretum. Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Daderot.
Perhaps the best known garden in the whole state, Longwood Gardens boasts over 1,000 acres of meadows, fountain gardens, a conservatory and more. Bequeathed for public use by Pierre du Pont, the gardens are spectacular in all seasons, but the grounds really come alive in spring. Plan a visit in April to experience the Spring Blooms display, when more than 240,000 tulips push their way through the ground to saturate the Idea Garden and Flower Garden Walk in color. Elsewhere, look for blooming wisteria and flowering cherries.
1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, Pa.
Longwood Gardens. Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Sydchrismom.
Marian Coffin Gardens at Gibraltar
Located on the grounds of the Gibraltar estate, the Marian Coffin Gardens have rich historical roots. Coffin was the daughter of Isabella Mathieu du Pont Sharp and Hugh Rodney Sharp, who purchased the estate in 1909. Coffin cultivated her love for horticulture and meticulously kept the gardens over the course of her life. After her death, the grounds deteriorated but Preservation Delaware began restoration projects on the grounds in 1999. Today, the gardens feature an array of plant species including wisteria and water lilies in the spring.
1405 Greenhill Ave., Wilmington, Del.
Mt. Cuba Center dates back to the 1930s when the du Pont-Copeland family purchased the property. It became a public garden in 2002. Today, the grounds of Mt. Cuba and the Red Clay Reservation include over 1,000 acres of natural beauty. The plant collections spotlight species native to the Eastern Temperate Forests of the United States, an area that ranges from New York to Alabama. Wonder the grounds or take one of the classes covering topics from beginners gardening to the intricacies of native orchids.
3120 Barley Mill Road, Hockessin, Del.
Rockwood Park and Museum
Built in 1851, Rockwood began as the retirement estate of Wilmington native Joseph Shipley. In the late 1800s, the Bringhurst family took ownership and today Rockwood serves as a museum showcasing life during the turn of the 20thcentury. Heritage plants abound on the grounds, ranging from clematis to weeping hemlock to magnolias to rhododendron and the Dr. W. van Fleet rose. The grounds are a great place for a stroll and a picnic, especially in spring.
4651 Washington Street Extension, Wilmington, Del.
Magnolia blossoms.
Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College
Adjacent to Swarthmore College's campus, Scott Arboretum has 425 acres of trees, hiking trails and hills. Best known for its hollies, magnolias and oaks, the arboretum also boasts collections of conifers, cherries, hollies and hydrangeas. Many of the species found on the grounds are representative of the Delaware Valley's native flora.
500 College Ave., Swarthmore, Pa.
Created by Natural Lands, this garden made its public debut in May 2018. Like many area estates, Stoneleigh has a long history, dating back to 1877. The property was augmented and changed hands over the year, always with attention to the gardens and grounds. For 80 years, the home belonged to the Haas family, who left it to be conserved and enjoyed by the public. Visitors can explore the Tudor Revival mansion and the stunning grounds.
1829 E. County Line Road, Villanova, Pa.
Tyler Arboretum
This historic arboretum dates back to 1681. For nearly 300 years, the land was farmed by the same family, two members of which—Minshall and Jacob Painter—had a particular interest in studying nature, collecting everything from rocks to dried plants. In 1825, they began planting trees and shrubs, creating an early foundation for what would become the arboretum. Today, the arboretum is open year-round. In spring look for bulbs like crocuses, daffodils, hellebores, plus magnolias, rhododendrons and azaleas.
515 Painter Road, Media, Pa.
Tyler Arboretum. Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Daderot.
University of Delaware Botanic Gardens
These research botanic gardens act as both public gardens and a hands on classroom for botany students at the university. The gardens house more than 3,000 species of perennials, shrubs and trees. In the spring, blossoms include flowering quince, redbuds, Japanese apricot and viburnum, among others.
502 Mopar Drive, Newark, Del.
Winterthur Museum, Garden, & Library
When you're done exploring the vast collection of American artifacts inside, take a stroll through the 1,000-acre property surrounding this magnificent 175-room home. The staff at Winterthur maintains the grounds not only for scientific purposes, but also as an artistic exhibition to highlight American horticulture. Spring blooms include a riot of colors in the Azalea Woods, a variety of roses and hellebores, plus daffodils, dogwoods and glory-of-the-snow.
5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Del.
Winterthur. Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Jllm06.
2019 Point-to-Point at Winterthur Race Day Schedule
How Chester County is Working to Boost Wild Turkey Populations


text:
Tech Brief: Hot Weather Concrete
February 12, 2019 /in Frontpage Article, Tech Brief /by admin
SCP Tech Brief: Hot Weather Concrete
Click for PDF
Placing concrete in hot weather poses one of the greatest challenges in construction. This is because concrete gains the majority of its properties during the temperature-dependent cement hydration reaction. Temperature of the concrete, surrounding air temperatures, and form temperatures can all play a substantial role in the quality of the final concrete product. Large volumes of concrete are placed during the hottest months of the year, therefore managing and mitigating threats associated with placing concrete in hot weather is crucial in today's fast-tracked construction industry. Hot weather is defined as job-site conditions that accelerate the rate of moisture loss or rate of cement hydration of freshly mixed concrete, including an ambient temperature of 80F or higher, and an evaporation rate that exceeds 1kg/m2/h or as revised by the Architect/Engineer [1].
Understanding the threats that hot weather poses and how to mitigate those threats in an efficient and effective manner can determine the success of a project.
Some of the main effects of hot weather to concrete are:
Workability – slump or workability decreases as temperature increases [Fig 1]
Set time – set time decreases as temperature increases [Fig 1]
Compressive strength – A high early compressive strength followed by lower long-term compressive strength gains
Plastic shrinkage cracking – cracks that occur due to rapid evaporation of bleed water.
Planning during hot weather concrete placements is recommended in ACI 305 "Hot Weather Concreting". Planning can consist of preplacement conferences, use of admixture and evaporation products, adjusting concrete mix proportions, and others. All of these should be focused on reducing and controlling temperatures and evaporation rates. Wind, relative humidity, ambient temperature, and concrete temperature are the largest factors when considering evaporation rate. The nomograph below has been used throughout the industry for decades and still prevails as the most widely used tool for calculating evaporation rates [Fig. 2].
There are many different ways to mitigate risks that come with hot weather concreting. A combination of measures taken at the ready-mix plant and the jobsite can allow for concrete to be placed at high temperatures. Acceptable production methods to reduce the temperature of concrete at include: shading aggregate stockpiles, sprinkling water on coarse aggregate stockpiles; using chilled water for concrete production; substituting chipped or shaved iced for portions of the mixing water; and cooling concrete materials with liquid nitrogen [1]. Acceptable jobsite measures include timely placement and finishing, control of bleed-water evaporation, curing, and protection. These jobsite measures are all focused on reducing evaporation rates when conditions are threatening. Methods to reduce evaporation rates on site include erecting wind shades and sun shades, using evaporation retarders, using proper curing methods, and others.
The initial curing of concrete strength specimens is often overlooked in hot weather. Because the specimens are small quantities of concrete compared to actual cast in place members, cylinders and beams can be even more severely affected by high temperatures. ASTM C31 Casting of Concrete Strength Specimens in the Field requires that strength samples
be stored at temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees F for normal strength concrete, and between 68 and 78 degrees F for concrete with a specified compressive strength of 6000 psi and higher. Additionally, the specimens should be shielded from direct sunlight and protected from moisture loss [2].
Another consideration is thermal shrinkage of the concrete structure due to rapid drops in concrete temperature of 22C (40F) in the first twenty-four hours. Thermal shrinkage can be reduced by using chilled concrete, using cool pipes in the concrete structure, using supplemental cementitious materials (SCM), using mist water, shading the slab, or using curing methods [3].
[1] Specification for Hot Weather Concreting. ACI 305.1-06. Retrieved December 18, 2018, from http://www.arquitectosrp.com/archivo/download/ACI 305.1-06 Specification for Hot Weather Cncreting.pdf
[2] ASTM C31 / C31M-18b, Standard Practice for Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the Field, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2018, www.astm.org
[3] Association, N. R. (2009). CIP 42 – Thermal Cracking of Concrete. Retrieved January 17, 2019, from https://www.nrmca.org/aboutconcrete/cips/42p.pdf
[Fig 1] CIP 12 – Hot Weather Concreting. Concrete in Practice – What, Why, How?Retrieved December 18, 2018, (2000) from https://www.nrmca.org/aboutconcrete/cips/12p.pdf.
[Fig 2] Specification for Hot Weather Concreting. ACI 305.1-06. Retrieved December 18, 2018, from http://www.arquitectosrp.com/archivo/download/ACI 305.1-06 Specification for Hot Weather Cncreting.pdf
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Tech Brief: Cold Weather Concrete
SCP Tech Brief: Cold Weather Concrete
Portland cement concrete relies on chemical reactions between cementitious materials and water, known collectively as hydration, to harden and develop strength. Like most chemical reactions, the rate of early-age hydration is significantly temperature-dependent. Generally, as concrete temperature rises, the time for hydration to occur shortens and vice-versa. The American Concrete Institute produces two key documents that discuss concrete operations in cold weather: ACI 306.1-90 Standard Specification for Cold Weather Concreting and ACI 306R-16 Guide to Cold Weather Concreting. The information provided in both the specification and guide should be considered any time concrete will be placed during cold weather, defined by the Guide as "…when the air temperature has fallen to, or is expected to fall below, 40° F (4° C) during the protection period." For most concrete mixes, this protection period lasts until the concrete has achieved at least 500 psi.¹
Generally, protective measures include providing sufficient concrete temperatures as mixed, not placing concrete on frozen base material or subgrade, and not allowing concrete to freeze before reaching 500 psi, generally at least 48 hours from time of placement. Heated aggregates and/or hot mixing water are often used by ready mixed concrete companies to achieve required minimum as-delivered concrete temperatures. Heated enclosures and curing blankets are often used to maintain concrete above freezing temperatures in the field once placed. Care should always be taken to vent the exhaust of hydrocarbon-burning heaters outdoors if they are used due to the risk of death of workers and carbonation of the concrete surface.
The damage from early-age freezing of concrete is often readily identifiable upon visual inspection due to the formation of ice "lenses" in the concrete surface. Concrete that has frozen during its early age (during the protection period) often will never achieve required compressive strength or durability characteristics.
Concrete hydration is an exothermic reaction. However, the rate at which the heat is lost to the atmosphere can overcome concrete's ability to replenish the heat in the absence of insulating materials. ACI 306R gives recommendations on minimum temperatures to resist damage from early-age freezing based on cement content, concrete member thickness, and insulation R-value employed.
One obvious result of cold weather is that concrete takes longer to reach initial set. Generally, chemical reactions double in time required for every 10 degrees C variation. So, for concrete without accelerator and with normally encountered cementitious contents that sets in 6 hours at 70 degrees F (21 C) the following is a general guide for what to expect:
(*) Concrete below 50 F (10 C) may have extended set times beyond what is expected.
Cold Weather and Spray-Lock Concrete Protection Products
Various techniques are used by concrete companies to offset the effects of low concrete temperature, including heating aggregates, heating water, and the use of chemical accelerators. Spray-Lock Concrete Protection (SCP) products should be kept from freezing during storage and should not be applied to concrete with temperatures less than 40° F (4.4° C). When chemical accelerators are used in the concrete, care should be taken when using SCP products due to early setting of the product on the surface after application. If this occurs, delay SCP product application until the product penetrates without reacting on the surface. Otherwise, SCP products can be expected to perform normally as long as cold weather concreting procedures are in place.
Quality concrete construction is achievable in cold weather, but takes careful preparation, planning, and execution. Generally, producers and contractors that operate in cold weather often are accustomed to the requirements of cold weather construction. Problems typically occur more often in warmer regions that rarely have cold weather for extended periods where cold weather concreting procedures are rarely used.
¹ ACI 306R-16 Guide to Cold Weather Concreting. American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI.
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Tech Brief: Concrete Cracking
October 30, 2018 /in Frontpage Article, Tech Brief /by admin
SCP Tech Brief: Concrete Cracking
An unfortunate truth in concrete construction is that concrete cracks. There is no magic technology that solves all forms of concrete cracking. When properly used, Spray-Lock Concrete Protection (SCP) products may help reduce the chances of some forms of cracking, but not all. In this technical brief, you will learn how to distinguish between different types of common cracks and SCP's products effects, if any, on those types of cracks.
Cracking is caused by many different reasons, but all cracks in concrete are caused by movement of the concrete in a way that exceeds the concrete's ability to resist the forces generated. Concrete is strong in compression, but relatively weak in tension, flexure, and torsion. Some cracking mechanisms cause the concrete to move differently from the top to the bottom, for instance, generating stress at the interface between the two movement planes. In general, concrete cracks due to external loading, thermal gradients, moisture gradients, or in response to a chemical reaction (internal or external).
Cracking Due to External Loading
When loads exceed concrete's ability to resist the forces applied cracks may occur. An example is negative-moment cracks above beams in an elevated deck caused by flexural forces between the beams moving in a downward direction. The concrete remains stationary above the beams while the concrete between the beams moves, sometimes resulting in cracking. Another example is cracking in a slab on grade that is exposed to traffic loads along an edge, breaking the concrete in a half-moon shape. SCP products do not help resist cracks due to external loading. Proper design to resist forces applied, including the strength of concrete and reinforcement sizing and positioning are the keys to limiting cracking due to external loading.
Sometimes the surface of a freshly placed concrete slab dries out before the remainder, forming a "crust" that tends to crack. The cracks that form are typically shallow, run parallel to each other, and do not intersect the edges of the slab. The cracking typically appears in the time period just before finishing operations begin up to final troweling. These cracks are known as plastic shrinkage cracks because they happen when the concrete is still relatively plastic – it has not yet reached final set.
Plastic shrinkage cracks can occur when weather conditions cause rapid evaporation of bleed water before it can be replaced naturally by the subsurface concrete. Low relative humidity, high winds, and high concrete temperature can all contribute to plastic shrinkage cracking.
The good news is that plastic shrinkage cracks are not usually structural problems. The bad news is that they are cosmetically unappealing in instances where the concrete is exposed. Weather conditions conducive to plastic shrinkage cracking of concrete can be readily predicted by using several weather-related websites and/or commercially available instruments. There are several recommendations that help prevent plastic shrinkage cracks from ACI, NRMCA, and other sources, including erecting wind breaks, misting or fogging the slab with water, placing concrete in the early morning hours, lowering concrete temperatures, and using micro fibers. SCP products have little to no effect on plastic shrinkage cracking since most plastic shrinkage cracks occur before it is the proper time for SCP product application.
Plastic Settlement Cracking
Also known as subsidence cracking, plastic settlement cracks appear over embedded items such as reinforcing steel as concrete settles or subsides. Plastic settlement cracking is caused by insufficient consolidation, high slumps (overly wet concrete where aggregate segregation is occurring), or lack of adequate cover over embedded items. These types of cracks are recognizable by their resemblance in number and spacing to the reinforcing steel pattern below in the slab. SCP products have no effect on plastic settlement cracks. Plastic settlement occurs due to the lack of proper consolidation, high slumps, or inadequate cover over rebar, all of which are outside the
parameters that SCP technology affects. Plastic settlement can be of particular concern on deep (> 12") reinforced concrete slabs.
Crazing
Crazing is the development of a network of fine random cracks on the surface of concrete caused by differential
shrinkage of the surface layer. These cracks are rarely more than 1/8 in. (3 mm) deep and are more noticeable on steel-troweled surfaces and when concrete is wet. Crazing is most often caused by a higher water to cement ratio at the surface of the concrete as a result of over-t
roweling, sprinkling water on the surface of the concrete during finishing operations, or finishing concrete while bleed water is still present.Because the shrinkage that occurs in the top surface differs from the substrate concrete, SCP products can do little to mask or alleviate that difference. Although SCP technology can reduce drying shrinkage as a whole, crazing is caused by the differential between the top surface and the rest of the concrete. For instance, if the top surface of untreated concrete is expected to shrink 0.08% and the bottom of the concrete is expected to shrink 0.04%, SCP technology may reduce both values, but a difference will still occur, and therefore crazing may occur if the appropriate conditions exist.
Settlement Cracking
Settlement cracking is caused by the loss of base or subgrade support of the slab. Concrete is strong in compression, but relatively weak in tension or flexure. When support is lost, concrete may "settle" along with the base or subgrade material. These cracks often indicate a significant structural issue that should be addressed and are recognizable by the vertical displacement from one side of the crack to the other. Settlement cracking occurs due to loss of support beneath the slab. SCP products do not provide sufficient additional flexural strength to counteract this type of failure.
Drying Shrinkage Cracking
Drying shrinkage cracks are caused by the change in volume of concrete associated with the loss of some of the water in the concrete due to evaporation. When concrete is first placed, it is typically at its greatest volume. Only a fraction of the water used in concrete is consumed by the cement hydration process. Much of the remaining water leaves the concrete, causing the concrete to shrink. When concrete is restrained by the ground, embeds, re-entrant corners, etc., tensile forces develop that can exceed the concrete's ability to withstand them, and cracks form. Contraction joints are generally introduced to concrete to provide vertical planes of weakness that allow the concrete to form cracks in predetermined straight lines.
Drying shrinkage cracks are most likely to form at or near sources of restraint such as turn-down footings, depth changes, plumbing, and other penetrations. SCP products can reduce drying shrinkage of the concrete significantly by trapping some of the water inside the concrete and filling capillary voids, but drying shrinkage cracks will still occur near these sources of restraint.
SCP technology can significantly reduce drying shrinkage, but sources of restraint and improper jointing can still cause cracking.
Please note that there are many other types of concrete cracks that may occur. The preceding descriptions are the most commonly encountered early-age cracks in concrete construction. The use of SCP products cannot guarantee crack-free concrete. While proper slab design and installation methods can help reduce the chances for random cracking, ACI states that cracking can still be expected in at least 2% of all concrete panels, even where all work is executed properly.
For further information, many sources exist on concrete cracking and the mechanisms involved. SCP recommends information from ACI, PCA, and NRMCA as sources for further reading. Please contact SCP Tech with any questions at SCPTech@SprayLock.com.
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SCP Products and Special Purpose Aggregates
SCP Tech Brief: SCP Products and Special Purpose Aggregates
The choice of aggregates for a concrete mix design is a critical decision that affects fresh and hardened performance. When the need arises to use a special purpose aggregate for reasons such as making concrete that is heavier, lighter, or different in appearance, the considerations for properly blending sizes and shapes still apply. Changes in aggregate type, shape, size, and density can all affect fresh and hardened properties such as workability and strength and must be considered in the mix design process.
Spray-Lock Concrete Protection (SCP) products interact with the paste fraction of concrete. Entering through the bleed water channels and other capillary structures, SCP products react with available alkalis to primarily form calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) to fill void space. Because SCP products interact with the paste, the type of coarse aggregate used does not affect SCP product performance. There are a few things to consider when evaluating SCP product use with some special purpose aggregates.
Lightweight Aggregates
Lightweight concrete aggregates typically absorb, retain, and release significantly more water than normal weight aggregates. In fact, lightweight aggregates have been shown to contribute to the curing process by slowly releasing water over time as shown by Ben Byard and others.[i] Although a desirable behavior in many types of concrete, this slow release of water over time can be problematic for elevated floors that will be receiving flooring materials. Suprenant and Malisch found that lightweight concrete took nearly four-times as many days to reach a moisture vapor emission rate (MVER) of 3.0 lbs as normal weight concrete in the same environmentally controlled conditions (183 days compared to 46 days).[ii] This behavior has led many contractors and specifiers to the conclusion that lightweight concrete slabs must receive moisture mitigation before flooring materials are applied.
When used at time of placement, SCP products allow application of flooring materials in as little as fourteen (14) days from the date of application to lightweight Portland cement concrete slabs. No moisture mitigation or testing of slab moisture is required, but joints, penetrations, and any cracking must be treated normally with materials and methods specified by the designer.
Heavyweight Aggregates
Heavyweight aggregates consist of naturally-occurring materials that are more dense than normal aggregates or man-made materials such as iron or steel. They are most often specified in radiation shielding concrete projects such as x-ray rooms in hospitals and a number of places in nuclear power plants and spent-fuel storage facilities. Segregation (separation in the fresh state) of heavyweight coarse aggregate from the mortar fraction of the mix may occur and may need to be compensated for with the addition of fines to the mix.[iii]
SCP products may be applied to Portland cement concrete containing heavyweight aggregates using standard application methods. Heavyweight concrete treated with SCP products is available to receive adhesives, coatings or paint in as little as fourteen days after product application.
Recycled Concrete Aggregate
The use of recycled concrete as aggregate has seen a growth in popularity in recent years due at least in part to the idea that using recycled materials is an environmentally-friendly initiative. ACI 555 provides specific and detailed guidelines for the removal and reuse of concrete as an aggregate. Even if all concerns outlined in ACI 555 are satisfactorily met, the consensus is that the absorption rate of recycled concrete aggregate is significantly higher than that of normal weight virgin aggregate.[iv] This higher absorption rate may cause issues with MVER performance in similar ways to lightweight aggregate depending on the percentage of recycled aggregate used.
As long as the performance of the recycled concrete aggregate meets the requirements outlined in ACI 555 and the concrete is Portland cement-based, SCP product performance can be expected to be similar to when used in conjunction with conventional concrete.
Architectural Aggregates
Sometimes aggregates are chosen for their inherent aesthetics. They may be exposed to view by grinding, polishing, or the use of surface retarders. SCP products will not interfere with the appearance of architectural aggregates, but because the methods used to expose aggregates in architectural concrete differ, attention to the timing of SCP product application is a key concern. Mock-ups may be required to evaluate the timing of both SCP product application and aggregate exposure methods.
SCP products work with almost all concrete that contains Portland cement. Because SCP products react in and become part of the paste fraction of the mix, little interaction between aggregates and SCP products occurs. Architectural applications require attention to the timing of SCP product application and aggregate-exposure operations.
[i] Byard, Benjamin (2011) "Early-Age Behavior of Lightweight Aggregate Concrete," Auburn University. Retrieved 10/4/18 from: https://etd.auburn.edu/handle/10415/2876
[ii] Martin, David; Zimmer, Alec; Bolduc, Michael; Hopps, Emily (2013) "Is Lightweight Concrete All Wet?" Structures Magazine retrieved 10/4/18 from: https://www.structuremag.org/wp-content/uploads/C-BuildingBlocks-Martin-Jan131.pdf
[iii] ACI International. ACI 221R-96 Guide for Use of Normal Weight and Heavyweight Aggregates in Concrete. American Concrete Institute Manual of Concrete Practice, Farmington Hills, MI.
[iv] ACI International. ACI 555R01 Removal and Reuse of Hardened Concrete. American Concrete Institute Manual of Concrete Practice, Farmington Hills, MI.
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SCP and Vapor Retarders
September 10, 2018 /in Frontpage Article, Tech Brief /by admin
SCP Tech Brief: SCP Products and Vapor Retarders/Barriers
ACI 302R-15 Guide to Floor and Slab Constructioni discusses vapor retarders/barriers at length. Vapor retarders/barriers are meant to minimize the transmission of water vapour through a concrete slab from sources located beneath the slab but have no effect on water vapor that comes from the concrete itself. There is no industry-recognized dividing line between what constitutes a vapor retarder and a vapor barrier, but both must not exceed 0.1 perms according to ASTM E1745.
Location of the vapor barrier has been a topic of debate within the concrete construction community. Placing the vapor barrier within direct contact of the bottom of the slab has been proven to cause problems with curling and shrinkage ii. An alternative recommended practice is to place a layer of sand between the vapor barrier and the bottom of the slab to offset those associated problems. This layer of sand can provide access to moisture from the outside to the bottom of the slab and cause problems with water vapor transmission. ACI 302R-15 provides guidance in the form of a flow chart summarized in Figure 1.
When used at time of placement, Spray-Lock Concrete Protection (SCP) products reduce water vapor transmission to the point where the performance of moisture-sensitive flooring, adhesives, and coatings are not affected after fourteen (14) days post-treatment.
Because vapor barriers are sometimes required by code or for other reasons other than water vapor, SCP does not state that we replace vapor barriers outright. An effective plan to address moisture transmission through cracks and joints should always be part of the design of any slab that is moisture-sensitive. When a plan is in place and executed to prevent moisture transmission through cracks and joints, SCP treatments are effective whether or not a vapor barrier is present.
Figure 1: Summary of Flow Chart from ACI 302.1R-15 to Determine Vapor Barrier Use and Location in Slab Section
SCP products have been used successfully in hundreds of projects where vapour barriers were not used, providing water vapor protection to flooring, adhesives, and coatings. SCP recommends that project design teams consider their local codes and intended performance of the proposed vapor barrier before deciding to replace the vapor barrier with SCP technology.
i American Concrete Institute (ACI) ACI 302R-15 "Guide to Floor and Slab Construction" ACI Manual of Concrete
Practice. Farmington Hills, MI, USA.
ii National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA), n.d. "CIP 29 – Vapor Retarders Under Slabs on Grade"
NRMCA Concrete in Practice Series, Retrieved 8/17/18 from: https://www.nrmca.org/aboutconcrete/cips/29p.pdf
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text:
50o MEMOIR ON THE STUDY OF
"Gled-wylie," " Auld Grannie," " Old Cranny Crow," all played in the dialogue form, the dialogue announces that the fox wants some food, and he arouses the suspicion of the goose or hen by prowling around or near her dwelling. After a parley, in which he tries to deceive the mother animal, he announces his intention of catching one of the chickens. The hen declares she will protect her brood, and a contest ensues. These games have of course arisen from the well-known pre�datory habits of the wolf, fox, and kite. On the other hand, the games illustrating the hunting or baiting of animals, such as " Baste the Bear," " Fox in the Hole," " Hare and Hounds," are simply imitations of those sports. "Baiting the Bear," a popular and still played game, has continued since the days of bear-baiting.
I may also mention the games dealing with ghosts. " Ghost at the Well," " Mouse and Cobbler," show the prevailing belief in ghosts. Playing at Ghosts has been one of the most popular of games. These two show the game in a very de�generate condition. I need not, I think, describe in detail any more of the dialogue games. There are none so good as " Mother, the Pot boils over," but that was hardly to be ex�pected. The customs which no doubt were originally drama�tised in them all have in many cases been lost, as in the case of some versions of " Mother, the Pot boils over."
The dialogue games appear to me to be later in form than both line and circle games. They are, in fact, developments of these ear�lier forms. Thus the "Fox and Goose " and "Hen and Chickens " type is played practically in line form, and belongs to the con�test group, while the " Witch " type is probably representative of the circle form. But they have assumed a dramatic char�acter of a very definite shape. This, as will be seen later on, is of considerable importance in the evidence of the ancient origin of games; but I will only point out here that this group has allowed the dramatic element to have full scope, with the result that a pure dialogue has been evolved, while custom and usage has to some extent been pushed in the background.
The next group is the arch form of game. This I divide into two kinds�those ending in circle or dance form, and


What used to be called 'without prejudice' privilege is now covered in Australia by Section 131 of the Evidence Act 2008. It is designed to ensure that people in dispute can try to negotiate settlements without fearing that evidence what they have said or written will be used against them in Court if the matter continues without settling. Questions sometimes arise as to whether or not specific communications were part of an attempt to negotiate settlement or not. These questions can be the subject of heated argument, as one side may think the particular communication will be a great help to their argument in the proceeding (and will argue it is not privileged), whilst the other is very keen to keep it private (arguing that it is).
A recent NSW decision has helpfully set out some relevant principles to consider.
(b) a document (whether delivered or not) that has been prepared in connection with an attempt to negotiate a settlement of a dispute".
There are exceptions set out in subsection (2).
In Mordecai v Attorney General of NSW (2013) NSWSC 1307 there was a dispute as to whether a letter written by Mordecai to the other parties in the earlier proceeding (which Mordecai was seeking leave to appeal) was covered by S131 privilege. Mordecai argued that the letter was covered by the privilege: that he had written it in an endeavor to settle the earlier proceeding. His opponents argued that it was not an attempt to negotiate settlement and they should now be able to rely on it.
Justice Garling rejected tender of the letter. In a discussion at paragraphs [20-25] of his judgment, His Honour reiterated that it is now 'beyond argument' that the mere insertion of, or use of the words 'without prejudice' on a document is not, without more, determinative of the issue of whether a communication is 'in connection with a settlement': GPI Leisure Corporation (In Liq) v Yuill (1997) 42 NSWLR 225 at 226G per Young, J. However, it will be some evidence of an intention that the communication is made for the purpose of attempting to negotiate a settlement of a dispute: Barrett Property Group Pty. Ltd. v Dennis Family Homes Pty. Ltd.  FCA 276.
His Honour went on to consider what 'attempt to negotiate a settlement' means, and said it was appropriate to keep in mind what Bromberg J said in Barrett Property at  to : 'It does not require an attempt to negotiate a compromise in which some middle ground is found'.
Quoting Spigelman CJ in Bhagat v Global Custodians Ltd  NSWCA 160 at , 'a demand for surrender may constitute an attempt to negotiate a settlement, even though no compromise is offered.' There does not have to be an offer capable of acceptance: it is sufficient that the communication can be described as an 'opening shot' in negotiations: GPI Leisure v Yuill. Applying these principles to the letter in question, His Honour found that it was privileged under s131, amounting to a genuine attempt to negotiate a settlement of the proceedings. This was not altered by the fact that it referred to and made a demand about extraneous subject matter (not part of the proceedings in question), nor that it did not clearly specify what settlement was proposed. He pointed out that 'staking out' what boundaries a party wants to negotiate within is common in negotiations. He also held that 'the fact that an offer includes one term, which may be impossible to accept, does not mean that the entire offer is not a genuine attempt to resolve the position' . An opening letter in settlement negotiations or a 'shot across the bows' may still be a genuine attempt to negotiate a settlement .


I have been working on my creative side this past couple of weeks and have hit my woolly straps by using up some leftover wool to begin making a scarf for Master Oh Waily, and even went out on a limb by purchasing needles and wool to make socks for both my little monsters beloved children.
Please find below, for your amusement and amazement, pictures of the woolly works in progress. The photos are not the best as the only large flat place to lay things out at the moment is in a dark part of the house and I just had to make do today.
The Scarf - about half way done.
For those who may be interested, the pattern is by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee and is called One Row Handspun Scarf. Nice and simple, but not boring to look at.
The sock is knitted in self-patterning Opal wool. While I love the colour, the wool is incredibly twisty – as you can see in the photograph. The pattern is from Ashfords, but frankly I think it may fit me better than my nearly four year old. Not quite what I was expecting it to do. But that's fine. If it is way too large, then she can grow into them and I will start again for a pair that will fit her now.
The Next Idea - the mitts and the top.
Oh, and while I have your knitty attention, perhaps I could introduce you to Ravelry? Or should I say, enable you? A very useful, but addictive community of knitters and crochet enthusiasts.
The last image is of Miss Oh Waily's work. Some scrap wool, a plastic canvas designed for making door hanging signs and a large needle. Bob's your uncle. A home made, mostly, sewing practice. Great for little fingers, concentration and new skill development. An all around winner, really.
And finally there is a glimmer of hope on the exercise front. I have revamped the look of Active Mum and have actually posted a small update today.
What with all this creativity and exercise I think I may need to go lie down. Happy knitting everyone.
Go you! Great work and I am so impressed that your working on DPNs, I can't use them to save myself. I love the colours in your scarf.


The press conference for the 4th Hohhot International Auto Exhibition (Hohhot Auto Show) and the 6th China National Commodity Trade Fair was held in Hohhot people's government office building of Inner Mongolia on June 13. Leaders such as Hohhot mayor Qin Yi, deputy secretary Zhao Jiangtao, and CNAICO vice president Jing Yongjian attended the press conference.
The 4th 2012 Hohhot International Auto Exhibition will be held in the Inner Mongolian international conversion & exhibition center from July 13 to 17. This exhibition will be held together with the 6th China National Commodity Trade Fair, which are co-hosted by the CNAICO and Hohhot Government, and co-undertaken by the Hohhot conversion & exhibition industry management office, Hohhot conversion & exhibition industry service center, CNAICO, China Ocean Aviation Group Inc. China Ocean Aviation Group Inc., China Automotive Sungoal (Beijing) Exhibition Co.,Ltd,and Inner Mongolia Creative Culture Communication Co., Ltd. The support units of the Hohhot Auto Show are the Inner Mongolia autonomous region government and the China National Machinery Industry Corporation.
The auto show is expected to have a total exhibition area of 60,000 square meters. In addition to indoor exhibition halls, temporary pavilions are set up in the south and north squares. Nearly 60 national and international vehicle manufacturers will attend the exhibition. There will be hundreds of exhibition vehicle models and nearly 500 exhibition vehicles.
It is said that the operation level of this exhibition has been promoted and that sponsors and undertakers have made great improvement on exhibition marketization and humanization. To help visitors buy tickets, the organizing committee will set up three ticket booths in the south, north, and east of the exhibition hall. At the same time, the booking hotline will be available recently for visitors to book tickets in advance. For the convenience of car buyers, the organizing committee will unite financial institutions such as insurance agencies and banks, to provide consumers with the car insurance and automobile consumption loan activities, providing one-stop services.
During the auto show, the organizing committee will also hold multiple car culture activities such as photography competition, car model performance, trial driving, and field performance. At the same time, Land Rover, Chevrolet, Subaru, Volvo and other exhibitors will perform rich and colorful activities at the scene. At present, the preparations for the auto show are going well.


How did Essen get qualified and attained NHSC certification?
What do we get/ offer as NHSC sites?
Assistance in the recruitment and retention of qualified and dedicated primary care providers and access to the Health Workforce Connector, where you can promote your site and post job openings.


During the week, we spend most of our waking hours at work—but how much do we know about the area surrounding our offices, the neighborhood where we spend all this time?
For many of us, the answer may be "not much." You may know the closest public transit stops or restaurants to grab a quick bite, but probably not the history of your neighborhood, local community leaders (past and present), or the trends that have changed and shaped the area.
Getting to know your office neighborhood on a deeper level is one way to live out the social-impact philosophy. Just as you want your work to be more than just a day job, a little bit of research can help you see your workplace as more than just a place you spend seven to eight hours a day.
Your purchasing power can have an even greater impact if you support local companies owned by women or people of color, who tend to face more barriers to launching and sustaining their businesses.
Every neighborhood has a history. Your local library or historical society is a good place to start digging to learn more about when your neighborhood was established, what it was like way back when, and how it has changed over time. Explore news archives to get a feel for what the main issues were in those early years.
You can also do your own research just by looking around: What prominent institutions (houses of worship, schools, government buildings, community centers, etc.) do you notice around the neighborhood? Do you see any streets that seem to be named after prominent local figures? Like a journalist, use what you see around you as "leads" for your research into the local history.
If your organization maintains its own archives, there may be valuable information in there as well. You could check with a staff archivist or librarian, or ask your boss or a longtime employee if they know of any organizational archives.
To learn more about what's happening in your office neighborhood today, connect with the institutions that are on the frontlines: local schools and service providers.
Some schools have community engagement professionals who work with parents, local businesses, and other community members to support students and help them succeed. They can tell you about their student population, their greatest needs, and how you can get involved. You can also attend school board meetings or city council meetings to learn about the current issues facing local students and parents.
Direct service providers such as food banks and food pantries, homeless shelters, and Community Action Agencies can also provide insight into current issues and ways you can help. For example, your office could hold a donation drive for requested items.
While purchasing from and partnering with big chain restaurants and companies may be your first instinct, buying from local businesses is one concrete way to learn more about and support your office neighborhood. For example, order catering for your next office lunch from a local restaurant or work with a local printer to produce the handouts for your next conference. Make sure to acknowledge the businesses from the front of the room or with a placard near the finished product so that other people will consider patronizing them as well.
To find businesses in your community, you can check all sorts of places, from your local Chamber of Commerce to the community corkboard at your favorite coffee shop. If you're looking specifically for smaller businesses that may not have big PR budgets, ask the nearby district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration if they have a list of businesses or check the American Express Shop Small map.
What do you want to learn about your office neighborhood? Tell us in the comments, and then come back and let us know what you found out!


San Antonio airport shuttles are an convenient way to get to where you need to go. The city's airport is centrally located close to many of the San Antonio hotels, top attractions, and other places to visit. No matter where you want to go, it will be a snap to find San Antonio airport transportation that can bring you there.
Local company Airport Express has been authorized to provide San Antonio Airport transportation. Regular departures are available between 7 in the morning and 1:30 a.m., taking you straight from the airport to your downtown hotel of choice or other places in the center of town. A ticket booth is located in each terminal, and you can purchase one-way or round-trip tickets for a few dollars. If you need to go somewhere beyond the downtown area, you can pay a little more and still enjoy the convenience of door-to-door service. In addition to San Antonio airport shuttles, the company also offers sightseeing tours and even trolley tours of the major attractions.
You also can look to your hotels when you're in need of San Antonio airport transportation. Most of the nearby airport hotels provide San Antonio airport shuttles that can bring you right from the terminal to the front door of your chosen accommodations. After your flight has arrived and you've picked up your bags, you can head outside to catch San Antonio hotel shuttles. Courtesy phones are available in the baggage claim area if you need to call the hotel and arrange a pick-up. Drivers make regular trips to the airport from the OMNI San Antonio Hotel at the Colonnade and San Antonio Marriott Northwest, among others, so chances are good you won't have to make that call in the first place.
Many times, this service is complimentary, leaving you more money for other parts of your vacations that are more fun. More than fifteen hotels provide this service, everything from budget-friendly accommodations to the posh luxury hotels.The Crowne Plaza San Antonio Airport, Doubletree Hotel San Antonio Airport, and the Oak Hills Medical Center Hotel all offer this service. Two Embassy Suites, the airport and northest locations, also run shuttles. When your vacations have wrapped up and it's time to return to the airport, San Antonio hotel shuttles can take you right to the curb, even if you are leaving on an early flight.
Along with the San Antonio airport shuttles, you have some other options for transportation. If you're looking for car rentals, you will find several companies that can provide you with some wheels, even the one that shares a name with the city's most famous attraction, the Alamo. When you'd like to leave the driving to the professionals, you could make reservations for a limo for a private, customized trip to your chosen destination. More than 25 companies have been authorized to provide limousine service from the airport to locations all around the Texas Hill Country.
On the other end of the San Antonio Airport transportation spectrum, you could ride public transportation or hail a taxi cab. Both offer convenient curbside pick-ups. VIA Metropolitan Transit operates a streetcar that runs throughout downtown and the Riverwalk area. In order to get downtown, you can step aboard a connecting bus that picks up passengers from a stop between the two terminals. In just 30 minutes, you'll be right at the Riverwalk, close to the shops, restaurants, and other fun things to do in Central San Antonio. Unlimited day passes are available for a few dollars, just pennies more than a tank of gas.


text:
Justin Chon
Justin Chon Sayings and Quotes
As an actor, you can play different age ranges and different ethnicities.
Age, Ethnicity, Play
When you love something, you're gonna be the best at it.
Being The Best
I had a date with a girl I called the parrot. All she did was repeat everything I said. She never had an original thought of her own. Everything I liked, she liked. Everything I hated, she hated. It was annoying!
Annoying, Girl, Original Thought
As an actor, I don't really think you find yourself. I mean, once you find yourself, I think it becomes boring and you become set in your ways. I think, as an actor I think it's not a bad thing but more of a gift. It's something you're always doing as an actor. You're adjusting constantly.
Finding Yourself, Mean, Thinking