text:
the rise of the
clinical exercise practitioner
To meet the needs of clients with underlying health conditions, we need to develop the professional roles and qualifications of fitness instructors and personal trainers, argues Wendy Sweet.
With the plethora of evidence linking exercise to improvements in a range of medical conditions, it isn't surprising that a new breed of exercise advisor is evolving – the clinical exercise practitioner. With a heightened interest in public health promotion and intervention, the clinical exercise practitioner has the skills and expertise to invoke change in the personal exercise and nutrition motivations of patients with underlying health conditions.
Already in vogue in the UK and US, and increasing in prominence in Australia and New Zealand, 'clinical exercise practitioners' differ in the specialist settings in which they work. Differences also exist in their qualifications and experience. In Australia, clinical exercise physiologists are university-trained practitioners who provide exercise services for people living with chronic disease, disability or injury (Selig & Torode, 2008). It must be noted that clinical exercise physiologists differ from the clinical exercise practitioner in qualifications, but not necessarily in practice. Like the clinical exercise physiologist, the exercise practitioner may also work in a variety of environments, liaising with other medical or health professionals in the delivery of lifestyle programs for at-risk clients. The clinical exercise practitioner may be a senior trainer or gym instructor who is tasked with working with different types of 'special population' clients, especially those referred by GPs – or, as is increasingly the case in New Zealand, the specialist exercise practitioner may be the nurse or physiotherapist at the medical centre. Alternatively, the specialist exercise practitioner may be practising in the local sporting organisation, a setting which houses increasing numbers of 'lifestyle practitioners' promoting more active lifestyles to community participants. These community exercise practitioners co-ordinate and implement prescriptive exercise for patients from GP referral schemes, such as New Zealand's Green Prescription scheme, in which health professionals provide written advice to a patient to be physically active. Demand for exercise practitioners is set to increase as interest in the promotion of physical activity for 'health' continues to grow.
Establishing guidelines
Guidelines regarding the future role and competencies of clinical (or 'advanced') exercise practitioners are still in the early stages of development in New Zealand. Skills Active Aotearoa (the industry training organisation for fitness and sport in New Zealand), has collaborated closely with the fitness industry to design unit standards relating to training higher-risk population groups. The release of these for qualification purposes is in the pipeline. Additionally, the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) and Sport & Exercise Science NZ (SESNZ) are two accreditation organisations currently looking at the registration criteria for clinical or advanced exercise practitioners (both organisations differ in the name given to the 'exercise specialist' but the intent and purpose of the role, i.e. targeted to design exercise programs for higher-risk groups at an advanced level, remains the same).
The work that these organisations are doing to bring a more clinically-focused exercise practitioner through the ranks in the health and fitness domain is important. The need for this more advanced role has been felt in the fitness industry for a while now, as more and more clients present 'at the coalface' with underlying medical conditions. The conundrum, however, is that for this higher-risk group, the traditional exercise prescription model derived from the sports science vernacular (assess, prescribe and leave people to work through their programs), no longer applies. A different exercise prescription and follow-up paradigm needs to be explored and agreed upon. In the UK and the US the suggestion has been that the clinical exercise practitioner needs to engage in exercise prescription and intervention methods that follow a patient-centred approach. This contrasts with the contemporary, instructor-led prescription approach.
Practicing within a diverse team of medical and health professionals, overseas clinical exercise practitioners have become the educators, facilitators and motivators of new or renewed exercise behaviours for referred patients with medical conditions ranging from asthma and diabetes to hypertension and obesity. In some instances, the clinical exercise practitioner is integral to the entire process of planning, designing, implementing and evaluating the exercise program.
Developing competencies of the clinical exercise practitioner
Most current practices relating to exercise programming in fitness settings are designed for new members presenting with generally 'healthy' medical profiles and dispositions. They are relatively low-risk when it comes to commencing an exercise program. But times are changing, and with a growing interest in the design of programs and support required for higher-risk clients as they embark on new exercise (and nutrition) regimes, debate continues as to the necessary skills and competencies required for the clinical exercise practitioner.
These debates are not new and, interestingly, they also haven't progressed far. Almost a decade ago, in a presentation to the Royal College of Physicians in London, health educator Bob Laventure queried the future role of the clinical exercise practitioner which he believed differed substantially from the traditional exercise practitioner role.
Working within the wider health team, Laventure saw the clinical practitioner role as a crucial one, whereby each must endeavour to:
collaborate with other professionals in the planning of ongoing patient exercise management
provide evidence-based exercise programming
provide continuity between secondary care and the community exercise setting
participate in ongoing patient reviews.
Further suggestions for the role and competencies of clinical exercise practitioners have also been voiced by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Science over the years. This organisation believes that clinical exercise practitioners should pursue the following 'best-practice' strategies:
Understand and apply proven models of behaviour change
Understand the efficacy of exercise in relation to health gain
Understand the social (economic and cultural) characteristics of patients.
Many current exercise practitioners already working within clinical settings, as well as those working with patients from GP referral schemes, may already align their roles with the above strategies. In the range of New Zealand settings that deliver exercise programming to clients with underlying medical issues, however, these practices will not be universally practised or accepted. They potentially need to be. With an anticipated rise in GP referral schemes, and an ageing population, further work may have to be undertaken to develop the professional roles and qualifications of community-based fitness instructors and personal trainers to prepare them for the needs of higher-risk clients.
How is Australia meeting demand for exercise physiologists?
Designed to bridge the divide between personal trainers and allied health professionals by delivering the skills and qualification to work with people who have chronic health conditions, the Australian Institute of Fitness recently launched its Exercise Therapist (Diploma of Fitness) program.
Explaining the need for additional education before working with this population, exercise physiologist John Felton from The Exercise Clinic, says: 'Exercise Therapists will encounter people who are on medication, people who are detrained or those who haven't exercised in a long time, so they need that extra knowledge after becoming a personal trainer. They also need to be able to stabilise and improve the integrity of the joint they're trying to rehabilitate.'
The Exercise Therapist program has been customised for the purposes of exercise therapy for a wide range of chronic conditions, and electives have been chosen for the specialty areas of disabilities, neurological impairment, children and older adults, as well as metabolic, cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal conditions.
The program requires students to have achieved a Certificate IV in Fitness, and to have significant experience in exercise delivery/working in the fitness industry. If you are interested in progressing to a higher level of learning, call 1300 669 669 to see if you qualify to study for the diploma.
Approaches to behaviour change
Conversely, it must also be challenged that further professional development may also be needed for current health practitioners (physiotherapists, practice nurses, doctors) who are unfamiliar with the fitness environment to help them better understand best-practice exercise prescription. Additionally, this group of health professionals may need to develop their understanding of the specific coaching, motivational and behaviour change strategies that are implemented by experienced instructors and trainers in fitness settings. Although some motivational strategies used in fitness settings do align with current behaviour change interventions recommended by health behaviour researchers, differences also exist.
Behaviour change research is gaining momentum in public health promotion, but is still thin on the ground when it comes to looking at current practices used by those most experienced in fitness settings – gym instructors and personal trainers. Research undertaken by myself in 2008 explored the experiences of 'successful' long-term personal trainers in assisting clients to change exercise and nutrition behaviours. The research participants worked in various community settings throughout New Zealand's North Island – and not all 'worked in a gym'. Their personal experiences relating to the strategies they had each developed for changing client exercise and nutrition behaviours were compared with current strategies and interventions being promoted in behaviour change research. The outcome from the study was that each of these experienced trainers – all of whom had very limited or no awareness of theoretical models of behaviour change – had devised and implemented their own strategies to motivate and influence exercise and nutritional change with their clients. Some strategies aligned with current behaviour change practices, others did not. The most prominent difference (and possibly the most pertinent) related to that of client accountability practices. Every trainer participating in the research spoke of having to devise accountability measures for their clients in the early stages of change to 'keep them on task'. Research undertaken by Dr Richard Pringle in 2008 presented the experiences of patients who had commenced Green Prescription GP-referral initiatives in New Zealand. Many felt that their cases had not been followed up for long enough, and that the scheme failed to demand accountability on their own part. These factors contributed to the patients disengaging with their physical activity programs.
These findings may not be surprising to fitness specialists experienced in assisting and motivating people to accommodate new exercise and nutrition behaviours. With many models of health/lifestyle behaviour change having been developed by isolating determinants associated with changing addictive behaviours such as smoking and substance abuse, the direct extrapolation of stage-based models and their application to planned exercise/physical activity behaviour in fitness settings is undoubtedly open to debate. While there is a plethora of behaviour-change research in relation to general health promotion in communities, there is still a paucity of behaviour change research relating to the how and why of exercise behaviour change within specific fitness settings such as fitness facilities.
Identifying the skills and competencies required by clinical exercise practitioners working with higher-risk populations may, therefore, require greater discussion. The decisions regarding the development of knowledge, protocols and guidelines for clinical exercise practitioners shouldn't just remain in the medical or sports-science domain, as much successful behaviour change happens at the local level in gyms and recreation centres. Discussions on criterion for the development of specialist exercise practitioners, therefore, should include all parties: the medical and sports-science communities; the industry training organisations; fitness and gym practitioners; and fitness registration organisations.
Australia and New Zealand have some of the best personal trainers and fitness personnel in the world. Many fitness personnel without high-level qualifications are already great motivators and moderators of lifestyle behaviour change – it's what they know and do best! These people have much to offer in relation to assisting people with underlying health conditions to make successful lifestyle changes, so it is essential that plans be established for enabling them to obtain clinical exercise practitioner qualifications. By so doing, we can achieve improved health outcomes for patients/clients and further the careers of our best fitness professionals, while elevating the standing of the fitness industry in the eyes of our allied health professionals.
Wendy Sweet, RGN/ BPhEd, MSpLS
The 2010 recipient of the FitnessNZ Award for Most Outstanding Contribution to the New Zealand Fitness Industry, Wendy has over 25 years industry experience, and is known for popularising personal training in New Zealand through the design and development of the Les Mills Personal Training program in the early 1990s. She has experience lecturing at both Waikato University and AUT University, and recently embarked on her PhD on baby-boomers experiences with the fitness industry.
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Black Friday is just around the corner, and you know what that means – it's time to grab your luxury fashion essentials for the season, at the best prices you're likely to see them year-round. Luxury fashion can be an admittedly expensive habit, one I relish to the utmost no doubt. However, I have learned you get what you pay for, and if you're going to be getting a lot of use out of your purchases, your price-per-wear is probably better when you invest in quality pieces that fit into your lifestyle. And not only are luxury pieces an investment when chosen wisely, that investment can double up quick when you snag said pieces at a bargain price. That's never done quite as well as Black Friday, when retailers mark down the vast majority of their products for the biggest day in retail all year.
Update: Use code: x20BF for an extra 20% off during the Farfetch Black Friday sale!
Tip for scoring big on Black Friday: scope out and shortlist your favorite retailers to shop early, and get the best pieces before they're gone. I've already made my list on a couple of my go-to luxury retailer's, including Farfetch. One of the biggest names in luxury retail, I was thrilled to be invited to work with Farfetch for the first time a couple of years back. We're joining up again to share the love of fashion with my Black Friday top picks from their online site.
Farfetch endeavors to empower individuality, and not only offers products from the leading luxury brands like Givenchy, Balenciaga, Burberry, Chloé and more – they also operate as a global technology platform curating up and coming designers that meet the highest standards of quality and style, offering their consumer demographic something unique and special. I've not only made several of my happy luxury purchases from them, I've also discovered new brands I've come to love and grow with along the way.
Having said that and without further adieu, here are my favorites I've shortlisted in my Black Friday favs to shop during the world's biggest day of fashion retail. Though Farfetch is keeping their sale items a secret for now, creating a shortlist will help you narrow down your selections on the big day of the sale.
Let's first talk shoes. There aren't many things in the fashion world I love more than a pair of luxury sneakers. With pairs from Saint Laurent, Golden Goose and MOBs – it's a fashion investment I've seen pay off over and over as the pieces have been worn dozens of times since their initial purchase, and at a higher grade of quality, most have barely shown signs of wear. I've had my eye on this pair of Golden Goose (deliberately worn-in) since I was at their flagship store in Milan, and I'm hoping to catch them on a steal Black Friday. When I'm not wearing sneakers, tis the season for booties, and a black, pointed-toe with a unique heel shape is the essential item for this season. You can find both styles at the shopping links provided.
Next up, luxury handbags. Not only does this investment pay of via price-per-wear, the retail value of second hand bags also remains one of the best in the business, so if you tire of your bag (doubtful), you'll likely be able to get a fair price for it to use for investing in a new piece. I've picked to opposite genres of bags. The first is by Off-white, a brand taking over athleisure and grunge style edits all over the globe. Marked for their work-wear themes and logo-manic typography, they're a straight shooting brand that rebells against fashion norms. The second, a vintage-inspired classic luxury handbag by Versace. If you didn't know them before the song, you've definitely heard of them being on the floor by now. Marked by the signature Medusa medallion, this bag is loaded with them for a more-is-more approach to fashion.
Givenchy. Enough said. Alongside Prada and Balenciaga, it's one of my favorite weaknesses. The dark, rebellious grunge in distinct, sporty minimalism is a unique combination I find myself unable to resist. My collection currently boasts a shopper tote, a couple of T's and a belt I picked up at a vintage boutique in Milan. Next on the list, this basic hoodie sweatshirt and a zodiac inspired T. I'm not a Gemini, but everyone has a couple faces to their personality, right?
Looking for sporty athleisure basics? Me too. Here is a sporty skirt and jacket that make great staple items to pair with just about anything in your wardrobe. The black and white contrast gives these pieces a genuine sport vibe that combines great with other luxury pieces or feminine attire for a luxe-leisure style that's essential for everyday wear.
Planning to snag a couple of your own investment pieces during the sale? Make your favorites list on Farfetch now so you can jump straight to them and get them before they're gone! A few of my favorites are already down to the last piece… but luckily my list just keeps on growing. Happy shopping, and I hope you're able to score some well-planned luxury essentials that you'll get plenty of wear out of in the new year!
Need some help shortlisting? Check out my tips for selecting luxury fashion essentials that you'll wear over and over again.
In accordance with the FTC regulations for Influencers, this is a sponsored post in collaboration with Farfetch. All thoughts, comments and musings are made of my own opinion and honest, personal experience with the products reviewed or mentioned. I hope you've found this post informational and inspiring!


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Trump May Appoint Fringe Neocon to Head Intelligence
The neocon infestation keeps getting worse.
It keeps getting worse. The neocons have burrowed termite-deep inside the Trump administration and rumor has it the president will add yet another one to an important cabinet position.
If there is any substance to the latest rumors, DNI Dan Coats will be replaced by Fred Fleitz, former NSC executive secretary, CIA analyst, Trump Chief of Staff, Bolton enforcer, and CEO of the Center for Security Policy.
This last one should send up a huge red flag. CSP is a project launched by Frank Gaffney Jr., an Islamophobe way out on the neocon fringe. During the Trump presidential campaign, I wrote a short ebook (Donald Trump and the War on Islam) about Gaffney, among other neocons and rabid Israel-firsters exacting a corrosive influence on the Trump campaign.
Frank Gaffney is at the forefront of the movement to arouse hatred and fear designed to further extend and expand the war on terror and ultimately realize the objective of the [neocon] "clean break" plan [for Israel] to destroy not only Arab and Muslim nations, but societies and culture as well.
Gaffney is so radical he was rejected by the Pentagon when he was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy in the Reagan Administration. He is associated with other neocons, including Richard Perle, who rose to prominence as aides of the late Democrat Senator Henry "Scoop" Jackson.
Fleitz was formerly the managing editor of LIGNET.com (Langley Intelligence Group Network). This is a pro-Likudnik intelligence operation is linked to Bolton, former Ambassador Otto Reich, former CIA Director Michael Hayden, and others.
You can hear echoes of Fleitz in Trump's irrational anti-Iran policies. In 2017, Fleitz signed on to a letter sent to Trump, that stated in part:
We agree with Ambassador John Bolton that strong international sanctions, a tough negotiating strategy and a decisive American president who will not engage in appeasement is the best approach to rein in Iran's belligerent behavior and induce it to joining negotiations on a better agreement… It is time to move beyond President Obama's appeasement of Iran and to begin work on a comprehensive new approach that fully addresses the menace that the Iranian regime increasingly poses to American and international security.
In other words, the "security" (dominance) of Israel and maintenance of the apartheid status quo.
Ambassador John Bolton has drawn up a plan to implement a far more effective, comprehensive and multilateral approach to address the threat from Iran. This approach includes strict new sanctions to bar permanently the transfer of nuclear technology to Iran. He also calls for new sanctions in response to Iran's sponsorship of terrorism and efforts to destabilize the Middle East, especially in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
The signatories—including Gaffney, leading neocon and former Cheney adviser David Wurmser, and Morton Klein (president of the Zionist Organization of America)—undoubtedly agree with the Bolton plan for Iran, as laid out in a 2015 NY Times op-ed, To Stop Iran's Bomb, Bomb Iran.
Bolton concluded:
The United States could do a thorough job of destruction, but Israel alone can do what's necessary. Such action should be combined with vigorous American support for Iran's opposition, aimed at regime change in Tehran.
In response to Trump's clumsy partial implementation of the Bolton plan, namely jettisoning the JCPOA, Iran has indicated it will defend itself if attacked, including but not limited to shutting down one-third of the world's oil passage through the Strait of Hormuz. It has threatened to target Israel cities, Gulf Emirate oil infrastructure, and US troops and bases in the Middle East.
Trump is reminiscent of a person suffering from a split personality disorder. On the one hand, the "Good Trump" has declared he wants US troops out of Syria, while the "Bad Trump" bombs Syria and threatens "fire and fury" levied against North Korea and Iran. It is, to say the least, a schizophrenic foreign policy.
Author Kurt NimmoPosted on July 16, 2019 Categories NeoconsTags Frank Gaffney, Fred Fleitz, Iran, John Bolton, Trump
2 thoughts on "Trump May Appoint Fringe Neocon to Head Intelligence"
vanvonu says:
Trump could do a lot worse than to appoint William Binney to direct the Central Intelligence Agency.
Brian James says:
Jan. 15 2019 JOHN BOLTON WANTS TO BOMB IRAN — AND HE MAY GET WHAT HE WANTS
National security adviser John Bolton speaks on a morning television show from the grounds of the White House on May 9, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
https://static.theintercept.com/amp/john-bolton-wants-to-bomb-iran-and-he-may-get-what-he-wants.html
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LILY-ROSE DEPP is the face of CHANEL's No.5 L'Eau fragrance campaign.
The 16-year-old actress daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, has been selected to appear in adverts promoting the world's bestselling scent, the French fashion house announced on Monday (23May16).
Lily-Rose, who already fronts adverts for Chanel Pearl eyewear, follows in the footsteps of popular culture icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Nicole Kidman for the newest incarnation of the classic scent created by in-house perfumer Olivier Polge. Her mother Vanessa has previously been the face of Chanel's fragrance Coco.
The teenager shared her excitement at the news on Instagram: "I'm so excited to announce that I am the face of the new Chanel Number 5 L'EAU!" she captioned a picture of herself holding a giant bottle of the fragrance.
The campaign will be accompanied by a mini-movie in the style of Nicole Kidman's Baz Luhrmann directed short in 2005. Swedish director Johan Renck, best known for his work on music videos including the late David Bowie's Lazarus, will be at the helm for the film which is expected to premiere in the autumn (16).
It's set to be a busy year for the young actress who is already the star of three films this summer; Kevin Smith directed Yoga Hosers alongside her father, Planetarium directed by Rebecca Zlotowski, and La danseuse (The Dancer) in which she plays ill-fated dancer, Isadora Duncan.
Lily-Rose is already gaining quite the profile in the fashion world and her father Johnny has previously shared how it worries him.
"To be honest, I'm quite worried. I wasn't expecting all this to happen to Lily-Rose, especially not at this age. But it's her passion and she's having fun," he told German magazine Gala.


Yusuf al-Qaradawi waves to crowds in Tahrir square in Cairo, February 2011, (Photo: AP).
He had been due to attend the UOIF congress at Le Bourget near Paris on 6 April alongside renowned Egyptian preacher Mahmoud al-Masri.
Qaradawi, an internationally renowned Islamic scholar, is known to be the spiritual leader of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. He lives in Qatar since being exiled in the 1960s by then president Gamal Abdel Nasser.
Qaradawi has been also banned from entering the United States since 1999.


What a fantastic tree! I love what you did with the twine :) Thanks for playing with us at CAS-ual Fridays!
What a great card! That tree is amazing and your twine flowers are SO cute and creative! Thanks for playing along with us this week at CAS-ual Fridays!
Lovely, lovely tree! And I also love how you finisjed the inside of the card, those blue sprigs are adorable!
Two brilliant cards! Love especially the tree with the twine! A fantastic idea!
Wow, how cute is the tree with TWINES!! Totally creative and fun! So glad that you join the fun with us at CAS-ual Fridays!
What a lovely card...well worth all the leaf cutting...love your use of baker's twine....sweet all around!! Thanks for being a part of the challenge this week at CAS-ual Fridays and sharing your creativity with us:)!!
Gorgeous and fun - love all the texture that the baker's twine adds! Thanks so much for playing with us at CAS-ual Fridays - we're so glad you did!


There is, indeed, nothing that man's nature seeks more eagerly than to be flattered. Accordingly, when his nature becomes aware that its gifts are highly esteemed, it tends to be unduly credulous about them.
Institutes of the Christian Religion, Volumes 1 & 2, – ed. John T. McNeill, trans. Ford Lewis Battles, The Library of Christian Classics (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011), 242-243.
The Institutes of the Christian Religion (Louisville, KY; Westminster John Knox Press; 1974) Vol. 1.5.6. p. 58-59.
The signs of immortality which have been implanted in man cannot be effaced. Now what reason would there be to believe that man is divine and not to recognize his Creator? Shall we, indeed, distinguish between right and wrong by that judgment which has been imparted to us, yet will there be no judge in heaven? Will there remain for us even in sleep some remnant of intelligence, yet will no God keep watch in governing the world? Shall we think ourselves the inventors of so many arts and useful things that God may be defrauded of his praise even though experience sufficiently teaches that what we have has been unequally distributed among us from another source?
The Institutes of the Christian Religion (Louisville, KY; Westminster John Knox Press; 1974) Vol. 1.5.5. p. 57.


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Q: How to add an event to a ImageButton when is created on C#? I'm trying to generate a table with a ImageButton on each row.
The rows depends of a Query that i made from a calendar object.
My problem is when i generate my imagebutton, i can't set the "onClick" event to fire a method inside the class.
This is my code:
ImageButton test = new ImageButton();
test.Click += new ImageClickEventHandler(borraCita);
test.ImageUrl = "~/Images/jumo.png";
test.Attributes.Add("runat", "server");

Again, thanks :)

A: I don't see why this wouldn't work. Did you add it to the page?
this.form1.Controls.Add(test);

Also, are you seeing any JS errors? Have you evaluated with Firebug? We may need more code to assist you as I see no reason why that shouldn't work.
Are you doing this in the PreInit method of the code-behind for the page? If not you may want to put the logic there because anything dynamic after that is going to be ignored.

A: Your server side click handler is already set to borraCita, using the Click event. Also, you don't need to add an attribute for runat=server.
ImageButton test = new ImageButton();
// this is your server side click handler:
test.Click += new ImageClickEventHandler(borraCita);
test.ImageUrl = "~/Images/jumo.png";

// add the image to the appropriate control:
someControl.Controls.Add(test);

If you need to add a client side event handler, you can use OnClientClick:
test.OnClientClick= "someJavascriptFunction();";

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It is your duty to be the best possible father to your children and to complement their mother. Your role is very different to hers, but is equally as important, so teamwork is key. It is like a football match. If everyone on the team knows what they have to do and plays and supports each other, they have a much better chance of winning. The sum of your individual parts as a father and a mother is greater if you work together, than if you work alone. It takes two parents working closely in unison to bring up children which is why it is so important for you to be fully involved right from the start.
Your child will observe and copy everything you do, all the time. Boys particularly, will observe very closely what you, their father, is doing. Remember you are his idol, particularly when he is very young, so absolutely everything you do matters to him. Your child's behaviour will reflect the way you are and how you behave on a day to day basis.
If you are always shouting, this will be considered normal behaviour, or if you can't be bothered about things, your children will simply copy you. So you need to be a strong, positive and good role model for them. "Your children are what you make them". You must never forget this, it is key to your role as their father. Here is a list, not an exhaustive one by any means, of a few tips to ensure you are a good role model for them.
Work hard at what you do (paid or unpaid).
Be nice to people, even if they irritate you.
Be polite and kind to everyone you meet.
Be tolerant of other people's differences with you.
Always help others if you are able to.
Never be aggressive, nasty or react violently.
Be a good citizen and respect the laws of the country.
Be a good listener and give your time to people you meet.
If you haven't got anything nice to say about someone, then don't say it at all.
"If at first you don't succeed, try……try…..and try again!" If your child wants it badly enough encourage her not to give up.
Sharing and experiencing your child's proudest moments will be very rewarding for you both. For example, if your daughter is in a Talent Show at school, try to be there to see her perform. Or if she is in a Sports team and it is a special occasion such as a final, always make the effort to be present. In fact, even for regular school matches, you should try to support your child as often as possible. If her team loses and she doesn't do as well as she had hoped in the match, you will be there to support her through her disappointment. You can use situations like these to help your child understand and accept that in life you will not always succeed.
I always remember what my mother said to me when I was a child and have used it so often with my own children. It is as true today as the first time I ever heard it. "If at first you don't succeed, try, try and try again".
This philosophy will help your child hugely as she embarks on the journey of life, as she grows up and goes her own way. Tell her about things that didn't work out for you and how you never gave up, but moved on and achieved something different. For example it could have been a University which rejected your degree application, or an unsuccessful job interview. But you ended up going to a different place and had an amazing time there anyway. Some things just don't go to plan and work out differently to how you wanted and imagined it. Your child needs to understand that life can be like this.
But if it is a specific goal she wants to achieve, you can help her keep aiming for it and suggest a different route to achieving it. There are always several ways to succeed, it just may not be the route she originally thought it would be. This is where your guidance, support and encouragement are vital and she will value you so much for this for many years to come.


WHAT CAN I SAY? I LOVE MAKING WOMEN FEEL AND LOOK THEIR BEST!
Detail is very important to me, well groomed brows and lashes. If I had to pick what I feel is my specialty when it comes to makeup, it is definitely a tie between eyes and skin. I enjoy making sure the eyes really pop, as well as creating flawless skin.
Throughout my career a true highlight is that I get to be a part of someone's special day. Whatever the event I make sure that my clients are relaxed and at ease. From beginning to end I get to have fun with my brides, and clients I work with.
I started this business because I am passionate about makeup and hair, and love what I do!
After receiving my cosmetology license in 2006, I continued my training for makeup artistry by taking specialty classes in San Francisco from MAC cosmetics. I enjoying taking monthly online training to make sure I stay up to date on all the latest trends and techniques for hair and makeup.


With the frigid temperatures behind us, it's time to say goodbye to grime and give new life to your property.
Safety and appeal are crucial concerns for any building owner, manager, or maintenance team. The more care you put into preventative practices, the fewer costly surprises and demanding repairs will throw a wrench in your busy schedule.
With the elements of winter comes an excess of dirt, germs, and moisture, meaning a higher dose of allergens, mildew, and damage left unchecked.
Investigate plumbing, water heaters, windows, and other problem areas for any leaks.
Check fire extinguishers, smoke and CO detectors, emergency fixtures, and electrical systems to guarantee safety.
Confirm the functionality of all windows, doors, light switches, and other building components.
Sanitize sinks, counters, floors, and other surfaces, and create a cleaning schedule for common areas.
Examine and update your heating/cooling system for harm-free operation, efficient energy, and improved air quality.
Inspect the gutters, roof, ventilation, insulation, and foundation for damage and any needed repairs.
Pressure wash or secure a fresh coat of paint and sealant for protection and appeal.
Take care of the landscape for a welcoming first impression, including tree and foliage care, pest control, and dependable walkways and recreation areas.
Developing a routine maintenance program will allow you to handle inspections and repairs in phases, a proactive approach that keeps your property trustworthy and impressive year-round. In addition to these essential practices, learning small steps toward overall sustainability will significantly improve your energy costs year-round.
Contact Southwest Companies for additional maintenance tips, and be sure to schedule a free estimate for a rejuvenated property this season.


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Tribals nail government lie on protecting indigenous people at biodiversity meet
'Will the Indian government abandon mining projects to protect us?' ask residents of Singrauli who face displacement because of Mahan coal project
By M Suchitra
Published: Wednesday 17 October 2012
Ever since India assumed presidency of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on October 8, it has never missed a chance to reiterate its commitment to conserving biodiversity and protecting indigenous people and their traditional knowledge. Indian officials attending the ongoing CoP 11 meet at Hyderabad have been highlighting the Forest Rights Act (FRA) as evidence of India's commitment to protect local communities. But the government's actions are completely at variance with the commitments articulated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on October 16 when he spoke of involving local communities in conservation efforts.
A day before the prime minister's visit to Hyderabad to address the CBD delegates, a small group of people from villages in Madhya Pradesh's tribal-dominated Singrauli district, which is under threat from the government's massive coal expansion programme, spoke of how they are being thrown out of their forests for coal mining. A few of them who interacted with media persons at a press conference belonged to the Kharwar tribe, a protected tribal community, from villages such as Amelia and Budher, falling in the proposed Mahan mining project area (See Mahan at all costs). The press conference was organised by non-profits Greenpeace India and Kalpavriksh.
Exiled and harassed
"It was with great difficulty that we managed to participate in this meeting," said Bechanlal of Amelia village. "We are continuously being harassed and threatened by the mining company (Mahan Coal Ltd, a joint venture of Essar and Hindaloco). The government is interested only in generating power. They are least bothered about us," he added. "We used to collect mahua (a minor forest produce) and sell it for Rs 17-20 a kg. We also collect other forest produce like tendu leaves, chironji, harra, bamboo and mushrooms. Now, the company people don't allow us to enter the forest. They say the forest is now theirs. How can it be? If the government gives away these forests, we have no other means to live and we will not even get any compensation because we have no rights over the forests," said Radha Kali, a Kharawar tribal woman from the same village.
A report, Countering Coal: Community Forests Rights and Coal Mining Regions of India, prepared by Greenpeace India and Kalpavriksh, reveals that in the Singrauli region, 5,872.18 ha of forest have been officially diverted for non-forest uses since the enactment of the Forest Conservation Act in 1980, till mid-2011. This area includes 5,760.55 ha of reserve forests and 111.60 ha of revenue forests. As per the state forest department data, approval is awaited for diverting 3,229.06 ha of forests in Singrauli. The state has received in-principle approval to divert another 788.49 ha of forests from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), and stage II (final clearance) is pending.
The scale of destruction of forests due to coal mining is unprecedented, with an estimated 1.1 million ha under threat in the Central Indian region from just 13 coal fields, says rhe report. If the Indian government implements its expansion programme, then over 14,000 tribal people will lose their traditional rights and livelihood in just one coal block of Mahan zone.
Forest rights denied
Representatives of villages, such as Budher, Amelia, Piderwah, Suhira and others, who are dependent on the Mahan and Chhatrasal forests and the adjoining block (sought by Reliance Power), have repeatedly written to the district collector, MoEF and the special expert committee of MoEF, objecting to the forest clearance. They have appealed that since the process of recognising their rights is not complete, approval should not be given to the mining project. Sixty-seven community forests rights claims have been filed by tribal communities and 24 by other traditional forest-dwelling communities.
"we have been sending letters after letters but are not getting any positive response," said Bhagidhar from Budher village. The latest set of letters have been sent to the district collector in June and August 2012. The letter dated August 16, 2012 from Amelia and Suhira villages highlight that the residents were not allowed to pass a resolution for their community forest rights claims on Mahan at the gram sabha meeting on the previous day. They made an attempt to do so five times or so, even as they asked the representatives of the project proponent Mahan Coal Ltd to leave the meeting of the gram sabha when the resolution was being proposed.
The coal reserves of India are buried up to the depth of 1,200 metres and have been estimated by the Geological Survey of India at 276.81 billion tonnes. Coal is found at these levels in Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. As per the Ministry of Mines projections, coal consumption is projected to increase to about 1,500 million tonnes per year by 2031-32.
"In its blind pursuit of economic growth, the government is undermining the ecological and livelihood security of millions of people; the Mahan coal mining process is part of this injustice. The Forest Rights Act could provide some safeguards against this injustice, but it has not been implemented," says Ashish Kothari of Kalpavriksh.
According to the July 2009 circular of MoEF, no approval for forestland diversion can be granted until the recognition of of rights process under the Forest Rights Act is completed, pointed out Samit Aich, executive director of Greenpeace India. There is a huge gap between the government's words and deeds, he said.
Web Specials Web Specials Web Specials Union Ministry of … Singrauli district Samit Aich Relance Power Prime Minister … Mahan coal block Madhya Pradesh Kharwar tribe Kalpavriksh Hindalco Greenpeace India Forest Rights Act Essar Down to earth CoP 11 Convention On … Convention On … Community Forest Rights Ashish Kothari Ashish Kothari


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Animation Domination High-Def (also called Animation Domination HD, Fox ADHD, and ADHD) was a late-night programming block broadcast by Fox. Originally premiering on July 21, 2013 as a spin-off of Animation Domination, the block originally focused on new, original adult animation series—similarly in style to Adult Swim. The ninety-minute block and its content were primarily produced by Friends Night, a television animation studio headed by Adult Swim alumni Nick Weidenfeld, Hend Baghdady, and creative director Ben Jones (who also created The Problem Solverz for Cartoon Network)—including its programs, along with interstitials and other content featured during its programming.

In April 2014, it was reported that Fox planned to discontinue the ADHD block on television that June, citing an inability to reach the correct demographics among viewers; however, ADHD's digital outlets, which feature additional content such as online shorts, continue to operate. The block's last airings on Fox consisted only of reruns.

History

2013
On January 8, 2013, Fox announced that it would launch a spin-off adult animation block – similar in format to Adult Swim – called Animation Domination High-Def. The block (alternately known as ADHD) ran Saturday late nights, originally airing for 90 minutes from 11:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. local time in most markets – later reduced to 11:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. on September 7, 2013 with the 12:00 a.m. half-hour being given back to its owned-and-operated stations and affiliates to carry other programming – with some affiliates delaying the block by 30 minutes to an hour to run late evening newscasts. Overruns of Fox Sports broadcasts caused further delays on many evenings.

Animation Domination High-Def was created to fill the first-run programming hole in Fox's Saturday late night schedule left by the 2010 cancellations of The Wanda Sykes Show (a short-lived satirical talk show that replaced MADtv the year prior) and Talkshow with Spike Feresten, with the 90-minute block being filled thereafter by reruns of the network's primetime series. Fox Entertainment Group's president at the time, Kevin Reilly, announced the block would feature alternative programming, highlighting short films and extended film trailers in between the episodes. Nick Weidenfeld, former development head at Adult Swim, was tapped to oversee the block. The block uses various animated bumpers that were produced each week (in comparison to Adult Swim) with a new "Week In Review" piece that aired each Saturday.

Weidenfeld stated in an interview with The New York Times that Animation Domination High-Def would celebrate "the paramount importance of youth and love and friendship and hanging out and being awesome – not ironically awesome, just awesome." His intent was for the block to offer viewers new content with a significant lack of cynicism, which he believed contrasts his former employer (Williams Street, programmer of Adult Swim), which he stated is "not an optimistic channel." Despite this, Weidenfeld allowed Cartoon Network/Adult Swim owner Turner Broadcasting System to purchase commercial time during the premiere night of ADHD (one ad aired at 11:30 p.m. with a Talking Heads reference stating that Adult Swim was first in the format, and the last ad aired at midnight congratulating the crew before the start of a rerun of The Cleveland Show). Weidenfeld responded: "We love Adult Swim and we're happy to receive both their attention and their ad dollars!" Fox executives were not made aware of the local ad buys, which was done without their knowledge.

All content within the block – the animation for the programs themselves, bumpers and interstitial short films (some of which feature parodies of different characters) – were produced by Friends Night Studios at its offices on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. Along with the short seasons offered for production approval (six to twelve episodes a year) and Fox's ownership of all content in the process, this setup was designed to reduce total costs and significantly shorten the turnaround time for most shows. In addition to the Fox lineup, ADHD's programming is also available for streaming on a dedicated website (FOXADHD.com) and mobile app as well as through Hulu. All of the programs in the lineup were generally shown without commercial interruption, and with few exceptions, aired without editing. The High School USA! episode "Best Friends Forever" was released briefly on Hulu and not broadcast on Fox due to content issues with the network's standards and practices department.

2014
On April 17, 2014, Broadcasting & Cable reported that Fox would discontinue Animation Domination High-Def after the June 28, 2014 broadcast of the block, citing an inability to reach the correct demographics during its Saturday late night timeslot—particularly as a result of overrunning college football games. Through the digital platform, Fox planned to reposition ADHD as an "incubator" for new series that could premiere on its Sunday primetime lineup—with plans for Friends Night to produce two half-hour series to debut in June 2015.

The block itself continued to air on some Fox stations until March 5, 2016, albeit consisting solely of reruns of programs from ADHD and Fox's Sunday lineup. A series created by Ben Jones, entitled Stone Quackers, premiered on FXX on October 27 as part of a special preview.

2015: Shift to FXX
In 2015, Fox began to shift the original series it had produced through ADHD to its cable networks. On December 17, 2014, it was announced that they would encompass a new late-night block on FXX beginning on January 22, 2015, also branded as Animation Domination, with new episodes of Axe Cop, Lucas Bros. Moving Co and Stone Quackers joined by reruns of other ADHD series and shorts. To promote the new block, previews of the two series were aired at midnight ET on January 1, 2015 as a lead-out for a marathon of The Simpsons, while new episodes of the two series aired following the premiere of the sixth season of Archer on FX on January 8, 2015.

FX Networks' Chuck Saftler viewed the additions as a complement to their existing animated series, explaining that "based on the successful launch of The Simpsons on FXX, this is the perfect time to expand our animation offerings and make FXX the after hours destination for animated shorts and series." Reruns of these new episodes can still potentially air on Fox. The FXX adaptation of this block includes an "Everything That Happened This Week" recap that appears in between the first two shows. That recap was discontinued in 2016.

Programming

References

External links

2010s American late-night television series
Television programming blocks in the United States
Fox Broadcasting Company
2013 introductions
Fox late-night programming

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
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2022 Virtual Data Workshop
STM 2022
2023 Field Catalog
Home > Near-Real-Time Applications of CloudSat Data
Near-Real-Time Applications of CloudSat Data
Mitrescu, C., S. Miller, J. Hawkins, T. L'Ecuyer, J. Turk, P. T. Partain, and G. Stephens (2008), Near-Real-Time Applications of CloudSat Data, J. Appl. Meteor. Climat., 47, 1982-1994, doi:10.1175/2007JAMC1794.1.
Within 2 months of its launch in April 2006 as part of the Earth Observing System A-Train satellite constellation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) CloudSat mission began making significant contributions toward broadening the understanding of detailed cloud vertical structures around the earth. Realizing the potential benefit of CloudSat to both the research objectives and operational requirements of the U.S. Navy, the Naval Research Laboratory coordinated early on with the CloudSat Data Processing Center to receive and process first-look 94-GHz Cloud Profiling Radar datasets in near–real time (4–8 h latency), thereby making the observations more relevant to the operational community. Applications leveraging these unique data, described herein, include 1) analysis/ validation of cloud structure and properties derived from conventional passive radiometers, 2) tropical cyclone vertical structure analysis, 3) support of research field programs, 4) validation of numerical weather prediction model cloud fields, and 5) quantitative precipitation estimation in light rainfall regimes.
PDF of Publication:
Download from publisher's website.


Inspect your plastics, if they are scratched or have major damage it may be worth looking into replacing them. Before applying your Fresh Moto graphics, your dirt bike plastics should be in a good to excellent condition. If you need new plastics, send an email to orders@freshmoto.com, We can order them for you.
Wash your hands. It is very important to have clean hands while you are preparing the surface and working with graphics. Oil and dirt will reduce the ability of your graphics to adhere to the plastics.
When installing your graphics, make sure that you are starting with a clean surface. Remove your old graphics – You can use a hair dryer or heat gun to warm them up for easier removal. Pull old graphics off at a 90 degree angle. Make sure you don't leave any glue, oils or dirt on your plastics. Even when the plastics are brand new, it is necessary to wipe down the area with rubbing alcohol to get any mold release off before you install. We recommend you apply your graphics in a warm environment. If you're applying in a cold environment, warm the plastics and graphics up with a heat gun or hair dryer before applying. Be sure to hold the heat 10 to 12 inches away from the graphics – Do not burn or melt them!
Place the decal, with the backing paper still on, on your plastic. Line the graphic up from left to right. Hold your decal in place by taping the top and bottom of the decal at its center to the plastic. Peel half of the backing paper away from the graphic until you reach the middle. Cut the loose backing paper off and re-check your alignment. Place graphic on the plastic without applying pressure at first – Make sure the graphic is still in the right place using bolt holes and cut outs as reference points before applying pressure.
Once you have the first half of the graphic in the correct place begin to apply pressure using your thumb or a squeegee. Work from the center to the outer edges. We recommend working in small sections starting at the center and applying pressure "across and down" first, then "across and up". Be very careful to avoid wrinkles or bubbles. If you notice any bubbles carefully peel up the section and start again. Don't be afraid to peel up corners and adjust the graphic. A little heat will help this process. Remember to work from the center to the edges of the graphics. Repeat the process on the 2nd half of the graphic. If needed – cut off any excess decal that cover bolts, access holes, or vent slits. Some aftermarket plastics and large gas tanks will need modification.
When you have finished applying your graphics, warm them up at the edges and the "high ware" areas (where your knees and boots rub). This process should take 15 to 20 minutes. DO NOT OVERHEAT.
Allow 24 hours for your graphics to set. After the 24 hours it is a good idea to go over the graphics once more before you ride to make sure all the edges are down.
Take your time and be patient! This can be a long process.
Clean your plastics with rubbing alcohol – even/especially if they are brand new.
Use a heat gun or hair dryer especially on the complex curves.
Hold the heat gun at least 12'' away. DO NOT OVERHEAT OR BURN YOUR GRAPHICS.
It is helpful to apply graphics in a warm location.
If you decide you don't like to install your graphics – Order them with the plastics next time. We'll install for free.


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Music Building
Known affectionately as the "birthday cake building," the Music Building is home to the ASU School of Music. The Music Building houses the Evelyn Smith Music Theatre, music classrooms and practice rooms, the Rafael Mendez Library Museum, recital halls, the Music Research Facility, Katzin Concert Hall, and the Organ Hall, home of the hand-carved, 1,800-pipe Fritts Organ.
In addition to the outstanding concert halls, the School of Music has four electronic music studios, music education and therapy labs, costume shop, piano repair shops, more than 200 studios and practice rooms, several multimedia classrooms and the ASU Libraries' Music Library.
Constructed in 1970, the building has eight levels, three of which are underground. Wesley Peters, Frank Lloyd Wright's son-in-law, designed the building, which is a neighbor to Lloyd Wright's Gammage Auditorium.
School of Music facilities
50 E. Gammage Pkwy.
Music Building, Tempe Campus


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Are Utahns subsidizing other states' sweeter insurance rates?
Health • State residents get a pretty good deal on federal marketplace, but other states fare better.
By Kirsten Stewart The Salt Lake Tribune
· June 18, 2014 3:02 pm
Utah shoppers on the federal health insurance marketplace got a pretty sweet deal — but not the sweetest deal, when compared with other states.
Eighty-six percent of Utah shoppers received tax credits to put toward their purchase, bringing their average monthly insurance premium to $84, according to a new federal report. Thirty-six percent had premiums of $50 or less, and 69 percent spent $100 or less after tax credits, the report shows.
The Obama administration touts the numbers as proof that HealthCare.gov is working as intended to make insurance more easily comparable and affordable.
"Where there is choice and competition, everybody benefits," said new Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell in a prepared statement.
But the data also tell a different story: Residents of states with traditionally low-cost insurance, like Utah, are subsidizing insurance for residents of high-cost states like Mississippi.
That's because the tax credits are based on the second lowest-priced silver plan in each state and calculated so that the premium that a person pays does not exceed a specified percentage of their income.
Poorer people get bigger tax credits, which means states with high poverty rates benefit most. But so do states with high insurance prices.
Utah, for example, has the lowest per capita health spending in the country and it boasts the lowest insurance rates on the Affordable Care Act's health exchange — $242 a month on average for a silver plan, well below the national average of $345.
But the average monthly premium paid in Utah after tax credits is $68, which is middle of the road. Eight states have lower post-subsidy premiums, the lowest being $15 in Mississippi, where the average premium before tax credits is $434.
Critics have suggested this amounts to a redistribution of wealth from states with lower health costs to states with higher health costs.
"It's weird the way they did the subsidy, in my opinion," said Rep. Jim Dunnigan, R-Taylorsville, an insurance broker. "We get penalized because we have lower rates to start."
But insurance is always about winners and losers. The young subsidize the elderly and the healthy subsidize the sick.
Utahns who work for large multi-state companies often shoulder an unfair share of the health benefits for fellow employees who live in pricier health care markets, acknowledges Dunnigan. The Affordable Care Act does it on a grander scale, he said.
The law also sets up an incentive up for insurers to jack up prices knowing the effect on consumers will be blunted by tax credits.
"It's a risk," said Lincoln Nehring, a health policy analyst at Voices for Utah Children. But he added market and regulatory control exist to limit that risk.
Insurers have to be careful to not over-price their policies and alienate consumers who don't qualify for subsidies, Nehring said.
In addition, the federal health law empowered states to create more robust rate review rules requiring insurers to publicize and justify rate hikes, he said.
Utah has taken steps to make rate hikes more transparent in the small group market, he said. "But they haven't taken the same steps in the individual market."
That could mean higher rates for 2015.
Dunnigan wouldn't speculate on whether Utah will see a huge increase. But he said setting prices will be a challenge for carriers, which are going into this second year blind.
"Because of the lag time for claims to be filed and paid they only have a few months of claims to base rates on," he said. "So either they build in a cushion and rates come up or they keep rates low to compete."
And consumers won't know what to expect until sometime this fall. Rates for 2015 are being filed and vetted now by the Utah Department of Insurance, but they aren't published until they're approved, providing consumers no chance for protesting them. —
How Utah ranks
Utah boasts the lowest average monthly premium for a silver plan on the federal insurance marketplace, before tax credits. But after tax credits, residents of other states ended up paying less.
Cheapest before tax credits:
Utah, $242
Arizona, $257
Idaho, $274
Tennessee, $281
Kansas, $289
Cheapest after tax credits:
Mississippi, $15
Georgia, $39
Missouri, $45
Florida, $50
Kansas, $50


Integrated Math 1 is designed to combine some of the basic principles of Algebra, Geometry, and Statistics. Students will deepen and extend their understanding of linear relationships and be introduced to exponential functions, modeled through data. Students will use properties and theorems involving congruent figures to expand and broaden understanding of geometric knowledge. Students will experience mathematics as a coherent, useful, and logical subject that draws on their ability to make sense of problem situations, and will develop the ability to explore and solve mathematical problems, think critically, work cooperatively with other students and communicate mathematical ideas clearly.
Integrated Math 1 students will need a composition book to be used for notes!!


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Revised GDP Data Shows Modi Govt Better Than UPA, Centre Defends While Opposition Cries Foul
Shraddha Goled
Published : 29 Nov 2018 1:45 PM GMT
Image Credit: India.com
Image Credit: India.com
On November 28, the government revised the 2006-2012 Gross Domestic Product growth rates to show a "more accurate picture of the economy". The new data has been released by the Central Statistical Office (CSO) in a joint press conference with Niti Aayog on November 28.
As per the new estimates, India recorded a peak growth rate of 8.5% growth in 2010-11 as opposed to 10.3% for the same period in the old report. Niti Aayog, in its official statement, said that the back series had been checked for its "methodological soundness" by leading experts in the field.
Back series released today by CSO has been checked for its methodological soundness by leading statistical experts in the country. #NITIAayog had organized two Round Tables in which domain experts participated to ensure the quality of coverage and methodology. pic.twitter.com/xfVC56NlVN
— NITI Aayog (@NITIAayog) November 28, 2018
Revised GDP numbers bring controversy
Back series refer to revising the GDP in accordance with the changed base year. Changing the base year is done to calculate the GDP in line with the global trend to effectively capture the economic information accurately, as reported by The Economic Times.
The average growth for the UPA years in the period FY06 to FY12 before the back series, was estimated to be 7.75%, but it has now been revised to 6.82% (6.7%). In comparison, the average growth rate under Modi government has been 7.35%.
Congress and P Chidambaram's only argument that our growth was better than yours stands demolished when brought on par, basis GDP growth measured by new series, over the UPA and NDA eras! pic.twitter.com/hHqLHKGlr2
— BJP (@BJP4India) November 28, 2018
The old GDP rates were as per 2004-05, which was changed to 2011-12 to calculate fresh data. It may be noted that in August, a recalibration was carried out by the Sudipto Mundle committee set up by National Statistical Commission. That recalibration calculated the growth rates under the UPA regime to be at over 10% in 2006-07 as opposed to 9.57% when calculated without changing the base years.
Defending the latest report by CSO, the Modi government is saying that the August numbers were not actual but done on an experimental basis. The Modi administration further added that the August numbers were only meant to facilitate the adaption of an appropriate approach in calculating back series, as reported by Scroll.
Niti Aayog's Vice-Chairman, Rajiv Kumar said that the new GDP series is far superior to the August estimates. According to Moneycontrol, "A complex exercise has been carried out by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation to update the National Accounts Series. The new series has made significant methodological improvements," said Kumar.
https://twitter.com/RajivKumar1/status/1067747945997451264
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley called CSO a highly credible organisation which maintains "an arm's length from the Finance Minister".
Congress accuses Modi govt of manipulating data
Congress leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram said that the numbers were a result of a hatchet job.
Actually they are worse than a bad joke. The numbers are the result of a hatchet job.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) November 28, 2018
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "Modi Government and its puppet Niti Aayog want the people to believe that 2+2=8. Such is the gimmickry, jugglery, trickery and chicanery being sold as back series data."
The Logical Indian Take
Revising base years is a known and recurring practice. However, the recent controversy and mud-slinging is aided and abetted by two major factors. One is that the August estimates showed UPA era in a favourable light while the new data shows BJP era to be better growth wise. Second is the involvement of NITI Aayog in the whole thing, which is leading opposition members to further allege 'foul'. Technically, the growth trajectories seem to be pretty similar in both cases, however, the political one-upmanship is the basis of the drama.
Also Read: Report Showing Higher GDP Growth During UPA Tenure Removed From Govt Website
Tags: GDPNDAUPANITI AayogNiti Aayog Rajiv KumarBack SeriesBase Year


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Colorado OKs $2.4M in incentives for Boulder cybersecurity startup | #hacking | #cybersecurity | #infosec | #comptia | #pentest | #ransomware
A small Boulder cybersecurity firm looking at a major expansion that could bring nearly 500 jobs to Boulder County received approval for $2.42 million in state tax incentives on Thursday morning.
RADICL Defense is a Boulder startup that is considering expanding in Colorado or relocating to Orlando, Fla., as it takes on more contracts to help small- and medium-sized firms boost their cybersecurity efforts.
To help retain the company, the Colorado Economic Development Commission approved $2.42 million in job growth incentive tax credits to Project Disco, the code name given to RADICL. In return, the company, which currently has eight employees, agreed to create up to 491 net new jobs over the next eight years at an average annual wage of $126,812, which is 147% of the average annual wage in Boulder County.
The jobs to be added include engineers, sales and marketing staff, product designers, cyber and security analysts, and financial roles.
"I spent a lot of time in Florida in my past life and we were seriously considering moving our headquarters down there," RADICL COO David Graff told the commission.
Graff co-founded the company in 2022 with brothers Chris and Matt Petersen. And while it might seem aggressive to go from eight to nearly 500 employees in such a short span, Chris Petersen, RADICL's CEO, has done it before with a Boulder company called LogRhythm.
Chris Petersen and Phil Villella, an experimental physicist, came up with the idea for a cybersecurity company called Security Conscious while on a camping trip near Steamboat Springs in 2002. In 2005, their company changed its name to LogRhythm and set up its operations in Boulder, and later added offices in England and Singapore. In 2018, Thoma Bravo, a private equity firm, acquired LogRhythm, which it relocated to Broomfield last year.
In a post on RADICL's website, Chris Petersen said he was enraged when learning about the cyberattack on SolarWinds by hackers attached to the Russian intelligence service. The information technology company had malicious code inserted into one of its software updates that allowed hackers to access thousands of companies and launch their ransomware.
"Our mission is to specifically defend companies actively targeted by nation-state threats. We choose to serve the (small- and medium-sized business) market because these highly innovative companies desperately need better solutions, that truly protect their important secrets. We know our mission is challenging. We know radical innovation will be required," Petersen wrote.
The EDC also voted to approve $150,000 from the state's Strategic Fund to help jump-start a $2.5 million fundraising effort needed to bring the Cities Summit of the Americas, an offshoot of the Biennial of the Americas. The event will run from April 26-28 at the Colorado Convention Center and other downtown locations and is expected to draw 2,500 credentialed delegates and thousands of other attendees.
The inaugural event will invite 250 civic leaders from the United States and 250 from other parts of the Americas and include hundreds more from nonprofits and business representatives, as well as a concurrent youth conference. The U.S. State Department chipped in $1 million, but another $2.5 million needs to come from other sources, many of them local.
The Colorado Tourism Office is expected to allocate $100,000 and Amazon has pledged a similar amount, with Walmart also expected to provide a big contribution. But commissioner Chris Franz questioned why fundraising efforts were starting so late, given that the event was only four months away.
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Just wanted to let you know I will be out of touch for the next couple of weeks. Have a lot going on. All good stuff, just not sure if I will be able to post. After things calm down will be back to regular posts.
Hope you had a good Easter. Ours was quite, but nice. We went to hear our Son preach his first Easter Service. He did a great job! We then had lunch with our son and his family. After that we headed home and had a very relaxing day.
Will be telling you more later about the trips. Just wanted to let you know I was still here.
Yesterday it was warm here and the girls wanted to go swimming in the pool. Now I personally think it is way to cold to swim in the pool right now, but they are young. Before they went in they had to get nice and hot, so decided to sunbath.
Oh and yes they did get in the pool. Not me.
April 7th's "Picture Spring" prompt was about pastels. It said: We often seek out bright and boastful colors this time of year (we've been fighting the doldrums of winter after all) but spring can also bring the soft, muted tones to soothe our senses and calm our souls.
Now I can't say I think that much about pastels. I'm more of a bold color person. So I found myself looking at color different today. Found some pastel, but mostly bold colors. Even the plastic easter egg I saw were bold.
I just finished this baby blanket. It's pastel!
April 6th's Picture Spring prompt was "A Fresh Face" It said: capture yourself in a self-portrait. Not everyone is comfortable with self-portraits. Just keep in mind there are no rules to this; use a self-timer or a mirror, hold your camera or use a tri-pod, capture a detail of yourself or smile and say cheese if the spirit moves you. This is supposed to be fun!
Now taking pictures of myself is NOT fun. Lately I have noticed that I look really tired in pictures. What is up with that? Do I really look that tired? Do I need a nap? More sun? A new eyeshadow?
No, no one is in trouble. At least not yet today 🙂 April 5th's prompt was that "Getting Grounded. The prompt said: Try setting your camera on the ground today to shoot for a whole new (and often surprising) view of the world around you.
Now like I have said before we don't have that many green plants in AZ. But when we go to the coast to see Tim's Dad there are plants galore. Tim's Dad lives in a trailer park by Pismo. When we are there I love to walk around the park and look at the neighbors plants. Some of them sure do love to garden. I have always wanted a green thumb, but it hasn't happened yet.
Here are a few ground shots I took the last time we were there.
This one was taken through a chin-link fence.
Nice different view isn't it.
Wow I didn't relieze how many sky pictures i had until I started looking for them. Will have to do another post of sky pictures again.
Have a great day! Don't forget to look up!


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ModernNetSec.io | Cyber Security News | Threat intel
Microsoft today released updates to remedy nearly 130 security vulnerabilities in its Windows operating system and supported software. None of the flaws are known to be currently under active exploitation, but 23 of them could be exploited by malware or malcontents to seize complete control of Windows computers with little or no help from users.
The majority of the most dangerous or "critical" bugs deal with issues in Microsoft's various Windows operating systems and its web browsers, Internet Explorer and Edge. September marks the seventh month in a row Microsoft has shipped fixes for more than 100 flaws in its products, and the fourth month in a row that it fixed more than 120.
Among the chief concerns for enterprises this month is CVE-2020-16875, which involves a critical flaw in the email software Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 and 2019. An attacker could leverage the Exchange bug to run code of his choosing just by sending a booby-trapped email to a vulnerable Exchange server.
"That doesn't quite make it wormable, but it's about the worst-case scenario for Exchange servers," said Dustin Childs, of Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative. "We have seen the previously patched Exchange bug CVE-2020-0688 used in the wild, and that requires authentication. We'll likely see this one in the wild soon. This should be your top priority."
Also not great for companies to have around is CVE-2020-1210, which is a remote code execution flaw in supported versions of Microsoft Sharepoint document management software that bad guys could attack by uploading a file to a vulnerable Sharepoint site. Security firm Tenable notes that this bug is reminiscent of CVE-2019-0604, another Sharepoint problem that's been exploited for cybercriminal gains since April 2019.
Microsoft fixed at least five other serious bugs in Sharepoint versions 2010 through 2019 that also could be used to compromise systems running this software. And because ransomware purveyors have a history of seizing upon Sharepoint flaws to wreak havoc inside enterprises, companies should definitely prioritize deployment of these fixes, says Alan Liska, senior security architect at Recorded Future.
Todd Schell at Ivanti reminds us that Patch Tuesday isn't just about Windows updates: Google has shipped a critical update for its Chrome browser that resolves at least five security flaws that are rated high severity. If you use Chrome and notice an icon featuring a small upward-facing arrow inside of a circle to the right of the address bar, it's time to update. Completely closing out Chrome and restarting it should apply the pending updates.
Once again, there are no security updates available today for Adobe's Flash Player, although the company did ship a non-security software update for the browser plugin. The last time Flash got a security update was June 2020, which may suggest researchers and/or attackers have stopped looking for flaws in it. Adobe says it will retire the plugin at the end of this year, and Microsoft has said it plans to completely remove the program from all Microsoft browsers via Windows Update by then.
Before you update with this month's patch batch, please make sure you have backed up your system and/or important files. It's not uncommon for Windows updates to hose one's system or prevent it from booting properly, and some updates even have known to erase or corrupt files.
So do yourself a favor and backup before installing any patches. Windows 10 even has some built-in tools to help you do that, either on a per-file/folder basis or by making a complete and bootable copy of your hard drive all at once.
And if you wish to ensure Windows has been set to pause updating so you can back up your files and/or system before the operating system decides to reboot and install patches on its own schedule, see this guide.
As always, if you experience glitches or problems installing any of these patches this month, please consider leaving a comment about it below; there's a better-than-even chance other readers have experienced the same and may chime in here with some helpful tips.
Tags: Alan Liska, CVE-2020-1210, CVE-2020-16875, Dustin Childs, Ivanti, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft Patch Tuesday September 2020, Microsoft Sharepoint, Recorded Future, Tenable, Todd Schell, Zero Day Initiative
This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 8th, 2020 at 5:33 pm and is filed under Security Tools, Time to Patch. You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a comment. Pinging is currently not allowed.
Categories: Alan Liska, CVE-2020-1210, CVE-2020-16875, Dustin Childs, Ivanti, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft Patch Tuesday September 2020, Microsoft Sharepoint, Recorded Future, Security Tools, Tenable, Time to Patch, Todd Schell, Zero Day Initiative
Tags: Alan Liska, CVE-2020-1210, CVE-2020-16875, Dustin Childs, Ivanti, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft Patch Tuesday September 2020, Microsoft Sharepoint, Recorded Future, Security Tools, Tenable, Time to Patch, Todd Schell, Zero Day Initiative


Top quality Klip Dagga whole red/orange flower petals, from Peru. This is purely the velvety soft petals, and contains no leaves or sticks. Harvested June 2017.
Klip Dagga belongs to the Genus: Lamiaceae (Mint family). It is an erect, loosely branched annual that can grow 2.4 meters tall in its single growing season. Liking full sun it grows very quickly. It is often found along roadsides and in abandoned fields. The stems are strongly angled (square in cross section) and the leaves are in pairs opposite each other. The leaves are smooth with coarsely toothed margins, triangular in shape and 5-13 cm long. The flowers are borne in rounded, spiny clusters, 5-10 cm across, that encircle the stems so that it looks like the stems are growing right through the middle of the clusters. As the stems elongate, new flower clusters continue to develop above the older ones. The tubular flowers that peek out of the spiny heads are orange and furry, like a lion's ear. The flowers are about 2.5 cm long and curve downward. This plant and Wild Dagga (Leonotis leonurus) look very similar and have the same common names: Lion's Ear and Wild Dagga. The main difference seems to be that Klip Dagga has leaves like Catnip (Nepeta cataria) and the other Leonotis has leathery leaves. For both species, leaf shape varies depending where it is on the stem; higher up, it is narrow and long. Klip Dagga has become naturalized in subtropical and tropical areas all over the world and grows especially well in the Deep South. Hummingbirds love sipping at the flowers of the Dagga plants.


When your doctor suspects or diagnoses you with venous insufficiency, he will most likely recommend compression stocking therapy. In addition to modifying lifestyle habits such as eating a healthier diet, increasing exercise program, and quitting smoking, compression stocking therapy can bring relief to your legs.
Compression stockings are available in different lengths and tightness. Your vein doctor can recommend a specific tightness that will help reduce the swelling and pain in your legs. It is important that you purchase new stockings for your condition. Do not use hand-me-downs since the effectiveness and tightness might not be what is best for your vein health.
Those who suffer from heavy legs and varicose veins will find relief with compression stockings. The gradual tightening of the stocking supports the veins in the legs in pushing blood back to the heart. When the valves in your veins are damaged or weakened, blood starts to pool within the veins creating swelling and discomfort. If you feel this happening to you, get an evaluation by a vein specialist in your area. If venous insufficiency is found to be the culprit, then he can set up a treatment plan. Starting with compression stockings, modifying lifestyle habits and, if needed, eliminating the damaged vein.
There are several methods to obliterating bothersome veins, one of those being sclerotherapy. This simple method can be done in the doctor's office and requires little, if any, recovery time. After the procedure, though, your doctor might recommend wearing compression stockings. By doing this, you are able to reduce the stress on the treated vein. If you are susceptible to vein problems, then wearing the compression stockings during times that you are not in pain or have swelling would be a proactive stance in your health.
If you would like a FREE vein evaluation, visit EVeinScrening.com and fill out the quick form. Don't suffer from vein pain!


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China's 41st naval escort taskforce sets off for Gulf of Aden
Source:China Military Online Editor:Li Jiayao 2022-05-19 17:11:21
The 41st Chinese naval escort taskforce sets out from a military port in Zhoushan city, east China's Zhejiang Province on May 18, 2022. The photo shows the guided-missile destroyer Suzhou (Hull 132) of the escort taskforce.
ZHOUSHAN, May 19 -- The 41st Chinese naval escort taskforce set out for the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somali from a military port in the city of Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province, on the morning of May 18. It will take over the escort mission from the 40th taskforce.
The new batch of naval escort taskforce consists of the guided-missile destroyer Suzhou (Hull 132), the guided-missile frigate Nantong (Hull 533) and the comprehensive supply ship Chaohu (Hull 890), as well as two ship-borne helicopters and dozens of special operations soldiers. It is the first time for ship Suzhou and ship Nantong to perform escort missions.
During the preparation period, the troops carried out targeted training such as ship-aircraft joint search and rescue, anti-terrorism and anti-piracy, and rescue of hijacked merchant ships, which further tempered and improved the formation's ability to carry out the mission.
The 41st Chinese naval escort taskforce sets out from a military port in the city of Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province on May 18, 2022. The guided-missile destroyer Suzhou (Hull 132) of the 41st Chinese naval escort taskforce sets out from a military port in the city of Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province on May 18, 2022. The 41st Chinese naval escort taskforce sets out from a military port in the city of Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province on May 18, 2022. The photo shows the guided-missile destroyer Nantong (Hull 533). The 41st Chinese naval escort taskforce sets out from a military port in the city of Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province on May 18, 2022. The photo shows the comprehensive supply ship Chaohu (Hull 890). Sailors man the rail on the ship when the 41st Chinese naval escort taskforce sets out from a military port in the city of Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province on May 18, 2022. Sailors man the rail on the ship when the 41st Chinese naval escort taskforce sets out from a military port in the city of Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province on May 18, 2022. Sailors man the rail on the ship when the 41st Chinese naval escort taskforce sets out from a military port in the city of Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province on May 18, 2022.


U.S. economic growth slowed during 2006, as the residential housing market entered a much-anticipated decline. Inventories of new and existing homes surged; price increases slowed from a double-digit pace; and, in many markets, prices fell substantially. While housing and housing-related sectors saw steep declines in 2006, the industrial sector continued to grow (though at a slower pace), and the consumer sector has been buoyed by higher wages and job growth. The solid job market, rising wages, and retreating gasoline prices helped support consumer spending—which increased at a slower 3.1-percent pace—in 2006. As home prices soften, consumer spending will grow more in line with incomes during 2007, increasing by 2.7 percent. The unemployment rate—which dipped to a 5-year low of 4.4 percent in October 2006—will edge up, averaging 4.8 percent in 2007 and 5 percent in 2008.
The business sector drove economic growth during 2006, creating more than 1.8 million jobs, and it will continue to be the force behind growth over the next few years. The dollar continued to weaken, and global economic growth strengthened, encouraging export growth to its highest level ever. Capacity utilization rates remain high, and corporate profits are solid as the economy enters 2007, offsetting the declines in residential construction and light vehicles. Industrial production grew by 4.1 percent in 2006, up from 3.1 percent in 2005. As the cycle matures and construction-related markets (materials, supplies, etc.) drag, industrial production will moderate to 3.2-percent growth in 2007. As a result, business investment—which grew 7.7 percent during 2006—will post growth of 4.6 percent in 2007 and another 4.7 percent in 2008. The Federal Reserve, which increased interest rates throughout 2006, likely will start cutting rates by the second quarter as the economy cools and inflation moderates.
The overall economy, which grew at an estimated 3.3 percent in 2006, will slow to a 2.4-percent growth rate in 2007—the slowest overall economic growth rate in 5 years. In 2008, housing is expected to firm, and gross domestic product (GDP) growth will resume at a 3.3-percent rate. While a soft landing is anticipated, there are several risks that could rattle consumers, including an unexpected sharp increase in energy prices, a more pronounced collapse in housing, another terrorist attack, or a flu pandemic. In a recent survey of economists in The Wall Street Journal, the percentage of those predicting a recession in the next 12 months rose to 1 in 4, revealing the delicate balance of factors influencing economic growth over the next year.
At the start of 2007, energy prices had retreated from recent highs as mild weather and slowing economic growth eased demand. Overall energy consumption in the United States is expected to grow by 1.2 percent in 2007 and 1.7 percent in 2008, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). This follows a 0.4-percent decline in 2006 due to unusually warm winter weather and higher prices for energy. As measured by total energy demand per dollar of GDP, U.S. energy intensity improved by 3.5 percent in 2006 and is expected to improve by 0.9 percent and 1.5 percent in 2007 and 2008, respectively.
In 2006, natural gas consumption declined by 1.3 percent, as last year's warm winter and high prices constrained demand. At the start of 2007, much of the United States again has experienced unseasonably mild weather due to El Niño conditions in the Pacific. As a result, demand for natural gas heating has been curtailed; natural gas inventories were at the highest level for the first week of January since the EIA began collecting weekly statistics in 1994. Pipeline imports from Canada are declining as Canadian natural gas consumption is rising to fuel its tar sands projects and petrochemical sector. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports have risen, however, and will continue to rise to meet demand, nearly doubling between 2006 and 2008 to 1.1 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) as four new terminals come online. The benchmark Henry Hub price for natural gas averaged $6.75 per million British thermal units (Btus) in 2006 and will continue to rise over the next several years, averaging between $7 and $8 per million Btus until significant supplies from Alaska become available.
Oil markets continued to make headlines during 2006, as West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices rose above $75 per barrel over the summer and gasoline prices hovered near $3 per gallon for much of the year. However, as inventories rose and tensions eased in Iran and other hot spots, prices retreated to just over $60 per barrel by the end of 2006. The EIA predicts that U.S. crude oil consumption will increase by 1.3 percent in 2007 and 1.4 percent in 2008. Globally, demand for oil continues to surge in developing economies, especially in China, where imports of crude oil climbed 14.5 percent in 2006. With China's expanding economy and strategic petroleum reserve coming online, the country's imports are likely to continue in the double digits in 2007. These trends, in addition to Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) production cuts, will maintain pressure on prices and keep them from falling below $50 per barrel. As a result, the EIA expects average crude oil prices to decline by 2.4 percent to $64 in 2007, as the U.S. economy cools further, before rising modestly in 2008.
As Democrats have taken back Congress, there is renewed interest in climate change and energy efficiency. Policies that will increase the cost of carbon-containing fuels—especially coal, the most carbon-intensive—are expected. Energy efficiency in all areas of the economy have been given high priority by policymakers. This may result in additional funds for energy efficiency research and development (R&D) and more incentives for businesses and consumers to make energy-efficiency investments over the next few years. This is welcome news for insulation manufacturers and installers, whose products are critical to achieving the nation's energy-efficiency goals.
The $1.2-billion construction sector directly accounts for nearly 10 percent of total GDP. This does not include the many industries that support the construction sector, such as architects and suppliers. As a result, the health of the construction sector is vital to the U.S. economy. Rising interest rates slowed the overheated housing market in 2006, and price growth for construction materials outpaced overall inflation. However, overall construction remained steady as gains in nonresidential and public construction partially offset declines in the residential sector. Housing starts declined from 2.07 million units in 2005 to 1.84 million units in 2006 as the housing market collapsed. After the housing market—which currently accounts for more than half of total construction spending—reaches bottom during the first half of 2007, modest increases are expected in the second half of the year. Overall, housing starts are set to decline further, to 1.6 million units during 2007, before rebounding to 1.7 million units in 2008.
With the robust job market, office vacancy rates continue to decline. Office rents grew by 9 percent during 2006, according to Reis, Inc., a real estate research firm. To meet the demand, Reis reports that 72 million square feet of office space—the highest level in several years—should come on the market in 2007. Construction spending in the nonresidential sector increased by 16.5 percent during 2006, with nearly all segments posting gains. Expenditures for lodging construction grew 52.6 percent, and office construction was up by 18.9 percent. Spending on the power infrastructure grew 14.8 percent, and spending on projects in the manufacturing sector—driven by high corporate profits—was up by 20 percent. Rising school-district and university budgets spurred an increase in education spending, the largest category after residential. Highway and street construction also grew with passage of new federal highway authorization legislation. In all, public construction spending grew 10.2 percent in 2006. Continuing growth in commercial and public construction will drive the construction sector through 2007.
chemicals remained strong, however, and output grew by 2.1 percent during 2006. Despite the slowdown in housing and light vehicles, the outlook remains good for many chemical-consuming industries, including electronics, packaging, apparel, and rubber products. Plastics and appliances—both key end users of chemicals—are looking for more modest growth through 2007. As a result, chemical industry volumes are set to grow by 3.2 percent in 2007 and 2.5 percent in 2008, according to the American Chemistry Council. The petrochemicals segment is expected to grow by 3.1 percent in 2007 and 1.9 percent in 2008.
Gas processing. Despite continuing damage from the 2005 hurricanes, the natural gas processing industry increased its output of dry natural gas and LNG compared to 2005's. The EIA estimates that domestic production of dry natural gas rose by 2.6 percent in 2006—the first increase in domestic natural gas production since 2003. LNG production rose 0.7 percent, averaging 1.73 thousand barrels per day (Mb/d). Production of dry natural gas is expected to rise 1.9 percent in 2007 and 1.3 percent in 2008, according to the EIA. LNG production is expected to rise 1.7 percent in 2007 and 0.6 percent in 2008. In addition, new supplies of LNG will increase outputs at gas-processing facilities. The LNG market has grown more than tenfold since 1996, before natural gas prices accelerated. The EIA projects that LNG imports will surge by 34.5 percent in 2007 and 38.5 percent in 2008 as four new receiving terminals begin operations over the next 2 years.
Petroleum refining. With a combination of high inventories of refined products, cooling demand related to weather, and reaction to high prices, refining output grew by a modest 0.5 percent and capacity utilization fell from 90.6 percent in 2005 to 89.6 percent in 2006. Refinery output is expected to grow by 1 percent in 2007 as demand firms. According to the EIA, refinery capacity utilization rates will tighten to 89.9 percent in 2007. Refinery capacity is expected to remain steady at 17.4 million barrels per day (MMb/d).
Food processing. The $658-billion food and beverage industry grew by 3.5 percent in 2006 and is poised to grow by 1.5 to 2 percent in 2007. Growing demand for organics, convenience foods, whole grains, and functional foods and beverages (including energy drinks and products containing antioxidants and probiotics) will drive the food-processing industry over the next year. Organic foods, which accounted for 2.5 percent of all U.S. retail food sales in 2005, are now common in traditional grocery stores and will continue to grow at double-digit rates.
Shipbuilding. The $14-billion shipbuilding industry is expected to grow by 2 percent during 2007 and 2008 as international shipping and the defense sector continue to provide solid demand. In volume terms, world trade is expected to grow by 2.2 percent in dollars, following a 4.6-percent increase in 2006, according to the International Monetary Fund. One trend of interest to insulation producers is increasing demand for tankers used to transport LNG.
Pulp and paper. The $163-billion pulp and paper industry was hampered by higher costs for energy, chemicals, and transportation. The industry continues to be challenged by increasing imports, competition with other materials for packaging, and the increasing reliance on electronic communications and transactions. The U.S. paper industry produced an estimated 41.3 million tons of paper in 2006, down 0.2 percent from 2005. Paperboard production, which follows packaging trends, was up by 1.4 percent in 2006. Following several years of increasingly poor returns, some less profitable mills closed and capacity declined. The American Forest and Paper Association projects that paper and paperboard capacity will increase by 0.2 percent in 2007 and 0.4 percent in 2008.
Power. The EIA projects that U.S. electricity consumption growth is expected to moderate to 1.2 percent in 2007, thanks to higher prices (from expiring rate caps) and a return to more normal weather patterns this summer. Electricity prices are headed up as utilities pass along increased costs from fuel prices, stricter pollution abatement equipment, and new transmission and generation infrastructure. According to the EIA, electric generating capacity additions are expected to total 21.4 gigawatts (GW) in 2007 and 18.1 GW in 2008. Natural gas-fired generation accounts for 81 percent of the total planned additions, with nonhydro renewables and coal contributing 8 percent and 7 percent, respectively.