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O'Donnell not overly worried by criticism from Hatters fans
Stephen O'Donnell cups his ear to the fans after scoring against Solihull Moors
Hatters defender Stephen O'Donnell isn't overly fussed about the stick he's received from Luton fans this season, preferring to concentrate his efforts on impressing boss Nathan Jones.
The full back, has struggled to ever fully win over the club's supporters, particularly at home, since joining from Partick Thistle last season.
The fans can sing, the fans can boo, we just need to make sure we're doing our best to win games, that's the most important thing.
Stephen O'Donnell
However, with Hatters trailing 2-0 to National League side Solihull Moors at the weekend, O'Donnell was introduced from the bench at half time to turn the game around, scoring twice in a 6-2 victory.
On netting his first goal, O'Donnell cupped his ear to the Luton support who have been on his back at times this term, while on having his name chanted after adding the fifth late on, he said: "It's nice to hear. I think I got it last week at Exeter telling me that's why you're not playing when I was carrying on at half time, I missed the target and got told that's why I wasn't in.
"So it's nice to score the goals, as I didn't realise I was in as a striker.
"But the fans can sing, the fans can boo. We just need to make sure we're doing our best to win games, that's the most important thing.
"I've always had stick off fans, you're never going to keep everyone happy. I've just got to keep working hard and the most important person to impress is the manager.
"I certainly feel with my attitude in training I can't have disappointed him, but at 24, it's a crucial time for my career.
"I need to be playing football, it's trying to strike that balance, so we'll see what happens."
O'Donnell, who was making his 50th appearance for the club at the weekend, admitted it's been hard to bide his time on the sidelines in recent weeks after losing his place to youngster James Justin after the 2-0 defeat to Crawley Town.
He was then back for the 2-1 win at Leyton Orient on October 15 after Justin was injured in the warm-up, playing the next two games too, including a clean sheet at Notts County.
O'Donnell lost his place again for the 3-1 FA Cup win at Exeter and hasn't started a league game since, as on his time out of the team, he continued: "It's frustrating, JJ did well when he came in, but it's just frustrating for me. We lost two games on the bounce the first time, so there's always going to be changes, that's not good enough for the aspirations we have.
"It was a bit more disappointing the previous time. I think we'd won one and drawn two, kept a clean sheet, but that's football.
Lee happy to be on the goal trail for the Hatters again
"I just need to try and stay in the team and if not, we'll look at it again.
"I think those conversations are for different times, nothing ever happens in November or December. You just keep your head down and work hard and you assess your things every transfer window, that's what you need to do as a football player.
"It's a tough environment, all you can do is hopefully perform when you get the chance and if you don't then you're on the chopping board and if you play well, you could be getting pushed on.
"I'm 24, I'm hungry to play. You're never going to be happy on the bench. You need to be content as you're part of a squad, but you want to be playing and that's just football."
On the impact of O'Donnell against Moors to send Town through to round three, boss Nathan Jones said: "He's done fantastically well and showed his professionalism in the fact that he came into it at a difficult stage and really grasped his opportunity.
"He's been unfortunate because James has done well, but Stephen's a real important member of what we do. Going forward he's wonderful, he really is, he can see a pass, he's forward thinking, he has a goal in him and that's his third of the season."


First person sci-fi adventure game Elea will officially launch on Sept 6 for Xbox One and Steam, publisher Soedesco announced.
The game's first episode entered Steam's Early Access back in April 24. The developers at Kyodai collected feedback from players and implemented changes through a series of updates. It is currently unknown when the game's subsequent episodes will release.
In the meantime, read on below to find out more about the game and watch the new story trailer.
Elea is a first person sci-fi storytelling adventure about the personal journey of Elea, a space scientist on a mission to find her husband Ethan. In 2073, earth was struck by a horrid childhood mutation disease that also affected Elea's youngest son. Ethan left on the interstellar spaceship Pilgrimage in order to colonize an earth-like exoplanet and save humanity from extinction. When Pilgrimage reached the planet, the vessel went radio silent. Thirteen years later, Elea ventures out on research starship RSS Recovery to find out what happened to Ethan. Along her journey, she encounters phenomena beyond human grasp.


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Vysis FISH Chromosome Search
Vysis Chromosome Search
Explore Product Catalog
Core Laboratory
ALINITY m HBV Assay
Accurate quantitation is critical to guide therapy and monitor Hepatitis B (which is important in limiting the spread of infection). The Alinity m HBV assay is an in vitro polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to quantitate Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) DNA in human plasma or serum.
State of the art assay design shaped by the information obtained from the Abbott Global Surveillance Program lead to a dual probe assay with highly conserved target region of the virus.
Sensitive quantitation across all genotypes for accurate therapy and viral load monitoring.
Specificity with broad dynamic range ensures no carryover up to log 8.
The Alinity m HBV assay is an in vitro polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for use with the automated Alinity m System to quantitate Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) DNA in human plasma or serum. The Alinity m HBV assay is intended for use as an aid in the management of patients with chronic HBV infection undergoing anti-viral therapy. The assay can be used to measure HBV DNA levels at baseline and during treatment to aid in assessing and monitoring response to treatment. The results from the Alinity m HBV assay must be interpreted within the context of all relevant clinical and laboratory findings. This assay is not intended to be used in screening blood, blood products, tissue or organ donors for HBV, or as a diagnostic test to confirm the presence of HBV infection.
ALINITY m HBV ASSAY PERFORMANCE
Limit of Detection (LoD)
Plasma: Probit analysis is 6.72 IU/mL [95% CI 5.28 to 9.27 IU/mL]
Serum: Probit analysis is 9.62 IU/mL [95% CI 7.14 to 14.43 IU/mL
LoD is 10 IU/mL in plasma and serum
Linear Range 7 IU/mL to 2,000,000,000 IU/mL
Precision <0.22 Total SD
Specificity 100.0% (95% CI: 99.3 to 100.0%)
Target Region Surface Antigen gene
Genotype Detection A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I
Plasma: Acid Citrate Dextrose (ACD); K2EDTA; K3EDTA, Plasma Preperation Tubes (PPT)*
Serum: Serum; Rapid clot tube (z-clot, thrombin, and similar); Serum separator tubes (SST)*
*Gel tubes
Standardizaiton 3rd World Health Organization (WHO) International Standard [NIBSC code: 10/264; genotype A]
Internal Control Yes
Carryover 0.0% (95% CI: 0.0 to 1.0%)
Sample Input Volume 300 µL
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
SYNONYM

#### According to
The Catalogue of Life, 3rd January 2011

#### Published in
Prodr. stirp. Chap. Allerton 169. 1796 "<I>verniciferum</I>"

#### Original name
null

### Remarks
null

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The key to a healthy glow is not in your tanning cream, but it may be in a sweet potato. A recent study found that those people identified with a yellow "glow" to their skin were viewed as the most beautiful. Mirror, mirror on the wall who's the yellowest of them all? Fruit and veggie eaters. That's right, the study found that the prettiest people were the ones who ate the most fruit and veggies packed with carotenoids.
Carotenoids don't just make us look good but act as antioxidants as well, which when consumed in our diet might be beneficial in reducing the risk of heart disease, some cancers, urinary tract infections, and possibly even lengthening our lifespan.
Carotenoids are best absorbed when eaten with fat, so make sure to include a little olive oil, avocado or nuts when eating these fruits and veggies to get the most out of them.
Now instead of having your next facial, you can save some money and toss a salad instead!
ooh love this beauty remedies. i'm pretty sure my mom would love this information too. thanks!
another benefit of sweet potato is that Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, which in the body is converted to vitamin A. Vitamin A acts like an antioxidant to prevent cell damage and premature aging. It helps skin to produce new cells and rid the skin of old cells.
The court ruled unanimously in Nix v. Hedden that a tomato is correctly identified as, and thus taxed as, a vegetable, for the purposes of the Tariff of 1883 on imported produce.


This two bedroom, one bathroom home is set on a large block with plenty of outdoor space for kids and pets to play.
Are you interested in buying, renting or investing in Wungong? Here at REIWA, we recognise that choosing the right suburb is not an easy choice.
To provide an understanding of the kind of lifestyle Wungong offers, we've collated all the relevant market information, key facts, demographics and statistics to help you make a confident and informed decision.


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Q: How would you loop this class call and plot? So I have a code with a lot of redundant values, I am supposed to graph 8 different curves into the same plot, could I solve it with a nice for loop?
Notice that the only difference I have here is the last value in the linspace.
t1=np.linspace(0,10,20)
t2=np.linspace(0,10,30)
t3=np.linspace(0,10,35)
t4=np.linspace(0,10,40)
t5=np.linspace(0,10,50)
t6=np.linspace(0,10,100)
t7=np.linspace(0,10,1000)
t8=np.linspace(0,10,10000)

u1,t1=fe.solve(t1)
u2,t2=fe.solve(t2)
u3,t3=fe.solve(t3)
u4,t4=fe.solve(t4)
u5,t5=fe.solve(t5)
u6,t6=fe.solve(t6)
u7,t7=fe.solve(t7)
u8,t8=fe.solve(t8)

#plot
plt.plot(t1,u1, label="20")
plt.plot(t2,u2, label="30")
plt.plot(t3,u3, label="35")
plt.plot(t4,u4, label="40")
plt.plot(t5,u5, label="50")
plt.plot(t6,u6, label="100")
plt.plot(t7,u7, label="1000")
plt.plot(t8,u8, label="10000")

A: You are correct that a simple for loop is all that is needed, something very simple like
sizes = [10, 20, 35, 40, 50, 100, 1000, 10000]
for size in sizes:
    t = np.linspace(0, 10, size)
    u, t = fe.solve(t)
    plt.plot(t, u, label=str(size))

Its possible you may even be able to do it without a for loop using np.array depending on the fe library you are using, but the above certainly makes the code more manageable.
I would advise looking up iteration in python, I see you are a fairly new contributor so suspect you may also be new to python also - for loops will save you a lot of time writing out very similar processes!

A: I have no idea what "fe" is so I cannot test my code, but could you try
values = [20,30,34,40,50,100,1000,100000]
results = {value: fe.solve(np.linspace(0,10, value)) for value in values}
for value, (u, t) in results.items():
  plt.plot(t, u, label=str(value))

Another solution : I used a dictionnary comprehension since I wanted to avoid for-loop but since I use one anyway to plot, might as well go all-in
for value in [20,30,34,40,50,100,1000,100000]:
  t = np.linspace(0,10,value)
  u, t = fe.solve(t)
  plt.plot(t, u, label=str(value)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Kansas City police officer Leila Lawson held a graduation ceremony recently for the D.A.R.E. students she taught at the Wendell Phillips School in Kansas City, Missouri.
COMBAT sponsors D.A.R.E. programs throughout Jackson County.


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HomeNewsEasyJet Announces Direct Flights Between Ireland and Iceland
EasyJet Announces Direct Flights Between Ireland and Iceland
By Fionn Davenport
EasyJet has put on sale the only direct scheduled flights between Ireland and Iceland. The new connection will launch from Belfast International Airport on 12th December 2014 and will operate twice per week, throughout the year, to the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik, with fares starting from £31.99 per person.
Uel Hoey, Belfast International Airport Business Development Director, and Ali Gayward, easyJet's Head of Northern Ireland, announce direct flights from Belfast to Reykjavik
The route will be operated using a 156-seat A319 and easyJet expects to carry around 30,000 passengers to Reykjavik during the first 12 months.
Tourism in Iceland has increased by 40% over the past two years, helped by the introduction of affordable flights. Belfast will become easyJet's seventh direct flight to Reykjavik providing easy and affordable access to Iceland's stunning scenery, views of the northern lights, volcano and whale watching tours, as well as the vibrant nightlife of the capital.
Ali Gayward, easyJet's Head of Northern Ireland, said: "We are pleased to have introduced Ireland's only direct link to Iceland, offering a year-round service with a flight time of just over two hours. It is particularly exciting to be introducing such a unique and exciting route to our base at Belfast International and we are confident it will provide a popular addition to easyJet's network. We believe the breath taking scenery and culture on offer in both Iceland and Ireland will deliver strong tourism benefits for both countries."
Uel Hoey, Belfast International Airport Business Development Director, said: "The
addition of Reykjavik opens up direct channels for Icelandic tourists to visit the entire island of Ireland via Belfast as an entry point, adding welcome revenue to our local economy.
"One of our key priorities is to invest in the provision of new and vital direct access channels from key source markets and the introduction of this new service, the only air link between the island of Ireland and Iceland, is a clear manifestation of this commitment."
Ali Gayward
Belfast International Airport
Uel Hoey
Fionn Davenport
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Home Egypt Eritrea Health News Egypt dispatches medical convoy to Eritrea
Egypt dispatches medical convoy to Eritrea
Admin 12:00 AM Egypt, Eritrea, Health, News
Orota Referral Hospital in Asmara
By Sis.gov
Egypt has dispatched a medical convoy to Eritrea, the Foreign Ministry said on Saturday 18/6/2016.
The Egyptian convoy was dispatched from the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD), added the ministry. The convoy included eight doctors, a medical equipment engineer and a general supervisor.
More than 100 surgeries were carried out by the Egyptian doctors and medical tests conducted on more than 1,200 patients. The Eritrean health departments extended thanks to Egypt for dispatching the convoy.
By MFA
The Ministry of Health delegated an Egyptian medical convoy at the expense of the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD) affiliated to the Foreign Ministry to visit Asmara, during the period from May 27 to June 10, 2016. the convoy consisted of 10 members included general supervisor and medical equipment maintenance engineer, in addition to eight doctors of various specialties, wherein the convoy met with Eritrean Minister of Health Amina Nur-Hussein and a number of her deputies and hospitals' managers, in order to agree on the agenda of doctors, who have been deployed to three hospitals: " Orota ", "Halibet " and "Berhane Eye", according to the doctors disciplines to coordinate with the hospitals' mangers to make the necessary operations in the disciplines Eritrea needs.
The medical convoy made 105 surgeries and conducted medical examinations on more than 1,200 patients, also made eyes surgeries, bones surgery and general surgery, and assisted the Eritrean doctors in many operations, while the Egyptian doctors made the complicated and risky surgeries. A number of Egyptian doctors also delivered lectures before the newly Eritrean graduated doctors and students at the Faculty of Medicine in Asmara, in addition to the specialist doctors. The anesthesiologists prepared more than 65 cases for operations. The doctors also repaired many of the medical devices and operated new other devices. The performance of the Egyptian convoy was good and honorable in general.
The Eritrean side expressed its appreciation for efforts of the Egyptian medical convoy through the EAPD to support the Eritrean medical staff to benefit from the Egyptian expertise in the field of health care. The Eritrean side also emphasized Eritrea's welcome to the ongoing cooperation in the field of health with Egypt and looked forward to continue sending Egyptian medical convoys, particularly in the field of eyes, since it is the second time for an Egyptian medical convoy to visit Eritrea after the success of the first convoy that visited Asmara, during the period from 23/11/2015 to 05/12/2015, which reflected positive reactions at the popular and official levels.
Egypt dispatches medical convoy to Eritrea Reviewed by Admin on 12:00 AM Rating: 5
Egypt Eritrea Health News


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Kornøl: The Tale of the Ale of the Grain
From the stark, isolated valleys of western Norway, this traditional farmhouse beer brings together juniper and kveik while skipping the boil. (The yeast scream is purely optional.)
Lars Marius Garshol Aug 15, 2022 - 9 min read
Photo: Matt Graves
As more people have gotten to know Norwegian farmhouse ales, they've become especially associated with two things: kveik and unboiled wort. One style that actually has both of those things is kornøl, from western Norway.
I say "style," but that's a concept foreign to farmhouse ale. As a farmhouse brewer, you brew what your father brewed, and he brewed what your grandpa brewed, and so on. The ingredients were those you had on the farm, so there was very little choice involved.
Yet the way that cultural influences spread over many centuries still leaves some clearly delineated areas where people brewed in similar ways. Northwestern Norway is one of those areas where everyone brews in more or less the same way, and they all call their beer "kornøl"—literally, grain beer—unlike in the rest of Norway. So, effectively, kornøl has become a style.
The kornøl-brewing area is in the two traditional districts of Nordfjord and Sunnmøre, with Hornindal at the center. That location is a bit misleading—Hornindal is an isolated, remote valley, so the only way it is central to the region is how it looks on the map. Of course, that isolation is why the tradition survived, and why it's now viewed as a regional center of farmhouse brewing. The reason for that isolation is easy to see on the map: It's essentially ringed by mountains on all sides, and some of those mountains are covered by the biggest glacier in continental Europe.
Historically, this region had no cities at all and hardly any sizeable towns. It does, however, have some of the most dramatic landscapes in all of Norway: In some places, the mountains rise 1,500 meters (about 4,920 feet) straight out of the fjords. People live in narrow valleys squeezed between the towering mountains, and they used to make their living from whatever relatively flat land they farmed.
So, in one sense, it's not that odd that the region should emerge as a bastion of raw ale. Oddly, the same region also stands out in traditional cheesemaking because it's an area where the milk for cheese was never boiled either. There must be some deeper historical reason for that, but it's unclear what that is.
Brewing Kornøl: It's a Scream
As with all farmhouse ales, historically, people made the malt for this beer themselves. The most common method was drying it in the sun or on the floor in a heated room, producing very pale malts. Many people used kilns that produced smoked malts, but that seems to have ended almost completely, so today the beer is very pale.
The farmers overwhelmingly preferred barley for the beer. However, barley didn't grow very well in this cool, wet coastal climate, so many would resort to malted oats. Yet they looked down on oat beer as not very good—it was "poor people's beer."
The actual brewing process is surprisingly uniform. They would first make a juniper infusion by steeping the branches in hot water. Then they would pour that onto the malt and stir. After an hour or a little longer, the mash goes into the lauter tun, which would have straw or juniper or both in the bottom. Alder sticks also were common, probably for both color and taste.
Then they would run off the wort, slowly, and pour it straight into the fermentor. (Remember: no boil.) Once the wort was roughly body temperature, they would add the kveik, often with a loud scream—the gjaerkauk—to frighten away any supernatural creatures who might ruin the beer.
For the hops, there was a lot of variation in how they were added. They used pretty much every possible method: Put the hops in the mash, lauter through a bag of hops, boil hop tea, boil hops in a little of the wort, dry hop, and so on. Not that the method matters much: They use so few hops in kornøl that you can hardly taste them anyway. These beers get their balance from the juniper and the raw ale character.
Two days after pitching, the beer was normally finished. At this point it was time to celebrate. In this area, that was usually done by going around to each of the neighbors with a bowlful of beer.
The Challenges, and a Quest
The finished beer has the classic raw-ale look: opaque yellow, with a coarse froth from the low carbonation. It typically smells of grain, juniper, minerals, and straw, with some tropical-fruit notes from the kveik fermentation. In the mouth, there's a slightly abrasive texture, which is also typical of raw ale—not quite scraping, but grainy and at times even slightly sharp. That unusual mouthfeel effectively balances the sweetness in place of the bitterness, of which there is usually very little.
The flavors produced by the kveik can have quite a lot of variation and nuance. In the kornøl from Hornindal, for example, there is usually a taste of milky caramel. This may come from the bacteria that coexist with the yeast in these kveiks, and it's a trait that doesn't seem to emerge in other parts of the region.
Kveik from a lab usually contains only a single strain, or sometimes two, but these northern kveiks tend to be very complex cultures consisting of many strains. The strains in a single kveik can be surprisingly diverse, and they often fall into two or three different groups, sometimes even four.
You can taste the difference between a single-strain kveik and the full culture. The full cultures are more complex, often with extra flavors that are missing from the single-strain kveiks. One commercial beer had lovely notes of pineapple that would come and go when I drank the beer—it always made me think of the sun peeking through the clouds when a burst of pineapple flavor appeared. The next batch of the same beer used a single-strain kveik from a lab, and sadly, the pineapple disappeared.
For brewers in most parts of the world, the trickier part about brewing kornøl is the juniper branches. Those can be difficult to get in many places, including the United States, but there is also another challenge: how to get the right flavor out of them. It's easy to overdo it and ruin the beer. It's also easy to overheat the branches, giving the beer a taste that resembles chemical cleaning agents. The best advice is to use branches that are thinner than your little finger, and to never heat the branches above 176°F (80°C).
It can also be a challenge to find commercial versions of these beers so you can taste them. There are a couple of decent ones on the market in Norway these days, though they tend to come and go from the shops. It's also hard to find them in bars, and if you travel to western Norway, I don't recommend randomly knocking on doors in the hopes of finding someone willing to give you a beer.
Here's your solution: There is a fest devoted to these beers, the Norsk Kornølfestival, held in Hornindal in October. The farmhouse brewers come to this festival and sit there like homebrewers—which, of course, they are—handing out samples of their beers. Many even have dried chips of the family kveik sitting in front of them, and they hand these out to anyone who wants it. If you want to try the real thing, that's by far your best choice.
True, this plan involves traveling all the way to Hornindal, which really is in the back of beyond. Yet the landscape more than makes up for it—and then you get to drink the beer.
Podcast Episode 216: Lars Marius Garshol Is Doing the Research and Shifting the Paradigms
The Oslo-based author and researcher of heirloom yeasts and traditional brewing techniques talks about game-changing kveik, lost farmhouse beer styles, and more.


Boosting profit and owner's pay for entrepreneurs and owner managed businesses.
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As a CFO I've been on the sharp end of financial circumstances that were *less than ideal*. The good news is that it doesn't have to be a permanent way of living for you. We can break the pattern starting tomorrow with your next receipt from a customer.
#Profitlevers Guide reveals the only 3 things you need to improve profitability!


We were devastated by the death of Humphrey, earlier in June. Despite the hard efforts of the vet, he could not be saved. Nibbles, his brother, cried and it was heartbreaking to hear. However, I am pleased to say he is much happier now. Of course he is getting extra cuddles everyday, but he has a pair of new friends...two rabbits: a boy and a girl. After a bit of sniffing and rubbing noses, they have all become friends; they have even visited each other's hutches. It is quite clear that Nibbles is in charge, as one squeak out of him sends the rabbits running.
As we did when the guinea pigs arrived, we ran another competition to name the rabbits and I am delighted to say that we decided on Lavender for the girl, courtesy of Kiara in Willow and Bailey in Alder decided upon...wait for it...Martin for the boy! Mrs Lewis is delighted as they were her two favourites! Well done to our two winners.
We are hoping to find another friend for Nibbles and are on the lookout for a female guinea pig or two to share his hutch. If you hear of any which need rehoming, come and speak to Mrs Lewis or our zoo keeper, Mrs Banton!


Special Guest Post: Bryon Quertermous: AGENTS: CAREER MAGICIANS OR THE DEVIL'S RIGHT HAND?
I just returned from a week of touring for my new novel, RIOT LOAD, and by far, the most common question I was asked was some sort doc variation on who my agent it or how I found my agent. The answer was always the same: I don't and I didn't.
This was met almost always with one of two reactions. Some folks gasped and went wide eyed at the revelation, like I had just told them time travel or faster than light travel was possible, while others nodded in a knowing way like I had just shared a secret with them and we were the only two people who really knew what was ups and that agents were a waste. The truth, of course, is somewhere in the middle.
I've mentioned numerous times that I never had any thought of MURDER BOY getting published. After years of writing novels I thought I should write I finally wrote the novel I wanted to write. And it was too short and too weird to really be of interest to most people, I thought, including literary agents. But when Jason launched Polis as a digital imprint I thought that seemed like a fine place for it and boy was I right. At the time I made the deal with Jason and Polis, I was also working as an editor and any of the agents I would have wanted to represent me were also representing authors I was working with as an editor and that seemed like a big conflict of interest to me so I represented myself.
I was lucky there in two ways. One, I'd done enough negotiating contracts to know what to be on the lookout for and two, my publisher had also been an author and knew how to write a fair contract. Most other authors won't have that particular mix of situations though, making an agent more necessary. And even with my knowledge and a fair boilerplate, there are still a few things I see after the fact that I would have negotiated differently and that would have been done differently if I'd had an agent at the time.
One of the reasons I went with Jason and Polis rather than publishing the book myself as I had long considered was because I didn't wants to have to do the work of mph listing the book on top of doing the work to write the book. Jason hired a great cover artist and a great copy editor and he gave me a great developmental edit. Jason got the book into the distribution system making it easier for stores to sell the book and for people to find the book and for the press to promote the book.
But when it came to the business side, I was doing more than I really wanted to do and would have liked to hand that aspect off as well to an agent. Because no matter how much experience I have negotiating contracts and how fair a contract Jason puts together, I will always be too close to my work and too emotional to make proper business decisions all of the time. I think for the author-editor and author-publisher relationship to really work best, there needs to be a buffer between the author and the editor and the author and the publisher. Again, I was lucky in that there were never any major issues between myself and Jason or Polis. But there were a few times were I realized had I not been with a publisher like Jason and had not been dealing with a friend, things could have very easily turned out poorly if I didn't have a knowledgable and fierce advocate on my side.
So even in my unique situation that makes representing myself as workable as possible, there are still areas I'm too close or too disinterested in to make it work completely to my advantage. Agents like Josh, who was kind enough to to lend me his space here today, and his colleague Danielle, and other great agents in the mystery field will always be better prepared for the current marketplace and its volatility than any single author will be. Even those authors with no interest in the traditional publishing world will find benefits of working with an agent. I have several savvy freelance clients who work with agents to secure foreign deals and audio deals or who handle film rights for them.
I always hear then advice in forums and other places that all a writer needs to do is have an entertainment lawyer look over a contract but I disagree. A good agent certainly works with a great contracts department or attorney but also has scouts in the field who keep them up to date on the world marketplace in publishing. Having an agent isn't just about making sure you don't get screwed in your contract, it's about having someone you can hand off the heavy business lifting to and who can work as an objective buffer between the author and the various publishing professionals involved in bringing a book to market.
I apologize for the typos. I'm on no sleep and was writing it on an iPad and thought I caught all of them.


For any questions or concerns, please contact the billing office at (541) 726-8882 ext. 202.
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A very warm welcome to Chalford Hill Primary School! Our school is happily situated in the heart of the Cotswold village of Chalford Hill, and has been an active part of the community for over 100 years. We currently have over 200 children divided between Key Stage 1 (Infants) and Key Stage 2 (Juniors). We hope you enjoy exploring our website and learning more about the school and what it has to offer your child.
If you would like to see for yourself what makes Chalford Hill School so special then please feel free to arrange an appointment with the school office on 01453 883123 and I would be delighted to show you around.
"The culture of safeguarding is strong, because the Head, the staff and governors give the safety and welfare of pupils the highest priority."
"Parents acknowledge the lengths to which staff go to provide a welcoming and inclusive school where every child is valued."
"Across the school, pupils are able to write at length in interesting and engaging ways, using a rich vocabulary."
"Parents and carers are extremely positive about the work of the school."


Pennsylvania is the seed of a great awakening coming to our nation. The land is called the Keystone State. A keystone is the central stone of an arch that holds everything together. It is this land that God will use to birth a harvest of a great move of God within our nation and beyond.
The land of Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn. It became the second state of the original 13 colonies on Wednesday December 12, 1787. This was also the first day of Tivet on the Jewish calendar. In Hebrew numerology, the number 12 symbolizes "governance" or "government." Before Washington DC became the nation's capital, the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and the articles of Confederation were adopted in York. The signing of the Declaration of Independence also occurred in Philadelphia.
During the American Revolution, the city of Lancaster became the capital of the United States for one day on September 27, 1777. The turning points of the American Revolutionary War and the Civil War occurred at Valley Forge and the Battle of Gettysburg. William Penn established the "Charter of Privileges" for the residents of the land which included governance, religious freedom and property rights. It later served as the blueprint to the Constitution of the United States.
William Penn declared the land of Pennsyvlania to God as a holy experiment and a seed to this nation. While he was persecuted and imprisoned for his faith, his dedication of this land is the seed that one day will bring forth a harvest of God's presence and His apostolic realignment over this nation. And this harvest will include the seeds of Butler.
Butler Pennsylvania is named after Major General Richard Butler, an officer of the Continental Army who served in the American Revolutionary War. In 1760, his family moved near the state capitol Harrisburg to manufacture rifles. It is known today as the Butler Gun Shop in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. By 1770, Richard Butler and one of his brothers established a trade business at Fort Pitt in Pittsburgh. In 1775, the Continental Congress commissioned him to negotiate land with the Native American Indians.
After the war ended, Richard Butler was commissioned again by the Congress to negotiate with Native American Indians in the Midwest. He later returned to Pittsburgh to serve as a county judge and the state legislature. Major General Richard Butler died at the Battle of the Wabash (St. Clair's Defeat) near the border of Western Ohio on November 4, 1791. Today, the city of Butler remains a gateway to the Midwest and nations.
In 1803, three brothers were the first to settle into the Butler area: John, Samuel and James Cunningham. James Cunningham served as an agent and surveyor for Robert Morris, who owned over 70,000 acres of land in this region. The Cunningham brothers purchased land from him and mapped out the land to host more immigrants. These brothers refused any sale of land more than 5 acres. In Hebrew numerology, the number 5 symbolizes "grace" or "power." The number 5 means the grace or power of God. It is interesting to note that Butler County has 5 distinct points in its border. The Cunningham brothers were determined to build the city and courthouse near the center of the county.
Four years after these brothers arrived to the area, a man born in Scotland came to Butler as a teacher. Walter Lowrie arrived in 1807. Four years later he was elected to the Pennsylvania Senate and seven years later became a United States Senator where he served as chairman of the federal Committee on Finance. As a senator, Lowrie was recognized for many achievements including his strong voice of opposition to slavery. He was also known as the founder of the Congressional prayer movement for both the state and federal government.
He later moved to New York City to support mission work and the spreading the Gospel. Three of his sons labored in the mission field and two of them died as martyrs for the Gospel. Lowrie's sons Walter died by Chinese pirates and Reuben died in India. Today, the home of Senator Walter Lowrie is still located adjacent to the county courthouse in downtown Butler.
In the early 20th century, the city of Butler was known as a global center for industrial manufacturing and a hub for railroad transit. Many European immigrants moved to Butler because of the steel and railcar industries. In 1902, the Standard Steel Car Company opened in Butler one of the nation's largest manufacturing facilities of railcars. Some of the first steel railcars in the country were built in Butler. Standard Steel became a leader of the industry and at its highest volume of output had at one moment over 2,000 employees producing over 60 steel-bed cars every day.
The American Austin Car Company which later changed its name to the American Bantam Car Company established its headquarters in Butler. Bantam produced fuel-efficient vehicles during the Great Depression. The car company later designed and manufactured the first prototypes of the Jeep in Butler. Today, the Jeep is one of the most popular vehicles used throughout the world. Butler is also the home of the annual Bantam Jeep Festival.
If the Jeep can begin in Butler and multiply throughout the world, then Butler can become a global mission hub of discipleship movements to nations. The seeds of Butler are ripe for harvest.


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Transparent solar panels?
Filed under: Science, Technology — Tags: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Chemistry of Materials, DOE Nanoscale Science Research Centers, Los Alamos National Laboratory, nanomaterials, nanotechnology, semiconducting polymer, solar energy — David Kirkpatrick @ 6:28 pm
A very real possibility. This sounds like very promising technology.
The release:
Transparent Conductive Material Could Lead to Power-Generating Windows
Combines elements for light harvesting and electric charge transport over large, transparent areas
Top: Scanning electron microscopy image and zoom of conjugated polymer (PPV) honeycomb. Bottom (left-to-right): Confocal fluorescence lifetime images of conjugated honeycomb, of polymer/fullerene honeycomb double layer and of polymer/fullerene honeycomb blend. Efficient charge transfer within the whole framework is observed in the case of polymer/fullerene honeycomb blend as a dramatic reduction in the fluorescence lifetime.
UPTON, NY — Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory have fabricated transparent thin films capable of absorbing light and generating electric charge over a relatively large area. The material, described in the journal Chemistry of Materials, could be used to develop transparent solar panels or even windows that absorb solar energy to generate electricity.
The material consists of a semiconducting polymer doped with carbon-rich fullerenes. Under carefully controlled conditions, the material self-assembles to form a reproducible pattern of micron-size hexagon-shaped cells over a relatively large area (up to several millimeters).
"Though such honeycomb-patterned thin films have previously been made using conventional polymers like polystyrene, this is the first report of such a material that blends semiconductors and fullerenes to absorb light and efficiently generate charge and charge separation," said lead scientist Mircea Cotlet, a physical chemist at Brookhaven's Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN).
Furthermore, the material remains largely transparent because the polymer chains pack densely only at the edges of the hexagons, while remaining loosely packed and spread very thin across the centers. "The densely packed edges strongly absorb light and may also facilitate conducting electricity," Cotlet explained, "while the centers do not absorb much light and are relatively transparent."
Mircea Cotlet, Ranjith Krishna Pai, and Zhihua Xu (seated at the microscope).
"Combining these traits and achieving large-scale patterning could enable a wide range of practical applications, such as energy-generating solar windows, transparent solar panels, and new kinds of optical displays," said co-author Zhihua Xu, a materials scientist at the CFN.
"Imagine a house with windows made of this kind of material, which, combined with a solar roof, would cut its electricity costs significantly. This is pretty exciting," Cotlet said.
The scientists fabricated the honeycomb thin films by creating a flow of micrometer-size water droplets across a thin layer of the polymer/fullerene blend solution. These water droplets self-assembled into large arrays within the polymer solution. As the solvent completely evaporates, the polymer forms a hexagonal honeycomb pattern over a large area.
"This is a cost-effective method, with potential to be scaled up from the laboratory to industrial-scale production," Xu said.
The scientists verified the uniformity of the honeycomb structure with various scanning probe and electron microscopy techniques, and tested the optical properties and charge generation at various parts of the honeycomb structure (edges, centers, and nodes where individual cells connect) using time-resolved confocal fluorescence microscopy.
The scientists also found that the degree of polymer packing was determined by the rate of solvent evaporation, which in turn determines the rate of charge transport through the material.
"The slower the solvent evaporates, the more tightly packed the polymer, and the better the charge transport," Cotlet said.
"Our work provides a deeper understanding of the optical properties of the honeycomb structure. The next step will be to use these honeycomb thin films to fabricate transparent and flexible organic solar cells and other devices," he said.
The research was supported at Los Alamos by the DOE Office of Science. The work was also carried out in part at the CFN and the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies Gateway to Los Alamos facility. The Brookhaven team included Mircea Cotlet, Zhihua Xu, and Ranjith Krishna Pai. Collaborators from Los Alamos include Hsing-Lin Wang and Hsinhan Tsai, who are both users of the CFN facilities at Brookhaven, Andrew Dattelbaum from the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies Gateway to Los Alamos facility, and project leader Andrew Shreve of the Materials Physics and Applications Division.
The Center for Functional Nanomaterials at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies Gateway to Los Alamos facility are two of the five DOE Nanoscale Science Research Centers (NSRCs), premier national user facilities for interdisciplinary research at the nanoscale. Together the NSRCs comprise a suite of complementary facilities that provide researchers with state-of-the-art capabilities to fabricate, process, characterize and model nanoscale materials, and constitute the largest infrastructure investment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative. The NSRCs are located at DOE's Argonne, Brookhaven, Lawrence Berkeley, Oak Ridge and Sandia and Los Alamos national laboratories.
Nanotech and safer nuclear power
Filed under: Science — Tags: alternative energy, interstitial, Los Alamos National Laboratory, nanocrystalline materials, nanotechnology, nuclear power — David Kirkpatrick @ 1:05 am
A very interesting release:
Safer nuclear reactors could result from Los Alamos research
'Loading-unloading' effect of grain boundaries key to repair of irradiated metal
Self-repairing materials within nuclear reactors may one day become a reality as a result of research by Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists.
In a paper appearing today in the journal Science, Los Alamos researchers report a surprising mechanism that allows nanocrystalline materials to heal themselves after suffering radiation-induced damage. Nanocrystalline materials are those created from nanosized particles, in this case copper particles. A single nanosized particle—called a grain—is the size of a virus or even smaller. Nanocrystalline materials consist of a mixture of grains and the interface between those grains, called grain boundaries.
When designing nuclear reactors or the materials that go into them, one of the key challenges is finding materials that can withstand an outrageously extreme environment. In addition to constant bombardment by radiation, reactor materials may be subjected to extremes in temperature, physical stress, and corrosive conditions. Exposure to high radiation alone produces significant damage at the nanoscale.
Radiation can cause individual atoms or groups of atoms to be jarred out of place. Each vagrant atom becomes known as an interstitial. The empty space left behind by the displaced atom is known as a vacancy. Consequently, every interstitial created also creates one vacancy. As these defects—the interstitials and vacancies—build up over time in a material, effects such as swelling, hardening or embrittlement can manifest in the material and lead to catastrophic failure.
Therefore, designing materials that can withstand radiation-induced damage is very important for improving the reliability, safety and lifespan of nuclear energy systems.
Because nanocrystalline materials contain a large fraction of grain boundaries—which are thought to act as sinks that absorb and remove defects—scientists have expected that these materials should be more radiation tolerant than their larger-grain counterparts. Nevertheless, the ability to predict the performance of nanocrystalline materials in extreme environments has been severely lacking because specific details of what occurs within solids are very complex and difficult to visualize.
Recent computer simulations by the Los Alamos researchers help explain some of those details.
In the Science paper, the researchers describe the never-before-observed phenomenon of a "loading-unloading" effect at grain boundaries in nanocrystalline materials. This loading-unloading effect allows for effective self-healing of radiation-induced defects. Using three different computer simulation methods, the researchers looked at the interaction between defects and grain boundaries on time scales ranging from picoseconds to microseconds (one-trillionth of a second to one-millionth of a second).
On the shorter timescales, radiation-damaged materials underwent a "loading" process at the grain boundaries, in which interstitial atoms became trapped—or loaded—into the grain boundary. Under these conditions, the subsequent number of accumulated vacancies in the bulk material occurred in amounts much greater than would have occurred in bulk materials in which a boundary didn't exist. After trapping interstitials, the grain boundary later "unloaded" interstitials back into vacancies near the grain boundary. In so doing, the process annihilates both types of defects—healing the material.
This unloading process was totally unexpected because grain boundaries traditionally have been regarded as places that accumulate interstitials, but not as places that release them. Although researchers found that some energy is required for this newly-discovered recombination method to operate, the amount of energy was much lower than the energies required to operate conventional mechanisms—providing an explanation and mechanism for enhanced self-healing of radiation-induced damage.
Modeling of the "loading-unloading" role of grain boundaries helps explain previously observed counterintuitive behavior of irradiated nanocrystalline materials compared to their larger-grained counterparts. The insight provided by this work provides new avenues for further examination of the role of grain boundaries and engineered material interfaces in self-healing of radiation-induced defects. Such efforts could eventually assist or accelerate the design of highly radiation-tolerant materials for the next generation of nuclear energy applications.
The Los Alamos National Laboratory research team includes: Xian-Ming Bai, Richard G. Hoagland and Blas P. Uberuaga of the Materials Science and Technology Division; Arthur F. Voter, of the Theoretical Division; and Michael Nastasi of the Materials Physics and Applications Division.
The work was primarily sponsored by the Los Alamos Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program, which, at the discretion of the Laboratory Director, invests a small percentage of the Laboratory's budget in high-risk, potentially high-payoff projects to help position the Laboratory to anticipate and prepare for emerging national security challenges. The research also received specific funding through the Center for Materials under Irradiation and Mechanical Extremes, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences.
About Los Alamos National Laboratory (www.lanl.gov)
Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and URS for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.
Meet the latest supercomputing champ — Jaguar Cray
Filed under: Technology — Tags: Department of Energy, Jaguar Cray, KurzweilAI.net, Los Alamos National Laboratory, supercomputing — David Kirkpatrick @ 3:58 pm
Via KurzweilAI.net — Over one petaflop per second!
Cray's Jaquar now world's fastest supercomputer
KurzweilAI.net, Nov. 15, 2009
The Jaguar Cray supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has become the world's most powerful supercomputer, at 1.75 petaflops per second, edging out the IBM Roadrunner system at the U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, which has slowed slightly to 1.04 petaflops per second.
The newest version of the TOP500 list, which is issued twice yearly, will be formally presented on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at the SC09 Conference, to be held at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland.
Source: Top 500 news release
A "Map of Science" from Los Alamos
Filed under: Media, Science, Technology — Tags: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Map of Science, PLoS ONE, Public Library of Science — David Kirkpatrick @ 3:10 am
Here's the release from earlier this month — you'll have to hit the link for the map.
Los Alamos Researchers Create 'Map of Science'
LOS ALAMOS, N.M., March 11, 2009 — Data provides high-resolution picture of scientists' information retrieval habits
Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists have produced the world's first Map of Science—a high-resolution graphic depiction of the virtual trails scientists leave behind when they retrieve information from online services. The research, led by Johan Bollen, appears this week in PLoS ONE (the Public Library of Science).
"This research will be a crucial component of future efforts to study and predict scientific innovation, as well novel methods to determine the true impact of articles and journals," Bollen said.
While science is of tremendous societal importance, it is difficult to probe the often hidden world of scientific creativity. Most studies of scientific activity rely on citation data, which takes a while to become available because both the cited publication and the publication of a particular citation can take years to appear. In other words, citation data observes science as it existed years in the past, not the present.
Bollen and colleagues from LANL and the Santa Fe Institute collected usage-log data gathered from a variety of publishers, aggregators, and universities spanning a period from 2006 to 2008. Their collection totaled nearly 1 billion online information requests. Because scientists typically read articles online well before they can be cited in subsequent publications, usage data reveal scientific activity nearly in real-time. Moreover, because log data reflect the interactions of all users—such as authors, science practitioners, and the informed public—they do not merely reflect the activities of scholarly authors.
Whenever a scientist accesses a paper online from a publisher, aggregator, university, or similar publishing service, the action is recorded by the servers of these Web portals. The resulting usage data contains a detailed record of the sequences of articles that scientists download as they explore their present interests. After counting the number of times that scientists, across hundreds of millions of requests, download one article after another, the research team calculated the probability that an article or journal accessed by a scientist would be followed by a subsequent article or journal as part of the scientists' online behavior. Based on such behavior, the researchers created a map that graphically portrays a network of connected articles and journals.
Bollen and colleagues were surprised by the map's scope and detail. Whereas maps based on citations favor the natural sciences, the team's maps of science showed a prominent and central position for the humanities and social sciences, which, in many places, acted like interdisciplinary bridges connecting various other scientific domains. Sections of the maps were shaped by the activities of practitioners who read the scientific literature but do not frequently publish in its journals.
The maps furthermore revealed unexpected relations between scientific domains that point to emerging relationships that are capturing the collective interest of the scientific community—for instance a connection between ecology and architecture.
"We were surprised by the fine-grained structure of scientific activity that emerges from our maps," said Bollen.
According to Bollen, future work will focus on issues involved in the sustainable management of large-scale usage data, as well the production of models that explain the online behavior of scientists and how it relates to the emergence of scientific innovation. This information will help funding agencies, policy makers, and the public to better understand how best to tap the ebb and flow of scientific inquiry and discovery.
The research team includes Bollen, Herbert Van de Sompel, Ryan Chute, and Lyudmila Balakireva of LANL's Digital Library Research and Prototyping Team and Aric Hagberg, Luis Bettencourt and Marko A Rodriguez of LANL's Mathematical Modeling and Analysis Group, and LANL's Center for Nonlinear Studies. Bettencourt also is part of the Santa Fe Institute.
Bollen and colleagues received funding from the Andrew W. Mellon foundation to examine the potential of large-scale usage data. The study is part of the MESUR (Metrics from Scholarly Usage of Resources) project of which Bollen is the principal investigator. The MESUR usage database is now considered the largest of its kind.
Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and the Washington Division of URS for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Los Alamos announces superconductivity news
Filed under: Science — Tags: Cerium, Indium, Los Alamos National Laboratory, National Nuclear Security Administration, Nature, quantum black hole, Rhodium, singularity, superconductivity — David Kirkpatrick @ 5:36 pm
Los Alamos Scientists See New Mechanism for Superconductivity
Quantum Blackhole (in condensed matter): When materials are tuned to a critical point at absolute zero temperature, quantum effects dictate universal behavior in material properties. The presence of a singular point is revealed through its unusual electronic properties outside a new form of matter that hides the singularity. enlarge image
Quantum "Alchemy": Formation of superconductivity in the vicinity of a singular critical point defies the conventional belief that turbulent electronic fluctuations are not beneficial to form the macroscopic quantum state. The unheralded source of superconductivity holds promise for the design of a room temperature superconductor. enlarge image
LOS ALAMOS, N.M., November 24, 2008 — Laboratory researchers have posited an explanation for superconductivity that may open the door to the discovery of new, unconventional forms of superconductivity.
In a November 20 Nature letter, research led by Tuson Park and Joe D. Thompson describes a new explanation for superconductivity in non-traditional materials—one that describes a potentially new state of matter in which the superconducting material behaves simultaneously as a nonmagnetic material and a magnetic material.
Superconducting materials carry a current without resistance, usually when cooled to temperatures nearing the liquid point of helium (nearly 452 degrees below zero Fahrenheit). Superconductors are extremely important materials because they hold promise for carrying electricity from one place to another without current loss or providing indefinite electric storage capacity. However, the cost of cooling materials to such extremely low temperatures currently limits the practicality of superconductors. If superconductors could be designed to operate at temperatures closer to room temperature, the results would be revolutionary.
Traditional theories of superconductivity hold that electrons within certain nonmagnetic materials can pair up when jostled together by atomic vibrations known as phonons. In other words, phonons provide the "glue" that makes superconductivity possible.
Park and his colleagues now describe a different type of "glue" giving rise to superconducting behavior.
Park and his colleagues cooled a compound of Cerium, Rhodium and Indium to just above absolute zero, nearly minus 459 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, the material exhibits superconducting behavior. However, they also subjected the crystal to pressure changes and a magnetic field to perturb the alignment of electrons within the material.
"We introduced very high quantum fluctuations in the material," Park said. "In other words, we made the electrons like a traffic jam, where it would be very difficult for them to move."
This electronic traffic jam would discourage electron pairing by phonons; nevertheless, the material continued to exhibit superconducting behavior.
Based on the material's behavior under different pressures and temperatures, researchers believe that the material reaches a quantum critical point near absolute zero. At this quantum critical point, the material retained properties of a metal with highly ordered electrons and highly disordered ones—a previously undescribed state of matter.
Park and his colleagues believe that this quantum critical point provides a mechanism to pair electrons into a quantum state that gives rise to superconducting behavior. In other words, the research helps explain a mechanism for superconductivity without phonons.
"This quantum critical point could be analogous to a black hole," said Park. "We can see what is happening at or near the event horizon—superconductivity—but we cannot yet see inside to understand why."
A new mechanism for the electron-pairing glue that gives rise to superconductivity could allow researchers to design new materials that exhibit superconducting materials at higher temperatures, perhaps even opening the door to the "Holy Grail" of superconducting materials—one that works at room temperature.
Park's colleagues include: Vladimir Sidorov, Filip Ronning, Jian-Xin Zhu, Yoshifumi Tokiwa, Hanoh Lee, Eric Bauer, Roman Movshovich, John Sarrao and Joe D. Thompson.
The research was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science and Office of Basic Energy Science and funded in part by Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and Washington Group International for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
About David Kirkpatrick
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Acerca de ANN
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ANN y Adventist.news son los canales oficiales de noticias de la Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día.
Los adventistas del Séptimo Día se dedican a ayudar a las personas a entender la Biblia para encontrar libertad, curación y esperanza en Jesús.
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National camp celebrates 40 years of impact
Sydney, Australia | Jarrod Stackelroth
MM ore than 200 Indigenous Australians gathered together in Victor Harbor, South Australia, for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministries (ATSIM) national camp from January 16-21.
From Geraldton (WA) to Kuranda (Qld), from the Finke and Tennant Creek (NT) to Port Augusta (SA), from Hammond Island in the Torres Strait to Tasmania, and everywhere in between, they flew, caught buses and drove great distances to gather in the beautiful coastal town. One lady even claimed to have flown in from Sri Lanka.
Camped at the Adare Uniting Camp and Caravan site, set about 500 meters from the ocean, the multipurpose venue provided cool sea breezes and picturesque walks to nearby Granite Island and the township of Victor Harbor.
With a heatwave blasting much of Australia, the cooler temperatures were a blessing for many of the camp attendees. Some had travelled from areas experiencing 50-degree heat while some of the desert people had never been to the ocean before.
Each of the evening programs featured a slide show of historic photos, showcasing the different regions where ATSIM has been working over the past 40 years. Connie Toga, who ministers in Mildura, Victoria, shared ATSIM history in workshops and presentations throughout the weekend. A large cake was also provided to celebrate ATSIM's 40th birthday.
While some of the focus was on the past, the camp also provided encouraging signs for the future. "A lot of people at this camp are new faces," said ATSIM national director Pastor Darren Garlett. "Often, most are from Kempsey, Cairns and WA but this year we've got a large group from the desert (Central Australia).
"Those who have attended our camps for years have commented that there are so many new faces. This just shows the work of ATSIM is growing right across the country and reaching out to people and they're responding and camp is such a big part of that."
Church leadership also showed their strong support of ATSIM at this camp: Pastor Jorge Munoz, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia (AUC), featured as the adult speaker; and South Australian Conference president Pastor David Butcher opened the camp on Wednesday night, attended on Friday night and delivered the final message on Sunday.
"ATSIM for us is an incredibly important ministry," said Pastor Munoz. "Every time we go to Mamarapha graduation, we see the impact of ATSIM in this country. People come there not knowing anything about Christ. [They] spend a term, a year, a couple of years there and the changes are noticeable. [They] go back to their communities and begin to transform their communities."
An example of this change is the remote community of Finke (NT). A few years ago there were no Adventists there. Now one-fifth of the community attend church and a number were in attendance at the camp.
"We are looking to transform many communities through the work of ATSIM," Pastor Munoz continued. "It is not us of course, not Mamarapha. It is the Holy Spirit working through the lives of those who come to Mamarapha and are part of ATSIM, that will cause changes to happen."
That the Holy Spirit is working across these Indigenous communities is evident. Testimonies featured heavily throughout the weekend as those who have seen their lives changed were given many opportunities to stand up and share how it had happened. Testimonies of healing from serious illnesses, freedom from addictions and faithfulness were shared. A number of stories even involved dreams, with one aunty from the Torres Strait describing how she had dreamt of a man who came into her shop. A few weeks later, she saw the man, who posted a flyer for a Revelation seminar and was the pastor who was running the program. After attending, she became an Adventist.
The fact that some of the programs were loosely ordered only added to the family atmosphere. One night, running out of time, WA ATSIM director Pastor John Beck asked which parts of the program should be cut back. The cry was unanimous: don't cut the testimonies. In the end, Pastor Munoz trimmed his message and asked attendees to share with each other what God had been doing in their lives.
"Having testimonies at our camps is a very special part of it," said Pastor Garlett. "Real stories that people can relate to, it highlights their journey and, for our visitors, they can see that here are people just like them who are searching for something, they've found Jesus and turned their live around. The same can happen to them. If only they want to put their hands in Jesus' hand."
ATSIM national camp wasn't just for the adults. A range of children's divisions were run, from Tiny Tots to Youth, with their own speakers and activities. The Primary division, led by Alice Springs pastor David Gilmore, had a mini tabernacle set up as they learnt about Jesus through the stations of the sanctuary. The youth travelled out to Ankara, South Australia's youth camp on the Murray River, on Sunday for a day of water skiing.
Children's entertainer Dan Warlow sang songs, told stories with his puppet Jed, and played on his guitar, keeping the children enthralled in a special one-hour performance.
Then, after closing Sabbath together, humor, singing and laughter rang across the campground on Saturday night as a concert showcased acts from around the country. Most groups sang gospel songs, some in their local languages, while people smiled and nodded. People gathered around the outdoor market stalls and picked through handwoven baskets and jewelry. There were also hand-painted bowls and boomerangs for sale, with some of the proceeds donated to support reopening Karalundi, a remote boarding school in Western Australia run by Adventists.
"It has been a refreshing time, a spiritual time," said Pastor Munoz. "We've been able to focus and refocus on the work of ATSIM. We've tried to make the messages very practical this week and help the members of ATSIM from around the country to go back and put something into action."
Pastor Garlett agrees. "The national ATSIM camp has been a success," he said. "We've had people come from all over Australia for worship, for fellowship and they've had a great time—young and old, they've all enjoyed it, had lots of fun together and most of all they've been drawn closer to Jesus."
The ATSIM national camp is held every three years.
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Portland Nicknames
With more nicknames than you can count on one hand, Portland, Oregon is a city as rich in history as its residents imaginations are vivid. Called throughout history names such as the City of Roses, Bridgetown, Little Beirut, P-Town, Rip City, Stumptown, Mudtown, Razorblade City, The Clearing, Portlandia and PDX, Portland is a city that has shown many faces and landscapes over time.
Original Portland Settlers
Resting at the base of Mt. Hood and nestled next to the Columbia and Willamette rivers, the city was an ideal location for settlers to build a lush and diverse community. Occupied pre-development by American, Canadian, and British traders and trappers, the land has long been known for its beauty and abundance. The first to create real clamor and fervor over the location were the great explorers Lewis and Clark. After their initial visit in 1804 and subsequent return to Washington D.C, in 1806, the country was slowly learning how amazing the climate and natural resources of the Portland Oregon area truly were. With all the hype it was not long before a Tennessee hobo, William Overton, his confidant, Boston lawyer Asa Lovejoy and real estate prospector and investor Francis Pettygrove decided to establish the town. So as the story goes, in the much debated history of Portland, Oregon…in 1845 over a best out of three coin-flip between Pettygrove and Lovejoy, Portland became the official city name.
Portlandia Statue in Downtown Portland
History of Portland Business
By the early 19th century Portland had established itself as a major port city and railroad hub. In 1905, based on a sudden rise in popularity, Portlandia found herself playing hostess to the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition which at that time was considered a world fair. By the mid 1990's the city had fortified itself as a major economical player. As the corporate home for companies like Intel, Doc Martens, Nike, Adidas, Wieden+Kennedy and Meier and Frank (now Macy's), Portland has remained bustling business center to this day.
Earliest Portland Parks
Despite early struggles and hardships, Portland, Oregon became well known for a fun, exciting and vibrant atmosphere due to her many amusement parks like Oaks Park (the city's first park opening in 1905), Council Crest Amusement Park (1907), Columbia Beach (1916), Blue Lake Park (1925), Jantzen Beach (1928) and Lotus Isle (1930). The history of Portland Oregon is also littered with gold prospectors, celebrities, artists and festival followers. With such an electrically eclectic population, Portland was bound to shine bright for years to come and shine she does.
History of Portland Art
Not all about business and fun, Portland's unique culture is well known based upon a mass of creative types, artists, entrepreneurs and alternative thinkers. Also home to the Portland Art Museum, the Alberta Arts District, a Regional Arts and Culture Council, the Artists Repertory Theatre and The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI). Portland is truly defined by innovation, elevation and exploration of art and human creativity. Want to learn more about the history of Portland Oregon? Visit the Oregon Historical Society!
History of Portland Oregon: Learn more
As the 33rd state to join the Union in 1859, the history of Portland Oregon is long and storied, boasting a fantastic history full of wondrous events and accomplishments. Portland is well known for her events such as The Rose Festival (originated in 1907), the Oregon and California Railroad (building began in 1869) and the Columbia River Highway (cleared for travel in 1915).
Photo above: The Park Blocks in Downtown Portland where many of the first churches in the area were erected. These churches span many faiths and cultures.
Additional reading of interest:
The Oregon Coast
Mt Hood
Downtown Portland
The Many Breweries Defining Portland
A Guide to Visiting Portland
Portland Attractions


U.S. Air Force personnel looking to buy their new Operational Camouflage Pattern uniforms should only purchase them at Army & Air Force Exchange Service, or AAFES, stores, according to a recent reminder quoting a U.S. military uniform official.
"AAFES is the authorized source for offering uniforms to our service members," Col. Stephen Thomas, project manager, Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment at Program Executive Office Soldier, said in an April 10 AAFES news release. "The uniforms are produced by government-approved vendors, meet uniform quality standards and comply with regulatory specifications."
The Air Force announced in May of last year that it was adopting Army's Operational Camouflage Pattern, or OCP, as its new combat uniform.
The service plans to phase out the current Airman Battle Uniform, or ABU, for the OCP over the next three years and have all airmen wearing the OCP by April 1, 2021.
To offset the cost of the new uniform, enlisted airmen will get a clothing bag allowance increase since the OCP is about $20 more expensive than the ABU, Air Force officials said.
Last year, the Air Force updated Air Force Instruction 36-2903, "Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel," to provide guidance to airmen guidance on how to properly wear the new OCP uniform. Guidance stressed that personnel should only buy the new uniform at AAFES stores.
The April 10 release reiterates that message, stating that uniforms sold by AAFES have the government-certified contract number on the inside label and comply with the Berry Amendment, a federal regulation that requires uniforms, equipment and other military items to be made by U.S. manufacturers.
"Without that label, there is no guarantee that the uniform has been produced to military specifications," the release states.
Airmen can find their nearest AAFES Military Clothing store on the exchange's store locator.


Dave Sorin's national practice focuses primarily on privately- and publicly-owned startup, early stage, emerging growth, and middle market technology, tech-enabled and life science enterprises, as well as the investors, executives, and boards of directors who support and lead them. Dave has a long track record of successful representation of growth companies, having been repeatedly recognized by well-known periodicals for a unique combination of legal acumen and sound business judgment. He also brings to bear his broad range of knowledge and experience in counseling enterprises and investors in diverse emerging growth markets, technology industries (including software, artificial and augmented intelligence, VR/AR, information technology, e-commerce, cybersecurity and communications), and life sciences. Dave is a thought leader in the emerging areas of blockchain, smart contracts and digital currencies—not only talking the talk by participating in speaking engagements and authoring articles, but walking the walk by representing venture capital investors and companies employing such technologies, and working on matters in connection with utility and security tokens, SAFTs, and ICOs (including under Regulations D and A).


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6 Things I Regret Wasting My Money on Over the Holidays
Holiday Things You Shouldn't Spend Money On
November 27, 2019 by Kate Stahl
The holidays are a magical, wonderfully family focused, and oh-so-expensive time, especially after you become a parent. Some of that holiday spending is worthy and fun — nothing beats watching your child freak out after opening the present at the top of their wish list that you scored with great effort, then heroically and unselfishly credited to Santa.
But for every holiday dollar you'll be happy you spent, there's another one you feel like you totally squandered. Want to ensure that you're spending on the right things this season? Then learn from our money mistakes, and don't waste your hard-earned cash on the following six goods and services — no matter how festive they might seem.
As If Our Mental Load Wasn't Heavy Enough, Here Come the Holidays
Elaborate (or any) gifts for babies and small toddlers. Until your child is old enough to actually express something they want for Christmas, don't bother getting them gifts. Caveat: if that baby or toddler has an older sibling and you'll feel guilty about the inequity, then go ahead and wrap up a few superinexpensive or hand-me-down items. They'll still prefer the box.
More than a few gifts for children of any age. Trust me, give your kids more than three gifts each and you're wasting your money. After that third gift, they glaze over, barely even seeing any subsequent presents, and instead become package-opening machines. Get three goods ones, and you're a hero and they'll be beyond satisfied.
Fancy Christmas outfits and pajamas. I get all those catalogs with the adorable matching holiday outfits and pajamas, too, and every year, I'm tempted. But then I remember the one year I did splurge on some pricey Christmas-themed pajamas, passing them over on Christmas Eve, hoping to start a new tradition. My kids refused to wear them that night and every other night after that, too, because Christmas was then a thing of the past. Lesson learned.
Gifts for every kid in your extended family. When your cousin or husband's best friend has a new baby, it can be tempting to add them to your buying list. Don't do it. The best way you'll keep control over holiday expenses is to keep your gift-giving list short. Invite the parents over for a glass of wine instead and call it a (holi)day.
Expensive Christmas activities for babies and toddlers. When my son was 18 months old, we spent $30 per ticket to take our family of four to a Shrek-themed holiday extravaganza in a neighboring town. He immediately hated the faux but life-size Shrek waiting outside the event and refused to go in, and we were out $60 while my husband waited with him in the car. I've had similar experiences with a teddy-bear-themed Christmas tea I tried to take my then-2-year-old daughter to (she wasn't in the mood) and the Yo Gabba Gabba Christmas show we took her to the year before that (she kept her eyes closed the whole time because she was terrified and eventually fell asleep). If you don't think your kids are old enough to truly enjoy an excursion, don't waste your time and money on it.
Bringing or buying excess baby gear for holiday vacations. If you're flying somewhere over the holidays, there's some smart money to spend (shipping diapers and gifts separately is a big one for me), and then there's not-so-smart money to spend. Keep your checked bags minimal — your kid doesn't need a million toys and all their baby gear, we promise. Only rent items you'll really need (a crib and highchair are probably it), and bring along your stroller and car seat since airlines will let you check them for free. That glass of not-so-good white wine on the flight, however? That's totally worth the money.
Image Source: StockSnap / RawPixel.com
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Rogue Wave Mini-Movie Premiere: "We Will Make A Song Destroy"
Rogue Wave's show last Wednesday night was a reminder of how beloved the band is in the Bay Area indie music community, as the fans and friends that packed Bottom of the Hill responded with roaring enthusiasm to songs from the band's new album, Permalight. In addition to introducing the crowd to some winning new indie pop gems, the sneak preview of new songs also put to rest any fears that Permalight's use of electronic sounds would stifle the band's engaging warmth. Or, as Rogue himself dryly quipped after one song, "We're so dancey."
[audio:http://thefader.cachefly.net/thetripwire/solitarygun.mp3]
Rogue Wave – "Solitary Gun"
If you want to check out Permalight for yourself, head on over to Pandora, where you can hear tracks from the album before it comes out this Tuesday. Additionally, Rogue Wave have created a series of mini-movies for the new songs, and we're happy to premiere the video for "We Will Make A Song Destroy" above. You can follow all of the mini-movies over at the band's web site.
By The Bay Bridged|February 28, 2010|Tags: Rogue Wave|
About the Author: The Bay Bridged
Founded in 2006, The Bay Bridged is a 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization utilizing new media and presenting live events to support the San Francisco Bay Area's indie rock, folk, and pop music communities.


Cointruce will always serve your bitcoin needs all times of the day! We did that once again and in great style! We had no single complaint once more from our increasing customers of any service this Christmas and New Year celebration.
We avail our customers to meet up with our experts at the Cointruce Head Office located at Suit B06 Lugbe Plaza, FHA Lugbe District, F.C.T Abuja.


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RFA safety programs earn national recognition
By Renewable Fuels Association | April 24, 2020
The Renewable Fuels Association has received the TRANSCAER National Achievement Award in recognition of extraordinary achievement by the organization or a team in support of the TRANSCAER initiative, a national outreach effort that has focused on assisting communities prepare for and respond to possible hazardous material transportation incidents. 2019 marks the eighth year in a row the ethanol association has received this honor.
"For the eighth consecutive year, the Renewable Fuels Association continues to go above and beyond to implement the principles of TRANSCAER," said TRANSCAER Director Erica Bernstein. "We are proud to recognize RFA's contributions to the TRANSCAER program and for their dedication to training first responders on ethanol safety and emergency response in communities across the United States."
In 2019, RFA held 27 ethanol safety seminars in 10 locations, four Train-the-Trainer webinars and an online ethanol safety training initiative, which trained emergency responders on how to properly respond to an ethanol incident. Collectively, these events trained nearly 900 individuals last year.
"Once again, this is a great honor for RFA, especially for our Director of Safety and Technical Programs, Missy Ruff, who has led our involvement with TRANSCAER," said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. "The safety of industry employees continues to be a top priority, and we want to do all we can to help emergency personnel be well-prepared. The U.S. ethanol industry enjoys a strong record of safety, and we look forward to educating even more first responders in the future."
TRANSCAER members include volunteer representatives from the chemical manufacturing, transportation, distribution, hazardous material storage and handling, emergency response and preparedness, and related service industries as well as the government. "TRANSCAER" stands for Transportation Community Awareness Emergency Response. Click here for more information.
RFA's Missy Ruff was chosen last year to chair the National TRANSCAER Task Group, the managing body for initiatives undertaken by the organization. For more information on ethanol safety events, visit www.ethanolresponse.com.
Pacific Ethanol completes name change to Alto Ingredients Inc.
WASDE: 2020-'21 outlook for corn use in ethanol lowered


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House of the Week: Country estate in Kinderhook
Leigh Hornbeck
This week's house is a classic wood-sided Colonial with a field stone addition, built in 1995 on 56 acres at 3307 County Route 21 in Kinderhook.
Look inside more unique homes and get design tips with our Places & Spaces newsletter. Sign up here.
The house has 5,216 square feet of living space. It has four bedrooms and four bathrooms, plus an additional bedroom and bathroom in the guest house. Highlights include six wood-burning fireplaces, a screened porch, a bar in the walk-out basement, updated bathrooms and a pond lined with willows. There is also a three-bay carriage house style garage and a barn. Private well and septic, oil heat. Ichabod Crane schools. Learn more about the criteria for House of the Week.
Taxes: $35,000. List price: $1,995,000. Contact listing agent Mary Stapleton with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Blake, Realtors at 518-929-7783. More details here.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Blake, Realtors
3307 County Route 21, Kinderhook.
This week's house is a classic wood clapboard Colonial with a field stone addition. It was built in 1995 on 56 acres. The lot also has on it a barn, a 3-bay carriage house and a cottage. The house has 5,216 square feet of living space. It has four bedrooms and four bathrooms, plus an additional bedroom and bathroom in the guest house. There are six wood-burning fireplaces, a screened porch, a bar in the walk-out basement and a pond lined with willows. Private well and septic, oil heat. Ichabod Crane schools. Taxes: $35,000. List price: $1,995,000. Contact listing agent Mary Stapleton with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Blake, Realtors at 518-929-7783.
Photos by Mara Estribou


Comments: Conveniently located in the Calgary Auto Mall (Glendeer Circle, SE - Glenmore East Exit off Deerfoot Trail), we're open M-T 8:30am-9:00pm, and Friday & Saturday until 6:00pm. Knowledgeable AMVIC licensed product advisers are on-standby, ready to answer your questions, and help you find the vehicle of your dreams! At Maclin Ford, we have experience, friendly staff & 101 years in the business on your side. Calgary's first Ford dealership, and the first dealership to think of when it comes to buying and servicing your vehicle.The car-buying experience should be a fun one, you should be treated like a VIP.


There's a whole world that we pass over every day. Look a little closer and amazing details and spaces open up!
If you are interested in photgarphs in this gallery, use the contact form to contact me directly.


text:
Describe "XamarinAndroidImageImporter" {
    Import-Module $PSScriptRoot\..\XamarinImageImporter\XamarinAndroidImageImporter.psd1

    Context "Test-Parameters" {
        BeforeEach {
            Copy-Item .\Sandbox\Solution\Sandbox\Sandbox.Android $TestDrive -Recurse
            $csproj = Join-Path $TestDrive Sandbox.Android | Join-Path -ChildPath Sandbox.Android.csproj
            $image = Copy-ImageAndRename ".\Sandbox\Images\filter_all_bluehdpi.png" (Join-Path $TestDrive Sandbox.Android | Join-Path -ChildPath Resources | Join-Path -ChildPath drawable-hdpi) filter_all_blue.png 6>$null
        }
        AfterEach {
            Remove-Item (Join-Path $TestDrive Sandbox.Android) -Recurse
        }
        It "Should not allow *.csproj that is not found" {
            { Add-XamarinAndroidImage $image Sandbox.Android.csproj } | Should Throw
        }
        It "Should not allow projects that are not *.csproj" {
            { Add-XamarinAndroidImage $image (Join-Path $TestDrive Sandbox.Android | Join-Path -ChildPath packages.config) } | Should Throw
        }
    }

    Context "Add-XamarinAndroidImage" {
        BeforeEach {
            Copy-Item .\Sandbox\Solution\Sandbox\Sandbox.Android $TestDrive -Recurse
            $csproj = Join-Path $TestDrive Sandbox.Android | Join-Path -ChildPath Sandbox.Android.csproj
            Copy-Item ".\Sandbox\Images\filter_all_blue*" $TestDrive
        }
        AfterEach {
            Remove-Item (Join-Path $TestDrive Sandbox.Android) -Recurse
        }
        It "Should silently ignore images not found" {
            (Add-XamarinAndroidImage image.png $csproj 6>&1 4>$null | Measure-Object -Line).Lines | Should Be 0
            (Add-XamarinAndroidImage image.png $csproj 6>$null 4>&1 | Measure-Object -Line).Lines | Should Be 0
        }
        It "Should write to the verbose stream when the image is not found and the verbose switch is on" {
            (Add-XamarinAndroidImage image.png $csproj -Verbose 6>&1 4>$null | Measure-Object -Line).Lines | Should Be 0
            ((Add-XamarinAndroidImage image.png $csproj -Verbose 6>$null) 4>&1 | Measure-Object -Line).Lines | Should Be 6
        }
        It "Should write to the verbose stream when the directory is not found and the verbose switch is on" {
            $androidFolder = Split-Path $csproj -Parent
            Remove-Item (Join-Path $androidFolder Resources | Join-Path -ChildPath drawable-hdpi) -Recurse
            Remove-Item (Join-Path $androidFolder Resources | Join-Path -ChildPath drawable-xhdpi) -Recurse
            Remove-Item (Join-Path $androidFolder Resources | Join-Path -ChildPath drawable-xxhdpi) -Recurse
            (Add-XamarinAndroidImage (Join-Path $TestDrive filter_all_blue.png) $csproj -Verbose 6>&1 4>$null | Measure-Object -Line).Lines | Should Be 0
            ((Add-XamarinAndroidImage (Join-Path $TestDrive filter_all_blue.png) $csproj -Verbose 6>$null) 4>&1 | Measure-Object -Line).Lines | Should Be 6
        }
        It "Should write to the information stream for each image copied and added to the project" {
            $androidFolder = Split-Path $csproj -Parent
            New-Item -Path (Join-Path $androidFolder Resources) -Name drawable-ldpi -ItemType Directory
            New-Item -Path (Join-Path $androidFolder Resources) -Name drawable-mdpi -ItemType Directory
            New-Item -Path (Join-Path $androidFolder Resources) -Name drawable-xxxhdpi -ItemType Directory
            $info = Add-XamarinAndroidImage (Join-Path $TestDrive filter_all_blue.png) $csproj -Verbose 6>&1 4>&1
            ($info | Measure-Object -Line).Lines | Should Be 12
            ($info | Where-Object { $_.ToString().StartsWith("Copied") } | Measure-Object -Line).Lines | Should Be 6
            ($info | Where-Object { $_.ToString().StartsWith("Added") } | Measure-Object -Line).Lines | Should Be 6
        }
    }
}