text:
May 16, 2016 Feb. 27, 2017
How I Survived the Shark Tank: An Ed-Tech Entrepreneur Speaks
Billionaire Investors Mark Cuban, Chris Sacca Team Up to Invest in Brightwheel
A developer from San Francisco, Calif. makes a pitch for his preschool technology, convincing two billionaires to each contribute to his ed-tech venture. The ABC network show originally aired on April 29.
With a powerful sales pitch, Dave Vasen, the founder of a preschool technology provider, wound up initiating a heated debate between two billionaires, Mark Cuban and Chris Sacca—both judges on the ABC show "Shark Tank"—about who should invest in his company, and how much.
In the end, Vasen brought them both on board.
Vasen—who only two years…
Sign up for Market Brief updates
To continue reading this story, please provide your email address. We will send you updates about new content that will interest you.
Vasen—who only two years ago created brightwheel as an all-in-one app for early-education providers, day-care operators, and families—asked the "sharks" to consider teaming up for an investment.
The A, B, C's and 1, 2, 3's of Brightwheel's Deal
Vasen shared brightwheel's financial data and strategy (as well as cute pictures of kids in preschool) during the popular show, in which he sought a $400,000 investment in return for a 4 percent stake in his company.
The "sharks" asked for numbers, and here's what he provided:
Ten schools took part in the initial pilot in 2014.
Brightwheel received a $2.2 million investment to start from Eniac Ventures.
By June 2015, 2,500 schools were using its app.
The company is adding about 40 or 50 preschools or day-care centers each day.
Its product is currently free; a premium service will be rolled out in early 2017.
The price will be $40 a month for small preschools and day-care operations, and up to $200 a month for larger ones.
Projected revenues are $1 million in 2017, $6 million the next year, and $20 million after that.
In a TV show where many entrepreneurs with promising products walk away empty-handed, Vasen received offers from three of the five investors who listened to his pitch.
After Sacca's original offer, Vasen said to him, "That's an amazing offer. Do you have any desire to team up with other sharks?"
Ultimately, Vasen secured a $600,000 investment ($300,000 each) from Cuban and Sacca, in return for a combined 6.67 percent stake in his company.
"I was horribly nervous," recalled Vasen. "People told me, 'You looked calm, cool, and collected.' I felt like I was putting my company out there. The show was a risk for us," he told EdWeek Market Brief.
"Then, when things were going positively, I didn't want to lose the deal. I felt passionate and strong about wanting to do a deal and bringing Mark and Chris on board," Vasen said.
Cuban is the owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theaters, and Magnolia Pictures. Sacca is a Silicon Valley-based angel investor whose investments in Uber and Twitter were called "ground-floor bonanzas" by Forbes magazine. During the show, the two argued about why they should, or might not, team up to support Vasen's company.
They weren't alone in their admiration for brightwheel. A third shark, Kevin O'Leary, called the company's strategy "brilliant" and also offered to invest.
(You can watch the back-and-forth during the episode at this link. The brightwheel segment is the last, and begins three-quarters of the way through the show.)
Brightwheel helps families find out what their children are doing during the day at school, helps teachers and day-care providers manage their students' activities and schedules, and helps administrators streamline their operations, using technology instead of paper.
We asked Vasen to tell us more about his company, what it was like to be on "Shark Tank," and what advice he would have for other education company leaders who want to give it a try. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
How difficult is it to be selected for "Shark Tank"?
Tens of thousands of companies apply to be on the show. You can apply or they can find you. They hold live auditions throughout the country at different points of the year.
What advice would you give other ed-tech providers interested in pursuing a "Shark Tank" appearance?
Seed Investor Explains Why Brightwheel Appeals
Dave Vasen "stands out," among ed-tech entrepreneurs, said Tim Young, a founding general partner at Eniac Ventures, which invested $2.2 million in seed money in brightwheel.
When Vasen pitched his business to Young, the investor said he was "blown away" by Vasen's background working in ed tech for AltSchool and Amazon. Young was also impressed by Vasen's "passion and charisma."
Another thing that Young found compelling was Vasen's credibility. "He really is trying to create value," Young said. Entrepreneurs who are driven primarily to make money or sell their companies are far less likely to succeed, in his view.
"You have to be motivated by something more meaningful than that—by helping people or connecting with a user base," Young said.
As for Eniac Ventures, Young said the firm that invests exclusively in mobile technologies "is always looking for opportunities in education." That puts his business in a field apart from many others. "It's a very exciting space, but not heavily sought after by investors because there are long sales cycles and not a lot of tech adoption," Young said.
But Young has a soft spot for helping educators, who he said are generally "way underpaid and way overworked," which is why technology can be so beneficial to them. "We're always looking at opportunities to make that happen, especially in K-12. There's not a lot of investment activity in the space."
It's not easy, and it's a big investment. The things that are important: What is your product and what is the traction? On the traction side, it's important to be doing well.
For us, the product was something very personal and meaningful that people could understand and connect with. Whether they're a teacher or parent, or if they have a niece or nephew, it's something they can relate to.
As for traction, had we gone in there with 10 schools—like we had when we originally launched—it would have gone pretty poorly.
What was the hardest thing about going on "Shark Tank"?
During the taping, it was over an hour of back-and-forth. For TV purposes, they trim it down. The hardest for me was not the back-and-forth. That was fun. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to put myself in a bad situation. Early on, when I said we had money in the bank, they asked tough questions like, "Are you here for the right reasons?" I had to make the case that we're building a global company, and we want to have the strongest brand in early education.
People often see "reality" shows and want to know whether they're real or staged. How would you answer that?
The sharks didn't know anything about me or the company. They're sizing you up when you walk out there. Sharing our story and the impact we've had on teachers and parents was key in showing we're here for the right reasons.
How did you wind up on "Shark Tank"?
We opened our doors in June 2015, and it just so happened they were auditioning for the show across the street from us two weeks later. Things were super-busy. I huddled with my team and said, "I'm going to do this." My team said, "You're crazy." But I did it anyway. My daughter walked in with me. I kept it basic. They grilled me a couple of times, and the story was well received by the "Shark Tank" team. I have to credit my daughter, Serena, for that. [Serena is in the target audience for the product, and one of the inspirations for it: she's a preschooler.]
What was the preparation for the show like?
It was months of work. There were applications and background checks. They do a thorough vetting to make sure you are who you say you are and that your company is, too. There are videos, videoconferences, applications. There were tens—if not hundreds—of hours of preparation. Seven or eight different rounds of cuts. Then, if the show's results leak out, or it doesn't go well, they may not air your segment. It was a big gamble.
Shark Tank's sharks grilled the ed-tech CEO: 'Are you in this business for the right reasons?'Click to Tweet
How did you prepare for the taping itself?
I underwent a lot of grilling. My team helped out. After we put our daughter, Serena, down at night, my wife would throw a couple of questions at me.
What was the biggest risk of going on the show?
The biggest [buzz around] our product is the positivity. And you never know when you put yourself out there. There's some risk of negativity.
Did you feel any negative vibe? These are "sharks," after all.
When they heard I was asking for $400,000 in return for 4 percent of the company, folks were asking if I really needed that and was I there for the right reasons. I told them I wasn't just there for money or PR, but to scale to build a global brand. What was interesting for me is that the sharks quickly came around to see that this is a product that's needed.
I think all five of them are parents and understood the parents' side of the challenge in knowing what your child is doing at school all day. Chris Sacca has three kids, and Mark Cuban said he had once offered to build software for his preschool. Teachers are in a tough position. A lot of people don't realize all that early educators are handling. It turned positive pretty quickly.
How do you feel your product fit into the mix?
We're not a standard company. You don't see a lot of educational products; you don't see a lot of companies that have a free product. Usually, it's a lot of retail businesses with impressive sales. What helped was our valuation, and the fact that we had funding. I did have to disclose on the show that we raised $2.2 million at $8.2 million valuation originally [a fact the sharks discovered during their questioning]. (See sidebar interview with Tim Young, founding general partner at Eniac Ventures, which made that investment.)
So what's happened since the win?
It's just been a lot of love. Our existing schools have gone on social media and been our champions. All these new schools have posted and said how excited they are, how passionate they are.
Are Cuban and Sacca actually involved now with you and your company?
Yes, definitely. Mark is often the first investor to respond to my emails. Chris spent a couple of hours with us. They've both been really actively involved, and they're both passionate about what we're building.
Photo: Courtesy of brightwheel and ABC/Michael Desmond
UPDATE: This post was updated to include the links below, detailing a 2017 investment in brightwheel and its 2016 acquisition of MyChild.
K-12 Dealmaking: Brightwheel Takes in $10 Million; TinyTap, VKidz Raise Funds
K-12 Dealmaking: Brightwheel Acquires MyChild; College Vine Raises $3.1 Million
Two-Minute Tip: Rewards & Risks of Product Ambassador Programs
Video: Two-Minute Tip on Smart Strategies for Working With School Principals
Video: Two-Minute Tip Breaking Down K-12 Needs for Social-Emotional Learning Products


text:
Abactochromis labrosus  — вид лучепёрых рыб семейства цихловых, эндемик озера Малави (Ньяса) в Восточной Африке, представитель монотипического рода Abactochromis.

Характеристика
Abactochromis labrosus предположительно относится к группе «Мбуна», но отличается от всех других представителей этой группы наличием сильно гипертрофированных бородавчатых завернутых в трубочку губ, большой головы и сильно сплющенного тела, позволяющего проникать глубоко в узкие трещины. Эта особенность особенно хорошо видна у взрослых особей. Также этот род отличается весьма своеобразной пищевой нишей и нехарактерными для большинства других соседей особенностями поведения. Abactochromis labrosus не имеет выраженного полового диморфизма.

Название рода происходит от латинского слова «abactus» — изгой и «chromis» (от греч. «χρώμα» — цвет, цветной (обычное окончание для родов ярких африканских цихлид)). Название рода, с одной стороны, говорит об уединенном и скрытном образе жизни этой цихлиды, с другой стороны, говорит от «изгнании» вида Abactochromis labrosus из рода Melanochromis, в составе которого он ошибочно находился в течение 75 лет.

Места обитания и питание
Abactochromis labrosus распространен в озере Малави повсеместно, но встречается довольно редко. В природе эти цихлиды живут среди скал, обычно на глубине 5—20 метров.

Основу рациона составляют мальки других цихлид группы «Мбуна», а также мелкие ракообразные, личинки насекомых, черви. Они разыскивают их в трещинах скал, проникают узким ртом в расщелины, герметично затыкают их своими выдающимися губами, а затем резко всасывают содержимое трещины, поглощая все живое, спрятавшееся в ней.

Поведение и размножение
В природе Abactochromis labrosus ведёт скрытный образ жизни, среди прибрежных скал, в узких, недоступных расщелинах, моментально исчезая в них при малейшей опасности. Рыбы одиночны и настроены агрессивно по отношению к своим сородичам. Подобно большинству представителей группы Мбуна самки вынашивают икру во рту.

Содержание в аквариуме
В аквариумистике Abactochromis labrosus известен с 1990-х годов и считается весьма проблемным не только в разведении, но и в содержании. Необходимы просторные аквариумы, не менее 300 литров, со множеством укрытий, например, керамических труб и горшков. Содержать можно и небольшую стаю, и пару. Как всем и цихлидам озера Малави, Abactochromis labrosus нужна жесткая щелочная вода. Abactochromis labrosus требователен к качеству воды, поэтому необходимы хорошая аэрация и качественная биологическая фильтрация.

Рыб, выловленных в природе, желательно начинать кормить мелким, не очень быстрым мальком. Выведенных в аквариуме — обычным живым кормом.

В России первые экземпляры появились в 2002 году.

Таксономия
Впервые описан ихтиологом Этельвиной Тревавас в 1935 году и был ошибочно отнесён к роду меланохромисов (Melanochromis). В 2010 году были повторно исследованы ихтиологами Майклом Оливером и Мэтью Арнегардом. Они на основе изучения ДНК рыб пришли к выводу, что этот вид не принадлежит ни к роду Melanochromis, ни к какому-либо другому описанному роду. Ученые установили новый род Abactochromis с единственным видом Abactochromis labrosus.

  — лаброзус, или коричневый губарь, или коричневая циртокара, или губастый коричневый меланохромис

Примечания

Ссылки

  Описание вида Abactochromis labrosus на сайте www.malawi.cichlids.ru
  О разведении рыб рода Abactochromis в России
  Фотография рыбы вида Abactochromis labrosus на сайте www.aqua-fisher.narod.ru под старым названием Melanochromis labrosus

Цихловые
Монотипические роды лучепёрых рыб
Рыбы Африки
Эндемики озера Малави
Животные, описанные в 1935 году

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Yesterday, Katy Perry came under fire for the ~controversial~ topics she raised while hosting the VMAs from celebrity bbs to, erm, pee.
But it was a swipe at Justin Bieber that got peeps REALLY riled up.
Katy came on stage carrying a fake baby and joked about how *certain* celebs have babies to boost their social media presence.
"My management told me I should have a fake baby to increase the publicity and have more followers," she joked.
Then she went in for even more shade, saying that her fake baby "knows all the words to 'Despacito', unlike some other babies I know."
Obvs referring to Justin who famously doesn't know the lyrics to the catchy song he features on and fakes the words while performing it live.
Meanwhile, the internet is high-key LOSING IT over Katy's drive-by shade of the Biebs.


text:
EcoDuro, Inc. is a manufacturing, engineering and marketing company in Ann Arbor, Michigan that holds patents in the major industrial companies for its unique engineered paper pallets.  EcoDuro is a company that is focused on developing products for sustainable business practices.

EcoDuro's standard pallets weigh just 9 to 19 pounds, which us about 1/3 the weight of wood pallets that are historically used.  Lighter weight has advantages for reduced fuel consumption and reduced air and LTL (Less than Truck Load) shipping costs, as well as help with OSHA compliance.

The EcoDuro and other paper pallets meet the IPPC regulations and are easily recycled and re-pulpable.

History

The Company was founded in 2001 with the name Excalibur Pallet Group and the patents for its engineered paper pallets issued in major industrial countries.  In 2004, the company was reformed with the name EcoDuro, Inc. with an investment from Endurance Ventures, LLC, an Ann Arbor Venture Capital Firm as its first cleantech investment.  Significant, is that it was one of the rare venture capital backed companies to be moved to Michigan as opposed to being moved from Michigan.

Originally, EcoDuro built its own manufacturing, but after the product was developed, changed its model to contract manufacturing using regional partners who already had paper honeycomb capabilities and expertise.

Manufacturing locations

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Partners

Honeycomb Products of Michigan, Manufacturing Partner
Endurance Ventures, LLC, Investment Partner
Clark Hill, Legal Counsel

Third-party testing

Michigan State University School of Packaging
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Customers

Amway
Consolidated Buscuit
GE Medical
Ocean Spray
Pfizer

External links

Companies based in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Companies established in 2001


text:
EHang Secures Launch Order for Longer-range VT-30
by Charles Alcock
- January 4, 2022, 8:52 AM
EHang has received the first order for its VT-30 Autonomous Aerial Vehicle, with Japan's Okayama Kurashiki Mizushima Aero & Space Industry Cluster Study Group (MASC) committing to exploring use cases for the two-seat eVTOL aircraft, as well as the Chinese manufacturer's EH216 model. The announcement late last month did not specify how many VT-30s MASC intends to purchase or when deliveries will be made.
Over the past six months, with MASC's support, EHang has conducted a series of demonstration flights with the EH216 in the Japanese cities of Fukushima and Okayama. The companies are jointly evaluating possible passenger services in the country, as well as logistics and emergency medical applications.
The most recent display was at the Kasaoka Air Station in Okayama on December 23 and involved the eVTOL carrying a 60-kg (132-pound) payload. Local officials in Fukushima have been laying plans for commercial operations to begin from 2023.
In May, EHang unveiled the VT-30 as a longer-range alternative to the EH216, which can only fly routes of up to around 22 miles. EHang has not provided any details about the composition of the all-electric propulsion system that it claims will support a range of up to 300 km (187 miles) or endurance of 100 minutes.
Want more? You can find a longer version of this article at FutureFlight.aero, a news and information resource developed by AIN to provide objective coverage and analysis of cutting-edge aviation technology.
https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aerospace/2022-01-04/ehang-secures-launch-order-longer-range-vt-30

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The integration of the remote monitoring system Prognos with PRIMAVERA management software provides distributors access to a set of data, metrics and business information.
The remote consumption monitoring system Prognos, developed by ISA – Intelligent Sensing Anywhere, began to benefit from an integration with the management solution PRIMAVERA. The combination of the two solutions allows oil and gas distribution companies to access key information that supports decision-making.
It is possible to know the consumption, stocks, replenishments to execute, or the logistics operations taking place over a period of time by integrating these two data sources, which associated with management metrics and forecasting business provides valuable information for decision-making.
This partnership adds critical value in an extremely aggressive international market. The data and reports that these two systems generate can be decided by each company according to the specificities of its business.
The oil and gas distribution companies encounter a new way to achieve greater efficiency and performance for their business using Prognos. This solution was developed by the Portuguese company ISA and allows remote monitoring and management of tanks/reservoirs, cylinders or meters. With the ability to integrate smart meters, meters with pulse reading and sensors from different manufacturers, Prognos becomes an independent solution from manufactures that is capable of grouping a heterogeneous distribution network through a single interface.
Learning the consumption profiles (either of tanks, cylinders, or meters), tracing distribution routes, anticipating supply needs, and controlling the stock are some of the main challenges faced by gas distributors. Prognos simplifies all of this management processes. This data becomes a decisive tool to improve logistics distribution activity, reduce costs and resources allocated to this function.
The integration with PRIMAVERA, a market leading management software used by thousands of companies in around 20 countries, gives the market a comprehensive and proven solution. ERP PRIMAVERA ensures integrated management of all business areas, ranging from the administration, accounting and financial management, to the commercial, logistics, equipment, assets and human resources components. It also ensures a rapid response to taxation and an abundance of data for decision support.


Apartment - Altea (Puerto) , Built Surface 90m2, 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bathrooms, 200 Distance to the sea.
Apartment - Altea , Built Surface 96m2, 3 Bedrooms, 1 Bathrooms, 700 Distance to the sea.
Country house - Altea (Pueblo) , Built Surface 110m2, 4505m2, 40m2, 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bathrooms.
Townhouse - La Nucia (El tossal) , Built Surface 159m2, 10m2, 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Urbanizacion.
Apartment - Altea (2a linea) , Built Surface 100m2, 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 50 Distance to the sea, Lift.
Apartment - Altea (Puerto) , Built Surface 90m2, 3 Bedrooms, 1 Bathrooms, 100 Distance to the sea.
Bungalow - Altea , Built Surface 170m2, 4 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, pool, Urbanizacion.
Business Premise - Altea (Plaza De Los Deportes) , Built Surface 65m2, 300 Distance to the sea.


text:
The Ishinkai (, "Restoration Society") was a short-lived political party in Japan.

History
The party was established in June 1917 by 43 independent members of the National Diet elected in the April elections, some of whom had previously been members of the Kōseikai. It was pro-government, and supported Prime Minister Terauchi Masatake.

In October 1917, the party merged with a group of 12 independent Diet members known as the "Kansai Group" to form the Shinseikai.

References

Defunct political parties in Japan
Political parties established in 1917
1917 establishments in Japan
Political parties disestablished in 1917
1917 disestablishments in Japan


text:
Home » Audio Shows » The Johno Show » How to Get a Free Joint on 420
How to Get a Free Joint on 420
Jonathan Goodman April 17th, 2017 The Johno Show Share:
Hey Stoners Welcome to The Johno Show I'm your weedtuber host Jonathan. Here are your top 5 Cannabis news stories for the week. Yeah!
Story Number 1:
In "Go Look It Up" News…
Back in 2015 Merriam-Webster Dictionary added more than a thousand new words to its online reference site and shockingly included the word Budtender. Now, just two years later and the Cannabis Culture's influence on the world is apparent with words like "dabbing" and "Kush" being added to Dictionary.com this year.
New words and definitions reflect trends and insights into how, and why, certain words within our cultural and political discourse inevitably impact the evolution of language. A lot of the change comes from states where medical marijuana is legal and therefore slang terms have become norm as more residents make the switch from pharmaceuticals to medical marijuana.
In "Looks like their ready and rarin' to go" news…
In a historic bipartisan move from the Texas House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee; a bill was approved making it legal to buy and sell marijuana in Texas. Two Republicans joined the committees three Democrats to give House Bill 2165 a 5-2 historic victory.
This same committee voted 4-2 in favor of a bill to decriminalize marijuana just two days prior. Expectation that bill 2165 will survive to make it into law is extremely low. Just the fact it made it out of committee in Texas is unprecedented.
If the bill does in fact move forward and becomes law it would make Texas the fifth state in the U.S. to legalize recreational marijuana.
Even more surprising is that the bill is being lead by a deeply conservative, Tea Party-backed Republican; who wrote an op-ed piece last month explaining why his belief in God, distrust of government and criticism of the "War on Drugs" led him to sponsor the marijuana legalization bill.
He says quote: "As a Christian, I recognize the innate goodness of everything God made and humanity's charge to be stewards of the same, I don't believe that when God made marijuana he made a mistake that government needs to fix."
Amen to that Brother!! Amen!!
In another historic bipartisan effort both a Republican and Democrat from Florida introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would reclassify marijuana as a Schedule 3 drug. If the bill were to become law, the new classification would make it easier for people to obtain medical marijuana and easier for researchers to obtain cannabis for further study.
Reclassifying marijuana to a schedule 3 would put it in the same group as anabolic steroids, Tylenol, and codeine.
The change would also lift restrictions on banks and allow them to provide services to marijuana-related businesses in states where medical marijuana is currently legal.
In a Continuation of last weeks main story I read a New York Times article that I felt had interesting facts about the legality of traveling with medical marijuana. Here they are:
Of the 54 million passengers who went through Denver International Airport in 2015, the T.S.A. stopped just 29 for possession of marijuana. In those cases, as long as the amount was legal for personal possession in Colorado — one ounce of dried flower, for example — the local police simply asked the flier to dispose of it, either by throwing it in the trash or taking it home. All 29 complied, and no tickets were issued.
In Florida, where medical marijuana is legal but recreational use is not, few are stopped for possession in the airport, but if they are they do face penalties. 11 of the approximately 2.8 million passengers who were screened by T.S.A. at Jacksonville International Airport in 2016 were detained for possession of marijuana. All were arrested or given a notice to appear in court.
T.S.A. agents with dogs that are sniffing people in line by security checkpoints are looking for explosives, not marijuana. Dogs assisting Customs and Border Protection agents, however, are searching for illicit drugs along with other illegal substances, but only among passengers arriving in the United States on international flights.
In Washington State alone there are over 70,000 unique marijuana products sold in addition to cookies and chocolates, there are transdermal patches, sublingual drops, vape pens and topical ointments.
Musician Melissa Etheridge said she carries marijuana in her checked luggage, but always attaches her doctor's recommendation to it. One time the T.S.A. left a note right on top of her weed saying they had inspected her luggage.
On 4/20 DCMJ, a community group fighting for equal rights for DC cannabis users, growers, and their families will be handing out 1,000 free marijuana joints to lawmakers, staff, journalists and anyone else over the age of 21 who displays a congressional ID on Capitol Hill. They are calling it the first congressional "joint session".
The joint giveaway will take place near the Capitol building, but off federal grounds, at First Street NE and Constitution Avenue NE. It should be noted that Congress is in recess next week.
If you're thinking this sounds familiar, this is the same group that staged a protest against President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Inauguration Day, passing out 4,200 joints during Trump's speech.
Things don't stop for these guys on 4/20 though cause on 4/24 they are taking it up a notch by planning to openly smoke on federal lands, in order to invite arrest and challenge reform.
According to an interview DCMJ did with CNN, "The 4/20 giveaway is an attempt to 'destigmatize' the plant, while the 'smoke-in' four days later is supposed to be a direct request for federal reform. The activists said they want marijuana rescheduled in the eyes of the federal government so that federal penalties are less harsh."
Co-founder Adam Eidinger said he fully expects to be arrested that day.
Some marijuana groups have distanced themselves from DCMJ's extreme direct-action approaches, calling it counterproductive to condone illegal behavior. Personally, I think it's completely radical and I certainly condone it. However, with Jeff Sessions looking to make examples of a few within the cannabis community; I feel like these guys should be expecting a pretty significant legal battle just to keep them out of jail.
Jonathan Goodman


Goat Yoga class leader Rachel Henson is surrounded by goats as she leads a Goat Yoga session in League City Friday, Aug. 4.
If you think yoga is a very serious thing, you may not want to do it with a goat standing on top of you.
But judging by the newfound popularity of Goat Yoga Houston, it seems there are a great many people in the Houston area who don't mind bringing barnyard animals into their downward dog and tabletop poses.
Instructor Rachel Henson is now in her third week teaching goat yoga at Butler's Courtyard in League City.
Henson, who also teaches classes for women living at the Bridge Over Troubled Waters shelter in the Clear Lake area, said she wanted to create a beginners-level class for yoga enthusiasts who just want to have some fun.
She said she grew up around livestock and currently lives on her parents' ranch in Friendswood.
"I've tailored this class for people who are maybe a little more like me," Henson said.
Every weekend, 20 goats are brought in from a Madisonville, Texas, ranch by Henson's brother, for Saturday and Sunday classes with 30 students each.
After a series of Ashtanga yoga poses, participants have the opportunity to participate in goat-related challenges, such as holding a tabletop pose with a goat on their stomachs or performing squats while holding goats.
The classes also feature Texas country music, and there are gospel-themed classes on Sundays.
"A lot of my personality's in it," Henson said of the program.
She said her League City classes sell out fast. A schedule of classes is available here. Henson is also planning to open a second location soon in the Conroe area.


text:
package com.mattunderscore.specky.value.resolver;

import com.mattunderscore.specky.literal.model.LiteralDesc;

import java.util.Objects;
import java.util.Optional;
import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentMap;

/**
 * Implementation of {@link MutableValueResolver}.
 * @author Matt Champion on 30/07/2016
 */
public final class MutableValueResolverImpl implements MutableValueResolver {
    private final ConcurrentMap<String, LiteralDesc> typeToValue = new ConcurrentHashMap<>(10, 0.5f, 2);

    @Override
    public Optional<LiteralDesc> resolveValue(String resolvedType, boolean optional) {
        return Optional.ofNullable(typeToValue.get(resolvedType));
    }

    @Override
    public CompletableFuture<Void> register(String type, LiteralDesc defaultValue) {
        Objects.requireNonNull(type);
        Objects.requireNonNull(defaultValue);
        final LiteralDesc currentValue = typeToValue.putIfAbsent(type, defaultValue);

        final CompletableFuture<Void> result = new CompletableFuture<>();

        if (currentValue != null && !currentValue.equals(defaultValue)) {
            result.completeExceptionally(
                new IllegalArgumentException("The type " + type + " is already registered to " + currentValue));
        }
        else {
            result.complete(null);
        }

        return result;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Speechless at the generosity. Just returned from a fabulous trip to Ohio where our combat injured troops received a special fitting session. They were treated like PROs at the New Albany CC in Columbus Ohio where they went through a fitting process. Very enlightening for both our troops and the great staff. Yes, a one armed hero can actually hit it further than most of us with all our limbs.
We then treated them to a day at the Memorial and followed Pat Perez inside the ropes. Here's a glimpse of this great experience. Thanks Charlie Linville and Derek Goodridge, both Marines for your service. #Heroes!
You can make a difference. Please consider sharing this cause with your friends!


text:
Crime Justice
We want them to carry out investigation that can convince us beyond all doubts-Arotile's sister
By Newslocally (self media writer) | 2 years ago
The whole nation and the family of Mr. Arotile continue to mourn the death of Tolulope Arotile, the first ever female combat helicopter pilot in Nigeria. As every one is mourning her death, her immediate sister, Damilola Adegboye has urge the authorities to carry out preliminary investigation concerning the circumstances sorounding her death.
According to the interview she had with NAN on Thursday said that the family is devastated by the death of her sister and wonder how a normal car reverse could kill a person just like that.
According to her, she said her family is not convinced about the death of Tolulope Arotile and she know the Nigerian Airforce is well specialize in the art of thorough investigation.
She said,
"we want them to carry out thorough investigation that can convince us beyond all doubts that the incident that led to his death was real.
She also said that she was sleeping when she received a call informing her about the death of her sister and the way the caller sounded she knew it was one of her senior officer.later on she saw a post online Concerning the death of Tolulope Arotile who just had a freaky accident.
Also speaking,the mother of Tolulope, went down memory lane about how she gave birth to her describing her as a special child who fasting and prayer was her hubby.
Meanwhile the Kogi state house of assembly has called on the state government to immortalize her.
May her gentle soul rest in peace,Amen.
Content created and supplied by: Newslocally (via Opera News )
Arotile Damilola Adegboye Kogi NAN Nigeria


This week I'll be on the west coast paying a visit to Bandon Dunes Golf Resort and will not be posting my regular posts. I am going to try my hand at tweeting the whole Bandon Dunes experience, so check in with my Twitter feed to see the updates. If you are not already following me you can click HERE to do so. Back to regularly scheduled programming next week with my first Top 100 course profile of 2013!!!!


When you visit the Site or Services, we automatically collect certain information about your device, including information about your web browser, mobile device, IP address, unique device identifiers, software and hardware attributes (including the type of operating system you use), approximate geographic location, time zone, and some of the cookies that are installed on your device (collectively, "Device Information").
Additionally, as you browse the Services, we collect information about how you use the Services, such as the date and time you logged in, the individual web pages or products that you view, what websites or search terms referred you to the Services, and information about how you interact with the Services and other users (collectively, "Usage Information").
Additionally, when you visit or use the Services, we may either require or collect "Personal Information." Personal Information is information that could personally identify you, for example, your name, address, phone number, email address, birthdate, and requested payment information (such as billing address, account number, etc.). Personal Information does not include any data where the identity has been removed (anonymous data). For purposes of this policy, your Device Information and Usage Information is included within the discussion of "Personal Information" (unless we clearly state otherwise herein).
When you register for an Event, you need to provide your name, email address, player ID, and birthdate ("Registration Data").
When you register for an Event and go to make payment, you will be required to provide your email address and zip code as well as your payment information (collectively, "Payment Information").
When you contact us with a question or concern, you may be required to provide certain personal information like your name, email, player ID, and birthdate.
When you sign up to receive marketing communications, such as our newsletter or updates about the Services, you must provide us with your email address.
"Cookies" are data files that are placed on your device or computer and often include an anonymous unique identifier. A cookie may enable the website owner to track how a visitor navigates through its website and the areas in which they show interest. This is similar to a traffic report: it tracks trends and behaviors, but does not identify individuals. Information gathered may include date and time of visits, pages viewed, time spent at the site, and the website visited just before and just after a visit to our Services. Cookies can be set to expire: (1) on a specified date; (2) after a specific period of time; (3) when a transaction has been completed; or (4) when a user turns off his/her Internet browser. A cookie that is erased from memory when a visitor's Internet browser closes is called a "session" cookie. Cookies that expire based on a time set by the Web server are called "persistent" cookies.
Our Services may use both "session cookies" and "permanent cookies." Most people do not know that cookies are being placed on their computers when they visit our Service or most websites because browsers are typically set to accept cookies. For more information about cookies, and how to disable cookies, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.
"Log files" track actions occurring on the Services, and collect data including your IP address, browser type, Internet service provider, referring/exit pages, and date/time stamps.
"Web beacons," "tags," and "pixels" are electronic files used to record information about how you browse the Services.
We also collect or receive various Usage Information and Device Information from third party analytics providers, such as Google and Facebook, as well as from other advertising networks.
We use your Device Information and Usage Information to monitor the usage of our Services, assess its performance, ensure technological compatibility with your computer or mobile device, and understand the relative importance of the information provided on our Services. We may also use this data to conduct statistical analyses on visitors' usage patterns and other aggregated data. We do this to improve and optimize our Services for you. We also use your Device Information and Usage Information to help us screen for potential risk and fraud (in particular, your IP address).
We use the Personal Information you provide us in order to perform basic business functions in connection with operating the Services and facilitating their availability during Events. This may include communicating with you, processing any requests by you, identifying and fixing any problems with the Services, and otherwise making the Services available to you. Our use of this Personal Information is most commonly based on our legitimate business purposes or other lawful bases set forth below. When we make a decision to use your information for our legitimate interests, we make sure to consider and balance any potential impact on you (both positive and negative) to ensure that our rights or interests do not override your fundamental rights and interests.
We also use your Personal Information in order to perform the contractual relationship with our users, and where we have your specific consent.
Note that we may process your Personal Information for more than one lawful ground depending on the specific purpose for which we are using your data. Please contact us if you need details about the specific legal ground we are relying on to process your personal data where more than one ground has been set out in the table below.
We need to share your Pairing Data, including your name, player ID, etc., with Event staff and Event participants for purposes of pairing Event participants and during tournament play.
We need to share your Penalty Data, including your name, player ID, etc., with Event staff, Event organizers, and TPCi, pursuant to our contractual agreements with the Event organizer and/or TPCi. We may also share your Penalty Data with Event organizers who consent to the disclosure of such information for reporting purposes.
We need to share your Decklist Data and Event results (i.e. TCG Masters Day Two, TCG Seniors Top 8, and Juniors Top 8), including your name, etc., with Event organizers for publication on organizer's website.
We may share or disclose your Personal Information where necessary to provide you with the Services and/or associated services, including with trusted third-parties who assist in operating the Services, providing any associated RK9 services, and otherwise conducting our business.
We use third parties, such as Stripe, to process payment transactions as part of your Event registration and to facilitate fraud protection. You share your Payment Information directly with these third parties. Stripe and other third-party entities may use your information for their own purposes, including to service accounts you have with them. Please review their respective privacy notices to understand how they use your information.
We may share your Personal Information, where necessary, with RK9's parents, subsidiaries, successors, assigns, licensees, affiliates, or business partners.
We may share your Personal Information when doing so is needed to help prevent against fraud or the violation of any applicable law, statute, regulation, ordinance, or treaty.
We may disclose Personal Information you provide us in connection with the sale, assignment, or other transfer of the business or a portion of the business of the Site, including a corporate merger, consolidation, restructuring, sale of assets, or other corporate change of our company.
We may aggregate and/or de-identify any Personal Information, Usage Information or Device Information that you provide or we collect, such that the information no longer identifies any specific individual. We may use, disclose and otherwise process such information for our own legitimate business purposes – including historical and statistical analysis, reports, marketing, and business planning – without restriction. However, if we combine or connect any aggregated data with your personal data so that it can directly or indirectly identify you, we treat this combined data as Personal Information which will be used in accordance with this privacy notice.
When you provide us consent to do so (either upon contacting us through our Services or through our normal marketing communications), we will communicate with you through general marketing communications. You must affirmatively opt-in to receive these communications before you receive them. Currently RK9 does not employ the use of marketing communications, however we may in the future.
We do not share your Personal Information with any company outside the RK9 group of companies (or other third parties listed herein) for marketing purposes.
Regardless of where you live, you may also opt-out of these marketing communications at any time by following the instructions provided in any marketing communication you receive. Please note that even if you opt-out of receiving marketing communications, you may still receive-business related communications, such as transactional emails.
Please note that we do not alter our Services' data collection and use practices when we see a Do Not Track signal from your browser.
We believe it is important for you to be able to: (1) find out what Personal Information you have provided to us through our Services; (2) update your information; or (3) "opt out" of receiving future marketing communications. To inquire about your Personal Information, update your Personal Information, or "opt out" of receiving future marketing communications or any other collection or use practice based on your consent, please send an email with your request and current contact information to support@rk9labs.com.
We generally respond to email requests within 24 hours of receiving a request, but it may take up to 30 days depending on the volume of requests we receive.
If you would like to exercise these rights (which you may do at any time) or inquire as to any additional rights you may have under applicable law, please contact us through the contact information provided below. We will respond to any request as promptly as possible.
When you provide information to us, you understand and agree that RK9 will retain your Personal Information as long as is necessary and relevant for our operations, and in accordance with applicable laws.
We strive to maintain internal controls and procedures to ensure that the information you share with us is handled in a safe, secure and responsible manner. We have security measures to help protect against loss, unauthorized access and alteration of the information in our control. We will only disclose such information to employees and authorized service providers who require such information for the purposes described in this Policy. Our databases are protected by physical, technical, and procedural measures that restrict access to authorized persons in accordance with this Policy. Although no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed 100% secure, and we cannot ensure against any loss, misuse, unauthorized disclosure, alteration, or destruction of data, we take reasonable precautions to prevent such unfortunate occurrences. Nevertheless, we cannot and do not guarantee that information you post on or transmit to the Services will not be viewed by unauthorized persons.
When you click on links on our Services that take you to third-party websites, you will be subject to the third parties' privacy policies. While we support the protection of privacy on the Internet, we cannot be responsible for the actions of any third-party websites. We encourage you to read the posted privacy policies of any and every website you visit, whether you are linking from our Services or browsing on your own.
Under California's "Shine the Light Law," California residents have the right to receive information that identifies any third-party companies or individuals that RK9 has shared your Personal Information with in the previous calendar year, as well as a description of the categories of Personal Information disclosed to that third party. You may obtain this information once a year and free of charge by contacting RK9 at the address below.
Our Services are targeted primarily for use by adults. Accordingly, we do not knowingly collect age identifying information, nor do we knowingly collect any personal information from children under the age of 13 years without parental consent provided in the form of payment via credit/debit card. However, we hereby advise all visitors to our site under the age of 13 not to disclose or provide any personally identifiable information on our Services without parental consent. If you are concerned that Personal Information may have been inadvertently provided to or collected by RK9, please contact us immediately so appropriate steps may be taken to remove such information from RK9's database.


text:
Vedanta varsity faces technical problems in India
Source: Pioneer News Service
Vedanta varsity faces technical problems
Pioneer News Service, Bhubaneswar
Though the State Government had agreed to provide 8,000 acres of land free of cost to the Vedanta Foundation to set up its world-class university near the Puri-Konark marine drive within three months, the Government has failed to allocate land because of technical reasons.
The MoU between the Foundation and the State Government for the Rs 15,00-crore university project was signed on July 19. The Foundation has sought a total of 10,000 acres of land for making provisions for at least 1 lakh students. The deadline was completed on Wednesday
Sources said the Government could not provide land as the MoU had been signed with a private company. "Had there been an MoU with a society, foundation or trust, the Government could have given the land. But in this case, the MoU is between the Government and the Vedanta Foundation, which is a private company," said a senior officer. He said that though Vedanta Foundation was a foundation, it was a private company registered under the Companies Act-1956.
The sources said that according to law, the Government cannot directly give land to any company. It only can give land for public purpose to a trust or a society. Any company has to apply for land to the State-owned Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (IDCO) for the industrial purpose. the IDCO cannot give land to any private body for setting up educational institutions as an educational institution is not an industry.
Another trouble for Vedanta Foundation is that without the University Grants Commission's (UGC) approval it has used Vedanta University. The UGC puts clear restriction on the use of word university by any one, including a private company. If anybody uses it, he has to give fine as it is an offence as per UGC Act. An institution can be only recognised as a university, once it receives clearance as per the UGC guidelines.
Under these circumstances, the State Government is trying how to sort out the problems facing the proposed Vedanta University.


text:
Board index Announcements Feldgrau Published Authors
Feldgrau Author: Stephan Hamilton
Discussion, background, reviews, and critical analysis of works by Feldgrau.net members who are published authors.
Frederick L Clemens
Location: Sterling VA
Re: Feldgrau Author: Stephan Hamilton
Post by Frederick L Clemens » Sat Mar 14, 2009 10:37 am
Richard Hargreaves wrote: ...to a neutral observer flicking through this thread it seems that we've rather got bogged down debating the minutiae and rather missed the bigger picture...
Don't take this as an argument. I totally agree with your statement above - and that is the problem. It should be possible to debate minutiae without others butting in and killing a critique. Yes, sometimes people will have their toes stepped on in the process, but we should all be adult enough to handle a few bruises.
And it does work both ways. I have posted critiques where I later realized (or it was made clear to me) that I was wrong. So I learned from it.
At least that is what my ideal version of an author's thread would be.
John W. Howard
Post by John W. Howard » Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:24 pm
Hello Gents:
I think part of the problem is the non-standard way reviews are written by our members. If each member was to review all of the various aspects of a publication instead of just some, guided by a common format, then I think we would have a truer picture of it. For instance some areas to be covered would include writing style, clarity, quality of research, quality of photographs, quality of maps, binding, paper quality, price, would you recommend the publication, etc. I know I am leaving a few things out, but a book is made up of all of these things, and at various times I have seen reviews mention some of the aspects I have listed above, but usually not all. A more complete review would guide our members as to whether they wish to invest in it or not. Some people, like Uncle Joe, pay much attention to the physical quality of a book. Others are less concerned with the physical quality, being more concerned with the research and information contained. It might be wise to start a post with a comment like: "I enjoyed the content of this book very much and recommend it, but the photos, paper, and binding are sub-par" and expand from there. Best wishes.
Post by Frederick L Clemens » Tue Mar 17, 2009 5:30 am
I understand what you are saying, but in the end the discussion would anyway focus down to specific elements with the resulting reaction from other people that there is "nit-picking" going on. Now if modelers can argue about the correct number of rivets on a Hetzer drive wheel, why can't we debate the minutiae of books?
One man's nit-picking is another man's rigorous search for the truth.
Post by John W. Howard » Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:45 pm
Hi Fred:
I know what you mean, but it might be nice to let the author know you liked his book before getting to the details All in all Mr. Hamilton has been a trooper and handled himself well; when I gather enough cash I'll buy his book!! Take care and best wishes Fred.
Stephan H.
Post by Stephan H. » Tue Mar 24, 2009 7:10 pm
Richard - thanks for the post and I hope you enjoy the book. I will say that there is still much more that can be written about Berlin, especially from the Soviet side. There are several newly declassified Soviet General Staff studies and other related documents only made available since 2001. Perhaps David Glantz will get around to focusing on this period in the near future and translate some of those documents. Even the accounts in the "Shturm Berlina", once translated, will shed even more light into the intense street fighting. Here is a snippet from p327 that was recently translated by a friend:
"On Kommand Strasse.
On the 29th of April our battalion, while fighting on the left bank of Spree, was advancing to Kommand Strasse. In the evening when we were approaching Jakob Strasse adversary met us with heavy fire from the five-story building on the corner. We would have suffered heavy losses if we were to get stuck here, since there was no adequate cover for defense. That is why major Romanenko, despite the heavy enemy machine gun fire and grenade throwing from the building, ordered to storm the building immediately."
Pretty interesting stuff from my perspective . . .
Fred and John's comments (both Johns) are spot on. Most of the feedback here, while critical, tends to be correct. Some I'd chalk up to individual subjectiveness, as different people will like/dislike different things based on their preference. I have taken much of the feedback I've seen here into account in my next work.
Maybe Feldgrau might be able to offer a peer review service in the future? Different members might be on tap (voluntarily of course) to review certain books based on preference/theme and can be given a review copy. They read the book, provide feedback to the author, who in turn is given an opportunity to prepare a response and both are put out as a joint post? Stone & Stone offers a rating scheme and review component to their website, though I guess in the end is really no different then having a review posted on Amazon. Just some thoughts.
Tom Houlihan
Location: MI, USA
Contact Tom Houlihan
Post by Tom Houlihan » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:02 pm
Stephan H. wrote: Maybe Feldgrau might be able to offer a peer review service in the future? Different members might be on tap (voluntarily of course) to review certain books based on preference/theme and can be given a review copy. They read the book, provide feedback to the author, who in turn is given an opportunity to prepare a response and both are put out as a joint post? Stone & Stone offers a rating scheme and review component to their website, though I guess in the end is really no different then having a review posted on Amazon. Just some thoughts.
That's not a bad idea. In truth, I've already sort of done that for a couple of people here and elsewhere. For my part, the initial intent was proofreading for the author, then throwing comments out where appropriate. It wouldn't be hard to shift focus to a proof and review. I'll make a new thread on this.
TLH3
www.mapsatwar.us
Feldgrau für alle und alle für Feldgrau!
panzermahn
Re: Bloody Streets: The Soviet Assault on Berlin, April 1945
Post by panzermahn » Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:01 am
Jan-Hendrik wrote:
Writing about foreign militaries in a second language forces one to make decisions about translating rank, names, etc. There are a number of considerations to keep in mind, including accuracy, readability, authentic flavor, the expertise of your target audience, and the support of the publi
Translating unit designations is one of the major faults in most anglo-saxon military literature on German Army. Not only that those translations are often in the range between funny and ridicoulous they are often simply misleading, too.
Why is it so hard to use german terms, just add one page of explanation and everything is good. Have you ever tried to translate british army unit designations? Simply impossible. Please be so kind and don't do it for the Wehrmacht, too!
Eine Panzerabteilung ist eine Panzerabteilung, kein 'Tank Batallion'
Jan-Hendrik
Hi Jan-Hendrik
You can look at how Professor Evans' translation of German terms in his 2008 book, The Third Reich at War. It drives me nuts to trying to fathom his translations!
Post by Nicolai » Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:08 am
A question about a minor detail:
On page 211 of Bloody Streets you talk about Harry Schweizer's experiences as a tank hunter. The section starts like this:
The approach of Soviet tanks so close to the Zoo Bunker caused the call for volunteers to head out into the local streets and hunt down Russian armor. Harry Schweizer was a Luftwaffe flak gunner who took up the call. Schweizer was one of four soldiers that formed a tank destroyer team. These boys left the Zoo Flak Tower armed with a Panzerfaust, a glass bottle containing a milky fluid that when mixed with oxygen in the air would cause the tank engine to stop, and two escorts with Sturmgewehr assault rifles to shoot the tank's crew once they bailed out.
Schweizer is not that specific about his escorts' armament in the book you sourced his account from:
With Our Backs to Berlin by Tony Le Tissier - At the Zoo Flak-Tower wrote: On 26 April 1945, volunteers were called for the tank destroyer teams and many of my age group, among them myself, volunteered. We were quickly instructed and equipped for our new role. There were four men in a team, one with a Panzerfaust, one with a glass bottle containing a milky fluid which, when mixed with the oxygen in the air would cause a tank engine to stop, and two escorts armed with sub-machine guns to fire at the enemy as soon as they bailed out. Apart from this a Volkswagen jeep was put at our disposal to give us mobility, but was then taken away again the next day because of the shortage of fuel, and since we were only intended for deployment in the Zoo area.
Did you get the extra little detail from another source, or did you just figure that it was probably the weapon they used? (Seems likely, the French tank hunters in the Berlin area have used it a lot)
Post by Frederick L Clemens » Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:21 am
I would bet that the original source did say Sturmgewehr but LeTissier's publishers were not comfortable with using that term.
The milky fluid in a bottle sounds interesting. I think that it was mainly potassium nitrate with some kind of volatile igniter. The resulting oxidation, forming a smoke cloud, could theoretically starve the engine of oxygen.
Post by Nicolai » Tue Mar 31, 2009 12:49 pm
Yes, that is quite possible. Hamilton lists With Our Backs to Berlin as the source of the account (a number of extracts are scattered throughout the Assault on Berlin chapter), but I suppose that Tissier might have hooked him up with the original, untranslated version.
Nicolai - This is a good point. I did not have any contact with Tissier, so the account is derived directly from his book. Given that I was in the process of interpreting many of the accounts from the Ryan collection (most of which were in the 3rd person based on what was recorded by the interviewer) I believe I added the "Sturmgewehr" based on my knowledge of what they were more than likely using. I'd have to go back and cross-check my notes to be certain that I did not come across a related account that specified Sturmgewehrs being used by HJ dispatched from the Flak Bunker.
Frederick L Clemens wrote: The milky fluid in a bottle sounds interesting. I think that it was mainly potassium nitrate with some kind of volatile igniter. The resulting oxidation, forming a smoke cloud, could theoretically starve the engine of oxygen.
Frederick - I wasn't too sure myself when I read this, but this makes sense.
Post by Heinrich505 » Fri Apr 03, 2009 10:15 pm
I just finished reading your amazing book, and I was really impressed. It is an excellent piece of work, and I enjoyed reading it. I hated to finish it, but was drawn from chapter to chapter, forcing myself to stop and save the next part for the next day. I have read many other books about the fight for Berlin, and I found some things that were familiar from your other sources, but there was also so much that I hadn't read about the struggle, and some things that it seems others were afraid to include, for a variety of reasons, such as the Soviets killing each other in the zeal of their commanders to please Stalin and beat each other to the Reichstag.
I agree with your premise that the attack was more of an assault than a battle. It was certainly an assault in many ways, from the sometimes chaotic small unit engagements, to the hand-to-hand fights to the death in alleys, back streets, and the inside of rubbled buildings. You could also use the word assault to describe the treatment of the civilian population during and after the conflict, and you'd be right on target. Your explanation that the defense of Berlin was only put together at the last moment, in a hodge-podge fashion, with all sorts of commanders, but thin on the actual fighters, was new to me. This explanation cleared up a great many questions I had about the battle, and why it progressed in the way it did.
Also, your detail of the impact of the panzerfaust hit home on many levels. It was a terrifying weapon, extremely versatile, able to be used by mere boys with a high degree of success, and its results were gruesome for the Soviet tankers. Your premise that it had a huge impact on the assault was very correct. You would have thought the Soviet high command would take into account the real possibility that this weapon would prove deadly in their attack, especially since they saw how successful they themselves were in the battle for Stalingrad, where they were able to neutralize the panzers of the Sixth Armee and didn't have panzerfausts, relying on stopgap measures and the courage of their individual fighting men.
Your account of the way Stalin played Zhukov and Koniev against one another was not new to me, but the details were. I'd always suspected that the rank and file Soviet soldiers fought against each other accidentally, but your accounts of the fratricide were the most extensive and detailed that I'd seen to this point. Koniev's assault through Chuikov's blocking attempt, ordered by Zhukov to prevent Koniev from beating Zhukov in the race for the Reichstag, was amazing to read about. The battle, with Soviet soldiers and tanks blasting away at each other, FOR HOURS, was terrible to realize, especially when you know that it was all because Stalin was playing his generals against each other in the race for the Reichstag.
There is so much more I could say, but I couldn't be more pleased with your efforts. I didn't find the page set-up to be all that difficult to adapt to. I hadn't planned to read through it fast, as I wanted to slowly savor the contents. I was more interested in what you were writing than how it was placed on the page. I did find the many spelling errors a little disconcerting at times, but it never detracted from the overall enjoyment. The photographs were quite helpful to keep the reader immersed in the action, and I really enjoyed the maps. It meant that you never really got lost, and could always drop back a page or two to see the map and regain your bearings, so to speak. Your photographs of actual locations greatly helped me get a visual of the key locations. The chapter breaks by day, and within by areas of defense were very well done, and gave an order to the battles and small unit engagements. It was really interesting to follow some of the single tanks and their commanders, and even see photos of their tanks after the battle.
I especially enjoyed the last section, where you took us on amazing journeys of the individuals we'd come to know in the battle, as they tried to break through to the west and freedom. It gave a sense of closure that many authors ignore. If I've been reading about a particular individual who is surviving battle after battle, I'd also like to see what actually happened to him. Did he make it out to the Elbe? Was he eventually captured? Did he survive the terrible war into peacetime, or did he die in captivity in some Soviet gulag? Or, in the case of Hans Henseler, did he make it all the way to the Elbe, only to sit on a "log" to rest for a moment, and find the "log" was a sleeping Soviet soldier with a subgun, who took him prisoner only a river's width from surrender to the Americans? Hans' story was amazing, as he was marched all the way back through Berlin, and then dodged out of the column and snuck back into Berlin, going underground until he was smuggled into the western sector and freedom.
I enjoyed your attention to detail, your research, and the manner of your presentation. This is a very important book about the battles in Berlin, and you have done a credible job. Thanks for an excellent presentation on the struggle for Berlin.
It has a position of honor on my bookshelf.
Post by Stephan H. » Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:27 pm
Heinrich505,
Thank you for that post, and I'm glad you enjoyed the book.
I really wanted to provide a final story for all those whose accounts I used as many of them made for good reading. Unfortunately I ran out of time and room and had to choose.
Post by Stephan H. » Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:50 pm
Thank you to all those who purchased a copy of Bloody Streets as I was notified by the publisher that it sold out last month. I greatly appreciate all the positive feedback and corrections I received both here on the forum and through the publisher. I have noted the feedback and plan to incorporate it when I sit down to work on a future revised and expanded edition at a later date. I have no plans to republish the current version of the book.
I also want to let those who might have been waiting for my second book to know that it will not be published this year. I am in the final stages of editing Oder Front 1945: Generaloberst Gotthard Heinrici, Heeresgruppe Weichsel, and Germany's Final Battle in the East, 20 March-4 May 1945. My hope was to have it out for the spring 2010, but it looks like the publication date might be pushed back to the fall. I will post some detail about the book once I release it to the publisher, but I thought I'd post the table of contents to provide some insight on what the book will cover.
I can tell you that the majority of the information in the book is from primary sources and first person interviews, and that most of the information has either never been translated into English, or published, or both.
PROLOUGE
PART I: Background to Battle
CHAPTER I: Germany's Late War Strategy, June 1944-March 1945
CHAPTER II: Heeresgruppe Weichsel, January-March 1945
CHAPTER III: Gotthard Heinrici
World War I Experience and the Inter-War Years
Race, Ideology, and the War in the East
Strategy and Motivation
Scorched Earth, Berlin, and Plots against Hitler
PART II: Prelude to Battle, 20 March-12 April 1945
CHAPTER IV: Commander's Intent
CHAPTER V: Background and Geographic Orientation
CHAPTER VI: Disposition of German Forces
CHAPTER VII: Objectives of Soviet Forces
CHAPTER VIII: Operation Bumerang and the Battle of Küstrin
Operation Bumerang
Küstrin
First Relief Attempt of Küstrin.
Second Relief Attempt of Küstrin
Third Relief Attempt on Küstrin / End of H.Gr. W. Offensive Operations
Soviet Attacks against German Bridgeheads
CHAPTER IX: The Fight Against Soviet Bridges
CHAPTER X: Operational Planning for the Oderfront's Defense
German Defensive Doctrine: Hitler vs Heinrici
Defense in Depth along the Oderfront
The State of German Forces, Weapons, and Equipment
5-8 April: Führerbunker Meeting
8 April: Observations of Soviet Movement
10 April: Göring's Convoy
11 April: Seydlitz Troops
12-13 April: Preparatory Soviet Attacks
PART III: The Battle, 14 April-3 May
CHAPTER XI: Overview of Battle
1-3 May
CHAPTER XII: Final Battles of Heeresgruppe Weichsel
Encirclement of the 9.Armee
Spremberg Pocket, Cottbus, and the Southern Flank of the 9.Armee
Relief Attempt of the 12.Armee
9.Armee Breakout
A Soviet Soldier's View of the 9.Armee Breakout at Halbe
Busse's Commentary on the Breakout
Across the Elbe to Salvation
Koniev's Commentary on the Fighting South of Berlin
Eismann's Commentary of the End of H.Gr. Weichsel Headquarters and 3.Panzer Armee
Manteuffel's Final Order
Surrender of the 21.Armee
Busse's Final Escape and Capture
CHAPTER XIII: Assessments
Defense of the Oderfront
Heinrici's Commentary on Soviet Operations.
Heinrici's Final Observation
APPENDIX A: Organization of Heeresgruppe Weichsel
APPENDIX B: Gotthard Heinrici
APPENDIX C: Hasso-Eccard Freiherr (Baron) von Manteuffel
APPENDIX D: Theodore Busse
APPENDIX E: Walther Wenck
APPENDIX F: Hans Georg Eismann
APPENDIX G: MS # R-69 The End of Heeresgruppe Weichsel and 12.Armee 27 April – 7 May 1945
APPENDIX H: MS # B-606 The Last Rally: Battles Fought by the 12.Armee in the Heart of Germany, between the West and the East (13 April-7 May 1945)
APPENDIX I: Soviet Soldier and Equipment Totals for the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation
APPENDIX J: H.Gr. Weichsel Replacements and Losses through 15 March 45
APPENDIX K: 9.Armee Infantry Fighting Strength, 17 March 1945
APPENDIX L: Operational Availability of Men and Equipment for SS-Freiw.Pz.Gren.Div. "Nordland," SS-Freiw.Pz.Gren.Div. "Nederland," 5.Jäger-Division, and 3.Marine-Division, 25 March 1945
APPENDIX M: 9.Armee Infantry Fighting Strength, 10 April 1945
APPENDIX N: H.Gr. Weichsel Panzer and Sturmgeschütze on 13 April 1945
APPENDIX O: Organization of III. (Germ.) SS-Pz.Korps, 23 April 1945
APPENDIX P: Heeresgruppe Weichsel Order of Battle, 25 April 1945
APPENDIX Q: Heeresgruppe Weichsel Heavy Weapons and Other Notes
APPENDIX R: German Order of Battle along the Oderfront, March-May 1945
Post by Frederick L Clemens » Sat Nov 21, 2009 3:16 am
Congratulations - this looks like your Eichenlaubtat!
Return to "Feldgrau Published Authors"


I think that you have made a mistake in the last line. array_push is not doing what you are trying to achieve (check the Manual) same as update_post_meta accepts different arguments.
or if you add multiple images then instead of $id enter comma separated list.
Why is my add media button showing the current page?


On Halloween night, the streets will be crawling with ghosts, goblins, witches, and many other creatures! Safely driving on this night is very important! Use these tips from HalloweenSafety.com. – Do not use your cell phone or other devices. Watch the road! – Pay extra attention at crosswalks and intersections. – Do not pass other vehicles that have stopped in the roadway. – Drive below posted speed limit.


PalmAddicts: 2 DAYS LEFT: Win a PDA of your choice and $100 towards software. Plus lots of other software prizes in our 6th Birthday contest.
2 DAYS LEFT: Win a PDA of your choice and $100 towards software. Plus lots of other software prizes in our 6th Birthday contest.
You have 2 days left, this birthday contest ends Tuesday midnight US PT. To add on top of the top prize of winning a PDA of your choice with a $100 of software to go with it to celebrate our 6th Birthday. The following Software Developers have been in touch today to donate copies of the following software to add to the contest.
When telling me which PDA you would like to choose, also tell me the names of the software you also want to choose. Remember to enter all you have to do is enter a user thought or written contribution for the front page and write Birthday Contest in the subject line and email it to - sammymcloughlin@mac.com. The contest will be drawn for the PDA and $100 next week.


text:
All of BRACU Repository Ayesha Abed Library BRAC (1972-2004) BRAC Business School (BBS) BRAC Development Institute (BDI) BRAC Institute of Educational Development (BIED) BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) BRAC Institute of Languages (BIL) BRACU Faculty Publications BRACU News Archive BRAC University Archives BRAC University Publications Centre for Research on Bangla Language Processing (CRBLP) Department of Architecture (ARC) Department of Economics and Social Sciences (ESS) Department of English and Humanities (ENH) Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MNS) Department of Pharmacy (PHR) e-Bulletin James P. Grant School of Public Health (JPGSPH) School of Engineering and Computer Science (SECS) School of Law
Journey through self: design of contemplative spaces inspired from the philosophy and lyrics of Fakir Lalon Shah of Kushtia, Bangladesh
Ahmed, Syeda Tahmina (Department of Architecture, BRAC University, 2013-08)
Ahmed, Syeda Tahmina (1)
Architectural and verbal language (1)
Contemplative spaces (1)
Fakir Lalon Shah (1)
Individual journeys (1)


text:
You are here: Home / Organization of WELS Lutheran Seniors
2018 OWLS Convention
The Organization of WELS Lutheran Seniors (OWLS) challenged seniors to "Finish the Race" well when it held its annual convention for seniors in Elkhart Lake, Wis., Oct. 9-12. The convention had 207 attendees from around the United States, which exceeded attendance for many recent years.
Elkhart Lake, the home of Road America, is known for its ties to auto racing, relaxation, and history. Attendees were treated to a rare opportunity to ride on the race track or visit the horse-powered world of the Wade House, a historic stage coach inn.
Discussion of finishing the Christian race was focused through presentations of keynote speakers. Former missionary wife Rebecca Wendland shared the challenges of life in Africa but also spoke of the grace and strength of God to protect and guide his people. Martin Luther College President Rev. Mark Zarling and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary President Rev. Paul Wendland gave a glimpse into the preparation of the next generation of church workers, but also answered audience questions about heaven, eternal life, and other topics. Former U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter pilot Steve Schroeder and his wife, Sarah, shared the challenges they've experienced running their race during Steve's military career, both before and after a crash changed their lives. Home Missions Administrator Rev. Keith Free provided insight into the opportunities worldwide to share the gospel.
For over a decade, the OWLS have used their offerings to support the WELS European Civilian chaplaincy, which serves military personnel and WELS civilians in Europe. This year, the OWLS presented Military Services with a check for $52,000 for work in Europe. Two convention offerings and record proceeds from a silent auction were directed for next year's gift to the work of the chaplain in Europe as well.
The OWLS also provide scholarships to Martin Luther College students. This year, Jason Petoskey, Winter Fredrick, Buchanan Potthast, and Max Kerr received scholarships. Max Kerr responded, "I can't tell you my surprise at receiving the scholarship. It feels good to be recognized for what I always strive to do: share the gospel and serve others. Thank you very much for the scholarship. It helps me very much, as I've had to take out many loans in my journey to become a pastor."
Rev. Jim Behringer, director of WELS Special Ministries, says, "This was a convention to remember! The workshops offered something for the artistic, the health conscious, tips for Internet users, and those interested in government or international students at Martin Luther College. It was a treat to renew friendships at the Osthoff Resort on Elkhart Lake when the trees were in color."
The October 2019 OWLS convention for seniors will be held in Galena, Ill. The convention is open to all seniors in WELS and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, regardless of OWLS membership.
Learn more about all the ministries under the WELS Commission on Special Ministries.
SUPPORT THESE MINISTRIES
WELS Special Ministries provides resources for individuals and familes nationwide. Consider supporting these ministries with your prayers and gifts.


text:
#2 Cardinals Win The Battle In Blacksburg
Chrissy Banta January 7, 2021
BasketballMoreUncategorized1260 views
Schedule changes are the norm for 2020 and tonight's game was another game that we didn't know was happening until what felt like the last minute. It was announced on Tuesday that Louisville would travel to Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech and they knew they'd have to prepare for a battle.
The Cards came out strong against The Hokies, showing consistent defense and aggressive offense. Elizabeth Balogun dominated with 5 defensive rebounds in the first quarter. As a team Louisville was 11-20 during the first quarter and they were led in scoring by Dana Evans and Olivia Cochran, who had 6 points each. Louisville went on a 7-0 run during the second quarter and would have their biggest lead of the half, at 16 points. I'm almost certain that Virginia Tech made zero plans to guard Norika Konno, who shot 67% in the first half for 6 points. Leading by 9 points at the half, Louisville was shooting 50% and had also tallied 15 defensive rebounds.
Louisville struggled a bit in the third quarter allowing Virginia Tech to cut the deficit to just 1 point at one time after going on a 14-2 run. Elizabeth Dixon picked up two quick fouls and Dana Evans was at the point of needing to pull her team back into the mindset they had during the first half. The Cards, quite frankly, got choppy on both ends of the court and totaled 10 turnovers in the third quarter alone. Now I won't get on my soapbox about the officiating and the number of whistles, but you can imagine that I sounded a lot like Mark Blankenbaker sprinkled with the attitude of a toddler that hasn't napped all day.
Leading by just one point going into the fourth quarter, Louisville found themselves in a battle that was unlike any other they had faced so far this season. They were outscored 20-12 in the third quarter, so Jeff Walz and company needed a whole fire lit in the offense. They got it when Kianna Smith hit a three early in the quarter, followed by a quick layup from Dana Evans. We also saw an improvement in transitions during the period, but Virginia Tech would go on an 8-0 run to take a two-point lead with less than 3 minutes to play. The fire in the offense went out when Louisville missed 3 straight three-pointers with open looks. Dana Evans tied the game at 67 with about one-minute left to play, which put us all on the edge of our seats. With just 23 second left in regulation, Dana Evans took back the lead for the Cards with 2 in the paint. An incredible steal from Dana allowed her to run the clock down to 5.1 seconds before being fouled. Hailey Van Lith sealed the deal for the Cards after making 2 free throws and extending the lead to 4, for a final score of 71-67.
Coach Walz stated that they got a little sloppy and had some foul trouble toward the end of the first half. He said that everyone needs to be dialed in and ready to play, while also giving credit to how well Virginia Tech played. This was also the second game in a row where Coach Walz noted how much the team still needs to work on their three-point shooting.
Dana Evans, who led the team in scoring with 22 points, said that Virginia Tech got the best of them in the third quarter, but she felt that they responded well. She also said that this is ACC play, everyone is going to give this team their best shot. Talking about her steal at the end of the game, she admits to trying to run the clock out but not realizing there was so much time left.
The 9-0 Cards will be back in the Yum! Center on Sunday to face Clemson at 12p.m. EST. This game will be on the ACCN and on 790-AM WKRD.
Chrissy Banta
Latest posts by Chrissy Banta (see all)
Recap: Louisville Gets Road Win At Syracuse - January 29, 2023
Louisville Falls To NC State In A Winnable Fight, 63-51 - January 22, 2023
Louisville Gets The Win Over Boston College, 73-65 - January 19, 2023
Previous ArticleVIDEO: Mack, Johnson, Slazinski & Withers Virginia Tech Post-Game
Next ArticleLance McGarvey Named Cardinals' Men's Basketball PA Announcer
Montrezl Harrell Named Pre-Season All-American
STAT COMPARISON: Louisville vs. Old Dominion – Battle 4 Atlantis Round 1
Team Stat Comparision: Louisville vs. Florida State
VIDEO: Chris Mack Pitt Post-Game
LOUISVILLE WINS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 82-76
Mark Blankenbaker April 9, 2013
TCZ Podcast: The King Has Returned
LJ Nesbitt July 24, 2018
VIDEO: Rick Pitino Presents Trey Lewis & Damion Lee with Surprise; Both Talk to Crowd
HIGHLIGHTS: Louisville Basketball's Newest Commit Frankie Hughes


The Legislature passed the Bill Williams Residential Safety and Preparedness Act, creating the Hurricane Loss Mitigation Program (Mitigation Program) in 1999. Located in s. 215.559, F.S., the Mitigation Program receives an annual appropriation of $10 million from the FHCF which is submitted to the Division of Emergency Management (Division) within the Executive Office of the Governor for administration of purposes specified in the section.
Section 215.559(1)(a), F.S., requires that $7 million of the $10 million appropriated under the Mitigation Program must be used to improve wind resistance and prevent or reduce losses after a disaster. These directives comprise the Residential Construction Mitigation Program (RCMP) – 10 percent, or $700,000 is directed to the Florida International University center that is dedicated to hurricane research.
There are approximately 270,000 mobile homes currently in use in Florida that were built prior to the establishment of the 1976 national HUD standards. These housing units are considered to be particularly at risk for sustaining and causing catastrophic damage in the event of a hurricane. Extensive research was conducted to eliminate state and local barriers to upgrading mobile homes and communities to meet current standards. Research to develop a program for the recycling of existing older mobile homes was also presented.
The State Building Code Commission announced in 2003 that it had adopted a proposed modification to the Florida Building Code (FBC) on the basis of two years of research conducted at FIU. The modification made the 8d ringshank nail the new standard for attaching roof sheathing to its supporting structure in the High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) (Broward, Dade). Research conducted by the IHRC team has shown that the ring-shank nail improves the performance of roof sheathing under the impact of hurricanes by a factor of 130%.
The "Wall of Wind" (WoW) based projects funded by the FLDEM have made a significant impact on hurricane mitigation. (a) Improving Building Codes, Policy, Regulation, and Construction Practices: Recommendations for changing the FBC based on the WoW research were unanimously approved at the Florida Building Commission meeting in 2010. The code modifications influence wind loading on roof top equipment (RTE) not only for the HVHZ but also for the entire State of Florida. The 2004-2005 hurricane seasons showed that RTE were most vulnerable causing roof damage and generating flying debris. (b) Innovative Hurricane Mitigation Product Development/Validation: FLDEM projects helped in, for the first time ever, full-scale validation of innovative mitigation devices "AeroEdge" (patented by FIU's private industry partner WPC) to reduce hurricane induced roof damage. It is estimated that Aeroedge could prevent about $5 billion in insured losses for an event similar to Hurricane Wilma of 2005. Aeroedge devices will create/sustain businesses and hundreds of jobs when commercialized in future. (c) Science Advancement, Dissemination, Leveraging, and Outreach: The WoW team published more than 20 peer-reviewed papers and obtained complimentary research funds from the National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Energy and industry partners such as Renaissance Re and Roofing Alliance for Progress. The IHRC created and hosted the WoW contest that engaged high school students under the support of the FLDEM program to promote mitigation culture. The facility and contest received extensive media coverage by the Discovery Channel, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, ABC World News, and Good Morning America. FL DEM funds also supported a new hurricane mitigation exhibit featured at the Miami Science Museum, as well as an annual Feel the Force hurricane season preparedness event.
The impacts of hurricane wind on buildings are not only determined by the magnitude and duration of high wind, but also by the interaction between features including terrain, vegetation, and buildings above the Earth's surface and the wind within the boundary layer. Assessment of surface roughness is thus a critical component of modeling wind effects on buildings. IHRC researchers have developed methods to extract surface elements from LiDAR measurements and to estimate the surface roughness for inclusion in various impact models.
FIU has employed socio-economic surveys and computer based simulations to improve public awareness and promote hurricane risk mitigation efforts and disaster preparedness.
In 2013 FIU will conduct and provide research, to DEM in six (6) major areas that have been identified by the IHRC in the areas of structural mitigation analysis, socioeconomic research, data dissemination and education/outreach.


The 2018 winter reading program is open to anyone ages 16+ and runs from the beginning of January through the end of March.
Complete a 6-book monthly challenge log. A new challenge is available each month. You can turn them in during any month of the program.
When you have completed your first reading log, show it at the front desk for a mini prize! After that, drop your log into the box for the grand prize you would like to win. Complete as many cards as you can; there's no limit to the number of times you can enter. eBooks and downloadable audiobooks count, too.
All entries must be turned in by March 31, 2018. Winners will be notified the week of April 2rd. Prizes must be claimed no later than Friday, April 13th.


We're all familiar with cereal boxes like these, but are they the best way to package the products inside?
Students review how to determine the surface area and volume of a rectangular prism, that all dimensions are equal in cubes so the volume of cubes are the length of any side raised to the third power, or cubed. This prepares them for two associated activities. First, students find the volumes and surface areas of rectangular boxes such as cereal boxes and then figure out how to convert their boxes into a new, cubical boxes having the same volume as the original. As they construct the new, cube-shaped boxes from the original box material, students discover that the cubical box has less surface area than the original, and thus, a cube is a more efficient way to package items. Students consider why consumer goods are generally not packaged in cube-shaped boxes, even though this would require fewer materials and ultimately, less waste. Then, to display their findings, each student designs and constructs a mobile that contains a duplicate of his or her original box, the new cube-shaped box of the same volume, the scraps that are left over from the original box, and pertinent calculations of the volumes and surface areas involved. The activities involved provide valuable experience in problem solving with spatial-visual relationships.
Students learn to think like packaging engineers while considering ways in which consumer goods are boxed. They consider not only the most-efficient designs, but also how those designs will be used by the customers.
Determine the dimensions of a cube when given its volume.
Assert that a cube has less surface area than a rectangular prism of the same volume, and then prove this assertion with examples.
Students should know how to determine the surface area and volume of a rectangular prism.
(Introduce the activity.) Today, you are going to take one of your two, identical boxes, and cut it up and tapeit back together to make a cube-shaped box that has the same volume as the original, rectangular box. In order to create a cube-shaped box from a rectangular box, you will have to work backwards. For a cube of known volume, you need to be able to figure out how to find its dimensions. If the volume of a cube is equal to its length cubed, the length of any side of a cube is equal to the cube root of its volume. (Work through some simple examples to help illustrate this.) For example, what would the dimensions be for a box with a volume of 8 cubic cm, or for a box with a volume of 27 cubic inches?
Volume-to-surface area ratios are important aspects of many phenomena in the physical and natural sciences. For example, radiators are devices designed to contain lots of surface area over which to dissipate heat, using a relatively small volume of hot fluid flowing through the radiator. Similarly, a long, narrow ranch-style house costs more to heat in a cold climate than a more cube-shaped Cape Cod-style house having the same volume and wall insulation. The ranch house has more wall and roof areas through which the interior heat can escape than the Cape Cod house. Likewise, the ranch house has more area exposed to the radiant heat of the sun in the summer, and costs more to keep cool by air conditioning than will the Cape Cod house.
In our own bodies, materials move in and out of our cells continuously, passing through the cell membranes primarily by the slow process of diffusion. The surface area of the cell determines how much material can be moved back and forth, and the smaller the cell, the greater the relative amount of surface area it contains. That is why cells are generally very small, with 10 microns (one one-hundredth of a millimeter) in diameter being a fairly typical cell size. Very large cells are rare, because without special mechanisms they cannot take in enough nutrients and rid themselves of wastes fast enough to support the activities going on inside those large volumes. One-celled organisms are thus small and their life processes are fairly simple. More complicated organisms, such as ourselves, are multi-celled. By keeping our cells small, they can be specialized to do different jobs and yet still be maintained by the available nutrients and waste removal systems.
New Boxes from Old - Students find the volumes and surface areas of rectangular boxes such as cereal boxes and then, using the same box material, construct new cube-shaped boxes having the same volumes as the original boxes.
The Boxes Go Mobile: Balancing Hanging Boxes with Levers - To display the results of the New Boxes from Old activity, students design and construct mobiles that contains duplicates of the original boxes, the new cube-shaped boxes of the same volume, the leftover scraps from the original boxes, and pertinent calculations of the volumes and surface areas involved.
After students have conducted both associated activities, lead a class discussion. Begin by asking students to share with the class their answers to the last question on the New Boxes from Old student pages. While the total areas of their scraps should equal the differences in surface areas of their two boxes, it is unlikely that they will actually be very close. Measurement inaccuracies, rounding, and the difficulties of cutting straight lines and right angles all combine to make their answers not as closely matched as they ought to be.
Since we are all concerned about preserving natural resources, ask the class which type of packaging would use the least paper: selling pasta, cereal, crackers and cake mixes, etc., in rectangular boxes, or in cube-shaped boxes. Expect students to notice by now that rectangular boxes can be downright wasteful. Ask them to look around at all the mobiles and note which types of boxes generated the most scraps relative to the sizes of the boxes. Expect them to be able to notice that long, thin boxes, such as spaghetti boxes or toothpaste boxes, had more scraps left over than boxes that had some faces that were square or nearly square, such as a diskette box. See if they can summarize their observations in mathematical terms, for example, "When the length-to-width and length-to-height ratios are close to 1, there are fewer scraps than when one or both of these ratios is much greater (or less) than 1."
Since a cube-shaped box uses less material, why don't companies sell cereal and other foods this way? Ask students to share their thoughts about this question. If they need help, ask them to imagine how they would arrange many boxes of food in the same cabinet. Wouldn't lots of items have to be two or three rows back in the cabinet, and wouldn't items be stacked in at least two layers? What if they wanted the box of cereal that was all the way in the back and on the bottom layer?
Students might also realize that when people walk down the cereal aisle of grocery stores, each cereal company wants the consumer to buy its type(s) of cereal. Thus, the companies want nice, big areas on their boxes so they can attract the customer's attention and advertise what's inside. A cube-shaped box, with its smaller area facing the consumer, might not be as eye-catching as a rectangular box.
Some foods, because of their particular shapes, require rectangular packages. Spaghetti and lasagna noodles, for example, would have to be cut short to fit into a one-pound, cube-shaped box. Otherwise, a cube-shaped box containing standard-length noodles (~26 cm) would be quite large. Just for fun, have students determine the number of spaghetti noodles such a box would hold, if its dimensions were equal to the length of a typical noodle. (The answer depends on whether the box is filled with thick or thin spaghetti. One group of students counted 812 noodles in a one-pound box of thin spaghetti, which means there would be about 23,500 noodles in the cube-shaped box. Of course, there would be fewer noodles in a box of thick spaghetti noodles.) It is also interesting to note how heavy such a cubical box of noodles would be (29 pounds) and to speculate on whether or not the thin cardboard used in pasta boxes would be strong enough to support this weight (not likely).
Have students complete the attached assessment to help ensure that they are comfortable finding the volumes and surface areas of cubes and rectangular prisms. The assessment also requires them to systematically compare the two different shapes of packaging and identify pros and cons of each.
Identify the equations used to calculate the volumes and surfaces of cubes and rectangular prisms.
Determine the difference in surface areas of a rectangular box of given dimensions, and a cube-shaped box having the same volume as the rectangular box.
Sketch a cube-shaped box, including its dimensions, that has the same volume as a provided rectangular box.
Identify realistic criteria and constraints that should be considered in packaging design.
Write a paragraph explaining why consumer goods packaged in cube-shaped boxes would use less packaging material than rectangular boxes containing the same product volumes. Require each student to provide an example, including sketches of the boxes and their dimensions, to substantiate his or her explanation and identify why more cube-shaped boxes aren't used.
Arrange for a field trip to a nearby packaging factory. Students and teachers alike will be amazed to see all the steps involved in designing, printing, cutting and assembling the boxes used to hold a wide range of consumer products.
This lesson and its associated activities were originally published, in slightly modified form, by Duke University's Center for Inquiry Based Learning (CIBL). Please visit http://ciblearning.org/ for information about CIBL and other resources for K-12 science and math teachers.