text:
<?php

namespace Components\Developer\Api\Controllers;

use Hubzero\Component\ApiController;
use Hubzero\Oauth\Server;
use Hubzero\Oauth\Storage\Mysql as MysqlStorage;

/**
 * Oauth controller for the developer component
 */
class Oauthv1_0 extends ApiController
{
	/**
	 * Handle a request for an OAuth2.0 Access Token and send the response to the client
	 *
	 * @apiMethod POST
	 * @apiUri    /developer/oauth/token
	 * @return    void
	 */
	public function tokenTask()
	{
		$server = new Server(new MysqlStorage);

		$server->handleTokenRequest(
			\OAuth2\Request::createFromGlobals()
		)->send();

		exit();
	}
}


text:
Sensata Technologies Reports First Quarter 2017 Financial Results
HENGELO, the Netherlands, April 25, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sensata Technologies (NYSE:ST) today announced financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2017.
Revenue was $807.3 million in the first quarter of 2017, an increase of $10.7 million, or 1.3%, from revenue of $796.5 million in the first quarter of 2016. Excluding a 2.2% negative effect from changes in foreign exchange rates, Sensata reported organic revenue growth of 3.5% in the first quarter of 2017.
Net income was $71.7 million in the first quarter 2017, which was 8.9% of revenue or $0.42 per diluted share. This compares to net income of $60.6 million in the first quarter 2016, which was 7.6% of revenue or $0.35 per diluted share. Adjusted net income was $121.5 million in the first quarter of 2017, which was 15.0% of revenue or $0.71 per diluted share. This compares to adjusted net income of $113.2 million in the first quarter of 2016, which was 14.2% of revenue or $0.66 per diluted share. Changes in foreign exchange rates reduced Sensata's adjusted earnings per share by ($0.03) in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the prior year period.
Sensata's ending cash balance at March 31, 2017 was $431.7 million. In the first quarter of 2017 operating cash flow was $119.7 million, a decrease of 12.1% from the first quarter of 2016, and free cash flow was $86.6 million, a decrease of 15.0% from the prior year period. The Company's net debt at March 31, 2017 was $2.882 billion, an improvement of $91 million from December 31, 2016.
"We started the year off strong, delivering solid organic revenue growth, margin expansion, and double-digit organic EPS growth during the first quarter of 2017," said Martha Sullivan, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our revenue growth was balanced between both segments, while China continues to be our strongest geographic region. We delivered impressive year-over-year margin expansion despite facing foreign exchange headwinds and higher integration costs. As we move ahead, we remain focused on pursuing strategic investments that will drive future growth, while continuing to expand margins and improve profitability."
Segment Performance
$ in 000s March 31,
Performance Sensing revenue $ 600,143 $ 597,175
Performance Sensing profit from operations 151,736 145,787
% of Performance Sensing revenue 25.3 % 24.4 %
Sensing Solutions revenue $ 207,128 $ 199,374
Sensing Solutions profit from operations 67,438 63,248
% of Sensing Solutions revenue 32.6 % 31.7 %
Performance Sensing's profit from operations as a percentage of revenue totaled 25.3% in the first quarter of 2017. Excluding the impact of changes in foreign exchange rates, Performance Sensing's profit from operations as a percentage of revenue was 25.7% in the first quarter of 2017, representing an increase of 130 basis points from the first quarter of 2016. Sensing Solutions' profit from operations as a percentage of revenue totaled 32.6% in the first quarter of 2017. Excluding the impact of changes in foreign exchange rates, Sensing Solutions' profit from operations as a percentage of revenue was 32.3% in the first quarter of 2017, representing an increase of 60 basis points compared to the first quarter of 2016. Higher year-over-year integration costs reduced Sensing Solutions' profit from operations as a percentage of revenue by 30 basis points in the first quarter of 2017.
Sensata anticipates revenue to be between $820 and $844 million in the second quarter of 2017 compared to $827.5 million in the second quarter of 2016. Additionally, the Company expects adjusted net income to be between $131 and $137 million and adjusted earnings per share to be between $0.76 and $0.80 in the second quarter of 2017. Sensata expects to incur approximately $8 to $9 million of integration-related expenses in the second quarter of 2017.
For the full year 2017, the Company anticipates revenue to be between $3.165 and $3.265 billion, which would represent organic revenue growth of between 1 and 3 percent. For full year 2017, Sensata expects adjusted EBIT to be between $734 and $756 million. Additionally, the Company expects adjusted net income to be between $528 million and $550 million and adjusted earnings per share to be between $3.08 and $3.20 for full year 2017, which would represent organic growth of 8 to 12 percent. Sensata expects that changes in foreign currency exchange rates will lower revenue by approximately $52 million and will lower adjusted earnings per share by ($0.02) to ($0.03) for the full year 2017. Sensata expects to incur approximately $19 to 20 million of integration-related expenses for the full year 2017.
Conference Call & Webcast
Sensata will conduct a conference call today at 8:00 AM eastern time to discuss its first quarter 2017 financial results and its outlook for the second quarter and full year 2017. The dial-in numbers for the call are 1-877-317-6789 or +1-412-317-6789 and callers can reference the Sensata Q1 2017 Earnings Call. A live webcast and a replay of the conference call will also be available on the investor relations page of the Company's website at http://investors.sensata.com. Additionally, a replay of the call will be available until May 2nd, 2017. To access the replay dial 1-877-344-7529 or 1-412-317-0088 and enter confirmation code: 10103598.
Sensata Technologies is one of the world's leading suppliers of sensing, electrical protection, control and power management solutions with operations and business centers in thirteen countries. Sensata's products improve safety, efficiency, and comfort for millions of people every day in automotive, appliance, aircraft, industrial, military, heavy vehicle, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, data, telecommunications, recreational vehicle, and marine applications. For more information, please visit Sensata's website at www.sensata.com.
We supplement the reporting of our financial information determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") with certain non-GAAP financial measures. We use these non-GAAP financial measures internally to make operating and strategic decisions, including the preparation of our annual operating plan, evaluation of our overall business performance, and as a factor in determining compensation for certain employees. We believe presenting non-GAAP financial measures is useful for period-over-period comparisons of underlying business trends and our ongoing business performance. We also believe presenting these non-GAAP measures provides additional transparency into how management evaluates our business.
Non-GAAP financial measures should be considered as supplemental in nature and are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the related financial information prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. In addition, our non-GAAP financial measures may not be the same as, or comparable, to similar non-GAAP measures presented by other companies.
The non-GAAP financial measures referenced by Sensata in this release include: adjusted net income, adjusted net income margin, adjusted earnings per share ("EPS"), adjusted earnings before interest and taxes ("EBIT"), adjusted EBIT margin, free cash flow, net debt, organic revenue growth, and segment profit margin excluding the effects of period-over-period foreign exchange rate differences. In discussing trends in our business, we also refer to the percentage change of certain non-GAAP measures in one period versus another, determined on either a reported or an organic (which excludes the impact of acquisitions, net of exited businesses that occurred within the previous year, and the effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates) basis. These period-over-period changes are also considered non-GAAP measures.
Adjusted net income is defined as net income, determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, excluding certain non-GAAP adjustments which are described in the accompanying reconciliation tables. Adjusted net income margin is calculated by dividing adjusted net income by net revenue. Adjusted EPS is calculated by dividing adjusted net income by the number of diluted weighted average ordinary shares outstanding in the period. We believe that these measures are useful to investors and management in understanding our ongoing operations and in analysis of ongoing operating trends.
Adjusted EBIT is defined as net income, determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, excluding interest expense, net, provision for/(benefit from) income taxes, and certain non-GAAP adjustments which are described in the accompanying reconciliation tables. Adjusted EBIT margin is calculated by dividing adjusted EBIT by net revenue. We believe that these measures are useful to investors and management in understanding our ongoing operations and in analysis of ongoing operating trends.
Free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities, determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, less additions to property, plant, and equipment and capitalized software. We believe that this measure is useful to investors and management as a measure of cash generated by business operations that will be used to repay scheduled debt maturities and can be used to fund acquisitions, repurchase ordinary shares, or accelerate the repayment of debt obligations.
Net debt is defined as total debt, capital lease and other financing obligations, determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, less cash and cash equivalents. We believe that this measure is useful to investors and management as an indicator of trends in our overall financial condition.
Organic revenue growth is defined as the reported percentage change in net revenue calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP, excluding the impact of acquisitions, net of exited businesses that occurred within the previous year, and the effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates. We believe that this measure is useful to investors and management in understanding our ongoing operations and in analysis of ongoing operating trends.
Segment profit margin excluding the effects of period-over-period foreign exchange rate differences is defined as segment profit margin in the current period calculated on a constant foreign exchange rate basis with the comparison prior period. We believe that this measure is useful to investors and management in understanding our ongoing operations and in analysis of ongoing operating trends.
This earnings release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements relate to analyses and other information, which are based on forecasts of future results and estimates of amounts not yet determinable, and our future prospects, developments, and business strategies. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, our anticipated results for the second quarter and full year 2017. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause these differences include, but are not limited to, risks associated with: adverse conditions in the automotive industry; competitive pressures that could require us to lower prices or could result in reduced demand for our products; integration of acquired companies, including CST and Schrader; the assumption of known and unknown liabilities in the acquisition of CST and Schrader; risks associated with our non-U.S. operations and international business; litigation and disputes involving us, including the extent of intellectual property, product liability, warranty, and recall claims asserted against us; risks associated with our historical and future tax positions; risks associated with labor disruptions or increased labor costs; risks associated with our indebtedness; and risks associated with breaches and other disruptions to our information technology infrastructure. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak to results only as of the date the statements were made; and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether to reflect any future events or circumstances or otherwise. For a discussion of potential risks and uncertainties, please refer to the risk factors listed in our SEC filings. Copies of our filings are available from our Investor Relations department or from the SEC website, www.sec.gov.
SENSATA TECHNOLOGIES HOLDING N.V.
(In 000s, except per share amounts)
Net revenue $ 807,271 $ 796,549
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of revenue 532,726 528,378
Research and development 31,814 31,351
Selling, general and administrative 70,274 71,931
Amortization of intangible assets 40,258 50,447
Restructuring and special charges 11,050 855
Total operating costs and expenses 686,122 682,962
Profit from operations 121,149 113,587
Interest expense, net (40,277 ) (42,268 )
Other, net 5,196 5,488
Income before taxes 86,068 76,807
Provision for income taxes 14,332 16,195
Net income $ 71,736 $ 60,612
Net income per share:
Basic $ 0.42 $ 0.36
Diluted $ 0.42 $ 0.35
Weighted-average ordinary shares outstanding:
Basic 170,947 170,404
Diluted 171,905 171,257
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
($ in 000s)
Other comprehensive income/(loss), net of tax:
Deferred gain/(loss) on derivative instruments, net of reclassifications 132 (16,703 )
Defined benefit and retiree healthcare plans 480 208
Other comprehensive income/(loss) 612 (16,495 )
Comprehensive income $ 72,348 $ 44,117
Accounts receivable, net of allowances 533,126 500,211
Inventories 407,198 389,844
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 101,259 100,002
Total current assets 1,473,283 1,341,485
Property, plant and equipment, net 723,418 724,046
Goodwill 3,005,464 3,005,464
Other intangible assets, net 1,036,054 1,075,431
Deferred income tax assets 20,694 20,695
Other assets 71,658 73,855
Current portion of long-term debt, capital lease and other financing obligations $ 7,363 $ 14,643
Accounts payable 301,605 299,198
Income taxes payable 26,988 23,889
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 259,238 245,566
Deferred income tax liabilities 396,092 392,628
Pension and other post-retirement benefit obligations 34,707 34,878
Capital lease and other financing obligations, less current portion 31,260 32,369
Long-term debt, net of discount and deferred financing costs, less current portion 3,225,965 3,226,582
Other long-term liabilities 27,096 29,216
Total shareholders' equity 2,020,257 1,942,007
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 6,330,571 $ 6,240,976
($ in 000s) For the three months ended
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation 28,795 25,999
Amortization of deferred financing costs and original issue discounts 1,857 1,844
Currency remeasurement loss on debt 54 128
Share-based compensation 3,952 3,516
Amortization of inventory step-up to fair value — 2,319
Deferred income taxes 3,400 5,547
Unrealized loss/(gain) on hedges and other non-cash items 2,066 (3,974 )
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions (32,417 ) (10,236 )
Net cash provided by operating activities 119,701 136,202
Acquisition of CST, net of cash received — (3,360 )
Additions to property, plant and equipment and capitalized software (33,059 ) (34,235 )
Investment in equity securities — (50,000 )
Proceeds from the sale of assets 2,937 —
Net cash used in investing activities (30,122 ) (87,595 )
Proceeds from exercise of stock options and issuance of ordinary shares 2,450 128
Payments on debt (11,122 ) (40,308 )
Payments to repurchase ordinary shares (498 ) (2,494 )
Payments of debt issuance costs (137 ) (209 )
Net cash used in financing activities (9,307 ) (42,883 )
Net change in cash and cash equivalents 80,272 5,724
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 351,428 342,263
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 431,700 $ 347,987
Revenue by Business, Geography, and End Market (Unaudited)
(% of total revenue) Three months ended
Performance Sensing 74.3 % 75.0 %
Sensing Solutions 25.7 % 25.0 %
Total 100.0 % 100.0 %
Americas 42.3 % 43.5 %
Europe 31.3 % 33.4 %
Asia/Rest of World 26.4 % 23.1 %
(% of total revenue)1 Three months ended
European automotive 23.9 % 25.9 %
North American automotive 19.9 % 20.3 %
Asian automotive 18.0 % 16.1 %
Rest of world automotive 0.2 % 0.3 %
Heavy vehicle off-road 14.0 % 13.9 %
Appliance and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning 6.6 % 5.7 %
Industrial 9.5 % 9.2 %
Aerospace 4.7 % 4.6 %
All other 3.2 % 4.0 %
1 Reclassification of certain acquired product lines has led to retrospective adjustments of certain of end-market percentages.
The following unaudited table reconciles the Company's net income to adjusted net income for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016.
(In 000s, except per share amounts) Three months ended
Restructuring and special charges 7,691 3,639
Financing and other transaction costs — 781
Deferred (gain)/loss on other hedges (5,340 ) (13,273 )
Depreciation and amortization expense related to the step-up in fair value of fixed and intangible assets and inventory 41,994 53,866
Deferred income tax and other tax expense/(benefit) 3,542 5,757
Amortization of deferred financing costs 1,857 1,844
Total adjustments $ 49,744 $ 52,614
Adjusted net income $ 121,480 $ 113,226
Weighted average diluted shares outstanding 171,905 171,257
Adjusted net income per diluted share $ 0.71 $ 0.66
Sensata's definition of adjusted net income excludes the deferred provision for/(benefit from) income taxes and other tax expense/(benefit). Sensata's deferred provision for/(benefit from) income taxes includes adjustments for book-to-tax basis differences primarily related to the step-up in fair value of fixed and intangible assets and goodwill, utilization of net operating losses and adjustments to our U.S. valuation allowance in connection with certain acquisitions. Other tax expense/(benefit) includes certain adjustments to unrecognized tax positions.
As Sensata treats deferred income tax and other tax expense/(benefit) as an adjustment to compute adjusted net income, the deferred income tax effect associated with the reconciling items, above, would not change adjusted net income for any period presented.
The current income tax (benefit)/expense associated with the reconciling items above, which is included in adjusted net income, would be as follows: Depreciation and amortization expense related to the step-up in fair value of fixed and intangible assets and inventory: ($0.0) million and ($0.0) million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively; and Restructuring and special charges of ($0.1) million and ($0.1) million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.
The following unaudited table identifies where in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations the adjustments to reconcile net income to adjusted net income were recorded for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016.
($ in 000s) Three months ended
Cost of revenue $ 5,177 $ 3,373
Selling, general and administrative 1,303 1,645
Restructuring and special charges 4,276 800
Interest expense, net 1,857 1,844
Other, net (5,340 ) (9,873 )
Provision for income taxes 3,542 5,757
The following unaudited table reconciles the Company's net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow.
March 31, % Change
Net cash provided by operating activities $ 119,701 $ 136,202 (12.1 )%
Additions to property, plant and equipment and capitalized software (33,059 ) (34,235 ) 3.4
Free cash flow $ 86,642 $ 101,967 (15.0 )%
The following unaudited table reconciles the Company's diluted net income per share to organic earnings growth. The amounts in the table below have been calculated based on unrounded numbers. Accordingly, certain amounts may not sum due to the effect of rounding.
Diluted net income per share $ 0.42 $ 0.35
Non-GAAP adjustments:
Restructuring and special charges 0.04 0.02
Financing and other transaction costs 0.00 0.00
Deferred (gain)/loss on other hedges (0.03 ) (0.08 )
Depreciation and amortization expense related to the step-up in fair value of fixed and intangible assets and inventory 0.24 0.31
Deferred income tax expense and other tax expense/(benefit) 0.02 0.03
Amortization of deferred financing costs 0.01 0.01
Adjusted EPS $ 0.71 $ 0.66
Percentage change in adjusted EPS 7.6 %
Less: year-over-year impact due to:
Foreign exchange rates (4.5 %)
Organic adjusted EPS growth 12.1 %
The following unaudited table reconciles the Company's total debt, capital and other financing obligations, determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, to net debt, a non-GAAP financial measure.
Balance as of
($ in 000s) March 31,
2016 Change ($)
Current portion of long-term debt, capital lease and other financing obligations $ 7,363 $ 14,643 $ (7,280 )
Capital lease and other financing obligations, less current portion 31,260 32,369 (1,109 )
Long-term debt, net of discount and deferred financing costs, less current portion 3,225,965 3,226,582 (617 )
Total debt, capital lease and other financing obligations 3,264,588 3,273,594 (9,006 )
Less: Discounts (17,041 ) (17,655 ) 614
Less: Deferred financing costs (32,413 ) (33,656 ) 1,243
Gross indebtedness 3,314,042 3,324,905 (10,863 )
Less: Cash and cash equivalents 431,700 351,428 80,272
Net debt $ 2,882,342 $ 2,973,477 $ (91,135 )
The following unaudited table reconciles the Company's net income, determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, to adjusted EBIT, a non-GAAP financial measure. Percentage amounts in the table below have been calculated based on unrounded numbers. Accordingly, certain amounts may not sum due to the effect of rounding.
$ in thousands % of net revenue
Net income $ 71,736 $ 60,612 8.9 % 7.6 %
Interest expense, net 40,277 42,268 5.0 % 5.3 %
Provision for income taxes 14,332 16,195 1.8 % 2.0 %
Earnings before interest and taxes ("EBIT") 126,345 119,075 15.7 % 14.9 %
Restructuring and special charges 7,691 3,639 1.0 % 0.5 %
Financing and other transaction costs - 781 - 0.1 %
Deferred gains on other hedges (5,340 ) (13,273 ) (0.7 %) (1.7 %)
Depreciation and amortization expense related to the step-up in fair value of fixed and intangible assets and inventory 41,994 53,866 5.2 % 6.8 %
Adjusted EBIT $ 170,690 $ 164,088 21.1 % 20.6 %
Change (Q1 2017 vs. Q1 2016) 4.0 % 50 bps
Foreign exchange rates (3.9 %) (40 bps)
Organic growth 7.9 % 90 bps
The following unaudited table reconciles the Company's projected GAAP net income per diluted share to projected adjusted earnings per share for the three months ended June 30, 2017 and full year ended December 31, 2017. The amounts in the table below have been calculated based on unrounded numbers. Accordingly, certain amounts may not sum due to the effect of rounding.
June 30, 2017 Full year ended
Low End High End Low End High End
Projected GAAP net income per diluted share $ 0.45 $ 0.46 $ 1.88 $ 1.96
Restructuring and special charges 0.02 0.04 0.08 0.10
Deferred (gain)/loss on other hedges * — — (0.03 ) (0.03 )
Depreciation and amortization expense related to the step-up in fair value of fixed and intangible assets and inventory 0.24 0.24 0.96 0.96
Deferred income tax and other tax expense/(benefit) 0.04 0.05 0.15 0.17
Amortization of deferred financing costs 0.01 0.01 0.04 0.04
Projected adjusted earnings per share $ 0.76 $ 0.80 $ 3.08 $ 3.20
Weighted average diluted shares outstanding (in 000s) 171,700 171,700 171,700 171,700
* We are unable to predict movements in commodity prices and, therefore, the impact of mark-to-market adjustments on our commodity forward contracts to our 2017 GAAP net income per diluted share. In prior years such adjustments have been significant to our reported GAAP earnings.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This election campaign has felt like an emotional rollercoaster. I have gone from despair when the election was called and it seemed as though the Conservatives were guaranteed to win by a landslide, to anger at some of the things said by the Conservatives, fear at what another five years of this government could mean for our public services, and hope that real change could be possible. I feel privileged to have been actively involved in a campaign that has been like no other. There are many, many reasons to vote Labour tomorrow and it would take up too much valuable campaigning time to go into all of them in depth so here are just a few.
The NHS This is perhaps the most important issue in the election campaign. Labour are pledging to increase funding for the NHS. They believe strongly in the principle of the NHS whereas the Conservatives believe in privatisation and Jeremy Hunt has said he would like to see it privatised. Theresa May is planning to force NHS trusts to sell off their land and properties cheaply to the rich. Just imagine what a privatised NHS would be like. Receiving a bill for tens of thousands of pounds for a stay in hospital. Having to sell your house because your child needs an operation.
Schools As a teacher and a parent, education is extremely important to me. Our state schools are being starved of much needed funds by the Conservatives. Labour would give them the funding they need. Check out schoolcuts.org.uk for more details.
School Dinners Hungry children cannot learn. Making sure every child has a nutritious meal is an important step towards reducing inequality of opportunity between rich and poor.
Tuition Fees When I went to university I did not have to pay tuition fees and I had a full grant. I left university with a very small overdraft which I quickly paid off as soon as I started working. The prospect of starting out in life with a huge debt is putting off talented young people from entering higher education. This can't be good for our economy and it is holding young people back and stopping them from reaching their potential. We need to invest in the education of our young people. It is an investment that will pay off in the long run because graduates earn more and therefore pay more tax. With a university education, these young people will make a positive contribution to our economy.
Nationalisation Labour will bring back services such as energy and Royal Mail into public ownership where they belong. In the long run this will make money for the economy as profits will go to the state rather than private companies. At the moment, when privatised companies make a loss they ask taxpayers to bail them out but when they make a profit they give it to their shareholders. That can't be right.
Council Houses Labour have pledged to build more council & housing association homes. These are desperately needed as private rents have been allowed to soar under the Conservatives and are out of reach of many families. Theresa May only a few days ago made a U turn on her pledge to build more council housing.
Living Wage The Conservatives claim to have brought in the Living Wage. This is a lie. They have slightly increased the minimum wage but it is not a living wage. The living wage is set by the Living Wage Foundation and it currently stands at £8.45 per hour outside of London. Labour would introduce a minimum wage of £10 per hour. This money will be spent in our economy and it will mean that taxpayers no longer have to subsidise employers who don't pay enough; the tax credit bill will go down.
Our Leader Jeremy Corbyn is exactly what this country needs at the moment. His honesty, integrity and compassion have really won over people who in the past saw politicians as all being the same. His manifesto is bold. The big surge in support for Labour during this campaign coincided with the release of the manifesto. This manifesto would not have happened without Corbyn. Before Corbyn, Labour were voting with the conservatives in favour of austerity. He is the strong and stable leader that Britain needs.
A different kind of politics is possible. A fairer society is possible. Vote Labour on June 8th. For the many, not the few.


text:
Passive and Green on the Home Front
BY ALEXANDRA GALLUCCI ON MAY 11TH, 2016
Since 2004, the price of residential electricity has risen by nearly 37 percent, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. With homeowners ever more conscious of their monthly bills, it's not surprising that interest in passive homes are of the rise.
Passive or "net zero" homes don't utilize any on-grid electricity, reducing heating and cooling energy 60 to 80 percent, says Michael Knezovich, director of communications at the Passive House Institute US in Chicago.
The Passive House Institute US has trained more than 1,800 architects, engineers, energy consultants, energy raters and builders. It also is the leading passive building research and information provider in North America. While most passive homes are newly constructed, retrofit construction is becoming more common in the U.S., too, Knezovich says.
Passive homes function on the basis of being air tight, using "superinsulation." Thicker walls, high-performance windows (in cold climates they are triple paned) and strategic use of sun and shading are standard features that allow these homes to be so energy efficient. If you step foot inside a passive house, you'll probably notice the quietness. That's because the walls of these structures are often 12 to 18 inches thick, which helps insulate the home in addition to keeping out exterior noise. "When it's really cold, you can stand next to a window and you don't even notice a difference in temperature. And there's no draft," Knezovich says.
While consumers may worry that a home sealed too tightly can lead to problems with moisture and mold, these issues are combatted with the use of an energy recovery ventilator, which takes the place of a conventional furnace and provides a constant supply of fresh air. The ventilator is a box that runs constantly and is designed intentionally to have a balanced intake and output to maintain a constant pressure inside the home.
In a passive home, you'll never hear the mechanical sound of a unit turning on or off, nor the blowing sound of an air conditioner. Energy recovery ventilators run constantly at a lower level that is much quieter than a forced air furnace.
Surprisingly, passive homes don't cost much more to build than a standard home. A commonly used estimate in the industry is that construction of a passive house costs 5 to 10 percent more than conventional building.
One of the biggest drawback to living in a passive house, according to Nicholas Koch, a passive house consultant and founder of Equitable Green Group in Austin, Texas, is that your washer and dryer must be kept outdoors because dryers suck the air out of your home. In Koch's own passive house, the units are kept on a screened-in porch.
"We're building these buildings to last ideally a century or more," says Dan Whitmore, a passive house consultant with Hammer & Hand, a home building and remodeling company that has around 35 passive home projects in Seattle and Portland, Oregon.
Whitmore encourages customers to look at their monthly investments in a house as the sum of their mortgage and utilities. "We can generally delivery a super efficient building for the same monthly outlay," he says.
In Austin, Koch's Equitable Green Group has plans to build a community of 16 passive homes called The Aviary on the city's East side. The goal is to focus on low-energy living with features like rainwater collection, solar energy and sustainable farming, Koch says.
Lately, builders have seen a lot of interest in multi-family homes and affordable housing, Knezovich says. "What we find is that once you have a couple of projects in an area, it naturally seems to accelerate very quickly after that," he says.
"It's an exciting time within the efficiency building community because there's a lot of interest and support and the expertise is just growing and growing," Whitmore adds.


Q: Take the name of an aquatic animal, in two words, six letters in the first word and four letters in the second. Remove the first letter of each word, the remaining eight letters in order, will spell a word that might describe an animal that is not aquatic.
Edit: My hints were "common" as in the "common seal" (also known as the harbor seal) and "tip of my..." referring to the way a trained seal can balance a ball on the tip of his nose.
So, would a tree frog be both arboreal and aquatic?
Q: Name a breed of dog that starts and ends with the same letter of the alphabet. Drop that letter at both ends, and if you have the right dog, the remaining letters phonetically will name some animals. What's the dog and what are the animals?
It's a bit of a stretch to say that the remaining letters are pronounced exactly like the name of some animals.
You're on your own this week... the blog author is on vacation and the robot has taken over.
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 31, 2011): Hey! A New Puzzle!
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 31, 2011): Hey! A New Puzzle!: "
Q: Name a famous person from America's past who has four letters in his or her first name and five letters in the last. Take a homophone of the last name, move it to the front. The result would be something a woman might write. What is it?"
Update: "Doh!" sounds like "Doe" which is a female deer.


The list of reasons why specialists don't like their EHRs could go on for pages, but what it really comes down to is this: most EHRs try to satisfy everyone's needs, an impossible feat in a world with hundreds of medical specialties. Hospitals and primary care practices can sometimes make a one-size-fits-all EHR work, but specialists have a much harder time adjusting to having an EHR as part of their workflow.
With the EHR market in a constant state of shuffling out the unpopular EHRs, practices are most concerned with an EHR's past success and future prospects. Practices want proof now, not just promises.
Another reason specialists are unhappy with their EHR is that most EHRs follow the traditional, point-and-click model, which is the culprit behind lost productivity and user frustration. Of the physicians surveyed in the Black Book study, 93 percent said they would prefer to replace—or at least enhance—their current EHR model with one with voice capabilities. Voice-driven EHRs not only eliminate transcription costs, but they also improve productivity quite a bit. Doctors can save two hours a day by using an EHR that takes full advantage of voice capabilities (i.e., voice commands, faster dictation, etc.).
Many practices aren't in a position to switch EHRs just yet, but 96 percent agree that they will never achieve their pre-EHR productivity levels with their current EHR.
With 2013 labeled the "Year of the Great EHR Switch," it will be interesting to see what the theme for 2014 will be. EHR replacement is still going on, but it looks like those who will be most affected this year are the vendors who fail to provide stellar customer service, keep up with government requirements like meaningful use and ICD-10, and to continue to improve the usability of their products.
"The high performance vendors that will emerge as viable past 2015 are those dedicating responsive teams to address customers' current demands," said Doug Brown, Black Book's managing partner.


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