text:
Q: JS/Meteor: Returning 'checked' if string is found in array I have created a form where if the checkbox of an option is checked, upon form submission, it passes the value of checked inputs to an array of strings (cuisineType, within the venueAttributes subschema).
I'm trying to build the equivalent update form and I need to:

*

*Find if the value field (ex:'american') of the input is in the array.

*Return 'checked' (or mark the checkbox as selected) if the value is contained in the array.

This is what I have so far, but not sure if I'm on the right path. Should I use ._find() in underscore?
Type of Cuisine
{{#each venueAttributes.cuisineType}}

      <input type="checkbox" checked="???" name="american" id="american" value="american">American

      <input type="checkbox" checked="???" name="french" id="french" value="french">French

{{/each}}

Thank you for any insights you could provide!
Dan

A: Since you're iterating over venueAttributes.cuisineType anyway you only need one sub-item:
<template name="cuisines">
Type of Cuisine
{{#each venueAttributes.cuisineType}}

      <input type="checkbox" checked={{isChecked}} name={{this}}
        id={{this}} value={{this}}>{{this}}

{{/each}}
</template>

Now you need an isChecked helper to decide whether or not a given item is checked.
Template.cuisines.helpers({
  isChecked: function(){
    return ( checkedCuisines.indexOf(this) > -1 );
  }
});

But, problem!
Your question says:

passes the value of checked inputs to an array of strings
  (cuisineType, within the venueAttributes subschema).

But you're looping over venueAttributes.cuisineType in this template so by definition the array only contains items that were previously checked. I use a different array checkedCuisines to check against but that means that the object you're iterating over in the template has to include all cuisine types, not just the ones that have been checked. Somewhere you need a collection or array of all cuisine types to iterate over.

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Dr. Stephen Nichols encourages us from Psalm 118:17-29 that we can rest in the greatness of God, and in His provision of salvation through Jesus Christ. Dr. Nichols serves as President of Reformation Bible College in Sanford, Florida.
Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University, urges us from Ephesians 5:15-21 to choose every day to walk in wisdom, filled with the Spirit.
Today's chapel is led by musician and author, Andrew Peterson.


Paul Hetherington has published and/or edited 25 books, included 13 full-length collections of poetry – most recently, the prose poetry sequence Íkaros (RWP, 2017) and Moonlight on Oleander: Prose poems (UWAP, 2018). He won the 2014 Western Australian Premier's Book Awards (poetry) and was shortlisted in the 2018 Aesthetica Creative Writing Award (poetry), shortlisted for the prestigious 2017 New South Wales Premier's Prize for Poetry and shortlisted for the international 2016 Periplum Book Competition (UK). He was awarded one of two places on the 2012 Australian Poetry Tour of Ireland and undertook an Australia Council for the Arts Literature Board Residency at the BR Whiting Studio in Rome in 2015-16. He is Professor of Writing in the Faculty of Arts and Design at the University of Canberra, head of the International Poetry Studies Institute (IPSI), and one of the founding editors of the international online journal Axon: Creative Explorations. He founded the International Prose Poetry Group in 2014.


text:
SCORCHED EARTH: 'In Defense of CO2', Astro-Climatology, Climategate and Common Sense Revisited – By Matthew Ehret
Source – globalresearch.ca
"…Back in November 17, 2009, a major scandal erupted when the 61 Mb of emails internally circulated among the directors and researchers at East Anglia University's Climate Research Unit (CRU) were made public…. Jones himself was caught red handed[1] demanding that data sets be ignored and massaged in order to justify the climate models that had all been used to sell the idea that CO2 was driving startling rates of warming"
SM:…Again I say, 'Follow The Money'…
In Defense of CO2: Astro-Climatology, Climategate and Common Sense Revisited – By Matthew Ehret
In Defense of CO2: Astro-Climatology, Climategate and Common Sense Revisited
According to such modern climate experts as Bill Gates, Greta Thunberg, Michael Bloomberg, Mark Carney, Al Gore, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Prince Charles and Klaus Schwab, carbon dioxide must be stopped at all cost. Images of submerged cities, drowning polar bears and burning deserts taking over civilization flash before our eyes repeatedly in schools, mainstream media and films.
The Paris Climate Accords demand that all nations reduce their emissions to pre-industrial levels and the upcoming COP27 Summit in the UK will certainly demand that these reductions be made legally binding and enforceable by new global governance mechanisms.
But is CO2 really the existential threat it is being made out to be?
I would like to take a few moments to entertain the hypothesis that we may be drinking some poisonous Kool-Aid in a modern-day Jonestown cult and we are just minutes away from a hearty "bottoms up".
While some of the questions and facts you are about to read are considered heretical in certain quarters, I think that history has shown that it is only by permitting the mind to question sacred cows at the risk of being denounced as "heretical" that any creative progress can made. With this thought in mind, I will venture the risk and only ask that you accompany me for this thought experiment with an open mind.
A Preface on Climategate
Back in November 17, 2009, a major scandal erupted when the 61 Mb of emails internally circulated among the directors and researchers at East Anglia University's Climate Research Unit (CRU) were made public. To this day, it has not been verified if the scandal occurred via an internal leak or a hack, but what was verified throughout the hundreds of emails between director Phil Jones and the teams of climatologists staffing the CRU, was that vast scales of fraud were occurring. Jones himself was caught red handed[1] demanding that data sets be ignored and massaged in order to justify the climate models that had all been used to sell the idea that CO2 was driving startling rates of warming.
East Anglia's CRU is the world's foremost center of data set centralization and climate model generation which feed directly into the UN's Independent Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and which in turn feeds into every major NGO, school, corporation and government. The other central control point of data selection and model generation (for both climate change and covid-19 data sets) is an Oxford-based operation called "Our World In Data", funded in large measure by the UK government and Bill Gates[2].
Climategate couldn't have come at a worse time, as the COP15 Climate Summit was scheduled for December 2009 where the world's first legally binding carbon reduction treaties were expected to finalize an end to sovereign nation states. The terrible publicity of climategate essentially caused the event to become a big goose egg, as Chinese and Indian delegates refused to play along, and ensured that all teeth were removed from any binding carbon caps[3].
In December 2009, former chief economic advisor to Putin, Dr. Andrei Illarionov stated that Russia had sent data to East Anglia's CRU from 476 meteorological stations covering over 20% of the globe's surface hosting a wide range of data from as far back as 1865 to 2005. Dr. Illarionov explained[4] that he was dismayed to see that Phil Jones and the CRU entirely ignored the data from all but 121 stations, and from those stations they did use, they artificially cherry-picked data that gave off the false result that temperatures between 1860-1965 were 0.67 degrees colder than they truly were while temperatures from 1965-2005 were made artificially high.
After being suspended for a few months, a UK review panel absolved Jones from his transgressions and re-installed him into his old position of carbon data gatekeeper at the CRU.
Development Greens the Earth
Many people were taken aback by the findings published by a team of scientists analyzing the results of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments on NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites. NASA's website[5] described the findings (published on February 11, 2019[6]) in the following way: "The research team found that global green leaf area has increased by 5 percent since the early 2000s, an area equivalent to all of the Amazon rainforests. At least 25 percent of that gain came in China."
Up until this study's publication, scientists were not certain what role human economic activity played in this anomalous greening of the earth.
The NASA study demonstrated that this dramatic rate of greening between 2000-2017 was being driven largely by China and India's combined efforts at eradicating poverty which involves both reforestation, desert greening efforts (see China's Move South Water North megaproject[7]), agricultural innovation and also, general industrial growth policies. The later policies represent genuine efforts by Asian nations to wipe out poverty by investments into large scale infrastructure… a practice once used in the west before the days of "post-industrialism" induced a collective insanity of consumerism in the early 1970s.
A perplexed reader might now be heard to ask: but how can industrial growth have anything to do with greening of the planet?
One simple answer is: carbon dioxide.
CO2: An Innocent Victim Framed for Genocide
As children, we are taught that CO2 is an integral part of our ecosystem and that plants love it.
The processes of photosynthesis which evolved over long spans of time with the advent of the chlorophyll molecule eons ago requires constant infusions of carbon dioxide that are broken down along with H2O, releasing oxygen back into the biosphere. Over time, free oxygen slowly formed the earth's ozone layer and fueled the rise of ever higher life forms that relied on this "plant waste" for life.
Today, large amounts of carbon dioxide is regularly generated by biotic and abiotic activity from living animals, decaying biomass as well as volcanos which constantly emit CO2 and other greenhouse gases. A surprisingly small portion of that naturally occurring CO2 is caused by human economic activity.
Taking the entire composition of greenhouse gases together, water vapour makes up 95% of the bulk, carbon dioxide makes up 3.6%, nitrous oxide (0.9%), methane (0.3%), and aerosols about 0.07%.
Of the sum total of the 3.6% carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, approximately 0.9% is caused by human activity. To restate this statistic: Human CO2 makes up less than 1% of the 3.6% of the total greenhouse gases influencing our climate.
During the mid-20th century, a belief began to emerge among some fringe climate scientists that the 400 parts per million (PPM) average carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the "natural and ideal amount", such that any upset of this mathematical average would supposedly result in destruction of biodiversity. These same mathematicians also presumed that the biosphere could be defined as closed systems such that rules of entropy were the natural organizing principles- ignoring the obvious fact that ecosystems are OPEN, connected to oceans of active cosmic radiations from other stars, galaxies, supernova and more while being mediated by nested arrays of electromagnetic fields.
As film maker Adam Curtis demonstrated in his All Watched Over By Machines of Love and Grace (2011)[8], this belief slowly moved from the fringe into mainstream thinking despite the fact that it is simply wrong.
Beyond the facts already presented above, another persuasive piece of evidence can be found in carbon dioxide generators which are commonly purchased by anyone managing a greenhouse[9]. These widely-used generators increase CO2 to amounts as high as 1,500 PPM. What is the effect of such increases? Healthier, happier, greener plants and vegetables.
Temperature and CO2: Who Leads in this Dance?
Amidst the frantic alarms sounding daily over the impending climate emergency threatening the world, we often forget to ask if anyone ever actually proved the claim that CO2 drives the climate?
To begin to answer this question, let's start with a graph showcasing the rise of human industrial CO2 from 1751-2015 broken down into various regions of the earth. What we can see is consistent increase from the mid 19th century until 1950, when a vast spike of emission rate increases can be viewed. This increase obviously accompanies world population growth and the correlated agro-industrial output.
Next, let us look at the global mean temperature changes from 1880-present.
Here several anomalies strike the thinking mind.
For starters, absolutely no warming accompanies the period of intensive industrial growth of 1940-1977. In fact during this period, many climate scientists were ringing the alarm over an impending ice age![10]
Another anomaly: Since carbon dioxide emissions have increased continuously over the past 20 years, one would expect to see a correlated spike in warming trends. However, this expected correlation is entirely absent between the year 1998 and 2012 when warming tappers off to a near standstill sometimes called "the global warming pause" of 1998-2012[11]. This has been an embarrassment for all modellers whose scare-mongering predictions have fallen to pieces to the point that they can only pretend this pause doesn't exist. Again, the question must be asked: why would this anomaly appear if CO2 drove temperature?
Let's take one more anomaly from our temperature records before digging into the hard proof that CO2 does not cause temperature changes: The medieval warming period [see graph].
While certain proven fraudsters like Michael Mann[12] have attempted to erase this warming period from existence with things like the famous "hockey stick" model crafted with the help of East Anglia's Phil Jones, the fact remains that from 1000-1350 A.D. global mean temperatures were significantly warmer than anything we are currently living through. The Vikings in Greenland had no coal plants or SUVs, and yet mean temperatures were still warmer than today by a long shot. Why?
Perhaps taking a wider look at the CO2:climate correlation might give us a better idea of what is actually happening.
Below we can see a chart taking 600,000 years of data into account. It is certainly the case that CO2 and temperature have a connection on these scales… but correlation is not causation, and as the author of How to Lie with Statistics[13] famously stated "a well-wrapped statistic is better than Hitler's Big Lie; it misleads, yet it cannot be pinned on you."
When a 70,000 year sampling is inspected, we find the slight of hand fully exposed by observing the peaks and troughs of temperature and CO2. If the later were truly the driving force as the Great Resetters of our day proclaim, then CO2 peaks and troughs would happen before temperature, but the evidence shows us the inverse. Let's look at one more example of an 800 year CO2/temperature lag about 130,000 years ago…
Going back even further into the climate records, it has been revealed that during many of the past ice ages, carbon dioxide had risen up to 800% higher than our current levels, despite the fact that human activity played zero role[14].
A Brief Look at Space Weather
Technically, I could end right now and feel like any honest jury would conclude that CO2 has been falsely framed for murder. But I would like to introduce one more dramatic piece of evidence that gets us back on the path of a true science of climate change and ecosystems management: Astroclimatology.
The fact that the earth is but one of a multitude of spherical bodies in space speedily revolving around an incredibly active sun within the outskirts of a galaxy within a broader cluster of galaxies is often ignored by many computer modelling statisticians for a very simple reason. Anyone who has been conditioned to look at the universe through a filter of linear computer models is obsessed with control, and is incredibly uncomfortable with the unknown. The amount of actual factors shaping the weather, ice ages, and volcanism are so complex, vast and mostly undiscovered that computer modellers would prefer to simply pretend they don't exist… or if they do acknowledge such celestial phenomena to have any function in climate change, it is often dismissed as "negligible".
Despite this culture of laziness and dishonesty, the question is worth asking: WHY does evidence of climate change occur across so many other planets and moons of our solar system? Ice caps on Mars melt periodically[15] and have been melting at faster rates in recent years. Why is this happening? Could the sun's coronal mass ejections, solar wind, or electromagnetic field be affecting climate change within the solar system as one unifying process?
Often Venus with its atmosphere of 96.5% CO2 is used as a warning for people on the earth what sort of terrible oven we will create by producing more CO2. It is hot after all with temperatures averaging 467 degrees Celsius (872 degrees Fahrenheit). However, if CO2 were truly to blame for the heating, then why is Mars so cold with temperatures averaging minus 125 degrees Celsius (-195 degrees Fahrenheit) despite the fact that it's atmosphere is 95% CO2?
Similarly, what role does cosmic radiation play in driving climate change? Based on the recent discoveries of Heinrich Svensmark and his team in Denmark, strong correlations were found linking cloud formation, climate and cosmic radiation flux over time. Cosmic radiation flux into the earth is a continuous process mediated by the earth's magnetic field as well as the oscillating magnetic field of the sun which shapes the entire solar system as we revolve around the galactic center of the Milky Way every 225-250 million years. Svensmark's discovery was outlined beautifully in the 2011 documentary The Cloud Mystery.[16]
A Return to a True Science of Climate
The point to re-emphasize is that the weather is, and always has been, a complex process shaped by galactic forces that have driven a miraculous system of life on the earth over hundreds of millions of years.
During this time amounting to approximately two revolutions around the galactic center, living matter has transformed from relatively boring (high entropy) single celled organisms, through a continuous process of increased complexity, and increased power of self-direction (low entropy). Up until now, there is no actual evidence that this process is a closed system and as such, that any fixed state of no change/heat death is controlling its behavior. While some might deny this claim, citing the redshifts of galaxies as proof that the universe is in fact dying (or inversely had a starting point "in time" 13.6 billion years ago before there was nothing), I refer you to the work of Halton Arp[17].
This process has been characterized by non-linear discontinuities of living matter emerging where only nonliving matter previously existed, followed later by conscious life having appeared where only non-conscious life had been found and most recently self-conscious life endowed with creative reason appearing onto the scene. While this process has been punctuated by sometimes violent mass-extinction cycles, the overall direction of life has not been shaped by randomness, chance or chaos, but rather improvement, perfectibility and harmony.
When humanity appeared onto the scene, a new phenomenon began expressing itself in a form which the great Russian academician Vladimir Vernadsky (1863-1945) described as the Noosphere (as opposed to the lithosphere and biosphere). Vernadsky understood this new geological force to be driven by human creative reason, and devoted his life to teaching the world that the law of humanity must accord with the law of nature stating:
"The noösphere is a new geological phenomenon on our planet. In it, for the first time, man becomes a large-scale geological force. He can, and must, rebuild the province of his life by his work and thought, rebuild it radically in comparison with the past. Wider and wider creative possibilities open before him. It may be that the generation of our grandchildren will approach their blossoming".[18]
In Vernadsky's mind, neither the noosphere, nor the biosphere obeyed a law of mathematical equilibrium or statis, but was rather governed by an asymmetrical harmony and progress from lower to higher states of organization. It was only by coming to understand the principles of nature that mankind became morally and intellectually fit to improve upon nature by turning deserts green, harnessing the power of the atom or applying scientific progress to health and agriculture. Some of his most important insights were published in his Scientific Thought as a Planetary Phenomena (1938), Evolution of Species and Living Matter (1928) Some Words About the Noosphere (1943), and The Transition of the Biosphere to the Noosphere (1938).[19]
Despite the lasting contributions made by Vernadsky to human knowledge, here we sit, 76 years after the end of WW2 tolerating an unscientific policy of mass decarbonization which threatens to radically undermine civilization for countless generations.
Is this change being forced upon humanity? Unlike the forces of fascism and imperialism of the past, today's terrible self-implosion of civilization is occurring via the consent of those intended to perish under a Great Reset via the collective guilt for the crime of simply being human. It has become the norm for the majority of today's children to think of themselves as belonging not to a beautiful species made in the image of a Creator, but rather to a parasitic race guilty for the crime of sinning against nature.
So let's take this opportunity to re-introduce truth back into climate science, and let the social engineers drooling over a Great Reset scream and whine as nations choose a new open system paradigm of life and anti-entropy rather than a closed system world of decay and heat death. This positive new paradigm of cooperation, scientific and technological progress, and cultural optimism is getting stronger by the day led by Russia, China and other nations joining the international New Silk Road. Most importantly, let's finally absolve CO2 of its accused sins, and celebrate this wonderful little molecule as our friend and ally.
[1] The Evidence of Climate Fraud, By Marc Sheppard, American Thinker Nov. 21, 2009
[2] https://ourworldindata.org/funding
[3] How do I know China wrecked the Copenhagen deal? I was in the room by Mark Lynas, London Guardian, Dec. 22, 2009
[4] ClimateGate Fallout: Russian Think Tank Says Temperature Data was 'Cherry-Picked', Media Research Center, December 2009
[5] China and India Lead the Way in Greening, NASA Earth Observatory, Feb. 12, 2019
[6] China and India lead in greening of the world through land-use management, Nature Sustainability, Feb. 11, 2019
[7] China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project benefits 120 million people, CGTN, Dec. 13, 2020
[8] Watch full documentary here: https://watchdocumentaries.com/all-watched-over-by-machines-of-loving-grace/
[9] To examine one of many models of CO2 generators, visit: https://johnsonco2.com/co2-generators/
[10] The 1970s Ice Age Scare, by Steve Goddard, May 12, 2013
[11] https://wattsupwiththat.com/2020/09/28/study-global-warming-hiatus-aka-the-pause-was-real/
[12] Dr. Tim Ball Defeats Michael 'Hockey Stick' Mann's Climate Lawsuit, Aug. 24, 2019, Climate Change Dispatch
[13] How to Lie with Statistics, by Darrell Huff, 1954 https://archive.org/details/how-to-lie-with-statistics-darrell-huff/page/23/mode/2up
[14] Ice age occurred when CO2 levels were 800 percent higher than now, IceAgeNow.info, July 23, 2016
[15] Mars is Melting, Science.nasa.gov, Aug 7, 2003
[16] To watch the full documentary, visit: https://youtu.be/ANMTPF1blpQ
[17] A Look Into Halton Arp's "Peculiar Galaxies" and its Implications for the World We Live In, by Matthew Ehret, Rising Tide Foundation https://risingtidefoundation.net/2020/10/13/a-look-into-arps-peculiar-galaxies/
[18] Some Words About the Noosphere by V.I. Vernadsky, 1943, republished in 21st Century Science and Technology, Spring 2005 TS5467.SP05 (21sci-tech.com)
[19] To access all of these referenced works by Vernadsky, visit: https://risingtidefoundation.net/vladimir-vernadsky/
Matthew Ehret is the Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Patriot Review , a BRI Expert on Tactical talk, and Senior Fellow at the American University in Moscow. He is author of the'Untold History of Canada' book series, and Clash of the Two Americas. In 2019 he co-founded the Montreal-based Rising Tide Foundation .
https://www.globalresearch.ca/defense-co2-astro-climatology-climategate-common-sense-revisited/5752638?pdf=5752638
August 11, 2021 in COVER-UP, Scorched Earth: The Commoditization of Planet Earth.
SCORCHED EARTH: 'From COP26 to COVID19', Two Sides of the Same Lie – By Matthew Ehret
HYBRID WAR: 'Weaponizing' the Weather as an Instrument of Modern Warfare?
THE MEDIA MONOPOLY: 'Blame Game', Overpopulation & the Climate Crisis
← THEATER OF THE ABSURD: Holy Coming Out Batman', New Comic Confirms Robin is Bisexual
MIND GAMES: 'Gaslighting', The Psychology of Shaping Another's Reality – By Cynthia Chung →

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Currently, the world is full of many media. To jump from one media to another, the images need to be converted into the desired format. Vectorization from Raster or Bitmap Images for 2D, 3D, & CAD Design and Image or Print to Text Digitization are our major services for image conversion. Most of our services are labor-intensive Image Conversion service that requires highly skilled Vector Graphics & CAD designers.
Display Resolution is the major problem of raster images. The raster images get pixelated when the images are zoomed or changed into higher resolutions or sizes. This is the major limitation for raster images. However, Vector image design is independent of any resolution. Vector images can retain their original form even when zoomed or changed to higher resolution. Therefore, vector images can be utilized for any media. Vector images are often called Print-Ready images, as they can be printed for any media. Raster to Vector (R2V) Conversion is the common term of converting for logo and artwork by Adobe Illustrator, Flash Animation in Macromedia Freehand and also for 3D Design in Auto CAD (Computer Aided Drawing) for mechanical, civil engineering, and architectural 2D & 3D vector drawings.


A State significant development (SSD) application is referred in full to the Independent Planning Commission only after it has been publicly exhibited and assessed by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.
The Department provides the Commission a whole-of-government assessment report, which is published on the Department's website and the Commission's website. The Department's report is not binding on the Commission's decision.
A public meeting is a meeting to enable the Commission to hear public views on the assessment report.
There is no statutory requirement for the Commission to hold a public meeting before determining an application. The considerations that will guide the Commission in relation to the holding of a public meeting before making a decision on an application are set out in the attached guidelines.
The public meeting does not affect appeal rights under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act (EP&A Act).
For further information, please see the Commission's Public Meeting Guidelines.
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The Commission also has powers to require certain people to attend the public hearing and to give evidence.
Following a public hearing, the Commission will prepare and then publish on its website a report containing recommendations to the Minister. If a public hearing is held, merit appeal rights to the NSW Land and Environment Court are extinguished.
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REMEMBER THE LORD WHILE YOU STILL HAVE TIME.
The Lord of today, the Lord of tomorrow, commands both the living and the dead, so remember Him when you still catch a breath.
Nothing brings His heart to a standstill, noting fall outside His plans, nothing is hidden form His face, there is nothing He has not foreseen.
Everything He does will endure forever, nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it.
We can only trust that He holds our today, and holds our tomorrow, therefore, remember Him while you still catch a breath.
Life is so fleeting, we make plans but He establishes them, we put our goals down, but he directs them.
Like a flower scorched by the sun, one breathe of win form Him causes us to cease.
Enjoy every gift bestowed on you from Him, for the ability to enjoy them too comes from Him. Do not be too preoccupied with the gladness of heart, that you forget He is the Lord of today, and the Lord of tomorrow, remember Him while your heart still beats.
The race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise, or wealth to the brilliant, or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all, so remember Him while you still have this breath.
No one knows when their hour will come, remember him before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken, before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Remember the Lord while you still have time, and you can catch one more breathe.
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Ladies and my friends! As you already have seen the embellishment of our website, the amount of effort which my team has invested in making it the best, clean and aesthetic is remarkable and appreciable.
ThemeReflex (TR) was founded by Zayed Baloch and Hasan Baloch in early 2010. To this date, TR has become a trademark in Mobile Themes industry along with other big names. With more than 1.5 million downloads on Nokia Store and around 10 million on our website, TR is progressing day by day.
Now formally, I'd like to announce new additions to Theme Reflex (including me) and this time we've decided to care more for our readers. Yes, we are bringing some Windows Phone content to you along with some Wallpapers, App Reviews and Insights in addition to some guidelines on how can you design a theme with best user experience.
We've also broaden the scope of our work to bring more creativity in an organized and improved way. Not only this, we have plans to grow further as the time goes by and if you think you're too ingenious, artistic and enthusiastic to work with us, do let us know, there's a vacuum that needs to be filled.
Your comments, suggestions and critics (humanly) are always welcomed.


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Difference Between the Original and Fake UGG Boots ... Checking the Labels. Talking about original Ugg boots, you have to make a choice of the boots, which have the label of Ugg Australia.
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Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced it has launched a cash offer to acquire all of the shares of Symbian Limited that Nokia does not already own, at a price of EUR 3.647 per share. The net cash outlay from Nokia to purchase the approximately 52% of Symbian Limited shares it does not already own will be approximately EUR 264 million.
Keep in mind that while not a huge success in the US, Symbian does still account for about 60% of all smartphones, with the next OS a distant second at about 15%. So, what does this mean for mobile Linux? It's still unclear to me the direction Nokia will take, so it's hard to tell. They are all over the place at the moment. The have the GTK based maemo project, have recently acquired TrollTech for QT and now have an Open Source Symbian. Long term, they can't possibly want to support all three of these. Looking at Symbian specifically, I'm not sure it can compete directly with the likes of the iPhone and Android. The UI looks old and clunky and it doesn't have a lot of the functionality and polish of the newer mobile offerings. That said, developers know it, it has a huge application catalog and an entrenched base. Whether that will be enough for Symbian to make it out of the Open Source process alive remains to be seen though, and in my opinion it isn't a certainty. What Nokia does get is 1) options and 2) the perception that they are not sitting on their hands while Android and the iPhone pass it by. Even if Symbian can't compete feature for feature with something like Android, this announce will serve to remove one of its key advantages. That alone is likely worth the investment to Nokia.
Regular blog readers will know that I really like my Nokia N800. On that note, it's great to see that Nokia just officially announced the N810. The N810 is fairly similar to the N800, but now includes a built in QWERTY keyboard and GPS (which were certainly two of the most requested features, so Nokia is listening). You can see a more complete comparison here. The updates on the N810 look great and I'd guess that the next generation device (N900?) is going to be an absolutely killer device.


text:
Will Hurricane Isaac Crash the Republican National Convention?
By Juli Weiner
Will a hurricane destroy the Republican National Convention? Probably! But how about a non-metaphoric, meteorologic hurricane? We simply cannot know! But like all other electoral questions, ignorance is no obstacle to an answer.
The Washington Post reports that "a little swirl in the open Atlantic" is theoretically possibly maybe—although maybe not!—on track to hit central Florida early next week. "For three straight simulations, NOAA's Global Forecast System (GFS) model has tracked a tropical system right over the Florida peninsula through or close to Tampa just as the Republican National Convention is ramping up." This is all we presently know about the nascent hurricane and/or tropical storm, which, upon maturity, would be called Isaac. But what about the things we don't know?
Weather models suggest the at the start of the R.N.C., the little swirl could be "essentially anywhere from the western Gulf of Mexico to the central Atlantic. There's a huge spread. In other words, this disturbance could harmlessly turn out to sea," according to the Post. But if Isaac does hit, expect Donald Trump to take credit for the most impressive big surprise ever. Hurricane Isaac™: a Donald J. Trump™ Low-Pressure Storm System and Casino.


Thus, you can verify for yourself the systems suitability for your needs as well as its working capacity. Words are nice, everyone can write about how good a system is, BUT, how many can provide actual. Just provide a minimum of four active weeks of trading records flex work from home jobs from either a demo or live account showing how the system failed. However, its very important that there wouldnt be long periods (of 10 min. As far as Take Profit the system doesnt provide for profit caps. Yes, we persistently ask that the users do not use the System on more than one computer. At some point, consistently earning more and more, you begin to feel that exciting fervor, as you get overly involved and dont even notice, how you slowly start to turn into a creature with 8 hands and two huge eyes. The inclusion of this module elevates the potential of the 5EMAs methods to new heights. It serves as a protection against dishonest customers, who use the 30-day trial period to both, receive a full refund, while still continuing using our products.
I always emphasize on this fact that making money through Forex trading is not as hard and complicated as what novice traders think.
Almost all of those who start trading Forex, have a mentality and mindset from their past experiences.
Earn just as much as you want!
Think of it this way: what have YOU GOT TO lose? If one of those pairs is in the minus today, the other one is in the plus. It is nothing but amazing! Well, click here to see how one of our course owners made 21,807 from. All information on this website or any e-book or software purchased from this website is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide financial advise. Also, the support is great. That means that should you have any questions, no matter how trivial, well answer any in a rapid-response manner. The only thing wed like to ask for is for your integrity.


Councillor Shane Keating was first elected to serve on Council for Ward 12 in October 2010, and was most recently re-elected in 2017. Born in Regina, he moved with his family to the Calgary area in 1991 and has lived in Ward 12 since 1997. Shane spent 31 years as an accomplished educator, and has served on numerous community groups and associations as both a member and an executive.
At present, Councillor Keating serves on a variety of Council committees including serving as the Chair of the Standing Policy Committee on Transportation and Transit. He also founded the Families in Remembrance of Military Members (FIRMM), a private organization that works to educate Canadians about the military and provide support for fallen and wounded soldiers.
Councillor Keating earned his Bachelor of Education degree at the University of Regina and his Masters of Education Administration from the University of Calgary. Before becoming a City Councillor, he spent 18 years as a school teacher and 13 years as a school administrator/principal.


How to handle customer retainage retention in QuickBooks Online?
Example: A customer we do work for keeps 20% of our invoiced amount until we reach a certain amount. That money is ours. They just hold it back in an account for us in case something goes wrong on a job that is our fault. How do I record that in QBO?
DEFINITION: Retainage is a portion of the agreed-upon contract price deliberately withheld until the work is substantially complete to assure that contractor or subcontractor will satisfy its obligations and complete a construction project.
Let's get started with step-by-step instructions for you.
From the left Dashboard panel, click Accounting.
In the Chart of Accounts, click "New" green button at the far top right corner.
For Category Type, select Other Current Assets.
For Detail Type, select Retainage (at the near bottom).
For the Name, enter Retainage Receivable.
For the description, enter Retainage Receivable (same as Name).
Click the gear in the top-right corner of the screen.
From the drop-down menu, within the Lists section, select Products and Services.
In the Products and Services window, click "New" green button at the far top right corner.
Enter a Name for the item (i.e. Retainage).
Optional: SKU and Category fields.
Under Sales Information, place a check-mark next to I sell this product/service to my customers and enter "Retainage Receivable" (this is for the description on sales forms i.e. Invoice).
Select the Retainage Receivable account (you just created) from the Income Account drop-down.
Be sure to Uncheck "Is taxable" box.
How do I record retainage or retention in QBO continue… Next step is create an invoice/sales recipt with retainage withold line item.
Click the + plus symbol, located at the top of the screen.
Select Invoice under Customers heading.
Fill out the remaining fields of the invoice, including the product/service line items.
Optional: if you've multiple line items, click "Add subtotal" (below Product/Service column).
On the next available line of the invoice, select "Retainage" from the Product/Service column.
In the Rate or Amount column, enter the amount of the retainage as a negative (-) number. (In this sample Invoice below, the subtotal line amount is $493.00 and 20% is retainage rate. So, either on rate or amount column, just enter 493*-.20 and tab it. You will get negative $98.60 or just compute the amount and enter it).
Select Bank Deposit under Others heading.
And enter the rest as you need.
In the Chart of Accounts, locate "Retainage Receivable" account line.
Go to "View register" under Action column at the far right corner.
From the drop-down arrow, select the "Run Report" button.
Under Row/Columns at the top left, change "Group by" to Customer (especially if you have multiple customers with retainage balances).
This report will give account details by customer balances.
Since you will need to track these retainage activities regularly, click "Save customization" green button, located in the top-left corner of the report window and name it "Retainage" report and Save.
Now, you have saved this report for future use. Next time, when you want to run this report (Dashboard > Reports > Custom Reports tab > locate Retainage report and run the report).
See screenshots below for reference.
For "How to handle vendor subcontractor retainage retention in QuickBooks Online" click HERE.
If you have questions regarding this article or any other QuickBooks issues, please CLICK HERE to ask a question.


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Q: Change element style in custom css WP I have a WP where i want to change an element style.
This is what i have in console when i inspect with firebug:

And then on the right in Styles i have
element.style {
min-height: 400px;
}

How can i change the element.style in the custom CSS editor?
I want min-height to be 550px;
When i try with
et_pb_container.clearfix{
min-height: 550px;
}

Nothing happens.....
Please advice.

A: Try this in your stylesheet:
.et_pb_container.clearfix[style] {
  min-height: 550px !important;
}

A: Try:
.et_pb_container.clearfix{
    min-height: 550px !important;
}

Or change min-height in inline style:

Inline styles usually take precedence over css stylesheets, unless you specify !important keyword.
http://css-tricks.com/override-inline-styles-with-css/


The first shot of a baby in the womb was on the front cover of the April 30, 1965 edition of Life Magazine. [Seen on the right] It was an amazing shot that showed that the child was not a mass, but a living infant with all that was needed for life as a person outside the womb which just a little more time. The picture on the graphic with the verse was used as a promotional for a BBC Mother's Day Special by National Geographic entitled "In The Womb" from 2005.
For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother's womb. I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well.


Martha Wainwright is calling her stint at (Le) Poisson Rouge on October 24 and 25 "one last Piaf show." We're hoping this isn't true, but just in case it is, and you haven't had the pleasure, get on it.
What started out as a sort of workshopping of semi-obscure Edith Piaf songs a few years ago for Martha eventually became the Hal Willner-produced "Sans Fusils, Ni Souliers, à Paris: Martha Wainwright's Piaf Record," captured live at Dixon Place in June 2009.
Quite simply, in 2010, no-one does pure, raw, frayed-edge emotion like Martha Wainwright; 70 years ago, that was Piaf's bailiwick. Most know the tiny, tragic French songbird for the accordion-drenched sound of La Vie en Rose or the dramatic bombast of Je Ne Regrette Rien, or for the part Marion Cotillard buzzed off her eyebrows to play. But Piaf's less popular tunes are considerably darker and more jagged. This is where she and Wainwright—whose folk-rock output isn't exactly cheery, as the excellent song Bloody Mother-F***ing A**hole suggests—meet, and it's a sweet spot indeed.
And don't worry: If your French isn't fluent, Martha's interpretation of the material is 99 percent feeling—like at the opera, you'll be able to follow the stories just fine. Musette Explosion's Will Holshouser will be on deck with his accordion.
Martha's cousins Lily and Sylvan Lanken, a.k.a. the Mittenstrings, do opening honors.


text:
Lunch With Labor
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Radio Talk Show Producer James Johnson began his radio career in February 2006.He graduated from Morgan State University in May 2006 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communication Studies .He started as an intern for WOLB, Magic 95.9 and Spirit 1400. He then moved into a position as the Promotions Assistant and is now the Producer of The Larry Young Morning Show which airs Monday thru Friday, 6am to 10am on WOLB 1010 AM.
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Out there: Toyota's small car champion, the Corolla, is set to get a sedan facelift, but no, it is not the same as the changes revealed on the US Corolla at the New York motor show.
DON'T say you weren't warned – Toyota is planning a facelift for the sedan version of its top-selling Corolla … next year.
The revised version is set to get a new nose and a few other revisions, including new safety technology as standard equipment on the up-spec ZR variant and as an option on the mainstream Ascent and SX.
The four-door small car will go on sale in the first quarter of 2017, bringing its design into line with current Toyota fashion that includes a larger lower air opening in the front fascia, along with a smaller grille above it, topped by a sweeping chrome garnish running from headlight to headlight.
Just to be clear, the rejigged sedan for Australia is not the Corolla just unveiled by Toyota USA at the New York motor show. That car has its own front "mask", separate from the vehicle sold here and in Europe.
To avoid confusion, it seems Toyota Australia thought it best to provide a peek at the 2017 version of the local hero, well ahead of its usual launch practice.
Anyway, the changes are so mild that they are unlikely to scare the horses and upset Corolla's lunge for a fourth consecutive crown as Australia's top-selling car.
The styling changes are destined only for the sedan, as the popular hatch received its mid-life makeover in the middle of last year.
The chrome-laden ZR gets the bulk of the serious changes that include new LED headlights and daytime running lights, plus a package of safety technologies such as pre-collision warning, lane departure alert and automatic high beam.
Toyota Australia executive director sales and marketing Tony Cramb said the revised sedan would further boost the appeal and value of Australia's best-selling car.
"Close to a quarter of all Corollas sold in Australia last year were sedans, and the advanced design and new technology offered in this upgrade is further proof of Toyota's commitment to Kaizen, the process of continuous improvement," he said.
So far this year, the Corolla is lagging behind arch rival Mazda3, 7076 to 6213, mainly due to a sluggish January.
The Corolla hatch is scheduled to get a petrol-electric hybrid variant in the middle of the year.
Pricing and full specification for the hybrid hatch and revised sedan are yet to be spelled out.


Demeter is wearing a crown of ears of corn,holding a torch and a fruit basket, gentle expression, tolerance and elegant. She was in charge of the plant growth, nurture life on earth.
Make delicious tiramisu. Manual: Use mouse to play this game.


What's new in GSI RBCA Tool Kit for Chemical Releases v2.6?
Environmental site managers, regulatory authorities, and consultants around the world have increasingly turned to Risk-Based Corrective Action (RBCA) for the management of contaminated soil and groundwater. RBCA is a practical management approach that focuses explicitly on the protection of human health and the environment while promoting energy and cost-efficient remedies to allow limited resources to be targeted to the most hazardous sites. A keystone of the RBCA framework is the development of site-specific environmental cleanup criteria following a tiered risk evaluation approach. This approach is broadly applicable to chemical release sites located in different geographical settings and managed under various regulatory authorities. The RBCA Tool Kit for Chemical Releases is a comprehensive modeling and risk characterization software package designed to meet the requirements of the ASTM Standard Guide for Risk-Based Corrective Action (E-2081) for Tier 1 and Tier 2 RBCA evaluations for chemical release sites in addition to traditional risk assessment calculations. The software combines contaminant transport models and risk assessment tools to calculate baseline risk levels and derive risk-based cleanup standards for a full array of soil, groundwater, surface water, and air exposure pathways. The ease-of-use features and streamlined graphical interface features of this software make it an essential tool for handling RBCA and generic risk assessment calculations for both simple and sophisticated problems.
Outdoor and indoor inhalation of vapors emanating from soil or groundwater sources.
In addition to steady-state air, soil, and groundwater exposure models, the RBCA Tool Kit allows transient groundwater modeling analysis to help estimate not only how high but how soon exposure could occur.
Contains default physical, chemical, toxicological and regulatory parameters for over 600 of chemicals, including organic solvents, petroleum hydrocarbons (including TPH fractions), pesticides, metals, and more. The user selects the chemical of concern and the key data loads automatically. Preferences can be specified for using default toxicological parameters from published sources in the USA, Netherlands, and UK. Multiple database files can be customized and easily managed within the RBCA Tool Kit interface for project or location-specific applications.
Streamlined graphical interface guides the user through the RBCA evaluation process. Features include convenient unit selection and conversions, importing and exporting, and report printing options. The complete user's manual, including risk and fate and transport model equations, is available on-line via context sensitive help buttons located throughout the software screens.
Produces report-quality output tables of baseline risk and cleanup standards and report-ready summary for each chemical.
Includes the 2011 update of the chemical/physical properties and toxicology factors database, published by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and containing values for over 650 potential chemicals of concern. Remember, default applicable toxicology parameters and regulatory criteria are provided solely for the convenience of the user and subject to periodic updates. As with all model input parameters, the user should ensure that chemical-specific values are applicable for any particular analysis performed with the RBCA Tool Kit.
PC with Minimum 512MB RAM, 500Mhz Processor, Microsoft Windows 2000 or greater. Microsoft Excel 2003, 2007, 2010 or 2013. The software is not compatible with the 64-bit version of Microsoft Excel. This product is only guaranteed to work with English language versions of Microsoft Excel. For more information, please contact GSI. For product technical support, including installation support please click here.
Cause: The RBCA Tool Kits prior to version 2.5 are not compatible with Microsoft Office Excel 2007. These versions are only compatible with Microsoft Excel versions 2000, 2002 (XP), and 2003. It is important to note that all of the versions listed above require the latest service packs for Microsoft Excel. Resolution: Use a version of Excel that is compatible with your version of the software. If you require the use of the RBCA Tool Kit for Chemical Releases, version 2.5 is compatible with Microsoft Office Excel 2007.
ALTERNATIVELY Every time that the software is run, it requires registration before it is functional. Cause: RBCA Tool Kit for Chemical Releases requires that the user have at least "change" permission to the folder from which the tool kit is running. The various Microsoft Excel files that contain the word "start" in the name (e.g., rbcastart.xls, ACRBCAstart.xla,etc), store user registration data and will not function properly without this level of access. More Information: The above behavior has also been reported in the following situations: * RBCA files reside on a network share instead of the local machine (required). * RBCA files are being run from within an archive (e.g., ZIP, RAR, etc). How to register RBCA Tool Kit software: 1. Launch the tool kit. 2. Put in the appropriate name, company name (if applicable) and registration number. 3. The software will generate an access code. (Make note of this code.) 4. LEAVE EXCEL AND THE TOOL KIT OPEN. 5. Open an internet browser and go to the following address: http://www.gsi-net.com/auth.asp 6. Enter in the required information, including the registration number and access code from #3 above. (Be sure and select the appropriate version of the software.) 7. The website will generate a security code. (Make note of this code.) 8. Switch back to Excel and enter the security code generated in #7 above. 9. Select OK. 10. The RBCA Tool Kit software is now registered and may be used.
Symptoms: After installing the RBCA Tool Kit for the first time, you encounter Error 1004 when trying to register the product. Cause: By default when an application is installed on Windows Vista / Windows 7 operating systems the folder is given Read Only permissions. Read and Write permissions are required for the proper operation of the software. This problem has also been known to occur on occasion when the chemical database has been updated. Resolution: Note: The following instructions should be preformed before installing the software. If you have already installed the software and attempted to register it please remove and then re-install the software before attempting the solutions below. For End Users: If you are not an administrator on the computer that the software was installed on you can copy and paste the program folder to a directory under your profile directory (such as your My Documents or Desktop Folders). The program shortcuts will not point to the correct location so be sure to launch RBCA by double clicking on the RBCAStart.xls file For Computer Administrators: If you have administrator permissions on the computer the software was installed on your can follow the directions below to enable Read & Write permissions on the folder and its contents. 1. The default install location for the RBCA Tool Kit is in one of the the following folders: 64 Bit Operating Systems: C:\Program Files (x86)\ 32 Bit Operating Systems: C:\Program Files\ 2. Right click on the RBCA program folder. A context menu will appear, left click on the "Properties" Option.
3. Left click on the "Security Tab", then left click on the "Advanced" button located at the bottom right of the dialog window.
4. Click the "Change Permissions" button.
5. Highlight the "Users" entry in the Permissions Entries list and click the "Edit" button.
6. Click the check box next to the "Full Control" permission, then Click "Ok".
7. Left click the "Replace all child objects permissions with inheritable permissions from this object" check box and then left click the "Ok" button.
8. If you receive a Windows Security warning message, left click "Yes".
9. Click "Ok", then "Ok" again to close the dialog boxes that were opened. Once you have completed these steps you can now run the RBCA Tool Kit and register the software. Note: If you had previously tried to register the product, received the 1004 run-time error and saved the file, you will need to remove and re-install the software. Once the software is installed follow the instructions above before registering the product.
1. Both the RBCA Tool Kit for Chemical Releases and the RBCA Tool Kit for TRRP come delivered as an executable ZIP file. Run the setup file and allow the files to unzip by clicking "Unzip". 2. You may then start the RBCA Tool Kit by running the start file (C:\rbca\RBCAstart.xla for Chemical Releases, C:\GSI_TRRP\TRRPstart.xla for TRRP). Note: You must enable macros in Excel in order to use the RBCA Tool Kit. 3. You will then be prompted to enter in your registration number and user information. Enter in the information and review your End User License Agreement. After reviewing, you can click "I Agree" to continue. 4. You will then be given an access code which is used to register your software. You can either click "Get Security Code On-line" to get the code directly from GSI's server, or you can get your security code by: Telephone: 713-522-6300 Web: Online Registration 5. Once you have the security code, you can click "OK" to begin using the RBCA Tool Kit.
Reinstalling may sometimes be necessary. To reinstall: 1. You may wish first wish to copy your toxicity database (UserChemTox.xls) to another folder, in order to preserve your user-defined settings. 2. You can then delete all of the RBCA Tool Kit program files (there are seven). 3. Reinstall from the original media (CD, or zip file), if it was electronically delivered. You can then register the software as normal. 4. Make sure to replace the UserChemTox.xls file after you have completed reinstalling.
This occurs when the user's computer is either not connected to the Internet, or is otherwise blocked by a firewall or proxy server from connecting to the security code server. You may get a security code online by clicking here.
This occurs when the RBCA Tool Kit files are corrupted, most often the result of improperly closing the RBCA Tool Kit. The user must reinstall the RBCA Tool Kit from original media, and should take care to always close the RBCA Tool Kit from the "quit" button located in the lower right hand corner of the main menu, and not by simply closing excel.
This is a problem with users who have upgraded to Office 2000 or Office XP. Upon installation of the new Office, the security for the Office applications is set to "High", disabling all unsigned macros without prompting the user. While this protects the user against malicious macros, it also prevents the use of the RBCA Tool Kit. To change the security setting in Excel, go to Tools > Macro > Security and select the security level to "Medium". Then restart the RBCA Tool Kit using RBCAstart.xla. It should prompt you for permission to run the macros in the RBCA Tool Kit. It should be noted that, by changing the security setting, it is possible for a user to run harmful macros, although they will be prompted before doing so. Also, some companies have intentionally disabled macros for security reasons. Users in this situation will need to consult with their I.T. administrator, as the RBCA Tool Kit will not work with the macros disabled. It was also noted that there are some problems running the RBCA Tool Kit for TRRP under Office XP. This problem may be resolved by applying Office Service Pack 2. This is freely downloadable from the Microsoft websit at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1a8ce553-ab76-4a63-99da-b4ed914c1514&DisplayLang=en.
The RBCA Tool Kit for Chemical Releases, version 1.2 and earlier may fail to start properly (Excel reports a "Type Mismatch" macro error) after customizing certain chemicals in the chemical data base. The problem stems from a few of the CAS numbers in the built-in database containing dashes ("-") whereas they should be stored as numbers alone. (for example, "7440-36-0" verses "7440360" for Antimony.) When the software loads the custom database upon startup, dashes included in a CAS number will cause a "Type Mismatch" error in Excel. We cannot correct the built-in database until a future software update is released; however, in the meantime faulty CAS numbers in the custom chemical database can be fixed with the "patch" program. To do this: 1. Download the file User ChemTox patch.xls below and open it in Excel. 2. The patch program will prompt you to select your custom database file ("UserChemTox.xls"). 3. Check and convert any faulty CAS numbers, then save and close the file. Please be sure to select "No" when prompts whether to update links. (Selecting "Yes" will not hurt anything, but could tie up your computer for awhile.) 4. After running the patch program, you should be able to successfully restart the RBCA Tool Kit with your customized chemical data. To circumvent this problem while customizing your chemical database again in the future, you can simply reenter the CAS number without any dashes along with your customized values. If the "type mismatch" error occurs again when reinstalling the RBCA Tool Kit, you can run the patch program again to clean up the custom database file.
Since there have been reports of problems running the RBCA Tool Kit under non-English language versions of Excel and Windows with success, GSI recommends using the English language versions of both Excel and Windows, and will not support users running in any other versions.
This is a problem with users who have upgraded to Office 2000 or, more recently, Office XP. Upon installation of the new Office, the security for the Office applications is set to "High", disabling all unsigned macros without prompting the user. While this protects the user against malicious macros, it also prevents the use of the RBCA Tool Kit. To change the security setting in Excel, go to Tools > Macro > Security and select the security level to "Medium". Then restart the RBCA Tool Kit using RBCAstart.xla. It should prompt you for permission to run the macros in the RBCA Tool Kit. It should be noted that, by changing the security setting, it is possible for a user to run harmful macros, although they will be prompted before doing so. Also, some companies have intentionally disabled macros for security reasons. Users in this situation will need to consult with their I.T. administrator, as the RBCA Tool Kit will not work with the macros disabled. It was also noted that there are some problems running the RBCA Tool Kit for TRRP under Office XP. This problem may be resolved by applying Office Service Pack 2. This is freely downloadable from the Microsoft websit at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1a8ce553-ab76-4a63-99da-b4ed914c1514&DisplayLang=en.
GSI occasionally releases updates to our software products. Sometimes our updates are free, sometimes we charge, depending on the nature of the update. Download and order updates here.
Lead is a non-cancer toxicant which is known to cause central nervous system (CNS) effects in children. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has established reference dose (RfD) values for a large number of non-cancer toxicants. Exposure to a compound at a level below the RfD is assumed to be safe. However, studies of lead toxicity have not established a "safe" exposure limit for lead. Therefore, the USEPA has not established an RfD for lead. RfD values for lead are not provided in the USEPA IRIS database or in any other toxicity database widely used to select toxicity values for the RBCA process. In the RBCA process, the RfD value is required to calculate the risk-based cleanup standard (RBSL or SSTL) for a non-cancer toxicant. Because no widely accepted RfD value has been established for lead, it is not possible to include lead in the RBCA Tool Kit database. Lead can be added to the software using the "Add New Chemical" tool. However, the user will be required to provide an RfD value and other relevant chemical parameters. The U.S. EPA has established an action level for drinking water limit of 0.015 mg/L. In addition, the state of Texas has established a limit of 500 mg/kg for direct exposure to residential soils, and Louisiana has established a limit of 400 mg/kg for direct exposure to residential soils. However, none of these limits are risk-based limits.
When performing a RBCA assessment, comparing the results for the backward calculation (risk-based cleanup levels) to the results for the forward calculation (risk levels) does not always yield the same result for a site. In other words, comparing calculated risk levels to user-specified target risks may indicate that risk levels are acceptable at a site; however, concentrations detected at the site may exceed risk-based screening levels (e.g., RBSLs) generated using the same target risks, or vice versa. When reading the following, please keep in mind that forward-mode calculations include the transient Domenico analysis worksheets, and cumulative risk calculation sheet, and backward-mode calculations include the TPH calculation worksheets. In general, the two modes use the same models and input parameters, but in certain cases, the results will not always be identical because the two modes use different assumptions. The primary reasons the two methods may not always give the same results are listed below: Backward-mode calculations sometimes include non-risk-based criteria, such as MCLs, as alternate criteria to the risk-based values. Backward-mode calculations screen out results that exceed solubility or soil residual concentrations for indirect pathways. Target values calculated above these levels are flagged by the software as ">", and either the aqueous solubility or soil saturation limit, depending on whether a groundwater or soil concentration is being reported. Forward-mode calculations do not screen for these values, which may result in inappropriately large risk values. Backward-mode calculations for the surface soil pathway will combine intakes due to ingestion, dermal contact, and inhalation of volatiles and particulates. Forward mode calculations do not combine these intakes. These inconsistencies result from standard practices within the technical community that differ between the two methods. As with any model, the user is advised to review the underlying assumptions and determine whether they are appropriate for conditions at the site being modeled.
To develop performance standards for a groundwater barrier wall, the RBCA Tool Kit can be run in "backward mode" to determine the applicable groundwater SSTLs based on the site-specific source location, groundwater parameters, and applicable point of exposure. These calculated SSTL values for each COC can then be entered into the software as the Representative Source Concentrations and the software rerun in "forward mode" using the Transient Domenico Worksheet to determine the predicted steady-state plume concentrations at each point downstream of the source location. As long as an engineered barrier serves to prevent the downstream concentrations from exceeding these allowable levels, the risk limits at the point of exposure will not be exceeded. In other words, the steady-state Domenico plot shows how much the groundwater barrier can leak before it becomes a problem. If a barrier wall is installed, the concentration limits determined in this manner can be used to monitor the performance of the wall. A similar analysis can be run for the soil leaching pathway by i) entering the actual measured soil COC concentrations and other site-specific soil and groundwater data and ii) running the software in the forward mode, and iii) adjusting the net rainfall infiltration level until you find the maximum level allowable such that none of the COCs cause a risk limit exceedance at the point of exposure. This final rainfall infiltration rate is the maximum seepage that can be allowed by a site cover. This level represents the rate up to which the site cover can leak before it poses a problem.
A common misunderstanding we have encountered is in the soil source zone characteristics with regards to the affected soil zone. Some users have inserted values for the affected soil zone and depth to water indicating that the affected soil is below the water level. This can lead to miscalculations in the soil leaching to groundwater pathway. The base of the affected soil should be above the top of the water bearing unit. We suggest that you change your input to correct this error.
The confusion lies in the left-hand column of entries where there are two input values for the affected soil area and the length of soil parallel to the assumed wind direction. The reason for the two different inputs is because those values may differ for those calculating risk under the construction worker scenario. The right side values are for the construction worker, while the left side values are for the general case. These numbers may be different for a construction worker, who could be in closer contact with the soil than a normal commercial or residential receptor. The construction worker scenario appeared in the draft of the ASTM RBCA standard, but not in the finalized version. It is included in the RBCA Tool Kit as an additional receptor type available to the user. This two value types are indicated at the top of the number columns (circled in the screen shot above in red). However, the column headers are grayed out on the screen, and the purpose of the two different values was not clearly explained in the manual. Similarly, the purpose for the two values in the volumetric water/air content in part 2: Surface Soil Column, is to differentiate between the vadose zone and the capillary fringe.
Several discrepancies have been noted in comparing the RBCA Tool Kit against values published in the ASTM Tier 1 RBSL Tables. The known discrepancies that we are aware of are generally related to errors or omissions in the ASTM calculations or Standard (PS-104-98) and have, for the most part, been attributed to one of the following issues: 1) While the equations in the ASTM standard correctly impose a mass balance constraint on the surface soil volatilization factor (VFss), the ASTM standard incorrectly fails to account for mass balance constraints for volatilization from subsurface soils (VFsamb and VFsesp). These mass balance constraints are incorporated into the RBCA Tool Kit to prevent the gross overprediction of sustained volatilization rates. Please see equations CM-3b and CM-4b on page B-3, and the associated text on pages B-5 and B-6 of the RBCA Tool Kit manual. 2) The ASTM calculations for the air pathways use Inhalation Reference Doses and Slope Factors which were derived, assuming a 20 m3/day air inhalation rate, from Inhalation Reference Concentrations and Unit Risk Factors published in IRIS, HEAST, etc. However, the ASTM default indoor air inhalation rate is 15 m3/day. Therefore, the correct Inhalation Reference Doses and Slope Factors would be different for indoor vs. outdoor inhalation. The RBCA Tool Kit (correctly) uses the actual Inhalation Reference Concentrations and Unit Risk Factors, as recommended by the US EPA, and as presented in the equations for Air Exposure on Table A.2 (page A-12/13) of the RBCA Tool Kit Manual.
Some users outside of the United States have reported problems loading and saving RBCA Tool Kit data files. Specifically, when Windows is configured to use the "," (comma) for the decimal and the "." (period) for the digit grouping symbol, then values for some input parameters may be corrupted when data is saved or loaded into the RBCA Tool Kit, depending on the particular language/version combination of Windows and Excel (e.g. English Windows NT 4.0 with Portuguese Excel 97, etc.) It was determined that this problem does not occur when the "Regional Settings" feature in Windows is set to "English (United States)". To access this feature, choose Settings, then Control Panel, from the Windows "Start" button. In the Control Panel window, open Regional Settings and choose "English (United States)". Alternatively, the Regional Settings language/country setting may be left as is, and under the "Number" tab choose "." (period) for the decimal symbol and "," (comma) for the digit grouping symbol.
On some computers, clicking "Air Parameters" on the Main Screen may consistently result in an Excel application crash following a message that the application (Excel) has performed an illegal operation. If this occurs, unsaved data in any Excel workbooks will be lost. This problem does not occur while Excel's Visual Basic Editor application is running. If the problem occurs, restart Excel and the RBCA Tool Kit. Before beginning to work with the RBCA Tool Kit, select "Visual Basic Editor" from the Macros selection in the Tools menu or, alternatively, press Alt+F11 on the keyboard to invoke the Visual Basic Editor application. Then return to Excel (via the Task Bar, Alt+F11, Alt+Tab, or clicking the appropriate window) and proceed to work as usual with the RBCA Tool Kit.
The input cells for air inhalation rates have been removed from versions 1.1 and greater because those parameters are not used in any calculations. Users of version 1.0a may observe that air pathway risks or cleanup standards did not change when varying the inhalation rates. In the RBCA Tool Kit for Chemical Releases, the air inhalation pathway calculations are based on reference concentrations, as opposed to reference doses for non-carcinogens, and unit risk factors, as opposed to slope factors for carcinogens (please see the air pathway equations on page A-12 of the software manual). These are the inhalation toxicity parameters actually measured for each COC in toxicological studies and reported by EPA in IRIS, HEAST, etc. These values are independent of inhalation rates and body weight. Converting reference concentrations to reference doses or unit risk factors to slope factors requires assumptions regarding inhalation rates and body weight (typically the RME values). Thus, whenever you see an inhalation reference dose or slope factor, implicit assumptions regarding inhalation rates and body weight have already been make in order to calculate that value. Although the calculations in the RBCA Tool Kit make no assumption with regard to inhalation rates, in essence you can account for varying assumed rates by scaling the exposure duration or exposure frequency parameters by the corresponding factors. For example, if you wanted to assume an inhalation rate of 15 m3/day, as opposed to a 20 m3day RME value, you could scale the default exposure frequency of 350 days/yr to (350*15/20)=262.5 days/yr to account for an equivalent reduction in inhalation exposure, based on the measured reference concentration or unit risk factor.
Users of the RBCA Tool Kit may wish to note that it is possible to keep multiple customized chemical databases, which is useful for those who perform risk assessments in locations with different regulatory standards. The customized chemical database is stored in a file called "UserChemTox.xls". Users who wish to keep multiple databases can rename this file with a meaningful name after use. The RBCA Tool Kit only accesses the file UserChemTox.xls for all of its custom information, so the storage files must be renamed whenever you switch custom databases. There are no plans to implement the direct support of multiple custom databases in the RBCA Tool Kit at this time. For users who have to reinstall the RBCA Tool Kit, it is also worth noting that you can move the UserChemTox.xls file to another location in order to preserve the data when reinstalling. After installation is complete, the user must move the UserChemTox.xls file back into the RBCA Tool Kit folder. There are additional problems that occur when you attempt to use multiple chemical databases. This issue is being addressed by the developers for the next edition of the RBCA Tool Kit.
The chemical database included with the RBCA Tool Kit was as complete as we could make it while maintaining proper citations. Any chemicals not listed in the RBCA Tool Kit database must be added by the user. For various reasons, we do not typically grant user requests for chemical information. However, the following link to the US EPA IRIS database may help you out: http://www.epa.gov/iriswebp/iris/index.aspl The instructions for customizing the chemical database are on pages 16-17 of the RBCA Tool Kit manual, or on pages 19-20 of the RBCA Tool Kit for TRRP manual.
Sometimes, you just need a person to answer your question. Technical support for GSI software products is available on a pay-per-incident basis. "Pay-per-incident" means that the user will be charged a one-time flat-rate fee of $50.00 for resolution of a single technical support issue. For more information, please read our technical support policy statement.


Katy Perry's assistant Tamra recently save her dog Nugget's life. Nugget ended up jumping and fell off the bed. She became unresponsive, so the assistant gave her CPR and brought Nugget back to life. The dog blacked out for three minutes, according to Perry, before she came to again. Katy brought Nugget to the vet after the incident and got and IV and an X-ray.


We all experience it. That feeling of feeling alone. Disconnected. Solitary. Loneliness hits like a bag of bricks.
We all experience it. That feeling of feeling alone. Disconnected. Solitary. Loneliness hits like a bag of bricks. Other times, it creeps up like clouds rolling in for an afternoon rain shower. It can happen when you're in the midst of a hundred people. In fact, it's when I've felt the most alone – in the presence of others (usually when the event involves watching sports). It's also felt of course when you are actually alone, with no one in your presence.
2. Facebook Events. Have you noticed the new icon at the bottom of your Facebook screen on your phone? I know you have, You spend hours a day on there, mindlessly scrolling. What are you looking for in that newsfeed anyway? Take five minutes and look through the events in your area that are open to the public. Mark the ones you are interested in and commit to some of them. They'll integrate into your calendar on your phone and off you GO TO THEM!
6. Smile at strangers. Talk to strangers. Every stranger is a new friend you've not yet bonded with on a human level. "Your shoes are awesome! What kind are those?" "That bag is amazing, did you make that?" Compliments go a very long way. "Your smile lights up this entire place!" "I love your hair!" It's essentially a verbal hug, which is what most people are more comfortable with receiving at first. I don't recommend hugging strangers in most social settings … it weirds them out. Start with a smile and a compliment, strike up a conversation while you wait in line at Starbucks. Ask for help.
7. Start social circles – there are many people out there, in your own neighborhood, town, county, place of work, church, spiritual center, mom-group … they want to connect. It's why we are all here. You're not the only one that's lonely. People get caught up in marriage and parenthood and lose themselves, it's life, for millions of beautiful souls. Take charge and invite others out for drinks and talking.
8. Talk to at least one new person a day. Most people will be a single interaction and that's okay! Improve their lives with your interaction, in the smaller of ways. It could be the only pleasant interaction they have that day. Some conversations will lead to an exchange of contact information and those might lead to business relationships, friendships, dates and the like. Keep an open mind and power through the awkwardness.
9. Meditate & dive into your soul. Do you WANT to be alone? Are you manifesting the alone time for reasons of working on your business or hobbies? Have you analyzed your life from a place of self-love, to determine why you are feeling lonely and if it's important for this part of your journey? Get off your phone and sit with yourself. Turn off the TV. Take yourself on a date to the park and lay under the stars. Listen to your thoughts, observe what comes into your awareness. Journal it and subsequently, change your thought patterns by catching the ones that don't feel great & toss those back out. Thank them for their service and release them. This takes consistent effort, especially in the beginning, as it's changing your thinking patterns. After a few weeks of this, it comes natural and most of the deprecating, negative, unhealthy patterns will be long gone. Loving, happy, healthy, soul-nutritious thoughts and feelings will fill your mind.
A short story on my journey to leaving my comfort zone behind: A kind couple struck up a conversation with me Friday night at a community event I went to, alone. Two major things happened in our conversation: They invited me to church about two minutes in, and half an hour into the conversation, laughed about having traps in their yards for the bunnies that are eating their expensive landscaping. It took immense self-control to keep my composure and not ask "but what about all of God's creatures? Do you celebrate Easter?" … needless to say, I did not feel connected to them on a spiritual level. But, did offer a summer mentorship/internship/part-time job to their daughter. We can only control our own thoughts, words, actions, tone, body language, beliefs.
This post was originally published on the Shft Blog and is republished here with permission.
White men from 18 to 50 are experiencing loneliness due to a variety of factors; otherwise, we would not be facing a suicide epidemic of them.
Excellent Beth! Also congrats on being published with The Good Men Project.


What is Armageddon? Is it World War iii? Will it be America and Britain fighting against Russia? Television commentators and other pundits bring up this subject often, but the true meaning of Armageddon would shock most people! If we don't understand Armageddon, we can't understand the Bible's most critical prophecies, and we could easily start believing the fables of this world.
You might be surprised to learn that Armageddon is mentioned in the Bible only once: "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils [demons], working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon" (Revelation 16:13-16).
Demonic spirits are now stirring up worldwide warfare. They are even prophesied to possess three prominent human leaders! Do we have the courage to face these biblical truths?
Three demons resembling frogs coming out of the mouths of Satan (the dragon), a bloody political empire (the beast), and a false religious leader (the false prophet)—that's alarming imagery! Satan and his demons have been cast down and confined to Earth in this end time—no longer are they free to roam the universe (Revelation 12:9). They have never been more wrathful. If the world understood this, it would be very afraid!
A fascist government is rising in Europe today—a revival of the Babylonian system pictured in Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 and 17. It will cause problems like we have never even imagined.
Think about this: Satan has the power to influence people heavily and, more than that, to possess them, speak through them, and infuse them with his power! He will use the beast and the false prophet of Revelation 16 to perform deadly miracles. He is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). He and his demons infest the Earth. They are the cause of the unprecedented problems now facing humanity. Demon possession is a serious problem!
First, notice that "Armageddon" is a Hebrew word, not an English word. Actually, the Hebrew word is "Har Magedon" or "Har Megiddo." In the Hebrew, the H's are usually not pronounced, and so are often omitted in the spelling in English. Megiddo is in the Valley of Jezreel, some 70 miles northwest of Jerusalem, just in from the port of Haifa.
The Hebrew prefix "Har" means "fortified," or "fortified hill." Between World War i and World War ii, the British fortified Haifa at a cost of many millions of dollars. Consequently, Megiddo (or Magedon) has now become, in fact, Armageddon!
People talk about the battle of Armageddon, but it's really the "battle of the great day of God Almighty." There is no battle of Armageddon. Armageddon is a specific location. It is a gathering place for the great armies of this world. God will then lead them down to Jerusalem and fight them there.
We are discussing phenomenal acts of God! We have brought doom upon ourselves by the way we live and by creating weapons of mass destruction. Such weapons are always used!
Matthew 24 is about the sequence of end-time events that precedes the return of Jesus Christ to this Earth in power and glory. It reveals one key sign of looming trouble: "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)" (verse 15).
Luke's gospel account provides more clarity: "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh" (Luke 21:20). The abomination of desolation is when European armies—not Arab armies—surround Jerusalem, under the guise of keeping the peace between Muslims and Jews. But actually, this European power will be a resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire, poised to destroy the world! Led by Germany, they will start World War iii. This time, however, they will be destroyed forever by God Himself.
"The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness" (Zephaniah 1:14-15). The Day of the Lord is the climax of the coming worldwide destruction.
"Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east …" (Zechariah 14:1-4). The coming suffering and curses are tied directly to the return of Jesus Christ! It's all one package! By declaring the bad news, we're also declaring the good news of the coming Kingdom of God!
The violent events of Revelation follow a precise time sequence, just like Matthew 24. First comes the 2½-year period of Satan's wrath, the Great Tribulation. Second are the heavenly signs: "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come" (Joel 2:31). God sends these supernatural signs before the Day of the Lord. The Earth will convulse with tidal waves and earthquakes (Revelation 6:12-17; Luke 21:25-26). God will disrupt the heavens and the Earth. This is no routine warning! Madmen will not conquer this world like they plan to; they are no match for God's infinite power.
Immediately after the heavenly signs comes the one-year period of God's wrath, the Day of the Lord. "Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt: And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible" (Isaiah 13:6-11).
Human beings will be howling like suffering wolves because of the intense agony! There's only one way to be protected: Submit to God now and help deliver His warning message. God warns and warns and warns, even after the Great Tribulation through the spectacular heavenly signs, yet mankind still won't repent! Human suffering is the result of unwillingness to obey God.
"[F]or sore anguish will come upon the land and Wrath on this people; they will fall by the edge of the sword, they will be carried prisoners to all nations, and Jerusalem will be under the heel of the Gentiles till the period of the Gentiles expires" (Luke 21:23-24; Moffatt translation).
God asks in Ezekiel 33:11, "[W]hy will ye die, O house of Israel?" All nations will be punished, but God will punish the nations of Israel—primarily America, Britain and the Jewish nation—first.
Jesus Christ is tired of mankind's wickedness! He will soon return and stop all suffering, ruling with a rod of iron. "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 11:15).
We need God to solve our problems! Soon, God will fill the Earth with happiness and joy! This will happen after He has ended the massacre of the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord. This is reality—you can be sure of it!