Quick and easy shamrock cupcakes. Image courtesy of recipebyphoto.com.
With St. Patrick's Day only a week away, the party planning better begin.We've all seen green beer and green hair, but how many of us can say we ate a green shamrock? These adorable shamrock cupcakes take only a few extra minutes of preparation compared to their regular counterparts.
For the Smile: You can use black gel writer, or cut a small piece of black string licorice.
For the Eyes: Use paper dot candies and follow directions of my earlier post called Not the Gingerbread Cookies Your Grandma Made or buy pre-made edible ones.
1) Make the cake batter according to package directions and add green food coloring to your desired shade of green.
2) Place the wrappers in each muffin hole and in between the wrapper and pan, place the marbles or rolled foil to help shape the shamrock.
3) Do not over fill each shamrock with batter- no more than 1/2 full.
4) Bake at the temperature directed by the cake mix box, but for a few minutes less than the time the box suggests.To ensure they are cooked, stick a toothpick into a cupcake and if the pick comes out clean – they're done. Let cool.
5) Add green food coloring to white frosting if you didn't purchase green frosting. Frost the cupcakes, add the eyes, and either the gel or tiny strips of black licorice for the smile.
6) Enjoy with friends and family and have a Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Image called Caaake, courtesy of FlickrCC 12818386@N00/7560097470.
Bake a cake following package directions, top with either white frosting or whipped cream (the kind in the tub) and add berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc.) to represent stars and stripes.
Bake cupcakes according to package, top with white frosting or whipped cream (tub kind) and cut red string licorice strips to fit for stripes and add a blueberry or blue M & M for the star.
Buy 2 pound cakes and cut them into cubes. Place one layer of cubed cake on the bottom of a trifle bowl or clear plastic cups. Add a layer of whipped cream (the kind in a tub) and add a layer of berries. Repeat, alternating red or blue-colored berries.


text:
The Grand Mystery of It All
Apparently there's an unspoken rule that fictional detectives have to be off the beaten path, so to speak. I suppose we can blame that one on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his hyper-intelligent sociopath of a creation. A hundred-twenty or so years after Sherlock's inception, the Quirky Detective has become a staple of both literature and film.
A few prominent examples of this delectable trope:
Sherlock Holmes (of course): anti-social and hoarding tendencies, with a smattering of recreational drug use when he's bored.
Hercule Poirot: Belgian, with an enormous ego and exceptional vanity; fastidious and persnickety in his affectations.
Nero Wolfe: unapologetically obese, zealous about food and orchids; practically a shut-in and devoted to his daily rituals.
Almost everything about these characters screams "Eccentric!" even down to their very names. (What, you know a lot of people named Sherlock, Hercule, and Nero out there? Sure you do.) All three detectives are extremely intelligent. They also exhibit a marked indifference—even aversion—towards women, insofar as love is concerned.
We wouldn't want any icky romance getting in the way of our sleuthing, now, would we?
But really, that particular quirk is almost a relief, because in some ways, this eccentric archetype is so off-putting that you'd have to pity anyone who was in a relationship with them. (Can you even imagine Hercule Poirot with a wife? Or a lover? The little grey cells, how they perish at the thought!)
As my stick-figure caricature indicates, Poirot is my favorite of this lot. For some reason, I like him even better knowing that his own creator did not.
"Why, why, why did I ever invent this detestable, bombastic, tiresome little creature?" ~ Agatha Christie
I especially like that Dame Agatha parodied herself in her fictional Ariadne Oliver and her doubly fictional Sven Hjerson. Ariadne, one presumes, provides a lovely window into Agatha's life dealing with such a fussy main character.
"How do I know why I ever thought of the revolting man? I must have been mad! Why a Finn when I know nothing about Finland? Why a vegetarian? Why all the idiotic mannerisms he's got? These things just happen." ~Ariadne Oliver
(As an aside, Arthur Conan Doyle apparently hated Holmes, too. No word on how Rex Stout felt about Wolfe.)
In homage to this trope, detectives across all media platforms display a full spectrum of eccentricities.
Batman: dresses up in bat-themed clothing and roams the streets at night. (Does it get more eccentric than this?)
Adrian Monk: OCD to an extreme and (rightfully) pining after his dead wife.
Shawn Spencer: fake psychic; also a man-child with a fear of commitment.
Flavia de Luce: 11 years old, morbidly fixated on chemistry and death.
We love them not in spite of their eccentricities, but because of them. To separate the Quirky Detectives from their traits would be to bleach their very characters of color.
But sometimes… Sometimes those eccentricities push their welcome a little too far. Sometimes it's nice to take a step back, breathe deep, and look to some other genre for entertainment.
There's a threshold of tolerance in the consumer. It's like eating deviled eggs. One is delicious. Two is quite nice. A dozen is cause to upchuck into a trashcan, because your system literally cannot handle that many eggs in one sitting.
Or maybe that's just me. I loves me some eccentric sleuths, but you won't find me binge-reading any such series. (Or binge-watching, as the case may be.) In small doses they are delightful. In large, they're a headache.
(Yes, even you, Poirot. I'm sorry to break the news.)
TAGS: literary tropes, mystery, writing | FILED UNDER: Average Everygirl | Permalink
8 Responses to The Grand Mystery of It All
Melia Kydd says:
Ahhhh, but Miss Marple, elderly knitress and maiden aunt, she I CAN binge read. She's deliciously fuzzy but keen–like a mohair-wrapped poniard. (I agree about the ones you name–they're all people I wouldn't want as long-term house guests.) How about Elizabeth Peter's heroines?
Elizabeth Peters writes amateur sleuths who are quirky, but not *quirky* (if you know what I mean). So Amelia Peabody's "quirk" is that she's a Victorian woman who likes archaeology and wants to live independently instead of being ruled by social mores or men. Vicky Bliss's "quirk" is that she's a tall, brainy blonde bombshell. Jacqueline Kirby's "quirk" is that she's a glamorous romance novelist who loves research. None of these quirks involve obsessive behavior or odd methodology, so I'd put them on the milder end of the spectrum. Same goes for Miss Marple. Her quirk is, as you said, knitting. Not exactly all that outlandish.
Or maybe I'm biased and can stomach female detectives a lot better. 😀
I have this thing where every couple of years I binge-watch the entire Nero Wolfe series. Wolfe is one of my all time favourite characters, though I think a lot of the delight is in his relationship with Archie, who is another favourite character. I binge-read the books every so often, too; but the gorgeous 40s music keeps pulling me back to the series more often. I still cry with laughter when Nero is flailing like a beached whale, shouting that: "It was as though a serpent had entwined my legs!"
Poirot is hilarious, but I don't love him like I love Wolfe. I do have a sneaking fondness for him, but with me the Poirot books were always more about the other MCs (and Hastings. I quite like Hastings).
Holmes, I never exactly LIKED. I did love reading about him, (that started in my adventure phase) but I preferred Father Brown as a character.
Flavia, now: she's delightful. Only Bradley kinda ruined her for me by deciding to put her in training as a spy. Bleah. I loved the little cozy mystery/poison delighting/stuff that went on in those books–particularly the adult characters. My, I love those adult characters! But I don't think I'll be reading any more. I get cranky when writers do stuff with their characters that feels out of character to me. I'm snobby like that. 😀
I'm sorry to hear that about Flavia. I've only read the first of her series (had a deviled-egg moment when I got to the end of it: enjoyed it well enough but knew I needed a break before starting another, and just haven't picked it back up again). I'd heard that Bradley never intended for her to grow older than 11 or 12, in order to maintain her character. It seems like adding the spy element would destroy as much of her Flavia-ness as aging her would.
(Does that make me snobby too? 😀 )
Exactly so! It was that destroying of her essential Flavia-nes that really grated. It doesn't happen until the latest one, though, so the others are safe and good to read. The first three are definitely the best ones, though.
I'd honestly love to see her grow up: her character could still be maintained, it would just grow.
(Yes. We'll be snobs together 😀 )
(Only if we can have matching hats and sashes proclaiming such. Otherwise, the deal's off. 😀 )
Yes. With feathers. So many feathers.
But of course.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Lynda Benglis was first recognized in the late sixties with her poured latex and foam works. Benglis's work created a perfectly timed retort to the male dominated fusion of painting and sculpture with the advent of Process Art and Minimalism. Known for her exploration of metaphorical and biomorphic shapes, she is deeply concerned with the physicality of form and how it affects the viewer, using a wide range of materials to render dynamic impressions of mass and surface: soft becomes hard, hard becomes soft and gestures are frozen.
Lynda Benglis resides in New York, Santa Fe and Ahmedabad, India. She is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and two National Endowment for the Arts grants, among other commendations. Benglis's work is in extensive public collections including: Guggenheim Museum; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Museum of Modern Art, New York; The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.
Most recently Benglis was the subject of an international retrospective which traveled to: TheIrish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin; The Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven; Le Consortium, Dijon; Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence; New Museum, New York; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.


I received a call from Kevin about a ring lost on Aug 01 2011. I received the call about a week after it was lost in the water at Skaha lake. I know by experience that the beaches and shallow water in the area are well combed over by the Penticton MD club members there. At that point I sent an e-mail to the members board in-case someone had already found it.
Now unfortunately Kevin was not around to give me a good area to look for the ring, as he had already returned to his home up north in Fort McMurray Alberta. So everything was done either over the phone or e-mail. Kevin did his best to give me a general area using Google maps satellite pictures. So our search started off like a needle in a haystack. Everyone does their best to describe where they think they where, but none of us come with built in GPS locators, so where you think you lost it a week ago compared to where you actually lost the ring can be miles apart… Anyone here at the RingFinders knows that grid searching a football field is a long and frustrating task.
The first search lasted 4.5 hours and turned up $4.85 in change and a small fortune in aluminum pull tabs, a pair of sunglasses and one lighter…. no ring!…. When I contacted Kevin about the search result, I think he was accepting the possibility that he would never see his ring again.
Now a little history about the ring, because as we know here, every ring has a story until it is lost and then the story is lost as well. This ring is a story that had value well over the monetary value of the gold. His father passed away when he was 5 years old. At 19 his mother gave him this ring, and he has had it for the past 9 years. He has worn the ring on a chain around his neck and close to his heart for the past 3 years. On vacation out on the beaches of Penticton, Kevin was enjoying the Skaha lake water when his chain broke and the ring slipped under the waves. Kevin and all of his friends stopped and tried to find the ring, but they did more harm then good and is probably one of the contributing factors of why it was found so deep in the sand.
Kevin and I exchanged a couple of photos and tried to pinpoint a better location of where it could be. The second search lasted 4 hours and this time the wife and kids came alone to enjoy the beach as it is an hour drive from where I live from Skaha lake. At first they where right there helping me look for the ring, but as you all know the attention span of 5-9 years of age are short. But it was fun while it lasted. My wife was on the beach soaking up the sun and cheering me on.. or just waving at me.
At 7:30pm my wife gave me the 10 minute warning, pockets full of caps and spare change I was starting to get tired.
Beep Beeeeeeep! strong signal…. dig digg.. cheese n rice a bottle cap!
Beep Beeeeeeeeeep! Another signal deeper down?… dig digg "this better not be anther frigg'n pull-tab!" is what I was thinking.
And no, it was not in the area we all thought it was… close … but we found it!
Kevin didn't think it was possible when I called him at close to 10pm that night, but ring and owner are united with the help of a little tenacity and underwater detecting!


We've all heard the horror stories. Your buddy knows a girl that was dating a guy whose best friend's brother once broke his brand-new, recently purchased performance car while making runs at a drag strip or laps at a track day, and the manufacturer wouldn't cover the repair under warranty.
True story? Urban legend? Complete crap? Yes, no, maybe. One thing's for sure: Automotive warranties have always come with caveats.
In 1908, an ad in the Trenton Evening Times clearly stated: "All Ford Cars Guaranteed for One Year." Although it changed over time, by 1925 the Ford New Car Guarantee only covered 90 days on material and 30 days on labor, and it clearly stated that that there was "No guarantee whatever on Fan Belts, Glass, Bulbs, Wiring, Transmission, Bands, Hose Connections, Commutator Shells, Rollers, Spark Plugs or Gaskets."
Whether or not Ol' Henry would pay to fix your Model T if you broke it shaving a tenth off your lap time at the local board track seems to be lost to history. We're guessing no.
But what about today? Do new-car warranties in 2017 cover cars when they are driven on race tracks? We researched the warranties of 14 auto brands to find out, and the answer is yes, no, maybe, depending on the brand, in some cases the model, and whether or not your car is modified from stock.
Acura has been out of the high-performance car game for a number of years, but jumps back into the party in 2017 with its hybrid-powered $173,000 NSX supercar. And Acura's warranty, as well as Honda's, clearly states that it does not cover "the use of the vehicle in competition or racing events."
So we asked Sage Marie, Senior Manager of Public Relations for Honda and Acura. "If the car is stock, the warranty covers it on a track just as it does on the street. No question," he told us. "However, if the car is modified, say with slick tires or other components that would put higher stresses on the vehicle's parts and systems, then we would have to investigate the circumstances further." Marie went on to say the same would be true for any Acura model or Honda vehicle, including the new 2017 Honda Civic Si.
This became a common theme.
Chevrolet actually started this practice with the fifth-generation Camaro on the high-performance ZL1 and Z/28 models. Still, Camaro Chief Engineer Al Oppenheiser lit up the internet back in April when he told Kirk Bell at Motor Authority that the warranty on the new sixth-generation 2017 Chevy Camaro covers the car on the race track. However, there are restrictions. The car must not be modified and it must be an SS model or above.
"If you're not modifying your car and you take your production car to a track day and you have an issue with one of your parts, it's covered under warranty," Oppenheiser told Bell. "We know when somebody changes their ECM calibration and we know if they changed to a cold-air intake, we can tell all that. But driving it as you break it in from the dealership, if you have a half-shaft or whatever, it's covered."
Chevy's warranty has covered Corvettes on the race track since the C5 generation.
Across town at FCA, things are different. FCA's warranty for all models – meaning the new Alfas, Challengers and Chargers, including those of the Hellcat variety and other SRT models – states in oversized bold text: "Racing Not Covered." Under that heading the paragraph reads, "Your warranties don't cover the costs of repairing damage or conditions caused by racing, nor do they cover the repair of any defects that are found as the result of participating in a racing event."
We were unable to get confirmation from an FCA representative if "racing" includes enthusiast, non-professional events like track days and run-what-you-brung amateur drag nights.
Under the all-caps heading "WHAT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE NEW VEHICLE LIMITED WARRANTY," the 2017 Ford Car and Light Truck Warranty includes "misuse of the vehicle, such as driving over curbs, overloading, racing or using the vehicle as a permanent stationary power source."
However, a Ford representative sent us this clarification: "Ford vehicles such as Mustang, GT350, Focus RS, Focus & Fiesta ST and Raptor are designed for spirited driving and will be covered by warranty if the vehicle is operated within the limits and guidelines outlined in the vehicle's owner's guide and warranty manual, including when the vehicle is driven in 'track mode,' a feature that is contained on some vehicles, if it is driven on a track in a manner that is consistent with the guidelines. Ford does not recommend racing these vehicles in timed competitions or sanctioned race events, as they are designed and built to be driven as delivered from the factory, and the vehicle warranty does not cover mechanical failure or damage caused when a vehicle is used for racing.
"It is important for customers to refer to the owner's guide and warranty manual when they purchase their vehicle to ensure proper use.
"If there is a warranty concern, it is determined and reviewed on case to case basis whether a mechanical failure or abuse caused it."
A little digging found this in the 2017 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 Warranty Terms and Conditions: "We do not recommend modifying or racing (for competition or time) Ford Performance vehicles, as they are designed and built to be driven as delivered from the factory. The warranty information discusses vehicle usage and the installation of aftermarket parts and their effect on warranty coverage. "
So racing on a track for time is not recommended by Ford, yet the document also says that the vehicle's Track mode should be "used by skilled drivers for spirited and aggressive driving while at the track." And the car's Drag Strip mode should be "used at the drag strip." Therefore, track driving is within the limits and guidelines outlined. Hmm.
And things are consistent at the top of Ford's food chain. The new mid-engine, 216-mph Ford GT supercar has the same warranty as the Shelby and the other vehicles in the Ford Performance line, which also includes the Fiesta ST, Focus ST and RS, and Raptor.
Nissan just says no. In a section titled "WHAT IS NOT COVERED GENERAL EXCLUSIONS," Nissan's GT-R warranty includes: "Racing and/or competitive driving of any sort whatsoever, and/or use on a track or driving on any airstrip." Then it also mentions "Operating the vehicle with the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) off, except when rocking the vehicle when stuck in mud or snow. Such operation is also 'misuse.'"
Oh boy. And the case is essentially the same on the 2017 Nissan 370Z and all Infiniti models, including the new 400-hp Q60 Red Sport 400. The warranty for those vehicles also has a section called "WHAT IS NOT COVERED GENERAL EXCLUSIONS," which includes: "Racing and competitive driving."
A Nissan representative confirmed that the cars are not covered under warranty on a race track.
The world's largest automaker agrees with this policy. We confirmed that Toyota's warranty does not cover cars on a race track. And that policy includes performance models like the 2017 Toyota 86 and all Lexus models, including the F Performance line. That's right, the warranty does not make exception for the IS F, RC F, or GS F.
Twin sister to the Toyota 86 is of course the Subaru BRZ. And Subaru's warranty has quite a bit more wiggle room on this subject than Toyota's, but it isn't exactly track-use-friendly. It states, "These warranties do not cover damage to any component that is the result of operating the vehicle in any competition or racing event."
Exotic carmaker Aston Martin takes a different approach. According to Matthew Clarke, General Manager of Marketing and Communications Aston Martin The Americas, Aston's warranty covers the car on a race track if it's participating in an official Aston Martin/Aston Martin-endorsed track event. In all other cases the warranty does not.
Surprisingly, Porsche's warranty does not make the same distinction. Under a heading of "This Warranty Does Not Cover," Porsche's warranty states: "Abuse, accident, acts of God, competition, racing, track use, or other events. Note 1: Components and or parts that fail during racing or driving events (including Porsche sponsored events) may not be covered by the new car Limited Warranty." This seems a bit hypocritical for an automaker that just built a track at its new Atlanta headquarters and another one in Los Angeles.
Kia showed off its first true performance model earlier this year at the Detroit Auto Show. The 2018 Kia Stinger GT is a rear-wheel-drive, 365-hp super sedan, but its warranty will not deviate from Kia's standard warranty, which does not cover cars when driven on a race track. Maybe. Under a section headed "The following items are not covered," the warranty states: "Misuse of your Kia Vehicle such as driving over curbs, or other hazardous objects or road structures or into roadway maintenance or construction areas, overloading the vehicle, racing or engaging in activities or uses not described in your owner's manual or in Kia's product literature." Again, is a non-professional event like a track day considered racing? That depends on the lawyer.
Got all that? Just remember caveat emptor, Latin for "let the buyer beware." This was good advice 109 years ago when buying a Model T, and it's still good advice today whether you're buying a new Ford Focus RS or any other performance car. Before you buy, if you plan to run the car at the local drags or drive it on a road course, you should know if such activity voids the manufacturer's warranty.


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text:
Schools and colleges need to be effectively led by leaders and managers who are well supported and developed to meet and succeed in an immensely challenging education environment.
NEU is the second largest union for leaders and managers across the entire education sector. School leaders and college managers are vital to the NEU as they are in a strong position to influence and implement policy. The union sees the great value of supporting and helping to develop ethical leaders who lead and shape the future of education.
The NEU understands the complex and professionally demanding work done by school leaders and college managers. We offer advice that will assist leaders in finding their way through these challenges. We support leaders to stand together with other educational professionals to inform NEU policy that benefits teaching and learning and the education system.
Find out more about issues affecting school leaders and managers:
Ofsted Inspection: Advice for School Leaders
Fair Funding for Nursery Schools
SEND Education and Funding
Baseline Assessment
School Teachers' Review Body - joint union response
Workload Reduction Toolkit
Menopause Guide for School Leaders
Equality Matters
Health and Safety - Stress Risk Assessment
NEU Leadership offer
As part of the NEU Leadership support and advice package you will have access to:
LEAD, the magazine for NEU Leadership members focused on your professional interests and needs;
Bespoke CPD support for NEU leaders on issues and training needs which you have identified as important to your professional development;
NEU support and advice to leadership members in key professional issues including continual development of ethical leadership policy, full casework support from NEU Adviceline and support from our experienced staff including a solicitor based in each region and Wales.
NEU Leadership membership includes:
Headteacher/principal
Deputy headteacher/vice-principal
Head of centre/school/college (post-16)
Assistant headteacher/assistant principal
CEO/executive head/leader of a multi-academy trust
Director / assistant director of education
Business manager/bursar/FE manager/FE finance manager
School leaders have difficult decisions to make, juggling high stakes accountability measures from Ofsted and the responsibility for ensuring their own wellbeing, and the workload of teachers, staff and pupils in schools.
The NEU advice on Ofsted inspections recommends that leaders with SLT members, should arrange a meeting with staff to discuss concerns in relation to the Ofsted inspection framework.
NEU joint general secretary Mary Bousted said: "This framework is not fit for purpose, and by definition nor is Ofsted. With this guidance we are reminding members of their rights and assuring them that the NEU will continue to act as the watchdog's watchdog until Ofsted is abolished."
The NEU has written a letter to Amanda Speilman, the chief inspector for Ofsted, outlining the complaints received from members about the excessive workload, stress and pressure being placed upon them as they prepare for, and/or undergo, an Ofsted inspection under the new framework.
Act now, and act together!
Don't wait for Ofsted to arrive before you tackle these issues. Use this advice to make a difference.
NEU recommends that Leaders, with SLT members, should arrange a meeting with staff to discuss concerns collectively.
NEU recommends that heads work collaboratively with other heads in the area, in order to share approaches to when inspections takes place.
If you need further advice or support, contact your local NEU officers
Following the DfE's publication last Friday of cash allocations for schools. The NEU headline is that around 16,500 schools – 83% - are losing out when compared to 2015.
Education Executive reported that:
The School Cuts coalition says that despite Boris Johnson's boasts of "levelling up", the truth is stark:
16,523 schools will have cuts in April 2020 compared to 2015
The average cut per pupil is £245 for a primary pupil
The average cut per pupil is £304 for a secondary pupil
Is your school on the list? Visit School Cuts to see how your school is affected.
Leaders in education know that every child should be able to access early education and get the best start in life. Nursery schools educate around 40,000 children and are facing severe cuts in provision or even closure. The majority are located in the poorest parts of the country and can be the only opportunity for early education, for many families.
The NEU, in partnership with The All Party Parliamentary Group on Nursery Schools, Nursery and Reception Classes, Early Education, and the NAHT are inviting all headteachers and chairs of governors of maintained nursery schools to sign this letter to the Chancellor calling for an urgent solution to the funding crisis they face.
We have sent out a campaign pack to every nursery which includes a letter for heads to send to parents, leaflets, a staffroom poster and paper copies of the online petition which now has almost 17,000 signatures.
Visit our campaign page for full details.
The legal challenge by SEND families against inadequate Government funding, has lost in the High Court. Mary was quoted widely about our disappointment, and the NEU's determination to continue to fight for the provision parents need. Read Mary Bousted's comments in Education Executive.
The Government's review of SEND education was announced in early September. Read Kevin Courtney's comment in Education Executive that we need urgent action, not further prevarication.
See how you can get involved in the SEND funding campaign here.
Headteachers and teachers are speaking out against Baseline testing for 4 year olds and becoming increasingly concerned about the negative impact which recent curriculum changes and testing are having in our schools. Baseline is due to be implemented in 2020, with a large-scale pilot in 2019. There is ample time to stop it, and in the process to make the case about everything else that is wrong with primary assessment. Sign the petition here to show your support.
Read more about the NEU's Assessment campaign here.
The NEU, ASCL, NAHT and Voice have sent a joint response to the Secretary of State's consultation on the STRB report on teacher pay in England. The joint union response calls on the Secretary of State to set aside his predecessor's recommended 2.75% pay increase for teachers from September in favour of a fully-funded 5% increase. Such an increase should be the start of a programme to urgently restore the value of teacher pay following the real-terms cuts against inflation since 2010.
Details of the NEU's Pay campaign can be found here.
Unacceptable workload has an adverse impact on teacher recruitment and retention. The annual Teacher Workforce census conducted by the Department of Education reported a further decline in retention rates. .
The Workload Challenge was launched in 2014 by the Government, and even if school leaders fully endorsed and implemented the findings from the reports offering advice on marking policies, planning and teaching resources and data management, they would only be scratching the surface. Government advice to all headteachers on how to take action can be found here. The online toolkit developed in consultation with the education unions and Ofsted, sets out that the process should be collaborative involving all staff to ensure that workload is reduced.
The aim of the NEU's workload campaign is to bring about a sustainable reduction in the workload of education workers. See how you can get involved with the campaign here.
Menopuase Guide for School Leaders
NEU leadership members are key to supporting women going through the menopause in the workplace. As a leader, you're not alone. Collaboration between leaders, governors, workplace reps, health and safety reps and a staff support network can go a long way towards creating a supportive environment for women experiencing menopause symptoms at work.
Implementing a few simple steps will encourage good relations among your staff and will avoid unnecessary disputes arising. The NEU menopause advice and checklist for leaders can be found here.
A key priority of the union, to ensure all members have a voice in the union, the classroom and broader society, and do not face barriers to promotion, representation or participation. We believe that all children and young people should have equal access to a good school and an education system which treats staff and those they teach fairly.
A new interactive website has been launched this week to support schools to develop an inclusive relationships and sex education (RSE) and help tackle sexism and sexual harassment. The NEU has supported this resource and been a key partner in developing it. You can access the full resources via the AGENDA website. We would love to hear how you are using it to tackle issues such as sexual harassment. Get in touch by emailing equality@neu.org.uk
Protect workers from sexual harassment
The NEU has joined a TUC-led alliance under the banner #ThisIsNotWorking. An environment where sexual harassment is permitted to continue is harmful to everyone – education professionals, pupils and students alike. We are calling on the Government to introduce a new law to require employers to take all reasonable steps to protect workers from sexual harassment and victimisation.
Please sign the petition and encourage your staff to do the same. The Government must recognise that sexual harassment is an equality issue and a health and safety issue.
Health and safety advice – stress risk assessment
Doing something about stress in schools may seem daunting to head teachers/principals and other managers. You may not know where to start. The NEU does not seek to blame school leaders for this situation. Stress is undoubtedly more difficult to tackle than, say, a straightforward slip/trip hazard.
The NEU wants to provide assistance to head teachers/principals and others who are responsible for tackling stress in schools and colleges, and who may be daunted by the prospect. We recognise that a collective approach, involving management and trade union representatives, will lead to the best possible outcome.
By following our simple step-by-step guide to undertaking a risk assessment, you will meet your legal obligations without creating a huge bureaucratic burden for yourself. You are likely to wish to adopt a similar approach in respect of support staff.
Pay for leadership teachers
The most common queries NEU members have on pay for leadership teachers in schools and academies.
Pay progression for school leaders
This guide gives advice to leaders on how their pay progression system works.
The course is divided into two parts allowing participants to try techniques and ideas back in the classroom and then reflect on their practice.
Getting behaviour right masterclass
Explore some of the current challenges facing teachers, pastoral staff and school leaders in relation to behaviour.
The art of being a great middle leader masterclass
This masterclass focus on creating your vision and planning and leading change.
Developing middle leaders (level two)
A four-day course in partnership with the Institute of Education. This innovative programme looks at the psychology of leadership.


text:
Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/eca/wpaper/2013-139866.html
Nowcasting Norway
Matteo Luciani
Lorenzo Ricci
We produce predictions of the previous, the current, and the next quarter of NorwegianGDP. To this end, we estimate a Bayesian Dynamic Factor model on a panel of 14variables (all followed closely by market operators) ranging from 1990 to 2011. By meansof a real time forecasting exercise we show that the Bayesian Dynamic Factor Model outperformsa standard benchmark model, while it performs equally well than the BloombergSurvey. Additionally, we use our model to produce annual GDP growth rate nowcast. Weshow that our annual nowcast outperform the Norges Bank's projections of current yearGDP.
Matteo Luciani & Lorenzo Ricci, 2013. "Nowcasting Norway," Working Papers ECARES ECARES 2013-10, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
Handle: RePEc:eca:wpaper:2013/139866
File URL: https://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/139866/3/2013-10-LUCIANI_RICCI-nowcasting.pdf
File Function: 2013-10-LUCIANI_RICCI-nowcasting
Matteo Luciani & Lorenzo Ricci, 2014. "Nowcasting Norway," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 10(4), pages 215-248, December.
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Banbura, Marta & Giannone, Domenico & Reichlin, Lucrezia, 2007. "Bayesian VARs with Large Panels," CEPR Discussion Papers 6326, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
Luciani, Matteo, 2014. "Forecasting with approximate dynamic factor models: The role of non-pervasive shocks," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 20-29.
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Knut Are Aastveit & Tørres G. Trovik, 2008. "Nowcasting Norwegian GDP: The role of asset prices in a small open economy," Working Paper 2007/09, Norges Bank.
Antonello D' Agostino & Domenico Giannone, 2012. "Comparing Alternative Predictors Based on Large‐Panel Factor Models," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 74(2), pages 306-326, April.
D'Agostino, Antonello & Giannone, Domenico, 2006. "Comparing Alternative Predictors Based on Large-Panel Factor Models," Research Technical Papers 14/RT/06, Central Bank of Ireland.
D'Agostino, Antonello & Giannone, Domenico, 2007. "Comparing Alternative Predictors Based on Large-Panel Factor Models," CEPR Discussion Papers 6564, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
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Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)
Antonello D'Agostino & Domenico Giannone & Michele Lenza & Michele Modugno, 2016. "Nowcasting Business Cycles: A Bayesian Approach to Dynamic Heterogeneous Factor Models," Advances in Econometrics, in: Eric Hillebrand & Siem Jan Koopman (ed.),Dynamic Factor Models, volume 35, pages 569-594, Emerald Publishing Ltd.
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McDonald, Christopher & Thamotheram, Craig & Vahey, Shaun P. & Wakerly, Elizabeth C., 2015. "Assessing the Economic Value of Probabilistic Forecasts in the Presence of an Inflation Target," EMF Research Papers 09, Economic Modelling and Forecasting Group.
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Matteo Luciani & Madhavi Pundit & Arief Ramayandi & Giovanni Veronese, 2018. "Nowcasting Indonesia," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 597-619, September.
Matteo Luciani & Madhavi Pundit & Arief Ramayandi & Giovanni Veronese, 2015. "Nowcasting Indonesia," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2015-100, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.), revised 09 Nov 2015.
Luciani, Matteo & Pundit, Madhavi & Ramayandi, Arief & Veronese , Giovanni, 2015. "Nowcasting Indonesia," ADB Economics Working Paper Series 471, Asian Development Bank.
Christian Glocker & Philipp Wegmueller, 2020. "Business cycle dating and forecasting with real-time Swiss GDP data," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 58(1), pages 73-105, January.
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Dahlhaus, Tatjana & Guénette, Justin-Damien & Vasishtha, Garima, 2017. "Nowcasting BRIC+M in real time," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 915-935.
Tatjana Dahlhaus & Justin-Damien Guénette & Garima Vasishtha, 2015. "Nowcasting BRIC+M in Real Time," Staff Working Papers 15-38, Bank of Canada.
Delle Chiaie, Simona & Ferrara, Laurent & Giannone, Domenico, 2018. "Common factors of commodity prices," Research Bulletin, European Central Bank, vol. 51.
Delle Chiaie, Simona & Ferrara, Laurent & Giannone, Domenico, 2017. "Common factors of commodity prices," Working Paper Series 2112, European Central Bank.
S. Delle Chiaie & L. Ferrara & D. Giannone, 2017. "Common Factors of Commodity Prices," Working papers 645, Banque de France.
Delle Chiaie, Simona & Ferrara, Laurent & Giannone, Domenico, 2018. "Common Factors of Commodity Prices," CEPR Discussion Papers 12767, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
Tony Chernis & Rodrigo Sekkel, 2017. "A dynamic factor model for nowcasting Canadian GDP growth," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 217-234, August.
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Antolin-Diaz, Juan & Drechsel, Thomas & Petrella, Ivan, 2014. "Following the Trend: Tracking GDP when Long-Run Growth is Uncertain," CEPR Discussion Papers 10272, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
Kaufmann, Daniel & Scheufele, Rolf, 2017. "Business tendency surveys and macroeconomic fluctuations," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 878-893.
Daniel Kaufmann & Rolf Scheufele, 2015. "Business tendency surveys and macroeconomic fluctuations," KOF Working papers 15-378, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
Katja Heinisch & Rolf Scheufele, 2018. "Bottom-up or direct? Forecasting German GDP in a data-rich environment," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 705-745, March.
Katja Drechsel & Rolf Scheufele, 2012. "Bottom-up or Direct? Forecasting German GDP in a Data-rich Environment," Working Papers 2012-16, Swiss National Bank.
Drechsel, Katja & Scheufele, Rolf, 2013. "Bottom-up or Direct? Forecasting German GDP in a Data-rich Environment," IWH Discussion Papers 7/2013, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
Cepni, Oguzhan & Güney, I. Ethem & Swanson, Norman R., 2019. "Nowcasting and forecasting GDP in emerging markets using global financial and macroeconomic diffusion indexes," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 555-572.
Brandyn Bok & Daniele Caratelli & Domenico Giannone & Argia M. Sbordone & Andrea Tambalotti, 2018. "Macroeconomic Nowcasting and Forecasting with Big Data," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 10(1), pages 615-643, August.
Brandyn Bok & Daniele Caratelli & Domenico Giannone & Argia M. Sbordone & Andrea Tambalotti, 2017. "Macroeconomic nowcasting and forecasting with big data," Staff Reports 830, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Bok, Brandyn & Caratelli, Daniele & Giannone, Domenico & Sbordone, Argia & Tambalotti, Andrea, 2018. "Macroeconomic Nowcasting and Forecasting with Big Data," CEPR Discussion Papers 12589, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
Camila Figueroa S. & Michael Pedersen, 2019. "Extracting information on economic activity from business and consumer surveys in an emerging economy (Chile)," Journal Economía Chilena (The Chilean Economy), Central Bank of Chile, vol. 22(3), pages 098-131, December.
Bragoli, Daniela & Modugno, Michele, 2017. "A now-casting model for Canada: Do U.S. variables matter?," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 786-800.
Daniela Bragoli & Michele Modugno, 2016. "A Nowcasting Model for Canada: Do U.S. Variables Matter?," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2016-036, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
Bragoli, Daniela, 2017. "Now-casting the Japanese economy," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 390-402.
Caruso, Alberto, 2018. "Nowcasting with the help of foreign indicators: The case of Mexico," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 160-168.
Alberto Caruso, 2015. "Nowcasting Mexican GDP," Working Papers ECARES ECARES 2015-40, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
Matteo Barigozzi & Matteo Luciani, 2019. "Quasi Maximum Likelihood Estimation and Inference of Large Approximate Dynamic Factor Models via the EM algorithm," Papers 1910.03821, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2020.
Ard Reijer & Andreas Johansson, 2019. "Nowcasting Swedish GDP with a large and unbalanced data set," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1351-1373, October.
real-time forecasting; bayesian factor model; nowcasting;
C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models
C53 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Forecasting and Prediction Models; Simulation Methods
E37 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications
NEP-FOR-2013-02-08 (Forecasting)
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text:
Problem with music selection from ROSE app
ROSE Products RS250
Hunter September 7, 2022, 11:28am #1
I have a Rose RS 250 and after the latest update of my ROSE RS 250 was released, I noticed that if I select a music file inside one of the many music folders inside my HD / SSD directly from the ROSE RS250 problem but if I make the same selection from the APP, an absolutely random track starts playing on the ROSE and not the selected one!
CAN YOU HELP ME?
This problem did not happen with the old Firmware of 2 previous releases …
ROSEHAN September 8, 2022, 12:53am #2
@Hunter
I have a few questions.
Which iPhone or Android phone do you use?
Does random track starts to play, even if you RoseConnect app–>Settings–>Media Library–Rescan DB?
Hunter September 8, 2022, 9:01pm #3
I have a iphone 13 mini
I did what you requested but the problem remained.
I also add that with the latest app update to turn off my rose from the app I have to perform the shutdown procedure twice for it to work otherwise it stays on.
louis September 10, 2022, 8:35am #5
Yes I have similar problem. Starting playing a selected cd (Qobuz) after 3-5 songs Rose 150B is jumping to other earlier played songs. I can not listen all songs of the selected cd.
ROSEHAN September 13, 2022, 3:05am #6
Hello @Hunter
When playing a song in an album in your folder, if you press and play a song, only the selected song is played in the queue. If you want to play all of the album's songs, click the shape marked in red in the photo below and select the part you want to use.
- Add to the end of the queue : All the songs in the album goes to the end of the queue
- Empty the queue and add: All the songs in the queue is deleted and all the songs in the album is added
- Add to a direct play : All the songs in the album goes to the top and playes directly
- Add to play next: All the songs in the album is added below the current streaming music
image586×1178 180 KB
Please check if the shuffle function is enabled on the song playback screen. When activated, the songs in the queue are played randomly.
Uploading: mage.png…
Hunter September 13, 2022, 10:13pm #7
thank you very much for the help provided but unfortunately i think the problem is not clear enough in my explanation.
First of all I inform you that with the latest update of your APP released a few days ago the disconnection problem with my ROSE which occurred every 2-3 seconds has been solved but now there are some commands on the APP that I have to select twice if I want them to really work and the button you asked me to use (the one with 3 small dots to understand) and which allows you to select when to start the selected track, unfortunately DOES NOT WORK and the selection screen does not even open.
I have checked everything you have indicated to me on my iphone 13mini but as I said my problem is the following:
-I start my ROSE RS250.
-Start the App
-I select my ROSE internal SSD from the App.
-I open the folder containing my "music archive" and open the subfolder containing the type of music (Type "ANNI '80")
-Inside the "ANNI'80" folder there are many folders of various artists of those years and at the end of these folders there are many audio tracks of various single artists.
At this point, if I select the music of an artist present inside a folder there is no problem, but if I select to listen to a song by an artist present immediately after the artists' folders it happens that a random song starts, always present inside the folder. folder "YEARS 80" …
If, on the other hand, I search for the same song and select it DIRECTLY from the ROSE RS250, everything works regularly …
… I hope I have explained myself clearly enough to make you understand the problem …
"At this point, if I select the music of an artist present inside a folder there is no problem, but if I select to listen to a song by an artist present immediately after the artists' folders it happens that a random song starts, always present inside the folder. "
I don't understand your explanation above. Can you send me a video of the process to give you a more accurate answer? If so, I think it will be helpful.
This is my email address. eunseong96@citech.kr
Hunter September 15, 2022, 7:50pm #9
Of course, it sure is the best thing to do.
I just sent you the videos on your email!
ROSEHAN September 16, 2022, 3:46am #10
Does this symptom appear in other folders or albums?
There are special characters in the album, delete the special characters, scan the DB, and try playing again.
Hunter September 16, 2022, 8:42pm #11
YES this problem exists in all folders where I perform the same type of operation.
There are no special characters in any audio track.
I have scanned the DB several times but the problem remains.
I want to point out that this problem was NOT present until about 2 previous updates of my ROSE in fact the test occurred after the updates .
Please confirm further.
Is the latest version correct? (Rose device: 4.2.21 / RoseConnect: 4.05.44)
When another song is playing, if you scroll down to the bottom of the full playback screen, the file information appears. Is it possible to get a picture of the capture on that screen? (Check path, etc.)
Hunter September 19, 2022, 5:32am #13
selected track:
track that actually plays:
I should have sent you the requested information. Thanks for support
We also had similar symptoms. We will update after correction.
Hunter September 19, 2022, 11:16am #18
very good! so i have to wait for the future update of the ROSE APP?
ROSEHAN September 20, 2022, 12:38am #19
Yes, I did not receive the exact update schedule, but it will be updated soon.
Hunter October 15, 2022, 10:35pm #20
my problem has now been solved with your latest update!


text:
We Love Jesús María (Lima)
IMPROVE Jesús María (Lima)
Located in the heart of the capital city of Lima, the city district of Jesus Maria has developed a climate plan to help it adapt to climate change while also jumpstarting a vibrant green economy.
The district's 'Ecoparque' is a living demonstration of Jesus Maria's ideals. A once-abandoned urban dumping ground, Ecoparque is now a vibrant green space with playful creatures made from repurposed trash, sorting bins for recycling, and an edible veggie garden. Jesus Maria is redesigning its main traffic thoroughfare with more trees and shading, walkways and a bikeway for residents to enjoy – the move also helps reduce local car dependency. Jesus Maria is recognized as a 'tree city' having planted 7,000 trees recently, and the district also plans to make 30% of its residential and business roofs green and growing! www.munijesusmaria.gob.pe
VOTE FOR Jesús María (Lima)
A vote for Jesús María (Lima) is also a vote for a sustainable
future powered by renewable energy.
Use #WeLoveJesusMaria on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.
Suggest an idea for making it even better
and welcome back in 24h to vote again.
Tweet Share on Facebook
THANKS FOR YOUR SUGGESTION
Now like us on Facebook or submit another suggestion.
Make another suggestion
Got an idea for making your favorite city even better? Submit it below and we'll share it with the city. This also counts as a vote for that city.
Over half the world's population now live in cities, and they generate over 70% of our climate footprint. But cities also offer an immense opportunity to create better places to live while contributing to a healthier planet. Through better transport, green buildings, harnessing the power of nature, wasting less and loving more, cities can lead the way to a climate-friendly future.
to get around
We love the
power of nature
We love to get around
Our participating cities are transforming the way people travel. For sustainable cities, improving the way people get around also means reducing the amount of energy we use while improving air quality and health. Transportation accounts for 25% of global energy
use so cities are finding ways to change that. Car-free and car-restricted areas, electrification, more public transport, promoting cycling and pedestrian-friendly streets are just some of the better ways to travel that will lead to a healthier environment.
We love the power of nature
Our participating cities love the power of nature and are becoming hotspots for nature based solutions and renewable energy solutions. Right now, city dwellers are responsible for over 70% of our planet's energy-related carbon emissions. But by becoming trailblazers for renewables,
cities have the opportunity to change that. From solar water heating, geothermal heating, biogas, wind farms, solar electricity and smart grids, renewables don't affect the air we breathe, our water supplies and our climate system. And that means healthy, happier people.
We love green buildings
Our participating cities are at the forefront of improving the places that we live and work. Buildings define the character of our cities. But it's not just about what they look like, it's about how they work too. Buildings use one third of the world's energy, and in bigger
cities they account for up to 80% of carbon emissions. By championing new designs, incentives and standards, cities are leading the way to more energy-efficient homes, and inspiring a global trend where new buildings become energy producers rather than energy consumers.
We love clean living
By wasting less and loving more, our participating cities are leading the way to smart waste solutions. Like turning waste into a resource. Biogas, district heating, compost, fertilizer, irrigation, and recycled goods all come from waste and
waste water. And making these resources creates jobs too. By minimizing and trapping waste for material and energy, smarter urban waste management improves the economy, the environment and promotes clean living – all at the same time.
We love good food
From top restaurants to cool street stalls, food is a big part of what defines a city. It's also becoming a big part of the sustainability journey. Climate-smart food procurement and the promotion of more veggie based diets addresses food's climate
impact as well as health issues; urban farming is improving food security; while hospitals and schools are recycling packaging and composting leftovers so nothing goes to waste. The more cities use the power of food, the better cities will become.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SUSTAINABLE CITIES
Click below to learn more about sustainable cities
OPCC WWF City reports
Three steps to making our most lovable cities more sustainable.
Vote, celebrate & share ideas for improving your favorite city.
Last day to vote is October 31st & the winning city will be announced at the end of the campaign.
Each city will receive your ideas for making it even better.
Your photos, videos, votes and ideas count! And the city with the most of these wins.
Use your city's hashtag on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
Visit the city's page and click the vote button
Submit an improvement suggestion
Add your voice! Every Instagram and Tweet counts as a vote when you use your favorite city's hashtag.
Building a future in which people live in harmony with nature.
We Love Cities has reached over 200 million people globally since its inception in 2013. Over 150 cities have participated, with over 10 million citizen engagements and more than 100,000 citizen improvement suggestions shared to city officials.
The initiative is run by WWF – the world's leading nature conservation organization — passionate about building a future in which people live in harmony with nature.
As a key aspect of that mission, we support the creation and development of cities that enable all people to thrive and prosper while respecting the ecological limits of our one and only planet!
Help make it happen


Are you concerned about your ability to have children down the road? You might want to consider egg freezing. Oocyte cryopreservation, or freezing your eggs, allows you to preserve your fertility and plan for the future.
To find out if freezing your eggs is right for you, talk to your doctor or contact UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital.
Each woman is born with a set number of eggs that will gradually decrease in quantity until she reaches menopause. As she ages, the quality of her eggs also decreases.
For women considering egg freezing who may not be ready to try getting pregnant now, keep in mind that fertility (your ability to conceive children) generally starts to decline after age 30, and drops further between the ages of 35 and 40.
By age 40, a woman has about a 10 percent chance of getting pregnant during each menstrual cycle, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). And ACOG also says it's rare for a woman to get pregnant after age 45 without medical help.
Women who do get pregnant when they're older have a higher risk of miscarriage and pregnancy complications. And their babies face a greater risk of chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome.
There are many reasons to consider oocyte cryopreservation. Egg freezing is an option for women facing chemotherapy and radiation treatments or other conditions that can damage fertility. Genetics, surgery, injury, and gender-affirming treatments may also be factors in your fertility decisions.
So, what is egg freezing and how does it work? To begin, you receive hormone injections to stimulate your ovaries and produce multiple eggs. When your body is ready, you'll be put under IV sedation (so you're asleep during the procedure and won't feel any pain) and a doctor known as a reproductive endocrinologist retrieves your eggs with a needle and catheter, removing them with light suction.
Afterward, you may want to take a day or two to rest, as it's possible to feel some discomfort and mild cramping, along with spotting. In addition, you may experience bloating and temporarily gain a few pounds of fluid weight. Your period will likely start about two weeks later, and then return to a normal cycle the next month.
After the procedure, your eggs will be prepared for freezing. Only mature, usable eggs can be frozen. The eggs will be stored at an egg or embryo bank. When you're ready to use your eggs to try to get pregnant, you'll need to provide sperm from a partner or donor. The egg and sperm will be fertilized in the lab.
After you undergo a few weeks of hormone injections to prepare your body, one or more fertilized embryos will be transferred to your uterus. Your doctor will help you decide how many embryos to transfer. In most cases, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommends transferring only one embryo at a time. This reduces the chance of multiple births, which pose increased risk for both mothers and babies.
In 2012, the ASRM issued new guidelines stating that egg freezing was no longer experimental — a move that increased the use of the procedure.
Freezing your eggs is considered safe for both you and your future baby. Unlike other fertility procedures — freezing embryos (a fertilized egg and sperm), for example — women don't need a male partner or a sperm donation to freeze their eggs. If possible, it's better to freeze your eggs when you're in your 20s or early 30s since the younger you are, the better quality your eggs will be. Your chances of pregnancy are based on the age you were when you froze your eggs, not the age you are when you try to become pregnant.
Science has come a long way in the past century. By planning ahead, you can prepare for a future pregnancy now. To find out if freezing your eggs is right for you, talk to your doctor or contact UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital.


Strengths and Weaknesses. In his presentation, Virtala discussed how the studio reevaluated the company's strengths and weaknesses following the release of Quantum Break. He states that while the games that the studio creates "are not going to appeal to everyone" there was definitely an audience for the content. He also stated that he believes that Remedy is a company which looks after its developers and an aspect which he hopes will continue particularly as they proceed into phase two of their transformation.
Phase One of The Studio's Transformation. Phase one of the transformation spans between 2016 - 2019. As the studio began preparations for the office-wide shift, management interviewed thirty internal developers and made plans based on employee interest and areas highlighted for potential improvements. They looked at their one-project and one-partner system, in addition to the uncertainties and risks brought on by game delays, and particularly how they needed to adapt to the ever-growing number of employees at the studio.
As they looked into the future of the company, they also looked at market changes and conductive extensive research into the gaming market.
Using the internal interviews and the market research, they began establishing goals for the studio. For the initial phase of the transformation, Remedy highlighted where they wanted to be; they wanted to continue to develop ambitious AAA experiences of IPs that they controlled (which Virtala later described as "big screen games for gamers"), but with faster production times. They also wanted to move into a multi-project studio set up and ensure that there's a positive working atmosphere across the departments. While they have taken on developing a single player campaign for Smilegate, they also don't want to be purely "work for hire", with an increased desire to own the IPs for other projects. They broke down the success of the company in three steps: 1) creating games that stand out, 2) developed by a multi-project studio and 3) ensure that the company has a stronger position in the value chain.
2017-2018. Between 2017-2018, they began establishing the main part of the studio transformation. Development on CROSSFIRE 2 overlapped the end of Quantum Break's development, and by mid-2016, they had also begun work on Control. In 2018, they announced that a third game project was in the concept stage, and they also revealed the newly created Vanguard team. Throughout all of this, Remedy continued work on their in-house engine, Northlight. Organisation within the company was also redefined with a reevaluation and clarification over individual roles, project organisation, and an overhaul of the recruitment process, and a new HR approach.
Phase Two. Phase two is predicted to take between two to three years to build and will focus on creating long-lasting game experiences for IPs that the studio will own, in addition to focusing on its talent and its community. They also want to investigate the potential of self-publishing, allowing them to the choice to publish independently or collaborate with publishers.
Control. For Control, there were approximately 100 developers working the project during a three-year development cycle. The game led to the creation of the second development team (the other being the CROSSFIRE team) and focused on creating a title with "longer gameplay" and with a "sensible budget and scope". The work on the game has also pushed Northlight further, and the capabilities of the in-house engine.


text:
Giving Parents a Choice Gives Children a Chance
By Kathryn Hickok
In: Education, Individual Responsiblity, Portland Schools
January 22-28 is National School Choice Week
"If you save one life, you save the world." So believed Ted Forstmann, cofounder of the Children's Scholarship Fund. January 22-28 is the second annual National School Choice Week. A collaboration of more than 200 organizations across the country, National School Choice Week highlights the need for effective educational options for all children, especially those most in need of increased educational opportunity.
Scholarship programs like the Children's Scholarship Fund help put private and parochial schools within the reach of elementary children from lower-income families. Because of CSF and its local partners, more than 123,000 low-income children nationwide have attended private schools. In fact, the Children's Scholarship Fund is the only national K-8 scholarship organization in the country.
A helping hand makes all the difference to elementary school children who need a chance. Last spring I attended a luncheon at Central Catholic High School in Portland to honor graduating seniors with athletic scholarships to college. I was invited by a young man who began to be sponsored by the Children's Scholarship Fund-Portland when he was in grade school.
"I have learned that nothing's going to be handed to you and that you'll succeed through hard work," Kidus told me. "[Private school] was challenging, but it has gotten me ready for college and life."
One of Central Catholic's star basketball players, Kidus now attends Portland State University and plays for the Vikings. He was able to attend private schools because of scholarship assistance from caring Oregonians.
To be eligible for scholarship assistance, families must be lower-income; but every parent must pay part of their children's tuition themselves. Making the scholarship a "hand up," rather than a "handout," ensures that parents stay engaged with their children's education, a key component of student success.
In fact, CSF-Portland parents pay, on average, more than half the cost of their tuition (they pay $1,900 per child this year). By choosing to pay for private education, they forgo the $10,000-per-child which Oregon currently spends on public education in favor of a better chance for their children.
CSF-Portland scholarships average only $1,700 per child, but this often makes the difference between children attending a public school where they are not thriving or a private school where they are. Scholarships are funded by local donors here in Oregon, whose gifts are matched by the national Children's Scholarship Fund in New York, so a $100 gift to CSF-Portland can sponsor a low-income child's tuition for a month.
Ted Forstmann once said, "Every child, regardless of their parents' income, should have access to a quality education – an education that will not only prepare them for successful private lives, but help them to build cohesive communities and a strong democracy. We believe if you give parents a choice, you will give their children a chance."
While Americans engage in necessary debates on education reform, we cannot wait to help the children sitting in classrooms today. The Children's Scholarship Fund-Portland empowers lower-income Oregon children to get a "hand up" early in life through a quality elementary education, a simple step that puts kids with limited choices on a path to success that gets them "ready for life."
Kathryn Hickok is Director of the Children's Scholarship Fund-Portland, a program of Cascade Policy Institute and the Oregon partner of the Children's Scholarship Fund.
Back to School with the Children's Scholarship Fund
Children's Scholarship Fund-Portland Kids Aren't Waiting for Superman!
"Pell Grants for Kids" Highlights Need for School Choice
"Ready for College and Life"
Tags: Cascade Policy Institute, Central Catholic HIgh School, Children's Scholarship Fund, Children's Scholarship Fund-Portland, John Walton, National School Choice Week, Portland State University, Ted Forstmann


Receive alerts when tanks are getting empty or full.
The traditional view in bulk distribution or collection sectors, is that your customers are responsible for informing you when their tanks are ready to be filled or emptied. Powelectrics tank level telemetry can remove this responsibility, along with an assurance that they will not run out or overfill. This value added service can lead to greater commitment from customers and dramatically reduce logistics costs. It can also allow you to identify unauthorised deliveries or collections from competitors. Our remote tank level monitoring systems are proven to reduce logistics and admin costs and help win business by enhancing customer service, improving safety and addressing environmental concerns. Powelectrics connected sensor solutions are easy to install and maintain. Our telemetry is reliable, flexible and affordable and it will interface into existing business tools, such as SAP. We connect thousands of different types of sensors to the internet, allowing you to view data securely through a simple web browser, visible on a computer, tablet or smartphone. Powelectrics are also a well-established and reputable sensor distributor, offering sensors from over 100 respected international suppliers.
Devices can use external power, internal battery or solar cell, which means they can be completely self-contained for temporary applications or where there is no power available. They offer integral, low-cost GSM/GPRS communications ATEX options and a high frequency of transmission. Units have an integral display, which helps with setup and test, as well as replacing costly local gauges and can be remotely configured via our software. Devices have multiple inputs, so you can use one device/SIM card to monitor several tanks. biofuels, lubricants, agrochemicals & food & beverage industry additives.
sensors and radar sensors to avoid physical contact with tank contents. This flexibility allows Powelectrics tank level telemetry solutions to accommodate any shape or height of tank and even the most aggressive tank contents.
Powelectrics data collection and viewing platform, MetronView, is a web based data logger, showing tables and graphs. For bulk delivery and collection applications, Powelectrics have developed bespoke software, which also includes theft and leakage alerts and the facility to set thresholds on individual tanks to alert you when tanks are reaching amber and red alert levels and even predict when individual tanks will need filling, based on recent usage. These colour coded sites can be plotted on a map, by postcode, for simple logistics planning. Data may be used to verify delivery dates and quantities for invoice reconciliation. Powelectrics software will also alert you if a device has not reported in. Metron View is easily badged and customised, delivering bespoke reports and data exports and it can interface via an API with existing management & control systems, such as SAP. We can work with you to develop a bespoke site for any application.
Powelectrics Fuel Oil Monitoring systems verifies deliveries, alerts users to sudden drops in fuel levels, fuel theft and much more.
The use of our Fuel Oil Monitoring systems helps both larger oil consumers and oil distributors. Through the same connected sensor solution you can verify when deliveries are made and for how much as well as being reminded when to reorder so you don't run out.
Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) is a well-established practice in many industrial sectors. It relieves customers of the need to place orders in the conventional manner and puts the onus on suppliers to replenish customers' supplies within agreed limits.
Powelectrics provide a wide range of Vendor Managed Inventory applications to help save your business money, improve customer service and reduce C02 emissions. Analysis of our customers' data demonstrates that 86% of deliveries were inefficient before they used Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) and that by fitting Metron telemetry 24% fewer deliveries are needed. Powelectrics Vendor Managed Inventory systems saves money, improves customer service, reduces CO2 emissions and allows for future expansion.
By knowing the level in your customers tanks then AdBlue (DEF) deliveries can be optimised and your customers can enjoy fantastic levels of service. Powelectrics remote tank level monitoring solutions are used extensively in AdBlue tanks with adblue level sensors, telemetry hardware and software based data collection platforms to suit all needs.
M2M Remote Monitoring provided connected sensor solutions for the internet of things.
Remote condition monitoring (RCM) using connected sensor solutions to prevent breakdown for trains, pumps, machines and more.


A Summer Art Residency student artist works on a piece in the midst of other papers and sketches. Photo by Tim Schoon.
The University of Iowa campus played host in July to 25 of the nation's most talented high school–aged artists as part of the UI College of Education Belin-Blank Center's inaugural Summer Art Residency (SAR).
Read the Iowa Now story.