text:
Validation & Oversight Services
Program & Protocol Development
Program Vulnerability Detection
Appeals & Dispute Resolution
Medical & Claims Review
Evidenced-Based Medicine Peer Reviews
Healthcare Fraud Detection & Identification
Legal Support & Testimony
Program & Congressional Reports
Article Development
Provider Resources, Inc. (PRI) understands how to collaboratively meet the industry's need for improving program integrity, clinical quality, and patient safety initiatives while remaining actively involved in the development of policy and regulatory efforts, with an emphasis on improving education and lowering program costs. As a former billing company, PRI has over 25 years of corporate program integrity knowledge and experience focused on Medicare, Medicaid, Workers' Compensation, and various commercial programs. PRI has contracted either as a prime or as a subcontractor with agencies such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Health and Human Services/Office of Inspector General (HHS/OIG), the United States Postal Service/Office of Inspector General (USPS/OIG), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). In PRI's Program Integrity Division, the breadth of contracts demonstrates our knowledge of the coverage, manual composition, and utilization and reimbursement policies of the Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP programs, along with associated payors such as Workers' Compensation.
PRI's program integrity experts are able to identify, recommend reduction strategies, and eliminate clinical and financial fraud, waste, and abuse with the ultimate goal of instilling integrity into the healthcare system at all levels. PRI comprises program integrity healthcare experts with a varied range of specialties, such as evidence-based medicine (EBM) practices, medical review, Medicare and Medicaid programs, healthcare claims pricing and validation, appeals and dispute processes, healthcare policy, medical review article development, Congressional reporting, quality improvement, patient safety, program safeguard, compliance and integrity, investigations, legal review, and data analysis.
Additionally, PRI's program integrity experts have been selected for their high-level expertise and capability of providing education to diverse groups within high-profile, national-scope program integrity initiatives. PRI's program integrity subject matter experts (SMEs) have designed and developed innovative solutions in order to address diverse audiences, technological challenges, and changing legislative requirements. These sessions have included beginner through advanced skill levels in both small and large group settings. Materials have included article development, environmental assessment, webinars, and in-person trainings where PRI also provided all logistical support through our Education & Outreach Division personnel. Topics have included:
Medical Review of Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility Services
Environmental Scan of 2010-2011 Enacted Legislation for its Impact on Medical Review Processes
Medicare Reimbursement for Drugs & Biological Products: Medical Review Considerations in Review of Drug Claims
DRG Validation
Complex DRG Validation with High Risk for Improper Payment
Medical Review Strategy
Data Analysis in Medical Review
Developing a Problem List
Inpatient One-Day Stays
DIVISION CAPABILITY STATEMENT
POLICY & REGULATORY
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS GROUP


The brass bed, overdue a rub of Brasso, creaked with relief as Tommy, emitting a constant stream of coarse expletives, farted and swung, despite his dodgy knee, two gnarled legs onto the icy linoleum floor. Except for two rheumatic big toes which stuck out the top, his clammy calloused feet found comfort in a pair of slippers, originally tartan in design. Over skid-marked Long-Johns, he wore a pair of shrunken pyjamas. An Aran sweater, minus the elbows completed the ensemble.
Yanking back the green floral curtains revealed a frost-covered window both inside and out.
"I'm going to shoot that fecking dog. Yap, Yap, Yap since six o'clock. Non-fecking stop. I'm not taking it anymore. Do ya hear me, Rose?
Suspended from a nail outside the hot press on the narrow landing hung a thermometer. Taking a brown, hard covered pocket-sized notebook from his pyjamas, he noted and recorded the temperature along with the time and date. After turning on the immersion, he made a piss, left the seat up and didn't bother flushing or washing his paws.
Returning, he rummaged under the bed, cursing 'til reappearing, armed with an air rifle and a box of pellets. Dragging an armchair, he took up a position at the metal-framed casement window whose oil starved hinges squealed at being opened. Shivers reached his mangled toes when an icy clean breeze met the damp sock-smelling foul air. He got up, switched off the immersion and with the ambush set plonked himself down, his long index finger delving high into one of his nostrils.
All details except the nasal adventure entered in the notebook.
A silver screw-topped circular tin originally held two hundred and fifty pellets. Seven used in a former unsuccessful dog culling exercise. He sat counting as a lazy sun made an appearance and cleared most of the frost, but no sign of the offending canine. With a broken spring burrowing its way up Tommy's arse and droplets from his almost pious blue nose running to a constant flow, he suspended operations but not before finishing the count. Two hundred and forty-three recorded in the notebook.
In the shabby dirt encrusted kitchen, he shovelled back a bucket-sized portion of porridge, left soaking overnight in milk and water with a spoon of honey. When finished, he crushed a handful of oatlets in hard, calloused hands and stood with an arm outstretched outside the back door.
A short wait before his robin friend landed on a nearby whitethorn tree and made a few cursory security checks before coming to rest in Tommy's palm. Redbreast made short work of brunch while Tommy gave him the latest news.
The robin took flight without answering.
After checking the immersion was turned off, he left home, his departure confirmed by the clattering of the lion-headed cast iron knocker as he pulled the teak door over the swollen door saddle. The dog barked and Tommy cursed.
His two up, two down, the sole surviving fisherman's house at the top of the hill. The rest snapped up and razed by greedy developers. Tommy refused all offers.
As obdurate as stone, not even a free house in the new complex and a barrow full of money could shift him.
A narrow road corkscrewed its way from the development of duplex houses and apartments to the village. On one side, breaks in the loose stone wall gave glimpses of heather, gorse and coarse grasses with the never-ending sea beyond. Opposite, sad, hungry looking cattle picked at sparse grass in a series of irregular fields.
A leisurely five-minute walk for most. For Tommy, a daily nightmare fraught with danger. His route resembled a jigsaw, criss-crossed with moss-filled veiny cracks. Stepping on any ensured imminent grief and disaster. Despite, a battery of letters and personal calls, the council continued to ignore him.
Relief came when he reached the tarry road in the village.
"The highway to nowhere and everywhere," Tommy called it.
McCarthy's pub, its one cracked neon sign swinging adventurously from a rusted bracket shared a corner with Murphy's grocery. The Post Office, Curls 'n Colours and the boarded up Yangtze River completed the commercial life of the village. Opposite, their rears facing the elements; a solemn cut-stone church and two-roomed school. All the buildings with a shared commonality; a sparsity of customers.
Gathering driftwood, Tommy enjoyed the half moon shaped rocky foreshore, wondering what stories of storms, giant waves and foreign parts these bleached relics with their curvaceous swirls and grooves could tell. It mattered little after he'd dragged them up the hill. They'd all end up the same way, clobbered by his hatchet and fed to the fire. Date, time and relevant details recorded in the notebook. Other days, depending on the tides and time of year a bucket of cockles made for a change from the staple diet of boiled spuds and streaky bacon. Steamed in a little water with a squeeze of lemon did the trick. Crusty bread to mop up the juices.
Of late, usually on a Sunday, Tommy took an evening constitutional as far as the pier. Once a thriving haven for fishermen including Tommy, it now hung on sadly, slowly succumbing to the endless waves. A single insipid dull light at the seaward end flickered as if conveying the inevitable.
Armed with a fishing rod, a torch and the thermometer, he timed the walk to coincide as best he could with the full tide. With the thermometer hooked to the rod, he lowered it into the water, retrieving it minutes later. Date, time, temp. and a comment entered the notebook.
Warming himself by the fire, he'd place a nightlight in the centre of the narrow wax covered mantlepiece of the cast iron fireplace. An eclectic collection of dust and grime coated photos cluttered the limited space. Babies, children of all ages, college conferrings and weddings. In the centre a black and white portrait of a smiling couple on their wedding day. Only memories now. The regular visits from Australia and America petered out when partners and grandchildren arrived.
Over time, the weekly phone calls tapered off and now only an occasional duty call. He'd never felt the joy of a newly born grandchild wrap its tiny fist around his little finger. No longer babies, they were strangers to him.
He'd given up on organised religion years earlier and preferred the direct approach. Before climbing into bed and checking the immersion, he'd kneel by the bedside and have a private chat with whoever was up there.
Callers to the house were rare except for Jack McCarthy the postman. Almost as old and wizen as Tommy and equally cranky. They sparked well and enjoyed sorting out the problems of the parish, country and the world. Agreement on any issue a rarity. The perfect match.
As the days shortened, December crept along and with it the first of the Christmas post.
Tommy replied with a grunt which Jack interpreted as a negative. Unopened, Tommy threw the cards into the grate after Jack left. Date, time and details again noted.
Another week passed and another visit to the pier. The thermometer gave its reading which he recorded together with a comment.
About to strike out for the hazardous trek home, a group of children singing carols blocked his way, huddled together like a flock of lambs outside McCarthy's pub.
Not the dog owner, but another adversary of Tommy's, the recently arrived long geek of a schoolteacher. Some problem over a parking space. Tommy didn't have a car, never drove, but that wasn't the point.
One child shook a collection bucket in Tommy's direction. He stopped. The teacher, expecting the unexpected, held his breath and bit his lip.
Tommy rooted through the pockets of his oilskins. Yellow from top to toe, he looked like a giant canary standing under the light. A few bits of twine and an oily rag didn't augur well for the collectors, feet, fingers and faces shivering. Pulling down a zip in the cumbersome coat, Tommy took a crumbling leather wallet from within the layers. With hands over his mouth, the teacher took a step back and watched Tommy empty note after note into the bucket. Fives, tens and even a twenty. The children danced and whooped, except the bucket carrier who stood motionless, eyes fixed on the bundle of notes.
Tommy's only suit, smelling of mothballs, hung amongst an array of dresses, some long, some shortish and all old. Winter and summer overcoats and even a full-length fake fur coat complete with foxtail collar. Holding the hanger by the window, Tommy satisfied himself that a rub of the iron would restore the charcoal grey suit to its former glory and set about the task. He managed a crease as sharp as a razor on the trousers assisted by a build-up of grime transferred from palms to pants. A size eighteen collar shirt formerly white and now a delicate yellow together with a wide maroon tie got a smoothing of the iron. He spotted what looked like a gravy stain, a relic from a wake or wedding on the front and doused it under the cold tap before giving it a final pat of the piping hot iron. To give the ensemble a bit of an airing, he hoisted the lot on the remaining door of the lopsided wardrobe. With a frenzied enthusiasm, a pair of mould embedded leather shoes were polished back to parade ground standard.
The sun took a day off the last Sunday before Christmas. A grey sky laden with snow hung heavy over the village and delivered its cargo as Tommy prepared for his evening trudge to the jetty. An effortless journey for once, a light powdery dusting covered the cracks.
The full tide in, he took his reading.
Date, time and temp recorded and a comment – perfect.
Taking the photos from the mantlepiece, he sat by the fire examining each before putting them all back except the one of the young couple. As the fire died, Tommy hobbled upstairs, checked that the immersion was off and changed into his suit and brogues. Back downstairs he blew out the nightlight and put the photo of the newlyweds in his breast pocket. The small brown notebook he placed on the mantlepiece and tugged the front door closed after him.
The dog next door barked. Tommy laughed and headed back to the pier.


Adjacent to Exeter's St. Peter's Cathedral stand three cottages, the Three Gables. Built in 1540 they housed the stonemasons that worked on the cathedral and, since 1995, one cottage has housed the delightful Thai Orchid Restaurant. The restaurant comprises two levels of fine Thai dining without the pretension one might normally expect from a restaurant of this quality.
Although we found nine finely tuned set menus and an exquisite à la carte menu, it was lunchtime when we visited so we selected from the lunch menus. I selected the business lunch, choosing Thai sausages from the starters and a creamy Thai green chicken curry for a main. My vegetarian friend chose the shoppers' lunch, devouring mushroom satay and mixed vegetables in a spicy Thai sauce. The rest of our party had traditional Thai noodle dishes, known as gueyteow, which they seasoned themselves with roast chilli, fish sauce and rice vinegar, and all agreed the dish was magnificent.
The food and service were so amazing, we returned that night to momospice on the second floor of the Thai Orchid building. Seeing momospice for the first time left us speechless, feeling like we were in the most contemporary Oriental restaurant in London. The restaurant and menu design were both cutting edge, offering traditional selections and new Thai dishes, and both restaurants are operated by the same team of Thai chefs, with the same fresh ingredients, so we knew the food would be good. We opted for chargrilled sirloin marinated in Thai spices and barbecued king prawns, while our friends had 20 chicken wings with Thai dipping sauces and suki yaki. We all finished our meals with banana fritters and coconut ice cream for dessert. Thai Orchid and momospice have an insurmountable reputation in the UK.


Radioactivity are hitting the road to put more support behind their recent Dirtnap Records release Silent Kill . The band will visit the Pacific Northwest this October with Low Culture to play shows in Seattle, Vancouver, Victoria and Portland.
Radioactivity are the Denton, TX based post-Marked Men that Jeff Burke started upon his return to the States from a time away in Japan. The group also features Gregory Rutherford, Daniel Fried and Mark Ryan. California dates are to forthcoming as well.
Music: The HollowPoints: "Cotton Fever"


NISSWA, Minn. – Nisswa-based MicroNet, Inc., provider of ChamberMaster, the market leader of member management software and services, recently announced the winners of its 2015 Chamber Innovation Award competition. In its second year, the competition showcases enterprising Chambers of Commerce from across North America.
Due to the tremendous response, the competition was expanded to also include 2nd and 3rd place awards. The winners were selected by a distinguished panel of industry experts, including Chamber Pro Frank Kenny and Cathi Hight of Hight Performance Group.
The Greater Fort Wayne Metro Chamber Alliance in Indiana was awarded the $1500 Grand Prize for its GFW Fellows program. Also earning top recognition were the $500 2nd Place winner, The N2 Innovation Corridor Initiative, submitted by the Newton-Needham Chamber of Massachusetts and the $250 3rd place winner, Canada's Fredericton Chamber for its Hive Incubator - Business Immigrant Mentorship Program.
With headquarters in Nisswa, Minn., MicroNet, Inc., develops membership management software like ChamberMaster and MemberZone for over 2,100 member-based organizations. Its products help organizations generate revenue and streamline operations with membership management tools for recruiting and retention. For more information, visit www.micronetonline.com.


Last year, the Kenyan government announced a bold proposition to protect its vulnerable wildlife: using the death penalty against illegal poachers. Now, according to News 360, lawmakers are aiming to fast-track the passing of this legislation.
The current law in Kenya makes it illegal to kill endangered animals in the country. In addition, the 2013 Wildlife Conservation Act also carries a life sentence or $200,000 fine against illegal poachers. But these legislative efforts have not been enough.
"This [fining and life sentence] has not been deterrence enough to curb poaching," said Najib Balala, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for its Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife.
The decision to set the death penalty as punishment for illegal poaching is a controversial one that has invited both praise and criticism against the Kenyan government. The move has also drawn the ire of the United Nations, which opposes the death penalty for all crimes and has been pushing for the phasing-out of capital punishment worldwide.
Kenya has a highly diverse wildlife population and is home to a number of beloved yet often killed animals, such as giraffes, cheetahs, rhinoceros, and elephants, with the latter two animals the most threatened because of their desired horns and tusks among poachers.
The good news is that poaching has seen a big decline in Kenya, largely due to increased conservation efforts and law enforcement initiatives. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, rhinoceros poaching in Kenya has declined by 85 percent compared to 2013 while elephant poaching has dwindled by 78 percent.
However, Kenya's beloved wildlife does remain in danger.
As it stands, there are only an estimated 1,000 black rhinos left in Kenya and the elephant population remains around 34,000. Animal advocacy group Save the Rhino reported that there were at least 23 rhinos and 156 elephants that were killed by poachers in the country between 2016 and 2017 alone.
These estimates do not account for yearly poaching that also continues to occur in other African countries, like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa.
Wikimedia CommonsBlack rhinos in Kenya.
According to a report by the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), almost 70 percent of illegal ivory that is sold and exported ends up in China, where these it can sell for up to $1,000 a pound.
Sanctioning capital punishment as sentencing for illegal poaching acts might sound extreme, but some in Kenya feel that it's an appropriate response to such an alarming problem.
So far, Kenya is the only African country set to officially implement the death penalty as punishment for illegal poaching.
After learning about the possible death penalty for poachers in Kenya, read about the weird history of elephants used as a cruel method of capital punishment. Next up, read about the $8 million-worth of illegal ivory that was destroyed in New York's Central Park.


text:
Home Health Korle-Bu nurses expose coronavirus political praise singers
Korle-Bu nurses expose coronavirus political praise singers
Sorkpor Kafui
April 5, 2020 Modified date: April 5, 2020
Barely 24 hours after leaders of political parties praised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for the 'decisive' measures he has put in place to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic in the country, nurses in the Accident and Emergency Centre of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital are thinking and acting differently.
They have announced in letters submitted to their superiors that beginning Monday, they will stay home as a result of one of their colleagues at the Centre contracting the deadly disease.
According to the nurses, despite assurances by authorities in terms of insurance packages, their concerns have not been addressed as personal protective equipment (PPEs), for instance, are not available. Doctors in that department have also complained about the lack of proper isolation centers for the COVID-19 patients.
Aside the Korle-Bu nurse, two medical doctors at the Ledzokuku Municipal Hospital (LEKMA Hospital) at Teshie in Accra and a specialist Anesthetist at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital), have also contracted the disease. Like the nurse, they are being treated in their private homes.
Interestingly, at a meeting on Friday, 3rd April, 2020, at the Jubilee House, at the invitation of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, leaders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Conventions People's Party (CPP), the National Democratic Party (NDP), the People's National Convention (PNC), the Progressive People's Party (PPP), and the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) were unanimous in their praise for the President's handling of the crisis.
The Chairman of the governing NPP, Mr. Freddie Blay, thanked President Akufo-Addo for the gesture of inviting the parties to dialogue with Government on the pandemic, and described the President's fight against the disease as "exemplary. Ghana is lucky to have you at the helm of affairs at this time. Whatever you have been doing is being appreciated."
The PNC 2016 presidential candidate, Dr. Edward Mahama, who is also an Ambassador-At-Large in the Akufo-Addo's government, in his remarks, stated that "without unity (amongst Ghanaians), this virus will devastate us. I applaud your decisiveness, and the formation of the COVID-19 management team is a very brilliant one" referring to the President.
Representing the Progressive People's Party, Bridgette Dzobgenuku, the 2016 vice presidential candidate of the party, commended Government and President Akufo-Addo on efforts to combat the disease, stressing that "we are quite happy. Nobody in the world has been here before, and no one here can claim to know how to do it better than anybody else. We are all learning as we go along".
"Let's make an effort at taking off our competitive blinders, and put on our compassionate lenses, because, at this point, it is the compassion we need", she said to the political party leaders represented at the meeting.
However, speaking on anonymity on TV3's Midday Live on Saturday, a nurse said they demand that tests are conducted on each one of them in order to be sure whether they have been infected by the COVID-19 or not.
According to the nurse, they were kept in the dark regarding the infected colleague despite the nature of their work finding them in contact with one another almost all the time.
"We have been working since the case came there and we have been exposed and we demand that all the staff be tested," the nurse said.
He said knowing their status will prevent them from either infecting their families or not, adding "when the PPEs are ready, we will resume and work for mother Ghana."
In one of the letters sighted and quoted by 3news.com, the nurses said the news of one of the nurses testing positive for the disease is creating fear and panic among nurses.
"As we write this letter, a substantial number of nurses at the center are not in their right state of mind."
Reports from the President's Communication bureau, said the parties applauded the closure of Ghana's borders, the subsequent quarantining of some 1.30 passenger, and the partial lockdown implemented in some parts of the country, she added that the PPP's 2016 presidential candidate, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, was making available to government seven (7) ambulances to help fight against COVID-19.
On his part, Ivor Greenstreet Ivor, the 2016 flagbearer of the CPP, noted that the world has been witnesses to how some governments prevaricated in the wake of the pandemic, and are now paying a heavy price for their actions and inactions.
"Fortunately, this is not a charge your Government can be accused of. Your decisions, thus far, have been decisive, resolute and very important," he added.
Mrs. Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, the 2016 flagbearer of the NDP, thanked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the actions taken so far, stressing that "the actions have been timely and purposeful to the COVID-19 pandemic that we have to fight", with the NDC National Chairman, Mr. Ofosu Ampofo, urging for unity in the fight against the pandemic.
The NDC Chairman, thus, urged all "to come together, put our shoulder to the wheel, and assist government fight and defeat the pandemic."
Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to pardon radio stations that have been shut down as part of measures in expanding messaging in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"In our effort to ensure that we reach out to the majority of our countrymen and women, I am appealing to His Excellency [Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo] to grant amnesty and get those radio stations that have been closed down to use their frequencies to reach out to the people and to reach out to them in various languages so that we will be able to reach out to every nook and cranny of this country," Mr. Ofosu Ampofo told President Akufo-Addo.
The NDC National Chairman indicated that it was not healthy for people who are fleeing Accra to be stopped and sent back.
To him, systems could be put in place for the authorities in various districts to test these people living the national capital.
He suggested that traditional leaders should be integrated into the fight against the virus at the local level, as their influence on the local people could not be overemphasized.
"Our country operates a decentralized system of administration…We have various sub-district structures. Because this pandemic is virtually coming to the doorstep of the people, we believe that a decentralized approach should be adopted. We need to activate all the structures that we have."
"We also want to suggest that once we have our teachers who have left the classrooms and are now within the communities, we could also put some public education volunteering groups in place to support the efforts of NCCE. The teachers are there and are easily accessible to the people. So that all hands will be on deck," he added.
Explaining the rationale for calling the meeting, President Akufo-Addo explained that the consultations he has so far held with stakeholders on combating the disease will not be complete without also meeting and talking with the political leaders of the nation.
According to President Akufo-Addo, "It is essential for us to have an opportunity to exchange information with each other, and, more than anything else, to agree on the measures that we can take as political leaders to ensure the unity of our nation at this critical time, and to stress the need for solidarity amongst ourselves."
He continued, "The example of our own country and countries around the world, which we are all familiar with, is that the disease doesn't have a political colour. It doesn't know Democrats or Republicans, or Tories or Labour, or NDC or NPP. It is attacking human beings. That recognition is what should drive our collective responsibility as a people to this pandemic."
The President, thus, urged the political party leaders gathered to recognize that "this virus is a threat to our communities, society and nation. And we should be able, collectively, to find an input as to the measures that, on a societal basis, can be taken to arrest the spread, and, ultimately, lead to the defeat of this pandemic."
Source: theheraldghana.com
Previous articleGNPC Foundation donates hand washing logistics to Cent Reg RCC to fight Covid-19
Next articleStop appointing judges to preside over 'political vendetta' cases – Lawyers
http://www.ghanabanews.com
Over 1,700 children contracted coronavirus in four months – CRI
Government to procure 100 more ambulances for NAS
Coronavirus: Over 32 deaths recorded in January alone-GHS
CSRPM recommends COA Fs to govt as immune booster for coronavirus...
Sorkpor Kafui - May 21, 2020
Source: Peace FM The Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRPM) at Mampong-Akuapem in the Eastern Region has recommended to government the Centre of Awareness...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Carlos Sainz's European GP ended when the suspension of his STR11 with the same issue that blighted team-mate Daniil Kvyat's evening in Baku.
Toro Rosso did not score a single point on Sunday evening as both drivers failed to reach the chequered flag.
It was a disappointing result for Sainz, who had hoped to extend his points-scoring run to four successive races.
"It's been a bit of a difficult weekend overall, and even though we were doing a good recovery in the race, unfortunately, a suspension issue ended my race," he explained.
But with Toro Rosso generally showing much-improved reliability this season, Sainz concedes at times these things happen.
The Spaniard added: "As a driver, when this sort of thing happens, all you can do is forget about it quickly and work hard for the next race.
"We have to remember that we've had very good momentum from Barcelona up until now, so this little hiccup won't disturb me: it was just an unproductive weekend.


Writing can generally be done by anyone. However for the purposes of advertising, script-writing or website design oriented writing the writer must be able to state only what is required. This does not mean that there should be no humor in the writing, by all means one could make one's audience laugh but the end purpose must always be to attain maximum exposure for the client and not to beat around the bush. The writing must be unobtrusive, it must not be distracting ,it must be to the point and it must be believable.
Writing is always inspired but writing without research will prove to be aimless and mere myth like cold fusion. Much research is required in order to have originality and creativity. As much as any other copywriter would like you to believe that writing copy is an art, it is sadly untrue. Copy is meant to sell something, and it is designed to make a point. Creativity has its place but good copy writing is always a showstopper, it is a sales proposition that is hard to refuse. This is what we believe here at Avant Garde Omnimedia.


An update in the crypto industry is from Casperlabs. This startup has been launched primarily focussing on constructing a new form of blockchain technology based on a version of recently suggested consensus protocol of Ethereum, Proof-of-stake(POS). We all are aware that POS is going to replace its counterpart very soon and has been appreciated by most of the related organization and traders.
The aim of this startup is to launch a scalable and fully centralized next generation blockchain technology. For this goal, the researcher of Ethereum Foundation, Vlad Zamfir has been appointed as the lead architect of this project. The company broadly focusses on POS. In a recent interview, Vlad stated that his main role in this project would be to assist the team to understand the created technology. He also stated that his role wouldn't be dedicated to the coding part of the technology rather in the research part of the project.
POS i.e. proof-of-stake has been proving as a better and easy alternative for the consensus algorithm in blockchain technology as compared to its counterpart POW i.e. proof of work. However, the testing and use of POS at a significantly large scale are yet to be done. The main advantage of POS is that it allows different designs to be implemented within itself. In the mentioned startup, Casperlabs, it has been expected that the design would be mostly oriented to similar to the one designed by Vlad. This design is known as Casper Correct by Construction (CBC).
There was a press release today regarding the same topic by Casperlabs. In this press release, it was stated that Casperlabs CBC provides an efficient way to increase the scalability of blockchain without serving as a limitation for decentralization. It was also mentioned that since it removes the complex mining which is essential in the usual POW consensus protocols, this idea of POS would more economical and secure.
It must be noted that the founder of Ethereum Vitalik Buterin and one of the researchers of the Ethereum Foundation, Virgil Griffith created two forms of the design of the Casper family. While one was called Casper CBC, the other one was called Casper the Friendly Finality Gadget (FFG). These two design of the proof of stake consensus algorithm are almost based on the same research. However, when compared to each other in 2017, CBC was declared as a less production-ready version and was put on hold until FFG was completely implemented as POS on Ethereum technology.
In today's' press conference, Zamfir seemed to be excited to be a part of this project. He added that it is good that the company has taken such a broad interest in Casper CBC. He stated that being a scalable and decentralized PoS Blockchain protocol, Casper CBC has some promising future and it is very good to see that people are taking interest in it. Further, Zamfir added that he hopes that the combined efforts would be successful for both the company as well as the Ethereum to accept the proposed technology.
Adaptive Holdings, whose CEO is Mrinal Manohal is the parent company of this startup and all the funds for Casperlabs comes from the mentioned company itself. There has been news that Casperlabs have already received funds from some big companies such as BlockTower, Galaxy etc and that too around $20 million, but no official statement has been made on this news on behalf of the company.
Let us hope that the company under the knowledge and guidance of Vlad could achieve the desired milestone. If it could, it would be like a catalyst for the Ethereum Blockchain as well as the crypto space.


text:
IPMS Queensland
Hi Modellers,
Welcome to IPMS Queensland, we're a club that specialises in all aspects of building plastic scale models.
International Plastic Modellers' Society of Queensland (IPMS QLD) is an organisation of enthusiasts devoted to building all types of scale plastic models.
IPMS QLD was founded in 1991 and since then the club has grown to over 60 members. We are always looking for new members to share this great hobby of ours, regardless of your level of experience or specific area of modelling interest.
IPMS QLD members have a wealth of experience and expertise in building plastic models, with many members having successfully competed at State and National levels. IPMS QLD prides itself on being a friendly organisation with members eager to share their knowledge to help you improve your model building skills.
The club meets on the third Wednesday night of each month at 7:00 pm. The meetings are held in the library building at the Albany Creek State School, 696 Albany Creek Road, Albany Creek, Qld. 4035.
Visitors, friends, family, members from other clubs are all welcome to attend IPMS Queensland club meetings as guests.
At every second monthly meeting the club runs a competition with formal judging. This provides an opportunity to have your work critiqued and to receive pointers on how to improve your modelling skills. The monthly competition results are collated and used to award the Modeller of the Year.
Members and guests are encouraged to bring along their completed models or work in progress.
The club runs an informal workshop on the first Sunday of each month in the Albany Creek State School Library, starting at 9:00 am. Modellers are welcome to bring their latest project and tool kit and spend a few hours in the company of fellow club members building their latest creation. Demonstration tutorials are frequently run at the workshops, presenting specific skills and techniques.
Check out our Facebook page for updates to our club meeting & workshop times.
Please refer to the following map for our meeting venue location.
Albany Creek State School, 696 Albany Creek Rd
Visitors, friends, family, members from other clubs are all welcome to attend IPMS Queensland club meetings as guests. If you're deciding on whether to join the club, you are welcome to attend 2 club meetings as a guest before we will ask you to sign up as a normal member.
The club membership fee is $30 for a year as a normal member.
We offer junior memberships for free for people aged under 17.
Complete the membership form below and send to treasurer.ipmsqld@yahoo.com
IPMS-QLD-Application-form


text:
You are at:Home»News»Construction & Architecture»Newark Airport enters next phase of its US$2.7bn terminal replacement project
Newark Airport enters next phase of its US$2.7bn terminal replacement project
By Elizabeth Baker	 September 29, 2021 No Comments
Credit – Newark Liberty International Airport
As Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) reaches the final construction phases of its new state-of-the-art Terminal A, gates in the A1 concourse of Terminal A closed on September 30.
The A1 passenger gate area, which has six gates, will be demolished as part of the airport's US$2.7bn redevelopment program. This will result in a shift in flight operations that could increase wait times at peak periods. As a result, passengers are being urged to arrive no later than two hours prior to scheduled departure times.
Air Canada and JetBlue, the two airlines directly affected by the closures, will shift flights to the other two gate areas of Terminal A. JetBlue is also shifting flights to Terminal B in response to the closures. American, Alaska, and United Express will continue their operations unchanged in the Terminal A2 and A3 concourses.
Terminal A is scheduled to open with 21 gates next spring with a further 12 gates being added by the end of 2022. The redevelopment program is designed to replace the outmoded, nearly 50-year-old Terminal A. It will deliver a new terminal measuring 1,000,000ft2 across the 33 new gates. In addition to associated roadway and airside improvements, an integral component of the project is a new six-level, 3,000-car parking garage and a centralized car rental facility currently being built.
The new Terminal A is slated to open its first gates in spring 2022, with full completion on target for late 2022. In addition to the Terminal A project, the Port Authority is replacing the EWR AirTrain, which has reached the end of its useful life. The new AirTrain will provide modern rail transit, giving passengers and employees a world-class travel experience.
James Gill, the general manager of Newark Liberty, said, "This is a necessary step in delivering a world-class airport able to handle future passenger growth and improve the customer experience. We are working with our airport partners to keep flight operations running smoothly. We appreciate everyone's patience as we continue to move closer to the unveiling of the new Terminal A."
Elizabeth Baker, web editor
As the latest addition to the UKi Media & Events team, Elizabeth brings research skills from her English degree to her keen interest in the meteorological and transportation industries. Having taken the lead in student and startup publications, she has gained experience in editing online and print titles on a wide variety of topics. In her current role as Editorial Assistant, Elizabeth will create new and topical content on the pioneering technologies in transportation, logistics and meteorology.
Kentucky invests US$50m in general aviation airports