Today, when kids play with technology it's usually a solo endeavor. (Read = antisocial.) That's the problem Maker Nader Hamda noticed watching his two daughters. They were both playing a popular mobile game, each confined to her own screen. Nader was inspired to create Ozobot, a toy that infuses technology with the social aspects of family game night. And he made it educational, too. This tiny robot reads colors and responds with different movements. Ozobot will follow the instructions you create. Make it advance, retreat, spin, speed up, dance, and more. It can learn hundreds of different commands. With the included app, kids draw colored lines on a tablet for Ozobot to obey. But Ozobot works on plain old paper, too. Use fat markers to tell it exactly what to do. As they're teaching Ozobot to obey, kids are actually being taught. They'll learn logic and basic coding skills as they decipher how to direct its moves. And best of all, this toy encourages kids to interact with other real-life members of the family.
We want kids to be more social & interactive when they play with technology. Ozobot teaches robotics & coding through fun, creative and social games. We are standing by to answer any questions you may have.
Looks like young teens in the video is this interesting to them, we have a young teen and would love to give this if it keeps her interest.
@Patricia What is great about Ozobot is that it appeals to many different age groups, whether you are 8 or 40 years old. Ozobot is great for young teens because it can be used with an iPad or tablet. You can also play with it by yourself, or with your friends and family!
Is there a suggested minimum age for this product?
@Wendy The product works for all ages, but it has been tested for 8+. As far as your nephews loving to play together, this is the perfect gift because it allows them to play and work together while also learning logic and basic coding skills.
Do you get one robot per order? I was also wondering if they break easily. Thanks.
@Tom Yes, you receive one Ozobot per package. Each Ozobot also comes with a charger, case, skin, and a pre-made track. While we don't suggest you throw the Ozobot around, it is drop tested. The case that comes with the Ozobot also allows you to carry it around with you and keep it safe.
How many in package? Battery operated? Fragile? Repairable? Delivery by Christmas?
@Trisha Hi Trisha! This will absolutely be delivered by Christmas. We have them ready to ship in our warehouse now!
@Trisha You Receive one Ozobot per package. Each Ozobot also comes with a charger, case, skin, and a pre-made track. Ozobot has a built-in rechargeable LiPo battery. You can charge Ozobot using the included Micro USB cable by plugging it into any USB port or outlet. It takes about 30 min to charge the robot and it can operate continuously close to 90 min on a single charge. Ozobot is drop tested and we do include a case that helps keep it safe when you are carrying it around with you. If any issues do arise with your Ozobot, you are welcome to call our office or e-mail us and one of our team members will personally work with you on getting the issue resovled.
Is there a cost related to downloading the app?
@James Hi James! The app is completely free to download . We also just released a new app called OzoGroove that allows you to program your Ozobot to dance to your favorite music. This app is also free to download.
We have a birthday December 17th any way to get it by then?
@Trisha Hi Trisha, if you order now, the items should arrive by that date, but sometimes the different carriers can have delays which are out of our control. While you should be fine using Ground shipping, to be certain you can always ship via expedited options. If your order is delayed, you can reach out to our customer support team at [email protected] with any comments, questions or concerns.
Can the actions performed for each color be changed? Or are they fixed at what the developers decided? If we had two Ozobots, could they be following different instruction sets? Can the apps be downloaded before purchase to explore the possibilities? Is there a web site to see more technical information? Can we buy a kit and then an extra Ozobot?
@Beth Those are great questions Beth! The actions performed for each color can not be changed on the current version of Ozobot. You can check out the different codes that Ozobot can read and respond to in the Grommet Description details.
The apps can be downloaded before purchase to be able to get a general idea of how to use the apps, but you will need an Ozobot to complete the experience of the app. We will post some instructional videos on YouTube that will help you get your Ozobot up and running. Each Ozobot that is sold comes with a charger, track, skin, and case. Each bot can not be purchased without these accessories.
@Nader Thank you for the answers. I went to your web site and read more. I also downloaded OzoGroove for my iPhone to get an idea of how that works. My original iPad (reasonably) cannot run Ozobot. As a computer science professor, I'm looking at it for encouraging kids in different ways.
@Beth OzoDraw works with iPads and Tablets that are 9" or bigger and have the auto-focus feature. That may be why you are not able to download it on your iPad. But Ozogroove does not require a screen size so you can download it to most smartphones as well as your tablet or iPad.
We love that you are exploring the option of using Ozobot in the classroom! It was great talking to you and if you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. And if you introduce Ozobot to your students, we would love to hear any feedback that you have!
What a fantastic idea!! Ordering one now and have a feeling I will be ordering another after my other son sees it!
@Michelle Thanks Michelle! Let us know how your son likes Ozobot!
OzoGroove is now available through the free app to make Ozobot dance.
I saw it being used on a smart phone. Then it was picked up & put on the table where it moved around. How does this interact with a smart phone?
@Lynne Hi Lynne! We have a new app called OzoGroove that allows you to program your Ozobot to dance to your favorite music. You can download this app on your smartphone, tablet, or iPad. Say, for instance, you were using your smartphone to access the app. You would go into the app and pick a song for your Ozobot to dance to. Then you would select Ozobot's dance moves. Once you are finished you set Ozobot on your screen and upload those moves through a series of flash codes. Ozobot can memorize up to 500 different codes at one time! Then all you have to do is press the dance button and Ozobot will execute those moves that you just created.
Since Ozobot already uploaded the codes, it does not have to stay on the phone screen to dance. You can set Ozobot on any flat, hard surface and watch it move! You can also program 2 to 5 Ozobots to dance at the same time depending on whether you are using a smartphone or tablet.


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posted in: Sportsmens Access
My First Hunt Made Me a Public Lands Believer
A woman's first mule deer hunt in Oregon takes her from hunting skeptic to #PublicLandsProud convert
This fall, I did something I never thought I would do—I went hunting.
I didn't grow up with hunting traditions. In fact, five years ago, my opinion of hunting was probably more aligned with a stereotype than it was based on an actual person or group of people I knew who hunted.
Then I met Kevin, and suddenly found myself dating a hunter. You know him as TRCP's Western field associate.
Through Kevin's passion for hunting and the outdoors, I found myself immersed in a new world. We cooked wild game together, and I sat in on fascinating conversations among his friends regarding hunting ethics, outsider perceptions, and conservation.
I began to see hunting as a culture, and it changed my perspective enough that I thought about giving it a try myself.
The author on a beautiful, but chilly, public-lands opening morning. Image courtesy of Kevin Farron.
A Humbling Hunt
This fall, against all odds, I drew tags for a mule deer buck and cow elk in Oregon—something that I hadn't totally prepared for, especially since we wound up moving to Missoula, Mont., right before the season started. On the long drive back to the Beaver State, I studied YouTube videos on how to quarter a deer and pondered if there were any quick car exercises that could make up for my woeful lack of preparation in the physical fitness department.
We met up with Alex, a friend from Oregon, and made camp. This was Alex's third year hunting mule deer, though he had yet to harvest one. Still, I remained confident—how hard could it be?
Sitting against a tree on opening morning, I listened to the forest waking up all around us as the sun rose over the mountains, and I felt a sense of awe. The landscape was breathtaking. If it weren't for the tag in my pocket, I wouldn't have seen that sunrise or experienced any of the lessons I learned that day. I was starting to understand what Kevin and his friends had been going on about.
"If it weren't for the tag in my pocket, I wouldn't have seen that sunrise." Image courtesy of Kevin Farron.
I had no luck on opening day, but each encounter with an animal renewed my sense of excitement. As we crept up over a hill in late morning, Kevin stopped abruptly and whispered, "I see one." I craned my neck to spot the animal he was looking at, adrenaline pumping. The deer was resting under a tree, partially obscured, but when its head turned, we both saw that it was a doe. That night, I remember having vivid dreams of seeing a buck instead and pulling off the perfect shot. When I woke up the next morning, I was giddy, ready to try again.
The next weekend, as Kevin and I were trudging up yet another steep hill while glassing the opposite hill for movement, our radio went off—Alex had shot a forked horn mule deer, his first! With no regard for any unseen animals that might be nearby, we whooped and hollered over the radio, sharing in his excitement. We got his coordinates and headed his way for the pack out.
I watched as Alex and Kevin field dressed the buck, seeing it transition from being an animal on the ground to different cuts of meat hanging from the trees. Alex kept the hide and cut out the ribs, wanting to savor each bit of his trophy and show full respect to the animal. By the time we loaded our packs and headed out with headlamps aglow, only a pile of guts and a few bones were left behind. For me, a big part of why I wanted to hunt was being able to provide my own meat and know where it came from. In today's world where so much of our food processing is out of sight, this experience was the circle of life made tangible—an eye-opening experience of hunting for food and wasting nothing.
"On my first hunting trip, I learned that sometimes all you get is to see the sun come up and go back down, and sore legs." Image courtesy of Laura Sligh.
Although I never did pull the trigger, being a witness to Alex's achievement was enough to get me hooked, though I don't know if I'll ever be obsessed with it the way Kevin is. Hunting is humbling in a way that I hadn't expected. I went into it with starry eyes, thinking I would punch my tag on opening morning, but it wasn't easy. I came back to camp at night tired, hungry, and cold. I can only imagine how difficult conditions would be without healthy habitat, plentiful big game, and access to public lands. So, you could say I learned the value of conservation at the same time that I was paying my dues in the field.
All in all, I was refreshed by the beauty and adventure of public lands, no matter the outcome. I'm aware now more than ever of the incredible bounty that public lands can provide, but I've also witnessed their fragility. The adventures I had this fall would not have been possible without them. Public lands are ours to enjoy, but first and foremost, they are ours to defend. I now truly know what it means to be #publiclandsproud, and I can't wait to try again next fall.
Laura Sligh grew up in the tiny town of Holland, Mich. and currently lives in Missoula, Mont. When she's not adventuring on public lands with her boyfriend, TRCP's Western field associate Kevin Farron, and black Lab Leo, she's knitting baby hats with their cat on her lap, or trying to master a new wild-game recipe.
4 Responses to "My First Hunt Made Me a Public Lands Believer"
Hannah Ryan January 12, 2017
Great article, Laura! Well written and good observations as someone entering into this amazing field.
Philip Piscatella January 12, 2017
Nicely written, and congratulations on your first hunt. Welcome to the fold, keep at it and you will eventually connect. Happy New Year.
Leslie January 13, 2017
Glad to have a fellow female hunter going out in the field. You really captured the essence of the hunt. Nice job.
Jorie S April 1, 2017
Really enjoyed this – what a well-written and thoughtful article. I'm not a hunter, but I appreciate what sportsmen/ women who hunt do to protect and conserve the public lands in the U.S. "I learned the value of conservation at the same time that I was paying my dues in the field" and "Public lands are ours to enjoy, but first and foremost, they are ours to defend" articulately sum up the importance of having a mindful and thoughtful plan for the governance and use of public lands. Well-done, Laura!
1. My First Hunt Made Me a Public Lands Believer
2. The Wild Ride That Was Conservation in 2016
3. Trump's Pick for Interior is the Best Cabinet Nominee for Sportsmen, So Far
4. When One Program Opens Access and Improves Habitat, Everyone Wins
5. A Farm Bill Program Filling Bag Limits and Bar Stools in Montana
The Wild Ride That Was Conservation in 2016
A look back at the highs and lows for habitat, clean water, access, and conservation funding
I think we can all agree that this year has been a political roller coaster ride. Election antics aside, there were a lot of peaks and valleys for conservation in 2016 that may have a major impact on fish, wildlife, and America's sportsmen and women for years to come.
Image courtesy of Donkey Hotey/Flickr.
Looking back on 2016, we'll always remember:
When the shocking actions of the armed occupiers at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge became a major conservation and access issue. Real conservation work to combat invasive species was blocked and Americans were kept from their public lands for 41 days. When the refuge takeover was diffused and the accused were ultimately acquitted of criminal charges, we channeled our outrage into positive action for conservation and justice.
How the Conservation Reserve Program worked for turkeys, upland birds, ducks, and trout. Still, conservation-minded farmers struggled to enroll in the popular program, due to acreage caps, so sportsmen and many others started calling for a better CRP in the next Farm Bill.
When the BP oil spill settlement was signed, sealed, and delivered—finally. What's still TBD is if these funds will actually go toward boosting the $10-billion recreational fishing industry on the Gulf Coast.
This USDA watchdog report that indicated a lot of private landowners being compensated for conservation efforts weren't actually held accountable. This could mean bad news for waterways, wetlands, and the American taxpayer.
How some very cool scientific innovations helped us understand why mule deer migration routes need protection, how tarpon react to changing habitat conditions, and where sage grouse populations differ according to their DNA.
How fishermen and guides got organized to restore Everglades fisheries and Congress actually came through to authorize necessary funding to kick off critical projects.
When the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act almost made it, but Congress ultimately failed hunters and anglers across the country. As in two Congresses before, this package of legislation to enhance conservation funding and access seemed to be on the move. In February, the House advanced a portion of the legislation through the SHARE Act. Then in April, the Senate voted 97-0 to add sportsmen's priorities through an amendment to an energy modernization bill. In the final hours of this Congress, however, conference efforts fell apart. Translation: Sportsmen and women got left behind to try again another day.
Also, that time when federal lawmakers voted for bills that would give away or sell off your public lands. This one is just beyond words.
And there was resounding opposition to public land transfer at the local level in Arizona, Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming. Here's to much more of that in 2017!
If you'd like to help us work on positive solutions for fish and wildlife, consider making a donation to the TRCP right now.
Happy holidays! We hope you have excellent hunting and fishing next year.
Trump's Pick for Interior is the Best Cabinet Nominee for Sportsmen, So Far
Congressman Ryan Zinke has been solid on public lands and outdoor recreation
The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership affirms that America's hunters and anglers can be optimistic about the management of public lands and sportsmen's access under President-elect Trump's pick for Secretary of the Interior. After days of rumors, the transition team confirmed Trump's intent to nominate U.S. Congressman Ryan Zinke in a statement today.
"Zinke is someone we can work with," says Whit Fosburgh, TRCP's president and CEO. "He's shown the courage to buck his own party on the issue of selling or transferring public lands that provide 72 percent of Western sportsmen with access to great hunting and fishing. He's a lifelong outdoorsman, who we've found to be receptive to sportsmen's interests in Montana and D.C. We won't agree with him on everything, but we think he's someone who will listen and has the right instincts."
Image courtesy of Ryan Zinke.
In June, Zinke was the only member of the House Natural Resources Committee to cross party lines and vote against a bill that would allow states to acquire up to two million acres of national forest lands to be managed primarily for timber production, locking Americans out of our public lands. Later this summer, he resigned as a delegate to the Republican nominating convention because of the party's position on the transfer of federal public lands to the states. Zinke is also in favor of full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which uses revenues from offshore oil and gas production to conserve important natural resources and open public access.
The Secretary of the Interior oversees management of public lands, minerals, and endangered species. Senior officials nominated to lead other Cabinet departments will be just as critical to the future of hunting and fishing.
"The Secretary of Agriculture is another leadership position that will drive habitat and access improvements in America through Farm Bill programs, and we simply cannot have someone in that seat who is hostile to conservation," says Fosburgh.
Learn more about the value of public lands and Farm Bill funding for conservation on private lands.
Tags: #PublicLandsProud, conservation, Conservation Policy, Montana, Public Lands, Ryan Zinke, Secretary of the Interior, sportsmen's access
When One Program Opens Access and Improves Habitat, Everyone Wins
We dig into the across-the-board benefits of a key Farm Bill conservation program on private lands
For every walk-in access sign there are numerous forces at play, granting you permission to use the land and ensuring quality habitat for critters. On private acres, your experience might be thanks in part to Farm Bill conservation programs. One in particular, the Volunteer Public Access and Habitat Improvement Program, provides $40 million specifically to support quality hunting and fishing access on private land—but its benefits don't stop there.
Private land access helps keeps the sport alive.
Westerners are flush with public lands, while the rest of the nation's sportsmen and women make do with smaller, isolated public patches that may not be close to home. Some of the non-Westerners among us may travel to Big Sky Country once a year, but access can be a significant barrier for beginning hunters and anglers or anyone who doesn't have a big-ticket trip with out-of-state license fees in his or her budget.
@TheTRCP Hunting has gotten too expensive for an average huntress on her own…
— Lorraine Lawrence (@asafarigal) November 23, 2016
Of course, this means non-Westerners rely heavily on access to private lands.
In 2012, there were more than 914 million acres devoted to agriculture across the United States. These acres can make for excellent habitat teeming with some of our favorite species—sage grouse, quail, whitetails, doves, and geese—and present some of the best hunting opportunities in the nation, assuming hunters are allowed in.
Image courtesy of State of the Birds 2011.
As its name suggests, VPA-HIP has two primary goals: securing public access and improving habitat. Authorized and funded in the 2008 Farm Bill and renewed in the 2014 Farm Bill, VPA-HIP helps states incentivize landowners to implement conservation-minded practices, such as clearing a forest understory of invasive plant species or creating stream buffers. In exchange, landowners allows the public to hunt, fish, trap, and observe wildlife on their property.
In short, VPA-HIP invests money in states like Illinois, Nebraska, Connecticut, and South Dakota—often in parts of the country where public lands are relatively scarce—to help give more Americans opportunities to hunt and fish.
Local economies get a boost.
Last month, TRCP's government affairs director Steve Kline spent some time chasing upland birds on private land in eastern Montana, and he'll be the first to tell you that hunting season supports rural economies. At this time of year, even in otherwise sleepy towns, you'll see bustling restaurants, packed sporting goods stores, and busy streets—and the economy is better for it.
The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) calculated the actual economic impact in a 2012 study and found that for the $9.1 million invested into VPA-HIP in 2011, 322 jobs were created and $18.1 million in gear- and travel-related spending was associated with hunters accessing newly enrolled private lands. That's double the investment!
And that figure only covers direct spending. The economic boost echoes down the entire supply chain with more production, jobs, and higher profits, which stimulates even more spending. The report calculates that once those amplifying effects are taken into account, the return on investment for VPA-HIP funds was actually more than $73 million in a single year.
Report Assessing the Economic Benefit of VPA-HIP: 2011, produced for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies by Southwick Associates. See the full document for more information.
This isn't just free money.
A common point of criticism for incentive programs like VPA-HIP is that the government shouldn't give handouts to the agriculture industry. However, this money isn't free. VPA-HIP isn't a charity, it's a payment for services rendered to wildlife and the public. Landowners invest funds into habitat improvements, which critters need to survive. Instead of laying crops all the way up to a stream's edge, for example, VPA-HIP dollars help a landowner create buffers to keep water clean so fish and waterfowl can thrive. After all, access is basically worthless without quality habitat.
Furthermore, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)—the branch of the USDA that governs VPA-HIP—is highly selective when it comes to choosing grant recipients. NRCS prioritizes funding for state and tribal applications that maximize acreage, ensure appropriate wildlife habitat, and are likely to receive matches from other funding sources. States that receive grants are then responsible for deciding which landowners may enroll, and they are similarly selective. Wisconsin, for example, prioritizes larger properties with more usable cover, as well as lands that are in close proximity to existing public hunting or fishing grounds. This kind of scrutiny ensures that every dollar invested creates the largest possible benefit to the public and to wildlife.
Everybody's a winner!
Sometimes public lands and agricultural lands are viewed as polar opposites fighting for a share of resources in a no-sum game. But when it comes to VPA-HIP, that paradigm is shattered. When landowners and agricultural producers transform acres into valuable wildlife habitat, they're improving conditions for the critters we love to pursue, while receiving compensation and technical assistance. It's important to their business plans because, often, the land that is least productive for crop production is the most valuable for wildlife anyway. On top of all that, the public gains access to otherwise closed-off lands. That means more places for moms and dads to take their kids hunting or fishing, more kids growing up loving the outdoors, and more hearts beating for conservation far into the future.
It's a total win-win-win.
BONUS: We are extra proud of VPA-HIP, because TRCP's co-founder helped put the program in motion almost a decade ago. For the other two posts in our three-part series on this important part of the Farm Bill, click here and here. And learn more about other Farm Bill conservation programs that work for farmers, sportsmen, and wildlife.
Tags: Farm Bill, farm bill basics, Jim Range, Private Lands, VPA-HIP
by: Steve Kline
A Farm Bill Program Filling Bag Limits and Bar Stools in Montana
Sleepy towns awaken across Big Sky Country as hunters flood in to take advantage of opportunities to access private land with great wildlife habitat
I willingly endure a 60-mile daily commute from my home on Maryland's rural Eastern Shore to downtown Washington, D.C., in order to raise my family amidst the farm fields and tidewaters of Chesapeake Bay country and to wake up on bitter winter weekends just eight miles from my duck blind and deer stand. My love of the slower pace of rural places, and my affinity for the cackle of pheasants, also brings me to the northeast corner of Montana each fall, when good friends converge on the Eastern Hi-Line with a few great bird dogs.
Perched on the prairies, this isn't the blanket of national public lands some think of when Montana comes to mind. This is country dominated by small grains and big expanses of private lands grazing, where a breeze blowing less than 20 miles per hour barely registers with the locals.
It is a hard place to scratch out a living. Abandoned homesteads are eerie reminders that this is a place where rail cars and cattle far outnumber people. But, when we pull over to prepare a push through a particularly promising cattail slough or a birdy-looking Russian olive windbreak, we never fail to see pickup trucks with blaze-orange hats on the dash cruise by us on the gravel section roads. The Main Street diners sling bacon and black coffee as fast as they can in the morning, and there's not an open barstool to be found in the evenings.
Hunting season brings a lot of activity to these otherwise quiet locales, the kind of places one hesitates to call 'towns'—they are more like places where the speed limit changes. But they come to life as bird hunters with open wallets come from across the country to walk the coulees and draws. You get the sense that, in an economic setting otherwise completely dominated by agriculture of one form or another, hunting season represents a financial bright spot for businesses of all kinds, from the aforementioned bars and restaurants to hardware stores, sporting goods stores, motels, grocers, and gas stations. What may be a week-long vacation for some out-of-town hunter helps to smooth the fiscal bumps inherent in any small town business plan.
This economic windfall depends, almost entirely, on private acres. I hunted for four full days, harvesting pheasants, sharptail grouse, and Hungarian partridge, and never stepped foot on a publicly-owned acre. But thanks to Montana's fantastic Block Management Program and their Upland Game Bird Enhancement Program, both made possible in part by the federal Farm Bill's Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP), high quality and productive private acres beckon the upland hunter. These programs—and programs like them all over the country—provide incentives to willing landowners to make their farms and ranches accessible to hunters, and they represent a kind of critical infrastructure for local economies. These programs are the fuel that keeps the economic engine of rural America humming.
Just as importantly, VPA-HIP (and the state programs it supports) help landowners to maintain or restore habitat on their property. It wouldn't be much of a hunting season without something to hunt, and thanks to the Farm Bill's investment in private lands conservation our dogs were able to scare up plenty of birds.
We're celebrating VPA-HIP at a critical time. This year's presidential election illustrated clearly how disconnected rural Americans feel from the rest of the nation, and revealed the worry that a huge segment of our country possesses about their future economic stability. We should let the full motels and packed diners of the Montana prairies during hunting season illustrate that the next chapter of America's rural revalorization should start with outdoor recreation.
Check back in two weeks for more about the benefits of VPA-HIP, the "open fields" of our co-founder's imagination. And learn more about our agriculture and private lands programs and partners right now.
Tags: Farm Bill, farm bill basics, Montana, VPA-HIP

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The Truth About Aphrodisiac Foods, or, Do Oysters Really Make You Horny?
Kaitlin Steinberg
Kaitlin Steinberg | February 10, 2014 | 7:00am
It is said that Giacomo Girolamo Casanova, the notorious 18th-century lover, ate 50 oysters each morning for breakfast to increase his sexual stamina. Earlier, herbalist Nicholas Culpepper wrote that asparagus "stirs up lust in man and woman." And back before we even had a word for aphrodisiac, the Aztecs named avocados ahuacuatl, or "testicle tree." The belief in foods as sexual stimulants is not a modern myth.
It's not entirely based upon science either, though. Though some foods possess chemical properties that could increase testosterone or estrogen levels, thereby increasing sex drive, others are considered sexy purely because of their appearance. The Food and Drug Administration maintains that aphrodisiacs are myths with no basis in science.
Still, some people swear by them. So, in honor of Valentine's Day, we bring you some of the foods commonly believed to have aphrodisiac powers, and a bit of research to determine whether or not you're wasting your time by stuffing yourself silly with walnuts.
Oysters In March 2005, American and Italian scientists announced that there is some truth to the idea that bivalves can get folks all hot and bothered. In the study, the scientists took raw oysters and used a process called high-performance liquid chromatography to pinpoint specific amino acids present in the oysters. They discovered D-aspartic acid (D-Asp) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), which they injected into rats. These amino acids worked with other chemicals in the rats' bodies to produce testosterone in male rats and progesterone in females, which increases libido. The conclusion: "Yes, I do think these molluscs are aphrodisiacs," said the head of the research team, Dr. George Fisher, a professor of chemistry at Barry University. "If the male is having difficulties, they have to eat a lot of mussels or oysters." And if that doesn't work, there's always the slurping and sucking and vague resemblance of oysters to female anatomy.
Hot peppers It's all about the capsaicin in hot peppers. They don't actually release any sexually stimulating chemicals, but the effects of the capsaicin in the body mimics the effects -- waves of heat, flushed cheeks, sweating, increased heart rate -- of sexual arousal. They also release endorphins, which make you happy and, sometimes, ready to go!
Chocolate Chocolate was a valuable commodity back in the day, and as such, it often found its way into fertility rituals. Aztec emperor Montezuma was rumored to have consumed large amounts of cocoa beans to ready himself for romantic conquests. Today, most researchers believe that the small amounts of tryptophan and phenylethylamine -- both vaguely related to sexual desire -- in chocolate really don't do much. Sure it's sexy because it's delicious and it melts at body temperature, but researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health estimate that a 130-pound person would have to eat 25 pounds of chocolate in a single sitting to get any sort of euphoric feelings from it. And eating that much chocolate at one sitting is definitely not sexy.
Red wine Though we'd all like another excuse to drink even more red wine (I, personally, drink it for cardiac health), the truth is it really doesn't have aphrodisiac properties. All alcohol lowers inhibitions, making one more likely to strike up a conversation with a stranger, lean in for the kiss or bust out some moves in the bedroom, but that's about it. Some studies show that red wine can increase circulation, which definitely helps sexy time, but too much and you'll be unable to achieve arousal.
Nuts Almonds, in particular, have long been touted as aphrodisiacs, but primarily because they're very nutritious, not because they have any intrinsic libidinous qualities. Pine nuts are high in zinc, which men expel when they climax, so the more zinc in the body, the more stamina (supposedly). Mainly, nuts are just really good for you. When you're healthy, sex is better. So eat more nuts!
Asparagus Last week, I told you to not eat asparagus on dates because it makes your pee smell funny. Now, I'm telling you that the green stalks might, might enhance your ability to reach orgasm. Asparagus is a good source of folic acid, which elevates histamines in the body, which, in turn, regulate the body's orgasms. Maybe. How much asparagus would you have to eat for a mind-blowing climax? Probably a lot. And your pee will smell funny. So weigh those pros against that con.
Bananas Obviously, bananas bear a strong resemblance to male anatomy, but aside from the fact that they look like big, yellow phalluses, bananas are packed with potassium and B vitamins, which are essential to sexual hormone production. Many other foods contain the same vitamins and minerals, though, so really, the banana is mainly held up as an aphrodisiac because of its shape. And who among us doesn't recall sex-ed class and trying to put condoms on bananas? OK, now that I think about it like that, bananas are the opposite of sexy.
Avocado We've already established that the Aztecs thought avocados growing in pairs on trees resembled testicles, and, like bananas, their aphrodisiac reputation is based primarily on the way they look. Beyond being a healthy source of fats and nutrients, avocados don't do much for the libido. But man, they're funny looking.
Figs With figs, there is, of course, the connection to the fig leaves that covered Adam and Eve's private regions when they realized they were naked in the Garden of Eden. Any other claims that figs are sexual stimulants is based purely on the fact that, for centuries, people have thought that whole figs resemble male sex organs, while halved ones resemble female sex organs. I don't know what female sex organs the rest of the world is looking at, though, because to me, halved figs look more like brain matter than any other body part.
Honey Today, "honey" is a term of endearment used to imply that someone is sweet, but the sticky stuff's reputation as a love-making tool began in ancient Persia, where couples drank a fermented honey drink called mead every day for a month after they were married to promote a successful marriage (hence, honeymoon). We now know that honey has lots of B vitamins, which are needed for testosterone production. A friend of mine also told me recently that he used to brew his own mead and could personally attest to the fact that it made him horny. So make of that what you will.
Season's Eating


Harris Aspire will be staffed by the best of the Harris Federation, with outstanding teachers from every Harris Academy working with us to support our students.
When students arrive at Harris Aspire, we will work with them to assess in detail their unique needs for learning and support.
Their curriculum, teaching styles and specialist support will be fully personalised. Students in Year 11 and our Sixth Form will be set by ability in core subjects and will be able to move between sets at different points in the academic year.
All students will spend at least five hours a week in English and Maths, with literacy and numeracy skills developed in other lessons too.
In Year 11 and Sixth Form, all students will be enrolled on GCSE examination courses in English, Maths and Science as well as a choice of vocational courses in Business, Sport, Health & Social Care, ECDL and Hair & Beauty.
Alternatively, students could be supported to take the Ebacc with an offer of a language as well as History or Geography. There will also be opportunities to join classes at other Harris Academies for certain subjects.
For Sixth Formers wishing to work in schools, we will be offering paid Apprenticeships in Harris Academies as premises staff, technicians, classroom assistants and administrative staff.
For more information please look at our curriculum section here.


We target 1-hour for the flight, but this can vary from 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours dependent on weather and landing sites. The entire experience takes about 3 hours of your morning or late afternoon. In this, you get to participate in balloon assembly and pack-up.
Wear comfortable clothes that can get dirty. Be sure to wear sneakers or leather shoes (no sandals). A baseball cap is helpful because there is no shade. BRING A CAMERA with fresh batteries! *The temperature is the same at altitude as on the ground.
Can I bring others to watch?
Friends and family are welcome to observe and participate in the experience.
What are the weather limitations?
Unfortunately, we can not fly in the rain, thunderstorms or high wind.
A hot air balloon has three main parts: the envelope, the burner and the basket or gondola. The basket is where passengers ride. Usually made of wicker, baskets protect the occupants and are lightweight and flexible. The burner is positioned above the passengers' heads and produces a huge flame to heat the air inside the envelope. The envelope is the colorful fabric bag that holds the hot air. When the inside air is heated, the balloon rises. To descend, the pilot allows the air to cool and the balloon becomes heavier than air. The pilot has complete control of the up-and-down movements by controlling the heat in the envelope.
A good ground crew can inflate and launch a balloon in 15 minutes or less. It takes about the same amount of time to deflate and bag the balloon after the flight.
How much does a balloon cost?
The most popular sport size balloons cost from $25,000 to $50,000 or more when brand new. Support equipment (radios, fan, extra tanks, ropes, repair kit, etc...) will add from $2,000 to $5,000 more. Used radios are also available.
All hot air balloons consist of a burner system, a basket and an envelope. The differences are in shape and size of the envelope, deflation system, the basket shape and design and the configuration, design and number of burners.
Yes. A Balloon Pilot Certificate is issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. You must pass a written exam, receive a prescribed number of hours of instruction, make a solo flight, a flight to a specific altitude and pass a flight test with an FAA examiner.


text:
Olympians no more 'immortal' than we are
FILE- This 1924 file photo shows Olympians Johnny Weissmuller, left, and Duke Kahanamoku at the 1924 Olympic games in Paris. (AP Photo, File)
PUBLISHED: June 20, 2012 at 6:17 p.m. | UPDATED: June 16, 2021 at 8:25 a.m.
COLOMBES, France (AP) – At what's left of the stadium where Harold Abrahams won his 'Chariots of Fire' Olympic 100 meters, where Paavo Nurmi won the 1,500, caught his breath and then lined up 55 minutes later to win the 5,000, it is almost as if their feats at the Summer Games of 1924 never happened.
There is no plaque to commemorate the students from California who won the last Olympic gold in rugby and humiliated France 17-3, infuriating the 40,000-strong home crowd that burned the American flag, knocked an Illinois spectator unconscious and booed 'The Star-Spangled Banner' during the medal ceremony.
There are no statues of William DeHart Hubbard, the Cincinnati-born chauffeur's son whose long jump of 24 feet, 5 inches (7.44 meters) made him the first black athlete to win an individual Olympic gold, or of Johnny Weissmuller, the U.S swimmer who won three golds and then became bigger in a Hollywood loincloth as Tarzan.
Even with your eyes closed, it is almost impossible to imagine the spectators in their berets and straw boaters whooping from the terraces now thick with weeds and fenced off as unsafe. The Olympics came here? To this bedraggled arena, on the outskirts of Paris, that town planners now hope to demolish? Surely not.
Forget the notion that Olympians and their exploits invariably shine forever. It's not true. They are no more immortal than any of us. How could they be? Because the Olympics, more than mere bricks, mortar and commemorative steles, are a human communion – between the athletes and us, the people of the world who will be wowed by them again this July and August. And neither we, they nor our collective memory will be around forever.
So feast on London 2012 while you can, because the emotions will be over in a flash. Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps or whoever grabs our imagination will be filmed, photographed, tweeted and Facebooked as never before. The records, winning times, throws and point totals, the medal winners' names, all that stuff, will again be squirreled away in the vaults. Future generations will have archives far richer than the black and white photos and scratchy footage we have of Nurmi and his peers.
But only we will actually remember the physical sensations, what it really felt like, of watching this generation of London Olympians perform. Only we will be able to say, 'It sent shivers down my spine. I wish you'd seen it.'
The same, of course, must also have been true for those in the Colombes stadium who witnessed Nurmi's same-day Olympic double on July 10, 1924. But 88 years on, how many of them are alive today? In short, appreciate the Olympics for the uniquely human and ephemeral experience they are.
There has been a lot of griping in Britain about the 9 billion pound (11 billion euro; $14 billion) price tag, the extreme security, the commercialism of the modern Olympics and the expected disruption to Londoners' everyday lives. Some in New York, which also bid for the 2012 games, feel lucky their city wasn't selected. The debate about whether the Olympics have become too big, resource-draining and wasteful is valid, important and needs to continue after London.
But nothing else we do showcases us quite in the same way as the Olympics – our strengths, weaknesses, colors, cultures, our savage hunger to compete and prove ourselves, our chest-beating individuality and ability to work in teams, the pleasure we get from watching others succeed and fail, and the fleeting nature of our youthful years when we are capable of anything but not yet fully aware of how quickly they will be gone.
Yes, yes, I know the United Nations also brings together all four corners of the globe. Call me shallow, but the prospect of watching the Security Council deliberate doesn't excite me like 17 straight days of swimming, track and field, Greco-Roman, BMX, beach volleyball or even syncro-swimming – whatever tickles you.
What makes Olympians so fascinating is that they're just like you and me and yet not like us at all. They burn toast, chew their nails, can't remember where they put the house keys, but put themselves through hell and high water in pursuit of their goals – to be the best in London or simply to do their best.
In other words, we're sufficiently alike for us to be able to dream that we, too, could have been like them if only we had been born bigger, stronger, faster, luckier, less lazy and more determined than we are. They are an ideal – even if, as people, many of them aren't ideal at all.
So we all should feel that we own a share of the achievement when Olympians in London redefine what we imagined humans are physically capable of doing. They are our ambassadors, performing exploits that we can't or won't but, in different circumstances, perhaps could.
If Bolt or Phelps, the stars of Beijing 2008, break more world records this time, it won't make them better humans than the rest of us.
But by being superhuman, they and the other Olympians will show how super more humans perhaps could be, given the chance and the will.
— John Leicester is an international sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jleicester(at)ap.org or follow him at http://twitter.com/johnleicester


text:
Trial of paramedic-led home blood testing for frail and elderly halved need for hospital transfers
Mar 17, 2022 | Members e-Bulletin, News
A trial of paramedic-led home blood testing for frail and elderly patients who required an ambulance helped to prevent the need for transfer to hospital in more than half of cases.
In a pilot study led by South Central Ambulance Service and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 52% of patients who were initially identified as requiring hospital admission were successfully managed at home.
It was made possible by using specialist paramedics to take blood samples at the scene and discuss the results with hospital physicians remotely to determine the next steps.
Although specialist paramedics receive an additional two years' education and training and are able to diagnose a wider range of conditions and treat many minor injuries and illnesses, they do not routinely assess blood test results.
As part of the trial they were given additional training in taking and handling blood samples and a SCAS rapid response vehicle (RRV) was equipped with a point-of-care – also known as bedside – testing device and novel wireless technology to transmit a patient's blood results to hospital within minutes.
Potential patients were identified by 999 call handlers as requiring more detailed clinical assessment and selected if they were 65 years or older and had either fallen from a standing height without obvious injury, had collapsed, were confused, had reduced mobility or suspected infection.
They were then assessed by the paramedic on scene and only non-critically unwell frail or elderly patients who were deemed to potentially require transfer to hospital for further investigation were enrolled in the study to see if they could be managed safely at home.
These patients then had bloods taken for immediate diagnostics in addition to the usual bedside investigations including urinalysis, electrocardiogram and blood sugar levels, with the results discussed with a senior physician by telephone for decision support.
The outcomes were to either enable the patient to remain at home after a comprehensive assessment without the need for further intervention, leave the patient at home with further intervention from community or hospital at home services or transfer to hospital via the emergency department or acute medical unit.
Critically unwell patients continued to be taken to hospital after assessment without having diagnostic blood tests and patients who did not require any further clinical input were referred to community services without participating.
The study, published in the Journal of Paramedic Practice, showed that over a three-month period the frailty response unit saw 42 patients who were either too critically unwell or not in need of hospital assessment and 56 selected for point-of-care testing.
Out of the 56 enrolled, 27 were transferred for further assessment in hospital but 29 (52%) remained in their usual care environment. Of these, four presented to hospital within the next 30 days but with no adverse events recorded as a result of non-transfer to hospital.
Dr John Black (pictured), Medical Director for SCAS and one of the study authors, said: "These results suggest it is feasible to perform bedside diagnostics in the community as part of the clinical assessment offered by ambulance services and that a proportion of older patients could potentially be managed in a home or community setting without physically attending hospital and without adding significantly to the burden on community services.
"The beauty of this model is that the potentially complex interpretation of the blood tests is undertaken by a hospital medical team remotely who can contextualise the results with the paramedic's clinical findings and observations in the community at the time of referral.
"As well as the benefits of keeping frail and elderly patients out of hospital if clinically appropriate to do so, there is a real potential for this to relieve pressure and financial costs on busy hospital emergency departments and acute medical units."
He added: "Serious consideration must be given to innovations such as this to ensure the best possible care and environment for patients but also to help address the ongoing issue of hospital pressures and capacity which continues to be such a significant problem."
Dr Alex Novak, Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Ambulatory Care at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and co-author of the study, said: "This pilot project demonstrated the feasibility of providing linked community-based diagnostic testing with acute secondary care decision support and indicates the potential for this to have a positive impact on the healthcare provided to some of our most vulnerable patients."
Issued: 16 March 2022


What is the most recent play or area of Shakespeare you've worked on, and what did you get from it?
"The last area of Shakespeare was King Lear which was a year ago now. As a quick diversion, as I've got so much time off in my show, [Norman is playing Pat Denning in the West End musical 42nd Street] I've been refreshing my memory of some of the monologues I've learnt over the years. I have to go up and down the stairs just to make a quick change and go back on stage and it's so monotonous, so I'm going back over all those monologues. Just on the stairs, mind you, not on stage! On the stage I'm focused – I'm Pat Denning, America, 1930s. It's because I miss it. It has been a year and, certainly with Shakespeare, you never want to stop learning because there's so much to unearth.
"Crikey, everything! My younger self didn't quite comprehend it. I keep saying to people 'Those who have had bad experiences of it need a refresher, but you need it with somebody who works well for you'. It's a bit like singing teachers – you can get through three or four before you find one that you feel good about. At school, I had a decent experience in English, but some tastes arrive later in your life. You might have hated asparagus when you were young, and then all of a sudden you grow up and acquire a taste for it. I don't know what that difference is, whether it's something that develops or about finding the right asparagus!
Which Shakespearean character most resembles you, and why?
"Oh, boy! Do I know enough Shakespeare to even draw a parallel? See, this is it, this is why Shakespeare works – because there's an element of everybody in everyone. It's all human condition. It's all because you can sit there as a person and absolutely relate to that character's journey. If Shakespeare is done properly then that should be the case. I could easily relate to a little bit of Othello, I could easily relate to a little bit of Hamlet. When I'm older, no doubt I'll be able to relate to Lear. It's almost like the seven stages of man – you could pretty much find a character for everyone.
If I ask you to give me a Shakespeare quotation what's the first thing that comes to mind?
What is your favourite Shakespeare related fact, myth story or anecdote?
"Have you read Shakespeare on Toast? [By Ben Crystal] It's a bit like Shakespeare for Dummies, but it's a bit more anecdotal. It's full of stuff. For example, during the American Civil War, a soldier watching a performance of Othello was so taken in by the actor playing the dishonest Iago that he stood up from his seat, drew his pistol and shot the actor dead! I'm pretty sure I've read that happened back in Shakespeare's time as well, because the audience was drawn in so much. Not because they were simple or anything, but because they allowed themselves to disappear into the performance a lot more that they felt so involved.
You have the power to cast anyone in the world, actor or otherwise, to play any Shakespearean character. Who do you choose, and what role do they play?


The Quick change is a set of interchangeable sewing windows designed to be used with pressure sensitive or sticky backing. The 7 in 1 set includes 2"x4.5", 2.5"x4.5", 3"x4.5", 4.5"x4.5", 6"x4.5", 4"x11" and the cap back window. Need to also order arm adapters/brackets look under clamps for these part numbers. This will not fit the Brother PR's 600-1000.


csr activities of infosys . B. Ranked 19th in Forbes survey magazine of innovative companies. Recognized as one of the 'Achievers 50 most engaged workplace' in the US .... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Purpose of the Report This report attempts to study the CSR activities and initiatives carried out by software giants Infosys Limited, to understand the motivations behind these initiatives and benefits to Infosys and society.
The transformation from industrial social work to corporate social responsibility can be considered as a definite shift in the realm of social work.This paper highlights the strategies and initiatives undertaken by Infosys towards CSR focussing on health, a sustainable approach to business development.Several CSR programs been undertaken through Infosys foundation and Employee Led CSR initiative. sq connecting with our spiritual intelligence pdf Dabur India's CSR Policy While pursuing our business strategy of introducing products that give our consumers health & wellness, Dabur operates in a manner that not just continues to generate an attractive return for shareholders, but also minimizes our impact on the environment and helps in replenishing the planet; while lending a helping hand to the community.
In accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework, Infosys' sustainability report encapsulates the progress made and future plans for the company's economic performance, innovation in offerings, people engagement, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.


text:
Q: Take away brackets and spaces in json string The device_token contains brackets and spaces and I would like to get rid of it in the payload
This is a JSON payload going to the vendors API
{
    "audience": {
        "device_token": "< XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX >"
    },
    "device_types": [
            "ios"
    ],
    "notification": {
        "ios": {
            "alert": {
                "title": "INSERT_TITLE_TEXT_HERE",
                "body": "INSERT_BODY_TEXT_HERE"
            }
        }
     }
}

I would like the JSON to have the device_token:
{
    "audience": {
        "device_token": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"
    },
    "device_types": [
            "ios"
    ],
    "notification": {
        "ios": {
            "alert": {
                "title": "INSERT_TITLE_TEXT_HERE",
                "body": "INSERT_BODY_TEXT_HERE"
            }
        }
     }
}

A: Assuming processing language is javascript:
json.audience.device_token = json.audience.device_token.replace(/[<> ]/g, '')

For more information, please read String.prototype.replace docs: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/String/replace

A: Firstly you'd change the JSON object into a string, then just replace the text you'd like to.
Something like:
// Define the payload object
var jsonPayload = {
    "audience": {
        "device_token": "< XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX >"
    },
    "device_types": [
            "ios"
    ],
    "notification": {
        "ios": {
            "alert": {
                "title": "INSERT_TITLE_TEXT_HERE",
                "body": "INSERT_BODY_TEXT_HERE"
            }
        }
     }
};
// Turn the object into a String
var string = JSON.stringify(jsonPayload);
// Replace the arrows and spaces with empty strings
var updatedString = string.replace(/< /g,'').replace(/ >/g,'').replace(/\s/g,'');
// Replace the jsonPayload with your new version by parsing the string
// where replacements have been made back into a JSON object;
jsonPayload = JSON.parse(updatedString);

That should work!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Experian Survey: How Is the Pandemic Affecting Personal Finances?
November 21, 2020 • 3 min read
By Stefan Lembo Stolba
Some Consumers Increased Their Saving During COVID-19
Unemployment and Reduced Wages Cause for Reduced Savings Contributions
Nearly Half of Consumers Who Received Stimulus Check Put Some in Savings
Majority of Respondents Canceled Large Purchases Due to Pandemic
Consumers Continue Positive Financial Behavior Despite Pandemic
If you've seen your spending and saving habits change during the pandemic, you're not alone. COVID-19's impact on the economy has been worse than anything since the Great Depression, and many Americans have seen drastic changes to their finances spurred by unemployment, reduced wages, business closure and stay-at-home orders.
With consumer spending down since the pandemic came to the U.S., some Americans have found themselves contributing more to their savings than before. Record unemployment and reduced incomes, however, have forced others to readjust their budget, potentially forgoing savings as pressing needs such as food and shelter take priority.
To better understand how consumer spending and saving habits have changed since the onset of the pandemic, Experian surveyed a group of 377 adults in the U.S. to find out how their personal finances have changed in recent months. Read on for our insights and analysis.
Two-thirds (66%) of those surveyed reported spending the same or less during the pandemic than they were this time last year. Nearly a third (30%) said they saw the greatest change to their spending on eating out and entertainment. Around a quarter (23%) said they saw their spending on nonessential purchases change, and 16% saw significant changes to their travel purchases.
When spending is reduced but a household income stays the same, it's conceivable those extra funds could be allocated to savings. Though most respondents indicated that they have been spending less during the pandemic, only 28% said they were actually saving more during this time.
Broken down by employment status, respondents with jobs were predominantly the ones who were able to increase their savings. The survey found that 32% of those with full-time jobs reported saving more now than during the same period in 2019; 34% of those with part-time jobs said the same. Just 8% of unemployed survey participants said they were saving more, and 21% of retired respondents reported putting more money into savings in 2020.
Though 28% of respondents said they've contributed more money to savings this year compared with the same time last year, 32% said the amount they're saving hasn't changed. A big share of respondents said they were either saving less than last year (20%) or not at all (19%).
When asked to explain why they had stopped or reduced their savings during this time, 21% said they had become unemployed during the pandemic and 38% said they had lost hours or wages due to the COVID-19 pandemic; 32% said it was due to increased everyday expenses; and the remaining 8% cited other reasons.
In response to the unprecedented economic impact of the pandemic, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March. Among other things, the bill included funding for a one-time cash payment of $1,200 to Americans making less than $99,000.
Many U.S. consumers who received a stimulus payment in 2020 reportedly used the money for a host of things other than essential purchases, including paying down debt and contributing to investments and savings.
When asked if they were able to use a portion or all of their stimulus check to contribute to their savings, 48% said they were able to save some or all of their check, while 33% answered that they weren't able to save any. The remaining portion of respondents said they did not receive a stimulus check at all.
In addition to reductions in everyday spending, some consumers boosted their savings by canceling large purchases as a result of COVID-19. More than half of those surveyed—54%—said they had canceled a large purchase, such as travel or home renovations, as a result of the pandemic.
Of those who scrapped a large purchase, 49% said they used the money they saved for essential purchases. Another 31% said they were able to put the money into savings, and 19% said they spent the cash on non-essential purchases.
Overall, the fact that some people have continued to prioritize savings emphasizes that—where possible—consumers are still making prudent financial decisions during the economic downturn. Though many consumers may not have the luxury of saving leftover money at the end of each month, the ones who do appear to be preparing for a rainy day—which, no matter your financial situation, is a wise idea.
If you're interested in learning more about how to save and the benefits of saving, find out how to make a budget and then figure out how much you can afford to save.
Methodology: The analysis results provided are based on an Experian-created statistically relevant aggregate sampling of our consumer credit database that may include use of the FICO® Score 8 version. Different sampling parameters may generate different findings compared with other similar analysis. Analyzed credit data did not contain personal identification information. Metro areas group counties and cities into specific geographic areas for population censuses and compilations of related statistical data.
FICO® is a registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.
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Results may vary. Some may not see improved scores or approval odds. Not all lenders use Experian credit files, and not all lenders use scores impacted by Experian Boost.


The question of how to save notes on iPhone to computer is quite often asked. There is no direct transfer provided in iPhone and iTunes helps little for its inconvenience in practical applications. A third-party software that addresses the inconvenience is expected. EaseUS developed an iTunes alternative - MobiMover to cover the needs. It's not a software with a single function to backup notes, but with comprehensive functions.
MobiMover is an absolutely free software for iPhone data transfer. It can be applied to all types of iPhone data transfer in a bidirectional way. For example, you can transfer contacts to computer from iPhone, and also can transfer contacts from computer to iPhone. It's true to other types of iPhone data, including notes. Moreover, MobiMover offers iPhone data management solutions like iPhone data deleting, adding and editing. But none of them can be used on all types of data with the protection mechanism. For example, you can' t edit messages to keep the originality of them, but you can edit notes as you are the admin of them. All of such functions are originally designed to better assist iPhone data transfer, and in practice, they can work independently. Thus, MobiMover is not only an iPhone data transfer software, it's also an iPhone data management tool. Of mention, with the above abilities, MobiMover can be also applied as an iPhone data browser.
Let's check how to save notes on iPhone to computer in the next part!


We are a small society that is 100% dependent on a handful of unpaid volunteers, most of whom work full-time. While we do our best to keep up, there may be a delay when a key volunteer is on vacation or focused on a work deadline. Thank you in advance for your patience.
Membership runs from Jan 1 to Dec 31. If you join on or after Oct 1, your membership will be extended through the next year.
If you join online, PayPal will immediately charge your account but your membership is not valid until a society volunteer enters the information into our member database. PLEASE BE PATIENT.
As soon as your information is entered into our system, you will receive a confirmation email with your log-in information.
Please provide your known Morse/Morss/Moss line information when you join. Please download the form here and email the completed document to our Secretary.
Priority access to the Morse Society Research Team and your Line Shepherd, based on the availability of our volunteers.
Members receive a 20% discount on our book Memorial of the Morses in our online store.
Members receive a 20% discount on our book The Morse Genealogy in our online store.
No refunds are provided for any level of membership dues. Morse Society membership is non-transferable. The Morse Society reserves the right to deny and/or revoke membership.


text:
Everything's Coming up "Rose"
Michał Oleszczyk May 23, 2013
"Max Rose"
Jerry Lewis is probably the only person in our universe who can get away with addressing Cannes' all-powerful festival director, Thierry Frémaux, in front of a room full of people and calling him a putz. Famously beloved by the French and thus at home in Cannes, Lewis was honored at this year's festival with a outdoor beach screening of "The Ladies Man," (1961) and — more importantly — with a world premiere of the latest movie featuring him as the lead: Daniel Noah's "Max Rose."
The screening took place earlier today, and it was packed. Greeted by thunderous applause that far superseded those for the score's composer Michel Legrand, the 87-year-old Lewis glanced at the red-plush seats of the theater and said: "Looks perfect for a funeral!" After Frémaux asked him if he'd like to speak before the screening, Lewis shouted a loud "No!" at him, and added the word already mentioned. The audience couldn't stop cheering. Zh-erry, we love you!
Quite possible the most manic of all American funnymen, Lewis created a persona so grating and strange, so uninhibited and idiosyncratic, it all but begs for a Webster definition of its own. He's certainly not for all tastes, but few people ever have managed to craft a presence so recognizable and polarizing. In "Max Rose," Lewis turns into what Martin Scorsese's "The King of Comedy" already proved him capable of being, which is a serious dramatic actor. His performance as the eponymous singer-songwriter, freshly widowed and uncovering dark secrets of his late wife's past, is what anchors the movie and serves as its sole source of power.
Jokingly referred to as Jerry Lewis's version of "Amour," the film is a meditation on old age and bereavement that's as much about the characters it creates as it is about the main actor it features. Lewis's comedy always relied heavily on the uncanny agility of his body and modulation of his voice: Here, with his body visibly failing him, he's like an artist deprived of his instruments. There are still inspired touches, as when he's miming playing a jazz concert, or — morbidly — struggles to move up a steep staircase. But the real power of the performance lies in its stillness: in Max' stubborn stare at his granddaughter taking care of him, as well as in his quiet resignation once he's put into a retirement home.
The film is punctuated by shots of Max and his wife (played by the ever-radiant Claire Bloom) in loving embrace, laying on their bed and discussing the shared plight of aging. Lewis' warmth in these scenes is quite remarkable — I cannot think of any other role of his in which positive emotions would be so effortlessly exposed (without the necessary dash of idiocy). Having said that, Lewis also goes into some really dark places in "Max Rose", of which the most chilling is a scene in which his son begs him to say "I love you" to him — to no avail.
Less a character study than an homage to the actor playing the main role, "Max Rose" is a singular work — not really accomplished as a piece of filmmaking, but invaluable as a historical record. The narrative is suspended between the reality of mourning and the fantasy of conversing with the dead. The script has Max repeatedly interacting with his dead wife, before he meets a group of new friends in the retirement home and starts hanging out with them, smoking cigars and talking of the good old days. Once he discovers a secret his wife never shared with him, he reflects upon his feelings for her, and finds them unchanged. I never expected the star of "The Patsy" to make me choke up, but damn me if it didn't happen tonight.
Michał Oleszczyk
Michał Oleszczyk is a film critic and scholar based in Poland. In 2012, he has been named the Critic of the Year by the Polish Film Institute.


Big or small, your garden can be a real boon to your lifestyle. In the summer months, it's an entertaining room, with space to cook, a table to eat at, and perhaps even some entertainment to occupy your visitors. When the lights go down, or the cold nights draw in, your garden can become home to another group entirely – local wildlife – providing them with shelter, food and space to be themselves. Want to help them feel at home? Welcome them in with one of Protect The Planet's many animal habitats.
The most common addition to a garden is a bird nest box, and Protect The Planet sell a huge variety. Made from cardboard or wood, there's even one shaped like a tea pot! A good nest box functions as a cosy home for a bird family to roost and relax, keeping them warm in the winter, and cool in the summer. Even better, it offers protection from predators.
Solitary bees are different to bumble bees and honey bees. They prefer their own company, and don't work as part of a group, or live in a hive. There are 200 species of solitary bee, and they make individual "nests" for their larvae. This can be between rock crevices, plant stems or hollow trees, but you can offer them somewhere safer by adding a solitary bee hotel to your garden. Made of tubes, the bee can crawl inside and lay her young somewhere safe, ready for it to hatch in spring.
Bat boxes are artificial roosts, designed to encourage bats into an area where there are no existing colonies. These protected creatures need a special home. An untreated wooden bat box has a rough surface for bats to cling to, protecting them from draughts, predators and chilly breezes.
Frogitats are perfect if you've got a pond which is in need of a friendly frog family, or if you have pests like slugs in your garden. Your frog family will devour garden pests, and will thank you for the ceramic walls of the frogitat, which resembles their preferred natural habitat of stone walls.
With a quarter of the UK's hedgehog habitat disappearing over the last decade, it's a great time to add a Hogitat to your garden. Designed to blend in with the natural colours of the garden, provide a cosy floor (an old car floor mat is ideal), cover with leaves and branches, and wait for a grateful hedgehog family. You can even purchase hedgehog food to keep your hog family well fed. Your reward? A garden free of snails and slugs – the hedgehogs love to eat them!
For just a few pounds, you can make your garden into a safe and welcoming place for a creature to set up home. Why not get started today?


I'm looking to trade my very clean and pampered black Leica M9 (sensor replaced) with original box, packaging and papers and my flawless condition black Leica 35mm ASPH FLE lens, 6 bit factory coded (also with original box, packaging and documents) plus cash for a black Leica M10 and silver Leica 35mm Summicron ASPH newest version, both hopefully with original boxes, packaging and papers.
Please contact me if you might be interested.
Last edited by rcerick; 1 Week Ago at 07:05.


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Clean air in cities? Why we need to talk about the 1835 Highway Act
Camilla Iftakhar
Today, the Mayor of London Sadiq Kahn spoke on Radio 4 about the urgency of cleaning up the air in London. Quoting the shocking figure of 40,000 people dying prematurely because of illnesses caused by poor air quality every year in the UK. A national health emergency? Surely so, but how can we possibly make the transformation to cleaner air fast enough?
The Urgency – Poor Air Quality Is Killing Us
This is obviously not a new discovery, we are well aware that poor air quality is linked to poor public health.
Back in 1956, the Clean Air Act was written to reduce the dark smoke emitted by industry, trains and households at the time. This was a result of London's Great Smog of 1952, where the 4-day long smog caused thousands of deaths in the capital, and 100,000s the following year. Back then, the legislation focused on the visible smoke, soot and smog. After the Clean Air Act was passed, coal-burning power stations like Battersea were fitted with soot reducing systems.
This morning, Sadiq Kahn cited the 1956 Clean Air Act and reiterated the importance of working towards a Clean Air bill suitable for the 21st Century. Inner-city air pollution is not caused by coal fires. We have an urgent problem caused by something else.
Inner City Air Pollution – London
Today, we have the technology for anyone to see the hourly pollution reading of the city. Just by typing LONDON AIR into google, I can see that the pollutant concentrations are caused by traffic. Readings of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Ozone (O3) Particles and Smog, (PM2.5 and PM10), can be seen on a live feed map, where the concentrations of the most dangerous pollutants are updated by the hour. According to researchers at Kings College London, air pollution kills roughly 9,500 Londoners per year, children being the most vulnerable to the effects as their lungs are still developing.
Inner City Pollution - Are Electric Vehicles The Answer?
Studies named diesel vehicles the main culprit, but scientists say all vehicles, even electric ones, contribute to particulate matter from brakes and tyres.
"If you simply convert or replace a fossil fuel vehicle with an electric one, you're only reducing emissions a small amount," says Frank Kelly, the director of the Environmental Research Group at King's College London. "If we really want to reduce emissions we need many fewer vehicles on the road."
[Source https://psmag.com/environment/air-pollution-is-killing-london]
Yes, we need fewer vehicles on the road, and this can only be solved by better provisions for public transit and active travel. In London, things are certainly moving in the right direction, but change still isn't happening fast enough.
Last year, Professor Stephen Holgate linked the death of schoolgirl Ella Kissi-Debrah to illegal levels of air pollution where she lived near the south circular in London. She died of asthma. The Mayor is helping her mother to bring the inquest to the Attorney General.
[Source https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/11/ella-kissi-debrah-mother-wins-right-seek-new-inquest-high-court-air-pollution]
If you compare London to other cities in the UK, London is about 20 years ahead of other cities like Manchester and Birmingham. London has a complex and well-funded transport network with investment far outweighing those in other cities. London does have one of the densest populations in Europe, granted, and accounts for 13% of the population of the UK. But what about the other 87% of people? This is what we call the Transport gap. It results in the north experiencing chronic underfunding in transport. The result is other cities being woefully behind the capital.
"Over the last 10 years, Londoners enjoyed an annual average of £708 of transport spending per person, while just £289 was spent for each person in the north of England", the analysis found.
"If the north had received the same per capita amount as London, over the last decade the region would have benefited from £63bn more in transport investment, IPPR North says." Helen Pidd from The Guardian 2018.
[Source https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/aug/01/transport-spending-gap-london-north-of-england-ippr]
Suitable funding in affordable and low emission public transit would be a start, if not a necessity. Londoners have already benefitted from the introduction of "Hydrogen or hybrid electric buses, resulting in a 90% reduction on NOX gasses on oxford street due to the buses." Sadiq Khan is also about to implement the Ultra Emission Zone on the 8th of April.
For the rest of the country, getting more people out of their cars and using active travel and public transit is a real challenge. In Manchester alone, the bus network is severely lacking, the metro does not cope with the capacity, and Northern Rail is on its knees.
Meanwhile, there is government investment in electric cars and autonomous cars. Billions of dollars are spent on these car technologies, but won't have any meaningful impact for years to come. Different cars won't help achieve the goal of fewer cars.
How Do We Achieve Fewer Cars?
More people are moving to urban areas and the population continues to grow. How can we possibly reduce the number of cars on the roads? London is about to implement the Ultra Low Emission Zone on the 8th of April 2019. Charging a PCN on any vehicles which don't make the emission standards, with the zone expanding to the North and South Circular by 2021.
[Source: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone]
This is a step in the right direction, but will people just pay the charge and continue their habits? It's easy to feel defeated so let's look further afield for some inspiration.
Reducing Car Usage In Cities Around The World
Take Pontevedra, a city on the east coast of northern Spain. It has banned cars under the leadership of Mayor Lores, since 1999 where he implemented the pedestrianisation of the 300,000 sqm city centre within his first month in office.
"How can it be that the elderly or children aren't able to use the street because of cars?" asks César Mosquera, the city's head of infrastructures. "For me this is paradise. Even if it's raining, I walk everywhere. And the same shopkeepers who complain are the ones who have survived in spite of the crisis. It's also a great place to have kids."
Take Paris, whose Mayor Anne Hidalgo implements a car-free day and has embraced innovation in light modes and electric modes of mobility – where e-scooters and other PLEVs are a common sight within the city.
Take Taipei, where authorities have legalised cycling on 240 miles of city centre pavements. They have taken a strip of pavement from pedestrians, which in turn, gives segregated cycle lanes to the city at a low cost and it works. Now 5% of all journeys are made by bike, which is double that of London, and four times that of New York. Interestingly more than half of cyclists are women. Taipei, like many other cities in Asia, has created slow lanes, taking space away from cars specifically to cater for light vehicles, mostly in the form of mopeds and scooters.
Witnessing the sheer volume of scooters in Taipei is like seeing a vision of European cities of the future. Light vehicles not only take up less space, are more affordable and use less fuel, they also come in a plethora of electric versions, zero emission light vehicles, the most notable brand being the Gogoro. Gogoro has achieved something in Taipei that any European city could benefit from. Rather than using phone tech for a shared service, they have worked within the city's framework to build in shared power banks. These battery banks are installed next to the usual petrol stations. They allow users to skip the charge time and just swap their used battery for a fully charged one. The shared power is also owned and serviced by the battery company, eliminating the problem of unregulated battery care. It also allows the consumer to purchase the scooter, and just rent the power, which also keeps initial cost down for the consumer.
(Photo: Gogoro Owners Club)
Innovation Is Light Vehicles
As the majority of car journeys are for short distances, the sub 5 miles, or last mile journey is the key to this puzzle. In London, active modes like cycling and walking are being given notable investment and the results are fantastic. But the UK is far behind in embracing other light modes, low powered e-scooters, e-moped and personal light vehicles or PLEVs. They can't get a look in the UK until the legislation is changed. Even kick-scooters are not recognised as an active mode within the law, despite many adults and children using them as a really useful mobility device which makes use of the safety of the pavement.
Sadiq Kahn riding e-scooter from British scooter brand, Swifty Scooters in July 2017
There are many new innovations in the light vehicles sector and there is funding too. There are government initiatives in the name of Horizon 2020, a European Commission program of research and innovation. Many funding areas are specific to low carbon transport targets set in the Paris Climate Accord. However, the sector has taken slow uptake in the UK due to the law. The law in question is the 1835 Highways Act, section 72 (England and Wales), which renders riding any "carriage" on the footpath illegal. The bicycle was classified as a "carriage" in the 1888 amendment. How can a nearly 200 year old legislation be fit for purpose?
I have been in recent contact with the DfT regarding the pavement legislation and they confirmed to me the following:
"I note your suggestion that vehicles such as electric scooters should be allowed on pavements in England, as in other countries in Europe. However, the Highways Act of 1835 prohibits the riding of any 'carriage' on the footway and this includes personal transporters. There are no current plans to amend this legislation." Department for Transport Nov. 2017
Read more in the journal: ELECTRIC SCOOTERS, HOVERBOARDS AND ELECTRIC SKATEBOARDS - WHAT IS LEGAL?
And about cycle lanes:
" A cycle lane is defined in Schedule 1 of the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (TSRGD) as 'part of a carriageway of a road reserved for pedal cycles which are separated from the rest of the carriageway' …I can confirm that the Department has no current plans to amend this legislation to permit other types of vehicles to use the lane." Department for Transport Nov. 2017
Read more in the journal: ARE KICK-SCOOTERS PAVEMENT LEGAL IN THE UK?
The Last Mile Issue And Light Vehicles In The UK
It is obvious the UK could do more. An amendment of legislation for PLEVs and other personal mobility devices like kick-scooters is definitely holding the UK back. There is so much potential and innovation available to combat the problem of short distance car journeys, that it is an opportunity that the UK can't ignore for long.
Camilla was recently invited to a round table discussion about Manchester and it's Low Carbon Future by the GMCC. The discussion will be featured in the next issue of The Business.


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Home Digital Services Closing Digital Divide | Vodafone Halfway to Connecting One Million
Closing Digital Divide | Vodafone Halfway to Connecting One Million
As part of its long-term commitment to close the digital divide, Vodafone has reached the half million mark in its campaign, having donated 500,000 free connections to people across the UK.
As the need for free connectivity grows as a result of the cost-of-living crisis, Vodafone wants to raise awareness of the issue and its everyone.connected programme. The programme provides people with a free SIM with 20GB of data a month, for six months – plus unlimited calls and texts – through a network of charity partners.
Despite over a million households living without access to the internet, only 1-in-5** people are aware of the issue. As a champion of the cause, Vodafone commissioned award-winning performance poet and author, Sophia Thakur, to pen an emotive poem to highlight the impact digital exclusion can have. Her performance, entitled 'The Divide', shows how 'simple' everyday actions such as booking a GP appointment, applying for a job or paying a bill are almost impossible when you don't have what most of us take for granted. She paints a picture of a group excluded from society, looking on from the sidelines, not being able to take part – just because they aren't connected.
Sophia said: "With each passing day we see the world becoming more dependent on connectivity, but we often forget about those who are living without it. Reliable connections can help more people to access even the most basic things that many others take for granted. I hope that, through the work Vodafone is doing and by raising awareness of the issue of digital exclusion, we can fill the gap and close the divide."
Ahmed Essam, Vodafone's UK CEO, said: "We hope our partnership with Sophia will drive more understanding of the issue we are so passionate about. Her beautiful words and performance are designed to help people understand what it might feel like to be disconnected so they can help anyone they know who might be in that situation. We're proud our everyone.connected programme has reached the half million milestone, but we know there are many more people out there who need help. As the poem says, connection shouldn't be a luxury.
We couldn't do this without our charity partners and would like to thank them for all they are doing to get connectivity into the hands of those who need it most."
The 500,000 milestone marks the halfway point in Vodafone's commitment to connect one million people experiencing digital exclusion by the end of 2022, as part of its wider everyone.connected programme. The figure has been reached through Vodafone's partnerships with charities such as The Trussell Trust, Barnardo's and Good Things Foundation, as well as the huge number of charities that are part of its charities.connected programme.
As well as its everyone.connected campaign, Vodafone is also committed to providing affordable connectivity to those struggling most with the cost of living. Vodafone's £10 a month 'VOXI' For Now low-cost mobile tariff is available to anyone claiming Job Seekers Allowance, Universal Credit or Employment Support Allowance. It includes unlimited 5G data, as well as unlimited calls and texts.
SOURCEVodafone
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Faith based in home facility providing care and education experiences to infants, preschoolers and school aged kids. Children are able to learn and explore in an environment that promotes social, mental, and spiritual growth.
Can accommodate up to 14 children.
After school care provides homework help and enrichment programs.
God's Little Angels Daycare and Preschool is a licensed home daycare.


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Blaesoxipha rufescens är en tvåvingeart som först beskrevs av Villeneuve 1928.  Blaesoxipha rufescens ingår i släktet Blaesoxipha och familjen köttflugor.

Artens utbredningsområde är Algeriet. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Köttflugor
rufescens

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


adult Bonaparte's Gull Loch Caolisport, Mid-Argyll 27 Mar (Jim Dickson).
Bonaparte's Gull - Ormsary (fish farm), Mid-Argyll 26 Mar (John Nadin).
first winter Iceland Gull - Campbeltown Loch 25 Mar (John Nadin).
colour-ringed Herring Gull - Campbeltown Pier 25 Mar (John Nadin).
Iceland Gull - Oban Bay, Mid-Argyll 25 Mar (Jim Dickson).
first winter Bonaparte's Gull (centre of photo) - Sorobaidh Bay, Tiree 24 Mar (John Bowler).
Iceland Gull – Oban Bay 22 Mar (Mike Anderson).
Common Starlings - Loch Gilp, Mid-Argyll 21 Mar (Jim Dickson).
Northern Wheatear - West Hynish, Tiree 21 Mar (John Bowler).
Common Chiffchaff - Oa Reserve, Islay 18 Mar (David Wood).
Pink-footed Goose - Barsloisnoch (Moine Mhor), Mid-Argyll 15 Mar (Jim Dickson).
2cy male Hen Harrier - Barsloisnoch (Moine Mhor), Mid-Argyll 14 Mar (Jim Dickson).
Common Crossbill - Bishops Glen, Dunoon 13 Mar (Alistair McGregor).
Whooper Swans - Loch Crinan, Mid-Argyll 13 Mar (Jim Dickson).
juvenile Iceland Gulls - Oban Bay, Mid-Argyll 12 Mar (Morgan Vaughan).
Common Raven on nest - Campbeltown Airport, Kintyre 06 Mar (Eddie Maguire).
Drake Pintail - Strath Farm, The Laggan, Kintyre 06 Mar (Eddie Maguire).
First winter Iceland Gull - Campbeltown 06 Mar (Eddie Maguire).
juv Iceland Gull Campbeltown Harbour 3 Mar 15 (Eddie Maguire).
Juvenile Iceland Gull – Colonsay 3 Mar (Morgan Vaughan).
First winter Ring-billed Gull - Glen More, Mull 2 Mar (Bryan Rains).


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Moped gangs terrorize London in about 50,000 crimes per year, police say
sohel uddin
Nov 21, 2017, 5:50 PM ET
PlayCity of London Police
WATCH New crime wave sweeping London
Mobile gangs using mostly stolen mopeds and scooters have been terrorizing London, committing robberies and attacks on people walking along city streets, police say.
Interested in London?
Add London as an interest to stay up to date on the latest London news, video, and analysis from ABC News.
London's Metropolitan police say that up to 50,000 crimes have been committed a year by mobs on these vehicles; about 1,500 mopeds or scooters are stolen and 2,500 thefts carried out on them every month.
"This is becoming out of control in London and it is spreading to other towns," Ken Marsh of the Metropolitan Police Federation told Sky News.
The two-wheeled vehicles are agile and enable criminals to easily smash and grab items from victims. Many times, they mount sidewalks to grab items from pedestrians, then make quick getaways.
Police say the crimes are two-fold: Scooters are stolen and then used to commit crimes. The vehicles are often stolen from areas of Outer London and used to commit robberies in the affluent Central London neighborhoods.
The dangers posed by these gangs coming in close contact with the public has made it difficult for the police to chase them.
"These pursuits are very dangerous, these bikes can go at very fast speeds -- 30, 40, 50 miles per hour around public members so they can mount the footways, down alleyways," Marsh said. "They have no interest in who they harm or endanger or if they have committed a crime -- and my colleagues have to make split decisions. Do I follow that person? Do I pursue them in the same manner? You know, this is very, very quick time that they have to decide and act upon it and things can go wrong."
Marsh said stronger legislation with more severe penalties is needed to help deter the crimes.
The police said they are employing new tactics to defeat this latest crime wave. They include using remote control spikes, DNA-tagging sprays and slimmer police motorcycles.


Let's go back to the vacant lot, because the Rose is in danger. Zack Johnson joins me once again to talk about the remainder of the Todash portion of the book. Our ka-tet begins to understand the nature of their nocturnal travels, while Father Callahan makes his introductions. Roland and company learn more specifics about the Wolves, and decide that it's their duty to protect this town, even if they don't want protection.


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Q: USB Keyboard occasionally needs reboot A Fujitsu KB910 USB keyboard connected to a Dell XPS 8300 used to work flawlessly. But it then started to be unresponsive now and then on BIOS level, i.e. it was no longer possible to enter the user password into the BIOS entry screen. Pressing the power button of the PC was the only way to get it working, and it worked in 100% of all retry cases.
What could be the reason?
I have tried to use other USB ports, reset the BIOS, etc.
The keyboard gets power via USB as indicated by the Num-Lock LED.
The outages occured in about 10% of all starts.
Edited:
The problem also occured with a Cherry keyboard. Therefore, it seems to be the Dell XPS 8300. I removed all USB-related entries from the BIOS list of boot devices. But this does not seem to help.

A: Do you have anything else connected to any of the other USB ports? This may be a case of flawed power distribution.
I'd try the following: disconnect everything BUT the keyboard. That includes any memory card (such as SD and MMC). Make sure you have no USB hubs connected - connect the keyboard directly to the machine. Now try using it after a reboot.