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RUGBYPASS+ Is this Wales' second-row pairing for the 2027 World Cup?
By Ross Harries
Is this Wales' second-row pairing for the 2027 World Cup?
Ross Harries
https://www.rugbypass.com/plus/is-this-wales-second-row-pairing-for-the-2027-world-cup/
Exeter ChiefsWalesChrist Tshiunza
There is no hoarier cliche in Welsh rugby than that of the mythical fly-half factory, churning out fleet-footed, impish stand-offs, possessed of a uniquely Welsh sense of cunning and guile.
In reality, production of this particular model has slowed in the age of professionalism, to be replaced by an excess of abrasive, dynamic open-side flankers.
But one production line that appears to have slowed to a trickle, is the one manufacturing second row forwards. The slowly dawning realisation that Alun Wyn Jones can't go on forever, along with the premature departure of Jake Ball and Cory Hill has left the stock room a little bare. Yes, Will Rowlands recently had a coming-of-age Six Nations, but at 30 he's a late-starter. What of the next generation?
Could it be that the future long-term boiler-room duo aren't even in Wales, but honing their craft in sun-dappled Devon, under the tutelage of Rob Baxter and the Exeter Chiefs?
After being plucked from obscurity by Wayne Pivac, Christ Tshiunza is no longer an unknown, and if you haven't heard of his best buddy, Dafydd Jenkins yet, you soon will have. Both are enormously driven, impressively articulate young men with hulking physiques, and wide horizons.
Raised in Cardiff after moving from the Congo at the age of six, Tshiunza was initially bewildered by rugby; an oval ball that was handled rather than kicked seemed "utterly bizarre" to him. Jenkins, on the other hand, was indoctrinated at an early age, encouraged by his father, Hywel – a former Wales A international, and stalwart of both Neath and Swansea. Jenkins Jr's childhood dream was to pull on the three feathers, and that single-minded determination has consumed him to this point. So their paths to professional rugby may have been wildly different, but they've now converged in this part of Devon, and the hype bubbling around them seems entirely justified.
Christ Tshiunza made his debut for Wales against Fiji in November, 2021 (Photo by Huw Fairclough/Getty Images)
Refreshingly, in the age of the media-controlled cliches, neither baulked at the suggestion they could be Wales' second-row pairing in the post Alun Wyn era. As Jenkins outlined, "there's a fine line between confidence and arrogance, but we both know we're good enough, and if we work hard enough, I feel like we'll get there as soon as possible."
Sitting in the shade of the Sandy Park's west stand, as the sun blazes down on the pitch below, both players grin widely as they recall the moment their fledgling partnership took flight. "Our first game together was for Wales 18s against Scotland about four years ago" says Christ, whose manner throughout is ultra laid back. "It was pretty much the first time I'd met Daf, and we still talk about it almost every day. Everything ran so smoothly, it was almost like we were a machine; one contributing to the other. After the game we looked at each other and said, 'we're going to play for Wales together'".
I remember playing against him for Porthcawl Comp against Whitchurch – I don't know if he even knows this – and they hammered us, but every time he got the ball I was lining him up trying to smash him
Dafydd Jenkins on his first game against Christ Tshiunza
Jenkins laughs at the memory, agreeing it was a special day, and while it's the lodestone moment for both of them, he recalls a memory that Christ "probably" doesn't remember. "Growing up, he was a year above me in school, and I used to target him because I'd think, 'there can only be one Welsh second row coming through'. Every time I'd see him, I'd target him. I remember playing against him for Porthcawl Comp against Whitchurch – I don't know if he even knows this – and they hammered us, but every time he got the ball I was lining him up trying to smash him. I keep that one quiet now though, because they won, but when it came to that 18s camp, we got to know each other, and I found my new best friend."
The two are, in Tshiunza's words, "very different characters", who happen to have "very similar goals." According to Christ, his mate is almost aggressively single-minded, pursuing his rugby ambition at the expense of virtually everything else. "Daf's been obsessed with rugby all his life. He's a man who'll put rugby and line-outs before anything. Rugby before work, rugby before uni work, sleep, eat, he loves rugby." It's a marked contrast to Christ's approach, who admits he's rather stumbled into it all.
Dafydd Jenkins has impressed coaches with his workmate (Photo by Bob Bradford – CameraSport via Getty Images)
Arriving from French-speaking, football-obsessed Congo at a young age, he'd never even heard of rugby, "it's a sport that's really bizarre if you stop and think about it. If you've never watched or heard about rugby, and you see it for the first time – people running, passing with their hands, kicking forward, it makes no sense. But the social aspect of it, of going back to the club with the boys after the game, that's what got me hooked. At first I was just catching the ball and throwing it up in the air. I didn't know what to do to be honest, but after a while I got OK."
That last line is delivered with almost comic understatement. A growth spurt when he turned fifteen during the summer holidays during which he "grew a foot almost overnight" made him a valuable asset for his school team, where his tall, rangy physique made him a natural second row. His potential was such that he became the subject of a tug-of-war between Cardiff's academy (who reportedly offered him their biggest ever deal), and (then European Champions) Exeter Chiefs. But even as his talent was blossoming, his interest remained peripheral at best: "I didn't even pay much attention to it until I was in the sixth form. It was more something I did for the school rather than for myself. It was like, 'Chris, we need numbers this week, can you play?' I was more interested in football at that point, turning out for Whitchurch Rangers on the weekends."
Playing football, which is a very running-based sport probably helped with my athleticism. Had I played rugby first, I'd probably be a very different second row.
Christ Tshiunza on his circuitous route to Test rugby
Intriguingly, he now contends that his relaxed, almost indifferent approach actually aided his development: "because I didn't have any expectations to be the best, I didn't put a lot of pressure on myself, and I think that helped. Playing football, which is a very running-based sport probably helped with my athleticism. Had I played rugby first, I'd probably be a very different second row. There's not a lot of Maro Itojes; players who can actually run, you know? I wouldn't be as good or as athletic a player now if I'd played rugby first."
It's a fascinating take, and a topical one, after a Six Nations campaign in which Welsh tight-five forwards were compared unfavourably to their opponents when it came to core skills, metres made, and ball-carrying. Plodding cart horses rather than excitable mares. Wayne Pivac's Scarlets blueprint was based around counter-attack, mobility, and lung-busting enterprise. Skilful, dexterous forwards were a key part of the philosophy, and Tshiunza's innate talent and awareness of space – honed on the football pitch – seem ripe for the formula. If Pivac is ever able to transfer the template to the test arena, Tshiunza is exactly the type of player he needs. It's this free-spirited approach that helps him dovetail with the more nuts-and-bolts attitude of Jenkins.
Christ Tshiunza shone for Wales U20s and he's aiming for a squad spot for South Africa (Photo by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images)
"He's more set-piece oriented, whereas I'm more 'open-field'", Tshiunza explains, "which is where we go hand in hand. He can focus on the set piece knowing that I'll help him in that. He knows I'm the better carrier – well, I think I am – so, he knows I'm there for him to tip on to." Dafydd elaborates: "Chris could do stuff that no other player our age could. If I was looking for him to carry, I would just tip him the ball and give it early. I know his strengths and he knows mine and that's why we gel so well. I won't try and be him and he won't try to be me. We also know each other's weaknesses which is important as well. We're not scared to pull each other up on things. I've only been here a year but I feel comfortable telling him when something's not good enough, and he feels the same."
When talk returns to potential vacancies at test level, there is, as Christ acknowledges with a grin, "a gap in the market". Daf adds that their closeness to one another has allowed them to further finesse their partnership. "Because we're at the same club, we can go through it together, almost like a Kruis and Itoje sort of thing." He name-checks Will Rowlands and Ben Carter as fine players currently ahead of them in the pecking order, and emphasises that fulfilling their own destinies is more about hard graft than burgeoning reputations. "If we just think we're gonna do it, it won't happen. We've just got to keep pushing and being down here has helped to keep the hunger strong. We're always trying to chase that first team place, and that's only going to make you look good if hopefully Pivac's watching."
Fortunately I've got not bad genes. I've got that leeway in my diet where I can eat a bit of what I want. I'm still in decent shape considering I haven't run or done any cardio for three months
Christ Tshiunza
Pivac has been watching, and after handing two caps to Tshiunza in the autumn, he selected him again for the Six Nations. A bout of covid disrupted his initial preparations, and a torn hamstring derailed them completely, and while Tshiunza's default demeanour is carefree and relaxed, he confesses to be being "hugely gutted" when his involvement came to a premature end. "In hindsight though," he says, "it's worked out well. In rehab you learn so much about yourself and the type of character you are. When your physios aren't watching, are you doing the things you're supposed to be doing? You have that concentrated time with the physio where you discover more things wrong with you that you wouldn't otherwise have noticed. We're finding out things about my ankles and my shoulder that can also be fixed, which means I'll actually come back a better player."
Newcomers are often teased for their foibles or shortcomings, but in Welsh camp, the main source of mirth for his teammates was not a weakness, rather the exact opposite. Christ was teased by the likes of Liam Williams for being the perfect physical specimen. In a squad full of professional athletes, he stood out. His "rig", to use the vernacular, was impressive to the point of being intimidating. It was this physique that first aroused Pivac's curiosity, who's opined that big, raw-boned power athletes are a rarity in Wales. Asked what he's learned about himself during his many hours of intensive physio Tshiunza replies with amusing candour, "I've got very weak glutes. They aren't where they should be. When it's gym time, you do your hip thrusts, but are you actually hip-thrusting, or is your back doing the work?" There is still, it seems, room for improvement. "Fortunately I've got not bad genes. I've got that leeway in my diet where I can eat a bit of what I want. I'm still in decent shape considering I haven't run or done any cardio for three months, but I'm definitely not as 'ripped' as some of the other boys." When pressed for who ranks ahead of him in the shirts-off stakes, he doesn't hesitate: "Foxy" he says decisively. "Foxy is a very 'vascular' man, and Gareth Davies is in very decent shape."
Will Rowlands has slipped into Alun Wyn Jones' shoes commendably this year (Photo by David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images)
Tshiunza made his test debut at the age of 19, having only played four times for Exeter, and while still turning out for the Exeter University side. There'd been a theory doing the rounds that Pivac wanted to cap him early to prevent England or France sinking their claws into him. Four months on, Christ says there was never a cause for concern. "It was always going to be Wales. I got a lot of stick from the boys here (in Exeter) because of that, but realistically had I gone to live in France, would I even have played rugby? Wales got me into rugby; I played rugby because of Wales. It would make no sense for me to play rugby for England or France. Singing the English or French national anthems wouldn't mean anything to me. The Welsh national anthem actually means something to me – my school, my friends, and my family."
I'd heard how he likes to test people's character and see what type of person they are, so he sat there with his hood up and didn't say anything for a good fifteen minutes
Christ Tshiunza on his first encounter with Alun Wyn Jones
Given his status as a late bloomer, he didn't hero-worship any of the senior players in the way others night have, but he was still a little starstruck when he first arrived in Wales camp. It was a Sunday when he checked in at the Vale Hotel, and all the players bar one had returned home for the weekend. He was enjoying a quiet evening meal with the fitness coach, Paul "Bobby" Stridgeon, when a brooding, hooded figure approached their table without saying a word. Although his face was shrouded by the hood of his training top, it was obvious from his bearing and size that it was Alun Wyn Jones. "I'd heard how he likes to test people's character and see what type of person they are" he says. "So he sat there with his hood up and didn't say anything for a good fifteen minutes. He was just waiting for me to say something to him. I could tell he was thinking, 'who's this young kid?' Bobby's quite loud and did his best to break the ice, cracking jokes and saying, 'what's going on Al? Are we at a funeral, or what?' When I eventually spoke I felt like I was speaking to my teacher and that I'd done something wrong. If Bobby hadn't been there, Al probably wouldn't have spoken at all." After that somewhat surreal introduction, the rest of the boys returned en masse, and Christ quickly developed an unlikely bromance with Liam Williams who took him under his wing and welcomed him into the fold.
One day Alun Wyn Jones will decide to hang up his boots with Jenkins and Tshiunza primed to step up (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
Tshuinza made his debut off the bench against Fiji, and enjoyed another cameo against Australia the following week. It was during the tense final moments of that game that he made a despairing tackle on Kurtley Beale that may well have altered the outcome. The nation's hearts would have collectively sunk when Beale hitch-kicked his way into open space, so often had he been the architect of last-gasp victories over Wales. The Wallabies were two points ahead with two minutes to play, so when Tshiunza scythed him down, forcing him to spill the ball, it was a pivotal moment. "It was just a tackle wasn't it?" he now says, self-deprecatingly. "He's a very fast player and I didn't think I'd catch him, and afterwards, I looked back and thought, 'how on earth did I do that?" When you consider that Beale is one of the most elusive broken field runners in the world game, and Tshiunza is 6'6" and a shade under eighteen stone, it's even more remarkable.
The turnover allowed Wales to launch a counter attack which led, eventually, to a Rhys Priestland penalty, and victory. It should have been dream territory for Tshiunza, but the perfectionist in him wasn't entirely happy: "even at that point, I was thinking I should have caught him before he kicked it. I know he scuffed the kick a bit, but I wasn't satisfied. I could have caught him that one step earlier, before he put his foot on the ball."
It's weird; I used to watch Joe Launchbury highlights on YouTube and stuff, and I ended up lining up against him for my Premiership debut.
Rugby obsessive Dafydd Jenkins
Tshiunza was desperate to kick on during the Six Nations, and found watching from a distance a frustrating experience. "We've got a lot of creative players in that squad, but it felt like we were just waiting for someone to do something, to create something, just a little half break. Pivac is still in his building phase. He hasn't got all his bricks together yet. He's still finding out who plays well with whom, who complements whom."
Dafydd was an equally frustrated observer, unable to take part in the U20s campaign for two reasons: first, because Exeter needed him, and second because he injured his shoulder playing against Northampton. While keen to build on the promise shown during last year's campaign, he reflects that his stint in the Premiership was probably more beneficial. "I got to test myself against the best" he says. "It's weird; I used to watch Joe Launchbury highlights on YouTube and stuff, and I ended up lining up against him for my Premiership debut. Then we played against Gloucester who have the best maul in the league, so (I learned) how to cope with that. On both occasions, when I walked out of the tunnel, I just thought, 'come on then, let's see if I've got it.' We lost against Wasps, but won the next three, and that gave me a lot of confidence because I realised I belonged there."
With the departure of Jonny Hill and Sam Skinner, there should be more opportunities for Tshiunza and Jenkins (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images)
Those four consecutive starts came because Jonny Gray, Jonny Hill, and Sam Skinner were all away on Six Nations duty, but with two of them departing next season, Jenkins saw it as an important audition. While they're still at Sandy Park, he intends to soak up every bit of wisdom and experience he can. "That's one of the reasons I came down here; to learn from all those quality players in the squad. I'm looking at all these different second rows, looking at what they do best and trying to add it to my game. It's a real pleasure working with them, watching how they call line-outs, even stuff like how they do their recovery. There's a culture here where anyone can ask anything and not look stupid. I want to come off at the end of every session having worked harder than them. Everything I see them doing in training now, I make sure I do one more. You just want to have the one up on them."
What this year has taught me is that nothing is impossible. I played about six or seven games on the bounce for Exeter, and went on to play for Wales
Looking to the future, both players are both hoping to pull on the red jersey again in the coming months. Jenkins is hoping the U20s will arrange a summer tournament, and Christ is desperate to face the World Champions in South Africa. The confidence of youth is infectious, and if he feels remotely nervous about the prospect, his manner doesn't betray it. "When I left (the Six Nations camps), I said 'hopefully I'll be back soon', and they said, 'don't worry you will be.' I'm holding on to that. We've based my rehab around being fit for the summer tour." At a time when the whole of Wales appears to be engaged in yet another bout of hand-wringing misery about the state of the game, his optimism and enthusiasm is a refreshing tonic.
Addressing Wales' meek title defence, he is defiant: "no one's going to remember this Six Nations performance if he (Pivac) wins the World Cup." There's an important distinction here. Pivac made a similar sounding declaration in the wake of the Italy defeat, but spoke of reaching the knock-out stages as opposed to the winning the whole thing. It drew ire from Welsh fans who considered it defeatist, even regressive, in tone. Asked if winning the World Cup was a possibility, Tshuinza replies, "What this year has taught me is that nothing is impossible. I sat down with the coaches here last August to talk about my goals for the season. I said 'play rugby and hopefully get at least one game for the boys.' After that conversation I played about six or seven games on the bounce for Exeter, and went on to play for Wales." He pauses for a moment, allowing that though to settle, before repeating, with conviction, "Nothing is really impossible."


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The Tagalog proverb 'ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan' reminds us of the temporal connection between the past, the present, and the future. Considering that our past is central to what we do in the present and the plans we have for the future, we may want to ask ourselves just what does it mean to look at the past?
One approach is acknowledging our presence as migrants. As overseas Filipinos, our communities that are spread all over Europe mirror this temporal connection: we have a generation of retirees, who have made impressions in their respective European countries, and probably the first ones who have showed the western society how hardworking and competent we are; those who have recently migrated to Europe and starting to build their nest and imprint including specifically the generation of Filipino youth; and those who have yet to come who would be sustaining the generational link of the Filipino spirit for years to come.
The other approach, which bears this year's theme, is about remembering and reflecting on our core values in relation to local and global concerns.
Europe and the Philippines. And this year, as we come together in Paris, we do not only pay homage to our values but also find ways to apply these values to address pressing matters such as poverty and development strategies- by consciously looking inwardly at our attitudes and appraise our Filipino core values for the common good. For this year, we take an extrarecognition of the Paris Climate Accord as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
ENFiD's host country, Paris, has played an important role in putting together the Accord de Paris or the Paris Agreement in 2015. It is, indeed, timely and sensible to lift up the discussion on the environment and position our roles as Euro-Pinoys, especially because ENFiD has a concrete initiative that addresses the environment through the biogas digester project. In addition to the environment, we should as well take time to acquaint ourselves with the Global Goals or the SDGs and put these into perspective in connection to, for example, our local endeavors such as our charity groups that promote poverty alleviation in the Philippines; ENFiD's gender and development education activity; and cooperation with other European groups or organisations that are actively promoting the SDGs.
How can we, as global citizens, explore and utilise our Filipino core values to understand the present challenges that confront the Euro-Pinoys and use these as tools to implement the Global Goals 2030 and the Paris Agreement 2015?


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Christie's joins comic market with inaugural auction in Paris
Christie's will launch its first auction dedicated to comics on April 5, 2014, with the auction house encouraged by the buoyancy of the market.
Jean-Pierre Gibrat's Le vol de corbeau. Like Sotheby's and Artcurial, Christie's opted for European comic art, moving away from the specialist US market
Comic book auctions have seen strong results in recent times, and have been embraced by fine art auction houses such as Sotheby's and Artcurial, with the Parisian auction house setting a record for any original comic book art at $1.6m in June 2012.
Paris will also be the location for Christie's first sale, partnering with collector and gallery owner, Daniel Maghen, a specialist in original comic art. The sale features 370 comic lots expected to see around $4.1m.
"This sale has international scope which reinforces the fact that comics are an important artistic craft," commented Maghen.
The offerings focus on the emerging market for European comic books, with demand and prices for the US' Marvel and DC Comics already firmly established.
Christie's will offer historical names such as Peyo, Herge and Tibet, alongside new classics from the likes of Moebius, and emerging talent such as Ralph Meyer.
Among the top consignments is Jean-Pierre Gibrat's Le vol de corbeau, a 2012 piece valued at $48,500-55,500.
Sign up to Paul Fraser Collectibles' free newsletter for the latest collecting insights.
Click here to view our rare illustration art for sale.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


When the chants rise up, Gigi or Gargi Tamang finds that she has to gravitate to the strange object that they seem to emanate from a disc made of a metal that no one can identify. Could the myths that we've heard from time immemorial, actually be true?
Yaduvir and Gargi Tamang, twins are nothing like each other; he, a mild-mannered and scholarly youth, and she, a feisty young woman, full of energy. A telephone call from India suddenly changes their lives. They find that they are the designated guardians and protectors of a strange shield that is both co-vetted and feared by their own clansmen. They are completely unprepared for the adventure they are rocked into, where no one around them seem to be who they are, where they are constantly on the sun and where they have been summoned for a task they cant even accept as true.
Ritu Lalit spent the first few years of her life in the north east of India, where she would lie on the grass and stare at the skies, convinced that she did not belong to this planet. Since she was here, she tried her utmost to fit in, even learn math! But the desire to live in a dream world could not be suppressed, so now she writes fiction. In real life she lives in the NCR (National Capital Region) with her two sons, a daughter-in-law, three dogs and 20 fishes.
Hilawi, ventures into a genre of mythological fantasy and suspense, which Ritu Lalit has penned down with aplomb. An enthralling tale of intrigue and suspense with the interwound mythological fantasy with present day penned down in beautiful words.
Fantasy, One of the most popular genres, also, One of the most difficult genres to write on with, The author with her strong and crisp writing has blended mythology with an entirely new tale that is set in the modern times which intertwines between the past and the present in a beautifully way.
The plot changes with a blink of an eye with its twists and turns, which you may feel as a roller-coaster ride. It totally engrosses the reader and one has to wear his / her thinking cap while reading the book. Its fast paced which keeps you engaged with the book, this might be a turn off for some readers, but at the same time it adds up the points of the book.
A Recommended book by Books Review Forum.


Clarkin-Phillips, J., Carr, M., Thomas, R., Waitai, M., & Lowe, J. (2013). Stay behind the yellow line: Young children constructing knowledge from an art exhibition. Curator: The Museum Journal, 56, 4, 407-420.
Studies exploring very young children visiting museums and art galleries are few. The majority of research about museum and gallery visitors explores family group interactions. This paper examines the findings of a study involving three- and four-year-old children visiting an art exhibition in a national museum on more than one occasion. The children's construction of knowledge about being a museum visitor and exhibitor indicates their ability to develop an appreciation of art and an understanding of the purposes of museums and art galleries.


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Brief Outline: Couple declined screening on principle in previous two and current pregnancy. Had a scan at around 20 weeks in two pregnancies for dating purposes only.
Background: Children' Two (ages 2 and 1), Occupation' Mother - full-time mother, Father (age 37 at interview)- Pastor (former doctor), Marital status' Married.
She would encourage parents to think carefully why they are having screening and what they would...
I mean, firstly, I would say, 'Just realise it is an anomaly scan,' because I think you can still, even though people tell you, you can still go into it thinking, 'Oh, I'll get to see my little baby and have a picture of them.' And it could then come as a shock if somebody says, 'Oh well, actually, there's this and this that might be wrong.'
But more fundamentally, I would say, 'Have you thought of what, or who you're actually carrying?' It's hard, because I guess it comes down to what you believe, and if you believe that you're carrying an individual, and this is already a person with a life and a soul and - just think of, through the implications of what, what you're doing, because once you know there's an abnormality, are you prepared to terminate and just the consequences of that? And if you think, well, you wouldn't want to anyway, well, then, why have the scan?
So I guess I would encourage people to think through fundamentally what, you know, 'Who are you carrying, basically? Is this a person, or do you just think it's a, a bunch of cells or something?' And I would think the answer's 'a person'. This is already a little person, even if they haven't said hello to you yet, effectively.
So from my belief I'd encourage them to think that way, but you can only say so much. It's up to each one to make their own decisions. But to think it through, I think is the most important, because maybe you just do things.
It depends also on how you react to GPs, and some people can feel, 'Gosh, I don't know anything. I'd better do what everyone else does and what they say.' And just to say that, you know, 'You can stop and think it through.' I think I had it easier because with a husband with a medical background it wasn't hard to talk about - get more information and talk about the implications.
I imagine if somebody doesn't have immediate access to information like that, it might be easier just to say, 'Oh well, let's just do it,' because that's what most people do. But yeah, I'd encourage people to think about it and then make a decision.
She decided not to have any screening because it creates anxiety and as a Christian she would...
We chatted it over and he's got a medical background, which I think was significant. And sort of talked through what's the point of screening and what are the implications of having a scan, and also other people that I know who've had scans - especially one lady I knew who'd had a scan and showed Down's Syndrome, and in fact the child was normal. And just the worry that she'd been through, which was in fact unnecessary. And so that was obviously in my mind.
And then other issues we discussed were, you know, what can you actually do? Because we definitely wouldn't abort, being Christians and believing that this was a person from the moment of conception, would put it, you know - you wouldn't. That's killing life, so we wouldn't, that wouldn't be an option so we thought, well, what's the point if you're not going to abort anyway?
In that sense, there's no point in knowing and worrying unnecessarily. The other thing was the thing if, you can't know if - I think they give a percentage possibility, at least in some cases, of a possible abnormality, and you think, well, it's not even sure. It's not such a clear yes or no, but the fundamental thing was that we weren't going to abort and we were going to have the pregnancy right through to the end, so why have a scan? That was the fundamental, I guess.
So in the end it was quite a quick decision?
Yeah, it didn't take long. I guess I hadn't really thought it through so we were just sitting down and thinking through the implications and what we believed. It just seemed quite clear.
Did you think at any stage that even if you weren't going to contemplate a termination that it might be useful to know to prepare yourselves if you were going to have a baby with problems?
I guess that is something I did think of, but I guess the other side of it was that I might worry unnecessarily. So in that sense I thought, well, you know, effectively God will give us the child he wants to give us and give us the ability to take care of this child, whatever the case - whether they're normal or they might only live for a few weeks after they're born.
So, as it were, trusting in that, and also, I guess we live in a country where there are good medical facilities and I felt it was not being irresponsible not having the scan. So, yeah, on balance I felt it was.
He did not want screening because as a Christian he feels it undermines people with disabilities...
We would rather not have known. Obviously, if it is something like cardiac defect where they might need to do emergency surgery as soon as the baby is born, that's a different situation.
But that's so rare that we felt that, weighing that up with basically not wanting to know if there was something wrong - because I think, psychologically, there's a big difference between having a baby in front of you who's just been born and then discovering that that child has Down's syndrome or something, that obviously no-one would want their child to have - but that's very different from discovering that through some screening.
And I think, psychologically, it's much easier to cope with if you actually have the child there in front of you, than if it's an anonymous person that you've never actually seen. And I think that there's probably been a tendency, as a result of screening to effectively undermine people with disabilities.
Because, you know, if the majority of screening is for people with disability and then the option is offered to parents, 'Do you want to go for an abortion?' You know, it's not, what's that saying to those who do have Down's syndrome or those who do have other abnormalities? I think that people need to be valued and a phrase that my wife and I have often used is that, you know, the baby God gives to us is the baby that we'll look after, and if that's the child with whatever, we'll still love and care for that child.
He feels people should be more fully informed about the purpose of screening and that it could...
What would you say to other parents thinking now about whether or not to go for screening? What would you say they should be considering?
Father' I personally think that it would be far better to spend the money that's spent on screening and spend that actually on supporting parents who do have children who have whatever condition. And, in that sense, I would encourage parents to think in those terms.
Because, you know, it might just be a drop in the ocean, one person not having all these screening tests, but if a lot more people thought about it rather than just going down this bandwagon - and to be honest, I think that, you know, it is the expectation and I think that the medical profession shouldn't portray it in that way.
I think they should say, 'Look, do you realise that really the main indication for having this particular screening, this ultrasound, is to look for an abnormality? the only treatment for that (in quotes) would be a termination.' I think if people understood that more and also understood the potential worry that it can cause, you know, if there's, 'Well, there's a 50% chance that your child could have this,' and then all the weeks of worry.
Whereas, you know, I think pregnancy should be a happy time, rather than a worrying time. So I would urge parents not to be pressurised into having any screening. Obviously if heart defects or whatever are in the family, that's quite a different situation, but that's such a small, tiny fraction of those that, you know, that isn't really the indication for any screening.
Okay, and messages for health professionals you were sort of wrapping up in that, really, but I mean, is there anything else you would say to health professionals about how they should inform people?
Father' Most people going for a scan, I imagine, are going thinking, 'I'll come away reassured.' Those who are told that there's something wrong are going to come away just very anxious and worried.
And I can remember, for example, when as a group of 100 medical students, we all had our cholesterol level taken and the person who was giving the lecture - and then we were going to go off and have ours done and it was all part of just teaching on cholesterol levels and so on - I thought he did it very well because he said, 'Statistically, one of you in this room should have, will have a very elevated level of cholesterol.' And that brought it home that, actually, this wasn't just something you go in and swing into and swing out of, but you could come away with some serious news.
Now, obviously cholesterol screening is a completely different thing and very useful, because then you can actually do something about it. But I think if health professionals said to any mother-to-be, 'Do you realise - or if you have this it may well be - or there's a 1% chance, 2% chance, whatever the percentage is, that you'll come away very worried?' I think that ought to be said.
Although he enjoyed the 20-week scan, it was buying baby clothes that made the pregnancy seem real.
The whole set up was very friendly and, you know, I felt that we didn't have to wait too long, which was nice. And it was interesting seeing the child. I mean, I suppose because I've seen a lot of scans for others, in that sense it, there wasn't the interest factor. I think it meant more for my wife than it did for me, because obviously she hadn't seen scans. She wanted to take a picture home and so on and so forth.
So, for you it didn't sort of say, 'Ooh, suddenly, this is my baby. This is real'?
No, to be honest the first time it really came home to me that we were having a baby - obviously intellectually - but emotionally, I suppose, the first time it really came home to me was when we actually bought some baby clothes and you started to visualise a real baby inside these body suits.
So that was before the birth?
Yeah, just 2 weeks before.I mean, it wasn't that I was unprepared but, emotionally, I think that was the first time it really came home.
That's interesting, because often people say, you know, the scan is the point at which it suddenly becomes real for them.
That this is actually happening and there is a real baby there.
Yeah, but I mean I've heard it said, and read that, you know, for some people it isn't until they've had the screening that they start to bond with the baby inside them, because they still have this kind of opt-out clause, which I think is very sad.


text:
After eight-year hiatus, the historic East Broad Top Railroad plans to get back on track with new owner
The East Broad Top Railroad's No. 14 switches cars by the railroad's machine-shop complex. (Photo by Lawrence Biemiller)
By Daniel Urie | durie@pennlive.com
After an eight-year hiatus East Broad Top Railroad will soon get a new life. The railroad in Rockhill Furnace, Huntingdon County, has a new owner.
EBT Foundation Inc., a new nonprofit organization has purchased the railroad from the Kovalchick family.
"This is the best possible outcome for the railroad, which has been in my family for two generations," Joseph Kovalchick, said in a press release. "It is with a combination of pride and relief that we pass the torch in its second reincarnation."
Joseph 's father, Nick Kovalchick, purchased the East Broad Top Railroad & Coal Company after its coal mines closed back in 1956. The Kovalchicks will continue to own coal-company property that had been jointly owned with the railroad.
"When my father bought the company, it was never his intention to scrap the railroad," Joseph Kovalchick said. "At the time he was the only one to stand for the EBT (East Broad Top Railroad), and his role in the history books is assured. My generation has struggled to balance the need to preserve this national treasure with running it as a business, and I take pride in our role in its survival. But it is clear that a for-profit business model is not sustainable. Our faith in the new model is reflected in both the sale and the Kovalchick family's ongoing role on the board of the new non-profit."
East Broad Top Railroad No. 15 eases a train of antique coaches across Meadow Street in Rockhill Furnace, Pa., in 2010. (Photo by Lawrence Biemiller)
PLAN YOUR NEXT TRIP: StubHub, Airbnb, Camping World, Ticketmaster and Expedia.
READ MORE: Around 450 stores, restaurants and places to play will (eventually) fill this massive N.J. mall: What are they?
The railroad has been closed since Dec. 23, 2011.
The EBT Foundation will hold several events this year, which is the 60th anniversary of the start of tourist service on the railroad. EBT plans to resume regular operation in 2021. The foundation will own approximately 27 miles of the line, from the south end of the concrete-arch bridge over the Aughwick River below Mount Union to the road crossing in Wood Township. The foundation will also own the narrow-gauge railroad's shops, rolling stock, and equipment.
Brad Esposito, a 20-year veteran of the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad, a Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. company, led the effort to purchase the railroad, along with David Brightbill, Lawrence Biemiller, and Stephen Lane. Backers of the new organization also include Wick Moorman, former chairman and CEO of Norfolk Southern and former CEO of Amtrak; Henry Posner III, a former Conrail manager who is chairman of the Iowa Interstate Railroad and the Railroad Development Corporation, of Pittsburgh; and Bennett Levin, a retired mechanical and electrical engineer who owns the Juniata Terminal Company, which operates two Pennsylvania Railroad E8 diesel locomotives and three private cars. Terms of the sale were not disclosed. The new organization's advisors include Linn Moedinger, former president of the Strasburg Rail Road and Rod Case, a partner at the consulting firm Oliver Wyman who leads their railway practice.
The parlor car "Orbisonia," once the East Broad Top Railroad president's private car, waits with locomotive No 12. (Photo by Lawrence Biemiller)
Esposito will become the general manager of the railroad and said in the press release that the mission of the foundation is to preserve and operate the East Broad Top as a steam railroad; to educate visitors about the role of railroads in local and national history; and to promote local and regional tourism and economic growth.
Esposito says the organization's immediate priorities are to overhaul track and equipment, including locomotives and passenger cars; install a fire-suppression system in the machine shops and roundhouse, and to work on several structural stabilization projects that will be undertaken in the railroad's Rockhill Furnace complex.
"The East Broad Top is a unique national treasure unmatched anywhere in the United States," Esposito said.
The 33-mile-long East Broad Top Railroad was built from 1872 to 1874 to haul coal to a new iron furnace in the center of the state. When the last of the coal mines closed in 1956, the East Broad Top was purchased by the Kovalchick Salvage Company of Indiana, Pa. Despite being in the scrap business, the company left the railroad intact and in 1960 reopened a portion of the line for steam-powered tourist trains. The organization says that the railroad is the only original narrow-gauge railroad surviving east of the Rocky Mountains.
The foundation says that the railroad's shops complex, which dates to the 1880s and was greatly expanded from 1905 to 1907, is among the most complete early-20th-century industrial facilities anywhere in the U.S.
Still in the railroad's roundhouse are six narrow-gauge steam locomotives built for the railroad by Philadelphia's Baldwin Locomotive Works between 1911 and 1920. Other railroad equipment includes several passenger cars believed to date to the 1890s, and numerous steel freight cars built in the railroad shops.
The foundation is looking for volunteers.
"This will be a monumental undertaking," Esposito said. "And I encourage anyone interested in helping us to join the Friends of the East Broad Top and come work on buildings, track and equipment."
An event announcing the new plans was held on Friday in Rockhill Furnace.
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The WFPF is an organization of athletes from around the world, some on teams, some not, who've come together to help bring the sport and philosophy of Parkour to mainstream audiences everywhere. Like anything alive and exciting, Parkour is evolving. Every person who makes a discovery and posts it on YouTube contributes to that process. By bringing together a diverse group of practitioners from all kinds of places and backgrounds, each with their own unique mentality, and each with deep roots in the wider community, the WFPF's goal is that the voices of the movement will continue to shape that change in a positive direction.
We encourage all individuals to find their own training, to discover new ways of seeing their environment, to be pathfinders for us all as they overcome whatever obstacles seem to be standing between them, and where they dream of going.
We look forward to sharing in your discoveries! Know Obstacles! Know Freedom!


text:
Quick Answer: Which Zone Is Croydon In?
1 Which zone is South Croydon?
2 Is Croydon Oyster zone?
3 What are Zones 1 to 6 in London?
4 What travel zone is West Croydon?
5 Can I use Oyster card to Croydon?
6 Is South Croydon safe?
7 Is Gatwick in the oyster zone?
8 Can I use Oyster at East Croydon?
9 How far is Croydon from central London?
10 What are the 6 zones?
11 How do I find my zone in London?
12 Is Oyster cheaper than contactless?
13 What zones are covered by a Travelcard?
14 What zone is Morden?
15 What zone is Peckham?
Which zone is South Croydon?
South Croydon railway station is in the London Borough of Croydon in south London, in Travelcard Zone 5. It is on the Brighton Line at its junction with the Oxted Line, 11 miles 21 chains (18.1 km) measured from London Bridge.
Is Croydon Oyster zone?
East Croydon is a railway station and tram stop in the town of Croydon, Greater London, England, and is located in Travelcard Zone 5.
What are Zones 1 to 6 in London?
Within London, all London Underground, National Rail, London Overground, TfL Rail and Docklands Light Railway stations are assigned to six fare zones. Fare zone 1 covers the central area and fare zones 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 form concentric rings around it.
What travel zone is West Croydon?
West Croydon is a combined railway, bus station and tram stop in Croydon, south London. It is served by National Rail, London Overground, Tramlink and London Buses services and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The East London line, part of London Overground, was extended to the station in 2010.
You might be interested: Quick Answer: Ealing Hospital How Many Beds?
Can I use Oyster card to Croydon?
East Croydon rail station is within Travelcard Zone 5, but all Tramlink stops are within Travelcard Zone 4. London buses no longer accept cash payments for any journeys and all adult passengers must use an Oystercard or contactless debit/credit card.
Is South Croydon safe?
9) Croydon Croydon is a South London borough located just over nine miles from Charing Cross. In fact, in 2018 Croydon was ranked one of the worst parts of London in terms of knife crime. With a total of 33,410 (including 11,771 violence against the person) crimes, Croydon is London's ninth most dangerous borough.
Is Gatwick in the oyster zone?
Gatwick has no Oyster fare zone and specific fare cap, your Oyster is just debited for the fare between Gatwick and London. If you interchange between the Gatwick Train journey and the London Underground / DLR networks you will have to pass through ticket barriers at the interchange rail station.
Can I use Oyster at East Croydon?
East Croydon station You can top up pay-as-you-go on Oyster using the self service ticket machines. Oyster Cards cannot be purchased at this station.
How far is Croydon from central London?
Distance between Central London and Croydon is 5265 KM / 3271.7 miles.
What are the 6 zones?
What Are The 6 Zones Of Atlanta?
Zone 1: Northwest Atlanta.
Zone 2: Buckhead/Northeast Atlanta.
Zone 3: Southeast Atlanta.
Zone 4: Southwest Atlanta.
Zone 6: East Atlanta.
How do I find my zone in London?
You can see the zone on the tube map. The zones are marked in either white or grey. Scroll around or type in a station name in the search box to see the zone.
You might be interested: Quick Answer: What Zone Is West Ealing In?
Is Oyster cheaper than contactless?
Otherwise an Oyster on a Pay As You Go basis or a Contactless payment card is cheaper. If you are a resident or long-term visitor there are monthly and annual Travelcards. You can load 7 day Travelcards onto an Oyster card and switch between Oyster Pay As You Go and Travelcard as your travel patterns change.
What zones are covered by a Travelcard?
The travelcard that is included with the London Pass package can be used within Zones 1-6 on London's local buses, London Underground, National Rail Trains, Docklands Light Rail, and the Tramlink.
What zone is Morden?
Morden is a London Underground station in Morden in the London Borough of Merton. The station is the southern terminus for the Northern line and is the most southerly station on the Underground network. The next station north is South Wimbledon. The station is located on London Road (A24), and is in Travelcard Zone 4.
What zone is Peckham?
It is in Travelcard Zone 2 and is 3 miles 36 chains (5.6 km) measured from London Bridge or 5 miles 13 chains (8.3 km) measured from London Victoria.


The company has its origins in october 1969. Two friends, Antoni and Jordi, got excited and begin a new phase in their life: employers and employees, something less problematic than at present, with the name of ELECTRICITAT AN-JO . Unfortunately, a few years after , Toni disappeared from our lives and the company continued with the name of Electricitat J. Figueras, SA until 1991.
It is from that time when the sons of Jordi, Francesc first and then Dani enter in the family business and it takes the current name of FIGUERAS FILLS, SL - PROJECTS OF ELECTRICITY AND LIGHTING. Youth brings new ideas and new projects together with veteran father turned this family business the ideal project to offer the utmost attention and services.
It is for that reason that we are pleased to celebrate these 45 years in 2015 with all of you. Thanks to all our satisfied customers of these 45 years, we would not exist without you.


$508 billion have been allotted in the Iran budget 2012, an addition of 40 percent on the 2011 budget. The Irani President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had earlier on proposed a budget of 540 billion US dollars but the legislators have reduced it due to fears of inflation.
The Iran 2011-12 budget has been consented to by the national parliament with 149 votes in its favor and 61 votes against the same.
Iran has been able to increase its budget for the upcoming fiscal due to the substantial reduction in food and energy subsidies. This reduction is a part of a five year subsidy reform plan of the Iranian government.
The quick increase in oil prices has also assisted Iran to create a bigger budget for 2012.
At present, every barrel of oil is being sold at more than 100 dollars a rate that is applicable for several other leading producers of oil.
In Saudi Arabia one barrel of oil is sold at around 50 to 55 dollars but in Iran the prices will be approximately $81.50. The 2012 budget is also based on these prices.
For the 2011-12 fiscal Iran will spend approximately US$ 513 billion in all areas.
Majority of the money will be spent for the publicly held companies and the banking sector.
It is expected that by 2012 fiscal Iran will be able to refine 3 million barrels of oil per day.
The government will also look to add to its tax revenues by implementing an economic reform plan that will primarily generate more tax revenue from the business houses.
The OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) manager for Iran, Omar Khatibi, has said oil prices can pick up during the coming summer. He feels that the main reason behind that is the fact that during the summer season people go for long vacations on cars and that leads to increase in the demand for petroleum.
In recent times Iran has seen an unprecedented decrease in oil prices more than 16 dollars per barrel. Much of this has happened because of demand related problems and the decision of investors to reduce the levels of commodities exposures.
Ahmad Tavakoli, the head of Iranian parliamentary research center, has stated that in 2011 fiscal inflation could touch the 40 percent mark. He has criticized the budget saying that it is not beneficial for Iran. The Department of Statistics of Iran has stated that if the government can implement a fiscal plan it can save a minimum of 30 to 35 percent of its expenditure.
One criticism that has often been leveled against Ahmadinejad by the Iranian legislators is that he is keeping too much power in his hands with the budget. Iran is facing some problems due to the sanctions that have been placed on them several international companies who were willing to operate in its energy sector are being discouraged due to the sanctions.
Analysts opine that at present Iran is undergoing a phase of economic recovery and is reducing its subsidies that have run up to several billion dollars and have been instrumental in limiting the prices of food, fuel and other necessary goods.
He has stated that this budget could reduce the rights of the national parliament. 50 percent of Iran s budgetary expenses are dedicated towards subsidizing basic goods and services such as fuel, bread, electricity and rice.
It is assumed that if the oil prices continue to do well then the possible financial impact of the sanctions on Iran can be offset to a significant extent. The performance of oil prices are also expected to create a buffer for consumers in case there is any inflation. Iran presently makes several cash payments in order to cover up for the subsidy cuts.


With a successful first round, Laek House and Prolly is Not Probably decided to give Asphalt another whirl. This time, we're working with Hold Fast, the Red Hook, Brooklyn-based company who single-handedly changed the way you look at your foot retention. Ok so, maybe not, but they sure sparked something!
Keep watch tomorrow as the competition launches!


Where can the smallest change make the biggest difference?
We have found that one insightful question, asked regularly, can make a big difference for your effectiveness. Here's today's killer question: Where can the smallest change make the biggest difference?
The brain's natural choice for goals is what researchers call "be-good goals": fit in, go along, do well enough not to get in trouble. The goals that grow us far more helpfully are "get-better goals." They irritate us, stretch us, drive us to build our lives forward.
There are three steps to getting better: aim, pilot, and grow. Aim at what's meaningful and compelling; pilot-test a better way to get there; and, if things get better, keep that improvement and grow. If they don't get better, try something else. Now, do it again.
Hitting resistance? Try differently, not harder. Ask, Where can the smallest change make the biggest difference? Start there, test there. Your fearful brain resists less when all you're looking for is a small change, and you grow more.
Along the way, take more notes. Your mind can only hold one Post-It-note-worth of information in working memory. Everything more than that creates overwhelm. Quickly record ideas and thoughts to keep your mind clear, free of that tell-tale dazed look we get when we are juggling too much mental stuff and missing the moments that really matter.
« Is this just the best of what's common, or is it the best of what's possible?


text:
Q: Macro to access a specific member of a list I want to be able to have a macro access a specific element of a list. The following code works, however requires me to have two separate macros: one that accepts a list, and the other that accepts the name of a macro that contains the list.
\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{calc}
\usepackage{xstring}

\begin{document}

\newcommand*{\GetListMemberA}[2]{%
    \foreach \a [count=\i] in {#1} {%
        \IfEq{\i}{#2}{\a\breakforeach}{}%
    }%
    \par%
}%

% This is same as above except does not have {} around #1
\newcommand*{\GetListMemberB}[2]{%
    \foreach \a [count=\i] in #1 {%
        \IfEq{\i}{#2}{\a\breakforeach}{}%
    }%
    \par%
}%

\newcommand*{\MyList}{a1,b2,c3,d4,e5}%

% These work if the foreach uses {#1} (ie, with the curly braces)
This should print "b": \GetListMemberA{a,b,c,d,e}{2}%
This should be blank: \GetListMemberA{a,b,c,d,e}{6}%

% These work if the foreach uses #1 (ie, without the curly braces}
This should be "a1": \GetListMemberB{\MyList}{1}%
This should be "c3": \GetListMemberB{\MyList}{3}%
This should be blank: \GetListMemberB{\MyList}{6}%

\end{document}

This question on TikZ \foreach loop with macro-defined list suggest to remove the braces around the macro when using a foreach, and that is how I was able to come up with this solution.
So, how can I change this so I don't have to have two macros?
I don't think this issue is related to Using Macro Defined Lists in TikZ/PGFplots as that was specific to lists used to label tick marks on axis.

A: You can use \StrBetween and your code does not require calc or pgf:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{xstring}
\begin{document}

% This works both with inline lists and with macros containing lists
\newcommand*\GetListMember[2]{\StrBetween[#2,\number\numexpr#2+1]{,#1,},,\par}%

\newcommand*\MyList{a1,b2,c3,d4,e5}

This should print "b": \GetListMember{a,b,c,d,e}{2}
This should be blank: \GetListMember{a,b,c,d,e}{6}

This should be "a1": \GetListMember{\MyList}{1}
This should be "c3": \GetListMember{\MyList}{3}
This should be blank: \GetListMember{\MyList}{6}
\end{document}

A: The macro \mypkg_expand:Nw expands or not the argument of a function depending on whether it is unbraced, or braced. The \GetListMember is just defined through that macro, and \GetListMember_aux:nn recieves the list (expanded once) as a first argument and the index as a second. Now \clist_item:nn starts counting at 1. Negative arguments start from the right, but require a recent version of the expl3 package.
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{expl3}
\ExplSyntaxOn
\cs_new_protected_nopar:Npn \mypkg_expand:Nw #1
  {
    \peek_catcode_ignore_spaces:NTF \c_group_begin_token
      { #1 } { \exp_args:NV #1 }
  }
\cs_new_nopar:Npn \GetListMember
  { \mypkg_expand:Nw \GetListMember_aux:nn }
\cs_new_nopar:Npn \GetListMember_aux:nn #1 #2
  {
    \clist_item:nn {#1} {#2}
    \par
  }
\ExplSyntaxOff

\begin{document}
\newcommand*{\MyList}{a1,b2,c3,d4,e5}

This should print ``b'': \GetListMember{a,b,c,d,e}{2}%
This should be blank:  \GetListMember{a,b,c,d,e}{6}%
This should be ``a1'':   \GetListMember\MyList{1}%
This should be ``c3'':   \GetListMember\MyList{3}%
This should be blank:  \GetListMember\MyList{6}%

\smallskip

This should print ``b'': \GetListMember{a,b,c,d,e}{-4}%
This should be blank:  \GetListMember{a,b,c,d,e}{-6}%
This should be ``a1'':   \GetListMember\MyList{-5}%
This should be ``c3'':   \GetListMember\MyList{-3}%
This should be blank:  \GetListMember\MyList{-6}%

\end{document}

A: To make the macro work both with inline lists and with lists in macros, you can use \edef to assemble the loop command, with \noexpand before every macro except for the arguments:
\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{calc}
\usepackage{xstring}

\begin{document}

% This works both with inline lists and with macros containing lists
\newcommand*{\GetListMember}[2]{%
    \edef\dotheloop{%
    \noexpand\foreach \noexpand\a [count=\noexpand\i] in {#1} {%
        \noexpand\IfEq{\noexpand\i}{#2}{\noexpand\a\noexpand\breakforeach}{}%
    }}%
    \dotheloop
    \par%
}%

\newcommand*{\MyList}{a1,b2,c3,d4,e5}%

This should print "b": \GetListMember{a,b,c,d,e}{2}%
This should be blank: \GetListMember{a,b,c,d,e}{6}%

This should be "a1": \GetListMember{\MyList}{1}%
This should be "c3": \GetListMember{\MyList}{3}%
This should be blank: \GetListMember{\MyList}{6}%

\end{document}

A: This doesn't cope with the case when you try it with one element list that happens to be a control sequence. It would be possible to make the difference according to whether a brace follows or not, but I don't find this very robust.
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{xparse}

\ExplSyntaxOn
\NewExpandableDocumentCommand{\GetListMember}{mm}
 {
  \bool_lazy_and:nnTF { \tl_if_single_p:n { #1 } } { \token_if_cs_p:N #1 }
   {% it's a control sequence
    \clist_item:Nn #1 { #2 }
   }
   {
    \clist_item:nn { #1 } { #2 }
   }
 }
\ExplSyntaxOff

\begin{document}

\newcommand*{\MyList}{a1,b2,c3,d4,e5}%

This should print ``b'': \GetListMember{a,b,c,d,e}{2}

This should be blank: \GetListMember{a,b,c,d,e}{6}

This should be ``a1'': \GetListMember{\MyList}{1}

This should be ``c3'': \GetListMember{\MyList}{3}

This should be blank: \GetListMember{\MyList}{6}

This should be ``a1'': \GetListMember\MyList{1}

This should be ``c3'': \GetListMember\MyList{3}

This should be blank: \GetListMember\MyList{6}

\end{document}

In general, I'd prefer using * in the case we want a control sequence (or conversely, according to your preferences).
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{xparse}

\ExplSyntaxOn
\NewExpandableDocumentCommand{\GetListMember}{smm}
 {
  \IfBooleanTF{#1}
   {% * means control sequence
    \clist_item:Nn #2 { #3 }
   }
   {
    \clist_item:nn { #2 } { #3 }
   }
 }
\ExplSyntaxOff

\begin{document}

\newcommand*{\MyList}{a1,b2,c3,d4,e5}%

This should print ``b'': \GetListMember{a,b,c,d,e}{2}

This should be blank: \GetListMember{a,b,c,d,e}{6}

This should be ``a1'': \GetListMember*{\MyList}{1}

This should be ``c3'': \GetListMember*{\MyList}{3}

This should be blank: \GetListMember*{\MyList}{6}

\end{document}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The bathrooms are dated but functional, and with 4.5 bathrooms, there is plenty of privacy for everyone.
The master closet has lots of space for all of your clothes.
Views abound from the Tuscan Villa.
Relax outside and enjoy some BBQ dinner by the water feature.
The mid-level has a second kitchen, just in case you need another oven for your creations.
Light and airy common spaces include this landing with stained glass windows.
"The Tuscan Villa" sleeps up to 25 guests!
The Villa has modern amenities, a quiet location with private outdoor space and tons of parking, and proximity to all that Seattle has to offer.
Enter the home on the entertaining floor. Here you will find a large, light filled living room with decorative fireplace, queen size sleeper sofa and loveseat, and plenty of room for games, reading, sipping wine, and enjoying the sweeping views of the lake and mountains. A wraparound porch is outside the living room. On the other side of the foyer is the dining area. We have put in a dining table with 14 seats. 3 bar stools are nearby, and folding chairs are provided to accommodate even larger groups. Just outside the French doors from the dining area is your urban oasis: an outdoor patio with BBQ, lots of dining space, and a small water feature. The kitchen is modern, with stainless steel appliances and gas stove. There is plenty of room to work and create fabulous family meals.
Ascend the stairs to the top floor, passing stained glass windows on the way. The master suite is furnished with a king bed. It has a walk in closet and en suite bathroom. The master suite features sweeping views of the lake and mountains.
Two additional bedrooms are upstairs, and share a full bathroom. One has a king bed. The other has a twin over twin bunk bed as well as a twin over full bunk bed.
One level below the entertaining floor is a floor with a second large social space. Here you will find another queen size sleeper sofa and loveseat. There is a second kitchen, as well as laundry facilities. This floor also has a bedroom with queen bed and twin over twin bunk, and a full bathroom.
One more flight down is a floor with full bathroom and 3 bedrooms. Two of the lowest level bedrooms have king beds. The third bedroom has a twin over full bunk bed and twin bed.
"Tuscan Villa" is the newest listing from Seattle Vacation Home. The photos currently shown are not "as furnished" but are from a recent realty listing. New photographs will be uploaded soon. Until then, please see our 25+ other listings for a sense of furniture styles.
Note that the bathrooms of this home are "80s era" and subject for renovation in the upcoming winter.


text:
My Velvet Instant
Contemporary Art Blog | Middle East and beyond
Aleksandar Bezinovic | Burning them through epochs
The first time I saw Aleksandar Bezinovic's works it felt like time traveling, without knowing to which era. His pieces are charged with historical references, playing an anachronistic game on his canvases. Filled with signs, texts and symbols, his works invite to a deeper observation, revealing quietly provocative mysteries.
Born in Croatia, Bezinovic studied Fine Arts and later worked at the Croatian restoration institute as a wood and polychromy conservator for the gothic and baroque period, which contributed to his artistic inspirations. In parallel to this, he started creating and exhibiting his works, with 13 solo shows and over 30 group exhibitions, from Croatia to New York, passing by France and Germany. This year, Bezinovic moved to Dubai, where he co-founded an animation studio, a project born from his whiteboard illustrator experience back home. This background has a strong influence on Bezinovic's work, as his ideas and compositions start with graphic design, to later on be laid on canvas or paper.
Pairing his new enterprise with artistic creation, he tells more about the essence of his work.
Can you tell me about the media you use, and how you work them, especially the metallic leaves, to give your pieces this "vintage" feel?
I love to experiment with different kinds of materials especially if they are not conventionally artistic. Metal leaf is usually connected to trivial and decorative techniques and because of that, it was a special challenge. At first I used them as a reference on early renaissance paintings and iconic representations, but very soon purity of that material became too irritating for me, and destructive forces turned on. I wanted to create expressive backgrounds with specific Yin energy and started applying acrylics, tar, acids, variety of solutions, burning them with fire guns. There are some secrets of the process that I don't want to reveal but I must say that I, unfortunately, permanently destroyed few of very good paintings with fire. I really enjoy this process on the large scale formats. I mostly paint with acrylic colors because it's faster and gives me more space to experiment after with different materials.
Some of the texts appearing on your pieces come from Croatian lullabies. What is the link to your artwork and how did this association begin?
Nursery songs and lullabies appear on a series of paintings I created for the exhibition "Croatie la voici" in Paris, celebrating Croatia's entry into the European Union in 2013. France has launched a festival that specifically focuses on Croatian arts and culture. I was featured with three works from this series, all based on a contemporary interpretation of traditional archery painted targets, popular between the 16th and 19th centuries in European archery societies. Because these traditional targets usually had a calligraphic inscription, I decided to use Croatian lullabies on targets to symbolically mark the accession of the youngest member state of EU. In general, I like to write over my paintings and create semantic and contextual turnarounds.
"Pliva patka preko Save..." (Croatian lullaby about a duck, carrying a letter that says "I don't love you anymore")
What inspired you to create the piece called "Djiha Djiha cetiri noge"?
Djiha designates a horse's mane, and is also used as a call while horseracing. The subject is a child's play with the chair, pretending to ride a stiff legged horse on a long journey. There is a certain irony in using zebra patterns, but I couldn't resist that decorative trophy jewel. Numbers represent target points around a central target, also there to create more mystical tension.
Djiha Djiha cetiri noge
You mix styles and elements from different ages, which make your work look timeless. If you had to pick an era, a moment in history other than the present, to create, what would it be?
I can't decide between Early Renaissance and Post World War II New York's art scene. Probably because both have in common rebirth after crisis, so the great energy and creativity is accumulated. But the postmodern era would also suit me well.
In such a different moment in time, how do you think your work would evolve?
It is hard to say. From my present experience it depends on a lot of non-artistic circumstances as well. But creating in inspirational movement, surrounding myself with creative and enthusiastic people can only do well.
Polyhedra Warp Drawing
What are your next creative projects and challenges?
I'm still a new painter in town and every day I discover advantages and disadvantages of being an expat artist in Dubai. So the biggest challenge for now is to get involved in the local art scene and get the chance to keep developing my work. I want to continue with my Polyhedra project and soon start transferring sketches and drawings onto large canvases. I let myself be influenced by local surroundings so geometrical solids that I deconstruct are becoming more organic, gestural, even calligraphic in character. I'm also engaged in an ambitious animation project as an artist and storyboard illustrator and that is the foundation of my stay in Dubai so I wish it goes well as expected.
For more information and upcoming events, keep an eye on https://www.facebook.com/myvelvetinstant
Images courtesy of Aleksandar Bezinovic
Labels: Aleksandar Bezinovic, Architecture, Art, Calligraphy, Croatia, Dubai, Graphic Design, Illustrator, myvelvetinstant, Painter, UAE
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text:
Q: how to fix NullPointerException in generic circular array queue I am trying to create a basic airport simulation using two queues. They are supposed to alternate between taking off, and when one has no more 'planes' left, the NPE needs to be handled so that the other queue can continue going until the loop has finished and both queues have run out, as one has 7 entries and the other has 4. I thought if I tried to put an exception handler in the dequeue method it might fix it, but I have to use a generic class for it, so that didn't work properly. As of right now the for loop that is meant to dequeue runs until the 4th loop, which is when it stops, throws the NPE, and exits the program. So my question is, how can I make it so that when one queue runs out, it stops trying to loop it and instead continues looping the last queue?
Here is my main class where the loop is running:
public abstract class Airport<T> {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        //creates separate queues
        Driver<Integer> runway1 = new Driver<>();
        Driver<Integer> runway2 = new Driver<>();

        //adds 7 planes into runway 1
        for (int i = 0; i < 7; i++) {
            runway1.enqueue(i);
        }

        //adds 4 planes into runway 2
        for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
            runway2.enqueue(i);
        }

        int size1 = runway1.length();
        int size2 = runway2.length();

        //run loop while either runway has planes left
        while (size1 > 0 && size2 > 0) {
            System.out.println("There are currently " + size1 + " planes waiting for takeoff in Runway 1.");
            System.out.println("There are currently " + size2 + " planes waiting for takeoff in Runway 2.\n");

            for (int lane = 0; lane < 7; lane++) {
                int lane1, lane2;

                if (runway1.isEmpty()){
                    System.out.println("Runway 1 is empty.");
                }
                else {
                    lane1 = runway1.getFront();
                    System.out.println("Plane " + lane1 + " has taken off from Runway 1.");
                    runway1.dequeue();
                }

                if (runway2.isEmpty()){
                    System.out.println("Runway 2 is empty.");
                }
                else{
                    lane2 = runway2.getFront(); //EDIT: npe occurs here
                    System.out.println("Plane " + lane2 + " has taken off from Runway 2.\n");
                    runway2.dequeue();
                }

            }
        }

    }

}

And here is the part of my driver class:
class Driver<T> implements Queue1<T> {
    private static final int defaultSize = 10;
    private int maxSize; // Maximum size of queue
    private int front; // Index of front element
    private int rear; // Index of rear element
    private T[] listArray; // Array holding queue elements

    /**
     * Constructors
     */
    Driver() {
        this(defaultSize);
    }

    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
        // For generic array
    Driver(int size) {
        maxSize = size + 1; // One extra space is allocated
        rear = 0;
        front = 1;
        listArray = (T[]) new Object[maxSize]; // Create listArray
    }

    /**
     * Put "it" in queue
     */
    public void enqueue(T it) {
        assert ((rear + 2) % maxSize) != front : "Queue is full";
        rear = (rear + 1) % maxSize; // Circular increment
        listArray[rear] = it;
    }

    /**
     * Remove and return front value
     **/
    public T dequeue() {
        assert length() != 0 : "Queue is empty";
        T it = listArray[front];
        front = (front + 1) % maxSize; // Circular increment
        return it;
    }

    /**
     * Return Front Value
     **/
    @Override
    public T getFront() {
        assert length() != 0 : "Queue is empty";
        return listArray[front];
    }

    @Override
    public T getBack() {
        assert length() != 0 : "Queue is empty";
        return listArray[rear];
    }

    @Override
    public boolean isEmpty() {
        if(listArray == null){
            return true;
        }
        return false;
    }

    /**
     * @return Queue length
     **/
    public int length() {
        return ((rear + maxSize) - front + 1) % maxSize;
    }

}

I've been scratching my head over this for days, so any help would be incredibly appreciated! Thank you!

A: The issue is that your isEmpty() method doesn't work the way you want it to. You are using it as if it checks whether there is anything in the queue, but it is written to do something else. Assuming your length() method is correct, you need to check whether length() == 0. If it does, then you should return true. If not, you should return false.
The reason you are getting a NullPointerException is because you are assuming your list isn't empty when it is, so you try to access the next thing in your queue, which is null
In code, it would look like this:
public boolean isEmpty() {
   return length()==0;
}

A: I don't have your driver class, so I made do with what's available:
public static void main(String [] args) {
    ArrayDeque<Integer> runway1 = new ArrayDeque<>();
    ArrayDeque<Integer> runway2 = new ArrayDeque<>();
    //adds 7 planes into runway 1
    for (int i = 0; i < 7; i++) {
        runway1.offer(i);
    }

    //adds 4 planes into runway 2
    for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
        runway2.offer(i);
    }

    //run loop while either runway has planes left
    String waitingMsg = "There are currently %d planes waiting for takeoff in Runway %d.";
    while (!runway1.isEmpty() && !runway2.isEmpty()) {
        System.out.println(String.format(waitingMsg, runway1.size(), 1));
        System.out.println(String.format(waitingMsg, runway2.size(), 2));
        System.out.println();

        for (int lane = 0; lane < 7; lane++) {
            if (runway1.isEmpty()){
                System.out.println("Runway 1 is empty.");
            } else {
                int lane1 = runway1.pop();
                System.out.println("Plane " + lane1 + " has taken off from Runway 1.");
            }

            if (runway2.isEmpty())  {
                System.out.println("Runway 2 is empty.");
            } else{
                int lane2 = runway2.pop();
                System.out.println("Plane " + lane2 + " has taken off from Runway 2.\n");
            }

        }
    }

}


text:
Home Neurology Brain Implants Allow Paralyzed Man to Control Robotic Arm
Brain Implants Allow Paralyzed Man to Control Robotic Arm
A set of four brain implants -- chips half the size of a dress shirt button -- have allowed a paralyzed 30-year-old man to not only control a robot arm but also feel sensations from the individual fingers of the arm
Microstimulation within somatosensory cortex evokes tactile sensations
THURSDAY, Oct. 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) — A set of four brain implants — chips half the size of a dress shirt button — have allowed a paralyzed 30-year-old man to not only control a robot arm but also feel sensations from the individual fingers of the arm, researchers with the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center report online Oct. 13 in Science Translational Medicine.
The patient, Nathan Copeland, was paralyzed from the upper chest down at age 18 following a car accident that broke his neck and injured his spinal cord in the winter of 2004. In 2014, doctors implanted two chips in Copeland's motor cortex and two more in his somatosensory cortex, senior researcher Robert Gaunt, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, told HealthDay.
Before the surgery, doctors used imaging techniques to identify the exact regions in Copeland's brain that corresponded to the sense of touch in each of his fingers and his palm. When the chips are electrically stimulated, Copeland can feel people touching his real right hand. He can feel sensations like warmth and pressure along the base of the four fingers, and nine times out of 10 can perceive things like a cotton swab pressed on the surface of the skin in a way described as "possibly natural." In addition, connectors extending from Copeland's head can be attached to a robot arm. When attached, Copeland can both move the arm using his mind and also feel when the robot fingers are being touched, Gaunt said.
"We've provided him with at least a component of touch. When the robot hand touches an object, he can feel it," Gaunt said. "He can reach out and grab objects and pick them up and move them around." The researchers found that Copeland could correctly identify 84 percent of the time which individual prosthetic finger was being touched while blindfolded.
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Early Nerve Transfer Enables Hand Function After Spinal Cord Injury
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A California man is under arrest after he stole a tractor truck and crashed it on a local highway. The reason he stole it you might ask? Well he thought he was being chased by zombies and the apocalypse had started. Yeah, he was high. Who would of thunk it?
A Indianapolis man is claiming a local dentist pulled all of his teeth out when he went in to only have three removed. I mean it's not a claim. It did happen. He just claims he didn't want all of his teeth pulled. Which honestly sounds pretty believable. Why would someone want every tooth pulled? Maybe if they were getting one of those cool gold grills? Alright case closed. This guy wanted to be pimp.


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text:
Catholic Schools in Queensland: The Modernist Designs of Frank Cullen
Paul Dielemans
Deborah van der Plaat (Principal advisor)
Janina Gosseye (Associate Advisor)
Project Timeframe: 2017-2022
Robin Boyd marks 1934 as the year in the interwar period when building design in the modern idiom arrived in Australia. That he was referring to a school building (MacRobertson High School for Girls, Melbourne) is significant as it supported a tenet of the modern movement that not only should buildings have a clear rationalist utilitarian function, uncluttered by excessive ornamentation, it should serve the needs of society. The advent of new building technologies coupled with mass production early in the 20th century promoted a "machine age" in which glass, concrete and steel were the new age materials that were used to rapidly fabricate structures. In Europe, this thinking was applied to the building of schools, which were considered to be "laboratories of learning" and from which bright educated scholars were to be produced en masse.
By the early 1930's many European architects were actively engaged in designing schools that were functional, exhibited predominantly cubic geometric morphologies, were devoid of decoration, displayed an asymmetrical arrangement of contrasting vertical and horizontal elements (i.e. horizontal ribbon-like bands of windows and vertical towers), and flat or low angled roofs hidden behind a parapet, reflecting the most avant-garde design ideas of the era. Some designs also incorporated curvilinear elements, which was also reflected in Australian state government school designs during the mid to late 1930s when the Public Works Department architect commonly designed schools in a stripped moderne style and characterised by monumental massing.
Unlike the rest of Australia, this stylistic trend did not develop in government schools in Brisbane until after the Second World War. During the immediate post war period up until 1950, only 5 new State Schools were built, usually in the Georgian style, which was popular in the 1930s before the war. It was only in 1950 that two government schools were built in the modern style. In contrast for the same post war period, the Catholic Church built four school buildings in the modern design idiom within the Brisbane Archdiocese and a further six schools in regional areas were also built in the modern style, mostly by Queensland architect Frank Cullen.
This research project proposes to investigate the work of Frank Leo Cullen (1909- 1991), whose output was prodigious, producing a body of work represented by over 200 churches, schools, monasteries, convents presbyteries and other parochial buildings that were constructed for the Catholic church in Queensland and northern NSW. Importantly, although apart from the Government, the Australian Roman Catholic Church was the single-most important architectural patron in Brisbane in the 20th century, its school building programme is largely undocumented. Prior to World War II church and school buildings in Queensland were largely built in Gothic and Romanesque styles. Signalling a softening in Catholic Church views to school design, Cullen had already commenced experimenting with non-traditional designs (including art deco to a modern geometric style) between 1938 – 1942; following the lead of Donoghue and Fulton who had constructed the very modernist Nudgee Junior College (now Ambrose Treacy College) in 1938.
This doctoral research is timely, as education architecture in Queensland to date has been solely documented from the State perspective, and this will be the first study of modern school buildings in Queensland that were built by the Catholic Church. By providing a collated study of Cullen's interwar and post war Catholic schools it will investigate the debates and ideas behind education (secular versus denominational) and school architecture and the Catholic Church's engagement with them. It will also explore why the Catholic Church adopted a functionalist modern style of school design during the interwar to post-war period (following a similar pattern of modern school building by the Catholic Church in the Irish Republic during the mid to late 1930's up to and including the early part of World War 2).
This research is significant as it will explore the role of the Catholic Church in the dissemination of modernism in Australia and regional Queensland by documenting the evolution of Catholic school design and examining any correlations with educational policy. This historical relationship is expected to reveal new understandings between architecture, education and religion in pre- to post-war Queensland. The role of the local Catholic parish community in the funding and development of these schools is also important in promoting the social importance of parish schools that also acted as multifunctional community hubs.
In addition, the cultural heritage value and importance of many of these modernist Catholic schools to Queensland state heritage has not been researched, and therefore remain largely unrecognised.
Return to All Projects List
Updated: 22 Aug 2017


Another provocative "meditation" from Father Rohr.
The Abrahamic religions are called "historical religions" which seems to me that they not only emerged duriong historical time, but their own stories are "factual" and have the status of empirically established events. Jewish and Christian (and i suppose, Muslim) archeologists are forever trying to dig up evidence that the events described in their scriptures were events in time and space rather than in human imagination or heartfelt desire.
In Christianity, for example, we are to take the Virgin Birth of Jesus, his bodily resurrection, and his coming again as events that did or will occur in historic time. Is one to be eternally damned because she has looked for evidence of these events and found it lacking?
For a long time i treated the story of Adam and Eve as a children's tale because i could not accept it as anywhere near accurate on the basis of what i knew about archeology and anthropology. In fact, it seemed to be a about the most counterfactual story anyone could have made it. It never occurred to me to look at it as a myth. So, while i have enjoyed and learned from the myths of many tribal cultures, those of the tribe of Judah were ignored.
But taken as myth, i can appreciate its richness and learn and invent many lessons from it.
I have known several Native Americans who were capable of being good representatives of their tribal cultures and competent theorists in the field of anthropology. I have always felt a sense of betraying my culture and society because i have tried to look at them objectively. lnsertion of the idea of myth could be a way of bringing events and feelings about those events to a more level playing field.


text:
Marriott reports solid beat, reinstates strong guidance
by Jeff Weinstein
August 2, 2022 - Categories: Hospitality News, Hotels: News,
Marriott International reported second quarter earnings on Tuesday, beating consensus estimates nearly across the board and reinstated guidance for the second half of 2022 that suggests further improvement in operating fundamentals.
Marriott also announced it resumed share repurchases in the second quarter, repurchasing 1.9 million shares of common stock for US$300 million. Year-to-date through July 29, the company has repurchased 2.9 million shares for US$448 million.
The living room at Marriott's newly opened W hotel in Toronto
Looking ahead for 3Q22, Marriott estimates RevPAR versus 2019 at 0% to +3%; adjusted earnings per share at US$1.59 to US$1.69 (consensus US$1.59); and adjusted EBITDA of US$927-US$972 million (consensus US$939 million). Full-year guidance ranges include RevPAR versus 2019 at -6% to -3%; adjusted earnings per share of US$6.33-US$6.59 (consensus US$6.010; and adjusted EBITDA US$3,682-US$3,792 million (consensus US$3,554 million).
"Given recently increased expectations, we believe Marriott's 2Q22 update is more than sufficient to keep the momentum going and the positive investment narrative intact," wrote R.W. Baird analyst Michael Bellisario. "Our model continues to have an upward bias to near-term fundamental assumptions and earnings estimates."
Looking more closely at 2Q results, Marriott's comparable systemwide constant dollar RevPAR increased 70.6% worldwide, 66.1% in the U.S. and Canada, and 87.8% in international markets, compared to the 2021 second quarter.
Second quarter 2022 comparable systemwide constant dollar RevPAR declined 2.9% worldwide (R.W. Baird estimated -5%) and 14.1% in international markets, while RevPAR increased 1.3% in the U.S. and Canada, compared to the 2019 second quarter.
Second quarter reported diluted EPS totaled US$2.06, compared to reported diluted EPS of US$1.28 in the year-ago quarter. Second quarter adjusted diluted EPS totaled US$1.80 (Street estimate was US$1.57), compared to second quarter 2021 adjusted diluted EPS of US$0.79.
Second quarter reported net income totaled US$678 million, compared to reported net income of US$422 million in the year-ago quarter. Second quarter adjusted net income totaled US$593 million, compared to second quarter 2021 adjusted net income of US$260 million.
Adjusted EBITDA totaled US$1,019 million (Street estimate of US$922 million) in the 2022 second quarter, compared to second quarter 2021 adjusted EBITDA of US$558 million.
Marriott added roughly 17,000 rooms globally during the second quarter, including approximately 9,200 rooms in international markets and nearly 4,400 conversion rooms.
At quarter end, Marriott's worldwide development pipeline totaled nearly 2,950 properties and more than 495,000 rooms, including roughly 27,400 rooms approved, but not yet subject to signed contracts. Approximately 203,300 rooms in the pipeline were under construction as of the end of the 2022 second quarter.
R.W. Baird's Bellisario added that "importantly, rooms under construction ticked higher after approximately two years of moving backward since the onset of the pandemic." He also noted that 2Q signing were at a record quarterly level with nearly 30% conversions.


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Source: Tappi journal. Vol. 10, no. 5 (May 2011): p. 9-18.
This study applied Sulfite Pretreatment to Overcome Recalcitrance of Lignocelluloses (SPORL) to evaluate the potential of mountain pine beetle-killed lodgepole pine for ethanol production using conventional Saccharomyces cerevisiae without hydrolysate detoxification. The results indicate that the beetle-killed trees are more susceptible to SPORL pretreatment than live trees in addition to having enriched glucan and mannan content as reported in the literature. Ethanol yields of 200 and 250 L/metric ton wood were achieved from a live tree and a dead tree (four years after infestation) without process optimization. Ethanol yield of 220 L/metric ton of wood was obtained from a downed tree with more advanced decomposition, which is approximately 10% more than that from a corresponding live tree. Process mass and energy balance analyses suggest that net ethanol energy output (before distillation, lignin energy excluded) from the decomposing tree was approximately 3.2 GJ/metric ton wood, which is 23% more than that from a corresponding live tree. The study demonstrated the robustness of the SPORL process and the utility of beetle-killed trees for cellulosic ethanol production even after many years post mortality.
Zhu, J.Y.; Luo, Xiaolin; Tian, Shen; Gleisner, Roland; Negron, Jose; Horn, Eric. 2011. Efficient ethanol production from beetle-killed lodgepole pine using SPORL technology and Saccharomyces cerevisiae without detoxification. Tappi Journal. 10(5): 9-18.


[by Leigh Ann Pfeiffer in San Diego, USA] San Diego is composed of neighborhoods divided by canyons, bay, ocean, and highways. The Lafayette Hotel is part of the city that has undergone revitalization. My love for restoration and preservation of architecture is what drew me to this place. California is often known for emergence of new styles; however, the restraint to preserve is the art of this space. This location is in an urban 2.6 acre site, listed on National Register of Historic Places of San Diego, California. The hotel has emerged, via restoration and community awareness, as a cultural jewel in the city fabric.
Details of the hotel, like the playful light fixtures of the main entry, are delightful and helped me to understand the essence of the space.
Detailing of pediment and bracketed exterior light fixtures at the hotel entry frame the event of arrival. This is a destination for visitors and locals alike. Pop-up venues, live music and architectural details draw you in. Reflecting the materials and textures of the building, it was enjoyable to capture the building's character with pen and ink dots, jots, dashes and lines.
The interior of Hope 46, the restaurant of The Lafayette Hotel, consists of antique glass window panes and reclaimed wood. Along with watercolor, I used walnut ink to capture the essence of the vintage wood.
This was the initial sketch that inspired me to sketch more of the interior and exterior of the hotel.
Leigh Ann Pfeiffer is a designer and professor with a focus on architectural design and city planning based in San Diego, California. You can see more of her sketches here.