Well ... I've sort of landed myself with a proper pickle. A lady has asked me to mend a baby blanket she borrowed from a friend. She said it was crochet and sent it. It has arrived and ... it's knitted.
Anyway, if you can help you are the most wonderful person the world had ever known, flowers will open where you tread, birds will sing your name, the very sun will shine from you ... and I'll be grateful.


So said Pope Francis a few weeks ago when speaking to recently ordained bishops serving in missionary territories.
This struck me given that of late I've been thinking about such division. As I was busy this summer completing a long-overdue manuscript, issues of disunity within the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic church were making headlines.
Take, for instance, comments by the Vatican's liturgical chief, Cardinal Robert Sarah, who warned against the liturgy being seen as "a human work, a self-celebration of the community" rather than the work of Christ. He also urged the ad orientum posture of the priest at Mass, which means that the celebrant faces the same direction as the people as he prays on our behalf.
After Cardinal Sarah spoke, internet servers across the globe lit up with blinding intensity. In blogs and throughout social media, ideological camps within the Church went to war. Some supported the cardinal's call for ad orientum posture. Some argued against it. In all, this served only to widen already harmful and scandalous fissures within the Church.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a big fan of profoundly beautiful liturgy, whether or not the celebrant is facing me or the same direction as I am. My more general concern is liturgy-as-entertainment, which when I was fifteen was one of the reasons I felt that the Church had little to offer the world — which was a factor in why for two decades after my Confirmation I renounced the Catholic faith.
This reminder of the priority of the Holy Spirit is uniquely important for Catholics who care for creation. The Mass must be the beginning, center, and ending of all human activity intended for the protection of the natural and human environment. When considered in this way, the prayers and the music of the Mass take on added meaning — as they should whenever we consider that all true liturgies and all offerings of grace are divine dialogues with creation with the intention of elevating it.
For the record, I prefer the ad orientum posture and I would like to see more of it. And I wonder at the anger that arises so often when people like me say things like that.
But let's face facts: for decades now our ancient enemy has been pitting Catholics against each other over the very important reality of how the Mass is said.
It's no wonder, then, that Catholics are also divided on other issues — like how or even if we should dive into contemporary efforts to protect creation.
From toxic pollutions disrupting the development of the unborn, to air and water pollution's impact on the poor and elderly — from habitat loss to harmful changes in our climate to unsustainable production and consumption practices—to say nothing of immoral supply chain issues — ecology is a Catholic concern, and yet not all Catholics agree that this is so, or how it should be dealt with.
But then, if our ancient enemy is going to divide us over how we celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, it comes as no surprise that he will attempt to divide us over worldly issues — such as how to protect the great life-sustaining garden given to us by God.
William Patenaude, M.A., KHS, is an engineer with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and a member of the Diocesan Pastoral Council. He writes at CatholicEcology.net.


text:
require 'gosu'

require_relative 'text_component'

# Label containing static text.
class Label < TextComponent

	@@bg_margin = 2

	# Creates a new Label with the given text.
	#
	# * *Args*    :
	#   - +String+ +text+ -> The text to be displayed
	#   - +Fixnum+ +text+ -> The height of the text
	#   - +String+ +font_name+ -> The name of the font to use for the text
	#   - +Fixnum+ +z+ -> The z layer of the label
	def initialize(text, text_height, font_name, z=0)
		super(text, text_height, font_name, z)
		@img = create_text_content(text, text_height, font_name)
		@bg_width = @img.width + @@bg_margin
	end

	# Returns the background margin for the Label. The background margin is the
	# margin between the label text and the Label's edge. The margin is
	# measured in pixels.
	def self.bg_margin
		@@bg_margin
	end

	# Draws the Label to the current GameWindow.
	def draw
		draw_background
		@img.draw(@x+1,
				  @y+1,
				  @z,
				  1, # Default scale_x
				  1, # Default scale_y
				  @text_colour)
	end

	# Checks if the label contains the given coordinates.
	#
	#   - +Numeric+ +x+ -> The x coordinate to check
	#   - +Numeric+ +y+ -> The y coordinate to check
	# * *Returns* :
	#   - Whether the label contains the coordinates
	# * *Return* *Type* :
	#   - boolean
	def contains(x, y)
		contains_x(x) && contains_y(y)
	end

private

	# Checks if the label contains the given x coordinate.
	#
	#   - +Numeric+ +x+ -> The x coordinate to check
	# * *Returns* :
	#   - Whether the label contains the x coordinate
	# * *Return* *Type* :
	#   - boolean
	def contains_x(x)
		@x <= x && x <= (@x + @bg_width)
	end

	# Checks if the label contains the given y coordinate.
	#
	#   - +Numeric+ +y+ -> The y coordinate to check
	# * *Returns* :
	#   - Whether the label contains the y coordinate
	# * *Return* *Type* :
	#   - boolean
	def contains_y(y)
		@y <= y && y <= (@y + @bg_height)
	end

	# Creates an Image with the supplied text.
	#
	# * *Args*    :
	#   - +String+ +text+ -> The text to be displayed
	#   - +Fixnum+ +text+ -> The height of the text
	#   - +String+ +font_name+ -> The name of the font to use for the text
	# * *Returns* :
	#   -  Image containing the given text
	# * *Return* *Type* :
	#   - Gosu::Image
	def create_text_content(text, text_height, font_name)
		Gosu::Image::from_text(text, text_height, {:font => font_name})
	end

end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


In Feburary of 2010, the East Coast got socked by a severe snowstorm. Washington D.C. was particularly affected. At the same time, on the other side of the continent, the Winter Olympics being held in Vancouver had to reschedule several of its events because of rain and a lack of snow.


General Surgery CME Online - Earn Credits Fast!
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Don't have FC or Reclaimers 6 piece? Don't worry, this is the build for you.
Surprisingly fun and very effective in groups. Can even be used in Resistance if you don't like using Tac.
Support Station lasts forever and Turret does all the disruption you need for Legendary runs, especially without GE modifiers like Shock bullets.
Be sure to place your Turret somewhere where enemies can't stamp all over it. If you place it in a bad spot it'll pull aggro straight away and fall to pieces. Placement is key.
You have a couple of choice for weapons - my preferred setup is a 204 LWM4 or equivalent with the "please don't kill me before I can use my support station again" talents, and an SMG with the "damage buff" talents for both weapon and skill damage.
The House isn't required - but it's useful. Can be replaced with another LWM4/LVOA-C or M700C with Coolheaded.
Alternatively you can use a 286 LWM4 or equivalent with Talented/Competent and Destructive/Ferocious in the free slot and then whatever takes your fancy. Potential talents are Predatory, Responsive, Determined.
For some talents at 286 you obviously need to pump in stats elsewhere - or just get 204 weapons.
Nothing really to mention about pistol other than Coolheaded.
For all the slots you can mix and match to whatever you have. The core item is obviously Ninjabike, but you can have the other pieces wherever you want as long as you meet the set number requirements.
I do run with one piece in Stamina just for a bit of extra toughness, but running full Ele is fine too.
You can swap out any of the classified pieces for normal sets just fine - as we're only getting the 4 piece bonus from Reclaimers anyway.


Kenya Moore was booted off The Real Housewives of Atlanta — and has now booted her former co-star, Nene Leakes, off her social media feed.
Kenya, 47, has unfollowed NeNe, 51, on her social media accounts — and AllAboutTheTea.com has exclusive tea behind the online diss.
According to an inside source, NeNe recently cut off communication with Kenya — because she isn't buying what Kenya's selling.
CLICK: Kenya Moore Wants To Replace Julie Chen On 'The Talk' After 'RHOA' Firing!
The ATL snitch adds that NeNe Leakes has "no personal beef," with Kenya Moore — just zero interest in "playing along with Kenya's charade." Fans know that Cynthia Bailey and Kandi Burruss have been supporting Kenya, and have shared gal pal photos with the tossed Bravoleb.
"Kandi and Cynthia have been suckered into believing Kenya," another source tells AllAboutTheTea.com.
MUST READ: Kandi Burruss Blindsided By #RHOA Kenya Moore's Sudden Marriage & Questions Is It Real!
The former Miss USA announced her pregnancy during the Season 10 reunion, after secretly getting married, and later refusing Bravo's efforts to chronicle her personal life. Some fans aren't convinced that her bun-in-the-oven is the real deal.
Shocking Video: Kenya Moore's Baby Bumb Folds Fueling Fake Pregnancy Rumors!
Nene's main focus has clearly been on the well-being of her husband, Gregg Leakes. Gregg endured a four-hour surgery earlier this week, and remains in the hospital, after being diagnosed with cancer.
What do you think of Kenya Moore's decision to shut NeNe Leakes out of her pregnancy story? Sound off in the comments!
The Real Housewives of Atlanta season 11 premieres on November 4, on Bravo.


Sasairy Halloween Horror Skull Bone Gloves: Specification: *Color: as the picture show; *Material: Polyester; *Length: 23 cm; *Function: hollowen cosplay props suit; Package included: 1 pair Halloween Horror Skull Bone Gloves Halloween accessories: Suitable for Halloween, stage performances, vampire parties, club shows, party concerts, masquerades, carnivals, Cosplay costumes and any other special occasion or show. NOTE: 1.Washing Method: hand wash at a temperature below 30 degrees, please do not rub it hard, do not bleach and iron, easy to hang and dry; 2.Due to the horror appearance of skull bone, please do not frighten children under 6 years old. Principle: If there is any problems, please contact us without hesitation for further refund or free replacement or other solutions,we will try our best to solve the problems for you.
Wilton-metallic color mist food spray. The same great color mist spray you love now in metallic finish! this easy-to-use spray gives decorators the versatility and dazzling effects of an airbrush in a convenient can! create a rainbow of excitement for so many desserts. Use it to transform a plain Iced cake with sensational color or add splashes of holiday color to Iced cookies and cupcakes. Great for party desserts: highlighting whipped topping or ice cream with color. No mess taste-free formula- add a little color or a lot. This package contains one 1-1/2 oz can. Available in a variety of colors: each sold separately. Caution-flammable-contents under pressure. Made in USA.


The new warehouse facility for Tree of Life B.C. encompasses over 100,000 sq. ft. The newly designed building allows for pallet racking to 24' high and no in-rack sprinklers. Hi-Cube Storage Products provided the Interlake bolted pallet racking system which uses the built-in locking pin mechanism ensuring there will be no dislodgment of beams along with the added benefit of easily replaced parts like upright columns should damage occur.
The two tone colour scheme improves forklift operator accuracy with the orange beams highlighted against the Vista Green uprights. This added benefit of colour combination helps operators to clearly see the pallet locations and work more efficiently within the system, saving time and money.
The use of Wire Mesh Decks where necessary and 2×6 wood elsewhere, is a cost effective way of adding safety measures into the warehouse operation. Tunnel bays offer a full 12′ high x 12′ wide clearance which provides open, visible, functional pathways throughout the warehouse for easy maneuverability.
To allow Tree of Life a smooth transition from the old warehouse to the new facility, Hi-Cube first installed the new pallet rack to allow moving of inventory, then dismantled and purchased back the used pallet rack from the old facility. In addition this process resulted in a cost saving for Tree of Life.


text:
Photo by Damedeeso
How to Empower Employees Around the Holidays — And Why You Should
December 14, 2020 /Company Culture, HR Strategy /by Devin Partida
When the holiday season hits, businesses and workplaces can sometimes get especially busy. Even worse, with all the craziness of the season they can fall into a holiday slump. But even if the holidays have thrown people off, you can still empower employees to be balanced and productive. And, in the long run, it's better for everyone if you do.
So how do you maintain your business's health and employee consistency? You empower everyone in your workplace to make the schedule changes and project decisions required to reach their end-of-year goals. This empowerment can be a tremendous motivating factor. It also makes everyone feel more fulfilled, helping your workplace genuinely thrive.
Here are a few ways you can make empowerment happen, and a few reasons why you should.
One of the best ways to encourage your employees to be productive and get things done is to offer more freedom with their schedules and hours. Though this may seem like it will let employees slack, it can actually empower them to get more done and fit work in where they can. Additionally, allowing more leeway around remote working can have the same effect.
Self-Determining Performance Goals
Another great way to empower employees to achieve more around the holiday season is by allowing them to set their own performance goals so they can manage their expectations according to their capabilities.
This autonomy allows more leadership opportunities in your workplace, as employees can encourage each other and self-motivate. This way, people can move at their own pace and perhaps achieve even more than you may have anticipated.
Team Meetings and Connection
Some of the best devices to motivate people and empower them as a team offer connection. Meetings, mixers, and team-related activities can bring people together and remind them of the communal spirit your workplace fosters. It doesn't even have to be all business — some fun perks can go a long way, as satisfied employees tend to work the best.
Regardless of what you put together, remind people they're a part of a team, and focus on your collective goals — not just individual objectives. In addition to establishing a focus on purpose, this approach enables a motivated workforce.
Another excellent reason for why and how to allow some leeway and freedom during the holidays is enabling your employees to recharge and find some balance between their work and personal lives. You may wonder how encouraging employees to take time for themselves results in better outcomes.
The answer is quite simple. When employees have time to recharge, they produce higher-quality work, and they do it more efficiently. They can re-energize themselves, which means they come back with a better work ethic than someone who feels burnt out.
Another reason to empower employees is that it helps maintain consistency — both within their work schedules and for your workplace as a whole. While some workplaces get into a holiday slump and then have to ramp up again in the new year, you can remain consistent. This means no slump over the holidays. And, just as critical, there's no need for a correcting crackdown in January.
Your End-of-Year Bottom Line?
Encourage your employees to find balance and take control of their goals and workplace performance. You'll see better results during the holidays – and beyond. And by doing so, you'll create a healthy, consistent work environment full of individuals motivated to get the job done.
https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Empower-Employees-Damedeeso.jpg 600 1018 Devin Partida https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.png Devin Partida2020-12-14 10:00:122022-12-10 09:56:23How to Empower Employees Around the Holidays — And Why You Should
DPR Construction Builds Culture That Works For Millennials
January 12, 2015 /1 Comment/Archives /by Great Rated!™
The founders of DPR Construction must have had a crystal ball when they launched their firm 24 years ago.
The small cadre of engineers that formed DPR embraced a flat culture over a hierarchical one, and that has proven to be a winner with young employees today.
Peter Salvati, a member of DPR's management committee, says the general contracting firm abides by the principle of "what's right, not who's right" — that is, listening closely to all employees, regardless of position. "The person with the right answer may be who you least expect," Salvati says.
Peter Salvati
"The Millennial generation fits in with 'what's right vs. who's right.'"
Indeed, they do. Earlier this year, our research ranked Redwood City, California-based DPR as a Great Workplace for Millennials. This honor came on top of the company earning the 10th spot on the Best Companies to Work For 2014 list we produce with FORTUNE. DPR also is a winner in the general contracting world, where it boasts clients including Facebook, Pixar and Genentech.
Not only does the company snag high-profile projects, it connects its construction jobs to bigger purposes. When the company reached a milestone on a project to expand a biotech manufacturing facility, for example, it invited a cancer patient who would benefit from the drugs to be manufactured at the plant to speak to workers. This framing of work in terms of ultimate goals taps into Millennials' desire for a sense of meaning on the job.
Says one Millennial: "DPR continues to empower employees and remain true to the core values and mission that it 'Exist to Build Great Things,' and you really feel like you are making a difference alongside some amazing people."
Alongside—rather than under—is right. DPR is so egalitarian that it has no CEO. Instead, there is a shared leadership structure with a management committee of seven people. The company also is employee-owned, with all staffers getting phantom stock units that vest upon five years of tenure. And it is willing to give young people a great deal of responsibility, Salvati says.
On the other hand, he says, the firm expects junior staffers to be humble and savvy enough to seek assistance if necessary on stretch assignments. "You've got to be smart enough to realize you may need help," he says.
Salvati can see himself in today's ambitious young professionals. He was one of DPR's earliest employees, and was given the responsibility of opening an office for the company in San Diego at the relatively tender age of 34. These days, the San Diego office is one of DPR's strongest performing locations.
Salvati's story highlights the original DPR vision, which works so well with young people today: hire quality people and trust them to take off. Says Salvati: "Really good people want to do really good things."
About the Author: Ed Frauenheim is editor at workplace research site Great Rated!™, where he produces content and reviews companies.
photo credit: Trevor King 66 via photopin cc
0 0 Great Rated!™ https://talentculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TCLogo_web-272x60-1.png Great Rated!™2015-01-12 09:00:022020-05-30 11:32:42DPR Construction Builds Culture That Works For Millennials

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Modular, automatic extrusion welding concept for the economic production of circular tanks.
Circular tank production in the diameter range from 1 to 4 (5) meters.
Optionally fitted with single or double telescope.
Process head with patented pneumatic 2-axis balancing system to hold the extruder and compensate concentricity tolerances.
Carousel with vacuum turntable and VFD-controlled electric drive.


text:
Q: Clicking span button by id of the parent(with id) - selenium with java Is it possible to click a span button which is under the div element, also I would like to use the id of the input to make my test stable.
HTML:

<input id="IDITForm@checkRuleVO" class="GoLong align-left idit-go-text" type="text" value="" title="Validation Rule" tabindex="257" name="unknown" ignoredisableenableaction="true" helptextinfo="" disabled="">

How it looks on screen:

As you can see the 3 dots button to the right, that is the button I'd like to click. Thanks in advance.

A: In this case you could identify the span that has the id attribute and then just use following-sibling (from your example they seems to be on the same level).
driver.findElement(By.xpath(".//[@id='IDITForm@checkRuleVOGoClearButtonClear']/following-sibling::span"));

A: using css - "span[id='IDITForm@checkRuleVOGoClearButtonClear'] + span[class='fa-stack idit-go-button']"

A: Okay, no-one got this from what I can see, so I can have a go as well! :)
Here we go Zvika :
    element = driver.findElement(By.xpath("//div[@class='idit-go']//span[@class='fa-stack idit-go-button']"));
    element.click();

(locating and clicking an element with span id="IDITForm@checkRuleVOGoClearButtonClear")
Best of luck man!:)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Jämjö distrikt är ett distrikt i Karlskrona kommun och Blekinge län.

Distriktet ligger öster om Karlskrona.

Tidigare administrativ tillhörighet
Distriktet inrättades 2016 och utgörs av socknen Jämjö i Karlskrona kommun.

Området motsvarar den omfattning Jämjö församling hade vid årsskiftet 1999/2000.

Referenser

Noter

Indelningar i Karlskrona kommun
distrikt i Blekinge län

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I feel like taming is going VEEERRRY SLOOOOOOWLY. I've had Smokey (Male Syrian) for about 7 weeks. I think he's probably around 4-5 months old (Petco didn't know how old he was). I thought initially it was because of the cage being too small, wheel being too small, me changing the cage too much, me waking him up during the day the first few days, basically doing everything you're not supposed to do, I later found out. I think I got everything corrected within about 2 weeks, left him alone for a few days, and then a started bathtub training about a month ago.
I feel like I have the hamster version of that guy from Memento, or Drew Barrymore's character from 50 First Dates. Can hamsters have short term memory loss? I feel like I have to win his trust nightly. Smokey will only occasionally take food from me. He didn't do it very much at all until I stopped giving him food unless he took it from my hand. He's not very food motivated. Don't worry, I've been weighing him and he's actually gained a couple of grams since I started doing this. He'll look kind of zombie like, just sort of sitting and staring looking sleepy. Or he'll be huddled in a dark corner cleaning himself. Sometimes he'll be running on his wheel and looking more lively. I'll hold food in front of him. Once in a while he'll take it and walk away to eat it. A lot of the time he'll sniff it, then turn his back or walk right past my hand like he's too cool for that. This happens all night (I'll try a few times before I go to bed if he's up by then, then I'll usually wake up to use the restroom and I'll stop by his cage, then in the morning before I go to work), until finally, usually in the morning between 5-7am he'll all of a sudden perk up and then all he wants to do is climb up my arm and go play. I'll walk around the house with him doing the hand version of the hamster wheel, or go to one of his play pens (yes, I have a couple of different play areas). A lot of times he's not even interested in the food until we've been playing for a few minutes, then he'll take it repeatedly from my hands and hoard as much as he can into his cheeks. If my hand is closed around a pellet, he'll even dig his nose into my hand to get at it! We'll play for a while in the bathtub or the playpen, letting him run all over without too much interference from me (10 minutes to over an hour, depending on if I have to go to work), and when I put him back, he'll drop off his hoard in his den, then comes back out and will start pawing at the glass again wanting to come out. Last weekend he even went back to bed, presumably thinking I'd gone to work, but had his nose poking out of his den. When he saw me poke my head around the corner to look at him, he immediately climbed back out and wanted to come out and play again, but by that night he'd forgotten me and was acting skittish again. I intermittently try the kleenex with my scent on it trick, but I feel like he has enough bedding, because he stopped taking it.
If I manage to get him to come out and play at night, the first time that night he's really timid and I have to use his igloo to get him out. He actually seemed more likely to get in his igloo before, now he will just calmly ignore it half the time. Then I put him back, and a few minutes later he'll get really excited and keep wanting to come out, and he'll climb right onto my hand. If I then leave him alone for a couple of hours and come back later he reverts and he's forgotten who I am again. I've even tried not washing my hands between handling, thinking maybe it's a scent thing, and it's still the same. I feel like I spend a ton of time just trying to get him to trust me again.
Is this normal? Do I count this as tame or not? Could his cage be actually too large (48 x 18 inch ~70 gallon aquarium)? When I first got him, I put him in 2 connected crittertrail cages. He was bar biting (which is what prompted the initial investigation into hamster forums in the first place) but he was actually easily tempted out of the cage onto my hand. In fact, the first night I really was planning to just let him be, but he kept wanting to come out. I'd open the cage door and he'd climb right out and onto my hand. I was very lucky that he's not a biter, because I carried him around in my pocket all weekend throughout the day the first couple of days I got him, and he just slept right through it (before I knew you're not supposed to do that). So I feel like he's not really much more tame than when I first got him. Or if he is, he's not very consistent about it.
Should I downsize his cage? Should I just pick him up when he's in zombie hammie mode, because he seems to just need to get over that initial hump and then he's all for play time. Or will that make him more afraid of my hands? Or is this forward/backward progress normal and I just need to give it more time? He does seem less frantic during play time and I guess he does tend to remember me in the mornings.
Sorry to hear taming is taking so long with your ham, some do need a lot more time & patience than others & it can seem as though you're not making progress for quite some time but they do slowly get more confident.
Do you mean you're not leaving any food in the cage at all & only feeding by hand? That would be stressful for him, they do need to have a good supply of food available at all times.
You could try scatter feeding him rather than using a bowl which will encourage him to come out more to forage but whichever way you do it keep plenty of food in the cage all the time.
You can take some of the tastiest bits out of the food, things like sunflower seeds & use them for hand feeding & try some other nice, healthy treats for encouraging him to take food from your hand.
I would just keep getting him out for play time, try to find a time that works for both of you if you can.
I wouldn't change his cage now, it does sound as though he's making some progress & a big change would only set him back, the cage is a good size but how happy & confident they are can depend on the way the cage is set up as much as the size.
Do you have a photo of his cage?
How often do you clean his cage? If you clean too much too often that stresses them out so just spot clean pee but other than that only do partial cleans when needed, part of the cage once every few weeks or a month is fine, leave the nest & food hoard alone unless they get peed on, if you do have to clean the nest always put some of the old nest back & the same with the hoard.
At first I was cleaning his nest daily for the first week, until he got really skittish and I read I wasn't supposed to do that. So then he moved into his wheel (enclosed critter trail wheel) and I couldn't spot clean it. But he would pee in it and it would leak out through the crack so I could clean the plastic track underneath everyday. He was in that for about 2 weeks until the odor got pretty bad and I felt I had to clean it. Then he slept elsewhere for about a week until I gave him the section of the cage with a deep substrate, and he moved in 3 weeks ago. I've been just scooping out the pee clumps from his sand pit, but I can smell that he's peeing in his den/tunnels, thus the question I first posted on a separate thread.
The deep substrate part of the cage looks good for him although I understand peeing in the burrows can be a bit of a problem as we discussed in the other thread.
The igloo isn't really good for anything tbh, it doesn't look big enough & has the other problems I mentioned in the other thread so I would definitely go for a nice big cardboard box if you can't get a big enough wooden house, the house really does need to be quite big & dark.
I would try to get a large bendy bridge if you can & use that to section off the deeper area, maybe leave a bit of a gap underneath even so he could burrow through if he wanted too.
The rest of the cage does look too open & empty which will hold back his confidence & make him feel a bit vulnerable when he's out, I would put more substrate in that part too, as much as you can manage without the wheel touching the lid, it's hard to tell for sure but I think the wheel could probably be higher up if you got or made a shelf for it allowing for more substrate, I would also put more in that space, something like a cork tube or tunnel would be good (you need to freeze those for about a week before use) or cardboard tubes (check they're big enough) or just bendy bridges to climb on & hide away under if he wants too, that just makes more places to explore & forage as well as making him feel safer.
Try him with some things like chew sticks, hazel or apple twigs are good, a whimzee dog chew & a spray of millet, if he enjoys those that will also encourage him to spend more time out & about giving you more opportunity to interact with him.
Hope that helps a bit, others might have more ideas to add.
As weird as it might sound, I feel oddly relieved that you've identified some things that are wrong or at least suboptimal with the cage, because that means I can do something about it!
I scattered food around his cage after I read your other reply, and maybe I'm being overly optimistic, but he already seems more lively and active, not hiding as much the last couple of hours.
I've been thinking about trying a millet spray but was worried about him being too full to want treats from me. Plus I read that hamsters are prone to diabetes, so I've just been offering his normal seed mix and some occasional fresh veggies like kale, cucumber, or small pieces of carrot. I'll definitely go get some now! They're so pretty in the cage too. He's not much of a chewer, has ignored every wooden or lava stone chew toy I gave him. I tried a milk bone after reading that somewhere. He loves them! I try not to give more than one every 1-2 weeks. I gave him a walnut last week to chew on instead.He immediately carried it off like it was his biggest prize, it was so cute.
I feel compelled to share some cute Smokey photos. He really is ridiculously cute. Hopefully I'll have some progress to share soon, as well.
I know just what you mean, it can be frustrating when you can't seem to make things better & feels much more positive when you can try some new things that might help!
I wouldn't be at all surprised if the scatter feeding has made him more active already, foraging is natural behaviour for them & they really enjoy it.
Diabetes is very rare in Syrian hams it's only Russian hybrids, Campbell's Russian & Chinese hams that are prone to diabetes so no need to worry about that.
He's unlikely to fill up on the millet if you put a spray in, sometimes when somethings new they'll eat more of it but most likely it will just be a nibble now & then.
Mile bones aren't that healthy for them, if you can get a whimzee dog chew (the toothbrush ones are most popular) it would be worth a try, most hams do love them.
They do love walnuts, he must have thought that was a real treasure! It's good to give them nuts now & then, a piece of brazil nut is good too, mine quite like cashews & love pine nuts, have you tried a monkey nut? If you make a little hole in the end so they can really smell the nut inside they will spend ages on those, I put mine on a hanging skewer/kabob thing so they have to really work for it!
He is a very cute little guy! His colouring looks lovely in that last one too.
Good to know about hamster diabetes! I'll stop worrying about overfeeding then.
I had to look up what a monkey nut is. Unless google has failed me, yes I believe I did give him a monkey nut (if it's a peanut with the shell intact). He chewed through the whole thing in 1 play session, and even after he'd harvested the nuts inside the shell, went back and chewed on the shells some more!
As I type he is happily running all over me in the bathtub. Maybe he's a multiple personality hamster, and the more confident, friendly one only comes out in the mornings?
Thanks do much, Cypher! There's so much conflicting and bad advice out there, thanks for clarifying and correcting the misinformation! In the first week I went to 3 different pet stores, and all of them tried to sell me the wrong supplies including a cage that was way too small, a wheel he couldn't even physically fit in much less run on, corn cob litter that I later read can get moldy really quickly, and that fluffy bedding that can cause choking or foot amputations.
Unfortunately, I think I have to try to clean his den/tunnels soon because it's really starting to smell, so hopefully that doesn't set him back too much. Maybe with the added hidey spots I'm planning to put in and all the scatter feeding it won't be too bad.
I could have said peanut in the shell couldn't I! Good to hear he enjoys those anyway, it is fun to watch them getting stuck in!
It sounds as though he is doing better already & I'm sure he'll cope with cleaning a lot better if he has more safe places to hide out when he wants to.
There is a lot of misinformation out there, happens to most of us when we first start keeping hams, never stop learning really!
Sooo...at the risk of overkill: I made a petco run and got some bendy bridges and a ladder. I put one of those wooden IKEA magazine holders under my wheel as a platform and now it's another dark corner for Smokey to hide in. I made a tube out of a used cardboard salt container. I moved the tissue holder box so the back is against the wall, yet another hidey place. And I moved his platform that I had previously built back into his cage. Oh, and I cut up a cardboard box and put it over his den area. Then I hid food all over the cage. It certainly looks more fun in there now.
Here's the cage as it currently stands. I'm anxiously waiting for Smokey to wake up and explore.
That does look better for him, much more too explore & places to hide out, the open rung ladder isn't safe though, could you replace it with a bendy bridge? It might be better to take that divider out altogether really, you will get some of the deeper substrate spilling out but that's ok I wouldn't worry about that you could leave it more as a bank of deeper substrate rather than a separate section, as long as the wheel doesn't get buried it wouldn't be a problem.


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Tracy first cut her teeth as a bookseller at the Tattered Cover in Denver and followed that up with a brief stint at Tower Books in Queen Anne, where she met her first Seattle friends. She found her place at Elliott Bay and has been happily peddling books here for almost three decades and has had the pleasure of working with remarkable people, many of whom have gone on to become movers and shakers within Seattle's literary community.
The Bluest Eye (Vintage International) (Paperback)
Published: Vintage - May 8th, 2007
Written in 1970, this was Morrison's first published novel. The story of Pecola Breedlove, an eleven-year-old black girl, who yearns for blue eyes and blonde hair and knows that if only...that would change everything. This book is pure poetry and a wonderful glimpse into the early writing and storytelling of the great Toni Morrison.
Harris And Me (Paperback)
By Gary Paulsen
Published: Clarion Books - March 1st, 2007
Great middle reader for the 10-12 year old set. Just how much trouble can two boys get into over the course of a summer on a farm ... ever tried peeing on an electric fence? Or putting the washing machine motor on a bike and having to constantly be on the lookout for Ernie the crazy rooster? Try this.
The Housekeeper and the Professor: A Novel (Paperback)
By Yoko Ogawa
Published: Picador - February 3rd, 2009
In the mood for a quiet, well-written, lovely story? This is a gem. A renowned mathematics professor who, after a horrible car accident, can only remember the last eighty minutes, his housekeeper, a single mother and her son create a lovely triangle where each gives and receives in return.
On Beauty: A Novel (Paperback)
By Zadie Smith
Published: Penguin Books - August 29th, 2006
A remarkable novel about family, marriage, race, adultery, and class. A modern day Howards End, written in 2005, but relevant and formative to today's social justice and generational issues. A clash of the personal and political in a novel that is just a joy to read, and one that eases you into the message. Zadie Smith is a master writer.
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage (Paperback)
By Alfred Lansing
Published: Basic Books - April 28th, 2015
Lansing's version of Ernest Shakleton's 1914 expedition to Antarctica is a masterful must read for anyone who seeks adventure or just wants to dream about it. Shackleton's ship, the Endurance became icebound, miles short of their Antarctic destination. The crew lived aboard the icebound ship for the next ten months. Eventually, the ship was crushed between ice flows and the crew of 27 realized they would have to attempt the 850 mile journey toward the small island of South Georgia. The diaries and photographs that the crew kept during this time are astonishing. An excellent book on leadership.
The Lost Continent: Travels in Small Town America (Paperback)
By Bill Bryson
Published: William Morrow Paperbacks - May 15th, 2001
One of Bryson's first travel books and still one of his best. In Lost Continent, Bryson travels through the small towns of middle America. With the outsiders eye and keen wit, Bryson will make you laugh out loud at our country. At the same time will make you want to get in the car and head out on your own adventure. Written in 1987, this was a timely book to revisit because it brought a renewed appreciation for those places in the U.S. that feel alien in this day and age.
Tales of the City: A Novel (Paperback)
By Armistead Maupin
Published: Harper Perennial - May 29th, 2007
The first of nine novels about the residents of Barbary Lane. This is a classic, but one that I felt the need to revisit in 2020 as we all began to localize a bit more on our streets and in our neighborhoods. I would have love to invite all these characters to an evening party—instead, Maupin invited me to theirs.
Truth & Beauty: A Friendship (Paperback)
By Ann Patchett
Published: Harper Perennial - April 5th, 2005
As great a storyteller as Ann Patchett is, I believe she's at her best when writing non-fiction (another type of fiction, one could argue). This is the story of her friendship with the immensely talented Lucy Grealy, whom she became friends with at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Friends for over twenty years, sometimes with great spans of time between, a story of love, friendship, hardship, and tragedy, with the understanding that we cannot always save those whom we love. An excellent book pairing with Lucy Grealy's Autobiography of a Face.
Things Fall Apart: A Novel (Paperback)
By Chinua Achebe
Published: Penguin Books - September 1st, 1994
The first in a trilogy about a Igbo community in Nigeria over three decades. The first novel tells the story of Okonkwo, the leader of the community who is banished, and the ensuing changes before he returns seven years later—when colonialism and white missionaries have taken root within the tribe. This was one of my first forays into the writers who brought to light the cultural destruction sweeping across Africa in the late 1800s and the repercussions being lived today.
Owl Moon (Hardcover)
By Jane Yolen
Published: Philomel Books - October 23rd, 1987
This is my all-time favorite go-to recommendation for the youngest of readers. It's the best bedtime story I know—a small child finally gets their turn to go owling late at night with their father on a snowy quiet night in the woods. This is a story filled with smells, sounds, cold, and quiet as it leads up the magical moment of the main character's entrance.
Three Tales of My Father's Dragon (Hardcover)
By Ruth Stiles Gannett
Published: Random House Books for Young Readers - November 25th, 1997
This is a spectacular read aloud for the four to seven-year-olds in your life. The fantastic adventures of Elmer Elevator, a young boy who hears of an overworked and underappreciated flying dragon. Elmer stows away on a boat to Wild Island where he encounters and foils obstacles and wild beasts in his quest to find Boris. Elmer's adventures are part of a trilogy all compiled in one volume, but they may be purchased individually as well.
Mike Nichols: A Life (Hardcover)
By Mark Harris
Published: Penguin Press - February 2nd, 2021
Most famously known for directing The Graduate, Nichol's cannon of films is prolific, but his life story is even more amazing. He is remembered with those who worked with him as an extremely talented individual, who learned over time to work with and get to know his actors and crew in order to get the best out of them. He had as many successes as he did failures, both which make amazing reads. As I read this book, I watched and rewatched so many of Nichol's films and saw them in a new light.


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Attribution and Effectiveness of Cause-Related Marketing: The Interplay between Cause–Brand Fit and Corporate Reputation
Charcoal and Wood Biomass Utilization in Uganda: The Socioeconomic and Environmental Dynamics and Implications
Informing Sustainable Consumption in Urban Districts: A Method for Transforming Household Expenditures into Physical Quantities
10.3390/su12208336
Lavers Westin, A.
Rosado, L.
Kalmykova, Y.
Patrício, J.
Methods for Downscaling National Material Consumption Data to the Regional and Municipal Levels
Alexandra Lavers Westin
Leonardo Rosado
Yuliya Kalmykova
João Patrício
Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
Sustainability 2020, 12(20), 8336; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208336
Received: 31 August 2020 / Revised: 6 October 2020 / Accepted: 7 October 2020 / Published: 10 October 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Urban Metabolism and the Progress towards Sustainable Cities)
Decision makers are looking to reach consumption-based environmental impact targets like Sustainable Development Goal 12, Responsible Consumption and Production. These goals require multifaceted action at municipal, regional, and national levels; however, there are limitations to calculating consumption at the regional and municipal levels. Consumption is dependent on the socioeconomic metabolism of the area, with its unique composition of industries, consumers, and public facilities, which may affect the most appropriate measures to meet goals effectively. In this study, we evaluated several methods to extrapolate municipality- and region-specific consumption from national-level data so that consumption estimates can be used to aid decision makers or make further analyses like environmental impact evaluation. We compared four approaches and validated our findings using reported consumption values as well as results from another model in use. We found that using per capita values for consumption is satisfactory for counties, but consumption in municipalities and metropolitan areas with populations smaller than 500,000 inhabitants was better described by one of the suggested methods on average.
industrial ecology; regional consumption; environmental impact; urban metabolism; municipal consumption; sustainable development goals
Rising consumption is leading to increasing resource use and detrimental environmental impacts [1]. Meanwhile, decision makers at all governmental levels are faced with the challenge of defining measures to reach environmental targets and reduce environmental impacts of consumption. For example, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12, Sustainable Consumption and Production, has a target of achieving sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources by 2030 [2,3]. This goal is measured against several indicators, including material footprint and domestic material consumption (DMC). Moreover, the SDGs are expected to be met through actions at all governmental levels [4]. In order to successfully reduce consumption and find relevant priority product groups, it may be helpful to quantify regional consumption levels so that targets are region-appropriate [5]. Region-specific consumption data may be key to identifying suitable strategies to reach sustainability goals. In this study, we use the term region to mean a geographic area smaller than the national level, like a county or municipality.
There are challenges to quantifying region-specific consumption values, including data scarcity and uncertainties as well as data confidentiality issues. Data can be expensive to procure. Many consumption quantification efforts produce results at the national level, often based on economic or expenditure data, which are then extrapolated to the regional level using per capita values [6] or applied to specific consumer types (e.g., households) [7,8]. Household consumption may also be quantified through household budget surveys [9,10]. Some may use bottom-up assessment [11] or a mix of top-down and bottom-up methods [12,13,14,15], often using multiregional input–output tables [16,17]. In rare cases, region-specific economic data are used to quantify region-specific consumption and its impact [18,19]. Although per capita values are often used to downscale national values to the local level, these values may be misleading as urban and rural areas may have different consumption patterns [11,20]. Moreover, urban areas have been shown to have different consumption patterns based on their profile (e.g., industrial, service-based), which may indicate a need for more region-specific extrapolations [21].
Two keys to meeting the SDGs would be to (1) identify materials or products that are consumed in such quantities that reduction in their consumption would make a material difference and then (2) identify measures that the region can take, encourage, or require that will reduce the quantity of consumption [22]. Identifying these materials in a rigorous way can be a time-consuming and expensive process that can test the resources of the region. The purpose of this investigation is to search for proxies for more detailed analysis that are sufficiently accurate to enable effective decision making within existing financial and time constraints.
To this end, we investigated four alternative methods of downscaling national-level consumption data to different regional levels. Three of the investigated methods connect several economic sectors to each product type. We tested the use of the number of employees working within those sectors in the region to extrapolate from national DMC to regional levels. We then compared those values to consumption results using per capita values (the fourth method) as well as to reported regional consumption values for certain product types. Our aim was to identify a simple method to downscale national-level data to the local level, and, using products where such data are available, to see if the values produced are close enough to the reported values to indicate that use of the method would enable good decision making at a lower cost.
The investigation in this paper was performed by testing different options for extrapolating national consumption data to the regional level. To do so, several steps were needed; each step is described in detail in the following subsections and presented in Figure 1.
Our first aim was to evaluate the use of employees as a suitable proxy for downscaling national levels. We tested using the number of employees working in domestic-extraction-related economic sectors in a region to extrapolate the domestic extraction (DE) for that region from national level data. The benefit of using DE was that reported values of extraction at the national, county, and metropolitan scales are available. Using these data, we could see at which scale(s) it is possible to base the estimate of extraction on the number of employees.
Then, we tested whether we could use the number of retail employees to estimate the consumption of a specific product for which we had the reported values of consumption at the county level. Finally, we downscaled national consumption for the year 2010 (1212 product types) to the county and municipal levels using three different sets of employee types and compared the results to per capita values as well as reported values for certain products, including personal vehicles and fuel.
2.1. Terminology
In this paper we refer to several nomenclatures. The statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community (NACE) provides a four-digit code for economic activities, where the first two digits describe the economic activity category and the second two digits provide more specificity (e.g., NACE category 52 is retail trade, NACE code 5242 is retail sale of clothing). In this paper, we use version Rev 1.1 (2002) [23].
The combined nomenclature (CN) is a system of codes used to classify goods for import and export, used for trade statistics and custom duties [24], where the first two digits indicate the product category (e.g., 04 is dairy), the next two digits indicate the product type (e.g., 0406 is cheese and curd), and the final four digits add specificity (04064050 is Gorgonzola). The CN corresponds to the Harmonized System used in the United States for trade. The DMC is reported in CN codes and provides annual data on consumed materials and goods at the national level. DMC includes raw materials, intermediate goods, and final goods. All of the extrapolation methods performed in this paper use final goods that have been transformed from raw or intermediate materials using the Urban Metabolism Analyst (UMAn) method [25], but any transformation method would be acceptable.
The European Union uses the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS), where NUTS1 represents major socioeconomic regions, NUTS2 defines basic regions for application of regional polices, and NUTS3 represents smaller regions for specific diagnoses [26].
2.2. Extrapolation of Domestic Extraction from Number of Employees
Domestic extraction is the amount of raw material extracted from the natural environment for use in the economy [27]. Globally, as much as 90% of DE is used domestically [28]; in Sweden, the quantities of extraction are documented by Statistics Sweden (SCB) by region. We estimated regional DE values using winter wheat, spring barley, and construction aggregates, as these are products that were extracted in all regions in Sweden. Data at the county and national level for the years 2004 through 2009 were used.
The numbers of employees working in either agriculture (NACE code 0111, "growing of cereals") or quarrying/gravel extraction (NACE code 1421, "operation of gravel and sand pits") within each respective NACE code for each metropolitan area and region (NUTS3) and for the country as a whole were found using national statistics. The share of national employees working in each NACE code in each region was calculated (the "employee ratio") as shown in Equation (1).
E R n , r = E n , r E n
where ERn,r is the employee ratio for NACE sector n and region r, En,r is the number of employees for NACE sector n and region r, and En is the total number of employees in the country for NACE sector n.
∑ r E n , r = E n ; ∑ r E R n , r = 1
The total masses of winter wheat, spring barley, and aggregates extracted nationally were multiplied by the employee ratio for each geographical region, as shown in Equation (2), and compared to reported values extracted within the region as well as to per capita values.
D E n , r = E R n , r × D E n ,
where DEn,r is domestic extraction for NACE sector n and region r, ERn,r is the employee ratio for NACE sector n and region r, and DEn is total domestic extraction in the country for NACE sector n.
∑ r D E n , r = D E n
2.3. Extrapolation of Product Consumption from Number of Employees
We next assessed whether employees could be used to estimate consumption (Equation (3)). To test this, we first evaluated one product that is primarily imported and for which we have reported values of consumption. The sale of alcohol is regulated and limited to sale by a single, state-owned retailer in Sweden, which allows for accurate data availability. Wine falls under the category of alcoholic beverages and is mostly imported. The DMC of wine (CN2204) for the year 2010 was extrapolated to the regional (county) level using the employee ratio for employees working in NACE code 5225, "retail sale of alcoholic and other beverages", and compared to reported values consumed at the regional level published by the Swedish Public Health Administration.
C x , r = E R n , r × D M C x
where n = appropriate for product x sector, Cx,r is the consumption of product x by NACE sector n in region r, ERn,r is the employee ratio for NACE sector n and region r, and DMCx is the total domestic consumption of product x by NACE sector n in the country.
∑ r C x , r = D M C n
2.4. Extrapolation of Total Regional Consumption
Expanding the extrapolation method using employees required two steps: (1) transforming DMC into final goods, described in Section 2.4.1, and (2) associating CN product types with NACE economic sectors, described in Section 2.4.2. The regional employee ratio of each economic sector was then used to extrapolate national-level consumption to the region of interest, described in Section 2.4.3. We also extrapolated regional consumption using per capita values, described in Section 2.4.4. The extrapolation was performed at both the county and municipal levels.
All extrapolations were summed to find the total tonnage of all consumption in the region. This was done with the intention of seeing if any of the methods resulted in outliers or unusual results. The extrapolated values were also compared to known values of consumption for specific products. These reported values were primarily collected through Statistics Sweden (SCB). Reported values included personal vehicles (CN code 8703), based on the number of newly registered vehicles in each county or municipality, multiplied by the average mass of a personal vehicle in Sweden in 2010 (1400 kg) [29,30]. Total volumes of delivered fuel (CN code 2710) are also collected at the county and municipal levels. These volumes were converted to tons using density and compared to the extrapolated values. Reported values for wine consumption (CN code 2204), as described in Section 2.3, were available at the county level.
2.4.1. Transformation of Products into Final Goods
National statistics offices collect DMC data; however, product data are often in the raw or intermediate state. For example, while values of aluminum consumption are reported, the identity of products produced (like automobiles) from the consumed aluminum are not reported. Transformed DMC, where DMC has been transformed into final goods, must be used for this step to get an accurate understanding of what is being consumed.
We used national-level results from the Urban Metabolism Analyst (UMAn) model for Sweden [21,25,31], where DMC is transformed into final goods using production and transport data. The model quantifies final good DMC by calculating domestic extraction plus imports, minus exports, using statistical transport and trade data. Transformation of raw goods and intermediate products into final goods is based on the economic activities found in the area of study. Final goods are categorized using the CN. The UMAn model results used were for the year 2010, as this was the most recent year available with corresponding reported values. Any transformation method can be used, however, and the extrapolation methods assessed in this paper are not limited to the UMAn model.
2.4.2. Identifying Relevant Economic Sectors for Product types
In this step, we linked CN4 product types to NACE economic sectors using international trade statistics. There are over one thousand products at the CN4 level, and there is no current linkage between the two nomenclatures. To identify the economic sector that sells or uses the good manually would be inefficient and subjective. Trade statistics report which NACE codes import which CN products, which means that trade data can be used to identify this link. Since we are investigating consumption, the relevant NACE codes are those that represent the end of the supply chain prior to consumption, and thus a selection of suitable NACE codes was necessary. For example, wholesale companies are often centralized and not located in all regions, but they are often responsible for importing goods. Results are likely to be misleading if national consumption is extrapolated to the regional level using values based on wholesale imports. Wholesale employees have therefore been excluded from this analysis.
Moreover, many importing economic sectors are manufacturers and are thus also not responsible for the end of the supply chain. With these uncertainties in mind, we tested three alternatives for identifying the most appropriate NACE code for each CN4 product type:
Method A: Use all economic sectors with the exception of wholesale (i.e., use all NACE codes except for those in category "51").
Method B: Use all economic sectors with the exception of wholesale and manufacturing (i.e., use all NACE codes except for those in categories "01" through "36" and "51").
Method C: Use only retail economic sectors (i.e., any NACE codes in categories "50" or "52").
Some CN codes are linked to several NACE codes. In these cases, the mass of the CN4 was allocated to each NACE code using the import ratios. We assumed that domestically produced goods mirror the import ratios for imported goods.
2.4.3. Extrapolation of Total Regional Consumption
In the final step, final good consumption was extrapolated to the regional level using the employee ratio from each linked NACE code. First, the country DMC in tons of each CN4 product type xi, i = [1…p], was multiplied by the mass fractions ai,n going to each economic sector (NACE code) n = [1…m] (Equation (4)) to produce Ci,n—the product xi's consumption per NACE code n.
C = [ x 1 0 0 0 … 0 0 0 x p ] × [ a 1 , 1 … a 1 , m … … … a p , 1 … a p , m ] ,
Then, the Ci,n for each NACE code n was multiplied by the ER for that NACE code in the region. Finally, consumption C for each region r = [1...q] was summed for each CN4 (one CN4 may correspond to multiple NACE codes), where ER is employee ratio and n is the NACE code.
C r = C × [ E R 1 , 1 … E R 1 , q … … … E R m , 1 … E R m , q ]
This analysis was performed first at the county (NUTS3) level and then at the municipal level. All 22 counties were analyzed. Sweden has 295 municipalities, which are categorized by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) into nine groups based on structural parameters like population and commuting patterns [32]; see Table S5 for the classification system description. Three municipalities were selected from each group, with at least one municipality from each county included in the sample.
2.4.4. Extrapolation of Regional Consumption using Per Capita Values
Per capita consumption was found by taking the total consumption of final goods from 2010 [31] and dividing the value by the population in Sweden in 2010. The per capita value was then multiplied by the population of the region to find the regional consumption. In Section 3, per capita is referred to as "Method D".
3.1. Extrapolation of Domestic Extraction Results from Number of Employees
The first step was to evaluate if the number of employees working in the economic (NACE) sectors pertaining to domestic extraction was indicative of the mass of extracted product. Figure 2 presents the calculated value of domestic extraction based on the number of employees working in NACE code 0111 in three counties compared to the reported values collected by SCB Statistics Sweden.
As seen in Figure 2, calculation of mass of extracted products using the employee ratio produces considerably better results for Stockholm and Skåne than the per capita calculation. Per capita estimates are inaccurate for Stockholm and Skåne, overestimating Stockholm's extraction (717% of the reported value on average) and underestimating Skåne's extraction (47% of the reported value). The calculated values using the employee ratio are quite similar to reported values. For Skåne County, the results varied between slight over- and underestimates of the reported value, ranging from 92 to 110% (average 98%). The values were slightly underestimated for Västra Götaland County (74 to 86% of the reported value, average 80%). The method overestimated Stockholm County's extraction (163 to 200% of the reported value, average 175%).
To test how well the extrapolation by number of employees works at a different geographical scale, we used reported values of aggregates (e.g., sand, moraine, gravel) at the metropolitan level and compared how well using the number of employees estimated true extraction levels. Grain data are not collected at the metropolitan level, but data for aggregates were available. The calculated values underestimated the true extraction in the Stockholm Metropolitan Area (36 to 54% of the reported value, 55% on average) and overestimated the extraction in the Gothenburg Metropolitan Area (117 to 146% of the reported value, 131% on average). The results for Malmö Metropolitan Area ranged from 78% of the reported value to 133% (average 112%). Extrapolations based on per capita overestimated the extraction in all three metropolitan regions in all six years studied, resulting, on average, in 134% of the reported value in Gothenburg, 116% in Malmö, and 153% in Stockholm (see Figure 3). Using the employee ratio was slightly more accurate than per capita calculations for the Malmö and Gothenburg metropolitan areas, but both per capita and employee ratio values were highly inaccurate for the Stockholm Metropolitan Area.
3.2. Extrapolation of Consumption from Number of Retail Employees
After evaluating the use of the employee ratio for estimating domestic extraction at the county level, we tested using the appropriate retail category employee ratio to estimate the consumption of a specific product. We used a product type for which there were known consumption data by county: wine. The Swedish Public Health Administration collects data on wine consumed by county in Sweden. Wine is also a good that is primarily imported. The reported value was compared to the value of the national DMC of wine (CN code 2204) extrapolated to each county based on the ratio of the total number of employees working in alcohol retail (NACE 5225). As shown in Figure 4, the calculated value using retail employees is similar to the reported value, ranging from 64 to 109% of the reported value, with an average of 88%. Per capita estimates ranged from 59 to 134% of the reported value, with an average of 90%.
However, wine is most often imported by a wholesale distributor (NACE 5134). Had the extrapolation been performed using these values, the consumption would have been underestimated in all regions except Stockholm, where the values would have been extremely overestimated. This is due to the fact that wholesalers are often located in one or few regions and distribute products to retailers.
3.3. Extrapolation of Regional Consumption
3.3.1. Linking Final Product Types to Economic Sectors
Economic sectors were linked to the CN4 products using international trade statistics through three approaches. Wholesalers (NACE category 52) are the most frequent destination of imports, followed by retailers (NACE category 51). Some manufacturing activities (NACE categories 15–37) are also frequent importers, as is NACE category 74 ("other business services").
Methods A and B, which use all economic sectors excluding wholesale or excluding wholesale and manufacturing, respectively, included 100% of the CN codes. In Method C, only retail NACE codes were used (NACE categories 50 and 52). All but five of the 1221 CN product codes were imported by a code starting with 50 and 52.
In this section, we present and compare the extrapolation results using the four methods (Methods A, B, C, and D) to reported values. True consumption values were used to validate the results and give perspective on the level of accuracy. There are limited products with reported values of consumption at the local level. In addition to the products that were already tested in Section 3.1 and Section 3.2 (i.e., wine, grain, and aggregates), we used personal vehicle registration statistics and fuel delivery statistics. A selection of the compared values is presented here based on those products. Detailed results are presented in Supplementary Information Tables S1–S4.
Consumption was estimated using the four approaches described in Section 2.4 for all 22 Swedish counties and 27 municipalities (see Figure 5 and Figure 6). Some key differences can be noted among the results using the different extrapolation methods. We see that the greatest variation in results occurs with the inclusion of manufacturing, i.e., Method A, at both the county and municipal levels. For example, County SE332 (Norrbotten) is a region with significant mining operations in Sweden. If consumption extrapolations are based on employees including the manufacturing (which includes mining) industries, i.e., Method A, the total tons of consumption of final goods are likely overestimated. This overestimation is possibly because manufacturers import raw and intermediate goods, and the extrapolation assumes that these are final goods. County SE110, Stockholm County, has the highest variation among the tested methods. This is likely due to the fact that this is Sweden's highest populated county and has a primarily service-based economy [21]. At the county level, results for Method B and D are within 6% of each other on average, and C and D are within 3%. At the municipal level, the results for Method C (retail) and Method D (per capita) are within 12% of each other on average, except in the A2 category of municipalities (commuter municipalities to the largest cities in Sweden), where they are either 50% above or below each other. A full explanation of the municipality classification system is presented in Supplementary Table S5.
The results were compared to reported values of consumption of personal vehicles (CN code 8703) at the county (Figure 7) and municipal levels (Figure 8); this was also done for fuel (Supplementary Figures S1 and S2). Results were also compared to wine consumption at the county level (Supplementary Figure S3). A summary of the results is presented in Table 1. Methods using the employee ratio were on average closer to reported values for fuel and personal vehicles. However, we can see that when we look at the individual counties and municipalities, there are variations in which method was most accurate. For example, Methods B and C were most accurate for estimating personal vehicle consumption in Boden, but Method D was more accurate in Lerum (Figure 8). Method C and Method D had similar results for wine and had similar ranges (Method C ranged from 57 to 129% of the reported value and Method D ranged from 59 to 134% of the reported value). The results for Method C for wine are slightly different from those presented in Section 3.2, as there are more NACE sectors linked to wine than just 5225 in the international trade statistics.
The purpose of this investigation was to search for proxies for more rigorous analysis that are sufficiently accurate to enable effective decision making. The evaluation of extrapolation methods began with a test to see how well the employee ratio method estimated extraction as a precursor to estimating consumption. The results indicated that using an economic sector's employee ratio may estimate domestic extraction with reasonable accuracy at the county (NUTS3) level, giving a significantly more accurate estimate of true extraction than using per capita values. This was particularly true for Stockholm and Skåne counties, which may be due to the metabolism types of these regions. For example, Stockholm County houses the Stockholm Metropolitan Area, which has a service-based economy, and Skåne is responsible for most agriculture in Sweden. This indicates that per capita calculations would not be able to capture the difference in these areas. However, both the employee ratio method and the per capita calculation overestimated the metropolitan area DE for Gothenburg and Malmö metropolitan areas. This may be due to the fact that domestic extraction of aggregates tends to take place outside of metropolitan areas [33]. Stockholm Metropolitan Area aggregate consumption was underestimated by the employee ratio, which may indicate that there are employees working for companies registered in the surrounding area that are extracting materials within the metropolitan area instead.
Wine consumption was accurately estimated using the retail employee ratio at the county level. The results show, however, that the inclusion of wholesale employees would clearly lead to a significant misrepresentation of consumption values. Given that wholesale distributors are often located in one or a few locations [34], this would likely be the case for the majority of product types. Swedish employee data show that most employees working in wholesale NACE categories are centralized in one or a few regions.
We can compare the total tons of consumption (all products) of Stockholm County (SE110), which is synonymous with the Stockholm Metropolitan Area, to the UMAn model results in Kalmykova et al. (2015b). Method A (all NACE codes except for wholesale) had similar results to the sum total (approximately 16 million tons using Method A, 19 million tons using the UMAn model), while Methods B (all NACE codes except wholesale and manufacturing), C (only retail NACE codes), and D (per capita) had significantly higher results (29 to 33 million tons total). The driver of the mass differences was primarily construction materials like wood (CN category 44) and stone (CN category 25). Product category CN25 is the heaviest of all CN2 categories and therefore can affect total tonnage results significantly. The differences in values for both CN25 and CN44 may be because they are both final and intermediate goods. In the UMAn results, category CN25 comprises approximately 50% of the total consumption mass, which is also true for Methods B, C, and D. Only Method A results in a smaller value than 50%, i.e., 34% of the total consumption mass. This further indicates that including manufacturing NACE codes (Method A) leads to inaccuracies. This also means that construction materials may therefore require additional analysis if measures requiring the use of these product types are to be considered. The majority of the remaining product categories are within the same percentage range as the UMAn model. Further details can be found in Supplementary Tables S3 and S4.
When comparing results to reported values at the county level, results using the employee ratio either did not match reported values as well as per capita estimates or had similar results to per capita results. Of the three novel extrapolation methods analyzed, Method A (all NACE codes excluding wholesale) had the most inaccurate results when compared to reported values at both the county and municipal levels and should therefore not be considered for future applications. At the county level, Methods B, C, and D led to similar results, with a 17% difference among them on average in vehicles and a 24% difference in fuel. The results indicate that at the county (NUTS3) level, per capita values are sufficient for final consumption extrapolation purposes.
At the municipal level, the results for the employee ratio methods B and C were closer to reported values than per capita values on average but gave inaccurate results for those areas where employees for a certain NACE code were not present. For example, in small municipalities, there may not be any employees working in a particular sector (e.g., vehicle sales), and therefore consumption would be underestimated. The inaccuracies may be due to the fact that metropolitan areas and municipalities can be dependent on the hinterland; consumption in one area may actually be linked to extraction from a geographically distant area [35]. There was no clear correlation between municipality size and accuracy of results, although per capita values significantly overestimated vehicle consumption in municipalities smaller than 10,000 inhabitants. A link between population size and accuracy was not seen in the fuel results.
We found that using per capita values for final consumption was satisfactory for counties. This was also the case for municipalities with populations outside of major metropolitan areas with population sizes of up to 500,000. Method B (excluding wholesale and manufacturing economic sectors) gave considerably more accurate results than per capita values on average at the municipal level, but there was not a correlation between population size and accuracy. The level of accuracy needed will be dependent on the purpose of the extrapolation.
The method of evaluation presented in this article is limited by the number of products with reported values at the local level and could be improved by including more of these. Moving forward, we would like to gather bottom-up data on product consumption values (thus reducing the limitation to products with reported values) for the purposes of comparison and further evaluation of which method achieves the most reliable results. Testing the methods using other countries' data would also improve the applicability and allow for greater generalizations.
The following are available online at https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/20/8336/s1, Figure S1: Tons of fuel consumed by county in 2010 based on the different extrapolation methods used compared to the reported value. Reported values are shown in red. Figure S2: Tons of fuel consumed by municipality in 2010 based on the different extrapolation methods used compared to the reported value. Reported values are shown in red. Figure S3: Tons of wine consumed by county in 2010 based on the different extrapolation values compared to the reported value. Reported values are shown in red. Table S1: Comparison of wine, fuel, and personal vehicle consumption results at the county level calculated using Methods A, B, C, and D and reported values. Table S2: Comparison of fuel and personal vehicle consumption results at the municipal level calculated using Methods A, B, C, and D and reported values. Table S3: Stockholm County consumption results using Methods A, B, C, and D at the CN2 level compared to the UMAn model results (Year: 2010). Table S4: Stockholm County consumption results using Methods A, B, C, and D at the CN4 level compared to the UMAn model results (Year: 2010). Table S5 Description of Municipal Categories from Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions.
Conceptualization, A.L.W., Y.K., L.R.; methodology, A.L.W., J.P.; formal analysis, A.L.W., Y.K., L.R.; writing—original draft preparation, A.L.W.; writing—review and editing, Y.K., L.R., A.L.W., J.P.; visualization, A.L.W.; supervision, Y.K., L.R.; project administration, Y.K.; funding acquisition, Y.K. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
This research was funded through the project 2014-666-28480-22 "The MEI method - Combining material flow analysis and life cycle assessment for evaluating effectiveness and potentials of municipal measures to reach environmental targets" from the Swedish Research Council Formas and by the Mistra Urban Futures Platform.
The authors would like to thank Jason Mallet for his assistance in programming and data visualization.
The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.
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Figure 1. Overview of methods evaluated.
Figure 2. The sum of tons of wheat, rye, barley, and oats extracted by county per year compared to calculated extraction based on number of employees and using per capita values. Reported values are shown in red.
Figure 3. The sum of tons of aggregates extracted by metropolitan area per year compared to calculated extraction based on number of employees and using per capita values. Reported values are shown in red.
Figure 4. Wine consumption by county based on reported values, calculated using employees in retail, per capita, and wholesale. Reported values are shown in red.
Figure 5. Total consumption (tons) of all goods by county in 2010 using the four extrapolation methods.
Figure 6. Total consumption (tons) by municipality in 2010 using the four extrapolation methods.
Figure 7. Tons of new personal vehicles consumed by county in 2010 based on the different extrapolation methods used compared to the reported value. Reported values are shown in red.
Figure 8. Tons of new personal vehicles consumed by municipality in 2010 based on the different extrapolation methods used compared to the reported value. The three largest municipalities can be seen in the inset; the remaining municipalities are presented in order of decreasing size. Reported values are shown in red.
Table 1. Comparison of average results for calculated values against reported values. Values are presented as +/– compared to 100% of the reported value.
A: Excluding Wholesale
B: Excluding Wholesale and Manufacturing
C: Retail Only
D: Per Capita
County −28 +6 +15 +5
Municipality −24 0 +26 +21
Personal Vehicles
County +7 +14 +14 +14
Municipality −20 −15 −15 +50
County −49 −40 −15 −10
Lavers Westin, A.; Rosado, L.; Kalmykova, Y.; Patrício, J. Methods for Downscaling National Material Consumption Data to the Regional and Municipal Levels. Sustainability 2020, 12, 8336. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208336
Lavers Westin A, Rosado L, Kalmykova Y, Patrício J. Methods for Downscaling National Material Consumption Data to the Regional and Municipal Levels. Sustainability. 2020; 12(20):8336. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208336
Lavers Westin, Alexandra, Leonardo Rosado, Yuliya Kalmykova, and João Patrício. 2020. "Methods for Downscaling National Material Consumption Data to the Regional and Municipal Levels" Sustainability 12, no. 20: 8336. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208336
Sustainability, EISSN 2071-1050, Published by MDPI


1 lb. avg. Aged approx 4-8 months. Our signature Cheddar smoked over apple wood for a more robust flavor. The hint of smoke makes this cheese ideal with cured meats. pickled vegetables and or melted over a burger or in a grilled cheese sandwich.


text:
Q: Cropping the borders of image based on color in windows phone
Above is the image i am using. What i am trying to achieve is removing the red portion of the border from the image. How can I achieve this programmatically in windows phone? I found WriteableBitmapExtensions.Crop() method, but I am confused with the arguments (how i can find the x,y position of the image, as well as the size and the width?)
Also another issue I am facing is: I will get the images with differently sized borders, so I can't hardcode the x or y values.
Can anyone suggest a solution, or guide me to solve the issue?

A: This is not such a trivial thing and you haven't shared any code with us, so I can give you a few suggestions. Every WriteableBitmap has width and height defined. You should be able to access it via
wb.PixelWidth;
wb.PixelHeight;

where wb is your WriteableBitmap (the picture)
Having said that, it's trivial to crop a WriteableBitmap using WriteableBitmapEx library
var croppedBmp = wb.Crop(10, 10, 300, 220);

If your wb was 320x240 and the border was of width 10, then the above Crop call will do the trick - you will take the inner rectangle starting from point (10,10) and ending at (310, 230)
Now to your second issue - not knowing the width of the border. It would help if you know that

*

*Border is of the same thickness on every side of the picture

*Border is always in one color only

Assuming that's true, you could think of a simple algorithm (that may not be correct every time, but you can test it and adjust) which would take a few random points, for example
(0,randNumber < wb.PixelHeight), (randNumber < wb.PixelWidth, 0), (wb.PixelWidth, randNumber < wb.PixelHeight), (randNumber < wb.PixelWidth, wb.PixelHeight)
and then move towards the inner part of the picture as long as the neighbour pixel is the same color as the starting pixel. The more points you take randomly, the better chances you have of getting it right. The obvious problem with this is that it may happen that something on the picture is the same color as the border (exactly the same) which will make it seem like the border is wider than it really is. That's why you should take more points.
If you showed some code, I'd be happy to expand the answer.


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ISLAMABAD (AP) — A 70-year-old American aid worker kidnapped nine months ago in Pakistan said in a video released by al-Qaida that he will be killed unless President Barack Obama agrees to the militant group's demands. The White House called for his immediate release.
At the White House, Obama spokesman Jay Carney insisted the U.S. will not negotiate with al-Qaida. "We condemn his kidnapping in the strongest terms and call for (Weinstein's) immediate release," he said.
A woman who answered the phone Monday at a number listed for Weinstein in Rockville, Md., said she had no comment when an Associated Press reporter identified herself. Phone messages left for Weinstein's relatives were not immediately returned.
"It's important you accept the demands and act quickly and don't delay," Weinstein said in the video, addressing Obama. "There'll be no benefit in delaying. It will just make things more difficult for me."
He appealed to Obama as a father. If the president responds to the militants' demands, Weinstein said, "then I will live and hopefully rejoin my family and also enjoy my children, my two daughters, like you enjoy your two daughters."
The video was released by Al-Sahab, al-Qaida's media arm. It was first reported by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant messages.
In the video released Sunday, Weinstein said he would like his wife, Elaine, to know "I'm fine, I'm well, I'm getting all my medications, I'm being taken care of."
Mike Redwood, a friend of Weinstein's from Somerset, England, said he watched the video Monday morning and said he had mixed feelings. He said he was grateful that Weinstein is alive — or at least was alive when the undated video was shot — but remains dismayed to see his friend in such dire circumstances.
"He's more capable of withstanding these circumstances than anybody else I know," Redwood said, "But it doesn't take away from feeling really depressed at seeing him there."
He said he thought Weinstein's neutral delivery was appropriate under the circumstances.
"I think he said it in measured tones that indicate that while he's under duress and in captivity, he knows what he's doing and in control and capable of managing himself, which was always what you would expect of Warren," Redwood said.
Redwood, a leather industry consultant, met Weinstein when they worked together on a plan to enhance the Pakistani leather industry. He has not spoken to Weinstein's family.


← A new resident in my garden.
This entry was posted in "Photos from..." and tagged arugula, camouflage frog, camouflage toad, french breakfast, frog, garlic, growing garlic, leaf lettuce, lettuce, radishes, robin, robin nest, salad mix growing salad, salad spinner, toad. Bookmark the permalink.
greens look so yummy/I'm jealous.
His camouflage is so good, isn't it?