We weren't able to spend the holidays with our families this year, but we were so touched by their thoughtful gifts that are helping to advance our project (dream house). My mom keeps up with the blog, so she knew that we were about to launch into full electrician mode – and my folks sent us some blue stuff: e-boxes, and tools too. As well as some green stuff that helped us stock up on the necessities. K's parents had the same idea, and generously contributed to the Winter of Electrification. We are in the absolute home stretch now – we think 100% of the electrical we planned to do will be done by New Year's Eve – which is tomorrow! Only a couple of outdoor lights to work on next summer – they will be part of the porch and yard overhaul.
The other day, while we were working, I was searching around for an extension cord (they were all plugged in to heaters or tools). Then suddenly – a realization – there were outlets on the walls that work! It has really made the cabin feel like a home to have a full electrical system and get some walls started as well. Much progress ("What we did on X-Mas vacation") documented below. THANK YOU families, for 'getting' us. We know we are weirdos!
This is our 100th post, and we have a lot to show you!
Wow! Kind of crazy. I think when we bought the place – almost 2 years ago – we thought we'd be in by now. However, we are really getting close. Witness: windows are nearly all restored to functionality. Some still need paint, but they are re-glazed, frames straightened and leveled, and there's no more broken glass. (Exception: we are planning to completely replace the bedroom windows and are on the hunt for some good wood replacements).
Our window workshop, in the cellar of our current home.
We built a jamb from stock we removed when we replaced the front windows.
Beautiful views. We finished straightening and priming the last jamb, on a rare 40 degree day.
Those logs will be our porch railing next year.
Today we did something really wild – we installed lighting! Not hung-up-on-a-nail paper lantern stuff, but the real, final lighting we actually picked out for this place. And some jack-leg temporary lighting too, so we don't wreck my pretty, restored Italian mid-century glass fixtures. Nonetheless, they turn on and off with switches, not extension cords! And we finished the last window, to be installed later this week (after the Noah's Ark-like flooding that's predicted for Wednesday).
The light snow this week was really pretty on the big rock.
K set up his electrical board with tracks for all the wires to come.
Then we installed the last two windows in the study.
And from outside. Still some red paint to get rid of.
And then – there was light! This is the Pixi 1×2 LED light and it's AWESOME!
There will be three pretty lights here, but these are temporary and work OK for now.
The fan is in, but not 100% wired yet. Some other fixtures have to go in before we can turn it on.
Our helper and his personal heater.
Managed to squeeze a box in next to the door – phew!
I got a vintage light fixture about a year and a half ago, when I saw it listed for a mere $15 and knew immediately that it was perfect – perfect! – for the cabin bedroom, where we want to have a little more sparkle and little more mod. There are two of us, so of course I've kept my eyes open in the vain hope that I could ever find a match. I figured I'd end up with something complementary, but never a true pair.
And then – there it was! I wasn't even searching for it – I was cruising the mid-century auctions and it popped up with one day left and no bids! It's missing a piece and needs a bit of restoration and both will be re-wired, but it's a freaking match – same brand (Sarama – check Wikipedia for an interesting origin of the word) and all. Sarama was apparently located in Fall River, MA (interesting – we have relatives from that neck of the woods) and was in business in Canada from about 1975-1980, from what I can piece together. Some info suggests that it was located in Fall River for over 50 years, so maybe just the Canadian branch didn't make it?
The timing couldn't be better – we are off work after this week, and about to launch into electrical. Super-sweet.
Front window: sanded and primed jamb.
Our window pile: some castoffs ($5-15 pre-owned Marvins found on craigslist).
Front upper window: after. Paint colors to be applied when the weather warms.
And from outside. Our facade is rejuvenated!
The rear window – this rough opening was smaller than the front one.
Last post's bathroom windows look totally refreshed with white-primed jambs!
Next victim: this closet window is in the works. We are building a new jamb from old stock.


The two leaders had met twice last week in Paris, the first as part of a quartet summit that brought them together with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Qatari Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and again on a bilateral level.
Syrian Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Muallem will visit Beirut on Monday to deliver an invitation from President Bashar Al-Assad to his Lebanese counterpart Michel Suleiman to visit Damascus, Kuwaiti news agency quoted an official source as saying on Sunday.
Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal had said in statements to the press yesterday that Damascus would be welcoming Suleiman in a manner befitting his stature, reiterating his country's commitment to its neighbor's sovereignty and unity.
Meanwhile, the local "Al-Watan" newspaper said that the visit of the Lebanese president would see discussions with Al-Assad over means to strengthen bilateral relations in the interest of the two peoples, as well as diplomatic representation.
It hoped that this visit would mark the launch of a new phase in bilateral relations.
In Paris, Al-Assad reiterated his country's support for Lebanon and denied there were any obstacles in the way of exchanging diplomatic representation. Suleiman, on his part, said Beirut sought better relations with Damascus.


Business owners have been hard hit during the cold weather with two thirds of the smallest companies in the UK badly affected financially by severe weather and storms of the last three years, according to the FSB. Preparation for any business is paramount according to the Met Office, but likewise, companies need to consider the financial effects should weather cause business closures, so building an action plan would seem the most relevant first step.
Risks that could impact a business, whatever its size should be identified with recovery plans put in place regarding buildings and staff, with the option to work remotely where possible if premises are cut off. Naturally, liaising with customers and suppliers to manage damage limitation to any weak links in a supply chain.
As severe weather seems to be on the increase, with climate change appearing to create extreme conditions during winter months, for smaller businesses or landlords, it's imperative to make sure that all the right insurance is in place, to protect companies. Let's hope, for the most part, that the future is starting to look a little brighter.
With Smart buildings a focus for many new developers Ecobuild once again proved an innovative show ground that lead the way this year in evaluating new disciplines and evolving ways to approach sustainability.
The ecobuild conference once again took centre stage and placed focus on the important issues now and those that will potentially face us in the future.
Launched as a platform to evoke fresh thinking, futurebuild highlighted innovative technologies and materials designed specifically for the built environment. The futurebuild districts enabled some of the best people, brands and companies to collaborate and develop profitable relationships with a view on tomorrow's market.
It has now been announced that Futurebuild 2019 will continue to be the industry platform for those exploring fresh thinking about the sector.
"Futurebuild 2019 represents everything we set out to achieve. It will be an event for the industry, by the industry, and 100% committed to championing innovation and sustainability for the future of the built environment. After all, unless the future is sustainable, and unless we think beyond the status quo, we won't have a future at all.
Modernisation and developments are key phrases frequently used when taking a business forward, but today there is much more to it as a new dimension must now be considered. The Millennial .
Business practices are changing rapidly as 'Millennials' change our perspective, influence our direction and completely alter expectations in the way they handle business.
Value in the marketplace has been dramatically altered by the next generation of entrepreneurs who do not understand a time when digital technology was not available.
This type of business owner automatically assumes that research platforms, financial forecasts and interesting facts about their latest hobbies can always be found at the touch of a button. They can keep their whole world in their pocket and perhaps more importantly they expect to be able to do that – the must have right now brigade is shackled to devices and tablets as the power of digital technology increases daily.
Referred to as lazy by some, this generation actually has taught older generations that efficiency of effort gives maximum impact and technology is the instrument of choice.
Face time is minimised and considered trivial unless it relates to matters of vital importance – technology makes so much possible because it sells results.
Modern entrepreneurs are very prepared to research what they will need to learn in order to seal the deal. Knowledge and experience supersede qualifications and that these are in a constant state of flux.
If they need some practical how-to advice this is easy to find in an online forum or YouTube video, so the learning process is a continual evolution. Garnering information from someone with experience in the area they are looking to explore is a natural progression for the modern business leader, absorbing experience and stories from trailblazers and industry experts as role models.


The story of the Nakba remained for decades carrying within it an untold story of fear of admitting fear. We know the story of the dispossession of the population. The story of a nation is becoming under refugee status until this date. The story of the massacres, Deir Yasin. Stories we grew up hearing in a tremendous sense. Something was always missing in it.
Over the years I tried to develop a certain sense of it. I never wanted to deal with the Nakba. My consciousness of it is weary. It should also be genetic. I never heard my family talking about it. My mother's family is becoming refugees suddenly and are dispossessed from their West Jerusalem house to what I grew up seeing after two or three generation something that looked like a slum. My other grandmother tells the story of her original city, Ramla. In which she recalls the rest of her life just in Jerusalem.
They were lucky to survive a massacre. After all, they were not from villages maybe that was the reason. But they have stripped away from their dignity of keeping their properties. They found themselves in an entirely new situation with only nothing. A new beginning after an earthquake like situation.
When a property becomes meaningless. Belongings disappear. Just staying alive is the focus.
The last three weeks brought what felt lay a déjà vu in my memory. A memory of unnecessarily told miseries. A memory of a tragedy that overtook me as a human being. A tragedy that somehow defines me. A tragedy that echoes within a non-lasting curse that continues to enliven us from one generation to the other.
What happened tonight, as a consequence of the escalation on the vicious murder of the teenager, Mohammad Abu Khder from Shu'fat? Our street was on the seam of the confrontation. It was a scene that quickly brought to me the memories of the first intifada.
But the first intifada carried with it feelings of hope. Of victory to resistance. Of believing that occupation can end. There was this pulse of life of us as a nation. We felt alive.
Tonight it wasn't life. It was still grief, accompanied with a great sensation of anger, of frustration. There was this awe to touching the feeling of life again. It could be amazing that again, this Palestinian gene should be what makes things systematically move in the same manner. It was the same scene of more than two decades. By actors who were not born back then. How they adapt to the same methods of resistance subconsciously. It felt as if it was my generation. With courage that is surprising to a generation that is a by-product of Oslo.
But what happened to me tonight was this feeling of fear.
A feeling hard to admit it exists.At least in such a situation. I felt my heart pounding heavily for hours. Not knowing if we can just go back home. Under our building, all the youth gathered, Israeli forces at the intersection of the road. I was with my daughter and sister and nephews in my other sister's house. The dogs were home. I felt utterly helpless. Wasn't just the feeling of being helpless? No, it was mixed with fear that has this cowardly sensation of being useless.
When we went home, trying to grasp a moment of sneaking ourselves back. The road was dark. Lights were switched off from the area. The road was blocked with garbage containers. I had to drive the opposite way around. Tens, hundred of youngsters were in the street on our block. The less that five minutes drive felt like five hours. I didn't believe we arrived home. I didn't believe we were able to make our way through the masses down. It was good news for the dogs when they saw us.
However, some distant sentiment kept dwelling on me. A sensation of something that runs in my veins. I haven't encountered in this lifetime. I couldn't. But something inside me has reached out to it.
It was that feeling of Nakba Revisited. The horror generations of my family and I my nation endured during the Nakba. Those stories that seemed fictional about Zionist gangs who terrorized the villages and killed its people and forced them to escape for whatever left of their lives. The horrific scenes we were witnessing in the last three weeks, and those closed sketches of abduction, lynching, running over with cars, attacking in the train, thrashing on roads and malls, slaughtering. This scene of blocking all entrances and exits to the neighborhoods, surrounding it with police troops. The site of what was yesterday just a healthy place to be as a courtyard in the aftermath of an earthquake has this mystical forewarning.
And may that day come for the highest good of all, may your fear melt like snow flowing into the sea, and may those who have been murdered be reborn into a happy life, and those beat and wounded, be healed and comforted. So be it. Inshallah.
It seems as if you're in a very scary situation right now. I wish you well.


text:
Please Remember that Sexual Assault is Never Your Fault!
If you were forced to have any type of sexual contact without consent your a victim/survivor and are Never to Blame!
Male Victim/Survivor
Society often fails to recognize that males can be sexually assaulted which can make receiving assistance and support more challenging for male victims. Research indicates that 1 in 16 males will be the victim of a sexual assault during their college career. Although anyone can perpetrate a sexual assault against a male, the vast majority of perpetrators of sexual assault against males are other males. Physiological responses to sexual assault may cause confusion and factor into the survivor's perceived victimization.
Response to Sexual Assault
Although male victims of sexual assault experience many of the same reactions to sexual assault as women do including: confusion, shame, self-blame, anger, anxiety, guilt, depression, fear and sadness, male victims may be more likely to respond to the assault with outward anger or try to minimize the severity of the assault. Like all victims, however, responses to sexual assault will be unique to each survivor.
Sexual Assault of Males
Can include unwanted touching of the male's body including the penis, scrotum and buttocks over or under clothing.
Rape of Males
Includes any forced penetration, however slight, of the oral or anal cavity with a body part or object.
LGBTQ Victim/Survivor
Anyone can be the victim of a sexual assault. Individuals who identify as LGBTQ and who are survivors of sexual assault often face additional obstacles and unique challenges when it comes to reporting the assault and seeking resources for assistance. Like all survivors, LGBTQ survivors often feel self-blame, shame, fear, anger, and depression. Please know that you will not be required to disclose your sexual orientation if you do not feel comfortable doing so. You have the right to receive resources and support in a nonjudgmental and emotionally supportive manner.
Here are some additional concerns that LGBTQ Survivors may have:
LGBTQ Survivors may have been targeted because of their sexual orientation
LGBTQ survivors may question their sexuality after an assault
LGBTQ survivors may lack the support system from friends and family who are not accepting of their sexual orientation and may be reluctant to disclose the assault
LGBTQ survivors may face difficulties in reporting and receiving services after the assault as they may feel pressure to disclose their sexual orientation when they are not comfortable doing so.
LGBTQ survivors may feel pressure from the LGBTQ Community that reporting the assault or receiving services only serves to perpetuate societal myths of this group

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


In the past I've written on CRM, customer experience, customer engagement, and a myriad of other topics all tied together, and I've highlighted the similarities, synergies, and differences. Here I'm taking a slight left turn and focusing on how to design for customer engagement. When it comes to expertise in this area, I will always defer to industry colleague Brian Solis (a principal analyst at Altimeter Group), but at the same time, I know a fair amount, so let me give you some idea of how to go about building out the customer engagement user experience.
Why this subject? With all the talk of customer engagement, if it truly concerns you, there are practical steps that must be taken. You have to have a framework, an outlook, a strategy, a program, a cohesive and aligned business operation, technology, metrics, and a cultural mandate to support it. Processes and business rules have to be in place.
But it also means that you must know what customers are looking for when it comes to their relationship with you, and you must provide it to them in the most convenient, frictionless way possible without breaking the bank. That's where thinking about customer interactions comes in, and so how you design your user interface (UI) becomes a critical part of your approach.
At a high level, then, how should the design look and feel? What makes it appealing to customers so that they want to experience it again and again?
Frictionless interactions and navigation. Navigation via the interface should be easy. If your customers need to find something, getting there shouldn't require digging through screen after screen. When they need a "contact us" button, they should be able to find it without wondering how to find it.
Several years ago, a client of mine that shall remain nameless had no "contact us" button on its website because it basically lacked a contact center to deal with traffic, though it did have a skeletal customer service staff who could have fielded calls if customers could have figured out where to go to make them. Thus, with no outlets for the customer to vent or get easy problems solved, this company had a social media firestorm every time someone took a complaint to Twitter or to customer-service-focused websites or communities. Not smart.
Convenience. This one is rarely talked about in program design but is an important consideration. Customers don't only want easy navigation; they want things that are convenient to do. Essentially, it means you are well served engaging customers where they are, not making them have to get to you. This isn't always necessary or even, at times, useful. But often it is a real opportunity to foster engagement. As a real-world example, something as simple as planning to make the move from adding delivery to what has been strictly carry-out yields significant opportunity.
Personalized content. Not every customer is looking for personalized information—after all, new customers are still learning what your company provides—but the more loyal or long term or interested the customer, the more likely they are to want personalized content.
But sometimes you may not know all the details about every individual. So you can utilize your customer advocates to build the case studies, tell the stories, and operate as extensions of your marketing department. Laura Ramos, a Forrester Research analyst and thought leader, found that when you build this kind of advocacy content to appeal to customers and prospects, there are four types that work: (1) content that validates (case studies, references, social media sharing); (2) content that educates (customer communities and user forums); (3) content that shows dedication is rewarded (MVP programs, referrals, speaking engagements for customer advocates); and (4) content that inspires (customer advisory boards, co-creation, and other forms of collaboration). These programs create activities and effort for customers but reward them in turn.
Systems of engagement that are fun to engage. Systems of engagement—systems that are designed to foster communication and interaction between the company and its customers—are sort of obvious requirements. If customers can't interact with you, what kind of experiences are you designing? I mean, really?
But what should be considered when designing a UI is how customers want to communicate with you—and what the business feels is in its best interests to provide to customers for that communication. For example, "There's an app for that" doesn't apply when you are discussing co-creation on the scale of, say, General Electric or IBM and its business partners and customers. On the other hand, the idea that customers will interact with you if they enjoy the interaction is spot on. That opens the door to things like gamification or the creation of customer communities to foster relationships between customers and between customers and management.
But the systems for the interactions, the engagement systems, should be interesting unto themselves. For example, you could create an informal back channel for your best customers to communicate with your management team—and make those designated team members easy to reach via Skype or Facebook or Twitter or WeChat and give them the leeway to be whoever it is they really are. Having the communications be engaging and relaxed and via familiar channels breaks down the barriers and makes the interactions fun—and special. That's where systems of engagement coupled with programs that make specific customers feel valued in ways that are meaningful to them are a win-win for everyone concerned.
A look and feel that's emotionally appealing and consistent across communications media, but not necessarily identical. The idea that something is cool is palpable. And when it comes to what we're interacting with, beauty isn't skin-deep—it makes a difference.
So when you see a site that is crowded with images, has a small font, and is filled with typos and misspellings, your response is simple: Ugh! But when you see stunning visuals highlighted by just enough text to help convey meaning, and the text is in a font that is large, colorful, and sharp, then you are not only engaged with the meaning of the visuals and text, but you feel good because the page looks good.
But there are other considerations. Something that looks great on a landing page looks less so on a phone with a 5.5-inch screen—and what you do to moderate the look and feel for that mobile device isn't necessarily what you do for a 10-inch tablet. While the look and feel must be consistent—the logo, the colors, etc.—they can't be identical when it comes to the form factor. The content also needs to be consistent but not identical. How you present it in an email is going to be different from how you present it via a website or video.
Flexibility. Recognize that your customers' activities, moods, and behavior are going to be fluid over time. Their interests and passions will change, and so will their relationship with your company. Some of your customers will churn, some will be inert, some will be best left alone, and some will be enormously responsive to you—all at any given time. That means what you design today as a program for engagement might be great for a while and then be, let us say, not so great.
So find out what works—test, test, test. You should spend the time needed to measure the results of customers' activities, track their journeys, query their thinking, find out their likes and dislikes, and then do it again and again—and design and redesign accordingly.
The reality is that in an era that everyone and their closest relatives are calling "the age of the customer," too few companies are doing what has to be done to render the phrase meaningful beyond some marketing paean. In a nutshell, that's to make sure customers get what they need so they want to come back. As I've preached for many years, dealing with customers is simple in principle, and that principle goes like this: If a customer likes and continues to like you, they will continue to do business with you. If they don't, they won't.


Such signs are positioned only where animal crossings are very likely - but they could happen anywhere.
Peaks in deer vehicle collisions occur October to December and also in May.
Highest-risk times are from sunset to midnight, and the hours shortly before and after sunrise.
During danger periods or on roads where hitting a deer is a possibility, drive with caution at or below the posted speed limit.
Be aware that further deer may well cross after the one you have noticed, particularly during the mating season, but also where deer are in herds.
After dark, do use full-beam when there is no opposing traffic. The headlight beam will illuminate the eyes of deer on or near a roadway and provide greater driver reaction time. BUT, when a deer or other animal is noted on the road, dim your headlights as animals startled by the beam may 'freeze' rather than leaving the road.
If a collision with the animal seems inevitable, then hit it while maintaining full control of your car.
The alternative of swerving into oncoming traffic or off of the road surface could be even worse. Motorcyclists, are at particular risk when in direct collisions with animals.
Only brake sharply and stop if there is no danger of being hit by following traffic, use your hazard lights. Try to come to a stop as far away from an animal as possible to enable it to leave the roadside without panic.
If you see an injured deer on the roadside?


text:
Governance team
Administration and services
Marine Science Degree
M.Sc. in Oceanography
Mobility programmes
Teacher team
IT facilities
1. The Centre Assembly is the academic body for the centre's representation and decision-making. It is chaired by the dean or director and comprises the following members from the centre:
a) The dean or director's office.
b) All teaching staff with a permanent contract at the university (51% of the Centre Assembly).
c) A representation of teaching and research staff without a permanent contract with the university (9% of the Centre Assembly). At least 80% must always correspond to full-time teaching and research staff.
d) Representation of the students (30% of the Centre Assembly).
e) Representation of administrative and support staff (10% of the Centre Assembly).
2. The elected members of the Centre Assembly will be re-elected every two years.
University of Vigo Statutes, Article 42.
Documentation related:
Members of the board of the faculty
Experimental Sciences Building. University Campus of Vigo, 36310 Vigo (Pontevedra) Spain T: 986130267
Marine Science Faculty © 2015. All rights reserved


and fat32 + fat16 + fat12 adds up to 60.
physical sector and sector size 512 bytes. The code is PM32 and uses the HLL fasmx macros.
The DRIVE_INFO struct currently 3k in size, contains variables and data used in the process.
I've started work on the code. Comments, suggestions and participation are welcome.
The code will be released as Public Domain.
vbr db 11 dup ?
volume_label db 11 dup ?
file_system db 8 dup ?
information_sector dd 122 dup ?
fat_buffer dd 512*3/4 dup ?
directory_buffer dd 512/4 dup ?
Oh that divide overflow. Just jumps out of the bushes every time to scare the day lights out of me.
Better idea to put it into macro form.
fasmx (operating system independent HLL macros) is the macro form.


text:
Peugeot Aims For No.1 Spot
Wed 9th Feb 2022
Not content with taking second place for sales in Europe, Peugeot have an eye on global domination from solid foundations says the company's CEO.
Speaking to Autocar this week, Peugeot's ambitious leader Linda Jackson said that while they were happy with sales in Europe, it was strengthening their grip in other territories that will lead to growth.
Peugeot finished a distant second to Volkswagen in Europe for vehicle sales in 2021. VW shifted 1.08 million units compared to the 649,514 sold by Peugeot, and Jackson is keen to do much better.
"We always want to do better," she said. "We're in this game to win. We believe we have great products. But it's a long way to go to number one and I have a lot of respect for [VW]."
While much of the industry has stagnated in the past two years due to pandemic lockdowns, supply-chain issues and semiconductor shortages, Jackson underlines the point that in many regions the company has done well, but they will continue to emerge, with strong customer service at the forefront of their strategy.
"Twenty per cent of [Peugeot] sales are outside Europe. We have a real opportunity to grow – while, of course, not reducing our footprint in Europe – particularly across South America, the Middle East and Africa, as well as rebuilding in China."
"We're very strong on product and I want us to be very strong on customer experience, whether that's dealerships, websites – all the customer touchpoints. That's a real focus for us.
"Our positioning is towards the upper part of the mainstream, which means not only excellent products but also excellent customer service."
The French company, part of the Stellantis Group, will be hopeful that their mid-range SUV offerings of the 2008, 3008 can push them further up the sales charts, while their e-208 is also looking strong in the EV market. But Jackson remains conservative for the short-term, with no plans for the rumoured 4008 anytime soon.
"We work on a core model strategy – that is, key models in the volume profit pool. Peugeot is very fortunate to have representation in most of the key profit pools. I am very happy with what we have.
"The one model we have added, but not for Europe, is the Landtrek pick-up, specifically for Africa, the Middle East and South America, where the pick-up market is enormous."


text:
Subject Matter AreasEmergency PreparednessFEMA
PERSPECTIVE: Successful National Preparedness Requires a Radical New Approach
By Laura Olson
A resident stops by a FEMA booth to gather information about hurricane preparedness May 31, 2018, at the Mayagüez Mall in Puerto Rico. (Michael Medina Latorre/FEMA)
The first goal of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) 2018-2022 Strategic Plan is to Build a Culture of Preparedness. This goal arises from the realization that efforts to enhance levels of preparedness among individual households, communities and organizations have shown little sign of improvement in the U.S. over the past two decades. FEMA's 2014 report, titled Personal Preparedness in America, documented research insights that show "the percentage of surveyed individuals taking recommended preparedness actions remains largely unchanged since 2007" (p. 1). Additional research on preparedness has shown that current public outreach campaigns and education efforts are having no effect on preparedness levels.
FEMA's goal of building a culture of preparedness acknowledges that many people and groups in the U.S. do not share a sense of urgency about preparedness. To arouse that sense of urgency, a new report, Building Cultures of Preparedness, was published by FEMA's Higher Education Program and suggests that a culture-based approach to the community and household-level preparedness goals laid out in the Strategic Plan can help us achieve the agency's new preparedness goal.
FEMA's Higher Education Program convened 39 scholars and practitioners in Washington at a 2-day workshop hosted by the Emergency and Disaster Management Program at Georgetown University's School of Continuing Studies. Participants were asked to share their views about the meaning and implications of FEMA's new strategic priority: to build a "culture of preparedness."
The report's authors consolidated cutting-edge scientific insights into an accessible document that presents a radically new bottom-up approach to preparedness. The report corresponds to FEMA's new Strategic Plan by recognizing the vast diversity of communities and individuals across this nation. It then suggests that reaching these diverse populations lies at the heart of the challenge to transform preparedness. The authors of the report suggest that reaching these diverse communities requires engaging with them directly. Locally-specific solutions will have to be tailored to different cultural contexts by community members who understand their own history and surroundings. Thus, the authors suggest, an operational strategy that supports the vision of a resilient nation and the goal of "building a national culture of preparedness" as laid out in the Strategic Plan will require us to think in the plural – to build "Culture(s) of Preparedness."
Main Takeaways from the Cultures of Preparedness Report
The very first steps for achieving an outcome of readiness and resilience involve understanding that preparedness looks different in different cultural contexts. In every U.S. community, we are likely to find more than one cultural group. Let us take Houston as an example. Houston was ranked the most racially and ethnically diverse large metropolitan area in the U.S. in 2017. The area is home to people from diverse ethnic, racial, cultural and religious backgrounds, including African-Americans, Latinos, Vietnamese-Americans, Chinese-Americans, Indian-Americans, and Anglo-Americans, among others. It is also home to people with diverse livelihoods (rural/urban), values, worldviews and languages. Recognition and action to support such local diversity requires ground-up engagement that can identify local successes. Even if people share a geography, there are many invisible cultural values that can distinguish them. Each community's perception of risk and way of coping with disaster is conditioned by its cultural identity and social history.
Culture matters in the field of disaster work. What is risky, what is safe, what successful disaster response or recovery looks and feels like, what is considered rational, and what preparedness consists of are all shaped by the values and worldviews that people hold. The importance of understanding these worldviews is often neglected when compared with the emphasis that is put on the physical structure of levee systems, the measurable integrity of buildings, or the economic assets of a community. Yet cultural differences also infuse visible aspects of life: how we design and situate homes, how we perceive risk, why we choose to stay rather than evacuate. It is impossible to overstate the variety of ways that culture can affect how we prepare for and respond to disasters.
Four Guiding Principles for Culturally-Informed Preparedness Initiatives
To address the challenges of different contexts, the report identifies four guiding principles that can help achieve a more locally-grounded, inclusive, and sustainable preparedness effort.
Trust – Develop trust by understanding the culture, context, and history of communities outside of disaster, as well as when an event occurs.
Inclusion – Bring the cultural perspectives of all stakeholders to the table.
Cross-cultural communication – Design communication efforts as cross-cultural encounters.
Support local practices and successes – Learn about the ways people are already prepared and enhance these efforts using culturally-aware strategies.
Every aspect of preparedness and resilience planning and implementation – engineering, infrastructure, the economy, social services, communications, or training – reflects culturally-specific values and lifestyles.
Culture Brokers
The report recommends the use of a powerful, tested concept known as "Culture Brokers." Culture brokers are local residents or embedded community groups who are familiar with the cultural values, practices and needs of a given group of people and, at the same time, understand how organizations and institutions outside the local community operate and communicate. By locating and recruiting such individuals to adopt the role of "Culture Brokers for Disaster Preparedness," we would ensure that critical issues such as trust, inclusion, cross-cultural communication, and support for local preparedness strategies are addressed. This methodological tool holds great promise in terms of helping us dramatically increase numbers of prepared citizens, communities, and hard-to-reach cultural groups.
Collaborate with Higher Education Institutions as Sources of Expertise and Engagement in Preparedness-Building Efforts: University and college-based experts can design innovative approaches to preparedness challenges at the level of communities and individual households.
Encourage State/Local Grant Recipients to Invest in Innovative, Transformational Community Engagement Efforts: Provide new types of funding support for preparedness grant programs, creating set asides for community engagement. This approach would incentivize community-led preparedness projects and enhance local preparedness.
Culture Brokers: Fund a pilot project to develop a replicable Culture Broker program that could be implemented as a model for the resilient and well-prepared communities we hope to foster across the U.S.
The views expressed here are the writer's and are not necessarily endorsed by Homeland Security Today, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints in support of securing our homeland. To submit a piece for consideration, email HSTodayMag@gtscoalition.com. Our editorial guidelines can be found here.
Report Authors and Link to the Report
The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 2019. "Building Cultures of Preparedness: A report for the emergency management higher education community." Washington, D.C.: FEMA.
Lead authors of this report:
Katherine E. Browne, Colorado State University / Culture & Disaster Action Network, and Laura Olson, Georgetown University / Culture & Disaster Action Network
Additional authors who contributed to this report include:
Jenny Hegland, Jenny Hegland Consulting
Ana-Marie Jones, Interpro Inc.
Elizabeth Marino, Oregon State University / Culture & Disaster Action Network,
Julie Maldonado, Livelihoods Knowledge Exchange Network / Culture & Disaster Action Network
Keely Maxwell, Environmental Protection Agency / Culture & Disaster Action Network
Eric Stern, University of Albany-SUNY, College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security & Cyber-Security
Wendy Walsh, FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Program
culture of preparedness
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Laura Olson
Laura Olson has 17 years of experience leading disaster recovery, hazard mitigation, climate adaptation and resilience initiatives. She has responded to hurricanes, oil spills, volcanic eruptions, tornadoes, and floods. She currently works with the United Nations Development Program's Climate Change & Disaster Risk Reduction Team and with the Culture and Disaster Action Network (CADAN). Her work reflects a commitment to the cultural values of stakeholders and the delivery of effective disaster programs and services. Laura is Associate Faculty at Royal Roads University School of Humanitarian Affairs & Georgetown University's Emergency & Disaster Management program. She is a Senior Fellow with Virginia Tech's Global Forum on Urban and Regional Resilience, a Research Associate with Jacksonville State University's Disaster and Community Resilience Center. She has a Ph.D. in Public Administration from The George Washington University.


Aquaseal is a great repair material that belongs in every boater's repair kit. Adding Cure Accelerator to Aquaseal significantly shortens the cure time and thins it to a brushable consistency. Cure Accelerator is also a good cleaning solvent for patched areas.
Aquaseal is very abrasion resistant. Spread it on boats, watershoes, dry bags, etc. for wear protection.
Aquaseal, Cure Accelerator (optional, speeds the tack time to 15 minutes), Applicator, Mixing Cups, Piece of cardboard, Pins.
Use of these products can be very dangerous and can have short term and long term consequences to your health. It is important for you to take precautions and wear all appropriate safety gear. Wearing gloves, a respirator, eye protection, and working in a well ventilated area can go a long way towards mitigating these risks.
WARNING – Fully cured Aquaseal is slippery when wet!
Clean damaged area with Cure Accelerator (or isopropyl alcohol).
Cut a Patch so that it has rounded corners and is at least 1/2" bigger than the tear.
Create backing with masking tape on the item to be patched; this will prevent glue from leaking through the hole and sticking to other parts of the item. Alternately, wax paper can be used.
Draw an outline of the patch on the item to be patched.
Pin the patch onto the piece of cardboard, so that the side you will be gluing is facing up. Clean this side of the patch and let dry.
Apply Aquaseal to both the patch and the area that the patch will cover. It's okay to go a little larger than the patch; this will ensure that no edges of your new patch will peel up.
If using Cure Accelerator, you will need to wait for 20 minutes or so until the glue is tacky on both sides.
High wear areas: On high wear areas, outline the patch with a thin coat of Aquaseal for flexible abrasion resistance.
If not using Cure Accelerator immediately place the patch on the area.
Keep repaired surface level overnight and avoid contact with other surfaces.
Remove the masking tape that is on the back of the repair.
Note: This type of repair will only work for small tears or holes less than 1/4" in diameter.
Clean damaged area with Cure Accelerator.
Create backing with wax paper. This will keep the glue from leaking through and sticking to other places on the garment.
Fill void and 1/4" beyond edge with Aquaseal mix.
Wait for 24 hours and remove the wax paper.
If the hole is not sufficiently fixed, a patch repair may need to be applied to fix the problem.
Clean the area with Cure Accelerator or rubbing alcohol.
For a cleaner-looking patch, mask off the area to be treated.
Mixing Aquaseal with Cure Accelerator will speed up the cure time and let you spread a smoother layer.
Remove the tape after applying the Aquaseal.
Keep the area level until cured.
Aquaseal is a moisture-curing adhesive. To prevent unused product in the tube from hardening, push glue up to the tube opening, cap tightly (can add a bit of "Vaseline" to the threads) and store in the freezer between uses.


NAHANT — Voters will take up a wetlands bylaw change and two housekeeping articles at a Special Town Meeting in less than two weeks.
The Special Town Meeting was originally set for Sept. 17, but it was moved up to Aug. 27 when 245 residents signed a citizens petition requesting it be held sooner.
"We tried to work out a Sept. 17 Town Meeting with the Town Clerk," said Chesley Taylor, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, at a meeting last week.
The Sept. 17 Town Meeting was called at a Board of Selectmen meeting on July 10.
"Two days later, a petition came in that basically took this meeting right out of the selectmen's hands," said Taylor.
The petition, he said, demanded the meeting be held sooner, on Aug. 27. Town Clerk Peggy Barile originally declined to provide a copy of the petition. The Item obtained the documents by filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that required Barile to provide the public documents within 10 days.
The petition, drafted by resident Michelle Capano, requests that the Board of Selectmen hold the Special Town Meeting "no later than Aug. 31, 2018 or within 45 days of receipt of this petition," which was on July 13, according to a stamp on the documents.
Selectmen are tasked with the responsibility of calling a Special Town Meeting, but are required to do so if either 200 voters, or 20 percent of the total number of voters, whichever is less, request the meeting, according to a citizen's guide to town meetings on the Secretary of State's website.
A Special Town Meeting must be called within 45 days of the board's vote and the warrant must be made available to residents at least two weeks before the meeting.
The proposed bylaw would prohibit residents from "removing, filling, dredging, building upon, degrading, discharging into, or otherwise altering" any freshwater or coastal wetlands, marshes, wet meadows, bogs, swamps, vernal pools, banks, reservoirs, lakes, ponds of any size, rivers, streams, creeks, beaches, dunes, estuaries, the ocean, lands under water bodies, lands subject to flooding or inundation by groundwater or surface water, lands subject to tidal action, coastal storm flowage or flooding, and lands within 100 feet of above cited resource areas.
The only way work could be done on these areas would be by obtaining a permit from the Conservation Commission. The only option for appealing a Conservation Commission decision would be a review in Superior Court.
Registered voters will also be tasked with authorizing payment of the prior Fiscal Year bills and deciding whether a 235-square-foot plot of land owned by the town at the northwest end of Bay View Avenue will be sold.
Nahant has an open Town Meeting, meaning any registered voter who lives in town can take a vote.


To learn more about cows jumping cattle guards, check out this post.
I love to see what farmers are doing around the country. Our area has several new small farms – including tiny dairy farms – but no jumping cows.
Thanks for hosting WW, Ryan! I love the video and seriously your music in the background adds to the cow jumping. I am of jealous all that green grass!
I loved the LOOK. At first astonishment that the first one dared do it, then a sly look at you, knowing you were watching, then thinking beter of even trying.
oh oh did the other cow escape?


text:
Q: How to loop to mulitidimensional array in php? Good day to all, I have a multidimensional array like this, based on PHP.
Array(
[0] => Array
    (
        [name] => id[]
        [value] => 1
    )

[1] => Array
    (
        [name] => name[]
        [value] => John DoeS
    )

[2] => Array
    (
        [name] => position[]
        [value] => Manager
    )

[3] => Array
    (
        [name] => nationality[]
        [value] => US
    )

[4] => Array
    (
        [name] => shares[]
        [value] => 20
    )

[5] => Array
    (
        [name] => email_address[]
        [value] => jd@gmail.com
    )

[6] => Array
    (
        [name] => tel_no[]
        [value] => 123456789
    )

[7] => Array
    (
        [name] => fax_no[]
        [value] => 12345678
    )

[8] => Array
    (
        [name] => ic_number[]
        [value] => 51-698485
    )

[9] => Array
    (
        [name] => id[]
        [value] => 2
    )

[10] => Array
    (
        [name] => name[]
        [value] => Jane Doe
    )

[11] => Array
    (
        [name] => position[]
        [value] => Manager
    )

[12] => Array
    (
        [name] => nationality[]
        [value] => US
    )

[13] => Array
    (
        [name] => shares[]
        [value] => 20
    )

[14] => Array
    (
        [name] => email_address[]
        [value] => jage@gmail.com
    )

[15] => Array
    (
        [name] => tel_no[]
        [value] => 12345678
    )

[16] => Array
    (
        [name] => fax_no[]
        [value] => 12345678
    )

[17] => Array
    (
        [name] => ic_number[]
        [value] => 25-8978477
    )

)
I trying to loop to this multidimensional array and create something like this,
Array (
[id] => Array
    (
        [0] => 1
        [1] => 2
    )

[name] => Array
    (
        [0] => John DoeS
        [1] => Jane Doe
    )

[position] => Array
    (
        [0] => Manager
        [1] => Manager
    )

[nationality] => Array
    (
        [0] => Brunieian
        [1] => US
    )

[shares] => Array
    (
        [0] => 20
        [1] => 20
    )

[email_address] => Array
    (
        [0] => jd@gmail.com
        [1] => jage@gmail.com
    )

[tel_no] => Array
    (
        [0] => 123456789
        [1] => 12345678
    )

[fax_no] => Array
    (
        [0] => 12345678
        [1] => 12345678
    )

[ic_number] => Array
    (
        [0] => 51-698485
        [1] => 25-8978477
    )

)
Basically the first array is the result of ajax submit form and decode using json_decode()
here's my testing code, i cant achieve the second array.
foreach ($data as $field => $values) {
if (is_array($values)) {
    foreach ($values as $key => $value) {
        $singleArray[$key][$field] = $value;
    }
}

}
output
  Array(
[name] => Array
    (
        [0] => id[]
        [1] => name[]
        [2] => position[]
        [3] => nationality[]
        [4] => shares[]
        [5] => email_address[]
        [6] => tel_no[]
        [7] => fax_no[]
        [8] => ic_number[]
        [9] => id[]
        [10] => name[]
        [11] => position[]
        [12] => nationality[]
        [13] => shares[]
        [14] => email_address[]
        [15] => tel_no[]
        [16] => fax_no[]
        [17] => ic_number[]
    )

[value] => Array
    (
        [0] => 1
        [1] => John DoeS
        [2] => Manager
        [3] => Brunieian
        [4] => 20
        [5] => jd@gmail.com
        [6] => 123456789
        [7] => 12345678
        [8] => 51-698485
        [9] => 2
        [10] => Jane Doe
        [11] => Manager
        [12] => US
        [13] => 20
        [14] => jage@gmail.com
        [15] => 12345678
        [16] => 12345678
        [17] => 25-8978477
    )

)

A: Here is a code that works:
foreach($data as $value) {
    $new_key = $value["name"];
    $new_value = $value["value"];
    $new_array[$new_key][] = $new_value;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Pizza Angel & Society 6 Shop now OPEN!
The whole time I was working on this piece, I was craving pizza. Big time.
Hope you all can help support and spread the word! Stay tuned for more, because there will definitely be more on this Doodleina x Junk Food series as well as more typography work!


text:
3. Required contents of a written request
There is no prescribed manner of making a written request, except for the few offices that require a request form to be completed. See Blankenship v. Hoover, 590 So. 2d 245 (Ala. 1991). Unless the constraints of time and events dictate otherwise, it is important to follow the denial of an oral request with a written request (typically, a letter to the custodian or governmental entity or official) so that a clear record of the request is established in tangible form — and to give the refusing agency an opportunity to reconsider its initial refusal.
The description of the requested records should be clear and specific, but broad enough to include all of the records that are sought. A lawsuit for the records might not necessarily be limited to the description in the earlier oral and written requests, but the suing requester will be viewed as fairer if the requester has been clear and reasonably consistent in describing the records that are sought. See Holcombe v. State ex rel. Chandler, 240 Ala. 590, 200 So. 739 (1941) ("We are of opinion and hold that relators had the right, under the statute and their pleadings, to obtain their demand for inspection, and that said demand was not vague or indefinite, but specific.").
There is no need to address fee issues in the written request unless (a) that issue has been raised by the refusing agency, (b) there is a statutory fee provision for the requested records, or (c) the requester anticipates a problem because of the volume of documents requested, the expense of search and retrieval, or transformation of the requested documents into a different format.
To avoid misunderstanding — and possible obfuscating delay — it is useful for the written request to include a date or time period for the requested records to be made available. If a quick response is needed because of developing events, it is important to include that information in the written request — so that the custodian will be fully and fairly informed and the court, if necessary, will be assured that the custodian was fully and fairly informed.
There is no prohibition on making a request for future records.
Record of delivery of written request: If practicable, a record of delivery of the written request should be made: to whom, what date and time, and where.
In Ex parte Gill, 841 So. 2d 1231 (Ala. 2002), a prison inmate requested from the Circuit Clerk of Morgan County all records related to his criminal trial. The inmate's request was denied. The inmate petitioned the Alabama Supreme Court for a writ of mandamus, citing his right to inspect and copy public records granted to him by section 36-12-40. The court noted that the inmate did not appear personally and did not send an agent on his behalf to inspect and identify the records he requested, and he did not send payment for the requested records. Accordingly, the court held that while the inmate had the right to inspect and copy public records, he did not have the right to shift the burden of inspection and identification of relevant documents to the court clerk, and he did not have the right to get free copies of the requested records. The court further held that section 36-12-40 does not entitle inmates to any relief from their incarceration or to any transportation to the custodian's office to accomplish the inspection and identification of documents and does not entitle them to free copies or to funds to pay for copies.
The CPRA does not require certain language be used in making a CPRA request. However, the request should "reasonably describe[] an identifiable record or records . . . ." Cal. Gov't Code § 6253(b).
"All requests shall adequately describe the records sought in sufficient detail to enable the public body to locate such records with reasonable effort. The requesting party shall be as specific as possible when requesting records."
29 Del. C. § 10003(f)(2).
The D.C. Act itself does not specify the exact requirements for a written request for records. The implementing regulations for D.C. FOIA provide further detail:
"A written request may be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to the agency Freedom of Information Officer, or agency head in the absence of a designated Freedom of Information Officer. The outside of the envelope or the subject line of the fax or e-mail shall state: 'Freedom of Information Act Request' or 'FOIA Request'. In addition, a request shall include a daytime telephone number, e-mail address or mailing address for the requester. . . . A request shall reasonably describe the desired record(s). Where possible, specific information regarding names, places, events, subjects, dates, files, titles, file designation, or other identifying information shall be supplied."
1 D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 1, § 402.3-4.
If a requester does not meet these requirements for reasonable description, the burden is on the agency to follow up and ask for the necessary information. Fraternal Order of Police v. District of Columbia, 139 A.3d 853, 859-60 (D.C. 2016).
It is advisable to identify the records requested as specifically as possible; to invite clarification if the custodian finds the request to be unclear; to request that copies be provided in electronic form if available; to pre-authorize fees up to a certain amount if expected to exceed $25; and to request that the custodian communicate with the requester by email so as to expedite the process.
The Act expressly provides that "[r]equests to inspect or copy electronic messages, whether in the form of e-mail, text message, or other format, should contain information about the messages that is reasonably calculated to allow the recipient of the request to locate the messages sought, including, if known, the name, title, or office of the specific person or persons whose electronic messages are sought and, to the extent possible, the specific data bases to be searched for such messages." O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71(g).
Although the Act makes no explicit requirements for the contents of a written request, it should be as specific as possible and cite applicable provisions of the Act. See 5 ILCS 140/3(c).
The scope of the requested records should be as specific as possible for the public body to determine the type of search necessary and the locations likely to hold the records. Better Gov't Ass'n v. City of Chicago, 2020 IL App (1st) 190038.
The FOIA does not require public bodies to interpret or advise requesters as to the meaning or significance of the public records. 5 ILCS 140/3.3
The Act contemplates reduction or elimination of copying costs if the request is in the public interest. 5 ILCS 140/6(c). As noted, for paper copies for the first 50 pages are free, and electronic records are available for the cost of the medium used to produce the records. If the request is large, and the requester expects paper copies, a request for a fee reduction or wavier should be included. The FOIA does set a 5 working day deadline for responses and the PAC has emphasized that public bodies should act expediently in releasing public records. 5 ILCS 140/1; see also 5 ILCS 140/3(e)(vii).
No specific requirements.
An agency may require a written request for inspection, but shall not otherwise require a request to be made in any particular form. K.S.A. 45-220(b).
At a minimum, a written records request must contain a description of the records sought, the requester's name and signature, and the requester's mailing address or email address depending on how the requester would like to receive the records. Ky. Rev. Stat. 61.872(2)(a). The custodian may also require the requester to provide a statement describing the manner in which the applicant is a resident of the Commonwealth. Id.; see Ky. Rev. Stat. 61.870(10).
Requests may be made in person or in writing; there is no strict rule governing how requests must be made. Guide to Mass. Pub. Recs. Law at 6 (Sec'y of State, rev. Mar. 2020), https://www.sec.state.ma.us/pre/prepdf/guide.pdf. Written requests may be made in person, by mail, fax, or email. Id.
"Reasonable description" is required. 950 CMR 32.06(b). Be as specific as possible. However, a records custodian "is required to use his or her superior knowledge of his or her records to determine the precise record or records that is responsive to the request." Guide to Mass. Pub. Recs. Law at 42 (Sec'y of State, rev. Mar. 2020), https://www.sec.state.ma.us/pre/prepdf/guide.pdf.
If copies are requested, a fee may be required before copies are delivered. See 950 CMR 32.05(6). If cost is more than ten dollars, custodian should give an estimate. 950 CMR 32.06(2). If the fee is known or can be approximated, enclosure of check with request is probably advisable.
This can be added but has no formal significance.
The custodian has no obligation to comply with prospective requests, but is not barred from doing so, and some custodians may be willing to honor a standing order for a repetitive type of record, or a request for online access or a subscription service to certain information. SPR Bulletin 4-96, Fees for Access and Copying of Electronic Public Records (June 7, 1996); Guide to Mass. Pub. Recs. Law at 8 (Sec'y of State, rev. Mar. 2020), https://www.sec.state.ma.us/pre/prepdf/guide.pdf; G.L. c. 4, § 7, cl. 26 (defining "public records" as materials already "made or received" by the governmental entity). Note, however, that a request for a future document would not shorten the response period, Globe Newspaper Co. v. Comm'r of Educ., 439 Mass. 124, 131, 786 N.E.2d 328, 333-34 (2003), and that a standing order probably would not be sufficient for an appeal; to be prudent, the requester would still have to submit a written records request after the government record is created or received by the agency, then appeal from denial of, or non-action on, that request.
The record custodian's response must be in writing and must include either an offer to provide the requested materials, with "a good faith estimate of any fees that may be charged to produce the records," or a denial that claims a specific exemption to the public records law and "details the specific basis for withholding the requested materials." Guide to Mass. Pub. Recs. Law at 7–8 (Sec'y of State, rev. Mar. 2020), https://www.sec.state.ma.us/pre/prepdf/guide.pdf; 950 CMR 32.08(1). In particular "[t]he denial must include a citation to one of the statutory exemptions upon which the records custodian relies, and must explain why the exemption applies." Id. If no exemption is asserted, then it is to be presumed that the records sought are public. SPR98/018 (Letter to Town of Billerica, April 21, 1998).
A FOIA request must describe the public record "sufficiently to enable the public body to find the public record." Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 15.233(1). While Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 15.235(2) gives the public body five business days to respond to requests, if the request does not contain sufficient information it may be denied on that ground. If additional information is provided that sufficiently describes the public record, the period within which the response must be made dates from the time the additional information is received. 1979-80 Op. Att'y Gen. 255, 268-69 (1979). See Coblentz v. City of Novi, 719 N.W.2d 73 (2006) for a discussion of the word "sufficiently."
A person has a right to subscribe to "future issuances of public records which are created, issued, or disseminated on a regular basis." Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 15.233(1). This section provides that such subscriptions be valid for up to six months at the request of the subscriber, and that the subscriptions are renewable. Id.
A requestor must provide contact information pursuant to an amendment to FOIA effective December 2018. "A request from a person, other than an individual who qualifies as indigent under section 4(2)(a), must include the requesting person's complete name, address, and contact information, and if the request is made by a person other than an individual, the complete name, address, and contact information of the person's agent who is an individual." Id. The address must by written in compliance with U.S. Postal Service addressing standards. Id. The contact information must also include a valid telephone number or email address. Id.
A written request requires the name, address, and the telephone number of the person seeking access to the records and shall identify the records sought with reasonable particularity. NMSA 14-2-8(C).
There are no required contents.
The Law requires that the Office of Open Records "develop a uniform form which shall be accepted by all Commonwealth and local agencies in addition to any form used by the agency to file a request." 65 Pa. Con. Stat. § 67.505(a).
The Law states that judicial agencies or the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts "may develop a form to request financial records or may accept a form developed by the Office of Open Records." Id. § 67.505(b)
And the Law similarly states that legislative agencies "may develop a form to request legislative records or may accept a form developed by the Office of Open Records." Id. § 67.505(c).
If any agency develops policies and procedures, they must be "posted at each agency" or "on the agency's website" (if any). Id. § 67.504(b).
The request must be specific and concise:
"A written request should identify or describe the records sought with sufficient specificity to enable the agency to ascertain which records are being requested and shall include the name and address to which the agency should address its response. A written request need not include any explanation of the requester's reason for requesting or intended use of the records unless otherwise required by law."
Id. § 67.703. A request that requires the agency to perform research or analysis as opposed to requesting a specific record may be denied because the request is unspecific in nature. Askew v. Pa. Office of the Governor, 65 A.3d 989 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2013).
If an agency regards a particular request as lacking sufficient specificity, the agency must communicate that opinion to the requester. Hunt v. Pa. Dep't of Corr., 698 A.2d 147 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1997). "Where the request is not sufficiently specific, the agency has no obligation to comply with the request because the lack of specificity prevents the agency from determining whether to grant or deny the request." Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc. v. Pa. Dep't of Gen. Servs., 747 A.2d 962 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2000) (holding that requests using "phraseology akin to document requests under the civil discovery rules, i.e., 'any and all documents relating to [subject matter]'" fail to provide sufficient specificity); see also Arduino v. Borough of Dunmore, 720 A.2d 827 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1998) (request for "all records relating to" a particular subject was insufficiently specific and the agency "was not required to comply"); Tapco, Inc. v. Twp. of Neville, 695 A.2d 460, 461 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1997) (criticizing requests that "read like discovery requests rather than Right to Know Act requests").
The Law states that "[a]ll applicable fees shall be paid in order to receive access to the record requested." 65 P.S. § 67.901. While nothing precludes a requester from seeking a quicker response, the Law imposes no such obligation on the agency. The Law has no provision for future records.
Under the Law, an agency may not limit the number of records sought. 65 P.S. § 67.1308 (prohibiting agencies from establishing policies or regulations that include a "limitation on the number of public records which may be requested or made available for inspection or duplication."); see also Hunt v. Pa. Dep't of Corr., 698 A.2d 147 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1997) ("No provision of the Right to Know Act limits a person seeking information to a single request."). A denial of access "shall not restrict the ability to request a different record." 65 P.S. § 67.506(a)(2). However, the Law states that an "agency may deny a requester access to a record if the requester has made repeated requests for that same record and the repeated requests have placed an unreasonable burden on the agency." 65 Pa. C.S.A. § 67.506(a)(1). An agency cannot refuse a request under 65 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 67.506(a)(1) merely because it is duplicative. See Office of Governor v. Bari, 20 A.3d 634 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2011). In Bari, the Commonwealth Court held that requesting the same record a second time constitutes "repeated requests" under 65 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 67.506(a)(1). However, the governmental entity must also prove that it was unreasonably burdened by the repetitive request. Id. The court then held that duplicating efforts and budgetary and staffing constraints are inapposite to what it considers an unreasonable burden. See id. It stated that both of these reasons for "unreasonable burden" are too broad and implied that a particularized burden on the agency must be proved. Id.
The request should identify what information is sought as accurately as possible, because the governmental body can ask for clarification if it cannot reasonably understand the request. Tex. Att'y Gen. ORD-23 (1974); Tex. Gov't Code § 552.222. Likewise, the governmental body must make a good faith effort to explain what type of records are available, so a vague request can be narrowed. Tex. Att'y Gen. ORD-87 (1975). Written requests do not have to be in any particular form or use "magic words." Tex. Att'y Gen. ORD-483 (1987). A written request includes a request made in writing by electronic mail or facsimile transmission. Tex. Gov't Code § 552.301.
The written request should be made to the officer for public information, Section 552.301(c), defined in Section 552.201 as the "chief administrative officer of a governmental body." Also, each elected county officer is the officer for public information created or received by that county officer's office. Tex. Gov't Code § 552.201(b).
The request need not inquire about the cost associated with the request. Rather, if a copy request or request to inspect a paper record exceeds $40, the governmental body must provide an itemized statement that details all estimated charges. Tex. Gov't Code § 552.2615. If the requestor does not request a copy of the public information, a charge may not be imposed for making that information available for inspection. Tex. Gov't Code § 552.271.
While the Act does not require a requestor to specify a deadline for requested production of information, such a specification may hasten release of the information. The statute requires only "prompt" production by the officer for public records and requires that the officer seek within a reasonable time — no later than 10 business days after receipt of the request — an Attorney General's opinion if the governmental body deems the records excepted from the statute's disclosure requirements. While custodians frequently take the 10-day limit to either furnish the requested records or request an Attorney General opinion, the ready availability of many records and the importance of timely disclosure to the requestor in many cases suggest a reasonable time would be less than 10 days. Consequently, the requestor should designate a short deadline where appropriate.
The Attorney General has taken the position that governmental bodies are not required to comply with a continuing request to supply information as such information is prepared in the future. See Op. Tex. Att'y Gen. OR 2011-04693 (2011); Tex. Att'y Gen. ORD 476 (1987). This position is grounded in the principle that the Act "does not require a government entity to prepare or assemble new information in response to a request." Thompson v. Miller, No. 03-98-00627-CV, 1999 WL 549205 at *2 (Tex. App.—Austin July 29, 1999, no pet.). The Austin Court of Appeals, however, at least implicitly recognized that a continuing request might be proper. See Ctr. for Econ. Just. v. Am. Ins. Ass'n, 39 S.W.3d 337, 342 (Tex. App.—Austin 2001, no pet.) (holding that an open-ended, continuing request under the Public Information Act for data as it becomes available necessarily involves looking to the version of the Act in effect each time the data is available for release).
A governmental agency does not comply with the Act by releasing to the requestor another record as a substitute for the specifically requested record unless the requestor agrees to the substitution. Op. Tex. Att'y Gen. OR 2009-11812 (2009).
There is no statutory requirement that the request be stated with any degree of particularity, although obviously the more precise the description the more likely the requester is to receive an intelligent response. The act does require that the custodian be something more than just a passive conduit, as it requires her or him to certify that the requested records, if non-existent, also do not exist under "any other name known to the custodian." Thus, for example, if the records are generally described but the wrong label used, that is not grounds for a disclosure refusal. 1 V.S.A. § 318(b)(4).
The Public Records Act provides that "[u]pon request, the agency shall provide an estimate of the charge" for complying with the request. 1 V.S.A. § 316(c). Therefore, as a practical matter, it is good practice to include a request for an estimate of the cost in your public records request.
The request must reasonably describe the requested record or the information requested and must be reasonably limited in subject matter and length of time covered by the record. Wis. Stat. § 19.35(1)(h). There is no requirement of any "magic words" in a records request, and a custodian may not ignore a request because it is mistakenly termed a "FOIA" request. ECO Inc. v. City of Elkhorn, 2002 WI App 302, ¶ 22, 259 Wis. 2d 276, 292, 655 N.W.2d 510, 517–18.
The requester is not required to tender fees until required by the custodian, who may ask for fees in advance only when the total fee will exceed $5.00. Wis. Stat. § 19.35(3)(f). There is no advantage to tendering fees until asked.
The requester may wish to remind the custodian of the duty to produce records "as soon as practicable and without delay." Wis. Stat § 19.35(4). A realistic specification of a time to respond is also useful as a predicate to suit.
The statute makes no provision for requests for records which are not in existence at the time they are requested. 73 Wis. Op. Att'y Gen. 38 (Feb. 28, 1984).
Requesters are not required to identify themselves or state their purpose unless the record is kept at a private residence or security or federal law or regulations so require. Wis. Stat. § 19.35(1)(i).
Requests may be made by mail and the custodian is required to provide a copy in that case. Wis. Stat. § 19.35(1)(b), (i). This statutory provision overrules Coalition for a Clean Gov't v. Larsen, 166 Wis. 2d 159, 479 N.W.2d 576 (Wis. Ct. App. 1991). If the requester appears in person, the authority has the option of producing a copy or requiring the requester to make the requester's own copy.


Thu Dau Mot is located in the Binh Duong Province about 1 hour motorbike ride from Ho Chi Minh City. It is a pretty good sized city that is relatively clean and quiet. This is where my friend, Minh Ngoc, lives and works. Thu Dau Mot also tends to be the route for everyone wanted to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. Just outside the city, commuters have to cross the Saigon River on a ferry due to the bridge being repaired.


Lucky Chip were one of the first wave of burger vans who showed Londoners just what a good burger actually was (it's hard to remember now but a few short years ago in London a decent burger was almost unheard of). And now after stints at Netil Market and a number of successful residencies - they're finally ready to go permanent with Lucky Chip Burgers & Wine in Dalston.
Obviously burgers will be one of the main attractions. So the usual suspects will be on the menu including the Cheeseburger (what it says), Kevin Bacon (with applewood smoked bacon), Royale with Cheese (adds tomato, onion and special sauce) and the El Chappo (bacon, jalapeno, blue cheese and aioli). All of these can also be upgraded to 50 day dry aged Galician beef if you want a really prime burger. Alongside those you'll find the usual "Lucky Chips" - French fries triple cooked with cheese, garlic and fresh herbs or truffle and Gorgonzola.
And special wine-matched burgers of the month. They'll be opening a magnum of wine each month to match to a "specially created burger in honour of the bottle."
But also there's more besides burgers. So they'll have steak tartare as a smaller dish and bigger plates added to the menu include 54 day aged Rib-eye Steak and peppercorn sauce and Chicken Parmigiana - plus more that'll be announced in January.
And a tasting menu - in a burger joint. Which should highlight that this really isn't any old burger joint. You can sit by the kitchen on their 10-seater bar for a weekly changing, multi course tasting menu paired with their wines. And this won't just be about burger.
Not forgetting about the wine either. There's going to be a big focus on the wine (the name should give that away), with 100 bottles chosen - with a focus on the New World, and California and Australia, "high caliber" wines from Europe and from further afield including Lebanon. And every Thursday at 7pm, they'll open a cult wine, usually only sold by the bottle, and offer it by the glass at cost price. Plus expect vintage-bottled and decanted bourbons and ryes, and a small list of cocktails.
As for the look, we're told it'll be an American style steakhouse circa 1980s. There promises to be mahogany parquet floors and wood panelling on the two level dining room which seats 70. That'll have booths around the room and a central sharing table plus big chandeliers and 80s artwork. And, of course, 80s music rounding things off.
Lucky Chip Burgers and Wine opens 22 January 2016 at 23-25 Ridley Road, London E8 2NP and open seven days a week for dinner and for weekend lunch in January. They'll be taking reservations and you can find out more from them on Twitter @lucky_chip.


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Analysis: Holly is Holm alone while waiting on UFC
By Rick Wright / Journal Staff Writer
Published: Saturday, April 9th, 2016 at 10:02pm
Updated: Saturday, April 9th, 2016 at 11:44pm
Holly Holm, right, celebrates during the parade in her honor on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Downtown Albuquerque as longtime promoter/agent Lenny Fresquez, left, stands beside her. (Greg Sorber/Journal)
Mixed martial arts is a full-contact sport and, pretty much, a full-contact business.
Thus, the promotional slap in the face dealt to Albuquerque's Holly Holm last week should not be viewed as a surprise.
Nor should it be forgotten that, at least to an extent, the blow was self-inflicted.
No one told Holm, after all, that she had to fight Miesha Tate on March 5.
No one told her she had to lose.
Now, at least for the time being, Holm has been relegated to spectator status while the UFC women's bantamweight class sorts itself out.
Tate, who snatched away Holm's bantamweight title with an upset victory by fifth-round submission (rear naked choke), announced Thursday that her first defense would come against Brazil's Amanda Nunes at UFC 200 on July 9.
Albuquerque's Lenny Fresquez, Holm's agent, said he was told by the UFC that the decision to defend against Nunes and not give Holm an immediate rematch was Tate's alone.
No way, Tate said. In interviews with mmafighting.com, mmajunkie.com and foxsports.com, the current champion said the UFC never even mentioned a Holm rematch.
"I absolutely did not turn down a rematch with Holly," Tate told Fox Sports' Damon Martin. "It wasn't something that was offered to me.
"(The UFC) asked me about Amanda and I said 'yes.'
"I don't not fight people. I stepped up and fought Holly, and if that rematch comes to fruition and that's what the UFC wants, whenever they want that, I'm totally up for that too. But it just wasn't in their cards at the time."
So, is the UFC dealing from the bottom of the deck where Holm is concerned?
Fresquez chooses not to think so. Friday, when presented with Tate's remarks, he told MMA Fighting's Marc Raimondi that he believes UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta in the matter of whose decision it was to give Nunes the title shot.
"I take Lorenzo at his word," Fresquez said. "This is what Tate wanted to do."
Even so, it's easy enough to see the vengeful hand of UFC President Dana White in this matter.
In fact, it's hard not to do so.
Of course, that doesn't mean it's true.
White, a close friend of former champion Ronda Rousey, was disappointed on a personal and on a professional level when Holm shockingly defeated Rousey by second-round TKO in November. He was upset when Team Holm chose to take the Tate fight instead of waiting for a mega million dollar rematch with Rousey – though we didn't know then and still don't know for sure when Rousey will be ready to fight again.
After Tate's victory over Holm, White went on ESPN radio and ripped Fresquez – "an old boxing guy who think's he's smart and isn't" – for selling Holm on the fight. Holm has said repeatedly that defending against Tate was her decision.
Fresquez, throughout, has taken pains not to fire back at White.
When White called him "a lunatic" during Holm's initial contract negotiations with the UFC, Fresquez laughed it off – publicly, anyway. He never responded to the "old boxing guy" remarks, merely pointing out he was doing Holm's bidding when he agreed to the Tate fight (for which Holm was paid handsomely).
Yet, here we are, with Holm's nose figuratively pressed against the window pane while Tate begins her preparations for Nunes.
To make matters a bit more sticky, the UFC announced last week that bantamweight contenders Cat Zingano and Julianna Pena will fight each other on the UFC 200 undercard. That move greatly reduces Holm's chances of fighting on that landmark card. It also eliminates two fighters she might have faced were she to take a nontitle fight sometime this summer.
So, is Tate-Nunes the UFC's revenge on Team Holm for taking the Tate fight? Is it rather, or also, the UFC's revenge for Team Holm having turned down an offer to fight Cris Cyborg in Brazil on May 14? Did the UFC already know Holm wasn't getting a return match with Tate when it offered the Cyborg fight and just, uh, forgot to tell?
We don't know and perhaps never will.
What we know for sure is that had Holm defeated Tate, she'd still be the champion and a Nunes-Tate fight would be meaningless for everyone except Nunes and Tate.
No one has to tell Holm that.
"I'm the one that's coming off a loss," she said at a news conference on March 30. "I can't expect to have everything handed to me.
"So we'll see what happens."


The 3 way sack truck is ideal for applications where versatility is required.
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This model is a lightweight all-in-one aluminium truck which folds and unfolds at the click of a catch.


text:
High turn-out for launch of non-profit SERVE pleasantly surprises founding members
It was standing room only as the new non-profit organization, SERVE, officially launched in Manhattan on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. SERVE President Jurdene Coleman says the organization's intention is to "incubate more candidates for local office."
0116 Coleman about SERVE
Coleman says running for office can be intimidating and lonely. Their members and future candidates can be registered to a major party or unaffiliated. It's about providing support to potential candidates with the heart to serve their community.
0116 Coleman SERVE purpose
The organization has a list of ways someone can serve the community, without running for office. Coleman suggests a person who isn't ready to run, could gain experience and knowledge from volunteering with SERVE.
0116 Coleman who SERVE serves
SERVE wants to provide the support needed to help bring more diversity to local political offices. The organization wants to see elected positions represent both young and old; religious and non-religious; men and women; homeowners and renters; and the full range of socioeconomic status. While the organization is centered in Riley County, Coleman says they will try to support the greater Flint Hills area.
0116 Coleman areas SERVE serves
Find out more at http://www.mhkserve.org/
By Rhonda Zellweger|2023-01-16T16:24:00-06:00January 16th, 2023|Local News|Comments Off on High turn-out for launch of non-profit SERVE pleasantly surprises founding members
About the Author: Rhonda Zellweger


As the last of the zombies fell motionless to the ground, Leikar turned to the Knight of Valor, half expecting to be smote.
Instead, the Knight dipped his head in thanks then collapsed to the ground.
Leikar knew zombies and knew how to fight them.
Most important thing was to keep them from getting too close to spread their contagion.
His fire spells did just that, and this kind of undead followed orders absolutely. They would continue charging headlong into the flames unless their master commanded them otherwise.
When no command came, Leikar assumed the Knight had already killed the necromancer.
They'd won, but he still wondered if he'd given up his own life helping the man.
As the Knight of Valor destroyed the three ghouls coming at him from behind, the first wave of zombies closed in on him.
The Knight screamed as they tore at him.
Leikar ground his teeth, knowing the Knight was a fool.
But he couldn't not help.