Fix RS485 timing bug. This is a very old bug that we were not able to figure out for many years. Bricklets that use I2C (for example Temperature Bricklet) would somtimes give false values every few 1000 messages if RS485 was used. This was caused by a mix of I2C/RS485 timing constraints. We now use DMA for I2C Messages to fix this.
The handling of the initial enumeration (the enumerate callback with enumeration type = CONNECTED) has been completely reworked. Double enumerations don't happen anymore and the enumeration also works if a USB cable is connected to an already powered stack. This also fixes some other strange behavior. For example: In a RS485 network, if you restarted the RS485 master stack you had to restart the slave stacks as well, otherwise they wouldn't enumerate again. With the update the RS485 slaves will automatically re-enumerate if the RS485 master re-enumerates itself.
We will now never do a real hard reset if triggered by USB. USB has reset/suspend/resume messages that triggered a hardware reset (internal messages). There are several possibilities, when a PC can trigger these messages. For example on startup or when the USB hardware detects EMI. So far the Brick firmware simply resets the hardware. With the new firmwares the USB state machine will be properly resetted (as requested by the PC), but everything else will keep on running. So the Bricks/Bricklets will not loose state and for example a stepper motor will keep running until the request is fully processed. From the PC perspective the Brick will disconnect and immediately connect again. A new initial enumeration will be send. If you have problems with unwanted resets (for example if a relay switches an inductive load) this will probably fix this issue! The PC will still reset the USB, but from the user perspective everything will keep running and working, no lost messages or similar.
Especially the last one (relay switching resulting in stack resets) is a problem that we have heard sometimes, but we where never able to reproduce that. A few weeks ago we finally were able to create a setup here where we could reliably reproduce this problem. After many hours of debugging it turned out that the problem is that the PC registeres an EMI event through the USB cable and as a result tells the Brick to reset itself (on Linux this happens if you get the dmesg message "disabled by hub (EMI?), re-enabling ..."). This reset will now not result in a real hardware reset anymore and everything will just keep running even if your USB hub does a reset.
To fix this we had to restructure a lot of code, we used this restructering to improve the hotplug/enumeration functionality a lot.
You can update your Bricks through Brick Viewer.
Today we want to introduce the last two of our new Bricklets: The RGB LED Matrix Bricklet and the Thermal Imaging Bricklet.
The RGB LED Matrix Bricklet is equipped with 8x8=64 WS2812B RGB LEDs. Each RGB LED has three single LEDs (red, green and blue) that can each be controlled with a 8-bit value. The API allows for a control rate of up to 120Hz. If you turn all of the LEDs to their maximum intensity, the power supply needs 5V with at least 4A. You can find an appropriate power supply in our shop.
The Thermal Imaging Bricklet is our new favorite Bricklet. It is equipped with a 80x60 pixel thermal imaging camera. The camera does have a radiometry function, i.e. you can read actual temperatures with the camera. To do this the Bricklet has a so called "Temperature Image Mode". In this mode each pixel corresponds to one temperature measurement. The temperatures have 16-bit resolution and a measurement range of -273°C-381°C or -273°C-6279°C. The resolution is 0.01°C for the small range and 0.1°C for the bigger range. There temperature measurements can be used for monitoring (predictive maintenance etc). Alternatively the Bricklet has the a "High Contrast Image Mode". In this mode the camera calculates temperature distributions (cluster) und divides the measured temperatures into 256 cluster. For each pixel you get the cluster number. To make an image out of this data you can use a function that gives each cluster a color. A typical thermal imaging camera uses a mapping that has black/blue colors for cold temperatures and red/yellow/white colors for hot temperatures. You can see an example of this in the video above. The Brick Viewer offers different mappings.
This means that there are no temperature information anymore in the High Contrast Image. Because of this you can also define a spotmeter. The spotmeter provides a maximum, minimum and average temperature value of a user definable image region. All of this settings can be controlled through the API. You can find more information about tempertures, image modes, spotmeter etc in the API documentation.
Since the Bricklet can be used like any other Bricklet in the system of building blocks, you can use it as a USB thermal imaging camera. Together with the WIFI Extension or the Ethernet Extension you can also easily build your own network capable thermal imaging camera. We are excited to see what kind of thermal imaging projects our customers will come up with!
Today we want to introduce two more of the new Bricklets: The Motorized Linear Poti Bricklet and the RGB LED Button Bricklet.
In the last blog entry we introduced the DMX Bricklet and the Humidity Bricklet 2.0. You can find it here.
Compared to the Linear Poti Bricklet, the Motorized Linear Poti Bricklet has a 100mm potentiometer that can not only be moved by hand but also with an integrated motor. Depending on the position of the silider the potentiometer gives values between 0 and 100. The API can be used to cause different behavior depending on the use case. It is possible to tell the potentiometer to retain a specific set-point (this can be manually overdriven). If it is not configured to hold a position, the Bricklet will only drive to the set-point once and after that the user can control the position again. The Bricklet is designed in a way that allows to use several of them next to each other with mimum space requirements. You can use the two inside threads of the potentiometer for mounting to the top of a panel or the mounting holes of the Bricklet to mount at the bottom.
The RGB LED Button Bricklet is a big button with integrated RGB LED. The cap of the button can opened and an inlay can be inserted. The inlay can either be a printed foil or even a simple piece of printed white paper. Each color channel (red, green, blue) can be controlled with 8-bit resolution. This means that any color can be shown and the brightness is also controllable. As always you can use callbacks to react to changes of the button.
DMX is a standard for digital communication networks that are commonly used to control stage lighting and effects.The DMX Bricklet can be used as a DMX master to control other DMX devices (slaves). Each slave can use one or more DMX channels. The DMX protocol can be used to control up to 512 channels a the same time. The Bricklet can also be used as a DMX slave. In this case, the Bricklet will receive all 512 channels at the same time. The user can decide to either monitor the whole bus or to only react on specific channels. If you always wanted to create your own stage light effects the new DMX Bricklet is for you. For the connection to a DMX bus the Bricklet has one three pole XLR make connector and one three pole XLR femaile connector. The Bricklet is very easy to control through the new Streaming-API.
The successor of the Humidiity Bricklet has a new sensor. The resolution of the utilized humidity sensor is increased by a factor of 10 (0.01% vs 0.1%) and also the accuracy is notably increaed. The Bricklet now also integrates a high precision temperature sensor that is used to temperature-compensate the humidity internally on the Bricklet. The user can of course also access the measured temperature. Another highlight is the integrated heater. It can be used to automatically dry the sensor in extrem wet conditions. The new 2.0 Bricklet replaces the old Humidity Bricklet 1.0.
Today we enter beta phase for RED Brick image 1.10. Normaly, we would release a new RED Brick image right away, but this time we want to test the new image in a public beta test, because it contains several big changes (e.g. new Kernel and Debian version). You can find the new image here: http://download.tinkerforge.com/red_110beta1/. You'll also need the current Brick Viewer 2.3.11.
Stack communication in Brick Daemon is currently not DMA-accelerated and uses more CPU power. This will be fixed for the final version.
The display resolution cannot be changed at runtime. We're looking into it at the moment. It's unclear if this can be fixed.
No support for 3D/OpenGL hardware acceleration. The necessary Mali drivers are currently not yet ported to the newest kernel versions. We will release a new image as soon as we can add the drivers again. 2D hardware acceleration (for normal desktop environment usage etc) is working fine!
There is a forum thread for your feedback.


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Home / Classic Fiction / The Importance of Being Earnest ( Unabridged Classics) : The Originals
The Importance of Being Earnest ( Unabridged Classics) : The Originals
"The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Two women fall in love with men of the same name. This mythical suitor is called 'Ernest', a name that has been adopted by both Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff to win the hearts of their beloveds, Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew, respectively. As pandemonium breaks out at Jack's country home on the same weekend, and while the identity of 'Ernest' is still uncertain, only an insignificant handbag and an old nursemaid can save the day! A farce where characters take on fictitious roles, Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest is a delightful carnival of lovers in conflict, warped identities, clandestine arrangements, witticism and incisive, artful conversations. The eccentricity and effervescence in Wilde's plot and characters are enjoyed by readers and viewers even today. Ever since it was first performed in London's St. James' Theatre on 14 February 1895, this brilliant tour de force has inspired many other adaptations. The Importance of Being Earnest remains an evergreen classic!"
About Oscar Wilde
Born on 16 October 1854, Oscar Wilde was a famous Irish poet and playwright. Part of a family of intellectuals, he was educated at the most prestigious colleges in Great Britain Trinity College, University of Dublin and Magdalen College, University of Oxford. During his years in university, he was drawn to Aestheticism, the art movement prevalent in late 19th century. He wrote essays, propagated ideas as a lecturer and also wrote the famous novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, which he vehemently defended using the concept of making art for art's sake.
His aesthetic sensibilities mixed with his wit were apparent in notable plays such as The Importance of Being Earnest and Lady Windermere's Fan, and established him as a successful playwright.
However, Wilde had a harrowing personal life because of his homosexuality. He was prosecuted and imprisoned in 1895 for two years. The idea of homosexuality in his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray was used against him to strengthen the case. Upon his release, he left for France, never to return to England.
His health declined after his release from prison and he died of meningitis in 1900, aged 46.
Other Books By Oscar Wilde
Three Man in a Boat ( Unabridged Classics ) : The Originals
Moby Dick or The Whale ( Unabridged Classics) : The Originals
The Originals Meditations : The Originals
Volpone ( Unabridged Classics) : The Originals
Ben Jonson
Sense and Sensibility ( Unabridged Classics): The Originals

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


While you have a great business idea to realize, the technology you choose and the partner who delivers it makes the difference. With teams getting leaner by the day, speed involved in innovation and implementation is increasing equally. This requires you to partner with a team that understands both technology and business. Vuegen offers technology solutions and support based on the objective of solving your business problem.


text:
John's Garden Journal
Mostly Gardening and some general Bull S***
Robert A. Hall "I'm 83 and Tired"
Posted on April 5, 2014 by jbest123
This should be required reading for every man, woman and child in Jamaica,
the UK , United States of America , Canada , Australia and New Zealand and
to all the world…
"I'm 83 and I'm Tired"
I'm 83. Except for brief period in the 50's when I was doing my National
Service, I've worked hard since I was 17. Except for some serious
health challenges, I put in 50-hour weeks, and didn't call in sick in nearly
40 years. I made a reasonable salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my
income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, it looks as
though retirement was a bad idea, and I'm tired. Very tired.
I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who
don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take
the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy
to earn it.
I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I
can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and
daughters for their family "honor"; of Muslims rioting over some slight
offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't
"believers"; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning
teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the
genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and
Shari'a law tells them to.
I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let
Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries use our oil money to fund mosques
and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in Australia , New Zealand ,
UK , America and Canada , while no one from these countries are allowed to
fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia or any other
Arab country to teach love and tolerance..
I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global
warming, which no one is allowed to debate.
I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help
support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ
rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses
or stick a needle in their arm while they tried to fight it off?
I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all
parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful
mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting
caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.
I'm really tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and
actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination
or big-whatever for their problems.
I'm also tired and fed up with seeing young men and women in their teens and
early 20's be-deck themselves in tattoos and face studs, thereby making
themselves un-employable and claiming money from the Government.
Yes, I'm damn tired. But I'm also glad to be 83.. Because, mostly, I'm not
going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for
my granddaughter and their children. Thank God I'm on the way out and not
on the way in.
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Brock is at it again.
Cannot wait for spring!!!
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text:
20 Oct 2015 Album Reviews, Artist News, Music Related News, New Release	2015, After, album review, ANTI-, artist, atypical artist, Atypical Beasts Agency, atypical sounds, atypicalsounds, band, brooklyn, brooklyn music scene, Doe Paoro, electro pop, electronic, Folk, indie, indie music, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Lhamo, los angeles, music, new album, new music, new release, new york, nyc, pop, review, rock, singer/songwriter, Tibetan, tour, williamsburg	0
DOE PAORO GETS NOSTALGIC
James Carlson
Los Angeles based indie-pop artist Doe Paoro released her new album After through ANTI– this past September and the Beasts are getting all sorts of nostalgia listening to it. The songs show a gracious maturity from her previous releases, both lyrically and musically. It seems to be departing a bit from her experimental vocal ranges and comfortably settling into a more down to earth, pop sensible approach. The collaboration with producers Sean Carey (Bon Iver) and BJ Burton (The Tallest Man on Earth, Sylvan Esso) has created a sort of Indie-rock meets pop princess love child.
With singles like "Nostalgia" and "Growth/Decay" Doe Paoro (a.k.a. Sonia Kreitzer) touches on subject matters and depths that are often neglected in the world of pop music, while songs like "Travelling" and "Regret" show a sort of dark honesty that anyone can connect with. "This record emerged from a very specific psychic space: feeling out of the past but not yet in the future, adrift in the space between two closed doors – and reckoning with the reality that what you are hoping for might not be coming" notes Kreitzer.
Doe Paoro was born and raised in the relatively isolated city of Syracuse, New York. Her sound can be easily compared to that cloudy isolation. Previous to beginning her musical journey, Kreitzer was introduced to Lhamo, the Tibetan folk music, while traveling alone through the Himalayas and meditating for long stretches of time. These influences are also clearly present in her music. Perhaps these influences are what contribute so strongly to the reflective elements in her sound.
All in all, listening to the music of Doe Paoro is a good way to get in touch with your inner being. It is a refreshing escape from the dull world of radio pop music, and is made even more interesting by the sonic depths in her production. Make sure to check out her new album After and get nostalgic as you look back on the year. You can find her current tour dates here.


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*Wall mount fixtures are available in all styles (wattage and globe), please call us and ask one of our employees for the style that you are looking for.


text:
title: What's New
---

Here are some of the new features we have added to Keyman 15.0 for macOS:

* Localizable UI through [translate.keyman.com](https://translate.keyman.com)
* Display Unicode page name correctly instead of '????'
* Increase OSK character size by 50%
* Add support for M1 processor

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Imua Family Services will host the Color Festival Hawai'i on Saturday April 13, 2019, from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. The event features energetic, non-stop live performances and lots of color.
Color Festivals around the world have come to symbolize a fresh start and celebrate the coming of spring. This family-friendly music festival includes food trucks, vendors, and activities for kids and the climatic throwing of colors. The message behind the Color Festival Hawai'i is "inclusion," that we are all under the same rainbow, living and celebrating life together in harmony.
Headlining the 2019 event will be Nashville native, singer/songwriter and music recordingartist, Rayland Baxter. Baxter's latest album, Wide Awake, was released with a tremendous splash by ATO Records on July 13.
Baxter has built a career on capturing timeless and deeply human sentiments, bringing colorful characters to life with equal parts humor and pathos. His debut album, Feathers & Fishhooks, released in 2012, was a critical hit praised by Interview Magazine for its "well-worn maturity." NPR described Yellow Eyes, the lead single from his 2015 follow up album, Imaginary Man, as "close-to-perfect," and Rolling Stone hailed it as a "whimsical narrative with often deceptively complex arrangements." His music earned Baxter festival appearances across the country, in addition to tours with an astonishing array of artists, including Jason Isbell, The Lumineers, and Lauryn Hill.
Admission for adults is $20 pre-sale, $25 day of; Children 6 to 16 are $15; and Children ages 5 and under are free. Powdered colors are available for purchase inside the venue. Colors are made of cornstarch with FDA-approved food dye. No outside colors are permitted. Most participants wear pure white clothing that is then colored by the throwing of colors. Festival goers may also purchase an official event shirt to create the ultimate souvenir. Tickets will be available from the MACC Box Office beginning on March 1, 2019.
Made in Maui County Festival This Friday and Saturday!


text:
unirizon
Environment & the New Society
Can China improve the air?
Posted on January 11, 2017 January 11, 2017 by Gilbert Van Kerckhove
in environment	Tagged PM2.5	Leave a comment
OK, it is really really bad
As posted earlier, the horrible pollution days have greeted us in the Christmas – New Year period. Many Chinese, and of course many foreigners, have doubts China will and can do something about it. Can China improve the air?
(Source SCMP)
Here some more pictures showing the pollution as seen from my house in Beijing, some taken above the Beijing CBD (as from the China Zun building under construction), and more.
Officials admit defeat, as for now
At least officials admit the skies are less blue than planned and progress has been little.
Read this telling article:
"Cool change on smog policy as Chinese officials warn of long fight ahead. Gone is the determined and optimistic tone of the past, with officials admitting that few gains have been made in clearing the air." Dated 9 January 2017.
http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2060392/cool-change-smog-policy-chinese-officials-warn-long
The recent poor air quality reflects the failure of previous commitments to tackle pollution.
In 2014, as Beijing launched a 760 billion yuan fund to clean up the city's air, it vowed to s
lve the smog problem by 2017.
The official tone has changed. On Saturday, acting Beijing mayor Cai Qi said he shared the public's frustration over air pollution.
A decision was taken in November to reset the ambitious 2017 goal. Instead of cutting levels of PM2.5 by more than a third from 2013 to an average of 56 micrograms per cubic meter by 2017, the aim is to do so by 2020.
But maybe for once I try to be an optimist.
See some of the indications.
Public transport and car regulations
As mentioned in my previous post, rail and city public transport is still a high priority.
As for Beijing, another major ring road is to be built, making a huge circle around Beijing so the trucks don't need anymore to pass Beijing on their way to other regional destinations.
Slowly the quality of the gasoline is being improved but issues still remain with the bad quality of diesel.
As long as highway tolls remain too high, we will see continuing overloading of the trucks, a danger but also a source of pollution.
Beijing will soon cordon off the city for much of local traffic. The "Uber" type of services will also see restrictions: only Beijing hukou drivers and Beijing plates – now most of those services use Hebei drivers and cars.
How a real Beijinger reacts to pollution
Posted on January 11, 2017 by Gilbert Van Kerckhove
Humor (?) is never far away
Yeah, we are all so aware the air is bad. Here how a real Beijinger reacts to pollution, with an "adapted mask".
https://www.unirizon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Beijingrensmoking.mp4
One needs a smoke, whatever happens. Found on WeChat and this went viral…
Sorry guys but I do not have the ordering details for the mask.
Not sure if they have the appropriate models for cigars and pipes.
Finding the polluters in China
TanSat will allow China finding the polluters in China, a major problem as many in the industry disobey the environmental laws. See earlier post.
China is to clamp down further on the industrial polluters, especially the smaller companies, as announced on 7 January.
"Small factories face anti-smog scrutiny" China Daily 7 January 2017
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2017-01/07/content_27886485.htm
In 2015, industrial use of coal accounted for about 46% of the total coal consumption, but these furnaces did not have stringent environmental standards that matched those of the thermal power industry.
Right now the biggest challenge for the government is enforcement. They even started to use drones to inspect the polluters from a safe distance. Going there they get beaten up – or killed.
It has become a war…
See more about the interesting drones story here:
29 May 2015 – Caixin Online
China Uses Drones to Monitor Pollution Problem from Above
http://english.caixin.com/2015-05-29/100814593.html
Central and local officials flying remote control drones to identify sources of pollution and gather information about air quality.
I quote a part:
The Ministry of Environmental Protection has also had drones fly over steel mills, refineries and power plants to gather information about possible emission violations. On May 18, 2015, the ministry published information on its website regarding penalties imposed on several major industrial companies in Hebei Province, in the north, that drones caught committing emissions violations. China has spent billions of yuan in recent decades to develop a national pollution monitoring system, but its effects have been limited because polluters always seem to be able to find ways to hide.
Burning the fields
A Dutch friend took these pictures on the Highway S10 between Shenyang (Liaoning) and Tonghua (Jilin).
See all the burning fields. It is illegal but farmers still do it unpunished, a major contribution to air pollution in the region.
The new pollution police
Officials in Beijing are taking steps toward tackling the city's long-standing smog problem with the creation of an environmental police force, according to state media. Spearheaded by Beijing's acting mayor Mayor Cai Qi, the political crackdown on burning fossil fuels comes amid a flurry of concern over the country's choking air pollution.
See here: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/08/asia/china-smog/
The launch of the Tansat satellite
in environment	Tagged A greener world	Leave a comment
Tansat Satellite
The launch of the Tansat satellite was the main subject of my interview with RTL, to come out this week.
Image: TanSat Collaboration
TanSat (Chinese Carbon Dioxide Observation Satellite Mission) was launched in December 2016 by China to monitor carbon dioxide levels, making it the third country to track the potent contributor to global warming from space, along with USA and Japan.
The technology will trace the sources of greenhouse gases and help evaluate whether countries are fulfilling their commitments to reduce pollutants under environmental pacts.
China is a signatory to the Paris climate change agreement, the first universal action plan for curbing global warming.
The US and China are together responsible for some 40% of the world's emissions, so their participation in the agreement is crucial for its success. So, if incoming President Trump fails to respect commitments, China will take the lead.
China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, due to its heavy reliance on coal to provide electricity to its population of 1.37 billion. It has been fast moving away from coal—driven in large part by the major recent air pollution.
On a three-year mission, TanSat will thoroughly examine global CO2 levels every 16 days, accurate to at least 4 ppm (parts per million).
Beijing super smog and traffic changes
Posted on January 6, 2017 January 11, 2017 by Gilbert Van Kerckhove
'Airpocalypse'
I am not sure who first came up with that word to describe Beijing super smog. Here one of the many articles:
http://www.businessinsider.com/china-airpocalypse-smog-photos-2016-12/#chinas-smog-problem-has-reached-red-alert-the-highest-level-in-chinas-four-tiered-pollution-warning-system-1
Photos of China's 'Airpocalypse' — where industrial smog makes the country a living hell for half a billion people, by Louise Liu, Business Insider, 22 December 2016
Indeed, Beijing has in the past weeks seen some real horrible pollution. "The thick, toxic air has caused flights to be canceled, classes to be suspended, and alerts to be issued by the government encouraging people to insulate themselves from air. Under a charcoal-tinted sky and toxic fumes, half a billion people can't live or step outside without wearing masks."
And it came up all of a sudden
On 2 January I jumped on my bike to meet a friend for lunch. I checked the AQI, it looked good so I did not take a mask. That was a mistake.
As shown in these images and video it came as in a horror movie.
https://www.unirizon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/170102-smoginvasion.mp4
The time-lapse video shows Beijing swamped by a tide of smog. The video, just 12 seconds long, shows smog descending on the 3rd Ring Road over a 20 minutes period, towards the CCTV Tower and other buildings. The video circulated all over the world. It was by taken by Chas Pope, a British worker, that very day.
What about the masks?
To face the Beijing super smog, in-house I use my air filtering machines, outside my choice of 3M masks.
See how black the disposables become after some days. Time for a new one.
I now basically only use 3M, the 'chemical war type" for heavy duty and the disposable one (pretty cheap like 10 RMB) for "normal" use. Both work well on the bicycle (one has to breathe!).
There are other masks of course, see here one "guide" (I stick to mine!):
161220masks
Beijing: very strict rules on the way
Beijing announced stricter emission standards for cars to improve air quality. Starting on 15 December 2016 gasoline cars with National I and II emission standards are banned from the road when the city has an orange or red air-quality alert. Furthermore, those cars will be banned from the road from Monday to Friday starting on 15 February 2017. The number of cars with National I and II emission standards make up 8% of the cars registered in Beijing, but the emissions from those cars account for more than 30% of all emissions.
Also, soon cars older than ten years will be banned from the "center" (inside 5th ring road).
As far as the insiders tell me: cars from outside the 5th ring road might be simply all face serious restrictions (new number plates coming?!).
Plastics in the oceans and in China
Posted on January 5, 2017 August 3, 2019 by Gilbert Van Kerckhove
in environment, waste	Tagged A greener world, waste	Leave a comment
Plastics: the huge plague finally receiving more attention
"Plastic Ocean: it's a must-watch for Attenborough", the article by Stuart Heaver, 27 Nov 2016 on plastics in the oceans:
http://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/2048924/plastic-ocean-its-must-watch-attenborough
The article also shows the official trailer.
Described by the revered presenter as "one of the most important films of our time", the programme investigates the damage caused when indestructible things become disposable.
Earlier this month, 300 guests sat in stunned silence as A Plastic Ocean, a new feature-length exploration of the impact of plastic in our seas, made its Asian premiere at the Asia Society, in Admiralty. The film, which goes on general release on January 19, documents the unfolding of an international environmental catastrophe. It took five years to investigate the global impact of eight million tonnes of plastic being dumped into our oceans annually.
Plastic Island
More again here about plastics in the oceans: "How our throwaway culture is turning paradise into a graveyard"
By Nick Paton Walsh, Ingrid Formanek, Jackson Loo and Mark Phillips
http://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2016/12/world/midway-plastic-island/
Midway Atoll, North Pacific Ocean (CNN) — The distance from humanity yawns out in front of you when you stand on the pale sands of this tiny Pacific island.
Midway Atoll is just about the furthest piece of land from civilization and its constant engine whir, data and jostle.
Standing on the island's remote shoreline brings a calm and humility — until you look down at your feet.
On the beach lies a motorcycle helmet, a mannequin's head, an umbrella handle, and a flip-flop. They didn't fall from a plane or off a ship, and there aren't any civilians living here who could have left them behind.
They were washed in with the tide, most likely from China or the US, thousands of miles away — part of an enormous plastic garbage patch, spinning in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, which you probably contribute to. And these are just the bits of it we can see.
Plastic China
There is also a striking documentary done inside China, see (need VPN in China):
Plastic China Sundance Trailer (2016, China)
Jiuliang Wang Documentary (English Subtitles)
Yi Jie's uneducated parents left mountain village home town, looking for work. They sort & recycle plastic waste, and live among mountains of it too. Then there is the boss, Kun, and his family, who do dream of a better future… a universal story of social inequality.
Director – Jiuliang Wang
Winner – IDFA 2016
See more about the movie here:
'Plastic China': Film Review, 30 December 2016, by Neil Young
A touching microcosm of capitalist realities obliterating communist dreams.
Jiuliang Wang's documentary won a prize when bowing at IDFA and will make its North American debut at Sundance.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/plastic-china-958562
Hopefully it will call the attention of more people, especially of the authorities who only pay lip service.
The topic also figures in my book Toxic Capitalism.
Rebuilding America versus building China
Posted on January 5, 2017 by Gilbert Van Kerckhove
in environment, green transport	Tagged A greener world	Leave a comment
America needs a new FDR
An immense program was started by then U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt to revive the country, rebuilding America. Since then nothing much happened. President Obama was blocked in Congress to rebuild the crumbling infrastructure, "to limit government spending, public debt and federal budget deficits". Then people blamed him for not doing anything.
The next president promises to spend US$ 1 trillion to repair the infrastructure. That probably is far from enough. How he will get the money (while lowering taxes!) is a wild guess.
See the excellent overview on America's needs here:
Trump-Size Idea for a New President: Build Something Inspiring
By JAMES B. STEWART, 17 November 2016
See an extract:
Can anyone name even one infrastructure project from President Obama's $800 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act? I didn't think so.
In fairness to Mr. Obama, Republicans in Congress bitterly opposed his public works spending plans, and he lamented there were too few "shovel ready" projects.
That didn't stop Franklin Delano Roosevelt. His Public Works Administration and Works Progress Administration, using combinations of public and private money, solicited proposals from states and cities, hired millions of workers and eventually built 78,000 bridges, 650,000 miles of roads, 700 miles of airport runways, 13,000 playgrounds and 125,000 military and civilian buildings, including more than 40,000 schools — in most cases to high standards of quality and design.
Then there is China
When travelling from China to the USA we note the difference: modern and imposing Chinese airports versus decrepit American ones, a real shame for a "world economic giant". Again, those Chinese airports are not for prestige: they are usually packed. Reason I avoid cities like New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles. Detroit and Indianapolis are a pleasure on the contrary. Not even to mention the many new railway stations in China that look like international airports.
See the 2020 plan for Beijing subways. When I arrived in Beijing in 1980 there were only two lines with old subway trains. Beijing will construct 12 subway lines in the coming five years: the Beijing Rail Transportation Construction Plan (2014-2020) calls for six new subways lines and extensions to six existing ones. The Beijing Subway is expected to reach 1,000 km by the end of 2020.
While at times cities like New York need a century to build one subway line, Beijing builds new subways every year. They are modern, efficient, fast and filled to capacity, demonstrating they are much needed.
China has been accused to waste money to build highways to nowhere and high-speed trains that nobody uses.
Those critics have never been to China it seems, and are clueless about economy.
The high-speed trains are often at full capacity and are now competing with air travel. In 2016, 2.77 billion trips were made on the country's railroads including 1.44 billion trips by high-speed trains.
At the end of 2016 China's rail system had a length of 124,000 km including 22,000 km of high-speed rail.
The new and immense network of highways, bridges, tunnels and railways have opened central and West China, changing demographics. It now makes sense for the migrants to return to their cities and for industry to relocate away from East and South China.
In the next five years, China will invest 3.5 trillion yuan ($503 billion) to accelerate railway construction, including expansion of the country's high-speed rail network to 30,000 km.
Good infrastructure is a must to have an efficient industry, reduce travel and transportation time and combat pollution. Overall, China did a pretty good job, despite some shortcomings.
Canada in Conversation with Minister Catherine McKenna
Posted on December 12, 2016 by Gilbert Van Kerckhove
in environment, Green energy	Tagged A greener world	Leave a comment
One more in the series Canada in Conversation with Minister Catherine McKenna, in charge of Environment and Climate Change.
Chargé d'Affaires Cindy Termorshuizen was the host on 6 December in the Canadian Embassy in Beijing and introduced the importance of investing in clean technologies to tackle climate change and to meet their Paris Summit commitments.
A number of Canadian companies active in clean technologies were present.
Another highlight: Canadians are gearing up for the 150th anniversary of Confederation and are invited to take part in the year-long celebration, as shown in the video that also featured Canada's national parks.
After the introduction by the Chargé d'Affaires, Ms. Catherine McKenna delivered a keynote address and then participated in a conversation with Mr. Chai Fahe. The talk was moderated by Ms. Wu Changhua.
A networking reception followed the panel discussion at the Official Residence.
Canada's clean technology industry is one of the country's most promising of the 21st Century. It operates across 10 sectors, and the "clean tech" term encompasses companies finding green solutions to everything from energy efficiency to renewable energy, from waste management to green transportation, and from biofuels to greener solutions for the oil and gas industry. Canada's clean tech sector is highly competitive and an innovation-led industry, committed to investing heavily in research and development and serving international markets. Indeed, Canadian clean tech has a key role to play in the global race to address climate change and helping Canada and other countries to meet their Paris Summit commitments.
Canada's clean tech capabilities is said to present terrific potential for Canada-China cooperation in a range of areas, including using energy more efficiently, renewable power generation, smart grid distribution, nuclear energy, hydrogen fuel cell technology, and carbon capture and storage.
Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, practiced competition and international trade law in Canada and Indonesia and was senior negotiator with the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in East Timor. She also served as senior advisor on the former Chief Justice Antonio Lamer's review of Canada's military justice system. Ms. McKenna co-founded Canadian Lawyers Abroad, a charitable organization that works in developing countries and with Indigenous communities in Canada. She served as Executive Director of the Banff Forum, a public policy organization for young leaders. Ms. McKenna taught at the Munk School of Global Affairs. Ms. McKenna was elected in October 2015 and appointed Minister of Environment and Climate Change in November 2015.
Mr. Chai Fahe is Vice President of Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences.
Ms. Wu Changhua chairs the China Redesign Hub and acts as the China/Asia Region Liaison for Jeremy Rifkin Office. She is a leading Chinese policy expert in sustainable development, climate change, environmental protection, green financing, and technology innovation. She worked with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair on Breaking the Climate Deadlock project for the Copenhagen process, chaired the Global Agenda Council on Climate Change at the World Economic Forum, and served on the UNFCCC Clean Development Mechanism Committee and the Carbon Market Leadership Policy Dialogue. She has chaired two boards of The Climate Group in Greater China and acted as the Group's Director to advance China's low carbon economy. She holds a Master in Law from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' School of Journalism and an MA in environmental policy and management from the University Maryland.
Highlights of the discussion
Canada will invest a large sum for further innovation and action in clean energy in the next four years.
Technologies highlighted by the Canadian side are geothermal energy, hydrogen fuel cells and more.
Mr. Chai very well described the challenges China faces in this respect, such as the need for a more stable and balanced electric network with smart grid and energy storage, to eliminate the conflict between the irregular power supply from renewables such as wind and solar and the demand from consumers.
He also agreed that lithium cell technology was not sufficient to deal with it.
I raised two questions: what technologies China looks at for energy storage and how to deal with the waste of heating in Chinese building due to a lack of proper monitoring and regulation of the supply.
Next year China is to start the national carbon trade market.
China Daily promotes a better environment
Posted on December 8, 2016 by Gilbert Van Kerckhove
in environment, waste	Tagged A greener world	Leave a comment
Positive efforts
China Daily promotes a better environment through regular ads. I wish they would do it more in Chinese and in Chinese media, as the key is to change the many bad habits of our Chinese friends.
Concerns for the environment, pollution and waste, are growing.
See here some of the ads:
More education needed
In articles to come, some more on the often sad situations in China's environment. Failure to recycle properly, non-existing garbage sorting, plastic thrown anywhere polluting the land and the oceans. The government is aware but there is massive need to educate the people and implement the (existing) laws to protect the environment.
Yes, China Daily promotes a better environment, also through many articles highlighting the problems, and not only related to air pollution. But so much more needed.
Fracking and earthquakes
Posted on November 22, 2016 by Gilbert Van Kerckhove
Possible link between fracking and earthquakes
In my book Toxic Capitalism I made a lot of reservations about fracking, causing side-effects such as earthquakes and contamination of water wells. I was wondering how this further evolved, in view of the massive increase in fracking, especially in the USA.
In Alberta, Canada, a direct link between fracking and earthquakes came up. It was researched as explained in detail in the New York Times article dated 17 November by Henry Fountain:
See the full article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/science/fracking-earthquakes-alberta-canada.html
Some excerpts on fracking and earthquakes
In the debate over fracking of oil and gas wells, opponents often cite the risk that the process can set off nearby earthquakes. But scientists say that in the United States, fracking-induced earthquakes are not common.
In Canada, however, a spate of earthquakes in Alberta within the last five years has been attributed to fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, in which water, chemicals and sand are injected at high pressure into a well drilled in a shale formation to break up the rock and release oil and gas.
Now, scientists at the University of Calgary who studied those earthquakes, near Fox Creek in the central part of the province, say the quakes were induced in two ways: by increases in pressure as the fracking occurred, and, for a time after the process was completed, by pressure changes brought on by the lingering presence of fracking fluid.
"The key message is that the primary cause of injection-induced seismicity in Western Canada is different from the central United States," said David W. Eaton, a professor of geophysics at the University of Calgary and co-author of a paper in the journal Science describing the research. The findings could help regulators take steps to avoid such induced earthquakes, he said.
Scientists say most of the recent earthquakes in Oklahoma and other parts of the United States have been caused by the burial of wastewater from all kinds of oil and gas wells rather than by the fracking process itself. Wastewater is injected under pressure into disposal wells drilled into a sandstone or other permeable formation, and flows into the rock. That can cause pressure changes in the formation that can upset the equilibrium around a fault zone, causing an earthquake as the fault slips.
In the Fox Creek area in Alberta, where oil and gas companies have been drilling in recent years into a formation called the Duvernay shale, earlier research had seen links between the earthquakes — all of which were minor and caused little damage — and fracking, rather than wastewater injection.
They found two patterns to the seismicity. To the east in the fault zone, most of the earthquakes occurred during the fracking process itself, which lasted up to a month. To the west, there were few immediate quakes; they occurred intermittently over several months after the fracking ended.
Dr. Eaton said he and others were conducting more research to understand why Alberta responds differently to fracking than Oklahoma and other parts of the United States. "It's a different situation," he said, "and understanding the origin of the differences is important."
In my book I agreed one cannot stop technology, but that extreme care was needed to avoid the undesired side-effects.
With the deep economic impact of fracturing in the USA the world economics on oil have changed and it has brought sizeable benefits to the U.S.
On the other hand as the article explains, more careful studies are needed to lower the risks. Yes, that might make it more expensive but it is no excuse for damaging the environment.
About Gilbert & Contact
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Macaron Bar, a Cincinnati-based dessert shops that specializes in macarons, has opened their first shop in the Pittsburgh area, in the Ross Park Mall.
This is the sixth location for the Macaron Bar, which currently has three shops in Cincinnati, and two in Louisville.
Macaron Bar is known for their beautiful macarons, with flavors like Birthday Cake, Red Velvet, and Lavender Lemon. The shop also frequently introduces seasonal flavors, such as Peach, S'mores, and Key Lime Pie.
The company originally planned to open a shop in the Shadyside neighborhood, but instead moved their kiosk from the Kenwood Towne Centre in Cincinnati to the front entrance of the Ross Park Mall.
Macaron Bar Pittsburgh will be hosting a grand opening on September 23.
And, with more exciting news, the company announced that they will be bringing their famous Macaron Gelato Sandwiches with them to the Pittsburgh location. These delectable treats sandwich creamy gelato in between two hand-piped cookies.
If you end up loving their delicious macarons (and who wouldn't?) consider taking a road trip to try more – two of the shops in Cincinnati have kitchens where guests can take a class in macaron making!
Additionally, supporting the community is a key part of Macaron Bar's mission statement, and Macaron Bar commits to setting aside 5% of all revenue generated to be donated to local non-profits.
Whooo hoooo. I love these cookies!
I plan to send your Macrarons to friends for the holidays. Please send me the needed information.
Good luck on your opening.


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"We are so grateful for all you have done this year to keep our school open and as normal as possible."
"Thank You for a wonderful school year for the kids and all the efforts you and your staff made to ensure in person instruction was a priority for these students. It was greatly appreciated. "
"We are so thrilled that our circumstances led us to your school, it was the best decision we could have ever made. He was welcomed, made great friendships and really thrived!"
"Thanks for a wonderful school year. We appreciate all your hard work."
"To all the teachers and staff at St. Ignatius,
We would like to express our sincere gratitude for all the hard work you have all put into making this unprecedented year such a success.
We are unable to fully express how grateful we are for everything that you have done, and have accomplished in order to keep our daughter and all the students and staff at St. Ignatius safe over the past school year."
"I also want to say how much we appreciate all the efforts the school put in place to keep the kids safe and healthy (and in school) through the pandemic. We were fortunate to sail through this year without quarantining or having any issues, while I watched many of my friends struggle with closures or not being able to go to school for long periods of time. I work in healthcare so I can appreciate all the extra work and planning that went into it. ----- really struggled with the isolation during the early months of the pandemic so being able to be in school was huge for her. Thank you for all you, the committee and the teachers did to get us through this year."
2700 St. Albans Drive
West Lawn, PA 19609
Tel: 610-678-0111
Fax: 610-670-5795


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System Sensor horns and horn/strobes provide application flexibility for multiple installations. Intended for full building notification, horns and horn/strobes produce a loud sound to notify occupants to evacuate the buildings.
System Sensor horns, strobes and horn/strobes provide application flexibility for multiple installations. Intended for full building notification, horns and horn/strobes produce a loud sound to notify occupants to evacuate the buildings. Strobes and horn/strobes are ideal for warning hearing-impaired individuals during an emergency event. Installers can easily adapt devices to suit a wide range of application requirements by using field-selectable sound patterns and volume settings.
2-Wire and 4-Wire Horn Strobe options. 4-Wire provide full independant control of the Horn and Strobe.
Mini-horn sounders are ideal for providing primary and secondary signaling for fire and security installations such as hotel, motel, or residential fire system applications, or where smaller notification devices are desired since they can be mounted to single-gang back boxes . Mini-horns offer 2 volume settings, high or low, as well as temporal or non-temporal tones.
By using System Sensor AV Accessories, devices can adapt to nearly any application with the appropriate accessory. Our mounting options allow our strobes, speakers, horns, chimes, and strobe combinations to be placed in new and existing construction with professional results. Note: Separate accessories are available for SpectrAlert Advance and L-Series devices to provide high quality aesthetics.


Internet Speed Test: 3G, 4G, LTE, and Wifi — Who Wins?
Broadband @ Home » Broadband Types » Internet Speed Test: 3G, 4G, LTE, and Wifi — Who Wins?
If you're using a tablet or smartphone, chances are you've got more than one way to connect to the Web; the latest devices offer not only 4G connectivity but 3G compatibility and WiFi. But which connection type is fastest? If you run an Internet speed test, who comes out on top?
First generation (1G) cellular devices were analog phones. Second generation (2G) introduced digital along with limited Internet connectivity. In the third generation (3G) and fourth generation (4G), however, things got interesting. Both 3G- and 4G-enabled devices offer broadband access to the Internet but have very different speed standards. To be qualified as 3G, a network's peak transfer rates only need to reach 200 kilobits per second (Kbps). If this sounds slow, it is — the standard was established in 2003. Many 3G networks now offer speeds ten or twelve times that fast. 4G networks, meanwhile, must offer transfer rates 100 megabits per second (Mbps) when users are "mobile," for example, in cars or buses, and 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) when users are stationary. It's important to note that these are "peak" values, meaning distance from the connection's source, number of users connected, and even weather can all impact transfer rates. In addition, there are multiple 4G networks in operation.
LTE, which stands for long-term evolution, is one of three major 4G networks used in the United States. HSPA+ and WiMAX are the other two contenders, and each claims to be the most reliable solution for 4G users. By the numbers, LTE comes in with the highest theoretical top-end, offering 300 Mbps download and 75 Mbps upload speeds. WiMAX is next, with 75 Mbps download and 30 Mbps upload, followed by HSPA+ at 42 and 23, respectively. On paper, this means a slam-dunk for LTE, but some experts argue it's not so simple. Again, these are peak values, meaning transfer rates no normal user will see. Instead, it's more likely that all three networks will provide speeds in the mid-to-high single-digit range (5–9 Mbps) on average. While it's too early to call an Internet speed test winner among 4G networks, LTE is by far the most popular.
In addition to 3G and 4G cellular networks, most mobile devices can also connect to wireless (WiFi) networks. The speed of these connections depends on the signal provided and the type of network card installed in the device. Maximum wireless speeds are governed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.11. Cards using the 802.11b standard can reach 11 Mbps, those using 802.11a or 802.11g can reach 54 Mbps, and those running on 802.11n have a theoretical maximum of 600 Mbps. A small number of devices also use the 802.11ac standard, which offers a blazing 1,300 Mbps at its upper end. Just like 3G and 4G networks, however, several factors impact overall speed. Distance to the wireless source, interference from other wireless networks, and number of users sharing the same bandwidth may all conspire to limit speed. Realistically, users with an 802.11a or 802.11g connection can expect 20 Mbps download, while 802.11n should get 40 to 50 Mbps.
So who wins the Internet speed test? At small distances, with an 802.11a or better network card, WiFi comes out ahead. Beyond the reach of wireless, however, 4G LTE offers the best connection and the most coverage, but its scope is still fairly limited. Think of 3G like the tortoise in this race; slow but steady, and still reliable — and still providing service for the bulk of mobile users.


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THE Ararat Rats Netball Club celebrated its first victory against the Warrack Eagles in about five years on Saturday. Every grade except under-13s won when they faced off against the Eagles at Alexandra Oval. In A Grade netball it was down to the wire the whole game, with the Rats claiming a slim win of just one point. Nonetheless, coach Taylor Mason said it was a hugely successful day for the Rats. "All our teams except under-13s got up," she said. "As far as A Grade goes, up by one goal - definitely had our hearts pumping at the end there but it was good to get over the line and get the four points there. "It's the first time in five years I think that Ararat have gotten up above Warracknabeal, so that was really great." It was an uphill slog at first, with the Rats leading the Eagles by just one point in the first quarter, 11 to 10. By half time they had a six point lead, but by the fourth quarter the Eagles climbed back up and forced the Rats to work for a win. The final score was 49 to 48. The Rats will next play against Stawell, and Taylor said she was confident about the talent and strength the team can bring as they continue to train and improve. "There's a lot to work on," she said. "There is definitely a lot to do at training on Thursday night, but I think we're all looking really good there." The B Grade team won 58 points to 51. "B Grade were really successful," Taylor said. "It's really good to know we've got that talent in that B Grade side to bring up into A Grade if we need it." Best on court was awarded to Delaney McLoughlan and Racquel Scott. While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox each Friday morning from The Ararat Advertiser. To make sure you're up-to-date with all the news from across the Ararat shire, sign up here.
Rats' Jessica Williamson and Eagles' Casey Quick during the third quarter.
THE Ararat Rats Netball Club celebrated its first victory against the Warrack Eagles in about five years on Saturday.
Every grade except under-13s won when they faced off against the Eagles at Alexandra Oval.
In A Grade netball it was down to the wire the whole game, with the Rats claiming a slim win of just one point.
Nonetheless, coach Taylor Mason said it was a hugely successful day for the Rats.
"All our teams except under-13s got up," she said.
"As far as A Grade goes, up by one goal - definitely had our hearts pumping at the end there but it was good to get over the line and get the four points there.
"It's the first time in five years I think that Ararat have gotten up above Warracknabeal, so that was really great."
It was an uphill slog at first, with the Rats leading the Eagles by just one point in the first quarter, 11 to 10.
By half time they had a six point lead, but by the fourth quarter the Eagles climbed back up and forced the Rats to work for a win.
The final score was 49 to 48.
The Rats will next play against Stawell, and Taylor said she was confident about the talent and strength the team can bring as they continue to train and improve.
"There's a lot to work on," she said.
"There is definitely a lot to do at training on Thursday night, but I think we're all looking really good there."
The B Grade team won 58 points to 51.
"B Grade were really successful," Taylor said.
"It's really good to know we've got that talent in that B Grade side to bring up into A Grade if we need it."
Best on court was awarded to Delaney McLoughlan and Racquel Scott.


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Features 2 minutes 12 August 2019
Which Type of Egg Is Best?
Cage-free or free-range? Pasture-raised or organic? Brown or white? Here's what you need to know.
egg ingredients
Have you ever stood in the egg section of the grocery store picking up every carton, trying to decide which option is best? If you've ever wondered what the differences are between cage-free, organic, pasture-raised, white, brown and all those other types you see, you're not alone.
Knowing your priorities will help you make the best choice. While the nutrient profile is similar across the board, there may be other factors to consider, such as animal welfare, whether the hens were fed an organic diet and cost.
Here's what you need to know.
The majority of egg-laying hens in the United States are raised in battery cages, where they're very close together (often without enough space to spread their wings), which makes for a stressful environment. In a cage-free system, hens generally have space to move around, spread their wings and lay their eggs in nests, and, in some cases, engage in other natural behaviors like perching and dustbathing. Many of these farms are third-party audited. While this is better for the hens' quality of life than the battery cages, this doesn't guarantee that the farming methods are completely cruelty-free. For example, it's still a common practice to burn off their beaks in order to decrease risk of injury by pecking and bullying. They may also be transported long distances without access to food or water, or endure starvation-induced molting.
Free-Range Eggs
There are a few different definitions for "free-range." According to USDA standards, "free-range" essentially means that the hens have access to the outdoors, though this can be a minimal amount. Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) is a non-profit certification organization that works to improve the lives of farm animals in food production, and HFAC's Certified Humane® "Free-Range" requirement is two square feet per bird and that hens must be outdoors, weather permitting, for at least six hours per day.
Pasture-Raised Eggs
In order for eggs to be called "pasture-raised," the company needs to be certified by a third-party organization (though this label is not USDA-regulated). It indicates that the hens have been raised uncaged and with access to outdoor space so they can freely walk around and nest. However, this doesn't guarantee the absence of other adverse conditions. To qualify for the Certified Humane® "Pasture Raised" label, specifically, there are additional requirements are that there must be no more than 1,000 birds per 2.5 acres (108 square feet per bird) and the fields must be rotated. Additionally, the hens must be outdoors year-round, but there must be housing for protection from predators at night or to escape inclement weather.
Many people find that eggs from pasture-raised hens taste more flavorful and that the yolks are a richer yellow-orange color. This is likely because those hens were able to eat grass and bugs in addition to their feed. This may also mean that these eggs will be richer in certain nutrients, especially omega-3 fatty acids.
In order for a company to label its eggs as "USDA certified organic" the hens must be raised following the same standards as pasture-raised eggs, but with the added restrictions of being produced without the use of pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers, and the hens must be fed an organic diet without those substances. They also cannot be given antibiotics or fed any animal by-products. Also worth pointing out: Because the USDA's National Organic Program prohibits the use of GMOs, organic eggs are also non-GMO.
The Egg Grading System
The USDA's egg grading system assigns grades (AA, A, or B) based on internal quality factors like thickness of the whites and their freshness, as well as external factors like the appearance of the shell. The thicker whites of Grade AA and A eggs don't spread as easily as Grade B whites, which makes them great for frying. Grade B eggs may be preferable for things like omelettes and batters.
Keep in mind that not all eggs are graded by the USDA, such as those from a local farm. If you see graded eggs being marketed as "cage-free" it means that the USDA needs to verify that the producer meets those "cage-free" standards via onsite farm visits.
What's the Difference Between Brown and White Eggs?
While brown eggs may have more of a health halo than white—likely because we've been conditioned to recognize brown rice and whole wheat products as being more nutritious than their white or refined counterparts—they're actually pretty much the same in terms of nutrient profile and quality. So what's the difference? White-feathered hens tend to lay white eggs, and those with reddish feathers typically lay brown eggs. The reason the brown eggs may be more expensive, though, is that those red-feathered hens tend to be larger and consume more feed.
Which Type of Eggs Should I Buy?
As you can see, the "best" choice can vary. While organic, pasture-raised eggs purchased from a local farmer who treats their hens well may align with all of your priorities, your budget may not allow for that to be a regular choice. If money is a factor, start with one thing to prioritize, such as organic eggs since that dictates what the chickens ate. Don't be afraid to try different brands and learn about the companies and the farmers in your area. There are lots of options, but knowing what's important to you will help you make an informed choice that suits your needs.
Written by Jessica Cording
Jessica Cording, MS, RD, CDN, INHC is a registered dietitian, health coach, and author who helps people streamline their wellness routine and establish a balanced relationship with food and exercise.
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Family Support America Conference Summary
attended by: Jake Weber, Melissa Becker, Kathryn Donnelly
summary prepared by Melissa with input from Jake and Kathryn
Recurring themes throughout conference:
parent involvement/leadership: on parents' terms
community building/development
social change & advocacy
collaboration/partnerships
relationship-building
support, empowerment, family strengths
parents connecting to other parents & community members
flexibility & individualization of services
need to examine policy issues toward systems change
visibility of family center in community
As family support centers develop, we need to look at: how does the community support parents to support kids? We're a part of community support for parents….
kids grow & develop in the context of the family
families grow & develop in the context of the neighborhood/community
neighborhoods/communities grow & develop in the context of caring, committed people
Key ideas
The conference stressed the importance of parents connecting with each other as well as other informal supports in the community, especially as a way of developing parent involvement in family support centers. As parents become more empowered & involved in family support centers, centers can be more responsive to their needs and wants. The family support movement is really highlighting the idea of "making room at the table" for parents and other community members, so as to increase decision-making and leadership opportunities for parents. In order to increase parent involvement, as well as to build strong, healthy communities that are responsive to parents, it is essential that a strong component of family resource centers be building relationships with parents and other community members who use our services. Building relationships also helps us to be responsive to individual needs of diverse families.
II. Some suggestions for engaging families in the program:
The center environment is ideally clean, with special attention to the Playroom area
All families are greeted warmly, by name if possible. Families walk away having heard something positive about their parenting or their child
Creation of a Parent Advisory Council?
Family Night Activities
Projects which involve families (e.g. the 25c sale). Parents who use the center are generally looking for a way to "give back"
Increase parent volunteerism, perhaps leading to a paid position at the center
III. Staff training
There was an emphasis on the need for consistent staff training in the principals of Family Support. Programs are optimally effective when all staff and volunteers deliver a consistent message of acceptance and empowerment to the families. Every staff member should be dedicated to empowering families by building relationships with them and helping them advocate and achieve what they feel is important for their families' well-being.
IV. Increasing parent-child interaction as a way to strengthen family bonds
Facilitated playtimes?
Creating a "Family Book"
Noticing and commenting on examples of positive parent child interactions, however small
Suggesting other activities in the community that provide low-stress, low cost ways for parents to have fun with their kids (e.g. the free zoo tickets we have)
V. Collaboration/partnerships: an important element of the community-building aspect of family support
Collaboration can be on many levels: family centers and community centers partnering with each other on programs; staff and parents creating collaborations; parent-to-parent partnerships; and collaboration with other businesses and the like in the neighborhood/community in order to create a supportive atmosphere and services for families.
Jake's Thoughts:
This is a terrific summary of the highlights of the conference. Those of us who attended felt affirmed that we were on the right track in terms of programming and direction, and with the knowledge that all family centers share many of the same challenges.
The three areas that the conference has inspired me to focus on are:
building family capacity–especially economic security;
building collaborations/partnerships; and
building a strong staff and board, knowledgeable and committed to family support
That's it. What do you think? Send Melissa email at socialwork@fullerbecker.com to tell her.
fullerbecker.com - online since April 1999
This page posted May 16, 2000