text:
2021-07-17 14:30:1717th July 2021 Cwmbran Celtic 3 - 0 Afan Lido Cup
2021-07-24 14:30:3524th July 2021 Risca United 2 - 3 Afan Lido JD Cymru (South)
2021-07-27 19:30:0727th July 2021 Afan Lido 0 - 3 Swansea University JD Cymru (South)
2021-07-30 19:30:4130th July 2021 Afan Lido 1 - 2 Llanelli Town JD Cymru (South)
2021-07-31 14:30:2631st July 2021 Garden Village 1 - 6 Afan Lido Cymru Reserve League South West
2021-08-01 14:00:111st August 2021 Afan Lido Ladies 1 - 5 Cardiff Wanderers South & West Women's League
2021-08-07 14:30:127th August 2021 Afan Lido 4 - 1 Ynysygerwn Cymru Reserve League South West
2021-08-08 15:00:048th August 2021 Llanelli Town 4 - 1 Afan Lido Ladies South & West Women's League
2021-08-10 19:30:5210th August 2021 Afan Lido 4 - 2 Undy Athletic JD Cymru (South)
2021-08-14 14:00:3614th August 2021 Port Talbot Town 0 - 6 Afan Lido Cup
2021-08-15 14:00:5115th August 2021 Afan Lido Ladies 5 - 2 Bridgend Street South & West Women's League
2021-08-17 19:30:0417th August 2021 Briton Ferry Llansawel 2 - 3 Afan Lido Cymru Reserve League South West
2021-08-20 19:30:4520th August 2021 Taffs Well 2 - 1 Afan Lido JD Cymru (South)
2021-08-22 14:00:2822nd August 2021 Coed Duon 5 - 1 Afan Lido Ladies South & West Women's League
2021-08-24 19:30:0824th August 2021 Afan Lido 0 - 1 Ammanford JD Cymru (South)
2021-08-27 19:30:2827th August 2021 Afan Lido 1 - 6 Briton Ferry Llansawel JD Cymru (South)
2021-09-04 14:00:094th September 2021 Dinas Powys 2 - 1 Afan Lido Cup
2021-09-05 14:00:405th September 2021 Afan Lido Ladies 3 - 3 Penybont South & West Women's League
2021-09-10 19:30:5810th September 2021 Cambrian & Clydach 5 - 0 Afan Lido JD Cymru (South)
2021-09-11 14:30:1911th September 2021 Afan Lido 5 - 1 Port Talbot Town Cymru Reserve League South West
2021-09-17 19:30:2617th September 2021 Afan Lido 1 - 2 Goytre United JD Cymru (South)
2021-09-19 14:00:0419th September 2021 Caerphilly Castle 6 - 4 Afan Lido Ladies South & West Women's League
2021-09-21 19:30:4021st September 2021 Afan Lido 1 - 3 Pontardawe Town Cymru Reserve League South West
2021-09-25 14:30:2925th September 2021 Afan Lido 3 - 3 Llanelli Town Cymru Reserve League South West
2021-09-26 14:00:2726th September 2021 Afan Lido Ladies 2 - 11 Tonyrefail South & West Women's League
2021-10-01 19:30:441st October 2021 Ammanford 1 - 2 Afan Lido JD Cymru (South)
2021-10-09 14:30:139th October 2021 Llantwit Major 3 - 0 Afan Lido JD Cymru (South)
2021-10-16 14:30:5916th October 2021 Ammanford 1 - 3 Afan Lido Cymru Reserve League South West
2021-10-17 15:00:1017th October 2021 Aberaman 4 - 5 Afan Lido Ladies South & West Women's League
2021-10-22 19:30:5722nd October 2021 Afan Lido 5 - 2 Cwmbran Celtic JD Cymru (South)
2021-10-26 19:30:5326th October 2021 Afan Lido 4 - 1 Garden Village Cymru Reserve League South West
2021-10-30 14:30:2230th October 2021 Afan Lido 0 - 4 Carmarthen Town JD Cymru (South)
2021-11-06 14:00:556th November 2021 Trefelin 1 - 2 Afan Lido JD Cymru (South)
2021-11-09 19:45:279th November 2021 Ynysygerwn 2 - 4 Afan Lido Cymru Reserve League South West
2021-11-14 14:00:1514th November 2021 Afan Lido Ladies 2 - 2 Pontardawe Town South & West Women's League
2021-11-19 19:30:1819th November 2021 Afan Lido 3 - 2 Pontypridd Town JD Cymru (South)
2021-11-23 19:30:2623rd November 2021 Afan Lido 4 - 0 Briton Ferry Llansawel Cymru Reserve League South West
2021-11-28 14:00:4528th November 2021 Llanelli Town 11 - 2 Afan Lido Ladies Women's Cup
2021-12-03 19:45:353rd December 2021 Pontypridd Town 8 - 1 Afan Lido JD Cymru (South)
2021-12-10 19:30:2410th December 2021 Afan Lido 1 - 3 Trefelin JD Cymru (South)
2021-12-18 14:30:3118th December 2021 Carmarthen Town 4 - 0 Afan Lido JD Cymru (South)
2022-01-21 19:30:3921st January 2022 Goytre United 2 - 2 Afan Lido JD Cymru (South)
2022-01-22 14:30:2022nd January 2022 Port Talbot Town 14:30:202:30 pm Afan Lido Cymru Reserve League South West
2022-01-23 14:00:3123rd January 2022 Afan Lido Ladies 14:00:312:00 pm Llanelli Town South & West Women's League
2022-01-29 14:00:5229th January 2022 Pontardawe Town 14:00:522:00 pm Afan Lido Cymru Reserve League South West
2022-01-30 14:00:0130th January 2022 Afan Lido Ladies 14:00:012:00 pm Cardiff Bluebells Women's Cup
2022-01-30 14:00:5330th January 2022 Bridgend Street 14:00:532:00 pm Afan Lido Ladies South & West Women's League
2022-02-01 19:30:261st February 2022 Afan Lido 19:30:267:30 pm Carmarthen Town Cymru Reserve League South West
2022-02-04 19:45:194th February 2022 Afan Lido 19:45:197:45 pm Cambrian & Clydach JD Cymru (South)
2022-02-12 14:00:5312th February 2022 Cwmbran Celtic 14:00:532:00 pm Afan Lido JD Cymru (South)
2022-02-13 14:00:4113th February 2022 Cwmbran Celtic 14:00:412:00 pm Afan Lido Ladies South & West Women's League
2022-02-20 14:00:4120th February 2022 Penybont 14:00:412:00 pm Afan Lido Ladies South & West Women's League
2022-02-25 19:30:4825th February 2022 Briton Ferry Llansawel 19:30:487:30 pm Afan Lido JD Cymru (South)
2022-02-27 14:00:2327th February 2022 Newport City 14:00:232:00 pm Afan Lido Ladies South & West Women's League
2022-03-05 14:30:175th March 2022 Swansea University 14:30:172:30 pm Afan Lido JD Cymru (South)
2022-03-06 14:00:146th March 2022 Afan Lido Ladies 14:00:142:00 pm Coed Duon South & West Women's League
2022-03-11 19:30:4911th March 2022 Afan Lido 19:30:497:30 pm Llantwit Major JD Cymru (South)
2022-03-13 14:00:2413th March 2022 Tonyrefail 14:00:242:00 pm Afan Lido Ladies South & West Women's League
2022-03-26 14:00:2326th March 2022 Undy Athletic 14:00:232:00 pm Afan Lido JD Cymru (South)
2022-04-01 19:30:341st April 2022 Afan Lido 19:30:347:30 pm Taffs Well JD Cymru (South)
2022-04-03 14:00:383rd April 2022 Afan Lido Ladies 14:00:382:00 pm Cwmbran Celtic South & West Women's League
2022-04-08 19:30:428th April 2022 Llanelli Town 19:30:427:30 pm Afan Lido JD Cymru (South)
2022-04-15 17:30:5815th April 2022 Afan Lido 17:30:585:30 pm Port Talbot Town JD Cymru (South)
2022-04-18 14:00:3118th April 2022 Port Talbot Town 14:00:312:00 pm Afan Lido JD Cymru (South)
2022-04-23 14:30:5123rd April 2022 Afan Lido 14:30:512:30 pm Risca United JD Cymru (South)
2022-04-24 14:00:5524th April 2022 Afan Lido Ladies 14:00:552:00 pm Caerphilly Castle South & West Women's League


Participants at the Collaborative Kickoff Charrette in January.
The CHTC, a joint initiative of Lid I-5 and PPUNC, has brought together seven teams of professional designers and community members in an unprecedented urban design effort: re-imagine what the space above I-5 could look like when the freeway is eventually lidded. Comparable cities throughout the U.S. are building lids, such as Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, St. Paul – and are defining how cities create new land in their most dense urban environments.
The CHTC teams are proposing new open space, pedestrian routes and bikeways, and mixed-use housing to restitch the urban fabric across I-5, reconnecting the Capitol Hill, First Hill, Downtown, and Denny Triangle neighborhoods.
Collab #1, at approximately 30 percent design, is your chance to critique this early work. Collab #1 the first of four presentations in a yearlong design charrette (see below for the calendar; all events are free). The time to get involved is now because the final results of the CHTC will inform the scope of the City's lid feasibility study. The CHTC teams will also illustrate how new public land can be used to equitably benefit the health, economy, and social connections of our growing community.
This program is made possible by a $48,000 Matching Fund grant from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods and sponsorship by the Seattle Parks Foundation.
Our own Scott Bonjukian was cited in a recent public health study out of Columbia University and published in the American Journal of Public Health. The researchers used computer models to evaluate the health and economic benefits of lidding 2.4 miles of the Cross-Bronx Expressway in New York City. They found a net positive value of over $1,600 per capita, partly through increased property values and lower medial costs, and an extra two months of quality-adjusted life years, which is a combined measure of health and lifespan.
Map of the Cross-Bronx Espressway study area. Image by Welcome2TheBronx.
The study found monetary gains more than make up for the estimated $757 million cost of building 27 acres of lids. Improved health came from lower pedestrian-vehicle interactions, lower air and noise pollution, and more opportunities for exercise.
As we finalize a funding agreement for the I-5 lid feasibility here in Seattle, we'll be working to ensure public health and environmental quality plays a key role in the analysis.


text:
SHOCKED SILENT
by Judith Driscoll
by H.E. Kline
Sahbaar's Secret
by Paul G Wilson
Normal Family
by Don Trowden
by Alexandrea Weis
Goodbye Ingrim
by Lára Dawn Michelsen
The Orichalcum Rod
by Travis Pearson
by Brit Lunden
Once Upon a Crossroad
by Richard Gibson
The Portrait
by Cassandra Austen
Amber Stone Agent Zero
by Amina Warsuma
Beyond the Gate
by Dana Davis
David VS Goliath
by David Garofalo
Reluctant to Wed
by Anneliese Dalaba
Study Smart, Everyone Can Get an A at University
by Shan King
Blue Skies of Leo Lejon
by Dawn Bogart
by Michael Misiak
Neat Freaks
by John Arvai III
Thirteen and Underwater
One Mum's Heart-Warming Journey
By Michelle Weitering
It is 2014 and thirteen-year-old Jesse Weitering is struggling with anxiety, a condition that threatens to destroy the dynamics of their family. In Thirteen and Underwater: One Mum's Heart-Warming Journey, Michelle Weitering shares the heartwarming and painful journey of the family as they stand up...
Enchanted, Book 2
Things We Lost in the Night (A Memoir of Love and Music in the 60s with Stark Naked and the Car Thieves Book 2)
By Larry J. Dunlap
Enchanted: Things We Lost in the Night (A Memoir of Love and Music in the 60s with Stark Naked and the Car Thieves) is the second book in a breathtaking memoir by Larry Dunlap, a veritable tour de force for readers who enjoy real-life adventures...
Days of Refugee
One of the World's Known Lost Boys of Sudan
By Nathaniel Nyok
Days of Refugee: One of the World's Known Lost Boys of Sudan is a riveting and inspirational autobiography by Nathaniel Chol Nyok, a Dinka "Lost Boy" survivor of the Second Sudanese Civil War (1987–2005). At the age of eight, Nyok fled war-torn South Sudan after...
My Whorizontal Life: An Escort's Tale
Book One: The first sex months
By Sephe Haven
Bold, sizzling, and candidly narrated, My Whorizontal Life is the first book in An Escort's Tale series by Sephe Haven, a memoir that covers the author's first six months as an escort. Readers are pulled into the author's search for love through the most unlikely...
A Memoir of Sexual Abuse and Survival
By Patricia Eagle
Being Mean: A Memoir of Sexual Abuse and Survival by Patricia Eagle is a heartbreaking tale of sexual abuse. Patricia suffered sexual abuse from her father from the time she was four until she turned thirteen. In this narrative, she captures the experience in a...
Stealing Home
A Father, a Son, and the Road to the Perfect Game
By Ron Seybold
Stealing Home: A Father, a Son, and the Road to the Perfect Game is a nonfiction sports memoir written by Ron Seybold. Seybold's anxiety was an inherited condition that wasn't even considered a disorder or treatable at the time when he entered into his first...
The Bride's Trunk
A Story of War and Reconciliation
By Ingrid Dixon
The Bride's Trunk by Ingrid Dixon is a remarkable story centering on a seemingly inconsequential piece of luggage, which actually contains a fascinating history. Beginning with the arrival of the author's British father, Jim, coming to collect his German fiancée, Minny, in post-war Germany, the...
'Til Health Do Us Part
One Woman's Extraordinary Story of Healing
By Julie Rooney
'Til Health Do Us Part is an inspirational story about the healing power of taking responsibility. Julie Rooney is a woman who once believed that unconditional love meant sacrificing herself, her health and her happiness to those she loved. The lessons she learned on the...
Rainbows of Joy
From a Diary of Despair
By Lynn M
Rainbows of Joy: From a Diary of Despair by Lynn M is a memoir that follows the author's healing journey, someone who suffered from depression, alcohol addiction, and wallowed in despair after a broken marriage. In this book, the author shares the journey towards healing...
Momma's Black Refrigerator
By Florence Tannen
Momma's Black Refrigerator by Florence Tannen is an intriguing title and I was curious to find out more. This memoir tells of the young Florence growing up in a tiny apartment with her mother Blanche, her elder sister by 8 years, Lilian, and her father...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Electric co-ops to plant pollinating flowers in solar array site to support local insects, food resources
As a beekeeper for almost 40 years, Dale McMahan has seen a lot. Now the president of the Beekeepers of Indiana, he has witnessed parasites and pesticides drive the gradual decline in the populations of pollinators, or insects such as bees and butterflies that pollinate plants. While many frustrated former beekeepers got fed up and quit, McMahan created Apis Engineering, a company that creates artificial insemination equipment for honeybee queens.
So when a chemical spray applicator called him earlier this spring to inform him that nearby farmers were preparing to spray their fields, McMahan instead convinced the group to leave out the pesticide to help save local pollinators, including his bees.
"With industrial farming, the bees' natural forage habitat has been all but eliminated," said McMahan, who started his first bee colony in 1981. "Pollinators do get pollen from corn and nectar from soybeans but this is virtually a single source of food for them. All insects and animals benefit from a varied diet."
Next spring, a new planting near McMahan will provide a new food source to help bolster insect populations in an example of larger efforts to halt the decimation of pollinator populations nationwide.
Jasper County REMC and Wabash Valley Power Alliance (WVPA) this fall constructed a solar array in Wheatfield, Ind., as part of Co-op Solar, a community solar program created by WVPA and its 23 member co-ops. The program features arrays in Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. Solential Energy, the company building and installing the arrays, planned an addition to the Wheatfield site: pollinating wildflowers and plants. The wildflowers require less mowing than regular grass and support local pollinators as another food source.
"I think planting pollinating flowers and plants at the array is a fantastic idea," McMahan said. "Not only are the plants food for the insects, it's also good for the environment because the pollinating plants don't need to be mowed and fertilized as often as a lawn."
Solential Energy first started planting pollinating wildflowers in solar arrays this year, including at the Co-op Solar array constructed in LaOtto, Ind., which is served by Noble REMC. The flowers grow to be about two feet tall, stopping a little short of the solar array base.
"It has a good environmental impact, it keeps the site looking nice, and it lowers maintenance cost," said Andrew Horstman, manager of load response for WVPA who helped plan the construction of the Co-op Solar arrays. "It's a win all around to do a wildflower mix for pollinators."
Solential Energy President Jim Shaw first learned of solar array installers planting wildflowers in 2016. Customers have several options for array sites, including gravel and adding grazing animals such as sheep to keep grass and weeds from growing too tall. Yet the wildflowers' cost savings and benefits have made them an appealing option, Shaw said.
"More customers are asking about this next step of planting the pollinators," he added, "which is to me another positive input about what is going on."
The pollinating flowers support local insect populations, which provide added benefits to people.
"There has been a significant decline in pollinators and their habitats around the world," said Brianne Lowe, State Biologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service. This decline has significant repercussions for people because "one out of every three bites of food is thanks to a pollinator," Lowe said.
In 2014, Congress passed the Farm Bill that included pollinator conservation efforts. Additional organizations, such as The Xerces Society, have worked on projects to support the population of pollinators, Lowe said. In a May 2015 report, the USDA reported that honey bees support $15 billion in crop production, while wild bees support $3 billion in crop production.
"They're not only making food for us," Lowe said. "They're making food for other animals and helping plants to continue propagating themselves."
Incidents such as the population decline of the rusty patched bumble bee, which has a range that historically included most of Indiana, Illinois, and part of Missouri, helped make more people aware of how significant the pollinator decline has become, Lowe said. In 2017, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the rusty patched bumble bee as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
As more people have become aware of pollinators' struggles, many have become beekeepers – McMahan notes that hobby beekeeping is at "record levels." People are learning how to deal with the parasites and pathogens that bees encounter, he added.
Everybody can do something to support pollinators, Lowe said, including planting pollinating flowers and plants in backyard plots and apartment building decks. Plantings to support pollinating insects are "a critical component of the survival of the species," McMahan said.
"I would encourage everyone with the means to do so to plant pollinator friendly plants," he added. "Some species depend on it."
Hoosiers interested in learning more about beekeeping as a hobby can find more information at The Beekeepers of Indiana website at www.indianabeekeeper.com. Additional organizations such as The Xerces Society are dedicated to protect invertebrates such as insects and their habitats; more information can be found at xerces.org.
Savings for 2014 tax returns
April 15 shows up on lists of U.S. holidays, but who celebrates? Now that another Tax Day has come and…
Spring to Your Co-op's Annual Meeting
The melting snow means that spring is arriving – and so is your local electric cooperative's annual meeting! Co-ops start hosting their annual meetings in the spring, which is a great time for you to get it on your calendar and plan to attend!


text:
JAMES FILES
The following paragraph is a very astute and insightful quotation from another author that I came across on the Internet. It's a quote that goes to the very heart of the James Files matter, and is certainly something that conspiracy theorists ought to consider before swallowing (wholesale) the idea that a Mr. James E. Files fired the fatal shot into President John F. Kennedy's head on November 22nd, 1963:
"JFK conspiracy believers don't care that the technical elements of their arguments are derisively rejected by almost all pathologists, criminalists, forensic scientists, ballistics experts, and historians who examine them."
In other words, except for perhaps Dr. Cyril Wecht, a conspiracy theorist would
be hard-pressed in finding a single pathologist (including all three of the main autopsy doctors who examined Kennedy's body on the night of 11/22/63 and concluded, to a man, that JFK was struck in the head by only one shot from behind him), or a single scientist, or any reputable researcher or historian who believes that James Files (or anybody else for that matter) fired a bullet into JFK's brain from the Grassy Knoll in Dallas, Texas.
In my opinion, that large list of Files non-believers is a pretty big hurdle to overcome, even for the boldest of conspiracy promoters. Even a goodly number of CTers regard the Files story as pure hogwash. And yet this ridiculous book was published in 2005 anyway. (And 604 pages of Files-related tripe, to boot.)
Man, that takes someone with some giant-sized gonads -- to place on the market something like the book "Files On JFK". I've got to give the author (Wim Dankbaar) that much praise at least. He's got guts. He's got no proof of any conspiracy, of course. But he does own some industrial-sized family jewels.
And in addition to the book, there's also an equally-ridiculous video that came out in 1996 -- "The Murder Of JFK: Confession Of An Assassin" -- in which James Files was videotaped confessing to the murder of JFK, in elaborate detail.
Of course, why a person would want to voluntarily brand himself for the rest of his life as the murderer of the President of the United States when he really wasn't the murderer at all....well, I guess that's another discussion altogether. For it's quite obvious, based on every scrap of physical evidence in the JFK case, that NO ONE (not James E. Files or anyone else) fired a "frontal" gunshot into the head of President John F. Kennedy in Dealey Plaza on November 22, 1963.
If you want a few laughs associated with a complete non-event, then you might want to pick up a copy of this VHS videotape or Dankbaar's book. But for a truthful account of President Kennedy's assassination, this film is essential viewing.
In an Internet forum conversation with "Files On JFK" author Wim Dankbaar in early 2006, I was greeted with the following lovely dialogue from Mr. Dankbaar (which should give everybody an idea as to the strict conspiracy-only agenda that Wim adheres to on a routine, daily basis):
"Hey Von Pein, another lying lone-nutter! Found an audience to deceive here?" .... I am never nice to lone-nutters, since I consider them treacherous liars. Get used to it." -- Wim Dankbaar; January 2, 2006
A similarly silly type of "All LNers Are Liars And/Or Crackpots" comment was made by Wim in 2005 after I asked him the following question concerning Vincent Bugliosi:
"Can you tell me, Wim, what is your opinion of Vincent Bugliosi and his pro-LN position (which equates, in essence, to an 'anti-Vary-Baker' position)?"
Mr. Dankbaar responded with this infantile remark:
"As you know, my opinion is that everyone who advocates a LN [Lone Nut] position is either ignorant, talking out of his ass, or part of the cover-up." -- Wim Dankbaar; July 23, 2005
And here's another brilliant comment (not!) by Mr. Dankbaar, via his own "JFKMurderSolved" Internet Forum:
"I have not substantiated two teams [of JFK assassins]. I believe there was more than one team; probably three. .... But there were at least 6 shooters." -- Wim Dankbaar; January 5, 2006
"At least 6 shooters."
That deserves yet another replay -- "At least 6 shooters."
And yet (somehow) -- Where does EVERY SCRAP of ballistics evidence in the "real" JFK case lead? Right straight into the Mannlicher-Carcano rifle owned by Lee Harvey Oswald -- that's where.
So, regardless of the evidence that plainly says otherwise, Wim believes there were "at least 6 shooters" in Dealey Plaza on 11/22/63 (one of which was the stealth-like Mr. Files, of course).
What kind of losers and blind-as-a-bat professional assassins made up this team of "at least 6 shooters"? And, a better question still -- WHY in the world would a professional "hit" like the JFK assassination possibly even REQUIRE the use of so much extra firepower to eliminate just one nearly-stationary target?
Did they WANT to complicate their "plot" needlessly and recklessly with so many shooters there would be virtually no hope of having all these bullets and bullet holes in the victim(s) funnel down to just their one "patsy" (Oswald) in the Texas School Book Depository?
A Six-Shooter Patsy Plan is completely idiotic, and even a lifetime conspiracy theorist should be able to figure out why.
Therefore, via that theory of "at least six shooters", either EVERY shooter other than a gunman using Oswald's #C2766 Carcano rifle totally missed everything and everybody in Dealey Plaza.
Or -- a humongous amount of trace evidence leading back to the OTHER FIVE-PLUS shooters' weapons was all magically eradicated before a single Parkland Hospital witness could gaze upon even ONE of these many non-Oswald bullets and/or fragments.
Is the above a likely or reasonable scenario? Only on Wim's planet of "Conspiracy" is it likely. But in the real world of sunrises in the east and snow in Minneapolis in the wintertime? No. It's not likely. Nor is it even remotely possible. Because not even on the luckiest of days for these "six shooters" could that large-scale "patsy" plan be successfully achieved.
Here's another of Mr. Dankbaar's despicable and blatantly false theories (this one regarding the supposed non-Oswald killer of Dallas police officer J.D. Tippit):
According to Wim Dankbaar and some of his kooky supporters, this is supposedly a photo of Tippit's "real killer":
But a big problem anybody has in claiming that the man on the right-hand side of the above photograph was the real killer of J.D. Tippit (besides the practically endless wealth of evidence supporting the obvious fact that Officer Tippit's murderer was Lee Harvey Oswald, to the exclusion of every human being on the planet) is the physical HEIGHT of this so-called "real Tippit killer".
I directly confronted Mr. Dankbaar with this height issue in 2005, with Wim predictably skirting around the issue without providing any reasonable kind of an explanation for it.
That is to say, this so-called "real killer" of Tippit is no doubt MUCH TALLER than Lee Harvey Oswald, because James Files (standing next to this guy in the photo above) is 5-feet-11.
And that 5'11" height statistic can easily be confirmed by checking out James Files' official "State Of Illinois Department Of Corrections" prison-related documentation (linked HERE, and pictured below). Files has been in prison for years, serving time for attempting to murder a policeman.
So, since Files himself is 5-11, it means that this so-called "Tippit Killer" is about 6-feet-4 (or perhaps even taller than that), according to that picture of him.
Therefore, per this nutsville alternate-killer theory, not only did all the Tippit murder witnesses identify the wrong person as J.D. Tippit's murderer (via facial features, et al; and this other guy does not look at all like Oswald, IMO) -- but the witnesses also (somehow) positively IDed a man who was only 5'9" tall (Oswald) as the true killer, when the real killer, per Dankbaar and Files, was about HALF-A-FOOT taller than Oswald! A likely mass "mis-identification" (by MANY different witnesses)? Hardly.
Plus: The conspirators have now DOUBLED the complexity of their "Frame The Patsy" plot by making Oswald the unwitting patsy in yet another November 22nd murder (Tippit's).
They now have to frame him for TWO murders, instead of just one. And, what's more incredible than that, these framers/plotters evidently convinced more than a dozen witnesses (when combining the two killings) to FALSELY IMPLICATE OSWALD in both the JFK and Tippit murders.
Conspiracy theorists would be much better off postulating that Howard Brennan and each of the many Tippit witnesses were all "planted witnesses", paid by the plotters/henchmen to point a finger at only Oswald.
Because to believe that ALL of these ordinary people (i.e., "non-plotters") lied about Lee Oswald being the person who killed both Kennedy and Tippit is just plain lunacy and defies every aspect of logical thinking.
Not to mention how such conspiracy theories just toss all the physical evidence against Oswald right into the nearest trash bin, and for no real good reason whatsoever, other than one of sheer "CT convenience".
In fact, the whole "Oswald Is Innocent Of Killing Tippit" hooey really gets under my skin big-time. Because even if CTers want to make up an excuse from whole cloth for Oswald not killing JFK, they still haven't a single leg (or toe) to stand on when it comes to Oswald's undeniable guilt in the J.D. Tippit murder. None whatsoever.
And Wim Dankbaar's bold declaration of actually showing a picture on his website that is captioned "The Man Who Killed Officer J.D. Tippit" is doubly insulting to the intelligence of anyone who has looked into the evidence (in even a cursory fashion) regarding the Tippit murder.
Dankbaar must have a poster of Lee Oswald hanging in his bedroom marked with the words "I Love This Guy And Want To Help Him Get Away With Murder".
Why on Earth so many people seem to own that same poster of Mr. Oswald, and regard this double-murderer so highly, is something that is beyond my way of thinking. Way beyond it. Because conspiracy theorists giving Oswald a SECOND free murder on November 22, 1963, is utterly reprehensible. It stinks to high heaven. Always has; and always will.
The conspiracy theorists have only the following items to bolster the notion that someone other than Lee Harvey Oswald killed J.D. Tippit:
1.) Twisted logic.
2.) So-called "planted" evidence.
3.) Tons of corrupt cops, who (for some stupid reason) WANT the real killer of their fellow police officer to go free.
4.) Gobs of witnesses who either deliberately lied under oath (for absolutely no reason at all) or ALL of these witnesses somehow innocently misidentified the "real killer" as none other than Lee Harvey Oswald.
5.) And Oswald-damning circumstantial evidence which, when put in the hands of conspiracy-happy kooks, amazingly becomes EXCULPATORY evidence!
Boy, that's some fantastic pro-conspiracy case, huh? I'd sure love to take that case into court some day. ~smirk~
And one very big reason (among others) to place Jimmy Files' story about the JFK assassination into the "unreliable" category is due to Files' supposed "association" with someone who is purported to be the "real" killer of Officer Tippit.
Because as anyone with a brain can tell, nobody murdered J.D. Tippit except the man who was charged with that crime in 1963 (i.e., Lee Harvey Oswald).
Two additional huge reasons to know that James Files is full of hot air are:
1.) His claim of having seen Jack Ruby in Dealey Plaza during the shooting of JFK.
2.) His silly boast about leaving a bullet shell with his teeth marks on it on the Grassy Knoll fence as a "calling card".
The "I Saw Ruby" claim is easily debunked through various witnesses who saw Ruby at a Dallas newspaper office at the precise time President Kennedy was being assassinated.
And the "calling card" business is just too loopy and idiotic to even consider. Any professional hit man who just shot the President in the temple and then leaves behind his "calling card" in the form of a shell casing with his potentially identifiable teeth imprints on the thing must be one of two things -- a suicidal nutcase or a liar.
Believe in the Jimmy Files nonsense if that's your bag. But I'll choose, instead, to remain on the side of supportable evidence in the case (and on the much-preferred side of sanity as well).
And the overwhelming majority of hard, supportable evidence in the JFK murder case points the finger of guilt in just a single, solitary direction -- toward a person named Lee Harvey Oswald.
LINK TO ORIGINAL POST (JANUARY 30, 2007)
MORE ON JAMES FILES
(PART 1266)
DVP vs. DiEUGENIO (PART 54)
BOOK REVIEW: "FOUR DAYS IN NOVEMBER: THE ASSASSIN...
REVIEW: "FOUR DAYS THAT SHOCKED THE WORLD: NOVEMB...
REVIEW: "KENNEDY" (1983 TELEVISION MINI-SERIES)
REVIEW: "THE MURDER OF JFK: A REVISIONIST HISTORY...
1963 SECRET SERVICE RECONSTRUCTION FILM OF JFK'S ...
BOOK REVIEW: "WHEN THE NEWS WENT LIVE: DALLAS 196...
BOOK REVIEW: "THE MEMORIES: JFK: 1961-1963"
BOOK REVIEW: "THE DAY KENNEDY WAS SHOT"
REVIEW: "JFK: A PRESIDENCY REVEALED" (2003 DOCUME...
REVIEW: "JACQUELINE KENNEDY ONASSIS REMEMBERED"
REVIEW: "NBC WHITE PAPER: THE AGE OF KENNEDY" (19...
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A VERY IMPORTANT X-RAY
LYNDON B. JOHNSON PHONE CALLS (1963-1964)
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LEE HARVEY OSWALD IN NEW ORLEANS IN AUGUST 1963: ...
REVIEW: "PETER JENNINGS REPORTING: THE KENNEDY AS...
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Designing nanomedicine to combat diseases is a hot area of scientific research, primarily for treating cancer, but very little is known in the context of atherosclerotic disease. Scientists have engineered a microchip coated with blood vessel cells to learn more about the conditions under which nanoparticles accumulate in the plaque-filled arteries of patients with atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of myocardial infarction and stroke.
In the research, microchips were coated with a thin layer of endothelial cells, which make up the interior surface of blood vessels. In healthy blood vessels, endothelial cells act as a barrier to keep foreign objects out of the bloodstream. But at sites prone to atherosclerosis, the endothelial barrier breaks down, allowing things to move in and out of arteries that shouldn't.
In a new study, nanoparticles were able to cross the endothelial cell layer on the microchip under conditions that mimic the permeable layer in atherosclerosis. The results on the microfluidic device correlated well with nanoparticle accumulation in the arteries of an animal model with atherosclerosis, demonstrating the device's capability to help screen nanoparticles and optimize their design.
"It's a simple model — a microchip, not cell culture dish — which means that a simple endothelialized microchip with microelectrodes can show some yet important prediction of what's happening in a large animal model," said YongTae (Tony) Kim, an assistant professor in bioengineering in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
"This is a wonderful example of developing a novel nanotechnology approach to address an important medical problem," said Robert Langer, the David H. Koch Institute Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who is renowned for his work in tissue engineering and drug delivery.
The work represents a unique integration of microfluidic technology, cardiovascular nanomedicine, vascular biology and in vivo imaging. We now better understand how nanoparticle targeting in atherosclerosis works.The researchers hope that their microchip can accelerate the nanomedicine development process by better predicting therapeutic nanoparticles' performance in larger animal models, such as rabbits. Such a complimentary in vitro model would save time and money and require fewer animals.
"In the future, we can make microchips that are much more similar to what's going on in animal models, or even human beings, compared to the conventional cell culture dish studies," Kim said.
Kim said that while this microchip-based system offers better predictability than current cell culture experiments, it won't replace the need for the animal studies, which provide a relatively more complete picture of how well a particular nanomedicine might work in humans.
This research is supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute as a Program of Excellence in Nanotechnology Award (HHSN268201000045C), the National Cancer Institute (NCI) (CA151884); the David H. Koch Prostate Cancer Foundation Award in Nanotherapeutics, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (R01 EB009638 and R01CA155432). Any conclusions or opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the sponsoring agencies.


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You are not logged in. [Log In] Home » Forums » KUsports.com Message Board » Women's Basketball » Recruiting 2018 commits
#2021207 - 10/01/17 09:24 PM Recruiting 2018 commits
INation
Thunderhawk
Aniya Thomas - Signed
5'7" Guard
Stars: 3
Position Rank: 70
Overall Rank: N/A
UIL Texas State Tournament-March 2016: Combo-guard handles and distributes in uptempo game; offers developing perimeter game, executes in system; active in passing lanes, defends, competes. (Olson)
Brooklyn Mitchell - Signed
5'7" Point Guard
Overall Rank: 45
Adidas Gauntlet-April 2017: Jet-quick floor-leader with combo-game; breaks down defender, finishes plays in traffic; disruptive defender; a dynamic guard in the class of 2018. (Olson)
DFW Marchfest-March 2017: Explosively athletic lead-guard with a scorer's mentality; handles, passes in transition; mid-range game creator moves to the arc. (Olson)
Battle-in-the-'boro-July 2016: Ultra-athletic lead-guard pushes tempo; tough to contain in open floor, distributes in transition; emerging mid-range game creator. (Olson)
Edited by INation (03/28/18 05:30 PM)
#2021265 - 10/03/17 03:24 PM Re: Recruiting 2018 commits [Re: INation]
jahawker2004
Loc: Wherever Freethinkers Gather
So now Coach Brandon has a recruiting pipeline to the UConn of HS women's hoops.
What a haul!
"Those Places (UNC, UCLA) Are Great, But There's No Place Like Kansas"
---Larry Brown to Bill Self.
#2021266 - 10/03/17 03:28 PM Re: Recruiting 2018 commits [Re: jahawker2004]
Some recruiting guru recently said Schneider has the 23rd best recruiting class in women's hoops.
Now that we've FINALLY got some capable bigs, time to compete for championships.
We should be close to .500 this season and making some noise in the Big 12. May be a couple years before we are competing for the league title but I can see KU making a post season tournament possibly this year or next.
Kman_blue
Loc: Kansas
Recruiting has really picked up.
I'll be curious to see how the team progresses this year and next.
"If I went West, I think I would go to Kansas." -Abraham Lincoln
#2021305 - 10/04/17 04:15 AM Re: Recruiting 2018 commits [Re: Kman_blue]
Great article on the school that produced three verbal committments to the KU women's program and why UConn Coach Gene Auriema has promised to never step foot in Duncanville again--
Is Duncanville the UConn of girls high school basketball? They're more alike than you may know
By Greg Riddle
The Dallas Morning News
Editor's note: This story was originally published on March 2, 2017. Duncanville went on to win the UIL Class 6A girls basketball state championship
DUNCANVILLE -- Duncanville was involved in one of the most memorable losses for Connecticut women's basketball coach Geno Auriema.
The Hall of Fame coach let Tamika Catchings know about it after the former Duncanville star signed with Tennessee in November 1996. Catchings said UConn didn't even make her final four of college choices, which were Tennessee, Illinois, USC and Arkansas.
"We laugh a lot when I'm around Geno," Catchings said Wednesday during a phone call from Greenville, S.C., where she was part of the SEC Network's broadcast team for the league's postseason tournament. "Geno would always say, 'If there's one player that I'm so mad I didn't get, it's you.'"
Duncanville coach Cathy Self-Morgan said that's why Auriemma hasn't been back to recruit at Duncanville.
"When she signed with Tennessee, he said he wouldn't step foot in Duncanville again, and he hasn't," Self-Morgan said.
Catchings won a national championship at Tennessee, was named the WNBA MVP in both the regular season (2011) and Finals (2012) and earned four Olympic gold medals. Auriemma built a dynasty at Connecticut with similar transcendent players.
UConn has won 11 national championships, including the last four. The Huskies have had 32 players go on to play in the WNBA, and they will take an NCAA-record 104-game winning streak into this weekend's American Athletic Conference tournament.
Championships at the highest level, 100-game winning streaks and stars moving on to bigger things .... that should sound familiar to Duncanville fans as their team prepares to play Converse Judson in a Class 6A state semifinal at 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Alamodome in San Antonio. With that, we must ask, as folks have done on Twitter already: Is Duncanville the UConn of high school girls basketball?
"It's hard to compare, because UConn, they recruit, they get all the best players in the country. They don't have to worry about a lot of the things that we have to worry about as a high school coach," said South Grand Prairie's Samantha Morrow, the only coach in UIL girls basketball history to win four consecutive state titles in the largest classification (accomplished at Mansfield from 1999 to 2002).
High schools have a significantly smaller pool of players to choose from when hosting tryouts. Still, Duncanville and UConn have their similarities.
"What Coach Self-Morgan has been able to do is develop her players to fit into the system that she has," said Catchings, who retired after the 2016 WNBA season. "Geno is able to do the same thing."
Duncanville (37-2) is playing in the state tournament for the 25th time. UConn has 17 Final Four appearances.
The Pantherettes, ranked No. 15 nationally by USA Today, have won nine state championships -- the most by any school in the UIL's largest classification. The 11 national titles won by the UConn women are tied with the UCLA men for most in NCAA Division I history.
Duncanville has the two longest winning streaks in state history -- 134 games from 1987 to 1991 and 105 games from 2011 to 2014. The 134-game streak ranks third all-time nationally. UConn has the two longest winning streaks in NCAA history -- 104 games and 90 games.
Duncanville has gone undefeated five times, including last season, when it won the 6A state title and finished 39-0. Connecticut has had six perfect seasons.
Like UConn, Duncanville has had its share of All-Americans, including Catchings, who led Duncanville to a 40-0 record and state championship as a senior in the 1996-97 season. McDonald's All-Americans Tiffany Jackson-Jones, Ariel Atkins and Ciera Johnson also won state championships with the Pantherettes.
Auriemma entered this season with a winning percentage of .877 at UConn -- the best mark in the history of women's college basketball. Self-Morgan has won 88.6 percent of her games at Duncanville, compiling a record of 566-73 at the school to give her a career record of 1,098-208.
Still, Self-Morgan said of UConn: "They're on a whole different level."
She has seen what it takes to be on Auriemma's level, having worked as an assistant for him with a junior national team.
"I got to work the Olympic Trials for 16s, I believe, in Colorado Springs my second year here," said Self-Morgan, who has been Duncanville's coach since 2000. "He's very business-oriented, and he just works so hard and has very high expectations for kids that he doesn't even know real well. He doesn't cut anybody any slack."
Plenty of resources[.b]
Catchings is one of many former Duncanville stars who have come back to speak to the players at their alma mater. And the weekend that this year's NCAA Women's Final Four is at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Catchings will host a tournament at Duncanville for traveling teams with junior high and high school players.
"Early season, before they go back to their overseas teams or WNBA team or their colleges, they come in for open gym and go up and down with the kids," Self-Morgan said of her former players. "They'll take the time to sit and either visit with them individually or as a group. They're a big resource."
Self-Morgan said that she seeks advice a lot more from fellow coaches than they come to her with questions. One that she talked to recently was Ross Reedy, whose Frisco Liberty team was the 5A girls state runner-up last season.
"In all of our talks together, whether it's talking in-game strategy or what you're doing in the off-season, you just realize that as long as she's been doing it and even though she's very confident in herself, there's no ego," Reedy said. "It's not winning a bunch of games. She continues going out there trying to get better. That's what we're asking our kids to do."
[b]Continuing the dynasty
Duncanville senior guard Nina Alvarez said that with Duncanville having won a state title last season, it constantly feels like "we have an X on our back. Everybody wants to try to win against us." For teams such as Duncanville and UConn, that have that added pressure, what does it take to sustain a program so it can contend for a championship every year?
Through a school spokesman, Auriemma declined to comment for this story. So it was left to Self-Morgan to answer the question.
"The legacy and the tradition that was built way before me," said Self-Morgan, who joined Sandra Meadows and Sara Hackerott as coaches who won state championships in girls basketball at Duncanville. "It's an expectation that I thrive under, and I push that with the kids that I coach to thrive under ... having the pressure to have to compete at the top level. It's what our community, our school, everybody wants to see and loves. The kids rise up to it."
Duncanville star Zarielle Green has talked to former UConn All-American Moriah Jefferson, who made the 2016 WNBA all-rookie team for the San Antonio Stars and is playing in Turkey during the WNBA's off-season. Jefferson was home schooled and played for the local Texas Home Educators' Sports Association (THESA), and she is the only Texan to have ever played for Connecticut, according to UConn's athletic communications department.
"She said Geno is a very good coach, and it's just a different vibe down there," said Green, who leads Duncanville in scoring at 17.5 points per game. "They practice so hard, and they win."
Senior guard Aakilah Caldwell attended Duncanville games growing up, but she gained a new perspective of the program when she became a Pantherette.
"You knew that they worked hard, but you didn't really know how hard until you actually stepped foot into a practice, especially when I got moved up to varsity," Caldwell said. "It's an extreme different change of pace."
UConn will have its second Texan next season, having signed Hurst L.D. Bell star Lexi Gordon. Gordon, who was knocked out of the playoffs by Duncanville as both a freshman and sophomore, said that Connecticut coaches told her to only come to the school "if I wanted to win ... and if I wanted to be pushed to my breaking point and be surrounded by the best people and players in women's college basketball. Don't come if you're not going to work hard, and don't come if you're very weak-minded."
Recruiting in Texas
There are 27 players from Texas high schools playing for teams currently in the top 20 of the women's NCAA rankings. California, with 29, is the only state with more.
Twelve of those 27 are from Dallas-Fort Worth area schools, and Duncanville has the most, with three. Atkins and Tasia Foman are playing for 12th-ranked Texas, and Johnson is at No. 14 Louisville. Atkins was a first-team all-Big 12 selection this season, and she is UT's second-leading scorer.
"A major priority for me when I came back to Texas was to establish the groundwork in recruiting the state. I think it's the best basketball in the country," University of Texas coach Karen Aston said. "I probably didn't realize it until I left the state and had a chance to look at other programs across the country. It starts with a couple of things. The commitment from the administration in the high schools to girls basketball and girls athletics in general. Then I think it's the quality and the expectations of the high school coaches."
When asked about Connecticut, Duncanville's Green said, "We'll talk about them ... but we don't ever compare ourselves to UConn." Green, ranked by ESPN's HoopGurlz as the nation's 12th-best recruit in the Class of 2018, said the top five schools that she is currently considering are UCLA, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Baylor and Kansas.
It could be another loss for Connecticut if Green goes on to become as big of a star as other Duncanville alums.
#2023163 - 11/10/17 09:31 AM Re: Recruiting 2018 commits [Re: jahawker2004]
FYI Starr Jacobs committed to Houston and Zarielle Green committed to Tennessee.
Moderator: billfowle, Code_2008, KUsports.com, ngerik, Scott_Stanford, tswietek


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Women Scientist Scheme-B (WOS-B) (S&T Interventions for Societal Benefit) Call for Proposals
Funds for agencies
last date 15 sept 2017
Activities: Women/Gender,Others
KIRAN Division
Women Scientist Scheme-B (WOS-B)
(S&T Interventions for Societal Benefit)
Call for Proposals (2017-18)
Department of Science and Technology (DST) restructured all its women specific programs in 2014 and brought them under one umbrella known as "KIRAN" (Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing). KIRAN endeavours to provide opportunities to women in Science & Technology (S&T) domain through its various components including
conducting basic research (WOS-A), technology development & demonstration for societal
benefit (WOS-B), self/wage employment in Intellectual Property Rights (WOS-C), and so on.
Proposal are invited under "Women Scientists Scheme-B (WOS-B)" from women scientists and technologists who wish to utilize their knowledge and temperament to benefit society. WOS-B focuses on projects related to S&T interventions for societal benefit. Such project proposals should address a well-identified societal challenge and deliver possible solutions by way of development of viable technology/technique and/or lab-to-land technology transfer, its adaptation and scaling up. Proposal that are primarily oriented towards basic research & development and those which do not have clear evidence of direct benefit to the society will not be entertained.
Eligibility: Women from S&T domain having permanent position/employment are not eligible to apply in this scheme. women scientist of age group 27-57 years having break in their career and interested in addressing a well-defined/identified societal challenge through viable S&T interventions are encouraged to apply under WOS-B. All such applications will be subjected to a rigorous selection process and only the most promising may be extended budgetary support.
The project is tenable for a maximum period of three (3) years.
Emoluments:
The fellowship amount under the scheme is Rs 55,000/- for Ph.D. or equivalent (total project cost not exceeding Rs.30 lakhs), Rs.40,000/- for M.Phil/M.Tech or equivalent (total project cost not exceeding Rs.25 lakhs) and Rs.30,000/- for M.Sc or equivalent (total project cost not exceeding Rs.20 lakhs). The total project cost is inclusive of fellowship of Principal Investigator (PI), Consumables, Travel, Contingencies and minor Equipment(s) but excludes Overheads.
Selection Process:The Project proposals received will be examined through internal screening and Principal Investigator (PI) of only such proposals that are 'screened in' may be called for presentation before an Expert Committee. The final decision of DST will be communicated to the applicants only after obtaining due administrative and financial approvals.
DST has started e-PMS (onlinedst.gov.in) for online submission of research proposal. Principal Investigator has to register at this portal and then upload the proposal in the given format. WOS-B Proposal Format is available on e-PMS under KIRAN Division and at DST website. Two (2) hardcopies of submitted research proposal should also be sent to Dr Vandana Singh, Scientist, Department of Science and Technology, Technology Bhawan, New Mehrauli Road, New Delhi- 110016, by Speed Post. The envelope should be superscribed with 'Women Scientist Scheme-B (WOS-B)'. Kopi Klokker Rolex Replica Orologi Replica Italia cheap replica watches
Last Date of Submission: 15 September 2017.
For more info visit: http://www.dst.gov.in/
Folke Bernadotte Academy Grants - Women Participation and Protection in Conflict Situations
HIV Grant -2017 Adolescent Girls and Young Women Sub-Recipient (AGYW) Zimbabwe
Women's Participation and Protection in Conflict and Post-conflict Situations
Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalists Last date 25 July 2017
Scaling Up Women's Entrepreneurship in India
Reporting Grants for Women's Stories 2017 Round 1 - IWMF Last date 16 May 2017
Apply for Women Transforming India - Breaking the Glass Ceiling - Last date 1st June 2017
TWAS Prizes for Young Scientists in Developing Countries - Last dte 1st June 2017
Maypole Fund for Women - India and other countries - Last date 30 June 2017


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Opposition: govt change crucial for fighting climate change
climate climate change Dialogue for Hungary (Párbeszéd Magyarországért) Hungary LMP Momentum Movement
If Hungary is to have a fighting chance of countering climate change, voters must elect a new government in the April 3 general election, politicians of the united opposition said on Wednesday.
Otherwise, Hungary will be left defenceless against the climate crisis, independent lawmaker Bernadett Szél told a joint press conference, adding that the Fidesz-led government in recent years had carried out over 3,000 investment projects which had ignored green considerations.
Hungary, she said, was
far too dependent on Russian gas imports,
while the insulation systems of buildings remained underdeveloped. A new government would insulate 150,000 flats a year and launch social, political and professional debates on the use of nuclear energy, she said, adding that the opposition saw the expansion of Hungary's Paks nuclear power plant as a "corruption project".
Fully 35 percent of Hungary's energy mix should be sourced from renewable energy by 2030,
she said.
Erzsébet Schmuck, co-leader of LMP, accused Fidesz of gutting Hungary's environmental protection authorities so that they could be free to "destroy" the country's green spaces. "What we've been seeing over the past years is that the prime minister vetoed the EU's stricter climate goals while misleading Hungarian society," Schmuck said. A new government, she said, would include an independent ministry dealing with environmental protection and climate change.
Read also: Terrible! Air quality worsens across Hungary
Parbeszed's Bence Tordai said
Hungary needed cities and districts where all key services were accessible on foot or by bicycle within 15 minutes.
Under a new government, public transport passes would be incorporated into Hungary's "cafeteria" voucher system, he said, arguing that public and non-motorised transport must become a true alternative to cars. Also, special support would be given to electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles, he said, adding that rail lines would be electrified wherever possible and cycling infrastructure improved.
Read alsoPM Orbán: nuclear energy is cheap and climate-friendly
Common Sense Says Go Away you are not getting elected. says:
No one cares about algores wetdre am of carbon taxes, Hungarians are too poor as it is. Take your leftist dreams somewhere else. Hungarians are not going to vote to further hurt themselves financially when they barely make ends meet as it is. Climate change is from Nature not man. Send your tax bills to God, man owes nothing for the changes of the climate.
Hungarian rescuers save 27 survivors from earthquake rubble in Türkiye


Sinkholes – The lurking underground menace. One day everything is fine and suddenly, with no warning, it's not! OK, that may be a little sensational, but sinkholes sure do make the news when they occur. Just recently sinkholes in Florida caused the collapse of a large building and even a human death.
The areas in which sinkholes can occur are related to the geologic conditions, so the occurrence is not totally random. A knowledgeable consultant can assist in determining the relative risk of sinkhole development. As the title says, this article provides a short discussion of how to locate and treat sinkholes. Note the word 'treat' instead of 'repair'. As with certain medical conditions, there is no cure for a site in sinkhole terrain-only treatment and application of suitable construction methods to reduce the risk of future sinkhole occurrences.
While the geologic conditions in which sinkholes can occur are known, the actual occurrence of a sinkhole is unpredictable. Subsurface conditions can stay in equilibrium and stable for many years, and suddenly change due to manmade changes such as pumping from wells or changes in surface runoff. Extreme weather variations such as heavy rainfall or drought can cause dropouts to suddenly occur at a site that was previously stable.
So, what is a sinkhole?
A geologist would say a sinkhole is a localized depression in the surface of the ground that was caused by the removal of underlying material. Naturally occurring sinkholes are mainly associated with limestone bedrock because limestone is susceptible to being dissolved by acidic groundwater. Other geologic formations conducive to sinkhole development include marble and dolomite.
The dissolving (or solutioning) of carbonate bedrock occurs over thousands of years. As the limestone dissolves, soil erodes or 'ravels' into the open seams or caverns. The erosion progresses upward toward the surface until a surface collapse occurs. This is shown in the publication "Building on Sinkholes" by G. F. Sowers.
Consider the caves you may have visited. The cave networks are the underlying cause of surface sinkholes. When the roof of the cave collapses, or where cracks and fissures in the rock allow overlying soil to erode into the cave, the void can eventually reach the surface. The cave networks can be very extensive, such as Mammoth Cave in Kentucky where the network has over 50km of continuous subterranean passages.
When a large area underlain by such a cave network undergoes collapse and numerous sinkholes occur, the surface topography can change into a series of sinks and large closed depressions, the landscape is known karst topography. The term karst comes from the name of an area adjacent to the Adriatic Sea where natural sinkholes are numerous. The word 'karst' is used to describe areas where sinkholes, either natural or man-induced, occur.
The surface collapse can be slow or sudden, as seen in the Florida event. One of the largest sinkholes in Alabama occurred so suddenly that a local farmer felt his house shudder and then there was a sudden gust of wind within a few seconds. The sinkhole (referred to as the Golly hole) was later found to have a diameter of 300 feet.
Sinkholes may also be caused by man made factors as well. Broken storm water pipes are a common cause of soil erosion and subsequent surface dropouts. Underground mining activities have also been related to sinkholes.
Now that we've discussed the causes, how do you identify areas that are susceptible to sinkholes? Except for manmade features, geology is the major factor in sinkhole development. Most states and even some counties have publications that identify sinkhole prone areas. Aerial photographs (sometimes incorporating infrared cameras) can be used to locate existing dropouts or other karst features.
Soil test borings to determine the consistency of the overburden soils. The soil test borings are usually drilled to auger refusal to check the variability of the bedrock surface. It is common to find soft soil conditions and an erratic rock surface in active sinkhole areas. It is important to determine the depth of the soft zone of soil above the rock relative to the thickness of undisturbed soil above.
Rock coring and/or air rotary drilling to assess the continuity of the rock. Clay filled seams, void spaces, or caverns in the rock increase the risk of future dropouts.
Geophysical investigations. Geophysical techniques may include electrical resistivity testing, ground penetrating radar, seismic soundings, or micro-gravity surveys. Electrical resistivity is usually used where clay overburden is present. Electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) is a technique used to map resistance to electrical flow in the ground at varying depths and lateral locations. Electrical current is introduced to the earth by two transmitting electrodes. The apparent resistivity of the subsurface is obtained by measuring the drop in potential between two receiving electrodes along the test alignment. The depth of investigation is proportional to the separations between transmitting and receiving electrodes. By varying this separation, as well as the separations between the pairs of transmitting the receiving electrodes, different depths and locations can be sampled to develop profiles of the subsurface apparent resistivity. These results can often distinguish more competent rock with higher resistivity values from water bearing, weathered or fractured rock having higher conductivity and lower resistivity values.
The results of the investigation are analyzed and the risk for future sinkhole development is assessed. Sites are typically assigned low, medium, or high risk depending on the findings of the investigation.
Rock Supported Foundations. The use of rock supported foundations and a structural slab system is required to essentially avoid the potential complications related to future sinkhole development. Drilled piers, micropiles, or steel piles are considered for this application. However, there are limitations even for these systems and the risks should be evaluated carefully. This approach is not usually practical for most light to moderately loaded structures because of cost.
Grouting. Several grouting techniques are used for sinkhole remediation. Some of the methods include cap grouting, low mobility grouting, and dome filling. A typical grouting process is designed to fill the open voids in the soil and improve the consistency of the soil matrix. The grouting program is usually initiated on a 10 foot to 20 foot grid pattern. Depending on the grout take and pressures in the primary injection points, secondary or tertiary grout holes may be required.
Surface Stabilization Layer. The placement of a geogrid reinforcement layer at the subgrade level is sometimes used to reduce the risk of surface dropouts. The geogrid design is based on the ability of the geogrid to span over the certain size dropout. The major consideration with this method is the selection of the 'design' dropout opening. The geogrid manufacturer typically assists in the design services.
Excavation and Placement of Inverted Rock Filter. Repair of existing dropouts with excavation/rock replacement is probably the most common sinkhole treatment method. The excavation is extended to competent bedrock and durable rock is used to replace the removed soil. Large rock (rip-rap) is placed in the bottom of the excavation. Progressively smaller rock is used as the excavation is filled. The purpose is to allow flow of groundwater without causing soil erosion.
While sinkholes are and will continue to be a challenge for many project sites, a proper investigation program can provide the necessary insight to anticipate their presence and oftentimes mitigate their effect.


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Division of Musculoskeletal Radiology
Musculoskeletal Radiology Fellowship
About the Divisionjtrejo2018-07-24T11:05:21+00:00
About the Division of Musculoskeletal Radiology
The Division of Musculoskeletal Radiology has several goals, which help define our mission.
Optimize the quality of our clinical care in Musculoskeletal Radiology and incorporate new advanced techniques in our practice.We are very proud of the high quality of our clinical work, which is made possible by the availability of state-of-the-art imaging equipment and excellent support staff. Musculoskeletal radiology has a very collegial relationship with orthopaedic surgery, rheumatology, and sports medicine physicians. We work closely together to ensure that our clinical colleagues are satisfied with the quality of our care, which we constantly improve by incorporating new techniques when available.
Develop close working relationship with clinical services and be fully aware of their needs.Our orthopedic and rheumatology clinical services at Keck School of Medicine have a very strong tradition and superb reputation both nationally and internationally. We are proud to be a part of the musculoskeletal team, enjoy the close working relationship with our clinical colleagues. We constantly communicate with our clinical colleagues and give full support to their clinical, research and academic enterprises such as dynamic contrast enhancement and perfusion of soft tissue lesions with MRI, medial collateral ligament research, and advanced imaging for arthroplasty complications. In addition to our expertise in musculoskeletal imaging, we offer a variety of minimally invasive imaging guided procedures, some of which are not offered by anyone else in the area.
Maintain and improve the Musculoskeletal Radiology training program to continue to provide quality teaching for residents and fellows.The Fellowship Program in Musculoskeletal Radiology is one year in duration and is located at three separate sites, the new LAC + USC Medical Center, the Keck Hospital of USC, and the Healthcare Consultation Center. The LAC + USC Medical Center is one of the world's largest hospitals with a very busy level I trauma unit and a full complement of clinical services. The new hospital has new, state of the art imaging modalities including three 1.5 Tesla MRI scanners, 5 MDCT scanners and a PET-CT unit.
The Keck Hospital of USC site has two MDCT (16 slice and 64 slice) and a 1.5 Tesla Symphony MR and two 3 Tesla GE MR systems. The adjacent Healthcare Consultation Center is an outpatient facility where rheumatology and orthopedic patients are seen. A large proportion of MSK imaging is performed at this location, which has a 3.0 Tesla GE MRI, a 3.0 Tesla Toshiba MRI, a 1.5 Tesla Siemens MRI, and a 320 detector Toshiba CT with metal reduction artifact software.
The fellowship focuses on all aspects and modalities of musculoskeletal imaging and procedures. This includes conventional radiography, ultrasound, CT, MR, and CT-PET. Image guided procedures such as arthrography, biopsy, and image guided therapeutic injections are routinely performed.
Our staff trains 2 musculoskeletal fellows each year in addition to residents and advanced body imaging fellows. Education is a top priority, and staff provides numerous didactic and case conferences throughout the year. We also have weekly conferences with orthopedics, including an ortho-oncology tumor conference and a sports injury conference. We also participate in spine conference and a rheumatology-radiology conference.
Encourage staff, fellows and resident participation in clinical research and other scholarly activities.We have a weekly meeting to discuss recent articles and future research ideas. Our attending staff and fellows are involved at local as well as national level scientific meetings regularly. We have several recent publications in radiology journals including Radiographics and Emergency Radiology. Under the guidance of the Division Director, Dr. Eric White, the fellows and faculty are supported and encouraged to participate in research.
Maintain and improve an extensive teaching file and create a digitized teaching file in Musculoskeletal Radiology.
Due to our clinical exposure to a great variety of disease processes involving the musculoskeletal system, we are able to compile an extensive teaching file. Our goal is to refine our teaching file by improving the organization and adding references to the teaching file. Our ultimate goal is to have a digitized teaching file that can be accessed on the Web.


Nascar Collections are Incomplete without Hoods!
Unless you are a huge Nascar fan yourself, you probably have no idea what Nascar hoods are. Nascar hoods look like the hood panel of a car. However, they are meant to be used for decoration only and generally come with hooks for easy hanging. They usually have an authentic feel as well because they are made from 30-guage aluminum.
Hoods come in a variety of designs. For example, you can purchase a hood that is a replica of the hood of your favorite driver's car. On the other hand, you can buy a hood that is a picture collage of your favorite driver. Hoods also come in an array of sizes, including full-size, 1/2 scale, 1/4 scale, and miniature.
Though hoods may not be something you frequently see when shopping for Nascar gear, finding Nascar hoods for your fan will probably not be as difficult as you imagine. An Internet search will immediately turn up several possibilities. Also, some Nascar memorabilia shops will be able to order hoods for you. The difficult part of the process is deciding what type of hood you want.
If you are purchasing a gift, the first step is to make absolutely certain you know which driver your friend or family member likes. Returns can be a hassle, especially if you order a larger hood size, and some places may not even accept them. Once you know this, a safe bet would be to go with the replica of the Nascar driver's hood. While photo collages are nice, they can be found on posters and pictures as well and might not be as unique a gift as a replica hood.
Size is the other issue. Miniature hoods are about the size of a normal poster and are a fairly safe bet. 1/4 scale hoods are 16.2" H x 12" W x 1" D, and 1/2 scale hoods are 27.5" H x 31" W x 1" D. Full-size hoods are even larger; they are the actual dimensions of a car hood and take up a large portion of a wall when hung. Thus, unless you know that the recipient has a wall where he or she would hang the hood, purchasing a larger size may not be the wisest decision.
When shopping for Nascar hoods, simply be an educated consumer. By picking a conservative size and checking several different places for price range, you should be able to buy a special gift for that Nascar fan in your life with relatively little difficulty. Good luck!


But Kubernetes is much more than simply exporting technology developed at Google. Kubernetes has grown to be the product of a rich and growing open source community. This means that Kubernetes is a product that is suited not just to the needs of internet-scale companies but to cloud-native developers of all scales, from a cluster of Raspberry Pi computers to a warehouse full of the latest machines. Kubernetes provides the software necessary to successfully build and deploy reliable, scalable distributed systems.
You may be wondering what we mean when we say "reliable, scalable distributed systems." More and more services are delivered over the network via APIs. These APIs are often delivered by a distributed system, the various pieces that implement the API running on different machines, connected via the network and coordinating their actions via network communication. Because we rely on these APIs increasingly for all aspects of our daily lives (e.g., finding directions to the nearest hospital), these systems must be highly reliable. They cannot fail, even if a part of the system crashes or otherwise fails. Likewise, they must maintain availability even during software rollouts or other maintenance events. Finally, because more and more of the world is coming online and using such services, they must be highly scalable so that they can grow their capacity to keep up with ever-increasing usage without radical redesign of the distributed system that implements the services.
Depending on when and why you have come to hold this book in your hands, you may have varying degrees of experience with containers, distributed systems, and Kubernetes. Regardless of what your experience is, we believe this book will enable you to make the most of your use of Kubernetes.
In the following sections we describe how Kubernetes can help provide each of these benefits.
Velocity is the key component in nearly all software development today. The changing nature of software from boxed software shipped on CDs to web-based services that change every few hours means that the difference between you and your competitors is often the speed with which you can develop and deploy new components and features.
It is important to note, however, that this velocity is not defined in terms of simply raw speed. While your users are always looking for iterative improvement, they are more interested in a highly reliable service. Once upon a time, it was OK for a service to be down for maintenance at midnight every night. But today, our users expect constant uptime, even if the software they are running is changing constantly.
Consequently, velocity is measured not in terms of the raw number of features you can ship per hour or day, but rather in terms of the number of things you can ship while maintaining a highly available service.
In this way, containers and Kubernetes can provide the tools that you need to move quickly, while staying available. The core concepts that enable this are immutability, declarative configuration, and online self-healing systems. These ideas all interrelate to radically improve the speed with which you can reliably deploy software.
Containers and Kubernetes encourage developers to build distributed systems that adhere to the principles of immutable infrastructure. With immutable infrastructure, once an artifact is created in the system it does not change via user modifications.
Traditionally, computers and software systems have been treated as mutable infrastructure. With mutable infrastructure, changes are applied as incremental updates to an existing system. A system upgrade via the apt-get update tool is a good example of an update to a mutable system. Running apt sequentially downloads any updated binaries, copies them on top of older binaries, and makes incremental updates to configuration files. With a mutable system, the current state of the infrastructure is not represented as a single artifact, but rather an accumulation of incremental updates and changes. On many systems these incremental updates come from not just system upgrades but operator modifications as well.
In contrast, in an immutable system, rather than a series of incremental updates and changes, an entirely new, complete image is built, where the update simply replaces the entire image with the newer image in a single operation. There are no incremental changes. As you can imagine, this is a significant shift from the more traditional world of configuration management.
You can log into a container, run a command to download your new software, kill the old server, and start the new one.
You can build a new container image, push it to a container registry, kill the existing container, and start a new one.
At first blush, these two approaches might seem largely indistinguishable. So what is it about the act of building a new container that improves reliability?
The key differentiation is the artifact that you create, and the record of how you created it. These records make it easy to understand exactly the differences in some new version and, if something goes wrong, determine what has changed and how to fix it.
Additionally, building a new image rather than modifying an existing one means the old image is still around, and can quickly be used for a rollback if an error occurs. In contrast, once you copy your new binary over an existing binary, such rollback is nearly impossible.
Immutable container images are at the core of everything that you will build in Kubernetes. It is possible to imperatively change running containers, but this is an antipattern to be used only in extreme cases where there are no other options (e.g., if it is the only way to temporarily repair a mission-critical production system). And even then, the changes must also be recorded through a declarative configuration update at some later time, after the fire is out.
Immutability extends beyond containers running in your cluster to the way you describe your application to Kubernetes. Everything in Kubernetes is a declarative configuration object that represents the desired state of the system. It is Kubernetes's job to ensure that the actual state of the world matches this desired state.
Much like mutable versus immutable infrastructure, declarative configuration is an alternative to imperative configuration, where the state of the world is defined by the execution of a series of instructions rather than a declaration of the desired state of the world. While imperative commands define actions, declarative configurations define state.
Because it describes the state of the world, declarative configuration does not have to be executed to be understood. Its impact is concretely declared. Since the effects of declarative configuration can be understood before they are executed, declarative configuration is far less error-prone. Further, the traditional tools of software development, such as source control, code review, and unit testing, can be used in declarative configuration in ways that are impossible for imperative instructions.
The combination of declarative state stored in a version control system and Kubernetes's ability to make reality match this declarative state makes rollback of a change trivially easy. It is simply restating the previous declarative state of the system. With imperative systems this is usually impossible, since while the imperative instructions describe how to get you from point A to point B, they rarely include the reverse instructions that can get you back.
Kubernetes is an online, self-healing system. When it receives a desired state configuration, it does not simply take actions to make the current state match the desired state a single time. It continuously takes actions to ensure that the current state matches the desired state. This means that not only will Kubernetes initialize your system, but it will guard it against any failures or perturbations that might destabilize your system and affect reliability.
A more traditional operator repair involves a manual series of mitigation steps, or human intervention performed in response to some sort of alert. Imperative repair like this is more expensive (since it generally requires an on-call operator to be available to enact the repair). It is also generally slower, since a human must often wake up and log in to respond. Furthermore, it is less reliable since the imperative series of repair operations suffer from all of the problems of imperative management described in the previous section. Self-healing systems like Kubernetes both reduce the burden on operators and improve the overall reliability of the system by performing reliable repairs more quickly.
As a concrete example of this self-healing behavior, if you assert a desired state of three replicas to Kubernetes, it does not just create three replicas—it continuously ensures that there are exactly three replicas. If you manually create a fourth replica Kubernetes will destroy one to bring the number back to three. If you manually destroy a replica, Kubernetes will create one to again return you to the desired state.
Online self-healing systems improve developer velocity because the time and energy you might otherwise have spent on operations and maintenance can instead be spent on developing and testing new features.
As your product grows, its inevitable that you will need to scale both your software and the teams that develop it. Fortunately, Kubernetes can help with both of these goals. Kubernetes achieves scalability by favoring decoupled architectures.
In a decoupled architecture each component is separated from other components by defined APIs and service load balancers. APIs and load balancers isolate each piece of the system from the others. APIs provide a buffer between implementer and consumer, and load balancers provide a buffer between running instances of each service.
Decoupling components via load balancers makes it easy to scale the programs that make up your service, because increasing the size (and therefore the capacity) of the program can be done without adjusting or reconfiguring any of the other layers of your service.
Decoupling servers via APIs makes it easier to scale the development teams because each team can focus on a single, smaller microservice with a comprehensible surface area. Crisp APIs between microservices limit the amount of cross-team communication overhead required to build and deploy software. This communication overhead is often the major restricting factor when scaling teams.
Concretely, when you need to scale your service, the immutable, declarative nature of Kubernetes makes this scaling trivial to implement. Because your containers are immutable, and the number of replicas is simply a number in a declarative config, scaling your service upward is simply a matter of changing a number in a configuration file, asserting this new declarative state to Kubernetes, and letting it take care of the rest. Alternately, you can set up autoscaling and simply let Kubernetes take care of it for you.
Of course, that sort of scaling assumes that there are resources available in your cluster to consume. Sometimes you actually need to scale up the cluster itself. Here again, Kubernetes makes this task easier. Because each machine in a cluster is entirely identical to every other machine, and the applications themselves are decoupled from the details of the machine by containers, adding additional resources to the cluster is simply a matter of imaging a new machine and joining it into the cluster. This can be accomplished via a few simple commands or via a prebaked machine image.
One of the challenges of scaling machine resources is predicting their use. If you are running on physical infrastructure, the time to obtain a new machine is measured in days or weeks. On both physical and cloud infrastructure, predicting future costs is difficult because it is hard to predict the growth and scaling needs of specific applications.
Kubernetes can simplify forecasting future compute costs. To understand why this is true, consider scaling up three teams, A, B, and C. Historically you have seen that each team's growth is highly variable and thus hard to predict. If you are provisioning individual machines for each service, you have no choice but to forecast based on the maximum expected growth for each service, since machines dedicated to one team cannot be used for another team. If instead you use Kubernetes to decouple the teams from the specific machines they are using, you can forecast growth based on the aggregate growth of all three services. Combining three variable growth rates into a single growth rate reduces statistical noise and produces a more reliable forecast of expected growth. Furthermore, decoupling the teams from specific machines means that teams can share fractional parts of each other's machines, reducing even further the overheads associated with forecasting growth of computing resources.
As noted in a variety of research, the ideal team size is the "two-pizza team," or roughly six to eight people, because this group size often results in good knowledge sharing, fast decision making, and a common sense of purpose. Larger teams tend to suffer from hierarchy, poor visibility, and infighting, which hinder agility and success.
However, many projects require significantly more resources to be successful and achieve their goals. Consequently, there is a tension between the ideal team size for agility and the necessary team size for the product's end goals.
The common solution to this tension has been the development of decoupled, service-oriented teams that each build a single microservice. Each small team is responsible for the design and delivery of a service that is consumed by other small teams. The aggregation of all of these services ultimately provides the implementation of the overall product's surface area.
Kubernetes provides numerous abstractions and APIs that make it easier to build these decoupled microservice architectures.
Pods, or groups of containers, can group together container images developed by different teams into a single deployable unit.
Kubernetes services provide load balancing, naming, and discovery to isolate one microservice from another.
Namespaces provide isolation and access control, so that each microservice can control the degree to which other services interact with it.
Ingress objects provide an easy-to-use frontend that can combine multiple microservices into a single externalized API surface area.
Finally, decoupling the application container image and machine means that different microservices can colocate on the same machine without interfering with each other, reducing the overhead and cost of microservice architectures. The health-checking and rollout features of Kubernetes guarantee a consistent approach to application rollout and reliability that ensures that a proliferation of microservice teams does not also result in a proliferation of different approaches to service production lifecycle and operations.
In addition to the consistency that Kubernetes brings to operations, the decoupling and separation of concerns produced by the Kubernetes stack lead to significantly greater consistency for the lower levels of your infrastructure. This enables your operations function to scale to managing many machines with a single small, focused team. We have talked at length about the decoupling of application container and machine/operating system (OS), but an important aspect of this decoupling is that the container orchestration API becomes a crisp contract that separates the responsibilities of the application operator from the cluster orchestration operator. We call this the "not my monkey, not my circus" line. The application developer relies on the service-level agreement (SLA) delivered by the container orchestration API, without worrying about the details of how this SLA is achieved. Likewise, the container orchestration API reliability engineer focuses on delivering the orchestration API's SLA without worrying about the applications that are running on top of it.
This decoupling of concerns means that a small team running a Kubernetes cluster can be responsible for supporting hundreds or even thousands of teams running applications within that cluster (Figure 1-1). Likewise, a small team can be responsible for tens (or more) of clusters running around the world. It's important to note that the same decoupling of containers and OS enables the OS reliability engineers to focus on the SLA of the individual machine's OS. This becomes another line of separate responsibility, with the Kubernetes operators relying on the OS SLA, and the OS operators worrying solely about delivering that SLA. Again, this enables you to scale a small team of OS experts to a fleet of thousands of machines.
Of course, devoting even a small team to managing an OS is beyond the scale of many organizations. In these environments, a managed Kubernetes-as-a-Service (KaaS) provided by a public cloud provider is a great option.
At the time of writing, you can use managed KaaS on Microsoft Azure, with Azure Container Service, as well as on the Google Cloud Platform via the Google Container Engine (GCE). There is no equivalent service available on Amazon Web Services (AWS), though the kops project provides tools for easy installation and management of Kubernetes on AWS (see "Installing Kubernetes on Amazon Web Services").
The decision of whether to use KaaS or manage it yourself is one each user needs to make based on the skills and demands of their situation. Often for small organizations, KaaS provides an easy-to-use solution that enables them to focus their time and energy on building the software to support their work rather than managing a cluster. For a larger organization that can afford a dedicated team for managing its Kubernetes cluster, it may make sense to manage it yourself since it enables greater flexibility in terms of cluster capabilities and operations.
The goal of the public cloud is to provide easy-to-use, self-service infrastructure for developers to consume. However, too often cloud APIs are oriented around mirroring the infrastructure that IT expects, not the concepts (e.g., "virtual machines" instead of "applications") that developers want to consume. Additionally, in many cases the cloud comes with particular details in implementation or services that are specific to the cloud provider. Consuming these APIs directly makes it difficult to run your application in multiple environments, or spread between cloud and physical environments.
The move to application-oriented container APIs like Kubernetes has two concrete benefits. First, as we described previously, it separates developers from specific machines. This not only makes the machine-oriented IT role easier, since machines can simply be added in aggregate to scale the cluster, but in the context of the cloud it also enables a high degree of portability since developers are consuming a higher-level API that is implemented in terms of the specific cloud infrastructure APIs.
When your developers build their applications in terms of container images and deploy them in terms of portable Kubernetes APIs, transferring your application between environments, or even running in hybrid environments, is simply a matter of sending the declarative config to a new cluster. Kubernetes has a number of plug-ins that can abstract you from a particular cloud. For example, Kubernetes services know how to create load balancers on all major public clouds as well as several different private and physical infrastructures. Likewise, Kubernetes PersistentVolumes and PersistentVolumeClaims can be used to abstract your applications away from specific storage implementations. Of course, to achieve this portability you need to avoid cloud-managed services (e.g., Amazon's DynamoDB or Google's Cloud Spanner), which means that you will be forced to deploy and manage open source storage solutions like Cassandra, MySQL, or MongoDB.
Putting it all together, building on top of Kubernetes's application-oriented abstractions ensures that the effort that you put into building, deploying, and managing your application is truly portable across a wide variety of environments.
In addition to the developer and IT management benefits that containers and Kubernetes provide, there is also a concrete economic benefit to the abstraction. Because developers no longer think in terms of machines, their applications can be colocated on the same machines without impacting the applications themselves. This means that tasks from multiple users can be packed tightly onto fewer machines.
Efficiency can be measured by the ratio of the useful work performed by a machine or process to the total amount of energy spent doing so. When it comes to deploying and managing applications, many of the available tools and processes (e.g., bash scripts, apt updates, or imperative configuration management) are somewhat inefficient. When discussing efficiency it's often helpful to think of both the cost of running a server and the human cost required to manage it.
Running a server incurs a cost based on power usage, cooling requirements, data center space, and raw compute power. Once a server is racked and powered on (or clicked and spun up), the meter literally starts running. Any idle CPU time is money wasted. Thus, it becomes part of the system administrator's responsibilities to keep utilization at acceptable levels, which requires ongoing management. This is where containers and the Kubernetes workflow come in. Kubernetes provides tools that automate the distribution of applications across a cluster of machines, ensuring higher levels of utilization than are possible with traditional tooling.
A further increase in efficiency comes from the fact that a developer's test environment can be quickly and cheaply created as a set of containers running in a personal view of a shared Kubernetes cluster (using a feature called namespaces). In the past, turning up a test cluster for a developer might have meant turning up three machines. With Kubernetes it is simple to have all developers share a single test cluster, aggregating their usage onto a much smaller set of machines. Reducing the overall number of machines used in turn drives up the efficiency of each system: since more of the resources (CPU, RAM, etc.) on each individual machine are used, the overall cost of each container becomes much lower.
Reducing the cost of development instances in your stack enables development practices that might previously have been cost-prohibitive. For example, with your application deployed via Kubernetes it becomes conceivable to deploy and test every single commit contributed by every developer throughout your entire stack.
When the cost of each deployment is measured in terms of a small number of containers, rather than multiple complete virtual machines (VMs), the cost you incur for such testing is dramatically lower. Returning to the original value of Kubernetes, this increased testing also increases velocity, since you have both strong signals as to the reliability of your code as well as the granularity of detail required to quickly identify where a problem may have been introduced.
Kubernetes was built to radically change the way that applications are built and deployed in the cloud. Fundamentally, it was designed to give developers more velocity, efficiency, and agility. We hope the preceding sections have given you an idea of why you should deploy your applications using Kubernetes. Now that you are convinced of that, the following chapters will teach you how to deploy your application.
1 Brendan Burns et al., "Borg, Omega, and Kubernetes: Lessons Learned from Three Container-Management Systems over a Decade," ACM Queue 14 (2016): 70–93, available at http://bit.ly/2vIrL4S.