Hypothyroidism is a common condition, particularly in the older population. Thyroid hormone requirements change with age and serum TSH levels also alter, especially in older patients. However, in practice laboratory reference ranges for thyroid function are not age-specific and treatment in older patients aims to achieve a similar target thyroid function level as younger age groups.
A dual centre, single blind, randomised controlled trial was conducted to determine the feasibility of a future definitive RCT in hypothyroid individuals aged 80 years or older who were treated with levothyroxine. Potential participants were identified from 17 research-active GP practices (n = 377), by opportunistic invitations (n = 9) or in response to publicity (n = 4). Participants were randomly allocated to either usual (0.4–4.0 mU/L) or a higher (4.1–8.0 mU/L) target serum TSH range. Information on participants' willingness to enter the trial, acceptability of study design, length of time to complete recruitment and dose titration strategy was collected.
Fifteen percent (57/390) of potentially eligible hypothyroid individuals consented to participate in this trial and 48 were randomised to trial medication for 24 weeks, giving a recruitment rate of 12 %. Recruitment averaged 5.5 participants per month over approximately 9 months. Eight participants withdrew (3/24 and 5/24 in the usual and higher TSH arms, respectively) with the commonest reason cited (5 patients) being tiredness. Interestingly, 3/5 participants withdrew from the site that required a visit to a Research Facility whereas only 5/43 participants withdrew from the site that offered home visits. In the higher TSH arm, of those participants who completed the study, approximately half of participants (10/19) reached target TSH.
It is feasible to perform a randomised controlled trial of thyroid hormones in hypothyroid patients aged 80 or older. A definitive trial would require collaboration with a large number of General Practices and the provision of home visits to achieve recruitment to time and target. Power calculations should take into account that approximately 12 % of those approached will be randomised and 1 in 6 participants are likely to withdraw from the study. Finally, several dose adjustments may be required to achieve target serum TSH levels in this age group.
Thyroid hormones regulate metabolism and impact on several organs in the body. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) is a common endocrine condition in which the thyroid gland produces insufficient thyroid hormones. Hypothyroidism is more prevalent in women and in older individuals with rates of up to 16 % reported in those aged over 80 years [1, 2]. Hypothyroidism is diagnosed based on results of blood tests with low thyroid hormone levels in the presence of high serum Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) concentrations (usually > 4.0 mU/L). Treatment with the synthetic form of thyroxine (Levothyroxine or LT4) is the treatment of choice in these patients and patients are generally managed in primary care. LT4 is prescribed to 3–4 % of the general population and its use is increasing [3–5]. Thyroid function changes with age and several reports suggest that the upper limit of the TSH reference range increases with age [6–10]. In addition, observational studies have shown that older individuals with a slightly raised serum TSH level have no adverse consequences [11–16]. In fact, one report suggests that a slightly raised TSH may be beneficial for survival in 85-year old individuals followed up for four years . Despite this, all patients are treated uniformly with the aim of achieving a serum TSH target level (usually 0.4–4.0 mU/L) and age-specific ranges are not used. Moreover, evidence obtained from General Practice records suggests LT4 is increasingly being prescribed for older individuals and for minimally raised serum TSH levels . This issue is of increasing importance as the populations in most developed – and many developing – countries are ageing and diagnoses of hypothyroidism are therefore likely to rise. Before a definitive randomised controlled trial (RCT) in the older hypothyroid population can be conducted it would be highly desirable to assess its feasibility. We, therefore, designed a feasibility RCT to investigate lower dose LT4 (aiming for a higher than usual serum TSH) versus usual dose LT4 (aiming for the currently utilised serum TSH range) in hypothyroid individuals aged 80 years or more. We report the feasibility of this trial in this paper.
The detailed protocol has been published previously . Briefly, a dual-centre single-blind RCT of elderly (≥80 years) individuals with primary hypothyroidism and good biochemical control (as demonstrated by serum TSH levels within the reference range in the preceding 3 months) was organised. After providing written informed consent, participants were randomised in a 1:1 ratio to either usual dose LT4 (aiming to continue to keep serum TSH between 0.4 and 4.0 mU/L) or lower dose LT4 (reduced by 25 mcg daily initially and a further 25 mcg daily, if required at 12 weeks) to aim for a slightly higher serum TSH level of 4.1–8.0 mU/L. After randomisation participants were assessed at 12 and 24 weeks, with a final follow-up phone call at 25 weeks. The inclusion criteria required participants of either gender, aged 80 years or older, living independently in the community, who had been prescribed LT4 (at least 50 mcg daily) for at least 6 months and whose serum TSH was between 0.4 and 4.0 mU/L in the preceding 3 months. Patients were excluded if they were deemed to not have capacity to provide written informed consent, had severe chronic medical conditions that would prevent participation, thyroid cancer, on medications affecting thyroid function, non-English speakers, had participated in another RCT in the previous 3 months or had lactose intolerance.
The primary objectives were to demonstrate that recruitment to such a trial is possible; to gauge participants' acceptability of being part of the study; to assess the length of time required to complete recruitment; to assess the dose titration strategy and the length of time required to achieve desired TSH levels; and to gauge medication compliance.
The design and analysis followed published recommendations for feasibility studies [20, 21]. As such, no formal sample size calculation was performed; a target sample size of 50 randomised participants was deemed sufficient to assess the feasibility of the trial. The data analyses were descriptive, and statistical comparisons between randomised treatment groups were not undertaken.
Twenty research-active practices agreed to identify potential patients for the trial. These GP practices were identified by the then National Institute for Health Research, Primary Care Research Network. Of these, two practices did not have the capacity to identify patients for the study and a third responded late in the recruitment process. The remaining 17 GP practices facilitated the identification of potential participants and posted letters of invitation (Table 1). The prevalence of treated hypothyroid patients aged ≥ 80 years ranged from 0.5 to 1.4 % of the total number of patients registered in those practices (Table 1). A total of 377 invitation letters (with a reply slip and stamped addressed envelope) were sent by practice staff and 233/377 (62 %) responded, of which 66 (18 % of total invitations) agreed to participate. The protocol allowed the participating GP practices to send reminder letters to patients that had not replied but this was not followed. Subsequently, 11 individuals changed their mind and declined participation. The reasons given for changing their mind related to either not understanding the study requirements or due to change in circumstances (such as illness). A further 9 patients were deemed ineligible after study-specific screening as either their serum TSH was too low (n = 6) or too high (n = 3). Therefore, a total of 46 patients (12 % of the 377 potentially eligible participants) were randomised via this route.
Another 13 participants were invited by either the study team or self referred in response to publicity posters in hospitals, the NIHR portfolio or via the patient-led charity the British Thyroid Foundation newsletter. Of these, 2 (15 %) participants were screened and subsequently randomised.
Participants were randomised in a ratio of 1:1, using random permuted blocks. Randomisation was stratified by usual (pre-study) LT4 dose (50, 75, 100 and 125 mcg daily) and administered by the Newcastle Clinical Trials Unit using a secure password-protected web-based system (Table 2).
The median age of the participants was 83 years (range: 80 to 93 years) and majority (71 %) were women (Table 3).
This feasibility trial had five primary outcome measures.
Participants' willingness to enter the trial (as gauged by the ratio of those who consented to participate to those who were potentially eligible and approached): 57 out of 390 (15 %) potentially eligible patients consented to participate but, as stated above, 9 individuals (16 % of the potentially eligible group) were not eligible due to abnormal thyroid function at screening.
Participants' acceptability of study design (as measured by the completion rate of participants in each randomised group): 21 out of 24 (87.5 %) and 19/24 (79.2 %) randomised participants completed the trial in the usual and higher TSH arms, respectively.
Participant recruitment rate (as measured by the number of patients randomised divided by the length of the recruitment period): Participants were recruited between 17th October 2012 and 10th July 2013 with the first participant randomised on 9th November 2012 and the last one on 10th July 2013. The projected recruitment was 5 or 6 participants/month. Over the 267 days that trial recruitment was open 48 participants were recruited (5.5 participants/month) (See Fig. 2).
Dose titration strategy and length of time required to achieve desired TSH levels (as calculated by number of participants in each group that reach target TSH range at both 12 and 24 weeks): For the 40 participants who remained in the study until their final study assessment, most participants in the usual dose arm stayed within their target TSH range of 0.4–4.0 mU/L whereas half of the higher target TSH arm achieved their target TSH range (Table 4).
Medication compliance (tablet count at each visit): At the end of visits 2 and 3, participants were asked to return any surplus study drug in the original packaging to the study team, who verified and documented compliance. Compliance was deemed to be generally good. In participants who completed the trial, n = 40, compliance was 100 and 95 % at both visits in the usual TSH and higher target TSH arms, respectively (Table 4).
Adverse Events (AEs) and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs): There were 119 AEs reported by 37 patients; 16 patients in the usual TSH arm reporting 49 AEs (mean = 3.1 per patient, sd = 2.1) and 21 patients in the higher TSH arm reporting 70 AEs (mean = 3.3, sd = 2.2). Patients reported between 1 and 10 AEs over the course of the study. The frequency of AEs with regards to the various organ-systems appeared to be broadly similar. For example, the frequency of participants reporting new-onset or worsening tiredness/fatigue was 41.7 % vs 50 % in the usual and higher TSH arms, respectively. Muscle aches and pains (29.2 % vs 16.7 %), dizziness (20.8 % vs 25 %) and constipation (16.7 % vs 29.2 %) were comparable in the two groups.
There were three SAEs, two in the usual TSH arm and one in the higher TSH arm. (See Table 5 for details).
Site of follow-up: At baseline 71 % of patients (34/48) chose to have their first study visit at home and 29 % (14/48) chose to come into hospital out-patients. At visit 2, four patients switched from out-patient visits to home visits with one patient switching in the other direction (this patient had become a hospital inpatient). Of the 40 patients still in the study at visit 3, 80 % (32/40) had their visit at home and 20 % (8/40) had their visit as an out-patient.
Phone contacts: Over the course of the 24 week study period a total of 27 telephone contacts were made by 20 participants and discussed with the research staff. The majority (20/27) were made in the first 12 weeks; of which 15 were in the first 4 weeks. The queries were with regards to new or existing symptoms (20 contacts by 14 participants; n = 8 in usual TSH arm and n = 6 in higher TSH arm), query relating to study drug (4 phone calls by 3 participants, all in usual TSH arm), and one phone call each for taking study drug in addition to usual dose levothyroxine (usual TSH arm) and problems in swallowing study drug (usual TSH arm).
Withdrawals and reasons: Eight patients withdrew from the study; three from the usual TSH arm and five from the higher TSH arm (Table 6). Five patients withdrew before visit 2 (two usual TSH, three higher TSH), one patient withdrew at visit 2 (higher TSH arm), and two patients withdrew after visit 2 but before visit 3 (one usual TSH and 1 higher TSH arm, respectively). Three of the five participants withdrew (60 %) from the site that required a visit to a Research Facility whereas only 5/43 participants (12 %) withdrew from the site that offered home visits. In seven participants, the reasons cited for withdrawal were AEs (mainly tiredness or constipation in six and infected foot and wrist pain in a seventh). One participant was withdrawn from the study by the research team for safety reasons as she was found to be taking the study drug in addition to her usual levothyroxine medication.
Withdrew due to fatigue which started 2 weeks after commencing the study drug. The patient was hospitalised with a mild stroke on 22/04/13, reported to be linked to ongoing hypertension (severe, not related).
Withdrew after experiencing several AEs: dry skin, dry hair, feeling cold, weight gain and tiredness (mild, possibly related), and swollen face with itching (mild, not related) - unscheduled home visit: thyroid function normal, weight gain of 0.3kgs.
At Visit 2 patient reported that she had been taking her prescribed dose of LT4 as well as the study medication. Patient reported no AEs. Serum thyroid function was normal (TSH 0.60, FT4 20.8). Subsequently the patient changed her mind and withdrew.
It is currently unclear what the best practice for managing hypothyroidism is in older people. There is good evidence that thyroid hormone requirements change with age and that the current practice of treating everyone in a uniform fashion may not be appropriate. This feasibility RCT has demonstrated that reducing the dose of the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine is possible and that patients are willing to participate.
The population of the western world - including the United Kingdom - is ageing. Ageing of the population refers to both the increase in the median age as well as the increase in the absolute number and proportion of older individuals. The number of people aged 75 and over has increased by 89 % over the period 1974 to 2014 and now makes up 8 % of the total population . Between 2015 and 2020, when the general population is expected to increase by 3 %, it is estimated that people aged 65 years or more will rise by 12 % to 1.1 million; those over 85 years by 18 % to 300,000; and the number of centenarians by 40 % (7000) . Similar demographic changes are occurring across much of the Western world. For instance, in the United States it is estimated that there are now about six million persons aged 85 years and older and this number may reach 19 million in 2050 . Data from this feasibility study suggests that the prevalence of treated hypothyroidism in the over 80 age group is between 0.5 and 1.4 % of the entire population. It is also apparent that the majority of hypothyroid patients in this age group are on modest doses of LT4 – which is indicative that treatment was commenced for borderline raised TSH levels. This has significant implications for the management of hundreds of thousands of older hypothyroid individuals in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, as the number of older individuals increases then the absolute number of older people with treated hypothyroidism is also likely to grow.
The result of this feasibility trial has shown that it is possible to recruit participants into an interventional trial to aim for a higher than usual target serum TSH. The randomisation rate was approximately 5.5 participants per month from the 17 GP practices that identified patients and from the other sources of referral. Overall, 12 % of potentially eligible patients consented to participate and were randomised. This feasibility data suggests that a large-scale RCT would have to recruit from hundreds of GP practices. Furthermore, allowance would have to be made for 16 % (possibly even higher in a study of a longer duration) of participants to withdraw from the study. Any subsequent full RCT would have to be of longer duration (probably several years) and designed to be able to answer the important question of the optimum target serum TSH to aim for in older hypothyroid patients. Such a trial would require hard clinical end points including cardiovascular events and fractures as its main outcome measures.
One of the limitations of this trial is that we are unable to assess the characteristics of individuals who refused to participate. This is because study invitations were sent by individual GP practices and the responses were received in an anonymised form by the study team. Therefore, it is not possible to assess differences between responders and non-responders.
Adverse events and serious adverse events did appear to be similar in both the usual TSH arm as well as the higher TSH arm in our study. However, this feasibility trial was not powered to detect a significant difference in any effect size. It is therefore possible that there may be a higher incidence of adverse events in a larger trial over a longer follow-up period. This would require support to be available for study participants. In this trial telephone support was made use of by a number of participants and may have contributed to their retention. The telephone contacts were made mostly in the first few weeks after randomisation and related to either symptoms or study drug. It is important to consider providing telephone support in a full large RCT particularly in the first 4 weeks after commencing study drug. In addition, it is also evident that participants in this age group prefer to have home visits rather than to have to come to a hospital research facility. It is unclear how participants would view visits to their local GP practice.
It is important to consider strategies that would help retain participants in the trial and lead to high completion rates. Approximately 4 out of 5 randomised participants completed this trial. This was achieved by offering flexible study dates, times and venue, providing alternative appointments at short notice, being seen by the same member of staff at each visit and availability of telephonic support.
This feasibility trial revealed that of the patients randomised to a higher TSH range, who remained in the study until their final study assessment, only half reach their target. This is not surprising given that up to half the hypothyroid population, irrespective of age does not have good biochemical control as evidenced by their serum TSH level [24, 25]. The implications of this are that more frequent or smaller dose adjustments of levothyroxine may be required in the full trial to be able to achieve a higher proportion of participants in the desired relaxed TSH range.
In conclusion, this feasibility trial has shown that it is possible to recruit and retain patients with levothyroxine treated hypothyroidism aged 80 years or older into a RCT. Several important lessons have been learnt that would help to design a trial that should be able to successfully recruit and retain patients into a longer-term study.
Primary Care Clinical Research Network Staff, especially Norah Phipps; TSC members: Dr Catherine Watson (trial manager), Mrs Janis Hickey (BTF member) as well as SR, SW, SP, VR and LI); independent DMEC members: Dr Ramzi Ajian (chair), Dr Petros Perros (expert), Dr Barbara Gregson (statistician).
This report is independent research arising from a NIHR RfPB award PB-PG-0610 22139 supported by the National Institute for Health Research. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.
This project is funded by the NIHR RfPB (http://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/fundingdetails.htm?postid=1572, reference PB-PG-0610 22139).
The data is available with Newcastle Clinical Trials Unit in an anonymised linked form. The authors do not wish to share this data publicly at this stage as this will be utilised to help design a large RCT.
The study was designed by SR, SP, VR and SW. LI performed study visits. SR wrote the first draft, and all authors reviewed, commented and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Dr Salman Razvi is Senior Lecturer and Consultant Endocrinologist, Newcastle University, UK.
Ms Lorna Ingoe is a research nurse, Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust.
Ms Vicky Ryan is a senior statistician, Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, UK.
Prof Simon Pearce is a Professor of Endocrinology, Newcastle University, UK.
Prof Scott Wilkes is a Professor of Primary Care, Sunderland University, UK.
All authors provide consent for this publication.
The study received NHS ethics approval from Sunderland Research Ethics Committee (REC Reference: 12/NE/0098) on 3 April 2012 and each participant provided written informed consent prior to randomisation.
UK National Statistics. http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/pop-estimate/population-estimates-for-uk--england-and-wales--scotland-and-northern-ireland/mid-2014/sty-ageing-of-the-uk-population.html. Accessed 17 June 2016.
2014 National Population Projections. 2014; https://www.census.gov/population/projections/data/national/2014/summarytables.html. Accessed 17 June 2016.


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Italy / Tuscany / Florence / Bagno a Ripoli / Apartment Ref. 853729
Apartment for rent in Tuscany
Bagno a Ripoli , Italy
"Iris", 3-room apartment 60 m2, on the ground floor. Practical and tasteful furnishings: living/dining room with satellite TV. 1 room with 2 beds. 1 double bedroom. Exit to the garden. Kitchenette (4 hot plates, oven). Shower/bidet/WC. Heating (extra). Heating available only from 01.11. to 15.04. Terrace furniture. Panoramic view of the countryside. Facilities: mosquito net. Internet (WiFi, free). Please note: non-smokers only. Manor house 350 m a.s.l.. 2 apartments in the property. 2.4 km from the centre of San Polo in Chianti, 17 km from the centre of Greve in Chianti, 22 km from the centre of Firenze, in a quiet, sunny, elevated position on top of a hill, in the countryside. For shared use: property 10 ha, swimming pool (above ground) (9 x 5 m, depth 135 cm, 04.05.-27.09.). Garden furniture, barbecue. In the house: washing machine (for shared use), heating to be paid on the spot (01.11.-15.04.), heating available only from 01.11. to 15.04.. Motor access to the house (1 km via unmade road). Parking on the premises. Shop 2.4 km, supermarket 2.4 km. Golf course (18 hole) 8 km. Nearby attractions: San Casciano in Val di Pesa 22 km, Panzano in Chianti 25 km, Badia a Passignano 29 km, San Donato in poggio 32 km, Radda in Chianti 35 km, San Gimignano 55 km. Please note: the owner lives on the same property.
2.4 km to the city center
8 km from a golf resort

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
HFT Newsletter #4
Joey AyoubPolitics & SocietyLeave a comment
Welcome to the fourth newsletter of Hummus For Thought, a monthly collection of thoughts and recommendations, curated by Joey Ayoub (hello) from Geneva, Switzerland. It comes out on every first Sunday of the month, 8:00 am Central European Time/West Africa Time.
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Initial Reflections
Well, 2020 is over folks. Everything's fixed now.
I shared with you A Special Christmas Post on the 25th of December 2020 so I'll first refer you back to that one if you haven't read it yet.
Two countries have been on my mind as of late. The UK and Lebanon.
It is difficult to see what's happening in the UK and not be very troubled, from the social media-addicted conspiracy theorists breaking our shared understanding of reality to the delusional exuberance of Brexiters rejoicing in the fact that their kids and grand-kids won't have the freedom of movement they did. It is clear that large parts of the population are still trapped in neo-imperialist nostalgia and/or have consumed so many 'alternative facts' that they're willing to deny reality for as long as possible. In many ways, the EU occupies a relatively small position within the Brexit 'debate'. In the Brexit imaginary, the EU's more like the de-facto Other, the latest manifestation of the never-ending need of the nationalists and isolationists to find their purpose in life by bringing down other groups of people. This is why Brexiters couldn't make up their minds as to whether they hate Europeans more than they hate non-Europeans.
They want their battle cry more than the well-being of their own children, and when you've reached that bottom, might as well keep digging. Maybe the answer is somewhere there, deep down. What's the alternative? Acknowledging being wrong? After all this time? That they were duped? That they clearly didn't even know what their country's membership of the EU meant for them? That's not very Engl – I mean, British, sorry. It's the fault of Syrians and Poles. Or maybe the bloody Germans, who knows, but let's just say that, after spending four of the past five years in the UK, I consider such shows as Years and Years and such books as Perfidious Albion to be pretty decent cultural analyses.
And what a waste of opportunity Brexiters have had. They could have just made common purpose with the EU and criminalized (non-European) migrants and refugees. They could have built a stronger union on the shared fear of that other Other, the always-terrifying [enter non-European nationality]. The EU would have welcomed that with open arms. But hey, it's never too late to demonize asylum seekers together.
As for dear ol' Lebanon, I suppose nothing summarizes the situation more than the fact that virtually every person I know is either out or trying to get out as quickly as possible. As everywhere, the pandemic has exposed underlying societal fault lines, which would have been difficult enough to deal with, but then Beirut had to also blow up last summer. We used to say 'adding insult to injury' to describe the Lebanese establishment's crimes, but these expressions are no longer enough. Lebanese multilingualism is clearly not sufficient to describe the underlying pain of the absurdity that afflicts that country, and so many are trying to either activate diaspora links or desperately create new ones to just leave as a result.
The meaninglessness of Lebanon's afflictions hurts as much as the actual challenges facing us. It is the fact that, deep down, we all know that we do not matter to the wider world, that the suffering in Lebanon can never be consequential enough on the world stage as to warrant any kind of 'global conversation'. That's what really does it, that's the so-called insult to injury. This was true in November of 2015 when I wrote a piece that clearly resonated because it 'went viral' (an expression that's quite awkward now) and it is even truer now.
My grandmother celebrated her 83rd birthday two days ago. Due to Covid-19, she did so on her own, in the family home in Lebanon. This was also her first birthday without my grandfather Joseph who passed away last March. Most of her family members are already in the diaspora, the most 'Lebanese' of experiences that this tiny nation of trauma has produced. Her experience influences how I view that country as a whole as the way elders who are no longer 'useful' to the job market are treated is highly revealing (for that reason, countries that tried to 'herd immunity' their way through a deadly virus that largely kills the elderly have some serious soul-searching to do). She's doing relatively okay though. We often exchange cooking tips (it's mainly a one-sided exchange).
With all of that said, it may surprise you that I do remain optimistic about the future, albeit with a fair dose of caution. These positive developments don't change or diminish the bad – and I've gone through enough of the bad in the resilient: broken essay for Mangal Media – but merely puts things in perspective.
There are positive global trends related to our tackling of the climate emergency, although the pace of change isn't fast enough. I'm really happy to see that cities are stepping up to tackle climate change in ways that nation states are failing at. (It's almost like residency-based identities and concrete links have more potential than the imagined, militarized communities that form nation states, huh?). There are also too many exciting developments in the tech world to even list them here.
Still, the key word in "cautious optimism" is cautious. There's no point downplaying the scale of the problems, but that's all the more reason why we should acknowledge when humanity is stepping up to the challenge. That's a better attitude than doomscrolling our way into an early grave I think. So I'll try and dedicate more time in the coming months on exploring how cities are stepping up to compensate for or complement national policies. After all, the local is also global.
So folks, here's to 2021. Wear that [add insult] mask, wash those hands, keep those distances and confront those making the job of healthcare workers even harder.
To the healthcare workers reading this, and to everyone who has volunteered or done their bit to navigate and help others navigate this pandemic, thank you.
The James Baldwin Corner
We start the Hummus For Thought newsletter with our monthly James Baldwin corner. Here's a little-known interview Baldwin gave in the Netherlands in 1981. In it, he makes interesting comparisons between racism in the US and racism in the Netherlands which clearly makes the interviewer uncomfortable. I've mentioned this before, but I'm still baffled that he was as good a speaker as he was a writer. Some quotes from the interview:
"You discovered us, now you got us" and "You wrecked our neighborhoods, before we were compelled to wreck yours."
What I've Written
I wrote a brief thing for Mondoweiss as part of the essay "Palestine will not be liberated in isolation: a look back at the 2011 uprisings" with the Adalah Justice Project. My essay is called 'We face an existential risk' and it focuses on Lebanon.
I have this old essay on Hezbollah that will now be published. It will be on Discontent in early January and you can check it out here. My essay is called Hezbollah's Resistance™ against resistance.
(An alternative title is 'joey the westernized Lebanese Zio-Wahhabi agent of empire attacks the holy resistance out of self-hatred', or something like that.)
I'm now on Medium.com in addition to the existing sites. I'm trying to expand my reach and it was an obvious step to take.
You can follow me there at https://medium.com/@joey-ayoub
Documentary of the Month
A scene from The Gleaners and I, featuring Varda herself.
Agnès Varda's The Gleaners and I (Les glaneurs et la glaneuse), 2000, France, is a wonderful meditation on what is left behind. In it, Varda, who passed away in 2019 at the age of 90, meets gleaners (harvesters) in the French countryside and various artists who create art from recycled material.
I will also recommend her documentary short Black Panthers, 1968, USA, is shot in Oakland, California around the meetings and protests by the Black Panthers Party to free Huey Newton.
my recommendation does not include Flip
The book of the month is by Jaron Lanier. It is called Who Owns The Future?
I will also cheat and recommend his other works: You Are Not a Gadget, Dawn of the New Everything and his most recent one Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now. I honestly think all four are required to get a good grasp of his thinking, but I'd argue that the last one is not necessary if you read the first three. It's more of a book to be consumed quickly for a general audience and some of the arguments are diluted as a result. But still, good book overall.
Anyway, Who Owns The Future? is an impressive book and I actually struggle to summarize it. One funny reviewer on Goodreads (I'm on Goodreads by the way) wrote: "This book is like being stuck in an elevator with your most brilliant friend, and a bottle of wine. Some of the conversation will be interesting, and some of it may seem brilliant, but you won't be able to remember half of it later. His musings range from mild to extreme, and much of it I did not feel like I had the brain power to understand its implications. I would have to read it a second time, just to get a real grasp." So yes, it is not easy to read. I would describe myself as fairly educated when it comes to digital literacy but I struggled with some of the more technical aspects.
In Who Owns The Future? Lanier warns against the disenfranchisement of the middle class in our increasingly-digital economies by those he calls 'Siren Servers' (as in the Sirens of Ulysses, as in those dangerous creatures that lured sailors with music and led to shipwrecks – you know, not good). So these are your Facebooks and Googles, various financial companies, and also various government agencies. Basically, they use powerful computing (aided by Moore's law) to, well, get powerful. The resulting manipulative algorithms and data harvesting that they're managing to pull off on a massive scale are changing how we think about ourselves and how we interact with one another. The consequences are severe and require our attention. Although the book is technically US-focused, the implications are global and we're all more or less dealing with the same challenges of the internet. It's why solving these challenges can be exciting too, as that can affect the entire world.
Whatever you think of the arguments, and especially some of the solutions presented, I don't think we can deny the scale of the problem anymore, and Lanier has arguably done more than most to be a resourceful critic of Silicon Valley (from within, as he always emphasizes) and the world being created by its technology. He is very humanistic in his approach, attempting to persuade the reader of the importance of placing technology below human needs. Technology can be complementary to human experiences, even enrich them in ways that our ancestors would have never dreamed of. Again, even if you end up disagreeing – I don't know that I agree with some of the conclusions he makes, but I'm still thinking it through – you'll still view this is as a labor of love. He truly believes in technology's potential but is as painfully aware of its risks. This attitude is in stark contrast to the 'Move Fast and Break Things' philosophy of Silicon Valley giants. That slogan, by the way, was Facebook's actual slogan until 2014, in case anyone's confused as to Mark Zuckerberg's motivation.
And speaking of, the first episode of season 2 of The Fire These Times will be with Katy Cook, author of 'the psychology of silicon valley', which is available online. We touched upon similar topics. Episode will be out on January 17th (Patreon supporters) and 18th (general public) to give me some time to record a few more episodes before properly 'starting' this year.
December 2020's Recommended Webinars
Usual disclaimer: recommending webinars does not mean endorsing everything etc etc etc. I am just sharing what was interesting to watch.
I discovered this channel, Like Stories of Old, after this video was recommended by Jonathan McIntosh (of Pop Culture Detective), who was a previous guest on the podcast. I loved this video so much that I shortly became a Patreon of that page. Check it out.
The Fire These Times episodes of December 2020 + upcoming ones
There are at least fifteen confirmed guests for the first few months of 2021. Here are some of them.
A few have since been added so I'll post an update on Patreon and Twitter.
Guests for early 2021 so far, with more to come! Starting January 17th.
Patreon supporters can ask questions here: https://t.co/CkYMgfdZQj
The blog (upcoming transcripts included):https://t.co/bnc3NUWaVf
YouTube: https://t.co/leLop4VP9A
+ the usual podcasting platforms. pic.twitter.com/RtIiZGe5Eu
— The Fire These Times Project (@FireTheseTimes) December 22, 2020
Another Podcast Update
The Fire These Times is now on YouTube folks. In addition to the usual audio episodes, you will also get some that are filmed. I know you all already miss that video-conferencing action that defined 2020. I'm just here to satisfy those desires.
To subscribe, click here.
Ronnie Chatah, host of The Beirut Banyan, released a moving video on the 7th commemoration of the assassination of Mohammad Chatah, his father, in Beirut at the hands of Assad's collaborators in Lebanon.
Ronnie was a previous guest of The Fire These Times and I've popped up on his podcast three times so far (1 and 2 and 3). I highly recommend the video. It has English subtitles.
Recommended films and series watched recently
scenes from Small Axe
Steve McQueen's Small Axe, 2020-, UK, is a five-part film series for the BBC, about the Mangrove Nine case in 1970.
Comment: This brilliant mini-series is a testament to both McQueen's brilliance (and screenwriters Courttia Newland and Alastair Siddons') and the BBC's crucial role in fostering, when done well, a sense of common purpose in Britain.
scene from Tale of Cinema
Sang-soo Hong's Tale of Cinema, 2005, South Korea, is actually two (or three) interrelated stories in one: a suicidal pact between two lost young adults, a troubled mother-son relationship and a struggling filmmaker who can't quite come to terms with the fact that his friend used his trauma as the plot of a movie.
scene from Close-Up
Abbas Kiarostami's docufiction Close-up, 1990, Iran, is based on the true story of Ali Sabzian who impersonated director Mohsen Makhmalbaf. Sabzian plays himself, and Makhmalbaf also appears in movie.
– Close-up by Criterion (watch after the movie): Hossein Sabzian on his Film Obsession
– Essay in Bidoun on Sabzian by Coco Ferguson
– Interview with Kiarostami on Close-up
Comment: I don't think I've felt this emotional after watching a film in a while. This is a movie to be cherished and watched more than once.
Rainer Werner Fassbinder's film Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, 1974, West Germany, a film on the romance that develops between Emmi, an elderly German woman, and Ali, a Moroccan migrant worker in post-World War II Germany.
scene from Pather Panchali
Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali, 1955, West Bengal, India, depicts the childhood of the protagonist Apu and his elder sister Durga and the harsh village life of their poor family. It is the first part of the acclaimed Apu Trilogy.
Comment: Pather Panchali is in some ways a classic poverty story, but its realism and raw poetic qualities left me extremely grateful that this work was actually preserved and restored. Its 2015 restoration is a fascinating story in itself by the way, look it up.
scene from The Good Lord Bird
Ethan Hawke's The Good Lord Bird is a seven-parts mini-series on the abolitionist John Brown and a fictional enslaved boy who found himself part of Brown's historic 1859 raid at Harpers Ferry.
In our Lebanese-Arab streets and patriarchal system, women are nicknamed "Baklava".
Podcast episodes I've listened to recently
List of the podcast episodes that I've listened to recently. More specifically, the ones I'd recommend.
Although I've used their Spotify links to embed them, I actually use PocketCasts to listen to podcasts.
Rayhan Asat, president of the American Turkic International Lawyers Association, and former guest on The Fire These Times, is participating in Burst The Bubble UK to free her brother Ekpar Asat, one of the many Uyghurs forcibly disappeared in China. Ekpar was forcibly disappeared by the Chinese Communist Party in 2016.
Burst the Bubble UK is a group of teenagers aiming to raise awareness, encourage dialogue, overcome ignorance and encourage youth involvement about topics that need talking about such as: the Uyghur Genocide, Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism.
Check out Burst The Bubble UK and my episode with Rayhan Asat and Yonah Diamond entitled "The World's Most Technologically Sophisticated Genocide is Happening in Xinjiang".
Articles I've read recently
Repeated Quick Pro-tip: I use Pocket to save and archive articles – no, I'm not being sponsored by them (if you work at Pocket and want to sponsor me I am, ahem, available) – and I had the amusing honor of reaching their top 1% of readers in 2018.
Repeated Disclaimer: me sharing an article does not mean I agree with everything that is written. It just means I find it interesting.
Important Note: I am subscribed to Uneven Earth's monthly readings and a number of the climate change/green politics-related pieces recommended below came from them.
Migrant-Rights.org's 2020 Review
As 2020 ends, it's time to take stock of what this year has meant for migrant workers in the six Gulf Cooperation Council states. Month by month, we walk through policies, practices, and their impact on the millions of migrants in the region.
The Man Who Wants to Take Down Bashar Al Assad
by Nate Berg, December 14 2020, for The New Republic
Indigenous environmental defender killed in latest Honduras attack
by Nina Lakhani, December 29 2020, for The Guardian
Through gilets jaunes, strikes and Covid, Paris's 400-year-old book stalls fight to survive
by Jon Henley, December 29 2020, for The Guardian
Special Issue on Qiu Miaojin: A Conversation
Daniel Tsang talks to Evans Chan about his documentary on Qiu Miaojin, "Love and Death in Montmartre" (2019)
January 25, 2020, for Hong Kong Review of Books
Algeria: Protestors still calling for genuine democracy
by Sofian Philip Naceur, December 30 2020, for Qantara
A year after Lebanon's uprising: 'There is power in our collective organisation'
Interview with Rima Majed, December 22 2020, for Middle East Solidarity
"I Have Blood on My Hands": A Whistleblower Says Facebook Ignored Global Political Manipulation
by Craig Silverman, Ryan Mac and Pranav Dixit, September 14 2020, for BuzzFeed
The challenge of chess – learning how to hold complexity in mind and still make good decisions – is also the challenge of life
by Jonathan Rowson with Marina Benjamin for Aeon
America's War on Syrian Civilians
by Anand Gopal, December 14 2020, for The New Yorker
Inside the Hollywood Home of Social Media's Stars. (Don't Be Shy.)
by Daisuke Wakabayashi, December 30 2017, for The New York Times
'It's over for us': how extreme weather is emptying Bangladesh's villages
by Rafiqul Islam Montu, December 16 2020, for The Guardian
The Ten Best Films of 2020
by RogerEbert.com
A Societal Transformation Scenario for Staying Below 1.5°C
A study by Kai Kuhnhenn, Luis Costa, Eva Mahnke, Linda Schneider, Steffen Lange
Who are the Chinese 'left' nationalists?
by Brian Hioe, December 13 2020 for Lausan
What Will the World Look Like in 30 Years? Sci-fi Author Kim Stanley Robinson Takes Us There
by Jeff Goodell, December 10 2020, for Rolling Stones
Ariella Aïsha Azoulay: "It is not possible to decolonize the museum without decolonizing the world."
by Sabrina Alli, March 12 2020, for Guernica
2020 in Photos: A Year Like No Other
by Dear Baquet, 2020, for The New York Times
Guangtian Ha – On the Hui Muslims of China
by Matt Dagher-margosian, December 6 2020, Asia Art Tours
'My goal is justice for all Syrians': one man's journey from jail to witness for the prosecution
by Emma Graham-Harrison, December 12 2020, for The Guardian
What's the point of solidarity, anyhow?
by Brian Hioe, December 12 2020, for Popula
Bosnia's #NeverAgain
by Riada Asimovic Akyol, December 9 2020, for Newlines Mag
If you're wondering what's happening in India and why so many farmers are protesting, here's a quick summary by Vox.
So this the fourth newsletter folks. The next one will be on the first Sunday of February 2021. If you want to get in touch please send me an email to j [dot] ayoub26 [at] gmail [dot] com.
Last point and this is the bit that no one really likes doing, but:
If you find any of my work useful, whether it be Hummus For Thought, The Fire These Times, my articles or even my archiving and commentary work on Twitter, please consider making a one-off or a recurring donation on Patreon, PayPal or BuyMeACoffee.
If you can't afford it, you can still help by leaving a review of The Fire These Times wherever you listen to podcasts and/or share with your friends and family.
A Special Christmas Post


Hello, I am putting up this profile on behalf of my sister. She has completed her MSc in Management and Development of International Financial Systems from one of the prestigious universities in the UK. She's currently studying for a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) in London. My Sister's genuineness, caring and affectionate nature, wins her friends in every walk of life. She's well behaved, intellectual and collective. She understand that marriage is about adoption and adjestment that everyone is unique in nature .this makes her understanding person. She also is family oriented ,down to earth and very simple .presently in London , she is working on her thesis that she would submit by end of 2020. We are looking for a sutailble match in either from UK or India preferable from metro city.
We belong to an upper middle class, nuclear family having moderate outlook. Her father is a businessman while her mother is a homemaker. She has one brother and 3 sisters, all are married.


text:
General Support (GS)
Mental Health Awareness and Support (MHAS)
Saturday Homework Club (SHWC)
Youth Club (YC)
Key Working Activities
Narrative and Financial Reports 2008-2012
Narrative and Financial Report 2007
You are here: Home » Programmes » Youth Club (YC)
Category: Our Programmes
The youth Club programme helps young people to have access to a wide range of services they need (employment, further education, skills training, family matters, youth matters etc).
The club helps to ensure that the most disadvantaged young refugees have access to opportunities that will improve their life chances, enhancing their sense of health and well-being and help them integrate into and feel part of the wider community. This programme helps our young people divert from a life of crime as a means of resolving issues associated with poverty. It helps support outing activities for life limited young people, giving them and their families including foster families wonderful memories, and helping them to socially develop.
It provides a floating support service for young refugee Care Leavers, to enable them to develop or maintain their skills to live independently in society.
To be part of the club, potential service user must -
Be 18+ years of age,
Refugees with UK status and recourse to public funds,
Reasonably demonstrate that they do not pose an unsupportable risk to themselves or other service users
We accept referrals from individuals, support workers, social workers, GPs, solicitors and welfare organisations. We encourage any prospective service users to visit us first and meet the staff for further information on the availability of the service, and the service delivery details.
Where required and as part of the support offered, Care Link West Midlands can identify and arrange for sign post to more appropriate support services if those services are not available within Care Link West Midlands support package.
Membership is open to individuals over eighteen or organisations who are approved by the Trustees.
The Trustees may only refuse an application for membership if, acting reasonably and properly, they consider it to be in the best interests of the Charity to refuse the application. There is a membership application available. A copy of this application may be requested by phoning our office on 0121 565 2612.
The Trustees will inform the applicant in writing of the reasons for the refusal within twenty-one days of the decision.
Once membership is approved, the details of the new member will be kept in our register of names and addresses of the members which is made available to any member upon request.
Central Africa Refugee Link is a Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England No. 6218206 Charity Reg. No. 1109505.
Registered Office: Central Africa Refugee Link, 91 Hurst Road, Smethwick, Sandwell, West Midlands, B67 6LY, UK.
Tel/Fax: 0121 565 2612
Care Link West Midlands was established 16th October 2004
We are not a grant making organization.
Copyright © 2013 Central Africa Refugee Link. All Rights Reserved.


text:
How to Watch the France Ligue 1 2022–23 Ligue 1 Live Streams Online (Free Trial)from Anywhere in world French Ligue 1 2022-23 season starts on Saturday (August 6) with Lyon playing host to newly-promoted Ajaccio. But, all eyes will be on gameweek 1 fixture between Lionel Messi's Paris Saint-Germain against Clermont Foot on Sunday. French Ligue 1 matches will be telecast live. (More Football News)
France Ligue 1 The star-studded line-up of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and Neymar travel to Stade Gabriel-Montpied to face the Clermont Foot. This will be a test of character for the Lancers, who are playing just their second season in the top tier. Meanwhile, all the 20 teams will feature in 10 matches over the opening France Ligue 1 weekend.
France Ligue 1 Under new owner John Textor, seven-time champion Lyon hope to contend for European spots after a disappointing eighth place last season, the club's worst finish since 1997. This summer, Lyon signed left-back Nicolas Tagliafico from Ajax Amsterdam, midfielder Corentin Tolisso from Bayern Munich, striker Alexandre Lacazette from Arsenal and promising youngster Johann Lepenant from Caen France Ligue 1.
Lyon will miss full back Henrique, who is suspended, as well as Maxence Caqueret, Jeff Reine-Adelaide and Romain Faivre due to injuries. A poor result would put pressure on Lyon coach Peter Bosz, who is known for his attacking style but couldn't fix the team's defensive issues last season.
2022–23 France Ligue 1
France Ligue 1 Runners-up in the second division last season, Ajaccio signed two French league veterans, midfielder Thomas Mangani from Angers and forward Romain Hamouma from Saint-Etienne.
How to watch French Ligue 1 2022-23 season live?
French Ligue 1 football matches will be telecast live on Sports18 channels. Live streaming will be available on Voot (subscription required).
France Ligue 1 Teams – Schedule, Soccer & Live Update
1: Ajaccio
Athletic Club Ajaccio, commonly referred to as AC Ajaccio, ACA or simply Ajaccio, is a French association football club based in the city of Ajaccio on the island of Corsica. The club was founded in 1910 and plays in Ligue 1.
2: Angers
France Ligue 1 Angers Sporting Club de l'Ouest, commonly referred to as Angers SCO or simply Angers, is a French professional football club based in Angers in Pays de la Loire in western France.
3: Auxerre
Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise, commonly known as AJ Auxerre or simply Auxerre, is a French football club based in the commune of Auxerre in Burgundy. The club was founded in 1905 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the first division of French football.
4: Brest
Stade Brestois 29 is a French football club based in Brest. It was founded in 1950 following the merger of five local patronages, including Armoricaine de Brest, founded in 1903.
5: Clermont
Clermont Foot 63 is a French association football club based in Clermont-Ferrand. The first incarnation of the club was formed in 1911 and the current club was created in 1990 as a result of a merger. The club plays its home matches at the Stade Gabriel Montpied located within the city.
6: Lens
Racing Club de Lens is a French football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, les sang et or, comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their traditional rivals are their northern neighbours Lille, with whom they contest the Derby du Nord France Ligue 1.
7: Lille
Lille Olympique Sporting Club, commonly called LOSC, LOSC Lille, or simply Lille, is a French professional football club based in Lille, Hauts-de-France that competes in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football.
8: Lorient
Football Club de Lorient Bretagne Sud is a French association football club based in Lorient, Brittany. The club was founded in 1926 and currently competes in Ligue 1, the top flight of French football, following promotion from Ligue 2 in the 2019–20 season.
9: Lyon
Olympique Lyonnais, commonly referred to as simply Lyon or OL, is a French professional football club based in Lyon in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. It plays in France's highest football division, Ligue 1.
10: Marseille
Olympique de Marseille, also known as OM or simply Marseille, is a French professional men's football club based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 and have spent most of their history in the top tier of French football France Ligue 1.
11: Monaco
Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club SA, commonly referred to as AS Monaco or Monaco, is a professional football club based in Monaco that competes in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football. Founded in 1918, the team plays its home matches at the Stade Louis II in Fontvieille.
12: Montpellier
Montpellier Hérault Sport Club, commonly referred to as Montpellier HSC or simply Montpellier, is a French professional football club based in the city of Montpellier in Occitanie. The original club was founded in 1919, while the current incarnation was founded through a merger in 1974.
13: Nantes
Football Club de Nantes, commonly referred to as FC Nantes or simply Nantes, is a French professional football club based in Nantes in Pays de la Loire. The club was founded on 21 April 1943, during World War II, as a result of local clubs based in the city coming together to form one large club France Ligue 1.
14: Nice
Olympique Gymnaste Club Nice Côte d'Azur, commonly referred to as OGC Nice or simply Nice, is a French professional football club based in Nice. The club was founded in 1904 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football. Nice plays its home matches at the Allianz Riviera.
15: Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain, Paris, Paris SG or simply PSG is a professional football club based in Paris, France. They compete in Ligue 1, the top division of French football France Ligue 1.
16: Reims
Stade de Reims is a French professional football club based in Reims. The club was formed in 1910 and plays in Ligue 1, the top level of Football in France, having been promoted from Ligue 2 in 2018. Reims plays home matches at the Stade Auguste Delaune and are managed by Óscar García France Ligue 1.
17: Rennes
Stade Rennais Football Club, commonly referred to as Stade Rennais FC, Stade Rennais, Rennes, or simply SRFC, is a French professional football club based in Rennes, Brittany. They compete in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football, and play their home matches at the Roazhon Park France Ligue 1.
18: Strasbourg
Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace is a French association football club founded in 1906, based in the city of Strasbourg, Alsace. It has possessed professional status since 1933 and is currently playing in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football, ever since winning the 2016–17 Ligue 2 championship France Ligue 1.
19: Toulouse
Toulouse Football Club is French professional football club based in Toulouse. The club was founded in 1970 and currently plays in Ligue 2, the second division of French football, but will play in Ligue 1 in the 2022–23 season. Toulouse plays its home matches at the Stadium de Toulouse located within the city France Ligue 1.
20: Troyes
Espérance Sportive Troyes Aube Champagne, commonly known as Troyes, is a French association football club, based in Troyes, who play in Ligue 1. It was founded in 1986, as the third professional club from the city, after AS Troyes-Savinienne and Troyes AF France Ligue 1.
France Ligue 1 2022–23 Ligue 1 Live Streams Online (Free Trial)from Anywhere in world
France Ligue A Teams – Schedule, Soccer & Live TV
French Ligue 1 2022 Live Stream: How to Watch in the UK,
Football fans in the United Kingdom can watch the Ligue 1 live on BT Sport. Games air live on BT Sports' TV channels and live streaming service, and there are several exciting offers for subscribers to take advantage of.
If you are traveling abroad, you will need a trustworthy VPN to watch the soccer matches live on BT Sport. This is because the streaming service will otherwise be geo-blocked. But if you use a VPN, it will appear that you are accessing the site from the UK. Thus, you will be able to watch the French Ligue 1 live without restrictions.
How to Watch French Ligue 1 2022 Live Stream in Canada
There are several Canadian players in the French Ligue 1, and you can watch all the games live on beIN Sports. A subscription costs $14.95 per month or $99.95 per year, and you will be able to watch all the games live on the go.
While traveling away from Canada, make sure to use a secure VPN so you do not miss out on any of the action due to geo-restrictions. If you follow the instructions mentioned above and select a Canada-based server, you will be all set to watch all the Ligue 1 action.
How to Watch French Ligue 1 2022 Live Stream in Australia
Fans living in Australia can also watch Ligue 1 games live on beIN Sports Connect. New subscribers get a 14-day free trial, and a subscription costs $19.99 per month or $179.99 per year. You can watch all the games live on the go on this platform.
Traveling abroad? You will need a fast VPN to bypass the geo-restrictions and watch Lionel Messi and co. in action. A VPN will make it seem that you are watching from Australia, making it possible to watch the French Ligue 1.


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Q: PostgreSQL Generate Series that displays rolling trailing 12 months I'm attempting to create a Generate Series that displays the trailing 12 months based on the current date. Currently, I'm just getting the current month displayed 12 times.
select date_trunc('month',current_date)::date as month
from generate_series(
  date_trunc('month', current_date)::date - interval '11 months',current_date, '1 month')

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

A: Your select overrides the series returned.  So all you get is 12 instances (the number of rows returned from the series) of date_trunc('month',current_date)::date, which is always the current month of course.
You probably want this:
select *
from generate_series(
    date_trunc('month', current_date)::date - interval '11 months',current_date, '1 month')

Or with an alias:
select dMonths
from generate_series(
    date_trunc('month', current_date)::date - interval '11 months',current_date, '1 month') dMonths

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Search word definitions and unscramble anagrams.
Words starting with: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Definition of Speir
Sorry, no definition found, however speir is a valid word for Scrabble(tm) word game. It's worth 7 points.
speils
speired
Anagrams containing the word speir
spier rspei irspe eirsp peirs
Unscramble © Copyright 2013-2015. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy


We are serial eaters of this satisfyingly crunchy, subtly sweet & wholefood packed Maple Paleo Granola. Pimp your breakfast bowl with this deluxe trail mix, sprinkle on your desserts & baking, or enjoy it on its own as a snack. Making your own granola is cost-effective, super easy (takes no more than 20 minutes and lasts 2 weeks), tastes better and contains only the wholesome, good stuff.
1. Preheat your oven to 180C and prepare two baking trays.
2. Add all your dry ingredients except for linseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and Acai Berry Blend in a large bowl and stir until combined.
3. Combine coconut oil, vanilla bean paste and maple syrup (if using) in a separate bowl, whisking well.
4. Add your wet mixture to the dry, stirring well ensuring that your dry ingredients are well coated.
5. Divide your mixture between the two baking trays and place in oven for 10-15 minutes, keep an eye on your granola from about 10 minutes to ensure it doesn't burn, you want it to be a lovely golden-brown colour.
6. Remove from the oven when ready and while cooling stir through your linseeds, chia seeds and hemp seeds.
7. To serve, scoop out desired amount of coconut yoghurt and sprinkle Acai Berry Blend to taste preference, top with granola.
Note: Your delicious granola should last in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 weeks, if you can make it last that long.


Before assembling a Prusa Mendel, make sure you have all the parts necessary. For the bill of materials, see Prusa Mendel.
This document is work in progress.
These instructions follow making a PLA based Iteration 2, where integrated bushings are included as part of the RP objects. The design officially supports different bearing combinations, including brass bushings, felt, and linear bearings. RP parts that are for different bearing types will look different and require additional steps but the primary assembly remains essentially the same.
Although most steps are absolutely harmless when done right, you still might want to take precautions for your Health and Safety.
Drill out the center hole in the hexagonal section of the x-end-idler and x-end-motor parts to 8mm, if it is not already this size.
Take the x-end-idler part. Check the size of the hole on the flat, thin side surface. If it is 4mm in diameter, enlarge it using a file until it's 8mm in diameter.
Slide the two 420mm smooth rods into the x-end-idler part.
Slide the other ends of the rods into x-end-motor part. The hexagonal sections of the motor and idler parts should still be facing each other.
Make sure the rods are seated as far as they will go into the x-ends.
Thread an M8 nut onto one end of the 50mm threaded rod, if not using a bolt.
Put the following parts in this order onto the free end of the threaded rod (behind the nut) or M8 bolt: 1 fender washer, 1 M8 washer, 1 608 bearing, 1 M8 washer, 1 fender washer.
Thread the free end of the threaded rod into the side of the x-end-idler part. The bearing should be on the outside. Put an M8 washer and an M8 nut on the inside and tighten.
This step takes about 15 minutes per triangle, for a total of 30 minutes.
There is a triangle on each side of the Prusa RepRap. You will need to make two of these and then connect them together (in the next steps) to form the Prusa frame. Each side is an equilateral triangle with a frame vertex on each corner. You can use either footed or non-footed vertices to build this. (The footed ones look better, but are not critical.) The instructions assume you are using footed vertices.
Take one of the 400mm or 370mm threaded rods, and slip an M8 washer onto the middle of it.
Take the RP bar clamp (the U-shaped bit with the two holes) and slide the threaded rod through the two holes until the clamp sits next to the washer.
Slide another washer onto the rod from the other side.
Thread two M8 nuts onto either side of the clamp, until they are next to the washer, but do not tighten them yet.
Slide the rod through the wider bottom (footed) side of two vertices. Make sure the feet point in the same direction, and the bulge on the non-footed sides of the vertices point outwards.
Place another washer and nut on the other side of the vertex. Tighten, but not too much. We'll need a bit of flexibility here still.
Take another 400mm or 370mm M8 threaded rod and place a nut followed by a washer at each end.
Place one end of the threaded rod into the one of the two footed frame vertices. It should be in the same plane as the first threaded rod. Fix it in place with a washer and nut. You should now have two sides of the equilateral triangle.
Take the third piece of threaded rod and put a nut and washer on each end. Place it in the other footed vertex and fix it in place with a washer and nut. You should now have a triangle of threaded rods with two footed vertices on two of the corners, nothing in the third corner, and a bar clamp between the two vertices.
Adjust the nuts around the bar clamp (but do not crush the bar clamp together yet) until it's approximately in the middle of the rod. Leave the nuts there loose. See the photo for what you should have at this point.
That's it, that's one of the triangles done. Repeat the entire procedure for the second triangle.
After you have done the second triangle, you need to make sure that both triangles are the same. To make sure the holes line up, you can lay the triangles on top of each other and insert six M8 bolts through the each hole in the vertices. When they all line up, tighten all the bolts.
Next we will connect the two frame triangles to form the Prusa RepRap frame. The easiest way to do this is to thread everything onto the front and rear threaded rods and attach those to the triangles first, and then thread the top rods through. That's the method the instructions below will follow.
This step takes about 30 minutes.
These two threaded rods are used to connect the front/bottom vertex of each triangle as well as to attach the y stage bars and y motor bracket to the frame.
Thread the bottom rod first. Thread an M8 nut onto the middle of the rod. Slide an M8 washer next to it.
Slide another washer onto the other side of the bracket and add another M8 nut to hold it in place.
Add a nut and washer to each end of the rod.
Now thread the top rod. This is a complicated one, so make sure you get it all done in the right order. From left to right, the rod should have: 1 washer, 2 nuts, 1 washer, 1 bar clamp (threaded through the holes), 1 washer, 2 nuts, 1 washer, the y motor bracket (pointing out towards you), [1 washer, 1 nut, 2 washers,] 1 fender/mudguard washer, 1 washer, 1 608 bearing, 1 washer, 1 fender/mudguard washer, 2 nuts, 1 washer, 1 bar clamp (threaded through the holes), 1 washer, 2 nuts, 1 washer.
When you hold it with the protruding part of the motor bracket pointing towards you, it should look like the picture below. Verify this now. NOTE: This diagram and the text above show three washers and a nut on the top rod immediately to the right of the motor bracket. This is inconsistent with the assembly detailed below in Assembling the Y axis, where they are missing and the fender/mudguard washer contacts the bracket directly. Photos have been found of completed printers featuring both assemblies. It appears that unless you have a motor with a rather long shaft, the current drive pulley requires assembly per the Y axis diagram below. The diagram shown here will not work as the pulley will not align with the bearing. You can verify this for yourself on your build by holding the motor in place on the y motor bracket and considering the position of the pulley when mounted on the motor shaft. In operation, the toothed part of the pulley needs to line up with the bearing. The extra washers and nut mentioned above are a spacer to achieve this, and should be included only if necessary.
If you are using a wide belt on your Y axis see Prusa Mendel Wide Belts.
This step takes about 20 minutes.
These two threaded rods are used to connect the back/bottom vertex of each triangle as well as to attach the y-stage bars and belt pulley to the frame.
Thread the bottom rod first. Simply add a nut and washer to each end of the rod.
Now thread the top rod. This is again a complicated one, so make sure you get it all done in the right order. From left to right, the rod should have: 1 washer, 2 nuts, 1 washer, 1 bar clamp (threaded through the holes), 1 washer, 2 nuts, 1 fender/mudguard washer, 1 washer, 1 608 bearing, 1 washer,1 fender/mudguard washer, 2 nuts, 1 washer, 1 bar clamp (threaded through the holes), 1 washer, 2 nuts, 1 washer.
It should look like the picture below. Verify this now.
Your frame should now be standing on its own feet without support, but the top vertices of the triangles will still be wobbly. We'll fix that next.
This step takes about 10 minutes.
These two threaded rods are used to connect the top vertex of each triangle as well as providing mounts for the z-axis motors.
Slide the rods through the opposite side vertices. Thread the nuts up to the vertices on each side.
Take one of the RP z motor mounts and attach it to the ends of the threaded rods. The side with the two holes should face outwards and the square indentation should face upwards. Add a washer and a nut to the end of each rod.
Now that the frame is fully assembled we can adjust and tighten the nuts on each of its threaded rods. You will need your frame jigs if you have them, or a reasonably precise length measurement tool.
(Optional but recommended) A piece of threaded rod or wood or any other material with precisely 290mm length. This is your frame jig J1.
(Optional but recommended) A piece of threaded rod or wood or any other material with precisely 234mm length. This is your frame jig J2.
Verify that the triangle vertices have distance J1 (290mm, equivalent is 11-13/32") from plastic to plastic along each of the three sides. Once you are sure of this, tighten the outer vertex nuts until they are firm, but do not crush the plastic.
Adjust each of the bottom rods so that the distance between the inner sides of the vertices is precisely J2 (234mm, equivalent is 9-7/32"). Once you are sure of this, tighten the outer vertex nuts until they are firm, but do not crush the plastic.
Adjust each of the top rods so that the distance between the inner sides of the vertices is precisely J2 (234mm, equivalent is 9-7/32") and the length of rod extending beyond the vertex on each side is equal. Once you are sure of this, tighten the outer vertex nuts until they are firm, but do not crush the plastic.
The frame should now be fairly stable. Position the bar clamps on the bottom side of each triangle about 1cm offset from the center of the frame. Do not tighten the nuts either side of the bar clamps yet. These will be adjusted in a later step, assembling the z axis.
Insert the 440mm threaded rod through the two bar clamps on the bottom of the frame, making sure it is positioned above the bottom rods of the triangles. Note that contrary to these instructions, current recommendation (per Kliment on IRC) is to position the threaded rod below the bottom rods. Otherwise the Y belt can rub against it during operation. Adjust the rod so that the same length sticks out on each side.
On each end of the threaded rod, place a nut, washer, bar clamp (threaded through the holes), washer, and another nut. The hole in the bar clamp into which should fit the z-axis smooth rod should be close to the center of the bottom triangle rods. Tip: If you've already installed the 440mm threaded rod on top of the triangle bottom rods and have the clamps in place on it, the easiest way to get the new rod on the bottom is to slide the "Y" axis rods out of the frame and flip the whole thing so that the new rod is on the bottom and the Z rod clamps are pointing toward the front, then reassemble and readjust.
Mark each of the four corners of the print bottom plate 8mm (equivalent is ~5/16") in from each side.
Carefully drill a 3mm hole in each of these positions.
Clamp the print bottom plate and the print top plate together, so that the bottom plate is equally far from each edge of the top plate. Drill 3mm holes into the top plate through the corner holes in the bottom plate so that they match on both plates.
Slide the two 406mm smooth rods through the bar clamps on the front and rear threaded rods, so that they lie below the threaded rods. They should fit snugly and be approximately parallel.
Place the narrow side of the print bottom plate between the rods. This ensures they are exactly 140mm (equivalent is 5-33/64") apart from each other. Adjust the nuts on the front side bar clamps until the print bottom plate just barely fits between the rods. Try to get them at an approximately equal distance from the middle of the rod.
Tighten the front nuts just enough that they do not move on their own, but no further.
Measure the distance from the left front vertex to the left smooth rod. Adjust the distance from the left rear vertex to the left smooth rod to match it. This ensures the left rod is parallel to the frame. Tighten the nuts on the left rear bar clamp just enough that they do not move around.
Place the print bottom plate next to the left smooth rod on the rear side. Adjust the right rear bar clamp's nuts until the narrow side of the bottom plate barely fits between the rods.
Recheck the distances from the left vertex to the left rod are the same at the front and rear and that the short side of the print bottom plate fits snugly between the smooth rods both at the front and at the rear. This should ensure that the rods are parallel to each other and to the frame. Use the diagram below to see what it should look like from above.
Tighten the nuts on all four of the bar clamps now.
Snap two PLA bushings onto each of the two smooth rods. Make sure they slide freely on the rods, then position them about 120mm apart on each rod, with their top (flat) side facing up. If your bushings are rather stiff, snap them on to one end of a spare length of smooth rod, boil up a fresh mug of water and stand the other end of the rod in the mug until hot. Remove from the mug and slide the bushings down to the hot end. Leave for several minutes and then slide back to the cold end and allow to cool. The bushings should then run more smoothly. (If the bearing are still difficult to move after this technique, it may be necessary to run them up and down along a threaded rod.) Put a dab of glue (Araldite Rapid works well; superglue also works, but doesn't allow for much fine adjustment) on the top side of the bushings. Carefully place the print bottom plate on top of the bushings, so that it's equally far from each of the triangles (see diagram below). Allow the glue to dry.
While the glue is drying, adjust the position of the bearing on the rear threaded rod until it is exactly aligned with the one on the front threaded rod. Tighten the nuts on the y motor bracket and both bearings at this point. All nuts on the front and rear rods should now be tight.
Also while the glue is drying, ensure that the hole in the center of the pulley matches the diameter of your motor shaft (it should slide on and fit very snugly). If it is too tight to fit, drill it out. If you find that drilling to 5mm is insufficient to make it fit, and 5.5mm makes it too loose (which it generally will for motors with a 5mm shaft), and a 5.2mm drill bit is too hard to come by, you may find that reaming it with a 5mm allen key will work well, if requiring a bit of manual effort. Alternatively, a needle file can be used to slightly enlarge the hole.
Insert an M3 nut into the rectangular slot on the base of the pulley. You may need to widen the slot slightly to do this. Make sure that the center of the nut is aligned with the side hole in the pulley that goes to the center hole. Once you are satisfied with the position of the nut, insert an M3 grub screw into the side hole in the pulley. Tighten it until you see the end of the screw inside the center hole, then unscrew it enough to slide the pulley onto the motor shaft. If you find this too difficult, depending on your pulley you may find that the grub screw is able to self tap a sufficiently strong thread into the side hole simply by screwing it in.
Place the motor with the pulley on it next to the mounting holes in the y motor bracket. Position the motor to the left with the y motor bracket towards you, so that the pulley ends up on the side of the bearing.
Adjust the pulley position on the shaft so that when the motor is flush with the bracket, the teeth on the pulley are approximately at the position of the bearing.
Fasten the motor with 3 M3x10 bolts. Put a washer between each bolt and the y motor bracket.
Recommended: attach the back/bottom of the motor to the bars using zip-ties, kapton tape, picture wire, or any inelastic wrapping. This prevents the Y bracket from flexing with belt tension.
Tighten the grub screw so that the pulley cannot move along the shaft.
Position the y belt on top of the print bottom plate and through both of the bearings. Pull lightly on both ends so that it is straight. If the belt is not straight, adjust the position of the rear bearing until it is. Use a marker to mark out the position of the belt on the print bottom plate. Also mark which side of the plate is on the left.
After the glue has dried, carefully pop the print bottom plate (with the PLA bushings attached) off the rails. Place the two belt clamps perpendicular to the marked position of the belt, several centimeters apart. Make sure the belt position is between the two holes on each clamp. Use a marker to mark where the holes of the belt clamps would be on the plate.
Carefully drill a 3mm hole through each of the four marked belt clamp holes.
Place the print bottom plate back on the smooth rods, paying attention to the marking to make sure the correct side is on the left.
Place one end of the belt, toothed side down, where the holes for the front belt clamp are. Put a washer onto each of two M3x25 bolts, and thread them through the holes in one of the belt clamps. Then attach the clamp to the top of the plate, clamping down the belt. Leave several centimeters of the belt behind the clamp.
Put two M3 nuts underneath the plate and thread them onto the bolts. Tighten both nuts so that the end of the belt is firmly attached to the plate, toothed side down.
Pass the belt over the front bearing, around the motor pulley, and then up underneath the plate to the other bearing. Pull it tight, then lay it on top of the plate, toothed side down.
Put a washer onto each of two M3x25 bolts, and thread them through the holes in the second belt clamp. Then attach the clamp to the top of the plate, clamping down the belt. You can always tighten the belt later with 3 zip-ties: see Tips.
Attach an M3 nut to each of the two bolts, and pull the belt tight before tightening the two nuts.
Turn the motor by hand. It should turn with little effort, and each slight rotation should be matched by a slight movement of the plate. You can feel the stepper motor's steps; a single click one way and then a click back again should produce two corresponding movements of the plate. Make sure the plate slides smoothly along the entire length of the rods. Pushing the plate should immediately make the motor turn. Make sure the belt is not too loose (plate and motor should not be able to move independently) or too tight (taking a lot of effort to move the plate). Once you are confident your belt tension is correct, tighten the clamps very firmly. You may now trim the belt, but leave several centimeters behind each clamp for future adjustment.
Use a spirit level to make sure the two rods at the top of the frame are horizontal. If they are not, stack bits of paper under the vertices at the bottom until they are.
Drop a plumb line (or a nut hanging from a length of yarn) directly down from the indentation on the side of the left z-motor-holder. Adjust the two bar clamps at the bottom of the frame on the left side until the nut falls into the U of the outer clamp. This needs to be positioned so that the polished z-rod is exactly centered and runs perfectly vertical. Repeat on the other side.
Put M3 nuts into the nut traps on both z-motor-holder ends.
Note: The M3x25 bolts are too long for the recent Prusa z-motor-holder and rod-clamp, and the shaft of the bolt interferes with the seating of the z-motor. One can either use shorter bolts (M3x20) or cut the M3x25's to size. An alternative is to use hexagonal bolts, and insert them in reverse with the shaft pointing outwards, using a nut and washer to fix them. But the simplest solution is to turn the bolts round - put the heads in the cavities of the Z motor mounts, have the shafts sticking out, and put washers and nuts on to secure the rod clamps.
Repeat for the other z-motor-holder and rod-clamp.
Insert a 350mm smooth rod into the space between each z-motor-holder and rod-clamp. Slide it in from the top. On the bottom, insert it into the U of the bottom bar clamp.
Using the plumb line, check that the smooth rods are vertical. If they are not, adjust the bottom bar clamp positions until they are. This is critical, so take as much time as you need.
Tighten the nuts on the bar clamps and the bolts on the rod clamps. Check again with the plumb line, and adjust if necessary.
Position the x-axis assembly inside the frame so that the bushing channels on the x-axis-motor and x-axis-idler parts align with the rods. The x-end-idler part should be on the right, with the bearing on the rear side of the machine.
Pre-assemble the couplings, these are two halves that clamp over the Z threaded rods and the Z motor rods. Both pieces make one coupler.
Drill out the four M3 sized holes on both sides of the coupling.
One side of the coupling will have nut traps. Insert 4 M3 nuts per coupling.
Cut the tubing into two 1.5cm lengths and push over the Z stepper rods. It will be a tight fit but the tubing will stretch and give.
Lightly attach the other side of the coupling to the nut side with washers and 4 M3x20 bolts. Be mindful that the smaller and larger gaps line up (don't reverse the orientation). Do not tighten at all, the couplings should be loose. Later on, you will "clamp the sandwich" together, but for now they should allow a large gap.
Slide the X axis assembly to the top of the Z axis smooth rod, supporting it from underneath somewhere near the middle of the x-axis smooth rods to hold it up. This is important because only the bottom ends of the Z axis smooth rods are adjustable (in the next step). Tighten the M3x10 screws on the bottom of the x-end-motor part.
Slide the X axis assembly to the bottom of the Z axis smooth rod. If you feel the bushings binding, jog the bar clamps on both sides of the Z axis until the X axis assembly can travel the full length of the Z axis with little resistance.
Insert an M8 nut from below into the bottom of the hexagonal channels on the x-end-motor and x-end-idler parts.
Thread one end of the 210mm threaded rods into each hexagonal channel from above. The threaded rod should turn freely in each channel, and the nuts should stay snugly in place. Turn the rods until about half their length sticks out from the bottom of the parts.
Place a NEMA 17 motor into each of the two z-motor-holders, shaft down. You may optionally fasten them from underneath with M3x10 bolts and M3 washers.
Note: You might not want to secure the z-motors if you have wobbling issues with your x-axis. This is especially true if your threaded rods are not straight or your couplings are not aligned.
A good trick is to secure the motors with M3x15mm cap screws with 7mm lengths of soft silicone tube between the motor and its holder. This gives a firm but flexible mount.
Slide the coupling open and close it over the z-motor rods. Close the coupling and tighten the top two bolts just enough so that it stays in place without falling downwards.
Wrap the top of the threaded rod with electrical tape, one or two turns is fine. Turn the 210mm threaded rods so that they go upwards and enter the coupling. Screw them as far into the coupling as they will go, but do not use excessive force.
Hand tighten the bottom bolts on the couplings, then carefully tighten it all up.
Turn both threaded rods so that the x axis moves up. Make sure the couplings are supporting the weight. If the Z axis rods are hard to turn, or one is a lot harder to turn than the other, you will need to clean the inside of the spring track. The best way I have found to do this is put a nut on the end of a long scrap piece of threaded rod. Heat the nut up on your stove on high, then take the nut and run it up and down the inside of the hexagonal channel until the walls are smooth, and the channel is a little bigger than the nut that goes in it. This should loosen up the hole enough that once reassembled the trouble side travels smoothly.
Place a spirit level on the x-axis smooth rods. Turn the threaded rod on one side only until the x axis is level. Your Z axis is complete.
Ensure that the hole in the center of the pulley matches your motor shaft (it should slide on and fit very snugly). If it is too tight to fit, drill it out.
Insert an M3 nut into the rectangular slot on the pulley bottom. You may need to widen the slot slightly to do this. Make sure that the center of the nut is aligned with the channel on the side of the pulley rim.
Once you are satisfied with the position of the nut, insert an M3 grub screw i). Once you are sure of this, tighten the outer vertex nuts until they are firm, but do not crush the plastic.
Adjust each of the top rods so that the distance between the inner sides of the vertices is precisely J2 (234mm, equivalent is 9-7/32nto the channel on the rim of the hub. Tighten it until you see the end of the screw inside the center hole. Then unscrew it enough to slide the pulley onto the motor shaft.
Slide the pulley onto the motor shaft so that the rim comes onto the shaft last. Leave 1mm or so of shaft between the pulley and the motor body. Tighten the grub screw.
Insert the motor into the x-end-motor part so that the motor body is on the front of the machine and the pulley points towards the rear. The pulley teeth and the idler on the opposite side of the X axis should be aligned.
Place 4 PLA bushings on the x-axis smooth rods. Make sure they slide freely.
Put a blob of glue on the flat side of each bushing.
Place the x-carriage on top of the bushings, making sure they fit into the channels. The protruding part of the x-carriage with the four nut traps should be on the side of the pulley and idler, pointing towards the rear of the machine.
Wait for the glue to dry.
Once the glue has dried, make sure the carriage can slide along the rods freely from end to end. Turn the entire frame around so that the rear of the machine faces towards you.
Loosely attach one of the belt clamps to the carriage. Thread the two bolts through the holes in the carriage and attach nuts to them. Make sure there is enough space for the belt to slide between the clamp and the carriage. Repeat for the other clamp.
Slide one end of the belt through the left clamp, toothed side up. Pull several centimeters through, then tighten the clamp.
Run the belt over the 608 bearing and the motor pulley, then thread it through the other clamp, toothed side up. The belt should now form an elongated loop with the teeth on the inside of the loop. Pull the belt tight and tighten the second clamp.
Verify that the belt tension is right. Turning the motor pulley by hand should make the carriage move. The carriage should move freely along the entire length of the axis.
Use two M4×20 bolts with two M4 washers and two M4 nuts to mount the extruder on the x-carriage.
DON'T MOUNT THE MOTOR AND THE BIG GEAR. Wait till its written here in tips.
Look at Wade assembly manual Wade's Geared Extruder.
Prepare big wheel with hobbed bolt. Test with filament in fillament path if it matches the hobbed part of wade bolt. Prepare pulley on motor.
Assemble the long bolts for idler and the bearings. Check how bolts is lining the filament path and other stuff.
Mount the hotend to the Wade.
Mount the Wade to the x-carriage.
Mount the belt on the side where the motor will be.
Assemble the motor to Wade. Dont use washer on two bolts nearest the big gear. Preferably use low profile screws. Also dont tighten these two screw too much, you can later slide the motor without taking out the big gear.
Add the hobbed bolt with gear.
Put a washer on each of the four M3x40 bolts.
Thread a bolt into the 4 holes closest to the middle of the print top plate.
Carefully place the print top plate on top of the print bottom plate. Make sure each bolt goes through one of the holes in the print bottom plate.
Level the bed. To do this, put a spirit level (bullseye surface levels also work well) on top of the bed and adjust the nuts of each of the M3 bolts until the spirit level shows the bed is level. Use the top nut to adjust the height and the bottom nut to fix it. If you have a heated build platform, put the spirit level on the platform. Once done, tighten all nuts.
If you are new to electronics, you may find the Arduino Tutorials on Adafruit quite useful.
There are various electronics configurations out there (see Alternative Electronics). Regardless of what electronics you have, you should have at least three stepper drivers, ideally four. Those are either integrated on the board or separate modules. Identify the motor connections for X, Y, Z and the extruder stepper (E on some setups). Also identify the connections for the heated bed (if you have one), the extruder heater connection, the extruder and heated bed thermistors, and the X, Y and Z MIN endstop connections.
Screw or glue your endstops (opto or microswitch) to the long side of the three endstop holders.
If you are using opto endstops, you will need to make three opto flags. These are long, thin strips of some easily formable, opaque material, for example metal sheet from drink cans. If you are using microswitch endstops, you can skip this step. Take an empty drink can and cut three 10mmx30mm pieces from from it. These will be your optoflags.
The goal will be to place the endstops at the 0 coordinate for each axis. (x - furthest left, y - closest to the front, z - placed to ensure the printhead can get very close but not touch the printbed). Facing the front of the machine, place one on the left z smooth rod below the x axis. Place one on the far left of the rear x axis smooth rod. Place the third one on the right y axis smooth rod behind the print bottom plate.
Put an M3 washer on an M3x25 bolt and thread it through each endstop holder and push an M3 nut into the trap on the other side. Do not tighten this yet.
If you are using opto endstops, glue an optoflag onto the left side of the x-carriage, the bottom of the x-motor-bracket (pointing down) and the print bottom plate, so that they go through the gap in the optoswitch as the axis slides.
You now need to determine the limits of each axis. With the extruder/hotend installed, slide the X carriage left until the nozzle is 10mm in from the left edge of the print bottom plate. Reposition the endstop so that the opto/switch is engaged in this position. If your optoflag is too long, trim it until it just barely triggers the endstop when the nozzle is in this position. Tighten the nut on the X endstop holder, being careful not to move it.
Slide the print bottom plate backwards until the nozzle is about 42mm (equivalent is 1-21/32") in from the front edge of the print bottom plate. Reposition the endstop so that it engages when the print bottom plate is in this position. Tighten the nut on the Y endstop holder, being careful not to move it.
Adjust the Z endstop so that it is triggered when the Z axis moves downwards until the extruder nozzle is just barely above the bed. Tighten the nut on the Z endstop holder, being careful not to move it.
Decide where your electronics will live. Mount these in place first; this will allow you to route the cables more easily.
Slide the X carriage as far away from the electronics as possible.
Route the cables from each of the endstops along the frame to the electronics board. Plug each one into the appropriate connector. For the X endstop, leave enough slack in the cable to allow the X axis to move along the Z all the way up and down the frame. Make sure none of the wires interfere with the movement of the axes. Use cable ties to secure the wires to the frame.
Splice the Z motor wires together in parallel. If the motors are identical, join each wire with the wire of the same color, and then attach them to the connector that matches your electronics. Route the wires along the frame to your electronics board, and attach them to the Z-driver connector. Use cable ties to secure the wires to the frame.
Attach the Y motor wires to the connector that matches the electronics, route them along the frame (making sure they don't interfere with the Y-axis movement) and attach them to your electronics at the Y-driver connector. Use cable ties to secure the wires to the frame.
Attach the X motor wires to the connector that matches the electronics, route them along the frame and attach them to your electronics at the X-driver connector. Leave enough slack for the X-axis to move all the way up and down the Z axis without getting caught on the wires. Use cable ties to secure the wires to the frame.
Leaving enough slack so that the wires don't get stretched even when the X carriage is furthest away from the electronics, route the extruder motor, heater, and thermistor wires along the frame, to the electronics. Keep careful track of which wire is which. Color-coding is recommended. If your wires are not different colors, attach labels to the ends. Attach connectors to the wires to match your electronics and plug them into your electronics board. The stepper connection goes into the EXTRUDER/E connector. Use cable ties to secure the wires to the frame.
Move the X and Y axes all the way in each direction, and check that no wires interfere with movement. Once done, slide each axis to approximately the middle of its range.
Get a piece of paper, and write "X, Y, Z, E" on it.
Plug in the power and USB connections to the electronics. From this point on, if ANYTHING acts strange, switch off power first, and figure it out later. This is extremely important!
Connect to the electronics from a computer using repsnapper, reprap host, or replicatorg.
Stand in front of the machine. In the software, tell the X axis to move forward (positive) by 10mm. If it moves to the RIGHT, write "OK" under X on your paper. If it moves to the LEFT, write "REV" under X. If it does not move write "NO" under it.
Tell the Y axis to move forward (positive) by 10mm. If it moves FORWARD (towards you), write "OK" under Y. If it moves BACKWARD (away from you), write "REV" under Y. If the axis does not move, write "NO" under Y on your paper.
Tell the Z axis to move forward (positive) by 10mm. If it moves UP, write "OK" under Z. If it moves DOWN, write "REV" under Z. If the axis does not move, write "NO" under Z on your paper.
Tell the extruder to move forward (positive). If it moves in the direction that would push filament into , the nozzle, write "OK" under E. If it moves in the opposite direction, write "REV" under E. If the axis does not move, write "NO" under E on your paper.
Close the software and switch off the power to the machine!
For each axis that is labeled "REV", unplug its connector from the electronics, turn it by 180 degrees, and plug it in again. If the connector is polarized (can only be plugged in one way), you might need to reconnect the wires to the connector.
For each axis that is labeled "NO", make sure its connector is wired to the motor, and the connector is seated properly.
Repeat the test until all axes are labeled "OK". Now tell the X and Y axes to home. They should move until they reach their endstops, then stop.
Calibration will ensure your motors are moving the correct distance each time they are told to move. An uncalibrated print can print stretched objects or a messy pile of plastic. It's best to calculate the exact X, Y, Z, and extruder values for your printer based on known parameters. Avoid measurements, as these are prone to error.
For 5/16-18 rod lead screws set it to 1133.858 for 1/8 and 2267.716 for 1/16 stepping.
For 5/16-24 rod lead screws set it to 1512.287 for 1/8 and 3024.575 for 1/16 stepping.
This page was last edited on 1 February 2015, at 13:24.


Sucker Creek drains out of Brush Lake on a swampy trek north to the Ontonagon River system. Before going through the long journey of difficult swamps and beaver dams it creates a pleasant little drop right at the outlet of Brush Lake known as Ajibikoka Falls. Technically a multi-tiered drop, the first half is clogged with rocks and boulders that swallows up the water most of the year, leaving a small cascade of fanning drops at the bottom the main feature here.
Stop at the second two-track on the north side of Sucker Road about 3.6 miles west of US-45. Park at the gate and follow the two-track on foot. Road more-or-less dead ends after 3/4 miles at a swamp (it continues on to the northeast but is quite flooded). A short distance before the swamp there is an overgrown path on the right side that has a few scattered pink tape markings. If you can't find the path just head east from the end of the two-track, staying away from the swamp on your left, and you'll bump into Sucker Creek within a few hundred yards. Waterfall is located on the north end of Brush Lake.