Along with the booming sound of departing rockets, space tourism is booming in a south China city – at the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center.
The Wenchang launch center is China's one-of-a-kind coastal launch site. This center will support the country's space station construction activities in the 2020s, as well as hurling large exploration probes to the Moon – such as the Chang'e-5 lunar sample return mission later this year.
Construction of the site began in Sept 2009 and was completed in Nov 2014. The center has already seen the launch of the Long March-7 last June and the Long March-5 in November 2016.
Wenchang has two vertical assembly and testing plants, two launch towers, a command building and other facilities.
Visitors to the launch complex are shuttled to a launch tower with more areas reportedly opening to the public in the future.
As reported on CCTV-Plus: "We're averaging 100 to 200 tourists every day, consisting of locals, who live in Hainan, before November, and tourists who came here in the winter after November," observed Wang Xiaojia, deputy manager of Wenchang Tourism Investment Holding Co., Ltd.
The number of tourists in 2016 increased 15 percent year on year since the establishment of Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in 2014, according to the local tourism department.
Construction of a new "tourism town" is underway, reports CCTV-Plus, scheduled to be put into use in the first half of 2017.
In addition to a science and technology exhibit, the town will also use advanced technology — such as visual reality — to enable tourists to experience a realistic rocket launch space exploration missions.
This artist's rendering depicts NASA's Mars 2020 rover, with its robotic arm extended.
NASA's next Mars rover – known as Mars 2020 – has fallen under the watchful eye of the space agency's Office of Inspector General, or IG.
It's the role of the IG to conduct objective oversight of NASA programs and operations and independently report to the Administrator, Congress, and the public to further the Agency's accomplishment of its mission.
In a new IG report on the Mars 2020 effort, a number of concerns have been identified, such as design stability of some of the rover's hardware and science instruments, the rover's actuators, and growth in the mass of the rover.
These and other issues, the IG reports in a just-issued report, may affect Mars 2020 Project managers need to achieve the mission's technical objectives, meet Project milestones, and control costs.
As noted in the IG document, since 1964, NASA has spent more than $21 billion on missions exploring Mars, including four robotic rovers on the Martian surface, five static landers, and numerous satellite missions orbiting the planet.
Now in development, the Mars 2020 rover has several schedule-related issues that could indicate the Project is "overly optimistic," the IG report explains.
Caching hardware for Mars 2020 rover is depicted, but is a preliminary design that in December 2016 project personnel said was replaced with an alternative design.
According to the IG, the largest risk to the Mars 2020 schedule is the Project's Sample and Caching Subsystem (Sampling System), which will collect core samples of Martian rocks and soil and place them on the planet's surface for retrieval by a future robotic or human mission.
Three of the Sampling System's critical technologies were below technology readiness level (TRL) 6 – meaning the prototype had not yet demonstrated the capability to perform all the functions required.
The report does note that by December 2016, Mars 2020 project personnel were showing all seven technologies as having reached TRL 6.
Curiosity Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) photo acquired on Sol 1591, January 26, 2017.
Within the IG report there's note of a redesign of the rover's wheels to minimize the premature wear and tear the now-on-Mars Curiosity rover has experienced.
The redesigned wheels are twice as thick as Curiosity's and add 22 pounds (10 kilograms) of mass to the Mars 2020 rover. Mars 2020 engineers are considering software changes that could improve the rover's ability to match wheel drive with the terrain.
Noted in the IG document, although project managers do not foresee further mass growth of the Mars 2020 rover, they are monitoring the mass and volume of the turret. They indicated that, if necessary, additional steps can be taken such as removing a proposed helicopter technology demonstration from the mission to keep the mass below 2,315 pounds (1,050 kilograms).
Proposed helicopter for Mars 2020 rover may be scrapped.
NASA has concurred with IG recommendations and has described planned actions, as detailed in the report.
"We provided a draft of this report to NASA management who concurred with our recommendations and described planned actions to address them," the IG report states.
If successful, the Axiom International Commercial Space Station is billed as a "historic shift" in human spaceflight.
Work is underway to orbit the world's first private, international commercial space station, a complex that would serve a global community of sovereign and private astronauts.
The Axiom International Commercial Space Station is being pursued to enlarge the landscape of low Earth orbit, to create what they view as a "historic shift" in human spaceflight.
The Axiom International Commercial Space Station is intended to serve as a complex for astronauts, research and manufacturing missions. It can also become a base for trial-running deep space systems.
By making the microgravity of space available to nations, organizations and individuals, living and working in Earth orbit can become commonplace, Axiom believes, to not only cater to markets here on Earth but also support deep space exploration.
Future lunar dwellers may find solace atop a near-perpetually sunlit peak close to the Moon's south pole – in a temple to celebrate the Moon as a powerful symbol of unity for humankind.
The temple would be built on the sunlit rim of Shackleton Crater, which is bathed much of the time in sunlight while overlooking the crater's deep interior of everlasting shadow.
Shackleton crater has a diameter of 13 miles (21 kilometers) and is over 2.6 miles (4.2 kilometers) deep. This site is a potential candidate for a future outpost on the Moon due to its unique lighting conditions.
While some of its peaks receive almost continuous sunlight, its interior (one of the coldest and darkest places in the Solar System) may have captured water ice, key for a self-sustainable lunar settlement, explains an ESA statement on the temple concept.
A European Space Agency's Advanced Concepts Team (ACT) includes the artistic touches of Jorge Mañes Rubio – the group's artist in residence. His "Peak of Eternal Light art project" involves a "Moon Temple." It is a structure meant to be a symbol of unity for humankind, reflecting the pull that our natural satellite has always had on the human imagination.
"So this Temple is intended as a mythic and universal structure that can hopefully bring people together in this new environment in novel ways," Rubio explains.
The nearly 165 foot (50 meters) high domed structure is envisioned by ESA materials specialists as a possible structure put in place in one-sixth gravity by 3D printing of lunar soil. The result might resemble "abode" architecture, Rubio adds, an ancient method of building that is still made use to this day.
The Temple's free-standing dome would allow patrons to view Earth for two weeks at a time, Rubio points out, inspiring more independent thinking. One opening in the dome will look Earthwards, while another at the top will peer out into deep space.
As a next step, Rubio aims to create small sculptures and "artefacts" out of simulated lunar materials, inspired by the simulated lunar environment at ESA's European Astronaut Centre near Cologne, Germany.
Meanwhile, Johann-Dietrich Woerner, ESA's Director General, has been very vocal on establishing a "Moon Village" – a robotic and human presence on the Moon, given the eventual decommissioning in 2024 of the International Space Station.
Rubio continues to work on his Peak of Eternal Light art project. An interactive VR experience and digital app is being planned. This free app will allow anybody to virtually travel to the south pole of the Moon and explore Shackleton crater in all its glory.
Peak of Eternal Light and the Moon Temple is an art project created by Jorge Mañes Rubio as artist in residence at the European Space Agency (ESA). Spatial design and visualization in collaboration with DITISHOE.
deposits. Background map is Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) topography.
One of the more intriguing findings on Mars of late has been spotting recurring slope lineae in certain areas of the Red Planet.
These dark fingers of mystery – RSL in Mars shorthand — emerge from steep, rocky exposures. They incrementally grow, fade, and reform on a seasonal basis.
But what RSL truly represent is controversial. Some researchers say they are suggestive that liquid water occurs on or near the surface of Mars today.
More to the point are RSL created via brine or just small rock/debris falls?
The upcoming 48th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC), to be held March 20-24 in The Woodlands, Texas, promises to be a meeting of the minds on enigmatic RSL.
(Left) This HiRISE image shows the darkest and longest candidate RSL at Cape Victory on the SW rim of Victoria crater. Other HiRISE images show these candidate RSL recurring and fading.
(Right) False color Pancam image from Opportunity (MER-B) at Cape Verde on 04 November 4, 2006. This image shows the candidate RSL beneath Cape Victory as viewed by the rover. The arrow points to the same candidate RSL in (a) and (b).
For example, new research is being presented that NASA's Opportunity rover has detected candidate RSL sites in Cape Victory on the southwest side of Victoria crater and on the east side of Endeavour Crater.
Opportunity is a true veteran of Mars exploration. The wheeled robot just cruised past 13 years of service on the Red Planet; it landed on Mars on January 24, 2004.
Superimposed Opportunity rover on Rim of Victoria Crater (Artist Concept).
The rover is now heading south, across rough and steep terrain, along the rim of Endeavour Crater. Its current scientific objective is to investigate a gully about a kilometer south of its current location.
As of Sol 4623 (Jan. 24, 2017, the total odometry for Opportunity since landing is 27.26 miles (43.87 kilometers).
Research led by David Stillman of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, is to be presented at the LPSC – including a look at the first image of a candidate RSL recorded from the surface of Mars.
This feature was serendipitously imaged via the Panoramic Camera (Pancam) on Opportunity at Cape Verde back in November 2006, Stillman and his colleagues report.
The candidate RSL in Cape Victory is roughly 40 feet (12 meters) long and has been seen in over a dozen Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) images. Those images show recurrence and fading of the feature, but no incremental lengthening.
Built by Ball Aerospace, the HiRISE camera system on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter yields unmatched views of layered materials, gullies, channels, and other science targets and also characterizes possible future landing sites for robotic and human missions.
Confirmed sites show recurrence, incremental lengthening, and fading of dark lineae, the researchers explain, while candidate RSL sites have dark lineae that look like RSL but do not possess all three of the characteristics in available imagery.
Stillman and his research colleagues also note in their LPSC research – "Dark Lineae on the Equatorial Layered Deposits; Are these Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL) or Small Debris Flows?" — that candidate RSL near the Curiosity Mars rover have been detected to fade and recur.
This site is roughly 3 miles (5 kilometers) from Curiosity's current locale, with plans for the rover to drive much closer to the feature, enabling future imaging of the candidate RSL.
In their research, Stillman adds that candidate RSL are detected in most HiRISE images covering layered deposits with hydrated sulfates.
Self image taken by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover.
"If additional HiRISE images are able to confirm that RSL are being formed at locations where groundwater reached and altered the surface billions of years ago, this finding would support the hypothesis that RSL are formed and recharged via groundwater and that discharge groundwater is accessible to search or extant life or to be used as a resource for human exploration," the researchers conclude.
Curiosity Mastcam Left image taken on Sol 1591, January 27, 2017.
Now in Sol 1593, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is set to carry out an agenda of science duties.
The Red Planet robot drove 26 feet (8 meters) on Sol 1591, with this weekend's plan calling for additional driving.
Curiosity has carried out a wheel inspection, images that show damage given the one-ton rover's rolling over Martian rocks since landing.
The three-sol plan — 1593-1595 — starts with a few data management activities for Mastcam and the robot's Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), and a recovery sequence to restart the Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) after it was marked "sick," reports Lauren Edgar, a research geologist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Also on tap is taking Mastcam mosaics of "Dead River" and "Boil Mountain" to investigate laminations within the Murray formation and provide some context imaging of the "Misery" outcrop.
On the second sol, Curiosity is to wake up early for some environmental monitoring observations, including some Navcam movies and Mastcam imaging to assess atmospheric opacity, Edgar adds.
The plan calls for another Mastcam mosaic of "Ireson Hill" to document the stratigraphy with long baseline stereo imaging.
Curiosity Navcam Left B image taken on Sol 1591, January 26, 2017.
The third sol includes additional environmental monitoring, a drive, post-drive imaging for targeting, and preparing for more contact science.
Edgar says that Curiosity will also perform a Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Instrument Suite evolved gas experiment to use the residual derivatization vapor in the sample manipulation system.
Curiosity Navcam Left B image taken on Sol 1591, January 27, 2017.
Since landing in August 2012, through Sol 1591, Curiosity has driven 9.53 miles (15.34 kilometers).
Eu:CROPIS – short for Euglena and Combined Regenerative Organic-food Production in Space.
A satellite is slated for launch later this year that will conduct plant growth experiments in both lunar and Martian gravity.
The spacecraft is Eu:CROPIS – short for Euglena and Combined Regenerative Organic-food Production in Space. Eu:CROPIS is an experiment by the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR).
During its mission, the Eu:CROPIS spacecraft will rotate around its own axis at an altitude of over 370 miles (600 kilometers), initially producing the gravitational force of the Moon within it for six months, and will then replicate Martian gravity for another six months.
During this time, tomato seeds will germinate and grow into small space tomatoes under the watchful eye of 16 cameras.
Tomato seeds will germinate and grow into small space tomatoes under the watchful eye of 16 cameras.
An entire group of microorganisms contained in a trickle filter will use synthetic urine to produce a nourishing fertilizer for the tomatoes; euglena will also be transported on board to supply the hermetic system with additional protection against excess ammonia and to produce oxygen.
LED light will be used to provide the day/night rhythm that the euglena and tomato seed require. A pressure tank will replicate the Earth's atmosphere.
The satellite, to be lofted via a SpaceX Flacon 9 booster this year, will be controlled by the German Space Operations Center (GSOC), which is operated by DLR in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich, while the ground station in Weilheim, among others, will handle communications.
Hauslage notes that in a lunar habitat, for instance, the greenhouse would be located in the astronauts' 'home' in a simulated Earth atmosphere. Urine would be one of the waste products the astronauts would produce in abundance. Here, the plants would have to adapt to reduced gravity conditions – the gravitational pull on the Moon is approximately one sixth of what it is on Earth, and on Mars it is around one third.
Once Eu:CROPIS and its scientific payload reach space, the first stage will be to activate the greenhouse that will simulate a lunar environment. The second greenhouse with Martian gravity will be activated six months later.
By this time, the microorganisms, tomato seeds and euglena will have been exposed to cosmic radiation for six months. That's the equivalent to a flight to Mars. The DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine will measure the radiation exposure inside and outside the satellite throughout the entire mission.
DLR technicians work on Euglena and Combined Regenerative Organic-food Production in Space experiment, to be launched later this year.
"We are using Eu:CROPIS to space test technology for use in habitats on other celestial bodies, but it could be installed just as well in a terrestrial setting," says Hauslage.
For instance, trickle filters can be fitted to make manure more effective and less odorous. Recycling urine in conurbations, for instance in greenhouses installed in high-rise buildings (vertical farms), would be another possible use.
Curiosity Mastcam Left image taken on Sol 1589, January 24, 2017.
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is carrying out science duties during Sol 1591.
The Sol 1589 and Sol 1590 plan went well, with the robot wheeling roughly 102 feet (31 meters).
Curiosity's Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) remains "sick" and some diagnostic activities are being planned for the upcoming weekend, reports Ryan Anderson, a planetary scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Instead, on the plan is a Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) check-up of the rover wheels.
"After the MAHLI images of the wheels, we will do a short 'bump' drive to get in position for weekend science," Anderson says.
Curiosity's Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) Instrument Suite is slated to do an evolved gas experiment overnight.
Then on Sol 1592, the robot's Navcam is scheduled for a dust devil search and Mastcam has some multispectral images of Hematite Ridge.
Curiosity Navcam Right B image acquired on Sol 1589, January 24, 2017.
A map the Curiosity rover's location for Sol 1589 was released on January 25.
The map shows the route driven by NASA's Mars rover Curiosity through the 1589 Martian day, or sol, of the rover's mission on the Red Planet that began in August 2012.
Numbering of the dots along the map line indicate the sol number of each drive. North is up.
The base image from this map is from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment Camera (HiRISE) in NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
From Sol 1587 to Sol 1589, Curiosity has driven a straight line distance of about 94.78 feet (28.89 meters).
Since touching down in Bradbury Landing in August 2012, Curiosity has driven 9.53 miles (15.34 kilometers).
Curiosity Navcam Left B image taken on Sol 1588, January 23, 2017.
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is performing science duties as it works its way through Sol 1589.
This past weekend saw the robot drive roughly 92 feet (28 meters), reports Ryan Anderson, a planetary scientist at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Curiosity Navcam Right B image taken on Sol 1587, January 22, 2017.
The plan for Sol 1589 has the rover continuing its slow ascent of Mt. Sharp. Curiosity's Chemistry & Camera (ChemCam) remains in a "sick" condition, with ground teams trying to sort out the error that occurred last week.
The upshot is that the robot's Sol 1589 science block is heavy on Mastcam observations.
Curiosity Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) photo acquired on Sol 1586, January 21, 2017. MAHLI is located on the turret at the end of the rover's robotic arm.
Following this planned duty, Curiosity's Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) is slated to measure the composition of "Cape Elizabeth" and the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) is on tap to take supporting pictures.
Once the robot's arm activity is done the rover will drive about 98 feet (30 meters), squeezing between a couple of large rocks, Ryan notes, toward some bedrock that looks good for more contact science.
Curiosity Mastcam Left image taken on Sol 1587, January 22, 2017.
After the drive, Curiosity will carry out standard post-drive imaging.
Work is underway in China to carry out the first Moon-sample return to Earth mission in over four decades.
Liftoff of Chang'e-5 is to occur at the end of November, according to the Xinhua news agency. The robotic craft is to ride atop China's Long March-5 booster, departing from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in southern China's Hainan Province.
According to Chinese news services, the over 8-ton Chang'e-5 is comprised of four parts: the "orbiter" "lander" "ascender" and a "returner" – an Earth reentry module.
The mission will be China's first automated Moon surface sampling probe, a mission that involves the first robotic docking in a lunar orbit to transfer collected lunar samples for return to Earth.
The lander will place lunar samples in a vessel in the ascender after the Moon landing. Then the ascender will take off from the lunar surface to dock with the orbiter and the returner orbiting the moon, and transfer the samples to the returner.
The orbiter and returner then head back to Earth, separating from each other far from Earth, with the returner module reentering and parachuting to Earth.
If successful, the Chang'e-5 mission would be the first lunar sample return to Earth in over 40 years.
The former Soviet Union successfully executed three robotic sample return missions: Luna 16 returned a small sample (101 grams) from Mare Fecunditatis in September of 1970; February 1972, Luna 20 returned 55 grams of soil from the Apollonius highlands region; Luna 24 retrieved 170.1 grams of lunar samples from the Moon's Mare Crisium (Sea of Crisis) for return to Earth in August 1976.
The first spacecraft of China's Moon program, the Chang'e 1 lunar orbiter, was launched in 2007, after which Chang'e 2 was launched in 2010. Chang'e 3, included a lander and rover and was launched in December 2013, successfully soft-landing on the Moon.
Also on the country's Moon exploration schedule is the launch of the Chang'e-4 lunar probe around 2018.
Chang'e-4 is designed to make the first soft landing on the far side of the Moon, and to conduct an in situ and roving detection and relay communications at the Earth-Moon L2 point, according to the China National Space Administration.
"The country plans to send robots to explore both lunar poles," said the administration's vice director Wu Yanhua late last year, adding that plans to send astronauts to the Moon were also being discussed, according to the Xinhua news agency.


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Interview with Kathleen Wilford about Cabby Potts, Duchess of Dirt
September 8, 2022 September 7, 2022 ~ bookvillageadmin
Shari: Hi Kathleen! I'm so excited to chat with you today about your debut novel, Cabby Potts, Duchess of Dirt, which just released on September 1! Tell us about your book, and what led you to write this story!
Kathleen: Thanks so much for having me on MG Book Village!
Cabby Potts, Duchess of Dirt is set in Kansas in 1875, the year after the grasshoppers devastated the state. My main character, Cabby, is an "outdoor kind of girl," more interested in farming than fashion. Cabby's struggling homestead is her first real home, and she's desperate not to lose it, even if that means accepting a housemaiding job at stuffy, high-class Ashford manor. She's also a bit naïve and has what her mother calls an intemperate tongue. These qualities get Cabby in trouble when, hoping to save her home and get out of a job she hates, she hatches an improbable matchmaking scheme between her romantic older sister and the young lord of Ashford Manor. When her rash plot backfires, Cabby must use her voice to stand up for herself, a Native American friend, and her entire community threatened by land-grabbers.
As for what led me to write this story: When I learned that British aristocrats had founded a settlement on plains of Kansas in the 1870's, I imagined a young homesteader going to work at one of the grand homes of the settlement. And the character of Cabby was born.
Shari: Cabby Potts sounds like such a fascinating character, full of schemes and plans, but with her heart in the right place. Was there a particular inspiration for her character, and what do you like most about her?
Kathleen: You're right, Shari. Cabby is impetuous and quick to draw conclusions, and she tends to leap before she looks! But, like you say, she has a big heart and would do anything to save her family and her home. She was inspired by some of my favorite literary heroines, Laura Ingalls and the pioneer women of Willa Cather. Like them, Cabby doesn't care about "frippery," and she's eager to get her hands in the dirt.
Shari: HIstorical fiction requires some research to get the setting and details just right. Would you tell us about your research process? What drew you to this period of history? Were there any fascinating factoids you came across during your research that didn't make it into the book?
Kathleen:My book is based on the true story of the Victoria settlement in Kansas, so of course I began with learning everything I could about that. In general, I like to begin with books that situate the time period I'm studying in a larger historical context. I follow that up with more specific books and then with primary sources. For Cabby Potts, I consulted homesteader journals, 1870's editions of the Dodge City Times, an 1841 book by Dr. Samuel Sheldon Fitch called Diseases of the Chest (fascinating, trust me), Mrs. Beeton's book on the duties of a housemaid . . . etc.! Since I work for Rutgers University as a writing instructor, I'm lucky enough to have access to the rich depth of primary materials owned by the university. I think primary sources are key not only to authentic details but to the language of the times.
Several experts also helped me with questions, and of course, Google is great for filling in details.
I learned so many fascinating tidbits of information in my research, many of which I couldn't include in the book but would be happy to tell you about sometime! Some facts that DID make it into the book: people used to believe that walking on the prairie could cure consumption (tuberculosis)—housemaids were not allowed to whistle in the house—dried up buffalo dung was burned for fuel.
One fact that got me thinking was that fully half of all homesteaders didn't make it and never "proved up" on their claims. We tend to romanticize homesteading on the prairies, but it was brutally difficult.
Shari: What is your favorite part of writing a book?
Kathleen: Well, my least favorite part of writing a book is outlining—in fact, I just can't do it. I have an idea of beginning, middle and end before I write, but it's not a detailed outline.
My favorite part of writing might be revising, oddly enough. I like going over and over a sentence, polishing the style, working on voice, finding just the right words. I also love the research process but have to avoid going down too many rabbit holes.
Shari: What has been the most surprising aspect of your debut publishing experience, and how would you describe releasing your story into the world?
Kathleen: I didn't know what to expect in the publication process, so all of it has been surprising, challenging, and exhilarating! I've been so grateful for the help and generous support I've received, beginning with my publisher, Michele McAvoy of Blue Bronco Books. I'm especially impressed by librarians, who are always working to keep up with new releases and are willing to read and promote new books. And fellow writers have helped by reviewing and boosting as well. The writing community is the best!
Shari: If readers enjoy Cabby Potts, what other books do you think they will enjoy?
Kathleen: If they love prairie/pioneer stories: Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park, May B by Caroline Starr Rose, and classics like Caddy Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink.
If they love all things British: A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus, The War that Saved my Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, and classics like the Narnia books.
If they love historical fiction with funny, spunky heroines: Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool, The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly, and The Summer We Found the Baby by Amy Hest.
Shari: What are you reading these days?
Kathleen: I was able to pick up some great ARC's at the ALA Convention in DC (so much fun to sign books there!), including The Secret Battle of Evan Pao, by Wendy Wan-Long Shang and The Last Mapmaker, by Christina Soontornvat. And I have a long middle-grade TBR!
Shari: Can you tell us what you are working on next?
Kathleen: Well, I have some irons in the fire, but most of them are unformed at this point. I hope to settle down to writing this fall.
Shari: Where can our readers go to find out more about you and your writing, and what is one thing you'd like young readers to know about you?
Kathleen: Readers can connect with me on my website: https://www.kathleenwilford.com/
Or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kathwilford
A couple of things people might not know about me:
I was born in a place that no longer exists: The Panama Canal Zone, Panama. (The Canal Zone was once a U.S. territory but was formally returned to Panama in 1999.) I also lived in Costa Rica and Colombia. I can speak some Spanish, but I'm rusty.
I love to mow the lawn!
Shari: Thank you so much for joining us at MG Book Village to chat about your book. I can't wait to read it!
Kathleen: Thanks so much for having me!!
Kathleen Wilford was born in Panama and has lived in four different countries and three different states—but never in Kansas, where her book is set. She studied literature at Cornell University and at Rutgers University in New Jersey, where she now teaches writing. When she's not teaching or writing, Kathleen can be found outdoors, chasing her disobedient dog.
Cabby Potts, Duchess of Dirt is Kathleen's debut novel for kids.
Shari Sawyers is a School Librarian in Texas. You can read more about Shari at the MG Book Village "About" page.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


In December 2014, RMF South Sudan entered into a partnership with UNICEF and the South Sudan Ministry of Health to bring our expertise in malnutrition treatment, education, and outreach to one of the hardest hit areas of South Sudan, Jonglei State. This initiative is designed to ensure that all children under 5 with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) are reached with a package of integrated nutrition services in the counties of Jonglei State assigned to RMF by UNICEF: Ayod and Boma. In January 2015, RMF launched the Malnutrition Program, and implementation started in early March 2015.
In March 2016, RMF integrated a Targeted Supplementary Feeding Program (TSFP) through the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) into the existing nutrition programs to ensure provision of comprehensive nutrition services. The TSFP is bridging the gap experienced by RMF in the first year of nutrition services; this ensures children under 5 with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and pregnant and lactating women (PLW) are reached with nutrition services. In 2017 alone, 62,488 children under 5 years of age were screened or signs of acute malnutrition and 1,728 children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) were identified and treated.
On February 7, 2017, South Sudan announced the end of its longest and deadliest cholera outbreak. According to the World Health Organization, there had been more than 21,000 cases of suspected cholera and 436 deaths reported since the outbreak was declared on June 18, 2016. In Ayod County—the envisioned location for RMF's proposed project and the area where we are implementing the nutrition program supported by UNICEF and WFP— 3,856 cholera cases and 39 deaths were reported between June 2016 and November 2017 according to the OCHA. However, due to the armed conflict, lack of health infrastructure, and nomadic nature of the populations of concern, we believe the actual numbers of cholera cases and deaths are likely much higher.
In the fight against cholera in South Sudan, WHO reports that during 2017, over 885,000 higher-risk people received a first round of cholera immunization and almost 500,000 received a second round of the vaccine. These immunizations and the end of the outbreak are positive developments that must be built upon.
In their July 19, 2018 report, WHO acknowledges that cholera "continues to be a public health threat to children, women, and other vulnerable groups in South Sudan." The organization acquired 562,000 oral cholera vaccine doses this year and has been implementing vaccination campaigns to lower the risk of another outbreak. UNICEF, likewise, continues to implement cholera vaccination campaigns, and as of September 30, 2018, observed that there have been no reported cases of cholera during the year. However, in many locations, including the remote villages where RMF works in Ayod County, the lack of health and WASH infrastructure means that populations remain highly vulnerable to cholera.
RMF remains vigilant and well positioned to implement a cholera prevention and treatment program in remote areas of Ayod County, where our national and local staff have earned the trust of communities and continue to work daily with malnourished children under 5 years of age and pregnant and lactating women. With funding, RMF will be able to quickly and effectively integrate cholera prevention, testing, and treatment measures into our existing facilities and programs.


text:
S Seamus Heaney
Digging by Seamus Heaney
Here is an analysis of the poem 'Digging' by Seamus Heaney. Heaney was an Irish playwright, poet, and academic; he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995. Heaney's career was both prolific and successful. In 1966, he published his first major work, Death of a Naturalist, in which this poem is included. Three years later, he published his second volume of poetry, Door into the Dark. By this time, Heaney was already receiving critic acclaim for his writing, and a slew of academic lectures followed. While many of his poems can be construed as being political in nature, the majority of his poems fall under the category of naturalism; many of the images in his poem are taken from his surroundings in Northern Ireland. Heaney died on August 30, 2013, after a short illness.
Explore Digging
2 Analysis of Digging
3 Historical Significance
This poem is autobiographical in nature. The speaker, presumably Heaney, is sitting at his writing desk, preparing to write, when he hears his father working in the garden outside. This conjures memories of the speaker as a young boy, listening and watching as his father digs in the potato garden. The speaker marvels at how well his father digs, which conjures an even older memory of his grandfather, his father's father, completing the arduous task of digging through peat moss. Toward the end of the poem, the speaker writes as though he can smell the potatoes from the garden and the peat moss his grandfather has dug. He confesses that he does not have a spade like the two generations before him, but he does have a pen which he will use to "dig."
Analysis of Digging
The poem, which can be read in full here, is comprised of eight stanzas of varying length. There is no set rhyme scheme, though some of the lines do rhyme.
Stanza One
Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests; snug as a gun.
The first stanza contains only two lines. The speaker is focusing on the pen in his hand. Heaney utilizes a simile, telling the reader the pen rests "snug as a gun." The reference to a gun is no coincidence: Heaney expects the reader to infer that the pen is his instrument, his weapon. This idea will repeat itself in the last stanza of the poem.
Stanza Two
Under my window, a clean rasping sound
My father, digging. I look down
In the second stanza, the speaker hears the sound of his father's garden spade sinking "into gravelly ground." He gazes down at his father while he works in the garden. There is no punctuation at the end of the last line in stanza two, the thought is continued into the third stanza.
Stanza Three
Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds
Where he was digging.
Heaney utilizes a flashback quite cleverly in the third stanza. The speaker is suddenly transported to twenty years ago, watching his father complete the same task.
Stanza Four
The coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft
Loving their cool hardness in our hands.
The fourth stanza is rich in description, as the speaker paints the image of his father digging through the potato beds.
Stanza Five
By God, the old man could handle a spade.
Just like his old man.
The fifth stanza is comprised of just two simple lines as the speaker marvels at his father. The reader is then transported even further through time as the speaker then conjures images of his grandfather performing a similar task.
Stanza Six
My grandfather cut more turf in a day
For the good turf. Digging.
The eight lines contained in the sixth stanza are the longest in the poem. The first two lines read:
Than any other man on Toner's bog.
Here, the reader gets a glimpse into the setting of the poem. In Ireland, peat moss has been used as an alternative to coal. Cutting turf is an incredibly grueling task and the fact that Heaney claims his grandfather could cut more than any other man signifies not only the physical strength of his grandfather, but Heaney's own admiration for the hard work his grandfather was able to do by himself.
He then shares an anecdote with his reader as he describes encountering his grandfather out on the bog one day. The speaker describes a day when he brought a bottle of milk to his grandfather. Heaney's grandfather barely stops his work, quickly drinking the milk and then returning to digging and cutting.
Stanza Seven
The cold smell of potato mould, the squelch and slap
But I've no spade to follow men like them.
The seventh stanza returns the reader to the present day, as the speaker sits at his writing desk.
The memories are so vivid and alive in the speaker that he can actually smell the freshly dug potatoes and the "soggy peat". He can hear the sound the peat made as it was cut. The speaker realizes that unlike his father and grandfather, he has no spade to follow in their footsteps.
Stanza Eight
I'll dig with it.
What he does have, however, is revealed in the eighth and final stanza, which contains only three lines. Much is contained in these three simple lines. First, Heaney uses repetition, as once again, he describes holding his pen between his finger and thumb.
Heaney's diction here is also curious, as he uses the word "squat" to describe his instrument. While it can describe the physical appearance of the pen itself, Heaney could also be showing the connection between himself and his father and grandfather, both of whom would have to squat in order to properly dig for the potatoes and peat moss. The last line, "I'll dig with it," signifies that while Heaney realizes his instrument is different from previous generations, he is still completing an arduous task. While his father and grandfather dug for potatoes and moss, he is digging for the right word, constantly attempting to create sustenance through his words.
Historical Significance
While this poem certainly is not political in nature, it does give a glimpse into the lives of hardworking Irishmen. In previous generations, men had to dig for both food and fuel. Because Ireland does not have a wealth of coal, men often had to dig through the bogs to acquire enough peat moss that could be burned as an alternative means of fuel.
Home » Seamus Heaney » Digging
About Jamie Jenson
Jamie joined the Poem Analysis team back in November, 2010. He has a passion for poetry and enjoys analysing and providing interpretations for poetry from the past and present.
Thank you so much,I'm from Asia
Hello. I am in England and we welcome your feedback from across the globe!
Great never really helped me in my assessment but thank you anyway
As long as you faired well in the assignment then it's all good.
Donbi says:
Thank you so much.. from South Korea!
I've never read a poetry analysis like yours.
It is really easy to read.. easy to understand..
I can even smell the potatoes.. haha .. thank you…
wow thank you. I's lovely to know we are having an impact as far afield as South Korea!
This was such a good analysis without over or understating anything.Thank you so much for helping our students like myself.
Thank you for your lovely feedback. We are glad to have helped.
Jenson, Jamie. "Digging by Seamus Heaney". Poem Analysis, https://poemanalysis.com/seamus-heaney/digging/. Accessed 20 January 2022.


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'Everything is gone': Bahamians stunned in Dorian's wake, 70,000 need immediate humanitarian relief
A helicopter takes off outside Marsh Harbour Healthcare Center after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas, Thursday. | REUTERS
NASSAU – Stunned residents of the Bahamas surveyed the wreckage of their homes and officials struggled to assess the number killed by Hurricane Dorian, as the storm bore down on the South Carolina coast on Thursday, threatening record flooding.
Some 70,000 people in the Bahamas needed immediate humanitarian relief after the most damaging storm ever to hit the island nation, the United Nations said.
Aerial video of the worst-hit Abaco Islands in the northern Bahamas showed widespread devastation, with the harbor, shops, workplaces, a hospital and airport landing strips damaged or decimated, frustrating rescue efforts.
One of the most powerful Caribbean storms on record, Dorian was rated a Category 5 hurricane when it killed at least 20 people in the Bahamas. Authorities expect that number to rise, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said at a news briefing, as retreating floodwaters revealed the scope of destruction.
One of the storm survivors on the Abaco Islands, Ramond King, said he watched as swirling winds ripped the roof off his house, then churned to a neighbor's home to pluck the entire structure into the sky.
"'This can't be real, this can't be real,' " King recalled thinking. "Nothing is here, nothing at all. Everything is gone, just bodies."
With telephones down in many areas, residents posted lists of missing loved ones on social media. One Facebook post by media outlet Our News Bahamas had 2,500 comments, mainly listing lost family members.
Dorian killed one person in Puerto Rico before hovering over the Bahamas for two days with torrential rains and fierce winds that whipped up 12- to 18-foot (3.7- to 5.5-meter) storm surges.
Dorian was barreling north-northeast just off the coast of the United States on Thursday, moving at about 8 mph (13 kph) with 110 mph (175 kph) winds, the top strength of a Category 2 storm on the five-point Saffir-Simpson wind scale.
More than 2.2 million people in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina had been ordered to evacuate, but Florida avoided a direct hit.
The storm was about 50 miles (80 km) east-southeast of flood-prone Charleston, South Carolina, at 11 a.m. EST (1500 GMT), the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in an advisory.
"Dorian will continue to move close to the coast of South Carolina today, and then move near or over the coast of North Carolina tonight and Friday," the NHC said.
The Carolinas should expect storm surges, wind, heavy rainfall and tornadoes, the NHC said. The storm surge warning covered parts of the coast from Georgia to southern Virginia.
The streets of downtown Charleston were all but deserted early Thursday.
About a foot (30 cm) of rain will drop on the city and many parts of the coast of the Carolinas on Thursday and Friday, said Bob Oravec, a forecaster with the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland.
"It's pretty substantial," he said. "It's already raining heavy in Charleston and up and down the coast."
More than 210,000 homes and businesses were without power in South Carolina and Georgia, according to local electric companies.
An international relief effort was underway for the Bahamas, with a British Royal Navy vessel providing assistance and Jamaica sending a 150-member military contingent to help secure Abaco and Grand Bahama, officials said.
The U.S. Agency for International Development said a flight with enough relief supplies to help 31,500 people landed in the islands early on Thursday, bringing hygiene kits, water containers and buckets, plastic sheeting and chain saws.
Also arriving was a disaster assistance response team (DART) plane that included a fire and rescue team from Fairfax County, Virginia, to help the authorities search for survivors, USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance said on Twitter.
Volunteers also ferried supplies to the islands in a flotilla of small boats.
As many as 13,000 homes in the Bahamas may have been destroyed or severely damaged, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said.
Norwegian energy company Equinor said it had discovered a spill on the ground outside tanks at its damaged storage terminal in the Bahamas, but was unclear on volumes and had not seen any oil at sea.
U.S., weather, U.K., storms, Aid, Bahamas, USAID, hurricane dorian, Hubert Minnis., abaco


the last of its assets.
million in sales is a crushingly small when you've budgeted for 100 million.
still struggling to absorb the staggering magnitude of last month's attack.
I'm still trying to understand the new world we entered on September 11.
business. I had the trilliondollar beat, B2B.
correspondents back at work covering more grimly serious events.
Lester Craft, now heads up the last of the pure ebusiness slicks, Line 56.
finance and industry were disgusted by the excesses of hype and hyperbole.
cycle, as you may notice, is fully in place.
time now, not so dizzy with dreams.
Shoestring Entrepreneur's Guide to Internet Startups (St. Martin's Press).


#2....."EVEREST WAS ALSO CONQUERED" - BODIE 3.7 . you'll never walk alone !
thankyou , so glad you like this image of Doyle and thankyou for looking .
That's a lovely shot and he suits the blue denim.
glad you like it and yes the blue denim does suit him very much . It goes very well with his skin tone.
Thankyou so much for your comment on this.
Thankyou , so glad that you like this Doyle image and thankyou for taking a look.
You can let go of your breath now and breathe calmly *g*. So glad you like this image of your Doyle and i'm overjoyed that it made your Saturday complete.
Thanks ever so much for taking a look.
Mmmm, so beautiful. Thanks for sharing the pretty.
You are very welcome and thankyou for liking ...I'm glad you like this image of Doyle.


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Chair, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Rush University Medical Center, a nationally recognized clinical and academic institution


text:
The adherents of Christian religions include upwards of 2 billion people – almost one-third of the world's population, according to David Barrett, compiler of religion statistics for the Encyclopedia Britannica.[1] While Christianity began in the Middle East, it is generally considered a European/ American religion. Those areas, however, do not encompass the majority of adherents. More Christians are found in the "third world" – those areas that were formerly colonized by European powers. The story of the beginnings and spread of the world's most prolific religion[2] is informative of the current church growth climate since there are some similarities between them.
The majority of churches in the United States are exhibiting a common pattern: their base attendance is shrinking. The pattern is shared by virtually every ecclesiastical body. The U.S. population grew approximately 18% from 1990 to 2005. During that same period of time, church attendance dropped from 49% to 43% of adults.[3] Barna Research suggests that the new conversion rate in all American churches is 1.7% per year. Additionally, more than half the adults in the U.S. have little to no confidence in the Christian churches in America, according to other Barna research results.[4] When taken as a whole, this leaves the church with another, more meaningful statistic. The attrition rate is 2.4% when figures are adjusted for death rate, aging and general population growth.[5] Thus, for every 17 new members, 24 people leave the church. [1/24/2009 – All italic figures on this page were researched and updated.]
These figures illustrate a change in a long-term pattern of church attendance behavior. As the population aged in the past, it became more likely to attend church. People did so as they searched for meaning in their lives in the face of their own mortality. But this pattern is waning, and the Baby-boomer generation – those born between 1946-63 – are most responsible for breaking this historical trend. The oldest Boomers have reached the age in which mortality becomes a primary concern, yet they are not turning to the church for answers. By 2025, forecasts show as many as 62 million people in the U.S. will be 65 or older.[6] Churches must come to understand what these figures represent, not simply attempt business models of "improving" services, instituting consumer-friendly programs or advertising more effectively. The church needs to examine its ability to help the members of this age group make meaning of their lives, as opposed to instituting programmatic changes to dazzle them. This process requires the courage to institute deep self-examination.
Recent history has brought churches to an interesting juncture that mirrors the situation in American business today. Over the last three decades, big business has grown exponentially. To take just one example, Wal-Mart is now the largest corporation in the world. Its 2001 revenues were over $219 billion and unaudited revenues for the one year period ending Oct 31, 2008 exceed $499 billion.[7] [That is the equivalent of over $1,600 per person in the U.S. ] But this growth has come at a price.[8] In America, corporate downsizing has ended any sense of employment stability [and, hence, loyalty]. Manufacturing increasingly is shipped overseas. Growth now comes via reducing competition through mergers and acquisitions or cutthroat business practices – [a process that eventually lead to the financial crisis of 2007-2009].
The proliferation of "megachurches" in recent decades, particularly within the last decade, mirrors that of mega-corporations. With the nearly 6% decline in overall church attendance mentioned previously, the megachurch growth must come from somewhere, and the "somewhere" may be at the expense of other churches. If megachurches, as many claim, are attracting those not previously associated with church attendance, then the outlook for all non-megachurches is alarming. The "17 joining/24 leaving" ratio is greater than any statistician has calculated.
The church's adoption of business ethics and behavior could not be timed more poorly. Those in their mid-forties and fifties are most likely to be entrenched in business-life, familiar with all of the practices and philosophies that have given rise to major decreases in labor loyalty and general attitudes about the morality of business behavior. They are already facing the contradictions present between consumerism and living a life of meaning, and are finding the same situations reflected in church life. Rather than finding a worshipping institution that reflects a better view of the world, people seem to be finding one that simply reflects the world back to them. If the church is simply an "Enron in robes," no wonder people reject it as a place to experience transformation!
Mimicking secular practices is out of place in a worshipping body that values spiritual development. Yet the system of simony – the selling or bargaining of ecclesiastical position practiced during much of the Middle Ages – is alive and well in many of today's churches. Elder, trustee, deacon or other board positions many times are bestowed as privileged positions to the better contributors or those gifted in secular pursuits, despite the potential spiritual unsuitability of particular persons for those offices and functions. In most churches, they are expected to be ministerial or pastoral in nature. Although most churches would not call or request a pastor based simply on economic advantage, social position or worldly attributes, this behavior occurs when board and committee members are selected based on their secular gifts. Faith development and spiritual gifts are far better determinants of suitability for leadership roles, but using them in that manner requires a church to value these characteristics over and above tenure in ministry, financial contributions and social status. Likewise, the removal of a pastor based on attendance or financial data equates more to the practice of scape-goating than true soul searching. Numbers are simply one indicator and not the determinant of the efficacy of a church or its staff.
In reviewing many church growth packages and programs, certain commonalities became quite clear. The first is that the over-riding perception of the problem facing the church in America today is[, as mentioned earlier,] numeric. Following long-standing business models of behavior, the result has been the development of programs that equate to religious consumerism. Under the guise of 'disciple making,' markets are analyzed and mass-marketing plans developed to make the church appeal to a broader range of people. More extensive programmatic choices are offered to provide a fuller menu of options for the churchgoer.
Virtually all of these plans are modeled to a large degree on the "success" of megachurches. In the prevailing consumerism environment, apparent success can be more attractive than relevance – at least in the short run. These plans do acknowledge another very important point: many churchgoers prefer a smaller, more intimate worshipping environment. In relying heavily on small-group "home church" programs, these plans recognize the requirement for intimacy in meaning-making. However, they seem to ignore the significance that small congregations hold for many people for participating in meaningful worship.
What are the alternatives? How can one get past the numbers and into the heart of the problem? [That would take courage. You see, that kind of approach would require self-examination and a willingness to be self-critical on every ecclesiastical level. Self-awareness and introspection, unfortunately, appear not to be common traits among churches in the U.S. Perhaps nowhere is denial more prevalent than in churches. It is much easier to believe the problem is with a general lack of knowledge about the messenger, than it is to accept that churches , by their very actions and attitudes, have misunderstood and misrepresented the message in the first place. This is not a new occurence, but one that has been fermenting for centuries.]
To begin formulating answers to the questions and thus consider solutions, then, the historical roots of modern issues must be considered.
[1] "Major Religions of the World, Ranked by Number of Adherents," <http://www.adherents.com/ Religions_By_Adherents.html>, accessed 2 May 2003. This listing, used as a resource by many researchers of religious statistics, comes with myriad disclaimers. Many of the churches represented in the Christian category would not align themselves with each other except on a statistical listing. Barrett maintains, however, that this situation is not limited to Christianity and, therefore, is not statistically relevant.
[2] Islam is often recognized as the fastest growing major religion, but Christianity's longer history enables it to retain this designation. However, the continued decline in Western birthrates combined with the rising birthrates in the rest of the world may change this statistic sometime early in the 21st century.
[3] Barna Research, "Church Attendance," Barna Research Online, <http://www.barna.org/cgi-bin/PageCategory.asp? CategoryID=10>, accessed 24 January 2009.
[4] Barna Research, "Church Satisfaction," Barna Research Online, <http://www.barna.org/cgi-bin/PageCategory.asp? CategoryID=12>, accessed 24 January 2009.
[5] Figures to analyze population shifts from aging were obtained from Center for Disease Control, The Disaster Center – "Statistics on death rates per age group," <http://www.disastercenter.com/cdc/dethrate.html>, accessed 22 January 2009, and from the US Census Bureau, ibid.
[6] Craig Kennet Miller, Next Church.Now: Creating New Faith Communities, (Nashville: Discipleship Resources, 2000), 39. Statistical analysis by the author of data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census report: "No. 17. Resident Population Projections, by Age and Sex: 1995 to 2050," The American Almanac 1995-96: Statistical Abstracts of the United States, (Austin: The Reference Press, Inc., 1995), 17.
[7] Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., United States Operations Datasheet, accessed from <http://www.walmartstores.com/wmstore /wmstores/Mainnews>, 24 January, 2009.
[8] Jim Hightower, "How Wal-Mart is Remaking Our World," AlterNet.org, April 26, 2007. <http://www.alternet.org/story.html ?StoryID=12962>, accessed 15 January 2009. This opinion piece expresses concerns over many alleged Wal-Mart abusive business practices.
0 Responses to "Unpacking Church Growth Movements – The Problem Behind the Numbers"


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Sit on the deck and soak in the breathtaking ocean views of the Coromandel Harbour. Enjoy the early mornings as you open the curtains in the master bedroom and decide whether it is a day for fishing, swimming or simply relaxing.
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Coromandel Town is only five minutes drive away for Restaurants, Cafes and Shopping.
We are on tank water, so please conserve where you can. Also there is no washing machine however there is a laundromat in town if needed.
Ruffins Bay has been in our family for over 60 years and we have enjoyed many happy memories here with our kids, grandkids and friends. We spend a lot of time here ourselves and love to also share this special place with others.
Lovely stay with a breathtaking view!
Great stay with all the necessary amenities for a good weekend away. An unforgettable view. Would definitely return. Thanks for great communication Lynne and for letting us create awesome memories at The Bach!
Thanks Tanya, would love for you to return one day.
My wife and I really enjoyed our stay and so did our dog! The accomodation is unpretentious, clean and comfortable. What a peaceful spot and it was great not to have traffic passing through. We liked the elevation and being able to see over the trees to the other side of the harbour - it's like being in a tree house. Thank you for the opportunity to stay at such a quintessential kiwi bach. We want to come back.
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So glad to hear you had an amazing time.
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It is a well equipped Bach, set in a quiet bay with beautiful views. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.


Seems I'd forgotten some of the duties and details that you can do at BMT! There's so much to be done while you're down there, forgive me. If you're just joining me, check out Part 1 (bed alignment, shoe alignment, End of Bed Display), Part 2 (Fire Monitor, Utility Crew, Day Room Crew, and Hallway/Chome Crew), and Part 3 (Academic Monitor, PT Monitor, Water Monitor, and Electrician). There are single posts dedicated to some of the jobs with great responsibility loads; you can find these posts on the main BMT page. On with Part 4 of our Duties and Details series!
The Chapel Guide is the only other position besides the Dorm Chief and the Element leaders that gets to wear a blue plastic badge that identifies them as a Chapel Guide. They will wear this badge only on Sundays when they are doing their duties, and at no other time. Our flight had three Chapel Guides, although we only had two badges to go around.
You don't have to be particularly religious to be a Chapel Guide, although it doesn't hurt and our Chapel Guides tended to have a strong faith background. Chapel Guides march younger flights ("baby flights") from the squadron to their respective services. It's typically those in 0WOT that get marched to their service, maybe 1WOT. After that, you'll march yourself to church, in small elements of four trainees, to eliminate the need for road guards along the way.
Chapel Guides were up the earliest on Sundays, falling out of the dorm promptly at 0545 at the sound of Reveille to eat breakfast first and head to chapel. They would return back to the dorm by 1600 at the very latest.
Once at church, Chapel Guides ensured that other trainees didn't fall asleep during the service. The atmosphere was very relaxing for our Chapel Guides, and they got to talk with older trainees and learn about the events and activities in the upcoming weeks of training. My Chapel Guides were excited to see the older Chapel Guides graduate, which kept them motivated. For lunch, they would either march back to our squadron or eat at the nearest squadron to the service they were attending.
Chapel Guides assist at services that don't conflict with the ones they personally attended, so you're able to do your duty and worship at the same time.
Road guarding is one of the most challenging duties/details out there, in terms of physical demand. There are four road guards for every flight. They march in the back of the flight, wearing a reflective vest, and if it's during the hours of darkness, use a flashlight as well. Road guards are used when the flight is marching outside of the squadron. If you're inside of the squadron, you'll march in the back but you won't have to do your duties. If the flight is crossing a street, the road guards will run out from behind the flight and block oncoming traffic, holding their palm up. As soon as the flight goes by, the road guards will fall back in, or leap frog forward to block the next street.
The job sounds pretty straightforward, but you're going to be hustling like nobody's business. Our road guards got yelled at a lot during the first few weeks, for doing their job wrong, for not running out at the right time, for not standing in the appropriate place, etc. In the San Antonio summer heat, the job wore you out quickly. If you think you may need some extra physical conditioning, you might consider volunteering for the job, since you'll definitely get a workout! Your MTI may choose taller/bigger trainees for the sake of visibility.
Road guards have to carry their vests and be ready to fall out pretty much all of the time. The pouches on the web canteen belt make transporting the vests a lot easier than when we didn't have them. There has to be four road guards at all times, so if someone is missing (due to illness, an appointment), an alternative needs to be found before your MTI catches wind of the loss. Be proactive and find someone to do it – don't make him/her find someone.
The Pad Crew cleans the pads in the squadron. The pads are the areas right outside of the dorm stairwells and chow halls, which are covered by the overhang. On the concrete pad there are a number of painted dots to help element leaders line up. The pad crew will use push brooms to keep the pads tidy and pick up trash. Pretty straightforward job! Our road guards were designated as the pad crew, so when the flight did their details in the dorm, they'd go downstairs to clean the pad.
This entry was posted in uncategorized on April 1, 2012 by admin.
If you receive a rope do you get the honor to wear it for the rest of your air force carrier? or is it only for training?
@Voltryx – Ropes are only earned at tech school, and you'd only wear them while in training, not in the operational AF. When you're in the operational AF, there are ropes for other roles, but not the same ones received in tech.


text:
Q: Change markers of different map.data.loadGeoJson data sets in google maps api 3 I have two different geojson Data sets, and I want one of the data set's markers to be set to one custom icon and the other data set to be set to another custom icon.
How would I go about doing that?
Here is my code so far.
var map;
var infowindow = new google.maps.InfoWindow();

function initialize() {
    // Create a simple map.
    map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('map2'), {
        zoom: 6,
        center: {lat: 53.939480, lng: -116.847401},
        mapTypeControlOptions: {
          mapTypeIds: ['roadmap', 'satellite', 'hybrid', 'terrain',
                  'styled_map']
        }
    });

    map.mapTypes.set('styled_map', styledMapType);
    map.setMapTypeId('styled_map'); //geo json

    google.maps.event.addListener(map, 'click', function() {
      infowindow.close();
    });

    // Load the associated GeoJSON
    var url = 'https://north-river.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Active.geojson';
    var url2 ='https://north-river.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Pipelines.geojson'
    map.data.loadGeoJson(url);
    map.data.loadGeoJson(url2);

  // Set event listener for each feature.
  map.data.addListener('click', function(event) {
     infowindow.setContent(
       "
"+
       "
"+"Name:	" + "" + event.feature.getProperty('Name') + "	" + "
" +
       "
"+"Status:	" + "" + event.feature.getProperty('Status') + "	" + "
" +
       "
"+"Lat_DMS:	" + "" + event.feature.getProperty('Lat_DMS') + "	" + "
"

       );
     infowindow.setPosition(event.latLng);
     infowindow.setOptions({pixelOffset: new google.maps.Size(0,-34)});
     infowindow.open(map);
  });
}
google.maps.event.addDomListener(window, 'load', initialize);

A: Use separate Data layers for each file, each with the appropriate style function for that layer:
  // Load the associated GeoJSON
  var url = 'https://north-river.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Active.geojson';
  var url2 = 'https://north-river.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Pipelines.geojson'

  var layer1 = new google.maps.Data();
  layer1.loadGeoJson(url);
  layer1.setStyle(function(feature) {
    return /** @type {!google.maps.Data.StyleOptions} */({
      icon: "http://maps.google.com/mapfiles/ms/micons/blue.png"});
  });
  layer1.setMap(map);
  var layer2 = new google.maps.Data();
  layer2.loadGeoJson(url2);
  layer2.setStyle(function(feature) {
    return /** @type {!google.maps.Data.StyleOptions} */({
      icon: "http://maps.google.com/mapfiles/ms/micons/green.png"});
  });
  layer2.setMap(map);

proof of concept fiddle

var map;
var infowindow = new google.maps.InfoWindow();

function initialize() {
  // Create a simple map.
  map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('map2'), {
    zoom: 6,
    center: {
      lat: 57.64206,
      lng: -122.494374
    },
    mapTypeControlOptions: {
      mapTypeIds: ['roadmap', 'satellite', 'hybrid', 'terrain',
        'styled_map'
      ]
    }
  });
  google.maps.event.addListener(map, 'center_changed', function() {
    console.log(map.getCenter().toUrlValue(6));
  });

  //  map.mapTypes.set('styled_map', styledMapType);
  //  map.setMapTypeId('styled_map'); //geo json

  google.maps.event.addListener(map, 'click', function() {
    infowindow.close();
  });

  // Load the associated GeoJSON
  var url = 'https://north-river.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Active.geojson';
  var url2 = 'https://north-river.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Pipelines.geojson'
  var layer1 = new google.maps.Data();
  layer1.loadGeoJson(url);
  layer1.setStyle(function(feature) {
    return /** @type {!google.maps.Data.StyleOptions} */ ({
      icon: "http://maps.google.com/mapfiles/ms/micons/blue.png"
    });
  });
  layer1.setMap(map);
  var layer2 = new google.maps.Data();
  layer2.loadGeoJson(url2);
  layer2.setStyle(function(feature) {
    return /** @type {!google.maps.Data.StyleOptions} */ ({
      icon: "http://maps.google.com/mapfiles/ms/micons/green.png"
    });
  });
  layer2.setMap(map);
  // Set event listener for each feature.
  function handleClicks(event) {
    infowindow.setContent(
      "
" +
      "
" + "Name:	" + "" + event.feature.getProperty('Name') + "	" + "
" +
      "
" + "Status:	" + "" + event.feature.getProperty('Status') + "	" + "
" +
      "
" + "Lat_DMS:	" + "" + event.feature.getProperty('Lat_DMS') + "	" + "
"

    );
    infowindow.setPosition(event.latLng);
    infowindow.setOptions({
      pixelOffset: new google.maps.Size(0, -34)
    });
    infowindow.open(map);
  }
  layer1.addListener('click', handleClicks);
  layer2.addListener('click', handleClicks);

}
google.maps.event.addDomListener(window, 'load', initialize);
/* Always set the map height explicitly to define the size of the div
 * element that contains the map. */

#map2 {
  height: 100%;
}

/* Optional: Makes the sample page fill the window. */

html,
body {
  height: 100%;
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
}

A: This seems to work but not sure which is the better solution, however with this solution my click handler for the infowindow still works
map.data.setStyle(function(feature) {
    var marker = feature.getProperty('Status');
    var markerCheck = marker === 'Active' ? 'https://cdn.mapmarker.io/api/v1/font-awesome/v5/pin?text=P&size=40&background=D94B43&color=FFF&hoffset=-1' : 'https://cdn.mapmarker.io/api/v1/font-awesome/v5/icon?icon=fa-star-solid&size=50&color=DC4C3F';
    var colorCheck = marker === 'Active' ? "#0000FF" : "#000000";
    return {
      icon: markerCheck,
      strokeColor: colorCheck
    };
  });

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


List Rules Vote for the Philip Roth novels you just couldn't put down. If you haven't read a book, don't downvote it.
List of the best Philip Roth books, ranked by voracious readers in the Ranker community. With commercial success and critical acclaim, there's no doubt that Philip Roth is one of the most popular authors of the last 100 years. Roth became a household name in 1959 with Goodbye, Colbumbus, a story about the life of a Jewish-American. The novella earned him U.S National Book Award for Fiction, an extremely prestigious award. If you're a huge fan of his work, then vote on your favorite novels below and make your opinion count. This poll is also a great resource for new fans of Philip Roth who want to know which novels they should start reading first. With memorable characters and excellent storytelling, there's no reason why you shouldn't check out his work if you're a big reader.
This list includes American Pastoral, Portnoy's Complaint and more. What are Philip Roth's best novels? Vote on this list and help us definitively answer that question.
List Rules: Vote for the Philip Roth novels you just couldn't put down. If you haven't read a book, don't downvote it.


New York University is an AWE facility for 1946-1952 so workers are eligible to file for Part B claims.
New York University worked on the development of counting equipment for the Manhattan Engineer District/Atomic Energy Commission. NYU handled a small quantity of uranium for research purposes.
DOE Legacy Management has a webpage for New York University since it was considered for FUSRAP.
DOL provides Part B statistics for New York University.
NIOSH lists statistics for New York University dose reconstructions.
The Wall Street Journal's Waste Lands series provides information on New York University.


I know white hat and black hat seo can anybody knows that blue hat seo and how it is use full for me?I need ur help.
hey this is new to me, seriously, bluehat?
I know white hat seo, black hat seo. but blue hat seo is new to me. can anyone explain it. i have also heard Grey hat seo but don't know about it.
Blue hat SEO is the advanced study of internet marketing or search engine optimization techniques. It covers all the areas of white hat and black hat into it.
Hey I know about white hat, black hat and Gray hat SEO but I heard anything about blue hat first time. Is it same as gray hat or this is something different from that?
There's nothing in seo world called blue or whatever the color they describe the seo techniques all i can say there's a right seo and wrong seo and so all i can say just keep doing the seo the right way...and you must wait for a while to see the results be patient.
I think there is no such thing as blue hat seo because there are only white hat and black hat seo technique. Ethical way of optimizing the site and its content is the best way and recognized by the search engine.
I have gone through the most famous and well known white hat SEO and the black hat SEO. Few weeks before I came through the new grey hat seo. But again within very less time elapsed a new blue hat seo comes. What are all these new SEO types intend to project.
Blue Hat Search Engine Optimization is basically the analysis of higher level Online marketing and search engine optimization techniques. Blue Hat Search Engine Optimization covers the higher level knowledge of both Black Hat and White Hat SEO.


In order to discuss current developments distinguished media scholars and experts were invited from around the world to the international conference entitled "Egyptian Media & Journalism between Change and Continuity", 12.11.-14.11.15 in Berlin. The conference tackled issues like self-regulation of journalists, professionalism, challenges of freedom of speech and media freedom, as well as the evolution of the media landscape and the political economy of Egypt's media. In the two-day conference an intensive exchange among scholars from Egypt and Germany as well as from other Arab and Western countries helped us to gain a comprehensive picture of current developments in a comparative perspective. Besides academics, experts from think tanks and NGOs, as well as journalists were represented.
The conference was funded by the DAAD as part of the program line 4 within the transformation partnerships ("Tawasul") and is the first part of the joint project "Journalism in Transformation in Egypt and beyond" between the Freie Universität Berlin and the Cairo University. Responsible for the project are Prof. Dr. Carola Richter (FU Berlin) und Dr. des. Hanan Badr (Cairo University).
The complete program flyer and the booklet of abstracts and biographies can be downloaded here.


text:
Home » Blog » Debating News | Round 6
Debating News | Round 6
01Apr 01/04/2022
Year 7 ISDA: R. Coneliano, O. Ang, R. Qin, E. Urbano
YEAR 7 ISDA DEBATING REPORT
It was one of the most crucial debates of the season; if Trinity was able to have four greens in the results table, it would mean that we had a near 100% of making it into knockouts. Before the debate it seemed like a nervous cloud was pouring nervous rain all over us – we needed to win this. As soon as we received our topic, we raced to our prep rooms. We knew that for us to win this debate, we needed to follow the structure that our coach gave us (I will not put it here because I don't want opposition teams stealing this golden formula).
Slowly but surely, we progressed through these steps, and we came out with an amazing golden plan. We knew exactly what each person had to do to get the optimal result. However, this did not come without arguments. We also desperately wanted the best result of the team, so each person made their own contributions to the team. This meant clashing of interests and discussion about which was the best. We were able to quickly resolve these issues by having our own mini debates. With the best points, and the best case we were confident that we could win. The topic was "That we should require social media and tech companies to collaborate with the police in ongoing investigations."
Our substantive was the following:
1. Technology is the new platform for criminals.
2. Gaining access to a person's phone/social media account is like a police officer searching a house with a warrant.
3. This will make our court systems much more effective and efficient.
As we walked out of our prep room, we were confident that we had this, and if we did everything that our coach told us to do, we had this. The debate started off with us as the affirmative team introducing the definition and model. Our first speaker brought up his points and finished his case. The opposition came up and responded to our case by stating how it was a breach of rights and how it was unnecessary. Though we did think that this was somewhat true, we were swift to point out that we still could improve on the status quo which was better. The second speaker of the opposition came out to strengthen their arguments on how it was a breach of rights. Our third speaker came up to end the debate with a bang, rebutting their points. Third negative then concluded the debate.
It was finished, hours and days of anxiety finally released as the debate finished.
Anxiously we waited for the result of the debate to come out. We went to our coach for some feedback, which was extremely helpful. However, there was something bigger nagging at the back of our minds: who won? Finally, for what seemed like eternity, we heard the voice of the adjudicator. Quickly we returned to our desks and listened to the comments and noted them down. Then it was time for the results, in a close but clear debate we had WON! We celebrated our victory but also noted on the multitude of things that we could have done better, such as taking the opposition at their best and more directly responding to their arguments.
We would like to congratulate the opposition for what was a very well-fought debate. We also extend our thanks to our coaches who worked tirelessly to provide us with the necessary information. We also would love to thank the parents for coming, the adjudicator for adjudicating this debate, and all the staff who made it possible. Ultimately, all the work, time and effort were definitely worth it .
Qin (7 Yo)
YEAR 7 FED A DEBATING REPORT
Last week Round 6 of the Year 7 FED-A debating team was a great success as we faced off against MLC School, with Trinity being on the negative side of the debate. The team consisted of J. Wong (7 Du), T. Henry (7 Ta) and D. Lin (7 Fo) as first, second and third speakers respectively. The topic was, "That parents should be encouraged to use GPS tracking on their children" which was based on the theme of Science and Technology.
The Trinity team's arguments were focused on the importance of privacy and the detrimental effects cast upon the child and parent relationship. This introduces distrust and privacy issues in the home. The opposition team discussed the benefits of child safety and GPS tracking could help in those situations.
Overall, we were encouraged with a good win, but there is still much to improve on. Our coach and adjudicator mentioned that we were too defensive and that we can bring more benefits to the argument instead. Looking ahead, as all the teams in the competition improve, we will be engaging in even more challenging debates, but I am confident that this team has what it takes to do well in the competition if we work hard and follow advice from our coach.
Thank you to Mr Martin, our coach, for his efforts with our team throughout the season.
Wong (7 Du)
Last Friday (the 25th of March), the 9ISDA Debating Team, consisting of M. Padmore (9 Mu), E. Ciarroni (9 W-J), D. Lok (9 Ke), and C. Ciarroni (9 W-J), had a close loss to St Andrew's Cathedral School. This loss is especially important for the team, as it means that the team's chances of making the finals series is solely riding on their next debate against Newington on April 1. The topic for the night was that Police officers should receive a harsher punishment for committing crimes. Trinity, as the Affirmative team, came out strongly with ideas about police brutality, police being role models for society, and more. However, our opponents responded quickly and effectively to these, pointing out how Police officers had the civil right to be treated the same as anyone else in a court of law- which ultimately led to the 9 ISDA team's defeat.
Padmore (9Mu)
YEAR 10 ISDA DEBATING REPORT
Last Friday, Trinity's 10s comprising of J. Fung (10 Ke), A. Stone (10 Ho), and S. Labbozzetta (10 St) had a tough debate in the ISDA competition against the students from St Andrew's Cathedral School. The debate centred around the idea of plea bargains and whether they should be banned, a plea bargain being an agreement between the accused party and the government to plead guilty to receive a shortened sentence. In what turned out to be a very interesting debate, Trinity ended up arguing as the affirmative, saying we should remove them. The debate came down to a clash between morals and economic gain, where one side was arguing about the misapplied justice that plea bargains give, whilst the other argued the economic gain with a swifter moving court system with less backlog. In the end, whilst the economic and backlog points were admitted by the affirmative, (Trinity), the moral side of justice and its application in court were enough to get Trinity over the line.
Stone (10 Ke)
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