This group is a meeting point for Swiss Young Internists (SYI). No matter whether it is one of the disciplines or subdisciplines of Internal Medicine or General Internal Medicine that the members represent - we join to create a strong network of doctors who share the passion for internal medicine.
SYI is a part and is closely cooperating with the Swiss Society of General Internal Medicine.
Also, SYI are one of the national societies who create a network of the internationally active EFIM (European Federation of Internal Medicine) Young Internists. EFIM YI is a group of young internal medicine doctors who join further young internists from all Europe to revitalize the internal medicine in Europe, define and improve the professional standards of our specialty and influence the administrative processes, as well as enforce paneuropean exchange, research and education.
The official representatives of each member country are joined in the Young Internists Assembly - a working group of EFIM (European Federation of Internal Medicine). As of October 2013 Switzerland is being represented in the Assembly and thus in EFIM.
No problem, if your postgraduate training has been recognized in Switzerland.
This page has been prepared by Ewelina Biskup, Young Internists assembly representative for Switzerland, EFIM YI subcommittee member and treasurer, December 2015.


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Watsonville's Wine, Beer & Art Walk returns
The Wine, Beer & Art Walk, which was created last year as a celebration for the City's 150th birthday, will return on May 11. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com. — Register-Pajaronian File
WATSONVILLE — Israel Tirado, a recreation and special events supervisor for the City of Watsonville, would like to say he wasn't surprised by the outpouring support for last year's inaugural Wine, Beer & Art Walk.
But he'd be lying.
"We thought people would be interested — the buzz was out there — but we did not a expect that," Tirado said.
By "that" he means selling out all 300 available tickets, and roping in people from as far as Los Gatos and the Silicon Valley into Watsonville's historic downtown.
"The community was really responsive to [the event]," Tirado said. "We wanted to keep this going."
The Wine, Beer & Art Walk, which was created last year as a celebration for the City's 150th birthday, will return on May 11.
Like last year, the event will take patrons on an 18-stop stroll through downtown Watsonville's locally-owned businesses while also introducing them to participating wineries, breweries and artists along the way.
Tirado said they upped the ticket cap from 300 to 450.
Tickets are $30 via an "early bird" special on eventbrite.com. The price will rise to $35 on the day of the event.
Community staples like Jalisco's, Hair We Are and Digital Nest will be among the stops.
Tastings from nine wineries, including Alfaro Vineyards, Integrity Wines, Wargin Wines and Windy Oaks Estate Vineyards and Winery, will be available during the tour.
Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce CEO Shaz Roth, in charge of bringing in the wineries and breweries for the event, was also ecstatic with the inclusion of Discretion Brewing and Effigy Brewing. Elkhorn Slough Brewing Co. will also be pouring during the event.
"We really made an effort of getting some craft breweries this year," Roth said. "We really try to stay local…We want to showcase the city and the county."
And the City, Tirado said, hopes the event will start to flip the perception of its ever-changing downtown by exposing members of the community and the outsiders looking in to what the area has to offer.
Tirado, a lifelong resident of Watsonville, remembers walking from his childhood home around Tuttle Avenue to the downtown area to spend hours at the youth center, the plaza and the surrounding eateries and businesses.
"My friends and I used to spend the entire day downtown and we never experienced any violence… nobody ever tried to mess with us, we felt completely safe," Tirado said. "So I don't know how Watsonville got that rep, but we're trying to change the perception of our downtown…We want to show people the beauty of our downtown."
Wine, Beer & Art Walk
What >> 2nd annual Wine, Beer & Art Walk
Where >> Check-in at Watsonville Civic Plaza Lobby
When >> Saturday, May 11; 1-5 p.m.
Tickets >> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wine-beer-and-art-walk-2019-tickets-43624460937?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Editor's note: This article will publish in the May 3 edition of the Register-Pajaronian.
Couple caught with nearly four pounds of illegal drugs
It's official: Lopez named Fire Chief
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PVUSD strengthens ties with Latino Film Institute

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Sealyham Quarry originally a small hillside working was a source of slate to be used on the Sealyham Estate. William Tucker Edwardes, whose father had married into the family, seems to have commenced commercial exploitation when he inherited in 1825.
But lack of trade forced Scale to give up in 1851, Edwardes advertised for new tenants, stating that, 'It is situated about half a mile from the South Wales Railroad'. What he was referring to here was the proposed Fishguard line, construction of which was suspended later that year and only resumed by the GWR over 50 years later.
However, no let was made until 1855 when it was taken by brothers Thomas & John Rees of Broadmoor Farm, Wolfscastle. But in June 1862, Thomas Rees became bankrupt, and the partnership collapsed.
Four years later a new lease was granted to Hugh Davies at a rent of £100 per year plus 1/40th commission on sales. He was joined in 1869 by Elias & Samuel Hughes from Caernarvonshire. Their workforce wasn't large, because the 1871 ensus showed only 10 men in the parish as slate workers In 1876 the Hughes' dropped out and Thomas Williams, manager at Porthgain, unhappy at the way things were going became a partner to Hugh Davies. The energetic Williams set about clearing the pit of debris, but within months water broke in, flooding the pit.
Williams had big ideas, installing new more modern machinery, intended to employ in excess of 130 men in the quarry, build cottages in Wolfscastle to house the increased workforce. But, little of these plans were carried out.
Williams left in 1881, but despite his departure, Sealyham Slate was formally registered as a company in 1883. By 1885 having done little or no business, 115,000 slates were auctioned, the quarry plant was sold.
But, downhill the business went, with very little or mining done for many years. But, records do show that there may have been restricted mining at the quarry during the slate shortage around the beginning of the last century.
If you walk passed the old quarry today, you will see some remains of the equipment, the original course of the River Anghof can be seen. Of course the 'old' carriage drive used to transport the slates to the roadway can be seen beyond Bryn Gomer.


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Accueil français
COVID-19 updates for December 2020
BY UA/AU | DEC 31 2020
COVID-19 cases on campus
The University of Windsor has another three cases of COVID-19 to report. These new cases are unrelated to previously reported cases. Since the start of December, the university has reported eight new cases in its community. The Windsor-Essex region has had Ontario's worst COVID infection rate for a week. On Tuesday, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit reported 213 newly confirmed COVID-19 infections, bringing the region's total number of cases to over 6,000. In the announcement, the university reminded its staff, students and faculty not to gather with others outside their households and to follow well-established health and safety protocol like regular handwashing and wearing a mask.
McMaster University reported a new case on campus on December 20 – a day before Hamilton, Ontario, joined Toronto and the Peel Region in a provincially mandated lockdown. The affected student was last on campus on December 16. Courses will resume online at McMaster on January 11.
And nearby, Redeemer University reported an outbreak, with two new cases identified in its community. These cases are related to two other cases that were identified in residence on December 16. Redeemer has had five total cases on campus since September. The university also clarified plans for its winter term. Redeemer had been one of the few Ontario universities to offer in-person classes in the fall term, but winter classes will begin January 11 by remote delivery only, due to the provincial lockdown. A dual-delivery format will resume on January 25, if the provincial government permits it.
Made-in-Canada vaccine candidate approved for human trials
Health Canada has authorized the Vaccine and infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) at the University of Saskatchewan to start a phase 1 clinical trial of its COVID-19 vaccine. The VIDO vaccine project has been developed in collaboration with the Canadian Center for Vaccinology in Halifax (itself a partnership between a collaboration of Dalhousie University, IWK Health Centre and the Nova Scotia Health Authority). The federal authorization permits the Halifax centre to recruit volunteers who will test the vaccine's safety and efficacy in humans. Vaccinations are planned for January.
CCfV director Scott Halperin says that this is the "first university-based" COVID-19 vaccine to start phase 1 testing at his organization. Volker Gerdts, VIDO director and CEO, calls the approval a "milestone" and also notes that the vaccine entering human trials is one of two subunit vaccine candidates that VIDO is developing. He adds that if the full three-phase trials are successful, VIDO expects to have at least one of its vaccines ready for use by late 2021.
The protein subunit vaccines differ from the approved vaccines currently being distributed for use around the globe because they are "created out of specific parts of a dead germ rather than a live virus or an entire dead germ." Such vaccines are commonly used against hepatitis B and human papillomavirus, among other viruses and diseases. CTV News reports that 18 of the 61 vaccine candidates that have reached human trials are based on protein subunits and that subunit vaccines are typically much simpler to mass-produce and store.
York journal publishes double-issue on motherhood and academic life during the pandemic
York University's Journal of the Motherhood Initiative for Research and Community Involvement (JMI) recently published a special double-issue on the theme of "academic motherhood and COVID-19." It features 18 articles on how COVID-19 affects motherhood for those in an academic role.
JMI editor-in-chief Andrea O'Reilly, a professor with York's school of gender, sexuality and women's studies, says this journal issue is the first of its kind to explore the impact of the pandemic on mothers in academia, their care and labour. The issue's table-of-contents is available online.
VIU hosts COVID testing centre
Vancouver Island University has partnered with Island Health to open a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at a parking lot on its Nanaimo campus. The collection site opened on December 1 and consists of four vehicle bays. VIU is following the lead of B.C.'s Vancouver Community College and the University of Victoria, which both collaborated with their local health systems to set up drive-thru sites in August and October, respectively.
Exam platform crashes during peak period at U of Regina
The online exam platform at the University of Regina crashed as nearly 2,000 students logged on at the same time on Monday. The system had 33 exams scheduled at the time. In an interview with CBC News, Art Exner, associate vice-president of information services, said the crash led to "some uneven experiences by the students," but he noted that "many students were able to sign on and write their exams as scheduled." Some exams were delayed, and some instructors opted to either extend their courses or change the time of their exams.
"This is the first time the university has run its fall semester all online. This is the first time this number of exams and number of students were attempting to write exams simultaneously," he said. Exams resumed on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.
Ontario lockdown pushes back return to the classroom for some programs
On Monday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced a province-wide lockdown beginning December 26. For universities designated as part of the Southern Ontario lockdown, that means most in-person activities – including labs and classes, non-essential administrative work and services – won't resume on campus until January 25. Most universities in Ontario have already pushed back the start of the winter term by a week, to January 11, and have opted for a remote-learning model for the winter term. At institutions like Western University, the lockdown will largely only impact health-related programs.
Managing mental health over the holidays
As the holiday break begins at postsecondary institutions across the country, universities have acknowledged that this will be a particularly difficult time of year for many – especially for those who won't be celebrating with family and loved ones. Several institutions have offered additional support for managing mental health challenges during this period.
The University of Calgary has compiled advice from several of its mental-health care providers. They suggest exercising self-compassion, checking in with yourself regularly, reaching out and connecting to others in whatever form is available to you, practice kindness and generosity with others, lower your holiday expectations and try out some new traditions.
Students at the University of Guelph will have access the Student Support Network and an official Facebook group called Winter Break 2020. U of G's vice-provost of student affairs, Carrie Chassels, will even host a virtual Christmas Eve gathering tomorrow.
In B.C., the provincial government is once again promoting its 24-hour counselling service for postsecondary students called Here2Talk. The service first launched in April.
Goodbye 2020, hello 2020 newsletters
After publishing nearly 140 COVID updates (that's more than 100,000 words) this year, today's post will be our last for 2020. Please keep visiting universityaffairs.ca throughout the holiday break, though, as we'll continue to publish new content. And keep an eye out for our annual staff picks and year-in-review newsletters, which we'll send to subscribers this week and next.
If you're not a subscriber, sign up for our weekly newsletter now! (Did you know we also send a weekly newsletter in French?)
Have a restful holiday break!
Three new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed at the University of Windsor. These recent cases are unrelated to previously announced cases. A total of five cases have been reported at the university this month.
The University of Waterloo has announced two more cases in the community. According to CTV News, the university has reported 18 cases in its community since October.
An outbreak tied to a series of house parties in the student housing district near Queen's University has now been linked to dozens of COVID cases. While local bylaw officers have issued multiple fines related to these parties, a Kingston-area news website reports that university officials have not yet followed up to investigate potential student code of conduct violations.
Ontario invests $77M in retraining, upskilling
The Government of Ontario will put $77 million towards retraining employees affected by pandemic-related layoffs. The province estimates 2,750 employees will benefit from the redesigned Second Career program, which provides participants with up to $28,000 for tuition, training materials and living expenses while pursuing training in "in-demand" fields. This updated version of the upskilling program will focus on jobs in the areas of advanced manufacturing, life sciences, information and communications, and supportive health services. To be eligible, job-seekers must enroll in a program that runs 52 weeks or less.
Immigration clears up confusion around international student permits
The PIE News is reporting that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will allow international travellers to enter the country on a study permit even for courses lasting less than six months.
"IRCC is aware that there is an issue in the [eligibility] questionnaire which does not present applicants the option to apply for a study permit if they plan to study for less than six months and do not require a temporary resident visa. We are currently working to address this issue," IRCC said. "In the meantime, applicants who wish to apply for a study permit for a short-term program can indicate during the eligibility questionnaire that they intend to stay in Canada for longer than six months. This will generate their document checklist for a study permit application. … When they complete the application, the applicant should include their actual dates of study which reflect that [they] intend to study for less than six months."
Alberta preps U of A's Butterdome to serve as field hospital
In March, the Government of Alberta sketched out plans on how to turn the University of Alberta's Butterdome into a secondary assessment and treatment facility for Alberta Health Services to care for COVID-19 patients. This month, the province started putting those plans into action. The AHS and the Red Cross are preparing the university's events pavilion to serve as a temporary 100-bed hospital in the event that local hospitals become overwhelmed. The campus site could be used for patients recovering from COVID-19 and who are at low risk of transmitting the novel coronavirus that causes the disease, an AHS spokesperson told the CBC. The Butterdome is one of two field hospitals Alberta is setting up to accommodate hundreds of patients as COVID cases spread across the province.
StFX celebrates its COVID-free fall term
In a press release circulated last week, St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, celebrated the fact that it finished the fall term without a single confirmed case of COVID-19 reported on campus. StFX is one of the few universities in Canada that opted for a primarily in-person fall term (the university reports that 64 percent of classes were face-to-face). The university issued the notice at the end of the exam period. About 50 students will remain on campus throughout the holiday break.
U Laval bucks compassionate-grading trend
While several Canadian universities are offering students a pass/fail grading option for the fall term, Université Laval won't be following the pack. Radio-Canada reports that the Quebec institution will maintain its usual grading scheme for the fall term. Student groups have requested compassionate grading options, but ultimately, the university said it decided against the accommodation after reviewing the results of a campus-wide survey. Robert Beauregard, the university's vice-rector, academic, wrote in an email to students last week that maintaining the standard grading system would ensure equitable grading practices.
Remote-learning throughout 2021 still on the table at U of Saskatchewan
Despite news that Canada's rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine is ahead of schedule, University of Saskatchewan's president doesn't want to take any chances just yet. Peter Stoicheff told CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning that spring will bring more of the same remote learning that students and instructors have managed throughout most of 2020. "I can't predict with certainty, but I think that by [May] we should be able to make an announcement about what the fall is going to look like."
Something nice: Seasonal tunes and gingerbread houses
We're celebrating the end of the fall term by bringing back our "Something nice" section this week. Today, we're sharing Campion College's favourite Christmas songs. The Christian college, federated with the University of Regina, prepared the Spotify playlist to help you get in a festive mood.
Further west, Vancouver Island University president Deb Saucier builds a gingerbread house with her daughter Mia – as coached by a faculty member with VIU's baking and pastry arts – in her end-of-year address to the community.
For more holiday video greetings by university presidents, check out Ken Steele's last blog post of the year, in which he rounds up his favourites.
Public health authorities in Kingston, Ontario, now say that multiple cases of COVID-19 have been traced back to several house parties that occurred in the student housing district near Queen's University over the weekend of December 11 and 12. The health unit is suggesting all partygoers go get tested. Global News reports that this is the second series of cases that have been tied to student house parties in Kingston this month.
London Health Sciences Centre reported a new death in connection to an outbreak at University Hospital on the Western University campus. A total of 16 deaths have been linked to the outbreak. Three new cases of COVID-19 were also connected to the outbreak this week.
$25.6M for Manitoba's postsecondary institutions
The Government of Manitoba will distribute $25.6 million to postsecondary institutions to help cover costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will be disbursed through the Transitional Support Fund.
In a press release, the province noted that it approved 37 programming changes focused on health, technology, digital media, micro-credentials and upskilling in order "to ensure postsecondary alignment with Manitoba's pandemic economic recovery goals." The funds will be allocated based on enrolment changes, online learning technology adaptations and other needs.
"We thank our postsecondary institutions for their thorough and thoughtful proposals to access the one-time Transitional Support Fund," said Economic Development and Training Minister Ralph Eichler. "We look forward to continuing dialogue and collaboration with our postsecondary partners as we work together to restart our economy and ensure the success of Manitoba's students."
Open letter update: Quebec locks down for the holidays
In Monday's update, we reported on an open letter asking the Quebec government to implement a lockdown during the holiday break this month. Yesterday, Premier François Legault announced that the province will do so, shutting down non-essential businesses from December 25 to January 11. The premier said the decision was made based on rising case counts in Quebec and to relieve pressure on the province's hospitals.
Home for the holidays?
Students and their families are making some challenging decisions about how to navigate the holiday break. The CBC spoke with a number of students about holiday travel and the measures that some students are taking, like getting tested for COVID-19 and self-isolating for two weeks before leaving school for home.
Earlier this month, the broadcaster also reported on how several students on Canada's East Coast scrambled to get home before the Atlantic bubble popped. On the other side of the country, the Times Colonist newspaper reports on why many international and out-of-province students in British Columbia have decided to stay put for the break.
Meanwhile, several universities have issued some guidance or suggestions to students about holiday travel.
The Universite of Prince Edward Island "strongly" encouraged students to stay in the province, or at least in the Atlantic region. "We know this is a difficult decision, but it will ensure that you do not face any barriers when returning to PEI and to your studies at UPEI," read a statement posted by the university on December 2. UPEI's residences will stay open and student affairs will organize some "festive activities" for those who stay on campus. All students in Atlantic Canada who leave the region for the holidays will have to self-isolate for two weeks upon their return to the area. In some areas, they may also have to submit pre-departure plans to their local health authorities.
Dalhousie University offered some specific safety tips for those who will travel over the end-of-term break, but also issued a warning: "we wanted to remind students that there can be severe consequences for not doing your part in keeping our community safe. This includes being accountable for your choices both on and off campus. In addition to significant fines issued by our local police authority, our Code of Student Conduct will be used to the fullest extent possible to address deliberate disregard of Public Health directives."
Queen's University and Kingston's public health unit are discouraging non-essential travel, but are also preparing for multiple scenarios once class is back in session.
Officials with London public health ask that Western University students "double down" on safety measures before heading home, including minimizing exposure to other people for two weeks prior to leaving campus.
The federal government has published its own suggestions for safely celebrating the season as well as tips for mitigating risk during holiday travel and festivities
Holiday care packages
It's been a tough year for students. To bolster holiday cheer, the University of Windsor's Students' Alliance, its CAW Student Centre and student experience office teamed up to send 400 care packages at the start of the exam period.
For students who can't travel home this year, the University of Calgary has launched a crowdfunding campaign. The university is looking to raise $5,000 to support more than 200 students on campus during the holiday season. The money will go towards takeout meals, gift cards, organized activities like snowshoeing and crafting, as well as discounted tickets for local attractions (provided they are open).
At Laurentian University, the alumni association adapted its Exam Wishes program, with Laurentian grads sending 273 current students virtual gift cards, advice and tips to weather the end of term.
First COVID vaccines arrive in Canada
This week, a small number of Canadians – some of them members of Canada's academic and research communities – will be the first in the country to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. In Manitoba, vaccinations of frontline health-care workers will take place at the University of Manitoba's Rady Faculty of Health Sciences campus in Winnipeg on a first-come, first-served basis. In Ontario, vaccines will be distributed through Toronto's University Health Network and The Ottawa Hospital to health-care professionals working in high-risk situations. In Alberta, acute-care staff at Foothills Hospital and the Peter Lougheed Centre in Calgary, and from University of Alberta and Royal Alexandra hospitals in Edmonton will be first to get the vaccine. The CBC has posted a province-by-province rollout plan for the vaccine.
Although this news brings hope that the pandemic will come to an end relatively soon, there are still outbreaks and new cases to report in the university community – a grim reminder of the importance of following pandemic-related public health measures in the meantime.
Another case of COVID-19 has been linked to a community member at the University of Windsor.
The University of Waterloo confirmed on Friday a second COVID-19 outbreak in a campus residence building. Two close contacts residing in Claudette Millar Hall have tested positive for the virus. The students are self-isolating in dedicated residence units with support from the university's residence life team. This is the second outbreak in Claudette Millar Hall. The first outbreak occurred in early November, when two students in in the residence contracted the virus. What happens when a student goes into self-isolation on campus? Residence life manager Kristen Leal explains:
On Sunday, Wilfrid Laurier University also confirmed a new case of COVID-19 in student housing on its Waterloo campus. The student lives in Clara Conrad Hall and is self-isolating. In October, students on three floors of Clara Conrad Hall were required to self-isolate after an outbreak was declared on campus. At the time, some 15 cases had been linked to the university community.
The public health authority in Kingston warns that two people with pre-symptomatic cases of COVID-19 attended a number of house parties in the city's student housing district near Queen's University earlier this month. Over the weekend, public health reported 100 active cases in the Kingston region, 25 of which have been linked to "events off-campus near Queen's." The area's top health official said he anticipated more cases to arise from the house parties.
A death and a new case of COVID-19 in London, Ontario, have been attributed to the outbreak at University Hospital on the Western University campus.
Ontario to invest $50M in online learning
With remote learning continuing at Ontario universities until at least the fall 2021 term, the province has stepped up funding in educational technology to the tune of $50 million. In an announcement on Friday, Minister of College and Universities Ross Romano said that this first-of-its-kind investment from Ontario would provide "dedicated funding" to publicly funded postsecondary institutions and Indigenous institutes.
According to a press release, the new funding will support the research and development of educational technologies; remote access to Ontario institutions for international students; the development of micro-credential programs; and the province's work on intellectual property development and retention.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of high-quality and accessible virtual learning. In the early days of the pandemic, our sector's immediate and short-term response to building upon our virtual needs was an absolutely necessary step to guaranteeing the academic continuity of our students and ensuring that no one lost a year of study," Mr. Romano said. "It became abundantly clear during that time that Ontario could once again demonstrate our world-renowned leadership in postsecondary education by developing our own 'Ontario Made' virtual strategy with education that is flexible and responsive to the needs of the labour market."
The province developed a virtual learning strategy as part of its COVID-19 action plan.
Alberta injects $20M in U of Alberta virology research led by Nobel laureate
In the wake of Michael Houghton's Nobel Prize win in October, the Government of Alberta announced last week that it has reserved $20 million in new funding for the Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute at the University of Alberta, where Dr. Houghton holds the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Virology and is the Li Ka Shing Professor of Virology.
Premier Jason Kenney said the money will help to "grow Alberta's life sciences and biotech industries into a global force to create good jobs here for the province, and draw fresh investment and brilliant people from around the world." He also noted that COVID-19 has made clear the importance of investing in Alberta-based health research and in pharmaceutical and life sciences industries. According to U of A's Folio website, the province has invested more than $30 million in the Li Ka Shing institute since the research centre opened 10 years ago.
Queen's faces $30M deficit
Queen's University estimates a nearly $30-million deficit in its operating budget for the 2020-21 academic year. The university has chalked up the bulk of this deficit to revenue shortfalls in services like hospitality and housing as well as athletics, and to increased costs related to the pandemic. Donna Janiec, vice-principal, finance and administration, also noted the impact of reduced investment income due to unstable markets this year.
Pandemic blamed for layoffs at U of Lethbridge
With the holiday break just around the corner, the University of Lethbridge has let go 13 employees. It says the layoffs are a direct response to an unstable financial situation in the wake of COVID-19. The university further explained the decision in a public statement:
"The University of Lethbridge has made the difficult decision to permanently lay off 13 employees because of lack of work, 10 of which had been on temporary layoff for the previous three months. The university regrets deeply decisions such as these but must address the fiscal realities it currently faces."
The layoffs will affect 12 caretakers and one administrative support person as of January 4, 2021.
Quebec academics sign open letter asking province to lock down over holidays
Last week, dozens of academics from Université de Montréal, Université Laval, Université de Sherbrooke, McGill University, HEC Montréal and the Université du Québec system signed an open letter urging the Quebec government to put the province "on pause" for the Christmas and New Year holidays. The extreme measures are the only way to save lives in the province, the letter-writers state. They argue that with so many workplaces, businesses and schools closed anyway during the December holidays, the province is better off implementing a strict lockdown now rather than in January or February, when mental health and the economy could benefit from fewer restrictions in order to counter a post-holiday slump.
The University of Calgary has a new case in its community. The university was informed on Friday.
London Health Sciences Centre confirmed two new cases of COVID-19 related to the ongoing outbreak at University Hospital located on the Western University campus. There are now 72 patients and 61 staff and health-care providers at the hospital that have tested positive for COVID-19.
UPEI suspends most in-person activities as cases rise in the province
On Monday, the University of Prince Edward Island moved to an essential-services model, which suspended in-person classes for two weeks. Most courses have already been taking place online, with some lab-based courses excepted.
The university made the change in response to an outbreak in the province involving Charlottetown residents aged 20 to 29. Public health confirmed four new cases in the greater Charlottetown area were announced on Monday, and seven cases over the weekend. PEI's Chief Public Health Office implemented a series of restrictions. Heather Morrison, Chief Public Health Officer, has encouraged individuals in their 20s living in the area to get tested for COVID-19.
"The good news is that, because we did it in the spring, we're not unaccustomed to it at this point," Donna Sutton, associate vice-president of students and registrar, told CBC. "We're just about at the end of our regularly scheduled classes, and exams are slated to start soon, so the actual class time that will have to pivot is minimal."
Provincial aid recipients in N.S. to receive one-time student grant
The Government of Nova Scotia will give some 13,000 students a grant of $750 to help cover expenses this school year. Students receiving Nova Scotia Student Assistance in 2020-21 will also receive the one-time grant. The funds will be distributed in January.
Students face delays in accessing federal loan repayment assistance
The National Student Loan Centre has been fielding more student inquiries than ever. As the loans centre deals with an unprecedented volume of calls, students are experiencing delays in customer service. According to a Canadian Press article, the loans centre is facing backlog of more than 30,000 applications for repayment assistance, which allows borrowers to delay Canada Student Loan repayments until they are earning at least $25,000 a year. The financial aid agency received more than 169,000 applications to the assistance program since October 1, when the federal government's blanket suspension on loan repayments ended. Of those application received by late November, 30,600 had yet to be processed.
Vaccine manufacturing facility delayed
Back in late March, the federal government promised $275 million for the research, development and production of medical equipment and treatments for COVID-19 as well as a vaccine. An estimated $15 million had been earmarked for upgrades to the National Research Council's Human Health Therapeutics biomanufacturing facility in Montreal for the mass manufacturing of vaccine candidates. In May, the NRC announced a partnership with CanSino Biologics Inc., a Chinese vaccine producer, intended to expedite the development and production of a Canadian-made vaccine candidate. In this deal, the NRC had agreed to provide proprietary biomaterial to the CanSino vaccine trials. That deal eventually fell through.
An article published by the National Post last week explains how, despite $44 million in funding for vaccine-manufacturing capacity, the NRC remains without adequate infrastructure for this kind of mass production.
The University of Windsor has reported another confirmed case of COVID-19 on campus. This latest case is unrelated to previously reported cases. One case was reported already at the institution this month, and 10 cases were reported in November.
The month-long outbreak at London's University Hospital, located on the Western University campus, has reached a new floor of the facility. On Saturday, the hospital declared an outbreak on a seventh unit – the cardiology wing. Hospital operator London Health Sciences Centre confirmed 64 patients and 49 health-care workers or support staff had tested positive for COVID-19 as a result of the outbreak. Thirteen people have died.
On December 5, the University of Calgary alerted the public to three new cases on campus. One involved a person at the Health Sciences Building on the Foothills campus; another at the Science B, Earth Sciences and Mac Hall on main campus; and the third at the Sports Medicine Centre in Kinesiology B.
The University of Waterloo has reported a new case.
Ontario grants exemption allowing some health-care classes at postsecondary institutions
In the update posted on December 2, we told you that a number of Ontario postsecondary institutions had been lobbying the provincial government to exempt them from a rule limiting lab-based and other in-person courses in the Toronto and Peel regions to groups of 10. The rule, they said, meant that several students in hands-on programs in these regions would not be able to graduate and find work in their fields in a timely fashion. On Sunday, the Toronto Star reported that the province will now allow these programs to hold meetings with more than 10 people present in class, provided they follow typical pandemic restrictions, such as physical distancing rules. The Star notes that the exemption only applies to health-related fields like medicine, nursing, paramedicine, respiratory therapy and personal support. It doesn't include skilled trades programs.
Academics on Ontario's provincial vaccine task force
The Government of Ontario revealed on Friday who will serve on its vaccine distribution task force. Its nine members will oversee the planning for the storage and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines across the province. The group includes two university-affiliated researchers: Maxwell Smith, a bioethicist and an assistant professor at Western University, and Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist and associate professor in the department of medicine at the University of Toronto. Linda Hasenfratz, CEO of manufacturing company Linamar and Western's current chancellor, will also sit on the task force.
COVID testing site opens at UTSC to serve hard-hit region
From December 1 to April 2021, the University of Toronto Scarborough will host a public COVID testing centre. The university, which is located in a residential area, has partnered with the Scarborough Health Network on an assessment centre at UTSC's Highland Hall to offer testing options for the community. In a press release, the university explained that the health facility will largely operate independently: "The centre will have a separate entrance and exit and will even have separate air, using its own dedicated air system. SHN staff will manage the centre, which will run under the same safety measures and protocols as the organization's other locations. Hospital staff, in personal protective equipment, will run testing, regularly disinfect the space and equipment, and dispose of garbage." The centre also has a designated parking and UTSC has implemented controlled access points across campus to discourage non-authorized individuals from entering other UTSC buildings.
U of T researchers seek student participants for study on COVID exposure on campuses
Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health are recruiting students living on any of the institution's three campuses (St. George, Mississauga and Scarborough), or who are regularly on campus, as part of a study on COVID-19 exposure. Until the end of fall term on December 22, the researchers are looking to administer blood tests to a third of eligible students to determine the presence of COVID antibodies. The study will evaluate the difference in the proportion of students who test positive for antibodies in the fall term versus the winter and spring terms. In an interview with U of T News, co-investigator France Gagnon, associate dean of research at the Dalla Lana School, explained that the study aims to "help researchers and public health leaders to understand how much COVID-19 is being spread over time on university campuses." The results could clarify how semester breaks or other university events might impact COVID spread.
On a somewhat related note, U of T's Varsity student newspaper notes that student will have access to the university's quarantine isolation housing program free of charge following the holiday break – the free offer is only open to first-time users of the program. The program normally costs participants a total of about $2,000 for airport transportation, 14-day accommodations, a three-meal-a-day delivery service and regular health checks.
The outbreak at University Hospital at the Western University campus has gotten worse. Seven people have died and 83 were infected across seven units at the hospital. The London Free Press reports that three new deaths linked to the outbreak were announced Tuesday. "What we believe happens is that there was just an abundance of transmission within staff — potentially through eating together or something to that effect — that resulted in pretty rapid transmission," Alex Summers, associate medical officer of health at the Middlesex-London Health Unit, said.
Another outbreak of COVID-19 has been tied to a varsity sports team. Eighteen players on the Mount Royal University men's hockey team tested positive. The cases include coaching staff and players. Several members of the team are now self-isolating. The Calgary institution says this is the first instance the virus has spread within the campus community – individual cases won't by publicly reported. The university also notes that provincial restrictions have suspended varsity training until after the new year.
A new case of COVID-19 has been confirmed at the University of Windsor. A total of 10 cases were reported at the institution in November, eight of which have been deemed "resolved."
An individual at the Physical Plant at the University of Manitoba tested positive for the virus. The individual was on the Fort Garry and Bannatyne campuses from November 24 to 26 and asymptomatic.
From November 26 to 29, a person who had been on the University of Toronto's St. George campus tested positive for COVID-19. The university's COVID dashboard also notes that a total of two new cases were reported in the U of T community – these individuals "may not have been physically present at the university, and exposure may not have occurred on our campuses. These are simply members of our community who have reported to the Occupational Health & Safety Office that they have tested positive whether they have been on campus or not."
The University of Calgary has updated its case count by one after an individual in the Health Research Innovation Centre at the Foothills campus tested positive. Their infectious window on campus was November 23.
A third case of COVID has been confirmed at Université de Moncton. The latest individual to contract the virus is self-isolating.
Federal financial update
The federal government released a fall economic statement on Monday in lieu of a full budget announcement. The update presented by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland largely focused on the Liberals' ongoing financial approach to COVID-19 and its economic fallout. It projects a deficit of $381.6 billion by late March 2021, with the possibility that pandemic-related developments could lead that number to grow.
Among the latest financial plans, the government proposes supports for families with children, renewable energies and green building, policing, long-term care facilities, as well as for COVID testing, vaccine roll-out and the maintenance of emergency funding for individuals and businesses.
Of particular interest to the postsecondary sector is the announcement of new supports for students and young people:
The cancellation of interest payments on the federal portion Canada Student Loans and Canada Apprentice Loans for the 2021-22 academic year.
An additional $447.5 million for the Canada Summer Jobs program for the creation of 40,000 new job placements next summer, for a total of 120,000 job opportunities for young people.
$575.3 million over two years for the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy to help fund 45,300 job placements for youth who have had their employment opportunities affected by the pandemic.
The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations was generally pleased with the news. However, in a press release published after the economic update, the group called out the federal government for once again failing to include specific aid to international students: "While we are thankful for the investments made, we continue to see gaps in investment for international students and mature learners. Specifically, international students have been completely left out of the government's COVID-19 aid package, and many continue to face significant barriers to supporting themselves in Canada and accessing work opportunities."
Also worth noting from the update: the Canada Revenue Agency will allow some taxpayers to claim up to $400 for work-from-home expenses without requiring them to provide detailed documents explaining the deductions. CRA will soon provide more details on the tax deduction.
Students in Peel, Toronto concerned about graduation in light of lockdown
When lockdown measures returned to Toronto and Ontario's Peel region on November 23, it meant the suspension of lab-based research and experiential education for many students in health care and other practical programs, with groups limited to 10 people. The Toronto Star reports that several postsecondary institutions in the province are petitioning the Ontario government to make an exception to the 10-person rule for them. The Council of Ontario Universities told the Star that its members are "working with the government regarding the new COVID-19 restrictions. The continuation of required in-person, 'hands-on' training is vital to ensuring the supply of health-care practitioners critical to Ontario's hospitals and health-care system."
SK med students ask province to step up COVID response
Meanwhile, medical students in Saskatchewan have petitioned their provincial government to do more to help curb the spread of COVID-19. "We ask you to further consider the advice of the hundreds of Saskatchewan medical experts and take decisive action to protect the residents of Saskatchewan … The incredible community in this province will rally behind initiatives that protect the lives of their families, their friends, and their neighbours," reads an open letter signed by more than 100 students at the University of Saskatchewan. The students are asking for calls for an expansion of COVID testing, improved contact-tracing and better public health messaging to combat misinformation about the virus.
Remote learning to continue through summer term at York
York University will extend its remote learning plans for fall/winter into the summer term. Last week the institution's senate approved the decision, noting that "where remote learning is not able to accommodate course components such as labs, studios or small graduate classes, York will maintain flexibility and make best efforts to accommodate requests for in-person instruction." Staff will continue to work virtually, unless asked by management to return to campus.
StFX pushes on with in-person exams
Students at St. Francis Xavier University will write their exams in person at the end of the term. According to a Global News report, academic vice-president Kevin B. Wamsley sent an email last week informing students that the Nova Scotia university will complete the semester as planned despite the rising number of COVID cases in the Atlantic region. He added, "Keep calm and study on." Several students have spoken out against the university's response.
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Home More About Our Religion Virtues and Sunnah of Dhul-Hijjah by Bello Kifayat
Virtues and Sunnah of Dhul-Hijjah by Bello Kifayat
Sun 1 Dhul Hijjah 1442AH 11-7-2021AD
In the name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful.
Dhul-Hijjah is the twelfth and last month of the Islamic calendar. And as the name implies, it is the month of pilgrimage when Muslims visit the house of Allah in Makkah when capable of doing so.
Like the month of Ramadan, Dhul-Hijjah is also a month full of bountiful and innumerable blessings for the Muslims around the world.
Many of us Muslims maximize our good deeds during the last ten nights of Ramadan, but the first ten days of the Dhul-Hijjah are just as valuable and Muslims should not miss out on this incredible opportunity to earn extra rewards on simple good deeds.
There are lots of Sunnah to follow during these first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah in order to earn more rewards from Almighty Allah (S.W.T) and some of the Sunnah are as follows:
Doing a lot of Dhikr:
The Prophet (S.A.W) said: "There are no days greater and more beloved to Allah than these ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, so increase in them your declaration of the oneness of Allah (Tahleel), your exaltation of Him (Takbeer), and your praises of Him (Tahmeed)." Therefore, it's advised to increase our Ibaadah during these days by doing lots of dhikr (remembrance).
Praying at Night and Fast during the Day:
Do you know that waking up to pray at Night for the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah is equivalent to praying on laylatul Qadr?
"The Prophet (S.A.W) said: "Fasting every day of the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah is equivalent to fasting a year, and standing every night of them (in prayer) is the equivalent to standing on the night of Qadr." Maa Sha Allah!
The above quoted Hadith answered the question asked earlier, and in this regard, we should increase in our Ibadah by fasting all days and praying during the Nights (Tahajjud).
Fasting on the day of Arafah:
If we are unable to fast from the beginning of the month of Dhul-Hijjah, then we should try to fast on the 9th day of Dhul Hijjah which is the day of Arafah, (Yaom l Arafah).
The day of Arafah is regarded as the most blessed day of the year. The Prophet (S.A.W) said: "There is no day on which Allah frees more people from the hell fire than on the day of Arafah."
On this day of Arafah, Muslims are advised to seek forgiveness and seek Allah's infinite mercy. The Prophet (S.A.W) said: "Fasting on the day of Arafah expiates the sins of the previous year and the following one."
Give more Sadaqa:
"Ibn Abass (R.A) reported that the Prophet (S.A.W) said: "There are no days o which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allah than these days", the companions asked, "Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah? Then the Prophet answered, "Not even Jihad for the sake of Allah, unless a man goes out himself for jihad, taking all his wealth with him and comes back with nothing." We should put extra effort into doing good deeds during these days.
From the points explained above, it proves that Almighty Allah (S.W.T) loves to be worshipped during these days, so, we should increase in our acts of Ibaadah by doing a lot of Dhikr, praying at night and fasting during the day, fasting on the day of Arafah, giving out alms (Sadaqa) and engaging in lot of more Sunnah during these days.
May Almighty Allah accept our worship as an act of Ibaadah. May He count us among the pious ones on the last day. May He spare our lives to witness Eid -l-kabeer and more of the festive periods on earth, in sound health and enormous wealth.
I wish all Muslims in the World Eid Mubaarak in advance.
Bello kifayat Adenike is a 100 level student of Accounting, UDUS.
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Chris Mullany
Ancient Lives at the British Museum
AllofUs were asked to work with the British Museum to help tell the story of eight mummies via a series of linear and interactive exhibits. The mummies were scanned using CT scanners which produce thousands of 2D image slices.
Working with the Museum curators and specialist third-party software, the slices were transformed into photo-realistic volumetric models. Working with interpretation staff and curators we crafted storyboards that would take visitors on a journey through the anatomy, and contents of the eight mummies.
Full-HD renders of the volumetric models were then produced inline with the storyboards. We layered key content messages using a simple typographical treatment over the renders and added a final step of post-production using After Effects to highlight key areas and to grade the overall output.
Seven of these HD sequences were turned into interactive exhibits which allow visitors to experience the content at their own pace; slowing down, speeding up, pausing and reversing where desired. The control mechanic had to be as intuitive as possible to cater for the wide range of visitors that the British Museum attracts. We embedded capacitive touch pads under circular grooves in the bespoke information panels placed in front of each the 46" digital displays. I wrote a simple algorithm to convert circular movement around the touch surface into linear momentum in the digital content.
The software was built using openFrameworks. Each of the 7 interactives consists of around 3000 HD images. Early tests with scrubbing through video gave poor results so I developed a threaded system for buffering, loading and clearing images as a sequence. Using SSD hard drives meant that the bottleneck here was not in loading images from the hard drive but in uploading textures to the GPU. To optimise this process, I converted all images to uncompressed TGA format and used an openGL pixel buffer object to upload textures to the GPU. TGA files are larger than compressed formats like PNG or JPG but don't require an un-compression step before being sent to the graphics card. The result was super smooth animation at both high and low user input speeds.
I used a 64 bit PC version of openFrameworks (https://github.com/liquidzym/openframeworks_X64) in order to be able to exceed the 4GB RAM limit imposed on 32bit applications. I also used https://github.com/rezaali/ofxUI to develop a custom UI for tweaking parameters.
All objects and IP remain the copyright of the British Museum
openframeworks
Previous: MAST Interactive Exhibits Next: Utterance
© 2020 Infinite Fun Space
me@chrismullany.com
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BALTIMORE—UMBC softball coach Joe French announced today that four more players have committed to join the Retrievers this fall.
Pitcher/outfielder Katie Ferguson from North East, Md., was named the Maryland Junior College Player of the Year and a Third-Team NJCAA All-American while leading Cecil College to the NJCAA Division II World Series last season. She went 17-3 with a 1.24 ERA and 209 strikeouts in 130.0 innings of work as a sophomore, while also batting .457 with 63 hits, nine home runs and 57 RBI. Her 209 strikeouts ranked third in all of Division II. Fegurson's older brother, Dustin, is on the UMBC baseball team.
Jessica Warner is a shortstop/third baseman from Huntingtown High School in Huntingtown, Md., who was named to the All-County and All-Southern Maryland Athletic Conference first teams after batting .509 with a team-best six homers and 37 RBI. She has line drive power to all fields to go along with a good glove and a strong throwing arm.
The versatile Kayla Martinez from Arundel High School in Odenton, Md., can play anywhere in the infield and also pitch. An athletic, sure-handed fielder with a strong throwing arm, she is a three-time All-Met selection by The Sun and has also earned All-County honors from the Annapolis Capital. Last season,Martinez averaged 11.5 strikeouts per game and threw three no-hitters, including a perfect game in the regional quarterfinals.
An agile infielder/outfielder from Westminster, Md., who should be a threat on the base paths, Amy Metcalfe will transfer to UMBC from Iona, where she played 34 games as the Gaels won the MAAC championship and earned a berth in the NCAA Regionals. Metcalfe's father, Rusty, played baseball at UMBC.
Ferguson, Warner, Martinez and Metcalfe join newcomers Katrina Gaar and Caitlin Chance, who committed to UMBC in the fall.
Fefel Named Graduate Assistant at William Woods: UMBC's all-time home run leader and 2010 Outstanding Female Senior Athlete Amanda Fefel was named graduate assistant pitching coach atWilliam Woods University in Fulton, Mo. Fefel hit 43 career home runs an collected 219 hits, and she is UMBC's first-ever four-time First-Team America East All-Conference member. On the mound, she ranks fourth all-time with 294 career strikeouts. Fefel will be pursuing her master's degree in athletic administration at William Woods.
"This is a great opportunity for Amanda as she starts her coaching career," French said.
Fall Schedule Announced: The Retrievers will play three tournaments, two scrimmages and an alumni game as part of their fall schedule.
UMBC kicks off the fall with two games at the Towson Tournament on Sept. 25, before traveling to George Washington a day later to take on the host Colonials and Maryland. The next weekend, the Retrievers host Catholic in a scrimmage on Oct. 3, then travel to George Mason for a scrimmage on Oct. 8 before hosting Towson and Delaware State in a tournament the next day.
UMBC closes out its fall schedule with an alumni game on Oct. 16 as part of Homecoming Weekend.
vs. George Washington 2 p.m.
Oct. 3 vs. Catholic 10 a.m.
Oct. 8 at George Mason 4 p.m.
vs. Delaware State 12 p.m.
2010 Fall Clinic: French and the Retrievers will host their annual fall clinic for girls ages 12 and up on Sunday, Oct. 17, at UMBC Softball Stadium from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. The schedule will include offensive, defensive and pitching/catching sessions in the morning with scrimmages and a question-and-answer period in the afternoon. The cost of the clinic is $45 before Oct. 10 or $50 thereafter. Group rates are available for five or more players who sign up together. The clinic is open to 40 players. For more information, contact Coach French at 410-455-1325 or jfrench@umbc.edu.
UMBC Fall Scholastic Retriever Classic: French and the Retrievers will also host the Second Annual UMBC Fall Scholastic Retriever Classic Oct. 23-24 at UMBC Softball Stadium. The entry fee is $300 per team plus $25 per game for the umpires. Due to limited space, the showcase will accommodate the first eight teams that register. Weather permitting, each team will play four 6-inning or 70-minute games, with each batter starting with a 1-1 count. The tournament is open to all travel ball teams in the 14, 16 and 18 divisions. Local collegiate coaches will be invited. For more information, contact Coach French at 410-455-1325 or jfrench@umbc.edu.
Retrievers to Host Open Tryouts: French will hold tryouts for the 2011 softball team Sept. 13 at 1:30 p.m. Any full-time student with NCAA eligibility is invited to audition with the current Retrievers. Contact Coach French at 410-455-1325 or jfrench@umbc.edu for more information and paperwork.


Desfiles, ¿el teatro de la moda?
Hay dos cosas en esta vida que nos encantan: las exposiciones y la moda. Pocas veces se juntan, pero cuando lo hacen se convierten para nosotros en citas ineludibles... La verdad es que ya habéis vistos bastantes a lo largo de la vida del blog: la de YSL (que para nosotros sigue siendo la mejor), la de Marc Jacobs y Louis Vuitton, la de Gaultier... hoy nos quedamos con moda 100% española.
There are two things in life that we really love: fashion and exhibitions. Not many times they come together but when they do we´re just thrilled!!! And the best thing about our last fashion exhibition that it was fully devoted to spanish fashion, which is not very common as you can imagine. We´re the kind of people that tend to think that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, that is, the fashion is always better when it comes from Paris, New York, London... and that´s not always the case!! We´ve great designers (as this exhibition shows) that really need us to believe in them and in their work... if we don´t support our talent, who´s going to do so? Yeah, as always, when they succeed abroad is when we start supporting them... let´s take Del Pozo as an example... Anyway, don´t you think that these designs shown in the exhibition are great??


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The Apple Watch is getting a new walkie-talkie mode with watchOS 5
It might not be as revolutionary as Apple would like you to believe, but still a welcome feature.
Image: PlaceIt
An all-new walkie-talkie feature is arriving on Apple Watch this fall. The feature, part of the recently announced watchOS 5 update, will allow Apple Watch users to chat on cellular and Wi-Fi just by pushing a button on their wearable device.
The new Apple Watch walkie-talkie feature, as you might expect, offers an easy way to have a one-on-one conversation with anyone who also has a compatible Apple Watch.
Basically, the feature acts much like a FaceTime call. One user will initiate the walkie-talkie mode, and once confirmed, users can go back and forth with the use of the talk button that displays on-screen. To avoid confusion, once one user presses the button to open communication, the other will be unable to until the first person is finished.
This isn't the only new feature coming to the Apple Watch this fall. The watchOS 5 update also includes new exercise challenges that allow you to compete against your friends, plus an auto-workout feature. With this tool, you'll get an alert when the watch detects that a new workout has begun. The feature also offers reminders to end workout sessions if you forget. There are also new workouts for yoga and hiking, plus new running features.
The watchOS 5 update also adds new content to the Siri watch face. Using machine learning, the updated face offers more predictive and proactive shortcuts throughout the day based on routines, locations, and information such as your heart rate after a workout. The face also shows actionable content from third-party apps such as Nike+ Run Club, Glow Baby, and Mobike.
Podcasts are also arriving on Apple Watch for the first time.
New features for Apple Watch arrive this fall when Apple releases watchOS 5 to the public. At around the same time, the company will also release updated versions of iOS, tvOS, and macOS.
Are you excited about the new walkie-talkie feature for Apple Watch? You know what to do below.
See also: A round Apple Watch might be coming to a wrist near you, The Apple Watch is out here saving lives, and Best Apple Watch bands money can buy right now.
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Obama names Utah, Nevada monuments despite opposition
2 years 6 months 2 weeks ago Thursday, December 29 2016 Dec 29, 2016 December 29, 2016 7:38 AM December 29, 2016 in News
SALT LAKE CITY - President Barack Obama has designated two new national monuments in Utah and Nevada at sites that have become key flashpoints over public land in the U.S. West.
The announcement Wednesday marks the administration's latest move to protect environmentally sensitive areas in its final days.
The White House says Bears Ears National Monument in Utah will cover 1.35 million acres of tribal land in the Four Corners region. A coalition of tribes pushed to ensure protections for lands that are home to an estimated 100,000 archaeological sites, including ancient cliff dwellings.
Critics called it another layer of unnecessary federal control that would close the area to development and recreation.
The 300,000-acre Gold Butte National Monument outside Las Vegas also was named. It's an ecologically fragile area near where Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy led an armed standoff with government agents in 2014.


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5G Revolution
By 2030, Every Office Will Be a Virtual Office
Five inexorable trends are combining to make the entire concept of a centralized workplace utterly obsolete.
By Geoffrey James@Sales_Source
Business owners and entrepreneurs need to think beyond today's work-from-home and open-plan offices. In the not too distant future, knowledge workers in the smartest companies will work remotely from anywhere in the world and interact either in full virtual reality or via augmented reality, similar to this Microsoft prototype:
The technology to create this kind of VR/AR office workplace already exists. As the price inevitably drops and the tech itself becomes more convenient and transparent, the demand for such workplaces will explode, due to the following inexorable trends.
1. Increased public awareness of health risks.
The medical community has long pointed out that offices are inherently unsanitary and lead to the unnecessary spread of diseases. A single uncovered sneeze sprays droplets through an entire open-plan office, settling on things we touch every day but which are seldom cleaned, like keyboards, mouses, chair arm rests. AR/VR offices pose no health risk whatever, since you already have all of your germs.
2. Increased public awareness of carbon footprint.
An SUV commuting 10 miles a day for a year creates a whopping 3.5 tons of carbon footprint. A single flight from New York City to Silicon Valley to get everyone together in one place creates two to three tons of carbon footprint per employee transported. Offices themselves (especially big rooms with high ceilings) have enormous carbon footprints. With climate disasters looming, this is unsustainable. By contrast, VR/AR offices have a miniscule carbon footprint of one connected computer per person.
3. The growing backlash against open-plan offices.
While many CEOs are still gnawing the bone of a bankrupt concept, it's abundantly clear to anyone who's not been completely blinded by confirmation bias that open-plan offices are an unmitigated productivity disaster. Open-plan offices reduce rather than increase collaboration and, when you factor in the productivity loss, don't save any money, even in areas with sky-high office rentals. Unlike open-plan offices, VR/AR offices would actually increase collaboration and would cost a company, well, basically nothing.
4. The growing demand for ever-rarer skill sets.
Even in areas like Silicon Valley, it can be difficult or even impossible to find knowledge workers with specific skill set, and then you have to pay them ridiculous compensation because the cost of living is so high. With a VR/AR office, a company can recruit anyone from anywhere in the world, vastly increasing the pool of qualified candidates while vastly decreasing the amount of money that they need be paid.
5. The desire to finally eliminate workplace bias.
Offices in "meat space" are all about appearances. There is a persistent bias in hiring and promotion against women, minorities, those not conventionally attractive, and anyone who is in their 30s or older. Inside a VR/AR office, everyone can be represented by an avatar that may or may not resemble how that person actually appears. Bias based upon appearance becomes impossible because how a person appears is totally arbitrary.
The Takeaway: Due to this confluence of trends, in 10 years centralized offices (open-plan or not) will be like the phone booths, a thing that older people remember as once being useful but which have since become irrelevant, obsolete, and non-existent.
The Extra Mile: Start planning today for this massive shift in how you'll organize and locate teams. Move quickly to work-from-home or a hybrid of work-from-home and a traditional office. Consider early adoption of the technology as it becomes available.


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Most U.S. States Reopening as Coronavirus Cases Decline
MONDAY, May 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- While most U.S. states had loosened social distancing restrictions by Monday, new data shows the number of coronavirus cases in the country has dropped in recent days.
According to The New York Times, in New York state case counts have dropped over the last month, and they have also plunged in hard-hit Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Some states, including Vermont, Hawaii and Alaska, are seeing hardly any new cases at all, the newspaper said.
"We're seeing a decline; undoubtedly, that is something good to see," Jeffrey Shaman, an epidemiologist at Columbia University, told the Times. "But what we are also seeing is a lot of places right on the edge of controlling the disease."
Of course, testing will be key to further efforts to control the spread of the new coronavirus. But only about 3% of the population has been tested, with nearly 1.5 million cases recorded so far. And more than 1,000 Americans died from COVID-19 almost every day this past week, as the U.S. death toll neared 90,000 on Monday, the Times reported.
Meanwhile, a new survey from the Washington Post reveals another dilemma: Though tests for the virus are finally becoming widely available, too few people are lining up to get them.
The poll of governors' offices and state health departments found at least a dozen states where testing capacity outstrips the supply of patients.
Why aren't more people getting tested? "Well, that's the million-dollar question," Utah Health Department spokesman Tom Hudachko told the Post. "It could be simply that people don't want to be tested. It could be that people feel like they don't need to be tested. It could be that people are so mildly symptomatic that they're just not concerned that having a positive lab result would actually change their course in any meaningful way."
Meanwhile, as millions of Americans try to navigate a safe re-entry into public life, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and has released recommendations to guide schools, businesses, restaurants, mass transit, day care centers and camps through reopening during the coronavirus pandemic.
Unemployment soars to 36 million
On the economic front, things look bleak. Statistics released Thursday show the coronavirus crisis has pushed almost 3 million more Americans into the ranks of the unemployed.
In the past eight weeks, a whopping 36 million Americans have lost their jobs as the country went into lockdown to try and slow the spread of COVID-19.
Even as the country's top health officials testified to Congress on Tuesday about the dangers of reopening too quickly, a new report shows millions more Americans are now venturing out in public.
From March 20, when states began urging people to stay home, to April 30, when many states started easing those restrictions, 43.8% of U.S. residents stayed home, a Times analysis showed.
But last week, only 36.1% of Americans stayed home. The biggest drop in share of people staying home was in Michigan, where stay-at-home orders are actually still in place, the analysis showed.
Serious illness in kids
Meanwhile, troubling news has emerged from New York City this week: More than 119 children have contracted a new, serious inflammatory syndrome that seems to be linked to COVID-19 infection, NBC News reported.
Three of those patients, two grade schoolers and a teenager, have died, the Times reported. None of them were known to have any preexisting condition.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has directed the state's hospitals to prioritize COVID-19 testing for children showing symptoms of the condition, now known as "pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome," CBS News reported.
"We have been behind this virus every step of the way and even as we are now beginning to see the numbers on the decline, the virus is still surprising us," Cuomo said in a statement, CBS News reported. The syndrome affects blood vessels and organs and has symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease and toxic shock.
A small number of cases have been reported in other states, including New Jersey, California, Louisiana and Mississippi, the Times reported. At least 50 cases have been reported in European countries, including Britain, France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.
As New York City officials grappled with how to track and treat this new condition, an Italian study published Wednesday in The Lancet medical journal described similar cases that cropped up in that country.
Between Feb. 18 and April 20, there were 10 cases of young children hospitalized with the inflammatory condition in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. In the five years leading up to the middle of February, only 19 children in that region had ever been diagnosed with the condition.
All 10 children survived, but they had more severe symptoms than those diagnosed with Kawasaki disease in the previous five years.
The researchers said their findings provide "the first clear evidence" of a link between the new coronavirus and this inflammatory condition.
Fears around reopening
Even as reopening plans proceed, polling shows that many Americans oppose the reopening of restaurants, retail stores and other businesses.
A Washington Post-University of Maryland survey found that many Americans have been making trips to grocery stores and 56% say they are comfortable doing so. But 67% say they would be uncomfortable shopping at a retail clothing store, and 78% would be uncomfortable eating at a sit-down restaurant.
Those fears may only be heightened by a troubling new study on COVID-19 transmission, published Wednesday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.
Researchers from the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the University of Pennsylvania discovered that even talking emits small respiratory droplets that linger in the air for at least 8 minutes. The finding could help explain why COVID-19 infections tend to run rampant in nursing homes, households, conferences, cruise ships and other confined spaces with limited air circulation, the Post reported.
"Highly sensitive laser light scattering observations have revealed that loud speech can emit thousands of oral fluid droplets per second," the report stated.
According to a Times tally, the top five states in coronavirus cases as of Monday are: New York with over 355,000; New Jersey with over 146,000; Illinois with more than 94,000; Massachusetts with more than 86,000; and California with over 80,000.
Nations grapple with pandemic
In Asia, where the coronavirus first struck, several countries are finally returning to a new normal but clusters of cases have been cropping up.
In China, public officials are testing all 11 million residents in the city of Wuhan in the hopes they can extinguish any remaining cases of coronavirus in the pandemic's original epicenter, the Post reported
Meanwhile, South Korean officials said they do not plan to revive strict social distancing rules, despite a spike in coronavirus cases linked to nightclubs in Seoul, the Associated Press reported.
Elsewhere, the situation remains challenging. On Monday, the United Kingdom's coronavirus death count passed 34,700, the second highest in the world, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally. Britain has now surpassed Italy, Spain and France for COVID-19 deaths in Europe.
Brazil looks like it might become the next hotspot in the coronavirus pandemic. By Monday, the South American country had reported over 16,000 deaths and more than 241,000 confirmed infections, according to the Hopkins tally.
Cases are also spiking in Russia: As of Monday, that country reported the world's second-highest number of COVID-19 cases, the Hopkins tally showed. Russia now has more than 290,600 cases, surpassing both Britain and Spain. Only the United States has more cases.
Worldwide, the number of reported infections passed 4.7 million on Monday, with more than 315,000 deaths, according to the Hopkins tally.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on the new coronavirus.
SOURCES: Associated Press; The New York Times; Washington Post; CBS News; NBC News
Cancer: Preventing Infections
Infection in Babies
White Blood Cell Count
Penicillin G Benzathine Injection
Penicillin G Benzathine; Penicillin G Procaine injection


text:
Welcome to Dartford
Our area guide for Dartford offers a brief overview of the town and its attraction, properties, schools, history, council tax and public transport.
Dartford snapshot
Dartford offers the best of both worlds – a bustling commuter town that is well connected to London combined with stunning Kentish countryside. Buyers wanting bright lights and late nights can live in the centre of Dartford itself – which is undergoing an exciting regeneration - while semi-rural villages, including Hartley, Horton Kirby, Longfield and Wilmington, provide greener, tranquil settings.
Dartford: where?
Most road users will know Dartford's location thanks to the QEII river crossing at junction 2 of the M25 and if you're a shopper, Bluewater is Dartford's close neighbour. The northern border of the town edges the River Thames looking out to Essex's Purfleet, while the south of the town lies not far from Farningham and Eynsford.
Own train station serving London Bridge, Waterloo East, Charing Cross, Cannon Street and Victoria
Additional stations at Farningham and Crayford
Fast track bus service linking Dartford to Bluewater and Ebbsfleet International station
Located at the point where the A2 meets the M25 at junction 2
Home to the QEII river crossing to Essex
Dartford is known for its excellent primary, secondary and academy facilities, including Dartford Grammar and Wilmington Grammar – each with a school for boys and girls. There's a 'find-a-school' facility on every one of our online property listings, where you can filter schools by age, type and Ofsted rating.
The shopping facilities are comprehensive, with both The Orchard and The Priory indoor shopping centres as well as Prospect Place. For even more choice, Bluewater is a short drive away. Sell-out performances are a regular occurrence at the Orchard Theatre and The Mick Jagger Centre, while the annual Dartford Festival continues to pull in the crowds. Balancing the bustle is acres of open space in the shape of Dartford Heath, Dartford Park and Darenth Country Park.
Our Dartford staff recommend:
The Horse And Groom in Wilmington, for home cooked food
The Fighting Cocks Pub and Riverside Restaurant, for Sunday lunches
The Chequers in Darenth
The Penny Farthing or the Dartford Jug microbreweries
Industry or ATIK for late nights and dancing
Carnaval Meat & Tapas restaurant
Efes, for Turkish food
Dartford property
Start with a studio apartment and work your way up to a five-bedroom detached house without ever leaving Dartford. The east side of the town contains two and three-bedroom Victorian houses, and popular three-bedroom semi-detached homes. The west side of the town is noted for three-bed semi-detached houses and detached properties, and also benefits from some smaller two and three- bedroom homes. Over 1,500 new homes are being built in the town centre and around the station, for unbeatable brand new choice.
Click for Dartford's council tax rates
Property for sale in Dartford Area Guide 2
Flats for sale in Dartford Area Guide 2
Houses for sale in Dartford Area Guide 2
Property to rent in Dartford Area Guide 2
Flats to rent in Dartford Area Guide 2
Houses to rent in Dartford Area Guide 2


Suzuki Motorcycle India had introduced CBS in the disc brake variant of Access 125 last year.
Suzuki Motorcycle India Private Limited (SMIPL), a subsidiary of two-wheeler manufacturer, Suzuki Motor Corporation, has introduced Combined Braking System (CBS) in its drum brake variant of Suzuki Access 125. Suzuki had introduced CBS in the disc brake variant of Access 125 last year. The CBS equipped Suzuki Access 125 drum brake variant has been priced at Rs 56,667 (ex-showroom Delhi).
Commenting on the development, Devashish Handa, Vice President, Sales, Marketing & After-Sales, SMIPL said, "It gives us immense pleasure to introduce the CBS equipped Access125 drum brake variant. Suzuki Motorcycle is committed to improving and innovating its products for better riding experience and introduction of CBS to Access125 drum variant is a step further to fulfilling this promise.
The CBS equipped Suzuki Access 125 - drum brake variant allows riders to operate both brakes only by pressing left brake lever. Combined Braking System is a supplemental brake system which reduces the brake distance in certain conditions.


text:
define(["require", "exports"], function (require, exports) {
    var DependencyInjector = (function () {
        function DependencyInjector() {
            this.services = {};
            this.shared_instances = {};
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        DependencyInjector.getDefault = function () {
            return this._default;
        };
        DependencyInjector.setDefault = function (_default) {
            this._default = _default;
        };
        DependencyInjector.factoryDefault = function () {
            return this._default = new DependencyInjector();
        };
        DependencyInjector.prototype.set = function (name, service, shared) {
            this.services[name] = service;
            service._shared = shared || false;
            return this;
        };
        DependencyInjector.prototype.get = function (name, shared) {
            if (!this.services.hasOwnProperty(name)) {
                throw Error('Service' + name + ' not found.');
            }
            var service = this.services[name];
            if (typeof service == 'function') {
                if (service._shared || shared) {
                    if (this.shared_instances.hasOwnProperty(name)) {
                        return this.shared_instances[name];
                    }
                    else {
                        return this.shared_instances[name] = service();
                    }
                }
                else {
                    return service();
                }
            }
            else {
                return service;
            }
        };
        return DependencyInjector;
    })();
    return DependencyInjector;
});
//# sourceMappingURL=DependencyInjector.js.map

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Her presentation was praised by her boss.
She complimented the actor on his performance.
Colin was hailed as a hero for saving the child.
He was commended for his bravery.
His first movie was acclaimed as a masterpiece.
Critics are raving about her latest movie.


Are you in charge of your car's computer?
While indulging my interest the new Audi R8 (completely speculatively of course I wish I could own one!) I was distracted and amazed by the mass of electronic systems involved in a car of that range. ABS, Stability Control, Fly by Wire throttle, Sat Nav to name just a few. All of these electronic systems are controlled by software somewhere in the car's brain and are responsible for keeping you safe, keeping you going in the right direction and helping you control your exotic sports car.
Snapping myself out of this dream and putting my work hat back on. What is protecting these systems from the kind of vulnerabilities that your office systems have to face. Malware, unauthorised control and even simply mis-configuration . We are if nothing else trusting our very expensive cars in the hands of all this technology.
Toyota's software bug that affected the braking system on the Prius demonstrates the problem. Software can only perform as well as it is programmed and as seen in the thousands of malware attacks, it can be affected to perform differently or to stop performing all together.
What is to stop someone loading malware into your car via say the Bluetooth connection between it and a phone, and in doing so affecting a system such as the brakes? (That is not to mention cars now being connected to the free world of the internet).
This is not an issue unique to cars, Hugo Teso a security consultant from German company n.runs recently demonstrated how he could take control of an aeroplanes auto-pilot system using his smart phone. The issue is that all these systems are interconnected, meaning that an easy access unsecured data route such as your Sat-Nav GPS or phones Bluetooth can allow access to other critical areas within your vehicles system.
Transport providers are going to have to take the cyber threat seriously and get up to speed with modern IT security principles. They can no longer claim to be disconnected from outsider threats and have to secure their data entry points and separate the internal systems to reduce the effect of any malicious data.
Here at Nexor we have thankfully seen an increase in awareness by transport companies to the threat as well as the opportunities provided by these complicated and inter-connected electronic systems.
← Do you deploy 2 percent of your staff on Network Security?
All computers weather in a car or otherwise, can and will be expiolted. Be it by the goverment to track "Criminals" or you, or by others just trying to do harm to things, possibly steal stuff, like in the incident where a group of people made a divice that will scan for wireless signals in cars copy it and unlock and start them to steal them.
Kieran Barnes is a sales executive at Nexor providing security solutions for organisations to protect their data and enable them to share information securely.


text:
Q: About WordPress site security If I install WordPress on my server, does it mean that Akismet is installed automatically?
If so - do I still need to create e-mail verification and captcha tools for improving site security (as I see WP does not have this features in itself).
What is recommended for captcha test- simple php captcha or some graphical ajax invention (by drawing or moving objects etc)?
My site will be rather plain, but will have user's comments on each page.

A: Akismet comes pre-installed with WordPress. You will, however, need to activate it from the 'Plugins' menu and sign up for an API key (free plans are available).
And no, captchas are not needed (Akismet catches almost everything), but you can find a plugin to add one if you wish.
If you're concerned about sercurity, I recommend the Better WP Security plugin.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Return values from stored procedure that contains a cursor I have the following stored procedure and I can get it to print the values/information that I require, but I would like to be able to return the values and use them to populate a dropdownlist in a C# application.
This is the stored procedure:
ALTER PROCEDURE sp_IHubTypes
AS
BEGIN
    -- SET NOCOUNT ON added to prevent extra result sets from
    -- interfering with SELECT statements.
    SET NOCOUNT ON;

    -- Insert statements for procedure here
DECLARE @NewsTypeID AS NVARCHAR(100)
DECLARE @Description AS NVARCHAR(100)
DECLARE @NTCount AS NVARCHAR(100)
DECLARE NewsCURSOR CURSOR FOR

SELECT NewsTypeID, Description
FROM tblNewsType
WHERE PortalID = 3
AND Sector = 'GENERIC'
AND Enabled = 1
ORDER BY RowOrder ASC, Description ASC

OPEN NewsCURSOR
FETCH NEXT FROM NewsCURSOR
INTO @NewsTypeID,@Description
WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS = 0
BEGIN
    SELECT @NTCount = Count(0)
    FROM    tblAsset
    WHERE NewsTypeS LIKE '%,' + CAST(@NewsTypeID AS nvarchar(100)) + ',%'

IF @NTCount > 0
    BEGIN
        PRINT  '(' + @NTCount + ')' + @Description
    END

    FETCH NEXT FROM NewsCURSOR INTO @NewsTypeID,@Description
END

CLOSE NewsCURSOR
DEALLOCATE NewsCURSOR

END

When I execute the stored procedure in SQL Server Management Studio the print statement returns the following:
 5 - Canada
 3 - China
 2 - Germany
 3 - India
 2 - Netherlands
 1 - Russia
 2 - UK

Any help would be much appreciated.

A: I would avoid using a CURSOR and do something SET based like this:
SELECT  COUNT(*) AS ItemCount,
        nt.[Description] AS Country
FROM    tblNewsType AS nt, tblAsset AS a
WHERE   a.NewsTypes LIKE '%,' + CAST(nt.NewsTypeID AS nvarchar(100)) + ',%'
GROUP BY nt.[Description]

A: You can add data to temporary table and select from there
CREATE TABLE #TEMPDATA(ID int,COUNTRY varchar(100))
BEGIN

    IF @NTCount > 0
    BEGIN
       INSERT INTO #TEMPDATA(ID,OUNTRY)
       VALUES(@NTCount ,@Description)
    END
    FETCH NEXT FROM NewsCURSOR INTO @NewsTypeID,@Description

END

Then
after the cursor
SELECT ID,COUNTRY FROM #TEMPDATA


One of the most important and influential bands to come out of Brisbane, The Saints, and in particular their first three albums, are rightly viewed as high watermarks in the realms of horn driven garage punk. Since such heady days, original guitarist and prolific Brisbane music institution Ed Kuepper has sporadically unleashed his cleverly referenced side project, The Aints. After recent live activity following an extended hiatus, the long-mooted excavation and reinterpretation of a bunch of embryonic Saints tracks from the bands golden years, from 1974 to 1978, has come to fruition under The Aints banner. Aint that grand!
'The Church Of Simultaneous Existence' swaggers out of the blocks with the brass inflected belter 'Red Aces', which was originally mooted to follow-on from a track cut from a similar cloth, the 1977 Saints classic 'Know Your Product'.
The album's title track sways and swells, fueled by the pulsing bass work of Peter Oxley, an Aints moonlighter when he's not treading the boards as a founding member of the Sunnyboys.
Nods to Kuepper's highly regarded solo work and the mutant art-jazz of his exemplary Laughing Clowns project also sporadically make their presence felt, in particular on numbers such as 'You'll Always Walk Alone' and the stately 'Country Song in G'.
Meanwhile the seven plus minutes of early days Kuepper that constitutes 'Goodnight Ladies (I Hear A Sound Without)' is an insistently dark pummel of guitar-melting, gargantuan proportions, the germination of which can be traced all the way back to its protagonists' teenage years in 1969.
While back in seminal Saints central, 'S-O-S '75', marries a driving guitar refrain with vaguely mariachi fueled horns to devastating effect. The slowly creeping 'Demo Girl Part 2', plays as a sonic counterpoint to (I'm) Stranded era belter 'Demolition Girl'. And the jaunty 'Winters Way' bounces along off the back of a tambourine and piano accompaniment married to the album's more typical guitar and brass led flourishes.