Remodeling magazine's annual report shows that maintenance-related projects and moderately priced upgrades are providing stable paybacks, even in a slower market.
By G.M. Filisko Remodeling's 2008 - 2009 Cost vs. Value Report.
Remodeling produces the Cost vs. Value Report each year in cooperation with REALTOR® magazine. REALTORS® responding to a survey in midsummer said home owners could expect to recoup a national average of 67.3 percent of their investment in 30 different home improvement projects. At the height of the housing boom in 2005, home owners could expect to recoup a national average of 86.7 percent on projects.
Remodeling remains hot in 10 cities, where, on at least some projects, home owners can recover 100 percent of their costs. In Charlotte, N.C., for example, decks, midrange kitchen remodels, vinyl siding, and window-replacement projects all would net more than they cost, in respondents� estimation. High rates of recovery were seen in both strong real estate markets and weak ones.
Many cities with the highest rates of recovery were smaller--Jackson, Miss., and Billings, Mont., for example--which may point to lower labor and materials costs that are easier to recoup.
Seattle also made the list of cities with a cost recovery of more than 100 percent on decks and minor kitchen remodels. In fact, Pacific Coast cities recorded the best payback on remodeling by a wide margin, as they did in 2007. Although construction costs on the Pacific Coast are nearly 17 percent higher than national averages, the value of renovations at resale more than makes up for those higher prices.
The result is an average cost-recouped percentage that's 14.8 percent higher than in the rest of the country. The toughest place to get your money back: Midwestern cities such as Chicago, Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Milwaukee.
Once again, exterior remodeling projects lead the way for recovery on dollars spent in this year's Cost vs. Value survey. When you compare the national averages, replacement projects that boost curb appeal (siding, windows, and decks) give you the greatest chance of recouping your money. Inside, only kitchen remodels can compare, at least on a national level.
REALTORS® around the country helped us track down home owners who had recently completed remodeling projects. In all cases, the projects cost far less than the job cost estimates provided with the Cost vs. Value survey.
When Rick Nagle and Eileen Deamer of Oak Park, Ill., spent more than $35,000 to convert the attic of their 100-year-old home into a combination master bedroom and office, "resale value wasn't our concern," says Deamer, a U.S. government employee and the married mother of two.
The transformation turned 600 square feet of makeshift office with a toilet in the middle of the room to a colonial-style bedroom/office with two walk-in closets and an adjoining sage green bath with a walk-in shower. To allow two simultaneous uses, pocket doors separate the bedroom and office spaces.
"This is such a crazy market to try to judge how much a renovation is worth, but having a refurbished kitchen and bathrooms makes almost any house more salable," says Shari Gay, ABR®, sales associate at RE/MAX Sun Properties in Fountain Hills, Ariz. The owner's sister added Saltillo clay floor tile throughout the 1,800-square-foot home, including the new bathroom. Bathroom finishes included a new cherry vanity cabinet, a tile shower, oil-rubbed bronze fixtures, and a soothing, sophisticated yellow color scheme, which all add up to a great look.
Total cost? About $5,000. "She'll at least break even on the upgrades," predicts Gay. "If this were a boom market, she would get even more."
A kitchen is the heart of most homes. That's why Hollywood set designer Wally White decided to spend most of his $15,000 renovation budget on upgrading the kitchen of his Honolulu studio condo. To spruce up the existing white cabinetry, which he left to save costs, the owner added bursts of color with celadon green granite countertops and walls painted in a complementary shade of light green. An undermounted white porcelain sink, a six-light halogen fixture on a dimmer, and brushed stainless steel faucet completed the look. It paid off.
White grossed $45,000 when he sold eight months later. "The unit sold for more than any other studio�and most of the one-bedroom condos in the building," says Susan Weinik, a sales associate with Realty Executives Oahu.
In a modest 1950s ranch in West Brighton, N.Y., a midrange basement upgrade suited Bernard Fallon's mother-in-law, Ligaya Nocon, just fine. After purchasing her home "on the high end of the market," according to Fallon, broker at Fallon Associates Realty in Rochester, N.Y., Nocon kept basement renovation costs under $9,000.
She created a cottage feel by whitewashing the knotty pine paneling rather than replacing it. She also reupholstered the existing bar to cover wear and warmed up the room with wall-to-wall carpeting instead of wood or tile. "We just dressed it up for the personal enjoyment of my mother-in-law," says Fallon, "but I think it will help sell the property later."
Attic Bedroom Remodel. Convert unfinished attic space to a 15-by-15-foot bedroom and a 5-by-7-foot bathroom with shower. Include a 15-foot shed dormer, four new windows, and closet space under the eaves. Insulate and finish ceiling and walls. Carpet floor. Extend existing HVAC to new space; provide electrical wiring and lighting to code. Retain existing stairs, but add rail and baluster around stairwell.
Minor Kitchen Remodel. In a functional but dated 200-square-foot kitchen with 30 linear feet of cabinetry and countertops, leave cabinet boxes in place but replace fronts with new raised-panel wood doors and drawers, including new hardware. Replace wall oven and cooktop with new energy-efficient models. Replace laminate countertops; install mid-priced sink and faucet. Repaint trim, add wall covering, and remove and replace resilient flooring.
Basement Remodel. Finish the lower level of a house to create a 20-by-30-foot entertaining area with wet bar and a 5-by-8-foot full bathroom; construct 24 linear feet of finished partition to enclose mechanical area. Walls and ceilings are painted drywall throughout; exterior walls are insulated; painted trim throughout. Include five six-panel factory-painted hardboard doors with passage locksets. Electrical wiring to code. Main room> Include 15 recessed ceiling light fixtures and three surface-mounted light fixtures, as well as a snap-together laminate flooring system. Bathroom> Includes standard white toilet, vanity with cultured marble top, resilient vinyl flooring, two-piece fiberglass shower unit, a light/fan combination, vanity light fixture, recessed medicine cabinet, towel and paper-holder hardware. Bar area> Include 10 linear feet of raised-panel oak cabinets with laminate countertops, stainless steel bar sink, single-lever bar faucet, undercounter refrigerator, and vinyl floor tile.
Upscale Bathroom Remodel. Expand an existing 35-square-foot bathroom to 100 square feet within existing house footprint. Relocate all fixtures. Include 42-by-42-inch shower with ceramic tile walls with accent strip, recessed shower caddy, body-spray fixtures, and frameless glass enclosure. Include a customized whirlpool tub, stone countertop with two sinks, two mirrored medicine cabinets with lighting, a compartmentalized commode area with one-piece toilet, and a humidistat-controlled exhaust fan. Use all color fixtures. Use larger matching ceramic tiles on the floor, laid on the diagonal with ceramic tile base molding. Add general and spot lighting including waterproof shower fixture. Cabinetry includes a custom drawer base and wall cabinets for a built-in look. Extend HVAC system and include electric in-floor heating and heated towel bars.
Why are renovations holding their value better than home prices today? "When housing slows down, people stay put and renovate their house to make it more livable," says Paul Zuch, president of Capital Improvements, a designing, building, and remodeling company in Dallas. And by renovating before they sell, home owners get to enjoy the new space themselves, not just make the home more appealing to buyers. "It just makes sense," says Zuch.
Recent renovations also make buyers' lives easier. "Home owners who remodel their home are providing a service to future buyers," says Eileen Nelis, a broker at Savvy and Co. in Charlotte, N.C. "When buyers purchase, they don�t want to do all that painting and remodeling, and they don't want that price tag. They may be willing to make improvements down the line, but when they purchase, they want to open the door and have everything complete. It reduces their stress."
Making home improvements can also reduce sellers' stress by heading off that time-honored negotiating technique-pecking away at the sales price by pointing out imperfections. "If sellers have done some improvements and dressed up their property, the improvements will help sell it," says Bernard Fallon, broker at Fallon Associates Realty in Rochester, N.Y. "If sellers don't want to improve their property, buyers will tick off the repairs and try to take them off the price."
That doesn't mean that every home owner should do every renovation, even in a more stable real estate market. Take Tulsa, Okla., where median home prices actually edged up slightly more than 2 percent in 2008, according to NAR. REALTORS® in Tulsa reported that, of the 30 remodeling projects surveyed, only 16 netted home owners at least 80 percent of the cost.
"Not every neighborhood will support the additional work," says Jim Hemphill, a sales associate at Coldwell Banker Select in Tulsa, "but in older, more established neighborhoods, if you redo a kitchen or bathroom or add a master bath or bedroom, you'll get your money out."
Despite the value, the weak economy is likely to slow seller spending on remodeling, at least in the short term, predicts the most recent Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity computed by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University.
The LIRA for the third quarter of this year estimated that owners' spending on home improvements will decline at an annual rate of 12 percent by the second quarter of 2009, continuing a two-year downward trend. Spending is unlikely to recover until the housing market turns around, according to the Center.
Yet, despite declines in overall remodeling dollars spent and a still shaky housing market, "people's homes are still one of their best, most solid investments," notes Zuch. "Even though the markets have gone through some adjustments, it's still smart to invest in your home."
"Copyright National Association of REALTORS®, Reprinted from REALTOR.org with permission."


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Half-life: Radioactively, half-life is the time required for half of a given quantity of material to decay. Chemically, it is the time required for half of a given quantity of material to undergo a chemical reaction.
Hardness: When hard water is used with soap it will form an insoluble residue and hard water will form a scale in utensils in which the water has been allowed to evaporate. Hardness is mainly caused by calcium and magnesium ions. Hardness is generally expressed in mg/L calcium carbonate (Ca CO3).
Hazardous Waste: By-products of society that can pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health and the environment when improperly managed. It possesses at least one of four characteristics (ignitabiliy, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity), or appears on special EPA lists.
Headspace: The empty volume in a container between the cap and the water level of the sample.
Headwaters: The source and upper part of a large stream or river, including the drainage basin.
Heat Capacity: The quantity of energy that must be supplied to raise the temperature of a substance. For contaminated soils heat capacity is the quantity of energy that must be added to the soil to volatilize organic components. The typical range of heat capacity of soils is relatively narrow, therefore variations are not likely to have a major impact on application of a thermal desorption process.
Heavy Metals: Metallic elements, some of which are required in trace concentrations for plant and/or animal nutrition, but which become toxic at higher concentrations (e.g. lead, mercury).
Heavy Oils: Petroleum products dominantly composed of large molecular weight, structurally-complex compounds.
Henry's Law: An empirical law which states that the quantity of gas/vapour dissolved in water is proportional to the pressure of the gas/vapour in contact with the water at a specified temperature, i.e. as gas pressure increases, gas concentration in the water increases.
Henry's Law Constant: The ratio of the concentration of a compound in air (or vapor) to the concentration of the compound in water under equilibrium conditions. Henry's Law Constants are temperature dependent.
Heterogeneity: The part of the subsurface that is different in some property (hydraulic conductivity, for example).
Heterogeneous: Composed of non-uniform constituents whose material properties vary in space. All geological material is heterogeneous, but the property of interest (porosity, for example) may be sufficiently uniform for the material to be treated as homogeneous in terms of that property.
Heterotrophic: Designating or typical of organisms that derive carbon for the manufacture of cell mass from organic matter.
Homogeneity: Characteristic of a medium in which material properties are identical throughout. Although heterogeneity, or non-uniformity, is the characteristic of most aquifers, assumed homogeneity, with some other additional assumptions, allows use of analytical models as a valuable tool for approximate analyses of groundwater movement.
Homogeneous: Composed of uniform constituents throughout. That is, having material properties (e.g., hydraulic conductivity) which do not vary in space.
Hydraulic Conductivity: A measure of the ability of a fluid to flow through a porous medium determined by the size and shape of the pore spaces in the medium and their degree of interconnection and also by the viscosity of the fluid. Hydraulic conductivity can be expressed as the volume of fluid that will move in unit time under a unit hydraulic gradient through a unit area measured at right angles to the direction of flow.
Hydraulic Gradient: The slope of the groundwater level or water table.
Hydraulic Head: Height above a datum plane (such as mean sea level) of the column of water that can be supported by the hydraulic pressure at a given point in a groundwater system. Equal to the distance between the water level in a well and the datum plane.
Hydrocarbon: Chemical compounds composed only of carbon and hydrogen.
Hydrogen Peroxide: H2O2. Hydrogen peroxide is used to increase the dissolved oxygen content of groundwater to stimulate aerobic biodegradation of organic contaminants. Hydrogen peroxide is infinitely soluble in water, but rapidly dissociates to form a molecule of water (H2O) and one-half molecule of oxygen (O). Dissolved oxygen concentrations of greater than 1,000 mg/L are possible using hydrogen peroxide, but high levels of D.O. can be toxic to microorganisms.
Hydrogeological Model: A representation, often simplified and perhaps conceptual, of the hydrogeological flow system. The aspects important for the site are emphasized. See also model.
Hydrogeology: The geology of groundwater, with particular emphasis on the chemistry and movement of water.
Hydrograph: A graphical plot of changes in elevation of water or flow of water with respect to time.
Hydrologic Cycle: The continued circulation of water between the ocean, atmosphere and land is called the hydrologic cycle.
Hydrophilic: Having an affinity for water ("water-loving"), or capable of dissolving in water; soluble or miscible in water.
Hydrophobic: Tending not to combine with water, or incapable of dissolving in water; insoluble or immiscible in water ("water-fearing"). A property exhibited by non-polar organic compounds, including the petroleum hydrocarbons.
Hypoxic: A condition of low oxygen concentration, below that considered aerobic.
Hydrostratigraphic Unit: A formation, part of a formation, or a group of formations which have similar hydrologic characteristics.
Hysteresis: Phenomenon in which properties such as capillary pressure or relative permeability may differ depending on whether a fluid-fluid interface is advancing (imbibition) or receding (drainage).


Actually, it is funny that people will wait around to have you sign your name on something that already has your name on it. Prior to these signings, the only time my signature has had any value in the eyes of anyone has been when it's applied to a check or a contract--usually a contract that will ultimately involve my signing a check.
My first signing event was in Dallas, Texas. I was there for Thanksgiving with my family, and I thought, You know what might be fun--having a book signing! So I called a bookstore and set it up. Then I sat in the store and put together a puzzle while a throng of customers avoided eye contact with me. We sold about five copies--all to people who owed my mommy a favor.
A couple of weeks later I rode the coat-tails of the massive marketing juggernaut that is InterVarsity Press to Wheaton, Illinois, where my book signing was heralded by a guy wearing a cape and a spandex body suit. Fortunately for me and for everyone in the store, that guy was not me. Counting infants and my coworkers--who have different developmental capacities but similar purchasing power to one another--about eighty people showed up. Some of them even bought books.
The common denominator of these events is that I had to write something pithy in each copy of the book that sold. Considering that I filled up 160 pages saying essentially "Comic books are cool; you should read them," I think it's fair to say that pith isn't one of my strong suits. But there's a fundamental weakness in books that is at least slightly overcome by a handwritten signature from the author: we read books by our neighbors, for the most part, in the same way we read books by fifth century theologians--one word, one sentence, one paragraph, one page at a time, utterly detached from the people who wrote them.
We're not free to interact with authors; we simply accept or reject what they inject into our lives. Likewise, in most cases authors get no opportunity to hear their readers. An author casts an idea out into the world and hopes that it's given some attention, that someone somewhere will take the idea to heart and make some use of it. For all their depth, books are two-dimensional artifacts in a three-dimensional world.
My three-year-old niece offered me a strict warning at one of my signing events that continues to perplex me: "Uncle Dave, don't write in books." She's speaking from experience, having learned in her short life that librarians don't look favorably on such behavior. But if books are anything, they're written in, and for that matter, what do you do at a book signing if you don't write in books?
Perhaps a three-year-old born into a postliterate world has some ideas on the matter, but until she writes a book on the subject I'll be left in the dark, nursing my poor, carpal-tunnel threatened hand back to health.
This may well be my last Strangely Dim of 2004. I am suffering severe writer's block. So unless my muse strikes next week, I'll say Merry Christmas today and Happy New Year next year. Thanks for reading and God bless.
I enjoyed your entry this morning...honest and humorously self efacing (a good combo). I have to disagree with you though about books being two dimensional artifacts in a three-dimensional world. Books can be (at least for me) more alive than a many "real life" conversations, perhaps that reveals too much about my friends or worse, about me. You made the curious comment that we are not free to interact with authors, we either accept or reject what they interject into our lives...don't you think that books and the reading of books can be a kind of ongoing conversation we have both within ourselves and with others, even with those who have gone before us? Don't the ideas and stories we read in books exert a shaping influence on us wehter we accept them or not? Isn't this, at least in part, what you are trying to give voice to in your book "Comic Book Character"? I have never written a book, so I cannot speak to what the author feels (i.e. casting his/her idea out into the world and hoping...) I will rely on your experience there, however, don't you think it is possible that the author's casting is really a part of a larger dialogue going on? I mean a reacting to the books, stories and ideas that have shaped him or her and making a contribution to that stream of dialogue in some way? It is true, on a certain level, that books writing and reading is a rather solitary endeavor. But I think there is an entirely different level on which it is a dynamic and lively engagement with ourselves and our world.
Looking forward to reading more in '05!
Thanks for the comment. A little background to my writing here: I've just come off three book signing events, where my most involved conversations lasted no more than a minute. People were either filing through a line that had to keep moving or vying for elbow room in a crowded house. So a good chunk of my perplexity is flowing out of that feeling that I missed the chance to REALLY talk with some folks.
But you're right: There's certainly a depth that can be uniquely reached in writing. I would like to go on record (in case my boss is reading) that I strongly support the ongoing publication, purchase and perusal of books. (Nice alliteration, huh?) I think better by writing than I do by talking, in that I can look back at what I've written already and keep my thoughts anchored as a result. And I definitely see value in the long shadow cast by books: some of the most important stuff I've read was written by people long dead before I showed up.
Similarly, as a wannabe historian I see great value in knowing our heritage--seeing where we stand against a backdrop of where people have stood before us and considering how those who come after us will benefit or suffer for what we've said and done.
Nevertheless, there's a cost in the medium of books that balances out those benefits. We ought, I think, to be able to have thoughtful, redemptive and constructive conversations in our present with the people around us, and to the degree that the people around us know us well and are somehow invested in our lives, the impact of their influence can be profound--either postively or negatively.
I depend a lot on a musical metaphor when I try to sort through this stuff: there's a function for melody and a function for harmony, and the best music realizes both functions. The greater story being told that you reference and hopefully we both contribute to is melodic--one strand takes place over time, and its impact is finally and fully known by measuring the beginning against the end. But the harmony along the way is important, and each particular point in time feels its impact.
Blah blah blah. All this to say, we should talk to one another. And we should read. Particularly books about comic books. They make great stocking stuffers.
I read your book last night! Very well done indeed! Chapters 5-9 and then the concluding chapter on becoming super were your best. I espescially loved the quotes from Merton and Buechner, two of my favorites, have you read much of Buechners fiction, I'm sure that you have, I especially like his books Godric and Brendan, as well as the Son of Laughter. If it would help, I would be happy to write a little review at Amazon for it. I have also reccomended it to e few friends who would appreciate it.
Your musical metaphor is a good one and I think it captures well the idea that we need both kinds of dialogue...when you say that there is a kind of a cost associated with the medium of books, I grant you that in our post-enlightenment culture there is a costinvolved since books ae viewed largely as information to be disseminated or knowledge to me mastered instead of a dialogue to be entered into...I guess what I am saying is that "talking" and "reading" should be viewed as to ways of approaching the greater dialogue, after all, there is such a thing as mindless reading just as there is mindless chatter...I think this is what you are saying too...yes? Anyhoo, have a merry Christmas and let's get together in '05.


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The 10 best ways to cool down a room without AC
Hannah Roberts,
There are many tricks to cool down a room without AC. Foto: Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images
To cool down a room without AC, make sure to use window fans, ceiling fans, or tower fans.
Keep your room cooler all day by covering windows to prevent heat from sunlight coming in.
You can also reduce humidity, block air leaks, and ventilate out hot air to cool your entire home.
Summers are getting hotter, and extreme heat events are only becoming more common, including in places like the Pacific Northwest, where less households have air conditioning than in other parts of the country.
So, what can you do when the heat hits?
Fans are a powerful tool, especially if you don't have air conditioning or are running it at a higher temperature. Fans are generally cheaper to buy and install than AC units. Plus, they are better for the environment because they use less energy.
In fact, AC costs homeowners about $29 billion each year, according to the United States Department of Energy (DOE). Fans are far more energy-efficient and cost-effective.
Fans can be an energy-efficient alternative to AC. Foto: Ruobing Su/Insider
If you have some fans on deck, you can optimize how you use them for the best, coolest results. There are also plenty of other steps you can take to keep your home cool.
Here are 10 ways to cool down a room using fans and other items you can easily buy or might already have in your home:
1. Put window fans to work
Window fans should only be used in certain cases. Foto: Ricky Kresslein/Getty Images
Window fans are installed in open windows to draw cold air in and push hot air out, and can be set up to cool an entire house. Here's how to use window fans most effectively.
Only turn window fans on when it's cooler outside than inside. In order for window fans to cool your home, the outdoor temperature must be lower than the indoor temperature. That's going to be at nighttime or early in the morning.
Window fans are installed with a fitted sheet metal mounting that slots into an open window and seals around the edges. So, you don't have to worry about opening or closing that window.
However, other windows in your house should remain closed during the hottest part of the day and — when safe — open at night and early morning.
Important: Don't run a window fan during the hottest part of the day because it will draw in the hot afternoon air, making your home warmer, not cooler.
Use more than one fan to create a crosswind. Window fans work best when you use more than one to create a crosswind, which pushes the hot air out and draws the cool air in. To do this, setting the fans up in the right location is crucial.
Here's how to be strategic about your window fans' placement:
Fans blowing air into your house. "You want the cooler air to blow inwards, so place one fan or more on the coolest side of your home that sees lots of shade — this will ideally be on the north side which gets the most shade — facing in towards the house and away from the windows," says Nathan Kipnis, FAIA, founder of Kipnis Architecture and Planning and specialist in the sustainability and energy efficiency of architectural design.
Fans pushing air out of your house. Then place an equal number of fans on the opposite side of your home facing out of your windows to push the hot air out. "Pushing air out on the south side is ideal," says Kipnis.
Keep as many inside doors open as possible. This will help maximize airflow throughout the house.
Quick tip: Ideally, you should have an equal number of fans pulling cool air in as pushing hot air out. However, if you have an odd number of fans, then it's generally better to have more fans pulling cool air in.
Work with the design of your home. If you live in a multi-story home, place the inward-blowing fans on the lower floors where it's cooler and the outward-blowing fans on the upper floors. This method will rid your home of the warm air rising to the upper stories.
"Bringing air in low on the north side and pushing it out high on the south side is ideal," says Kipnis.
2. Optimize your ceiling fans
Ceiling fans should be rotating clockwise in the summer. Foto: We Are/Getty Images
Ceiling fans circulate air in the room by pushing it down. However, they can not lower the temperature like a window fan or AC unit. But they can still cool you down.
That's because their breeze creates a slight wind chill effect that can help sweat evaporate from your skin, which cools you down. So, it's not your home that it's cooling, but rather your body.
Here's how to use your ceiling fans most effectively:
Make sure your ceiling fan is rotating counterclockwise. In the summer, make sure your fan is rotating counterclockwise. This will push the air straight down and create that wind chill effect. Follow the instructions in this DelMar Fans guide to safely check and change the direction of your ceiling fan.
Turn your ceiling fan off when you leave the room. Make sure you turn ceiling fans off when leaving the room because they cool people, not rooms. It's a waste of energy to have them switched on if there is no one there to feel the wind chill effect.
Combine a ceiling fan with your AC unit. If you have a ceiling fan in the same room as an AC unit, it helps blow colder, air-conditioned air throughout the room. This can cut your energy consumption and reduce how hard your air-conditioner has to work.
"You could set your AC unit four degrees higher, combine it with a ceiling fan, and feel just as cool," says Kipnis. "And the key thing with AC is that it dehumidifies the air which is what helps make the fan even more effective."
It's worth noting that all ceiling fans work more effectively in dry air, "Because the sweat on your skin evaporates more quickly than if the air was humid, so you feel cooler," says Kipnis.
3. Create an icy breeze with tower fans
Tower fans are narrow, tall, and portable, meaning they easily fit into the corner of most rooms. They create airflow by oscillating from left to right.
Again, they work by creating a wind-chill effect rather than lowering the temperature of the room.
Use ice for extra cooling. If you're really struggling to stay cool, for instance, during the peak of the day when it's hottest outside, place a bucket of ice or a large, frozen water bottle covered with a damp cloth in front of your tower fan as a homemade AC unit. The ice cools the air pushed out by the fan, which then circulates around the room.
Best tower fan
Foto: Owen Burke/Insider
Get the cold air moving with selections from our guide to the best fans. Our favorite tower fan has the lowest noise levels and the best energy efficiency of any large fan we tested:
Best tower fan: Genesis Powerful 43-Inch Tower Fan, $94.50 at Amazon
4. Cover windows to block sunlight
Around 40% of the unwanted heat in your home comes through windows, according to the DOE.
Blocking that sunlight from the moment it starts to shine can make a big difference in how a room feels, especially if the room faces east or west.
Here are some of the best window covering options for blocking solar heat:
Insulated window quilts or cellular shades. Just as insulated shades can block heat from leaving your home, they can also keep it from getting in. You can increase their efficiency by keeping them tight around the edge of the window.
Curtains. Hanging medium-colored curtains with white backing "reduces heat gains by 33%," according to DOE. They recommend choosing tightly woven fabrics in light colors to reflect sunlight. And, two layers of fabric is better than one. In a pinch, you can hang sheets or blankets over your windows as makeshift curtains.
Window films. Window films help block ultraviolet rays from entering through windows and can reduce the amount of heat that comes through. You can find clear or reflective window film (reflective film will be more effective at driving heat away) in rolls that you can apply yourself.
Exterior shutters or awnings. Closed shutters keep much of the sun's heat from reaching windows in the first place. Awnings are also very effective, reducing heat gain from the summer sun by up to 65% on your home's south side and by 77% on the west-facing side. The DOE recommends choosing light-colored awnings to reflect the most sunlight.
Quick tip: If your room is really in need of a cool down and it's cool enough outside to open a window (like at night or early morning) try hanging a wet sheet in front of the open window.
5. Block air leaks
Air can leak into and out of your house through even tiny openings around windows, doors, walls, and floors. This is not only a waste of energy, but it can also devastate your attempts at keeping it cool.
Weatherstripping and caulking can help prevent that precious cool air from escaping.
To find out where air may be leaking in your home, inspect obvious spots where different materials meet — door frames, window frames, wall joints, and exterior bricks, stucco, or siding. Also, check where any exterior parts lead inside, such as around dryer vents, plumbing, and cable or internet lines.
You can also have a professional conduct a blower door test to help you specify where all your air leaks are.
6. Avoid using heat-emitting appliances and electronics
Appliances like your dishwasher, oven, stove, washer, and dryer can emit a lot of heat when they're in use.
Avoid using them if you can — especially during the hottest part of the day.
If you need to use one of these appliances, try shutting off the room to contain the heat and prevent it from spreading to the rest of your home.
If you have a computer that emits heat, shut it off. Also check your light bulbs. Incandescent bulbs can put off heat, so try to keep them turned off.
7. Use exhaust fans
You may not be able to use your gas range, but you should certainly use the exhaust hood above it. Turn it on to suck heat up and out.
You can also turn on your bathroom fans to help suck humid, warm air out.
8. Focus efforts on your home's lowest level
Since hot air rises and cool air settles, you'll have an easier time keeping the lowest level of your home cool.
If you have a cooler lower level, you can use it to ventilate your entire home. If there's a cool breeze outside, you can open windows on the lower levels to encourage the air to flow in.
Then, open windows on the upper level to create a vacuum and encourage the rising hot air to flow out. This is what the DOE refers to as the "chimney effect." If you have fans, you can use them to speed up the process.
If your lower level is a basement with no windows, try setting up a fan in the doorway toward the rest of your home and opening upper windows to let rising hot air out.
The DOE notes that this method works best in dry climates and at cooler times of day.
9. Dehumidify your room
While humid heat is not necessarily more deadly than dry heat, it does affect how your body cools itself. When moisture levels in the air are high, it makes it more difficult for your sweat to evaporate. The evaporation of sweat is imperative for body temperature regulation.
Note: According to the EPA, it's best to keep your home below 60% humidity, and ideally between 30% and 50%.
You can dehumidify a room by purchasing a dehumidifier. If you don't have a dehumidifier, these methods can help reduce moisture in the air:
Open windows, but only if it's cool enough outside.
Turn on fans to help evaporate moisture.
When showering, run your bathroom fan, open a window, or simply take cooler showers that don't put off as much steam.
If you see condensation on windows or other surfaces, this is a sign of high humidity. Wipe it away with a towel and try to find the source of the moisture.
Best dehumidifiers
Foto: Target
Remove excess humidity from the air with one of the best dehumidifiers we've tested, which can also help to prevent mold and mildew growth.
Best overall: HomeLabs Dehumidifier, $179.97 at Amazon
Best for large spaces: Ivation 4,500-Square-Foot Dehumidifier, $329.99 at Target
Best portable: Afloia Mini Dehumidifier, $41.99 at Amazon
10. Invest in bigger projects to cool your home
The world is warming, so battling the heat and finding ways to keep it outside of our homes is only going to become a more common issue.
Luckily, there are some larger home projects and renovations you can do to keep your home cooler and more efficient in the future. They include:
Try a cool roof. Look into getting a "cool roof," which might entail painting your roof white or installing a roof with reflective materials to drive away heat.
Go green. Plant trees outside your home to provide shade and induce natural cooling via evapotranspiration, which is when moisture from a tree evaporates and cools the surrounding air.
Paint your home's exterior a light color. While dark exteriors draw in heat, light-colored exteriors can help reflect it away.
Start a rooftop garden. Also called a green roof, a rooftop garden can be around 30°F to 40°F cooler than a regular roof.
Cooling down a room in the peak of summer or during a heat wave might seem like a difficult task, but it doesn't have to be.
Fans can be an energy-efficient and cost-effective way to beat the heat during the summertime. You can use window, ceiling, or tower fans to cool down a room — with a few special tricks to make your fans even more effective.
From the moment the sun comes out, window coverings can make a drastic difference in how much your home heats up. You can keep even more heat out of your home by locating and blocking air leaks and turning off any appliances or electronics that emit heat.
If there's a breeze outside, you can open windows and create a chimney effect, where windows on the lower levels pull cool air in, and heat rises out of your home's windows on the upper level.
For the long-term, smart upgrades like a "cool roof" or shady landscaping can help keep your home cool summer after summer.
BEKIJK OOK: Waarom soep gemaakt van gedroogd vogelspeeksel tot wel $100 per kom kan kosten

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Andrew brazenly 'groped girls', says lawyer
by The Sun
Shamed Prince Andrew brazenly 'groped girls' while staying at Jeffrey Epstein's home on 'paedo Island', according to a top prosecutor.
Denise George, Attorney-General of the US Virgin Islands, said the Duke of York never tried to hide his behaviour from staff on Epstein's private island, Little St James, according to The Sun.
Ms George, who is taking legal action against Epstein's $971.5 million estate to prevent his lawyers from 'hiding' his assets, told Vanity Fair: "An employee told me that he saw Prince Andrew on a balcony out at Little St James groping girls right out in the open.
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and Prince Andrew, Duke of York attend day four of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse. Picture: Indigo/Getty Images
"He said he remembered walking up to him and saying, 'Good morning, your Highness.'"
Her claims have fuelled further doubt over on the Prince's choice to remain in contact with the convicted sex offender.
Virginia Roberts accused Epstein of 'forcing' her to have sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions - the first in London when she was 17, then in New York and during an orgy at the financier's island home.
The Duke of York has denied all her claims, with Buckingham Palace saying: "It is emphatically denied that the Duke had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts. Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation."
Virginia Giuffre during her BBC Interview regarding Prince Andrew. Picture: BBC
Prince Andrew has strenuously denied claims made by Ms Roberts Giuffre that she slept with him when she was 17.
He has also repeatedly denied having any knowledge of Epstein's crimes.
Andrew said he had "no recollection" of meeting her and infamously claimed he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on one of the days they were meant to have had sex, during his car crash BBC Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis.
Almost 2,000 pages of a lawsuit were released in a defamation case involving Virginia Giuffre, who in 2015 claimed Prince Andrew slept with her three times, and Epstein's ex-lover Ghislaine Maxwell.
Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell at the Royal Ascot races some years ago. Picture: Getty Images
He was accused of having a sexual encounter with her when she was 17 in London and New York and a year later at a party on Epstein's private island in the Virgin Islands.
Another document describes an alleged sexual encounter between Ms Giuffre, now 35, and Andrew in a bathtub.
The Duke of York was pictured with his arm around the then 17-year-old's waist at the home of Maxwell in London in 2001 - but the Prince strongly denies the claims.
Disgraced, deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who hosted Prince Andrew on his "paedo island" on a number of occasions. Picture: AAP
All the allegations about Prince Andrew were struck from the court record in 2015.
They were described by the judge as being "immaterial and impertinent".
Buckingham Palace have been approached for comment on the latest claims.
This story first appeared in The Sun and has been republished here with permission.
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text:
Expose tainted heroes by finding new ones to honour
by admin|Published May 24, 2021
BY GERRY CHIDIAC
Lessons in Learning
Public opinion is fickle. We love to sing the praises of individuals and put them on pedestals, but we're just as apt to demonize these same people in the court of public opinion.
Is this type of thinking getting us anywhere? Aren't we all simply humans with the capacity to do good or bad things?
Should celebrities be 'cancelled' or would we do the world a greater service by examining the underlying injustices of our society?
I recently came face to face with my attitudes toward cancelling celebrities. I've been a Toronto Blue Jays fan since the team's inception in 1977. Last summer, I bought a framed piece called Toronto's Greatest Baseball Legends at a charity auction. Of course, it included a picture of Roberto Alomar, the Hall of Fame second baseman and a key member of the 1992 and 1993 World Series championship teams.
On April 30, Major League Baseball announced that Alomar had been banned after a thorough investigation of a 2014 allegation of sexual misconduct against him. He can no longer work for any baseball team, even in the minor leagues.
The Blue Jays announced that his name would be removed from their Level of Excellence, and the banner with his retired number 12 would be removed from the rafters of the Rogers Centre.
Cancelled.
This isn't the first time there have been allegations directed at Alomar. Two women filed lawsuits claiming he had unprotected sex with them despite being HIV positive. The outcome of these cases hasn't been made public.
What am I to do with my picture of Alomar? Do I remove it? Do I replace his photograph with that of another, more deserving player?
As I reflected, I realized there was a more important story that needs to be told. Yes, Alomar was a great baseball player, but there's more to being a human than our athleticism. Internal qualities like honesty, integrity and courage are far more important.
The hero in these most recent allegations, the one who deserves to be celebrated, is the unnamed woman who reported Alomar. According to her lawyer, Lisa Banks, "My client has no intentions to file a lawsuit or take further actions. She has not exposed Mr. Alomar's behaviour for notoriety or money and looks forward to moving on with her life. She simply wants to ensure that Mr. Alomar is held accountable for his wrongdoings and hopes her actions can help Major League Baseball create a safer workplace for its employees."
There's no such thing as a perfect human, so it's important to resist the temptation to idolize one another. Recognizing someone for acting according to principles we believe in isn't the same as putting them on a pedestal, however. It's simply a reminder to act the same when the opportunity arises.
Are the Blue Jays right in removing Alomar's name from a place of honour? Should the Baseball Hall of Fame add a footnote to his story beside his plaque at Cooperstown, N.Y.?
I can't speak for these organizations, but I can respond to my situation in a way I believe is right. If I were to remove Alomar's picture from my wall, I would be cancelling the opportunity to tell the story of a brave woman who put her career on the line in order to speak the truth and protect others from a potentially dangerous person.
Alomar's picture remains, along with her story and a reminder to stay true to one's principles.
Gerry Chidiac is an award-winning high school teacher specializing in languages, genocide studies and work with at-risk students. Check out his website here. Find him on Facebook. Or on Twitter @GerryChidiac


He moves mountains, and he causes walls to fall. Through his infinite wisdom and power, he performs miracles for sport. He dances about the heavens, and speaks things into existence and the entire universe bends to his beck and call. So how dare we think that what ever seems to be colossal in our lives is too much for the great creator to do? God seemingly created humanity because he was bored. This complexity that is the universe seems to have been born out of God's desire to just do something to keep him occupied. Much like the universe that we traverse, he plays as if it is the ultimate game of chess, but he has already foreseen every possible outcome, because he spoke the game came into being, but yet we think that the things that keep us up at night are too much for his hands. For some absurd reason we hold on to this idea that the things that were designed to whisk away our peace were designed to prosper in our everyday existence. It has already been declared that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. Standing on this we know that the destruction can not prosper unless we allow it to (By allow it to, I mean remove ourself from the shadow of the most high). As long as we are dwelling under the shadow of God, there is no force in all of hell that can prevail and remove us from safety. This not some safety tornado bunker that has a 98% safety rating. No this not some underground bunker that has never been road tested, this is one of the benefits that the psalmist was talking about when he said, "and forget not his benefits." As long as we hold on to the benefits there is no demon in hell that can prevail. He moves mountains for sport, he places his fingerprints on all of creation because he can.
We experience turmoil in this life not to cripple us but to shape us. We lose things, because they are destined to be replaced by greater. When we hold on for dear life to things that are not made for this level, and we are married to today, we don't leave room for tomorrow. Just like anyone else, It is beyond hard to be vulnerable, and to let go of what you know when what you see doesn't seem promising. The things that seem the least promising are often the things that promise us greater joy, and greater peace than we have ever know in our time here on Earth, but we have to rest in the process. The process is never simple, nor is it ever pretty. Rarely do we understand the way that God is taking us, but it is always worth it. I can't wait to be able to look back in this season of my life, and see what the process has yielded me. I can't wait to be in my future, and be giving complete glory to God because I can say that I made it. In order to arrive to that place, you have to realize that he moves mountains and he causes walls to fall, and its just part of his routine. Miracle making is his favorite hobby, and when we realize that God is the God of our triumph, but also the God of our recovery, we can begin to pick up the peices and move forward in our lives. Rarely do our lives make a lot of sense. Rarely do things unfold quite the way we imagined them, but that is the beauty in living in the uncertainty of the world but yet in the arms of a certain God.
There are some walls that I am waiting to see fall. Some walls that seem to be getting taller, as I'm praying for them to fall, but it reminds me of Elijah when had hat epic show down with the prophets of Baal. He had wet down the altar, so that it would seemed impossible to burn, so that when God struck down fire from heaven it was completely evident that it was no one but him. God doesn't delight in sharing his glory. I am convinced that everything he does is for his glory. He doesn't do much with out the incentive of glory. Often our situation has to darken so bleak that we turn our faces completely toward heaven. When we can turn completely toward heaven, we won't miss the miracle and we will have to run and tell everybody about this one little secret, that we just can't hold. For all of this was the secret is that it wasn't us. We tried, and failed, but with divine intervention, he turned our situations in the darkest of moments, so that only God could get the glory. Hang in there. It gets better. It gets brighter. Life gets sweeter.


Main screen map; how to get your position centered?
Discussion in 'Model S: User Interface' started by brucet999, Dec 18, 2015.
I searched the archives for this subject, but did not find it. Maybe someone here can help?
I know that when you choose a destination the main screen map resizes such that you can see your location and the destination and it continues to re-size as you near the destination.
When no destination is in place though, how can I get it to center on the arrowhead indicator of the car's present location? It just stays at the view of the last destination search even if the car's present location is miles off the edge of the screen somewhere.
Hit the small square button to the right of the search bar. It will toggle between "north up", "car direction up", and "trip". It's right above "cancel search" in the picture.
At the top of the map screen to the right of centre there is a button. It's a toggle between free form (when it's grey), north is up (arrow points up and blue), car points up (conical shape and blue), and (road icon and blue) [I've never tried to figure out what this last one actually does]. Any of the blue ones will centre the car on the screen.
Not to drag us off topic, but I really wish I could move the "center" position of my vehicle icon yet still retain the automatic updating. As it is with my car always in the center, a significant portion of the map shows an area that's not relevant to my direction of travel. I'd like to see more of my upcoming path without sacrificing auto-updating.
A simple implementation would be to allow one to touch and drag the car's icon to a new position, rather than scrolling the map itself. Doing the former would re-position the car while retaining map updating and doing the latter would retain the current behavior.
Thank you eyespii and jerry33.
I know you know that you can drag the map, down if you wish, to show other areas. Then you watch the red arrow drive into that area (up, for me) until it's about center, then drag again. Yeah, I know you want it automatic. But you're right. When your car is driving UP, why can't the map put the car further down on the map, like 3/4 or so. Then you can see more of where you're going than where you've been.
Ask Tesla to do that. It's actually a good idea. They take requests, you know.
It used to be centered (old, old firmware).
We submitted the request and now it shows a bit more "lead space" in certain situations, especially if the map is half-screen.
But they could and probably should shift it to give even more lead space.


Your website isn't just a place where people can go to get information about your business or services. It's also an opportunity to draw in potential customers and create more sales.
If your website isn't getting you more business, then it's time to make some changes.
Wondering where to start? Don't stress! You're in the right place.
Once you've made the decision to amp up your webpage, it's important to make a plan. This will help keep you focused and ensure that you're optimizing your time and money.
To make the best plan possible, take the time to do some research. Check out website designing articles online and figure out what your website is missing.
Click around on your competitors' websites, too. What's working for them? By witnessing what makes a great website firsthand, you can make a clear plan to improve your web strategy.
Before adding any new elements to your website, trim the fat. This means clearing clutter, removing cheesy stock photos, and taking any unnecessary information off of each page.
Don't be afraid to be ruthless. The more you can get rid of, the more space you will have for awesome new content.
Now that you have a nice, clean slate to work with, focus on introducing useful web design elements. A great place to start is with accessible social media buttons.
After all, there are over two billion social media users worldwide. So if you're not tapping into this market, you're missing out on a ton of potential sales. By including simple buttons that allow users to share and follow your pages, you'll increase traffic and improve accessibility.
Including an "About Us" section of your website is a great opportunity to connect with potential clients on a personal level. What makes your business and the people who work there special?
Use this element to tell a story. Not only will this help clients get to know you better, it will also give you another way to market yourself and your products or services.
Think of a new visitor to your website as a lost little lamb. If you don't herd them in the right direction, they won't know which way to go!
A call-to-action is an element on your website that show users where to go next. They are important to incorporate throughout your webpage to increase clarity and a user-friendly experience.
Use CTA's to show potential clients that you can solve their problems. If you can do that, you'll gain their trust and their business.
Check out the photos on your webpage. What message are they conveying to your visitors?
If your site hosts boring, basic pictures, it's time to do better. The goal here is to gain the trust of potential clients by showing them who you are.
Use personal photos of real employees to achieve this. And don't be afraid to have fun with it!
Want to know the quickest way to lose a potential sale online? By having a webpage that is difficult to navigate.
After all, there are plenty of fish in the sea. If your website is clunky or confusing, people will move onto the next one without a thought.
When it comes to web design, white space is a good thing! In fact, it's an essential part of organization and readability for your website.
Although it may be tempting to cram as much information into your web pages as possible, this isn't an effective way to communicate with the general public. Users need negative space around text and images for both clarity and to avoid visual over-stimulation.
If you review your website and you don't see enough white space, it's time to strip away some visual material. Leave only what is vital for communication.
Even if you think that your website is picture perfect, others may have a different experience. And what better way to find out than to test your page on real people who you trust?
Enlist family, friends, or current customers for advice. Have them scroll and click around your website for various purposes, like learning about your services or contacting you. Listen to their feedback and let it guide you moving forward.
These days, people use cell phones for everything. This includes learning about services through the web and shopping online.
Visit your website from a mobile browser. Is it easy to use and navigate?
If not, make fixing this issue your number one priority. You could be missing out on a lot of business if your website is not mobile-friendly.
Website design is no easy task! And unless you're an expert, you're sure to run into some trouble while trying to optimize your web pages.
Remember, there are people out there who can help. Professional website design companies, like Finepoint Design, will ensure that your website is running at its full potential. Hiring a design company is a smart investment in your future.
As you can see, proper website design is a vital part of optimizing your business and harnessing potential sales. And when it comes to learning how to improve a website, all you need to do is use the tips above as a guide.
By making your website as clear and accessible as possible, you will encourage customer interaction, and increase user satisfaction. Focus on mobile optimization, visual organization, and social media accessibility for the best results.
Did you enjoy this website designing article? Click here for even more information to help you improve your site's design.


text:
Children – further publications
A selection of other papers on the relevance of current public policies and practices to children's quality of life.
Children's independent mobility: a comparative study in England and Germany (1971-2010) (with Ben Shaw, Ben Watson, Bjorn Frauendienst, Andreas Redecker & Tim Jones), Policy Studies Institute, 2013
A comparison study of children's independent mobility in England and Australia (with Alison Carver, Ben Watson & Ben Shaw) , Children's Geographies, 11:4
pp.461-475, 2013
The freedom and development of young people: more restrictions, more trouble ahead Generation Youth Issues, 2007
Stick to your guns (commentary on Camden's review of its school-run strategy), Hampstead & Highgate Express, 26 April 2007
Are we developing battery-reared or free-range children? Opening Paper (by video presentation) at a seminar of the Western Australian Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Perth, Australia, 14 March 2002
The school run Memorandum (and Addendum) for London Borough of Camden Scrutiny Panel, 30 January 2002
Play Scotland conference talk Home Zones, July 2000
Curbing children's social and emotional development: an unrecognised outcome of parental fears Journal of Contemporary Health, Issue 8, Winter 1999/2000
Protection racket (on the loss of children's independence outside the home), Times Educational Supplement, 20 June 1997
More daylight: healthier children Childright, No.103, January/February 1994
Children's freedom and safety (with John Adams), Children's Environments, Vol.9 No.2, pp.10-22, 1992
Traffic threat to children Childright, May 1989
Unfreedom road (on children's mobility), New Society, Vol.24 No.552, pp.234-236, 3 May 1973


text:
A year after Covid hit economies, India still financially insecure: Survey
The growth of the graphene market is driven by its increasing application in the automotive & aerospace industries
Home World Business Theaters to offer low prices, discounted popcorns to tempt audiences
Theaters to offer low prices, discounted popcorns to tempt audiences
Photo: Courtesy
AMC Theatres and other cinema chains will fire up projectors in some major U.S. cities this week, offering lower-priced admission, discounted popcorn and new safety measures to tempt audiences back to the movies despite the pandemic.
Theaters will remain closed, however, in some of the biggest movie-going markets including Los Angeles and New York, where local officials say the coronavirus risk remains too high to let cinemas resume. AMC, the world's largest cinema chain, and others on Thursday will open doors in cities including Atlanta and Chicago. Theaters worldwide shuttered five months ago, devastating the movie business and putting tens of thousands of people out of work. Many theaters in China and Europe reopened earlier in the summer.
Major U.S. chains promise safeguards to prevent coronavirus spreading at the cinema. They include requiring moviegoers and employees to wear masks when not eating or drinking, extra sanitizing of auditoriums, capping attendance at a half or third of capacity and leaving empty seats between groups.
"We put a lot of effort, not only us (but) also our competition, in really creating a safe environment," Cineworld Chief Executive Mooky Greidinger said in an interview. "At the end of the day, it's a much safer environment than any other places that are already open," he added. "You sit in the same seat for two hours. Everybody is facing the screen, so nobody is looking at one another."
Also read: Section of movie theaters to reopen
Cineworld operates Regal Cinemas, which will start reopening Friday. Alongside health precautions, theaters have cut prices.
AMC is offering 15-cent admissions on re-opening day at more than 100 locations and will discount popcorn, other snacks and beverages. Regal and AMC are offering $5 screenings of past hits such as "Back to the Future" and "Black Panther."
There will initially be few new movies. Russell Crowe's thriller "Unhinged" is among the scarce new releases this weekend. Operators plan to open more theaters in time for the Sept. 3 U.S. debut of director Christopher Nolan's thriller "Tenet," which they hope will kickstart a rebound for big-budget films.
It is unclear how many people will visit cinemas during the pandemic. Turnout likely will be influenced by word-of-mouth about how safe people feel at their local movie house, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.
Also read: Kalasha awards to go on
"It's going to be important right out of the gate that this is a positive experience," he said. In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo said this week that opening theaters was not worth the risk. "I am sure there is a whole group of people who say, 'I cannot live without going to the movies,'" Cuomo said at a news briefing. But he said he felt "movie theaters are not that high on the list of essentials."
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After a good chunk of a year, realized I needed to update my Steam privacy options so my games could scan again.
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Kristie is an Account Executive in our Commercial Lines department here at Gallen. If you have your business insurance with Gallen, you may have already been lucky enough to speak to Kristie. She specializes in the larger accounts at our agency. We spent a few minutes with her so you can know a little more about someone you work with!
Kristie has been working in the insurance industry for 37 years! After moving to Florida at the age of 22, a friend of a friend knew an insurance company that was hiring. She walked in and was hired on the spot. It was GEICO and she still talks to the woman who hired her to be her insurance "girl". Kristie has one son and one daughter and one beautiful granddaughter. No pets presently but she does have one grand-dog and 2 grand-cats.


RETRO KIMMER'S BLOG: JOHNNY DEPP AS TONTO!!!
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ETTA JAMES AND CHRISTINA AGUILERA!
JONEZEN NOMINATED TWICE LA MUSIC AWARDS!
LET'S LISTEN TO LAURA RAIN AND THE CAESARS!
BOOTSEY X RECORD RELEASE PARTY JUNE 29!!!!
DETROIT DRAGWAY SIBLEY AT DIX !!
RODRIGUEZ SELLS OUT LONDON'S HAMMERSMITH APOLLO!!
JOHNNY BEE SAYS COME TO THIS SHOW!
DENIZ SPEAKS OUT TO HELP SAVE THE ELEPHANT!
DETROIT ROCKS: NEW TRAILER IS GREAT!
RETROKIMMER POSTED IN DETROIT MEMORIES!!
BEST WRITTEN TV SHOW OF ALL TIME: THE SOPRANOS!
MEET GARY GRIMSHAW AT THE SCARAB CLUB JUNE 26TH!!
WALT MILLER'S EXCELLENT EVENT PHOTOS!!
BEFORE "THE SECRET" THERE WAS "POLLYANNA!"


Diaper Detective is your cloth tribe. Your resource for prints. Your connection to the cloth diaper community.
Who are the diaper detectives?
You are! As for us, we are a couple of cloth diaper parents that love this community. As we sunk deep into the world of exclusive prints and finding the perfect unicorn diaper, we realized that we needed a central place for parents to come together and help each other find prints, exchange ideas, find a fairy or stocking buddy and simply chat about all things cloth. So we built it and can't wait to tell you all about it!
In addition to the front page posts, news features, and real stories from inside our rad community, most of the action happens in the forums! Check out Stash Chats for general cloth discussion (and post a stash shot while you're there!), Detective Community to connect with retailers and parents by brand, Fairy Finder when you need a fairy, and Stocking buddy when you just can't make that release.
Climb up the RANKS as you comment, post and engage in the chats! You earn SNAPS for being active on the site and you'll hit new ranks with cool logos and weird titles!
Earn BADGES for taking part in special events, winning contests, being a fairy or stocking buddy, and unlocking secret achievements! Flair your rank and badges in all your comments too!
Get your video featured on the front page! Send us your stories and pictures of real cloth life to be featured in a post and on our Facebook and Instagram. Snag that exclusive badge if your chosen! We'll also run other types of contests and giveaways so keep an eye on the news and social media!
We're working on partnering with non-profits and companies to help those diapering families less fortunate. Stay tuned for ways we'll be implementing some cool stuff with critical organizations in our space to hep impact real families with kids in diapers.
Press that shiny "REGISTER" button up there and create an account. Head on over to Stash Chats and introduce yourself by posting a stash shot! Come join us and find your rare unicorn diaper (or helping someone else find theirs!). Be a Fairy. Find a Stocking Buddy. SAVE THE WORLD!


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How do I use my Roadside Assistance coverage?
Call us anytime at 1-800-776-2778. Or, if you already got roadside assistance on your own, send the receipt to: Progressive Roadside Assistance, PO Box 9147, Medford, MA 02155. Include your name, policy number, year/make/model of the vehicle and return address. Once we confirm your coverage, we'll reimburse you for your expenses according to your policy.
We understand your needs can change. Call 1-800-776-4737 to cancel your policy and get answers to any questions you have.
To report a claim: Log in to your Progressive policy or call 1-800-776-4737.
To get information on a claim: Log into your policy or, if you don't have a Progressive account, track the claim here. (You'll need a claim number, date of birth, zip and email.) You can also call us at 1-800-776-4737.
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Give us a call at 1-800-776-4737. If you're new to Progressive, you can also request an SR-22 during your online quote.
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text:
Regain Control Over Remote Workers
Written by Rajat Bhargava on July 7, 2020
Blog Home > Best Practices > Regain Control Over Remote Workers
Want to regain control of your remote workers? You're not alone. Now that a much larger swath of office workers is remote due to the pandemic, many more IT administrators view controlling access and managing systems for remote workers as an imperative.
Historically, an organization's small population of remote workers might have gone unmanaged, but that's not possible anymore as entire organizations shift out of the office. Solutions abound with VPNs, expensive remote management and monitoring (RMM) tools, and vast amounts of manual intervention. Unfortunately, those don't really solve the problem. But there's good news: A massive shift in the IT landscape and new cloud identity management platforms help admins regain control over remote user access permissions and workstations. Read on to learn about historical approaches to remote user management and the new cloud-based solutions that make managing remote workers as seamless as in-office.
Remote Worker Management: The Old Way
Traditionally, remote workers — often sales personnel and users in satellite offices — connected to the organization's headquarters and internal Active Directory® network via a VPN. Admins sent users' machines to them with the software already configured. The machine, typically a Windows® device, would often require multiple logins in order for the user to connect to the network and the applications they needed.
If something went wrong, the user had to be reasonably technical to understand how to fix the issue, send the machine back for repairs, or require IT intervention with a remote desktop solution. This was a productivity sink for both users and IT teams.
The Evolution of the Remote Employee
Beyond that, the number of IT resources users needed grew with SaaS applications like Salesforce, GitHub, and Slack, as well as productivity suites like G Suite™ and Microsoft 365™. Users didn't need to connect to the internal network as often for resource access because so many of them became cloud-based — but users still needed to connect to the internal network to change AD passwords remotely and have their machines configured properly. If a user was managed by AD, admins could implement critical security mechanisms and centrally control access to Window-based resources, but unfortunately, web applications were often outside of the purview of AD.
As organizations began to adopt macOS systems and move to BYOD models, admins were also expected to manage a wider array of operating systems. This confluence of IT changes rendered the existing path of managing remote workers useless. Consequently, new access control and system management platforms have emerged to better accommodate remote workers and their IT resources.
Remote Worker Management: The New Way
As the IT landscape has evolved, innovative Identity-as-a-Service providers have created the category of cloud identity management. By shifting the core directory service to the cloud, admins can easily connect and manage remote workers without VPNs or other workarounds.
In fact, the end user's device doesn't need to connect to the on-premises network at all. Instead, users access their IT resources, and admins manage their machines entirely from the cloud, and the process doesn't differ based on their locations. Cloud directory services integrate natively with virtually all IT resources, including macOS®, Windows, and Linux® machines and cloud-based services. Admins can use cloud directory services to federate core identities everywhere they're needed and lock down user workstations regardless of OS without the limitations of a traditional Windows domain established via AD. They can also require multi-factor authentication (MFA/2FA) at access points for increased security.
This new approach, known as the domainless enterprise, employs core security fundamentals and a seamless user experience — and allows admins to regain control over remote workers. Admins can take a stepwise approach to transitioning away from the domain-bound model by implementing a cloud directory service integrated with their AD instance to serve as a comprehensive AD identity bridge. They can also stand up a full-suite cloud directory service to work in its place. In either case, they can begin to move access control and system management functions to the cloud, rather than relying on on-prem infrastructure or leaving remote users and cloud resources unmanaged.
Regain Full Control
If you're interested in learning more about shifting IT workflows to the cloud, read our Roadmap to the Domainless Enterprise, which provides a step-by-step framework for organizations primed for use of this cloud directory service architecture.
Otherwise, drop us a note — we'd be happy to discuss how we at JumpCloud® tackle the remote worker challenge and share knowledge together.
Rajat Bhargava
Rajat Bhargava is an entrepreneur, investor, author, and CEO and co-founder of JumpCloud. An MIT graduate with over two decades of high-tech experience, Rajat is a ten-time entrepreneur with six exits including two IPOs and four trade sales.


You can't have a Bucharest stag without a proper feast. As you're in Romania, be adventurous and give a traditional meal a shot. You'll get three courses and one beer with your grub. We've found a nice place in downtown Bucharest near a bunch of pubs and bars that does good food and local beer. A table will be reserved for your group and a guide will take you over so you don't have to mess about with directions.
Romanian cuisine is pretty much meat, meat and more meat. Also potatoes. Bit of veg. Pork and beef are big favourites. We can't say exactly what you'll eat as the set menus change but you can expect the classics. Stuff like slana, Romania's answer to bacon, and mici, basically mutton sausages grilled and eaten with mustard. They also love shawarma kebab. Desserts are good as well. They do great pastries, sweet dumplings, vanilla custard cake, and popular puds like tiramisu over here.
The cost of your meal is added to your package so you don't have to fanny about with a food bill on the night. No remembering who had a starter and who didn't. You all pay the same amount. It's the hassle-free way to eat out.
This is great for the second night of a Bucharest stag weekend, when you're a bit battered and need to refuel for a second bout of epic drinking. Fill up and power through!


text:
Science news Round-Up: In the Beginning
Mirrors and Space in/and Art
Science News Round-Up: Life in the Unlikeliest Places
Science News Round-up: What does it mean to be human?
19 January, 2022 Theodora Hawksley
Image credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio
It's been an amazing month for science news, including the first transplant of a genetically modified pig's heart into a human being, and research suggesting that people in vegetative states may have more awareness than we think. At the top of the list, though, is the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope on Christmas Day last year. Twenty years in the making, and costing $10 billion over its lifetime, the telescope will show us the universe as we have never seen it before.
Over the two weeks following the launch, the telescope slowly unfolded a five-layer sunshield the size of a tennis court and unfolded its 6.5m wide main mirror. The next few months will see the telescope, positioned nearly a million miles from Earth, cooling down to its operating temperature of -230 degrees Celsius and focussing its mirror panels using micro-motors. Once ready, the images Webb produces will surpass those from the Hubble telescope, picking up objects 100 times fainter and enabling scientists to look at light from the first stars, at around 180 million years after the Big Bang.
There are some incredible photographs from the construction and testing of the telescope, from the tiny human figures standing next to the chamber where it was test-run at space temperatures, to pictures of engineers polishing the gold-plated main mirror with their faces reflected back, alien-like in their protective gear. That last photograph is a good metaphor for the telescope project as a whole: it's not just pointed outwards towards discoveries about the universe; it also reflects back something important about human beings.
James Webb Space Telescope Tertiary Mirror Image Credit: Ball Aerospace/Ben Gallagher, Quantum Coating Incorporated
Living things explore. A fungus placed in the middle of a petri dish will send out hyphae in all directions, strengthening growth in the direction of food sources when they are discovered, and abandoning areas where there is nothing of interest. A lot of this exploration is to do with basic needs like food and safety. Humans explore on that level, too, but often our exploration is multi-layered: we are not just looking to locate ourselves within physical space, but also looking for meaning as a way of orienting ourselves. On the face of it, the James Webb Space Telescope is looking for something straightforward, the light from very distant stars and the earliest galaxies. On another level, though, scientists are looking for what that light means: they're looking for the beginning, of the universe as we know it, and of the building blocks of life. Whatever else, human stories about origins 'do work': even if strictly factual, they are often told for a purpose, to say something about who we are, what we are about, and what our destiny is – this is why they are the subject of such fierce disagreement.
In the Midrash Rabbah (a storytelling commentary on the Torah), Rabbi Yonah asks why the book of Genesis (Bereshit in Hebrew) begins with the second letter of the alphabet, Bet ב, rather than the first letter of the alphabet, Alef א. He answers that, in the same way that the letter Bet is closed on three sides but open at the front (as Hebrew reads right to left), there are some questions you can ask, and some you can't. In the same way, human exploration has its limits. We can't go back before the beginning of the universe, but with the James Webb Telescope we can look deeper into its past – and ours – than ever before. What story will we tell with it?
Article By Theodora Hawksley
A panel discussion exploring themes of mirrors and space in Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass, from the Sesquicentenary conference in November 2021. Speakers include Amanda Kennell, Rika Hiro, Charlotte Horlyck, and Peter Sachs Collopy.
A panel discussion exploring themes of mirrors and space in Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass, from the Sesquicentenary conference in November 2021.
Speakers include Amanda Kennell, Rika Hiro, Charlotte Horlyck, and Peter Sachs Collopy.
RESEARCH Science News Round-Up: Life in the Unlikeliest Places
Life, but not as we know it? Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU It was headline news when NASA's Perseverance rover successfully landed on Mars in February this year. It's since dropped out of the mainstream news, but...
27.09.2021 LEARN MORE
RESEARCH Science News Round-up: What does it mean to be human?
Welcome to our first science news round-up – a monthly briefing of some of the latest developments and discoveries, seen through the lens of Christian faith. It's been an interesting month for palaeoanthropology. First, archaeologists...


text:
Join the Peace Energy Community Today!
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The basic concept for Peace Energy Cooperative was conceived in early 2002. Two Dawson Creek businessmen with a keen interest in renewable energy and energy conservation, Don Pettit and Paul Kurjata, realized the potential for wind energy in the Peace River Country. The Peace is rich in fossil fuels that are extracted by a handful of giant and mostly multi-national companies. Pettit and Kurjata argued that as a cooperative, Peace Energy can pool resources and expertise from local people who can then actually own some of this this new resource industry in the Peace Region.
Peace Energy started taking memberships in May 2002, With about 80 members signed up, Peace Energy incorporated as a cooperative on Oct. 21, 2003.
As its major project, Peace Energy has its sights set at establishing a wind park on Bear Mountain, nearby Dawson Creek, and identified by BC Hydro as one of the most promising sites in British Columbia to generate power from the wind. Peace Energy secured the right to pursue this wind park in July 2004. Three months later, Peace Energy signed a memorandum of understanding with Aeolis Wind Power Corporation of Sidney, B.C., to partner on the development of Bear Mountain.
Besides the Bear Mountain project, Peace Energy is committed to make renewable energy accessible and affordable for its members in the Peace Region of northern British Columbia and Alberta. This includes wind energy, geothermal heating, solar power, bio fuels, as well as energy conservation methods.
By banding together in Peace Energy Cooperative, northern residents have a way to share in the abundance of renewable energy available in their Peace Region. It also gives them a united voice in lobbying governments to encourage the move to renewable energy.
Peace Energy Cooperative (PEC) works closely with different Municipalities both in British Columbia and Alberta. We provide consulting and full installation!
Interested in Solar for your own home? We can help you evaluate your options, provide you with consulting services for basic or advanced arrays. We carry a full lineup of inverters, solar panels and associated parts and pieces.
Peace Energy Cooperative is your opportunity to become an active part in the global shift to renewable energy. As one of more than 560 members, you are making a difference NOW, staying informed locally and globally, and being an important part of something that really matters.
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text:
Star Trek Catan
by Asmodee North America
Overview - SPACE... the Final Frontier. Star Trek Catan transports the timeless game concept of the worlds most acclaimed board game-Catan- into the exciting Star Trek universe. The popular characters of the Starship Enterprise come into play through novel new "support cards." Build, trade and settle where no one has gone before! Since 1966, millions of Star Trek fans all over the world have watched the adventures of the Starship Enterprise, Captain Kirk, and Mr. Spock. And since 1995, millions of enthusiastic players all over the world have played Klaus Teubers Catan-a board game classic. Star Trek Catan is a melding of these two huge fan-bases. Players: 3-4, Game Length: 75 minutes
In Stock. Ships in 2-3 days.
Item may not be eligible for special discounts or coupons.
More About Star Trek Catan Asmodee North America
SPACE... the Final Frontier. Star Trek Catan transports the timeless game concept of the worlds most acclaimed board game-Catan- into the exciting Star Trek universe. The popular characters of the Starship Enterprise come into play through novel new "support cards." Build, trade and settle where no one has gone before! Since 1966, millions of Star Trek fans all over the world have watched the adventures of the Starship Enterprise, Captain Kirk, and Mr. Spock. And since 1995, millions of enthusiastic players all over the world have played Klaus Teubers Catan-a board game classic. Star Trek Catan is a melding of these two huge fan-bases. Players: 3-4, Game Length: 75 minutes
PID: 029877030033
Manufacturer: Asmodee North America


text:
import logging
from typing import Tuple, Union

import anndata
import numba
import numpy as np
import pandas as pd
import scipy.sparse as sp_sparse

logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)

def _compute_library_size(
    data: Union[sp_sparse.spmatrix, np.ndarray]
) -> Tuple[np.ndarray, np.ndarray]:
    sum_counts = data.sum(axis=1)
    masked_log_sum = np.ma.log(sum_counts)
    if np.ma.is_masked(masked_log_sum):
        logger.warning(
            "This dataset has some empty cells, this might fail inference."
            "Data should be filtered with `scanpy.pp.filter_cells()`"
        )
    log_counts = masked_log_sum.filled(0)
    local_mean = (np.mean(log_counts).reshape(-1, 1)).astype(np.float32)
    local_var = (np.var(log_counts).reshape(-1, 1)).astype(np.float32)
    return local_mean, local_var

def _compute_library_size_batch(
    adata,
    batch_key: str,
    local_l_mean_key: str = None,
    local_l_var_key: str = None,
    layer=None,
    copy: bool = False,
):
    """
    Computes the library size.

    Parameters
    ----------
    adata
        anndata object containing counts
    batch_key
        key in obs for batch information
    local_l_mean_key
        key in obs to save the local log mean
    local_l_var_key
        key in obs to save the local log variance
    layer
        if not None, will use this in adata.layers[] for X
    copy
        if True, returns a copy of the adata

    Returns
    -------
    type
        anndata.AnnData if copy was True, else None

    """
    if batch_key not in adata.obs_keys():
        raise ValueError("batch_key not valid key in obs dataframe")
    local_means = np.zeros((adata.shape[0], 1))
    local_vars = np.zeros((adata.shape[0], 1))
    batch_indices = adata.obs[batch_key]
    for i_batch in np.unique(batch_indices):
        idx_batch = np.squeeze(batch_indices == i_batch)
        if layer is not None:
            if layer not in adata.layers.keys():
                raise ValueError("layer not a valid key for adata.layers")
            data = adata[idx_batch].layers[layer]
        else:
            data = adata[idx_batch].X
        (local_means[idx_batch], local_vars[idx_batch]) = _compute_library_size(data)
    if local_l_mean_key is None:
        local_l_mean_key = "_scvi_local_l_mean"
    if local_l_var_key is None:
        local_l_var_key = "_scvi_local_l_var"

    if copy:
        copy = adata.copy()
        copy.obs[local_l_mean_key] = local_means
        copy.obs[local_l_var_key] = local_vars
        return copy
    else:
        adata.obs[local_l_mean_key] = local_means
        adata.obs[local_l_var_key] = local_vars

def _check_nonnegative_integers(
    data: Union[pd.DataFrame, np.ndarray, sp_sparse.spmatrix]
):
    """Approximately checks values of data to ensure it is count data."""
    if isinstance(data, np.ndarray):
        data = data
    elif issubclass(type(data), sp_sparse.spmatrix):
        data = data.data
    elif isinstance(data, pd.DataFrame):
        data = data.to_numpy()
    else:
        raise TypeError("data type not understood")

    check = data[:10]
    return _check_is_counts(check)

@numba.njit(cache=True)
def _check_is_counts(data):
    for d in data.flat:
        if d < 0 or d % 1 != 0:
            return False
    return True

def _get_batch_mask_protein_data(
    adata: anndata.AnnData, protein_expression_obsm_key: str, batch_key: str
):
    """
    Returns a list with length number of batches where each entry is a mask.

    The mask is over cell measurement columns that are present (observed)
    in each batch. Absence is defined by all 0 for that protein in that batch.
    """
    pro_exp = adata.obsm[protein_expression_obsm_key]
    pro_exp = pro_exp.to_numpy() if isinstance(pro_exp, pd.DataFrame) else pro_exp
    batches = adata.obs[batch_key].values
    batch_mask = {}
    for b in np.unique(batches):
        b_inds = np.where(batches.ravel() == b)[0]
        batch_sum = pro_exp[b_inds, :].sum(axis=0)
        all_zero = batch_sum == 0
        batch_mask[b] = ~all_zero

    return batch_mask

def _check_anndata_setup_equivalence(adata_source, adata_target):
    """Checks if target setup is equivalent to source."""
    if isinstance(adata_source, anndata.AnnData):
        _scvi_dict = adata_source.uns["_scvi"]
    else:
        _scvi_dict = adata_source
    adata = adata_target

    stats = _scvi_dict["summary_stats"]

    target_n_vars = adata.shape[1]
    error_msg = (
        "Number of {} in anndata different from initial anndata used for training."
    )
    if target_n_vars != stats["n_vars"]:
        raise ValueError(error_msg.format("vars"))

    error_msg = (
        "There are more {} categories in the data than were originally registered. "
        + "Please check your {} categories as well as adata.uns['_scvi']['categorical_mappings']."
    )
    self_categoricals = _scvi_dict["categorical_mappings"]
    self_batch_mapping = self_categoricals["_scvi_batch"]["mapping"]

    adata_categoricals = adata.uns["_scvi"]["categorical_mappings"]
    adata_batch_mapping = adata_categoricals["_scvi_batch"]["mapping"]
    # check if the categories are the same
    error_msg = (
        "Categorial encoding for {} is not the same between "
        + "the anndata used to train the model and the anndata just passed in. "
        + "Categorical encoding needs to be same elements, same order, and same datatype.\n"
        + "Expected categories: {}. Received categories: {}.\n"
        + "Try running `dataset.transfer_anndata_setup()` or deleting `adata.uns['_scvi']."
    )
    if not _assert_equal_mapping(self_batch_mapping, adata_batch_mapping):
        raise ValueError(
            error_msg.format("batch", self_batch_mapping, adata_batch_mapping)
        )
    self_labels_mapping = self_categoricals["_scvi_labels"]["mapping"]
    adata_labels_mapping = adata_categoricals["_scvi_labels"]["mapping"]
    if not _assert_equal_mapping(self_labels_mapping, adata_labels_mapping):
        raise ValueError(
            error_msg.format("label", self_labels_mapping, adata_labels_mapping)
        )

    # validate any extra categoricals
    if "extra_categorical_mappings" in _scvi_dict.keys():
        target_extra_cat_maps = adata.uns["_scvi"]["extra_categorical_mappings"]
        for key, val in _scvi_dict["extra_categorical_mappings"].items():
            target_map = target_extra_cat_maps[key]
            if not _assert_equal_mapping(val, target_map):
                raise ValueError(error_msg.format(key, val, target_map))
    # validate any extra continuous covs
    if "extra_continuous_keys" in _scvi_dict.keys():
        if "extra_continuous_keys" not in adata.uns["_scvi"].keys():
            raise ValueError('extra_continuous_keys not in adata.uns["_scvi"]')
        target_cont_keys = adata.uns["_scvi"]["extra_continuous_keys"]
        if not _scvi_dict["extra_continuous_keys"].equals(target_cont_keys):
            raise ValueError(
                "extra_continous_keys are not the same between source and target"
            )

def _assert_equal_mapping(mapping1, mapping2):

    return pd.Index(mapping1).equals(pd.Index(mapping2))

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub