Atnaw, S. M., Sulaiman, S. A., Singh, L., Wahid, Z. A., and Ku Mohammad Faizal Bin Che Ku Yahya , C. (2017). "Modeling and parametric study for maximizing heating value of gasification syngas," BioRes. 12(2), 2548-2564.
There are a number of experimental and theoretical studies on the energy conversion of oil palm derivative biomass. Moreover, the potential of this abundant biomass residue for renewable energy in major producing countries in Southeast Asia has been well documented. In this study, the results of an equilibrium model of downdraft gasification of oil palm fronds (OPF), developed using the Aspen Plus chemical process simulator software, and its validation are presented. In addition, an optimization of the major output parameter of importance (i.e., the higher heating value of syngas) with respect to the main operating parameters (i.e., temperature, equivalence ratio (ER), and moisture content) was performed. The response surface method (RSM) was used to determine the mathematical relationship between the response of interest, which was the heating value of syngas, and the operating conditions. This method was used to further determine the conditions that would lead to optimum higher heating values of syngas. Optimum values identified by RSM were: oxidation zone temperature of 1000 °C, moisture content in the range of 4%, and an equivalence ratio of 0.35. These optimum operating conditions and the corresponding higher heating value of syngas were found to correspond with the experimental results.
Malaysia and Indonesia are the two major palm oil producing countries, covering more than 85% of the world's total supply (Hansen et al. 2011; Umar et al. 2014). Hence, a tremendous amount of sustainable and renewable raw material exists in these two countries. Malaysia alone was forecasted to have higher than 40% of the material in 2015 (Sumathi et al. 2008). From 2005 to 2009, palm oil plantation coverage reached about 14% of the total land area in the country, with an average growth rate of 3.9% (Hansen et al. 2011). Such an ample and sustainable resource for renewable energy could be used for bringing renewable energy to the mainstream energy supply in Malaysia (Mohammed et al. 2010; Chang 2014).
The process of gasification is relatively complicated and involves a large number of chemical and physical processes (Baruah and Baruah 2014). The gasification process takes place in four stages called drying, pyrolysis, oxidation, and reduction. A number of studies had been carried out in the past on modelling of the thermochemical conversation of various biomass materials (Muilenburg et al. 2011; Bates et al. 2016). Phenomenological models that represent the various chemical processes in each stage of gasification using mathematical relations (Muilenburg et al. 2011; Sulaiman et al. 2012; Bates et al. 2016) are more commonly applied than the black box modelling approach that use Artificial Neural Network (ANN) (Puig-Arnavat et al. 2013; Rodrigues et al. 2016). These models can be placed into two main classes: equilibrium models that assume all major reactions of pyrolysis and gasification to reach chemical equilibrium during the gasification process, and kinetic models, which involve kinetic rate equations. In the current study the equilibrium modelling approach is used, as it has been reported by many authors to satisfactorily predict the gasification process. Most of the modelling work in the literature has focused on predicting the composition of resulting syngas from the gasification process depending on values of operating conditions. Yet most of the studies do not focus on optimizing the heating value of produced syngas and determining the optimum operating conditions.
Biomass residues from the oil palm industry include empty fruit bunches (EFB), palm shells, palm oil mill effluent (POME), trunks, and oil palm fronds (OPF). Previous studies on the downdraft gasification of OPF showed that it has a high potential as a feedstock for thermal gasification, with an output comparable to that of sugarcane and woody biomass materials. In a previous study, the authors presented the results of an experimental study on the influence of the reactor temperature, moisture content, and equivalence ratio on producer gas composition, temperature distribution along the gasifier bed, tar generation, higher heating value (HHV), and overall gasification efficiency (Atnaw et al. 2011; Sulaiman et al. 2012; Atnaw et al. 2013a). The results from the experimental study on the downdraft gasification of OPF was found to be comparable in terms of output with that of woody materials. In addition, the results of the equilibrium model of gasification were validated using experimental data, and the results of the optimization model that was used to determine the combination of operating conditions that could give the optimum (i.e., highest) output were presented. The current paper focuses on the optimization of a response of interest (i.e., higher heating value of syngas), which is dependent upon a number of operating conditions of the gasification process.
A downdraft gasifier (Multi Products Supply Enterprise sdn. Bhd., Penang, Malaysia) with a design capacity of 50 kW thermal output and a cylindrical reactor 1000 mm in height and 400 mm in diameter was used for the experimental study. In addition, a number of cooling and cleaning apparati were provided downstream of the gasifier before the syngas sampling point. To develop the optimum and safest method of operating the gasifier, and to put in place all necessary measuring instruments, a considerable amount of time and effort was spent during the initial development, testing, and commissioning. The details of the experimental setup and the operation procedure are available in the previous report (Atnaw et al. 2013b). The gasification experiments were conducted at average ambient air of 30 °C and at 80% relative humidity.
An equilibrium model of downdraft gasification was developed using the Aspen Plus (version 8.0, Kuantan, Malaysia) process simulator software. A four-zone gasification model, which used four number unit operation models to model each zone of the gasification process (drying, pyrolysis, oxidation, and reduction), was developed. The flow sheet of the model that was developed shows a schematic of the reactors and the various streams of the four-zone gasification model and is presented in Fig. 1. The drying zone was modeled using the Rstoic reactor block of Aspen, while the pyrolysis zone of gasification was modeled using the RYield reactor. As the oxidation and reduction zones of the gasification process were known to occur at different temperature values, the two zones were modeled using two separate Gibbs reactors, at 850 and 650 °C, respectively. The conventional gaseous components considered in the modeling of the gasification process were: H2, O2, CO, CO2, H2O, N2, CH4, and S. From the different stream classes in Aspen, the conventional stream class was used for the gaseous reactants and product, whereas the char produced from gasification was defined as pure carbon. This assumption was adequately valid, as char has been known to be composed mainly of carbon, which was also confirmed experimentally from the ultimate analysis. Therefore, a conventional solid stream class was used for the char. The OPF was defined as a non-conventional solid using the component attribute features of Aspen.
The physical and chemical properties of OPF from the proximate and ultimate analyses were used in defining OPF as a non-conventional solid in Aspen. Shown in Table 1 is a summary of the physical and chemical properties of OPF. The initial estimations of the temperature of the various gasification zones and other input parameters are given in Table 2. The summary of the reactor blocks used to model each zone of gasification and the specific feature of each block are shown in Table 3. The optimization of the model results was performed using the response surface method (RSM).
The sum square deviation method of statistical analysis was used to estimate the accuracy of simulation predictions, and to analyze the level of agreement between experimental data and model results.
The typical simulation results corresponding to the operating conditions of an air fuel ratio of 1.71 kg air/kg OPF, an oxidation zone temperature of 850 oC, and initial fuel moisture content of 15% are given in Table 4. The lower heating value (LHV) of syngas was calculated based on the predicted average composition of the combustible gas components (CO, CH4, and H2), and was 4.86 MJ/Nm3. In addition, the experimental results from previous literature of the average syngas composition for the downdraft gasification of various biomass types are given in Table 5. These values and the simulation results were not directly comparable, as characteristics such as the type of feedstock, operating parameters, as well as the design and operation of the gasifiers differed. However, the typical syngas composition and heating values from the experimental data reported in previous studies were used as an initial reference for the model results. The sum of squared deviation method of statistical analysis was used to assess the accuracy of the simulation results against the other studies' values. The validation of the simulation results with actual experimental data for the OPF downdraft gasification is presented later in this paper.
Table 6 shows results of the data analysis against the typical literature values, using the root-mean-square-deviation method.
From this accuracy calculation, it can be seen that the model predictions for the compositions of CO, CO2, H2, and CH4, as well as the heating value of syngas were in good agreement with previous results. The calculated mean error values between the predicted and the literature results are given in Table 4. As shown in Table 6, with the exception of CH4, the predicted syngas composition values and lower heating values were in good agreement with the results from previous studies.
A sensitivity analysis on the influence of various operating conditions was performed using the equilibrium model of gasification developed with Aspen Plus. The average syngas compositions were predicted from the model, and the results of the effects of the oxidation zone temperature, equivalence ratio (ER), and moisture content are presented.
One of the major parameters influencing the syngas composition obtained from gasifiers is the reactor temperature. The effect of the reactor temperature on the predicted gas composition was performed by varying the oxidation zone temperature for the range of 500 to 1200 °C using the Aspen sensitivity analysis tool. Figure 2 shows the variation in the volume fraction of the component gases in syngas with the oxidation zone temperature predicted by the model, with the operating conditions held constant at an equivalence ratio of 0.36 and fuel moisture content of 15%.
As shown in Fig. 2, the predicted H2 composition increased from about 10% to roughly 15% maximum for the oxidation zone temperature range of 500 °C to 700 °C. The H2 composition was found to be at a maximum at the oxidation zone temperature value of 600 °C, and steadily decreased to a value of about 10% for the temperature range of 500 to 1200 °C. Detournay et al. (2011) reported a similar steady decreasing trend in the composition of H2 in syngas at higher temperatures. They suggested that it had to do with a shifting of the reaction equilibrium towards CO and the H2O production at high temperatures, leading to a lower H2 composition.
The composition of CO in syngas was predicted to undergo a sharp increase from 500 °C up to approximately 700 °C, and then increase steadily until it reached 1200 °C, as shown in Fig. 2. The CO composition increased from about 5% to 25% for the temperature range of 500 to 1200 °C; CO was the only component that showed a significant response to the oxidation zone temperature above 800 °C. Considering that the CO composition made a remarkable contribution to the heating value of syngas, operation in the higher temperature range above 800 °C would be advantageous. The CO and CO2 compositions were predicted to have an inverse relation. The CO2 composition was predicted to steadily decrease with the reactor temperature, while the composition of CO increased. This increase in CO composition at higher reactor temperatures was mainly due to the fact that the endothermic reactions that produce CO are more favored at high temperatures. The inverse relation also showed that the product gases CO and CO2 were competing for the same reactant component, namely the carbon. Similar trends have been reported in the work of different authors (Zainal et al. 2001; Mathieu and Dubuisson 2002; Zainal et al. 2002). The composition of the inert component N2 was predicted to be relatively high at lower reactor temperatures, where the steady production of other gas components would be just starting, and showed a decreasing trend up to a temperature of 600 °C. For temperatures above 600 °C, the N2 composition remained nearly constant at an average value of 51%, as expected from its inert characteristics. Figure 2 also shows that the composition of CH4 dropped sharply from an initial value of about 6% to a trace amount in the oxidation zone temperature range of 500 to 700 °C. The predicted amount of CH4 was much lower in the higher temperature range, which could have been due to the promotion of endothermic reactions, such as steam reforming the consuming methane. Considering the relative composition of the syngas components, the optimum range of operation in terms of oxidation zone temperature was in the range of 850 to 1200 °C.
The results from the gasification experiments performed in the current study were used to validate the gas composition and heating value predictions of the product gas from the equilibrium model. The sum of squared deviations method of statistical analysis was used to calculate the accuracy of the simulation results compared to the experimental data. Generally, the CH4 concentrations predicted by the equilibrium model were very minimal (only trace amounts), while values obtained from the actual experiments were typically in the range of 0.8% to 2.8%. Similar results were reported in studies for the prediction of CH4 composition in syngas utilizing the equilibrium model of gasification (Zainal et al. 2001; Gautam 2010). Gautam (2010) reported that the equilibrium model predicted only trace amounts of CH4 for temperatures above 800 °C. This result in the prediction of CH4 composition was in close agreement with the results of the current study, as shown in Fig. 2. Similarly, the equilibrium model of downdraft gasification developed by Zainal et al. (2001) predicted only trace amounts of CH4 (0.64%) as compared to the experimental values in the range of 1.58% that were reported in the current study.
Shown in Table 7 is a comparison of the predicted and experimental results for the gas components CO, CO2, H2, and N2 in syngas. The mean error values obtained between the prediction and experimental value for the composition of each gas component and lower heating value is given in Table 8. The concentration of CO in both the experimental results and the results prediction from the equilibrium model increased with temperature, as shown in Table 7. The model predictions for the CO composition in syngas for the oxidation zone temperature above 850 °C were found to be lower than the experimental results. This could be attributed to the fixed reduction zone temperature of 782.78 °C used in the model, as the sensitivity analysis in Aspen was performed by varying only one parameter (i.e., oxidation zone temperature) while keeping other parameters (moisture content, air-fuel ratio, pyrolysis zone temperature, and reduction zone temperature) constant. However, the predicted results were obtained with reasonable accuracy, with a mean error of 0.19 as compared to experimental data for predicting the variation in the CO composition with temperature.
The predicted CO2 composition was found to be in close agreement with the experimental data, as shown in Table 7. The equilibrium model predicted the composition of CO2 in syngas with a mean error of 0.08, as shown in Table 8. The variations in the N2 and H2 composition between the predicted and experimental values were shown to be in good agreement with the mean errors of only 0.09 and 0.12, respectively, as compared to the experimental results.
Figure 3 shows the comparison of the predicted and experimental values of the LHV of syngas over the range of oxidation zone temperatures between 700 and 1200 °C. As shown in Fig. 3, the heating value calculated from the gas composition predicted by the equilibrium model of gasification was in good agreement with the experimental data. Both the equilibrium model and the experimental results showed a slight increase in the LHV of syngas with temperature. A mean error of 0.13 was obtained between the predicted and experimental values of LHV for the variation in the oxidation zone temperature between 700 and 1200 °C. This showed that the equilibrium model of prediction was in good agreement with the experimental data at a satisfactory level of accuracy as compared to mean error values in other studies (Zainal et al. 2001).
The influence of the equivalence ratio of gasification on the predicted syngas composition from the equilibrium model of downdraft gasification of OPF was determined by varying the equivalence ratio from 0.2 to 0.55. From the thermodynamic calculations, the theoretical equivalence ratio for the gasification of OPF was found to be 0.36. Hence, the predicted values of syngas composition in the range near this value were expected to be closer to the experimental values.
Shown in Fig. 4 is the variation in the predicted gas composition of syngas with its equivalence ratio. As shown, generally the percentages of CO and H2 were predicted to be higher at low equivalence ratios, as the modeling was performed at a set value of the oxidation zone temperature (850 °C) that could not be practically achieved at lower equivalence ratio values. Therefore, the predicted values for the equivalence ratio above the theoretical minimum value of 0.36 would be of practical interest.
As shown in Fig. 4, the compositions of CO, H2, and CH4 were predicted to decrease, while the compositions of CO2 and H2 increased with the increase in equivalence ratio. An inverse relationship between the concentrations of CO and CO2 was observed, with the inert component N2 showing a nearly liner increase with equivalence ratio, as could be expected.
Shown in Table 9 is a comparison of the predicted and experimental variation of CO, CO2, H2, and N2 compositions in the product gas for the equivalence ratios between 0.35 and 0.59. The experimental data points obtained for the gasification experiments at the different values of equivalence ratio were used for comparison with the predicted results.
The mean error values obtained between the predicted and experimental values for the composition of each gas component and for the lower heating values are given in Table 10. The equilibrium model predictions for the compositions of CO, CO2, and N2 were found to be in good agreement with the experimental results, as shown in Table 9. Table 9 also shows that the H2 concentration predicted by the model was found to be slightly higher than the experimental data for the equivalence ratio between 0.35 and 0.41. Such higher predictions of the H2 composition in syngas from the equilibrium model of gasification have been reported in other studies as well (Zainal et al. 2001; Gautam 2010). The reason for such higher prediction by the model could be due to the assumption that all the tar produced during gasification will be broken down to the simple hydrocarbon forms (namely H2 and CH4). In addition, the equilibrium model of gasification predicted the composition of CH4 in syngas to be in trace amounts, while experimental results in the range of 0.66% to 1.83% were obtained for the range of equivalence ratios considered.
Shown in Fig. 5 is the comparison of the predicted and experimental values of the LHV of syngas for the range of equivalence ratios between 0.35 and 0.59. For the practically optimum range of equivalence ratios from 0.36 to 0.45, the heating value estimated based on predicted syngas composition decreased from 5.5 MJ/Nm3 to 3.6 MJ/Nm3. Figure 5 shows that the predicted and experimental results were in good agreement, and that the equilibrium model predicted the syngas heating value at a satisfactory level of accuracy, with a mean error of only 0.13.
The influence of the initial moisture content of the OPF feedstock on the resulting syngas composition was investigated using the equilibrium model by varying the moisture content from 4% to 30% while keeping the equivalence ratio and oxidation zone temperature at 0.36 and 850 °C, respectively. Shown in Fig. 6 is the variation in the predicted composition of the major gas products in syngas with the moisture content of the fuel. As shown in Fig. 6, the concentration of CO was predicted to decrease sharply with moisture content, from the initial composition of 26% to 13%, for increases in moisture content from 4% to 30%. The composition of CO2 was predicted to increase with the increase in moisture content. The concentration of H2 was predicted to drop gradually with increases in moisture content, while the composition of CH4 was predicted to be only a trace amount at all moisture content values. The lower yield of H2 and increase in CO2 is expected as the gasification process is effective for lower moisture content feedstock, hence at higher moisture content less fuel component gases are being produced while CO2 concentration is increasing. In contrast, the relative concentration of N2 showed a rise with moisture content, probably as a result of the decrease in the overall production of other gas components for higher values of moisture content. In addition to the dry volume fractions of the permanent gases produced, the simulation results predicted an increase in H2O concentration of syngas from 9% to 20% for the moisture content range of 4% to 30%.
As expected from the predicted decreasing trends in the concentrations of the major fuel component gases CO and H2, as well as the rise in composition of CO2, the heating value of syngas decrease from 4.5 to 3 MJ/Nm3 for the increase in moisture content from 4% to 30%. This showed that operation at the lower moisture content of fuel was advantageous. A similar decreased trend in the heating value of syngas with the increase in moisture content was reported in the work of Zainal et al. (2001), where following the increase in moisture content from 0% to 40%, the syngas heating value decreased from 6 to 5.4 MJ/Nm3, 5.8 to 5.4 MJ/Nm3, and 5 to 4.5 MJ/Nm3 for the downdraft gasification of wood, paddy husk, and paper, respectively.
Shown in Table 11 is a comparison of the predicted and experimental results for the compositions of CO, CO2, H2, and N2 for the range of the initial moisture content of fuel from 10% to 28%. Experimental data points obtained from the gasification experiments for different initial moisture contents of the fuel were used for validating the model prediction results. The mean error values obtained between the predicted and experimental values for the composition of each gas component and lower heating value results are given in Table 12. From Table 11 and the mean error values given in Table 12, it could be seen that a satisfactory agreement between the predicted and experimental values was obtained for the variation of the compositions of CO, H2, and N2 with moisture content. The fraction mean error for CO2 is higher as compared to the other gas components, which could be due to lower measurement accuracy of gas analyzer.
A comparison of the equilibrium model prediction and the experimental results for the heating value of syngas for the range of fuel moisture content between 10% and 28% is shown in Fig. 7. As shown, the predicted heating value of syngas based on the equilibrium model of gasification compared with a reasonable degree of accuracy to the experimental data. A mean error between the predicted and experimental results of only 0.09 was obtained, indicating that the model predicted the variation in the heating value of syngas with moisture content to a satisfactory level of accuracy.
The main output parameter of interest from the biomass gasification process was the heating value of the syngas produced. The gas composition, as well as the corresponding heating value of syngas, was known to be dependent on a number of factors including operating conditions and feedstock characteristics. One common mathematical tool for optimizing a response of interest, which is dependent on a number of factors, is the response surface method (RSM) (Montgomery et al. 2009). In the present work, RSM was used to generate the mathematical relation between the response of interest, which was the heating value of syngas, and the operating conditions. Therefore, this method was used to determine the optimum conditions, namely those that would lead to syngas of the highest heating value. In the optimization, three main parameters, namely oxidation zone temperature, equivalence ratio, and moisture content, were considered in light of the objective of maximizing the heating value of the syngas produced. The data used for optimization of the three factors (temperature, moisture content, and equivalence ratio) were obtained through a number of simulation runs in which all parameters were varied together. The RSM method of optimization was performed with the help of Minitab software (Version 15, Kuantan, Malaysia), for a statistical analysis based on twenty simulation results. The selected simulation run results used in the optimization are presented in Table 13.
where Y represents the heating value of the syngas, and variables x1, x2, and x3 are the values of the operating conditions, temperature (°C), moisture content (%, wet basis), and equivalence ratio, respectively, and the values of each coefficient are given in Table 14. The developed empirical relation was tested with the simulation results and was found to be comparable with a mean error of only 0.2. The optimum values identified by RSM were an oxidation zone temperature of 1000 °C, moisture content in the range of 4%, and equivalence ratio of 0.35. The corresponding optimum output of 4.82 MJ/Nm3 for the heating value was obtained with a desirability value of 0.91 (with higher value of desirability value >0.9 preferred). The optimum operating conditions identified and the resulting optimum output of the heating value were found to be in agreement with the results obtained from the experimental study.
1. The optimization of the simulation results for maximizing the syngas heating value was performed using the Response Surface Method (RSM). This method was used to generate a mathematical relation between the response of interest (syngas heating value) and the three independent operating parameters of gasification (temperature, moisture content, and equivalence ratio). The operating condition values corresponded with the production of optimum higher heating values syngas was determined.
2. The optimum values identified by RSM were an oxidation zone temperature of 1000 °C, moisture content in the range of 4%, and equivalence ratio of 0.35.
3. The optimum operating conditions identified were comparable with the results from the experimental parametric study.
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) of the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education, grant number RDU140109.
Bates, R. B., Altantzis, C., and Ghoniem, A. F. (2016). "Modeling of biomass char gasification, combustion, and attrition kinetics in fluidized beds," Energy & Fuels 30(1), 360-376. DOI: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.5b02120.
Borisov, I. I., G. G. Geîetuha, and A. A. Khalatov. (1998). "Performance and Characteristics of Wood Downdraft Gasifier with Vortex Gas Cleaning System. Biomass for Energy and Industry." Proc. 10th European Conference and Technology Exhibition 1998.
Gautam, G. (2010). Parametric Study of a Commercial-Scale Biomass Downdraft Gasifier: Experiments and Equilibrium Modeling, Master's thesis, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama.
Montgomery, D. C., Runger, G. C., and Hubele, N. F. (2009). Engineering Statistics, Wiley and Sons, New Jersey, USA.
Rajvanshi, A. K. (1986). "Biomass gasification," Alternative Energy in Agriculture 2, 83-102.
Sumathi, S., Chai, S. P., and Mohamed, A. R. (2008). "Utilization of oil palm as a source of renewable energy in Malaysia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 12(9), 2404-2421. DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2007.06.006.
Article submitted: October 21, 2016; Peer review completed: January 27, 2017; Revised version received and accepted: February 6, 2017; Published: February 15, 2017.


text:
Get Smart the Antithesis of James Bond
Robert Sacchi
Get Smart Title Card for Season's 1 & 2.
In 1965 the super spy genre was at its height, thanks to the James Bond movies based on the books of Ian Fleming. On September 18, 1965 the spy spoof, "Get Smart", premiered. "Get Smart", like many shows that premiered in 1965, was lambasted by the critics but became an iconic television series. The show ran for 5 years and won 7 Primetime Emmy Awards. This included Don Adams, who won the Emmy for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series three years running.[i] The show's creators were Mel Brooks and Buck Henry. Unknown at the time the show would be a prelude to some of the classic comedy movies of the 1970s. This article contains spoilers for some of the episodes.
[i] 1967 – 1969, United States Movie Database, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058805/awards, last accessed 5/19/19.
The first episode, "Mr. Big", was in black and white. The subsequent episodes were in color. This episode introduces a secret government agency called "Control". Control's best agent is Maxwell Smart (Don Adams), Secret Agent Number 86, in Smart's opinion. Maxwell Smart has a distinctive, unique voice[i]. Don Adams used this voice while performing. Control's station Chief (Edward Platt) has to suffer Smart's silliness and ineptitude. Mr. Big (Michael Dunn) was the nemesis for the first episode. Mr. Big developed a new weapon and planned to use it to destroy the "Statue of Liberty". Smart was assigned a partner, Agent 99 (Barbara Feldon). When they met Agent 99 was dressed as a chauffeur. Smart first mistook her for a man. Another Control agent introduced in this episode was Fang (Red), Agent K-13, a dog. As expected with a secret government agency there were clever devices. One of these was the Cone of Silence. This was a clever device that didn't work. The signature device for Maxwell Smart was his "shoe phone". This wasn't a direct line to headquarters. It was a dial up telephone. Control's nemesis organization was KAOS, pronounced "chaos".
As the series expanded the so did the list of recurring characters. There was Larabee (Robert Karvelas), the Chief's bumbling assistant. Agent 13 (David Ketchum) was hidden in all manner of places such as closets and the ship's side of a porthole. Agent 13 would always whine about his working conditions. Hymie (Dick Gautier), the robot, was made by a KAOS scientist but went over to the side of "goodness and niceness." In the 2008 movie HYMIE was an acronym. In the series Hymie was named after the father of the KAOS scientist (Jim Boles) who created him. Admiral Hargrade (William Schallert), a respected geriatric former head of Control who doesn't have all his facilities. Dr. Steele (Ellen Weston) is a Control scientist who's cover job is an exotic dancer. Charlie Watkins (Angelique Pettyjohn) a male control agent who disguises himself as a woman. The character only appeared in two episodes. In the episode "Pussycats Galore" Max offered to go out on a date. Charlie, who was wrapped in a blanked mistook the offer for a joke. Max curtly told him the offer was to 99. Charlie took off his blanket, showing his Playboy Bunny type outfit and voluptuous figure. Max told him he could "tag along". Hawaiian detective Harry Hoo (Joey Forman), a Charlie Chan type character. While most of the nemesis characters met their demise at the end of the episode the notable exception is Siegfried (Bernie Kopell). Siegfried was a good example of a "Commie Nazi".[ii] The character wears a Wehrmacht type uniform in many of the 14 episodes that has the character.[iii]
[i] In Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer Paul Kligman impersonated Don Adams' stage voice for the voice of Comet the Coach, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058536/trivia, last accessed 5/22/19.
[ii] An episode of "The Simpsons" coined the phrase "Commie Nazi" in a movie within a TV show scene.
[iii] In an episode of the short lived 1995 Get Smart series Siegfried made an appearance. His daughter mentioned her father told her he was a doctor on a cruise ship. Bernie Kopell played Doctor Adam Bricker in the TV series "The Love Boat".
Much of the series humor involves puns and other wordplay. Some of the wordplay and humor might not make it to prime-time television today. In the episode "Diplomat's Daughter" the villain is The Claw, an Asian KAOS agent.[i] In the confrontation with Agent 86 The Claw identifies himself at "The Craw". When 86 says, "The Craw" The Claw corrects him "No, not The Craw, The Craw!"[ii] In "The Last One in Is a Rotten Spy" Smart has to retrieve something from a member of the Russian women's swim team. He can't remember the name and the names are all long and sound similar. In the epilogue Smart feels he would have no confusion with the names of the American women's swim team. The members are; Bobby Jean Harper, Betty June Parker, Bonnie Joan Booker, and Bunny Jane Baker.
In the episode "Washington 4, Indians 3" Agent 86 is undercover while 99 is with Agent 43. Agent 86 reassures 99 that 43 is a good man. Agent 99 replies, "You're worth two 43's, 86."
In the episode "Anatomy of a Lover" the Chief points out Hymie is a "cybernaut". Smart retorts, "What's his religion got to do with it?" Later in the episode Max tells the Chief's niece (Laurel Goodwin) Hymie is a "cybernaut" she chides him, "Uncle Max, I'm ashamed of you. A person's religion doesn't make any difference."
In the episode "Dr. Yes" the title character (Donald Davis) has 4 henchmen, one is a woman (Margaret Mason), from 4 different countries when he gives a general order they answer in turn; "Jawol! Wee! Da! See!".
In "The Girls from KAOS" an Asian KAOS agent (Virginia Ann Lee) shoots two Eastern European KAOS agents. She explained to the dying Eastern European agents "…your brand of KAOS is weak and confused. Only in our country is there pure KAOS."
In the Episode "Die, Spy" an informer named Tamara (Poupée Bocar), whose boyfriend is Taday (Paul Carmen), comes to Max. Tamara wants Max to come to a club named Tonight. The exchange is reminiscent of Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First" routine. Later in the episode Tamara is shot dead. Max says, "Yes 99, there's no tomorrow."
[i] The Claw has a prosthetic right hand, an obvious spoof of the James Bond villain Dr. No.
[ii] This points out many in the Far East have difficulty making the "L" sound when speaking English and instead make the "R" sound. The "L" sound is made by touching the roof of the mouth with the tongue.
Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you walk into an open sewer and die.
— Mel Brooks
Smart Speak
Many of Maxwell Smart's lines were funny and memorable. Many of them became series trademarks. In some cases, another character would use some, or all, of an Agent 86 line.
A Collection of Mysteries ~ Creative Writing
We Don't Remember Dates
University of Idaho Murders: College Student Killings
In the episode "Our Man in Toyland" Agents 86 & 99 have a shootout against KAOS agents in a toy store. Max uses one of the toys to defeat the KAOS agents. Agent 99 praises Max. In a rare moment of modesty Max says; "No 99, the real credit belongs to these toys. After all, we had at our disposal every fiendish and destructive plaything ever devised for the pleasure of little children. Those poor devils, all they had were real guns and bullets."
In the episode "Island of the Darned" after Max killed the villain with an exploding cigarette. Agent 99 wondered if they were any better than KAOS. Max told her, "What are you talking about 99? We have to shoot and kill and destroy. We represent everything that's wholesome and good in the world."
There is the word "second", used to say there was something greater. In the episode "Washington 4, Indians 3" a Native American tribe fired a missile, which was a large arrow, at Washington, DC. When Smart sees the giant arrow he remarks, "That's the second biggest arrow I've ever seen."
In the episode "Is This Trip Necessary?" the mad scientist, Dr. Jarvis Pym (Vincent Price), show a pill he identifies as Sodium Calcium Chloride and asks if Smart knows what that is.
Smart: "An Artificial sweetener?"
Dr. Pym: "No, it's the second most deadly poison in the world."
Smart: "What's the first?"
Dr. Pym: "Artificial sweetener."[i]
There is "the old … trick." An example is in the episode "Dr. Yes" when Smart says. "The old tiny tape recorder in the trailer trick." He would often add "that's the second time I fell for it this month."
There is "and loving it." This is where Smart is warned about how he will be in constant mortal danger on a mission and he would respond, "and loving it."
Probably the best remembered lines were the "Would you believe" routine. Smart would say something incredible, someone would call him on it, he would downgrade the claim to something credible, when the doubtful person still doesn't believe he would then downgrade to something pathetic. An example of the dialogue is in the episode "Kisses from KAOS" with the KAOS agent Savage (Michael Dante):
Smart: "Because at this very minute, 25 Control agents are converging on this building. Would you believe it? 25 Control agents."
Savage: "I find that hard to believe."
Smart: "Would you believe 2 squad cars and a motorcycle cop?"
Savage: "I don't think so."
Smart: "How about a vicious street cleaner and a toothless police dog?"
There was an abbreviated version of this joke in the episode "Hoo Done It". Smart was guarding a woman (Maureen Arthur) and he tells her of the hundreds of people he guarded in such a way he only lost three. The woman opens her compact and is sprayed with a lethal puff of poison gas. She dies and Smart says, "Would you believe four?"[ii]
Another famous phrase was first used in the episode "The Day Smart Turned Chicken" when KAOS agent Blake (Phillip Pine) jumps from a window after announcing a truck filled with matrasses is waiting for him. After Blake jumps Smart looks out the window. After a few moments Smarts holds his thumb and index finger about an inch apart and says, "Missed it by that much."[iii]
A common phrase of the era was when someone feared a bad thing happened, they would say "don't tell me…". Maxwell Smart extended another line to it. An example is in "The Groovy Guru" when he suspects the ticking in his purse is a bomb. He says to 99, "Don't tell me there's a bomb in my purse." She tells him there is a bomb in his purse. He says, "I asked you not to tell me that." Later in the episode Max says to 99, "Don't tell me you pulled the plug." She tells Max she pulled the plug. While Max is getting ready for his retort 99 says, "You asked me not to tell you that, didn't you?"
Siegfried, the villain, got a famous line in the episode "A Spy for A Spy". In this episode Siegfried captures the Chief and calls control. A henchman knocks the Chief out when the Chief says more over the phone than Siegfried wanted. Siegfried informed Smart they pistol whipped the Chief. Smart asks, "Couldn't you have just shushed him?" Siegfried firmly answers, "We don't shush here." In later episodes Siegfried's line expanded to, "This is KAOS! We don't (whatever he didn't like) here."
[i] This episode aired soon after the artificial sweetener, cyclamates, caused cancer in laboratory mice and was banned in the United States.
[ii] The 4 vs 3 is also a wordplay used in "Washington 4, Indians 3". When the Chief was yelling at Smart the chief would say "3" and Smart would correct him by saying "4".
[iii] Whatsitgalore.com has a scorecard of Get Smart catchphrases, http://www.whatsitsgalore.com/etc/catchphrase.html, last accessed 6/4/19.
Some pisodes with common TV plots
Hoo Done It
The Spirit is Willing
Closely Watched Planes
Action takes place on an airline
Washington 4, Indians 3
Wild West setting
Island of the Darned
Hunter hunting people
Where-what-how-who Am I?
Strike While the Agent is Hot
Union troubles
My Nephew the Spy
Visiting relative(s)
The Not-so-Great-Escape
Fight the NAZIs
Age Before Duty
Teporarily Out of Control
With Love and Twitches
Weekend Vampire
Gothic character
The Groovy Guru
The Whole Tooth and...
Character in prison
The Day They Raided the Knights
Life takes a bad turn
The Greatest Spy on Earth
The Girls from KAOS
Beauty Contest
And Baby Makes Four: Parts 1 & 2
Too Many Chiefs
Body double
Satan Place
The Series Arc
As with many 1960's television series there was a personal relationship between Agents 86 and 99 from the beginning. The relationship wasn't one that precluded them seeing other people. Though there was no cause for jealousy they were jealous when someone else showed an interest in them. This revealed itself in Episode 6, "Washington 4, Indians 3". When instructions to 86 on where to kiss White Cloud (Adele Palacios), 99 said by tradition he should kiss her on the elbow. Later when 99 rescued 86 from his captives she ordered them to move away from 86. She pointedly said White Cloud should move furthest away.
In the episode "99 Loses Control" 99 accepts a marriage proposal from Victor Royal (Jacques Bergerac). Max is jealous when 99 tells him the news in the episode's opening scene. The scene also showed how Max is not a "good catch". Fortunately for Max, Victor was a KAOS agent.
Season 4 opened with the fans knowing Max was going to propose to 99. In this episode, "The Impossible Mission", Max and 99 were facing what seemed certain death. Max's proposal inspired 99 and she figured a way out of their dire situation. Max and 99 married in the season's episode 9, "With Love and Twitches".
After 4 seasons NBC canceled the series. CBS picked up the series and in the opening scene of the first episode "Pheasant Under Glass" 99 tells Max she is pregnant. Agent 99 gives birth to twins in a two-part episode "And Baby Makes Four". The twins are one boy and one girl. The series lasted one season with CBS. The last episode, "I Am Curiously Yellow"[i], aired on May 15, 1970.
While a spoof of the secret agent genre as the series wore on episodes frequently spoofed other movie and TV genres. This was a foretaste of the "genre killing" Mel Brooks movies in the coming decades.[ii] "The Amazing Harry Hoo" spoofed the Charlie Chan movies and "Hoo Done It" spoofed Agatha Christie's "Ten Little Indians". "Island of the Darned" spoofed "The Most Dangerous Game". "Maxwell Smart, Private Eye" spoofed the Private Eye genre. "Classification: Dead" spoofed "D.O.A." and parodied the opening for the television series "Run for Your Life". "The King Lives?" spoofed "The Prisoner of Zenda". "Don't Look Back" spoofed the television series "The Fugitive". "The Treasure of C. Errol Madre" spoofs "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre". The episode has Goldmouth (Don Diamond) instead of Gold Hat. These are just a few of the many parodies in the "Get Smart" series.
[i] The title was a spoof on the X-rated movie "I Am Curious (Yellow)". Most people knew of the movie because former first lady Jackie Kennedy-Onassis judo flipped New York Daily News photographer Mel Finkelstein outside a movie theater. The movie she watched that evening was "I Am Curious (Yellow)".
[ii] When Mel Brooks was promoting the movie "Spaceballs" he said science fiction was the only genre he hadn't killed yet.
Get Smart Lessons
The overarching lesson of Get Smart is just because one side wins that doesn't necessarily mean they are competent. It could mean they are less incompetent than their opponents. Despite their inept agents Control always manages to foil KAOS.
The lesson with Secret Agent 86 is while he says, and does, many stupid things he has moments of brilliance. Sometimes the dumb things he says turns out to be true. In "The Day Smart Turned Chicken" KAOS wanted to discredit Agent 86. KAOS agents maneuvered Agent 86 to show up in a chicken costume at a diplomatic affair with a ridiculous story that had no evidence. The purpose was to make him appear delusional. At a court hearing that recounted the events the judge made a statement that triggered a thought and 86 proved his claims were true. Don't underestimate someone just because they sound or act stupid. It's possible for someone to be a buffoon in many areas and brilliant in other areas.
Episode "The Amazing Harry Hoo" gives some good lessons. Agent 86 and Detective Harry Hoo are investigating a murder scene. In the room there is an ashtray with two cigarettes. Agent 86 concludes the victim knew his killer. Hoo cautioned him there could have been three people in the room but only two were smokers. Agent 86 and Hoo continued this line of reasoning until 86 pointed out there could have been 50 people in the room and only two being smokers. He then quipped, "Boy it must have been pretty crowded in here." Moments later two investigators left the room, taking their cigarettes they had smoldering in the ashtray with them.
Occam's Razor states, "entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily". It is often oversimplified as, "the simplest explanation is usually the correct one". This scene illustrates how someone not adhering to the Occam's Razor principal can come to a ridiculous conclusion. The scene also illustrates some Occam's Razor fallacies. Just because the two entities are all that is necessary to explain an event that doesn't mean more entities weren't involved. Absence of proof is not proof of absence. The scene also points out some apparent proof may be irrelevant to the event being researched.
© 2019 Robert Sacchi
Robert Sacchi (author) on August 27, 2019:
Thank you for reading and commenting. We had something in common those days.
Dale Anderson from The High Seas on August 27, 2019:
I fear to watch this show now because I am worried I will think to myself "Boy kiddo, you must have been easy to entertain when you were a kid." But I remember racing to the television to sit there, eyes glued, and thoroughly swept up in Get Smart. I am truly grateful for those memories.
Robert Sacchi (author) on July 27, 2019:
Thank you for reading and commenting. I was on of my favorites when it came out. I'm glad it brought back fun memories for you.
Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on July 27, 2019:
I got a kick out of viewing the Get Smart television series. Thanks for writing about this and bringing back some fun memories.
Laughing out loud. Thank you.
Lawrence Hebb from Hamilton, New Zealand on July 20, 2019:
I think it was more that I was following what my Dad used to think, he didn't like those stories, but then again, he didn't really like James Bond either (that I really did draw the line at!)
Interesting. I wonder if the restrictions on '60s television made "Get Smart" not over the top enough for you?
Some of them were really good. I especially loved Blazing Saddles and his 'Beau Gueste'
Thank you for reading and commenting. The Man From U.N.C.L.E., I Spy, & The Avengers were great tongue in cheek spy shows. How do you feel about the Mel Brooks movies?
I have to admit, I'm one who never understood this series, the humour was so different that I just didn't and still don't find it funny.
For me, the better series that was also a bit of a spoof of the Bond movies was 'The man from U.N.C.L.E" but thats just me.
Robert Sacchi (author) on June 30, 2019:
Thank you for reading and commenting. The TV show used all kinds of fast paced humor. The 2008 movie was a good take on it. It seemed one of the few times a reboot worked.
Marlene Bertrand from USA on June 30, 2019:
Get Smart is one of the funnest TV shows I have ever seen. For me, the Get Smart movie is just as fun. Of course, the movie didn't have all of my favorite "smart" lines, but it had enough that made me chuckle heartily. Your article brought back a lot of fun memories.
Asad Dillz Khan from United Kingdom on June 21, 2019:
My pleasure Robert!
Thank you for reading and commenting. I'm glad you enjoyed this article. It was a fun one for me to write.
A great, entertaining and informative article Robert! Your articles are very informative and good to read. You always performed Excellent Job. But this time you did Fantabulous job!
I don't like to make that kind of comparison because there were some really bad shows in the older days as well. The older shows had the advantage of fewer channels so the networks were choosy as to what the put on the air. The newer shows have the advantage of being able to build on what was learned from the older shows. The transition to the movies for many classic TV shows didn't work well. The latest Get Smart movie did a good job. The Avengers had the problem of being out of place. The Avengers TV series was a series of its time, as was Get Smart. With the James Bond genre Sean Connery had the advantage of being in a completely new genre. It was a great mixture of action/intrigue/adventure.
Liz Westwood from UK on June 19, 2019:
Unfortunately The Avengers film did not have much success, but the original series was good. Sean Connery is generally viewed as a better James Bond than Roger Moore who took the role less seriously. Do you think that the writing quality of some older series like Get Smart and the others I have mentioned was better than some of the more modern versions?
Thank you both for reading and commenting.
FlourishAnyway - The word play is a part of the Mel Brooks machine gun type humor. Often times in Get Smart and the Mel Brooks movies some gags can be missed the first time around because the humor goes by so quickly. With Get Smart some of the humor may be missed today, such as the references to President Johnson, because they were indicative of the 60s.
Liz Westwood - I've seen those other series you've mentioned. Roger Moore played it more tongue-in-cheek than Sean Connery. The Get Smart series was contemporary to the Sean Connery Bond movies.
'The Avengers' was a classic series. I caught on to the remake 'The New Avengers' in my youth. Other classics around the time were 'The Saint' and 'The Persuaders'. The link with 007 being the actor, Roger Moore, who played a rather tongue-in-cheek James Bond in my youth.
FlourishAnyway from USA on June 17, 2019:
I like how you summed it up about competence. I used to occasionally watch this. It stuns me how many channels there are today compared to when I was a kid. The limited options meant that we had all seen at least some of almost any show. I think it was because I was such a young kid watching reruns, but I always wondered with the word play how much I was missing.
Emam Abdullah Kamel - I'm glad you enjoyed the article.
Liz Westwood - Besides spoofing the James Bond movies, Dr. No & Goldfinger they spoofed The Avengers series in the episode "Run, Robot, Run". They also had a couple of episodes set in London. They weren't done on vacation.
Eman Abdallah Kamel from Egypt on June 17, 2019:
Very interesting and well-written article. I enjoyed reading it.
I am a great fan of the James Bond franchise, but I have never come across this series. Your article encourages me to look it up.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: ReadProcessMemory with Chez Scheme FFI I'm having some trouble reading from an arbitrary memory address using Chez Scheme's FFI and the kernel32/user32.dll's ReadProcessMemory function. I got the process handle and everything fine, but I'm struggling with quite a few aspects of the read function itself:
(define (read-process-memory handle address size)
  ((foreign-procedure "ReadProcessMemory" (iptr iptr string int iptr) iptr)
   handle address byte-array size output-ptr))

(define address (make-ftype-pointer iptr #x14a24d63660))

(read-process-memory process-handle address 4)

From this I get Exception in read-process-memory: invalid foreign-procedure argument #<ftype-pointer iptr 1417957226080>, but I'm pretty sure I'm approaching a lot of things about this wrong.
Thanks in advance

A: This works:
(define (read-process-memory handle address size)
  (let ((temp-buffer (foreign-alloc size)))
    (set! success ((foreign-procedure "ReadProcessMemory" (unsigned-32 unsigned-32 uptr unsigned-32 u8*) boolean)
            handle address temp-buffer size #f))
    (set! result (foreign-ref 'unsigned-32 temp-buffer 0))
    (foreign-free temp-buffer)))

Like other implementations, the process-handle and the address can just be unsigned-32's rather than a pointer, so I switched those types, same for the size although that wasn't necessary. The return type should be a boolean, not a pointer, I wasn't paying attention. The boolean indicates the success of the memory read.
Although passing in a string for the buffer works in some implementations, in Chez it does not mutate the string, most likely because it's not passed by reference. The proper solution is to make it accept a uptr instead, (foreign-alloc the size you need, and since that will pass in its own address, it will be mutated correctly and then you can get the answer back with (foreign-ref, which I store in result, then free the allocated memory.
Also it's worth mentioning the address in my original question is a 64-bit address, so an unsigned-64 needs to be used in order to properly access that address.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


If some individuals have a trait that allows them to better compete in a given environment, then they are more likely to survive into adulthood and produce offspring. And the offspring are likely to carry the same trait.
The organism acts, and has evolved, to further the interests of its genes.
If during the long course of ages and under varying conditions of life, organic beings vary at all in the several parts of their organization, and I think this cannot be disputed; if there be, owing to the high geometric powers of increase of each species, at some age, season, or year, a severe struggle for life, and this certainly cannot be disputed; then, considering the infinite complexity of the relations of all organic beings to each other and to their conditions of existence, causing an infinite diversity in structure, constitution, and habits, to be advantageous to them, I think it would be a most extraordinary fact if no variation ever had occurred useful to each being's own welfare, in the same way as so many variations have occurred useful to man.
But if variations useful to any organic being do occur, assuredly individuals thus characterized will have the best chance of being preserved in the struggle for life; and from the strong principle of inheritance they will tend to produce offspring similarly characterized. This principle of preservation, I have called, for the sake of brevity, Natural Selection.
Success by mutual cooperation is explained in 'Darwin's Blind Spot', by Frank Ryan.
Besides the law of mutual struggle there is in Nature the law of mutual aid, which, for the progressive evolution of the species, is far more important than the law of mutual contest.


Look at the stars – very romantic and interesting. But a lot more exciting not just to consider the night sky and look at certain celestial body. For example, try to find in the sky Jupiter.
The appeal of Jupiter on its axis in the Solar system is thirteen months. Therefore, before trying to find Jupiter, find out if you could see it at the moment. Jupiter is visible for a few months, a few hours every night until midnight and after. To find out when Jupiter will appear in the sky again, use the field guide. In it you can see what clock is best to observe this planet.
The planet Jupiter is one of the few that can be found with the naked eye. If you want to find in the sky Jupiter, look for it on the Southeast side.
To find in the sky Jupiter, first you need to find the constellation of Pisces. It is not very visible, located near the constellations Andromeda and Pegasus. In the constellation of Pisces no bright stars, and its generally quite difficult to detect. Make every effort to do this, use the map of the sky – without it you are unlikely to understand all the constellations by memory. Jupiter moved through the constellation of Pisces, so his location changes.
It is enough to know only the approximate location of Jupiter to find it in the sky. This planet shines bright and different from the stars size – if you know in which direction to look, you will easily distinguish Jupiter from other objects.
You can watch the Jupiter and just like that, but much more interesting to watch on this planet using binoculars or even a telescope. Will fit small - 60-90 mm, and a telescope with a diameter of 150 mm -200 to consider the planet in great detail – you'll even see a cloud on its surface. Using even the simplest telescope you can see Jupiter in all its glory, and find with him 4 satellites.


In this episode we're joined by former Bellator welterweight champion Andrey Koreshkov (21-2) to discuss his upcoming trilogy match-up against Douglas Lima (29-7). With help from translator Alexei, we talk preparation and game plan as Koreshkov is set to take on one of the toughest tests in the welterweight grand prix in the opening round! You can find Alexey on Twitter @SpartanKoresh and on Instagram @koreshmmarus.
We're also joined by former LFA/RFA bantamweight champion and former Bellator bantamweight title challenger Leandro Higo (18-4)! We talk about his opponent Aaron Pico (3-1), and what challenges he's facing moving up to featherweight taking on the surging prospect. You can find Leandro on Twitter and Instagram @leandrohigomma.
To finish off the show, Craig delves into the Bellator 206 main card and select prelims to offer analysis and picks. The prelims can be found on Bellator's website and app and begin at 7 pm ET, while the main card is Bellator's first DAZN exclusive beginning at 10 pm ET!


The Roca Meridian-N Wall Hung WC and Cistern is a revolutionary product that adds style and luxury along with functionality to any modern bathroom environment. This In-Tank round-shaped toilet requiring a power source uses cutting edge technology to integrate the cistern and the flushing mechanism in the WC itself, obviating the need for a concealed/exposed tank and separate flush plate thus creating a streamlined and seamless look. The wash-down flushing system ensures a quick and efficient evacuation of waste for a hygienic and clog-free toilet. The dual flush mechanism of 4.5/3 litres provides for long or short flushes leading to water conservation.


Good news Friday! Sheraton Systems Limited (Websure) have passed all the verification requirements and have gained Cyber Essentials Plus re-certification.
Websure are delighted to be attending the CICA 2019 International Conference in Arizona from 10th to 12th March.
Websure have always been outspokenly proud of their staff, who all hold a huge depth of both insurance business and IT knowledge, whilst at the same time are unequivocally committed to clients and always endeavouring to provide the best service possible.
Yesterday evening saw us host our Christmas drinks for all our clients at a lively City venue.
You may have noticed a number of recent articles on our website referring to Websure's strong growth over the last year, well, here's another: Websure is nearing the 100 staff milestone.
LONDON, U.K. – Sheraton Systems Limited ("Websure") posted its annual accounts for the period to 30th June 2018, which highlight continued strong and profitable growth. The company's turnover has averaged compound growth of 27% over the last decade and, in the last reporting period, posted a 35% increase to £6.92M. Profit after tax increased to £304k.
Websure have a busy November lined up, and will be attending a number of events. On Thursday, 8th November the team will be heading to the Insurance Insider's London Market Conference 2018, taking place at etc.Venues, Liverpool Street, 155 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3YD.
You may remember a few weeks ago that the Websure team dressed down to raise money for a little girl, Olivia, who has a growing Grade 1 nerve/hypothalamic chiasmatic glima, which is in the centre of her brain. To help her treatment and offer support to Olivia's parents during this painful and difficult time, a fund page has been set up to raise money, with a target of £10,000.
Websure are proud to be exhibiting at this year's Broker Expo at booth #129. The event will be hosted at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry on 1st November, bringing together 1,000 UK brokers and 120+ exhibitors.
Following hot on the heels of the US data migrations, last week Websure successfuly completed the final migration of the UK data centres from vCloud Air to vCloud Air Powered by OVH.
Sunday, 30th September 2018 saw Websure's very own Adam Shepherd compete in the 2018 Ginetta GT4 Supercup, finishing on the podium in 3rd place.
We recently learnt about a tragic story of a little girl who attended a nursery with the son of one of our colleagues. Olivia is 2 years old and, in January, was diagnosed with a brain tumour, meaning she could not return to the nursery.
With OVH's recent acquisition of vCloud Air from VmWare, Websure have strengthened their already world-class hosting services in the USA, migrating the US datacentres from vCloudAir to vCloudAir powered by OVH.
During August, Websure improved on their already industry-leading data security through the implementation of CNS's Mosaic Pro Secure.
Published in the August edition of Captive Review. Andrew Holman and Paul Ring, Websure's CEO and Managing Director, reflect on why it's important for firms to keep pace with their technology space.
Given Websure's rich functionality and web offering which includes Quote & Bind, MGA's are an ideal fit for Websure. Having been in the MGA market for over 10 years, Websure were one of the first software vendors to join the Association. Websure are again happy to be an official Supplier Associate of the MGAA.
Sheraton Systems Limited (Websure) announced today that it has made a number of senior appointments including Steven Tucker as Head of Business Development, Sam Eades as Head of Product for London Market and Chris Phipps as Head of Delivery.


text:
Feb 14, 2020 , 7:00pm - Feb 16, 2020 , 4:00pm
Warren Auditorium, Ives Hall
Sonoma Film Institute
Open To General Public
Lectures and Films
Free; suggested donation of $5
An artful and uplifting documentary on the life and works of the legendary storyteller and Nobel Prize-winner. Woven together with a rich collection of art, history, literature and personality, the film includes discussions about her many critically acclaimed novels, her role as an editor of iconic African-American literature and her time teaching at Princeton University. In addition to Ms. Morrison, the documentary features interviews with Angela Davis, Hilton Als, Fran Lebowitz, Walter Mosley and Oprah Winfrey, who turned Morrison's novel "Beloved" into a feature film. Directed by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders.
Sonoma Film Institute: Ghost Tropic
Khadija (Saadia Bentaïeb) is a fifty-eight-year-old Maghrebi cleaning woman living in Brussels in the wake of the 2016 bombings that shook the city.
Read more about Sonoma Film Institute: Ghost Tropic
Sonoma Film Institute: Sunless Shadows
Mehrdad Oskouei's follow-up to the critically acclaimed Starless Dreams (2016), Sunless Shadows takes another look at the lives of incarcerated teenage girls.
Read more about Sonoma Film Institute: Sunless Shadows
Sonoma Film Institute: A White, White Da
In a remote Icelandic town, an off-duty police chief (a chilling Ingvar Sigurdsson, who received Cannes' Critics' Week award for Best Actor for his performance) begins to suspect a local man of hav
Read more about Sonoma Film Institute: A White, White Day


text:
Puppet master's creations on display in play at Bridgewater State
Sara Cline The Enterprise @saraclinenews
East Bridgewater's Andrew Child is creating 11 puppets for the Family Performing Arts Center's upcoming production of "The Little Mermaid" at Bridgewater State University.
BRIDGEWATER - Andrew Child had a vision.
Just a few weeks ago, plastic bags filled with coffee cup lids, paper mache, wire, tulle, cardboard, bottle caps, tin foil, glue and spray paint sat in front of him.
Now he has transformed that heap of material into huge floating fish, dancing sea coral and even a 10-foot-long hand-stitched evil sea witch's tentacle.
To bring the the Family Performing Arts Center's production of "The Little Mermaid" play to life, Child is creating 11 puppets for the upcoming play at Bridgewater State University.
"I sat down with the director who wanted to create a world out of recycled materials," said Child, a 21-year-old East Bridgewater resident and the puppet designer for the production. "We wanted something special that would excite the audience."
So he has spent the last month creating 11 pieces for the show: two giant fish complete with painted scales and ombre tulle floating from the tails, five "umbrellas" or pieces of coral that perfectly encapsulate the colors, patterns and textures of the sea and three evil minions that are a cross between sharks and eels to swim with Ursula.
But he says his favorite creation has been the giant tentacle, which took hours to hand-stitch and will have to be operated by two or three people.
"I hope when the audience sees this that they are really excited," Child, who made all the puppets by himself, said. "I hope it engages them and forces them to use their imagination and takes them under the sea."
Want to test your knowledge on what you know about The Little Mermaid? Take The Enterprise quiz here.
Child designed the puppets using wire, paper mache and cardboard. Once he created the shapes, he added different textures from crumpled tin foil, bottle caps and paper cups. He completed his pieces by meticulously spray painting and hand-painting them to make different designs and shadows.
"The materials I used are recycles," Child said.
Over the last month he has asked friends to bring him their empty coffee cups, clean tin foil and bottle tabs. And, when he was running low, he would simply walk around campus and grab whatever recycled treasure he could find.
"This is not the first time I have used recycled materials for my puppets," said Child, a senior and theater major at Brandeis University.
Child began making puppets in 2015, when he directed the Artists from Suburbia's production of "The Witches" in East Bridgewater.
"We didn't have enough actors for the play," Child said. "So I tried to think of some creative ways to fill the space and transform the people."
This is when he came up with the idea of making puppets.
He created a couple of marionette puppets, fabric mice and even a large witch.
Child, who took art classes at East Bridgewater High School, said. "I had never made a puppet before, but I started to really enjoy it."
Child didn't stop there. He began making puppets and masks for people. He also began to make bigger pieces for plays including a Peter Pan puppet, which weighed 18 pounds and had to be operated by two people, for the production of 'Peter and Wendy' at the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts Guidebook in Waltham. Along with that he also made a crocodile.
Most recently his puppets traveled beyond Massachusetts and even outside the country.
After being contacted by a set designer he knew, Child made pieces for a pastoral drama in Florence, Italy titled "Clorilli. He created large flowers from manuscripts of the play as well as a dove.
His newest creations, which he says are nearly complete, will be seen in 'The Little Mermaid', which begins at the BSU Rondileau Campus Center Auditorium Friday, July 13.
As for what is next for child, he is not sure but hopeful that he will continue to share his creations in the theater industry.
"I hope to continue to do this," Child said. "It has been great working with a team and unveiling something that excites them. It is so joyful watching them when I show them something new."
For more information on the show, visit http://familyperformingartscenter.com/the_little_mermaid/
IF YOU GO...
When and where to see 'The Little Mermaid':
What: The Family Performing Arts Center's production of 'The Little Mermaid'
When: Performances are Friday, July 13 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, July 14 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday, July 15 at 2 p.m.; Friday, July 20 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, July 21 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, July 22 at 2 p.m.
Where: Bridgewater State University's Rondileau Campus Center Auditorium, 19 Park Ave.
Cost: Tickets range from $10 to $30 depending on seating and discounts.
Tickets: To purchase tickets, visit BSUtix.com.
Parking: There is free parking near the auditorium.
More Information: Additional info about the show and FPAC can be found online at familyperformingartscenter.com. You can also email BoxOffice@bridgew.edu or call 508-531-1321.


text:
Home News Bobby VanStavern is remembered by meat science 'mentorship'
Bobby VanStavern is remembered by meat science 'mentorship'
By Other News -
Bobby "Dr. Bob" VanStavern speaks after a sale, in 1978. (Submitted photo)
By Crystal Meier | Certified Angus Beef
It was an Elvis moment for Diana Clark: the chance to meet a legend in her field of meat science. The University of Illinois graduate shared an elevator ride and introductions with Bobby "Dr. Bob" VanStavern.
"He pushed for the focus on quality," Clark said. Leaner beef was the 1970s trend, but "he knew what good quality beef was."
The Ohio State University Extension professor linked cattle production to quality on the plate. He taught students and professionals, mentored both and wrote instructional guides, always looking to make beef better for each link in the value chain. Uniting all those needs raised challenges, but it would pay in time.
That road began when Certified Angus Beef brand cofounder Mick Colvin entered VanStavern's office in August 1977, seeking science-based criteria to incentivize higher quality beef for consumers. The details were already in a desk drawer, leading to the brand's retail launch the next year.
Mentoring still
In meat science as in life, The Ohio State legend was a listener and champion of others, an unwavering rock with a warm presence. Last February, he died at 90. To honor his friendly leadership style, the brand helped launch an American Meat Science Association Development Council "mentorship" in 2020.
Each year, one student who presents beef-quality research at the association's Reciprocal Meat Conference will receive a scholarship in his honor, funded by those VanStavern mentored. The first $1,000 recipient will be chosen next year.
"I think it's fitting to honor Dr. Bob in this way," said fellow meat scientist and Certified Angus Beef President John Stika. "Dr. Bob believed the data he collected and in the power of a better eating experience … He helped so many people — students, colleagues and producers to consumers — be more successful."
VanStavern consulted for the program for 25 years, on the team with Colvin, meat packers, processors, distributors, retailers and chefs. He nurtured and encouraged. He visited businesses and crafted "Science Behind the Sizzle" training, much like Clark presents today. More than 19,000 partners market the brand in 52 countries now, delivering 6.3 billion servings annually.
"Things Dr. Bob advocated for seem commonplace today, because 40 years later, other programs and breeds are touting quality in the marketplace," Stika adds. "Because of his solid opinion and willingness to defend it, there's an entire industry today that gets it."
Living legacy
John Grimes was one of the students and colleagues VanStavern touched. Starting in 1979, Grimes went on to work alongside his mentor in Ohio State Extension.
"Bobby was always a students' professor, like a players' coach," Grimes says. "He really cared about his students, wanted you to learn, and was passionate about meat science and what he did for Certified Angus Beef."
Grimes served as 2020 chairman of the brand's board of directors. Retired from extension, he still raises Angus cattle with his wife, Joanie, in Hillsboro, Ohio. As for Clark, she and her husband, Daniel, are meat scientists for the brand now, spending their days in the meat lab, on Zoom, researching and at seminars talking with partners.
"He [VanStavern] set the foundation and pointed us in the best direction," Clark says. "We have the best beef out there. We continue honoring him by challenging ourselves to always make it better."
Stika's advice for students is, "Believe the data, be persistent and then share your beliefs with conviction. Dr. Bob always did."
VanStavern, a West Virginia native, earned his bachelor's from West Virginia University before advanced degrees from Ohio State. He served two years in the Air Force and earned the rank of Captain before returning to Ohio State for his Ph.D., in 1960.
VanStavern was a beloved family man, noted researcher, speaker and leader in AMSA and other organizations. Contributions to the mentor scholarship program are made available through AMSA.
Ohio State Extension
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Well it's the weekend here at Appi and no real news to report.
The much anticipated opening of the Sailer Gondola yesterday did take place but mechanical issues forced it to close after only 30 minutes. It was closed for the rest of the day. Lets hope they've fixed what needs to be fixed and it's in full operation today.
Right now it's partly cloudy with little to no wind blowing with a base temperature currently -6. it should remain the same throughout the day here with the wind perhaps picking up slightly late in the afternoon. The forecast calls for partly cloudy skies till Tuesday with a slight increase in the winds and dropping temperatures. We may see a little light snow over the next few days but nothing to get too excited about.
After a thorough review of the runs yesterday most are in good overall shape but some of the upper Sailer and second runs still have various vegetation type obstacles to avoid when traversing the slope. I think this has been a common problem with most resorts this year especially with so little snowfall. They are doing a good job here of making sure it doesn't affect the runs too much and I lift my hat to the fellows out there with the weed wacker most days cutting it back.


text:
/* jshint expr: true */
// assertion library
// /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
var chai = require('chai');
var sinon = require('sinon');
var sinonChai = require('sinon-chai');
chai.should();
chai.use(sinonChai);

// stubs
// /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
var canvas = function () {
	'use strict';

	return {
		width : 50,
		height : 75,
		getContext : function () {
			return {
				fillStyle : '',
				fillRect : function () {},
				beginPath : function () {},
				arc : function () {},
				moveTo : function () {},
				lineTo : function () {},
				fill : function () {},
				stroke : function () {},
				fillText : function () {},
				clearRect : function () {}
			};
		}
	};
};

global.requestAnimationFrame = function (fn) {
	'use strict';
	fn(new Date());
};

// modules to test
// /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
var Vandal = require('../../lib/vandal');

describe('Vandal', function () {
	'use strict';

	it('should be a constructor function', function () {
		Vandal.should.be.a('function');
	});

	describe('new vandal instance', function () {
		var vandal = new Vandal();

		it('should have canvas property', function () {
			var isNull = vandal.canvas === null;
			isNull.should.be.true;
		});

		it('should have default pallete object', function () {
			vandal.pallete.fillStyle.should.equal('#ff0033');
			vandal.pallete.font.should.equal('12px sans-serif');
			vandal.pallete.textBaseline.should.equal('top');
			vandal.pallete.textAlign.should.equal('center');
		});
	});

	describe('shapes', function () {
		describe('#rectangle', function () {
			var vandal = new Vandal();
			vandal.use(canvas());

			var fillRectSpy = sinon.spy(vandal.canvas.context, 'fillRect');
			var returnValue = vandal.draw('shape')('rectangle')(0, 0, 50, 75);

			it('should call canvas context\'s #fillRect', function () {
				fillRectSpy.withArgs(0, 0, 50, 75).should.have.been.calledOnce;
			});

			it('should return vandal object for chaining', function () {
				returnValue.should.equal(vandal);
			});
		});

		describe('#circle', function () {
			var vandal = new Vandal();
			vandal.use(canvas());

			var beginPathSpy = sinon.spy(vandal.canvas.context, 'beginPath');
			var arcSpy = sinon.spy(vandal.canvas.context, 'arc');
			var fillSpy = sinon.spy(vandal.canvas.context, 'fill');
			var returnValue = vandal.draw('shape')('circle')(20, 30, 10);

			it('should use context\'s api to draw a circle', function () {
				beginPathSpy.should.have.been.calledOnce;
				arcSpy.should.have.been.calledWith(20, 30, 10);
				fillSpy.should.have.been.calledOnce;
			});

			it('should return vandal object for chaining', function () {
				returnValue.should.equal(vandal);
			});
		});

		describe('#triangle', function () {
			var vandal = new Vandal();
			vandal.use(canvas());
			var beginPathSpy = sinon.spy(vandal.canvas.context, 'beginPath');
			var moveToSpy = sinon.spy(vandal.canvas.context, 'moveTo');
			var lineToSpy = sinon.spy(vandal.canvas.context, 'lineTo');
			var fillSpy = sinon.spy(vandal.canvas.context, 'fill');
			var returnValue = vandal.draw('shape')('triangle')({
					x : 10,
					y : 15
				},
				{
					x : 20,
					y : 15
				},
				{
					x : 10,
					y : 35
				});

			it('should use context\'s api to draw triangle', function () {
				beginPathSpy.should.have.been.calledOnce;
				moveToSpy.withArgs(10, 15).should.have.been.calledOnce;
				lineToSpy.should.have.been.calledTwice;
				lineToSpy.firstCall.calledWith(20, 15).should.be.true;
				lineToSpy.lastCall.calledWith(10, 35).should.be.true;
				fillSpy.should.have.been.calledOnce;
			});

			it('should return vandal object for chaining', function () {
				returnValue.should.equal(vandal);
			});
		});

		describe('#line', function () {
			var vandal = new Vandal();
			vandal.use(canvas());
			var beginPathSpy = sinon.spy(vandal.canvas.context, 'beginPath');
			var moveToSpy = sinon.spy(vandal.canvas.context, 'moveTo');
			var lineToSpy = sinon.spy(vandal.canvas.context, 'lineTo');
			var strokeSpy = sinon.spy(vandal.canvas.context, 'stroke');
			var returnValue = vandal.draw('shape')('line')(
					{x : 10, y : 15},
					{x : 20, y : 25},
					{x : 30, y : 35}
				);

			it('should use context\'s api to draw line(s)', function () {
				beginPathSpy.should.have.been.calledOnce;
				moveToSpy.withArgs(10, 15).should.have.been.calledOnce;
				lineToSpy.firstCall.calledWith(20, 25).should.be.true;
				lineToSpy.lastCall.calledWith(30, 35).should.be.true;
				strokeSpy.should.have.been.calledOnce;
			});

			it('should return vandal object for chaining', function () {
				returnValue.should.equal(vandal);
			});
		});

		describe('#text', function () {
			var vandal = new Vandal();
			vandal.use(canvas());
			var fillTextSpy = sinon.spy(vandal.canvas.context, 'fillText');
			var returnValue = vandal.draw('shape')('text')('testing 123', 0, 1);

			it('should use context\'s api to render text', function () {
				fillTextSpy.withArgs('testing 123', 0, 1).should.have.been.calledOnce;
			});

			it('should return vandal object for chaining', function () {
				returnValue.should.equal(vandal);
			});
		});
	});

	describe('methods', function () {
		describe('#shape', function () {
			var vandal = new Vandal();
			vandal.use(canvas());
			var circleSpy = sinon.spy(vandal.shapes, 'circle');
			var returnValue = vandal.methods.shape.call(vandal, 'circle');
			returnValue(100, 200, 300);
			it('should return function from shapes object', function () {
				returnValue.should.be.a('function');
				circleSpy.should.have.been.calledWith(100, 200, 300);
			});
		});

		describe('#pallete()', function () {
			var vandal = new Vandal();
			vandal.use(canvas());

			vandal.methods.pallete.call(vandal, {
				fillStyle : '#cccccc'
			});
			it('should set pallete object with defined properties', function () {
				var color = vandal.canvas.context.fillStyle;
				color.should.equal('#cccccc');
			});

			describe('when passed obj with no matching properties', function () {
				var vandal = new Vandal();
				vandal.use(canvas());
				vandal.methods.pallete.call(vandal, {foo : 'bar'});

				it('should not create new propeties to pallete', function () {
					var isUndefined = vandal.canvas.context.foo ===  undefined;
					isUndefined.should.be.true;
				});
			});
		});
	});

	describe('#use()', function () {
		var vandal = new Vandal();
		var fakeCanvas = canvas();
		var returnedValue = vandal.use(fakeCanvas);

		it('should set .canvas property', function () {
			vandal.canvas.element.should.equal(fakeCanvas);
			vandal.canvas.width.should.equal(fakeCanvas.width);
			vandal.canvas.height.should.equal(fakeCanvas.height);
			vandal.canvas.context.should.be.an('object');
		});

		it('should return vandal object for chaining', function () {
			returnedValue.should.equal(vandal);
		});
	});

	describe('#clear()', function () {
		var vandal = new Vandal();
		vandal.use(canvas());
		var clearSpy = sinon.spy(vandal.canvas.context, 'clearRect');
		var returnValue = vandal.clear();
		it('should clear canvas for redraw', function () {
			var w = vandal.canvas.width;
			var h = vandal.canvas.height;
			clearSpy.withArgs(0, 0, w, h).should.have.been.calledOnce;
		});

		it('should return itself for chaining', function () {
			returnValue.should.equal(vandal);
		});
	});

	describe('#animate()', function () {
		var vandal = new Vandal();
		vandal.use(canvas());
		var myObj, myInc, myTime;
		vandal.animate(function (instance, increment, timestamp) {
			myObj = instance;
			myInc = increment;
			myTime = timestamp;

			return increment < 3;
		});

		describe('the callback', function () {
			it('should execute', function () {
				myObj.should.equal(vandal);
			});

			it('should have passed correct arguments', function () {
				myTime.should.be.an.object;
			});

			it('should repeat until returned boolean is false', function () {
				myInc.should.equal(3);
			});
		});
	});
});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Korean automaker Kia has expanded its lineup at an amazing rate in recent years, tackling numerous segments that it has ignored in the past. It also launched increasingly better vehicles in the last decade, to the extent that it can now give more established brands a run for their money in Europe and the United States. But Kia isn't stopping here and now wants to enter the mini-SUV market. It will do so in late 2017 with the Stonic, a small crossover that will share underpinnings with a similar vehicle from sister company Hyundai. The Stonic will tackle the likes of the Nissan Juke and Mazda CX-3, joining the Sportage and Sorento in the lineup.
Scheduled to go on sale in the third quarter of 2017, the Stonic is a small crossover based on the Rio and shares underpinnings with the tiny hatchback. It mirrors the Kia inside too, while the exterior borrows numerous features, blending them with unique cues that gives the Stonic an identity of its own. Sporty on the outside, modern on the inside, and packed with the latest technology for road-going cars, the Stonic seems to have all the attributes required by the mini SUV market and then some.
Continue reading to learn more about the 2018 Kia Stonic.
As expected, the production version of the Stonic isn't as sporty and dramatic as the original sketches. However, it's looks unexpectedly better than the camouflaged prototype we've seen in spy shots. It boasts many of Kia's current design cues, but it also has a range of unique features. What's more, it looks like a slightly perched-up hatchback with a very athletic design.
The overall styling is somewhat inspired by the Rio, with angular headlamps flanking the slender "tigernose" grille. And unlike the Sportage, the headlamps are swept toward the engine hood, but rather stretched into the front fenders. This gives the Stonic a wide, sporty stance, but at the same time it makes it less exotic than its bigger brother. Down below, the bumper features a massive, trapezoidal grille at the bottom and two vertical inserts around the small foglamps. The sculpted engine hood completes the aggressive looking front end.
Around the sides, we can see blend of sharp horizontal lines with softer sculpted surfaces. A nicely curved beltline was used to widen the vehicle just below the side windows, with additional character line added toward the beefy side skirts. The absence of quarter windows further contributes to the crossover's sporty stance, as does the Targa-style roof available in contrasting colors.
The rear end is equally exciting to look at with large, trapezoidal taillights, sharp character lines, and an organic looking bumper and license plate recess. The tailgate spoiler finished in the same hue as the roof adds a splash of color. Speaking of which, the roof can be had in one of five colors, which according to Kia leads to a choice of up to 20 two-tone exterior color combinations. Now that's a cool option you don't get from other brands in this niche.
While the exterior feels like a customized version of the Rio, the interior brings together features from both the hatchback and the Sportage crossover. The dashboard section seems heavily based on the Rio. The infotainment screen, the A/C vents, and the instrument cluster all look to be identical to the Rio, although there are a few exceptions here and there. The steering wheel, on the other hand, seems to be based on the Sportage, boasting similar controls and a sportier bottom spoke. Similarities with the Rio continue below, where we can see an identical center stack and gear shifter area. The door panels also seem sourced from the Rio, as do the pedals.
In all, the Stonic is a slightly modified Rio inside the cabin. Whether this is good or bad is a matter of taste, but personally I dig it, simply because I like what Kia has done with the Rio's new interior.
The Korean maker also promises a "range of vivid color packs for buyers to choose from," which probably has to do with the orange accents you see on the dashboard and center console. Kia also says that the Stonic is available with a "broad range of technologies to enhance comfort and convenience," but only mentions heated front seats, cruise control, keyless entry, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The latter two come standard, but the others are probably optional.
Kia also offers numerous active safety features, including Autonomous Emergency Braking with pedestrian recognition and Forward Collision Alert, Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning System, High Beam Assist, and Driver Attention Warning.
Finally, Kia brags that the Stonic offers "class-leading shoulder room and generous leg- and head-room" alongside a 352-liter (12.4-cubic-feet) trunk.
Full drivetrain specs aren't yet available, but Kia did say that the Stonic will arrive with a range of "lightweight, downsized, turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, each paired with a manual transmission." The engine lineup will include the company's 1.0-litre T-GDI (turbocharged gasoline direct injection) engine, producing 120 PS (118 horsepower), as well as 1.25- or 1.4-litre naturally-aspirated MPI (multi-point injection) petrol engines. A 1.6-litre diesel engine is scheduled to complete the range, but there are no output or performance figures to talk about at this point.
Based on what we get in the Rio, the 1.25- and 1.4-liter should deliver between 75 to 95 horsepower, while the diesel will likely crank out around 90 horsepower in base from and about 110 horses in the more expensive version.
An automatic transmission could be optional for most models.
The Stonic will be fitted as standard with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), which should deliver "enjoyable and confidence-inspiring" drive in all conditions. Specific functions of VSM include Torque Vectoring by Braking, Straight Line Stability, and Cornering Brake Control. In all, Kia says that the Stonic will be "exciting drive," offering "immediate handling responses and a stable ride."
Pricing information is not yet available, but since the Stonic will compete with the Nissan Juke, look for a similar sticker. For reference, the Juke starts from £14,880 in the U.K. and from $20,250 in the U.S. There's no official word on whether the Stonic will be sold in the U.S., but it should cross the pond at some point. European sales will commence in the third quarter of 2017 and all cars will be sold as standard with the company's seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty.
Introduced in 2010, the Nissan Juke is one of the most popular mini SUVs in Europe. Granted, it might be seven years old as of 2017, but it's still competitive and highly reliable. Built on the same Nissan B platform as the Nissan Note and Renault Captur, the Juke stands out thanks to its funky design, coupe-like shape, and fuel efficient engines. Depending on the market, you can buy the Juke with one of two 1.6-liter gasoline engines and a 1.5-liter diesel unit. The base 1.6-liter cranks out 93 and 115 horsepower, while the turbocharged 1.6 DIG-T delivers 188 horses. The 1.5-liter dCi, shared with many Renault vehicles, is good for 109 horses and 177 pound-feet of twist. The Juke retails from £14,880 in the U.K. and from $20,250 in the U.S.
Read our full review on the Nissan Juke.
The Mazda CX-3 is a much newer proposition, having been launched in 2015. As a result, it also looks more modern and comes with fresh technology inside the cabin. It also has a more conventional design compared to the Juke, but without being dull. Mazda's current Kodo design is appealing in just about any shape and size, making the CX-3 one of the most appealing vehicles in this niche. Sporty, stylish, and well-proportioned, the CX-3 is becoming an increasingly popular crossover and a rear threat to the Juke. European customers get both the 1.3-liter and 2.0-liter gasoline engines and the 1.5-liter diesel, but the U.S. model is only available with the 2.0-liter four-pot rated at 146 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque. Not too shabby. U.K. pricing starts from £17,895, while U.S. pricing begins from $19,960.
Also newer than the Juke, the Trax made its global debut back in 2012 and received a comprehensive update for the 2017 model year. The exterior was redesigned from the ground up, while the interior gained better materials and new technology. On the flipside, the crossover continues to use the old 1.4-liter four-cylinder rated at 138 turbocharged horses and 148 pound-feet of torque. The oomph travels to the wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission and either FWD or optional AWD. A bit underpowered for the U.S. market, the Trax is also slightly more expensive than the competition, starting from $21,895. Add all-wheel-drive, and the sticker increases to $23,795.
Read our full review on the Chevrolet Trax.
The Stonic may have a weird name, but it's yet another step in Kia's goal to become a major player globally. It's definitely too early to draw a conclusion, but the mini SUV segment has yet to reach its peak, and there's a lot at stake here. The Stonic will face tough competition in this still small niche, but if Kia plays its cards right, it will have a winner on its hands, especially in the emerging market. North America is also an important part of this project, as the United States has fewer options when it comes to mini SUVs.


text:
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VNA of Care New England
Women & Infants Hospital
Your Partner In Health
Personal Health Record
Diagnostic Imaging Locations
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Care New England Wellness Center
Collaboration = Innovation
Brown Affiliation
Conversation Project
Innovation Advisors
Donating and Philanthropy
Research Search
Quality Health Care
About Care New England
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Care New England and The Providence Center Approve Formal Affiliation
On Thursday, December 18, the Care New England (CNE) Board cast a unanimous vote finalizing its affiliation with The Providence Center. This action followed a similar vote taken by The Providence Center (TPC) Board earlier in the month. Approved by the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals, the affiliation is the latest in a series of steps taken by Care New England to create partnerships focused on a shared mission to provide integrated health care for the whole person – mind and body, in sickness and in health, in the most supportive setting - home, community, or hospital.
The affiliation also supports the efforts of Care New England becoming an Accountable Care Organization—an organization focused on providing for the overall health of a population though offering integrated, high quality, cost effective health and wellness services.
The affiliation builds upon the community-based services of the VNA of Care New England and the Care New England Wellness Center and adds community-based behavioral health programs to Care New England's highly regarded brain and behavioral health acute care, teaching and research programs at Butler Hospital. The affiliation also enhances the relationship with Women & Infants and further strengthens TPC's collaboration with Memorial and Kent hospitals' emergency departments. Care New England has also engaged in a closer affiliation with primary care physicians from the Rhode Island Primary Care Physicians Corporation and has partnered with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island in a number of innovative pilot projects to improve care delivery.
"We are inspired by the powerful interconnection between primary health and mental health," said Dennis D. Keefe, president and CEO of Care New England. "We are excited by the opportunities this new partnership provides in caring for a population when and where it is most effective. Together, we will continue on the path to transforming the way health care is delivered with a shared vision of creating a community of healthier people."
"Becoming part of the Care New England family will allow The Providence Center to continue serving our clients in a community setting and to expand the services and programs available to them. It will ensure that we will be able to offer the right care, at the right time, in the right setting and to meet the full continuum of need, both physical and mental," said Dale Klatzker, president and CEO of The Providence Center.
The formal affiliation will allow CNE and TPC to:
Provide improved opportunities for early identification and care for those individuals in need of behavioral health care;
Ensure cost-efficient, effective, innovative, high quality
behavioral health care for patients in the communities where they reside.
Expand the continuum of care and offer a diverse range of behavioral health programs and services in multiple care settings; and
Develop, to the extent permissible, a means of participating in new forms of health care delivery and payment that will involve more coordinated and accountable care.
About The Providence Center
TPC is a non-profit community mental health organization founded in 1969 that now serves more than 13,000 children and adults annually through thirteen locations in Providence, Burrillville, Cranston, Pawtucket, and Warwick, Rhode Island. Its services include more than 40 programs and wraparound services for mental health and addiction treatment. The Providence Center's budget for the fiscal year ending July 30, 2014 is $45.3 million. The organization employs 700 staff members.
Care New England, located in Rhode Island, was founded in 1996 by Butler Hospital, Kent Hospital and Women & Infants Hospital. Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island joined the system as a hospital partner in 2013. Care New England is an integrated health care system that offers a continuum of quality care. The system includes primary care and specialty physicians; three teaching hospitals affiliated with The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Butler, Memorial and Women & Infants; a community hospital, Kent, affiliated with the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine; a home care and hospice agency, the VNA of Care New England; a community based mental health provider organization, The Providence Center; and the Care New England Wellness Center. For more information, visit carenewengland.org.
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