Yesterday evening I had my first Nespresso. Ever. It was a Nespresso Decaffeinato. I don't know if that even qualifies as coffee, but I like it. And I can't drink any caffeine, due to my severe hypoglycemia.
I do hope it is visible outside of Europe.
I've never heard of a Nespresso either. Thanks to your fabulous photograph (as always) I'm going to have to try one.
Have posted the commercial above, Iris. Don't you have this on TV? It has been on for a rather long while already.
And thank you for the compliment, I love taking photographs, especially with my new camera. This one was made with my iPhone though.
Nespresso is the the new marketing trick from the Nestlé Coffee Division. Hardly would call it coffee, when brown crumbs dissolve in boiling water.
Might as well go shopping for http://koningbilly.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/eu-zomers-bezuinigingspakket/.
Koffie is eigenlijk niet aan mij besteed, Billy. Ik drink het hooguit één keer per maand, omdat ik me er ellendig door voel. Maar het was gewoon grappig aan die reclame te denken.
Ga ik nu je post lezen.
I have posted the commercial in this post, you can watch Mr. Decaffeinato yourself. Or himself.
Have a peaceful and calm weekend, sweetie.
It's a great photo. The lighting is perfect, the coloring is tantalizing. I can almost smell it too.


Xtremepush will be attending IRX 2019, the UK's largest Multichannel Retail Event. The event will host 5000+ industry experts for an inspiring two days, which is full of powerful content, practical advice and the latest innovations on eCommerce.
Xtremepush has extensive knowledge of deploying our Multichannel Marketing Campaign solution into the Retail & eCommerce industry. Our key features include easy SDK integration, enterprise-class analytics, personalised messaging, web & app push notifications, and unlimited iBeacon & Geo-Fencing capabilities.
See our latest case studies and discover how Xtremepush has enabled Pierce AB, the petrolheads of E-commerce, to drive online sale conversions with Web Push Notifications.


It took until they reached brink of elimination, but the Utah Jazz may have finally figured out how to effectively defend against the Houston Rockets.
Utah needs the late success it found in Game 4 to continue if it hopes to remain alive with a win in Game 5 on Wednesday night in Houston.
The Jazz trailed entering the fourth quarter Monday in Salt Lake City, but the Rockets missed their final 13 3-point attempts as Utah avoided the first-round sweep with a 107-91 win.


text:
What goes into making a good writing system
We have asked similar questions about languages and about flags, but what about the core of generational knowledge: Writing. Obviously symbols to complex or indistinguishable are bad, just as the symbols should match the writing system, but what about the lesser details?
What goes into making a good writing system?
language worldbuilding-process
TrEs-2bTrEs-2b
$\begingroup$ See this video $\endgroup$ – JDługosz Oct 25 '16 at 4:41
$\begingroup$ See Artifexian's series on How to create a language where he summarizes writing systems $\endgroup$ – JDługosz Oct 25 '16 at 4:48
$\begingroup$ Really, watch that before coinuing to read Answers. Once you know the basics … $\endgroup$ – JDługosz Oct 25 '16 at 4:49
$\begingroup$ Excuse me for not posting an answer, but there is simply too much to say and other presentations have already done a good job. You're basically doing what Artefexian did. But nativlang explains from a historicql perspective, balance the effort required by the reader with that needed from the writer. $\endgroup$ – JDługosz Oct 25 '16 at 4:57
$\begingroup$ @TrEs-2b Those questions are significantly different. There are rules for good flag design as defined by various vexillological associations, and there are steps for designing a conlang. Neither actually asks "what makes a good flag?" (flags that break some of the rules are still widely considered good, e.g. South Africa) or "what makes a good conlang?" (which would be too broad, considering the spectrum of languages out there). $\endgroup$ – rek Oct 25 '16 at 18:27
I think first you have to define what you mean by good. There are three major types of writing systems that I know of, ideographic (Chinese, Egyptian hieroglyphs), alphabetic (English, Greek, Cyrillic), and syllabic (Japanese hiragana & katakana). Each has advantages & disadvantages.
Ideographic languages like Chinese have the advantage that they don't depend on sounds, so that people in different regions & time periods can still read documents even though their spoken languages has diverged to the point of mutual incomprehensibility. The disadvantage, of course, is the need to memorize a multitude of ideographs.
Purely alphabetic languages represent spoken sounds, which is both advantage and disadvantage. Advantage, because anything can be represented (e.g. phonetic alphabets). Disadvantages are that different regions may pronounce the same word differently, and many (all?) languages have homonyms, where one spoken work will have several meanings. English often gets around this problem with its 'irrational' spelling.
Syllabic writing is similar to alphabetic, but with more characters. I don't offhand know of any purely syllabic writing system (though Wikipedia lists a few). Japanese is a mixed system, with the main meaning of words carried by adaptions of Chinese characters (kanji), verb tenses &c in hiragana, and foreign loan words in katakana.
jamesqfjamesqf
$\begingroup$ «There are three major types of writing systems that I know of» see the link I posted as a comment to the Question for a more complete list. E.g abjad and finer divisions among what you have, and the idea of featural which is what Artefexian seised on. $\endgroup$ – JDługosz Oct 25 '16 at 4:56
$\begingroup$ Another advantage of ideographic systems: higher density. That is, you can fit more information in a smaller space. (Compare some English text side-by-side with a Chinese translation, and the Chinese takes up less space on the printed page.) Another disadvantage: complex characters are harder to display on electronic displays like LED panels. $\endgroup$ – Charles Burge Oct 25 '16 at 18:08
Chase the niche, not the average. Imagine some situation which has highly specialized demands upon it that are outside of the everyday, and you'll get something much more interesting. Here are some ideas do get your creativity flowing.
Most writing systems are based upon the documentation of a spoken language between people. But, what kind of writing system would you develop to record American sign language, or dance routines, or to systematically name plants, or describe astronomy observations? What if the purpose is to write down bird songs or insect chirps? What if the primary purpose of your writing system was to accurately describe human faces in a standardized way that was good enough to walk into a bar and pick out the right person from the description? These specialized writing systems could become universal in the way that the main system for writing down music has become today.
Eventually, those languages might even develop more general uses and become full fledged general purpose writing systems. The earliest writing systems from Serbia to Egypt to Pakistan weren't developed by poets or historians or priests or academics. They were developed by accountants, ration system bureaucrats and traveling merchants, mostly to keep track of connections between goods and people. Eventually, the accounting symbols were generalized for wider use.
What about a writing system designed for writing with your toes, or blinking your eyes at a computer, or having a computer user interface that tracked your eye movement, or with a stylus in your teeth, or that you would lick onto a surface, or claws, or that would utilize a prehensile tail?
What kind of writing system would be well suited to a sentient species that lived under water like dolphins or whales or mermaids?
What kind of writing system would people raised in China but never formally trained to read or write in any language develop?
What about a writing system that uses three-dimensional instead of two-dimensional characters? What about a writing system that maximizes information density by utilizing color, texture, thickness, orientation, and relative position context as well as character shape to convey meaning?
Why settle for one writing system for one language?
Japanese has four! (logographic kanji, which are adopted Chinese characters; the Latin script (rōmaji), syllabic hiragana, used primarily for native or naturalised Japanese words and grammatical elements, and syllabic katakana).
English has cursive (with upper and lower case), print (with upper and lower case), shorthand for certain specialist writers, and a small number of logograms (e.g. @ $ & #).
Urdu and Hindi are basically the same language, but in different scripts.
Some writing systems cross linguistic boundaries. Both Japanese and English share systems for writing music and mathematical and physical symbols, including recent writing system inventions like Feynman diagrams to summarize interactions in particle physics. Could a more efficient way to describe genetic code in writing be developed? What sort of writing system might an international system of notation for prostitutes develop? What about a notation system to describe personalities or to summarize interpersonal interactions in small to medium sized groups of people? What sort of writing system would surveyors in a place where nothing came in straight lines and nothing was on flat land develop to write legal descriptions in?
ohwillekeohwilleke
Writing systems always starts as symbolic graphs in some way called ideograms. As language and writing develops more ideograms are added either whole sale or combined from several other ideograms. These ideograms are detailed at first, but as people become more accustomed to them and need to use them they become simplified.
So to make a good writing system you have to start with a list of ideas that are commonly used. For example, the idea of "light" will come up often because when you describe the Sun and Moon you're going to say Light in the Sky during day/night or "Light off in the distance" or "small lights in the night sky" or "fire is hot light". "Light" becomes a very common base element and since many people will write it in many different contexts they'll start to simplify the basic shape.
Ideographic writing ends here, but we hardly ever see purely ideographic writing system. What we see is a combination of Ideographic symbols and symbols that have defined sounds and phonetic meanings. So a symbol, let's say "o", might mean "Light", but it will also have a sound associated with it like "oo" or "po" or anything else.
Eventually unused ideograms will stop being used or only used in specific cases. And this will be spurred on more by the phonetic writing system used because the phonetic system is easier and so more people will use it, simplify it more, and come up with rules of grammar and when to use ideograms, if at all (such as in Egyptian which uses both). This results in a general alphabet, chosen for its ease of use.
To note here, because people have different ideas of what is easy and which ideas are common to use you'll have several competing scripts which will eventually blend into each other or diverge as cultures diverge or blend.
What about what sounds go with which symbols. Simply speaking, it's not arbitrary but it is. Aliens likely have a different sense of these things, but humans connect sounds with texture, color, etc. This is called synesthesia. There are cases where the person has an extreme version of it, but all of us have it underlying a lot of the connections that we make randomly. So things that are "sharp" and "dangerous" are going to have a certain hardness and sharpness to it like "K" and "G" while others have a roundness and softness like "B" and "P" so at this point to get the "right" sound for the "right" symbol you simply need to rely on instinct and connect the sound with the idea that the symbol represents. If it's an alien tongue then that's pretty much out the window.
Once you got that... there's grammar, language evolution, etc. all of which is a lot more difficult to figure out if you're being more accurate and "good" at further developed written and non-written languages.
$\begingroup$ "Writing systems always starts as symbolic graphs in some way called ideograms." Not really true. I can think of many languages which did not evolve from ideograms. The Navajo syllabary and Hangul come immediately to mind. Many languages similarly have non-ideogram scripts created for them by missionaries or scholars as a first script for the language that were not ideograms. $\endgroup$ – ohwilleke Oct 25 '16 at 12:04
$\begingroup$ @ohwilleke Having your written script created by some other group is a non-natural progression and does not represent development of a writing system, only the usage and development of a different one grafted onto a spoken language. $\endgroup$ – Durakken Oct 25 '16 at 12:26
It depends whether you mean "good" as in "easy to learn and practical to use" or as in "believable as being the naturally evolved writing system of a fictional culture created by the author". The two meanings of a "good" writing system would give very different results. Most real life naturally evolved writing systems have irregularities, ambiguities, borrowings, complications and accretions of alleged shortcuts that were quite obviously cobbled together by some random scribe in a hurry and then just "stuck". Usually the longer the culture has used writing the worse these are.
The creation of a "good" writing system in the first, practical sense would be the work of years for scholars and scientifically trained experts. Among the systems in daily use by large numbers of people, the Korean Hangul alphabet is regarded as one of the most logical. An aspect of Hangul you could copy is that the shapes of the consonants iconically represent the shapes the human mouth makes when forming them. Then again, there are advantages to a purely arbitrary set of phonetic symbols such as the Latin letters I am using now: you do not have to fuss about getting the representation right, just ensure the symbols are distinct and quick to write. The symbol set should not be too large to learn easily. The full form of the International Phonetic Alphabet is incredibly useful to people who study languages in depth but would be too unwieldy for daily use.
An efficient writing system need not be phonetic at all. Systems of ideographic symbols have been created with the intention that they could be used as an auxiliary written language for people of different spoken languages, for example Blissymbols.
Turning to making a good writing system in the second sense, that is, one that is a believable outgrowth of a fictional culture, your starting point would be the physical form of the beings, human or otherwise, who used that form of writing, including what appendages, tools and materials they had to make permanent records. As ohwilleke's answer said, these could vary to an almost unimaginable degree.
Assuming human or human-like writers and an Earth-like world, your next step is to think about what materials they have to write with and on. For instance, runes that were originally cut into wood with a knife tend to be angular sets of straight lines. In contrast, forms of writing that were originally written on leaves tend to be based on circular shapes because cutting straight lines along the vein of the leaf would split it. The cuneiform writing of ancient Sumeria used a wedge shaped tool to press marks into soft clay. If your system's first scribes have something like parchment or paper, whether they use brushes or quills will make a difference to the style of writing that evolves.
Historically, logographic writing systems (such as Egyptian hieroglyphics or Chinese characters) preceded alphabets, syllabaries and similar sound-based systems. But they didn't long stay purely logographic, if they ever were. Quoting Wikipedia, "All logographic scripts ever used for natural languages rely on the rebus principle to extend a relatively limited set of logograms: A subset of characters is used for their phonetic values, either consonantal or syllabic." So if you intend to portray the writing of a society that has long been literate and has kept its traditional form of writing, a logographic system with an overlay of phonetic elements would be most plausible. Logographic systems tend to take longer to learn so writing is likely to be the preserve of an elite. This may be considered a feature not a bug.
Societies that are more recently literate, or where there has been a reform of the writing system, would probably use a phonographic system. The website "Omniglot" has a list of types here. Languages with a restricted set of syllables such as Japanese are likely to use a syllabary, languages such as Hebrew or Arabic where most of the meaning is carried in the consonants are likely to use an abjad, and so on. Because phonographic systems are usually easier to learn, a higher proportion of the people are likely to be literate where one is used.
Finally, when people are conquered or influenced by another religion or culture, this also is likely to affect their writing system. It is very difficult to force people to change their spoken language but replacing the writing system is much easier, especially if few people can read.
LostinfranceLostinfrance
Creating a writing system is all about consistency.
Once you've got a base system designed, you build upon it based on the rules you've created and do not deviate.
I think that there are three main ways to go about making a new writing system - The first is to modify an existing one.
You can start with a basis like English, for example, and work off that. Create substitutes for letters, perhaps use the same rune for two or 3 uncommon letters to increase the differences between English and your system (stops it from being mapped 1:1 with English), or perhaps change a grammatical rule, like always writing all nouns before their descriptors. Things that were originally in English like "the large green apple dropped down" could be re-ordered to "the apple large green dropped down", as an example. As long as you follow the rules that you've set down the writing system will remain consistent for the most part.
The second possibility is to start from scratch - assume that the species you're creating this for doesn't speak. Create your runes to represent things, and figure out how you want to represent them. For example, you could base it off Chinese a bit and have different characters represent different elements/things, and then combine those to represent more complex things. Again, consistency is the key.
The final possibility is to start from a spoken language. For example, if you've already figured out how your species speaks and what sounds they can enunciate, simply create runes to represent all those sounds, you're good to go.
AifyAify
$\begingroup$ «simply create runes to represent all those sounds, you're good to go.» that glosses over so much! Different kinds of writing systems and different approaches… that's really a non-answer. $\endgroup$ – JDługosz Oct 25 '16 at 4:51
$\begingroup$ «Once you've got a base system designed, you build upon it based on the rules you've created and do not deviate.» that's not what really happens. Consistency? Never diviate? Look instead into partial creolization and conflicting rules and different populations doing their own thing. $\endgroup$ – JDługosz Oct 25 '16 at 5:02
$\begingroup$ «Again, consistency is the key.» LOL! Sorry, I just have to laugh out loud here IRL when I read that. $\endgroup$ – JDługosz Oct 25 '16 at 5:03
$\begingroup$ @JDługosz Idk, didn't do much research for this. I don't see no science based tag :P I wrote my answer based off my previous experiences with creating writing systems, which have so far worked out pretty well for my stories and games... $\endgroup$ – Aify Oct 25 '16 at 7:08
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged language worldbuilding-process or ask your own question.
Are there any rules or guidelines about designing a flag?
What are some steps / guidelines for making a constructed language?
What are the advantages/disadvantages for building a constructed language versus modifying an existing language?
Is it plausible to have two written forms of one spoken language that are so different as to be indecipherable?
Alien Periodic Table of Elements
Roots When Creating A Language
What are some tips for designing symbols for a constructed language?
How to share knowledge to a future human civilization who doesn't know our languages?
How does one approach phonology notation for a non-human constructed language?
What questions should I ask myself when designing a legal system for a fantasy world?
What would a pidgin arising from interacting elites look like?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


360 degrees of Mississippi star power.
Here are the nominees to the Hall of Fame for 2019. The Hall of Fame nominating committee, made up of seven experts in the arts field, has distilled the list from several hundred eligible artists. Votes will be cast by a panel of 18 electors and by the public. Take part in the voting, find out more about our nominees by clicking on their names. Vote here for your favorites!
Only one vote from each email address will be tabulated.
I want to sign up for The MAX email newsletter.
Please choose a total of 5 nominees from the categories below and click SUBMIT.


Boasting a picture-perfect location overlooking St. Stephen's Green, just moments from some of Dublin's most famous historic landmarks, The Shelbourne has 246 rooms and 19 suites with amenities including laptop-sized safes, iPod docking stations and beds with Egyptian cotton sheets. Marble bathrooms feature deluxe bath products and robes and slippers. Start or end your evening at one of the several inviting bars; No.27 or The Horseshoe Bar; before heading to the signature restaurant, The Saddle Room.
Full Service Spa offering many luxury spa treatments such as body wrap, eye treatments, manicures/pedicures, or massages. It features six treatment rooms and an additional suite for two people to share their spa experience together.
The Hotel also features a swimming pool, thermal facilities, a dance studio and state-of-the-art gymnasium.
Planning a meeting or event in Dublin? Take advantage of the 10 meeting rooms, including exhibition space, and plan your gathering from start to finish with the help of the Shelbourne's dedicated team.


After years of gradual developments and incremental improvements, the last decade has seen some dramatic developments in solar technology.
As more and more funds, research, and experimentation go into renewable energy, the last few years in particular, have seen an explosion in solar technology and its efficiency.
Like a snowball rolling down a hill, gathering size and momentum, so too does the advancement of solar power; the more research and development that goes in, the more breakthroughs and technologies come out.
Here are five of the latest developments in the world of solar technology.
A surprising amount of sunlight can't be converted into electricity by solar panels.
About 23% of the energy from the sun has a wavelength too long to be useful to solar panels, with another 33% too short. This only leaves about 44% of the energy contained in a beam of sunlight available for conversion, but that's still more than enough to meet the entire world's energy needs!
At the moment, the average home solar panel converts around 15 – 18% of the sun's energy. This may not seem like much, but it's a huge improvement compared to even 10 years ago. Recent installations with their more efficient designs have seen that number rising to over 20%.
Recently however, scientists have made a breakthrough in solar energy conversion. The new technique relies on 'funnelling' the sun's energy more efficiently, and the hope is that this new discovery will open the door to three times the amount of energy harnessed, giving an incredible 60% conversion rate.
Probably the biggest problem with solar energy has been the "use it or lose it" aspect. Up until recently any electricity created by home solar panels needed to be used immediately, otherwise it was sent back into the national grid.
All that changed for homeowners in recent years with the commercial distribution of home battery systems.
Devices such as Tesla's Powerwall enabled homeowners to store the electricity they create, allowing them to use it later whenever the sun isn't shining. This one piece of technology completely changed the game for home solar systems.
With thousands of people now buying home batteries, the price of production is dropping, leading to a cheaper unit price, which leads to more people buying them… the end result is millions more people all around the globe becoming self-sufficient with their electricity needs.
It's not just the average homeowner who is reaping the benefits of breakthroughs in solar technology. Solar power is quietly changing the society around us.
The world's first solar power road opened in France in 2016, and since then several more countries have tried out this revolutionary idea, including the USA, China and the Netherlands.
On an even more personal level, researchers at the University of Tokyo and Japan's RIKEN research institute have created textile-compatible mini solar cells. In layman's terms, that means solar panels that can be worn as clothes!
These solar cells are phenomenally thin, measuring just three-millionths of a meter in thickness. Wearing solar panels has been tried before, but up until now ,the technology was too bulky to be anything other than a novelty.
This latest breakthrough in solar technology means that photovoltaic cells can actually be sewn into our clothes, rather than worn over the top. The electricity produced wouldn't be much, but it might be enough to charge a phone in your pocket.
With these continued achievements in solar technology only gaining momentum, pretty soon everyone will generate their own power at home through harnessing the sun's rays.
Traditional sources of energy such as oil and coal are dying, and their prices are going through the roof.
We already pay the most here in Australia for our electricity than any other country in the world, which is why we also have the highest percentage of homes with solar panel installations.
If you would like to know more about installing a solar panel system, then contact us today.
Our friendly and expert engineers will be happy to answer any questions you may have about solar technology, how much you can expect to save, or how much solar panels cost.
The future is bright – come and join us.
What are the best solar panels for the tough Australian climate?


text:
AirPods 2 Might Charge in 15 Minutes
Under a minute read
Mar 4th, 2019 8:22 AM EST | Link
The much anticipated AirPods 2 will charge quickly it seems. Very quickly. Cult of Mac reported on a tweet from writer Max Weinbach that said that the earbuds could be charged in 15 minutes. The case is though likely to be heavier and bigger, Mr. Weinbach said. It is also thought that the AirPods 2 will be available in black. It could all be unveiled at Apple's expected March 25th event.
"AirPods wireless charging will happen. It will be VERY fast (0-100 in 15 minutes.) That speed is for the AirPods AND the case. It will probably use Qi charging," said Max Weinbach on Twitter. The current version of these headphones already fast charge, but power comes from their case. The charging case has to be plugged into a Lightning cable. The next version will be all wireless.
Check It Out: AirPods 2 Might Charge in 15 Minutes
AirPods AirPods Pro
German Researcher Gives Apple Details of Mojave Keychain Flaw, Despite no Bug Bounty
Huawei Suing U.S. Government Over Ban
One thought on "AirPods 2 Might Charge in 15 Minutes"
Lee Dronick says:
March 4, 2019 at 8:44 EST AM
As of late I am lucky to get 30-40 minutes from a charge on my AirPods. The time is a bit longer if I am just listening to a podcast or music, telephone calls seem to use more of the battery.
See today's Joy of Tech comic about the AirPod battery life:
http://www.geekculture.com/joyoftech/joyarchives/2590.html


text:
Concordia University Libraries
OER Research
What are OER?
Why OER?
Finding OERs Toggle Dropdown
Open Textbooks
OER Repositories
Finding OA
Finding Images
Discipline Specific OER Toggle Dropdown
Exercise and Sport Science
Literature & Writing
Research and Information Literacy
Creative Commons Licensing
Library Resources as Course Materials
Stories from faculty who use OER
CU Commons & OER
Concordia OER initiative 2016-2019
Concordia Affordability Heroes
OER Research Links
Selected links from around the web:
OER Research Hub - This organization, based at London's Open University, researches several aspects of OER, including student performance, retention, impact on teaching, and assessment.
Open Education Group Review Project - conducts and publishes original research on the costs, efficacy, and adoption of OER. Links to a bibliography of OER articles and dissertations authored by researchers affiliated with the project. Primary researchers are Lane Fischer, John Hilton III, and David Wiley (all represented in the above bibliography).
Dept. of Education's Office of Educational Technology - News on federal initiatives, publications, and policies supporting open education.
Opening the Curriculum - detailed findings from the Babson Research Group (2014) about the current state of OER in higher ed. Includes helpful data on faculty awareness of OER and licensing, barriers to implementation, and a comparison of OER with traditional learning objects.
Open Education Group: The Review Project
This review provides a summary of all known empirical research on the impacts of OER adoption (including our own). The version below will be periodically updated with new articles as we become aware of them... We have gathered articles that focus on the efficacy of OER or teacher/student perceptions of such resources in actual practice. We have limited our studies to those in which OER were the primary learning resource(s) and were compared against traditional learning resources; in addition, the study needed to include at least 50 participants.
- Open Education Group
OER Research Articles
Given the recent interest in open educational resources, the research landscape in this field is constantly changing. We've compiled a selective list of articles covering a variety of OER-related topics. Articles have been divided into three categories: impact, cost savings, and creation and publication.
Armellini, A., & Nie, M. (2013). Open educational practices for curriculum enhancement. Open Learning, 28(1), 7-20. doi: 10.1080/02680513.2013.796286
Reports on open educational practices (OEP) and the adoption and adaptation of OER in UK universities. Suggests ways institutions can support the use and creation of OER, with the goal of making OER adoption more sustainable and widespread.
Bliss, T.J., Hilton, J., III, Wiley, D., & Thanos, K. (2013). The cost and quality of online open textbooks: Perceptions of community college faculty and students. First Monday, 18(1). doi: doi:10.5210/fm.v18i1.3972
Studied satisfaction rates and perceptions of OER in a community college population. Generally, the open textbooks used in this study were well received, but issues with technology or flawed OER texts result in negative perceptions by students.
Clinton, V. (2018). Savings without sacrifice: A case report on open-source textbook adoption. Open Learning: the Journal of Open, Distance, and e-Learning. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324088320_Savings_without_sacrifice_A_case_report_on_open-source_textbook_adoption.
The purpose of this case report is to examine open-source textbook adoption through the COUP framework (costs, outcomes, use, and perceptions) comparing a semester with a commercial textbook to a semester with an open-source textbook... Results indicated that although costs were substantially lower, student learning outcomes and perceptions of quality were similar or better with an open-source textbook.
Colvard, N.B., Watson, C.E., & Park, H. (2018). The Impact of Open Educational Resources on Various Student Success Metrics. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 30 (2), 262-276. Retrieved from http://www.isetl.org/ijtlhe/pdf/IJTLHE3386.pdf
Reports the results of a large-scale study of students enrolled in courses using OER. The article concludes that OER have benefits to students beyond affordability, including improved course grades, and lower incidence of course grades of D, F, or W (withdrawn).
Feldstein, A., Martin, M., Hudson, A., Warren, K., Hilton, J., III, & Wiley, D. (2012). Open textbooks and increased student access and outcomes. European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning, 2. Retrieved from http://www.eurodl.org/
Core business courses at Virginia State University replaced traditional textbooks with OER content, resulting in more students accessing the textbook (compared to sales of hard copies) and higher grades. Students surveyed reported very high satisfaction with OER materials.
Fischer, L., Hilton, J., III, Robinson, T. J., & Wiley, D. (2015). A multi-institutional study of the impact of open textbook adoption on the learning outcomes of post-secondary students. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 27(3), 159-172. doi: 10.1007/s12528-015-9101-x
Research study across multiple institutions on the efficacy of OER materials in undergraduate classes. Students assigned to OER materials had more favorable outcomes in several areas including course completion rates, course grades, and enrollment in future courses.
Florida Virtual Campus. (2012). 2012 Florida Student Textbook Survey. Retrieved from http://www.openaccesstextbooks.org/pdf/2012_Florida_Student_Textbook_Survey.pdf.
Florida Distance Learning Consortium (FDLC) conducted a revised survey of higher education students between January 18 and April 4, 2012 as a follow-up to the 2010 Florida Student Textbook Survey. FDLC administered the earlier survey in response to the Open Access Textbooks Task Force Report (2010). The task force report was pursuant to a 2009 charge by the Florida Legislature to develop a plan for promoting and increasing the use of open access textbooks as a method for reducing textbook costs (Section 1004.091(2), Florida Statutes). The online survey of Florida higher education students was conducted to learn more about some of the issues underlying textbook costs and alternative solutions.
Florida Virtual Campus. (2016). 2016 Florida Student Textbook & Course Materials Survey. Retrieved from http://www.openaccesstextbooks.org/pdf/2016_Florida_Student_Textbook_Survey.pdf
The survey examined textbook affordability and acquisition at Florida's public higher education institutions. Previous surveys were conducted in 2010 and 2012. In this survey, students were asked to use their recent personal experiences to provide insight on how the cost of textbooks and course materials impact their education, purchasing behaviors, academic completion and success, the study aids they find most beneficial to their learning, and their use of financial aid to address these costs.
Gallant, J., Lasseter, M. & Affordable Learning Georgia. (2018). 2018 USG Survey Report on Open Educational Resources. Retrieved from https://www.affordablelearninggeorgia.org/documents/2018_USG_OER_Survey.pdf
What happens to awareness, opinions, and use of OER when an OER-focused initiative moves forward in a university system for over four years? The University System of Georgia (USG) OER Survey Report includes an analysis of current faculty and staff perceptions, needs, and use of OER throughout the USG, and the results will guide our strategy for Affordable Learning Georgia in the near future. Respondents included over 1,700 instructional faculty and professional staff from across the system's institutions.
Hilton, J., III. (2016). Open educational resources and college textbook choices: A review of research on efficacy and perceptions. Educational Technology Research and Development, 64(4), 573-590. doi: 10.1007/s11423-016-9434-9
A synthesis of 16 studies. Results indicate that students meet learning outcomes with OERs as well as with traditional textbooks and both faculty and students perceive OER favorably.
Pawlyshyn, N., Braddlee, Dr., Casper, L., & Miller, H. (2013, November 4). Adopting OER: A case study of cross-institutional collaboration and innovation. Educause Review. Retrieved from http://er.educause.edu/articles/2013/11/adopting-oer-a-case-study-of-crossinstitutional-collaboration-and-innovation
Implementing OER in an underperforming first-year seminar at Mercy College (NY) boosts student retention and learning. Faculty collaboration, excitement, and innovation are credited with a successful and quick implementation. Instructional design, assessment, implementation issues, and recommendations are discussed.
Scanlon, E. (2012). Open educational resources in support of science learning: Tools for inquiry and observation. Distance Education, 33(2), 221-236. doi: 10.1080/01587919.2012.692053
Discusses how OER contributes to scientific literacy and the general public good, while also raising questions about how uneven access to technology limits OER's impact. Provides case studies of two OER platforms (nQuire and iSpot).
Senack, Ethan. (2014). Fixing the broken textbook market: How students respond to high textbook costs and demand alternatives. Retreived from https://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/reports/NATIONAL%20Fixing%20Broken%20Textbooks%20Report1.pdf
Research study conducted with support from The Student Public Interest Research Groups (https://studentpirgs.org/campaigns/sp/make-textbooks-affordable). Results indicate that many students avoid purchasing required textbooks because of the high cost but are concerned how this may affect their course grades and academic success.
Wiley, D., Williams, L., DeMarte, D., & Hilton, J., III. (2016). The Tidewater Z-Degree and the INTRO model for sustaining OER adoption. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 23(41). doi: 10.14507/epaa.v23.1828
Examines the impact of the Z-degree at Tidewater Community College on retention and revenue generation for supporting OER sustainability.
Hilton, J., III, Gaudet, D., Clark, P., Robinson, J., & Wiley, D. (2013, September). The adoption of open educational resources by one community college math department. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 14(4). Retrieved from http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/1523/2652
Community college students and faculty react favorably to the use of OER texts in five different math classes. OER adoption is credited with significant cost savings for students. Student success and completion rates were relatively unchanged; authors suggest further research is needed to determine impact of OER on student learning.
Hilton, J., III, & Laman, C. (2012). One college's use of an open psychology textbook. Open Learning, 27(3), 265-272. doi: 10.1080/02680513.2012.716657
Students using OER outperformed peers using traditional course materials in an introductory psychology class at Houston Community College. Thorough discussion of cost savings for community college students when OER materials are adopted.
Hilton, J., III, Robinson, T. J., Wiley, D., & Ackerman, J.D. (2014). Cost-savings achieved in two semesters through the adoption of open educational resources. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 15(2), 67-84. doi: 10.19173/irrodl.v15i2.1700
Students enjoyed significant savings in eight colleges where OER materials were used. Study data and comparisons to traditional textbook prices are examined.
Creation and Publication
Sutton, S. C., & Chadwell, F.A. (2014). Open textbooks at Oregon State University: A case study of new opportunities for academic libraries and university presses. Journal of Librarianship & Scholarly Communication, 4(4), 34-48. doi: 10.7710/2162-3309.1174
A joint undertaking in open textbook authorship and publishing between Oregon State University Libraries and OSU's Extended Campus (eCampus). Article highlights issues of libraries as content creators/managers, the role of the OSU Press, adoption of OER materials, and next steps for the project moving forward. Authors recommend inter-institutional collaboration in creating OER texts to avoid duplication of effort and to reach the most users.
<< Previous: Library Resources as Course Materials
Next: Stories from faculty who use OER >>
Last Updated: Oct 7, 2019 10:32 AM
URL: https://libguides.cu-portland.edu/OER
Subjects: Open Educational Resources


I knew to be prepared for undiagnosed needs when we set out to adopt. We prepared for the reality that a heart condition would be worse than we originally anticipated it would be. While we went through the list of needs that we would consider or not consider we had to imagine that what we would believe would be a mild or moderate need, in actuality would be severe. When our referral came in December, we accepted without hesitation. We knew enough to know to say "yes" to our daughter. We knew just enough.
We had sent her file to the experts at the University of Minnesota international adoption clinic and they responded with their assessment and there were no surprises or reason to be concerned. Diagnosis: Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), and repaired Tracheo-esophageal fistula (TEF). We learned all we could about TOF and what to expect. She was set to have surgery in China as soon as she was healthy enough. We prayed for that every day – but she never was healthy enough while in China. Her oxygen saturation sat in the 70's most days but could drop to the 50's or be as high as the mid 80's. She struggled with chronic pneumonia, was in and out of hospitals, and even once she was well enough to be prepped for surgery – the doctors considered it too risky. They recommended that she see a breathing specialist because she was very "noisy". We brought her home in May believing it was just one "special need". We were wrong.
At our first cardiologist appointment we were relieved to find out that hers was a very "garden variety case of TOF". There were no extra concerns, no extra complications. Surgery was planned for June 21, just a month and a day after we returned to the USA. It could not have come soon enough. However, before we headed into surgery we learned that her heart defect, while was at one time the most concerning and time-sensitive – would be "easily" repaired and nearly a non-issue once repaired. It was the previously repaired birth defect that would be something we would learn to adjust to, it would be something that would be present and affect every day, every meal, every breath.
A TEF repair saves your life. If it isn't done soon you will literally drown or die of pneumonia because half of what an infant drinks will go in their esophagus and the other goes through the trachea into the lungs. Our daughter was very sick when she was found at only a week old. She wouldn't have survived much longer had she not gone immediately to the hospital and had surgery two weeks later. She had pneumonia already at a week old, and once that was under control the repair surgery was done. The repair was done excellently, or so I'm told by our specialists here in the US. As it turns out, though, changing the anatomy of the trachea and the esophagus causes necessary damage that, except for a miracle, causes lasting complications. There was a narrowing, a stricture, in her esophagus which proved to be problematic because food would get stuck daily. The nerves in the esophagus no longer make that continuous chain to contract (peristalsis) and move food down quickly into the stomach. Once food is to the point of her repair – we rely mostly on gravity to do in minutes what should happen in seconds. The trachea takes air to and from the lung. By age 2 the trachea should be rigid like a tube and open. At the point where Grace's esophagus connected to her trachea, her trachea is "floppy", it collapses a bit. It is not severe, it is not life threatening but this makes her more prone to infection, noisy breathing, and it is what made surgeons in China uncomfortable operating on her.
This alone was enough to leave us disappointed or maybe shocked; except, we had lived with her for 6 weeks and had seen her endure daily TET spells when her oxygen saturation would suddenly drop and she would just about pass out. We had already, for six weeks, witnessed her lips and toes and fingertips become purple, blue or gray from poor oxygenation. It pushed the floppy trachea and the inefficient esophagus to the back burner until her heart was repaired. We had to learn the best way to prepare her meals so that she both learned to adequately chew and swallow – or what went down came right back up. An ambulance ride, several episodes of scary sounding regurgitation and we were scared enough to be really really careful.
Our surprise special needs didn't stop there, though. Rewind to the second day we spent with Grace in China. It was the first time we had given Grace a bath and really the first time we had her completely undressed. When she sat down, back towards me, and I unwrapped the towel I couldn't help but notice a spine that wasn't straight. Not in any way from either direction. Hello, scoliosis and kyphosis.
had recovered it was time to visit the Orthopedic; definitely not on our list when we looked through our referral documents. Other doctors we had seen were already preparing us that she may need spinal surgery which honestly scared me more than heart surgery. We were thrilled to find out that like her other congenital (born with) defects, her scoliosis was caused by a congenital defect in two of her vertebrae. It wasn't something they would surgically fix and they anticipated it improving some as she grew and gained muscle tone. An MRI would tell us if the growth plates were present in these "hemivertebrae" and we could come back yearly to monitor her spine and her growth.
Three days later we sat in the neurosurgeons office, a place that certainly was not on our radar 10 months earlier when we were reading our referral documents. His assessment was that there are indicators that point to the possibility of a tethered cord. They didn't see a tethered cord – just some common things that people with tethered cords have…which for us – was not enough to schedule surgery. She has never had symptoms of a tethered cord and until she does – we will not be having spinal surgery for something that is only a possibility.
So what do you do when you accept a child's referral, and begin to prepare for that child and love that child and travel the world for that child and sacrifice and change potentially everything in your life – only to find out there are more unexpected needs than expected needs?
These are moments when I rely heavily on my faith in a God who misses no detail of our lives. Nothing is a surprise to Him. We knew just enough to accept her referral. Had we known everything at the time of referral, I would like to say I would not have chickened out – but I might have. I'm an expert worrier and "what-if-er". I could have worried myself right out of one of the best adventures of my life and one of the loves of my life. The funny thing was, it was as if we dealt with one fire at a time. There were moments when it was overwhelming – but we got each piece of new special need news on the heels of the previous need fading away. Certainly the joy and laughter Grace has brought to our family overwhelms the surprises her tiny body contains.
say "yes" to her. I believe the information we had about her was true and accurate for what was known. Her severe cardiac needs screamed louder than the floppy trachea (tracheomalacia) and narrow esophagus. Scoliosis wasn't really something that they flag in China in infants like they do here in the USA. It is what it is, it's very manageable, and truly nothing is impossible with God, therefore I'm waiting and expecting healing and improvement as sure as I'm expecting the sun to rise in the morning. The scoliosis has already improved in the year and a half since we first met our daughter. The possibly tethered cord will show it self, I'm convinced, if it even is an issue. If I've learned anything in the three years since we decided to pursue adoption – it is that challenges will be met and overcome not a moment too soon or too late.
Adoption is born out of loss. When Grace had lived a few days her birth parents must have realized there was something very wrong with her. She was found in a very public place, I believe, so that their sick little girl could have a chance at life. That same time, that same month, on the other side of the world our family began praying and taking our first steps toward adopting. I don't believe it was a random coincidence, I believe God set it in our hearts to be her family. He knew she would be ours and that we would be hers; and if I believe that – then I must also believe that we are being shaped and equipped to care for her no matter what other needs surprise us in the years to come. We may have been surprised several times, and we maybe surprised again in the future. but I know God isn't even once.
Great post. I so agree. We were surprised by new info after getting home with our daughter. Her special need was not on our list, but we are so thankful she is with us. God is truly faithful and will see us thru it all.
That is something I think is so frustrating.
Her first parents could have abandoned her for a multitude of reasons, but the facts seem to say that she was abandoned because of her sickness, she needed help that the parents probably couldn't provide. They loved her and selflessly wanted her to survive.
While I believe adoption is a wonderful thing, I also believe that children are intended to be kept with their birth family. Had the family had the support to get their child medical help, they might have been able to raise her. This points to a fairly large problem.
Haves your daughter been given the diagnosis of VACTERL Association? Your story sounds eerily like ours, except we've only been home from Eastern Europe for four months! Our three-year-old son had way more issues than we knew (right down to the tethered cord and heart defect), but we're so thankful that he's ours anyway.
I'm glad your unexpected needs have been manageable and that you're happy to have Grace in your family.
Unfortunately, that's not always the case. Sometimes the unexpected needs are totally overwhelming, and all the "expecting healing and improvement" in the world isn't going to make things better.
Our experience was very similar as well. Except, unlike you, I do feel lied to as info was withheld by someone. In our case, like yours, it all "worked out" and I love my child very much, but I agree with Shecki. It doesn't always work out and sometimes the unexpected needs are just too much.
We're careful not to view SN adoption through rose-colored glasses, which is certainly the route to go for the most part, but at the same time – to say special needs are "just too much" is a pretty daunting thing to say when a child's life is at stake. I've noticed the language in adoption has changed – we dare not to say we're saviors, or that we're saving a child — but let's get real, many of these children would languish, at worst, die if they're not adopted. Of course, we shouldn't take on more than we can chew – but at the same time, that's the reason why so many people don't do anything outside their comfort zone — which in the end leads to 153 million orphans worldwide, and a myriad of other issues that are just "too much" for us.
I suppose balance is key.
My nephew is currently a Kenyan friend's lifeline right now. In hospitals there, feeding and basic needs outside of direct medical care is left up to the family, and if your family isn't around or not able to tend to you – you very well risk starving to death (among other things). When my nephew went to see him, he was skin and bone and suffering. My nephew fell to his knees and cried out – that is how severe it was. Because of an infectious disease, others would not go to see his Kenyan friend. My nephew? He couldn't see himself telling his friend his needs were "too much." My nephew is now risking a lot to see him and provide him with what he needs. A life is at stake. My nephew couldn't just walk away. Praise God for those willing to heed the call.
While we can't go through adoption with rose-colored glasses, let us not forget what's really at stake.


text:
Search The New Paper
Singapore Football
Team Singapore
School of Frock
Hed Chef
Weets Eats
Biker Boy
Celeb Chow
Your Tip-Offs
Deliver TNP
Mad about Singapore
TNP ILLUSTRATION: CEL GULAPA
Sports Columnist
E-mail this article
0 Engagements
By the time you read this column, I would have been in Brazil for more than a month and, hopefully, still not dead.
As I mentioned before, my mother is adamant that I'm going to leave the World Cup in a box and seems a little disappointed that her premonition hasn't come to pass.
But Changi Airport beckons. So I thought I'd offer a timely reminder of what we take for a granted in the sunny island.
I always thought it was a bit insular and cliche to obsess over Singapore food - until I came to Brazil. There are generally three culinary options in the South American country: Half a cow with chips; half a cow with salad if you're health-conscious; or a buffet, where you can have half a cow with chips and salad.
This vegetarian is desperately craving some hawker centre variety again.
In the back streets of Rio, I discovered a small Chinese eatery where I eat noodles, get misty-eyed and find myself singing: "This is home truly, where I know I must be."
My homesickness isn't helped by my lack of Portuguese. No matter what I say, write down or point at, my gestures are always translated as: "Hold the salad, give me extra cow."
Mind your language
The Brazil trip has underscored two universal truths.
Monolingualism encourages ignorance, which makes me more determined than ever to learn another language.
And second, when you don't know the Portuguese word for "toilet", you make a mess of your underwear.
I struggled with strangers along the Copacabana promenade, trying to ask for directions to the nearest toilet. Miming was a possibility but I didn't want to scare small children.
Singapore's a bit too hard on itself with the whole Singlish thing. For the most part, we get by. Still, take my advice and learn the local word for toilet before your next holiday.
P.S. I went with the miming routine in the end. Terrified Brazilians thought I was going to pee on their kids.
Singaporean bus services are not perfect. But they do not take corners on two wheels.
In Brazil, drivers think they are riding mopeds. They take the roundabout in top gear and the screaming passengers cling to the windows and get on with it.
They've even changed the lyrics to the popular kindergarten song in Brazil. Here the kids sing: "Half the wheels on the bus go round and round. The rest of the wheels on the bus are suspended in the air as flying passengers are thrown into their neighbour's crotch. All day long."
Efficiency rules
At the Chinese eatery, a Brazilian told me how much he loved Singapore.
"Oh, I just love it, that airport is amazing, the best ever," he said eagerly.
"It had movies, all kinds of food, loads of things to do. Singapore is the best, man."
I was sceptical. "When you say you love Singapore, what you really mean is you love Changi Airport," I replied.
He admitted: "That's true. I've only been to the airport. But I loved it! Everything worked."
He's right - not everything works in Brazil.
I walked through the wrong door at Rio Airport and stumbled into a building site. Unfinished roads give Brazilian bus drivers a chance to work on their two-wheel swerve.
In Brazil, red lights are observed only if drivers have the time. No one has the time.
I miss things that work. For my next holiday, I'll spend two weeks at Changi Airport.
Give me my balls back
On the plus side, Brazilians do not discuss betting odds and obsess over gambling predictions. But that also means no one asks for my so-called "expertise". I'm feeling a bit left out.
In Brazil, they say: "You are a football writer? Must be great to be paid to watch all the games." In Singapore, they say: "You are a football writer? Hey, this weekend, how ah?"
No taxi drivers in Brazil have waved betting slips at me while speeding through the fast lane.
No one has asked about half-balls. I never thought I'd say this, but I kind of miss the uncles asking me if they should eat their own balls at the weekend.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
Neil Humphreys is a humour columnist and author of best-selling books such as Rich Kill Poor Kill, Marina Bay Sins and his "Island" series about Singapore, such as Saving A Sexier Island.
halbutt@hotmail.com
@NeilHumphreys
Read articles by Neil Humphreys
Top Stories this Month
Man in Ngee Ann City fatal fall identified
Close shave for shoppers in Ngee Ann City death plunge
Modified e-scooter clocked at 150kmh on Singapore road
Contact TNP
Subscribe to TNP
About SPH
SPH Digital News Copyright © 2019 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn No. 198402868E


Trashpackers - help us clean the world one bin bag at a time!
We're a community of Trashpackers trying to collect 100.000 bin bags in one year.
We need more people to wake up about our global trash problem. That's why we host cleanups events worldwide. Want to become a Trashpacker as well? Create your own events and start cleaning. Fill in the amount of bags you've collected and climb to the top of the leaderboard. You might even end up becoming the Trashpacker of the year!
The four best Trashpackers of the community.
Tijmen (Dutch) left Australia to start his backpacking adventure, in 2012. He was shocked to find polluted areas everywhere. Going back into his travels by the end of 2017, he learned that the problem of pollution had spread throughout the whole of South-East Asia.
Willing to change this, whilst he was backpacking, Tijmen decided to act.
Would you like to team up with us, do you have a question, or maybe just a good suggestion? Feel free to contact us! We're receiving mails from all over the world so to keep it all organized, could you mention where you're from?
If you'd like to partner with us or be our sponsor, let us know by using the contactform. If you'd like to donate click below.


I am, Leo, the writer of Trans*Life Zine. This website is one of my online creative voices. Around 2006, I wrote a blog called TransCurrents. That blog focused on the trans-related current events around the SF Bay Area. I had fun with it and then I put it aside.
A few years later, I became a co-leader of a support group for ftms of color. That experience increased my desire to connect with trans folks in general. Connecting with other people with a trans history, even though different from my history, puts me in a happy place. I believe there is a joy to be found when interacting with people who had to consciously create their lives. They are making lemonade out of lemons.
Fast forward: I decided to write another blog that was more open and fun and featured a variety of Trans*Life news, with a bit of "pretty" thrown in. I hope you enjoy Trans*Life — a digitally-clean, computer-lit place on the web by, for and about Trans*Life.


text:
Tech ·Term Sheet
Utah Startup Raising Large New Funding Round
BYErin Griffith
February 10, 2017, 4:12 PM UTC
Illustration by Aleksandar Savic
This article first appeared in Term Sheet, Fortune's newsletter on M&A, venture capital and private equity. Sign up here.
Podium, an enterprise software startup, is working with investment bank Houlihan Lokey to raise a large new round of funding, Term Sheet has learned. The company seeks around $20 million to $25 million at a pre-money valuation of around $100 million. The company declined to comment.
Outside of participating in Y Combinator's winter 2016 batch, the Utah-based startup has kept a low profile in Silicon Valley. For the last several months, Podium has made the rounds on Sand Hill road in what venture investors describe as an "unconventional" fundraise. The company asked firms to submit a formal "indication of interest" (IOI) before beginning due diligence, and used an online data room. One investor described it as more akin to a private equity deal or M&A auction than venture fundraising, which tends to be less formal. Podium recently narrowed down its fundraising process and will finalize the deal soon.
Podium's software allows businesses to collect and manage online reviews. Founded in 2014, it has only raised a small amount of seed funding from Peak Ventures of Provo, Utah, and it boasts 30,000 customers. Now the company's annual recurring revenue (ARR) is between $10 million and $15 million, a source familiar with the situation said.
Investors note the company's revenue has "velocity," meaning it is growing quickly, especially in the automotive market. One of its key features allows customers to text customers after they leave a store or dealership. Podium is different from Podium Data, a Boston-area startup.


The vegan beauty market is growing and growing! It seems women aren't too keen on the idea of torturing animals or smearing their body parts all over their faces in the name of beauty. And that's a wonderful thing.
The result of this increased demand for cruelty-free products has been, of course, an increase in the number of said products, making it a bit confusing for newbies to vegan beauty brands to know what works and what doesn't.
Here at Eluxe, we constantly get new products to try and test, and after going through quite a few new vegan beauty brands, I've discovered seven that I think are worth sharing with you.
The Italian natural cosmetic manufacturer produces exceptional hair products that all feature one key ingredient: organic apple juice! Also known by the chemical name babassuamphoacete, it creates a creamy foam that makes their SLS-free shampoos easy to lather. Balancing hair masks, conditioners and a remedy care vaporiser are but a few other products in Gentleleaf's range, and other natural ingredients you'll find on their labels are bamboo, birch tree, red grape, aloe and sesame oils and extracts.
Best feature: I like their minimalist packaging and the fact that their shampoos lather up so well, rare for products with no SLS. They also left my hair feeling clean, yet not dried out.
This vegan skincare brand has humble roots. It was launched in a small Southern California health food store, but it's now a highly popular brand in the USA. Every product boasts a potent combination of vitamins and nutrients, and the brand also uses recyclable packaging components. Included in their vast range of offerings are shampoos, conditioners, face oils, skin creams and reef-safe sunscreens.
Best products: Their reef safe Sun Protection Mineral Powder SPF 30 is excellent – I love that SPF now comes in powdered form! I also like their Therapeutic Scar Gel, which reduces acne scars and stretch marks – I can testify that yes, over time, it does work!
This Canadian skincare brand is paving the way for sustainable and socially responsible beauty. Altilis is organic, sustainable, and has a twist that makes it unique: they use breadfruit in all of their skincare products. CEO Kenna Whitnell, who has a background in bio-chemistry, researched on the possible applications of the breadfruit flower on the skin and discovered that it is a powerful antioxidant, with soothing and protective properties.
Best products: Their three step InflorEssence facial programme is remarkable. After using their facial cleanser, serum and hydrating cream for only a few days, my skin was notably more radiant and healthy looking.
Created by Dr Jurgen Klein, JK7's products are made with sourced essential oils which have scientifically proven results. After being introduced to forest herbs by his grandfather, Klein decided to study chemistry, alchemy and naturopathy to develop luxurious skincare based only on natural, animal-free ingredients. JK7 is good for all skin types because its designed to restore pH balance and prevents premature skin ageing through its multiple anti-oxidant ingredients.
Best products: The 24H Cream Day & Night Face Care combined with the Golden Face Oil will completely rejuvenate your complexion. If you're over 30, you'll love the Rose & Vanilla Eye Gel.
"Embrace Slow Beauty" is Kypwell's motto, and the idea is that over time, dedication to the right skincare provides long-term results. This label from Cyprus tributes its country's healing traditions by blending the best of nature with the latest scientific, high performance, natural ingredients.
Borage, jojoba, avocado, grape-seed and apricot oils are but a few of the plant-based ingredients that you'll find in the brand's facial cleansers, toners, mists, creams and serums.
Best products: This summer, I loved refreshing myself with their Signature Flower Mist Toner, made with distilled water of rose petals, geranium, chamomile flowers and elder flowers. I also felt their Gentle Herbal Cleansing Foam managed to wash out the dirt, grime and sweat that accumulated on my skin over this hot summer, leaving me feeling clean and renewed, but never dried out.
If only we could turn back time on our wrinkles…well there is a skincare brand that has made this wish its name: Clockface Beauty. Nestled in the heart of Yorkshire, this label produces beauty products for both men and women that rejuvenate the epirdemis using just 100% cruelty-free natural ingredients.
Best products: The City's hustle and bustle may strain your look. But the Natural Organic Face Scrub, with clay sage and juniper berry and the Face Serum, that is part of the brand's Signature Collection, will restore your glow. And after a long day running around on heels, the Foot & Leg Scrub of Neroli & Ylang Ylang, followed by the Foot & Leg Balm made with May Chang & Frankincense will re-energise your tired feet.
Cool, thanks for this! I'm sick of buying beauty brands that hurt animals! Can't wait to try these out!


SCVHistory.com SR9683 | Magic Mountain | National Lampoon's Vacation, 1982-83.
In 1982, Magic Mountain was transformed into Walley World — and the Colossus coaster became the Screaming Meemie — for Warner Bros.' first "Vacation" movie, "National Lampoon's Vacation," starring Chevy Chase, John Candy (as the guard at Walley World), Beverly D'Angelo, Imogene Coca, Randy Quaid, Anthony Michael Hall, Dana Barron, Eddie Bracken, Brian Doyle-Murray, Miriam Flynn, James Keach, Eugene Levy, Frank McRae and Christie Brinkley.
Filming at Magic Mountain took place in 1982; the movie opened July 29, 1983, in the United States.
(From left): Roland Miller, Todd Brant (white T-shirt), Melissa McGuire, Fred Svendsen, Keith Kube.
Photo by John Svendsen, Fred's twin brother.


text:
(-) s
(-) Community Organization (1)
(-) Cultural/Professional Association (1)
San Fernando Valley Historical Society
To share and make known the organization's significant archive and collections of San Fernando Valley history. SFVHS serves as caretaker of the Andres Pico Adobe historic site in Mission Hills as well as the Pioneer Cemetery in Sylmar.
10940 Sepulveda Blvd.
Phyllis Hansen
sfvhistory@gmail.com
http://www.sfvhs.com/
Santa Monica History Museum
The Santa Monica Historical Society was founded in 1975 as part of the city's centennial celebration with the mission of collecting and preserving the history, art and culture of the Santa Monica Bay Area. In 1988, a Museum was established to house the Society's growing collections of artifacts, documents, rare books, newspapers, textiles, artwork, and photographic images. Currently, the Museum's…
Sara Crown
info@santamonicahistory.org
http://www.santamonicahistory.org
Skirball Cultural Center
The Skirball Cultural Center explores the linkage between American Jewish life and American democratic values through cultural programs and museum exhibitions for all ages and backgrounds. Designed by internationally renowned architect Moshe Safdie, the Skirball comprises a museum, a discovery center, an educational resource center, classrooms and various meeting and social facilities. On…
2701 North Sepulveda Boulevard
pjohnson@skirball.org
http://www.skirball.org
Southern California Genealogical Society
The SCGS Library holds nearly 40,000 volumes, with a relatively small portion of the material related to LA. We have published indices to cemetery records, vital (birth, death and marriage) records, and immigration and naturalization. We provide free access to some data on our website. The Society is in the midst of a project to recreate the 1890 Census for Los Angeles County. The census records…
Southern California Genealogical Society, 417 Irving Drive
Charlotte Bocage
scgs@scgsgenealogy.com
http://www.scgsgenealogy.com


There is no doubt that Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma, and Katrina Kaif starrer film Zero is one of the most anticipated films of the year but also as the treat for Shah fans. The superstar for the first time will be seen playing the role of a dwarf and it also features two different love stories of King Khan. The makers of Zero have started doing the promotions of the film and each passing day the craze is going higher.
Now today, the makers of Aanand L Rai directorial film will drop its first song Mere Naam Tu on the internet platforms. They even have shared the first still of the song. In this still, you will see Bauaa Singh played by Shah Rukh is kissing to Aafia played by Anushka Sharma on the forehead. While Anushka Sharma is sitting on wheelchair and Shah Rukh is standing in front of her.
Talking about the film then it is slated to release Christmas 2018 on 21st December and it stars Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma in the leading role. Whether Zeeshan Ayub will be seen playing supporting role and it is his second film with Shah Rukh Khan after Raees.
READ NEXT >> Guru Nanak Jayanti 2018: India and Pakistan to unite for Sikh pilgrims for this big reason!


text:
Nexus plus Project Fi: Should you sign up for Google's wireless service?
Nexus 5X and 6P deep-dive review: Google's dynamic duo
Hands on: 8 things you might not know about the Nexus 5X and 6P
Android 6.0, Marshmallow: The complete FAQ
Project Fi and Google Voice: Your questions answered
Google's new wireless service and its long-standing phone management service work together in confusing ways. Time to sort it all out.
JR Raphael, IDG
Google Fi: The complete FAQ
5 handy Google Fi features you...
Project Fi and Google Voice: Your...
Project Fi has a powerful bonus feature...
Why Project Fi's new group plan is a...
Project Fi revisited: 6 months with...
Simplicity is a key selling point of Google's Project Fi wireless service (officially known as Google Fi, as of late 2018). If you're coming to the service as an existing user of Google Voice, though, things can get awfully complicated.
I've been using Project Fi for the past couple weeks as I've been getting to know Google's new Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P phones. As a long-time Google Voice user myself, I had a lot of questions about how moving into Fi would work -- and the documentation on the subject proved to be pretty limited and confusing.
You can find a broader overview of Fi itself in my real-world analysis of the service (and you can find a detailed look at Google's new Nexus phones in my in-depth 5X and 6P review). Here, we'll focus specifically on the subject of Project Fi-Google Voice integration -- and tackle all the questions you need answered.
(Quick disclaimer: This story was written in 2015, though its Google-Voice-specific info remains accurate as of 2018. The info on this page applies only to people who currently use the Google Voice service and are considering Project Fi, meanwhile. If you don't use Google Voice (or aren't sure what Google Voice is!), you'd be better off skipping this FAQ and jumping right over to my 2018 Fi FAQ instead.)
All right -- ready? Let's do this:
Is Project Fi the same thing as Google Voice? Or does Project Fi take over Google Voice? Or what?!
The easiest way to think about it is that Fi uses the same underlying technology as Google Voice. It's not the same exact thing, but it does bring over many of the features you're used to (we'll get into the specifics in a minute) -- and it does essentially take over the GV service for your account.
In other words, once you're using Project Fi, you'll use Project Fi; you won't use Google Voice. But you will end up having many of the same features and experiences.
Should I port my Google Voice number into Project Fi when I sign up?
It's really up to you, but if you like your Google Voice number and want to continue using it with your cell phone, then you probably should. That's the only way you'll be able to make and receive calls from that number using your regular cell service.
Can I port my Google Voice number into Fi even if I have GV-Sprint integration?
You can -- but there are a couple extra steps involved. Basically, you have to first disable the Sprint integration, then port your number into the regular Google Voice service before you start your Fi signup. You can find detailed instructions for both steps on this support page.
What happens to my carrier number if I port my Google Voice number into Project Fi?
Technically, nothing; if you port in your Google Voice number, Fi won't even know your carrier number exists. So you'll probably want to go ahead and cancel service with your old carrier manually once you've gotten your Fi service up and running. Otherwise, you'll be paying for service with Fi and with your previous carrier, which is presumably not what you want.
Just be warned: Once you cancel service with your old carrier, your carrier number will vanish into the digital ether. Unless...
What if I want to port my Google Voice number into Project Fi but also keep my carrier number?
The best of both worlds, right? You can actually do that -- in a roundabout way.
Remember, as we just said: Porting your Google Voice number into Fi won't actually affect anything with your carrier-connected phone number or your current carrier service. So go ahead and transfer your Google Voice number in when you're ready to start using Fi. If you want to keep your carrier number, though, don't cancel your old carrier service.
So what to do instead? I've got two options of varying complexity for you to consider:
Option #1: The Google Voice workaround
Once you're sure you're ready to kill off your old service, start up a new Google account (or use an existing secondary account, if you already have one) and head over to the Google Voice website while signed into that account. Click the option to start using Google Voice by bringing in your existing mobile number, then follow the steps to port your carrier number into Google Voice on that account.
Let me emphasize: This will cause your existing carrier service to be cancelled. Do not do this until you're ready to have that happen.
Once the number port has finished, your old carrier number will belong to that Google Voice account -- and you can use the GV website to manage how it works and where it forwards. The catch is that you can't forward a Google Voice number to another Google Voice or Fi number, so there's no real way to have both numbers work on your Fi phone.
The best you can do is to set up Google Voice so that it forwards any voicemails and text messages for that second number to your email (see the Voicemail & Text tab of the GV website) -- which is better than losing the number altogether, if that matters to you.
Option #2: The Ring.To workaround
Want more? You can do the same thing described in option #1 using a free third-party service called Ring.To instead of Google Voice. The advantage of this setup is that it'll allow you to have calls and texts to your carrier number forwarded to your Fi phone -- something that isn't possible when you're using two Google-associated numbers.
The downside (if you want to call it that) is that you're relying on a free service that isn't run by Google, which inevitably raises questions about how the company is making money and how long such an arrangement can last. For now, though, it's here and it's completely free -- and it works quite well, in my experience.
If you want to give it a whirl, head over to Ring.To's website and start the process of porting your number in. Once you've done so, you'll find an option to edit the settings for your number in the Ring.To dashboard. There, you'll find fields for configuring your number to ring one or more phones -- and yes, a Fi device will definitely work -- as well as fields for telling the service to forward incoming text messages to your Fi number or any other number you want.
The catch is that while you will receive any text messages that are forwarded to your Fi number, you won't be able to respond to them directly. (Short explanation: Texts will arrive from your own Ring.To number, with the actual sender's number included as part of the message. So to respond, you'll have to start a new message thread with the sender's number.) You'll at least get all calls and texts to your carrier number on your Fi phone, though -- and if you want, Ring.To will even let you set up an SMS auto-responder, so you could notify anyone who texts you at that number that it's no longer your primary line.
UPDATE [12/2018]: Ring.to is no more, but you can set up something similar at a minimal annual cost with other VoIP services such as Anveo and Phone Power.
What if I want to port my carrier number into Project Fi -- but also keep my Google Voice number?
Whew -- you're really making me work today, aren't you? If you want to keep your Google Voice number without bringing it into Fi, you've got a few options:
Option #1: Use a different Google account to sign up for Fi service
Easy, right? Just use any other Google account for the Fi setup, and your current Voice number won't be involved. This isn't entirely ideal, as things will be simpler to manage if Fi is associated with your primary Google account, but it's one way to get the job done.
Option #2: Transfer your Google Voice number to a different Google account
Before you sign up for Fi, move your Google Voice number to a secondary Google account by following the steps on this Google support page. That'll allow you to keep your number and leave it in Google Voice with a different account while moving forward with a new number for Fi on your primary account.
Just remember that you can't forward calls from one Google Voice number to another Google Voice or Fi number -- so if you do this, you won't be able to receive calls to your old GV number on your new Fi phone. (Fee, fo, Fi phone. Will a Fi-based rhyme make everybody groan?)
Option #3: Transfer your Google Voice number to Ring.To
The Ring.to service I described in the previous question can work in the same way here, and it will allow you to forward calls and texts to your new Fi number. Just follow the steps described in option #2 from the previous question, only transfer in your Google Voice number instead of your carrier number.
UPDATE [1/18/16]: As noted above, Ring.to is gone, though subscription-based services such as Anveo and Phone Power can still achieve this same thing (at a minimal annual cost).
What about the Hangouts Dialer app? Can I still use that to make and receive calls from secondary GV numbers once I'm using Project Fi?
Yes: If you have a second Google Voice number connected to an alternate Google account, you can use the Hangouts Dialer app to make and receive calls with that number on your Fi device. Just remember such an app works only over data, and you'd be able to make calls only through the app's interface -- so you wouldn't be able to use your second GV number with the regular Phone app or your regular cellular service.
Okay -- that's all way too complicated for me. What if I just transfer my Google Voice number into Fi? Can I get it back later if I decide I want to jump ship?
Finally, one that's easy to answer! And honestly, this is probably what most people will want to do. If you move your GV number into Fi and later decide you don't want to keep using the service, you can choose to transfer the number back out of Fi and into Google Voice. You should get an option to do so upon cancelling your Fi service; if for some reason you don't, contact Fi support, as this is definitely something that the service allows.
Do I still need the Google Voice app on my phone once I'm using Project Fi?
Nope -- no need for it whatsoever. Uninstall that sucker. Uninstall it hard.
Will I still be able to forward my calls to different numbers with Fi, like I can now with Google Voice?
Absolutely: Regardless of whether you bring in an existing number or get new digits, you'll find an option in the Fi website and mobile app to set up your number to forward wherever you want. If you transferred in your GV number, any forwarding settings you had configured before will automatically carry over. The only limitation, as we've mentioned, is that you can't forward to other Fi/GV numbers (which is also true with your current GV setup).
What about other Google Voice features? If I transfer in my GV number, will I still be able to do all the same stuff once I'm on Fi?
You'll be able to do a lot of the same stuff, but not all of it. And the apps and Web interface for controlling everything are actually a lot nicer than the embarrassingly dated Voice setup that's been stagnant for ages.
With Fi, you can place and receive calls and texts and also check voicemails via Hangouts on any device or computer where you're signed in. You also have access to call blocking (any numbers you've already blocked in Google Voice will carry over, and moving forward, you can most easily block new numbers via your phone's Contacts app).
Your call and voicemail history from Google Voice will remain available through a legacy link at the bottom of the Fi website. New histories will be accessible only in the Phone app or Hangouts.
Your text message history will still be available in Hangouts, if you were already using Hangouts for texting. If you weren't, the official word is that you'll lose your text message history upon moving to Fi -- but as of now, at least, I'm still able to see all of my old stuff via that same legacy link I mentioned a minute ago.
You still get voicemail transcription -- within your Phone app as well as within Hangouts -- and you still get the same international calling rates as before.
You can still use Google Voice's do-not-disturb and call screening features, if you want, but you'll have to go through the legacy GV site to re-enable them once you've made the move.
The GV features that you won't have with Fi, meanwhile, are spam filtering, call recording, call switching, customized incoming caller ID (i.e. choosing to have your number displayed on caller ID instead of a caller's number -- not sure why anyone would want that, anyway), on-the-fly conference calling, text-message-to-email forwarding, automatic blocking of outgoing caller ID (though you can still do that manually by dialing *67 before making a call), and the ability to make calls or send texts from the Google Voice website or the old Google Talk system (though you can still do all of that through Hangouts, so it's really not a big deal).
If I transfer my Google Voice number into Fi, can I still use the Google Voice app to route calls on other Android phones?
This question is really specific, I realize, and probably doesn't apply to most people -- but as a guy who uses a lot of different phones, it's something that affects me. And since there isn't much in the way of official info about this issue out there, I thought I'd go ahead and answer it here in case anyone else needs to know.
The short answer is yes: If you port your Google Voice number into Project Fi, you can still install the Google Voice app on an alternate Android phone and set it up so that its calls will appear to come from your Fi/GV number (and any calls placed to your Fi/GV number will ring on it as well).
If you move around between multiple phones, this should be a relief. If you don't -- well, disregard this and do a little dance for the rest of us, would ya?
If I port my Google Voice number into Fi, can I still access the Google Voice website?
Yes -- but you have to first get to it through the Fi website, using a link at the bottom; otherwise, the Voice URL will just redirect you to the Fi site by default.
That being said, you'll probably find it easier just to use the Fi site for most things. I really haven't had a need to get to the old GV website at all since I switched over. But it is still there if you for some reason need it.
What happens to money I've added onto my Google Voice account?
If you've put money on your GV account as credit -- for international calls -- it'll move over to your Fi account as soon as you make the transition. It'll just show up as a credit on your account and will be applied to your first payment.
Can I still use an OBi device if I transfer my Google Voice number into Project Fi?
Not exactly. OBi devices, if you aren't familiar, are inexpensive little boxes that let you use Google Voice to get free "home phone" service with a traditional lineline-style phone.
Officially, Project Fi is not compatible with OBi devices. That being said, I use one myself and have found some ways to make it work.
First of all, though it isn't technically supposed to, my Google Voice number continued to ring my OBi device even after I ported the number to Fi. So take that for what you will.
Following the transition, however, I was no longer able to make calls via my OBi box from my Fi/GV number. Best I can tell, there's no real way to have that happen.
The closest workaround I can offer is to set up a new number with Ring.To, the same service mentioned a couple of times above, and configure it to work with your OBi device. The base service is free, but you'll have to pay a $15/year fee in order to add 911 service to the line (which is strangely required). You also have to have an OBi box that was purchased after May 1, 2014 in order for it to work -- so if you have an older OBi, you'll have to pick up a new one (somewhat annoyingly).
Once that Ring.To line is up and running on your OBi box, you can set up your Fi/GV number to forward to it -- and you can make outgoing calls from your Ring.To number (think of it as your "office line" or "home number"). It isn't perfect, but it'll at least let you get calls to your main number reliably -- and 15 bucks a year really isn't bad for "home phone" service, if such a thing is useful for you.
UPDATE [12/2018]: Ring.to discontinued support for OBi devices a couple years ago and is now completely gone. The best alternatives I'm aware of at the moment are OBi's two other officially approved services: Anveo and Phone Power.
Neither service is free, unfortunately; Anveo starts at $40/year while Phone Power starts at $35/year. If you'd already signed up with Ring.To and paid for a year of 911 service, Anveo has the advantage of allowing you to apply any unused credit toward a new full-service plan. Phone Power is obviously a bit cheaper outside of that. Both support 911 service and both allow for unlimited incoming calls and a limited amount of outgoing minutes (333/month with Anveo's starting plan and 300/month with Phone Power's).
Annoying, I know.
Cool. Oh, wait -- one last thing: WHY IS THIS SO FRICKIN' COMPLICATED?!
Now, that's a good question. The best I can say is that Google Voice is a pretty complex service, and those of us in the power-user camp use it for some pretty involved and unusual purposes. With Fi, Google seems to be working to bring over the core pieces of Voice while shedding (or at least downplaying) some of the more advanced and niche-level features.
Let's keep things in perspective, though: For most people, none of this stuff is relevant -- and moving into Project Fi is as simple as can be. For those of us with intricate Google Voice configurations, the process is just a little more involved.
The one thing I can assure you is that once you get the transition figured out, Fi itself is completely straightforward -- and it's all smooth sailing from there on out.
Hopefully the info on this page helps you navigate the murky waters and make your way into the calm open sea.
Whoaaaa, Nelly. You're gonna end with that metaphor? Seriously?
All right, you. No more questions. And don't call me Nelly.
[Project Fi revisited: 6 months with Google's weird wireless service]
5 handy Google Fi features you shouldn't forget
Project Fi has a powerful bonus feature hidden in plain...
Why Project Fi's new group plan is a no-brainer for families
Project Fi revisited: 6 months with Google's weird wireless...