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Sodium Benzoate Enhances Schizophrenia Treatments
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in the journal Biological Psychiatry shows that a common food preservative sodium benzoate improves symptoms in clozapine-resistant schizophrenia.
The study led by Hsien-Yuan Lane, of China Medical University, Taiwan, showed that adding on sodium benzoate to the antipsychotic clozapine improved symptoms in patients who did not see results with any other medications, providing a new option for the hardest-to-treat patients.
"Clozapine is considered the last-line antipsychotic agent for patients with refractory schizophrenia," said Dr. Lane, referring to patients whose symptoms do not respond to available antipsychotics. But an estimated 40-70 percent of patients with refractory schizophrenia fail to improve even with clozapine, referred to as "clozapine-resistant".
The new study is the first to demonstrate that sodium benzoate-which has been shown to enhance other antipsychotic drugs-works in clozapine-resistant patients. "If the finding can be confirmed, this approach may bring hope for treating patients with the most refractory schizophrenia," said Dr. Lane.
The 60 patients with schizophrenia included in the study were all taking clozapine, and received a placebo or sodium benzoate as an add-on treatment for six weeks. The team at the University College of Medicine, Taiwan, tested two different doses of sodium benzoate (1 or 2 grams per day).
Compared with the placebo, sodium benzoate improved negative symptoms, such as lack of emotion and motivation, which have a greater influence on a patient's functional outcome than the more prominent psychotic symptoms.
The higher dose of sodium benzoate also improved ratings of overall symptoms and quality of life. Although sodium benzoate has improved cognitive function when combined with other antipsychotics in previous studies, the add-on treatment had no influence on cognitive function in this study-in the paper.
The researchers suggest that a higher dose or longer duration of treatment may be needed for these effects. Importantly, the patients taking sodium benzoate had no side effects, confirming the treatment is safe to use at the doses tested.
The study shows that sodium benzoate works by preventing the breakdown of D-serine, a brain chemical that plays an important role in signaling that is disrupted in the brains of people with schizophrenia.
"Receptors for D-serine are long-standing targets for medication development in schizophrenia and sodium benzoate is probably the first meaningful tool that we have had to influence this target," said John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry.
Although more studies are needed to learn how sodium benzoate enhances clozapine treatment in these patients, Dr. Krystal says that "this study highlights the importance for schizophrenia treatment of understanding the molecular switches that can be thrown to normalize brain circuit function."
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Brad Haydel, CSULA Campus Sustainability
Surefaze2019-12-19T15:38:57-08:00
Cal State LA's Campus Sustainability Committee (CSC) in the adoption of best practices, policies, projects and technologies to improve the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of the campus community.
Nominated for: Signatory member of Second Nature's Climate Commitment. Cal State LA's Campus Sustainability Committee actively collaborates with the City of Los Angeles in a Campus Resilience Challenge to ensure the University's resilience planning efforts promote and encourage innovative actions that advance physical resilience and social cohesion. Cal State LA's Campus Sustainability Committee is committed to improving campus operations, developing its community partnerships, and expanding its cutting-edge academic programs to create a more just, sustainable and resilient world.
Sasha B Kramer, PhD
Sasha B Kramer, Ph.D. Ecology, Stanford University, co-founder and executive director of Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods (SOIL). Nominated for: SOIL: sustainable, dignified, safely managed sanitation system, which optimizes resource recovery and is accessible to all in Haiti, transforming human waste into compost for agriculture, reforestation and climate change mitigation efforts in Haiti. Kramer uses ecological principles to address the basic human rights issues of sanitation, food, and access to a healthy environment.
Tsegaye Nega, PhD
Tsegaye Nega, PhD., Professor of Conservation Biology and Landscape Ecology, Carleton College. Nominated for: Spearheading the development of a microgasifier pellet stove utilizing local biomass waste in Ethiopia to reduce deforestation, contribute to environmental and economic sustainability and women's health.
UC Conservation Genomics Consortium
UC Conservation Genetics Consortium utilizes high-throughput genetic sequencing to assess biodiversity and community ecology to address questions in wildlife conservation. They are engaging with the public and citizen scientists through their California eDNA initiative.
Nominated for: The Cal eDNA program, establishing an open-source database of biodiversity and community ecology for varying ecosystems throughout California. By sharing this knowledge and work with the public, they can support increasing awareness of biodiversity ecology, and how our management practices affect community ecology dynamics.
Annmarie Eldering, PhD
Annmarie Eldering, PhD, Environmental Engineering, CalTech, Project Scientist, NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory -3. Nominated for: NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory -3 (OCO-3), which watches the Earth breath from space by determining the sources emitting CO2 into the atmosphere and the natural processes that absorb it at the surface with precision and accuracy. Dr. Elderling plays a critical role in the implementation of these pioneering systems and is developing a new measurement system to provide more frequent coverage and retrieval of additional greenhouse gases contributing to climate change.
Lauren Bon, PhD
Lauren Bon, PhD candidate, UC Santa Cruz, Architect, Environmental Artist, LA, Founder of Metabolic Studios. Milli Macen-Moore, Certified master gardener, UC-certified Master Food Preserver, sustainable landscape expert, and a volunteer coordinator for Cooperative Extension's Grow LA Victory Garden Initiative and Fresh from the Garden program. Specializes in bilingual workshops for children on organic, edible landscapes for self-sustainability. Has developed unique curricula for preschool, elementary and middle school students. Nominated for: Metabolic Studio, explores self-sustaining and self-diversifying systems of exchange that feed emergent properties that regenerate the life web, mitigating industrial pollution. Bon has led "Bending the River Back Into the City", the monumental water project for Los Angeles.
Peter Kalmus, PhD
Peter Kalmus, PhD Physics, Columbia University; Climate Scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and an Associate Project Scientist at UCLA's Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science & Engineering. Nominated for: Leadership in personal action to abate climate change. His research, data and models illustrate how clouds and ecosystems are changing in a hotter world. He has authored or co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and is the author of the award-winning book Being the Change: Live Well and Spark a Climate Revolution, and an organizer serving the international #FridaysForFuture movement and given over 100 lectures.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Last weekend, Nick and Lydia made a long drive to my side of the state for an engagement shoot. Nick and I knew each other peripherally in college, and it turned out that Lydia was great friends with my younger sister and brother-in-law. Small world, eh!?
I love getting to know the people I work with so we started with a drink at a local brewery. Lydia and Nick have a lot of shared experiences with all variety of games, and it was a perfect segue to use the brewery's arcade and pinball machines to get the shoot started. A quick outfit change and we were out exploring two local parks for some natural variety.


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Put Your John Henry on This
The political role of Chairperson for the Region of Durham is a very demanding and challenging position. It is also one that has seen the likes of Roger Anderson and Gerri Lynn O'Connor, who handled the position with amazing professionalism and results. Just over a year ago, the position was once again up for election. After a grueling campaign the position was awarded to John Henry, at that time, the Mayor of Oshawa.
John was recently a guest on our television program, and I had the pleasure of speaking with him about his life, his career and his future. He was born and raised in Oshawa, and still lives there; a rarity for most anyone these days. After high school, John attended Durham College, as well as the Panasonic Corporate School, which led him into a career in office equipment.
Being the adventurous type, John was a recreational diver and worked for a dive store in Oshawa. He began to teach, and was offered instructional positions in Ann Arbor Michigan and Colorado, and received a rescue rating. While in Colorado, he met an instructor who taught at the firefighting school in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was not long before John was offered a position at the school, and enjoyed living in the south, and, as he said, "How could you not, with great music, great food and great people."
John continued his adventurous lifestyle by becoming an ice rescue specialist, a position. In Canada, this position is handled by firefighters and police. It requires specialized training to ensure you maximize safety standards, at the same time rescuing people who have had accidents as a result of snowmobile mishaps, ice fishing and the like.
"I was very fortunate to have a job in Oshawa, which allowed me the opportunity to travel and enhance my skills in many areas," John explained. Eventually John opened his own office equipment company serving Oshawa and Durham. When John became Mayor he parked the company, and moved ownership to a father and son team, which still operate the business today.
Before John became Mayor of Oshawa, he served as Regional Councillor for Ward Five. I asked him why he would leave a successful business to go into politics. "The biggest project in Oshawa, at the time, was the construction of the cancer centre at Lakeridge Health," he stated. "Politics had gotten in the way of building the facility, and over dinner one night, my wife suggested I run for office and do my best to solve the problem." It made a lot of sense, as John's entire career was made up of fixing other people's problems. It was obviously a great idea, as we now have one of the most advanced cancer centres in the country.
I asked him about the transition from Mayor to Regional Chair. "I was very fortunate to have worked with both of them [Roger Anderson and Gerri Lynn O'Connor]," he replied. "The job is a little scary at first, because Durham Region is half the size of Prince Edward Island."
As Chair, John Henry's role is to oversee everything which occurs in the Region of Durham. Anything from transit to the Police Services Board.; from road projects, to representing the region at a provincial level. "I was very fortunate to have served as Mayor for eight years, as it truly prepared me for the challenges I am facing today."
John explained how he and his team continue to lobby against the unfairness of the connector routes to highway 407, namely highways 412 and 418. What I did not know, was that Durham Region approached the provincial government about honouring their commitment to finish the ring road around Toronto by completing highway 407 to highway 115. John added, "The government said no, so we left the meeting, polled the residents of the region, and built it ourselves."
"The residents paid through taxes, to have those highways [412 and 418] built, and now they are being charged to use them." He went on to explain how much stress these roads would take off Lakeridge, Harmony, Taunton and others, if they were open to everyone at no cost.
I did get a good feeling that John, as Regional Chair understood the difference in problems between the north and the south. Issues such as water treatment stations in the south, and community wells in the north, as well as policing variances and transit challenges, to name but a few.
One of the recent improvements in transit, which affects northern Durham, is the new On Demand system, whereby an individual can make a call, and within a four hour window, will have access to the appropriate transportation to take them throughout the region.
One thing which impressed me, was that during the election, John covered his own expenses. The job of Regional Chair came with a car, which he immediately cancelled. He eliminated the use of a regional credit card and completes expense reports, just like everyone else. Once again, another positive result from bringing business philosophies to government.
John brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the job of running the region. The issues he faces are large and not without challenges, but if anyone is up to the task, John Henry certainly is that person.
To watch the entire episode of my interview with John Henry, tune to Rogers TV or visit 'The Jonathan van Bilsen Show' on YouTube.
Oh Christmas Prune
Elizabeth Werner, from Asphalt to Bricks & Mortar
Stewart Bennett, a wee Scot with a Tartan


Getting in shape after rehab is a good idea for several reasons: it gives you something positive to focus on, allows you to set and meet goals, and helps you take care of your body and get it back into an optimal state after years of alcohol-related damage. Perhaps most importantly, working out most days of the week will provide your brain and body with feel-good hormones and brain chemicals, including endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin.
These work to ease feelings of depression and anxiety, help you feel more calm and happy, and act as natural pain relievers. Since many alcoholics begin abusing alcohol in part as self-medication for emotional or physical pain, anything you can do that is healthy and makes you feel happier naturally is a good idea, and exercise is one of the most effective.
While most alcohol rehab facilities offer skilled therapists and counseling sessions on-site, it's important to continue working on your emotional health once you are back in the real world.A therapist with specialized training in alcohol addiction will help you process and heal from past traumas that may have contributed to your alcoholism, as well as any shame and guilt you feel about your years of alcoholism.
A therapist can also help you learn practical relationship and communication skills, such as setting clear boundaries, that will make it easier to navigate your new life as a sober person.
In rehab, it is likely you learned ways to center yourself emotionally in order to be more mindful and avoid resorting to drinking when something happens that triggers a negative emotional response. Whether you learned to meditate, practice deep breathing, focus on positive mantras, or write down your worries and possible solutions in a daily journal, it's a great idea to continue this practice once you leave rehab.
Set aside time each day in the morning or evening to sit with your thoughts, relax, and practice centering and mindfulness. This ritual is something you can look forward to and retreat to any time you feel anxious or worried.
The more open you can be with your friends and family, the better. Express how difficult getting sober was and how important it is to you to remain sober. Explain that in these important months right after rehab, you may be feeling a bit vulnerable and like your sobriety is fragile. Ask for help, whether it's having your friends and family avoid drinking around you for the time being, or becoming activity partners for healthy new hobbies and activities.
You may want to suggest that they attend a few Al-Anon family group meetings to gain a deeper understanding of your sobriety and struggles. If particular friends live unhealthy lives and intentionally put you in risky situations, it may be time to distance yourself from those friendships. Remember that true friends will want what's best for you, which means supporting your sobriety and health.
Maintaining sobriety after going to rehab for alcohol addiction isn't easy, but you can do it. Following these tips will help you create a healthy, sober, and fulfilling life post-rehab. For more help, reach out to treatment centers like Pacific Ridge.
Hi there, my name is Beatrice Adamson. Welcome to my website about self help techniques that really work. After graduation, I experienced difficulties that made it feel impossible to pursue career opportunities in my chosen field. I wanted to work through the difficulties on my own, so I looked into self help techniques. Thanks to these techniques, I was able to rectify the issues and forge ahead on my career path with confidence. I made this website in hopes of helping others tackle similar issues and work toward complete personal and professional success. I invite you to visit daily to learn more.


On the dark night of December 9, 2013, masked gunmen stormed the Violations Documentation Center in Douma and kidnapped four of its members: Razan Zeitouneh, Samira Khalil, Wael Hamadeh and Nazem Hammadi. Although it happened in an area controlled by opposition militias, the incident was a stark reminder of the regime's tactics.
The four kidnapped activists were prominent proponents of the Syrian uprising from its early days, and their work on documenting the human rights violations exacted on Syrians was widely acknowledged. Their kidnapping exposed the fractious nature of an uprising under assault from all sides. To many, this was a clear sign of the uprising's need to exorcise its own demons.
Today, Tuesday May 27, 2014, Syrian grassroots activists, journalists, intellectuals and the families of the detained, as well as national and international human rights and media organizations come together to launch a concerted campaign to free the #Douma4.
Kidnapping Razan,Samira, Wael and Nazem is a betrayal to the Syrian Revolution and an insult to the Syrian people, especially Douma's people. To have unknown masked men kidnapping four unarmed activists, and hiding them from the world, is something that people won't forget and history won't ignore. We, families of the four kidnapped, call on the residents, rebels and activists of Douma to help reveal the fate of the four and release them immediately, honored and revered. We also call on all Syrians capable to help provide useful information about the kidnapped and the kidnappers and work on ensuring the safety of the four. We hold their captors responsible for their well-being, and we demand their immediate and unconditional release.
"We also want to address this to the Syrian people, to remind them of the importance of the kidnapped activists and their central role in the revolution. In particular to the local population of Douma and Eastern Ghouta, and ask them to pressure the local opposition militias in their towns for the immediate release of the activists," al-Ashi continues.
So far there has been no contact whatsoever with the detainees. The activists, however, believe that they are being held in the Douma countryside at a detention center under the control of al-Nusra Front, and the Army of Islam militias. Nevertheless, the campaign coordinators stress that there is no confirmed information on their exact whereabouts primarily for the lack of cooperation from the Army of Islam militias, the largest armed faction in the area.


The Little Black Dress is the one piece in a woman's wardrobe she can always rely on to make her feel feminine, lovely, and irresistible… but it can be quite boring if worn all by it's lonesome!
I've come up with a few different ways to change up that black dress using my new favorite toy, Polyvore.
If you're going out to Sunday brunch or having tea with Grammy, you might want to rethink that zebra print clutch. A more appropriate and sophisticated way to accessorize is with a cute jacket, dainty jewelry and lacey, feminine details. Don't forget your hankie!
What are your tips and tricks for dressing up the plain old Little Black Dress?
Click on images for full details and links to individual items.
First of all that site is so cool. I need to explore it more.
I usually just change out the shoes and the clutch. The nice thing about a solid piece like that there are so many options for accessories.
These outfits are great. Wish I lived there so we could do girl's night! That is fabulous. I love the high tea outfit too. Quite a transformation.
I found YOUR site through a comment you left on mine! I love those Steve Madden shoes…such a sucker for heels!
omg i love polyvore too! it has definitely kept me from doing my projects at work lately (it's just so addicting!!).
thanks for commenting on our blog. i have already bookmarked you and will be visiting again soon.
Cute cute! I love polyvore as well! I'm going to go do a little black dress set now!
I agree with you, fun, bold accessories are the best way to dress up the LBD.


Norman, M.D. (1993). Four new octopus species of the Octopus macropus group (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Memoirs of the Museum of Victoria. 53(2): 267-308.
Norman, M. D., 1993: Four new octopus species of the Octopus macropus group (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Memoirs of the Museum of Victoria, 53 (2) (1992). 267-308.


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Freight truck fleets, manufacturers, and dealers to Pruitt: stop supporting super-polluting glider trucks
By Erin Murphy / Bio / Published: January 24, 2018
Diesel pollution from a freight truck in 2008. Pruitt is proposing a loophole that would allow new trucks to evade modern clean air protections by using high-polluting old engines like this one. Photo: EPA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), led by Administrator Scott Pruitt, is proposing to roll back important safeguards and allow certain heavy-duty freight trucks – commonly known as "glider trucks" – to evade modern pollution standards.
Rolling back these protections would have terrible impacts for human health, including as many as 4,100 premature deaths in 2025 alone. Glider trucks can emit harmful pollution at a rate up to 450 times that of other new freight trucks. So the broad chorus of opposition from the public – including from EDF – is no surprise.
But you might be surprised by who else is strongly opposing EPA's proposal.
Every segment of the freight industry — truck manufacturers, fleet owners, freight shippers and other stakeholders — has spoken out to oppose this rollback.
These industry stakeholders recognize that Pruitt's proposal would undo decades of progress in cleaning up pollution from heavy-duty freight trucks. Moreover, it would undermine their significant investments in pollution control innovation.
The proposed rule would create a loophole for the small segment of the freight truck industry that manufactures super-polluting glider trucks, which use old diesel engines that are not equipped with modern pollution controls — and the loophole would be at the expense of other truck manufacturers and dealers who play by the rules.
These freight truck industry words speak for themselves – EPA needs to reverse course on this deeply damaging proposal:
The National Automobile Dealers Association, as well as numerous individual truck dealers, have expressed opposition to the proposal.
TriState Truck Center, based in Memphis, Tennessee and employing about 400 people:
"We have been a heavy duty dealer for 72 years. I have personally worked here since 1972. I remember the days years ago when our truck shop was so thick with the exhaust from the trucks that you could not see the other side of our shop. Today, our shops are clean and exhaust free due to the new EPA compliant engines. Do we really want to go back to those days? That's what more glider kits will do with engines that are both obsolete and environmentally unfriendly." — Public Comment of TriState Truck Center
Daimler Trucks North America, a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty vehicles in the United States, opposes the proposed rule despite being a major supplier of glider kits:
"[T]he EPA's proposed revisions to the glider rules would undermine the investments that DTNA and Detroit Diesel Corporation — and all other U.S. manufacturers — made in advanced technologies and exhaust after treatment, while opening the vehicle and engine markets to manufacturers who find simple options to skirt EPA regulations altogether and market high emitting engines or vehicles." – Public Comment of Daimler Trucks North America
The Volvo Group, one of the world's leading manufacturers of heavy-duty trucks, and direct employer of more than 13,000 Americans:
"A repeal of the Phase 2 glider provisions will make a mockery of the massive investments we've made to develop clean diesel technology. Any relaxation of the production caps is unnecessary and would exacerbate the negative competitive and environmental impacts from the glider industry. It's imperative that the Agency ensure that all actors are playing by the same set of rules." — Public Comment of the Volvo Group
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, whose members include major car companies including Ford, General Motors, and Toyota, opposes the proposal and says this rule could have implications far beyond glider vehicles, resulting in drastic increases in air pollution from other motor vehicles:
"One glaring (and perhaps unintended) result of the Proposed Repeal is that any auto or engine manufacturer (or its customer) could circumvent EPA's GHG regulation of new motor vehicles and new motor vehicle engines merely by incorporating a few used components into their finished products …Vehicle manufacturers or builders of 'kit vehicles' could attempt to avoid compliance with emission standards in their entirety by incorporating used powertrain components into their vehicles. A circumvention of criteria pollutant standards in this way would adversely affect public health and run contrary to other EPA efforts to promote low on-road emissions." — Public Comment of Auto Alliance
The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA), representing leading global manufacturers of heavy-duty and medium-duty vehicles and engines including Honda, Caterpillar, Cummins, Ford, General Motors, Navistar, Volvo, and Yamaha:
"[S]uch a loophole would be especially damaging to EMA's members who have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in advanced technologies – technologies that make them the world's leaders in the manufacture of new heavy-duty and medium-duty on-highway engines and vehicles. EPA's loophole would open the door for other manufacturers (that have not made the same investment) to enter the U.S. marketplace, even with used engines that have no advanced emission-control systems whatsoever." — Public Comment of EMA
PACCAR is a manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty trucks and engines, including a major manufacturer of glider kits. Even PACCAR, which would be able to sell glider kits through the proposed loophole, acknowledges the harmful implications of EPA's proposed rule:
"PACCAR supports the comments submitted by the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA) regarding EPA's interpretation of the CAA used in this NPRM. In particular, PACCAR agrees with EMA that EPA's interpretation of CAA Section 202(a)(1) will create a loophole that could … lead to traditionally 'new' engines being built with one or more refurbished parts in order to avoid being regulated to the current CAA emissions requirements." — Public Comment of PACCAR
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the nation's largest manufacturing association representing nearly 14,000 small, medium, and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states:
"The framework created by the existing [2016 HDP2] regulations strikes an appropriate balance without creating a competitive disadvantage for manufacturers that comply with GHG standards. . . . [T]he proposed repeal of the glider vehicle requirements from the Phase 2 rule could have unintended consequences that affect the market for new heavy-duty vehicles." — Public Comment of NAM
FLEETS AND SHIPPERS
UPS, which owns the largest truck fleet in the U.S.:
"Allowing gliders to remain unchecked as to fuel economy and emissions means that the cleanest heavy truck fleets in the nation will keep paying the price for clean air, while gliders don't. In short, before asking [for] more improvements in the best-of-the-best trucks, EPA should pursue cleaner emissions in trucks that are already the worst-of-the-worst in emissions." — Public Comment of UPS
The American Trucking Associations, which represents more than 34,000 companies, convened a Fuel Efficiency Advisory Committee comprised of leading truck fleets from across the country, including UPS, Wal-Mart, PepsiCo, and Penske Truck Leasing. The committee voted unanimously "to oppose any attempts to repeal the glider provisions in the [2016] final Phase 2 rule."
"Our members have worked together tirelessly in support of technologies and programs that have resulted in the production and adoption of the cleanest and most fuel-efficient diesel trucks ever. EPA's decision to allow the unchecked growth of the glider market and encourage the continued sale of antiquated engine technologies grossly undermines the investment decisions of thousands of companies, organizations, and businesses." — Public Comment of American Trucking Associations
The Ceres BICEP Network (Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy) is comprised of leading companies such as Adobe, eBay, IKEA, L'Oreal, Nike, The North Face, Patagonia, Sierra Nevada Brewing, and Unilever:
"It is important to us that the transportation of our goods does not result in negative public health impacts, and we believe that those trucking companies that have invested in clean technologies, and those companies that use them, should not be penalized. Given that this proposal will result in significant harm to public health, and undermine a level playing field for those who support clean technologies, we strongly oppose this proposal." — Public Comment of BICEP
Leadership: The auto industry's missing ingredient
By Jason Mathers / Bio / Published: January 16, 2018
The automotive industry's capacity for innovation and marketing are on full display this month. Between the Consumer Electronic Show and the North American International Auto Show, every day brings a new story about the rapid development of vehicle technology. The industry possesses the know-how and ability to deliver on the zero-emissions future if it wants to.
A Ford at an electric car charging station in Buffalo, NY. Photo by Fortunate4now
Behind the headlines of engineering feats and product plans, though, is a disturbing fact. The industry is undermining its own innovation. It's doing this through a campaign to dramatically weaken the central tool we have to move cleaner technology into the fleet – protective greenhouse gas reduction and fuel efficiency standards for new cars and passenger trucks.
Well-designed federal standards foster the deployment of fuel saving solutions. With the certainty of long-term standards in place, manufacturers are able to make the necessary investments to scale these solutions into the fleet. Scaled production further drives down costs, enhancing automaker profitability and consumer payback.
This cycle has been in full view over the past several years as automakers have brought to market ever more efficient vehicles with record sales and strong profitability. An exhaustive technical analysis completed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and California Air Resources Board found that automakers were well positioned to deliver even more fuel efficiency and emissions progress in the years ahead.
With this robust technical underpinning, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a determination to maintain the existing 2022 to 2025 standards. Back in 2012, EPA finalized these standards with the broad support of the automotive industry. But fast forward to today, and the automotive industry is pushing for the Trump Administration to reconsider this determination.
This has set up a year of incongruity where the industry's position that the standards need to be re-examined are consistently contradicted by its product announcements. In just this past year, automakers have made the following announcements:
Daimler AG announced a billion dollar investment to build electric vehicles in the U.S. with production starting in the early 2020's.
BMW reached 100,000 in global electric vehicle sales while promising a dozen models of electric vehicles by 2025.
Toyota committed to having at least 10 models of all-electric vehicles by the early 2020's.
Mazda promoted an engine breakthrough that could improve efficiency by up to 30 percent, and is planning to deploy the new engine in 2019.
GM laid out a bold vision for a "zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion" future, announced plans for 20 new electric vehicles by 2023 – including two by 2019, and rolled out the acclaimed Chevy Bolt across the U.S.
Ford publicized its intention to have an electric vehicle with a range of 300 miles on the market by 2020.
These are not public announcements most automakers make lightly. They make them with high confidence in their ability to meet them.
As amazing as these announcements are, none of them are even necessary to meet the vehicle greenhouse gas standards that EPA finalized in 2012 and affirmed last year. The industry is already poised to meet these standards with broader adoption of more conventional technologies.
The impressive innovation in advanced engine design and electrification – which the industry clearly believes will start to scale over the next few years – will make the standards even more attainable.
Yet, despite the remarkable recent record of innovation and the significant investments made in developing a new generation of clean vehicle solutions, the automotive industry – through its trade associations – has chosen a path to weaken our existing emissions standards and has stayed silent as EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has threatened California's own protective vehicle emission standards.
The industry's actions are contradictory and concerning. Yet, there is still time for automakers to choose a different path – one that looks to the future and seeks to build a new round of protective standards that rewards the industry's innovation, lowers costs for families and protects human health and the environment.
As the announcements are made over the coming days, we should also be listening to hear if any automakers are willing to match their record on innovation with what the industry most needs now – leadership.
Posted in Cars and Pollution, Economics, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, News, Policy / Read 1 Response
Natural disasters are no longer purely natural
By Ilissa Ocko / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: January 16, 2018
You may have heard the alarming news that weather and climate disasters in the U.S. killed 362 people in 2017 and caused a record $306 billion in damages.
But also alarming is the fact that many news outlets are still referring to these events as "natural disasters."
Southeast Texas after Hurricane Harvey – a not-purely-natural disaster. Photo: U.S. Department of Defense
With recent advances in science, researchers have found that human-caused climate change plays a major role in making certain events occur and/or making them worse. That means that many "natural disasters" are no longer purely "natural."
Here is a look at some not-so-natural disasters:
Hurricane Harvey 2017: human-caused climate change made record rainfall over Houston around three times more likely and 15 percent more intense
European Extreme Heat 2017: human-caused climate change made intensity and frequency of such extreme heat at least 10 times as likely in Portugal and Spain
Australian Extreme Heat 2017: maximum summer temperatures like those seen during 2016-2017 are now at least 10 times more likely with human-caused climate change
Louisiana Downpours 2016: human-caused climate change made events like this 40 percent more likely and increased rainfall intensity by around 10 percent
European Rainstorms 2016: human-caused climate change made probability of three-day extreme rainfall this season at least 40 percent more likely in France
UK Storm Desmond 2015: human-caused climate change made extreme regional rainfall roughly 60 percent more likely
Argentinian Heat Wave 2013/2014: human-caused climate change made the event around five times more likely
By employing the term "natural disasters," news outlets and others are inadvertently implying that all of these events are just misfortunate incidences – rather than consequences of our actions.
This seemingly innocuous phrase supports the idea that dangerous weather is out of our control.
But, we do have some control over their frequency and intensity, and that control is through our emissions of heat-trapping gases.
We need to act on climate, and we need to do it now. Pointing out that we worsen and may even cause these weather disasters may help convince people to do what needs to be done.
Posted in Basic Science of Global Warming, Extreme Weather, News, Science, Setting the Facts Straight / Read 1 Response
A look back at 2017: The year in weather disasters – and the connection to climate change
By Casey Ivanovich / Published: January 3, 2018
Port Arthur, Texas after Hurricane Harvey. Photo: SC-HART
From hurricanes to heat waves, 2017 produced countless headlines concerning extreme weather and the devastation left in its wake.
We tend to think of extreme weather as an unpredictable, external source of destruction. When faced with catastrophes, we don't always recognize the role we play in intensifying their impacts.
But as human-induced climate change continues to progress, extreme weather is becoming more frequent and dangerous. Without immediate greenhouse gas mitigation efforts, last year's unprecedented disasters may soon become the norm.
Here's a look back at the worst weather of 2017 and how these events may have been affected by climate change (and scroll down to see a timeline of the year's worst weather).
Massive flooding drowns California – Intense rains in January provided a much needed respite from California's longstanding drought, but quickly tipped from satiating to inundating. Within the first 11 days of the year, California received 25 percent of the state's average annual rainfall. Flooding and mudslides forced more than 200,000 people to evacuate their homes and caused an estimated $1.5 billion in property and infrastructure damages.
The rapid shift from drought to flooding may be a marker of climate change. As temperatures warm, precipitation falling as rain rather than snow and expedited snow melt lead to the earlier filling of reservoirs. Such a shift increases the likelihood of both summer droughts and winter flooding, with the latter intensified by a warming atmosphere that holds more moisture and deposits greater precipitation in heavy rainfall events.
Heat wave sizzles in Australia – High heat persisting overnight in the New South Wales and Southern Queensland regions of Australia induced a series of devastating heat waves throughout January and February. Following a record-setting month in which the city reached its highest ever overnight minimum temperature for December, Sydney experienced the hottest night in January since weather records began in the mid-1800s.
Analysis has shown that these extreme summer temperatures are 10 times as likely due to the influence of climate change. With rising global temperatures, heat waves are expected to become more intense, frequent, and longer lasting. Australia was just one of many regions to experience these developing changes in 2017.
Extreme heat melts the North Pole – Recent history of escalating temperatures in the Arctic could not dull the shock when temperatures near the North Pole reached more than 50 degrees Fahrenheit above regional averages this winter. The heat wave associated with this spike is not only dramatic in intensity, but frequency – heat this extreme usually occurs about once each decade, yet this event was the third recorded in just over a month.
There exists an essential feedback between sea ice melt and Arctic warming – the more we warm, the more ice melts, lowering the region's reflectivity of sunlight and increasing warming intensity. While these processes are usually gradual, weather variability can kick dramatic warming events into high gear. The winter heat waves experienced in the Arctic provide examples of such a combination, which may occur every few years should we reach a 2 degree Celsius global temperature rise.
Drought brings risk of famine to Somalia – At a time when a staggering 6.2 million people – half of Somalia's population – required urgent humanitarian aid, the World Health Organization released an official warning that Somalia was on the verge of famine. Such categorization would clock in as Somalia's third famine in 25 years, the most recent of which led to the death of 260,000 people.
After years of scarce rainfall, the nation continues to face widespread food insecurity, reduced access to clean water, and increased risk for drought-related illness. Analysis of both observational and modeling data suggests that only a small increase in the nation's dry extremes can be attributed to climate change. However, as dry regions become progressively drier in a warming climate, similar national disasters may become increasingly common.
Extreme heat blisters the Southwestern United States – In June, an intense heat wave blazed across the Southwestern U.S. and left record high temperatures in its trail. Daily records included 127 degrees Fahrenheit in Death Valley. All-time records were reached in Las Vegas, Nevada and Needles, California at 117 degrees Fahrenheit and 125 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. High heat triggered public health concerns and led to power outages in the California Central Valley, the buckling of highways in West Sacramento, and the cancelation of 50 flights out of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport for American Airlines alone.
While high temperatures are typical of the low-humidity pre-monsoon season in the Southwest, the unprecedented magnitude of these numbers and the shift towards an earlier extreme heat season may be a signal of the changing climate.
Greenland's wildfires, as seen from space. Photo: NASA
Once-icy Greenland engulfed in flames – In historically icy Greenland, wildfires have typically been of minimal concern. As a result, when the largest wildfire in the country's history broke out at the end of July, there existed virtually no framework to assess the event's health and infrastructure risk.
As global temperatures rise and Greenland's ice melts, the once barren landscape can fill with vegetation and expand the likelihood of forest fire outbreak. Climate change simultaneously lengthens and intensifies drought in the region, while increasing the likelihood of thunderstorms (a major catalyst of wildfires). Wildfires in turn intensify regional warming, as the fires' soot deposits black carbon on the pristine snow cover, reducing the region's reflectivity and accelerating ice sheet melt.
"Lucifer" plagues Europe – Europe's most sustained extreme heat event since the deadly 2003 heatwave (in which climate change was responsible for half of the 1050 recorded deaths) brought temperatures so reminiscent of the Inferno that locals named the event "Lucifer." As temperatures throughout the region surpassed 104 degrees Fahrenheit, two deaths were recorded and a 15 percent increase in hospital emergency emissions was observed in Italy. The heatwave also caused pollution levels to soar and spurred wildfires throughout Portugal, just a few months after fires in Pedrógão Grande killed 60 and injured more than 250.
Research concerning previous extreme heat in Europe has shown that climate change renders the maximum summer temperatures observed in regions such as Spain 500 times more likely than in the pre-industrial era. As global temperatures continue to rise, extreme heat will only become more familiar.
Southeast Asia inundated by widespread floods – More than 41 million people were affected by massive floods and landslides that rippled through nations including Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. Losses experienced by the region included more than 1,300 lives and the displacement of 600,000. Two simultaneous pressures – the push for urbanization and neglect towards developing sustainable draining systems – renders the region highly vulnerable to these natural disasters.
The link between the Southeast Asian monsoon season and climate change is complex, dependent upon a variety of entwined weather systems and intricate regional topography. More study is necessary to predict the influence of a changing climate on this monsoon system in order to prepare the region for impact and increase communities' resilience.
Puerto Rico after Hurricane Irma. Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Atlantic hurricane season leaves devastation in its wake – Deadly storms Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Ophelia dominated the news in August, killing more than 150 people and causing more than $300 billion in damages in just the United States.
As the atmosphere holds seven percent more moisture with each one degree Celsius temperature rise, individual tropical storms can now deposit more rainfall. Recent studies have estimated that climate change rendered Harvey's extreme rainfall three times more likely and 15 percent more intense. 27 trillion gallons of rain fell over Texas and Louisiana from Hurricane Harvey alone, setting the record for the highest tropical cyclone rainfall in the continental US. Sea level rise of 10 to 12 inches in cities such as Miami dramatically increased the destruction caused by the storm surges associated with Hurricane Irma, which were as high as 10 feet. Warming waters driving hurricane development and strength ushered in Hurricane Maria – Puerto Rico's strongest storm in 85 years – and Hurricane Ophelia, which set records for the farthest east a major hurricane has traveled in the Atlantic and the worst storm in history to make landfall in Ireland.
Western United States' forests set ablaze – Wildfires devastated Northern California this October, with more than 245,000 acres burned and 14,000 homes destroyed. Insured losses in the region amounted to more than $3 billion, but danger does not end when the fires are extinguished. The remaining ash and debris (including hazardous waste, electronic waste, and heavy metal contamination) can be spread by wind and rain, posing even further health concerns to those nearby. The increased temperatures and decreased water availability associated with climate change increases the risk of wildfires. Due to recent temperature and dryness extremes in California, even engine heat from parked cars has been cited as the source of major fires.
The duration of the fire season has also begun to lengthen, as spring and summer temperatures rise and snowmelt begins earlier. California wildfires ignited once again in December outside of Los Angeles, creating even more destruction than those in the north. Covering an area of more than 425 square miles and displacing more than 100,000 people, the Thomas fire ranks as the second largest fire in the state's history. While dryness and high temperatures triggering the fire's outbreak are associated with La Niña's current presence in the region, climate change serves to exacerbate both conditions and facilitate the dramatic losses experienced by California residents.
The direct influence of climate change on many of these events suggests that more devastating catastrophes lie ahead. But the future is not written in stone.
Should we recognize the intensification of these extreme weather events, the power to decrease greenhouse gas emissions worldwide and prevent increasingly hostile weather remains in our hands.
Posted in Arctic & Antarctic, Basic Science of Global Warming, Extreme Weather, Science / Read 2 Responses


Items where Author is "Wahyu, Setiawati"
Wahyu, Setiawati (2010) PEMBUATAN ROTI TAWAR BERSERAT TINGGI DENGAN SUBSTITUSI TEPUNG BEKATUL DAN PENAMBAHAN GLISEROL MONOSTEARAT. Undergraduate thesis, Faculty of Industrial Technology.
This list was generated on Tue Apr 23 09:50:11 2019 WIT.


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Wall-Mounted Fans
Fans for Institutions
Tips To Select The Right Wall-Mounted Fan For You
HomeWall mounted fansTips To Select The Right Wall-Mounted Fan For You
By Atomberg Team
In Wall mounted fans
Tips To Select The Right Wall-Mounted Fan For You2019-02-082020-01-21https://atomberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/logo-new.pngMost energy efficient ceiling fan in Indiahttps://atomberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/logo-new.png200px200px
We all know that ceiling fans are the most preferred options when it comes to cooling. Sometimes though, you may find that a wall-mounted fan works best at certain places. For example, high-ceiling rooms, kitchens, public spaces like restaurants, additional ventilation, etc.
Let us quickly guide you on how you can choose the best fan for yourself.
Consider The Location Of The Fan
As mentioned above, a wall-mounted fan can prove to be a better option than ceiling fans at some places like restaurants, kitchens, garages, outdoor patios, etc. Now, do know that every outdoor location mentioned before differs from the others. So you'd need to check for factors like size, available space, speed, oscillation, adjustable angles, etc. before you buy a fan. Consult a technician to guide you to find your best match.
Choose The Right Size/Right Number
Just like ceiling fans, wall-mounted fans come in different sizes. Depending on how large the area is, you can choose the right size of fans or the number of fans you need to install. For a normal room, a fan with 400 mm sweep would be perfect.
Check The Available Speeds
This is one of the most important factors after the size of the fan that you should check. It's always good to have a fan with variable speeds. Because different people have different inclinations for fan speeds. Some may like to run it on full speed throughout the year, while some may like to use the fan on low speed during winters. When you have variable speeds, it's always more convenient.
Check The Additional Features
Though you wouldn't expect much features from a wall-mounted fan, you'd be surprised by some high-tech fans in the market. For example, the new Atomberg wall-mounted fans in India come with features like compact & powerful BLDC motor, 2X run-time on inverters, specially designed aerodynamic blades for noise reduction, etc. Additionally, they also happen to be India's most energy-efficient fans with up to 50% energy savings! So before buying an ordinary fan, do check if you can get features like these. After all, there's no harm in having additional advantages, right?
Check The Sturdiness Of The Fan
As far as domestic usage is concerned, lightweight fans are ideal, provided the material isn't weak. Such fans are normally made of plastic. However, do ensure that you are buying a fan that is made from the best quality material.
Atomberg Technologies is the manufacturer of the high-tech Atomberg wall-mounted fans
Tips To Select The Right Wall-Mounted Fan For YouAtomberg TeamJanuary 21, 2020
wall-mounted fans in India
Atomberg Team
Atomberg Hosts #SuperDuperCoolContest
On 2nd of July, Atomberg Technologies hosted a contest for the lively twitterati. The #SuperDuperCoolContest had a major response from various parts of the country. Reaching a mile stone of interacting with over 10 mil users in a day surely made things much more interesting.Twitterati fairly enjoyed the contest as it was a Q&A interaction. […]
Here's How To Set Fan Rotation According To Seasons
Not many people know but the ceiling fan rotation should ideally be different for different seasons. Why? Because it helps to maintain the room temperature better. So, to start with, some ceiling fans can work in two directions: clockwise and anti-clockwise. The direction of the rotation blows air upwards and downwards respectively. While normally, all […]
7 Features of a Good Quality Pedestal Fan
While you can see a lot of innovative features in ceiling fans in the market, pedestal fans seem to be pretty ordinary. But that's where the truth lies. They 'seem' to be ordinary when actually they are not. Now-a-days, some pedestal fans come with features that will not just delight but also surprise you. You […]
A Futuristic Approach to the Development of Ceiling Fans
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text:
Why Fire Safety Shouldn't be a Trade-off
This article discusses why fire safety shouldn't be a trade-off. Sprinklers can and have failed, which is why built-in protection with fire rated glass systems is important to achieving life safety goals.
The saying ´less is more´ can apply to a lot of things – but not when it comes to life and property protection in the event of a fire. A lot of attention has been given to active fire protection systems like fire sprinklers that are designed to suppress fires. Reports have shown that automatic sprinklers are indeed reliable – but not absolute nor infallible. According to NFPA's Report U.S. Experience with Sprinklers in June 2013,
"Sprinklers operated in 91% of all reported structures large enough to activate sprinklers… When sprinklers operated, they were effective 96% of the time, resulting in a combined performance of operating effectively in 87% of all reported fires where sprinklers were present in the fire area and the fire was large enough to activate them."1
In the same NFPA report, majority of sprinkler failures (where sprinklers did not activate at all) occurred because the system was shut off, and that majority of sprinkler ineffectiveness (where sprinklers activated but were not effective) was because water did not reach the fire or not enough water was released. This could be caused by a number of factors, including manual tampering, lack of maintenance, low water pressure or damage to the system, which is a real possibility during natural disasters such as earthquakes. FM Global reported "sprinkler system breakage puts your fire protection out of service at the time that you need it the most. After an earthquake, the threat of fire is greater due to the increased presence of ignition sources and, at some facilities, flammable material releases."2
Knowing that sprinklers can and have failed, it doesn´t make a lot of sense to solely rely on sprinklers to protect people and property during a fire. The more sensible and safer way to go is employing a redundant or balanced approach by having both active fire protection systems (like sprinklers) and passive fire protection systems like fire resistive walls and doors that are built into the structure. These fire resistive building materials create fire barriers, firewalls, fire partitions, fire doors, protective openings and smoke barriers that form compartments, or occupancy separations, that contain flames, heat and gases at the point of origin so that building occupants may exit the building safely. Passive fire protection works 24/7 without the mechanical triggers that sprinklers need, which makes it reliable and virtually maintenance-free.
Key Benefits of Passive or Built-in Fire Protection
Perhaps the most important benefit of incorporating passive fire protection is the fact that fire resistive building materials are the best defense against dangerous radiant heat, which are invisible electromagnetic waves that travel at the speed of light with little resistance. When these waves strike an object, they are absorbed and their energy is converted to heat. If the object is a combustible material, a fire will start when the material´s ignition temperature is reached. Radiant heat is extremely dangerous to building occupants since it can quickly reach a level that causes unbearable pain, followed rapidly by second degree burns, preventing safe egress.
Another important benefit of having passive fire protection is compartmentalization. Fire resistive building materials are designed to contain, prevent or slow the spread of fire from the room of origin to other parts of the building. By limiting the spread of fire with fire resistive materials, damage to the building is reduced and building occupants gain time for emergency evacuation or movement to areas of refuge.
In System Planning Corporation´s report Fire Spread and Built-in Fire Protection, passive or built-in fire protection limited fire spread to the room of origin in 90% of health-related buildings. Active fire suppression systems, such as sprinklers, and speedy fire department response provided the other 10%3.
In the same report, passive fire protection limited fire spread to the room of origin in 87% of education-type facilities. Active suppression systems, such as sprinklers, and speedy fire department response provided the other 13%4.
In both instances, passive fire protection systems did majority of the work in protecting life and property, showing how critical and effective passive fire protection is when it comes to total building fire protection.
Sprinkler Trade-offs Can Compromise Fire Safety
Employing a balanced approach to fire protection becomes especially important when sprinklers are used to eliminate the need for fire resistant building materials. For instance, a combination of sprinklers and non-rated glass have been used in places where fire rated glass is typically required. This can put building occupants at risk because non-rated glass cannot protect people and property the way that fire rated glass can. Non-rated glass will fall out of the opening because it is not designed to withstand high temperatures, spreading smoke, flames and heat to other parts of the building. Knowing that sprinklers can and have failed to effectively suppress a fire or operate at all, this could significantly impact the ability of building occupants to either exit the building safely or seek safe harbor while awaiting rescue.
Fire rated glazing provides continuous passive fire protection without the need for triggers that require maintenance and are at risk of not working in an emergency or disaster situation. In addition, incorporating clear lines of sight through transparent walls, doors and openings is a significant benefit to first responders. It gives them an opportunity to visually assess the situation before charging in, greatly improving fire and life safety.
Fire Rated Glazing as Built-in Fire Protection
Fire rated glazing can be used to create 24/7, maintenance-free built-in fire protection in several areas within and outside of the building (based on the 2012 IBC):
1-hour exit corridors – 20 minute fire protective door vision panels and 45 minute fire protective sidelites, transoms and openings. If the glazed area exceeds 25% of the wall area, 60 minute fire resistive glazing must be used.
1-hour exit/stairwell enclosures – 60 minute fire protective door vision panel up to 100 sq. in. and 60 minute fire resistive sidelites, transoms and other openings. The door vision panel can exceed 100 sq. in. by using 60 minute fire resistive glazing.
2-hour exit/stairwell enclosures – 90 minute fire protective door vision panel up to 100 sq. in. and 120 minute fire resistive sidelites, transoms and other openings. The door vision panel can exceed 100 sq. in. by using 90 minute fire resistive glazing.
1-hour exterior walls (when permitted per Table 705.8 in the IBC) — 45 minute fire protective openings within specified limits. To exceed specified limits, 60 minute fire resistive glazing must be used.
2-hour exterior walls (when permitted per Table 705.8 in the IBC) — 90 minute fire protective openings within specified limits. To exceed specified limits, 120 minute fire resistive glazing must be used.
For a complete list of fire rated glazing applications, please refer to Tables 716.3, 716.5 and 716.6 of the 2012 IBC.
At the end of the day, when something as important as life safety is the issue, an either-or proposition to fire safety is hardly the answer. Having both active and passive fire protection systems may seem redundant, but it´s these redundancies that provide improved levels of safety.
1John R. Hall, "US Experience with Sprinklers," National Fire Protection Association, June 2013.
2″Understanding the Hazard: Lack of Earthquake Bracing on Sprinkler Systems," FM Global, 2009.
3,4″Fire Spread and Built-in Fire Protection: A Preliminary Analysis," System Planning Corporation, February 2006.


text:
Boner Fight for November 23rd, 2020
By Radio From Hell
Boner Candidate #1: NEO NAZIS; PORN STARS; MARINES
An active-duty Marine assigned to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina has been charged in an illegal firearms conspiracy—which prosecutors allege was run by a cabal of neo-Nazi ex-military men who wanted to create a "modern day SS." The evidence includes a sickening video of live-fire weapons training that ended with the masked participants giving "Heil Hitler" salutes before a slide with the message: "Come home white man." It also includes chat logs in which the men discussed shooting anti-racism protesters. Justin Wade Hermanson, 21, was named in a federal indictment along with Liam Collins, 21, and Jordan Duncan, 26, both ex-Marines who served at Camp Lejeune. The fourth person charged is Paul Kryscuk, 35, reportedly a porn star who specialized in abusing black women. Kryscuk, whose screen name was Pauly Harker, linked up with Collins, who was drummed out of the military last year for extremist posts, on Iron March— the now-defunct fascist forum that gave birth to the terrorist organization Atomwaffen Division.
Boner Candidate #2: THEY'RE STILL ON ICE
The bodies of hundreds of people who died in New York City during the Covid-19 surge in the spring are still in storage in freezer trucks on the Brooklyn waterfront. Many of the bodies are of people whose families can't be located or can't afford a proper burial, according to the city's Office of Chief Medical Examiner. About 650 bodies are being stored in the trucks at a disaster morgue that was set up in April on the 39th Street Pier in Sunset Park. Before the pandemic, most if not all of the deceased would have been buried within a few weeks in a gravesite for the indigent on Hart Island, which is located in the Long Island Sound near the Bronx. But Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged in April that mass burials wouldn't take place following reports that New York City was considering the use of temporary graves on Hart Island. Officials at the chief medical examiner's office said they are having trouble tracking down relatives of about 230 deceased people. In cases like these, a spokeswoman said, it isn't uncommon for the deceased to have been estranged from families and for next-of-kin details to be dated or incorrect. When next of kin have been contacted, officials said most bodies haven't been collected because of financial reasons.
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text:
Arctic Monkeys: Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
ON the day of its release this was already the fastest-selling debut album of all time in the UK, demand outstripping that seen for Britain s last real saviours, Oasis in 1995. But it has to be said, any cynical reservations about their musical and lyrica
ON the day of its release this was already the fastest-selling debut album of all time in the UK, demand outstripping that seen for Britain's last real saviours, Oasis in 1995.
But it has to be said, any cynical reservations about their musical and lyrical ability are sent flying faster than a pensioner hit by a joyrider.
Rows with girlfriends, scrapes with the cops and Sheffield's seedy red light district are just some of the teen-centric focal points delivered with candour, intelligence and a sneer, backed largely by Stella and spliff-fuelled British punk-pop.
For once, a band that deserves most of the hype. 5/5


Spread your wings and prepare to take flight with China Glaze's On the Horizon collection. This specialty collection introduces six shades featuring interwoven matte particles to create a feathered finish. The bright and earthy tones are reminiscent of the sky at dawn and dusk. Achieve opacity with two coats, or layer over a complementary base color for a unique look.


We are constantly suggesting the best meals to eat and the ones to ignore for diabetics as well as suggesting low calorie food options. You can find selected restaurants offering diabetic meals as well as low calorie diet food options. if you are concerned about foods with high sugar or high cholesterol levels. You can also find instructions on picking the right food from the menus while looking for the best restaurants in Plainville, KS.
Food is really good. Lots of variety, and prices are very reasonable. They have daily lunch and dinner specials, and drink specials, too. They have a full bar, and a good selection of beers.
It's Pizza Hut - probably nothing more need be said. Haven't had anything to complain about to date.
To be fair, we came through on a Sunday evening which is not the busiest in a small town. The two teens, who were the only workers in the place, were polite. We ordered a sampler set of everything to go to take to a nearby park. I knew I was in trouble when the only thing I heard was the microwave ding over and over. It wasn't bad food, and the cheese enchilada was actually pretty good, but it wasn't anything I couldn't have made at home with my own microwave.


text:
All systems go for ANC Limpopo Mopani regional elective conference
18 June 2021, 3:45 PM |
Pimani Baloyi | @SABCNews
ANC Limpopo Spokesperson, Donald Selamolela, says they are confident everything will go as planned.
The African National Congress (ANC) in Limpopo says it's all-systems go for the start of the regional elective conference in the Mopani region. This is despite letters from members indicating the intention to interdict the conference.
The conference was postponed at the last minute last weekend to make way for the finalisation of the adjudication of an appeal process and to clear a verification report.
The Karibu lodge, outside Tzaneen, is expected to be a hive of activities this weekend as delegates of the conference converge for the 18th elective conference.
"Where we are sitting the conference will be starting today the 18th until on Sunday. We are very confident that everything will go as planned. We have no doubt that the regional leadership, in consultation with the provincial leadership, have done everything in their powers to ensure that all is well, and all systems are ready for the regional conference to sit," says Selamolela.
Attempts to interdict conference
Two letters from lawyers representing some party members have been written to the Deputy Secretary General, Jessie Duarte. Limpopo provincial secretary, Soviet Lekganyane, was also copied.
Selamolela says all outstanding verifications have been concluded.
He would not be drawn to confirm or deny receipt of the letters.
"We are very confident at this stage that with everything we have done. We have done everything and we are on the right side of the law in terms of ensuring that this regional conference sits. We are not worried at all; we are confident that our regional conference will go on," he adds.
Sekhukhune elective conference
Selamolela says the party is also ready for the Sekhukhune elective conference next weekend.
Selamolela say the remaining three regions are still finalising their branch general meetings.
"In as far as Sekhukhune, we can confidently say it will be sitting in the subsequent weekend of the 26th. The pre-registration process in Sekhukhune has already started, it's also all systems go. The Vhembe region, the Capricorn region, including the Waterberg region are currently involved in the process of branch general meetings, which they are doing simultaneously with the nomination of councillor candidates. We are confident that in a short space of time both the regions would have reached the threshold."
'Squabbles common within the ANC'
Political analyst, Levy Ndou, says squabbles surrounding conferences are common within the ANC and can be attributed to some party officials attempting to influence the outcomes of the conferences.
"These are the things that have been happening in the North West province where you would get a lot of conflict and disagreements towards a conference and in the main. This would come when certain officials or people who have been given to run the administration of the conference, are conflicted or who want the conference to move towards a particular direction and this indeed entrenches factionalism," he says.
Tags: Donald SelamolelaLimpopoANCMopani
Kaunda's passing a great loss to Africa and the world at large: Lungu
Calm restored in Harrismith, businesses hardest hit after week of protests
ANC NEC to elect its 27-member National Working Committee
eThekwini Council meeting collapses due to absence of ANC, EFF councillors
ANC to hold much-anticipated political induction of its NEC members
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text:
Saanich artist uses drawing to heal from mother's death
Sharon Lam launched her art business in September
Jane Skrypnek
In the last months of her mother's life, Sharon Lam started drawing the places they had been together. From neighbourhood coffee shops and nearby lending libraries to local beaches, it was a way to revisit happy memories at a time when there were few memories left to make.
In the year since her mother passed away from ovarian cancer, Lam has continued with her pieces. Now, they're a form of healing.
"It makes it into a more digestible form of grief for me to draw these memories out instead of feeling overwhelmed by them."
Sharon Lam and her family sitting outside Olive Olio's in Cadboro Bay. (Courtesy of Sharon Lam)
They're also a sort of time capsule for 26-year-old Lam, who fears how much she'll still be able to remember 10, 20 or 30 years from now.
READ ALSO: Cost for cancer-fighting drugs triples in Canada but still no national drug plan
At first, this was the sole purpose of the drawings – to provide a small amount of joy to Lam and her family. But when the pandemic hit in March, and Lam's previous work as a banquet supervisor ceased, she decided to transform her art into something more.
Using her commerce degree and the help of multiple entrepreneurial friends, she launched her online store Art by Sharon Lam in December 2020, one year after her mother's passing. She creates the majority of her pieces using digital illustration apps on her iPad and sometimes dabbles with watercolours.
"It's been a very constructive way for me to deal with those emotions. Turning it into a project makes it a little less daunting, I guess."
READ ALSO: Touching scene with veteran inspires Victoria artist to paint Remembrance Day series
Looking back on her life with her mom, Lam said the importance of the community meeting places in which they spent time has become very clear.
One of those was the Dutch Bakery.
When she was younger, Lam's parents owned the Japanese restaurant, Tombo, on the corner of Douglas and Fisgard streets and, each day at the end of the lunch rush, Lam's mother would take them for elephant ear cookies at the Dutch Bakery. In the years since, the bakery has stopped making the treat, and Lam said no other elephant ear cookie has ever tasted the same.
So, when she was commissioned earlier this year to do a drawing of the bakery as a Christmas gift for the owner's husband, Lam knew there was only one form of payment she wanted – the elephant ear cookies.
Lam said the owner has promised to bake her a batch in the new year. Like her drawings, she knows they will be a bittersweet memory.
Her artwork can be found at artbysharonlam.com.
READ ALSO: Greater Victoria residents share positive pandemic experiences
Do you have a story tip? Email: jane.skrypnek@blackpress.ca.
ArtartistCancerCoronavirusentrepreneurGreater VictoriaSaanichwomen entrepreneurs
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Scientists worry B.C. hatchery fish threatening endangered wild chinook


This self-defense class is led by Relson Gracie Self-Defense certified Instructors, Greg Bartman and Tori Garten. Their combination of technical instruction paired with understanding women's unique concerns and experiences make this a powerful seminar not to be missed! They are the highest ranked male/female self-defense instructor team in the area.
Both total beginners and those with experience are welcomed! If you attended our previous Workshops please let us know! We look forward to seeing you again and showing you some additional techniques!


Imagine an adventure so breathtaking, so awe-inspiring, and so full of visual wonder that you just may hit sensory overload. The tip of the Southern Hemisphere was not reached by mankind until Roald Amundsen's expedition in December of 1911. Think about that.
Imagine yourself here. Sailing through the Lemaire Channel towards Antarctica.
It's been barely 100 years since a human first visited the South Pole. And although we won't be going that far,we'll visit some of the same areas and view the same geographic spectacles that tantalized such famous explorers as Sir Francis Drake, James Cook, Ernest Shackleton, and Roald Amundsen. But it won't all be icy landscapes and penguins. We'll fly into the Paris of South America, Buenos Aires, Argentina. We'll spend two days exploring this glorious city.
Buenos Aires is a city of timeless style, and memorable sights and sounds.
Ushuaia, the capital of Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur Province, Argentina. It is commonly regarded as the southernmost city in the world.
Then we'll board the the stylish and comfortable MS Fram. The Fram will take us South towards the mystical waters of legendary explorers and the amazing sights of the Antarctic. We'll explore vistas of shockingly blue waters, enormous white glaciers, majestic floating icebergs, and busy penguin rookeries. We'll see breaching whales crashing, and scenes of pure ice walls. Cruise through the Lemaire Channel, where steep, sheer cliffs rise above the narrow iceberg-filled passage. You have the option of zipping by Zodiac boat into small bays and harbors for personal and in-depth exploration. Make your way to Whalers Bay on Deception Island with its warm springs and black volcanic sand.
MS Fram, our state of the art voyager that will take us to the Antarctic.
Port Lockroy's Post Office. Here you can send a postcard to friends or family…with a rare Antarctic stamp!
You'll be an expert in Penguin recognition by the time we've sailed for warmer climates.
We'll see plenty of ice!
And penguins, seals, sea lions, terns, and gulls.
And you'll have the option of speeding through Half Moon Bay on a Zodiac Boat. Imagine the look on your grandchildren's faces when they hear this one!
This will truly be an incredible adventure. One that you and your family will talk about for years to come. To sign up for this breathtaking adventure, please call Jeanne today at 864-993-1955.
If you'd like the complete itinerary, please click here.


text:
Q: knockout click event only triggers on initialization I want a clickable div that toggles the visibility of my underlying details view.

...

Details is stored in my knockout model and it's default value is false. When I add this section the function gets called and the details become visible. And after that the div is clickable (different mouse pointer when hovering) but the value in the knockout model no longer gets changed.
Any ideas why this is happening?

A: The click binding takes a function reference so you need to wrap your handler into an anonymous function:

In your current code the Details(!Details()) gets executed when the biding is initialized and the return value of the Details(...) which is undefined get assigned as the handler so that is why it not worked after that.
See also the click binding documentation: Accessing the event object, or passing more parameters section.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
<!DOCTYPE html>

    <title></title>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/reposition.css">

Description:

            Reposition

            Use the Reposition animation to move an element to a new location. This animation is best used when an element needs to move due to a user interaction or a change in layout.

            Depending on the distance the affected element needs to be moved, it may appear to animate differently. Typically, smaller distances have a slower velocity than larger distances. This is because all reposition animations have the same duration.

            Reposition animates only the elements that change position in a layout. Depending on the layout, there may be times when a non-animated element is adjacent to an animated element. The non-animated element may jump to its final state faster than the animated
            element can reach its own. In this example, the resized element sometimes overlaps with the repositioned element. Because of this, you should be mindful of how other animations in your layout can affect your application's experience.

Reposition elements:

        <input id="repositionControl" class="win-slider" type="range" min="0" max="500" value="0" step="any" list="ticks" aria-labelledby="rangeLabel">

        <datalist id="ticks">
            <option class="win-dropdown" value="0">
            </option>
            <option class="win-dropdown" value="50">
            </option>
            <option class="win-dropdown" value="100">
            </option>
            <option class="win-dropdown" value="150">
            </option>
            <option class="win-dropdown" value="200">
            </option>
            <option class="win-dropdown" value="250">
            </option>
        </datalist>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
WVU fends off Texas comeback to keep winning streak in tact
WVU Women's Basketball
Martin, Gondrezick lead Mountaineers to 3-0 start in Big 12 play
by: Nick Farrell, Tanner Cain, WVU Athletics
Posted: Jan 12, 2020 / 04:46 PM EST / Updated: Jan 13, 2020 / 11:08 AM EST
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Led by two more 20-point performances from redshirt senior guard Tynice Martin and redshirt junior guard Kysre Gondrezick, the No. 19/20 West Virginia University women's basketball team (13-1, 3-0 Big 12) secured its third conference win of the season over Texas on Sunday afternoon at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown.
Martin led all scorers with 23 points, her second straight and fourth 20-point performance of the season. She shot 6-of-13 from the field and 9-of-11 from the free throw line to pace the Mountaineers. Martin now has 1,800 career points and needs 20 points to pass Teana Muldrow (2014-18; 1,819 points) for No. 4 on WVU's all-time scoring list.
Gondrezick collected 21 points on Sunday to record three consecutive 20-point performances and her eighth of the season. Sophomore forward Kari Niblack led WVU in rebounds, grabbed 12 boards to mark her fouth game with double-figure rebounds.
"Give our girls a lot of credit. They showed a lot of heart," WVU coach Mike Carey said. "We could've very easily folded right there when we got behind. We were struggling. When Texas made their run, we were not rebounding, (and we were) taking bad shots and turning the ball over. We were throwing passes where I don't know why we were throwing them, but we were. Give Texas credit. We had them down most of the game, and they came back and took a lead. So, give them credit, too. They're a very good basketball team."
West Virginia jumped out to an early 5-0 lead to start the game, as sophomore guard Madisen Smith scored from behind the arc and Martin nailed a jumper at the top of the key. Gondrezick then added a layup to give WVU a 7-0 advantage. The Mountaineers held the Longhorns scoreless on their first seven posssessions, before UT got on the board with 5:51 remaining in the first quarter. Texas added another score just before the media timeout, but WVU answered with a pair of scores and led UT 11-4 at the first break.
Texas scored first coming out of the timeout to cut into the Mountaineers' lead, but WVU answered with a layup from freshman forward Esmery Martinez. Martin then added a score to give West Virginia a 7-point advantage, before UT responded with a score of its own with just under a minute to play in the first. Gondrezick scored on a fast break with 20 seconds remaining in the quarter, as West Virginia led 17-10 heading to the second quarter.
The Longhorns closed the gap at the start of the second quarter. Two layups and pair of free throws from Charli Collier cut WVU's lead to one, but Gondrezick answered the UT scoring run with a triple. Redshirt freshman Rochelle Norris then stretched West Virginia's lead to six with a layup. Texas cut back into the lead with a Celeste Taylor layup.
Martin drained a 3-pointer and a long jumper following the timeout to stretch WVU's lead to nine. Norris then added her fourth points of the game to give the Mountaineers a double-digit lead. Texas cut back into the lead with layup. Gondrezick then scored from the wing to get into double figures and retake an 11-point lead over the Longhorns. Collier cut WVU's lead back to nine with just over a minute to play, but freshman guard Kirsten Deans answered with a layup with three seconds remaining in the half. West Virginia led Texas 34-23 at halftime.
UT opened second-half scoring and cut into the Mountaineer lead with a layup and a pair of free throws from Taylor. West Virginia scored its first points of the half at the 7:41 mark of the third, when Norris converted her third layup of the game. Niblack scored her first points of the game a minute later on a put-back layup that gave WVU a 12-point lead. Texas added four more points to its total just before the media timeout.
Deans sank a pair of free throws coming out of the timeout to give WVU a 10-point lead, but Texas added a quick six points to cut the Mountaineers lead to four points. West Virginia called a timeout with 3:25 remaining in the third quarter. Junior center Blessing Ejiofor provided an answer to the UT scoring run, as she drained a floater after the break. Following a score by the Longhorns, Martin hit her second 3-pointer of the game to stretch WVU's lead to seven. Texas scored eight unanswered points over the final two minutes to take a 48-47 lead heading to the fourth quarter.
Martin opened the fourth quarter by converting a long baseline jumper to retake the lead, before Gondrezick sank her second trey of the game to give the Mountaineers a four-point advantage. Texas quickly rebounded by scoring five points to retake the lead. With the Longhorns up by four, Martin was fouled on a 3-pointer and converted three from the line to bring WVU within one.
The two teams traded baskets back and forth down the stretch, as Texas' Sug Sutton buried a jumper at the 2:32 mark to give the Longhorns a two-point advantage. Collier then converted two more at the line before Gondrezick hit two foul shots of her own. Gondrezick gave the momentum back to the Mountaineers for good with 0:41 remaining after she went 1-for-2 from the line, and then drained a 3-pointer after Niblack secured a crucial offensive rebound. Texas continued to foul in the remaining seconds, but the Mountaineers converted at the line to ultimately walk away with the win.
This was the critical sequence that locked up another Big 12 win for @WVUWBB:
Kari Niblack, playing through an injury, grabs an offensive board and hits Kysre Gondrezick for a go-ahead triple with seconds left.
We'll break down the win in tonight's @wvillustrated reports. pic.twitter.com/Jkv92IuEjk
— Nick Farrell (@ByNickFarrell) January 12, 2020
The Mountaineers finished the contest shooting 43.3 percent (22-of-52) from the field and 56.3 percent (18-of-32) at the free-throw line. WVU knocked down six 3-pointers in the victory and scored 20 points off Longhorn turnovers.
Texas shot 22-of-60 (36.7 percent) from the field and hit three triples to shoot 25 percent (3-of-12) from beyond the arc. From the foul line, the squad shot 66.7 percent (16-of24). The Longhorns bested WVU in rebounds, 45-37, and bench points, 16-13.
West Virginia continues Big 12 at the WVU Coliseum on Wednesday, Jan. 15, as the Mountaineers are set to host Oklahoma at 7 p.m. ET.
Don't miss a moment!
Bob Huggins Show / 2 days ago
WVU Men's Basketball / 3 days ago
Bob Huggins Show / 1 week ago
Gearing up for the Big 12: here's what's coming up on The Bob Huggins Show
WVU Men's Basketball / 1 week ago
Coming up this week on The Bob Huggins Show
#NSD2020: Mountaineer GameDay National Signing Day Special
WVU Football / 1 month ago
WVU Men's Basketball / 1 month ago
More WVU Women's Basketball Stories
A pair of tough losses for the West Virginia Mountaineers has Mike Carey's squad on the edge of the AP Top 25 rankings as the squad fell to No. 25 this week.
The Mountaineers fell to Oklahoma and No. 2 Baylor over the previous week, with both losses coming at an average margin of 32 points. The Bears are the only other Big 12 team to make the rankings this week, remaining at No. 2.
HIGHLIGHTS: Women's basketball falls to Baylor
by WVU Athletics / Jan 18, 2020
WACO, Texas (Jan. 18, 2020) – The No. 17/18 West Virginia University women's basketball team suffered a 91-41 defeat at No. 2/1 Baylor, on Saturday evening, at the Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas.
Redshirt junior guard Kysre Gondrezick led the Mountaineers with 15 points, shooting 6-of-16 from the field and 3-of-6 from 3-point range. Sophomore guard Madisen Smith also scored in double figures, posting 12 points, while connecting on two 3-pointers. Freshman forward Esmery Martinez paced WVU in rebounding, grabbing a career-high 15 boards in the loss.
Women's basketball looks to bounce back at Baylor
by Tanner Cain, WVU Athletics / Jan 17, 2020
The No. 17/18 West Virginia University women's basketball team travels to Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Jan. 18, as the Mountaineers prepare to face No. 2/1 Baylor.
Opening tip is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, at the Ferrell Center in Waco. Dan Zangrilli and Ayana Dunning will call the game for the Mountaineer Sports Network from Learfield IMG College. The game can be found on Jack-FM 100.9, as well as affiliates across the state, the TuneIn Radio App and WVUSports.com. Saturday's contest will be broadcast nationally on FS1, with Ron Thulin and Brenda VanLengen on the call.
WVU Men's Basketball / 4 mins ago


text:
Q: Can some one helpme with this blessed error? Works on locally in many different ways but not at Heroku.
Error Log:
drainWaitQueue(topology[kWaitQueue], new error_1.MongoTopologyClosedError());
MongoTopologyClosedError: Topology is closed
Repo: https://github.com/RodBrowning/Facily-QRCode-API-com-MongoDB
app.get('/', function (req, res) {
  var statusCode = 200;
  var response = '';

  return mongodb_connection.connect(async (err) => {

    var collection = await mongodb_connection.db("qrcodes").collection("qrcodes");
    try {
      var findResult = await collection.find({}).toArray();
      response = findResult;

    } catch (error) {
      statusCode = 400;
      response = error;
    }
    mongodb_connection.close();
    return res.type('json').status(statusCode).send(response);
  });

I've tried to remove the mongodb_connection.close(); but not worked.
By heroku logs --tail I could find that the error occurs around the toArray() method;


App optimization company Neumob released an infographic detailing the state of smartphone usage in the United States that also provides an in-depth look into app download and retention rates among American smartphone owners across different demographics. The infographic also details the operating system that is dominant among consumers in the United States, showing that Android lags behind iOS with younger demographics. However, the difference between the two operating systems is not a massive one, the largest being the 19-percent advantage of iOS among users aged 18 to 24, while Android leads among older demographics, particularly users aged 25 to 34.
Another interesting observation made by Neumob is the number of apps users have on their smartphones, not counting applications preloaded by the smartphone manufacturer or the wireless carrier. According to Neumob, most Americans keep between six and 15 applications on their smartphones, which is true across almost all demographics except for those older than 65 wherein people tend to keep less than half a dozen apps on their handsets. In addition to the small number of apps downloaded by consumers, there is only a small number of users who continue using their apps after they've downloaded them. A sharp drop in usage is observable just a week after the app is downloaded, after which only 10 to 12 percent of consumers continue using the app. After one month, that number is further reduced to around 7.5 percent, and less than two percent of users continue using the app after three months.
A major contributor to poor retention of certain apps is the speed of app loading, with at least 75 percent of users deleting a downloaded app after they get frustrated due to poor stability and performance. Underwhelming app performance is surely a great factor in app use, and even major players in the industry like Snapchat are blaming bad Android app performance for their poor uptake among Android users. Neumob's infographic, which is a compilation of research and statistics released in previous years, also provides a number of tips regarding what app developers should do to improve app retention and make sure that users aren't giving up on their creations due to poor performance.


Draw5PlayAll 2 Like battleship but better. The boat is too slow on 3, but good in 5.
Interference is a good variant. Maybe more interactions between the players?
Aaron 1 I prefer this game with the islands as it keeps things a little more manageable.
bigby 1 Great if you like deduction games. No room for error though, which leads to some very short games.
CDRodeffer 1 Tempo probably gives the first player a slight advantage, but it's a fun deduction game with a well-integrated theme. Limiting the number of sounding charges, tracking fuel use or number of turns, or even an all-or-nothing Clue-like announcement of where all the remaining mines are located are variants that would not complicate the game too much, yet might provide additional replay value.
Keith 1 An enjoyable deduction game. Reminds me a bit of Battleship meets Black Box. I prefer it with islands and fast boats. The built in map marking is very helpful.
unic 0 Not sure how much game there is here, and how much of it is solitaire. Need to play more, and to try out more of the variants.
Cerulean -1 I'm not eager to play this again. There's too much bookkeeping and too little margin for error. Probably a real hassle to play in person. Feels more like a time-trial solitaire puzzle than a game.


Oregon Democratic Rep. Kurt Schrader was the only House member not sworn in Tuesday; he was on his honeymoon.
WASHINGTON — Rep. Kurt Schrader missed the opening session of the 115th Congress on Tuesday — and six roll call votes — because he is on his honeymoon, his spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday.
The Democratic congressman was elected to his fifth term in November representing Oregon's 5th District. On Tuesday, House records indicated he didn't answer the opening quorum call and was listed as "not voting" for the Speaker of the House, the first procedural vote of a new, two-year Congress.
He wasn't listed as voting or not voting on the four subsequent roll call votes because, technically, he is not a member of the new Congress until he is officially sworn in. That's expected to happen next Tuesday, said his spokeswoman Carlee Griffeth.
Initially, Griffeth provided no additional detail, including the new wife's name or the couple's whereabouts.
"He does not discuss his family publicly," Griffeth said in an email message.
Later, she said her name is Susan Mora, an executive with Pepco. Records indicate Mora has been director of federal affairs for Pepco Holdings, the huge energy provider owned by Exelon Corp. She was on the 2014 committee for "Will on the Hill," the annual fundraiser for the Shakespeare Theatre Company that uses members of Congress and other high-profile Washingtonians as actors.
Schrader's chief of staff, Paul Gage, said the marriage took place on New Year's Eve in Maryland and the newlyweds are honeymooning "out of the country," but he wouldn't say where. Gage said the two have known each other "a few years" and that Mora is no longer a lobbyist but has "an executive role" with the company.
Schrader was the only member of the 435-member body not sworn in on Tuesday.
Schrader did inform House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as a courtesy that he would be absent for the opening days of the new Congress, said Pelosi's spokeswoman, Caroline Behringer.
Schrader, 65, was divorced from his wife of 35 years, former Oregon state senator and Clackamas County Commissioner Martha Schrader, in 2011.


text:
unless ARGV.size >= 1
  puts "Usage: wordloop.rb <string>"
  exit
end

require 'wordloop'

word = ARGV.shift
@wl = WordLoop.new(word)

if not @wl.duplicate_letters? or not @wl.has_loop?
  puts "No loop."
  exit
end

puts @wl.to_s


The Process Builder in Salesforce is a graphical point-and-click tool that allows you to automate actions based on triggering events in your Salesforce environment.
Processes are built around an if/then type of logic flow, and contain one trigger event, at least one condition, and at least one action that can happen in real-time, and/or as a scheduled event.
The Process Builder is a very powerful tool and the full description of how it works is beyond the scope of this document.
This document highlights the actions available via v20 of the Adobe Sign for Salesforce package.
If you would like to learn more about the Process Builder in general, there is documentation and an interactive Trailhead available from Salesforce.
This approach uses the Update Records action type in the Salesforce Process Builder to set the Background Action picklist field on the agreement record to invoke an action.
New process can be created (which fire based on record change events) that can then invoke an action on a related Adobe Sign agreement. Users can control when the action will occur (i.e. after which field update on the master record) and which related agreement(s) are selected for the action.
The echosign_dev1 object is associated to the common Salesforce objects (Account, Opportunity, Contact, etc). If the Agreements are related to a custom object, this name will be unique to the org.
This approach uses the Apex action type in the Salesforce Process Builder to invoke an Invocable Method included with the managed package to perform the corresponding action.
New process can be created (which fire based on record change events) that can then invoke an action on a related Adobe Sign agreement.
Pass in the template and master ID's and any runtime variables.
Master Record ID - The Salesforce record ID of the object to which the agreement should be related.
Usually set to type Field Reference and value "[Object].Id" where object is Opportunity, Account, etc.
Agreement Template Runtime Variables - Recipients and/or documents from a variable.
Any exceptions are caught and stored on the result record and logged as an error in the Apex debug log to avoid blocking process execution.
Return values from an Apex invocation cannot be consumed in a process builder. No actions which return a value are supported (i.e. get document info or get signing URL).
A new service layer has been implemented to invoke the agreement actions through the Salesforce queueable interface. More good info on Queueable is here. The actions invoke the core service API's which then callout to the Adobe Sign API.