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Home Building Process
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The 10 Steps to Build a New Home
Here's what to expect during the major phases of construction. Building your new home is exciting, especially when you understand how the process works.
A Guide to the Home Building ProcessSearch Compare Build2021-06-23T02:31:38-04:00
Homeowners enjoy watching the home come together, from pouring the foundation to framing and watching the home take shape. Once the home has drywall, they start to visualize themselves living in the space and how they'll use it — imagining what furniture goes where and how they'll entertain friends and family there.
New Homeowners spend a good bit of time designing the home to be unique to their family needs and tastes so seeing it all come together is rewarding for them.
1. Prepare Construction Site and Pour Foundation
Apply for and Acquire Permits
Construction Crew Levels Site
Puts Up Wooden Forms for the Temporary Foundation
Footings Are Installed
Before a builder can put a shovel in the ground, local government must approve the design and provide permits for everything from the zoning and grading (changing the contour of the land to accommodate your home and driveway) to the septic systems, home construction, electrical work, and plumbing. Once permits are acquired, physical construction can begin.
Often, site preparation and foundation work are performed by the same crew, but this may not be the case with a wooded lot. Using a backhoe and a bulldozer, the crew clears the site of rocks, debris and trees for the house and, if applicable, the septic system. The crew levels the site, puts up wooden forms to serve as a template for the foundation and digs the holes and trenches. Footings (structures where the house interfaces with the earth that supports it) are installed. If your home is going to have a well, it will be dug at this point.
If the home has a full basement, the hole is dug, the footings are formed and poured, and the foundation walls are formed and poured. If it's slab-on-grade, the footings are dug, formed and poured; the area between them is leveled and fitted with utility runs (e.g., plumbing drains and electrical chases); and the slab is poured.
Once concrete is poured into the holes and trenches, it will need time to cure. During this period, there will be no activity on the construction site.
After the concrete is cured, the crew applies a waterproofing membrane to the foundation walls; installs drains, sewer, and water taps and any plumbing that needs to go into the first-floor slab or basement floor; and backfills excavated dirt into the hole around the foundation wall.
Inspection #1
When the curing process is complete, a city inspector visits the site to make sure foundation components are up to code and installed properly. This inspection may be repeated depending on the type of foundation (slab, crawl space or basement). Your builder will then remove the forms and begin coordinating step No. 2, the framing phase.
2. Complete Rough Framing
Floor System, Walls, Roof Systems Are Completed
Sheathing Applied to Exterior Walls, Covered with Protective Wrap
The floor systems, walls and roof systems are completed (collectively known as the shell or skeleton of the house). Plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing is applied to the exterior walls and roof and windows and exterior doors are installed. The sheathing is then covered with a protective barrier known as a house wrap; it prevents liquid water from infiltrating the structure while allowing water vapor to escape. This reduces the likelihood of mold and wood rot.
3. Complete Rough Plumbing, Electrical HVAC
The Following Are Installed:
Pipes and Wires
Sewer Lines and Vents
Bathtubs, Shower Units
Ductwork for HVAC System
HVAC Vent Pipes
Once the shell is finished, siding and roofing can be installed. At the same time, the electrical and plumbing contractors start running pipes and wires through the interior walls, ceilings and floors. Sewer lines and vents, as well as water supply lines for each fixture, are installed. Bathtubs and one-piece shower/tub units are put in place at this point because there's more room to maneuver large, heavy objects.
Ductwork is installed for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and possibly the furnace. HVAC vent pipes are installed through the roof and insulation is installed in the floors, walls and ceilings.
After the roofing goes on, the house is considered "dried in." An electrician then installs receptacles for outlets, lights and switches and runs wires from the breaker panel to each receptacle. Wiring for telephones, cable TV and music systems is included in this work.
Note that HVAC ducts and plumbing are usually installed before wiring because it's easier to run wires around pipes and ducts than vice versa.
Inspections #2, #3, #4
Rough framing, plumbing, and electrical and mechanical systems are inspected for compliance with building codes. Most likely these will be three different inspections. At the very least, the framing inspection will be conducted separately from the electrical/mechanical inspections.
At this stage, drywall (also known as plasterboard, wallboard or gypsum board) is delivered to the building site.
4. Install Insulation
Common Types of Insulation in New Homes
Foam Mineral Wool
Insulation Concrete Forms
Foam Board or Ridged Foam
Insulation plays a key role in creating a more comfortable, consistent indoor climate while significantly improving a home's energy efficiency. One of the most important qualities of insulation is its thermal performance or R-value, which indicates how well the material resists heat transfer. Most homes are insulated in all exterior walls, as well as the attic and any floors that are located above unfinished basements or crawl spaces.
The most common types of insulation used in new homes are fiberglass, cellulose and foam. Depending on the region and climate, your builder may also use mineral wool (otherwise known as rock wool or slag wool); concrete blocks; foam board or rigid foam; insulating concrete forms (ICFs); sprayed foam; and structural insulated panels (SIPs).
Blanket insulation, which comes in batts or rolls, is typical in new-home construction. So is loose-fill and blown-in insulation, which is made of fiberglass, cellulose or mineral-wool particles. Another insulation option, liquid foam, can be sprayed, foamed-in-place, injected or poured. While it costs more than traditional batt insulation, liquid foam has twice the R-value per inch and can fill the smallest cavities, creating an effective air barrier.
Fiberglass and mineral-wool batts and rolls are usually installed inside walls, attics, floors, crawl spaces, cathedral ceilings and basements. Manufacturers often attach a facing such as kraft paper or foil-kraft paper to act as a vapor barrier and/or air barrier. In areas where the insulation will be left exposed, such as basement walls, the batts sometimes have a special flame-resistant facing.
5. Complete Drywall and Interior Fixtures, Start Exterior Finishes
Drywall is Hung and Taped
Texturing is Completed.
Primary Coat of Paint is Applied
Exterior Finishes (Brick, Stucco, Stone) Are Installed
Drywall is hung and taped so the seams between the boards aren't visible, and drywall texturing (if applicable) is completed. The primer coat of paint is also applied after taping is complete. Contractors begin installing exterior finishes such as brick, stucco, stone and siding.
6. Finish Interior Trim, Install Exterior Walkways and Driveway
Doors, Windowsills, Decorative Trim Installed
Cabinets, Vanities, Fireplace Mantles Installed
Final Coat of Paint
Interior doors, baseboards, door casings, windowsills, moldings, stair balusters and other decorative trim are installed, along with cabinets, vanities and fireplace mantels and surrounds. Walls get a finish coat of paint and are wallpapered where applicable.
Generally, exterior driveways, walkways and patios are formed at this stage. Many builders prefer to wait until the end of the project before pouring the driveway because heavy equipment (such as a drywall delivery truck) can damage concrete. But some builders pour the driveway as soon as the foundation is completed so that when homeowners visit the construction site, they won't get their shoes muddy.
7. Install Hard Surface Flooring, Countertops; Complete Exterior Grading
Ceramic tile, vinyl and wood flooring are installed as well as countertops. Exterior finish grading is completed to ensure proper drainage away from the home and prepare the yard for landscaping.
8. Finish Mechanical Trims; Install Bathroom Fixtures
Light fixtures, outlets and switches are installed, and the electrical panel is completed. HVAC equipment is installed, and registers completed. Sinks, toilets and faucets are put in place.
9. Install Mirrors, Shower Doors; Finish Flooring, Exterior Landscaping
Mirrors, shower doors and carpeting are installed, and final cleanup takes place. Trees, shrubs and grass are planted, and other exterior landscaping completed.
A building-code official completes a final inspection and issues a certificate of occupancy. If any defects are found during this inspection, a follow-up inspection may be scheduled to ensure that they've been corrected.
10. Final Walk-Through
This is where you spot items that need to be corrected or adjusted!
Your builder will walk you through your new home to acquaint you with its features and the operation of various systems and components and explain your responsibilities for maintenance and upkeep, as well as warranty coverage and procedures. This is often referred to as a pre-settlement walk-through. It's also an opportunity to spot items that need to be corrected or adjusted, so be attentive and observant. Examine the surfaces of countertops, fixtures, floors and walls for possible damage. Sometimes disputes arise because the homeowner discovers a gouge in a countertop after move-in and there's no way to prove whether it was caused by the builder's crew or the homeowner's movers.
A Few Words About Inspections
Your new home will be inspected periodically during the course of construction. In addition to mandated inspections for code compliance, your builder may conduct quality checks at critical points in the process. (In the story above, we point out when these inspections typically take place.) The idea is to catch as many potential problems as possible before construction is finished, though some issues may not surface until you've lived in the home for a period of time.
Most buyers are interested in tracking the progress of their new homes – whether that be via email communication from the builder, drive by's or even through the use of drones. Before you head to the homesite unannounced, talk to your builder early on about attending inspections, with or without your real-estate agent. Even if your presence is not required, it's an opportunity to learn more about what's behind the walls of your new home and how everything works. If you're planning to hire your own inspector to do an additional review of the home, notify your builder prior to the start of construction.
Working with the builder who'll construct your new home is the fifth of six steps to your new home. In our New Home Guide, you'll find helpful and inspiring articles, slideshows and videos that will make your new home journey easier and more rewarding.
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Prospective LDS Outreach among Uyghurs in China and Central Asia
Author: Matt Martinich
Posted: August 31st, 2015
The Uyghur, or Uighur, are a traditionally Muslim people who generally reside in western China and Central Asia. The vast majority of Uyghurs inhabit the restive Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China where they constitute approximately half the population. Estimates for the worldwide number of Uyghurs range from 10.4 million[1] to 15 million.[2] The LDS Church has never appeared to engage in proselytism efforts that specifically target Uyghurs.
This case study provides a brief introduction to the Uyghurs. Opportunities and challenges for the establishment of an LDS presence and the proselytism of Uyghurs are examined. The growth of the Church among other ethnic minority groups in mainland China is reviewed and the size and growth of other missionary-focused Christian groups who have a presence among the Uyghurs is summarized. Limitations to this case study are identified and prospects for future growth are predicted.
Uyghur Background
The Uyghurs trace their ancestry to Turkic tribes that inhabited Central Asia and Mongolia during the first millennium AD. A Uyghur state was established in the eighth century but was later conquered by the invading Kirghiz in the ninth century. Uyghurs originally adhered to a variety of religions such as Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity, and Zoroastrianism. Many Uyghurs converted to Islam during the tenth century[3] and by the eleventh century Islam began to be strongly associated with Uyghur identity.[4] Today the Uyghur are homogenously Muslim.[5] Adherence to Islam is highest in southern areas of the Uyghur homelands.[6] Less than one percent of 0.1% of Uyghurs worldwide adhere to Christianity.[7] Most of the Uyghur homelands have been under Chinese control for the past several centuries although the region has experienced significant autonomy. Many Uyghurs have resented Chinese rule and have sought for an independent, sovereign Uyghur nation called East Turkestan for centuries. Human rights abuses and accusations of terrorism have been made by both sides of the conflict. There have been reports of governmental abuses of religious freedom that target Uyghurs.[8] The Chinese government has encouraged the relocation of Han Chinese to Xinjiang for decades to help reduce Uyghur separatist tendencies and increase national integration. The Uyghur language pertains to the Eastern branch of the Turkic language family.[9] A map displaying the location of the Uyghur homeland can be found here.
Uyghur populations in Kazakhstan present the greatest opportunity for LDS mission outreach at present. The Uyghur homelands in Kazakhstan are located within close proximity to Almaty – the most populous city in the country. The LDS Church has maintained a branch in Almaty since 2001. Small numbers of Uyghurs in Kazakhstan have joined the Church in Almaty and a Uyghur member served as the branch president in the early 2010s. Uyghur members present good opportunities for the Church to translate LDS materials into the Uyghur language, conduct member-missionary efforts among friends and family members, and assist in formal missionary efforts that specifically target Uyghur populations.
Urumqi presents the greatest prospects for LDS outreach among Uyghur populations in China due to its large population, accessibility from other major cities in China, and sizable number of Uyghurs who reside in the city. There are 3.5 million people who inhabit the metropolitan area[10] – a significant target population. The Church in China appears to maintain a member group or branch in Urumqi albeit most, if not all, members appear to be Mandarin-speaking Han Chinese. The operation of a congregation in the Uyghur homelands of China presents good opportunities for future outreach if government restrictions on religious freedom are relaxed and formal missionary efforts are permitted one day.
Unlike many of the most populous ethnolinguistic minority peoples native to China, the Uyghur exhibit little diversity in language and culture. There is only one Uyghur language. Uyghur is written in the Cyrillic script in Central Asian nations and the Arabic script in China. To contrast, other sizable minority groups such as the Yi (Lolo) or Zhuang comprise large collections of related peoples that speak as many as a dozen to 100 different languages. Only minor dialectical differences exist in the Uyghur language among Uyghurs scattered throughout Central Asia.[11] These conditions indicate simplicity in orchestrating outreach among Uyghurs in multiple nations with comparatively fewer resources than many other of the largest ethnolinguistic minorities in China.
Although it is unclear whether there are any Uyghur Latter-day Saints in Xinjiang, there may be opportunities for member-missionary work to occur among Uyghur populations in China if there are any Uyghur converts who have family connections in China. The Church is permitted to teach and baptize converts in China through familial connections. The Church has grown rapidly within China in recent years without the assistance of foreign missionary personnel through member referral among family members. The lack of interconnectedness between Han Chinese and Uyghur peoples presents the greatest obstacle in following this approach as very few, if any, Han Chinese Latter-day Saints have any familial relationships with Uyghur peoples which would currently qualify under the law for sharing the gospel.
Translations of all LDS scriptures and many gospel study materials into simplified Chinese characters provides resources for future missionary efforts among Uyghurs in China who are bilingual in Mandarin Chinese. Bilingualism in Mandarin Chinese is highest among intellectuals, young people, and those who live in Urumqi.[12] Current government policies and legislation severely limit missionary activity and prevent the assignment of full-time missionaries. Consequently local Chinese members would be required to meet any missionary needs within the confines of the law. As Mandarin Chinese-speaking members utilize simplified character translations for gospel study, these members would likely be well equipped to bridge linguistic and cultural barriers through the use of these materials.
There are significant religious freedom restrictions in both China and Kazakhstan that severely restrict any missionary activity among Uyghur populations. Current legislation and policies governing religious freedom in China prevent any formal missionary efforts among Uyghurs in Xinjiang at present. Concentrated efforts by the LDS Church to target these populations may appear more suspicious compared to proselytism efforts among the dominant ethnic groups. Regulations on religious assembly and ecclesiastical contact between foreign and native members prohibit full-time missionaries or foreign church leaders to meet with Uyghur populations. The Church has maintained a positive, respectful relationship with the Chinese government for many years by strictly following the law. Deviation from this approach could result in deleterious effects on the Church's relationship with the government and potential harm to local members as those accused of prohibited religious activities have at times been imprisoned or sentenced to labor camps.
Government legislation in Kazakhstan has become increasingly strict and prohibitive to nontraditional Christian denominations. Current laws prevent the Church from opening additional cities to missionary activity unless there are 50 individuals who will consent as founders to obtain government registration.[13] These restrictions have created a nearly insurmountable task for opening additional major cities within or nearby the Uyghur homelands such as Kegen, Shonzhy, and Talgar.
The Church maintains a tiny presence in mainland China and is poorly prepared at present to establish a presence among Uyghurs if religious freedom restrictions are relaxed to permit open proselytism and the assignment of full-time missionaries. If any improvements in religious freedom conditions occur, the Church will most likely concentrate its resources to saturate the most populous cities throughout mainland China. The sheer geographic size and enormous population of China would totally overwhelm the Church at present. Even if the Church were to hypothetically allocate all of its approximately 88,000 missionaries and 418 missions to service only mainland China, the average mission would include 3.27 million people within its boundaries. To contrast, the average mission in the United States services 2.60 million people.
Strong ethnoreligious ties to Islam pose a significant challenge for establishing an LDS presence among Uyghurs. Islam has become inextricably connected to Uyghur ethnicity. Even more moderate Uyghur Muslims in Kazakhstan and northern Xinjiang appear unreceptive to Christian proselytism. However, Uyghurs in China have received extremely limited or no overt Christian missionary activity due to proselytism restrictions and remote location. The Church may discourage or prohibit missionary activity among Uyghur Muslims due to concerns with the safety of investigators and converts. Prospective missionary efforts among Uyghurs may yield very few converts even if mission leaders consistently extend specialized outreach for extended periods of time.
The remote location of Uyghur populations from the nearest LDS missions and "centers of strength" may delay outreach for many years or decades. The Church has often postponed outreach to locations distant from mission headquarters due to challenges for church leaders to regularly visit and supervise church activities. This challenge with LDS centralization of administration may pose serious challenge for future missionary outreach even if challenges with religious freedom and strong ethnoreligious ties to Islam are overcome.
Comparative Growth
The LDS Church appears to maintain no noticeable presence among indigenous ethnic minority groups within mainland China. The Hmong (Miao) people are the only indigenous ethnic minority people who have received specialized LDS outreach. However, essentially all of these Hmong populations were resettled to the United States from Laos and Thailand rather than mainland China. The Church in Kazakhstan appears to be predominantly composed of ethnic Kazakh and Russian converts who have joined the Church within the past 15 years.
All missionary-focused Christian denominations with a worldwide presence report a minimal presence among Uyghurs, if any presence at all. Evangelicals note essentially no presence among Uyghurs.[14] Jehovah's Witnesses do not report any information on their activities, membership, or congregations in mainland China. However, Witnesses report three Uyghur-speaking congregations in Kazakhstan. Witnesses have translated their official website, jw.org, into Uyghur (Cyrillic and Arabic scripts). The Seventh-Day Adventist Church has over 400,000 members and thousands of congregations in mainland China. However, there does not appear to be an Adventist presence among Uyghurs in China or elsewhere.
The Church does not publish any statistical data on language usage among church membership for languages not within the top 10 languages spoken by church membership. It is unclear how many Uyghurs have joined the Church worldwide. No reports were available from Uyghur or mainland Chinese Latter-day Saints. The Church does not publish membership or congregational statistics for mainland China due to the Church's sensitive presence among Chinese nationals.
The outlook for the Church to extend specialized outreach among Uyghurs appears highly unlikely for many years or decades to come. The Church in China continues to experience severe restrictions on religious freedom that permit missionary activity only through member referral among immediate familial relationships. There does not appear to be any feasible means for the Church to establish a presence among Uyghurs in China due to a lack of association between the predominantly Han Chinese LDS membership in the country and the isolated Uyghur population located in Xinjiang. There appear some realistic opportunities for missionary work among Uyghurs in Kazakhstan. However, these prospects appear limited to coincidental contacts from missionaries with Uyghurs who reside in Almaty. Legal barriers pose challenges for introducing the Church into additional cities within the Kazakhstani Uyghur homelands. Prospects for the translation of the Book of Mormon and basic gospel study or missionary materials into Uyghur appear poor. The Church will likely not explore opportunities for Uyghur-specific proselytism in Kazakhstan within the foreseeable future due to the tiny size of the Church in Kazakhstan, a lack of specialized outreach among the Kazakh majority, and Uyghurs exhibiting strong ethnoreligious ties to Islam.
[1] "Uyghur," www.ethnologue.com, retrieved 7 July 2015. http://www.ethnologue.com/language/uig/18
[2] "About Uyghurs," The Uyghur American Association, retrieved 7 July 2015. http://uyghuramerican.org/about-uyghurs
[3] "Uighur – History and Cultural Relations," Countries and Their Cultures, retrieved 7 July 2015. http://www.everyculture.com/Russia-Eurasia-China/Uighur-History-and-Cultural-Relations.html
[5] "Uyghur," Joshua Project, retrieved 7 July 2015. http://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15755
[6] "Uyghur in China," Joshua Project, retrieved 7 July 2015. http://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15755/CH
[8] "China," International Religious Freedom Report for 2013, retrieved 7 July 2015. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/religiousfreedom/index.htm?year=2013&dlid=222123
[10] "Major Agglomerations of the World," www.citypopulation.de, retrieved 7 July 2015. http://www.citypopulation.de/world/Agglomerations.html
[11] "Uyghur," www.ethnologue.com, retrieved 7 July 2015. http://www.ethnologue.com/language/uig/18
[13] "Kazakhstan," International Religious Freedom Report 2011, retrieved 5 October 2012. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/religiousfreedom/index.htm?dlid=192925
[14] "Uyghur," Joshua Project, retrieved 7 July 2015. http://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15755
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Immunosuppressive treatments for immunoglobulin A nephropathy: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Joshua A. Samuels, Giovanni F.M. Strippoli, Jonathan C. Craig, Francesco Paolo Schena, Donald A. Molony
Summary: Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy is a worldwide disease that causes end‐stage kidney disease (ESRD) in up to 15–20% of affected patients within 10 years from the apparent onset of disease and in up to 30–40% of individuals within 20 years from diagnosis. No specific treatment has been established and there is wide variation in current practice. This systematic review evaluates the use of immunosuppressive agents to treat patients with IgA nephropathy. The Cochrane Renal Group Specialized Register, Cochrane Controlled Trial Registry, MEDLINE, EMBASE and article reference lists were searched for randomized or quasi randomized trials. Two independent reviewers assessed studies for inclusion criteria (biopsy proven IgA nephropathy, randomized trial, use of immunosuppressive agents) and extracted data regarding the effects of immunosuppressive agents on ESRD, doubling of serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate, urinary protein excretion and side‐effects. Data were analysed with a random effects model. The published trials were few (13 trials, 623 patients) and were generally of poor quality. Compared with placebo, steroids were associated with a lower risk of progression to ESRD (six trials, 341 patients, RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.25–0.80) and lower end‐of‐trial proteinuria (six trials, 263 patients, weighted mean difference (WMD) −0.49 g/day, 95% CI −0.25 to −0.72). Treatment with alkylating agents significantly reduced end of treatment proteinuria (two trials, 122 patients, WMD −0.94, 95% CI −0.46 to −1.43). Although the optimal management of patients with IgA nephropathy remains uncertain because of limitations with the existing published data, immunosuppressive agents are a promising strategy and should be investigated further.
Dive into the research topics of 'Immunosuppressive treatments for immunoglobulin A nephropathy: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
IGA Glomerulonephritis Medicine & Life Sciences 100%
Immunosuppressive Agents Medicine & Life Sciences 55%
Chronic Kidney Failure Medicine & Life Sciences 25%
Proteinuria Medicine & Life Sciences 18%
Alkylating Agents Medicine & Life Sciences 11%
Therapeutics Medicine & Life Sciences 10%
Samuels, J. A., Strippoli, G. F. M., Craig, J. C., Schena, F. P., & Molony, D. A. (2004). Immunosuppressive treatments for immunoglobulin A nephropathy: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nephrology, 9(4), 177-185.
Samuels, Joshua A. ; Strippoli, Giovanni F.M. ; Craig, Jonathan C. ; Schena, Francesco Paolo ; Molony, Donald A. / Immunosuppressive treatments for immunoglobulin A nephropathy : A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. In: Nephrology. 2004 ; Vol. 9, No. 4. pp. 177-185.
@article{51899cb6ddbd49cbab29573aaf0d73e3,
title = "Immunosuppressive treatments for immunoglobulin A nephropathy: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials",
abstract = "Summary: Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy is a worldwide disease that causes end‐stage kidney disease (ESRD) in up to 15–20% of affected patients within 10 years from the apparent onset of disease and in up to 30–40% of individuals within 20 years from diagnosis. No specific treatment has been established and there is wide variation in current practice. This systematic review evaluates the use of immunosuppressive agents to treat patients with IgA nephropathy. The Cochrane Renal Group Specialized Register, Cochrane Controlled Trial Registry, MEDLINE, EMBASE and article reference lists were searched for randomized or quasi randomized trials. Two independent reviewers assessed studies for inclusion criteria (biopsy proven IgA nephropathy, randomized trial, use of immunosuppressive agents) and extracted data regarding the effects of immunosuppressive agents on ESRD, doubling of serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate, urinary protein excretion and side‐effects. Data were analysed with a random effects model. The published trials were few (13 trials, 623 patients) and were generally of poor quality. Compared with placebo, steroids were associated with a lower risk of progression to ESRD (six trials, 341 patients, RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.25–0.80) and lower end‐of‐trial proteinuria (six trials, 263 patients, weighted mean difference (WMD) −0.49 g/day, 95% CI −0.25 to −0.72). Treatment with alkylating agents significantly reduced end of treatment proteinuria (two trials, 122 patients, WMD −0.94, 95% CI −0.46 to −1.43). Although the optimal management of patients with IgA nephropathy remains uncertain because of limitations with the existing published data, immunosuppressive agents are a promising strategy and should be investigated further.",
author = "Samuels, {Joshua A.} and Strippoli, {Giovanni F.M.} and Craig, {Jonathan C.} and Schena, {Francesco Paolo} and Molony, {Donald A.}",
journal = "Nephrology",
publisher = "BLACKWELL PUBLISHERS INC",
Samuels, JA, Strippoli, GFM, Craig, JC, Schena, FP & Molony, DA 2004, 'Immunosuppressive treatments for immunoglobulin A nephropathy: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials', Nephrology, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 177-185.
Immunosuppressive treatments for immunoglobulin A nephropathy : A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. / Samuels, Joshua A.; Strippoli, Giovanni F.M.; Craig, Jonathan C.; Schena, Francesco Paolo; Molony, Donald A.
In: Nephrology, Vol. 9, No. 4, 08.2004, p. 177-185.
T1 - Immunosuppressive treatments for immunoglobulin A nephropathy
T2 - A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
AU - Samuels, Joshua A.
AU - Strippoli, Giovanni F.M.
AU - Craig, Jonathan C.
AU - Schena, Francesco Paolo
AU - Molony, Donald A.
N2 - Summary: Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy is a worldwide disease that causes end‐stage kidney disease (ESRD) in up to 15–20% of affected patients within 10 years from the apparent onset of disease and in up to 30–40% of individuals within 20 years from diagnosis. No specific treatment has been established and there is wide variation in current practice. This systematic review evaluates the use of immunosuppressive agents to treat patients with IgA nephropathy. The Cochrane Renal Group Specialized Register, Cochrane Controlled Trial Registry, MEDLINE, EMBASE and article reference lists were searched for randomized or quasi randomized trials. Two independent reviewers assessed studies for inclusion criteria (biopsy proven IgA nephropathy, randomized trial, use of immunosuppressive agents) and extracted data regarding the effects of immunosuppressive agents on ESRD, doubling of serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate, urinary protein excretion and side‐effects. Data were analysed with a random effects model. The published trials were few (13 trials, 623 patients) and were generally of poor quality. Compared with placebo, steroids were associated with a lower risk of progression to ESRD (six trials, 341 patients, RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.25–0.80) and lower end‐of‐trial proteinuria (six trials, 263 patients, weighted mean difference (WMD) −0.49 g/day, 95% CI −0.25 to −0.72). Treatment with alkylating agents significantly reduced end of treatment proteinuria (two trials, 122 patients, WMD −0.94, 95% CI −0.46 to −1.43). Although the optimal management of patients with IgA nephropathy remains uncertain because of limitations with the existing published data, immunosuppressive agents are a promising strategy and should be investigated further.
AB - Summary: Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy is a worldwide disease that causes end‐stage kidney disease (ESRD) in up to 15–20% of affected patients within 10 years from the apparent onset of disease and in up to 30–40% of individuals within 20 years from diagnosis. No specific treatment has been established and there is wide variation in current practice. This systematic review evaluates the use of immunosuppressive agents to treat patients with IgA nephropathy. The Cochrane Renal Group Specialized Register, Cochrane Controlled Trial Registry, MEDLINE, EMBASE and article reference lists were searched for randomized or quasi randomized trials. Two independent reviewers assessed studies for inclusion criteria (biopsy proven IgA nephropathy, randomized trial, use of immunosuppressive agents) and extracted data regarding the effects of immunosuppressive agents on ESRD, doubling of serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate, urinary protein excretion and side‐effects. Data were analysed with a random effects model. The published trials were few (13 trials, 623 patients) and were generally of poor quality. Compared with placebo, steroids were associated with a lower risk of progression to ESRD (six trials, 341 patients, RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.25–0.80) and lower end‐of‐trial proteinuria (six trials, 263 patients, weighted mean difference (WMD) −0.49 g/day, 95% CI −0.25 to −0.72). Treatment with alkylating agents significantly reduced end of treatment proteinuria (two trials, 122 patients, WMD −0.94, 95% CI −0.46 to −1.43). Although the optimal management of patients with IgA nephropathy remains uncertain because of limitations with the existing published data, immunosuppressive agents are a promising strategy and should be investigated further.
JO - Nephrology
JF - Nephrology
Samuels JA, Strippoli GFM, Craig JC, Schena FP, Molony DA. Immunosuppressive treatments for immunoglobulin A nephropathy: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nephrology. 2004 Aug;9(4):177-185.


For any student who has completed his high school, the high school diploma template is of high value. It recreates the experiences at school and reminds about the progress in life. Though it is just a piece of paper, it has a lot of value and helps you throughout your life.
Just like how it is important to a student, it is crucial for the educational institution as well. They are given away at a graduation ceremony where there are many witnesses and it is important to pay attention to its design and data.
It is a must for the institution to make them look professional and genuine as they will remain with the students throughout their life. This article guides you to choose the perfect one.
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Before you choose anyone, you need to know the category you belong to. There are secondary school and preschool types and the format differs for both. While you can find loads of these online for free, never choose a fake one that can question your legitimacy.
Also, you must make sure you have genuine-looking fake transcripts to go with your free diploma certificate. That way, the whole package will look more authentic and less questionable.
If you have just completed your high school, you may have to choose certificates from the exclusive list below.
Who qualifies for a free diploma certificate template?
Students in highschool are expected to fulfill certain academic credits and undertake vocational courses that are termed as standards to progress to the next level. Students who use their resources correctly (such as books by using bookmark template) perform really well and above the high GPA score qualify for honors high school diploma templates while the rest receive college prep high school diplomas. There are certain terms and condition to qualify.
First of all, let's see how the free standard certificates look like and you can create your own just by observing the format and font style.
This one is widely used to certify the students for their accomplishment of high school course as it uses the perfect diploma fonts. It also has columns for sign and seal.
If you want a high school diploma certificate template without a hologram and terms conditions (which could be required along with your resume template), you may have to add the institution seal in the footer, unlike Homeschool diploma certificate. This can be of great use to fill the details with the ready-made seal from the schools.
The conventional free diploma templates generally have information about the witness of the event, the board of education, the location of the institution. Also, the lettering must be extremely artistic. They are sometimes said to be outdated but it completely depends on the preference and choice of the individual or institution.
With designs getting better, it is a good idea to select a customizable one that allows you to fill the data and just reminds you of placeholders for the same, just like a certificate of appreciation template. When you select a customizable option, check for its design. Make sure it's not too fancy and is maintaining a professional look and feel.
The problem with a blank certificate template is that sometimes you won't know what to add at which place like you would know in a Weekly Planner Template. That's why you should go with them only if you know what you are doing. Otherwise, opt for a pre-formatted one.
Suppose that you have completed the degree under the homeschool pattern and curriculum, the one given above is ideal for you. The source website detail is given in the footer and you can simply add a name, day, specialization in high school and year.
It is just not enough if you edit any random one and present it to others. There are fine details to it that you should pay attention to just like you would do in an Intuit Direct Deposit Form. Some websites charge as high as $30 for providing an elaborate one. But here, we have one for you that's absolutely free.
It is special for one reason that it explains the skill sets of the student along with the people who witness his graduation ceremony. It has all the elements that original and trustworthy free certificates should contain to appeal to the receivers. You may have to use this to impress others!
When you get one, the alignment is of high concern. All the texts are centered. There is also a difference seen between the informative text and text containing names and locations in terms of colors, font face and sizes.
If elegance is your priority, this is the one you should opt for. It has a different style to it that not only makes it look professional but also very modern.
The interesting part about minimal design is that it is free, looks attractive, credible, easy to edit and takes less than 30 minutes to get your final, printed one in your hand.
It is gorgeous and has adequate space to append credits. The red ribbon at the bottom adds majesty to it. This design is actually breaking the trend and is perfect for you to edit and use further.
To keep up with the trend, institutions have now created fresh and eye-catching designs that include the regular text but with symbols that are used to honor someone on an award ceremony.
It clearly highlights the name of the recipient and the course completed along with the image of the high school. The interesting part about it is that it is easy to edit and brings nostalgic memories about the school every time the person sees it.
This design further enhances the credibility with the choice of neutral colors and simple pattern background.
PDF version of this free diploma certificates is highly preferred by the institutions because it is ready to print and it is only required to fill the data. Once you agree to the design and text in it, you can simply download and add your detail.
It comes with a watermark that certifies the graduation of high school diplomas and has all the necessary symbols. With the grey margin, it appears more professional.
You can use any pdf editor online site to edit it by signing up for them using your email and then take print out once done. As simple as that. You might have to confirm your email with them to use the editor.
Word format is supposed to be the easiest to download, customize, alter and upgrade the text or append the pictures. If all you need is to edit the text with the margins and alignment already done, this free Word format is perfect.
Keep in mind that this is the simplest one you can get. It doesn't have much design or fancy stuff but it works well. So, go ahead and download it. Copyright to the original creator of this template.
When the education level progresses from high school to college, high school diplomas certificates are what you need to carry. On the other hand, these diplomas certificates highlight more about the specialization, proficiency and course duration. In general, a college diploma certificate is awarded to those who have undergone 2/3 years of study in a particular field and has passed all the subjects with recognized ratings.
It looks similar to that of high school diplomas except that the text is elaborate. To create college diplomas of your choice, download it and edit the name of college just like you would edit a silent auction bid sheet.
Fill the course that has been completed. What happens with the fake template is that the university and course tend to mismatch. The course is unavailable in the university mentioned but you download with an urge to hand over a random one. This is one point that you should keep in mind before you hand over the college diploma certificate.
The reason one has to spend extra time online to select the right certificates for completion of a college diploma is that it influences the rest of life. If you have one, it means that you have passed a high school diploma in flying colors. You are on the next stage of the life where this certificate gives you chances for employment.
For a fresher to get a job, these paper diplomas act as the base. When you hand over the certificates to the employer, the degree, specialization, university, and percentage are few aspects taken into consideration.
If the employer finds the candidate having honors, there is a potential opportunity for employment followed by a salary riraiseSuch students are also retained for a longer run by the employers as they are regarded as highly talented and competent to fulfill the desired work objectives.
Even if you wanted to pursue higher studies, this diploma will offer you the right universities where you qualify. Ideally, it offers a pool of opportunities for you. Make sure that you get the right one.
If you are a homeschooler, now in college, having a professional certificate will make you look good in front of the interviewer for sure. Although it is not necessary, having it in a paper format would be a plus.
The traditional diploma comes in the portrait format and a margin that looks even presentable on paper.
This is a fake certificate that you can download and enter your data.
Those who have secured honors in the degree are presented with a certificate that has a badge and additional 3D hologram to make it look special. This is a way to honor the students who have taken extra efforts to secure higher.
Preschool is filled with fun and memories and kickstarts education for the rest of your life. A preschool diploma certificate is usually colorful and has nearly the same text as in high school diplomas. All you need to do is fill the school name and child name.
There is no degree or any educational specialization of that sort that is deeply looked for. However, these real preschool certificates offer the base for you to enter the next grade. Printing them is also very straight forward.
What should a diploma certificate contain?
In general, any diploma printable has 5 aspects. If you are looking to purchase one, you may have to pay attention to these aspects to confirm the originality of it before you checkout.
Old English font is usually used in the these. This font is visible in the header as well as the recipient's name. Sometimes, the font is used throughout the certificate in different sizes. Remember that no fancy fonts are used in the high school diploma printable as it displays professionalism and fancy fonts can fake the accomplishment.
The header part has the title which is usually a high school diploma. In certain cases, the high school adds the institution name along with the image of the institution and established year to enhance the credibility. This is not mandatory though.
To download original ones, always have a check on the color of ink. Black is a globally used ink color to print the text. In recent times, high schools have stepped forward to adopt new colors to it. In that case, it follows the color scheme of the logo. Verify with the logo to purchase the right one.
The real high school diplomas printable has details on the recipient's name, institution name, degree achieved, date, month and year of presentation of the certificate. Few institutions also mention the percentile. It is optional. When you purchase them, ensure that the text has all these details and appears trustworthy to the readers.
There are certain words that every certificate should contain. 'This certifies that' is the phrase that is meant to tell its purpose. 'Has successfully completed' is another phrase that informs the completion/distinction/honorary achievement of the degree/course of study. Important words like diploma will have to be printed in higher font sizes. Choose margins that are not too broad/clumsy. Opt for a calligraphic font.
The footer of this has three portions. There are 2 signatures of the senior most people of the high school such as correspondent and principal. An original certificate will always have the signatures of the reliable and superior resources that the institution trusts on. Between the two signatures, there is a seal. This seal is either gold or silver. The seal is prepared from a hologram and is highly intricate.
Not every parent has knowledge of image editing in order to edit a certificate. It eliminates this problem as it allows the users to edit the student name, diploma specialization, date and signatures in Word or PDF formats. It consumes minimum time and effort and it also has a seal in the footer. Printing it is also very easy.
If the parent knows to fill information, then a blank template is a perfect choice. The placeholders are left blank and the user will have to enter the student information. It uses good fonts which is a must. The template is already formatted and aligned. Download the image and directly enter the data. This is the advantage with a blank one.
Suppose you need a template with the logo of an institution, then the following template will help you out.
The margin has an interesting design and this template has detailed specifications that will direct the parent to enter data appropriately. You will be expected to know to remove the specification with an editing tool like Photoshop so you can enter your student's data.
If you are an expert in photoshop or any other image editing tools, this will be an easy job for you. For others, who aren't good with these, it's better to select one of the already formatted ones in doc or pdf format that we have listed above.
As per the global educational standards, every student needs 3 certificates – preschool, high school, and college completion. The preschool certificate can look cheerful and creative. Both, high school and college diploma, are professional and offer added benefits to the students. An honorable certificate is precious and reminds the students of a pool of opportunities forever.
It is the role of the institution to honor its students with more opportunities by presenting an extremely professional certificate that is rich in design and proves genuineness with the choice of right text, font face, and overall structure. Further, the ceremony is witnessed by a number of people and it would be right if the institution proves its class and standard just by means of properly designed and printed free templates.
Also, for those who are homeschooling, having a proper certificate is equally important as it reflects the amount of hard work you have put in and that's why it is mandatory that it looks very professional and not something created hastily.


text:
1 Actor/Actress / 3 Model / R
by andrew · July 15, 2014
Rossellini in 2010, photo by Prphotos.com
Birth Name: Isabella Fiorella Elettra Giovanna Rossellini
Place of Birth: Rome, Italy
Date of Birth: 18 June, 1952
*Italian, small amount of French (father)
*Swedish, German (mother)
Isabella Rossellini is an Italian actress, filmmaker, author, philanthropist, and model.
Isabella is the daughter of Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman, who was of half Swedish and half German descent, and of Italian director Roberto Rossellini, who was of mostly Italian, and some French, ancestry. Isabella holds dual Italian and United States citizenship.
Isabella two children, a daughter, food editor and writer Elettra Rossellini Wiedemann, with her former husband, model and Microsoft design manager Jon Wiedemann; and a son, who Isabella adopted.
Isabella's paternal grandfather was Angiolo Giuseppe "Beppino" Rossellini (the son of Zeffiro/Luigi Rossellini and Giuseppina Benedetti). Zeffiro was from Pisa, Tuscany, Italy, and the surname was spelled as Rosellini. Giuseppe was from Rovigo, Veneto, Italy and evidently had some French ancestry, from emigrants who had arrived in Italy during the Napoleonic Wars.
Isabella's paternal grandmother was Elettra Bellan (the daughter of Giuseppe Bellan and Amalia del Monte). Amalia was from Anagni, Province of Frosinone, Lazio, Italy.
Isabella's maternal grandfather was Justus Samuel Bergman (the son of Johan Petter/Peter Bergman and Brita Sofia/Sophia Samuelsdotter). Justus was Swedish, and was born in Bäckarslöv, Hössjö Bryggaregård, Slätthög, Kronobergs län. Johan was the son of Jonas Månsson and Marta Jönasdotter/Jönsdotter. Brita was the daughter of Samuel Lorentz Bengtsson and Maria Andersdotter.
Isabella's maternal grandmother was Friedel Henrietta Adler. Friedel was German, and was born in Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein.
Sources: Genealogy of Isabella Rossellini – https://www.geni.com
Article about Isabella's father – https://www.nytimes.com
Obituary of Isabella's father – https://www.washingtonpost.com
Genealogy of Isabella Rossellini (focusing on her mother's side) – http://www.wikitree.com
Tags: FrenchGermanItalianLazianSwedishTuscanvenetian
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1977/06/04/roberto-rossellini-noted-italian-filmmaker-dies/2a21238b-6b52-40f4-8b39-852eeffd25c9/?utm_term=.ffb7265cbe23
neiltennant says:
i know a woman from finland who looks exactly like her but she has blond hair but the same eyes and skin and face
Anton Yelchin
Rachelle Lefevre
Lucas Till
Alexandra Breckenridge
Masi Oka
Farhad Darya
Denise Vasi
Evan Lysacek


Minutes of a meeting held on 3rd December, 2013.
Present: Councillor Mrs. A.J. Moore (Chairman); Councillor E. Hacker (Vice-Chairman); Councillors P.J. Clarke, G.A. Cox, Mrs. C.L. Curtis, Mrs. P. Drake, P. King, Mrs. M. Kelly Owen and C.J. Williams.
Also present: Councillors R.F. Curtis, N. Moore and R.A. Penrose.
This was received from Councillor A.G. Powell.
RECOMMENDED – T H A T the minutes of the meeting held on 5th November, 2013 be approved as a correct record.
Councillor R.A. Penrose had requested a call-in to the Scrutiny Committee for the reason being "to defer purchase of the vehicle based telemetry system at present, pending more detailed analysis of our Authority's Fleet Management Programme, (including acquisitions, vehicle telemetry, replacement policy, analysis of number of vehicles required, fuelling procedures, method of fuelling acquisition, need and location of repair workshop etc.)". In presenting the call-in Councillor Penrose advised on the background to the request in that at earlier meetings of the Scrutiny Committee (Corporate Resources) discussions had been held around acquisition costs and delays on acquiring vehicles. Several questions had been asked particularly in relation to vehicle telemetry with the response being at the time that the Council did not have such a system in its fleet. It was also considered by the Scrutiny Committee (Corporate Resources) that fleet management could be the subject of a task and finish exercise. Councillor Penrose stated that he would request the Scrutiny Committee (Economy and Environment) to consider a deferment of the decision pending the setting up of a sub-committee to look into the matter.
The Cabinet Member for Environment and Visible Services, in presenting the report, stated that over a number of years the Council had reduced the numbers of front line staff supervision which had made monitoring of performance levels of mobile workers more difficult. With the current high fuel and vehicle costs and the need to improve operational efficiency to a maximum it was imperative that the Council operated with a minimum number of vehicles necessary to deliver its services in the future. This goal was not likely to be achieved without the assistance of a real time electronic vehicle use monitoring system. The Cabinet Member also highlighted that at agenda item 5 on the Committee's agenda vehicle telemetry was reported as a savings proposal and any delay would reduce any potential savings that were urgently required. The Director of Visible Services and Housing would also be bringing further reports to Cabinet to include a new policy on "home to work transport" and other transportation savings.
The Director advised that in view of the Council's forthcoming budget pressures it was considered the appropriate time to install telematics to ensure that any inefficiencies were reduced to an absolute minimum. The systems were accurate, relatively low in cost and they also tended to be modular which meant that the level of monitoring of feedback required could be varied depending on the service requirements. In addition to fuel savings it was envisaged that the telematics system would improve driver behaviour, resulting in vehicle reduced maintenance costs on items such as brake parts. It would also greatly improve continuity and delivery times with all vehicle locations being displayed on a digital map of the Vale in real time. The utilisation of individual vehicles would be able to be closely monitored and the fleet numbers reduced if the level of utilisation was below relevant business parameters for the vehicle / service type concerned.
The system would initially be fitted to all vehicles within the Directorate of Visible Services and Housing (240 in number) with other Directorates invited to join the network when the system was fully operational. The system that had been chosen was web based but also displayed information on a wide range of devices including Blackberry, IPhone, IPad, Windows Mobile or Android. There were a number of benefits to the system which included providing added security for lone workers and ensuring compliance with the working time directive.
The cost of adding vehicles to the system would be £260 in the first year and £210 per annum thereafter per vehicle. Telematics companies suggested that fuel savings alone from such systems could realise between 10% - 20%. For the Vale Council a fuel savings estimate of 15% had been used in the calculation which equated to a saving of £120,000 per annum.
During the consideration of such a system the Director advised that the Trade Unions had been consulted and were supportive of the introduction subject to it being appropriately managed and a new "home to work transport" policy being introduced before the units were installed on vans. The Director also referred to an Audit report concerning responsive building maintenance which was critical of the officers' management of the "Optitime" mobile working system used in Building Maintenance. He advised that the Optitime system was declared as being fit for purpose by the auditors, but that the vehicle telemetry system would be used to supplement the current controls provided by this existing system. It would not replace this system as its functionality and purpose was designed to control vehicle use and not to manage appointments and other building maintenance operations. He further referred to the recent savings that had been made by Neath Port Talbot Council and that the Corporate Management Team would be speaking to the consultancy firm that had assisted that Council. He stated that he was looking to propose a review of the Council's wider fleet operations during the early part of 2014, which he advised would be likely to inform a future report on this subject to Cabinet. The telemetry system was needed he advised, to provide the necessary data for any consultancy company to assess the savings that may be possible.
The Leader, with the permission of the Committee, advised that the Minister had asked for an update from all Local Authorities in Wales as to where they were with regard to fleet management. Reports in the press projected that Local Authorities in Wales could save, over three years, a total of £81 million although he was not entirely sure of the robustness of this information. The Minister had also asked for the responses by the end of December.
RECOMMENDED – T H A T the decisions of Cabinet be endorsed.
In view of the need to reduce on going transport costs and that further reports were to be submitted on the subject and other transportation savings in January 2014.
The Council was required, under statute, to fix the level of Council Tax for 2014/15 by 11th March 2014 and in order to do so would have to agree a balanced Revenue Budget by the same date. To be in a position to meet the statutory deadlines and requirements for consultation as set out within the Council's Constitution, much of the work on quantifying the resource requirements of individual services needed to be carried out before the final Revenue Support Grant (RSG) settlement was notified to the Council. The Council's provisional settlement had been announced on 16th October, 2013. The final settlement was likely to be received in December 2013. The Council's Standard Spending Assessment (SSA) represented the Welsh Government's (WG) view of the relative resources required to provide a standard level of service in each local authority in Wales and its primary use was to allocate RSG to these authorities. For 2014/15 the Council's provisional SSA was £214.384m.
The Council had also been advised by the WG of its 2014/15 allocation in relation to RSG (£118.834m) and National Non Domestic Rates (£38.941m). Together, these sums constituted the Council's Aggregate External Finance (AEF). This represented a cash reduction of 4.5% (£7.4m) for 2014/15 and was a larger reduction than the 4% projected in the Council's Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP).
It was the Council's contention that WG had not included all the required adjustments to make the AEF comparative between years and that there was an actual cash reduction to the Council of 4.9%. As part of the consultation process on the provisional settlement, the Leader of the Council was responding to WG on this issue. Pay and price inflation results in a much higher decrease in real terms. The September Consumer Price Index stood at 2.7%.
The following table compares the amended original budget with the projected outturn for 2013/14.
The projected outturn for this Committee was a balanced budget when compared to the amended original budget.
Highways and Engineers – The projection was an adverse variance of £82k. The Premises and Repairs budgets were projected to be overspent by £372k, being partly due to the ongoing projected overspend on repairing potholes and Street Lighting Energy costs. It was anticipated that the expenditure on potholes would reduce at some stage, however, this would be heavily dependant on the weather over the winter months. The projected overspend on street lighting energy costs was due to anticipated savings not yet being made. This overspend would be offset by the use of £150k from the Visible Services Reserve for additional expenditure on potholes and another £150k to offset the street lighting energy overspend. There was also a projected adverse variance of £220k as a result of a shortfall in income due to a delay in the rollout of car park charging. Again £220k of reserves was to be used to offset this position. Both the Street Lighting energy costs and Car Park charging would be the subject of reports to Cabinet, by the Director of Visible Services and Housing, in the near future. Transport costs had a projected adverse variance of 10k, partly due to the increased cost of a newer fleet.
Waste Management – It was projected that the Waste Management section would have a favourable variance of £33k. Employee costs were projected to have a favourable variance of £86k due to vacant posts. Income had decreased by £218k due to the reduction in the Sustainable Waste Management grant from Welsh Government. This had been offset by reducing the budget for the purchase of food waste bags by £180k for this financial year, various other small overspends also totalled £15k.
Support – It was estimated that there would be a £152k underspend compared with the budget. This budget would be used to meet pressures that arose throughout the financial year and would also be held to offset the pressures above.
Parks and Grounds Maintenance – Overall the Grounds Maintenance section it was anticipated would have an adverse variance of £103k. The main reasons for the projected overspend were additional expenditure and the end of the HLF grant for Victoria Park causing an overspend of £43k, projected expenditure of £35k at Rhoose Point for which there was no budget, a projected £18k overspend on Bowling Greens due to high utility costs and other small overspends that total £7k.
Building Services – The Service was expected to outturn on target.
Planning and Transportation – The year end projected outturn for this service showed a balanced budget. Although there was an anticipated increase in transport costs of £312k for the provision of the Cardiff Airport Express Service, this expenditure would be matched by income of the same amount from Welsh Government grant funding for the service.
Leisure – The projected outturn for this service showed a balanced budget. There were additional costs for supplies and services, however, these would be matched by an increase in grant income.
Economic Development – The projected outturn for this service showed a balanced budget. Although there was a projected £36k overspend within Employment and Training Services, this would be offset by Communities First Management fees.
The report also highlighted that £650k was to be provided for Environmental and Visible Services works at Cross Common Road Bridge and approval for this funding had been requested in the Initial Capital Programme Proposals 2014/15 report. The scheme was to be funded from an underspend on the net cost of capital included in the Policy budget.
"Supplementary estimates would only increase the base budget if Council had given specific approval to this effect. Increases met by virement within a year would not be treated as committed growth.
It was envisaged that the costs of service development would need to be met from within the respective Directorates."
· Full account to be taken of the revenue costs, other than debt charges, of new capital schemes coming into use.
When approving the Budget Strategy for 2014/15, Directors had been asked to consider bringing forward the implementation of future years' savings ahead of the scheduled date. This message was reinforced by Cabinet when approving the MTFP, where Directors were also asked to identify additional areas for savings.
The 2013/14 budget included approved savings targets for the years 2014/15 to 2016/17. Directors had assessed future year savings in order to establish those that could be brought forward to supplement the 2014/15 savings. In doing so, regard had been given to those savings which were time bound and could not be accelerated. Details of the approved areas for savings for 2014/15 for the Committee, together with proposals for savings to be brought forward were attached at Appendix 3 to the report. The savings did not include the cost of potential redundancies.
A summary of the overall base budget for 2014/15 was attached at Appendix 4 to the report. This had been arrived at by adjusting the 2013/14 budget for items such as inflation and unavoidable growth, but did not include identified cost pressures or savings. These were shown as a note to the table and were further detailed in Appendices 2 and 3 respectively. The total cost pressures for 2014/15 for the services within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee were £167k.
Once the base budget for 2014/15 for the Council as a whole had been established, it would then be compared to the funding available to identify the extent of any shortfall. With a provisional AEF of £157.775m and Council Tax at a current level of £53.567m, total available funding would be £211.342m. When compared to a base budget of £221.196m, this would result in a funding shortfall for 2014/15 of £9.854m. This shortfall was mainly attributable to the reduction in funding from WG, an increase in pay and price inflation and the requirement to fund committed growth.
The use of reserves to fund recurring expenditure could only be countenanced as part of a specific strategy to achieve a balanced budget in future years. The consequence of such actions would be to increase the level of savings required in 2015/16 onwards.
In terms of the role of the Cabinet Budget Working Group, this Group would be holding a series of meetings with the relevant Cabinet Members and officers to consider the budget proposals. Any recommendations from this Group would be submitted in order that Cabinet could make its final budget proposal by no later than 24th February 2014; before making its recommendation the Cabinet Budget Working Group would consider the comments made by all the Council's Scrutiny Committees.
The reports stated that the Cabinet's final budget proposals would be considered by Council on 5th March 2014.
In considering the report Members in referring to the use of reserves were aware that the Section 151 officer would advise that it would not be prudent for the Council to have less than £7 million in its reserves and thus with the current budget reported this would mean a figure of £8.35 million would be left in reserves. Members also queried the proposals for potential savings by the reduction of street lighting and increased car parking charges to which the Director advised that further detailed reports on both would be submitted for consideration in the New Year. Following this response a further report on the proposals for the double shifting of vehicles was also requested by the Committee. It was noted that difficult times and decisions were ahead for the Council and the Director of Development Services referred to a review within his directorate being undertaken which was to consider more flexible ways of working.
Members referred to concerns in relation to supported bus services and planning enforcement with the Director's response that the department would be considering options to utilise more community buses and, as for planning enforcement, this was a non-statutory function and he would be undertaking a review of the service currently in place.
(2) T H A T the initial revenue budget proposals for 2014/15 be noted.
(2) In view of the budget pressures facing the Council.
Appendix A to the report provided the Committee with the full details of the progress on schemes on the Capital Programme within its remit as at 30th September 2013.
Flood Risk Management – £750,000 had been approved as part of the 2013/14 Capital Programme for various schemes to address flooding and drainage issues. The Highways and Engineering department had proposals for a number of schemes to be delivered from this funding. Whilst a small number of schemes were progressing including Llancadle, Old Wick Road and highway drainage improvements, the full details of these proposals would be the subject of a separate report by the Director of Visible and Housing Services.
Cross Common Road Bridge – It had been requested that the Capital Programme be increased by £650,000 to address the outcome of a feasibility study which was considering options for the future of Cross Common Road Bridge. This would be funded from a revenue contribution and a report detailing this feasibility study would be presented to Cabinet shortly.
S106/Belle Vue Park – £10,000 had been requested to be included in the Capital Programme for Section 106 funding, awarded to a project at Belle Vue Park. This entailed the replacement of an original water drinking fountain in the park, improve recycling facilities and a contribution towards an outdoor gym.
Vehicles Renewal Fund - Expenditure was slightly behind profile due to second hand vehicles being purchased in year and some items of expenditure being delayed pending the outcome of decisions regarding future revenue services.
Whilst the indicative amounts had been utilised in 2014/15 and 2015/16, for the purposes of this programme, the assumption of a 10% cut each year had been assumed in 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19. In line with the financial strategy, the Council would mitigate the deteriorating situation by looking to progress only those schemes which were deemed to be a key corporate priority, whilst also seeking to gain assurance that such schemes were delivered on time and within budget.
In addition to funding from the WG, the Council would finance part of the Capital Programme from its own resources, e.g. Capital Receipts and Reserves. Set out in Appendix B to the report was the proposed 2014/15 to 2018/19 Capital Programme for services under the Committee's remit.
Capital bids had been invited for return by 30th September 2013 and the number of bids received was reduced from the high volume in the previous year. This reduction reflected that the Capital Programme had been set to 2017/18 following the budget review that took place as part of the 2013/14 budget process. Departments were requested to rank their own bids in order of importance before submission, and bids from each Department were forwarded to the Corporate Asset Management Group (CAMG) for evaluation.
The Budget Working Group had prioritised bids based upon the recommendations of the CAMG which were shown in Appendix B. The method of prioritisation used in the Council's Capital Investment Strategy was set out in the report for information. Only those schemes assessed as corporate priority 1 or medium risk and above were included.
In addition to bids meeting the criteria for inclusion in the Capital Programme, there had been a number of changes approved by Cabinet since the final budget proposals in February 2013 that impacted on the Capital Programme, such as, amendments to the budgets carried forward and these changes were included.
As in the case of the consideration of the Initial Revenue Budget Proposals, similar arrangements were in place for the Scrutiny Committees to pass their comments to the Scrutiny Committee (Corporate Resources) who would, on behalf of all the Council's Scrutiny Committees, formally respond to Cabinet by no later than 13th December 2013. However, Scrutiny Committees were being asked to first consider the indicative Capital Proposals as set out in Appendix B. If a change to the initial proposals was desired, the Scrutiny Committee was required to provide a reason for this need in order to assist the Cabinet and the CBWG in their deliberation when drawing up the final proposals. The total net capital expenditure of the proposed programme for the whole of the Council over the five years was over £102m.
Managers were asked to revisit the schemes listed in Appendix B and to confirm final cost and spend profiles prior to the final proposals being considered by Cabinet by no later than 24th February, 2014. Cabinet's final Capital Programme proposals would be considered by Council no later than 5th March, 2013.
In line with the overall strategy and specific suggestions proposed by the Budget Working Group (BWG), in order to resource the Capital Programme, reserves would be utilised over the period of the Capital Programme 2014/15 to 2018/19.
The above forecast balances needed to be seen in the context of significant pressures for spending which had not yet been included in the Capital Programme. These pressures included the backlog of school, highways and buildings improvements.
In response to a query as to when the work would commence on the Cross Common road bridge it was noted that a report for Cabinet for the 16th December 2013 had been prepared with it envisaged that tenders be accepted early in the New Year.
(1) T H A T the position with regard to the 2013/14 Capital Programme be noted.
(2) T H A T the proposed Capital Programme for 2014/15 as detailed in Appendix B to the report be noted.
(1&2) In acknowledgement of the budget proposals and budget pressures on the Council.
The Council's performance results against statutory national performance indicators (National Strategic Indicators and Public Accountability Measures) relevant to the Scrutiny Committee were presented for the year ended 31st March, 2013.
Under the Local Government Act 1999 the Wales Programme for Improvement and the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009 the Council was required to secure continuous improvement across the full range of local services for which it was responsible and to collect a range of performance data which was submitted to the Welsh Government and the Local Government Data Unit.
A detailed summary was attached at Appendix 1 to the report.
· PLA006A The number of additional affordable housing units provided during the year as a percentage of all additional housing units provided during the year. The Wales Audit Office had reservations about the robustness of data sourced nationally by Welsh Government for this indicator and had, therefore, decided to universally qualify it for 2012-13. This was because Welsh Government changed the definition of the PI at the very end of the financial year 2012-13. As a result of the changes, data from one year in arrears had to be submitted, meaning the 2012-13 figure was actually the figure for 2011-12. Additionally, there had been problems with the data accuracy of the figures Welsh Government pre-populated across Wales. Whilst the data the Council submitted would have put it in the second quartile for the indicator in comparison for the rest of Wales, due to reasons outside of its control, it was not possible to trust these figures. The definition of the indicator had been clarified for 2013-14 and it was we hoped to be able to compare the figures on a national level at the end of the current financial year.
· LCS/002b The number of visits to local authority sport and leisure centres during the year where the visitor will be participating in physical activity, per 1,000 population. Performance for 2012/13 was in the bottom quartile. Performance for this PI was qualified by the WAO as data was not being calculated in accordance with usage rates guidance provided in the National Strategic Indicator definition. The indication was that more people were using the facilities than were currently being recorded.
· THS/007 The percentage of adults aged 60+ who hold a concessionary bus pass. Performance for 2012/13 was in the bottom quartile. Whilst eligible residents could apply for concessionary bus passes, the uptake was not great particularly as bus coverage in rural areas was generally limited. As a result residents preferred to drive. In addition, the Council did not wish to raise expectations by advertising concessionary passes when bus services were limited.
· WMT009b The percentage of municipal waste collected by local authorities and prepared for reuse and / or recycled, including source segregated biowastes that were composted or treated biologically another way. Performance for 2012/13 was in the second quartile. This needed to be considered alongside WMT004b as less waste was landfilled, more was recycled and vice versa. Again, some analysis of the national figures was required to establish how some authorities were performing well in one of these indicators and not in the other.
· WMT004b The percentage of municipal waste collected by local authorities sent to landfill. Performance for 2012/13 was in the third quartile. The Authority was investing collaboratively in Prosiect Gwyrdd which would vastly improve this figure. The Council expected to be in the top quartile of performance by 2016/17 and expected the landfill figure to decrease drastically to around 5%. Whilst improving performance against this indicator was seen as a more long-term process, an analysis of the current data had opened up some possible avenues of exploration to lead to more immediate improvement. It was unclear why some authorities who were reporting lower recycling figures than us were also reporting lower landfill figures.
· THS012 The percentage of principal (A) roads, non-principal (B) roads and non-principal (C) roads that were in overall poor condition. This indicator was in the third quartile of performance and was continually improving. It was possible to split the figures down into A, B and C roads as follows: A roads = 6.8% (18th in Wales), B roads = 5.9% (5th in Wales), C roads = 16.2% (16th in Wales). This showed that improvement work should be focussed on A and C roads. In respect of C roads, there was not going to be very much investment here due to the limited resources at our disposal.
· STS005b The percentage of highways and relevant land inspected of a high or acceptable standard of cleanliness. Performance for 2012/13 was in the bottom quartile. It was noted that whilst the Council was currently in 19th position in Wales, an improvement of only 3 percentage points would see it achieve the Welsh average. It was felt that the figure would improve if more inspections could be carried out, however resources were not currently available to progress this. There was however, already some improvement in this PI; at quarter 2, as performance was reported at 96.5%.
· STS006 The percentage of reported fly tipping incidents cleared within 5 working days. The Council had been unable to submit a figure for this PI for 2012/13 as it was unable to accurately evidence performance. The issues that caused this had been investigated and a mid-year review of current figures was due to take place to ensure that there was no cause for concern this year.
Appendix 2 to the report detailed the improvement actions that were currently being undertaken with the aim of improving the Council's performance by the end of the current financial year.
RECOMMENDED – T H A T the performance results presented be noted.
In acknowledgment of service performance in line with statutory requirements and the Council's Performance Management Framework and monitoring arrangements.
Overall it was noted that the Development Services Directorate was on track to achieve the objectives contributing to its service outcomes with 90% of actions currently either completed or on track with the details being provided under each objective.
With regard to the Corporate Plan, 93% of the actions were on track for completion. Of the 44 actions within the Service Plan, 3 had been completed with 38 on track and 3 having slipped. There were 3 actions relating to the Improve Objectives, of which 2 were on track and 1 had slipped.
In referring to Outcome Agreements, it was noted that there were currently no Outcome Agreement Actions in place for the Service as final guidance from Welsh Government had not yet been received.
In noting examples of exceptional performance, work on the Local Development Plan was highlighted with it being noted that all targets had been met. There had also been high levels of participation in the school sports survey, with the findings highlighting that 44% of children and young people in the Vale participated in sport and physical activity at least 3 times per week. This performance ranked the Vale of Glamorgan second in Wales for participation.
RECOMMENDED – T H A T the Development Services Quarterly Performance for Quarter 2 be noted.
In view of the Scrutiny Committee's monitoring role.
Overall it was noted that Visible Services was on track to achieve the objectives contributing to its Service Outcomes with 56% of actions currently either completed or on track. The contribution to the Corporate Plan was well on track with 75% of the actions completed or on track for completion. Of the 12 actions in the Service Plan, 3 actions had been completed, 6 were on track, 1 had slipped with 2 having not yet started.
The Department was also primarily on track to achieve the actions contributing to its Improvement Objectives with 57% of actions either completed or on track and of the 7 actions, 1 was completed, 3 were on track and 3 had slipped. The report also identified how the department would bring any slipped actions back on track.
The Operational Manager for waste management advised that with regard to Prosiect Gwyrdd, the Project Board had recently agreed to move to financial close. The Chairman and Vice took the opportunity to advise the Committee in respect of a recent site visit to a similar plant to the one being established in Cardiff in Reading which had been an excellent visit and which had provided a more detailed insight into the facility to be used. It was further noted that school visits to such venues would be welcomed by the company. Members also took the opportunity to thank the Operational Manager for his hard work in respect of this Project.
In response to a query regarding car parking enforcement Members were asked to email their concerns directly to the responsible officer in Bridgend and he would supply the Democratic Services Officer with the email address for Members.
RECOMMENDED – T H A T the Quarterly Performance Report for Quarter 2 performance for Visible Services be noted.
In view of the Committee's monitoring role.
The Committee received a presentation from Jane Wade, Operational Manager (Property) and Esther Tallent (Energy Saving Trust) in respect of the collective energy buy-in which had been developed and supported by stakeholders across Wales to help people take part in selective energy switching. It was noted that selective energy switching was important as it allowed people to group together to negotiate better deals with energy providers at a time when the costs of energy are going up. The Committee were reminded of the importance that the more people that could be grouped together the bigger the savings could be made. It was reported that to date nearly 5,000 people had already signed up. In response to a query as to whether the initiative could assist businesses it was confirmed that the scheme was only for domestic properties.
RECOMMENDED – T H A T all Members be encouraged to "spread the word" about the initiative and that Councillor R.F. Curtis (Cabinet Member) be thanked for bringing the matter to Members' attention.


text:
One Million Arab Coders develops digital literacy in Arab youth, ensuring their readiness for the future and preparing the next generation of technology experts. OMAC achieves this through a digital platform that provides online programming courses accessible by Arab youth around the world.
Launched in 2017 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, OMAC is the largest initiative of its kind in the Arab world. It has now expanded to chapters in Uzbekistan and Jordan. OMAC is a driving force for tech innovation and incubates the talent that will spearhead the development of communities and tech economies.
OMAC answers the challenge of how to employ a growing youth population gainfully in the digital economy.
H.H Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al MaktoumCrown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Dubai Future Foundation
Fast-Tracked Digital Empowerment
Courses range from basic digital literacy to advanced programmes across a range of tracks that include app development, machine learning, data analysis and many more.
OMAC fills digital literacy gaps to bridge Arab youth with the job market. Top achievers gain scholarships to an advanced six-month nanodegree course with one-on-one mentorship. OMAC is where the world's youth speak the language of the future — code.
"OMAC is where the world's youth speak the language of the future – code."
H.H Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Dubai Future Foundation
Creating one million Arab coders
Impactful online training & certifications
$1,000,000 for first place; $50,000 for the top five graduates
Nanodegree scholarships for the top 1,000 students
Internships, job opportunities and startup support
OMAC News & Updates
One Million Arab Coders Initiative Announces Top Five Innovations to Tackle World's Most Pressing Challenges
Omac News
Dubai Future Foundation Launches 'One Million Arab Coders' COVID-19 Hackathon


text:
Target's New 'Genderless' Policies Are Attracting Sexual Predators
Target used to be the go-to place where women and families could purchase all their household needs.
But ever since Target decided to allow men to use women's restrooms and created "transgender" dressing rooms, mothers have boycotted the store and taken their children elsewhere.
And it's a good thing, because Target really is attracting sexual predators to its stores, making it a dangerous place to shop.
Breitbart reported:
"A female shopper called police after finding that a man was following her around the Westchester Commons Target store. At one point, she said, the man put a cell phone in a basket on the floor and pushed it toward her, according to a report by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
"She soon noticed a shopping basket on the floor near her with a phone in it; the phone's camera was facing up in an apparent attempt to take photos up her skirt," a police report said."
When Target first decided to implement their "genderless" policy, conservative women pleaded with Target to reconsider, but Target refused to reverse their policy.
Instead, Target chose to double down by issuing a statement on their website which said:
"Inclusivity is a core belief at Target. It's something we celebrate. We stand for equality and equity, and strive to make our guests and team members feel accepted, respected and welcomed in our stores and workplaces every day.
We believe that everyone—every team member, every guest, and every community—deserves to be protected from discrimination, and treated equally. Consistent with this belief, Target supports the federal Equality Act, which provides protections to LGBT individuals, and opposes action that enables discrimination.
In our stores, we demonstrate our commitment to an inclusive experience in many ways. Most relevant for the conversations currently underway, we welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity."
Because of Target's arrogance and refusal to reverse their policy, they are suffering major consequences.
In fact, it's only a matter of time before their doors are closed for good.
Conservative parents warned Target not to move forward with their "transgender" bathroom policy, but Target was defiant and wouldn't listen.
While Target's CEO Brian Cornell kept insisting Target was doing "just fine", now he is forced to walk back his words.
Cornell realizes the seriousness of conservatives boycotting Target, but now it's too late.
"While insisting that things are turning around for his company, Target CEO Brian Cornell admitted, "We aren't doing any high fives in the [board] room."
The CEO is also finding consequences from the company's fall. This month it was reported that the retailer slashed its CEO's pay by at least one-third.
Cornell is not the only high-ranking officer at Target to feel the pain. As the company works to revamp itself in the face of its ongoing troubles, several top executives have been fired or have otherwise moved on from the retailer.
Other signs of the retailer's troubles came in February when it abruptly dumped several projects aimed at revitalizing the company's brand."
Businesses across the country should take note at the downward spiral of Target and realize the same thing will happen to them if they implement "transgender" policies in their stores.
Parents care about protecting their children, and won't subject their little girls to being traumatized by a grown man walking in on them in the restroom.
Teen girls want to be free to change in a dressing room without a man dressed as a woman directly next to them.
And women want to freely shop without sexual predators sliding cameras up their skirts.
Target has become a magnet for drawing in sexual predators. More and more moms are saying "no thanks", and choosing to shop at other retail stores.
Do you think Target is a safe place for families to shop?
Do you think Target should rescind its "transgender" policies?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.


text:
package jlibs.core.graph.walkers;

import jlibs.core.graph.*;
import jlibs.core.graph.sequences.AbstractSequence;
import jlibs.core.graph.sequences.DuplicateSequence;
import jlibs.core.graph.sequences.EmptySequence;
import jlibs.core.graph.sequences.EnumeratedSequence;

import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.tree.DefaultMutableTreeNode;
import java.util.Stack;

/**
 * @author Santhosh Kumar T
 */
public class PreorderWalker<E> extends AbstractSequence<E> implements Walker<E>{
    private Sequence<? extends E> seq;
    private Navigator<E> navigator;

    public PreorderWalker(Sequence<? extends E> seq, Navigator<E> navigator){
        this.seq = seq;
        this.navigator = navigator;
        _reset();
    }

    public PreorderWalker(E elem, Navigator<E> navigator){
        this(new DuplicateSequence<E>(elem), navigator);
    }

    /*-------------------------------------------------[ Reuse ]---------------------------------------------------*/

    @Override
    public void reset(){
        super.reset();
        _reset();
    }

    private void _reset(){
        path = null;
        stack.clear();
        stack.push(new Children(seq.copy()));
    }

    @Override
    public PreorderWalker<E> copy(){
        return new PreorderWalker<E>(seq.copy(), navigator);
    }

    /*-------------------------------------------------[ Reuse ]---------------------------------------------------*/

    private Stack<Children> stack = new Stack<Children>();
    private Path path;

    private class Children{
        boolean breakpoint;
        Sequence<? extends E> seq;

        public Children(Sequence<? extends E> seq){
            this.seq = seq;
        }
    }

    @Override
    protected E findNext(){
        // pop empty sequences
        while(!stack.isEmpty()){
            Children elem = stack.peek();
            if(elem.seq.next()==null){
                if(elem.breakpoint)
                    return null;
                else{
                    stack.pop();
                    if(path!=null)
                        path = path.getParentPath();
                }
            }else
                break;
        }

        if(stack.isEmpty())
            return null;
        else{
            Sequence<? extends E> peekSeq = stack.peek().seq;
            E current = peekSeq.current();
            path = path==null ? new Path(current) : path.append(current, peekSeq.index());
            path.lastElem = !peekSeq.hasNext();
            stack.push(new Children(navigator.children(current)));
            return current;
        }
    }

    /*-------------------------------------------------[ Walker ]---------------------------------------------------*/

    public Path getCurrentPath(){
        return path;
    }

    public void skip(){
        if(stack.isEmpty())
            throw new IllegalStateException("can't skip of descendants of null");
        stack.peek().seq = EmptySequence.getInstance();
    }

    public void addBreakpoint(){
        if(stack.isEmpty())
            throw new IllegalStateException("can't add breakpoint on empty sequence");
        stack.peek().breakpoint = true;
    }

    public boolean isPaused(){
        return !stack.isEmpty() && stack.peek().breakpoint;
    }

    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    public void resume(){
        if(isPaused()){
            stack.peek().breakpoint = false;
            current.set(current.index()-1, (E)path.getElement());
        }
    }

    public static void main(String[] args){
        Class<Number> c1 = Number.class;
        Class<Integer> c2 = Integer.class;
        System.out.println(c1.isAssignableFrom(c2));
        System.out.println(c1.isAssignableFrom(c2));

        JFrame frame = new JFrame();
        JTree tree = new JTree();
        frame.getContentPane().add(new JScrollPane(tree));
        frame.pack();
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        frame.setVisible(true);

        final PreorderWalker<DefaultMutableTreeNode> seq = new PreorderWalker<DefaultMutableTreeNode>((DefaultMutableTreeNode)tree.getModel().getRoot(), new Navigator<DefaultMutableTreeNode>(){
            @Override
            @SuppressWarnings({"unchecked"})
            public Sequence<DefaultMutableTreeNode> children(DefaultMutableTreeNode elem){
                return new EnumeratedSequence<DefaultMutableTreeNode>(elem.children());
            }
        });
        WalkerUtil.print(seq, null);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub