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Virginia Mason Production System
Published on 18 August 2022 at 13:33
In this blog, we are going to look at the Virginia Mason Production System (VMPS) and its influence on Quality Improvement (QI) across the globe.
Introduction to Virginia Mason Production System (VMPS)
The Virginia Mason Production System is a Lean management methodology created by the Virginia Mason Institute. Its goal is to provide the 'perfect patient experience', to be quality leaders in healthcare and to help healthcare organisations support continuous improvement.
You can trace the roots of the VMPS back to the Virginia Mason Medical Centre in Seattle. As a high performing healthcare organisation, the leadership team was keen to further improve the quality of care and to enhance patient safety.
After having visited Japan in 2001 to learn more about the Toyota Production System, the leadership team began to develop the Virginia Mason Production System (VMPS).
The VM Institute now teaches the VMPS to healthcare leaders across the globe in order to improve patient quality and safety via a range of Lean methods. The Virginia Mason Production System is all about reducing the burden of work on team members while prompting leaders to start improvement work by asking 'What do you think?"
The Virginia Mason Production System puts patients first and aims to promote a Lean culture within organisations. The system is all about shifting towards a culture of quality.
Celeste Derheimer is a 'sensei' or expert at the Virginia Mason Institute. She says: 'Every time a leader engages the people who do the work in conversation and listens rather than coming up with solutions — or even better — asks great questions, the leader is helping to shift the culture just a little bit.'
Let's see in more detail how the system works and the benefits the VMPS can bring to healthcare organisations.
How the VMPS methodology works
Described by the VM Institute as a 'long-term philosophy — a complex socio-technical system that has shaped our culture to one relentlessly focused on high quality, zero defects, exceptional service, innovation and respect for people,' the VMPS is built on the belief that organisations will improve quality and safety for patients by eliminating waste.
'Sources of waste are identified and eliminated over time through value stream mapping and other techniques. In essence, the VMPS focuses on defining, observing and critiquing existing care processes, setting and measuring targets, developing and experimenting with improved processes; and implementing them.'
The VMPS has strategies that range from testing and implementing small-scale ideas quickly, to planning processes further ahead and uses a range of methodologies and tools.
The VMPS philosophy is formed of five key tenets:
'Patient Is Always First
Focus on Highest Quality and Safety
Engage All Employees
Strive for Highest Satisfaction
Maintain a Successful Economic Enterprise'
The Virginia Mason Production System encourages all employees who use the method to become empowered and to be 'quality and safety inspectors'. It encourages 'hands-on exercises to enable participants to deepen their Lean learning, refine their skills and build the capacity to teach, coach and mentor others in the tools and methods of a Lean management system.'
As well as employees, patients and their families are essential to the success of the Virginia Mason Production System, and they are regularly consulted about their experiences via interviews, questionnaires and listening sessions. The VM Institute also has a 'Respect for People' initiative which helps to counter disrespect among workers.
Benefits of the Virginia Mason Production System
There are a huge range of benefits from using the Virginia Mason Production System. Celeste Derheimer of the VM Institute sets out: 'This philosophy and methodology has a focus on respectful leadership, concepts and tools that work and an emphasis that the patient comes first. There's a positive shift in attitude every time a person is shown respect, every time a person is asked, "How do you think we can improve the process?"
The benefits are such that NHS Improvement has created a five-year partnership with Virginia Mason Institute and five NHS trusts to help them to develop a 'lean' culture of continuous improvement which puts patients first.
Take a look at the webpage and the video to find out how VMPS is helping these trusts provide the right services at the right time and producing remarkable results. It is also 'improving safety and clinical outcomes and patient experience and staff satisfaction while saving money.'
The Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (SASH) developed their clinical leadership model with the Virginia Mason Institute in 2015. This led to the trust being awarded an Outstanding rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The VM Institute also facilitates onsite Rapid Process Improvement Workshops (RPIW), which are a five-day workshop focusing on empowering people to eliminate waste and reduce the burden of work for a particular process. These workshops are designed around the plan-do-study-act (PDSA) method, and offer organisations an insight into their QI potential.
Celeste Derheimer explains: 'Some may start out with an attitude of 'why am I here' but: That's what makes this lean work so valuable. Before getting together as a team, people assume that if they do their job well, then their colleagues who are part of a process later in the patient's care will be fine. But when they get together for the RPIW, they see how their work has a strong impact on their colleagues' work down the line."
Thinking about investigating the Virginia Mason Production System at your organisation? Find out more about the Institute and the methodology in further detail. Also, look at the case studies of the 5 NHS trusts involved in the partnership.
To finish with the inspiring words of Donna Smith, MD, President, Franciscan Medical Group and Senior Vice President, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, "we have the courage to be inspired by zero defects. We have the courage to try things and learn from failure and the courage to use a method that allows the people who know the work best to be truly heard and contribute to improving work in a way that others might not be able to."
Read about other Improvement Methodologies


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Testimony Begins In Borum Trial
Man accused of killing Justin Carr told friend he did it, prosecutor claims
Greg Lacour,
Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office
Borum
After two weeks of jury selection, the Rayquan Borum murder trial in Superior Court began in earnest Monday with opening statements and testimony from three witnesses. A caveat's in order here: Opening statements are not evidence, and promises of testimony are no hard guarantee that the testimony will come, or show what a prosecutor says it will.
Still, as a rule, the more detailed and specific the opening statement, the stronger the case, and for Assistant District Attorney Glenn Cole to display these specific details on a courtroom video screen for jurors, as he did Monday morning, displays a courthouse-sized degree of confidence. On the screen were quotes that Cole said came from the defendant, who was in jail and on the telephone with a friend after his arrest in the shooting death of 26-year-old Justin Carr:
"It's over for me."
"I already told 'em that I goddamn did it."
"Man, they showed me pointing the gun, bruh."
"Get everything out your house."
"I think I fucked up this whole case. I talk too much."
"You know you can switch it up when you get a lawyer."
Cole didn't specify who Borum was talking to, although prosecutors believe it was a friend of Borum's named Marcus Williams, one of three who accompanied Borum to the protest uptown on the evening of September 21, 2016, a day after the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott in northwest Charlotte. (When Borum told his friend to get everything out of his house, Cole told jurors, he was referring to the 9mm semiautomatic handgun he'd used to kill Carr.) Borum, 24, who was convicted of felony breaking and entering in 2011, is charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and would spent his life in prison if convicted of murder. He went to the protest wanting to kill a police officer, Cole said; he was aiming at a cop when he accidentally shot Carr in the head.
"The fact that he didn't mean to hurt Justin doesn't matter at all," Cole said. "The intent transfers."
Darlene Harris, one of Borum's two attorneys, used most of her opening statement to emphasize what often is a defendant's best friend, reasonable doubt. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, under pressure to make an arrest, "rushed" their investigation to take her client into custody, she said. "Instead of seeking truth," Harris told the jury, "they sought a conviction."
The trial is expected to last three to four weeks, plenty of time for jurors to determine the veracity of that claim. The first of many witnesses were Carr's mother, Vivian; John Covington, a close friend of Carr's who accompanied him to the protest; and Ryan James, a journalist on a freelance assignment for The Daily Beast who, in a first-person story at the time and again from the stand Monday, identified the shooter as an African-American male civilian with dreadlocks; in court, James didn't specifically identify Borum as the shooter.
The hardest testimony to hear came from Vivian Carr, the first witness, who went through a grueling two rounds of essentially the same testimony—the first time to allow Judge Gregory Hayes to rule on a defense motion to prevent her from being called as a witness, which Hayes denied; and the second time before the jury. For the second round, Vivian Carr seemed to have been drained of any emotion; she answered Cole's questions in a quiet monotone. Justin Carr, the youngest of her three sons, wanted his mother to go with him, but she had to work late that Tuesday night. She last spoke to Justin Carr a few minutes before he was shot to death. Vivian Carr testified that he called her when he was walking toward his car, parked behind the Omni Hotel, and preparing to go to work. The protest had been peaceful, he told her.
One of her other sons called her 20 to 30 minutes later to tell her Justin Carr had been shot and taken to Carolinas Medical Center. "I immediately went to the hospital," she said, where she found her son in a coma. The next day, she made the decision to remove "my baby boy" from life support.
This article appears in the February 2019 issue of Charlotte magazine.
Categories: #discussclt, DiscussCLT Conversation, The Buzz
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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August 12, 2022 August 6, 2022 constructmaterialsNorth America
If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles without being too far away, Long Beach would be a real alternative.
Admittedly, no city in California can beat Los Angeles so quickly; at least when it comes to brand awareness. At best, San Francisco can keep up in this area. Otherwise, however, Hollywood and the celebrities of the dream factories seem to outshine everything else there is to see in interesting places. It's a shame, because Long Beach is definitely worth a trip. The second largest city has a lot to offer in terms of sights and above all quality of life.
Port city directly on the Pacific Ocean
Long Beach is administratively a separate city. Geographically, however, the boundaries are blurring in a large area that is still developing dynamically. Long Beach could almost be the southernmost district of LA go through. The location directly on the Pacific results from the fact that the second largest port in the USA is located here – and the tenth largest in the world. Goods worth almost one hundred billion dollars are handled here year after year. Anyone who likes ships, who is interested in state-of-the-art container technology, is more than right here. But even if neither is the case, you should at least go to the harbor once during a stay in Long Beach in the evening. Then such a colorful, huge sea of lights unfolds there that many a skyline could hide behind it in terms of attractiveness.
Ask4beauty: Brief history and politics of state Indiana, covering latest population and geographical information of Indiana.
Where internationality shapes the face and heart of the city
"The International City" – that is Long Beach's middle name. On the one hand, of course, this has to do with the port and its ships from all over the world. Second, however, also with the aircraft industry, which plays an important economic role in the city. But above all, and most clearly visible to the visitor, it is due to the internationality of the people who live here. Long Beach seems to attract people of many different races and nationalities in its own way. The average age is well below 35 years. This shapes the attitude towards life in the city, which is always happy, "busy" and in a good mood. In this industrial city people work, they earn good money and also spend good money here. The posh residential areas,
Parks and leisure attractions
Anyone who works in California and earns a lot of money wants to be offered something in return. Of course, tourists also benefit from this attitude. You can really relax in Long Beach. The city has already received several national awards for the number and excellent condition of its parks and recreational areas. With the "Aquarium of the Pacific" (100 Aquarium Way) one of the largest artificial water worlds is available in the USA and the world. An absolute must for animal lovers and everyone who is traveling with children. Over 12,000 different species of fish and other marine life can be admired in this aquarium. Of course, there are also sharks – and not just the small species! Whether penguins or sea otters, Whether dolphins or barracudas – animals can be observed up close and with high entertainment value in this amusement park. Live shows, restaurants and shops contribute to the fact that you can spend at least half a day, if not a whole day, in a most pleasant way. If you then got a taste for it, you can take a trip out to the Pacific. "Whale Watching" and "Dolphon Watching" are certainly among the nicest things a stay in Long Beach has to offer.
Hail Queen Mary!
Another attraction in Long Beach is the "Queen Mary" (1126 Queens Highway). The once proud passenger steamer and cruise ship giant has finally anchored in the port of Long Beach and now serves as a conference center and an original hotel. In addition, a museum was set up for the general public, in which a worthy memorial could be erected for transcontinental passenger shipping in the pre-war period. However, you don't have to be a hotel guest or a museum visitor to experience pure cruise romance on the "Queen Mary" or to understand the feudal atmosphere of the first-class passengers when crossing the Atlantic. You can also simply have dinner on the ship or enjoy a British high tea at five o'clock.
Tagged California, United States
Universal's Islands of Adventure, Florida
Attractions in the Azores, Portugal


Banki.ru's information & analytics department came up with a rating of banks based on their retail lending portfolio volume as of August 1, 2012. The rating offers data on 949 banks, most of which improved their financial performance indicators over the given period, VUZ-Bank reports.
In terms of its retail lending portfolio volume, VUZ-Bank was one of the Top100 in the ranking and was given the 84th position. As of August 1, 2012, its consumer loans portfolio exceeded 6.4bn RUR. According to the data provided by the analysts, the bank's retail portfolio rose by 3.8% in July.
Now according to RIA Rating's findings, the Russian bank's consolidated lending portfolio increased by 2.4 trillion RUR, or 8.3% in the first half of 2012. Loans offered to private individuals were the main growth factor. The upward trend on the lending market means that the citizens' paying capacity is not going down and that the banks' lending potential remains stable.


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Q: Cancelling upload request before destroying object makes mobx-state-tree throw Cannot modify [dead] errors I have a React Native app where I want to upload some files using Axios.
I've made a mobx-state-tree store for file uploads, and each file has its own CancelTokenSource, which is sent to the Axios network call.
When an upload is in progress, I try to cancel the upload, and then destroy the item.
The simplest way is like I show below, by destroying the item in the store, and then have an beforeDestroy() hook that cancels the upload. But that approach makes mobx-state-tree show the error in the screenshot.
I've also tried calling the file.cancelTokenSource.cancel() explicitly before destroying the item. Same error. I suspect that the operation is not fully cancelled when the cancel() returns, but since it's not an async function, I cannot await its completion.
When I just call the cancel() without destroying, it cancels just fine, so I'm pretty sure  that it's a timing issue, where the destroy(file) is called too soon, before cancel() has cleaned up after itself.
What to do here?

file-upload-store.ts
import { destroy, flow, Instance, types } from 'mobx-state-tree'

import { FileUpload, IFileUpload } from '../entities/file-upload/file-upload'
import { getApi } from '../../store-environment'

/**
 * Store for handling the FileUpload
 */
export const FileUploadStore = types
  .model('FileUploadStore')
  .props({
    files: types.array(FileUpload),
  })
  .actions((self) => {
    const api = getApi(self)

    const add = (uri: string, name: string, type: string, size: number) => {
      const file = FileUpload.create({
        uri,
        name,
        type,
        size,
      })
      self.files.push(file)
      upload(file)
    }

    const remove = (file: IFileUpload) => {
      destroy(file)
    }

    const cancel = (file: IFileUpload) => {
      // also tried this - with no luck
      // file.cancelTokenSource.cancel()
      destroy(file)
    }

    const upload = flow(function* (file: IFileUpload) {
      file.status = 'pending'
      file.uploadedBytes = 0
      const { uri, name, type } = file

      try {
        const id = yield api.uploadFile(uri, name, type, file.setProgress, file.cancelTokenSource.token)
        file.status = 'completed'
        file.fileUploadId = id
      } catch (error) {
        file.status = 'failed'
        file.error = error.message
      }
    })

    return {
      afterCreate() {
        // Avoid persistance
        self.files.clear()
      },
      remove,
      cancel,
      retry: upload,
      add,
    }
  })

export type IFileUploadStore = Instance<typeof FileUploadStore>

file-upload.ts
import { Instance, SnapshotIn, types } from 'mobx-state-tree'
import { CancelToken } from 'apisauce'

/**
 * FileUpload contains the particular data of a file, and some flags describing its status.
 */
export const FileUpload = types
  .model('FileUpload')
  .props({
    name: types.string,
    type: types.string,
    uri: types.string,
    size: types.number,
    // set if an arror occours
    error: types.maybe(types.string),
    status: types.optional(types.enumeration(['pending', 'completed', 'failed']), 'pending'),
    // updated by progressCallback
    uploadedBytes: types.optional(types.number, 0),
    // assigned when response from backend is received
    fileUploadId: types.maybe(types.string),
  })
  .volatile(() => ({
    cancelTokenSource: CancelToken.source(),
  }))
  .actions((self) => ({
    setProgress(event: ProgressEvent) {
      self.uploadedBytes = event.loaded
    },
    beforeDestroy() {
      self.cancelTokenSource?.cancel()
    },
  }))

export interface IFileUpload extends Instance<typeof FileUpload> {}
// SnapshotIn, used for creating input to store: {Model}.create({})
export interface IFileUploadSnapshotIn extends SnapshotIn<typeof FileUpload> {}

A: You are destroying the FileUpload node and cancelling the axios request nicely, but cancelling the request will throw an error, so you need to make sure that your FileUpload node is still alive before you try to update it in the catch.
import { destroy, flow, Instance, types, isAlive } from 'mobx-state-tree'

// ...

const upload = flow(function* (file: IFileUpload) {
  const { uri, name, type } = file

  file.status = "pending"
  file.uploadedBytes = 0

  try {
    const id = yield api.uploadFile(
      uri,
      name,
      type,
      file.setProgress,
      file.cancelTokenSource.token
    )

    file.status = "completed"
    file.fileUploadId = id
  } catch (error) {
    if (isAlive(file)) {
      file.status = "failed"
      file.error = error.message
    }
  }
})

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Vaadin. Как запустить exe-файл на клиенте? Здравствуйте.
На есть серверное приложение с методом
@Override
protected void init(VaadinRequest vaadinRequest) {
...
}

который выводит в браузере табличные данные из БД.
Всё бы ничего, но возникла необходимость запустить .exe файл находящийся на клиентском компьютере с параметром взятым из той самой таблицы.
Если я пишу:
try
{
   String path = "C:\\Program Files\\file.exe";
   Runtime a = Runtime.getRuntime();
   Process proc = a.exec(path);
}
catch (Exception e)
{
   Notification.show(e.getMessage());
}

то при отладке, когда приложение ещё не опубликовано на сервере, всё работает хорошо.
file.exe запускается!
Но стоит мне опубликовать war-файл на удалённый TomCat-сервер, как сразу же срабатывает исключение "Не удается найти указанный файл"
Оно в общем то и понятно, на сервере нет file.exe и не должно быть.
Как бы заставить vaadin запускать экзешник на клиенте?
Заранее благодарю.


We go the extra mile when it comes to our customers, as customer service is what our company was built on. We will not stop until we have delivered you a new, used or remanufactured BMW 540i engine.
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We are different than other companies because we are tied in with a network of BMW manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors. This allows us to obtain BMW 540i engines for our customers, and give them the best prices available. If you have looked everywhere, but have not had any luck, then give BMWEnginesForSale.com a chance to get you the engine that you have been dreaming of. Once you start the process with us, we will not rest until we have found you exactly what you need. We can deliver a BMW 540i engine no matter what year you are looking for. Need a vintage engine? We can do that too!
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The Failed Regeneration of Doctor Who?
A comparison of the classic and modern Doctor Who television series.
Has the value of Doctor Who declined since its reboot?
Warning: there may be spoilers, although I hope to keep it brief with minimal detail.
Without going into what is canonical, here I will cover only the televised series in its recorded or broadcast formats (DVD, VHS, digital download); where these are not available in full, substitutes like audio books or novelisations were used, as well as some isolated episodes and animated reconstructions. It took me about 18 months to view (or listen to or read) the whole body of work, from An Unearthly Child (1963) to The Return of Doctor Mysterio (2016).
I will explore what makes Classic Who so valuable. On the way, I will evaluate whether Modern Who succeeds or fails to retain or build on this value.
Where does the Doctor come from? If it takes a village to raise a child, or a society to create an 'individual' mind, what social background formed the character of the Doctor?
The Doctor and granddaughter Susan begin their story as fugitives, fleeing Time Lord society on Planet Gallifrey in a stolen time capsule they call the TARDIS, and the Doctor generally remains an exile, only occasionally returning.
Perhaps the Time Lords are best seen as akin to a possible far-future human civilization which has come to terms with and resolved most of its problems on the way, giving it great perspective. The have made mistakes in their earlier history, such as their disastrous intervention in the Mineon civilization. See also Star Trek's Prime Directive. Time Lords preach non-interference with rare exceptions, but allow/guide/set up the Doctor to act as their usually-unofficial agent, nudging the TARDIS to adventurous destinations in Classic Who.
The Classic Who period ends with D6 railing against corruption in Time Lord society.
In Transitional Who, they are largely absent, resurfacing in backstory in D8's Movie.
Their initial absence from Modern Who raises problems: who is the Doctor defining himself against, where does his moral compass come from, what is their history of intervention? D10 is left to describe their society, and eventually a childhood experience shared with the Master. With the Modern Doctors' freedom to roam, their journeys seem less meaningful and more touristy, the TARDIS reduced to a taxi service between exotic parties (or even a 'snog-box').
The absence of Time Lords in Modern Who also makes the Doctor's meddling more dangerous, as when Rose resurrects her father, because they are not around to heal breaches and so forth.
By the final story of D10, the for-a-time-returning Time Lords are unrecognisable, led by Rassilon (who was a semi-mythical being to Classic Doctor, regarded as fighting exploitation and corruption) and bent on universal destruction.
Rassilon plans the final sanction, the end of time, the destruction of the physical universe, and for the Time Lords to ascend to become creatures of consciousness without physical form or cause-and-effect: a plan the Doctor stopped during the last days of the Time War.
Perhaps in our Modern fantasy of hyper-individualism, it doesn't matter where you came from, you just invent yourself endlessly through cultural appropriation and peer mirroring.
No such thing as Society?
Classic Who used a form of shorthand to represent entire civilisations, so that characters typically represented larger factions or world views within them. Modern Who is more obsessed in the minutiae which prevents conveying a broad picture of societies and their concerns, composition and qualities.
Classic Who commonly presents us with societies other than our own: familiar, strange and alien. The story could involve a fresh look at Earth's past (with or without aliens), or Earth's future, or some off-world and possibly alien civilization. Appearances may be deceptive, and the viewer has to construct their own mental models, abstracting the principles such societies run on, work through moral relativism, use empathy. These societies are rarely monolithic: they have factions, castes, hierarchies, made up of different cooperating or competing groups.
One such Classic story is The Web Planet: what is going on here, what has happened since the Doctor's last visit? There are at least four types of intelligent life, competing, dominating, serving, worshipping. The typical Classic longer format of 6 episodes draws the viewer progressively into the social dynamics.
Modern Who seems to be written by Margaret Thatcher's children, unable to sketch any different or alien society. In the whole of Modern Who, I was unable to find an actual non-human/Earth society fairly sketched. These were more common in Classic Who.
Whenever there is an Earth-historical-past story in Modern Who, there is some alien lurking in a volcano or canal. Therefore there is precious little time devoted to that ancient society, whereas in Classic Who there were historical episodes about old times, without aliens and with those societies front and foremost.
In Modern Who, aliens are commonly portrayed as one-dimensional terrorists rather than as thinking parts of greater social fabric, which at least some Classic Whos showed (Draconians, Sensorites, Thals, the failing society of Robots of Death etc.) (Modern Who does, however, introduce an alien crime family in the form of the Slyveen).
Monsters do not require much thought or moral deliberation. Thus categorised, their threat should be neutralised, themselves preferably eliminated. There is no weighing up conflicting rights, no investigation of hidden agendas or false flags, no abstraction of their values and customs. In short, this is the kind of demonisation commonly used by our governments and media today to categorise official enemies; when clearly we have monsters in our midst at home, in positions of power and authority, hiding behind masks of respectability.
In fact, Modern Who hardly seems alien at all.
Doctor Who, at its best, throws up a mirror or lens by which we can see ourselves better, filtering out prejudices and tribal allegiances, and judging by timeless standards.
It is therefore problematic when stories involve alien influences (Daemons, Nemesis comets and so forth) which are often used to explain and exculpate human wrongdoings (war, persecution, aggression and so forth). However, since all eras of Who from time to time fall into the problematic temptation of writing a "this changes everything!"-type plot (which often involves a new explanation for the start of life on Earth, or wiping out the dinosaurs, or humankind's development in culture, science and technology to further some alien agenda), I will leave this out of our discussion.
In Classic Who, the Doctor understands that to make decisions that last the test of time is to often override current emotions: to be not provoked, or lured, or bribed, or tempted, or coerced. Where there are grounds for intervention (like existential threats to the universe, mucking about with time experiments or meddling with history, an advanced culture invading a world unable to resist, or the threat of genocide) the collective is valued over the individual. In many stories, the companions and the encountered contribute as much or more to their own salvation than the Doctor, who may be little more than a knowledgeable and friendly catalyst.
The theme of self-sacrifice is common, and fates worse than death (oppression, slavery, extreme injustice, lack of freedom for a people to control their destiny) are shown.
The modern Doctor, cut off from his society, lacking a clear purpose, has become the ultimate individual egoist, whose current feelings matter more to him than all others throughout time and space: the perfect sociopath. The show is now about the character, rather than those he and his companions encounter.
Individual death becomes something not only to be avoided (nobody dies today!), but even sometimes portrayed as unnatural (in one story about the Viking-who-calls-herself-Me he bestowed everlasting life on, D12 says "Every single death is a tiny fracture in reality"). What?! Clara rejects Danny's death, D12 rejects Clara's death.
Many Modern Who stories tiresomely dwell at length upon the Doctor's own apparently imminent death, which contrasts the Classic Doctor's often selfless and good-humoured plunging into personal danger.
Classic Who dealt with gender issues, but not really until Transitional Who did the Doctor D8 have an on-screen romantic love interest, which greatly diminishes his alien perspective.
In Modern Who, the show is far more interested in the attractiveness of physical appearance (to the detriment of other qualities). There is frequent and unnecessary innuendo, flirtiness and what one commenter called "gay-friendliness" which may make the show fit better into the BBC's Saturday night line-up, but detracts from opportunities to address important social issues. Such issues as tolerance and diversity are possibly better addressed in a science fiction show by analogy and the opportunity to abstract principles from unfamiliar examples.
D1's granddaughter Susan attended Coal Hill school, but young children rarely featured as characters in Classic Who. It was not necessary to have children to appeal to children.
Transitional Who featured juvenile delinquent Ace, whose predilection for explosives was an odd accompaniment for the Doctor preference not to carry weapons.
Modern Who is remarkable in having many instances of children's bedrooms being invaded by strange adults, who often get them to do strange things based on improbably explanations, and tell them things like the monster under your bed/in your closet is real and will get you unless you do as I say. Red flags, anyone? Combined with the celebrity-importing and sexualised themes and styles, it should make the average child quite uncomfortable, I guess.
There were often multiple companions, giving the TARDIS crew a group dynamic. For example, the growing mutual respect of Zoe and Jamie shows their empathy of common ground despite differences, surely a valuable example to kids.
The dysfunctional crew of D5 may have put the Doctor off, though.
Explicit human romance for the Doctor begins with D8 although the female medic he engages with is not a TARDIS fellow-traveller.
A major problem with many of the Modern companions is that they are now special, instead of being a bridge between viewers and the alien, extraordinary Doctor. Rose/Bad-Wolf, the Doctor-Donna, Amy the girl-woman-mother at the heart of a conspiracy, Clara the impossible girl.
The next major problem with Modern companions is River Song, her marriage to the Doctor, and her parentage in Amy and Rory. River's out-of-sequence relationship with the Doctor (possibly inspired by a novel/movie) binds a large arc of Modern Who to this soapy, flirty narrative which puts all four characters centre stage, squeezing out others, increases complexity and continuity/logic problems, and adds little to the programme's traditional strengths.
The stories become just a flimsy backdrop to the domestics.
Modern Who cannibalises many of the successful components of Classic Who, but other cultural phenomena are granted scant respect.
Alien encounters are now often reduced to throw-away anecdotes or passing gags, often involving partying and narrowly avoiding marriage to some creature.
The history and culture of China is used as throwaway packaging for a time message in one story, and historical characters are often little more than celebrities.
In Modern Who, history appears often as wallpaper or, I suspect, is suggested by other BBC dramas in current production to borrow sets and costumes from.
A knowledge of history also offers suggestions for future stories. Sadly, in Modern Who there is little sense of scholarship.
Swelling music, lots of running and shouting, hardly a single TARDIS journey can be undertaken without the crew pinging off the control room rails like a break of pool balls. My suspicion is that Modern Who is often trying to inject empathy and excitement with stylistic flimflam to cover up superficiality and lack of engaging storyline.
Anglocentricity dominates Modern Who. The entire Season 1 is on or orbiting Earth. Almost always in an English-speaking corner (London, Cardiff, USA, Scotland). And very often in the current time of the companion, who keeps in regular touch with family and friends.
The Christmas specials further reinforce a very narrow view of Earth.
A lot of the cultural references (gameshows, even the Benny Hill theme tune that the Doctor knows) are horribly British and dated.
How many times have we seen the Blitz, but have we seen anywhere the British bombed?
Even when the story leaves Earth, there is usually an alternate or future Earth, or a human colony or outpost or space station or England-in-space.
Even Imperial measurements exist in the Modern future.
And so, so many aliens/robots in Modern Who wear the form of humans: even Daleks now for chrissake!
The Doctor's character varies throughout his reincarnations, but there are some significant changes in Modern Who.
The First Doctor (D1) is elderly in body and often in mind, prickly and devious, self-described as brilliant but actually leaves a lot of the problem-solving to his companions, relying on his unreliable but vast experience and technical ability.
Verity Lambert, original producer, on casting the Doctor: "And certainly not, under any circumstances, part of the Establishment."
Yet in Series 8 of Modern Who, the Doctor is inducted as Earth President, which is about as Establishment as one gets.
During the Classic Doctor's exile to Earth (D3), the stories are often both explicit and implicit critiques of Earth culture and society: war, imperialism, consumerism, superstition, greed, oppression, militarism, authoritarianism, scientific recklessness, environmental destruction, sexism, elitism, bureaucracy, fanaticism, factionalism, mass media and propaganda, and fundamentally a difficulty in just all getting along. All those peace conferences under siege. Home and returning home are also strong themes.
But these themes are often soft-pedalled in Modern Who, in spite of being mostly set in current Earth, and often aliens not humans are to blame.
It gets to the point where Clara is apparently more important to the death-intolerant Doctor (D12) than the rest of the universe. Thus the Doctor proves to be more dangerously deranged than his worst foes. Is this the insane culmination of individuality and ego? Megalomania and psychopathy.
Sadly, the question of "what would it be like to be corrupted by the power to travel in time and space" is a far less interesting question than "what would it be like not to be corrupted by the power to travel in time and space". By making the Doctor ordinary, even petty (or his companions extraordinary) you kind of lose the point of Doctor Who.
In this article, I have painted a picture of Classic Who, where the Doctor is an alien man of science, driven by curiosity and sense of justice, from an advanced civilisation he not always agrees with. With the uncertain navigation of his TARDIS through time and space, he often gets caught up in events, and works with any being willing to aid the causes of liberty, justice and knowledge. He does not respect unearned authority, but has made friends (as well as enemies) throughout the universe.
His Classic Earth/human companions form a bridge between the Doctor and us viewers. They are not special, but have recognisable professions, talents, qualities.
Transitional Who introduces more mysticism and eventually a romantically-entangled Doctor.
Modern Who reboots with the Doctor as an isolated individual, his people lost in the Time War. His companions are often special. Neither are clearly role model material.
The Modern Doctor is more powerful, with almost full control of the TARDIS, no Gallifreyan Time Lords to keep him in check, and becomes gradually more corrupted by his contact with Earth. The show becomes steadily smaller in focus, more egoistic than individualistic and the collective fades in significance. The show becomes about the main characters, with hardly any alien or historical insight beyond excuses for fighting monsters or flirting or turning the Doctor into an implausible fearsome warrior.
The Classic Doctor was our sympathetic guide to the wonders and perils of the intelligent and sentient universe. The Modern Doctor has become a petty, self-pitying, antisocial and dangerous shadow.
I will leave for another time the question of why the show might have changed this way.


text:
The Very Best of Van Halen (Remastered) Van Halen
Up for Breakfast
Learning to See
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Finish What Ya Started
You Really Got Me
Poundcake
And the Cradle Will Rock...
(Oh) Pretty Woman
Love Walks In
Can't Stop Lovin' You
Jamie's Cryin'
Runaround
I'll Wait (Single Edit)
Why Can't This Be Love
Runnin' with the Devil
When It's Love
Feels So Good (Single Version)
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love (Live)
Panama (Live)
Jump (Live)
℗ 2004 Warner Music Inc., manufactured and marketed by Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group company, for the US and WEA International for outside the United States
More By Van Halen
A Different Kind of Truth
Diver Down
Best of Van Halen, Vol. 1
The Essential Ozzy Osbourne
A Little Ain't Enough
Tell the World: The Very Best of Ratt (Remastered)
The Best of Poison: 20 Years of Rock (Remastered)
Official Singles
The Best of Warrant


text:
IT Departments
Office of the Associate Vice-President, IT
Technology, Assets & Business Management
IT Facts & Info
About ICT
Information & Communication Technology (ICT) is responsible for the management, development, operations and support of Sheridan's core technical infrastructure, including:
collaborative technology and services
Strategic Focus
Unified Communications (Email, Directory)
Sustainability–Greening of IT
Server Architecture Migration–Solaris to Intel
Client Backup Service
Client Virtualization
Two functional sub-teams make up the ICT department. Peruse the tabs at the top of the page to find out more about each.
Collaborative Technology Group
The Collaboration Technology Group (CTG) is responsible for the design, implementation and operations of several information technology and infrastructure services that are critical to the College.
The team has a strategic focus on the convergence of voice, video, conferencing, collaboration, classrooms, and AV and building systems.
The following are the main areas of responsibility for the team:
Telephony and Telecommunications Systems
Voice, Video and Collaboration
Emergency and Security Systems
Classroom Technology Design and Implementations
Audio/Video (A/V) Design and Implementations
A/V Monitoring and Control Systems
Building Systems Convergence and Integration
The CTG team is located at the Trafalgar Road campus in office E108.
Cloud Services Group
The Cloud Services Group (CSG) is responsible for the design, implementation and operations of the College's critical information technology services and infrastructure. The team has a strategic focus on private and public cloud solutions, from the data centre (server and storage virtualization as a service) through to end user computing (desktop and application virtualization) and the integration of public cloud applications with internal systems (e.g. SLATE, Office 365).
Private and Public Cloud Services and Applications
Physical and Virtual Server Infrastructure
Identity Management Systems
End User Computing Infrastructure
Academic Applications
Departmental Applications
Data Storage, Protection and Business Continuity
The CSG team is located at the Trafalgar Road campus in office E108.


text:
Q: HFS+ catalog entry has 0 size I'm working with some code that processes HFS+ Catalog file entries. Starting from OS X version 10.10 some of the entries have zero size while the actual file size is not 0. In other words ls -l will show non-zero size, the file can be read but it's catalog entry indicates size 0. Examples are most of the files in /private/var/db/dslocal/nodes/Default/users. In OS X up to version 10.9 catalog entries contain file size that exactly matches what ls -l outputs. Does anyone know what changes in OS X 10.10 and 10.11 could cause such a thing? Any pointers are highly appreciated.

A: In OS X 10.6, Apple added support for compressed file to HFS+. The details are complex (see John Siracusa's review of 10.6), but among other things it allows small files to be stored entirely in extended attributes (and maybe the resource fork). Apparently, they started using this for most of the preinstalled user and group accounts in 10.10. Run sudo ls -lO /private/var/db/dslocal/nodes/Default/users, and look at all the files with the "compressed" flag!


Soft A-Line Ballgown Featuring a Sheer Boned Bodice and Tulle Skirt Accented with Beaded Embroidery.
This sleeveless designer prom dress features a ballgown silhouette with a v-neckline. Available in bahama blue and light purple, the natural waistline and sheer, boned bodice accented in intricately beaded embroidery compliments the tulle ballgown. The open back completes the look of this designer prom dress.


Cargo hauled by commercial trucks must be secured in a specific manner. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) establishes and enforces cargo securement rules1 to prevent accidents and promote safety. When truck drivers or others fail to comply with cargo securement rules, unsecured cargo can pose a serious risk of accidents and injuries to those nearby.
The Houston truck accident lawyers at Chandler McNulty, LLP know how dangerous unsecured cargo can be – and how crucial it is for accident victims to have experienced representation when it's time to prove this negligence and seek justice.
That is why we are dedicated to aggressively advocating our clients' rights as we help them fight for the compensation they deserve.
Did Unsecured Cargo Cause Your Wreck?
At Chandler McNulty, LLP, we know what it means to have everything on the line, and we are fully committed to handling each case as if it were our own. For us, this is not just business, it's personal. Let us put our experience, determination and skills to work helping you recover from a truck accident.
Shifting on or within a trailer – Shifting cargo can alter a truck's center of mass, possibly increasing the risk of rollovers and jackknife accidents.
Falling off of the truck – Cargo that falls off a truck can hit surrounding vehicles and/or increase the risk of traffic collisions.
Dunnage bags (inflatable bags used to fill spaces between cargo in order to keep it immobilized).
Failing to comply with federal cargo securement rules can result in fines and other penalties.
Overloading trucks with cargo (which can degrade the efficacy of securement devices while increasing the risk of equipment failures, like tire blowouts).
Truck drivers (or other workers) have not been trained on how to load, balance and secure cargo.
Truck drivers fail to inspect their cargo before a haul and/or at various points during a trip (to monitor the potential for moving cargo and/or verify that it is still secure).
Motor carriers fail to provide the necessary securement devices.
Motor carriers set unrealistic delivery schedules and deadlines, which can cause truckers to cut corners in securing and/or inspecting cargo.
Manufacturers of securement devices or trucking equipment (when faulty devices or defective equipment contribute to shifting, unbalanced or falling cargo).
Expert witnesses, like engineers and accident reconstructionists who can investigate or verify whether unsecure cargo was a factor.
An attorney at Chandler McNulty can review the facts and details of your accident and explain the evidence (and next steps) necessary to set your claim up for a successful resolution.
A Houston truck accident attorney at Chandler McNulty, LLP is ready to advocate your rights to financial recovery and justice if you have been hurt in any type of 18-wheeler wreck. Call (713) 997-8310 or email our firm for a free consultation and important legal advice regarding your potential claim.
Help you obtain the full recovery you deserve.


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Tri-Rivers permanent improvements levy on ballot
John Jarvis
MARION – Chuck Speelman hopes voters will consider Tri-Rivers Career Center's accomplishments and pass a 0.5-mill, 10-year permanent improvements levy Nov. 4.
"Once we get this half-mill levy, we believe we can get off the levy carousel and really focus on doing right by our taxpayers, and grow great programs that employ students in these jobs that are available," Speelman, Tri-Rivers superintendent, said.
"We're currently spending more than what we bring in, so we are deficit-spending," he said of Tri-Rivers, which serves residents in Marion, Morrow, Delaware, Union, Wyandot, Hardin and Crawford counties. "The slight carryover we do have will be almost at zero at the end of the next five years. One of the areas in which we're seeing added cost is buying new equipment replacing boilers and infrastructure and that type of stuff. The building is 40 years old now."
The $905,604 that the levy would generate yearly for 10 years, according to a Marion County Auditor's Office estimate, could be spent on "any property, asset, or improvement with an estimated life or usefulness of five years or more, including land and interests therein, and reconstructions, enlargements, and extensions thereof having an estimated life or usefulness of five years or more," according to the Ohio Revised Code. The cost of the levy to the owner of a $100,000 home would be $17.50 per year, the auditor's office said.
He said revenue from the permanent improvements levy would be used to renovate existing space at the school to benefit not only high school students, but to accommodate adult apprenticeship programs and other training services, which "generate money back into the district." Regular schools, unlike vocational schools, do not have such a "profit center" available to them, he noted.
Passage of a 1-mill, continuing current expenses levy in May means that levy won't be on the ballot "every other year like we have been," he said. Defeat of a 2.1-mill, continuing replacement levy, also in May, contributed to Tri-Rivers deciding to put a 10-year limit on the permanent improvements levy it seeks in November.
Referring to the May replacement levy proposal being a continuing levy, he said, voters "were worried about that, so we listened. We tried to do what people are saying. We wanted to show them, 'Look, we're not asking for a continuing period of time.'"
While the replacement levy would have generated an additional $1.83 million per year, the permanent improvements levy being sought in November would produce half that amount.
Speelman said Tri-Rivers, which has not had any new levy money since 1996, has reduced its budget by 38 percent since he arrived eight years ago, and spends about 56 percent of its budget on staff salaries and benefits, the lowest among the 49 vocational schools in Ohio; the rest goes toward the facility and operating costs. He said showing what the district has done demonstrates what the district will "do in the future."
He said the Tri-Rivers board was able to ask voters to pass the smaller levy tied strictly to permanent improvements because the Robotics & Advanced Manufacturing Technology Education Collaborative Statewide Advanced Manufacturing STEM/Career Technical Education Consortium, led by Tri-Rivers, received a $14.99 million Straight A Fund in July.
That grant, of which Tri-Rivers received $3.1 million, enabled the school to expand RAMTEC and complete renovations related to building a metal fabrication training center, purchasing equipment for the welding program and relocating and upgrading the precision machining program; the school cannot use the Straight A grant to pay teachers at the high school level.
"Now, we have training rooms dedicated toward industrial training and manufacturing training," where companies are contracting with Tri-Rivers to provide training for their employees, he said. The other schools in Ohio that are forming their own RAMTEC programs will receive the training for their instructors at RAMTEC at Tri-Rivers. "It's a huge addition. Those rooms will now generate money back into the district."
Tri-Rivers students can learn in the facilities, which would be renovated, during the day, while adult students, including Whirlpool Corp. employees through a new apprenticeship program, can receive instruction in night classes.
"We now have the opportunity to expand and get into some apprenticeship programs, but we have to renovate and add those facilities as part of what we're doing," he said. "There is a cost there, but there is a huge benefit not only for our high school students, but we'll also be able to have those apprenticeship programs for adult students."
He said with revenue from the permanent improvements levy, Tri-Rivers would help repave the school parking lot, rebuild the fire tower used by firefighters for training, upgrade boilers, and replace parts of its heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. He said the center also plans to redo its health care and cosmetology classrooms.
jjarvis@marionstar.com
Twitter: @jmwjarvis


Assist in picking up and delivering household items for clients graduating from the FVPC safe housing program. Persons with a large truck or van are urgently needed to help pickup and drop off donations.
On-Call is important because we often have "day-of" requests to pick up donations.
You may either be picking up from a donor's house or from FVPC and taking to the storage unit, to a resident's house, to FVPC or to Goodwill.
This is as-needed & on-going.
Be in a health condition that allows lifting, moving furniture. Must have cell phone.


The Time Warner Foundation recently announced its newest film grantees. For this funding round, the Foundation selected seven organizations committed to developing and showcasing outstanding filmmakers. They support the Foundation's mission to promote the next generation of storytellers for a global audience.
With their growing commitment to access and inclusion, these organizations join the Time Warner Foundation in creating a more racially diverse ecosystem. All partners will use their funding to expand existing programs that champion underserved voices and catalyze networks to include more women and artists of color. The organizations are united in the goal to aggressively pursue a more inclusive film industry by developing content and storytellers for audiences of today and tomorrow.
Learn more about the Time Warner Foundation.


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LIKE ME, QUEBEC'S 'CORDUROY HIGHWAY' IS PRIMED FOR SPRING SKIING
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain
Moor and mountain
Following yonder star…"
The Crash Test Dummies' baritonal rendition of the holiday classic jingles out of the rental-car stereo just as Sommet Saint-Sauveur's starry lights come into view. It's just past 4pm on Dec. 23, and as usual I'm driving from the Central Train Station in Montreal to the family chalet near Mont Tremblant.
Sauveur's night-skiing operations, and others like them, have been lighting my way along the Laurentian Autoroute for years. But unlike the biblical Magi, who famously followed a star, I have always bypassed the valley's beckoning beacons.
Not so this year. With ski gear in the trunk, fresh flakes on the highway and a few hours to spare, some warm-up laps sound like just the thing before hitting the slopes of Eastern Canada's largest ski resort.
It turns out to be one of the best pit-stops I've ever made. So great, in fact, that I've taken three more detours along the Corduroy Highway, as I've come to call it, since then. There's certainly no shortage of options: With a dozen impeccably-groomed hills lining the 70 kilometres of blacktop between between Sauveur and Tremblant, the Riviere du Nord valley is home to Canada's densest concentration of ski areas, all of which are making the most of 2019 spring skiing thanks to one of the best snowfall seasons on record.
This ski-area abundance goes back to the late 19th century, when the P'tit Train du Nord railway line — now Canada's longest multi-use rail trail — first linked Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts and Montreal. This made it much easier for city-dwellers to explore the region, which became even more popular when one of North America's first mechanical ski lifts was installed on Mont Saint-Sauveur in 1934. In those early years local hotels tended to operate their own lifts, many of which serviced single runs. No wonder more than 220 ski operations are said to have opened in the valley since 1900.
Another pleasant surprise: Despite their proximity and shared Laurentian setting, the four resorts I've sampled so far are pleasingly varied, with histories, personalities, terrain, cuisine and quirks all their own. What makes each worthy of much more than a pit-stop? Here's what I've discovered so far:
Sommet Saint-Sauveur
The record-setting extent of Sauveur's nightskiing hits home as I stand at the top of the L'Atomic Expresshigh-speed quad. Radiating outward like the spokes of a massive whitewashed wagon wheel, the six wonderfully groomed runs below me might account for the full extent of evening descents at many much larger ski areas. At Sauveur, however, more than 70 per cent of the 40 trails are illuminated, yielding 48 hectares of floodlit terrain — reputed to be the most extensive on Earth.
My nocturnal opportunities feel limitless. To the left and right, beginner-friendly traverses lead to seven more of Sauveur's lifts, as well as to the three that climb adjoining Sommet Avila. I charge down the single-black Côte 70 Est in front of me as if the world's last remaining order of poutine is waiting for me at the bottom. Thankfully, Sauveur's stylish T-Bar 70 restaurant has plenty of fresh cheese curds and gravy on hand, as well as the breaded chicken strips, crispy bacon and pepper sauce it adds to its signature version of Quebec's famous dish. A crisp Griffintown craft pilsner caps my pit stop within a pit stop, and I head back out to carve down groomer after groomer.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE STORY IN SKI CANADA MAGAZINE
TOGETHER FOREVER: MARCH BREAK, SPRING SKIING, AND BEER
Last year, I learned a valuable lesson in Ellicottville: Craft beer is obliterating the stereotype that American brews are weak and watery.
Now, I'm learning something else: A private ski resort isn't always a private ski resort.
Eighteen months after our first visit to charming Ellicottville, the brood and I are back to check out nearby HoliMont, the largest private ski area in the United States (by membership). The good news for non-members like us is that HoliMont is open to the public on weekdays, which is how we've been able to ski there. The resort's 46 trails and eight lifts are providing some textbook spring skiing, with the welcoming atmosphere enhanced by stone fireplaces in the expansive main lodge and floor-to-ceiling windows facing the snowy slopes.
Spring skiing, especially with children who are learning to snowboard, provides a natural excuse to enjoy a beer or three. And as is the case with 12.6 percent of Ontario March Breaks, St. Patrick's Day just happens to be the very last day of this year's nine-day parental gauntlet.
Good thing the Ellicottville Brewing Co.'s wares are so well-represented at nearby Holiday Valley, the largest public ski area in New York State. The eponymous lodge's raucous T-Bar lounge pours a Ski Bum hoppy ale and a Blueberry Wheat Ale garnished with real berries. Next door, the fifth outpost of the Massachusetts-based John Harvard's Brewery is home to 20-plus taps, including a decadent Chocolate Cherry Bomb Imperial Stout produced by Ellicottville Brewing.
Craft beers multiply exponentially during the annual Holiday Valley Beer and Wine Festival, when more than 30 brewers crowd the resort's base area each November. For even more sudsy variety, EBC's stylish dining and entertainment complex serves up flights and brewery tours.
READ MORE OF MY CRAFT BEER-MEETS-SKIING STORY IN THE GLOBE AND MAIL
A LOOK BACK AT MY FIRST TURN WITH THE EPIC PASS
Should I have chosen differently?
The question springs to mind atop Keystone Resort's Independence Bowl. Sure, it would have been sensible to start the 2017-18 season at a smaller eastern hill. With my new Epic Pass stashed in my left glove's zip pocket there are several I could have picked. Woulda, coulda, shoulda.
My gelatinous desk-job quads and lack of big-mountain prep make the 250 vertical metres of Colorado powder below me almost as daunting as they are thrilling. Almost, but not quite: Excitement inches ahead of trepidation during the snowcat ride up, then takes full control midway through my first turn.
Five heady descents later I spot the self-proclaimed "World's Largest Snow Fort" as Keystone Adventure Tours' cat-ski excursion returns to the top of Dercum Mountain. Suddenly I miss the brood back home, and the feeling lingers as I ski past the H&H Mining Camp, one of six Kids' Adventure Zones where bridges and tunnels turn the slopes into a snowy playground.
An hour's drive west of Denver, Keystone bolsters its family-oriented reputation with the annual Kidtopia festival, 3,000-plus condos in five slopeside villages, and wintry superlatives such as the turreted snow fort, a five-acre skating lake billed as the largest in the U.S., and a six-lane tube park that, at 3,548 metres above sea level, is said to be the loftiest on Earth. All signs point to a stellar 2018-19 season, with the resort opening early — on Nov. 7 — for the first time in nearly a decade thanks to nearly four feet of snow since the middle of October.
By the time I arrive at the Keystone Ranch for dinner, I'm pining more for my spouse than for my offspring. Housed in a 1930s log cabin with a soaring stone fireplace, the steakhouse and lounge is about as cosy and romantic as it gets. And on this evening, there isn't a chicken finger in sight.
As the ski season unfolds, it starts to resemble a "Choose Your Own Adventure" novel in which I am both decision-maker and protagonist. But instead of turning to Page 47 and being transformed into a newt — or some such bizarre fictional outcome — my Epic Pass compels me to hop planes to Colorado, Vermont and British Columbia, where I am transformed into a snow-clad, grinning blur.
To find out how the rest of my inaugural Epic winter unfolded, check out the story in the Globe and Mail...
Dear Nigel, God of Snow: So you're a hot dog guy now?
Photo credit: Cole Pellerin, @mountainmancole
Until the 14th day of March, oh great and robustly suspendered Nigel, my 2018 sacrifices to you had gone unanswered. I dined upon everything that pleased you in the past -- nachos, cinnamon buns, poutine -- but you favoured me not with heavy snows upon the slopes of skiing.
With each failed sacrifice I turned to fresh sustenance. Would chicken wings curry favour with you? Apparently not. Would curry curry favour with you? Again, not a single flake fell. Oxtail rotis? Sushi? Oxtail sushi? Sushi rotis? Try as I might, your new culinary predilections remained mysteries to me.
It was with a heavy heart that I dug deep into my freezer for something, anything, that might please your too-tightly-trousered magnificence. It was the Monday of March Break, after all, and my family was about to head to Stowe, Vermont.
That's when I saw them, sheathed in plastic and bundled together with an elastic band. The wieners were quickly defrosted in boiling water, grilled in a pan, and served "à la Ikea" between two equally freezer-burned buns. It wasn't much, oh fickle and surprisingly stout Nigel, but it was worth a shot.
Fat flakes fell furiously as we neared the self-proclaimed "Ski Capital of the East," and I began to joyfully suspect that I had satisfied your latest craving. We all ordered hot dogs from the kids' menu that evening, and lo and behold, we awoke to more than a foot of fresh powder. When I fist-bumped a complete stranger on the hill that day, oh yellow-mustard-preferring Nigel, it wasn't only because of the sublime conditions. It was also because I had made my way back into your blessed favour.
Needless to say, before heading to Fernie Alpine Resort in early April, I joined my daughters in sacrificing half a pack of franks to your glorious, duosyllabic and relatively common name. Upon arrival, I witnessed a great omen -- Fernie's annual Eighties-themed Hot Dog Day -- that foretold of many snowy days to come. It also foretold of some serious hangovers and vintage-store remorse, but that's another story.
You again unleashed your powers of precipitation that night, compelling me to hike up Snake Ridge and glide down into Cedar Bowl the next morning. If that's what dining upon tube steaks gets me, oh munificent and elastic-waistband-requiring Nigel, I'll renew my Epic Pass ASAP and see you at Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in July.
Adam "Kobayashi" Bisby
MY MOST TERRIFYING CHAIRLIFT RIDES, REVEALED!
Night was falling, the frigid winter wind was howling, and I was stuck on the old Duncan double chair at Mont Tremblant.
This was before Intrawest's 1991 takeover, and the bankrupt resort's business woes were being echoed on the slopes. So it came as quite a relief when the lift shuddered and finally lurched forward.
But my relief was short-lived. Almost immediately it stopped again. There was a pause, then another lurch. Then a pause, then a lurch. A few lurches later, I realized what was happening: I was being winched up.
With the summit more than a kilometre away, I knew I would look even more like Jack Nicholson at the end of The Shining if I stayed put. So I raised the safety bar, dropped my poles, pushed off with both hands, and dropped about 12 feet onto the snowy slopes below. It didn't hurt a bit...likely because I couldn't feel my legs.
But that was NOTHING compared to this other time when I...er...actually, in more than four decades of skiing, I can't recall ever feeling unsafe on a lift again.
If you just watched footage of that malfunctioning Georgian chairlift tossing skiers and snowboarders around like Final Destination extras, I'm afraid I can't offer anything comparable. Very few skiers and snowboarders can, given that ski lifts are among the safest forms of transportation in existence.
Since the National Ski Areas Association began compiling U.S. industry stats in 1973, there have been 13 deaths attributed to chairlift malfunctions. That's 13 too many, to be sure, but it's incredibly few considering that nearly 18 billion lift rides have taken place over the intervening years. U.S. lifts have transported guests more than 14 billion kilometres since 1973, which is equivalent to more than 90 trips from the Earth to the Sun (not on skis, presumably). This safety record has improved dramatically over the last 25 years, with just a single fatality resulting from a chairlift malfunction since 1993.
Of course, reading these stats doesn't make the Georgian snafu any less scary to watch. The good news: No one was seriously injured. And if some people are scared to ride chairlifts after viewing the viral videos, their loss is my gain. More fresh powder and shorter lift lines for me!
But if I'm not being selfish, I think they should reconsider. After all, are they going to stop riding elevators and driving cars as well? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a passenger is five times more likely to suffer a fatality riding an elevator than a ski lift, and is more than eight times more likely to die while riding in a car.
Plus, can you do THIS after riding an elevator?
NIGHT SKIING MADE NEW AGAIN
As they have done for so many things -- Lego, Christmas, Top 40 radio pop -- my two daughters have renewed my appreciation for schussing under the stars.
Nearly 14 years after my last night-skiing session I found myself in the exact same spot at 5pm: The top of Blue Mountain's Memory Lane run.
The grooming machines had just finished turning the snow into a carpet of corduroy. At the top of the run, dozens of skiers and snowboarders waited for the hill to reopen. It was a surreal time of day: Dazzling floodlights replaced the dwindling daylight, while the sunset painted the sky a pale, wintry yellow. Just as the sun dipped below the horizon the yellow barrier was removed, and my family carved down the hill with nary an ice patch in sight. As we regrouped by the Silver Bullet chairlift for another ride up, I overheard both my girls singing Imagine Dragons' "Thunder." "Now I'm smiling from the stage while / You were clapping in the nose bleeds..."
A little swagger on the slopes? I love it.
Resorts have been lighting runs since the 1920s, and today, scores of hills across Canada offer night skiing. While many base their business on after-work and after-school skiers from nearby cities, a growing number of resorts are revamping their evening appeal by offering much more than schussing under the stars.
READ THE REST OF THE 2004 STORY IN THE GLOBE AND MAIL
BEEN THERE DONE THAT: 18 TRAVEL PICKS FOR 2018
'Tis the season to be jolly, no doubt, but 'tis also the season for 2018 lookaheads: Bands to watch, TV to binge-watch, teams to wager on, presidents to impeach, you know the drill.
For my part, I've already contributed an MSN travel lookahead based on big-name events, globetrotter buzz, recent recognition and so on. But based on personal experience, here are my Top 18 recommendations for 2018:
FONTEVRAUD L'HÔTEL, LOIRE VALLEY, FRANCE: I can think of no better place to savour the pungent aromas of a ridiculous cheese tray than this re-purposed abbey building. Read more here.
PARK CITY, UTAH: The ski area runs right into its historic namesake town, with a ski run and chairlift carrying schussers straight to Main Street. Down a side street there's some Plexiglas-covered Banksy graffiti, one of three works that appeared alongside the 2010 Sundance Film Fest premiere of the British street artist's compelling Exit Through the Gift Shop documentary. Read more here.
SEA TO SKY GONDOLA, B.C.: From the enormous sunset-facing patio, one of three panoramic viewing platforms, I gaze up at Sky Pilot Mountain's horn-shaped peak as it tears clouds to shreds, while Howe Sound glitters in the forested fjord nearly a kilometre below. Read more here.
PALAFITOS AT EL DORADO MAROMA, PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MEXICO: Exhausted from celebrating a huge lottery win? These over-ocean glass-floored bungalows should do the trick. Read more here.
POWDER HIGHWAY, B.C.: Some of the best skiing on Earth meets jaw-dropping scenery, innovative food an drink, and welcoming mountain towns where the apres-ski scene eschews noisy Nickelback and Coors Light. Read more here and here.
LUANG PRABANG, LAOS: Standing on the balcony of the guesthouse, we watch as a line of Buddhist monks, dressed in orange robes, walk from house to house, collecting their sustenance for the day. With the sun rising above the hills and bird calls piercing the chilly air, it's an indelible image that clears our minds and fortifies our spirits. Read more here.
KINGSTON, ONT.: The dazzling Lumina Borealis multimedia installation in the Fort Henry National Historic Site celebrates the magic of winter, while tours of Kingston Penitentiary reveal beauty amid brutality. Read more here and here.
WICKER PARK AND BUCKTOWN, CHICAGO: These adjacent neighbourhoods already offered just about every urban amenity one could want – from vintage fashion boutiques and record shops to taco stands, cocktail bars and even a landscaped rail path – years before the Robey and Hollander hotels opened in late 2016. Read more here.
MOUNT NORQUAY VIA FERRATA, BANFF: From where I'm hanging, on a sheer cliff face some 700 metres above the Bow Valley floor, it's clear that my scaling skills are about to be tested like never before. Read more here.
NICOYA PENINSULA, COSTA RICA: Watch sea turtles lay hundreds of glistening eggs, high five Bruce Willis, it's all good. Read more here and here.
OLD MONTREAL: I grab a Moscow Mule from the buzzing bar and make my way out onto the enormous glass-walled outdoor patio to conclude the evening with head-spinning views of the glittering Montreal skyline. Then, in my mind's ear, I hear it... Read more here.
NIMMO BAY, B.C.: Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" reverberates through my headset as our soundtrack-equipped helicopter soars over the bluest lake I've ever seen. At that moment, the lips in question belong to the awestruck passenger next to me. But it's easy to see what she's saying: "Wow!" Read more here.
COL DE LA JOUX VERTE, FRANCE: So this is what a 14-per-cent gradient feels like on a bike. Oh dear. If I can just focus on that pretty waterfall up ahead I'll make it up this climb and…WHAT!?! That was the first of what I fear will be several switchbacks. And they're getting steeper. Do they have Uber up here? Read more here.
SPORTFISHING IN LAKE ONTARIO: Lulls in the action are few and far between — we throw back more than we keep — and just as the sun is setting spectacularly behind the distant CN Tower we reach our 15-fish limit. Read more here.
THOMPSON-SHUSWAP WINERIES, B.C.: Having just arrived from winter-weary Toronto, I pull an abrupt double-take when three sleeveless Kamloopsians stroll into view in early April. They too seem surprised, but not by my woolly sweater. It's my ride – Tastefull Excursions' new wine-touring van – that turns their heads. Read more here.
VAGABOND HOTEL, MIAMI: I must have set some kind of land-speed record for hotel tours while researching my Globe Travel story on Miami Beach. Thing is, my personal favourite of the lot isn't actually in Miami Beach. Read more here.
PROVIDENTIALES, TURKS & CAICOS: There are few places on Earth where the "beach gravity" - the allure of sand and sea - is as inexorable as it is on Grace Bay. Read more here.
BIG WHITE SKI RESORT, B.C.: A decade after embarking on the first of umpteen family ski trips, arranging the "Door-to-Ski Shuttle Service" represents the pinnacle of my vacation-planning powers. Read more here.


Dual power supply with servo current distribution and servo signal distribution of five receiver channels to eight servos.
The DPSI RV Mini Magic 5 is equipped with a servo matching technology allowing the matching of the servos that are connected to the corresponding signal distribution channels. The end positions, middle position and turning direction of the SLAVE servos (OUT 1/2, OUT 3/2, OUT 5/2) connected to the servo distribution channels can be programmed corresponding to the MASTER servos (OUT 1/1, OUT 3/1, OUT 5/1).


Three prototypes were created to inform and inspire the process and aid in the project's evolution. It all began with a state of the art Yamaha 900cc Triple at its foundation, of which the first two of the prototypes are based. The third prototype, based on a classic Yamaha 750cc Triple and being more traditionally designed and built, evolved to inform the first two contemporary builds.
Introducing and beginning with the Prototype Three, the journey begins. Even though this build started after the first two prototypes went into concept design and development, it was instrumental to the evolution of both and the ultimate aesthetic of the project as a whole.
This prototype built on the established design language and build ethos of its Auto Fabrica predecessors; beautifully sculpted, organic and minimal, hand made from aluminium and built on the structure and mechanicals of a classic motorcycle.
In keeping with timeless automotive and motorcycle design, the form flows effortlessly and works harmoniously with the functional requirements of the machine. Every detail was understood and considered, boundaries in manufacturing techniques, materials and finishes were pushed; from the engineered and 3D printed velocity stacks through to the signature hand bent exhausts.
Back to the initial conception of the Type 11 project; the Prototype One. The first contemporary motorcycle to come out of the Auto Fabrica workshop was destined to be radical and diversifying. Inspired by pure concept design and adopting styling born out of function seen in automotive and motorcycle racing, the Prototype One was continuously developed and evolved throughout the design and build process.
Traditional development in 2D sketching was at it's foundation but applying all their industrial design practices and knowledge at their disposal, the team continued the build's progression through CAD design and engineering, rapid prototyping and machining, digital and physical mock-ups resulting in a concept that pushed the boundaries of craftsmanship, technological advancements and design while also continuing traditional values and retaining the Auto Fabrica DNA. You can see how the creation of the Prototype Three has informed the form in many ways, the elegant hand made aluminium tank and fairing being a key evolution with the Prototype One's body taking this detail to the limits, almost impossibly wrapping the front fairing into the tank.
Extreme in all of its proportions and aesthetics, the performance of this machine matches it's looks. Being race and track focused, the Prototype One is stripped back and raw, from having the highest performing parts by the leading manufactures in the industry and performance driven details like the instant fuelling system, lightweight hand laid carbon fibre race seat unit and carbon fibre and nylon 3D printed components.
Destined to be the road going version of the first, Prototype Two used the structure, form and integrity of the Prototype One and incorporated the necessary road requirements.
The Prototype Three really came into play at this point, informing the additional road going styling and using a similar colour palette and material choices; the Prototype Two became a beautiful combination of all the conceptual ideas. The headlight became a character feature, highlighting and enhancing the classically inspired form language in this radical and progressive design.
Limitless options available on colour, material and finish specifications achievable. Auto Fabrica have extensive experience in the field and the in-house team will work with each client to develop and perfect the finish to suit their style and collection.
The Type 11 Limited Production will be an evolution of the Prototype Two specification as requirements for production may involve adaptation and further development.


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Stephanie Blythe Wins 2019 Maria Callas Award From The Dallas Opera
The Dallas Opera is proud to announce the winner of the 2019 "Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year" Award: the incredible, one-of-a-kind American mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, for her saucy, scene-stealing portrayal of Mistress Quickly in our critically-acclaimed spring production of Verdi's Falstaff.
This prestigious award, named after one of the most renowned opera artists of the 20th century, is given to a single performer each season in recognition of a particularly memorable and outstanding company debut. The winner was announced earlier this evening at the annual Dallas Opera Board and Trustee Appreciation Dinner held in the Crescent Ballroom of the Hotel Crescent Court in Dallas, TX.
Musical America's Vocalist of the Year for 2009 was recently named the next Artistic Director of the Graduate Vocal Arts Program at Bard College Conservatory of Music-a position Ms. Blythe assumes in July. Other major awards for the accomplished and beloved singer include the 2007 Opera News Award (the youngest artist ever to receive this honor) and the 1999 Richard Tucker Award.
Ms. Blythe (The Phyllis A. McCasland and Thomas H. McCasland, Jr. Lead Soloist for The Dallas Opera's 2018-2019 Season) will receive a beautiful etched-crystal plaque created by award-winning designers from Tiffany & Co. for The Dallas Opera. This plaque bears the likeness of The Dallas Opera's unofficial "Godmother," iconic Greek soprano Maria Callas.
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INTO THE WOODS JR. at Dallas Children's Theater Will Have All Teen Cast
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Functional connectivity of dissociation in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures
S.J.M. van der Kruijs, N.M.G Bodde, M.J. Vaessen, R.H.C. Lazeron, K. Vonck, P. Boon, P.A.M. Hofman, W.H. Backes, A.P. Aldenkamp, J.F.A. Jansen
Introduction: Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) resemble epileptic seizures, but lack epileptiform brain activity. Instead, the cause is assumed to be psychogenic. An abnormal coping strategy may be exhibited by PNES patients, as indicated by their increased tendency to dissociate. Investigation of resting-state networks may reveal altered routes of information and emotion processing in PNES patients. The authors therefore investigated whether PNES patients differ from healthy controls in their resting-state functional connectivity characteristics and whether these connections are associated with the tendency to dissociate. Methods: 11 PNES patients without psychiatric comorbidity and 12 healthy controls underwent task-related paradigms (picture-encoding and Stroop paradigms) and resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI). Global cognitive performance was tested using the Raven's Matrices test and participants completed questionnaires for evaluating dissociation. Functional connectivity analysis on rsfMRI was based on seed regions extracted from task-related fMRI activation maps. Results: The patients displayed a significantly lower cognitive performance and significantly higher dissociation scores. No significant differences were found between the picture-encoding and Stroop colournaming activation maps between controls and patients with PNES. However, functional connectivity maps from the rsfMRI were statistically different. For PNES patients, stronger connectivity values between areas involved in emotion (insula), executive control (inferior frontal gyrus and parietal cortex) and movement (precentral sulcus) were observed, which were significantly associated with dissociation scores. Conclusion: The abnormal, strong functional connectivity in PNES patients provides a neurophysiological correlate for the underlying psychoform and somatoform dissociation mechanism where emotion can influence executive control, resulting in altered motor function (eg, seizure-like episodes).
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2011-300776
10.1136/jnnp-2011-300776
Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'Functional connectivity of dissociation in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Seizures Arts & Humanities
Connectivity Arts & Humanities
Dissociation Arts & Humanities
Dissociative Disorders Medicine & Life Sciences
Functional MRI Arts & Humanities
Executive Control Arts & Humanities
Stroop Arts & Humanities
Cognitive Performance Arts & Humanities
van der Kruijs, S. J. M., Bodde, N. M. G., Vaessen, M. J., Lazeron, R. H. C., Vonck, K., Boon, P., Hofman, P. A. M., Backes, W. H., Aldenkamp, A. P., & Jansen, J. F. A. (2012). Functional connectivity of dissociation in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 83(3), 239-247. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2011-300776
van der Kruijs, S.J.M. ; Bodde, N.M.G ; Vaessen, M.J. ; Lazeron, R.H.C. ; Vonck, K. ; Boon, P. ; Hofman, P.A.M. ; Backes, W.H. ; Aldenkamp, A.P. ; Jansen, J.F.A. / Functional connectivity of dissociation in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. In: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. 2012 ; Vol. 83, No. 3. pp. 239-247.
@article{de8bded2bf0547909f12a629e04a2e49,
title = "Functional connectivity of dissociation in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures",
abstract = "Introduction: Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) resemble epileptic seizures, but lack epileptiform brain activity. Instead, the cause is assumed to be psychogenic. An abnormal coping strategy may be exhibited by PNES patients, as indicated by their increased tendency to dissociate. Investigation of resting-state networks may reveal altered routes of information and emotion processing in PNES patients. The authors therefore investigated whether PNES patients differ from healthy controls in their resting-state functional connectivity characteristics and whether these connections are associated with the tendency to dissociate. Methods: 11 PNES patients without psychiatric comorbidity and 12 healthy controls underwent task-related paradigms (picture-encoding and Stroop paradigms) and resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI). Global cognitive performance was tested using the Raven's Matrices test and participants completed questionnaires for evaluating dissociation. Functional connectivity analysis on rsfMRI was based on seed regions extracted from task-related fMRI activation maps. Results: The patients displayed a significantly lower cognitive performance and significantly higher dissociation scores. No significant differences were found between the picture-encoding and Stroop colournaming activation maps between controls and patients with PNES. However, functional connectivity maps from the rsfMRI were statistically different. For PNES patients, stronger connectivity values between areas involved in emotion (insula), executive control (inferior frontal gyrus and parietal cortex) and movement (precentral sulcus) were observed, which were significantly associated with dissociation scores. Conclusion: The abnormal, strong functional connectivity in PNES patients provides a neurophysiological correlate for the underlying psychoform and somatoform dissociation mechanism where emotion can influence executive control, resulting in altered motor function (eg, seizure-like episodes).",
author = "{van der Kruijs}, S.J.M. and N.M.G Bodde and M.J. Vaessen and R.H.C. Lazeron and K. Vonck and P. Boon and P.A.M. Hofman and W.H. Backes and A.P. Aldenkamp and J.F.A. Jansen",
doi = "10.1136/jnnp-2011-300776",
journal = "Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry",
van der Kruijs, SJM, Bodde, NMG, Vaessen, MJ, Lazeron, RHC, Vonck, K, Boon, P, Hofman, PAM, Backes, WH, Aldenkamp, AP & Jansen, JFA 2012, 'Functional connectivity of dissociation in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures', Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, vol. 83, no. 3, pp. 239-247. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2011-300776
Functional connectivity of dissociation in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. / van der Kruijs, S.J.M.; Bodde, N.M.G; Vaessen, M.J.; Lazeron, R.H.C.; Vonck, K.; Boon, P.; Hofman, P.A.M.; Backes, W.H.; Aldenkamp, A.P.; Jansen, J.F.A.
In: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, Vol. 83, No. 3, 03.2012, p. 239-247.
T1 - Functional connectivity of dissociation in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures
AU - van der Kruijs, S.J.M.
AU - Bodde, N.M.G
AU - Vaessen, M.J.
AU - Lazeron, R.H.C.
AU - Vonck, K.
AU - Boon, P.
AU - Hofman, P.A.M.
AU - Backes, W.H.
AU - Aldenkamp, A.P.
AU - Jansen, J.F.A.
N2 - Introduction: Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) resemble epileptic seizures, but lack epileptiform brain activity. Instead, the cause is assumed to be psychogenic. An abnormal coping strategy may be exhibited by PNES patients, as indicated by their increased tendency to dissociate. Investigation of resting-state networks may reveal altered routes of information and emotion processing in PNES patients. The authors therefore investigated whether PNES patients differ from healthy controls in their resting-state functional connectivity characteristics and whether these connections are associated with the tendency to dissociate. Methods: 11 PNES patients without psychiatric comorbidity and 12 healthy controls underwent task-related paradigms (picture-encoding and Stroop paradigms) and resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI). Global cognitive performance was tested using the Raven's Matrices test and participants completed questionnaires for evaluating dissociation. Functional connectivity analysis on rsfMRI was based on seed regions extracted from task-related fMRI activation maps. Results: The patients displayed a significantly lower cognitive performance and significantly higher dissociation scores. No significant differences were found between the picture-encoding and Stroop colournaming activation maps between controls and patients with PNES. However, functional connectivity maps from the rsfMRI were statistically different. For PNES patients, stronger connectivity values between areas involved in emotion (insula), executive control (inferior frontal gyrus and parietal cortex) and movement (precentral sulcus) were observed, which were significantly associated with dissociation scores. Conclusion: The abnormal, strong functional connectivity in PNES patients provides a neurophysiological correlate for the underlying psychoform and somatoform dissociation mechanism where emotion can influence executive control, resulting in altered motor function (eg, seizure-like episodes).
AB - Introduction: Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) resemble epileptic seizures, but lack epileptiform brain activity. Instead, the cause is assumed to be psychogenic. An abnormal coping strategy may be exhibited by PNES patients, as indicated by their increased tendency to dissociate. Investigation of resting-state networks may reveal altered routes of information and emotion processing in PNES patients. The authors therefore investigated whether PNES patients differ from healthy controls in their resting-state functional connectivity characteristics and whether these connections are associated with the tendency to dissociate. Methods: 11 PNES patients without psychiatric comorbidity and 12 healthy controls underwent task-related paradigms (picture-encoding and Stroop paradigms) and resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI). Global cognitive performance was tested using the Raven's Matrices test and participants completed questionnaires for evaluating dissociation. Functional connectivity analysis on rsfMRI was based on seed regions extracted from task-related fMRI activation maps. Results: The patients displayed a significantly lower cognitive performance and significantly higher dissociation scores. No significant differences were found between the picture-encoding and Stroop colournaming activation maps between controls and patients with PNES. However, functional connectivity maps from the rsfMRI were statistically different. For PNES patients, stronger connectivity values between areas involved in emotion (insula), executive control (inferior frontal gyrus and parietal cortex) and movement (precentral sulcus) were observed, which were significantly associated with dissociation scores. Conclusion: The abnormal, strong functional connectivity in PNES patients provides a neurophysiological correlate for the underlying psychoform and somatoform dissociation mechanism where emotion can influence executive control, resulting in altered motor function (eg, seizure-like episodes).
U2 - 10.1136/jnnp-2011-300776
DO - 10.1136/jnnp-2011-300776
JO - Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
JF - Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
van der Kruijs SJM, Bodde NMG, Vaessen MJ, Lazeron RHC, Vonck K, Boon P et al. Functional connectivity of dissociation in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. 2012 Mar;83(3):239-247. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2011-300776


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Summer Institute for Scholars – 2013
Islamic Reform Movements After the Arab Spring ``Call for Papers``
The International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) will convene its 6th Summer Institute for scholars between June 24 and July 3, 2013 at its headquarters in Herndon, Virginia, USA. The Summer Institute is an annual meeting dedicated to the study of contemporary approaches to Qur'an and Sunnah that brings together senior and young scholars to present papers and participate in panels and informal discussions focused on topics related to a particular theme.
The theme of this year's program is "Islamic Reform Movements after the Arab Spring". The meeting will explore the implications of the Arab Spring on Islamic reform movements in the Arab world and the wider Muslim world, and examine questions such as: 1) How did the Arab Spring influence contemporary Islamic reform movements in the Arab world? 2) What were the reactions of major Islamic groups to the uprising? 3) What are the implications of the rise of Islamists to power – domestically, regionally and internationally? 4) What is the significance of these radical political changes on Islamic political thought in general and on the institutional practices and organization of Islamist groups in particular? 5) How will these changes influence the relationship between Islamic movements/parties and the Western world? 6) What are the implications of the Arab Spring for other Muslim countries? These and other relevant questions will be the focal areas of discussions during the meeting.
Deadline for abstracts is March 15, 2013 and for final papers is May 15, 2013.
The Institute will convene on June 24 and will conclude on July 3rd, 2013.
IIIT will publish selected papers in an edited volume, within one year after the Seminar.
IIIT will cover travel cost (from continental US and Canada), will provide hotel accommodation for scholars with accepted papers, and will pay each scholar a per diem of $100 for participation and $1,000 for a published paper.
Abstracts and papers should be sent to: scholars2013@iiit.org. For inquiries, please call 703 471 1133 Ext 1
The Fairfax Institute (TFI)
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Women drone pilots are increasingly reaching for the skies
Haye Kesteloo
- Nov. 23rd 2018 1:36 pm ET
The Guardian has a really nice piece, posted yesterday, about women drone pilots. And how the drone industry is very much a male-dominated industry. The British newspaper interviews four female drone pilots to get their perspective and to find out what it might take to change this.
Women drone pilots
The Guardian interviews four women drone pilots about who they are, what they do and what it might take to change the gender-bias in the drone industry and get more woman (and girls) to reach for the skies.
Here are some of the things they said:
"Back in 2014, I was making a feature-length documentary about the palm oil industry in Borneo. I realised it would be impossible to do so without giving a true sense of scale for accuracy. A helicopter was prohibitively expensive, so I got practising and got myself a licence to fly drones." – Elia MacKay
"Being young and a woman makes me a double minority, and the industries I'm working in – emergency services, drones and startups – are all dominated by men. But experience isn't always what matters most, age and gender don't necessarily reflect ability, especially when technology is rapidly developing." – Gemma Alcock
"The online forums – dominated by older men – can be a turn off: I saw a woman ask what could be seen as a novice question, and a load of men were very dismissive and patronising. We never heard from her again. That's why I started, with others, a women's drone Facebook group – a space to support each other, share tips and build a community to encourage others." – Carys Kaiser
"On the frontline, I also use drones to work with humanitarian relief. I fly over refugee camps to show the conditions women are forced to survive in – two toilets and 2,000 women? Where are these women going to change during their monthly cycle? As women, we can't lose out on this technology. We can't lose out on the female perspective. I'm worried, because right now the UAV industry is dominated by big agriculture, the military and big industry. It's dominated by men." – Gail Orenstein
Click here to read the entire article.
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Photograph: Carys Kaiser
You're reading DroneDJ — experts who break news about DJI and the wider drone ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow DroneDJ on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don't know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Haye Kesteloo is the Editor in Chief and Main Writer at DroneDJ, where he covers all drone related news and writes product reviews. He also contributes to the other sites in the 9to5Mac group such as; 9to5Mac, 9to5Google, 9to5Toys and Electrek. Haye can be reached at haye@dronedj.com or @hayekesteloo
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