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The Wicked + The Divine envisions our rockstar idols as literal deities
We treat musicians like gods, so what if they were actually gods? Chris Neill explores the critically acclaimed The Wicked And The Divine comic book series, a collection of graphic novels like few others.
Chris Neill
We treat musicians like gods, so what if they were actually gods? What if Kanye West's brags were literal, and he actually is a Canaanite storm god who could strike you down with a bolt of lightning at any given moment? That's more or less the premise for The Wicked + The Divine.
Written by Kieron Gillen and drawn by Jamie McKelvie, this comic-book series focuses on an event known as the Recurrence: every 90 years, 12 gods reincarnate as humans. Known as The Pantheon, these 12 gods (based on deities from different religions and mythologies) take on the form of the most popular art form at the time. In this cycle, they're pop stars: "They are loved. They are hated. In two years, they are dead."
Their purpose? As put by the goddess Amaterasu, "We live to inspire. We make life worth living, for an evening at a time."
The series follows Laura, a superfan that manages to enter the Pantheon's inner circle by befriending Lucifer (there's a sentence), allowing her to rub elbows with the pop deities. Think Almost Famous, but in a world where Billy Crudup calling himself "A golden god!" is fact, not exaggeration.
For all the time you spend obsessing over the minutia of your favourite band, it's a predominately one-sided relationship.
Wic + Div's main concept is the idea of pop culture fandom as religion, with fans worshipping at the feet of their favourite musicians as though they're actual gods. The club is their church; the live performance their sermon. The god's two-year lifespan is not unlike the pop music cycle, where the hottest act sits comfortably atop their cultural throne, until the next new thing comes along and replaces them. It's all a very obvious metaphor, but Gillen is a clever writer and manages to use it to its full potential.
If there's one thing Gillen "gets", it's fandom. He gets why you'd spend an exorbitant amount of money on that rare vinyl pressing of your favourite band, or why you'd line up at a venue six hours before the doors open to guarantee a spot. He also gets that there's something inherently unhealthy about fandom. For all the time you spend obsessing over the minutia of your favourite band, it's a predominately one-sided relationship. "Mortals have always shown more interest in gods than gods ever have in mortals," explains the Pantheon's advisor-cum-publicist Ananke. "Generally speaking, gods desire nothing but adoration."
How do you deal with the revelation that the figure you love is problematic?
The gods wield a power that normal people can only dream of, allowing them to exist outside the restrictions of regular society – just like celebrities. The series' opening arc is focused around whether the goddess Lucifer is actually responsible for publicly killing an innocent man, raising two major questions: How do you deal with someone for who the rules of normal society don't apply, and in the case of Laura (and many other fans), how do you deal with the revelation that the figure you love is problematic?
The series also does a good job of reminding us that there's a human heart beating under the mass-produced image of pop stars. The closer Laura gets to them, the more the shroud of celebrity fades away. From afar they might appear as these beautiful, perfect deities, but the closer Laura gets to them the more clearer their faults and vulnerabilities are. These gods have feet of clay. If fandom is the act of wanting to be special like your idol, what happens when you achieve that specialness? If you have everything, what else is there?
Wic + Div gives us the view from the bottom of Mount Olympus, as well as the view from the top. When you're given a definite date of death, what do you do with those two years? Is "Live fast, die young" a way to live, or is it better to fade away? Are the lows worth the highs?
Dionysus, the god of bacchanal pleasure by way of an ecstasy-dropping raver, constantly hears other people's voices in his head and hasn't slept since his reincarnation. In one of the more confronting moments of the series, a god takes their own life, unable to shoulder the rampant abuse directed towards them and unable to live up to the audience's expectations. Being famous doesn't make life easier. If anything, it paints a bigger target on your back by becoming the centre of popular culture. Nothing is without a price.
It's not all doom and gloom; Gillen is one of the best comic writers out. He knows his mythology, as well as he knows his music (and god, does he know his music). It's fun trying to pick out which pop stars influenced the gods. Some are easier than others; Inanna, an ancient Sumerian deity of desire and sex, is heavily inspired by Prince (purple rain included).
McKelvie is the Richards to Gillen's Jagger. His art is gorgeous and expressive, with character designs that are the epitome of cool. He also knows how to draw the hell out of an action scene. There's a moment where the Pantheon throwdown against one another, in what can only be described as, "What if Joseph Kahn directed The Avengers?"
Heading into the final third of the series, with thirty plus issues under its belt so far, Wic + Div has the makings of being a modern classic. It has the deft storytelling and strong characters that let it easily stand toe-to-toe with other non-superhero favourites like The Sandman, Y The Last Man or Preacher. If you worship at the altar of pop culture or have ever loved an artist so much that it hurts, The Wicked + The Divine gets you.
The sixth collected volume of The Wicked + The Divine is out now through Image Comics.
Shout Chris Neill a beer
A succulent Australian mystery: Just who is the bloke in this iconic video?
Alex 'Shooter' Williamson's Instagram has been deleted


We'd love to talk to you about your needs. We're located in St. Louis, but that doesn't mean we only work with local clients. Feel free to get in touch with us – come by for a visit, give us a call or send us a tweet. No matter your method, we'll get in touch soon.


David Levy focuses his practice in the area of family law, and is trained in collaborative law. Mr. Levy has been practicing law since 1970 and has been with the Firm (or one of its predecessors) since 1993, and is a founding partner of the Firm. David knows that family law involves real people having real issues, and he derives great satisfaction in helping people to navigate through those issues and move on in their lives in a positive direction.
Mr. Levy graduated from Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts and obtained his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. Before entering private practice, he was a Founder and former Executive Director of the Virginia Legal Aid Society in Lynchburg, Virginia for twelve years. David was also a Civil Director for the National Legal Aid and Defender Association from 1976 to 1978, worked as the Chief Counsel and Executive Director of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Legal Aid Society from 1973 to 1976, and worked for Rhode Island Legal Services for a period of time. Mr. Levy is a frequent lecturer on domestic relations issues at the Northern Virginia Women's Center and a former Adjunct Professor at the Central Virginia Community College where he taught legal research.
David is licensed to practice in all courts in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Among other professional associations and memberships throughout his career, Mr. Levy has served on the Fairfax Bar Association's Special Committee on Legal Services and is currently a member of the Lawyer Referral Information Service Committee. He was a Founding Board Member of the Legal Services Corporation of Virginia, on which he served from 1976 to 1984.
Mr. Levy has received Martindale-Hubbell's highest AV Preeminent rating for legal ability and ethical standards.
David is a native of Durham, North Carolina and currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia. In his spare time, David enjoys being involved in his neighborhood and community and is particularly proud of being the lead on a well-used neighborhood website.
Lynchburg College v. Central Fidelity Bank, 242 Va, 292, 410 S.E.2d 617 (1991).
Pellegrin v. Pellegrin, 1996 Va. App. LEXIS 674 (Va. Ct. Appeals Oct. 29, 1996).
Shoup v. Shoup, 31 Va. App. 621, 525 S.E.2d 61 (2000).
Wolters v. Wolters, Record No. 0106-03-4, 2003 Va. App. LEXIS 585 (Va. Ct. App. Nov. 12, 2003).
Wiese v. Wiese, 46 Va. App. 399 (Va. Ct. App. 2005).
Olson v. Olson, 2009 Va. App. LEXIS 6 (Va. Ct. App. Jan. 13, 2009).
Ovissi v. Salemi, Record No. 2112-08-4, 2009 Va. App. LEXIS 378 (Va. Ct. App. Aug. 25, 2009).
Butterman v. Butterman, Record No. 3007-08-4, 2009 Va. App. LEXIS 365 (Va. Ct. App. Aug. 18, 2009).


What frame color is best for you?
Surface height adjustable from 24.8"-47.25"
Overall frame weight is 58lbs.
501-118S138H | 501-118B138H Nothing less than a mechanical masterpiece. The frame is a true workhorse and the Bosch motor provies the ultimate reliability. The attractive design features a modesty panel and built in wire management integrated into the top support brackets. Has a lifting capacity of 220 lbs.
A compact design that is perfect for group formations.


text:
Home News Over 12,000 Ethiopian migrants flown back home
Over 12,000 Ethiopian migrants flown back home
More than 12,000 undocumented Ethiopian migrants had been flown back to their country since the coronavirus outbreak, the International Migration Organization said.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Alemayehu Seifeselassie, IOM's communication officer in Ethiopia, said: "The returnees are mainly from Sudan, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Djibouti and Kenya."
"Since April 2020, the total number of Ethiopians who have returned is over 12,032," he said.
"We expect the return to continue over the coming weeks," he added.
The returnees, according to reports, include 11 Ethiopians who survived the gruesome incident occurred in March in Mozambique where 64 Ethiopians were found dead in a cargo container on a truck bound for South Africa.
More than one million Ethiopian migrants work in the Middle East, many of whom are undocumented and now stranded after the outbreak of the pandemic.
Last month, Saudi Arabia flew hundreds of migrants back to Ethiopia. A first Saudi flight carrying hundreds of migrants was denied landing at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, with Ethiopia claiming it had not been informed beforehand about the operation.
Previous articleTurkey distributes protective supplies to NATO staff
Next articleRussia denies Beijing hid truth on coronavirus
67% of young women in Netherlands face sexual harassment on street
Amnesty: India becoming 'dangerous' for protesters
Baghdad, Erbil dispute pushes Sulaymaniyah to leave KRG

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


After creating the previous Atlantique coupe version, it seemed evident that the spirit of this car could be directed to comfort and elegance, as well as to performances and brutal emotions testable only on track.
So this time, Alan Guerzoni decided to make a spider version, or "Grand Sport" as already called the opened Veyron. The carbon roof elegantly disappears in a few seconds in the space of the rear trunk, thanks to an electrical mechanism.


text:
All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.

The format is based on [Keep a Changelog (1.0.0)](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
and, as of version 0.3.0 and later, this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning (2.0.0)](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).

## [Unreleased]

## [1.2.1] - 2021-09-05
### Added
- Optional specs for developers to check Loba performance (no surprising issues found)

### Changed
- Updated README reference links
- Updated to support Ruby 2.2.2 as minimum (retreated from 2.5 for broader support)
- Refactored to separate stripping quotes from .inspect-generated strings

## [1.2.0] - 2021-09-05 [YANKED]

## [1.1.0] - 2021-08-20
### Added
- CHANGELOG.md to follow "Keep a Changelog" convention
- minor unit tests

### Changed
- Replaced colorize gem with rainbow gem for MIT license purity
- "Changelog" section of README.md to refer to new CHANGELOG.md
- `Loba.ts`: "(in ...)" of notice now has a space instead of a "=" (matches `Loba.val`)
- `Loba.ts`: string continuation instead of concatenation for performance
- `Loba.val`: string continuation instead of concatenation for performance

## [1.0.0] - 2021-08-18
### Added
- `Loba.val`: added `Loba.value` as an alias

### Changed
- `Loba.ts`: use Ruby 2.x-style keyword arguments instead of an options hash [BREAKING CHANGE]
- `Loba.val`: use Ruby 2.x-style keyword arguments instead of an options hash [BREAKING CHANGE]
- Updated for more recent Ruby versions (>= 2.5)
- Updated gem dependencies
- Expanded unit testing
- Refactored code to better compartmentalize for easier maintainability
- Updated user documentation, including corrections and better `production: true` warning
- Updated YARD documentation

### Removed
- Gemnasium link from README
- Last positional argument as `true` or `false` to control presence in production environments
- Options hash support to control `production: true` and `inspect: false` [BREAKING CHANGE]

## [0.3.1] - 2017-04-07
### Added
- YARD documentation
- `Loba.val`: `inspect` option to control use of `.inspect` on an argument value
- `Loba.ts`: added `Loba.timestamp` as an alias

### Changed
- Converted to options hash instead of implicit positional arguments
- `Loba.val`: nil values now display as `-nil-` instead of blank output

### Deprecated
- Last positional argument as `true` or `false` to control presence in production environments

## [0.3.0] - 2017-04-07 [YANKED]

## [0.2.0] - 2016-12-02
### Added
- Initial publication to RubyGems.org
- Gem badge to README
- Code Climate integration

### Changed
- Improved and corrected documentation
- Various bug fixes
- Generalized for Ruby and reduced Rails centricity

## 0.1.0 - 2016-01-06
### Added
- Initial implementation

[Unreleased]: https://github.com/rdnewman/loba/compare/v1.2.1...HEAD
[1.2.1]: https://github.com/rdnewman/loba/compare/v1.2.0...v1.2.1
[1.2.0]: https://github.com/rdnewman/loba/compare/v1.1.0...v1.2.0
[1.1.0]: https://github.com/rdnewman/loba/compare/v1.0.0...v1.1.0
[1.0.0]: https://github.com/rdnewman/loba/compare/v0.3.1...v1.0.0
[0.3.1]: https://github.com/rdnewman/loba/compare/v0.3.0...v0.3.1
[0.3.0]: https://github.com/rdnewman/loba/compare/0.2.0...v0.3.0
[0.2.0]: https://github.com/olivierlacan/keep-a-changelog/releases/tag/0.2.0

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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THIS IS OUR STAND!
Headwaters Forest contains the largest unprotected stands of ancient redwoods left in the world. Write your representative. Insist they support a Headwaters Forest Act with all six ancient groves.
FULL AND IMMEDIATE PROTECTION FOR ALL THE ANCIENT REDWOOD GROVES.
Headwater's Forest contains the last large remnants of unprotected ancient and residual redwood forest in the world, totaling approximately 17,000 acres. The Headwaters Grove is the heart of Headwaters Forest, and the other groves are the backbone. All the groves are essential for continued survival of the ancient redwood forest ecosystem.
PROTECT MARBLED MURRELET NESTING HABITAT.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service recently designated nearly 40,000 acres of Pacific Lumber and Elk River Timber Company land in the Headwaters Forest as critical habitat for the marbled murrelet. Headwaters is one of three remaining nesting areas in California for this small seabird that nests in ancient coastal forests.
PROTECTION OF COHO SALMON SPAWNING HABITAT.
The coho salmon is awaiting listing under the federal Endangered Species Act. Five to ten percent of California's remaining wild coho salmon spawn in the waterways of Headwaters Forest. Especially critical is the 15,000-acre Elk River watershed on the north side of Headwaters where logging is now underway.
ENSURE JOB SECURITY FOR LOCAL WORKERS THROUGH RESTORATION AND SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY PRACTICES.
A real solution must include worker retraining and employment in forest and stream restoration, and new, ecologically sustainable methods of forestry. The Clinton Administration can initiate a model sustainable forestry and restoration project for the Redwood Region in the cutover portions of the Headwaters Forest.
INSTITUTE A LOGGINC MORATORIUM.
The Clinton Administration must seek interim protection for Headwaters Forest by insisting that Pacific Lumber Company cease logging, including salvage operations, in the old-growth groves during the current negotiation process. It must also negotiate with Elk River Timber Company to protect coho salmon habitat in Northern Headwaters.
NO LAND TRADES FOR OTHER ANCIENT FORESTS.
The government must identify surplus federal property that may be suitable for a land swap; and secure a Debt for Nature swap, trading Maxxam Corporation's $1.6 billion debt to the American taxpayers for the backbone groves of Headwaters Forest. Federal acquisition cannot be accomplished by trading other old-growth forestlands.
NO RESTRICTIONS ON CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL OR JUDICIAL REVIEW.
The federal acquisition process must not include any agreements that would limit future citizen participation or environmental or judicial review of timber corporations' compliance with environmental laws.
THE HEADWATERS FOREST COORDINATING COMMITTEE ADVOCATES A BIOLOGICALLY SENSIBLE HEADWATERS FOREST PROTECTION PLAN.
Send a letter to the President
Dear President Clinton,
Take decisive action now on the Headwaters Forest crisis. There is an intense drama being played out between police escorted lumberjacks and protesters doing what they can to stop them. This is not just any forest, but one of the last remaining forests that has not been cut down and replanted.


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Wrens Ladies play in first game back at Gigg Lane in three years
All three of the Fleetwood Town Wrens Ladies teams were in action at the weekend and here is a round-up of how they did in their respected fixtures.
First-team
Fleetwood Town Wrens Ladies 1-0 West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC
The Wrens Ladies continued their recent run of good form at the weekend as they came out on top against West Didsbury. The game was played in Stalmine, at the home of Wyre Villa who are in the West Lancashire League, and it was a great afternoon for those there. Sophie Slater scored the only goal of the game, which proved to be pivotal as they now go level on points with third in the table.
Player(s) of the Match: Ellie Parkinson and Izzy Hendry
League position: 4th
Fleetwood Town Wrens Ladies Reserves 1-1 Burnley Belvedere Ladies
With the Reserves scoring for fun in recent weeks, they were held to a draw against Burnley Belvedere at home on Sunday, which is still a positive as they keep their unbeaten run alive. There was some terrific football on show throughout the game, with the play being end-to-end from the start. Carmel Daniel scored the goal for the Wrens Ladies that secured the crucial point.
Player(s) of the match: Ellie McNally and Ellie Duffy
League position: 3rd
Bury FC Foundation Womens 3-0 Fleetwood Town Wrens Ladies Development Squad
It was a tough, but memorable, afternoon for the Development Squad on Sunday as they played in what was the first game at Gigg Lane in over three years, but it wasn't the result they would have hoped for. Even though they ended up losing the game 3-0, Bethanne Bullion was named Player of the Match after a decent performance.
Player(s) of the match: Bethanne Bullion
West Didsbury & Chorlton
Burnley Belvedere Ladies
Bury AFC


You don't have to read every field guide to learn about nature and wildlife. All you have to do is observe and question. Nature is not as random as people tend to believe. Why does one	particular person have more nature experiences? Is that person just	plain lucky? That person has learned to live in-the-moment and observe all the elements that created that opportunity: temperature, wind speed, wind direction, humidity, time of day, etc. And all the elements of that particular moment have been saved in a memory card that can be recalled for another nature opportunity. Think about a time you walked outside at the beach and smelled the ocean air, looked at the brilliant red sun and felt the warmth on your arms. You definitely knew that it is about to be a great beach day because of your stored memory card that related to the elements of a perfect beach day. Store those memory cards and when you recall and use them, you will have more nature opportunities.


text:
[Week 6 Home](../)

# U2.W6: Refactoring for Code Readability

## Learning Competencies
- Explain what code is doing
- Refactor for clarity and readability

## Summary
Using the goals below, choose a challenge solution from [Class Warfare, Validate a Credit Card Number](../../week_5/6_validate_credit_card). This can be anyone's solution, but if you notice there's a lot of room for improvement with your own code, start with that. Find other's solutions by browsing the branches (just like you would to comment on a random person's solution).

Paste the original unrefactored code in your gist, and as you refactor, make notes of the changes you are making to achieve optimal readability. Include those notes along with the refactored version in your [my_solution.rb](my_solution.rb) file.

#### Goals of Readable Code
- Eliminate repetition by using looping and branching wisely
- Complex operations are decomposed into constituent parts
- Descriptive names for methods, variables, classes, and modules
- Methods are small and behavior is obvious
- Minimizes need for comments because the code tells you what it is doing
- Code is formatted with proper indentation for optimal readability

## Release 0: Write [assert](../../1_assert_statements) statements
Take the driver code and turn it into assert statments with valid and invalid card numbers.

## Release 1: [Pseudocode](https://github.com/Devbootcamp/phase_0_handbook/blob/master/coding_references/pseudocode.md)

## Release 2: Comment the code
Comment each chunk of code in the original solution

## Release 3: [Refactor](https://github.com/Devbootcamp/phase_0_handbook/blob/master/coding_references/refactoring.md) the solution for readability

## Release 4: [Reflect](https://github.com/Devbootcamp/phase_0_handbook/blob/master/coding_references/reflection_guidelines.md)

## Release 5: Push your solution to Github

## Release 6: [Review](https://github.com/Devbootcamp/phase_0_handbook/blob/master/coding_references/review.md)
Write feedback for at least two other solutions!


The word ''convergence'' can be defined in different ways, depending on the field it is referred to. However, this word is more prevalent in IT field, where it is used with the meaning of the combination of two or more technologies in one device. By way of example, mobile phones are not just a device for communication anymore, but they also have the properties of a computer, gaming devices or TV. Therefore, all type of media has become more interactive and more portable. And hence, the onset of convergence marketing.
In the modern era, businesses have experienced an acute need for changing the way they market their products, and this is particularly due to the fact that traditional media like TV, is no longer the only source of information. For instance, till the time the internet and digital devices became affordable to the large public, the companies were using mainly television as a channel for reaching the audience, and Jim Stengel (CMO of P&G) was declaring that ''in 1965, 80% of adults could be reached with three 60 seconds TV spots. Today it requires 117 prime time commercials to produce the same result''.
When you apply the same principle in the field of marketing, convergence marketing happens when marketers use information technology in such way that they ensure an integrated, interactive and consistent messages across all the media they use.
A convergence marketing strategy has the customer in the center, where he or she is targeted through all the communication means he uses with the aid of technology. Today, there are many such technology examples like Blogs, social media, news sites, video sites, forums and others wherein like-minded people can be targeted.
The best example will be online advertising, where each website is grouped on the basis of Specialty. So if Dell wants to advertise, it can advertise on all technology based websites, but also on entertainment websites where mass public can be found. At the same time, dell can create a jingle on Itunes, create an app, or do email marketing so that it reaches customers at all.
Specialists in marketing have dropped the terms ''traditional customer'', but they talk about a new hybrid consumer, or the so-called ''cyberconsumer''. While this new type of audience gets larger and larger, the channels to reach them have also multiplied. Obviously, the buying behavior of the new consumer has changed, and so businesses which wanted to stay successful have adopted convergence marketing.
Smart phones have allowed businesses to develop a personal relationship rather than performing mass marketing. Although this is an obvious advantage, businesses have also faced challenges in content messaging. The principle of efficiently communicating a message, says that the message should be accessible, easy to view and easy to use.
In order to understand convergence marketing, let's take another concrete example where convergence marketing is happening, and companies can benefit from it. The Internet gave the opportunity for creating virtual communities, where people with the same interests from different continents have gathered. However, each of these members is also part of a physical community.
In this case, the challenge for the business is to merge physical and virtual communities, as well as fusing the mission of these communities with an economic purpose. In short, they want the communities to ultimately give an ROI as well. Thus, these companies increase interactions between the online and offline communities so that it supports the business objectives. For example, depending on the objective for which the community has been created, companies can arrange events happening in a specific place and send invitations through online community. They can share Emails, make viral videos, so on and so forth. And so the virtual and physical communities have merged.
Another practice of this type of convergence marketing, is mixing the online and offline channels. The customer of today wants to be available through all types of communication: through website, calling or visiting, and so they expect to have a continuous dialogue across all these channels. That is why, companies have to develop strategies that combine both online and offline approaches and let the customer choose how he or she wants to interact.
All in all, companies have become aware of the tech savvy consumers, and so they have to keep the pace with the technology and use convergence marketing in order to stay as profitable as possible without compromising on quality.
How Can You Reach Your Social Media Target Audience?
This is great information Hitesh. I do agree that convergence marketing can be powerful when utilized the right way for any business online or off, The key is adopting the different marketing methods and techniques to the business with the least disruption to the everyday flow of the business, The truth of the matter is if your business has not integrated convergence marketing into your overall marketing plan you really are leaving the door open for the competition to take advantage while leaving a lot of business on the table.
How To Capitalize On An Idea?


Ethylbenzene (EB) is a highly flammable, colorless liquid that has a sweet aroma similar to that of gasoline. Nearly all ethylbenzene produced in the world is used in the manufacture of styrene; therefore, ethylbenzene demand is determined primarily by styrene production. Styrene is used mostly in polymer production for polystyrene, acrylonitrilebutadiene-styrene (ABS) and styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) resins, styrene-butadiene elastomers and latexes, and unsaturated polyester resins. The major styrene industry markets include packaging, electrical/electronic/appliances, construction, and consumer products. Consumption of ethylbenzene for uses other than the production of styrene is estimated to be around 2%. These applications include use as a solvent and, on occasion, the production of diethylbenzene, acetophenone, and ethyl anthraquinone.
In 2017, over 98% of ethylbenzene was consumed in the production of styrene. After a significant amount of restructuring and rationalization, the global styrene industry has continued the long, slow process of recovery from the previous decade's recession. Despite the improved performance and improving outlook for the global styrenics industry, low underlying demand remains a fundamental weakness. Demand growth rates remain stubbornly below GDP growth on a global basis and this is unlikely to change.
Polystyrene (PS) is styrene's largest demand sector, accounting for over 35% of global styrene demand. The other main end uses for styrene and their shares in 2017 include expandable polystyrene (21%), ABS resins (17%), unsaturated polyester resins (6%), SB latex (5%), and SB rubber (4%).
Polystyrene is broken into two types, general-purpose polystyrene (GPPS) and high-impact polystyrene (HIPS). Generalpurpose polystyrene is a clear crystal polymer that can have different properties, such as melt flow index and chemical resistance, among others. High-impact polystyrene (HIPS) contains about 7% polybutadiene, which is grafted onto the styrene polymer. For more specific details, refer to the CEH Styrene report.
Northeast Asia is the dominant player in the ethylbenzene industry, accounting for 46% and 47% of global capacity and consumption, respectively. China is the main driver, accounting for 56% of regional capacity and 49% of regional demand as of 2017. China will also be the fastest-growing country in the forecast for ethylbenzene, with an expected 8.6% average annual increase between 2017 and 2022. The CIS and Baltic States will be a very distant second, with an expected average annual growth rate of about 2% over the next five years.
There were a total of 92 ethylbenzene producers across the globe in 2017. The top 15 producers represented over 44% of the total capacity in 2017. INEOS Styrolution is the largest producer, with capacity located in North America and Western Europe and about a 7% capacity share in 2017. LyondellBasell and Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corp. (FCFC) are the next largest, each accounting for about a 4% capacity share.
Global ethylbenzene and styrene demand are both projected to grow at about 2% per year during the forecast period.


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Odette Ntahonvukiye (* 14. Juli 1994 in Cibitoke, Burundi) ist eine burundische Judoka.

Ntahonvukiye nahm an den im April 2012 in Agadir ausgerichteten Judo-Afrikameisterschaften teil und belegte dort in der offenen Klasse, die die Marokkanerin Rania El Kilali gewann, gemeinsam mit der Algerierin Sonia Asselah den 5. Rang.

Ntahonvukiye stand im sechsköpfigen Aufgebot der burundischen Mannschaft für die Olympischen Sommerspiele 2012. Die Teilnahme an den Olympischen Spielen sicherte der Burundierin dabei eine Wild Card. In London startete sie in der Klasse bis 78 kg. Dabei schied sie in der 1. Runde gegen die Gabunerin Audrey Koumba durch Kuzure-yoko-shiho-gatame mit einem Wertungsstand von 000-020 aus.

Weblinks
 Profil auf www.london2012.com, abgerufen am 13. August 2012

Einzelnachweise

Olympiateilnehmer (Burundi)
Teilnehmer der Olympischen Sommerspiele 2012
Judoka (Burundi)
Burundier
Geboren 1994
Frau

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Humidifier Bottles, offered by us is Autoclavable, consist of an unbreakable jar with nut on cap fitted on top inlet and side outlet tubes. The inlet tube ends in a specially designed diffuser from which oxygen is bubbled through water before reaching the outlet. It is used for Medical purpose.


On 24 March Craig appeared at the popular, annual Ideal Home Show exhibition in London where he offered his expertise to the show's visitors. Taking place at the Olympia exhibition centre in the capital, the event comprises of a range of exhibitions, stalls and celebrity guests focusing on a whole host of household areas including interiors, home renovation and gardens.
At the show Craig gave three presentations offering his expert insight on a range of topics to guests. Attended by hundreds of people, the show also saw Craig give a demonstration on 'how to use paint sprayers for home decorating' using Wagner paint sprayers. As a brand ambassador for the world-leading manufacturer, Craig was able to show audiences how easy their products are to use.


Adam picked up two artists last night. In my opinion, two very strong and powerful performers. Nineteen-year-old Christina Grimmie was first to take the stage last night with "Wrecking Ball." She began posting music on YouTube when she was fifteen, and now has over 2 million subscribers. I can see why. Her cover of Miley's song was mind-blowing, ultimately turning all four chairs. Team Adam is a very good choice for her.
Also joining Adam's team is the indie-folk duo Miranda Dawn and Christopher Hawkes, known as Dawn & Hawkes. They came out and performed an acoustic set, both playing guitars, and nailed their cover of "I've Just Seen A Face." Within seconds Adam and Shakira hit their buttons (Shakira multiple times). You could see the excitement in Adam's face while watching their performance, and said to them after that this was his favorite performance EVER done on The Voice. I have to agree. There pure vocals (and love for each other) resonated everywhere. You couldn't help but be drawn into them and their sound. The connection they have with one another surpasses anything I've ever seen, and that connection just holds you with them. To their testament, they may have only had two chairs turn, but their performance from last night, at time of this writing, is sitting at #25 on iTunes OVERALL Singles Chart (many, many spots higher than anyone else from last night), and it's still climbing strong.
Joining Team Usher are two talented Soul singers and one Powerhouse Blues performer. T.J. Williams turned three chairs with "Bennie and the Jets." He's got a great soulful voice and Usher can see an R&B album in his future.
Biff Gore is forty-five years old and expecting his sixth child, but man can he sing. He calls his style of music "Life Music," because it makes you come alive. With no surprise, all four of the coaches' chairs turned.
Seventeen-year-old Bria Kelly stunned everyone with her power when she performed "Steamroller Blues." Blake and Adam turned their chairs before she even finished her first note, and in the end had all four coaches fighting for her to join their teams. Usher was the first to speak and simple stated: "Ladies and Gentlemen... we have just heard The Voice." Adam turned to her and said that "you haven't even been alive long enough to feel the pain you were expressing up there!" The 'arguing' continued until Usher took out one of his Grammy Awards and took it up to the stage to show her what she could have. Going into the Blind Auditions, she was sure she was going to pick Adam, but in the end, felt choosing Usher was the right thing for her.
Shakira picked up two singers last night. Kristen Merlin is a strong country artist with much experience under her belt. I think she did "Something More" almost perfectly. She had the right amount of energy and an amazing country sound, yet Blake didn't turn his chair... makes you wonder what his plan is this year? Kristen did turn two chairs and chose Shakira over Adam.
Classic rocker Jeremy Briggs also secured a spot on Team Shakira with his rendition of "Bad Company." He's the lead guitarist and vocalist in his band, and although he's never had any formal voice training, he showed amazing control and range. Both Blake and Shakira turned for him, and though I think Blake may have been a better choice for Jeremy, he chose Shakira.


This November NO PREP Packet is filled with hands-on, engaging and FUN resources that get kids excited about learning! The activities in this packet can be used for morning work, homework, group work, centers and more! The best part is that there is NO PREP! NO costly closed ink, NO laminating, NO cutting…Just PRINT and GO!
Skills & Activities included in this packet: Tracing, Printing, Cutting, Coloring, Gluing, Matching, Counting, Adding, Comparing, Patterning and more!
Examples of worksheets: Big vs Small, Single digit addition, Coloring by number, Filling in the missing initial consonant, Matching words with their images and much, much more!
Get Crafty with this Art Package Giveaway from Dover Publications!


Oh gosh if there was ever a character that I was probably meant to costume as, it's probably Mai. I've never had an experience before like I did the first time I put on the entire Mai wig and looked in the mirror because even without the costume, I felt like I was her. I get to make bored and annoyed faces in ALL the pictures!
And of course Mai is nothing without the rest of the wonderful Team Fire Nation so shout outs and love to my cosplay sister Lin as Azula, Abby as Ty Lee, and Brian for being a good sport and letting us rope him into being Zuko a mere two or so weeks before D*C.
Future costuming plans include making her normal costume but in the mean time, this is absolutely the perfect costume to wear for the hot summer conventions.


ESNAF loan from Halkbank offers favorable conditions for Micro and Small Enterprises that want to expand their business. With Halkbank you have a partner who is committed to expanding your business.
MKD loan with an interest rate of 3,75%+RIR and 4,45+RIR depending on the period.
4,45 %+RIR p.a. for the period up to 60 months.


IPA Mannheim - Wanna Play Paintball?
die IPA Mannheim lädt herzlich zum Besuch des "Wanna Play Paintball?" im Gotscha-Spielfeld in Tschechien mit den gleichen Vorteile wie unseren Mitgliedern ein.
We are writing in the hope that you will get this bulletin out to all your police contacts and help us with promoting our tournament.
Next year, from the 2nd to 5th May 2019, Tarragona IPA will be organising the 16th edition of the International 7-a-side Football Championships for Police. This year's Championship will be held in Tarragona itself and will coincide with the 25th anniversary of the founding of our branch of the IPA.
As always, we would advise you to book early as the maximum number of teams we can host is 20.
We are enclosing a document with all information pertaining to the Championship.
Should you have any questions then do not hesitate to contact us.


Sudden urge came up….felt like trucker jacket with shorts….. could be the first time in my life….
First, tried with LEVI'S 70505 cords in my favorite Muscat….
For the blue denim….I grabbed Lee 101-J.
But found out 101-J is especially good w/shorts when sleeves rolled up…..didn't realize that till now.
Yet, it's got nice flared sole….mainly around heel area.
Felt like something wrong or?
I just got back from 2-1/2 wk trip from Tokyo.
On cooler days, I frequently grabbed this SWEETBEAR in Navy French twill.
I especially liked its poly/cotton lightweight fabric….really ideal for the weather.
And, slight iridescence of Navy color shines nicely against strong sunlight….
This is Engineers' Jacket in very thin Japanese Indigo fabric…..from '14S/S I guess…was an ideal choice for warmer days….the fabric is really breathable…yet doesn't look too thin.
For hotter days…..I chose BDU-R….w/ sleeves rolled-up.
I used to do these roll-ups with vintage Jungle Jackets….but never felt like it's me.
(Sort of sloppy) collars with no lining nor another ply….it's easier, and cooler.
Bellows right chest pocket works better with (1) buttoned (bellows side).
Has bellows lower pockets as well….in opposite directions.
These lower pockets work as it should when all (2) buttoned.
Royal Traveler works as a bag when I wear just T-shirt…and I chose Olive Nylon Taffeta one most.
For warmer days/nights, MENPOLINI SHORT in W-dyed Khaki cords (left).
Medium days, I picked this Green Tea-colored Vintage Calico MENPOLINI SHORT.
Then, MENPOLINI SHORT in Stone Supreme Twill for hotter, brighter days.
I reinforced my TENUGUI (traditional Japanese cotton scarves) collection with these 3 from OHNOYA, Ginza.


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Lost Civilizations Uncovered
Home | A Hideous Bit of Morbidity | Knowing Fear | The Cult of Alien Gods | About Me | News and Quick Views | H.P. Lovecraft | Ancient Secrets | Extraterrestrial Adventures | Book Reviews | Mail Bag | Projects
One man's reflection on his long journey from ancient astronaut theory believer through his disenchantment with the idea to the serious doubts he developed.
by Jason Colavito
> Read more about this topic in THE CULT OF ALIEN GODS
When I was a kid, I had a brilliant idea after watching one too many cartoons where Bugs Bunny ended up on a space station outsmarting the surrogate red menace, the dreaded Martian. In the cartoons, Bugs represented the virtue and intelligence of the American spirit, so naturally he always got the better of the coldly scientific Martian pseudo-communist. Of all the Looney Tunes, I liked the ones with the Martian most, second only to the Road Runner and Coyote cartoons. So as I watched Bugs bring to earth a bowl of dehydrated instant Martians (just add water), it got me thinking. What if it were real?
When I thought about the ease with which ancient Martians, or their extra-galactic cousins, could have swept across interstellar space to originate life on earth, I had no concept that this very thought had been seriously proposed as a solid and scientific explanation for life's origins. Not long after I thought up this concept, I came across a tattered and worn copy of Erich von Däniken's Gold of the Gods (1972) that my father had purchased during the first heady years of the alien ancestors frenzy. I flipped throught the pages and gazed, transfixed, at the color plates of strange statues, inexplicable art and improbable construction.
Von Däniken's soaring theories of antediluvian cosmonauts sailing across galaxies to bring civilization, morality and light into a dark and Darwinian young earth captured my imagination, as they did that of so many people before me. I read Gold of the Gods and then its predecessors Chariots of the Gods(1969) and Gods from Outer Space (1970) without giving second thought to the veracity of the words printed therein. I was young; I naturally assumed that books labelled non-fiction must be true. Little did I know that "non-fiction" was not synonymous with "fact." Incidentally, I picked up Chariots of the Gods and Gods from Outer Space at a yardsale; the two volumes cost me twenty-five cents.
I was intrigued by the subject. The pyramids were an endlessly fascinating topic, and history had always been something I loved. It seemed for all the world that von Däniken was right, that he must be right, for his theories seemed to make so much sense at an emotional level. Besides, how could the book companies and television documentary people ever let these theories get through if they were not true? After all, was there not corroborating evidence in the many UFO sightings and abductions seeming to plague the less intelligent parts of the population?
I was particularly susceptible to this line of reasoning. During the summer after my freshman year of high school, my brother was golfing in the back yard of my upstate New York home. He came running up the side yard shouting, "Look up there!" When I looked up, I saw a round, shiny disc hovering in the sky. It stayed up there for a few minutes before vanishing. It remains unexplained.
In the year that followed, I read everything I could on extraterrestrials, UFOs, alien abductions and such. I studied the so-called Roswell Incident and read the original FBI cables about so-called flying discs recovered in the New Mexico desert and secreted to Ohio (yes, Ohio) and then the forbidden Area 51 where they became the basis for the Stealth Fighter jets.
But I quickly realized that this was nothing more than a modern myth. The original FBI cable said the disc was small and at the end of a balloon (something ufologists ignore when trumpeting the case). I thought, why would space aliens need a balloon? If they could cross galaxies, why not New Mexico? Then I found out that the celebrated abduction of Betty and Barney Hill that launched the modern alien abduction hysteria could all but conclusively be shown to descend from the movie Invaders from Mars and an episode of "The Outer Limits" that aired only days before the "abduction." Key to the case: the Hill abduction featured the now-stereotypical bug-eyed aliens unknown in 1960s Hollywood. Yet that "Outer Limits" episode featured aliens fitting the exact description of the Hills.
After I found out how many UFO photographs were faked (and badly!), suddenly, UFOs seemed a lot less interesting to me. Soon enough I came to the conclusion (despite what the Disclosure Project and the "X-Files" say) that aliens probably were not visiting earth since it would take millennia to transverse to infinities between star systems.
So what about the evidence for ancient aliens?
In 1996, I found what seemed to be a logical answer on an episode of A&E's "Ancient Mysteries" where Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy introduced me to Graham Hancock whose book Fingerprints of the Gods (1995) allowed all the anomalous evidence for ancient aliens to stand intact without the need for extraterrestrial visitation. All the stories about higher beings that von Däniken had interpreted as aliens now became the representatives of an advanced lost civilization. What could make more intuitive sense?
In the last months before the internet revolution transformed bookselling, the local bookstore was the only place to seek out titles of interest. Late that year I went to Barnes & Noble looking for a copy of Fingerprints, but there was none to be had. The clerk told me that the book was so immensely popular that the store could not keep it in stock. I ordered onem, and six weeks later I plunged into a rip-roaring adventure in the style of Indiana Jones. Hancock's book was magical, and for me the only training in mythology and ancient history I had recieved thanks to a failing public school system. And with a monstrous set of end notes and book-length bibliography, how could I doubt the formidable volume?
In short order I read Hancock's sequel Message of the Sphinx (1996) and his original exploration of an ancient mystery, The Sign and the Seal (1992). To this day, I find The Sign and the Seal a fascinating and imposing work of journalism, if not history.
Intrigued by the material presented uncritically before me, I devoured every book on the subject that I could find. I read classics in the genre like Gerald Hawkins's Beyond Stonehenge (1973) and more recent works like Robert Bauval's Orion Mystery (1994). Expanding still further from the core mysteries, I read works on the origin of man like Michael Cremo's and Richard Thompson's infamous and pseudo-scholarly Forbidden Archaeology (1993). I read about the life of Jesus and his children in Laurence Gardner's Bloodline of the Holy Grail (1996). I took on Giorgio de Santillana and Hertha von Dechend's dense and enigmatic Hamlet's Mill (1969), and unlike Graham Hancock, I needed to read it but once to understand what was being said. Then I explored Robert Temple's unique vision of the world by reading his The Sirius Mystery (1998 revised edition). I quickly rejected the alien ancestor part of the book, but the almost scholarly ethnographic analysis of the descent of Africa's Dogon tribe from Ancient Egyptian stock made perfect sense.
Needless to say, by the time I had entered college, I decided to minor in anthropology because these books had so inspired me. Then it all began to fall apart.
I read a short paper on a website run by Filip Coppens that more or less completely demolished the central thesis of the Sirius Mystery, that Egyptian knowledge of the binary Sirius star system had passed to the Dogon tribe where French anthropologists Marcel Griaule and Germaine Dieterlen had discovered this latent tradition intact in 1935. Coppens quoted anthropologist Walter van Beek, who tried to confirm the Sirius-lore reported by Griaule. Van Beek talked to the Dogon about Sirius: "All agree... that they learned about the star from Griaule." Coppens judgment was harsh: "The Sirius Mystery influenced more than twenty years of thinking about our possible ancestry from 'forefathers' who have come from the stars... And various popular authors and readers have since been led into a modern mythology..."
I had already known that the alien ancestor hypothesis was plainly ridiculous, but if the whole of the Sirius Mystery was built on a bed of lies, then what of those books which followed it? I knew, for example, that Robert Bauval was inspired to write the Orion Mystery because of the Temple book. Despite Bauval's later denials, this is what he wrote:
"In 1979, at London-Heathrow airport I bought a book called The Sirius Mystery by Robert Temple [which] explored aspects of Ancient Egyptian astronomy, and as I was both an amateur Egyptologist and a keen student of Ancient Egyptian astronomy, it seemed like a good book to take to the Sudan... Temple had uncovered a mystery worthy of further investigation. If the Dogon had inherited their knowledge of Sirius B from the Ancient Egyptians, what other knowledge might these ancients have had concerning the stars?... It seemed obvious to me that the place to look for evidence of this lost knowledge was not among the tribes of Mali but in Egypt itself." (The Orion Mystery p. 7-9)
Temple had a further influence on the developing theory that the pyramids represented the stars Temple found important to the Ancient Egyptians: "After all, the pyramids were built at the time Robert Temple believed the star religion to have been of the greatest importance. Perhaps then the two were linked." (The Orion Mystery p. 82) Temple had postulated that cities in ancient Egypt and Greece were planned to resemble the constellation Argo. Bauval applied the star-mirroring idea to the pyramids and "discovered" that the three Giza pyramids represented the belt stars of the constellation Orion.
For the record, Robert Bauval told me on April 8, 2001 that "[While] I also know Robert Temple personally, it also does not mean that I support his ideas either." (see grahamhancock.com message board archives)
Yet I had the explicit evidence in his own words that he did in fact support Temple's thesis, and not only that, he used it to support the Orion Correlation Theory. Since I knew that Temple was demonstrably wrong, I had no choice but to conclude that the pyramids might well represent Orion, but the theoretical basis for the theory relied so heavily on Temple's work that it must be discarded along with the proposed target date of 10,500 BC which the theory suggests the pyramids target.
Incidentally, I later learned this date derives ultimately from "sleeping prophet" Edgar Cayce's descriptions of his past life in Atlantis in that year. Also, alternative historian John Anthony West used the Cayce date to extend geologist Robert Schoch's "redating" of the Sphinx back farther. Schoch proposed on the basis of water erosion a 5000 BC building date while West arbitrarily made the date agree with Cayce without providing geologic evidence.
Since Graham Hancock built on Bauval, what of him? He had said, "One unsolved mystery is the remote date transcribed by the astronomy of the [Giza] monuments - the date of 10,500 BC that accords so well with the geology of the Sphinx. Is it a coincidence?" (Heaven's Mirror [1998] p. 99) He claimed that this date is when he and Bauval believe the Lost Civilization met its end.
Since all but the most generous Sphinx redating put it only as far back as 5000 BC (and that was a stretch), I saw that Hancock's arguments held no water. His lost civilization was built on the foundations of shaky science and Temple's disproved theories.
With that, I had to sadly conclude that I had been deceived. Even though I loved these books, I knew they were not true. Sure, there were anomalies worthy of investigation and even a possibility that somewhere in the distant past there was some sort of link between cultures, but this evidence was not the answer. I had hoped that it was true; I had wanted it to be true. But I can't prove it, and neither can they.
Hancock is working on a new book that he says will provide scientific evidence of the Lost Civilization. It would be fascinating and wonderful if he could show an ancient and unknown culture because the thrill of discovery is ever great. Unfortunately, today there is no ancient civilization and those who see only the media portrayals of these authors and their work are easily led to believe that somehow a "coverup" is hiding the wonders of the ancient past from plebian eyes.
I started this magazine to bring to light the hidden stories about the formation of this modern mythology and to expose the mistakes, misinterpretations and misrepresentations that carried the ancient astronaut and lost civilization hypotheses across the centuries and into today.
If someday a lost civilization or extraterrestrial culture comes to light, I will gladly post it across the front page of this magazine. Until then I hope these pages will make plain the facts behind the facade and bring out the truth from wherever it hides. This is our mission. Come join us.
© 2001-2003 Jason Colavito. All rights reserved.


What is Ayurveda and why do you want to know about it?
Think about YOGA and what it does for your body. Put simply, it improves your health and brings a greater sense of ease through physical poses. Now, think about bringing greater health and ease to other important aspects of your life, like how you feel when you eat, when you breathe and when you sleep.
Ayurveda is the medicinal system of yoga and can be referred to as Traditional Indian Medicine because it originates from India (much like acupuncture is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine).
Ayurveda is the sister science to yoga and it holds all the secrets for giving you knowledge about your life and how to live it, with longevity and to its fullest.
Welcome to SISTER VEDA in beautiful Portland, OR!
I look forward to helping you on the path.


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Beccles and Bungay Journal > News
School pupils put on their dancing shoes for charity
Published: 10:00 AM June 27, 2015 Updated: 8:09 PM October 10, 2020
Youngsters from Crowfoot Primary School,Beccles take part in a big dance for Macmillan Cancer support. - Credit: Nick Butcher
The leg warmers were out and the dancing shoes were on for youngsters at Crowfoot Community Primary School.
The Beccles school combined its summer fair with a national event called Dress up and Dance - an idea which pupils came up with in learning council.
Pupils and staff dressed up as legends or in bright colours and joined together to dance, performing a routine choreographed by teachers Emma Block and Molly Griffin to the song Uptown Funk, with £141.88 raised for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Heather Thorne, headteacher at the School, said: "What a fantastic event. The atmosphere was brilliant and everyone joined in well. We have had very positive feedback from parents, children and staff."
Cakes, ice creams, a bouncy castle and face painting were popular at the fete, with each class running their own stall with money raised from the day going back to each class.
Music was provided by two members of staff, Jem Stevens and Deby Ruddock.
The school would like to thank all businesses that contributed and supported the fair and the Friends of Crowfoot who arranged the event.


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Continuing Education ›
Credits: 10 Veterinary CE Hours at the completion of this self-study course
Registration: Register Now
Fees: $375 general | $125 student
For: Veterinary and graduate students, research and industry veterinarians, immunologists, geneticists, and swine and other animal health professionals
Help improve swine health by learning to identify the various concepts and strategies involved in genetic selection and be able to apply those concepts to disease resistance and health improvement; evaluate the impact that genetic selection has on disease epidemiology and pathogen evolution and apply the application of these concepts to the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus.
PRRS is deeply affecting the US and global swine industries. PRRS virus is commonly managed on farms through immunization protocols, to decrease the impact of the disease, and biosecurity measures to prevent the introduction of new strains. However, there are limitations to these control actions.
Genetics is a fast-evolving field, and it can become challenging for a swine professional to stay current on all the advances made on a daily basis. Furthermore, genetic selection programs are complex and require a comprehensive understanding of the methods and strategies employed by breeding stock companies to deliver genetic improvement.
Register online when registering yourself and paying with a credit card. After registering you'll receive "Registration Confirmation" and "Receipt" emails from [email protected] (make sure your email is set to recognize this address or check your spam folder).
$375 general | $125 student
Refunds are not granted for cancellation. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].
There is a growing recognition of the role that host genetics plays on disease. Over past years there has been a significant shift in genetic selection programs to include genetic strategies to improve animal health. However, genetics is a topic veterinarians are seldom exposed to during their training years. This online class is designed for anyone interested in learning more about genetic selection and the application of genetic improvement strategies to enhance animal health. The course will identify basic concepts of infectious disease biology and provide an introduction to genetics and genetic selection, including the use of genomics in genetic improvement programs and the implementation of genetic selection for disease resistance. Finally, the course will focus on the application of genetics in the control of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus.
The course is divided in four modules
Unit 1: Introduction to disease biology
Unit 2: Genetics and genetic selection
Unit 3: Implementing genetic selection for disease resistance
Unit 4: Genetic selection for PRRS
By the end of the class, a student will be able to:
Synthesize the epidemiological and biological characteristics of an infectious disease
Explain the basis of a genetic improvement program and how a program works
Compare and contrast the various genetic selection tools and approaches and how they can be used to improve health
Recognize the limitations of genetic improvement of health due to the pathogen's biology and evolution
Explain genetic approaches to control PRRS infections
This self-paced online course will take 30 hours to complete.
Certification of Course Completion
At the end of the Canvas course, you will have the opportunity to request your certificate of completion by completing a brief Google form. Please allow 10 business to process your request.
Andreia Arruda
Dr. Andreia Arruda graduated as a DVM in 2010 from Sao Paulo State University (UNESP, Brazil). She received her MS degree from the University of Minnesota in 2012 and her PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Guelph in 2015. Dr. Arruda's main area of interest involves the use of novel epidemiological approaches to investigate large animal infectious disease transmission and to support the development of effective control, prevention, and surveillance strategies. Currently Dr. Arruda works as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at The Ohio State University.
Jack Dekkers
C.F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor
Jack Dekkers grew up in the Netherlands and received BSc. and MSc. degrees from the Wageningen Agricultural University and a PhD from the University of Wisconsin in Animal Breeding. From 1989 to 1997 he was on faculty at the University of Guelph, working closely with the Canadian industry on genetic improvement of dairy cattle. He moved to Iowa State University in 1997, where he currently is a C.F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor and Leader of the Animal Breeding and Genetics group. Current research focuses on the genetic basis of feed efficiency and health in pigs and on the integration of quantitative and molecular genetics, including whole genome selection, with applications to swine and poultry.
Andrea Doeschl-Wilson
Group Leader in Mathematical Modelling in Animal Health and Genetics
The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
Andrea Doeschl-Wilson grew up in Bavaria, Germany, where she obtained a MSc. in pure mathematics. She then moved to Canada to carry out a PhD in Applied Mathematics at the University of Western Ontario (2002). After working four years as a research scientist at the Pig Improvement Company (PIC), she moved back to academia. She currently holds a group leader position at the Genetics and Genomics division of the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh in Scotland, UK. Her research over the last 14 years has focused on the development and application of mathematical and statistical models to study infectious disease dynamics and other dynamic processes (e.g., growth, aggression) in domestic livestock populations, and to assess the influence of host genetics on these.
John Harding
Dr. John Harding teaches undergraduate students in all four years of the veterinary program. This includes core courses in swine production and diseases, as well as an advanced swine production medicine elective for students interested in pursuing careers in food animals. In the final year of the program, clinical rotations are available to encourage students to apply knowledge gained through didactic classes to real-life situations. Dr. Harding consults with veterinarians throughout western Canada on challenging issues pertaining to emerging and common diseases impacting the swine industry, particularly related to diagnostic methods. Dr. Harding was awarded the Pfizer Carl J. Norden Distinguished Teaching Award in 2009.
Michael Murtaugh
University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Michael Murtaugh graduated in 1973 from the University of Notre Dame with a BS in biology, then served in the Peace Corps for two years in Maracay, Venezuela, at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, carrying out research on noninsecticidal methods of pest control for yield improvement in maize. He was awarded the PhD in entomology from Ohio State University in 1980 with a dissertation on the regulation of egg laying in the house cricket, Acheta domestica. From 1980−1985 he was a postdoc in the Department of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Center at Houston, in cell and molecular biology, with a focus on gene expression in macrophages. Dr. Murtaugh joined the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology at the University of Minnesota in 1985 and established a basic and translational research program in molecular mechanisms of disease resistance in food animals. Working with a supportive swine industry and the swine medicine faculty, he made important contributions to cytokine biology, molecular diagnostic tools for bacterial pathogens, and porcine pleuropneumonia pathogenesis. His lab has made extensive basic and translational contributions to the understanding of porcine immune responses to PRRSV, viral evolution, and viral genetic diversity. He was the director of the PRRS Coordinated Agricultural Project from 2004 to 2008 and has lectured extensively on PRRS immunology, vaccinology, and diagnostics throughout the world. Recently his lab has initiated a programs to elucidate the immunological interaction of swine with porcine circoviruses, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, and Senecavirus A.
In addition to an active research program that provides a home to undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, and visiting scientists, Dr. Murtaugh provides community outreach with molecular biotechnology workshops for educators, professionals, and international scientists. His contributions have been recognized through the CVM Pfizer Award for Research Excellence (four times) and the University of Minnesota Inventor Recognition Award in 2005, a University Innovations Award in 2011, the Allen D. Leman Swine Conference Pijoan Lectureship in 2008, American Association of Immunologists, AAVI, Distinguished Veterinary Immunologist, 2012, and a CVM Outstanding Teacher Award in 2014.
Albert Rovira
Dr. Rovira grew up in Barcelona, Spain, where he obtained his DVM (2000) and MS (2002) degrees. After that he moved to MN and obtained his PhD degree in swine diagnostics and epidemiology (2007). Dr. Rovira has been working as a large animal diagnostician at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (VDL) since 2008. His diagnostic service responsibilities include supervising diagnostic submissions to the VDL, managing specific client accounts, representing the VDL in collaborations with external partners, and participating in the validation of new diagnostic tests. Diagnostics is a fast-changing field, and one of Dr. Rovira's priorities is to stay current in all aspects of diagnostics to provide the best solutions to the swine industry. Dr. Rovira's philosophy of diagnostic service involves personalized consultation on food animal diagnostics with an emphasis on utilization of the best diagnostic tools available. In addition to diagnostic service, his position includes a small research component dedicated to infectious diseases of swine and a small teaching component.
Nick Serão
Nick Serão grew up in Brazil and received BSc. (Animal Science; 2007) and MSc. (Breeding and Genetics; 2009) degrees from the Federal University of Viçosa, and a PhD in Animal Science (focused in Statistical Genomics) from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After 2.5 years as a Postdoctoral Research Associated at Iowa State University, working on genetics and genomics of swine health, he was on the faculty at North Carolina State University from 2015 to 2017, working on swine and cattle health, and statistical methodologies. Since March 2017, he is an Assistant Professor of Swine Genetics at Iowa State University, where his research focuses on the genetic and genomics bases of swine health, reproduction, and mortality, and on statistical methodologies for genomic and experimental analyses.
Montserrat Torremorell
Dr. Montse Torremorell is an animal health expert with emphasis in infectious swine diseases and strategies to improve the health of swine systems. Her research involves the understanding of influenza virus transmission and the factors that contribute to virus spread and establishment of endemic infections in populations. Understanding influenza virus epidemiology, ecology and control in complex swine systems is a priority of her research. In addition, her research also centers on understanding PRRSV transmission and strategies to prevent and eradicate the virus in geographical regions.
Kristin Witworth
Kristin Whitworth is a research scientist at the University of Missouri. She completed her BS in agriculture from Illinois State University and an MS and PhD from the University of Missouri. Kristin focused her PhD work on transcriptional profiling pig preimplantation embryos and extraembryonic membranes and on the use of histone deacetylase inhibitors to improve cloning efficiencies. She is now heavily focusing her research efforts on the use of gene-editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 to create pig models for disease resistance and biomedicine.
Perle Zhitnitskiy
Dr. Perle Zhitnitskiy received her DVM degree from the National Veterinary School of Toulouse, France. She practiced in Brittany before moving to North Carolina, where she taught swine medicine for several years. She is now coordinating the education efforts of the swine group at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota.
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This course is sponsored by the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and Iowa State University, and funded by the US Department of Agriculture by NIFA Grant Number 2013-68004-20362.
For more information about this course, contact Dr. Perle Boyer


Universal Insurance supports the tanning industry and its current and potential salon clients. What else would you expect from an insurance provider dedicated to protecting your livelihood?
In 1992, a tanning industry veteran recognized the need for salon owners to protect their assets, as coverage at that time excluded UV exposure. To make this a reality, the owner partnered with a large insurance provider and began underwriting the tanning industry across the country. Twenty years later, Universal Insurance continues to be a stalwart supporter.
Randy Tipton, now President, joined the team in 1995. "During my first 10 years, I developed close relationships with many of our clients and other industry leaders," she stated. "With our relationships and knowledge, our agency can provide a valuable service to people who need it. This made my decision to purchase the company in 2005 an easy one." Today, Randy and her daughter, Jenny Bortman (Vice President), lead Universal Insurance as a family business dedicated to protecting salon owners.
Team Universal has built a reputation for stability, friendly service and solid business practices – and this has been the key to its lasting success. "Twenty years ago, we partnered with a larger insurance provider to offer coverage to tanning salon owners, and we're pleased to say that we still work with that provider today," Randy said. "We also provide friendly service and are always willing to drop whatever we're doing in order to help our clients." Randy is also proud to say that Universal is designated an Admitted Carrier – an insurance provider that follows guidelines created by the Department of Insurance (DOI), including regulation of the company's rates and practices. "Admitted companies are part of their state's insurance guaranty program, which pays clients' claims if the insurance carrier becomes insolvent," she added.
The tanning industry is in constant evolution, and everyone at Universal Insurance not only knows this, but also keeps pace with all its latest developments. "When Universal was founded, salon owners diversified their businesses with video rentals, hot tub sales and toning tables, while today, it's bodywraps, teeth-whitening and airbrush tanning. In most cases, we add the service(s) to a salon owner's existing policy; but, in the case of those that are similar to medical services, such as laser hair removal, a separate policy needs to be written." Randy emphasized that when a change occurs at the salon, the owner needs to immediately inform their insurance agent.
As a tanning professional, trust is the most important quality your insurance provider should offer. After all, your salon is more than just a job – it's how you pay your bills, feed your family and keep a roof over their heads. So, it makes sense that you need to have faith in those whom you've chosen to help protect it. By providing stability and friendly service, Universal Insurance continues to be the company that salon owners trust with their livelihoods … for 20 years and counting!


on Friday, January 4, 2013.
When Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore decided to separate last year, many were shocked. According to reports, the couple had some troubles and one of them was reportedly involved in an extramarital affair. Many people in Connecticut were aware of the split, wondering how the divorce would affect the images of both celebrities. While some pondered this, others were curious about the how the division of property would affect the finances of Moore and Kutcher.
During the initial separation, Moore stated that she wanted to end the marriage. Even though these words were reportedly said, she never filed for divorce. Many have speculated that property division was an issue that had yet to be fully addressed. That was until Kutcher's recent filing, just days before Christmas, he signed divorce papers and submitted them.
Reports indicate that the couple has been sparring over finances and that the divorce paperwork does not indicate whether they filed a prenuptial agreement. Many financial questions could have been answered by a prenup, had they chosen to file one. Wealthy individuals often choose to file a prenup when getting married to protect their assets and their personal worth-others also file the document in order to make divorce more predictable, if it does come.
The couple was married in September 2005, meaning that they have been legally together for more than seven years. This will be Moore's second divorce. Currently, rumors have suggested that Kutcher and former co-star Mila Kunis are in a relationship.
Over the past year, Kutcher has been solidifying his return to television on a hit show. He has made millions of dollars through his new role, which may be a hot topic for the couple if they are discussing property division. Meanwhile, reports have indicated that Moore is struggling to deal with another failed marriage.


text:
From Guidance Counselor to School Counselor
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The History and Transformation of School Counseling
The history of school counselor jobs begins in 1909 when the Boston Vocational Bureau and Boston Public Schools partnered to implement a vocational guidance program within the school system. This model quickly spread in popularity and within a decade the movement had gained international influence. In subsequent decades the role of counselors has evolved to become an integral part of most educational systems.
Guidance Counselor vs. School Psychologist
In the 1920s and early 1930s the importance of school counselors within the educational system became more pronounced. Guidance counselor jobs were viewed as a critical element in a schools ability to promote the emotional and moral development of the student population. During these years, guidance counselor jobs became widespread throughout the nation.
During the Great Depression the limited availability of resources to support public programs resulted in a decrease in the number of school counselors employed in the educational system, and the profession didn't begin to recover until 1938.
Funding for educational initiatives, including school guidance counselors, was fully reinstated in the 1950s, and during the same decade, the American School Counselor Association was formed.
In the 1960's awareness of the importance of cultural competence was at the forefront of school counseling practice. Support from federal funds helped to increase of the number of school counseling programs throughout the nation. During this time there was also an influx of new counseling theories that applied specifically to the practice of school guidance counselor position.
By the 1970's guidance counselor positions began to be viewed as an integrated part of the educational process. Counselors became part of multifunctional educational teams comprised of students, parents, administrators and teachers. This shift was further solidified when the Education for all Handicapped Children Act was passed in 1975. Addressing the special needs of children with emotional, mental and physical disabilities presented school counselors with the opportunity to use their specialized skills to help these students thrive within the school system.
Guidance Counselor vs. School Counselor
As standards-based educational initiatives began to trend in the 1980s, the effectiveness of "guidance counselors" was questioned. As a result of the Americans with Disabilities act of 1990, the guidance counselor job description also grew to include increased collaboration with special education teachers, and increased responsibilities related to advocacy for students with disabilities.
The school counseling profession created professional standards and competencies in the late 1990s, with a focus on prevention and intervention efforts to close achievement and opportunity gaps.
Along with these reforms, the "guidance counselor" job shifted to the current incarnation of "school counselor". Today, the term "guidance counselor" is outdated in most places.
Guidance Counselor Salary - Then vs. Now
Initially, "vocational guidance counselors" focused on job and career, but over time the position expanded in nature to include coaching and counseling around emotional and psychological concerns. Also, during these early years, the vocational guidance counselor position was often a teacher who was given added responsibilities in the form of this position, without a pay increase! Thus, the original guidance counselor salary was $0. There has been significant salary growth since the early years of school counselors, in according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics; the 2012 median annual salary of school counselors was $53,610i.
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A few kilometers from Saint-Emilion's prestigious crus classés, Nicolas Despagne produces clean-tasting wines that are powerful when young but show a remarkable development with age, perhaps because this winegrower takes nothing for granted for more than five minutes at a time. He doesn't see organic and biodynamic certification as ends in themselves and never stops thinking about the what, how and why of his processes. Another asset of Maison Blanche is its generous fruit, which is due to the low levels of added sulfur and makes it a fine accompaniment to a vast array of flavors in the kitchen. last but not least, a reasonable price tag – the vineyard is in the "satellite" appellation of Montagne – completes the portrait of this charming, well-made Bordeaux.
The Maison Blanche vineyard has been certified biodynamic (Demeter) since 2013 and obtained its organic label with the 2009 vintage. Both are the fruits of a process launched in 2001 with a trial over three hectares conducted by Nicolas with permission from his father, Gérard Despagne. The soils and vines are worked without synthetic chemicals to produce wines that show less than 5 mg/l of pesticide residue in analysis. "But the real key to our future is mixed cultivation". This approach, also adopted by fellow winegrowers such as Thomas Duroux (château Palmer, Margaux), has seen Nicolas planting fruit trees in his vineyard, to which birds, insects and now hares, wild boar and deer have gradually returned. He has also adopted sheep and a couple of oxen. crucially, the life of the estate never stops. It's now home to four households: Nicolas and his wife, the vineyard manager, his deputy and the gardener. "In practice we've brought back everything that my father got rid of in order to plant more vines, in line with the production-driven approach of the 1970s and 80s. Organic producers like us didn't invent anything, we've just gone back to working the way our grandparents did." Nicolas's grandfather on his mother's side was a libourne wine-dealer by the name of louis Rapin who, in 1938, bought this big, 19th-century house of white stone and its vineyard, which he first replanted and then. The link with the Despagne family, who had been Saint-Emilion winegrowers since 1812, came in the following generation, when Rapin's daughter Françoise married Gérard. Nicolas was born in 1961, the eldest of three Nicolas, and came into the family vineyard in 1995.
So after all these questions, trials, and u-turns, what is Maison Blanche like in the glass? Well, it's a wine of remarkable integrity, with the particular sap that you often find in old, not very productive vines. The balance Nicolas long sought is certainly there. As it ages, the aromatic palette becomes more complex and the tannins velvety. Bottled without finings or filtration, the estate's wines are best decanted into the carafe an hour before drinking, or at the point of ordering in a restaurant, in order to air them and, where necessary, to clear any carbon dioxide and deposits. Unlike the Grand Vin, which comes solely from the estate's historic terroirs, the second wine, Les Piliers de Maison Blanche also includes the younger cabernets francs (40% of the blend). Their fine energy and spicy freshness, combined with the silkiness of the old merlots, form a magical trio when accompanying sautéed veal and a panful of fried chanterelles. We should add that, since 2013, selection of this second wine has increased with the declassification of some lots of cabernet franc to produce limited quantities of a sparkling Vin de France by the name of Amélie Constant. The production process is overseen by Corinne Lateyron, Nicolas's wife, who is an enologist and bubbles specialist. Without any addition of liqueur during disgorgement, this Brut Nature Rosé has a very dry profile, a perfect match for fig tart!
As we thought, this fine if sober range will not be enough for Nicolas. "I find wine so interesting and I still have so many ideas… I'll be thinking about it to the end of my days". Always seeking out new expressions, he is currently considering aging in twice-filled barrels as potentially more appropriate than once-filled wood – an experiment his friend Jean-Michel comme at château Pontet-canet in Pauillac is currently engaged in. Nicolas is also testing aging in amphorae and demi-muids and is considering whole bunch fermentation. clearly the Bordeaux region of the late 20th century, clinging to its certainties, is now nothing but a dim and distant memory.


Word of mouth is your most powerful, and cost-effective form of marketing.
…making this the most trusted source of information about a product or service (source: Nielson).
How to increase word of mouth?
The best way to prompt word of mouth referrals is through great product/services and customer support.
Brands that inspire a higher emotional intensity receive up to threes times as much word of mouth as less emotionally-connected brands (Source: Keller Fay Group).
Additionally, highly differentiated brands have greater levels of word-of-mouth, as these brands allow consumers to share own sense of uniqueness. (Source: Journal of Marketing Research).
However, you should still be proactive mobilising your customers, turning them into an effective sales force.
50% of people are more likely to give a referral if offered a direct incentive, social recognition or access to an exclusive loyalty program.
39% say monetary or material incentives such as discounts, free swag or gift cards greatly increase their chances of referring a brand. (Source: Software Advice).
With all this in mind, here are 20 quick and easy ways you can mobilise your customers to sell for you, and increase word of mouth marketing.
Segment your customers based on their referral value (count ands value).
Send your power customers/VIPs a physical gift bag with exclusive badges, stickers, notepad etc. so they can show off their allegiance with you and feel part of an exclusive club.
E.g. 'Website of the month' – they can then promote and get people to vote for them.
Dropbox referrals start with their welcome email. They include a link to their storage bonus page with instructions on how to claim it by advertising them via social media or referring a friend. You can do the same!
At the end of your transaction/ correspondence with a customer, send them something tangible they can pass on to friends and family. This can be as simple as a handful of business cards, a leaflet with your contact details or a full blown brochure.
You can encourage your customers to refer people through financial incentives that they personally benefit from. For example, give them access to coupon codes they can spread around, which in turn gives them money off their next order if someone then uses it.
The more people they refer, the more points they earn, which they can use for future purchases.
If you already have a badge system, create one for the number of customers referred.
They are much likely to continue if you do. A very simple, but effective idea!
Create one click sharing to their social media profile so they don't even have to type!
Include a dedicated email about referring customers in your onboarding – new customers are naturally happy with you, they just bought from you!
Add a form on your order confirmation page to share their purchase (like Amazon).
Reward customer based on how many people they refer e.g. 1 – 10 get 5% off, 11 – to get 8% and so on.
Email your customers with a voucher code they can pass on to their friends and family for a discount.
E.g. recommend us to a friend and you'll both get 50% off your next order.
Give targets for the entire customer base to hit which unlocks a prize or discount e.g. If your customers refer 1,000 new sales in a month they will be entered into prize draws to win some amazing prizes.
Help your customers start a conversation with their friends by creating content they want to share.
Brands that actively engage with their customers and make changes based on their feedback are loved forever.
This could be a forum or BuddyPress, but the idea is the same. Become a hub for your customers to share ideas and help position you as a thought leader.
I want to emphasise that these ideas are all the icing on the cake. They rely on you having solid foundations, and a product/service that customers are willing to associate themselves with.
They are not substitute for excellent customer service and valuable products and services.
If you already have that in place, then start mobilising your customers, and turn them into an effective sales force.
Thanks Brandon, really enjoyed reading yours.