text:
Q: How to change json format using API Resource? I am trying to push an item status into array and then return through API Resource, but API resource returning error. I am trying following script to do that
$Games = Game::all();
return new GameResource($Games);

And it is return as following
{
    "data": [
        {
            "id": 1,
            "name": "similique",
            "type_id": 3,
            "created_at": "2018-10-30 11:23:27",
            "updated_at": "2018-10-30 11:23:27"
        }
    ]
}

I am trying following to achieve my desire json array
$Games = Game::all();
$DataArray = ['status' => 'success', 'data' =>$Games ];
return new GameResource($DataArray);

But it is returning error
Call to a member function toBase() on array in fil
My desire json array is following
{
    "status": "success",
    "data": [
        {
            "id": 1,
            "name": "similique",
            "type_id": 3,
            "created_at": "2018-10-30 11:23:27",
            "updated_at": "2018-10-30 11:23:27"
        }
    ]
}

A: You can try this code:
$games = Game::get();

return response()->json(new GameResource($games));

A: In your GameResource.php change the toArray() method:
/**
 * Transform the resource into an array.
 *
 * @param  \Illuminate\Http\Request  $request
 * @return array
 */
public function toArray($request)
{
    return [
        'data' => $this->collection,
        'status' => 'success', // Here goes the logic which checks for success or failure. However, this depends on what you consider as "success".
   ];
}

A: data is a public property of your GameResource ? then your code should be
return ['status' => 'success', 'data' => (new GameResource($Games))->data ];

A: Brother, I am using this way.
Step 1: I create a generalOutput Resource.php and modify like below.
class GeneralOutputResource extends JsonResource
{
    private $status;
    private $data;
    public function __construct($status, $data)
    {
        $this->status = $status;
        $this->data = $data;
    }
    public function toArray($request)
    {
       return ['status' => $this->status, 'data' => $this->data];
    }
}

Step 2:
 Then I just call the class like this
 $a_user = User::find(1);
 return new GeneralOutputResource(1, $a_user);

*

*Everytime I return the response, I will call the GeneralOutputResponse.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Patrick (Paddy) J. O'Donnell, Scottish academic, Died at 68
Dead Famous, Educator
Patrick (Paddy) O'Donnell was born in Govan, died in April 2016, in Glasgow.
He was a Scotish academic.
He was a lecturer of Psychology at the School of Psychology in the University of Glasgow.
Paddy had taught at the School of Psychology for more than 45 years, teaching circa 25, 000 students.
O'Donnell held positions such as Dean of Social Science, Head of Department, Deputy Head of School and Deputy Director of Teaching until his retirement in 2015.
Patrick was a famous figure for his media commentary, his academic career, as well as as a teacher of Psychology students.
He was also involved in the UCU.
O'Donnell was raised a Roman Catholic and was taught at St Aloysius College where he met his wife Mary, where he was Head Boy and Dux.
He left behind his wife and daughter.
Patrick (Paddy) J. O'Donnell passeda way at 68 yrs old.
<< Huntly D. Millar, Canadian medical technology executive, Died at 88 Carl Nordling, Swedish physicist, Died at 85 >>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


In 2015, half of the adults in the United States were diagnosed with Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes. Fifteen years ago Type II diabetes was unheard of in young people, but recently those numbers have risen to over 21 percent. Many doctors believe these drastic numbers are coming from increasing numbers of obesity in America.
At Active Living Health Center, we treat both children and adults with Diabetes. We run preliminary diagnostic tests to evaluate the function of your pancreas and digestive system to determine your risk factors. At our office each patient is given an individualized plan that encourages them to make diet and lifestyle changes that control the inflammatory response of the body and correct the root cause of the dysfunction.


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text:
2020 Enterprise Green Communities Criteria
The Standard for Sustainable Futures
OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE + RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT
Educational materials and orientations help educate residents and staff on features that were designed to deliver health, economic, and environmental benefits, as well as their role in realizing those benefits in their own lives.
Green Communities Criteria
Select construction and location type:
Substantial Rehab
Moderate Rehab
Rural / Tribal / Small Towns
Urban / Suburban
Project will follow New York City Overlay
Print/Download
Mandatory Criteria: of
Optional Points: of 40 of 35 of 60 of 55
1INTEGRATIVE DESIGN
1.1Integrative Design: Project Priorities Survey
1.2Integrative Design: Charrettes and Coordination Meetings
1.3Integrative Design: Documentation
1.4Integrative Design: Construction Management
1.5Design for Health and Well-Being: Health Action Plan
1.6Resilient Communities: Multi-Hazard Risk/Vulnerability Assessment
1.7Resilient Communities: Strengthening Cultural Resilience
2LOCATION + NEIGHBORHOOD FABRIC
2.1Sensitive Site Protection
2.2Connections to Existing Development and Infrastructure
2.3Compact Development
2.4Increased Compact Development
2.5Proximity to Services and Community Resources
2.6Preservation of and Access to Open Space for Rural/Tribal/Small Town
2.7Preservation of and Access to Open Space
2.8Access to Transit
2.9Improving Connectivity to the Community
2.10Passive Solar Heating/Cooling
2.11Adaptive Reuse of Buildings
2.12Access to Fresh, Local Foods
2.13Advanced Certification: Site Planning, Design and Management
2.14Local Economic Development and Community Wealth Creation
2.15aAccess to Broadband: Broadband Ready
2.15bAccess to Broadband: Connectivity
3SITE IMPROVEMENT
3.1Environmental Remediation
3.2Minimization of Disturbance during Staging and Construction
3.3Ecosystem Services/Landscape
3.4Surface Stormwater Management
3.6Efficient Irrigation and Water Reuse
4WATER
4.1Water-Conserving Fixtures
4.2Advanced Water Conservation
4.3Water Quality
4.4Monitoring Water Consumption and Leaks
4.5Efficient Plumbing Layout and Design
4.6Non-Potable Water Reuse
4.7Access to Potable Water During Emergencies
5OPERATING ENERGY
5.1aBuilding Performance Standard
5.1bBuilding Performance Standard
5.2aMoving to Zero Energy: Additional Reductions in Energy Use
5.2bMoving to Zero Energy: Near Zero Certification
5.3aMoving to Zero Energy: Photovoltaic/Solar Hot Water Ready
5.3bMoving to Zero Energy: Renewable Energy
5.4Achieving Zero Energy
5.5aMoving to Zero Carbon: All-Electric Ready
5.5bMoving to Zero Carbon: All Electric
5.6Sizing of Heating and Cooling Equipment
5.7ENERGY STAR Appliances
5.8Lighting
5.9Resilient Energy Systems: Floodproofing
5.10Resilient Energy Systems: Critical Loads
6MATERIALS
6.1Ingredient Transparency for Material Health
6.2Recycled Content and Ingredient Transparency
6.3Chemical Hazard Optimization
6.4Healthier Material Selection
6.5Environmentally Responsible Material Selection
6.6Bath, Kitchen, Laundry Surfaces
6.7Regional Materials
6.8Managing Moisture: Foundations
6.9Managing Moisture: Roofing and Wall Systems
6.10Construction Waste Management
6.11Recycling Storage
7HEALTHY LIVING ENVIRONMENT
7.1Radon Mitigation
7.2Reduce Lead Hazards in Pre-1978 Buildings
7.3Combustion Equipment
7.4Garage Isolation
7.5Integrated Pest Management
7.6Smoke-Free Policy
7.7Ventilation
7.8Dehumidification
7.9Construction Pollution Management
7.10Noise Reduction
7.11Active Design: Promoting Physical Activity
7.12Beyond ADA: Universal Design
7.13Healing-Centered Design
8OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE + RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT
8.1Building Operations & Maintenance Manual and Plan
8.2Emergency Management Manual
8.3Resident Manual
8.4Walk-Throughs and Orientations to Property Operation
8.5Energy and Water Data Collection and Monitoring
ACONSTRUCTION TYPOLOGY DEFINITIONS
BPROJECT PRIORITIES SURVEY
CIECC CLIMATE ZONE MAP
DAIR SEALING DETAILS
ESCAQMD TABLES FOR USE WITH CRITERION 6.4
2020 Addenda & FAQ
2020 Criteria PDF
NYC Overlay
Templates For Certification
8:OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE + RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT
NYC Overlay:
Note Current Facility Requirements (CFR) also may fit this criterion, and, building operators may be eligible for a free 30-hour Building Operator Training offered through CUNY's Building Performance Lab or 32BJ training fund.
Include the following guidance for waste in the manual:
Containerize waste containing food to the extent possible to limit rodent access. Organic waste for collection shall be in a container with a latching lid. Do not set out material in bags in tree pits and clean curb daily after set out.
Mandatory for All Multifamily Projects
Building Operations & Maintenance Manual and Plan
Regular building Operations & Maintenance (O&M) practices using green methods minimize building maintenance needs and utility consumption, and provide a healthy, safe, and durable living environment for residents. Developing a building O&M manual and complementary plan throughout the project design, development, and construction stages allows the project team to properly customize these documents with the input of project installers.
Develop a manual with thorough building O&M guidance and a complementary accountability plan. The manual and plan should be developed over the course of the project design, development, and construction stages so that knowledge can be transferred from this stage of the project life cycle to the operations and asset management stage. At minimum, the manual and plan shall address the following topics:
O&M guidance for all mechanical and electrical equipment and appliances (building level and dwelling unit level)
HVAC specifications, and O&M schedules
Operations, maintenance, and replacement guidance for any other specialized systems (e.g., solar photovoltaics, solar water heating, ground source heating, cogen) within the project along with evidence of training completed for these systems
Location of mechanical, electrical, gas, and water-system turnoffs
Lighting equipment specifications and replacement guidance
Landscaping and hardscaping specifications and maintenance plan, including any specific instructions for community gardens or growing spaces
Green cleaning product specifications and cleaning schedules
Integrated pest management protocol
Maintenance of active recreation and play spaces (e.g., playgrounds, ground markings, exercise equipment)
If the project is a multifamily building with either a cooling tower or a centralized hot water system, or is more than 10 stories in height, also include the Legionella water management plan developed via Criterion 4.3.
Protocol for reviewing and responding to utility data consumption information
An occupancy turnover plan that describes the dwelling unit turnover protocol, including all materials that are frequently replaced at turnover
Begin creating a thorough and well-developed O&M manual and plan well before construction completion. Work with designers, systems installers, and operations staff to assemble critical information and schedules for best-practice operations and maintenance strategies.
Prior to and during construction:
During the design process, keep a running list of how maintenance and landscaping teams and residents may need to be involved with the building in order to ensure that it will perform as intended. Once the project team has completed the integrative design process (see Category 1), amend templates of O&M documents with project-specific information for maintenance staff and residents. By working in this manner, the building O&M manual and plan will be informed by the development process and completed by the time the project is ready for occupancy.
Identify the senior management position(s) with oversight responsibility for O&M and the job roles responsible for producing, managing, and/or implementing the manual and plan.
Ensure that the building performance goals/requirements that were established for the project during integrative design will be included in the O&M manual and plan.
Create a knowledge-transfer plan to ensure that accurate as-built information is captured during construction, startup, and commissioning, and integrated into the O&M manual and plan (e.g., if possible, create a video of the commissioning agent or system installer showing key maintenance checks to use when training staff).
Discuss your building O&M training plan to ensure that responsible staff will be up to speed on the operation of the building prior to turnover and occupancy.
Develop a succession plan to ensure that important information is retained from departing staff and transferred to new staff. This could include an exit interview checklist, maintenance log review, etc.
As construction nears completion and into operations:
Finalize your building O&M manual and plan. Clearly identify key operations and maintenance activities, assign those activities to a person/job role, and establish a schedule to verify that maintenance is performed.
To enhance your O&M manual and plan, include:
Account information on your energy and water performance tracking software. Identify who
will monitor this account and at what interval, and what procedures will take place if irregularities are discovered.
HVAC maintenance plans. Develop a maintenance schedule for HVAC systems, and include assignments of key tasks to specific job roles. Create a system to track when/what maintenance tasks were completed.
Information on lighting equipment, including specs for replacement bulbs and a maintenance strategy for when to replace inaccessible fixtures (e.g., what percentage of bulbs/diodes can fail in any one lamp pylon before you install replacements).
Location of mechanical, electrical, gas, and water-system turnoffs.
Irrigation system maintenance plans. Develop a periodic visual inspection of functions (since irrigation systems are often scheduled to operate when O&M staff are off duty).
Landscaping and hardscapes (paved surfaces) review protocols. Develop an inspection schedule of landscaping and paving, and assign key tasks to specific job roles.
Green cleaning products and cleaning schedules. Specify products, vendors, schedule, and assignments of key tasks to specific job roles. Create a system to track when actions are completed.
A written Integrated Pest Management policy (see Category 7) aimed at preventing pests and addressing conditions conducive to pests. Repair and maintain structures and grounds to minimize pest-related conditions. Develop resident guidelines related to pesticide use, housekeeping, and prompt reporting of pest problems, such as cockroaches, rodents, and bed bugs. Ensure that anyone applying pesticides is licensed and working under a scope that includes IPM provisions.
If the project is utilizing recycled water (greywater), design and institute a policy that requires biodegradable soaps, cleaners, and other products if they are going to be flushed down the drains.
Video-record installers of mechanical systems explaining best practices for regular maintenance and strategies to address common system problems. Use this video as part of your maintenance staff training.
Provide maintenance staff with local information for handling hazardous waste, including where to recycle fluorescent and compact fluorescent lighting (CFLs).
Enterprise Green Communities, Building Maintenance Manual Templates in Information Resources.
www.enterprisecommunity.org/resources/green-operations-and-maintenance-m...
San Francisco Department of the Environment, Pest Prevention by Design: Authoritative guidelines for designing pests out of structures. https://sfenvironment.org/article/pest-prevention-by-design-guidelines
University of Minnesota. For language on residential IPM policy, the University offers the following resource. www.mnipm.umn.edu/
National Center for Healthy Housing, Healthy Homes Maintenance Checklist. www.nchh.org/Portals/0/Contents/Maintenance_Checklist2009.pdf
Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future, Multifamily Energy and Water Management Toolkit. This toolkit (including checklists, worksheets and resources) helps improve energy and water management, reduce costs and spending, and minimize environmental impacts over the long-term, while helping to preserve affordable properties. www.sahfnet.org/resources/downloads/multifamily-energy-and-water-toolkit
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, IPM Toolkit for Building Managers and Staff. http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/pesticide/ipm-toolkit.pdf
Federal Energy Management Program, Operations & Maintenance Best Practices: A Guide to Achieving Operational Efficiency. www.energy.gov/eere/femp/downloads/operations-and-maintenance-best-pract...
ENERGY STAR Maintenance Checklist. www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=heat_cool.pr_maintenance
ASHRAE Guideline 1.4P: 2014, Published Guideline Procedures for Preparing Facility Systems. Manuals provides procedures for producing a Systems Manual as a resource for training, operations, maintenance and upgrading of facilities. http://www.eeperformance.org/uploads/8/6/5/0/8650231/systemsmanualsgdl1_...
ASHRAE Guideline 32-2018, Sustainable, High-Performance Operations and Maintenance. Offers guidance for operating and maintaining buildings with goals of sustainability and high performance in mind. www.techstreet.com/standards/guideline-32-2018-management-for-sustainabl...
ASHRAE Training for Operations & Maintenance. www.ashrae.org/education--certification/self-directed-or-group-learning/...
GPRO Operations & Maintenance Essentials provides tools for building professionals to transition from conventional to sustainable operations. www.gpro.org/operations-maintenance
In addition to the four items below, projects are REQUIRED to include the location of backup power and broadband (if any) within the property and how to locate outside emergency resources. Including the following links is recommended:
Hurricane Resources: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/em/html/know-your-zone/knowyourzone.html
Emergency Shelters and Cooling centers: Call 311 or https://maps.nyc.gov/oem/cc/inactive.html
Public Wifi: https://www.link.nyc/
These resources may be helpful: Ready New York https://www1.nyc.gov/site/em/ready/ready-new-york.page, NYC Severe Weather resources for property owners https://www1.nyc.gov/site/severeweather/resources/resources.page, NYC Emergency Management Community Emergency Response Team https://nycem.samaritan.com/custom/505/#/volunteer_home
Emergency Management Manual
In the event of an emergency, time is of the essence. Creating and socializing a plan for building managers and residents before an emergency occurs increases the likelihood that disturbances due to the emergency (whether it be flooding, earthquake, power outages, or another disturbance) can be appropriately mitigated.
Provide a manual on emergency operations targeted toward O&M staff and other building-level personnel. The manual should address responses to various types of emergencies, leading with those that have the greatest probability of negatively affecting the project. The manual should provide guidance as to how to sustain the delivery of adequate housing throughout an emergency and cover a range of topics including but not limited to:
communication plans for staff and residents to use in the event of an emergency
useful contact information for public utility and other service providers
infrastructure and building "shutdown" procedures
plan for regular testing of backup energy systems, if these exist
Emergency Management Manuals should be responsive to information generated from successful completion of Category 1 and, if selected, Criterion 4.7, Criterion 5.8, Criterion 5.9, and Criterion 5.10.
This information should be readily available to all building residents, staff, and visitors.
Emergency Maintenance Manuals should be updated annually (at a minimum) in both digital and hard-copy formats, and located in a well-marked location.
Plan for people with disabilities and/or mental, physical, sensory, and cognitive needs in the Emergency Management Manual. Special populations of concern are users of electrically powered life-sustaining equipment. If utility costs are covered in rent, building owners can communicate to the utility provider that a person in the household uses such equipment. For buildings in which tenants directly pay for utilities, encourage registration with the utility provider for households
in which users of such equipment reside. Registration allows for utilities to notify users of power outages, as well as to potentially conduct check-ins during a power outage.
Reviewing and updating all Emergency Maintenance Manuals should be built into the job description and performance requirements of staff members.
Host trainings and/or drills to test emergency plans and test communication and coordination across staff and residents.
Consider having at least 1 staff member for every 50 residents + staff trained in first aid, CPR, and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and include information about these resources within the Emergency Management Manual.
Consider including multiple types of contact information for building managers and other staff in the communication plan and sharing with residents (e.g., cell phone, email).
Consider utilizing a phone app to contact tenants, provide information and reminders to charge devices, find emergency power and charging locations.
Enterprise Green Communities, Disaster Response Staffing Plan. www.enterprisecommunity.org/solutions-and-innovation/disaster-recovery-a...
"Ready" is a public service campaign designed to education and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies, including natural and man-made disasters. The goal of the campaign is to get the public involved and ultimately to increase the level of basic preparedness across the nation. www.ready.gov
Federal Emergency Management Agency. www.fema.gov
American Red Cross. www.redcross.org
Seattle Office of Emergency Management provides many valuable resources, including a Resident Disaster Recovery Booklet translated into several languages. www.seattle.gov/emergency/publications
Urban Green, Building Resiliency Task Force Report: Chapter 4: Better Planning, June 2013. http://urbangreencouncil.org/sites/default/files/2013_brtf_summaryreport...
Opportunities Assessment Tool. While these are building assessment tools, rather than for people, review DC's Resilience https://doee.dc.gov/climateready
In addition to the requirements listed in the Manual, projects are REQUIRED to include information about accessibility and emergency features available to tenants (i.e. grab bars, kitchen adaptations or pull cord system). Manuals must also include guidance that tenants living in dwelling units without children may request that window limiters be removed as part of the annual window guard notice. And, include the location of backup power and broadband (if any) within the property and how to locate outside emergency resources.
The following resources will likely be helpful:
NYC DOHMH Falls Prevention literature: "How to Prevent Falls Checklist" and "CDC: Checklist for Safety", both here: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/healthy-aging-prevent...
Materials that share information on the features of the building will better enable residents to fully realize the environmental, health, and economic investments that have been made to the property.
Provide a guide for homeowners and renters that explains the intent, benefits, use, and maintenance of their home's green features and practices. The Resident Manual should encourage green and healthy activities.
A range of topics should be discussed. Those topics shall include, but are not limited to:
a description of the Green Communities criteria included in the project
a routine maintenance plan, outlining responsibilities of residents and maintenance staff with contact information for residents to use for maintenance issues, as applicable
HVAC operation
green cleaning guidelines
location of electrical, mechanical, gas, and water turnoffs
recycling and waste management
integrated pest management protocols
interior Active Design features
information on community connectivity amenities, including transportation, car-share, bike-share, and other accessibility features
community garden and other fresh food resources
energy and water consumption information
if applicable, procedures to contact building management in the case of a building-related problem
any other systems that are part of the home
When developing your Resident Manual and engagement information, include graphics, images, videos, and social media information to make your material more engaging, and in turn more useful.
During the design process, keep a running list of how maintenance and landscaping teams and residents may need to be involved with the building in order to ensure that it will perform as intended. Once the project team has completed the integrative design process (see Category 1), amend templates of the O&M documents and Resident Manual with project-specific information. By working in this manner, these documents will be informed by the development process and completed by the time the project is ready for occupancy.
Develop an Integrated Pest Management policy and, as part of that, develop resident guidance related to pesticide use, housekeeping and prompt reporting of pest problems with cockroaches, rodents, and bed bugs. Ensure that anyone applying pesticides is licensed and working under a scope that includes IPM provisions.
Provide residents with information about local transportation options by including maps, public transit schedules, car- and bike-share programs, and the building's bicycle amenities.
Provide residents with maps of neighborhood locations for physical activity and healthy food amenities, including farmers markets, community gardens, walking trails, parks, playgrounds, and exercise facilities.
Amplify the impact of residents having access to fresh food (through gardening spaces or other means) by hosting cooking classes so that they can learn how to use their produce to make healthy meals.
Consider labeling trash, recycling and composting receptacles throughout the building. "Trash" can becomes "landfill" can and is made visually distinct from recycling containers through the use of consistent colors. Also provide examples and instructions for what materials are recyclable, and for composting, when available.
Provide residents with local information for handling household hazardous waste, including compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs).
Provide residents with the building's smoke-free policy during orientation.
If the project is utilizing greywater, design and institute a policy that requires biodegradable soaps, cleaners, and any other product types that are going to be flushed down the drains.
Consider bulk purchase of non-toxic cleaning materials for residents to purchase at a discount.
Consider including ENERGY STAR "Best Practices" information in the Resident Manual. Select a product type, click on "Buying Guidance," and scroll down to the bottom of the page to select "Best Practices" products.
For washers and dryers: www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=clotheswash.clothes_washers_performance_tips
For refrigerators: www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=refrig.pr_best_practices_refrigerators
For dishwashers: www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=dishwash.pr_best_practices
For additional best practices on ENERGY STAR products: www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_find_es_products
Enterprise Community Partners. The Resource Center hosts a variety of resident engagement tools, trainings and sample manuals. Search for "Resident Engagement." www.enterprisecommunity.com/resources
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, A Green Home Is a Healthy Home. This is a simple brochure with a readable layout and good presentation. www.ct.gov/deep/lib/deep/p2/individual/healthyhome.pdf
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Pest Management Tips for Building Residents. http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/pesticide/mgmt-tips.pdf
Home Energy Resource MN. This site provides information for homeowners on maintaining their home. It includes seasonal checklists and step-by-step instructions for general maintenance, as well as special instructions for new home buyers on maintaining their home during its first year. www.homeenergyresourcemn.org/
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Information for Occupants. Information on mold identification and remediation in existing homes. www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/maintaining-and-managing/managing-first-nation-pr...
Walk-Throughs and Orientations to Property Operation
An orientation to the building and community helps educate residents, property manager(s), and building operations staff about the green features that were designed to deliver health, economic, and environmental benefits, as well as their role in realizing those benefits in their own lives and the lives of future residents. Without an orientation to the information included in the guides created through Criteria 8.1 – 8.3, that valuable information may not be put to use, and the project's long-term goals may not be met.
Provide a comprehensive walk-through and orientation for all residents and for all property manager(s) and buildings operations staff. Orient new residents to the property's green features before move-in, or within 90 days of move-in. Orient all property managers and building operations staff within 90 days of initial occupancy on building maintenance and unit turnover procedures. For staff joining after the initial orientation, provide walk-through and orientation to green features within their first 90 days. For all orientations and walk-throughs, share the list of Green Communities criteria that were implemented in the project and use the appropriate manuals (see Criteria 8.1–8.3) as the base of the curriculum. Review the project's green features, O&M procedures, and emergency protocols.
For home-ownership properties, walk-throughs and orientations should take place at sale.
During Property Management and Resident Services staff trainings, focus on how the features of the building function and are maintained, and how those features help the residents: providing comfort, protecting health, saving money, conserving resources, and being better stewards of the environment. It is important for all staff to understand how the building and systems were designed to operate so that issues can be identified and addressed promptly.
Resident orientations should focus on engaging occupants in the process of both creating and maintaining a green and healthy environment as well as increasing resident awareness of on-site and nearby physical activity and healthy food amenities. Engagement orientations should be tailored to residents and their needs (e.g., families, older adults) and educate residents on how to operate key features and building resources (e.g., recycling, thermostats, fans, lighting) and explain why certain building elements/features/materials were selected (e.g., less carpet in favor of smooth flooring improves indoor air quality). This thorough resident orientation will lead to collective improved outcomes, such as how resident behavior affects energy, water, and materials use, as well as health outcomes. The orientation should also stress the important role that tenants play in reporting building-related problems so that issues can be addressed in a timely fashion.
Consider providing residents with a green, healthy living packet, including green cleaning materials, healthy recipes, recycling information, and important contact information in case of any problems.
Engage residents at regular intervals (e.g., move-in, 3 months, 1 year, then annually) that coincide with existing tenant engagement to check in on behaviors and the potential need for assistance.
Educate residents and staff on building protocols for what to do in the case of an evacuation or shelter-in-place scenario. Consider providing key staff and key residents with additional training and "go-bags" so that they can help residents during an emergency.
HPD's Benchmarking Protocol (which all HPD-financed projects must follow for the duration of the regulatory term) satisfies compliance with this criterion if projects also grant Enterprise view access to the data. https://www1.nyc.gov/site/hpd/developers/benchmarking-protocol.page
Mandatory, except for detached single-family buildings
Energy and Water Data Collection and Monitoring
A utility data-collection and monitoring system allows project owners, on-site staff, and residents to understand project performance and accurately determine the cost-benefit of energy efficiency improvements. This information may be used to influence future retrofit and repair work, as well as to identify day-to-day performance issues as they arise. If an issue is identified, appropriate actions can be taken to maximize project durability, cost savings, and health benefits associated with the goals of the project.
Collect and report project energy and water performance data.
For rental properties, report all consumption and cost data for all energy and water utilities for the residential components of the project. In alignment with HUD's Multifamily Benchmarking Toolkit, one of four methods may be used for compliance:
Method A: Properties with Only Owner-Paid Utility Bills
The property owner pays for 100% of the property's utility bills and uses these bills as the source for tracking whole-property utility data.
Method B: Aggregated, Whole-Property Utility Data
Regardless of the split of owner-paid and tenant-paid utility bills across the property, the property owner requests aggregated whole-property utility data from the utility provider(s).
Method C: Collection of 100% of Tenant-Paid Utility Data
The property owner collects 100% of the individual tenant-paid utility data from the utility provider(s) or tenants and tracks these along with owner-paid accounts.
Method D: Collection of a Sample of Tenant-Paid Utility Data
The property owner collects a sample of individual tenant-paid utility data from the utility provider(s) or tenants, which is then used to produce an estimate of whole-property utility data along with the owner-paid accounts. Project teams may either use the Better Buildings Challenge sampling protocol, found in Appendix C of the Better Buildings Challenge Data Manual, or HUD's Assisted Housing Utility Allowance Calculations sampling protocol, found in Part VI of HUD Notice H-2015-04, to extrapolate the whole building data from the sample set. Note, when sampled tenant-paid utility data is used to estimate whole-property data, the "Estimation" box must be checked when submitting the data in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.
Regardless of the method chosen above, this data must be uploaded and tracked in an online utility benchmarking platform annually, for at least 5 years from time of construction completion, and view access shall be granted to Enterprise for that time period.
For owner-occupied units, residents shall collect and monitor their energy and water performance data in a manner that allows for easy access and review, and that provides the ability to influence home operations for at least 5 years from time of first occupancy. Also allow Enterprise access to this data.
Make resident utility access release(s) an opt-out, rather than an opt-in, component of lease-up to provide property management with access to utility data for benchmarking/tracking. This data will allow maintenance staff to proactively identify poorly performing systems and identify other comfort issues that often go unreported, leading to major systems failure.
Ensure that the training for residents and building maintenance staff includes information on how to effectively use the data-collection, monitoring, and reporting system. Engage residents whenever possible in utility reduction campaigns.
Carefully consider metering and/or utility monitoring configuration of your building to not just meet your needs for utility billing, but also for diagnostics of future potential energy issues. Providing information to residents on the cost and usage associated with the electricity consumption in their unit may reduce energy use. Owners being cognizant of the disaggregated dominant sources of energy consumption can use a proactive operations and maintenance approach, addressing outlier conditions in real-time. The metering and monitoring systems should be specified in the Integrative Design stage, tracked through O&M procedures, and shared with residents and staff.
Enterprise Green Communities, Utility Benchmarking FAQs. Provides instructions as to how to share view access for common utility benchmarking platforms.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Benchmarking 101, Utility Benchmarking Step-by-Step, and Policies and Programs. HUD's Multifamily Utility Benchmarking Toolkit is a comprehensive guide to utility benchmarking for the multifamily sector, with three sections. www.hudexchange.info/programs/utility-benchmarking/toolkit/
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Benchmarking Initiatives in the Multifamily Market. Includes best practices for this sector. https://aceee.org/sector/local-policy/toolkit/benefits-benchmarking
ENERGYSTAR, Portfolio Manager, Quick Reference Guide for Multifamily Housing. Portfolio Manager is a free, online, interactive energy management tool that allows you to measure and track your building's energy and water consumption, identify investment priorities, and verify improvements over time. Multifamily housing communities can use it to track weather-normalized energy use intensity, energy costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and water consumption. www.energystar.gov/buildings/tools-and-resources/portfolio-manager-quick...
Private, fee-based benchmarking and utility tracking tools are available. Among others, these include WegoWise (www.wegowise.com), Energy Score Cards (www.energyscorecards.com), and eGauge (www.egauge.net)
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Approved sampling methodologies: Appendix C of the Better Buildings Challenge Data Manual: https://files.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/Better-Buildings-Chal... and Part VI of HUD Notice H-2015-04: www.hud.gov/sites/documents/15-04HSGN.PDF
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Portfolio Manager also is designed to create a Water Score, which can compare actual consumption to the model. www.epa.gov/watersense/water-score-multifamily-housing
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ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: Du Plessis tells South Africa's players to focus on the future and not dwell on the past
June 14, 2019 by www.mykhel.com
After three matches in the opening week, all defeats, skipper Faf du Plessis is keen for his players to look forward and not focus on what has happened in the opening weeks of the tournament.
CWC 2019 Special Site | Points Table
He said: "We have to make sure we put all our energy and focus into what's coming up next. If we carry the ghosts of the last week with us, it's going to be tough to get out of the hole.
"We can't be looking back. If we are looking back, we are almost going to float through this tournament and then we might win one or two or three games and we won't achieve what we want. We have been having conversations an making sure we are strong and we know what we need to do."
The most pressing task for South Africa is to start winning so they begin to catch up with teams higher up on the points table.
Du Plessis knows there is a long way to go but believes the current situation could bring out the best of his team.
South Africa vs Afghanistan: Preview
He added: "We have real purpose in the next five games. Everyone has written the team off. Our backs are against the wall as a team.
"Maybe that lets the guys play the way they can play the way we want to play. We know we haven't fully unlocked the potential we have in the side."
For that to happen, South Africa want their batsmen, in particular, to put in a strong performance against Afghanistan at the Cardiff Wales Stadium.
It was at this venue that South Africa last scored substantially, albeit only in a warm-up match. They posted 338/7 against Sri Lanka, an opposition they are familiar with.
Now, they are looking to do similar against Afghanistan, who they have never played in an ODI.
Du Plessis is wary of an unknown opposition and their spinners and will draw on his and others' IPL experience to try and nullify the turning threat.
He added: "You can't call teams minnows anymore. You can't call them weaker sides. They have the ability and the players to change the game.
"Rashid Khan was the standout for them. He has proven in T20 cricket that he is probably the best legspinner in the world.
"In fifty-over cricket, you have a bit of time, so you don't have to attack him as much. We will share knowledge from the IPL in the dressing room.
"We know that where Afghanistan come into the game is when Rashid Khan gets on a roll and takes wickets in quick succession."
South Africa have a fully fit batting line-up to choose from and will likely opt for two of Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller or JP Duminy but have an injury concern in the bowling department.
Seamer Lungi Ngidi is still recovering from a hamstring strain and a late call will be taken on his availability, with South Africa's likely to err on the side of the caution given how many matches they have left.
"We need to make sure that if he is not 100 per cent or even 90 per cent, we ask is it worth the risk?" Du Plessis said. "The right call to make is that if he is not ready, he will play the next match."
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ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: Du Plessis tells South Africa's players to focus on the future and not dwell on the past have 905 words, post on www.mykhel.com at June 14, 2019. This is cached page on Talk Vietnam. If you want remove this page, please contact us.
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Sarah Palfreyman appointed Mercedes-Benz vans network operation manager
01/06/2015 in People News
Sarah Palfreyman has been promoted to the role of network operations manager at Mercedes-Benz Vans, replacing Angela Joyes.
In her new role, Palfreyman is responsible for network strategy, business management and the successful implementation of the Van ProCenter Dealer Excellence Programme.
Palfreyman joined Mercedes-Benz Vans in January 2013 as a network district manager, bringing with her a wealth of experience from her time with Porsche GB, where she was responsible for the day-to-day support of 10 of the 35 Official Porsche Centres.
Prior to joining Porsche, she was employed as an area sales manager for Audi UK, managing 16 of their Audi Centres located in the North West.
Palfreyman said: "We have a solid commercial vehicle dealer network, offering 110 service points across the length and breadth of the UK, with workshops open up to 100 hours a week on average and a third of sites open 24-hours a day throughout the working week.
"This also means there is a big task in looking after the operations of the Network, as well as overseeing the continuation in rollout of the VanPro dealer excellence programme. We currently have seven dealer market areas accredited, representing 35 locations, and over 70% of the Network engaged with the programme.
"I look forward to utilising my experience to ensure our dealer network offers an unrivalled service to our customers."
Sarah will report directly in to Steve Bridge, managing director, Mercedes-Benz Vans.
He added: "In her roles at Porsche GB and Audi UK, Sarah gained extensive experience in Network development and planning, as well as measuring the success of the Retailers, so she is the ideal candidate for this position.
"I have every confidence that our dealer network will further enhance under the guidance of Sarah."
Author: Commercial Fleet Commercial Fleet
website@commercialfleet.org
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Island of Lost Souls (1932)
Written by: Waldemar Young & Philip Wylie (screenplay), H.G. Wells (novel)
Directed by: Erle C. Kenton
Starring: Charles Laughton, Bela Lugosi and Richard Arlen
"Mr. Parker, do you know what it means to feel like God?"
Like so many science fiction tales, H.G. Wells's The Island of Dr. Moreau timelessly intones against tampering with nature; however, I like to think it particularly scared the shit out of its Victorian Era audience. While we now know that the era was beginning to draw its last breaths in 1896, there's little doubt that it was still clinging to its most treasured motto: "a place for everything and everything in its place." Wells's novel thoroughly upends this notion by blurring the line between two of the most sacred and separate spheres: man and animal. For several generations, humanity had grown rather complacent in its place atop of the food chain, bolstered by its own advancements in science and theory; however, like his predecessors, Wells issued a grim warning that our evolution might well lead to or simply reveal the de-evolution resting in our souls by exposing our tendency towards animalistic cruelty.
1932's Island of Lost Souls is the first feature film adaptation of Dr. Moreau, and it's still the best because it captures the bleakness and unflinching cruelty at the center of Wells's writing. With a relatively scant 38 years separating the film and the novel, it's no surprise that audiences would be shaken by a film that so accurately reflects man's inhumanity. With the scars of World War 1 still fresh and seeds of political and economic turmoil blossoming all over the world, Island of Lost Souls forced viewers to confront layers of Otherness in its foreign lands and untamed nature, both of which commingle with the tidy, hegemonic outlook that the Western world continued to value with the emergence of fierce nationalism.
Its hero is Edward Parker (Richard Arlen), who looks every bit the part of the two-fisted adventurer: white, handsome, and even a little boyish, he finds himself adrift at sea. He's rescued by a passing freighter but eventually gets dumped when he clashes with the captain over the latter's maltreatment of a bizarre looking passenger. His second caretaker is Dr. Moreau (Charles Laughton), a scientist conducting experiments on a nearby island who takes him to this abode, which reveals itself to be a foreboding mass of jungles and its curious natives.
80 years and a handful of other adaptations have made the story overly familiar now: we know that the natives are curious because Dr. Moreau has made them that way, and the notion of a mad scientist mucking with nature would have seemed like old hat even in 1932 in the wake of Frankenstein (which James Whale definitively adapted one year earlier). Regardless, this familiarity doesn't render Island of Lost Souls any less resonant, nor is the film able to shake the pervasive, pre-Code weirdness that turns it into a dark adventure story. While Parker might look ready to do battle in some serial-style, Saturday matinee adventure, Island of Lost Souls is anything but that. Shrouded in shadows and the thicket of an unreal sound stage jungle, Erle Kenton's film is incredibly bleak, especially once it makes landfall on Dr. Moreau's island, where daylight can't hope to penetrate. Indeed, it seems that most of Island of Lost Souls is soaked in an impenetrable darkness, as if its characters have staggered into a lost, forsaken corner of the globe that was forgotten by time itself.
Which makes the setting all the more ironic, I suppose, since Moreau sees it as a staging ground for future advancement. Island of Lost Souls is bred from a mix of such contradictory and ambiguous DNA that intertwine to form a creature that's as fascinatingly twisted as the island's inhabitants. At every corner lies some seed of doubt, right down to the altered title whose double meaning is voiced by the repeated refrain of those locals: "are we not men?" As the film wears on, that question--and the title of the film--might as well refer to the "civilization" represented by Moreau and his work. The film even presents itself in somewhat deceptive fashion; not only does it briefly resemble an old-fashioned adventure, but it also has a dash of romance, as Leila Hyams stars as Arlen's gutsy fiancée who has to bail him out (speaking of mucking with the order of things!). However, even this is polluted by the presence of Lota (Kathleen Burke), the exotic "Panther Woman" created by Moreau that he hopes will mate with Parker. Imagine the horror of a white man lured from his lily white lover by this exotic Other (and vice versa, as one of the natives prowls and spies on Hyams in her bed one night). Even worse, imagine how horrific it must have been for such a creature to be presented as a sympathetic victim alongside Parker himself.
The same is true of the other natives, the beasts who have been twisted and contorted from animals into men and now rest somewhere in between. While modern audiences might laugh off the "scariness" of Island of Lost Souls, it's still easy to see exactly what would have frightened its contemporary viewers: the ambiguous, disconcerting uncertainty lying in the film's central conceit. Moreau's accomplishment is both a marvel and a horror all at once; he is both a genius and a madman, played with a delightful sort of charisma by Charles Laughton that makes Moreau repulsive and irresistible. Laughton plays Moreau as a man eternally pleased with himself, as if he's unlocked the secrets of the universe and hasn't gathered that he's about the burned by the same fire he stole from the gods. In a film full of uncertainty, he's the only person who seems certain--and he's the deranged psychopath whose unrelenting cruelty defines the picture.
That cruelty is still haunting today; not only does Moreau's physical torment--the whippings, the floggings--still sear, but so too does the very existence of these creatures he's created. Grotesque, malformed, and totally subjugated, theirs is an unwanted, agonizing existence, defined by animalistic features and inhuman wailing and bellows. The effects seem crude but are efficient--there's a real messiness to them, as if they were haphazardly pasted together. Their ringleader is Bela Lugosi, referred to here as "The Sayer of the Law"; one might say this was a sign of things to come in Lugosi's later career, as he's relegated to a handful of scenes despite his prominent billing. However, he is striking in these bursts; I've long held that Lugosi's eeriest turn came as Ygor in Son of Frankenstein, but Island of Lost Souls has me reconsidering that. His appearance here is like Ygor if the deranged hunchback had mutated into a werewolf, all wide-eyed and savage, yet completely empathetic alongside his fellow man-beasts. Their eventual revolt is earned but still causes pause; while their status as victims earns such empathy and allows them to serve as a stark reminder of nature's revolt against tampering, these creatures also serve as that savage, untamed Other that had been subjugated during the colonial period. Their uprising both reaffirms and repudiates the natural order of things, and, that, ultimately is what makes Island of Lost Souls so alluring.
As a production, it carries a certain airless, early talkie stagnancy since there's no score, but it's nevertheless marvelously accomplished. Moreau's abode is atmospheric, a darkly exotic tangle of jungles and bungalows. The despair and desolation hang in the air and smother the otherwise brisk proceedings. You can subtly see evidence of a more assured cinematic hand here; this is no slight to Tod Browning, of course, but, just one year removed from glorified photoplay Dracula, Island of Lost Souls exhibits a little more dynamism in the way of visuals and camerawork. Its black and white photography is rich, its shadows underlying that terrifying ambiguity pulsing at the center of the film. Island of Lost Souls is subversive thanks to a Pre-Code status that allowed it to scandalize audiences with blasphemous dialogue that would be censored in later years. There's no outrunning or editing the mean ambivalent streak that defines it, though; like Whale's Frankenstein, it ends on a seemingly happy note that's severely undercut by the horrors that have caused audiences to question the very order of things. For all its evolution, man can't help but return to a primordial state marked by cruelty and suffering. Consider the irony of Baron Frankenstein's closing toast to the health and happiness to the house of Frankenstein; Island of Lost Souls, too, ends with a reaffirming image that's lit by flames in the distance that may well represent the conflagration of society itself.
Though it's been canonized as one of the great horrors from the genre's Golden Age (and even found itself in the Universal horror stable decades after its release), Island of Lost Souls went without a DVD release until last year, when Criterion lavished it with a special edition. Featuring the uncut print from the best available elements (the original negative is long lost) and an uncompressed mono track, the film is masterfully restored; the wealth of extras includes a commentary with historian Gregory Mank, a conversation featuring John Landis, Rick Baker, and Bob Burns, interviews with film historian David J. Skal, and director Richard Stanley (who was originally set to helm the 90s adaptation). Even Devo members Gerald Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh discuss the film's influence on the band and present their 70s short film that was inspired by Lost Souls. A stills gallery, a theatrical trailer, and a booklet with liner notes by Christine Smallwood round out the offering, which made the wait worthwhile for fans eager to catch up with this classic. Essential!


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Rainbow Through the Rain
by Geoffrey Scott Mowat
Review by Bill Fox (Malayan Civil Service 1946-1958)
There are many books about the horrors of internment by the Japanese and the infamous Burma Railway. This is one with a difference. As Geoffrey Mowat's wife, Louise, who contributes some chapters explains, its purpose is "To follow God's mysterious ways of working his pattern out, and eventually to see 'The Rainbow through the Rain' in spite of the difficulties, humanly speaking, which were put in our way". This is indeed at the heart of the book and the reader is conscious throughout of a beneficence overseeing the author's experiences.
Appointed as a cadet to the Malayan Civil Service in 1939, the relaxation of peacetime regulations allowed Geoffrey to marry a week before he sailed in July 1940, and to take his wife with him, enjoying a near-idyllic year as Assistant District Officer, Alor Gajah, Malacca, learning his trade. He was also embodied in the Malacca Battalion of the Straits Settlements Volunteer Forces which was mobilised on the Japanese invasion and posted to the defence of Singapore. In the shambles of the surrender he and a fellow- Volunteer, who had rather more experience of the country and.was the prime mover, decided to escape to the mainland with the idea of finding a boat somewhere on the western coast and sailing to freedom. Ill-equipped, without maps or, vitally, quinine, they floundered for six weeks up the hinterland of Central Johore, sustained en route mainly by Chinese labourers and Jakun aboriginals who provided food and shelter despite the very real risk of Japanese reprisals. Some wonderful experiences - some good, some fearful - culminated in severe malaria, which was their downfall, leading to betrayal and recapture near Labis in North Johore. Amazingly they were not killed outright but were taken to join other prisoners in Pudu Jail, Kuala Lumpur, where conditions, as POW camps went, were comparatively reasonable. It was here that Geoffrey's Christian beliefs were first immensely strengthened which, I sense, gave him the strength to surmount the horrors to come. Transfer to Changi Jail, Singapore, was followed by seven months on the Railway and a merciful return first to Sime Road Camp and then to Changi again until the end of the war, after which he was reunited with his wife in Australia.
During the latter part of his captivity the support of several charismatic priests led Geoffrey to feel that he might have a vocation to the ordained ministry, but Louise, who had married a Colonial Service cadet and was looking forward to a renewal of this career and raising a family in this ambit, could not accept that the time was ripe. Geoffrey accepted this and resumed his career in the Colonial Service until Malayan Independence in 1957. By then, not only had he found it possible to overcome his intense hatred for his captors and find forgiveness, but Louise had become more reconciled to his call to the ministry. Geoffrey was ordained in 1959, and "These last thirty years and more have proved a wonderful time of ministry together, sharing God's grace in a world of conflict, turmoil and - glory!"
This is an inspiring book which you must read for yourself.
Geoffrey Scott Mowat
New Cherwell Press


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The US Department of Labor estimates the employment of medical transcriptionists and medical transcription editors to grow 8% through 2022. The healthcare industry is a very stable industry. This is because people will always need to see doctors. The volume of healthcare services is expected to continue to increase, resulting in a growing number of medical tests and procedures, all of which will require transcription. With federal health insurance legislation, more individuals will have health insurance. As more people take advantage of healthcare services, more transcriptionists will be needed to transcribe and edit these reports.
What About Speech Recognition, Outsourcing and EMRs?
The medical transcription industry is still growing. New technologies have changed the way transcription is done and have also limited its growth however, there is still a need for medical transcriptionists and editors.
Speech recognition technology creates medical reports from physician dictation. With the complexity of medical terminology, various accents, lingo, abbreviations and background noises, there is still a need for medical transcriptionists to review and edit speech-generated reports.
Some healthcare providers have hired transcription services in other countries. However, concerns about patient confidentiality and data security suggest a continued need for transcriptionists within the United States.
Electronic medical records (EMRs) are digital versions of a patient's chart. Physicians can key data directly into the EMR. Some physicians are using EMRs and some are not. Many physicians would rather make more efficient use of their time seeing more patients rather than performing data entry tasks. Plus, it is more cost effective to hire a medical transcriptionist to do the work rather than a physician.
There still continues to be a need for medical transcriptionists and editors. Job prospects should be good for medical transcriptionists with formal education. You can find a list of medical transcription employers here.


.I was down at a creek at I found a small frog hopping around and I put him in a bottle and took him home.. I cleaned out a small fish tank out and put him some water and a rock foe him to sit uon inside... but idk what to feed him. ?
I have a little frog that I found in my backyard. I do not know what to feed him!


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Nepali Laborers Risk Their Lives For A Better Future
By Michael Demas - July 07, 2017
To strive in the face of adversity is the mantle of Nepali tradition. The country has a historically tumultuous government that has dissolved and transformed many times, either due to in-fighting, public pressure, or most infamously, the massacre of its royal family by its own prince.
The current state of government affairs cannot be described without highlighting corruption, especially bribery. Combine this with recent devastating earthquakes, seasonally torrential weather that damages infrastructure, and a radically varied geography, and one has an idea of the issues that face this developing nation. It is no wonder why so many laborers have decided to work overseas despite dangerous conditions.
Families across the nation are working towards their own personal reconstruction effort since the 2015 earthquakes. The government provides subsidies for home construction made with the proper reinforcements to mitigate structural damage. However, large portions of raw materials and manpower have to be provided by the homeowner.
But the subsidy is inaccessible to beneficiaries most in need. According to the Kathmandu Post, "Financially stable people aren't keen to collect Rs300,000 going through bureaucratic hassles. Those financially deprived are clueless how to seek additional funds for rebuilding homes."
The National Reconstruction Agency (NRA) has had sluggish performance. Originally created to help expedite reconstruction efforts, this agency has only mobilized approximately 60% of its allocated budget for the current fiscal year. Its housing grant distribution initiative had a similar performance. There is a prospect for change, as recently elected local officials in the Gorkha district have petitioned the NRA to receive more authority over the distribution of funds. Increased involvement from this district could be a bellwether as to whether or not local authorities can alleviate federal inefficiencies.
Investing in education is also a national priority, especially since approximately 5,000 schools were destroyed in the earthquake. The Ministry of Education in turn granted over 150 NGOs and INGOs permission to construct more than 1,000 schools in 2016. Unfortunately, the NRA's dismal performance only made use of 10% of its budget towards municipal facilities, which includes schools. Yet again, it is clear that foreign aid, like the government aid, cannot solely alleviate the financial stress of a nation's population. Individual households shoulder their own destiny.
It is the long-standing plight of many Nepali men to work abroad and send money home due to a stagnant domestic job market. In itself, this is a missed opportunity, as the government could put laborers to work towards reconstruction efforts. Thanks to anemic results, workers seek employment in other countries.
Radical growth in Gulf Countries has accounted for a large portion of remittances, which constituted over 30% of the Nepal's GPD in 2015. Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are by far the most popular destinations for laborers. In just Qatar alone, over 10,000 Nepalese acquired work permits just at the start of the New Year.
For many households, reconstruction and education are dual initiatives. Citizens naturally want their children to have better prospects in the domestic workforce so they are not exposed to the same dangers of migrant life.
According to a review by the International Labor Organization, there have been over 4,300 deaths among labor migrants who have worked abroad since 2008, the majority of which are due to cardiac arrest. This journey for a better life is marred with exploitation, scams, unsanitary and crowded living conditions, and delayed, reduced, or even canceled payment. Some employers have even negligently denied exit visas to migrants, leaving them in a state of limbo, where they can neither go home nor earn money.
Available data shows a disheartening trend of increased migration, dependence on remittances, poor work conditions, and more frequent death abroad. However, the risks of these hardships are readily endured for the promise of a better life for future generations.
Meet Kami Tamang
Kami is a married 45-year-old electrician with two daughters and a son in their late teens/early 20s. He acquired his trade by working in his village, and eventually honed his skills by traveling to Kathmandu to work in the city. After years of practice, Kami became a reputable electrician. Kami and I spoke over the phone through a translator the night before his flight to Dubai.
"Because of the earthquake, I have no money. I took a loan to rebuild my house and to pay for my two daughters' education. One of them is currently a teacher. The other wants to study engineering."
Kami had once worked in Saudi Arabia. "I worked there for 20 months, but it felt like 20 years. The work was very hard on me. Work in Saudi provided no leisure time." Despite the difficulty of working in Saudi Arabia, Kami was able to learn Arabic, which looked quite well on his recent application to a contracting agency in Dubai. Three hundred people applied for the job. Only eighty-five were hired.
After paying for his own medical examination and for his plane ticket, Kami is finally set to work in Dubai. He can look forward to working six days a week with the possibility of overtime each day. He will be sharing a room with eight to ten people for the next two years.
"At first, I didn't want to go abroad, but it helps me save money. I can focus on my work. In Nepal, there are many festivals and holidays, and it's easy for me to get distracted. In Gulf countries, there is prohibition, which also helps."
Kami can hope to save about $300USD/month– the type of money he cannot earn at home. His son is also traveling with him to work alongside his father, despite the dangerous conditions.
"I encouraged him to study, but he says that he can go abroad and earn a better life, and he's not convinced that there is a good job here in Nepal."
A National Identity
Nepalese culture is represented by the individual's dedication and loyalty despite hazardous conditions. The Sherpa ethnic community has lived in the Himalayas for centuries and is a world-class group of mountain climbers. They have guided western expeditions to many Himalayan peaks, most notably Mount Everest. While the climbers themselves have a long, exhaustive climb ahead of them, the Sherpas are the ones who climb ahead. They prepare camp, carry supplies and meals, guide their clients all the way to the summit, and pack down camp when the expedition is over.
Death by altitude sickness, exposure, high falls, exhaustion, and avalanche are occupational hazards that are all very real possibilities. In fact, according to a study from Outside, it was more dangerous to be a Sherpa between 2004-2014 than it was to be a US soldier in Iraq from 2003-2007. Like the migrant workers, they too risk their lives because the financial reward is far greater than any they could otherwise receive.
Similarly, Gurkha warriors of ancient lore were and are known for their bravery despite facing certain death. The British East India Company suffered heavy losses as it tried to invade Nepal during the Anglo-Nepalese War in the early 19th century. As a result, a peace treaty was signed, which would later allow the British to enlist Gurkha soldiers. More than 200,000 fought in the two world wars.
In order to be accepted into the British military, a prospective soldier must complete numerous physical tests, including running uphill for 40 minutes with 70lbs of rocks strapped to his back. After a minimum 15-year service, Gurkhas are allowed to retire with a UK pension. More than 3,000 Nepalese have worked in Afghanistan as security guards.
Kami's dilemma is an authentic snapshot of contemporary Nepali life. On the one hand, he puts himself at risk each time he leaves for work, so his children do not have to. In this way, his daughters can invest their time in a higher education, and improve Nepal through providing services in education and civil construction. On the other hand, opportunities are currently so limited that he cannot dissuade, or even disagree with his son, who is convinced that life as a migrant worker is one of his best options for financial freedom. It is with this quandary that the Nepalese take part in their national tradition, and their personal future.
It's no surprise that the recent Nepali pop song Saili went viral when it launched in January 2017, as it captures the ethos of this circumstance. The song is a poignant love story about a newly married couple, who forsake their youth in search of a decent life. In good health and physical form, the husband departs to labor and toil under harsh conditions in a foreign land. Meanwhile, his wife longingly waits for his safe return.
Migrant workers are usually pushed into an early retirement around the age of 40, as their bodies wear down from the arduous physical work. So the young husband assures his wife that she has no need to worry; he'll see her when he's 41.
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Tagged with: Nepal, Nepali laborers


A few months ago we provided a behind the scenes look into how Bing is improving image search quality. In this post we wanted to explore some additional techniques we are employing to deliver high quality image results. My colleague Eason Wang will give you a closer look at how we are incorporating aesthetics to deliver more beautiful image results in Bing.
As you can see below, two images about the same topic can be very different. A picture I took of my cat and one taken by a professional, have subtle yet important differences. If someone is simply searching for images of cats, the quality of the images we showcase make a big difference in whether a search session is successful. In this post we will explore the characteristics and techniques we employ to ensure that we are doing all we can to surface high quality images without compromising the relevance and context of your searches.
Image understanding is how we describe the overall approach that Bing employs to understand images. Below, we outline some of the different signals we use to determine whether a given image is high, medium or low quality.
For example with a query like "photos of yunnan", where Yunnan is a beautiful resort in China, users expect to not only see relevant but also beautiful images that include the breathtaking scenery that define the region. Below you can see Bing's image search results.
In contrast, Google's results predominately showcase maps.
Historically, search engines have relied on information provided in the surrounding text of an image or on the corresponding web page to assess what is being captured in a given image. But with image understanding Bing can deduce what object is being captured within the image. We can isolate the object from the rest of the elements and derive its size and position. For instance, is the object in the foreground or in the background? How large is it in relation to the rest of the image? Below are three examples of our latest saliency map detection results. On the right side, you can see that the objects strike out from the rest of the image.
Here's an example of color detection.
As you well know, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One of the ways we help people narrow down their searches is by including filters. Using image understanding we let you filter your search by size, color, layout, date and even license (e.g. Creative Commons). So in a few short clicks you can filter for just black and white images.
Here is an example with the "black and white filter" turned on.
Searches involving people are the most popular category of queries on Bing. Based on our relevancy data, we know that users are usually interested in pictures where people are readily recognizable. With this in mind, Bing is able to identify faces, shoulders and bodies as measures for high quality images of people – this is particularly important for celebrities.
Styles of images are also important signals that we can use to determine visual quality. For instance, if you're searching for cats because you're looking to design a birthday card for your friend, you can narrow down your search by using the clip art filter. More importantly, the value of understanding the image styles is that when you search for celebrity or scenery photos, we don't want to show clip art, line drawings or maps.
Here is an example with "clip art filter" turned on.
Here is an example with the "line drawing filter" turned on.
These and many other image content signals are used to train machine learning models to select the best quality images. When users issue a query to Bing, the top results are not only relevant but also have the best visual quality.
Today is a mobile first world. Ubiquitous tablets and phones introduce a new set of constraints due to their varied screen sizes. For instance, a good image experience for an iPhone could be vastly different than one for a Surface. Choosing the images of high visual quality is only part of the solution. We also need to be able to answer users' questions by providing the best content in various screen sizes and UI configurations. The key question is how to preserve the best part of the image if we have to crop and resize to fit particular dimensions. To address this, we use a technique called smart cropping that preserves the "region of interest" for a given image.
Below is an example of how we use bounding boxes in order to provide flexible cropping results. When we show the images on smaller screens, we can still keep the region of interest to fit into the flexible UI configurations.
Human faces are naturally part of the region of interest in many cases. Our smart cropping is designed to keep the faces in the images after cropping. Below is an example when we fixed a user dissatisfaction of the image viewing experience. The faces were cropped off prior to smart cropping.
After we apply smart cropping to our image viewer, it brought in better visual quality.
The same image source with the same cropping can still result in different visual quality. For the web images Bing crawled, we cache a smaller version of the image i.e. thumbnail to make the search faster. If the thumbnail visual quality is not as good, the user experience will not be perfect. Our optimization of thumbnails are across backend to frontend. It includes a backend advanced codec, and fine tuning the quality factors in every component all the way to the browsers.
If you compare our visual quality of images answers in both Bing and Google, you'll notice a striking differences. To be fair, you can just look at the same image that both Bing and Google included, which is highlighted in the red box. Bing thumbnails are crisper while Google is blurry and loses details.
Here is screenshot before the effort of improving thumbnail visual quality. Our thumbnail visual quality has come a long way.
In cases where we have a large canvas with which to display high quality images, we show what we refer to as "Hero Images." In the example below, you can see the larger image of the Giraffes is displayed in the upper left of the results. Based on retinal tracking observation in our R&D labs we know that people (in the west) generally scan from left to right so in cases where we have high confidence in an image we double the size and show it first.
It's worth mentioning that Windows 8.1 smart search experience is powered by Bing. There are similar hero image experiences in it. By understanding the image color themes, we have applied the color themes to render a harmonious background color in Windows 8.1 Smart Search experience. Below you can see that the overall theme of the page is tuned to dominant violet of Katy Perry's hair.
At Bing, understanding images and providing the best visual quality is one way we're working to provide you with a great user experience. We're just starting on this journey so please stay tuned for more to come.


One of the most important aspects of becoming a competent angler is getting adept at setting up your rig for the particular water and tactic you're fishing. This takes a basic understanding or reading water and getting comfortable with whatever technique best suits the situation. The next step is configuring your rig. There really are an infinite number of ways to do this. None are 100% right or wrong. The predominant techniques are nymphing, dry fly, dry/dropper, and streamers. Nymphing offers perhaps the most variation. From one river to the next, the configuration can alter dramatically. What might be the perfect nymph rig for the Crooked River won't work very well on the Lower Deschutes and probably not at all on the Fall. The basic concepts and terminology will apply. So refer to the "Nymph Rig Terminology" drawing to get familiar.
Leader: The most commonly used leaders are nylon 9' in either 4,5 or 6X. I prefer the shorter 7.5' for nymphing the Crooked. Fluorocarbon leaders are unnecessary on most rivers, but ideal for subsurface presentations on clear lakes.
Tippet: Eventually you will want to have both nylon and fluorocarbon in everything from 3-6X, just nylon in both 2X and 7X. As you read on and then begin properly experimenting with rigs, you'll see why.
Split shot: The assortment kits are great. They are easy to use and keep many options in one place. The more you have to dig around for anything in your kit, the less likely you are to make the necessary changes.
Indicators: Whether you prefer cork or bubble, you will need different sizes. Don't use anything bigger than you need to float the rig, as long as you can see it. The medium-size Airlock is perfect for the Crooked River. The large-size is what you'll need on the Lower D.
Flies: This is where things can get complicated! All I can really say is that we are here to help. Use us! While not always spot on about every fishery in Central Oregon, we do have a lot of experience and we have seen the patterns of hatches based on flows, weather and other variables over the years. So our guesses are at least educated! There's a reason we're called a "Fly Shop" as opposed to a "Rod Shop".
Reading water and committing to a rig is your primary task. As for our local rivers, we have a perfect combination of to experiment with nymph rigs. Between the Crooked, the Deschutes and the Fall we have all the variety you could want.


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Sep 20, 2020 - Politics & Policy
Amy Coney Barrett a favorite for Trump's Supreme Court pick
Illustration: Lazaro Gamio/Axios
Judge Amy Coney Barrett is a front-runner to become President Trump's nominee to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg after he declared Saturday that he will choose a woman.
Of note: Axios' Jonathan Swan reported last year that Trump said of the federal judge, "I'm saving her for Ginsburg."
Between the lines: While Trump is known to change his mind, Republicans told Axios'
Margaret Talev and Mike Allen earlier Saturday before Trump's pledge to next week nominate a woman for the vacancy that Barrett, 48, remained at the top of the list.
The big picture: The former Notre Dame law professor is a favorite of conservative activists and a devout Catholic.
Barrett spoke in 2013 during the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, which legally protects the right for women to seek an abortion, of her "own conviction that life begins at conception," per Notre Dame Magazine.
Trump nominated Barrett to the U.S. Appeals Court for the Seventh Circuit in May 2017.
When Democrats expressed concern during her confirmation hearing about her religious beliefs, Barrett replied: "It's never appropriate for a judge to impose that judge's personal convictions, whether they arise from faith or anywhere else, on the law."
Barrett was confirmed by the Senate later in 2017 and Trump added her to his list of potential Supreme Court nominees soon after.
For the record: Another leading contender is Barbara Lagoa, a judge on the U.S. Appeals Court for the 11th Circuit, who was praised by Trump Saturday evening and who Republicans hope might "energize Latino voters," but NPR notes there are concerns about her "reliability as a conservative voice on the bench."
Lagoa was one of six women among 20 additional names Trump announced earlier this month for his Supreme Court list of some 40 potential picks. The other five are:
Bridget Bade, a judge on the U.S. Appeals Court for the Ninth Circuit; Martha Pacold a judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; Sarah Pitlyk; a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri; Allison Jones Rushing, a judge on the U.S. Appeals Court for the Fourth Circuit; and Kate Todd, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President.
Go deeper: A court fight for the ages
Sam Baker, Alayna Treene
Dec 18, 2020 - Politics & Policy
Democrats fret about Garland for attorney general
Judge Merrick Garland. Photo: Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images
If Joe Biden picks Merrick Garland to be his attorney general, he could cost his party control of one of the most important judicial appointments in America — and many Democrats do not want the president-elect to take that chance.
How it works: Biden still hasn't named his choice to lead the Justice Department, and if he taps Garland, it would open up his seat on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. If Democrats don't win both Georgia Senate runoff seats next month, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would almost surely prevent the president-elect from filling it.
Dec 18, 2020 - Health
Supreme Court denies religious school challenge to Kentucky's COVID-19 restrictions
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (right). Photo: Jon Cherry via Getty
The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to block Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's executive order halting in-person instruction at most K-12 schools, including religious schools, through the end of the year, noting that the order "effectively expires this week or shortly thereafter."
Why it matters: The decision follows several cases that examined whether state coronavirus restrictions affecting religious institutions, including places of worship violate, the First Amendment.
Sam Baker
Dec 17, 2020 - Sports
Knives out for the NCAA
The U.S. Supreme Court Building. Photo: Robert Alexander/Getty Images
The NCAA's strict limits on college athletes' compensation get less tenable every day.
Driving the news: The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case challenging the NCAA's ban on certain education-related benefits, like laptops and scholarships for graduate school.


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FB Roundup: AB InBev, Bezos Expeditions, and Michael Hill
AB InBev chairman steps down to focus on JAB roles, Jeff Bezos' family office invests in vegan start-up, and Michael Hill Jewellery shifts towards family designed pieces.
Article | 7 March, 2019 02:00 PM | By Susan Lingeswaran
AB InBev chairman steps down to focus on JAB roles
Olivier Goudet, chairman of family-owned brewery giant Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) is stepping down amid concerns his role at family-controlled investment group JAB Holding has created a conflict of interest.
On Tuesday, Goudet (pictured) confirmed he would step down from AB InBev to devote more time to his "growing responsibilities as managing partner and chief executive of JAB".
Confirming his departure, AB InBev, which makes Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois beers, said a replacement for Goudet, along with new board members, would be announced at the next shareholder meeting on 24 April.
"The board's succession plan has been developed since last year and we have been working with Mr Goudet on a smooth transition," it said.
An increasing number of breweries have been investing in alternative products such as soft drinks, non-alcoholic beer and spirits to capitalise on a global decline in alcohol consumption and slowdown in mass-produced beer sales.
Last year, JAB, which owns Krispy Kreme and Pret a Manger, acquired coffee and soft drink maker Keurig Dr Pepper—a move sources close to the matter claim raised concerns among AB InBev's board that JAB's interests had become too aligned with theirs, according to the Financial Times.
Keurig Dr Pepper entered a joint venture with AB InBev to make a pod-based cocktail machine last year. AB InBev also acquired US-based craft spirits company Cutwater Spirits in February.
JAB is the investment group for the reclusive Reimann siblings—one of the richest families in Germany. Over the past five years it has been on a $50 billion acquisition spree, building a coffee and restaurant empire and has raised more than $11 billion from outside investors to back its deals, along with the Reimann fortune.
AB InBev is publically listed but controlled by three Belgium families. The Mevius and Spoelberch families have been involved in the management of the Artois brewery in Leuven since the 14th century. After a merger with Piedboeuf from Liege, the Van Damme family joined the group. Through mergers and acquisitions, the three families have created one of the largest beverage and brewing companies in the world, posting a revenue of $54.6 billion in 2018.
Jeff Bezos' family office invests in vegan start-up
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' family office Bezos Expeditions has been revealed as a major investor in a $30 million funding round for vegan food tech developer NotCo.
NotCo is a Chile-based start-up that produces plant-based replacements for mayonnaise, milk, ice cream and meat using artificial intelligence.
Last Friday, The Craftory—a fund co-founded by consumer industry veteran Elio Leoni Sceti—confirmed it led the $30 million round, providing 60% of capital, with additional capital provided by Bezos Expeditions, alongside existing investors Kaszek Ventures and IndieBio.
NotCo said the investment would be used to fund new product development, such as milk and ice cream, and support NotCo as it moves into new markets, including Mexico and the US later this year.
NotCo is the brainchild of biotech guru Matias Muchnick, biochemist Pablo Zamora, and computer scientist Karim Pichara. Launched in 2015, the company developed Giuseppe, a machine AI platform named after the Renaissance artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo, which analyses molecular structures to create food combinations derived only from plant-based ingredients.
"It is a great endorsement to have both The Craftory and Bezos Expeditions invest in our business as we continue to innovate and create enjoyable, sustainable new alternative food products," Muchnick, chief executive of NotCo, said.
"Their expertise in both FMCG [fast-moving consumer goods] and technology will allow us to further disrupt the food industry and expand our offering to a global audience."
US technology entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist Jeff Bezos (pictured) is the founder, chairman, chief executive and president of Amazon, which posted a revenue of $232.9 billion in 2018.
Bezos makes personal investments through his family office and venture capital vehicle Bezos Expeditions. Through it, he was one of the first shareholders in Google, when he invested $250,000 in 1998. It resulted in a 3.3 million share of Google stock worth about $3.1 billion in 2017. As of 2019, his net worth is estimated at $139.6 billion, according to Forbes. Bezos' parents Jackie and Mike established the Bezos Family Foundation where Bezos, along with his sister Christina and brother Mark, serve as directors. The foundation focuses on education.
Michael Hill Jewellery shifts towards family designed pieces
New Zealand jewellery magnate and entrepreneur Sir Michael Hill has revealed his international jewellery company is "going through major changes" and will be a different business in two years' time.
In a wide-ranging interview with The Otago Daily Times about his plans for the future after turning 80, Hill (pictured) said his Michael Hill Jewellery stores, which have over 300 outlets across New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, would shift its focus towards designs by the family.
"We've got a new chief executive who's absolutely brilliant, and I'm very confident that within 18 months or two years we will have a totally different business," he said.
"It won't be 'Hello, Michael Hill Jeweller'.
"It will still be jewellery but it's specialising more in [my wife] Christine's designs, [my son] Mark's designs and my designs."
Daniel Bracken was appointed chief executive in November last year to help the company move away from broad-based discounting and become a differentiated omni-channel brand selling unique products at full price.
Speaking to The Australian Financial Review, Bracken said he planned to reinvigorate sales and strengthen margins by selling in-store and online more exclusive products designed and made by the company.
"The strategy the company has laid out is very much about being a better world class brand-led, omni-channel retailer—it's what we need to do for our business," Bracken said.
"What I will be turning my attention to is the sequence we run those change programs and the pace at which we execute them.
"Then, 12 to 18 months from now, when we reach the baseline of the quality of retailer we aspire to be, that's when we'll turn our attention to other growth strategies we might want to consider."
Michael Hill, is a New Zealand entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded global jewellery retailer Michael Hill Jeweller in 1979. He was succeeded as chairman of the company by his daughter Emma after he retired in November 2015. His son Mark, a highly acclaimed industrial sculptor recently started designing jewellery for the company. His wife Christine also designs jewellery for the retailer. The company more than doubled its net profit after tax year-on-year over the six months to 31 December 2018, earning $19 million over the period.
FB Roundup: Saputo, Warren Buffett, and JAB Holding
FB Roundup: Bollore, IKEA, and Heineken
Susan Lingeswaran
Susan Lingeswaran joined CampdenFB as Senior Writer in 2018. She has a degree in journalism from Australia and previously worked at Haymarket Media Group as a sports writer for the consumer magazine Forever Sports and as a news reporter for the trade magazine Supply Management.
Related terms: AB Inbev, Amazon, FB News, JAB Holding Company, Jeff Bezos, jewellery, Michael Hill, Family Business, Billionaires
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