I study the structure, stellar content and dynamics of nearby galaxies to understand how galaxies form and evolve. I am an observational astronomer, and I use data from the Hubble Space Telescope, the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, the Gemini telescopes, the MMT, and other observatories to study systems of globular clusters around early-type galaxies. Globular clusters are old star clusters that are some of the oldest stellar populations in the Universe, and their properties tell us about conditions during the early epochs of galaxy formation. I am a member of the ACS Virgo and Fornax Cluster Surveys, the HST/ACS Coma Cluster Treasury Survey and the Next Generation Virgo Survey, all of which are surveys of galaxies in nearby galaxy clusters.
The Next Generation Virgo Cluster Survey (NGVS). I am a core member of the NGVS, a Large Program on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) to produce deep, multicolor images of the entire 104 deg2 of the nearby Virgo cluster of galaxies.
Telescope Access Program (TAP), co-chair. I am one of the lead organizers of TAP, a program sponsored by the National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, to provide Chinese astronomers access to international, competitive, optical-infrared telescope facilities. This program, started in 2011, has distributed hundreds of nights of observing time to astronomers in the Chinese community through a competitive proposal process.


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The top 10 highlights of FMX 2014
By Rob Redman 28 April 2014
Find out what you missed at this year's event, and how you can view the speaker videos online.
This article is brought to you in association with Masters of CG, a new competition that offers the chance to work with one of 2000AD's most iconic characters. There are big prizes to be won, so enter today!
Last week, 6,000 CG fans, developers, artists and industry veterans descended on Stuttgart, Germany to attend FMX 2014, the conference on animation, effects, games and transmedia. The show was spread over the four days, with talks, workshops and the marketplace, as well as an entire hall dedicated to industry careers and recruitment.
Talking to artists, developers and large studios, the atmosphere was upbeat. It's clear that right now, the industry is filled with passion and ideas - and that the future of CG is very much in good hands.
Here are my top 10 highlights from FMX 2014. If you didn't manange to get to the event, or missed some of the talks, then check out the website, which is rescreening streamed sessions on a daily basis, starting today, here.
01. Andy Serkis on Apes 2
Andy Serkis held one of the conference's most anticipated talks. He talked about the production of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, discussing the methods used in production, the artistry involved in performance capture as well as showing some unseen footage of one of the year's biggest movie releases.
02. Vicon on motion capture
There were many options open for those with an interest in motion and performance capture. The guys from Vicon were leading the pack though and were showing a number of projects, along with demoing their gear so anybody could have a hands on look at how it all works.
03. Landau on Avatar
Avatar is still one of the biggest names in CG film making history. Jon Landau gave a talk about the world of Pandora, as well as discussing the production of the two sequels, showing a glimpse of what is to come, in the films and technology.
04. The recruiting booths
This year there was lots of presence from some of the biggest studios, all on the lookout for the latest talent and with staff on hand to discuss options, showreels and everything there is to know about getting a job at a top VFX house.
05. Characterized competition
In association with Wacom and HP, Cut&Paste ran a character concept competition, where entrants had a short time with a Cintiq, to create an' alter ego' character, wither in 2D or in 3D. The competition was very popular, with all the places taken each day.
06. Interactive demos
As well as the bigger developers, who were all there showing off the latest goodies, there were many smaller projects on show and there was a real theme of interactivity. There was everything from a fun but crazy platform game you control by walking on a set of suspended tyres to a dice-based environment creation, played on a surface that senses the faces/orientation/position of dice, to determine the results which were grown on a screen.
07. The Occulus Rift
The Occulus Rift was on show at a number of booths, with various uses. The most interesting was an immersive graphic novel that lets you look around the world in each panel, with audio and animation. Truly an example of where the technology could head and completely entertaining.
08. Bot & Dolly's Gravity tech
For any fan of Gravity, it was great to see Bot & Dolly at FMX, showing off their motion controlled camera rig, which was used to manipulate many shots in the award winning film. The guys were more than happy to chat about the technology and answer questions about the process and pitfalls.
09. The art direction of Frozen
Michael Giaimo explained the methods, reasoning and workflows for the art direction of Frozen, including colour theory, industrial design and supporting the narrative through use of visual language.
10. Stuttgart Festival of Animation
Stuttgart's Festival of Animation was held the same week and was held in a large open air space just round the corner from FMX.
They had a massive outdoor cinema set and played various short films all day and evening with a feature length film at night. A fantastic venue and set up, with perfect weather, rounding off a great day for any CG or animation fan.
Win a trip to SIGGRAPH!
Masters of CG is an exciting new competition for EU residents that offers you the one-in-a-lifetime chance to work with one of 2000AD's most iconic characters: Rogue Trooper.
We invite you to form a team (of up to four participants) and tackle as many of our four categories as you wish - Title Sequence, Main Shots, Film Poster or Idents. For full details of how to enter and to get your Competition Information Pack, head to the Masters of CG website now.
Enter the competition today!
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The rechargeable batteries Evolta Panasonic ensure long-term reliability and a great performance. Even after 1000 cycles of charging (2) the batteries retain the ability to store energy. From January 2007, the revolutionary rechargeable battery Evolta is available in the standard sizes (AA) and (AAA), ideal for applications where long-term stability and reliability are a priority, from remote controls to digital cameras.
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9V. Transistor rechargeable battery Ni-Mh 170 mAh Blister (1 pieces).


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Home > Report on the risk assessment of PMMA in the framework of the joint action on new synthetic drugs.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. (2002) Report on the risk assessment of PMMA in the framework of the joint action on new synthetic drugs. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.
PDF (EMCDDA Risk assessment PMMA) - Published Version
The report assesses the risks of PMMA, especially in association with the already controlled substance PMA (para-methoxyamphetamine). PMMA, is an amphetamine-like substance very close to PMA, and is almost exclusively sold in tablet form in combination with the latter and consumed as 'ecstasy'. It has been associated, in combination with PMA, with three deaths in the EU. PMMA is devoid of any therapeutic value.
Further to the conclusions of the EMCDDA risk assessment, on 28 February 2002, the Council of the European Union adopted a unanimous decision defining the new synthetic drug PMMA (para-methoxymethylamphetamine) as a substance to be placed under control measures and criminal penalties in the EU Member States
•	Report on the risk assessment of PMMA in the framework of the joint action on new synthetic drugs
•	Council decision
•	Europol-EMCDDA progress report on PMMA and PMA
•	Review of the pharmacotoxicological data on PMMA
•	Sociological and criminological evidence on the risks of PMMA
•	Public health risks of PMMA: epidemiological evidence
New psychoactive substance
Call No
REF, EMCDDA
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
92-9168-137-7
EMCDDA Risk Assessment Series No. 5
HRB 4489 (Available)
B Substances > CNS stimulants > Amphetamines
B Substances > New (novel) psychoactive substances
J Health care, prevention, harm reduction and rehabilitation > Risk and needs assessment > Risk assessment
VA Geographic area > Europe > European Union


The weather is finally getting chillider and everybody is pulling out their coats — it's winter! This not only means hot cocoa and the potential of snow, but it's also time to make sure you use the best ingredients for cold weather in your skincare products.
Ingredients to look for are: hyaluronic acid, ceramides, shea butter, nourishing botanicals and amino acids. Here are four products that pack the punch.
Dry, dehydrated skin is a sign that your skin is having trouble retaining the moisture it's receiving. Since humidity drops in winter, boosting your skin's moisturizing capabilities becomes more essential to healthy skin.
Oils help keep water in our skin by forming a barrier water cannot cross. VITAL C Hydrating Facial Oil is a light weight oil infused with botanicals that helps reinforce your skin's natural lipid barrier. A rejuvenating blend of sea buckthorn, moringa, and grapeseed oil help to visibly brighten tired skin. Grapeseed oil has an extra advantage in that it quickly hydrates chapped skin for a soothing effect. Also, argan and avocado oil are powerful skin conditioners which soften skin while preventing moisture loss. To really help your skin fight against winter dehydration, there is also squalane in the formula. Squalane is naturally present in your skin's lipid barrier, and this extra boost not only helps that barrier, but also restores flexibility and suppleness.
I MASK Biomolecular Hydrating Recovery Mask is a next-generation mask made using a unique hydrogel technology. The mask itself is breathable for comfort, but also designed to trap moisture and push hydrating ingredients deep into the skin.
The key player in the mask base is an amino acid complex which is a blend of essential and non-essential amino acids. For a quick biology brush-up, essential amino acids are those your body cannot make on its own and non-essential are those your body can make on its own. However, stress and other factors can affect your body's ability to make non-essential amino acids. Why are these molecules so important? Amino acids are the building blocks of peptides, which are molecules that signal our bodies to undergo certain processes, such as collagen synthesis. Amino acids are also an important part of our skin's Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMF). While all twenty amino acids are amazing, there are a few that are really beneficial for skin. One amino acid in our formula is Lysine, which helps visibly firm skin's surface. Also, leucine and proline are known to diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Next, Methionine neutralizes damaging substances before they can harm skin, and damaged skin shows through the visible appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
If you find yourself feeling like your skin is unusually dry, VITAL C Hydrating Intense Moisturizer is an emollient creme geared towards those with uncomfortably dry, dehydrated skin.
Hyaluronic acid is not only the gold standard of hydrators, but it's also the MVP in our moisturizer. The miracle molecule is naturally present in your skin and can bind a thousand times its weight in water molecules, getting to work instantly and pulling water molecules from the air into your skin. Unfortunately, hyaluronic acid concentrations decline in your skin as you age. But thankfully, you can supplement these with cremes and moisturizers. Another key player in our moisturizer is shea butter. Soft and supple, shea butter helps keep moisture levels steady while also softening skin. If you have sensitive skin, there's no need to worry — our moisturizer is physician formulated with sensitive skin in mind.
A rich, reparative creme, Vital C Hydrating Repair Crème was made to combat irritation due to dry skin.
During the winter months, the wind can be harsh on your skin, leading to redness and uncomfortable irritation. While you may not have needed a thicker creme during summer, using a richer product can help protect against the biting cold and nipping winds. Since our product is designed for maximum moisturizing and hydrating powers, there's a whole slew of powerful, beneficial, and natural ingredients in the formula to shield your skin and keep it healthy and hydrated.
First up are ceramides, which are lipid molecules found in our cell membranes. They help hold skin cells together, like a glue, which form a shield to retain moisture. Since harsh winter weather can accelerate the loss of natural lipids, fortifying your skin's natural barrier is important to protect it from harm. Ceramides help build the barrier and protect from moisture loss. Of course, there's also hyaluronic acid, arguably the best hydrator molecule. This super-team helps keep skin moisturized even hours after application.


The order form does not work?
In case you are not able to send the order form, please do not hesitate to contact us on the phone: or write us your order via email on online@loccitane.sk. We will be glad to help you!
If you would like to ask us about the details of some of our products, you can send your question to online@loccitane.sk.
Would you like to tell us your positive experience with L'Occitane or other remarks?


The Living Room Grades 6-12 (Thursday night Bible Study) - 6:30pm to 8:00pm every Thursday until May 30. This is a time dedicated to helping students develop their relationship with God. In The Living Room, we explore the Bible together, talk through questions that students have, pray and learn about God's plan for our lives and the rest of creation. This semester, we want to focus on serving Devon, the Edmonton area, Canada and the world through service projects. Check the upcoming events for details on what's happening this week!
RIOT (Revival In Our Town) is a place for everyone in grades 6 - 12 to invite friends, have fun, and connect with God and each other. For details, check out the events section every week for special events. We look forward to seeing you there! Jr. High (grades 6-8) meet from 7:00 to 8:45 and Sr. High (grades 9-12) meet from 8:45 to 10:30. For more details on what a night at RIOT looks like, click here.


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The women's sabre event at the 2020 Summer Olympics is took place on 26 July 2021 at the Makuhari Messe. 36 fencers from 18 nations competed.

Background
This was the 5th appearance of the event, which has been held at every Summer Olympics since being introduced in 2004.

The reigning Olympic champion was Yana Egorian of Russia. The reigning World Champion was Olha Kharlan of Ukraine (also the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist). The 2018 World Champion was Sofia Pozdniakova of Russia. A preview from Olympics.com identified Kharlan as a fencer to watch in 2020.

Qualification

A National Olympic Committee (NOC) could enter up to 3 qualified fencers in the women's sabre. Nations were limited to three fencers each from 1928 to 2004. However, the 2008 Games introduced a rotation of women's team fencing events with one weapon left off each Games; the individual event without a corresponding team event had the number of fencers per nation reduced to two. Women's sabre was the second event this applied to, so each nation could enter a maximum of two fencers in the event in 2012. The 2020 Games eliminated this rotation and all weapons had team events.

There are 34 dedicated quota spots for women's sabre. The first 24 spots go to the 3 members of each of the 8 qualified teams in the team sabre event. Next, 6 more fencers are selected from the world rankings based on continents: 2 from Europe, 1 from the Americas, 2 from Asia/Oceania, and 1 from Africa. Finally, 4 spots are allocated by continental qualifying events: 1 from Europe, 1 from the Americas, 1 from Asia/Oceania, and 1 from Africa. Each nation can earn only one spot through rankings or events.

Additionally, there are 8 host/invitational spots that can be spread throughout the various fencing events. Japan used 2 host places to fill its women's sabre team (adding to the 1 place earned through general qualification).

The COVID-19 pandemic delayed many of the events for qualifying for fencing, moving the close of the rankings period back to April 5, 2021 rather than the original April 4, 2020.

Competition format
The 1996 tournament had vastly simplified the competition format into a single-elimination bracket, with a bronze medal match. The 2020 tournament will continue to use that format. Fencing is done to 15 touches or to the completion of three three-minute rounds if neither fencer reaches 15 touches by then. At the end of time, the higher-scoring fencer is the winner; a tie results in an additional one-minute sudden-death time period. This sudden-death period is further modified by the selection of a draw-winner beforehand; if neither fencer scores a touch during the minute, the predetermined draw-winner wins the bout. Standard sabre rules regarding target area, striking, and priority are used.

Schedule
The competition is held over a single day, Monday, 26 July. The first session runs from 9 a.m. to approximately 4:20 p.m. (when the quarterfinals are expected to conclude), after which there is a break until 6 p.m. before the semifinals and medal bouts are held. Women's sabre bouts alternate with the men's foil event bouts.

All times are Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)

Results

Finals

Top half

Section 1

Section 2

Bottom half

Section 3

Section 4

References

External links
Draw

Women's sabre
Women's events at the 2020 Summer Olympics

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You are in: Home > News > New Board members appointed
Fell & Mountain
New Board members appointed
14/05/2019 00:00, In Blog /
Welsh Athletics is delighted to announce two further additions to the Board of Welsh Athletics, following the recent appointment of Steve Perks as Chair of the Board.
These appointments represent a significant milestone in the governance of Welsh Athletics, as they are the first Non-Executive Directors to join the Board through an open recruitment process. The roles for Performance and Finance were identified during this Autumn's Annual General Meeting as key appointments within the new Board structure of Welsh Athletics.
Adrian Thomas is confirmed as Non-Executive Director with the portfolio for Performance and will Chair the Coaching and Performance sub-group of the Board.
Adrian has vast experience within sport in Wales, having close to 40 years of experience as a volunteer coach. During this time, he has coached athletes to multiple Major Championships, including Olympians Daniel Caines and Rhys Williams. Adrian was also part of the Welsh team staff at the 1998 and 2006 Commonwealth Games. From 1991 to 2001, Adrian was also the lead coach for 400m and relays for British Athletics, supporting the team at multiple European, Olympic and World Championships. Away from Athletics, Adrian worked in Education for 40 years, holding many roles including Deputy Head at Glan Afan Comprehensive.
Nick Everitt has taken up the role of Non-Executive Director for Finance and will chair the Finance sub-group of the Board. Nick is currently Engagement Director at Capgemini, a leading global consultancy in technology services and digital transformation. Nick is a qualified accountant and also brings extensive experience in audit. He has a vested interest in athletics through his three children who actively participate, and began running himself three years ago, completing the ABP Newport Wales Marathon in 2018.
Nick explained the reasons for his application,
"being a passionate Welshman and a sports fanatic, I was keen to do anything to help the organisation responsible for the development of athletics within Wales. I have been very impressed with the effort and commitment shown by volunteers to enable local, regional and national events to take place and wanted to give something back. I do see this as a great opportunity to help Welsh Athletics and bring in some external thought leadership which I hope can assist the achievement of overall goals (and would love to see some more red vests at the Commonwealth games!)."
Welsh Athletics is currently advertising for a NED to challenge and work with us on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion - please get in touch if interested in this role.


Spencer: Bear Republic opened in wine country, Sonoma County in 1995. In 1996 they were named "Small Brewing Company of the Year" and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year" at the Great American Beer Festival. The beer that put them on the map is the Racer 5(India Pale Ale) but we sampled the Big Bear Black Stout. Weighing in at 8.1% ABV this is definitely a "Big" beer! Lots of caramel and roasty flavors finish this smooth Russian Imperial Stout with the addition of Centennial and Cascade hops. If you are looking for a deep black stout with a nice brown head then this is your winter companion. The old saying in wine country is that it takes a lot of beer to make good wine.
Tim: We had this not only on The Less Desirables, but on our sister show, The Beer Dads. We found it to be a unique brew. It's dark and creamy like a stout should be, but it also had a bitterness that was reminiscent of an IPA. This was not an overpowering trait as it sometimes can be. It was a welcome addition to the mix. The higher ABV was a bonus, as well. More bang for your buck, not only in alcohol content but all the flavor conditioning the brew gives your mouth. It's better when you let it warm slightly, it brings that beautiful IPA/stout mix to the forefront. I rated it 4 stars the first time I had it (The Beer Dads) and it went up to 4.25 stars the second (The Less Desirables). It gets better as you go on. Highly recommended.
Try it locally at: Stumble Stilskins, Cooper Ale House and City Beverage to name a few local places.


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What a catch! Local fisherman reels in giant catfish
by: Jane Alvarez-Wertz
Posted: May 29, 2018 / 02:02 PM EDT / Updated: May 30, 2018 / 10:08 AM EDT
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – There's a good chance the catfish reeled in by Jeffrey Dill at Lake Smith over the weekend could set a new state record for the biggest flathead catfish.
Dill says he was fishing with a buddy at Lake Smith around 8:30 a.m. on Saturday when he felt something tugging on the end of his $20 rod from Walmart.
After wrestling with the fish for about 15 minutes, Dill says he was able to pull it out of the water.
"I put him on the dock, held him down for a minute. He was so big," said Dill, who affectionately named the catch "Big Earle."
Jeff Dill says it took him 15 minutes to reel in this giant catch!
Dill immediately took the catfish to Oceans East Bait & Tackle on Northampton Boulevard, where a biologist from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries inspected the catfish and watched the fish get weighed.
"Big Earle" weighed in at a whopping 68 pounds. 68.12 pounds to be exact.
"It was a monster. It was a true river monster," said Chad Boyce, a fisheries biologist. "It was a big fish that you don't expect to see in this part of the state, especially in Lake Smith. That's definitely a trophy."
The current record is listed as a 66.4 pound flathead catfish that was caught on May 6, 1994, by a fisherman at the Occoquan Reservoir in northern Virginia.
"I talked with some of my older buddies and they said some people fish their whole lives and never get close to a state record," said Dill. "It's a big deal. I'm very proud."
Boyce calls the flathead catfish "an ambush predator" and adds that the state stocked Lake Smith in the late 1990s to help control the population of smaller fish, like sunfish and perch.
By examining a piece of the fish's ear bone under a microscope, Boyce says he'll be able to determine its age.
"It's like rings on a tree," he said. "I would almost bet that fish was one of the original fish that was stocked."
Boyce says the State Record Fish Committee will review Dill's application and senior leadership will decide whether or not "Big Earle" is the big winner.
Boyce, who is a member of the committee, says he doesn't anticipate any issues.
"I'm waiting on that confirmation, when they send me the plaque," said Dill. "I got it."


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There are many different ways to break the 9th commandment, do not lie. Ultimately, God wants us to be people of the truth because He is truth!
Stealing comes in different forms, whether it's deception or deceit, cheating others, or refusing to give someone what is theirs. Learn more about the 8th commandment in this sermon!
God gave this vital commandment to protect all from the horrible consequences of unfaithfulness; after all, God is faithful to us!
Muslims are not our enemy, they are our Mission Field. Listen to Br. Mike Hajj preach a message on "Look, pray, and go!"
Do we really need the 10 commandments today? Why are they more than suggestions and what do they do that grace cannot do? Find out on today's podcast.


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Houston OK with timing of bye weeks
October 18, 2019 By Al Myatt Leave a Comment
The American Athletic Conference determined the bye weeks for East Carolina this football season. The Pirates are coming off their first open date as they go to Central Florida on Saturday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
ECU also does not play on Saturday, Nov. 16. That falls between road trips to Southern Methodist on Nov. 9 and Connecticut on Nov. 23.
Pirates coach Mike Houston has no major objections as to where the bye weeks are.
"The first one and the second one fall at pretty good places on our schedule," Houston said. "The only thing that I would do different, would be maybe have a bye before Temple. That would give us a little more time to prepare for that Thursday night game."
ECU hasn't played since a 27-17 home loss to Temple on Oct. 3.
"At the end of the day, it's good to have the long break between the Temple game and UCF with us playing six games in 33 days," Houston said.
ECU coach Mike Houston (File photo by Al Myatt)
Rain in forecast
Houston was asked earlier this week about the possibility of rain at UCF and its potential impact.
"It's 100 percent rain here on Wednesday," Houston said. "As long as there's no lightning along with that and it's not some kind of torrential downpour, we'll practice in that rain tomorrow, which should help us prepare for any inclement weather that we have on Saturday night.
"The thing is you have to be prepared to play no matter what the elements are. We've always taken that stance of being prepared for the rain, the wind, whatever it is within our game plans."
Orlando, recruiting influence
Florida is regarded as fertile ground for recruiting, which adds to the significance of the pending matchup.
"I think so," Houston said. "We've got several kids from that area that are committed to us from that area right now. Having the opportunity to be down there, obviously, they'll be hearing our name and things like that so I think it can be a positive."
Central Florida strengths
Central Florida has lost just three games since the start of the 2017 season. Two of those setbacks have taken place at Pittsburgh and Cincinnati by a total of four points.
The Knights (4-2, 1-1 AAC) are still a very formidable foe.
"I think their strength is their team speed," Houston said. "They're extremely dynamic in every phase. I mentioned to my staff, they remind me a lot of what we were at JMU at the FCS level. For years, our dynamic, big-play ability — people just couldn't match with it. That's very much what you see on film with UCF.
"They have tremendous skill across the board on offense. They return a veteran offensive line. Three all-conference linemen return. The freshman quarterback (Dillon Gabriel) is very talented. He's got a strong arm, very accurate, quick release. Obviously, he understands the offense very well.
"He is a freshman. but at the same time, you're not asking him to go out there and save the world. He's just got to operate within the parameters of the offense and distribute the ball appropriately.
"You look at defense. They're long, athletic, can run.
"Of course, if you have that kind of speed on offense and defense, that means you're going to have that kind of speed on special teams.
"It's their team speed and their dynamic, big-play ability is what really stands out."
UCF, multiple QBs
The Knights are missing McKenzie Milton at quarterback this season. Milton missed last year's 37-10 win last year in Greenville and Daniel Mack stepped in.
With UCF coming off a 27-24 loss at Cincinnati on Oct. 4 in its last outing, Houston was thinking that the Knights might make more use of Mack. The Pirates have prepared for multiple quarterbacks.
"I think you need to," Houston said. "D.J. Mack is a talented player. He's from Virginia. We recruited him when he was a high school player coming out at Virginia Beach.
"He obviously was a very solid player for them down the stretch last year. He did get significant playing time against UConn in the second half, so I think we've got to be prepared to see him as well."
Bryan Gagg
ECU's own quarterback situation was affected when Reid Herring announced plans to transfer earlier the season. Bryan Gagg has moved into a back-up role.
"He's a true freshman," Houston said. "He was committed to the last staff when we got here so it was a pretty quick get to know him kind of deal before signing day.
"He's a really sharp young man. He has a good personality about him. He carries himself with confidence. He has good size. He has good athletic ability. He's improved a good bit since he got here. I think he'll improve a good bit more as the years go on as a player. He is still just a freshman."
Midseason evaluation
The Pirates are at the midpoint of the 2019 regular season.
"You're sitting here 3-3 so, big picture-wise, I think it's a solid start," Houston said. "Do you wish you were 6-0? Absolutely. We've had an opportunity to be 6-0 several times over the years. You always want to start out like that. You're not 0-6 either so I think you've had a solid start.
"I think when you look deeper, which is what you really have to do this first year, you've got to look at how your team is progressing. If you take the starting reference point being the N.C. State game (34-6 loss) and you track us. Certainly, the Navy game (42-10 loss) is one that I'm extremely disappointed in for a variety of reasons.
"Aside from that game, I feel like you can look at our team and we have improved each week out. I think the roster is improving individually and I think we're improving as a team collectively.
"You're not talking about one phase. You're talking about all three phases. I think if you take an even further step back and look at the program, we're making very solid forward steps with the program.
"I'm evaluating that in all areas, whether it be our current roster, facilities, recruiting, everything within the athletic department as it relates to football, resources available to student-athletes, nutrition, academic support, all of those things. I think we're taking solid steps forward."
What Houston wants to see
Houston was asked what he wants to see from his team on Saturday night.
"I'd say I want to see us go in there and compete at a very high level," Houston said. "When I say that, it's a very broad statement, but you can get caught up in whatever the predictions are, the point spreads or all that stuff. You can throw that stuff out the window. We need to go in there and we need to compete down after down.
"There are certain things we've got to do in order to have a chance to win. Being able to handle their pace on offense and function at a high level defensively is going to be very important. We're obviously going to have to tackle very well in the open field. We'll have to do the best that we can to prevent the big plays. They're going to make some big plays. They've got too much ability and talent not to. We've got to get them on the ground, try not to give up the home run ball and make them snap it again.
"Hopefully, we can create enough adversity and put them under enough duress to hopefully — they make a mistake and turn the ball over, derail a drive, something like that. I think that's really the key on defense.
"Offensively, we've got to do a great job of ball security. We've got to be really aggressive and attack. We've got to be able to drive the football offensively. Stay on the field, whether it's running the ball or throwing the ball.
"I think special teams will be important. They've been outstanding on special teams this year. They've got a punt return for a touchdown. They've obviously been very good on the coverage teams. At the same time, one of the critical plays in the Pittsburgh game was a blocked punt return for a touchdown. So winning the special teams phase is important for us.
"But i think the biggest thing is just being able to go into that environment, which it's a tough environment to play in against what is arguably the most talented team in our league and certainly the most dominant team in our league over the past two-and-a-half years and go in there and go toe-to-toe with them. I think it will be another measuring stick for our program."
PIRATES MAKING WAVES IN THE POOL
DOOLEY & CO. WILL BE FIGHTING FOR RESPECT
HOUSTON PRESSING FOR BETTER EXECUTION
PIRATES UNDERGO VIDEO REVIEW
PIRATES NOT OUT OF BOWL PICTURE YET
CRUMP BRINGS "SHUT-DOWN CORNER" SKILLS TO ECU
HERRING FOLLOWS TESTED PATH TO OPPORTUNITY


text:
import { Component } from '@angular/core';

@Component({
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  templateUrl: './inside-click.html'
})
export class DemoDropdownInsideClickComponent {}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
package com.google.gerrit.server.query.change;

import com.google.gerrit.server.index.change.ChangeField;

public class RevertOfPredicate extends ChangeIndexPredicate {
  public RevertOfPredicate(String revertOf) {
    super(ChangeField.REVERT_OF, revertOf);
  }

  @Override
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    if (cd.change().getRevertOf() == null) {
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    return cd.change().getRevertOf().toString().equals(value);
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  @Override
  public int getCost() {
    return 1;
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}


COIMBATORE JUNCTION CBE to CHANDRAPUR CD train timings, routes, stops, and complete info.
As of now, 11 trains run between from COIMBATORE JUNCTION (CBE) to CHANDRAPUR (CD).
The fastest train from COIMBATORE JUNCTION (CBE) to CHANDRAPUR (CD) is KERALA EXPRESS (12625) that departs at 20:00 and arrives to at 17:26. It takes approximately 21:26 hours.


text:
Iggy Azalea Criticizes T.I. Bringing Her 'Up For Relevance'
Iggy Azalea Says She Won't Make Music for the Next 'Few Years'
Iggy Azalea has responded to T.I.'s comments on her career.
On Monday, T.I. went on The Breakfast Club to play catch-up and chat about his new endeavors, including his role on Netflix's Rhythm + Flow. At some point though, the conversation turned to comments he made earlier this month, in which he dubbed Azalea "the tarnish of [his] legacy."
When asked about the dig, T.I. began by clarifying that while he wishes his former signee "no ill will," he did feel like she started acting different when, "she found out White people liked her and she didn't really need Black people to like her anymore."
"She switched up. Started acting different," T.I. continued, before hinting that she used ghostwriters. "Made moves I wasn't proud of. It placed my reputation in the line of fire. She was very arrogant about it."
For her part, Azalea didn't take too kindly to T.I.'s comments and decided to vent her frustration via a series of since-deleted tweets.
"Please move on and speak about artist you are (hopefully) actually helping, and stop trying to bring me up for relevance," Azalea wrote, per Complex.
Related | Taylor Swift Picks a Side in the Iggy Azalea-Lizzo Battle
"I don't bring your ass up, NO ONE is asking about you," she continued, before accusing T.I. of "speaking out of his asshole and blurting our one thing in public and another in private for years."
Azalea then went on to claim that the only song of her's that T.I. had a hand in was "100," but that he wasn't an integral part of the making-of The New Classic (though Complex notes that he is credited as an executive producer on the album), "which is why I've always taken issue with you trying to approximate yourself with it's success."
"The crazy part is; he really believes it," she also tweeted. "I don't understand how you could think you were responsible for something you never even heard until it was mixed and mastered."
Additionally, Azalea alleged that T.I. came to one of her sessions in 2017 to ask her to come back to his label, Grand Hustle Records, and that she had to "block your number the next day and change where I was recording."
And, as for the ghostwriting implications, Azalea hit back by saying she doesn't have them, but she does "write with multiple people on songs especially big pop-leaning ones."
"I've never claimed otherwise," she wrote. "Look at the pub credits. It's public information."
T.I. has yet to respond.
Photo via Getty
Justin Moran


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Dr. Mary Walker
Updated February 28, 2017 | Infoplease Staff
The Question:
Can you give me information about the only woman ever to be awarded a Congressional Medal of Honor?
The Answer:
The only woman to receive a Medal of Honor citetitle in the award's 138-year history was Dr. Mary Walker, an assistant surgeon and prisoner of war during America's Civil War.
She was given the award on November 11, 1865. Her medal was rescinded in 1916, however, when the Army purged its files to cut down on what they thought were "unwarranted" issues. It wasn't reinstated until 1976.
Here are some other links to help with your research:
Full-text of MOH citetitles from the U.S. Army Center of Military History
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Congressional Medal of Honor statistics from infoplease.com
-The Editors
Top Ten Frequently Asked Questions
Other Archives:
Top Ten Archive
First African-American to Win Congressional Medal of Honor


text:
Mathematics, curiosity and innovation
Despite the fact that few girls tend to take up STEM studies, at Ferrovial we have some brilliant professionals, some of whom we have already featured on these pages. In this edition we feature three women whose profiles indicate disparate origins and motivations, yet they all have in common their work in the field of innovation. We do not have room here to highlight all the women working in this sector, but the three we feature here are an example for all the little girls and teenagers interested in the world of STEM with a view to their professional future.
The fact that your mother is one of Spain's foremost mathematicians might be seen as something difficult to live up to, but in fact it proved an opportunity to learn this branch of science by treating it as a game, associating it with fun and seeing it as something natural, with no perception that this branch of knowledge was particularly complex. This is the reason underlying Laura Tordera's love of her chosen discipline.
Engineer Bárbara Fernández took a completely different path. With no family background, nor any evident vocation for engineering, she did however, show an enormous curiosity as a child for many different questions, with a considerable affinity for science in general, and "an interest in discovering the whys and wherefores of things".
Lorena Cuadrado, in addition to her passion for mathematics, had a love of drawing. In her case there was a family affinity: "I couldn't decide between architecture or engineering, but finally I chose the latter speializing in Structures" she tells us. Although what I am doing now has nothing to do with my civil engineering studies, the training helps with the method, it is a bit like embarking on your own adventure"·
Bárbara, Laura and Lorena explain how they arrived at engineering and the process of development and professional growth in their career path that ultimately led them to the field of innovation with the Corporation, Ferrovial Agroman and Cintra respectively.
"My years on site enabled me to understand the complex nature of construction project management and the strict schedules to which they adhere"
Laura Tordera
Head of R&D of Ferrovial Agroman.
Laura is a Civil Engineer who studied at the Madrid Polytechnic University. "I liked maths but I was looking for a practical application of the discipline" she tells us. She specialized in Hydraulics and Energy which, when she started university "was the most modern and innovative area". At that time there was talk of renewable energies and new fuels and learning more about these new applications and technologies is what led her to choose this specialty.
"I chose civil engineering because I wanted to be active in making a better society for us to live in" she tells us "I believe that infrastructures should be more sustainable , they should make life easier for people and make cities easier to live in".
Following a brilliant academic record at secondary school, Barbara found university a shock "I was discouraged at first, but I persevered with my degree through sheer determination" she says of her studies at the Industrial Engineering School. She combined her studies with a number of different jobs, "they had nothing to do with my training, yet they helped with my personal and professional development" she recalls. Teaching and entertaining children were her initial way of making some extra cash. "You learn to improvise and manage complex conflictive situations, as you never know what a child might come up with, and they are extremely good at rebelling" she admits.
Lorena spent a year at the Polytechnic University of Turin, learning about areas closer to transport. "My first internship was in the structural calculation department in another company in the sector, but I soon discovered that I didn't want to specialize in this field. My colleagues in that company had been doing the same thing for so long, which has not happened here at Cintra" she declares.
Having rejected several of the offers sent to her from the Structural Engineering department, she joined Cintra in 2005 in the Technical and Bidding department. She remembers in particular the environment
and working spirit prevalent at that time. "The colleagues that i worked alongside were more than just co-workers, they became my friends, and they still are today. We have had some unique experiences and even when it wasn't your own particular project that you were working on, when it came to completion you knew that you would lend a hand with whatever was needed" she recalls of her initial years with the company. At the time she shared her workload with teaching classes in Health Engineering.
Laura joined the construction department of Ferrovial Agroman in Palma de Mallorca in 2005, without actually knowing whether or not she had finally completed her academic studies. One of the projects that she worked on at the start of her career, and of which she is especially proud, is the building that later housed the Experimental Laboratory of the University of the Balearic Islands. This was a project in which she highlights the "sustainable design and construction created for the parameters of the day". Subsequently, and again in Mallorca, she joined the Civil Engineering department where, among a number of other projects, she worked on remodeling the Port of Alcudia.
"We have devised the Cintra Strategic Innovation Plan, working on the ultimate model and innovation management. It was a case of putting things in order, giving meaning, processes and method to what we do".
Lorena Cuadrado
Manager of O&M and member of Cintra's Innovation Committee.
Barbara began her professional career in the world of engineering even before she had finished her degree. "It was a small company that built vehicles for the disabled, attaching the seat in the steering wheel area and I was able to work in different departments". Subsequently she worked for 3M until she joined Ferrovial Services as a member of the Imserso contract team. She went on to work on other projects with the company and on contracts with Vodafone, Airbus and Iberia, until she joined the Tenders Department, despite being pregnant with her first child.
Like Barbara, Lorena had to manage teams. Following a period working in Tenders and Bidding she got to know the world of Operations and Maintenance in the Technical area "At that time I was interested
in the development of team members and my teaching experience was a great help" recounts Lorena.
In 2010 when Laura returned to Madrid and joined the recently created R+D+I department "It was a real challenge, a new and hitherto unknown area, but at the same time one with considerable potential. We had so much to do" she recalls.
Since then, over a 100 projects have been set up to which Laura has contributed her previous experience. "My years on site enabled me to understand the complex nature of construction project management and the strict schedules to which they adhere. Therefore, I am aware of the limitations on implementing new technologies or specific innovative and R+D in these projects" she states.
Collaboration and participation in research projects in Europe have been significant in driving this area in Ferrovial Agroman. Since 2012, the company has participated in 11 multidisciplinary projects and consortia in which technological companies, research centers and universities have taken part. "These projects, financed by the European Commission, have enabled us to discover the latest technologies at first hand, along with a culture of innovation in the company that has enabled Ferrovial Agroman to become an important component of the international innovative ecosystem" says Laura.
Barbara coincided with Gabriel Cuervo working on an innovative project in the field of energy efficiency, promoted by Vodafone, and this meeting subsequently led to her joining the innovation department of the Corporation. From her experience in this line of work she tells us "It is really interesting. You go into a management unit and your task is to manage a mini company, you have your client, your suppliers and your work team. From thereon you are responsible for results".
Lorena then joined the innovation department in 2017 "I joined at a particular exciting time, as the focus was on developing innovation in the division" she comments. "We devised the Cintra Strategic Innovation Plan, working on the ultimate organization model and innovation management. It was a case of putting things in order, giving meaning, processes and method to what we do. We looked at why we do things, how we want them to be, and how far we can go."
Laura also has a profile as an institutional representative in international bodies, including ENCORD (European Network of Construction Companies concerned with R&D) a European association based on R+D with a number of major international construction companies as its members, of which she has been general secretary since 2012: "It is very important to collaborate as a sector in order to obtain common goals, and to convey to society the importance of innovation in the infrastructures sector".
"It is important not to fall into the trap of cliché or fall prey to technological fashions, to look at trends and try to find out how they can help us".
Bárbara Fernández
Manager of Innovation and Business Relations of Ferrovial
One of the main challenges for Lorena was to "debunk the myth of unconsciously associating innovation and digital technology. Something may be innovative yet in no way does it need to be related to technology, whereas it may have a lot do with efficiency. Innovation should not just be confined to operations, it should also be part of the whole organizationn, and this is why an organizational representative is a member of the innovation committee" she states.
Barbara believes that the role of "translator" is important for the different parts and components that make it all work, so that resilience becomes a fundamental value. "Innovation is not all about creativity; it depends on your role. If you are a driving force, you join the dots and organize priorities and interests of the parties, being creative is not always so relevant, what is important is knowing how to be a good negotiator and to be resilient. The key is to have diverse teams gathering different profiles".
"It is important not to fall into the trap of cliché or fall prey to technological fashions, to look at trends and try to find out how they can help us. Innovation has many different goals, although we should not get carried away by latest developments. We have to wonder how we can do things better, how we can provide added value to our customer, shareholders and society with a clear goal" concludes Barbara.
For Laura Tordera "the company is doing a good job in the field of innovation, leading the change that is taking place in the area of infrastructures and gaining a position as a leader in the sector. In short, Ferrovial is prepared for the future" she says.
Having talked to Lorena, Laura and Barbara we have seen the passion that unites them and Ferrovial's vision for innovation, not only from the start, but also in terms of what can be expected in the mid and long term, however, above all, employing method and taking the right steps to achieve that vision.
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Inforvial 32 - Innovation
PDF 6.72 MB 05/10/2019
# Construction
# Diversity
# Equality
# Human resources
# People and team
# STEM careers
# Talent
# Europe
# Spain
# Cintra
# Ferrovial Construction
"Safe driving," ZITY's new project
Restoring confidence in infrastructure
The origin of PPE
Turning Challenges into Opportunities
Zero Tolerance for Accidents
Safety is in your hands
ARMAD: ensuring safety during roadside assistance
An Integral Strategy to Achieve Health, Safety and Wellbeing
Ignacio Madridejos: "The market is recognizing the success of our strategy"
Energy control center: smart consumption
Ferrovial continues to rank as one of the companies most committed to gender equality, according to the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index
Innovate Construction Awards winners 2021
Ferrovial's Health and Well-Being Program Wins the Digital HR Health and Business Award
Ferrovial advancing with production of floating offshore wind platform in the Basque Country
Ferrovial Construcción is awarded the contract to improve the connection of Vespucio Norte Highway with Ruta 68
The UK's largest Tunnel Boring Machine begins journey to the Silvertown Tunnel project
IndesIA appoints its Board of Directors to boost Artificial Intelligence in Spanish industry
Ferrovial Construction JV recognised with three NCE Tunnelling Festival Awards 2021
Ferrovial awarded construction of two roads in Texas for USD 161.5 million


The BitSummit trailer parade continues with games in the D to M range of the alphabet. There are a couple in here that will probably never see English localizations and a couple more whose fate in that regard is up in the air, but there are some that will definitely come out in English, too. I've tried to make it clear which games won't or might not be localized into English.
Shimada System's DropCity takes place in a future in which Earth is submerged because of technology that got out of hand. The only survivors are people who were living on the moon, and the player takes on the role of a diver sent down to try and figure out what happened. The cities in the game are generated from OpenStreetMap data, meaning that the player can choose any city in the world and explore a mockup of it underwater while trying to unravel the mystery of how the Earth drowned. There's no data about whether or not the game will be released in English, but Shimada System did prepare an English press kit for BitSummit.
Gameplay footage starts a few seconds after 0:30 in this trailer for Dungeons & Darkness by YamiuchiProject. It looks like it follows the dungeon crawler traditions that games like Legend of Grimrock have captured so well, but instead of being grid-based, it's a modern 3D first-person game. Don't forget to check out the slime getting shot off the ceiling around 0:45. YamiuchiProject is currently in talks with localizers about bringing the game to the west, but nothing has been settled.
From developer Dodge Roll: "Enter the Gungeon is a twin stick bullet hell dungeon-crawler. Players must shoot, loot, dodge roll and table-flip their way to the Gungeon's ultimate treasure: the gun that can kill the past. To survive the firestorm facing them, players must master the dodge roll, which allows them to pass through bullets unharmed -if timed perfectly."
From German developer Spaces of Play: "Future Unfolding lets you explore a world filled with life, both beautiful and dangerous. The world is procedurally generated, and each play-through allows you to experience a new and different layout. Observe and interact with the wildlife to get clues and discover patterns in this mystical place. Use the patterns to locate hidden secrets and find your way to the goal. Find your path with the help of wild animals, while avoiding the other less friendly creatures."
From developer 17-BIT: "80's spaceship anime and arcade-gaming meld with ultra-modern physics and A.I. in a skill-demanding, procedurally generated rogue-like adventure! Be the hero in a world that oozes classic Saturday morning anime but plays like a tough, modern, tactical shooter. Try to survive the hostile environments of deep space, battling warring factions full of unique and cunning enemies. Unlock ever more powerful upgrades as you learn the secret of the Galak-Z, and die and die again as you valiantly struggle to become the ultimate pilot - finally good enough to beat what Galak-Z throws at you!"
From developer Necrosoft: "Gunsport is 2-on-2 cyberpunk volleyball with guns. It's future millennium sporting action. It's diplomacy with a shotgun. It's a new sporting action game for your controller-enabled televisual devices. Gunsport takes place in an alternate future where humans have grown tired of war. These petty disputes are now settled with Gunsport, the World's Game."
This is actually a gameplay video rather than a trailer, but the game shown therein is one of the ones I was really sorry to miss at BitSummit. To-Co's IRON SCRAPS is a puzzle/shooter hybrid that appears to require strategic thinking to be successful. Tap to fire a single bullet, swipe to fire a volley, and try to rack up chains of explosions based on the colors of vehicles that drive down from the top. I don't know if it will ever be released in English; nothing about the press materials available indicate that it will be.
This is a puzzle platformer in which the player can't jump. Instead, they have a gun that makes anything they shoot jump. There are no concrete details available about whether or not developer TeamHiropon will be releasing the game in English, but they did have an English description in their BitSummit press kit.
From developer MK-ULTRA: "Knight & Damsel is [an] 'un-cooperative' local multiplayer [game] for two players in which a knight quests to rescue a damsel and a damsel quests to rescue a knight! Players attempt to delay their opponent so their chosen hero can receive the most glory by throwing blocks on to their opponents screen, warping the fourth wall between 2D and world space upon a beautiful papercraft stage."
This is set in the same world as developer ARTIFACTS' previous game, Magic Potion Stories, which was one of my favorites from last year'S BitSummit. It's not exactly a sequel; the previous game was a kinetic novel with SNES style cutscenes to go with the text, whereas this one is a clicker game about delving into a dungeon and collecting potion ingredients with which to level up so the player can go farther into the dungeon. It has similar charm to it, though, and is perhaps more appealing to me than most clickers because delving into dungeons over and over again is so much of my game playing history. Unfortunately, this game is not availabe in English and probably won't be, since none of ARTIFACTS' other games have been translated.


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/*]]>*/ Park City Wind: 804 MW of Offshore Power in Connecticut - North American Windpower
Home Wind News Offshore Wind Park City Wind: 804 MW of Offshore Power in Connecticut
Park City Wind: 804 MW of Offshore Power in Connecticut
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) says developer Vineyard Wind has been selected to begin contract negotiations with utilities UI and Eversource Energy to provide 804 MW of offshore wind through the development of the Park City Wind Project.
DEEP issued an RFP in August and ultimately received more than 30 bid variants from three different developers. The Park City Wind project scored the best among its competitors in its design and plans to address environmental and fisheries impacts. The project includes a thorough assessment of potential hazards to wildlife and fisheries from developing and operating the offshore wind turbines. The environmental and fisheries mitigation plan also provides for a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process, a commitment to 1-nautical-mile-by-1-nautical-mile spacing between turbines, vigorous environmental monitoring throughout all project phases, and a thoughtful decommissioning plan. The project will undergo environmental review through a number of permitting processes.
The selection of this project, which will provide the equivalent of 14% of the state's electricity supply, represents the largest purchase of renewable energy in Connecticut's history. It will more than double the amount of new zero-carbon renewable energy procured by DEEP to date.
Moreover, the Park City Wind project is offered at a price lower than any other publicly announced offshore wind project in North America.
"Connecticut is diversifying its offshore wind portfolio with this latest procurement selection, which sets up Connecticut as a regional leader in the creation of a thriving industry that will bring tangible benefits for our state and the entire region," said Gov. Ned Lamont.
"Vineyard Wind is proud that our Park City Wind proposal was selected in this competitive process, and we are excited to work with Governor Lamont and DEEP to deliver jobs and economic development opportunities to the Bridgeport region and meaningful reductions in harmful carbon emissions," said Lars Pedersen, CEO of Vineyard Wind.
This is the state's third procurement with offshore wind as a competitive resource, and the first procurement specifically focused on offshore wind. In 2018, DEEP selected a total of 304 megawatts of offshore wind from Revolution Wind developed by Ørsted and Eversource. Revolution Wind includes economic development commitments to the state pier in New London. With this most recent selection, Connecticut is leading New York (5%) and Massachusetts (13%), with the equivalent of 19% of its electric load under contract with offshore wind projects. Rhode Island currently has the equivalent of 25% of its electric load committed.
The Park City Wind project will invest in the redevelopment of port facilities in Bridgeport Harbor to facilitate local outfitting and assembly of the turbines foundations and an operations and maintenance base. The project will also establish America's first Tier 1 offshore wind supplier in Connecticut through the Kerite cable manufacturing facility in Seymour.
PHOTO: Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont
Park City Wind Project
vineyard wind


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The world population is expected to grow to almost 10 billion by 2050. With 3.4 billion more mouths to feed, and the growing desire of the middle class for meat and dairy in developing countries, global demand for food could increase by between 59 and 98 percent. This means that agriculture around the world needs to step up production and increase yields. But scientists say that the impacts of climate change—higher temperatures, extreme weather, drought, increasing levels of carbon dioxide and sea level rise—threaten to decrease the quantity and jeopardize the quality of our food supplies.
A recent study of global vegetable and legume production concluded that if greenhouse gas emissions continue on their current trajectory, yields could fall by 35 percent by 2100 due to water scarcity and increased salinity and ozone.
Another new study found that U.S. production of corn (a.k.a. maize), much of which is used to feed livestock and make biofuel, could be cut in half by a 4˚C increase in global temperatures—which could happen by 2100 if we don't reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. If we limit warming to under 2˚ C, the goal of the Paris climate accord, U.S. corn production could still decrease by about 18 percent. Researchers also found that the risk of the world's top four corn exporters (U.S., Brazil, Argentina and the Ukraine) suffering simultaneous crop failures of 10 percent or more is about 7 percent with a 2˚C increase in temperature. If temperatures rise 4˚C, the odds shoot up to a staggering 86 percent.
But climate change will not only affect crops—it will also impact meat production, fisheries and other fundamental aspects of our food supply.
Eighty percent of the world's crops are rainfed, so most farmers depend on the predictable weather agriculture has adapted to in order to produce their crops. However, climate change is altering rainfall patterns around the world.
When temperatures rise, the warmer air holds more moisture and can make precipitation more intense. Extreme precipitation events, which are becoming more common, can directly damage crops, resulting in decreased yields.
Flooding resulting from the growing intensity of tropical storms and sea level rise is also likely to increase with climate change, and can drown crops. Because floodwaters can transport sewage, manure or pollutants from roads, farms, and lawns, more pathogens and toxins could find their way into our food.
Hotter weather will lead to faster evaporation, resulting in more droughts and water shortages—so there will be less water for irrigation just when it is needed most.
About 10 percent of the crops grown in the world's major food production regions are irrigated with groundwater that is non-renewable. In other words, aquifers are being drained faster than they're refilling—a problem which will only get worse as the world continues to heat up, explained Michael Puma, director of Columbia's Center for Climate Systems Research.
This is happening in major food-producing regions such as the U.S. Great Plains and California's Central Valley, and in Pakistan, India, northeastern China, and parts of Iran and Iraq.
Climate projections show that droughts will become more common in much of the U.S., especially the southwest. In other parts of the world, drought and water shortages are expected to affect the production of rice, which is a staple food for more than half of the people on Earth. During severe drought years, rainfed rice yields have decreased 17 to 40 percent. In South and Southeast Asia, 23 million hectares of rainfed rice production areas are already subject to water scarcity, and recurring drought affects almost 80 percent of the rainfed rice growing areas of Africa.
Extreme weather, including heavy storms and drought, can also disrupt food transport. Unless food is stored properly, this could increase the risk of spoilage and contamination and result in more food-borne illness. A severe summer drought in 2012 reduced shipping traffic on the Mississippi River, a major route for transporting crops from the Midwest. The decrease in barge traffic resulted in significant food and economic losses. Flooding which followed in the spring caused additional delays in food transport.
Global warming may benefit certain crops, such as potatoes in Northern Europe and rice in West Africa, and enable some farmers to grow new crops that only thrive in warmer areas today. In other cases, climate change could make it impossible for farmers to raise their traditional crops; ideal growing conditions may shift to higher latitudes, where the terrain or soil may not be as fertile, resulting in less land available for productive agriculture.
The ultimate effect of rising heat depends on each crop's optimal range of temperatures for growth and reproduction. If temperatures exceed this range, yields will drop because heat stress can disrupt a plant's pollination, flowering, root development and growth stages.
According to a 2011 National Academy of Sciences report, for every degree Celsius that the global thermostat rises, there will be a 5 to 15 percent decrease in overall crop production.
Heat waves, which are expected to become more frequent, make livestock less fertile and more vulnerable to disease. Dairy cows are especially sensitive to heat, so milk production could decline.
Parasites and diseases that target livestock thrive in warm, moist conditions. This could result in livestock farmers treating parasites and animal diseases by using more chemicals and veterinary medicines, which might then enter the food chain.
Climate change will also enable weeds, pests, and fungi to expand their range and numbers. In addition, earlier springs and milder winters will allow more of these pests and weeds to survive for a longer time.
Plant diseases and pests that are new to an area could destroy crops that haven't had time to evolve defenses against them. For example, new virulent mutant strains of wheat rust, a fungal infection that had not been seen for over 50 years, have spread from Africa to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, devastating crops.
Because plants use carbon dioxide to make their food, more CO2 in the atmosphere can enhance crop yields in some areas if other conditions—nutrient amounts, soil moisture and water availability—are right. But the beneficial effects of rising carbon dioxide levels on plant growth can be offset by extreme weather, drought or heat stress.
While higher CO2 levels can stimulate plant growth and increase the amount of carbohydrates the plant produces, this comes at the expense of protein, vitamin and mineral content. Researchers found that plants' protein content will likely decrease significantly if carbon dioxide levels reach 540 to 960 parts per million, which we are projected to reach by 2100. (We are currently at 409 ppm.) Studies show that barley, wheat, potatoes and rice have 6 to 15 percent lower concentrations of protein when grown at those levels of CO2. The protein content of corn and sorghum, however, did not decline significantly.
Moreover, the concentrations of important elements—such as iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, copper, sulfur, phosphorus and nitrogen—are expected to decrease with more CO2 in the atmosphere. When CO2 levels rise, the openings in plant shoots and leaves shrink, so they lose less water. Research suggests that as plants lose water more slowly, their circulation slows down, and they draw in less nitrogen and minerals from the soil. Vitamin B levels in crops may drop as well because nitrogen in plants is critical for producing these vitamins. In one study, rice grown with elevated CO2 concentrations contained 17 percent less vitamin B1 (thiamine), 17 percent less vitamin B2 (riboflavin), 13 percent less vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), and 30 percent less vitamin B9 (folate) than rice grown under current CO2 levels.
540 million people around the world rely on fish for their protein and income—but seafood will be impacted by climate change, too. Since 1955, the oceans have absorbed over 90 percent of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. As a result, the ocean is warmer today than it's ever been since recordkeeping began in 1880.
As the oceans heat up, many fish and shellfish are moving north in search of cooler waters.
Off the U.S. northeastern coast, American lobster, red hake, and black sea bass have shifted their range an average of 119 miles northward since the late 1960s. In Portugal, fishermen have recently caught 20 new species, most of which migrated from warmer waters. And Chinook salmon, usually found around California and Oregon, are now entering Arctic rivers. Moving into new territory, however, these species may face competition with other species over food, which can affect their survival rates. The range shifts are affecting fishermen, too, who must choose whether to follow the fish they're used to catching as they move north or fish different species. As these ecosystems change, fishing regulations are having a hard time keeping up, jeopardizing the livelihoods of fishermen whose quotas for certain species of fish may no longer be relevant.
Warmer waters can alter the timing of fish migration and reproduction, and could speed up fish metabolism, resulting in their bodies taking up more mercury. (Mercury pollution, from the burning of fossil fuels, ends up in the ocean and builds up in marine creatures.) When humans eat fish, they ingest the mercury, which can have toxic effects on human health.
Higher water temperatures increase the incidence of pathogens and of marine diseases in species such as oysters, salmon and abalone. Vibrio bacteria, which can contaminate shellfish and, when ingested by humans, cause diarrhea, fever and liver disease, are more prevalent when sea surface temperatures rise, too.
In addition to heating up, the ocean has taken up almost a third of the carbon dioxide that humans have generated, which has changed its chemistry. Seawater is now 30 percent more acidic than it was during the Industrial Revolution.
As ocean acidity increases, there are fewer carbonate ions in the ocean for the marine species that need calcium carbonate to build their shells and skeletons. Some shellfish, such as mussels and pterapods (tiny marine snails at the base of the food chain) are already beginning to create thinner shells, leaving them more vulnerable to predators. Ocean acidification can also interfere with the development of fish larvae and disrupt the sense of smell fish rely on to find food, habitats and avoid predators. In addition, It disturbs the ecosystems that marine life depends upon.
According to research being done at Columbia's Center for Climate and Life, ocean warming and acidification may end up restructuring microbial communities in the ocean. Because these sensitive microbes are the basis for the global food chain, what happens to them could have unforeseen and huge impacts on our food supplies.
Some experts predict that sea levels could rise one meter by 2100 due to melting polar ice caps and glaciers. In Asia, where much of the rice is grown in coastal areas and low-lying deltas, rising seas will likely disrupt rice production, and saltwater that moves further inland could reduce yields.
Aquaculture of fresh water species is also affected by sea level rise as salt water can move upstream in rivers. For example, in the Mekong Delta and Irawaddy region of Vietnam and Myanmar, the booming catfish aquaculture could be affected by saltwater intrusion. If this occurs, fish farms would have to be moved further upstream because catfish have little tolerance for saline conditions.
Who will feel the effects?
Climate change will not only affect food production and consumers; as optimal growing conditions shift with the climate, communities that depend on fishing or farming for their livelihoods will be disrupted.
Some higher latitude areas may benefit and become more productive, but if emissions continue to rise, the outlook for food production from 2050 to 2100 is not good. Wealthy nations and temperate regions will probably be able to withstand most of the impacts, whereas tropical regions and poor populations will face the most risks. Children, pregnant women, the elderly, low-income communities and those with weakened immune systems or chronic medical conditions will be most susceptible to the changes in food access, safety, and nutrition.
In addition, because food is a globally traded commodity today, climate events in one region could raise prices and cause shortages across the globe. Starting in 2006, drought in major wheat producing countries was a key factor in a dramatic spike in food prices. Many countries experienced food riots and political unrest.
Of course, the best way to reduce these risks to our food supply is to implement policies to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Earth Institute researchers, however, are working on some ambitious and potentially far-reaching projects to reduce risks to the food system.
Columbia's International Research Institute for Climate and Society is leading a project called Adapting Agriculture to Climate Today, for Tomorrow, or ACToday. Part of Columbia World Projects, ACToday will help to maximize food production and reduce crop losses by more precisely predicting and managing flood and drought risk, improving financial practices, and, when a food crisis unfolds, identifying the need for relief efforts earlier. The project introduces state-of-the-art climate information and prediction tools in six countries: Ethiopia, Senegal, Colombia, Guatemala, Bangladesh and Vietnam.
In case of a significant disruption in the global food system, there is no agency within the U.S. government whose responsibility it is to take charge, said Puma. His focus has been on trying to understand potential disruptions, which could be related to extreme weather, the power grid, conflict, or other factors. "We want to understand the food system in greater depth so we can identify vulnerabilities and adjust the system to deal with those," he said. Working with colleagues at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, he is building quantitative economic models to examine vulnerabilities in the food system under different scenarios; they will use the tool to explore how altering certain policies might reduce the vulnerabilities of the food system to disruptions.
The Center for Climate and Life is putting its efforts into building bridges between the business community and the science community in New York, to help clarify for investors the financial risks and opportunities of climate change. Large investment firms with long-term views have trillions of dollars in assets that could be jeopardized by climate change. De Menocal believes more intelligent investment strategies can be pursued with a science-based approach.


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Immunocontraception in Elephant Management
What have we learned in the last 20 years?
Immunocontraception is a non-steroidal, non-hormonal, non-invasive method of reversible contraception that is administered through a vaccination. The drug comprises a protein-based component called porcine zona pellucida (PZP) extracted from the ovaries of domestic pigs. The zona pellucida (ZP) is the membranous coating that surrounds all mammalian eggs. When PZP is injected into a female elephant, her body produces antibodies that bind themselves to the sperm receptor sites around the capsule surrounding her egg. The shape of the sperm receptor sites are changed, meaning that the sperm has nowhere to attach itself, and thus fertilization and pregnancy is prevented.
Having demonstrated the vaccine's efficacy in the Kruger National Park (KNP) field trials, the technique was fine-tuned and then applied in the Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve (GMPGR), a private game reserve in South Africa. The objective here was to determine if the vaccine could be used as a remotely deliverable population control mechanism in wild, free-ranging elephant. The project which began in GMPGR in 2000, was first tested on 18 elephants. As of 2016, 26 cows are under treatment and the method has shown almost 100% efficacy.
What have we learnt that over the last 20 years demonstrates that immunocontraception is the obvious choice for controlling elephant populations?
No immobilisation of the animals is required; the vaccine is administered remotely by means of a drop-out dart.
Implementation is quick and efficient and complete within a few hours.
The vaccine does not affect pregnancies in progress, so if a pregnant female is vaccinated, she will carry to term and the offspring remains unharmed.
A 12-year behavioural study on the GMPGR elephants published in a peer-reviewed journal demonstrated that individual elephants showed no sign of physical or behavioural anomalies either in the short- or medium term. Herd and population behaviour, as well as sexual selection processes, remained unaffected despite the decline in the number of calves within the herds and the increased frequency in oestrus (as fertilisation is prevented).
This method is target specific and does not affect any other animals either directly or indirectly. Once administered, PZP is easily assimilated by the body and hence does not pass into the food chain.
Reversibility has been demonstrated within the short to medium term.
The reduction of calving for defined periods can be compared to extended intercalving intervals experienced as a result of episodic natural catastrophes (e.g., drought or predation). Thus, natural processes are simulated.
Immunocontraception allows cohorts of births to occur, simulating natural gaps in recruitment in more natural low-resource conditions.
Immunocontraception allows elephants to occupy the same space but at lower overall numbers over time.
This method has dramatic effects on population numbers and prevents populations from doubling.
Brad Laughlin on Vimeo.
Julien Naar, Patricia Huon. March 2015.
Currently > 700 female elephants in 22 protected areas ranging from 2,000 – 96,000 ha are being treated with immunocontraception in South Africa. Within the last two years alone, PZP has been adopted by three provincial parks (Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife's Ithala, iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Hluhluwe iMfolozi – largest park and population) and one national park (Addo). Within these populations, the growth rate is managed in accordance with the carrying capacity of the site-specific habitat as well as the innate social and spatial nature of the species.
PZP-immunocontraception presents a proactive means of population control in elephants. If immunocontraception is not implemented, then the consequences of alternative methods, such as culling, must be fully examined and considered. In a world where an elephant is killed every 15 minutes for its tusks, do we really want to add to this number through culling, when a safe, humane alternative has been demonstrated to exist?
To answer any other questions that you may have, please visit www.hsi.org/assets/pdfs/elephant_immuno_report_2012.pdf
Audrey Delsink, Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve, Humane Society International, P O Box 1009, Hoedspruit, 1380
In collaboration with Prof. Henk Bertschinger1, Dr Jay Kirkpatrick2 and JJ van Altena3
1 University of Pretoria, Section of Reproduction, Department of Production Animal Studies, PO Box 75058, Lynwood Ridge 0040, South Africa
2 ZooMontana, Science and Conservation Centre, 2100 South Shiloh Road, Billings, MT 59106, USA
3Global Supplies, P O Box 1148, Highlands North 2037, South Africa
Ahlers, M., B. Ganswindt, S. Münschera, and H. Bertschinger. 2012. Fecal 20-oxo-pregnane concentrations in free-ranging African elephants (Loxodonta africana) treated with porcine zona pellucida vaccine. Theriogenology 78:77–85.
Benavides Valades, G., A. Ganswindt, H. Annandale, M. L. Schulman, and H. J. Bertschinger. 2012. Non-invasive assessment of the reproductive cycle in free-ranging female African elephants (Loxodonta africana) treated with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) vaccine for inducing anoestrus. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 10:63.
Bertschinger, H., A. Delsink, J. Kirkpatrick, J. van Altena, M. Ahlers, T. Dickerson, D. Powrie, and A. Burger. 2012. Porcine Zona Pellucida Immunocontraception of African elephants (Loxodonta africana): Beyond the experimental stage. Pages 95-102 in IVth International Wildlife Management Congress – Cooperative Wildlife Management Across Borders: Learning in the Face of Change. The Wildlife Society, 9 – 12 July 2012.
Delsink, A., and J. Kirkpatrick. 2012. Free-ranging African Elephant Immunocontraception: A New Paradigm for Elephant Management. Page 28. Humane Society International, Cape Town.
Delsink, A., J. Kirkpatrick, J. van Altena, H. Bertschinger, S. Ferreira, and R. Slotow. 2013a. Lack of spatial and behavioural responses to immunocontraception application in African Elephants (Loxodonta africana). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 44:S52-74.
Delsink, A., A. Vanak, S. Ferreira, and R. Slotow. 2013b. Biologically Relevant Scales in Large Mammal Management Policies. Biological Conservation 167:116-126.
Druce, H., R. Mackey, K. Pretorius, and R. Slotow. 2013. The intermediate-term effects of PZP immunocontraception: behavioural monitoring of the treated elephant females and associated family groups. Animal Conservation 16:180-187.
www.elephantvoices.org Accessed 23 September 2015