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Nursing Homes: Spread of COVID and Vaccine Mandates
Coronavirus Response TeamCOVID-19 MandatesFeaturedHealth Law MattersWorkforce Implications
Rhonda B. Schechter
News coverage of COVID-19 outbreaks at nursing homes in the United States helped create an assumption that nursing homes played a central role in the spread of the pandemic in this country. Data collected and analyzed by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) now substantiate this assumption. CMS's data indicates that the disproportionately high rate of COVID infections, hospitalizations, and deaths among nursing home residents is not attributable solely to that population's higher-than-average vulnerability to illness. The nursing home setting itself appears to have placed Medicare recipients ("beneficiaries") at greater risk of contracting and becoming seriously ill with COVID-19. CMS's findings were likely an influential factor in the Biden administration's decision to require nursing homes to vaccinate all staff or lose their Medicare and Medicaid funding. Nursing home owners and operators, already grappling with severe staffing shortages, feared a vaccine mandate focused on nursing homes would cause an exodus of staff to other sectors of the health care industry. They sought, and achieved, an expansion of the employee vaccine mandate to the health care industry at large.
"COVID-19 and the Workplace: Legal Requirements Employers Should Know."
This article is part three of our four-part series.
Part 1: Thinking About Implementing a Mandatory COVID 19 Vaccine Policy? Here Is What to Consider
Part 2: Maintaining Employee Medical Information and COVID-19
Part 3: Nursing Homes: Spread of COVID and Vaccine Mandates
Part 4: Coming Soon
CMS's conclusion about Medicare beneficiaries being at greater risk from COVID if they lived in a nursing home is based on the COVID-19 diagnoses from all services provided to Medicare Part A beneficiaries between March 1 and December 31, 2020. These COVID diagnoses were recorded on a claim or patient encounter record submitted to Medicare by any type of provider, whether a physician's office, hospital, laboratory, or other healthcare settings. Using submissions it received for all Medicare Part A beneficiaries (both those receiving Original Medicare and those enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans), CMS placed beneficiaries into two categories. If a beneficiary had resided in a nursing home within the 30 days before the beneficiary's first COVID-19 diagnosis or hospitalization, CMS placed the beneficiary in the "nursing home" category. All others were designated as "community" beneficiaries. CMS used several other categories to analyze the incidence of COVID among Medicare beneficiaries: age, sex, ethnicity, underlying chronic condition (e.g., asthma, diabetes), type of Medicare coverage, and the reason the individual was eligible for Medicare (age, disability or end-stage renal disease). The most statistically significant factor, however, was whether the individual receiving Medicare was in the "nursing home" category or the "community" category. "Nursing home" beneficiaries accounted for just 2% (1.4 million) of the Medicare beneficiaries (62 million), but about 22% of all COVID-19 cases in the U.S.
CMS's report offers the following comparisons of "nursing home" and "community" beneficiaries:
Nursing home residents were 14 times more likely to be diagnosed with COVID-19.
Nursing home residents were 12 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19.
Nursing home residents were about twice as likely to die within 30 days of admission to a hospital for COVID-19.
Based on comparisons like these, CMS concluded that "the location where beneficiaries reside (e.g. nursing homes) have significantly impacted COVID-19 related diagnoses, hospitalizations, and 30-day mortality."
Presumably prompted by CMS' data, President Joe Biden announced on August 18, 2021, that he was directing the Department of Health and Human Services ("HHS") to implement regulations requiring nursing homes to vaccinate their staff. CMS, which is part of HHS, issued a press release the same day stating it would collaborate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop these regulations, with the intention of releasing them in September. The Biden administration made it clear compliance with the regulations would become one of the "conditions of participation" in the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs. In other words, nursing homes across the country currently receiving any federal funds that flow through CMS will become ineligible for funds if they fail to impose a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on their staff in accordance with the new regulations. According to the White House, those regulations will "apply to nearly 15,000 nursing home facilities, which employ approximately 1.6 million workers and serve approximately 1.3 million nursing home residents."
Few, if any, of those 15,000 nursing homes can afford to jeopardize their Medicare and Medicaid funding. While Medicare generally does not cover the "room and board" portion of a long-term stay in a nursing home, it covers many of the medical costs incurred by residents of a nursing home. It is estimated Medicare and Medicaid funding accounts for more than 80% of the revenue at many nursing homes. While nursing homes owners and operators have little choice but to implement the employee vaccine mandate, many expressed concern that doing so will aggravate an existing staffing crisis. Some argued that singling out nursing homes was a "punitive" measure and would further erode public trust in an industry already suffering disproportionately from the pandemic. Industry representatives called on the federal government to expand the employee vaccine mandate to all health care providers. That call has been answered.
On September 9, 2021, the Biden administration announced the expansion of the employee vaccination mandate to all facilities receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding as a condition of continued funding. According to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, the expansion of the mandate was necessary because "[e]nsuring safety and access to all patients, regardless of their entry point into the health care system, is essential." This statement hints at the fact that the Biden administration and HHS took the concern that a vaccine mandate limited to nursing home staff might prompt such staff to leave their jobs for other positions in the health care industry seriously. And, perhaps, in a preemptive move to deter health care workers from leaving the industry entirely upon learning of an industry-wide mandate, the Biden administration announced on September 9 that all employers with 100 or more employees must ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or undergoes weekly COVID testing. Government-mandated COVID vaccines for employees are thus spreading from nursing homes to the U.S. population at large, imitating the pattern the COVID-19 virus itself followed.
For more information, please contact Rhonda Schechter or any attorney with Frost Brown Todd's Health Care Innovation industry team.
We've tagged this article as featured content because it was trending at the time of publication and drew considerable interest among our readers. Check out the latest trending articles and resource collections by visiting our featured section.


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Halacritus capensis är en skalbaggsart som beskrevs av Yves Gomy 1989. Halacritus capensis ingår i släktet Halacritus och familjen stumpbaggar. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

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capensis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Conioscyphascus varius är en svampart som beskrevs av Réblová & Seifert 2004. Conioscyphascus varius ingår i släktet Conioscyphascus, ordningen Sordariales, klassen Sordariomycetes, divisionen sporsäcksvampar och riket svampar.   Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

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varius


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StockMarketWire.com - Armadale Capital provided an update in respect of the significant progress made advancing the Mahenge Liandu Graphite Project in Tanzania towards production, including the remaining steps needed to complete the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS).
- DFS completion expected in Q4 2019 following Scoping Study that reported net present value (NPV) of $349m, Development CAPEX of $35m, pre-tax internal rate of return (IRR) of 122%; and 32-year life of mine with an after-tax payback period of 1.2 years.
Director Nick Johansen said: "The Mahenge Liandu Graphite deposit is one of the highest-grade large flake deposits globally with a current JORC Resource of 51.1Mt at 9.3% TGC.
"With work now underway to upgrade this resource to declare a maiden reserve, the potential of the Project is set to increase.
"We are now working on securing the mining permit and completing the Definitive Feasibility Study which will allow us to make the decision to mine and ultimately advance Mahenge Liandu into production.
"The Scoping Study released in March 2018 demonstrated an NPV of US$349m and IRR of 122%. Project capex drawdown was US$35m demonstrating the potential for an extremely low project development cost, with a payback estimated of 1.2 years and a 32-year life of mine.
"We expect the DFS to confirm our confidence in the extremely compelling economics of the project.
"We are encouraged by the strengthening graphite market which has been reflected across a number of comparable graphite-projects that are securing project finance and advancing to mine construction.
"The Tanzanian government is now actively recognising the requirement for foreign investment in the mining sector and we are pleased to note the accommodating investment conditions.
"I look forward to reporting further as our DFS and partner discussions continue.
"The company will release regular updates as material developments occur, including those areas covered in the ongoing work streams outlined below."


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Nothing doing without them. Diesel or gasoline engines alike, more and more vehicles nowadays depend on specific vacuum pumps. These pumps generate the vacuum needed for boosting brake performance, vacuum which is also required for controlling servo systems and exhaust gas recirculation.
We have developed the vacuum pump system which is most frequently used today, the single-vane design, into a highly cost-competitive version that perfectly addresses our customers' vacuum needs in every respect. The pump features a rotary drive and is available in 4 different standard sizes ranging from 130 cm3, to 260 cm3. Its low power intake is attributable to the design principle applied and reduces fuel consumption; in addition, it can be fitted with separate vacuum ports for brake boosters and servo devices.
Less is often more: in designing the single-vane vacuum pumps, we had their production costs in mind right from the start. As a result, we succeeded in keeping them lean with a minimum of parts and machining operations. So they are not only robust, but also highly cost-efficient. We did not lose sight of environmental aspects either: all materials used for the single-vane vacuum pump are easily recyclable.
The single-vane vacuum pumps come ready for installation, with customer-specific vacuum port, oil tube for pressure lubrication directly via the camshaft plus, if necessary, an element for sealing the pump against the cylinder head.
Depending on engine requirements, rotation is clockwise or counterclockwise. Another advantage: viable integration solutions ideally addressing the trend of carmakers towards modular assemblies that occupy as little space as possible. In other words: pumps with different functions such as oil and vacuum pumps, for example, can be modularized and combined in an evermore reduced space.
Moreover, existing products are undergoing constant optimization in order to improve the efficiency of the pump itself and increase its efficiency in interaction with the engine. To this end, new materials are tried and applied and controllable or electrically assisted systems developed.


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19 Best Running Movies You Can't Miss
December 22, 2022 September 16, 2022
Running is one of the healthiest activities around. However, there might be days you can't bring yourself to put your running shoes on. If you need a some motivation, here are the 19 best running movies you can draw inspiration from:
1. Run Lola Run (1998)
German, English, Japanese 1h 20m IMDb
Director: Tom Tykwer
Stars: Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, Herbert Knaup
If you don't fear subtitled films, then Run Lola Run is one movie you shouldn't miss. It became a breakthrough film at the Sundance and Toronto Film Festivals.
It is probably one of the most interesting and creative films you can watch. The movie revolves around Lola and how she has to figure out how to come up with 100,000 Deutsche Mark to help her boyfriend. Franka Potente plays Lola excellently.
The film's three different potential endings make it a unique film. It's all up to the audience to decide how the story ends.
2. I Am Bolt (2016)
Director: Ben Turner, Gabe Turner
Stars: Usain Bolt, Nugent Walker Jr., Ricky Simms
Usain Bolt is one of the most prolific athletes. And if you want to get to know Usain better, then add this movie to the list. This movie documents how amazing Usain Bolt is as an athlete. You get to see how much work and dedication he puts in.
If you want an inspiring story that centers on Bolt, his humble beginnings, and his remarkable career, don't miss this one. There are footages from when Bolt was 15 years old, until he won numerous gold models at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
3. Forrest Gump (1994)
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise
Forrest Gump is one of the iconic movies of the 1990s. No matter how old this movie is, it won't leave people's lists of the best films. And it's no surprise. Apart from the excellent, award-winning acting of Tom Hanks, this is an exceptional film that will inspire you. It tugs at your heartstrings. It's one of those classic movies that people can talk about for ages.
When watching this movie, it's as if you are taken on a journey, especially with Forrest's struggles and triumphs. It's one of those movies you can't just put in one box because it has dramatic and comedic moments.
4. The Athlete (2009)
English, Amharic, Oromo 1h 32m IMDb
Director: Davey Frankel, Rasselas Lakew
Stars: Rasselas Lakew, Dag Malmberg, Ruta Gedmintas
Here's another compelling foreign film that might interest you. This movie, aptly entitled The Athlete, is about Ethiopian marathon runner, Abebe Bikila. He surprised the world by winning at the Rome Olympic games. He repeated the same feat at the Tokyo Olympics. However, tragedy struck, and he lost his legs. He faced a new struggle, but he never wavered.
The Athlete is an independent film that allows you to discover a man and an athlete and his unwavering determination. The way the film was made is like a mix of a biopic and a documentary.
5. Prefontaine (1997)
Director: Steve James
Stars: Jared Leto, R. Lee Ermey, Ed O'Neill
Have you heard of Steve Prefontaine? Whether you have or not, you might find the story of this running legend's life fascinating.
There was something about Pre and his perseverance, will, and motivation. And these are highlighted in the movie. In this movie, there are scenes featuring Jared Leto as Steve Prefontaine. And then there are parts focusing on actual footage from people who knew Pre.
The film has many inspiring messages, including being determined and driven. If you need some inspiration before your long-distance run, find that in this film!
6. Brittany Runs A Marathon (2019)
Director: Paul Downs Colaizzo
Stars: Jillian Bell, Jennifer Dundas, Patch Darragh
Anyone who has tried losing weight would tell you that it's never easy. Many people could probably relate to this movie's main character. Brittany has been making poor life choices. However, to turn things around, she takes up running and aims to join the New York City marathon.
One of the criticisms of the movie is that the main character is shallow and mean. However, more than the commitment to run and lose weight, Brittany learns valuable life lessons and grows from the experiences.
If you are looking for something relatable and believable, give Brittany Runs A Marathon a chance!
7. Run Fatboy Run (2007)
Director: David Schwimmer
Stars: Simon Pegg, Thandiwe Newton, Hank Azaria
If you have enjoyed Simon Pegg's movies, here's another one you should not miss. Catch Simon in David Schwimmer's Run Fatboy Run. He is excellent in this film! The movie is about Dennis, who is set to marry his pregnant girlfriend. However, the wedding never happens because he runs away. Fast forward to five years later, and he joins a marathon to make a point.
While the movie does not have the most groundbreaking plot, it's well-written. It's something that some people can relate to. If you love comedy and running, then it's a double win!
8. Unbroken (2014)
Ukrainian, English, Japanese, Italian 2h 17m IMDb
Director: Angelina Jolie
Stars: Jack O'Connell, Miyavi, Domhnall Gleeson
Unbroken is based on Olympic runner and War Veteran, Louis Zamperini. Before Zamperini became one of the torch relay bearers for the 1998 Winter games in Japan, he overcame various obstacles. In one of his missions during World War II, his plane crashes. Members of the Japanese Navy pick him and two others up from the ocean. They then become POWs and go through unspeakable hardships.
While this Angelina Jolie-directed film starts slow, it builds itself up, leading viewers to understand the power of the human spirit and forgiveness. Critics loved Jack O'Connell's portrayal of Zamperini.
9. Chariots Of Fire (1981)
English, French 2h 5m IMDb
Director: Hugh Hudson
Stars: Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, Nicholas Farrell
If the subject is "inspirational movies about running", then Chariots Of Fire is probably a hot topic. It's probably one of the most popular movies that involve running. And it deserves all the attention. This classic movie is based on a true story about two British runners with different religions who ran in the 1924 Olympics.
This remarkable film features beautifully written characters and their unforgettable and compelling story. And whether or not you are someone who has a strong faith, the movie leaves a message about honoring a Higher Being.
10. Running for Good: The Fiona Oakes Documentary (2018)
Director: Keegan Kuhn
Stars: Scott Jurek, Fiona Oakes, Rich Roll
If you want to find the best version of yourself, then you might have to put in work. Take some inspiration from Fiona Oakes. She is an incredible record-breaking marathon runner who strives to join a 250-kilometer ultramarathon set in the Sahara desert .
Through this movie, the viewers get to see just how great Fiona is. She is not just an unbelievable athlete but also a wonderful human being. Everything she has done and will do is for the animals under her care. Now, if that is not inspirational and aspirational, then what is?
11.Skid Row Marathon (2017)
Director: Mark Hayes
Stars: David Askew, Joan Bys, Rafael Cabrera
For some people, it has become their life's mission to make a difference in society. And that's something Judge Mitchell, a judge from Los Angeles, aims to do. He does this through a running club based in the Skid Row area of LA.
Through this movie, you will not only learn about Judge Mitchell and his desire to help others, you also get to know some of the people who are part of his running club. It will inspire and touch you and make you believe in giving others second chances.
12. Marathon (2021)
Director: Anthony Guidubaldi, Keith Strausbaugh
Stars: Kimia Behpoornia, Jimmy Slonina, Andrew Hansen
Before starting this movie, there's something you should know. It's a mockumentary, so take things with a grain of salt. Marathon is about five people who train for a grueling marathon.
This movie has satire, comedy, and humor all rolled into one. It pokes fun at the different types of marathon runners out there. It is a highly recommended film if you want something light and funny. And if you need a laugh or two, especially during these trying times, rent or buy this movie as soon as you can!
13. The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young (2014)
Director: Annika Iltis, Timothy James Kane
Stars: Lazarus Lake
The Barkley Marathons is probably one of the most intriguing racing events in the world. If you have not heard of this spectacle before, you can learn a thing or two about it through the film, The Barkleys Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young.
Don't let the long title deter you from checking this movie. It follows and documents the 2012 edition of this extreme foot race. There's a certain eccentricity and ambiguity to the race. However, despite its quirkiness, it's ultimately a story about endurance and motivation.
14. Running Brave (1983)
Director: Donald Shebib
Stars: Robby Benson, Pat Hingle, Claudia Cron
Running Brave is a marvelous film depicting the life of Billy Mills. He was part of South Dakota's Oglala Sioux. He became a gold-winning Olympian, winning in the 10,000-meter race.
Inspiring is one word to best describe the film. Billy Mills had to overcome so many obstacles before finally winning the top-prize at the Olympics. Apart from the running scenes, there are also scenes focusing on racial prejudices. And it's often tricky to depict Native culture, but the makers of the film managed to do it well.
15. Lorena, Light-footed Woman (2019)
Spanish, Tarahumara 28m IMDb
Director: Juan Carlos Rulfo
Stars: Lorena Ramirez, Mario Ramírez, Santiago Ramírez
You only need 30 minutes of your life to get to know the captivating life of Lorena. Some people in this world were born to run and Lorena is one of them. She has won countless accolades for long-distance running.
While Lorena, the main focus of the film, speaks less than expected, her innate talent for running speaks for itself. It actually speaks volumes. The enthralling running scenes are enhanced even more by the beautiful cinematography.
So the next time you are looking for something short but sensational, look for Lorena, Light-footed Woman!
16. The Robber (2010)
German 1h 41m IMDb
Director: Benjamin Heisenberg
Stars: Andreas Lust, Markus Schleinzer, Roman Kettner
The Robber is an Austrian film about one of the most wanted bank robbers from the country. It's believed the movie is based on Johann Rettenberger. He was known as a marathon runner. But gained notoriety for robbing banks.
In the film, the reasons why he kept robbing banks seem vague. However, it doesn't take away from the other marvels of the film. The cinematography alone is worth your time! One look at one of the running scenes and you will know why the film is a visual delight.
17. McFarland, USA (2015)
English, Spanish 2h 9m IMDb
Director: Niki Caro
Stars: Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Ramiro Rodriguez
Kevin Costner plays the main lead in Disney's McFarland, USA. This is actually based on a true underdog story. As a coach, he discovers that his predominantly Latino students have notable running skills and abilities.
With the guidance of Coach white, the students overcome the challenges they face in and out of the school, eventually becoming winners. This poignant and heartwarming film will have you rooting for the boys in the film. It's filled with profound lessons that will stay with you no matter how many times you watch this.
18. Saint Ralph (2004)
Director: Michael McGowan
Stars: Adam Butcher, Campbell Scott, Jennifer Tilly
This movie, set in 1950s Canada, is about 14-year-old Ralph Walker. It's one of those coming-of-age movies that will warm your heart. It has a universal theme that many people can relate to.
Ralph's life isn't the greatest. He has a dead father and comatose mother. He vows to join the Boston Marathon and win it. And when he does, a miracle will happen to his mother.
While Ralph is Catholic and all, the film is also about hope, drive, and believing in something bigger than yourself.
19. The Long Green Line (2008)
Director: Matthew Arnold
Stars: Joe Newton, Charlie Kern, Eric Dettman
The Long Green Line is about Coach Joe Newton. He has dedicated over 50 years of his life coaching. This extraordinary man has guided so many young people to win, especially the members of his team. Despite all this, what makes him legendary is how he mentors and encourages his players.
In The Long Green Line, we get to know Coach Newton as we get to catch sight of him coaching in one of the seasons. Anyone who calls themselves a coach or aspires to be should watch this movie!
No Running Needed For You To Watch Movies
There is no need for you to be out of breath if you are figuring out what movie to watch. With the 19 best running movies at your disposal, you can easily choose which one to watch. If you need to draw insights and life lessons, these running-themed movies will get you going!
19 Best Baseball Movies That You Must Watch
22 Best 3D Movies You Can't Miss
19 Best End of the World Movies You Can't Miss

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We are pleased to announce the Dealey Chess Club schedule is set for the fall semester!
Registration Form : Click here!
Location : All students will meet in the library on 9/12. After that, advanced students will meet in Mr. Mazur's Art Room while beginner and intermediate players will continue to meet in the library.
We look forward to an exciting year of chess and we hope you'll join us!


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Campaign - 38m ago
Opinion>Congress Blog>Energy & Environment at The Hill
The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the view of The Hill
Crying wolf over fuel efficiency standards
by John German, International Council on Clean Transportation - 07/27/11 4:11 PM ET
The truth is that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency are drafting rules that grade manufacturers — and the cars, trucks, and SUVs they build — on a curve. This was mandated by the 2007 Energy Information and Security Act. The proposed 56 mpg standard by the year 2025 is not an inflexible line in the sand requiring all manufacturers to make only cars, trucks and SUVs go at least 56 miles on a gallon of gas.
{mosads}Instead, the new standards are designed so that each manufacturer's goal is custom-calculated, based on that manufacturer's own product line. An automaker that builds mostly larger cars, SUVs, and trucks will have lower mileage goals than a competitor that builds mostly compact and subcompact cars. And an SUV or truck with a larger "footprint" will not be required to get the same mileage as a small car. While the curves have not been proposed yet for 2025, the footprint curve for the 2016 standards established targets of 41.1 mpg for the Honda Fit compact car, 32.6 mpg for the Chrysler 300 full-size car, 32.9 mpg for the Ford Escape small SUV, and 24.7 mpg for the Chevy Silverado pickup truck.
Because automakers will be graded on a curve, there are incentives for manufacturers to build vehicles in every size class. The standards simply mandate that each of those vehicles, regardless of size, be as energy-efficient as possible.
If you hear automakers grumble that they cannot meet these fuel efficiency standards, don't believe them — they are much better at innovation than they're letting on. It is important to understand how risk adverse automotive engineers have to be. Just misplacing the accelerator petal cost Toyota billions of dollars. Quality constraints are so severe that engineers are mired in a very conservative mindset that causes them to always underestimate what they can accomplish. Auto manufacturers not only have a plethora of new alternative fuel technologies to explore and develop, they also have plenty of on-the-shelf technologies they are in the process of deploying to make cars more fuel-efficient.
Stronger and lighter steel and simple design solutions are already available today -— and they save a lot of gas. It's the same story with technologies such as variable valve timing, cylinder deactivation, direct injected turbocharged engines, improved transmissions, and integrated starter systems. Manufacturers are already beginning to adopt these technologies. But they need to do it at a faster clip to help reduce fuel prices, our dependence on imported oil, and global warming gases.
Technology can move quickly or at a snail's pace, depending on the motivation of the industry involved. Several studies have shown that automakers could achieve the strong standard of 56 mpg that the Obama administration is reportedly considering even if they only use technologies already available today -— without any alternative fuel technologies coming on line at all.
But of course, it's silly to assume no innovation during the 14-year lead-time before cars have to meet the new mileage standards. Think of how long 14 years is in technological terms. Fourteen years ago, there were no BlackBerries, no iPhones, no Facebook, no Twitter.
On U.S. vehicles, there was no direct injection, no high-strength steel, no variable cam phasing, no 6- or 8-speed transmissions, no hybrid systems, no vehicle stability control, and lead-acid batteries were being used in battery-electric vehicles.
The last time gas mileage standards were tightened up, car makers -— after their initial protest -— got to work, and they are already well on their way to reaching the 35.5 mpg goal they agreed to last year.
If given an ambitious goal again in 2012 — and 56 mpg by 2025 strikes me as ambitious, but doable —- we will probably be in for another round of hemming and hawing on the part of most carmakers. But at the end of the day, automakers will be able to get the job done. And families across the country will benefit.
John German is a senior fellow and program director for the International Council on Clean Transportation. He spent eight years at Chrysler working on fuel economy issues in powertrain engineering, thirteen years doing research and writing regulations at the Ann Arbor, Mich., EPA's Office of Mobile Sources' laboratory, and eleven years as manager of Environmental and Energy Analyses for American Honda Motor Company.
More Energy & Environment at The Hill News
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OHL Cancels Plans to Return to Play for 2020-2021 Season, Affecting Saginaw Spirit
Apr 20, 2021 @ 7:07pm
(source: Saginaw Spirit)
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) has cancelled plans for a Return to Play for the 2020-2021 season due to the recently extended stay at home order in Ontario and increasing cases of COVID-19 across the province. That cancels the season for the Saginaw Spirit, which President and Managing Partner Craig Goslin called "crushing," in making the announcement on WSGW's Art Lewis Show Tuesday.
"We have worked tirelessly with the Province and the Chief Medical Officer of Health for the past year on different scenarios and different windows of opportunity but the reality is the conditions in Ontario have never been right to start and complete an uninterrupted, safe opportunity for players to showcase their skills," said OHL Commissioner David Branch. "We owe it to our players and their families to be definitive. We were committed to return and play this season, but our hopes and desires have been dashed by the cruel realities of COVID-19."
The OHL includes teams from Ontario, Michigan and Pennsylvania, but Goslin said teams had decided to take an "all for one and one for all" attitude regarding the pandemic. Goslin said it's had a devastating effect financially, but he said Spirit owner Dick Garber and the Dow Event Center have been committed partners. Goslin said they're now looking ahead to the 2021-2022 season.


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If you have already gotten started, send me an email to tell me about your practice. I am collecting success stories now to write about in an upcoming post. There is nothing like a little free publicity, right?
P.S. And speaking of publicity, many thanks to Neil Squillante and his crew for including the book in their invaluable SmallLaw 2012 Summer Reading list available through the Technolawyer SmallLaw newsletter and Technolawyer blog! If you have read my book, you already know how much I like the Technolawyer. Check it out and subscribe. You will be glad you did.


"One-stop enterprise that offers the complete range of creative related services "
We're on a mission to bring beauty and design directly to your place. Whether its home, office, apartment, society, state, city. Our vision is to make your place creatively beautiful. Interiors Design, Home Decor, Exceptional Workplaces, Society or City Makeover.
readable, pronounceable, and easily written.
isn't what sells the most product/services.
If you don't love it, don't use it.
"We work creatively to make your work fun, help you innovate, grow, advance skills & build buisness "
Manishsatija.com is a creative branding agency in India | Delhi-NCR, one-stop enterprise that offers the complete range of creative related services like Corporate Branding (online & offline), Company and Domain name suggestions, Advertising Campaigns (print media, tv commercials, radio commercials, mobile campaigns), Event Organising, Graphics & Logo Designing, Digital Marketing (SEO & SMO), Web Designing & Development, Interiors & Exteriors Designing, Photography, Films etc.
Attention Buyers, Sellers, Students & Teachers! We also educate people to stand out in the creative world. Learn an art of being creative.
Photoshop, Coral Draw, Creative Skills, Innovative ideas, Making creative products from Household items, Waste materials, Sketches, Drawings, Paintings, Visual art work and many more.


I've been using TT Subscribe2 Frontend on a site for a couple of years, but saw that a couple updates back, it's noted that you've abstracted the subscription management so it can be used anywhere, thus (I think?) eliminating the need for TT Subscribe2 Fronted. However, I can't find any documentation on actually implementing a subscription management form. I tried using the [subscribe2] shortcode, but it just generates a sentence with a link to the WP Admin s2 settings page, which is not what I want.
Did I misunderstand? Is there a simple way to implement a frontend form for a user to manage subscriptions when they're logged in but do not have access to WP Admin?
Ahhh, it's under the "Appearance" tab.
So, I see I can (and have) used the s2_authors filter to set $authors to an empty array, which removes that whole section from the form. But it doesn't look like there are any other hooks for editing the form content for this form.
e.g. We have several excluded categories. These excluded categories still show up on the form members use to manage their subscriptions. I want to remove them. I also want to hide the "Receive email as:" section, since the organization only sends to members and only wants to send HTML. I don't want to do it via frontend manipulation, but it looks like my only option then is hacking the class-s2-forms.php plugin file. Is that correct?


Like any business, dental practices may need to make focused efforts on their patient experience in order to ensure they're delivering quality customer service and retaining happy patients. Unfortunately, customer service strategies may not be a big focus for dental schools. Great customer service is something dental professionals may have to learn on their own, through experience. And while amazing patient experiences may come in many different forms, the right strategies for your practice may be completely specific to you and your patients.
From text message and email appointment reminders to a range of electronic payment options, consumers of all types may appreciate the convenience of modern, streamlined services. At the very least, you may want to offer the same payment and scheduling options as your competition. If you can, consider going even further. For example, consider accepting smartphone app payments like Apple Pay and including an online payment portal accessible on your website.
TLDR: Find and integrate modern technology into your payment and scheduling processes.
It may be much easier for patients to stay loyal to your dental practice if they feel like they have an established relationship with you and your staff. You may not have to know the details of each patient's lives, but by taking a few notes each visit, you may be able to remind yourself of previous conversations.
Consider calling each patient by name, then using your notes to ask about their families, school, work, children, new car, travel, anything they may have mentioned before. Even though you may need a little note to jog your memory, conversations about more than the weather may be exactly the kind of authentic interactions that help to build trust and brand loyalty.
TLDR: Use notes to remember patient details and help yourself to have real conversations about what matters to them.
Think about some memorable amenities you could offer to enhance the client experience. Not every amenity will impress every patient, nor is every amenity practical for every practice. Think about the amenities that may "wow" your patients specifically, whether they include a "comfort cart" of various items for anxious patients or toys and games for children, find amenities that fit your specific niche.
TLDR: Amenities chosen for your specific patient types may make their experience more memorable and pleasant.
A quick phone call to your patients after major procedures may go a long way to show patients how much you care. Imagine being a patient that's spent the morning having a root canal, getting braces or another major procedure. Later in the day, they could be experiencing pain, discomfort, or everything could be fine when their dentist personally calls to check on them. If they have questions or concerns they may get answers immediately. Either way, they may feel like their dentist is personally invested in their well-being.
TLDR: Consider contacting your patients by phone, a few hours after major dental procedures.
One of the best ways to improve customer service in your practice may be explaining more and listening more. Since dentistry may induce anxiety and fear, being more open with your patients may be a real benefit to both of you.
Consider having front desk staff give new patients a tour of your practice. Then, for regular visits, try to communicate, openly and honestly, during every aspect of the experience. Ask frontline staff to give patients wait time estimates when they check in. Ask your dental hygienists to explain exactly what they're doing and why, even explaining the different tools they're using. Look for opportunities to give your patients informed choices in their care as well, when you can.
TLDR: Keep patients informed and involved by explaining your practice and procedures.
It may be tough to listen to your patients without an easy way to do so. Consider creating a system of collecting and reviewing patient feedback about your dental practice. Consider creating a way for patients to give you open, honest feedback about their experiences, such as a Yelp page, a Google My Business listing, an email address for suggestions or concerns or even a suggestion box in your waiting room. Then, share it with patients, encourage feedback, make someone on your staff responsible for the program and be sure to address concerns in a timely manner.
TLDR: Create a way of collecting and reviewing honest patient feedback.
Keeping your practice clean, organized, courteous and efficient may seem like obvious foundations of good customer service, but these practices may not always be consistent everywhere. Before you add any amenities, technology or alter your policies to be more patient-friendly, take a hard look at the base experience of your practice and be sure it's working well for everyone.
Consider the speed and accuracy of your billing, patient wait times, the appearance and demeanor of your staff, the cleanliness of your office and even the proximity of patients to private conversations among your staff. All of those may be major factors in your patient's satisfaction.
TLDR: Be sure your practice is timely, organized, clean and professional as the foundation of good customer service.
No matter what specific strategy you choose, the best way to start making your patients happier may be by understanding who they are and what they want. Before you begin introducing changes to your practice, consider surveying a portion of your patients, creating patient personas or brainstorming with your staff to find some of the most effective ways to focus your efforts. Remember to consider the whole journey of your patients and let their needs lead your actions.
Treloar & Heisel, Inc. and its divisions do not offer legal or marketing advice. Please consult a legal or marketing professional for any issues concerning these topics.


Before the arrival of Tiny Thai, most Thai-craving Vermonters were weaned on the cuisine of Art and Claire Jilandharn. In recent years, their empire has stretched from Montpelier to Waterbury, Middlebury to Burlington. That Waterbury hub, Ocha Thai Restaurant, closed in 2013. Now it's back, on the Waterbury-Stowe Road next to Stash N' Stowe smoke shop.
There's no formality to the fluorescent-lit, 18-seat spot with its lavender walls and wooden parrots hung from the ceiling. Most customers on Sunday night were picking up take-out, but we took a seat to try a sampling of the new/old restaurant's menu.
Som tam, the classic raw papaya salad, is my barometer for the skills of a Thai chef. This was an interesting case: With a nod to my slightly spice-shy dining partner, I ordered the veggies medium hot. But the crisp, chile-flecked beans and tomatoes left a pulse of spiky electricity on my lips. More lime dressing may have dulled the fire, but even the liberal shower of peanuts on top didn't subdue the crackle much. A little more acid would have been nice, but so far, so hot.
At $5, the potstickers were an exceptional value. The pillowy center of ground chicken and veggies found an uncommon foil in a splash of red curry sauce and chopped peanuts. Unfortunately, the comforting combo was marred by overcooked, overthick dumpling skins.
While the medium-hot som tam was a chile blitz, the khao pad grapa that I ordered "hot" wouldn't have offended your midwestern grandmother. Basically, it was Thai risotto, with egg standing in for the creamy particles of broken arborio. The soft pile of rice, flavored mostly with garlic and fish sauce, was pleasant but uninspiring.
It was vastly improved when Claire Jilandharn brought over the combination of chiles at top. I used the one on the left, fish sauce infused with chile and lime. It woke up the grains and peppers with a smack of acid and heat. If she bottled the stuff, I would buy it.
If a restaurant serves khao soi, I will order it. But I've never had one quite like Ocha's. The artistically decorated bowl came to the table overflowing with an aroma similar to that of jasmine tea. There was something vaguely floral to the dramatically yellow coconut curry, too. It could have used some more heat, but its rewards were more subtle.
The mustard greens tangling with the noodles below the surface were not as pickled as they could have been, but it was still a dish worthy of a return engagement.
We boxed up our large portions of rice, noodles and som tam to leave room for dessert. A cake of forbidden rice infused with coconut milk included a mix of hard and soft grains for textural variety. The slippery custard on top was a warm, sweet omelette that added some needed moisture to the plate. I didn't eat the carrots, but I don't blame the chefs for wanting to create a pretty plate. They succeeded. And they did it all in a tiny former pizzeria, next to a smoke shop.


Achalasia Cardia is also called cardiospasm and non-cardiac chest pain. It is the problem of the food pipe or esophagus, Ayurvedic Treatment of Cardiospasm in India. It is the difficulty in swallowing, resulting in chest pain and regurgitation of undigested food. It may wrongly be interpreted as the heart attack. The disorder is due to the inability of smooth muscles to relax, which causes the lower oesophageal sphincter to stay closed.
It is a condition in which the lower esophagus sphincter fails to relax.
There is difficulty in swallowing solid food and liquids also.
Chest pain, regurgitation of food are usually reported during night hours.
Chest pain may occur due to difficulty in ingestion of food etc.
A condition called Corkscrew Oesophagus is the poorly coordinated peristalsis of the esophagus which too, causes chest pain. These uncoordinated contractions inhibit the passage of food to stomach efficiently.
Usually, the severe pain is reported, which increases after the exercise. This may mimic the chest pain.
Most people encounter this problem even after surgery.
Biopsy of tissue taken the lower end of the esophagus (to rule out cancer).
Vega dharanam must be avoided.
Spasms can be taken as kaphavruta vata avastha. Kapha vatahara, anulomana, usnakincit sneha drugs are recommended.
The following drugs help in curing this disorder.
Lasunadi or Resonadi kasayam (kapha vata haram, usnam) 60 ml morning and night before food.
Gandharva hastadi kasayam with salt and jaggery 60 ml morning and night before food.
Citraka granthyadi kasayam, Nayopayam kasayam and Saptasaram kasayam- 60 ml in morning and before food.
Panasa Cada (jackfruit leaves) with puffed rice- 60 ml along with dhanvantara gulika (2 tablets muhur)- muhur prayogam.
Asta churnam- 1 teaspoon with buttermilk morning and night after food.
Bhaskara lavana churnam, Vaiscvanara churnam and Avipathi churnam – 1 teaspoon of each with warm water morning and night after food.
Hinguvacadi gulika and Kasturi gulika – 2-0-2 of each of these, with buttermilk after food.
Antrakutara rasam-1-0-1 with buttermilk after food.
Parusakadi, Nayopam lehyam, Sukumara rasayanam and Dasamula haritaki -1 teaspoon morning and night after food.
Indukantham ghritam (katu rasa, usnam, sophgnam) -1 teaspoon in the morning and after food.
Hapusadi ghritam and Sadphala ghritam -1 teaspoon of each in the morning and after food.
Dadimadi ghritam -1 teaspoon in the morning at empty stomach.
Abhayaristam, Pippalyasavam, Dantyaristam and Bhutikaranjasavam-15 ml of each, in morning and night after food.
Sukumara erandam (anulomanam) 15 ml is recommended once in 3 days at bedtime with milk (thamaka svasa cikitsa, i.e., prati marga harana cikitsa principle is considered here).
Muhur prayogam- Narikera lavanam and bhaskara lavanam (3gm) mixed with butter milk (100ml) and muhur.
Mild sneha svedana can be given in the chest region and throat region.
Udavartha chikitsa is effective as very few cases end up in dilatation or surgery or botulinum toxin therapy.
Cardiospasm treatment in Parijatak is done with herbal medicines. Also, the experts diagnose the disease with great care so that any minor defect is not ignored. Consider talking to healthcare experts at Parijatak Ayurveda for the herbal cure of cardiospasm. You will get the best cardiospasm treatment in India here.
Reason for cardiospasm: Numerous internal and external pathogenic factors, as well as violations of embryogenesis and neurogenic dysfunction, leading to its total extension may be reasons of megaesophagus.


Piraeus, Greece: Celestyal Cruises announced its 2019 Itineraries, which will bring its passengers to the best of the Aegean. All cruises depart from and return to Piraeus.
3- and 4-Day Iconic Aegean Cruises feature five and six Aegean harbours, respectively: the 3-Day calls at Mykonos, Samos or Kusadasi, Patmos, Heraklion (Crete) and Santorini; the 4-Day calls at Mykonos, Samos or Kusadasi, Patmos, Rhodes, Heraklion and Santorini. Both itineraries include a full evening on Mykonos and a full evening on Santorini, while the 4-Day includes an entire day on Rhodes. The 3-Day Iconic Aegean Cruises set sail on 15 March 2019, with the final cruise of the season on 15 November 2019; the 4-Day Iconic Aegean Cruises set sail on 18 March 2019, with the final cruise of the season on 11 November 2019.
The 2019 Idyllic Aegean Cruise calls at Mykonos, Milos, Samos or Kusadasi, Heraklion and Santorini. This is the perfect cruise for those who want to experience the glamorous nightlife of Mykonos and Santorini, as this cruise includes an overnight on each island. This itinerary also includes an entire afternoon on Milos, a geological marvel famed for its natural beauty, its culture and history and its amazing beaches, some accessible by car, some by boat, all of them waiting to be explored; this itinerary also features an entire day on Crete. The first 7-Day Idyllic Aegean Cruise of 2019 embarks 15 April 2019; the last cruise sails 28 October 2019.


text:
Copyright: The Boeing Company
Boeing unveils new unmanned combat drone "Loyal Wingman"
Aviation Industry, Military Aviation News, Video
Boeing has unveiled its newest unmanned platform "Loyal Wingman", the Boeing Airpower Teaming System. Designed for global defense customers by Boeing Australia, it is the company's largest investment in a new unmanned aircraft program outside the United States. The aircraft will complement and extend airborne missions through smart teaming with existing military aircraft.
A model of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System was unveiled at the Avalon 2019 Australian International Airshow by the Australian Minister for Defence, the Hon. Christopher Pyne MP. As a research and development activity, the Australian Government and Boeing will produce a concept demonstrator called the Loyal Wingman – Advanced Development Program that will provide key learnings toward the production of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System.
"The Boeing Airpower Teaming System will provide a disruptive advantage for allied forces' manned/unmanned missions," said Kristin Robertson, vice president and general manager of Boeing Autonomous Systems. "With its ability to reconfigure quickly and perform different types of missions in tandem with other aircraft, our newest addition to Boeing's portfolio will truly be a force multiplier as it protects and projects air power."
The Boeing Airpower Teaming System will:
Provide fighter-like performance, measuring 38 feet long (11.7 metres) and able to fly more than 2,000 nautical miles
Integrate sensor packages onboard to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and electronic warfare
Use artificial intelligence to fly independently or in support of manned aircraft while maintaining safe distance between other aircraft.
"This aircraft is a historic endeavor for Boeing. Not only is it developed outside the United States, it is also designed so that our global customers can integrate local content to meet their country-specific requirements," said Marc Allen, president, Boeing International. "The Boeing Airpower Teaming System provides a transformational capability in terms of defense, and our customers – led by Australia – effectively become partners on the program with the ability to grow their own sovereign capabilities to support it, including a high-tech workforce."
The Airpower Teaming System is the first unmanned aircraft designed and built by Boeing outside the USA, the company says and the first flight is planned for 2020. The Boeing Airpower Teaming System is a new unmanned aircraft using artificial intelligence to be that force multiplier. It's designed to work as a smart team with existing military aircraft to complement and extend airborne missions from ISR to electronic warfare and more but with a low-cost design that allows operators to confidently put it on the front line.
Imagine dozens of cheap and expendable UAVs flying and fighting alongside expensive manned aircraft a new air force structure intended to greatly expand the lethality of the USA and allies. Capable of teaming with fast-moving manned aircraft such as fighters like the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet or Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II the "Loyal wingman" drones could be sent where air forces would rather not fly expensive aircraft and human pilots.
Photo credits: The Boeing company
boeingboeing aircraftBoeing Airpower Teaming Systemboeing defenseLoyal Wingman dronemilitary UAV systems
Boeing opens state-of-the-art V-22 Osprey production facility
Royal Air Force sees demo of new Protector RG Mk1 capabilities
T-7A Red Hawk: USAF reveals name of its new advanced pilot training system from Boeing
Singapore Airlines: order for 39 new Boeing airplanes


text:
What is happening to Chelsea?
That question is on everyone's lips after the defending Premier League champions crumbled to back-to-back losses in the current season.
Following a 1-0 loss to visiting Manchester City, the Blues were shocked by tailenders Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park 2-1.
In a span of two weeks, Antonio Conte's side appeared far from being the holders.
After those setbacks, they found themselves in fifth place in the standings with 13 points after eight matches and nine points off leaders City.
Being the squad on the radar of other teams and fans alike, the Blues need to regroup. Their last five league matches have produced only two wins, both away, and a draw at home, and they have already suffered three losses to slowly fall behind other touted contenders.
In their next match against Watford on October 21, Chelsea are in a must-win situation.
Another loss would be unacceptable. Surely Conte would not want that to vex them for he would be placed in a rather unfamiliar spot – the hot seat.
And if another setback come in their way, Conte would find pressure mounting. And that would be a tell-tale sign that they could be slipping out of the title race this early.
To remedy that, the Blues should ponder what has happened.
They need to beat the Hornets of manager Marco Silva at all cost at Stamford Bridge.
Forget about the past two defeats in a row and move on.
The last time Chelsea hosted Watford in the league was in May this year and came out 4-3 winners.
They should take strength from that result.
In their last four meetings with Watford in the league, Chelsea had two wins, while the other two games ended in draws.
We predict a Chelsea win in this match. It will be worth 1.37, while a Watford win pays 8.50. A draw pays 4.50.
Messi reaches 100 in Europe, leads Barca past Olympiakos 3-1


text:
CDT in Robotics and Autonomous Systems (CDT-RAS) receives renewed funding
Robotics research in Scotland is set to further expand with the announcement of a £18m funding boost.
The Edinburgh Centre for Robotics (ECR), which is run by Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh is due to receive £18m to expand its successful EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Robotics and Autonomous Systems (CDT-RAS), with new directors Professor Helen Hastie and Dr Michael Mistry.
The funding from EPSRC and industry will train 90 PhD students - in five cohorts - over the next eight years. Research will focus on safety and safe interaction between robots, people and their environments.
Professor Hastie from Heriot-Watt University said: "We're looking forward to training the next generation of innovation-ready scientists and engineers in Robotics and Autonomous Systems focusing on the aspect of safe interaction, which will be key to adoption of this technology in the near future."
The Centre is already recognised globally and currently has more than 50 internationally-esteemed academics and world-class robotics equipment.
Now, the new EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training will be a key component of the current £120m of investment in the Edinburgh Centre of Robotics.
This investment includes the National ROBOTARIUM supported by the Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal, as well as, the £35M EPSRC-Industry ORCA Hub (Offshore Robotics for Certification of Assets), substantially funded from wave 1 of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.
Director of the Edinburgh Centre of Robotics, Professor David Lane CBE said: "Winning a second CDT-RAS recognises our success to date in science and innovation, and expands the foundational science and training platform that underpins our planned expansions into living labs, accelerators and incubators in the National ROBOTARIUM.
"We have become a core component in implementing the UK's RAS2020 Strategy, whose success is helping to shape the nascent UK Robotics Growth Partnership.
"We are putting UK in an internationally leading position creating and commercialising core science to capture the value from the disruptive productivity gains RAS can offer across a range of sectors."
ECR Co-Director Professor Sethu Vijayakumar of the University of Edinburgh and Co-Programme Director for AI at the Alan Turing Institute added: "During the four-year PhD, our students will have the opportunity for placements with prestigious international research labs, with our industry partners and with leading Turing Fellows in the area of safe, ethical and verifiable Robotics and AI. I wish I could go back in time and do another PhD!"
Thursday, 23 January, 2020 - 18:00 to 19:00
Shared Autonomy: The Future of Interactive Robotics
V&A Dundee, Juniper Autitorium
Friday, 31 January, 2020 - 10:00 to 11:00
RAS CDT Coffee Morning
Robotarium Seminar Room, Heriot-Watt University
Tuesday, 4 February, 2020 - 19:30 to 20:30
The Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas
The Stand Comedy Club
Monday, 17 February, 2020 - 11:30 to 13:00
Student pitches - Innovation Funding
University of Edinburgh Room AT 7.14
RAS CDT Consensus Meeting
AT 7.14, University of Edinburgh
Tweets by @EDINrobotics


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Technology disruption meets Geopolitics. We analyze current technology and its potential to affect and disrupt a wide range of industries beyond the Tech space.
Why are Corporates Investing Beyond their Venture Arms?
5G is the new rage, but is it really that disruptive? We tackle the technology from a geopolitical view and run down the technological implications for organizations in different industries.
The premier source of European technology news, data, research, analysis and in-depth market intelligence.
This story was first published in The Aleph Report.
Is Car Sharing a Good Business?
Apple's new TrueFace depth-sensing camera will bring a 3D scanner to the masses. This will have far-reaching consequences for many industries.


Fun 2D shooter! Play Online, with friends on Wi-Fi or offline with bots.
Cube Wars is a multiplayer shooter in a Minecraft-like world.
Real online 3D shooter with full functionality PC counterparts!
There are no rules and laws! We have abolished time, gravity and space.


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Carnival Offers First Summertime Beer-B-Que
Carnival Cruise Line hosted its first-ever Summertime Beer-B-Que featuring barbecue from the new Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse – a new seagoing eatery developed by Carnival and Food Network star Guy Fieri - and samples of craft beers from across the country.
Fieri was on hand at 620 Loft and Garden in New York to serve up samples like Championship Pork Butt and Blue Ribbon Chicken, along with sides including Mac Daddy Mac n' Cheese and Scratch-Made Cole Slaw. Draft beers from U.S. breweries, including Concrete Beach, Coney Island Brewing Co., Cigar City, Heavy Seas, Sierra Nevada, as well as Carnival's own ThirstyFrog Red, served as accompaniment.
The event, emceed by Carnival Cruise Director Malcolm Burn, also included a panel discussion and Q&A with Fieri and Carnival's VP of Beverage Operations Eddie Allen.
The open-air, free-of-charge Guy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Bar-B-Que debuted on Carnival Magic earlier this year and will be featured on the new Carnival Vista which arrives in New York in November then launches year-round service from Miami later that month. The venue – which features an actual wood smoker, a rarity on cruise ships - will also be featured on the Carnival Breeze and Carnival Dream next year.
Guy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Bar-B-Que builds upon the chef's longstanding partnership with Carnival. Guy's Burger Joints – complimentary poolside venues offering hand-crafted burgers, fresh-cut fries and various toppings – are currently featured on more than half the Carnival fleet serving upwards of 100,000 burgers a week, said to make them the most popular burgers at sea.
(Photo: Guy Fieri, center, with Eddie Allen (vp of beverage ops) on his left, and Malcolm Burn, cruise director, on his right.


Ottoman Gain of Territory by Kevin G.
The Ottomans became a force to be reckoned with during the 15th and 16th centuries. After the dissemination of the Mongol empire, the Ottomans could now rise and become a major empire. The rise of the Ottomans correlates to the fall of the Eastern Roman empire, changing from a Christian influence, to now a Muslim Islamic influence. With the fall and conquest of Constantinople on 1453, an Ottoman growth can now proceed. It was this new power that let the Ottomans take religious control of the Middle East, grant great independence to the military aristocracy and the sultans, and mastery of the Mediterranean Sea.
As the Ottomans expanded, control over mass amounts of people occurred. The religious fight between the Islamic Ottomans and the Christian Byzantines continued to fight on, but as the Ottomans grew closer to Constantinople, primarily through Anatolia and the Balkans, the fight was drawing to an end. With the conquest in 1453, Constantinople became the new Ottoman capital of Istanbul. The commercial center of the East is now Islamic, leading to a rising Muslim force over the Christians. With this new influence in trade, more and more converts can be made, leading to religious control.
The Ottoman empire gave great independence to the military aristocracy due to the success from them. They were granted conquered lands, which in turn led to a large threat to the sultan's power. Most of these new lands had the Janissaries, which made up the military for the empire. The sultans had majority of the power early one, both politically and through the military. As the empire grew, corruption occurred and manipulation of the people was imminent. This, in turn, led to the downfall of the empire.
All in all, as all other empires did, the Ottoman fall was imminent. But their legacy and impact was very large. Especially through the rise of the Muslim empire and the defeat of the Eastern Roman Empire. The conquest of Constantinople led to the rise of Istanbul, which raged a war between the Islamic people and the Christians. Their success was thanks to the powerful military aristocracy. This ironically also led to their downfall through corruption. Their naval forces were second to none, and incredibly powerful.
The effect of the janissaries cannot be measured in quantitative forms but it is still very evident when looking closely. The Ottoman Empire's army would be mothing without the janissaries. There would be no army without them. In effect the Ottoman Empire would not be what we know it to be if it had not been for the christian boys that were carried over to the Ottoman territory, who grew up to become the janissaries. Although they were not of Ottoman birth the janissaries were of critical importance to the Ottomans in their army and even enjoyed a social status greater than most.
The janissaries are known for being the Ottoman Empire's first real army. They were a closely organized, marching army. They were one of the first armies to use firearms, and wear matching uniforms. Due to their upgraded technology and strong disciplined organization they were unmatched by any forces in Europe. The armies of the janissaries were able to easily crush the feudal armies of Europe. Their organization and discipline, which begain in childhood, made them a well functioning standing army. their supremacy in warfare made their European enemies take notice of them. Their attacks forced the European armies to improve themselves to match.
The janissaries were not Ottoman people. They were children from Christian lands that were kidnapped at a young age. They were brought back to Ottoman territories where they were slaves. Although being slaves they had many freedoms. The janissaries became their own social class which separated them from the rest of the Ottoman population. However, as they were slaves, they were not separated directly but instead had close contact to the Ottoman people, especially royalty. Janissaries had an even greater impact if they were intelligent enough to be sent to a school, which greatly increased their chances to have a promising career later on. Some families conscripted their children voluntarily because of the promising social advancement that janissary service included.
Janissaries enjoyed a very high social status for a slave. The janissaries were in fact slaves within the Ottoman Empire. Many of them were kidnapped by the Ottomans to be used as slaves. Early on in the creation of the janissaries they were not allowed to marry, nor could they take any other job than within the military. After some time however their position moved up. They were allowed to marry and even received a pension for retirement. They were thought of less as slaves and gained a higher social status. Some of the most elite janissaries even became advisers to the sultan.
The Ottoman Empire needed the janissaries. They were the core of the empire's army that made it the disciplined force that allowed it to conquer European territories. The janissaries deeply influenced the Ottoman culture, so much that they had a social status almost equal to the high end Ottomans. They even influenced the sultan and his decisions. Christian nations were affected as well when the Ottoman kidnappers stole the Christian's children. The effect of the janissaries is major in the Ottoman's and allowed other nations to look to them as an example.
The Roman Empire made a lasting impression on World History. Its legacy refuses to fade as successive empires make claims to be the next Rome. First with the Byzantium in Eastern Euroope, then the Holy Roman Empire in the West, and finally Russia in geographic northern Asia. Ivan III even created the title tsar, meaning ceasar. The big question is still there, is Russia really a third Rome? Because of location differences, Russia's technique at expansion is different from those of first and second Rome, but patterns in culture and religion persist through all three Romes.
Rome and Byzantium both sustained highly militaristic focuses. Both maintained large armies and continuous expansion. Russia, through climatic isolation, did not have or need as much at a drive for expansion. Rome and Byzantium had elite class armies, soldiers that were well trained and well traveled. Russian government exploited the "cossack spirit" and recruited peasants to form armies to expand and conquer for Russia in return for new land. Russia also rewarded loyal aristocrats with leadership over those new lands, wheras Rome kept local government in place.
Later into the Roman Empire and throughout Byzantium, Christianity dominated as the prominate religion. Russia continues this Roman tradition of religion, though differently. Instead of Roman Catholicism, they have Orthodox Christianity. This was especially prevalent with Alexis Romanov. The second in the Romanov line, Alexis remade state control of the church to abolish superstitions he believed to persist since Mongol times.
The three Rome's similar expansion patterns led to similar patterns in multicultural growth. As Rome conquered new lands, local practices persisted as long as Rome got all the food, money, and slaves they needed. Russia conquered a variety of Central Asian cultures, but Russian tradition allowed for their cultures to remain yet still be part of the Russian empire. rome also commonly stole culture and ideas it liked from its neighbors, namely the Greeks. Byzantium often did the same with the Muslims. Russian leaders Peter the Great and Catherine the Great were both heavy supporters of Westernization. Italian architects were hired to design ornate buildings and monasteries, such as the Kremlin. Peter would often travel and return with Western artisians. Catherine was a strong supporter of French enlightenment and craftsmanship. All the empires supported highly multicultural societies.
Russia's use of cossacks slightly separated it from Rome. However, the persistance of Christianity and the prominant multiculturalism patterns maintained Russia as a possible claim to the title of third Rome. Russian pride and nationalism helps to drive Russia toward in its hope to line up to Rome's legacy. Those are some big shoes to fill. In Filofei's Concept of the Thrid Rome, he states that Russia is the third Rome, and there shall not be a fourth.
The Partition of Poland was not a one time ordeal. It took place in three steps, over thirty years. The first partition was in 1772, the second in 1793, and the third in 1795. Taken care of because of a Russian alliance with Austria and Prussia, the Partition of Poland led to the elimination of the Polish state. The Partition of Poland was started by Catherine the Great who had an interest in politics, was enhanced by the alliance with Austria and Prussia, and led to Russian involvement in other people's politics.
Catherine the Great took over in 1761 after decades of bad rulers. Technically, her husband Peter III was suppsoed to get the throne, but he wasn't a fit ruler mentally so Catherine got it. She played "power politics" in Europe, yet was awesome enough to do so without starting a war. These politics would eventually lead to alliances. One of these alliances was with Prussia, which she more than likely got because of her status once as a German princess.
Alliances with Austria and Prussia were enacted thanks to Catherine the Great. These alliances against the weak Polish government were deadly. Eventually, in 1795, the Polish government was taken over by this power alliance. Unevenly divided up, Russia got the majority of Poland. At this point, Poland was no longer an individual state. This will create an interaction of Russia with other government systems in Europe.
After Poland was conquered, the Russians began involving themselves in European affairs. They started messing with other conflicts all over the continent. One such involvement was in 1812 with Napoleon's French army. This marked the first time the Russian troops went into Western Europe. Overall, Russia started asserting their dominance in the world, like they would eventually in the world post WWII.
Overall, Catherine the Great's alliance with Austria and Russia led to a dominance of Russia after the elimination of Poland. This is the first of many times Poland would get stomped on, and its kind of hard to not feel sorry for them. Very rarely throughout history, especially in the 1900s, do they get to be independent. But, when your government is consistently that weak, you honestly can't expect any different. So, being the first of many Polish conquerings, the Partition of Poland makes its importance known by foreshadowing the future.
He is known as Peter the Great for being a good ruler. But the question is, was he really so great? During his reign from 1682-1725, many things occurred in Russia which caused a significant change. Though there were some bad things that occurred as a result of some of his actions, there were more benefits to outweigh the bad stuff. Peter the Great was a leader that was eager to change the country in a quick way, he led the first westernization effort in history, and also expanded Russia.
His eagerness to change and improve the country was a reckless move that if he had messed up, the whole country would have fell. Peter tried to make Russia to be like Western Europe in the quickest way possible. He changed the whole structure of Russia into a more Western style without actually being fully Western. The military was changed to be exactly like Western Europe, which created a trained fighting force that put down local militias. Peter the Great attempted to attack the Ottoman Empire but failed.
The first westernization effort was led by Peter the Great. Peter made a lot of changes in Russia to somewhat seem more like Western Europe. Politically, he changed the structure to be like Western Europe. Instead of urbanizing and developing a big commercial class, Peter focused on the mining industry. He eliminated the practice of upper-class marriages where the father of the bride gives a whip to the groom which showed the male power over women. On the other hand, nothing was changed among all the peasants. To attempt to remove Russian traditions, he made all males shave off their beards and require them to dress in a specific way.
He expanded Russia through a great number of wars. In the Great Northern War, his military won and defeated Sweden. At first, it seemed like Peter the Great was going to lose to Sweden, but Charles XII made a huge mistake that would cost him. After signing the Treaty of Nystadt, Russia gained most of Finland and had access to warm waters in the north. With the expansion, Russia become a major power in Northeastern Europe.
Though some people may think that Peter was a bad ruler, we have to admit that without him, Russia wouldn't be as successful as it is now. By completely changing the whole structure to be like Western Europe, I believe that it helped improve Russia. The extremely quick ways he used to improve Russia actually worked though many people criticize him for acting so riskily. Peter the Great was beneficial to Russia in more ways then it was harmful.
Ivan the Terrible Mariana A.-Z.
Born on August 25, 1530 in Moscow, Ivan the Terrible was born royalty. When he was three his father passed away and he immediatly became the ruler of Russia. He of course was to young to be taking over so much. His mother who passed away five years after his father had, was a regent. At the age of 17 he became the ruler of Russia. He was responsible for destroying entire cities, leaving every single person dead. People who were unfortunate enough to be his enemy were tortured, and even some of the people who considered themselves friends of Ivan were tortured. Ivan went so far as to murder his own son, who was also named Ivan. Ivan the Terrible was the first ruler of Russia. During his reign, however, Russia conquered the land of Siberia, and his desire to conquer land transformed Russia into a large and powerful nation.
Russia onlt had two good leaders Catherine being one of them. Peter the Great was the only other one, Catherine was married to the nephew, the only problem was the nephew was "retarted." Catherine then took over, she was a Prussian princess, she was a centralizer adovacting a strong tsavst, and she pressed Russan's intrest on Europe.
Catherine the second was born a Prussian princess, then converted to the orhtadox faith after her marriage to the Russan throne. Catherine's marriage life to Peter III was miserable, maker her even hate her son, Isac Paul I. After careful planning, Catherine succeed in removing her husband from the throne. The people soon after instaled Catherine The Great as the new empress of Rome in 1792.
Catherine, like Peter I, diliked tasrists. Though through this adovate of a strong tsarist have Catherine gave new powers to nobilty. This maintained a trade-off that had been developing over the previouvs two centuries in Russia. People of Russia also accepted their new ranks that chosen by the tsars, though in returned much actual adminstration over local peasents was wieled by the noble landlords.
Lastly Catherine the Great pressed Russa's intrest into Europe, playing powers over Prussia and Austria, without risking major wars. Catherine also increased Russians interference onto Polish affairs. Catherine had no trouble in interfering in Polish affairs because of the Polish last leader was not good,a nd paralyzed goverment. During 1795 Poland wa eliminated as an independent state.
When Catherine's death came, Russia had passed through three centuries of extraordinary development. This made Catherine as one of the most fansanating women leaders in history. Though her great rein of improving Russia, she became counted as one of the only good or great leaders of Russia. Not steping the improvment or decreasing it but bringing it forward in huge amounts.
Russia began the age of exploration as a small, shattered state, tributary to the Mongol Horde. Once they had overthrown and kicked the Mongols out, they began a period of territorial expansion and governmental reform. This also led to the rapid westernization of Russia, as they tried to catch up to their European counterparts. The Russia people, as they entered this period, started to understand WHAT it was that they had been missing out on, and once they discovered how to obtain it, they didn't look back as they pushed forward with govnerment, styles, culture, and state expansion.
First, Ivan 3. Why a leader, you may ask. The answer is that he essentially started Russia's era of territorial expansion. To do this, he had convinced the Orthodoxial church that Russian expansion was 'right,' and proceeded with the brutal and bloody expansion of Russia's total land mass. During this time, Ivan 3 also proclaimed Russia the 'Third Rome,' and unified the Russian people under that title.
After Ivan 3 came Ivan 4, better known as Ivan the Terrible. Ivan 4 was brutal to his enemies, and killed a great many people, including many Russians. but among all of that terror, he also defeated the Kazan Khanate, which had conquered Russia before, and which had been holding Russia back. Along with that, Ivan 4 also removed the Boyars, or Russian aristocrats. by doing this, he managed to further strengthen the central government of Russia.
Next came Peter the Great. His great contibutions were that he strengthened Russia's army by offering better pay and instilling a draft, building and rebuilding Russia's infrastructure, and expanded Russia's total territory all the way to the Baltic Sea, where he was stopped by the Ottoman Empire. He also relocated the capital of Russia from Moscow to St. Petersburg. this movement was necessary as it helped separate the Russian government from the old religious and and cultural conditions that governed the old Russian government. By instilling all of these changes, Peter the Great effectively made Russia one of the strongest empires in Eastern Europe, and in most of Asia, and also turning Russia from a backwater to a modern imperial power, independant from any other nation.
These 3 rulers had the greatest effect on the expansion and strengthening of Russia through the use of military force, economic and social reforms, and the installation of an almost completely new form of government. These changes greatly effected the way modern Russia runs and operates, and also influenced the people of Russia by giving them new hope, freeing them from rule by another nation, and giving them a banner to unify under. Ivan 3 began the expansion and westernization of Russia, and freed it from Mongol rule. Ivan the Terrible defeated the Mongol Horde, and got rid of the aristocrats that had been ruling Russian policy and government for a very long time. Peter the Great strengthened Russia's military and infrastructure, as well as free the government from the religious and cultural control that had encompassed it for some time.


As some of you know, I spent a few days in Canada/Buffalo a couple weeks ago and had pretty good luck finding an awesome health food store (Bamboo) and vegan PODs from Pizza Plant, but the airports themselves were a bit more difficult. Luckily, I was able to find food in both the Buffalo and Chicago airports. I did my research before leaving on the trip and saw that there was a place in the Chicago airport called Cibo Express that had vegan prepared food items, but on our layover on the way out I couldn't find it and we didn't have a lot of time. Needless to say we were pretty hungry and grumpy by the time we reached Buffalo around midnight and had to go to bed on an empty stomach. On the way back I was determined to hunt down Cibo during our layover to get us through the 4 hour flight from Chicago to San Diego. I knew BUF wasn't going to be much help as far as food was concerned, but I did actually find some hummus and crackers at a little stand in the terminal. Certainly not the best hummus I've ever had (it was a little tasteless) but it was a decent tool to keep away my inevitable case of hangry until I made it to Cibo.
The short flight from BUF to ORD was doubled when we landed and ended up sitting on the tarmac for 45 minutes and all I could think about was getting to Cibo and eating some real food. My stomach was audibly loud at this point. When we finally made it to the terminal I was irrational and irritated and walked up and down terminal C three times looking for this elusive vegan mecca of airport food before finding an employee and asking them. Terminal 2. Finally I had some direction.
I made a beeline for the refrigerated vegan section and grabbed basically one of everything that said vegan on it (except for the Mac & Cheese – something about eating that cold grossed me out). $40 later I walked out of there with enough food to get the husband and I through the rest of our trip and then some.
I started with the Buffalo Tofu. Large chunks of tofu smothered in spicy Buffalo sauce. The tofu appeared to be fried and was a little on the chewy side and the sauce was tasty though I would have liked it a little bit on the spicier side. I think this would be much better warm and served over rice or quinoa, but for my level of hungry it was awesome at the time.
Next I tore into the Eggplant Parmesan. This was probably my favorite of all the dishes. It was flavorful and comforting, even though it was cold as well (hey Cibo, maybe invest in a customer microwave or something?). Thick layers of eggplant layered with tangy tomato sauce and a prety good vegan cheese. I didn't really want to share this one with the husband, but I did, cuz I'm a good wife. Plus I knew it would make the rest our our journey pleasant as well.
Last I opted for the Super Green Salad with kale, parsley, red pepper and spices. I knew I needed some greens for added nutrition but this was just meh. The only flavor I tasted was the parsley which was overpowering. I made it through half of it though for the sake of my health – gotta get your greens y'all!
I purchased this sandwich as well but by the time I got through all of the above I was pretty darn stuffed so I saved it for the plane ride. I didn't get hungry again so I put it in my mom's fridge when we got back and then forgot about it when we left for home the next morning. So I can't really vouch for this one. I'm sure my stepdad ate it. He'll eat anything you put in his path. How was it Craig??
All in all I was just happy to be able to eat. Probably not the best vegan food in the world (not even close, in all honesty) but it was food and it was edible. Some of it pretty tasty. You can find Cibo in Terminal 2 (and I'm told there is one in Terminal 3 as well) of Chicago International Airport. It'll get you through the hungries for sure.


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SPW Contributors
Sanlam Private Wealth
How do heirloom watchmakers keep up with the smarts of a contemporary device that not only looks good but whose technology offers myriad benefits? Should makers of beautiful timepieces stick to their legacy – or try to marry the two, as many of them are doing?
In the smartwatch space, Apple has pretty much knocked its challengers out of the park. The tech company, better known for the iPhone and iPad, dominates the market with its market-leading technology and brand cachet.
But what about those who want to merge their need for a smartwatch but value the aesthetic of luxury timepieces? Apple tried to tap this market by, for example, partnering with French luxury brand Hermès to create a selection of exclusive straps and a custom interface. But a square face and touch display don't quite cut it.
Other smartwatch makers that use Google's Wear OS operating system for their wrist-worn computers – like Samsung, Huawei and Motorola – have opted for more conventional circular faces for their offerings, but even fancy straps and beautifully finished casings can't disguise the fact that these devices will be obsolete in a few years.
A touchscreen – whether on an Apple Watch or any other, and no matter how high the resolution – instantly marks a watch as disposable rather than heirloom-grade.
So what's a luxury smartwatch maker to do? Focus on the things that make smartwatches useful, ignore the bits that don't, and try not to lose the aesthetic aspects that make people covet – and more importantly, buy – luxury watches in the first place, that's what.
STANDING THE TEST OF TIME
Frederique Constant's Horological Smart Watches and Mondaine's Helvetica No 1 Smart Watch eschew digital screens and the notifications that come with them in favour of analogue dials and a focus on activity and sleep tracking – the two things most users want from a wrist-based device. Danish watchmaker Skagen takes a similar approach, prioritising understated elegance over offering an abundance of information.
This means wearers can see key metrics at a glance, or dip into the accompanying app on their smartphone for more detailed data without sacrificing battery life, which varies from a few months on some devices to up to two years – a far cry from the daily charging most smartwatches demand.
With its Exospace B55, meanwhile, Breitling has taken a different approach to luxury smarts. Two digital displays on the face pull data from a connected smartphone, and even the mechanical components can be automatically set based on the local time, depending on the wearer (and the phone's) location.
The result is a watch that looks and, at over R100 000, costs the part of an heirloom piece, while maintaining Breitling's reputation as a maker of fine watches for the aeronautically inclined.
THE BEST OF BOTH
After a mixed response to its first 'connected' smartwatch, Tag Heuer's second has tackled one of the key problems all smartwatches face: obsolescence.
A modular design that supports a three-hands, tourbillon or three-counters mechanical module – along with support for an Apple Watch-like cornucopia of straps and accessories – gives Tag's Connected Modular both the innards of an heirloom-worthy device and the cutting-edge features of a Wear OS-powered smartwatch.
We've yet to see the next generation of Tag's smart modules and how they'll respond to developments in the smartwatch sector and the growing demands of smartwatch wearers, but early indications suggest it's gone some way to addressing their concerns.
At the very least, the straps and other accessories in which they invest ought to outlive regular smartwatches from electronics companies.
Arguably the most exciting news in the sector comes not from established names like Tag Heuer or Louis Vuitton, but from newcomers like Kairos, which make mechanical watches with digital display overlays that can turn transparent.
Whether any of these newcomers will go on to make the sorts of watches you'll want to pass on to your progeny, though, remains to be seen. Heritage, unsurprisingly, can't be rushed. But it's not inconceivable that today's upstarts will be tomorrow's collectibles.
Frederique Constant, meanwhile, has made a smart strap called the E-Strap that takes another approach: it puts the smarts in a strap that can be fitted to any watch, rather than compromising the design of the watch itself. The downside of this approach is that all of the data generated can only be viewed on a connected mobile phone or tablet, but in the era of constant distraction, for some users that may in fact prove a selling point.
THE EXPERT'S VIEW
'Unlike a mechanical watch of any age or description, a smartwatch has built-in obsolescence, and that's the fundamental problem with them,' says Arthur Goldstuck, MD of technology research firm World Wide Worx.
He suggests a modular approach, of the sort Tag Heuer's pioneering with its latest wares, may be luxury brands' best bet. 'What may be needed is a detachable element where the bottom is mechanical and the smarts can be upgraded, wherever the tech goes. As it stands, no smartwatch can compete with the role an heirloom watch plays.'
In the meantime, Goldstuck says most high-end watch brands will need to choose between 'following the technology trends or sticking to their legacy', but adds that those who can strike a balance between the two could be very successful.
'There's definitely a market for luxury smartwatches,' he says, but manufacturers must 'make sure they don't abandon their traditional clients' and avoid cheapening their brands. After all, that's arguably the biggest selling point of luxury timepieces – their cost, and the exclusivity it brings with it.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Energy Efficiency is a cultural concept and knowledge is directly proportional to the achievable results. For this reason, companies and contractors need assistance in the training of energy-related personnel.
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Teachers are Energy Management Experts who have obtained EGE Certification. They deal daily with the topics covered by the main training areas, thus making available their direct field experiences, and bringing real cases and practical tools to the classroom.
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