Disclosed is an improved device for testing the compression, tension, or spring rate of a spring or other resilient material. The device is adapted to automatically display the load reading of a spring at a preselected height by merely compressing the spring past the check point. Alternatively, additional displays may be provided so that load readings at different height settings can be displayed with a single compression of the spring through all of the check points. In addition, the rate of a spring can be readily determined by setting two check points a unit distance apart and utilizing the load reading from the first check point to establish the reference level of the meter. The spring tester includes an electronic control circuit comprising a plurality of sample and hold circuits and a corresponding plurality of thumbwheel comparators. The comparators are connected to a height indicator and each is adapted to provide an output signal when the height of the spring corresponds to the preset height of the comparator. Each sample and hold circuit is connected to the load cell and to one of the comparators and is adapted to provide an output signal that follows the force reading from the load cell until the output signal from its respective comparator is received. When this occurs, the sample and hold circuit "holds" the current force reading of the load cell despite further compression of the spring.
The present invention relates to a spring tester, and in particular to a spring testing device that is capable of providing a load reading at a particular height merely by compressing the test object past the desired check point.
With conventional spring testing devices, in order to obtain a force reading at a desired height, the operator must compress the spring to the desired check point and attempt to maintain the spring at that height for a sufficient period of time to ascertain the correct load reading. As can be readily appreciated, the greater the compression force of the spring, the more difficult it becomes to maintain the spring at the desired compressed height in order to obtain a proper load reading. Furthermore, if a load reading is desired at several different heights, the same procedure must be repeated for each reading. In addition, if the spring rate of a spring is desired, it is necessary to take a reading at a first height, another reading at a second height, and then subtract the two readings. Thus, the inconvenience, the amount of time required, and the potential inaccuracies in obtaining load readings utilizing a conventional spring tester are apparent.
Mechanically operated compressor type spring testing devices are available that employ accurate mechanical stops to eliminate the need for having to manually hold the spring at the desired height setting. However, such devices are substantially more expensive than the manually operated units, and still do not have the capability of obtaining spring rate readings or multiple force readings with a single compression of the test spring.
The present invention provides an improved spring testing device that permits a user to obtain a particular load reading at a preselected height without having to maintain the spring at the desired compressed height. In addition, the present spring tester can provide spring rate readings and multiple force readings with a single compression of the test spring. The spring tester according to the present invention is adapted to provide a load reading at a preselected height merely by compressing the spring past the appropriate check point. The force reading from that setting is automatically retained and displayed on a digital voltmeter or other display device. Thus, the disadvantage of having to manually maintain the spring at the appropriate compressed height is avoided. The present spring tester can also, as noted, provide a spring rate reading with a single compression of the test spring. In particular, by selecting two check points a unit distance apart, and setting the digital display to "rate", the first load reading is utilized to establish the zero reference for the meter so that the reading displayed when the second check point is reached corresponds to the spring rate of the spring.
The present invention includes an electronic control circuit which, in general, comprises a sample and hold circuit that is connected to receive the output from the force transducer mounted in the base of the compressor unit. The output signal from the sample and hold circuit, which is provided to a digital voltmeter, is adapted to follow the signal provided to its input from the load cell. A height indicator, which produces a signal representative of the height of the spring, is connected to a thumbwheel comparator that is adapted to be preset to the height at which the desired load reading is to be taken. When the output signal from the height indicator equals the preselected height, the comparator provides an output signal that is supplied to the sample and hold circuit and is effective to cause the sample and hold circuit to maintain at its output the current load cell reading. Thus, it is apparent that the spring may be compressed past the desired check point and the load reading at the preselected height will be automatically retained.
The control circuit is capable of producing spring rate readings by providing an additional thumbwheel comparator that is connected to a second sample and hold circuit. The output from the second sample and hold circuit is provided to the reference input of the digital voltmeter. Thus, the spring rate of a spring is determined merely by presetting the two comparators to heights a unit distance apart, and compressing the spring through both check points. The output from the second sample and hold circuit provides the zero reference for the voltmeter so that the load reading displayed on the meter when the second check point is passed will correspond to the difference in the load readings at the preselected heights.
FIG. 5 is a simplified circuit diagram of a sample and hold circuit.
Referring to FIG. 1, an improved spring tester according to the present invention is shown. In general, the compressor unit 10 comprises a ram 12 that is raised or lowered by a manually operated rotating arm 14. When lowered, the ram 12 is adapted to compress the test spring 16, or other resilient material, against the plate 18 fastened to the base of the unit 10. Mounted to the plate 18 is a force transducer 20, such as a strain gauge load cell, that is adapted to produce an electrical signal having a voltage level that is directly related to the amount of force exerted on the load cell 20 by the spring 16. A height indicator 22 is fastened to the unit between ram 12 and plate 18 and is adapted to provide an output signal that is directly related to the height of the spring 16.
A tension bridge attachment (not shown) may be fastened to the ram 12 for testing the load characteristics of tension springs as well. Importantly, it is to be understood that, although the operation of the present invention will be described in relation to the testing of compression springs, it is not to be inferred that the present invention is limited to compression testing only. Rather, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the principles of the present invention are equally adaptable to the testing of tension springs. Further, it is to be understood that the term "compression" as it is used in the adjoining claims to describe the claimed testing apparatus, is intended to include the opposite procedure of testing tension as well.
The electronic control circuit of the present invention is housed within the display unit 24 which may be located adjacent to or remote from the compressor unit 10. The preferred embodiment includes a digital voltmeter 26 for displaying the load reading. However, any suitable type of voltmeter may be used. The control unit may even be interfaced with a printer for providing a hard copy of the load readings taken. In addition, a switch 25 located on the front panel of the display unit 24 is provided so that the readings can be displayed in either English or Metric units. Optionally, a digital display 28 for providing a read-out of the height indicator 22 may also be included.
Although FIG. 1 depicts a manually operated compressor, it is to be understood that the present invention can also be utilized in combination with a mechanically operated spring tester. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the adaptation of the present system to a mechanically operated unit eliminates the need for accurate mechanical stops, and thus substantially reduces the cost of such a unit.
Looking now to FIG. 2, a block diagram of the electronic control circuit according to the present invention is shown. The control circuit has the output from the load cell 30 connected through a high gain amplifier 36 to the inputs of sample and hold circuits 38, 48, and 58. The amplitude of the output signal from the load cell 30 is relatively small; i.e. on the order of 3 millivolts for a five pound load. Thus, in order to raise the signal from the load cell 30 to an appropriate level for displaying on a voltmeter, it is necessary for amplifier 36 to have a gain of approximately 300. With such a high gain factor, it is apparent that amplifier 36 must also have a high degree of stability. Thus, given a force range of between 0 and 50 pounds, the output signal from amplifier 36, in the preferred embodiment herein, will be between 0 and 10 volts.
The height indicator 22 of the preferred embodiment comprises two parts, a height transducer 32 and a converter 34. The height transducer 32 converts the mechanical movement of the ram 12 to a digital pulse train, quadrature output signal, and the converter 34 converts the pulses from the transducer 32 to an equivalent binary coded decimal form (BCD). A height transducer of this type is manufactured by IKL, Incorporated, under the model designation 4082-1. The BCD output from the height indicator 22 is provided to a set of thumbwheel comparators 44,46 and 52. Each of the comparators 44, 46 and 52 is adapted to be manually preset to the selected height at which a desired force reading is to be taken. When the output signal from height indicator 22 equals any of the preset heights of the comparators 44, 46 and 52, the output line from that comparator will switch from a LO state to a HI state. Thumbwheel comparators of this type are manufactured by ERC Corporation, model designation 2514.
The outputs from comparators 44, 46 and 52, are provided to sample and hold circuits 38, 48 and 58, respectively. The output from sample and hold circuit 38 is provided through a set of scaling resistors 42 to the plus input of a digital voltmeter 40. The output from sample and hold circuit 48 is provided through a toggle switch 50 and scaling resistors 42 to the negative or reference input of digital voltmeter 40. The other terminal of toggle switch 50 is tied to common. As indicated in the figure, the scaling resistors 42 are provided so that the digital voltmeter 40 can display the load reading in units of either pounds or Newtons. The output from each of the sample and hold circuits 38, 48, and 58 is adapted to follow the load signal received at its input from load cell 30. However, when the signal line from its respective comparator 44, 46 or 52 switches to a HI state, the output signal from the sample and hold circuit 38, 48 or 58 is "held" at its current level, notwithstanding further changes in the load signal at its input. In other words, the output from sample and hold circuit 38, for example, will follow the load signal from load cell 30 until the output from height indicator 22 matches the preselected height set on comparator 44.
Accordingly, if it is desired to determine the force reading of a spring when compressed to 1.0 inches, thumbwheel comparator 44 would be set to 1.0 toggle switch 50 would be switched to the "pass through" position, and the height of the spring compressed to less than 1.0 inches. With voltmeter 40 referenced to common by toggle switch 50, the voltmeter 40 will display the output signal from sample and hold circuit 38. Once the spring is compressed past the 1.0 inch check point, the force reading displayed on the voltmeter 40 will correspond to the load of the spring at 1.0 inches.
Similarly, if it is desired to determine the force rate per inch of a spring, thumbwheel comparators 44 and 46 would be set an inch apart, toggle switch 50 would be switched to the "rate" position, and the spring compressed to a height less than the setting on comparator 44. When the height set on comparator 46 is reached, the output of sample and hold circuit 48 will fix the zero reference potential on voltmeter 40. Thus, when the height set on comparator 44 is surpassed, the load reading displayed on voltmeter 40 will equal the difference in the force readings at the respective heights established by the settings on comparators 44 and 46. Since the difference in the height settings on comparators 44 and 46 was initially set at an inch apart, the reading will be equivalent to the spring rate per inch.
Comparator 52, sample and hold circuit 58, and digital voltmeter 56 are optional circuit components. If included in the system, the capability of determining the load at different height settings with a single compression of the spring is provided. Thus, it can be seen that any number of comparators, sample and hold circuits, and digital voltmeters may be added as desired. As an addditional alternative, the output from sample and hold circuit 48 can also be provided through another toggle switch to a separate digital voltmeter so that comparator 46 can also be utilized to set the check point of an additional force reading when a rate measurement is not desired.
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a detailed circuit diagram of the electronic control circuit according to the present invention is shown. Electrically, the load cell 30 appears as a Wheatstone bridge 60 with its output taken across two of the opposing terminals of the bridge, and the excitation for the bridge being provided across the remaining two terminals. A potentiometer 62 is provided so that the excitation level of the load cell 60 can be adjusted as necessary. The excitation provided to the bridge 60 establishes the magnitude of the signal at the output of the bridge 60 for a given load input. Accordingly, potentiometer 62 is adapted to be initially adjusted to calibrate the system.
The output from the Wheatstone bridge 60 is provided to the input of a high gain operational amplifier 64. The particular amplifier utilized should have a high gain factor, on the order of 300, a high input impedance, and a low voltage drift for changes in temperature. The instrumentation amplifier used in the preferred embodiment is manufactured by Burr-Brown Research Corporation, model designation 3660K-3. A zero adjustment resistor 66 is connected to amplifier 64 so that the output signal from amplifier 64 can be set to zero when the force reading from the load cell 60 corresponds to zero.
The output from amplifier 64 on line 68 is provided to the inputs of three integrated circuits 70, 72 and 82. Each of the integrated circuits 70, 72, and 82 has connected thereto a zero adjustment resistor, 78, 80 and 84, respectively, and a hold capacitor C1, C2, and C3, respectively. The HOLD input terminal (pin 15) of IC 70 is connected through a filter circuit 74 to the HI output terminal (pin 10) of stop comparator 44, shown in FIG. 3. Similarly, the HOLD input terminal (pin 15) of IC 72 is connected through a filter circuit 76 to the HI output terminal (pin 10) of start comparator 46, shown in FIG. 3. The inputs to comparators 44 and 46 are connected to the output of the height indicator 22. As noted in connection with the description of FIG. 2, the height indicator 22 includes a digital pulse-to-BCD converter, so that the output therefrom can be provided directly to the thumbwheel comparators 44 and 46. In addition, if a separate visual display of the output from the height indicator 22 is desired, the output therefrom would also be connected to a height display board 45, as shown. Furthermore, if additional optional comparators are provided, then the output from the height indicator 22 would be routed to these comparators as well. If a third comparator (not shown in FIG. 3) is included, the HI output terminal therefrom would also be connected through a filter circuit 85 to the HOLD input terminal (pin 15) of IC 82. Filter circuits 75, 76, and 85 are provided to prevent transient noise signals from causing ICs 70, 72, and 82 respectively, to inadvertently switch to their HOLD mode.
Each of ICs 70, 72 and 82, together with their associated hold capacitors C1, C2 and C3 respectively, comprise a sample and hold circuit which, as best shown in FIG. 5, consist essentially of a pair of operational amplifiers 94 andd 96, an electronic switch 98, and a hold capacitor C. Sample and hold ICs of this type are manufactured by Harris Corp., model designation HAI-2425. The signal provided to the input of op amp 94 corresponds to the output signal from the high gain amplifier 64 which is directly related to the force reading from the load cell 60. The HOLD signal line connected to the electronic switch 98 corresponds to the HI output terminal from the appropriate height comparator. In operation, the voltage level on capacitor C will follow the input voltage at op amp 94. When the signal on the HOLD line from the comparator goes HI, electronic switch 98 is actuated, thereby opening the circuit between op amp 94 and capacitor C. Accordingly, the output from op amp 96 is held at the voltage level of the capacitor C. The period of time for which capacitor C will maintan this voltage level is dependent upon the size of the capacitor; i.e. the larger the capacitor, the less the drift from the voltage level held. However, if too large a capacitor is selected, the response time of the circuit to changes in the input voltage will be adversely affected. In other words, the larger the capacitor, the greater the time delay before the voltage level on capacitor C will follow the voltage potential at the input of op amp 94. Accordingly, a trade off exists which must be compromised for the particular application involved. A 0.047 mfd capacitor has been found suitable for most purposes.
Returning to FIG. 4, the output from IC 70 on line 71 is provided through a pair of scaling resistors R1 and R2 to the positive input of the digital voltmeter 40. Similarly, the output from IC 72 on line 73 is provided through toggle switch 50 to the negative or reference input of digital voltmeter 40. It will be noted that an additional scaling resistor R3 is connected in series with a relay contact 90 across scaling resistor R1. Relay contact 90 is adapted to be closed when relay coil 88 is energized by the actuation of switch 86. The effect of switching resistor R3 into the circuit is to convert the reading displayed on voltmeter 40 from English to Metric units. Additionally, it will be noted that switch 86 is a double pole switch which when actuated also causes the height indicator 22 to correspondingly provide a metric read-out when the force reading of the voltmeter 40 has been switched to metric units.
The output from the optional third sample and hold IC 82 is provided through a pair of scaling resistors R4 and R5 to the positive input of another digital voltmeter 56. The additional metric scaling resistor R6 is also switched into the circuit when relay contacts 92 are closed upon energization of relay coil 88. Accordingly, it can be seen that the actuation of a single switch 86 causes the entire system to switch from English to Metric units.
While the above description constitutes the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the accompanying claims.
second circuit means connected to said force transducer and said height indicator means for providing and maintaining an output signal representative of the signal from said force transducer means when the height of said spring corresponded to a second height greater than said first height, including second selector means that are selectably settable to a value which determines said second height.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein said compression means are manually operable.
3. The device of claim 1 further including indicator means connected to said first and second circuit means for providing a visual indication of the difference between said first and second output signals.
4. The device of claim 3 wherein said indicator means is further adapted to provide a visual indication of only said first output signal.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein said indicator means includes switch means for selectively determining whether said indicator means will display said first output signal or the differences between said first and second output signals.
indicator means connected to said first hold circuit means for providing a visual representation of said first output signal.
7. The device of claim 6 further including second comparator means responsive to said height indicator means for producing a second hold signal when the height of said spring equals a second preselected height greater than said first preselected height including second selector means that are selectably settable to a value which determines said second preselected height, and second hold circuit means connected to said force transducer means and said second comparator means for providing in response to said second hold signal a second output signal representative of the force exerted by said spring at said second preselected height; said indicator means also being connected to said second hold circuit means for providing a visual representation of the difference between said first and second output signals.
8. The device of claim 7 wherein said indicator means includes switch means for selectively determining whether said indicator means will display said first output signal or the difference between said first and second output signals.
9. The device of claim 8 wherein said indicator means includes a meter having a signal input terminal and a reference input terminal, said signal input terminal being connected to receive said first output signal and said reference input terminal being connected to said switch means so as to receive either said second output signal or a ground signal depending upon the position of said switch means.
10. The device of claim 6 further including second comparator means connected to said height indicator means for producing a second hold signal when the height of said spring equals a second preselected height greater than said first preselected height, second hold circuit means connected to said force transducer means and said second comparator means for providing in response to said second hold signal a second output signal representative of the force exerted by said spring at said second preselected height, and second indicator means connected to said second hold circuit means for providing a visual representation of said second output signal.
11. The device of claim 6 wherein said first hold circuit means comprises a sample and hold circuit that is adapted to provide an output signal that follows the output signal from said force transducer means until said hold signal is received from said comparator means, at which point said hold circuit means maintains the output signal that exists when said hold signal is received notwithstanding further changes in the output signal from said force transducer means.


text:
Home AJ PEREZ DEATH VIDEOS AJ Perez' Funeral Photos and Videos: AJ laid to rest today
AJ Perez' Funeral Photos and Videos: AJ laid to rest today
M.I. 4/26/2011 AJ PEREZ , DEATH , VIDEOS Edit
AJ Perez was laid to rest today, April 26, 2011, at the Manila Memorial Park.
Before the burial, a mass was held first at 9 AM, officiated by Fr. Tito Caluag at Christ The King Parish in Greenmeadows, Quezon City.
At 10:30 AM, AJ's remains were then brought to the Manila Memorial Park in Paranaque City where fans of AJ have gathered as early as 9 AM to say goodbye to their idol.
Celebs spotted at the funeral were Sam Milby, Jessy Mendiola, Gab Valenciano, Melissa Ricks, Helga Krapf, Joseph Marco and more.
It was kinda disappointing that ABS-CBN Channel 2 had no live coverage of AJ Perez' burial, and Kapamilya viewers had to satisfy themselves with News Patrol Updates. GMA 7 on one hand also provided live updates of the burial via its Flash Report.
ABS-CBN reporter Gretchen Fullido, who will be reporting about the burial later on TV Patrol, shared on her Twitter account (@gretchenfullido) some pictures from the funeral:
From Christ The King going to Manila Memorial Park
This was AJ's favorite blanket and was placed inside his casket, along with a wrist watch, which was given by AJ to his brother Gello
AJ's brother and friends from La Salle Green Hills
Funeral rites
AJ's father saying his speech at the funeral
17 white butterflies and 100 balloons with the message "We will miss you AJ" were released after the burial
AJ Perez's grave
Watch video updates from ABS-CBN's News Patrol:
Video uploads courtesy of smpastig2
Danmark April 27, 2011 at 10:29 AM
This is definitely a blog that people need to get behind. The problem is no one wants to do a great deal of reading and not have something else to stimulate the mind. This is the internet, after all. Maybe if you added a video or two to emphasize your point. But, I don't know if others will.
mykiru April 27, 2011 at 10:42 AM
pasensya na ha. slow ang pick-up ko, but can't get what you're talking about. Obviously, this blog is not for people like you. Thanks for droppin by though.
And maybe you also have your own blog you want to promote and get noticed? So promote it now, if that's what you want.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Home Tags DocuSign
Tag: DocuSign
A tech CEO's experience as a single dad convinced him to overhaul his $3 billion company's benefits
Áine Cain, Business Insider US - June 17, 2018
DocuSign CEO Dan Springer discusses how his own experience as a single father helped shape his company's parental leave policy. Employees who are primary caregivers receive six months of paid leave within the first year of the child's arrival.
$3 billion DocuSign prices its upcoming IPO at $29 per share — above the range it originally gave Wall Street
Becky Peterson, Business Insider US - April 27, 2018
The 15-year-old electronic signature company DocuSign is expected to list on Friday, as IPO-mania continues to rumble through enterprise tech.
Pluralsight, an online learning startup for coders, has confidentially filed for an IPO
Becky Peterson, Business Insider US - April 2, 2018
Pluralsight, which has filed for a IPO, was valued at around $1 billion in 2014.
$3.1 billion startup DocuSign just made its IPO paperwork public — its sales are growing, but it's still posting big losses
Troy Wolverton, Business Insider US - March 28, 2018
Docusign, the 15-year-old electronic signature company, brought in $382 million in sales in fiscal 2017, but it also posted a $115 million loss.
When DocuSign goes public, it could be worth over $3.8 billion — here are the biggest winners
Julie Bort, Business Insider US - March 27, 2018
It's been a long and sometimes rocky road for eSignature company DocuSign as it heads to IPO. Here are the people poised to do well, should investors bite.
DocuSign has reportedly filed confidentially for an IPO
Becky Peterson, Business Insider US - March 20, 2018
The report comes just days before Dropbox's highly anticipated public offering.
$3 billion Docusign's odd, 18-month CEO search has finally come to an end
Eugene Kim, Business Insider US - January 18, 2017
Daniel Springer will replace Keith Krach as Docusign's CEO.
The former CFO of Docusign joins food delivery startup DoorDash to help it beat Amazon and Uber
Biz Carson, Business Insider US - October 13, 2016
Ex-DocuSign CFO Mike Dinsdale has signed on with DoorDash.
We went to a private event at the Docusign CEO's home on San Francisco's Billionaire's Row — here's what it was like
Eugene Kim, Business Insider US - August 9, 2016
We were invited to a private event hosted by Docusign CEO Keith Krach at his home on San Francisco's Billionaire's Row.
Why the CEO of this $3 billion startup just dropped 35 pounds in 4 months
Eugene Kim, Business Insider US - July 9, 2016
Docusign's 59-year old CEO Keith Krach says being in good shape has helped him run the company better.


The elderly driver of a car that slammed into the back of a semi-truck Thursday died of his injuries.
Elmer Riley, 90, of Wallula, died overnight at Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland.
His wife, Mildred A. Riley, 90, died at the scene of the accident Thursday on Highway 12 at Humorist Road.
Truck driver Jerman Pimentel, 31, of Quincy, was stopped at the traffic light at Humorist Road when Elmer Riley's Toyota Camry hit the truck and the cattle trailer it was hauling, the Washington State Patrol said.


text:
Rail Crossing Locator App
Users can search for rail crossings by ID number or address.
Improving grade crossing safety
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently released a free mapping app, available from the Apple App Store, that helps improve highway-rail grade crossing safety. The Railroad Crossing Locator provides transportation and safety agencies with a convenient mobile querying tool and the public an interactive channel to learn about the nation's highway-rail grade crossings.
With 140,000 miles of rail network in the United States, freight and passenger railroads intersect US highways and roads more than 212,000 times. These intersections pose potential hazards for pedestrians, rail travelers, and commuters. Built with Esri's API and SDK for iOS, the app helps locate thousands of rail crossings throughout the United States and displays key safety and descriptive information, including official United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) records.
USDOT assigns unique identification numbers, called crossing IDs, to each grade crossing. States or railroad companies that own grade crossings must provide essential physical and operational information about these crossings that goes into a national inventory maintained by the USDOT and available to the general public and safety and emergency response entities. Making federal datasets easily accessed by the public supports key White House transparency initiatives that recommend that agencies find ways to deliver safety data to the public.
"While we've made significant progress in the reduction of highway-grade crossing incidents over the last decade, much more work remains to be done," said FRA administrator Joseph Szabo. "This technology will be one more tool to help us reach our goal of zero fatalities."
In 2008, the FRA GIS team launched its first publicly available grade crossing mapping application. Called the Pop-Up Viewer, this simple mapping utility used Esri server technology integrated with a records search tool on the FRA's safety data website. Although highly successful compared to paper record search methods, the viewer was optimized for web browsers on desktop computers. Typically using a laptop in the field, transportation and safety personnel would have to go through a multistep process to access the location and related records for an individual crossing. Five years later, agencies and the public have come to expect faster and more convenient ways of getting information.
In 2012, the FRA decided to modernize the grade crossing mapping application. Its GIS team worked with regional safety staff, state department of transportation officials, and others, to determine the core functionality needed to upgrade the application. The consensus was that the mobile application should have an intuitive, simple-to-use interface. Rather than replace the desktop information resource available at FRA's website, this new tool would complement the FRA's collection of investigative tools for professionals and the public.
The details page gives basic crossing attributes.
A few years ago, Esri released its iOS API and SDK for creating apps that run on Apple mobile devices. FRA saw that this could provide a better method for getting rail crossing information to relevant personnel and the public. After gathering user input and discussing the project with the IT and Public Affairs office, the GIS team came up with interface and functionality requirements and decided to work with Esri Professional Services to build the Rail Crossing Locator, a native iOS app.
This app consumes FRA's ArcGIS for Server map services, allowing users to perform queries on the FRA Grade Crossings spatial database. That database contains an inventory of all highway-rail crossings with accurate spatial locations throughout the United States and information about the crossing owners; crossing locations; and the highway, traffic control, and physical characteristics of the crossing. The app also allows users to access official USDOT Inventory Record and Accident/Incident records for each crossing.
The app initially pinpoints the user's location and shows nearby crossings. The aerial basemap is the default, but three other basemaps are available. The crossings symbols are color coded to denote whether the intersection is at grade, above grade, or below grade. Selecting the crossing displays a pop-up with the crossing ID number and address of the intersection and provides access to an additional page that shows a selection of the main attributes (e.g., operating railroad, road name, county) and links to the crossing's official USDOT Inventory Record and Incident Report. A convenient reporting option allows the user to send an e-mail to the FRA regarding a nonemergency issue at a specific crossing, which is automatically populated with the specific crossing ID. Besides finding crossings near their location, users can search for crossings by unique USDOT crossing ID or street address. Using the embedded filter tool, users can also find grade crossings by selected characteristics.
The Railroad Crossing Locator app gives easy access to information that improves investigative and reporting processes. Citizens can also use the tool to modify travel plans to avoid potential delays at crossings and be more informed about safety issues.
Matthew DeMeritt
Matt DeMeritt is a copy writer and brand journalist for Esri. For more than a decade, he has written articles about everything from mapping invasive pests to mapping the moons of Saturn. Prior to joining Esri, he was an English tutor at California State University, San Bernardino.
arcgis for server
Increase the Value of Your Work
ArcUser Fall 2013


text:
July 17, 2015 Uncategorized
My Thoughts on the Upcoming Marriage Equality Referendum
(Repost from my old blog, originally posted on 28th April 2015).
On my very first day of senior infants, at the mere age of five, I met my best friend *John. We played in the school yard, we drew pictures and we formed a bond that would prove unbreakable. Over twelve years on, John and I are still the best of friends, and that bond is stronger than ever. John is smart, loyal, creative, funny beyond words, talented, compassionate and ambitious. John has been there for me through thick and thin, he is the definition of a true friend. John is the best friend anyone could ever ask for and I'm proud to call him mine. Oh, and one other little thing – John is gay.
In 2015 modern Ireland, I shouldn't even have to make that statement. Nothing in this world makes me more angry than the fact that in a developed, highly established republic like Ireland, being a homosexual is still not accepted by many. Growing up with John, I never ever saw him as being in any way different to me or my other friends. Because he isn't different. John is just an ordinary 17 year old guy growing up in Ireland, who is judged and made feel inferior on a daily basis, just like the other estimated 300,000 gay men and women living in Ireland at present. And for what reason? Well, purely because of the narrow minded, idiotic members of society, also known as the 'Vote No Campaigners'.
Homophobic, in my opinion, is one of the vilest things a person could be. Under absolutely no circumstances, should someone be victimised, bullied and sneered at because of their sexuality. Nobody wakes up one day and decides they want to be straight, gay, bi, or transgender. We are who we are, and it's a human right to be allowed to be that person, and to do so without judgement from others. In this day and age, I really don't think this should even be up for discussion, never mind a referendum on it, but here we are in 2015, campaigning for ordinary people to be given the right to lead ordinary lives. Absolute fucking madness.
Personally, I've never been a fan of the Catholic Church. Following a hypocritical organisation that boasts a reputation of nepotism, child abuse and financial corruption has never been top of my priorities, but hey that's just me. As much as I show no interest in the religion, I would never go as far as to say I despise it, that is, until now. One thing I noticed about the vast majority of Vote No campaigners is that they also happen to be total and utter lick-arses to the Catholic Church. I feel physically sick every time I see one of their nonsensical 'Vote No' posters. "Vote No, because every child deserves a mother and a father." Why/ Why is that? Are you trying yo tell me that every child in a single parent family is drastically deprived then too, yeah? There is absolutely no logical reason as to why two men or two women, financially stable in a loving home, could not be as good parents as a man and woman in the same circumstances, absolutely none. If anything, the children of same sex couples would prove even more wanted and loved than the children of a heterosexual couple who fail to look after their kids properly. If the decision is made by a gay couple to raise a child, that decision will have taken a great deal of time and effort, and thus, that child is guaranteed to be 100% wanted and loved. My point proven.
There is absolutely no logical reason as to why gay people should not be allowed to marry or to raise a child. If anyone has some time to spare, I seriously suggest you go ask a Vote No campaigner why the above is considered wrong, I guarantee you nothing but utter bullshit will come out of their mouth. Plus you can have a laugh at how idiotic they are, always a bonus! I could go on forever defending this cause as I'm honestly so passionate about it but I think I've made my views pretty clear. So on May 22nd, if you are of voting age please,please Vote YES for Marriage Equality in Ireland and if you are too young to vote, then do your bit by spreading the word and encouraging others to do so. Do it for *John, do it for every single gay Irish citizen, do it for Ireland. Let us be the generation responsible for much needed change.
*Name changed for privacy reasons.
Four-story mural of two men embracing by Irish illustrator and street artist Joe Caslin on South Great Georges Street in downtown Dublin.
Next Post July Buys – My Latest Shoe Haul


text:
Florida Alliance for Retired Americans Monday Alert – January 4th
People 65 And Older Express Frustration, And Excitement, As They Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19 in Broward County
COVID-19 vaccinations started in Broward County this past weekend, for people who are 65 and older, while healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities have been getting the vaccine since December.
Noreen Stephens and her husband, Larry, drove to Davie's Vista View Park from Hollywood on Jan. 3, and arrived at about 6 a.m. Stephens sat in the passenger seat of their vehicle and said through the window that they couldn't be happier to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
"I am so grateful that the county did this for seniors," Stephens said. "We've been so scared for so many months, stuck in the house, so, thank goodness."
They said they got an appointment online, and then it took a while to confirm by phone.
"You can't give up, you have to keep trying and trying," she added. "It was a two-hour process to get the appointment."
The couple left a few hours after they got there. COVID-19 vaccinations started on Jan. 3 in Broward County for people who are 65 and older, while healthcare workers and people in long-term care facilities have been getting the vaccine since December.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended vaccinating frontline essential workers after healthcare workers but Gov. Ron DeSantis chose to include seniors next instead. Read More
FLARA needs your support! Your generosity is what allows FLARA to continue offering quality events and political engagement. All donations of $30 or more will receive a FLARA face mask!!! (while supplies last)
[ DONATE TODAY ]
Florida Agriculture Commissioner recommends DeSantis mobilize National Guard
"We are the first in the nation to begin offering vaccine to staff and residents of long term care facilities," Gov. Ron DeSantis said.
DeSantis touted that Florida is the first to mobilize county health departments and county emergency managers to actively vaccinate seniors 65 and older, however he also adds supply is limited.
"We don't' have enough vaccine currently on hand for all four million plus senior citizens in the state of Florida. Now we will get there but it's not going to happen overnight, so please be patient," DeSantis said.
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried says even with our supply: "While Florida has received over 1.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, only 146,160 vaccine doses have been administered."
Fried sent a letter to the governor Wednesday strongly recommending him to mobilize the National Guard to fix the COVID-19 vaccine distribution which she says, according to reports, is very chaotic and lacks of clear strategy to vaccinate the public. She also said "health care professionals have lacked clear direction from the state"
When asked about more call centers or more help the governor says: "If the hospitals need some support, we will be willing to provide that. We had some discussions with some of the big systems about maybe they could use some more nurses."
As far as long lines, DeSantis said it's important for hospitals to communicate with people. Read More
U.S. Supreme Court Set To Hear Florida-Georgia Water Battle
After years of battling between Florida and Georgia, the U.S. Supreme Court next month will again take up a dispute about water in a river system that links the two states.
The Supreme Court last week scheduled oral arguments Feb. 22 in the case about divvying up water in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system, which stretches from northern Georgia to Apalachicola Bay in Franklin County.
Florida filed the lawsuit in 2013, though the two states have fought for decades about water in the river system. Florida contends that Georgia is using too much water from the system, damaging the Apalachicola River and the long-iconic oyster industry in Apalachicola Bay.
Federal appellate Judge Paul Kelly, a special master appointed by the Supreme Court, dealt a blow to Florida in December 2019 when he said Florida had not adequately shown that Georgia's water use caused problems in the Apalachicola River and Apalachicola Bay.
Kelly's recommendation went to the Supreme Court, where Florida and Georgia in 2020 filed briefs that gave vastly different descriptions of the issues.
In one brief, Florida's attorneys attacked Kelly's findings and argued that "Georgia's insatiable upstream consumption (of water) has decimated Apalachicola's oyster fisheries."
"The harm to the Bay's oyster fisheries is undeniable. Apalachicola is renowned across America for its oysters, which account for 90% of Florida's oyster harvest and 10% of the nation's," the brief said. "What's more, oysters — and oystering — have created a distinct way of life in Apalachicola passed down from generation-to-generation; whole communities depend on the fisheries for their economic livelihood. The oyster is to Apalachicola what the lobster is to many New England towns." Read More
The Alliance wishes all of our members a healthy, safe and happy 2021!
Those Over Age 75, Essential Frontline Workers Should Be Next in Line for Covid Vaccine
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a federal panel advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has approved recommendations that people over the age of 75 and essential frontline workers be next in line for the Covid-19 vaccines. They would follow the health care workers, nursing home residents and staff vaccinated during the initial phase of the inoculations.
The panel's recommendations are non-binding and state officials will make the final decisions on the order of vaccinations; however, many states are looking to ACIP to help them settle challenging ethical questions over the distribution of the scarce supply of doses.
About 20 million people are 75 or older and there are about 30 million front-line workers, including police, firefighters, teachers and grocery workers. Seniors between the ages of 65-74, other essential workers and people between the ages of 16-64 with high-risk conditions would be inoculated after those groups.
"The recommendations reflect the fact that seniors are the most likely to face serious illness or death from the virus," said Alliance Executive Director Richard Fiesta. "Unfortunately it will take months to complete the process. We must continue to wear our masks and social distance as much as possible in the meantime. Please follow the CDC guidelines."
Nursing Home Occupancy is Down Sharply Across the Nation
The pandemic is changing the way Americans care for seniors, with a growing number of families opting for in-home care over nursing homes. Nursing home use has been decreasing gradually for years, with occupancy in 2019 at 80%, down from 84% a decade earlier. The pandemic has accelerated the trend due to deaths, fear of infection and family members' concerns over restricted visitation at the facilities.
This year alone occupancy in nursing homes is down 15%, or more than 195,000 residents. More than 115,000 deaths caused by Covid-19 have been linked to long-term care facilities.
Nursing-home operators say that rising numbers of baby boomers with a need for institutional care will drive occupancy rates back up.
Surveys have long shown many seniors prefer aging at home, and the pandemic has made nursing homes even less popular, according to a September survey of adults 40 and older by AARP. Just 7% said they would prefer a nursing home for family members needing long-term care, and 6% said they would choose one for themselves. Nearly three in 10 respondents said the pandemic had made them less likely to choose institutional care.
"Once the pandemic is over, long term care trends are unlikely to return quickly to the way they were," said Robert Roach, Jr., President of the Alliance. "We are going to see the after-effects from the pandemic for a long time, with more seniors aging in place, before demographic changes bring the number of nursing home residents back up."
Scam Alert: Seniors Being Targeted With Promise of Early Access to Covid Vaccine
Public health officials are warning the public of scammers who promise early access to the vaccine in exchange for sensitive personal information.
Beware of any call from someone asking for your Social Security number or credit card information in conjunction with the vaccine. No legitimate doctor's office, pharmacy or insurance company would call asking for this information.
"Be on the lookout for those contacting you via phone, text and email," said Joseph Peters, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. "If what they are offering seems too good to be true, it probably is. Access to the vaccine is strictly controlled, so do not believe strangers saying they have early access."
If you receive one of these solicitations, experts say the best thing to do is hang up immediately. Do not open or respond to any messages or click on any links or email attachments from unknown sources. If you are unsure about a message, check with your healthcare provider, as they will be able to pass on the most accurate information about the vaccine.
Georgia Senate Runoffs are Only Five Days Away
Retiree-led phone banks will continue this week as the important Georgia Senate runoff elections approach. With only a few days left until Election Day on January 5th, Alliance members from all states are invited to call Georgia voters in support of Democratic candidates Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. The next shift will take place on January 2nd, 2021 at 2:00pm Eastern Time. Click here to sign up.
The early voting period is well underway, and the number of voters turning out for the election is breaking records. According to an NBC News data analysis, almost 70,000 voters have registered in the state since the general election in November.
"Given how close the races were during the general election, any slight shifts in voter turnout can determine the winners," said President Roach. "A phone call really could make a big difference."


text:
Bruchidius orchesioides is een keversoort uit de familie bladkevers (Chrysomelidae). De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort werd in 1892 gepubliceerd door Hayden.

orchesioides

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Issue 03: You're Looking at the Tour All Wrong
By David Schloss
Because whether or not Froome was doping, it doesn't matter.
When the news broke that Floyd Landis had been caught doping, I was mid-way through a ride of RAGBRAI, the massive community bike ride that snakes its way slowly across the Iowa plains and hills.
I had, in fact, just spent a miraculous few-dozen miles riding alongside Tour de France hero, Lance Armstrong. To help promote Livestrong, Lance decided to organize a group to do RAGBRAI and he spent his days cruising at high-speed through the country with a peloton of attendants and fanboys.
I was one of those fanboys, and when my ride partner's wife called to say that Lance had just passed her about a dozen miles before our current position, we figured it would be our chance to ride with a cycling idol.
We found a climb that was steep enough to shed the week riders and waited for Lance to crest the hill. We could tell he was coming a mile off from the noise his group generated, the hoots and hollers of those who recognized him were deafening.
Hitching on we rode at speeds in the high twenties, pulled along by the vortex of celebrity. At one point a young boy on a kid's sized road bike pulled toward Lance to say hello. We told Lance that a kid was trying to ride to him and the group slowed and parted so that Lance could put his hand on the boy's shoulder and chat with him while they rode down the Iowa plains at twenty miles an hour.
Sweat was still dripping from my head after my ride when I heard the news about Floyd.
Floyd. Was. Doping.
Certainly, this can't be true, I thought. Certainly, he's not a doper. Lance, the hero I'd just rode with was suspected of doping forever, but he'd never tested positive, right? How could Floyd have doped? Surely if Lance was innocent so too was Floyd.
You see there was an era of cycling when heroes proved to be demons and those demonized turned out to be heroic. It wasn't fair, it wasn't just, but it just was. We were told, in those days, that the race was largely clean. After all, hadn't the Festina affair cleaned out the dopers? Hadn't the purge of Operation Puerto rooted out the few rotten apples that were seeking to destroy a good and a noble sport?
Phil and Paul would watch Lance race up a hill faster than anyone else in the peloton—faster in fact than anyone in any peloton had ever raced that hill—and tell us that his cadence was so high, his focus so clear that he could ride and ride and ride. He had a high threshold for lactic acid, he had super-human lungs that could infuse him with oxygen far more efficiently than anyone before.
They'd become excited to the point of stuttering as Lance passed his rivals, broke records, broke his competitors. When Lance stopped to berate someone in the middle of a race, they brushed it off as words exchanged in the heat of the moment.
And they talked about his record of being tested for doping and never failing. They talked about his cancer work, his fundraising. Lance was a hero. And then it all fell apart.
From my particularly good vantage point to watch the Tour de France this season (I own a coffee shop with a branch inside a local bike store—we broadcast the Tour daily on a big projection screen) I had a better-than-usual chance to reflect on the ins and outs of the race.
This, the commentators told us would be the year that cycling would return to its clean roots. (Ignoring the fact that cycling has never been totally clean.) Leading into the Tour's first day the same commentators who told us that Festina and Operation Puerto were a thing of the past told us that this year, this tour, this very moment we were seeing the Tour as a clean and new being. A bright and shiny new race full of people who grew up clean and raced clean.
Cut to the interview with Tejay. Cut to Jonathan Vaughters. Cut to Bob Roll bouncing and pontificating about how these new riders grew up in an era where doping was demonized and the sport was finally, finally clean.
And for the first few days, the 100th running of the Tour de France looks pretty darn clean. Riders are suffering. Previous champions like Contador (doper!!!) and Evans fell off the back. On small climbs, the riders would fall apart in the way that we expect clean riders to fall apart.
And then it happened. On a powerfully brutal climb up Col de Pailheres on Stage 8, newcomer Neiro Qunitana from Movistar powered his way up to glory. Phil and Paul cackled with delight as this new rider, this Colombian climber with youth in his legs and altitude in his blood climbed his way to the top of the first climb.
And then the Tour's favorite Chris Froome rocketed past him, climbing better than the younger, and lighter, Quintana. Phil and Paul told us that Froome was looking amazing. His cadence, they told us, was so high and efficient. His focus so good.
And then on Ventoux Quintana went off again and Froome again was alone able to match him. Paul explained that "Froome…was born at altitude" as if his place of birth extended to him a power, just like being born on Krypton would make Kal-El able to leap tall buildings in a single bound."
Rinse, wash, repeat.
Cycling websites went mad with accusations. Froome is a doper. There's no other explanation. He is guilty. Guilty because he was so strong, guilty because he was so fast, guilty because he hadn't released the power meter data his team promised. Guilty because, well really how could he climb like that an not be guilty. He'd ridden some climbs with the same speed as riders who were admitted dopers. He rode without looking like he was in any difficulty.
It was during the final real day of the Tour, the climb up Annecy-Semnoz in Stage 20 when Froome rocketed away from his support riders and rode up to Quintana that the cyclists around me all started to make noises of disbelief that I'd heard before. And that's when I realized that we're watching the Tour all wrong.
Professional sports, be it cycling or baseball, skiing or football, they're all recreation.
When you or I play softball for our corporate team, that's sports. When we race the local crit for points or beer or a small trophy of little significance, that is sports.
But when highly paid athletes compete, it's recreation. The input of the fame and the money and the media scrutiny makes it as much about sports as Brittney Spears is about music.
The sound I heard the fans make when Froome activated some sort of mutant power to sprint up to Quintana in Stage 20 was the same sound that a table full of craps players makes when the table craps out. It's the sound that blackjack players make when they hold 19 and the dealer pulls 21.
And that's because it's the same thing. It's the sound of a group of people realizing that the odds are stacked against them, that the house is winning. That the game is fixed.
Because whether or not Froome was doping, it doesn't matter. We can no longer separate true victories from those purchased from a doctor.
And in a way, that's okay. As long as we're willing to look at the Tour and at professional cycling differently. Professional cycling is a massive conglomerate full of parties that are interested in making money and in keeping the game moving ahead.
And so are the casinos in Vegas. But that doesn't keep people from flocking there. Ask anyone in a casino in Vegas and they'll tell you they know that the house always wins, but they, they will be the exception to that rule.
We want our sport to be the exception, except in many ways it can't be. You can't ask human beings to ride twice up Alps d'huez and have all of them be 100% clean. When people ask me why some professional cyclists dope, I have to explain where many of these european and slavic riders have come from and that winning is the only way they have to raise the quality of their life and make a future possible for their families. If winning has to come in a bottle, so be it.
Here in the states, we have the luxury of being able to do club rides. We can do crits around industrial parking lots and it's all about our passion for the sport. But that's a myopic view of professional cycling and it's not accurate, nor will it ever be.
But from the Vegas point of view, it doesn't matter. If we watch the sport from the perspective that it's all a show, that we love watching guys struggle their way up and down mountains and sprinting to finishes. If we take our joy in the drama that is the pain and the glory of riding for three weeks in the rain or sleet or sun, then it's different.
Before the Tour rolls through a village a long carnival of cars and trucks and floats comes through, tossing out freebies to the spectators, getting them wound up for the race. And then the race comes through, getting the spectators wound up to buy vacations from Vacances Soleil, phones from Movistar and satellite TV from Sky.
It's all a big show, it's all a big display of herculean effort. If we watch the Tour as entertainment, instead of a pure exhibition of sporting fitness it becomes less of an issue if someone is doping their way up the hill or if they've ingested a bit of testosterone with their steak or on purpose.
We need to watch the Tour and professional cycling like a battle between the great gods on Olympus, some of whom would lie and steal and cheat in order to defeat each other. And in that case, the doping is part of the spectacle. It's part of the show. Watching people crowned and dethroned is part of the Tour, not something that we're going to get rid of.
Fighting against doping becomes as much a part of the race as fighting to get a better aero position, or doing a mid-time-trial bike change to get a bit of advantage.
It doesn't matter if Froome was doping because as spectators there's nothing we can do about it. We can watch him crest the hills under wings of glory and then later watch to see if he flew too close to the sun and those wings shatter and fall off.
In that case the Tour is beautiful, even if it's full of cheaters. It's glorious to watch Cadel struggle his way up a hill and it's glorious to watch Froome rocket up the mountains. It's all the same as time spent in the casino, a momentary distraction designed to enrich our lives, albeit with a bit of a cost. The energy we spend watching the Tour is the psychic version of the capital we spend to play Pai Gow Poker at The Venetian.
Froome was doping. Froome wasn't doping. Who cares. Froome rocketed up the mountain alongside a small unknown Colombian cyclist that we never heard of before, and now both of them are part of the fabric of cycling. Maybe Quintana was doping. Maybe Contador was. Who cares?
Take from it the beauty and the motivation of the race. Absorb the ritual of respect and the power of the pack. Forget the dope, forget the cheating. Just watch the Tour to love it as a whole. There will always be fragments to rally against, but there will also always be the beauty and passion.
And nothing can take that away.
Ed. note: After a good run of 42 issues, our magazine app is no longer available, but we've archived the content here on our blog.
Posted in Magazine ArchiveTagged magazine
Previous Previous post: Issue 03: Time for CX
Next Next post: Issue 03: Spinlister


Roseville Cinema is very baby-friendly, it has 'baby crying rooms' in both cinemas. If you are looking for a family friendly cinema in Sydney, it's here!
Roseville is a really charismatic, old-fashioned picture house. It's a family owned and operated independent cinema, quite a breath of fresh air.
I'm terribly fond of it for it's olde worlde features and its great choice of art house movies.
This was the first cinema with a 'baby crying room' that we ever tried… long ago now, but still remembered!
Roseville Cinema by night, always a welcome sight.
Both screens of the Roseville cinema have separate 'baby crying rooms' inside the cinema. This is a glassed in area, suitable for families with babies and young children.
Both have six seats. There are volume, air conditioner and light dimmer controls in the rooms. No bookings are taken for the rooms, so it is a first-come-first-served scenario and the cinema advises arriving at least 15 minutes early.
Prams cannot go into the rooms but car seats and bouncers can. A bouncer and a change table is placed in each room.
Parents can take partners and friends into the crying rooms, but if another parent and child need the seat the companions will be asked to sit in the main part of the cinema.
Are you a fan of Roseville Cinema too?
Have you taken the kids to the movies?
I've never seen a baby crying room, but it sounds like a wonderful thing.


The key to our success is "Good Products Good quality, Reasonable Price and Efficient Service" for Welded Bar Grating , welded bar grating , Flat Bar Steel Grating , With us your money in risk-free your company in safe and sound . Hope we are able to be your trustworthy supplier in China . Seeking forward for your cooperation .
"""Sincerity, Innovation, Rigorousness, and Efficiency"" could be the persistent conception of our business for your long-term to develop with each other with prospects for mutual reciprocity and mutual profit for Welded Bar Grating , welded bar grating , Flat Bar Steel Grating , Furthermore all of our products and solutions are manufactured with advanced equipment and strict QC procedures in order to ensure high quality. If you are interested in any of our items make sure you don't hesitate to contact us. We will do our best to meet your needs.


El Gordo de Verano is the summer equivalent of Spain's huge Christmas lottery El Gordo. The official Spanish Summer Lottery offers excellent chances of winning, with 70% of ticket revenue placed back into a staggering prize pot of $180 million. It takes place once a year, with 2018's draw falling on July 7th.
What Is the Difference Between El Gordo De Verano and El Gordo?
Spain's world renowned Christmas Lottery El Gordo, also known as El Gordo de Navidad, is drawn once a year in December. El Gordo de Verano is the summer version of this draw.
When Does the El Gordo Verano Lottery Draw Take Place?
The draw takes place once a year with the next draw falling on July 7th 2018. The draw for the first prize division normally takes place by 1pm CET (10pm AEST), with subsequent draws for the lower prize divisions happening one after another. As there are so many different prize divisions this can take a while!
You can choose to bet a whole 'ticket', which will entitle you to the entire prize division amount should your 5 digit 'ticket' number be drawn. You can also bet for a fraction of the 'ticket', known as a share, at a fraction of the cost. So, should your number come up, and you bet a 1/10th share you'll receive 1/10th of the prize for that division. It's also possible to bet 1/100th of a 'ticket' for which you will receive an equivalent share of the prize pot.
How Much Does it Cost to Bet ?
An entire ticket costs $379.99. A 1/10th share costs $49.99 and 1/100th costs $7.99.
What Does 'El Gordo' Actually Mean?
A quick google translate will reveal that El Gordo means the 'fat' one. Which is more than apt as it is certainly a very big draw with a huge prize pot!
How Big Is the Prize Pot?
There is over $180 million in the prize pot, which although massive, is still dwarfed by the huge sum available for the Christmas version. The great thing about this draw is that it offers an outstanding chance of winning of over 35%, which is higher than any other lottery out there!
As mentioned in the previous FAQ, El Gordo de Verano offers a win ratio of over 1 in 3 at around 35%! This is considerably higher than the vast majority of lotteries.
The total amount you can win depends on whether you purchased a whole ticket or a share of the ticket. It also depends on the prize division at which your number was drawn out. The same ticket number may be reproduced several times, for example 05664 s1 05664 s2 05664 s3 all the way up to ten or more. So, for instance, if there were ten versions of the winning ticket there would be ten winners of a €2 million (approx. $3 million) jackpot.
Why Should I Bet on the Spanish Summer Lotto?
As with the Christmas El Gordo, the Spanish Summer Lotto offers exceptional chances of winning. The draw is hugely popular in its native Spain, with the clamour for tickets at fever pitch in the run up to the draw. How much or how little you want to get involved is also up to you. You can buy a full ticket at a higher price and increase your chances of landing a major windfall, or you can buy a share of a ticket for much cheaper and still retain a high 1 in 3 chance of winning a prize.
Can I Bet on El Gordo Verano via App?
You can bet on El Gordo Verano on your mobile while you're on the go! The free Lottoland App is available for your iPhone or Android smartphone and simple to use.


Every person understands exactly what Facebook is, and it is difficult to locate the individual which doesn't have the profile on this social media. Facebook has many silver linings-- we could connect with individuals we like despite exactly how far they live, we can share statuses, photos and videos, we could send out messages, and so on. There are some bad sides also. Individuals do spend excessive time on the social network websites rather than heading out even more as well as speaking to each other, which is why some users decided to remove their social media network accounts. If you do not intend to use Facebook anymore, this social network is providing you lots of time to very carefully consider this, since once you erase the account, there is no turning back. Every little thing will certainly be lost-- messages, photos, friends, and more. And also, removing your account is not something that you can do with a couple of clicks. Allow's see How Do U Delete Your Facebook Account Forever.
If you intend to delete your Facebook account, you probably discovered that you could locate this option that easy.
The option you could discover is to deactivate your account, and also if you do this, your profile won't be visible to your Facebook friends and also other users of this social media. If you alter your mind and also want to use Facebook once more, all you need to do is log in. Your messages, images, friends - everything will certainly be there.
Once more, if you delete the account, you will not have the ability to reactivate it and the material you added will be erased. That is why Facebook encourages the users to download the duplicate of their information. To do that, click on the account menu (triangle icon situated at the upper-right edge), click Settings then click "download a copy of your Facebook data", followed by "Start my archive".
As you could see, when the web page opens, the message will appear to advise you that you won't have the ability to reactivate your account. If you make certain that you wish to do this, click "Delete my account" to send out a request for removal. Facebook will not remove your account immediately, and also you will certainly have few more days to alter your mind. If you do not want the account to be erased, cancel the request. When the account is officially erased, you will not have the ability to reactivate it, as well as the only choice will be to produce a brand-new account.


January 3,2017...You fought a courageous battle my friend.
You are visiting the placeholder page for Liz Olsen. This page is here because someone used our placeholder utility to look for Liz Olsen. We created this page automatically in hopes Liz Olsen would find it. If you are not Liz Olsen, but are an alumni of Castle Park High School, register on this site for free now.


Your 4BIO Pass gives you access to all three congresses. Workshops can be added to your pass.
View our free resources on microfluidics and qPCR and dPCR including presentation videos, slide decks, reports and posters.


If you ask any federal employee about the time period between considering a job listing and the moment they actually start doing productive work after accepting an offer, they usually describe it in one word: torture. The on-boarding forms, formalities and repetition that seemingly need to happen before an individual can get down to real work can be a real turn-off. But one federal agency has stepped ahead of the pack, created an innovative, intuitive Web-based system that not only minimizes the pain, but instantly begins to contribute to the image and brand of their organization. The result: happier new hires who become productive more quickly.


Welcome to Data Based Instruction (Data Boot Camp)! Please introduce yourself to the class by clicking the "Add a new discussion topic" button below. Please put your response in the form of a paragraph. For instructions on posting and replying click here.


Valvoline's Palladium grease is a premium quality multi-purpose lubricant for use in extreme pressure and high temperature operating conditions. It is manufactured from carefully selected petroleum oils and performance additives to create superior grease with a dropping point of 460-500° F. The smooth textured grease has a heavy bodied consistency but provides good pumpability in both hot and cold operating temperatures. The product has excellent resistance to water washout problems. Oil separation is minimal even under extreme pressures.
Valvoline's Palladium grease is formulated with special lubricity, anti-wear and extreme pressure additives including molybdenum disulfide and is completely fortified with oxidation, rust and corrosion inhibitors. It displaces other greases as top-of-the-line quality products for severe applications and general purpose lubrication.
Valvoline's Palladium grease is a premium quality multi-purpose lubricant for use in extreme pressure and high temperature operating conditions.
Valvoline Professional Series helps installers and technicians improve vehicle care and customer satisfaction.


text:
Tax basics: Understanding the difference between standard and itemized deductions
By special.to
One of the first decisions taxpayers must make when completing a tax return is whether to take the standard deduction or itemize their deductions. There are several factors that can influence a taxpayer's choice, including changes to their tax situation, any changes to the standard deduction amount and recent tax law changes.
Generally, most taxpayers use the option that gives them the lowest overall tax.
As taxpayers begin to think about filing their tax return, here are some things they should know about standard and itemized deductions.
The standard deduction amount increases slightly every year. The standard deduction amount depends on the taxpayer's filing status, whether they are 65 or older or blind, and whether another taxpayer can claim them as a dependent. Taxpayers who are age 65 or older on the last day of the year and don't itemize deductions are entitled to a higher standard deduction.
Most filers who use Form 1040 can find their standard deduction on the first page of the form. The standard deduction for most filers of Form 1040-SR, U.S. Tax Return for Seniors, is on the last page of that form.
According to the Instructions for Form 1040 and 1040-SR, not all taxpayers can take a standard deduction, including:
A married individual filing as married filing separately whose spouse itemizes deductions – if one spouse itemizes on a separate return, both must itemize.
An individual who files a tax return for a period of less than 12 months. This is uncommon and could be due to a change in their annual accounting period.
An individual who was a nonresident alien or a dual-status alien during the year. Nonresident aliens who are married to a U.S. citizen or resident alien, however, can take the standard deduction in certain situations.
Taxpayers who choose to itemize deductions may do so by filing Schedule A, Form 1040, Itemized Deductions. Itemized deductions that taxpayers may claim can include:
State and local income or sales taxes.
Real estate and personal property taxes.
Home mortgage interest.
Personal casualty and theft losses from a federally declared disaster.
Gifts to a qualified charity.
Unreimbursed medical and dental expenses that exceed 7.5% of adjusted gross income.
Some itemized deductions, such as the deduction for taxes, may be limited. Taxpayers should review the instructions for Schedule A Form 1040 for more information on limitations.
How Much Is My Standard Deduction?
Topic No. 551, Standard Deduction
More online_features/money_and_finance
IRS kicks off 2023 tax filing season with returns due April 18
The adoption tax credit helps families with adoption-related expenses
Navigating Life Events: Divorced Spouse Resources
IRS Free File launch aims to save taxpayers hard-earned dollars


When my husband and I married in 1999, we decided to start a family right away. Five years, 6 fresh IVFs, 3 frozen embryo transfers, over 100 embryos and 2 Gestational Surrogates later, we became the proud parents of identical twin boys. As you can see, this was not a simple journey. I encountered many situations and professional (and some not so professional) people along the way. It was a heart-wrenching, expensive journey and I wish that I had met others who could have advised me. But since reproductive medicine and surrogacy were relatively new territories, I had to make my own way along many dark corridors.
I found myself talking for hours on the phone with other Intended Parents, offering suggestions, sharing contacts, information and insights from my own experiences. I found that people who had opted to use an agency often felt that the company was focused primarily on the happiness of the Surrogate and treated the Intended Parent's needs as secondary. As we all know, all parties' needs must be addressed in order to reduce stress and have a happy pregnancy. It was obvious that what was needed was an agency that would look out equally for the best interests of the Intended Parents and the interests of the Gestational Surrogates. Agency for Surrogacy Solutions, Inc. was my response.
I have not always been involved with the world of infertility and surrogacy — before I began my struggle to become a parent, I worked for more than 15 years as a television producer, writer and director. Surprisingly, having a baby through surrogacy is a lot like producing a successful television show. Both need creativity, lots of coordination, attention to detail, and the ability to deal with all different types of people, while keeping your eye on the desired outcome.
Running my company and helping people through their surrogacy journeys are things I do from the heart. Surrogacy and pregnancy are very emotionally turbulent situations, and I hope to make the experience as simple and as free of anxiety as possible for everyone involved.
Kathryn is the co-owner and founder of Agency for Surrogacy Solutions and Global IVF, Inc.
I had no idea the roller coaster ride my now ex-husband and I were about to take when we decided to start a family. I was 36 years old when we got married. We decided to cut to the chase and went straight to a fertility doctor. I was thrilled but not surprised when we got pregnant our very first non-medicated IUI. That's the way it was supposed to be, right? My pregnancy was uneventful and my daughter announced herself to the world 3 1/2 weeks early. We quickly started trying for #2.
We immediately got pregnant with another non-medicated IUI but at ten weeks, the baby's heartbeat was gone. This was the beginning of what proved to be a very long descent into the depths of infertility. I continued to get pregnant– only to miscarry each time. With each infertility procedure, each test, each pregnancy and miscarriage (8 of them), I found myself sinking deeper and deeper into a very dark place. For 6 ½ years, we tried everything — immune testing and therapies, consultations with top clinics and REs from around the country, donor egg — nothing worked. I did IVFs, ZIFT, DE/IVF, heparin, etc. We were at the end of our rope when my husband brought up surrogacy.
We interviewed with top agencies but their approach was all about the money with no regard for our emotional state. We eventually "settled" for an agency that had an available GS. Our surrogate was wonderful, our agency was not. It was then that I turned to my dear friend Kathryn (who by now had started her own agency) for support. She helped keep us focused and grounded.
Our little girl was born in May 2005. Eighteen months later, our same surrogate gave birth to our son. In 2013, using a different surrogate and new egg donor, we added one more son to our family. My children are the light in my life and it's hard to believe that I was once so depressed about our infertility that I could barely get out of bed.
Like Kathryn, I, too, had a career in television before infertility consumed my life. I was a producer/director/writer. I produced many programs, but now every time I 'produce' a surrogacy, I am much prouder of the outcome. There is nothing more rewarding and ultimately as important as bringing a child who is so very wanted into the world.
I am now at a really great place in my life. I am happily divorced and able to focus on the most important things in my life – my children, my incredible business and my own personal growth. Life is pretty wonderful!
Lauri is the co-owner and founder of Agency for Surrogacy Solutions and Global IVF, Inc.
In the summer of 2016, I moved to the Portland, Oregon with my teenage daughter, 2 older dogs and one cat. I had worked in the entertainment industry in Southern California for over 20 years and in the fall of 2015, I found myself yearning for a new adventure. Up until that point, I had been content with collaborating on projects that educated and/or entertained the public and now I wanted to impact peoples lives on a more personal level.
Having watched many of my friends struggle with the challenges of infertility over the years, I was thrilled when the opportunity came up to join the Agency for Surrogacy Solutions, as I saw it as an amazing avenue to work with the most incredible people from every imaginable walk of life, and help them create loving families. The journey to becoming a parent is different for everyone. I personally have benefited from all the advances in reproductive medicine and am grateful everyday for the gift of my wonderful daughter.
I'm looking forward to this next chapter in my life in a new city, although I'm not so sure that I will ever adjust to the weather in Portland! I truly find it both an honor and a privilege to be able to share the surrogacy process with intended parents, surrogates and the amazing teams of reproductive specialists around the world. As Charles Dickens once said "Tis love that makes the world go round, my baby" and I hope to continue the chain of love and babies for many years to come.
When I was in a period of transition before I began working for the Agency, I remember visiting my hairdresser. I shared my reluctance about returning to the corporate world (I worked in the finance industry) and how I longed to find a job where I felt good about what I did and to know that I was making a difference. I could see his wheels turning as he listened and he finally said, "I have the perfect job for you." He proceeded to tell me about one of his clients who worked for a surrogacy agency and how much she loved it. He referred to it as the "baby job." I was intrigued by the work Kathryn and Lauri did with respect to infertility and surrogacy. Knowing how blessed I was to have a son and how precious children are, I knew I would totally love helping couples/individuals have children!
Every time I had a hair appointment, I would remind my hairdresser to please have his client drop my name to Lauri and Kathryn and let them know I was interested in working for their agency. Long story short, my persistence paid off! Almost two years after he mentioned the "baby job" to me, I received a call from Kathryn letting me know that a position as case manager had opened up with their agency. She asked if I was interested. I was thrilled and I immediately jumped at the opportunity!
I have been working for Agency for Surrogacy Solutions since 2010 and it's gratifying to know that I am playing a part in helping Intended Parents add to their families. It warms my heart when Intended Parents and Surrogates send me pictures of the babies we helped create and knowing that these babies are so loved.
I was born in Santa Monica, CA but currently live in Sherman Oaks with my daughter whom I adopted from Vietnam when she was an infant. She is now a teenager and an amazing artist. I am an avid tennis player and play in tournaments regularly. I am also involved with the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council. I have a small close knit family that all live close by. I have a dog named Shana who is an important member of the family. She is a Schnoodle and adds a lot of fun to our home. I also enjoy movies, plays, music, reading a good book, playing the Wii with my daughter and keeping up with exercise.
I have been working in the surrogacy field for many years and with A4SS since 2009. I find it truly fulfilling. Being a parent myself and having fertility issues in my past, I can certainly understand the need and desire to be a parent, so if surrogacy is an option for someone, I feel it should be pursued. For a woman to give this gift of life is an amazing and wonderful thing in bringing joy to a family who otherwise would not have it.
I wasn't born in Texas, but got here as fast as I could! I grew up in southern California and in 1992 our family moved to Texas. That is where I met my amazing, loving husband who works in the broadcast industry. We have 5 children and I treasure every moment with them as a stay at home mom. I started working for the agency in January 2012 after having the most wonderful experience as a GS surrogate with them. I knew that I wanted to be a surrogate when I was 15 after watching my aunt struggle with infertility and failed adoptions. After watching a special on Dateline in 2009 I knew my family was complete but yearned to create a family for someone else.
I had twins for an incredible family in June 2011, and another amazing couple in 2013. Surrogacy has been such a passion for me and I'm very excited to be one of the surrogate coordinators for Agency For Surrogacy Solutions. I love being able to help potential surrogates start their journey and I have a better understanding since I myself was a surrogate with this agency. When I'm not with the kids, husband or working, I spend my free time running.
I am so blessed to have found my soul mate and to have an amazing family as my biggest supporters in everything that I do. After having our two children, my husband and I unfortunately found out that our daughter has Autism; and after a long emotional discussion, we decided that we would focus our lives only on the two wonderful children we have and not conceive anymore. But I knew in my heart, that I still wanted to carry a child, even if it was not for us. After looking into surrogacy, I met Kathryn and Lauri and began my incredible journeys.
Filled with questions and anxieties, both these ladies along with the rest of their amazing team, took great care of me throughout each different stage of my journeys. Afterwards, I absolutely knew this would be my calling. Helping other wonderful women find the courage and their strength to follow their hearts desire of helping IP's with carrying their miracle baby/ies. I jumped at the chance to be a part of this incredible agency and team. I am now a part of something beautiful, and have the ability to help amazing people make their dream of having children come true.
My passion for children began when I started working with special-needs children after I graduated from high school. I spent 8 years working my way up in a corporate preschool from teacher to assistant director before deciding to open my own home daycare.
In 2006 I had my first child, a boy. Then I met my husband online and after 4 years of getting to know each other, we got married and in 2010 I was blessed with my second easy pregnancy, this time a daughter. I wanted to be pregnant again but was not ready for another baby at home.
I remembered that a mom from my daycare center told me she was a surrogate. A light went off and I knew that's what I had to do.
My surrogacy was a surreal experience and as soon as I had my embryo transfer I knew I was ready for a career change. I delivered a baby boy in 2012 and was excited to begin working with a surrogacy agency as I neared the end of my own journey. I spent a year with that agency before joining Agency for Surrogacy Solutions. Now, I enjoy helping others pursue their dream of surrogacy while still being accessible to my family.
I was born in Missouri and later moved to Oklahoma, after college I met my wonderful husband of 8 years. We now have two adorable daughters.
I find it fulfilling to be a surrogate, a surrogate coordinator and case manager for Agency for Surrogacy Solutions. I have been in the surrogacy world for several years. I am an experienced surrogate having done multiple journeys with Agency For Surrogacy Solutions.
I work with potential surrogates, current surrogates and intend parents to help them understand the process from beginning to end. I guide them and help answer questions that may arise along the way. I assist with coordinating medical care, counseling, and providing any emotional support that may be beneficial. I love my job and very passionate about surrogacy. I strive to show that passion in the work I do with my surrogates and intended parents.
In my free time I enjoy volunteering at my daughters school as the Parent Teacher Organization President, running and traveling around the world with my husband and daughters.
I was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil and since 2013 I call Los Angeles home, where I live with my loving and supportive husband. While my husband and I are not ready to have our own children, I take great pleasure in helping other couples/individuals start and expand their families. I work as a case manager and I love being the support point for couples and surrogates on such a beautiful journey. I also work as a case manager at our sister company, Agency for Egg Donor Solutions, so helping create families is part of my daily routine.