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Everledger
Our Four Big Takeaways From Davos
World Economic Forum, Annual Meeting, January 2020
BY LEANNE KEMP// Founder & CEO
The 50th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, this January, made headlines for its focus on climate change, the emergence of a new generation of leaders and the increasing volume of young and female voices. This is great news, as long as the focus of world leaders remains fixed on supporting a sustainable future, and alternative views on a way forward are taken seriously. In particular, we need to wrap our arms around the youth and invite them to challenge the status quo.
From an Everledger perspective, this was our fifth year at Davos. Like everybody else, we came with a list of burning issues that we were keen to engage with. Here are our four big takeaways from a busy few days.
1. Sustainable batteries
The message is getting through about the massive environmental upside from recycling and re-using electric vehicle batteries, and all other lithium-ion batteries for that matter. The future will be driven by millions of electric vehicles and billions of portable electronic devices. If these can be sourced, manufactured and recycled responsibly — in other words, by creating a sustainable battery value chain — then the transport and power sectors could reduce emissions by 30% by 2030, on track to meet the 2°C goal of Paris Agreement. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), this battery revolution could also create 10 million jobs, add $150 billion to the global economy and provide electricity to 600 million people for the first time.
Since 2017, Everledger has been committed to supporting the Global Battery Alliance, with a view to raising ever more awareness around the challenges and opportunities of a sustainable battery value chain. At Davos this year, we joined 41 other companies from automotive, mining, chemicals and energy in agreeing to the Alliance's 10 guiding principles for a sustainable battery value chain. As a vocal proponent of battery passports in recent years, we were pleased to see them deliberately selected and featured in the closing highlights for the meeting.
The next step is to mainstream the good intentions. In partnership with Ford Motor Company, we recently received phase 1 funding from the US Department of Energy (DoE) for lithium-ion battery pilots that use Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain technology to track the life cycle of electric vehicles and portable electronics batteries.
By capturing production, transport, and environmental data in real-time, IoT allows us to keep track of products and materials, which in turn, increases opportunities to recover and recycle them. When coupled with blockchain technology, this information becomes immutable, private and transparent.
These pilots should provide valuable use cases for other implementations to follow in 2021.
2. As blockchain scales up, some are confused and don't trust blockchain systems — is regulation a way to help?
In the late 2010s, blockchain broke free of its tag as just a cryptocurrency technology. It has demonstrated its wider ability to disrupt supply chains where there is a need for increased efficiency, transparency and interoperability. In the right circumstances, blockchain has shown its ability to encourage compliance and good governance practices. It can create value chains where transparency becomes the rule and additional benefits can be reaped across all stakeholders: industry, suppliers, consumers and government.
Blockchain is now entering a new era of rapid proliferation. Organisations across the world are finding ways to harness its benefits, with $12.4 billion in projected investment by 2022. But without effective regulation, we risk creating fractured systems that focus entirely on commercial gain at the expense of transparency. Instead of certainty, we could have confusion and manipulation. The promise of financial inclusion could be corrupted to support willful exploitation. Business leaders and regular people are also slow to adopt blockchain-based systems because they fear potential government regulations might require them to make expensive or difficult changes in the future.
The WEF and its partners are determined to intervene where possible, before it's too late, so that blockchain remains a force for good for all people. Everledger is working with the WEF's Global Future Council on Blockchain to develop a Blockchain Bill of Rights to define the 'Design Principles for a Decentralised Future' as the technology continues to scale.
Everledger is also collaborating with the OECD's advisory board of blockchain experts and innovators. The group met in Paris in January to explore the principles and fundamentals of policy enablement, so that applications of blockchain can help supply chains and financial services to thrive globally.
3. Advanced manufacturing will benefit from neutral data sharing
Fully 16% of global GDP today relies on manufacturing, but there are increasing signs that the complex supply chain networks that support millions of small businesses and workers are starting to crack. Understanding the true provenance of materials and components is becoming ever more complex and this lack of visibility translates into business risk and higher manufacturing costs, especially now that society is demanding higher standards in terms of worker rights, fair pay and ethical sourcing.
The need for increased transparency and traceability in supply chains — backed by blockchain technologies, as well as collaborative and neutral platforms — is moving up the agenda. At Davos, it was interesting to join the launch of the Future of Sustainable Data Alliance.
Working in partnership with the World Economic Forum, the alliance seeks to understand the make-up of data that investors and governments need to meet the requirements of both regulators, citizens and market demand for sustainable investments and portfolios over the next decade. One of its key goals is to highlight the key role that new technology and data sets must play in the transition to sustainable development. Sustainability is a shared responsibility across the value chain, and all actors in the ecosystem need to be connected.
At Everledger, our purpose is to drive digital transparency in supply chains, by connecting separated and siloed 'information honeypots'. Alongside the International Trade Centre (ITC) and cellulose fibre company Lenzing Group, and in collaboration with the World Economic Forum's Platform for Shaping the Future of Advanced Manufacturing, we have joined a pilot platform — hosted on the ITC's neutral site — which is capable of visualising blockchain-based supply chain data from multiple companies and sources.
The simulated environment enables the cross reference of supply chain information such as product origin and characteristics, which can potentially solve numerous use cases in complex supply chains, involving many different participants. In addition, information on transfer of ownership can also flow seamlessly among the members of the consortium, in a secure, immutable and private distributed ledger, albeit observing and respecting individual privacy levels.
Going forward, we're excited to see how the interoperability of blockchain systems can minimise siloing and achieve full traceability, particularly with complex and disparate logistics and supply networks. The Forum and BCG recently estimated the potential value of data sharing, simply by focusing on manufacturing process optimization and transparency, at over $100 billion, based on best practices.
4. Circular economy: from natural mining to urban mining
The need to address the drivers of environmental degradation is increasingly recognized by stakeholders in government, civil society and business.
Batteries are leading the charge for sustainable materials management, but they're not the only one. We're moving towards a world whereby all materials will be traced from the moment they are extracted, through to first use, re-manufacture and eventual deconstruction and re-use. This is what I call the movement from natural mining to urban mining; that is the idea of moving from the 'natural mining' that depends on the extraction of natural resources to the new concept of 'urban mining', where we ensure we extract resources from previously manufactured products, such as the components inside an old mobile phone.
At Davos, it was pleasing to hear people calling for a more supportive environment for the circular economy. Rapidly falling technology costs are creating major opportunities to reduce waste. For example, IoT technology can keep track of valuable products and materials much more cheaply than in the past, radically increasing opportunities to recover them. Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence and nanotechnology are helping to facilitate the tracing of critical metals and minerals from mine to consumer. And for ex-mining countries, the potential of urban mining is starting to come into clear view.
Along with the clear benefits to the environment, moving towards a circular economy will also have a significant social and economic impact. This all chimes with the general theme of Davos 2020: 'Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World'. All businesses must move away from devotion to select shareholders to making a commitment to all stakeholders, including the planet that we all share. That's not a warning from "prophets of doom", but constructive advice. Sustainability makes strong business sense.
At Everledger, we believe the world is entering a decade of change, driven by technological advancements and a shift in collective thinking, which will see the circular economy become the new normal. Wouldn't it be good if it was just called the 'economy'?
Everledger is an independent technology company helping businesses surface and converge asset information, through blockchain, AI, and intelligent labelling.
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NSA Leak Catch-Up: The Latest on the Edward Snowden Fallout
A guide to the coverage of the revelations about the NSA's surveillance programs.
By Alexis C. Madrigal
Fiber optic cables (Reuters).
It's been two weeks since the Washington Post and Guardian newspapers began to publish their stories based on leaks and interviews with former NSA contractor, Edward Snowden. The leaks have continued, counterleaks have bubbled up, tech companies have responded, and debate about the man at the center of it all continues to rage.
Three big stories -- one from the AP, one from NPR, and another from the Post -- came out this weekend that mined the details of Snowden's disclosures, refining them with more extensive reporting. The New York Times contributed a deep profile of Snowden himself, who continues to provoke strong reactions, especially after he revealed some details about U.S. spying on China and Russia.
Following, we attempt to bring you up to speed with the most recent disclosures and best reporting on the hurlyburly.
One note before we get to the stories: Snowden's two big disclosures have tended to get conflated. First, Snowden leaked a secret order from the Foreign Intelligence Service Court giving the government broad powers to collect phone call metadata from Verizon Business Services. Senator Dianne Feinstein acknowledged the program and said it had been going on for years. The legal basis for the data collection comes from an interpretation of Section 215 of the Patriot Act, which allows the government to take any "business records" it might want, and because phone calls are considered business transactions between a phone user and a phone network, such information falls under its purview. Civil liberties groups like the ACLU have decried this version of the rules.
Snowden's other big disclosure, published nearly simultaneously in the Guardian and Washington Post, was that the NSA had what was called "direct access" to servers at the big tech companies like Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Apple, and Yahoo through a program called Prism. The tech companies vociferously denied involvement in broad government surveillance of their users. A central problem is that "direct access" could mean a lot of things. Which brings us to our first story.
Putting Snowden's Disclosures in Context
The AP found sources willing to talk about the conception of the Prism program. Tech company sources said that what started as an unstructured mess of information flowing from tech companies to the government after 9/11 turned into a "streamlined, electronic process." That's Prism.
This frenetic, manual process was the forerunner to Prism, the recently revealed highly classified National Security Agency program that seizes records from Internet companies. As laws changed and technology improved, the government and industry moved toward a streamlined, electronic process, which required less time from the companies and provided the government data in a more standard format.
But the report also sought to put Prism's importance in the context of the type of spying that we've known the NSA has done for years: tapping into telecommunications servers that handle a very large percentage of the world's Internet traffic.
In that way, Prism helps justify specific, potentially personal searches. But it's the broader operation on the Internet fiber optics cables that actually captures the data, experts agree.
In other words, the structured data that the NSA gets from searching small numbers of users aids its targeting within the massive amounts of Internet traffic it's hoovering up. And "direct access," in context, was probably intended to mean data from companies themselves as opposed to siphoned from telecom Internet traffic.
The Washington Post had another big story by Barton Gellman documenting how four different NSA programs sprang from the Bush administration's STELLARWIND program. They are called MAINWAY, MARINA, NUCLEON, and PRISM. Gellman spoke with an anonymous "senior intelligence official," who provided some information on what the programs do and what policies regulate their use.
Two of the four collection programs, one each for telephony and the Internet, process trillions of "metadata" records for storage and analysis in systems called MAINWAY and MARINA, respectively. Metadata includes highly revealing information about the times, places, devices and participants in electronic communication, but not its contents. The bulk collection of telephone call records from Verizon Business Services, disclosed this month by the British newspaper the Guardian, is one source of raw intelligence for MAINWAY.
The other two types of collection, which operate on a much smaller scale, are aimed at content. One of them intercepts telephone calls and routes the spoken words to a system called NUCLEON.
For Internet content, the most important source collection is the PRISM project reported on June 6 by The Washington Post and the Guardian. It draws from data held by Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and other Silicon Valley giants, collectively the richest depositories of personal information in history.
So how does PRISM work, technically?
The New York Time's Claire Cain Miller reported that "in some cases, the data is transmitted to the government electronically, using a company's servers." Which makes sense, obviously, but left in question the actual method of transfer. Wired's Kim Zetter reports that, at least at Google, the company transfers files to the government using secure FTP. It's possible that other companies have different ways of getting information to the NSA.
The Tech Companies Respond
The string of events set off by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden has led us to this: Facebook, Microsoft, and Apple have released numbers on how often government officials request their users' data. The companies have released aggregate numbers for how many requests they've received from all levels of government, and the total number of user accounts that has affected.
For the last six months of 2012, Facebook and Microsoft say they've received between 9,000-10,000 and 6,000-7,000 government requests, respectively. Those requests covered 18,000-19,000 Facebook users and 31,000-32,000 Microsoft users. For the six months ended in May, Apple says that it received 4,000-5,000 government requests, which specified 9,000-10,000 accounts or devices.
No matter how you slice them, these numbers show that the data the NSA has requested is relatively limited in scope. For each service, a tiny sliver of users has been targeted.
On the other hand, it's still unclear how many users would ultimately be swept up in these data requests. Imagine that the government wanted to know all a particular users' friends, and then all of those friends' friends. Pew found that the median user's friends of friends network was over 30,000 people strong with some power users reaching over seven million. Go one step farther out and you'd be connecting in massive numbers of users.
Meanwhile, Google and Twitter maintain that the deal their competitors reached with the government on the data releases is a bad one. They want to be able to disaggregate the numbers and release orders differently, including those from the FISA court.
The Details of the NSA's Phone Call Metadata Collection, According to the Government
NPR spoke with a senior administration official who said the Obama administration was mulling declassifying a secret order that spelled out how and when the NSA could collect phone metadata. The key details confirmed in the report were that the NSA only stores metadata for five years and that the NSA says it doesn't use location data, even though it has the legal right to collect it. Procedurally, the administration official said that the standards for reasonable suspicion are approved by a court, but individual queries are not. Rather, there's an auditing program in place.
The senior administration official told NPR that the phone-call records can be kept only for five years and that the NSA does not use that program to keep data that would allow authorities to track where people are located when they're using their phones. The source said even though the NSA may have that power to collect the geolocation data under the law and the secret court's rulings, the NSA does not use it.
To query the huge pools of metadata, authorities say they need to have a reasonable, articulable suspicion of an association with a terrorism organization. That standard is approved by the FISA court but the court does not review each query. Rather, the senior administration official said, the queries are documented and a sample of them is audited by the Justice Department's National Security Division and the Director of National Intelligence.
Who is Edward Snowden?
I can't bring myself to link you to the bloviating about Snowden's position on the hero/"grandiose narcissist"/traitor, but the New York Times had a good, reported profile of Snowden from a friend at his high school, as well as later associates.
His act may have been a spectacular unintended consequence of the leak crackdown itself. It may also have reflected his own considerable ambition, disguised by his early drifting. From Mr. Snowden's friends and his own voluminous Web postings emerges a portrait of a talented young man who did not finish high school but bragged online that employers "fight over me."
Snowden, himself, answered questions in a live chat with The Guardian. Most noteworthy is that he denied having any contact with China, saying he only works with journalists.
Who is General Keith Alexander, the head of the NSA?
James Bamford, perhaps the foremost chronicler of the agency, has a massive Wired cover story out about Alexander, who has become one of the most powerful people in the world, despite his nearly nonexistent public profile.
Inside the government, the general is regarded with a mixture of respect and fear, not unlike J. Edgar Hoover, another security figure whose tenure spanned multiple presidencies. "We jokingly referred to him as Emperor Alexander--with good cause, because whatever Keith wants, Keith gets," says one former senior CIA official who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity. "We would sit back literally in awe of what he was able to get from Congress, from the White House, and at the expense of everybody else."
Could NSA Spying Lead to 'Internet nationalism'?
The Internet is dominated by American companies, who are not operating solely in cybersapce but on American soil. While American citizens may have some protection from NSA spying, the rest of the world's people do not. CNN ran an opinion piece by Canadian political scientist Ronald Deibert, who argued that there will be blowback from the spying revelations. While Google, Facebook, and the rest might have been primarily seen as just Internet companies before, it will be harder to ignore that they're American Internet companies going forward.
The revelations that have emerged will undoubtedly trigger a reaction abroad as policymakers and ordinary users realize the huge disadvantages of their dependence on U.S.-controlled networks in social media, cloud computing, and telecommunications, and of the formidable resources that are deployed by U.S. national security agencies to mine and monitor those networks.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Time Out, TV!
by Sally Baker
Near the end of the race at Bristol today, the boys in the Tower of Babble said Tony Eury, Sr. was being called to the Big Dumb Truck for criticizing NASCAR's exhaustive use of caution laps near the end of the race. Isn't it interesting that, with the new series sponsor's big "Push to Talk" campaign for NASCAR, the "push" for NASCAR drivers and crew chiefs' is to shut up? If Tony Sr. gets fined, I will personally send money to defray the cost, because he said exactly what I was thinking! With the recent aim or making racing more like football, it's enough to make me wonder is NASCAR cut a deal with Fox to give them "TV timeouts", guaranteeing them plenty of time to run their large blocks of commercials.
I'm sure NASCAR will protest that they are using the extra caution laps to set the field. Then they give them "2 to go" before a green flag? After 10 to 15 laps of caution? I suppose, if NASCAR is content to exhibit the competence level of the Keystone Kops while sorting out the running order, who am I to question?
All I know for sure is that, for the first time I can remember, I was bored during a race at Bristol. Yes, the word was B-O-R-E-D! Luckily, I had a book on hand to read during all the lengthy commercial breaks, Dick Berggren's "live commercials" trackside, and the boys in the Tower of Babble reminding me how much FUN I was having. Watching the races the past 6 weeks has taken me back to the days I used to sit through the segments about curling or cliff diving on ABC's Wide World of Sports, hoping to get a glimpse of a race. At least then I EXPECTED to see passes for the lead on replay, not missing it because they were showing a wrecked car being loaded on a hauler.
These are "trained broadcast professionals", right? At least that's what they keep telling us. They cover drivers "in the field" in such random order, it's impossible to figure out where they're running. Mike Joy told viewers, at various times, that Jeff Green was driving the 30 car (twice), DW won 9 races at Bristol (it's 12, Mike), "Brian", not Brendan Gaughan was driving the 77 car, and Ryan Newman was a lap down. He wasn't. I guess he was LOT more excited than I was.
If it really takes NASCAR 20 laps to sort out the running order with the new rules, they have a very big problem. Why not admit they're taking a TV time out? And they wonder why ratings are dropping? With the coverage the fans have been subjected to lately, it's amazing to me that anyone is attempting to watch at all. NASCAR used to be fun. I never thought I'd see the day when I was bored watching a race at Bristol. They have set a new standard, proving you CAN ruin a good thing.
You can send Sally email at
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Now Elon Musk Is Helping Boeing Save The 787 Dreamliner
Deepa Seetharaman
Photo: Noah Berger/Reuters
Elon Musk has long considered Tesla Motors Inc the bold, nimble answer to the auto industry's cautious culture. Now the electric car maker's top executive has extended his help to another industrial giant: Boeing Co.In a January 26 message on Twitter, Musk said he was in talks with the chief engineer of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner plane, which regulators have grounded indefinitely after a string of malfunctions ranging from fuel leaks to battery meltdowns.
"Desire to help Boeing is real & am corresponding w 787 chief engineer," Musk wrote on the social media website.
Musk, who is also the CEO of space transport company SpaceX, told Reuters in an email late on Monday that SpaceX battery packs could be helpful for Boeing.
"We fly high capacity lithium ion battery packs in our rockets and spacecraft, which are subject to much higher loads than commercial aircraft and have to function all the way from sea level air pressure to vacuum. We have never had a fire in any production battery pack at either Tesla or SpaceX," Musk said in the email.
Boeing declined to comment or confirm if such discussions were taking place.
Boeing's chief 787 engineer, Mike Sinnett, has recently made presentations about the plane and its battery technology to reporters and industry leaders.
Musk's post came a week after his first dispatch to Boeing on January 18: "Maybe already under control, but Tesla & SpaceX are happy to help with the 787 lithium ion batteries."
U.S. and Japanese authorities are investigating a fire and a smoke incident with lithium-ion batteries on two separate Dreamliners in recent weeks. The 50 Dreamliners in service cannot be flown until the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is satisfied that the problem with the batteries has been fixed. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating what caused the first battery to catch fire.
Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in phones and hybrid cars because they are lighter and more powerful than traditional batteries. But if managed improperly, lithium-ion batteries can explode or catch fire, and some pose a greater risk than others depending on their chemical make-up.
The 787 is the first passenger jet to use lithium-ion batteries for back-up and auxiliary power. Tesla began using lithium-ion batteries in its Roadster, a two-door sports car that Tesla said could go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 4 seconds.
In its Dreamliner, Boeing adopted a lithium cobalt oxide chemistry similar to that used in the Roadster, which Tesla produced from 2008 until last year.
Musk, a serial entrepreneur who gained fame after selling his Internet payment company PayPal to eBay Inc in 2002, has been quick to criticise the cultures of major car makers like General Motors Co and Ford Motor Co.
In a magazine interview with Esquire late last year, Musk was similarly critical of Boeing. He was quoted as saying, "You know the joke about Boeing: It puts the zero in being."
Musk later took pains to dismiss the story, written by reporter Tom Junod. "Junod's Esquire article had high fiction content," Musk wrote his January 26 tweet.
Junod said Musk's dig at Boeing was on tape and his story was "more extensively reported than any story on Elon that preceded it."
(Reporting By Deepa Seetharaman; additional reporting by Nichola Groom, Alwyn Scott and Sakthi Prasad; Editing by Alwyn Scott and Chris Gallagher)
boeing dreamliner elon musk reuters sai-contributor sai-us spacex


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Fornicating with nuns in fifteenth-century Bologna
by Natalie Anderson
By Trevor Dean
Journal of Medieval History, Volume 34, 2008
A nun in a veil: A misericord carving (c.1390)
Abstract: The article opens with the prosecution in 1432 of a spicer for abducting a nun. This is first of all presented as the story of a trial: the formation of the indictment, the defence tactics, the deposition of witnesses, and only then are the experience of the nun, and the gender relations in the event, examined. This leads to numerous contexts: legal (the development of the law on sexual relations with professed nuns); judicial (similar cases in late fourteenth-/
fifteenth-century Bologna); monastic (the unstable history of convents); social (the place of the nunnery in the local sexual economy); and historiographic (Ruggiero's 'culture of illicit sexuality').
Introduction: In September 1432 Giovanni di Giacomo Amicini, a Bolognese spicer (aromatarius), was prosecuted for abducting a professed sister, Antonia di Baldino da Logliano, from the Convent of the Poor Clares (Monasterium Sancti Francisci da le donne) outside the city-gate on the via Santo Stefano, the previous October. His motivation, according to the indictment, was mere lust (causa libidinis): he put her first of all in a widow's house, and then, the following month, took her to his own house, where he kept her for many days and nights, fornicating with her. She became pregnant, and went away to Ferrara in the spring, but returned to his house for the summer months. There she aborted a male child, which was baptised by the midwife, and Giovanni at once had it buried at one of the city churches.
Arrested by the podesta, Giovanni at first confessed his guilt, but within a week one of his relatives, Bonifacio Amicini, appeared before the court to present his brother's defence. It is not clear whether Bonifacio had received any legal training; if not, he presumably had taken advice: there were plenty of lawyers and law students in Bologna, where the university was the leading law school in Europe. Bonifacio entered the following objections ('exceptions') to the prosecution: Antonia was an 'indecent woman of ill fame', who had prostituted herself; she had refused to observe monastic clausura and had many times left the convent, going about with various men; two years previously, she had also been found with men in her cell on several occasions; she had already, before Giovanni's alleged offence, given birth to two children by other men.
Click here to read this article on Academia.edu
TagsBologna • Gender in the Middle Ages • Nuns


The town's newest top cop says it was his father's guidance that led him to pursuing a career in law enforcement instead of crunching numbers.
Brian Clark, 38, took over the position as police chief three weeks ago, after being appointed to replace retiring Chief Bruce Finch. Clark said he almost considered becoming an accountant 20 years ago, as he took classes for accounting throughout high school and into the first year of college.
Besides having two uncles who previously served on the Norton Police Department, Clarke's late father, Merle, was a lieutenant assigned to Crime Scene Services at the Middleboro state police barracks and Logan airport before retiring.
Clark noted that his promotion to chief in November coincided with the anniversaries of two milestones in his life: his appointment to the force 19 years ago, and his father's death a week later.
He said while he considered the possibility of being a police chief one day, but didn't expect the opportunity would present itself so soon.
He said while his father was his guide into police work, his mother, Anne, wasn't keen on the idea at first but changed her perspective once he joined the force. Clark, a father of two (daughter Jenna, 6, and son Alex, 4) also credited his wife, Beth, with being supportive throughout the testing and transition process.
Clark said since his promotion to chief was announced, it's been a humbling experience because of the support he's received from the town officials, his peers in the department, residents and outside agencies.
�It's certainly going to help me in this position to make decisions,� Clark said.
During the past month, Clark has been busy transitioning between job positions, filling job positions, going through the budget paperwork and preparing a budget for the next fiscal year. Clark said he is getting settled into the new position and there are a couple of things he's already started to work on.
He said besides the affects the recent tragedy of the Cann family had on the town, he pointed out a recent published report that showed an increase of domestic violence in the state.
According to Clark, the one thing that's been on his mind since his appointment is the police department's budget. He said fully aware of the departments past and present staffing levels and where town stands financially.
He acknowledged his concerns and the challenge ahead of him to maintain what the Norton Police Department can provide to the town on a limited budget as police incidents increase within the community. Clark said he's looking to make it through the current budget year and operate the station without a reduction in manpower.
Clark said he can't wait until the end of January, not because of the induction ceremony being held for him, but because of how busy it has been.
Norton will be holding Clark's induction ceremony at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Norton High School Auditorium.


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Albert Hammond Song list
Blue Boy (1960)
It Never Rains In Southern California (1972)
The Free Electric Band (1973)
Brand New BookTrain
Train wrote the 2011 song "Brand New Book" for the TV show The Biggest Loser - part of the song was used in the opening credits.
Shut Up And DanceWalk the Moon
Walk The Moon vocalist Nicholas Petricca got the idea for "Shut Up and Dance" when he and his girlfriend were taking forever to get drinks at a Los Angeles club bar. Petricca was getting frustrated, so his girlfriend told him to, "Shut up and dance with me!'"
Cigarettes And Chocolate MilkRufus Wainwright
"Cigarettes And Chocolate Milk" describes a time in Rufus Wainwright's life when he found himself hungover and pounding chocolate milk to feel better. It didn't work, so he smoked a cigarette, which is when he realized his addictive personality could be a problem.
Pump Up The JamTechnotronic
The woman "singing" in the video for Technotronic's "Pump Up The Jam" didn't speak English. She was used just for her look, and also appeared on the album cover.
Pink HousesJohn Mellencamp
John Mellencamp considers "Pink Houses" an "anti-American song," laying bare the struggles of the poor and working class.
One WeekBarenaked Ladies
The closing lyrics in "One Week" by Barenaked Ladies are "Birchmount Stadium, home of the Robbie," which refers to a soccer tournament in Ontario.
Roger McGuinn of The ByrdsSongwriter Interviews
Roger reveals the songwriting formula Clive Davis told him, and if "Eight Miles High" is really about drugs.
Mac Powell of Third DaySongwriter Interviews
The Third Day frontman talks about some of the classic songs he wrote with the band, and what changed for his solo country album.
PrinceFact or Fiction
Prince is shrouded in mystery, making him an excellent candidate for Fact or Fiction. Is he really a Scientologist? Does he own an exotic animal?
Tony Joe WhiteSongwriter Interviews
The writer of "Rainy Night in Georgia" and "Polk Salad Annie" explains how he cooks up his Louisiana swamp rock.
Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews
Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner and Glenn Tipton talk twin guitar harmonies and explain how they create songs in Judas Priest.
Bass Player Scott EdwardsSong Writing
Scott was Stevie Wonder's bass player before becoming a top session player. Hits he played on include "I Will Survive," "Being With You" and "Sara Smile."


Friday, Feb 15, 2019, 3 – 4:30 p.m.
With the growth and mobility of human populations worldwide, mental health practitioners increasingly serve clients from diverse cultural, geographic, religious, ethnic, and language backgrounds. Given this diversity, it is not possible for mental health practitioners to provide maximally effective services to their clients without understanding of their culture and emic perspectives on mental health and healing. However, thus far little research has been done on traditional healing practices among Punjabi Sikhs in Canada. The talk will focus on mental health beliefs of Punjabi Sikhs immigrants in Vancouver and their traditional healing practices, and whether or how this could provide insights to mental health practitioners to better serve Punjabi Sikh mental health clients.
Reetinder Kaur is a post doctoral fellow in the Department of Anthropology at Panjab University, Chandigarh.


The world famous Glasgow born actor David Hayman said he was 'blown away' with the Tora Black Belt Academy's display at the Coatbridge Police Open Day. He said it was great to see such discipline, dedication, talent and commitment in the kids and thought it was fantastic to see so many female black belts within the organisation.
Thanks Mr. Hayman, anytime you want to come along and train, you will be more than welcome.


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Соревнования в эстафете 4×100 метров у мужчин на чемпионате Европы по лёгкой атлетике в Цюрихе прошли 16—17 августа 2014 года на стадионе «Летцигрунд». К соревнованиям были допущены 16 сильнейших сборных, определявшиеся по сумме двух лучших результатов, показанных с 1 января 2013 года по 27 июля 2014 года.

Рекорды
До начала соревнований действующими были следующие рекорды.

Расписание

Время местное (UTC+2)

Медалисты

Курсивом выделены участники, выступавшие только в предварительных забегах

Результаты
Обозначения: Q — Автоматическая квалификация | q — Квалификация по показанному результату | WR — Мировой рекорд | ER — Рекорд Европы | CR — Рекорд чемпионатов Европы | NR — Национальный рекорд | NUR — Национальный рекорд среди молодёжи | EL — Лучший результат сезона в Европе | PB — Личный рекорд | SB — Лучший результат в сезоне | DNS — Не стартовал | DNF — Не финишировал | DQ — Дисквалифицирован

Предварительные забеги
Квалификация: первые 3 команды в каждом забеге (Q) плюс 2 лучших по времени (q) проходили в финал.

Финал

Финал в эстафете 4×100 метров у мужчин состоялся 17 августа 2014 года. Победителями стали представители Великобритании, даже несмотря на отсутствие в их составе чемпиона Европы на дистанции 100 метров Джеймса Дасаолу. Третью медаль чемпионата завоевал Кристоф Леметр, на этот раз бронзовую (после двух серебряных в индивидуальных дисциплинах).

Примечания

Ссылки

эстафета

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Erin Grant
I am originally from Hartford, Kentucky. I spent a lot of my early years tagging along with my Dad to various sporting events, so needless to say, I love sports! My favorite sports are basketball, baseball, football, and tennis. I love to play tennis whenever the weather permits. My favorite team bar none is the St. Louis Cardinals. I love TV way too much! A partial list of my favorite shows would include The Walking Dead, Stranger Things, Bob's Burgers, American Horror Story, RuPaul's Drag Race, Mystery Science Theater 3000, The Real Housewives of: New York City, Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Orange County, Salt Lake City, Only Murders in the Building, you get the idea. My music taste is varied, I like k.d. lang, Lady GaGa, Reba, Dolly, Loretta, Old Crow Medicine Show, Ryan Adams, John Prine, Madonna, Kate Bush, Radiohead, and lots more. My hobbies include reading, writing, spending time with my family and friends, and snapping Snapchat selfies with my niece Zoey. I started my broadcasting career in 1998 at Western Kentucky University and I have been involved in radio ever since.
These Services Will Be Taxed in Kentucky Starting in January.
Now that we are all speeding toward Christmas and the end of the year, what can we look forward to here in Kentucky as far as prices and income taxes in 2023? Well, it's a bit of a double-edged sword.
State of Emergency Declared for Kentucky, Winter Storm Warning, Warming Centers
The National Weather Service in Paducah has now issued a WINTER STORM WARNING for the Tri-State in addition to the existing WIND CHILL WARNING.
A Winter Storm Watch and a Wind Chill Watch Go Into Effect Thursday Afternoon and Evening
Tri-State will both be under a Winter Storm Watch and a Wind Chill Watch beginning Thursday afternoon and evening.
Actor/Singer Jack Black Swings by Bowling Alley in Louisville
Back to Venom Lanes, the Louder Than Life rock festival just wrapped up over the weekend in Louisville, and Tenacious D was one of several acts rocking everyone's faces off. Before rocking, Black swung by the Butchertown bowling alley.
Nebraska Man Sets New World Record in Pumpkin Paddling
Happy September! Have you had your first pumpkin spice latte yet? Went to a pumpkin patch? Floated in a pumpkin down a river? Wait, that last one? That happened, and a new world record was set in the process.
'Grease' Returning to Select Theaters to Honor Olivia Newton-John
It's been about two weeks since singer, actress, icon Olivia Newton-John passed away.
'One Bowl Cereal Challenge' in Ohio is Right Up My Alley
Remember Man vs. Food, host Adam Richman would travel all over the country looking to take on food eating challenges that offered prizes and glory to anyone who completed them. It goes way beyond "can you finish this pizza in an hour?" But I'm not sure I ever saw Adam or current host Casey Webb take on a cereal eating challenge.
The First of Eight Whataburger Locations in Nashville Area Opens Wednesday
The first time I heard of or saw a Whataburger was in the 1994 movie 8 Seconds. Luke Perry played bull rider Lane Frost and in the scene, Lane takes his girlfriend Kellie to the restaurant on a date. I can't remember the conversation but he asks "are you going to finish your 'Whatachickn'?" My interest was piqued in overdrive.
A Black Friday Story Complete with Food Choppers
A year after a much more settled-down version of Black Friday, shoppers were ready to rise and shine to go get the best deals of the year. Times have changed for Black Friday; the specials are popping up online well before the big day, other days such as "Small Business Saturday" and "Cyber Monday" have come along to keep the spirit going. I've only gone Black Friday once and it was one for the books.
Elizabethtown Becomes First Kentucky City to Ban Dog, Cat Sales
This is fantastic news for residents in Elizabethtown. In an effort to encourage pet adoption, the city has passed a new ordinance that will hopefully cut down on backyard breeders and kitten and puppy mills.


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Connecticut man arrested after watermelon-cutting incident
» Connecticut man arrested after watermelon-cutting incident
On Behalf of Paoletti & Gusmano, Attorneys at Law | Jul 25, 2014 | Firm News |
One Connecticut man is making national headlines after he was arrested by police for allegedly threatening a woman by cutting a watermelon in a reportedly threatening manner. According to reports, the woman told police that she came home on July 4 and found a watermelon with a butcher's knife in it on the counter. She then claims that the 49-year-old man came into the kitchen and started cutting the watermelon.
The woman reportedly told authorities that she believed the man was trying to intimidate her, but police have made no mention of any allegations of physical assault. Another family member who was reportedly at the residence at the time of the alleged incident and saw the watermelon claimed that he did not see anything unusual and that it just appeared that the man had not had a chance to cut it up yet.
The man was arrested on July 12 and charged with second-degree threatening and disorderly conduct. The Thomaston Police Chief defended the arrest, stating that it was the police's responsibility to look at all of the circumstances surrounding the situation and intervene if there was probable cause of criminal behavior. The woman apparently also told police that she found Percocet and marijuana among the man's belongings, but that did not result in any charges. At the July 14 arraignment, the judge issued a partial protection order, and the next court date is scheduled for Aug. 14. The man is expected to plead not guilty to the charges.
As seen here, allegations of domestic violence, even in cases where there is no physical incident, can turn serious quickly. A conviction can have lifelong consequences for the defendant, including affecting future job opportunities and custody disputes. Defendants do have options, however, and understanding how the laws apply is the first step in mounting a criminal defense against accusations of domestic violence.
Source: The Register Citizen, "Thomaston police defend watermelon stabbing arrest that went viral" Isaac Avilucea, Jul. 16, 2014


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Conditions for using the supplies outlet coupon codes.
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While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, sit, talk or hear and must possess physical abilities sufficient to employ physical intervention strategies when necessary. These abilities include reaching with hands and arms, using hands to finger, handle or feel objects and tools; stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, maintaining balance.
Be able to regularly lift 50lbs., and push/pull up to 100lbs.
Specific vision required for this job includes close vision, distance vision, and peripheral vision.
Pay is $14.18 per hour for substitute drivers.
Visit www.hillsdale-isd.org employment opportunities to apply online.
All required documentation must be received to be considered for this position.


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Home » blog post » It's OK for families to share media on Google Play & other services
It's OK for families to share media on Google Play & other services
Parents often tell their kids to "share," but sharing movies, music and other media isn't always legal or ethical. The good news is that many services do allow you to share, at least with members of your "family" or "household."
While there are no laws against sharing a peanut butter sandwich, the state of Tennessee does have a law against sharing passwords and allowing others to access your Netflix, HBO Go or other streaming media accounts. Some worry that the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act could be interpreted to criminalize sharing usernames and passwords "without authorization."
Both the law — and companies' rules regarding password sharing — are sometimes a bit vague, but common sense dictates that a single subscription doesn't cover an entire dorm or all your Facebook friends.
There are, however, some services that actually encourage sharing with a "household" or "family," sometimes at a fee that's a bit higher than an individual subscription.
The reason I put "household" and "family" in quotes is because company rules often don't define those terms. Is a household just the people living in the same dwelling? Or does it include kids away at college? What about adult kids who live nearby? I know several young people who have their own apartments but still use their parents' home as their official address on their drivers' license and for voting. It's not clear to me whether they also qualify as members of their parents' household.
And some services use the term "family," which is increasingly vague. Spouses and young children are obviously members of the same family but what about adult kids, cousins or a partner who has his or her own apartment but spends several days a week living with you?
So, without my giving anyone legal or moral authority on how to interpret the words household or family, let me tell you some deals that are out there that specifically allow you to share access to your media with those who qualify.
Google just announced its Family Library, which it is rolling out in the U.S. and a handful of other countries. In a blog post, Google describes it as "a way for up to six family members to share purchases on Google Play." The post said that "when you buy an eligible app, game, movie, TV show, or book in the Play Store, you can now share it with your family — across devices — with no additional sign-up fee."
There are some limitations, "Certain items, including purchased music, movie rentals, and book rentals, aren't eligible for Family Library." Google also has a $14.99 a month Family Plan for Google Play music, which gives up to six family members streaming access to about 35 million songs as well as the right to upload as many as 50,000 songs from your own computer to stream from any compatible device. Compared to $9.99 each charges for a single account, these are great deals, especially for large families.
Participants take the escalator following the opening address at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference held at Moscone West in San Francisco on Monday,
Participants take the escalator following the opening address at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference held at Moscone West in San Francisco on Monday, June 10, 2013. (Gary Reyes/Bay Area News Group Archives)
Family members, according to Google's rules, must "be 13 years of age or older, have a Google account, live in the same country as the family manager and not be part of another family group." There is nothing that says that they must live in the same household, nor does it define "family."
When it comes to your own password, Google Play terms of service do specify that "You must keep your user details secure and must not share them with anyone else."
Apple Music and Spotify have similar plans. Apple is equally vague but Spotify's website says that "All members must reside at the same address." But it's in tiny dark purple text against a black background that's nearly impossible to read, which makes me question whether they really mean it.
For an extra $2 a month Netflix lets you watch on two screens at a time or four screen for an extra $4. But that sign-up page doesn't say where the screens must be located or who can watch them. The company offers up to five user profiles.
Netflix CEO Reid Hastings was quoted as saying "We usually like to think that a husband and wife can share an account and that that's perfectly appropriate and acceptable. But, "If you mean, 'Hey, I got my password from my boyfriend's uncle,' then that's not what we would consider appropriate." He later said that password sharing "really hasn't been a problem."
Amazon Prime members can share digital content and other benefits with one adult and up to four children in the household. You have to specify children's ages and are limited to those born in 1996 or later.
If you're a Comcast cable subscriber you can specify up to six additional users for online streaming of your authorized content, including premium channels like HBO. Each person gets their own log-in credentials.
So, like your kids' peanut butter sandwich, sharing is sometimes OK. But there are limits.


If you played sports, I want you to think back to the best coach or coaches you ever had. If you didn't play sports, think about the best manager you have had or have now.
I'll wait a minute – do it, I'm serious.
Now, what was "it" they did that made you remember them?
My "Mad Dog' Coach I Remember. The one coach that stands-out for me was my high school football coach in Middletown, RI, the late Joseph "Joe" Magliocco, who we players referred to affectionately as "Mad Dog." I was a military kid and my sister and I had to move schools every two years, which was hard. It was especially hard for me because as soon as I established my "athlete" self in one school, I had to switch to a new school. I had to prove myself all over again.
Of course, I'm sure the words were not exactly these, but they were close. Notice how I remember them to this day – 48 years later. I later made the Class-B All-State football team and this would never have happened without Coach Magliocco's confidence in me.
Four Types of Coaches – One is Most Effective. I thought about Coach Magliocco and why he made an impact on me when I read this May-June 2018 HBR article called Managers Can't be Great Coaches by Themselves. According to extensive research by Gartner Consulting on effective coaching most of us use one of four coaching styles – and one style is much more effective than others.
Cheerleader Managers – These managers take a hands-off approach, give positive feedback, and let employees figure-out their own development.
Always-on Managers – These managers provide continual coaching, constant feedback, and stay on-top of how each person is developing. The researchers noted that this style is often the preferred style that HR professionals "idealize." Some of these managers are motivated to be so involved because each person's development is a reflection of the manager.
Connector Managers – These managers give targeted feedback on skills they themselves have mastered; otherwise they connect people to others who have greater expertise. These managers spend more time than other managers assessing everyone and finding the best resources to help them. Their egos allow them to look for more qualified people to provide the training.
Teacher Managers – These managers coach people based on their own expertise and experience and use more of an "advice-oriented" style to coach people. Many of these types of managers started as technical experts and were promoted into a manager role.
The research notes that an "Always-On Manager" is likely doing more harm than good. One reason is there is no correlation between time invested in coaching and outcomes. In fact, it appears the more time you coach, the weaker the performance may become. Too much feedback can be overwhelming to the individual and detrimental. Also, these managers may over-estimate their own skills and the employees are not trained by the real experts – and those employees know the difference.
Finally, though, I was intrigued to learn from the research that people developed by Connector Managers were three times as likely to become high performers as people coached by any of the other manager-coaches.
I see now that Coach Magliocco used many of techniques of a Connector Manager-Coach and that style more naturally communicates a "what's in this for me" developmental strategy, while the other styles may incidentally communicate a "what's in this for the manager" strategy.
In my next article, I will explore two related topics – why "negative feedback" is not going to work in the current work environment and how you can ask questions and be a better Connector Manager-Coach.


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Biografia
Il 6 gennaio 1951 Ruth Ann Moorehouse nacque a Toronto in Canada. Figlia del pastore protestante Dean Moorehouse, Ruth visse un'infanzia tranquilla e aveva solo quindici anni quando incontrò Charles Manson per la prima volta. Fu proprio suo padre che le presentò Manson, Mary Brunner e Catherine Share quando lui, dopo avere dato un passaggio ai tre che stavano facendo l'autostop, decise di portarli a casa sua per indottrinarli secondo i suoi precetti religiosi.

Immediatamente dopo l'incontro, l'impressionabile adolescente Ruth, si fece completamente soggiogare dal carisma di Manson, che la convinse a scappare di casa per unirsi al suo gruppo in un viaggio in California. Secondo quanto riportato dal procuratore distrettuale Vincent Bugliosi nel suo libro Helter Skelter, il padre di Ruth si recò allo Spahn Ranch con l'intenzione di uccidere Manson per aver rapito sua figlia, ma finì anche lui per essere "soggiogato psicologicamente" da Charlie, arrivando addirittura a inginocchiarsi ai suoi piedi e adorarlo come una figura religiosa.

Ruth, presto soprannominata "Ouisch" dagli altri membri della setta, restò con la Family allo Spahn Ranch fino a dopo i famigerati omicidi dell'agosto 1969, fuggendo con gli altri membri della Family fino all'arresto dei principali imputati, e poi divenne presenza fissa all'esterno del tribunale di Los Angeles, insieme agli altri seguaci di Manson, per sostenere "i fratelli prigionieri del sistema" durante il processo per gli omicidi Tate-LaBianca. Come altri membri della Family, anche Ruth si incise una "X" sulla fronte come segno di solidarietà nei confronti di Manson, che aveva fatto la stessa cosa per "cancellarsi dall'establishment". Suo padre Deane Moorehouse divenne anch'esso un devoto sostenitore di Manson e il suo stile di vita lo fece precipitare in una spirale discendente che nel corso degli anni lo condusse a vari arresti e al carcere, fino alla sua morte avvenuta il 22 maggio 2010.

Ruth Ann venne alla fine arrestata per tentato omicidio, quando insieme ad altri quattro membri della Famiglia Manson (Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, Catherine "Gypsy" Share, Steven "Clem" Grogan e Dennis Rice) cercò di impedire che Barbara Hoyt, ex seguace di Manson pentitasi, testimoniasse contro di lui al processo. "Ouisch" Moorehouse, accettò di accompagnare quest'ultima alle Hawaii. Lì, presumibilmente, la Moorehouse le diede da mangiare un hamburger arricchito con diverse dosi di LSD. La Hoyt fu trovata su un marciapiede di Honolulu in stato di semi-incoscienza indotta dalla droga, e portata in ospedale, fece del suo meglio per identificarsi come testimone nel processo per gli omicidi Tate-LaBianca. Prima dell'incidente, Barbara era stata un testimone riluttante; dopo il tentativo di zittirla, la sua reticenza scomparve del tutto.

In seguito, l'imputazione venne ridotta da tentato omicidio a intimidazione di un teste, tutti e cinque i membri della Family furono condannati a novanta giorni di prigione, ma Ruth Ann non scontò mai la condanna, fuggendo a Carson City, Nevada, e facendo perdere le proprie tracce.

Note

Bibliografia

Voci correlate
 Charles Manson
 Famiglia Manson

Criminali statunitensi
Famiglia Manson


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After Graduating from Fine Arts at Paris College of Art in 2010, Kate Hiley specialized in Painting. Having set up her studio in Paris, she moved back to London in 2012 to take part of the Turps Painting Program. She has continued exhibiting her work over the last 5 years throughout Europe, as well as curating shows in London, Leeds and Paris.
This time, Kate Hiley has curated the Art Exhibition The Smaller The Larger, which will take place at Sobering Galerie and will be open to public from June 9th until July 31st, 2016.
alumni, curator, exhibition, fine arts, and painting.


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Trilobita-Editors Pycnogonida-Editors Opiliones-Editors Scorpiones-Editors Solifugae-Editors Pseudoscorpiones-Editors Palpigradi-Editors Ricinulei-Editors Acari-Editors Araneae-Editors Amblypygi-Editors Thelyphonida-(Previously-Uropygida)-Editors Schizomida-Editors Myriapoda-Editors Crustacea-Editors Collembola-Editors Protura-Editors Diplura-Editors Microcoryphia-Editors Zygentoma-Editors Ephemeroptera-Editors Odonata-Editors Titanoptera-Editors Orthoptera-Editors Phasmatodea-Editors Embioptera-Editors Grylloblattodea-Editors Plecoptera-Editors Dermaptera-Editors Zoraptera-Editors Mantodea-Editors Blattodea-Editors Isoptera-Editors Psocoptera-Editors Phthiraptera-Editors Thysanoptera-Editors Hemiptera-Editors Hymenoptera-Editors Strepsiptera-Editors Coleoptera-Editors Megaloptera-Neuroptera-Raphidioptera-Editors Trichoptera-Editors Lepidoptera-Editors Diptera-Editors Siphonaptera-Editors Mecoptera-Editors
Ctenophora-Editors Porifera-Editors Coelenterata-Editors Xenoturbellida-Editors Acoelomorpha-Editors Tunicata-Editors Ascidiacea-Editors Echinodermata-Editors Hemichordata-Editors Nematoda-Editors Nematomorpha-Editors Tardigrada-Editors Onychophora-Editors Loricifera-Editors Kinorhyncha-Editors Bryozoa-Editors Entoprocta-Editors Annelida-Editors Sipuncula-Editors Mollusca-Editors Nemertea-Editors Echiura-Editors Brachiopoda-Editors Phoronida-Editors Gastrotricha-Editors Platyhelminthes-Editors Gnathostomulida-Editors Rotifera-Editors Acanthocephala-Editors
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5178.1.4
Tale of two species of Stylissa (Porifera: Demospongiae: Scopalinida) from the west and east coasts of India
ANITA M GEORGE+−
CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa 403 004 India Institute for Environmental Studies and Social Education, 14/C3, Nesamony Nagar, Nagercoil-629 001, Tamil Nadu, India
Porifera sponges Stylissa carteri Stylissa soestii sp.nov. west and east peninsular India St. George Island Goa Muttom Hare Island Manauli Island Gulf of Mannar Palk Bay Kadmat Kadmat Minicoy Lakshadweep Islands
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Recent collections from the western and southern coasts of India recorded two species of Stylissa Hallmann (Scopalinida, Scopalinidae). Stylissa soestii sp. nov. was collected from St. George Island in Goa, Hare Island in the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Bay. It has six distinct different morphologies and sizes of styles, in addition to the typical gently curved stout and thin styles characteristic of Stylissa, and two different morphologies of strongyloxeas and rare strongyles. Stylissa carteri (Dendy, 1889) was reported previously from India (Gulf of Mannar and Pearl Banks of Tuticorin) and is redescribed here from populations in Palk Bay, east coast of India, in addition to Muttom, Vizhinjam and Lakshadweep islands, which are the first records of S. carteri from the west coast of India.
Alvarez, B. & Hooper, J.N.A. (2010) Taxonomic revision of the order Halichondrida (Porifera: Demospongiae) of northern Australia. Family Dictyonellidae. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, 26, 13–36. https://doi.org/10.5962/p.287458
Alvarez, B. & Hooper, J.N.A. (2011) Taxonomic revision of the order Halichondrida (Porifera: Demospongiae) of northern Australia. Family Halichondriidae. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, 27, 55–84. https://doi.org/10.5962/p.287472
Alvarez, B., van Soest, R.W.M. & Rützler, K. (2002) Svenzea, a new genus of Dictyonellidae (Porifera: Demospongiae) from tropical reef environments, with description of two new species. Contributions to Zoology, 71 (4), 171–176. https://doi.org/10.1163/18759866-07104007
Burton, M. (1937) Supplement to the littoral fauna of Krusadai Island in the Gulf of Manaar: Porifera. Bulletin of the Madras Government Museum, New Series, Natural History Section 1, 2, pl. 4. [https://www.worldcat.org/title/supplement-to-the-littoral-fauna-of-krusadai-island-in-the-gulf-of manaar-porifera/oclc/35608751]
Cárdenas, P., Pérez, T. & Boury-Esnault, N. (2012) Sponge Systematics Facing New Challenges. In: Becerro, M.A., Uriz, M.J., Maldonado, M. & Turon, X. (Eds.) Advances in Sponge Science: Phylogeny, Systematics, Ecology. Vol. 61. Advances in Marine Biology, Elsevier Ltd., Amsterdam, pp. 79–209. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-387787-1.00010-6
Carter, H.J. (1887) Report on the Marine Sponges, chiefly from King Island, in the Mergui Archipelago, collected for the Trustees of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, by Dr. John Anderson, F.R.S., Superintendent of the Museum. Journal of the Linnaean Society, Zoology, 21 (127–128), 61–84, pls. 5–7. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1887.tb00381.x
Dendy, A. (1889) Report on a Second Collection of Sponges from the Gulf of Manaar. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 6, 3 (14), 73–99, pls. II–V, pp. 93–94. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222938909460303
Dendy, A. (1905) Report on the sponges collected by Professor Herdman, at Ceylon, in 1902. In: Herdman, W.A. (Ed.), Report to the Government of Ceylon on the Pearl Oyster Fisheries of the Gulf of Manaar 1905. Vol. 3 Supplement 18. Royal Society, London, pp. 57–246, pls. I–XVI. [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/18069#page/71/mode/1up]
de Voogd, N.J., Alvarez, B. Boury-Esnault, N., Carballo, J.L., Cárdenas, P., Díaz, M.C., Dohrmann, M., Downey, R., Hajdu, E., Hooper, J.N.A., Kelly, M., Klautau, M., Manconi, R., Morrow, C.C., Pisera, A.B., Ríos, P., Rützler, K., Schönberg, C., Vacelet, J. & Van Soest, R.W.M. (2022) World Porifera Database. Available from: https://www.marinespecies.org/porifera (accessed 14 July 2022) https://doi.org/10.14284/359
Erpenbeck, D., Aryasari, R., Benning, S., Debitus, C., Kaltenbacher, E., Al-Aidaroos, A.M. & de Voogd, N.J. (2017) Diversity of two widespread Indo-Pacific demosponge species revisited. Marine Biodiversity, 47 (4), 1035–1043. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-017-0783-3
Hallmann, E.F. (1914) A revision of the monaxonid species described as new in Lendenfeld's 'Catalogue of the Sponges in the Australian Museum'. Part I, II, III. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 39, 263–315 + 327–376 + 398–446, pls. XV–XXIV. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.2286
Hentschel, E. (1912) Kiesel- und Hornschwämme der Aru- und Kei-Inseln. Abhandlungen herausgegeben von der Senckenbergischen naturforschenden Gesellschaft, 34 (3), 293–448, pls. 13–21. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.85325
Hooper, J.N.A. & Van Soest, R.W.M. (Eds.) (2002) Systema Porifera: a guide to the classification of Sponges. Vols. 1 & 2. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, New York, 1708 pp. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.593
Keller, C. (1889) Die Spongienfauna des rothen Meeres (I. Hälfte). Zeitschrift für wissenschaftliche Zoologie, 48, 311–405, pls. XX–XXV, pp. 396–397. [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42532215#page/321/mode/1up]
Morrow, C. & Cardenas, P. (2015) Proposal for a revised classification of the Demospongiae (Porifera). Frontiers in Zoology, 12, 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-015-0099-8
Morrow, C., Picton, B., Erpenbeck, D., Boury-Esnault, N., Maggs, C. & Allcock, A. (2012) Congruence between nuclear and mitochondrial genes in Demospongiae: A new hypothesis for relationships within the G4 clade (Porifera: Demospongiae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 62 (1), 174–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.09.016
Schmidt, O. (1862) Die Spongien des adriatischen Meeres. Wilhelm Engelmann, Leipzig, viii + 88 pp., 7 pls.
Thomas, P.A. (1986) Demospongiae of the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay. In: James, P.S.B.R. (Ed.), Recent Advances in Marine Biology. Vol. 5. Today and Tomorrow's Printers and Publishers, New Delhi, pp. 205–365.
Van Soest, R.W., Erpenbeck, D. & Alvarez, B. (2002) Family Dictyonellidae Van Soest, Diaz & Pomponi, 1990. In: Systema Porifera: a guide to the classification of Sponges. Vol. 1. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, New York, pp. 773–786. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0747-5_83
ISSN 1175-5326 (Print Edition) & ISSN 1175-5334 (Online Edition)
Published by Magnolia Press, Auckland, New Zealand
impactfactor
2020 journal impact factor is 1.091


Did you know that right now there are over 13,000 job openings in Anne Arundel County advertised on the Maryland Workforce Exchange (mwejobs.maryland.gov)? That puts Anne Arundel County fourth in the state for highest number of openings right now. What about the fact that over 24,000 job openings were posted in July alone? That is a lot of jobs that businesses need filled.


text:
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The City of Ball Ground is currently responsible for 18.19 center line miles of roadway.
Question: Why doesn't the City do more to repair Gilmer Ferry Road and A. W. Roberts Drive downtown?
Answer: These are not city streets. These two streets are part of Georgia State Route 372. Both roads were originally constructed by the City of Ball Ground as local streets. In the 1970s the State took both of these streets from the City and deemed them as State Highway. Now, extensive truck traffic operates on these roads that were never constructed with that purpose in mind. We continue to work with the State and other agencies in an effort to re-route truck traffic so that repairs on these roadways will last.
Question: I live in a subdivision. Who takes care of my streets?
Answer: When a developer constructs a subdivision, the roads, water lines and sewer lines are considered "private property". Once everything is constructed to standard and the subdivision is 80% complete, the developer can ask the City to take over this infrastructure for future maintenance. The request is presented to Mayor and Council and they vote on whether or not to accept the infrastructure. Some developers have not asked for the roads to be accepted. If they do not ask the City to take them, and then subsequently deed them to the City, these roads are considered private and are not eligible for taxpayer dollars to be spent on them.
Ball Ground City Hall
215 Valley Street
Ball Ground, GA 30107
© 2004- by the City of Ball Ground, Georgia … All Rights Reserved
Website Development: StudioSR, LLC


text:
Don't Go Soft, Play Hardball!
info@msblnational.com
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Fall Classic
2013 25+ Central
By Men's Senior Baseball League | April 19, 2018
'Pinpoint' Pannell Secures Win for Athens Select
By Chris Errington, special to MSBLNational.com
Marlins Complex, Jupiter, Fla. Nov. 16, 2013 – They probably didn't draw it up this way, but sometimes the road to a title has some unplanned twists and turns.
That was certainly the case for Pete Thorne's Athens Select.
The team had already lost Fall Classic championship games in 2008 and 2010. This year they sneaked into the playoffs with a less-than-dominating 3-2 round-robin record that included a loss to the same Mueller Venezuela team they'd be facing in the finals. They even trailed 4-0 in their playoff game before winning due to forfeit.
So, naturally, this was the Athens team to finally bring home a title. Behind the pinpoint control pitching of Justin Pannell, Athens Select held on for a 7-5 victory in the 25 Wood Bat Central finals.
"These guys were never down," Athens manager Pete Thorne said. "They had a singular purpose to win a championship. It just felt like it was different this time."
With Pannell on the mound throwing strike after strike – he'd finish with an incredible 80 strikes in 101 pitches – and Athens scoring four first-inning runs, it certainly was different this time around for a Select team that seemed to get better as the tournament progressed.
Unlike in the team's first game, an 11-2 Mueller Venezuela victory, Athens never trailed. Three consecutive walks to start the game put losing pitcher Denyersi Tovar in an immediate jam that was magnified when team co-MVP Kyle Melvin bounced a two-run single to right to score Rob Brown and Nick Pappas. An RBI ground out and RBI single later, Athens had a 4-0 lead it would never relinquish.
"Those first three walks are part of the game," Venezuela manager Carlos Rivera said through an interpreter. "We thought we played the best baseball in the tournament. Not doing it in the final is extremely frustrating."
Mueller Venezuela had manhandled five of six opponents during the week-long tournament, including a 9-2 decision over Nacionales Venezuelain a playoff game. That however, was with ace Reyes Azuaje on the mound. In two complete game efforts, Azuaje allowed just two hits and was scheduled to close the championship should his team have a ninth-inning lead. It never happened.
Instead, Athens took a commanding, 5-1 lead in the third on Jeff Griffeth's two-out RBI single to left. It stayed that way until the fifth, when Mueller Venezuela took its best shot. Octavio Belisario drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, before Nestor Marrero scored William Martinezfrom second with a single to left. When Fabio Castillo followed with a three-base error on a ball hit to right, the lead was down to one and Mueller Venezuela was back in the game.
However, just as he would twice more, Pannell came up with the big pitch when needed. The big righty escaped further damage by leaving the tying run on third, then after Athens went ahead 6-4, and wiggled out of a one –out, first-and-second jam in the seventh.
Brown's RBI single in the eighth pushed Athens' lead to three and proved significant when Mueller Venezuela threatened one last time in the ninth. With a light rain falling, a two-out RBI single to second made it 7-5 and put the tying run on base.
Fittingly, on a day in which he dominated, Pannell got the final out on a comebacker to give Athens its long-awaited championship.
"I really felt good coming out and must have thrown about 80-percent fastballs," Pannell, who finished the tournament 2-0, said. "I wanted to make them put [the ball] in play. When they got within [5-4], I just told myself 'The next best pitch is the best way to get an out.' "
For Thorne, Pannell's effort was nothing short of brilliant.
"His numbers were absurd," Thorne said. "Control was usually his issue, but he's put in more time in the offseason and it paid off today. 80-percent is absurd at any level."
Brown and Melvin combined to go 5-for-8 with four RBI and three runs scored for Athens, which was awarded a place in the championship game when playoff opponent, Brothers de Venezuela, was disqualified for pitching former Houston and St. Louis (2005-2009) minor league pitcher Julio Cesar Castellanos.
In the end, none of the distractions, past losses or forfeit victories mattered. For Thorne, this was finally a ride home for which he would enjoy.
"To be honest, it really hasn't sunk in yet," the manager said. "I've been doing this for eight to 10 years and now it's like I'm on the outside looking in. Every year you think back to the things you could have done differently to win. This time it's finally going to be just the opposite."
Posted in MSBL Fall Classic
© 2022 Men's Senior Baseball league


text:
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;
using System.Text;
using System.Diagnostics.Contracts;
using System;

// Disable the "this variable is not used" warning as every field would imply it.
#pragma warning disable 0414
// Disable the "this variable is never assigned to".
#pragma warning disable 0067
// Disable the "this event is never assigned to".
#pragma warning disable 0649
// Disable the "this variable is never used".
#pragma warning disable 0169
// Disable the "new keyword not required" warning.
#pragma warning disable 0109
// Disable the "extern without DllImport" warning.
#pragma warning disable 0626
// Disable the "could hide other member" warning, can happen on certain properties.
#pragma warning disable 0108

namespace System.Windows.Data
{
  public partial class CompositeCollection : System.Collections.IList, System.Collections.ICollection, System.Collections.IEnumerable, System.Collections.Specialized.INotifyCollectionChanged, System.ComponentModel.ICollectionViewFactory, System.Windows.IWeakEventListener
  {
    #region Methods and constructors
    public int Add(Object newItem)
    {
      return default(int);
    }

    public void Clear()
    {
    }

    public CompositeCollection()
    {
    }

    public CompositeCollection(int capacity)
    {
      Contract.Requires(capacity >= 0);
    }

    public bool Contains(Object containItem)
    {
      return default(bool);
    }

    public void CopyTo(Array array, int index)
    {
    }

    public int IndexOf(Object indexItem)
    {
      return default(int);
    }

    public void Insert(int insertIndex, Object insertItem)
    {
    }

    protected virtual new bool ReceiveWeakEvent(Type managerType, Object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
      Contract.Requires(e != null);
      return default(bool);
    }

    public void Remove(Object removeItem)
    {
    }

    public void RemoveAt(int removeIndex)
    {
    }

    System.Collections.IEnumerator System.Collections.IEnumerable.GetEnumerator()
    {
      return default(System.Collections.IEnumerator);
    }

    System.ComponentModel.ICollectionView System.ComponentModel.ICollectionViewFactory.CreateView()
    {
      return default(System.ComponentModel.ICollectionView);
    }

    bool System.Windows.IWeakEventListener.ReceiveWeakEvent(Type managerType, Object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
      return default(bool);
    }
    #endregion

    #region Properties and indexers
    public int Count
    {
      get
      {
        return default(int);
      }
    }

    public Object this [int itemIndex]
    {
      get
      {
        return default(Object);
      }
      set
      {
      }
    }

    bool System.Collections.ICollection.IsSynchronized
    {
      get
      {
        return default(bool);
      }
    }

    Object System.Collections.ICollection.SyncRoot
    {
      get
      {
        return default(Object);
      }
    }

    bool System.Collections.IList.IsFixedSize
    {
      get
      {
        return default(bool);
      }
    }

    bool System.Collections.IList.IsReadOnly
    {
      get
      {
        return default(bool);
      }
    }
    #endregion

    #region Events
    protected event System.Collections.Specialized.NotifyCollectionChangedEventHandler CollectionChanged
    {
      add
      {
      }
      remove
      {
      }
    }

    event System.Collections.Specialized.NotifyCollectionChangedEventHandler System.Collections.Specialized.INotifyCollectionChanged.CollectionChanged
    {
      add
      {
      }
      remove
      {
      }
    }
    #endregion
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


That's why we say it all starts with pricing. The Product & Pricing Engine should be able to tell you not only the loan programs that might fit the needs of your potential borrower, but also whether your borrower will actually qualify for them...before you ever send that prospect's information into the LOS. Consumers deserve to know whether they'll qualify and Marksman can tell them.
Now that the CFPB is getting close to finalizing its rules for the Qualifying Mortgage, there are even more reasons to scrutinize the deal carefully before sending it through to the LOS. I'll visit some of those with you in the next few posts.


Dave Edwards joined the Navy in 1965, proceeding from Basic through Advanced, Carrier Qualifications and Replacement Air Group (RAG) with VQ-1 (Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One) operating out of Danang, Vietnam. 3 1/2 years and 183 combat missions later, he started a second tour as a Research Pilot assigned to the Naval Air Development Center.
Lt. Edwards qualified in a variety of civilian and military aircraft depending upon the needs of the Research Facility including the X-28A. Through his association with Flight Test Engineers at the Naval Air Development Center and Test Pilots assigned to PAX River Flight Test, he developed the knowledge and procedures needed to evaluate aircraft flight characteristics and their operating systems.
Entering civilian life, Capt. Edwards joined Continental Airlines initially flying the B-727 and ending his 24 year career flying the B-737.
A member of the Experimental Aircraft Association since 1968 (EAA-45325) and an International Aerobatic Club member since 1970 (IAC-738), Mr. Edwards has personally constructed 3 aircraft and assisted others in building/repairing their projects.
My current aircraft, a Zenith 750 completed two years ago.
My 150 HP Wag-A-Bond completed about 6 years ago.
My first aircraft, a Pitts S1-E first flown in 1977 and still flying today.
Buzz Aldrin happened to come by a few years back and was quite interested in my Zenith. He wants to take a ride next time he comes through. Buzz and I grew up in the same town (10 years apart) in Montclair, NJ. We spent the majority of the time talking about all the local hamburger joints that we both frequented. Next time I'll ask him about landing on the moon.


The overall economics or viability of a refinery depends on the interaction of three key elements: the choice of crude oil used (crude slates), the complexity of the refining equipment (refinery configuration) and the desired type and quality of products produced (product slate). Refinery utilization rates and environmental considerations also influence refinery economics.
Using more expensive crude oil (lighter, sweeter) requires less refinery upgrading but supplies of light, sweet crude oil are decreasing and the differential between heavier and more sour crudes is increasing. Using cheaper heavier crude oil means more investment in upgrading processes. Costs and payback periods for refinery processing units must be weighed against anticipated crude oil costs and the projected differential between light and heavy crude oil prices.
Crude slates and refinery configurations must take into account the type of products that will ultimately be needed in the marketplace. The quality specifications of the final products are also increasingly important as environmental requirements become more stringent.
Crude oil is the primary input into the petroleum refining industry. While Canada is a large and growing net oil exporter, crude oil imports satisfy more than half of domestic refinery demand. The transportation costs associated with moving crude oil from the oil fields in Western Canada to the consuming regions in the east and the greater choice of crude qualities make it more economic for some refineries to use imported crude oil. Therefore, Canada's oil economy is now a dual market. Refineries in Western Canada run domestically produced crude oil, refineries in Quebec and the eastern provinces run primarily imported crude oil, while refineries in Ontario run a mix of both imported and domestically produced crude oil. In more recent years, eastern refineries have begun running Canadian crude from east coast offshore production.
Regardless of the source of crude oil, the price is determined in the world market and both imported and domestic crude oil is priced according to the supply/demand balance and pricing dynamics on the world oil market. In this respect, Canadian refiners are "price takers" and have very little influence on the price they pay for crude oil. Using more expensive crude oil (lighter, sweeter) requires less refinery upgrading but supplies of light, sweet crude oil are decreasing and the differential between heavier and more sour crudes is increasing. Using cheaper heavier crude oil means more investment in upgrading processes. Costs and payback periods for refinery processing units must be weighed against anticipated crude oil costs and the projected differential between light and heavy crude oil prices.
Different types of crude oil yield a different mix of products depending on the crude oil's natural qualities. Crude oil types are typically differentiated by their density (measured as API gravity) and their sulphur content. Crude oil with a low API gravity is considered a heavy crude oil and typically has a higher sulphur content and a larger yield of lower-valued products. Therefore, the lower the API of a crude oil, the lower the value it has to a refiner as it will either require more processing or yield a higher percentage of lower-valued by-products such as heavy fuel oil, which usually sells for less than crude oil.
Crude oil with a high sulphur content is called a sour crude while sweet crude has a low sulphur content. Sulphur is an undesirable characteristic of petroleum products, particularly in transportation fuels. It can hinder the efficient operation of some emission control technologies and, when burned in a combustion engine, is released into the atmosphere where it can form sulphur dioxide. With increasingly restrictive sulphur limits on transportation fuels, sweet crude oil sells at a premium. Sour crude oil requires more severe processing to remove the sulphur. Refiners are generally willing to pay more for light, low sulphur crude oil.
Most refineries in Western Canada and Ontario were designed to process the light sweet crude oil that is produced in Western Canada. Unlike leading refineries in the U.S., Canadian refineries in these regions have been slower to reconfigure their operations to process lower cost, less desirable crude oils, instead choosing to rely extensively on the abundant, domestically produced, light, sweet crudes. As long as these lighter crudes were available, refining economics were insufficient to warrant new investment in heavy oil conversion capacity.
However, with growing oil sands production and the declining production of conventional light sweet crudes, refineries in Western Canada and Ontario have started to make the investment required to process the increasing supply of heavier crudes. Much of this investment by the large integrated oil companies (companies that are involved in both the production of crude oil and the manufacturing and distribution of petroleum products) is associated with ensuring a market for their growing oil sands production.
In Western Canada and Ontario, almost 50% of the crude oil processed by refiners is conventional light, sweet crude oil and another 25% is high quality synthetic crude oil. Synthetic crude is a light crude oil that is derived by upgrading oil sands. Most of the remaining crude oil processed by these refineries is heavy, sour crude. The crude slate is expected to change significantly in the years ahead as refiners increase their capacity to process heavy crude oil and lower quality synthetic crudes.
Refineries in Atlantic Canada and Quebec are dependent on imported crudes and tend to process a more diverse crude slate than their counterparts in Western Canada and Ontario. These refiners have the capacity to purchase crude oil produced almost anywhere in the world and therefore have incredible flexibility in their crude buying decisions. Approximately 1/3 of crude processed in Eastern Canada and Quebec is conventional, light sweet crude and another 1/3 is medium sulphur, heavy crude oil. The remaining 1/3 is a combination of sour light, sour heavy and very heavy crude oil. The crude slate in Eastern Canada is expected to remain much more static than that in Western Canada and Ontario, as these refiners are not constrained by the quality or volume of domestic crude production.
A refiner's choice of crude oil will be influenced by the type of processing units at the refinery. Refineries fall into three broad categories. The simplest is a topping plant, which consists only of a distillation unit and probably a catalytic reformer to provide octane. Yields from this plant would most closely reflect the natural yields from the crude processed. Typically only condensates or light sweet crude would be processed at this type of facility unless markets for heavy fuel oil (HFO) are readily and economically available. Asphalt plants are topping refineries that run heavy crude oil because they are only interested in producing asphalt.
The next level of refining is called a cracking refinery. This refinery takes the gas oil portion from the crude distillation unit (a stream heavier than diesel fuel, but lighter than HFO) and breaks it down further into gasoline and distillate components using catalysts, high temperature and/or pressure.
The last level of refining is the coking refinery. This refinery processes residual fuel, the heaviest material from the crude unit and thermally cracks it into lighter product in a coker or a hydrocraker. The addition of a fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) or a hydro cracker significantly increases the yield of higher-valued products like gasoline and diesel oil from a barrel of crude, allowing a refinery to process cheaper, heavier crude while producing an equivalent or greater volume of high-valued products.
Hydrotreating is a process used to remove sulphur from finished products. As the requirement to produce ultra low sulphur products increases, additional hydrotreating capability is being added to refineries. Refineries that currently have large hydrotreating capability have the ability to process crude oil with a higher sulphur content.
Canada has primarily cracking refineries. These refineries run a mix of light and heavy crude oils to meet the product slate required by Canadian consumers. Historically, the abundance of domestically produced light sweet crude oils and a higher demand for distillate products, such as heating oil, than in some jurisdictions reduced the need for upgrading capacity in Canada. However, in more recent years, the supply of light sweet crude has declined and newer sources of crude oil tend to be heavier. Many of the Canadian refineries are now being equipped with upgraders to handle the heavier grades of crude oil currently being produced.
Refinery configuration is also influenced by the product demand in each region. Refineries produce a wide range of products including: propane, butane, petrochemical feedstock, gasolines (naphtha specialties, aviation gasoline, motor gasoline), distillates (jet fuels, diesel, stove oil, kerosene, furnace oil), heavy fuel oil, lubricating oils, waxes, asphalt and still gas. Nationally, gasoline accounts for about 40% of demand with distillate fuels representing about one third of product sales and heavy fuel oil accounting for only eight percent of sales.
Total petroleum product demand is distributed almost equally across the regions, with Atlantic/Quebec, Ontario and the West each accounting for about one third of total sales. However, the mix of products varies quite significantly among the regions.
In the Atlantic provinces, where furnace oil (light heating oil) is the primary source of home heating, distillate fuels make up 40% of product demand, and heavy fuel oil, used to generate electricity, accounts for another 24%. Gasoline sales account for less than 30% of product demand.
In Quebec, where natural gas and hydroelectricity are prevalent, distillate fuel has a 34% share of sales and gasoline is about 40%. Similarly, in Ontario, gasoline sales outpace distillate sales and account for more than 45% of total product demand, with distillates at less than 30%.
In Western Canada, agricultural use is one of the primary drivers behind distillate demand and gasoline and distillate each account for about 40% of total petroleum product sales. These regional differences in product demand have influenced the configurations of the refineries in each area.
By comparison, in the U.S., the demand for gasoline is much larger than distillate demand and, therefore, refiners configure their installations to maximize gasoline production. Gasoline sales account for nearly 50% of demand while distillate sales account for less than 30% of product demand. In several Western European countries, most notably Germany and France, policies exist that encourage the use of diesel engines creating a much stronger distillate component. Gasoline accounts for less than 20% of petroleum product sales in Europe.
The US refineries are configured to process a large percentage of heavy, high sulphur crude and to produce large quantities of gasoline, and low amounts of heavy fuel oil. U.S. refiners have invested in more complex refinery configurations, which allow them to use cheaper feedstock and have a higher processing capability.
Canada's refineries do not have the high conversion capability of the US refineries, because, on average, they process a lighter, sweeter crude slate. Canadian refineries also face a higher distillate demand, as a percent of crude, than those found in the U.S. so gasoline yields are not as high as those in the US, but are still significantly higher than European yields.
The relationship between gasoline and distillate sales can also create challenges for refiners. A refinery has a limited range of flexibility in setting the gasoline to distillate production ratio. Beyond a certain point, distillate production can only be increased by also increasing gasoline production. For this reason, Europe is a major gasoline exporter, primarily to the U.S.
Another critical component of refining economics is the utilization rate, or how efficiently the refining complex is operating. The Canadian refining sector has undergone significant rationalization in the last three decades. In the early 1970s, there were 40 refineries in Canada. Since that time several factors have contributed to a major rationalization of company operations. The oil price shocks in 1973 and 1979 led to improvements in the efficiency of vehicles and to fuel switching from oil to natural gas and electricity. This curbed the demand for petroleum products and resulted in a substantial surplus of refining capacity. The spare capacity resulted in increased competition among refiners, which further eroded refining margins. Less efficient, smaller refiners were closed, sometimes in favor of new larger facilities.
Weak economic conditions in the early 1980s put additional pressure on the industry to rationalize their operations, resulting in a significant number of refinery closures. Today there are 19 refineries producing petroleum products in Canada. However, due to expansions at the remaining refineries over the last decade, current refining capacity in Canada is greater than it was in the 1970s.
In recent years, growth in the demand for petroleum products has led to an improvement in capacity utilization, increasing operating efficiency and reducing costs per unit of output. As a result, refinery utilization rates have been above 90% nationally for six of the last ten years. A utilization rate of about 95% is considered optimum as it allows for normal shut downs required for maintenance and seasonal adjustments.
Refinery capacity is based on the designed size of the crude distillation unit(s) of a refinery (often referred to as nameplate capacity). Occasionally, through upgrades or de-bottlenecking procedures, refineries can process more crude than the nameplate size of the distillation unit would indicate. In such cases, a refinery is able to achieve a utilization rate greater than 100 percent for short periods of time.
Not all investment decisions are driven by refinery economics. Refiners also make investment decisions because of voluntary actions or legislative and regulatory requirements. In recent years, governments and industry have directed considerable effort towards reducing the environmental impact of burning fossil fuels. Many of the initiatives have been aimed at providing 'cleaner´ fuels for Canadians. Petroleum refining is a very complicated and capital-intensive industry. New environmental regulations require industry to make additional investments to meet the more stringent standards.