text:
Il Corpo d'armata alpino è stato una grande unità militare del Regio Esercito durante la seconda guerra mondiale.

Storia
Il Comando Corpo d'armata alpino venne costituito a Trento il 1º settembre 1939 e inquadrava alle proprie dipendenze le Divisioni alpine "Tridentina", "Pusteria" e "Cuneense" e per un breve periodo ha inquadrato nei propri ranghi anche la Divisione alpina "Taurinense".

La campagna contro la Francia
Nel giugno 1940, all'entrata in guerra dell'Italia nel secondo conflitto mondiale, il Corpo d'armata alpino aveva alle proprie dipendenze le divisioni "Tridentina", "Taurinense", il 4º Gruppo alpini "Valle" e il Raggruppamento "Levanna" che erano dislocati nell'alto Piemonte già prima dell'apertura delle ostilità e il 10 giugno era schierato a difesa del settore Baltea-Orco-Stura. Il 21 giugno le unità alle sue dipendenze entrarono in azione, riuscendo a superare nei giorni 22, 23 e 24, nonostante la tenace resistenza nemica, le difese avanzate e a raggiungere, prima della proclamazione dell'armistizio con la Francia, l'Isère a sud del settore, Bourg Saint Maurice, al centro e Col de Fours, a nord. Il 29 luglio il Corpo d'armata, che era alle dipendenze della 4ª Armata venne trasferito nel Veneto al confine con la Jugoslavia, dove rimase fino al 31 ottobre data in cui venne sciolto.

Nel 1941, durante la campagna di Grecia, la denominazione di Corpo d'armata alpino venne temporaneamente attribuita, dal 4 maggio al 15 giugno, al XXVI Corpo d'armata che assunse la denominazione di Corpo d'armata alpino (XXVI).

La campagna di Russia
Il Corpo d'armata alpino venne ricostituito a Trento il 20 marzo 1942. Alle dipendenze della grande unità le divisioni alpine "Tridentina", al comando del generale Luigi Reverberi, "Julia", al comando del generale Umberto Ricagno e "Cuneense", al comando del generale Emilio Battisti. Il Corpo d'armata alpino, al comando del generale di corpo d'armata Gabriele Nasci, e posto alle dipendenze della 8ª Armata comandata dal generale Italo Gariboldi, venne inviato sul fronte russo dove giunse nella seconda decade del mese di luglio, dislocandosi nella regione di Izjum. Nei primi giorni di agosto, il Corpo viene avviato in linea prima nel Caucaso e poi, per il sopraggiungere di nuove esigenze, nella zona di Millerovo e Starobelsk, sul Don, dove venne tenuto in seconda schiera. Nel mese di settembre alle unità del Corpo d'armata venne affidato il controllo del settore compreso fra Babka-Paclovsk-Novo Kalitva, costituendo l'ala sinistra della 8ª Armata italiana. Il periodo ottobre-novembre fu caratterizzato unicamente da attività di ricognizione e da combattimenti locali. Nel corso della seconda offensiva russa sul Don, iniziata il 16 dicembre 1942, dopo una serie di attacchi preliminari a partire dall'11 dicembre, il settore del Corpo d'armata fu interessato a più riprese da violenti attacchi nemici che vennero decisamente respinti. A partire dal 23 dicembre, l'intero Corpo d'armata rimase a difesa delle posizioni sul Don assieme a forze tedesche.

Nei primi giorni del 1943 la spinta offensiva russa si inasprì, specie in corrispondenza delle ali estreme del Corpo d'armata. La mattina del 14 gennaio il fronte tenuto dal Corpo d'armata alpino venne attaccato da poderose forze corazzate russe che premevano sull'intero fronte. Il corpo d'Armata alpino resistette su tutto il fronte, ma un cedimento delle unità sulla sua destra consentì ai sovietici di aprirsi un varco e di guadagnare le spalle dello schieramento, minacciando la sede del comando a Rossoš'. Nei giorni 15 e 16 gennaio, in corrispondenza del proprio settore meridionale, il corpo d'armata venne impegnato in violenti combattimenti tesi ad evitare l'aggiramento. La notte tra il 16 e il 17 gennaio l'Armata Rossa investì l'intero fronte, senza però riuscire a progredire, malgrado la notevole superiorità dei mezzi impiegati e solo nel pomeriggio del 17, quando le unità sovietiche riuscirono a rompere il fronte anche sulla sinistra venne ordinato il ripiegamento delle unità alpine. Sganciatesi dal contatto sul Don, le unità del Corpo d'armata, dopo sporadiche azioni di retroguardia, iniziarono un faticoso ripiegamento attraverso la steppa nell'inclemenza del rigido inverno russo, muovendo dapprima verso la ferrovia Rossoš'-Evdakovo ma, successivamente, furono costrette a procedere con movimenti convergenti intesi a costituire colonne di grandi unità in grado di darsi reciproco appoggio per le azioni di rottura del fronte di accerchiamento che nel frattempo i russi erano riusciti a realizzare. Il 19 e 20 gennaio ebbero luogo a Postojalyj e a Skororyo, violenti combattimenti, per aprire un varco in un primo sbarramento nemico e proseguire quindi verso ovest. Altri combattimenti vennero sostenuti il 21, contro un secondo sbarramento fortemente presidiato a Novo Charkovka e a Varvarovka, il 23 a Nikolaevka e il 25, 26 e 27 a Nikitovka dove furono impegnate le ultime risorse per rompere finalmente l'accerchiamento. Il 30 gennaio i resti del Corpo d'armata alpino si raccolsero a Šebekino e gli ultimi reparti giunsero il 3 febbraio. Da questa località vennero avviati nella zona di Homel' da dove partiranno in ferrovia per far rientro in Italia. Il 1º marzo, al ritorno dalla Russia il Corpo d'armata alpino si sciolse dando vita al XXIV Corpo d'armata.

Comandanti (1940-1943)
CORPO D'ARMATA ALPINO (1939-40)
Generale di corpo d'armata Luigi Negri
Generale di divisione Ugo Santovito
Generale di corpo d'armata Carlo Rossi
Generale di corpo d'armata Gabriele Nasci
COMANDO CORPO D'ARMATA ALPINO (XXVI) (1941)
Generale di corpo d'armata Gabriele Nasci
Generale di divisione Ugo Santovito (interim)
COMANDO CORPO D'ARMATA ALPINO (1942-43)
Generale di corpo d'armata Gabriele Nasci

Esercito Italiano

Nell'Esercito Italiano, nel 1972, le truppe alpine vennero inquadrate sotto l'unico comando del 4º Corpo d'armata alpino, che inquadrava alle sue dipendenze le cinque brigate alpine allora esistenti, con i relativi supporti tattici.

Nel 1997, nell'ambito dei provvedimenti connessi con l'attuazione del nuovo modello di difesa adottato in quell'anno il 4º Corpo d'armata alpino venne riconfigurato nel Comando truppe alpine.

Note

Bibliografia
 Giorgio Scotoni, L'Armata Rossa e la disfatta italiana (1942-43), Trento, Editrice Panorama, 2007, ISBN 978-88-7389-049-2.

Unità militari degli Alpini
Corpi d'armata italiani
Grandi Unità italiane della prima guerra mondiale
Grandi Unità italiane della seconda guerra mondiale

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The CW just released over five minutes of amazing with its extended trailer for "The Flash." We have to wait until this fall for the premiere but this action and information-packed look should satisfy you...for now. Beginning with the origin story and ending with his meeting with Arrow, this trailer offers a look at the evolution of Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) into the fastest man on Earth.
There's a lot we could say here but we know you just want to watch. Let us know what you think!


SPInduwedge Slot Wedges are made of either magnetic or nonmagnetic Material, being used as Slot Closures to hold the stator windings in the slots formed between the stator teeth.
Slot wedges made of magnetic material are a significant means to improve the efficiency of a motor or generator. Magnetic slot wedges reduce slot ripple in the air gap flux caused by the changing reluctance due to the slots, and also reduce the associated eddy current losses due to the interaction of the harmonics in the air gap flux with the conducting surface of the rotor.
The magnetizing current required in the stator windings to generate the desired air gap flux is less with magnetic slot wedges, since more of the air gap flux is available for useful power production.
Magnetic slot wedges reduce starting current, improve cos phi and load current, and lead to reduced iron loss (core loss).
slot wedges clearly pay off.
not using magnetic wedges any more.
magnetic (i.e. unfilled) glass fiber reinforced material, some non magnetic material they are even surpassing.
Further, our magnetic Slot wedges are not produced from Sheets which means a massive Improvement since cutting and grinding of Sheets with High Glass Content has a Major Impact on Health.
SPInduwedge epoxy is a cut and machined slot wedge made of epoxy glassfibre sheets. It has high electrical and thermal resistance combined with excellent mechanical strength.
Epoxy slot wedges are used for example as a induction motor, wind generator and traction motor slot closure key.
SPInduroll G11 HPT 180 is a slot wedge made of glass-cloth and high quality epoxy-resin and made with a special production method. It has high electrical and thermal resistance up to 180°C combined with excellent mechanical strength and electrical properties.
SPInduroll G11 HPT 180 slot wedges are used for example as a induction motor, wind generator and traction motor slot closure key.
Information folder about the unique advantages and properties of SPInduwedge Magnetic slot wedges.
Our Magnetic slot wedges have been extensively tested for their mechanical properties at the Technical University of Vienna.
to prove the stability of SPInduwedge and to compare the mechanical data with conventional magnetic slot wedges. The results of this investigation are shown in the diagrams of this folder and in an descriptive 23-page booklet (Technical Report), which can be downloaded here.
This extremely high flexibility is a result of SPI's patented Production Process. If you try this with any Competitors Wedge, it will most likely break or delaminate.


Most adults envision retirement age as a chance to pursue new interests, careers, volunteering, and travel. As people age, however, the likelihood of sustaining an injury as a result of a fall increases. More than 95% of hip fractures are caused by falling – usually by falling sideways – and falls are also the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). One out of five falls experienced by older adults causes a serious injury, making it hard for a person to get around, do everyday activities, or live on their own. Even if they're not injured, many people become afraid of falling and cut down on everyday activities. Ironically, when older people are less active, they become weaker, thus increasing the chances of falling.
Remove clutter and tripping hazards to make your home safer.
Talk to a doctor about any dizziness. Don't assume you have to live with it.
Choose the right shoes and wear them in the house.
Make sure you're using your cane or walker correctly.
Some people think that they are protecting themselves by using treadmills for cardio exercises and other machines for strength training. However, by holding on to machine handles and bars, they reduce their ability to balance and avoid falls. Balance training, practiced separately from machine exercises, is now recognized as integral to fall prevention programs.
One such program, recommended by the Washington State Department of Health and the National Council on Aging, is Tai Chi Quan: Moving for Better Balance. Based on Tai Chi, it is a stand-alone course designed to improve balance recovery. Jan Voit, a Seattle-area physical therapist who trains instructors to teach Tai Chi Quan to older adults, notes that no matter our age, we all have the same responses to losing balance, but that these responses decrease with age. When older adults sense a loss of balance, they frequently react by withdrawing into an ever-shrinking space. Progressive exercises that make legs stronger and improve balance help overcome this response. "By learning to catch yourself (balance recovery), you can increase your world of control," says Voit.
Falls and fear of falling are a genuine concern, often with long-term, negative effects. The good news is that falls don't have to be an inevitable part of aging. By making a lifestyle commitment to balance, in addition to following simple steps to reduce risks, older adults can focus on all the amazing interests and activities life has to offer.
Jane French is a Chicago area freelance writer, with a professional background in nonprofit operations. She serves on the Naperville Senior Task Force and volunteers for Ride Assist Naperville. She has been a caregiver for family members and speaks to issues regarding this growing segment of our population. You can learn more about her work at www.janedfrench.com.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention. "Important Facts about Falls," February 10, 2017.


text:
Storytelling in another dimension
Two important events happened recently in my life as a Doctor Who fan.
Firstly with my two young sons, I completed level three of the latest Doctor Who Adventure Game, and secondly at Edinburgh, Steven Moffat announced the structure of the new series for next year.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/video/2010/aug/29/doctor-who-cliffhanger...
The BBC launched the Doctor Who Adventure Games not just out of a public service responsibility to give dads a bonding experience frying Cybermen with dangling electrical cables (level two, "Blood of the Cybermen" - email me if you want the walkthrough!), but because they were looking for innovative ways of engaging a hungry audience during the five month window while they filmed the Christmas special and new series.
We have been lucky enough to be part of the renaissance of the Doctor Who brand, ever since Russell Davies persuaded Christopher Eccleston to become the 9th Doctor, and all the way along the importance of keeping an audience, rather than just "getting them to Episode One", has been vital. No programme works as hard at its re-caps and throw-forwards, for example. When we took our design for the new Doctor Who logo to Steven and his team, we did so by showing what it would look like doodled on a school satchel – because it is in those moments, as much as any other, that you keep the relationship between viewer and programme alive.
Steven Moffat's announcement was equally exciting for us as promotions experts – double the series launches and cliff hangers is exactly what gets us out of bed in the morning, but splitting the series' run, so that you are never too far away from the next episode, might be a pattern we start to see more of too. How a narrative arc might work from TV, to PC download game, to magazine comic strip, and back to TV again. Not forgetting the role of narrative repeats on BBC Three, BBC iplayer, Watch etc…
The US has always had a different pattern for their long running shows, but learned fast during the writers strike that once you break a relationship between viewer and characters, it can be exponentially harder to get it back again.
When NBC filmed a series of internet only sketches for the US Office everyone assumed it was them exploring ways of monetising their online space, but the reality was that NBC had realised early on that we don't want to be separated from characters who can become an important part of our lives and then disappear into a void for months. We are hungry to stay in touch whether it's a computer simulation of Matt Smith…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw/theadventuregames
…or the creepy podcast thoughts of Creed.
http://www.nbc.com/The_Office/video/sneak-peek-podcast/1247227/
Whatever else, it concentrates our minds in terms of the skills we need as a creative business, navigating audiences through time and space in a new way. Now where is that atom accelerator?
Charlie Mawer, Executive Creative Director

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


#LOOKING WITHIN In this interview with Prism, our CEO, Dr. Olaf Berlien, answers the question "Why?", explains the power of our light and reveals what opportunities it holds in store for the future.
Issue 01 2018 > Our Focus > What drives us, Mr. Berlien?
PRISM Dr. Berlien, can you tell us in one sentence what OSRAM stands for today?
BERLIEN We stand for one of the most exciting products of all – light. Light in all its amazing and almost infinite uses and applications. And we intend to make the best use of it – in driverless cars, smart homes and smart cities, the Internet of Things and digital communication.
PRISM And now regarding the purpose behind it all: why do we do what we do?
BERLIEN We use light to transform light into better life. We are facilitating mobility, increasing safety and security, creating connections, and enhancing well-being and health. We are continually developing new applications for major digital trends, making light intelligent, and going far beyond mere lighting.
PRISM And what makes us the experts here?
BERLIEN We have the know-how. For more than 100 years we have been turning light into quality of life. Electric lighting made cities safer, gave people more opportunities to educate themselves now that they could read in the evenings, and improved productivity in factories – in short, it promised a better quality of life for all. And it is this promise that we continue to fulfill.
PRISM Where do you see OSRAM in the future?
BERLIEN We can do a lot more with light now than just provide lighting. We are increasingly merging with other industries, such as the automotive and software sectors. But that is not a cause for concern, as our ability to innovate and our knowledge of light is creating exciting new opportunities. Imagine a light source that operates as an information node for facilities management, or how we will be transmitting information using light in the digital factory. And our software platforms will improve the utilization of space. These are only three examples, but they are indicative of the direction we are taking.
PRISM What do we need to embark on this journey?
BERLIEN We should remember our strengths. Our heritage is a corporate culture that is driven by passion: a passion for performance and innovation. But we need the willingness to change. We are fostering a culture of daring where failure and learning are part of the process. It goes without saying that this is only possible if it is based on openness and respect.


text:
Q: How to disable TLSv1 and enable TLSv1.2 in apache 2.2.29 Iam using Redhat 7.3/Apache 2.2.29/Openssl 1.0.1e-fips
I have to remediate a vulnerability(SSL/TLS Server supports TLSv1.0) in Apache. I tried to add line "SSLProtocol All -SSLv2 -SSLv3 -TLSv1" in my httpd.conf file and restarted httpd. But it throws below error.
Error : SSLProtocol: Illegal protocol '"TLSv1.1"'
Can anyone help me in this regard ?
Regards,
Aneesh

A: From https://community.qualys.com/thread/13903:
SSLProtocol -all +TLSv1.1 +TLSv1.2

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Forest Grove, OR – SakéOne, America's premium saké company, officially announced the national launch of their Momokawa Organic Junmai Gingo saké in keg form. It's the first of its kind in the United States, and poised to drastically change the way saké is enjoyed by and marketed to consumers. After a successful Beta program in 2013 in diverse accounts in North America, SakéOne will fully launch the keg program in early 2014.
Momokawa Organic Junmai Gingo saké is crafted at SakéOne's kura in Forest Grove, Oregon, using USDA certified Calrose organic rice polished to 60 percent, giving it the highest possible rating of "Ginjo," or ultra premium. Its clean, tropical notes make it a wonderful accompaniment to grilled meats and rich shellfish dishes, and is fast proving itself as an ideal component to some of the most exciting new trends in cocktails.
The 19.5 liter keg containing Momokawa Organic Junmai Gingo saké features what's known as a Nitro Keg system, which uses 75 percent nitrogen and 25 percent carbon dioxide to maintain the saké's freshness and balanced, delicate flavor profile.
The Momokawa Organic Junmai Ginjo Saké is currently on tap at restaurant locations in Oregon, California, Washington, Illinois, Nevada and New York.
For more information on SakéOne, please visit www.sakeone.com.


Very diverse, and great overview of Borneo. You come across unexpected adventures and real wild animals along to way. Great experience.
A fabulous trip for families with children (especially teenagers) with a sense of adventure. Perfect balance of activities and free time with a very experienced guide knowledgeable. Moreover Borneo is a beautiful island with many hidden secrets and visiting in an eco-friendly way is a very special experience. We wouldn't hesitate to revisit and choose a similar holiday elsewhere.
Borneo is a fascinating place...It was definitely an eye opening adventure. Very well organised and will make you see the world differently.
On the Borneo trip we got to see and experience a wide range of conservation projects involving different animals and eco systems. We also got to meet the local people involved in these projects and to interact with them. There was also places where you could relax and just enjoy the scenery.
We thought that seeing Orangutans would be the highlight of this trip but in fact our cookery lesson in a local village and staying in the homestay was. The Malaysian people were friendly, kind, great cooks, and only laughed a little bit at our efforts! The Sun bears also stole our hearts and we could have watched the Orangutans forever! The truly cheeky Monkeys on Survivor Island probably came a bit close for comfort but all added to an amazing and diverse trip which I would highly recommend.
Incredible experience for the whole family. So well looked after by our local leader. Culturally fascinating and wildlife interesting (once accustomed to the bugs and monkeys). Also combined with the outdoor element which was right up our street. We were pleased we booked a group trip after seeing other individual families travelling around who did not get nearly as involved as us in the local life. Great all round trip, but probably best taken if you have a true sense of adventure, a wish to join the group style camaraderie, and a level of fitness to participate fully.
Borneo Family Adventure was a great mix of adventure, cool animals and beautiful places to relax. Our guide was great. Was our first Intrepid Trip but won't be the last.
An excellent adventure - we had a great group of people in our tour. We all enjoyed it. We made wonderful family memories.
Given Borneo is a hot, humid place, stick with light-weight clothing (quick dry) plus footwear comfortable (tramping boots not required). Handy to take tissues and hand sanitizer.
Very enjoyable trip which suits any age and incorporates activities which most people will be able to participate in. The trip gives good insight into the life and culture of the local villages especially through the home stay. It also will get you very close to the local wildlife.


text:
Q: How to combine containers in a flexbox layout? I have a simple flexbox layout like this:

html, body {
margin:0;
padding:0;
background:grey;
}

.container {
display:flex;
flex-direction:row;
}

.image1, .image2, .image3, .image4, .image5, .image6 {
padding:10px;
}

img {
  max-width:100%;
}

I am currently doing it with 3 seperate flex containers, I am trying to combine everything in to 1.
Am I able to do this with flexbox or would CSS grid be more appropriate?

A:
Am I able to do this with flexbox

Yes, using flex-wrap property and wrap value, which will force items to wrap onto multiple lines.

html, body {
  margin: 0;
  background: grey;
}

.container {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: row;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
}

.image {
  padding: 10px;
  box-sizing: border-box;
}

img {
  width: 100%;
}

.third {
  width: 33.333%;
}

.half {
  width: 50%;
}

.full {
  width: 100%;
}

You could make it even shorter, using flex instead of width.

html, body {
  margin: 0;
  background: grey;
}

.container {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: row;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
}

.image {
  flex: 1 0 0;
  padding: 10px;
  box-sizing: border-box;
}

.image.full {
  flex: none;
  width: 100%;
}

img {
  width: 100%;
}

A: The layout (with a single container) is relatively easy and simple using CSS Grid.
Use Grid's line-based placement techniques to position grid items and create grid areas.

.container {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(6, 1fr);
  grid-gap: 10px;
}

.image1, .image2, .image3 {
  grid-column: span 2;
}

.image4 {
  grid-column: 1 / -1;
  justify-self: center; /* optional */
}

.image5, .image6 {
  grid-column: span 3;
}

img {
  max-width: 100%;
}

body {
  margin: 0;
  padding: 10px;
  background: grey;
}

jsFiddle demo


With the winter months finally behind us, I'm putting away the pumpkin, caramel, and (reluctantly) maple to usher in the warm, fragrant days of Spring with a bright citrus cookie recipe.
I'm sure we've all made (or at least eaten) tea cakes; they're a popular cookie on holiday platters. Whether you call them "Snowballs", "Russian Tea Cakes", or "Mexican Wedding Cakes", you've almost certainly popped one of these in your mouth and enjoyed the buttery, melt-in-your-mouth goodness.
Egg shaped tea cakes in a basket.
I took my old recipe and jazzed it up with lemon and key limes and then made colored powdered sugar to roll them in. Pastel shades for spring, of course! I colored the sugar yellow and green, but imagine how pretty a variety of pastel colored cookies would look in a basket on your Easter brunch table.
Put 1 cup of granulated sugar in each of 2 small bowls. Stir a few drops of yellow food coloring into 1/2 teaspoon water and drizzle half of it into one bowl of sugar. Stir really well to combine the coloring and sugar, adding the remaining colored water drop by drop if necessary. The goal is to get the color and sugar fairly well mixed without saturating the sugar. Discard any leftover colored water. Repeat with the green color in the other bowl of sugar.
Spread the sugar on two paper plates or paper towels and let it dry for 1 hour. When dry, blend one color at a time in a blender, along with 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Blend for about a minute, stopping to shake the blender jar often. I turned mine over (with the lid snugly on) a couple of times and took off the bottom to remove sugar that was clogged up there. If you have a powerful blender, your powdered sugar will come out fluffy and powdery. I obviously need a new blender, because mine was just a tiny bit sandy feeling, but it still worked perfectly on the cookies.
Colored granulated sugar, ready to be blended.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter, lemon juice, vanilla, and powdered sugar until combined.
Mix in the lemon and lime zest.
Add the flour and mix just until it is incorporated.
Roll level tablespoons of dough into balls (or egg shapes) and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are light golden brown.
Set the pan on a cooling rack and as soon as the cookies are cool enough to handle, roll them in powdered sugar and set on racks to cool completely. Once cool, roll them in the powdered sugar again. The first coating will be a little sticky, so the cookies will pick up more sugar this time and the coating will look nice and even.
Balls and eggs, ready to bake.
Rolling warm cookies in colored powdered sugar.
Round tea cakes in a bowl.
These little gems are perfect for a tea, a club meeting, or just for you to nibble on while you're sitting down to a relaxing cup of coffee or tea. Happy Spring!
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Health service accreditation: report of a pilot programme for community hospitals
Education And Debate
BMJ 1995; 310 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.310.6982.781 (Published 25 March 1995) Cite this as: BMJ 1995;310:781
Charles D Shaw, director, hospital accreditation programmea,
Charles D Collins, medical directorb
a CASPE Research, London SE1 1LL
b Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust, Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, Somerset TA1 5DA
Correspondence to: Dr Shaw.
Accepted 7 February 1995
Voluntary accreditation in the United Kingdom is being used by health care providers to improve and market their services and by commissioners to define and monitor service contracts. In a three year pilot scheme in the south west of England, 43 out of 57 eligible community hospitals volunteered to be surveyed; 37 of them were ultimately accredited for up to two years by the hospital accreditation programme. The main causes for non-accreditation related to safety, clinical records, and medical organisation. Follow up visits in 10 hospitals showed that, overall, 69% of recommendations were implemented. An independent survey of participating hospitals showed the perceived benefits to include team building, review of operational policies, improvement of data systems, and the generation of local prestige. Purchasers are increasingly influenced by accreditation status but are mostly unwilling to finance the process directly. None the less, the concept may become an important factor moderating the quality of service in the new NHS.
The concept of accrediting hospitals as suitable environments for training was developed by the American College of Surgeons from 1917, and accreditation became a national yardstick for the organisation of hospitals for many other purposes. Accreditation has subsequently been adapted and adopted in Canada and Australia and, particularly over the past five years, in many other countries, including the United Kingdom.
All accreditation systems have explicit standards for organisation against which the participating hospital assesses itself before a structured visit by outside surveyors, who submit a written report to the hospital with commendations and recommendations for development before a follow up survey.1 Accreditation may be awarded for a fixed term or may be withheld by an independent assessment board if the hospital does not meet a defined threshold of standards. Functioning national schemes in the United Kingdom include the King's Fund organisational audit programme2 and Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK),3 but programmes in development include services for diagnostic radiology, palliative care, and health records.
We describe the origin, operation, and impact of the hospital accreditation programme, which was set up in 1990 as a pilot scheme to assess and develop community hospitals in the South Western region. This has been available throughout the United Kingdom since April 1993. The aims of the three year pilot study were to enhance the effectiveness of community hospitals, to spread good organisational practices, and to test the principles of health service accreditation in the United Kingdom with a particular model. We describe the model and discuss some of the emergent issues that may be generally relevant to quality management.
Administration—The programme was set up as a three year pilot study funded by the South Western Regional Health Authority in April 1990 on the recommendation of a working party on the future of community hospitals.4 Two staff were appointed to the programme and were based at the University of Bristol.
Board—An independent board was set up of nominees from the royal colleges and other national and regional bodies (clinical, managerical, and lay) (box 1); this board steered the programme and assessed reports on the hospitals that volunteeed to join.
Box 1–Composition of the board, 1990-3
Association of General Practitioner Community Hospitals
Community health councils
English National Board for Nursing
Independent Health Care Association
Institute of Health Services Management
National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts
Rehabilitation professions
Royal College of Anaesthetists
Royal College of General Practitioners
Royal College of Surgeons
Standards—The initial standards used were published in 1988 in Towards Good Practice in Small Hospitals by the National Association of Health Authorities5 (see boxes 2 and 3). They were based on the systematic observation of organisational practice in 54 small hospitals and had been broadly endorsed by 17 national bodies, including seven royal colleges. This research into empirical standards was supported by the Nuffield Provincial Hospitals Trust and was completed in 1985.
Box 2–Where accreditation standards applied
General organisation
The consumer
Day hospitals
Accident and emergency medicine
Pastoral and voluntary
Sterile supplies
Box 3–What the standards measured
Purpose and scope of service
Management arrangements
Personnel and training
Hospitals—The programme was offered to the 57 community hospitals in the region. All these hospitals had no resident medical staff and fewere than 50 beds, most of which were allocated to general practitioners.
Self assessment—The hospitals completed a self assessment questionnaire based on the published standards during a six month preparatory phase. This included discussing, defining, and revising policies and collating existing reports and statistics.
Survey visit—A team of at least two surveyors (one clinician or manager and one general practitioner) visited each hospital for one day. Each surveyor was based at a similar but distant hospital and had three days of theoretical and practical training in the standards, survey process, and report writing. The team's proposed report was discussed with senior staff before leaving the hospital, was completed in draft the same night, and was checked in the central office for internal consistency and for compliance with the published standards.
Board review—A copy of each report was sent to each member of the board before the next quarterly meeting for evaluation of the surveyor's recommendations. Hospitals that were considered to be operating safely (with respect to patients, staff, and visitors) and within the law were eligible for accreditation. At least one of the surveyors from the relevant team attended this discussion, both to assist the board by complementing the written report and to learn the context of the process.
Implementing change—Final reports were sent from the board to the manager of the participating hospital. They consisted of fewer than 10 pages listing commendations of good practice and recommendations for change. Hospital managers were encouraged to discuss the reports with staff, trust managers, and purchasers. The programme did not provide copies other than to the manager of the hospital visited. Worthy innovations reported to the board as well as warnings (particularly about safety of patients and staff) were published quarterly after each board meeting and distributed to all participating hospitals to disseminate good practice. In addition, staff were invited to an annual meeting to share their experience and to offer comments for development of the programme. The outcome of the pilot scheme was assessed by hospital uptake rates and the proportion of recommendations that were implemented. An independent survey of the opinions of a random sample of 17 participants (stratified according to accreditation award) was carried out by the University of Bath.6
UPTAKE AND COMPLIANCE
By the end of March 1993, 56 surveys had been completed by 28 surveyors. Forty three hospitals (75% of the 57 eligible) had volunteered to take part, 37 ultimately being accredited. Among 10 hospitals visited a second time between 29% and 89% of recommendations had been implemented—overall, 89 out of 131 recommendations (69%). In most hospitals the unfulfilled recommendations related to managerial or structural issues that were difficult to resolve within 12 months.
ISSUES IDENTIFIED
Some practices were commended as models to other hospitals, particularly for innovative nursing, community based rehabilitation services, and well managed surgical and anaesthetic facilities (table I). Most of the reasons for non-accreditation related to safety; the board refused accreditation to any hospital which did not comply with normal good practice or legal requirements in relation to fire, radiation, hygiene, and the safety of patients and staff. Hospitals were alerted to particularly dangerous practices (box 4) through a quarterly bulletin, and the frequency of hazards found decreased in later visits to other hospitals. Recurrent issues affecting medical staff included personal contracts, availability, rotas in accident and emergency departments, record keeping, audit, input to management, and liaison by general practitioners with consultants responsible for services based in the district general hospital, particularly anaesthesia, radiology, and accident and emergency (table II). Much of the data on case mix of potential use in contracts, resource management, and audit were based on the problem causing the admission rather than on the final diagnoses, complications, and coexistent illnesses—for example, the leading diagnosis in many hospitals was recorded as "gone off legs," a common label for unexplained debility which confines patients to bed.
Departments most commonly commended in 56 surveys of community hospitals, 1990-3
Departments most commonly showing partial compliance or non-compliance with standards in 56 surveys of community hospitals, 1990-3
Box 4–Some hazards identified
Beds blocking fire exits
Inflammable materials stored in boiler rooms
Gas cylinders unsecured in patient areas
Glutaraldehyde decanted into a spray bottle
Blood bank refrigerator at 8°C
VIEWS OF HOSPITALS
Most hospitals reported the preparation phase as time consuming but rewarding and the survey visit as nerve racking but enjoyable. Hayes and Scrivens summarised the three main benefits of the programme as reported by managers:
Development of greater team spirit within the hospitals to achieve the standards
Achievement of the standards themselves
Greater networking between the managers of community hospitals.
The challenge of an external assessment proved a powerful motive for reviewing (or even discovering) policies, reports, and data; many managers were surprised at the extent of information (such as radiation safety reports) and data (such as patient administration system reports) which related to their hospital but of which they were unaware. The explicit identification of issues such as data accuracy, drug administration, admission policies, and discharge procedures in a survey report was often the stimulus for more systematic participation of doctors in managing the hospital; several managers reported resurrecting staff liaison meetings as a direct result of the accreditation process.
Although failure to be accredited caused dismay among staff and managers, this was generally replaced by determination to succeed next time and by recognition, at least in retrospect, that the initial disappointment had been an essential and justified stimulus for the change that followed.
The original research, drafting, and consultation on the standards was funded by a grant of £27000 from the Nuffield Provincial Hospitals Trust in 1984. The true operating costs of the programme from 1990 were initially underrepresented, many of the charges for overheads being included in the general running of the university department. When fully costed as a free standing programme at the end of 1993-4 expenditure was £47000, including 2.2 whole time equivalent staff, training of surveyors, board meetings, and other non-pay items (excluding development). Surveyors and board members gave their time free of charge; only general practitioner locums were reimbursed. The average cost of the 20 surveys that year was thus £2363. A fee of £500 (£600 in 1992-3) and the direct expenses (surveyors' travel expenses and accommodation and locums' fees), which averaged £420, were charged to hospitals. The balance was subsidised by the regional health authority during the development phase.
The concept of voluntary accreditation by an independent agency was popular among provider units (evidenced by uptake) and effective (evidenced by adoption of recommended changes). But purchasers in the south west, though supportive of the programme, had not sought to fund it directly; this was associated with criticism that the programme focused on structure and process rather than access, appropriateness, and outcomes of care. If, however, most providers are accredited voluntarily then the pressure on the remainder to be accredited will probably increase. The willingness of hospitals to submit to external scrutiny was associated with enthusiasm for pass or fail assessments and, notably, for having a certificate of achievement to be prominently displayed in the hospital. This was reinforced as hospitals within the region renewed their participation, and they were joined by hospitals from outside the region when the programme was offered throughout the United Kingdom from April 1993. Since then 18 hospitals have joined, mostly in the midlands and Wales and including two in Scotland.
Most hospitals showed a combination of strengths and weaknesses—for example, some that were not accredited had some innovative and commendable features. It is not therefore realistic to summarise them as good or otherwise, but there is a degree of noncompliance with standards beyond which members of the board, both individually and corporately, are unwilling to endorse the hospital as accredited.
The credibility of the programme rests, firstly, on the published standards and, secondly, on the consistency of the evaluation of individual hospitals against them. Hospitals readily identified with the standards, most of them having contributed to the standards originally. Innovation in technology, legislation, and management, however, rapidly outdates standards, suggesting a need to revise them at least every three years and intermediately (such as through a quarterly bulletin). Also, to maintain quality improvement among the accredited hospitals the standards need to become increasingly stringent.
In effect, the criterion for accreditation is that the survey team, on the basis of the self assessment questionnaire and their own observations, considers the hospital to comply sufficiently with the standards, and that independent assessments of the report by the permanent staff of the hospital accreditation programme and by the board endorse this. Ideally, published criteria would be related to clinical outcomes, and be robust, objective, self evident, and significant; in reality, a snapshop assessment focuses on measurable features of structure and process as proxies for outcome. If, however, these become the sole criteria for accreditation attention may be focused on them at the expense of outcomes. So, although systematic, the final decision on accreditation remains qualitative—for example, excellent work in poor facilities.
HOSPITAL VIEWS
At the beginning of the pilot phase, all efforts to measure the success or failure of the programme led back to the response of the participants. It was therefore reassuring that hospitals were willing to enlist, to respond to recommendations, and to stay with the programme. This evidence of perceived value was consistent with the independent survey, which identified organisational development as a prime outcome.6 Similar early benefits of accreditation programmes have been noted in other countries, notably South Africa and Australia.
Charges to participating hospitals were kept low by the subsidy of the regional health authority and by the donation of time by surveyors and board members, (Employers and partners in general practice generally regard this as an educational activity and of benefit to their own organisation.) The larger cost to hospitals is in the staff time spent in preparation for accreditation and has not been quantified.
For such a programme to be self financing, it needs to be operated as part of another funded activity to share costs, to charge substantially higher fees, or to provide a larger volume of surveys (which is likely to be unsustainable within a single region, especially when the programme becomes embedded and the frequency of revisits is reduced). This was a cogent argument for expanding the programme both functionally—for example, to include consultant beds for the elderly patients—and geographically at the end of the pilot phase.
MEETING THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PILOT SCHEME
Two aims of the scheme were to enhance the effectiveness of community hospitals and to spread good organisational practices. In that the project identified practices among hospitals which it deemed to be good and that it disseminated these practices and encouraged their wider use, it achieved the second goal. It also made hospitals more effective in showing their strengths and presenting themselves to the public and purchasers, and even in adopting new practices, but there is no evidence of benefit in terms of clinical outcomes. Indeed, failure to prove a causal link between compliance with process standards and improved clinical results has dogged the development of health service accreditation throughout the world; but if that argues against accreditation it also argues against clinical audit and continuing education.
The third objective was to test the principles of accreditation in the United Kingdom. Outside specialty training (where the word was derived to describe the recognition of suitable training posts by the American College of Surgeons), neither the term nor the principles had been applied to health services in Britain. Until the early 1990s there had been consistent opposition from health ministers on the grounds that it would be too prescriptive and expensive and that it undermined the right of managers to manage—despite the support it received from several national bodies before Working for Patients, which excluded it from government policy.7 Although this community hospital programme was championed by provider units before the purchaser-provider split, its potential value to commissioners in purchasing decisions and in quality monitoring has been an important factor in its development. Indeed, the growth of this programme and of others, both generic (such as the King's Fund organisational audit programme) and specialty based (such as Clinical Pathology Accreditation, UK), shows a perceived need and a willing market to adopt it. Given that such programmes offer an independent mechanism for monitoring, they are consistent with current government policy to deregulate other sectors, such as voluntary and private health care.
Given the response so far, health service accreditation is unlikely to disappear. More probably, the coming debate will be on how many such systems are appropriate, how they will be validated, and whether they should themselves be regulated nationally. When the University of Bath completes its national review (commissioned by the Department of Health) of current programmes in the NHS these issues may become more prominent.
In the meantime, the market speaks for itself. The original community hospital programme is now being offered throughout the United Kingdom and is being emulated in South Africa as a pilot in secondary care.8 9 This, with other accreditation systems, offers a development tool to providers, an assessment tool to purchasers, and a visible measure of achievement to the public.
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Brooks TE
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.An evaluation of the accreditation programme for community hospitals. Bristol: Hospital Accreditation Programme, 1993.
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Health service accreditation: report of a pilot programme for community hospitals BMJ 1995; 310 :781 doi:10.1136/bmj.310.6982.781
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The ushers serve as ministers of hospitality. They are responsible for greeting and looking out for the comfort of the congregation in addition to passing out bulletins and taking up the collection. They also choose families or individuals to participate in the offertory procession.
Ushers are scheduled in advance. If you would like more information about becoming an usher, please contact Jeanne Keiffer.


text:
SWAC Championship Game: Big defense, backup QB deliver Texas Southern victory against Alabama State
Updated Jan 14, 2019; Posted Dec 11, 2010
SWAC Championship football game at Legion Field
Gallery: SWAC Championship football game at Legion Field
By Doug Segrest -- The Birmingham News
After Texas Southern secured the school's first outright SWAC title Saturday afternoon, coach
Johnnie Cole
didn't need to institute a 24-hour rule.
Twenty years will be ample time to let an 11-6 victory against Alabama State sink in.
"I told the guys, 'You won't understand what you've done until you're my age, 20 years from now,' " Cole said. " 'You're the best team in Texas Southern history. You've taken the SWAC championship.' "
Playing at Legion Field, before a crowd of 22,350 fans, Texas Southern (9-3) turned to something old - Division I-AA's second-ranked defense - and something new - backup quarterback Riko Smalls -- to take home the trophy.
The Tigers defense held Alabama State (7-5) to 72 yards of total offense. Counting a 21-7 victory in Montgomery on Oct. 2, Texas Southern allowed Alabama State 221 yards in 120 minutes of football.
"We did that the last time," said Texas Southern middle linebacker Dejuan Fulghum, the game's defensive MVP. "They ended up with one big play (in the first game) that tilted the stats somewhat."
Meanwhile, Cole threw a curveball before the game, sitting starting quarterback Arvell Nelson due to unspecified concerns about eligibility.
"We want to protect Texas Southern," Cole said. "It's an assurance thing at this point."
Instead, he put the game in the hands of rarely used sophomore Smalls, a Virginia transfer who was listed as a quarterback/wide receiver/special teams player.
The absence of Nelson, a solid thrower, didn't change the game plan much.
"I found out, officially, yesterday," Smalls said. "My expectation was the same everyone else had for me: Step up and fill my role. Manage the game. Don't do anything special. Make first down after first down."
Smalls delivered the Tigers 82 yards on the opening drive, accounting for more than half the yardage on scrambles and his only pass of the series, spotting a 6-0 lead.
More than 53 minutes remained in the game. But considering the Texas Southern defense, the game was just as good as over.
Read Sunday's Birmingham News for more details.


text:
The View from Inside: An Overview of the Neutra Practice
Posted on October 1, 2000 by Dion Neutra
Speech by Dion Neutra before the University of Minnesota on the occasion of the FIRST opening of the Traveling Exhibition at Macalester College
Thanks for that gracious introduction. Thank you for having me. It is wonderful to be here. I'd like to dedicate this discussion to the memory of my dear wife, Jackie, who died just two weeks ago of lung cancer. She would have loved to be with us.
Jackie was a renaissance woman; writer of 40 children's books; composer of over 600 songs; Emmy award winning TV producer and composer-writer of musical comedies. I'd like to pause a moment and think on this wonderful woman who is no longer with us.
In this talk I'd like to take you inside the Neutra practice. After some introductory remarks I'll share some slides with you, going into various projects in depth, and end with a period of questions and answers. We'll be done here in 90 minutes.
My dad and I were here first in the early 50s when St. Johns Abby invited a group of 5 prominent architects to interview for their new project. It was the group that included architect Marcel Breuer, who ended up with the job. I found out this morning after a third of a century WHY we didn't get that job! I still remember the image of leaving LA in the high 80s and arriving here a few hours later to below freezing temps; it was quite a transition.
It's just over 30 years since I was last in town. Let me tell you the story about that; it is touching to me even after a third of a century.
In late 1968 we received a letter from a single lady from St. Paul; could we design a vacation house for her on a Bahamian island from photos and a contour map alone; the budget would not allow for a trip by us to the site. I said yes and the resulting project was one of the most satisfying of our career and one of the last houses my dad worked on. Unfortunately she was unable to construct her dream home because of a stock market reversal. I remember the numbers still; if the market could top 1000, we'd be ON!
About a year later, in late '69, my father and I were to take a trip to Washington D.C. to attend the opening of an exhibition at the Smithsonian of our work. I asked dad if he'd have an interest to meet Alberta Dowlin on the way home; we could divert via Minneapolis. We did that, and for the first time met the lady who had placed her confidence in us from far away many months earlier. We had a four-hour layover; she met the plane and drove us around while we visited. It was very touching for both sides.
I tried to locate her again on this trip, and guess what, we met with her last Saturday. It's been nice to meet again after a third of a century! Guess what; the market has finally topped 1000; how about it?
When I decided to speak to a Minnesotan audience of professionals about our practice, I thought I'd like to ask you to relate what you see to the green movement, alternative energy sources and environmental issues, to name a few. These are hot topics these days again. They are matters, however, that have been in our minds for the half century since my dad's book Survival Through Design was published in the 50s.
By the way, for those who are interested, we have some out-of-print books for sale in our bookstore at www.neutra.org; check us out!
Richard Neutra was born in 1892 in Vienna and attended the technical university there just prior to WW I. Because of the teaching at school and his liberal education, he developed the conviction that an integrated approach to design was central to success. He therefore became an early advocate for the design of buildings with every aspect as an integral part.
As part of the design of the Lovell Health House of 1929, Neutra produced one of his first major efforts at integration of house and landscape. His client was a progressive naturopath of the late 20s with a weekly colum in the L.A. Times. A naturopath was at that time equivalent of a integrated practitioner; someone focused on wellness.
Dr. Lovell stated his program thus:
"Can you design a house that would enhance the health of its occupants?" It was a prophetic assignment; one that became a metaphor for our practice ever since. My dad always insisted that the house be known as the 'Health House' in memory of that program.
Neutra provided the requested outdoor 'sleeping baskets' in the form of suspended balconies for nude sunbathing and sleeping outdoors. Sports facilities and exercise areas were part of the basic scheme, as were special installations in the kitchen to support natural food preparation, juicing, etc. Parts of the building seemed to extend beyond its footprint into and grabbing onto the landscape; precursors for what were later called 'spider legs,' our extended beams and columns placed in the midst of the garden.
The contemporary notion that one can artificially separate issues of interior or landscape design from those of the basic structure itself, really never came up in our practice unless introduced by the client. We always considered the entire project, site, and surrounding neighborhood as part of the design, including all its implications.
Our office at all times had strong feelings about how the landscape should relate to the designs. Most often we would create a rough plan in which massing of trees and shrubs would be indicated with notes on where color was desired. Local nurseries or landscapers were found who supplied plant lists and more detailed plans for our approval.
As we prepare to look at some images, I want to take this occasion to remark on one of my favorite subjects. I'll call it 'Context,' but in a slightly different use. I mean by this the background from which the design and its solution come.
I'm interested in filling you in, from time to time, with 'inside information' that will give you a unique context of certain projects where there are specific REASONS for how the project looks, why certain materials were selected, or even how it got built at all.
It is this dimension that is so often NOT COMMUNICATED when all you see are pictures in a magazine or newspaper.
Let's dim the lights now, and let me illustrate a few of these points with some slides.
Health House – As mentioned, this is the Lovell Health House of 1929. It was like a revelation in its time, materializing on its hillside above the Mexican-style haciendas of the day in the valley below. Dad got the steel industry interested, and negotiated favorable pricing for an all-steel frame to support this open design. The entire framework was erected on the foundation in the space of a couple of weeks. The concrete and plaster were conveyed to their resting places with pumps on the street pushing the mix through hoses to the site. It would have been impossibly expensive to build this building at all with conventional means.
VDL I – Here is the family home on Silverlake designed in 1932 and completed then on hand of a loan from Dutch industrialist Van Der Leeuw. Including his $4,000, the entire budget for the project was less than $8,000 including the lot! You see here the roof trellis that dad added some 20 years later, which was to document the 4th level in a 2-story height limit area. The lowest level was actually a basement, but it contained the garage and furnace rooms. Here is what the front looked like just after a disastrous fire in spring 1963. My dad's first impulse upon seeing this devastation, at age 72, was to say 'forget everything; we'll never recover from this; just junk it all; we'll never be able to rebuild.'
After some months of reflection, and time to absorb this incredible loss, I discovered that we did have some insurance, and I was able to enlist the sympathy of building officials and politicos to where we were allowed to consider rebuilding on the original slab closely following the original footprint and scope. The new budget, in the $120K range.
RADNA Research House II – Redesigned after the disastrous fire in 1964, I supervised construction of this version for 2 years and even got married on the roof during the framing stage! Here are some views of the building as it emerged after the redesign and construction using insurance funds and contributed materials. Every thing you see here is completely NEW built on the original foundation slab. This was an interesting system; a series of precast concrete joists supporting a thin suspended slab. It protected our archive of drawings during the fire!
Kaufmann – Palm Springs (1946) Commissioned by the same Kaufmann who employed Frank Lloyd Wright at Bear Run for Fallingwater some 7 years earlier, this was to be their 'winter cottage.' It started with a budget of $40K and ratcheted upwards progressively to over $300K, which was a fortune 50-odd years ago! One of its features was radiantly cooled floors around the swimming pool so you can walk out to the pool in 100-degree days! It has recently been rescued and reconstituted at a cost of nearly $3M. It has enjoyed unprecedented publicity in all possible publications; perhaps you have seen some of them. My favorite series of slides shows how the building responds to changes in the light.
Tremaine – Also done in 1946, this an unusual construction for California. Nestled in an oak grove in a high fire area, the owners requested the entire building be built of poured concrete! The unusual disposition of high transom openings created an unique lightness of appearance remarkable for this material. This building has suffered from much alteration although the basic structure is still original. An interesting context story here would be my experience while a junior year student at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
U.S. Embassy, Karachi – Built in the mid-50s, this was our country's embassy until a few years ago when the capital of the country was moved. It is now used for state department offices. I saw it on TV a year ago in connection with a piece on security for U.S. installations. I served as project architect and wrote some 1,500 letters during a two-year construction period. Here is one of those cases of context I wanted to share. You see nothing of this by looking at the building as completed.
H.B. Library – Dad and I were both together when we interviewed for this project. He died in early 1970 before the contract could be signed. For a time, there was doubt that the City would proceed with me alone. Finally they did, and the project turned out to be one of the most important of our practice. I visited there again recently, and the enthusiasm of the reference librarians is still quite touching after a quarter century.
This was a great example of what I considered to be an imaginative approach to interiors. I managed to get the contract to do all the furniture design and selection for the project. Instead of opting for 500 chairs of the same kind for readers, as would normally be the case for economy and uniformity, I managed to convince the powers that be, to create about 10 discrete furniture groupings and types. This allowed for a great variety of ambiances for visitors to choose from.
One type was a kind of 'patio furniture' arrangement on the lower level close to the water and interior ponds and planters. Another was overstuffed sofas and chairs for reading platforms that were set off from the rest of the area. There were straight chairs for the study carrels which in themselves were varied in outlook. I was amazed again when we visited not long ago, to see how people are drawn to different settings if they are given choices; some prefer a seat with a long view into greenery and a distant landscape. Others opt for a secluded corner where they can be hidden from view by others and closed in with no view at all. We provided all shades of variation between these extremes.
I could speak about this project endlessly; I had a chance to develop more original thinking here than ever before or since on a project. But let me conclude with another context story.
Scheimer – This was the first residential project I worked on after the death of my father. I'd started the design while he was still alive, and he gave me some comments and some help on a rendering. It turns out to be the only drawing of this kind on which we both collaborated. It represents a high point of integration of water, landscape, and light into the interior. An inside waterfall and stream separate the master bedroom wing from the living area.
Canfield – This was an L.A. City school earthquake renewal project. It was created under great travail despite the contractor's efforts to create mischief and the City's lack of support by creating an ambivalent client situation and expecting us to perform anyway. It's a miracle that I was able to achieve what you see here. Again, I could speak for hours on this one alone. We had little role on the interiors here, as regards furniture, but we did select colors and preside over two student mural areas. The context story here is that this project consumed 30 months when it should have taken a third of this time; why it did makes a fascinating tale.
Treetops – Created in the late 70s, this was at first an idea to develop only a swimming pool on a lot next door to our house. I then regrouped and decided to see how much I could cram onto this problem site only 25′ wide at the street, and sloping up at a grade steeper than allowed by the City. Saving a 36′ eucalyptus tree turned out to be a major design challenge, as was the building of the swimming pool along the property line where had been planted a row of trees I didn't want to lose. We cantilevered the pool deck off the body of the pool itself and saved the trees; hence the appellation for the project inspired by the site in Africa of the same name where you view the animals from the treetops. Here again lies a story behind the selection of wood shingles for the exteriorŠwould that I had the time to go into it in detail; what went through the architect's mind here, why would a Neutra select such a rustic material as finish for his building?
Oxley House – La Jolla This charming little house overlooking the ocean was built in 1958 for a professor and his wife near the campus of UCSD. A few years ago it was purchased by owners for the sole purpose of demolishing it for its site. They proceeded to vandalize the building, removing the spider legs and part of an overhang, boarding up windows, and generally stripping it of its charm and appeal.
Fortunately, people saw through this and in January 1999, the Site Board of the City of San Diego voted to list this as an historic site! The owners placated the City by agreeing to push the building over on its site to make room for the opulent palace they proposed, relegating the Oxley to 'guest house' status. Despite several efforts to contact the owner, no one had called me as of the time I left L.A. I worry that the house will lose its integrity in a flawed effort to restore it.
Gettysburg – The Shrine of the Nation Completed in 1962, this National Park Cyclorama Center has many innovative features that were state-of-the-art in its day. It is the victim of benign neglect. The staff was blissfully ignorant of the reputation of its architect or the value of this building in the matter of architectural history. This was one of my dad's favorite projects; he was SO honored to think that he, a mere Austrian emigre, should be selected to design a project for this particular location. Now it is threatened with destruction; the victim of crass commercialism. I've been leading a campaign over the past three years to get this project listed as a Historic Landmark over the objection of the local Parks Superintendent; a daunting task. The current situation is that the Park service has signed off on a plan which includes demolishing this building! Now it's up to the Congress; can the Supt. be turned around on this?
If every person with Internet access would support our cause, please sign on to our Web site at www.neutra.org and select the Save Gettysburg page. There you can send a letter to our President with copies to the proper persons. We need 1,000 new letters in the next couple of weeks!
I wish I had unlimited time to discuss more issues of preservation. I'd like to serve on a commission to study the state of preservation in our country. I'd develop a policy that could become a bipartisan commitment by the country to recognize and save a good part of our heritage. This instead of standing by to wring our hands as example after example disappears before the pressure of development. See September's issue of Architectural Record magazine, and my letter to the editor, hopefully to appear this month.
Rice House – The only modern house in Richmond in '68, it still is. More context stories on this one, for which we don't have the time this evening.
Delcourt House – This is our only example of a house in France. It was completed in 1968 in Croix, near Lille. As far as I know, it is still in pristine condition. But not long ago, I got word that the owners wished to sell out for a multiple housing project. Last month the word was that the Government had stepped in and named it a monument. This will protect it for the moment; we'll see.
Furniture – Boomerang, Cantilever, Tables, Armchair. Ready to produce again. Need an interested modern furniture producer.
Exhibition – I'd like to show you some panels of a show that I curated first in the 80s and then again in '92 on the occasion of my dad's Centennial. It was shown again at UCLA again in late '98. It is now being displayed in its new condensed format at Macalester College, on Grand Ave. in St. Paul, with a gallery opening this Friday, from 6:00 on. Do take in this show.
Lights please?
May I recognize Devin Colman, curator from Macalester, who, in a manner of speaking is really responsible for me being here, and who will welcome you over there next Friday; Devin?
I hope I've given you a sense of the sorts of projects that we've done over the years. As you can see, our design is very all-encompassing and we really find no separation between the landscape, the building, and its interior or exterior. We've always had an awareness of sustainability of the designs and a concern for the planet and energy conservation in all our work. We welcome the increasing popular awareness of these issues at long last.
I've appreciated the chance to communicate this, and I thank you for your attention.
In the remaining minutes, I'll be pleased to discuss any questions or comments you may wish to make; please raise your hand and speak up loudly so all may hear! Remind me to repeat the question if I forget!
Thirty Years: A Paen to Richard Neutra at the First VDL Open House of the 21st Century
"Breakfast with Beverly" Interview with Dion Neutra


On the left are the 3 lipsticks followed by the 2 lipglosses to the right.
Chanel Harmonie Arabesque lip palette seems like a good buy, especially if you are a fan of the Chanel lip products and of course the luxe packaging. I liked all the colors included in the palette. The lightest lipgloss does seem a little too pale and sheer for my darker lips, but it can be layered over the other lipsticks in the palette for a softer/glossy lip color. I found this Youtube video reviewing the Chanel Harmonie Levres Arabesque Lip Palette , and as mentioned in the review (main review starts around 4.21), the lipsticks in the palette do seem a little hard, and it is a little difficult to pick up the color to apply. I used a disposable gloss wand to apply the lip color, and it picks up color easily enough, but I am not sure how these would perform with a softer lip brush. Generally, though, I find lip brushes give a sheerer, more controlled application, and while this might not seem too much of a bother if you have lighter/evenly pigmented lips, on darker lips like mine, the lack of opaque coverage might be an issue for some. Overall though, to me, the Chanel Harmonie Arabesque lip palette seems like a good buy. Do give this a try at the counter if the colors appeal to you.


Attacks Passing Pests Larvae! Nematodes, a natural pest control actively seeks out pests larvae. It is adapted to southern states and prefers sand or disturbed soils. NemAttack™ is most effective against mobile pests, such as cutworm, sod webworm, termites and more!
They also work with the RID System to eliminate harmful pests from your yard. The contents are mixed with water and distributed by your lawn sprinklers.


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The Return of the 'Governor's Eyebrows'
By Richard Northedge
March 20, 2009 12:01 am ET
The banks' very vulnerability during this global financial crisis creates an ideal opportunity to rewrite the rules to prevent the next crisis. Lord Adair Turner, chairman of the U.K. Financial Services Authority, this week delivered a headmasterly lecture to the miscreant schoolboys who created this mess. The worst troublemakers have already been expelled, and the remaining bankers are in no mood for causing more mayhem. There has thus been little dissent yet to Lord Turner's proposals for tough new regulations, ranging from requirements to hold more capital and cash to restrictions on complex financial vehicles that could backfire.
The main test of the new rulebook is not if it proves acceptable to banks when they are in trouble but whether the rules remain enforceable during booms. Of course, another test is whether the new rules will keep the lid on those booms.
Past expansions became self-feeding danger zones, giving banks fat profits that provided the capital to allow them to grow further and take on greater risks -- making them more vulnerable when the bubble inevitably burst. It may seem early to talk about the next boom. But to prevent such boom and bust cycles, the past pro-cyclical trend must be made countercyclical. This means forcing banks to stash away reserves in good years to cover them in rainy days.
Will the regulators keep their nerve once the banks become profitable again? The watchdogs will then be under great pressure to relax the rules while their wards will do their utmost to circumvent them.
One problem is regulatory arbitrage. If Lord Turner gets too tough, the banks will look for laxer regimes. That's why regulation has to follow banking in going global. The Turner Review is thus not only a proposal for Britain but the agenda for April's G-20 meeting, conveniently taking place on Lord Turner's London turf. However, he also needs to convince such international organizations as the Financial Stability Forum, the world's accounting standard setters and the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. That's no easy task.


Like the name, Chemise Blanche or the "White Shirt" is suggestive of that one scent that has the potential to become your signature. This extrait de parfum from Laurent Mazzone Parfums' Black Label collection is reminiscent of a walk on a white sandy beach of a Mediterranean island. All that remains is freshness and the elegant lightness of a white shirt in the summer.


Figure 1 shows what a modern diesel EGR-cooler looks like.
Notice the many brazed joints, not only of the many tubes to the header plate, but the many brazed joints around the rest of the cooler (brackets, external tubes, etc.). All these brazed joints are made at the same time within the brazing furnace, along with dozens, or perhaps hundreds, of other similar assemblies.
Fig. 2 and 3 show different methods whereby the header plate is coated with brazing filler metal (BFM) in either screen-printed paste form or sprayed-on powder/paste form.
Fig. 2 EGR header-plate coated with BFM-paste via a screen-printing technique. (Photo courtesy of Hoganas AB, Sweden).
Screen-printing is a method whereby a closely controlled amount of paste can be applied to the metal surface through a fine-mesh screen. Both the size of the powder particles (powder mesh-size) and the size of the openings in the screen (the screen mesh-size) must be carefully selected and controlled to optimize any screen-printing application in brazing. Additionally, the paste-binder system must be formulated to properly allow the paste to go through the screen, and to dry and remain adherent to the header-plate during subsequent assembly operations so that the dried-paste does not flake off prior to actual brazing operations.
In a similar manner, spray guns can be used to either spray braze-powder along with a sprayable binder system so that a uniform, thin coating of BFM powder will be deposited on the header plate, or a specialized spray gun can be used that sprays a thin paste (much like a paint-spray gun).
It is very important that just the right amount of paste/powder be applied to the header-plate, so that the BFM, when it melts, will form a complete, tight brazed joint between the header-plate and the end of each tube, without having excess BFM paste run into the tubes (and then perhaps plug the tubes) or causing erosion of the tubes during the brazing process. The ratio of BFM powder-to-binder used is also very important so that, when screen-printing, the resulting applied BFM-coating is not too viscous or too thin (runny), or if spray-coating, the applied spray coating builds up evenly to a controlled thickness.
Fig. 4 shows another type of diesel-engine EGR cooler that was vacuum-brazed using a nickel-based BFM.
Fig. 4 Here is a look inside another type of diesel-engine EGR cooler showing corrugated fins brazed to inside flat surfaces (photo courtesy of Navistar).
Notice that each of the corrugated fins in Fig. 4 is brazed firmly to the internal flat wall surfaces, but the quantity of BFM used is very small, i.e., just enough to bond it strongly to the base metal, without forming large fillets. Large visible fillets could be very detrimental to the operation because fillets are castings, and the larger they are, the more the risk of casting imperfections and cracking due to the large amount of thermal expansion and contraction of those fins each time the diesel engine is turned on and off.
Therefore, to keep the amount of BFM to the proper minimum amount needed, the nickel-based BFM can be applied using very thin amorphous-foil sheets between the corrugations and the flat stainless-steel surfaces, or the BFM may be applied as a very thin sprayed-on layer to the stainless flat surfaces. The corrugated fins are then laid on top of this BFM-foil or sprayed-on BFM, then additional layers of stainless sheet and corrugated fins added until the desired heat-exchanger size/thickness is achieved.
Vacuum brazing of EGR coolers is highly effective and allows many hundreds of such coolers to be produced under very controlled conditions every day.


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Home Appointments Two new GMs stand at Crossroads Maldives
Two new GMs stand at Crossroads Maldives
Martin van der Reijden (left) and Tolga Unan
S Hotels & Resorts has appointed two general managers for its two new resorts at Crossroads Maldives – an integrated development owned by Thailand's Singha Estate in Madives' Emboodhoo Lagoon in the South Malé Atoll.
Martin van der Reijden has been named as general manager of SAii Lagoon Maldives, and is currently also the vice president of operations for Crossroads Maldives.
The Swiss brings 23 years of experience to SAii Lagoon Maldives, much of which has been spent with Hilton Worldwide, managing hotels in Europe and Asia-Pacific. He has also spent time in the hotel design sector and has managed luxury resorts in the Maldives with Per Aquum and Lux. Most recently, van der Reijden was director and general manager of Lux North Male Atoll.
Meanwhile, Tolga Unan has been appointed general manager of Hard Rock Hotel Maldives, the first Maldivian outpost of the music-themed resort brand.
Unan has two decades of experience, including spells with Disney, Club Med and Hilton in the US and Asia-Pacific. He joins Hard Rock Hotel Maldives after two years as managing director of Naked Retreats.
SAii Lagoon Maldives will feature a series of rooms and villas, including overwater pool villas, while Hard Rock Hotel Maldives will feature 178 rooms, suites and villas, plus family-friendly experiences and Hard Rock's branded concepts, including a Hard Rock Cafe, Rock Spa and two Rock Shops.
Both resorts are scheduled to welcome their first guests in summer 2019, where they will open under Crossroads Maldives' phase-one development.
Both properties will also have access to facilities at The Marina@Crossroads – which will also open as part of the resorts's first phase – including a 30-berth marina, the Junior Beach Club and Camp, the Crossroads Event Hall, Maldives Discovery Centre and Marine Discovery Centre.
Crossroads Maldives
Singha Estate
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New resort in Maldives to be part of Hilton's Curio Collection
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Nine-island resort in Maldives set to be a game-changer
Maldives' new multi-island resort breaks ground
Thailand's Singha to bring Spanish beach club to Maldives


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Thermal Surface Crack Detection in Metals with High Lift-Off
A Thermal Method for Surface Crack Detection in Metals with High Lift-Off
John Rudlin, TWI and Richard Fitch, Horton Levi Ltd
Paper presented at BINDT Annual Conference 2004, Torquay, 14-16 September 2004.
This paper describes the detection of surface cracks by the use of a laser as a heat source, and a thermographic camera to record data. Cracks in the surface interrupt the flow of heat, and this can be observed in the temperature patterns recorded.
A Nd/Yag pulsed laser was initially used, with a steel samples containing slots and a fatigue crack. The slots and crack could be made clearly visible from the temperature gradient, both with high power pulses giving a steady state condition, and with lower powered pulses by observing the transient.
These experiments were carried out with a lift-off of over 300mm.
A crack was also detected using a lower power continuous diode laser at similar lift off. In this case the crack location recorded a higher temperature as the laser was scanned over the surface.
The paper describes initial experiments using the method, and considers other applications of the technique.
Active thermography is used in non-destructive testing, particularly to inspect composites for lamination flaws. In general such methods endeavour to supply an even heat application over the inspection area so that differences in the decay of temperature can be observed.
In 2003 the Industry Technology Facilitator (ITF) supported a proposal from TWI to carry out an investigation of the use of a laser system to generate a spot of high temperature in an area of metal in order to detect surface cracks. The use of a confined heat source rather than a even heat distribution allows observation of the heat flow across the surface, and this should enable visualisation of cracks in the surface.
The principle of the system is shown in Fig.1.
Fig.1a) A collimated heat source applied to a surface
Fig.1b) Same source applied in the region of a crack
2. Test samples
A steel test block with three slots, of the type normally used for calibration of eddy current equipment was used, for some early experiments. This sample had a shiny surface.
Also a sample containing a fatigue crack approximately 5mm deep on a flat surface was also used. The surface of this sample was a black oxide layer.
The heat source used for the initial experiments was a Nd/Yag pulsed infra red laser (normally used for micromachining applications).The equipment layout is shown in Fig.2 The height of the laser above the surface was about 300mm, and the laser was focussed at this distance. The distance of the camera from the surface was about 1m.
Fig.2. Equipment layout
A later experiment was carried out with a 1watt infra-red diode laser. This provided a continuous beam.
4. Experiments
Initial experiments were carried out to establish the pulse width and power needed in the laser to provide a measurable heating effect in the test samples. It was found to be possible to operate in two different modes: one with sufficient power to heat the sample through and give a steady state effect, the second to use a short high power pulse to give a transient condition.
The results were recorded on video and examined frame by frame subsequently.
Fig.3 shows the results from the test block in the steady state mode. The interruption of the heat flow caused by a 2mm deep slot can be clearly observed in the change of temperature on either side of the slot. A high temperature can also be observed at the end of the other slots in the block.
Fig.3. Steady state condition on slotted test sample
Fig.4 compares the temperature pattern observed in the transient mode during the laser mode, away from and adjacent to a slot. The slot can be seen by observation of the shape of the pulse, and is similar to that predicted from Fig.1.
Fig.4. Transient Method showing difference between cracked and uncracked area
On the cracked sample the steady state mode clearly shows the crack ( Fig.5).
Fig. 5a) Steady State Method on uncracked area of cracked plate
Fig. 5b) Steady State Method on cracked area
By scanning the laser diode across the surface it was possible to observe the crack by means of a rise in temperature at the location of the crack.
6. Discussion and conclusions
The principle of the method was clearly shown by the experiments carried out. To implement the system practically is not yet possible at this stage, because the laser power needed requires stringent safety procedures.


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Q: error 1048. column cannot be null in Mysql lookup table-something missing? I want to add data to a lookup table
locations_borrowers (id_location_borrower (PK), id_borrower (FK), id_location (FK))
from 3 different tables:

*

*borrowers (id_borrower (PK), forename, surname)

*locations (id_location (PK), street, town)

*all_proto (borrower_forename, borrower_surname, street, town, occupation, telephone)

I wrote the following:
INSERT INTO schema.locations_borrowers (id_borrower, id_location)
SELECT borrowers.id_borrower, locations.id_location FROM borrowers JOIN schema.all_proto
ON borrowers.forename = all_proto.borrower_forename AND borrowers.surname = all_proto.borrower_surname
LEFT JOIN locations ON locations.street = all_proto.street AND locations.town = all_proto.town;

I got an 1048 error, what is wrong?

A: MySQL :: Error: 1048 Column cannot be null for Insert
Since you are using LEFT JOIN the column locations.id_location may be null.
This should always be INNER JOIN since you are expecting both values to be NOT NULL. (If not the table is not making any sense, no?)


if jesus was resurrected again, but this time got like married.. and you ran into him at church.. and he was totally being all flirty.. would it be wrong to think of him in a sexual way??
omg ok like so cool, i have now enabled comments so we can debate important information like what is the best brand of tampons?? or is birth control pills kind of like giving tiny little abortions?? commence the debates!!!!!
I am a single christian mom. I'm a tough cookie. I'm gonna say it as. I'm gonna get real on this site right about now. -hear us roar.


NASA's deep solar system probe "New Horizons" made history in 2015 being the first space probe to visit Pluto, providing stunning images of the planet beloved by kids all over the world. After its mission completion on sending over the enormous volumes of data it collected, the probe's mission was extended to do what no probe had done before. It was repurposed to now visit the Kuiper belt.
On Jan 1 2019, New Horizons made its closest flyby to Ultima Thule making it history as its the furthest object any spacecraft has visited. New Horizons came withing 2200 Km of the KBO. Reaching this Kuiper Belt object is truly and outstanding feat of mankind.
The monsoon the receding and the season for stargazing is about to start. I would like to propose a night observation on the upcoming weekend Sept 15 (Saturday) at a campsite near Tijara. Rajasthan. We have conducted three such observations here in the past and the sky has been very supportive combined with rural skies which gives a limiting magnitude of 5.5 visually. You are welcome to bring your family and friends to enjoy the fist stargazing of the season.
The place is located about 75 KM from gurgaon and 110 KM from delhi. It is located 10KM off the Delhi – Alwar highway which makes it an optimum place within the driving distance from Delhi NCR. In last 3 observations organised, there have been 25-30 members participating each time. Age group of participants have been between 13 and 85 years.
The weekend of September 15 will show Moon, 4 planets, summer milky way along with plenty of DSOs in the evening whereas late in the night, winter constellations will show up making it a perfect setting for stargazers. We may also get to see the fading comet 21P/Giacobini–Zinner as it will be at its closest and brightest tonight.
The venue, a campsite used by my company for astronomy observations for school kids is absolutely safe with boundary wall, dark skies, tented accommodations, evening and mid night snacks along with dinner and breakfast. Tea coffee shall be provided in the evening and near mid night for us to keep going. Tents are provided for people driving their own vehicle to snooze for a couple of hours so that they are well rested and can hit the road in the morning. All you need to do is to pay Rs 1,850/- per person to avail the facilities and enjoy the night sky.
The weather seems promising with clear skies over the weekend. Temperature is expected to be between 22 and 34 degrees. Warm clothes are advised to be carried for the night. Carry your telescopes, cameras, star maps and any other thing you may require to explore the night sky.
Those of you interested in joining me can contact me at +91-9560338860 or simply reply to this email with your confirmation.
Hope to see many of you next weekend.
Vigyan Prasar in association with Nehru Planetarium is organizing popular lecture at 10:00 AM tomorrow 23 August 2016 at Sky theater at planetarium. Interested people can join the programme.
Marie-Curie Fellow – Europe's most competitive and prestigious awards, Early Stage Researcher (ESR) fellowship within the project Grawiton – European Marie Curie Action INT at Gran Sasso Science Institute in L'Aquila, Italy.
Recently mankind has detected first gravitational waves as predicted by Albert Einstein 100 years with his theory of General Relativity. This discovery was considered as one of important discovery in the centuary. One of the most challenging experiment physicists ever undertook, measuring the change in length smaller than 1/1000th of a diameter of proton over 4km. We will discuss how many challenges are overcome and how did we achieve this endeavor.
Check out Tvashtar volcano on Io seen spewing molten material into space, as seen from New Horizons probe in 2007. Io experiences massive tidal forces from Jupiter's gravity and this kind of volcanic eruption is not uncommon for Jovian moons. For a sense of scale, the volcanic plume is about 330 Km in altitude. New Horizon was built by John Hopkins Applied Phyisics Lab for a mission to Pluto. This photo was taken when it flew past Jupiter for a slingshot course correction towards Pluto.
Now don't just sit there and read this. Grab your gear and get out and have fun under the sky.
Human beings have been launching spacecraft since World War 2. Rocketry, in principle has not changed much from the early days of rocketry in ancient China to Von Braun who invented the worlds first rockets like the V-2 capable of sub-orbital flight and atmospheric reentry. Chemical rockets are rather simple in concept. A generally explosive fuel + oxidizer mixture forms the propellant, which is burnt in a controlled fashion in a reaction chamber. The hot gases exit a nozzle providing a large amount of thrust to the rocket.
Since then we've done several fancy things to a rocket. We've put a space capsule on the top, making it possible for man to travel out of earth's orbit. We've attached airplanes to the rocket body which we lovingly knew as a space shuttle. Space shuttles were not a NASA creation alone. The Soviet Union created its own version of the space shuttle called 'Buran'. Buran completed one unmanned spaceflight in 1988 which was an unmanned test flight. The program ended shortly due to budget cuts arising from the collapse of the Soviet Union. NASA's space shuttle programme was however the successful and ambitious effort in human spaceflight till date.
The space shuttle was a a marvelous piece of engineering. Not only it put humans in orbit. It also had a massive payload capacity. Powered by two giant solid booster rockets and cyogenic engines, the shuttle could lift a total payload mass of 27 tonnes to low earth orbit. The shuttle programme also pushed the frontiers of spacecraft reentry technology. The shuttle on atmospheric reentry slams into the atmosphere at a speed in excess of Mach 25. For the new reader thats 25 times the speed of sound or 8.7 Km/s. Normally for small objects, the reentry shield is a carbon-ablative material. Ablative materials were used by early spacecraft like Apollo and Gemini programmes. They are also used in ballistic missile payloads. In simple talk these are shields made out of carbon. As the material heats up, it slowly burns off, keeping the payload relatively cool. However these things are difficult to fabricate for larger objects. Another problem with the ablation system was that once the temperature fell in a zone where shielding was needed but low enough to prevent the ablation, they would cease to function making them somewhat unreliable.
This strategy is wildly popular and used by all space programs. However there have been issues with tiles in how they are integrated onto the spacecraft. The ceramics are usually brittle and many times have caused serious problems. The Columbia space shuttle disaster in 2003 is a typical example where a piece of insulating foam from the main external tank hit the leading edge of the shuttle's wing, destroying some of the tiles. This was enough to cause the orbiter to burn up during atmospheric reentry and instantly kill the crew. Losing a few tiles had been a common occurrence on previous shuttle missions too, the risk associated with losing this critical thermal protection was well known too. However since then NASA has taken a lot of measures to ensure that such accidents would not happen on future missions.
In recent years, space programs have had to face major budgetary cuts all over the world. NASA's budget fell from 1% of US GDP to approximately 0.5% of the GDP. For comparison this number was about 4.4% at the peak of the Cold War. The Russian space program has also seen similar cuts for a variety of reasons, both political and economical. In times of financial crisis governments usually trim funding for space programs. For mankind's space ambition to survive, it could no longer afford to be a drain on large amounts of cash. So a concept of reusable launch vehicles was conceived. Bulk of the spaceflight industry comprises of launch systems that put satellites in orbit. It made sense, if we could find a way to do it cheaper and faster.
RLV technology is not that novel. The US operates unmanned spacecraft routinely. The X-37 is a reusable unmanned spacecraft that is boosted into orbit by chemical rockets, but lands back on the ground like a conventional plane.
This is no longer science fiction. In April 2016, the first stage of a Falcon-9 spacecraft landed safely on an offshore barge. This was after one year of hard work and four other failed attempts. I put this video below, and I must admit, it is pretty darn cool. According to SpaceX lot of work still needs to be done to make this technology reliable, but there is no doubt that it is a game changer in the space industry.