The 21 Pin MTC decoders are mainly used in European locos. They actually use a 22-pin connector, with one pin blanked out to force proper orientation during installation. The NMRA recognizes it as a 'defacto' standard, but stopped recommending it's use in 2010.
21 Pin MTC is slowly being phased out in favor of the PluX (PluX8/12/16/22) standard, which is being adopted by both the NMRA and NEM.
M V Products makes an F7 headlight lens. Walthers carries them, but they're out of stock until mid-January next year. Mfg#: 516 Item#: 11.
You can also get the window set (ATH11016) directly from Athearn and use a piece of sprue to make your own headlight lens.
The Athearn motor brushes (ATH90037) are out of stock until March 2015. They're $11.98 for a bag of 24. The brush springs (ATH84014) are currently in stock. They're $8.98 for a bag of 36.
You'll loose the announcements and diesel revs, but it's fairly simple to install a TrueBlast II Diesel Sound kit in the older units. Just a basic two wire connection to the pick-ups and ground.
It sounds like you've got a dummy and upgrade kit was added to. If so, it's possible the installation wasn't done properly, or you've got an older loco with a lot of miles on it.
1. Remove the screws at each end of the loco and lift the shell off.
2. Check the inside of the shell for any rub marks from the flywheels sitting too high. This is an indication the motors weren't seated properly when installed.
3. With the chassis sitting on it's wheels, check that the motors are vertical relative to the chassis. If there's a tilt to either motor, again it's an indication they weren't properly installed.
4. Lay the loco on it's side and remove the screw on the bottom of one truck assembly. This will free the motor so it can be removed from the truck.
5. Set the loco upright, then remove the motor from the truck assembly. Rotating the flywheel counterclockwise helps it come free.
6. Check the worm on the motor shaft for any excessive wear.
7. Check the pit in the truck assembly the motor was in for any debris. If it's full of shiny brass bits, the worm wheel is shot and you need to contact Bachmann service/parts for new motor truck blocks.
8. If there's no debris, the motor probably wasn't mounted correctly, so it wasn't making good mesh with the worm wheel.
9. While you've got it apart, clean out any dirt in the gear pit with a cotton swab. Add some white lithium grease, available in small tubes at most hardware stores, or Red & Tacky if you've got it.
10. Wipe down the worm gear on the motor shaft, and reassemble. Keep the motor vertical, and be sure it seats completely into the truck assembly. Check everything moves freely when you rotate the flywheel clockwise by hand. Reinstall the mounting screw on the bottom of the truck assembly.
11. Repeat for the other truck.
I use regular sewing thread with a bit of bee's wax rubbed in to stiffen it. You'll find the wax with the thread in most grocery stores. And I run it through the length of the spring, and never had any problem pulling it out after installing the spring. YMMV.
Proto-Power West/A-Line makes can motor upgrade kits for 'Blue Box' locos with open frame motors.
It's probably the worm gear bearings. They're made of solid brass, rather than the oilite castings other mfg's use, and have to be lubed every couple of hours if you run a lot. Otherwise you get the squeal.
Working powdered graphite into the bearings, instead of oil, helps some.
The Kadee #58 is the scale replacement for the #5. If you have a lot of 'vertical transitions' from pier sets, or other grades in the 3% or greater range, I don't recommend them. Unless you like seeing your trains left at the bottom of the hill while the loco goes up. The heads are small enough to bypass each other on standard pier set transition points. They're fine on layouts with 2%, or less, grades.
In a break from their normal numbering scheme the #148 is the built in centering spring 'whisker' coupler equivelant of the venerable #5 with bronze spring.
Some newer cars have "steps", what carpenters would call rabbets, around the coupler box lid. This lets them set lower into the coupler box so plastic couplers, with thinner shanks don't droop. When using Kadee's on these cars, flip the coupler box over, so it sits on the coupler box rim, instead of down into the box. This makes room for the thicker Kadee coupler shanks and springs.
Along those lines, Kadee whisker couplers shank are thicker than their standard couplers. This is so the shank equals the thickness of a standard coupler with bronze spring in older coupler boxes. Sometimes, even after flipping the cover in new cars, you have to hit both sides of a whisker coupler about 3 times with a fine file or emery strip to keep it from binding. Do both sides to keep it centered.
With Kadee's, EZ-Mate's, or other knuckle coupler using metal knuckle springs, sooner or later a spring is going to pop out. Run a piece of thread through the length of the replacement spring before trying to install it, long enough to let you hold both ends. That way if the new spring pops out during installation, 3, 4, or 10, times if you're like me, it will not go flying and get lost.
And here's the trick if you drop any parts and the floor and can't find them no matter how hard you look. After dark, walk across the floor in bare feet, with the lights off. Guaranteed you'll find the parts.
If it wasn't for Tyco, I never would have been able to afford getting into HO as a kid "back when" and grow into the better stuff offered by Bachmann and others later. Don't forget, it wasn't that long ago even Bachmann's entry level offerings didn't have all that great a reputation either.
Tyco's car bodies weren't any worse than 'Blue Box' Athearn, the main difference being Athearn offered body mount couplers at an early stage. Personally, I enjoy upgrading Tyco cars to Athearn 'Blue Box' standards, but that's just me. I like upgrading old 'horn hook' Bachmann equipment too.
If that's not where your interests lie, fine. I'm sure there are other aspects of the hobby you enjoy. That's the nice thing about model railroading, there's an "interest niche" for just about everyone.
While I agree with the sentiment, and have converted many Tyco cars to body mount couplers and better trucks, some folks may not have the $$, or the skills, to do the modifications you suggested. While not in the same class as EZ-Mates or Kadee's, I've found the Life-Like's to hold up fairly well as an interim step. They are definate improvement on horn-hooks, even when backing up using talgo type trucks. Just don't park on a hill, since they do use a plastic 'knuckle spring' that can take a set if the knuckle is held in an open position too long.
The simplest way to convert your Tyco cars is to order a pack or two of Life-Like knuckle couplers from Walthers. They come in a pack of 10 pairs, item 433-1427, and a pack of two pairs, 433-1436. They are designed as a direct replacement for the small hole horn-hooks used in old Tyco, Life-Like, and other older cars.
This will get you running until you can do some of the upgrades mentioned by ACY, and body mount EZ-Mates or get some newer cars. The bodies on the Tyco's are comparable to older Athearn blue box kits, and Tyco did some paint schemes no one else has done. If you keep the original trucks, you can improve the rolling charateristics using a 'truck tuning tool'. They are available from Micro-Mark and Rixx, and even make the original wheels work better.
All of the pictures I can find of the Spectrum F40PH show it with 'Under Shank' knuckle couplers.
This would be the EZ-Mate model #78028 medium underset shank, which would be the easiest way to convert your loco.
Going back to the original question, some time back we used a Bachmann two motor DD40AX to pull a 120 car train on a club layout at a local train show. Other locos used had some wheel slip before they started moving. The DD40AX pretty much went, "Train, what train?", and just went when power was applied.
I use a Hornby OO 'goods van' with NEMA coupler pockets as a conversion car. One end has a NEMA end Kadee knuckle coupler, the other has a hook & loop to connect with Thomas equipment.


text:
Quantitation of Cellular Dynamics in Growing Arabidopsis Roots with Light Sheet Microscopy
Giovanni Sena, Zak Frentz, Kenneth D. Birnbaum & Stanislas Leibler
http://www.mendeley.com/research/quantitation-cellular-dynamics-growing-arabidopsis-roots-light-sheet-microscopy
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Mendeley 11701 May 15:14 UTC
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CrossRef 3318 Jun 09:11 UTC
http://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2229-13-158
http://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.26792
http://doi.org/10.1086/689588
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2012.12.005
http://doi.org/10.1111/pce.12448
http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-18797-7
http://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erv265
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2017.05.002
http://doi.org/10.1364/OE.24.011239
http://doi.org/10.1364/AOP.10.000111
http://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-arplant-042110-103843
http://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.2185
http://doi.org/10.1038/nprot.2015.081
http://doi.org/10.1117/1.OE.57.10.103107
http://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2015.01187
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2012.10.006
http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1438-8677.2011.00548.x
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2016.05.029
http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1209287109
http://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.12429
http://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.201601062
http://doi.org/10.1111/jmi.12393
http://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.209270
Scopus 4719 Jul 03:59 UTC
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(A) Arabidopsis root expressing 35S::H2B::YFP. Maximum intensity projections before (left panel) and after (right panel) deconvolution; the horizontal axis corresponds to the objective axial dimension; bar, 50 µm. (B) Cell divisions from same root in (A), time-lapse. Three cells divide giving rise to daughters labeled with "a" and "b"; bar, 5 µm. (C) Density plot of segmented nuclei. Projection along the longitudinal axis of all the nuclei recognized by the segmentation, accumulated in a 29 hour period. Five regions used in Table S1: I, towards objective; II, away from laser source; III, away from objective; IV towards laser source; V center of the root (ρ<30 µm).
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(A) Cylindrical coordinates. Schematic of the root tip and the cylindrical coordinate system used in text: m, distance from the tip on the main longitudinal axis of the root; ρ, distance from the center of the root; θ, angle with respect to the axis normal to m and with maximal component z (see Fig. 1B), where θ = 0 towards the objective and θ = π/2 towards the laser source. (B) Nuclear displacements along a typical trajectory, displayed along the main axis of the root (m, top panel), the m-normal closest to z (ρcosθ, middle panel) and the m-normal closest to x (ρsinθ, bottom panel); bar, 10 µm. (C) High frequency (left panel, freq.>0.23 hr−1; bar, 1 µm) and low frequency (right panel, freq.<0.23 hr−1; bar, 20 µm) components of the trajectory shown in (B).
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Heatmaps and plots for each cylindrical component of the velocity, from data collected in a 29 hour temporal interval. In the heatmaps, only bins containing 36 or more nuclei are shown; in the plots, the solid black line is the median per 5 micron bin, while the dashed black lines are the 25% and 75% quartiles. (A) m component of the velocity; "early", temporal window 0–21 hours; "late", temporal window 21–29 hours; the red dotted line is the linear fit of vm for the region 80–300 µm. (B) ρ component of the velocity. (C) θ component of the velocity multiplied by the position ρ in the radial dimension.
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(A) Plant micro-chamber details. Left panel, view from the top; Right panel, view from the side showing inflow and outflow of perfusion medium. B, beads; CT, capillary tube; Ch, channel; Co, collar. (B) Optics. L, laser; F1, excitation filter; PC, Pockels cell; BE, beam expander; I, iris; CL, cylindrical lens; IGC, plant imaging and growing micro-chamber on a stage moving in xyz; O, objective; F2, emission filter; C, camera on a stage moving in xz. (C) 3D rendering of the laser sheet scanning the corner of the cuvette where the root is growing; P, plant (D) Long-term sustained root growth. Root tip speed (blue line) as measured during tracking in a typical experiment; average fluorescent intensity normalized to the beginning of experiment, detected from the same root expressing 35S::H2B::YFP (green line).
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(A) Nuclear displacements along a typical trajectory showing branching, displayed along the main axis of the root (m, top panel), m-normal closest to z (ρcosθ, middle panel) and the m-normal closest to x (ρsinθ, bottom panel); arrow, branching point indicating cell division; bars, 20 µm. (B) Temporal distribution of the cell divisions detected in the 29 hour interval analyzed (true positives, N = 340). (C) Position and orientation of the same cell divisions, superimposed to a smoothed density estimate of all the nuclei segmented at all time points throughout the same 29 hour interval; main direction of divisions: red, Δm; blue, ρΔθ; green, Δρ. (D) Polar histograms for the angles of the cell division orientation to Δm, in the plane defined by Δm and Δρ (top panel) and by Δm and ρΔθ (bottom panel); color code as in (C).
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To understand dynamic developmental processes, living tissues have to be imaged frequently and for extended periods of time. Root development is extensively studied at cellular resolution to understand basic mechanisms underlying pattern formation and maintenance in plants. Unfortunately, ensuring continuous specimen access, while preserving physiological conditions and preventing photo-damage, poses major barriers to measurements of cellular dynamics in growing organs such as plant roots. We present a system that integrates optical sectioning through light sheet fluorescence microscopy with hydroponic culture that enables us to image, at cellular resolution, a vertically growing Arabidopsis root every few minutes and for several consecutive days. We describe novel automated routines to track the root tip as it grows, to track cellular nuclei and to identify cell divisions. We demonstrate the system's capabilities by collecting data on divisions and nuclear dynamics.

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Relative Metric 41755310 May 16:32 UTC
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Universal Windows WPF CommandParameter bind to static Enumeration I need help on 2 things.

*

*sending parameters (which is a static Enum) from a view to the viewmodel (I know I must use the CommandParameter on my button).

*How to delcare my DelegateCommand class so that it can accept the parameter.
Enumeration :
public static class Helpers
{
    public enum Operations
    {
        ONE,
        TWO
    }
}

ViewModel
public class SettingViewModel : ViewModelBase
{
    private DelegateCommand _UpdateCommand;

    public ICommand UpdateOperationValue
    {
        get
        {
            if (_UpdateCommand== null)
                _UpdateCommand= new DelegateCommand(Of Helpers.Operations)(param => UpdatePaint()); // Gives me erreur

            return _UpdateCommand;
        }
    }
}

View:
<Button Height="100" Width="100" Content="PEINTURE"
            Background="{Binding PaintColorBrush}"
            Command="{Binding UpdateOperationValue}"
            CommandParameter="[... What do I do here ? ...]"/>

I've been searching on the web for solutions and came accross this :
<Button CommandParameter="{x:Static local:SearchPageType.First}" .../>

sadly in Universal Windows app I don't have the x:Static
My DelegateCommand class :
using System;
using System.Windows.Input;

public class DelegateCommand : ICommand
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Action to be performed when this command is executed
    /// </summary>
    private Action<object> _executionAction;

    /// <summary>
    /// Predicate to determine if the command is valid for execution
    /// </summary>
    private Predicate<object> _canExecutePredicate;

    /// <summary>
    /// CanExecuteChanged event handler
    /// </summary>
    public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged;

    /// <summary>
    /// Initialize a new instance of the clDelegateCommand class
    /// The command will always be valid for execution
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="execute">The delegate to call on execution</param>
    public DelegateCommand(Action<object> execute)
        : this(execute, null)
    { }

    /// <summary>
    /// Initializes a new instance of the clDelegateCommand class
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="execute">The delegate to call on execution</param>
    /// <param name="canExecute">The predicate to determine if the command is valid for execution</param>
    public DelegateCommand(Action<object> execute, Predicate<object> canExecute)
    {
        if (execute == null)
        {
            throw new ArgumentNullException("execute");
        }

        this._executionAction = execute;
        this._canExecutePredicate = canExecute;
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Raised when CanExecute is changed
    /// </summary>
    public void RaiseCanExecuteChanged()
    {
        var handler = CanExecuteChanged;
        if (handler != null)
        {
            handler(this, EventArgs.Empty);
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Execute the delegate backing this DelegateCommand
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="parameter"></param>
    /// <returns>True if command is valid for execution</returns>
    public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
    {
        return this._canExecutePredicate == null ? true : this._canExecutePredicate(parameter);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Execute the delegate backing this DelegateCommand
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="parameter">parameter to pass to delegate</param>
    /// <exception cref="InvalidOperationException">Thrown if CanExecute returns false</exception>
    public void Execute(object parameter)
    {
        if (!CanExecute(parameter))
        {
            throw new InvalidOperationException("The command is not valid for execution, check the CanExecute method before attempting to execute.");
        }

        this._executionAction(parameter);
    }
}

*

*How can I send a enum parameter from my view to my view model

*How can I instanciate a new DelegateCommand and receiving a enum as parameters.

A:
How to delcare my DelegateCommand class so that it can accept the parameter.

You can use below class to accept parameters,
 public class DelegateCommand: ICommand
{
    #region Constructors

    public DelegateCommand(Action<object> execute)
    : this(execute, null) { }

    public DelegateCommand(Action<object> execute, Predicate<object> canExecute)
    {
        _execute = execute;
        _canExecute = canExecute;
    }

    #endregion

    #region ICommand Members

    public event EventHandler CanExecuteChanged;

    public bool CanExecute(object parameter)
    {
        return _canExecute != null ? _canExecute(parameter) : true;
    }

    public void Execute(object parameter)
    {
        if (_execute != null)
            _execute(parameter);
    }

    public void OnCanExecuteChanged()
    {
        CanExecuteChanged(this, EventArgs.Empty);
    }

    #endregion

    private readonly Action<object> _execute = null;
    private readonly Predicate<object> _canExecute = null;
}

In ViewModel ICommand Property example below,
public ICommand ExitCommand
    {
        get
        {
            if (exitCommand == null)
            {
                exitCommand = new DelegateCommand((obj)=>CloseApplication());
            }
            return exitCommand;
        }
    }

How can I send a enum parameter from my view to my view model

Commandparameter accept object. Bind your enum to CommandParameter and cast it in your ViewModel

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Senior IT decision makers inherently know it's time to update their infrastructures with modern API, content collaboration, and managed file transfer technologies that bridge the gap between old and new. The question is, what are the barriers to moving forward and how do they intend to overcome them?
To find answers, Axway commissioned independent technology market research firm Vanson Bourne. This eBook summarizes what we learned from the 500 senior IT decision makers surveyed, and provides insights, recommendations, and next steps for successful IT modernization initiatives.
Building a bridge between past technology investments and future business needs might seem like something you can postpone.
Imagine Your Future Powered by a Customer Experience Network.


text:
William C. Hahn
Recent advances in genomics now make it possible to consider enumerating all of the genetic lesions in specific cancers. High throughput approaches are already beginning to deployed to catalog the mutations present in specific cancers. While these approaches will yield critical information regarding the identify, number, and types of alterations found in human tumors, a complementary approach to decipher the molecular basis of malignant transformation depends upon the application of genome scale tools to annotate the function of genes involved in cancer initiation and progression. The integration of such functional approaches with on-going efforts to identify and enumerate genetic alterations in human tumors will provide a path to discover and validate cancer vulnerabilities. Indeed, these functional efforts are necessary to convert knowledge of genetic alterations into the foundation for new cancer therapies.
My laboratory has focused on developing and using comprehensive tools to study the function and cooperation of genetic alterations in malignant transformation. By manipulating the expression of telomerase, oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, we have created engineered cancer cell lines of defined genetic constitution. Such engineered cancer cell lines not only allow us to define the minimal changes necessary to induce cell transformation but also allow the construction of experimental models that recapitulate human tumors. Indeed, we have shown that such models are useful not only for defining the function of specific cancer genes but also as a platform for discovering new drugs.
In parallel to these efforts, we and others have developed genome scale RNAi, CRISPR-Cas9 and open reading frame expression libraries encompassing the majority of protein coding genes as well as methods to use these tools in both arrayed and pooled formats. These tools now permit a systematic evaluation of genes involved in cancer initiation and maintenance. Although powerful, these tools remain imperfect, and robust methods for analyzing screens are essential for interpreting these genome scale approaches. The use of complementary datasets, statistically rigorous ranking methods and multiple cell lines has proven useful for deciphering these screens. Using these comprehensive tools, we have identified a number of new oncogenes including IKBKE, CDK8, and SOX2.
In addition, many commonly occurring and well-validated oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes remain refractory to molecularly targeted therapies. For example, the proto-oncogene KRAS is mutated in a wide array of human cancers, most of which are aggressive and respond poorly to standard therapies. An alternative strategy for targeting KRAS is to identify gene products that, when suppressed or inhibited, result in cell death only in the presence of an oncogenic allele. Through the use of systematic RNAi screens, we have identified TBK1, a serine-threonine kinase that is a synthetic lethal partner to mutant KRAS. TBK1 promotes the survival of KRAS- dependent tumors by activating the NF-kB pathway and we have initiated clinical studies to test whether targeting TBK1 leads to benefit in KRAS driven cancers.
Taken together, these studies suggest that combining forward and reverse genetic approaches with information derived from the cancer genome characterization projects provides a path toward a comprehensive understanding of genes involved in cancer. To achieve this goal, much larger studies encompassing the entire genome in a large number of in vitro and in vivo experimental models will be required.
Dept. of Medical Oncology, Dana Bldg., Rm. 1538
william_hahn@dfci.harvard.edu
Other Viruses


A post from guest blogger Dr. Katie Clow, reproduced from our sister site www.petsandticks.com.
It's summertime, and for most Canadians that means we're taking some time off work to enjoy a little rest and relaxation. Maybe that's a week at the cottage, or an adventure in another county. And if it's a family trip, there's a good chance your furry friend is coming along, too.
Not to put a damper on the situation, but in your trip planning, it's a good idea to think about ticks and more broadly, disease risks to which your furry friend (and yourself) may be exposed when away from home.
Over the last few months, we've had several submissions of ticks from pets with international travel history. In June, we received two submissions from a dog that had been in Texas. One tick was a Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum) and the other a brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus). More recently, we had a submission from a dog that was in Myrtle Beach. Thanks to a nice photo that accompanied the submission, this tick could be identified as a Gulf Coast tick too.
Gulf coast ticks and brown dog ticks are rarely identified on dogs in Canada, and when they are, it is almost exclusively due to travel. In the case of the Gulf Coast tick, the risk posed is almost exclusively to the individual animal, as it is very unlikely for the tick to survive for a prolonged time in the environment. The brown dog tick on the other hand is a particularly nasty tick – it can survive and reproduce happily in a home or kennel and cause massive infestations even indoors!
With foreign species of ticks come different pathogen risks (and by pathogens, we mean bacteria, viruses and parasites). But it's also important to remember that species of ticks that we commonly see here but have been picked up in a different county can transmit different pathogens. Take the example of the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis. We see this tick all the time in eastern Canada, but rarely do our resident American dog ticks carry pathogens (right now, anyways). The situation is completely different if you encounter this tick in the southern USA, where it transmits several pathogens, including Rickettsia rickettsii, the bacterium that causes Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
This story extends far beyond ticks and makes us think about other potential disease risks that our pets can encounter in different areas of the country, and the world.
So, what does this all mean if you want to travel with your furry friend? It's as simple as being aware of the risks and taking the proper precautions (and in high-risk situations, leaving them at home).
It's a smart idea to visit your veterinarian before traveling with your pet, whether this be local travel to the cottage or an international trip. That way you can make sure the preventative health care plan for your pet is appropriate. Parasite prevention and vaccinations are targeted towards the risks your pet may be exposed to on a regular basis, and adjustments can be made if your pet is going to be exposed to new health risks.


Education and Sharing Day is an annual United States observance that honors the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. It is celebrated on Schneerson's birthday which falls on the 11th day of the Hebrew month of Nissan.
Menachem Mendel Schneerson, often referred to as the Rebbe, was the leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. He is considered to be one of the most influential spiritual leaders of the 20th century.
During his lifetime Schneerson organized the so-called Chabad houses, cultural and educational centers typically located on or near college campuses. Chabad houses are designed to provide young Jewish students with a healthy social environment and an informal place to observe Judaism. The Rebbe also made a significant contribution to education and the betterment of mankind in general.
President Jimmy Carter first proclaimed Education and Sharing Day in 1978 to honor Schneerson's 80th birthday. Since then, the observance has been proclaimed by every United States President. The holiday is marked with public gatherings and parades. One of the largest parades is held in Crown Heights, Brooklin, New York City by Tzivos Hashem (Jewish Children International).


text:
Daimler and Renault-Nissan co-operation expands
Germany/Japan – The five-year partnership will extend into the pick-up truck segment, with the development of a one-ton model for Mercedes-Benz. The pick-up will share some architecture with the new Nissan NP300 but be engineered and designed by Daimler, displaying "all of Mercedes-Benz' distinctive characteristics and features", say the OEMs.
The vehicle will have a double cab and be aimed at both personal-use and commercial customers. The primary target markets will be Europe, Australia, South Africa and Latin America. The model will be made at one plant in Europe and another in South America, alongside the NP300 and a one-ton truck being developed for Renault – also a brand first, and set to launch in 2016 at Nissan Cuernavaca, Mexico.
For the Mercedes-Benz pick-up, Renault's plant in Cordoba, Argentina, will cater to South American demand, while Nissan's plant in Barcelona, Spain, will make the same three models for other markets, excluding North America. Output will be almost 70,000 units per year at Cordoba and around 120,000 at Barcelona. A high parts localisation rate is set to significantly expand the supply bases in both Spain and Argentina.
"Entering the rapidly growing segment of mid-size pick-ups is an important step in continuing our global growth path," said Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of management at Daimler and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. "Thanks to our well-established partnership with the Renault-Nissan Alliance, we are able to drastically reduce the time and cost to enter this key segment." Nissan has been making one-ton pick-up trucks for over 80 years, turning out more than 14m units.
"Thanks to our co-operation with Daimler on this project, we will be able to share the cost of investment at the Cordoba plant, while at the same time open up new markets in the Latin American region for the Renault-Nissan Alliance," said Carlos Ghosn, Renault-Nissan chairman and CEO. "This project will also allow us to optimise production capacity at the Barcelona plant and enhance our competitiveness in an important segment."
Established in 2010, the collaboration between Daimler and Renault-Nissan was initially limited to three projects focused on Europe. Since then, it has grown to 13 projects in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
www.daimler.com
www.nissan-global.com
Global powertrain and battery production forecast: ever-evolving complexity
With diverging regulations, infrastructure, market trends and manufacturing bases, the path to EV and battery production will vary across regions, adding more variation for OEMs and suppliers. Ultima Media analyst Daniel Harrison shares the latest data on powertrain and battery forecasts
Global outlook: the disruptive forces shaping automotive manufacturing
Vehicle manufacturers are facing ongoing disruption in the supply chain, but at the same time must manage a paradigm shift in manufacturing and business models. AFS's Joe McCabe shares the latest vehicle production forecasts
Porsche building first plant for carbon-neutral fuel in Chile
The Haru Oni project is a collaborative effort by multiple enterprises in an effort to reach carbon neutrality. It utilises wind energy in order to generate nearly carbon-neutral fuel using low-cost green wind power.


text:
Video: Bodycam released from Myles Garrett's rollover crash
by: Jordan Unger, Kevin Freeman
Posted: Sep 27, 2022 / 03:44 PM EDT
Updated: Sep 27, 2022 / 09:12 PM EDT
SHARON TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WJW) – The Medina County Sheriff's Office released body camera footage from the rollover crash that sent Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett to the hospital Monday afternoon.
Guardians postseason tickets go on sale soon
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, after leaving the Browns practice facility, Garrett was heading southbound in his 2021 Porsche on State Road in Sharon Township when the vehicle went off the right side of the road, overturned and landed in a ditch.
According to a tweet from NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero, Garrett swerved to avoid an animal in the road and overcorrected.
In the video, you can see first responders treating Garrett and a female passenger, who both sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The video shows Garrett sitting on the ground alert and responsive as paramedics appear to treat his arm.
"I went and got blankets out of my truck and we went over to the Porsche, not knowing who it was at the time and a female stumbled out, unfastened her seatbelt and came out," said witness Michael Chaffee. "Then we saw that it was Myles Garrett inside, so we unhooked his seatbelt and he came out on his own free will, but he was dazed. I mean, they were both dazed."
Chaffee had just passed Garrett, going the opposite direction when, in his rearview mirror, he saw Garrett run off the road.
"All of a sudden, this Porsche comes flying over the top of the hill airborne and it clipped a tree and it hit a fire hydrant, clipped a fire hydrant off and then it rolled three times and it landed back on its wheels," Chaffee said.
They were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.
Myles Garrett's agent says he did not suffer any broken bones from his car wreck today. #Browns @fox8news
— John Sabol (@John_Sabol) September 27, 2022
Garrett discharged from hospital after crash
"I got to actually have a conversation with him while he was sitting there because his arm was pretty torn up, cut. But I said 'Hey, great game on Thursday against the Steelers' and he just kind of laughed at me and gave me a gimmick and that was it," said Chaffee.
Garrett's agent told FOX 8 that he didn't suffer any broken bones in the crash.
They were taken to an area hospital. Garrett was discharged Monday night.
Earlier Tuesday, Garrett's teammate Grant Delpit reacted to the accident.
"It's all God, man. We thank God every day and that he, you know, put his hands around Myles and was able to protect him. Like I said, it was a learning experience and you can never be too careful," Delpit said.
There's no word from the team on whether Garrett will be in condition to play Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.
Man visiting from out of country goes missing in …


text:
Home Accident Law
Dubai bus crash victims entitled to
in Accident Law
DUBAI: Families of avenue crash sufferers are entitled to get compensation from the insurer of the car worried, but handiest after the Dubai Traffic Court issues a verdict based on Prosecution proof, consistent with coverage and legal experts. Responding to queries by using Gulf News inside the wake of the remaining Thursday's bus twist of fate, which left 17 dead in Dubai, Prem A. Milani, executive director, Pioneer Insurance Brokers, stated: "As in step with UAE regulation, all buses bring coverage for their passengers. In the occasion of an accident, this insurance will usually be triggered for claims." He stated that inside the case of loss of life, the victim's own family is entitled to "Diya" — or blood money — of Dh200,000.
Figure not fixed
"The member of the family has to submit a court docket judgement report together with the proof of relationship with the deceased to the insurer so that it will get the repayment," he said. Emirati legal professional Ali Musabah, the proprietor of Ali Musabah Advocate and Legal Consultants, stated prosecution needs to have the visitors engineering record of the twist of fate to understand who is chargeable for the twist of fate before referring the driving force to the Traffic Court with prices of wrongly causing death to the passengers.
"The court will determine whether it's the driving force's complete mistake, or there are different factors. If the court docket reveals the motive force guilty, then households of the sufferers can launch a civil case for reimbursement," said Musabah. He added: "The company which has ensured the bus will pay the reimbursement — whether or not it's far blood money or another repayment — as once in a while families of the victims want extra money," Musabah said. He said the visitor's engineering document is the essential piece of documentation within the case because it determines who precipitated the accident.
"Sometimes, the document may be in favor of the driver if it proves there may be a hassle within the vehicle, and the twist of fate was now not his mistake." Vinod Varma, an recommend at Lavino's Legal & Management Consultancy, stated, "Sometimes, if contributory negligence at the part of the sufferer is installed, the court deducts a charge and relying on the quantity of negligence, the Diya money this is to be awarded to the own family is decreased. It can come all the way down to Dh100,000 in a few incredible cases."
He stated as soon as the Traffic Court tactics are whole, the insurance enterprise deposits the Diya cash within the court. "Victims' households can then lay declare to money after establishing the felony heirs," Mulani said instances involving loss of life are usually sincere as insurers to abide through the police document. "However, when there may be a court docket case involved in the occasion of harm, it'll be a drawn-out affair," he said.
Pointing out that the award in such situations may want to be unlimited doubtlessly, he stated, "It comes all the way down to the judgment of the court and what sort of it ascertains as agreement. The nature of the damage and a bunch of other factors come into play here."
He said, "Even if a vehicle has a 3rd birthday party coverage in place of a comprehensive cover, the passengers nonetheless have to be blanketed." But what if a automobile's coverage has lapsed or isn't always insured while a twist of fate takes location?
"This is a special kettle of fish as it may lead to a crook case. The law may be very clear cut, and all controls are in location to make certain passengers are protected," stated Mulani. He introduced that even cars coming from other nations have to follow the UAE law while they are in the united states of America.
West Point cadet killed in coincidence
Man arrested after fleeing scene of deadly accident on Dan Ryan


The Special buttons in the filter and oscillator section of the Nova show "not available" when pressed.
The Special buttons in the filter and oscillator section of the Supernova/SuperNova II show "not available' when pressed.
The sustain/expression pedal is not working when the X-Station is in template mode - is it assigned?
My Sustain Pedal is not working with my ReMOTE SL.
The touch sensitive encoders and crossfader are not responsive.
The arrow and mode buttons on my Launchpad are not working.
Why can't I switch between modes on the Launchpad when Ableton MIDI learn is engaged?


text:
The changing turboprop freighter fleet
Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Express, News
The ATR 72F is the most popular turboprop freighter today. Photo: Wikimedia/Kok Vermeulen
Today we begin a three-part analysis of the worldwide turboprop freighter fleet. We start with a bit of history, and then an overview of the fleet as it is today. In coming days we will examine the fleet on a type-by-type basis (read Part II here), and then move onto some thoughts about the very small jet freighters that could be considered competitors to the turboprops, and conclude with a look into the future (read Part III here).
But first, a look into the past: As package volumes declined in Europe and North America during the recession of 2008/2009, the big express companies cut off the expansion of their feeder freighter fleets, and in 2008 the fleet actually shrank slightly, as carriers parked aircraft, and canceled conversion plans. Slow growth returned during 2009, and that trend continued, in fits and starts, through mid-2015.
In our analysis of the turboprop freighter fleet at this time last year, we predicted that demand for these 4-to-9-tonne-payload freighters would increase only slowly in the coming years – that growing demand for express feeder service in Asia would be met by narrowbody jet freighters, while the fleets in the rest of the world, particularly Europe and North America, where 90% of these turboprop freighters are operated, would remain relatively stable. The twelve months since have borne out our prediction, as the fleet grew from 187 units in June 2015 to 194 today – an increase of just 3.7%.
But while the number of 4-to-9-tonne turboprop freighters has changed relatively little in recent years, the composition of the fleet has begun to change, as older ATPFs and ATR 42Fs have been retired, replaced mainly with ATR 72Fs. Between 2011 and 2016, the share of ATR 72Fs in the turboprop freighter fleet has risen from 23.0% to 31.4%. During the same period, the share of ATR 42Fs has fallen from 25.3% to 21.6%. The share of ATPFs has decreased the most, down to 17.0% from 24.0% five years ago. No other types changed by more than two percentage points during the past five years.
The chart at right shows the distribution of the turboprop freighter types important in the makeup of the current and future fleet. There are hundreds of smaller aircraft (Cessnas, Beechcraft, Metros, and others) in use as freighters, but they are beyond the scope of this analysis. Older types – such as Shorts 330/360s and F27s – continue to be applied in a freighter role, but their advancing age ensures that the newer types will replace them.
The distribution of the turboprop freighter fleet is quite different from the distribution of the jet freighter fleet. Of the 194 units now in operation, 59.8% (116 units) are operated by European carriers, mostly under contract to integrators or national postal services. 30.4% (59 units) are operated in the US and Canada, many in feeder service for FedEx and UPS, but an increasing number are operated by small, independent carriers on their own behalf. A mere 10% of the fleet tracked in this chart operates in the rest of the world: 1.5% (3 units) in Latin America, 4.1% (8 units) in Asia Pacific, and 4.1% (8 units) in Africa.
In the past we have said that, as domestic and intra-regional demand grows in the Asia-Pacific express market, that region's share of the total turboprop freighter fleet would gradually increase. However, even with the rapid growth of the Asian express market, many carriers are still focused on building their narrowbody jet freighter fleets (737-300Fs/-400Fs, and 757-200Fs). Whether Chinese express companies will turn to turboprops to extend their air networks to towns in rural areas remains to be seen.
In addition to this turboprop freighter fleet analysis, we also publish three other freighter fleet analyses annually:
A three-part analysis of the narrowbody freighter fleet begins here.
A five-part analysis of the widebody freighter fleet begins here.
A two-part analysis of the fleet of freighters operated by and for the express companies begins here.
If you are interested in a more in-depth look at the worldwide freighter fleet, both as it is today and how it will change over the next twenty years, then consider the annual Twenty-year Freighter Forecast published by Cargo Facts' parent company, Air Cargo Management Group.
TagsATPATRExpressfeeder freightersfleet analysisFokker 50Q300Q400Saab 340turboprop freighters
STC granted for AEI's 737-800SF conversion
ZTO Express' dedicated freighter operation remains limited post-peak


text:
package com.nobullet.concepts;

import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
import java.util.concurrent.ForkJoinPool;
import java.util.logging.Logger;
import java.util.stream.Collectors;
import java.util.stream.Stream;

/**
 * Stream and producers example.
 */
public class CompletableFutureAndStreams {

    static final Long VALUE = 0xAEEAEEA0L;
    static final Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(CompletableFutureAndStreams.class.getName());

    public static void main(String... args) throws Exception {
        ExecutorService executor = ForkJoinPool.commonPool();

        Long result = CompletableFuture.supplyAsync(() -> {
            logger.info("Async is executed in: " + Thread.currentThread());
            return VALUE;
        }).thenApply(x -> {
            logger.info("Async is completed in: " + Thread.currentThread() + " : " + x);
            return x;
        }).get();
        if (result != VALUE) {
            throw new IllegalStateException("Expected " + VALUE);
        }

        List<String> urls = Arrays.asList("url1", "url2", "url3");

        Stream<CompletableFuture<String>> asyncStream = urls.stream()
                .map(url -> CompletableFuture.supplyAsync(() -> fetch(url), executor));
        Stream<CompletableFuture<Double>> relevanceFutures = asyncStream
                .map(completableFutureStage2 -> completableFutureStage2.thenApply(CompletableFutureAndStreams::parse))
                .map(completableFutureStage3
                        -> completableFutureStage3.thenCompose(CompletableFutureAndStreams::calculateRelevance));
        List<CompletableFuture<Double>> allFutures
                = relevanceFutures.collect(Collectors.<CompletableFuture<Double>>toList());

        CompletableFuture<List<Double>> f = asSingleFuture(allFutures);

        logger.info(f.join().toString());
    }

    /**
     * Takes a list of completable futures and returns a completable future of a list.
     *
     * @param <T>        Type in a list.
     * @param allFutures List of completable futures.
     * @return Completable future of a list.
     */
    public static <T> CompletableFuture<List<T>> asSingleFuture(List<CompletableFuture<T>> allFutures) {
        CompletableFuture<Void> allDone
                = CompletableFuture.allOf(allFutures.toArray(new CompletableFuture[allFutures.size()]));
        CompletableFuture<List<T>> result = allDone.thenApply(v ->
                        allFutures.stream()
                                .map(f -> f.join())
                                .collect(Collectors.<T>toList())
        );
        return result;
    }

    public static DocumentTree parse(String content) {
        DocumentTree t = new DocumentTree();
        t.source = content;
        return t;
    }

    public static CompletableFuture<Double> calculateRelevance(DocumentTree tree) {
        CompletableFuture<Double> result = new CompletableFuture<>();
        result.complete(Math.random()); // Same as CompletableFuture.completedFuture(...)
        return result;
    }

    public static String fetch(String url) {
        for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
            url += i + ",";
        }
        return url;
    }

    // Helper classes.
    public interface Param<T> {

        T get();
    }

    public interface Result<T> {

        T get();
    }

    public static class DocumentTree {

        public String source;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


President Trump is expected to announce that he will not certify the Iran deal in a speech on Friday, October 13. As Elena Chachko and Suzanne Maloney have already explained, doing so will not necessarily lead to the reimposition of sanctions. It will, however, trigger a period of intense congressional debate and geopolitical uncertainty. According to the deal's architects, this is enough to unleash disastrous foreign policy repercussions.
Perhaps these critics are correct. However, an honest reckoning with the president's decision must include not just projections about its effects, but also an evaluation of its causes. Foremost among these is the framework created by decades of American sanctions legislation.
The existence of these twin requirements places the president's expected certification decision in a different--even reasonable--light. Rather than claiming Iran is in material breach when, according to most judgements, Iran is largely complying, the president can claim that his failure to certify is based on his evaluation of American interests.
This claim has the virtue of truth. For better or worse, President Trump really does seem to believe that the U.S. would be better off taking a harder line with Iran. So, the president's failure to certify is best understood as a policy disagreement rather than a politically motivated lie about Iranian actions. Just as Ben has encouraged readers not to become accustomed to presidential lying, recognizing this difference is crucial.
Of course, President Trump did not draft the INARA. Congress did. If members of Congress dislike that certification requires a policy judgement—in addition to a factual one about compliance–they have only themselves to blame.
In fact, the legislative origins of the dual determinations framework lie even deeper than the INARA. It's crucial to remember that the American sanctions regime did not begin with Iran's nuclear program. It accrued over decades, frequently referencing Iran's nuclear program--but just as frequently citing Iran's heinous human rights record, support for terrorism, and destabilizing regional role. During the nuclear negotiations, American officials made a show of only bargaining away "nuclear-related" sanctions. Yet the troublesome truth is that there is no such category. The vast majority of sanctions punished Iran both for its nuclear behavior and for other activities in conflict with American interests.
It is precisely because these sanctions are complex, multipurpose policy tools that congress sought to provide presidents with maximum flexibility. Therefore, the vast majority of sanctions contained provisions permitting a president to waive or suspend sanctions when he determined it was "essential to the national interest" to do so. Because sanctions were never just about nuclear weapons, presidents would be required to make wider judgements as they adjusted sanctions to control Iranian behavior.
This suspension power was precisely what President Obama used so effectively in reaching a deal without congressional support. In doing so, he operated within the legal framework that already existed. In accordance with underlying sanction legislation, he affirmed— publicly and repeatedly—that these suspensions were essential to the national interest.
In the lead-up to the nuclear deal, opponents lacked the votes in congress necessary to block it. But a strong bipartisan majority did agree that the pre-existing certification requirements ought to continue to limit future presidents. Consequently, the INARA's demand for recertification that sanctions relief is "vital to the national interest" is a retention of a standard at the heart of decades of American sanctions policy.
None of this means that President Trump's evaluation of the national interest is particularly wise. But it does mean that criticism based entirely on the claim that "Iran is in compliance" is inadequate. Indeed, decades of law dictate that the president must look beyond compliance alone when evaluating whether to continue the suspension of sanctions.
Of course, there is still some rhetorical slipperiness afoot. For weeks, the White House has signaled that a central rationale for decertification will be Iran's violation of "the spirit of the deal." This phrase is frustratingly ambiguous.
But here too the president has a point. In recent months, Iran has repeatedly conducted ballistic missile tests in defiance of the very same U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolution that implemented the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Iran is specifically "called upon not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such ballistic missile technology." Crucially, the same resolution explicitly states that the parties' "participation in the JCPOA is contingent upon the United Nations Security Council… requir[ing] States to comply with the provisions in this statement." So in a sense, restrictions on Iranian ballistic missile activity are an element of the deal.
Yet, the same resolution noticeably (and inexcusably) avoids binding legal language for these restrictions. In contrast to other provisions which are "decided" by the Security Council under Article 41, the missile restrictions are simply issued as an exhortation. Moreover, Footnote 3 of the JCPOA's Annex V explicitly warns that "[t]he provisions of this [Security Council] Resolution do not constitute provisions of this JCPOA." So as a technical matter, the missile launches also seem to lie outside of the deal itself.
Hence the strange conclusion, shared by the White House (and interestingly, the French): Iran may be "technically compliant," but is not abiding by the agreement's "spirit." This also follows President Trump's corollary: ongoing sanctions relief is no longer in the U.S. national interest.
As should be clear, the administration's verbal gymnastics are rooted in the diplomatic dance that went into the deal itself. The U.S. and its allies wished to retain ongoing restrictions on Iran's ballistic missile activity as part of the deal. Iran adamantly refused. Where Western negotiators saw such activities as an illegal (under prior UNSC resolutions) and aggressive supplement to Iran's nuclear program, Iran claimed that any such restrictions were themselves a form of punishment. Rather than resolving the issue, diplomats fudged it. The result gives the appearance of restraining Iran's missile program, but without legal teeth. It does so in a way that ensures that both a bellicose Iran and compliance hawks can self-righteously condemn the other.
When combined with the "national interests" certification requirement—and of course, a singularly unpredictable president—this sort of ambiguity becomes radioactive. Sunday's deadline also reveals a sad, if unsurprising irony: artful diplomacy may have facilitated the deal's formation, but overly clever drafting may also lead to its unraveling.
The president will make a choice on Sunday, and he should bear its full responsibility. But decades of prior choices—particularly legislative and drafting choices—created the framework for Sunday's decision. Prior Congresses, presidents and the public ought to recognize this. Blame, or credit, will be due.


Employee churn is a real (and costly) problem. And it gets worse at times like this, when unemployment rates go down. Fortunately, investing in your employees' training and career development is a low-cost solution to avoid having them take their chances elsewhere. Here's how and why it works.
What difference a decade makes. At the height of the last recession, jobs were few and far between, and employers were calling the shots.
Ten years on, and U.S. job openings hit their biggest peak in two decades, while tons of workers take advantage of the strong labor-market and quit their positions to seek better employment . Reports from the U.K. (and several other countries) paint a similar picture .
In this article, we'll examine how a company can use training to improve employee retention and attract new talent by building a better employment environment within itself.
When considering how to retain employees, a very effective measure (that is nonetheless easy to miss) is to avoid hiring people prone to leave the company in the first place. The key to this is pre-employment training.
One of the reasons new employees leave is the stress of discovering that their new positions require skills that they lack. Unfortunately, there's only so much hiring interviews can tell about one's skills until they've applied them in practice.
Pre-employment training gives you the opportunity to teach candidates the skills that your company needs, and then take your pick from those that did best during their training (and, as such, can be expected to do well when they start working). Employees also leave a company when they feel at odds with its culture and approach. Here too, pre-employment training and onboarding can serve as a pre-screening step for employees that might not be a good cultural fit.
A surprisingly large percentage of employees – up to 20% according to Forbes  – leave their jobs within their first few months of employment. While such new employees might not yet be crucial for the company, the associated cost of employee turnover can still be high (to the tune of several thousand dollars). What's worse, such churn will take a toll on the company's agility, which in many industries depends on its ability to quickly hire new people to respond to increases in market demand.
An employee onboarding program will ease new hires into their roles and help reduce the anxiety that comes with having to navigate a complex and unfamiliar working environment. It's also the perfect opportunity to "sell" the company's history, values, and vision to your fresh hires (making them feel proud to be part of something bigger), and to introduce them to any available opportunities and perks, which will serve as further motivation for staying with you.
In large companies with many different areas of interest and multi-faceted workflows, it's seldom that the initial placement of an employee is the right one. HR only has a rough idea of where a new employee will best fit, and is often rushing to cover a specific need. The recent hire, too, doesn't yet know the available teams and positions within the company to make a better suggestion.
The result is that the positions HR assigns employees to often fail to make the best use of their skills, and are not where they would be most productive and/or happy at. This occurs for higher ranking positions, e.g. a marketing executive assigned to oversee a company's print campaigns whereas their true talent is in handling social media, as well as for lower ranking ones, e.g. a customer support agent that is better as a sales agent.
A training program that focuses on skills discovery and development, and covers different aspects of the company's workflows will let you discover the roles that better fit the new employees. It will also give new employees the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the available positions, and develop their own preferences. Such a reassignment can be horizontal (within the same hierarchy) or vertical (to a higher responsibility position). In either case, it can have a significant positive impact on employee retention by increasing employee productivity and job satisfaction, and making it less likely for them to leave.
The number one reason employees leave their company is a lack of training and development opportunities. A recent study, for example, shows that over 60% of UK workers  have changed jobs because of a lack of training options.
Employees fearing that their skills are becoming obsolete, and whose employer denies them the chance to pick up new ones, will consider fleeing their company to further their professional development. Employees also don't want to be stuck in the same position for years on end. After they've mastered a particular role, the lack of new challenges is demotivating, while being kept at roughly the same pay grade makes things even worse. Especially when there's a thriving job market, and they feel that they could easily strike a better deal elsewhere.
The above issues make corporate training an excellent tool not just for helping the company improve its workflows and expand in new directions, but also for managing employee turnover and retention. A comprehensive training program will signal to your employees that they are valued (since the company invests in them) and that they can aspire to long-term prospects within the organization.
To increase employee retention, training should be combined with real development opportunities within the company and a comprehensive career advancement roadmap that applies to senior employees and new hires alike. When given a chance to further their career within their existing employer, few employees will risk the uncertainty and stress of looking for work elsewhere.
An economy with a low unemployment rate will inevitably give rise to high employee churn rates and low staff retention. To combat this trend and improve employee retention, employers must invest in the training and development of their workforce. A corporate training program gives employees new skills, allows them to take on new responsibilities, and empowers them to advance their career within the company.
If you need a robust eLearning platform that you can retain (pun intended) as your business grows, give TalentLMS a go. Its free-for-life account comes with everything you need to build, deploy, and manage your corporate training.
TalentLMS is a super-easy cloud LMS that makes effective usage of your time and maximizes the training output.


Boris Becker fears that tennis could be lacking big personalities in the near future if Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal call time on their careers.
The six-time grand slam champion captured the public's imagination with his youthful charisma and thrilling playing style during an exciting era for the sport.
Becker regularly battled against a number of big characters as the likes of John McEnroe, Pat Cash and Andre Agassi drew in huge crowds.
The modern generation of male players have also strengthened the image of tennis and there is huge expectation surrounding this year's Wimbledon tournament, with Federer, Djokovic, Murray and Nadal targeting the title.
But Becker, who coaches Djokovic, has raised concerns about the shortage of consistent challengers outside the top four.
"I think the men's side is in a very healthy state, we have an increase in popularity from over 10 years ago and the numbers are staggering," he said.
"But the question has to be asked: what if Roger decides to quit or Rafa is not coming back? It's impossible to carry on with only Novak and Andy.
"You have a young group of Australians - Nick Kyrgios, Thanasi Kokkinakis, who have good personalities and are interesting to watch, but there's a gap in between of players you don't know anything about. In two or three years' time, we have to be careful."
Earlier this month, Murray issued an apology after microphones picked up bad language during his third-round win over Kyrgios at the French Open.
Becker believes the current stars of the ATP tour could be forced to repress their personalities due to the intense media scrutiny.
"Nowadays everything is so supervised and so observed and everybody is very judgemental," said the 47-year-old, who was nicknamed 'Boom Boom Boris'. "We live in a day and age where players have to be guarded a lot, in who they are as people.
"There's microphones on the court and social media so there are a lot of occasions when players have to guard their emotions and that's unfortunate because you want to see the real person.
"I admire very much the current crop of players and I think the big four are exceptional players with exceptional personalities, but there are so many more in tennis who cannot really show their true sides because they are so protective and so careful."
This year's Wimbledon winner is expected to come from the top four in the world and Becker - a three-time title holder - is predicting an enthralling fortnight.
"I think there's a very strong rivalry between Federer and Djokovic and between Djokovic and Murray and between Nadal and Djokovic," said Becker.
"These are the matches that everyone is looking forward to. Those are the rivalries that make the sport, that everyone is fascinated by.
"For a long time it was Roger and Rafa, even though Rafa won most of the matches, but last year we had a couple of really good matches between Andy and Novak and I think those are the matches which make the sport special."


The Sustainable and Resilient Tanzanian Community program has announced a series of informational sessions for their upcoming service-learning trip in May of 2018. Students will work in interdisciplinary teams to help a Tanzanian village address problems involving water access, public health, and gender equity. Interested students can find more information on the dates and times of these info sessions on the program flyer.


"Open Adoption: The Story of a Special Bond"
Glancing at my calendar I am reminded that November is Adoption Awareness Month. Adoption. The word conjures up so many emotions, opinions, fears, and joys for people and yet, few understand the world of adoption. For most it is a language so beyond comprehension they don't even try to grasp its true meaning.
Our journey began with the Adoption Fair at Overlake Hospital on a drizzly morning. We had no idea of what to expect and we had come fully armed with deep reservations and fears about the whole adoption process. Misinformation gleaned from made-for-TV-movies and sensational headlines. The conference rooms and auditoriums were abuzz with activity. Everyone involved in adoption was there or so it seemed. With "deer in the headlights" looks, other potential adopters were easy to spot. Inside their booths adoption professionals were ready to answer any and every question. What questions should we be asking? We didn't even know where to begin and every new turn added to the already overwhelming and intimidating experience. Luckily a kind-hearted social worker with light gray hair and a years-of-experience-air about her noticed our tentativeness and offered comfort and advice, "Take a bag. Pick up every brochure, flyer, business card and piece of paper you can get your hands on. It won't mean anything to you today, but down the road it will."
And she was right. By the end of the day we were exhausted and overwhelmed, but we also had hope. Yes, it was possible to build a family through adoption. In the next few weeks we sorted through the mountain of information gradually narrowing our focus to a few pathways and options. "Open adoption." The phrase came up repeatedly. Yikes. Agencies actually expected adoptive families to have ongoing contact with birthfamilies? Our fears of openness in adoption were mirrored by family and friends as they too questioned the idea while giving us the same expressive look of shock and sadness we might have received upon announcing a terminal illness, "Open adoption? Oh, I'm so sorry." They would become silent as they envisioned "our" version of the next movie of the week.
Open adoption and openness in adoption can be frightening terms to those entering the world of adoption and are usually completely misunderstood by those outside of adoption. Even the word open is ambiguous and is used by different people in different ways. We began reading everything we could get our hands on about openness in adoption. We began talking to other adoptive families and joined a local support group. We soon learned that open adoption was not co-parenting, neither from a legal standpoint or an emotional standpoint and that it works for those families, both adoptive and birth, willing to make a commitment of faith to the process.
Certainly when we began our adoption journey we had no idea that we would move from not expecting any contact with a birthfamily to fully embracing contact on a regular basis. It was a slow shift in thinking, an evolving process. And, like a snowball charging down a steep slope, once the idea picked up momentum there was no option left but to run with it.
Run with it we have. We have been blessed with two beautiful children both through open adoptions. Our children are wondrous individuals. But, perhaps surprisingly, the greatest joy comes from sharing that wonder and special moments with our children's birthfamilies. When all is said and done, no other family on earth is as excited by the small milestones that our children reach as are their birthfamilies. Each birthfamily has been with us for baptisms, birthdays, Santa pictures, and just playing in the park. They are as respectful of our right to parent as we are of their desire to be a part of their children's lives. We are all richer from the experience and while not always easy, open adoption does work and works successfully for those having the faith to make it work.
Adoption. The word conjures up so many emotions, opinions, fears, and joys. And like my children, it is a story that is ever changing, growing, and evolving. Adoption is a story in our lives, not the story of our lives. For me and my family, it is the story of a special bond between parent and child and between our family and our children's birthfamilies.


The Beagleboard Foundation just came out with an extremely spiffy new Beaglebone, the Beaglebone AI. It's an amazingly capable beast and I can't wait to get one to fiddle with. Check it out.
We now have an instagram maintained by our fearless leader, @robotsailboat. Check it out!
The most serious issue with the current set of wings is that they are way too heavy, at ~ 2.4 kg each. They also have a high center of gravity — about 500 mm above the deck. As a result, we need to put over 12 kg in the keel to keep the boat upright. As a result, it sits low in the water and is much slower and less responsive than it could be. Their construction (bent plywood over laser cut plywood frames with printed ABS fittings) is also not representative of the the sort of wing we'd like to build for ocean going vessels.
Eliminate the difficult wire routing from the servo to the controller.
Leverage the capabilities available at The Facility Makerspace to produce a light, strong, and inexpensive wing.
The construction method I selected for the wing is a laser cut plywood frame filled in with router-cut foam blocks and covered with epoxy-glass fiber composite. These choices leverage three things available at the Facility — laser cutting, the CNC router, and the composites lab. They can also be scaled up for the wings for the Microstransat boat, which are twice as large in every dimension.
This design is a kilogram lighter than what it replaces with a center of gravity a full 200mm lower, on a wing that's only 1000 mm tall in the first place. Additionally, the box support for the tail mounting provides a convenient place to mount the electronics with no twisty passages for the wiring to snake through. It also makes it easy to make a fitted hatch cover for electronics access. It does put the servo off center a little bit, but I don't think that will be significant in the final analysis.
Initial calculations show that removing a kilo from each wing while lowering the CG by 200 mm will allow us to remove 6 kg from the keel, for a total weight loss of 8 kg. The boat only weighs 21 kg in the current configuration, so this is a major reduction in weight; I look forward to a corresponding improvement in speed and responsiveness on the water.
The tail attachment is simple — a pultruded carbon tube is fixed into the structure, and a smaller tube slides neatly into it. A stainless steel bolt match drilled in Dragonscale makes both the tubes and a line of bonded-in fittings for them that allow me to create a convenient hinge for the tail. The spine of the tail is another piece of carbon tube glassed into the laser cut plywood that forms the blade of the tail.
Like the last iteration of the wings, the counterweight is a stack of fender washers on a piece of 3/8" all-thread. The all-thread is passed through the main spar and both bolted and glassed in for extra strength.
The following gallery contains a visual history of the assembly and painting of the wings. Click on the images to expand and see a description for each one.
Lasercut parts for the frame laid out prior to assembly.
Assembled frame with mast pivots installed.
Mast pivot installation. The mounting block for the counterweight is present but has not yet been drilled.
Wing frame with the foam blocks partially assembled.
Wing frames and cores assembled, sanded, and ready for glass. Note the counterweight boom in the lower left.
Wing with fiberglass tacked on, ready for resin.
Wing vacuum-bagged while the resin cures.
Wings completed and primed, ready for paint.
New wings, test fit on the boat with the Hackerbot Labs Rawrbot in the background.
Detail of the assembled tail. Still needs to retaining/alignment bolt.
First, we're at Seattle Mini MakerFaire (https://www.facebook.com/events/215651449157117/?event_time_id=215651455823783) this weekend, in Maker Alley! If you're there, please come by and say hi!
On the hardware front, we've gotten the wing molds fabricated and will shortly begin pulling some test parts. We've also put together a full set of cut files for the hull of the Microtransat boat.
We also added compasses to the wing sails in order to allow us to estimate the wind direction without additional hardware. This simplifies the boat and removes one more system (wind vanes) from the critical path.
Most of this summer's progress has been in the software realm -- we've spec'd out and written most of the necessary modules for the Microtransat boat. We're adding them in to the little boat's control system one at a time to test how they work in practice, and sailing them in Lake Washington when our schedules and good wind line up. Since the boat is a bit on the heavy side, it's not a particularly good sailor and really needs about 10 knots of wind before it performs decently. That's good enough for software testing, however.
We're looking forward to additional sail testing this afternoon, and we're also exploring resurrecting TSV Disputed Right of Way for creating a database of tagged images of the marine environment around Puget Sound.
Last fall, we successfully tested our wing schooner sailing system on a one meter scale in Seattle's Greenlake. This test (on a tether) has given us the confidence in the basic soundness of our concept to proceed with the design and construction of our Microtransat Challenge boat.
This boat will be the maximum length (2.4m) with a displacement of approximately 75 kg, about half of which will be ballast.
The wingsail/masts are similar in concept to our wingschooner demonstrator, but the bearings are set into the sail rather than the hull in order to have water drain away from the bearings rather than pooling on top of them.
First, the slight change of plans. We've decided to compete in the Microtransat Challenge in preparation for circumnavigation. Since Microtransat boats are limited to 2.4m (8 ft) and the task is crossing the North Atlantic rather than circumnavigation, the team determined that we could build a competitive boat without having to raise outside money.
The Microtransat has run every year since 2010, but is sufficiently challenging that no team has yet completed either the east bound or the west bound race. The rules are relatively simple -- vessels may be up to 2.4m long, must be self-guided with enough precision to hit a pre-selected point on the finish line, and must be propelled by the wind.
Our wing schooner demonstrator afloat in Greenlake.
Currently, we're working on building the wings and completing the software. More to come on those subjects and the design process for this boat in future installments, which should hopefully come at less extreme intervals.
We put larger (and lighter) tails on the wings as well as a proper windvane and got back in the water on Oct 22, again at Greenlake. We got the boat to reach, run, and even sail to windward under some measure of steering control. We still have the leash on it because the control is still dodgy, and the range is not wonderful.
The weather has conclusively turned here in Seattle (it snowed both today and Friday), so we're going to spend our time working on software and planning for the around the world boat and our fundraiser to pay for it.
There was more wind than predicted this afternoon, so we had the opportunity to get the sail boat in the water for our first successful sailing test!
The boat sailed under its own power, responded to remote commands, and we successfully retrieved it. However, it's going to take a lot more practice and some modification to get good, predictable control of the boat.
There are a couple of reasons for this. First, it's just a plain hard boat to steer. The steering response is quite different from any other boat. Second, the wings have too much inertia relative to the size of the tails, which makes them hard to control in relatively light and changeable winds like we had today. Our next steps will be printing some bigger tails (moar powah!) and moving up our plans for a third wing revision.
In other news, we're looking at MOOS-IvP for building the next software generation, and it looks good.
Welcome to our new blog! This will be the central source for longer form news and discussion about the Ladon Project in the future. You can also follow us on Twitter (@ladonproject) and on Facebook. If you want some more technical detail, you can check out our Hackaday.io project page.


Last night I made my way to the Life Cafe, less than two blocks from the New York Loft Hostel, to grab what I hoped would be a pretty tasty vegan chilli. I was not disappointed, the staff in Life were also incredibly helpful and friendly when I got chatting to them about the local area. After enjoying my dinner, I found that two girls I had met in D.C. were also staying at the Loft Hostel and we spent the evening chilling out in the garden discussing the rest of our plans for New York and the journey beyond.
Today, my plan, quickly thrown together last night was to meet up with Ingrid, who I'd met in Miami. We were going to meet at Columbus Circle at the South-East corner of the park. The weather was pretty bad, but after the way it had cleared up yesterday I was confident that the same would happen again. I caught the subway as far as Time's Square and thought it would be worth walking from there.
I emerged into the lights and screens to find the rain still pouring down, but continued on to Columbus Circle, almost walking into Ingrid as she walked through a door. We grabbed a quick waffle as we decided what to do.
We had originally planned to hire some bikes and cycle through the park, but having both said we'd not been on a bike for years and the treacherously wet conditions we decided to walk instead.
Fortunately for the most part of the journey, the rain eased off and it wasn't until we reached the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Resevoir, which I think if the weather would have been better would have been very picturesque.
The rain started to come down on us again and Ingrid had a couple of ideas of places to go to eat. We got on a bus which, whilst being considerably slower than the subway, allows you to take into some of the city. We ended up at Serendipity, famous for frozen hot chocolates; an idea at first I struggled to understand but after trying one, made significantly more sense. We stopped for a while, enjoyed a burger before heading back out into the miserable weather.
After wandering through the city for a while, I headed back to the hostel where I met up with my German room mates again. Tonight we found ourselves on Bedford Avenue once again and found a small bar where we enjoyed a couple of beers, fried pickles and a couple of bowls of fries. After a little debate as to where we should go from there, Christian decided SpikeHill would be the best place as he really wanted to see some more bands playing. More beers were consumed and we got ourselves an invite to a party. At around two in the morning we stumbled back to the hostel and passed out.
Initially the four of us had agreed to leave the hostel at nine thirty to get to the Museum of Modern Art as it opened. Unfortunately, Christian, Phillip and myself had a little too much fun last night and didn't wake up. Tim had left us early and had already gone for a run by the time we got up and ready to go.
Eventually we found ourselves on the subway heading towards the MoMA. Three of us were suffering slightly and had to grab a coffee and pretzel to help deal with our headaches. Once inside the museum it didn't take long for us all to be separated; each of us moving at our own pace enjoying some works more than the others. I particularly enjoyed the Pop-Art galleries, having been a fan of the likes of Keith Harring and Roy Lichtenstein.
My favourite exhibit in the museum though was a set of photographs; A Living Man Declared Dead and Other Chapters by Taryn Simon. The most provoking of her works, for me, is a documentation of the genocide in Bosnia. The work consists of three panels; one containing portraits of bloodline members of one victim, a second containing an annotation and the final panel of photographic evidence of the event. There were plenty of other pieces that I was drawn to but I don't think I can really do them any justice. The label of "must see" applied to the MoMA is totally justified and I can't recommend it highly enough! If I had one bad thing to say it would be on the lack of the Soviet Space Race Propaganda; I can't get enough of it and didn't find any here!
Once I had eventually had my fill of modern art and design I headed across the city to pick up a Circle Tour of Manhattan. Down at Pier 83 I got on the boat and was carried down the Hudson, past the Empire State Building, Midtown, to the Downtown Skyline and out to the Statue of Liberty.
This time I really got a good look at it and Liberty is truly beautiful. The boat then travelled up the East River, going under the Brooklyn Bridge and as far the United Nations building. Unfortunately, as it has been for the duration of my stay so far, the weather wasn't perfect and visibility was somewhat poor but being able to see the Statue of Liberty more than made up for this. Once the boat tour came to an end, I made plans to meet up with Ingrid in the evening to be shown around the pretentious New York club scene.


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