text:
\section{Introduction}
\label{intro}
Emergency department (ED) crowding has for decades been acknowledged as an international problem
compromising health outcomes \cite{Pines2011}. Hospitals have been cutting down on the number of inpatient beds primarily for budget reasons while the demand for emergency care services is on the rise \cite{Cameron2006}. The
American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) updated their position statement in February 2013
along with various policy recommendations aimed at mitigating crowding situations \cite{AmericanCollegeofEmergencyPhysicians2013}.
Despite the recommendations, crowded EDs were still a growing problem. In 2006, the Institute of Medicine published their report entitled \textit{Hospital-Based
Emergency Care at the Breaking Point} with a warning that the current system is not sustainable \cite{InstituteofMedicine2006}.
In response, The Joint Commission stated that every hospital needs a plan for dealing with crowding
in their ED \cite{Fee2007}. So far, most US hospitals do not seem to be fully capable to manage large-scale influx of patients, for instance as a result of terror acts. The same hospitals however play a critical role in both identifying and responding to terrorist attacks \cite{Matusitz2007}. Today, congested EDs remain an increasing problem in which causative factors remain to be fully elucidated \cite{Derlet2000}. While this paper refer to crowding in the ED, the authors do recognise
that crowding is a symptom of a system-wide problem associated with likely deterioration of health outcomes for patients across departments
\cite{Viccellio2013}.

Simulation studies are increasingly acknowledged as a means to better understand the complex interconnections causing ED
crowding \cite{Paul2010}. Many of these are discrete event studies while system dynamics studies are rarer. Examples of the latter include discharging
strategies \cite{Wong2010} and the competition for inpatient beds between ED- and elective patients \cite{Lane2000}. Because of the problem's
dynamic complexity, time delays through non-linear behaviour and feedback mechanisms, ED crowding seems apt for a system dynamics analysis. The problem is a
classic example of ''policy resistance'' when attempted interventions show poor results or even contradict intended effects. According to Sterman,
the problem persists due to an imperfect perception of what constitutes the problem \cite{Sterman2000}. This study's focus is twofold. First, a local protocol
('Code Help') for responding to ED crowding at a major tertiary level one
teaching hospital in Boston, MA is explored for its system-wide effect on patient flow. When predetermined criteria for maximum levels of ED boarders- and census are met, the protocol can be activated so that inpatient wards are bound to receive ED boarders by either reallocating current inpatients
or discharge faster than normally. An ED boarder is defined as a patient who remains in the ED after having been admitted to an inpatient ward but
has not yet been transferred there \cite{AmericanCollegeofEmergencyPhysicians2013}. ED census denotes the total number of patients present in the ED at any given time. Congestion can dissolve but comes at the expense of a higher risk of premature
discharges \cite{Rising2013, Crawford2014, Jack2009}. Second, the model considers 1) inpatient capacity \cite{Trzeciak2003},
2) bed assignment time \cite{Rechel2010}, 3) transfer time \cite{Beniuk2012}, and 4) number of incoming elective patients
\cite{Morris2012} as potential levers for ED crowding.

\section{Method and Materials}
\label{method}

\subsection{Setting}
\label{setting}
The SD model shows the admission process at the case hospital. Most patients go through the ED
in order to get a preliminary diagnosis and are either fully treated in the ED or, if further treatment is
required, admitted to an inpatient ward. 35 \% of the ED patients are admitted. This paper uses the notion of ED patients meaning essentially all acute patients.
This is true for most hospitals today but it is recognised that some hospitals may still receive acute patients directly
at inpatient wards.

\subsection{Model construction}
\label{model construct}
Three main elements constitute the model. These are 1) the ED admission process, 2) two feedback mechanisms
controlling the available bed capacity and the effects of initiating the protocol accordingly, and 3) the competing
requirement for inpatient beds by elective patients.
For the admission process, all patients that enter the ED undergo an initial ESI triage assessment
\cite{Shelton2010}. Patients then receive medical evaluation and a preliminary diagnosis is established.

In the SD model, treatment is either finished in the ED or specialised treatment is needed elsewhere in the hospital.
Patients requiring admission need to have an inpatient bed assigned. At the case study hospital, this happens via an
electronic request initiated from the ED where the receiving ward can choose either to accept the patient or request further
discussion with the ED team. This solution was implemented as part of a Lean initiative to avoid cumbersome telephonic
consultation. Next, patient admission is restricted by the bed occupancy rate to avoid assigning more beds than available.
In case of ED crowding, the protocol can be activated if the following three criteria are met:

\begin{enumerate}
\item There are 10 or more ED boarders present,
\item ED census is 54 patients or more, and
\item Criteria 1 and 2 are met for two consecutive hours.
\end{enumerate}

Upon activation, patients are either relocated or discharged faster from the inpatient wards, thereby increasing capacity for
incoming patients. Hence, the patient flow is increased and congestion eased. The expense is an increased risk
of discharging patients prematurely which could result in more patients returning unexpectedly \cite{Rising2013,Crawford2014,Jack2009}.\smallskip
The model SD was built using daily historical data from October 2013 stemming from the case study site. Inputs to the model
include day of the week averages for patient arrivals as modelled by Lane et al., 2000 (shown in Figure \ref{fig:1}), ED census, ED patients that await inpatient bed assignment, and ED boarders. The registration frequency was every ten minutes. With regards to how the ED patient arrival input signal is modelled, averaging the weekdays does imply losing some common variation. With a more advanced analytical input function, this variance could be included in future studies but is deemed beyond scope by the authors. Vensim DSS version 6.3
was utilised to construct the model. Complete model documentation can be found in the appendix. During the testing of the model, it was seen that the perturbations upon a stable model
dissipate within 72 hours. With this in mind, one week was adopted as the time frame for this analysis.

Upon activation, patients are either relocated or discharged faster from the inpatient wards, thereby increasing capacity for
incoming patients. Hence, the patient flow is increased and congestion eased. The expense is an increased risk
of discharging patients prematurely which could result in more patients returning unexpectedly \cite{Rising2013,Crawford2014,Jack2009}.\smallskip
The model SD was built using daily historical data from October 2013 stemming from the case study site. Inputs to the model
include day of the week averages for patient arrivals as modelled by Lane et al., 2000 (shown in Figure \ref{fig:1}), ED census, ED patients that await inpatient bed assignment, and ED boarders. The registration frequency was every ten minutes. With regards to how the ED patient arrival input signal is modelled, averaging the weekdays does imply losing some common variation. With a more advanced analytical input function, this variance could be included in future studies but is deemed beyond scope by the authors. Vensim DSS version 6.3
was utilised to construct the model. Complete model documentation can be found in the appendix. During the testing of the model, it was seen that the perturbations upon a stable model
dissipate within 72 hours. With this in mind, one week was adopted as the time frame for this analysis.

\begin{figure*}[ht!]
  \includegraphics[width=1\textwidth]{Fig1.jpeg}
\caption{Hourly ED patient arrival pattern following Lane et al., 2000}
\label{fig:1}
\end{figure*}

\subsection{Model structure}
\label{model structure}
A simplified presentation of the main SD model is shown in Figure \ref{fig:2}. The main flow presents the ED patient journey with
special emphasis on the admitted patients. The model includes two sub views (not shown). The first sub view is an exogenous mechanism that can
generate an inflow of patients in a user specified pulse, step, ramp, or sine wave function. This inflow is directly connected to the patient
arrivals inflow. The second sub view introduces a memory function representing the third criteria of the protocol, being thresholds for both ED
census- and boarders respectively are met for two consecutive hours.

\begin{figure*}
  \includegraphics[width=1\textwidth]{Fig2.jpeg}
\caption{Reduced presentation of the system dynamics model with auxiliary variables omitted. Patients arrive to the ED based on an
average repeated diurnal pattern and stay in the ED until either discharged or admitted. Patients requiring admission first need an inpatient
bed assigned, becoming ED boarders when the inpatient bed is assigned and are then transferred out of the ED. The feedback mechanisms, denoted R
and B respectively, and the inflow of elective patients are also presented. }
\label{fig:2}
\end{figure*}

The balancing feedback loop restricts the amount of patients to be admitted. The auxiliary variable 'occupancy rate'
reflects the availability of inpatient beds. With a higher occupancy rate it will become
increasingly difficult to admit new ED patients.

The reinforcing feedback loop explicitly models the return flow of admitted patients that have been discharged. Here,
a fraction of discharged patients need repeated treatment upon discharge within 72 hours. This fraction increases
when the protocol is activated because the discharging of patients at a rate faster than normal will result in a higher
probability of a patient developing the need of readmission. The upper right corner in Figure 2 models the release time,
equivalent to a patient's total time as inpatient. Activation of the protocol impacts the policy release time
and the protocol's effect will show after a 30 minutes delay. The before mentioned fraction of patients returning to the
ED is based on estimates found in literature \cite{Rising2013,Crawford2014}.

The structure of the model finally considers four independent input parameters, namely total available inpatient beds, Bed Assignment Time,
Transfer Time, and Mean Elective Patients. These are considered as exogenous variables to the model. Also, the SD model considers four dependent output variables upon which system performance is evaluated. These are 1) occupancy, 2) ED Census, 3) ED Boarders, and 4) number of admitted elective patients.

\subsection{Testing procedure}
\label{sens_test_procedure}

After model validation, several simulations were run with various parameter settings. Adjusting the trigger threshold values to see the
effects on ED crowding level and returning patients was of primary interest. In order for the protocol to become activated
temporarily, the baseline model was stressed by introducing a sudden surge of patients arriving within three hours. In the baseline scenario, the model is
simulated according to normal system conditions and no range variation is considered in the input parameters. There is no
activation of the Code Help protocol in the baseline model. What distinguishes the stressed model from the baseline model is a temporary activation of the Code Help
protocol due to an exogenous stimulus. This is provoked by introducing a temporary surge of incoming ED patients with a subsequent elevation in the fraction of admitted ED patients.
The admission fraction had to be increased in the period of the surge after a small delay corresponding to patients having undergone initial treatment. Trigger values were
changed separately to determine the subsequent effects on the outcome variables. First, the ED census trigger was allowed to vary from 40
to 68 (default = 54). Next, the ED boarder trigger would vary from 7 to 13 (default = 10). The ED census trigger criterion is met on a
regular basis even in the baseline simulation. Based on the semi-structured interviews conducted with staff physicians, the main indicator
of ED crowding is the accumulation of ED boarders. It was expected that altering this trigger would have the largest effect on the
system. The simulation model developed offers ED decision makers insights into other potential policy changes. Other parameters analysed include
inpatient capacity, bed assignment time, transfer time, and number of incoming elective patients.

\section{Results}

\subsection{Model validation}
\label{model_validate_results}

If the model is deemed sufficiently valid then the stakeholders are more likely to be assured that the system is replicated to
satisfaction. Tenured physicians were iteratively consulted to qualitatively agree on the correctness of the process, feedback
mechanisms, and assumptions modelled. Quantitative testing of the model was done through comparison of model output to historical
data of ED census from October 2013. As advocated by Sterman, replication of historical data does not provide sufficient evidence for a
robust model \cite{Sterman2002}. Therefore, the developed SD model was subject to a number of tests to ensure feasible behaviour
under extreme conditions.

Quantitative validation was done by comparing the simulation output for ED census to the acquired historical data reflecting the actual ED
census throughout October 2013. Generally, there is a good fit between the two graphs (see Figure \ref{fig:3}). Extreme tests were
performed as to determine system behaviour when stressed. Confidence in the model's robustness was established between authors and study
site physicians involved in the development of the model.

\begin{figure}[htb]
  \includegraphics[width=1\textwidth]{Fig3.jpeg}
\caption{Comparison of ED census data and simulation output for first 72 hours (October 1$^{st}$ to 3$^{rd}$, 2013). The smooth graph shows the
simulation output while the jagged graph shows imported historical data.}
\label{fig:3}
\end{figure}

\subsection{Sensitivity testing}
\label{sens_test_results}
As the model can replicate actual behaviour adequately, the study proceeds to testing how the ED census- and ED
boarders trigger values can change the model's behaviour. Such changes correspond to an earlier or later activation
of the protocol. Effects of parameter changes are measured on the occupancy rate, admitted patients, ED census,
and ED boarders. Testing the settings for each trigger is conducted in isolation keeping all other parameters constant.
The baseline model investigates other relevant generic parameters that are potential levers for alleviating ED
congestion.

The sensitivity analysis was performed through 200 Monte Carlo simulations of the model for each of the input variables, considering uniform distributions for these inputs. The result of these random input parameters was then recorded for each of the selected output variables. The results of this simulation process have been summarised in the data contained in Tables \ref{tab:2} and \ref{tab:3} \cite{Rahmandad2012}.

\begin{landscape}
\begin{table*}

\caption{Stressed model sensitivity test results for protocol trigger values. The percentages of deviation to the default value are in parentheses. The values have been extracted at the time where the three graphs (base, maximum, and minimum) show the biggest variance. Most leverage potential is found in the largest percentages deviation. Note no effect on
varied ED census trigger due to the threshold being frequently exceeded}
\label{tab:1}

\begin{tabular}{l|r|r|r||r r r|}
\cline{2-7}
\multicolumn{1}{l|}{} & \multicolumn{3}{c||}{Trigger 1: ED boarders} & \multicolumn{3}{c|}{Trigger 2: ED census} \\
\cline{2-7}
 & 7 \newline (Min.) & 10 \newline(Base) & 13 \newline (Max.)& 48 \newline (Min.) & 54 \newline (Base) & 60\newline (Max.)\\ \hline
Occupancy & 0.8971 \newline(-2.54\%) & 0.9205 & 0.926 (+0.59\%) & \multicolumn{3}{c|}{no independent effect} \\
\textit{time, max diff} & & 51 & & & & \\ \hline
ED census & 64.34 (+5.47\%) & 61.02 & 60.06 (-1.57\%) & \multicolumn{3}{c|}{no independent effect} \\
\textit{time, max diff} & & 67.5 & & & & \\ \hline
ED boarders & 6.503 (+5.69\%) & 6.153 & 6.052 (-1.64\%) & \multicolumn{3}{c|}{no independent effect} \\
\textit{time, max diff} & & 70.125 & & & & \\ \hline
Admit elect patients & 442 (-2.58\%) & 453.7 & 456.6 (+0.64\%) & \multicolumn{3}{c|}{no independent effect} \\
\textit{time, max diff} & & 51 & & & & \\ \hline

\end{tabular}
\end{table*}

\begin{table*}
\caption{Baseline sensitivity test results for inpatient beds and bed assignment time}
\label{tab:2}
\begin{tabular}{l | r | r | r || r| r | r |}
\cline{2-7}
\multicolumn{1}{r|}{} & \multicolumn{3}{c||}{Inpatient beds} & \multicolumn{3}{c|}{Bed assign time} \\
\cline{2-7}
& 400\newline (Min.) & 500 \newline (Base) & 900\newline (Max.) & 1.8\newline (Min.) & 2.9 \newline (Base) & 4\newline (Max.) \\ \hline
Occupancy & 0.9185 \newline(+0.20\%) & 0.9167 & 0.7891 \newline (-13.92\%) & 0.89 \newline(+0.79\%) & 0.833 & 0.865 \newline(+2.04\%) \\
time, max diff & & 56 & & & 24 & \\ \hline
ED census & 59.35 \newline (-1.02\%) & 59.96 & 60.07 \newline (+0.18\%) & 56.72 \newline (-4.72\%) & 59.53 & 62.03 \newline (+4.20\%)  \\
time, max diff & & 139.5 & & & 19.625 & \\ \hline
ED boarders & 5.967 \newline (-1.06\%) & 6.031 & 6.043 \newline (+0.20\%) & 5.403 \newline (-7.94\%) & 5.869 & 6.238 \newline (+6.29\%)  \\
time, max diff & & 142.5 & & & 24 &  \\ \hline
Admit elect patients & 364.7 \newline (-19.95\%) & 455.6 & 479.3 \newline (+5.20\%) & 440.3 \newline (+0.39\%) & 438.6 & 437 \newline (-0.36\%)  \\
time, max diff & & 100 & & & 24 & \\ \hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table*}

\begin{table*}
\caption{Baseline sensitivity test results for transfer time and number of admitted elective patients}
\label{tab:3}
\begin{tabular}{l | r| r | r || r| r | r |}
\cline{2-7}
\multicolumn{1}{l|}{} & \multicolumn{3}{c||}{Transfer time} & \multicolumn{3}{c|}{Admit elect patients} \\
\cline{2-7}
& 0.5\newline (Min.) & 1.56 \newline (Base) & 2.5\newline (Max.) & 100\newline (Min.) & 150 \newline (Base)  & 200\newline (Max.) \\ \hline
Occupancy & 0.905 \newline(-0.43\%) & 0.909 & 0.912 \newline (+0.37\%) & 0.689 \newline(-17.59\%) & 0.836 & 0.917 \newline (+9.75\%) \\
time, max diff &  & 32 & &  & 16 & \\ \hline
ED census & 56.65 \newline(-4.84\%) & 59.53 & 61.82 \newline (+3.85\%) & 59.14 \newline (-1.37\%) & 59.96 & 59.98 \newline (+0.03\%) \\
time, max diff & & 19.5 & & & 139.5 & \\ \hline
ED boarders & 2.784 \newline (-53.28\%) & 5.959 & 8.628 \newline (+44.79\%) & 5.945 \newline (-1.42\%) & 6.031 & 6.033 \newline (+0.03\%) \\
time, max diff & & 23.125 & & & 142.25 & \\ \hline
Admit elect patients & 458.6 \newline (+0.64\%) & 455.7 & 453.2 \newline (-0.55\%) & 340.8 \newline (-17.82\%) & 414.7 & 455 \newline (+9.72\%) \\
time, max diff & & 48 & & & 16 & \\ \hline
\end{tabular}
\end{table*}
\end{landscape}

Two scenarios are used to compare the effects of changing parameter values. These are the baseline model, i.e. 'business as
usual' corresponding to what was experienced in October 2013 and the stressed model, where an exogenous surge of patients trigger
the protocol temporarily. The model shows some sensitivity towards a change in the trigger value for ED boarders. For instance,
changing the threshold from a default value of 10 to 7 yields a 5.69 \% increase in the number of ED boarders, due to the number
of returning patients while occupancy is lowered by 2.54 \% (see Figure \ref{fig:4}). Varying the ED census trigger had no effect
on the system.

\begin{figure}[ht!]
  \includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{Fig4.jpeg}
\caption{The effect of changing the trigger threshold for ED boarders, measured on total number of ED boarders (upper graph) and occupancy rate (lower
graph).}
\label{fig:4}
\end{figure}

Switching the attention to the baseline model, four parameters were subject to analysis. These were the total inpatient capacity, bed assignment time,
transfer time, and mean incoming elective patients. In Figure \ref{fig:5}, the largest effect can be seen when changing the transfer time (53.28 \% and
44.79 \% respectively).

\begin{figure}[ht!]
  \includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{Fig5.jpeg}
\caption{The effect of changing transfer times on ED boarders (upper graph) and occupancy rate (lower graph). Lowering the transfer time both decrease
the number of ED boarders and the occupancy rate. Similarly, increasing the transfer time yields approximately the same effect in opposite direction. }
\label{fig:5}
\end{figure}

Adjusting the inpatient capacity showed very little impact on the ED census (between 0.18 \% and 1.02 \%). The results obtained on both transfer time and inpatient
capacity are consistent with recently published studies applying other simulation techniques \cite{Khare2009,Hurwitz2014}. Being able to assign an inpatient bed faster shows some leverage
potential, implying enhanced communication between the receiving inpatient ward and the ED. Lastly, changing the number of incoming elective patients had little
impact on the ED census- and boarders, while occupancy rates and the number of admitted patients were impacted.

\section{Discussion}
\label{discus}
The problem of ED crowding, which has been increasing despite the various policy recommendations for its reduction, can be described as a policy resistance problem,
where system structure defeats the policy changes designed to improve its performance. System dynamics, through the quantification of system behaviour as derived from its structure,
has been proven to be a suitable tool for the description and analysis of policy resistance problems. This study presents a system dynamics model capable of analysing the effects
of a local protocol to alleviate ED crowding alongside other more generic parameters that have been identified in the literature as relevant levers for crowding.
Three main results can be extracted from the study.

First, the developed system dynamics model was validated both qualitatively, through iterative consensus-seeking consultations with emergency physicians on the process
being modelled, and quantitatively, through satisfactory replication of census data and exhibiting plausible behaviour when exposed to extreme conditions.

Next, the developed model was stressed so that the protocol was activated in order to analyse the effects of changing the trigger values for both ED census- and
boarders. The stressing of the model corresponds to a brief but significant elevation in ED patient arrivals, similar to the event of a major accident. What EDs normally experience is sustained levels of increased workload that eventually leads to fatigue and subsequent crowding. In the simulation, the effects are identical with a single difference being the requirement of a longer time window in the latter case. Having an ED census beyond the threshold limit is no rare incidence at the case hospital. The ED is routinely busy during the afternoon where patient arrivals have been high for several hours. Patients typically arrive faster than those either discharged directly or leaving for an inpatient ward. However, the
congestion is time limited since the patient arrivals will decrease, giving the ED a chance to recover. Furthermore, discharging patients around the clock is a followed practice at the case hospital \cite{Wong2010}. Therefore, the ED boarder trigger is the parameter that can
slow down the patient flow. If this threshold is lowered to 7 from 10, ED census increases 5.47 \% and ED boarders increase 5.69 \% while the occupancy rate and
number of admitted patients decrease by approximately 2.5 \%. A higher ED census is explained by the increased
amount of returning patients due to premature discharge from an inpatient ward. The effect is delayed since prematurely discharged patients will not present themselves to the ED immediately upon discharge.

Finally, simulation of the baseline model yielded a number of other relevant findings. Fast transportation of ED boarders is identified as the main lever for
clearing ED congestion \cite{Shelton2010}.

The current trends towards decreasing available inpatient beds should be evaluated in light of these effects. Bed assignment time was also revealed to be a
potential focus area for improving patient flow. When decreased to an average of 1 hour and 48 minutes (from a base of 2 hours and 55 minutes), ED census is
decreased by 4.72 \% while the occupancy rate is elevated by 0.79 \%. Inpatient bed capacity did not provide great leverage while changing the number of elective
patients primarily had an influence on admitted patients because of idle capacity.

The SD model can be extended in several ways. A benefit of system dynamics is its capability of modelling human behaviour. Social aspects of care and human
factors can therefore be included, for instance the performance effects of coping with increased workloads \cite{Morrison2011}. Some of the constants
included in the model can be investigated more in depth in future studies to reveal a more precise depiction of reality. One such example would be the relation between faster discharging times on
the probability of increased ED patient returns. Additionally, the ED patients that do return for more treatment may be at a higher risk of getting admitted once
more. Another possibility would be to focus on the transition between departments by explicitly modelling the receiving inpatient ward. Adopting a broader system focus would be an important first step in finding
sustainable efficiency improvements for the hospital as compared to looking at the ED in isolation \cite{Brailsford2004}.

\section{Limitations}
\label{limit}
The simulation model developed is only an approximation of reality as perceived by a limited number of ED physicians' mental models and is based on a limited data
sample. Reality is much more complex than the model presented, explaining the difference in displayed behaviour shown in Figure \ref{fig:3}. Patients are treated
as one large quantity despite being categorised according to their respective levels of acuity. Such differentiation could in the model be obtained by application of subscripts.

The SD model introduces a varying inflow of elective patients with a fixed mean and standard deviation around the clock which represents an idealised scenario desirable from an ED perspective. The reality
is that most hospitals schedule elective admissions in batches typically in the mornings on Monday to Thursday. Elective patients getting admitted after surgery
are in need of inpatient beds at the same time that the daily wave of patients admitted from the ED are looking for beds. Furthermore, the hospital may have
policies as to admit either ED patients or elective patients in favour of the other in case of restricted inpatient capacity; something the model does not account
for.

The results generated from the developed SD model are dependent on the parameter representing the likelihood of a prematurely discharged inpatient returning to
the ED. This value was estimated based on current literature but may in reality be a variable that depend on how early the patient is discharged.
Since data stems from a single hospital, the model resembles one particular system. Generalizability potential is thus reduced. However, there are conclusions
that may be of interest to other hospitals with similar admission processes. The model's validity would be improved if similar data sets were acquired at other
emergency care hospitals. Finally, any interventional pilot studies that may follow the use of the proposed model would have to be assessed and compared to that
of the model's output.

\section{Conclusion}
\label{conclude}
The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of altering the trigger thresholds for a local protocol used for alleviating crowding situations
at a large tertiary care center and teaching hospital in Boston, MA. A side objective was to change the focus to more general parameters hypothesised as
alternative levers for ED crowding control. Through the development of a system dynamics model, it was shown that, for the protocol, changing the ED census
trigger had no effect on patient flow while the ED boarder trigger could speed up the patient flow when lowered at the expense of a slight increase in ED census.
More generally, faster bed assignment- and transfer times had a positive effect on the patient flow and are thus a recommended target area for potential process
improvements. This study underlines the capabilities of simulation as a feasible option in the search of sophisticated management decision support tools for
complex dynamic systems.

\bibliographystyle{abbrv}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


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text:
Focus 32 - 4th Quarter 2003
To hang or not to hang, that is the question
Alex | Jul 17, 2013
Alf Stadler reckons that the ANC has forgone a chance to educate the public by refusing to debate the death penalty.
Summary - The NNP's recent demand that the government appoint a task team to investigate the introduction of the death penalty (which probably signals its intention to use capital punishment as an issue in the elections) raises questions about the role of public opinion in shaping policy on this matter, and about the viability of the government's abolitionist stance. Capital punishment poses an important test for liberal democracy because it usually sets the liberal and democratic elements in sharp contradiction. Thus in recent decades many governments have abolished the death penalty even though public opinion in their countries supports it. In Britain, for example, where no one has been sentenced to death for half a century, 77 per cent of the population were in favour of capital punishment in 2001. This is slightly higher than the percentage that favours capital punishment in the US, where 38 states enforce the death penalty. The main difference between the US and Britain lies in the fact that in the US the principle of majority rule is incontrovertible. It is likely that public opinion in South Africa is at least as favourable to capital punishment as it is in Britain and the US, if not more so. Thus the ANC's refusal even to debate the issue suggests that the party is less populist than some of its critics believe. Its stance is similar to that of British governments, which have refused to bow to public opinion on this matter. The South African government received institutional support from the Constitutional Court, which ruled in 1995 that the death penalty contradicts the right not to be subject to cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. The Court acknowledged that public opinion was in favour of the death penalty but asserted that this should not outweigh other principles. This judgement insulated the issue from public opinion; however, the educational role that the debate has had elsewhere is missing here. It may be difficult for the ANC to maintain its abolitionist policy if opposition parties win votes by advocating the introduction of capital punishment. Black opinion on this issue is largely untested, but the high incidence of vigilantism suggests that the death penalty is acceptable to many black South Africans. Our high levels of serious crime may reinforce the sentiment that draconian penalties, including capital punishment, are needed.
The ANC's reluctance to debate the death penalty deprives it of an opportunity to educate the public.
The New National Party (NNP) has demanded that the South African government appoint a task team to investigate the introduction of the death penalty.
The demand was made after several particularly unpleasant murders and in the context of high levels of violent crime. Other groups have subsequently climbed in on the act, and a High Court judge recently declared his belief in the deterrent effect of the death penalty.
The NNP was probably signalling its intention to use capital punishment as an issue in the 2004 general elections.
The government replied that it refused to reconsider its abolitionist stance on the death penalty. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has long been abolitionist (though the NNP has accused it of sitting on the fence).
The African National Congress's (ANC) position on the death penalty has won it, and South Africa, admiration among abolitionists. When governor George Ryan of Illinois announced in January 2003 that he would commute the sentences of all prisoners on death row, he said he had been strongly influenced by ex-president Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Capital punishment poses an important test for liberal democracy, because it usually sets the liberal element and the democratic element into sharp contradiction. More governments than ever before have abandoned capital punishment, reflecting the revulsion of contemporary liberalism for the barbaric penal practices inherited from a pre-enlightenment past.
At the same time, it is likely that public opinion in many countries supports capital punishment, including countries where it is not practised.
According to Robert Singh, 76 per cent of respondents in the United States to a 1995 survey were in favour of the death penalty. In 2001 capital punishment was practised in 38 states in the US, but in Britain, where no one has been sentenced to death for half a century, he found that a marginally larger proportion (77 per cent) favoured capital punishment.1 Cynically perhaps, Ian Gilmour suggested that if public executions were brought back in Britain, "the crowd would be bigger than at a Wembley cup final; ticket touts would make a killing".2 The difference between the United States and Britain lies not so much in the level of public support for capital punishment as in the strength of the principle of majority rule. "The difference," wrote Robert Singh, "is the incontrovertibility of the principle of majority rule in the US".
I am not aware of a survey of attitudes on the issue in South Africa. But public opinion here is as likely to be favourable to capital punishment as it is in the United States and Britain.3 To judge from readers' letters to the press and the widespread practice of a murderous vigilantism, it could be more so.
The issue raises questions about the place of public opinion in shaping policy on this issue, and about the long-term viability of the government's abolitionist stance.
The ANC's resistance even to debating the issue may suggest that the ANC is less "populist" than some of its critics believe. Perhaps its leaders are afraid that a debate would open a Pandora's box, and that the weight of internal opinion might force it to change its position on an issue on which it has taken a principled stand without, as far as is known, having discussed it. On this issue ANC government behaviour is similar to that of British governments, which refused in this instance to accept the incontrovertibility of public opinion.
The South African Constitutional Court decided in S vs. Makwanyane, (1995), that the death penalty contradicted the right stated in Section 11(2) of the Constitution "not to be subject to cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment". This decision gave the South African government institutional support that British governments, in the absence of a constitutional court, do not enjoy. It had the advantage of insulating the issue from public opinion.
On the other hand the educational role which the debate has had elsewhere is missing here. The issue was exhaustively debated in Britain for decades before the death penalty was suspended experimentally for five years. Although debate on the death penalty there has never been foreclosed, neither of the major parties seems to want to restore it.3
The issue is vigorously debated in the United States, with opposing groups weighing in with masses of evidence to support their positions. The abolitionist case has gained enormous support there since the 1950s: 13 states are abolitionist, and most executions are carried out in a handful of southern states.
Outside of the southern states of the USA, there have been profound changes in the views held among the groups that shape judicial policy-making, particularly sentencing, irrespective of the state of public opinion.
In the Makwanyane case the Court assumed that public opinion was in favour of the death penalty. However, it asserted that while public opinion had a role to play, it ought not outweigh other values and principles.
Section 11(2) of the South African Constitution echoed the Eighth Amendment of the US Constitution, which outlawed cruel and unusual punishment.4 But this Amendment has never precluded US courts from imposing the death penalty, though it may have restrained its use. Following a moratorium on the death penalty, the US Supreme Court decided in Furman vs. Georgia (1972) that existing sentencing guidelines violated the Eighth Amendment. This decision reopened the door to capital punishment, for states like Texas could claim that methods like the lethal injection were not cruel and unusual. Texas restored the death penalty in 1976. (Lethal injection is now thought to be excruciatingly painful.)
Deservedly, the Constitutional Court enjoys enormous authority in South Africa. But this authority is not unlimited, and in areas such as the criminal justice system it might not command public respect were pro-death penalty interest groups to launch a determined attack on current policy, particularly if the current debilitating infighting in the ANC were to continue into next year.
It might be difficult for the ANC to maintain an abolitionist policy were opposition parties to win electoral support through advocating the introduction of capital punishment.
Aside from the NNP, a "Death Penalty Party" (DPP) has been formed to fight the 2004 elections, and an "anti-crime action group" has called for a referendum on the issue.
While single-issue parties usually fail dismally, the fact that the DPP echoes the demand from the NNP (an ally, after all, of the ANC) might suggest that the issue will not go away. Like the NNP, the DPP's support probably consists mainly of conservative whites, a negligible minority.
Recently Pretoria High Court judge Johan Els added his authority to the movement: "I am convinced that the death penalty has a deterrent effect". But the capital punishment movement should not be discounted simply because its most vocal advocates are whites.
Black opinion is largely untested on the issue. Traditionalist African movements, which have recently been flexing their muscle, and drawing considerable response from the ANC, have not articulated a view on capital punishment, but could very well come out in favour. Witch-hunts followed by cruel executions were endemic in remote rural areas in recent years, which suggests that vigilantism is a well-established feature of traditional society.5 Vigilante slayings of suspects are also common in urban areas, often for non-serious crimes.
The police attribute the high incidence of vigilantism to a loss of confidence in the ability of the authorities to cope with crime. The implication may be that the death penalty is acceptable to a significant element in black South Africa.
The American scholar James Marquant believed that Texans supported the death penalty because they had lost confidence in the criminal justice system.
In South Africa high levels of serious crime, a two-year embargo on the publication of crime statistics, and a long tradition of vigilantism, may reinforce the sentiment that the solution lies in draconian penalties, not only for murder but also for those crimes that feed moral panics, like child rape.
In South Africa, the murder rate was 47.4/100 000 in 2002-03, compared with 6/100 000 in the USA and less than 2/100 0000 in Europe. Serious crime, according to the South African Police Services report tabled in September, was considerably lower than the previous year, but the claim was greeted with scepticism by a wide range of opposition parties.
The high rate of serious crime might lend support to the call for the introduction of the death penalty. In fact, the Homicide and the death penalty in the USA box cites good research that the death penalty does not deter homicide in the United States, and there are some indications that it has the reverse effect.
The reluctance of the South African government to debate the issue at the highest level is understandable, but may by default deprive it of the opportunity to educate the public (and especially party representatives) about the death penalty.
Homicide and the death penalty in the USA: box
Four recent book-length studies reinforce doubts that the death penalty has a deterrent effect;
Executions have a brutalising effect measurable in increases in homicides following executions;
Murders in north-eastern states have decreased by 5 per cent, while murders in southern states increased. Since 1976, 82 per cent of executions have been in the south; one per cent in the north-east;
Murders in Canada declined after abolition in 1976;
In the USA, the homicide rate is 6/100 000, compared with under 2/100 000 in six European countries which have all abolished the death penalty;
The homicide rate is 48 per cent-101 per cent higher in states with the death penalty than in states without it;
Police chiefs surveyed in 1995 saw the death penalty as last among effective ways of reducing violent crimes.
Information from the website of the Death Penalty Information Centre. Most information for 2002.
1 Robert Singh, Capital Punishment in the United States: A New Abolitionism, The Political Quarterly, 71, 3, July-September 2000
2 Riot, Risings and Revolution: Governance and Violence in Eighteenth-Century England, 1992, p 10
3 The Murder (Abolition of the Death Penalty) Act, 1965, suspended the operation of the death penalty for an experimental period of five years, so presumably there is no statutory obstacle to its use. But it is highly unlikely that it will be reintroduced
4 Myron Zlotnick provides an outstanding analysis of the issue. (The death penalty and public opinion, Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation seminar, June 1995.)
5 Isak Niehaus, Witchcraft, Power and Politics, 2001

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
What happens to a premier soccer field that is predominantly annual bluegrass in the middle of a hot messy summer in southern New Jersey when they turn off the water for 2 weeks?
The Soil Profile: Stockton College of New Jersey
What happens to a premier soccer field that is predominantly annual bluegrass in the middle of a hot messy summer in southern New Jersey when they turn off the water for 2 weeks? A rhetorical question? Unfortunately no, this is what happened to David Wood, head groundskeeper at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey when the school decided to resurface the track that circles the field.
"We were a month and a half away from when the team comes back to start practice for a September 1 opening day game when they started a two week resurfacing of the track that circles our field and I was informed that we could not run our irrigation system at all while the track cures for fear of getting water on the new surface," Wood said about the school located in Pomona, 15 minutes outside of Atlantic City. Summers in the mid-Atlantic states are not great as anyone managing turf knows, humidity is very high and the temperatures typically can reach into the high 90's.
"I guess we were lucky that they didn't do this last summer which was the worst summer I can remember but not long after they turned off my water we hit temperatures in the low 100's," Wood said.
Dave Roesch has been the Supervisor of Landscape Maintenance at the college for more than 20 years and described the original construction of this soccer field as less than ideal. "The field was build in the mid 1980's and was designed to have a herring bone drainage system through the whole site but the design was changed during construction and the decision was made to make this site a recharge storm water basin and because of the this the construction company didn't have room for a proper drainage system." A series of corrugated pipes were laid in a bed of gravel and covered with a landscape fabric 14 inches below a mix of native soil, which is predominately a sandy loam, and a collection of subsoils.
"The field has always caused us drainage problems especially before we broke through the landscape fabric that held water just below the playing surface, and the soil mix was not what anyone would want on their stadium field," Wood said.
Stockton College of New Jersey was established in the late 1960's and is the home of the Stockton Ospreys men's soccer team, the 2001 NCAA Division III national champions. The stadium field is currently used almost exclusively for the men's soccer games. Stockton College does not have a football team so men's soccer takes on a highlighted spot in the sports program at the college. David Wood manages this field along with four practice soccer fields, almost 20 acres of intramural fields, one baseball field, one softball field and a new synthetic sports turf field as well as turf and landscape responsibilities across the 1,600 acre campus.
On July 7 the resurfacing work began on the track that completely encompasses the main soccer field. A rubber based polymer composite was used and a total of five coats were needed to finish the project. "The coating only takes a few minutes to dry but they can only apply the material in perfect conditions so the process ended up taking a couple of weeks to finish. The material used on the track can easily drift so if the wind is moving in the wrong directions we could have wound up with buildings painted red!" Wood said. One of the most damaging parts of the process was a tarp that they had to lay down around the entire parameter of the track over the turf, and without David's knowledge, this tarp was held down with 6-inch spikes one of which went through an irrigation line.
The soccer field is a mix of many grasses according to Wood, the field is mostly poa but there is a little bit of everything there, some bluegrass, ryegrass, fescue and even some bentgrass. "Last year was a tough year for this field, the weather was horrible and the poa started a slow decline in June and didn't recover until October," Wood said. It was at that point that he decided to make some changes in his agronomic approach to try to provide the field more sustainability and try to create a situation where the field could survive the tough New Jersey summers. David is a graduate of the turf management program at nearby Rutgers University and has many years of experience managing golf courses.
"I spent a lot of time managing poa on a golf course but it's not the same when you put a soccer team on that grass for a few hours of heavy play," said Wood.
One of the concerns David expressed about the soils he was managing was the level of sodium. Test data showed that this field was consistently running at levels between 40 and 60 pounds per acres sodium on the soil colloid but the water soluble paste extract was indicating an ever worse scenario. Along with the sodium concerns potassium levels were showing constant deficiencies which will only complicate the sodium problems creating added stress on an already stressed field. One recent water soluble paste extract showed a sodium percentage of 35 and a significantly lower potassium percentage which is often an indication for the potential of sodium induced wilt and more plant stress.
He started in October of last year with a recovery program of over seeding ryegrass with a starter fertilizer and frequent applications of gypsum to help knock off the excess sodium. In November he aerified with hollow tines in a 2-inch spacing and applied a combination zeolite, compost, rock mineral product at 25 pounds per 1000 square feet in the aerification holes and a composted 5-4-5 organic fertilizer to help recovery. He repeated this process again this past April.
"I wanted to get some recovery in this field and knew the organics would help but I also changed my topdressing program from a straight sand to a 70/20/10 mix incorporating a little peat moss and soil," said Wood. In the spring he incorporated a new fertility spray program using a 5-ounce mix of each of three products, a soil conditioner/bio-stimulant, a liquid calcium product and a carbon based NPK product. "What really sold me on this new approach was how well the soccer field recovered after 2 weeks with virtually no water. The poa is now strong and well rooted, last year at this time you could pull it up with your hand so you could imagine what the soccer team did to it, but now it is holding up to everything!" said Wood.
I asked David what the first thing he did after he was able to get back on the soccer field after the track resurfacing project and with a laugh he quickly replied, "I watered it heavily!" He also went back with some zeolite and organic fertilizers to help recovery. He plans on continuing a regular gypsum program to fight the sodium that is coming in from the 10,000 gallons of water that he enjoys irrigating nightly. He has noticed a slight magnesium deficiency in recent soil tests and plans on making a couple of sul-po-mag applications this fall but will also continue the use of potassium sulfate to fight potassium deficiencies and stay ahead of the sodium to potassium balance.
I wouldn't wish 2 weeks of no irrigation on any turf manager let alone to have it happen in the middle of July and I have to say my expectations upon visiting David's field were pretty low, but I was overly impressed with the recovery that has occurred in such a short period of time. He still has some work to do and the weather has not helped much but the field is definitely playable, the few weak areas and field edges will be managed and over seeded. By opening day September 1 the players and spectators will not know there was ever a point of concern and David and his team will look back at this experience with a chuckle and a sigh of relief.
Joel Simmons is the president of EarthWorks Natural Organic Products and Soil First consulting and teaches the Soil First Academy. He holds a master's degree from Penn State University and is a former Penn State extension agent and instructor of soils at Rutgers University, joel@soilfirst.com.
Synthetic Turf Trends
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Lely WFR spreader
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Monaco bermudagrass now available from Barenbrug USA


text:
/*---------------------------------------------------------------------\*
   Antony Philip - 04/24/2011, cs@umn
   Mixture of Gaussians for Background Estimation
\*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
#pragma once

#include <cmath>
#include <cstdio>
#include <cstring>
#include <string>

const double g_fPI = 3.14159265358979323846;

class MOGParams {
public:
    // Constructor
    MOGParams() {
        fWinnerDistanceThreshold = 2.5;
        fBackgroundThreshold = 0.7;
        fLearningRate = 0.01;
        fInitialWeight = 0.05;
        fInitialSD = 30;
        nNumberOfFeatures = 3;
        nNumberOfGaussiansPerPixel = 5;
        m_fSqrt2PiPowN = pow(sqrt(2.0 * g_fPI), nNumberOfFeatures);

        nNumberOfFrames = 286;
        nStartFrameNumber = 0;
        strcpy(szFilenameFormat, "wallflower.%d.ppm");
    }

    // Destructor
    ~MOGParams() {
    }

    // Get the image file name for the specified frame
    std::string GetFileName(int nFrameNumber) {
        char sFileName[80];
        snprintf(sFileName, sizeof(sFileName), szFilenameFormat, nFrameNumber);
        std::string szFileName = sFileName;
        return szFileName;
    }

public:
    // Winner nodes distance threshold
    double fWinnerDistanceThreshold;

    // T - Threshold to indicate whether a Gaussian can be part of BG or FG after sorting them
    // based on their weights
    double fBackgroundThreshold;

    // Alpha - learning rate
    double fLearningRate;

    // Initial weight assigned to Gaussian
    double fInitialWeight;

    // Initial std. deviation assigned to Gaussian
    double fInitialSD;

    // Number of features
    int nNumberOfFeatures;

    // Number of Gaussians per pixel
    int nNumberOfGaussiansPerPixel;

    // Constant to keep (sqrt(2*Pi))^N
    double m_fSqrt2PiPowN;

    // File name formatting string
    char szFilenameFormat[80];

    // Total number of frames
    int nNumberOfFrames;

    // Start frame index
    int nStartFrameNumber;
};

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Maritimers United Against Prohibition
Digest Admin
By Debbie Stultz-Giffin
In March of this year, as reported in the Spring Issue of Cannabis Digest, Halifax City Police and the Integrated Street Crime Unit charged medical cannabis patient Bob Dillman and his wife, both from Dartmouth, with possession and production of cannabis. Dillman had fallen into a legal quagmire created by the Allard decision in federal court, British Columbia, and changes to the federal medical cannabis program that sought the elimination of home gardens for medical cannabis patients and their caregivers.
Dillman's last federal exemption was dated February 2014. With the previous program winding down, he was unable to renew his paperwork through Health Canada before it expired, despite the fact that his doctor continued to sanction his medical use. Living on a limited, fixed income, Dillman was unable to afford cannabis from Licensed Producers. In fact, the cost of obtaining corporate cannabis would exceed his monthly income by $18.00. Even a financial guru couldn't make that equation work!
On May 11th, Dillman received word that his wife's charges had been dropped. The following morning, in Dartmouth Provincial Court, he learned that his charges would follow suit. Dillman said that after their names were called in court, the crown claimed that 'evidence was an issue.' Therefore all charges were withdrawn. Yet the RCMP had confiscated at least 18 plants and an undisclosed amount of cannabis the day of the raid. Just days after they learned of their fate, Dillman and his spouse joined with Maritimers Unite for Medical Marijuana Society (MUMM) for a press conference at the High Life Social Lounge in Halifax. As a result of this press conference, Ray Bradbury, Global News, Halifax, extracted the following statement from the Public Prosecutor Service of Canada: "The charges were withdrawn in this matter because the public interest was no longer best served by prosecution."
Increasingly frustrated by, and concerned over, the on-going arrest of patients who utilize cannabis for therapeutic purposes, MUMM kick-started a petition at Dillman Park (a.k.a. the Dartmouth Commons), Dartmouth, at the 20th annual Cannabis Day celebrations on July 1st. The petitioners are requesting that the province of Nova Scotia work with law enforcement and the Public Prosecution Service of Canada to ensure that the arrest and prosecution of chronically ill Nova Scotians be stopped immediately. Our executive is also awaiting an appointment to discuss our concerns and suggest alternatives to arresting patients with the province's recently appointed Provincial Justice Minister, Diana Whalen.
Sadly, another patient and spouse were arrested and charged under the CDSA on August 5th. In March of this year, Rob Roy and his spouse, who fall into the same grey area as Dillman, were raided, and are now set to appear for finger printing and mug shots on October 5th at the Kingston RCMP detachment, and later that same morning at the Annapolis Royal Courthouse. MUMM and Halifax Anonymous Hemp Sector will be on hand to offer support, and will be holding a rally outside at both the RCMP detachment and the courthouse, which, by the way, is the oldest court in Canada.
James MacDonald, featured in a CD spring article on patients in Nova Scotia who have been prosecuted, was sentenced to 60 days by Justice Del Atwood at the Pictou Provincial Court on January 8th 2015. He was convicted of marijuana production. Caught in a void between Health Canada medical marijuana exemption approvals, this 36-year old Stellarton man dealing with debilitating Crohn's disease was arrested in February, 2014, when the Pictou County Integrated Street Crime Unit executed a warrant to search his home. MacDonald successfully obtained a new authorization for his medical cannabis several months later.
MacDonald appeared in the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal on September 9th to appeal his CDSA 7 marijuana production charge based on previous ineffective counsel. He concluded, after meeting with his lawyer just moments prior to court, that he had lost faith in her ability to represent him. After briefly convening court, the appeal judges returned to the bench to grant MacDonald's request. Justice Beveridge acknowledged that this case was of importance to MacDonald, and that it was therefore crucial that he had counsel of whom who he felt sure. Beveridge apologized to "Mr. MacDonald's supporters, some of whom have come a distance to be here, for making the trip in vain."
MUMM had held a rally with 16 supporters prior to this hearing, and it received excellent front-page coverage in the provincial paper: The Chronicle Herald. Once again the mantra "Stop Arresting Patients" was heard in this province, so we certainly didn't concur with the judge's assessment that our time had been wasted! MacDonald will be back in Appeal Court on Oct. 1st to set a new date for trial.
The last weekend of August marked MUMM's 8th annual Harvest Fest, and the distribution of the judge's gift bags to start the John Cook MUMMorial Cup. This event was held in the beautiful Annapolis Valley's Mount Denson. (Follow "The Maritimers Unite for Medical Marijuana Society" on Facebook as details of next year's event evolve!) John Cook was MUMM's original Vice Chair and Co-founder. Sadly, due to health complications in 2012, John was forced to resign as Director of Cannabis Buyer's Club of Canada's Halifax outlet after nearly 10 years of helping patients to access their medication; on August 31, 2013, he passed away. Words like selfless, compassionate, heart of gold, understanding and empathy were prominent in his obituary. John was a constant shining example of leading by example, of how to run an open, transparent compassion club, and how to be an activist with real integrity. John's dedication to patients and the medical cannabis cause was unwavering. Therefore, it was with great pride that MUMM dedicated its inaugural annual cup to John's memory. When the name: 'The John Cook MUMMorial Cup' was proposed, it seemed like such a natural fit and a wonderful way to create a legacy for John!
Although each category in the cup was awarded a trophy or medal at MUMM's Annual General Meeting and Awards ceremony on September 12 by John's wife, Krista, a "Judge's Choice" trophy has been designated to bear the name of the individual who scores the most overall points, by average, in all categories. This cup will rotate among the various shops that sponsored this event, and will travel with us as we host various educational events here in Atlantic Canada. Jose "Pedro" Dominguez, of Quebec, will have his name engraved as this year's Judge's Choice for his amazing New York City Diesel entry.
Who knows, maybe next year it will have your name on it.
Debbie Stultz-Giffin
Chair: MUMM
ActivismCanadaCannabisEast CoastmaritimerMaritimesmedical cannabismedical marijuana
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Tecsun is currently looking for motivated individuals for Sales Representative positions in Arizona. Contact us for more information about the position and please fill out our employment application HERE if you are interested!
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Copyright © Tecsun Flooring. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Plistospilota mabirica es una especie de mantis de la familia Mantidae.

Distribución geográfica
Se encuentra en el Congo y en Uganda.

Referencias

Mabirica
Fauna de Uganda
Insectos descritos en 1917

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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For months I'd been hearing about an Olympics-themed collaboration between Grammy-winning English DJ/producer Mark Ronson and Mercury Music Prize nominated South London garage queen Katy B. FINALLY, the song has been released and I have to say, it's pretty effing cool.
Aiden Grimshaw is set to release his debut single, "Is This Love" on June 3rd (iTunes UK) followed by the release of his album, Misty Eye, due August 13th on RCA Records. Ahead of the single release in a couple of weeks, Grimshaw offers fans two new interpretations of his flawless debut single in the form of two quality remixes. Check them out BELOW.
BIGkids is an English duo consisting of singer/songwriters Ben Hudson and Rosie Oddie. Hudson (AKA Mr. Hudson) is known for that supremely catchy single "Supernova," featuring American hip hop superstar Kanye West, a Top 5 hit on the UK Singles Chart (peaking at #2) back in 2009. It was the first taken from his sophomore album, Straight No Chaser, which was a Top 30 hit in the UK following it's release in the Fall of 2009. While Hudson is in between solo projects, new duo BIGkids is generating quite a buzz over in the UK, following a string of low-key London shows and the release of their widely acclaimed debut single, "Drum in Your Chest." Their new single, "Superhero" is out now (iTunes UK/iTunes US) and features a quirky little video that's definitely worth a watch.


The Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity, Fergus Ewing MP, today announced the appointment of Amanda Bryan, Ailsa Gray, Dr Robert McIntosh and Belinda Oldfield, as Non-Executive Members of the Board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
"It is important that our Board membership reflects the diversity of the modern Highlands and Islands, and I am delighted that we have been able to make such strong appointments.
Belinda Oldfield is a Civil Engineer with a Master's Degree in Business who has long experience in risk and asset management. She is currently a senior leader at Scottish Water with responsibility for corporate risk and revenue management and was a key member of the Scottish Water merger team and has a track record of infrastructure investment delivery gained in both the private and public sectors. Mrs Oldfield has been a shadow Board member of Highlands and Islands Enterprise and a member of the Water Industry Innovation Panel for Scotland. She is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a member of the Institute of Water and current Scottish Area President, and an affiliate member of the Institute of Risk Management. She is also a keen supporter of Women in Science and Engineering.
The appointments are for three years from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2019. The appointments are part-time and attract a remuneration of £10,065 per annum, paid monthly, based on daily fee of £419 for an average of two days per month.
Ms Bryan is a Forestry Commissioner for Scotland and Chair of the National Committee Scotland. She receives £14,577 per annum for a time commitment of 3-4 days each month.
Ms Gray, Dr McIntosh and Mrs Oldfield do not hold any other Ministerial appointments.
None of those being appointed have undertaken any political activity in the last five years.
HIE is a non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government, with a unique remit which integrates economic and community development. The Highlands and Islands region covers half of Scotland, from Shetland to Argyll and from the Hebrides to Moray, and has a population of almost 470,000. HIE pursues four priorities to achieve sustainable growth. These are supporting businesses and social enterprises to shape and realise their growth aspirations; strengthening communities and fragile areas; developing growth sectors, particularly distinctive regional opportunities; and creating the conditions for a competitive and low carbon region. In addition to its regional impact, HIE manages several Scottish Government initiatives across the whole of Scotland, including Wave Energy Scotland, Community Broadband Scotland and the Scottish Land Fund (in partnership with the Big Lottery Fund). HIE invests around £100 million a year in delivering its remit and employs around 300 people based in locations around the Highlands and Islands.


The Department for Infrastructure manages the disposal of the Island's waste. They also look after roads, public transport and the traffic management network. They make sure that drivers and vehicles are roadworthy and provide cleaning and parks and gardening services. They also have the responsibility for all transport policy in Jersey.


This one takes place in Europe, the original home of the Tiero shifters. We start our journey in the Eternal City—Rome.
Vax's half-brother Rafe has it bad for Callie. He thinks that's the kind of woman he needs.
The book was ok. It was interesting, but I just felt something was missing. I am up on hey it is fate wham we are in love, but there was like no development to get there. At first he sees her and doesn't feel anything then all of a sudden he has to have her because of her tattoo? Kinda pushing it there. I like the idea of the fortune teller and the tattoo, but it could have been a better developed story to start with her story and why she was in Italy. The pull between them would seem more real. The author could have had them as teens dreaming about each other. More drama more build up = better story!


text:
Q: Page displays everything that is in the database The PageSize field indicates that information should be displayed on one page, about eight objects, but the page displays everything that is in the database.
        private readonly IObjectRepository _objectRepository;
        private readonly IWebHostEnvironment hostingEnvironment;
        public int PageSize = 8;

        public HomeController(IObjectRepository objectRepository, IWebHostEnvironment hostingEnvironment)
        {
            _objectRepository = objectRepository;
            this.hostingEnvironment = hostingEnvironment;
        }

        public ViewResult Index(int objectPage)
        {
            var model = _objectRepository.GetAllObjects();
            model.OrderBy(o => o.Id)
                 .Skip((objectPage - 1) * PageSize)
                 .Take(PageSize);
            return View(model);
        }

A: Skip and Take return a new IEnumerable as a result, instead of modifying the existing one in place. So, you should replace this line:
model.OrderBy(o => o.Id)
             .Skip((objectPage - 1) * PageSize)
             .Take(PageSize);

with:
model=model.OrderBy(o => o.Id)
             .Skip((objectPage - 1) * PageSize)
             .Take(PageSize);

This way, you assign the new query value to the baseQuery and then when you enumerate it, it will return the expected entities.

A: Thanks everyone! I found another solution with Methanit, thanks him a lot.
1 - Changed my PageViewModel
public class PageViewModel
    {
        public int PageNumber { get; set; }
        public int TotalPages { get; set; }

    public PageViewModel(int count, int pageNumber, int pageSize)
    {
        PageNumber = pageNumber;
        TotalPages = (int)Math.Ceiling(count / (double)pageSize);
    }

    public bool HasPreviousPage
    {
        get
        {
            return (PageNumber > 1);
        }
    }

    public bool HasNextPage
    {
        get
        {
            return (PageNumber < TotalPages);
        }
    }
}

2 - Changed method Index in Controller:
public IActionResult Index(int page = 1)
        {
            int pageSize = 6;
            var model = _objectRepository.GetAllObjects();
            var count = model.Count();
            var items = model.Skip((page - 1) * pageSize).Take(pageSize).ToList();
            PageViewModel pageViewModel = new PageViewModel(count, page, pageSize);
            IndexViewModel viewModel = new IndexViewModel
            {
                PageViewModel = pageViewModel,
                Objects = items
            };
            return View(viewModel);
        }

3 - The application is working correctly.
Thanks all a lot!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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text:
Fabijan Šovagović (Ladimirevci, 4. siječnja 1932. – Zagreb, 1. siječnja 2001.), bio je hrvatski kazališni i filmski glumac, redatelj i pisac. Bio je jedan od najvećih hrvatskih glumaca čija su ostvarenja tijekom desetljeća obilježavala i određivala smjer i kvalitetu hrvatskoga glumišta.

Životopis

Fabijan Šovagović rođen je 1932. godine kao jedno od četvero djece u zemljoradničkoj obitelji Josipa i Tonke Šovagović a odrastao je u slavonskom selu Ladimirevcima nedaleko Valpova. Srednju školu građevinskoga smjera završio je u Osijeku. Već je kao srednjoškolac glumio u amaterskim predstavama u Ladimirevcima (David Štrbac u Kočićevu Jazavcu pred sudom), a potom i u omladinskom KUD-u "Milica Križan" u Osijeku. Studij glume polazio je na Akademiji kazališne umjetnosti u Zagrebu gdje je i diplomirao 1957. godine. Tijekom godina bio je članom kazališta "Gavella", HNK u Zagrebu, sudjelovao u radu "Teatra u gostima", djelovao kao slobodni umjetnik i nastupao na svim našim najvećim festivalima.

Kazališni glumac široka raspona, na filmu debitira u Svoga tela gospodar. Jedan od najboljih hrvatskih glumaca uopće, sugestijom iznimnog unutarnjeg života te dubokih i proturječnih poriva, ostvario je bogat filmski, kazališni i televizijski opus. Podjednako je uvjerljiv kao razočarani intelektualac – cinični promatrač društvenih mana (Predstava Hamleta u selu Mrduša Donja, Krsto Papić, 1973; Novinar, Zlatna arena), bešćutni ubojica (Događaj) ili žrtva društvene represije (Lisice).

U žanru komedije glumio je ozbiljne, često mračne, cinične ili nervozne likove, pridonoseći složenosti prikazanoga svijeta, npr. u Imam 2 mame i 2 tate i u tv seriji Prosjaci i sinovi Antuna Vrdoljaka. Markantne osobenjake, npr. u Brezi i Ritmu zločina, tumači s iznimnom psihološkom uvjerljivošću, a bez manirizma. Sporednim ulogama, npr. u filmovima Ponedjeljak ili utorak, Čovjek koji je volio sprovode (Zoran Tadić, 1989, Zlatna arena) i Orao zavrjeđuje pohvale koliko i u glavnima, a psihološku slojevitost unosi i u plošno zamišljene likove, npr. u Izbavitelju. Prema vlastitoj drami, s Brankom Schmidtom napisao je scenarij za film Sokol ga nije volio (i gl. uloga), s temom iz zavičajne Slavonije.

Ostali važniji filmovi: Prometej s otoka Viševice, Kuća, Seljačka buna 1573 (Vatroslav Mimica, 1975., kao Matija Gubec), Pucanj (Krešo Golik, 1977), Ne naginji se van, Susreti sa značajnim ljudima (Peter Brook, 1979), Povratak (Antun Vrdoljak, 1979), Ambasador (Fadil Hadžić, 1984, Zlatna arena), San o ruži (Zoran Tadić, 1986), Osuđeni (Zoran Tadić, 1987), Diploma za smrt (Živorad Tomić, 1989), Đuka Begović (Branko Schmidt, 1991., i koscenarist). Neka od njegovih najpoznatijih ostvarenja su uloge u predstavama Lenjin, Skup, Dundo Maroje, potom u TV-serijama Kuda idu divlje svinje (1971.), Prosjaci i sinovi (1972.), U registraturi (1974.), Velo misto (1980.), Đuka Begović (1991.) i druge.

Umro je u Zagrebu, 1. siječnja 2001. godine a pokopan je na zagrebačkome groblju Mirogoju.

Njegov sin Filip Šovagović i kći Anja Šovagović-Despot također su glumci.

Filmografija

Filmske i televizijske uloge

Knjige
 Glumčevi zapisi – zapisi o teatru – Centar za kulturnu djelatnost, Biblioteka Prolog, Zagreb, knjiga 4, 1977. (2. izd. 1979.)
 Sokol ga nije volio: dramska kronika u dva dijela (osam slika) s pjevanjem i pucanjem – prvi put tiskana u "Prologu", 41/1981. (potom 2 izdanja, KIC Privlačica, Privlaka, 1986.; Privlačica, Vinkovci, 2003.)
 Divani Fabe Šovagova – eseji – Riječ, Vinkovci, 1996.

Nagrade
 1968.: "Zlatni lovor – vjenčić" na IX. Festivalu malih i eksperimentalnih scena u Sarajevu, za recital "Kristalna kocka vedrine" Tina Ujevića.
 1970.: Nagrada "Vladimir Nazor", za ulogu mladoženje u filmu "Lisice" Krste Papića.
 1970.: Grand prix na Festivalu glumačkih ostvarenja u Nišu, za ulogu mladoženje u filmu "Lisice" Krste Papića
 1975.: Grand prix na Festivalu glumačkih ostvarenja u Nišu, za ulogu supruga mlađe žene u filmu "Kuća" Bogdana Žižića.
 1976.: "Zlatna kolajna" na IV. Festivalu monodrame i pantomime u Zemunu, za "Đuku Begovića" Ivana Kozarca.
 1978.: Nagrada INE Zagreb za književnost, za knjigu "Glumčevi zapisi".
 1979.: "Zlatna arena" u Puli, za sporednu ulogu u filmu "Novinar" Fadila Hadžića.
 1979.: Nagrada publike na VI. susretima profesionalnih kazališta Hrvatske u Slavonskom Brodu, za ulogu Miroslava u "Gle, kako lijepo počinje dan" Zvonimira Bajsića.
 1982.: Nagrada "Vladimir Nazor", za uloge Fabija u "Pustinjama" Ranka Marinkovića i Šime u vlastitoj drami "Sokol ga nije volio".
 1983.: Sterijina nagrada na 28. Jugoslavenskim kazališnim igrama u Novom Sadu, za ulogu Šime u "Sokolu".
 1984.: "Zlatna arena" u Puli, za sporednu ulogu u filmu "Ambasador" Fadila Hadžića.
 1989.: "Zlatna arena", za najbolju sporednu ulogu u filmu "Čovjek koji je volio sprovode" Zorana Tadića.
 1991.: Nagrada "Vjesnika", za kazališnu umjetnost "Dubravko Dujšin".
 1991.: Nagrada "Vladimir Nazor", za životno djelo.
 1992.: Počasna "Zlatna arena" u Puli.
 1993.: Nagrada hrvatskog glumišta, za životno djelo.
 1996.: Nagrada "Vjesnika", za životno djelo u filmskoj umjetnosti "Krešo Golik".

Diskografija
 Recitacije pjesama Cesarića, A. B. Šimića, Ujevića, govorenje ulomaka iz svojih uloga i monodrama "Đuka Begović" Ivana Kozarca, Jugoton, 1976.
 "Pokraj Karašice selo malo" – slavonske tamburaške pjesme, Jugoton, 1985.

Spomen
 Od 2001. godine Festival glumca njegovim imenom nazvao je svoju nagradu za najboljega glumca/glumicu.
 Od 2007. godine u rodnim mu Ladimirevcima održava se Memorijal Fabijana Šovagovića (od 2011. pod imenom "Šovini dani"), manifestacija posvećena životu i djelu velikana hrvatskoga glumišta.
 2007. godine postavljen je u središtu Ladimirevaca prvi spomenik Šovagoviću u Hrvatskoj, djelo akademskoga kipara Stipe Sikirice.
 2010. godine postavljena mu je spomen ploča u Zagrebu, na pročelju kuće u Mesničkoj 14, gdje je živio od 1967. do 2001. godine.

Izvori

Vanjske poveznice
 Službena stranica
 Šovagović, Fabijan, Ivana Šiprak (2016.), hbl.lzmk.hr

 Dokumentarna serija glumačkih portreta Ive Štivičića Zvijezde iznad: Prvi i drugi dio

Hrvatski filmski glumci
Hrvatski kazališni glumci
Hrvatski televizijski glumci
Ladimirevci
Životopisi, Slavonija

Dobitnici nagrade Vladimir Nazor


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text:
Raoul-Adrien Fréard du Castel (Bayeux, 1696 – ) est un géomètre français.

Issu d'une famille de noblesse d'ancien régime originaire du Bessin, Raoul-Adrien Fréard du Castel fait partie de l'élite normande du siècle des Lumières. Il a fait édifier le bel hôtel particulier (1765-1770 ? cf. livre de Ch. Huet cité infra p. 152) qui porte son nom et qui existe toujours rue de la Gambette à Bayeux. Il était géomètre et passionné de botanique.

Œuvres
Il a écrit :
 Éléments de la géométrie d'Euclide, réduits à l'essentiel de ses principes, pour appliquer facilement la théorie de cette science à la pratique, éditions Jean-Baptiste Samson, Saint Maur, 1740 ;
 L'école du jardinier fleuriste, éditions Panckoucke, Paris, 1764 (cf. pour ce dernier livre les mentions de Christianne Huet dans son ouvrage  Bayeux au siècle des Lumières, pages 128 et 134, éditions la Mandragore, Paris, 2001). réédition 1779 à Amsterdam avec corrections et complément par un membre anonyme de la société économique de Berne (un descendant de Fréard a émigré en Suisse puisqu'on trouve une descendante -épouse d'un sieur Scott- en Australie vers 1830, originaire de Suisse).

Notes et références

Liens externes

 L'école du jardinier fleuriste, éd. 1764

Mathématicien français du XVIIIe siècle
Naissance à Bayeux
Naissance en 1696
Décès en mars 1766
Portail:Bessin/Articles liés


April 25, 2014: NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and Spitzer Space Telescope have discovered what appears to be the coldest "brown dwarf" known -- a dim, star-like body that surprisingly is as frosty as Earth's North Pole. Named "WISE J085510.83-071442.5," the brown dwarf appears to be 7.2 light-years away, earning it the title for fourth closest system to our sun.
"It's very exciting to discover a new neighbor of our solar system that is so close," said Kevin Luhman, an astronomer at Pennsylvania State University's Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds, University Park.
This animation shows the brown dwarf WISE J085510.83-071442.5 moving across the sky. It was first seen in two infrared images taken six months apart in 2010 by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). Two additional images of the object were taken with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope in 2013 and 2014. All four images were used to measure the distance to the object -- 7.2 light-years -- using the parallax effect.
"It is remarkable that even after many decades of studying the sky, we still do not have a complete inventory of the sun's nearest neighbors," added Michael Werner, the project scientist for Spitzer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "This exciting new result demonstrates the power of exploring the universe using new tools, such as the infrared eyes of WISE and Spitzer."
After noticing the fast motion of WISE J085510.83-071442.5, Luhman spent time analyzing additional images taken with Spitzer and the Gemini South telescope on Cerro Pachon in Chile. Spitzer's infrared observations helped determine the frosty temperature of the brown dwarf. Combined detections from WISE and Spitzer, taken from different positions around the sun, revealed the object's parallax, and thus its distance. The closest system to Earth, a trio of stars, is Alpha Centauri, at about 4 light-years away. WISE J085510.83-071442.5 is only a few light years farther than that.
WISE J085510.83-071442.5 appears to be 3 to 10 times the mass of Jupiter. With such a low mass, it could be a gas giant similar to Jupiter that was ejected from its star system. But scientists estimate it is probably a brown dwarf rather than a planet since brown dwarfs are known to be fairly common. If so, it is one of the least massive brown dwarfs known.


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TIP! Keep your dog calm when you enter the room. Your pet needs play time (and you might too), but your pet needs to be calm when you step into rooms most of the time.
The loveable dog you brought home from the pound seems to be more troublesome than you could have imagined. Fortunately, continuing your training sessions will pay off, with a dog that is well behaved and joy to be around.
TIP! Your dog needs to get plenty of exercise. Dogs can easily get bored.
Make the dog know that the crate is it's home when you are doing crate training. When you feed him, feed him inside the crate, and keep the door open while he is in there eating. Thus, they will associate a good thing like yummy food with the crate.
TIP! A dog has an inquiring mind and will look at one thing for quite a while until its attention is broken. Dogs learn by repetition so with continued training, your dog will immediately focus on what you are saying.
Timing is everything in training your dog, and you need to make sure you don't overdo it. Start out with a small training session and up the time every day. Try to determine when your dog stops paying attention to you during your sessions.
TIP! The first step of training your pooch should be to assert your control. Your dog must understand that you're in control, so that he knows to obey and respect you.
Whenever you're rewarding your dog for good behavior, make sure you stay calm and in control. When your dog obeys your command, try to keep them calm as you give them their reward. Don't let your own excitement get your dog excited or they will lose focus. Remain calm, expect the dog to be calm and provide appropriate rewards.
TIP! As the dog improves, greater freedom can be granted. Your dog will flourish with a good balance between control and respect.
A healthy diet is important to the health and well-being of your dog. An unhealthy diet can have several negative effects on your dog. It can make your dog behave badly and is not good for their health. Improving your dog's diet will also improve its mental capacity.
TIP! When you are training a pet you need to speak to them in a even and stern tone. Your tone conveys seriousness to the dog and the fact that they must obey you.
Teach your puppy his or her name before you start to train him or her, as this creates a bond. You will want to use his name quite frequently, so he learns it and will come to you when you use it. You should teach your puppy these words first. Spending lots of time will create a strong bond with your puppy, and will lead to unbreakable trust. This will make it easier to train him as he gets older.
TIP! Bond with your puppy by making sure he learns his name before anything else. Repeat his name regularly, so he will learn to come to you when he hears it.
Be sure to provide consistency when it comes to your dog's training. If multiple family members are involved in a pet's training, make sure everyone is using the same commands and a similar system of discipline and rewards. When your dog only needs to understand a single set of directions, it is easier to learn and adopt the desired behaviors.
TIP! The most successful training program is lifelong. Dog training does not stop once your dog is no longer a puppy.
The tone of your voice is important during training. Giving a command or correcting a negative behavior requires an authoritative tone, while praise can be softer. Commands should be firm yet sharp, whereas corrections require a louder tone. Natural voicing is good for praise and reinforcement.
TIP! Use your dog's name often to ensure you have its attention. Do this consistently during the first several weeks to get your dog to pay attention to you.
Most dog owners are surprised at how simple it is to include canine training routines into their lifestyle and how fast they see results. If you feel like you are having a hard time developing a relationship with your puppy, you should try applying these tips.
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text:
Planned Parenthood's Organs-For-Lamborghinis Exec Busted Again Trying To Sell Baby Body Parts
April 26, 2017 By Bre Payton
The Planned Parenthood executive who in 2015 was caught on tape joking about selling baby organs to get a Lamborghini was once again caught haggling over the price of organs harvested from the bodies of aborted babies.
In a new video by the Center for Medical Progress, Dr. Mary Gatter, president of the Medical Directors Council for the nation's largest abortion provider, is negotiating the price of organs.
"I did it in LA," she said about harvesting organs from aborted babies bodies in exchange for money. "I'm committed to it, I think it's a great idea."
"What kind of volume do you need and what gestational ages?" she brusquely asks before launching into a negotiation.
"You know, you have to pay a little money to use the space," she said, implying that the organ harvesters, not Planned Parenthood employees, would be doing all the work.
When a Center for Medical progress investigator posing as an organ buyer tells Gatter they're looking to pay $50 per specimen, she responds that the amount offered is simply not enough.
"Yeah, fifty's on the low end," Gatter says. "Fifty (per specimen) was like 12 years ago."
Under federal law, Planned Parenthood can be reimbursed for the costs of harvesting organs, but the details of this informal arrangement make it clear the abortion provider would not have any costs.
"But you would show up to do this?" she asks. "You would send somebody?"
When the CMP investigator answered affirmatively, Gatter noted Planned Parenthood clinics had a similar arrangement with another organ buyer, Novagenix.
"We had a lovely tech, Heather was her name, from Novagenix," she said.
She went onto explain that Heather would harvest organs from babies as old as 24 weeks.
"The fact that Novogenix, StemExpress, and ABR stationed their own workers inside Planned Parenthood abortion clinics to perform the harvesting, packaging, and transport of aborted baby body parts demonstrates that Planned Parenthood had no reimbursable costs under the law," said CMP project lead David Daleiden. "The volume-based sums that Planned Parenthood charged these businesses for baby parts are criminal trafficking and profiteering in fetal body parts."
Bre Payton was a staff writer at The Federalist.
Photo screengrab/youtube
aborted babies aborted baby parts Abortion baby body parts Center for Medical Progress fetal organs Human Organ Trafficking human trafficking Mary Gatter organ trafficking Planned Parenthood pro-life
Joy Behar Is Right: Sunny Hostin Is Not Actually Pro-Life
Two days before the March for Life in Washington D.C., "The View" co-host Sunny Hostin reclaimed her status as a pro-life supporter.
Nearly 50 Years After Roe, 65% Of Americans Want A Candidate Who Supports Significant Abortion Restrictions
While today's left and 2020 Democratic presidential candidates endlessly strive to out-progressive each other on abortion policy, a new poll reveals bipartisan support for abortion restrictions.
'One Child Nation' Condemns Abortion Even If Its Director Thinks Otherwise
Nanfu Wang's opinion notwithstanding, 'One Child Nation's' central message is not a celebration of autonomy. Rather, it is an exposé of evils of abortion.
New England Patriots' Benjamin Watson Producing Pro-Life Documentary
New England Patriots' tight end Benjamin Watson announced he is producing a pro-life documentary and interviewed Americans on both sides of the aisle.
Groups That Profit From Abortion Are Too Biased To Represent Women's Interests
After decades of pretending the interests of abortionists match the interests of women, June Medical v. Gee is an opportunity for the Supreme Court to let women be heard.


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