1.1 Help! I have woodlice in my house!
1.6 Does light stop at the surfaces it's reflected from?
1.7 Precisely how do baleen whales exist during the many months they abstain from eating?
Help! I have woodlice in my house!
Every morning, when I wake up, there are woodlice all over the floors of the rooms in my house. A lot of woodlice. Possibly thousands. What's the best way to get rid of them completely? They're getting in my food, congregating in my bath (they're not coming up through the drain - I've checked) and getting on my mattress now and it's really beginning to piss me off.
I've tried putting down woodlice powder, which has killed quite a few (but not enough to make a dent in their numbers). I have filled in just about every crack, hole, nook and cranny I can find at floor level that I've seen them retreating into (but it doesn't seem to have stopped them getting in). I also go around with my vacuum cleaner, sucking up as many as I can before they skitter away, to very little effect.
Does light stop at the surfaces it's reflected from?
I'm sure there's a sensible answer to this, but when a ball bounces straight back off a wall, its velocity is zero at the point at which it changes trajectory. Why isn't this true of photons reflected off a mirror?
Precisely how do baleen whales exist during the many months they abstain from eating?
I was nice and toasty warm and happy thanks to my oil fired boiler and radiant heating system—until i found that it was using nine gallons (34 L) of heating oil per day. That rate of consumption is likely less than that of Al Gore's jet aircraft, but is probably more than my fair share of contribution to a few global problems we are having at the moment (not to mention just a tad bit expensive). We've now switched to burning wood pellets, after repairing an abandoned feed system (late '80s vintage?, no instruction manual or even a manufacturer's nameplate) and making a few plumbing and wiring adjustment which i'm sure helped to reduce fuel usage, i was able to raise the building temperature from 40 F (4.5 C) back to the toasty warm 68 F (20 C) using only 30 lbs (13.6 kg) of pellets while the outside temperature averaged 20 F (6.7 C).
This was seemingly a spectacular gain in efficiency, until i reconnected all the thermostats and allowed the system to run unsupervised (starting at toasty warm) during a fairly mild 24 hours—and burned up 160 lbs (73 kg) of pellets. The pellet manufacturer claims 8.6 MBtu per pound (4,115 kJ/kg), that's 1,376 MBtu (1,452 MJ) in a day, ten percent more than the 1,251 MB (1,320 MJ) the nasty old oil was inputting to the boiler.
firing rate The boiler is rated at 585 MBtu (617 MJ) per hour, the oil burner was supplying 556 MBtu (587 MJ) an hour, and with a duty cycle of about five minutes of firing and around eight not (very approximate, again i wasn't paying attention) was maintaining the water temperature between 202 and 208 F (95–98 C). When the auger on the pellet system is turning, it meters fuel at a constant rate of 44 lbs (20 kg) an hour, but is connected to a repeat cycle timer to control feed rate. The electro-mechanical timer that was present on the system was set for 12 minutes of on time and either 30 or 42 minutes of off time, since the mechanical part no longer ticks i can't tell which. The replacement timer was designed to be adjustable from 0 to 30 minutes of on time and 0 to 60 minutes of off time, but in actual operation has a maximum on time of one minute. With a few more rolls of solder from RadioShack i might be able fix this problem, but would prefer not to mess with the limited success i've had so far. It is now set for 1 minute on and 2.5 minutes off for a firing rate of 108 MBtu (114 MJ) per hour and with a boiler heating cycle of around 30 minutes on and 20 off (varies much more than when burning oil) maintains the boiler's water temperature between 160 and 166 F (71–74 C).
forced air supply and draft The pellet feed system has a blower with a single speed motor which delivers air to the burn pot. It was wired in such a way that it only operated while the pellet auger was turning, and the intake was completely closed off providing very little air. That didn't look quite right, during the on time the pellets would burn with a weak orange flame and during the off time would smoulder and produce black smoke. Pellets would overflow the burn pot and make a mess. I rewired so that the blower would provide continuous air during the boiler heating cycle, and by loosening a screw and shoving a wedge under a cover plate i have some fine-grained control over the air supply. There is now a nice bright yellow flame around the edges of the burn pot, bright red glowing pellets, and a nice jet engine sound when the boiler door is open. I've been able to find a bunch of information on how to get maximum efficiency from an oil fired boiler with natural draft—measure flue temperatures and CO2 percent and adjust the draft accordingly. I have no way handy of measuring these values, and have no idea what they should be when using forced draft and burning pellets. When the oil burner was operating i could place the palm of one hand against the flue near the exit from the boiler for only a few seconds. With pellets the flue is barely warm at the beginning of a cycle, and near the end i can hold my hand at the exit for around 20 seconds.
boiler water temperature i've lowered this from a maximum of 208 F (98 C) to 166 F (74 C). I think lowering this temperature should only improve efficiency, and it should be set as low as possible—too low and it will take too long to heat up the building in the morning—too high and the boiler room and crawlspaces with distribution lines get warmer than they should.
This page was last edited on 17 January 2008, at 03:38 (UTC).


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5 questions with Tom Cole
Tom Cole has invested in early stage Internet and software companies with Trinity Ventures for the last decade. When he's not knee-deep in his investment activities, Cole, who describes himself as a "Hapa," which he says in his case means he is half Chinese and half Caucasian, can be found blogging about food at www.consumingambitions.com.
PE Week Senior Writer Alexander Haislip recently caught up with Cole to talk shop and hear his thoughts on how the recession is affecting VC firms.
Q: What was your take on the recent Sequoia Capital "RIP: Good Times" meeting?
What they did was appropriate, but at the same time there was a bit of an alarmist edge to what they said. It's an interesting contrast compared to the downturn of 2000, where a lot of people got caught off guard and made cuts too slowly.
Q: How have you communicated with your executives about the downturn?
Stylistically, we didn't send out a missive or have an all hands meeting, but we wove it into our discussions with CEOs. Because it was so recent when we had that terrible downturn, it's still fresh in everybody's mind. Maybe it's because of the 2000 downturn, but CEOs are very mindful of it. By the time we pinged most of them, they had plans to cut expenses.
Q: Sounds like your executives were out in front of this already. Is that because there are more people with gray hair running companies these days?
I wouldn't equate this to gray hair. We have some CEOs who are wise beyond their years. Just about everybody has been connected to some terrible flameout story in their past, so the scars are still very fresh.
Q: So what are you telling them?
Our message is, 'Don't panic. But do be mindful of your financial plan.' There are always many inputs in to how you run a business. The economy is one aspect of running a business. We want people to invest for growth, but do it in a mindful way. They can't go crazy and run high burn rates, but at the same time they can't ratchet down to the point where they're not growing at all.
Q: Are you going to cut off life support to any of your portfolio companies?
In general, a bad economy doesn't suddenly make good ideas bad ones. The fundamental thesis we had when we invested in companies is still sound. We still have a lot of confidence in the companies we have and are supporting them. We feel like this is the best time to invest not just in startups, but in our own organization.
We have been trying to ramp up our executive-in-residence program over the last few months to help identify new opportunities.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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by Ray Willington — Thursday, July 01, 2010, 01:40 PM EDT
Starbucks Now Offering Free Wi-Fi To All
Today's the day. You're probably checking your calendar to make sure that you didn't miss the July 4th holiday, but no, you didn't. And while it's definitely Canada Day as well, we're still talking about something even more different. Today's the day that Starbucks opens their Wi-Fi hotspots to the masses, and one of two things are going to happen.
One potential outcome is this: they, along with AT&T, are fully ready to handle the immense traffic load that will surely come, not to mention the added influx of traffic (and squatting) from people coming over just to hop on the Internet. Or, the other is this: Starbucks becomes a place you avoid at all costs because it's overflowing with people who are just there for the Wi-Fi, and the speeds are now unreasonably slow.
We're really hoping that the former will be true. As of now, there's no registration required and no time limit, so you can theoretically hang around and surf as long as the employees of any given location will allow you. We can imagine quite a few fights breaking out (verbal or otherwise) between consumers and employees; there's no set purchase limit either, so someone could waltz in, purchase a bottle of water and then surf for 8 hours.
Either way, we suspect that this won't go over as smoothly as we wish it would, but hopefully the signal will be strong enough for us all. See you there!
Starbucks Turns on Free Wi-Fi for Customers July 1st
Free Wi-Fi with One-click for all Company-Operated Starbucks in U.S. and Canada
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) will turn on free Wi-Fi with one click on July 1 at U.S. and Canadian company-operated stores as a part of its ongoing commitment to enhancing the customer experience. Customers with Wi-Fi-enabled laptops, tablets and mobile phones will have unlimited Internet access to surf the Web, connect with social networks, search for jobs or work at their neighborhood Starbucks. Most recently, the free Wi-Fi benefit was limited to two hours a day and only available to members of the My Starbucks Rewards program. The new, unlimited Wi-Fi offering features a one-click entry point, so a username or password will not be required.
"Our customers were asking for a simplified Wi-Fi offering, and free Wi-Fi has been a top request on MyStarbucksIdea.com. We're excited to turn this feedback into action and believe our customers will be delighted with the enhanced experience they'll find in Starbucks stores"
"Our customers were asking for a simplified Wi-Fi offering, and free Wi-Fi has been a top request on MyStarbucksIdea.com. We're excited to turn this feedback into action and believe our customers will be delighted with the enhanced experience they'll find in Starbucks stores," said Howard Schultz, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Starbucks.
Starbucks will continue to work with AT&T in the U.S. as its Wi-Fi provider, a relationship that's been in place since 2008. Close to 6800 Starbucks locations are part of AT&T's U.S. Wi-Fi network, the nation's largest. In Canada, more than 750 company-operated stores will now have free Wi-Fi. Bell is the Wi-Fi provider in Canada and has worked with Starbucks since 2005.
As Schultz noted at the WIRED Business Conference on June 14th, the addition of one click, free Wi-Fi to the Starbucks customer experience is just the beginning. Later this fall, Starbucks plans to introduce the Starbucks Digital Network, in partnership with Yahoo!. This new online experience, currently planned for U.S. company-operated stores, will offer customers free, unrestricted access to a collection of paid sites and services, exclusive content and previews, free downloads and local community news.
"Bringing one click, free Wi-Fi to Starbucks opens up new opportunities for our customers and gives us the backdrop to continue to bring innovation to their in-store experience. We're finding new ways to bridge the third place coffeehouse environment with the digital space, and look forward to sharing that with our customers," said Stephen Gillett, Starbucks executive vice president, chief information officer and general manager of Digital Ventures.
Tags: WiFi, Internet, Starbucks


text:
/** \file CircularDS.hpp
 */

/**
   Definition of a 2D circular shape - Inherits from LagrangianDS
*/

#ifndef CircularDS_h
#define CircularDS_h

#include "MechanicsFwd.hpp"
#include "LagrangianDS.hpp"

class CircularDS : public LagrangianDS
{
protected:
  ACCEPT_SERIALIZATION(CircularDS);

  double radius;
  double massValue;

  CircularDS(): LagrangianDS() {};

public:

  CircularDS(double, double, SP::SiconosVector, SP::SiconosVector);

  virtual ~CircularDS() {};

  inline double getQ(unsigned int pos)
  {
    assert(pos < _ndof);
    return (*_q[0])(pos);
  };
  inline double getVelocity(unsigned int pos)
  {
    assert(pos < _ndof);
    return (*_q[1])(pos);
  };

  inline double getMassValue() const
  {
    return massValue;
  };

  inline double getRadius() const
  {
    return radius;
  };

};
#endif /* CircularDS_h */

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


An arranged soundtrack from one of my favorite games of all time, since I was a child.
If you loved Master System has much has I did, and enjoyed Sonic games in it, but never played this game, then it's a MUST HAVE for you.
Featuring Title Screen/Press Start Button BGM.
Featuring 1 Life Lost BGM.
Featuring Special Flying Shoes BGM.
Featuring Sonic Got 100 Rings: Entering Special Stage BGM.
Featuring Sonic Got a Chaos Emerald BGM.
Featuring Before Title Screen/Before Final Boss BGM.


Choosing the right glazing to your roof window can impact your indoor comfort. Do you know which one to choose?
When customizing your VELUX roof window, you will be asked to choose a glazing type. The right glazing will maximize the benefits of your window and help achieve your desired indoor comfort.In this article you can read about the different types of glazings and get inspired before making your choice.
Toughened outer pane for extra heat protection and laminated inner pane preventing the glass from falling into the room in case of breakage. Comes as standard for VELUX roof windows.
This glazing is a perfect choice combining safety, security and energy savings.
Premium opaque coating offers more privacy, whilst still letting natural light in.
This glazing combines privacy, safety, security and energy savings.
Laminated inner pane with sound insulation foil and heat insulating coating. The 6mm outer glass helps reducing the noise from the outside and increase the comfort during summer periods.
This glazing combines solar protection, rain noise reduction and easy-to-clean coating.
This triple glazing is also known as an extra low energy glazing. The heat strengthened glass with extra heat insulation helps you keep in the heat from the sun to reduce the heating costs. The outer glass reduces the amount of dew that can form on the window.
This glazing combines energy-efficiency, anti-dew, easy-to-clean and rain noise reduction.
This is the optimal choice for sound reduction – it reduces the noise coming from outside and minimizes the sound of rain or hail on the window. This triple glazing has also the finest heat insulation, keeping the heat from the sun to reduce heating costs.
This glazing combines premium heat insulation, rain noise reduction and anti-dew coating.
The glazing 70Q comes as standard for all VELUX security roof windows. The laminated inner pane prevents the glass from falling into the room in case of breakage, while the ticker glass boosts your security.
This glazing combines security and safety for total peace of mind.


text:
Engaging Excellence
Impact at a Glance
McCrea Family Gift
Donor Quotes
ENGAGING EXCELLENCE IMPACT REPORT
See the difference you've made.
$10.17 MILLION RAISED
OVER 220 DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS
NEW GYM
WITH SEATING FOR OVER 225 PEOPLE
38 LEARNING
50,000 SQUARE FEET ADDED TO SCHOOL
WHAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE TO SAY?
Dear Grammar community members,
Three years ago, our community had a vision to build a One-Grammar home. To do this, we set an ambitious capital campaign goal, indeed the largest capital campaign goal ever undertaken by an independent school in Atlantic Canada.
We set out to raise an unprecedented $10 million.
Under the inspired leadership of Scott McCrea and Doug Reid, our Engaging Excellence Capital Campaign immediately captured the imagination of the whole Grammar community, and in just twenty-six months, we not only reached our goal, we surpassed it.
We raised an astonishing $10. 2 million.
For this, we have many to acknowledge. We are greatly indebted to our campaign co-chairs, Scott McCrea and Doug Reid for their vision and passion and to our campaign cabinet for their determination and dedication. And we are forever grateful to the McCrea family, who provided an unmatched lead gift. Yet most of all, we are humbled by all our generous donors who set us on our path to success.
We are a truly fortunate community.
This One-Grammar achievement will forever remind us that, as a community, we are capable of realizing any dream.
Again, thank you.
- Steven Laffoley'84
Ask Scott Armour McCrea why Halifax Grammar is important to the community and he'll tell you it goes beyond education. Halifax Grammar not only harnesses the potential of young people, it has a role and impact in attracting and retaining people.
"We are strong believers in positive outcomes for young people and freedom of choice in education, the ability to access different learning environments and programming outside of the public system," says Scott. "There are people coming to the city who are looking for this as an option."
Scott was involved in the Grammar campus planning committee in the early 2000s when the idea of a consolidated campus first began to percolate. At the time, he believed the quality of teaching was already so high that it was easy to be dismissive of the portables outside of the Atlantic Street campus. But over time he came to believe that the physical space was paramount and that the two-campus structure was holding Grammar back.
"As a board member, it became clear to me that by consolidating and having one facility that was representative of the same excellence that was expressed elsewhere at Grammar, we had the ability to transcend the original vision for the school."
With a full business plan in place, Grammar launched the first capital campaign of its kind, and the most ambitious of any independent school in the province. The McCrea family knew the campaign would need a catalyst. Scott volunteered to be co-chair of the capital campaign, and he and his family offered be the lead donor in the hopes of being that catalyst.
"We're proud of being part of it and being associated with it," says Scott. "It's a great touchstone of how a place can change the energy of the school. A lot of people believed in this campaign and we were fortunate to contribute in a tangible way."
Scott's son James graduated in 2019 and was delighted to spend his last year being part of the consolidated school.
WHAT OUR DONORS HAVE TO SAY?
The Impact Report is available for download.


Calling or emailing a Virginia Tradition Builders specialist to learn about your needs, bathroom space, and pricing.
An in-home visit prior to remodeling to take final measurements, talk about how your project will work for you, and finalize paper work.
Initiating the remodeling project when you are ready and completing your new Signature Bathroom in about two weeks.
The final product is a high quality, custom bathroom minus the hassle.
Printed brochures detailing each package are available upon request. We also offer bathroom remodeling services beyond the Signature Baths series. View our Project Gallery to see other custom bathroom remodeling projects.
Warm stone-like tile will remind you of the casual and relaxing style of the Mediterranean. Porcelain wall tile in alternating broken joint and diamond pattern, warm stained wood vanity and oil rubbed bronze fixtures complete your trip to Tuscany.
Unwind as you enjoy the clean lines of the fixtures, over-sized rain shower head and the feel of a foot massage as you step on your river rock shower floor. Earth tone tiles, furniture vanity and contemporary fixtures create an in-home spa feel.
White bead board wainscoting and bright tile will help you feel like you're spending the weekends on the coast. The curved details of the fixtures and vibrant wall color complete this beach inspired package.
This elegantly designed package adds a sense of sophistication and charm to any house. Natural marble tile, hexagonal shower floor, dark furniture style vanity with white Carrera marble top and gorgeous chrome fixtures make this package truly luxurious.
The classic designs found in many homes from the turn of the 20th century, inspired this package. Black and white pinwheel floor tile, classic white subway wall tile, an elegant pedestal sink and chrome fixtures give this package a bright and timeless look.
Get your life centered with this contemporary collection of fixtures and tile. The flared vessel sink atop a furniture vanity, clean lines of the chrome fixtures and warm glass mosaic accent tiles will transform you into a zen state of mind.


Promotional Wine Gifts - for special clients and your staff.
When we are selecting products to feature on brandme.com.au we look for products that have two qualities: 1/ They will be better received if they are functional items and 2/ they feature a good space for us represent your branding and message on. This range of Promotional Wine Gifts ticks both of these boxes. A functional item is always going to be a better Promotional Item than something that is novel as it can be used straight-away by the recipient. This functionality will get the recipient using it as soon as they receive it and will ensure that they continue to use it over a long period of time. Of course the whole point of this exercise is that the item will promote - your brand or message or both - this can only be done if the product can feature your logo prominently.
As you browse the range of Wine Gifts you will see a great array of different products - different styles, shapes and colours. This choice means that there will be an item that 'fits' your brand and promotional objective. Ranging from things like the Stirling Wine Carrier to a high quality Bistro Bottle Openers. This flexibility is complimented by the very nature of Wine Gift giving: these are only handed out to those that you want to give them to. This means that they are highly targeted - there is no waste in your marketing spend - and that is what we all want is it not?
Our friendly staff are here to help you select the right Promotional Wine Gift - we can advise you what will work best if you tell us what you want to achieve. Of course selecting the right product is only part of the story - we are here also to help with the development of great looking art and graphics on your item. Great looking branding will transform your choice into a unique marketing products - take advantage of this service!


text:
Luis Torres-Bohl, president and founder of Castalia Communications
Castalia: We collaborated with APTN from to launch a channel aimed at US aborigines
In the framework of INTX, Luis Torres-Bohl, president and founder of Castalia Communications, told PRODU that they had signed an agreement with the Canadian TV channel APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network) to help in the development and distribution of a new TV channel aimed at the 5.2 million native Americans and other people with native American roots in the US.Torres highlighted that the channel must have something more specific for their distribution in the first quarter of 2016.He also announced the company's third original docu-reality, which they are producing in Aguascalientes with the Necaxa Club. The series is called Fuerza Necaxa (13x30')."We are in the production process. It will take some time because Necaxa is a team that is in the ascending League and with good support it should go up to the MX League. We are witnessing the process through the players. The team has been around for many years and is considered one of the founders of soccer in Mexico", he expressed.He indicated that due to the good relations he has with Televisa Networks, company which, through Unicable and TDN, broadcasts Rayo de Plata Vida de Lucha, new projects with them are expected to arise. Regarding Mexicanal, Torres said that they are waiting to see what happens with Time Warner Cable, since they have systems in markets such as Los Angeles, that are ideal for the distribution of the channel.


text:
Gordon Ramsay goes off the beaten track in new show
Celebrity chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay shows little sign of taking it easy even though he, along with the entire family, is still on a high after welcoming baby Oscar to the fold in April.
Days ago, he grabbed headlines for schooling Lil Nas X on the art of making a panini.
Now he's back – and jaws are dropping – he will soon be seen in National Geographic's 'Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted'.
Of course, he's gone on the road before with 'Gordon's Great Escapes'.
For the show, he will be exploring places like Peru, Laos, Morocco, Hawaii, Alaska and New Zealand.
In connecting with indigenous people of the region, he will gain insight into their culture and the uniqueness of their dishes and distinct flavours.
At the end of each episode, he will go head-to-head in a cookoff with a local food heavyweight.
"It has been an amazing journey travelling off the beaten path with National Geographic and connecting with locals to learn and share incredible stories of unique traditions, delicacies and the extreme lengths it takes to harvest native ingredients," said Ramsay. "I have learned way more filming this series than I have in the last 10 years."
Peru- Gordon Ramsay visits a market full of hand grown, handpicked goods in Urubamba, Peru. (National Geographic/Ernesto Benavides)
Famous for dropping those F-bombs in his shows, this time Ramsay is put through his paces as he treks through a dense jungle in Laos, where he samples weaver ant eggs; hunts for eels with his bare hands using traditional Maori techniques in New Zealand; spearfishing with legendary free-diver Kimi Werner in Hawaii to hanging off a cliff in pursuit of cactus worms in Peru.
In the first episode, Ramsay journeys to the remote corners of southern New Zealand to unlock the secrets of traditional Maori cuisine.
From the locals, he learns how to free dive for prized Paua shellfish and forages for unique Kiwi ingredients before putting his new skills to the test at a Maori feast with up-and-coming chef Monique Fiso.
The show airs on National Geographic (DStv channel 181) on Wednesday, August 7 at 9pm.
1 thought on "Gordon Ramsay goes off the beaten track in new show"
oracatin1985 says:
This is amazing work, friend.


With at least 80 separate species of mosquitoes that have been identified in central Florida, it becomes nearly impossible to avoid their bites, especially on warm spring and summer evenings. No one wants to have to wear layers of sticky mosquito spray or long sleeved and long-legged clothing just to be able to enjoy being outdoors. At the same time, no one wants to have to keep swatting mosquitoes or take a chance at contracting a serious mosquito-borne illness either. When it looks like these are your only two options, professional Hunter's Creek mosquito control helps to ensure that your yard becomes a safer place for everyone to enjoy the outdoors.
Anyone who turns on a news report has been inundated with reports of serious, life altering illnesses that can be carried by mosquitoes. Mosquito bites are a lot more than itchy, red annoyances. They can lead to deadly diseases and viruses. Safeguarding your health and the health of your loved ones makes the mosquito treatment Hunter's Creek Florida needs an even more pressing concern today than ever before.
Mosquitoes are known carriers of Malaria, Encephalitis, Yellow Fever, Dengue Fever, West Nile Virus and exotic sounding illnesses like Chikungunya and Elephantiasis. Perhaps most concerning lately is the Zika Virus. Side effects from this virus can cause harm to unborn infants in the form of Microcephaly and in adults by leading to Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
We deliver exactly the mosquito control Hunter's Creek needs, with no extras added just to pad your mosquito control bill. Our mosquito control experts work on the basis of honesty, integrity, giving you a fair price, and providing exceptional and effective mosquito control services. We believe you'll be impressed with your local mosquito control pros that have helped us to be ranked highly among mosquito control companies.
Mosquitoes find exactly what they need in Hunter's Creek and central Florida to not only survive, but to thrive and successfully raise their young. One of their biggest requirements is standing water. They use sources of standing water to hatch eggs. These sources are found in people's yards in bird baths, in kiddie swimming pools, planter saucers, discarded tires, vases and buckets. In nature, they find standing water in creeks, lakes, ponds, puddles and irrigation ditches.
The other things that attract mosquitoes are the food sources they find through people and animals. They use human and animal blood meals to nourish their young by providing protein for them. People attract mosquitoes because of the carbon dioxide that is emitted when they breathe, dark colored clothing, bacteria on the skin and their movement. Since it's nearly impossible to remove the things that attract mosquitoes, the best defense is to rely on expert Hunter's Creek mosquito control for a truly effective solution.
We know you look forward to the beautiful weather in spring and summer and want to be able to get out into your backyard and enjoy it. Making your backyard as mosquito-free as possible is your goal and ours as well. A quick phone call or a few clicks on the Termite Lawn & Pest website brings you a free inspection and a free no obligation consultation.
We've earned an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and we're proud to bring you exactly the mosquito control and prevention services you need for a healthier, more mosquito-free backyard. Since mosquitoes have become so good at thriving in the Hunter's Creek and central Florida areas, you need the exceptional mosquito treatment Hunter's Creek Florida relies on to be a complete solution.


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Global Travel Media » Blog Archive » Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort Recognized With Condé Nast Traveler's 2020 Readers' Choice Award "#6 In The Top 20 Resorts In Thailand"
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Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort Recognized With Condé Nast Traveler's 2020 Readers' Choice Award "#6 In The Top 20 Resorts In Thailand"
October 15, 2020 Accolades No Comments Email
Condé Nast Traveler today announced the results of its annual Readers' Choice Awards with Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort recognized as 6th in the Top 20 Resorts in Thailand.More than 715,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers submitted an incredible number of responses rating their travel experiences across the globe.
"The results of this year's survey, conducted at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, are a testament to the lasting power of a meaningful travel experience," said Jesse Ashlock, U.S. Editor of Condé Nast Traveler. "The winners represent the best of the best for our audience and offer plenty of trip-planning inspiration for all the adventures we can't wait to have next."
The Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards are the longest-running and most prestigious recognition of excellence in the travel industry. The full list of winners can be found here.
"We are delighted to have been named as Thailand's sixth best resort by the Condé Nast Traveler 2020 Readers' Choice Awards. This is a truly outstanding achievement that reflects the quality of the guest experiences we offer. Every element of our resort is designed to operate in harmony with the environment, and our guests appreciate having the opportunity to give something back to nature. I would like to thank Condé Nast Traveler's readers for voting for us; we are deeply honoured by this award," said Chao Treenawong, the resort's General Manager.
Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort is a chic and sustainable retreat nestled 70 acres of tropical gardens, with an 800-metre-long stretch of white sandy beach. A sanctuary of sustainability, this upscale resort features a wide range of amenities and activities, including its innovative Marine Discovery Centre.
Guests can choose to stay in traditional Thai bungalows, spacious suites or luxurious villas, dine at a choice of alfresco restaurants, cool off in the seafront swimming pool, unwind in the spa, or enjoy eco-sensitive offshore excursions to idyllic islands. Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort has also been officially recognised as a carbon-neutral and plastic-free property.
The 2020 Readers' Choice Awards are published on Condé Nast Traveler's website at www.cntraveler.com/rca and celebrated in the November issue of Condé Nast Traveler US and UK print editions.
For more information or to make a reservation, please contact sales@phiphiislandvillage.com or call +66 64 239 5365 or +66 89 639 5464.
For more information about Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort, please visit www.phiphiislandvillage.com or follow:www.facebook.com/phiphiislandvillagebeachresort and www.instagram.com/phiphiislandvillage.


Home » How Many Scoops Of Coffee For 8 Cups?
Do you love coffee; do you love to talk about coffee among your friends? Do you want to be an expert or in a better word connoisseur about coffee? Then the following article would help you toward being a coffee connoisseur with the perfect cup of coffee. Read further to know more about how many scoops of coffee for 8 cups.
No, you need not worry, espresso is also coffee, as we all commonly know, but in a more technical term espresso is a method of preparing a coffee. Does this lead to the next question are there other methods of making coffee? The answer is yes… you have French Press Coffee, stovetop percolator coffee] and many more. IF you want to more about them keep following us for more updated information. Today we would discuss more espresso coffee since it is the most popular and trending coffee expressing style all over the world.
Like previously explained making 8 cups of coffee is not just pouring hot water over Nescafe. It is an equally important making process as the British people would say "cooking tea". To get the best out of coffee one too needs time and expertise. Most common ways of making coffee are brewing and espresso. Brewing is the method where hot water is poured over ground coffee to brew. The water would seep through the coffee in the process absorbing all the flavor and chemical compounds from the coffee. This would then be collected by filtering the liquid leaving aside the powder in a separate pot, whereas Espresso is forcing a small amount of hot water (nearly boiling but not boiling) through the ground coffee under pressure. Hence making Espresso thicker creamier than other brewed coffee. Hence making the coffee more concentrated with flavor and chemicals from the coffee beans. Note that most of the common coffee Latte, cappuccino, and mocha all are to be made with the base being espresso coffee.
So How many scoops of coffee for 8 cups?
This is the most common question asked by most people. The easiest way is 1 coffee scoop is equal to 2 tablespoons. So, if you are using coffee scoop then 1 coffee scoop makes 1 cup of coffee measuring 8 Oz. So now let's do the math's 8 cups is equal to 8 scoops of coffee. Now let's wear our connoisseur hat and just remember a few details for entertaining our friends.
Are you now ready to set up your chemistry lab and blow up your entire house?
If not visit us at check our suite of different espresso machines which would help you get the best of Italian espresso in no time. So why waste time in preparing the coffee to leave it to our world-class espresso machines and enjoy a rich conversation of coffee, with the coffee and make others a part of the world of a coffee connoisseur.
Happy Espressing the 8 cups of Espresso!!


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Post-Doctoral Associates
Research Grantees
Other Students
Gabriel Constantinescu
e-mail: gabriel.constantinescu@ua.pt
department: Materials and Ceramic Engineering (DEMaC)
office: 9.2.3.
group: 3 - carbon materials, composites and functional coatings
line: 2 - energy and industrial applications
direct url: http://www.ciceco.ua.pt/gabrielconstantinescuphd1984
research group: 3 - carbon materials, composites and functional coatings
Selected achievements.
1. Significant experience in advanced functional materials (e.g., thermoelectrics, superconductors, multiferroics, SCES and functional gradient materials, magnetic materials, biomaterials) research, development, innovation and engineering; 2. Worked with many different types of state-of-the-art functional materials and high-tech R&D systems in more than 8 multidisciplinary scientific projects; 3. Published more than 30 peer-reviewed articles and communicate research results on more than 13 occasions; 4. Contributed by writing parts in more than 11 European research proposals and won a European MSCA-IF-EF-ST-2019 grant (TEOsINTE, 101003375); 5. Peer reviewer for several international ISI journals, including the 'Journal of Alloys and Compounds'; 6. Completed various professional training courses in Spain, Portugal, Germany, and Romania (e.g., 'Using the PPMS equipment and its options', 'LabVIEW Days 2013'); 7. Trained, managed and taught to international multicultural undergraduate science and engineering students; 8. Established significant international collaborations, in both Academia and Industry.
Academic qulifications.
1. Ph.D. degree in Physics, Science and technology of materials and fluids Dpt., University of Zaragoza (ICMA, CSIC), Spain, 01/10/2011–30/05/2014, "Modification of Ca3Co4O9 thermoelectric performances via processing and doping" (Cum Laude);
2. M.Sc. degree in Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Bucharest, Romania, 01/10/2009–30/06/2011, "Thermoelectric properties in rare earth doped Skutterudite" (10 out of 10);
3. Dipl.–Eng. degree in Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Biotechnical Systems Engineering, Politehnica University of Bucharest, Romania, 01/10/2003–28/02/2009, "The reliability and maintenance of a longitudinal primary settling tank with a curettage system on chains" (7.50 out of 10).
Foreign languages.
1. English (fluent, C2); 2. Spanish (fluent, C2); 3. German (medium, B1); 4. French (basic, A1); 5. Portuguese (medium-to-advanced, B2).
Prizes, awards and certifications.
1. "H2020-MSCA-IF-2017 Seal of Excellence" (European Commission, EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 2014-2020, 05/03/2018);
2. "Certificate of Outstanding Contribution in Reviewing" (ELSEVIER–Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 05/2017);
3. "Certificate of ACCREDITATION on behalf of NT-MDT" (NT-MDT EVENTS, The Westin Grand, Frankfurt, Germany, Techniques of AFM, Raman, SNOM and TERS, 25/02/2015);
4. "Extraordinary Ph.D. Prize" (University of Zaragoza (ICMA, CSIC), 27/02/2015);
5. "International Doctor" (University of Zaragoza (ICMA, CSIC), 03/06/2014);
6. "1st Prize–Interpretation of the solutions to the Navier-Stokes equation" (Politehnica University of Bucharest, 2006).
Professional and academic experience.
1. 01/10/2020–30/09/2022: Scientific Researcher (MSCA Fellow; working in the 'TEOsINTE' project; https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101003375), Materials and Ceramic Engineering Dpt. (DEMaC), Aveiro Institute of Materials (CICECO), University of Aveiro (UA), Portugal;
2. 01/02/2019–30/09/2020: Scientific Researcher (working in the 'REMOTE' project; http://www.ciceco.ua.pt/index.php?menu=209&language=pt&tabela=projectosdetail&projectid=933); Materials and Ceramic Engineering Dpt. (DEMaC), Aveiro Institute of Materials (CICECO), University of Aveiro (UA), Portugal;
3. 01/07/2018–30/11/2018: Project Collaborator (https://www.ain.es/archivo-proyectos/drug-mag/), Physics Dpt., Institute for Advanced Materials (INAMAT), Public University of Navarre (UPNA), Spain;
4. 31/01/2017–31/05/2017: Research Assistant, DENTIX MILLENNIUM S.R.L. (INFLPR, CETAL), Romania;
5. 01/02/2015–31/10/2015: Experienced Researcher, Functional Materials Group, Institute for Materials Science, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany;
6. 15/10/2014–15/12/2014: Laboratory Assistant, Strongly Correlated Electronic Systems Group, Laboratory of Magnetism and Superconductivity, National Institute of Materials Physics (NIMP), Romania;
7. 01/05/2009–30/09/2009: Sales Engineer, AEG PROGRESIV S.R.L., Romania;
8. 16/10/2006–30/06/2008: Laboratory Assistant, Strongly Correlated Electronic Systems Group, Laboratory of Magnetism and Superconductivity, National Institute of Materials Physics (NIMP), Romania.
Present Scientific Interest
Thermoelectric ceramics for high-temperature power generation applications. Renewable energy candidates using waste heat sources capable to aid in the fight against global warming.
The Seebeck effect allows for the direct conversion of heat to electricity and it's exploited in solid state devices capable of using waste heat as a source for generating electrical power. Particular materials and strategies are designed and investigated with the final goal of producing state-of-the-art power generation technology using high-temperature (>400°C) waste heat sources.
1. A. Sotelo, G. Constantinescu, Sh. Rasekh, M. A. Torres, J. C. Diez, M. A. Madre. Improvement of thermoelectric properties of Ca3Co4O9 using soft chemistry synthetic methods. J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. 32, 2415-2422 (2012);
2. M. A. Madre, F. M. Costa, N. M. Ferreira, A. Sotelo, M. A. Torres, G. Constantinescu, Sh. Rasekh, J. C. Diez. Preparation of high-performance Ca3Co4O9 thermoelectric ceramics produced by a new two-step method. J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. 33, 1747-1754 (2013);
3. J. C. Diez, M. A. Torres, Sh. Rasekh, G. Constantinescu, M. A. Madre, A. Sotelo. Enhancement of Ca3Co4O9 thermoelectric properties by Cr for Co substitution. Ceram. Int. 39, 6051-6056 (2013);
4. G. Constantinescu, Sh. Rasekh, M. A. Torres, J. C. Diez, M. A. Madre, A. Sotelo. Effect of Sr substitution for Ca on the Ca3Co4O9 thermoelectric properties. J. Alloys Compds. 577, 511-515 (2013);
5. G. Constantinescu, Sh. Rasekh, M. A. Torres, M. A. Madre, J.C. Diez, A. Sotelo. Enhancement of the high-temperature thermoelectric performance of Bi2Ba2Co2Ox ceramics. Scripta Mater. 68, 75-78 (2013);
6. Gabriel Constantinescu, Artur R. Sarabando, Shahed Rasekh, Diogo Lopes, Sergii Sergiienko, Parisa Amirkhizi, Jorge R. Frade and Andrei V. Kovalevsky. Redox‐Promoted Tailoring of the High‐Temperature Electrical Performance in Ca3Co4O9 Thermoelectric Materials by Metallic Cobalt Addition. Materials 13(5), 1060, 1-21 (2020).
7. Andrei V. Kovalevsky, Kiryl V. Zakharchuk, Myriam H. Aguirre, Wenjie Xie, Sonia G. Patricio, Nuno M. Ferreira, Diogo Lopes, Sergii A. Sergiienko, Gabriel Constantinescu, Sergey M. Mikhalev, Anke Weidenkaff and Jorge R. Frade. Redox engineering of strontium titanate-based thermoelectrics. J. Mater. Chem. A, 2020, 8, 7317-7330.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship awarded to Gabriel Constantinescu
Project TEOsINTE seeks to explore the controlled interactions between the components in oxide composites as a tool towards enhanced thermoelectric performance.
Papers (36)
Redox-Promoted Tailoring of the High-Temperature Electrical Performance in Ca3Co4O9 Thermoelectric Materials by Metallic Cobalt Addition
Constantinescu, G; Sarabando, AR; Rasekh, S; Lopes, D; Sergiienko, S; Amirkhizi, P; Frade, JR; Kovalevsky, AV
2020, MATERIALS, 13, 5,
Redox engineering of strontium titanate-based thermoelectrics
Kovalevsky, AV; Zakharchuk, KV; Aguirre, MH; Xie, W; Patricio, SG; Ferreira, NM; Lopes, D; Sergiienko, SA; Constantinescu, G; Mikhalev, SM; Weidenkaff, A; Frade, JR
2020, JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A, 8, 15, 7317-7330.
Unravelling the Effects of Calcium Substitution in BaGd2CoO5 Haldane Gap 1D Material and Its Thermoelectric Performance
Narendar, N; Kovalevsky, AV; Xie, WJ; Rasekh, S; Constantinescu, G; Weidenkaff, A; Pukazhselvan, D; Fagg, DP
2020, JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C, 124, 24, 13017-13025.
Effect of Al3+ modification on cobalt ferrite and its impact on the magnetoelectric effect in BCZT–CFO multiferroic composites
M. Naveed-Ul-Haq, Vladimir V. Shvartsman, Gabriel Constantinescu, Harsh Trivedi, Soma Salamon, Joachim Landers, Heiko Wende, Doru C. Lupascu
2017, J. Mater. Sci. 52, 13402-13413,
Decrease of electrical resistivity in Ca3Co4O9 thermoelectric ceramics by Ti doping
M. A. Torres, Sh. Rasekh, P. Bosque, G. Constantinescu, M. A. Madre, J. C. Diez, A. Sotelo
2015, J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 26, 815-820,
Thermoelectric doping effect in Ca3Co4-xNixO9 ceramics
G. Constantinescu, Sh. Rasekh, M. A. Torres, P. Bosque, M. A. Madre, A. Sotelo, J. C. Diez
2015, Bol. Soc. Esp. Ceram. V. 54, 21-27,
Improvement of thermoelectric properties in Ca3Co4O9 ceramics by Ba doping
G. Constantinescu, Sh. Rasekh, M. A. Torres, M. A. Madre, A. Sotelo, J. C. Diez
2015, J. Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 26, 3466-3473,
High thermoelectric performances in Co-oxides processed by a laser floating zone technique
J. C. Diez, Sh. Rasekh, G. Constantinescu, F. M. Costa, N. M. Ferreira, M. A. Torres, M. A. Madre, A. Sotelo
2015, Mater. Today: Proceedings 2, 654-660,
Effect of Na doping on the Ca3Co4O9 thermoelectric performance
G. Constantinescu, Sh. Rasekh, M. A. Torres, P. Bosque, J. C. Diez, M. A. Madre, A. Sotelo
2015, Ceram. Int. 41, 10897-10903,
Thermoelectric properties in Ca3Co4-xMnxOy ceramics
G. Constantinescu, M. A. Torres, Sh. Rasekh, P. Bosque, M. A. Madre, J. C. Diez, A. Sotelo
2015, Adv. Appl. Ceram. 114, 303-308,
Effect of Secondary Annealing Process on Critical Current Density in Highly Textured Bi-2212 Superconducting System
M. A. Aksan, M. A. Madre, Sh. Rasekh, G. Constantinescu, M. A. Torres, J. C. Diez, A. Sotelo, M. E. Yakinci
2015, JOM. 67, 2079-2086,
Modification of thermoelectric properties in Ca3Co4Oy ceramics by Nd doping
G. Constantinescu, M. A. Torres, Sh. Rasekh, M. A. Madre, J. C. Diez, A. Sotelo
Effect of Ga addition on Ca-deficient Ca3Co4Oy thermoelectric materials
G. Constantinescu, M. A. Madre, Sh. Rasekh, M. A. Torres, J. C. Diez, A. Sotelo
2014, Ceram. Int. 40, 6255-6260,
Influence of Ca substitution by Mg on the Ca3Co4O9 performances
G. Constantinescu, Sh. Rasekh, M. A. Torres, C. Chocarro, J. C. Diez, M. A. Madre, A. Sotelo
Development of a new thermoelectric Bi2Ca2Co1.7Ox + Ca3Co4O9 composite
Sh. Rasekh, N. M. Ferreira, F. M. Costa, G. Constantinescu, M. A. Madre, M. A. Torres, J. C. Diez, A. Sotelo
2014, Scripta Mater. 80, 1-4,


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Our Senior Recruiting Team
Candidates & Staff
Temp Staff
Grocery Management Awards 2019
Grocery Management Awards 2019- The Nominees
The C-Store Awards 2018- All the Winners
Retail Excelllence Awards 2018
Gold Medal Awards 2018
The National Recruitment Federation Awards 2016 | Winner
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Krispy Kreme gets go-ahead to open in Blanchardstown…with 24/7 drive thru!
by Aisling Rafferty | Jan 26, 2018 | News
After months of excitement, it's been confirmed that US doughnut giant Krispy Kreme will soon be arriving in Blanchardstown Centre after Fingal County Council approved its planning application yesterday.The new store will also consist of a drive-thru which will be open 24 hours a day.
The retailer confirmed plans to brings its operations to Ireland in September 2016 to much excitement. According to the planning application "Krispy Kreme will include a food production area for the proposed cafe/restaurant use, which will also provide for distribution of produce to other outlets, and a drive-through facility. 'The proposed development includes alterations to the elevations, alterations to the layout of the adjacent surface car parking area primarily associated with the drive-through facility, alterations to the existing service yard, signage for each unit, and associated ancillary works.
Krispy Kreme was founded in 1937, and it opened its 1000th international outlet in Peru last year. In total, there are over 1,300 shops in 31 countries, and after 81 whole years in business, the retailer will make Ireland it 32nd country.
An official opening date for Ireland's first Krispy Kreme is yet to be announced.
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15.8 x 9.8 cm (6.2 x 4.0 inches)Manatus of the West IndiesThis finely detailed engraving was made in London in the 1840s. This is a genuine antique, not a reproduction and is in very good condition. The original hand colouring and engraving is excellent. The publishing company William Home Lizars ..
Nautilus, Squid, Octopus
45 x 34 cm (17.5 x 13.5 inches)European Squid (Sepia loligo), Common Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), Common Octopus (Octopus vulgaris), Paper Sailor Nautilus (Argonauta argo), Nautilus (Nautilus Pompilus), Ram's Horn Squid (Spirula peronii), Floating Sea Snal (Clio borealis), Floating Sea Snal (Chle..
Nothosaurus
27 x 19 cm (10.6 x 7.4 inches)Der NothosaurusA semi-oceanic animal from the Triassic period, which probably had a lifestyle similar to that of today's sealsThis antique lithograph was made in about 1910 and is in excellent condition. It is from a rare set of collecting cards about dinosaurs, prehist..
Radiolari
26 x 18cm (10.3 x 7 inches).Radiolari are a beautiful form of sea lifeThis high quality antique lithograph is by Friedrich Wilhelm Kuhnert and was made in Italy in about 1895. Kuhnert (1865-1926) was a German artist who specialised in wildlife. He was especially good at portraying animals in natural..
Radiolarians
Sea Pen Soft Coral
24.5 x 16 cm (9.75 x 6.25 inches).Veretillum cynomoriumThis superb antique print was made in 1849 and is from the first edition of Dictionnaire D'Histoire Naturelle by Charles Orbigny. It was made by engraving and has beautiful hand colouring enriched with shellac finishing. The print is on heavy, h..
71 x 54 cm (28 x 21 inches). Zoologie, Echinodermes Oursins Date: The first volumes of engravings were presented to Napoleon in 1808.Condition: Excellent. A few foxing dots.This stunning engraving is from "Description de l'Egypte" which contained the largest engravings ever made. In 1798 Napoleon co..
Sperm Whale, Seal , Porpoise
45 x 34 cm (17.5 x 13.5 inches)Porpoise (Phocaena communis), Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus), Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina)This large antique lithograph is by Emil Hanselmann of Stuttgart in Germany and was made in about 1870. The original hand coloring and detail is superb. Antique prints by Ha..
Tube Worms And Bristle Worms
24.5 x 16 cm (9.75 x 6.25 inches).This superb antique print was made in 1849 and is from the first edition of Dictionnaire D'Histoire Naturelle by Charles Orbigny. It was made by engraving and has beautiful hand colouring enriched with shellac finishing. The print is on heavy, high quality stiff pap..
Venus Sea Fan, Fire Coral, Soft Coral
45 x 34 cm (17.5 x 13.5 inches)Sea Anemone (Actinia effoeta), Mushroom Coral (Fungia agariciformis), Organ Pipe Coral (Tubipora rubiola), Common Sea Pen (Pennatula phosphorea), Venus Sea Fan (Gorgonia flabellum), Ivory Tree Coral (Oculina virginea), Solitary Coral (Caryophyllia fastigiata), Fire Cor..
Walrus, Manatee, Narwhal
45 x 34 cm (17.5 x 13.5 inches)Walrus (Trichechus rosmarus), Manatee (Manatus australis), Narwhal (Monodon monoceros)This large antique lithograph is by Emil Hanselmann of Stuttgart in Germany and was made in about 1870. The original hand coloring and detail is superb. Antique prints by Hanselmann a..
Wrinkled and Angular Crabs
Harp Seal and Walrus
23 x 15 cm (9 x 6 inches).Medusa pulmoThis antique engraving is over 200 years old. It's is from the first edition of one of George Shaw's works on zoology, published between 1801 and 1804. George Shaw (1751-1813) was a notable English botanist and zoologist. Shaw was a initially a medical practitio..
Fossils, Sharks Teeth, Ammonite
Crabs And Lobster
22 x 16.5 cm (9.5 x 6 inches).This original antique engraving was made in 1732 for a work by Noel-Antoine Pluche "Spectacle De La Nature..". This included many fine, hand made engravings about natural history, the heavens and science. The engravings we are offering are from the rare first French edi..
Mussels, Clams, Anemone
40 x 24.5 cm (15.5 x 9.75 inches).Reptilia marisThis antique copper plate engraving was made in 1731 for Scheuchzer's incredible Physica Sacra.It has hand painted water colouring embellished with metallic gold/silver paint. The engraving is on chain lined paper with strong plate marks. The paper has..
40 x 24.5 cm (15.5 x 9.75 inches).AmmonitesThis antique copper plate engraving was made in 1731 for Scheuchzer's incredible Physica Sacra.It has hand painted water colouring. The engraving is on chain lined paper with strong plate marks. The paper has a lovely aged, creamy white patina and is in exc..
Platypus, Walrus and Ursine Seal
Long-clawed Crabs
Horrid and Four-clawed Crabs
Spider and Slender-legged Crabs
Norway and Atom Lobsters
Long-clawed Lobster
Coral: Screen-like Gorgon Fan Coral
38.5 x 21.5cm (11.2 x 8.5 inches)Gorgonia umbraculumThis is an antique copper plate engraving of corals and corallines. It is from John Ellis's 'A Natural History of Many Uncommon and Curious Zoophytes', published in 1786 posthumously by his daughter with help from Daniel Solander and Sir Joseph B..
Coral: Fiery Red Gorgon Fan Coral
38.5 x 21.5cm (11.2 x 8.5 inches)Gorgonia flammeaThis is an antique copper plate engraving of corals and corallines. It is from John Ellis's 'A Natural History of Many Uncommon and Curious Zoophytes', published in 1786 posthumously by his daughter with help from Daniel Solander and Sir Joseph Bank..
Sea Feathers
Soft Coral
23 x 15 cm (9 x 6 inches).Tubularia reptans. Slight foxing to upper left.This antique engraving is over 200 years old. It's is from the first edition of one of George Shaw's works on zoology, published between 1801 and 1804. George Shaw (1751-1813) was a notable English botanist and zoologist. Shaw ..
Cuttle Fish


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Lopinot family papers
Photocopies of original documents relative to the history of the family of Charles Joseph, Compte de Lopinot. This collection is accompanied by a brief account of the Lopinot family by Jerome F. Lopinot.
Please contact the holders of the original documents for photocopies.
Charles Joseph Lopinot, sugar and cocoa planter, was born in 1738 and arrived in Trinidad in 1800 from St. Domingue. He was appointed Brigadier-General in the Trinidad Militia and in 1813 was also appointed to the Council of Advice. He later settled in one of the valleys of the Northern Range where, today, the village bears his name. He died in 1819.
Donated by Professor K.O. Laurence, Chairman of the Archeological Committee of the Department of History, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine in 2003. Professor Laurence had received the documents from Dr. Neal H. Lopinot, descendant of Charles Joseph, Compte de Lopinot.
Most of the original documents are held at the Provincial Archives of Quebec.
Lopinot (Trindad and Tobago)
Louisiana -- History -- 18th century.
Lopinot family papers, SC49. The Alma Jordan Library, The University of the West Indies .
Lopinot family papers, SC49. The Alma Jordan Library, The University of the West Indies . https://archivespace.sta.uwi.edu/repositories/2/resources/98 Accessed February 02, 2023.


I came across this list of very useful testing heuristics and mnemonics.
I thought it might be useful for your own testing. Some of these get complicated but I think as a whole they are a great asset.
Are heuristics something that you use regularly in your testing?
I've updated the link now so I think it is working.


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Better research
Bob Girolamo
How to Research Like a Journalist
Author: Bob Girolamo
The content sphere is in flux; constantly changing. Whether you're in marketing, writing for a company, or writing articles about specific topics as educational resources, keyword research isn't the only type of research you'll need to conduct. Though a focus on search has an important place in modern content creation, research that incorporates multiple credible sources is what will really set your pieces apart from the competition.If research isn't already part of your process, it's time for a reality check. Here's what you need to know to get started:
Research that is timely
If you are writing a press release, blog post, or article that relates to a recent event your research should incorporate information that was posted within a reasonable timeframe. Different industries and topics dictate different terms for what constitutes "timeliness", but consider a field like SEO—something that was relevant event a year ago may no longer be relevant.
Some of the most up-to-date sources of information include recent results on Google News, Twitter and RSS feeds to trade-specific publications such as IndustryWeek, AdAge, and Thomson Reuters. Of course, when it comes to "sources" such as Twitter, additional sources may be necessary to validate information. Creating industry-specific alerts and staying on top of timely resources will unveil information as it is made public. Being the first to report on news of interest within your industry can be considered an advantage when it comes to building thought leadership.
Exclusive journalism
Being a great researcher means first identifying primary sources to refer back to. With this in mind, create a list of trade-specific publications in your subject area.
Subscribe to email updates so that you'll have a bird's eye view of what's new and interesting. Online publications that post a large quantity of news send daily digests for easy skimming. If you're looking for even more timely news, refer once again to Twitter.
Create a list of your favorite publications, and search their followers to find the handles of their journalists. Add these individuals to your Twitter list for of-the-moment news updates. Many of these journalists make it easy to get in touch via email, sharing theirs in their Twitter bio. You can use this information to get in touch if you'd like to learn more about a story, but be judicious—most journalists don't have time to field endless questions from readers.
Making use of materials that aren't time sensitive
If you want information on a company's most recent developments, it may be as simple as conducting a Google search with the terms, "[Name of Business] Press Release" or "[Name of Business] PR". Besides a company's own efforts to publicize their latest and greatest feats, there are many publications devoted to aggregating press releases that you could search for more information (such as Business Wire). Press releases are written in a professional language and are neutral of public opinion, which can be helpful for your research.
Using niche search engines such as Google Scholar or PubMed can help you access materials not available to the general public. The Library of Congress also has a free online database that's easy to navigate. While you're at it, don't forget about your local library, which provides free access (when you sign up for a library card) to dozens of informational databases. At any rate, when using materials taken from scholarly publications, it is important to remember that these materials are not subject to frequent updates. You will have to judge for yourself whether a study from the early 2000s is still relevant for whatever topic you're writing about.
Handling biases
Your topic is best served if you attack it from many angles. For example, don't just source information from the New York Times: go to CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, and Bloomberg. Read their official publications, the press releases companies released to the news giants, and possibly even their social media posts. Attempt to contact the journalists themselves with your questions for more credibility, if necessary.
If you're not finding enough diversity with national publications, consider local papers and local papers' social media handles. Go to conventions that are popular with the brand you're studying. Go to their competitor's blogs for other ideas.
No matter how you go about it, try to view your subject from many different lenses.
Alternative search engines
Google may be the mainstream, go-to search engine, but the web has many estuaries in its content river. If you follow some of these less traveled paths, it will lead you to the under-represented hovels the internet hides its gold in.
Some alternative search engines are owned by Google-like Blink. Others are owned by different companies, like Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Dogpile. Some are private deep web projects like Tor Browser (which is free to download and helps you to search the .onion level of the internet). Some of these are highly intelligent and will deeply analyze your query for you to save you some of the time in shaping your query. Another option, Wolfram Alpha's search engine, allows you to enter in the name of a company and it will spit back its sector, latest stock trade price, and executives names—along with a brief bio. Find at least one other search engine that you like and weigh the differences in your research results. Queries from various sources form a well-rounded view and provide backlink material that others aren't necessarily vying for.
Research at any level must be comprehensive to be valuable. Don't fill your writing with filler that takes away from the experience of your human reader.
By being purposeful in your research, you'll be a better content marketer overall.
Give Sorc'd a try for better research
Tagged: how do you research, how to do a research paper, how to research, how to research a subject, how to research a topic, online research tools, research, research paper, research tools
Emily Girolamo
Better research, Collaboration, Tools for Writers/Blog...
Good Content Marketing: Delivering Well-Researched and Well-Written Content
One of the toughest parts about being a content writer at a marketing agency is juggling the demands of all the clients. Here at Brafton, I could be personally writing for many different clients at once, and editing the copy for many others too. All told, I could be involved with the copy for dozens of different businesses at one time. Considering that each and every client has particular needs for their content and they all address a different audience, this can be a lot to think about and handle at any given moment.
Tagged: better research, content agency, content creation, content curation, content development, content marketing, good content marketing, online research tools, storing information, tools for writers
Better research, Tools for Writers/Blog...
Complex Science Writing Made Simple
From a User's Prospective:Scientific Writer shares advice
Author: Alexander Carchidi
I view the challenges of science writing as twofold: building personal understanding about the scientific topic, and succinctly passing on that understanding. Trying to explain a scientific topic to the public can quickly spiral out of control due to the amount of background context that must be built from scratch.
These two core challenges assume that the author knows enough background about the scientific topic that they're trying to write about to successfully educate someone else — but every writer and every scientist has found themselves in the position of needing to write about something they aren't yet knowledgeable about.
The solution to not knowing enough about a scientific topic is to perform even more research. The chances of correctly understanding and then correctly describing brand new information will be sketchy without a way to organize the new information coming in. Keeping track of information, sources, and how the source was accessed rapidly becomes a major battle. Preparing a simple Word document with snippets of information drains a lot of time: each new source must be linked along with its relevant quotations, requiring an abundance of copying, pasting, and switching windows. Some of these efforts may be replicated later when actually writing.
Each flip back and forth between separate software elements is an event boundary — a psychological transition which increases the chance of losing track of what you're doing. Many articles will require dozens of different sources to be paraphrased or quoted. Each source must be referenced correctly, leading to hours of time lost fumbling with the transfer of information. The incentive to incorporate fewer sources in order to avoid the hassle of manipulating their information is quite strong.
Using fewer sources is a surefire way to produce weak science writing, however. In my experience, many scientists and writers have resigned themselves to performing hours of tedious research documentation. It doesn't have to be that way.
SORC'D has a few advantages over similar research tools for scientific writing. The largest advantage is simplicity and ease of use. Research is a fluid process, and disruptions break the flow of investigation, causing unfollowed leads. SORC'D allows for extremely rapid snipping which doesn't disrupt concentration.
I frequently spy a tidbit in a paper that I want to come back to. Before SORC'D, I'd grab the hyperlink to the entire paper — even if most of it wasn't relevant — and paste it into a document filled with other such links. Cue time to write, and of course it's a struggle to hunt down the exact piece that was useful in the morass of tables, figures, and text. With SORC'D, this problem has become extinct — I simply grab, tag, and move on. I know it'll be waiting for me with the link to the rest of the article too, should I need it.
The other major advantage of SORC'D is a simple (notice how I keep coming back to simple?) organization system for your data: tagging. Sure, other systems have tagging. If you're stuck in the stone age, you can break up individual projects into separate files to avoid getting them confused — but SORC'D lets you combine the harvesting and organizing of information.
I frequently write articles about topics within immunology, and struggle to retain the contents of research that I glossed over while hunting for other information. Now, it's tagged based off the topic. When I sit down to write about a very narrow topic within immunology, I have all my previous research at my fingertips. Information is not only more organized, but easier to process into an understanding that is broader than the needs of today.
It's hard to overstate how much my workflow has changed with SORC'D. Now, I err on the side of capturing information wherever my research takes me. My worries of losing focus due to complicated data recording, citation, and transfer are a thing of the past.
Streamlining my research process has led to faster and deeper understanding of the material. Rather than flicking between a dozen different browser tabs or Word documents, information that I'm interested in writing about is at my fingertips. If I want to quote directly, SORC'D is integrated with Google Docs, so it's as simple as pushing a button. Using SORC'D is like having a second prosthetic short-term memory that I can use in addition to my own—a colossal benefit to say the least.
Science writing is a rat's nest of chasing down sources, integrating information, and attempting to explain data to an audience that may not understand the context. Using SORC'd makes the hardest step of science writing — research gathering — vastly more manageable than before.
Tagged: complex writing help, how to write about complex topics, science bloggers, science writers, writing about science, writing-made-simple
Better research, Collaboration, Google Tools, Information Overload, Microsoft Tools, Sales Tools, Tools for Writers/Blog...
Sorc'd featured in Forbes
A digital highlighter that allowed people to save the most important pieces of their everyday reads, then they could save a lot of time not re-searching through articles and emails they had already read...Emily and Bob were determined to make Sorc'd a successful solution with practical purposes that people could actually use on a daily basis. Read entire article on Forbes.com
Better research, Information Overload, Press Releases, Tools for Writers/Blog...
PRESS RELEASE: The Launch of Sorc'd for Microsoft Office Forecasts Increase in Productivity for Content Creators
For Immediate Release9 a.m. PST June 7, 2016
For press inquiries: Bob Girolamo Bob@Sorcd.com (312) 953-6060 The Launch of Sorc'd for Microsoft Office Forecasts Increase in Productivity for Content Creators
Sorc'd Takes Major Step to Becoming a Necessity For Smarter Content Creation
CHICAGO – June 7, 2016 – Sorc'd [Sorcd.com], the cloud-based aggregator for snippets of content users have deemed noteworthy, today announced the launch of Sorc'd for Microsoft Office. This is an expansion of plans Sorc'd has to seamlessly integrate with content creation partners, augmenting existing systems to create more value for users. The add-on empowers users of Microsoft Office: Word, PowerPoint, and Excel to search and add snippets from the Sorc'd knowledge base directly within Office documents.
"Sorc'd is about giving back precious time and mental capacity to a world that is overloaded with data, said Bob Girolamo, CEO of Sorc'd. "By providing a platform that is intuitive and easy to use, we hope users can discover more meaningful pieces of information to use as support or idea generation for original content. Add on the sharing and collaboration of the Sorc'd collective database, and you've got an environment where teams become smarter, thought leaders flourish, and individuals discover something new."
"Sorc'd gives our joint users the tools they need to be as productive as possible with seamless integration into Microsoft Office products," proclaimed Rob Howard, director, Office 365 Ecosystem, Microsoft.
Sorc'd clients boast shaving at least 30% off their research and content creation time by using the productivity tools. With over 90% of the world's data created in the last two years, it's no wonder that:
- 62% of professionals say their quality of work suffers because they can't sort information fast enough,1
- professionals waste an average of 9+ hours EVERY week searching and gathering information,2 and
- Fortune 500 companies lose $30+ billion a year by failing to share knowledge.3 By making relevant snippets of content universally accessible and easily digestible, Sorc'd provides clients – such as content creation and marketing agencies, writers, journalists, marketers, and students – new cross-platform solutions for building stronger content, faster.
Unlike other ways to save information, Sorc'd is about efficiency and effectiveness. Without too many bells and whistle, all of the highly intuitive tools are designed with the end goal in mind – to build stronger content, faster. A browser extension enables users to highlight and organize only the pieces of online content they find interesting, such as in an article, blog, presentation or email. These "snippets" can be filtered by category, tag, post type, favorites or date, and link to their original sources. Recalling and importing snippets – both private and public – can be done with a single click via add-ins, like the one in Microsoft Office, or APIs. Users can choose to have the original source link built into the snippet or come after it. Users may create footnotes from links coming after the snippets with a few keyboard shortcuts.
Although Sorc'd has users from around the world, the company is focusing first on providing quality solutions to the 132 million employed in United States markets that create content, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.4 As the demands for original content increase, leveraging collective intelligence and participation from many parts of an organization will become essential - sourcing subject matter experts, thought leaders, research and other departments. Decision makers credit content marketing with driving sales (88%), customer referrals (83%), and customer loyalty (75%).5
Sorc'd connected with Microsoft Corp. through 1871, Chicago's entrepreneurial hub.
About Sorc'd (pronounced sourced)
An innovation award-winner, Sorc'd empowers content creators to build stronger content, faster through a cloud-powered knowledge database of digestible snippets of relevant content, substantially decreasing research time and giving users more time to focus on what matters. Seamlessly integrating with numerous content creation systems, such as Microsoft Office and Google Docs, Sorc'd supercharges existing processes across public and private systems for content creation and marketing agencies, public relation agencies, writers, journalists, marketers, healthcare and academia. The company is based out of Chicago's entrepreneurial hub, 1871. For more information please visit: http://Sorcd.com
1."Newsroom." New Survey Reveals Extent, Impact of Information Overload on Workers; From Boston to Beijing, Professionals Feel Overwhelmed, Demoralized. Lexis Nexis, 20 Oct. 2010. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.
Shechtman, Jason. "Top 3 Reasons Why We Spend So Much Time Searching for Information | Under The Radar Conference | UTRConf."Under The Radar Conference. Under The Radar, 14 May 2013. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.
Quast, Lisa. "Why Knowledge Management Is Important To The Success Of Your Company." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 20 Aug. 2012. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.
"Occupational Employment Statistics Home Page." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.
"Survey: Demand for Content-marketing Expertise Outpaces Supply of Skilled Job-seekers." Survey: Demand for Content-marketing Expertise Outpaces Supply of Skilled Job-seekers. SkilledUp, 26 Jan. 2015. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.
Bob Girolamo, Sorc'd, (312) 953-6060, Bob@Sorcd.com
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Sorc'd, please visit http://www.Sorcd.com.
Tagged: Cloud-based tools, Microsoft Office Add-ins, productivity tools, Tools for content marketing, tools for writers, Tools that integrate with Office
Bloggers Meet Startups Interview with Bob Girolamo
Meet Bob Girolamo of Sorc'd
Posted on May 5, 2016 by madeline.osman •
Bob Girolamo is the founder of Sorc'd, a startup in 1871. Follow Sorc'd on Twitter and learn more about the company below:
Sorc'd empowers content creators to build stronger content, faster. Clients boast saving 30% or more off their research and creation time by using the suite of cloud-powered tools for capturing snippets of relevant content and seamlessly integrating them into their content
Sorc'd is about efficiency and effectiveness. All of the highly intuitive tools are designed with the end goal in mind – to build stronger content, faster. A browser extension enables users to highlight and organize only the pieces of online content they find interesting, such as in an article, blog, presentation or email. These "snippets" can be filtered by category, tag, post type, favorites or date, and link to their original sources. Recalling and importing snippets – both private and public – can be done with a single click via add-ins, like the one in Microsoft Office, Google Docs or APIs. Users can choose to have the original source link built into the snippet or come after it. Users may create footnotes from links coming after the snippets with a few keyboard shortcuts.
Tagged: productivity tools, tools for bloggers, tools for writers, writing tools
The Key to Upping Your Content Game? Credible Research
As content marketing grows in popularity, there's no denying its impact on company sales, sentiment, and reputation. According to SkilledUp, 88 percent of decision makers credit content marketing with driving sales, 83 percent with customer referrals, and 75 percent with customer loyalty...READ MORE
Tagged: content creation, content curation, content marketing, credible research, influence & co-, research tools, Sorc'd
Better research, Uncategorized
MEETADVISORS: MINIMIZING YOUR MISTAKES
Renata Sandor of MeetAdvisors meets up with Bob Girolamo, Co-founder of Sorc'dto get tips and tricks on how to do research better. How to capture, recall and use snippets of relevant information in content creation. Working with a team and sharing collective knowledge is key.
Tagged: better research, Bob Girolamo, finding relevant information, how to do research better, how to share collective knowledge, MeetAdvisors, research, Sorc'd


text:
Todd Martin was the defending champion but did not compete that year.

Tim Henman won in the final 6–3, 6–1 against Carlos Moyá.

Seeds
A champion seed is indicated in bold text while text in italics indicates the round in which that seed was eliminated.

  Goran Ivanišević (semifinals)
  Wayne Ferreira (first round)
  Albert Costa (semifinals)
  Jan Siemerink (first round)
  Félix Mantilla (first round)
  Marc Rosset (first round)
  Petr Korda (first round)
  Paul Haarhuis (second round)

Draw

References
 1997 Sydney International Draw

Men's Singles
Singles

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
package me.dinowernli.grpc.polyglot.io;

import com.google.common.annotations.VisibleForTesting;
import com.google.common.base.Strings;
import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
import com.google.protobuf.Descriptors.Descriptor;
import com.google.protobuf.DynamicMessage;
import com.google.protobuf.util.JsonFormat;
import com.google.protobuf.util.JsonFormat.TypeRegistry;

import java.io.BufferedReader;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.InputStreamReader;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.Path;

/** A utility class which knows how to read proto files written using {@link MessageWriter}. */
public class MessageReader {
  private final JsonFormat.Parser jsonParser;
  private final Descriptor descriptor;
  private final BufferedReader bufferedReader;
  private final String source;

  /** Creates a {@link MessageReader} which reads messages from stdin. */
  public static MessageReader forStdin(Descriptor descriptor, TypeRegistry registry) {
    BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in));
    return new MessageReader(
        JsonFormat.parser().usingTypeRegistry(registry),
        descriptor,
        reader,
        "STDIN");
  }

  /** Creates a {@link MessageReader} which reads the messages from a file. */
  public static MessageReader forFile(Path path, Descriptor descriptor) {
    return forFile(path, descriptor, TypeRegistry.getEmptyTypeRegistry());
  }

  /** Creates a {@link MessageReader} which reads the messages from a file. */
  public static MessageReader forFile(Path path, Descriptor descriptor, TypeRegistry registry) {
    try {
      return new MessageReader(
          JsonFormat.parser().usingTypeRegistry(registry),
          descriptor,
          Files.newBufferedReader(path),
          path.toString());
    } catch (IOException e) {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unable to read file: " + path.toString(), e);
    }
  }

  @VisibleForTesting
  MessageReader(
      JsonFormat.Parser jsonParser,
      Descriptor descriptor,
      BufferedReader bufferedReader,
      String source) {
    this.jsonParser = jsonParser;
    this.descriptor = descriptor;
    this.bufferedReader = bufferedReader;
    this.source = source;
  }

  /** Parses all the messages and returns them in a list. */
  public ImmutableList<DynamicMessage> read() {
    ImmutableList.Builder<DynamicMessage> resultBuilder = ImmutableList.builder();
    try {
      String line;
      boolean wasLastLineEmpty = false;
      while (true) {
        line = bufferedReader.readLine();

        // Two consecutive empty lines mark the end of the stream.
        if (Strings.isNullOrEmpty(line)) {
          if (wasLastLineEmpty) {
            return resultBuilder.build();
          }
          wasLastLineEmpty = true;
          continue;
        } else {
          wasLastLineEmpty = false;
        }

        // Read the next full message.
        StringBuilder stringBuilder = new StringBuilder();
        while (!Strings.isNullOrEmpty(line)) {
          stringBuilder.append(line);
          line = bufferedReader.readLine();
        }
        wasLastLineEmpty = true;

        DynamicMessage.Builder nextMessage = DynamicMessage.newBuilder(descriptor);
        jsonParser.merge(stringBuilder.toString(), nextMessage);

        // Clean up and prepare for next message.
        resultBuilder.add(nextMessage.build());
      }
    } catch (Exception e) {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unable to read messages from: " + source, e);
    }
  }
}


A summer with toads and nano-bubbles!!!
This summer 2015 has been one like no other. Having the opportunity to work on a summer research program in a good university like the UPRM and contribute to the scientific knowledge in my island is something great that has no price. During 10 weeks I worked in a mechanical engineering laboratory on the "Permeability measurements of nano-bubbles through the urinary bladder of Bufo marinus toad". The goal of the research was to detect and determine if air nano-bubbles diffuse through the urinary bladder from a donor chamber to a receiver one. Some recent studies have indicated that air and oxygen nano-bubbles enhance the growth of fishes, plants and mice. If it's true that air nano-bubbles diffuse through a living tissue, maybe these ones can have some effect on living organisms. For this, the urinary bladder of Bufo marinus toad was used as membrane.
Having the opportunity to work in a research like this was something great. The part of working with animals (TOADS!!!) in the laboratory was a challenge for me and something completely new; is something that I would not change. To be working in the lab so many hours was something that helped me to be more patient and dedicated with every single task I do in my life. To be called by my REU undergraduate partners as "SUPER COQUITA" or by some people as "LA CHICA DEL SAPO" is something that I would never forget.
I had the opportunity to know a great professor and mentor that helped me to go through all this process and taught me a lot about my research. I knew so many graduate students from different countries and I make new good friends with the REU undergraduate students like me. We went to some social activities and without any doubt; my favorite was the visit to "Isla Magueyes" where we enjoy the beauty of coral reefs, mangroves and sea. Also, at the end of the program I had the opportunity to do a poster presentation about my research project that gave me the chance to show this new research to the academic community in the UPRM.
This REU 2015 will be a memory for a lifetime.


text:
The 1999 Hull City Council election took place on 6 May 1999 to elect members of Hull City Council in England. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour Party kept overall control of the council. Overall turnout in the election was 19.4%.

The election saw the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party monitor the selection of candidates for the party after the infighting that had been taking place locally.

After the election, the composition of the council was:
Labour 50
Liberal Democrat 5
Independent 4
Conservative 1

Election result

References

1999
1999 English local elections
1990s in Kingston upon Hull


text:
Q: PHP Simple XML to get Nodes based on their attribute I have created an XML file that has a structured list of franchises. Problem is that I want to grab a franchise by it's id without having to iterate throughout the whole list.
This is how I can get the attributes of the first franchise. But I want to fetch back a franchise object with an id of say '3'. I would of thought that the id would be the key but it isn't, see below:
SimpleXMLElement Object
(
    [@attributes] => Array
        (
            [id] => 1
            [name] => Franchise 1
            [aid] =>
        )

)

Here is how I access the first franchises attributes, but this isn't very helpful to me.
$this->xmlData->franchises->franchise->attributes()

Here is the structure of the xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<data>
    <franchises>
        <franchise id="1" name="Franchise 1" >
            <header>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </header>
            <used-list>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </used-list>
            <used-detail>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </used-detail>
            <contact-us>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </contact-us>
            <new-detail>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </new-detail>
            <left-column>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </left-column>
            <new-list>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </new-list>
            <offer-detail>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </offer-detail>
            <popup>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </popup>
        </franchise>
        <franchise id="2" name="Franchise 2" >
            <header>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </header>
            <used-list>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </used-list>
            <used-detail>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </used-detail>
            <contact-us>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </contact-us>
            <new-detail>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </new-detail>
            <left-column>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </left-column>
            <new-list>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </new-list>
            <offer-detail>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </offer-detail>
            <popup>
                <accountId>2354435435</accountId>
            </popup>
        </franchise>
    </franchises>
</data>

Help would be greatly appreciated.

A: Look at xpath. You can retrieve a specific node by attribute like this :
$result = $xml->xpath("//franchises/franchise[@id='2']");

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Optimize SQL Query to avoid Hash Match (Aggregate) I have a SQL query that takes 7 minutes+ to return results.  I'm trying to optimize as much as possible and the Execution plan loses 82% of the time on a Hash Match (Aggregate).  I've done some searching and looks like using an "EXISTS" would help to resolve, but I haven't figured out the syntax of the query to make it work.  Here's the query:
select dbo.Server.Name,
                dbo.DiskSpace.Drive,
                AVG(dbo.DiskSpace.FreeSpace) as 'Free Disk Space',
                AVG(dbo.Processor.PercentUsed) as 'CPU % Used',
                AVG(dbo.Memory.PercentUtilized) as '% Mem Used'

                from Server
                join dbo.DiskSpace on dbo.Server.ID=DiskSpace.ServerID
                join dbo.Processor on dbo.Server.ID=Processor.ServerID
                join dbo.Memory on dbo.Server.ID=dbo.Memory.ServerID

                where
                dbo.Processor.ProcessorNum='_Total'
                    and dbo.Processor.Datetm>DATEADD(DAY,-(1),(CONVERT (date, GETDATE())))
                    and (      dbo.Server.Name='qp-ratking'
                            or dbo.Server.Name='qp-hyper2012'
                            or dbo.Server.Name='qp-hyped'
                            or dbo.Server.Name='qp-lichking')
                Group By dbo.server.name, Dbo.DiskSpace.Drive
                Order By Dbo.Server.Name, dbo.DiskSpace.Drive;

How do I reduce/eliminate the joins using EXISTS? Or if there is a better way to optimize, I'm up for that too.  Thanks

A: A co-worker broke down the query and pulled out data in smaller chunks so there wasn't as much processing of the data returned by the joins.  It cut it down to less than 1 second return.  New Query:
WITH tempDiskSpace AS
(
SELECT dbo.Server.Name
      ,dbo.DiskSpace.Drive
      ,AVG(dbo.DiskSpace.FreeSpace) AS 'Free Disk Space'

FROM dbo.DiskSpace
      LEFT JOIN dbo.Server ON dbo.DiskSpace.ServerID=Server.ID

WHERE dbo.DiskSpace.Datetm>DATEADD(DAY,-(1),(CONVERT (date, GETDATE())))
AND (dbo.Server.Name='qp-ratking'
      OR dbo.Server.Name='qp-hyper2012'
      OR dbo.Server.Name='qp-hyped'
      OR dbo.Server.Name='qp-lichking')

GROUP BY Name, Drive
)
,tempProcessor
AS
(
SELECT dbo.Server.Name
      ,AVG(dbo.Processor.PercentUsed) AS 'CPU % Used'

FROM dbo.Processor
      LEFT JOIN dbo.Server ON dbo.Processor.ServerID=Server.ID

WHERE dbo.Processor.Datetm>DATEADD(DAY,-(1),(CONVERT (date, GETDATE())))
AND dbo.Processor.ProcessorNum='_Total'
AND (dbo.Server.Name='qp-ratking'
      OR dbo.Server.Name='qp-hyper2012'
      OR dbo.Server.Name='qp-hyped'
      OR dbo.Server.Name='qp-lichking')

GROUP BY Name
)
,tempMemory
AS
(
SELECT dbo.Server.Name
      ,AVG(dbo.Memory.PercentUtilized) as '% Mem Used'

FROM dbo.Memory
      LEFT JOIN dbo.Server ON dbo.Memory.ServerID=Server.ID

WHERE dbo.Memory.Datetm>DATEADD(DAY,-(1),(CONVERT (date, GETDATE())))
AND (dbo.Server.Name='qp-ratking'
      OR dbo.Server.Name='qp-hyper2012'
      OR dbo.Server.Name='qp-hyped'
      OR dbo.Server.Name='qp-lichking')

GROUP BY Name
)

SELECT tempDiskSpace.Name, tempDiskSpace.Drive, tempDiskSpace.[Free Disk Space], tempProcessor.[CPU % Used], tempMemory.[% Mem Used]
FROM tempDiskSpace
LEFT JOIN tempProcessor ON tempDiskSpace.Name=tempProcessor.Name
LEFT JOIN tempMemory ON tempDiskSpace.Name=tempMemory.Name
ORDER BY Name, Drive;

Thanks for all the suggestions.

A: At the very least I'd start with getting rid of all those OR clauses.
AND (dbo.Server.Name='qp-ratking'
      OR dbo.Server.Name='qp-hyper2012'
      OR dbo.Server.Name='qp-hyped'
      OR dbo.Server.Name='qp-lichking')

and replace with
AND dbo.Server.Name in ('qp-ratking','qp-hyper2012','qp-hyped','qp-lichking')

I'm not sure about converting everything to CTEs though. You can't index CTEs and I'm yet to come across an occasion where CTEs outperform a regular query. Your initial query seemed well formed apart from the over use of OR as mentioned above, so I'd be looking at indexes next.

A: I would start by checking the indexes.  Are all the keys used in the join defined as primary keys?  Or do they at least have indexes?
Then, additional indexes on Processor and Server might help:
create index idx_Processor_ProcessorNum_Datetm_ServerId on ProcessorNum(ProcessorNum, Datetm, ServerId);
create index idx_Server_Name_ServerId on Server(Name, ServerId)

A: The statement looks reasonably structured and do not see a huge scope for optimization provided the per-requisits are addressed such as

*

*Check Index Fragmentation and ensure all Indexes are maintained

*Check if Statistics are up to date

*If dirty ready are acceptable then worth consider applying WITH (NOLOCK) on the tables.

*If the query allows declaring variables then moving the DATEADD out of the Filter statement as below can be beneficial.

Hope this helps.
-- Assuming Variables can be declared see the script below.
-- I made a few changes per my coding standard only to help me read better.

DECLARE @dt_Yesterdate DATE
SET @dt_Yesterdate = DATEADD(DAY, -(1), CONVERT (DATE, GETDATE()))

SELECT s.Name,
       ds.Drive,
       AVG(ds.FreeSpace) AS 'Free Disk Space',
       AVG(P.PercentUsed) AS 'CPU % Used',
       AVG(m.PercentUtilized) AS '% Mem Used'
FROM Server s
     JOIN dbo.DiskSpace AS ds
         ON s.ID = ds.ServerID
     JOIN dbo.Processor AS p
         ON s.ID = p.ServerID
     JOIN dbo.Memory AS m
         ON s.ID = m.ServerID
WHERE P.ProcessorNum = '_Total'
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Background: Patients with heart failure (HF) have diminished exercise capacity resulting in-part from lower peak-exercise cardiac output, which is associated with poor outcomes. Proportional pulse pressure (PPP), a ratio of pulse pressure and systolic blood pressure, is a surrogate for stroke volume. This study aimed to investigate relationships between PPP and exercise tolerance, and prognostic impact of PPP on patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).
Methods and Results: PPP were calculated in 2125 HFrEF patients randomized in the HF-ACTION. We assessed the relationship of PPP to exercise tolerance and mortality. In our study cohorts, the median PPP was 37.8% (interquartile range: 32.8 to 42.9%). Higher PPP was associated with shorter 6-minute walking distance and lower peak VO2 (both P<0.001). There were 351 deaths during median follow-up of 936 days. Higher PPP was associated with poorer survivals (Quartile-4 versus 1: hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] 1.41 [1.06 to 1.87], P = 0.019). PPP had a curvilinear association with mortality, which became particularly apparent when PPP was >38.0% (Figure). Among patients who had PPP >38.0%, PPP as a continuous value remained independently associated with mortality (1.03 [1.00 to 1.06], P = 0.044) in multivariable analyses.
Conclusions: PPP had a curvilinear association with mortality in patients with HFrEF. Among patients with PPP >38.0%, higher PPP was associated with poorer exercise tolerance and higher mortality.