text:
FOX21 News Colorado
Colorado Springs 46°
FOX21 News Livestream
Cyber Safe Community
Economic and Housing Update
Give!
Colorado Veterans Projects donates $10,000 to Home Front Military Network
Icy weather possible on Wednesday
Colorado escapee found in Arizona
Pollen Report
TheWxMeister Wonders
3-Degree Guarantee
Kidscasters
Rain and Snow Totals
Weather Experiments
FOX21 Weather Class
Texas T-Bone and Famous Dave's Trivia
FOX21 Birthdays
Pet Pix
In-Studio Interviews
Live and Local
Brock's Breakdown
7 Things You Need to Know
Colorado Springs On Tap
Flag Swap and Flag Facts
Vegas NYE
About FOX21
How to Watch FOX21
FOX21 Mobile Apps
SHOWTIME 2021
Connect with FOX21
Work at FOX21
SOCO CW
SOCO Scene
Loving Living Local
LeVar Burton joins Scripps National Spelling Bee as host
by: BEN NUCKOLS, Associated Press
FILE- LeVar Burton arrives at the Star Trek Day celebration on Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Burton has been hired as host of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, giving the competition a celebrity headliner who's also a longtime literacy advocate as Scripps takes over production of the bee telecast. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
LeVar Burton has been hired as host of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, giving the competition a celebrity headliner who's also a longtime literacy advocate as Scripps takes over production of the bee telecast.
Burton, who played Geordi La Forge on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and was the longtime host of the children's educational program "Reading Rainbow," told The Associated Press ahead of Thursday's announcement by Scripps that he said yes immediately when approached about the hosting role. Burton comes from a family of educators and said the bee represents "the inspirational, aspirational ideal of education."
"I want to normalize the pursuit of knowledge in this culture. That wouldn't be a bad thing, would it?" Burton said. "Not just making stuff up and calling it a fact. Achievement through knowledge, scholarship, putting in the work to gain the reward."
Burton described the opportunity as one of many that have come his way since his unsuccessful public campaign to become the permanent host of "Jeopardy!" (He will also serve as grand marshal of the upcoming Rose Parade.) His bid to succeed the late Alex Trebek attracted plenty of goodwill online while the show's producers were roundly criticized for their decision to hire Mike Richards, who stepped down shortly thereafter when his past insensitive comments were revealed.
The 64-year-old Burton described himself as an above-average but hardly distinguished speller who's as impressed by the bee winners as any other fan.
He cheered for this year's champion, Zaila Avant-garde — the first African American winner in the bee's history — and said the recent dominance of South Asian spellers should also be celebrated. Until this year, the bee had an Indian-American champion or co-champion every year since 2008.
"Zaila was a surprise, and a bit of an anomaly," Burton said. "I'm big for rooting for the underdog. As an underdog myself, I really identify."
Burton's hire comes at a time of transition for the bee, which has undergone several major changes since executive director J. Michael Durnil took over early this year. Scripps announced this fall it has ended its 27-year partnership with ESPN, which brought the bee to millions of viewers and promoted it like a major sporting event.
The bee will air next year on the Scripps-owned networks ION and Bounce and will stream online. According to Cincinnati-based Scripps, those networks are each available in nearly 120 million U.S. households.
Burton's exact duties as host are to be determined. Various ESPN hosts served as lead announcer for the bee over the years but were only heard on the telecast and had no interaction with the spellers during the competition. Watching the bee on TV is different by necessity from watching it in person because the TV hosts can share with the audience the correct spelling of a word before it's spelled onstage and analyze its tricky components.
Burton said he expects to serve as a bridge between the kids and the audience and highlight their accomplishments.
"Helping to tell the stories of these kids, that's something that I know I can bring to the proceedings," he said.
Other familiar faces from the bee will return in their usual roles: pronouncers Jacques Bailly and Brian Sietsema and head judge Mary Brooks. And the bee will return to its usual venue, a convention center outside Washington, after the COVID-19 pandemic led to its cancellation last year and a mostly virtual format this year, with the in-person finals limited to a dozen spellers at an ESPN campus in Florida.
Scripps plans for the bee to be contested entirely in person during the week after Memorial Day, with more than 200 spellers participating — "back as much to normal as possible," Durnil said.
"Reading Rainbow" went off the air in 2009, which means the current generation of spellers — kids compete through the eighth grade — grew up without Burton celebrating the written word on public television. However, he has gained some younger fans who've discovered his work on "Star Trek" through streaming.
Burton's name recognition, though, isn't universal.
Told by the AP that Burton would be the host, Chaitra Thummala, the 2021 runner-up who hopes to compete again next year, was hardly star-struck.
"I think it's great. I think it's good to have the bee have some publicity. I think it'll be fun," said Chaitra, a seventh-grader from Frisco, Texas. "I don't know him, I don't know who he is at all, so I can't say much on it."
Follow Ben Nuckols on Twitter at https://twitter.com/APBenNuckols.
Latest Local Stories
Colorado Christian University political scientists declares run for U.S. Senate
REPORT: More than 670 lives lost on Colorado roads in 2021
Westcliffe composer makes classical music pieces for all 50 states
Colorado Springs cleaning lady arrested for multiple thefts
CSFD put out small apartment fire Tuesday morning
Gourmet Coffee Day: Matt Meister visits three local shops
FOX21 Mornings / 8 hours ago
Pueblo's annual Comm"Unity" March honors Martin Luther King Jr. Day
'Betty White Challenge' makes big impact on local animal shelters
ICYMI: Colorado Indian Market comes to Colorado Springs
New independent living community opens just off Woodmen Road
(The Hill) – The House Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol subpoenaed former President Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Tuesday along with three other campaign attorneys linked with efforts to overturn the 2020 election results: Jenna Ellis, Sidney Powell and Boris Epshteyn. The subpoena goes after the core of Trump's legal team after the Nov. 3 election, a group that prepared legal arguments following his loss and pushed his baseless claims of election fraud alongside campaign efforts focused on the congressional certification on Jan. 6.
"The Select Committee is looking into the causes that contributed to the violence on January 6th, including attempts to promote unsupported claims of election fraud and pressure campaigns to overturn the 2020 election results. The four individuals we've subpoenaed today advanced unsupported theories about election fraud, pushed efforts to overturn the election results, or were in direct contact with the former President about attempts to stop the counting of electoral votes," Chair Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said in a statement.
When We Were Young music fest boasts extremely stacked emo lineup
by Caroline Bleakley, Nexstar Media Wire / Jan 18, 2022
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Former emo kids, rejoice. Some of the most popular musical artists from the early 2000s will take to the stage in Las Vegas for a single-day festival.
The newly announced When We Were Young music festival has a lineup that's a who's who of emo-pop with Paramore and a reunited My Chemical Romance headlining.
STATEWIDE – Last year, 672 people were killed on Colorado roadways – the most deaths since 2002. And that number is expected to increase as the Colorado Department of Transportation continues to receive additional crash reports. This marks a 50% increase from the 447 fatalities recorded in 2011.
CDOT, the Colorado State Patrol, and the Colorado Springs Police Department gathered on Tuesday to urge Coloradans to reduce risky driving behaviors and drive like lives depend on it. Indeed, the life they save could be their own.
2 dead, 9 others injured after shootings at Virginia Beach Oceanfront
Omicron rates remain high in Colorado at 27%, down 1% from last week: See where your county stands
12 guinea pigs survive Marshall Fire and days in freezing temperatures
Sexual abuse victim files suit 22 years later thanks to new Colorado law
Darryl Glenn announces run for Colorado Springs Mayor in 2023


Forever Francis M - 20120306 | Eat Bulaga | Tribute to Franis M (anniversary) - Gloc 9, Julia Clarete, Elmo Magalona with Keemand the Shombols. Mitski's newest al'Be The Cowboy' is out now on Dead Oceans. Order here:s://mitski.ffm.to/bethecowboy. FrancisM Forever. 50K likes. Brown Like a Wood, Filipino by Blood. "The Mouth" Francis D. Magalona Oct. 4,. Discover ideas about Shania Twain Lyrics. Kaleidoscope World Forever More Ft. Francis M – Elmo Magalona Lyrics & Listen Forever Francis M.


text:
America's Cup Sailing
JOIN US FOR AN EXCITING & INTERACTIVE EXCURSION ACROSS SAN DIEGO BAY
PUBLIC SAILING TOUR
PRIVATE SAILING CHARTER
Sail San Diego Bay
An Authentic America's Cup Racing Yacht
Public Sailing Tours // Private Sailing Charter // Team Building Event
Feel the thrill of passing all other sailboats while touring San Diego Bay aboard an authentic America's Cup racing yacht. As one of the largest and fastest sailing vessels in the world, an excursion aboard an America's Cup racing yacht is one of the most unique and breathtaking experiences offered anywhere. Whether you are a novice or veteran sailor; taking the helm, grinding the winches, or just hanging on this will be a day you never forget. Experience the exhilaration for yourself and book a sail with America's Cup Sailing today!
Sailboat Tours
Join other guests for an exciting three-hour sailing excursion aboard the legendary America's Cup sailboat. America's Cup history presentation prior to the sail. Refreshments and viewing of photos afterward.
Fastest Sailing Tour On San Diego Bay
3-Hour Interactive Excursion
FREE Refreshments, Photos & Videos
$75 For Children
Sailboat Charter
Take the whole sailboat for a completely private event. The entire sailing excursion will be tailored to your needs and any time you wish.
Perfect for Company Outings & Celebrations
You pick the time and date.
FREE Photos & Videos
up to 12 guests
Crewing aboard an America's Cup racing yacht is the premier team building activity. Your team will join our crew to learn the importance of proper communication and cooperation for maximum results.
Guests rotated through each crew position
Custom Tailored for Team Building Goals
Pick the Date & Time
Our San Diego RACING YACHTS
USA-11
STARS & STRIPES USA-11 is an International America's Cup Class (IACC) racing yacht used by Team Dennis Conner in an effort to defend the prestigious America's Cup trophy held by San Diego Yacht Club. With her 1992 state-of-the-art carbon hull and spars, Stars & Stripes is lighter, larger, and faster than previous generations of America's Cup boats. Join us for three hours of interactive and exciting FUN sailing San Diego Bay!
ITA-16
IL Moro di Venezia ITA-16 is an Italian America's Cup veteran also from the 1992 event in San Diego. IL Moro is available for racing events versus America's Cup and is well matched as they were built under the same IACC rules. As a foreign built vessel IL Moro is limited to a maximum of 12 guests, however she can be used for more adventurous activities. ITA-16 also placed fourth in the IACC World Championship in 1994.
AMERICA's CUP Sailing ON San Diego Bay
No matter your level of sailing experience, sailing on a legendary America's Cup racing yacht is an unforgettable and thrilling experience! The authentic America's Cup racing yacht was raced in the America's Cup event held in San Diego in 1992. This historic vessel has been beautifully restored and is one of the fastest racing yachts anywhere! Our America's Cup racing yacht can be found at the Kona Kai Resort & Marina or soaring through the waters of San Diego Bay. Our three hour charters are interactive as guests are encouraged to team up with our world-class crew to raise & trim the sails, grind the winches, and even steer the sailboat! Our boat is available for public tours, private charters, and corporate events. Whether you're looking for a family-friendly adventure or a team-building exercise for your employees, America's Cup Sailing will provide an unforgettable sailing experience!
Interactive & Exciting Sailing Adventures
Fastest and most famous sailboat in San Diego
You Can Take the Helm
See what it's like to be a crew member aboard an authentic America's Cup Racing Yacht
Public Tours may be cancelled up to 24hrs prior to the sail and receive a complete refund.
Private Charters require a 50% deposit that is completely refundable up to 2 weeks prior to the sail.
Inclement weather: On the rare occasion when the weather is not suitable to go sailing, we will reschedule your sail when possible or issue a complete refund.
Cap or Hat
Chap stick
Jacket, Dress in Layers
Photos & Short Videos
1551 Shelter Island Drive

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Can small modular reactors fill upcoming gaps in energy supply?
Rich McEachran
How a small modular reactor (SMR) could look (Credit: Rolls-Royce)
For many of you, but especially those who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s, nuclear power is likely to remind you of cooling towers that loom large over the side of motorways.
Often reminiscent of Brutalist architecture, these concrete structures have often been criticised for their aesthetic.
While safety measures have come a long way since the days of Chernobyl, residents that live near to these eyesores have often been concerned for their health. Back in 2016 and 2017, Belgium reported micro-fractures in a couple of nuclear reactor facilities. Such was the concern that an incident might occur that the authorities in the Netherlands handed out iodine pills to those living near the border in case of radiation poisoning.
Belgium plans to transition away from nuclear power and switch off its reactors by 2025, but to do so will require significant investment in either gas-fired power or renewables. The country has long had a reliance on nuclear power and surveys have shown that over the past few years more and more Belgians have been in favour of keeping plants in operation. A fear is that switching them off could result in power cuts.
Plugging the gaps
Belgium isn't the only country in this precarious position. A host of other nations have ambitions to phase out nuclear power.
Succeeding in achieving this goal will require innovation and investment in generating power from alternative and sustainable sources. Meeting demand won't be easy, though, and there could end up being gaps in the energy supply. Could small nuclear reactors be deployed to fill these gaps?
The answer is yes, according to Rolls-Royce. The manufacturer has developed prototypes of small modular reactors (SMRs), which could be transported around the UK and deployed at locations where energy supply isn't meeting demand. They could supplement energy generated by renewables – solar power and windfarms.
The SMRs that Rolls-Royce has designed are 16m in height and just 4m in diameter. One SMR can be housed within a power station that's a little bigger than five times the size of the Wembley pitch. Rolls-Royce has plans for 16 SMRs, so far, with the first to be up and running by the beginning of the next decade.
A report published last summer by the Nuclear Industry Association warned that the UK's net-zero target would be at risk if it didn't consider building smaller and advanced nuclear reactors. The UK has seven nuclear sites in operation, providing 20% of the country's electricity, yet six of these will go offline by 2030, so there's a clear need for innovation to prevent a nuclear-sized chasm from opening up in the energy network.
Keeping down costs
Tom Samson is interim chief executive of the UK SMR Consortium, hired by Rolls-Royce in its push to deploy SMRs across the country. He said that all the components of an SMR could be made in a factory, before being joined together at a desired location. "This is going to reduce costs greatly and the time spent constructing on site," said Samson.
There are added benefits to taking this approach. One is that the latest technology can be used to ensure designs are as cutting edge as possible. Streamlined manufacturing and assembly can make nuclear power more affordable.
Another benefit of speeding up the delivery is that supply chains are shortened – there's less need for as many contractors as would be involved in a typical nuclear energy construction project. And, because of this, emissions are lower.
All in all, this makes SMRs an attractive proposition, particularly to private investors. While the project has received £215m in funding from the government, Rolls-Royce recognises that private investment will also be key to scaling up the initiative. The technology could potentially be sold in overseas markets.
As Samson explained: "Factory-built SMRs can be rolled off assembly lines cost-effectively to deliver energy to where it's needed and meet the demand for flexible power generation."
Want the best engineering stories delivered straight to your inbox? The Professional Engineering newsletter gives you vital updates on the most cutting-edge engineering and exciting new job opportunities. To sign up, click here.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Current Issue: Issue 6, 2021
How Orkney became the blueprint for the green revolution
Reinventing the motor
The Definitive Guide to 3D Printing
Industry features and content
Engineering and Institution news
News and features exclusive to app users
Download our Professional Engineering app
Professional Engineering newsletter
A weekly round-up of the most popular and topical stories featured on our website, so you won't miss anything
Subscribe to Professional Engineering newsletter
Opt into your industry sector newsletter
{{#membersOnly}}
{{/membersOnly}}


Fright Night font here refers to the font used in the poster title of Fright Night, which is a 3D comedy horror film released in 2011. The film is a remake of the 1985 film of the same name and revolves around a teenager called Charley Brewster, who suspects his new neighbor is a vampire responsible for a series of recent deaths.
The "Fright Night" lettering in the poster is very similar to a font called American Gothic URW Bold with the fangs added on the letter F & T. The American Gothic Bold is available as a commercial font and you can purchase it here.
The American Gothic font identified above is not available for free, please follow the link above and purchase the font. Meanwhile, you can take a look at our collection of fonts for cars, pop music and apparel as well as round-ups of new & fresh fonts around the web.
In addition to Fright Night, It seems we can't find other examples (logos, movie posters, album covers etc.) of American Gothic typeface in use.


1. How come the detection was made so late (when you said on 12 March that it was improbable)?
A: The main detection was made on 8 and 9 April, a smaller one from 12 to 14 April. Detection of radioactive noble gas more than 7 weeks after an event is indeed unusual, we did not expect this and it did not happen in 2009. We do not know what has happened at the nuclear test site but if the radionuclides are from the announced test, the observations are consistent with an instantaneous release of 1 to 10% of the noble gasses remaining in the cavity. A large instantaneous release is unlikely the result of normal seeping through the hard rock this long after the announced test.
Follow-up: Why could this have happened?
A: We don't know why and we don't want to speculate.
Follow-up: But why hadn't the isotopes decayed?
A: Huge quantities of xenon gasses are produced in fission, the nuclear reaction that is found in both nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors; after 55 days there is still a substantial amount left if the test is well contained. A release of a large portion of the remaining gasses is still within the detection capability of the CTBTO International Monitoring System network.
2. When did you make the detection (and why have you not informed about it earlier)?
A: The initial detection was made on 9 April, but needed to be analysed and Atmospheric Transport Modelling needed to be done in order to narrow down the source region. We are still in the process of excluding other possible sources and this is a rather laborious task. We still cannot exclude completely that the emission could have come from another source. Our Member States have been informed about our technical findings and analyses continuously as they always are, the first time on April 10.
Atmospheric Transport Modelling, short ATM, is the calculation of the travel path of airborne radionuclides, using meteorological data. This calculation can be performed in two ways: 1. as backtracking ATM, which identifies the area from which a radionuclide may have been released, calculated from the location where it was observed. 2. as forward ATM, which predicts where radionuclides may travel from their known point of release.
3. How can you be sure it's not from Fukushima again?
A: The ratios of the two xenon isotopes detected clearly indicate a nuclear fission that is recent, less than 60 days old. This kind of isotope ratio is not possible from Fukushima. Also, the atmospheric transport modelling is indicating that the source is not from Fukushima.
4. What does this say about the DPRK's nuclear weapons programme (HEU or Pu)?
A: This detection does not give an indication of the type of fissile material used. To be able to distinguish between uranium and plutonium, it helps if a detection is made early (before the decay of isotopes) and the amount of registered radioactivity is large.
5. Why has nobody else made this detection, for example the national systems deployed along the Korean border?
A: Our Atmospheric Transport Modelling shows that the winds blow the emissions initially away from the Korean border and over the Sea of Japan. This explains why our radionuclide station at Takasaki detected them initially. Some small traces of the radionuclides were detected later in Ussuriysk, Russia.
6. Are you sure that this comes from the DPRK test site and not somewhere else?
A: The ratio of the detected xenon isotopes is consistent with a nuclear fission event (fission can occur in both nuclear explosions and nuclear energy production) occurring more than 50 days before the detection. This coincides very well with the announced nuclear test by DPRK that occurred 55 days before the measurement. We are in the process of eliminating other possible sources that could explain the observations; the radionuclides could have come from a nuclear reactor or other nuclear activity under certain specific conditions, but so far we do not have information on such a release. We have also conducted Atmospheric Transport Modelling to narrow down the possible source region and the model coincides very well with a possible release in DPRK.
Follow-up: How sure are you (in %)?
A: We do not want to give any percentage. At this time, based on our analyses and the sources of information that we have, we are confident that the DPRK test site is among the possible source regions. But we cannot exclude that the emission could have emanated from other sources.
7. Could it have been faked, i.e. the noble gas simply bought and released?
A: Theoretically, samples of both xenon isotopes could be released to simulate an emission. However, as experts have said, creating an explosion of 4.9 magnitude using conventional explosives, including its clandestine preparation, would be technically very challenging.
8. How could an on-site inspection help?
On-site inspection happens close to the possible source of radioactivity, so the measurements of radioactivity have better sensitivity. On-site inspections will be possible after the CTBT has entered into force. An on-site inspection would involve a team of up to 40 inspectors searching the ground using a range of geophysical and other methods, including sampling at the purported test site for radioactive traces.
9. Will this detection influence the ratification process in the holdout countries?
A: Verifiability is a crucial consideration for any arms control treaty. The latest detection shows again that the CTBT's verification regime is indeed ready to provide confidence to the States that no nuclear explosion will escape detection.
10. Why was there no detection after the 2009 DPRK nuclear test?
A: Underground nuclear tests may or may not release radioactivity into the atmosphere. This depends on many factors, some of which are hard to influence. Statistics from the Cold War have shown that a significant percentage of all underground nuclear tests vented radioactivity. It should be remembered, though, that the 2009 DPRK nuclear test was detected by 61 CTBTO seismic stations confidently and reliably. This alone would have largely sufficed for an on-site inspection request. The seismic magnitude also in this case was rather high – 4.52 - and this and the signals made it possible for experts to say with reasonable confidence that this was a nuclear explosion.
11. What is the difference between the detections in 2006 and now?
A: In 2006, we had only one detection, of xenon-133, at a lower level and at a single station that was 7,000 kilometres away from the source, in Yellowknife, Canada. Now, we have two isotopes, xenon-131m and xenon-133, detected at two stations and at significantly higher levels, at least for the Takasaki station. Also, the station where the main detection was made is seven times closer, which makes the process of excluding other potential sources easier. One of the reasons for this better detection is the progress in build-up of our monitoring stations. The number of noble gas-capable stations has increased from 11 in 2006 to 30 (40 in final configuration) to now include stations in Japan, China and Russia.


text:
The Autotopographers
24 Mar — 15 Sep 2019 at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, United States
The Autotopographers. Courtesy of John Michael Kohler Arts Center
In a 1995 essay, art historian Jennifer A. González coined the term "autotopography" to articulate the ways in which aspects of biography can be revealed in the creation of one's environment. The personal objects comprising an autotopography are extensions of the maker's self, of life events and cultural identity. González writes "...just as a written autobiography is a series of narrated events, fantasies and identification, so too an autotopography forms a spatial representation of important relations and past events." For González, an autotopography can exist in many forms, as "a careful, visual arrangement of mementos and heirlooms, on the one hand, and a jumbled, hidden assembly of dusty and unkempt objects, on the other, but both can constitute a material memory landscape."
Selected for their compelling ability to blend autobiography, history, and contemporary art practices, the artists participating in the exhibition will use a variety of methodologies and materials to explore aspects of the self. Included will be 2-D and 3-D works by Joianne Bittle, Sarah Braman, Andy Coolquitt, Beatriz Cortez, iris yirei hu, Benjamin Larose, Azikiwe Mohammed, Yoshie Sakai, Becky Suss, and Ray Yoshida.
The Autotopographers will include contemplations of memory, history, and the myriad of ways we construct a "self."
John Michael Kohler Arts Center
Since the 1970s, the Arts Center has been involved in the preservation, study, and exhibition of work by vernacular artists and has worked closely with Kohler Foundation, Inc. (KFI) to preserve the objects and environments they have made. Art environment builders transform their homes, yards, or other aspects of their personal surroundings into multifaceted works of art that, in vernacular ways, embody and express the locale—time, era, place—in which each of them lived and worked.
Museum profile
Sheboygan, United States
More from John Michael Kohler Arts Center
Beauty Surplus
14 Jul 2019 — 24 May 2020
Dr. Charles Smith: Aurora
In Poetry and Silence: The work and studio of Lenore Tawney
6 Oct 2019 — 7 Mar 2020
Ephemeral and Eternal: The Archive of Lenore Tawney
15 Sep 2019 — 1 Mar 2020
More in United States
Jennifer JL Jones. Takes A Walk on the Wild Side
3 Feb — 3 Mar 2022 at New River Fine Art in Fort Lauderdale
Kwan Jin Oh. Emptying and Filling
1 — 30 Jan 2022 at Kate Oh Gallery in New York
Amer Kobaslija. In Passing
9 Dec 2021 — 29 Jan 2022 at George Adams Gallery in New York
Damon Freed. Town & Country
19 Nov 2021 — 5 Mar 2022 at Bruno David Gallery in St Louis


If you built a composite portrait of Leigh Clifford from the handful of newspaper profiles ever written about him, you would be presented with an archetypal Aussie miner, as tough as the rocks his company digs from the earth. Shortly before taking up, six years ago, the post of chief executive of Rio Tinto — the London-based international mining giant — Clifford famously brandished a clenched fist at a group of environmental activists who stormed the stage at a shareholder meeting. He quickly withdrew when he realised how the picture might look in the papers, but one mining analyst still describes him as 'a hairy-arsed mining man rather than a polished suit'. In short, he's the last man you'd expect to find showing off a 16th-century leather-bound Latin volume.
'It was translated by Herbert Hoover, who was the first managing director of Zinc Corporation, which became the Z in RTZ [as Rio Tinto used to be known],' he explains, striding over to his ancient copy of Agricola's De Re Metallica, the founding text of mining and metalurgy, mounted in a glass box in his spacious St James's Square office. Clifford seems almost patrician as he picks out a copy of the translation from his bookshelf and delivers a quick précis of Hoover's progress from mining engineer in Australia to president of the United States.
Clifford maintains an extraordinarily low profile if you consider that Rio Tinto is among the most important and venerable names on the London Stock Exchange, with a proud 130-year history. When he was installed in 2000, he announced: 'I don't expect the company to run very differently from the way it has run in the past.' And he has largely been true to his word. 'This isn't an industry where you can chop and change,' he says. 'It's more oil-tanker-turning.' He is known for an obsessional focus on cost-cutting and return on investment. Profits have tripled and the share price almost doubled during his tenure.
But that's not enough for some of his market critics. Over the past year the rest of the industry has seen billion dollar deal after billion dollar deal: CVRD bought Inco, Xstrata bought Falconbridge, Freeport-McMoRan is trying to buy Phelps Dodge, Rusal is merging with Sual. With each deal, prices rise higher. Yet Clifford has steered Rio resolutely to the sidelines, where it has slipped from second biggest in the world mining league to third, overtaken by CVRD. Investment bankers bursting with deal ideas report despondently that Clifford never even gives them an audience.
'This is the biggest mining boom, probably, since the 1800s,' he explains. 'This is a hell of a mining boom. The trick is to ascertain what's a good deal and what's froth. The snake oil has been rising: there's going to be a day of reckoning out there.' He resents the charge that he has been timid, emphasising his commitment to expansion through mining exploration rather than corporate deal-making. 'Maybe we're not flamboyant, but we're certainly willing to make big bets.' He points to Rio's recent decisions to take a potential $1.5 billion stake in a vast Mongolia copper and gold deposit owned by Ivanhoe Mines, and to develop the $1 billion Hope Downs iron ore mine in Australia.
Richard Orange is energy and utilities correspondent of the Business.


text:
Dr Mike Harris
School of Built Environment
Mike is a researcher, teacher and practitioner in landscape architecture and urban design with experience across Australia, Europe and the US covering a wide range of project types and scales including precinct planning, public domain design and active transport. This breadth of experience combined with a passion for urban quality of life has given Mike a strong interest in the tensions between 'big picture' city planning and the lived urban experience. Mike has been recognised with design and research awards as well as speaking invitations and advisory roles.
Mike is currently engaged in two primary areas of research:
One is mixed-use megaprojects - investigating how the aims of large-scale, 'competitive city' projects are reconciled with the delivery of strategic infrastructure, liveability goals and equitable urban access. One of Mike's current research projects in this area is a monograph due for publication in 2021 by Palgrave Macmillan; Mixed-Use Megaprojects and the Competition for Capital, investigating projects in Sydney, Melbourne, Copenhagen and New York.
The other is active travel - investigating network planning, street design and governance with the overarching aim of delivering more social, accessible and healthy cities. This work builds on 10 years of consultant work in which Mike's international research has been tested in local and state government projects. Mike's current research projects in this area include leading a 2-year research grant for Transport for NSW and iMOVE Cooperative Research Centre on international best practice facility design to increase cycling participation with virtual reality testing; as well as a number of publications on street design, governance and community preferences of cycling infrastructure.
mike.harris@unsw.edu.au
Harris M, 2018, 'Coding the "Authenti-city": North Harbour and the Århusgade Quarter, Copenhagen', in Laura L; Shannon B (ed.), Planning for AuthentiCITIES, edn. 1, Routledge, New York, pp. 287 - 308
Harris MS, 2018, 'Barangaroo: Machiavellian megaproject or erosion of intent?', in Ruming K (ed.), Urban Regeneration in Australia Policies, Processes and Projects of Contemporary Urban Change, Routledge, New York, pp. 111 - 134, http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781315548722
Hawken S; Avazpour B; Harris M; Marzban A; Munro PG, 2021, 'Urban megaprojects and water justice in Southeast Asia: Between global economies and community transitions', Cities, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264275120314165?dgcid=author
Harris MS, 2017, 'Competitive Precinct Projects: The five consistent criticisms of "global" mixed-use megaprojects', Project Management Journal, vol. 48, pp. 76 - 92, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/875697281704800607
Reports | 2019
Hawken S; Avazpour B; Harris M; Marzban A, 2019, The Impacts of Urban Megaprojects on Water and Sanitation Related Human Rights in Southeast Asia: Submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, Urban Water Resilience Lab UNSW, UNSW Sydney, http://dx.doi.org/10.26190/5ce4abb1e863a, https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Water/MegaProjects/CSO/HawkenSAvazpourBHarrisMMarzbanA.pdf
Padgett Kjaersgaard S; Evans C; Harris M, 2019, Guide to Low Carbon Landscapes, http://builtbetter.org/node/7832, http://builtbetter.org/node/7832
Harris M, 2019, Hornsby Park Access & Circulation Investigation
Harris M, 2018, Kunshan West Slow Movement Strategy, CRC for Water Sensitive Cities
Creative Works (non-textual) | 2018
Harris MS, 2018, UNSW BE LuminoCity Exhibition, UNSW BE LuminoCity Exhibition, 01 September 2018 - 07 December 2018, at: https://www.be.unsw.edu.au/event/luminocity-2018
Lochhead H; Harris M; Evans C; Tyrell M; Padgett Kjaersgaard SR, 2017, 2017 International Festival of Landscape Architecture, 2017 International Festival of Landscape Architecture, Overseas Passenger Terminal Circular Quay, 13 October 2017 - 14 October 2017, medium: Conference, at: http://www.aila.org.au/the3rdcity
Creative Written Works | 2016
Harris MS, 2016, Reconfiguring Sydney Streets: Copenhagen case studies and Sydney adaptations, Reconfiguring Sydney Streets: Copenhagen case studies and Sydney adaptations, Sustainable Transport Consultants, http://sustainabletransport.com.au/Documents/ReconfiguringSydneyStreets2019-WEB.pdf
Harris M; Simpson R; Phibbs P; Walton J, 2014, A guide to achieving good outcomes in precincts (the Bays in particular), The Fifth Estate, https://www.thefifthestate.com.au/articles/a-guide-to-precincts-the-bays-in-particular-to-achieve-good-outcomes/70572/
2020 - Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) Award for Research, Policy and Communication: CRC For Low Carbon Living: Guide to Low Carbon Landscapes
2014 - Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) Postgraduate Scholarship
2014 - Urban and Regional Planning Research Scholarship "Awarded every alternate year to a commencing Doctor of Philosophy student of exceptional research promise, with a focus on city form and urban infrastructure."
2014 - Lindsay Robertson Memorial Award "Awarded every alternate year to encourage a UNSW graduate in Landscape Architecture to undertake postgraduate study or research in Australia or overseas."
2013 - Marjory and Lloyd Rees Prize for Urban Design
2009 - Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) Future Leaders Awards
2007 - Hassell Travelling Scholarship "Awarded by HASSELL panel of directors for best graduating Landscape Architecture design project in Australia."
2021-2023 Interactively visualising street design scenarios for communicating bike infrastructure options to communities and policymakers
Project Partners: Transport for NSW, iMOVE Cooperative Research Centre
UNSW CIs: Mike Harris (lead), Chris Pettit, Brian Lee, Vinayak Dixit
Grant value: $300,000
2019-2020 Hornsby Quarry Park Sustainable Access and Circulation Investigation
Project Partner: Hornsby Shire Council
UNSW CI: Mike Harris
Grant value: $48,100
2018 Kunshan West Slow Movement Strategy
Project Partner: CRC for Water Sensitive Cities, Realm Studios
Grant value: $5,200
Media | 2020
Harris M, 2020, Will we reinvent Sydney's urbanity with work flexibility?, https://www.abc.net.au/radio/sydney/programs/afternoons/afternoons/12897952
Harris M, 2020, The car is not our master - let's reclaim the streets for walk and play, https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-car-is-not-our-master-let-s-reclaim-the-streets-for-walk-and-play-20201020-p566wd.html
Harris M, 2020, Radio interview: What does COVID mean for the CBD?, https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/sundayextra/what-does-covid-mean-for-the-cbd/12620342
Harris M, 2020, Radio panel: The shift to more people riding bikes during and post COVID, https://www.abc.net.au/radio/sydney/programs/focus/focus/12222050
Harris M, 2020, Are Pop Up Parks a New Way to Save Space, 2SER 107.3, https://2ser.com/are-pop-up-parks-a-new-way-to-save-space/
Harris M, 2020, Sydney planning must focus on people, not cars, https://www.governmentnews.com.au/sydney-planning-must-focus-on-people-not-cars/
Harris M, 2019, Radio interview: Government roles in mixed-use megaprojects on public land, ABC, Sydney
Harris M, 2019, Australian cities pay the price for blocking council input to projects that shape them, https://theconversation.com/australian-cities-pay-the-price-for-blocking-council-input-to-projects-that-shape-them-127017
LAND2411 Urban Landscape Design Studio
LAND2421 Urban Public Domain Studio
LAND7201 Public Realm Studio


text:
Democrat's "Climate Displaced Persons Act" Aims to Bring in MILLIONS of "Climate Change Refugees" to America
If Americans had any remaining doubt that global warming was nothing more than a political scheme, Democrats are introducing legislation to import millions of so-called "climate refugees" to swell their voter base.
If it looks like a pig, sounds like a pig, and smells like a pig, it's probably a Washington, D.C, swamp politician stinking up the country.
Despite recently published scientific research that demonstrates Antarctic ice shelves are growing exponentially and 500 European scientists petitioning the U.N. to halt radical climate policies because there is no emergency, liberal extremists are claiming millions have already been displaced due to climate consequences such as rising sea levels.
Although this particular issue has been the butt of more than a few jokes since Al Gore's first Inconvenient Truth movie predicted New York, Miami, and New Orleans would already be completely underwater, congressional Democrats are ignoring the fact America's cities are very much above water.
In fact, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) represents a district that was supposed to be swallowed up. Her so-called "Green New Deal" would have saved New York, Miami, and New Orleans, but zero Democrats voted to approve it in the U.S. Senate.
Sarcasm aside, Democrats continue to play off the fictional Green New Deal in hopes of replenishing their dwindling voter base. The far-left Huffington Post appears to strongly support the recent proposal called the "Climate Displaced Persons Act."
"The bill, set to be introduced by Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), is a companion to legislation proposed by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), one of the leading advocates for a Green New Deal," Alexander C. Kaufman reportedly wrote in the Huff Post. "Its introduction in the House of Representatives marks an escalation as Democrats start to flesh out what a sweeping federal plan to eliminate emissions and prepare the country for more climate catastrophe would look like."
Kaufman goes on to support the outlandish claims that climate, and not war, economics, and other factors were the leading cause of human displacement.
"Since 2008, catastrophic weather has displaced an average of 24 million people per year, according to data from the Swiss-based nonprofit Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre," Kaufman reportedly stated. "That number could climb to anywhere from 140 million to 300 million to 1 billion by 2050."
The proposed legislation appears to be a political response to President Donald Trump cutting the number of refugees the U.S. takes in annually to 18,000. The Trump Administration has repeatedly called for an end to chain migration and for reform that prioritizes immigrants who possess valuable skills that the U.S. requires to move the economy forward.
Democrats, by contrast, have called for open borders and mass immigration of unskilled workers. This demographic tends to compete with low-income Americans for hourly-wage jobs. They also tend to hamstring wage growth and become reliant on taxpayer-funded welfare. These criteria make them demographically suited for Democrats to target with "identity politics" tactics.
U.S. citizens are experiencing superior wage growth due to the America First policies. In 2018, wages increased by 3.4 percent, and the middle class saw an uptick of about $5,000 on average. Those hard measures are improving the probability that President Trump will win a second term in 2020, and the GOP would enjoy majorities in the Senate and House.
Although the latest Democrat climate hoax stands little chance of earning President Trump's signature to become law, it's a telltale sign that "climate change" propaganda is about power and money, not the weather.


text:
The future disposition Inventory-24: reliability and validity estimates in a large sample of Chinese University students
Lu Yuan1,
Dong-Fang Wang2,
Bob Lew3,
Augustine Osman4 &
Cun-Xian Jia ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2651-147X1
BMC Psychiatry volume 18, Article number: 299 (2018) Cite this article
This study was designed to assess the factor structure, internal consistency reliability, and preliminary psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Future Disposition Inventory-24 (FDI-24) in a large sample of Chinese university students.
We translated the English version of the Future Disposition Inventory-24 (FDI-24) into Chinese and examined its factor structure, estimates of internal consistency reliability, and psychometric properties in a representative sample of university students. In particular, students (N = 2,074) from two universities in Shandong Province in China were identified using the multi-stage stratified sampling method. In addition to the FDI-24, we collected preliminary data using self-report instruments that included the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and a general sociodemographic information questionnaire.
The results of the internal consistency reliability estimates were adequate regarding the scores on the three FDI-24 subscales: Cronbach's alpha = .89–.97, Omega total = .85–.96, Revelle's Omega total = .88–.96, the greatest lower bound (GLB) = .89–.96 and Coefficient H = .86–.94. Bivariate correlation analyses showed evidence for criterion and discriminant validity. The 3-factor oblique-Geomin-rotation solution accounted for 62.92% of the total variance in the exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) result showed that the 3-factor model provided adequate fit statistics for the sample data: the robust comparative fit index (R-CFI) was .959, robust Tucker Lewis index (R-TLI) was .946 and robust root mean square error of approximation (R-RMSEA) was .090.
The FDI-24 has a satisfactory factor structure, reliability estimates, and satisfactory evidence of concurrent validity estimates for students with different demographic and cultural backgrounds. The FDI-24 holds promise for use in future investigations with Chinese students.
Suicide remains an important public mental health concern for Western and non-Western nations. In particular, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2014 [1], among young people aged 15–29 years, suicide remains the second leading cause of death globally. In China, in particular, suicide-related behaviors tend to be acute and serious mental health problems among young adults [1]. To date, a majority of the studies in the existing suicide literature tend to focus on psychopathology or risk factors, such as mood disorders [2, 3], anxiety disorders [4], and specific constructs, including hopelessness [5, 6], anger [7, 8], and loneliness [9, 10].
Hopelessness has been identified as a critical risk factor in the assessment of suicidal intentions and behaviors among students [11]. In recent years, several self-report instruments have been designed for the assessment of risk factors that are associated with suicide-related behaviors. As an example, according to Beck's hopelessness theory of suicide, hopelessness is generally conceptualized as a pessimistic attitude or expectation about future life events; that is, it is generally considered one of the core cognitive vulnerability factors for suicide [12]. Indeed, previous studies have shown that prolonged and severe feelings of hopelessness may lead to high incidents of suicide-related behaviors [13]. Additionally, hopelessness has been identified as a moderator or mediator of the association between various psychological symptoms and suicide-related behaviors, even extending significantly beyond depression in predicting the severity of suicidal intent [14,15,16]. Furthermore, findings from theories such as strain theory of suicide [17] have demonstrated that individuals experiencing intolerable pain, hopelessness, and psychological strain might engage in high-risk suicide-related behaviors (e.g., suicide attempts). Therefore, it is of great significance to continue to evaluate the role of the hopelessness construct in assessing suicide-related behaviors.
In the past few years, self-report instruments have been developed and validated for the purpose of screening or assessing the hopelessness construct. As a notable example, the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), developed 40 years ago, has been widely used to measure feelings of hopelessness in clinical and nonclinical samples [18,19,20,21]. Recently, however, Gutierrez and Osman [22] have argued for the inclusion of both risk and protective factors simultaneously in the assessment of suicide-related behaviors. Although some items regarding future prospects and pessimistic statements are included in the BHS, only a single dimension with a mix of positively worded (e.g., "I look forward to the future with hope and enthusiasm") and negatively worded (e.g., "My future seems dark") items underlies this given scale. We assume that the multiple aspects of positive and negative thinking may be differentially associated with hopelessness in individuals [23, 24]. To derive a total scale score for the BHS, nine of the positively worded items are reverse-scored (see comments by [25, 26]). It has also been noted that the BHS lacks content specificity for the assessment of suicide-related behaviors [27].
One self-report instrument receiving increasing attention in the extant literature in the assessment of future-related events is the Future Disposition Inventory–24 (FDI-24) [28]. In particular, the FDI-24 is designed to address some of the substantive psychometric limitations of existing self-report instruments, such as the BHS. In brief, the FDI-24 conceptualizes future events in terms of a future disposition along three correlated domains. The Positive domain of the FDI-24 focuses on responses such as optimism, plans, satisfaction with the future and determination in handling difficulties. The Negative domain focuses on feelings of worry, cognitive rigidity and life dissatisfaction, and the Suicide Orientation domain comprises suicidal rumination, ideation and the wish to die. Each item is scored on a 5-point Likert-type scale, ranging from 1 (not at all true of me) to 5 (extremely true of me). None of the 24 items is reverse-scored. Successfully used in some Western studies, the factor structure of the FDI-24 has been established, and its strong psychometric properties in adult and adolescent samples have been accepted [29,30,31]. However, it is unknown whether this instrument can be used to evaluate the construct of future disposition among university students in China. Thus, the specific aims of the current study were as follows. First, we examined the replicability of the 3-factor oblique solution of the FDI-24 in a large convenience sample of nonclinical participants. Second, we confirmed the structure of the final solution in the second half of the sample (referred to as cross-validation for purposes of the analyses). Third, we evaluated evidence of internal consistency reliability for scores on each domain. Fourth, we assessed the differential correlates of the FDI-24 domains.
Sample and procedure
Using a multi-stage stratified sampling procedure, the study participants consisted of a sample of undergraduate students recruited from two convenient large public medical universities in Jinan City, Shandong Province, eastern China. We selected two similar faculty colleges as the primary sampling unit from each university. Stratified on the basis of grade, three or four classes from each grade were randomly selected to be the secondary sampling units. Grade selection ranged from freshman to senior, with consideration of students' absence for hospital internships. All students in the sampled classes present on the day of the survey were invited to complete the questionnaires. Professionals trained in instrument use and validation supervised the in-class survey administration (i.e., paper-pencil). In addition to the demographic questionnaire, the participants completed the Chinese versions of the Beck Hopelessness Scale [32] and the FDI-24. Of the 2,197 self-report questionnaires that were handed out, 2,074 were completed with no missing items on any of the study instruments. The sample, including 1,368 female students and 706 male students, had a mean age of 19.79 ± 1.39 years (female, mean age = 19.75 ± 1.33; male, mean age = 19.86 ± 1.50). The sample consisted of 574 (27.7%) freshmen, 521 (25.1%) sophomores, 619 (29.8%) juniors, and 369 (17.4%) seniors. In terms of ethnic composition, most of the participants were Han Chinese (1939, 93.5%), and 135 (6.5%) were from minority races. Before attending college, 1015 (48.9%) of them lived in an urban area, and 1059 (51.1%) lived in a rural environment. Preliminary analyses showed no statistically significant differences between separate units on demographic variables, such as gender, age, nationality, academic level and residency, all p values > .05.
Future disposition inventory (FDI-24): Chinese version
Because this instrument has not been used previously with Chinese samples, the initial goal was to construct a Chinese version. Accordingly, we invited two bilingual experts specialized in mental health to guide the translation process of the FDI-24 instructions and items. To ensure appropriate and equivalent meanings and clarity of expressions, one expert translated all 24 items and instructions from English into Chinese, and the other expert translated the Chinese items and instructions back into English without being provided with the original instrument [33, 34]. After several rounds of discussion and revision, the final Chinese version of the instrument (i.e., retaining all 24 items) was adopted for use in the current study.
The Beck hopelessness scale (BHS)
The BHS is a 20-item self-report instrument that is designed to assess negative attitudes about future events. Thus, it is considered a theoretically valid instrument for evaluating criterion validity estimates of scores on the FDI-24. Due to its development and good construct validation, this instrument has been widely used and translated into various languages. The instrument has strong estimates of test-retest reliability and construct validity in Chinese samples [32]. In brief, the BHS includes nine positively worded items and 11 negatively worded items concerning negative attitudes about the future. The total score of 20 items (each of which ranges from 1 to 5 points, with reverse scoring) is usually derived to evaluate levels of the hopelessness construct; higher total scores represent extreme levels of hopelessness. Used as a criterion-related validation instrument in the current study, the estimate of internal consistency of the BHS score for the study sample was adequate (Cronbach's alpha = .90; average inter-item correlation [AIC] = .314).
The Cronbach's alpha, Omega coefficients, Coefficient H and the greatest lower bound (GLB) procedures were used with the sample data to evaluate the estimate of internal consistency for scores on the self-report instruments.
Pearson correlations between scores on the BHS and the three domains of the FDI-24 were computed to examine the evidence for criterion-related validity. Based on the FDI-24 score distribution, a t-test was used to compare differences in the mean scores between extreme groups (the groups with the top 27% of scores and the bottom 27% of scores, respectively) [35, 36], and the method of Cohen's d was applied to compute the discriminating power of subscales and to distinguish ability at different levels. These methods, used in a general student population, were able to distinguish extreme values to help define the high-scoring group members with a disposition of future thinking.
Participants were randomly divided into two groups by statistical software to evaluate further evidence for construct validity. Specifically, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted with data obtained from one group, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was used with data from the other group. Finally, we retested the whole sample in fitting a confirmatory 3-factor model by exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM; implemented in the Mplus 7.4 statistical software). The coefficient calculation was available in R packages. Considering the non-normal distribution of the scale item scores, we adopted the method of maximum likelihood means-adjusted estimator (Robust) to conduct the analyses. The х2/df value, robust comparative fit index (R-CFI), robust Tucker Lewis index (R-TLI), robust root-mean-square error of approximation (R-RMSEA), and its 95% CI were used to assess fit estimates for the 1-factor, 2-factor, and 3-factor solutions [37].
All statistical significance levels were set at a p value of .05.
The study was overseen by and obtained signed ethics approval from the institutional review board of the Ethics Committee at the School of Public Health, Shandong University (No. 20161103). All study participants gave voluntary verbal consent to participate in the anonymous survey after receiving an explanation of the study design and reading the questionnaire instructions prior to responding.
The Cronbach's alphas for each scale score of the FDI-24 were high (.89–.97), indicating good internal consistency reliability (see Table 1) [38]. Measures of reliability alongside Cronbach's alpha, Omega coefficients, the greatest lower bound (GLB) and Coefficient H were reported on the three subscales, performing well in assessing the reliability of scales. The corrected item-total correlations beyond .30 are acceptable based on an empirical study [39], as shown in Table 2, although the correlations for each scale were higher than what we expected. Specifically, the range was .741 to .828 for the Positive Focus scale items, .737 to .884 for the Suicide Orientation scale items, and .629 to .853 for the Negative Focus scale items, respectively. Taken together, all correlation coefficient values were statistically significant (p < .001).
Table 1 Internal consistency of dimension-total scores of the future disposition inventory-24
Table 2 Internal consistency of item-dimension scores of the future disposition inventory-24
Criterion validity
The Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) total scale score was used as the criterion measure in our analyses. It might weaken the effects of opposite directions to evaluate global future attitudes, thoughts and feelings using just a single orientation of an inventory. Thus, for a better understanding of the correlations between scores on the BHS total scale and the FDI-24 subscales, we conducted separate correlation analyses with the specific FDI-24 scales' scores. Consequently, we found that the Positive Focus scale score was negatively and significantly associated with the BHS total scale score (r = −.53, p < .001). The Negative Focus scale score was positively and significantly associated with the BHS total scale score (r = .49, p < .001). The Suicide Orientation scale score was also positively and significantly associated with the BHS total scale score (r = .40, p < .001), suggesting evidence for adequate criterion validity of scores on the FDI-24 scales.
An independent samples t-test was used to compare the different means between the high- and low-scoring groups. For the Positive Focus scale of FDI-24 inventory data, we observed that the mean of the group with the top 27% of scores (27.41 ± 6.29) was significantly lower than that of the group with the bottom 27% of scores (30.57 ± 8.10, p < .001). As expected, similar results were obtained when the analyses were undertaken with the other two specific FDI-24 subscales scores (See Table 3). A percentage of 27% was used because this value was able to maximize differences in normal distributions while providing enough cases for analysis. Cohen's d as a measure of group differences was also reported in the result, displaying acceptable discriminating power of each scale.
Table 3 Discriminant validity of the future disposition inventory-24
Construct validity
The items in the Chinese version of the FDI-24 were first analyzed using the oblique-Geomin-rotation procedure. The results of Bartlett's Test of Sphericity and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test (х2 = 17260, p < .001 and the KMO = .942) showed that the present sample was well suited for factor analysis. Based on the results of the screen plot and the criterion of eigenvalues greater than 1, the three-factor solution was retained, accounting for 62.92% of the total variance.
We used the recommended cutoff score of .50 or higher to guide detailed interpretations of the item-factor loadings [40]. In the scale designer's initial analysis, the pattern of loadings on each domain was eight items [28]. However, using a cutoff score of .50 or higher, we found that, in EFA, Item 4 ("I worry that things will never go well for me no matter what I do") from the Negative Focus factor had a high loading on the Suicide Orientation factor, at .624. Furthermore, Item 16 ("I have a hard time imagining that things will ever get better for me in the future") had a loading that was lower than expected on the Negative Focus factor. For the Suicide Orientation factor, we found that Item 22 ("I wish I could succeed at attempts to kill myself") and Item 23 ("I feel I have nothing to lose by ending my life") had higher loadings on the Negative Focus factor than on the expected Suicide Orientation factor (see Table 4).
Table 4 Factor loadings from the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses
We conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to confirm the fit of the three-factor model with the second sample data. Table 5 shows fit estimates for the different structural models, providing support for the construct validity of the correlated three-factor model. Regarding the CFA factor loadings, each factor was composed of eight items, similar to the original solution. The range of the standardized factor loadings for each factor is presented: .714 to .934 for Positive Focus, .789 to .969 for Suicide Orientation, and .508 to .848 for Negative Focus (see Table 4).
Table 5 Fit estimates for the different structural models in EFA, CFA and ESEM
The ESEM fit indices of the 3-factor model also indicated adequate fit of the model to the sample data in Table 5. As shown in Table 6, most of the items had adequate loadings on the proposed original factors [28], while Items 4, 16 and 23 had higher loadings on factors other than the original.
Table 6 Factor loadings from the Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM)
As expected, the correlation between the Positive Focus factor and the Suicide Orientation factor was negative and high at −.569. The correlation between the Suicide Orientation factor and the Negative Focus factor was positive and high at .873. The correlation between the Positive Focus factor and the Negative Focus factor was negative and moderate at −.372.
In this study, the main findings are as follows. First, the Future Disposition Inventory-24 (FDI-24) domains had satisfactory internal consistency reliability estimates in a sample of Chinese students with different cultural backgrounds. Second, we found, using scores on the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), that the FDI-24 scale scores had acceptable criterion validity. Third, the estimate of discrimination, assessed by examining scores between high- and low-scoring groups, could be considered adequate. Fourth, evaluation of the three-factor model with conventional goodness-of-fit statistics showed replicability of the three-factor solution of the items in the study samples, providing support for construct validity.
Although we found that the FDI-24 evaluated the same three domains of the future disposition construct for the Chinese-speaking students, minor differences were observed between these groups on four of the FDI-24 items. For the Chinese-speaking students, factor loadings of two future suicide orientation items (i.e., Items 22 and 23) were high on the Negative Focus scale for the future (e.g., worry about the future). It should also be noted that two of the Negative Focus items (Items 4 and 16) had loadings of .40 or higher on the Suicide Orientation scale in the EFA and ESEM (see Tables 4 and 6). However, when the 3-factor oblique model was examined in the validation sample, we found that all four of these items (Items 4, 16, 22, and 23) had high, positive and significant loadings. Accordingly, we did not exclude any of the FDI-24 items in the analyses. Future measurement invariance investigations with independent American and Chinese samples might identify specific items that are considered as country specific.
The present study is the first to examine the psychometric properties of the FDI-24 in a sample of Chinese university students. As with the American student samples, we found that most of the item-total correlations for three domains of the FDI-24 were greater than .70. In particular, in a study by Osman and colleagues [28], the reliability estimates for the three subscales' scores were moderate to high (i.e., ranging from .86 to .93). Ballard et al. [31] also reported good internal consistency reliability estimates of .86 and .89 for two domains of the FDI-24 among undergraduate psychology students. Likewise, high reliability estimates of the scale scores were reported for military personnel samples in the United States [41]. An additional strength of the current study relates to the use of data from a large sample of study participants. In addition, systematic steps that involved the use of both exploratory and confirmatory procedures were undertaken to address the specific goals of the study.
Despite the strengths noted, several limitations were also prominent. First, the findings need to be replicated in other Western and non-Western clinical and nonclinical samples. Second, all the study participants were college-age students who presented with low to moderate risk factors for suicide-related behaviors. It might have been useful to screen study participants for suicide-related behaviors, including the frequency of suicide ideation, history of suicide threats, and other forms of psychopathology. It is worth noting, however, that the sample was composed of medical students, who tend to present with higher prevalence rates of depression and anxiety symptoms as well as higher levels of psychological distress than in the general population [42]. Despite these limitations, this is the first study to demonstrate acceptable internal consistency reliability and validity estimates of FDI-24 scores in Chinese university students. These findings support the adequacy of the psychometric properties of the FDI-24 scale scores in Chinese culture.
The reliability and validity of the FDI-24 were supported by the data from a large Chinese university student sample. More studies with nationwide samples are needed to replicate current findings and to further examine other psychometric properties of the FDI-24.
AIC:
(average inter-item correlation)
BHS:
Beck Hopelessness Scale
CFA:
Confirmatory Factor Analysis
EFA:
ESEM:
Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling
FDI-24:
Future Disposition Inventory-24
KMO:
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin
NF:
Negative Focus
PF:
Positive Focus
R-CFI:
Robust comparative fit index
R-RMSEA:
Robust root-mean-square error of approximation
R-TLI:
Robust Tucker Lewis index
Suicide Orientation
Phillips MR, Li XY, Zhang YP. Suicide rates in China, 1995-99. Lancet (London, England). 2002;359:835–40.
Conner KR, McCarthy MD, Bajorska A, Caine ED, Tu XM, Knox KL. Mood, anxiety, and substance-use disorders and suicide risk in a military population cohort. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2012;42(6):699–708.
Chapman CL, Mullin K, Ryan CJ, Kuffel A, Nielssen O, Large M. Meta-analysis of the association between suicidal ideation and later suicide among patients with either a schizophrenia spectrum psychosis or a mood disorder. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2015;131(3):162–73.
Hill RM, Castellanos D, Pettit JW. Suicide-related behaviors and anxiety in children and adolescents: a review. Clin Psycho Review. 2011;31(7):1133–44.
Chang EC. Hope and hopelessness as predictors of suicide ideation in Hungarian college students. Death Studies. 2017;41(7):455-60.
Bagge CL, Lamis DA, Nadorff M, Osman A. Relations between hopelessness, depressive symptoms and suicidality: mediation by reasons for living. J Clin Psychol. 2014;70(1):18–31.
Daniel SS, Goldston D, Erkanli A, Franklin JC, Mayfield AM. Trait anger, anger expression, and suicide attempts among adolescents and young adults: a prospective study. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2009;40(5):91–9.
Hawkins KA, Hames JL, Ribeiro JD, Silva C, Joiner TE, Cougle JR. An examination of the relationship between anger and suicide risk through the lens of the interpersonal theory of suicide. J Psychiatr Res. 2014;50(1):59–65.
Lasgaard M, Goossens L, Elklit A. Loneliness, depressive symptomatology, and suicide ideation in adolescence: cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2011;39(1):137–50.
Stravynski A, Boyer R. Loneliness in relation to suicide ideation and parasuicide: a population-wide study. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2001;31(1):32–40.
Lester D. Hopelessness in undergraduate students around the world: a review. J Affect Disord. 2013;150(3):1204–8.
Beck AT, Weissman A, Lester D, Trexler L. The measurement of pessimism: the Beck hopelessness scale. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1974;42(6):861–5.
Beck AT, Steer RA, Kovacs M, Garrison B. Hopelessness and eventual suicide: a 10-year prospective study of patients hospitalized with suicidal ideation. Am J Psychiatry. 1985;142(5):559–63.
Kovacs M, Beck AT, Weissman A. Hopelessness: an indicator of suicidal risk. Suicide. 1975;5(2):98.
Beck AT, Kovacs M, Weissman A. Hopelessness and suicidal behavior: an overview. JAMA. 1975;234(11):1146–9.
Qiu T, Klonsky ED, Klein DN. Hopelessness predicts suicide ideation but not attempts: a 10-year longitudinal study. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2017;47(6):718-22.
Zhang J. A strain theory of suicide. Hauppauge. New York: Nova Science; 2012.
Zhang W, Jia C, Hu X, Qiu H, Liu X. Beck hopelessness scale: psychometric properties among rural Chinese suicide attempters and non-attempters. Death studies. 2015;39(7):442–6.
Dozois DJ, Covin R. The Beck depression inventory-II (BDI-II), Beck hopelessness scale (BHS), and Beck scale for suicide ideation (BSS), vol. 2. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc; 2004.
Mcmillan D, Gilbody S, Beresford E, Neilly L. Can we predict suicide and non-fatal self-harm with the Beck hopelessness scale? A meta-analysis. Psychol Med. 2007;37(6):769–78.
Beck AT, Steer RA, Beck JS, Newman CF. Hopelessness, depression, suicidal ideation, and clinical diagnosis of depression. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 1993;23(2):139–45.
Gutierrez PM, Osman A, Kopper BA, Barrios FX, Bagge CL. Suicide risk assessment in a college student population. J Couns Psychol. 2000;47(4):403–13.
MacLeod AK, Tata P, Tyrer P, Schmidt U, Davidson K, Thompson S. Hopelessness and positive and negative future thinking in parasuicide. Br J Clin Psychol. 2005;44(Pt 4):495–504.
Goodby E, MacLeod AK. Future-directed thinking in first-episode psychosis. Br J Clin Psychol. 2016;55(2):93–106.
Herche J, Engelland B. Reversed-polarity items and scale unidimensionality. J Acad Mark Sci. 1996;24(4):366.
Rodebaugh TL, Woods CM, Heimberg RG. The reverse of social anxiety is not always the opposite: the reverse-scored items of the social interaction anxiety scale do not belong. Behav Ther. 2007;38(2):192–206.
Young MA, Halper IS, Clark DC, Scheftner W, Fawcett J. An item-response theory evaluation of the Beck hopelessness scale. Cognit Ther Res. 1992;16(5):579–87.
Osman A, Gutierrez PM, Barrios F, Wong JL, Freedenthal S, Lozano G. Development and initial psychometric properties of the University of Texas at san Antonio future disposition inventory. J Clin Psychol. 2010;66(4):410–29.
Jahn DR, Cukrowicz KC, Mitchell SM, Poindexter EK, Guidry ET. The mediating role of perceived burdensomeness in relations between domains of cognitive functioning and indicators of suicide risk. J Clin Psychol. 2015;71(9):908–19.
Bryan CJ, Ray-Sannerud B, Morrow CE, Etienne N. Guilt is more strongly associated with suicidal ideation among military personnel with direct combat exposure. J Affect Disord. 2013;148(1):37–41.
Ballard ED, Patel AB, Ward M, Lamis DA. Future disposition and suicidal ideation: mediation by depressive symptom clusters. J Affect Disord. 2015;170(170C):1–6.
Kong YY, Zhang J, Jia SH, Zhou L. Reliability and validity of the Beck hopelessness scale for adolescent. Chin Ment Health J. 2007;21(10):686–9.
Guillemin F, Bombardier C, Beaton D. Cross-cultural adaptation of health-related quality of life measures: literature review and proposed guidelines. J Clin Epidemiol. 1993;46(12):1417.
Sperber AD, Devellis RF, Boehlecke B. Cross-cultural translation: methodology and validation. J Cross-Cult Psychol. 1994;25(4):501–24.
Huang Q, Wang X, Chen G. Reliability and validity of 10-item CES-D among middle aged and older adults in China. Chin. J. Health Psychol. 2015;7:1036–41.
Shen Q, Jiang S. Life meaning and well-being in adolescents. Chin Ment Health J. 2013;27(8):634–40.
Schermelleh-Engel K, Moosbrugger H, Müller H. Evaluating the fit of structural equation models: tests of significance and descriptive goodness-of-fit measures. Methods of Psychological Research (online). 2003;8(2):23–74.
Bland JM, Altman DG. Statistics notes: Cronbach's alpha. BMJ. 1997;314:572.
Nunnally JC. Psychometric theory (2nd edition). New York: McGraw-Hill; 1978.
Fornell C, Larcker DF. Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. J Mark Res. 1981;18(1):39–50.
Bryan CJ, Ray-Sannerud BN, Morrow CE, Etienne N. Optimism reduces suicidal ideation and weakens the effect of hopelessness among military personnel. Cognit Ther Res. 2013;37(5):996–1003.
Dyrbye LN, Thomas MR, Shanafelt TD. Systematic review of depression, anxiety, and other indicators of psychological distress among U.S. and Canadian medical students. Acad Med. 2006;81(4):354–73.
We would like to thank the teachers and staff from the School of Public Health and Medicine, Shandong University and Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine for providing support. We also thank all of the participants in this study.
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Shandong University & Shandong University Center for Suicide Prevention Research, Jinan, Shandong, China
Lu Yuan & Cun-Xian Jia
Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changqing, Jinan, Shandong, China
Dong-Fang Wang
Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Human Ecology, Putra University of Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
Bob Lew
Department of Psychology, One UTSA Circle, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
Augustine Osman
Lu Yuan
Cun-Xian Jia
BL, AO and CXJ conceptualized and designed the study and coordinated the survey process. DFW contributed to the data collection. LY analyzed the data and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. CXJ supervised the study and critically revised the manuscript. All authors carried out the study and approved the paper.
Correspondence to Cun-Xian Jia.
The study was overseen by and obtained signed ethics approval from the institutional review board of the Ethics Committee at the School of Public Health, Shandong University (No. 20161103). All subjects gave voluntary verbal consent to participate in the anonymous survey after receiving an explanation of the study design and reading the questionnaire instructions prior to responding.
Yuan, L., Wang, DF., Lew, B. et al. The future disposition Inventory-24: reliability and validity estimates in a large sample of Chinese University students. BMC Psychiatry 18, 299 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1875-8
Causes, treatment and prevention of suicide


text:
Search took 0.01 seconds. Search: Posts Made By: thespidereggs
2021 Tokyo Jihen Full Album coming
Posted By thespidereggs
The new single's official English title is...
The new single's official English title is "Whiteout".
A few thoughts: I wonder what the theme for the album will be? I'm also wondering if this will be another compilation studio album that's...
Sticky: [TJ] 2010.02.24 - Sports (CD) [Album]
We're well past the actual anniversary date (Feb....
We're well past the actual anniversary date (Feb. 24th), but what do people think of this album ten years later? How does Sports hold up in the Tokyo Jihen/Shiina Ringo canon?
New Tokyo Jihen Single "Akai No Doumei" 8.12
I appreciate how cohesive the new single is, even...
I appreciate how cohesive the new single is, even if it's inconsistent quality-wise. For the most part, Izawa's contributions are particularly messy and tonally jarring but the single overall is...
Forum: Main Forum 2020.08.03, 04:00 PM
Update: The single will include two new songs in...
Update: The single will include two new songs in additional to the title track. (Source (https://natalie.mu/music/news/390408)) The songs are Meijitsu Tomoni (Izawa) and Gyokazu no Wana (Ukigumo). I...
^ Late to this but agreed, Anima is the most...
^ Late to this but agreed, Anima is the most formative album in DAOKO's career so far. It'll be exciting to see where she goes next.
Otherwise, Jessy Lanza's new album is my frontrunner for AOTY. If...
Guessing it's a Ringo track from the name? Here's...
Guessing it's a Ringo track from the name? Here's to hoping it's as quality as Yasei no Doumei.
This means we're due for a new TJ album yeah?
[TJ] 2020.04.08 News (CD) EP
I gotta say, seeing Koi no Urikomi from Dynamite...
I gotta say, seeing Koi no Urikomi from Dynamite Out in 1080p was a huge treat:
qxa9Jvgp3d0
FYI, Ringo's solo account has also uploaded some more lives from the Toutaikai concerts from 2013.
Interesting. Haven't heard the third song yet but...
Interesting. Haven't heard the third song yet but I'm expecting something on par with (or at least as inconsistent as) CB. I really wasn't a fan of Izawa or Kameda's contributions. The way they're...
zKBCSBfP9TI Pretty cool for a 'comeback' PV, and...
zKBCSBfP9TI
Pretty cool for a 'comeback' PV, and digging the follow-up (or lead-up?) to the Niwatori to Hebi to Buta PV. (I guess this means SR and TJ are both canon? :P)
Definitely makes me...
Good for the fans I suppose, although after what...
Good for the fans I suppose, although after what happened to Trish from Broadcast these circumstances are slightly worrisome. (It'll be fine.)
Anyway, look forward to hearing the new tune and all...
Forum: Off-Topic (Music) 2020.02.24, 07:19 PM
I haven't consistently followed Chara in several...
I haven't consistently followed Chara in several years but her recent collab (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn96ard6VLg) with Yuki is a bop. :wub:
Anyone else digging their new album?
Phew. Was worried EMF wouldn't see the light of...
Phew. Was worried EMF wouldn't see the light of day again!
Pretty pleased with this announcement (and not just because I predicted a 'News' album at some point back in the day :P). A quality EP...
[SR] 2019.11.13 Newton no Ringo (CD) [Best Album]
I think on some level there was a vague consensus...
I think on some level there was a vague consensus around that but what confuses me is the '20 years'. I think we can generally agree some of her later material - at least 2007 onward - pandered more...
:wub: I remember seeing a list in some EMF...
:wub:
I remember seeing a list in some EMF thread years back of Ringo's favorite albums at the time and being surprised at the amount of old-school 80s and 90s R&B - Tony! Toni! Tone! and the like....
I hear that but since it's on a 'Best Of' being...
I hear that but since it's on a 'Best Of' being self-referential kinda works for me honestly.
On another note, some trivia from the Facebook group: "ウスイヒロシ (Usui Hiroshi) directed not...
Kouzen no Himitsu PV is officially up! Anddd not...
Kouzen no Himitsu PV is officially up!
Anddd not region-blocked. :wub: Watch here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETtDJz9t09U).
Wonder what's up with the 'cinnamon' theme in the credits?
Which chart is this? Oricon digital singles...
Which chart is this? Oricon digital singles weekly chart has her debuting at #14 with 7,100 sales. (Source (https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/dis/w/2019-10-14/p/2/)).
Still pretty weak for her...
Good catch. It reminds me of a number of other...
Good catch. It reminds me of a number of other songs as well, which I don't mind actually since it's in the context of a Best Of. (And if you're gonna be self referential why not borrow the good...
To be fair, I give her credit for waiting 20...
To be fair, I give her credit for waiting 20 years before doing her first 'Best Of' album.
Also, LOL @ Einstein no Ringo.
Btw the new song came out - have a listen here...
Totally. The timing is definitely awkward. I was...
Totally. The timing is definitely awkward.
I was wondering what she might be leading up to with her promotions and festival performances, and if this is it call me disappointed. I'll still buy it...
https://sp.universal-music.co.jp/ringo/newton/images/ph01.jpg
¥ 3,300 (Limited Edition)
2 new songs and 2 bonus tracks (Marunouchi Sadistic and Jiyuu-dom)
Full updated mix
Gravity...
New album 三毒史 announced
What do you think of the album as a whole?
Which accomplishments do you mean specifically?...
Which accomplishments do you mean specifically? Interestingly, in terms of melody, Kakeochisha didn't come to mind as much as others like TOKYO, Ma Cherie, and Jiyuu-dom (the melody is the saving...
Still beats the SUNNY copy-and-paste style album...
Still beats the SUNNY copy-and-paste style album cover.
But yea to your second point, I agree her melodies are consistently strong. It seems like the main issues people have recently are the choice...
I can dig it. She's certainly flirted with the...
I can dig it. She's certainly flirted with the chanson style many times and despite the ever-present big band arrangement it almost feels like fresh territory.
I look forward to hearing the album...


text:
Discover Switzerland's unknown past throughout the year
Entdecken Sie die unbekannte Vergangenheit der Schweiz durchs Jahr
Découvrez le passé inconnu de la Suisse au gré des saisons
Scoprite il passato sconosciuto della Svizzera con le stagioni
Site Of The Month Instagram
Map Home
The "impregnable" castle of Beauregard
Discover the site
The ruins of Beauregard Castle, high up at the entrance to the Val d'Anniviers, tell an eventful story: that of a castle that was besieged several times and belonged to one of the most powerful ruling families of the Valais at the end of the Middle Ages.
Built between the 12th and the end of the 14th century, the castle served as a residential residence, a defensive retreat, a surveillance post and a storage place. Nothing is known about the builders of the initial tower fortifications. But in the course of time, further towers and fortification walls, as well as a circular cistern of unique construction, were added to reinforce the impregnable character of the rocky outcrop. The full potential of the site was used to make it as difficult as possible for the attackers. The enemy could only reach the castle via a steep, unprotected and winding path.
At the beginning of the 15th century, the castle became the seasonal residence of the Lords of Raron. They lived there temporarily, either to settle their business on site or to retreat here in case of a threat. In 1417, during the " Raron trade ", the castle of Beauregard was plundered and set on fire by the rebellious compatriots of the Valais. It was not rebuilt afterwards.
Visit the exhibition "Là-haut Da oben. Fortified settlements in the Valais, yesterday and today" at the World Nature Forum Naters. There you can admire a model of the site as well as finds from the archaeological excavations. The exhibition runs from 2 July to 9 September 2021.
The nature trail starts at the small car park after the hairpin bend at the entrance to Niouc.
Downloadable audio guide
QR codes to scan on the panels during the visit.
You visit this castle complex at your own risk. The terrain around the castle is steep and everyone should take all appropriate measures to avoid danger. Children and people with a fear of heights must be accompanied and, if necessary, provided with a via ferrata set (which can be hired).
The World Nature Forum in Naters is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10.00 to 17.00.
Admission for adults Fr. 18.-; students and AHV (with legi) Fr. 15.-, children from 6 years Fr. 9.-, families Fr. 42.-, free with Raiffeisen card or museum pass.
Access & Contact
The castle site is located above Chippis near Niouc. A hiking trail leads from Chippis to Niouc and the castle.
Attention: The hiking trail is closed between Chippis and Niouc until 31 July 2021!
Fondation des amis de Beauregard
Cantonal Office for Archaeology
Concept & Production
ArchaeoTourism2012 / ArchaeoConcept Sàrl
Schützengasse 21 / 21 rue du Stand
CH-2502 Biel Bienne
www.archaeotourism2012.org
www.archaeoconcept.com
Graphic Design & Web
Roman Schmid, Bummzack, Biel Bienne
Olivier Rossel, Studio-PXP, Biel Bienne
The information on this webpage is regularly updated. If you observe an error please contact us so that we may correct it. Links to third party websites lie outside the scope of responsibility of ArchaeoConcept. All Images used on this site are protected by copyright.


Daemen College has launched a new distance education option for its master's degree and advanced certificate programs in applied behavior analysis (ABA), making it the only New York State registered ABA programs of its kind available in both traditional and online formats.
Designed to provide greater flexibility for working professionals, Daemen's distance education ABA programs are fully online and offered in an asynchronous format.
The same high-quality curriculum and requirements are included in both the distance education and traditional on-campus ABA programs.
According to Dr. Vicki Madaus Knapp, ABA program director, the master's degree distance education program provides comprehensive graduate-level training in applied behavior analysis, an intervention approach used with individuals on the autism spectrum or with related disorders. The program is geared to students who hold a bachelor's degree in psychology, education, social work, sociology, or health promotion.
The 28-credit hour advanced certificate program is designed for students who already hold a master's degree in education, psychology, or applied behavior analysis. Based on the same academic rigor as the master's degree in ABA, the certificate program offers students the credentials to pursue a new career path as behavior analysts.
The distance education programs, which have been approved by the New York State Department of Education, follow the on-campus ABA programs that were previously launched.


All product quality testing is carried out in the US by experienced and specialized designers and engineers.
Products come shipped to you in individual boxes. Once you receive your shipment, products are easy to assemble.
Excellently designed furniture that is also technically performing, high quality, functionality and ergonomic.


You might have already noticed that there are hundreds of various gaming hard drive on the market. Manufacturers present new models of gaming hard drive every year, making the choice even harder. We made this buying guide to assist you to buy the right gaming hard drive for you.
Do you want to know, how did we make this list of the best gaming hard drive? We considered all characteristics of various models, such as review score, price, material, and other things. Our team tried to cover every important aspect of each gaming hard drive, but if you think that something is missing, feel free to contact us and we might update our list.
Enormous 500gb, 1tb and 2tb options.
Dual core processor, high resolution controller (hrc), stabletrac technology.
7mm drive for mobile devices, add capacity without adding complexity to get more from your pc, mac, tablet or game console.
Seagate firecuda sshd asserts ssd like speed.
Multi-tier caching technology (mtc) boosts performance, helping applications and files load faster. Adaptive memory technology efficiently identifies frequently accessed data to allow for quicker operations. Enormous 500gb.1tb and 2tb options. The 2tb capacity can store up to 80x 25gb games. This is item doesn't contain bracket or cable. Fastest 2.5-inch pc compute and gaming hard drive on the market, all within a thin 7mm z-height. Flash-accelerated technology delivers up to 5x faster load times for nonstop performance, play and productivity compared to standard hdds.
Internal shock detection and ramp-loading technology help protect your drive and data.64mb cache. Extended-capacity hard drive with up to 3tb of storage. Compatible with windows mac and linux. Perpendicular magnetic recording (pmr) technology offers higher capacities, excellent reliability and robustness. Native command queuing (ncq) support enhances seek-time performance. Intelligent serial ata interface ensures compatibility with most major brands of serial ata enabled laptop pcs.
What do I need to check before choosing a gaming hard drive?
You can find out everything you need to know about any specific gaming hard drive at our site before buying it. That is why we like this marketplace so much: it offers a very convenient website with "Compare" feature, as well as hundreds of user reviews. Read them to understand whether a gaming hard drive is suitable for you.
Improved architectural designs: dual core processor, high resolution controller (hrc), stabletrac technology. Package includes a hard drive only – no screws, cables, manuals included. Please purchase mounting hardware and cables separately if necessary. Ships in wd-certified box for safe transit during shipping. Applications: power computing applications such as video and photo editing, and maxed out gaming computers. Desktop / consumer raid environments – wd black pc hard drives are tested and recommended for use in consumer-type raid applications (raid 0 and raid 1). Next-generation desktop performance hard drive designed to intensify your pc experience. Special handling is required to protect hard drives from damage. Hard drives can be damaged by excessive physical force or from electrostatic discharge (esd).
Improved data protection: vibration control technology (vct), corruption protection technology (cpt), notouch ramp load technology. Industry-leading 5-year manufacturer limited warranty.
64mb cache with 8gb nand flash for more speed, cost efficient. This certified refurbished product is tested & certified by seagate to work like-new. The product is backed by a 90 day warranty. Comes in sealed anti-static packaging inside white or brown box. 5x faster than traditional 7200-rpm hdd. Ideal for gaming and performance laptop. 7mm drive for mobile devices, add capacity without adding complexity to get more from your pc, mac, tablet or game console. Solid state hybrid drive, boots and performs like an ssd plus large storage.
Seagate firecuda sshd asserts ssd like speed. Elevate your ps4 to the fastest 2tb gaming sshd with flash-accelerated and multi-tier caching technology. Load up to 5x faster than standard hard drives. Works with ps4, ps4 slim, ps4 pro and ps3 – store up to 80 x 25gb games. Upgrade kit includes a seagate firecuda sshd for gaming with a 16gb usb3.0 flash drive, g-force portable usb3.0 aluminum enclosure, carry pouch, micro usb3.0 cable, installation guide and screwdriver.
What warranty period is considered optimal for gaming hard drive?
We recommend all our readers to buy gaming hard drivewith at least the two-year long warranty period. This is the optimal term for an average gaming hard drive. Instead of overpaying for a lifetime warranty, save the money to buy a new gaming hard drive later.
How to get a refund for a gaming hard drive?
Most of the time seller will return your money without any trouble. If you received a malfunctioning gaming hard drive, you will easily get a refund or a replacement. Nonetheless, if you value your time, we highly recommend you to thoroughly check the item's description before making a purchase.
What exactly did you take into consideration while making the list of the best gaming hard drive?
In order to create this buying guide, our team had to go through hundreds of user reviews and compare dozens of gaming hard drive models and brands. Finding the best gaming hard drive nowadays is a hard task: the selection on the market is so high that you would have to spend months to study all available options. Thankfully, our TOP list will help you find a good gaming hard drive much quicker!
What if a receive a wrong item instead of the gaming hard drive I ordered?
How expensive should a good gaming hard drive be?
The best gaming hard driveare not always the most expensive. However, the bigger the price is — the better the quality of a product. This rule is also applies to gaming hard drive, so if you want to get a good model we recommend you to not be too stingy.


A system and method for rendering a graphical user interface. The method includes displaying, on a mobile device, a first subset of a plurality of objects of a multimedia container on a home screen and receiving an input. The multimedia container is operable to comprise one or more applications, widgets, and pieces of content. In one embodiment, the plurality of objects of said multimedia container extends beyond a display of said mobile device. In response to said input, a second subset of said plurality objects of said multimedia container and a portion of said first subset of plurality of objects of said multimedia container on said home screen is displayed.


We are excited to announce that soul legend, Booker T. Jones, will be performing at An Evening of Respect: Celebrating Otis Redding & 50 Years of "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay" at the Apollo Theater in New York City on January 25!
Booker T. & the MGs were the Stax Records house band when Otis burst on to the scene. When asked if he remembered the first time that he met Otis, Booker replied "the beginning of the meeting was commonplace because it was just a cursory 'hello' – he was carrying in luggage for the band he was working for, just a gopher, really. Then afterwards he asked to sing and once he started to sing our relationship changed." Booker T. would later record Otis Blue in a record 36 hours. He described the experience as "intense," elaborating "Nobody was quite sure what was going on with him. He just seemed to be in a hurry. Not a hurry – obsessed. And we didn't understand why. We just went along with it. If he wanted to go for 24 hours we just did it." Then, one of the most classic soul records in history was born.
"(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" was released 50 years ago today. And it almost wasn't released.


This kitchen was in the midst of a total overhaul – new backsplash, new counters, and crown moulding added to the top of the cabinets. We came in at the end and brought the whole project together, with paint. The homeowner chose a white with hints of gray to tie in the backsplash, the counters and the new paint on the island. Adding some pinstripe glaze in the same color as the island made the door details pop!
The cabinets were so overpowering that you probably didn't even notice the gorgeous apron front copper sink did you?! Now it's a show piece.