I teach my own 6-year-old, 8-year-old, and 14-year-old.
I teach a 16-year-old recent Russian immigrant.
I teach a high school SLD/dyslexic student.
I tutor several middle- and high-school students in composition (including applied grammar, of course).
Well, I'm very excited about Marie's Cozy Grammar course. A friend purchased Cozy Grammar and offered to let me preview it during her 30-day trial period.
I have purchased the course, and I have since told another friend who has now also purchased the course.
What do we all like about it?
Cozy Grammar is basic–simple and clear in its presentation. The DVD format allows our children to achieve some independence in their instruction as well as review the information as often as necessary.
The backdrops are gorgeous, but not distracting.
Marie is straightforward, consistent, and (my favorite) seems to have a good sense of humor.
I look forward to your next endeavor at Splashes from the River!
My son, who is eleven, looked forward to his daily grammar lessons with Marie. I enjoyed them too. In fact, as we would sit on the couch with our cup of tea, it felt more like we were visiting with an old friend in her beautiful home, than learning grammar. But, learn we did, in a seemingly effortless way.
This is an excellent Basic Grammar course. The instructor is engaging and very effective. I used this to teach my reluctant 7th grader. He doesn't exactly "love" grammar now, but he is no longer intimidated.
My 10 year old daughter, Alexa, found language a chore and boring. As a homeschool Mom, I searched high and low for a program that would stimulate her interest. I tried other curriculums. Other Moms recommended The Basic Cozy Grammar Course. When it arrived in no time at our home, we tried it. My daughter was excited! Excited! Now she asks to do her lessons! I find myself having to help her pace herself. The woman teaching the lessons, Miss Marie, is priceless. Alexa identifies with her and can't wait to spend time with her through the next lesson. When Daddy comes home, Alexa wants to tell him what Miss Marie did and said that day. Other programs may teach, but not inspire to remember things learned. Miss Marie instills the lessons of grammar in a way Alexa will never forget! It's for all learning styles. You have helped me give my daughter the gift of a love and zeal for learning we couldn't find before. Please create more subjects for us, but only let Miss Marie do the teaching! She's a treasure.
Although we have not yet begun to use the Cozy Grammar course, our family viewed it in order to get an idea of the presentation. We feel that Marie's colorful, comical, unique and eclectic personality will be just the thing to help our thirteen and sixteen year old boys retain the lesson concepts.
Cozy Grammar really helps to promote an easy understanding of grammar. We especially appreciate the extensive use of on-screen writing. The way the words change color as Marie points to them, makes the concepts so clear and easy to follow. My children respond to it wonderfully. It reminds me of a T.V. show I liked as a child called, 'The Electric Company'.
Engaging enough for my active five-year-old son to watch every minute.
Instructional enough for my eleven-year-old son to ace the final exam.
Cozy Grammar proves that grammar lessons need not be tedious or dull, for a teacher or a student. All three of our children loved learning grammar Marie's way and we want to visit her at her cozy house.
Thank you Marie and Splashes From The River for such a quality learning video.
Just Excellent! When I was in school, I was grammatically challenged even though I did very well in other language arts areas. I have learned considerably more from watching these videos with my children than I ever did in school. I wish I'd had it then. My children enjoy it because it is fun, easy, self-explanatory, and they love Marie. Very Delightful.
As a way to learn grammar this beats boring text books, and the kids grasp the concepts quickly. I will/have been recommending it to the homeschoolers here.
My daughter previously disliked studying grammar. She is an avid reader and as a result she could recognize poor grammar, but didn't understand the mechanics of it. The Basic Cozy Grammar Course has made the study of formal grammar enjoyable for her.
I believe that my children's education is an extension of my parenting. I like to use a variety of approaches in my homeschool language arts curriculum and that applies to grammar as well. Cozy Grammar has been a wonderful addition to my collection of resources. My children watch it intently, and they like to keep watching. They truly enjoy it because it's fun and not so dry, and best of all, they retain what's being taught. The lessons are succinct and not tedious, and the exercises are effective without being too much. I would recommend Cozy Grammar to other homeschoolers. Please tell Marie and all the people who made this program possible, that we appreciate it very much.
This course is a refreshing change from regular texts and workbooks. The video captured my children's attention and helped them to develop a better understanding of grammar. The written portion of the lessons is easy to work through once a lesson has been watched and learned.
My 6 year old gifted daughter just loved 'The Basic Cozy Grammar Course'. She watched it with great interest and picked up most of the concepts after a few viewings. The material is clearly printed on the screen, with vivid and congenial presentations by Marie. The clarity and personal touch helped my daughter easily acquire what is generally considered complex material for older students.
I have three children with different learning styles and they all love The Basic Cozy Grammar Course. Although I have spent some time on grammar with my children, they picked up more just watching the video than they did from any books that I have used. I have one child that is dyslexic and she really responded well to the video presentation. This course has great content without the hype. We really appreciate it.
My daughter would be considered a special ed student and suffers from ADD. She particularly needed to improve her poor writing skills. While she found the background music somewhat distracting, she nevertheless loved the course, and it was extremely beneficial in improving her skills.
Our family has enjoyed the Basic Cozy Grammar Course very much. Marie Rackham is thorough and imaginative in her teaching and presentation of material. She provides solid teaching with clear examples.
This program is a great teaching tool for all ages. One added bonus to the program is the spectacular photography and music!
We have watched 4 of the lessons and I can already tell you that this is going to be one of the best purchases for our homeschool! My 7 year-old, who has a difficult time with grammar, was so excited when he could grasp what a subject and a predicate are. We do have a "book" grammar course, but I know that this video course is going to really make those lessons come alive for my children. When my son can actually SEE something described and can HEAR it being taught, then it makes it all the more real for him.
I am homeschooling two sons, ages 10 and 12. At first I wasn't sure how my sons would respond to this "cozy" grammar course but they thoroughly enjoy it. In fact, on one particular day, my 10 year old didn't want to stop at the end of the lesson. He wanted to continue working on grammar. One of the things that I personally liked about the course is the fact that the paper work is not excessive.
Marie, thank you for a clear and professional program.
My kids used the grammar course and loved it better than learning from textbooks. At least when they had their grammar lessons, I didn't get the usual complaints.
We are in the process of using the cozy grammar videos. I am homeschooling my 7th grade daughter and needed to brush up on my skills as well as teach Chelsea hers. The video has been a great help!
My daughter likes your course and it has really helped her understand the English grammar. We home school, so I would recommend it to any home schoolers out there. I have about $500 dollars worth of English grammar programmes, in search of the perfect programme that covers everything, without a lot of nonsense. You get bits and pieces of information, but nothing quite as straight forward as The Basic Cozy Grammar Course, or as easy to understand.
I am also helping a friend's son with grammar. He tells me that it is helping him a lot. He is in grade 8, and I was amazed to hear that there was such a lot that he has never even been taught. Marie is right. Grammar does not seem to be a big issue out there at some schools; but it is a real big issue in life. It is the foundation of all other education that we can attain.
Her course has inspired me to go back to school to get my TESL.
You did a great job, Marie!
What a fun way to learn grammar! Everything is clear and simple — and you can easily review each concept as many times as you want to. Although we have enjoyed the videos together, the nice thing about Cozy Grammar is that parental guidance is not a requirement. We will be using it as a review course each year in our homeschool.
I ordered The Basic Cozy Grammar Course as a gift for my Grandchildren. Their writing skills have greatly improved since they began using the course and I am thrilled with their progress. Please keep me on your mailing list for future products.
We have really enjoyed the basic grammar course. The 'real life' presentation especially appealed to us.
What I enjoyed about the video is that it put the learning of grammar into real life situations, for example learning pronouns around the dinner table. I like the larger font used in the workbook and there are a limited number of practice questions. If the child needs more drill, additional questions can be made up. It is not grade specific so you can use if for a wide range of ages usually found in the homeschool family.
We ordered the grammar course as a gift for our nieces and nephews. They have thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thank you so very much for the beauty, warmth and great information you share in your Cozy Grammar/Punctuation courses. Another homeschooling mother and I trade expertise and she shared your courses with me. You truly make a rather daunting subject come alive for children as well as for their mothers!
We have just begun using the Basic Cozy Grammar Course, and thus far have been enjoying it very much. Our children are grasping the material, and I like the fact that each lesson is not too long. The scenery and settings for the lessons help make learning grammar more interesting, and it is quite refreshing to hear classical music.
Just wanted to let you and Marie know how pleased I am with this program. My son who is 15 has never enjoyed language arts. He wants to do more than one lesson a day!! That has never happened before. Now he is breaking sentences apart and identifying them in our everyday conversations.
It's so fun to hear. He loves how it is presented. He even told me that it will help him write better sentences.
I think Cozy Grammar is awesome! It should have been made a long time ago. I hope it gets into all the schools.
Although grammar has been relegated to the dusty back shelf in many schools, it is an integral part of effective language usage. This gentle, quiet set of easy to understand lessons brings it back out to the light, and into sharp focus.
Good explanations, examples and practice, with the ability to rewind and repeat, that video is so handy for, make this an excellent course. The lessons are not too simplistic, but take a very basic path, which makes them suitable for youth or adult. The included workbook reinforces the lessons in a clear and concise way, and offers review, tests and answer key. There is none of the flash that most recent kid oriented stuff is so prone to.
I liked this curriculum, and found the price reasonable for the quality.
We love the Basic Cozy Grammar/Punctuation series by Marie Rackham! If you love the Charlotte Mason method of teaching, this series is for you! The series (grammar, punctuation, essay, spelling and intermediate grammar) is based for ages 10 to adult and is a wonderful review for those of us who have 'forgotten' along the way. Marie is very adept at teaching in a way that the information is very memorable. After you watch the short (3-5 minute) clip, you can do the exercises provided. We usually do this on Monday, then throughout the week, I give assignments that go along with it (ie. if we are studying verbs, I will ask them to write 5 sentences and underline the verbs or write a short story and use as many verbs as they can, etc.) just to keep them focused. It is the most unique language arts curriculum I have used and the ONLY one that my kids beg to use!That in itself is the highest recommendation I could ever have!It is pricey, but well worth it!
I absolutely love this course! Marie makes learning grammar painless. She is always doing something as she teaches nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, etc. which makes the DVDs very entertaining. She explains very clearly what each part of speech is and demonstrates them as well. It is really a great way to learn grammar. The classical music that is played in the background is very relaxing. The scenery is wonderful as she travels around Vancouver [Campbell River, Vancouver Island] teaching. I wish I had these DVDs when I was learning grammar. My son has really learned well with them. After watching each short lesson the student does the workbook exercises to reinforce what was learned, one concept at a time. I highly recommend this course to everyone. Absolutely fantastic course!
Looking for an alternative or supplement to language arts workbooks that will entertain and educate your children? Well, my children and I have thoroughly enjoyed using The Basic Cozy Punctuation Course this past school year. It includes 15 lessons in which course author and retired teacher, Marie Rackham, instructs about the finer points of punctuation. This excellent program includes beautiful photography, online exercises, and engages multiple learning styles, and would be a very useful addition to any homeschool, public library, or home learning resource center.
One feature that makes this program irresistible is the scenery. The Basic Cozy Punctuation Course is filmed around the Campbell River, British Columbia, area and Mrs. Rackham uses a different locale each lesson to illustrate the concepts being taught. The program is sort of a cross between a travel show and an English lesson. The photography and editing are very professional and pleasing to the senses. This innovative technique is far superior to watching an instructor lecture in front of a black board.
Learners with different learning styles will find The Basic Cozy Punctuation Course useful, as the program has been designed to utilize all the learning styles. When Mrs. Rackham instructs or illustrates an example, the viewer not only hears her say it, but the words are also put up on the screen over the picture and they are often in different colors to highlight the concept being taught. Mrs. Rackham is also an accomplished musician and each episode highlights a different piece of classical music in the background which adds to the overall atmosphere of the program. Then at the end of each lesson Mrs. Rackham reminds the student to do the exercises in the workbook which requires the learner to actively practice the concepts taught.
The Basic Cozy Punctuation Course should be in every public library and home learning resource center, but the cost may be prohibitive to many individual home learners. I think the price is comparable to many of the major publisher's English programs. Many families may be concerned about the lack of consistent review but I use my children's writing and dictation for reviewing and reinforcing the concepts taught in the program. If there is a concept that my child seems to be struggling with, we simply replay that episode.
In our five years of homeschooling, The Basic Cozy Punctuation Course is very high on our list of favorite curriculum resources. I learned along with my children (do you know what an interrobang is?) and it was fun, educational, and effective. We look forward to using it for many years to come, and we also look forward to using all the other programs in this series. So, if you are looking for a program to breathe some life into your language arts curriculum, check out The Basic Cozy Punctuation Course.
At the beginning of this year, I stumbled onto a very unique English curriculum – the Basic Cozy Grammar and Basic Cozy Punctuation courses, an award-winning series of relaxed English grammar and punctuation tutorials prepared as living textbooks. After a little research (do a Google for either course and you'll find a number of excellent reviews) I decided to order it and give it a try. I have been using the Basic Cozy Grammar and Basic Cozy Punctuation with my son this past semester, and I highly recommend these courses. I have noticed a marked improvement in his understanding of grammar and punctuation and a dramatic increase in his interest in learning these subjects.
Marie Rackham is a delightful and effective teacher who has won several awards for her innovative teaching methods. Her lighthearted teaching style captures the student's attention immediately. Her lessons are not only educational, they are also entertaining, so my son is always eager to watch the next lesson. Now when my son and I watch the lessons together, we feel like a very dear and enjoyable friend is in our living room teaching both of us grammar.
I was so impressed with this curriculum that I began recommending it to all my homeschooling friends. I was amazed to learn that none of the seasoned homeschooling families in my area had even heard of Cozy Grammar. So, I have decided to make it my mission to spread the word about these wonderfully effective courses to other homeschooling families.
I homeschool my son and we have completed The Basic Cozy Punctuation Course. This is a great course and we really enjoyed it. It is a very gentle way to learn punctuation. Marie uses road signs as visuals to help learn the punctuation marks and my son said that he would never forget them. This course is very easy to use for student and teacher. After the student watches the lesson, he does the exercises from the online companion workbook to reinforce the concept. The lessons are short and to-the-point, one concept at a time. Marie is very clear and she is always actively doing something while teaching to help the concept stick. The lessons are entertaining with beautiful scenery and relaxing classical music. I highly recommend this course for learning basic punctuation.
I loved the Cozy Grammar video/workbook course. In studying to become a certified ESL teacher I found this program extremely helpful as a review and in understanding the different parts of grammar and their proper use. The demonstrations were very helpful.
I am looking forward to using this program with my future ESL students—what a great teaching tool!
You are great! What a phenomenal educational series you have created!
Thanks for making these videos. I am a retired elementary school principal and hold the same view on grammar instruction as you do! I'm so glad this is available for everyone to enjoy!
I commend you for your creativity and insight and this fantastic video grammar instructional program you have created!
I am absolutely dazzled by the content of this course. As a new Language Arts teacher, I am ecstatic to have discovered Cozy Grammar.
Students so often groan at grammar time. However, now they will be pleading to watch one more lesson in anticipation of what island wonders will be next. The short grammar lessons given by Marie are clear, concise and easy to follow. The music, scenery and cottage grace the lessons with warmth and island beauty. Each clip illustrates beautifully the essence of the lesson. The anticipation of what will come next and how the story will be told keeps me riveted.
Each lesson is an island bouquet. Beautiful paper flowers amongst island greens make common prepositions real. A painting of a rock pool and the brilliant transition to the live pool itself breath life into adjective phrases. The eagle on top of the rock—WOW! The misplaced phrase scene is outrageous and Marie's laughter contagious. Marie perched high on an eagle rock metaphorically representing coordinate conjunctions is delightfully cheeky and her dialogue with the crab pool a treat for any child or adult. 'The pool is calm yet alive,' she says, these words echoing the lessons themselves—calm but filled with life and laughter. The evening scene with the brilliant night sounds and the crackle of fire bring to life the sounds of interjections. The garden scene with Karen, Alexander and Devon is lovely. The little voices of children, their small hands and wonderment are the perfect setting for the conjugation of verbs. The daisy chain gift from Devon to Marie incredibly touching and beautiful. The common errors Elmer scene is an absolute roar.
We thoroughly enjoy Marie and love the classical music soundtrack. I am a 'summer schooling' Mom. My children are in the public school system and I like to enhance their language arts skills with some extra summertime instruction. The Basic Cozy Grammar Course is fantastic for review on a yearly basis and having an extra instructor (Marie) available is a blessing.
Basic Cozy Grammar Course is a great educational video series for people learning English grammar for the first time and for people who want to brush up on their knowledge. If you'd like to feel more confident with public speaking, or improve your skills for writing business letters, resumes and formal e-mail, this video will help.
I am a public school 6th grade teacher and homeschooling Mom. I built my language arts curriculum around Cozy Grammar, and as a result the reading and writing skills of my students have improved considerably. Many of the students study music, so they also recognized and enjoyed the classical piano pieces.
The grammar course is wonderful! My son, who is slightly learning disabled, has used the course over the past year. He now has no fear of grammar, and this course has helped to keep him on par with his classmates. Best of all, he CHOOSES to watch it!
Well organized, easy to use. A multi-modality tool for learning grammar. A great A/V resource to supplement class work.
A delightfully refreshing approach to teaching grammar, the Basic Cozy Grammar Course lends itself to a variety of instructional contexts: Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language, Business English, home-schooling, libraries, distance education, and community learning centers, to name but a few. Familiar settings for lessons such as the beach, the woodshed, and the dinner table, help students to associate grammar with everyday conversation. A highly recommended teaching tool.
I showed the course to students at the 7th, 8th, and 9th grade levels. I thought that the grade 9 students might object to the learning style, but when I told them that I was going to use a different program, they didn't want me to change. The students commented that she (Marie) speaks clearly and that they could understand what was being taught.
I plan to use both the grammar and punctuation courses at the grade 6 level in this coming year.
Overall, I think the program is useful and well thought out. I enjoyed the scenery, the music and the quality of production from sound to graphics. The content is strong and well presented, making it easy to follow and learn.
As a former elementary teacher and Learning Assistant and E.S.L. teacher at the junior level, I wish I had had access to this grammar course. Marie's relaxed, concise but clear instructions take away any intimidation a teacher, student or homeschooling parent might have about teaching grammar.
I love the fact that the lessons are delivered not only visually through the use of images and strong graphics, but orally as well. As teachers we know that some students are visual learners, and others are audio learners. The Basic Cozy Grammar Course covers all aspects. I usually start my classes with some silent reading and then I put in the video and have the kids do the exercises. The length of the lessons fit nicely within the time structure of the class. The workbook is very well laid out. It is clear and concise and as a teacher it is very convenient to have an answer key. Following Marie's advice in the introduction to the workbook, I have the kids write the exercises out by hand so they can work on their penmanship. Best of all, my students really enjoy watching the video. They like the entertainment aspect and a lot of kids comment on the interesting camera angles, the beautiful west coast scenery, the incredible gardens and surprisingly, even the classical music soundtrack. All of my students ask me when I am going to play the video again. It works great in the classroom and I think it would be great for homeschooling as well.
The kids thought Marie was very humorous and they enjoyed watching her. By the second or third lesson they ended up saying examples aloud with Marie, mimicking her, and having a great time. Students have mentioned that they finally understand grammar because it's being taught in a fun and innovative way (not just watching the teacher write notes on the chalk board, or on the overhead projector). They enjoyed the lessons, found them easy to understand, and generally did well on the worksheets.
Marie Rackham's teaching style might be best characterized by the phrase "dramatic." She throws her total personality into instruction and as a consequence, receives the enthusiastic input of all of her students. As a result of this infectious enthusiasm, Mrs. Rackham undoubtedly draws many students who might otherwise be "turned off" in more traditional teaching formats. She doesn't hesitate to take on students who do not fit the expectations of other teachers and has often been very successful in turning these students around. The standard of work submitted by her senior class is high and the expectations she sets are equally challenging. Her modified English class is marked by output not previously accomplished by these students. The informal framework of Mrs. Rackham's lessons does not detract from the quality of the input nor the standard of the output; in fact the opposite can be said: the achievement is enhanced.
Mrs. Rackham's warm and sensitive humour has earned her the respect and love of her students and colleagues alike.
Mrs. Rackham has exhibited the qualities and abilities associated with the master teacher.
I am elated that Marie Rackham has recreated her style of teaching on video and in print. Twenty-five years ago in an elementary classroom, Marie was my teacher. As a university researcher and teacher today, I have a great appreciation for her creative and dynamic approach to grammar. I remain in awe.
Since we opened our ESL Homestay School 3 years ago, we have bought a plethora of programs. Most of them sit on the shelves gathering dust. There is one notable exception to the rule – The Basic Cozy Grammar Course.
I am looking forward to receiving the new punctuation course. If it is only half as good as "Cozy Grammar" it will be worth every cent.
Last year, I wrote to the Primer Minister. I told him that the method of teaching immigrant people was wrong. His answered me, but didn't change. The ESL classes are continuing boring.
I have had some problems to learn English. I gave up some class. Today I went to library and I got your video. It's amazing!
I am just writing to say "Thank you so much"!
Thank you to show my e-mail to Marie. She is beautiful, kind, happy and extrovert person! She is a teacher that I have looked for all my life.
As an ESL consultant and developer of specialized ESL and TESL programs, I would like to commend Ms. Rackham on the creation of The Basic Cozy Grammar Course. I have been so pleased with the uniqueness of this program that I have recommended it to various international language schools and ESL students. In fact, the viewing of these videotapes is a recommended activity in the Grammar Module of the International TESOL Certificate Program created by our company.
I believe that all ESL teachers could benefit from viewing Ms Rackham's relaxed, systematic and clear approach to presenting grammar topics. Similarly, ESL students—young and old—who are confused or frightened by English grammar have all responded positively to The Basic Cozy Grammar Course. The grammar worksheets included in the package further support the effective learning of grammatical concepts. I look forward to the development of a similar grammar program at an advanced level.
Congratulations to Ms Rackham and the whole Splashes From the River team on a unique and valuable contribution to the field of English language learning.
President Diplomat Educational Services, Inc.
I am using the Cozy Grammar Course with my six year old son. My first language is Chinese, and I have always spoken to my son in Chinese so that he will keep it up. The problem is that he is now ready to start first grade, and he needs to focus on his English. I bought the Cozy Grammar to help him with this, and I am so happy I did. It has been helping both of us with our pronunciation because the teacher speaks so clearly and enunciates everything carefully. My son has also been picking up some of the grammar, which I hadn't expected. It is helping my writing skills also. I LOVE THIS PRODUCT!
I have been using the course with a nine year old Japanese boy, a ten year old girl and two eleven year olds. All of them have previously lived in America and are fluent English speakers. I teach them privately one on one and make the video part of the lesson. The video works very well for presenting the material. They are interested in the scenery and think Marie is really funny. Also they get excited when they recognize the music as many kids here in Japan take piano lessons. The retention of the terms is especially good. They can not only match the terms with examples but also spell the terms. Sometimes when we watch the video again we listen for the different types of birds that we hear. They were really excited when I pointed out the sounds of eagles!
Another class I use the video in is a third year university class. The focus of the class is teaching techniques for teaching English communicatively (as opposed to grammar translation or listen and repeat). I am using the course to teach grammar terms in order to enable students to easily give definitions and examples of the different parts of grammar. Everyone is attentive and interested in the scenery. The language is clear and easy to follow and the repetition is enough for them to catch the meaning easily.
I just wanted to thank you for helping me to get this wonderful English course.
This is one of the best materials on English grammar I have ever seen.
The video is very easy to follow and very well presented. The visuals are strong and interesting and I really liked how the main points were reiterated with graphics. I could see it being very useful for E.S.L. students.
This is a fun way to learn English grammar and punctuation! I love Marie. I love the scenery, especially when Marie saw the Orca whales, and when she caught a salmon. I love the mountains and the river and the trees and the beach.
I am very satisfied with The Basic Cozy Grammar Course. The reason I purchased this course is that this fall, I have decided to go back to college after 20 years. This course is a perfect stepping stone to build my confidence in writing properly. I am only half way through the lessons, but I just had to commend you on the excellent course.
Most of the students and tutors who are taking part in doing the grammar course are very enthusiastic about both the video and the workbook part of the course. What students find most beneficial is being able to see, hear, and then work with the concepts being presented. One student, who has been with the program for several years and has never shown any interest in grammar before, is particularly pleased at being able to grasp these lessons even though he is not a strong reader. Another student was completely stuck on understanding adjectives so we skipped ahead to this lesson. It made things a great deal clearer, and he was able to continue with confidence.
Most of us, both students and tutors, think that Marie's teaching style is amusing, and we learn better when we can laugh. I think the overall course is a wonderful addition to basic book learning and teaching, especially in an adult literacy class where many people read at a very basic level, and where the methods used in school have obviously been a failure.
Thank you very much for allowing us to experience this method of learning.
The setting was very pretty and therefore relaxing. The lessons are good, especially as key terms and concepts are highlighted by placing them in a caption at the bottom of the screen. This makes it easier to follow the video. The recapitulation at the end of the lesson was helpful, as were the ample examples. As a resource, I think this course could be valuable. Many people have more grammatical problems than they realize. Enlivening a dry grammar book with a video to punctuate the lessons may solve some problems that many would never seek to mend.
I am a student of English and Medieval Studies having studied French, German, and Latin: languages which have broadened my understanding of English and leave me feeling that a resource such as this can benefit everyone.
I bought the grammar course as a personal refresher and as a gift for my grandson. He isn't quite old enough to use it yet; but, at least it will be available to him when he is. I like to be able to help him out whenever I can.
I am using The Basic Cozy Grammar Course to personally improve my writing skills. I highly recommend it as an adult learning tool—especially for older adults, like me, who are always looking for ways to better themselves.
This course works very well for my learning style. Not only am I an audio/visual learner, but repetition is a key factor in aiding me to grasp new concepts. Being able to watch the lessons more than once has truly been beneficial and the workbook helps to reinforce what I have learned.
The Basic Cozy Grammar course is exceptional! Marie is an incredibly gifted teacher, and the workbook exercises, I found invaluable. I highly recommend it to all who want to improve their Grammar.
I think that the Cozy Grammar Series is a great way of learning because it's funny and educational at the same time. The video is clear and lessons are easy to understand and remember because it's funny.
I think the Cozy Grammar is really nice. I'd like to move to where the teacher lives, because it is beautiful, and I like the beach.
I like Cozy Grammar because the lady is funny and friendly. I like the reading and writing that comes on the picture, and I like how the colors change on the words.
To whoever wants to learn about adjectives, adverbs, comparisons of adverbs, phrases and prepositions, adjective phrases, adverb phrases, principal clauses and compound sentences, conjugation of verbs, nouns, and pronouns, verb phrases, agreement of verbs and verb tenses, I recommend Cozy Grammar. When you watch the lessons, you will find out all of the explanations you need to learn, and it will be easy for you to work in the workbook. I say that it is easy because that is how I did it. I learned a lot using this course.
When our teacher said we were going to learn grammar, and he started playing the first Cozy Grammar lesson, everyone kind of looked at each other like, "Oh no, grammar!" But after watching the first lesson everyone seemed to get into it. Even the camera work and stuff is pretty cool. It worked really well.
It is cool because the teacher is on your screen. If you don't understand something or hear her, you can stop and rewind. The video lessons show how we use parts of speech like adverbs and adjectives in everyday life.
It's a pleasure to write this testimonial in regards to The Basic Cozy Grammar Course.
I'm the director of a training department for a national health care management company. I used the course for a train-the-trainer series that I held. I was a little apprehensive at first to use this with an adult population. Especially because they thought they knew 'how to' use grammar in the composition of training materials. From my point of view the lessons were cognitively ordered in a fashion that made them easily understood using teaching approaches that reinforced what they have been learning. In addition, the workbook provided strong reinforcement of the lessons and is used frequently as a resource tool.
I want to pass along some responses from my colleagues about the Basic Cozy Grammar Course. From their point(s) of view they found the course was presented in a delightful manner using a unique approach in pleasant surroundings. They also mentioned they were fun and easy.
And as a side note: They found Marie to be an endearing character that created a very comfortable learning environment.
A great refreshing review of grammar basic skills.


text:
Nintendo to officially launch its switch gaming console in China
Reuters Tokyo Dec 04, 2019, 11.33 AM(IST)
FILE PHOTO: An attendee uses a Nintendo Switch game console while playing a video game at the Paris Games Week (PGW), a trade fair for video games in Paris, France Photograph:( Reuters )
The retail price for the launch, which aims to establish Nintendo's control over China's grey market for the device, includes popular game New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe and a one-year warranty
Japan's Nintendo Co said on Wednesday it will officially launch its Switch gaming console in mainland China on December 10 priced at 2,099 yuan ($298), with local partner Tencent Holdings Ltd.
Pre-orders for the console began at noon (0400 GMT) on Wednesday, opening a major new front in Nintendo's drive to expand the reach of the home-portable Switch device beyond its core fanbase as it heads into the year-end shopping season.
The retail price for the launch, which aims to establish Nintendo's control over China's grey market for the device, includes popular game New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe and a one-year warranty. The pricing is in line with countries such as Japan and the United States.
Nintendo plans to release hit titles Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Odyssey in China in the next few weeks, with a launch for its handheld-only Switch Lite device, which went on sale worldwide in September, also being prepared for that country.
China stands with Myanmar despite Rohingya backlash, inks dozens of deals
North Korean foreign minister replaced: Sources
Recep Tayyip Erdogan calls on Europe to support Turkey's moves in Libya

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
@echo off
\mingw\bin\asw -L uforth.asm
if errorlevel 1 goto end
\mingw\bin\p2bin -r 0-1023 -l 0 uforth.p
python makedist.py

copy /Y uforth.core ..\games\jackpot
copy /Y uforth.core ..\games\deduce
copy /Y uforth.core ..\games\life
copy /Y uforth.core ..\games\spacewar
copy /Y uforth.core ..\games\match
copy /Y uforth.core ..\games\acey
copy /Y uforth.core ..\games\speedway

:end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
UK Residential Property Developer Tax: draft legislation has developers bearing cost of cladding crisis
Following public consultation earlier this year, draft legislation for a new residential property developer tax has been published by HM Treasury. The aim is to help fund the growing costs of cladding remediation works, though the details on exactly how that will be implemented are yet to be made clear. All profitable residential developers may be subject to the new tax, regardless of the nature of their residential portfolios, or whether they even have relevant cladding at their properties.
Who will be liable for the tax?
What constitutes residential property development activities?
How will the tax be applied?
The government first proposed the residential property developer tax in an effort to respond to growing concerns over the costs for cladding repairs, and the potential burden on leaseholders, and details have finally been set out in draft legislation published as part of a technical public consultation earlier this week. Some fundamental features, including the rate of tax, and a company's threshold level of residential property development profit before the tax becomes payable (the 'allowance'), remain unconfirmed. In addition it is understood a final policy decision is yet to be made on whether it will apply to build-to-rent developers.
The government appears to have cast the net widely, with the proposed tax to be applied to any residential property developers (RP Developers). This covers any company that is 'within the charge to corporation tax', and which 'undertakes residential property development activities' ('RPD activities'). Further provisions consider 'related companies' to deal with situations where the land interest is split from the development activity in the case of group companies and joint ventures, but companies simply acting as development contractors on third party land are outside the charge.
To meet the criteria, such activities must be on, or in connection with, land in the UK in which the RP Developer has a qualifying land interest, and which forms or has formed part of its trading stock of a trade (as noted above, build-to-rent developers may apparently also be included however). A non-exhaustive list has been included to assist in determining whether land is held for the purposes of, or in connection with, the development of residential property, and includes dealing, designing, constructing or adapting residential property, but also includes 'seeking planning permission in relation to it'.
RP Developers with the relevant level of profits may therefore be caught by the tax where they have an interest in land even if a planning application has yet to be determined, has been granted but not yet implemented, or the residential development is in the course of construction.
Residential properties are defined to cover both buildings and associated land (including amenity land associated with the residential development), but exclude institutional uses, care homes and student accommodation.
RD Developers are to be subject to tax on trading profits specific to the RPD activities in relation to a chargeable accounting period, with the intention that it will start with periods ending on or after 1 April 2022, with provisions for apportionment where an accounting period straddles this date.
The draft legislation includes the calculation mechanics and provisions on reliefs (including group relief) and restrictions.
The government confirms that the intention of the tax is 'ensure that the largest developers make a fair contribution to help fund the government's cladding remediation costs'. It is understood this will be applied towards works to be governed by the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Building Safety Bill.
There is a chance to comment on the details in the draft legislation up to 15 October and the government has produced explanatory notes. Here is a link to both documents.
As part of the Autumn Budget on 27 October, the Chancellor will set out the final details, including the rate of tax and the specific allowances, and this is to be included in the 2021-2022 Finance Bill.
Authored by Hannah Quarterman and Robert Gowing.
Hannah Quarterman
Robert Gowing
Aaron Burchell
Taxes for towers - righting the wrongs of the past?
UK Fire Safety: Who's picking up the bill on cladding?
Keywords Cladding; Residential Property Developers; Residential Property Developer Tax: Draft Legislation; Autumn Budget 2021
Topics Development and Construction, Occupiers, Planning, Zoning and Public Building Law, Real Estate Finance, Real Estate Letting and Management, Real Estate Purchases and Sales (Direct and Indirect), Real Estate Investment Vehicles and Funds, Real Estate Tax, Residential


Jan is a Clairvoyant Medium who has developed her clairvoyant abilities at Feathers Academy. A reading with Jan will take about an hour and costs £20. She is available at Feathers every Tuesday on a walk in basis although booking in advance is advisable to secure a place.


text:
Q: MySQL fulltext with score by columns I created an index like this:
ALTER TABLE `blog_posts`
ADD FULLTEXT `title_description_content` (`title`, `description`, `content`);

I can search with:
SELECT * FROM `blog_posts`
WHERE MATCH(title, content, description)
AGAINST("lorem ipsum" IN NATURAL LANGUAGE MODE)
LIMIT 12

But I want to score by column. For example, that the title column is worth 3 points, that the description is worth 2 and the content is worth 1. So that words found in the title have a higher score.
I know this is possible because I already did it once, but I lost the source and I couldn't find any example on Google.
Thanks!

A: You can use multiple indexes for your problem
SELECT *,
  MATCH (title) AGAINST ("lorem ipsum" IN NATURAL LANGUAGE MODE) AS rel1,
  MATCH (content) AGAINST ("lorem ipsum" IN NATURAL LANGUAGE MODE) AS rel2,
  MATCH (description) AGAINST ("lorem ipsum" IN NATURAL LANGUAGE MODE) AS rel3
FROM `blog_posts`
WHERE MATCH(title, content, description) AGAINST("lorem ipsum" IN NATURAL LANGUAGE MODE)
ORDER BY (rel1 * 3)+(rel2 * 2)+(rel3 * 1) DESC
LIMIT 12

The weight multiplications can be finetuned

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Best of Vegas: BestOfVegas.com, part of Entertainment Benefits Group, Inc. (EBG), combined is one of the leading online travel reservations agencies in the United States by number of admissions sold, reaching over 20 million visitors via the Internet from both leisure and corporate program markets worldwide. Established in 2001, EBG launched BestOfVegas.com to offer competitive rates for the best Las Vegas shows, tours, nightclubs, as well as a special selection of hotel properties, ranging from small independent hotels to five star luxury properties. The site offers the best hotels, the best shows and the best prices.


text:
AIB Fellows: Eric Tsang
AIB Fellows: Eric Tsang2019-09-26T15:29:21+00:00
Affiliation: University of Texas at Dallas
Bio: Eric W. K. Tsang received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. Before joining academia, he worked as corporate banker at HSBC in Hong Kong. He is the Dallas World Salute Distinguished Professor of Global Strategy at the Jindal School of Management, University of Texas at Dallas. He previously held faculty positions at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and Wayne State University in Detroit, and was an honorary professor at Sun Yat-sen University in China.
Dr. Tsang's main research interests include foreign direct investment, strategic alliances, organizational learning, entrepreneurship, and philosophical analysis of methodological issues. He has published in top-tiered business journals, such as Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Journal of International Business Studies, MIS Quarterly, Marketing Science, and Strategic Management Journal. He has served on the editorial boards of most major IB journals − Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of International Management, Journal of World Business and Management International Review − in addition to other management journals.
Besides being an IB researcher, Dr. Tsang is a leading scholar in applying philosophy to solve methodological problems related to assumption, explanation, generalization, ontology, replication, and theory testing. Some of these research results were included in his book The Philosophy of Management Research (Routledge, 2017). His sole-authored article "Case Studies and Generalization in Information Systems Research: A Critical Realist Perspective" won the 2014 best paper award conferred by the Journal of Strategic Information Systems. His 2016 Academy of Management Review article "A Realist Perspective of Entrepreneurship: Opportunities as Propensities" (with Stratos Ramoglou) has contributed to the heated debate about the ontological nature of entrepreneurial opportunities.
Dr. Tsang's publications have been well cited by fellow researchers and have made significant contributions to the IB and other literatures. For example, his article "Social Capital, Networks, and Knowledge Transfer" (with Andrew Inkpen) won the 2015 Academy of Management Review Decade Award.
Last Updated: March 2018


Your price plan includes voicemail where callers can leave a voice message when you don't answer a call. You can save the voicemail number in your phone making it easy to call. Follow these instructions to save the voicemail number.
Scroll to Voice mail number and press the Navigation key.
Scroll to Voice server number and press the Navigation key.
Highlight the top menu item and press Options.
Scroll to Change name and key in the required name.
Scroll to Edit number and press the Navigation key.
Key in +447836121121 and press Options.
1. Find "Voice server number"


"Can you believe that these blokes actually PAY us to come out here and 'investigate' this stuff?"
"Quiet, Brian!. You wanna blow the whole thing, you wanker?"
"Bugger, Seth. Bugger them too. It's not like we make the damn things. But these blighters are so ready to believe bleedin' monsters did it, they'ed buy anything we tell 'em, right. They've no clue about real science, do they? I heard it's some blokes doin' this by strapping boards.... Hey! What the hell is that?"
"Brian, I don't think I like the looks of that. Is it a machine? Is it... AAAAAAAUUUUUUUGGGGGH!!"
Humans had lost fear of death over a millennium ago. Humans began expanding beyond Earth within fifty years. Within 200, humanity reached for the stars. Experimental science for it's own sake had broken down the walls of ignorance that had bound this race for eons, and paid dividends on a quantum scale.
True love, where all involved actually spent time together, learned the mind and soul and heart of each other, flourished in this new universe. Families and hearts and joy grew.
People had time to learn art, science, history, and self-reliance.
When the invasion came, the humans were prepared.
"You know, if it wasn't for my sense of humour, I would swear I was losing my mind."


Retail developers Boxpark make bid to revive Victorian arches on Madeira Drive and create a People's Promenade.
Retail and leisure development company Boxpark has released brand new CGI images of its Brighton Madeira Terrace development proposal – the ''People's Promenade".
The images show the stunning reimagining of the renowned Victorian arches into a world-class, beachfront leisure destination, which the company claims would create green public spaces and make it easier for people to access Brighton beach via Madeira Drive. Retail units would also be accessible from the beachfront, with the aim to generate footfall from tourists and Brighton locals alike.
The project aims to return Madeira Drive to its former glory, creating a vibrant hub of activity on the seafront, including a year round retail parade and food and beverage destination extending onto the promenade, as well as a world-class hotel development. The new building and urban green spaces would aim to substantially increase commercial performance, creating hundreds of jobs and encouraging international tourism to Brighton and Hove.
The need for work along the Madeira Terrace is well-publicised, with Brighton & Hove City Council setting up a crowdfunder, Save Madeira Terrace, last year to restore the Victorian archways to their former glory. Though this successfully raised almost £500,000, the remaining costs are estimated to be around £20million – so an investment from Boxpark would hugely benefit the works.
The new Brighton proposal is being led by Brighton and Hove resident and Boxpark founder Roger Wade, who has developed the plans alongside local architect Paul Nicholson from Chalk Architecture. The regeneration project would restore the existing Victorian arch structures, whilst retaining their architectural heritage and increasing commercial appeal for both locals and visitors.
Boxpark is a Brighton-based retail and leisure development company specialising in creating spaces from refitted shipping containers. Currently thriving in Shoreditch and Croydon, Boxpark is set to open its latest site in Wembley Park in late 2018.


text:
La Legio V Alaudae, nota anche come V Gallica o semplicemente V, fu una legione romana, creata da Giulio Cesare nel 52 a.C., composta da nativi della Gallia Transalpina. Il soprannome Alaudae ("allodole") deriva dall'alta cresta, tipica dei guerrieri Galli, che decorava gli elmi dei legionari. La stessa parola usata in francese per indicare l'allodola (alouette) deriva dal latino alaudae, a sua volta un prestito dalla lingua dei Galli.

Storia

Età repubblicana

La V Alaudae o V Gallica di Cesare, fu la prima legione romana composta da soldati provinciali, arruolati tra i nativi della Gallia transalpina. Inizialmente Cesare pagò i legionari con i suoi averi, ma la legione fu poi riconosciuta dal Senato romano. Prima di venire trasferita in Spagna, la V Alaudae partecipò alle guerre galliche fino al 49 a.C., dando prova di essere una delle legioni più coraggiose di Cesare. Si racconta, infatti, che nel corso della battaglia di Tapso nel 46 a.C.,  dopo aver sostenuto e respinto con grande coraggio una carica di grandi pachidermi africani, alla stessa fu dato come simbolo, proprio l'elefante.

La V Alaudae si trovava in Italia al momento della morte di Cesare ed era previsto il suo scioglimento; dopo il cesaricidio Marco Antonio la radunò lungo la via Appia e si congiunse con altre due legioni provenienti dalla Macedonia per prendere parte, agli ordini del luogotenente di Cesare, alla Guerra di Modena. La V Alaudae divenne la formazione più affidabile di Marco Antonio e si distinse nella battaglia del 21 aprile 43 a.C.; successivamente venne trasferita in Grecia e prese parte alla battaglia di Filippi contro i cesaricidi e alle campagne di Antonio in Oriente fino al 31 a.C.;  probabilmente, partecipò anche alla battaglia di Azio. Dopo il suicidio di Antonio, la legione entrò a far parte dell'esercito di Augusto (30 a.C.).

Nel 17 a.C., sotto il comando di Marco Lollio, fu sconfitta da alcune popolazioni germaniche, i Sugambri, gli Usipeti, e i Tencteri, perdendo anche l'aquila.
La clades Lolliana fu, dopo la clades variana, la più grave sconfitta subita dai romani durante il principato di Augusto.

Epoca imperiale

Dopo la battaglia di Azio fu posizionata prima nella Gallia Aquitania e poi lungo la frontiera renana dal 19 a.C., dove rimase e combatté fino a circa il 69 d.C. in numerose guerre.

Nel 69 prese parte alla prima battaglia di Bedriaco nel corso della guerra civile, dalla parte di Vitellio.

Incerta è la data di scomparsa di questa legione, che sembra sia stata distrutta o durante le campagne daciche di Domiziano (nell'86), quando Cornelio Fusco subì a Tape una cocente sconfitta da Decebalo, oppure pochi anni più tardi ad opera dei sarmati Iazigi nel 92 durante la seconda fase della guerra suebo-sarmatica.

Note

Bibliografia
Cassio Dione, Storia romana.
Giulio Cesare, De bello Gallico.
Svetonio, Vite dei Cesari, Augusto.
Velleio Patercolo, Historiae Romanae ad M. Vinicium consulem libri duo.

Voci correlate
 Elenco di legioni romane
 Legione romana

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

05 Alaudae
Gaio Giulio Cesare

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Торрадо () — прізвище іспанського походження. Відомі носії:
 Освальдо Дортікос Торрадо — 14-й президент Куби
 Херардо Торрадо — мексиканський футболіст

Іспанські прізвища


This Smartboard notebook Jenga review game includes PARCC math practice questions and answers. Click on the objects or questions and the answers appear! It is a fun way to get your students to perpare for the standardize testing. Jenga blocks not included.


The cheerful, youthful voice on the phone belongs to Eleni Athinodorou (a.k.a. McDermott). A teacher and lecturer of impressive credentials and experience, she has worked in Australia, Hong Kong and China, and has taught most ages from four-year-olds to adults, always open to the challenges of working in the field of education. But nothing has been more challenging to her than the time she has spent in the Orthodox mission in Sierra Leone, where she had the chance to teach children, assist adults and become part of a struggling community that tries to cope with adversity and heal the wounds created by civil war and the Ebola virus.
"Be the change that you wish to see in the world", she says, quoting Mahatma Gandhi as she shares her experience with Neos Kosmos. A woman of faith – in God, but also in people – she was inspired by the work of father Themis Adamopoulos, of whom she heard at her church.
"I am very blessed to have a priest in my parish who is also my friend," she says. "One day, Father Demitri Tsakas and I were talking about my experiences working in Hong Kong and China and how I had naively thought I was going to teach underprivileged children and ended up in expensive international schools. It was at this point that he reminded me of a monk who had once been a guest speaker at our church retreat. Knowing my interest in anything African, Father Demitri told me this monk had set up an Orthodox mission in Sierra Leone. The next day, he took me to meet the director of a charity, called Paradise4kids Africa, Mr Louis Toumbas, a philanthropic Christian business man committed to helping feed the poor and spreading the gospel message. He is a great advocate and supporter of Fr Themi's mission work in both Kenya and Sierra Leone. I'm a great believer in divine providence.
Getting ready was not an easy process, she admits.
In Sierra Leone, Eleni Athinodorou got in touch with a community struggling for survival, in an environment of destruction and despair.
The best way for her to adjust to this new environment was to get to work, putting to use her talents and skills in the field of education.
Speaking of the work done there, she can't hide her excitement. "In the rural west district, we have a pre-primary school, offering three early childhood classes for children 3-5 years old, as well as grades 1-4 primary school. A new high school is being built so children will have continuity from kindergarten through to junior high school.
Sierra Leone has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world with only about 35 per cent of the population able to read and write. Getting even a basic education is challenging on many levels. The Orthodox Church in Sierra Leone tries to assist, giving "all it can".
As a teacher, Eleni cannot emphasise enough the importance of education in the development of stricken communities.
The college in question is the first of its kind in the country to offer an advanced specialised three-year Higher Teaching Training course in early education.
"Education gives people hope," says the teacher, who has several jobs at the college: lecturer, head of education and acting vice rector.
As a rule, a teacher is someone who teaches, but Eleni Athinodorou admits that she, too, has been taught a lot, through her work in the mission.
"I learned to know myself, love myself and, most importantly, to forget about myself," she explains.
"In the West, we are so self-absorbed in our own little worlds, how we look, what we want and securing our finances. Forgetting about my needs felt like a step in the right direction. I also learned not to judge so much and to use a sociocultural and historical lens to view situations that I was unaccustomed to." She also learned the value of patience, as she had to adjust to 'African time'. In coping with adversity, she resorted to writing.
The most important outcome of this experience, was a deep understanding of human nature, of "the differences but also the similarities we all share", as she puts it.
Faith has been the key to break down the barriers and set up a connection with the people – faith and love.
Her message is powerful and inspiring, especially to people who wish to make something of their lives and offer to the broader community.
"I sometimes get asked, 'why go help others in a country that is not your own when there is so much need in Australia, especially Indigenous communities, single parents, the homeless, children at risk, people with psychological challenges?' Firstly, like the Samaritan, I never saw helping my neighbours as a geographical concept so when the opportunity presented itself to go to Africa, I made a decision. So whether it be helping someone in need next door, hosting or attending a charity event, making a donation to a worthy cause or packing up your life and going across the world to put your skills and talents to use … the blessings that come from giving are the same.
"Each of us is called to look further than our needs and wants. At the end of time, it will not really matter who or where or even how we reached out to others, just that we did our personal best to respond. Circumstances at different times in our life, present us with opportunities to help others and for me, I guess, it was some kind of divine providence: I got steered in a certain direction and I chose to respond to it.
Next: Mid-Pentecost – What is the Significance of this Important Feast Day?


text:
Weather Talk: Lunar wonders
Sometimes the simplest things can be the most fascinating. The phases of the moon are regular enough, changing from night to night in an endless cycle month to month. But if you consider the scale of the thing; the length of the lines of shadow; ...
By the dawn's early light and under a waning crescent moon, hunters Ryan Laing, Rich Laing and Matt Keller tell stories before a hunt near Fosston, Minn. Sam Cook/Forum News Service.
By John Wheeler/Forum News Service
Sometimes the simplest things can be the most fascinating. The phases of the moon are regular enough, changing from night to night in an endless cycle month to month. But if you consider the scale of the thing; the length of the lines of shadow; the whole thing becomes breathtaking.
The careful observer of the smaller details of the lunar orbit will find little hidden wonders, adding to the wonderment. Have you ever noticed that the crescent moon in summer is shaped like the letter C (frontwards when waxing, backwards when waning)? But in winter, the shape is more like a slightly tilted letter U. This is because the path of the summer moon is at a smaller angle to the horizon whereas the winter moon takes a more direct route across the sky. As the autumn season advances, you can see more and more that the crescent moon will take on its "holding water" shape.
Related Topics: JOHN WHEELER


A woman whose genes put her at high risk for a rare brain disorder was able to avoid passing on the condition to her children through a special in-vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure, according to a new report of the case.
The woman, a 27-year-old in the United States, had undergone genetic testing that showed she had inherited a gene that put her at risk for Gerstmann-Strussler-Scheinker (GSS) syndrome, a rare and fatal brain disorder seen in only a few families in the world. Symptoms of the condition usually appear between ages 35 and 55, and include progressively worsening speech, movement and memory problems.
This screening step is known as preimplantation genetic diagnosis, a technique that doctors already use to help couples conceive a healthy child if they are at risk for passing down fatal or debilitating conditions, the researchers said. This was the first time the technique had been used for a disease of the GSS type.
Six out of the 12 embryos were mutation free, and the couple chose to implant two embryos. Both embryos implanted successfully, and the woman gave birth to twins after nearly 34 weeks of pregnancy. Because the babies were premature, their weight and head circumference were below normal at birth, but by 3 months of age, they had caught up, the report said. At about 2 years old, the twins were on track with their communication, social and emotional development milestones, the report said.
GSS occurs when normal proteins in the brain, called prions, fold abnormally. Other inherited prion diseases include familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and fatal familial insomnia.
This is the first known case of a mother undergoing IVF with preimplantation genetic diagnosis to prevent a prion disease in her children, the researchers said. The report shows that preimplantation genetic diagnosis can be an option for couples with genetic prion disorders who want to conceive, the researchers said.
The report, written by researchers at the Institute for Human Reproduction in Chicago, and Duke University in Durham, N.C., was published Feb. 3 in the journal JAMA Neurology.


text:
Occasional literary links, amusements, culture, politics, and rants
"I am only a man who writes."
by Maud | April 22nd, 2003
Today's New York Times runs an essay written two years ago by Raúl Rivero, 57, a poet and Cuba's best-known independent journalist. Earlier this month, the Cuban government tried and sentenced approximately 80 writers and dissidents, including Mr. Rivero, to lengthy prison terms.
"The letter of the law concerning the protection of national independence and the economy in Cuba allows the authorities in my country to sentence me to prison because of the only sovereign act I have performed since I gained the use of my reason: writing without being dictated to," Mr. Rivero wrote. His essay originally appeared in La Nación, a newspaper published in Argentina. (Link via TMFTML.)
Last week an El Nuevo Herald editorial listed some of the other writers and dissidents who were jailed under the law. Víctor Rolando Stream, a contemporary Cuban poet, was one of them.
FTC NOTIFICATION
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Radek is an Associate Landscape Architect with over 10 years of experience. His main areas of expertise are landscape and visual impact assessment, design in the context of historic and cultural landscapes.
Radek has been involved in a number of Heritage Lottery Fund projects, including detailed design and contract administration. His past experience also includes an urban pilot Village Design Statement for the Heritage Council Ireland. Radek also acted as a lead landscape architect, responsible for the design, tender stage, and implementation. This included design for a prison unit and palliative care unit, both in Northern Ireland.
During his time with at Pegasus Group he worked on a number of LVIAs for large scale wind farms and urban extensions across the country, including appeal work. Radek has previously worked on various projects for the National Trust, para 55 houses in the open countryside, and garden / woodland design for private clients. This included a detailed garden design and large areas of ornamental woodland including implementation stage. One of his most recent projects also includes extensive historic research, planning and LVIA, and design work for the restoration of a Grade II* parkland and gardens in South Buckinghamshire.


text:
Opening days and times
Selection of works
Visit⌄
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Exhibitions⌄
Events⌄
BAMBOO RUSH
International Contest for the design and creation of a design object using bamboo
This competition aims to turn the spotlight on the intrinsic characteristics of bamboo, a plant that has a thousand virtues, thus favouring its use in a design product.
The object to be designed must be made for one of the following environments: domestic use, for offices, commercial buildings, schools, hospitals and other public spaces.
It is possible to combine and/or integrate several materials for the execution of the object although the bamboo parts must play an important and dominant role in the object's overall construction. The project must valorize the technical and aesthetic properties of bamboo, and it must be able to be produced in a series.
In the evaluation criteria any technological innovations will be taken into account, also relating to the object's possible productive cycle. The project must not have an ethnic taste.
– Junior: destined to individual students or groups, registered in secondary schools that focus on graphic art, furniture design, in faculties of architecture or design, PhDs, master's and equivalent courses, coordinated by one or more teachers of the course with a written proxy for participation.
– Senior: destined to designers, architects, individual or in groups, as well as workers with diplomas or degrees operating in the design sector, artists, creatives.
TERMS FOR PARTICIPATION
Participation fee:
– 20 Euros for those registered in the junior category
– 50 Euros for those registered in the senior category
To be paid by 28 February 2018 to the current account of Fondazione Franco Maria Ricci. The project must be sent by and no later than 31 July 2018 to the mailing address of the Labirinto della Masone.
– for the Junior section: each institution will take care of sending the student's form. Should the project be developed by several students, one form will have to be filled in for each student. The forms will have to be stamped and signed by the respective administrations, and sent by each institution by and no later than 31 July 2018.
– for the Senior section: each participant must send the completed form, attaching a copy of a form of identification and a CV by e-mail to: bamboorush@francomariaricci.com
The envelope must include two packages, one of which anonymous, containing the graphic works (technical charts and 3-D representation with setting) and a project report (in Word format or pdf, maximum 2000 characters), specifying the technical motivations for the use of bamboo.
The other package should include a form of identification, a CV, and the data processing consent form.
MAKE-UP OF THE JURY
The international jury will be made up of authoritative personalities who operate within the fields of Design and Communication. The names of the jury members will be published on the website www.labirintodifrancomariaricci.it by June 2018.
The evaluation will be at the discretion of the jury, on the basis of criteria that will take into account:
• coherence with respect to the theme
• communicative effectiveness
• originality
• general impression.
The works must be unsigned, without logos, or other elements that could lead back to the author, in that they will be evaluated solely on the basis of the worth of the project.
PRIZE and EXHIBITION
The winner(s)will be announced on the website by 12 October 2018.
The awards are:
– Senior section:
€ 3500 (gross)
– Junior section:
The awards ceremony will take place at the Labirinto della Masone during the third edition of the event "Under the Bamboo Tree" to be held in October 2018.
The works will be displayed in an exhibition dedicated to the Prize, to be held at the
Labirinto, date and exact location to be determined, which will be announced on the website.
– Terms and Conditions for participations
– Application form
bamboorush@francomariaricci.com
Please Send Applications to the following address:
Concorso BambooRush
Fondazione Franco Maria Ricci
c/o Labirinto della Masone
43012 Fontanellato, Parma
Live at Labirinto della Masone
The only date in Italy!
Gates open @ 20.00
Live show begins @ 22.00
Price: 28 € + booking charges
Tickets available online at http://bit.ly/ulver-labirinto
and in Vivaticket sales centres
Tickets at the entrance: € 35
prenotazioni@francomariaricci.com
Described as being the first true agitators of the black metal scene, Ulver have always known how to renew their music and stay dynamic; at first a pillar of the most traditional metal sound, they then moved into a more avant-garde area, finally making a 180° turn: from folk, to ambient, to trip hop, the group eventually evolved into electronica and prog, their sound even including echoes of chamber music.
Within the majestic framework of the Labirinto della Masone, Ulver will play songs from their new album, The Assassination of Julius Caesar, released on 7 April.
March Gardens
Starting on March 10 and every Friday of the month, the Labirinto della Masone will host a series of events dedicated to Botany: March Gardens.
This is a free event. All the events are in Italian. Visitors holding a ticket for the Labirinto can enter until there are seats available. At the end of each meeting, the public is invited to taste an aperitif prepared by Spigaroli.
Friday March 10, at 5.30PM
Stefano Mancuso
"At the Root of plants' Intelligence"
Shazarahel "Reinvent the World: the quantum-cabalistic paradigm to society."
Paolo Pejrone
"A Simple Garden"
Serena Dandini
"Stories of Lives and Gardens"
We recommend making a reservation at prenotazioni@francomariaricci.com or by calling 0521 827081


Members of the media were shocked as he was supposedly revealed as an incredibly anti-woman presidential candidate, perhaps even the most ever nominated by a major political party in the modern era. He had admitted that he reduced women to objects and the Democrats pounced, seeking to make him lose him the support of women and, in turn, the presidency.
I'm not talking about the media coverage of GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump and the "Access Hollywood" tape, but his predecessor, Mitt Romney.
His sin? Saying that he had "binders full of women" that he was looking at appointing to key positions were he elected president. Sure, it was an awkward way of stating a fairly innocuous fact about how elected executives begin their transition efforts — with resumes of candidates for every position under the sun —- well before an election is held. Yet, the media and commentators came for Mitt Romney and they did so with guns blazing, as he was portrayed as an anti-woman extremist… for making a concerted effort to hire women to serve in his administration as governor of Massachusetts.
The entire ordeal is part of an ever-growing list of examples in which the media seemed to be biased, whether consciously or not, against Republicans.
Conservatives were rightly upset when at the end of Barack Obama's presidency, the USA Today editorial board parroted, almost verbatim, a claim of the then president's that his administration had been scandal-free. While this was done by the editorial board of a major newspaper, the line was repeated by many journalists, including by NBC News' Tom Brokaw, despite Republican investigations into the IRS's targeting of conservative groups, the investigation into the ATF's Fast and Furious program and the investigation into the Obama Administration's federal guarantees for Solyndra, among others.
The lack of acknowledgment of actual scandals that were investigated by Congress perfectly encapsulated how the vast majority of the media would not challenge Obama and had a bit too much of a cozy relationship with him.
To read the rest of this OpEd, click HERE.
That picture though! He's either showing "O" the size of his (Obama's) brain, or the size of his balls. LOL! I would say he would be right about either one of them.
Haha Jodi!! That is awesome!!


The graduating class of Camden County College's Gateway to College Program for Camden City high school dropouts attended their graduation ceremony Wednesday.
The program is now in its second year and is intended to provide the students with another opportunity to finish their diplomas and move on to gain a degree in higher education.
Check out our photo gallery from the graduation and to see the rest of our high school graduation coverage, be sure to visit nj.com/southjerseyphotos.


Hello, I am Andrew Chen!
Passionate coder, classical music lover, special food maker.
My years of programming with open-source technology have taking me along the lines of learning Java in college, to PHP as a CMS hacker with the LAMP stack and now to Ruby and Rails and Responsive Front-End Web Development. I am also a Linux enthusiast and I like to set up Linux for servers and hacking Linux to make it work as well.
I am also an avid classical music listener. My interest of classical music started after the music appreciation class in college. I listen to classical music from the Baroque period all the way to the Romantic period. I like particularly musical compositions by Bach and Beethoven. One of the reasons I like classical music is because it is natural music played by natural instruments.
Besides classical music, I also enjoy cooking special foods especially oven baked ones with natural ingredients. I make yeast leavened bread and pastries such as flan, lemon meringue pie, apple pie, and others. I just love homemade food with natural ingredients.
© Andrew Chen 2015. Made with keyboard and .


Bijou Romantique celebrates every side of a woman's personality and perspective, allowing every experience its own singular spotlight. It is a celebratory and contradictory fragrance whose jumbled blend of notes somehow coalesces into a pristine portrait of feminine authenticity.
The opening shines with orchard sunlit Italian lemons and bergamot, while a popping pink berry accord adds a quick shot of spice to the juicy citrus.
The heart of Bijou Romantique expands into a daring blend of powdery iris, a silk ribbon of soft ylang-ylang, fresh coconut, and the sharp desert bite of clary sage. The sweet coconut and ylang ylang decorate the delicate, hesitant softness of the iris with their laid-back, tropical feel, as well as toning down the tartness of the sage.
Bijou Romantique changes its mind about what kind of perfume it is halfway-though – from a bouncy citrus scent to a full-blown floral with gourmand accents.
The dry down shows yet another side to this fragrance, as the floral heart dissolves into a base featuring Haitian vetiver, vanilla, patchouli, and benzoin. And just as the top notes set heated spices against bright citrus, and the heart's soft florals versus sweet coconut, the base notes pairs earthy, green herbs with dessert notes. Bijou Romantique ends with sugary pastries served picnic-style in a rambling garden.
The carefree jumble of styles and notes in Bijou Romantique is what makes it memorable and complex. The romantic gift at its heart is in savoring its delightfully unique personality, allowing it to teach you something new about wearing perfume.


text:
Пептострептококки () — род анаэробных грамположительных неспорообразующих бактерий из семейства Peptostreptococcaceae. Небольшие клетки сферической формы, обнаруживающиеся в виде коротких цепочек. Обычно перемещаются, используя реснички.

Пептострептококки — медленно растущие бактерии с повышенной устойчивостью к антимикробным препаратам.

Пептострептококки проявляют чувствительность к бета-лактамным антибиотикам.

Патогенез
Пептострептококки относятся к нормальной микрофлоре человека, обитая в ротовой полости, на коже, в кишечнике (в основном, в толстой кишке) и влагалище, дыхательных путях здоровых людей, составляя от 13 до 18 % всех встречающихся у человека грамположительных анаэробных кокков.

Относится к условно-патогенной микрофлоре, и проявляется при иммунодепрессии или травматизации прилегающих тканей септическими осложнениями.

Они изолированы с высокой частотой от всех образцов. Анаэробные грамположительные кокки, такие как Peptostreptococcus, являются вторыми наиболее часто восстанавливаемыми анаэробами и составляют примерно одну четверть найденных анаэробных изолятов. Чаще всего анаэробные грамположительные кокки обычно восстанавливаются вместе с другими анаэробными или аэробными бактериями из различных инфекций в разных местах человеческого тела. Это вносит вклад в трудность выделения пептострептококковых организмов.

Вирулентность
Пептострептококк представляет единственный род среди анаэробных грамположительных кокков, которые встречаются при клинических инфекциях. Таким образом, виды пептострептококка рассматриваются как клинически значимые анаэробные кокки. Другие аналогичные клинически значимые анаэробные кокки включают виды Veillonella (грамотрицательные кокки) и микроаэрофильные стрептококки (аэротолерантные). Анаэробные грамположительные кокки включают различные клинически значимые виды рода Peptostreptococcus .

Абдоминальные инфекции
Анаэробные грамположительные кокки являются частью нормальных желудочно-кишечных комменсалов. Они изолированы примерно в 20 % случаев внутрибрюшных инфекций, таких как перитонит. Обнаружены при абсцессах печени, селезёнки и брюшной полости. Как в верхних дыхательных путях и зубных инфекциях, анаэробные грамположительные кокки восстанавливаются в смеси с другими бактериями. В этом случае они смешиваются с организмами кишечного происхождения, такими как E. coli, группа бактериоидов fragilis и клостридий.

Виды

Включаемые ранее в род пептострептококки виды P. asaccharolyticus, P. magnus, P. micros, P. prevotii, P. vaginalis согласно современным представлениям переименованы и перенесены в другие роды: Peptoniphilius asaccharolyticus, Finegoldia magnus, Micromonas micros, Anaerococcus prevotii, Anaerococcus vaginalis соответственно.
Peptostreptococcus anaerobius
Peptostreptococcus harei
Peptostreptococcus hydrogenalis
Peptostreptococcus indoliticus
Peptostreptococcus ivorii
Peptostreptococcus lacrimalis
Peptostreptococcus lactolyticus
Peptostreptococcus octavius
Peptostreptococcus tetradius

Примечания

Clostridia
Роды бактерий
Кокки


t was another year of double-digit growth as Cohn & Wolfe reached new heights in our quest to become the best integrated communications agency in the public relations industry. We have advanced well beyond the vision we set five years ago.
Our new business and organic growth were fueled by our ability to deliver the big ideas that clients want and bring those ideas to life through our growing capabilities across mobile, digital, paid and content marketing. This year, we leveraged M.E.-24, our mobile engagement unit, to launch the world's first mobile signature analysis tool for Colgate's Irish Spring Signature line of products. We defied category norms with 'Unbreakable Valor,' a limited-edition, interactive comic book series that transformed Panasonic's Toughpad® tablet into an unlikely B-to-B superhero. And we introduced Mission 31, an underwater exploration with Jacques Cousteau's grandson filmed entirely on Microsoft's Nokia Lumia 1020.
These award-winning campaigns were fueled by initiatives that optimized the quality and consistency of our insight-driven work worldwide. This year, we globally embedded our proprietary DDIM™ (Dig Deeper. Imagine More.) programming process and enhanced our global knowledge-sharing tools.
I am incredibly grateful to our talented people around the world for a stellar 2015. They have been the force behind a number of prestigious industry honors, including Large PR Firm of the Year (PR News), multiple Best Large Place to Work awards (Holmes, PRWeek, PR News) and two nods for Southeast Asia Agency of the Year (Holmes, Campaign Asia). Our people have also enabled Cohn & Wolfe to add or expand great clients, including Alcon, Barclaycard, Colgate-Palmolive, Danone, Global Blue, InterContinental Hotels Group, Pandora Jewelry and Treasury Wine Estates.
Cohn & Wolfe expanded in India, Brazil and China. With majority-stake acquisitions in India's Six Degrees PR and content development and marketing subsidiary, Alphabet Consulting, as well as Brazil's renowned Grupo Máquina, we welcomed hundreds of talented new professionals across Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasília. We also added our twelfth office in Asia, in Guangzhou, to meet growing client demands across China. Our global specialty companies, GCI Health and AxiCom, also performed well with significant new wins and strong organic growth.
I expect to see Cohn & Wolfe deliver another year of excellent growth in 2016, as we further leverage our position as an integrated marketing leader and continue to recruit and retain the industry's best talent.


In the summer of 2013, Swedish brass specialist Nordic Brass Gusum conducted the first phase of an investment in equipment for condition monitoring of hydraulic control for the brass extrusion plant. This summer, the second phase of the installations will be carried out.
The Intellinova Compact online system with eighteen channels will be used to monitor the plant's mechanical condition, including bearing condition and lubrication condition of pumps and drive motors. The measuring points on the main pumps will be connected to digital outputs which break and shut down the pumps in case of alarm status.
Department manager Mats Sporre comments: "It was time to replace our old monitoring system from SPM and we chose to invest in Intellinova Compact, which we think provides good opportunities for more efficient monitoring, increased reliability and better follow-ups. Training is also included in the package, which is a prerequisite for us to be able to take full advantage of system functionality. Our operators will be able to continuously follow measuring results and trends via a screen in the control room."
Nordic Brass Gusum has special expertise and long experience in brass production. The plant in Gusum has a production of about 40,000 tons of brass per year in the form of rods, profiles, bars and nuts; most of which are delivered to the Nordic market.


The current version forecasts demography, education level, socioeconomic characteristics and housing demand for the period The new elements of the model are described and the development strategy is outlined. The model is based on a new Event Pump architecture. This is a Lego-block-like object oriented technique where the model is built as an Agent Tree consisting of Agent objects.


The Northland corporate office joined The Jimmy Fund's Red Sox opening day rally by raising funds to help fight cancer. We're proud to participate in The Jimmy Fund's annual fundraiser, collecting over $1400 from our office team. With a company match, Northland is proud of a total donation of over $2800!


Across markets and geographies, customers and regulations are dictating the need for environmentally friendly ingredients that are better for people and the planet. The adhesive and binders market is no exception.
Cargill's deep expertise in agriculture-based chemistry has led to our adhesive innovations that draw on natural sources for bonding strength, versatility and staying power. Cargill continues to develop and customize non-toxic adhesive ingredients from renewable resources, such as corn and soy-based products for applications as varied as paper bags, corrugated board, wallpaper, lamination, pharmaceutical preparations, furniture and plywood.


text:
Maqdala Artifacts Looted by Britain Withdrawn from UK Auction at Ethiopia's Request
By Helen Holmes • 06/17/21 12:04pm
An Ethiopian crown in Albert museum show "Maqdala 1868, A reflection on the 1868 siege and battle at Maqdala." DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images
After a formal and emphatic request from the Ethiopian government, the auction house Busby in Dorset has removed two objects, a group of horn beakers and a leather Coptic bible, from its auction roster. The reason given by the Ethiopian embassy was that the objects were found to have been looted by British forces during the Battle of Maqdala in 1868, a brutal assault of the palace fortress of Maqdala in what was formerly known as Abyssinia. The embassy's request also is not the first one the Ethiopian government has made in pursuit of lost items, many of which have not been fulfilled.
The items in question had been listed by the auction house for approximately £700. In a letter to the Busby auctioneers, the Ethiopian government emphasized that the listed items represented essential nexus points of the traumatic incident in Ethiopian history. "In the government's view the auctioning of these items is, at best, unethical and, at worst, the continuation of a cycle of dispossession perpetrated by those who would seek to benefit from the spoils of war," the request from the Embassy read. "Maqdala is really important in terms of the shared history between the UK and Ethiopia, so today is a big day," a spokesperson from the Ethiopian embassy added to the Guardian. "A small step."
Last year, the Ethiopian embassy also began talks with Britain's Victoria and Albert museum regarding the return of objects housed in the institution that had also been looted in the aftermath of the 1868 Battle of Maqdala. These moves are in keeping with a larger global shift towards museum decolonization and the return of looted artifacts to their countries of origin. In March, reports emerged that Germany was in talks to return its Benin bronzes to Nigeria, and the return of objects looted by France to Benin and Senegal has been in the works for years.
Filed Under: Arts, Visual Art, Victoria and Albert Museum, Abyssinia, Coptic bible, Ethiopian artifacts, horn beakers, Maqdala
SEE ALSO: Frida Kahlo's Final Self Portrait Will Go Up for Auction This Fall


text:
Deriving trends in life expectancy by the National Statistics Socioeconomic Classification using the ONS Longitudinal Study
Johnson, B. (2011) Health Statistics Quarterly, 49(Spring), 9-52. 22 February 2011. [ONS LS]
BackgroundHealth inequalities among socio-economic groups are well documented. One of the measures used to track inequalities over time is the series 'Trends in life expectancy by social class, 1972–2005', on the Office for National Statistics website. In 2001 the National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC), replaced Registrar General's social class (RGSC) for the purposes of official statistics. This paper describes the challenges involved in producing an analogous series of trends in life expectancy by NS-SEC to that by RGSC, the approach adopted, and publishes the first results of the new series.
MethodsNS-SEC was devised in the 1990s and introduced in 2001. Like RGSC, it is an occupation-based measure. In order to produce a series of trends over more than 20 years based on NS-SEC, it is necessary to classify people according to NS-SEC based on their occupation at the 1981 and 1991 Censuses and then to measure subsequent mortality rates for different classes. The 1981 Census preceded the construction of the NS-SEC classification system by nearly 20 years, and there was no recognised way of classifying 1981 Census respondents by NS-SEC. This paper describes how an approximation to allow such a classification was derived. The ONS Longitudinal Study was used to provide the data from which mortality and survival rates by NS-SEC class could then be estimated.
ResultsThe results are presented in terms of life expectancy at birth and at age 65 by five-year calendar periods, from 1982–86 to 2002–06. A social gradient was found using NS-SEC, similar to the one found using RGSC. For most classes for all periods studied, life expectancy improved for both males and females but inequalities persisted between classes. There was a difference of around six years for males between the most and least advantaged classes in expectation of life at birth and about four years for females in the Office for National Statistics 1 period 2002–06. The estimates suggested a widening of inequalities over the study period for men, which appeared to end after 2001. For women, no overall trend could be detected, but there were no signs of any narrowing of the gap in the most recent period.
ConclusionsNS-SEC can be used to provide medium-term trends in life expectancy by occupation based class, which will be capable of extension over time, although certain approximations are necessary. It is important that work should continue on investigating other means of classification, particularly for women, for example based on educational attainment and on household rather than individual-based measures.
Available online: Health Statistics Quarterly,
Download output document: Full Paper (PDF 581KB)


text:
Methane for transport and mobility (RMTM)
Synthetic natural gas (SNG) as a renewable fuel can contribute to sustainable road transport. The technologies and a large part of the infrastructure for this purpose are available today. The two most important parameters that need to be improved are the (life-cycle) CO2 emissions per km and the production costs of SNG.
Background (completed research project)
The use of renewable synthetic fuels such as SNG is promising as it solves two problems at once. (i) The expansion of photovoltaics and wind as energy sources will lead to large fluctuations in electricity production. The conversion of electricity into fuels can help to stabilise the electricity grid and make reasonable use of surpluses. (ii) Even though Switzerland has committed to the Kyoto climate protocol, CO2 emissions from road transport, which account for 50 % of Switzerland's anthropogenic CO2 emissions, are not decreasing. In addition to the efforts to change mobility behaviour, SNG as a fuel is a sensible complement to electric mobility for sustainable road transport.
The aim of the project was to evaluate the potential of SNG as a fuel for road transport in order to contribute to the implementation of the energy strategy 2050 and reduce CO2 emissions in road transport.
The production of SNG requires water, CO2 and electricity. The limiting factor on the supply side is the amount of renewable electricity available. In order to produce SNG for a passenger car with an average travelling distance of 12'000 km, 12'000 kWh of electrical energy per year are required, which corresponds to a photovoltaic area of 90 m2.
On the demand side, the SNG price at the filling station and acceptance by consumers are the limiting factors. The most relevant influencing factors for the production costs are the electricity price and the investment costs for the electrolyser. Under optimal conditions, production costs of 12 Rp./kWh (HHV) are achievable, under normal conditions the price is in the range of 30 Rp./kWh. The price difference between renewable SNG and fossil fuels can be influenced primarily by regulatory measures, such as free usage of the electricity grid or the introduction of a steering charge on fossil fuels.
It can be said that the extent to which SNG fuel is used in the future is principally a political rather than a technical issue.
Implications for research
This is the first time that the main carbon flows in a country have been comprehensively identified and presented. Based on this, the researchers were able to present arguments as to which CO2 sources would allow for the production of renewable SNG.
For the first time, SNG production plants have been integrated into a simulation tool for Swiss electric power production and consumption at intervals of 15 minutes. This makes it possible to study different plant operating strategies.
For further research towards more efficient electrolysers, a parameter model for calculating efficiency was developed.
Implications for practice
According to the findings of this project, there are almost no restrictions on the expansion of photovoltaics and wind power. Any surplus can be used for the production of SNG.
Apart from the construction of SNG plants, only a few adaptations are necessary for the widespread introduction of SNG as a fuel: the gas filling station grid must be expanded and, depending on the amount of SNG injected, the gas grid must be extended to bidirectional operation.
Renewable Methane for Transport and Mobility (RMTM)
Prof. Markus Friedl Institut für EnergietechnikHochschule für Technik Rapperswil HSR Oberseestrasse 10 8640 Rapperswil SG
E-Mail: markus.friedl@hsr.ch
Results and products of the research project on nrp-energy.chExternal Link Icon
Key data and publicationsExternal Link Icon
Products of the project
CO2 als Rohstoff für Treibstoffe (in: Aqua & Gas, 9/2016) (PDF, 1,7 MB)
"Methan als Treibstoff ist die ideale Ergänzung zum Elektroantrieb" (in: Aqua & Gas, 7-8/2016) (PDF, 328 KB)
Project News February 2016 (PDF, 55 KB)
Project News July 2015 (PDF, 94 KB)
Project poster, kick-off meeting, NRP 70, April 2015 (PDF, 1.1 MB)


Once you launch the tool on your PC, it immediately starts fetching info about the current status of your hard drives. Once the scanning process is complete you can export the offered info to your local directories and share the resulting file with a member of a support team for assistance.
I like the fact that you can configure the tool to automatically send an email as soon as it identifies critical hard drive issues. Another important aspect is that the utility uses a very small amount of CPU resources while running on your PC.
The only disadvantage is that it supports only one output format when exporting SMART data reports (TXT).
In conclusion, you should definitely try Active@ Hard Disk Monitor on your Windows computer if you want to easily keep track of the current status of your hard drives. It's a great solution for preventing data loss on your PC.
Marcio Merlone The best SMART monitoring tool, free.