text:
Preoperative Blood Transfusion May Reduce Perioperative Complications in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease
EBM Focus - Volume 8, Issue 15
Read the complete EBM Focus/earn CME credit
Reference: Lancet 2013 Mar 16;381(9870):930, (level 2 [mid-level] evidence)
The need for surgery is common in patients with sickle cell disease to address both manifestations and complications of the disease, and the rates of surgical complications can be high. Whether preoperative blood transfusions are beneficial in these patients is unclear. One large observational study previously found a decrease in surgical complications with transfusion (Blood 1995 Nov 15;86(10):3676), but others have shown no significant differences. The only previous randomized trial to date compared 2 different transfusion regimens, but now the TAPS trial has compared preoperative transfusion to no transfusion in 67 children and adults with sickle cell disease.
Patients ≥ 1 year old (median age 13 years) with sickle cell disease (hemoglobin SS subtype in 97%) who were having low-risk surgery (e.g. adenoidectomy or inguinal hernia repair) or medium-risk surgery (e.g. cholecystectomy or joint replacement) were randomized to preoperative blood transfusion vs. no transfusion and followed for up to 3 months. Patients having cardiovascular or brain surgery were excluded, as were patients with transfusion within 3 months, acute chest syndrome within 6 months, or history of stroke. The median preoperative hemoglobin levels were 97 g/L (9.7 g/dL) following transfusion in the transfusion group and 77 g/L (7.7 g/dL) in the no transfusion group. The primary outcome was clinically important complications within 30 days of surgery, including infections, sickle cell-related events, transfusion reactions, and cardiovascular events. Life threatening complications and events causing permanent or severe disability were classified as serious adverse events.
Planned enrollment was 405 patients. The trial was terminated early after an unplanned interim analysis of 61 patients indicated a significant decrease in serious adverse events in the transfusion group. In the intention-to-treat population of 67 patients, 3% in the transfusion group and 30% in the no transfusion group had serious adverse events (p = 0.002, NNT 4). The most common adverse event was acute chest syndome. The rates of clinically important complications were 15% with transfusion vs. 39% without transfusion (p = 0.023, NNT 5). There were no significant differences in duration of hospital stay or readmission rates.
For more information, see the Sickle cell disease topic in DynaMed.


text:
The chapel is a beacon of spiritual centering, welcoming individuals of all faiths and denominations.
Father Jim sets the tone for this loving ministry. Residents admire his welcoming ways, gestures they say, that make you feel blessed to be a part of the Nazareth House family.
Nazareth House Los Angeles sisters offer spiritual encouragement with kind words, smiles and prayers when most needed.
Mass is offered daily. A Holy Hour, a time for quiet prayer, starts daily at 4 o'clock. Friends and family know they are welcome to attend services.
Scripture study is always a popular activity on the calendar.
Sister Marie ministers to residents throughout the facility, offering daily communion to those who so wish. She is a spiritual mentor to staff and residents alike.
The spiritual support shown to one another and by staff is a daily gift. There is peace and contentment here, both for residents and their families who have entrusted their loved ones to Nazareth House.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
LOS ANGELES — More than 1,100 police and FBI agents are banging on doors in Los Angeles in the latest crackdown on street gangs.
LAPD Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese says officers and agents began serving arrest warrants before dawn Thursday at 47 locations. They're seeking 75 people wanted on state and federal charges.
Albanese says 46 were in custody by early morning and authorities had seized many guns.
The crackdown targets suspected members and associates of the Rolling 40s street gang who are accused of violent crimes, drug and gun sales.
Last week, federal authorities said nearly 300 people had been arrested in the Los Angeles area during a six-month national crackdown crackdown on criminal gangs.


text:
Do you sometimes leave church and think to yourself, "How am I going to make a difference for Christ? I can't fly to another country and love on orphans."
Have you attended a local town meeting and said to yourself, "What use am I? I'm just a woman who works at a bank."
Have you sat through a PTA meeting at your kid's school and thought, "I can't sew. I'm not crafty."
Do you watch the evening news and think, "So sad all this violence. So disappointing all this scandal and corruption."
Maybe you've left the voting poll and thought, "What influence do I have? I'm just one vote."
You are certainly not alone.Read More


text:
At one time, JavaScript evolved slowly. But its pace of evolution has stepped up considerably, particularly with last year's ECMAScript 2015 specification. In the coming years, developers could see innovations like a type system and multithreading.
In a discussion on JavaScript at the QCon conference in San Francisco on Monday, Stefan Penner and Jafar Husain elaborated on what they see potentially happening with JavaScript. Penner and Husain are both insiders key to the ECMAScript specification process; ECMAScript is the official specification that underlies JavaScript, and Technical Committee 39 handles it.
Asked how TypeScript, Microsoft's typed superset of JavaScript, affects JavaScript development, Penner, of TC39 participant LinkedIn, said he was excited about it, but the committee is nervous about the magnitude of adding a type system to JavaScript itself. "It's very easy to get this wrong," he noted. The committee, though, does acknowledge the value of such an endeavor, and it could possibly happen.
Husain, a senior developer at TC39 participant Netflix, also expressed reservations, saying that "if you make mistakes in your type system, you've hobbled the web." The committee is being very cautious because of the complications involved, Husain pointed out.


text:
See Girl Run Movie Review Certain movies stray from the standard formula, and I respect that. In 'See Girl Run,' a romantic drama/comedy, director Nate Meyer has attempted to do just that. You think you …Read More »
Tag Archives: independent films
Dead Man's Burden Review: An Indie Western & Cinematic Spectacle
Dead Man's Burden Movie Review As you know, we love a good indie movie here at Movie Melt. For me personally, I also love a good western, and I don't think you see too many …Read More »
'White House (Goes) Down' – Worst Ever Box Office Flops
With the recent release of the big action thriller 'White House Down' flopping horribly compared to expectations at the box office, Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum are sure to be wondering what went wrong. The …Read More »
Must See Movies You Haven't Seen: 'Stake Land' (2011)
Stake Land (2001) So we all know that vampire movies are a dime a dozen these days. There's the super cheesy trash that is 'Twilight' and all the rip offs that it has spawned. There's …Read More »
'Upstream Color' Review
'Upstream Color' Movie Review Actor/Director Shane Carruth made a name for himself back in 2004 when he released his Indie time-travel film 'Primer.' The movie was a low budget cult masterpiece, and is often considered …Read More »
Must See Movies You Haven't Seen: 'Once' (2007)
'Once' (2007) Every now and again you see a film that makes you say, 'How did I never see or hear about this film before?' You've never heard of it, yet it is basically perfect …Read More »
Comedy Meets Porn In The First Trailer For 'Don Jon'
I am a huge Joseph Gordon-Levitt fan; or JGL, as I like to call him. He is at the point of his career where he can do no wrong. Last year alone he played pivotal …Read More »
Cannes Festival Spotlight: 'Ain't Them Bodies Saints'
This years Cannes Festival has come and gone, and from what I've seen there have been some really good films on show. Of course, it always does, being one of the biggest in the world. …Read More »
'A Field In England' – British Indie Director Ben Wheatley Returns
A Field In England Ben Wheatley is a director who is probably not known by many American movie fans. I myself only discovered him recently, when I watched his recent horror/suspense thriller 'Kill List,' which …Read More »
Does the top keep spinning at the end of 'Inception'?: Why America's Mainstream Movie Audience Needs Closure.
And they lived happily ever after. I blame Disney. The ugly truth is that the average American moviegoer needs closure at the end of a movie. (I said average, so I don't want to hear …Read More »


text:
I Couldn't Figure Out How He Makes These Paintings… How It's Actually Done Is Amazing.
Sebastien Del Grosso has been drawing and painting since he was a young child. When he discovered photography, he combined his two passions and it allowed him to give free rein to his vivid imagination.
His work has won him first prize at the IPA – International Photographer Award 2013 and second prize at the PX3 – Prix de la Photographie 2014 in Paris.
Here's some of "The Sketch of a Life" series. You can see more on Flickr and Facebook.
Page 1 of 4Next ›


text:
15th September 2016
Adjournment speech.
The Hon. MARK PEARSON (16:23): Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of living cells, tissues or organs from one species to another. There are currently xenotransplantation experiments occurring at Prince Alfred Hospital using baboons from the Wallacia breeding facility. A recent media exposédescribed Frankenstein-like operations that transplanted organs from pigs into baboons. Millions of dollars of taxpayer‑funded research grants is used, but the hospitals are not required to provide details to the public about the nature of these experiments. Questions to the Minister have failed to yield answers.
Human-to-human organ transplants are now routinely performed on patients with organ failure. Australia is a world leader for successful organ transplant outcomes but is twenty-second on the international list for organ donations. Public awareness is, however, improving. In 2015, 69 per cent of Australians indicated a willingness to become organ and tissue donors and there was a record 435 organ donations to 1,241 patients. The Federal and State governments have implemented a national reform program to increase donation rates. The program will implement a world's best practice approach to organ and tissue donation for transplantation. Its aim is to increase clinical capacity and capability, and to increase community engagement and awareness in relation to organ donation.
Unfortunately, the current rate of organ donation does not meet demand, and this has been used to justify xenotransplantation with animals. Xenotransplantation occurs predominantly with primates and pigs and is a death sentence for those animals. If xenotransplantation ever becomes a surgical practice there will be mass wastage preceded by enormous suffering for the animals. Sentient beings will be reduced to nothing more than spare parts and tens of thousands of animals will die miserable deaths in laboratory conditions.
Xenotransplantation seriously impacts animal wellbeing. From the moment the animal is born it is unable to express natural behaviours and will suffer frustration, deprivation and stress. The sterile conditions in which the genetically engineered animals to be used for transplants will be kept poses a significant stress factor. To reduce the risk of exposure to disease sows have their pregnant wombs removed and the piglets are placed into a sterile environment. The piglet is unable to suckle from its mother, it is medicated and reared on artificial foods containing no animal products.
Aside from the animal suffering involved in xenotransplantation, there are serious human health risks with this procedure. Possible problems with transplantation of whole organs from animals to humans include viral diseases transferred from animals, rejection of the organs by the patient's immune system, and differences in structure and biochemistry between human and animal organs. Pigs contain endogenous retroviruses that are passed on to offspring in the DNA of normal chromosomes, and therefore cannot be eliminated. Viral sequences in host DNA can be activated to produce infectious viruses in mice, cats and gibbons that are closely related to leukaemia viruses and are a second cousin to HIV.
The following are examples of diseases transferred from primates to humans: monkey pox is a virus originating in African monkeys causing a 10 per cent fatality rate in humans; the HIV-AIDS virus is thought to have come from the primate simian immunodeficiency virus [SIV]; seven laboratory workers died following exposure to Marburg virus through African green monkey kidneys; Ebola virus recently killed thousands of people in central Africa and has been linked to monkeys; and the herpes B virus is a common infection of macaque monkeys, but in humans it can develop into a fatal neurological disease. Given the terrible animal suffering and massive wastage of sentient beings, the risks to human health and the expense involved in experimentation, would it not make more sense to save money and encourage a more compassionate outcome for all beings by focusing our efforts and resources on community education programs to promote organ donations? These research materials were sourced by Dr Suzanne Pope.
17th March 2016
Questions without notice.
Baboons used in medical research.
The Hon. MARK PEARSON: My question is directed to the Minister for Primary Industries, and Minister for Lands and Water, representing the Minister for Medical Research and Assistant Minister for Health. Would the Minister advise the House of the critical outcomes of the medical research conducted from 2012 to 2015 on baboons kept at the Wallacia facility, pertaining to xenotransplantation, including whether xenotransplantation was performed on a baboon known as Conan? If so, was this the first of its kind in the world? Did Conan die due to complications from this procedure? What experiments were performed on the baboons known as Scar, Belvedere and Frazer? What were the causes of their deaths?
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: I thank the member for his question. I am happy to talk broadly about the matter, but because the member asked for specific detail and directed the question to my colleague in the other place I will take the question on notice, refer it to my colleague and come back to the member with a detailed answer.
4th May 2016
In reply tothe Hon. MARK PEARSON (17 March 2016).
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR (Minister for Primary Industries, and Minister for Lands and Water)—The Minister for Primary Industries, and Minister for Lands and Water, provided the following response:
The Department of Primary Industries administers the Animal Research Act 1985.
The Department accredits animal research establishments and receives reports on animal use statistics from them each year, which are collated and reported in the Animal Research Review Panel Annual Report. The information collected is general and deals with numbers of different species of animals used for categorised purposes and categorised levels of impact. The Department does not routinely collect more specific information about individual research projects.
On a needs basis, information is obtained about specific research projects in the course of administration of the Act. The Act restricts the disclosure of this information.
Each accredited establishment is responsible for ensuring that research applications are approved by their Animal Ethics Committee. The research applications must include detailed information including the justification for the use of animals, as well as the impacts of all parts of the research project on the animals, and how these impacts will be minimised.
Published articles are available in the scientific literature on the use of baboons from the National Baboon Colony for xenotransplantation studies. See for example the American Journal of Transplantation June 2014 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajt.12722/full.
25th February 2016
So the first week back for the NSW Legislative Council is done and a historic one it has been. On Tuesday, three separate political parties gave notice of bills that will positively affect animals. The Animal Justice Party gave notice of a bill to ban animal research on primates, Greens NSW a bill to create an Independent Animal Protection Authority, and NSW Labor a bill to enable inspectors to remove dogs and cats from animal breeding establishments (puppy farms).
Please watch my video blog for all the great updates including the Koala Park Sanctuary and dolphin petition.
Thanks for the support!
23rd February 2016
It was another historic day on Tuesday the 23rd of February 2016, the first sitting day back for the Legislative Council of NSW saw animals enter the mix of cross party politics. Mark Pearson of the Animal Justice Party gave notice of his next bill which seeks to bring an end to animal research to be carried out on primates in the name of science.
The Animal Research Amendment (Primates) Bill will amend the Animal Research Act 1985 to prohibit the use, keeping or supplying of primates in carrying out animal research. It will prohibit the use, supply or keeping of primates in connection with animal research and will make it illegal for a person (including an accredited research establishment, a holder of an animal research authority or a licensed animal supplier) to use, keep or supply a primate in connection with animal research.
Primates are virtually the only animals taken from the wild in large numbers for bio-medical research. Even though breeding colonies exist, it is still estimated that over 1,000,000 primates are taken every year from the wild, with over two thirds being used for bio-medical research. The NSW Sydney facility at Wallacia breeds primates in captive colonies for research.
A great ape research ban, or severe restrictions on the use of great apes in research, is currently in place in the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany and Austria. These countries have ruled that chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans are cognitively so similar to humans that using them as test subjects is unethical. Austria is the only country in the world where experiments on lesser apes, the gibbons, are completely banned too.
The use of animals for research and testing is totally unacceptable, inaccurate and outdated. Instead, Australian researchers should be using non-animal research methods which have been proved to be more accurate and of greater relevance, producing improved results faster. In 2013 Humane Research Australia commissioned a Nexus Research Poll which revealed that most Australians (60%) are opposed to the use of primates in research.
Bio-medical and pharmaceutical research claims the lives of an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 non-human primates worldwide each year, fueling the primate trade to meet demand. Despite this, strong evidence suggests that research using animal models provides unreliable results. Increasing numbers of scientists and clinicians are challenging animal experimentation on medical and scientific grounds.
11th August 2015
Notice of motion.
Motion by the Hon. MARK PEARSON agreed to:
(1) That this House notes that the Medical Advances Without Animals [MAWA] Trust operates as an independent medical research and educational trust which facilitates the development and use of non-animal based experimental methods by working cooperatively with the research community.
(2) That this House acknowledges and congratulates:
(a) the leading role that the MAWA is taking in replacing the use of animals and animal products in the field of medical research and consequent improvements in human health;
(b) the MAWA for directly funding a wide variety of research projects and advanced scholarships to support research into a vast range of diseases, disorders and disabilities in leading universities and research institutions Australia wide, such as research within the fields of immunology at the University of Sydney and regenerative medicine at the University of Western Sydney; and
(c) the recent renewal of the partnership between the MAWA and the Australian National University to establish the Australian Centre for Alternatives to Animal Research.


text:
Greg's service is terrific! He always goes the extra mile to help and has never failed in getting through an order on time. It is great to work with a vendor who puts his customers first.
- Menasha Packaging
- Feb 16, 2017
Due to unplanned events I was not able to get around to ordering a business backdrop or banner for a booth display until a week before the event. When I called Greg to see if I could get something by the following week, he was great. He worked diligently and quickly to produce a beautiful banner that was creatively designed and loaded with beautiful colors. My associate and I were so pleased when we saw what Greg had put together for us. He also innovatively created matching bookmarks. Greg listened exceptionally well and gave us more than we expected. I now know why he was recommended to us. Thanks Greg!!!
- Winter Health and Wellness
- Apr 22, 2015
I have worked with Greg on several projects over the years. Response time with Greg has been outstanding. I have never worked with someone as prompt and responsive as Greg. He has also been very helpful in coming up with creative ideas for my marketing as well. If you need ANYTHING done in regards to marketing and want quality in a very timely manner then Greg is the man you want to work with. (5 stars)
- Duffy Chiropractic Inc.
- Feb 10, 2015
I've worked with Greg on several projects,seeking different ways to give recognition and reward to employees. Greg was innovative and responsive (and cost conscious). As a result, the items suggested were both timely and effective as rewards. I look forward to working with him on my next several projects.
- Menasha Packaging
- Feb 10, 2015
As new business owners Greg worked with us on various promotional items and gave great recommendations. He is always very responsive and works diligently to accommodate almost impossible time-frames. We won't buy though anyone else!
- Evolution Wealth Management Inc.
- Feb 10, 2015
Greg is very responsive to my requests and has provided me with great ideas and solutions for promotional products. His can-do attitude and superior customer service make it a joy to work with him. I will not hesitate to call on him again for future projects.
- Menasha Packaging Company, LLC
- Sep 24, 2012
I am very happy with the business cards and volleyballs printed with my logo! FANTASTIC JOB!!! Also very happy with the quick service. I will be back for more promotional merchandise.
- Sights To Sea Travel
- Apr 19, 2011
Greg makes it very easy to work with him. He offers a wide variety of promotional items and works diligently to help you get exactly the right item(s). He has very impressive turnaround time in filling the orders and I have been very pleased with the quality of the merchandise.
- Wachovia
- Dec 16, 2009
What can I say about working with Greg that no one else has? He is fabulous! Greg provided me with some of the coolest products I've ever had produced for my company. When I was running a larger photography firm Greg had my logo embroidered on the back of fleese jackets that could be worn when we were out on shoots...by wearing them not only were we recognized as the official photography team...but people learned to recognize the logo. Fabulous!
- Photography By Lisa Ann
- Dec 16, 2009
Greg is wonderful to work with. The shirts and hats were great and really attract customers. I would recommend Greg for all your marketing needs.
- Petsche Consulting
- Dec 16, 2009
I have worked with Greg over the years on many projects. He is always there to help in anyway he can to make your project right, extra hours, speedy turn around, what ever it take he makes it happen. Greg is a man that runs his business with the highest of integrity. Loves his family and has the highest of standards in everything he does.
- Visuelle' Productions


text:
Come out and play in six week lengthy volleyball seasons where every person tends to make the playoffs! A specially created ball came into play six-a-side play became standard and the guidelines mandating three hits had been instituted. Join us Jan 8 -9 at Galloway Township Middle College in Galloway Township Middle School, New Jersey as our athletes compete and show their talent in Volleyball competitors. September 1, 2012 – Women's Volleyball Eagles Take Down McKendree, 3- Ashland won its third straight volleyball match, beating McKendree, three- on Saturday (September 1) morning.
One particular of the main goals of the 1947 Congress was accomplished two years later with the establishment of the first international significant volleyball occasion, the World Championship In 1952, a women's version of the tournament was also introduced. Sorry I have been MIA…attempting to get prepared for a craft show on Saturday and in the middle of Club Volleyball tryouts! October six, 2012 – Women's Volleyball Volleyball Falls three-2 To Grand Valley The Eagles fell 3-2 against Grand Valley State on Saturday (Oct. October 26, 2010 – Women's Volleyball Eagles Calm Storm in Straight Sets On Tuesday (Oct.
September 23, 2011 – Women's Volleyball Volleyball Finds Its Groove In 3-1 Win at Tiffin The Dragons won the first set, 25-17. November four, 2011 – Women's Volleyball Eagles Play Quickly and Furious Against Dragons The AU volleyball team started a full weekend with a 3- win over Tiffin Friday evening (Nov. Foot volley is a version of volleyball where a single utilizes his or her feet and head to move the ball around. September 16, 2011 – Women's Volleyball Eagles Oust Northern Michigan in Straight Sets On Friday (Sept.
To get play started, a group is selected to serve by coin toss A player from the serving group throws the ball into the air and attempts to hit the ball so it passes over the net on a course such that it will land in the opposing team's court (the serve). November 16, 2012 – Women's Volleyball Ashland University Volleyball – The GLIAC Tournament Preview The AU volleyball team plays Northwood on Saturday (Nov.
On February 9, 1895, William G. Morgan invented volleyball at the former Holyoke YMCA That YMCA building was on High Street at the intersection with Appleton Street but has due to the fact been demolished. The team on defense attempts to avoid the attacker from directing the ball into their court: players at the net jump and reach above the prime (and if attainable, across the plane) of the net to block the attacked ball.
A Globe Organization Volleyball for the Disabled (Organização mundial de voleibol para portadores de deficiência física) (WOVD, 1997), afiliada à ISOD (Internacional Sports for the Disabled) e ao CPI (Comitê Paraolímpico Internacional), estabeleceu várias regras ao voleibol sentado válidas para portadores de amputações e les autres (outras deficiências locomotoras).


text:
California is about to be the first US state to require solar power on new homes
Comments Off on California is about to be the first US state to require solar power on new homes
California is taking a huge step forward in clean energy this week, as the state is expected to require solar energy for just about all new homes, The Orange County Register reported . The California Energy Commission is slated to vote this Wednesday on new standards mandating almost all new houses be equipped with solar panels , beginning in 2020, and it's expected they'll approve the move. The Golden State "is about to take a quantum leap in energy standards," according to California Building Industry Association technical director Bob Raymer. If approved, the solar mandate would cover all houses, apartments, and condominiums as high as three stories obtaining building permits after January 1, 2020, according to The Orange County Register. There could be alternatives or exceptions allowed for structures shaded by other buildings or trees, or if a roof is too small to allow for solar panels. The new provisions would offer compliance credits for builders who install batteries like Tesla's Powerwall , allowing them to cut the size of solar systems. Homes won't need to reach true net zero status under these standards, according to The Orange County Register. Related: San Francisco approves measure to require solar panels on new buildings Compared against a 2006 code, these new standards would add around $25,000 to $30,000 to construction costs, according to Meritage Homes ' vice president of environmental affairs C.R. Herro speaking to The Orange County Register. $14,000 to $16,000 of that would go to solar; $10,000 to $15,000 would go to increased insulation and appliances, windows, heating, and lighting that is more efficient . Herro said the $25,000 to $30,000 would lead to $50,000 to $60,000 in reduced operating costs during the home solar power system's 25-year lifespan. Homebuilder and former Orange County Building Industry Association president Bill Watt told The Orange County Register the added costs could mean home prices are too high for many buyers, saying, "We're not building enough housing already. Why not just pause for a little while, focus on the affordability and housing issues , then circle back?" Sierra Club California director Kathryn Phillips told The Orange County Register, "The technology is developing so fast, we think the timeline was a bit slow." Via The Orange County Register Images via Pixabay and U.S. Air Force photo by Kenji Thuloweit
Go here to read the rest:Â
California is about to be the first US state to require solar power on new homes
Elon Musk's latest company aims to make us cyborgs within the next four years
April 21, 2017 by
Filed under Green
Comments Off on Elon Musk's latest company aims to make us cyborgs within the next four years
Elon Musk must not be busy enough with his Boring company , Space X and Tesla , because he just became CEO of another company, and this one has a goal of turning us all into cyborgs . Neuralink, a San Francisco -based startup says they are "developing ultra high bandwidth brain -machine interfaces to connect humans and computers " and Musk says he hopes to start delivering by 2021. Musk hinted that he was working on neural lacing last year , though details were scant, but he has never been shy about his opinion that we should be connecting our brains to computers. According to TechCrunch, Musk wants to make that leap with Neuralink. He wants to integrate our brains and computers, or allow us to connect cloud-based artificial intelligence computing with our selves. This could allow humans to communicate directly with each other, instead of having to compress thoughts into language. Related: Elon Musk says new company will start drilling under LA next month It sounds like science fiction. Musk explained it in detail to Tim Urban of Wait But Why . Musk said we already are cyborgs; we've "already kind of merged" with smartphones and laptops. He added, "You're already digitally superhuman. The thing that would change is the interface – having a high-bandwidth interface to your digital enhancements. The thing is that today, the interface all necks down to this tiny straw, which is, particularly in terms of output, it's like poking things with your meat sticks, or using words – either speaking or tapping things with fingers. And in fact, output has gone backwards. It used to be, in your most frequent form, output would be ten-finger typing. Now, it's like, two-thumb typing. That's crazy slow communication. We should be able to improve that by many orders of magnitude with a direct neural interface." Neuralink's product probably won't be ready for the public any time soon – it could be eight to 10 years for people without disabilities, according to Musk, who said the timeline depends both on regulatory approval and how well the devices could work for disabled people. If you want to dig more into the project, Urban wrote a 36,000-word explanation . About the piece, Musk said on Twitter , "Difficult to dedicate the time, but existential risk is too high not to." Via Wait What Why , The Next Web and TechCrunch Images via OnInnovation on Flickr and Max Pixel
Go here to read the rest:
Elon Musk's latest company aims to make us cyborgs within the next four years
Leonardo DiCaprio eyes Captain Planet revival with a contemporary twist
Comments Off on Leonardo DiCaprio eyes Captain Planet revival with a contemporary twist
Leonardo DiCaprio may have found his next project to help the planet: a movie starring 90's cartoon environmental superhero Captain Planet . Captain Planet and the Planeteers ended in late 1992, but it seems DiCaprio thinks the themes from the old TV show are relevant today. There's a twist: sources told The Hollywood Reporter we might see Captain Planet in a new light, as a " washed-up has-been ." DiCaprio's production company Appian Way Productions and Paramount are reportedly attempting to obtain the rights for the TV series. DiCaprio would be a producer on the film – no word yet on whether or not he would play one of the characters. Jono Matt and Glenn Powell's names have been floated to pen the screenplay. Related: Leonardo DiCaprio could be headed to Mars with SpaceX The original Captain Planet TV series followed the adventures of five children possessing magic rings that, when used together, could summon the environmental superhero. Sources told The Hollywood Reporter a DiCaprio Captain Planet film would be set after the timeline of the TV series. Instead of the hero taking "pollution down to zero," Captain Planet could be portrayed as a " washed-up has-been who needs the kids more than they need him ." Actor David Coburn, who voiced Captain Planet, has said he'd love to be involved with a Captain Planet movie. He told The Hollywood Reporter , "There's nobody better to play Captain Planet than Leo. Well there's me, then there's Leo. But if it can't be me, if Captain Planet can't be a 51-year-old Jew, then Leo's a good second choice." Even though the TV show ended decades ago, Captain Planet is still making his mark through the Captain Planet Foundation , an active organization that works to inspire kids to become " agents of environmental change " through clubs, programs, and events. Via The Hollywood Reporter Images via Leonardo DiCaprio Facebook and Captain Planet Facebook
Continued here:Â
Leonardo DiCaprio eyes Captain Planet revival with a contemporary twist
Elon Musk reveals his big plan for colonizing Mars
September 27, 2016 by
Filed under Green
Comments Off on Elon Musk reveals his big plan for colonizing Mars
SpaceX founder, lead designer, and chief executive Elon Musk has talked a lot about Mars over the past few years, and today marks a culmination of everything he's hinted at so far. This afternoon, the man behind wild ideas like the Hyperloop and solar roofs made an epic (and long-awaited ) announcement revealing more details about his ambitious plans for colonizing the Red Planet . Musk warned months in advance that his plan would be "mind-blowing," and he lived up to that promise today. Nearly 100,000 viewers around the world tuned in to the live stream of the event, for a never-before-seen look at simulations based on actual CAD designs for a Mars spaceship. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1YxNYiyALg Musk made his announcement today at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico as promised. The announcement was broadcast simultaneously on SpaceX's Facebook page and YouTube channel . His lecture, "Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species," focused on "making Mars seem possible" by with the establishment of a "self-sustaining city" on Mars. Despite its inhospitable environment, Musk insists Mars is the best candidate for supporting life, as opposed to Venus' high-pressure atmosphere and Mercury's close proximity to the sun. He further suggests Mars is the place to be, because a day on Mars is very similar to one on Earth, stretching 24.5 hours. Its atmosphere, he believes, would support plant life (not unlike we saw Matt Damon grow in "The Martian" ) which makes human civilization seem just a little more possible. Related: SpaceX retro travel posters make Mars look like the ultimate vacation destination As has been the case since the earliest murmurings of a SpaceX "city" on Mars , Musk says the effort will require intense participation (and a whole lot of funding) from industry, government and the scientific community here on Earth. So, how much will it cost future humans to move to Mars? Musk illustrated the estimated cost of a trip to Mars by revisiting the first Moon landing in present-day dollars, which breaks down to around $10 billion per person. He suggests targeting a "ticket to Mars" price around $200,000 per person, an affordable price point he says will be a "bit tricky" to reach, given the need to reduce the cost of interplanetary human travel by 50,000 times. Even so, he says he expects the ticket price to eventually drop below $100,000 after an initial base is setup and spacecraft reusability further brings down the cost of transportation. Musk's big plan for establishing a human presence on the Red Planet without spending all the money in the world hinges on the development of a ginormous reusable rocket and a huge spaceship capable of carrying human passengers and all the necessary cargo for starting life on a new planet. Given the mixed results of SpaceX's innovative Falcon 9 rocket booster so far in its short tenure, many are skeptical about the idea of ramping up rocket technology fast enough to meet Musk's timeline. During his announcement today, Musk reiterated the importance of "full reusability" when it comes to colonizing Mars, in addition to refilling in orbit, generating fuel on Mars to use for rocket propellant, and ensuring that the right propellant is used considering all factors involved. Musk tweeted yesterday (September 26), "SpaceX propulsion just achieved first firing of the Raptor interplanetary transport engine," with two fiery photos attached as evidence. SpaceX also uploaded a video of the test to its YouTube channel. The company says this is the first stage of technology capable of launching a trip to Mars, with cargo and people in tow. Today, Musk said the design for the Mars spaceship calls for 42 Raptor engines, which provides the immense power necessary for the trip, as well as some redundancy in the event that an engine or two happens to fail. The biggest question, still pressing in just about everyone's mind, actually has less to do with how humans will reach Mars and more to do with when . SpaceX announced plans earlier this year to send an unmanned vessel dubbed Red Dragon to Mars as early as 2018, and Musk has previously said he thought it would be possible to land on Mars by 2025. When it came time to discuss the timeline for a SpaceX trip to Mars during today's announcement, Musk waxed poetic over the 14-year history of the company, which he founded, before finally saying that he plans for SpaceX to make its first true grab at the Red Planet as early as 2023. Via Phys.org Images via SpaceX
Read the rest here:
Elon Musk reveals his big plan for colonizing Mars
World's largest commercial rooftop solar array is on a shopping mall in the Philippines
Comments Off on World's largest commercial rooftop solar array is on a shopping mall in the Philippines
A shopping mall in the Philippines now boasts the world's largest commercial rooftop solar array , which generates 2.9 MW of clean energy to help run the mall's operations. The project is also the biggest private solar power system designed for self-consumption in the country. The Philippines-based property developer behind the venture, Robinsons Land, has plans to add rooftop solar panels to its other retail centers, for a total of 12.5 MW by the end of this year. The 2.9 MW solar array was switched on this month atop Robinsons Starmills shopping mall in San Fernando, in the province of Pampanga. It is the latest in a series of solar projects backed by the Robinsons Land company, which announced in March a lineup of six currently on deck – they are were targeted for completion by May. Two others are expected to be up and running by the end of this year. The company switched on at least two other solar plants on mall properties in 2015, and each project is bigger than the one before. Related: 1 Liter of Light project illuminates thousands of Filipino homes with recycled bottles In total, the developer is aiming for 12.5 MW solar power capacity across 10 solar plants, all located on the rooftops of shopping malls. The company said in a release that those 10 plants combined will generate almost 16 million kW/h of clean energy , saving 8,760 tons of CO2 emissions each year. According to the developer, that is equivalent to planting 223,965 full grown trees. By the end of this year, Robinsons Land promises the plants will, together, generate around 30 percent of the energy needed to run those shopping malls. The developer eventually plans to install solar power arrays on the rooftops of all of its 41 malls, although the timeline for that expansion hasn't been released. Via PV Magazine Images via Robinsons Land and Wikipedia
Read more:Â
World's largest commercial rooftop solar array is on a shopping mall in the Philippines
Secret sources say Apple's electric car could debut as soon as 2019
September 22, 2015 by
Filed under Green
Comments Off on Secret sources say Apple's electric car could debut as soon as 2019
Apple still hasn't gone public about its electric car project, reportedly named Titan, but new developments are coming to light nonetheless. The Wall Street Journal has had its journalistic finger on the pulse of the Titan project since the beginning, and a new report sheds a little more light on the timeline of this secret research. According to WSJ's unnamed source, Apple has committed employees and resources to get its electric car prepared for release in 2019. Read the rest of Secret sources say Apple's electric car could debut as soon as 2019
Here is the original post:
Secret sources say Apple's electric car could debut as soon as 2019
Oldest Fragment of Earth Ever Found is Confirmed to be 4.4 Billion Years Old
February 24, 2014 by
Filed under Green
Comments Off on Oldest Fragment of Earth Ever Found is Confirmed to be 4.4 Billion Years Old
If you thought that diamonds were forever , they have absolutely nothing on the zircon of Jack Hills, Australia. Professor of geoscience at the University of Wisconsin , John Valley has confirmed that this bit of Earth's crust is the oldest fragment of the planet ever found at 4.375 billion years old. Using a technique called "atom-probe tomography," Valley and his fellow scientists dated the zircon with more accuracy than previous methods. Not only did they confirm the zircon's spectacular age, but also solidified the theory that early Earth was cool and had temperatures low enough to sustain liquid water and a hydrosphere. Read the rest of Oldest Fragment of Earth Ever Found is Confirmed to be 4.4 Billion Years Old Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: atom-probe tomography , australia , early earth , earth's oldest fragment , geology , geoscience , jack hills , john valley , lead atoms , university of wisconsin-madison , zircon
Go here to read the rest:Â
Oldest Fragment of Earth Ever Found is Confirmed to be 4.4 Billion Years Old
Light-filled Crown Sky Garden Offers Healing Properties at Children's Hospital in Chicago
Comments Off on Light-filled Crown Sky Garden Offers Healing Properties at Children's Hospital in Chicago
Read the rest of Light-filled Crown Sky Garden Offers Healing Properties at Children's Hospital in Chicago Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: bamboo grove , chicago , crown sky garden , eco-resin , glazed walls , healing garden , Landscape Architecture , LED lights , lurie children hospital , mikyoung kim design , multi-sensory environment , reclaimed wood , rooftop garden , tree house , water runnels
Go here to see the original:
Light-filled Crown Sky Garden Offers Healing Properties at Children's Hospital in Chicago
Scientist Provides Alarming Prediction That All Arctic Ice Will Be Gone in Four Years
Comments Off on Scientist Provides Alarming Prediction That All Arctic Ice Will Be Gone in Four Years
The entire Arctic ice shelf will be gone in four years, as predicted professor Peter Wadhams, head of the Polar Ocean Physics Group at Cambridge University. The new blunt assessment, which comes from one of the leading scientists in the field , flies in the face of a conventional prediction made less than 5 years ago that gave the Arctic another 50 years before all its ice would disappear. But this year's dramatic reduction in sea ice has many rethinking the timeline. Moreover, this does bleak prediction not only mean the end of the polar bear, but rather the beginning of a very serious feedback loop that will demonstratively hasten the heating of the planet. Read the rest of Scientist Provides Alarming Prediction That All Arctic Ice Will Be Gone in Four Years Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: arctic ice , arctic ice sheet , Arctic ocean warming , Global warming feedback , Methane permafrost , peter wadhams
Excerpt from:
Scientist Provides Alarming Prediction That All Arctic Ice Will Be Gone in Four Years
Evolution of Solar Technology (Infographic)
August 30, 2011 by
Filed under Green
Comments Off on Evolution of Solar Technology (Infographic)
Image via SunRun Ever wonder about the timeline of solar technology? This infographic starts us out in 1839 and brings us up to 2010, nothing the major advances and milestones for solar tech. … Read the full story on TreeHugger
Read the original here:Â
Evolution of Solar Technology (Infographic)


text:
Udemy Boxing Day Offer
success 100%
This offer has expired.
Click to copy & open site
Coupon Details
Have you been waiting for $10 a course Udemy coupon code? Well, you no longer have to wait and go anywhere else, we have managed a $10 course coupon for our readers. You can avail it right away and enroll in your favorite course for maximum discount of 95%.
With this coupon you can get any course no matter how much its valued originally for only $10. Isn't this awesome, just go get it people. The offer is only valid for few days. Here's the full info:
Start Date: 12/25/2016 11:59PM PST
End Date: 12/27/20176 6:00AM PST
On Offer: Pick any course for $10


text:
Point-of-sale is the epicenter for driving sales and profits – when the right solution is in place. Every retailer knows this and wants to realize greater value from their systems and also lower overall maintenance expenses.
Deciding what POS system to buy is an omni-present question and one that always ranks among the top investment questions. Do you go with thin client architecture? Embrace fat client? Strive for total integration across the enterprise?
With the rise of the omnichannel retailing era, the need for a POS system that delivers low cost of ownership and heightened payback in all areas is prompting leaders in IT, Finance, Operations and other areas to explore the total ROI and the performance impact with new urgency.
BCP's POS solution suite, Accord Momentum,uniquely addresses these needs. A retail hardened, lean cloud-based solution, it combines the benefits of thin-client centricity – no store server expenses, lower upgrade and maintenance costs – with the robustness and 24/7 uptime consistency of fat-server environments.
The Accord Momentum solution suite marks an important inflexion point in the retail industry.
Agile and flexible, it can be configured as a standard or a web based EPoS solution that operates on-premise, on-line and on mobile devices.
It can also be interfaced to any back office, head office, CRM or ERP system and be deployed over a LAN, WAN, VPN or Broadband Internet. A level of integration that is absolutely vital for retailing success today.
Among the benefits:
- Real-time centralized control and visibility of trading data
- Ease of deployment, upgrades and maintenance
- Lower cost of ownership
- Complete scalability
- A "cloud based" lean-client configuration that provides true NonStop trading should the network fail ie uninterrupted operation with the same speed, appearance and functionality and without the need for any fallback software.
Accord Momentum's web-based EPoS Software solutions are available to suit a wide range of retail formats, representing a major opportunity for retailers.


text:
18 Karat White Gold, Sapphire and Diamond Cuff Bracelet, Buccellati. Photo Sotheby's
The hinged cuff bracelet centered by an oval sapphire weighing 31.36 carats, accented by numerous round diamonds weighing 2.88 carats, internal circumference 7 inches, signed M. Buccellati. Estimation: 120,000 - 180,000 USD
NOTE DE CATALOGUE: Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity from Mario Buccellati
Sotheby's. Important Jewels. New York | 20 sept. 2012 www.sothebys.com


text:
Expat divorce law in Singapore
To commence a divorce in Singapore, an expat must be:
- a) habitually resident in Singapore for more than 3 years before the start of the divorce; or
- b) 'domiciled' in Singapore at the time that the divorce is begun
Long absences may break the continuity of habitual residence in Singapore. If you have not been resident in Singapore for 3 years, legal advice should be taken to determine whether you are 'domiciled' there. The definition of 'domicile' under Singapore law is broadly speaking residence in Singapore coupled with an intention to remain there permanently. A temporary stay for work purposes is not sufficient to merit domicile in Singapore. The onus is on you to prove that you are domiciled in Singapore.
An expatriate may only divorce in Singapore if they have been married for 3 years. This is different to a divorce in England, where a separating couple must have been married for just one year before they can divorce.
The ground for divorce in Singapore is 'irretrievable breakdown of marriage', using one of the five supporting facts:
- Adultery of one spouse
- Unreasonable behaviour by one spouse
- One spouse has deserted the other for two years without any intention of returning
- The parties have lived apart for 3 years and the other party consents to a divorce
- The parties have lived apart for 4 years
Divorce process in Singapore
If any one of these facts have been proved, the court may then grant Interim Judgment for divorce. Interim Judgment can be made final in 3 months' time (the Court will grant Final Judgment), but this timeline may be longer if there are ancillary matters (e.g. children matters, division of assets and maintenance issues) to be decided by the Court.
A divorce in Singapore, if uncontested (i.e. all issues have been agreed between the parties), generally takes 5-6 months from the date of filing to the grant of Final Judgment.
On 1 January 2015, the Family Justice Courts initiated the simplified hearing track for divorce proceedings. The Plaintiff can now apply to have the case called on to the simplified hearing track, should the parties agree on the following matters:
- Divorce proceedings will be uncontested
- Both parties agree on all ancillary matters
Under the simplified hearing track, Interim Judgment may be granted within 1 – 2 months.
Division of assets
Financial claims may be made on the back of a divorce.
Division of matrimonial assets
The Singapore court is able to order the division of assets through its powers of division of 'matrimonial assets'. Matrimonial assets are generally defined as assets acquired during the marriage, although there are exceptions.
The court will take into account all the circumstances of the case, including the parties' direct financial contributions towards the acquisition of the assets, parties' non-financial contributions e.g. running the household and looking after the children, parties and the children's financial needs, their financial resources and conduct of the parties. There is no automatic rule that assets are to be divided equally between the parties. Much would depending on parties' respective contributions, length of the marriage and the volume of assets.
Maintenance orders
The Court may make maintenance orders providing maintenance for children and for a wife.
Child maintenance orders can be made for children, unless the Court orders otherwise, up to the age of 21.
Insofar as spousal maintenance is concerned, only the wife can apply for spousal maintenance from the husband. Husbands can only apply for spousal maintenance from their wives if they have been incapacitated due to illness or disability. Maintenance orders can take the form of a monthly allowance or a lump sum payment, depending on the circumstances of the case.
Child custody disputes in Singapore
Under Singapore law, it is common for both parents to be awarded joint custody of a child (which means the right to make major decisions for the child), but one parent with whom the child lives will be awarded 'care and control', although orders granting both parents shared care and control is also possible, depending on the circumstances of the case. The parent without 'care and control' will usually be granted contact with the child for specific nights or times during the day.
Neither parent may take a child to permanently relocate to another country (even if the other country is where the parent or child were born) without the consent of the other parent or order of the court. Permanent relocation without consent or order of the court may constitute 'child abduction'. Singapore is a signatory to the Hague Convention on child abduction. Therefore if an expat parent relocates to another Hague signatory country (such as England, France, Germany, US), the left behind parent may seek orders for the child's return to Singapore. Please seek advice from a lawyer in Singapore if you are considering relocating with your child following marriage breakdown.
Get the right advice
If you are a British expatriate residing in Singapore, we can advise you of the divorce process and likely financial outcome of divorcing through the English courts. We can refer you to divorce lawyers in Singapore that advise you of the likely outcome through the Singapore courts and your financial entitlement there. When considering divorce as a British expat in Singapore, it is vital that you seek advice in both countries to enable you to ascertain the most favourable jurisdiction for your situation, before you commence a court application. Further consideration should be given to the enforceability of orders, the location of any assets, and the ability of each court to make the orders you require (for example an order from the Singapore court is often not sufficient to enact the sharing of an English pension provision).
For advice on Singapore divorce and family laws, please contact Engelin Teh at the Engelin Teh Practice LLC at 1 Coleman Street, #05-10 The Adelphi, Singapore 179803, Telephone +65 6224 9933, Email: [email protected]
If you are a British expatriate considering divorce, and wish to weigh up the pros and cons of divorcing in Singapore and England, please contact one of our team at [email protected]
Divorce in Singapore
Contact our experienced lawyers for confidential and clear advice on the issues detailed in the article.
Divorce and Family Law
See the links below for information on British expat divorce law in the following countries:
Ready to seek legal advice? Speak to a member of Expatriate Law today and receive clear and confidential advice.