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How to let go of the past and move on
We all experience disappointments, heartaches and setbacks. That's an unfortunate part of life.
When overcommitted and overworked however, we become particularly vulnerable to reliving past regrets all over again. If this unpleasant rumination is not stopped, we easily get sucked into a downward spiral of negative thoughts and feelings.
If this happens to you, here are seven techniques to let go of the past and move on:
How to develop resilience – strength for life
We all experience difficulties in life, but sometimes it goes from "In every life, some rain must fall" (YouTube link here), to a flood. It can be caused by an unrelenting volume or pace of work. Or it can be caused by something deeply upsetting such as being retrenched or ending of a love-relationship.
When difficulties reach flood levels, some people are stretched beyond their limits. They don't cope well. They feel defeated and sometimes spiral into hopelessness. Its's as though they are drowning in a flood of difficulty and hardship.
In contrast, others cope and recover well. They manage to keep their experience of stress positive and struggle well. They are like a buoy in an ocean storm, submerged from time-to-time, but quickly bob up again. Continue reading
The Building Resilience Handbook is going free!
The Building Resilience Handbook is normally available as an e-book for Kindle at $13.65. To thank you for reading my newsletters about resilience, I am making it freely available to you for a limited period.
Have a look at some of the reviews of the book:
- "Inspiring and applicable throughout one's lifetime" Fred Irumba, science teacher, Jakindaba Senior Secondary School.
- "Easy to implement at work and home. The results are remarkable!" Brent Beilinsohn, Manager, Old Mutual Investment Group South Africa.
- "Mind blowing! Implementing these practical exercises has made me a better person" Fanuel Kakuiya, Senior Superintendent, South African Police Services.
Imagine having abundant inner strength and resourcefulness to withstand and recover quickly from whatever difficulties life may throw at you. With The Building Resilience Handbook you can. Continue reading
Seven Habits of Mentally Strong People
Seven Habits of Mentally Strong People
GREAT NEWS! Watch out for the free Kindle book offer in the next email on 10 September!
Would you like to be able to cope better with difficulties, unwelcome change and heart-ache? To stay the course and not give up?
If so, you need mental strength!
Mental strength is really good stuff. It helps people persist in achieving a long-term excellence, as opposed to those who start off well, but loose enthusiasm and give up. It's also the best predictor of success in school, the military and corporate sales, rather than intelligence or even luck.
Mental strength is built through consistently following seven habits: Continue reading
Are you completely overloaded?
Organizations pride themselves on being "lean and mean". Shareholders love it. For the people working there however, it often boils down to meeting higher targets with fewer people and less resources.
If this applies to you, let me guess:
- You receive way too many e-mails?
- You feel compelled to take on even more work?
- You start the week determined to get your work load under control, only to end up with more items on your "to do" list?
- At home you can't switch off?
You end up overcommitted and overloaded.
Here's the interesting thing: everyone complains about this overload and overstress! So is this the so-called "new normal", and do we just have to accept it? Continue reading
Men and woman stress differently
Imagine carrying your weekly grocery shopping to your car in an empty parking lot one evening, and out of the shadows a person appears, waving a knife and demands your car keys. What would you do?
The answer appears to depend on whether you are a man or a woman.
If you're a man your instinctive reaction would probably be to fight off the threat or run away. That's the "fight or flight" response to stress we have all heard about.
If you are a woman however, your typical immediate reaction may be different. She may instinctively be tempted to talk herself out of the situation: "Let's discuss this and see if there's a way I can help without you making things worse."
Her different stress response is referred to as "tend and befriend", which is using social behaviour to befriend the enemy (presuming it is an enemy that is causing stress) and to seek social support from offspring and friends. Continue reading
Stressful job? You need mental strength!
If you feel you have a stressful job you're not alone. 83% of workers in the USA feel stressed out by their jobs (reference here) and in South Africa it's estimated that 60% of lost working days each year are a result of stress (reference here).
Some working conditions make jobs particularly stressful:
- dealing with the public (nurses, teachers, call-center staff)
- dealing with dangerous situations (fire-fighters, police)
- complex decision-making (executives, airline pilots, project managers, IT)
- time pressure (medical workers)
- repetitive work (factory staff)
- persuading (sales)
What can you do if have a stressful job?
If you can't change stressful working conditions, then you need to develop mental strength (more here). Here's four things to do: Continue reading
Develop mental strength with five powerful exercises
Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed? If so, you are not alone. I am often asked how to cope when you are feeling really vulnerable, but you have to be strong.
The answer, according to the highly regarded scientist Angela Duckworth, is to develop mental strength, which she calls "grit". She has found that mental strength is what differentiates people who persist and achieve long-term excellence, as opposed to those who start off well, but lose enthusiasm and give up.
Also, she has found that mental strength is the best predictor of success in school, the military and corporate sales, rather than intelligence or even luck (more here).
Would you like to develop your mental strength? If so, there are five powerful exercises, based on Angela Duckworth's research, which I have found to be very helpful. These exercises will help you persevere and keep motivated when dealing with big issues like unwelcome change and stress at work or home, or even sticking to a diet, a financial budget or a study plan (more here). Continue reading
5 things mentally strong people don't do
We all want to be mentally strong to cope when bad things happen. But being mentally strong is not only for bad times, it's for good times too. Being mentally strong is all about the way you interpret and explain to yourself the stuff that happens in your life. It's an attitude you put into practice every day.
In previous Building Resilience Updates, I described what mental toughness is (here) and have also given the formula of how to be mentally strong (here). Now I am going to describe five things that mentally strong people don't do and some give some alternatives. Continue reading
How to be mentally strong
Life is just not fair! That's why we need to be resilient and mentally strong. I described what mental strength is in the previous Building Resilience Update (here), and I will now explain how to be mentally strong.
Stick with me as I give you some theory first.
At its core, mental strength is all about how we interpret the things that happen to us, as we make sense of our lives. What's fascinating is that mentally strong people interpret the difficult things that happen in their lives completely differently to the people who are less mentally strong. Mentally tough people explain a negative event to themselves by: Continue reading
I've been robbed! I've been retrenched! I'm dropping out!
Last week started with a frantic call from a friend: "The security company called to say that my house has been broken into. The front door is broken and standing wide open. Please will you go and help?"
She was holidaying in Knysna, about six hours away. We rushed over to her house, to find drawers strewn about, and her flat screen TVs and jewelry missing.
Midweek I spent some time with two senior managers who had been retrenched. My brief was to assist them to find replacement income streams.
At the end of the week, I addressed a workshop on how the alarmingly high drop-out rate of first year university students can be reduced. Continue reading
How to Develop Grit
The previous Building Resilience blog was all about grit (click here). Grit helps children not to give up too quickly when encountering difficulty. Adults call on grit to sustain long-term relationships, pursue tertiary studies and stay task focussed in their work career. In this way, grit is an important component of resilience.
I received lots of comment from readers, most wanting to find out more about grit or asking if it can be developed. So here we go: Continue reading
Have you got grit?
"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up". This was supposed to have been said by Thomas Edison, the man who also said that invention is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.
The implication is that success is due to hard work, rather than intelligence or even luck. But is that true?
Angela Duckworth may have the answer. She is a highly respected researcher on the subject of what she calls grit: "perseverance and patience for long-term goals". She has found that grit is what differentiates people who persist and achieve long-term excellence, as opposed to those who start off well, but lose enthusiasm and give up.
She found that the amount of grit one has is the best predictor of success in school, in the military and in corporate sales, rather than intelligence or even luck. Continue reading


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DrupalSouth 2020 will be held virtually on November 4th & 5th. Find out more at DrupalSouth.org...
Platform.sh is the only container powered Platform-as-a-Service with multi-service and multi-application support. It can replicate a live production cluster in seconds and create on-the-fly throwaway dev and staging environments that are byte-level clones.
Basically every git branch has a url: a live running web site, making human testing and validation up to 90% faster. Every feature can be tested in isolation and in parallel like agile is supposed to be, removing all QA bottlenecks. Deployments that are guaranteed never to fail allow exponentially shorter dev to production cycles.
As a second generation PaaS it is powered by a high density and high availability grid of Linux Containers with up to 99.99% SLA. platform.sh allows for continuous delivery workflows and faster onboarding of remote teams providing better time to market, better quality and all around more joy.

subset: commoncrawl


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Featured Journal Content
Lancet Infectious Diseases
Oct 2017 Volume 17 Number 10 p1003-1098 e306-e333
Oral cholera vaccines: exploring the farrago of evidence
Suman Kanungo, Pranab Chatterjee
Open Access
The development of a cheap and effective oral cholera vaccine (OCV) is a remarkable achievement in the field of cholera prevention. A meta-analysis on the efficacy and effectiveness of OCVs by Qifang Bi and colleagues1 updates the estimates of the 2011 Cochrane review.2 Their analysis includes additional studies published since 2011, yet provides estimates that are almost the same.
The debate about the low efficacy of OCVs in children aged younger than 5 years has continued to dominate the policy discourse in endemic countries such as India, where children are the main target of immunisation programmes. Older estimates identified children younger than 5 years to be at a disproportionately higher risk of cholera than other age groups;3 however, updated estimates have shown that making robust assertions in the absence of accurate age-specific morbidity and mortality data is difficult.4 This uncertainty has further contributed to a policy-level hesitancy in adopting OCVs for widespread use in endemic countries. Crucially, more accurate estimates of cholera burden should be established to enable programmatic implementation of OCVs, and the reasons for poor immune responses to OCVs in children need to be understood. Furthermore, we propose that the extent of herd protection offered by OCVs should be established, especially in children, if a targeted vaccination policy covering all age groups is endorsed for highly endemic hotspots.5
Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) interventions are considered to be the best method of cholera control, but gaps have been shown in the knowledge about which interventions work best.6 In our experience, in-house contamination of water remains a major problem, which sometimes persists despite efficient programmatic implementation of WaSH strategies.7 Trials in India have shown similar problems, and a rural sanitation programme failed to show evidence of prevention of diarrhoea and soil-transmitted helminth infections or reduction in faecal contamination of water sources.8, 9, 10
Modelling studies have suggested that in areas with poor sanitation, isolated efforts for water quality improvement are likely to be met with low success.11 Further, considering the high endemicity of cholera in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), single-pathway interventions are likely to be inadequate in the control of diarrhoeal diseases, and cholera in particular because of environmental persistence of vibrios, which might not be eradicated even with stringent implementation of such interventions.11 Besides, deploying adequate WaSH interventions takes time because it involves significant investment in infrastructural improvements and behavioural changes. Keeping these issues in mind, cheap and effective OCVs emerge as a viable option to keep cholera at bay, reducing morbidity and mortality, while the definitive WaSH interventions are identified and rolled out. The successful expansion of the Swachh Bharat (Clean India) mission in India provides a governance-driven model of sanitation and hygiene promotion that can be replicated in other LMICs; however, its effectiveness in reducing numbers of cases and deaths from cholera or diarrhoeal diseases needs to be systematically studied.
Although cholera outbreaks in areas of political and civil unrest are a major concern, strategies to mitigate the risks have been poorly studied. Mortality and morbidity from cholera in complex emergencies remains high. A systematic review showed that the evidence on the effectiveness of WaSH interventions in times of humanitarian crises is scarce and of poor quality.12 Only point-of-use interventions and safe water storage were effective measures in reducing diarrhoea incidence.12 By contrast, a single-dose regimen was an effective strategy to combat a cholera outbreak in South Sudan and an endemic focus in Bangladesh.13, 14
The creation of an OCV stockpile, and the commitment of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to support vaccination of emergency and endemic areas of cholera activity, provides a cost-effective method by which countries can access vaccines as they work towards universal deployment of adequate WaSH facilities. In our opinion, a balanced public health policy needs to be in place, in which OCVs are used as a synergistic tool for cholera control, while the most efficient, cost-effective, and locally feasible, acceptable, and relevant WaSH interventions are identified and deployed. Given that even in endemic countries, cholera is a public health menace only in specific regions, with multiple local factors contributing to disease epidemiology, health policies need to be customised to fit the local contexts, eschewing one-size-fits all approaches.
[References at article title link]


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Jan 02, 2013– Tewksbury, USA (Techreleased) – Raytheon Company is being awarded a not-to-exceed $169 million modification to previously awarded fixed-price incentive, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for deferred mission systems equipment for DDG 1000 and DDG 1001, scheduled critical DDG 1002 non-hatchable mission systems equipment, and non-recurring engineering applicable to mission system equipment design and development. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
The contract was announced by the Department of Defense on Dec. 28, 2012, and was awarded in Raytheon's fourth quarter.


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Have you received a notice with your credit score and wondered what those letters and numbers mean? Those are reason codes, and they usually correspond with a reason code description. Sometimes they are called score factor codes.
Examples of reason codes
31 – No open bank card accounts
27 – Sum of balances on revolving accounts is too high
39 – Presence of severe delinquency/derog status on accounts
Usually, when one of the national credit reporting companies provides a credit score, four of these codes are generated. Their purpose is to help you understand how information in your credit files affects your credit score.
An informed borrower is a better borrower. We've created an entire site dedicated to helping you better understand reason codes and how you can improve your scores based on the reason codes you have received. Just visit ReasonCode.org.
Wonder what those VantageScore reason codes really mean? Easy translations just a click away.
There are lots of commonly held myths about what impacts credit scores. Make sure you know the truth.


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Sign of times at Wrigley Field: Toyota ad raises fan ire, but may help bottom line
If there's one thing Chicago Cubs fans are known for, it's putting up with sub-par teams and high ticket and concession prices -- all because of what they're ultimately paying for: the old-timey atmosphere of historic Wrigley Field on Chicago's North Side.
But if new Cubs owner Tom Ricketts has his way, the atmosphere at Wrigley could soon change, as he hopes to erect a 360-square-foot Toyota sign above the left-field bleachers. The next step in the sign-approval process takes place today (Tuesday), as the city's Building Committee meets to talk about allowing the huge billboard. And talk about bleacher seats: The committee moved the meeting to the larger Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, which likely means they're expecting a crowd for this contentious issue, according to WBBM-TV Ch. 2.
Ricketts, his two brothers and sister, who comprise the Cubs' board, know they cannot continue to come hat-in-hand to fans to finance the acquisitions of big-name players and other aspects of the first-class farm system they crave. The Toyota sign is the first marketing doodad on their watch. Others will follow as the Ricketts balance the need for revenue with preserving the old-time feel of their dowager ballpark as its centennial approaches. And ironically, the sign Cubs fans don't want to see may help in some small way to keep ticket prices in check, too.
"We very much respect the people who want to preserve the feeling of Wrigley and what it means to come here," said Tom Ricketts, first among equals with his siblings as team chairman. "It's unique, it's special, it's terrific. We really do respect everyone who has thoughts on trying to be careful on what we do with the field.
"But in general, the vast majority of people we've heard from realize (they're plans are) not threatening the park. In the end, people have to realize the Ricketts family understands a lot of what Wrigley means. We learn a little bit more every day when we walk around and talk to folks. If you can add a little bit of revenue with a sign that has pretty low impact, you've got to take a look at that."
While some fans bemoan the sign as a harbinger of commercialization to come, the Ricketts know they cannot load up on signage. The Toyota sign will the be exception, not the rule. They want to emulate the Boston Red Sox baseball operation and how Fenway Park, two years older than Wrigley Field, was upgraded. But they cannot duplicate Fenway, which is chock full of signs. The family's vow not to make Wrigley Field one giant message board is one requirement for support for the project of Tom Tunney, the influential local alderman. Backing from the alderman for a new development in his ward is crucial for approval in the byzantine Chicago political system.
"Wrigley and Fenway aren't the same place," Ricketts said. "We don't have the kind of flexibility other parks do to put in huge billboards. We just have to look for places where we can pick our spots and add something that's tasteful and generates revenue without impacting the overall feel of the park."
"We're spending a lot of time this year thinking about what we have to do to really preserve Wrigley for the long-term. It's one thing to spend a bunch of money in the off-season to fix up bits and pieces here and there and do what you can. But you also have to have a long-term picture. The fact is that to really save this park for the next 50 years is going to take some real thought. In those plans, we'll think through some other ways to generate revenue inside the field that will help pay for that."
The family already spent money in the off-season upgrading bathrooms, including installing 15 urinals each in the men' rooms for more bashful fans while keeping the traditional communal troughs. To improve player training facilities, the Cubs' weight room was re-located and expanded into the former umpires' dressing room. There is also a new players' lounge where the Cubs could relax and escape from the always-inquisitive local media.
The Cubs picked a location for the Toyota sign – estimated to generate $2 million over three years – that would not block sight lines of existing rooftop club owners. The team and the rooftops have a partnership after a fractious confrontation 10 years ago, when the Cubs accused the clubs of poaching their product. But the two warring parties reached a Chicago-style deal in which the Cubs get 17% of the clubs' gross revenues. The rooftops, which can accommodate hundreds of fans with Erector set bleachers, charge between $90 and $300 per ticket, depending on the popularity of the Cubs' opponent of the day.
"The management here pointed out to us there was one part of the outfield where we really don't get any revenue from that part of the outfield," Tom Ricketts said. "It only made sense that if we could get a sponsor who'd be interested in putting something out there, we could generate some incremental revenue without impacting the overall feel of the park or anything too drastic. It made a whole lot of sense.
"Technically it's inside the park. It's not an involved structural process. It's two poles that hold up a logo. It's a pretty low-impact kind of signage."
Leading the opposition to the sign was Tom Gramatis, owner of a building at the northeast corner of Waveland and Kenmore avenues. Gramatis has a sign on the slanted roof plugging a nearby casino -- a sign that would be partially blocked by the Toyota logo. He reportedly also wanted to build his own rooftop club in that location. But he'd likely be overwhelmed if Tunney fully comes around to the Cubs position.
The sign already has been green-lighted by the Chicago Landmarks Commission, which must approve major changes to the landmarked-Wrigley Field. Next step is getting zoning approval from the Chicago City Council, which Tunney can shepherd if he's on board.
The new owners, natives of Omaha, Neb., who originally moved to Chicago for college, are learning Chicago Politics 101 as they concoct their vision for Wrigley Field.
"Everybody here deals with the politics by developing relationships," said Tom's brother Pete Ricketts, who moved back to Omaha, where he ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate from Nebraska. "So we need to work through relationships. It's about process, so you have to talk through everything. We're learning the process. We've got to go through the process. It just takes time."


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Science Behind F1 Aerodynamic Features.
Extracts from this document...
Table of Contents 1.0 Science Behind F1 Aerodynamic Features......................................................1 1.1 Bernoulli's Equation.................................................................................1 1.2 Drag....................................................................................................2 1.3 Downforce.............................................................................................5 2.0 History of Aerodynamic Features - Momentous Design Innovations..............6 3.0 Features of the Front Half of the F1 Vehicle..................................................6 3.1 Front Wing...........................................................................................6 3.2 Wheels.................................................................................................8 3.3 Suspension............................................................................................9 3.4 Barge Boards.......................................................................................10 3.5 Brake Cooling......................................................................................11 4.0 Features of the Rear Half of the F1 Vehicle.................................................11 4.1 Rear Wing...........................................................................................11 4.2 Endplates............................................................................................13 4.3 Diffuser..............................................................................................14 4.4 Chimneys............................................................................................15 4.5 Flip-ups..............................................................................................17 5.0 Testing........................................................................................................17 5.1 Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).......................................................17 5.2 Wind-Tunnels......................................................................................18 6.0 Technical Regulations Affecting Aerodynamic Features..............................19 7.0 Concluding Remarks - Predictions for the Future.......................................20 References.............................................................................................................22 1.0 Science Behind F1 Aerodynamic Features Engineered with perfection, the loud and aggressive Formula One (F1) racecar is the ultimate racing machine. Its reputation has been defined by its amazing speed and handling characteristics, which are for the most part, a product of its aerodynamic features. The success of these features relies primarily on the appropriate and efficient harnessing of drag and downforce - both of which are ruled by physical principles explained by Bernoulli's equation. 1.1 Bernoulli's Equation Investigated in the early 1700s by Daniel Bernoulli2, his equation defines the physical laws upon which most aerodynamic concepts exist. This now famous equation is absolutely fundamental to the study of airflows. Every attempt to improve the way an F1 car pushes its way through molecules of air is governed by this natural relationship between fluid (gas or liquid) speed and pressure. There are several forms of Bernoulli's equation, three of which are discussed, in the succeeding paragraphs: flow along a single streamline, flow along many streamlines, and flow along an airfoil. All three equations were derived using several assumptions, perhaps the most significant being that air density does not change with pressure (i.e. air remains incompressible). Therefore they can only be applied to subsonic situations. Being that F1 cars travel much slower than Mach 1, these equations can be used to give very accurate results.1 Low speed fluid flow along single or multiple streamlines is interpreted in Figure 1. ...read more.
This means that the air is approaching a normal, straight leading edge at an angle to it, and therefore not working the wing to its full potential. By turning the edge by the correct angle, maximum efficiency will be obtained. The part of the front wing, which tends to change most in design, is the endplate. The primary function of this feature is to stop the high-pressure air on the top of the wing from being encouraged to roll over the end of the wing to the low-pressure air beneath, causing induced drag. Additionally, the design aim of the endplates is to discourage the dirty air created by the front tire from getting under the floor of the car. Further to these, some teams use 'splitters', which are vertical fences, attached to the undersurface of the front wing, to assist the endplates.3 Figure 11:End plate preventing high-pressure air to join low-pressure air3 3.2 Wheels The wheels of a formula one car probably induce the most drag of any part of the car. Unfortunately, have yet to be redesigned to reduce aerodynamic drag. Hindering this innovation are certain technical regulations. One such regulation is that the wheels cannot be covered. F1 wheels must to be the shape they are and this causes separation behind them. This separation causes large amounts of form drag. The amount of generated skin friction drag is minimal in comparison. So far, it appears that not much can be done to reduce form drag on the wheels, however teams have used the front wing to try to deflect the oncoming air around the front tires. Figure 12:Air flow over entire car, specifically drag on tires9 3.3 Suspension In recent years, suspension members have been streamlined into an aerofoil shape. According to the rules however, they are not allowed to produce downforce, and are simply shaped that way to reduce drag, and to keep the flow heading for the sidepods relatively undisturbed. ...read more.
It has been reported that additional attention will be given to helmet design. Driver's helmets can be exposed to airflows in excess of 200mph and resultantly experience buffetting effects, which hinder aerodynamics and can jeopardize driver safety.8 Engineers have tried to solve this problem by mounting aerodynamic aids onto helmets. According to a helmet designer at Simpson Race Products (SRP), aerodynamic aids perform three separate functions: 1. Preventing helmets from lifting at high speeds 2. Stopping the buffeting effect (on the driver's head and neck) 3. Cleaning up the airflow from the helmet going back to the car's rear wing SRP also claims that their fan-shaped device has the effect of adding 12 lbs of downforce at 220mph.8 A helmet with this device may be viewed in Figure 32. _______________________________________________________________________________________ Figure 32: Simpson Race Products helmet with aerodynamic device There has also been speculation that future cars might be designed with a canopy over the driver's head. This change will of course be contingent upon the agreement of technical regulations. Nevertheless, the idea is that the airflow over the top of the chassis to the rear wing would be more behaved with a canopy; resulting in a chassis design that would be aerodynamically superior to present ones.8 An additional benefit of implementing a canopy would be increased driver safety. Wing size and shape modifications are also expected to occur. Adjusting these properties will be done with the attempt to increase the efficient use of downforce and to reduce induced drag. Whatever the future changes may be the design of F1 aerodynamic features is expected to progress without limit. Although they may seem restricted by tight regulations, these regulations only add more challenge to the game that engineers must play. After all, when pushed into a corner, great thinkers devise solutions that override boundaries that had appeared to be present. One must not forget that we are still just scratching the surface on the art of aerodynamics. Do not think that the show is over - there are many magnificent findings yet to be made. ...read more.
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ZENEC's new 2-DIN multimedia system with DAB+ impresses in a test conducted by the German Car & Hifi magazine (issue 01/2018)
After the great success of the Z-N326, multimedia specialist ZENEC has now launched its next 2-DIN Smartlink infotainer, the Z-N426, additionally equipped with DAB+ and a larger 6.8″/17.3 cm monitor. The complete package of Z-N426 plus navigation software Z-N426-SDFEU obtainable separately has now been tested by Car & Hifi magazine in issue 01/2018, and awarded the "Best Product" accolade. "The ZENEC Z-N426 is a big hit", is the enthusiastic verdict of the trade journalists. "Superb range of features, use of phone apps per Smartlink, and excellent ease of use make it the benchmark in its price class."
Modern app use via Smartphone
Like the Z-N326 the new ZENEC Z-N426 initially comes as a moniceiver without navigation software – retailing for as little as 600 euros. But even with this 'basic version' you don't have to do without navigation. While Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto support only a limited number of apps, with the Z-N426 any app – including the navigation apps of a connected cellphone – can be used on the screen of the ZENEC device. "This is made possible by the Smartlink function that allows smartphones to be very easily connected to the Z-N426", enthuse the testers about the innovative possibilities of smartphone integration.
Europe-wide navigation made easy
However, if you want a fully integrated sat nav system for your car simply order the NextGen navigation software on a microSD card for 120 euros extra. With detailed maps for 47 European countries, more than 6 million points of interest, TMC, and free map updates for one year, this will give you the latest in-car navigation technology. "Navigation with ZENEC software is then very comfortable", according to Car & Hifi. "3D rendering, 3D Auto-Zoom at crossings or roundabouts, and lane assistance with display of highway traffic signs ensure that you take the correct route even at rather complicated junctions."
Full range of media features, ease of use
"The Z-N426 gets special praise for its above average range of features in this price class and great ease of use", the testers go on to say. The ZENEC offers a double tuner that receives both analog FM broadcasts as well as digital radio DAB+. Phones can be connected via Bluetooth, HDMI, Wi-Fi, or using the double USB port at the rear. As you would expect, diverse media can also be connected via USB. For cameras there are two inputs, so front and rear cameras can be connected.
That ZENEC has also placed great importance on the ease of use of this system is also appropriately honored by the trade journalists of Car & Hifi: "The display is very easy to read, while the menus and individual screens are clearly laid out and look good. It is very pleasing to see how superbly fast the touchscreen reacts."
"Both in our test lab as well as in field tests on the road the ZENEC performs outstandingly well", is the conclusion reached by the testers. That ZENEC has achieved a big hit with the new 2-DIN system is confirmed by Car & Hifi, awarding the Z-N426 the "Best Product" accolade in their final verdict.
The brand Zenec stands for pure in-car multimedia. Moniceivers, naviceivers, roof mount and universal monitors sum to a well rounded portfolio of in-car products. Added to that are accessory components like DAB+-tuners, rear view cameras and headphones. All Zenec devices are perfectly compatible with one another.
The Zenec multimedia range is perceived to follow the edge of technology, but also to stand out with an exceptional price/performance value. Yet, quality before quantity is the other important maxim given, Zenec is strictly adhering to.
In 2008, Zenec brought the first E>GO model onto the market, thereby immediately establishing a completely new category of device: the vehicle-specific naviceiver. E>GOs are a perfect fit – visually and technically – in the respective target vehicle, without additional bezels, adapters and hours of installation work. With the new line up 2017 there are E>GOs to fit into over 60 models of vehicle.
Few car media brands have ever started out as successfully as Zenec. Today, Zenec has established itself as undisputed market leader for multimedia navigation and spots – according to the Association for Consumer Research (Gfk) – in the German speaking territories a market share in excess of 35%.
Zenec by ACR (engl.)
Denny Krauledat
Bohrtumweg 1
5300 Bad Zurzach
0041-56-269 64 47
punctum, Lechner und Peter GbR
Michaela Lechner
Schönstedtstr. 7
12043 Berlin


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Lily Rex
The first official poet laureate of her hometown, Highland, Indiana, Lily Rex is a 'region' writer and always will be. Her life may or may not be a never-ending quest to find the perfect thrift store leather jacket. Non-literary hobbies include beating yellow lights, photographing her dog, and fishing. So far the quest for poems and fish has taken her around the United States and to the United Kingdom and Spain. Hopefully, it will take her to an MFA program soon.
She has won the Poetry Palooza at Purdue North Central three years running, recited her work as part of various classes during her undergraduate career and presented a collection of poems at the 2016 Sigma Tau Delta International Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She took second place for undergraduate poetry in the 2015 Stark-Tinkham Writing Contest. Her work often centers on issues of social justice and nature's relationship to human identity. Her poetry has been published in Portals, and she has been a guest reviewer for Blotterature Literary Magazine. Follow her on twitter, @LilyLRex, for updates on readings, general literary shenanigans and the development of her first chapbook.
Lily will be performing during the Sidewalk Pulp, a pop-up open mic!


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If you don't already know, Nuffnang's parent company, Netccentric celebrated our 10th anniversary on 30 August with a bang! To commemorate this momentous occasion, here are our top five favourite things we enjoyed at the party and we hope it will bring the celebration to you as well.
- Slow-mo videos at the photo/video booth!
Pictures are the best way to immortalize precious memories and what better way to do it than the ever popular photo booths!
What made the photo booth at Netccentric's 10th anniversary celebration so unique this time is that on top of what we are familiar with – the fun shots, props and the memorabilia we get to bring home, we also got to be involved in a slow motion video! All our confetti throwing, poppers popping moments were captured on video that we can look back on in time to come.
- Thoughtful goodie bags
The theme of our celebrations surrounds #welivesocial. Apt, as Netccentric is a social media advertising agency and our goodie bags matched the theme perfectly. Each guest – staff, clients and talents alike walked home armed with all the necessary tools to help us increase our social media savviness in the thoughtfully packed goodie bag!
Check out what we had in this cool stop motion video!
- 2017 desk calendar
Following a water colour and calligraphy theme, the 2017 Netccentric table calendar is not only aesthetically pleasing but also contains a column for your monthly goals!
- Macro and fish eye lens with a dare for guests to take a selfie with a stranger
Following the #welivesocial theme, we dared guests to make use of the lens for a selfie moment and to break the ice with each other ;)
- New #welivesocial Dayre stickers
Our favourite in the goodie bags are none other than the limited edition #welivesocial Dayre stickers! Now, we can use them both online and offline for situations that are beyond any words.
- Leather bind
A chic leather bind to keep your earphones tangle free. Definitely a must have for everyone because we know how frustrating it is to have our earphones tangle up in our bags!
- An array of food vouchers courtesy of Creative Eateries
Last but not least, to fill our tummies even after the event are these food vouchers from Creative Eateries. Ranging from Bangkok Jam to Freemantle Seafood Market, we are looking forward to eat to our fill!
- Yummy food
The cocktail dinner of the night was proudly brought to us by Creative Eateries as well. The menu included grilled scallop, mini burgers and aglio olio. Bite sized food not only tasted delicious but also allowed us to continue mingling with guests!
We always have space in our tummy for desserts; baked lovingly by our Blogger-preneur Jessica Loh (Shiberty) from Shiberty Bakes. We were treated to a whole range of Jessica's specialties that included colourful macarons that not only tasted great, but looked so aesthetically pleasing as well! Definitely made us and our cameras happy that night.
Of course, the night is not complete without some alcohol and we were honored to have Chang's Beer. There is no better beer to have a jolly good time with our guests!
It was a hearty evening with good food, sweet treats and a cheeky pint of beer!
- Music and entertainment
It is not a party without music! This year we are pleased to have with us 53A to serenade us with pop songs that we could sing along with. It was most relevant for us to have 53A that evening as they were also the band who sang this year's National Day theme song Tomorrow's Here Today, singing their hopes and dreams for the next fifty years for Singapore. As the Netccentric family came together to commemorate our milestone and also to look forward to our next milestone as well!
Accompanying us through the night was our host, Cordelia, who engaged with guests and made the evening memorable for all of us. We certainly enjoyed having Cordelia with us as well!
- Gathering as one big family!
The Netccentric 10th anniversary party was an occasion to thank everyone who has contributed to our success. It is definitely a good time to celebrate our accomplishments, learn from past mistakes and be forward looking!
It was heartwarming to see talents from Nuffnang, Churp Churp and Dayre interacting and having fun with each other, clients and staff from different departments bonding well and enjoying the night together.
Thank you to everyone who has played an important role and helping Netccentric to get to where we are today!
If you want to see more of what went down at Netccentric's 10th Aniiversary celebrations, head on over to www.dayre.me/nuffnangsg or www.dayre.me/blog to join in the fun (online)! ;)


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Tjuwanpa Rangers celebrate their 10th birthday
Tjuwanpa ranger team at their Ntaria office
On Tuesday December 1, the Tjuwanpa Rangers will mark a decade of working on country with an open day and ceremony at the ranger office at Ntaria (Hermannsburg).
All are invited to join past and present rangers, traditional owners, government representatives and staff from the wide range of agencies associated with the group over last 10 years.
One of the longest running ranger groups in the CLC's Ranger Program, the Tjuwanpa Rangers operate on Western Arrernte country.
Under the guidance of traditional owners, they undertake a range of land management activities at the Finke Gorge and West MacDonnell National Parks for the NT Parks and Wildlife Commission, as well as work on the 3,800 square kilometers of Aboriginal land around Ntaria.
Often operating in extreme conditions, the rangers perform controlled burns, wildlife surveys, infrastructure improvements, maintenance of significant sites and work to reduce the impact of weeds and feral animals.
They also support a number of activities run by the Ntaria school such as a Junior Ranger program and country camps.
The program has bounced back from a major blow following the scrapping of CDEP in 2007 which saw the rangers back on the dole just a week after winning an NT Landcare Award.
Tjuwanpa Ranger Co-ordinator Craig LeRossignol said the group owes a lot to the original rangers.
"I think today's success is built on their efforts," he said.
"Many are still employed on the community and are traditional owners themselves, we draw on their help and expertise."
Director of the Central Land Council, David Ross, said the group remains a strong example of the benefits of indigenous ranger groups
"The Tjuwanpa Rangers have been critical players in demonstrating the opportunities that joint management is able to provide," he said.
"The commitment and dedication of the rangers themselves and their successive co-ordinators has seen them rise to all that's been put in front of them."
"The whole community should be proud."
The Central Land Council gratefully acknowledges the foundational funding received from the NT Government and the Indigenous Land Corporation, continuing funding from the Federal Government's Working on Country initiative and support from the Tjuwanpa Outstation Resource Centre.
When: Tuesday 1st December, 9.30am
Where: Tjuwanpa Ranger Office (aprox 130kms west of Alice Springs, continue along Larapinta Drive, past the turn off to Ntaria, cross Finke River and take the immediate first turn on your right)
30 November, 2015
Contact: Emma Sleath, email@example.com / 0488 984 885


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The scent of frangipani spilled from the trees like the earthy aroma of soil and sand rising from a gushing waterfall. It was July: the tip of the rainy season in southern Thailand, and early morning showers would greet us as the sun rose behind a cloak of clouds. When the storm had passed, and streams of light began to saturate the inside of my hotel room, I was lifted from bed and escorted by the seductive, balmy air to long stretches of sand that kissed the shoreline. Backed by lush rainforest, the beach was truly a tropical euphoria. The water, a hue of soft azure, commanded my attention as it flirted with the caressing rays of the sun. I could have spent each day of my trip the same way: basking, swimming, drinking and pondering, but there was far too much to see and appreciate in Krabi.
Approximately three hours east of Phuket, Krabi, sleeps undisturbed and unshaken. The large province is comprised of over 130 islands, most of which can be compared to Eden. There is something Jurassic about the place, with layers of rainforest lining the mainland and shrouds of limestone precipices piercing low lying clouds, you can't help but feel as though time has been rewound by thousands of years. It's possible to drive for miles without seeing a soul, or a store, but press on westward and you'll eventually be greeted by the tussle of glowing seas.
It is in this part of Thailand that the infamous Maya Bay lies. And yes, many of Krabi's stunning islands are inundated with tourists, boats, and bad food, but nothing can strip away the raw beauty of it all. The good news is that there are still many low-key islands to explore that are equally as beautiful, but to see them you might have trade the guided tours for the romantic putter of a long tail boat. Most day trips embark, and return to the main port in Ao Nang, one of the busiest spots in Krabi.
My advice would be to skip a stay in Ao Nang (although, I would suggest trying out a few of the many great restaurants here), and head straight for Tubkaak Beach, which is approximately 45 minutes from Krabi Town. I spent six nights on Tubkaak Beach at a nice boutique hotel called the Amari Vogue. The hotel calls itself five-star, but I would say it is more in the four range. There are only a few small resorts to choose from, minus the luxurious Ritz Carlton Phulay Bay that was built last year on a secluded section of the beach, but the setting makes up for the lack of accommodation choices.
Many times after returning from a day trip to the islands, or a jaunt to the Krabi markets, my husband and I would walk along Tubkaak Beach leaving the only footprints in the sand. It became a love affair: my attention stolen by the raw beauty, tranquility and majestic vistas. The terms sunrise and sunset took on new meaning after watching the horizon bleed magnificent hues of scarlet, orange and purple as the blazing star levitated and sunk behind the clustered Hong Islands.
The allure of this region of Thailand is its seductive scenery, deserted ambiance and quiet spirituality. Most of the province is uninhabited; dotted with gorgeous coconut palms, rubber trees and coffee plantations. There are several temples worth a visit, most notably, Tiger Cave Temple, where visitors can climb the 1,272 makeshift steps, carved into the side of a limestone cliff, to a spectacular scenic overlook.
If Eve was indeed tempted in a place such as Krabi, I can understand how her will failed her. As a sucker for simplicity, I too fell victim to the complex beauty of the region, and intoxicated with the leisurely lifestyle. I trusted anyone I met, climbed cliffs that were nearly vertical, and prayed with strangers at local temples. Krabi had all the charm of Thailand bundled into a quieter, quainter package, and I had fallen deeply in love.


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Fashion Crystal and Pearl Bar Design Bracelet
• High quality fashion bracelet.
• Brilliant pearl and crystal stones.
• Length: 7.5 inch (19.05 cm)
• Width: 11 mm
High quality fashion material that is widely used in chains for necklaces or bracelets, but can now find it is increasingly used in pendants and rings. At TIONEER, we bring in a mixture of dazzling style at low prices.


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By Dr. Maria Lombardo
It's been around for years, since the 1950's to be exact. We've all heard about it but what is it and how does it work? HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) is a hormone produced during pregnancy. One of its functions is to ensure the growing fetus receives enough nutrients to grow and develop normally. It allows the mother's body to use stored body fat for nutrients and energy despite her intake. This is why women can have "morning sickness", not eat and the baby does not suffer. Pregnancy is the only time HCG is found in the body.
Dr. ATW Simeons discovered in the 1950's that small doses of HCG given to overweight individuals (men and women) decreased their appetite, and made them lose inches specifically around their hips, thighs, buttocks and stomachs. Today millions of people have used HCG for weight loss. The HCG Diet has also been used for weight loss in obese persons as well as those wanting to shed a few unhealthy or unwanted pounds. However it is used, the HCG diet weight loss program works.
How Does It Work?
When HCG is taken, the body is able to tap into its stored fat and utilize it. When combined with a calorie restriction diet, the person is subsisting more on their stored fat than on what they are eating. They are burning 3500-4000 calories of stored fat daily, which can amount to losing about 1 pound every day!
Many people want to know if they can be comfortable on a calorie restriction diet of 500 calories per day. One of the benefits of HCG is that a person can feel comfortable eating only 500 calories per day while taking the HCG injections. While on the HCG diet, appetite is suppressed and most patients feel as if they are stuffing themselves on 500 calories a day. Trying this very low calorie diet without the use of HCG would lead to trouble within 2-3 days. Side effects of starving yourself include insomnia, lethargy, headaches, loss of mental clarity, severe fatigue, and on and on! While on the HCG diet patients sleep sounder and usually feel better than they did before they started the HCG diet.
What Can I Expect?
If the protocol is followed, you can expect to lose 1-2 pounds per day – an average of 20 pounds lost by the 23rd day. A person on the HCG diet can expect to eat 500 calories a day of protein, fruits and vegetables. The HCG is injected daily for 23 days. The program can be followed for 40 days in some cases. Maintenance after the diet is important. The HCG Diet is considered one of the fastest and safest ways to lose weight and keep it off. It's not just quick weight loss. The HCG diet is a new way of eating food and a new way of thinking about health.
If you are interested in learning more about the HCG program call Dr. Maria Lombardo at 760-610-8990 to schedule an appointment today!


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Eating a well-balanced diet, exercising every day and staying active, and reducing stress are important ways to get your body in shape.
To optimize your fertility, it's a good idea to start preparing your body a couple of months before you start trying to get pregnant.
Stress can delay ovulation and increase the frequency of uterine contractions. Delayed or erratic ovulation can make chances of pregnancy difficult. Frequent uterine contractions can make it harder for the fertilized egg to attach to the uterine wall further delaying pregnancy. So, it is very important that you keep tension in check by avoiding known stressors whenever possible and getting as much sleep as you can schedule. Exercise is also known to decrease the levels of cortisol, which is a stress hormone. Exercise is also known to decrease blood pressure and increase blood flow to reproductive organs.
Diet should include as many fruits and vegetable, whole grains and plenty of water. Take a diet rich in Iron, folic acid and calcium. Taking a prenatal vitamin daily will ensure that you are getting all the nutrients you need.
But, remember that getting pregnant takes time. Some couples may take six to 12 months to get pregnant. A 2013 study of Danish women in the journal Fertility and Sterility found that women aged 35-39 still have a 78 per cent chance of getting pregnant within one year without help.
So - Here it is - Be calm, Try Yoga, breathing exercises, walking and a good diet - chances are you will get pregnant and give birth to a healthy baby. All the best.


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Today marks the 16th anniversary of the day a group of radicalized Islamic extremists attacked us with our own commercial airliners, hijacking multiple planes and flying them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, plus one more that crashed into a field in Pennsylvania thanks to a group of passengers unwilling to allow their plane to be used as a weapon to take thousands more lives.
The students I'm currently teaching wouldn't be born for another couple of years, but those of us who were already grown and raising children of our own still remember that day as vividly as if it were only a few short weeks ago. For us, that day was a wake-up call alerting us to the reality that the nation we praised as the greatest country in the world had accumulated many enemies over the years, owing at least in part to a number of self-serving foreign policies which put our own economic and political interests over the interests of an international community still struggling to deal with the complexities of increasing globalization (and before you accuse me of victim blaming, please keep reading for the rest of the story).
That was the day many of us finally learned that large groups of people on the other side of the planet referred to us as "The Great Satan," turning some of our own very familiar religious language against us in order to construct an enemy worthy of uniting disparate extremists groups against a common foe.
Hatred sells very well, and it goes a long way toward raising both money and moral support for pretty much any cause you choose.
Loosely allied groups scattered around the world spent a number of years training eager young men to be fighters willing to sacrifice their own lives for the sake of their own countries and their own religion, capitalizing on their innate desire to be heroes and harnessing that naive but boundless energy toward their own violent ends. They were successful beyond their wildest dreams, and American life would never be the same again.
The Birthing of a New Movement
A few short years later, a number of writers including Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, and Daniel Dennett began publishing books taking more direct aim at religious thinking than English speaking readers had encountered in a very long time. Emboldened by the horrifying images of the World Trade Center towers collapsing, instantly taking the lives of thousands of people from all over the world, they along with many others began more openly calling for the end of all religion in a wave of anti-theistic sentiment which would soon be dubbed "New Atheism."
Atheism was hardly new, mind you. It had been around for many centuries. What was new about this wave of anti-religious rhetoric was its boldness and its willingness to directly call out religious practitioners for the excesses of their faith traditions, particularly those encouraging coercive or even violent means for spreading their own dogmatic beliefs around the world. New Atheism was distinctively more political than any of its predecessors at least in part because the forms of religion to which it was responding had become increasingly radicalized and politicized as well.
Put differently, the atheism of Dawkins and Hitchens might look quite different from that of Robert Ingersoll, Bertrand Russell, or Samuel Clemens, but so do the forms of religion against which they speak. Religions are not static things. They evolve over time, adapting to the spirit of each new age, producing versions of each faith which stewards of earlier times would hardly recognize as their own.
But religion is an exceedingly diverse thing, and you cannot address its multitudinous variations with too broad a brush without painting over the many nuances that distinguish one kind from another. And people who write about religion as outsiders who have never inhabited the faith traditions against which they speak too easily mischaracterize the emotional textures of those subcultures, just as you would expect from people who were never really practitioners themselves.
I'm often reminded of the scene in The 40-Year-Old-Virgin when Steve Carrell's character was asked to describe the feeling of a woman's breasts, to which he replied that they felt like bags of sand. His friends just stared at him, blinking. That's kind of what it's like for people inside these religions when they hear outsiders describing their traditions from their detached and inexperienced points of view. They're quite certain they're not even talking about the same things.
Today that same lack of nuance separates "the nones" from "the dones" so that a least two different styles of addressing religion have grown up, with the former far outpacing the latter in terms of popularity and ability to produce juicy sound bites fit for getting people on FOX News worked up into a lather. Angrier versions of atheism just sell better because it agitates everyone's fight or flight response, and for that reason it will always lead the news cycles both on the air and on the internet.
Too Broad a Brush
Here's the thing, though. I don't believe religion is going to die away any time soon. That's an enticing vision for many, I know. But at this point in our evolutionary history faith isn't just a bug in our software, it's become a feature. There is something about human nature that clearly predisposes us to believe in things that go just beyond what we can explain.
I think if we were somehow to eradicate religion from the planet tomorrow, humans would just invent something else like it to take its place. We're kind of doing that all the time as it is.
What's more, we are fundamentally feeling beings, sentimental to our cores. And no matter how diligently we try to make skepticism and rationalism our mantra, even the most vehement skeptics I know have demonstrated time and time again that things like friendships and their own personal histories incline them to privilege some narratives over others, superseding their commitment to critical thinking because that's just how human beings function. And we're not going to be able to change that about ourselves without fundamentally changing what it means to be human.
We are tribalistic by nature, deriving our collective identities from each other even when we remain unaware of the ways we do it. Even atheism itself has become a form of tribalism which takes disbelief in gods and makes it into a kind of identity marker that separates us from everyone who still believes in deities, even to our own detriment. How many potential religious allies have we run off through making belief in gods our watershed issue for everything we do?
Are all gods created equally? I contend they are not, nor should our responses to them be one-size-fits-all.
But nuance requires work. And what motivation do atheists have to work harder to understand what makes religious groups tick? Probably not any more motivation than religious people have to understand why nonbelievers reject the claims of the faithful. But the mutual reluctance to understand the other only polarizes the discussion even further.
And 16 years later, violent Islamic extremism continues to plague portions of the world, with more politically coercive forms of Christianity slowly taking over positions of legislative and executive power within the United States. Why does it seem to be getting stronger instead of weaker?
Until we ask better questions about what functions religion serves, and how and why it continues to be preserved and transmitted from generation to generation, we're never going to make the kinds of changes we say we want to make. I'm not saying we shouldn't call out extremisms of every kind, especially when they are violent. But knocking down straw religions does nothing to impact the fervor with which adherents cling to them. If anything, it only causes them to double down and plug up their ears since clearly we have no idea what we're even talking about.
We need to go deeper and ask better questions. What kind of soil produces the most harmful kinds of religion? And what can be done to improve upon the cultures and environments in which the most harmful forms of religion take hold and thrive? These are the kinds of questions we need to be asking, and I would recommend asking those who formerly inhabited those traditions—whether Islamic or Christian or whatever—in order to understand more accurately what it is we are up against.
In the midst of remembering September 11th, let us also remember that we still have work to do that requires thinking much harder about how to make the world a better place, not merely a godless one.
[Image Source: Adobe Stock]


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Call Ups/DemotionsInjuries
Potter to HFD, Del Zotto Will Play
As the trade deadline has passed, there is some non-trade news. Corey Potter was returned to Hartford, as Michael Del Zotto will play tomorrow against Pittsburgh. Also, Marian Gaborik did not practice today. Unless he partakes in tomorrow's morning skate, assume he will not be in the lineup against the Penguins.


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Q&A with Richard Sandor, CEO of Environmental Financial Products
WHAT I WAS THINKING: The "father of financial futures" on the ill-fated carbon trading system and creating a market for water
Interview conducted and condensed by Jeff Bailey
You're known as the father of financial futures, which have led to the explosive growth of commodity exchanges in Chicago beyond agricultural products. Lately you've been working on trading schemes for water rights that would price and allocate supply. What's the concern?
I taught at Berkeley and watched [California] divert water from the north to the south. I'm worried there will be a similar taking in the Midwest. If you've got the votes, people might take a straw and just suck water out of the Great Lakes. It's the great American barbecue: If the food and drinks are free, why not just stuff your face?
You developed a carbon-trading system aimed at curbing greenhouse gases and sold it last year for nearly $600 million to a U.S. financial exchange. Curious minds want to know: How does a guy like you reinvest your roughly $100 million in proceeds [from a nearly 17 percent stake] during this volatile time for stocks and bonds?
I'm very conservative. It's time to be in very, very careful investments—municipal bonds, short-term [U.S. Treasury obligations], cash. Be diversified. I don't think this is the time to be running out of a foxhole and attacking a division of tanks.
The carbon-trading market is building elsewhere but is going nowhere in the United States without a government cap on emissions. Obama wanted one, but he's been hampered in part by the GOP, which largely claims that man-made global warming is a myth. These same Republicans love free markets, and you're among their heroes. Any way you can get the Rick Perrys to cease with the BS?
We will have to do it at the grass-roots level. Washington is broken. What happened at the debt ceiling debate was what happened at the carbon debate. California is the potential key. It has led other things. That's a way to sway people who are against change. We will witness a carbon cap-and-trade market in China before [seeing it in] the U.S.
If we had a hard cap on carbon here, how would life change? Airline flights a lot more expensive?
You would hardly notice it. You would have efficiencies you never thought of. You'd create more jobs than you can imagine. Inventiveness consistently bails us out.
You're originally from New York. Yet you've adopted Chicago as your home. Why?
This is pound for pound the best city in the world. Museums are world-class. Lakefront parks are world-class. So are the universities. People are friendly and welcoming. It has whatever one would want.
I see you give to the Art Institute. Greenbacks or actual art?
Both. Gene Siskel was a friend, so my wife and I helped to establish the film center. We give art. Mostly photography.
Chicago has been a generous home to the futures exchanges, with Dan Rostenkowski inserting special tax breaks into federal bills years back and the state and local governments giving more. Now the Merc's parent, CME, is threatening to pull up stakes, demanding still more breaks. Seems it's behaving like an ingrate, no?
I don't think CME will leave Chicago. They have to make some demands—they have a fiduciary responsibility. They're a publicly traded company. It's a family affair. This is like your kids fighting.
Photograph: Bob Stefko
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So Amiclubwear is an online shopping destination to meet everyone's needs and personal taste.


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Community Groups within the Shire of Gnowangerup are now invited to apply for Community Financial Assistance Grants (CFAG) Program. There are three categories of funding available for projects taking place in 19/20 financial year.
(click the appropriate grant below to download the application pack)
- Quick Grants - for applications up to $500.00, primarily for volunteer support.
- Community Grants- for applications from $501.00 - $5,000.00 aimed at supporting community groups with small capital projects, events, projects etc.
- Special Requests Community Grants - for applications from $5000.00 - $20,000.00 aimed at supporting community groups with large capital projects, events, projects etc. The purpose of the grant is not to fund operating costs.
Requests for operational funding, works-in-kind or reimbursement for expenses prior to the 2019/2020 financial year will no longer be accepted under the guidelines. Furthermore, this is now the only pathway to request Council contribution for partnership funding for any project throughout the year. Please consider all events, projects or infrastructure your community group is planning for the 2019/20 year carefully, as applications will only be open once per year.
If your community group is interested in applying for assistance under any of the grant categories, please make contact with the Shire of Gnowangerup at email@example.com or 98271007 to discuss your idea.
Step 1 - Contact the Shire of Gnowangerup to discuss your project idea on 9827 1007
Step 2 - Complete the respective Grant Application Form.
Step 3 - Submit the application form by 4:00pm 10/5/2019.
Step 4 - Applications are assessed; Council approves suitable applicants at the Annual Budget meeting.
Step 5 - Applicants are notified in writing in August 2019.
The Shire of Gnowangerup will be holding a Grant Writing Workshop later in the year and will advise shortly of the dates. We strongly recommend Community Groups to attend this workshop to assist with grant application submission.
We look forward to supporting our fantastic community organisations in 2019/2020.


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Absolute Resveratrol, the anti-aging cream that fights skin-aging and smoothes lines
Biosmose elaborated a powerful anti-aging formula which will revive your skin for a younger look.
Absolute Resveratrol brings to your skin what it needs the most to rejuvenate: antioxidants. Resveratrol is a natural extract rich in antioxidants that fights aging by protecting your skin from free radicals.
Resveratrol is a natural phenol found in red grapes' skin. Today, it is known that wine has a positive influence on health on general.
Absolute Resveratrol also contains a combination of peptide that helps soften facial wrinkles and enlighten your skin tone and Hyaluronic Acid to moisturize the skin and to help the skin cells to remain healthy.
After a few weeks of daily use, you will notice a real difference in your skin's texture and discover a healthy and smooth skin.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhMcd2zZaOA[/embed]


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Rolling Stones Set Lists:Set Pieces
'During rehearsals, I draw up set lists on big canvases, putting down the songs and the keys they're in. We hang these set lists on the rehearsal room walls so we know where we've been and where we're going.' – Ronnie Wood
The Set Pieces book is limited to only 1,000 numbered copies, each signed by Ronnie Wood.
Presented in a cloth-bound slipcase, the 198-page volume is quarter bound in burgundy leather with purple and gold screen-printed covers - emblazoned with the lizards that feature on one of Ronnie's custom-made guitar straps. Ronnie Wood's large format Set Pieces book (page size: 297mm x 420mm / 11 ¾" x 16 ½") is hand-finished with gilt page edging and tooling.
Edition: 1,000 numbered copies
Signed: by Ronnie Wood
Binding: Burgundy leather with slipcase


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On Monday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) reported that it is much cheaper to drive an electric car any distance than it is to drive a comparable car fueled by gasoline.
The DOE says "The average fuel cost savings for all states was 60%." But, in reality, the savings are going to be much, much larger — probably 80 percent or more.
That's because the actual price most electric vehicle (EV) owners will be paying for electricity to charge their vehicles will be much lower than the DOE assumed.
Here's how DOE did their calculation of fuel cost savings by state.
As the DOE explains, while EVs are much more efficient than internal combustion engine vehicles, comparing fuel cost per mile can be tricky "because the price of gasoline and residential electricity vary considerably by state." So, years ago, the DOE "developed an eGallon tool," to calculate the relative electricity and gasoline costs for every state.
They found "all states showed cost savings for electric operation," with an average saving nationwide of about 60 percent.
As the DOE notes, "Residential electricity rates … greatly influence the level of savings."
But here's the key point: Residential electricity rates are pretty much the absolute maximum you could pay to charge your car — and it is very unlikely most people are going to pay that much.
The average retail price for electricity nationwide is 13.3 cents per kilowatt-hour. In California, the state with the most EVs, it was 19.2 c/kwh as of March.
But most EV owners in California don't pay that rate. The basic EV rate for PG&E (Pacific Gas and Electric ) is 12.5 c/kwh — and that doesn't include any rebates for using a clean fuel. It just requires that you do your charging between 11pm to 7am during the week or anytime during the weekend except 3pm to 7pm.
New York offers an even better rate just for EV owners. Even though the residential price for electricity is 17.5 c/kwh, "In 2017 Consolidated Edison in New York started offering a 5 c/kWh 'reward' for charging between midnight and 8am, even for customers already on off-peak rates then."
A key reason utilities offer special low rates for EV charging is that electricity demand has been flat for a decade — and that trend is projected to continue for the foreseeable future. In some places, total demand is actually projected to decline.
So utilities have a lot of excess capacity sitting around making them no money, especially at night when demand is low. That's why they have always offered attractive rates for charging EVs.
Indeed, these days, places like California are starting to get excess power during the daytime from all the cheap solar panels. As solar gets even cheaper — and penetrates more of the market — many places will end up with a lot of excess low-cost carbon-free power during the day.
As a result, daytime charging will become cheaper and cheaper.
Nissan and Denmark's largest utility (Enel) have been partnering on EV charging trials as part of an effort to integrate more renewable energy sources into the grid. Already, EV owners have earned as much as $1,530 a year — more than a typical EV owner would pay for all of its charging during a year — by plugging in when they park and selling excess power back to grid when it is needed.
A video from Nissan helps explain how this works:
Ultimately, by 2025, using such technology with California's EVs could be "the equivalent of $12.8–$15.4 billion in stationary storage investment," according to a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study from May.
The bottom line is that the price of fueling your electric car in the coming years is going to be quite cheap — much cheaper than fueling a gasoline car.


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Thank you for attending the Internet Business Day at the NYPL this week. It was my great pleasure to spend the day with you. My hope is that you will take action on one key takeaway in the next week to generate new momentum in your business. I've put together four more resources to help you below.
Downloadable Seminar Notes
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These are the same notes I had up on the screen.
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A Live Training at Your Organization
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Free Guide: Overcoming Impostor Syndrome
I mentioned during the seminar that I have a guide to help entrepreneurs deal with self-doubt and impostor syndrome. You can download that here (PDF).
Free Video Training: How to Build an Influential Network
This guide and video training show effective ways to get the attention of influencers in your market as peers, partners, and mentors.
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Make it Happen!
Now go take action! Remember, you have value to offer the world. There are people out there who need your ideas, products, or services. There's so much opportunity to reach your customers online. If you show up and take action consistently, applying what you learned in the seminar, you will see results.


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Sun, 27 May 2012
This ain't no Jimmy Buffet concert cock sucka, we're leaving NOW! And other things people yell during the middle of a grift. With guitarest extraordinaire Gary Myrick, who illuminates for us the Austin music scene of the seventies.
Direct download: BeautyAndDaBeast_Episode90.m4a
Category:Comedy -- posted at: 3:19pm PDT
Sat, 19 May 2012
I mean honestly, how many times do I gotta ask a California Douche bag to stop kicking the back of my chair!?! C'mon, we want to see your real album collection, the one in the closet near the bottom of the pile. With special guest Law and Order writer, producer and stand up comic Mick Betancourt. Last but not least, all the fun little places you can spritz a little Hai Karate in a pinch.
Direct download: BeautyAndDaBeastPodcast_89.m4a
Category:Comedy -- posted at: 2:19pm PDT
Fri, 11 May 2012
Let's cut to the chase. When Richard Pryor says to you, "After you're done wiping, do you think you could drive yourself over to Columbia Studios to help me work on a script?" You put the crossword puzzle down, flush the toilet and haul ass into Hollywood. Writer, Director, Producer Rocco Urbisci drops by and chats about all things Pryor and Carlin. Oh, and by the way, it's milk milk lemonade TIME!!!
Direct download: BeautyAndDaBeastPodcast_Episode88.m4a
Category:Comedy -- posted at: 11:11pm PDT
Fri, 4 May 2012
Comic extraordinaire and all around cool cat, Willie Barcena drops by and shares his thoughts on why mice attack, cows that jog, and learning in the nick of time how to turn your back on anger. Brought to you by Tainted Visions Art.
Direct download: BeautyAndDaBeastPodcast_Episode87.m4a
Category:Comedy -- posted at: 1:45pm PDT
Mon, 30 April 2012
Screw it! We ain't gonna make thirty.. You mean I dug the grave for nothing!?! It's true, in some circles the man who eats the hole turns to the pole. And yes, a bleeding ulcer can help a fella out during a bank heist. We are joined by Salvatore Polisi, former mobster and witness for the prosecution that imprisoned John Gotti, stops by the studio and chit-chats about infamous mobsters, and how he eventually opted out of the witness protection program. Brought to you by Tainted Vision Arts
Direct download: BeautyAndDaBeastPodcast_Episode86.m4a
Category:Comedy -- posted at: 10:55pm PDT


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Archive for ottobre, 2017
Books we love*giovedì, ottobre 12th, 2017
What could we be more proud of our recent partnership with Edizioni Black Coffee? It is a win win: pairing our love for coffee together with our love for books! So, starting from now, we will have the pleasure to suggest you something we really really really had enjoyed reading so that you can read it too!
Still life of a cup of coffee with croissantlunedì, ottobre 9th, 2017
Still life of a cup of coffee with croissant is the new Monnalisa… According to us.


text: This downtown Toronto hotel located in the Financial District is just a short walk to Toronto's Theatre District. It offers a café British-style pub and contemporary accommodations.Cable TV with pay-per-view movies and a coffee maker are included in the rooms at The Strathcona Hotel. They are decorated with red accents and have European-inspired wooden floors. Rooms with a flat-screen TV are available while others offer a desk and chair.The York St. Café serves breakfast and lunch in a relaxed atmosphere. The Pub offers lunch and dinner specials a big-screen TV and billiards.Union Station is a 6-minute walk from The Strathcona Hotel. The Rogers Centre Air Canada Centre Metro Toronto Convention Centre and CN Tower are within an 11-minute walk.


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IP ActivFlo Biopsy I Cassettes
IP ActivFlo Biopsy I cassettes feature a patented "Fluidic Flow" pore design for maximum reagent exchange. With a 0.67 mm pore size, the cassettes include an innovative V-shape pore design that pulls fluid in and forces air out.
The cassettes feature sloped walls, creating a basket for small tissue management. These one piece cassettes with 'frangible lids' have been designed for the Leica IP C Cassette Printer, with <1% printing error rate.
Available in loose and taped packaging for easy printer loading.
Choose from eleven colors in quantities of 500 loose or 1000 taped.
Cassette offers a 45 degree writing surface.


text: My Account Shopping Cart MENU Open menu iMettos Limited Toggle search bar What can we help you find? Submit search Cooking Equipment Kitchen Equipment Restaurant & Bar Stainless Steel Furniture Warming Equipment Products Range Bain Maries Bone Saws Chafing Dishes Charbroiler Contact Grills Convection Ovens Crepe Makers Cutting Mixer Machine Deep Fat Fryers Dough Rollers Food Cutters Food Mixers Gastronorm Containers & Lids Griddles Heated Display Cabinets Heated Lamp Display Infrared Food Warmers Insect Killers Juicers Kitchen Blenders Meat Mincers Meat Slicers Pie Cabinets Pizza Ovens Potato Peelers Salamander Grills Sausage Stuffers Soup Kettles Toasters Tomato Slicers Trolleys and Shelving Vegetable Prep Machine Waffle Makers Wall Shelves Warmer Display Case Water Boilers Work Tables Contents Nav Menu 4 Nav Menu 5 Nav Menu 6 Nav Menu 7 Nav Menu 8 Home > Waffle Makers Waffle Makers Electric waffle makers with built in heating elements allow you to quickly and easily pour, press and cook waffle mixture and make delicious snacks for American style breakfasts or as desserts. A range of waffle maker designs producing many different sizes and shapes of waffle, as well as appliances that can cook multiple waffles are available. Sort By: Price: Low to High Price: High to Low Most Popular Title Manufacturer Newest Oldest Availability 30 per page 60 per page 120 per page 180 per page 300 per page Page of 1 Waffle Maker Double Waffle Cone Twin Square Pattern Product Code: 101022EAN: 5060636610214 Model : WB-S Operating Mode: Electric Power: 1.5 kW Power Supply: 13 Amp Plug InVoltage: 220-240 V Capacity: N/A Weight: 17.0 kg Dimensions : 320(W) x 225(H) x 470(D) mm Warranty: Manufacturers 1 years parts Product Details RRP Price (Ex.VAT): £219.00 Exc VAT In Stock Waffle Maker Double Waffle Cone 170mm Single Maker Product Code: 101021EAN: 5060636610207 Model : WB-03D Operating Mode: Electric Power: 1.0 kW Power Supply: 13 Amp Plug InVoltage: 220-240 V Capacity: N/A Weight: 11.0 kg Dimensions : 255(W) x 320(H) x 440(D) mm Warranty: Manufacturers 1 years parts Product Details RRP Price (Ex.VAT): £249.00 Exc VAT In Stock Are you unable to find the right product? Or do you have any questions? We would be happy to help! Our team, which is made up of food industry experts, is on hand to help you choose the right products! Simply call us or send us an e-mail. Tel: +44 (0)19 0808 3636 - Email: email@example.com


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Shipping Agent Salary
Cargo and freight agents, sometimes called shipping agents, typically work in warehouses and stockrooms, facilitating the shipment of goods. Candidates who hold a high school diploma or GED usually qualify for this position and then receive on-the-job training once hired. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 80,570 cargo and freight agents were employed in the United States as of 2011.
National Salary Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that cargo and freight agents earned an average annual salary of $40,680 and an average hourly wage of $19.56 in May 2010. Half of all shipping agents working in the United States reported a yearly income between $29,500 and $59,000. The lowest-paid 10 percent of shipping agents earned annual salaries of $23,000 or less, while the top 10 percent of earners in this occupation made $60,000 or more per year.
Salary by Industry
BLS data show that about half of all shipping agents were employed in the freight transportation arrangement industry, where they earned an average salary of $42,000 per year. Those working in scheduled air transportation, nonscheduled air transportation, couriers and general freight trucking all reported average salaries of $37,000 to $39,000 per year. Shipping agents in specialized freight trucking averaged $46,600 per year. Those employed in support activities for water transportation reported the highest average earnings by sector, at $55,000 per year.
Geographical Variances in Salary
Statistics published by the BLS indicate that the highest-paying jobs for shipping agents were concentrated along the West Cost, Northeast Coast and the Midwest. The state reporting the highest average pay was Connecticut, followed by Washington, Oregon, Nebraska and Washington, D.C. Vermont and Utah reported the lowest average salaries for shipping agents. In general, shipping agents working in metropolitan areas tended to report higher average salaries than those working in nonmetropolitan areas.
Job Outlook
The BLS expects shipping agent jobs to grow 29 percent between 2010 and 2020. That's double the expected growth rate for all occupations. Entry-level opportunities in the cargo and freight industry should be excellent, although a general economic downturn and especially any declines in consumer spending might cause temporary dips in employment. According to the BLS, candidates with strong customer service skills and experience working with computers will have the best prospects for employment.
Photo Credits
- George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty Images


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Year of publication
- 2012 (3) (remove)
- Institut für Physik und Astronomie (3) (remove)
Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) draw their function from their dielectric and mechanical properties. The paper describes the fabrication and various properties of molecularly grafted silicone elastomer films. This was achieved by addition of high-dipole molecular co-substituents to off-the-shelf silicone elastomer kits, Elastosil RT 625 and Sylgard 184 by Wacker and Dow Corning, respectively. Strong push-pull dipoles were chemically grafted to both polymer networks during a one step film formation process. All manufactured films were characterized using (13) C-NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy, confirming a successful attachment of the dipoles to the silicone network. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed that grafted dipoles were distributed homogeneously throughout the material avoiding the formation of nano-scale aggregates. The permittivity increased with the amount of dipole at all frequencies, while the Young's modulus and electrical breakdown strength were reduced. Actuation strain measurements in the pure shear configuration independently confirmed the increase in electromechanical sensitivity. The ability to enhance electromechanical properties of off-the-shelf materials could strongly expand the range of actuator properties available to researchers and end-users.
Electroactive polymers can be used for actuators with many desirable features, including high electromechanical energy density, low weight, compactness, direct voltage control, and complete silence during actuation. These features may enable personalized robotics with much higher ability to delicately manipulate their surroundings than can be achieved with currently available actuators; however, much work is still necessary to enhance the electroactive materials. Electric field-driven actuator materials are improved by an increase in permittivity and by a reduction in stiffness. Here, a synergistic enhancement method based on a macromolecular plasticizing filler molecule with a combination of both high dipole moment and compatibilizer moieties, synthesized to simultaneously ensure improvement of electromechanical properties and compatibility with the host matrix is presented. Measurements show an 85% increase in permittivity combined with 290% reduction in mechanical stiffness. NMR measurements confirm the structure of the filler while DSC measurements confirm that it is compatible with the host matrix at all the mixture ratios investigated. Actuation strain measurements in the pure shear configuration display an increase in sensitivity to the electrical field of more than 450%, confirming that the filler molecule does not only improve dielectric and mechanical properties, it also leads to a synergistic enhancement of actuation properties by simple means.
The properties of dielectric elastomer actuators can be optimized by modifying the dielectric or mechanical properties of the dielectric elastomer. This paper presents the simultaneous control of both dielectric and mechanical properties, in a silicone elastomer network comprising cross-linker, chains and grafted molecular dipoles. Chains with two different molecular weights were each combined with varying amounts of grafted dipole. Chemical and physical characterization showed that networks with stoichiometric control of cross-linking density and permittivity were obtained, and that longer chain lengths resulted in higher electrical field response due to the reduction in cross-linking density and correspondingly in mechanical stiffness. Both actuation sensitivities were enhanced by 6.3 and 4.6 times for the short and long chain matrix material, respectively.


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Project Description
Your tax-deductible donation supports various inclusion programs and activities on all nine EUSD campuses, including: the SOAR (Sharing Our Acceptance and Respect) Peer Mentoring Program, Teacher Mini-Grants, Buddy Benches on playgrounds, and Family Social Events. Please help the Special Education EEF Committee grow these initiatives that help foster acceptance amongst all students. Every donation, no matter the amount, makes a big difference!