text:
FOUNDATION of EGO-CREANET "VIRTUAL INTERNATIONAL AGENCY".
Letter of intent between :
LRE/EGOCREANET – University of Florence Italy
Director : Paolo Manzelli – Phone :+39/055/332549 – firstname.lastname@example.com
"Knowledge Management innovation is the basis of benefit for the future Knowledge society"
Considering that the "knowledge based economy" requires explicit knowledge management to build up the essential basis of understanding the process innovation for enterprise success, national vitality and societal advancement,
- The present proposal of the FOUNDATION of EGO-CreaNET "VIRTUAL INTENATIONAL AGENCY", is taking in consideration the following aims , goals and criteria for producing a relevant " knowledge strategy " in a knowledge creation driving contents innovation to develop promotional actions and projects in the context of the European vision of socio-economic change initiated with the LISBONA EU-COUNCIL (May-2000)
AIM: Managing intelligence for developing "Community networks" and to foster socio-economic building needs in contents and methods of interactive and proactive on line participation for developing new forms of knowledge construction in Europe , oriented to formulate innovative programs at all levels - local, regional, and global.
GOAL: Favouring new theory on socio-economic growth and improving and implementing the key role of "net-work co-operative management" reflecting the new value of ITC in driving knowledge productivity of "intangible assets" as well as "human capital and social and environmental capital ".
CRITERIA for Actions : Starting from the consideration that " skills and knowledge innovation" will be the main economic resources of the future Knowledge Society the EGO-CreaNET "VIA" will be utilize the a sharing methodology of intellectual on line co-operation for understanding the fundamental changes of knowledge dynamics and to develop new educational research innovation .The focus of the promotional actions of EGO-CREANET " VIA" will be to strengthen the "knowledge sharing" relationships between Universities and SMEs , on the basis of an "net-learning" approach favouring knowledge management skills innovation and exploiting and assessing various co-operative performance and activities on life-long education at all levels of human resources endorsement.
Hence focusing the previous Mission's statements EGO-CreaNET (IT)
and the Partner co-Founder of EGO-CreaNET "VIA"
would like to enjoy the FOUNDATION of "EGOCreaNET – "VIRTUAL INTERNATIONAL VIRTUAL AGENCY" .
The Manager of the founder's institutions agree to the following initial procedure that consist simply to sign this letter of intent as a necessary premise for opening to a large international adhesion to the EGO-CreaNET "VIA" Foundation.
The successive start up of EGO-CreaNET "VIA" will be to produce a common document to initiate the realization of an effective and efficient "Knowledge Management Enterprise" fostering a creative innovation in the sector of European Knowledge Economy and aiming
a) to establish a common promotion of some EU- FP6 project proposals
b) Co-organizing a staff of "e.working researchers" that will be the skilled group of actors in the entire process of the Foundation of EGO-CreaNET- "VIA" .
SIGNED : by the partner Co-Founder
DATE of the preliminary Proposal 10DEC/2003
BUILDING SKILLS for "FOOD –QUALITY TRACEABILITY " in "KNOWLEDGE
"SKILL SHORTAGE" overcoming in Vocational and Permanent Education System was the main focus of the ACTION PLAN of Leonardo Project OGM (2002-2003). http://food-traceability.net/
After one year of an analysis about the contemporary skill demand on Vocational Careers innovation in the food industry and in the "Food traceability Sector" this report is submitted by LRE/EGO-CreaNET of the University of Florence in the role of scientific coordinator of the OGM Leonardo Project.
Although the food processing sector is not one for which employment growth the very high complexity of food quality traceability along the entire food chain gives some problems to define a single well defined curriculum in the vocational schools and in the knowledge management innovation of Agri-food industry.
In any case the results obtained by the OGM Project will be seriously important because the
Education and skills needed to deal with an increasingly competitive environment in the food sector that it will be based on food quality traceability to guarantee the consumers about the security of food quality and in relation to the safety problems of citizen. Therefore the LRE/EGO-CreaNET believe that this report provides some useful signposts for the sector, both in terms of general strategic direction and specifically in regard to the actions needed to ensure that, as far as skills and education are concerned, both the analysis and the provision of education and training are finely geared to meet future market-place requirements about the prevention of frauds and the safety security of consumers.
This report also considers the current position in regard to education and training provision and the extent to which this is meeting workplace requirements for the food traceability sector.
Finally, it makes a series of recommendations aimed at ensuring that the knowledge management innovation oriented to improve strong relationships among Vocational Schooling and University and Agri-food industry will be adapted to meet the challenges facing it by having available a well-trained intellectual workforce, possessing the new kinds of skills mix the rapidly changing circumstances demand.
There are two key messages contained within the report. The first is that the traditional vocational education organized in the traditional school systems need to change the disciplinary teaching method to focus of an multidisciplinary management within the sector to advance skills for "food quality traceability"; as a matter of facts for understandable reasons the goal of overcoming of skill shortage related to the very complex field concerning Food quality and Safety, will no longer be adequate to be obtained through disciplinary lessons. Therefore it will be a need that Agricultural schooling systems produces contents and methods innovation to be able to develop a new management within the Agri-food sector needs.
Hence the schooling systems need to adjust without delay their content and method of lecture organization if they would like to meet, and anticipate, the constantly evolving marketplace requirements of food quality and health security requested today by Eu citizen. . Second, the quality of the permanent education for improving on the job management innovation of agro-food SME's industry needs to be improved, in order to respond effectively to the kinds of changes of the demand of consumers and also to the industry placement in the global contemporary competition.
Those new arrangements that are now required are difficult to enrich immediately bur a great effort need to be made to equip future intellectual employees with the skills and knowledge that they will need to make the European strategy of Knowledge Economy prosper and will be sustainable in the next future. Recommendations contained in the report reflect the previous underlying issues that will be addressed to the more representative stakeholders throughout a large dissemination of the Project Results /Products.
1) The Demand and Supply of Skills in the Traceability Food Processing Sector
Need to be clear that the Demand of innovative skills for managing the Traceability in food processing sector is very high, in fact the Food Quality and Safety is one of the seven priority of development of the European Knowledge Society, decided by the extraordinary European Council (LISBON MAY 2000).
Therefore the Leonardo Project OGM develop an educational research into a context of innovative process and innovative products , that represent a not linear development with the past learning curricula and objects organized as discipline on Agriculture and Food Knowledge & Know-how . The OGM Leonardo project as a matter of facts reflects the changing professional skills and requirements of permanent education of today's food industry and consumers in an extended Europe.
This is a not easy goal and so that it is better to understand that the Consortium OGM develop the own e.team work as a start up following fundamental goal to get an exploration of the auto-sustainability looking to develop a future training activities participating to the 6FP in the sector of Food Traceability.
Therefore for transferring the knowledge and know how obtained by the OGM Consortium and generating an expansion and deepening of the OGM network co-operation is emerging as a key question the participation to FP6 –2003-ACC-SSA-Food ( dead line 26/June/2006 ), that was proposed by PIN as a main Contractor with some partner of the OGM Leonardo Project . (REF.N° FP6-510471) This proposal obtains quite good evaluation results, but the Eu Commission requests to lower the Financial Contribution adding a heavier co-financement of the Consortium. Now the OGM Consortium looks to send again the proposal at the dead line of the 05/Feb./2004.
Certainly also the other work plan results and products will be developed by the Consortium.
In particular the OGM Consortium realizes a Portal on FOOD TRACEABILITY NET http://food-traceability.net/ where all the intermediate results and milestones were publicized in real time on line.
2.) Executive Summary – Key Findings
The Food Quality and Safety priority represent a high challenge of contemporary society that includes the GMO production and a greater intensity of competition, changing in consumption patterns, and rapid developments in food processing technology.
Responding to such challenges has the focus in terms of the skills and knowledge management expertise that the food-industry and consumers will require in the contemporary market globalization.
Therefore an analysis on the Demand and Supply of Skills in the knowledge management of food traceability sector has been undertaken OGM Consortium partners by means an on line bibliography extended to all the European Information that is included in the Portal : http://food-traceability.net/interno.php?sez=biblio&nr=1
Where the Key-Arguments are the following: Agriculture Traceability
Biosecurity ,Biotechnology ,Commercial trends ,Eating risks ,Food Biotechnology ,Food Certification ,Food chain ,Food Quality & Development ,Food Safety , Food Security ,Food Traceability ,Genetic Modified Organisms , Innovative Training ,Laws and Rules ,Mad Cow
Project preparation ,Software for Food Traceability ,Standards for GMO detection ,Typical Foods
The main objectives and actions of the OGM-Consortium studies are driven by the following the following issues:
1. Review the key factors which will impact on the different food chain traceability processing sub-sectors, and
examine how these critical drivers-of-change impact on skill requirements.
2. Examine the type of skills required to meet the needs of the food traceability sector as a whole and
its sub-sectors, taking the identified drivers-of knowledge management innovation into account.
3. Review the existing training provision within the food processing sector and evaluate its relevance
And adequacy to meet the skill needs of the sector going forward.
4. Identify the leading training providers and assess the extent of gaps and overlaps in current
5. The demand and supply of skills in the food traceability was examined in this study for some sub-sectors of the food processing: meat, milk, vegetables, especially, fruits, potatoes, grain, bread training provision.
6. Develop a diffusion of recommendation in each partner's country to develop a framework overcoming the skill shortage for the food traceability and GMO tracking.
Note: The complexity of the theme of the food traceability processing in the total food chains and its long extension "from farm to fork" is so high that the approach of LEONARDO OGM Project have been excluded various food-chains, given that the study's has a particular focus on the Genetically Modified Organisms and novel food tracking from the typical food in the market.
3) - Methodology of the Educational Research during the Project Implementation.
This included:
• comprehensive review of existing studies and reports, and in the food traceability sector specifically, and on issues and developments likely to impact on the food industry over the coming years.
• widely consultative series of International Congress that was held in : Prato (Italy- 31-January 2003) , in Paestum (Italy- 29 April 2003 ) , (Bucharest - Romania –12 September 2003) , ( Sofia- Bulgaria – 9 –10 - February 2004) .
The International congresses was a very important Milestones of the OGM LEONARDO Project , because a large amount of national and international Agri Food enterprises and Universities and Governmental Institutions will be present in any of previous Congresses with an very high involvement in the development of understanding the food processing sector innovation and the on the food quality and safety issues proposed by the European commission as well as one of the principal priorities of the development of the EUROPEAN KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY ( 2000-2010) . The above indicated congresses was followed from one day of GMO Consortium workshops where an extensive food -industry survey, was taken into consideration for involving them as well stakeholders and utilisation of the diffusion and the dissemination of ongoing results of the project also proposing a series of one-to-one personal interviews with leading food company executives.
Ultimately during the GMO-CONSORTIUM Workshops was developed some opportunities of collaboration with leading players in third level training organisations and training providers to examine and validate survey findings.
The analysis of the implication of the contemporary implications on working changes in the Food Processing Sector generate a fundamental consideration for implementing the skill building initiatives on vocational and permanent educational innovation in knowledge management of the GMO Pilot Project on issues related to food quality traceability.
Capital investment in new plant and process automation will result in less manual and unskilled labour being required in food manufacturing companies. The clear implication is that total employment in those companies will decline over time. There are several consequences.
Firstly, companies must be capable of making the capital investments required to implement new science & technology and organizational changes more appropriated to their business.
Secondly, both management and workers must be trained to understand and work any new systems implemented.
It easy to understand that those needs of change are too much complex and expensive for a single AGRI-Food SME; therefore a "networked economy" need to be considered a preliminary necessity for enjoining into a clusters co-organized as well "digital districts" , Enterprises and Centres of research working together as a new competitive endeavour on the food market and marketing .
This approach of Networked Economy is the fundamental challenge that need of a renovation of human skilled resources in managing production networking lines rather than in carrying out the work themselves like single independent enterprises.
Therefore the effective needs generated by the contemporary changes of competitive scenery pressed by the globalization of the market is to develop "Team-skills and competencies" cantered on managing chain efficiency production flow based on the quality and the security of food production from the farm to the purchased foods .
Responsible acceptance of such world wide transformation of the competitive scenery on food market will require a major change in socio-economic culture of and hence need of the development of educational research for improving the intangible assets ( human an and social capital) in the post industrial development of knowledge society.
An additional consideration is regarding the Information Technology of Communication (ITC) because it is also a compelling factor for change and in fact It has given great impact on the food business over the past decade with some examples being the introduction of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) in best practices on "HACCP certification methodology, between suppliers and buyers and computerised process control systems. ITC is also the basis for effective Team- management for the Knowledge Economy development
Finally in the Food Changing of competitive scenery of the food sector, biotechnology assumes a great importance.
As a matter of facts biotechnology is increasingly a major influence in the food industry.
"Traditional" biotechnology has always been a significant element of the food industry. This includes the use of enzymes such as in cheese-making, fermentation in brewing, yeast in baking, etc. However, biotechnology is now moving
Today, agricultural biotechnology, together with its potential and risks, is a matter of concern for politicians, producers, scientists and the civil society. It is a heavily discussed issue in almost every country, where opinions of the different parties vary considerably and sometimes are quite different. Consequently, appropriate management, considering aspects related to research, bio-safety, intellectual property rights and public perception regarding this technology, is of greatest importance.
Worldwide has been placed on the production (resistance to diseases and tolerance to herbicides) of the most economically important crops (wheat, cotton, rapeseed and soybean) with no direct benefits for the consumer, which has not helped create a favourable public opinion on biotechnology in general and on transgenic crops in particular. Nevertheless, efforts are being made with second-generation transgenics functional foods to improve the quality of products, for example by increasing the nutritional value of food, improving flavour or reducing those substances in food which traditionally produce allergies
In the direction of functional/fortified foods common examples here include breads with added vitamins, and liquid milk and yogurts fortified with added minerals, vitamins and "probiotics". Today food probiotics research is are working for developing the understanding the use of pro-biotics elements (for helping lack of vitality) instead of anti-biotics (against life).
Therefore it is a misconception that nowadays many people think of biotechnology only in the context of Genetically-Modified (GMO) foods. These have been the subject of considerable adverse publicity in recent years and it is fair to say that there is considerable negative consumer sentiment and distrust of GMO foods including the potential risk of bio-pollution for the environment and health.
Besides plant breeding, conservation of genetic resources is another issue of importance in the application of biotechnology. In this sense, the fundamental role of germ-plasm banks should be highlighted, in particular those operating within international agricultural research centres, conservation in germ-plasm banks another element of agro-biodiversity conservation of equal importance is in situ conservation through national and international programmes, where biotechnology plays a fundamental role in the multiplication of in vitro plants and phyto-sanitation.
Mention should be made, first of all, of the lack of a bio-safety system which derives in two situations. First of all, the institutions and enterprises which are able to carry out research on trans-genics cannot take advantage of said capacity due to the lack of production regulations and secondly, the existence of possible illegal and uncontrolled production of some transgenic crops.
Those arguments are well treated by the Leonardo OGM Project as an important element of scientific and public debate, especially in the four international congresses organized as milestones for presenting to the public the on going results of the Leonardo Pilot Project because this argument attract traditional media of large communication to the people ( TV. Newspaper, magazines and so on). In any case, in coherence of the objectives achievement and within a pertinence of project out-comes with the priorities identified in the national call that are looking to the vocational and permanent education innovation, the CONSOTIUM efforts in this field regarding the OGM works preferentially to understand the effective possibilities to use Bio-technology in method of analysis detention and control ( for instance Bio-sensors) to avoid the co-existence of OGM and Novel foods ingredients, with the traditional organic food in the market, following the normative expressed by the European recent laws in relation to this argument.
5) Projected Skills in Vocational Schools and Permanent Training Needs
The Skill gaps identified in the food traceability processing sectors in a Leonardo GMO trans –national case study is mainly a consequence of the difficulties of developing a knowledge management competencies for growing up a networking among schools and/or University and industry as well as "clustering" aggregation in the food sector ; therefore was an important issue to understand where are the Training Constraints that are coming from the difficulties of deep understanding of the problem solving and saving methodology requested by the food quality traceability in a trans-national context :
a) There are several methods of Traceability one of them is based on an indirect traceability procedure based on a series of self – certifications, made by each industry of the chain food processing going from farm to purchased foods that now need to be extended and applied at trans-national level.
For an indirect approach oriented to find a back - traceability is developed the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) method that is a system that enables a manufacturer to concentrate on points on the production line where problems may occur, and to correct any errors immediately at those critical points.
The application of the CODEX Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) methodology has been actively encouraged to prevent or reduce the food safety risk and frauds to an acceptable level of food- contamination.
There is also strong evidence that HACCP application in a trans-national level need to follow uniform procedures and this is very difficult because need to deal with different existing laws and other differences of production and processing foods in different countries that limits the of operational procedures of food quality traceability in an extended dimension of exchanging HACCP data. .
So that is becoming an opinion of the OGM Consortium that the deep need for the future
b) Typical Food Quality Traceability is to develop a research on more direct indicators for Food Quality Traceability that can be used for detecting the food safety and control the quality along all the food chain processing.
Other methods are based on reliable direct traceability scientific methodologies based on "natural molecular markers" or by the "bio-technological detection and control that can be applied to technical and organizational aspects especially to determine production, species and geographical origin also with the scope to avoid GMO co-existence and separate the traceability of GMO or novel foods ingredients from conventional and organic crops along the food and feed chains.
In this case for validating the scientific methodologies of food – direct - traceability and developing innovative skill shortage the schooling systems need to enjoy into a cluster network with centres of research and agro- food industry.
Therefore the project Leonardo GMO will tray to practice this need of learning by doing developing a proposal on FP6 – Integrated Project – on the Area 5.4.4. T/4.1 with a dead line 05/ Feb. / 2004 on the general issue:" TYPICAL FOOD QUALITY TRACEABILITY". http://www.consorzioqualital.it/tfqt/
In this way we hope to favour the understanding of the dynamics of the future direction of the Research innovation in a strengthening co-operation with Agri-food industry, in a way that the perspectives to overcome the skill deficit both:
in vocational schools on food traceability new professions and also to master the critical gap in permanent education of knowledge management of SME's can advance in a synergic system of collaboration for the training innovation on the Food Quality and Safety European Priority because those skill shortages are critical barriers to the future development of the food quality traceability into a trans European dimension.
The Research work done of OGM Leonardo Pilot Project on the Identification of the critical skill gaps has identified the various current and potential future new skill sets required by food chain traceability processing. The resulting survey was tested in the GMO workshop open to agri-food SME's stakeholders and Governmental Educational Institutions for validity purposes.
6) Anticipation of training needs
Following the above objectives and activities the OGM –LEONARDO ACTION PLAN e.work to improve an innovative educational model and training units for an for renewing Knowledge Management, into a context of mutual learning between Universities and SME's and their Associations to reply to the following fundamental questions :
a) - FIRST Priority TOPIC-- Content " SCIENCE & SOCIETY" :- Goal: understanding the impact of Science on Society strengthening the scientific and technological basis to increase consumer confidence in the food supply chains through ensuring complete food traceability indirect HACCP certification and for meeting the Knowledge Management skill and competences innovation in an European Knowledge Economy.
. -B) – Secondary Priority TOPIC Content: "FOOD QUALITY TRACEABILITY "Goal: Keeping the Traceability problem as well as an opportunity for bridging the gap between intellectual unemployment and the development of Knowledge based Society. As a matter of facts the ability to trace down animal or agricultural foods origin through bio-technology DNA fingerprinting to any further methods of analysis ,detection and control of dangerous micro-organisms and other bio-chemical contaminants constitute an extremely relevant systems for SKILL BUILDING of new team professions because is related to the contemporary need to grow up a multidisciplinary and multi-enterprise net-working approach, that need to integrate scientific, legal and productive capabilities co-operating in a way to be able to reply to the changes in the production and processing and distribution of foods in the global market favouring a quick and efficient retrieval of transparent knowledge finalised to guarantee and to control and to certificate through a well understandable labelling , the quality and safety of any composition of food from raw materials coming from many diverse countries and very different production systems .
In syntheses the categorisation of innovative skill and competencies can be subdivided in two sets
1) on Individual new skills based of content integration
2) on team-networking skills based on e.work in a team
CATEGORY 1, R&D new individual skills
- • Food Science &Technology skills related to the commercialisation
- • Product Quality control research / and • HACCP auditing skills
- • Biosensors knowledge and traditional product tasting skills
CATEGORY 2, Operative new team-skills
- Food chain Product and Processing supervisory on traceability control team-Skills
- Food Industry networking Knowledge Management team-skills
- ITC Operative team-skills for marketing in an market extension
- Total quality management and multi-languages team-skills
- Research &• Business planning team-skills
- Food Procurement and regulatory team –Skills
7) Understanding the role of training related to the issues of Food Quality Traceability in a trans-national context.
In relation to the FIRST TOPIC: e.g. Science e Society the Leonardo Pilot Project develop a Model for implementing Vocational Agricultural Schools innovation based on an "Open Distance Training" in relation to the Direct food traceability obtained by means Molecular and Analytical Markers, Bio-sensors, and other methods of analysis, detection and control especially regarding the GMO tracking and the Nutritional aspects of the food quality.
This model was developed before by means the single tests on the partners colleges in Italy ( Don Bosco Agricultural Institute . and on U.K. ( Otley College) in Lituany (Kauna Food College) using a sharing method on line for communicating to all the OGM-Consortium about the different approaches in the different countries and the on going and final results.
The skill area that was taken in consideration was the following:
-Adaptation of training and curricula to the Scientific and Technological changes in the food quality traceability.
-Entrepreneurship training on issues related to knowledge management innovation
- Intangible assets development in the European knowledge economy in relation to food quality & safety issues.
In relation to the second TOPICS , especially regarding the Knowledge Management Innovation of SME's , the GMO Project consider the need of understanding the dynamics of the competitive scenery in the complex food sector of production and selling and the new risks and challenge of the food market.
The most important factor on this Topic is that the Scientific-Research on Food quality and safety need to be developed in a direct joining with the Food-Industry. As a matter of facts in the development of the European Knowledge Economy, it is important to overcome the conceptualization of organization that was a tradition of the obsolete industrial society where the research is separated activity from the market activities e.g. before work the scientific research and after it will become possible the transfer of the knowledge innovation to the users applications.
We see for instance how great disaster on public health and to the market generate the "Mad Caw" challenge.
As in this case the science research needs to study in collaboration with industry to prevent the problem of the Prions that are able to cross the barriers between the animal and human species. The development of rapid diagnostic tests has limited the risk of transmissible spongiform encephalophaties or prion induced diseases, also if the fundamental scientific question remain till now unresolved. The BSE challenge put immediately in joining research activities Industrial Associations with Joint Research Centres and Consumer Health Protection Institution for developing diagnosis and tests for detecting infected cow's meat, and the methods to treat the prevention of such diseases.
From this example we can understand and generalise the way to overcome these networked managements understanding between industry and centres of research for developing the Food chain Traceability.
As a matter of fact it is am important trend to overcome the splitting between the role of science and the production, growing up new training activities in knowledge management of integrated science and business.
As a matter of facts the business in a knowledge society need a new management staff till to day unavailable because the disciplinary approach proper of training in the Industrial society context create a considerable barrier to develop innovative training courses in the "Science & Business integration£" for developing the future Knowledge Economy. This is particularly important to understand because nowadays most food companies are SMEs and accordingly, do not have additional staff capacity to cover for such absences in innovative knowledge management.
8) SKILLS INNOVATION AREA: CRITICAL GAP in SCIENCE & BUSINESS INTEGRATION
Making Science Relevant to Business there is to take in consideration a great divide of language.
'Business' and 'Science' often speak in different 'mentality', resulting in a perceived lack of relevance between the two. To help bridge the language/culture divide, it is necessary to develop courses for integrating science and business communities as well is proposed in the INTEGRATED PROJECTS ("IP") of the six framework program on the priority of the European Commission. Understanding this need the LEONARDO CONSORTIUM during this year works to develop the agreement among trans-national IP communities, utilizing in this a system of effective training activities based in an advanced public understanding of science and business integration.
From those experiences realized by means the ONLINE MAILING LIST WEB-LOGIC approach, was possible to understand and to define in practices the SKILLS AREA CRITICAL GAP in SCIENCE & BUSINESS INTEGRATION that we summarize in the following new list of SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENTALKNOWLEDGE ECONOMY SKILLS in the food sector:
-Science and business project planning skills using "Goal Oriented" methodology
-Negotiation skills among science and business communities
-Organizational skills of science and business oriented to diffuse reliable traceability methods and rapid diagnostic tests
- Sales and Marketing Skills about the risks and frauds prevention in full chain food traceability
-Popularization skills on science and business for disseminating public understanding of knowledge economy
-Operative "Team-Skills" on Net Learning approach on sharing knowledge between science and business in different languages.
9) Education NET LEARNING TECHNOLOGY for the Food Sector
The OGM Leonardo Consortium delegates the partners MONDO (Ro) and PIN (It) to develop a range of net learning on line initiatives being performed across the partnership country that are reported in the Web Portal http://food-traceability.net/, described in details in other section of this report.
In this preliminary section are evaluated some consideration conclusions and recommendations on best practice of "NET-Learning" approach based on a sharing knowledge methodology in the food traceability sector. First of all NET – Learning is synonymous of "Mutual Learning" oriented to promote the capacity for sustainable food Quality traceability systems.
Certainly looking in this network learning dimension for responsible mutual learning access to an internet connected computer education we found a lot of difficulties in tray to e.work to deepen the mutual knowledge in the understanding of advanced concepts and skills associated with modern sustainable food quality traceability issues
So that the OGM Consortium using of the professional activities of MONDO – (RO) in this field will focus on a digital literacy and to diffuse them with appropriated on line initiatives as well opening a Forum and using the BLOG (web-logic) system of opening a debate. Certainly the active and inter-active involvement was very low on those initiatives because new educational skill needed to develop knowledge sharing in a way that the Net -learning technology can become an effective agent of change for sustainable food quality and safety development.
The demonstrable potential for bridging the gaps between the Research and business environment throughout and information communication technology , is today an hard question of different mentality that exist between centres of research and agri-food industry , that seems to get no time for advancing a common learning tools for advancing into a sustainable Knowledge Economy.
It will be possible that in the future those initiatives of Net-Learning will be get time to expand towards an extension of the partnership through the FP6 – Initiatives in the Typical Food Quality Traceability that the Leonardo OGM pilot project is now seeking to expand for developing the contents spectrum through further educational modules and units , that can be developed by a system of e.Educational Edition on FOOD TRACEABILITY , realized in a similar way of the present Tool-KIT for making advanced mutual learning on food quality and safety a reality.
In any case a number of key points emerged by the NET-Learning pilot experience that can be good suggestions for future actions.
Science/Technology on demand on line courses orientation to on the job permanent education, being organised along functional integrated lines of specialist science & business avoiding broad-science -based general food management courses.
Available traditional training in the food sector provides a national educational programs and curses are essentially concentrated around the disciplinary curricula on food industry, food hygiene, food nutrition, and more recently on bio-technology of GMO and novel foods. In any case Most of the above training programmes are coming from public education sectors and are nationally accredited. More recently a great amount of short courses for adjournment in on the job training are recently developed also on line on the issues related to HACCP/ISO food safety and quality areas, normally reflecting the impact of national legislation and regulation as a driver conceptualization of innovation of training in the knowledge management of industry.
Conversely, there is a almost low level of availability and interest in multidisciplinary training in "Science & Business" in food innovation, based on many strategically important skill areas such as new integrated Science and Industry relationships for realizing new products and processes development in the AGRI FOOD PRODUCTION AND SELLING, including operations management and customer satisfaction and relationship management at European level.
Probably this shortage reflects the industry's short-term operational focus and the difficulties of Agri-FOOD SME's to be involved in a networked economy , so that the lack of interest on a more open agreement between Research and Production seems in contrast with the trends of the globalization of the food-market.
As a matter of facts today the relatively low level of graduate interest in the integrated sectors of SCIENCE & BUSINESS , are combined with the small graduate intake of new intellectual jobs by the industry, and vice versa reflects the poor image of the food industry among graduates and, over the longer term, the defect in an advanced integration of SCIENCE & BUSINESS poses a serious challenge to the food- sector, in terms of the management capabilities on food quality tracing and intellectual capital knowledge management innovation of the Agri Food Industry.
Therefore the few examples of industry and University joining enterprises need to be taken in account for giving them an added value aiming to facilitate a strategy able to attract with a good working position the persons and teams that are able to develop Net-learning and net-working systems for growing up sharing flexible learning in permanent education on a trans-national SCIENCE & BUSINESS integration. .
Finally the fundamental suggestion coming from the pilot project OGM LEONARDO in this area of food Quality Traceability addressed to decision and political makers are to develop any strategic tool and actions to allow an exchange of ideas on R&D projects realized as best practices in joining ventures between public or private Centres of research and Agri-food industry and developing on the job innovative knowledge management on Science& Business courses and intellectual job opportunities.
10) Key drivers of Future Sustainability.
As well has been clearly identified before , enhanced food safety and traceability knowledge management innovation of skills and competencies in Science & business is a critical sustainability prerequisite for European Knowledge Economy in the priority's area of food quality and safety.
In fact the structure of the food manufacturing industry need to be changed radically over the contemporary decade, reflecting the impact of competitive forces on the sector that need to increase the consumer's satisfaction on quality of food and citizen confidence in the food health security throughout the scientific and technological basis that ensure the complete traceability along the entire food chains. Also it will ensure that the Typical or Regional Food can be linked to their declared origin ( both geographical and product origin) .It will assure the prevention of frauds and the distinction of organic food by the GMO and other products based on recent biotechnological production , from raw materials to purchased foods.
The above consumers need of security and confidence gives a very high added - value in the Food Market, but this means that it will be necessary a European wide networking structure based on Science & Business integration that will be accelerated by means complemented process of knowledge management training innovation.
Therefore some of the main driving forces for the future sustainability of the Educational Research work developed by the OGM Leonardo Pilot Project are outlined below as well fundamental recommendation and long term requirements:
- Continuous analysis of the development to anticipate the training needs in innovation on "Food Quality & Safety"
- Adaptation of the traditional vocational courses to the Agro-industry needs in relation to the scientific and organizational changes
- Favouring multi-disciplinary curricula development and integration of Science and Market for growing up competitive knowledge management skills improving supply-chain efficiency.
- Including in the curricula food Chain traceability consistent advancements specially in relation to GMO Tracking, and Typical or Regional organic food for saving their traditional quality
- Defining new possible team-job profiles (i.e. – multi-professional) for networking in the area of Food Traceability available within a sharing method of exchanging information and solutions obtained by an on line co-operation among agricultural colleges, research centres and industry.
- Develop a permanent system of training of "tutors" for helping students and more in general stakeholders to "mutual learning activities "in the area of Food Quality & Safety.
- Implement an open distance learning platforms in "science and society" basic issues regarding food nutrition and health, for improving a developmental Citizen's understanding of the dynamics of change.
Based on these requirements written as well as sustainability understanding for implementing new educational strategies and increasing R&D and Industry co.-cooperation by means growing up adequate skill and competencies, it is imperative for food suppliers and public and private stakeholders to invest in and monitoring the EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH INNOVATION.
Given the speed of movement of competitors and the fast-moving nature of the food industry, such development of Educational Research is vital to framing appropriate strategies of Knowledge Economy development in Europe.
La pagina
- Educazione&Scuola©


text:
Seattle Seahawks training camp is in full swing, with the offensive and defensive players finally able to take the field together. Monday should mark the most exciting day for fans so far when the pads come on for the first time this summer.
Over the last week, it's been obvious that quarterback Russell Wilson will have his choice of players to throw to this season, with multiple offensive options at his disposal.
Wide receiver Tyler Lockett – Wilson's No. 1 go-to target – explained during his press conference on Friday.
"We're starting to move people around a lot more, so you'll never know where people are going to line up," Lockett told reporters via Zoom. "That's where our dangerous weapons are going be able to succeed."
"You don't know who we're going to run the ball with, you don't know who we're going to throw the ball to – we added so many additions, and the people we added to our team are also selfless," Lockett continued. "That's what you have to be able to have in a team is selfless people that want each other to succeed."
The Seahawks beefed up their tight end game with the addition of veteran Greg Olsen and the return of Will Dissly from injury. Wide receiver D.K. Metcalf is looking to shine in his sophomore season. Finally, don't look past the running backs, who also could factor into Seattle's receiving game this season.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Students & Internship
You're eager to learn new things and want to take a look behind the scenes in a hyper-growth environment? Great! Whatever you're studying, we have all kinds of jobs to suit you. Take a look at our opportunities. Starting as a working student can be a door-opener for your further career.
An internship at Staffbase is anything but conventional. You'll be right at the heart of major projects, working with teams of passionate people and helping us to create the next awesome thing.
We currently don't offer internships on a current basis, however, you can always send us a general application via email@example.com. Show us who you are, what you care about, and where you want to go and we'll get in touch.
Open Positions
There are currently no open positions for this team.


text:
Reserve Deputy Program
Sheriff's Reserve Deputies
Lewis County Sheriff's Office has an active Volunteer Reserve Program. Reserve deputies typically work with full-time deputies in performance of their duties. Tenured reserves who have passed appropriate training are also allowed to perform patrol duties by themselves with minimal supervision. While the Reserve Program is a recruitment tool and a stepping stone for a full-time law enforcement career, it is also ideal for someone with an established career who wants be involved in law enforcement, and to make a positive difference in their community.
Requirements to be a Reserve Deputy:
- 21 years of age
- No felony convictions
- Valid Washington State driver's license
- United States citizen
- High school diploma or G.E.D. certificate
- Good physical health and condition
- Other agency requirements…
- Physical Ability for deputy.
- Structured in-house oral interview.
- Polygraph examination.
- Psychological evaluation.
- Drug screening.
- Criminal history and background investigation.
- Reference check.
- Physical examination.
For more information about our Reserve Deputy program please contact:
Jeff Godbey by E-mail:
Andrew Scrivner by E-mail:
Our Mission
Being a committed community partner, providing professional service to enhance the safety, security, and quality of life in Lewis County
Our Vision
Committed to excellence in being a trusted, respected, and professional public safety agency.


text: Travels with Charley; John Steinback Posted byNCSAugust 23, 2020Posted inWriting In Spanish there is a word for which I can't find a counterword in English. It is the verb vacilar, present participle vacilando. It does not mean vacillating at all. If one is vacilando, he is going somewhere but doesn't greatly care whether or not he gets there, although he has direction. John Steinbeck (1962) Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading... Related Published by NCS reader of great literature, teller of tales, photographer of mostly awful snaps but on occasion I am half decent. View more posts


text:
How often does language fail to express the tempest within?
Words pour endlessly and yet to understand,
One has to search between the lines. Misunderstood.
Missed in translation.
Tongue coated with a vocabulary that remains silent.
How often too the touch of a hand is enough.
A parting of lips. A sigh. An embrace.
Goodbyes at sunrise.


text:
Fresh Pasta or BustCampo de Fiori MarketStumble-Upon ShoppingPrivate Tour of the VaticanOpt For the Affogato
Things I've learned: When in Rome, it can be difficult to restrict usage of the phrase "When in Rome," whether you're consuming a double scoop of gelato or purchasing a pair of custom, handmade leather sandals. But I'll try mightily to here!
As the last stop on my epic Trafalgar guided vacation in Italy, Rome did not disappoint. The weather was perfect, the crowds weren't too crazy and the food, wine and people (including our steadfast travel director, Tony, and our local specialist, Cristina) were spectacular.
And because our trip was all about seeing the real Rome—in other words, the off-the-beaten-path, hole-in-the-wall wonders—we didn't just visit the big name spots. Sure, we made pitstops at the usual suspects (Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and my favorite, the Pantheon), but we also discovered secret gems, like a spectacular cold-pressed juice stand. Even better, Tony and Cristina had all the right hook-ups—like getting us a super-exclusive, private tour of the Vatican. "Roma is like lasagna," Cristina told me. "It has eight layers of history—and I'm here to help show you the best layers."
Here, five of the most memorable spots during my time in beautiful Roma.
Fresh Pasta or Bust
After eating our weight in pasta during the course of the trip, it only seemed appropriate that we try making it ourselves... under the supervision of a pro, of course. We turned to Chef Fabio Bongianni, of Rome's famed That's Amore restaurant (he also told me he's scouting Los Angeles to potentially open his second location—you heard it here first!). Chef had us make two kinds of fresh pasta—with egg and without—and the rest of the ingredients were just flour and water. How easy it that? As for equipment, you really just need a simple pasta machine like this one, as well as a whisk and a fork. My favorite pasta was a fresh ravioli with spinach, ricotta and Parmesan, which is, according to Chef, "The original Italian recipe." What better way to enjoy the fruits of our labor than with a Prosecco toast on the roof, followed by a multi-course dinner surrounded by good food and new friends?
Campo de Fiori Market
Campo de Fiori is the perfect place to purchase souvenirs of the culinary sort, including fresh fruit, colorful vegetables, dried pastas, truffles galore and local delicacies like handmade jams, honeys, mustards and pestos. Because of new Roman shopping habits (i.e. fancy grocery stores) and rising real estate prices, Campo de Fiori is sadly one of the last open air markets left in the center of Rome. The good news is that locals do still shop the dozen or so stands that continue to offer the best produce in the city, sold by families who have done so for generations and generations.
Stumble-Upon Shopping
Rome boasts tons of charming, independent boutiques full of authentic Italian treasures and passionate locals excited to talk about what's en vogue in the city right now. One afternoon, I stumbled upon this tiny sandal shop off the Piazza Nerova called Di San Giacomo, where the owner will custom create a pair of real Italian leather thongs within the hour, using the leather color of your choosing and adorning them with your desired buckle or bauble. Then there's Mercato Monti, a rotating collection of vintage clothing and unique accessories handmade by local designers, in the trendy Monti neighborhood. Finally, I'd be remiss to leave out at La Pietra Stregonia—just be sure your suitcase is big enough to bring all your new haori kimonos home.
Private Tour of the Vatican
You hear so much about the Vatican and you see it in pictures, but live, up close and in person (and on a private tour exclusive to Trafalgar without the crowds there), it's a totally different ball game. It's its own city state, for goodness' sake! It's overwhelming and humbling. With Cristina providing historical context, plot twists, suspense and trivia, I truly got lost in the experience. Not to mention our private tour of the Ethnological museum—how special! Of all that we saw, the Sistine Chapel was the most magical place. And Michelangelo wasn't even a painter, he was a sculptor! (Insert don't quit your day job joke here.)
Opt For the Affogato
Gelato is a given in Rome, but after too many fragola cones, one starts to get, well, sluggish. For a pick-me-up, I started getting into the affogato game: one scoop of vanilla gelato drowned with a shot of hot espresso. (Do as the locals do and roll up to a sidewalk shop, order, and sip while standing at the bar). It's simple, but the complexity slowly reveals itself: The first sip (or bite, depending on your style) is still hot from the espresso, but the follow-up sensation is a cold, buttery vanilla cream. When you get the bottom of the cup, you're left with a rich, frothy, milky soup not unlike the last bite of waffle soaked with all the syrup. It's heaven, is what it is. And so is Rome.
For more on Rome, watch the video below:
Follow Marie Claire on Facebook for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.
The Perfumer Behind Last Year's Most Talked-About Fragrance Just Released Another Perfect Scent
Aqua Media Cologne forte embodies a feeling of balance and harmony.
By Deena Campbell
'Yellowface' Is Our June Book Club Pick
Read an excerpt from R.F. Kuang's latest novel, here, then dive in with us throughout the month.
By Brooke Knappenberger
I Scoured the Summer Runways—Here Are the Six Shoe Trends Actually Worth Buying
Hit the ground running this season.
By Emma Childs
The 10 Best Health Spa Resorts in the U.S.
It's pampering time.
By Michelle Stansbury
The Fashion Editor's Guide to Saint-Germain-des-Prés
The most stylish things to see and do in the creative hub of Paris, the 6th arrondissement.
By Sara Holzman
The Ultimate Guide to Copenhagen
Explore one of the happiest cities in the world.
By Emma Childs
The Spring Ski Guide to Beaver Creek
We're making a case for a spring vacay on the slopes.
By Sara Holzman
The Ultimate Guide to Paris
Where to stay and what to do in the City of Lights.
By Sara Holzman
The 17 Best Luggage Sets of 2023
BRB, setting my "out of office" message.
By Emma Childs
The 12 Best Weekender Bags for Women, According to Editors and Experts
In case you needed another reason to be pumped about your trip.
By Julia Marzovilla
Weekend Guide to the North Fork: Where To Stay, Eat, & Drink
Wine, oysters, and more wine please.
By Sara Holzman


text:
I'm looking at you bookworm! Join here for updates to our event list. Know when the latest indie authors are going to be having giveaways!
And if you're an author who wants to join in on the fun, Join here!*
*Requires you to join the Support Indie Authors board on Goodreads.com


text:
Ford Escape: Autounlock
The autounlock feature will unlock all the doors when:
• the ignition is in the on position, all the doors are closed, and the
vehicle has been in motion at a speed greater than 12 mph (20 km/h);
• the vehicle has then come to a stop and the ignition is turned to the off or accessory position; and
• the driver door is opened within 10 minutes of the ignition being transitioned to the off or accessory position.
Note: The doors will not autounlock if the vehicle has been electronically locked before the driver door is opened.
Deactivating/activating autounlock
Your vehicle comes with the autounlock feature activated. There are four methods to enable/disable this feature:
• Through your authorized dealer, or
• by using the power door unlock/lock sequence,
• Performing the keyless entry keypad procedure (if equipped), or
• Performing the message center (if equipped) procedure.
Note: The autounlock feature can be activated/deactivated independently of the autolock feature.
Power door lock switch autounlock enable/disable procedure
Before starting, ensure the ignition is in the off position and all vehicle doors are closed. You must complete Steps 1–5 within 30 seconds or the procedure will have to be repeated. If the procedure needs to be repeated, wait a minimum of 30 seconds before beginning again.
1. Place the key in the ignition and
turn the ignition to the on position.
2. Press the power door unlock control on the door panel three times.
3. Turn the ignition from the on position to the off position.
4. Press the power door unlock control on the door panel three times.
5. Turn the ignition back to the on position. The horn will chirp one time to confirm programming mode has been entered and is active.
6. To enable/disable the autounlock feature, press the lock control, then press the unlock control. The horn will chirp once if autounlock was deactivated or twice (one short and one long chirp) if autounlock was activated.
7. Turn the ignition to the off position. The horn will chirp once to confirm the procedure is complete.
Keyless entry keypad autounlock enable/disable procedure
1. Turn the ignition to the off position.
2. Close all doors.
3. Enter factory–set 5–digit entry code.
4. Press and hold the 3 • 4. While holding the 3 • 4, press and release the 7 • 8. While still holding the 3 • 4, press and release the 7 • 8 a second time.
5. Release the 3 • 4.
The user should receive a horn chirp to indicate the system has been disabled or a chirp followed by a honk to indicate the system has been enabled.
Message center procedure (if equipped)
For information on activating/deactivating the autounlock feature using the vehicle's message center, refer to Message center information in the Instrument cluster chapter.
AutolockThe autolock feature will lock all the doors, liftgate and liftgate window when: • all doors are closed, • the ignition is in the on position, • you shift into any gear putting the vehicle ...
Smart unlocking featureThe smart unlocking feature helps prevent you from locking yourself out of the vehicle. With the key in any ignition position, the driver's door will automatically unlock if it is locked using the ...
See also:
Storing and maintaining the current speed
You can store the current speed if you are driving faster than 20 mph (30 km/h). Accelerate the vehicle to the desired speed. Briefly press the cruise control lever up 1 or down 2. Remove your ...
Voice Command System Operation
This Voice Command system allows you to control your AM, FM radio, satellite radio, disc player, and a memo recorder. NOTE: Take care to speak into the Voice Interface System as calmly and no ...
Turning on/off the Hands-free mode
Turning on/off the Hands-free mode 1) OFF hook switch 2) ON hook switch 3) Talk switch To turn on the Hands-free mode, press the OFF hook switch . To turn off the Hands-free mode, press th ...


text:
The Hero leads your troops on marches, adding bonuses to the combat stats of your warriors, and can also attack Invaders and Uber Invaders.
The Hero's Abode displays all necessary information about your Hero, including statistics and available equipment, and also allows you to create Sets. Upgrading this building increases the bonus to the Hero's experience. Hero's Abode levels 21, 26, and 31–35 give your Hero additional Skill points.
The Hero tab in the Hero's Abode displays the equipment that your Hero is currently wearing, and your Hero's level and energy. Here, you can also see bonuses from Skills and equipment, as well as change the Hero's name and Skin.
In the Hero's Skills window, you can see the list of Skills your Hero has mastered, as well as upgrade or reset them.
In the Hero's Sets tab, you can see saved Sets, unlock new Sets by using Memory Points, as well as delete, activate, or replace Sets you currently have. There is also the Bonuses icon, which you can hit to view the current bonuses and Set bonuses. Comparing stats will help you judge which Set will be most useful for you.
Hitting the Hero icon in the upper control panel will allow you to see the Hero's stats.
Need help?
Need help?
Get in touch. We'll be happy to help!Ask a question


text:
A Tweet has gone viral about a young woman who send an exit survey to men she dates at the end of a relationship.
Questions on the exit survey included:
-What is wrong with Katie?
-What is wrong with you?
-At what point did you know this wouldn't work out?
-Would you refer Katie to a friend? If so, please list numbers here.
While it's unorthodox (ok, it's strange), I appreciate wanting to be reflective and to learn from mistakes. It can be easy when a relationships ends to want to blame the other person, but usually when relationships end, it's a two way street.
Anytime a person has a relationship end, it's helpful to ask how you contributed to the end of it. Otherwise it can be easy to get into a cycle of one failed relationship after another where a person keeps dating the same kinds of people and making the same types of mistakes thinking that things will be so much easier when they find this mythical "the one."
As I already mentioned, the Tweet referencing the survey has already been liked 21,000 times.
Although not everyone is a fan. Some comments I saw on articles were negative, saying "Run!" and calling it crazy, others mocking the young lady and saying things like "I think I know why she's single." Again, I realize it's unusual. But there's also nothing wrong with wanting some closure. And at the end of a relationship, if a little constructive reflection can leave both people suited to be better off in their next relationship, that strikes me as a good thing. Especially if a person chooses to respond and add some insights.
Before getting married, I know there were times when things would inexplicably end and I didn't always get the opportunity to find out why. So I can definitely empathize with a person wanting that closure.
Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear what you think, and don't forget to subscribe!


text:
Moorsend, Newton Abbot
Moorsend, Newton Abbot
AVAILABLE NOW. A well-presented, TWO DOUBLE bedroom terraced house with a good sized living/dining room, recently fitted kitchen and a modern upstairs shower room. Early viewings are highly recommended.
- Available Now!
- Open Plan Living / Dining Room
- Modern Kitchen
- Enclosed Level Rear Garden
- Upstairs Shower Room
- Garage
- Pets Considered
- Early Viewing Recommended
Newton Abbot is a thriving market town offering a wide range of amenities including health and leisure facilities, a variety of comprehensive and private schooling, a fine selection of shops as well as a mainline railway station. Easy access is afforded to the expressway and in turn to Plymouth, Exeter and the M5 beyond. Nearby are the attractive resort towns of Torbay as well as the coastline and South Hams beaches. Dartmoor National Park is a short drive best known for its striking granite tors, steep wooded river valleys and heather covered moorland!
The uPVC front door leads in to the entrance hall which has a useful coat storage cupboard, stairs to the first floor and a door in to the living accommodation. The living/dining room is a good size dual aspect room with double French doors to the rear garden and a uPVC window to the front allowing plenty of natural light to flood the room. There is a quality laminate floor and a feature section of exposed brick wall. A door opens into the recently refurbished kitchen which has a great selection of 'Shaker' style wall and base units. There are wood effect work surfaces and a stainless steel sink unit sits below a window overlooking the rear garden. Integrated appliances include a fridge/freezer, microwave, electric oven with ceramic hob and extractor hood above. There is also an under counter washing machine. The kitchen also has laminate flooring and there are inset spotlights. From the entrance hallway stairs rise to the first floor landing which has doors to the two bedrooms and the shower room. Bedroom one is a double room to the front of the house and has a built in wardrobe and laminate flooring. Bedroom two is also a double with laminate floor and a window offering views of the rear garden. The modern shower room is part tiled with a close coupled WC, pedestal wash basin and radiator. The large shower enclosure is tiled and has a thermostatic shower bar. There is also a high level uPVC window giving natural light and ventilation to the room.
The front garden is lawned with paved steps leading down to the entrance door. French doors open out to the rear garden which is totally enclosed by fencing. There is an area of patio ideal for al-fresco eating and a good section of lawn with some mature shrubs. There is a gate at the rear giving access to the single garage which is in a block. Parking on the road is available on a first come, first served basis.
From the roundabout by Dyrons take the A383 Ashburton Road and after around half a mile take a left (just before the third set of traffic lights) into Chercombe Valley Road. Moorsend is the first turning on the left.
Living/Dining Room: 5.79 x 4.02 reducing to 2.83 at the dining end. 19' x 13'2" reducing to 9'3". Kitchen: 2.83 x 2.13 / 9'3" x 7' Bedroom One: 4.02 x 2.74 / 13'2" x 9' Bedroom Two: 3.01 x 2.98 / 9'9" x 9'8"
Long term let. The property is available to rent un-furnished on an initial 6 month Assured Shorthold Tenancy with the option to renew or extend subject to agreement. RENT: £850.00 per calendar month. RENT WITH PET: £885.00 per calendar month. DEPOSIT: equivalent to 5 weeks rent, returnable at the end of the tenancy subject to any deductions. Pets considered, sorry no smokers. Viewings strictly through the agent. Agent memberships: Redress scheme: The Property Ombudsman. Web: www.tpos.co.uk Tel: 01722 333306 Deposit Protection Scheme: My Deposits. Web: www.mydeposits.co.uk Tel: 0333 3219401 Client Money Protect: www.clientmoneyprotect.co.uk Tel: 0333 3219414
Minimum Income Requirement
Annual household income must exceed 30 times the monthly rent (£25,500+)
Returnable Holding Deposit
Equivalent to 1 weeks rent, this fee holds the property whilst the referencing and application is going through. This will only be retained by us if any relevant person (including any guarantor(s)) withdraw from the tenancy, fail a right to rent check, provide materially significant false or misleading information, or fail to sign their tenancy agreement (and /or Deed of Guarantee) within 15 calendar days.


text:
In celebration of his recent recognition as South Africa's 2019 PA of the Year, I'm bringing you my interview with Shirwyn Weber of South Africa.
Shirwyn is an Executive Assistant in Cape Town, and involved in a number of professional associations. Click here to read my interview with Shirwyn.
About Real Careers: I interview assistants – women and men from 23 countries to date – who have expertise and insights to share.


text:
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) is pleased to announce a new opportunity within our current funding cycle for Discovery stage programs: the DISC0 Foundation Awards which focus on foundational and/or mechanistic research projects grounded in human biology and/or disease pathology.
Projects funded through the Foundation Awards should propose impactful or innovative research that culminates in a discovery or technology that would:
- Advance our understanding of the biology of stem or progenitor cells that is relevant to human biology and disease; or
- Advance the application of genetic research that is relevant to human biology and disease and pertains to stem cells or regenerative medicine; or
- Advance the development or use of human stem cells as tools for biomedical innovation; or
- Lead to the greater applicability of regenerative medicine discoveries to communities representing the full spectrum of diversity.
CIRM's goal is that the outcomes of the projects derived from this opportunity will ultimately create new avenues and provide a rigorous foundation for translational and clinical development work.
Since Proposition 14 dedicates more than a quarter of funds to support research and development of treatments for diseases and conditions of the brain and central nervous system (CNS), CIRM encourages the submission of proposals focused on increasing our understanding of the fundamental biology of CNS disorders.
Please visit our website to download the DISC0 Program Announcement and read about program requirements before submitting your application. Applications are due November 8th, 2022 by 2:00 PM PST.
The CIRM Science team recently hosted a webinar addressing DISC0 eligibility requirements, the application and review process, and how this program fits into CIRM's overall Strategic Plan and Mission. The webinar includes a half-hour presentation by CIRM staff followed by a half-hour for Q&A. You can view the webinar below or direct any questions about the program and applications to firstname.lastname@example.com.
We look forward to your applications!


text:
Cabo Adventures
Cabo San Lucas, Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Embark on the adventure of a lifetime with our wide selection of world-class adventure tours and create unforgettable experiences during your stay in Los Cabos. Discover our unique variety of exciting and informative adventures that run from a camel safari in the Baja desert, luxury sailing experiences, thrilling zip lines in a nature reserve, ATV 4×4 rides, snorkeling and scuba diving excursions, whale shark and whale watching adventures & the most intimate and educative dolphin programs. We want to make your vacation extraordinary – discover all that nature has to offer!
Our experienced, English-speaking tour guides and trip leaders have extensive knowledge of the natural wonders found in Los Cabos and the Baja Mexico desert region – and they're ready to take you on an intriguing journey of discovery that you won't find anywhere else. No matter which of our tours or activities you choose, Cabo Adventures are safe learning experiences planned with incredible attention to detail and the right mix of fun and challenge – so make your reservations today!
Cabo Adventures is the number one tour operator in Cabo San Lucas. We provide a wide selection of adventure tours, trips, and activities for all ages.
Inspired by nature, more than 9 years ago, Cabo Adventures began operating tours and dolphin programs offer a way to share his passion for nature. From day one, our philosophy has been to provide unparalleled adventure for each of the customers who visit us.
What started with a boat trip, it has grown to become the leading company in Mexico adventure, offering the best activities in Vallarta, Los Cabos, Cancun and the Riviera Maya.
We are convinced that an unforgettable experience begins with an extraordinary service is why, our team is composed of talented people who enjoy what they do and you rub off your love of nature and passion for adventure.
Today, we offer the widest selection of activities available in the region. Our tours and programs are safe learning experiences designed for those who want to have fun exploring and enjoying all that nature has to offer.
Come have fun with us and find out why we were rated as the # 1 company of tours and activities in Los Cabos.
Cabo Adventures
Address: Blvd. Paseo de La Marina, Lote 7A 23450
Cabo San Lucas, BCS
San Jose del Cabo Paseo Malecón San José #512
Hotel zone 23405
Toll Free: 1-888-303-2653
Direct: +52 624-173-9500
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: www.cabo-adventures.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cabo.adventures
Photo Gallery: [. wonderplugin_gallery id=455. ]
Banner: www.loscabosguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/10CABO-ADVENTURES.jpg
Website: www.cabo-adventures.com
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
View this post on Instagram
Cabo Adventures – 31 May 2021 – BVS
07 yAugust 2022 – Linkes removed. – JAT


text:
Glomerular type 1 angiotensin receptors augment kidney injury and inflammation in murine autoimmune nephritis.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
Studies in humans and animal models indicate a key contribution of angiotensin II to the pathogenesis of glomerular diseases. To examine the role of type 1 angiotensin (AT1) receptors in glomerular inflammation associated with autoimmune disease, we generated MRL-Faslpr/lpr (lpr) mice lacking the major murine type 1 angiotensin receptor (AT1A); lpr mice develop a generalized autoimmune disease with glomerulonephritis that resembles SLE. Surprisingly, AT1A deficiency was not protective against disease but instead substantially accelerated mortality, proteinuria, and kidney pathology. Increased disease severity was not a direct effect of immune cells, since transplantation of AT1A-deficient bone marrow did not affect survival. Moreover, autoimmune injury in extrarenal tissues, including skin, heart, and joints, was unaffected by AT1A deficiency. In murine systems, there is a second type 1 angiotensin receptor isoform, AT1B, and its expression is especially prominent in the renal glomerulus within podocytes. Further, expression of renin was enhanced in kidneys of AT1A-deficient lpr mice, and they showed evidence of exaggerated AT1B receptor activation, including substantially increased podocyte injury and expression of inflammatory mediators. Administration of losartan, which blocks all type 1 angiotensin receptors, reduced markers of kidney disease, including proteinuria, glomerular pathology, and cytokine mRNA expression. Since AT1A-deficient lpr mice had low blood pressure, these findings suggest that activation of type 1 angiotensin receptors in the glomerulus is sufficient to accelerate renal injury and inflammation in the absence of hypertension.
Full Text
Duke Authors
- Barisoni, Laura
- Chen, Jun
- Coffman, Thomas Myron
- Crowley, Steven Daniel
- Foster, Mary Helen
- Pisetsky, David Stephen
Cited Authors
- Crowley, SD; Vasievich, MP; Ruiz, P; Gould, SK; Parsons, KK; Pazmino, AK; Facemire, C; Chen, BJ; Kim, H-S; Tran, TT; Pisetsky, DS; Barisoni, L; Prieto-Carrasquero, MC; Jeansson, M; Foster, MH; Coffman, TM
Published Date
- April 2009
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 119 / 4
Start / End Page
- 943 - 953
PubMed ID
- 19287096
Pubmed Central ID
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1558-8238
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- eng
Conference Location
- United States


text:
discovery+ is back with the season 2 of critically acclaimed and fan favourite series Money Mafia- India's King Cons!
~Premiering on November 24, Season 2 to chronicle the most shocking scams like Crypto Currency, IRS Call Center, Ketan Parekh to Popular Finance Fraud~
Mumbai, November 2021: After the stupendous success of its previous season, discovery+ is all set to premier season 2 of its highly popular and fan favourite show, Money Mafia – India's King Cons! The latest season of the documentary premiering on November 24, 2021, is sure to make for a riveting watch with new and some of the biggest financial frauds of the country that will keep the audience hooked and eager to know what happens next. The series will explore shocking financial frauds from Ponzi schemes to cyber fraud to call center scams and banking scandals that have been committed by ordinary citizens of the country, who planned and committed extraordinary crimes!
This documentary series produced by Chandra Talkies has seen tremendous interest from Discovery's passionate audiences that are seeking to consume some extraordinary and unexplored content. Further rewarding their curiosity, discovery+ has brought together some of these cases that have affected not just Indians but also at some point afflicted people worldwide. This highly popular and among top 10 highest subscription driven series on discovery+ will document 4 intriguing stories like CryptoCurrency cons, IRS Call Center impersonation, Ketan Parekh stock market case, amongst others. Through firsthand expert opinions, archival footage and indepth research, the series will sum up what happened with the masterminds behind it.
"With audiences' increasing appetite for the genre of investigative crime shows, we envision putting across these true crime stories through an entertaining format whilst maintaining its narrative and keeping it unalloyed. Money Mafia revisits popular stories that have captured the nation's imagination thereby broadening interest among factual core viewers as well as general interest viewers" said, Sai Abishek, Original Content Head- South Asia, Discovery Inc.
The first episode will unfold a $300 million fraud case conducted through a fake IRS Call Centre where hundreds of operators posed as the representatives of the US IRS (Internal Revenue Service) and called unsuspecting US citizens to extort money. While the Covid-19 pandemic led to a spur in various frauds, the second episode premiering on 29th November will closely explore Popular Finance – Kerala's Unpopular Saga a Rs 2000 crore fraud by a Non-Banking Financial Company based in Kerala that led to thousands of depositors losing their life savings to an alleged scheme during pandemic. The third episode will focus on one of the most popular Stock Market brokers in India – Ketan Parekh who was often known as the Pied Piper of the stock market. The fourth episode will draw attention to the very popular new digital investment Cryptocurrency and the frauds around it told by victims who have lost their life savings.


text:
2: Repression and resistance in Bahrain
3: Blue Dawn
4: George Monbiot gets nuked
5: Tell the truth
6: The enemy of my enemy is…. dead
7: Islamophobia
Helen Caldicott vs George Monbiot: "Prescription for Survival"
Democracy Now!
March 30, 2011
"Prescription for Survival": A Debate on the Future of Nuclear Energy Between Anti-Coal Advocate George Monbiot and Anti-Nuclear Activist Dr. Helen Caldicott Continue reading
George Monbiot: Climate change emails profoundly disappointing Pts 1-3
November 29, 2009
George Monbiot: Emails don't disprove climate change science, but suppressing skeptics unacceptable
Author of the best-selling books Captive State, The Age of Consent and Heat: How to Stop the Planet from Burning. George Monbiot is a columnist for the Guardian.
War Criminals Must Fear Punishment. That's why I went for John Bolton By George Monbiot
By George Monbiot
06/03/08 "The Guardian"
As long as the greatest crime of the 21st century remains unprosecuted, we all have a duty to keep the truth alive
I realise now that I didn't have a hope. I had almost reached the stage when two of the biggest gorillas I have ever seen swept me up and carried me out of the tent. It was humiliating, but it could have been worse. The guard on the other side of the stage, half hidden in the curtains, had spent the lecture touching something under his left armpit. Perhaps he had bubos.
I had no intention of arresting John Bolton, the former under-secretary of state at the US state department, when I arrived at the Hay festival. But during a panel discussion about the Iraq war, I remarked that the greatest crime of the 21st century had become so normalised that one of its authors was due to visit the festival to promote his book. I proposed that someone should attempt a citizens' arrest, in the hope of instilling a fear of punishment among those who plan illegal wars. After the session I realised that I couldn't call on other people to do something I wasn't prepared to do myself.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
George Monbiot tries to citizen arrest John Bolton!
Democracy Now.
Alleging War Crimes, British Activist, Writer George Monbiot Attempts Citizen's Arrest on Former UN Ambassador John Bolton
John Bolton, the former US ambassador to the United Nations, escaped a citizen's arrest Wednesday night as he addressed an audience in Britain. We speak to George Monbiot, the British activist and columnist who tried to arrest Bolton. Monbiot says
I almost had a tear in my eye with i saw this.
Bolton is a war criminal for his role in helping to initiate the US invasion of Iraq.
Vodpod videos no longer available.
The Middle East has had a secretive nuclear power in its midst for years By George Monbiot
By George Monbiot
11/20/07 "The Guardian"
When will the US and the UK tell the truth about Israeli weapons? Iran isn't starting an atomic arms race, it's joining one
George Bush and Gordon Brown are right: there should be no nuclear weapons in the Middle East. The risk of a nuclear conflagration could be greater there than anywhere else. Any nation developing them should expect a firm diplomatic response. So when will they impose sanctions on Israel?
Like them, I believe that Iran is trying to acquire the bomb. I also believe it should be discouraged, by a combination of economic pressure and bribery, from doing so (a military response would, of course, be disastrous). I believe that Bush and Brown – who maintain their nuclear arsenals in defiance of the non-proliferation treaty – are in no position to lecture anyone else. But if, as Bush claims, the proliferation of such weapons "would be a dangerous threat to world peace", why does neither man mention the fact that Israel, according to a secret briefing by the US Defence Intelligence Agency, possesses between 60 and 80 of them?
Officially, the Israeli government maintains a position of "nuclear ambiguity": neither confirming nor denying its possession of nuclear weapons. But everyone who has studied the issue knows that this is a formula with a simple purpose: to give the United States an excuse to keep breaking its own laws, which forbid it to grant aid to a country with unauthorised weapons of mass destruction. The fiction of ambiguity is fiercely guarded. In 1986, when the nuclear technician Mordechai Vanunu handed photographs of Israel's bomb factory to the Sunday Times, he was lured from Britain to Rome, drugged and kidnapped by Mossad agents, tried in secret, and sentenced to 18 years in prison. He served 12 of them in solitary confinement and was banged up again – for six months – soon after he was released.
However, in December last year, the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, accidentally let slip that Israel, like "America, France and Russia", had nuclear weapons. Opposition politicians were furious. They attacked Olmert for "a lack of caution bordering on irresponsibility". But US aid continues to flow without impediment.
As the fascinating papers released last year by the National Security Archive show, the US government was aware in 1968 that Israel was developing a nuclear device (what it didn't know is that the first one had already been built by then). The contrast to the efforts now being made to prevent Iran from acquiring the bomb could scarcely be starker.
At first, US diplomats urged Washington to make its sale of 50 F4 Phantom jets conditional on Israel's abandonment of its nuclear programme. As a note sent from the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs to the secretary of state in October 1968 reveals, the order would make the US "the principal supplier of Israel's military needs" for the first time. In return, it should require "commitments that would make it more difficult for Israel to take the critical decision to go nuclear". Such pressure, the memo suggested, was urgently required: France had just delivered the first of a consignment of medium range missiles, and Israel intended to equip them with nuclear warheads.
Twenty days later, on November 4 1968, when the assistant defence secretary met Yitzhak Rabin (then the Israeli ambassador to Washington), Rabin "did not dispute in any way our information on Israel's nuclear or missile capability". He simply refused to discuss it. Four days after that, Rabin announced that the proposal was "completely unacceptable to us". On November 27, Lyndon Johnson's administration accepted Israel's assurance that "it will not be the first power in the Middle East to introduce nuclear weapons".
As the memos show, US officials knew that this assurance had been broken even before it was made. A record of a phone conversation between Henry Kissinger and another official in July 1969 reveals that Richard Nixon was "very leery of cutting off the Phantoms", despite Israel's blatant disregard of the agreement. The deal went ahead, and from then on the US administration sought to bamboozle its own officials in order to defend Israel's lie. In August 1969, US officials were sent to "inspect" Israel's Dimona nuclear plant. But a memo from the state department reveals that "the US government is not prepared to support a 'real' inspection effort in which the team members can feel authorised to ask directly pertinent questions and/or insist on being allowed to look at records, logs, materials and the like. The team has in many subtle ways been cautioned to avoid controversy, 'be gentlemen' and not take issue with the obvious will of the hosts".
Nixon refused to pass the minutes of the conversation he'd had with the Israeli prime minister, Golda Meir, to the US ambassador to Israel, Wally Barbour. Meir and Nixon appear to have agreed that the Israeli programme could go ahead, as long as it was kept secret.
The US government has continued to protect it. Every six months, the intelligence agencies provide Congress with a report on technology acquired by foreign states that's "useful for the development or production of weapons of mass destruction". These reports discuss the programmes in India, Pakistan, North Korea, Iran and other nations, but not in Israel. Whenever other states have tried to press Israel to join the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, the US and European governments have blocked them. Israel has also exempted itself from the biological and chemical weapons conventions.
By refusing to sign these treaties, Israel ensures it needs never be inspected. While the International Atomic Energy Agency's inspectors crawl round Iran's factories, put seals on its uranium tanks and blow the whistle when it fails to cooperate, they have no legal authority to inspect facilities in Israel. So when the Israeli government complains, as it did last week, that the head of the IAEA is "sticking his head in the sand over Iran's nuclear programme", you can only gape at its chutzpah. Israel is constantly racking up the pressure for action against Iran, aware that no powerful state will press for action against Israel.
Yes, Iran under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a dangerous and unpredictable state involved in acts of terror abroad. The president is a Holocaust denier opposed to the existence of Israel. During the Iran-Iraq war, Iran responded to Saddam Hussein's toxic bombardments with chemical weapons of its own. But Israel under Olmert is also a dangerous and unpredictable state involved in acts of terror abroad. Two months ago it bombed a site in Syria (whose function is fiercely disputed). Last year, it launched a war of aggression against Lebanon. It remains in occupation of Palestinian lands. In February 2001, according to the BBC, it used chemical weapons in Gaza: 180 people were admitted to hospital with severe convulsions. Nuclear weapons in Israel's hands are surely just as dangerous as nuclear weapons in Iran's.
So when will our governments speak up? When will they acknowledge that there is already a nuclear power in the Middle East, and that it presents an existential threat to its neighbours? When will they admit that Iran is not starting a nuclear arms race, but joining one? When will they demand that the rules they impose on Iran should also apply to Israel?
FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
Water World: Slipping Toward Climate Catastrophe By George Monbiot
By George Monbiot
Posted July 12, 2007
New reports issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change might be absurdly optimistic about the pace of melting ice caps and rising sea levels.
Editor's Note: George Monbiot is a British journalist and author whose expertise is on climate change and other environmental issues. Monbiot's article reveals that government ineptitude in the face of increasingly frightening scientific data on climate change is not limited to the United States: The UK government is dangerously negligent on energy and climate issues even though it knows better.
Reading a scientific paper on the train this weekend, I found, to my amazement, that my hands were shaking. This has never happened to me before, but nor have I ever read anything like it. Published by a team led by James Hansen at NASA, it suggests that the grim reports issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change could be absurdly optimistic.
The IPCC predicts that sea levels could rise by as much as 59 centimeters this century. Hansen's paper argues that the slow melting of ice sheets the panel expects doesn't fit the data. The geological record suggests that ice at the poles does not melt in a gradual and linear fashion, but flips suddenly from one state to another. When temperatures increased to 2-3 degrees Celsius above today's level 3.5 million years ago, sea levels rose not by 59 cm but by 25 meters. The ice responded immediately to changes in temperature.
We now have a pretty good idea of why ice sheets collapse. The buttresses that prevent them from sliding into the sea break up; meltwater trickles down to their base, causing them suddenly to slip; and pools of water form on the surface, making the ice darker so that it absorbs more heat. These processes are already taking place in Greenland and West Antarctica.
Rather than taking thousands of years to melt, as the IPCC predicts, Hansen and his team find it "implausible" that the expected warming before 2100 "would permit a West Antarctic ice sheet of present size to survive even for a century." As well as drowning most of the world's centers of population, a sudden disintegration could lead to much higher rises in global temperature, because less ice means less heat reflected back into space. The new paper suggests that the temperature could therefore be twice as sensitive to rising greenhouse gases than the IPCC assumes. "Civilization developed," Hansen writes, "during a period of unusual climate stability, the Holocene, now almost 12,000 years in duration. That period is about to end."
I looked up from the paper, almost expecting to see crowds stampeding through the streets. I saw people chatting outside a riverside pub. The other passengers on the train snoozed over their newspapers or played on their mobile phones. Unaware of the causes of our good fortune, blissfully detached from their likely termination, we drift into catastrophe.
Or we are led there. A good source tells me that the British government is well aware that its target for cutting carbon emissions — 60 percent by 2050 — is too little, too late, but that it will go no further for one reason: it fears losing the support of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Why this body is allowed to keep holding a gun to our heads has never been explained, but Prime Minister Gordon Brown has just appointed Digby Jones, the former director-general of the CBI, as a minister in the UK government department responsible for energy policy. I don't remember voting for him. There could be no clearer signal that the public interest is being drowned by corporate power.
The government's energy program, partly as a result, is characterised by a complete absence of vision. You can see this most clearly when you examine its plans for renewables. The EU has set a target for 20 percent of all energy in the member states to come from renewable sources by 2020. This in itself is pathetic. But the British government refuses to adopt it: instead it proposes that 20 percent of the UK's electricity (just part of Britain's total energy use) should come from renewable power by that date. Even this is not a target, just an "aspiration," and it is on course to miss it. Worse still, the British government has no idea what happens after that. I recently asked whether it has commissioned any research to discover how much more electricity we could generate from renewable sources. It has not.
It's a critical question, whose answer — if its results were applied globally — could determine whether or not the planetary "albedo flip" that Hansen predicts takes place. There has been remarkably little investigation of this issue. Until recently I guessed that the maximum contribution from renewables would be something like 50%: beyond that point the difficulties of storing electricity and balancing the grid could become overwhelming. But three papers now suggest that we could go much further.
Last year, the German government published a study of the effects of linking the electricity networks of all the countries in Europe and connecting them to North Africa and Iceland with high voltage direct current cables. This would open up a much greater variety of renewable power sources. Every country in the network would then be able to rely on stable and predictable supplies from elsewhere: hydroelectricity in Scandanavia and the Alps, geothermal energy in Iceland and vast solar thermal farms in the Sahara. By spreading the demand across a much wider network, it suggests that 80 percent of Europe's electricity could be produced from renewable power without any greater risk of blackouts or flickers.
At about the same time, Mark Barrett at University College London published a preliminary study looking mainly at ways of altering the pattern of demand for electricity to match the variable supply from wind and waves and tidal power. At about twice the current price, he found that we might be able to produce as much as 95 percent of our electricity from renewable sources without causing interruptions in the power supply.
Now a new study by the Center for Alternative Technology takes this even further. It is remarkable in two respects: it suggests that by 2027 the United Kingdom could produce 100 percent of our electricity without the use of fossil fuels or nuclear power, and that it could do so while almost tripling its supply: British heating systems (using electricity to drive heat pumps) and transport systems could be mostly powered by it. It relies on a great expansion of electricity storage: building new hydroelectric reservoirs into which water can be pumped when electricity is abundant, constructing giant vanadium flow batteries and linking electric cars up to the grid when they are parked, using their batteries to meet fluctuations in demand. It contains some optimistic technical assumptions, but also a very pessimistic one: that the UK relies entirely on its own energy supplies. If the German proposal were to be combined with these ideas, it's possible to see how one might reliably move towards a world without fossil fuels.
If Hansen is correct, to avert the meltdown that brings the Holocene to an end we require a response on this scale: a sort of political "albedo flip." The British government must immediately commission studies to discover how much of our energy could be produced without fossil fuels, set that as its target then turn the economy round to meet it. But a power shift like this cannot take place without a power shift of another kind: the UK needs a government which fears planetary meltdown more than it fears the CBI.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. This material is distributed without profit.
A Sudden Change of State By George Monbiot
By George Monbiot
Published in the Guardian 3 July 2007
Reading a scientific paper on the train this weekend, I found, to my amazement, that my hands were shaking. This has never happened to me before, but nor have I ever read anything like it. Published by a team led by James Hansen at Nasa, it suggests that the grim reports issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change could be absurdly optimistic(1).
The Conspiracy Widens by George Monbiot
by George Monbiot
Dissident Voice
June 30th, 2007
This is a response to Alexander Cockburn's latest article for CounterPunch. The full debate between Cockburn and Monbiot can be found here.
So at last, and after only seven requests, we have some references. And, to no gasps of surprise, they reveal that the "papers" on which Alexander Cockburn bases his claim that carbon dioxide doesn't cause global warming have not been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. In fact they have not been published at all.