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How WeChat's new 'Wow' and 'Top Stories' features have made the app worse
WeChat's pursuit of traffic with two new features, rolled out in its most recent update, has only highlighted the platform's problems of misinformation and "click farming."
Illustration by Peter Behr
"Pretending I'm in New York" (假装在纽约 jiǎ zhuāng zài niǔ yuē), a former journalist, has been posting about U.S. news for more than five years on his official WeChat account. Last month, he wrote about Nancy Pelosi's election as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. "How old do you think this Congresswoman is?" he asked his readers. He pointed out how "seniors" in the U.S. — like the 78-year-old Pelosi — can still take powerful positions without being shy about their age, as many Chinese are.
Then, at the very bottom of the article, he wrote a line that never would have appeared just two months prior:
"May I bother everyone to click on 'Wow' on the bottom right corner?"
For the more than 8,500 of his readers who followed his order, his article titled "The American Senior Who's Not Scared of Power" would have popped up in their "Top Stories" section, available for comment amongst followers.
"Wow" (好看 hǎokàn) and "Top Stories" (看一看 kàn yī kàn) were two features launched last December as part of WeChat 7.0, and they are altering the way users use the platform. In particular, self-publishers such as corporate accounts and individual content creators find themselves facing both opportunities and pitfalls. While they are happy about this new promotional channel as another way to sell advertisers on open rates, page views, and other statistics, it has already become yet another task content creators have to perform. Also, there's risk that "Top Stories" will only further amplify WeChat's problems of misinformation and fake data.
Lack of consumer education
Shortly after the launch, some early adopters like Lǐ Xīnyǔ 李鑫雨 only experienced inconvenience.
The 23-year-old Li updated WeChat as soon as she received a notification for 7.0 in December. Having been a new media editor for a food account for eight months, she spends an average of 12 hours on WeChat on workdays.
As Li had been considering leaving her job, she posted some thoughts on her personal account, then clicked "Wow" — a new button that appeared after WeChat's update — on her post she titled, "End of the year, it's time to leave."
She thought "Wow" was the same as "Like," a way to share posts to friends — and only friends — on WeChat Moments (which is similar to Facebook's News Feed).
But Wow does not operate in the same way: Articles that are "Wow'ed" get filtered into a new section called Top Stories, which is viewable by everybody.
"My boss found out, and I was like, 'How?'" Li said. Not only did her boss see her post, but everyone on her contact list could as well.
"Before the update, 'Like' didn't really have a presence: nothing happens if you click it," Gāo Xīnlíng 高馨凌, a social media executive at international digital agency The Egg, said. That's not the case with Wow — something WeChat told its users in the App's developer's notes and in a user guide published by Tencent Media. But many users, like Li, were still confused.
"The two features are not as intuitive as voice message and texts, their user scenarios are limited," Zhāng Yì 张毅, CEO of iiMedia Research Group, said. "It will take a long time for users to get used to them."
Perpetuating misinformation
Readership of WeChat articles has been going down since 2016. According to Newrank, a WeChat data intelligence agency, page views of China's top 500 WeChat accounts by traffic decreased 13.8 percent in 2018. This was worrying to Zhāng Xiǎolóng 张小龙, a.k.a. Allen Zhang, WeChat's chief designer, as he noted in a rare appearance at WeChat Open Lecture Pro 2019 in January, a two-day conference hosted by the WeChat team to share what they've developed and their plan for the new year.
It was the need for more traffic that provided the impetus for the Top Stories section. But the readership boost comes with an increased risk of perpetuating misinformation. This is particularly true of WeChat: Since the inception of WeChat public accounts in early 2013, the platform has reportedly become the primary news source in China — as well as a hub of fake news. With a user base of over 1 billion monthly active users, there is a lot of opportunity for fake news to spread.
Part of the problem is, misinformation is profitable. Mī Méng 咪蒙, a former playwright, saw her WeChat account forcibly deactivated on February 22 because of an article written by her employee, which was accused of misinforming the public and condemned by state-media Xinhua. As someone known for her sensational content and clickbait articles (the likes of "She has a sex life at 83, what about you?"), she had more than 14 million followers on WeChat before the shutdown. With her audience base, she could have asked for 800,000 yuan ($118,694) — more than the cost of a Porsche — from advertisers for a native advertisement in the top column.
"Many WeChat articles feed into readers' anxiety about work, parenting, and relationships," said Lǐ Shuǎng 李爽, a researcher at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism of Columbia University. She said that was one of the reasons why articles like Mi Meng's could garner so much attention and controversy.
WeChat amplifies messages, in the form of articles, within one's friends on the App, which is dangerous when those messages are not accurate.
"Recommended articles by friends have an extra layer of credibility," Li Shuang said.
That layer of credibility, in the new Top Stories section, has been removed.
Fake stats
According to Zhang Yi, who runs a research group that consists of a dedicated team studying China's social media statistics through big data, fake data — page views achieved via machines and manual labor — in WeChat's advertising space is another issue that version 7.0 has yet to resolve — or even try to.
Pumping followers on social media is hardly a China-only phenomenon. One can buy fake Twitter followers and fake YouTube views, for instance — though those platforms have been proactive about purging suspicious accounts. To an extent, WeChat has begun to as well, but the problem is one of scale. While Twitter has 255 million monthly active users worldwide, WeChat has three times more, at 1.04 billion. It's simply easier to inflate click rates on WeChat.
In September 2017, iiMedia published a report on the fake data phenomenon, revealing that 86.2 percent of WeChat public accounts have purchased page views from service providers to fool readers and advertisers — what is called click farming (刷量 shuāliàng). Zhang said that if "Wow" is included in WeChat's future advertising model, fake data is unavoidable. "It might be harder for machine algorithms to infiltrate," Zhang said, "but you can always reward those who like the post for you."
In fact, fake data has become a part of WeChat's advertising ecosystem. "Small advertisers usually work with agencies, because Tencent offers volume-based rebates," Zhang Yi said. The higher the volume of ad spend, the higher the rebate.
Li, the new media editor, said her company started buying fake page views in January, especially for sponsored articles. "We would get at least 10,000 views for the latter, and three to four thousand for our own articles," she said.
The demand for fake data from self-publishers, advertisers, and agencies is fed into Tencent's advertising arm, Tencent Social Ads, which made 11.1 billion yuan ($1.7 billion) in 2018's third quarter, with a 61% year-on-year increase.
"There is a saying among advertisers: You'd rather work with accounts with 10,000 fake views than those with 5,000 real views," Li said. "Because the boss only wants to see numbers, not impact."
As for her personal use, "I would never click on 'Wow' again after that incident," she said. "Except for my company's articles."


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To you, My Beloved Star Goddess – I give the concept of unity that people might remain open-minded to other possibilities. You will experience the pain of rejection, for I do not permit you to personalize My Affection. As the Star, you are always ready to shine. You will expand your sphere of influence by making quality connections.
Your task and gift are to be humble, but strong. – I ask that you use your Light and use it well.
Your Animal Wisdom – Your beloved and trusted companion will be theButterfly who enters your life as a messenger for change. If she comes to you hurt or ill, Butterfly is asking you to stop keeping your happiness at bay. You may need to take some time to be alone with yourself and listen to your Butterfly's gentle requests. This renewed space within will allow the natural transformation of things in your life to unfold.
Your Angel Ray Gabriel – I also give you Gabriel the clear Cyan light that brings to you the gift of appreciation & unity. His message is to be thankful dear one, for there is always more to come. Remember a humble heart is innocent and open. He asks that you accept your path with gratitude, for in this act of gratitude your stillness is born. And from your stillness, a connection to all that is will undyingly be known. A unity beyond a pair, a unity divinely rare. My Dear Star Goddess your Persistent Obstacle will be to overcome the habit of comparing or Contrasting, balanced by your True Quest and Light Law of Equivalence, which you will fondly live and promote.
And for your good work, I will afford you the Lacing Laws of Openness, Innocence, Stillness, Humbleness, Acceptance, Unity and Gratitude.

subset: commoncrawl


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Gifts for Travellers and Their Dogs
With the road trip season finally here (please contain your excitement), it's a time to think of gifts for those that we love. If you're not quite sure what your travelling friend or their dog wants this year, the dogs and I have put our heads together and came up with a few ideas. Okay it was a really long list but once we got rid of all the treats that Leo kept trying to suggest, we pared it down to our top 15 ideas.
This post does contain affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Here's our list in no particular order:
Table of Contents
Collapsible Coffee Cup
Ideal for: Coffee lovers, hikers, and anyone wanting to reduce waste.
I love these things. Not only do you keep one more cup out of a landfill, but you feel like an absolute superstar when you watch minds being blown down at the local coffee shop when you produce the cup like magic from a pocket.
Want a cup of your own? Click here for a great selection of cups.
Collapsible Coffee Cone
Ideal for: Coffee lovers that love to camp.
These cones collapse until they are completely flat and can fit on top of the collapsible mug. All you need to turn boiling water into some delectable bitter brew is a paper filter and some ground beans. With a collapsible cup, you have a compact coffee-making system.
Shop for a cone here.
Dog Sleeping Bag
Ideal for: Dogs that love to cocoon.
When we go camping, Jack likes to pile all his blankets up into a big mound that he sprawls on top of but Leo feels the need to burrow down into my sleeping bag. Well with a sleeping bag of his own, I don't have to worry about a Boston Terrier butt squeezing past my face.
Snuggle with your pup and let them pick a sleeping bag from here.
Merino Wool Socks
Ideal for: EVERYONE!
Happy feet means happy everything else. I will admit that I have a bit of a sock obsession. I have double layer synthetic socks, toe socks for high-mileage runs, but my favourite for just about everything are merino wool. They are warm when you need them to be, dry remarkably fast, and go for a while before they start to stink. I know socks aren't sexy but they sure are practical.
Remember: no foot, no fun so click here for your first step to happy feet.
Biodegradable Soap
Ideal for: Anyone that wants to cut chemicals out of their life.
With warming temperatures, algal blooms are becoming more common so why not cut some of the chemical load in our waterways. After a long day in the bush, you can get squeaky clean and not have to worry about the impact of your suds. Your travelling companions appreciate it too.
Stock up on biodegradable soap here.
West Paw Design Toys
Ideal for: Dogs that destroy everything.
I'm a big fan of these toys. My dogs have tried their hardest to tear them apart and have failed spectacularly. The toys are dishwasher safe, float in the water, and are brightly coloured so they don't get lost. You can read reviews I have written about the toys here and a separate one for the flying disc here.
If you're looking to fill your dog's toy box, this link will give you plenty to choose from.
Ideal for: Campers and anyone that wants to have a light source in the event of a power outage (so everyone)
It gets really dark once the sun goes down and having a lantern that you can set on a table helps to keep the good times going. I bring a small Black Diamond Orbit lantern with us when we go camping. It is surprisingly powerful for such a tiny device and the handle splits so that it can slide into the small loop in the ceiling of my tent.
Light up your life with these lanterns.
Solar Charger
Ideal for: Gadget-lovers
I'll admit that I don't have one of these but I think it's a great idea to be able to charge devices without putting a drain on your car battery. For that certain someone that can't leave their electronic toys behind, this charger is a must-have.
Ideal for: Backpackers and hikers
I think that a lot of people scrimp on their backpack and end up paying the price. Backpackers are kind of a masochistic group and it's almost a badge of honour when you're sitting around the fire and talking about about the level of your suffering but there are plenty of other things that can hurt (like your feet in uncomfortable socks) instead of your back and shoulders. Nice padded shoulder straps, a bag that is the proper length, and a well-fitted hip strap make all the difference. As much as I'd like to offer some to click on, I strongly suggest going and getting properly fitted for one since that is the only way to make sure it will be comfortable.
If you just can't stop yourself from perusing the selection on line, check here for packs.
Dog Outerwear
Ideal for: Dogs with thin coats or travelling to different climate zones
Leo is a thin-coated little guy which means that he can't go outside naked as late in the season as he would like. Even Jack has a winter coat for when it gets really cold and the boots come out not long after the coats. Luckily we live in the country so salt isn't much of a concern; they just have boots to keep paws warm. I do bring some boots when we travel just in case we end up where there's sharp rocks.
Check here to find new items for your dog's wardrobe.
Collapsible Dog Bowls
Ideal for: Dogs that do any kind of travelling
Whether you're backpacking and need to account for every gram or you're loading a bunch of stuff into a car that's too small (like a Corolla with three dogs and human), collapsible dog bowls are an essential piece of equipment. They come in different sizes and many have clips so they can be attached to a pack or belt loop.
Follow this link for bowls.
Ideal for: Anyone that likes to record their travels
A little notebook that can fit into a pants pocket, a pen, and a glue stick and you have everything you need to create a permanent record of your thoughts along with ticket stubs or other items you collect. What a lovely personal memento of a trip.
Get your journalling started here.
Hiking Poles
Ideal for: Hikers and anyone needing a bit more stability
I think that many people shy away from hiking poles until they use them to power up a steep incline. Then they are sold. They are also good for testing questionable terrain, like a leaf-lined trail that can hide ankle-deep puddles of water that you step into and you turn your shoe into a pond and you go limping around for the rest of the day. Ahem. I have a pair of the Black Diamond Z poles and I cannot recommend them enough. They are not cheap but they are long-lasting, super light, and have no real moving parts to break.
Everyone needs more stability in life. Check here for a selection of hiking poles.
Ideal for: Action photography and videos
This is a splurge item for sure. A gimbal can be purchased for action cameras (think GoPro) or for full-sized cameras. It holds your camera steady and significantly reduces unwanted motion which reduces motion-sickness when showing off footage from your awesome trip.
Donation to a Charitable Cause
Ideal for: Anyone
Instead of giving people stuff, consider a donation to a cause in their name. Piper's passing hit me really hard so a donation to a local animal shelter was how I chose to honour her. Our veterinarians also get random, heaping platters of cookies and baked goods to say thank you. I would like to challenge everyone to give something other than things for birthdays or holidays.
What else would you suggest as a gift for a traveller and their dog?
2 response to "Gifts for Travellers and Their Dogs"
This is perfect for Christmas time! We never go hiking without collapsible bowls. They're total lifesavers for the dogs!


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Considerations to Make When Selecting the Right Shop Selling Kids' Clothes
Most children have small body sizes because they have grown to maturity. Since they have a small body size, finding clothes that will fit them perfectly is difficult. This is the barrier most parents have to overcome so that they can select the right clothing for their sons and daughters. Parents when at the shop choose clothes for their children thinking the clothing will fit them but when the children try them on the clothes are either too big for the kids or too small. To solve this problem for parents shops that only deal in kid's wear come up in the market. The advantage of such shops is that at least it is possible to find even one cloth that will fit your kid perfectly. Many stores that deal in children wear have flooded the market today that choosing the right one is also a problem. This problem will be solved if you read this article to the end. This is because this article explains some of the points to consider when choosing the best shop that sells kids' wear.
The first thing to check before selecting a store dealing in kids' wear is whether the store has the latest fashion clothes. Kids are always keen in the following fashion, and they will always wish to wear clothes that are trending in the market. Thus, you should choose a store that stock current fashion clothes.
The second factor to note is the quality of the clothes in that store. Know this that kids like to play a lot, so they should wear quality clothes that can withstand wear and tear as they play. You will not be forced to buy new clothes every month because the previous ones are torn if you choose quality clothes. Therefore, choose a store that sells high-quality clothes that will not tear easily as the children play.
The third thing to note as you will be selecting an ideal store that sells children clothing is the selling price of clothes at that store. Nothing is for free in the market therefore when you will be in demand of your kids' clothing you will have to spend money. Even though you are to use cash to buy your kids' clothing you also don't have to be extravagant. This will call for a little intelligence, for you will have to go through the market to select a store that sells quality clothes at a fair price.
In case you are in a dilemma on where to find quality clothes for your kid. Then you have selected the right article to read, continue reading this article and make use of the tips it discusses and your problem will be solved.


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Now or Never
Season 15 • Episode 21
In the season finale, with just ten pots to go, a crushing injury requires Coast Guard rescue. Josh and Casey face a huge loss when their offload gets cancelled. Sig gambles on an early finish, while Monte hauls more crab than the Wizard can hold.
41 min||Premiered 09/11/2019


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The Ritz-Carlton Brings Legendary Luxury to Condominiums on Long Island's North Shore
The North Shore of Long Island has long been steeped in Gatsby-esque luxury, so it was fitting when The Ritz-Carlton Residences opened in May 2016 at 4000 Royal Court in North Hills. Phase 1 has nearly sold out, with only four residences remaining, and occupancy for the second phase begins this winter.
In all, there are 244 two- and three-bedroom condominiums, primarily attracting empty nesters as well as Manhattanites and Brooklynites looking for more space — and the strength of the Great Neck South school district.
For those residents commuting to Manhattan, there's a Cadillac Escalade shuttle to and from the Long Island Rail Road — 30 minutes to Manhattan. For those with a house in the Hamptons, you're only 60 miles away.
Whether residents are working in New York City or not, all are attracted to the Ritz-Carlton's lock-and-leave, maintenance-free lifestyle — the big home without the task of maintaining it.
And oh the amenities. The Clubhouse amenities include indoor and outdoor pools, a movie theater, golf simulator, game room, lounge, and reception rooms for entertaining.
There's also a 24-hour concierge, gated entry, 24-hour loss prevention personnel, doormen and porters, valet parking, housekeeping, dog walking and pet care services, package delivery, dry cleaning and personal trainers.
Kitchens feature stainless steel Sub-Zero refrigerators, Wolf five-burner gas cooktops and ovens, under-counter wine storage and under-cabinet lighting.
Bathrooms have Bain Ultra soaking tubs, Newport brass fixtures, double vanities and separate water closets.
The complex was developed by RXR Realty and sales are being handled by Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty. For more information, visit the website.
Prices start at $1.5 million.


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Our most picturesque Austrian resort
Published: 31st October 2016
Located along the River Kitzbuhler Ache in the Tyrol region, the town of Kitzbühel is not only known for its skiing.
The car-free centre is lined with traditional-styled houses and high-end shops. Various cafes and eateries allow groups to take in the sights. Throughout winter the idyllic sugar-dusting layering across the street adds to a festive atmosphere.
With a population hovering around the 8,000 mark, the town comes to life during the ski season as skiers and boarders descend upon the town as they seek out the best Austria has to offer. An average of 180 days of snow makes Kitzbühel a reliable option for school ski groups, while the famous Streif places the resort town on the map of the downhill skiing elite. While the famous Hahnenkamm may draw the eyes of the experienced skier, the slopes cater for all abilities with even newbies able to enjoy captivating views.
From the groomed slopes to the hotchpotch of coloured buildings and cobbled streets in the town centre, Kitzbühel certainly catches our eye.
2018/2019 is now on sale!
Planning on organising a school ski trip? Grab a cuppa and explore our brochure online to find the best options for your school!


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Adsorption dryers have always used towers filled with thousands of tiny desiccant beads to absorb the moisture in compressed air. Now, following years of research and development, Atlas Copco is introducing a new product that will revolutionize compressed air drying: Cerades™, the world's first solid desiccant.
Specifically, Cerades™ improves conventional desiccant dryers in five crucial ways:
Cerades™ saves energy and greatly reduces operating costs because the air flows straight through the desiccant tubes.
Cerades™ decays much less than traditional desiccant, which ensures a consistent dew point and high air quality.
Decomposing desiccant beads create a fine dust that is both an environmental and a health hazard. Cerades™ eliminates this dust problem, which also reduces filtration and maintenance costs.
Because Cerades™ is vibration resistant, it can be mounted horizontally. This is especially beneficial in the transportation sector.
Cerades™ can handle a higher airflow and dryers can therefore be built smaller. This saves space in production facilities and compressor rooms.
These videos will give you a closer look at the different ways in which Cerades™ will revolutionize compressed air dryers and help your business.
Check the safety information related to working with chemical products
Cilandak Commercial Estate # 203
JL. Cilandak KKO, P. O. Box 7021 JKS CCE Jakarta 12560 - Indonesia
Equipment call center +62 21 780 1008 (Working days 08.00 - 17.00)
Service call center +62 21 1500 287 (24/7)


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We have updated all Flex projects that use Automatic Updates to Flex UI 1.13.
This Flex UI release introduces new notifications for call transfer failures, minor fixes to how we handle custom chat tasks, and UI performance improvements.
For a full changelog, visit the Flex UI release notes.
Reminder: You can pin to individual versions of the Flex UI or manage your Automatic Updates within the Flex Admin UI.


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The connection between ex-boys has always been and will forever remain strong. From Calabar to Sokoto, Lagos to Maiduguri it exhibits the bond of brotherhood, the spirit of camaraderie that transcends ethnicity and overlooks religious differences.
It declares an Ade the kin of an Ibrahim and a Chukwuma, their sibling.
It speaks for an Effiom when he finds himself in any part of the world and is welcomed with open arms by an Omeiza.
It makes a Nenponmini feel at home in presence of an Oghenekaro, who he is just meeting for the first time in his life and who is 40 years his senior.
It encourages a Mustapha to bring out his prayer mat to observe his Isha'a prayers in the home of a Pastor Dalaky.
It causes an Aisosa to weep over the demise of a Jaama, a young man he never met.
This bond can only be forged within the walls of the Nigerian Military School, Zaria. The story of two ex-boys during the Nigerian civil war reinforces this conviction.
During the war, Mwolima Anjikwi (NMS 64 Set) was among a group of federal (Nigerian) troops sent on a reconnaissance mission in a Saladin AFV. Unfortunately, the Saladin AFV got stuck in the mud in a location close to Biafran territory and before they could push the Saladin AFV away from the mud, the Biafran troops appeared and captured the federal troops. They were taken to a location inside Biafra and were to be summarily executed.
As they were being led to face the barrel of the gun, Mwolima Anjikwi saw a face he thought looked familiar. He strained his eyes to get a better look at the increasingly familiar face; alas it was his classmate in the Nigerian Military School, Chimah Udonsi (NMS 64 Set) who was now a Biafran Officer.
Before he could breathe a sigh of relief, his heart sank, his NMS classmate had looked at him and turned away without a flash of recognition. The Biafran Officer, Ex-boy Chimah Udonsi then requested to personally execute Mwolima Anjikwi, a request that was granted. Mwolima's heart sank further.
As they got into the deeper recesses of the bush, Chimah Udonsi shouted "268, Mwolima Anjikwi", he immediately hugged his brother and after exchanging pleasantries, he showed him a path to follow so as to link up with the federal troops. His brother had saved him.
As Mwolina Anjiwki moved through the bush path, he saw the corpses of his crew mates.
The ex-boys later meet in a bank after so many decades.
Major Mwolima Anjikwi (rtd) recently passed on to glory after a prolonged illness. May his soul rest in perfect peace.
This remarkable story was shared by Exboy Izaddin Chafe on the the Facebook group The Transmutation of a Boy Soldier!


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Biochemistry is the branch of science in which we study about the structure and chemical composition of living organisms like plants, human being, animal and microorganism. In sciences, Biochemistry is a common field to study. Students like me choose it for many reasons including research and more exposure to science. These are being studied worldwide for various professions.
In Medical Sciences, this subject is also studied having closely resembled with Molecular Biology and Genetics. These are studied as sub-area. The student also studies four major classes of Molecules like
- Nucleic acid,
- Lipid,
- Carbohydrates,
- and Protein.
These are called Biomolecules.
In agriculture, medical and research its applications are found.
Primary Branches of Biochemistry
Like other subjects, Biochemistry is a vast field of study covered hundreds of living organism including blood tests, human body functions, plant growing, your diet, genetic systems, DNA, RNA, Cell functions, generation and so on. Generally, Biochemistry is known as the study of structure & chemical functions of living things but in detailed all these are divided into different Biochemistry Branches.
- Immunology
- Animal biochemistry
- Enzymology
- Plant biochemistry
- Cell biology
- Metabolism
- Molecular biology
- Genetics
The study of the immune system in a living organism is called immunology. For living organism Immune system has great importance. As immunology studied in Branch of Biology. The immune system protects from disease and fights against viruses. Helps to protect the Human body from various diseases like HIV, Cancer, Dengue, Malaria and many other. if any person suffers from immune disease should go to immunology doctors.
The strong immune system of human will result in high survival rate. If any germ attacks on bod; it fight against germs. Defense cell can kill the germ or die that totally depends upon the strong or weak system. The immune system can be strengthened with the help of food, medication and physical exercises. Antibodies boost up immune system against invaders. Invaders may be a bacteria, virus, and foreign partials.
The blood test is performed for immunology testing as well as antigen and antibodies test is performed.
Animal Biochemistry
Relationship of animals with the environment is essential for animal studies. In the animal, Biochemistry studies the chemical composition and chemical reaction that occurs in the animal body. It covers studying animal metabolism, diseases, functions of the cell and further generation. Cloning is considered to study in Animal Biochemistry because the first animal named Dolly (sheep) has been successfully cloned in 1995.
Study of the enzyme is called enzymology. It discusses about kinetics, structure as well as function. Enzyme controls the rate of reaction. It functions as to act on the substrate and convert into the product. Enzymes are specific in its nature & increase rate of reaction by lowering activation energy.
The enzyme is not involved in a reaction but it just controls the reaction rate.
Enzyme classification is divided into 6 different categories and they could be reused. One type of Enzyme is used for one single reaction could not be used for other reaction. If want to used both reaction must having same reactant as well as a catalyst. If the catalyst is changed enzyme used will also change.
Plant Biochemistry
Defined as the study of structure, function and chemical reaction in the plant is called plant biochemistry. In plant Biochemistry, its energy system, defense system, cycles, its light and dark reactions are studied. How Plants participate in Photosynthesis. In Photosynthesis plant used Light energy and convert into chemical energy and cycle is started. They use sunlight to produce glucose from carbon dioxide and water.
Cell Biology
Cell biology deals with the structure and function of the cell. The cell is the basic unit of life. Concerned with a life cycle, physiological properties, and signaling pathway. One of the functions of the cell to maintain cycles like the Krebs cycle, citric acid cycle. The cell consists of a cytoplasm covered with the cell wall. Cytoplasm contains Mitochondria, Golgi bodies, vacuoles, Ribosomes, smooth and Ruf endoplasmic reticulum and many more. Human cells structure is different from animals and plants. As human cell contained a well-defined nucleus, cell membrane and cell wall but animal and plant cell do not have.
Mitochondria are called the powerhouse of the cell. Cell play structure and function role. For life, the cell has great importance. Organisms are divided into unicellular and multicellular. Unicellular mean organism consist of a single cell and multicellular contained more than one cells.
The main purpose of metabolism is converted food into energy to run the chemical procedure in the body. All chemical reaction which involves maintaining life in a living organism is called metabolism. Metabolism divided into 2 categories.
Catabolism and Anabolism
Catabolism is the breakdown of the molecule to release energy. Large molecule breakdown into the small molecule.
For example formation amino acids from proteins, glycogen becoming glucose and TAG becoming fatty acid.
Anabolism is also a metabolic process. The building of components in the cell and its process are studied. The body needs different types of molecules and building of these molecules is called Anabolism.
For example, poly peptide, glycogen and TAG.
Molecular Biology
Deals with structure and function of macromolecules that essential for life Like proteins, nucleic acid.
Molecular biology is the study of biology on a molecular level including the structure, function, and makeup of biologically important molecules such as DNA, RNA, and proteins. The field of molecular biology involves many other areas of biology such as biochemistry and genetics. [ ref ]
Central dogma is a basic study of molecular biology. In central dogma 2 steps are involved in transcription and translation. It Gives information about how gene flows into protein. Transcription is the synthesis of RNA from DNA and translation is the formation of protein from RNA
Many techniques are used in molecular Biology like Polymerase chain reaction PCR, cloning, Southern blotting, northern blotting, western blotting, eastern blotting, Gel electrophoresis, and Microarrays etc.
Genetics is the study of genes, variation, and heredity information of living organisms. Also, study the transformation of genes parents to offsprings. Heredity means physical and mental characteristic of an individual passing from one generation to another.
For example, it is studied that he is heightened because his father or mother is heightened or he has brown eyes because one of the parents has brown eyes.
These are some genes which child took from one of the parents. Some factors are physical like hair, skin color, eye color, and height etc but when discussed about some genetic diseases like diabetes, Anemia, high blood pressure and many other diseases. These diseases usually come from generation to generation.
Secondary Biochemistry Branches
These branches are related to Medical Biochemistry.
Blood Biochemistry
In Blood Biochemistry structure and function of blood in living organisms are studied. Blood is a fluid transported oxygen into the body and excretes out carbon dioxide. Blood transport oxygen to another part of body and heart. Blood act as tissue as well as fluid. It is also studied how the defense system of a body fight against the invader.
Living organism system cannot accept foreign particles in the body. Leukocytes are white blood cell act as a defense system and fight against infections. production point is bone marrow and circulates in the blood. White blood cell fight against invaders. Lymphocytes, Granulocytes, and monocytes are white blood cell and these all collectively made body defense system. Like Lymphocytes produces antibodies against the antigen.
Medical Biochemistry
In medical biochemistry chemical composition and structure of human beings are discussed. It is specified in the medical area. Some Medical students choose Biochemistry as their career.
Why Biochemistry is Important?
Biochemistry is a wild field to study in the search area, Medical field, agriculture, and so many fields. As it has been discussed Biochemistry is the combination of Chemistry and Biology. if the use of Biochemistry discussed in the agriculture field. It helps to control diseases in a field like in the wheat field and rice field.
In the case of pesticide and diseases medicines are used in the field helps to control diseases. Biochemistry used in medical sciences helps to students to understand how chemical procedure occur like a citric acid cycle, Krebs cycle, and many more cycles occurred in the body. Genes, functions of genes, the formation of protein, control of diseases by Genetic engineering, the study of RNA, DNA all are the focus point in the research area.
In Lab Biochemistry diagnose of many diseases like HCV, HBV and many more test are performed. Biochemistry is important in every field of science.
Most important is that a Biochemist can choose many careers. He can choose the career as Teacher, Forensic scientist, Researchers, Lab technologist and in every field of science where Biochemistry is used.


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Men's Mays Headships
Women's Mays Headships
Men's Lents Headships
Women's Lents Headships
Photo: Peter Minning
Poppy Hill
JCBC President & Women's Captain 2019-20
Poppy Hill
(President and women's captain 2019-20)
I am Poppy Hill, this year's JCBC President and Women's Captain.
I am a 3rd year Classics Student. I learnt to row in my first year at Jesus and am now looking forward to leading the club through this year.
The boat club is the largest society at Jesus College and one of the largest boat clubs on the Cam, with over 100 members. It is historically the most successful of the 31 Cambridge college boat clubs - a reputation we have continued to uphold in recent years. Currently our women are dominating college rowing, in second position on both the Lent and May bumps charts, as well as winning a range of races on and off the Cam.
Last year they won Fairbairn's and were the most successful Cambridge college crew at BUCS and Henley. Our men's side has also been consistently within the top few college crews in recent years, placing 2nd in Fairbairn's last year. We also have a strong tradition of our students being involved in the Cambridge University squads, with many of our home-grown athletes progressing to the blue boats or reserve boats
JCBC has a team of dedicated coaches, many with experience rowing and coaching the university crews. We provide excellent coaching to both the higher and lower boats creating great depth of ability within the club, often boasting the fastest third or fourth college boats. Most members of our club learnt to row or cox at Cambridge and we welcome any member of college to try it out! We aim to have more crews out on the water than any other club.
We have an impressive fleet which we continually upgrade, including high quality racing VIIIs and IVs, as well as an extensive collection of small boats. We are very lucky to have our full-time Head Coach and Boatman, Jonathan Conder. In addition to coaching the first boats alongside assistant coaches, he works hard to ensure all crews' boats are in top working order. As well as frequent trips to off-Cam races throughout the year our annual training camp in Spain is a highlight of our training calendar.
The club has the best atmosphere of any society in Jesus, with an incredible team spirit. I have met some of my best friends through JCBC and rowing has given me many of my best experiences at university. The club has an active social calendar including socials, swaps with other colleges and the highlight of each term Boat Club Dinner - a black tie event where we take over the college hall and bar (and then Spoons).
If you would like to join or have any questions email me on email@example.com


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Barzilay is a PhD student of history at Yale and currently a visiting fellow at Vienna`s Institute for Human Sciences. He focuses on intellectual history, momentarily particularly on the Anglophone reception of Michel Foucault. Barzilay recently got a chance to have a peak in the newly found Foucault`s notes which made his current research possible. Even though the text below might send a message that Barzilay thinks of his idea as spotless, it is not the case. He is quite aware of his weaknesses but these need a whole new discussion. He basically goes back to the 1950s, proves Foucault was very influenced by Nietzsche already back then, and shows all his work in a new, correct light. Above all, he suggests Foucault`s works from different periods should be seen in harmony, as a whole.
Foucault is now more popular than ever, he is the most cited author in humanities and Barzilay suggests he might have even become a commodity. All this causes him to be one of the most misunderstood authors. It is however partially also the vagueness of his texts that causes it. At the moment possibly the most popular debate on Foucault is on his relation to neoliberalism – was he one or not? This is just one among many questions that could easily be resolved if Foucault would be seen as a whole and not only through his late lectures. In the case of neoliberalism question it is his 1978-79 lectures. People tend to understand Foucault only through his last period and it is the case in the Anglophone world as well. It is this scholarly tradition that has most authority when it comes to studying Foucault. To be able to speak of his reception in the Anglophone world Dreyfus and Rabinow must be mentioned. However Barzilay puts forth already in the introduction that it seems curious Dreyfus and Rabinow notice Nietzsche`s influenced only later in Foucault career, when it is clear already in The Order of Things, especially in its conclusion, how much Nietzsche influenced him from early on. Dreyfus and Rabinow met Foucault in 1975 when he visited Berkley for the first time, he continued to do so almost every following year and bonded with the two who were and remain inspired by him.
There is a fundamental division of Foucault`s work. Archeology is how the first period is usually called (1960s), it transforms to genealogy, the period when the method changes and Foucault gets more concerned with politics and power (1970s), and then in the 1980s we talk of his turn to ethics and antiquity, but what about the 1950s? Barzilay is intrigued why no one talks of this decade. The aforementioned division is so strong that it divides people into different fields, depending on the period they study, however this seminar argues precisely against this. Foucault should be studied as a unity; only in such way can he be comprehended accurately. Dreyfus and Rabinow claim that discovering Nietzsche really influenced his thought which definitely is the case, however this did not happen in 1969 when Foucault wrote a text on him but already in the 1950s as Barzilay disputes in this seminar. In order to truly understand Foucault and avoid modern misinterpretations of him we therefore need to go back to 1950s.
Foucault was a student of philosophy and strongly influenced by two currents of thought during his student years. The relevance of Marxism is due to postwar circumstances and a practical reason – Althusser`s influence on his students. Many, including Foucault, became members of the party. On the other hand there was Merleau-Ponty who influenced Foucault with phenomenology, especially Husserl`s. Besides studying philosophy, Foucault specialized in psychology but has never actually studied it since it was not possible to do it back then. His first job in Lille was thus teaching psychology and the early 1950s were for him all about psychology. However as early as 1954 a transformation occurs and his work turns to philosophy and anthropology which is due to his first reading of Nietzsche. He reads On the Use and Abuse of History for Life where Nietzsche criticizes 19th century historicism and emphasizes how important for the present time history is. This is fundamental for Foucault`s future work. It caused a huge change in Foucault. He even left France for Upssala where he stayed until 1959.
Barzilay bases his argument on the notes Foucault used for his lectures titled The Problems of Anthropology which were prepared in the 1950s, right after the revelation that followed reading of Nietzsche. The 200 page notes dossier Foucault put together for the anthropology course is now carefully stored by his family in the archives. Barzilay got an exceptional privilege to be able to study them. In the notes Foucault works his way through philosophy until he comes to Nietzsche and his thoughts on the human of future, the human after the death of God and the relationship between the truth and history. The latter is of Foucault`s interest and he devotes most of his course notes to that. The link between the truth and history is crucial and ought to change our present perspective of Foucault. We need to step beyond the Anglophone reception of him and see different periods as a unity. Barzilay aims to position Nietzsche in Foucault`s works not only as Foucault`s way of seeing post-Kantian philosophy – as most scholars would state – but more. Foucault is for Barzilay only a Nietzschean, his work is merely a continuation of the latter`s, because Foucault talks of history with the idea of truth as always constructed. For Foucault truth is before power and he always seeks to get to it. In order to understand Foucault correctly we need to take his work as a whole. As Nietzsche, Foucault too suffered because he was misunderstood but as Foucault tried to "save" Nietzsche with explaining his thought, so Barzilay seeks to do with Foucault. It might make the former sound a bit pretentious but to some extent effective in his attempts to make Foucault be properly understood. There is only one way to do that, it is seeing him as a whole and as a successor of Nietzsche.
Author: Daša Ličen


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Dayton Powder Brows
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Issue affecting resource requests via LIR Portal
You're viewing an archived page. It is no longer being updated.
Since approximately 09:30 this morning (16 June 2017) the RIPE NCC has been experiencing issues with the default maintainer that are preventing users from making resource requests via the LIR Portal.
Please check here for further updates as we continue to work on solving the problem.
Update (16 June 2017, 14:00): Whilst the underlying issue is still being investigated, the service is now running as usual. Users who wish to make resource requests via the LIR Portal can once again do so.


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Heal those who are sickly
Please come quickly
By your stripes we are healed
Where your true nature is revealed
Healing is in your wings
When the open wound stings
Or when are organs slow down
Your divine doctor is in town
He has come for the sin-sick
Not for the spiritually fit or slick
Hear Him say, "You took a risk of faith
You are made whole with a clean slate"
Reach out to Jesus
He wants to teach us
What we have been in search of
Restoration from above
(C) Carly Wiggins 2019
There are paraphrases of Scriptures from Isaiah 53:5: "But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed" (NKJV).
Malachi 4:2: "But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture" (NLT).
Mark 2:17: "Jesus, overhearing, shot back, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I'm here inviting the sin-sick, not the spiritually-fit" (The Message).
Mark 5:34: "Jesus said to her, "Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague" (The Message).


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Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'okulary'.
Found 1 result
Embroidered cushion with Zebra in pink glasses free design
Renata Hajduczek posted a gallery image in Decoration embroidery showcaseThis is funny embroidered pillow with idea based on Zebra free embroidery design. This pillow consists of two parts. Right one has big portrait of zebra in funny huge glasses on its nose. Left part is decorated with many little portraits made with same sample. Note how cool it looks on simple pink chair: it perfectly underlines zebra's frame of glasses and bow. So this pillow is convenient accessory and interior detail at same time.


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Car Loans
Get your rate before you apply - it won't impact your credit score
Get your rate before you apply - it won't impact your credit score
Australians love to get on the road, between us we own over 19.5 million cars1. We own them in all sorts of shapes and sizes, it's a personal thing. Buying your personal choice of car should be exciting, not stressful.
Our job is to make it easy to get your hands on the wheel of your new choice of car. So, we've made it simple with our range of flexible car loan options. We provide both secured and unsecured car loans.
You can get your individual rate upfront without impacting your credit score.
$0 early repayment fee if you decide you want to pay your loan off faster. Choice of secured or unsecured loans.
We'll aim to give you a decision within 5 hours. Funds in account next business day. Apply online in 10 minutes or call us on 1300 108 794.
|Unsecured Loan
|Interest Rate
|Fixed interest rates range from 6.95%pa - 17.95%pa* (8.57%pa - 19.53%pa comparison rate**)
|Easy online application process
|10-minute online or by phone (1300 108 794)
|Loan Term
|18 months to 36 months (<$7,999) and 84 months (>$8,000 to $40,000)
|Loan Amount
|$5,000 - $40,000
|Funds paid into your account
|Next business day following approval (subject to your bank's direct credit processing times)
|Repayment Frequency
|Weekly or Fortnightly
|Repayment Facilities
|Direct Debit
|Fees and Charges
|Loan Establishment Fee | 4% of loan amount, capped at $495
Security Registration Fee* | $20
Account Administration Fee | $13 per month
Early Repayment Fee | $0
For more information about our secured loans and unsecured loans please click here or call us on 1300 108 794.
Get your rate before you apply.
Our unsecured personal loans range from $5,000 to $40,000, repayable between 18 months to 84 months.
You can apply online and complete the online application in as little as 10 minutes. You'll get your individual rate before you apply. Or you can apply over the phone (1300 108 794) by speaking with one of our friendly Lending Specialists. To view the eligibility criteria, click here.
Getting your individual rate is quick and easy and won't affect your credit score. You will know your rate before you apply by clicking on and completing the online form on the get my rate page. You will receive your rate within one minute and this rate won't change when you continue on and submit your online application.
A secured loan is secured against an asset that you own. This will be your car or other vehicle that can be registered as security against the loan. That means if you fail to make repayments on a secured loan, the asset (the security) may be taken [repossessed] as part of the agreement and sold with the proceeds of the sale used to cover the outstanding balance on the loan. Due to these loans being secured against assets, consumers can often borrow more at a lower interest rate, in comparison to an unsecured loan.
An unsecured loan is simply a personal loan that is not secured against an asset. Unsecured loans are usually offered at lower borrowing amounts and with a higher interest rate.
Pepper Money offers both unsecured and secured personal loan products.
Unfortunately at this time we do not accept applications for personal loan borrowers that have defaults on their credit report.
We offer a range of products and solutions across a wide range of asset types including:
If you're a business owner and looking to invest in new equipment, we have a range of commercial finance options available. To get a quote or find out more about Pepper Money Asset Finance, click here.
For more of your questions answered visit our Help Centre.
*Interest rates range from 6.95% p.a. (8.57% p.a. comparison rate) to 17.95% p.a. (19.53% p.a. comparison rate). Rates are correct as at 7 September 2020 and subject to change at any time. The actual interest rate applicable will depend on the individual borrower's circumstances.
** All Comparison Rates are calculated based on an unsecured loan of $30,000 over a 5 year term. WARNING: This comparison rate is true only for the examples given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate.
Loan repayment terms range from 18 to 84 months for secured loans. Repayment terms range from 18 to 36 months for unsecured loans between $5,000 and $7,999, and 18 to 84 months for unsecured loans from $8,000 to $40,000.
EXAMPLE: An unsecured personal loan of $30,000 borrowed over a term of 5 years with the minimum interest rate of 6.95%p.a. (8.57%p.a. comparison rate), would equate to an estimated minimum total amount payable of $36,883.60 via the weekly payment option (including a $495 establishment fee and $13 per month administration fee). Rates are subject to change.


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April 20, 2016
Beat The Streets have joined forces with director Nigel Turner-Carroll to create a new (very exciting) show. It's time to bring what we do on the streets to the stage and who better to guide us on our journey than the super talented, highly experienced, Nigel. (Click h...
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Shanmugasuntharalingam Vageesan , an old boy of Jaffna Hindu College and Basket Ball player of Jolly star Sports Club has been taken again into the National Basketball team.
Vageesan who was selected for the National Team in 2011, continued to secure places in the National team till 2014.
Vageesan has the distinction of being the only player selected from the North to the National Team.
It is notable that Vageesan will go in the National Team for the South Asian Basket Ball tournament to be held in Bangaladesh.


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Deciding which brand of menstrual cup to buy can be daunting. While many women will have success with any brand of cup, there are some instances where it may be a case of trial and error. Or, depending on cervix height and your level of menstrual flow, there may only be a couple of suitable options. Below, you will find some stand out brands that are particularly good in certain situations.
A few things to think about before making your choice:
1. Do you have a low, mid, or high cervix?
It is essential that you learn a bit about your body and try to determine if you have a low, moderate, or high cervix. This is particularly important for women with a low cervix, as they will not have success with longer cups. Similarly, women with a high cervix may have a lot of difficulty removing a cup that is too short.
2. How are your pelvic floor muscles?
Have you had a few children and find that your pelvic floor is weaker than it used to be? Perhaps you experience mild incontinence after sneezing, jumping, etc.
Are you a virgin, a Pilates or Yoga master and have really great pelvic floor strength?
3. What is your level of flow? Do you mainly use or need to regularly change larger tampons?
4. All menstrual cup brands offer a couple of different sizes/models. It is worth noting that generally, women over the age of 30 who have had children will usually need a larger model cup, and women under the age of 30 who have not given birth will usually need the smaller model cup. The exception to this might be if you are over the age of 30 and have not had sexual intercourse, you have extremely strong pelvic floor muscles, you have a very light flow, or you have a tight vaginal canal. In these instances, you may need to opt for smaller size.
With your answers to the above questions in mind, lets have a look at some of the cups that are particularly suitable to certain situations:
All rounders
Here are what we call the 'all rounder' cups which will work for most women. They are similar in size, firmness, and features. They are also suitable if you have a mid, or mid to high cervix.
Saalt Menstrual Cup$ 44.95 Select options
Ruby Cup$ 39.95 Select options
Lunette Cup$ 44.95 Select options
Budget Friendly
Is a budget friendly cup that is still of excellent quality most important to you? and do you have a mid to high cervix? Try these options:
Pelvi Cup$ 29.95 Select options
Please note: these are longer cups (longer than the 'all rounder' cups above) and may not be suitable if you have a mid or mid to low cervix.
Making a Difference
Not too fussed on the brand of cup you use, but would like to know that your purchase will also provide a cup for another woman or girl in need? These brands operate a Buy 1, Give 1 program in which they donate 1 cup for every cup sold through their retail partners. Mia Amika is a little different and instead plants a tree for every cup sold:
Ruby Cup$ 39.95 Select options
Most brands are in some way helping put an end to period poverty. They do this by engaging in various activities to help educate and provide cups/resources to women in need. You can find out what a particular brand is doing in this regard by clicking on the dignity icon in each product description.
Pelvic Floor Strength and Cervix Height
If you have a very small or tight vaginal canal, are a teenager, or are under the age of 25 with very strong pelvic floor muscles, we recommend choosing the teen models in the following brands:
Lily Cup One$ 44.95 Read more
Pelvi Cup Teen$ 29.95 Add to cart
FemmyCycle$ 59.95 Select options
DivaCup$ 44.95 Select options
If you have a high cervix (perhaps even have trouble touching it), are under the age of 35 and have good pelvic floor tone, then the Juju Model 3 is a great option. Another excellent high cervix option which is available in two sizes to accomodate different stages, flow levels, and pelvic floor strength is the Lily Cup. These are the two longest cups we have (including stem), both measuring 78mm. The longest cup we currently have is the Mia Amika:
Lily Cup$ 44.95 Select options
If you have a high cervix (perhaps even have trouble touching it), and have moderate to poor pelvic floor tone, these are some good longer cup options that have a wider diameter:
Lily Cup$ 44.95 Select options
Pelvi Cup$ 29.95 Select options
DivaCup$ 44.95 Select options
If you have a low cervix and/or moderate to poor pelvic tone. Opt for a shorter, wider cup. These brands offer a low cervix model:
FemmyCycle$ 59.95 Select options
If you have a mid or high cervix, an above average level of fitness, and very strong pelvic floor muscles, then you may be best suited to a firmer cup. Strong pelvic floor muscles can sometimes break the seal of softer cups, resulting in leaking. A great option for very fit women is the Meluna Sport:
High Capacity
Do you have a heavy to very heavy menstrual flow, regularly needing to change regular to large tampons throughout the day? and do you also have a mid to high cervix? The larger models of these brands offer much higher capacities than the all rounder cups but may not suitable if you have a less than mid height cervix. Currently the highest volume cup we have is the Merula XL which has a 50ml capacity.
Merula Menstrual Cup XL$ 54.95 Add to cart
XO Flo Cup$ 54.95 Select options
Super Jennie Cup$ 64.95 Select options
Do you have a heavy to very heavy menstrual flow, but only a low cervix? Unfortunately most of the high capacity cups are longer and are more suitable for women with a mid to high cervix. At this stage, your best options would be the low cervix cups listed further above, which you may need to empty a little more often.
Soft Cups
If you have super strong Pelvic floor muscles (perhaps because of regular pilates, yoga training), you regularly suffer UTI's (Urinary Tract Infections), or you have been able to feel other menstrual cups when inserted in the past, we recommend opting for these softer brands:
Super Jennie Cup$ 64.95 Select options
Firm Cups
If you are needing a firm cup:
Menstrual Discs and Period Sex Suitable
If you are looking for a reusable menstrual disc that can be worn during intercourse, then the Ziggy Cup is your answer:
Ziggy Cup$ 54.95 Add to cart
Material Composition
Cups made from TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) include:
Most other brands are made from Medical Grade Silicone with the exception of the Keeper cup which is made from Latex (natural gum rubber).
Satisfaction Guarantees
Currently, Organicup is the only brand that offers a 90 day guarantee. This is a great cup, but will only be suitable if you have a mid to high cervix.
Duo Packs
If you are unsure of what size you need and would like to try both sizes, or if you are looking for a more economical way to buy two different sized cups in the same brand, then a duo pack is a great option.


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WORDS & PHOTOS by MR. RE
Just over two months ago, dobak presented his first album, u, an eclectic collection illustrating his wide array of musical knowledge and influence. Today, on his 24th birthday, dobak shares with us a brand new single, called "dragging".
While dobak is a relatively new project, Jon Dunne, the mastermind behind the moniker, is no stranger to making music. For years, Jon has played many roles in multiple bands varying in styles and influences, culminating in using dobak to channel his truest expression. Drawing inspiration from other brilliant artists in Mac Miller, Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar, Jon introduces dynamic elements to his primarily rock-based foundation.
I'm trying to change the way I write, record, and release music. Every time I've put out something, for the most part, by the time I put it out, it feels very removed.
Case in point with u, dobak took a batch of songs that had been written over the span of years and turned it into an album. Still proud of these songs, and happy with the result, Jon couldn't help but continue to progress creatively, rethinking his relationship with creating music. His songs have so much depth, containing many intricate layers—with his live show, you still get a lot of the same experience, but a bit more intimate.
When you sit in front of a laptop, there's endless possibilities, so it's easy to get caught up on that. There's a lot more consideration that goes into the live process because it's more stripped down. I have to figure out how to do it with a beat machine and very minimal backtracks: it's a lot easier to turn it into something that is more representative of me.
Jon is harnessing a "Less is more" approach in writing his new music, without sacrificing the integrity of his artistry. "If it needs all this extra stuff to make it sound good, is it even worth it?" He asks himself. It's easy to get lost in overthinking and overproducing. "A lot of times, I'll start a beat or I'll write a chord progression and want to do something with it. But I'll spend so much time flipping it over in my head, and so much time working on the song." This feeling of needing to force something out of a stuck idea is an experience Jon seeks to eliminate in his writing process.
"I'm working on getting out of my own way with it, writing from the heart, and letting it flow." Jon's been reading Keith Richards' autobiography called Life. He continues, referencing Richards' words, "As a musician, you're a tool for the music. Everybody's got it in them. Obviously, you need to learn how to play an instrument or sing so you can express that, but you have to allow the music to create itself and just be the channel that delivers it out there." By considering the song's live presentation while writing it, placing his own restrictions allows Jon's focus to be more relaxed and dialed in.
The songs that kind of write themselves that just feel like they're flowing—that's how it felt with a lot of the new music I've been working on.
With "dragging," Jon chose to partner with friend and Nashville-based producer/engineer, Tate Mercer, to mix and master the song. The result is the strongest dobak song to date. Jon's storytelling drips with emotion, while Tate's technical touch carefully amplifies all of dobak's strengths to create a song that truly represents him as an artist. Check out "dragging" below and wish dobak a hbd.


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Hi All, I have populated some value in cache, now i am trying to get that value in lookup policy with GET resource. I put the following response tag in the GET resource,
<Response> <Step> <Name>JavaScript-1</Name> </Step> <Step> <Name>Assign-Message-1</Name> <Condition>(itemFound == false)</Condition> </Step> </Response> <Condition>(proxy.pathsuffix MatchesPath "/{id}") and (request.verb = "GET")</Condition>
In above code, when the cache value is found i successfully call the java script policy JavaScript-1 and when the cache value is not found then call the assign message policy Assign-Message-1 to generate some error response.
Now i want to load some data from XYZ proxy endpoint instead of returning error message with Assign-Message-1 policy, in case when the cache value is not found, as above.
How can i achieve this ?
I have already tried another approach by calling the expected target endpoint corresponding to XYZ endpoint, in Route tag, as,
<RouteRule name="default"> <Condition>(itemFound == false)</Condition> <TargetEndpoint>xyz-target</TargetEndpoint> </RouteRule>
But it did not work.
Any help to this question would be appreciated.
Answer by Dino · Feb 13, 2017 at 07:10 PM
The approach of using a condition on the RouteRule should work.
Maybe you have multiple RouteRules? These are evaluated in order. The first RouteRule that has a Condition that evaluates to true, or has no condition at all, will be the RouteRule selected. For example, if you have this sequence:
<RouteRule name='r1'> <TargetEndpoint>target1</TargetEndpoint> </RouteRule> <RouteRule name='r2'> <TargetEndpoint>target2</TargetEndpoint> <Condition>itemFound = false</Condition> </RouteRule>
...then the second RouteRule (r2) will never be employed. The first will always run, regardless of the state of itemFound.
The second thing you need to look out for: where in the request & response flow is the itemFound context variable being set ? I see in your sample code that you are testing it in the Response flow. The response flow executes AFTER a RouteRule has been evaluated and executed. Maybe you are clear on this, but I thought I'd mention it.
Finally, I don't see any Cache Lookup policy at all. Maybe that is occurring in the preflow. With a little more context, we'd be clearer on what you've got configured. Right now there are a few open questions.
The other alternative, instead of RouteRules, is using a ServiceCallout. It's the same idea but the analytics will be different.
Thanks Dino for your reply. I further researched the case, now i just applied the Response Policy on this.
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Yes, I know…you've been waiting and waiting and WAITING for Southern Tier Brewing Company's brand-new brewpub to open here in Pittsburgh. Well, I'm happy to report your wait is just about over. And…it's gonna be well worth it.
This past Saturday, I had an opportunity to check out the brand new destination located in Pittsburgh's North Shore. The space is gorgeous! Hardwood accents throughout the dining area and bar create a warm, comfortable ambiance while 30 taps pour many of your favorite Southern Tier offerings in addition to three beers from Southern Tier's partner Victory Brewing.
The food we chose was spot on and the menu is easy to navigate with several delicious choices.
I'm no expert, but I think Southern Tier really has something here. 🙂
Be sure to stay on the lookout for news on their official grand opening in the next few days. Also, check out the special preview video I shot on PCBN TV and connect to Southern Tier-Pittsburgh on Facebook and Twitter.
Here are some photos from Southern Tier:


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finish: black gun metal + clear glass
Vitreluxe crystal float vase
Glass is amazing for its optical intrigue and refraction effects. While displayed openly, in groups with a single light source, you get a beautiful spill of light refracted through the glass. But don't be afraid to use these vases—they're as tough and utilitarian as they are beautiful.


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Publication Date
Spring 2001
Prepared by the AFL-CIO Working Women's Department and the Labor Project for Working Families, this fact sheet details the impact of elder care on a worker along with examples of recently won elder care provisions in union contracts.
Suggested Citation
AFL-CIO. (2001). Bargaining fact sheet: Elder care. Washington, DC: Author.
Required Publishers Statement
© AFL-CIO. Document posted with special permission by the copyright holder.


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Filed under: Political Commentary
When the Time magazine I was flipping through opened to the double page spread of one of its pictures of the year my heart dropped and brimming tears glazed my visibility; I was looking at a picture of newly, shallow dug graves in the barren Afghanistan soil with our Marines lying in them. Then a closer, clearer-eyed look revealed what a first glimpse had not. The bodies were those not of dead, but of dead-tired young Marines. The 1st Battalion, 5th Marines were photographed by David Guttenfelder in Helmand province in July. Each lay in his earthen bed, in eerily death like slumber in the rectangular fox holes they'd dug for themselves.
One Marine lay on his back, his neck bent uncomfortably sideways, his dirty, worn boots and striped wool socks atop the boots he had taken off and set close to his bed of dirt. I wondered whether those thick socks were sent by a mother or girlfriend to make the long treks through the harsh and dangerous Afghan countryside easier on his feet? It's the seemingly little things that make life easier, appreciated, during war: something as simple as thick socks to keep your feet from blistering or freezing. The socks had been stripped off but one sat on top of one boot, one on top of the other. If they had to be put back on quickly there'd be no time wasted. Another Marine was curled on his side, his machine gun his sleeping mate, his mouth gaping slightly in the unconsciousness of sheer exhaustion. A third Marine had covered himself completely in a dark blanket or tarp, only his forehead and crew cut visible above his covering. And a fourth lay cramped in a fetal position in his hastily dug, coffin-like dirt bed. Turned up clots of earth surrounded the shallow dirt rectangle that was only about half as long as he was.
Guttenfelder, the photographer, wrote of the scene:
"We'd stopped in this farmer's field for the night. It took me an hour to dig my own firing position in the dark, and it feels like you're sleeping in a shallow grave. But you do feel safer—and sleep better—protected by those few inches of dirt. I got up at dawn and was able to get the guys enjoying the first full night's sleep they'd had after marching for six days in temperatures up to 135 degrees, carrying 120 pound packs."
The picture caught just one moment in time for one small group of Marines and it caught a rare peaceful moment, despite its initial disturbing visual impression of graves, empty boots, bodies and death which is the heart wrenching end for many of our troops wherever and whenever there is war.
The truth is I worship them. I look at that picture and others I see of them in magazines and on the internet: the ones of them rushing away from an explosion cradling a bleeding child, the ones of them kneeling in front of two empty boots and a rifle, heads dropped, a hand over their eyes to hide tears while paying last respects to a buddy, the pictures of the medics tending the aches and pains of old Afghani men and the scrapes or illnesses of Afghani children, the pictures of the solider dropping to his knees then garnering the strength to somehow stand again under the staggering weight of the backpack he carries in hellish heat or unbearable cold.
During this Christmas season here in America and around the world for that matter, we sleep in safety and comfort because they, our American soldiers do not. Whether the world wants us there or even likes us does not change the fact that, even if they don't admit it, they're safer because of the American soldier, sailor, Marine, Air Man or Coast Guard member.
As Americans we have the blessed right to speak against and protest war. Sadly, in the past and still today it is our troops who have borne the cruelty of words unfairly, and as we have learned from horrendous media inaccuracies such as the reports that wrongly assumed Marines had massacred innocents in Haditha, Iraq, there are still those too quick to indict, literally, those who stand at freedom's door to protect the very media scum who would blithely destroy a soldier's or Marine's career, integrity and livelihood.
Those critics: I hope they take a good long look at that Time magazine picture. I hope they get down on their knees every night and thank God for the American soldier before they (I'm thinking here of your average liberal Congressman) slip under their designer sheets and rest their heads on fluffy pillows as visions of sugar daddy lobbyists and re-election plans and jet-setting to Copenhagen dance in their heads.
They have a right to criticize, sure. But I can't help but think of the quote by President Theodore Roosevelt:
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
I fear the President will not allow our military to know victory. He'll couch it or define it in some well-turned phrases and the job will be left undone, the work and sacrifice will unravel. And the President of the United States will go down in history as one of "those cold and timid souls."
The President finally got around to announcing his strategy, after announcing his strategy eight months earlier, for Afghanistan when he delivered his lackluster speech at West Point. Iraq may yet unravel, we don't know. Afghanistan may not be won. If I had to bury my friends and collect the pieces of their bodies after an IED explosion, if I had to sleep in a shallow grave-like bed of dirt, if I voluntarily left this great country because I loved it and its freedoms so much I'd die for it, I think I'd want one thing more than anything else. I'd want to know my President, my Commander-in-Chief, truly admired, respected and believed in what I was doing and sacrificing for freedom at home and around the world.
Barack Obama made a big deal of our military the day of his Inauguration. I thought then with relief that maybe he really did get it, he did understand the American military fighting men and women, the kind of devotion to freedom for which they would and do lay down their lives.
Now? Despite his decision to send more troops to Afghanistan, I don't think in his wildest dreams Barack Obama understands the love of country and devotion to duty of the American soldier. He can't touch that. His midnight trip to Dover Air Base with the national media in tow for a photo op, oddly timed when he was under intense pressure because he couldn't/wouldn't make up his mind on Afghanistan turned my stomach. It was the most shameful publicity grab I've ever witnessed. Our soldiers deserve so much better. Mr. President: how about showing our men and women in uniform how much you think of them, how much you admire them and mean it, really mean it, before they come home in a flag draped coffin. That might mean a little less time on the golf course and a little more time in the White House.
Filed under: News Views
The latest, latest, latest, really, really, really confusing Senate legislation on health care reform is out. And there's a big debate over whether you should foot the bill for abortions. Now I know an abortion is a "right" under American law. But is there some new, great demand we don't know about for more abortions than the million-plus already taking place every year? No matter where you stand do you really want your health care premiums go to up to pay for abortions?
Filed under: Political Commentary
There was something kind of pitiful, unseemly and troubling watching the clips from the President's job summit. He's been in office ten months; he won in large part because the economy tanked and people believed his pitch about keeping job losses down (there were 457,000 new applications for unemployment just last week by the way). To those not yet utterly familiar and disenchanted with the mainstream media spin: you're stupid if you think that's bad news. You see, it's actually good news because 457,000 people out of work wasn't quite as bad as expected. Meanwhile, the national unemployment rate is at 10.2%, the worst it's been in 26 years.
There he was, the President of the United States, almost pleading with a roomful of selectively invited participants to help him solve the job crisis, telling them and in the process all the rest of us that he's "looking for ideas". It reminded me of Tom Cruise's great line in the movie Jerry Maguire when Jerry the sports agent is reduced to pleading with his only client, Rod Tidwell (played by Cuba Gooding Jr.) to, "Help me…help you. Help me, help you. Help ME, help YOU." After his desperate plea Gooding's character bursts into giggles over Maguire's desperately, dramatic plea. The President's jobless summit was similar with his "Help me, help you!" concept, and it would have been comical if it wasn't so sad. This is the best our Community- Organizer- in- Chief can come up with to help the estimated 17 percent of Americans out of work, who have given up looking, or can't find full time work?
Well, he's not supposed to be a community organizer anymore. He's supposed to be the President of the United States for gosh sakes! Doesn't he, hasn't he had the best economic minds in the country available to him the entire time he's been in office, even before hand? What the heck do he and his economic advisers, pay czars, job gurus, and progressive pals talk about when jobs are at a 26 year low? Geez. Unfortunately, it's probably how to raise the taxes of those 50-60 percent of Americans who even pay taxes anymore. But it's all so hard for the Prez. Quoting from Jerry Maguire again, can't you just hear Obama using Maguire's line: "I am out here for you. You don't know what it's like to be ME out there for YOU." Tough job, Mr. President. You asked for it. You got it.
In a weird way it reminds me of the whole Afghanistan strategy (I've got one) lack of strategy (I'm thinkin' about it) then, eventually, an announcement (I think I've got it! Let's try this…) Months ago he supposedly had a strategy for saving American jobs, now he evidently doesn't. So what does he do? He has a workshop. If you've ever been to a conference on, oh, take any sensitive topic: race, women in the workforce, diversity, race, women in the workforce, diversity… you usually have a gung-ho facilitator who walks about the stage, gets everyone pumped up, then you adjourn to smaller breakout sessions and spend a couple hours hashing out stuff which is just essentially letting everyone spout off (in a sensitive manner of course) to hear themselves talk (in a sensitive manner of course). Then you all come back together and all your wonderful earth-shattering ideas are scribbled on a flip chart and everyone goes home feeling good about themselves.
And so our President is now a Phil Donahue type guy facilitating a workshop packed with a room of people, many representing labor unions, liberal economists and academia (his peeps/supporters) but not the National Chamber of Commerce (some of the real job creators) or the National Federation of Independent Businesses.
And get this: he says he's open to any good ideas (boy, does that just inspire tons of confidence or what?) even tax cuts. Even tax cuts? My god, he's actually open, maybe, kinda, sorta, to something that could actually spur job growth? Mind you, he's only open to the idea of tax cuts. "Shirley, jot that one down on the flip chart for consideration, or not."
I'm not a small business owner. I was an English major for gosh sakes. I don't recall taking any classes in economics (unfortunately). But here's what I know. I ain't spending money until the federal government stops spending money. I'm recycling Christmas gifts and I'm making it an overall goal to keep spending to an all time low this Christmas. So I'm making banana bread for gifts; I may go a bit over budget and throw in a few cranberries for more flavor so chew on that and enjoy it and I don't want to hear any whining. The point being I, the consumer, am still not willing to spend nor do I have confidence in job workshops and President Donahue. If I don't have any confidence (and I don't own a business) do we really expect businesses, especially small businesses, to start hiring people when they don't know whether the economy will recover anytime soon, what health care is going to cost them, what cap and trade is going to cost them, what a weakened dollar is going to mean to them, what inflation will do to them, what an unsteady stock market means, what another so-called stimulus could cost and what an anti-business administration may do to them when it comes to taxes?
The President says he's open to tax cuts. I don't believe it. It's just not in his makeup. He may find some way to make the fewer and fewer people who still pay taxes feel better by cutting some obscure tax or giving some useless tax credit or promising not to raise taxes except on those mean ol' nasty rich people (many who worked their fannies off to launch small businesses and who already pay most of the taxes and create jobs) but I don't believe him. He does not seem to have the desire or determination to reign in federal spending gone wild.
Our deficit is at 1.4 trillion and counting. President Obama has been in office ten months and he's quadrupled what George Bush spent in eight years and most Americans weren't happy about how much Bush was spending! Since President Obama's so-called stimulus, four million—four MILLION jobs have been lost. Now he's reduced to begging for ideas. The answers are there, always have been; he just doesn't like them.
Enjoy your banana bread.
12/03/09 Continue reading
Filed under: News Views
President Obama will speak at West Point and, almost nine months after announcing his strategy for Afghanistan, will announce his strategy for Afghanistan. One would hope this would involve winning the war. I'm not holding my breath. The President has spent his entire time in office openly ingratiating himself to the bullies, dictators and thugs who run some of the most repressive countries on the planet. They see him as a wishy-washy weakling who is unprepared to make the tough decisions that may mean people won't like him. On this point I agree.
During his talk at West Point he'll say he's sending more troops, but what will they be doing? Advising? Being under Nato's thumb? Reading Miranda rights to Taliban or Al Qaeda terrorists? Obama can deliver a good speech (when the teleprompter works). Will he have the guts to show he's a real Commander-in-Chief? We'll know the answer if he starts talking about exit strategies: music to the ears of the terrorists.
Oh, and let's see if the President even mentions the mean, ol' nasty "T" word (that would be "terrorism" for those used to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's "nuanced", preferred description of "man-caused" disasters).
Filed under: News Views
Retailers are adding up their money and counting it twice to see if consumers were willing to open their wallets and shell out a lot more the day after Thanksgiving, commonly known "black Friday". Black Friday is the day retailers finally learn whether their sales made it into the profit category(black margin) or whether they're still in the red. With out of control government spending and unemployment the worst in 25 years, consumers should do what the government won't: stop spending!
And since we're talking "black Friday", here's a sad commentary on Americans' lack of basic economic literacy combined with racial sensitivities run amuck: A man called a local talk radio station the other day to voice his objection to the term "black Friday" considering it a racial slur. He had no clue it was a purely black ink/ red ink accounting term for money made or lost. In the black= good. In the red= bad. Are we all clear now? Evidently…sigh… not. On the talk show "The View" (which I have never seen and don't care to) comedian Joy Behar seriously, no joke, asked " Isn't it a little racist to call it black?" In the clips I saw even Whoopi looked incredulous explaining to the clueless Behar that, "It's like when you make all the money."


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The Aliso Canyon area near Los Angeles, California, USA. Image courtesy of CPUC.
A major natural gas leak in 2015 at a Southern California storage facility was caused by the microbial corrosion of well equipment, according to a new independent report conducted by Blade Energy Partners (Frisco, Texas, USA). The analysis report1 was first ordered in January 2016 to help identify the root cause of the leak, which began on October 23, 2015.
For the study, Blade was commissioned by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) (San Francisco, California, USA), in consultation with the California Department of Conservation's Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) (Sacramento, California, USA) and the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) (Washington, DC, USA).
The organizations say the report's findings will be used to supplement parallel investigations that are underway by CPUC and DOGGR.
The Aliso Canyon facility is comprised of dozens of underground caverns, which were previously filled with oil before they were emptied decades ago. Since then, they have been used to store natural gas to supply the surrounding area.
On October 23, 2015, an outer 7-in (17.8-cm) well casing located ~500 ft (152.4 m) underground ruptured, owing to microbial corrosion from the outside due to contact with groundwater, according to the analysis report. The microbial induced corrosion caused metal in the casing to thin. Hours later, a complete separation of the casing occurred. The damaged portion of the well was difficult to access and could not initially be seen with a camera.
Well control and prevention specialist Boots & Coots, now owned by Halliburton (Houston, Texas, USA), was brought in within two days of discovering the leak to help mitigate the release. In December, a relief well was constructed to intersect with the damaged well, with cement pumped in to permanently seal off the original well. The leak was not completely stopped until February 11, 2016.
According to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) (Sacramento, California, USA), 109,000 metric tons of methane were released into the atmosphere over the leak's five-month duration. CARB notes that methane's warming potential is up to 84 times that of carbon dioxide (CO2).
The analysis report says Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) (Los Angeles, California, USA), which owns the storage facility, had not conducted detailed follow-up inspections or analyses after previous leaks at the site. According to Blade, more than 60 casing leaks at Aliso Canyon had been identified before the October 2015 incident, going back to the 1970s, but no failure investigations were conducted by the site owner.
Moreover, according to the report, the owner "lacked any form of risk assessment focused on well integrity management…and lacked systematic processes of external corrosion protection and a real-time, continuous pressure monitoring system for well surveillance."
Since the leak, CPUC and DOGGR say they have taken aggressive steps to prevent a similar leak from occurring again, including DOGGR's stringent new regulations for all underground gas storage reservoirs.
"Enacted immediately after the leak began and made permanent on October 1, 2018, the regulations ensure that no single point of failure in a well can cause a release of gas into the atmosphere," CPUC says. "The regulations have been cited by [PHMSA] as some of the strongest in the nation. Among the requirements are robust well construction standards, mechanical integrity testing to detect a problem before it occurs, real-time pressure monitoring, and a mandate that gas production and withdrawals can only occur through production tubing, rather than through both the tubing and the protective casing."
In addition, CPUC and DOGGR have issued other directives to SoCalGas, both immediately after and since the leak. Specifically, the organizations required the owner to complete a rigorous comprehensive safety review before reopening. "Each well was required to either pass a battery of tests to potentially be eligible to resume gas injection or be taken out of operation and isolated from the reservoir," CPUC notes. "The utility was also ordered to conduct air sampling surveys of the neighborhoods surrounding the storage field, and to equip active wells with real-time air pressure monitors."
CPUC and DOGGR's parallel investigations are focused on overall well and field operations, with reports expected to be completed by the end of 2019. Technical expertise for those will be provided by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley, California, USA) and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore, CA, USA), as well as Sandia National Laboratories (Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA).
In its own statement2 issued following the report's release, owner SoCalGas says the report confirms that it did not violate well or safely regulations that existed at the time.
"The Blade report confirms SoCalGas complied with gas storage regulations in existence at the time of the leak and that the related compliance activities conducted prior to the leak did not find indications of a casing integrity issue," the company says."In Blade's opinion, there were measures, though not required by the gas storage regulations at the time, that could have been taken to aid in the early identification of corrosion and that, in their opinion, would have prevented or mitigated the leak."
Earlier in the year, a Los Angeles court approved a $119.5 million settlement related to the leak between the owner and CARB. A significant portion of that money will go to build methane digesters at 12 dairy farms in California's San Joaquin Valley, with another portion going to the construction of conditioning facilities and pipelines to allow the Aliso Canyon system to receive biomethane generated by cattle in the valley's dairies.
CPUC and DOGGR say that their initial assessment is that measures taken to date do address the Blade report's findings and recommendations. They add that the analysis "will be used to further improve regulations and overall gas storage facility oversight practices as appropriate."
CPUC also notes that it has a proceeding underway to determine the feasibility of minimizing or eliminating the use of Aliso Canyon, while still maintaining energy and electric reliability for the Los Angeles region. Further meetings on that topic are planned in the months ahead.
Source: CPUC, cpuc.ca.gov.
1 "Root Cause Analysis for Aliso Canyon Finalized; California to Continue Strengthening Safeguards for Natural Gas Storage Facilities," California Public Utilities Commission Press Release, May 17, 2019, http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M292/K947/292947433.PDF (June 18, 2019).
2 "SoCalGas Issues Statement on Blade's Analysis of Aliso Canyon Well Failure," Sempra Energy Newsroom, May 17, 2019, https://www.sempra.com/socalgas-issues-statement-blades-analysis-aliso-canyon-well-failure (June 18, 2019).
By ROSEN


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As it was announced on Chelsea's social media page that Willian would be making his landmark 300th appearance for the club away at Lille last night, instead of messages of appreciation for the achievement, it was belittled by Chelsea fans online.
'300 too many' was the general feeling amongst those fans online but they were forced to eat their words hours later as their unloved Brazilian scored a vital winner to secure all three points in France, with a brilliant volley.
That was Willian's tenth goal in the Champions League since his arrival in 2013, in fact, no Chelsea player has scored more goals in Europe's premier competition in that same time period than the Brazilian - the revered and adored Eden Hazard only got eight before his departure this summer.
Having scored against Brighton in the Premier League this weekend that makes it two goals in two games for the winger not known for his goalscoring prowess. Having said that he has now racked up 54 goals and 53 assists in his time at Stamford Bridge, a record not to be sniffed at.
Scapegoats are not a new thing in football but the rise of social media has made them more and more common, no matter how good their performances on the pitch are. Ashley Young, despite a decent career at the top level, is seen as a joke figure online by United fans, Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka is ridiculed by Gunners and Willian is now the target of Chelsea's abuse.
The issue with social media, in particular, is that modern players are now placed at either end of the topsy-turvy footballing spectrum. They are seen as either one of the best players in the world, or absolute garbage when the reality is that most players fit somewhere in the middle.
300 appearances for Chelsea - a fantastic achievement. Congratulations @willianborges88, make it a good one! 👏
Willian is by no means a world-beater but he is and has proved in the past that he is a very good Premier League footballer. Nothing more, nothing less. Of course, football fans online often do not represent those in the stands and Willian has been a key figure for Chelsea over several different managers over the past six years.
Current boss Frank Lampard was the latest gaffer to heap praise on his wide man:
He's a top player. I want to see him happy. I want to see a smile on his face because his work ethic has been brilliant.
He can take people out of the game with his speed and trickery and he can score goals for us.
It is perhaps a testament to his professionalism and quality that even at the age of 31 he has been linked to a move to one of Europe's elite clubs Barcelona, but seems set to sign a new deal at his current club.
In an era where patience and loyalty are both rarities, Willian deserves more respect from the Chelsea faithful.