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Creating Solid Search Experiences with Drupal [November 13, 2012]
Want to learn more about Acquia's products, services, and happenings in the Drupal Community? Visit our site: http://bit.ly/yLaHO5.
While eCommerce sites have become search conversion centers of excellence, non-transactional sites have struggled to create superior search experiences.
For Drupalists, understanding how to navigate the landscape of search modules and what fits your site best can be daunting. Once you've selected a module, choosing which functionality to implement and how adds further complexity. This webinar will focus on strategies and best practices on building a superior search experience and walk though the modules and configurations that are required to achieve it.
Although the tools and techniques can be leveraged by any Drupal site that is integrated with the Apache Solr search engine, the demonstrations in this webinar will be conducted on Acquia Search. Acquia Search allows you to leverage the full power of Solr without any expertise required.
A few highlights for best practice implementation include:
• Faceted navigation
• Implementing rich search result snippets
• Relevancy tuning
Speaker 1: Hi everyone. Thanks for joining the webinar today. Today's webinar is Creating Solid Search Experiences with Drupal, with Chris Pliakas, who is the product owner of Acquia Search.
Chris Pliakas: Today's webinar on creating a search experience with Drupal, I think we've done a lot of webinars in the past where we focused on Acquia Search, we focused on some of the basics. Today, I really wanted to focus on just Drupal in general, not having Acquia Search focus. Of course, all these techniques can be used with Acquia Search, but I just wanted to highlight some of the things that are in the community.
Also, based on our experiences hosting over 1,600 indexes, with 1,600 subscriptions, people who are experimenting with search pages and various UX talk about some of the trends that we're seeing, and in order to get the best experience possible, we wanted to touch on some content strategy items that you can employ to make sure that your search is set up for success.
Then we'll focus on the search page user interface, so we'll do a live demo exploring some of the tools that are available to Drupal right now that can be used to create modern-day search user interfaces so that your users get the best experience possible out of the application and could find content that they're looking for.
Also, we're going to demo some things that are coming down the pike. I think it's important to recognize that right now, enterprise search is at a crossroads, and I just want to distinguish for a minute what enterprise search means. When we talk about enterprise search, we're talking about internal site search, and enterprise doesn't necessarily mean large corporations. Enterprise simply means that that search is important to your business and important to you, so this isn't just a big business thing. This is for searches of any size.
But we see some trends that are emerging with external searches, searches like Google, Bing, Yahoo!, that are now going to be expected by users of your internal site search. Trends that are emerging in the search community at large, really, there is going to be an expectation that your search experience matches what's out there currently. It's pretty advanced things, so we'll talk about those trends and we'll talk about what's changing in this space specifically.
We talked about search is really evolving. Over the past 10 years or so, which is quite a long period of time, your internal site search really hasn't been much more than the user entering keywords and then displaying results that are pretty basic. You have a title, you have a snippet, that sort of thing. But really, right now, search is starting to move into a different space where we have to identify what the user is actually looking for and then display relevant results. Relevant results don't just mean keyword matching, meaning knowing things about your content, knowing things about your user to make some assumptions to present them with relevant results.
As we create more and more content on the Web today, it's getting harder and harder to sift through that data and display meaningful data. One thing that we'll start out with is just a simple example.
What I want to start out with is talking about Apple. How many people know Apple? All right, so I see some hands in the webinar. I guess I want to ask "How well do you know Apple?," so a first question that I want to ask you is, "Is Apple growing?" I'll let you answer in your heads. It's not really a good forum for answering in public.
The second question that you should think about is does Apple have money? Then the third question, is Apple multilingual? Does Apple support multiple, does Apple have knowledge of multiple languages? Does Apple speak more than just English? Those are the three questions that I want you to answer in your head.
I'm just going to assume that you guys did a good job and you were able to answer that. Based on those three questions, I think there is no doubt that we're talking about Apple Martin, who is the daughter of Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin. Apple Martin, like all kids, she is growing. Does she have money? Absolutely. I think her parents are doing pretty well; one is a rockstar; one is an actress. One useful tidbit is that she cannot watch TV in English, so she is getting raised as a multilingual speaker.
Is that the wrong Apple that you were thinking of? I'm assuming that it is. Tech audiences, let me say, Apple, usually think of the company Apple, and the problem really is about context. The first trend that I want to talk about is contextual computing. Right now, we start to see how Apple could mean different things. It could mean the fruit. It could mean the company. It could mean Apple Martin. It could mean Fiona Apple. It could mean a lot of different things.
When I talk about context, I mean the things surrounding it that expose the content for what it is. For example, if we are talking about Apple being a Fortune 5 company or a Fortune 1 company, whatever it is right now, then that context would expose Apple as being a company. If we were on a pop culture website, then it would be more likely that Apple is the daughter of Gwyneth Paltrow, like we mentioned.
Context and how it relates to your content is getting to be really important as we get more and more data. Sites aren't just displaying one thing now. Sites are starting to display lots of different pieces of content, and we need to start recognizing that simple keyword searches aren't going to serve our users. We really want our results to be relevant towards what people are actually looking for.
One way that we can do this is by search statistics. Search is a really unique tool in that it is a window to what your users are expecting on your site. By entering keywords and by clicking on various pieces of content, your users are actually telling you what they want from your website, and they are telling you what content they think is relevant.
There are things out there like voting or reputation metrics, but search is really the best tool to be able to extrapolate what people are trying to do with your website.
That also leads into structured data, which is another trend that we're going to talk about. Structured data is a way to actually denote what type of content you have on your site. Whether, again, we'll go back to the Apple example, is Apple the organization or Apple that's something else? These are the three trends that search is really rallying around.
I want to talk about what Drupal is doing right now to address this and some of the things that are going to be coming down the pike within the next six months or so, because it's important that as you start to build your search experience that you're starting to recognize some of these trends so that when the Drupal tools emerge, you can make use of them effectively and provide the site search that your users are coming to expect.
Now I'm going to go to the live demo portion of the site just to set the stage here. I have a really basic Drupal install. It's the standard Drupal blue that you see out of the box, and it has some prepopulated content. It has a couple of events, a couple of blogs. We'll actually build out some of the search experiences and identify some of the trends that we talked about.
Now that we have the site up, right now, I'm connected to an Apache Solr backend. Again, if you're connected to Acquia Search or you are connected to Apache Solr, I think there are demos soon that you can install Drupal. You can configure some of the basic modules. You can download, install the modules. We're going to start with that assumption that that's the level that we're at.
If you do need some help or if you are unsure as to how to install modules, how to configure modules, I do recommend that after this webinar, there are some great resources on drupal.org and some great articles that Acquia provides as part of its forums, part of its library that can help ease that transition. But you can still get some value out of this webinar by following along and taking notes of which modules are being used and seeing how you can configure them once they're installed.
First, what I want to do is I want to just execute a search. It's the same whether you're using core search or any other backend. But I'm going to search for DrupalCon, and we'll start to analyze some of the results to see what the default behavior is that you get out of the box.
The default behavior we'll see is somewhat useful but not really. But if I entered DrupalCon, it will give me the pieces of content that match that keyword. It will give me a highlighted results snippet, and it will show me a little bit of information in terms of who the user was that posted that content and what date that content was posted. Sometimes, that's useful. Sometimes, that's not. But again, this is a basic search interface that you get out of the box.
To be perfectly honest, this isn't very useful. This isn't what users expect. If you compare it to Google or Yahoo! or Bing or all the other major players out there, this is weak, and it doesn't really give users the information that they need to effectively search the content of your site.
The first thing that I want to do is I want to explore something called Facets. And facets are filters that users can apply to help refine the search results, and it also gives some aggregate information such as the count or number of results matching that filter based on the keyword that you entered.
The first module that I want to explore is something called the Facet API module. I'm going to go to the project page here. This is a module that works with core search. It works with Apache Solr search integration. It works with Search API if you're using that module. It's a way to configure your search interface regardless of what search backend that you're using.
If I expand the screenshot here, you'll see that here are some examples of the types of facets that you can have. You can have facets by content type, by date. There are even some interesting contributed modules out there that allow you to display facets as graphs. You can really control the interface and display things in pretty interesting ways.
I'm just going to scroll down and show some of the things that you can … some of the add-ons that are available that you can make advantage of. Again, we have the graphs that we talked about. We have a slider, so if you have numeric facets, numeric content, you can say, "I want to show data between this range," tag clouds, and also date facets, which we'll actually explore and configure.
I'm not going to spend too much time. That's just an overview to whet your appetite for what's out there and what's available in the Drupal community. But I do want to just go and start configuring this so you can see what this looks like and how this works.
The first thing that I want to do is I want to be able to filter this by the content type. I do have two content types here, blog and event, so I want people to say, "Okay, if I'm searching for DrupalCon, I want to filter by the blogs or I want to filter by the events that I want to see," so that you can get the relevant information for you.
First thing I'm going to go do is configure the Apache Solr Search Integration Module. That's the one that I'm using. I'm going to go to Apache Solr, going to go to Settings, and I am going to go to Facets. These are the lists of the facets that I have available to me. First thing I'm going to do is configure and enable the content type. I'm going to save this configuration.
Now that facet is saved, I actually have to position it on the page. The default facets are blocks. Blocks in Drupal are small pieces of content that you can position in various regions or various areas on a page. Once you enable a facet, there is a link up top that allows you to go directly to the block configuration page so that you can configure this immediately.
If I click on Blocks and scroll down … it's actually enabled for me. I'm just going to reset this so that it is where you guys will see it when you start from scratch. But it will start down here in the disabled category. These are all the blocks that are disabled. We look for Facet API, the backend that we're using, and then content type. This is the facet that we just enabled.
I'm going to position this in the first sidebar. It is recommended that you do position it in the first sidebar, so that will be on the left-hand side. The reason is because that's where most of the major search engines position their facets, so in order to help people navigate your search page, we use expected patterns. That's the best place to put it so that they don't have to hunt around for it.
I'm going to save my block. Now I'm going to go back to my search page. I'm going to search for DrupalCon. Now I have a facet up in the upper left-hand corner that allows me to filter by events or by blogs. If I filter by blogs, it's reporting that I have two results. If I click that, you'll see that I do get my results filtered to the blog that I want. That's pretty basic stuff, but it allows your users to actually target what they're looking for.
The next thing that I want to discuss, this is very basic, facet configuration. The next thing that I want to discuss is a pattern called progressive disclosure. This is something that you'll see on Amazon where if you go to Amazon's search, you'll see that you'll be prompted to search for something that you're interested in, whether it's one of the products that they have. Then when you search on that product, you'll be displayed different filters based on the different types of things that are returned. What it prompts a user to do is start out small, like selecting the department that they want to search in, and then based on that department, it will expose different filters or facets that are relevant just to that.
I do want to take a step back and talk about the events. The events that I have on this site have dates that are associated with them, so the date that the event actually starts, whereas the blogs have a different type of date. They have the date that the article was posted.
When you're searching for events, you don't really want to know the date that the event was posted. You want to know the time that the event is actually happening, so you're going to have two different types of date facets, depending on the content that you're targeting.
Instead of displaying all of that information, all the possible combinations of facets on the left-hand side, we want to only display the facets as we start to navigate down the content types that we're interested in.
To highlight this, I'm going to go back to the configuration page, and I'm going to go to Apache Solr, and I'm going to go to Settings, configure my facets, and I'm going to scroll down. We're going to see two types of date facets that I was referring to. One was the post date and one was the event date. I'm going to enable both of these. I'm going to go to my blocks, position them. I'm going to scroll down, and now I see that the new blocks are here and disabled, so I'm going to position them in the sidebar first, like the other. I'm going to make sure that they're in the correct order that I expect.
I'm going to save these blocks. I'm going to go back to my search page, search for DrupalCon. You see that by default, now I have filter by post date, filter by event date. In order to configure this progressive disclosure pattern, what we're going to do is leverage something in Facet API called Dependencies. Instead of just explaining, I'm just going to go for it and highlight by example.
When I mouse over the facet, I get a little gear in the upper right-hand corner. If I expand that, I have an option to configure facet dependencies. This is the date that the actual content was posted, so again, it makes more sense for the blog than it does for the event. The first option that I have here is bundles, which are synonymous with Drupal content types. I'm going to say at least one of the selected bundles must be active. I'm going to say I only want to show this for blogs. I'm going to save this and go back to the search page.
Now you see that that date facet is gone. If I click on blog, now it appears. Now filter by post date. Again, I'm only shown, I'm only displayed facets that are relevant to the content type that I'm looking for.
Again, I could do this filter by event date. Again, mouse over the gear. Click Configure facet dependencies, Bundles. At least one of the bundles is active, and I'm going to say Events.
Now I go back, and when I search for DrupalCon, I'm going to start off very small, limited options, kind of guiding your users to select something and refine their results. As I click on blog, we know that we're in the blog context, so again, context meaning information that is used to determine what type of content you're viewing. Now that I know that I'm viewing blogs, I see the post date, which is a little more interesting.
Whereas if I click on the events, now I get the filter by event date. I can say, "Show me events that start in August of 2012 or May of 2013." It's not going to really target the type of events that are relevant to me.
One thing too, I'm actually going to go back to the blog facets, you see here that for the blogs, we have this drilled down thing that starts … we have a couple of blogs that span a couple of years, and the default facet that's coming out of the box, you have to actually drill down to 2011. Now I'm going to go in March. Now I'm going to go March 21st. It allows you to drill down by the specific date all the way down to the time. But that's actually not what users expect when you're dealing with types of displays that are blogs, that sort of thing.
I'm actually going to go to Google and search for Drupal blogs. If I click on Search Tools, we'll see anytime they don't have that type of drill-down. They actually have the ability to refine by a certain range. That's usually what users expect, and that's a use case that people commonly ask for that we've seen in our support requests.
The next module that I want to explore is called the Date Facets Module. Again, this is available on drupal.org, date_facets. This can be linked to by the Facet API project page. But again, if we look at the screenshot, we'll see that it provides a nice little display widget that allows you to display your facet in the range selection. We're going to assume that that module was downloaded.
Click on Modules. Once you download that module, you're going to install it. I'm using the module Filter Module to provide this nice interface where I can make sense of my modules because anybody that builds Drupal sites know that you can get up to hundreds of modules, so you need to be able to filter them more easily in this Module Administration Page. All I have to do, I already enabled this, but if I select the check box, click Save configuration, that's all I need to do to install the module.
Once the module is installed, actually, I'll do this from the search page, again, filter by blog, you have an option with facets to configure the display. If I mouse over the gear and click it, same list of options that allow me to configure the facet dependencies that can configure the facet display.
After I've installed that module, I'm going to have a new display widget site. If I expand here, you can see up at the top there is a new date range widget. The type of display in Facet API is called the widget.
If I click on date range, I'm going to click Save and go back to search page, I'm actually going to get an arrow here, which I wanted to highlight purposely. It says the widget does not support the date query we typed. When you're doing the date range, this is a common error that people report. You have to actually scroll down and select the different query type. This just tells Drupal that we're not just doing the date filter. We're doing the actual ranges.
I don't want to get into the technical aspects of it, but behind the scenes, it actually changes the type of filter that the backend uses, so it's important that we actually make this distinction.
Now if I save and go back to the search page, now you see that I get filters that are very similar to Google. I can refine things by the past week, which I have nothing, or past month, past year. It looks like I only have stuff within the past year. But it was able to refine that based on the time range of the content that you have, so it really allows people to narrow down the things that are more recent.
Those are a couple of the tips that I wanted to share regarding the fast configuration, but I want to stop and see if there any questions before proceeding. Do you have any questions? All right. We'll move on from facets.
The next thing that I think is pretty interesting is that instead of having a unified search page which displays all the content across your entire site, sometimes it's useful to actually have targeted search pages. These are things like, okay, I have a blog section on my site, which we have here. I only want to search across the blogs or I don't want to make the user actually click on blog to refine the results. This can actually be done in the Apache Solr Search Integration Module, which we're going to focus on.
I'm going to click Configuration then go to Apache Solr Search. One thing that I'm going to do to simplify this demonstration and something that I think is useful in Drupal in general is Drupal 7 provides this nice little shortcut functionality. You see here I have Apache Solr Search with a little plus sign. I can click this and it will now add this configuration page, a link to this configuration page in the toolbar so that I can navigate to it more quickly as opposed to having to go through the normal path. I'm going to do that for an easier demonstration. If you're configuring your search pages, you might want to do that as well.
Some of the tabs here, we have one that's geared towards pages and blocks. I'm just going to select pages and blocks. This is where we can actually manage search pages. I'm just going to go ahead and add a search page and we can see what this will do.
The goal here again is to create a search page that just narrows down your blogs. I'm going to say this is a blog search. I'm going to scroll down. I'm going to make sure that my correct environment is selected. In this case, I'm running Solr locally, but if you're connected to Acquia Search, you'll have an environment for Acquia Search. Environment is really named for the backend that you're connecting to.
Again, in title, search blogs. That's going to be the title of the page. The path, I'm going to put in search/blogs. The part that's going to allow me to filter just by blog content is this part at the bottom, custom filter. It's a little complex in terms of how you do it, but first, I'm going to select that custom filter check box to make sure that I'm using a filter. We're going to read the description down here. It says, "A comma-separated list of lucene filter queries to apply by default."
In English, what that means is lucene is a very low-level search engine that Solr is built on, but it's a syntax that allows you to filter by specific things and do some pretty interesting stuff. The very basic part of lucene syntax is if you want to filter by field, it will be the field name, field and then colon value. We have this use case actually down here in the comments. We see here bundle:blog. Bundle is the actual name of the Solr field, and blog is the name, is the value that's actually stored in the index.
If you want to see all the fields that are stored in Solr, you can actually click Reports and click on Apache Solr Search Index. These are all the different field names that you have at your disposal. It doesn't show you the values, but in our case, we know that the bundle will index the machine-readable name as we specified when we created that content type. If I go to structure content types, we see here all the different machine names. Blog is just the machine name, with _blog.
Again, I'm going to match the Solr field to this machine name. I'm going to say bundle is the name of my Solr field, and then blog is the value that we want to filter by. I'm going to save this page. Now, I have a search page that's dedicated just to blogs. I'm going to click on this. If I say DrupalCon, now we see that it only gives me two results because it's only filtering by the blogs, not filtering by any of the events.
Sometimes, it is nice to have these targeted searches. For example, if you do have a blog section of your site, it is very nice so that you don't have to actually set up a separate site for your blog. You can have your blog be a micro-site that is under the same Drupal installation but just has different configurations isolating that content so users can find what they are looking for.
I want to stop there and see if there are any questions on the search pages. No? We're good? Okay. I'm actually, just to reduce the noise here, I'm going to disable … is there a question?
Speaker 1: Yes. Is there an autocomplete module?
Chris Pliakas: Yes, there is. Let's see if I can find it. Yes. The module name is aptly named Apache Solr Autocomplete. The project name is Apache Solr_autocomplete. This will provide the type of autocomplete functionality that people are used to.
Now, it is important to note that, and this is one of the trends that we're going to talk about, that this actually pulls off your index and does keyword matching. But as you have larger sites and more data, then sometimes, keyword matching isn't necessarily the best option to guide people towards relevant results. There is a trend that's going to match statistics as well so that you can actually autocomplete based on what people are searching for as opposed to just the keywords which theoretically will guide them towards more relevant results. As I talk about the Apache Solr Statistics stuff that we're doing, we'll relate that back to the autocomplete.
Speaker 1: We have a few more questions.
Chris Pliakas: Okay.
Speaker 1: Can that custom search be put in a block?
Chris Pliakas: Can this search be put in a block? Yes, I believe it can. Let me just search for a module. I believe there is a module that does this. I want to see if this is what it does. I might have to get back to you on that one. I believe there is actually a module that does allow you to expose your searches in a block, but I'm not 100 percent sure on that, and so I'll take that as an action item and post that answer after the webinar is over.
Speaker 1: Okay. Also about the statistics stuff, is that available now?
Chris Pliakas: Yes. There is an Apache Solr Statistics module that does some very basic stuff, but it's more geared towards administrators. It does things like the keywords, but it does so more or less how many times a search page is viewed, which isn't really that useful to site builders. But there is a new extension to that module, a new branch, I guess I should say, that is available on the community. I'll show you where it exists and I'll give you a bit of timeline about when that is going to get merged back in, but that's more geared towards site builders and talks about how people are actually using your search.
Speaker 1: We have a few more questions.
Chris Pliakas: All right. I'll take it …
Speaker 1: All of this work with non-Drupal content if some other system populates parts of the Solr index?
Chris Pliakas: The answer to that is yes. The trick is getting that data into Drupal. There are some example code, which we'll point to the links after the webinar, that allow for more easily getting content into Drupal. But once you get the content in, you can display facets and that sort of thing.
The display of the search result doesn't really bias towards what type of content it is. Again, it's more or less just getting that content into Apache Solr in a way that Drupal can recognize.
Speaker 1: We have one more. Where is the extension to have autocomplete?
Chris Pliakas: Again, that's the … we'll do it for Google. If you search "Drupal Apache Solr Autocomplete," I'm going to venture that it is one of the first results. It's on drupal.org. The URL is drupal.org/project/apachesolr, all one word, _autocomplete. It's pretty easy to find on drupal.org and it's available on this project page.
Okay. I'm just going to clear cache just to make sure that our stuff is gone. I'm actually going to go back to Google here.
If we look at Google, we see that the search results are displayed in a format that's pretty familiar to us. Let's go to Yahoo!, or let's go to Bing. Search for Drupal.
Now pretty interesting, you'll actually see that the search results are very similar. You have the title. You have the URL. You have the snippet, and you have some additional information about it. Third thing, go to Yahoo!, search for Drupal, and we'll see that again, different results are returned because they have different algorithms that determine the relevancy, but the display is very, very similar. The reason is because there is actually a lot of standardization that was done in 2011 by Google, by Bing, and by Yahoo! What that is is something called schema.org.
Let's go back to Google, and we'll look at the search results. Let's go to our blog. We see some interesting things here. We see that when we search for our schema.org blog, you scroll down, we see one of these results has an image. This is actually a great way to talk about schema.org in that it provides some structure around your data.
When we build content types and manage fields inside of Drupal, we're actually just configuring the data model, so that's the underlying buckets that we put data into, and it doesn't really have any meaning beyond what we name it. Google doesn't understand when you create a blog content type that that's actually blog content. It's only blog in name only. Or when you create an event content type, it's only events in name only. That's almost like Drupal provides you a leg up in that you don't have to build your database but that you can do it through the UI. But I'll actually go back to Drupal here, click Structure, click Content Types.
You see here that I have events. If I manage my fields and I added some extra data here, the date, the event date, an address, an image, if I wanted to add another field, what you do is you create your label and then you select the type of field that you want. We see we have date, file, we have text. This is all real basic stuff that again is just really low level and doesn't actually expose what type of content that is.
Schema.org is the layer that sits upon that which says, okay, this text field is actually an address, or this image is the primary image of this piece of content, or this event date is the actual start date of an event. It will actually go up as well and say, okay, you can say this content type event is actually an event so that it can be recognized by some standard that's out there that's agreed upon by the major search engines.
This actually helps your Drupal site by not only when Google and Bing and stuff index your site, it will actually read this metadata, but there is actually some work that's being done so that it can modify the display of your internal search so that users are presented with a familiar experience.
That's probably the thing that people will recognize the most, but the module that I want to share with you is called the Rich Snippets module. We'll actually just install it and see what it gives us out of the box. Again, Rich Snippets, rich_snippets. There is another module that's similarly named, but it's important to understand that this one is geared towards your internal site search.
This takes that schema.org metadata and actually will format your results accordingly. I'm just going to install this module and see what it gives us, and then we can break it down a little bit.
Again, I'm going to go to Modules. I'm going to go to Rich Snippets, enable this. I'm going to bring up a page here so that we can see what it looks like before. Again, very blah. Now, when I enable the Rich Snippets module, we go back to my search page. I'm going to refresh the page. Now you see that it displays the results very, very differently.
The goal of this module is to work fairly out of the box. With Solr, you might have to re-index your content. But as you can see, now the results are displayed in a way that's much more friendly and much more in line with what users expect.
As a nice UI tip, this module is going to emerge as something that's going to be a staple on sites with search. As you can see, for DrupalCon Portland, DrupalCon Munich, it displays a little image, and it also displays the start date.
Now, for the blogs, it displays who that blog is by and when it was posted. As you can see, based on the context or based on the schema that we've assigned to it, the search results are displayed very differently. This is really important when we're displaying site-wide searches. There are tools in Drupal, such as Views, which people are starting to explore to build their search pages on, but that's not really geared towards heterogeneous content.
When you have a mix of contents, then it's really important that you're able to display that effectively inside your search page. Whereas views, it gets really, really tricky to say, "Okay, for this content type, display it this way. For this content type or this schema, display it another way."
That's the first thing that the Rich Snippets module will give us, is a nice display. Now we'll talk about how to actually say, okay, this is a date, this is the start date, that sort of thing.
There is a module called schema.org. It's just schemaorg, one word. It's a very simple module that doesn't require a lot of configuration, but you effectively download it, install it, and it allows you to effectively tag your fields and your content with the type of schema that denotes what that content actually is.
If you download and install this module, what it does is pretty simple. If I go to my structure, go to my content types, edit my content type, it gives us this new vertical tab that says schema.org settings, and this allows us to actually specify what type of content this is.
If I said, okay, this is a blog, I could start typing, and it would give me the options that are available. All the options are on the schema.org website, and I'm not going to go over them in detail because there is a lot of them. Just to give you an idea of how much there are, you start off with your basic top level stuff like an event, organization, that sort of thing, and then inside of these have various properties that say, okay, for this event, this is the end date, these are the attendees, so a lot of structured information there.
Each one has a lot. Let's see if I can get the documentation here. Okay. That's not what I want to show. Full list. Again, this highlights why this is a great tool for this type of search results display because as we scroll down, this is the nested hierarchy of schema.org schema and properties, so you could see there is a ton of them. The module right now supports a subset of them but it's going to support more.
As we're building our content, it's really important that you use this module and explain what your fields are. When I actually create a field, if I click Edit and I scroll down to the edit settings, you see here that I also have schema.org mapping so I can say the property. I could say this is the start date. Then what the Rich Snippets module will do is based on your schema and properties, it will display your content differently.
Because this is start date, if I go back to my DrupalCon settings, then it knows to display the actual start date up here because based on this result being an event, it's probably what people are going to be interested in, so it gives them some context about the content that's being returned so that they can see what's going on without necessarily having to click on the piece of content itself.
I'm going to stop there and take a couple of questions for two minutes, and then we're going to move on to statistics and then stop for general questions.
Speaker 1: Okay. We have two questions. Can the custom Solr search results page be used in panels? This might be from the last section.
Chris Pliakas: Yes, I believe it can be. The reason why I say that is because the Acquia Commons distribution is making heavy use of panels and is using Apache Solr for its search engine. I say with confidence that yes, it can be used with panels.
Speaker 1: There is one more. Where is the extension to add to Apache Solr autocomplete which allows for statistics to be involved and not just keywords?
Chris Pliakas: That's one thing that's not available just yet, but it's on the road map for the statistics module that we're going to display next. This is one of those items where I wanted to make people aware of the different trends that are emerging. This is one case where it hasn't been implemented yet, but it's going to be implemented. As you start to look forward in your search solutions the next three, six months, look for this as an option.
Speaker 1: We have one more question. Why do we need Acquia Search when everything seems doable from Drupal Search?
Chris Pliakas: Yes, and that's a great question. The first thing is that Drupal Search won't scale. The Drupal is built on relational database technology, and relational databases simply won't scale for full text searching. They're really geared towards saying, okay, find me all blogs or find me all users, that sort of thing. But when you start to enter keywords into the mix, it will take your entire site down pretty quickly because it will bog your stuff down.
Regarding Acquia Search, you can run Solr locally, and we've contributed a lot of these add-ons back to the community. However, the value add that Acquia provides right now is that we have Solr configured in a highly available cluster, so there is a master/slave replication so that if one server goes down that end users can continue to search. We also integrate the tools that allow for file attachment indexing. We also have a security mechanism that we've applied on top of Solr.
Solr actually doesn't have security out of the box, so you can actually do a Google search and find a lot of Solr instances that are unprotected. You could delete that index. You could add content to that index. We've added a security on top of Solr that allows you to connect securely and make sure that you and only you have access to your server. Also, we manage it 24x7.
One of the things I do want to talk about going down as we talk about statistics and contextual computing, there are things that we're experimenting with Acquia Search that will adjust relevancy based on user actions. This will be a set of tools that integrate with Drupal and integrate with various tools that will provide more relevant results to your users beyond just keywords. There is going to be a lot of value and a lot of focus on contextual computing with Acquia Search that's really going to differentiate it from not only core search but from using Solr locally.
Speaker 1: There's a few more, but we can get to them at the end.
Chris Pliakas: Yes, sure. What I'm going to do is just wrap up really quickly with the statistics. There is one point that I want to hit home, and I'll try to stop by 1:55 to save some time for some questions afterwards.
There is an Apache Solr Statistics module. Let me clear out some of these tabs here. I think that's it. Or maybe it's Apache Solr Stats. It's probably Apache Solr Stats. There we go.
There is an Apache Solr Statistics module that you can download, it works for Drupal 6 and Drupal 7, that gives you some information in terms of how many requests there are, what type of things people are searching for, but it's more geared towards site administrators, not necessarily search page builders. The reason why I say that is because if I go to my search and I search DrupalCon, it's going to count that as DrupalCon, the keyword being searched.
If I click on events, since the page reloaded and it actually queried Solr again, that statistics module is going to say, okay, DrupalCon was searched again. What this really does is it says show me content where people have to click around to find what they are looking for. It's not necessarily indicative of what people are actually looking for on the site.
One of the branches that's being worked on, it's actually a sandbox project right now that will be merged into, back into the Apache Solr Statistics module by Q1 of next year … I can't find it here … there is a sandbox that's an Apache Solr Statistics fork that's used to experiment with this stuff. That's what I'm going to be showing you today. The important thing is that it's more geared towards the search page builders, and it also tracks what people do after they search for something. It allows you to track what we call click-throughs.
If somebody searches for DrupalCon, we can see what pieces of content people are actually selecting, so we can make informed decisions about how to configure our search and how to modify the relevancy.
What I'm going to do is click on modules, search toolkit, and enable Apache Solr Statistics. When I click on Apache Solr Search, now I have a new tab that says statistics.
What I want to do is I want to enable the query log. This captures stuff about what searches are being executed. Also, I want to enable something called the Event Log. In order to enable this, you have to copy a file from the module to your Drupal Group so that it can capture the information as users are clicking on it.
We're also going to capture user data. By default, that's off, but you can capture data not only what people are searching for but who is searching for it. Based on your privacy policy, you can enable or disable that setting.
There is also what I'm about to explain, the law of retention policy and backend, by default, logged to the database, but for busier sites, again, there is going to be the availability to send that to different sources.
I'm going to say a configuration, and I'm going to execute another search. If I search for DrupalCon and now click on DrupalCon Portland, if I go to Reports, Apache Solr Index, Statistics, this gives me some interesting things. It gives me the top keywords, so it shows me what the top keywords are that people are actually searching for. Equally as important, top keywords with no results, so you can see what people are searching for and not getting any results for.
If people don't find the content they're looking for, they're going to leave your site, so this is a really important metric. Also top keywords with no click-throughs, so if people are searching for things and they're getting results but they're not clicking on anything, then there is probably going to be some modifications to make sure that they're getting displayed the correct results.
Here, we see the top keywords. We also have click-through reports. If I click on that, it will show me the pieces of content that people are selecting in the count. As you start to gain some more traffic on your site, this will give you some transparency in terms of what people are doing on your search page, and more importantly, what they're doing after.
As we talked about the contextual computing, it's really important that you monitor what people are looking for, and this is a great way to do it. Again, it's what people are looking for in your site and what they are selecting, what they find relevant. The search page is a great tool to help you modify your experience and tailor it to your users.
We have a couple of slides to end up, but that's really what I wanted to highlight, is that contextual computing is more the trend, that there are some tools that you can employ now that are going to be improved upon in the future to make sure that Drupal is the best solution available in search to serve relevant content to your users. Search is really becoming a big data problem, and search is also becoming a solution to that problem.
Big data is capturing a lot of information and then making sense of it, doing something with it. As your sites begin to amass a lot of data, search is a great tool to help your users sift through that data and find the relevant content that they're looking for, and that's really where the trend of computing is going over the next five years, so definitely pay attention to search as a tool to help make sure your site is keeping up with the latest trends and desires of your end users as they look for engaging experiences.
I went over but we'll take some more questions.
Speaker 1: Okay, great. Would you recommend using these modules on a Drupal 6 site using domain access?
Chris Pliakas: Domain access is a little bit tricky especially with search. Some of these things are … let's take a step back. The way a domain access works is that it builds upon the Drupal node access system, so that adds some challenges in terms of search. Not only does a search solution have to be domain-access-aware, but everything around your site has to be domain-access-aware.
Theoretically, you can use your Drupal 6 site with domain access. It's just that it gets a little bit tricky because your index is logically separated as opposed to physically separated, so there always is the chance of your content either lagging behind in terms of getting that access information or accidentally getting exposed to other sites when it shouldn't be, so it can be done, but there has to be a lot of thought and a lot of careful planning to make sure that it's implemented properly.
Speaker 1: The next question is does the schema.org also expose the extra info to search engine spiders?
Chris Pliakas: Yes, it does. That's actually what the module is geared towards. It's geared towards the external use case, and it works, it provides that metadata that Google will pick up the images and the additional metadata. But what the Rich Snippets module does is it takes that information and uses it inwards. By default, it actually is geared more outwards, but the work that's being done right now is taking that and also apply it to your site search, so it's a win-win.
Speaker 1: The next question is what if the non-Drupal contents are dynamic pages, how do you import those contexts? If not, is there a federated search solution?
Chris Pliakas: I think it's important to first say a federated search solution might not be exactly what's being asked for. When we think offederated search solution, we think of things like Kayak or other engines that actually query out different data sources and compile them together.
There are tools in Drupal that allow you to query different sources simultaneously. However, that's probably not what you're looking for. You're probably looking for a unified search solution that displays results instantly.
In order to do that, you can leverage tools such as crawlers, such as Nutch, which will integrate with Solr. The key is again getting that data into a format that Drupal can recognize. But the trick is using those tools to crawl or expose your external data to get them into Drupal.
There are also ways that you can programmatically connect a third party data store and index that into Drupal using the APIs. But again, it's more of a developer task and something that has to be coded.
But with Acquia Search, definitely look for an offering sooner rather than later to index external content and bring it into your Acquia Search Index.
Speaker 1: All right. We'll take one more. How can you make information more important based on the statistics? What ways to set this up are available?
Chris Pliakas: Can you repeat that question one more time? Sorry.
Speaker 1: How can you make information more important based on the statistics? What ways to set this up are available?
Chris Pliakas: Sure. I'll give one example from Acquia.com. We have an offering called Dev Desktop, which is a local stack installer for Drupal. A long time ago, it used to be called DAMP, Drupal, Apache, MySQL, that sort of thing. What we actually have noticed is that based on our statistics, people still search for DAMP more than they do Dev Desktop. We noticed that trend, and the way that we modified our search results was to take advantage of some of the things that Apache Solr has, and when people search for DAMP, we add a synonym to Dev Desktop so that when they search for DAMP, they're actually getting the content that's relevant to Dev Desktop, which is what the products mean now.
This is what Google does. This is why Google results are very relevant. They have hundreds of full-time engineers analyzing their search and doing things like saying, "Okay. If you search for a FedEx tracking number, we're going to show you the FedEx webpage." Now it's automated, but that was used by analyzing the statistics, and those are the types of techniques that you can employ on your site based on what your users are actually looking to do.
Speaker 1: Okay, great. I think we're going to have to end it here. Thank you, Chris, for the great presentation, and thank you everyone for participating and asking all these wonderful questions. Again, the slides and recording of the webinar will be posted to the Acquia.com website in the next 48 hours. Thank you.


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Helping people find jobs is a big part of the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation's job. We have people and resources dedicated to helping you find the job you want and need.
How the SD Department of Labor and Regulation Can Help
Get Career Ready - flyer (PDF format) on career services available from the Department of Labor and Regulation
Job searching is like any other task. It helps to have a clear goal, a practical plan and some learnable skills.
To land a good job, you need to market yourself to those who might want to hire you.
A Clear Goal
Ask yourself some questions. What do you like to do? What are your hobbies or volunteer activities? Can you relate your interests to a job? Are you drawn to any particular type of work? What kind of work would you like to be doing five, 10 or 15 years from now?
The professionals at your local South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation office can help you refine your interests and goals, so you know what you are looking for in employment.
Develop a Plan
Applying for a job is like any other activity where you need to convince someone to do something, in this case, hire you. You need to market your knowledge, skills and experience, whether you are just out of school or have years of work behind you.
Make a List
The first step in marketing your talents is identifying your situation and your qualifications. Make a detailed list of your job-related skills, abilities and interests. When you are done, you'll know exactly what assets you have to offer an employer. Use the following questions to help make your list. Later, you can use some of this information on your resume.
You have a choice for the next step. You can either select job information sources or prepare your resume.
Job Information Sources
You may need to learn more about different types of jobs. Two valuable sources of information are South Dakota's Career Learning Centers, which provide education and training programs and can assist you in learning about available jobs, and your local South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation office, which can provide information about job openings and the qualifications needed to fill them and training in job-seeking skills. The local offices may be able to refer you to just the sort of job you want.
Most professions will require a resume, but, no matter what job you are pursuing, a good resume can be a big plus. Many employers tell us that a poor resume helps them screen out applicants. On the other hand, an effective resume will often lead to a personal interview, which you might not get otherwise.
Your local South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation office can help you in developing your resume.
As you write your resume, remember it should be detailed enough to give an employer the information needed to assess your qualifications. However, the employer will usually skim it over and not read it all. Therefore, your resume needs to be concise and contain only the pertinent information that will get the employer's attention.
You can post your resume on various websites, allowing employers nation-wide to match their needs with your skills.
You may find helpful the guidance on resume writing in the South Dakota Careerwise booklet. Also available in Microsoft Word format are shell documents for each of the three styles of resumes discussed in the booklet.
A job interview is your showcase for marketing your talents. During the interview an employer judges your qualifications, appearance and general appropriateness for the job opening. Equally important, it gives you a chance to appraise the job, the employer and the company. It lets you decide if the job meets your career needs and interests and if the employer is someone you want to work for. Here are a few tips:
View the SD Department of Labor and Regulation's "Keys to Successful Interviewing" video for additional guidance and tips.
How the SD Department of Labor and Regulation Can Help
Each year, the local offices of the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation fill more than 50,000 job openings. Every office is staffed with trained professionals ready to help you identify opportunities and prepare for productive employment.
Staff can help you:
All individuals seeking employment or information about the local labor market receive assistance at no charge. Job listings are posted from local employers, state-wide employers, and federal and state government agencies. As a starting point, you may want to consider completing the applicant registration form (available here in Adobe .pdf format*) before visiting the local South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation office. Choose English or Spanish.
Build Dakota Scholarships for high demand/high wage career fields.
Job Search Assistance Program (JSAP) - A free workshop for people recovering from job loss or enhancing their job search skills. Trained instructors speak on modern-day techniques used to successfully find employment. Topics covered are: resume and cover letter writing, interviewing etiquette, networking effectively, using social media and much more. See your local office for dates and more information about registering.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment & Training - TANF and SNAP E & T are employment and training programs designed to assist applicants or recipients to prepare for and secure full-time employment, leading toward economic self-sufficiency. Participants may be placed in community service or employment that provides basic work skills, improving the chances of being successful in the workforce and leaving public assistance behind. Specific program requirements are available at your nearest South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation local office.
Training Opportunities - Staff can identify the appropriate training for you, such as on-the-job training, computer training, Work Experience, customized skill training and apprenticeships.
Veterans' Services - Veterans' representatives provide specialized assistance with job referrals, training, Veterans Affairs contacts and community support.
Workforce Investment Act (WIA) - The Workforce Investment Act is a federally funded employment training program designed to prepare youth and adults for entry into the labor force. Participation and eligibility are based on and determined by an assessment process. (This is not an entitlement program.) WIA offers education and job training programs that can help in overcoming barriers to employment.
Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefits - Unemployment insurance benefits provide compensation for you if you have lost your job through no fault of your own.
SDWORKS is a state electronic labor database of job seekers and employers. You can use SDWORKS to anonymously search this database of jobs that contains, on average, 10,000 job openings and can normally apply for any job you find directly with the employer who posted it. Registering with SDWORKS is without charge and allows you to:
(Note: You must register with SDWORKS to use this feature.)
Each local office has a resource room available for job search-related use, including:
Use mydlr.sd.gov, a website designed by the Department of Labor and Regulation specifically for job seekers which provides fingertip access to expert employment services. View or print a mydlr.sd.gov rack card (in Adobe .pdf format*) for more information.
Check out the Occupational Profiles: High-Demand, High-Wage (in Adobe .pdf format*) and other information available on the Department of Labor and Regulation's Targeted Occupations.
Find new career opportunities based on the skills you have or explore training opportunities to address any skill gaps you may have using the my Skills my Future website.
Find jobs and career resources at US.jobs, provided by the National Labor Exchange. For jobs in South Dakota, visit SD.jobs.
Download the Job Seeker Services brochure in Adobe .pdf format*.
U.S. DOL "Soft Skills" Video Vignettes
If you cannot find the information you are seeking among the topics listed in the menu at the top left of this page, please contact us.
South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation
Kneip Building
700 Governors Drive
Pierre, SD 57501-2291
Phone: 605.773.3101
Fax: 605.773.4211
*Opening and printing Adobe .pdf files requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click here as needed to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

subset: commoncrawl


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Friday, July 6, 2012
I apologize for the lack of non-BUZZ posts lately – but I have been distracted.
FYI – I am moving from New Jersey to Pennsylvania (as I have been "threatening" to do for the past couple of years)! This move will reduce my annual living expenses by about $12,000!
Moving will not affect my 1040 practice. Instead of mailing their "stuff" to my mail drop in NJ next season clients will mail their "stuff" to a mail drop in PA.
I have purchased a condo – and will close in mid-July. I should be fully moved by mid-August.
And this year I will be attending the annual National Conference and Expo of the National Association of Tax Professionals to be held nearby in Baltimore MD from July 9-12 (leaving this Sunday). I will be posting here, and also at THE TAX PROFESSIONAL, daily from Baltimore during the conference next week – sharing tax info and tax developments learned, and reminded of, at the various educational sessions.
When I return from Baltimore my attention will be taken up by my move – and posts will continue to be sparse. I will try to maintain the twice-weekly BUZZ schedule. There will be a regular Saturday BUZZ installment tomorrow.
Once I have settled in – by the end of the summer – I hope to return to regular posting at both blogs.
"Talk" to you from Baltimore next week!
Posted by Robert D Flach
Labels: Where the Fakawi
4 comments:
- Peter Reilly said...
I'm brokern hearted. You were one of my connections to the Garden State, where I grew up. LOL
Good luck.
- July 6, 2012 at 6:24:00 AM EDT
- Robert D Flach said...
I will still maintain connections to the "Garden State" via business and 1040 clients.
And I will still continue the NJ TAX PRACTICE BLOG.
- July 6, 2012 at 6:49:00 AM EDT
- John Sheeley said...
Dude, if you moved and didn't mention it, would any of your clients notice?
- July 9, 2012 at 6:12:00 PM EDT
- Robert D Flach said...
Some would - although about 75% of my 1040 clients mail me their "stuff" each year.
Actually - between you and me -there are some clients I am not telling where I moved - just telling them I have retired.
- July 9, 2012 at 6:37:00 PM EDT
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Top 10 Food Lover's Hotels in America
For some people, a hotel is just a place to lay your head. But at Bon Appetit, it always comes back to the food. That hotel we're checking into? It better come with a lot more than fluffy bathrobes and a comfy bed. Last week, we revealed the nominees for the Best Food Lover's Hotels in America–40 escapes that deliver locally sourced, chef-driven food and drink that aren't just good-for-a-hotel good, but good–period. Today we reveal our 10 winners. From an inn in the San Juan islands, where a young chef is creating an electrifying tasting menu, to a whiskey-fueled (and Michelin-starred) boutique hotel in Chicago, to a historic family-owned inn and organic farm serving up addictive "Rio Grande Valley" cuisine, here are BA's 10 most delicious hotels in America.–Meghan Sutherland


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Aurisonics Rockets Solo Precision Micro-Dynamic Noise Isolating In-Ear Headphones
" For larger views of any of the photos (1200 x 800) - please click on the individual images INTRODUCTION I'm a bit of a noob with regard to Aurisonics, having never heard any of their earphones before. However, I had heard a lot of good things about the Aurisonics Rockets, so when my trans-Tasman mate H20 asked me if I'd like to spend some time with his pair, I jumped at the chance. ..." --Brooko
InEar StageDiver SD-3
" Tested on various classical and jazz pieces, found the SD3 to give commanding performance on all. Note, I used high quality flac versions of all songs tested. SD3's are about two days old and have about 8 hours on them, hardly broken in. They were bought from this shop and imported into the states at the regular retail price. Eartips used were Sony hybrids, peach inner..." --Carlsan
Aurisonics AS-2
" Synopsis: The Aurisonics AS-2 is a high-end custom-fit in-ear stage monitor with a lively, rich sound. It has a unique, crossover-free design that allows its 15mm dynamic driver and two special balanced armatures to work together seamlessly. With an adjustable bass port system, the AS-2 provides a real bass energy in just the amount you want. Combined with a lush midrange and an accurate,..." --Kunlun
Aurisonics ASG-2.5 Generic Fit Digital-Hybrid In-Ear Monitors in Polished Red
"Aurisonics ASG-2.5 Review Introduction Many thanks to samma3a.com for providing me with a ASG2.5 for a week to review. Aurisonics is a Nashville, Tennessee, US based company that produces mostly by hand and it shows. Aurisonics stands for Auris is latin for ear and Sonics is the practical application of sound. A nice name for an audio company. When a mastering engineer founds..." --Koolpep
Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS
"This is my first review on Headfi and the main purpose was to get the sound signature of ASG1+ out to the public since the news of its release was mostly overshadowed by ASG2.5. I do hope these impressions help for those who are actually considering the ASG1+. I have never been a fan of the ASG2, which was the only IEM of the Aurisonics line I had heard before the release of the new..." --destrozer
Aurisonics ASG-2
" Introduction The ASG-2 is Aurisonics' second (official) foray into the world of iems. The guys over at Aurisonics cater primarily to the music professional crowd, and their products are generally tuned for stage use. Their original ASG-1 was a perfect example of this, with its ability to present vocals in a way that made it seem as if the notes were rolling off your own..." --eke2k6
Aurisonics ASG-1 Rev 1.3
" I quite literally took a shot with these after the NY Meet. It was between these and the UE900s and I'm rather content with the decision, from the cable to the build, to the fit. Everything works. These are clearly stage monitors tuned so you can ear voices clearly and exact positioning of instruments. Because of this they have a great and slightly forward midrange. However for what they do..." --kyuuketsuki
InEar StageDiver SD-2S
"Before starting the review I'd like to explain a few thing about myself so you can contextualize my advice/review. I'm a 24 years old student in IT, my passion in life is Sound Design, I also like the mixing / mastering phase of electronic record. I don't play any instrument since I can't due to an accident that cut my tendons and ligaments on one of my hands. I listen almost..." --nofuture
Aurisonics ASG-B
"[Originally posted at Basshead.Club] Bring on the thunder. The Aurisonics ASG-B has the most bass depth of any IEM to grace my ears. They are absolutely thunderous, digging deep into your chest and taking your breath away. Aurisonics ASG-B In the Box Shock/Dust/Waterproof hard case SureSeal™ tips Cleaning tool ASG-B Detachable cable Aurisonics ASG-B..." --Luckbad
Aurisonics AS-1b
" Synopsis: The Aurisonics AS-1b is a very nice custom-fit monitor with a sound tuned for the needs of professional musicians performing on stage. It gives the listener a mid-centric sound that emphasizes the vocal range so a singer stands out in the mix. The large 15mm dynamic driver has an excellent, rich bass and on top there is a non-fatiguing, flat treble. The AS-1b offers musicians and..." --Kunlun


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ORDR Programs
ORDR coordinates the following collaborative research efforts
ORDR is part of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) .
The goals of ORDR are to identify, stimulate, coordinate and support research to respond to the needs of patients who have any one of the approximately 6,800 rare diseases known today. Read more about ORDR .
Thursday, October 08, 2015
Houston, TX
ORDR coordinates the following collaborative research efforts
Funding opportunities from the NIH and other sources
Resources to aid in research efforts
Learn about research studies, clinical trials, and patient registries
Featured GuideMore Guides
A collection of resources for the rare disease community
A collection of resources that provide information on genes, genomics, and genetic conditions
Learn about genetic testing and finding healthcare services
Organizations that can help you find support and assistance
A collection of resources for educators about rare diseases and genetic concepts


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News in "Housing"
Page 15 of 29. Return to the Housing program
Page 15 of 29. Return to the Housing program
$600,000 To work with utility companies to better serve the multifamily housing sector's energy efficiency needs (over three years).
$3,300,000 To host and execute the first phase of the Commission on Housing Policy for a Strong Economy (over 18 months).
$698,000 To research the impact of service enriched senior housing on resident health, quality-of-life, and health care costs.
$300,000 To provide legal assistance and advocacy for affordable housing preservation (over two years).
$400,000 To support a utility on-bill repayment program for energy efficiency projects at affordable multifamily housing (over two years).


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The rules below describe the application process for Optometry.
The following form is for individuals applying for an Iowa license to practice Optometry. Read the instructions on the application form carefully and review the checklist at the end to ensure all requirements for licensure are submitted. Items not submitted by the appropriate source may delay the licensure process.
You may access the online services page by clicking https://IBPLicense.iowa.gov/
The new system will allow individuals to complete the following tasks:
· Apply for initial licensure
· Renew your license
· Reactivate your license
· Request a license verification
· Change your address
· Attach documents to your license
· File a complaint
· List of licensees
The professional boards within the Bureau of Professional Licensure require primary source verification of credentials prior to issuing a license in this state. The Bureau is responsible for maintaining all of the information on the website, including licensure information and public disciplinary action. The information provided on the website is the same information provided through verbal and mail verification, and is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. The Bureau believes this site is appropriate for verification information. Licensure information on the above website is updated instantly upon entering new information.
Sarah G. Reisetter, Bureau Chief | Lucas State Office Building | 321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319 | (515) 281-0254
IDPH Home :: A-Z Index :: What We Do :: News Archive :: Calendar :: Definitions
Accessibility :: HIPAA Statement :: Privacy Policy
Contact Us :: State of Iowa
© Copyright 2015 Iowa Department of Public Health -- All Rights Reserved
321 E. 12th Street, Des Moines, Iowa, 50319-0075 :: (515) 281-7689 or toll-free at 1-866-227-9878
Comments or questions about this site should be directed to the webmaster


text:
Find out about our history, mission and the way we do business.
From food & beverages to home & personal care, our brands are part of everyday life.
Find out how we are making sustainability a driver of everything we do so that each time a consumer chooses one of our products, it improves their life, their community and the world we all share.
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7 U.S. Code § 2204 - General duties of Secretary; advisory functions; research and development
(a) The Secretary of Agriculture shall procure and preserve all information concerning agriculture, rural development, aquaculture, and human nutrition which he can obtain by means of books and correspondence, and by practical and scientific experiments, accurate records of which experiments shall be kept in his office, by the collection of statistics, and by any other appropriate means within his power; he shall collect new and valuable seeds and plants; shall test, by cultivation, the value of such of them as may require such tests; shall propagate such as may be worthy of propagation; and shall distribute them among agriculturists; and he shall advise the President, other members of his Cabinet, and the Congress on policies and programs designed to improve the quality of life for people living in the rural and nonmetropolitan regions of the Nation.
(b) The Secretary is authorized to initiate or expand research and development efforts related to solution of problems of rural water supply, rural sewage and solid waste management, rural housing, rural industrialization, and technology appropriate to small- and moderate-sized family farming operations, and any other problem that the Secretary may determine has an effect upon the economic development or the quality of life in rural areas.
Source(R.S. § 526; Feb. 9, 1889, ch. 122, §§ 1, 4,25 Stat. 659; Pub. L. 92–419, title VI, § 603(b),Aug. 30, 1972, 86 Stat. 675; Pub. L. 94–273, § 7(4),Apr. 21, 1976, 90 Stat. 378; Pub. L. 95–113, title XV, § 1502(b),Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 1021; Pub. L. 96–355, § 5,Sept. 24, 1980, 94 Stat. 1174.)
R.S. § 526 derived from act May 15, 1862, ch. 72, § 3,12 Stat. 387.
Section was formerly classified to section 514 of Title 5 prior to the general revision and enactment of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, by Pub. L. 89–554, § 1,Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 378.
1980—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–355inserted provisions relating to technology appropriate to small- and moderate-sized family farming operations, and struck out provisions relating to the national rural development program and goals, and accompanying annual report.
1977—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–113inserted references to aquaculture and human nutrition.
1976—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–273substituted "December" for "September".
1972—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 92–419, § 603(b)(1)–(3), designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), provided for information concerning rural development, and prescribed advisory functions of the Secretary, respectively.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 92–419, § 603(b)(4), added subsec. (b).
Change of Name
Secretary of Agriculture substituted for Commissioner of Agriculture in text pursuant to sections 1 and 4 of act Feb. 9, 1889, which are classified to section 2202 of this title. See, also, section 2205 of this title.
Effective Date of 1980 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 96–355effective Oct. 1, 1980, see section 10 ofPub. L. 96–355, set out as an Effective Date note under section 2204b of this title.
Effective Date of 1977 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 95–113effective Oct. 1, 1977, see section 1901 ofPub. L. 95–113, set out as a note under section 1307 of this title.
Transfer of Functions
Functions of all officers, agencies, and employees of Department of Agriculture transferred, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of Agriculture by 1953 Reorg. Plan No. 2, § 1, eff. June 4, 1953, 18 F.R. 3219, 67 Stat. 633, set out as a note under section 2201 of this title.
Functions of Secretary of Agriculture administered through Bureau of Biological Survey relating to conservation of wildlife, game, and migratory birds transferred to Secretary of the Interior by 1939 Reorg. Plan No. II, § 4(f), eff. July 1, 1939, 4 F.R. 2731, 53 Stat. 1433, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Delegation of authority to Secretary with respect to nation's food program during war emergency, see Ex. Ord. No. 9280, set out as a note under section 452 of this title.
Emergency Preparedness Functions
For assignment of certain emergency preparedness functions to Secretary of Agriculture, see Parts 1, 2, and 3 of Ex. Ord. No. 12656, Nov. 18, 1988, 53 F.R. 47491, set out as a note under section 5195 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.
Report on Geographically Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers
Pub. L. 107–171, title X, § 10906,May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 538, provided that:
"(a) Definition of Geographically Disadvantaged Farmer or Rancher.—In this section, the term 'geographically disadvantaged farmer or rancher' means a farmer or rancher in—
"(1) an insular area (as defined in section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103) (as amended by section 7502 (a)); or
"(2) a State other than 1 of the 48 contiguous States.
"(b) Report.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [May 13, 2002], the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report that describes—
"(1) barriers to efficient and competitive transportation of inputs and products by geographically disadvantaged farmers and ranchers; and
"(2) means of encouraging and assisting geographically disadvantaged farmers and ranchers—
"(A) to own and operate farms and ranches; and
"(B) to participate equitably in the full range of agricultural programs offered by the Department of Agriculture."
Review of Operation of Agricultural and Natural Resource Programs on Tribal Trust Land
Pub. L. 107–171, title X, § 10910,May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 539, provided that:
"(a) Review.—The Secretary of Agriculture (referred to in this section as the 'Secretary') shall conduct a review of the operation of agricultural and natural resource programs available to farmers and ranchers operating on tribal and trust land, including—
"(1) agricultural commodity, price support, and farm income support programs (collectively referred to in this section as 'agricultural commodity programs');
"(2) conservation programs (including financial and technical assistance);
"(3) agricultural credit programs;
"(4) rural development programs; and
"(5) forestry programs.
"(b) Criteria for Review.—In carrying out the review under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consider—
"(1) the extent to which agricultural commodity programs and conservation programs are consistent with tribal goals and priorities regarding the sustainable use of agricultural land;
"(2) strategies for increasing tribal participation in agricultural commodity programs and conservation programs;
"(3) the educational and training opportunities available to Indian tribes and members of Indian tribes in the practical, technical, and professional aspects of agriculture and land management; and
"(4) the development and management of agricultural land under the jurisdiction of Indian tribes in accordance with integrated resource management plans that—
"(A) ensure proper management of the land;
"(B) produce increased economic returns;
"(C) promote employment opportunities; and
"(D) improve the social and economic well-being of Indian tribes and members of Indian tribes.
"(c) Consultation.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall consult with—
"(1) the Secretary of the Interior;
"(2) local officers and employees of the Department of Agriculture; and
"(3) program recipients.
"(d) Report.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [May 13, 2002], the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that contains—
"(1) a description of the results of the review conducted under this section;
"(2) recommendations for program improvements; and
"(3) a description of actions that will be taken to carry out the improvements."
Aviation Inspections
Pub. L. 103–354, title III, § 306,Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3241, provided that:
"(a) Study of Aircraft Inspections.—
"(1) Intent of study.—The intent of the study required by this subsection is to examine the cost efficiencies of conducting inspections of aircraft and pilots by one Federal agency without reducing aircraft, passenger, or pilot safety standards or lowering mission preparedness.
"(2) Study required.—The Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Transportation shall jointly conduct a study of the inspection specifications and procedures by which aircraft and pilots contracted by the Department are certified to determine the cost efficiencies of eliminating duplicative Department inspection requirements and transferring some or all inspection requirements to the Federal Aviation Administration, while ensuring that neither aircraft, passenger, nor pilot safety is reduced and that mission preparedness is maintained.
"(3) Special considerations.—In conducting the study, the Secretaries shall evaluate current inspection specifications and procedures mandated by the Department and the Forest Service, taking into consideration the unique requirements and risks of particular Department and Forest Service missions that may require special inspection specifications and procedures to ensure the safety of Department and Forest Service personnel and their contractees.
"(4) Maintenance of standards and preparedness.—In making recommendations to transfer inspection authority or otherwise change Department inspection specifications and procedures, the Secretaries shall ensure that the implementation of any such recommendations does not lower aircraft or pilot standards or preparedness for Department or Forest Service missions.
"(5) Submission of results.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 13, 1994], the Secretaries shall submit to Congress the results of the study, including any recommendations to transfer inspection authority or otherwise change Department inspection specifications and procedures and a cost-benefit analysis of such recommendations.
"(b) Review of Recently Adopted Aircraft Policy.—
"(1) Review required.—The Secretaries shall review the policy initiated by the Secretary of Agriculture on July 1, 1994, to accept Federal Aviation Administration inspections on aircraft and pilots that provide 'airport to airport' service for the Forest Service. The policy is currently being cooperatively developed by the Department and the Federal Aviation Administration and is intended to reduce duplicative inspections and to reduce Government costs, while maintaining aircraft, passenger, and pilot safety standards, specifications and procedures currently required by the Department and the Forest Service.
"(2) Expansion of policy.—As part of the review, the Secretaries shall examine the feasibility and desirability of applying this policy on a Government-wide basis.
"(3) Submission of results.—Not later than one year after the date of the implementation of the policy, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to Congress the results of the review, including any recommendations that the Secretary considers appropriate."
Order of Succession
For order of succession during any period when both Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Agriculture are unable to perform functions and duties of office of Secretary, see Ex. Ord. No. 13542, May 13, 2010, 75 F.R. 27921, listed in a table under section 3345 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
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Employees will provide approximately 5,000 hours of service celebrating National Volunteer Week and Earth Day
CHICAGO — For the sixth consecutive year, employees from across Exelon's family of companies will celebrate National Volunteer Week (April 15-21) by volunteering their time and energy at more than 100 planned community service projects in five states.
More than 1,500 employees, family members and friends are expected to volunteer approximately 5,000 hours to community service projects. In recognition of Earth Day (Sunday, April 22) and demonstrating Exelon's continuing commitment to environmental stewardship, about one-third of the employee-led volunteer projects will focus on environmental clean-up or conservation. Many of the environmental service projects will take place around Earth Day and support Exelon 2020, the company's business and environmental strategy to eliminate the equivalent of its annual carbon footprint by 2020. The remaining volunteer projects will focus on diversity and inclusion, education, and community enrichment.
"Our employees bring great energy and creativity to Exelon's week-long national celebration of community service," said Exelon President and CEO Chris Crane. "Their commitment to volunteerism and to improving the environment and quality of life in the communities we serve is a source of pride for us all."
Exelon celebrates National Volunteer Week by empowering employee volunteers to design their own service projects. Employees from Exelon's operating companies will participate in National Volunteer Week activities: ComEd in northern Illinois; PECO in southeastern Pennsylvania; Constellation Energy in Maryland; and Exelon Generation and Exelon Business Services Company in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic.
Exelon has a longstanding tradition of charitable giving and providing service to civic and nonprofit organizations through its "Energy for the Community" program. In 2011, more than 2,400 Exelon employee volunteers gave nearly 62,000 hours of their time to community nonprofit organizations. The donated hours are equivalent to 1,550 workweeks or nearly 30 years of full-time service.
Examples of Exelon's National Volunteer Week projects include:
Environmental: • Cleanup and tree planting at Morton Arboretum (Lisle, Ill., April 16)• Cleanup at Fox Valley Preserve (Aurora, Ill., April 17)• Developing a new trail at Dunning Road conservation area (Chicago, April 17)• Cleanup work at Anson B. Nixon Park (Kennett Square, Pa., April 18)• Landscaping at Casa Central (Chicago, April 19)• Tree-planting in Washington Park (Chicago, April 20) • "Save the Trees" Earth Day gardening project in Grant Park (Chicago, April 20) • Cleanup at Riverbend (Philadelphia, April 20)• Cleanup at Chapman Park (Doylestown, Pa., April 20)• Cleanup at Humboldt Park with Rowe-Clark Academy students (Chicago, April 21)• Cleanup project at Lake Arlington in Forth Worth (Fort Worth, Texas, April 21)• Tree planting at Kengsington South (Philadelphia, April 21)• Riversweep at Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway (Perryville, Md., April 21)• Cleanup at the Old Conowingo Creek Boat Launch (Conowingo, Md., April 28)
Diversity & Inclusion: • Radio recording at Chicago Lighthouse, a non-profit for the visually impaired (Chicago, April 16-20)• Reading to children at Rowe Elementary School (Chicago, April 19)• Interviewing teens for summer internships (Chicago, April 19)• Providing students with diverse thinking models to improve communication skills (Chicago, April 23)
Community Enrichment: • Assisting with energy-efficiency improvements at Habitat for Humanity home (McHenry, Ill. April 14)• Cleanup at Naperville Area Humane Society (Naperville, Ill., April 17)• Preparing nutritious meals to be delivered to families who are home bound due to illness (Philadelphia, April 17)• Sorting and cleaning toys, clothing and equipment at Cradles to Crayons (Conshohocke, Pa., April 17, 19)• Assisting at Englewood Food Pantry (Chicago, April 18)• Assisting at Greater Chicago Food Depository (Chicago, April 19)• All-Star basketball game for Misericordia, which serves individuals with developmental disabilities (Chicago, April 19)• Remove and relocate books at the Free Library of Philadelphia as they prepare for renovation (Philadelphia, April 20)• American Red Cross 5KWalk/Run (Philadelphia, April 21)
Education:• Exposing students to business lessons and career opportunities (Philadelphia, April 12, 26)• One-on-one mentoring with Big Brothers Big Sisters (Philadelphia, April 12)• Mentoring future scientists (Warrenville, Ill., April 14)• Tutoring session with at-risk students (Chicago, April 26, May 3)
Exelon Corporation (NYSE:EXC) is the nation's leading competitive energy provider, with approximately $33 billion in annual revenues. Headquartered in Chicago, Exelon has operations and business activities in 47 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. Exelon is the largest competitive U.S. power generator, with approximately 35,000 megawatts of owned capacity comprising one of the nation's cleanest and lowest-cost power generation fleets. The company's Constellation business unit provides energy products and services to approximately 100,000 business and public sector customers and approximately 1 million residential customers. Exelon's utilities deliver electricity and natural gas to approximately 6.6 million customers in central Maryland (BGE), northern Illinois (ComEd) and southeastern Pennsylvania (PECO).


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Gabbar Singh
Action/Adventure, Romance
Gabbar Singh is remake version of Hindi movie Dabangg. It is a action drama based movie, where Pawan Kalyan playing the title role and Shruti Haasan playing the female lead role. Harish Shankar, who earlier directed Mirapakaya movie with Ravi Teja is now directing this movie under Bandla Ganesh's Parameshwara Art productions banner. Devi Sri Prasad scored music for this movie.
Cast: Pawan Kalyan, Shruti Haasan, Sonu Snood
Produced by: Ganesh Babu
Directed by: Harish Shankar
Written by:
Running time: 2hr 30min
Opens: May 10, 2012 Limited
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Posted on Tuesday, April 17th, 2012 by Jordan Hoffman
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New courses about modern art, the Civil War, architecture and the Chesapeake Bay are just some of the topics on schedule for the winter/spring session of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Penn State York, a nonprofit organization offering lifelong learning opportunities for York County residents
50 and older.
Registration is under way and most classes are offered at Penn State York, 1031 Edgecomb Ave., Spring Garden Township. Registration deadline is Feb. 22, with classes beginning in March and continuing throughout the spring.
Membership fees are $50 per year and are required to take courses. Course fees are $30 or less per session based on the number of classes required.
What's next: For details, call 717-771-4015 or visit olli.yk.psu.edu.


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MADISON TWP. -- A home explosion in Madison Township has destroyed one home and damaged 5 others.
The explosion happened just after midnight on Parkview Drive. Authorities tell Channel 3 the home was vacant and no one else suffered injuries.
But neighboring homes had windows blown out and debris fall on their property. The Madison Township Fire Department and Ohio State Patrol is on scene Sunday morning investigating.
Dominion East Ohio Gas is also on scene, shutting off and digging up gas lines to the home. Residents in the surrounding area will not have their gas shut off or any disruption to service.


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- Northern New York Newspapers
- Watertown
- Ogdensburg
- Massena-Potsdam
- Lowville
- Carthage
- Malone
- NNY Business
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After four months on the job, City Manager Sharon A. Addison has proposed adding a position to oversee hiring and handle other human resources activities.
She is asking the City Council to approve adding the position within the next few months. She wants council members to discuss the confidential management position at Monday nights council meeting.
In a memo Wednesday, Ms. Addison wrote it has become apparent that the city could significantly benefit from creating an HR position.
The city manager would like to see the issue finalized in January or February, although she has not put together any cost figures because her proposal could be done in a number of ways.
My hope is that it would be done in this budget, she said Friday.
Under her proposal, the human resources assistant would provide a centralized and consistent system of human resources for the city. The HR assistant also would be responsible for compliance and training policies and developing, retaining and promoting an excellent work force by nurturing a high-performance work culture, she wrote.
Under her long-term plan, she would like to establish an HR department with a director and staff to handle payroll, benefits and other duties.
Payroll is now handled by the comptrollers office and hirings go through the Civil Service Commission, through department heads and by the city manager, depending on the specific position, she said.
Tonight will be the first time council members discuss her plans, though she has discussed the issue with individual members.
Councilwoman Teresa R. Macaluso was surprised by the proposal when she read the memo, saying she was unaware Ms. Addison was thinking about proposing an HR position.
I would wait to hear to see how she plans to do this, Ms. Macaluso said. She may have some good reasons.
Mayor Jeffrey E. Graham, who discussed the idea briefly Thursday with Ms. Addison, said he will let the city manager explain her proposal and find out how much it would cost before making up his mind about it.
Most organizations of the citys size have HR departments, he said, noting the idea has surfaced a few times in the past. For instance, in 1998, council members decided against abolishing the Civil Service Commission and establishing a full-time Human Resources Department.
Tonights meeting will have a busy agenda. Council members will also consider:
n Having a resolution drafted for the Dec. 17 meeting to waive an $18,422 building permit for the $10.4 million renovation of the Woolworth Building on Public Square. They would also formally agree that night to sell a vacant parcel across the street from the landmark that would be converted to a parking area for tenants in the proposed 50 apartments.
n Setting 6 p.m. Jan. 8 for a public auction to sell the former Fort Drum Vehicle Storage warehouse at 753 Rear W. Main St. after a deal fell through with Ruby Charlene Williams last week. Ms. Williams, the companys chief financial officer, failed to go to the closing for the building Tuesday.
n Appointing Kenneth A. Mix, the citys planning and community development coordinator, as the citys representative for the Watertown Local Development Corp.
The council meets at 7 p.m. in the third-floor council chambers at City Hall, 245 Washington St.
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Jwt4412 wrote:I have a Z Tracker and an X in both the Tracker and the Avenger... all are 169g.
If all things are equal... I should be able to throw the Avenger farther?
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