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THERE was apprehension at first, then relief. When Andrew Paul and his family walked out of the Bushfires Royal Commission last week they felt a mix of emotion, but the special hearing into the death of their father and grandfather, Colin Paul, had gone some way to helping them deal with the shock of his passing on Black Saturday.
''We felt that the whole process was incredibly helpful and the people who were in touch with us personally, to the degree of the homemade cookies … that was fantastic,'' he said.
They had been nervous beforehand. Last week, the commission heard details of the deaths of 20 people who perished in the Murrindindi blaze on Black Saturday and many of them were well known to Andrew Paul and his family.
The session dealing with his 83-year-old father's death fell on the second day of a three-day stretch of hearings.
''We felt quite on edge about it, because we'd heard the evidence of the previous sessions reported over the radio in quite a bit of detail … the reporter was emotionally upset - you could tell,'' he said. ''But having gotten through it, and it was well done, we were quite upbeat afterwards.''
After the hearing, the extended Paul clan hugged one another, cried, made cups of tea and retreated to a special room in the commission building set aside for families. There are comfortable couches and armchairs there, in the same bright red colour scheme seen in the public areas of level 11, 222 Exhibition Street, where the commission resides.
But there are personal touches, too: a small vase of flowers and a plate of homemade biscuits to welcome friends and relatives.
These are the work of Lana Kolyunski, a commission staffer whose job it is to liaise with family members. Every day of the special death-related hearings (the commission has had two blocks of these so far: one for the 11 deaths from the Churchill fire and the other, last week, for 20 of the 40 Murrindindi deaths), a fresh plate of home-baked jam drops, Anzac biscuits or chocolate-chip cookies sits ready for each family.
Some families have felt differently about the process than the Pauls - there are those who have not attended at all. And it has been clear by the shaking heads of others that they have not always agreed with some of the hearsay aired as evidence in the commission.
It is the task of a team of behind-the-scenes workers to juggle these families' emotions and expectations, walking them through the hearing rooms beforehand and debriefing afterwards, if they need it. They were there in the closed meeting rooms of the first community consultations held in the early months after February 7 - and they have continued to be the touchstone for many since.
''They're the people that make it easier for us and make it all less of a burden. And they're the people that need the thanks,'' Marysville Country Fire Authority captain Glen Fiske said.
Fiske lost his wife, Liz, and teenage son Dalton in the fires. Last week, he and a dozen members of his and Liz's family crammed the benches of the commission's annexe to hear details of those final hours.
''People talk about closure, but I don't think that's what we're looking for or needing. I suppose that all of these things that we've been through are about celebrating Liz and Dalton's life. So it was an official forum and we wanted to be part of that celebration of their life, because their demise was part of their life,'' he said.
The commission has so far heard details of 33 deaths. Four of these, from the Churchill fire, were closed sessions. And while the media routinely quotes the figure that 173 people died in the Black Saturday fires, it is these death-related hearings that lend life to many of those who passed.
Colin Paul, 83, was a World War II veteran and avid bowler. Dalton Fiske, 15, was wearing his Dad's boots and a bandanna around his head the day he died. Indonesian students Rudi The, 28, and Dean Lesmana, 26, were keen amateur photographers, while the Walker family - Fay, 80, William, 83, and Geoffrey, 53, - had a beautiful English-style garden that had featured in Australia's Open Gardens Scheme. Parents-to-be Nicole Jefferson, 29, and Jamie Bowker, 36, were so close they could finish one another's sentences.
These are some of the insights into the deceased that the commission has heard. But there are more confronting details, such as where a body was found or the state of it after it had been consumed by flames, that the commissioners and lawyers also have to contend with.
It is sobering for those at the hearings that they are not even one-fifth of the way through the Black Saturday death toll.
There are counsellors on hand for family members who attend the hearings, and private counselling is also available for commission staff. Some use it and some don't. Privately, staff say this will be an experience they will remember for life.
Counsellor Annie Norrish says: ''I think that if you're a human being working in this area, you can't help but be touched and affected by the stories. For me personally … because I've lived in this [bushfire-affected] area for many years, I have absolutely been touched by what's happened.''
Norrish co-ordinates the specialist bushfire bereavement counselling service set up through the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement. She has also been on hand at the commission to support those bushfire survivors she has been counselling. ''For us to be there and hear those details - when we know the story already - can actually be more difficult because there's a sense that you're part of their family system,'' she says.
''For them, their assumptive world has been blown apart and sometimes that happens for us too. The level of it that you're dealing with, especially if you're going to the royal commission and you're hearing a number of stories at the one time, it's very, very intense to hear those details.''
But although many have been moved by the stories they have heard, nobody assumes they know what life has been like for those who survived the horror of Black Saturday or lost loved ones in the fires.
Neil Clelland, SC, counsel for the State Government, said: ''I wouldn't want to liken our experience in any way to the trauma of those who suffered through the 7th of February.
''Losing relatives and being present at those fires, I just can't really imagine … Having said that, it's impossible to not be profoundly moved by it. It might not be somebody who you necessarily think is the saddest story. But something in the way they tell their story catches you in the throat - and it's happened to me a couple of times, where you get emotional and you draw yourself back into your professional identity and you get on with the job.''
The commission will hear more evidence into the Murrindindi fire deaths on November 30. There are 140 deaths from the Murrindindi and Kilmore fires yet to be examined.


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This exceptional collection of popular church hymns contains flexible trio settings that can be played with any combination of three instruments - woodwind, brass, or strings - or double the parts to create
This practical and versatile collection of familiar melodies will be suitable for just about any type of ensemble, including quartets, praise band, full band or orchestra, and brass band. The supportive
When church music needs to be flexible to meet any performance situation, Sounds of Praise is there to meet those needs with fresh new arrangements. These arrangements are wonderful options for
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
by Staff Writers
Kobe, Japan (SPX) Mar 08, 2016
A research group led by YAMAMOTO Satoshi, a research fellow at the Kobe University Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, has shown that measuring quantities of fish DNA in seawater can reveal how many fish inhabit that environment.
This discovery could enable quicker and more effective surveys of fish distribution, and has potential applications in long-term monitoring. The findings will be published on March 3 in the online science journal "PLOS ONE".
Until now, the distribution of marine species was calculated using two main methods: fish capture and fish finder equipment. However, these survey methods involve heavy costs in time and manpower, and specialist knowledge is required to use the measuring apparatus. On the other hand, a method was already available for determining whether the target fish inhabit a certain area of water: analysis of the fish DNA released into the water.
Doctor YAMAMOTO's research group took this a step further, testing whether it was possible to discover the location of fish and size of their schools by measuring the amounts of DNA released into the environment (known as environmental DNA, or eDNA).
In June 2014, a research group led by YAMAMOTO Satoshi (Kobe University research fellow), MINAMI Kenji (Specially Appointed Assistant Professor at Hokkaido University), and FUKAYA Keiichi (Project Assistant Professor at the Institute of Statistical Mathematics) collected 1-liter samples of surface water and bottom water from 47 locations in Maizuru bay, and estimated the concentration of eDNA of Japanese jack mackerel using real-time PCR.
As a result of comparison between the eDNA concentration in the 47 locations and the biomass of Japanese jack mackerel that was simultaneously measured during water collection using fish finder equipment, they discovered that the eDNA concentration of a location reflected the biomass within 10-150 meters of the location.
This proves that environmental DNA reflects the biomass of the target fish species, and environmental DNA analysis methods can be used to quantitatively measure the distribution and school size of saltwater fish.
This method is simple, requires no specialist knowledge, and can be used for large-scale surveys over a short period of time. These features also make it suitable for long-term monitoring. The method has the potential to drastically improve efficiency for surveys of the amount and distribution of marine resources.
Related Links
Kobe University
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics
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The Wright State softball team split a doubleheader at UIC Saturday, winning the first game 8-4 before falling 6-0 in the nightcap.
Down 1-0 early in the opener, WSU tied it in the third on a RBI single by Michelle Baker and went in front to stay an inning later on a Chelsea Archer sacrifice fly. The Raiders added two more in the sixth as Kristi Boreing singled in Kate Kine and Archer plated Jess Gorman with a ground out.
Wright State then broke the game open with four in the seventh. A Kortney Tackett double, a Baker single and a Colleen Schneider fielder's choice resulted in the first run and another fielder's choice, this time off the bat of Gorman, made it 7-1. Boreing later had a sacrifice fly to round out the Raider scoring.
Natalie Hernandez had a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh for UIC, but the Flames would get no closer as Krystian DeWitt posted her 16th win of the season.
Offensively, Boreing, Baker, Kine and Gorman each had two hits while Boreing, Archer and Gorman each drove in two.
The Raiders, however, found the offense hard to come by in the second game as they managed just four singles against UIC pitcher Devin Miller. The Flames scored single runs in the first and third and two in the fourth and fifth to gain the split.
Wright State (23-31, 10-13 Horizon) closes out the season with a single game at UIC Sunday starting at 1:00 Eastern.


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Would you like to save as your currency permanently or for this visit only?
Position, rustic charm and warm welcome
a real chateaux complete with friendly and interesting owner. loved walking round exploring the grounds and drinking a bottle of wine as the sun set. great great time. there is not really anywhere to eat in the town so eat before arriving
Understand this is a guy and his castle. No front desk nothing like a hotel - go for the experience Nothing really - we understood what it was all about and it was fantastic.


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Regular price
You'll never have to make the tough decision between choosing a scone or a muffin with a Frog Hollow Farm scuffin. With a texture that goes from crisp to soft and a surprise dollop of nectarine conserve baked in the center, our scuffins are always a crowd pleaser.
Our scuffins were highlighted in The New York Times in 2014.
To find out more about our scuffins, read Chef Becky's article, titled, "What Is A Scuffin?"
(Recommendation: The scuffins are delicious and ready-to-eat when they arrive, but for the best eating experience, we recommend you re-heat them for 5-10 minutes at 350F. Re-heating times may vary for different appliances.)
This product is perishable and ships baked (ready-to-eat). If you would like them to ship frozen, please call toll free 1.888.779.4511 to place your order.
For more information on our shipping deadlines, visit:http://www.froghollow.com/pages/shipping-info.
Suggested Add-Ons:


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Over-the-Counter Drugs and Medicines
Effective January 1, 2011, Health FSA, HRA, and HSA reimbursements for over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and medicines are permitted only with a medical practitioner's prescription. This also applies to reimbursement from a group health plan. In addition, the IRS has imposed new restrictions on the use of debit cards to reimburse OTC drugs and medicines, which are described below.
Prescription Requirements
A prescription for an OTC medicine or drug must be legible and will be valid for one year from the date of issue. It must include the same information as required for a drug or medicine that is available by prescription only. This normally includes:
- The name and address of the patient;
- The name and quantity of the drug prescribed and directions for use;
- The date of issue;
- The name, address, and phone number of the prescriber, his or her license classification, and his or her federal registry number;
- A description of the condition for which the drug is being prescribed; and
- The signature of the medical practitioner issuing the order.
OTC Supplies and Other Reimbursable Expenses
The new rule does not apply to over-the-counter supplies for medical care such as crutches, bandages, hot/cold packs, sugar test kits, hearing aid batteries, etc. These items are still considered eligible expenses without a medical practitioner's prescription. Similarly, the new rule does not apply to insulin or to eligible medical expenses that are not OTC drugs and medicines, such as prescription drugs, copayments, deductibles, prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, orthodontia, etc.
Changes for Debit Cards
For Health FSA and HRA participants who elect to use a flex debit card, there are significant changes in how the card works for the purchase of OTC drugs and medicines. The IRS's general rule is that Health FSA debit cards may not be used to purchase drugs or medicines over-the-counter. However, the IRS published an exception providing that if a pharmacist dispenses a drug or medicine "behind-the-counter" pursuant to a prescription (even if it's a drug that may be purchased over-the-counter), the charge will be coded as a prescription drug, which the card should allow the customer to purchase. In other words, if the purchase "looks" to the debit card like it is an over-the-counter purchase, the card will deny the charge; if the purchase "looks" to the debit card like a prescription, the card should allow the charge. Alternatively, the participant can manually submit the receipt and medical practitioner's prescription to be reimbursed from the Health FSA or HRA. Check out our tips below for using a debit card in connection with OTC drugs and medicines.
The IRS debit card changes apply to Health FSAs and HRAs; most debit cards for HSAs will still work for all over-the-counter purchases. If you offer an HSA with debit card to your employees, check with your HSA custodian for questions about whether restrictions may apply to purchases of OTC drugs and medicines.
Over-the-Counter Drugs Hot Topics & FAQs
- What's an easy way to tell if an over-the-counter item requires a prescription?
Answer: Take a look at the back of the box. If the packaging shows "Drug Facts", it will need a prescription in order to be reimbursed.
- Any tips on using a debit card to purchase an over-the-counter drug filled as a prescription?
Answer: The following tips may be helpful if a participant plans to have a pharmacist fill a prescription for an OTC drug or medicine "behind the counter" so the debit card may be used:
- The pharmacist may charge a dispensing fee – the participant may want to ask in advance how much the fee will be. It is possible the fee could be more than the tax savings realized by paying for the OTC drug on a pre-tax basis from a Health FSA. For example, if the participant would save $2 in taxes on a drug that could cost $10 over-the-counter, it may not be valuable to pay a $4 dispensing fee to use the debit card.
- Participants should make a copy of the prescription before giving it to the pharmacist. If the participant chooses not to have future OTC drugs or medicines filled by the pharmacist, a copy of the prescription will be needed to manually submit reimbursement request vouchers.
- Remember there is always the option of paying for the OTC drug or medicine out-of-pocket, then submitting a manual voucher to request reimbursement.
Additional Resources
OTC Expenses
Examples of covered over-the-counter expenses by category
Additional summary information about these new rules impacting FSAs
Video Tutorial
On changes impacting Section 125 plans
American Fidelity's Services
Learn about our FSA, HRA, and HSA administrative services.
American Fidelity Assurance Company does not provide tax or legal advice.


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Description: I think it's time that I submit another lesson on a very pretty bird called the "Puffin". I chose to make a tutorial out of this particular bird because of a show I was watching the other day called "Bizarre Foods". It's a series that follows a guy named Andrew Zimmern as he travels the world in search of weird bizarre foods that he can try out. I love the show so much, that I have it recorded. Anyway there was this one episode where he visited Iceland, and there he was taken on a special journey to place that can only be reached by boat. Icelanders kill, and eat Puffin because they are over populated with them. Although puffins make a desirable and tasty meal, these birds are actually very pretty and unique looking. They are a part of the "Alcidae Family" and only three different types of Puffin bird in existence. There is the Atlantic puffin which can only be found in the North Atlantic ocean, and the other two species is the "horned puffin, and the tufted puffin. Both of these birds can be found in the Pacific. The appearance of the puffin is very recognizable. They have black and white colored feathers, like the penguin, bright orange colored feet and legs, small sunken in triangular shaped eyes, and a very narrow triangular shaped beak that is very colorful indeed. When breeding season nears, their beaks become a bright orange with a patch of blue, and bordered with a pretty yellow line. Because they are so colorful, they are sometimes called "sea parrots", and "clowns of the ocean". You would think that this bird is pretty agile right? Wrong. The fact is, puffins are only graceful in water where they spend much of their time. When they are in flight or on land, they are very clumsy birds. When they reproduce, the female will only lay one egg, and it will hatch within forty two, to forty five days. They are sort of like penguins except penguins can't fly at all. The lesson should be easy enough for anyone to tackle. Learning "how to draw a puffin, step by step", makes drawing birds a fun, and colorful activity for kids and adults. I will be back momentarily with four more tutorials so stay tuned in to see what pops up next. Adios amigos!
Step 1.
Description: Let's draw a pretty puffin. Start with a circle for the head and then add the guidelines for the beak. You will then add a neck line and attach it to two other circle shapes for the body. Lastly, draw the outlined shape for the tail and then then leg.
Step 2.
Description: Now you will really start learning how to draw a puffin, step by step. Sketch out the shape of the birds head and then completely draw out the triangular beak. Next add the detailing lines on the beak and then draw the front of the neck and half the chest.
Step 3.
Description: Finish sketching out the puffin's body which includes the back of the neck, chest, belly, and complete wing. Feather up the tips of the puffin's wing and then draw a marking line around the neck, almost like an oblong collar.
Step 4.
Description: This is your last drawing step. Since this bird is being drawn from the side, all you have to do is draw out the thigh, leg, and foot. Finish sketching out the feathers which includes the tail. Add a bit of definition and detailing as you see here. Lastly, sketch out the marking line around the face, and then draw out the triangular shaped eye, and then the mouth line. Erase all the guidelines and shapes that you drew in step one.
Step 5.
Description: Here you have a finished tutorial on drawing a puffin. All you have to do now is grab your coloring tools, and have fun shading in your pretty bird.
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|Artist: Darkonator
|Date Added: January 13, 2010
|Steps: 5
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Stone Fruit Crumble
To vary the filling here, use 4 pounds of berries (strawberries, blackberries and raspberries); or 4 pounds of plums, cut into 1-inch cubes; or 6 pints of blueberries plus 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
Slideshow: More Fruit Desserts
- Active:
- Total Time:
- Servings: 8 to 10
- 4 pounds stone fruit (peaches, nectarines and apricots) cut into large wedges
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup thick-cut rolled oats
How to make this recipe
In a bowl, toss the fruit with the granulated sugar and cornstarch and let stand for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375°. In a food processor, pulse the flour with the brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Add the butter and pulse until crumbly. Add the oats and pulse until incorporated. Transfer the topping to a bowl and press it into clumps.
Spread the filling in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Scatter the topping over the filling. Bake in the center of the oven for 1 hour, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden and crisp. Let cool for 1 hour before serving.


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Prosecutors will have to prove a man arrested last week in Studio City is who they say he is: the suspect in a shooting and chain-reaction crash that left three people dead on the Las Vegas Strip.
At a court hearing Monday, a defense attorney for the man identified as Ammar Harris, 26, requested an "identification hearing."
Judge Shelly Torrealba set the hearing for March 14.
Most defendants in extradition cases, including others appearing in Torrealba's downtown Los Angeles courtroom Monday morning, admit their identities and do not request such hearings.
After conferring with the lawyers, the judge also denied media requests to videotape or photograph Monday's hearing.
"There are issues regarding identification that need to be clarified before media will be allowed to participate in the proceedings," Torrealba said.
It was not immediately clear who will testify at the March 14 hearing.
Defense attorney Mearl Lottman of the public defender's office said through a court spokeswoman that representatives from Clark County, Nev., will have to prove the man is Harris.
Lottman declined to answer other questions about why he requested the hearing.
His client will remain jailed without bail until the next court hearing.
Las Vegas police say Harris, a self-described pimp, opened fire on a Maserati Feb. 21 after arguing with the driver earlier in the valet area of a resort.
The shots killed Kenneth Cherry Jr. and caused his car to slam into multiple vehicles in an intersection near the Bellagio casino.
The crash started a fire that killed a taxi driver and his passenger, a businesswoman from Washington state.
Harris was arrested about noon Thursday at an apartment on Arch Drive in Studio City, where the FBI said he was apparently staying with a friend.


text:
(CNSNews.com) - The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, citing a policy against "public partisan political activity," has suspended one of its Virginia leaders for endorsing a Republican candidate, even though that same NAACP official worked for the re-election of a Democrat six years ago.
Paul C. Gillis has been suspended from his current post as president of the NAACP's Suffolk, Virginia branch for endorsing Republican George Allen in the state's US Senate race.
But in 1994, when Gillis served as head of the Virginia NAACP, he was a paid campaign worker for Democratic Senator Chuck Robb's re-election effort -- working for both Robb and the NAACP, without provoking sanctions from the civil rights group.
On Monday, members of the Suffolk NAACP branch were notified that their outspoken leader for 10 years had been suspended by NAACP President Kweisi Mfume for endorsing Allen's Senate bid in March.
In his suspension letter to Gillis, Mfume said Gillis' endorsement of Allen threatens the NAACP's tax-exempt status and puts the organization in danger of "irreparable harm."
Although Gillis was unavailable for comment, spokesmen for both Allen and Robb confirmed to CNSNews.com that Gillis once worked for Sen. Robb's re-election.
At the time, Gillis was an outspoken critic of then-Governor Allen's plans to abolish parole and limit welfare in Virginia. Gillis once referred to Allen as "Howdy Doody," Allen spokesman Tim Murtaugh told CNSNews.com.
However, Gillis now says that Allen's proposals, along with his anti-crime initiatives, have made black neighborhoods safer in Virginia, and for that reason he is endorsing Allen.
Gillis insists that he has a Constitutional right as an individual to endorse any candidate, and he says he made it clear that he was speaking as an individual - not as a representative of the NAACP - when he announced his support for Allen.
Furthermore, said Gillis, Mfume has publicly endorsed candidates, too -- appearing on stage with President Bill Clinton during Clinton's 1996 reelection campaign and chanting "four more years" with the rest of the crowd.
Besides working for the Robb campaign in 1994, Gillis -- while serving as president of the Virginia NAACP -- endorsed Republican Mark Earley for Virginia attorney general in 1997. But even Gillis' endorsement of Earley did not result in NAACP disciplinary measures against him.
Gillis believes that Sen. Robb has something to do with his current suspension. Gillis says he thinks Robb urged Mfume, a former Democratic congressman, to suspend Gillis to help Robb with black Virginia voters.
The latest Virginia Commonwealth University poll shows 30 percent of black Virginia voters support Allen, an unusually strong showing for a Republican candidate in Virginia.
Robb's campaign denies the charge.
"Mr. Gillis' problems with the NAACP are his and his alone," Robb spokesman Jim Mulhall told CNSNews.com. "We hope that he works it out."
NAACP spokesperson Sheila Douglas told CNSNews.com that Gillis' suspension was an "internal matter" that would not be discussed with the media.
Murtaugh, the spokesman for Allen, calls the suspension a "blatant political move" by Mfume and Robb. He says he thinks the Robb campaign is "scared to death" by the large percentage of African-American Virginians who apparently favor Allen.
Virginia Republican Party spokesman Ed Matricardi told CNSNews.com that he believes Mfume is being hypocritical for suspending Gillis.
"Evidently, it's okay if you endorse a Democrat -- hey, that's a First Amendment right. If you endorse a Republican - hey, you're out of here, you're suspended," said Matricardi.


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How the media is protecting children's rights in Georgia
TBILISI, Georgia - 19 November, 2010. On the occasion of the 21st Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child the round-table discussion about reporting on children and media ethics in Georgia was held on 19 November at the Media Frontline Club. The discussion was led by the prominent Georgian journalists Ia Antadze and Zviad Koridze who highlighted major areas of concern in regard to child-friendly reporting and brought the specific examples from the local media. The audience included active journalists, heads of newsrooms, editors, representatives of the public defenders' office, media associations and international organizations, university teachers and students.
The discussion was focused on the following topics: highlighting correct angles while reporting on children, what is the newsworthy for the audience; identification and breach of child confidentiality issues; and how to address stigma and stereotyped reporting.
The ways on how to address the above issues were also discussed and the specific action points were elaborated like intensifying trainings for journalists on such issues as defining the best interests of children, what is the story, stigma and stereotypes, child confidentiality, as well as strengthening media self regulation mechanisms on children.
The head of the information service on one of the Georgia's independent TV station said after the meeting: "We will be more careful now and will try not to make mistakes and if we still do, will try to address these flaws as soon as possible. After the Round-table at the Media Frontline Club I am on alert when it comes to reporting on children."
The round-table discussions on child-friendly reporting will continue and UNICEF is committed to supporting the Georgian media through trainings and strengthening media self-regulation mechanisms.
About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS.
Frontline Georgia is a media club that aims to serve as a politically-neutral venue for journalists, public officials, students, intellectuals come together in a dialogue over media, social, political and cultural issues important for Georgia and the region. Frontline Georgia holds talks, screenings, exhibitions, conferences and master classes. Frontline Georgia is a part of London-based Frontline Club, which served as its inspiration.
For further information, please contact:
Maya Kurtsikidze, Communication Officer, UNICEF Georgia


text:
Take a look at how we calculated a battery budget on SWARM
http://wiki.orbswarm.com/index.php?title=Power

Short form:

Calculated a power budget. Strung together some usedĀsealed lead acid batteries (look in the Suppliers page for some cheap ones), charge them with a car charger. Profit!

You'll get 20% longer run-times if you use all DC components instead of using an inverter. But it's sooo much easier to use an inverter, do that first!

If you've got too much money, use lithium batteries instead and the rig will be lighter. Sorry, I can't help with pricing out that system.

Tell me how it goes!

On Fri, Jun 1, 2012 at 8:59 AM, Lewis Scaife <firstname.lastname@example.com> wrote:

Howdy. First post to this mailing list. Thank you for existing.Ā

i am attempting to put together gear for portable electronic music performance, probably set up on a bike trailer.

i will be using an arduino-based infrared gestural midi controller called Hollowbook - i've demoed it at Noisebridge a couple of times, you can check it out here:Āhttp://youtu.be/2OmqivEHpC8

My electrical knowledge is limited.Āmy goal isĀpurchase a durable and lasting portable power system for theĀfollowing items:

40w 19v DC 2.1A power adapter for Asus ul20a laptop

9v AC 1A adapter for m-audio quattro

7.5w 9v DC 500mA adapter for hollowbook (power over usb from laptop is not an option)

POSSIBLY a boom-box style speaker system of modest volume but undetermined wattage...

i have been looking into portable power systems such as theseĀfound in a cursory Amazon search. i hoped to get some opinions from more experienced people as to what would be a good move. an option which i have considered is to purchase a separate battery powered amp to replace the speaker system if there would be too much load on a portable power supply otherwise. i would hope to be able to perform for at least 2 hours. i'm absolutely not looking for loudness - my goal is to fly below the "no amplified music" radar and play downtempo, instrumental chillout music with an awesome and unique midi controller. Valencia street has a lot of foot traffic at night and would be the perfect place to drum up a local fanbase.

Thank you sincerely for your time. i hope my post was in good taste and finds you all well.

best wishes

Lewis

you can hear my music at http://music.ratsofnym.comĀ ... it's a spaghetti-western themed instrumental hip hop album... please let me know if you would like to own the album, i'd be happy to give you a free copy of either the mp3s or an antiquated compact disquette.

L

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Home >
Archive > Meetings - May 2005
Meetings: Thursday 5 | Thursday 12 | Thursday 19
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Auld General Meeting
It is that time again - where we must say goodbye to those that have served us so well over the past year, and welcome some new faces to the committee that will run the society in the year to come. Some mighty fine whisky was consumed, and some interesting characters were given the power that they deserve.
Blends of the year:
For this special meeting I decided that we should have the two best blends from the past year, so here they are:
Isle of Skye 8 yo and Teacher's Blends
Click on the images of the blends if you are looking for a web link
These two blends were so good that decided that they were worthy of the AGM. Well received, but I think that Teacher's just nudged ahead in the popularity contest. Damn fine stuff!
After those it was straight down to business.
The following positions were available for next year's committee. The nominations were as follows:
Poet Laureate
Nick, Sam and Tom
Social Secretary
Mark and Ran
Leo, Nick and Sean
Vice President
Heather, Matt, Nick and Ruth
Alaric, Leo and Sam
Malts tasted: Laphroaig 1/4 cask | Bunnahabhain 12 | Ardbeg '95 (G&M)
Our current Poet Laureate and Social Secretary chose the malt that was to be enjoyed while they welcomed in the new committee members to fill their positions:
Laphroaig Quarter Cask
A really interesting bottling from Laphroaig that is only available through duty-free. It is given extra maturation in smaller casks, that were originally used long ago to transport whisky more easily. That extra bit of maturation certainly does the trick.
Tasting notes from our members:
Nose: Oysters, grapes and a fresh, lively, grassy nose that is surprisingly light and sweet for a Laphroaig.
Taste: Classic Laphroaig characteristics on the taste with plenty of seaweed and sweet wood smoke. Definite sweetness with a little water and an orangey tickle.
Visit www.laphroaig.com (this is a pretty cool page that they have created, if you are interested in finding out more about the 1/4 cask, then check it out.
The Social Secretary position was uncontested with the only nomination being the lovely Linda.
The Poet Laureate position was decided at the end of the night in order to allow Nick to write a poem during the meeting.
Our current Treasurer and Secretary chose the malt that was to be enjoyed while they welcomed in the new committee members to fill their positions:
Bunnahabhain 12 year old
This is Ran's favourite dram, and a cracker it truly is. Only of the lighter malts from Islay, where the big EUWOLS trip 2004 went, this is something special that is mostly used for blends. However due to the increased interest in Islay malts, Bunnahabhain is starting to make it onto the market more as a single malt.
Nose: Fruity and sweet, with a whiff of the beach.
Taste: Well rounded and mellow, with a oily/nutty thickness and a pepper fire at the back of your throat. Chewy and malty.
Visit www.blackbottle.com
The Treasurer position was contested by Mark and Ran, but Ran managed to hold his position.
The Secretary position was also uncontested as Nick decided to reject his nomination, and feverishly continued working on his masterpiece.
Our current Vice President and President chose the malt that was to be enjoyed while they welcomed in the new committee members to fill their positions:
Ardbeg 1995 Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon and MacPhail)
Another Islay? Damn right - it turns out this year's committee are a bunch of peat freaks! Well this Ardbeg is a really tasty dram. Strangely, Gordon and MacPhail have got their expert hands on some sherry cask Ardbeg, so it is great to try this classic Islay malt in it's sherry expression.
Nose: Fruity, but also dark and salty.
Taste: Tangy and rich. Roast chicken with scurly. No lack of depth with a medicinal, meaty and powerful kick.
Visit www.gordonandmacphail.com
The Vice President position was the most highly contested of the night, with Heather, Matt and Ruth all making there speeches.
The final President position went uncontested to Sam, as Alaric decided that he would decline his position and pass it on to the former Poet Laureate
But the fun did not stop there, as although Sam had just been elected as President, he was not giving up the fight for the Poet Laureate position easily.
The poems that Sam and Nick read out are available in the Words of the Week section of the archive shortly.
Anyway, the vote went like this:
Well that is all that there is to report from this year's AGM. A wonderful night was had by all. If anyone has any embarrasing photos that they think are worthy of this page, then email them to firstname.lastname@example.com.
If you would like to contact anyone on the new committee then you can find there email addresses on the committee page.
Water of LIfe Society Bottling selection 2005
It appears that the wonderful people from The Whisky Shop and Douglas Laing & Co. had such a great time at the Old Malt Cask sampling night in February that they decided to come back and see us again! This week we teamed up with our two favourite Independent whisky companies to create the Water of Life Society official bottling for 2005. This is a first for the society, and now that it has been selected it will be available for you to buy in The Whisky Shop (located on Victoria Street, Princes Mall and Princes Street). The price of the bottle and other details will be confirmed soon, but it should be on the shelves in the next couple of weeks.
Random malt of the moment: Ben Bracken 12 year old single malt.
These are the voyages of the WOLS secretary...
His never ending mission to seek out cheap, yet tasty whisky. Visiting strange new lands and encountering questionable keepers of the water of life.
Always remembering to ask "Can I have a receipt with that?": Ben Bracken 12 year old (Lidl supermarket blend).
And then it was down to the real business at hand.
Darren Leitch, the manager of The Whisky Shop's in Edinburgh came along to the cavernous Dining Room to enlighten us with his whisky wisdom, and offer us four fine drams of whisky that Douglas Laing and Co. currently have in their vast stocks. The following whiskies were sampled and scored by our members:
Douglas Laing sample number 1: Scapa 11 year old
Filled from a refill American oak cask | Distilled in the Autumn of 1993.
Whisky distilled at Scapa is from the Orkney Islands, in the very north of Scotland. Normally whiskies from the Islands of Scotland are the strongest and most powerful tasting, and would therefore feature at the end of a tasting. However this cask of Scapa was particularily light and fresh, so Darren decided to put this sample to the test first. All of the whiskies that we are sampling are from distilleries that are not the easiest to find bottlings of, so it is great to try some good quality independent bottlings. Anyway here is what we thought:
Nose: Gentle, yet complex. A fruity burst of strawberries, melon, vanilla, butterscotch, ginger and fresh pineapple. But also the fresheness of cut grass, mint and spent matches.
Taste: The palate compliments the nose with icing sugar, and zesty lemon and lime. However it also has a darker oily edge with varnish and pepper.
Overall: A pleasing sipper - summery dramming.
Douglas Laing sample number 2: Glenrothes 14 year old
Filled from a sherry butt | Distilled in the Autumn of 1990.
Glenrothes is one of the many distilleries in the Speyside region, a region that is favoured by blenders. For this reason it is not surprising that Glenrothes is also a whisky that is predominantly used for creating blends such as Famous Grouse. So it is great to be able to sample it as a single malt, and enjoy it's distinct characteristics. Also, because Douglas Laing do not chill-filter their whiskies, we were able to try this sample with all the fats and oils that were present when the whisky was still in the cask. Yum!
Nose: Another sweet dram - burnt demerara sugar, stewed apples, sherry and creamy shortbread. But this one is more robust with light peat, rubber, pepper and burning logs.
Taste: The taste is really interesting - custard, peanut butter, lemon, cherry, fudge, summer berries, spiced fruits, cinnamon and leather. As well as a rounded nutty/smokiness.
Overall: The finish is also very pleasing with aniseed, smoked oats and a gentle smokiness.
Douglas Laing sample number 3: Clynelish 15 year old
Filled from a refill sherry butt | Distilled in the Summer of 1989.
Clynelish distillery is situated in the Northern Highlands, near the likes of Glenmorangie and Dalmore distilleries, so Darren is really giving us a good diversity of malts from all around Scotland. Another heavily sherried whisky, this sample allowed us to see how much colour a single malt whisky can take from the cask that it is matured in. Because Douglas Laing do not add any colour to their whisky, the samples that we tried were the real thing. This Clynelish shows just how rich and moreish a whisky can become if it is put in a quality cask.
Nose: Shows it's age with antique leather furniture. Wine and rich fruit cake. But also more childish notes of marshmallow, strawberry milkshake, cherries (from a tin of fruit cocktail) and honey straight from the comb. Finally, a hint of peat and oil.
Taste: Spicy and complex - cola cubes, nutmeg and cocoa. Waxy with bonfire smoke, pine cones and woody resin. Currants, fudge and salty liquorice are present too - warming, silky and a long luxurious finish.
Overall: Thick and chewy - a by the fire dram!
Douglas Laing sample number 4: Ledaig 8 year old
Filled from a refill American oak cask | Distilled in the Spring of 1997.
Ledaig is another little known brand. Distilled at Tobermory on Mull, this is the Peated version of the Tobermory single malt. It hit the nail on the button for all us peat-freaks that were really looking forward to this powerful smoky whisky. And although it is the youngest whisky that we sampled, it was definitely not the least favourite - just losing out to the Clynelish, but not by far. Some people say that peaty whiskies are best drunk young, and on this occasion I would tend to agree with them. Fresh, but with a great kick.
Nose: Hints of low-tide seaweed, leather and iodine. Accompanied by pipe tobacco by an old fireplace. Fresh grist shows that this is a young dram, but by no means unpleasant. Nutty with barbeque flavours, antiseptic and kippers!
Taste: Similar to the nose - dry and salty, with smoked bacon and more seaweed. Not complex, but hits the spot with buttered toast and cloves.
Overall: Gentle, but saline and very tasty.
After some number crunching the winner was announced, with a score of 87%:
This will be the Edinburgh University Water of Life Society official bottling for 2005, which will be available to buy from The Whisky Shop in a couple of weeks. It will be bottled under the Douglas Laing Provenance range, but with a personalised label.
It has been a great experience, and lets hope that if all goes well we can do it all again next year.
That is all from the Water of Life Society this year. I hope those of you that were lucky enough to attend the meetings enjoyed yourselves, and if you haven't been yet - come along in September!
If you couldn't make it to that extraordinary meeting, I hope I have whet your appetite.
Check when the next meeting is in the calendar.


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'No matter how unpleasant and unexpected for our colleagues in the Pentagon and Langley was yesterday's high-precision strike on Islamic State infrastructure in Syria, the fact remains that all missiles launched from our ships have found their targets,' ministry's spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.
On Thursday, CNN reported that four of the 26 missiles fired from Russian warships in the Caspian Sea went off target and crashed in Iran. That report was based on anonymous Pentagon sources, who despite claiming to have evidence of the targeting malfunction, could not identify where, precisely, the missiles landed.
'In contrast to CNN we do not talk with reference to anonymous sources,' Konashenkov said. 'We show the launch of our rockets and the targets they struck.'
Indeed, the Russian Defense Ministry has posted a number of videos to prove the accuracy of its targeting systems.
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IOS version on the AppStore
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text:
Refer a friend to Peacemovies.com.
old Homepage
Review for Pandora's Promise NR Documentary 1:30
by John Thielking
Pandora's Promise is a polyanna type of examination of nuclear power from the point of view of environmentalists who used to be anti-nuclear who are now pro-nuclear power. The proponents of nuclear power in this film point out embarrassing "facts" such as a Geiger counter held by someone standing just outside of Chernobyl reads a lower reading of background radiation than a typical beach in Brazil. But the movie makers leave out embarrassing facts from the other side such as the fact that Nuclear power generates about 1/2 the CO2 emissions as a natural gas fired power plant when using fuel mined with today's quality of ore and will produce MORE CO2 than a natural gas fired plant within 50 years from now as lower grade ore will be the only ore available. Nuclear power is of course not an unlimited energy source (the ore will run out within 50 years even at current consumption rates, never mind what would happen if the whole world got 80% of its electricity from nuclear power as France is doing now.) The pro-nuclear people are also pissed that the widely discredited technology of breeder reactors is not currently being favored by politicians. As I recall breeder reactors have their own problems related to nuclear proliferation that are not addressed in this film. Helen Caldecott's statements about millions of people being killed by the fallout from Chernobyl are dismissed by showing the WHO and other NGO reports that claim only a handful of deaths have resulted from Chernobyl. Even the Chernobyl liquidators who suffered massive nuclear radiation exposure are claimed to not be suffering many ill effects from their experiences. Well what about all the Japanese children who are suffering thyroid problems from Fukishima? Other fallacies presented include the idea that antinuclear activists are in favor of fossil fuel burning for electricity and transportation, solar power and wind power will always be a tiny fraction of the total power generation, there hasn't been a single death from nuclear power in the US (what about Three Mile Island? What about Uranium mining on Indian reservations in the US?) and nuclear waste is not a big problem and Yucca Mountain is a viable waste storage site. What a puff piece for nuclear power. One star.
This movie is nonviolent because there are only 6 violent scenes in it. These scenes include: the aftermath of atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, some footage of atomic explosions, a scene of a minor riot, a story of Three Mile Island, a story of the China Syndrome and footage of some arrests. There is no smoking in this movie.
There were no previews when this movie was shown at the Camera 3 in downtown San Jose, CA, USA.
To discover additional reviews, fan ratings and trailers for Pandora's Promise, go to Fandango by clicking
or enter the movie title in the Google search box below.
5-8-14 Update:
Pandora's Promise has generated considerable debate on both sides of the nuclear power issue. It is one thing for one side or the other to trot out scholarly references to back up their claims or to debunk the other side. However, there is one point in the Pandora's Promise film that is not addressed in any scholarly detail by either side that I have found so far, yet constitutes what I am dead set against: the use of "junk science". The "junk science" I am referring to is the part of the film that has a demonstration using a Geiger counter appearing to show that a beach in Brazil is more radioactive than an area near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Because a Geiger counter is only about 1% efficient in measuring gamma ray counts and because alpha particles only travel a few centimeters in air, it is quite likely that a beach in Brazil could have a lower overall radioactivity while still showing up in a Geiger counter measurement as being more radioactive if there were different percentages of alpha, gamma and beta rays coming from the ground and/or the atmosphere in the two locations. The readings could also be radically altered depending how far from the ground the person doing the measurements was holding the Geiger counter, if alpha particles were coming from the ground in significant amounts in either location.
For further reading on this controversy, I invite you to visit the following links:
The following 2 links have presentations about why Pandora's Promise is BS, authored by Union Of Concerned Scientists' Senior Scientist Edwyn Lyman. The comments sections of both of these have extensive rebuttals of Lyman and counter-rebuttals by Lyman. An interesting read. It would be nice if the Beyond Nuclear links above were for blogs or articles where people could leave comments, instead of being just a collection of pdf's, as they serve to further cement Lyman's position as they are.
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Newsom a treasure
December 26, 2012
Congratulations on the front page story on Dr. Newsom's retirement.
I am currently a patient of Dr. Campbell, and have had the distinct privilege of meeting Dr. Newsom several times. My Aug. 14 cancer surgery was performed by Dr. Statten. My wife is a six-year cancer survivor, having received radiation treatments through the Cancer Center.
I want to thank The Union for being so supportive of Sierra Nevada Hospital and continuing that support after Mr. Ackerman left.
Max Kane
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Busy Bees by Elizabeth Hiddleson
Welcome! You are browsing as a guestWould you like to see 17 projects made from this pattern and much more? create a free account What am I missing?
© StarrZing
© seductivebarry
© zsoharanna
© rickigerry
Busy Bees
Skill Level = Advanced
Smaller mat use thread #40 and hook 11 or 1 mm.
Partial written pattern with chart.
Erata - The recommended yardage may not be enough. It is suggested that you have 6-700 yards on hand for a project using size 10 thread.
Pattern #13 on page 28


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Mortgage inquiries are growing at the fastest pace since 2009 as record low interest rates fire up the home loan market.
New figures from credit bureau Veda show inquiries about home loans skyrocketed 15 per cent in the December quarter of 2013.
This was up from 10 per cent in the September quarter and 8 per cent over the June quarter, and marks the fastest rate of growth since 2009.
"An extended period of low interest rates is supporting the lift in mortgage inquiries," said Angus Luffman, Veda's general manager of consumer risk.
Despite the lift in the home loan market, overall consumer credit demand was flat over the December quarter, with a decline in personal loan inquiries and slowing credit card activity.
Personal loan inquiries dropped 1.4 per cent, according to Veda, while credit cards grew by 2 per cent over the December quarter, down from 13 per cent in the September quarter.
"The December quarter is typically a strong period for credit demand, reflecting the seasonal peak in spending associated with the Christmas period," Mr Luffman said.
"The relatively weak outcome in loans and credit cards suggests low interest rates are not leading to a significant lift in consumer borrowing as households remain cautious about rising unemployment."
With low interest rates proving a boost to the mortgage sector, home loan inquiries increased at a faster pace in every state except South Australia over the December quarter. NSW was the standout, recording a 22 per cent surge in inquiries.
Inquiries increased by 15 per cent in Victoria, 12 per cent in Queensland and Western Australia, 10 per cent in Tasmania, 5 per cent in the ACT and 3 per cent in the Northern Territory.
Mortgage inquiries increased by 8 per cent over the December quarter in SA, but this was lower than the growth in the September quarter.
"We saw a further shift to mortgage applications from older demographics, with more first home buyers leaving the market," Mr Luffman said.
"It is likely that we will see a continuing increase in the near term, along with sustained house price growth."
The Australian Financial Review


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> Well, there's no basis for deciding what the datatype of the third > column is. > > The only reason you don't get the same error from the non-row case > > regression=# select null = null; > ?column? > ---------- > t > (1 row) > > is that we have an ugly, horrible kluge in the parser to > (mis) interpret > "foo = null" as meaning "foo ISNULL", in order to be compatible with > broken Microsoft SQL implementations. If you try any other operator > you get Not compatible with the current release of MS SQL/MSDE :-) At least not fully. Isn't it just plain *wrong* to state that null = null? After all, NULL is unknown, and is not equal to anything, no? I just checked on MS SQL Server 7.0, and using the query "select CASE WHEN null=null THEN 'Yes' ELSE 'No' END" (just doing null=null produces a syntax error), it returns "No" (that is, null != null). However, if I turn *off* "ANSI nulls, paddings and warnings", it produces "Yes" (null=null). The default can be changed on a per-database basis. By default, any ODBC/OLEDB client turns *on* ANSI Nulls when it connects. Summary of MS: When it runs in ANSI mode, null != null. When it runs in backwards compatible mode , null=null. Perhaps it would be more correct for postgresql to provide an option for "non-ANSI null handling" as well? And leaving ANSI compliant handling as the default? //Magnus
Next: From: Don Baccus Date: 2000-08-03 13:22:10 Subject: RE: comparing rows Previous: From: Hiroshi Inoue Date: 2000-08-03 05:36:53 Subject: RE: Raw constraint & pg_relcheck.rcsrc


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Billy Rojo
Billy Garrison Rojo Alvarez
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 9", Weight 144-177 lb.
Second baseman Billy Rojo spent five seasons in the Cincinnati Reds chain. He hit .249 for the 2003 VSL Reds. In 2004, he batted .305 for the same club. During 2005, he hit .274/.346/.438 in 24 games for the GCL Reds and went 1 for 6 for the Sarasota Reds. Rojo batted .297/.381/.391 for the 2006 Billings Mustangs and scored 40 runs in 55 games. He ended his career in Organized Baseball by producing at a .227/.269/.299 rate for the '07 Dayton Dragons.
Rojo is with Venezuela for the 2009 Baseball World Cup.


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Hello all!! My wife and I get on kicks where we eat ground turkey. I just wondered if and what anyone here has done with it. I've used it in tacos, chile, stuffed green peppers, and pasta, but that's about it. The 2 books I have of Stevens doesn't really have anything in it specifically for ground turkey, but I guess just about anything calling for ground beef could be subbed.
The only thing I don't like about ground turkey is flavor you give up by using it and not ground beef.


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Professional Liability/Risk Management Brief; Express Warranties and Professional Services
An express warranty is an assurance by one party of the existence of a fact on which another party can rely. Thus, an express warranty is intended to relieve the relying party of any duty to ascertain the facts—this amounts to a promise to indemnify the relying party for any loss if the fact warranted proves untrue. While in certain circumstances such a promise will be presumed by operation of law, it is rare that such "implied" warranties are applicable to the services, or instruments of service, of an engineer. Engineers who are unaware of the business context in which they practice, however, can find themselves providing express warranties or agreeing to "absolute" responsibility. They can also subject themselves to the similar problem of guaranteeing the actions of another.
Express warranties and guarantees are promises, ancillary to the basic agreement between an engineer and a client, that the engineer will provide knowledge-based services in exchange for compensation. Therefore, an express warranty presents a different set of problems for engineers from the normal contractual obligations negotiated for the performance or furnishing of professional services. For one, it is almost impossible for the engineer to have control over the factors that would lead to a rational express warranty. In addition, because an express warranty relieves the client of the burden to act in a responsible manner, the engineer no longer has the ability to rely on the rational participation of the client in the design process. Accordingly, no professional liability insurance policy includes coverage for breach of express warranty claims or breach of contract actions based on express warranty or guarantee provisions because such independent promises are impossible to ascertain when insurance premiums are determined.
Engineers may intentionally provide by contract an uninsurable warranty of their services or the instruments of their service. However, they may also unintentionally establish such an absolute reliance through proposals or other communication incorporated by reference into a contract, through misstated language in studies or reports, or through contract language. Even statements separate from the professional services agreement may be construed to be express warranties.
Express warranties, although inappropriate for the services provided by engineers, are attractive to clients since the breach of a warranty is much easier to establish than negligence in the performance of design services; proof of negligence is not required in breach of a warranty. The elements of a breach of warranty action are simple and involve the following:
Engineers, as all professionals, are required to provide their services in a non-negligent manner. This is the protection offered to clients of professionals by the United States legal system. Engineers can provide the collateral and more extensive protection of an express warranty of the services, or even a guarantee of the actions of others. But engineers and their clients should be aware that such independent promises usually are not in the capability or control of the engineer or within the scope of professional liability insurance coverage.
© 2011, Victor O. Schinnerer & Company, Inc. Statements concerning legal matters should be understood to be general observations based solely on our experience as risk consultants and may not be relied upon as legal advice, which we are not authorized to provide. All such matters should be reviewed with a qualified advisor. Victor O. Schinnerer & Company Inc. is managing underwriter for the CNA/Schinnerer Professional Liability Insurance Program, commended by NSPE/PEPP since 1957.
Nominate Fellow Engineers for PEPP Awards
PEPP presents several awards each year to recognize noteworthy contributions to the consulting engineering field. Members may nominate individuals and organizations for the following PEPP honors. The awards are presented annually at NSPE's Annual Meeting.
PEPP Award:
The PEPP Award is given annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement and recognition of the role of private practice in serving the public interest.
PEPP Professional Development Award:
The PEPP Professional Development Award is presented to employers who exhibit exceptional career development initiatives and employment practices that advance the engineering profession.
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Happenings on the Hill
March 14
NSPE Comments on QBS, NEPA at DOT Meeting
NSPE Sends Condolences to Japan, Offers Assistance in Relief Effort
NSPE sends its profound sympathies to those affected by the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan. NSPE has offered its services to the Center for International Disaster Information and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the wake of the disaster. NSPE would like to remind engineers not to self-deploy to the region. While professional engineers will be needed, their expertise and skills must be part of coordinated relief efforts to be of the greatest help. Professional engineers interested in assisting with relief efforts should register with the Center for International Disaster Information, or send their name and specialty area to NSPE Executive Director Larry Jacobson.
NSPE Requests Clarification of Forensic Science Reform Act
NSPE sent a letter to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) expressing concern about his introduction of the Criminal Justice and Forensic Science Reform Act (S. 132). The intent of the bill is to strengthen and reform forensic science in the criminal justice system and ensure that forensic evidence and testimony is accurate, credible, and scientifically grounded. The bill's certification requirement for personnel performing forensic work for federally funded facilities, however, is problematic because it does not exclude professionals who are licensed by the state.
Forensic professional engineers rarely work in criminal laboratories, but because the legislation requires the certification of anyone who "conducts forensic testing, analysis, identification, or comparisons, the results of which may be interpreted, presented, or otherwise used during the course of a criminal investigation or prosecution" or testifies about evidence prepared by such an individual, forensic professional engineers could unintentionally be included in the certification requirements. To avoid inadvertently including state-licensed professionals who are not directly employed by criminal laboratories in the bill's certification requirements, NSPE requested that the legislation be revised to include a clarifying statement that the bill is not intended to affect those who are not directly employed by a criminal laboratory.
NSPE Declines to Comment on SEC Issue
NSPE declined to comment on the SEC proposed rulemaking regarding the municipal advisor registration requirement of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Introductory language preceding the proposed rulemaking raised concerns that engineers would be required to register as municipal advisors despite the exemption provided for "engineers providing engineering advice." Following extensive discussion and a close reading of the proposed rule, NSPE determined that its members and the profession would be best served if NSPE allowed the issue to pass without comment.
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10 Ways Architects and Engineers Can Deal With a Slowing Economy
Herbert M. Cannon, President of AEC Management Solutions Inc.
1.Do not over react
One of the worst things management can do in a slowing economy is to over react. Make sure your decisions to reduce staff and cut other expenses are measured and appropriate to the situation.
2. Invest in Your Future
When your business is operating at 110% of capacity, you simply don't have the time to invest in training, technology upgrades, and developing standard processes. It is ideal to make investments that will pay dividends in the future when business is slower.
3. Deal with the Deadwood
Over the last five years, many A/E firms were in a hiring frenzy. In our eagerness to expand our workforce and meet our project deadlines, many firms have dramatically lowered their hiring standards. A slowing economy is an opportunity to raise our performance expectations and transition our underachievers to other employment opportunities.
4. Use More Video Conferencing
Video conferencing technology has come a long way. For a relatively cheap investment, you can dramatically reduce the need for visiting your clients or branch offices in person. Even if most of your travel is reimbursed by your clients, they will appreciate your efforts to keep costs under control. Of course, reducing travel has the added benefit of being environmentally responsible.
5. Review Your Compensation Strategies
A slowing economy is an opportunity to rethink your compensation and bonus program and make some long overdue adjustments. Think long and hard about moving to incentive-based compensation. Adopt a plan that rewards financial results not seniority and effort and you will create a company that can not only survive—but thrive in any economy.
6. Have Employees Use Their Vacation Time
It doesn't make any sense to have employees carry time forward to next year. If they haven't used all of their vacation time, consider making it mandatory before year-end. It is better they use it now rather than waiting until business picks up again.
7. Cut Unnecessary Spending
Substantial sales volume can cover-up a multitude of sins. Cost controls can get sloppy and overhead can spin out of control. Use this opportunity to review where you are overspending and cut costs now.
8. Upgrade Your Staff
For years, every A/E firm in North America has been complaining about the lack of qualified employees. Well—now is your chance. With the slowing economy, quality people are now available. This is your opportunity to upgrade the quality of your staff and solidify your position for long-term success
9. Update Your Strategic Plan
Successful firms retain a facilitator exclusive to the A/E industry and take the time (two or three days every year) to develop a simple plan of where they want to go and how to get there. The result of the session is a simple action plan that articulates the company's goals, assigns responsibility, assigns deadlines for action, and creates a mechanism for follow-up. In this economy, there has never been a better time to have a strategic planning session.
10. Reduce Your Professional Fees
A prime area to save money would be your professional fees. Most A/E firms are overcharged and underserved by their CPA firm. Take this opportunity to ask your CPA for a 20% reduction in their fees. If they don't go for it, solicit quotes from other firms.
Herbert M. Cannon, president of AEC Management Solutions Inc. and publisher of AEC Managing Partner Newsletter, is a management consultant, seminar provider, and speaker exclusive to the A/E Industry. He is available to speak at company meetings and conferences. For more information contact Herb via e-mail mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com. Or visit his Web site at www.aecmanagementsolutions.com.
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Synergy 2011: HR and Finance Roundtable
Synergy 2011: HR and Finance Roundtable
May 4–6, 2011
Alexandria, Virginia
Take advantage of the early bird price for Synergy 2011!
Early bird registration January 11–March 31: $495.
April 1–April 30: $595. Register
HR and Finance professionals from architecture, engineering, and construction firms come together to make Synergy a unique roundtable. Past Synergy participants have given the value created by combining the HR and CFO roundtables high marks. Come share your experience and viewpoint with this unique group.
The planning committee has created an agenda that provides time for continuing education, networking, benchmarking current activities, and sharing best practices. Synergy will again do the Networking/Information Exchange survey. Registrants who participate in the survey will receive a free copy of the results.
AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS (Download Full Synergy Agenda)
What CEOs Expect from HR and Finance Professionals
Christopher Stone P.E., F.NSPE, President of Clark Nexsen
Ten Steps to Employee Engagement
Bob Kelleher, CEO of Employee Engagement Group
Driving Motivation
Michael O'Brien, Partner with Rusk O'Brien Gido & Partners
Making up for Lost Time: Compensation Trends and Analysis of the Changing Economy
Kevin Brown, SPHR AVP, Human Resources for PBSJ Corp.
Engineering a Great Place to Work: Piece by Piece
Peggy Freeby, Human Resources Manager for Freese and Nichols Inc.
Generation Next: Identifying and Cultivating Business Development Leaders
Richard Friedman, President of Friedman & Partners; Barbara Irwin, President of HR Advisors Group
A block of rooms have been reserved at the Lorien Hotel for a room rate of $209 single/double.
To make reservations:
Reserve online or call 1-877-956-7436 and refer to the "NSPE Room Block" to take advantage of this special room-rate offer. The Lorien Hotel is conveniently located at 1600 King St., Alexandria, Virginia.
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Educate Yourself
Got BIM?: It's Not Just About 3D Models
April 5, 2011, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. (E.D.T.), 1 PDH
$149.99- $99.00 Member Price
Learn what is important about implementing BIM today as it is not just about 3D models. Get ideas on areas where you might focus your BIM projects, and explore concepts that you can bring back to your organizations to get you started. The key to your success now and in the future is taking the first steps to implement BIM if you have not yet done so.
The Fundamentals of Finance and Accounting for Engineers
April 21, 2011, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. (E.D.T.), 1 PDH
$149.00/ $99.00 Member Price
Holding a PE usually includes engineering firm responsibilities like cash flow and budgeting. In this webinar presented by Ian Rusk, we discuss the fundamentals of accounting, financial statements, fiscal performance, and future planning in terms familiar to engineers. This webinar is especially useful for PEs aspiring to management at their firm.
The following areas will be covered:
Fundamental aspects of accounting; cash vs. accrual accounting
Basics of reading and interpreting financial statements; income statements, and balance sheets
Important measures of financial performance
Understanding and tracking forward looking financial metrics
Keeping a "balanced scorecard"
The importance of cash flow management
The difference between a "S" vs. "C" Corporation and related basic tax differences.
Ethics Forum: Ethical Issues in Communications and Marketing
April 27, 2011, 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. (E.D.T.), 1 PDH
$149.00/ $99.00 Member Price
This spring's NSPE Ethics webinars feature discussions with NSPE Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel Arthur Schwartz and members of NSPE's Board of Ethical Review. Discussions center on decisions from the Board's 2010 session. This session focuses on communications and marketing, featuring:
Appropriate public communications,
Engineering firm selection,
Web-base marketing; and
Outside party service reviews.
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ADCOMM Engineering Company
AEC Engineering Design & Construction Services
Almost Home Inc
ARIS Engineering, Inc.
B & E Jackson & Associates Inc
Bain Medina Bain
Baird, Hampton & Brown, Inc. Engineering &
Barr Engineering Company
Bartel & Associates
BBFM Engineers Inc
Beardsley Design Associates
Becht Engineering BT Inc
Bernard R Berson PE LS PP, Consulting, Forensics,
BMJ Engineers & Surveyors
Borton Lawson Engineering Inc
Brite Engineering Consultants, Inc
C Allan Bamforth Jr. Engineer-Surveyor, LTD
Coad Engineering Consulting
Commonwealth Associates Inc
Cosgrove Computer Systems Inc
Cowen & Associates
CRW Engineering Group LLC
CT Consultants Inc
Davy Engineering Company
To become a PEPP Sustaining Firm visit our Website for the contribution form.
Mark Davy, P.E.
La Crosse, WI
Andrea Martinez-Graves,
Tampa, FL
Dawn Edgell, P.E.
Chicago, IL
Immediate Past Chair
Bill Clarke, P.E., F.NSPE
St. Louis, MO
Vice Chair, Northeast Region
Randy Petersen,
Washington, DC
Vice Chair, Southeast Region
Charlotte Maddox, P.E., F.NSPE
Tampa, FL
Vice Chair, Central Region
Kent Buehrer, P.E., F.NSPE
Maumee, OH
Vice Chair, North Central Region
Karen Stelling, P.E.
Kansas City, MO
Vice Chair, Southwest Region
Chris Richard, P.E.
Lafayette, LA
Vice Chair, Western and Pacific Region
Wes Segawa, P.E.
Hilo, HI
Young Engineer Representative
Carlos Gittens, P.E.
Spartansburg, NC
SSEC Representative
Pat Christians
Birmingham, AL
PEPP Staff
Kim Granados, CAE
1420 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
tel: 703-684-2857
fax: 703-836-4875
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text: The Blennerhassett Hotel in the once booming 1850's oil and gas town of Parkersbug has been beautifully restored. The foyer gives an overall feel of dark wood and history. Our room and bathroom were in the new wing and although quite small were nicely decorated and the bed was comfortable. The hotel staff were pleasant and helpful and there was... More


text:
"i wanna"
haha you're naughty!
haha you're naughty!
rock is naughty?
I don't get it...why is this naughty
I like the design, a bit smaller though. ( half)
No More Tapes - 0S
maybe it'd look better in a 2 x 2 grid? Like, two in one row, two in another underneath? That lets you keep it nice and large, but it doesn't span too far across the shirt?
It looks like the cassette and record
are messed up or they're trying to
chew on the object to the right of
each. If there's a message I definitely
missed it.
Honestly whats the dealio?
haha, shortcut to K.. kind of cheating I think. hahahaha
wayyyyy too crative... but it still rocks :"P
it says ROCK...
I agree with Daverd2 - I would like to see this as a square as well
before I would be a definite buy
but I think it is one of the more clever designs for the contest
If someone explains why this is naughty I'll vote a 5.
ohi bet you they thought the r was a c.
well... the tape at the beginning says, "i wanna" then the word rock... gets the song stuck in your head... crap, stuck in my head again!
It took a while but i fianlly understand it the different music forms spell out rock. muhuwhwhwhwhwa I FINALLY UNDERSTAND
too me forever to figure out that the cassette is actually an R. haha, i'm stupid. surprise surprise.
I think it's easy to see on the red/yellow -- nice choice of colors. ....and I like that skull on the tape.
very cleaver, i especially like that some people think it's rude at first...
kelly doesn't like it.
(because it bores her.) she feels like this should be in walmart.
im seriously going to start crying if i see this concept again!
YAMS - yet another music shirt.
Yet another person that obviously didn't see it was for the music contest called URB Loves Threadless. Obviously that is why you are tired of seeing them - many people submitted many ideas to this contest. Oh, and the contest was about music... so you will probably see many more MUSIC ideas.
thank you, kdubfive. im sick of morons.
the tape makes a C, the CD an O, and so on. Dont worry kaloyster did the same exact thing on my shirt.
i'm tired of music shirts
Thanks Colsenn. Brilliant. Please read the 4th message above. Oh, and vote 5.
this is an awesome shirt... the song was stuck in my head all day and now i c it again...
thank you sooo much kdubfive...
i hate when people don't see that this is for a freaking contest dammit
funny, i thought the tape spelled 'I wanna die' cause of the skull.
i agree 2x2
I LOOOOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! AWESOME DESIGN!!!! 5's ALL AROUND!!!!
at first I misunderstood the message, and I thought it was sort of like an evolution type thing that was out of order for some odd reason. and "rock" is a little hard to pick up on the first glance...
I totally saw the "rock" and I love the different forms of media used. $5 definetely. (but not on red.. or yellow for that matter.. d'oh. maybe black [played out?], blue, or green?)


text:
Dec. 3, 2008 - The Cement Council of Texas has added to its professional staff with the hiring of Richard B. Rogers, P.E., who will serve as Director - Concrete Pavements. Rogers brings more than 30 years of experience to the organization as a professional engineer and advisor to state and national authorities responsible for the construction of major concrete projects.
In his new position, Mr. Rogers will provide engineering direction and assistance to the Texas Department of Transportation on their largest concrete pavement projects. He also will advise other state and local agencies, their consultants and project partners on large scale projects in both the public and private sectors. Primarily his expertise will be provided on the construction of toll roads, airfield pavements and port facilities.
Prior to joining the Cement Council of Texas, Mr. Rogers was a member of the Transtec Group where he served as the pavement engineering lead on major design-build projects. His knowledge of foundation design, mix design, and pavement engineering, as well as pavement testing and evaluation and pavement performance is well respected within professional circles. He has developed and led workshops for professional engineers and government representatives and has helped to develop important cement pavement guidelines for state and national agencies.
From 1979 to 2004, Mr. Rogers worked for the Texas Department of Transportation in a variety of supervisory and technical capacities. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force where he served as a Civil Engineering Officer responsible for the design, construction and maintenance of base pavement and railroad facilities.
Mr. Rogers received his Master of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Texas and his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the Virginia Military Institute. The Cement Council of Texas is located in Hurst, Texas. For more information, visit www.cementtx.org.


text:
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September 2008
The Massachusetts Bar Association's slate of officers for the 2008-09 term has officially been set. Edward W. McIntyre, the 2007-08 president-elect, automatically succeeded to the office of president on Sept. 1.
The 2008-09 officers:
Edward W. McIntyre, president
McIntyre is a solo practitioner in Clinton, where he concentrates his practice in civil litigation, namely spinal cord and brain injury law, in state and federal court. McIntyre, a U.S. Army veteran, has been a member of the House of Delegates since 1998, sat on the MBA President's Task Force on Judicial Evaluations and the MBA's ABA Nominating Committee.
Valerie A. Yarashus, president-elect
Yarashus is a founding partner of Yarashus, Wagner, Cook, Freiberger & Washienko LLC in Boston, where she concentrates in plaintiff's trial practice and a wide variety of other general liability cases. Yarashus spearheaded the MBA Task Force on Diversity in 2005, and co-chairs the MBA's recently established monthly Leadership Roundtables.
Robert L. Holloway Jr., vice president
Holloway is a shareholder and president of MacLean, Holloway, Doherty, Ardiff & Morse PC in Peabody. Holloway is a long-term member of the MBA's Ethics Committee, a member and past chair of the MBA's Civil Litigation Section Council and a former regional delegate to the MBA House of Delegates.
Denise Squillante, treasurer
Squillante is a solo practitioner in Fall River who concentrates in family law, corporate law, injury and estates and also provides business and legal consulting services to corporations. Long active in the MBA's Family Law Section Council and its committees, Squillante has sat on the MBA's Presidential Task Force on Terrorism, the Amicus Committee and the Joint Bar Committee.
Douglas K. Sheff, secretary
Sheff is senior partner at Sheff Law Offices in Boston, where he specializes in all aspects of personal injury law. A past president of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, Sheff has been appointed trustee of the National College of Advocacy, which provides education and training for trial lawyers across the country.