text:
Ignition — the process of releasing fusion energy equal to or greater than the amount of energy used to confine the fuel — has long been considered the "holy grail" of inertial confinement fusion science.
A key step along the path to ignition is to have "fuel gains" greater than unity, where the energy generated through fusion reactions exceeds the amount of energy deposited into the fusion fuel.
Though ignition remains the ultimate goal, the milestone of achieving fuel gains greater than 1 has been reached for the first time ever on any facility. In a paper published in the Feb. 12 online issue of the journal Nature, scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) detail a series of experiments on the National Ignition Facility (NIF), which show an order of magnitude improvement in yield performance over past experiments.
"What's really exciting is that we are seeing a steadily increasing contribution to the yield coming from the boot-strapping process we call alpha-particle self-heating as we push the implosion a little harder each time," said lead author Omar Hurricane.
Boot-strapping results when alpha particles, helium nuclei produced in the deuterium-tritium (DT) fusion process, deposit their energy in the DT fuel, rather than escaping. The alpha particles further heat the fuel, increasing the rate of fusion reactions, thus producing more alpha particles. This feedback process is the mechanism that leads to ignition. As reported in Nature, the boot-strapping process has been demonstrated in a series of experiments in which the fusion yield has been systematically increased by more than a factor of 10 over previous approaches.
The experimental series was carefully designed to avoid breakup of the plastic shell that surrounds and confines the DT fuel as it is compressed. It was hypothesized that the breakup was the source of degraded fusion yields observed in previous experiments. By modifying the laser pulse used to compress the fuel, the instability that causes break-up was suppressed. The higher yields that were obtained affirmed the hypothesis, and demonstrated the onset of boot-strapping.
The experimental results have matched computer simulations much better than previous experiments, providing an important benchmark for the models used to predict the behavior of matter under conditions similar to those generated during a nuclear explosion, a primary goal for the NIF.


text:
Chelsea Clinton plans to tie the knot with fiance Marc Mezvinsky in the upstate New York village of Rhinebeck on July 31.
That's according to a local resident who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the resident isn't authorized to divulge the information.
The resident says Clinton and Mezvinsky will wed at a private mansion just outside the town about two hours north of New York City.
A spokeswoman for the Clintons declined to comment Thursday.
A local caterer is providing the food, and high school and college students have been hired to help get the grounds into shape.
Chelsea is the daughter of former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Mezvinsky is an investment banker in New York.
Also popular:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Stop & Shop buys lease for Somerville Johnnie's
The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co., a Quincy-based chain with more than 400 stores in the Northeast, including about 130 in Massachusetts, said Friday that it has acquired the Johnnie's Foodmaster lease for the location at 105 Alewife Brook Parkway in Somerville.
In a press release, Stop & Shop said that it is currently working on the renovation plans and that the schedule for reopening has not yet been determined.
"Stop & Shop's history began in the Somerville community, and we're pleased to have an opportunity to serve another part of the city," Joe Kelley, president of Stop & Shop's New England division, said in a statement.
Stop & Shop purchased another Johnnie's Foodmaster lease in November, that one in Medford; that store was reopened as a Stop & Shop in mid January.
In November, Whole Foods Market Inc., which currently operates 21 stores in New England, purchased leases for six other Johnnie's Foodmaster locations after Johnnie's had closed those stores. Plans call for those locations to reopen as Whole Foods stores by the fall.
Chris Reidy can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
All my life, April has symbolized for me a "hunker down, tie up loose ends, add another year to your age" month. This year, it turned out to be an inflated caricature of all that.
Years ago, as a developmental studies and education instructor at NMHU, I tried to impress upon my students the need to practice sensible time management. Plan ahead, budget your time, set goals, determine priorities and work toward meeting them incrementally, allowing for potentially unforeseen obstacles. This month, I found myself subjected to my own preaching.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the Las Vegas Optic, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
|ZIP Code:


text:
The following products and promotions allow consumers to support Make-A-Wish® through purchases or participation in cause-corporate programs.
Where there's a wish, there's a way to help children with critical illnesses. For every Aladdin Filmmaker Gallery Book purchased at Target and Target.com from August 16 to September 30, 2019, Disney will donate $2 (up to $50,000) to Make-A-Wish® to help grant life-changing wishes.
Allegiant donates $1 from every Wingz Kid Snack Pack sold inflight to support our efforts to grant life-changing wishes to courageous children across the country. Visit allegiantair.com to learn more.
Turn your rental into a wish come true. Rent with Avis using Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) number H749900 and you can save up to 25%. Avis will also donate 10% of your rental to Make-A-Wish for the month of April. Visit avis.com/wish to learn more.
From June 13, 2019 - July 16, 2019, Eurail will donate 15 euros – $16.80 USD – of every Eurail Pass sold to Make-A-Wish and Doctors Without Borders. Minimum guarantee of $250,000 to Make-A-Wish.
IT'SUGAR will sell a rainbow lollipop in all U.S. store locations, with .20 cents from each one sold to benefit Make-A-Wish from July 14, 2019 through June 30, 2020 with a minimum contribution of $100,000. For more information please visit ITSUGAR.com.
Chi Omega, the largest women's fraternal organization in the world, raises money and awareness for Make-A-Wish throughout the year through a variety of events and fundraising activities. Chi Omega collegiate and alumnae chapters have raised over $20 million for our wish kids since 2001. For more information about how to participate at a school near you, please click here.
During three in-store star sales campaigns, Dave & Buster's will invite guests to make a $1 or more donation in exchange for $10 of free game play (with $10 game play purchase). Guests who dine at Dave & Buster's can also round-up their checks with 100% of customer donations benefiting Make-A-Wish. Dave & Buster's will continue to donate $1 for each Garlic Parmesan Cheese Curds appetizer purchased, year-round. Visit daveandbusters.com to find a location near you.
Watertree Health, a leading provider of free prescription discount cards, will donate $1 for every script discounted using a card benefitting Make-A-Wish. To request a card or learn more, visit watertreehealthcard.com/wish or text WISH to 95577.
For the entire month of July, JetBlue will air a Make-A-Wish in-flight video on the airline's 1,000 daily flights. The video features wish kid Jimmy and invites JetBlue customers to donate their TrueBlue Points to Make-A-Wish. JetBlue will match donations up to 1 million points. Visit jetblue.com/donate to learn more.
NCAA Division II student athletes across the country raise money and awareness for Make-A-Wish throughout the year. Division II institutions use a variety of fundraising opportunities to increase donations for children with critical illnesses. For more information about how to join the efforts at an institution near you, please click ncaadii.wish.org.
BioTrust Nutrition is giving its customers the opportunity to donate $1, $5, or $10 at checkout. Learn more at biotrust.com.
Claire's will donate $5 for every qualified ear-piercing kit sold year-round. Find a store near you and learn more about our partnership with Claire's at claires.com/makeawish.
Colgate will donate 5 percent of the sales price of every children's toothbrush sold to dental offices in the United States from January 1 – December 31, 2018 with a minimum contribution of $250,000 and a maximum contribution of $300,000. For more information, visit colgateprofessional.com/wish
During April, Marquis will be offering $800 off the purchase of a Promise or Wish hot tub with the valid coupon, and will donate $50 to Make-A-Wish for each of these hot tubs purchased to help grant more life-changing wishes. Learn more at marquisspas.com.
From May 1-August 31, 100% of customer donations made at the register at your local Party City store will benefit Make-A-Wish. Visit https://stores.partycity.com/us/ to find a location near you.
Topgolf will donate $1 of each Injectable Donut Hole dessert item back to Make-A-Wish. 100% of donations benefit Make-A-Wish with a minimum guarantee of $250,000. To locate a Topgolf near you, visit Topgolf.com.
Build-A-Bear Workshop is collecting Guest donations at the register in store and during check-out online for Make-A-Wish, with a minimum donation of $200,000. Guests can donate $1, $3, or $5 now through February 27.
Discover® is finding ways for cardmembers to give back. When you use your Discover card to earn Cashback Bonus®, the rewards can be redeemed as a donation to Make-A-Wish. Visit discover.com for details.
Things Remembered Make-A-Wish holiday collectibles are available for purchase at a local Things Remembered location or online. Two dollars per Make-A-Wish ornament and five dollars per Make-A-Wish snow globe sold donated to Make-A-Wish. Things Remembered will also feature a Jim Shore snow globe where $10 of each purchase will go back to Make-A-Wish. Visit thingsremembered.com for more information.
Best Western Hotels & Resorts® promotes charitable giving by providing a way to give back. Best Western Rewards® members can redeem their Best Western Rewards points for a donation to Make-A-Wish. Visit bestwestern.com/en_US/best-western-rewards for more information.
#ChooseToChange promotion, Lokai customers can choose to donate to Make-A-Wish when they purchase the "Black and White" or "Metallic" Lokai bead bracelets. Learn more at lokai.com.
Stay in Touch!
Sign up to receive email from Make-A-Wish.


text:
IRVINE – A man suing BMW for fraud, assault and false imprisonment claims Irvine BMW employees pushed and held him down and a repossession agent punched him while they seized his faulty luxury car at the dealership.
The plaintiff, Albert Scott Arditi of Laguna Niguel, says he stopped making payments last year on his 2004 BMW 745i because the automaker had failed to thoroughly fix the vehicle, which he claims developed several serious mechanical failures just before his six-year warranty ended.
Arditi and BMW of North America LLC were already suing each other in state court for breach of contract when he brought his car into Irvine BMW's service station for repairs late last year. His second lawsuit, which he filed Nov. 1 in federal court, says BMW of North America and its financing arm directed the dealership staff to call a repossession company if he brought his vehicle in for repairs.
BMW had previously petitioned the state court judge for a writ of possession to seize the vehicle before the lawsuit was resolved and the judge ruled against it, public records show, but that does not necessarily mean the repossession was illegal under California law.
Arditi had missed five or six payments by the time BMW took his vehicle, he said.
BMW corporate media relations staff declined to comment on the case or the incident. The dealership is corporate-owned.
Arditi is seeking $214,100 in damages with his federal lawsuit, including $80,000 to replace the car. It also names as a defendant Golden West Recovery Services Inc., a Newport Beach-based vehicle repossession company.
Arditi claims a Golden West employee punched him and caused serious injury when he attempted to enter his vehicle to grab $4,100 in cash and credit cards from the glove compartment. California law says registered owners are allowed to enter the vehicle to take their personal belongings but are barred from physically trying to stop the repossession from happening. But that doesn't mean repo agents can assault a vehicle owner.
Arditi alleges in his lawsuit that Golden West employees took the $4,100 in cash, which he never recovered.
Irvine Police conducted an investigation at the time of the incident and referred the Golden West employee to the Orange County District Attorney's office for alleged assault and battery, Lt. Julia Engen confirmed.
The District Attorney's Office declined to prosecute the case "due to insufficient corroboration to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt," spokeswoman Farrah Emami said.
Golden West Recovery Services did not respond to the Register's requests for comment.
Arditi also claims BMW sold his vehicle to a third party without providing him with a legally mandated 15-day notice.
The fraud allegations include an issue involving BMW's claims that its vehicles are "the ultimate driving machine," are safe, are of durable quality, perform well and are wise investments. His vehicle fell short of those promises and should have been revamped or replaced, Arditi claims.
He also claims dealership employees told him they intended to make the repairs under the warranty and were not properly trained in the legalities of the repossession process.
J.D. Power and Associates' latest U.S. customer satisfaction rankings of 12 luxury brands placed BMW ninth in customer service and seventh in sales satisfaction. J.D. ranked BMW 10th for initial quality among 34 major automobile brands.
Neither BMW nor Golden West has responded in court to the federal lawsuit despite a 21-day deadline. Arditi, who is representing himself, said all defendants had been served with the lawsuit.
Arditi did not approach the Register to request an article. His lawsuit was found in a search of civil cases.
Due to a reporting error, Irvine BMW was not given adequate opportunity to respond to Mr. Arditi's allegations before this article was first published. Click here to read Irvine BMW's response.
Contact the writer: email@example.com


text:
Momenta announced yesterday that the company has acquired Little Yellow Bicycle.
Both companies produce full scrapbook product lines, and both have been reinventing themselves recently.
The Little Yellow Bicycle brand was launched in 2009 by office supply company C-Thru Ruler Company, which entered into the scrapbooking market through the adoption of its stencils by scrapbookers in the early days of scrapbooking's popular explosion. In 2012, C-Thru sold its office supply business to concentrate on its crafts business, and reincorporated itself as Little Yellow Bicycle.
The acquisition of Little Yellow Bicycle culminates a stunning turn-around by Momenta, which filed bankruptcy in 2010 after reinventing itself. The company, formerly called American Traditional Designs, had been known primarily for making brass embossing stencils before that market largely evaporated. The company renamed itself Momenta and has focused the past few years on making a line of scrapbooking products that have found an impressive market presence in a short time in today's competitive climate. Continue Reading →


text:
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica— Chandler Hoffman has been eagerly awaiting a chance to showcase his skills in a first team game and in his first start for the LA Galaxy, he did just that.
Hoffman scored his first professional goal in the 18th minute of LA's 3-0 CONCACAF Champions League victory over C.S. Cartaginés on Wednesday. The win allowed the Galaxy to qualify for the tournament's quarterfinals for the third consecutive year.
A prolific goal scorer at the college level with UCLA, Hoffman first professional goal mirrored many of those goals scored at Drake Stadium as he found himself unmarked far post and easily tapped in a Michael Stephens cross for the team's second goal of the night.
"It was huge," said Hoffman, who had only scored in reserve games and friendlies during his time with the Philadelphia Union prior to be traded to the Galaxy in March. "I've scored a ton in the reserve league and in the friendlies, so to make it translate to meaningful games is huge. I just want to keep this momentum going forward."
His first goal and first start under his belt, Hoffman hopes that he's worked into the conversation for more minutes as the Galaxy seek to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs.
"Bruce told us tonight that we had a huge opportunity," said Hoffman. "And I think that all of us who stepped on the field showed that we want to be playing as much as possible."


text:
We offer a specialist field and tab service to other leading market research companies, consultancies and clients in the UK and around the world for market research in all business sectors.
Drawing upon our large interviewing field-force, we are able to provide a highly cost-effective, fast and flexible service while still maintaining the high professional standards that have formed an essential part of our success.
Our team will project manage your study to include all aspects of fieldwork, coding and data processing, before providing you with bespoke data for in-house analysis.
As part of a full-service agency, we are also able to provide advice on the data collection methodology, sampling and questionnaire design if required.
GfK Mystery Shopping is the performance measurement division of GfK. We are specialists in mystery shopping and other forms of performance measurement. Our belief is that effective mystery shopping requires having appropriately profiled and trained assessors visit the correct locations, then taking their findings and reporting them to various levels of client personnel in a user-friendly, informative and friendly manner.
GfK Mystery Shopping is a founder member of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA).
With more than 40 years' experience in the market research industry, we have developed expertise in both business-to-business and consumer research, in the UK and internationally, across a diverse range of markets.
We are happy to take on projects of any size, undertaking paper or CATI interviewing (we use Dimensions CATI software), on a full service, field and tab or fieldwork only basis.
Our telephone centre is located in our Head Office at Old Street and clients are invited to visit our telephone centre and listen to their projects.
We are accredited to the Data Security ISO 27001.
Our Interviewing Services Director is currently on the Council of IQCS.
Our executive field force conduct depth interviews with B2B and consumer respondents.
Estabished in 1986, Kudos Research offer high value UK and International telephone and online data-collection.
Methodologies encompass CATI, online, mixed-mode, Qual and Quant, B2B and Consumer, Recruitment, In-depth and Executive interviewing – all conducted globally from our Central London offices using experienced native language speakers.
We have a team of 500 highly skilled interviewers who act as excellent ambassadors for you and your client, expertly engaging with your target audience, whether business or consumer.
We achieve excellent response rates with hard to reach respondents such as: C-Suites, Key Decision-Makers, Opinion Leaders, Doctors, Specialists, Key Account Customers & Niche or Mainstream Consumers
Our clients can confidently commission all their research needs from one expert source, working with a partner they can trust to have an in-depth understanding of their organisation and a wholehearted commitment to achieving their aims.
Additional services:
- Access to a wealth of sector knowledge, data-collection expertise, broad-ranging creds, case studies and methodological advice
- Quant questionnaire advisory service to provide robust semantics and logic checking
- All UK and International Telephone research conducted from one central location to facilitate communication and harmonisation of quality across markets
- Digital recording of all interviews
- Remote client access to survey results in real-time via the web
All from one talented team, passionate about providing quality data-collection
Peak Answers provides telephone data collection services to market research clients. Having been in continuous operation for over 30 years, our call centre is one of the longest established specialist telephone data collection units in the UK and has conducted over 1.5 million UK and international interviews.
Perspective Research Services is the preferred data supplier for leading market research companies of every size. We offer top quality service, speedy turnaround times and our famous 'can-do' approach to the toughest assignments. And we've been around for 15 years so we have staying power.
We offer our clients one of the largest independent call centre operations in the UK. Our researchers are skilled in all interviewing techniques, from a five minute telephone questionnaire to 30 minute tele-depth interviews, UK and internationally. We operate state-of-the-art facilities and 120 stations across London. We bring experience of every data collection methodology to meet any market research challenge: business or consumer, UK or international, qualitative or quantitative, telephone, face-to-face, or online.
We view our client relationships as partnerships, enabling us to support you through all stages of the project. We thrive on tight project criteria and deadlines, and we pride ourselves on our quality. To prove it, we are accredited under the ISO 20252 standard.
The RONIN International 80-seat CATI Centre operates 24/7 to conduct research worldwide from its Central London offices. We have over 30 years' experience contacting hard-to-reach respondents in over 30 languages/55 countries for the most exacting B2B, medical, and Customer Insight research.
We offer full project support from questionnaire design and programming through to data file or tables delivery, including translations, transcription, and coding. RONIN uses the Confirmit platform.
RONIN allocates a Project Manager who will be your single point of contact at every stage of the research life cycle, from initial questionnaire review to post-fieldwork data queries and feedback. Our staff are multilingual and multi-cultural in outlook and we believe there is no substitute for knowledge gained through experience combined with local market and specialist area expertise.
RONIN can create bespoke online reports to monitor field progress and key metrics at any time.
Come to us with your most complex briefs and we would be delighted to suggest best practice and innovative approaches; we'll develop the programme you need to ensure your objectives are achieved.
Qualitative research and recruitment using experienced healthcare moderators.
- ISO 20252:2012-certified
- IQCS-accredited
- MRS Company Partner
- EphMRA Associate Member
- BHBIA Corporate Member
- ESOMAR member
TNS UK Ltd is part of Kantar, the insight and consultancy arm of WPP Group plc, a FTSE 100 and NASDAQ listed company.
TNS UK is an internal provider of market research services to the Kantar group. We undertake market research interviewing for Kantar's research businesses, including TNS BMRB, Kantar Media and millward Brown as well as working for a range of clients. Our role is to identify, create and deliver high quality operational solutions by harnessing the combined power of technology, people and know how.
Our data collection consists of face to face, telephone, coding, data entry, process tools, software, technical solutions, operations metrics and performance measurements. We also develop and drive best practice in areas such as sampling and respondent engagement.


text:
Super typhoon Haiyan hits Philippines
The Star, 8 Nov 2013
MANILA (AFP): One of the most intense typhoons ever recorded tore into the Philippines on Friday, triggering flash floods and ripping down buildings as millions of people huddled indoors.
Super Typhoon Haiyan smashed into fishing communities on the central island of Samar, about 600km southeast of Manila, before dawn on Friday with maximum sustained winds of 315km (195 miles) an hour.
The strength of the wind made it one of the four most powerful typhoons ever recorded in the world, and the most powerful to have made landfall, according to Jeff Masters, the director of meteorology at US-based Weather Underground.
Masters said he expected the damage in Guiuan, the fishing town of about 40,000 people that was the first to be hit after Haiyan swept in from the Pacific Ocean, to be "catastrophic".
"Perhaps the greatest wind damage any city on Earth has endured from a tropical cyclone in the past century," Masters wrote on his blog for the weather monitoring website at www.wunderground.com.
Communication with Guiuan was cut off immediately after Haiyan hit, and the civil defence office said it was too early to give an assessment of the damage there.
But in Tacloban, a nearby city of more than 200,000 people, streets were flooded and some buildings were torn down, according to footage broadcast on ABS CBN television.
Haiyan had maximum sustained winds on Friday morning of 315kph, and gusts of 379kph, according to the US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Centre.
Masters said the previous record for the strongest typhoon to make landfall was Hurricane Camille, which hit Mississippi in the United States with winds of 305kph in 1969.
Preparing for disaster
Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Thursday warned his countrymen to make all possible preparations for Haiyan.
"To our local officials, your constituents are facing a serious peril. Let us do all we can while (Haiyan) has not yet hit land," Aquino said in a nationally televised address.
Aquino warned areas within the 600-kilometre typhoon front would be exposed to severe flooding as well as devastating winds, while coastal areas may see waves 6m (20 feet) high.
More than 125,000 people in the most vulnerable areas had been moved to evacuation centres before Haiyan hit, according to the civil defence office, and millions of others braced for the typhoon in their homes.
Authorities said schools in the storm's path were closed, ferry services suspended and fishermen ordered to secure their vessels.
In the capital of Manila, which was on the northern edge of the typhoon's path, many schools were closed amid forecasts of heavy rain.
Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and other carriers announced the suspension of hundreds of flights, mostly domestic but also some international.
State meteorologist Romeo Cajulis said on Friday that Haiyan was travelling quickly, at 39kph, and would travel across the country towards the South China Sea throughout Friday.
One particularly vulnerable area in Haiyan's path was the central island of Bohol, the epicentre of a 7.1-magnitude earthquake last month that killed 222 people.
At least 5,000 survivors were still living in tents on Bohol, and they were moved to schools that had been turned into evacuation centres.
Other danger zones were the port cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan on the southern island of Mindanao, where flash floods induced by Tropical Storm Washi killed more than 1,000 people in December 2011.
The Philippines is battered by an average of 20 major storms or typhoons each year, many of them deadly.
The country also suffered the world's strongest storm of 2012, when Typhoon Bopha left about 2,000 people dead or missing on Mindanao island in December.
The government and some scientists have said climate change may be increasing the ferocity and frequency of the storms.
Masters said warm waters of the Pacific Ocean were an important reason for the strength of Haiyan.
"It had very warm waters that extended to great depth, and favourable upper level winds that… acted to ventilate the storm, allowing large amounts of air to get sucked in near the surface and get carried away," he wrote in an e-mail to AFP.
But Masters said it was premature to blame climate change for Haiyan.
"The historical record of typhoons and hurricanes is too short and of too low quality to say if climate change may have played a role," he said.


text:
Wedding Decoration Ideas Gallery
Toggle navigation
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Wedding Decoration Ideas Gallery
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
beach wedding decorations pinterest
Tag : beach wedding decorations pinterest
Rustic Beach Wedding Decor
Posted on January 20th, 2017
by Nycella Godwin
Rustic Beach Wedding Decor. The Goal: To be without bloat so your dress looks and feels immaculate; to decrease push and advance a quiet, joyful state (there's no time for a last-minute bridezilla). Requital of the Nerves Gannon says a typical issue for ladies is coincidentally skipping suppers because of butterflies and a chaotic timetable. ...
Vintage Beach Wedding Decor
Posted on January 9th, 2017
by Nycella Godwin
Vintage Beach Wedding Decor. From the dazzling landscape to the history behind your most loved landmarks, getting hitched in one of the nation's 400 or more national parks is a one of a kind and super-individual service or gathering thought. In any case, before you hop straight into arranging your wedding at a national park, ...


text:
We at TreePeople certainly believe that what we are doing is a matter of life and death. But sometimes we're confronted with more sobering proof than we expected. That's what happened when I read this article by Lindsay Abrams that recently appeared in The Atlantic, "When Trees Die, People Die."
I expected that this article would be just another "trees-make-us-feel-better" story. "Aren't they pretty? Let's go plant some." I wasn't prepared for this (italics mine):
When the U.S. Forest Service looked at mortality rates in counties affected by the emerald ash borer, they found increased mortality rates.… Read more >>


text:
I keep thinking about all the American Christians who canceled church on Christmas Day. Terry wrote about the Iraqi Christians who've done the same. Except in their case, it's under threat of death. I'm elated that Christmas is finally here after a lengthy Advent but I am so sad that Christians in Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, among other locations, aren't able to worship freely. Or take the horrible news out of Nigeria yesterday. What Christians there wouldn't do to have the freedom to worship in peace.
In any case, some holiday seasons see quite a few stories aiming to undermine some aspect of Christianity. We didn't see much of that. Neither did we see much War on Christmas-type stuff (hurray!), particularly considering that there was ample opportunity.
Certainly the plight of global Christians this Christmas has not been covered well. But I did want to highlight a package from CNN that I personally found quite interesting.
The feature piece is actually a photo essay by Gary S. Chapman, titled "The persecution of Pakistan's Christian minority." Brett Roegiers explained the background to the piece:
In August 2009, an angry mob of extremist Muslims torched Christian homes in Gojra, Pakistan. At least seven people were shot to death or burned alive. A few days after the attacks, American photographer Gary S. Chapman visited the area with his wife, Vivian, to document the aftermath. "I want people to see my images and feel both discomfort and compassion at the same time," he said recently. "I want them to try and see themselves in the situation I am witnessing." The violence in Gojra was incited by rumors of the desecration of pages of the Quran at a Christian wedding, police said. An investigation determined the allegations were baseless.
His project began in 2005 when he photographed relief efforts after a massive earthquake killed 86,000. He learned about mistreatment of Christians then and there, including rape, lack of employment and education and beatings for drinking from Muslim water fountains:
At large gatherings, the Christians would sometimes hire armed guards for protection. Despite their hardships, Chapman says many remain optimistic. "I have been encouraged by the Christians of Pakistan that remain faithful, forever hopeful in the midst of real persecution," he said. He has been to Pakistan four times now. During one trip, he visited a woman who had taken in several Christian children orphaned by the earthquake. Shortly after he left, an arsonist set fire to her home.
He ends by noting:
"After seeing the injustices in Pakistan, I've learned not to take my freedom for granted concerning my faith, livelihood, or even where I live," Chapman said. "I am thankful for everything."
His wife Vivian Padilla-Chapman wrote an accompanying essay from her perspective. She goes through some of the heartbreaking stories. She tells about a 32-year-old father of four who saved 70 women and children from violence and death by offering them safe harbor in his house while he kept rioters at bay with a shotgun from which he discharged rounds in the air for several hours. When the mob finally left, he had only two rounds remaining:
Another family just blocks away had no such protector. Seven people, including several children, were locked into their house and burned alive. Villagers said they could hear their screams.
I'm a Christian and familiar with Jesus' words, "Love your enemies and pray for those that persecute you," but at that moment, those words seemed impossible. Honestly, I don't know that I could sincerely love my enemies. I'm not sure that I could even pray for them.
Although Pakistan's constitution guarantees religious freedom, blasphemy laws call for the death sentence of anyone who insults the prophet Muhammad or Islam. These laws are often used against Christians by jealous or disgruntled coworkers or neighbors. The incident that sparked the violence in Gojra stemmed from a rumor that a Christian had committed blasphemy at a wedding. It was never proven.
As the relief team took assessments for supplies, our interpreter, also a Christian, turned to me and said, "We see the destruction of their homes, but not the destruction of their lives. Jesus will never leave us or forsake us."
Under the same circumstances, would I draw strength from that promise? Could I endure those kinds of struggles and hardships? I hope so.
The strong faith that undergirds this community is the kind of faith that I want to sustain me.
Reporters don't just hear about terrible things, we're encouraged to seek them out and report on them. When your beat involves religion, it can cause some mixed emotions. It's interesting to me to read how these journalists react to what they've witnessed.
I'm no photojournalism expert, but I wanted to highlight the photo essay because of the simplicity and honesty in the pictures. Padilla-Chapman writes that her husband frequently does work for non-profit humanitarian groups. I expected to see photos that were manipulative or maudlin. They aren't. They seem so accurate and honest.
Since I can't use any of the Chapman photos to illustrate this post, I thought it might be worth remembering Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian mother of five facing a death sentence for allegedly blaspheming Mohammed. Punjab governor Salman Taseer and Federal Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti were both killed this past year for defending her and opposing Pakistan's blasphemy laws. A delegation overseeing her legal and material aid visited her on December 19 at the prison in Sheikpura where she's being held in isolation. They say she's not been allowed to bathe for more than two months, is unable to stand on her own, appeared confused and was afraid to accept the water they offered her to drink. But she told them she has forgiven those who accused her of blasphemy and only wants to return to her family.


text:
Monday, June 7, 2010
Muffin Tin Monday - meximeal
clockwise from top right: grilled chicken leg (leftover from last night's dinner), "sunny" cheese quesadilla, strawberries, corn chips, homemade salsa, fiesta rice (not sure of exact name, it's a frozen entree from the organic baby food line "Happy Baby". This one is rice, black beans, pinto beans, bell pepper. Paige and baby bug love it).
You can check out what other MTM mamas are cookin' up today by clicking over here.
12 comments:
- JDaniel4's Mom said... [Reply to comment]
I love the sun! What fund and yummy foods. They are so healthy.
- June 7, 2010 at 11:46 AM
Beautiful! Hopping Blogger lets me to leave you this comment LOL but really, I wanted to tell you how amazing you are. Everything on the site, every entry looks so beautiful, and you truly have talent for this.
Now I'm off to search for grilled chicken LOL
- June 7, 2010 at 12:16 PM
- Jamie said... [Reply to comment]
Looks super yummy! I love the way your sun turned out!
- June 7, 2010 at 12:17 PM
I figured it out LOL when I leave you comment it tells me there is an error with blogger, but apparently comments are going trough :) sorry for so many LOL
- June 7, 2010 at 1:17 PM
- Jenny said... [Reply to comment]
The homemade salsa looks great, and that baby food sounds amazing, too. You pulled it off well last minute!
- June 7, 2010 at 3:12 PM
- Alie said... [Reply to comment]
Yum! I'd love to eat that lunch!
- June 7, 2010 at 3:39 PM
- Lisa said... [Reply to comment]
Yummy!! I love homemade salsa!
- June 7, 2010 at 5:21 PM
- Mommyof2girlz said... [Reply to comment]
I love homemade salsa..the Meximeal is a great idea it looks wonderful :)
- June 7, 2010 at 6:40 PM
- Katie said... [Reply to comment]
Yum, great idea!
- June 7, 2010 at 9:40 PM
- The Princess said... [Reply to comment]
The sunny quesadilla is brilliant!
- June 8, 2010 at 3:18 PM
- EasyLunchboxes (Kelly Lester) said... [Reply to comment]
My kids' favorite meals are always the ones that have a 'Mexican' flavor. This would be a hit in our house. The sunny quesadilla is adorable.
- June 8, 2010 at 3:45 PM
- Michelle, Muffin Tin Mom said... [Reply to comment]
that sun is adorable. your photos are so bright! great job!
- June 9, 2010 at 2:57 AM


text:
Agriculture Consultant is very similar to another occupation for which we have
a full profile.
Check out our full profile for:
Soil and Water Conservationists
Plan and develop coordinated practices for soil erosion control, soil and water conservation, and sound land use.
Agriculture Consultant
Aquatic Ecologist
Aquatic/Terrestrial Habitat Restoration Technician
Botany Technician
Conservation Agent
Conservation Specialist
Department of Natural Resources Officer (DNR Officer)
Ecologist Technician
Environmental Analyst
Environmental Consultant
Erosion Control Specialist
Farm Planner
Land Manager
Land Reclamation Specialist
Land Resource Specialist
Range Conservationist
Research Soil Scientist
Resource Conservation Specialist
Resource Conservationist
Soil Conservation Technician
Soil Conservationist
Soil Scientist
Soil Surveyor
Terrestrial Ecologist
Watershed Program Manager
Wetlands Technician


text:
Last month in Osaka, a high school student, and captain of his basketball team, hanged himself one day after he told his mother that he had been struck 30 or 40 times by his coach. This is one of many such similar incidents that have occurred in Japan over the past few decades in which verbal or physical abuse has pushed the victim to take his or her own life. Faced with the choice of enduring ongoing persecution, bullying, or high stress encounters with others, a significant number of Japanese choose to end their own lives. Indeed, in Japan suicide is seen as, along with bullying, one of the major social issues facing the country.
Annual suicide rates in Japan are considerably higher than in most other industrial countries, normally hovering around 24 suicides per 100,000 people, which is roughly double the rate in the U.S. and three times that in the UK. Put another way, for the last fourteen years at least 30,000 Japanese have killed themselves annually, which is typically about equal in absolute terms to the U.S., which has a population that is almost two and a half times the size of Japan. The Japanese government has taken note of this problem and published a White Paper on the subject that outlined a number of steps and policies to combat it. Tokyo's subsequent implementation of these policies has not been effective, however.
The question remains, of course, as to why the suicide rate in Japan is so high. Answers are difficult to come by. At least as far back as Ruth Benedict's book The Chrysanthemum and the Sword, Japanese and Western scholars have argued that Japan is a suicide tolerant culture. I am not convinced. In my own research I have found that Japanese are usually very troubled by suicide and find the act of someone taking their own life to be heart wrenching. That being said, although Japan is a not suicide tolerant society it is important to recognize that, unlike in many Western nations, there is no religiously-guided moral prohibition against suicide, which claims that life is a gift from one's deity and thus has to be preserved, even if it is intolerable. Rather, in Japan suicide is negatively constructed because it is viewed through the perspective of how it affects those left behind—particularly loved ones. It is accordingly viewed as a selfish act that traumatizes those closest to the person who took their life.Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.
Some scholars looking for structural and social causes behind Japan's suicide problem have argued that there is a close correlation between unemployment and suicide rates. In fact, during the financial crisis of 1997 and 1998, suicides increased around 35%, a change that would seem to support the idea that there is a strong correlation between economic conditions and suicides in Japan. Employment issues and general economic problems are clearly part of the explanation for the country's high suicide rates, but only partial—they do not, for instance, explain high suicide rates among teens and the elderly, nor do they address other aspects of Japanese society that may influence suicidal behavior.


text:
Gluten Free Menu Swap and Meal Plan Monday: Wilted Spinach Mushroom Salad Recipe
Cheryl has stepped in for Natalie of Gluten-free Mommy, who isn't feeling well, to host this week's Gluten-Free Menu Swap. She'll also be the temporary headquarters for the menu-swap while Natalie recovers, so make sure you visit her and give her your menus in the future. The ingredient for this week is chocolate- luckily, I happened to buy some Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in a moment of weakness, so I'm all ready for the theme! If you enjoy reading menus, you'll also love Org Junkie's meal plan Monday. (Menus will be up… Monday!)
This week I was inspired by the ingredients in our refrigerator to make a wilted spinach salad with roasted mushrooms. Mmm, tasty. Word to the wise- just make enough wilted spinach for immediate servings. Then reserve dressing if you want to make some the next day. The mushrooms and dressing keep beautifully, but the spinach is best made fresh.
The DH was the mastermind behind this week's menu- he suggested types of food and I brainstormed from there. Hope you enjoy!
Monday: Chinese
Savory Shanghai Noodles with Tofu (modified from Chinese and Thai Cooking)
Tuesday: Italian
Veggie Lasagna with cheese
Thursday: American Homestyle
Southern Fried Tofu
Mashed Potato and veggie gravy
Almond Green Beans
Everyday lunches:
Indian Dal (Rajma etc.), brown rice, broccoli and chard
Baked Good:
Spicy Ginger muffins/ mini bundt cakes
Last week I posted a
Recipe for versatile Madras-style green beans
and a review of gluten-free carob recipes (with recipe links)
Here's my Salad and Dressing of the week. Enjoy!
Honey Mustard Mushroom Spinach Salad
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. honey mustard vinegar (Annies)
1 or 2 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Roasted Veggies:
Salad Base:
Heat oven to 425 F and prepare baking sheet.
Combine dressing ingredients and whisk until completely emulsified. Clean and de-stem your mushrooms and chop your onion. Place mushroom caps and chopped onion on your baking sheet and drizzle HALF of your dressing on them, combining thoroughly. Roast for 20-25 minutes. If you like, towards the end of the roasting you can move them over to make space to toast the walnuts or toast the walnuts on the stove or in a separate pan.
Clean and dry your spinach. Place in a medium to large serving bowl. When mushrooms are soft and delicious, shake them onto the spinach (including juices) and fold them in. Heat the remaining dressing in the microwave for 30 seconds or so. If you want you can put your dates in the dressing as it helps them separate. (Date pieces like to clump together). Pour the hot dressing on the spinach and mushrooms, sprinkle with date pieces, walnuts and tomato pieces.
Serve and enjoy!
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


text:
Specialized Help
All About Billing & Accounts
Common Cpanel Problems and Solutions
All About Domain Name
Common Email Problems and Solutions
General Support Questions
All about Payment infromation
Security Help
SSL General Support Question
Common Technical Problems and Solutions
Most Popular Articles
International payment gateways:We are accept payment from verified Paypal And verified &...451 error while writing spool file
This message indicates that your email is not configured properly. Please double check you are...How to log into cPanel
If you recently purchased a new account with Hostmight.Com, you should type the following...Propagation Times
Propagation Times Propagation is the process where your new name server (DNS) information is...How do I use webmail?
Using Web Mail: You can access your webmail by going to http://www.yourdomain.com/webmail or...


text:
SMH: Pilar Sanders Wants To Discuss Deion's Dirty Dog Ways With All His Ex-Jumpoffs, Including Eddie Murphy's Ex, Tracey Edmonds!
Messy, messy, MESSY!!!
According to TMZ reports:
Pilar Sanders wants to have a little sit-down with Deion's alleged mistresses — to PROVE he was an unfaithful husband — but according to Pilar, Deion is trying thwart her efforts … by attempting to bribe one of his jumpoffs to keep quiet.
Pilar has filed a motion in court — obtained by TMZ — demanding sanctions against Deion in their ongoing divorce proceedings, claiming the former NFL star has been tampering with witnesses … in this case, a 20-year-old model Deion allegedly slept with last summer named Aleea Stanton.
According to Pilar, Deion attempted to bribe Aleea to keep her mouth shut about their tryst — so now, Pilar wants the court to punish him for his unsavory tactics.
Pilar also claims Deion orchestrated that infamous standoff between her and Deion's aunt Laura last month — to steal an audio recording device that contained damning evidence against the NFL star.
As a result, Pilar is also asking the court for sanctions against Deion for intentional destruction of evidence and corruption.
In addition to the sanctions, Pilar filed documents requesting to take depositions of several other people — including another alleged mistress by the name of Tracey Edmonds, coincidentally an ex of Eddie Murphy.
Tracey tells TMZ, "I am shocked to learn that Pilar Sanders is trying to drag me and my employees through her pre-nuptual dispute. I cannot understand why she continues to create public issues out of her private life issues and feel very sorry for their children."
DAAAAAMN! Deion was knocking-off Tracey too?!?!
Pilar is a bad mutha-shut-yo-mouth, but Tracey's no push-over.
Flip the page to peep pics of both of these broads, which one do you think is more bangin'?
Images via WENN/SplashNews
Continue Slideshow
More On Bossip!
Where's Johnny Gill? A Gallery Of Women Eddie Murphy's Allegedly Chopped Down
Over That Ex? Joe Budden Tweets Pics Of His New Boo Thang…Thoughts?
Girl Fight??? Rumors Swirl That Piff-Puffin' Rih-Rih Ain't Feelin' Papa Hov Because He Gave Her Song To New-Booty Look Alike Rita Ora!
Dancing With The Cakes: The Hottest Women In The History Of Dancing With The Stars
More Stories From Bossip
Bossip Comment Policy
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.


text:
Improvement reports
Promoting vision and hearing aids use in an intensive care unit
This improvement report looked at how to increase the availability of vision and hearing aids in the intensive care unit of the Bristol Royal Infirmary.
Jump to navigation
Improvement reports
This improvement report looked at how to increase the availability of vision and hearing aids in the intensive care unit of the Bristol Royal Infirmary.
This five minute video shows a patient's recollections of post operative delirium. It is a useful teaching resources for all healthcare professionals and highlights the importance of good nursing care and the psychological distress an episode of delirium can cause.
The American Delirium Society aims to improve the care of patients at risk of or with delirium through research and education.
These videos are an excellent educational resource for both patients and healthcare staff which provide practical advice about the recognition, prevention and management of delirium.
Other tools and resources
This free app, created by delirium experts at Cumbria University Hosptals NHS Trust, can be used as a bedside guide to aid the recognition, prevention and management of delirium
Other tools and resources
This leaflet from the Royal College of Psychiatrists outlines what to expect from an episode of delirium for both carers and patients.
Academic papers
The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of in-facility multi-component delirium prevention programs.
Safety standards
This quick reference guide from NICE focuses on promoting evidence based prevention of delirium in people identified to be at risk.


text:
Kelly Osbourne looked terrific yesterday as she walked the runway at the Betsey Johnson Fall 2010 Fashion Show during NYC fashion week. Kelly beamed on the catwalk, and made modeling look easy and fun.
The singer was the first model to take the runway, wearing a bandana mask and waving around fake pistols.
She later sported a Groucho-marks like mustache and held her prized possession, her puppy Sid, as she strutted her stuff.
Betsey's fashions channeled the Wild West, inspired by saloon girls, gamblers and robbers.
At the end of her show, the designer was took the catwalk wearing a mustache herself and did cartwheels down the runway, according to reports.


text:
Let the catiatorial games begin!
Or just let your cat terrorize visitors while wearing this diabolical onesie from a medieval-minded Etsy user named "schnabuble".
Sure, this $500 suit of battle armour won't transform her into Battlecat overnight, but it's prickly enough to discourage the claws of the rough-and-tumble cat kingdom.
Check out this handsome brute:
The listing for this catsuit is almost as entertaining as the thought of a leather-bound feline pouncing on your friends' faces:
"Your cat will become an unstoppable force for slaughter in this fully articulated suit, shielding him/her from foes while allowing unimpeded movement across the battlefield or living room floor. The imposing torso section features several riveted, articulated plates and a terrifying rack of dorsal spines. Your cat's hindquarters are sheathed beneath exquisitely arrayed overlapping scales stitched to a soft leather backing, adorned with nickel silver dome rivets. Midnight black scales and plates are finished with a glossy protective coat and seamlessly join together like the petals of a deadly flower."
And even if your cat doesn't normally wreak violence on others, it sure will cut a sleek figure in your window -- a warning to those who would trespass on your domain.
And a reminder that, yes, even cats can get more evil.
Also on HuffPost


text:
|Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange
previous taxon |
next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
Annual, perennial herb, generally from rhizomes
Stem round or flat
Leaves generally mostly basal; sheath margins fused, or overlapping and generally with 2 ear-like extensions at blade junction; blade round, flat, or vestigial, glabrous or margin hairy
Inflorescence: head-like clusters or single flowers, variously arranged; bracts subtending inflorescence 2, generally leaf-like; bracts subtending inflorescence branches 12, reduced; bractlets subtending flowers generally 12, generally translucent
Flower generally bisexual, radial; sepals and petals similar, persistent, green to brown or purplish black; stamens generally 3 or 6, anthers linear, persistent; pistil 1, ovary superior, chambers generally 1 or 3, placentas 1 and basal or 3 and axile or parietal, stigmas generally > style
Fruit: capsule, loculicidal
Seeds 3many, often with white appendages on 1 or both ends
Genera in family: 9 genera, 325 species: temp, arctic, tropical mtns. Fls late spring to early fall.
Annual, perennial herb; rhizome (if any) generally with scale-like leaves
Stem generally cylindric or flat
Leaf: blade well developed and cylindric or flat, or reduced to small point; crosswalls often present (pull fresh blade apart lengthwise to see or slide leaf between fingers to feel); appendages often present at blade-sheath junction
Inflorescence generally terminal (appearing lateral when pushed aside by lowest inflorescence bract); bractlets 02
Flowers: stamens generally 3 or 6 (2 in some very small annual taxa); pistil 1, ovary chambers 1 or 3, placentas axile or parietal, stigmas generally 3(2)
Seeds many
Species in genus: 225 species: worldwide, especially n hemisphere
Etymology: (Latin: to join or bind, from use of stems)
Reference: [Ertter 1986 Mem NY Bot Gard 39:190]
Perennial 30100 cm; rhizome thin, creeping, bearing narrow tubers
Stem stout
Leaf: sheath appendages prominent, thin; blade cylindric, crosswalls complete
Inflorescence: lowest bract > inflorescence; clusters 120, 2580-flowered, crowded
Flower: perianth segments slender, tapered to rigid points, sepals 45.6 mm, petals 3.55 mm; stamens 6, filaments > anthers
Fruit ± > perianth, thin, 3-angled, tapered to point, with seeds only below middle
Seed 0.40.5 mm, oblong; appendages 0
Chromosomes: 2n=40
Ecology: Meadows, moist woodlands
Elevation: 01800 m.
Bioregional distribution: Southwestern California, Great Basin Floristic Province, Desert
Distribution outside California: to s Canada, much of US
Flowering time: JulSep


text:
Home >> Course Descriptions >> College of Business Administration
Production and Operations Management
Three semester hours.
Introduces the student to planning, organizing, and controlling production and service systems. The impact of new product and process technologies will also be covered. Written and/or oral presentations are required. Prerequisite: DS 2310.
Home - General Information - Student Services -
Academic Undergraduate Regulations -
Undergraduate Degrees - Academic Graduate Regulations -
Graduate Degrees - Course Descriptions - Faculty -
Appendix A - Appendix B - Appendix C - Appendix D


text:
User talk:Milominderbinder2
From MeritBadgeDotOrg
If you prefer to email me privately: Craig Lincoln
New Merit Badge Worksheets
I see that you've undone a lot of what I did. Is there a reason that Mr. R's are being removed? And, is there a reason that the Worksheets page has been completely redone? I put a lot of time into that and it would have been courteous to have had some discussion over proposed changes. EagleForumFan 06:42, March 3, 2008 (EST)
- I apologize for any misunderstandings. Mr. R's content and links appear to not have been updated in several years. The requirements have changed since then. Meritbadge.org tries to only reference the current requirements. Many of links that are still viable have been added to meritbadge.org. If there are links that are missing from meritbadge.org, we should add them here.
- The reason for the updated worksheets is that most of the old worksheets contained wording that did not match the current requriements. The BSA is updating as many as 22-26 merit badges a year. Also, the new worksheets address formatting issues such as a need for increased line spacing to allow enough room for younger Scouts to write. Plus the new worksheets include a wealth of links to online content. 59 include video lessons to teach skills. These changes were made with direction of the site moderators. It was my understanding that the previous author had declined further updates. The "new" worksheets had originally been posted at usscout.org for years.
- The site moderators have asked that doc file formats no longer be used as this has allowed requirements to be altered. Again, sorry for any misunderstandings. - Craig (Milominderbinder2) 07:42, March 3, 2008 (CST)
- Thank you for the explanation. It was disconcerting to find so many changes without explanation. This makes perfect sense. EagleForumFan 01:04, March 5, 2008 (EST)
New Webelos Activity Badge Worksheets and Consistency of Pages
Could you please explain the rationale behind these changes?: Webelos Artist Activity Badge moved to Artist: To allow the Worksheet Template to work correctly and to be consistent with the Merit Badge nomenclature. Scouterdennis 17:07, March 11, 2008 (EDT)
- Worksheets have been created for all Webelos Activity Badge. Consequently, the Worksheet Template needed to be added to each page. The template requires that the page name match the worksheet pdf name. The page names for the merit badges are names like "Swimming". To be consistent (and for the template to work), "Webelos Aquanaut Activity Badge," for instance, needed to be Aquanaut."
- Another issue that this addresses is that very few people know that Aquanaut is actually the Webelos Aquanaut Activity Badge. They want help with the Aquanaut Pin. They have never heard of an Aquanaut "Badge". Our links say "Aquanaut" for this reason.
- When you click Aquanaut, you will go to Aquanaut and the worksheets will work as well. The old Webelos Aquanaut Activity Badge page redirects you to Aquanaut. We are also standardizing the section headings to match the sections on the Boy Scout Merit Badge Sections. Hope that helps.Milominderbinder2 17:23, March 11, 2008 (EDT)
- Why not simply have "Aquanaut" redirect to "Webelos Aquanaut Activity Badge"? That way the article title would be descriptive (and also would be what the BSA calls them, their actual name) and people would still be able to find what they need. By your (their) reasoning, we should rename all of the Belt Loop articles, since no one would ever search for "Cub Scout Sports: Basketball".
- The name of the final page you redirect to must match the name of the pdf they link to. Again, this was driven by the need to standardize page names that have a linked pdf worksheet. The pages still show the full names. The page name is for internal lnking.Milominderbinder2 17:49, March 12, 2008 (EDT)
- Who makes these decisions? Is there any discussion? Scouterdennis 06:53, March 12, 2008 (EDT)
- I am not speaking on behalf of MeritBadge.org but I can tell you that the Sysops (moderators) make decisions cautiously. MeritBadge.com started years ago with the vision of one guy, Michael Kauffmann. Over time a few more key people started helping him. The Wiki concept of Merit Badge.org is allowing many to collaborate now. MeritBadge.org is changing and growing every day. Milominderbinder2 17:49, March 12, 2008 (EDT)
Standardized Cub Scout Academic & Sports Pages
You changed the Notes section of every Sports Belt Loop and Pin, so now they ALL read Badminton instead of the article name. Scouterdennis 06:45, March 12, 2008 (EDT)
- Over time a variety of layouts were used as Cub Scout Academic & Sports Pages were created. Some are off to a great start. Others had not yet been started. Many were in this general format that mirrors the Boy Scout Merit Badges:
- Welcome text
- Belt Loop Requirements
- Academics Pin Requirements
- link to red book
- Notes
- Related achievements, electives, or other awards
- Tiger
- Wolf
- Bear
- etc...
- External links
- Now all of those pages should be in this format. The variables and links should all work. Milominderbinder2 17:49, March 12, 2008 (EDT)
Template:Cub Scout Academics and Sports navbox
Craig, I reverted your change to {{Cub Scout Academics and Sports navbox}} (use belt loop image instead of crest) which replaced the images to retain consistency with the other navboxes. See MeritBadgeDotOrg:Scout-related Templates/Navigational templates, where the Award-related navboxes all use an image which represents the whole set of awards and is not just an example of one of them. Also, the Marbles belt loop image is super blurry. I do like the font increase.
I also added a worksheet link to the header section, just like the one you just added to the Webelos Activity Badge navbox. Scouterdennis 10:35, August 1, 2008 (EDT)
Welcome back
Welcome back; we've missed you. —RWSmith (Bureaucrat), 17:17, August 12, 2009 (EDT)


text:
Problems solved, solutions delivered.
New UK Datacentres Opened Up For O365 Customers
Good news for anyone contemplating Sharepoint 2010 end user training and other Office 365 applications…
Problems solved, solutions delivered.
+44 (0) 7739 870 670
As SharePoint Development specialists we can provide you with top-quality SharePoint Developers in Dunbartonshire. We have a team of hard-working, user-focused, results orientated SharePoint Developers who work hard to help you realise your business goals. We've had experience developing for on premise SharePoint as well as SharePoint Online - our team know how to get things done in SharePoint.
Our SharePoint Development team have worked on projects large and small, from SharePoint apps to encourage user-engagement to large scale cooperate developments that take months to deliver.
We use PRINCE2 methodologies to manage project communications and controls and follow the Agile method for development. This allows us to work toward specific launch dates that you have while still allowing for a fluid demo-driven SharePoint Development process. We like to get your options early on in the project, we are strong believers in communication; we want to get this right. We demo the product to you frequently through the development to make sure it is exactly what you need.
Contact us today to discuss your requirements on +44 (0) 7739 870 670 or email to firstname.lastname@example.com
As SharePoint / Office 365 Specialists our development team will be very willing to create you a solution leveraging the out of the box tools provided by Microsoft making it easier for you to maintain your solution, and extend it in a risk-free way – NO CODE if possible
Working with us is great fun (Mike is a hoot) but we also pride ourselves on being very productive. We don't just give you a single contact, you can speak with anyone directly – including the developer who is on the job!
We always hand-over source code at the end of the project with full documentation. We also hand over all IP to you the client.
We've worked with SharePoint since 2003 on projects large and small, delivered across the globe.
At the end of each project we handover any source code / scripts used with full documentation and a workshop delivered by the main developer. This means you are free to hand the solution over to your in-house team to manage and update with no restrictions. This gives you greater control and freedom with your solution.
At Solutions Developed we think technical but don't talk technical. We put everything into plain English and provide technical descriptions only when necessary and to the right audience. We make sure that you are kept up to date at all stages of the project, making sure that you know what to expect and when.
Solutions Developed believe that successful SharePoint / Office 365 developments require everyone involved to be fully committed to the project, we can evangelise the project for you, as well as providing presentations, workshops and even posters for the canteen! To get everyone involved on-board and fully committed. Our past SharePoint Development projects can be seen here:
We've designed and delivered award-winning intranets to help with communication, increase user engagement and help information management.
Electronic Document and Record Management Systems are key to making sure documents are stored safely and removed when required.
Manage customer interactions and information with a bespoke CRM. We've helped companies to structure data, retrieve it and retain a full audit trail.
We've also helped companies to create bespoke business support systems to support their processes.
Contact us today to discuss your SharePoint Development requirements.
</we are a creative team>
Good news for anyone contemplating Sharepoint 2010 end user training and other Office 365 applications…
There has been a decline in the number of girls choosing to study STEM –…
Good news for anyone contemplating Sharepoint 2010 end user training and other Office 365 applications… Read more news
Solutions Developed strives to be a global thought leader in the beneficial use of SharePoint and Office 365 in business. Helping companies leverage real advantage with proper automation and communication.
We aim to help support the global SharePoint community and make every interaction with us fun and productive.
© solutions developed 2019


text:
At 0800 REPAIR we have a genuine passion for great customer service. We want customers to be delighted with what we do, and we value all customer feedback to ensure we deliver what we aim to achieve.
© JTM Contracts Ltd. Trading as 0800 REPAIR 2008 - 2015. * 0800 REPAIR branded engineers only.
Site Map | Contact Us | Terms and Conditions | Full Copyright Notice


text:
[Verse 1: The Notorious B.I.G.]
I know how it feels to wake up fucked up
Pockets broke as hell, another rock to sell
People look at you like you're the user
Selling drugs to all the losers mad Buddha abuser
But they don't know about the stress-filled day
Baby on the way mad bills to pay
That's why you drink Tanqueray
So you can reminisce and wish
You wasn't living so devilish s-shit
I remember I was just like you
Smoking blunts with my crew
Cause G-E-D was it B-I-G, I got P-A-I-D
That's why my mom hates me
She was forced to kick me out, no doubt
Then I figured out Nick's went for twenty down south
Packed up my tools for my raw power move
Glock nineteen for casket and flower moves
Four drunks trying to stop my flow
And what they don't know will show on the autopsy
Went to see papi, to cop me a brick
Asked for some consignment and he wasn't trying to hear it
Smoking mad Newports cause I'm doing court for an assault
That I caught in Bridgeport, New York
Catch me if you can like the ginger bread man
You better have your gat in hand
[Hook: Inspector Deck]
A man with a dream with plans to make C.R.E.A.M
Still struggling, Survival got me buggin'
(Souls of a soldier in the streets of survival)
Life as a shorty shouldn't be so rough
(The rough life, I just be up nights. It got me)
Lay out your maintain
(In the everyday struggle)
[Verse 2: Raekwon]
I grew up on the crime side, the New York Times side
Staying alive was no jive
Had secondhands, moms bounced on old man
So then we moved to Shaolin land
A young youth, yo rockin' the gold tooth, 'Lo goose
Only way I begin to G off was drug loot
And let's start it like this son, rolling with this one
And that one, pulling out Gats for fun
But it was just a dream for the teen, who was a fiend
Started smoking woolies at 16
And running up in gates, and doing hits for high stakes
Making my way on fire escapes
No question I would speed, for cracks and weed
The combination made my eyes bleed
No question I would flow off, and try to get the dough all
Sticking up white boys in ball courts
My life got no better, same damn 'Lo sweater
Times is rough and tough like leather
Figured out I went the wrong route
So I got with a sick ass clique and went all out
Catchin' keys from across seas
Rollin' in MPV's, every week we made forty G's
(Get live, muthaf~)


text:
The weather is starting to feel more like spring finally! With the turn of the calendar to April many are starting to think about gardening. Emmet County Extension and Outreach is partnering with the Estherville Public Library to offer a "Growing Your Garden" program on April 17 from 6 to 8 pm at the Estherville Public Library. At this program, Margaret Murphy Iowa State University Extension and Horticulture Educator will be sharing how to grow your own produce, what to consider when planting a garden, and tips to have a bountiful harvest. This program is free to all attendees who will also have the opportunity to start seedlings that can later be transplanted in their garden. This program will be held at the Estherville Public Library Community Room from 6 to 8 pm on Thursday, April 17. Please call the Emmet County Extension Office at (712) 362-3434 to reserve your seat for this program by April 14.
For any interested in learning about best practices and guidelines for food handling, sampling, and processing for Farmer's Markets, James Romer, Compliance Officer for Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals will be speaking on April 22 at 1 pm at the Emmet County Nature Center. Fee for this program is $15 which is used to offset program expenses. The deadline to register is April 17. Call (712) 362-3434 to register.
Remember, as your gardening questions arise this spring; know you can call on Emmet County Extension for assistance and resources. A great source for gardening questions and concerns is the Hortline (515) 294-3108. This is a great resource for all home gardening, lawn and ornamental questions. You can also email questions to firstname.lastname@example.com
If you haven't already, be sure to "Like" our Facebook page to see what is happening at ISU Extension- Emmet County.


text:
How can we establish algebraically if $\sqrt{2}\sqrt{3}$ is greater than or less than $\sqrt{2} + \sqrt{3}$?
I know I can plug the values into any calculator and compare the digits, but that is not very satisfying. I've tried to solve $$\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}+x=\sqrt{2}\sqrt{3} $$ to see if $x$ is positive or negative. But I'm just getting sums of square roots whose positive or negative values are not obvious.
Can it be done without the decimal expansion?


text:
Registration available soon
Ever since humans have grown plants and raised animals for food, they have selected plants and animals with beneficial traits for further breeding. Such traits reflected naturally occurring genetic variations and resulted, for example, in an increased yield or resistance to diseases or environmental pressures.
Modern technology now makes it possible to alter genetic material to create novel traits in plants, animals, bacteria and fungi. This technology has so far primarily been used in crops to increase insect resistance and herbicide tolerance, and in micro-organisms to produce enzymes.
Organisms that have had their genetic material altered this way are called genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Food and feed containing or consisting of GMOs or produced from GMOs are called genetically modified (GM) food and feed.
Presence at low level of GM plant material in imported food and feed
In November 2017, EFSA published new guidance for assessing, under Regulation EC 1829/2003, risks from the "unintended, adventitious or technically unavoidable presence" in food and feed of a low level of genetically-modified plant material intended for markets other than Europe. The presence at low level is defined by the European Commission to be a maximum of 0.9% of genetically modified plant material per ingredient (e.g. grain, flour, syrup).
The European Commission asked EFSA to produce this guidance document to clarify to applicants the scientific requirements from Regulation EU 503/2013 they must meet when submitting their scientific data for assessment by EFSA.
- Guidance for the risk assessment of the presence at low level of genetically modified plant material in imported food and feed under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003
EFSA is carrying out an increasing number of assessments on the safety of plants containing more than one genetic modification. The combination of two or more modifications within one plant is called a stack. Such a plant does not represent a new genetic modification. The plant contains several existing genetic modifications that have been combined through conventional breeding techniques. The aim is to benefit from the combination in one single plant of several properties created by the individual genetic modifications, such as insect resistance and herbicide tolerance.
In the international context, the European Union applies some of the most rigorous standards in the world when assessing the safety of plants containing multiple genetic modifications.
EFSA adopted its first opinion on a GM plant containing stacked properties in June 2005. As of August 2016, EFSA has adopted 28 opinions involving stacks. While most initial applications involved lower stacks with two or three genetic modifications, EFSA now assesses the safety also of higher stacks with four, five or six modifications combined in one plant.
Risk assessment of stacks
When assessing the safety of a stack for humans, animals and the environment, EFSA considers the quality and quantity of all available information and draws on the existing risk assessments of each of the individual genetic modifications that form the stack. EFSA also takes into account the data for the stack, focusing on the levels of newly expressed proteins, the stability of the modifications and on potential interactions between individual modifications combined in the stack.
The safety assessment of the GM stack plant includes all possible sub-combinations of the individual modifications. Some may have been assessed previously as separate stacks; others do not exist and data are therefore not available. In such cases, EFSA performs its assessment on a weight-of-evidence approach, using available information from risk assessments of the high stack, the single genetic modifications and existing sub-combinations to conclude on its safety.
EFSA clearly identifies any uncertainties stemming from the lack of data and, if relevant, recommends mitigation measures. For example, such measures could require applicants to provide relevant data for a risk assessment of the respective sub-combination should they produce plants with previously non-existent sub-combinations through conventional breeding.
Allergenicity guidance
EFSA is currently updating guidance on allergenicity to reflect scientific advances in the field. The update is based in part on extensive literature reviews, which revealed new methodologies that could be applied in allergenicity assessment. It also reflects recent EU legislation on GM food and feed by addressing new requirements for the authorisation of GM plants for the European market.
The draft guidance on allergenicity assessment of GM plants is a milestone in EFSA's efforts to engage stakeholders in its scientific processes. An eight-member stakeholder focus group acted as a consultative body and contributed to the development of the document from the start. The involvement of stakeholders allowed EFSA to benefit from relevant expertise throughout the development of the guidance.
Guidance clarifying data requirements for GM plant risk assessment
In June 2015, EFSA published new guidance clarifying the data needs for the agronomic and phenotypic characterisation of GM plants. The document complements existing guidance on data requirements for the risk assessment of GM plants. It gives applicants seeking market approval for a GM plant in the European Union recommendations on how to generate, analyse and interpret agronomic and phenotypic data of the GM plant.
Guidance for renewal application of GMOs
In June 2015, EFSA issued a new guidance document on the information that companies need to provide when applying for renewed authorisation to import GM plants for food and feed into the European Union. The European Commission grants authorisations to place GM food and feed on the European market for a period of ten years.
Submission of sequencing information on GMOs
In June 2018, EFSA adopted a technical note that provides recommendations and requirements on the sequencing information to be submitted when Sanger sequencing or Next generation sequencing (NGS) is used as part of GMO applications for EU market authorisation. From 1 October 2018, this note will replace the European Commission's Joint Research Centre guideline of 2016. EFSA will be responsible for the verification and quality assessment of sequencing data for all GMO applications received after that date.
New plant breeding techniques
Following a request from the Commission, EFSA launched a project in 2011 to evaluate eight new plant breeding techniques. The GMO Panel was asked to assess whether the current guidance documents would still be applicable to plants developed using these novel methods. The techniques earmarked for evaluation included intragenesis, cisgenesis and zinc finger nuclease technique (ZFN).
EFSA delivered the first of these opinions on cisgenesis and intragenesis in January 2012 followed by a second opinion on zinc finger nuclease 3 (ZFN-3) in October 2012. The GMO Panel concluded in both opinions that current risk assessment guidance (including environmental risk assessment guidance) was applicable to evaluate food and feed derived from these new techniques. In 2013, the European Commission requested that EFSA put further assessments of new plant breeding techniques on hold to allow the GMO Panel to focus on the evaluation of GMO applications and the development of guidance documents.
A large part of EFSA's work in the area of GMOs relates to the safety assessment of GMOs before they are considered for market approval. The majority of assessments relate to GM plants: as of August 2016, EFSA had carried out six for cultivation and 68 for import and processing mostly as feed.
EFSA also responds to urgent requests by the European Commission or the European Parliament on issues related to GMOs and their safety.
Assessment of GMO applications
EFSA evaluates the safety of new GMO products before a market authorisation decision is taken by risk managers. This evaluation encompasses the assessment of the potential impact of GMOs on human health, animal health and the environment. EFSA's assessments are based on scientific dossiers presented by applicants and any other relevant scientific information.
EFSA applies the principles of GMO risk assessment considering the following aspects:
- Molecular characterisation: assessment of the molecular structure of the newly created proteins, their functioning and their potential interactions.
- Comparative analysis: comparison of the GM plant with its conventional counterpart. The aim is to detect differences in the plant's observable appearance such as height and colour – phenotypic characteristics – and its agronomic characteristics such as yield. The analysis also compares the nutritional values of the GM plant and its conventional counterpart.
- Evaluation of potential toxicity and allergenicity.
- Evaluation of potential environmental impact.
Once a GMO has been authorised by risk managers, it normally receives a 10-year licence for the EU market. After 10 years, it must be re-assessed by EFSA before any re-authorisation decision is taken.
Guidance documents
EFSA has prepared several guidance documents for the risk assessment of GMOs and their derived food and feed. These documents detail how to compile GMO application dossiers and the type of scientific data and other information to be included. All guidance documents are publicly available on EFSA's website.
Post-authorisation monitoring
Under EU legislation, applications for import and processing as well as for cultivation of GM plants must contain a plan for detailed post-market environmental monitoring (PMEM). This plan should describe how the GM plant will be monitored for possible adverse effects on the environment. EFSA assesses the results of PMEM for cultivated GM plants annually. It makes recommendations to the European Commission when necessary.
Taken together, environmental risk assessment and PMEM are an important part of the range of measures in place to protect the environment.
In some cases, EFSA recommends the post-market monitoring of GM plants for possible adverse effects on animal or human health. This is usually done when the GM food or feed has an altered nutritional composition, when the nutritional value of the GM food or feed differs from the conventional varieties, or when there is a likelihood of increased allergenicity due to the genetic modification. The aim of post-market monitoring is to ensure the continued safety of the new GMO.
EFSA assesses any possible risks from GMOs to human and animal health, and the environment in Europe. EFSA's role is to give scientific advice on the safety of GMOs to Europe's risk managers, i.e. the European Commission and EU Member States. It is their responsibility as risk managers to decide on the authorisation of GMOs for the European market.
EFSA applies the strict criteria laid down in the European Union regulatory framework when evaluating the safety of GMOs before they can be authorised for use as food or feed or for cultivation in the EU. The GMO Panel has developed guidance documents describing application procedures and the data applicants must include in their application dossiers. The required information includes all necessary studies on human and animal safety, as well as on environmental impact. This approach ensures that the Panel's evaluations meet the highest scientific standards.
Technical information for applicants submitting GMO dossiers for evaluation by EFSA can be found in the Applications section on EFSA's website:
Cooperation with Member States
EFSA works closely with Member States during the GMO assessment process through a network of over 100 organisations and authorities across Europe including over 250 experts. Member States are able to give input to EFSA on its GMO assessments during a commenting period. To ensure transparency, EFSA provides a summary of how comments and input from Member States are followed up in each of its GMO opinions.
The Member State network on GMO risk assessment also makes an important contribution through the development of joint projects with EFSA, as well as promoting the exchange of information, expertise and best practice.
EU framework
The European Union has established a legal framework for the application of genetic modification technology to ensure a high level of protection of human and animal health and the environment. This framework strictly regulates the production of GM food and feed, GMO imports as well as the release of GMOs into the environment.
GM foods and feeds can be authorised in the EU only if they have passed a rigorous safety assessment. The procedures for evaluation and authorisation of GM foods and feeds are laid down in the following documents:
- Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms
- Regulation (EC) 1829/2003 on genetically modified food and feed
- Implementing Regulation 503/2013 on applications for authorisation of genetically modified food and feed
For more information see here:
- EU regulatory framework on GMOs – European Commission, DG Health and Consumers
Member States and GMO cultivation
Under EU legislation, a Member State has the right to decide on the cultivation of GM crops on its territory. During the authorisation procedure of an application, a Member State can request to have the geographical scope amended so that its territory will not be covered by that authorisation. In case of already authorised GMOs, a Member State can prohibit or restrict the cultivation of GM crops on its territory.
1. What is EFSA's role in the risk assessment of GMOs?
EFSA's Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) carries out risk assessments of GMO applications. The Panel consists of up to 21 independent scientific experts who assess all GMO applications received by EFSA. The Panel assesses each GMO application to ensure that it poses no risk to human and animal health, and the environment. The Panel operates within a strict EU regulatory framework.
The GMO Panel has developed guidance documents explaining how to compile an application and what kind of data to include. The required information includes studies relevant for human and animal safety, as well as on the environment.
2. How does EFSA carry out its risk assessments?
EFSA evaluates the safety of new GMO products before risk managers take a market authorisation decision. (This infographic explains the different roles of risk assessment and risk management.)
EFSA evaluates the potential impact of GMOs on human health, animal health and the environment. Its assessments are based on scientific dossiers presented by applicants and any other available relevant scientific information.
EFSA applies the principles of GMO risk assessment considering the following aspects:
- Molecular characterisation: assessment of the molecular structure of the newly created proteins, their functioning and their potential interactions.
- Comparative analysis: comparison of the GM plant with its conventional counterpart. The aim is to detect differences in the plant's observable appearance such as height and colour – phenotypic characteristics – and its agronomic characteristics such as yield. The analysis also compares the nutritional value of the GM plant and its conventional counterpart.
- Evaluation of potential toxicity and allergenicity.
- Evaluation of potential environmental impact.
Once a GMO is authorised by risk managers, it receives a 10-year licence for the EU market. After 10 years, it must be re-assessed by EFSA before a re-authorisation decision can be taken by risk managers.
3. What type of applications does EFSA examine?
GMO applications can cover the import and processing of GM plant materials in the EU for food and/or feed uses, and their import for cultivation. EFSA's GMO Panel takes into account the scope of the GMO application and the intended uses of the GM product when performing the risk assessment.
The majority of assessments carried out by EFSA so far relate to GM plants including maize, soybean, oilseed rape, cotton, potato, rice and sugar beet.
4. What type of data is involved?
Depending on the scope and the submission date of an application, different criteria apply. EFSA's guidance documents set out what the GMO Panel requires in terms of information and tests to be carried out in the area of molecular characterisation, toxicity, allergenicity, nutrition and environmental risk assessment.
5. Do the same tests have to be carried out on each GMO?
GMO guidance documents provide the scientific requirements for GMO applications and explain the risk assessment strategy according to which studies should be designed and conducted. Since each GMO may call for specific studies or protocol adaptations, these guidance documents cannot describe in full detail all study types and protocols that may be needed. The EFSA GMO Panel applies a case-by-case approach, treating each application as unique. When necessary, the EFSA GMO Panel asks for additional data, studies or tests to complete the evaluation of an application.
In several cases, test protocols recommended in the EFSA GMO guidance documents follow internationally recognised and harmonised methods. When applicants propose deviations from these methods, they must provide a scientific rationale to justify the derogation.
6. What happens if the data provided are insufficient or incomplete?
When the information provided by an applicant is insufficient for EFSA's GMO Panel to complete the risk assessment or incomplete, the applicant is required to submit the missing information. To date, this has happened in 95% of cases. If applicants do not provide the requested information within established deadlines, EFSA reserves the right to proceed with the risk assessment using the information available.
7. How long does it take for EFSA to carry out a GMO risk assessment?
EFSA aims to deliver its overall opinion within six months of an application having passed the completeness check. The overall opinion of the GMO Panel includes the risk assessment of the GMO, as well as other information such as a post-market environmental monitoring plan and comments from Member States.
Whenever EFSA seeks supplementary information from the applicant (see previous question), the clock is stopped until the requested information is supplied. The total time taken to carry out the risk assessment therefore varies. It can range from 2 to 24 months, depending on the type of additional information the applicant is requested to submit.
8. Why does EFSA not carry out its own studies?
Under present EU legislation, the GMO applicant is responsible to demonstrate the safety of the GMO in question. Applicants are obliged to present a full application dossier containing all the information EFSA needs to carry out the risk assessment. The cost of these studies is borne by the applicant.
9. What is EFSA's role in the renewal of GMO authorisations?
Authorisations for the import of genetically modified (GM) food and feed into the European Union are granted by the European Commission and Member States for a period of 10 years. Applicants wishing to extend this period can apply for a renewal. EFSA then evaluates whether or not the original risk assessment remains valid.
In June 2015, EFSA published new guidance detailing the data that applicants need to submit when applying for re-authorisation. These data allow EFSA to evaluate whether there is any new evidence that would have an impact on the conclusions of the original risk assessment: for example, are there any new hazards, modified exposure scenarios or new scientific uncertainties? To be able to answer these questions, EFSA requires applicants to provide all available information on the GM food or feed including new scientific publications, unpublished information available to the applicant and post-market monitoring reports including environmental monitoring.
10. Can the public access GMO applications?
All EFSA opinions and the summaries of GMO applications are published on the EFSA website. The public may also request access to the full documentation submitted to EFSA by applicants and third parties. Access is usually allowed to such documentation except where information is claimed to be confidential by the applicant. It is up to the European Commission or a Member State to decide whether or not the claim for confidentiality is justified.
There is also an opportunity to monitor the status and progress of EFSA's ongoing scientific work including its evaluation of applications. For more details consult the status tracker in the Applications section.
11. Who is involved in assessing GMOs?
EFSA's GMO risk assessment work is carried out by the GMO Panel of up to 21 scientific experts, supported by a team of EFSA scientists, with experience in a wide range of scientific disciplines: biochemistry, food and environmental food microbiology, soil microbiology, molecular biology, genetics, toxicology, animal pathology, immunology, biotechnology, food sciences, ecology, plant biology, agronomy, entomology and statistics. In addition, over 40 external scientific experts with additional expertise contribute to the work of the Panel as members of its working groups, which are created to deal with specific areas of GMO risk assessment.
Members of the GMO Panel and its working groups, as well as other external experts contributing to the work of EFSA, are selected based on their scientific competence and expertise, and according to objective and transparent criteria. All scientific experts selected to contribute to the work of the Panel or any of the working groups have to make Declarations of Interests (DoIs) which are published on the EFSA website. This policy helps EFSA to ensure the independence of its scientific advice.
EFSA also benefits from the contribution of EU Member States to its GMO risk assessment work through a network of over 100 institutions and authorities across Europe as well as through the dedicated GMO network.
12. Does the European Food Safety Authority assess environmental issues when assessing GMOs?
Assessing the impact of a GMO on the environment is an intrinsic part of EFSA's safety assessment of GMOs. The inclusion of an environmental risk assessment (ERA) stems from the legal framework regulating the risk assessment of GMOs.
When carrying out an ERA, the GMO Panel evaluates the overall impact of a GMO on the environment including biodiversity, ecosystem services and endangered species. Is a GM plant, for example, more persistent and/or invasive than its conventional counterpart? Does it have any adverse effects on organisms that are not meant to be affected by the GMO, the so-called non-target organisms?
The guidance document for the environmental risk assessment of GM plants assists applicants in the preparation of the environmental aspects of an application. Applicants must include a plan for detailed post-market environmental monitoring (PMEM) irrespective of whether they apply for authorisation to import and/or process, or for cultivation. This plan should describe how the GM plant will be monitored for possible adverse effects on the environment. EFSA assesses the results of PMEM for cultivated GM plants annually. It makes recommendations to the European Commission when necessary.
For more information see the topic on environmental risk assessment.
13. How does EFSA take account of the long-term effects of GMOs on human health and the environment?
GMO applications must contain adequate information to enable assessment of the potential long-term adverse effects of the GMO on human health, animal health and the environment.
Depending on the outcome of the risk assessment, applicants may be required to carry out additional long-term studies. In other cases, post-market monitoring (PMM) of GM food or feed may be considered. Post-market environmental monitoring (PMEM) activities are obligatory for all GMOs that are put on the EU market. These mechanisms help in identifying and managing potential long-term adverse effects of GMOs on the environment.
14. How does EFSA keep its risk assessments of GMOs at the forefront of science?
In addition to evaluating new products before market authorisation, EFSA also initiates its own work ("self-tasking activities"), in order to stay at the forefront of new scientific developments and to further develop GMO risk assessment approaches. This may range from the development or updating of guidance documents to scientific opinions on particular areas of science relevant to GMOs, such as animal feeding trials, non-target organisms or allergenicity.
15. What about uncertainties in the risk assessment of GMOs?
Uncertainties are part of the reality of scientific risk assessment. At EFSA uncertainties are understood as "all types of limitations in the knowledge available to assessors at the time an assessment is conducted and within the time and resources available for the assessment". Identifying and describing uncertainties and explaining their implications for assessment conclusions, are crucial parts of providing transparent scientific advice. It is up to risk managers to consider such uncertainties in their decision-making.


text:
The Healy Flute Company offers and quickly delivers the finest keyed and unkeyed wooden flutes, fifes, and piccolos. Choose from a variety of woods, keys, and customizatons. click here.
Flutes, Fifes and Piccolos
Music, CDs, Books
For over thirty years, Skip Healy has been a renowned, Grammy-nominated performer of Irish flute and American fife music. For details on Skip Healy, his work and his music, just click here.
User login
Recent posts
Wind in the Alps
In conjunction with the world famous resort community of Arosa, Switzerland and their "MUSIK-KURSWOCHEN" (music course week), I will be teaching a week long series of classes on Irish flute and tin whistle music. The program will take place JULY 30 - AUGUST 3, 2018. I will be posting information and videos about the event very soon!!! Imagine, learning about traditional Irish music high in the Swiss Alps, staying in a beautiful hotel called "Hotel Hohe Promenade" a 3 star hotel with AMAZING food and service...
Skip's Tips Express
SkipHealy.com newsletter
Create an account to receive SkipHealy.com news!


text:
Two Women's Tennis Players Receive Academic All-OAC Accolades
2018 May 23
Two Baldwin Wallace University women's tennis student-athletes have been named to the Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference team.
Olak Continues Golf Career at Baldwin Wallace
Kaitlynn Olak (Norwalk/St. Paul) has selected Baldwin Wallace University to continue her golf career.
Aug 19
Dorman Continues Golf Career at Baldwin Wallace
Ian Dorman (Medina) has selected Baldwin Wallace University to continue his men's golf career.
Aug 19
BW Football Announces Team Captains for 2019 Campaign
The Baldwin Wallace University football team has selected five student-athletes to serve as team captains for the 2019 season.
Jul 30
Six BW Six Women's Track & Field Student-Athletes Earn USTFCCCA All-Academic Honors
Six Baldwin Wallace University women's track and field student-athletes have earned United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Associa...
Jul 29


text:
Amanda Knox is already serving 26 years for murder. But this trial is another matter.
The accusers? The Italian police, who have charged Knox with slander. Knox accused the police of beating her during the high-profile murder investigation; now, she'll have to defend those claims in a trial starting May 17. This is separate from the appeal trial starting on the 24th of this month. The appeal will center on the bungling of the investigation by police, so although unrelated, the trials will doubtless be closely watched by the hordes who've breathlessly followed the "Foxy Knoxy" media circus.
Jailed U.S. Student Amanda Knox To Face Trial For Slander [Reuters]