text:
Self-Evaluation Checklist for Hotels and Motels to Ensure Access to
Services and Facilities by Customers Who Are Blind, Deaf-Blind, or Visually
Prepared by
Governmental Relations Department
American Foundation for the Blind
1615 M Street, N.W., Suite 250
Washington, DC 20036
Written by
Scott Marshall, J.D., Associate Executive Director for Governmental
Relations, American Foundation for the Blind.
Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.
The purpose of this pamphlet is to provide practical, cost- effective
solutions concerning access to hotel services and facilities by your guests
who are blind, deaf-blind, or visually impaired, as required by the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The ADA is a civil rights law signed by President Bush on July 26,
1990. The law mandates that individuals with disabilities shall have access
to jobs, public accommodations, government services, public transportation,
telecommunications--in short, participation in, and full access to, all
aspects of society. Businesses that are designated as public accommodations
by Title III of the ADA must eliminate barriers which impede access to
their goods and services by persons with disabilities. Access can be accomplished
by a variety of means including: making reasonable modifications in policies
and procedures, removing architectural or structural communication barriers
(such as conventional signage which cannot be read by persons who are blind
or visually impaired) where it is readily achievable to do so, or providing
auxiliary aids or services (such as reading a hotel bill to a guest who
is blind) if it is not an undue burden and does not fundamentally alter
the nature of the goods and services offered.
The law is designed to be flexible in the way in which businesses can
comply with ADA requirements. It further recognizes that
certain accommodations may be too costly or burdensome for a particular
business. In such cases, the law requires you to employ alternative methods
that are not so costly and burdensome in order to afford as much access
as possible to your goods or services by blind or visually impaired customers.
Although the information contained in this pamphlet is targeted to hotel managers and service employees, many of the issues addressed (such as access to written documents, handling of currency, sighted guide technique, and awareness of, and sensitivity to, the needs of persons who are blind, deaf-blind, or visually impaired) are also applicable to other places of public accommodation such as retail establishments, restaurants, and museums.
Accessibility checklists provided in this pamphlet illustrate methods
of eliminating communications barriers impeding access to
your guest services and facilities. Most of the accommodations listed
on the checklist will involve minimal cost. The checklists
and explanatory notes contained in this pamphlet illustrate and suggest
some methods to remove or minimize barriers faced by your customers who
are blind, deaf-blind, or visually impaired. For example, use of a passcard-type
room key may be difficult for a guest who is blind, deaf-blind, or visually
impaired. It is often not possible to determine by touch which way to place
the card into the locking mechanism. One solution to this problem might
be to place a small piece of tape on the card running in the same direction
as the visual arrow. Removal of many communication barriers will require
nothing more than a bit of creative, "common sense" problem solving or
will involve a simple courtesy such as, "How can I be of assistance to
you, Mr. Jones?" This simple question can be one of the most powerful ADA
compliance tools. For additional solutions not covered in this pamphlet
or for more detailed information than we provide here, consult with the
advocacy organizations and federal departments or agencies indicated in
the resource list. You may wish to obtain copies of the Title III regulations
and the Title III Technical Assistance Manual published by the U.S. Department
of Justice.
NOTE: [In addition to its obligations as a place of public accommodation, your hotel may also have certain obligations regarding employment covered by Title I of the ADA. If you need information regarding employment, you should contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for further information. The EEOC's address and phone number are contained in the resource list.]
As a hotel manager or service employee, you know that good customer service means greater profit for your hotel. A small investment in training time and money to achieve accessibility will pay great dividends in terms of new and repeat business and public exposure as an establishment which fully complies with, or even exceeds, ADA access requirements. Although most of the solutions suggested in these pages should involve little difficulty or expense, it is impossible to predict whether a given accommodation will represent an undue burden in every instance or whether a structural modification is readily achievable in light of your particular circumstances.
The ADA was designed to ensure that individuals with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity to participate in all aspects of society. At the same time, the law recognizes the burdens placed on business to provide such access, and further recognizes that what is an undue burden for a multinational hotel chain is different from what constitutes an undue burden for a ten-room, owner- occupied inn.
Although this pamphlet will help you to examine all of your guest services
and facilities to identify barriers faced by your guests
who are blind, deaf-blind, or visually impaired and will also suggest
solutions to many barriers along the way, your customers
will often suggest the most important solutions. In October of 1991
the American Foundation for the Blind opened an ADA hotline, funded by
the U.S. Department of Justice, to answer questions on implementation of
Titles II and III of the ADA. The information discussed in this pamphlet
is illustrative of the information sought by numerous hotels, consultants
and consumers who called the hotline. A brochure cannot address every barrier
to access in your hotel. Rather, through a series of checklists, we will
guide you through a process of examining your facilities and services,
identifying possible barriers to access faced by guests who are blind,
deaf-blind, or visually impaired, and finally, recommending a method to
identify possible solutions to these barriers. Not every guest will experience
each barrier addressed in the checklists, and you may find solutions which
are not listed on the checklists. In addition, some guests will not want
or need a particular accommodation. Accordingly, if you are in doubt about
what accommodation is needed by a guest who is blind, deaf-blind, or visually
impaired, simply ask. If the response is a refusal of assistance or a particular
accommodation, the law requires you to respect your guest's wishes in this
regard. If your guest requests assistance, let him or her guide you in
the most effective way of responding to his or her request.
If you have already given some thought to access, examined your services
and facilities, identified barriers, and implemented
solutions, you will be well on your way to complying with the ADA,
and, more important, your guests will probably want to come back to your
Q. Is my hotel covered by Title III of the ADA?
A. Your establishment is covered by the ADA as a place of public accommodation if it is a private entity and is a place of lodging (including inns, hotels, and motels). The ADA does not cover owner- occupied establishments renting five or fewer rooms.
Q. You keep referring to guests who are "blind, deaf-blind, or visually impaired." What do you mean by this? Why this distinction?
A. When most people think of a person who is blind, they usually make three assumptions:
1. that the person will be totally blind,
2. that the person will use braille, and
3. that the person will travel with a cane or dog.
Your hotel guest may fit all these assumptions. However, these assumptions
are not true for most individuals who are "blind."
Roughly three-quarters of the population who are "blind" are not totally
blind, i.e., they have some residual vision. Similarly,
most persons who are deaf-blind have some usable vision. Some persons
who are blind, deaf-blind or visually impaired may use braille, some may
use a cane, others may use a dog, and still others may not use braille
or a mobility aid at all. Thus, your
guest who is visually impaired may be a person with a hidden disability.
The tremendous variability in how persons who are
visually impaired respond to their vision loss depends on how differently
various eye conditions influence the affected person's
vision. For example, some individuals who are visually impaired can
see primarily in the periphery of their visual field--as if the
center of their vision were blocked. Others can see only in the central
portion of their visual field--as if they were looking
through a tunnel. Still others may see somewhat in all sectors of their
visual field, but what they see is distorted or blurred in
some way. This variability obviously has implications for how the person
in question uses his or her remaining vision.
Many persons who are visually impaired function best under specific
lighting conditions. Most often, direct lighting that does not
produce glare or shadows makes it easier for such persons to perform
tasks. It is important to realize that too much light
produced from reflective interior surfaces, large windowed walls, spotlights,
or certain paper coatings may create problems due to glare. Finally, many
people who are visually impaired may use a hand-held magnifier or may use
more sophisticated visual aids.
Q. What does this all mean to the hotel manager or service employee?
A. Do not make assumptions about the extent of your guest's visual acuity, and be guided by his or her request for assistance.
Q. In general, what must a hotel do for guests who are blind, deaf- blind, or visually impaired to comply with Title III of the ADA?
A. Generally speaking, guests who are blind, deaf-blind, or visually
impaired may not be denied full and equal enjoyment of the
goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations
provided by your establishment. In other words, public accommodations such
as hotels must ensure that guests who are blind, deaf-blind, or visually
impaired have an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from all
of the goods and services provided by your hotel. This may mean that you
modify your policies or procedures, eliminate discriminatory eligibility
criteria, provide auxiliary aids and services, and, if readily
achievable, take steps to remove structural communication barriers
in existing facilities. Auxiliary aids and services include, but
are not limited to, readers, taped texts, braille materials, acquisition
or modification of equipment, and other similar actions. Thus, you may
be asked by a guest who is visually impaired for guide assistance or for
assistance in reading her bill, even
though she may not use a dog guide or a cane. Similarly, a person who
is visually impaired may request an additional lamp in his
guest room, ask to be seated in the most brightly lit section of your
restaurant, or to be seated away from a large window area
producing uncomfortable glare.
Q. Okay, how do I tell whether my hotel's services and facilities are accessible to, and usable by, customers who are blind, deaf-blind, or visually impaired?
A. Although not required by the ADA, a self-evaluation and a barrier
removal plan are the most effective ways of determining how accessible
your hotel is now and what steps are necessary to provide greater accessibility
in the future. Start with the
barriers-elimination checklists. Each section of the checklist applies
to a particular function in your hotel--front desk services, gift shop/retail,
food and beverage services, and so on. Each checklist section was designed
as a stand-alone module which
you can photocopy for use by the appropriate function or department
within your hotel. The explanatory notes section is designed for use with
all checklists.
The self-evaluation begins by identifying barriers to effective communication
within each function of your hotel; determine how the communication barriers
are currently being addressed, if at all, and then identify the range of
solutions available which will
eliminate or minimize these barriers to communication. Is your current
response adequate, or must you do more? Which solutions are effective,
least expensive, or easiest to implement?
The ADA permits you to choose alternate methods of eliminating barriers
to effective communication. While consultation with
persons with disabilities, including groups or organizations that represent
them, is strongly encouraged, you may make the decision about what measures
to take provided that the method chosen results in effective communication.
Once barriers are identified and solutions determined, you should then develop a plan for implementation. Thus, if it is determined that employee or staff training curricula must be modified, when will this be accomplished? Similarly, if funds must be expended to remove a structural communication barrier, e.g., by replacing conventional signage with raised character and braille signage where necessary, when will this be done?
With respect to architectural and structural communication barriers
in existing facilities, the U.S. Department of Justice's
regulations permit you to establish priorities for the removal of such
If your time frames are reasonable and solutions effective, your good
faith effort to comply with the ADA will be an important
factor in your favor in any proceeding to adjudicate a complaint against
you. If you need help with the process of self-evaluation and development
of an implementation plan, it is a good idea to contact one or more of
the advocacy organizations or federal
departments or agencies appearing in the resource list of this pamphlet.
Assistance from organizations of and for persons who are blind as well
as qualified individuals who are blind, deaf-blind, or visually impaired
can be an invaluable resource in your efforts to comply with the ADA.
Front Desk Services.
Staff affected: managers; bellstaff; doormen; concierges; transportation
providers; security personnel; and, as appropriate,
executive office and sales staff
__ identifying personnel [1]
__ completing registration folio [2]
__ completing service request forms, (e.g., valet
and shipping)
__ reviewing hotel bill [2]
__ counting and identifying currency [3]
__ handing credit card to guest after imprint [3]
__ using signature guide or template [3]
__ using basic sighted guide and mobility techniques
__ verbalizing directions [5]
__ using disability-sensitive language and etiquette
__ speaking directly to guest in a conversational
manner and not
through companion [6]
__ communicating with a person who is deaf-blind
__ reviewing policy concerning admission of dog guides
__ identifying and orienting guest to dog guide relief
area [8]
__ instructing guest in use of passcard-type key
__ advising guest where luggage, laundry boxes, and
the like will
be placed in the room if the guest is
not present to accept
such items
Food and Beverage Services
Staff affected: managers, bartenders, cocktail servers, food servers,
cashiers, maitre d's, dining room attendants, room service
personnel, and catering/banquet staff
__ identifying personnel [1]
__ communicating contents of menu [2]
__ counting and identifying currency [3]
__ handing credit card to guest after imprint [3]
__ using signature guide or template [3]
__ using basic sighted guide and mobility techniques
__ verbalizing directions [5]
__ using disability-sensitive language and etiquette
__ communicating with a person who is deaf-blind
__ reviewing policy concerning admission of dog guides
__ providing food service assistance [9]
__ orienting customer to lounge facilities
__ providing adequate lighting [14]
__ providing priority seating upon request, e.g.,
in area having
more adequate lighting
__ eliminating discriminatory eligibility criteria,
requiring persons who are deaf-blind
to sit in a secluded part
of a restaurant because of the reactions
of other customers
In-Room Services.
Staff affected: managers, bellstaff, room service personnel, housekeeping, and maintenance staff
__ identifying personnel [1]
__ communicating contents of in-room documents, e.g.,
service menus and guest information
brochures [2]
__ using basic sighted guide and mobility techniques
__ verbalizing directions [5]
__ using disability-sensitive language and etiquette
__ speaking directly to guest in a conversational
manner and not
through companion [6]
__ communicating with a person who is deaf-blind
__ reviewing policy concerning admission of dog guides
__ identifying and orienting guest to dog guide relief
area [8]
__ TDD, upon request, for a guest who is deaf-blind
__ orienting guest to layout of room and location
of fire alarms,
emergency exit and equipment [11]
__ orienting guest to heating and air conditioning
controls, pay
vs free TV service, hotel message retrieval
system [11]
__ advising guest where luggage, laundry boxes, and
the like will
be placed in the room if the guest is
not present to accept
such items
Facilities and Environmental Access
Staff affected: bellstaff; pool attendants; housekeeping; engineering; maintenance staff; security personnel; and, as appropriate, architects and designers of new facilities
__ identifying and orienting guest to dog guide relief
area [8]
__ safety (evacuation/rescue plans, orientation to
fire alarm
pullboxes, fire extinguishers, and emergency
exits) [11]
__ orienting guests to water fountains, ice machines,
operated laundry equipment and vending
machines [11]
__ orienting guests to other common areas, e.g.,
lobby, meeting
rooms, exhibit area, business center,
and health club [11]
__ installing accessible signage meeting ADAAG requirements
__ installing or modifying stairs, escalators, elevators
meet ADAAG standards [12]
__ removing or protecting protruding objects, e.g.,
ashtrays, and drinking fountains [12]
__ acquiring equipment, such as tactile and large
thermostat controls, talking/large-print
clocks, and Brailtalk
alphabet for persons who are deaf-blind
__ controlling environmental white noise, e.g., white
created by velocity of water in fountains
may mask
environmental sound clues used by persons
who are blind or
visually impaired as an aid to orientation
and mobility,
__ providing adequate lighting and control of glare
in common
areas [14]
Gift Shop/Retail Spaces
Staff affected: managers, sales clerks, stock persons
__ identifying personnel [1]
__ reading price, size, and other product information
__ counting and identifying currency [3]
__ handing credit card to customer after imprint
__ using signature guide or template [3]
__ using basic sighted guide and mobility techniques
__ verbalizing directions [5]
__ using disability-sensitive language and etiquette
__ communicating with a person who is deaf-blind
__ reviewing policy concerning admission of dog guides
__ identifying and orienting guests to dog guide
relief area [8]
__ assisting customer in retrieving items from shelves
__ describing colors, patterns, and other visual
__ adequate lighting [14]
Convention and Meeting Services
Staff affected: managers; convention and meeting service sales staff; other hotel staff, as appropriate
__ identifying personnel [1]
__ reviewing sales contracts [2]
__ using signature guides or templates [3]
__ using basic sighted guide and mobility techniques
__ verbalizing directions [5]
__ using disability-sensitive language and etiquette
__ communicating with a person who is deaf-blind
__ reviewing policy concerning admission of dog guides
__ identifying and orienting guests to dog guide
relief area [8]
__ orienting guest to layout of meeting rooms [11]
__ orienting guest to restroom, food services, and
exits [11]
__ awareness of how to obtain a tactile interpreter
if required
for a guest who is deaf-blind [13]
__ awareness of how to obtain a reader if required
for a guest
who is blind or visually impaired
__ awareness of how to obtain meeting materials,
e.g., agendas,
in braille, tape, large print, or electronic
computer file
__ providing priority seating upon request, e.g.,
in area in
meeting room where lighting is more
adequate or where a person
who is visually impaired may have a
better view of the podium
Explanatory Notes
[1] Identifying personnel. Staff should initiate an introduction to
a guest who is blind, deaf-blind, or visually impaired and should
always identify themselves by name and function. Name badges and uniforms
may not be seen by a guest who is visually impaired.
[2] Reviewing documents. Staff should read fully, upon request, and
provide assistance, if necessary, in completing registration
folios, hotel bills, service request forms, menus, and other documents.
You may find it more helpful to your guest to provide
frequently used documents such as menus or important documents such
as contracts in braille, tape, or large print. When reading a menu, personnel
should first read broad categories of items and allow the guest to choose
which categories should be fully read. For example, "Would you like me
to read the list of appetizers?"
[3] Counting and identifying currency; credit cards; signatures. When
handing currency to a guest, bills should be individually
identified and counted. A person who is blind or visually impaired
usually identifies currency by folding it in different ways and/or
by placing denominations in separate locations in a wallet or purse.
Identifying coins is usually not a problem because of their
varying sizes and milled edges. Credit cards should be handed to guests
after imprint, not simply laid on a counter or table. A
piece of cardboard or a plastic or metal signature template can be
used to indicate where a signature is required. Place cardboard edge horizontally
below line or orient opening of signature template where signature is required.
[4] Sighted guide technique and mobility aids. Staff should not touch or remove mobility canes unless requested to do so and should not interfere with dog guides. Identify yourself and offer guide assistance if it appears to be needed. If assistance is accepted, offer your arm to the guest. The guest will lightly hold your arm directly above the elbow. Don't pull or push the guest or hold his arm. Relax and walk at a comfortable, normal pace. Allow the guest to walk a step or two behind you, and indicate changes in terrain, such as stairs, narrow spaces, and escalators, by hesitating briefly as you approach them and explaining what you are about to do. When seating the guest, ask if you may show him or her the back of the chair. If the response is yes, simply place the guest's hand on the chair back. When it is time for you to leave, indicate that you are leaving his or her presence.
[5] Verbalizing directions. Be specific. Be sure to use right and left
as they apply to the person who is blind. What is on your
right is on the left of a person facing you. Indicate number of blocks
to the department store and whether one proceeds right or
left when exiting the hotel. Provide the address and indicate such
things as the number of doorways from the corner and distance. Simply saying,
"The department store is about six blocks down in that direction" is ineffective.
Similarly, be specific about directions to rooms within the hotel, e.g.,
"To find the Monroe Room, go to the end of this corridor, turn left, and
it's the fifth room on your right."
[6] Using disability-sensitive language and etiquette. Using words such
as blind, visually impaired, seeing, looking, watching
television are acceptable words in conversation. Similarly, using descriptive
language, including references to color, patterns, and the like, is appropriate.
When referring to guests with disabilities, refer to the person first,
then the disability, e.g., refer to the guest in 439 who is blind, rather
than the blind man in 439.
[7] Communicating with persons who are deaf-blind. Most persons who
are deaf-blind communicate using finger spelling, printing letters in the
palm, or tactile American Sign Language. The guest who is deaf-blind may
also use braille or, if he or she has some residual vision, large print.
In most cases, the person who is deaf-blind will inform you, either through
speech, writing, a companion, or use of preprinted "help card" messages
of his or her preferred mode of communication. Once communication has begun,
be sure to ask frequently whether your communication is understood. The
ADA requires the provision of interpreters only if the communication is
particularly complicated, e.g., involving important financial or healthcare
decisions. If a tactile interpreter is required, you may be able to find
a tactile interpreter through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf
listed in the Yellow Pages or through a local sign language or deaf service
agency. If the person who is deaf-blind is traveling with a person who
hears, it is a good idea to offer them adjoining rooms or offer to provide
the hearing person with a duplicate key. In addition, staff should be aware
of the universal sign for an emergency situation, i.e., drawing the letter
X on the back of the person who is deaf-blind with the fingertips. Use
of an aid like the Brailtalk tactile communicator can also facilitate communication.
This is an inexpensive plastic device that contains braille and raised
character alphabet and numerals. For many people who are deaf-blind, communication
can be accomplished using this device by simply pointing the finger to
the appropriate braille or raised letters or numerals. In addition, some
persons who are deaf-blind may use combination braille and
print "help cards" containing basic messages.
[8] Dog guides. The ADA requires admission of service animals to hotels unless a fundamental alteration in the nature of the goods and services provided would result or safe operation of the hotel is jeopardized. The dog guide should always remain under control by its owner. In addition, care and supervision of the animal is the responsibility of the guest. Staff should not pet, feed, or otherwise distract dog guides from their work. Although the ADA does not require you to provide a dog guide relief area, it would be helpful to your guest if you can provide some suggestions in this regard.
[9] Food service assistance. Such assistance could include cutting meat
on request. For buffet service, assistance could include
identifying and-or serving food on buffet table. For table service,
the waiter should explain arrangement of the tableware and announce the
placement of food and beverage items as they are being served. One way
to assist the guest would be to describe the location of the food or beverage
using the face of a clock. For example, "Your meat is at 6 o'clock and
your vegetables are at 3 o'clock."
[10] TDDs for guests who are deaf-blind. Subject to the undue burden defense, a hotel permitting a guest to make outgoing calls on "more than an incidental, convenience basis" must, upon request, provide a TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) for the guest's use. Accordingly, a hotel may be required to provide a braille-output TDD to a guest who is deaf-blind.
[11] Orientation. Solutions include verbal descriptions, hands-on demonstrations, and-or provision of tactile maps, large print maps, or recorded materials as aids to wayfinding.
[12] Accessible signage and other ADAAG requirements. The ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG), which is available as an appendix to the Justice Department's Title III regulations, contains several provisions concerning accessibility: braille, raised characters, contrast, serif, and character height. In addition, the ADAAG contains provisions regarding braille and raised character elevator controls, audible direction indicators, floor designations on elevator hoistways, and protruding objects. The ADAAG also contains provisions regarding stairs and handrails. These ADAAG requirements must generally be incorporated into new construction and must be incorporated when facilities are being altered. Items such as raised character and braille elevator controls are usually required to be installed in existing facilities, because they involve little difficulty or expense and are generally considered to be readily achievable.
[13] Tactile interpreters. Subject to an undue burden defense, use of
a tactile interpreter or notetaker may be the only effective
means of providing communication to a person who is deaf-blind attending
a meeting or conference. A notetaker could transcribe a summary of verbal
communication to keep a participant who is blind informed of the proceedings.
[14] These items are not reflected in the ADAAG, but are listed here
because awareness of the barrier that they represent to
persons who are blind or visually impaired will aid architects and
designers in the development of appropriate standards. For example, although
inadequate lighting, glare, and interference from masking sounds present
significant barriers to access for many persons who are visually impaired,
the ADAAG currently do not contain standards relative to ambient lighting,
glare control, or white noise.
Government Agencies
You can obtain further information, copies of the ADA regulations,
and technical assistance manuals from the following government departments
or agencies.
Title I (Employment)
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
1801 L Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20507
Title II (State and Local Governments)
Title III (Public Accommodations)
Public Access Section
Civil Rights Division
U.S. Department of Justice
P.O. Box 66738
Washington, DC 20035-9998
Title II/Title III (Transportation)
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 Seventh Street, S.W., #10424
Washington, DC 20590
Advocacy Organizations
You can obtain further information about accommodations for your guests who are blind, deaf-blind, or visually impaired from the following advocacy organizations.
American Association of the Deaf-Blind
814 Thayer Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-459-2121 (Voice); 301-588-6545 (TDD)
American Council of the Blind
1155 15th Street, N.W., Suite 720
Washington, DC 20005
202-467-5081 (Voice)
American Foundation for the Blind
Governmental Relations Department
1615 M Street, N.W., Suite 250
Washington, DC 20036
202-457-1487 (Voice/TDD)
Council of Citizens with Low Vision International 5707 Brockton
Drive #302
Indianapolis, IN 46220
800-733-2258 (Voice); 317-254-1185 (Voice)
National Federation of the Blind
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
410-659-9314 (Voice)
The Americans with Disabilities Act Communications Accommodations
Project is a joint program of the American Foundation for the Blind
and the National Center for Law and Deafness.
Additional copies and copies in accessible formats (large print, audiotape,
computer disk, and braille) are available from the
Governmental Relations Department, American Foundation for the Blind,
1615 M Street, N.W., Suite 250, Washington, DC 20036.
This document provides general information to promote voluntary compliance
with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It was prepared under a
grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. While the Department's Public
Access Section has reviewed its contents, any opinions or interpretations
in this document are those of the American Foundation for the Blind and
do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice. The
ADA itself and the Department's ADA regulations should be consulted for
further, more specific guidance.
American Foundation for the Blind.


text:
Today our Honeymoon ends and we travel home to begin our new life together…. There could not have been a more perfect place, in a more lovely way, to celebrate and begin our new marriage. No detail was overlooked in décor, amenities, or service. We are thrilled that the Palmer House Inn was our Honeymoon choice. The memory of this place will be treasured for our lifetime.
Thank you Bill and Pat!
Love from,
Christopher and Andrea
Dear Bill and Pat, our first visit to Cape Cod in the fall and it is absolutely beautiful. The breakfast is wonderful; we are big fans of the chilled blueberry soup. There is nowhere else we would choose to stay when coming to the Cape!
Thank you for your hospitality and another wonderful stay.
-Meghan and Diane
This has been a truly beautiful experience. The hospitality you have shown us is greatly appreciated. We are looking forward to coming back in 2015.
Cherish every day!
– Ken and Diane
Warm, quiet, inviting… a wonderful "get-away" on the Cape. We hope to make this a tradition each fall/winter.
Thank you for a great "run away from home" vacation.
-Tom and Sherri
Lovely evening in your beautiful Inn!
-Jean and Ken
Dear Pat and Bill,
Once again we had a lovely one night respite here at Falmouth. Actually looking forward to another night. We will be checking our calendars! Have a wonderful thanksgiving and Holiday season.
Thanks so much!
Sincerely, Paul and Judi

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A new tutorial has been posted to the Zend Developer Zone today looking at making scalable vector graphics with PHP and the hep of one of two charting packages - ezcGraph or SVGGraph (examples are provided for both).
Programmatically generating graphs and charts using SVG requires a deep understanding of the SVG specification and the various SVG primitives, as well as a fair amount of time for research, experimentation and debugging. Or, in other words, that's your entire weekend shot! Fortunately, help is at hand. There are a number of open-source PHP libraries that support SVG chart generation, and using them can significantly reduce the amount of work involved in adding this feature to a Web application.
He shows how to create simple images like bar, line and pie charts as well as adding in other things like a legend, custom titles and a sample where the user can define the sizes of a pie chart via some form input fields. Screenshots are included for all code examples to give you a better idea of the end result.


text:
Paul Johnston
Associate Director of Admissions - Systems and Reporting
Weidman, Michigan
Professional/Personal Biography:
I earned my Bachelors degree in Environmental Science at NMU in 2006 and I am currently working on my Masters Certificate in Public Management. After I graduated I spent two years living and working in Housing and Residence Life as a Resident Director in West Hall. Before I graduated however, I had spent three summers doing Ecology Research with the University of Minnesota in the Department of Forest Resources on the St. Paul campus helping out with a large long term Global Change experiment.
Most Memorable College Experience:
My most memorable college experience is my first day I moved in to my room in VanAntwerp Hall. I had only brought a few thing with me so unpacking didn't take me very long, and after I unpacked my things I sat down on my bed and said to myself "now what?" It was at that point a group of returning students came by my room, introduced themselves and filled me in on all the fun activities that were happening during the move in weekend. They then took me down the hallway to meet all the people I'd be living around that entire year…many of these people are still friends of mine to this day.
Favorite Marquette Activity:
Anything outdoors but my favorites are mountain biking, road cycling, kayaking, rock climbing, and hiking.
Best advice you received regarding college or would give someone entering college:
Get as involved in your education, Residence Hall, and University as you possibly can. Take advantage of the special opportunities NMU offers within your program, not to mention the special opportunities that exist with volunteering on campus and in the community. Get out and meet people and really own your college experience!


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Photos by Chatham House [CC BY 2.0], Marie Lan-Nguyen [CC BY 2.0], wowser [CC BY-BC 2.0] on Flickr |
Dec 26, 2016
News quiz 2016
Dec 10, 2016
One is better than none
One of my students showed her vocabulary (and grammar) notebook to her private tutor, who was surprised at the way new vocabulary was recorded in it. The student then conveyed the tutor's concerns to me, for example, that "pack in" doesn't have to go necessarily with the job (I'd taught the group "she's packed in her job"). She said, "it means 'finish' or 'give up'". I agreed. But where does it get you? If "pack in" can be substituted for "finish" or one of the other alleged synonyms (alleged because no two or more words are ever absolute synonyms - see HERE), can we say "I've packed in my homework"?
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Ashe holds on in Democratic primary
Jackson County Sheriff Jimmy Ashe proved he could survive a tough race during the Democratic primary, defeating challenger Robin Gunnels by nearly 700 votes on the unofficial count.
Ashe may have another tough race in November, but on Tuesday night he could celebrate holding off a crowded field and a strong challenge from Gunnels, a former employee. Ashe also had to stave off the efforts of a third-party political action committee en route to winning his third consecutive Democratic primary nomination for Jackson County Sheriff.
In the end Ashe's popularity in Jackson County and his firm resolve not to enter into dialogue with his critics proved decisive in the hotly contested race.
Ted Coyle, a Caney Fork resident, said the ugly tactics employed by a third-party political action committee from the Cashiers area prompted him to vote for Ashe.
"I was kind of disgusted by the politics of that race coming out of Sapphire and I'm not for private law enforcement on public roads by any stretch," Coyle said.
The sheriff's primary was far from typical this year. After Gunnels emerged as an early challenger in the race, his business was burned in a case still under investigation as arson. Gunnels did not blame Ashe or his supporters for the fire, but he insisted it was politically motivated.
Related Items
On Tuesday night, after the votes were totaled, Gunnels still rued the incident.
"With the whole fire business it took a couple of weeks to get that cleaned up and get back out there," Gunnels said. "I don't want to blame the result on anything, but it was a real issue for us."
Ashe looked vulnerable because he received a controversial pay raise during the recession and had to withstand allegations of questionable financial transactions involving an account from narcotics seizure money.
The contest heated up considerably when a group of Cashiers residents, led by Blue Ridge Public Safety owner David Finn, formed a political action committee aimed at unseating Ashe.
Ashe refused to enter into a back and forth with his critics, instead electing to run advertisements that included personal testimonies of supporters. The tactic seemed to pay off in Jackson County, where Ashe has been one of the most popular and widely recognizable political figures in recent years.
Ashe did not immediately return a request for comment before the news deadline.
Jackson County sheriff
Democrat – one advances
Jimmy Ashe: 2,290
Robin Gunnels: 1,572
Marty Rhinehart: 140
Radford Franks: 116
*The winner will face competition from two unaffiliated candidates in the fall.
Other sheriff races:
Haywood County sheriff
Democratic primary
Bobby Suttles*: 3,720
Dean Henline: 966
*The winner will face a Republican challenger in the fall.
Macon County sheriff
Democrat – one advances
George Lynch: 965
Richard Davis: 776
Ricky Dehart: 114


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More than a quarter of HIV+ patients are also infected with the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which may complicate treatment and care decisions after a cancer diagnosis. The specifics of those complications haven't been well-researched in the past. Results from a new Fox Chase Cancer Center study on this patient population may start filling in that gap.
Fox Chase Hematologist and Medical Oncologist Stefan K. Barta, MD, MS, MRCP -- who led the study -- analyzed data from HIV+ patients diagnosed with lymphoma, collected over 17 years, to better understand how HCV infection influences survival outcomes. Dr. Barta's collaborators will present the group's findings at the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Reactivation of HCV, in which the virus is detectable but not necessarily causing symptoms, is common in HIV+ patients. Notably, Dr. Barta and his team found that reactivation of HCV did not appear to worsen survival outcomes for lymphoma patients who also had HIV.
"Many patients do experience some reactivation of the Hepatitis C virus, but in most patients it seems to be self-limited and does not affect outcomes for cancer treatment," said Dr. Barta.
He noted that treating lymphoma patients co-infected with HIV and HCV requires caution and care. HIV more than triples the risk of liver failure in individuals also infected with HCV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And among cancer patients, HIV+ patients infected with HCV can fall into a feedback loop that may lessen the effectiveness of treatment.
"Patients undergoing chemotherapy can experience reactivation of the Herpes C virus, which in turn can lead to liver failure," said Dr. Barta. "This means we have to dose-reduce chemotherapy, which could negatively affect outcomes."
In addition, HIV+ patients often take a host of other medications, including antiretrovirals, which makes them especially vulnerable to side effects like toxicity. However, Dr. Barta said the new study suggests the potential risks shouldn't deter oncologists from treating these patients with chemotherapy.
"People should not be scared of treating patients with HIV and HCV aggressively," said Dr. Barta. "At the same time, we have to be careful and cautious to monitor those patients because reactivation does occur and could potentially lead to severe liver failures."
He and his colleagues analyzed the medical records of 190 HIV+ patients who had been diagnosed with lymphoma at the Albert Einstein Cancer Center in Bronx, New York, from 1997 to 2013. Patients with primary central nervous system lymphomas were excluded. The researchers found that 53 patients, or 28 percent, of eligible patients were also infected with HCV. The virus reactivated in 17 of those patients, or about one-third of the patient population infected with HCV, during treatment.
Patients infected with HCV had an overall survival of 59.7 months, compared to 88.6 months for patients with neither HCV nor Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). However, that survival advantage vanished when the researchers adjusted for variables including age, sex, race, CD4 count, presence of cirrhosis, type of lymphoma, and levels of LDH (lactate dehydrogenase, an enzyme). The multivariate analysis showed that co-infection with HCV was not associated with lower overall survival in lymphoma patients. At the same time, the researchers did find worse overall survival outcomes associated with low CD4 count (below 100 cells/cubic millimeter), a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, advanced stage disease, LDH levels over 190, or cirrhosis.
Dr. Barta said he hopes the new study opens cancer clinical trials to an understudied patient population. HIV+ patients with HCV are often excluded from cancer clinical trials because of concerns about liver failure and drug toxicity, arising from the interaction of retroviral medications with chemotherapy. Barta says he hopes the new findings, which suggest these patients can tolerate chemotherapy without adverse outcomes, will help reverse that trend.
"This is really important for a large proportion of patients," he said. "We want to assure researchers that these patients, as long as they have adequate liver function, should also be enrolled in clinical trials."
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Materials provided by Fox Chase Cancer Center. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
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Friday, September 30, 2016
Funny Friday
A rushed Funny Friday in that the internet was down part of the time. Enjoy the long weekend. . .
One day Adam and Eve notice God standing before them, holding a bag.
"Hi, God. What's in the bag?" asked Eve.
"These are a couple of things that were left over from creation that I thought you two would be interested in." God rummages around in the bag a moment. "Okay who wants to be able to pee standing up?"
Adam immediately puts his hand up in the air, waving frantically. "Me! Me! Me! Oh, oh, PLEASE, God, let me have it! Just think of how much more work I could get done in the fields if I could pee standing up! And it would help so much when I'm out hunting! Oh, please, please, please let me have it!"
"Well, all right," says God. "Now, let's see what we have for you, Eve." God rummages about a bit more in the bag.
"Ah, right. Multiple orgasms."
An Aussie, a little man, was sitting at a bar in Sydney when this huge, burly American guy walks in. As he passes the Aussie, he hits him on the neck knocking him to the floor. The big, burly Yank says, "That's a karate chop from Korea."
Well, the Aussie gets back on his barstool and resumes drinking his beer. The burly Yank then gets up to go to the bathroom and, as he walks by the Aussie, he hits him on the other side of the neck and knocks him to the floor. "That's a judo chop from Japan", he says.
The Aussie decides he's had enough and leaves. A half hour later he comes back and sees the burly Yank bastard sitting at the bar. He walks up behind him and smacks him on the head, knocking him out. The Aussie says to the bartender, "When he wakes up mate, tell him that was a fuckin' crowbar from Bunnings."
I am a sailor in the New Zealand Navy. My parents live in Whangarei and my brother-in-law is living in Melbourne. My father and mother have been busted for drug running and they depend on my two sisters, who are prostitutes, for a living.
My only brother is serving a life sentence in jail on conviction of rape and murder, and my uncle is a High Court Judge who takes bribes. My other uncle is on trial for lighting fires in a National Park which burnt down 93 houses.
I am in love with a Thai prostitute who solicits around the Auckland wharves. She says she loves me, but she knows nothing about my family background. We intend to marry as soon as her illnesses clear up. Me being white does not bother her at all. When I get out of the Navy we will open a brothel in Hamilton and my two sisters will work there to keep the business in the family.
My problem is that I want to marry this girl and have an entirely open and honest relationship with her. The burning question is whether I should tell her that I have a brother-in-law who lives in Melbourne?
An oldie and worth a repeat. . .
This chap goes to the doctor saying that he gets blinding headaches. After a series of tests the doctor tells him that the good news is that he had found the cause but the bad news was that the headaches were being caused by an upward pressure of the testicles upon the base of the spine. The only cure would be an orchidectomy. The chap thought that one over for weeks but in the end the headaches were so severe that he decided to go ahead and have his testicles removed.
After the operation he was feeling so good that he decided to go down the street and get a new suit. In the menswear store he found a salesman who looked him up and down and said 'I guess you would be a 42 inch chest 38 inch waist and 40 inch hip'. 'My God' said the chap, 'how did you guess that?' 'I don't guess, I know. That's my job,' said the salesman.
When the chap was fitted out the salesman asked him if he would like a shirt because he had one in stock with a 42-inch chest and 24 inch arm. 'That's my exact measure' said the chap with astonishment. 'That's right mate. It's my job to know that,' said the salesman and handed him the shirt. 'Now what about a hat' said the salesman. 'OK' said the chap, sensing a challenge 'I bet you can't guess that one'. 'You'd be a five and seven eighths' said the salesman 'I know that, it's my job'.
Finally the salesman enquired whether some underpants were desired. 'OK' said the chap 'but let me get in first this time. I'm a size 34 in underpants'. 'No you're not,' said the salesman 'You're a size 36'. 'I've got you this time,' said the chap 'because I always wear a 34'. 'You're totally incorrect Sir, I know my job' said the salesman. 'You're a size 36, and I can tell you now that if you go on wearing a 34 you'll get blinding headaches from the upward pressure of the testicles on the base of the spine.'
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Thursday, September 29, 2016
Martin, Cats and More Cats
I posted an item a few days ago about Mrs Chippy, the cat that accompanied the Shackleton Arctic expedition and came to a sticky end when the expedition ship was caught in the ice. Mrs Chippy didn't have 9 lives after all. Anyway, it inspired Martin S, who regularly corrects items posted, to send me an email about some other notable cats. Thanks Martin.
Here is Martin's contribution:
I am pleased that you had an article on Mrs Chippy, one of the most undated, and fearless master of us humans, the not so humble Cat. Too often overlooked to other imposters, such as the horse dog or ……the Pigeon!
We should be reminded of Australia's own naval contribution of Felis Catus, being, of course, Trim.
Trim proudly in front of the NSW State Library.
Trim undertook the first circumnavigation of Australia, assisted by Matthew Flinders, and was later interned in Mauritius on his return trip to England. Trim suffered a fate far worse than Mrs Chippy. Eaten by those horrible French Savages, who obviously had run out of frogs, snails or horses for their consumption.
I believe Bryce Courtenay wrote a book about him.
Perhaps for a war hero, we should look no further than Simon.
Simon escaped on board the HMS Amethyst, when in Hong Kong docks in 1948, no doubt saving him from a fate that befell our beloved Trim.
The Amethyst was caught up in the Yangtze Incident in 1949 during the Chinese Civil war. Shots were fired, Simon was injured, and some sailors died.
Simon, sporting one of his war service medals
Simon's role on the Amethyst was one of keeping up morale, preventing plague by personally disposing of vermin, and inspecting the operations of the ship.
Simon never fully recovered from wounds received in action, and was awarded the Dickin Medal posthumously (for us humans, the equivalent of a VC).
Recognition of military exploits are surrounded by controversy. Between 1943 and 1949, the Dickin had been awarded to 32 pigeons, 18 dogs, 3 horses, and Simon. A bloody disgrace, and no wonder our feline masters take pleasure in dispatching those, as Woody Allen puts it, "Rats with Wings".
It should be noted that the entire crew of the Amethyst attended Simon's funeral.
Simon's life was put to film in 1957 in the "Yangtse Incident", and no, it does not feature Chairman Meow.
On a further nautical note:
Polydactyl Cats and Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway was the pet of a great number of moggies.
He amused them by telling them a story of catching a big fish!
One of his favourite owners was a polydactyl cat (many toes) that had previously spent a considerable time at sea.
This genetically inherited trait is considered advantageous to a sea going puss, as it greatly aids the hunting and climbing on a ship.
Yep. More thumbs than a Koala
Hemingway bequeathed his house to his polydact owner, and it remains in the many toed family to this day.
Hemingway stated:
"A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not."
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
The Art of John Lopez
Byter Charles Z sent me an email last night with the message "Over to you mate". Included in the email was a link to a collection of photographs, some of which have appeared in Bytes in the past.
The photographs are quite interesting but the unfortunate thing is that there are no captions.
The first photograph is the following:
It is obviously a sculpture made with scrap metal items but it had me wondering: Who was the sculptor? What else has he done? Why work in scrap metal?
I looked into it further and came up with some information and more photographs of the sculptor's work The following item and photographs are from an article about the artist at:
One man's junk is another's buffalo sculpture.
These stunning sculptures of heavy beasts have been fashioned from scrap metal. They are the work of artist John Lopez who welds the pieces from abandoned farm machinery. Based in the town of Lemmon, South Dakota, the 43-year-old has created full-size representations of creatures including a horse, buffalo and even a cowboy atop a triceratops. Mr Lopez had a successful career in bronze sculpting, but changed his working techniques after the death of his aunt Effie in a car accident. He moved to his widowed uncle Geno Hunt's ranch and set about making a family cemetery. But after completing a perimeter fence Mr Lopez ran out of material and, being 35 miles from the nearest town, had to search for usable scrap iron on site.
Mr Lopez said: 'I am a sculptor and love to create. I started welding sculptures together.' The 43-year-old added: 'I get my ideas from my life, the ranch, our history here, the animals around our area.'
The very first photograph in this post is of a sculpture called Black Hawk and is of a life-size plow horse pulling a single bottom plow. This photograph above shows a detail from Black Haw, the photograph below shows the sculptor, John Lopez, working on Black Hawk.
John Lopez with his personal favourite, Steel Stallion.
Gallery #2:
The photographs below are from John Lopez's website at:
If you're wondering whether John Lopez does anything apart from scrap metal works, he has also sculpted 12 life-size presidential monuments for The City of Presidents project in Rapid City, SD. Some of the presidents include John F. Kennedy and John Jr., Grant, Carter, Harrison, Coolidge, T. Roosevelt, and Garfield. Here is the pic of President Kennedy:
Thanks Charles.
I will keep posting photographs from Charles's (I have a dispute with my son Thomas as to whether the correct form is "Charles' " or "Charles's". . . I maintain that it is optional and that "Charles's" sounds better) link from time to time, with commentaries where I can find same.
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Thanksgiving Travel Up Slightly In Ohio
< < Back toThe number of Ohioans traveling for Thanksgiving is expected to increase slightly compared with last year as travelers feel the pinch of the sluggish economic recovery.
Auto club AAA expected nearly 1.7 million Ohioans to travel at least 50 miles from home between Wednesday and Sunday. AAA says most travelers were expected to hit the road, as automobiles are often the preferred option for more flexible, affordable travel.
Ohio's average price for a gallon of regular gas was $3.52 in Wednesday's survey from AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and Wright Express. That's a penny cheaper than last week but up nearly 30 cents from this time last year.
Air travel was expected to decline slightly in Ohio and nationwide, with about 123,000 Ohioans flying during the Thanksgiving period.


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From the most excellent pssst…:
After winning several archery contests, the young and rather boastful champion challenged a Zen master who was renowned for his skill as an archer. The young man demonstrated remarkable technical proficiency when he hit a distant bull's eye on his first try, and then split that arrow with his second shot. "There," he said to the old man, "see if you can match that!" Undisturbed, the master did not draw his bow, but rather motioned for the young archer to follow him up the mountain. Curious about the old fellow's intentions, the champion followed him high into the mountain until they reached a deep chasm spanned by a rather flimsy and shaky log. Calmly stepping out onto the middle of the unsteady and certainly perilous bridge, the old master picked a far away tree as a target, drew his bow, and fired a clean, direct hit. "Now it is your turn," he said as he gracefully stepped back onto the safe ground. Staring with terror into the seemingly bottomless and beckoning abyss, the young man could not force himself to step out onto the log, no less shoot at a target. "You have much skill with your bow," the master said, sensing his challenger's predicament, "but you have little skill with the mind that lets loose the shot."


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These performance brake hoses are made +2 inch, +3 inch and +4 inch to match our body lift kits for the European Ford Ranger/Raider/Mazda Bravo, a case of replacing the old with these and bleeding the brakes before carrying out the lift.Please note that the +3 inch and +4 inch sets have 3 extra hoses that run between wing and chassis and wing and clutch
We supply these , in any of the 12 colours we stock as a complete set - front and rear.
Manufactured to the highest possible industry standards, these performance 4x4 brake hoses and kits may be brand new to the 4x4 market, but, only the highest grade stainless steel components are used, making this kit unique in the marketplace - there are no mild steel or aluminium components used on these hoses. Our hoses and kits come with CNC machined fittings, banjo bolts and new copper washers (where applicable), stainless steel braided teflon hose, a PVC protective wipe-clean outer sheath, and lifetime warranty. Our range of performance brake hoses are available in the following colours: Black, Carbon, Clear, Kawasaki Green, Neon Blue, Orange, Purple, Red, Silver, Solid Blue,Transparent Red, Yellow. The outer sheath is extruded onto the hose during manufacture so it adheres to the braid, and does not ripple like heat shrink covers normally do, guaranteeing the looks of your 4x4 will be enhanced as much as your braking..
Stainless steel braided Teflonâ"¢ hose Bonded PVC protective wipe-clean outer sheath Stainless steel CNC machined fittings New banjo bolts and copper washers (where applicable) Choice of 12 colours Enhanced braking FMVSS-106, ADR, LTSA, DOT and TüV approved Fit and bleed the brake hoses before applying the lift
Ford Courier (pickup) Ford Everest (wagon) Ford Ranger (pickup) Mazda Fighter Mazda Bravo Mazda Eagle Years: 1998 on


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OREGAON, PORTLAND, USA, July 12, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — Allied Market Research released a report titled "payday loan market By type (storefront payday loans and online payday loans), marital status (married, single, and others), and customer age (under 21, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50 and Over 50s): Global Opportunities Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2030".
The report offers an in-depth analysis of drivers and opportunities, key segments, major investment pockets, competitive landscape, and value chain. These data, statistics and information will prove useful to market participants, shareholders, new entrants and investors to have market insights and adopt various growth strategies.
@ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/10377
The research provides a comprehensive analysis of drivers, restraints, and opportunities in the global payday loans market. This information is valuable for identifying driving factors, highlighting them and implementing strategies to help achieve sustainable growth. Additionally, market players, investors, and startups can use this information to determine new opportunities, explore market potential, and gain competitive advantage.
The report provides a detailed impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global payday loans market. This information will help market participants, investors and others to change their strategies accordingly to deal with the pandemic and stay in the market.
Key market segments include:
• By type
o Storefront Payday Loans
o Online payday loans
• By marital status
o Married
o Others
• By customer age
o Under 21
o 21 to 30
o 31 to 40
o 41 to 50
o More than 50
A detailed analysis of each segment and sub-segment is provided in the report. Tabular and graphical formats are used to allow better understanding. This analysis is valuable in identifying the most dynamic and revenue-generating segments. It will help market players adopt various strategies to achieve sustainable growth.
Customization request @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/10377?reqfor=covid
The research offers a detailed analysis of the global payday loans market for each region. The regions analyzed in the study include North America (United States, Canada and Mexico), Europe (Germany, United Kingdom, Russia, Spain, France and Italy), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and rest of Asia-Pacific) and LAMEA (Latin America, Middle East and Africa). The data and statistics mentioned in the research are valuable in determining strategies such as expanding into specific regions and exploring untapped potential in different markets. AMR also offers customization services for specific region and segment as per customer requirements.
Main benefits for stakeholders
• This report provides a quantitative analysis of market segments, current trends, estimates and dynamics of the 20WW-20MM Operating Room Equipment market analysis to identify current opportunities in the equipment market of operating room.
• Market research is offered with information related to key drivers, restraints and opportunities.
• Porter's Five Forces analysis highlights the ability of buyers and suppliers to enable stakeholders to make profit-driven business decisions and strengthen their supplier-buyer network.
• In-depth analysis of operating room equipment market segmentation helps to determine existing market opportunities.
• Major countries in each region are mapped according to their contribution to global market revenue.
• Positioning of market players facilitates benchmarking and provides a clear understanding of the current position of market players.
• The report includes analysis of regional and global Operating Room Equipment market trends, key players, market segments, application areas and market growth strategies.
Interested potential key market players can inquire for purchase of the report at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/10377
The report offers a detailed analysis of key market players operating in the global Payday Loans Market. Key market players analyzed in the report are Cashfloat, CashNetUSA, Creditstar, Lending Stream, Myjar, Silver Cloud Financial, Inc., Speedy Cash, THL Direct, Titlemax, and TMG Loan Processing. They have implemented various strategies including new product launches, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, collaborations, expansions, partnerships and others to achieve growth and gain an international presence.
The adoption of the payday loan market is increasing significantly in recent years due to its usefulness and efficiency. With the rapid advancements in technology, the application areas of the payday loans market are expanding into various fields. The research offers a comprehensive analysis of drivers, restraints, and opportunities in the global payday loans market.
About Us:
Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global corporations as well as small and medium enterprises with unparalleled quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions". AMR has a focused vision to provide business insights and advice to help its clients make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market area.
Pawan Kumar, CEO of Allied Market Research, leads the organization in delivering high quality data and insights. We maintain professional relationships with various companies which helps us to extract market data which helps us to generate accurate research data tables and confirm the utmost accuracy of our market predictions. All data presented in the reports we publish are drawn from primary interviews with senior managers of large companies in the relevant field. Our secondary data sourcing methodology includes extensive online and offline research and discussions with knowledgeable industry professionals and analysts.
David Correa
Allied Analytics LLP
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(Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)
Coccinella novemnotata is commonly known as the nine-spotted lady beetle, nine-spot ladybird beetle, or the popular common name for the family Coccinellidae, ladybug. It is also known by the abbreviated common name C-9, after its genus and 9 spots.
In 1989, New York designated the nine-spotted lady beetle as the state insect. It was then believed to be one of the most common and important lady beetles in agricultural areas in New York and the Northeast; today it seems to be extirpated (made locally extinct) within the state, and it occupies only a tiny fraction of its former range across the United States and southern Canada. Recent surveys have found none in the Northeast, and only a few in the Midwest and West. Although the nine-spot's decline was recent, little is known about why it vanished. Non-native lady beetles may have brought disease, eaten prey used by the nine-spot, or even eaten the nine-spot itself. The exact cause of the demise of the nine-spotted Lady beetle remains an unsolved mystery.
The C-9 and related species in the family Coccinelidae are widely used for pest control in agricultural settings. They are effective natural predators on many Homopteran pests, such as scales and aphids (Pack 1925), and other pest insects.
They are, however, sensitive to fluxes in natural enemies, and to habitat degradation. Because of their sensitivity, they are useful indicators of ecosystem health (Stephens and Losey 2003).
The C-9 was historically abundant throughout its range, across the U.S. and throughout southern Canada. It was once the most commonly encountered coccinellid in the northeastern U.S. (Gordon 1985). The C-9 and one other native coccinellid, Adalia bipunctata, have experienced much greater decline than other native coccinnelids, and there has been an overall decrease of 68% in native coccinellids since 1986 (Harmon et al.2007). Populations of the C-9 began to decline rapidly in the mid-1980s (Obrycki et al. 2000), and it is now rare throughout its historic range. The C-9 was last collected in 2006 in Virginia by two young children (Stephens 2006); a previous collection was made in 1992 in the northeastern U.S. Extensive surveys recently conducted in New York State and throughout the northeast found no individuals.
The 9-spot is the state insect of New York, but this designation has not led to regulations to protect it or its habitat.
Global Heritage Status: GNR
State Heritage Status: Rhode Island (SNR); Canada: Alberta (SNR), Ontario (SH)
The cause of the decline of the nine spotted lady beetle has not been pinpointed, although there are two likely hypotheses: the succession of farmland in the northeastern U.S., and the establishment of non-native coccinellid species (Harmon et al.2007).
An increase in forested area in the northeastern U.S. may have actually harmed populations of the C-9. Much agricultural land in the region has been abandoned as operations have shifted to the midwest, and open landscapes that provided good habitat for the C-9 and their insect prey have re-grown with forests. Thus, the reforestation of the northeast may have contributed to the decline of the C-9 (Harmon et al.2007).
The introduction and establishment of non-native coccinellids has likely contributed to the decline of the C-9. Non-native coccinelid species have increased in abundance over the last century, and native coccinelid species have been in sharp decline since the mid-1980s (Harmon et al. 2007). 179 coccinellid species have been introduced to the U.S. and Canada, and 27 of these non-native species have become established (Gordon 1985, Gordon and Vandenberg 1991). Many were introduced intentionally for pest control purposes in agricultural settings. Some of the introduced species, such as Coccinella septempuncatata (the seven-spotted lady beetle), have very similar ecological niches as the C-9, and may compete for resources with it (Harmon et al.2007).
Conservation efforts for the C-9 should focus on increased monitoring in order to locate remaining populations. Cornell University runs a citizen science monitoring program, the Lost Ladybug Project, that encourages citizens to search for the C-9 and report any findings.
Gordon, R. D. 1985. The Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) of America north of Mexico. J NY Entomol Soc 93:1–912.
Gordon, R. D. and N. Vandenberg. 1991. Field guide to recently introduced species of Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) in North America, with a revised key to North America genera of Coccinellini. Proc Entomol Soc Washington 93:845–864.
Harmon, J. P., E. Stephens, and J. Losey. 2007. The decline of native coccinellids (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae) in the United States and Canada. Journal of Insect Conservation 11:85-94.
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