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What Every Fan Needs to Know About the 2013 YankeesJanuary 16, 2013
What Every Fan Needs to Know About the 2013 Yankees
The New York Yankees are less than a month away from seeing their pitchers and catchers reporting to Steinbrenner Field. On February 12th, the Yankees will officially begin their quest for World Series title No. 28.
Coming off a terrible defeat to the Detroit Tigers during last season's playoffs, the Yankees enter 2013 with plenty of strengths and weaknesses.
Yankee universe will also have a handful of important storylines to follow along the way.
Here's what every fan needs to know about the Yankees heading into 2013.
8. The Schedule
Like most football fans do, baseball fans should also look at their team's schedule to get an idea of how the season could shape up.
Even though every game matters, the first and last months of the season always draw the most attention.
For the Yankees, April shapes up to be a wild ride of a first month. The Yanks start the season at home with three games against arch-rivals Boston.
The Yanks follow that series with a trip to the team that ended their season last year in Detroit.
Add in 13 games against the rest of their division, including seven with the revamped Toronto Blue Jays, and a quick start could be crucial.
The Yankees' hardest stretch might come during the dog days of August, when the Yankees play 22 straight games against the Tigers, Angels, Red Sox, Orioles, Rays and Blue Jays.
7. Covering the Gaps
The New York Yankee outfield is shaping out to be one of the fastest in MLB.
In recent years, the Yankees have had sluggers like Hideki Matsui, Raul Ibanez and Nick Swisher roaming their corner outfield positions.
Entering 2013, a healthy outfield will consist of Brett Gardner, Curtis Granderson and Ichiro Suzuki.
Last season, according to FanGraphs.com, Ichiro finished sixth among all outfielders in UZR.
In 2011, Gardner topped all outfielders in UZR at 25.8, well ahead of any other player.
Granderson is the weakest link of the three, but with the quality around him, he will be asked to do a lot less.
That outfield speed should help a pitcher like Phil Hughes, who has a tendency to give up a lot of fly balls.
6. Trouble on the Left
As much ground as the outfield will be able to cover next season, the left side of the Yankee infield will be able to cover much less.
Derek Jeter and Kevin Youkilis rank as two of the worst players in terms of range at their respective positions.
According to FanGraphs.com, among all third basemen with at least 850 innings played, Youkilis ranked second-worst in RngR. He was only able to beat AL MVP Miguel Cabrera.
Youkilis can get a bye if he starts to rake like Miggy does.
Jeter finished 2012 dead-last among all qualifying shortstops in RngR. In fact, Jeter ranks as one of the worst defensive shortstops in baseball over the past several seasons.
Throw in the fact that Jeter is coming off ankle surgery, and those numbers could possibly get worse.
That is a scary thought for Yankee pitching, especially for a guy like Andy Pettitte, who thrives on getting ground balls.
5. Full Season of Ichiro
Yankees fans could see a special season from Ichiro Suzuki.
Acquiring Ichiro before last season's deadline was a major boost to the Yankee lineup.
In 67 games, Ichiro batted .322 and stole 14 bases. He was even able to use the short porch in right to his advantage, smacking five home runs in only 240 plate appearances.
It would be amazing if Ichiro is able to maintain that pace over the course of the entire season with the Yankees. At his advanced age, there are plenty of reasons to believe he won't.
However, Ichiro has recently told CBSNewYork that "signing with the Yankees has given me a new sense of determination."
A re-energized Ichiro could wreak havoc against opponents at the top of the Yankee lineup.
4. Strength in Arms
The Yankees enter 2013 knowing that their success depends on their pitching staff.
As they clearly saw this past postseason, hitting isn't always reliable, so having guys in their rotation to keep them in every game will be key.
The Yanks feature a very strong top three in CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, and Andy Pettitte. The three veterans will anchor the staff; they know what it takes to succeed in the Bronx.
The back end of the rotation is better than most teams. Phil Hughes will look to build off of last season, Ivan Nova will try and replicate his early-season success, and David Phelps provides excellent depth and a solid option.
The bullpen takes a hit with the loss of Rafael Soriano to the Nationals. But Mariano Rivera will be back, David Robertson will continue to set him up.
A key to that bullpen could be whether Joba Chamberlain can ever regain the dominating stuff he once had.
3. Don't Expect Much Action Around Trade Deadline
Outside of adding Ichiro, the Yankees were pretty quiet around the trade deadline last season.
Expect the same to happen this year for two reasons:
The first, of course, is that the Yankees plan to keep their 2014 payroll below $189 million. In order to do so, they won't be making any big splashes on high-salaried players.
The second reason is that they could be receiving a boost from a pair of their own players around that time.
Alex Rodriguez is having surgery on his injured hip today. The surgeon operating on A-Rod is hopeful he will be able to return sometime around the All-Star game or shortly after. Despite his struggles, adding his bat to the lineup will help.
Then there is Michael Pineda. He was lost of all of last season. He has had several setbacks in his rehab to get back. He is not expected to make a major impact on the 2013 Yankees.
However, it is possible to see him pitch in the second half of the season. Even if it is in a minimal role out of the bullpen, his power arm could be a boost during the hot summer months of the season.
2. Playing for New Contract
The Yankees have many key players on either one-year deals or reaching the end of their long-term contracts.
The three biggest names on that list are Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Phil Hughes. All three are vastly important to the success of the Yankees. Odds are only one of them will return at the end of the season.
The trouble with all three being free agents is that their success could be their undoing in New York.
Cano will be the most likely to return to the Bronx, as he very well might be the Yankees' best player.
Granderson seems like the most likely to depart. But, if he returns to his 2011 form, where he smacked over 40 home runs and finished with over 100 RBI and runs scored, he would be a tough guy to let walk. You can't just find guys who can hit over 120 home runs in three seasons on the market these days.
As for Hughes, he is their homegrown darling who has never quite reached the potential most advanced scouts saw in him. He is coming off his best season, and if he improves he will receive a lucrative contract in free agency.
1. Last Ride?
This could be it. One guy has already retired once. The other has hinted at it several times.
Odds say that this is more than likely the last time Yankees fans will see Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera don the pinstripes.
Andy Pettitte has pitched in more big playoffs games than any Yankee pitcher ever. His heart has always been in New York. He has left twice and always finds his way back home. He will be missed once he officially hangs them up.
Mariano Rivera is not only the greatest closer the game has ever seen, he very well may be the most dominating pitcher ever, too.
His numbers speak for themselves, and there will be no question about his future induction into the Hall of Fame. Yankees fans have been spoiled seeing him enter games in the ninth, and when he leaves it will take a long time to fill that void.
Enjoy this season and appreciate everything these two have done throughout their careers.


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South African band IV4 recently won the Converse Get Out Of The Garage competition. The band received the unforgettable experience of travelling to New York to record with a world class sound engineer, Jason Finkel and the team at Converse Rubber Tracks.
The band describe their adventure as nothing short of fantastic as it gave them the one-of-a-kind experience of meeting new thought-provoking people in a city filled with inspiration. Even though they were in a foreign city where hard work was a part of their thrilling schedule, they were made to feel at home which enabled them to bring out the best of their musical talents.
"We were pushed to new levels, made to dig deep and honestly, we feel we emerged from the studio time a different band - our perspectives broadened and with our minds more open". New York not only gave IV4 new sights to see but gave them new knowledge which they will certainly never forget.
You'll also be delighted to know that the Converse All Star Chuck '70 Down limited edition is available in the following stores:
- Shesha Sandton and Melrose
- Xtrend Sandton
- Superbalist
- Shesha Sandton and Melrose
- Xtrend Sandton
- Superbalist
Registered article
Converse South Africa | Trends | Culture | Music

subset: commoncrawl


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General Knowledge
The importance of general knowledge spans itself way beyond knowing the answers to a trivia and general knowledge quizzes. An individual's personality can only be judged by his up-to-date knowledge of various subjects and current affairs in different domains that makes him an intelligent person with whom everyone would like to interact and would also like to ask him for some advice. From students to professionals to business owners to homemakers this applies to virtually everyone in all walks of life.
At Sharda English Academy it is our constant endeavour to keep students aware not only with the latest happening around them but also with the current affairs which touches each one of our lives. Imparting the knowledge of surrounding tremendously helps the students and teachers to develop their inner skills that can make them a better individual of future.


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it's one of my favorite words. along with rue, moot, supercilious, gumption. words that when you use them one give yourself a mental high five because you found a home for it.
yes, i'm a book nerd and a journalism major. i can lose myself in the stories of characters and somehow, they help me write my own story. but if you're here, and you've been here before, i suppose you already knew about my affinity for words. i use a lot of them.
sometimes there you are on a sunday afternoon, with those sunday blues rolling in, as they invariably do, faster than the waves off lake shore. you're cooking your way through the day to focus on something other than everything that's uncontrollable and life goes and gives you a spoonful of serendipity. in the form of a cup of flour. because sometimes that's all you need, a cup full of serendipity. and your whole heart sighs.
my family was in town last weekend. and it always fractures my heart when they leave – whenever we leave each other. it's always better together, when you're standing next to the people who matter most – when you can stop the metaphorical swinging arms that may come their way. it can feel helpless when they're three inches away on a map.
cooking is my therapy. things become clearer and slow down for me when i start cooking. but the universe felt like playing a few tricks on me. i was making tortilla soup when the can opener broke. i still had 4 cans to open – so there i was with a machete of a knife prying it open. i can't believe i still have 10 fingers and zero stitches. then the sugar spilled all over my cabinet. and i thought i had turned on a burner but really i had only turned the gas on so i'm pretty sure i was also high off fumes. i was a hot mess.
but i needed to keep cooking. i could feel it helping. my mind was sorting itself out as i chopped up the peppers, as i kneaded the dough.
then i was short 1 cup of flour. you can't very well make bread without flour. that's like making a toast without bubbles. it defeats the purpose. so i poured a glass of wine, and just kept going. i cut the sugar in half, knowing it's ying wouldn't have its yang without enough flour.
and here's the serendipity of it all – it's probably the best bread i've ever made. it's not too sweet, just moist (worst word ever) enough and fine. with one small thing awry. because the batter is liquid-ier (totally a word) without the flour, the chocolate chips sink like anchor to the bottom and it leaves all the chocolate at the bottom layer of the bread.
i actually didn't mind it. well, i rather prefer it. all the chocolate making that bottom layer up. but if it will bother you – just skip the chocolate chips. the bread makes up for it.
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- two zucchinis, grated (about 2 cups)
- preheat oven to 325
- in a small bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon. whisk until combined,
- in a large bowl, add eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla. whisk until combined.
- slowly add dry ingredient to liquid ingredients, stirring each time a bit more is added.
- fold in zucchini
- pour into greased bread pan
- cook for 45 – 55 minutes until cooked through


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Thank you for your support!
For more than 65 years, South Milwaukee Little League has provided fun, active, organized baseball and softball for the kids in and around our community. This wouldn't be possible without the generous support of SMLL friends, families, and businesses. Your tax-deductible donation helps offset the cost of equipment, field maintenance and operational expenses.
- Dr. Darrell A. Francis
- Lucas Milhaupt
- Martin Dental
- Kelly A. Martyka – Attorney at Law
- Molthen-Bell Funeral Home
- M.C.S. General Contracting
- Max A. Sass & Sons Funeral and Cremation Service
- McDonald's
- Pioneer Travel
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- Papa Luigi's
- The Rotary Club of Mitchell Field
- and more…
- View more SMLL Sponsors
South Milwaukee Little League is a chartered member of Little League International with participants from South Milwaukee, St. Francis, Cudahy, and Bay View. Over 250 players, ages 4 through 16 participate across 14 baseball and softball divisions. South Milwaukee Little League is a non-profit organization, and relies solely on sponsors and league families for financial support. South Milwaukee Little League offers several sponsorship options this season.
Interested in becoming a sponsor? Contact us at email@example.com


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AMD Trinity APUs Introduced
Following its rivals who have added new chips to their product line up, chip maker AMD also has brought in one more name to their processor line up the other day.
Dubbed Trinity, this new chip from AMD, obviously, challenges Ivy Bridge from Intel's stable, with similar features like the ability to offer extend battery life along with improved speed and graphics capabilities.
According to AMD's claims, the new APUs offers anything close to 8 hours of web browsing time, leaving many of its rivals behind. Apart from that, the new chip will be more valuable for non-Intel ultra thin laptops which are called sleekbooks by HP.
In addition to delivering performance boost to these devices, Trinity APUs makes them capable of offering some extra pleasure to the users with some software tweaks.
For instance, Trinity enables automatic image stabilization and allows users to have multi-person HD video chat.
The chip maker also claims that the chip brings along Quick Stream, a technology that channels the major chunk of the network bandwidth to video streaming. This way user gets a hassle free, smoother streaming experience even on low-speed connections.
Trinity also offers more than 30 hardware accelerated features for Photoshop CS6. Similarly, Winzip also works better on machines with AMD Trinity APUs.
According to AMD, the Trinity chip has already made it into the spec list of the future devices from major manufactures. Though we are yet to confirm this, grapevine in the industry say that HP, Samsung, Toshiba, Acer, Asus and Sony probably will order them soon.
AMD announced that the Trinity desktop chip will be launched in June. It will take one more month for you to see machines carrying it in the market.


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I previously blogged about the CarouselView and how it is taking over the CarouselPage in 2.2.0. One of the first things that I needed from the new Carousel View were some page indicators. While there is a feature request for this, it will probably be some time before its implemented. As such I thought I would implement my own.
Carousel View Indicator
First I created a view indicator control, that is just a grid and it hosts an image per indicator. At the moment it only allows an image to be an indicator, however I think some good enhancements would be to make the page indicator a data template that you could add anything to.
Binding Carousel View Indicator
Now we just need to bind the Indicator to a common Position and ItemsSource. This allows the CarouselView to update the Position in the indicator and we need the ItemsSource to get the count of the items.
If you want the images I used here they are
If Xamarin implement this feature in the future it will most likely be a lot easier to use since it can be tied up to the internal events. In the meantime enjoy this extension.
Example Project: CarouselView Sample


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DSAEK : (Descemet's Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty)
DSAEK (pronounced de-sak) is a cornea transplantation surgical procedure that offers the benefits of rapid visual recovery, a smaller incision, with lesser chances of astigmatism when compared to the standard corneal transplant procedure known as penetrating keratoplasty (PKP).
The falling endothelium layer of the cornea causes the cornea to become cloudy and swollen in patients suffering from Fuchs Dystrophy.
The layer of cells inside the surface of the cornea is called the endothelium. Until recently, the practice was to replace the endothelial layer of cells with the full thickness corneal implant.
DSAEK is a technology that replaces only the back layer of the cornea instead of the full thickness.
This provides improved vision and has many inherent advantages over the full thickness transplants.
Benefits include
Earlier return of good vision.
Reduced refractive errors
Lesser complications
Stable eye
DSAEK is suitable for most cases where cornea transplantation is advised. The final decision on the procedure should be taken in consultation with your eye surgeon.


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Is Fruit Juice Healthy or a Problem?
Did you grow up drinking a glass of juice with your breakfast? Perhaps you still drink it, along with your coffee. After all, a glass of OJ means a boost of Vitamin C, right? But is fruit juice really healthy?
I once thought – as you may have – that juice was a healthier choice over sodas and processed sugary drinks. In truth, juice purchased from the store, is quite close to a drink made of liquid sugar.
What's the Big Deal?
The sugar in fruit is fructose – the same as in the problematic high fructose corn syrup. Despite its natural source, fructose, unless it is wrapped in a whole fruit, is bad news for your body. It is known to contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and cholesterol challenges.
Drinking a 12-oz glass of OJ floods your system with a whopping 37 grams of sugar. The same amount of apple juice brings in 40 grams of sugar, which is as much as the average can of soda. At 4 grams per teaspoon, that's a lot of sugar.
One of the biggest problems is that fruit juice contains NO fiber and is a concentrated source of liquid sugar/fructose. Juice goes through your digestive system quickly and spikes your blood sugar levels. This contributes to the development of insulin resistance, weight gain and stress on your liver, where fructose is processed. This study demonstrated what is far too common.
How is Fruit Juice Made?
There's more to producing fruit juice than you realize – it's not just squeezed right into the carton. Oranges are picked from the orchards and the juice is extracted, heated to pasteurize, and stored in huge vats where the oxygen is removed to extend the storage life. Removing the oxygen removes a lot of flavor, so companies hire chemical engineers to create "flavor packs" that make the juice taste fresh squeezed again. Yuck!
Though you expected to consume vitamins, antioxidants and enzymes in your juice, the pasteurization process wipes these out. Lacking fiber means that there's nothing to slow the spike of blood sugar or feed your gut bacteria. That's a problem!
Are There Better Options?
Yes, and they start with the foundation of hydration – water. You can add flavor by infusing your water with slices of orange, lemon, lime or cucumber. I particularly enjoy a glass of sparkling water with a squeeze of lime or a splash of cranberry juice.
And if you need more flavor, try kombucha tea. This fermented tea is low in sugar and high in healthful phytochemicals and gut-healing probiotics. You will find kombucha in the produce section of your grocery store. There are a variety of flavors available and I recommend you look for one with 8 grams of sugar or less.
Is fruit juice really healthy? While you may be shocked to learn that it really isn't, it's never too late to edit your approach (where have I heard that before?) and improve the effect on your body. Each edit you make can take you one step further down the path to pursue wellness!


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kvsupply.com > Equine > Barn & Pasture Supplies > Stall Equipment > Item # G23040
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Spain has served as a global model of freedom and human rights since the peaceful transition to democracy after former Head of State and dictator Francisco Franco's death in 1975. Although its economy was strong and growing immediately after the country joined the EU in 1986, it entered a severe economic depression in mid-2008. The economy has turned around in the past several years, and Spain now enjoys strong GDP growth of 3%, exceeding the EU average.
Spain is about five times the size of the U.S. state of Kentucky. Bordering countries include Andorra, France, Gibraltar, Portugal and Morocco. It also has borders on the Mediterranean Sea, Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean, and sits along the Pyrenees Mountains. The capital of Spain is Madrid.
Manufacturing in Spain
Spain manufactures textiles and apparel, footwear, food and beverages, metals, chemicals, automobiles, machine tools, medical equipment, footwear, pharmaceuticals, clay and refractory products.
Industrial production is growing at about 4% annually as of 2017. Industry accounts for 23.2% of Spain's GDP.
Other Important Industries
Tourism and services make up about 74.2% of Spain's GDP.
The country is about 54% agricultural land and 36% forests. About 9% of the agricultural land is devoted to permanent crops and 20% to permanent pasture. Primary agricultural products include grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus, beef, pork, poultry, dairy products and fish.
Supply Chain Infrastructure for Manufacturing
The supply chain infrastructure in Spain is strong due to its robust transportation and communications systems. Virtually 100% of the population has a cellphone, and the country has broadband internet connections in nearly 30% of homes and 100% of businesses. As far as Spain's transportation system, it's rail system is the most developed and one of the best in Western Europe.
Spain has 99 airports with paved runways, most of which can handle freight planes. As a result, Spain handled 1.04 billion mt-km of air freight in 2015. In addition, the country has 10 heliports, making air travel and freight delivery a relatively simple matter.
Spain also has highly developed rail and roadway systems. Spain ranks number 10 in the world for most miles of paved roadway and also has 1,000 km of inland waterways. The country's rail system is robust at more than 15,300 km of track. Regardless of your need to ship by air, water, road or rail, Spain's infrastructure can support it, so it's easy to make decisions that meet both cost and speed criteria.
Spain's unemployment rate is high at 17.2% as of 2017, but that is down from a high of 26% in 2013. The workforce is well educated, with a literacy rate of 98.3% of the population.
Agriculture employs 4.2% of the workforce, services 71.7% and industry employs the remaining 24%. The workforce totals 22.75 million people as of 2017.
Spain ranks number 53 in the world for geographic area, but it has the 28th largest population and the 15th largest GDP at $1.314 trillion. Spain joined the EU in 1986, and is the fourth largest EU economy.
From 2008 to 2013, the country suffered from a prolonged economic contraction that followed the global economic crisis. Strong growth in exports helped the country recover.
In 2017, Spain exported about $313.7 billion worth of goods. Primary trading partners included France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, the U.K. and the U.S. Spain's primary exports include machinery, motor vehicles, food, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods.
Spain imported around $338.6 billion in 2017. The primary commodities included machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semi-finished goods, food, consumer goods, measuring and medication control equipment. Primary import partners were Germany, France, China, Italy, Netherlands, and the U.K. It ranks 15th in the world for imports.
Tax Rules
Taxes equal 37.9% percent of the GDP. It is relatively easy to file taxes in Spain, although it can take up to 184 hours per year. The time allotment is generally heaviest for employer-paid social security contributions, which may total 29.9% of gross salaries. Corporate income taxes equal 25% of profit. Other taxes may apply depending on the business type. There are also several additional miscellaneous taxes, including taxes on transportation, fuel usage and an environmental tax. Most taxes can be paid online.
Getting Down to Business
Doing business in Spain is exciting, challenging and potentially lucrative. Spain's economy is currently on an upswing, and the high unemployment rate means it is easy to attract employees with sought-after skills and education. As a member of the EU, doing business in Spain is relatively easy, and its central location and well-developed infrastructure make it easy to import and export across Europe, Asia and the Americas.
There is a great deal of opportunity in Spain for setting up a new manufacturing business or globalizing an existing operation. QAD has the tools you need to jumpstart the process. QAD Production Orders allows simplified setup and operation of any type of manufacturing, and QAD Internationalization enables companies to identify and overcome the challenges associated with taxes, regulations and globalization.
How would you describe the state of Manufacturing in Spain? Learn more about manufacturing and doing business in other great countries around the world.


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JEMS Editor-in-Chief A.J. Heightman discusses how we can learn from the past to make the future of EMS even better.
This update includes coverage of NEMSMA's global resilience efforts; NVFC's Share the Load Program; ImageTrend's CrewCare app; research, articles, presentations and projects from the Strub Caulkins Center for Suicide Research; and a new textbook on building resiliency and companion online CE developed by JEMS.
Simulation activities with standardized patients are typically more challenging to design, but using them can significantly enhance realism.
The clinical presentation of this rare cardiac anomaly is characteristically similar to that of acute coronary syndrome, and there's typically a significant stressful event that precedes the onset of symptoms.
PCR signatures are an essential part of patient care, accountability and compliance. But who needs to sign it, and why? Steve Wirth discusses the key reasons to ensure that your entire crew signs a report.
Transporting patients is a good way to stay out of trouble and keep reimbursement rates up. On the other hand, it doesn't take too much to imagine that there aren't a whole lot of patients who really need an ambulance or an ED, especially for what are often primary or chronic care complaints. The trick is to figure out which ones don't need to go.
Check out the latest products reviewed in JEMS
Doc Wesley and Medic Wesley unpack a study that aims to determine how frequently EMS providers receive feedback.
Check out the latest products reviewed in JEMS
EMS needs a diagnostic tool that goes beyond a simple history and physical exam, so that we can navigate our stroke patients to the closest facility that can provide the appropriate intervention for their stroke pathology.


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The Sun today is a signal of enlightenment and illumination in your life. You are seeing the truth in every person and every situation that you are dealing with, mainly because you are embracing your inner truth. As you embrace the light that is within you, so too comes a new lease of life, a new found enthusiasm for life itself, and the ability to see the positive in life's encounters.
Image Credit: Black Cats Tarot
Rosalind Medea is an Intuitive Reader, who does intuitive readings, tarot readings, spiritual life coaching, and Twin Flame/Twin Soul guidance. Personal tarot readings with Rosalind are now available via Patreon.


text: If you are a true fan of travelling and have an idea to create your own website and blog about trips, you'll appreciate this awesome theme! Emigrar is one of the most powerful and flexible solutions for travel company. The theme is fully responsive – it will look greatly on any device. therefore, your audience can follow up your updates anywhere. Features and capabilities of the Emigrar theme include a lot of things. Like the clean and professional design, flexible page layouts, and user-friendly.


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around the world
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around the world
around the world
around the world
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Industrial and environmental inspection, vendor inspection, technical assistance, non-destructive testing (NDT) and technical staffing for all type of industries.
Multidisciplinary laboratories.Testing and engineering for product development. Conformity testing and product certification. SYSTEMS CERTIFICATION.
Statutory vehicle inspection services and emission & gas testing solutions worldwide.
Design, engineering, testing and homologation services for the automotive industry worldwide.
Magnetic particle inspection is an extremely sensitive non-destructive testing (NDT) method for use on ferrous materials. It can detect minute cracks open to the surface as well as some sub-surface discontinuities. Magnetic particle inspection is one of the most economical and fastest ways to ensure that ferrous materials are safe and ready for use in the field. In simplified terms, this type of non-destructive inspection is performed by creating a magnetic field around the material being tested and then applying a carrier fluid holding particles typically made up of iron oxide. Any defect in the surface or just under the surface of the subject material will distort the magnetic field surrounding it, causing the particles in the carrier fluid to be drawn to it. This attraction is easily detected and identified. If there are no flaws in the material, the particles within the magnetic field will remain evenly distributed throughout. The productivity and sensitivity of this method makes magnetic particle inspection a standard requirement in the inspection industry.


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SPRING TRAINING REWIND: Meat Puppets, Gin Blossoms and other Arizona exports
As you read this—assuming of course you're frantically refreshing the site on the day it's posted—I am in Mesa, Arizona to watch my beloved Oakland Athletics play baseball. Well… sort of, since they're mostly players destined for the minor leagues and the games don't actually count. But I haven't seen baseball of any type in, like, six months so I'll take what I can get.
Anyway, my point is I'm at Spring Training in Arizona. Which is not in the Bay Area.
Now, I have somewhat of a reputation of being a regionalist snob. People say I insist all bands from the Bay Area are better than bands from everywhere else, which is true, but that's not snobbery, that's just good musical taste. I mean it's not like I like Train or Starship. The perception persists, however, so I've decided to use this trip to Arizona to rectify it.
I did some reading, and did you know there are bands from Arizona? Really, it's true! So I'm going to take this opportunity to dispel any lingering notion that I look down on the rest of the world by trying to list four of my favorite songs by Arizona bands from the '90s—and one from the last decade!—assuming I can find five Arizona bands.
Okilly Dokilly — "Reneducation"
This is an easy call since it combines two of my favorite things: Metal and Simpsons quotes.
If you're not aware of the geniuses of Phoenix-natives Okilly Dokilly, they're the world's only Nedal band, which is of course Ned-Flanders-themed metal. They have songs called "White Wine Spritzer," "Nothing at All," and "Godspeed Little Doodle," which are both great songs and deep-cut references.
You may think they're a joke—and they absolutely are—but they're also very talented musicians who just released their second album. The video above is its lead single. This is a multi-album thing! The world is a beautiful place sometimes.
Meat Puppets — "Backwater"
As it turns out the Meat Puppets are also from Phoenix! A wildly influential band in their own right, they never really took off commercially until Nirvana gave them a guest spot on their legendary MTV Unplugged special. Their next album, which included "Backwater," sold like crazy.
It's not solely due to Nirvana, though. This song is really good! As is their other stuff. Granted, Nirvana's covers were better, but it's not fair to compare anyone to them. Nirvana could play the worst song in the world—say, "Summer Girls" by LFO—and it wound be good.
Wait, this got off track. Nirvana is from Seattle, which is like the Bay Area's moody little brother, so I'm losing the point.
Alice Cooper — "Feed My Frankenstein"
"Wait a second!" I can hear you shout into your monitor. "That's cheating! Alice Cooper is from Detroit!"
It's true, Vince Furnier is from Detroit. But he moved to Phoenix for high school where he started a band called the Spiders, who changed their name to Nazz, then to Alice Cooper. When the band broke up, Vince, who had already been going by "Alice Cooper" personally, legally changed his name so he could tour as a solo artist without losing the name recognition.
So, yes, the man behind Alice Cooper is from Detroit. But Alice Cooper is from Phoenix. So it counts.
Gin Blossoms — "Hey Jealousy"
OK, so now I'm reaching a bit.
I ran out of Phoenix bands so I've moved on to Tempe, home of the Gin Blossoms. "Hey Jealousy" was great the first few times I heard it back in the early '90s. By the mid-'90s it was still OK. But it's 2019 now and I've had just about enough.
Really, Arizona? Fourth song in and I'm down to the Gin Blossoms? If I did the top five songs Bay Area bands played at Woodstock it would take effort to pare it down. The top five songs by Arizona bands? That would be tricky, as there were no Arizona bands at the festival.
The Refreshments — "Yahoos and Triangles"
I'm down to The Refreshments, the previous band of Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers.
I was going so far as to consider Jimmy Eat World rather than put "Banditos" on the list because because I've heard that song one too many times in the '90s, but when I found out the theme song to King of the Hill is one of theirs, I caved. Good show, good song. And the band's other material was also worthy.
Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to watch my East Bay baseball team, then maybe listen to Digital Underground's seminal album Sex Packets (pun absolutely intended) while wearing a Creedence Clearwater T-shirt.
Follow editor Daniel J. Willis and tweet column ideas to him at Twitter.com/BayAreaData.


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2013 Fierce-40 Previews: #9-South Carolina
2013 Fierce 40 Previews
#9 South Carolina Gamecocks
2012 Recap:
A 6-0 start and then the Gamecocks dropped a pair against LSU and Florida. The Gamecocks responded by winning five to close out the season including the exciting victory over Michigan in the Outback Bowl to go 11-2.
The "Ol' Ball Coach" is still going strong at 68 and turning in some fine years with South Carolina after a shaky start. South Carolina has some very special players and recruiting is not a problem. Spurrier has had some very good seasons in Columbia but he has yet to have "the season".
Quarterbacks/Running Backs:
For being an ex-quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner, Steve Spurrier has always had a certain amount of unrest at the quarterback spot over the years. Stephen Garcia was the most recent example of a highly prized recruit falling short of expectations but South Carolina has been finding a way to make it work. Connor Shaw is a senior this year but late last year when injuries got the better of him, Dylan Thompson got his chance and he performed admirably. The Gamecocks lose a bit of mobility as Shaw is a better runner than Thompson, but Thompson can find the seam and run when he needs to. I expect both to see a significant amount of time. It looks like Shaw will be ready for the opener but that is not a given, and the first game against North Carolina is far from a "gimmie".
South Carolina will get right back to pounding the ball even after losing Marcus Lattimore to the NFL after a second devastating knee injury in college. With Mike Davis and Brandon Wilds the Gamecocks have a nice capable 1-2 punch, but they do not have that 25-30 carry "put it on my back" type runner or approach of a Marcus Lattimore. While the breakaway speed and big play seems more evident than ever, they may miss Lattimore around the goal line where he was one of the best in the nation at punching the ball in. South Carolina prides itself in being efficient with the football, controlling the clock and keeping their stellar defense fresh. I do not see a definitive prospect at these positions yet but that could change with more seasoning from the backs.
Best Draft Prospect: N/A
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends:
Ace Sanders didn't have huge numbers nor was he huge in stature but he was an integral part of the offense. Sanders did a great job drawing away coverage and defenders, and opening up the middle of the field for the running game or the short passing game. Sanders could just flat out fly down the field and you had to respect his speed. Bruce Ellington didn't have as many catches as Sanders last year but he had more yards and he will star with Damiere Byrd who had an astounding 26 YPC average on 14 catches. It looks like South Carolina will have plenty of targets, but it just remains to be seen how effective the offense will be without a true #1 target.
When you look at the passing game and prospects for the NFL, tight end Rory Anderson looks to be the most viable option and he has some NFL talent still to come. Anderson had only 14 catches last season but 5 went for touchdowns and Anderson averaged nearly 20 yards per reception, as he is a hard man to bring down in the open field. Anderson only weighs about 225 but he has a frame where he can add about 20-25 pounds and it shouldn't have a huge impact on his speed. I expect the running backs to be a little more active in the passing game as this was not one of Marcus Lattimore's strengths.
Best Draft Prospect: Rory Anderson TE 5th Round 2015.
Offensive Line:
The offensive line has been something of a sore spot for South Carolina and it's followers over the course of the last five years or so. The line seems intently built to cater to the running game and struggles with pass protection, routinely ranking near the bottom of the SEC in terms of sacks given up. This is another reason why the mobility of a player like Connor Shaw may be seen as more favorable for this offense. The Gamecocks have a couple of 5th round prospects for 2015 at guard in A.J. Cann and tackle in 6'8" Corey Robinson. While Cann and Robinson look to be the pro prospects it may be center Cody Waldrop that has the most important assignment along the line at center. Waldrop will be following three year starter T.J. Johnson and he has some huge shoes to fill. The right side of the line also has a pair of starters that return in Ronald Patrick and Brandon Shell. Both are very capable lineman but the line is not as mobile on the right side as the left and it is noticeable. Four of the positions along the line have freshman that are listed next on the depth chart so there is definitely a youth movement going on along the line at South Carolina.
Best Draft Prospect: A.J. Cann OG 5th Round 2015and Corey Robinson OT 5th Round 2015.
Defensive Line:
No secret that the strength of the defense for South Carolina is along the line since it is led by the greatest college football player on the planet in Jadeveon Clowney. Clowney posted 13 sacks and 23.5 tackles for a loss last season as well as making "the hit" on Victor Smith during the Outback Bowl, which resulted in a fumble that Clowney recovered and led to a South Carolina touchdown on the next play. If you haven't seen this play on ESPN during the last year at least 50 times then you aren't watching enough football on television because it was and continues to be everywhere even winning an ESPY Award for Best Play. Clowney is clearly the best player in this draft and he would have been the top pick in the last draft if he were eligible. As talented as Clowney is he needs other players along the line to divert a little attention away from him, even though he tends to beat double teams at will. This is why a player like tackle Kelcy Quarles is so important, Quarles does not have the all-around game as some of the top defensive tackles but his explosion off the snap is unparalleled. Quarles is a 3rd/4th round prospect for the 2015 draft although he could follow Clowney into the draft if he has a monster season and raises his stock. Chaz Sutton is the new starter at defensive end opposite Clowney but he is a seasoned player who has plenty of experience. This should be one of the top lines in the SEC and leading this defense to be ranked in the top 10 overall or close to it for the season (they were #11 last year).
Best Draft Prospect: Jadeveon Clowney DE 1st Round 2015 (Will be turning pro and likely to battle Teddy Bridgewater to be the top pick overall).
The weakness on defense is right here as the Gamecocks are starting new linebackers at all three positions for 2013. The key to the success of this trio will be the effectiveness of the line up front and how much pressure they are able to generate on the quarterback. For most teams the more pressure you get on a quarterback the better, because your secondary does not have to engage with an opposing receiver nearly as long. Here the secondary is solid and the focus is shifting to the linebackers. Kaiwan Lewis and Cedrick Cooper seem to have played themselves into the starting lineup. South Carolina is predicated on speed for offense and defense and the style is similar to that of a Florida defense where size is not always a factor or one that needs to be watched closely. Lewis is the heaviest linebacker and he is currently listed at 216 pounds, so ensuring the linebackers do not get overpowered or wear down will be a legitimate concern.
Best Draft Prospect: N/A
South Carolina finished #21 in the nation against the pass a season ago and that is a number that we should see get closer to #1 this year. While the defensive line is the focus with Jadeveon Clowney and some other star-studed players, the secondary is packed with solid prospects and this could potentially be an even better area of strength than the defensive line. Victor Hampton is a 2nd/3rd rounder that I feel has a good shot to go pro as he saw the success Stephon Gilmore had this past season. Hampton suffers some bouts of inconsistency though and will take some chances. As long as Hampton doesn't bite too often on play action, which he has in the past due to his aggressive nature, he will do just fine and have a terrific career. Jimmy Legree will be the other starting cornerback and he projects as a 6th/7th round prospect for this season.
T.J. Gurley will be the free safety and is the only member of the secondary that is not a returning starter. Brison Williams will be the strong safety as he posted 52 tackles with an interception and 2 pass breakups a season ago. Williams is a fringe prospect for 2015 and he will have some help from junior Kadetrix Marcus who should be a primary backup at both positions. The secondary has a nice mixture of fantastic athletes and "safe" options who are solid football players with sound fundamentals. The fact that South Carolina has such a heavy pass-rush will help the secondary out as they can gamble and make a few more plays knowing they have a solid backup behind them.
Best Draft Prospect: Victor Hampton CB 2nd/3rd Round 2015. (Possible early entry this season).
Special Teams:
This is an area where South Carolina really struggled in 2012. Tyler Hull is the punter and South Carolina finished dead last in the SEC in net punting as the punt coverage let the team down too often. Landon Ard is the new kicker and South Carolina was just 11-17 on field goals a season ago as accuracy was a major question mark. Bruce Ellington and Victor Hampton will be the return men, and Victor Hampton will have to try and replace Ace Sanders who brought two returns back for touchdown on punt returns in 2012. South Carolina needs to ensure they win the battle of field position and don't give their defense short fields to work with.
Best Draft Prospect: Bruce Ellington WR/KR 7th Round 2015.
South Carolina will not have time to rest or build itself up for SEC competition as they start out at home against North Carolina and then a road game with Georgia. The game with Georgia could be one of the biggest games in the SEC with the winner of that game having a huge early advantage in the conference. October is nearly all on the road with road games against Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri. November had 4 games on the schedule and all are at home, with big games against Florida and in-state rival Clemson. If South Carolina can win the road game against Georgia then they may be positioning themselves for the SEC title game and even some loftier national expectations.
Draft Outlook:
We already know there will be a huge presence with Jadeveon Clowney looking to be a safe bet to be one of the top three taken in this draft with the #1 overall tag very likely. South Carolina lost a lot of firepower to the draft in 2012 but this team has plenty of talent to restock from. This team has been knocking on the door of being a major player for the National Championship and that is only going to further help the recruiting efforts of the Gamecocks.


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Ministry of Transport held a joint coordination meeting with sector organizations.
Meeting held by participation of Ministers of Transport, Public Work, Finance and Deputy minister of Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Deputy chairman of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries, General Director of Traffic Directorate and delegates of transportation companie
During the meeting, Mr. Mohammad Hamid Tahmasi, the Transport Minister reminded the meeting participants of last year's achievement of MOT in 53% increase in transport revenue, finalizing the Road Transport Law, providing and finalizing the first 5years development plan of MOT, implementation of Lapis Lazuly Route agreement, execution of Chabahar Agreement, fundamental reforms and modernization of transport service providing system and he mentioned the cooperation and coordination of public and private sector with MOT are necessary to provide transportation services and to make a positive impact.
Also, Mr. Tahmasi emphasized that with the beginning of trucks number plate installation in Herat Province, this process is already started in Kabul and other provinces and he counted the process as a guarantee for execution of laws and prevention of tax fraud in the country.
Meeting participants in their speeches agreed on Mr. Tahmsi's point of view on coordination of public and private sector with MOT and mentioned it as the only solution to achieve the expected results.


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- Mac
- Design & Photo
- General
- Quartam Reports
Quartam Reports
You can download Quartam Reports 1.1 for Mac from our software library for free. The application can also be called "QRBuilder". The software lies within Design & Photo Tools, more precisely General.
Commonly, this application's installer has the following filename: qrtreports_116_macosx_setup.dmg. The size of the latest setup package available is 9.3 MB. Our built-in antivirus scanned this Mac download and rated it as virus free. The most popular version among Quartam Reports for Mac users is 1.1. The actual developer of this software for Mac is Quartam Software/Jan Schenkel. The bundle identifier for Quartam Reports for Mac is com.quartam.qrbuilder.
From the developer:
Quartam Reports is a professional reporting tool for revolution.
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US President Donald Trump's administration called on China Sunday to respect human rights and release from prison those jailed for trying to keep alive the memory of the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recalled the "violent suppression" of peaceful protests in and around the vast square in the heart of Beijing in a statement marking the 28th anniversary of the event.
The United States has routinely observed the anniversary with similar calls to China, but this was the first time under Trump's presidency.
"We call again on China to make a full accounting of those killed, detained or missing due to the events of June 4, 1989," he said.
"We urge China to cease harassment of family members seeking redress and to release from prison those who have been jailed for striving to keep the memory of Tiananmen Square alive.
"The United States views the protection of human rights as a fundamental duty of all countries, and we urge the Chinese government to respect the universal rights and fundamental freedoms of all its citizens."
China responded to the student-led protests by declaring martial law and sending heavily armed troops and tanks into the square.
Hundred of unarmed civilians — over 1,000 by some estimates — are believed to have died in the crackdown.


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Church Performances
For many years we have spent 3 Sunday mornings during the summer months traveling to local churches to sing a few vocal music selections when church choirs are usually not active. We travel from 7-9 churches on a Sunday morning and fit into a pre-arranged part of the church worship service. This not only provides a benefit to the church but provides our chorus a chance to sing in a wide variety of venues and spaces. It is a meaningful and fun way of spending a Sunday morning. We usually designate one of those Sundays as an opportunity to visit churches in a nearby area or community in addition to only singing in Manhattan.


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Interactive Books Have Just Become More So With iBooks Author 2.0
October 24, 2012
Along with a substantial update to iBooks, a similarly substantial update to iBooks Author has also been released by Apple. In the "little" big media event held by Apple today, Apple CEO Tim Cook highlighted the company's technological contribution in the field of education. And he noted that iBooks Author plays a key part in carrying out Apple's educational function. Launched at Apple's education event last January, iBooks Author is a Mac app that allows for the creation of various types of books for iPad. These include textbooks, cookbooks, history books, and picture books. As demonstrated by Cook earlier today, the newly updated iBooks Author boasts a number of new features. Now at version 2.0, iBooks Author lets you create books that are optimized for portrait orientation only. It also lets you embed custom fonts into books to suit your desired text appearance to a T. In addition, iBooks Author 2.0 promises more interactivity with its integration of the new scrolling sidebar and pop-over widgets. And for the mathematically inclined, iBooks Author now also supports proper display of mathematical expressions. The app is now equipped with a native equation editing feature using both LaTex and MathML notation. Furthermore, iBooks Author 2.0 includes the following enhancements:
The latest version of iBooks Author is available now in the Mac App Store as a free download. [gallery link="file" order="DESC"]
- Automatic optimization of media for iPad
- Improved support for embedded audio, including the ability to play an audio file by tapping an image
- Improved publishing workflow, including automatic sample book creation and pre-publish checking
- Additional Apple-designed templates
- Version numbering for books
- Enhanced to take advantage of the Retina display on the new MacBook Pro
- Performance improvements
- Usability improvements
Mentioned apps


text: Smart & Connected Life Smart Home How to Block and Unblock Contacts in Alexa Prevent that special someone from talking to you through Alexa call or messaging by Daniel Anglin Seitz Writer Dan Seitz is a tech writer with 10 years of experience writing about apps, gaming, and more. His work has appeared on Uproxx.com and other outlets. our editorial process LinkedIn Daniel Anglin Seitz Updated on February 16, 2019 Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images Smart Home Amazon Smart Home: Alexa & Amazon Echo Your Best Year Ever: College Tech Tips Appliances & Lighting Google Tweet Share Email Alexa can be a handy way to call friends and family when you've got your hands full, but you may want to limit your calls to a small handful of people. Here's how to block contacts on Alexa, and unblock them later. Alexa and Voice Calls Alexa's voice and video call option, called Alexa Communicate, has a few pieces it's important to know about: This will apply only to people who use Alexa Communicate. You won't be able to block people from calling your smartphone or other devices through this app. You'll need to agree to let the Alexa app access and upload your contacts from your smartphone.You can add contacts individually instead, and you may want to consider that for friends who have asked for their privacy to be respected.You can't be contacted by strangers through Alexa Communicate; the tool will only work with contacts you already have, and with a phone and an Alexa device sharing a Wi-Fi network.Alexa Communicate can only be used between Alexa-enabled Amazon Echo devices, which have been connected to a smartphone that has the Alexa app installed. Your friends won't be able to call your Echo from their phones, unless they have the Alexa app installed and you've enabled them to Drop-In. Drop-In is not enabled on all devices, and video calls are not part of Drop-In. Set Alexa to Block All Contacts From Using Drop-In If you don't want Drop-In enabled at all, you can shut it off with just a few taps. This menu will also allow you enable sending text messages and enable or disable Caller ID for people who call you. Open the Alexa app, then tap Contacts. Tap your name at the top. Under the menu, tap the Allow Drop-In toggle switch to turn it off. That's it! How to Block Only Specific Contacts on Alexa In other cases you may want to stop hearing from the person entirely. This is done through the Contacts menu. This only applies to people who have the Alexa app, an Alexa-enabled device, and Alexa Communicate enabled, so while you may see your contacts on the contacts page, you won't see them under the Block Contacts menu. Open the Alexa app's menu and tap Contacts. Tap the three dots icon in the top right hand corner, then tap Block Contacts. This will show you contacts you can keep from reaching out to you. Tap Block and the person will be blocked. If you change your mind, you can simply return to the same menu. Your contact will still be there, just tap Unblock.


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WENATCHEE, Wash. — A community in Washington state plans to use goats to reduce the risk of wildfires.
Oregon Public Broadcasting reported Wednesday that a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant will fund the rental of goats to clear flammable brush around Wenatchee.
A wildfire near the city 148 miles east of Seattle four years ago destroyed 28 homes and three businesses.
Chelan County Fire District 1 Chief Brian Brett says 300 goats will be used for up to 10 days in July to eat fast-burning grass from areas that are hard for people and machines to reach.
This is the first time the district has rented the animals from a goat herder in Ephrata, Washington.
Brett says if the experiment goes well, the goats will return next spring.


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We are a group of Roku TV (and soon Amazon Fire TV) producers.
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Read the forum guidelines
How many months have COX telephone customer representatives told me they are not seeing any negated issues on their end, eight months now? I have been using my computer to talk with COX on the phone so I don't get disconnected and they seem to think I can hear, I CAN'T HEAR. I'M DEAF, you ignorant fools! I have to use my cell phone which is from a different phone provider because I have an app that lets me see and read the conversation but uses my data. I can't even make doctor appointments or connect with businesses to schedule appointments without them telling me there is static or a bad connection from my end on my landline phone. My telephone is a closed-captioned telephone but I only use it to call COX and they are the only business I am able to call without static or a bad connection, why am I paying $22.00 per month for that service. Before having to call every month this year for four months you kept changing the prices. I allowed you to send technicians to come out to supposedly fix the problematic issue and all they ever do is change the modem and tell me that everything is working fine. Wrong, my doctors and business associates are telling me there is static and/or a bad connection. Sometimes the calls are dropped, I am disgustingly sick and tired of hearing the same old excuse that my phone is working fine. Before 2019 my phone was really working excellent but these past over eight months I am tired of looking at the phone on the left of this computer every week and being forced to use my cell phone using my data and paying $22.00 per month for a useless service on the landline. What good is having a landline phone and only using it to call COX all the time!!! That is a very expensive, useless service!


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Kim captioned a pic, "Graduating class of 2014 & 2015! 🎓 Congrats @kendalljenner & @kyliejenner for graduating high school! #SurpriseGraduationParty!" The celebration was also attended by sisters Khloé and Kourtney, and friend Gigi Hadid.
She wrote, "I ❤having my grandma here to celebrate these moments! My daughter is so lucky to have her greatgrandma here! #Family."


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MPH students must fulfill departmental requirements for their competency-based practicum. At Mailman, students must complete a Scope of Work form (SOW); the SOW needs to be approved by their academic advisor and their department coordinator prior to starting the practicum. As indicated in the table below, each department has specific hourly requirements regarding the practicum experience. More information on the details of departmental requirements can be found by clicking on the departmental tab or by reaching out to the contacts below.
|Minimum Required Time
|No hourly requirement
|Justine Herrera
|Environmental Health Sciences
|150-300 hours
|Nina Kulacki
|280 hours (Columbia MPH)
140 hours (Accelerated MPH)
|Dr. Batya Elul
|Health Policy & Management
|350 hours
Full-time summer practicum for 8-10 weeks
|Marjorie Thomas
|Population & Family Health
|140 hours for domestic
International: 8-10 weeks minimum,
10-12 weeks strongly encouraged
|Chelsea Kolff
|Sociomedical Sciences
|280 hours (Columbia MPH)
140 hours (Accelerated MPH)
|Andrea Constancio


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Project Information
This research will develop a coherent and holistic freight data collection framework for tracking vehicles and shipments and for surveying all relevant freight agents (e.g. producers, shippers, logistics providers, carriers wholesalers, retailers, end-consumers) with considerable time and geographical coverage (national, regional/urban, and rural areas). The framework is based on innovative and scalable technologies, and it aims to ameliorate inherent limitations in current freight data collection methods, obtain unprecedented freight data for statistical purposes, and enable the implementation of a new generation of freight models, including agent-based models. The key concept underlying this proposal is the Future Mobility Survey (FMS) tool, which has already proven effective in passenger surveys. FMS will use smartphones and global positioning system (GPS) loggers, advanced sensing and communication technologies, and machine learning algorithms to collect data reflecting what all relevant freight agents do, not what they say they do. State-of-the-art sensing devices enhance the quality and quantity of data, especially when combined with information from agents themselves.


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Hindu lawmaker tables bills against forced conversions, child marriages
Islamabad: Prominent Hindu Lawmaker Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani has tabled two bills and one resolution against forced conversions, child marriages and for protection of minorities throughout the country. Condemning the recent abduction of two Hindu sisters named Reena and Raveena, he also submitted a five-point resolution, which was supported by minority parliamentarians from various political parties, including: Lal Malhi, Dr Darshan, Shunila Ruth (PTI) and Ramesh Lal. Dr Ramesh Vankwani, in the bill titled "the Child Marriage Restraint Act (Amendment 2019", seeks to make provisions for the right of freedom of marriage and ban on child marriages. Forced Marriage means a marriage where one or both parties have not given their consent and in prohibited under Section 498B of Pakistan Penal Code (Act XLV of 1860), he described in the bill. Dr Ramesh Vankwani, who is also patron-in-chief of Pakistan Hindu Council, emphasized in the bill titled "The Criminal Law (Protection of Minorities) Act 2019" that no person shall be deemed to have changed their religion until they attain the age of 18 years. He further stated that any person who forcefully converts another person shall be liable to punishment and a fine to be paid to the victim. "Whoever performs, conducts, directs, brings about or in any way or facilitates a marriage having knowledge that either or both parties are victim of forced conversion shall be liable to imprisonment of either description for minimum three years and a fine to be paid to the victim," the draft said, emphasizing that this shall also include any person who have provided the logistic support and any other essential services for such forced marriage ceremony. He also elaborated the role of government for curbing such social crimes. Dr Ramesh Kumar, in his resolution, also demanded to take strict action against culprits including controversial religious figures such as Mian Mithu Bharchoondi and Pir Ayub Jan Sirhindi for their alleged role. He asked the parliament to seek answers from such elements that why neither boy nor old woman, only young girls are converting religion? "All of those who are preaching hate under the cover of religion must be handled like banned religious organizations," the resolution stated. Talking to the media outside Parliament House, Dr Ramesh Vankwani said that unfortunately the practice of child marriage is common in all parts of Pakistan particularly in poor areas. He said that the amendment is intended to serve as a deterrent and to remove the existing gender disparity in age. Dr Ramesh, while exchanging his views, also appealed to all fellow parliamentarians to support his efforts for the betterment of entire society. He said that ensuring a peaceful society is responsibility of all Pakistani nationals and thus, regardless of minority or majority, everyone must promote tolerance, interfaith harmony and protection of minorities' rights, according to Quaid-e-Azam 's vision. Answering a question, he said that now this is also a test of all political parties to implement the vision of Quaid-e-Azam in letter and spirit. Time will tell who is serious to transform our beloved country in to a peaceful, prosperous and tolerant Pakistan and who is exploiting the religious sentiments of innocent people for personal gains. He concluded.


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THIS JOURNALIST IS OFFICIALLY CROWNING BERT KREISCHER AS THE MOST INTERESTING MAN IN COMEDY. If you haven't heard his name yet or listened to his mega-smash comedy specials on Netflix, what the hell have you been doing with your life? Bert Kreis
Sound Sessions Host Michael Heidemann calls up lead singer of The Rembrandts Danny Wild to chat about the bands new album "Via Satellite" which is their first release in over 18 years! Listen To The Full Podcast Right Here: Visit: http://www.
On this episode of 2 Dudes 1 Disc, host Mike Heidemann and former WGN master of the reel Erik Niewiarowski dive into Pearl Jam's first album "Ten." This would be the iconic sound that shaped a generation and forever placed their mark in
Singer/Songwriter Ashley McBryde speaks with Sound Sessions host Michael Heidemann live at Chicago's Apple Store before her intimate Apple Music's Up Next Live performance. They detail her humble beginnings in country music and how wisdom fr
Billy Ray Cyrus and country artist Johnny McGuire join Sound Sessions host Michael Heidemann to chat about their new single "Chevy's and Fords". On the heels of Lil Nas X's smash hit "Old Town Road" Billy Ray Cyrus jo
WGN Radio's Mike Heidemann speaks to Cameron Crowe about the journey he took as he dove into the wildly introspective mind of David Crosby. "David Crosby: Remember My Name" directed by A.J. Eaton the film centers around the highs and
On today's show we're switching the name to "1 Dude, 1 Dame and 1 Disc" as we welcome WGN Radio's newsmaker and journalist extraordinaire Kim Gordon to take on the 70s smash-hit soundtrack from 'The Rocky Horror Pictur
The Revivalists have been going strong for the last 10+ years with their infectious sound and captivating live performances. On this episode of Sound Sessions, host Mike Heidemann calls up Revivalist guitar player Zach Feinberg who alongside singer Davi
On this episode we take on the heart-wrenching and gritty masterpiece "So Much For The Afterglow" by Everclear. And who better to take on this 90s banger than WGN news anchor and award winning journalist, Ryan Burrow. Each week, "Music Insid
Today we flip it back to the 90s with one of the greatest albums of the era… CrazySexyCool by TLC stands the test of time as we dive into it song by song on this episode of 2 Dudes 1 Disc with Special Guest: WGN Radio's CaSera Henning aka DJ


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Hazelnut Brown Nectar
- Hazelnut Brown Nectar
- Rogue Ales
- Newport, OR
- Official Website
- American Brown Ale
Rogue is synonymous with good beer, and this selection is no exception. Hazelnut Brown Nectar begins innocently enough, pouring deep golden-brown in color with a long-lasting, creamy head. From the aroma, it's apparent this beer is more than what you'd normally bargain for in a nut brown ale, as its massive nut fragrance bursts out, smelling of fresh hazelnut oil. The taste picks up from there, starting with an initial toasted barley flavor and moving into an almost overwhelming nut flavor that coats the palate and lasts deep into the aftertaste. There are hops in here too, providing minor spice on the sides of the mouth, but this beer is all about the hazelnut. In fact, this is the closest thing we've tasted to Nutella in a beer; nutty, slightly chocolaty, even with a slight touch of coffee. This ale is medium-bodied with gentle carbonation.


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Doll displays a trio of trailers at the Bauma trade show
German trailer manufacturer Doll Fahrzeugbau is showcasing three of the latest trailers from its heavy-duty portfolio at the 2019 Bauma trade show. Taking pride of place on its stand are: a Panther low-bed; a Vario semi low-loader; and a Vario trailer.
The Panther low-bed is a T3E-0S3FZ25 model with a payload of up to 46,550 kg (46.55 tonnes). The trailer has a width of 2750 mm, which Doll said makes it suitable for transporting a variety of construction machinery. It has a detachable gooseneck with ramps that retract into the low-bed and the excavator trough is open at the rear. It comes with the Doll Tronic computer-assisted control system as standard.
The Vario semi low-loader is the S4H-GR3S18, which is also equipped with Doll Tronic. It has a gooseneck with an exterior main frame and lowered loading areas to reduce the overall height when loading various items of construction machinery including wheel loaders, excavators or graders. Attached double ramps are designed to withstand high wheel loads while hydraulic lateral adjustment enables the ramps to be adjusted to different lane widths, Doll said. The ramp cylinder has an integrated mechanical lock while the ramp and rear floors are covered in rubber for safety. The S4H-GR3S18 series has position-independent electronic track adjustment (EEP). Doll said this means the truck-trailer combination does not necessarily have to be fully straightened up again after loading and unloading.
It also has Doll connect trailer management system, which captures all available vehicle data – including axle loads, tyre pressures, and the central lubrication system – and supports various communication interfaces.
The third product is the A Vario N4S-0195 four-axle trailer. It has load-securing equipment for concrete blocks and spindle-adjustable stakes and inclined braces. The trailer can also be used to transport other types of long material, Doll said, including wind turbine rotor blades.


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What to Expect in a Digital Marketing Agency
The business world is so competitive that if you are not able to come up with the best digital business strategy then you will become extinct as a thriving business in this day and age. When you are not sure what measures you should be taking for the digital marketing strategy that you will be using, then you will be of benefit when you get the services of a good digital marketing agency. Hiring a digital marketing agency ensures that your business will be handled in the best possible way as people who work here have the essential knowledge and skills regarding digital marketing and will know what kind of strategy they must have for your so you can grow into the kind of business that you want to become. Usually, the digital marketing agency will be following a step-by-step process just so they will be able to come up with the right digital marketing strategy that will be used for the company that will enable it to benefit the most from it all.
A great majority of digital marketing agencies will first be pointing out what digital media forms they will be making use of to ensure that your business gets to be properly promoted to the right people. One of the best ways to create a lasting online presence would be creating a functional and appealing website of your own that can help in promote your brand much better that is something that most companies will make sure to do.
If you want to make the most effective digital business strategy, the needs of your company must not be the only ones that must be taken into account as you also have to be able to assess the particular needs that your target clients might have. Keep in mind that you need to be able to know who your target clients are so you can better think about what are the best online methods that you will be using. There is a lot of research that is being done in digital marketing that you really have to take note of if the overall goal of your business is ensuring that it will last a long time. In addition, you have to know that the best digital marketing agencies will make sure to apply search engine optimization methods just so that the ranking of your website will be high when it is searched in search engine websites. In addition, the strategies that they will be using in order for your company to have a presence online are those that not just serve well online but also even when the person is not online. Also, a good digital marketing agency makes sure to only give you the best services with your website that are the most original so people get to believe you more as a legitimate company. So, make sure that you only choose a digital marketing agency that will be able to provide you all of these things if you want to make the most of your online website.
Valuable Lessons I've Learned About Tips


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Polity & Governance
- 21st National Conference on e-Governance
Government Schemes & Policies
- 2nd project of Swajal Yojana in Rajasthan
Issues related to Health & Education
- Country's first Aviation Multi Skill Development Centre launched in Chandigarh
Bilateral & International Relations
- AIIB approves infra loans worth $1.5 billion to India
Art & Culture
- Mumbai to become 1st Indian city to join World Cities Culture Forum
Science & Technology
- National Science Day 2018
- Norway to Invest Millions to Improve Arctic Seed Vault
Key Facts for Prelims
- Maldives rejects India's MILAN 2018 invite
- Vodafone targets 4G network on moon in 2019
For IASToppers Current Affairs Analysis Archive, Click Here
Polity & Governance
21st National Conference on e-Governance
The 21st National Conference on e-Governance was held in Hyderabad (capital city of Telangana).
- This year, theme of the conference was 'Technology for accelerating Development'.
Sub themes:
- Building User experience.
- Universalization and Replication.
- Governing e – Governance.
- Emerging technologies.
- e-Governance good/best practices.
- It was organised by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), along with Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeITY) in association with Telangana.
Key Facts:
- The Conference served as forum in which Secretaries, Administrative Reforms and Secretaries of Information Technology of State Governments, IT Managers of Central Governments, Software Solution providers, industry, etc. participated and interacted, exchanged opinions, views, discuss issues, problems and also analyze various solution frameworks.
- The Conference also showcased best practices, innovative technologies and ICT solutions.
- The National e-Governance Awards recognising and promoting excellence in implementation of e-Governance initiatives by various government departments and also initiatives of PSUs and Non- Government Institutions were given.
What is e governance?
- e-Governance is generally understood as the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at all the level of the Government in order to provide services to the citizens, interaction with business enterprises and communication and exchange of information between different agencies of the Government in a speedy, convenient efficient and transparent manner.
- E-Governance is one of the subjects allocated to DARPG, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions under II Schedule to the Allocation of Business Rules, 1961.
- DARPG has been entrusted role to promote e-Governance activities in consonance with the overall national objectivities and priorities.
- Whereas, DeitY's, under Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeITY) mandate is to encourage e-Governance to empower citizens, promote inclusive and sustainable growth of Electronics, IT & ITeS industries.
Government Schemes & Policies
2nd project of Swajal Yojana in Rajasthan
The Union government has launched the Swajal pilot project at Village Bhikampura, Karauli, Rajasthan.
About Swajal Yojana:
- Swajal is a community owned drinking water programme for sustained drinking water supply.
- Under the scheme, 90% of the project cost will be taken care by the Government and the remaining 10% of the project cost will be contributed by the community.
- The Operations and management of the project will be taken care by the local villagers.
- Besides ensuring the availability of clean drinking water to every household round the year, the project would also generate employment.
Issues related to Health & Education
Country's first Aviation Multi Skill Development Centre launched in Chandigarh
India's first Aviation Multi Skill Development Centre (MSDC) was launched at Chandigarh Airport's old terminal.
- The Centre is a CSR initiative of Airports Authority of India (AAI) and will initially train 2,360 students free of cost in three years.
About Aviation MSDC:
- The Centre was established in collaboration with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). It is supported by Aerospace and Aviation Sector Skill Council (AASSC) of India.
- It will impart training based on course curriculum and assessments designed by AASSC in accordance with National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF).
- It will train about 2,400 youth and women in 8 aviation job roles over next 3 years.
- Demand for aviation skilled personnel is rising commensurately in India with boom in civil aviation sector witnessed in last 3-4 years.
- In the coming few years, more than 900 new aircraft are expected to be inducted by Indian scheduled airlines.
- Air connectivity for both passenger transport and air freight is increasing with new air routes and operationalisation of unserved and underserved airports through UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS).
With this, aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and ground-handling demands for skilled personnel are also rising in tandem.
About National Skill Development Corporation India (NSDC)
The NSDC is a one-of-its-kind, Public Private Partnership (PPP) model in India, under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
- It aims to promote skill development by catalyzing creation of large, quality and for-profit vocational institutions.
- NSDC is the implementation arm of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
- A not-for-profit company set up by the Ministry of Finance, under Section 25 of the Companies Act, it has an equity base of Rs.10 crore, of which the Government of India holds for 49%, while the private sector has the balance 51%.
- NSDC provides funding to build scalable and profitable vocational training initiatives.
- Its mandate is also to enable support system which focuses on quality assurance, information systems and train the trainer academies either directly or through partnerships.
- NSDC acts as a catalyst in skill development by providing funding to enterprises, companies and organisations that provide skill training.
- It will also develop appropriate models to enhance, support and coordinate private sector initiatives.
- The differentiated focus on 21 sectors under NSDC's purview and its understanding of their viability will make every sector attractive to private investment.
The main objectives of the NSDC are to:
- To contribute significantly (40%) to the overall target of skilling/up-skilling 400 million people in India by 2022, mainly by fostering private sector initiatives in skill development programmes and to provide funding.
- Upgrade skills to international standards through significant industry involvement and develop necessary frameworks for standards, curriculum and quality assurance
- Enhance, support and coordinate private sector initiatives for skill development through appropriate Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models; strive for significant operational and financial involvement from the private sector
- Play the role of a "market-maker" by bringing financing, particularly in sectors where market mechanisms are ineffective or missing
- Prioritize initiatives that can have a multiplier or catalytic effect as opposed to one-off impact.
Bilateral & International Relations
AIIB approves infra loans worth $1.5 billion to India
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved $1.5 billion in loans to India for infrastructure projects in 2018.
- The funds are meant for investment in energy, roads and urban development projects.
- Of the loans committed by the multilateral bank, around $200 million will be invested under the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) framework.
About AIIB:
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is an international financial institution that aims to support the building of infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region.
- It has 57 member states.
- It was proposed as an initiative as well as hosted by the government of China.
- It was founded in October, 2014, and will have its headquarters in Beijing.
- Its goals are also to boost economic development in the region, create wealth, prove infrastructure, and promote regional cooperation and partnership.
- China is the largest shareholder with 26.06% voting shares. India is the second largest shareholder with 7.5% voting shares followed by Russia (5.93%) and Germany (4.5%).
- The value of AIIB's authorized capital amounts to $100 billion, with almost $30 billion invested by China.
- The bank expects to lend $10 billion to $15 billion a year for the first five years of its operations, beginning in the second quarter of 2016.
Art & Culture
Mumbai to become 1st Indian city to join World Cities Culture Forum
Mumbai is set to be the newest member and the first Indian city on the World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF), a platform for cities to share their culture.
How will the forum help Mumbai?
- The WCCF enables the policy makers of member cities to share research and intelligence, while exploring the vital role of culture in prosperity. Forum members collaborate via a program of events including themed symposia, regional summits and workshops.
- Mumbai, like members of the Forum, will be able to share its culture as part of a comparative research to understand its role and impact. The municipal corporation will be able to maintain a relationship with the other member cities and Mumbai will be represented on the Forum at all events.
- Through its leadership exchange program, the city's policy makers will be able to share ideas, technology, challenges and access cultures and arts.
About WCCF:
- The World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF), which BOP (an international consultancy) convenes, provides a way for policy makers to share research and intelligence, and explore the vital role of culture in their future prosperity.
- The forum, which began in 2012 with eight members, is a network of 32 key cities today, including London, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, Cape Town, Dakar, Edinburgh, Lisbon, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore, Toronto and many others.
How the WCCF works?
- Forum members collaborate via a programme of events including themed symposia, regional summits and workshops. These events feed in to the annual World Cities Culture Summit.
- Hosted on a rotating basis by member cities, this unique gathering allows city leaders to share ideas and knowledge about the role of culture as an organising principle for the sustainable city of the future.
Science & Technology
National Science Day 2018
The National Science Day is observed every year on 28th February with an objective to spread message of importance of science and its application among the people.
- The theme for National Science Day 2018 is "Science and Technology for a sustainable future."
About National Science Day:
- The National Science Day marks the epoch-making discovery of Raman Effect by Indian physicist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (CV Raman) on February 28, 1928. This discovery was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.
- This day is celebrated as science festival in the entire nation by organising science exhibitions, seminars, workshops, symposiums and many other activities.
- The National Science Day was instituted by the Union Government in 1986 based on the demand of National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) forwarded.
- The first National Science Day was celebrated on 28 February 1987.
What is Raman Effect?
- The Raman Effect is a change in the wavelength of light that occurs when a light beam is deflected by molecules.
- Some part of light beam after passing through a transparent medium gets scattered. This phenomenon of scattering of light is termed as Raman Scattering and the cause of scattering is called the Raman Effect. The wavelength of these scattered rays is different from that of the incident rays of light.
Raman's experiment:
- The violet light of the solar spectrum is isolated with a violet filter and passed through the liquid sample. Most of the light emerging from the liquid sample is the same color as the incident violet beam: the so-called Rayleigh scattered light. However, Raman and K. S. Krishnan were able to show that some of the scattered light was a different color, which they could isolate by using a green filter placed between the observer and the sample.
- However, Raman, along with K S Krishnan was able to show that some of the scattered light was a different color, which they could isolate by using a green filter placed between the observer and the sample.
- The Raman Effect is a very weak effect; only one in a million of the scattered light particles, or photons, actually exhibits the change in wavelength. This explains, in part, why the effect was not discovered earlier.
Norway to Invest Millions to Improve Arctic Seed Vault
Norway has announced it will spend 100 million Norwegian crowns, or $13 million, to make improvements to a special seed vault in the Arctic on the 10th anniversary of its official opening.
About Svalbard Global Seed Vault:
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a gene bank built underground on the isolated Norwegian island in a permafrost zone some 1,000 kilometres from the North Pole, was opened in 2008 as a master backup to the world's other seed banks, in case their deposits are lost.
- It is located on the Svalbard archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole.
- Conservationist Cary Fowler, in association with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), started the vault to preserve a wide variety of plant seeds that are duplicate samples, or "spare" copies, of seeds held in gene banks worldwide.
- The seed vault is an attempt to insure against the loss of seeds in other genebanks during large-scale regional or global crises. The seed vault is managed under terms spelled out in a tripartite agreement between the Norwegian government, the Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT) and the Nordic Genetic Resource Center (NordGen).
- The Norwegian government entirely funded the vault's construction.
Why Svalbard?
- Svalbard was chosen for several reasons. Its cold climate and permafrost make the area a perfect location for underground cold storage. The surrounding sandstone is stable for building and is low in radiation.
- In terms of security, Svalbard scores high marks compared to the locations of many other genebanks in the world. The vault is located an extraordinary 120 meters (393.7 feet) into the rock, ensuring that the vault rooms will remain naturally frozen even in the event of failure of the mechanical cooling system and rising external air temperatures due to climate change.
- Svalbard was chosen as the site of the seed bank, in part, because of the area's permafrost – a thick layer of soil that stays frozen throughout the year. It makes for excellent underground cold storage. But in late 2016, the permafrost began to unexpectedly melt. This caused water to flow into the entrance of the vault tunnel.
- The event raised concerns about the need to better protect the samples. However, Norway government has initiated improvement works.
Who will own the seeds in the SVALBARD GLOBAL SEED VAULT?
- Storing seeds in the vault is free to end users, with Norway and the Global Crop Diversity Trust paying for operational costs.
- Depositors will retain ownership rights over the seeds sent to the facility. The boxes with seeds will be sealed by the depositors and will not be distributed to or given access to by anyone other than the depositors.
Will genetically modified seeds be stored in the seed vault?
- Norwegian law, promulgated prior to the establishment of the Seed Vault and intended therefore to apply more generally to research and use of genetically modified organisms in Norway, effectively prohibits importation of genetically modified seeds and their storage in Svalbard at this time.
How are the seeds stored?
- When a seed needs to be stored for few years, maintaining it at just 10 degree Celsius is enough. But in the long run, for 10 to 20 years, they need to be kept at a minus 15 to minus 20 degree Celsius (range). Chang La (in the Himalayas) has a prevalent temperature in this sub-zero range.
Where is India's seed vault?
- At Chang La in the Himalayas, at a height of 17,300 feet, there is a storage facility with over 5,000 seed accessions. One accession consists of a set of seeds of one species collected from different locations or different populations.
- The vault is a joint venture of the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (which comes under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research) and the Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (under Defence Research and Development Organisation).
Significance of the seed vault:
- Food security is a challenge in many developing countries. Crop diversity is the resource to which plant breeders must turn to develop varieties that can withstand pests, diseases, and remain productive in the face of changing climates. It will therefore underpin the world food supply.
- Also, the Seed Vault ensures that unique diversity held in gene banks in developing countries is not lost forever if an accident occurs.
- The seed vault is a worldwide insurance for food supply for future generations.
Key Facts for Prelims
Maldives rejects India's MILAN 2018 invite
- Maldives declined India' invitation to participate in the biennial naval exercise MILAN 2018.
- Meanwhile, the Maldivian envoy has said that his country cannot participate in the naval drills due to the state of emergency in the island nation.
- Maldives has been regularly participating in the biennial exercise, which was started in 1995.
About MILAN:
- The biennial naval exercise, Milan, is being organised at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- The aim of the exercise is to expand regional cooperation and combat unlawful activities in critical sea lanes.
Vodafone targets 4G network on moon in 2019
- British telecom major Vodafone plans to create the first 4G network on the moon to support a mission by PTScientists in 2019.
- The company has appointed Nokia as its technology partner for the 4G network .
- This will be the first privately-funded moon landing mission. It will lay the future of space exploration.