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Lighting the way to safer driving
An MU team combined field and simulator studies on the effectiveness of four light-color configurations in catching driver attention in work zones.
An MU team combined field and simulator studies on the effectiveness of four light-color configurations in catching driver attention in work zones.
Drivers are 29 times more likely to be in a collision or narrowly avert one if distracted for any length of time while passing through a work zone.
Posters covering a wide array research topics and more filled a large room near the College's library in the late afternoon, followed by four brief TED-style talks on subjects related to each of Mizzou Engineering's four Pillars of Pursuit.
Two classes of Benton Elementary School fifth graders were invited to the MU transportation simulator lab recently for a morning of educational fun. Benton's STEM program partnered with ZouTrans, MU's "vibrant undergrad and graduate research community," in the College of Engineering, to bring approximately 50 students to the facility for a lesson on traffic safety, […]
Research conducted by the University of Missouri Civil and Environmental Engineering Department may have uncovered a way to help alleviate some of the backup and create fewer dangerous collisions.
Graduate student Roozbeh Rahmani received a second place award for his poster, "Work Zone Safety Assessment Software" at The Heartland Chapter of the national Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) America group's annual meeting.
Faculty members and students from the University of Missouri Civil and Environmental Engineering Department recently published three papers in the Transportation Research Record, the publication of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, on the safety of innovative roadway interchange designs, particularly Diverging Diamond Interchanges (DDIs).
Yohan Chang, a doctoral student in the MU Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, was the only student to present two posters at RES/CON, held March 1-3 in New Orleans.
A team of University of Missouri researchers recently saw its research on diverging diamond interchanges named one of 2015's "Sweet Sixteen" High Value Research Projects by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Research Advisory Committee.
Paige Martz, a civil engineering senior in the MU College of Engineering, recently was selected to present her research and poster on Diverging Diamond Interchanges at the 2015 Posters on the Hill event in Washington, D.C.


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Tag: ISESteroids
ISESteroids 2.6 with new version of PSSharper released
PowerShell is everywhere these days. And solid PowerShell skills are probably among the most important personal career factors for an…Read More
CompatAware: Scripting against different PowerShell versions
You may remember "DLL Hell" from the old days. A very similar beast lives in our PowerShell ecosystem, too. Take 5 different PowerShell…Read More
Rapid PowerShell Development with ISESteroids
Should you frequently experience de-ja-vus while writing PowerShell code – "didn't I type in this [function|loop|statement|you name it] before?", "how…Read More
PowerShell Risk Assessment with ISESteroids 2.0
Sharing scripts and downloading sample code becomes common place. But how do you know a script is safe? You would…Read More

subset: commoncrawl


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Days of Thanks - November 7
Today I am thankful to have a job that I love. I work with a great crew and I am so thankful for all of them. They have taught me so much and I'm thankful to be part of the team! I love being in a place where we work hard together and we can laugh together. The Bible says that a merry heart does good like a medicine. There are some days that if we didn't laugh (and yes, ER humor is strange) we would go mad with the stress.
What are you thankful for today?


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Old churches, medieval castles, lakes and cliffs, apricots and cognac, charming sound of duduk – this is all about the unique culture that you will explore during this Armenia tour. You will meet this "pink city" Yerevan, Geghard monastery complex, residence of all Armenians Catholicos – the monastery of Etchmiadzin and also visit a fortress of Amberd located at a height of 2300 meters above the sea level. You will see famous Armenian khachkars, enjoy the beauty of an alpine Lake Sevan and taste well-known waters of Dilijan.
Tour itinerary:
Arrival in Goris at around 18:00. Overnight at the hotel.
Return to Yerevan. Free time. Overnight at hotel.
- All transfers by sedan;
- Accommodation based on double/twin room sharing, breakfasts included;
- Sightseeing tour program with local guide;
- Entrance fees to sights as per itinerary.
- Full board (lunches and dinners);
- Hotel charges for additional services;
- Visa support and consular fees for tourist visa;
- Tips are not included, but would be appreciated;
- Personal travel insurance.
|Yerevan - 4 nights
|Cascade, Silachi, Hrazdan or similar
|DoubleTree by Hilton, Opera Suite, Grand Hotel Yerevan, Tufenkian Hotel or similar
|Goris - 1 night
|Mirhav, Montebello or similar
|Mirhav, Montebello or similar
|Dilijan - 1 night
|Toon Armeni or similar
|Best Western Paradise, Turfenkian Old Dilijan Complex, Dilijan resort or similar


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BLADE RUNNER 2049 – "2036: Nexus Dawn" Short
Welcome to 2036. Niander Wallace introduces his new line of replicants.
Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years.
The first of 3 Blade Runner 2049 Short Films.
Blade Runner 2049: A Time To Live
Revered cinematographer Roger Deakins has 'never worked on a film with so many different sets and lighting challenges' as 'Blade Runner 2049.'
Denis Villeneuve's sequel to Ridley Scott's 1982 original film looks to be a jaw-dropping mix of visual feats that stay true to both the story and the technical innovation that made Blade Runner an instant classic. Villeneuve acknowledges this legacy, stating "I have massive respect for the world Ridley created. Blade Runner revolutionized the way we see science fiction."
Villeneuve is likely the right man for the job, as he took science fiction down an entirely new road himself, ostensibly reinventing the hackneyed alien genre with 2016's Arrival, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award in Directing.
Blade Runner 2049 indeed brings several heavy-hitters to the table to help ensure its success, including no less of a cinematographer than multiple Oscar-nominated Roger Deakins, who also shot for Villeneuve on 2015's Sicario. No stranger to complex action movies (the James Bond hit Skyfall, for one), Deakins admits in the featurette, "I've never worked on a film with so many different sets and lighting challenges. Technically, it's quite challenging."


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Whether your girl is dressing for Easter or just loves bunnies, this Hoppy Bunny headband and hair clip combo is for her--it has bunnies coming and going!�So cute and so versatile! Wear the combo, or wear the headband or clip separately. Three super-cute looks for one low price!
There are no reviews for this item. Be the first to review it!


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Due to the success of our waste and house clearance company, in 2015 we opened a preloved home store called Secondhand Land Ltd, located in Worcester Park, Surrey.
We have now taken our sales in a new direction by introducing monthly timed auctions partnering with easyLive Auction, so you can now bid on a host of modern, antique & vintage items at Secondhand Land.
We pride ourselves in giving excellent customer service and care in all services that we provide gaining high recommendations received through dealing with our client base of customers that included estate agents, landlords, solicitors.
Our Services
House Clearance
We provide an affordable, efficient & green, house clearance service across Surrey & South West London with remarkable recycling rates.
Retail Shop
Secondhand Land Ltd,
53 Central Road, Worcester Park, Surrey. KT4 8EB
Selling quality used & new household items.
Secondhand land Auctions Monthly Timed Online Auctions
We auction modern, antique & vintage items including scrap parts suitable for re-use and upcycling Via EasyLiveAuction.Com


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Cheat can mean many things to people, many immediately think about relationships…
This is not what came to my mind first however, I do not know whether this is because I am happy in the relationship I am in, or whether I am naive to the cheating environment.
Cheat…. or cheating (a doing word) the teacher in me exploded out and all I could think about was those students that asked me to help them cheat in their Maths GCSE. Now the fact that the GCSE results came out last Thursday may be the main reason why this has been on my mind.
I have been a teacher only for about 2 and a half years and yet there have always been the students that have asked me to help them cheat. The reasons why I do not help them cheat are these:
- It is not worth my job
- Student have never worked out a good enough bribe (although some students did once offer to pay for me to go on a cruise)
- I am not actually in the room as an invigilator
- THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON –> It does not help the student.
Through the last two years I have tried to explain to my students that if I help them cheat in their functional or GCSE exam, how will this help them in the real world? My attitude is I would prefer to put the extra effort in to supporting the student understand the topic in which they are struggling with. Now I know that many (optimism), some, may read this and think well surely this is all teachers attitude. Well, no it isn't. I have not only heard but have seen with my two eyes, blatant cheating to ensure that achievement figures look 'pretty'. I have seen teachers cheat in exams because they felt sorry for the student.
To be honest I think if a teacher cheats for a student, they are doing it for themselves. At the end of the day it helps their numbers, it makes them look good and probably makes themselves feel good as well. So you know what if cheating is seen it needs to be stopped, because I tell you what it makes my life harder as a teacher with unrealistic expectations and it dam well makes a students life harder.
What do you think?


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A browser with a built-in ad-blocker, and plans for a feature that will place substitute ads on the pages you visit … advertisers are gonna hate this one if it catches on.
Brendan Eich's new web browser Brave has finally been released as a preview for the Windows desktop. Initially released only for Apple's iOS platform, Brave is now also available for Windows, Linux, OS X and Android. Download links for all (but the Linux) version are provided on the official Brave website, with both Windows and Mac downloads listed as developer version.


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Our Gold Coast Holiday Apartments are ideally located on the Gold Coast. Close to some of the most popular tourist spots, have a wonderful time at our resort. Our resort is fully furnished and perfect for families and friends on holiday.
We have a selection of apartments. The two bedroom apartment has a split level floor plan so it feels spacious. It includes a fully equipped kitchen, a comfortable living and dining area, a master bedroom, an ensuite bathroom, a second bedroom, second bathroom, large balconies and more. The apartment cannot exceed five guests in total. We also have one bedroom apartments which are suitable for two guests. Ideal for couples and solo travellers, book our one bedroom apartments for your next romantic getaway. The apartment amenities include television, full kitchen facilities, a microwave, internet access (charges apply), laundry facilities, Foxtel, a spa bath and many more. Kick back and relax in the spa bath. Take advantage of our internet access.
Families will especially enjoy an exhilarating trip at the most incredible theme parks on the Gold Coast. Get heaps of excitement as you embark on heart pumping thrill ride adventures at Warner Brother Movieworld and Dreamworld. Indulge in shopping and dining. Our accommodation is just minutes away from some of the most popular shopping and dining destinations including Tedder Avenue, Marina Mirage, Pacific Fair, Southport Yacht Club, and more. Treat yourself to a sumptuous meal with a view. Our resort is within minutes from the beach. Have a blast and spend a fun-filled day at the beach. Grab your surf board and hit the waves. Dive into the cool waters and swim. Sign up for a whale watching adventure or enjoy the thrill of jet boating.
For booking information, please visit http://surfersmayfair.etourism.net.au


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Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in a Boarding House
Advantages can include:
♦ affordability (average of P500 above per head monthly)
♦ no need to pay a bond (in some cases)
♦ inclusion of utilities in the rent charged ( stove, flat iron in some cases) ♦ no need to have furniture, bedding or cooking equipment
♦ having a location providing access to a range of services and facilities ♦ proximity to public transport and shops
♦ possibilities of companionship and friendship due to communal living arrangements. Disadvantages can include:
♦ lack of privacy
♦ problems/conflict with other boarders
♦ low standard and cleanliness of facilities
♦ having to share facilities, (e.g. room & comfort room in some cases) ♦ small size of room
♦ insecurity of tenure
♦ concerns for personal safety
♦ having to deal with the landlord/landladies. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_boarding_houses
A rooming house is any building in which renters occupy single rooms and share kitchens, bathrooms, and common areas. The building may be a converted single-family house, a converted hotel, or a purpose-built structure. Rooming houses may have as few as three rooms for rent, or more than a hundred. Rooming houses are the cheapest form of permanent accommodation currently available in Toronto. Rents average about $400-$450 a month. Those who cannot afford a room in a rooming house, or who are evicted from a rooming house because they cannot pay the rent generally have to go to a hostel. (This puts an added burden on the city, because housing people in hostels costs about $1,200 per person per month.) Rooming houses are an essential form of housing for low-income people. They constitute the bottom rung of the housing ladder. If they disappear, it will become even harder for low-income people to remain on the ladder, let alone climb it. In other words, the fewer rooms that are available in rooming houses in Toronto, the greater the number of people who will fill the hostels and live on the streets. The decline in the numbers of rooming houses in Toronto has occurred at the same time as an increase in homelessness. The people who live in rooming houses are those who cannot afford self-contained apartments. These people include people on social assistance, people with minimum-wage jobs, students, new immigrants who are...
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The most popular 2018 delivery order in Phoenix
Phoenix customers of food delivery service Postmates ordered more Gadzooks enchiladas this year than any other item, according to Food & Wine.
The foodie blog reported on newly released from Postmates, which said an order of two enchiladas from the Valley-based build-your-own enchilada chain was the most popular non-chain dish in Phoenix this year.
According to Food & Wine, Postmates customers ordered from more than 200,000 food vendors this year, and looking through the data revealed some fun facts. For example, New Yorkers are the best tippers. Unfortunately, there was no data on how well Phoenix diners tip, but one New Yorker tipped over $11,000 this year on more than 600 orders.
Gadzooks, which opened its first location in 2013 at Seventh Street and Osborn Road in Phoenix, has steadily grown in popularity and footprint. The budding chain has a location on 40th Street and Camelback Road, as well as others planned for Tempe, Chandler and Gilbert.


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Episcopal Community Services announces 2019 grant recipients
Our congregations are doing inspiring and praiseworthy efforts to make a difference in their communities. All over the diocese we see Christ's mission of lifting up the poor, healing the sick, helping the forgotten and serving God's people wherever they happen to be, being carried out.
This year five different congregations have received a total of six grants, including our third three-year Warren Dunning Memorial Social Justice Grant and our first ever multi-year Barry L. Beisner Social Justice Grant. A brief summary of each grant follows.
Ministry Development Grants:
St. Francis, Willits, to help remodel their kitchen so they can continue serving meals with their partner, Willits Daily Bread. They serve about 40 people per day, 4 days a week.
St. Martin's, Davis, is developing a program to welcome refugees into their community. This involves finding a place to stay, health care, food, and connecting people with the right kinds of services. This is a first in our diocese.
Warren Dunning Memorial Social Justice Grants:
Our Saviour, Placerville, is in the third year of the grant for their program to establish, in cooperation with county and veterans agencies, a permanent veterans' stand down facility.
St. John's, Chico, is in year 2 of the grant cycle. In spite of all their incredible and difficult relief work after the Camp Fire, their joint program with the Jesus Farm continues to flourish. Fruit trees have been planted, volunteers from the neighborhood and other churches engaged with the project and now they will complete their plans for a vegetable and flower garden.
St. Martin's, Davis, has been awarded the first year of this grant for their Families Together Project. It is unusual to award two grants to one community, but we feel that this is a program that is particularly difficult in the set-up stage and requires more than the usual volunteer efforts and funding.
The Barry L. Beisner Multi-year Social Justice Grant:
St. Clement's, Rancho Cordova, has received the first year of this grant. They are developing a pilot program to help veterans deal with moral injuries that the usual veterans' program do not include. They then plan to develop a curriculum to educate congregations about the problem and how they can help.
What is your congregation doing to spread God's message of love in your community? ECS would love to hear about any social justice ministries you are engaged in and also is available to help you discern what kind of ministry you could develop in your community. No congregation is too small to carry God's love and care to the world, and the needs of each community are unique to that place.
In Christ's service,
The Board of Episcopal Community Services
The Rev. Lucretia Jevne, President: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Can you believe that it is the last Thursday of October which means that this is my last sketch as a guest DT for Sketchy Thursdays and I must say that I have enjoyed working with them this close and will definitely continue to play along their weekly sketches.
Here's the last sketch of October (10.28):
and here's my take on it:
I rotated the pictures clockwise to fit my pictures. These pictures were taken last Christmas and they are of my dog with his Christmas present-a new bed! I glimmer misted the red cardstock using a Pazzles die cut to get the flourish in the corners. I then went and outlined it with stickles to give it an embossed finish. I love how subtle but elegant this technique looks! I distressed this layer and machine stitched it unto the water distressed Anna Gliffin paper which I mounted on a black cardstock. The flowers are Prima's and the green holly felt under the pictures is by Recollections. I handmade both the black and white flourishes. For the journaling, I printed the words on white cardstock and then I cut them into strips which I then later distressed using the edge of my scissors. My dog's name, Cubby, I cut using my Pazzles and then I stickled in red to give it a Christmas feel. I do love how this layout turned out!
Here are some more close ups of the finished layout:
Don't forget to stop by Sketchy Thursdays and play along! Have a wonderful day!


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|Posted by Jacob Jacob on March 11, 2011 at 12:23 PM
While the EU, the UN and the US are wondering what to do with Libya, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi is digging in. He's taken back the key town of Zawiyah and pushing relentlessly to take back the oil town Ras Lanuf. The EU in its meeting on Friday in Brussels seemed to be unable to reach a common position on the imposition of no-fly zone in Libya. If Gaddafi is determined to use violence against Libyans, there is nothing much a no-fly zone can do to stop him. A no-fly zone as a stand-alone intervention mechanism under the current circumstance may not be robust enough to solve the crises. Former head of British armed forces Baron Richard Dannatt has called for caution and warned that a no fly zone is not the answer. Indeed, historically, no-fly zones never really work – they are more of political than military statements. A no fly zone over Iraq did not prevent Saddam Hussein's ruthless persecution of those he considered to be his political enemies. On its own, Operation Sky-Monitor never really worked in Bosnia-Herzegovina until a more robust mandate enabled a full deny-flight operation and protective air support for the UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in the course of its mandate. Doubtless, both cases – Iraq and Bosnia-Herzegovina are totally different from Libya. The majority of Libyans and indeed, the international community want to see the back of Gaddafi and it is difficult to see how a no fly zone would cause that to happen! To topple the Gaddafi regime, a full military intervention is required. But is the West ready to commit to what might be a long drawn out war in Libya - at the front door of Europe? Besides, what would be the human and material costs of such intervention? I'm not convinced that Libyans, even protesting Libyans, would come out and receive Western 'liberators' with kisses and bouquets of flowers. Lessons from Iraq are still fresh on the mind. As a way out, Crisis Group International has argued for a comprehensive ceasefire and negotiations to secure a post-Gaddafi regime. Negotiations with Gaddafi would no doubt be long-drawn and potentially problematic. Moreover it would be such an about-face both from the Libyan rebels and from an international community that has been 'loose-talking' about military options ever since the crises started. At the moment, Gaddafi's forces are having the upper hand and they would likely see calls for negotiations as an indication of a stand down by their Libyan political enemies and the West. He will no doubt see an opportunity for grand-standing. Further compounding the situation is that France, against every reason, has recognised the Libyan rebels, the National Libyan Council, as the legitimate government in Libya. In as much as it is useful to encourage the Libyan rebels I think it is premature and even perilous to recognise them at this moment as the legitimate government in Libya.
The situation has become even more complicated with the earthquake and Tsunami that have devastated Japan. The attention of the international community and the international media will now shift from Libya. While we all commiserate with the Japanese, Gaddafi and his sons will be pushing as far as they can go into the east to take back as much control as possible. They may take back Ras Lanuf but I don't see them taking back Benghazi. The international community should be prepared for a divided Libya. Gaddafi will keep control of the West and the rebels will control the east. And it may remain that way for a quite a while The solution will ultimately lie with the UN. A buffer zone may need to be created to keep both sides apart. The major trouble would be with deciding who controls Libya's oil and gas resources. The negotiation table at this point, would be a good opportunity for the political intervention Libya needs.
Categories: Conflicts, Africa, Asymmetric Warfare, COIN
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The words you entered did not match the given text. Please try again.


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Top 11 14 Gauge Speaker Wire Bunnings Pictures
Related photos in this diagram:
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Speaker Cable Recommendations, Beginners & Purchasing Advice - Watering & irrigation a way to prepare a base for a water tank water tanks are a extraordinary way to keep water and assist drought proof your property. We'll display you how to construct a base sturdy enough to assist a huge one.
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The noise ground appears lower and the entirety sounds extra "elegant". Also sibilance changed into especially removed except it turned into a feature of the recording. Contraptions sound extra actual in that you could hear the elements that make up the tool as opposed to simply one sound. Hf is very obvious and bass also seems a piece more described.
Is this product for you? Air compressors, no matter rate are usually an investment. Buying the wrong compressor can significantly restrict the gear that may be used, so it's usually vital to appearance to the destiny. This stanley 2.5hp compressor sit down's right atop the compressor meals chain with fantastic performance and pleasant. How smooth is it to apply? Much like some other compressor, there are usually a few additional purchases that want to be made before work can begin. Sae 30w or sae 15w-forty lubricants are well acceptable to this unit, and once the compressor has been well serviced with both of those, then it's only a count of getting the proper device, hose and inline add-ons for the process. As soon as that's sorted, the stanley 2.5hp compressor takes care of the relaxation. Smooth to study gauges are protected in the aspect of this stanley compressor, and a removable take care of on pinnacle makes packing the tool away easy. Ultra robust, clean wheels on the rear make this compressor supremely manoeuvrable, and protecting grills and covers on shifting components facilitates keep all and sundry secure. Where can you use it? The stanley 2.5hp compressor is belt driven, in contrast to maximum different compressors on the market. This means that whilst the compressor works simply as speedy as a traditional direct-pushed compressor, this stanley product will do so with loads less noise. The stanley 2.5hp compressor additionally has a free air delivery score of 190 litres/min, making it best for nearly any work which includes fastening, cleaning, mechanical paintings and portray. The stanley 2.5hp compressor is covered by means of a large 24 month warranty too, making it a awesome funding for any business.


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Today, the world is dominated by artificial intelligence (AI) where human minds are challenged by this technology. There has been a development of new AI powered devices which tries to understand what they are seeing. Now the question arises why a machine needs to see? This article will explain machine vision, its importance and latest application of AI in machine vision.
What is Machine Vision?
Machine vision is the ability of a computer to see with one or more digital cameras and performing analog to digital conversion (ADC) and digital signal processing (DSP). The resulting data will be passed onto a computer or a robot controller.
Why are we imparting our primary sense to machines? For machines to relate to human mind they should also perceive the visual world like us. This can be in the form of a small camera which helps the machine to see and understand the world around them. Machine vision is a mushrooming branch of AI that aims to give machine a sense of vision similar to that of humans. Integrating specialised neural network to machine helps them to identify and understand images from the real world.
The basic image classification is easier for machines but it challenges them to extract meaning or information from abstract images. A common example to understand the difference between machine vision and human vision is comparing flight of plane and that of bird. Both will depend on principle of physics which help them to lift to air but that doesn't mean that plane would flap its wings to fly. Albeit human and machine vision may see same things and the images interpreted will have some commonalities at the end the results may differ drastically.
Artificial Intelligence in Machine Vision
Recently AI techniques have been integrated into several machine vision systems. Most of the application had tried to overcome the aforementioned challenges. The following are the applications of AI in machine vision:
• Pulnix ZiCam is a smart camera which doesn't require but presented in good and bad parts and learns how to differentiate them using a hardware neural network. It consists of a recognition engine that extracts 64 features including histogram, profiles and pixel samples. These features are passed to the neural network, which has 74 outputs. So instead of giving just a pass or fail output, ZiCAM can be trained to separate products into up to 74 classes.
• Smart Search is an adaptive pattern-locating software, developed by Coreco Imaging as part of their Sherlock and MVTools vision packages. It comprises of a training wizard that is based on AI to facilitate system set-up. The developer only provides good and bad examples of the object to be checked and then Smart Search learns the characteristics of that object automatically.
• Neuro Check Compact is a smart camera programmed using mouse. The system consists of Neurocheck package that is able to compute a number of object features from regions of interest in an image. These features are then passed to the classification module, which determines the type of the region being observed.
• The Sightech Eyebot has features which uses a combination of fuzzy logic and neural networks, known as Neuro-Ram. The Eyebot is available in two formats, the Shape Eyebot and the Spectrum Eyebot. The Shape Eyebot recognises the shape of objects that are placed in front of the camera and can then detect the deviation from the learned shape. The Spectrum Eyebot learns the colour of objects that are shown to it. The output of the system can be an integer from 0 to 99 that indicates the status of the shown product.
• ILIB software contains pattern recognition, statistical, fuzzy logic and neural network tools. The neural network function of ILIB is provided by a multi-layer perceptron neural network with many configurable parameters, including learning rate, momentum, number of neurons, number of layers and activation functions. ILIB also contains pattern recognition techniques, such as minimum distance and K-nearest neighbour classification. Also, the distributions of feature vectors can be analysed by many statistical techniques such as ANOVA. The software also incorporates fuzzy logic classification functions and genetic imaging. In genetic imaging, the user provides the system with the original image and the image that is desired from image processing. Then, ILIB uses genetic algorithms to derive the convolution filter or sequence of filters required to convert the original image to the target one.
• The software of Braintech Inc. comprises of a vast range of AI techniques, such as neural networks, fuzzy logic, natural language processing, qualitative maths and genetic algorithms. This software has been developed for inspection tasks such as mould number recognition, brake shoe identification and positioning of cylinder heads for the automotive industry.
• The Common Vision Blox tool MANTO is developed based on research in AI, particularly work on the statistical theory of learning. It is able to cope with high degrees of image noise and is recommended for application in the food industry or for security technology.
The inclusion of technologies like neural networks, fuzzy logic and specialised hardware vision is bridging the gap between human vision and machine vision. This would revolutionise several industries like automotive, security and health. But eventually, robots will attain visual capabilities beyond human vision, making them more powerful to solve challenging task and operate autonomously. Time will tell whether AI is the best or worst thing to happen to humanity.


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And it also:
• Permits a powerful increase in hydration.
• Reduces wrinkles.
• Has a minimum content for 3 applications.
• Provides an instant anti-fatigue effect.
Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, collagen and Hydroviton 24.
Application: Ideal at any time of the day. Previously cleanse with CellActive Micellar Water. Apply with gentle circular movements.
Combine with CellActive® facial treatments to boost its benefits. Suitable for all skin types, noncomedogenic, no allergens, preservatives, colours or perfumes. Maximum tolerance and effectiveness.


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Looks like we've seen a lot of cool stuff come out for the PS3 in regard to their highest firmware, 3.50. Recently, a jailbreak has been released, along with a downgrader to allow users to downgrade to 3.41 or any other firmware they please. (Even ones that include OtherOS!!)
To downgrade, you're going to have to have the E3 card, the downgrade BIN, and the modified PUP files:
Download the E3 downgrader: Here
Download the modified PUP update: Here
As you can see, you don't need to downgrade to run the jailbreak!
For now, you're going to have to wait for a download, though… :O
|Posted in Brewology, PS3 | No Comments » Tags: 3.50, firmware, jailbreak, PS3
Source: psgroove
|Posted in Brewology, PS3 | 6 Comments » Tags: downgrade, jailbreak, PS3, psjailbreak


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- places to visit
- things to doevents
- what we care about
- donate
- membership
- about us
- Summer Camps
- keyword search
This property is open during normal hours. The Trustees asks that visitors follow social distancing guidelines for the health and safety of all. Please note: all buildings and inside areas are remain closed on all properties. For more information about our response to COVID-19, please click here.
Follow a loop trail through quiet woodlands then visit the site of a former lead mine used by Native Americans and, later, European settlers.
What make Tantiusques a special place?
Tantiusques ("tan-te-us-quays") – a Nipmuc word meaning "to a black deposit between two hills" – was the center of one of New England's first mining operations.
A short loop trail leads through quiet woods; a spur trail passes through the Leadmine Wildlife Management Area and ends at the Robert Crowd Site. Visitors can view the foundations of the house and barn of the African-American and Native American man who worked at the mine in the 1850s.
The Nipmuc originally mined here for graphite to make ceremonial paints. In 1644, John Winthrop, Jr., son of the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, purchased the mine with hopes of extracting lead and iron. In the early 19th century, Captain Joseph Dixon and his son worked here before founding the J. D. Crucible Company of New Jersey, famous manufacturers of pencils.
Today, careful observers can see the mine cuts, ditches, and tailings piles made by the various mining operations. The mineshaft that tunnels into the face of the low ridge is the most recent of all the excavations, dating to 1902. Most of the mining at Tantiusques was of the open trench variety. The cut along the top of the ridge is the partially filled-in remainder of what was once a several thousand foot-long trench, 20 to 50 feet in depth and roughly 6 feet in width, which followed the vein of graphite.
1.5-mile loop trail. Moderate hiking, strenuous in places.
When to Visit
Year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. Allow a minimum of 1 hour.
Please note that the parking lot is not plowed during the winter.


text:
Originally posted in Monadnock Shopper News
While Plaid Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cider Monday and Giving Tuesday have come and gone, Monadnock Buy Local's Shift Your Shopping effort continues through December. The Shift Your Shopping movement supports job creation and economic growth by inspiring you to shift more of your holiday spending to locally owned and independent businesses.
If everyone in the Monadnock Region shifted just 10% of their annual purchases from national chains to locally owned retailers, we would return $27 million to our regional economy annually. This money would recirculate through our economy, generating ripple effects that create new jobs, charitable contributions and community prosperity. From your holiday gift giving to your New Year's celebration, are you ready to Shift Your Shopping?
"We are supporting Shift Your Shopping because every penny spent locally counts, and when you buy locally produced gifts at our co-op, you are supporting two local business with one purchase," shared Emerald Levick, Marketing Manager at the Monadnock Food Co-op. "Locally made gifts don't just convey the richness of our region, but the deeper meaning of your gift is that it gives back to your home community, your friends and neighbors."
Now, as the month of December speeds by, you might find yourself in a panic to find a special gift for a loved one. While your instinct might drive you to hop online and shop with Amazon, we're asking you to "think before you click" and consider the larger impacts of this choice on our community and local economy.
Here's a summary of those impacts: In 2015, Amazon sold $272.3 million worth of retail goods in New Hampshire -- equal to 189 retail storefronts, which might have paid $3.6 million in property taxes. That represents a $6.96 subsidy to Amazon from each household in our state. While Amazon employs 95 workers in our state, their sales resulted in a net loss of 1,541 retail jobs in New Hampshire last year. These statistics come from a study by Civic Economics and the American Booksellers Association. Read more at: civiceconomics.com/empty-storefronts.html.
Let's say you love shopping online -- why not shift your shopping from Amazon to online shops managed by locally owned businesses? The Toadstool Bookshops has an incredible online book directory. Search for books at toadbooks.com, select the books you want and decide whether to pick up your purchase in-store or have it delivered right to your house or a loved one's home (gift wrapped and ready for giving).
Other Monadnock Buy Local Members with online gift shops include Badger Balm, Beeze Tees Screenprinting, Bunny Boogie Products, Cheshire Horse, Cheshire Garden, Eight Cattails Imagery, Good Fortune Jewelry, Hike Monadnock, Holland Homestead Farm, Jack's Crackers, Jayelay Jewelers, Jeni Skin Care, Korvin Appliance, Of Moose & Mountain, Prime Roast, Thistle in Thyme, Wilderness Creations and Woodard Sugar House. Search this list by town or product at monadnocklocal.org/online.
Don't forget! You can also purchase gift certificates either at a locally owned store or sometimes online.
Please join us and Shift Your Shopping this holiday season. Together we'll create a true holiday gift to our community -- one that will keep on giving throughout the New Year.
The Local Crowd Monadnock - Mailing Address: 63 Emerald St. #114, Keene, NH 03431


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So pleased — Melange Books also said yes to "A Living Specimen"! Woo-hoo! Maybe I should treat the kids to a nice dinner out, to celebrate?
Monthly Archives: February 2012
"The Complications of Birth" is now "Tabitha's Solution" — accepted!
My short story on childbirth has been accepted by Melange Books for the anthology, Having My Baby. I've improved the title: from "The Complications of Birth" to "Tabitha's Solution".
And you know what? I'm finally feeling like an honest-to-goodness writer!
Is a vampire hunter allowed to be squeamish?… Excerpt from "A Living Specimen"
Trisha donned the white cotton gloves Bill passed her, and held up each item as he described it. She walked around the room, gritting her teeth when first one person, then another gave her a knowing smile.
Never be late for meetings.
"This jar of holy water has the seal of the Pope himself," Bill continued. His baritone filled the room. Myrtle leaned forward as Trisha passed. Pausing to allow the little old lady to have a good long look, Trisha glanced back at Mitch. He waggled his fingers at her.
Rolling her eyes, Trisha moved on.
"Each item has its own resting place in the chest, which is lined with silk." Bill was clearly very proud of his latest acquisition. "The stake, made of ash, has a leather-bound hilt for a firm grip, and was cut by hand."
Now Trisha reversed direction, the stake laid across her palms. She resisted the urge to brandish it at Mitch, who grinned at her with a mouthful of brownie.
"Excuse me, Bill?"
A hand popped up at the back of the room. Bill acknowledged the speaker.
Trisha managed to control her expression this time. As much as Jasmine Mehta got on her nerves, it wouldn't do to reveal that fact. It was okay to bitch about the petite East Indian when Trisha was alone with Mitch, but woe betide anyone who publicly complained about the woman.
As Trisha circulated back toward the fireplace, she wondered what it was that irked her so much about her peer.
Was it her beauty? Trisha herself felt reasonably attractive most days, but Jasmine was exotic. Her perfectly shaped eyebrows, big brown eyes and long black lashes, clear skin, white teeth and lush lips were complimented by a spill of silky black hair. Trisha couldn't ever remember seeing Jasmine's hair styled the same way twice. Her clothing was as posh and impeccable as her makeup.
Plus, Mitch had once been Jasmine's boyfriend. Trisha didn't even like to think about the implications there.
Maybe it was knowing that Jasmine was smarter than Trisha. It hurt to admit that her intelligence was not the highest in this room, unlike some of her college classes. Jasmine clearly had more expertise and experience in her little finger than Trisha had in her whole brain, and yet she was only two years older. Mitch had reassured her on more than one occasion that Jasmine did make mistakes and wasn't always right, but it didn't seem that way to Trisha.
For example, Jasmine used words like "economy" and "conservation", tossing them off like they were nothing. Trisha could barely follow her comments much of the time. Her vocabulary was off the charts, as was her understanding of politics and money.
"Therefore, in light of our budgetary concerns, the treasure department must caution against further spending of this nature." Jasmine's voice was as delicate as her looks. Trisha wished that her nemesis at least had an accent, a guilty thought that belied her unconscious prejudices. It simply wasn't right how inferior Trisha felt when Jasmine was around.
Bill nodded as Jasmine sat back down. "You're quite correct, we don't have the room in our finances for a purchase like this. I would like to supplement the cost out of my own pocket, though my wife will probably kill me."
A few of the senior members laughed appreciatively at the back of the room. Jasmine appeared mollified.
"But this kit is complete — it's extremely rare. And it was never used, also rare. You can understand the historical importance of the find, and how it will add to our educational services." Bill accepted the stake from Trisha, placing it reverently back in the case. "You may sit down, now, Trisha."
Smiling stiffly, Trisha turned away, hoping she wouldn't trip over her own feet. She made it back to the couch, turning aside as the unknown tech guy brought up a folding screen for the next part of the meeting. Mitch patted the seat next to him, and with a grateful sigh, Trisha plopped down.
A horrible stink reminiscent of dead and rotting flesh immediately rose from the cushion beneath her.
"Geez, no wonder you're sitting here alone," she whispered to Mitch, her erstwhile brownie completely forgotten as her eyes watered. She tried to take shallow breaths, not wanting to attract anymore attention. "What did you do, take your shoes off?"
"Hey, my feet aren't that bad anymore." He put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. "The thing was stinky when I sat down, too."
"So why did you stay here?" Trisha leaned away from his chocolate-breath, which was not helping her lurching stomach.
"Everywhere else was taken."
"Sh!" The lights had dimmed.
It was the monthly report on investigations and hunts. Bill explained each data chart as it appeared on the screen. "Spectral apparitions are down in number, but the intensity of each report is increasing. Rachel, you may want to look into the astronomical factor — maybe a conjunction of planets is providing strength.
"You got it." Trisha craned her neck for a glimpse of the curvaceous blonde.
"We had five encounters with zombies, all successfully contained and put down. Possible relation to government testing facilities. Mitch, that's your department — see what you can find out about the latest germ warfare experiments, would you?"
"Will do." Mitch, caught in the disrespectful act of trying to nibble Trisha's ear in the semi-dark, held up a thumb.
"There were twenty-six UFO sightings called in, of which nine were explainable, four were first-kind, seven were second-kind, and six were abductions."
Trisha tried to hold her attention on Bill; he was a decent man, and the information was important. Her job was data analysis and vampire hunting. She felt that there might be a link between the phases of the moon and vampire attacks, and wanted to do more research — besides that of her interminable master's thesis.
Unfortunately, sitting on a horrible smell while her good-looking boyfriend tried to creep his hand up her skirt did little for her focus.
"…vampire hits are down, and I think we've done a good job on that." Bill nodded in Trisha's direction; Mitch's hand vanished like air from her thigh. "Thanks to Trisha's skills, that is."
Trisha realized that people were applauding her. Taken a little by surprise, she nodded in appreciation.
"Just try to remember, we would like an undead specimen at some point," someone called out. "We can't learn a whole lot from those little piles of ash you keep bringing back."
"I can't help it if that's what they do," Trisha retorted, smiling sheepishly. "You want a live specimen, come out with me some time and bring a net! Made of titanium!"
Laughter roared out of the darkness. Trisha could feel herself blush.
She had done something right.
By time the meeting was over, Trisha had nearly gotten used to the smell. She stood up and stretched, feeling Mitch's eyes on her long legs.
"My god, what is that incredible stench?" Jasmine had come up to the fireplace to warm her hands. Trisha saw her nose wrinkle and quickly pointed down at the couch.
Mitch saw the look Trisha passed him. "Yeah, I noticed it before, but I didn't have time to do anything about it."
He got up and tilted the couch back. "No leftover food."
"I should say not!" Myrtle had materialized suddenly at Trisha's side. "This room may be old, cold, and ugly, but it's clean. I check it myself, every night." She pushed her round spectacles further up on her nose to glare at Mitch.
He cowered.
"You're right, Miss Gray, I'm just trying to find the source of the smell." Trisha loved how his tone went automatically to fear and respect whenever the little woman came around. Mitch let the couch back down and crouched to lift the faded yellow cushions. "And I think I just uncovered our bad boy."
He flipped the cushion up. Trisha shrieked and jumped back.
Jasmine snorted in disgust. "You kill vampires as a hobby, and a little dead mouse freaks you out?"
Trisha became conscious that she was using Myrtle as a human shield. She let go of the older woman's shoulders and stepped away. "That's entirely different. Vampires are a threat, and once you kill them, they're just ash. That is — it's just — I mean, look at it! I was sitting on that!"
A crowd was gathering.
Bill poked his head in between Mitch and Jasmine to examine the tiny corpse stuck to the underside of the cushion. "Looks to me like it got squished to death," he remarked.
Trisha felt her bile rise.
"Maybe within the last twenty-four hours or so." Bill had taken a fireplace match and was poking at the remains of the mouse, still firmly attached to the couch fabric. "It would have to take a pretty heavy person to do that kind of damage. Or two people. Who knows, it could have been any of us."
Oh no. Trisha stared at Mitch. They had snuck into the library the night before. The formerly sexy memory of falling onto the couch in his arms, the weight of his body pressing onto hers, turned to mulch in her brain. She went to him and clutched his arm, eyes frantic. "Mitch! Do you think that we — I think I might be sick."
He kissed the top of her head and patted her hand. "Well, it's a helluva way to go."
Trisha decided it might be time to break up with him.
"We'll never get the smell out," Myrtle stated. She surveyed the room. "Any volunteers to find us something new? Preferably cheap?" She nodded to Jasmine, who had already produced an accounting book.
Trisha's hand shot up.
"If you go to Sally Ann's New and Used," Jasmine told her, holding out a card, "they'll probably have something halfway decent. Try not to spend more than fifty, if you can."
The adhesive tape pulled out a few more of the tiny hairs on Trisha's arm. She hissed in reaction, making the woman in the lab coat jump slightly.
"It's all right, she's just changing your dressing." Bill soothed her. He was sitting now, on the opposite end of the table. The lights had been lowered out of deference for Trisha's raging migraine. "For some reason, it won't stop bleeding."
"I know." Trisha watched as the medic — or doctor, did the Society actually have a certified doctor on staff? — pulled away the last of the gauze. For such a little scratch, it hadn't stopped oozing since…it happened. The dark red on white made Trisha feel sick again. She felt sweat break out on her forehead, even though she was still cold. "Do you have any aspirin? Or maybe a tea? I think I'm coming down with something." Her voice sounded so pathetic, even in the small room.
Bill gestured at the wall behind him. For the first time, Trisha noticed the dark mirror set into the drywall.
"So that was where you went, then? Sally Ann's?"
Trisha stood on the sidewalk for a moment, looking at the window display. An old, chipped mannequin in a tie-dyed shirt and a red feather fascinator posed coquettishly next to a formica table with two matching chairs. The table was covered in cheap romance novels, old National Geographic magazines, cookie jars, and a cake stand dripping with junk jewelry. Everything, including the mannequin, had a hand-numbered price tag.
She fully expected the store to smell like cat pee.
To Trisha's pleasant surprise, it was only a little musty, and a bit like lilacs. As she had become accustomed to doing, she scanned the corners of the room for threats. Instead, she noted that the store owner had perched a number of reedy fragrance defusers on the shelves bordering the walls.
The store owner — Sally? — was sitting behind the counter, immersed in a battered Reader's Digest. She was wearing a sweater with a cat printed on the front. Her black hair showed a fine line of white along the part.
Trisha walked slowly throughout the displays. It was a paradise for collectors. Figurines of shepherdesses and elves sat next to cookbooks and cake decorating supplies. She brushed by a rack of old clothes, shuddering at the thought of spiders lurking within. Jasmine was right; for a vampire hunter, Trisha was unusually squeamish.
The furniture was at the far end. An old dining room set crowded next to a glass-front cabinet from the eighties. Three couches nestled so close together that it was nearly impossible for Trisha to edge her way in between them.
She clenched her fists. "No spiders, no mice," she intoned, before taking a breath and sitting on the first, a lovely plaid.
It smelled distinctively of cats.
Rising quickly, Trisha moved to the next one. It was puke green pleather. The price tag showed a cost higher than her budget, but Trisha was confident in her bargaining skills.
Unfortunately, as soon as she sat on it, her butt sank to the bottom of the frame. Staring at her knees, Trisha shook her head in disapproval. "Way overpriced, Sally," she muttered.
Hoisting herself up, Trisha shuffled along to the last couch. Yellow brocade resembled the sofa that she knew Mitch was probably delivering to the town dump at this moment, his best friend Skyler in tow as extra muscle.
She lowered herself onto the corner using extreme caution.
No stink.
She allowed her full weight to settle down.
The springs held.
Trisha leaned over and gingerly sniffed the fabric. Mothballs and dust. She sat back up, satisfied that there would be minimal insect or rodent invasion with that kind of protection. Just to be sure, she rose and lifted each of the cushions.
Still a bit high on the price, she noted, but given the options…
Trisha shuffled back out of the couch corner and went to try her hand at haggling.
It took all of her meagre budget, and a phone call to Mitch and Skyler to make sure the pick up would happen, but Trisha whistled as she left the shop. Take that, Jasmine Mehta! On the money, virtually the same colour as the last to match the decor of the Queen Anne library / meeting room, comfortable and mouse-free — Trisha allowed herself a few childish skips as she headed back for a workout in the Society's makeshift gym.
No-one else was using the equipment in the bright former ball room. The grand old mansion boasted a few treats like this; Trisha stretched her legs out, and imagined once again what parties might have been like in the building's heyday. Tall windows stretched from the polished floor along the length of the room; the floor was now scarred but still gleaming, and while some of the windows were boarded up, there was one pane which remained pristine and whole. Tarnished candle sconces and gas lamps lined the other three walls, between mirrors as tall and ill-used by time as the windows.
It was too bad that there was no money in this business. Trisha stepped onto the programmable treadmill and keyed in her workout. The things she could do with Queen Anne architecture. The gardens alone deserved to be brought back to their full glory. S.H.I.P. operated out of donations and gifts, with the occasional bequest. Everyone was truly volunteering their time, after careers and family obligations. Trisha sensed that there was muscle not being used in the organization. Why not show the government what they did? Wasn't it possible to get a grant of some kind, to increase the facility's profile and get them decent headquarters where every room had modern heating?
At least the old ballroom had some solar gain, even in winter. Under her baggy t-shirt and exercise leggings, Trisha's goosebumps had vanished by the time the treadmill began its tilt for the running portion of her program. The puddle of sunlight she was enjoying would probably move before she was finished her run, but at the moment, she was basking in it.
The door behind her opened and closed softly.
"Oh. I thought I'd be alone." Jasmine padded softly past, a towel thrown over one brown, sculpted shoulder. She was unashamedly clad in black clinging short-shorts and matching sports bra. Her hair swung freely from a high ponytail.
"Damn," Trisha panted to herself. "If I were a lesbian, she'd totally be my type."
"Thank you," Jasmine replied. She settled onto her back to do some presses.
"It wasn't my intention for you to hear that." Trisha gritted her teeth. She didn't know what was worse — the burn of embarrassment or the burn in her calves.
"My hearing is exceptionally good," Jasmine remarked. Her voice echoed clearly throughout the space. "I'm not bothered. But I'm not gay, thanks anyway."
"I'm not gay, either."
"You could be bisexual. What is it they say now, that sexuality is on a spectrum?"
Trisha raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Everyone experiments. I'm all about boys." She glanced back to Jasmine's sculpted abdominal muscles. "You're incredibly hot, and you know it."
Ah, the joys and pains of starting a family… excerpt from "Tabitha's Solution"
Eight days earlier, Tabitha had been absolutely positive that the baby was on her way. Her entire pregnancy had been incident-free: no morning sickness, no swollen ankles, no varicose veins. A few stretch marks now crossed her abdomen, but otherwise it had been text-book perfect.
"I'm so excited, I just know it's going to go smoothly, Mom." Tabitha grinned as she cradled the phone between her chin and shoulder. The soft pastel green receiving blanket she was folding crackled with static electricity in her hands as she shook out the fold. "Plus, if we do have the baby tomorrow — no, when we have the baby tomorrow, I'm going to think positively — I'll win that brand-new nursery at the mall!"
"But you already have a crib, and a stroller."
"I couldn't resist entering that contest, I just had a really good feeling about it." Tabitha added the tidy square of fabric to the linen shelf beside the crib, and picked up a cotton one printed with yellow duckies. "It includes a bassinet with a lacy lining, so Victorian and adorable, plus a changing table. I don't have a changing table."
"Do you really have room for all of that?" Her mother cautioned. "We talked about that. Until you move, you're pretty crowded as it is. That's why I got you that rail-riding changing thingy."
Tabitha suppressed a sigh. "I'd make it work, Mom. I'm creative. I play Tetris, I like rearranging things." She refused to look around again at the small bedroom holding the old double-bed, one long dresser, a side table with a lamp, and for the baby, the linen shelf she had converted from an old plant stand, and the crib squeezed into the only space left, nearly blocking the bedroom door.
"I wish I could be down there with you, dear," her mother sighed.
"I know. I do too." Tabitha hoped she sounded sincere. On the one hand, having her mother present during her labour would be a comfort. On the other, she wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea. It was going to be hard enough being exposed to the midwives again! Tabitha never even let women in a change room see her naked, always putting on her swimsuit in the bathroom.
Still, she had imagined her mom waiting just outside the delivery room, and being one of the first to hold her new grandchild. That would have been wonderful.
"Did your washer and dryer ever come?" Her mom was asking.
"Yes, just yesterday." With great relish, Tabitha described her new appliances as though they were toys. "They're really shiny, Mom. So much better than going to the laundromat. I can't believe we lucked out on an apartment with a laundry room, let alone that we were able to buy the set on sale. It's going to make using cloth diapers much easier."
Tabitha didn't care that her mother was probably was rolling her eyes; this was a debate she had often gotten into with her. No, she did care. "I know you think it's silly, but it's really better for the environment."
"All you're doing is using more electricity," her mother argued. "Why else did they invent disposables? God knows, if they had had disposables when you and your brother were babies…"
"There are mothers in India who never put their babies in diapers," Tabitha pointed out. "Babies have survived being put in cloth diapers for thousands of years. It'll help him to toilet train faster, if he feels the wet."
"Tabitha. This is a baby. You're looking at a year before that is even close to happening."
"Yeah, well… I want to try it, anyway." A lump pushed at her hand, to the left of her navel. It was most likely a foot. She prodded it back, and the foot abruptly struck her lower rib. "Ow. Besides, it's a lot easier than it used to be, with the velcro Kushies instead of pins."
She'd never be able to convince her mom, Tabitha knew.
"When will Dad be back from his business trip?"
"Oh, in about a week." The tone of her mother's voice changed from wistful to bemused. "He's been trying to get me to fly out and join him in Vancouver, but I'd rather be closer to you. Maybe I should take the train down, what do you think about that?"
"Mom, you'd have to sleep on our couch. It's just not practical." Not to mention the single bathroom they'd have to share! "I'll be fine. I can take care of a baby."
"Really, it's going to be great!"
"I mean, Alex is going to take a few days off, and the midwives will be doing two home visits, so I won't be completely alone. I can take care of the baby."
"What about the rabbit?"
Tabitha glanced down at the black-and-white German bunny sniffing around her feet. "I can take care of Beatrice too; she can run around while I'm feeding the baby. She won't be a problem. We finally got her litter-trained, so cleaning the cage is easier, too."
"Well, if you need me to take her, let me know."
"It's fine, Mom." Tabitha cringed; she didn't want to sound like a whiny teenager. "Listen, I have to go to the bathroom. I just got kicked in the bladder again. I'll call you first thing tomorrow, and as soon as my labour starts, all right?"
"I love you, Tabby-cat."
"Love you, too."
Tabitha rubbed her belly as she set the phone back in its cradle. "Your grandmama is going to love you soooo much, little one," she reflected aloud. "We just have to be patient a little while longer. It would be nice for her to be here, but we just don't have the space! And I read all the books, I know how to take care of you. How hard can it be? You're just one little baby!"
Her bump shifted abruptly, as though in response.
"Yes, yes, I get it. My poor bladder is crowding you. Well, let's take care of that." Quickly folding the last three blankets and setting them on the shelf, Tabitha grabbed her battered copy of What To Expect When You're Expecting, and headed to the bathroom.
And emerged, a short time later, feeling slightly disgruntled.
Where were all the signs of imminent labour? Her muscles had been scrunching and relaxing inconsistently for a week, a strange but not unpleasant sensation, but there had been no pain to suggest that it was time. Sherry, her primary caregiver, had said that she was experiencing pre-labour, and that it was a good thing. But nothing else had happened.
No bloody show. She wasn't quite sure what that would be like, in spite of the book's description.
No sudden gushes of fluid, or flare-ups of back pain, not that she really wanted to experience these things. Tabitha just wanted to have her baby, as quickly as possible. And if it was at all possible, it would be ideal if needles were not involved. It wouldn't be comfortable, but unless medical intervention was absolutely necessary, no needles would come anywhere near her skin.
Admittedly, all the battle stories she'd heard from her prenatal classes, and read in her books, about the potential side effects of drugs on a baby's brain — or on the mother, so she couldn't remember giving birth — had strengthened her prejudice against modern medicine. Plus, the fact that even watching someone getting a needle made her nauseous made getting an epidermal completely out of the question. Absolutely nobody was getting near her spine with a sharp object unless she was knocked out, first.
Punctured spinal column. Tabitha shuddered at the thought.
Alex was completely on her side. He attended as many appointments with her as he could, and understood her fears. "I won't let anyone touch you, unless there's a problem," he promised her, over and over.
She was relying on that.
Her mother had reminisced often enough about Tabitha's own introduction to the world. In the late 1970s, she had had to shave, and have an enema at the start of the labour. Ick. Thank goodness hospitals no longer did any of that — Tabitha did not relish the picture her mother had painted of a woman who had just given birth running to the toilet. Sherry had laid those fears to rest in one of her early appointments.
"Enemas? No, no, that's not done anymore," she shook her head, smiling. "And you'll only need a catheter if you go in for a c-section. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. If there is a problem, we'll refer you right away to the obstetrician-gynocologist."
"How quickly could the OB-GYN get there, if the baby's in distress?" Alex knew all the terminology, from his years as a volunteer with the St. John Ambulance. He smiled at Tabitha, squeezing her hand as tightly as she held his own.
"He'll be either in the hospital, or on-call, depending on how you are at the beginning of your labour." Sherry consulted a schedule hanging on the wall. Her light brown curly hair reminded Tabitha of her mother. "In fact, the doctor has a couple of scheduled inductions and a caesarean booked around your due date. I don't think you'll need to worry, unless the baby is breech or something else is going on."
So many things could go wrong, but Tabitha tried not to think about that. For over eight months, ever since she had confirmed that she was pregnant, she was only ever optimistic that her first birth would be perfect. Traditional, in the modern sense. She would breathe through the pains, using her meditation and yoga training. She would visualize, to help her body relax. She would have her favourite soft-rock or new age music playing, and a scented candle. They would be in the hospital, just in case, but Alex would be by her side through the whole experience and make sure that it was just like she wanted.
Twenty-four more hours, and she would be a mother. Alex would be a dad. All of this discomfort and concern would be behind them.
Thirty-six hours later, Tabitha had to stop herself from grinding her teeth with impatience.
"Honey, what are you doing with that shovel?"
Tabitha huffed and puffed, her breath coming in little clouds of condensation. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm shoveling."
Alex approached her with the caution of a bomb defuser approaching an unknown container. "I can see that. But sweetheart, you're nine months pregnant. Why don't you let me do that?"
She glared at him over her muffler, without breaking her rhythm. "I'm fine. It's just a couple of inches of snow."
"Mist and Midnight" praises… (from Midnight Thirsts, anthology published by Melange Books)
"Last night I read our anthology and i especially loved Pike and Charlotte. My absolute favorite story is one in which the main characters fight a villain together and the only question is whether they will live rather than whether they will love. Wonderful story." (Olivia Ritch)
"Hey…I just finished Midnight and Mist…I LOVED it… Loved that you used your Moms name as her boss… Loved that Talbot was like Cobalt… I love Pike and Charlotte…two very strong characters…I wanna read more!!! Great writing…I felt like I was there… Kudos girl!!" (Crystal P)
"I absolutely loved "Mist and Midnight"; the descriptions and suspense were beautifully written, the heroine Charlotte was strong and intriguing, and Pike in one word was "Yum!":) I look forward to reading more of your work."
(Megan Hussey)
Paper Routine — my entry to the CBC Canada Writes Short Story Contest
"You're such a good girl."
He used to think that it was funny, in a bitter-sweet kind of way. I was sixteen, or it was my birthday, and I had never been kissed. Never had a boyfriend. I didn't wear makeup, and my usual outfit consisted of a baggy sweatshirt and torn blue jeans.
I was sixteen, and I had a newspaper route.
That was how I met him.
He would come out of his garage to see me, the old man, or from the side door of his brick bungalow. I would pull up to the house on my bike, open the painted door to the old milk box, painted pale yellow to match the trim around the doors and window, and inevitably, he would come out. Sometimes, I saw him watching for me from the kitchen window.
"If you ever have a fight with your parents and you need a place to stay…"
I had decided on the newspaper route two years earlier. It seemed like an easy way to make some spending money, while getting exercise. The only downside was meeting the deadline every day, and delivering admail every second Friday. Otherwise, it was an easy gig. Aside from the odd grumpy dog, or the embarrassment of seeing someone my age who clearly wondered what the hell I was doing delivering newspapers when I should be shoveling burgers or peddling clothing like others in their teens, I liked it.
It was my half hour, or more, of peace after school each day. Time to daydream, as I walked down the four block route. I had a residential road with many retirees, like him, who had beautiful gardens and well-kept homes. The better ones were on the east side, facing the lake. They often had docks, and maybe one or two had beaches. I would imagine owning one of them, but I could never decide whether it would be better to back onto water, or onto the bike trail that ran along the old railway to the west. The bushes were high enough that those backyards had privacy, but I knew there were pools back there.
"Why don't you bring your friends over for a pool party? I'm not going to try anything, you know. You probably think I'm some kind of dirty old man. But I'm not."
He was lonely. I could see it in his eyes. The stoop of his shoulders under the brown cardigan, or the grey. He had a sense of the dramatic, too, which I enjoyed, in a way. The way he would stand in his garage, perfectly still, as the wide metal door slowly levered open in one big piece. Or, how he would slowly open the door as I popped the newspaper in the mailbox. His back would straighten as he smiled at me. I didn't feel entirely comfortable, but neither did I feel threatened. We'd chat. His eyes would light up as he asked about my day. And I would move on after an appropriate interval. I had made a lonely old man feel better.
"What are you doing biking in the rain? Put your bike in here, I'll drive you."
I knew my boundaries. The first few times he offered to drive me down the block, I politely declined. But there came a day, one early spring, when the clear sky turned to sleet, and with freezing hands and damp hair I accepted the ride. After that, when the weather was bad, allowing the old man to chauffeur me became a relief. Not often, but enough. My parents thought it was sweet.
"I really like talking to you. You make me feel young again."
I no longer remember our exact conversations, but I remember his house. There was a billiard table in the basement. The kitchen had yellow cupboards, and the living room was tastefully decorated, very clean, and there were doilies. He was married. His wife, he'd told me, had not been affectionate toward him in years. I knew, somehow, that this was not something an old man should be sharing with a young girl.
But, being polite, I said nothing.
"I'm going to miss you, you know."
Tall, gangly, my body often felt more boyish than feminine. I'm not sure when I allowed him to give me a hug. It might have been as simple as a squeeze on my shoulder when he gave me my bi-weekly newspaper money. Certainly, when I got my driver's license. But when I made my last delivery before a week's break, while I went on a field trip to the States, he hugged me tightly. I knew I had a place in his lonely world and that I made him happy.
I shouldn't have accepted his next offer.
I knew I shouldn't have, that my parents would not have approved and would still be shocked that I did.
Sixteen years old, never been kissed. I was greedy for the world.
One of my customers on that route had been an Olympic boxer; he'd shown me his gold medal, in pride of place on a glass shelf in his professionally appointed basement exercise room.
One of my customers caught me talking to myself as I daydreamed aloud, but aside from a raised eyebrow, never bothered me about this curious habit.
One of my customers offered me five hundred dollars to take on my field trip.
Five hundred dollars.
The old man drove me to his bank, my bicycle left safely in his garage, and as I stood by his side, withdrew the money in the form of traveller's cheques. So I could have a comfortable, enjoyable trip. I didn't need it. It was a gift.
"I can't keep this."
Wary of neighbours, not wanting anyone to think the wrong thing, the old man had never closed the door while we were inside. How could I take this money? I knew it was not the right thing to do, but still, I kept it.
In truth, having the extra money, which I had not earned and did not deserve, made my trip much easier. I didn't have to worry about keeping enough aside for each meal. I was able to buy souvenirs. I bought him a small hanging ornament made of painted clay, and a hook to display it. It was a little thank you to him.
He laughed when I gave it to him.
He had tears in his eyes when he gave it back, some time later.
Was it weeks?
"I can't keep this," he told me, softly. His hands trembled as he gently placed the ornament I had bought for him, using the money he'd given me, into my palm and closed my fingers over it. "I look at it, and it makes me…want you."
I didn't know what to say. So I let him talk.
So, I didn't qualify for the Long List in the CBC Canada Writes Short Story Contest…
…and that's okay. Now, I don't have to worry about it! And at least I finished something, which I can finish revising and perhaps submit to an anthology about teenagers.
I also completed a short story about childbirth this weekend. My next project is a short story about a vampire hunter. Still working on revising my novel, "Wind and Shadow"; also, I'm kind of spinning my wheels on "Blood and Fire", the second book in the trilogy. It was nice having time to write this weekend. The extra day helped, but it's going to be hard going back to work tomorrow. I dislike having my routine interrupted, as it is so difficult for me to get back into it. I do not do well with transitions.
Off I go, to mark paragraphs and then begin my short story about the vampire hunter. For fun, I'm attaching the picture which has inspired this one — I hope you'll shudder as much as I did when you see it.
CBC Canada Writes — I entered!
I grabbed the reins and held on! Closed my eyes and took the leap! (Question: How many clichés are there for "taking a chance"?) There's a story I've been wanting to write for so long, and on Wednesday I finally did it. I sent it off, into the virtual yonder… It would be so wonderful to win; the grand prize is $6000 (about half of my remaining student loan) and two weeks as a writer in residence in Banff…four runners-up receive $1000 each. Plus, let us not forget, getting published! To be honest, I'm just as happy that I actually wrote something, after about two months of not writing…I am getting back my energy.


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List of Schools in Europe
Cholsey Primary School
Church Road, Cholsey, OX10 9PP Wallingford
Telephone: 1491 651862Fax: 1491 651649
Schools-UK.eu is the largest online school database in the United Kingdom and is becoming more and more popular between the students.
The visitors can find there information about all types of schools – from kindergartens to universities.
Operator just4web.cz s.r.o.
© 2009-2015
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A couple of weeks ago TV3's 60 minutes team approached us to do a behind the scenes look at what went on during the XT outages.
We have been determined to be open and upfront with people - both inside this business and outside of it - about the issues we've faced recently. Being so upfront requires courage, and it's not without risk. But we will continue to be straight-up, hence the decision to give the 60 minutes team an inside look at our business and access to our people.
The film crew have started interviewing and we've also given them footage from the video we put together for you during one of the XT outages - so they might use some of that too.
The programme is due to screen next Wednesday (17th March) and will be promoted at the end of tonight's show.
Remember, promo pieces are designed to get people to watch! Obviously we hope tonight's promo and next week's programme will be a balanced look at how the issues were managed, highlighting the extraordinary lengths our people have gone to to look after our customers."
I wonder if NealR, Akia and others will appear on the program?


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Veolia's broad range of capabilities in the nuclear field is united within a unique entity: NUCLEAR SOLUTIONS.
An offering within Veolia for the nuclear industry focused on facility clean-up and treatment of radioactive waste.
We offer a broad range of expertise in the nuclear and environmental sectors, unique technological solutions, world-class experience in complex operations, risk mitigation and management discipline.


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by Paul Peck, Buffalo Sports Page
The UB Bulls will play in the school's third bowl game on Saturday, December 22 when they take on the Troy Trojans at the Dollar General Bowl in Mobile, AL.
Buffalo Sports Page will get fans ready with what you need to know about the game, the city, the stadium and the matchup between the Bulls and the Trojans.
Buffalo Offense
- The Bulls offense has already set team records for points, touchdowns & rushing touchdowns. They need 88 yards to set a record for yards gained in a season.
- The Bulls have scored 452 points this season, an average of 34.8 yards per game. They scored more than 30 points in nine of their 13 games.
- The Bulls were a big play offense all season long. They had 15 touchdowns of 30 yards or more.
- UB's offensive line allowed only 12 sacks all season.
- Starting center James O'Hagan will start his 50th career game, and 50th consecutive game. He's just the second Bulls player to reach 50 games.
- QB Tyree Jackson is 143 yards from 3000 for the season. Only Drew Willy has done that in UB history. Jackson is also 275 yards from 7000 in his career.
- Jackson, the MAC's offensive player of the year, has thrown 27 touchdowns this season. Joe Licata holds the school record with 29.
- Wide receiver Anthony Johnson is 56 yards from 1000 for the second straight season. He would be just the third UB Bull to have two thousand-yard seasons.
- Johnson has 11 touchdown catches this season, and 25 in his career. That career number is third alltime.
- Running back Jaret Patterson needs 54 yards for 1000 on the season. He'd be the 7th Bulls runner to reach that mark, and the 10th time it will have happened.
- Fellow freshman RB Kevin Marks has totaled 805 for the season. That's an impressive combined total of 1,751 for the team's top two backs.
- A freshman has scored a touchdown in every game this season. UB is the only NCAA team to make that claim.
- Coming off a seven catch, 124 yard, two touchdown performance in the MAC Championship game, Johnson is the key to this matchup against Troy. The Trojans defense has good cornerbacks, and whoever wins that matchup may win the game.
- Johnson will return to Mobile and play in the Senior Bowl in late January. He's the first Bull since 1964 to be invited to the game.
Countdown to the Dollar General Bowl: 2 Days
Countdown to the Dollar General Bowl: 3 Days
Countdown to the Dollar General Bowl: 4 Days
Countdown to the Dollar General Bowl: 5 Days
Countdown to the Dollar General Bowl: 6 Days
Countdown to the Dollar General Bowl: 7 Days
Countdown to the Dollar General Bowl: 8 Days


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From down under comes feisty, hard-living Australian private eye CLAUDIA VALENTINE. Claudia lives on top of a bar in a rather seedy area of Sydney, and tries to come to terms with a failed marriage and the children who no longer live with her.
Claudia snatched up a PWA Shamus for Best Paperback Original Private Eye Novel for The Last Tango of Delores Delgado (1992), the third entry in this excellent series, and has won much critical acclaim for her creator, Marele Day. Ms. Day has also been known to write about another P.I., Mavis Levack, who actually made her debut as a nosy neighbour in The Life and Crimes of Harry Lavender (1988).
Report respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith, with a big thanks to Libby Hall for the (indirect) lead.
| Home | Detectives A-L M-Z | Film | Radio | Television | Web Comics | Comics | FAQs |
Drop a dime. Your comments, suggestions, corrections and contributions are always welcome.


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|Job Title
|Managing Paramedic Officer Certification
|Credential Testing - Online Proctoring
|FLSA Status
- Hold Current Unrestricted State EMS Provider or the National Registry of EMTs Licensure OR have previous unrestricted State EMS Provider Licensure or National Registry Certification for at least 5 years.
- Have completed 20 Hours of American College of Paramedic Executives (ACPE) Qualifying Accredited EMS Management Education within the last 10 years (for example, CECs earned at EMS conferences such as EMS Today) - Waived for all 2017 Exams
- Have completed 100 Hours of American College of Paramedic Executives (ACPE) Qualifying Approved EMS Management Education within the last 10 years (for example, successful completion of NAEMT's Principles of Ethics and Personal Leadership course, CFO or EFO certification, Ambulance Service Manager (ASM), SafeTech Solutions EMS Leadership Academy, etc.)
Click here for a list of approved EMS Management Education.
- Have a minimum of two (2) years' EMS management experience
- Obtain three (3) Professional Reference Letters
- A minimum of an Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university is highly recommended, but this requirement has been waived until 1/1/2020.
NEMSMA Membership is not required to obtain Managing Paramedic Officer Certification
How to Apply for the Exam:
- Complete the application for Managing Paramedic Officer Certification (click Begin above or below to begin the application)
- Submit all required documentation of the above Pre-requisites, as required by the application process by May 27, 2017
- Payment waived - Paid through Pinnacle Registration
- The MPO Oral Examination will be conducted via Skype and scheduled ahead of the written examination.
More information about the credentialing and examination process can be found on the NEMSMA website at www.nemsma.org.


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Roberto Orci Discusses Planned Sinister Six Film 0
After the announcement of their plans regarding Venom and Sinister Six spin-off movies, things have become quiet on Sony's side of the Marvel film property pond. However, Roberto Orci recently went out of his way to discuss key details regarding the two spin-offs, namely the difficulties in bringing said projects to the big screen, because they'd have to treat the villains as protagonists.
"That's the discussion we're having right now," says Orci. "How exactly do you do that, and how do you do it without betraying the audience and making them all mean?"
"Drew Goddard is going to be writing [Sinister Six], so it's kind of his problem! I'm kidding. We're all working on each other's stuff, so we want to be true to it."
"There are some anti-heroes in this day and age. There's been examples of that even on TV – Vic Mackey on The Shield, one of the great anti-heroes of all time."
"There are ways to milk that story. Audiences have seen everything. They've seen all the good guys who never do anything wrong. Is there a story in seeing the other side? That's the challenge, and that's the fun."
Via: IGN.com


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Haters will Broadcast Your Failure but Whisper Your Success
One of my dear friends - actually, the very first #1 in North Carolina on ActiveRain - recently ran for public office. As soon as she announced, I reached out to see how I could help her with her campaign - I adore her and would do anything in the world to help her.
Fast-forward just over a month, my friend didn't win the bid for the elected office. I personally don't feel that it was a total waste of time for her thought - she had wonderful RPAC support and spent a good chunk of change to advertise and got lots of great exposure. She did a wonderful job of advertising, ran a good, clean campaign and, as far as I'm concerned, shone an incredibly bright, positive light on our profession.
I remarked about my friend's campaign in a group of other local agents, many of whom I would consider to be personal friends of mine. I was quite surprised at the backlash about my friend's campaign - quite frankly, I was the only one in the group who supported her!
Seriously, comments were not at all what I would have expected from my peers about someone who has done SO much for our local and state associations, NAR, CRS and is well known all across the nation. Quite frankly, it was pure jealousy! In fact, one agent asked me specifically how I could support my peer - how stupid of me because I "sent business to her because I supported her!" According to one agent, my friend actually "cost all agents in our MLS business" because she ran for political office. Yes, that was actually said. To me. In a public forum.
Many quotes came to mind but, these two really hit home as I read all of the negativity. It's so true - if you shine, you're going to get a few rocks hurled at you!
Hence, the quote -
© Debe Maxwell | The Maxwell House Group | RE/MAX Executive | firstname.lastname@example.com | Haters will Broadcast Your Failure but Whisper Your Success


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Big News: Introducing Our Quarterly Industry Insight Report
The transportation industry is always moving. And in such a fast-paced space, it can be hard to keep careful track of all of the latest info that can enable you to maximize your organization's success. To help, we're introducing our Quarterly Industry Insight Report, an overview of the transportation industry, capacity and rate trends, economic insight and much more. We'll be highlighting what you need to know with the goal to curate a report that is specifically designed to help your organization stay ahead of the curve.
Our first quarterly report includes information on:
- The latest in fuel
- Current capacity conditions
- DAT and market trends
- Current industry trends
- And much more!
This quarter's report also includes breakouts of three key industries in the transportation space: chemical, retail and manufacturing. To find out more, it's a simple process to subscribe! To have this report delivered directly to your inbox at the end of each quarter, click here.
And don't hesitate to send questions, comments or topics you'd like to see covered in the Quarterly Industry Insight Report our way.
Have you subscribed to our Quarterly Insight Report yet?
1 Comment
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This video discusses Fentanyl and why are so many people overdosing on it?
This video discusses Fentanyl and why are so many people overdosing on it?
Did you know that there are organic molecules found in space? This video discusses how they were first detected.
This video discusses the how and why many bacteria, including Gonorrhea, have become resistant to antibiotics. Also, this video discusses the chemistry behind how antibiotics actually kill bacteria.
This is not something that happens often, but it happened. A Car battery which was broken or damaged caused the death of mother and 3-year-old daughter. They were found with no signs of life in their car. The cause of death was determined to be poisoning with very toxic gas: hydrogen sulfide from a car batter battery, which has been placed under the driver's seat. In this case, the smell was so intense that first responders were forced to initially retreat. Car batteries are usually sealed and should not emit any gas. However, this case showed that there is always the exception.
A car battery consists basically of two lead plates which are immersed into sulfuric acid. During regular charging and discharging cycles of batteries containing sulfuric acid, there shouldn't be any hydrogen sulfide production. So how can hydrogen sulfide occur? It can be produced by the broken battery or by heat production when overcharging it. In such conditions, hydrogen can be released from the sulphuric acid solution which can form the poisonous hydrogen sulfide gas.
Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless gas with the characteristic smell of rotten eggs. It is very poisonous, corrosive, and flammable. It's heavier than air, so it's accumulating at the bottom of poorly vented spaces. Once you can smell it, it means that its concentrations are high enough to be toxic. It affects many systems in the human body and the one which is the most affected is the nervous system.
When air has been contaminated with hydrogen sulfide even a few breaths can cause a loss of the sense of smell and the lack of awareness of surroundings. In the case of even short exposure to high concentration of hydrogen sulfide, death can occur in few moments. The main cause of death is because of inhibitory properties of hydrogen sulfide, which stops cells' ability to absorb oxygen. In short, the victims die from suffocation. The best course of action if you think you are smelling hydrogen sulfide gas is to vent the space, and leave until it's properly vented.
You should be because early in march the controversial powdered alcohol product call Palcohol received approval from The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). As part of the U.S. Treasury Department, the TTB has the authority to review the formulation and labeling of distilled spirits products. The Palcohol product would come in 100 ml pouches, with five ounces (150 ml) of water being added to the powder inside to create the equivalent of an alcoholic drink. The Arizona-based company which produces Palcohol, Lipsmark LLC, has been given approval for four flavors of powdered alcohol: cosmopolitan, margarita, vodka, and rum.
Because Palcohol is an entirely new form of alcohol, there has been intense concern from legislatures about the possible misuse by people. Concerns include accidental overdose due to unfamiliarity with its potency, the possibly of its flavors being appealing to small children, it could be easy to sneak powdered alcohol into public events, people may try to snort the powder, and powdered alcohol could be used to surreptitiously spike a drink. The TTB was quick to point out that although Palcohol has received federal approval, states can also regulate alcohol sales within their borders. This is exactly what multiple states – including South Carolina, Louisiana and Vermont — have done by preemptively banning powdered alcohol products. Other states – such as Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Massachusetts — have proposed obstructive legislation against powdered alcohol products.
So how does powdered alcohol work? Although the actual formulation of Palcohol is a secret, the process of making powdered alcohols is quite well-known. In fact, a U.S. patent for powdered alcohol products was submitted by the General Foods Corporation in 1972. To put it simply, the liquid alcohol is absorbed by a solid substance which retains it solid form. A good example of this is how a sponge can absorb water and still remain a solid. Now imagine a powder made up of a multitude of tiny sponges and you are getting close to what is going on. In the case of Palcohol, the absorbent substance is most likely made of a class of molecules called dextrins. Dextrins are made by breaking up starch, which is produced by many common foods such as potatoes, corn, and rice. Dextrins are commonly used as the absorbing agent in powdered alcohols because they do not increase the sweetness of the drink, are easily dissolved in cold water, and do not impart any flavor. Also, dextrins are known to produce powders even with an alcohol content of 60%.
If you are ready for powdered alcohol it should be commercially available this summer!
I am a university professor who holds a doctorate in organic chemistry. In addition to working in the industry for a short while I have taught general and organic chemistry courses at three different campuses. After teaching chemistry for a while I, noticed that the more interesting and edgy aspects of chemistry were never discussed in textbooks and in lectures. As a student I remembered that any stories told by instructors, which ties the material in with real life, tended to have a dramatic impact on me. To that end, I have created this blog to highlight the many strange ways chemistry shows up in our lives.


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Lectura de sambata dimineata
"The winter of 1846-47 was bitter beyond belief, the coldest of the century. Siberian winds blew in across Europe. In Milan, two men froze to death and the Straits of Devon recorded the lowest temperature on the continent. Wrapped in furs to cover their meagre, government-approved, Austerity suits and dresses purchased with clothing ration coupons, British fashion editors sat on their gilt chairs and watched not just a total change in the silhouette, but a completely new idea of what to wear. At the end of the show, Carmel Snow, the elderly editor of Harper's Bazaar, pronounced it as "a whole new look". And that was that. The imperium has spoken.
Five days later, the novelist Nancy Mitford, who had sat out the war in Paris in order to be with her French lover, would write to her sister Diana Mosley that her life had been made a desert of gloom, for now all her clothes had been rendered – at a stroke – unwearable. Customers, she wrote, were fighting over Dior's dresses and it was like a scene at a bargain basement sale just trying to place an order."
Excelent scrisa, cartea Alexandrei Palmer despre Dior este unul dintre cadourile acestei saptamani. Nu trebuie sa va pasioneze istoria modei ca sa v-o doriti, e suficient sa vreti sa cititi despre unul dintre putinii designeri carein doar 22 de colectii si in 10 ani au revolutionalizat cu adevarat moda, despre prima casa de moda care a modificat traseul haute couture, despre primul brand al carui succes a insemnat nu doar vestimentatie dar si blanuri, parfumuri, palarii, accesorii, bijuterii, cravate, ceramica, piese de design interior.
Incantator cadoul venit din partea Books Express, pentru inceputul de primavara, nu-i asa? Daca acesta e un cadou care se adreseaza gradinii voastre sufletesti, zilele astea mai gasiti pe Style Diary inca un cadou, de alta natura, care se adreseaza celorlalte simturi ale voastre.
O zi de desfatari, care incepe la Hotel Epoque cu un tratament la un spa de 5 stele, continua cu o sedinta de shopping la Yokko si se incheie seara cu un cocktail party, in acelasi hotel boutique. Hmmmm, it makes you dream, right? Cineva o sa isi petreaca ziua impreuna cu mine, intr-o escapade aux beaux reves…
Haideti acum sa citim cateva lucruri frumoasa, inainte sa ne lasam iarasi prinse in vartejul zilei, responsabilitatilor, curateniei de weekend, vizitelor…
Donna Karan's creative flow – "Of all the many ironies in her life, perhaps the most savoury is that Donna Karan – the doyenne of the drapy dress, jacket and tunic, beloved by millions for her forgiving, pragmatic yet glamorous clothes, richer by scores of millions of dollars because of them – failed draping at Parsons, New York's world-renowned art and design school." In The Telegraph.
Old tricks up new sleeves – "The younger designers of Paris, like those of New York, are entering a difficult phase in their careers, when the novelty of their good looks and flashy fashion wears off and they begin to face the reality that they have to sell some of these clothes. So they try new things … like, you know, sweaters." In NY Times.
Jewel personalities – "Brands are turning to stars with big social media followings to promote their wares . When Fabergé recently placed its Treillage collection on Olivia Palermo, Erin O'Connor and Andrea Riseborough, the jewels sold briskly. The brand has found that celebrity endorsement online has translated effectively internationally and, more importantly, into new markets." In Financial Times.
The Oscars: who decides who wears what? – "Sunday night's Academy Awards are perhaps the most frenzied red-carpet event of the year, famously worth thousands of dollars of publicity to the lucky brands that clothe the best-dressed of the night. But who actually decides who wears what? Not, as we all know, the celebrities themselves, who are largely dependent on the advice of personal stylists: professionals who have often decided what labels should compete for which nominees, and beyond that, what dress or tux makes the final cut." In Financial Times.
A somptuous minimalist – "Joseph Dirand is the go-to architect when fashion houses seek to create luxurious retail spaces with a modern twist" In WSJ Magazine
The secret weapon behind Rihanna's look – " After the Rihanna for River Island presentation during London Fashion Week, its namesake designer, the biggest pop star on the planet, came out for a bow. Accompanying her was a boyish, mustachioed fellow. Most of the audience had no clue who he was. Beaming, he turned to Rihanna and applauded. This was Adam Selman, Rihanna's costume designer, who worked with her on the collection" In NY Times.
Italian designers celebrate sartorial craft at Milan Shows – "Italian designers put craftsmanship before reckless glamour at the Milan fashion week, in a bid to defend their tailoring tradition in the face of global competition." Pe Reuters.
Dark looks rule Milan catwalks for autumn/ winter 2013 – "Fashion designers at Milan fashion week delivered a dark palette and masculine styles for autumn-winter wardrobes in a reflection of Italy's bleak economic and political landscape." Pe Reuters.
In Milan, all that glitters and slithers – "The fall 2013 collections were rife with opulence. Crocodile jackets, python cocktail dresses and mink shoes stood out, even as a new voluminous silhouette set the shape of high fashion for fall." In Wall Street Journal.
The diary of a white show – "Apart from in the factory that makes Barbie's accessories, it is an established fashion truth that white shoes are not a good look. Except when they are. This is when they are worn in an Ironically Chic vein. " In The Telegraph.
Defining "luxury" across the world – "An annual wealth survey examines cities with sky-high property prices and shows that living the high life can also wear out one's ATM card" In WSJ Magazine.


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'The truth about stories': Yes, I am Aboriginal and I enjoy mathematics
Florence Glanfield, University of Alberta
Guest Contributor This entry is part of the Equity Issues Portfolio's series on Indigenizing the academy and Indigenous education.
When people learn that I am of Aboriginal descent and that I enjoy mathematics I am often looked at in a quizzical way. Often I am asked how I came to enjoy and to teach mathematics. And, I often assume, that I am being asked how you – as an Aboriginal person – came to enjoy mathematics. Over the years I've found it productive to respond by sharing two stories.
"The truth about stories is that that's all we...