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Journal of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering
On-line version ISSN 2309-8775
Print version ISSN 1021-2019
J. S. Afr. Inst. Civ. Eng. vol.52 n.2 Midrand Oct. 2010
Numerical modelling for the evaluation of progressive damage to plain concrete structures
S A Sadrnejad
Among the various numerical simulation models of plain concrete, the micro-plane models perform exceptionally well. They are not as complicated as the microscopic models, such as the discrete particle models, and do not have the shortcomings of the macroscopic models based on stress or strain invariants. The constitutive equations for the mechanical behaviour of concrete, capable of predicting damage effects or crack growth under loading, unloading or reloading, were developed on a micro-plane framework. The proposed damage formulation is based on combinations of five fundamental types of stress/strain, which essentially may occur on any of the micro-planes. Model verification was done using different loading, unloading and reloading stress/strain paths. The proposed model is capable of yielding a pre-failure/post-failure history of stress/strain on different predefined sampling planes through material. This micro-plane damage model of plain concrete was developed in a 3D finite element code to show its abilities in crack/damage analysis and prediction of failure mechanisms as compared with plain concrete tests. The proposed code is able not only to predict the crack path, but also to determine which combination of loading conditions occurs on damaged micro-planes. The validity of the proposed model is investigated through a few test cases and a double curvature arch concrete dam.
Keywords: crack type, micro-planes, progressive failure, plain concrete structures
Surveys through the continuum macroscopic constitutive models of concrete show that micro-planes-based models perform exceptionally well. In these models, instead of presenting constitutive relations in the shape of stress and strain tensors, the stress and strain vectors, which are in turn the projections of stress or strain tensors, are used. This method not only provides a more physical conceptual base, but also leads to more simple mathematical formulation. On the other hand, invariant-based continuum macroscopic models lose some of the important features of material behaviour because they are basically not able to capture and store the data properties in the different directions around a material point, whereas the micro-planes models inherently include the directional characteristics of a material point.
Many of the available 3D commercial analysing codes are not equipped with the proper damage concrete material model, so are not able to perform precisely crack/damage analysis, analysis of crack orientations and analysis of progressive failure of concrete structures.
The basic idea, namely that the constitutive material behaviour as a relation between strain and stress tensors can be "assembled" from the behaviour of material in the planes with different orientations within the material (such as slip planes, micro-planes, particle contacts, etc), can be traced back to the failure envelopes of Mohr (1900) and the "slip theory of plasticity" of Taylor (1938) who was the first to implement this theory for modelling the behaviour of polycrystalline metals. Taylor's idea was formulated in detail by Batdorf and Budiansky (1949). This theory was soon recognised as a realistic constitutive model for plastic-hardening metals. This idea was used in arguments about the physical origin of strain hardening, and was shown to allow easy modelling of anisotropy, as well as the vertex effects for loading increments to the side of a radial path in stress space. All the formulations considered that only inelastic shear strains ("slips"), with no inelastic normal strains, took place on what is now called the "micro-planes". The theory was also adapted to anisotropic rocks and soils under the name "multi-laminate model" (Zienkiewicz & Pande 1977; Pande & Sharma 1981; Sadrnejad & Pande 1989; Sadrnejad 1992).
The static constraint formulation was used extensively and referred to as "slip theory" for metals or "multi-laminate theory" for anisotropic rocks until the first application of this theory by Bažant and Gambarova in 1984 to continuum damage mechanics and cohesive-frictional materials; they referred to this theory as "micro-plane" theory.
The object of this study is the application of a proposed micro-plane, damage-based model of plane concrete (Labibzadeh & Sadrnejad 2008) in a 3D finite element code to show its abilities in crack/damage analysis and analysis of progressive failure of concrete structures such as concrete double curvature arch dams. The proposed code is not only able to predict the crack line, but also allows the determination of which combination of loading conditions occurs on damaged micro-planes. The validity of the proposed code is investigated by means of a few tests and examples of concrete structures.
The orientation of a micro-plane is characterised by the unit normal n of components ni (indices i and j refer to the components in Cartesian co-ordinates xi). In the formulation with a kinematic constraint, which makes it possible to describe the softening behaviour of plane concrete in a stable manner, the strain vector on the micro-plane (Figure 1) is the projection of the macroscopic strain tensor εij. So the components of this vector are εNi = niεNi that is
where repeated indices imply summation over i = 1, 2, 3. The mean normal strain, called the volumetric strain εv and the deviatoric strain εD on the micro-plane can also be introduced, defined as follows:
This separation of εv and εD is useful when the effect of the hydrostatic pressure on a number of cohesive frictional materials, such as concrete, needs to be captured.
To characterise the shear strains on the micro-plane (Figure 1), we need to define two co-ordinate directions, M and L, given by two orthogonal unit co-ordinate vectors m and l of components mi and li lying on the micro-plane. To minimise the directional bias of m and l among micro-planes, one of the unit vectors m and l tangential to the plane is considered to be horizontal (parallel to x - y plane).
The magnitudes of the shear strain components on the micro-plane in the direction of m and l are εM = mi(εijnj), εL = li(εijnj). Because of the symmetry of tensor εij, the shear strain components may be written as follows (e.g. Bažant et al 1996):
in which the following symmetry tensors were introduced:
Once the strain components on each micro-plane have been obtained, the stress components are updated through micro-plane constitutive laws, which can be expressed in algebraic or differential forms.
In the kinematic constraint micro-plane models, the stress components on the micro-planes are equal to the projections of the macroscopic stress tensor σij only in some particular cases when the micro-plane constitutive laws are specifically prescribed in a manner such that this condition can be satisfied. This happens for example in the case of elastic laws at the micro-plane level, defined with elastic constants chosen so that the overall macroscopic behaviour is the usual elastic behaviour (Carol & Bažant 1997; see also Carol et al 1992, 2001). In general, the stress components determined independently on the various micro-planes will not be related to one another in such a manner that they can be considered as projections of a macroscopic stress tensor. Thus the static equivalence or equilibrium between the micro-level stress components and macro-level stress tensor must be enforced by other means. This can be accomplished by application of the principle of virtual work, yielding:
where Ω is the surface of a unit hemisphere; σv and σD are the volumetric and deviatoric parts of the normal stress component; and σL and σM are shear stress components on the micro-planes respectively. Eq (5) is based on the equality of the virtual work inside a unit sphere and on its surface, rigorously justified by Bažant et al (1996).
The integration in Eq (5) is performed numerically by Gaussian integration using a finite number of integration points on the surface of the hemisphere. Such an integration technique corresponds to considering a finite number of micro-planes, one for each integration point. An approximate formula consisting of 26 integration points is proposed in this study. The direction cosines and weights of the integration points are listed in Table 1 and in Figure 2 their positions on the surface of the unit sphere are shown.
This numerical integration technique for evaluation of the integral statement in Eq (5) yields:
Nm is the number of integration points on the hemisphere. Based on this formulation, the following macroscopic constitutive matrix in the proposed model is obtained as follows:
where E and v are the elastic modulus and Poisson's coefficient.
The deviatoric part of the constitutive matrix is computed from superposition of its counterparts on the micro-planes. Such counterparts in turn are calculated according to the types of damage that occur on each plane, depending on its specific loading conditions. This damage is evaluated on the basis of the five separate damage functions. These five loading conditions are:
hydrostatic compression
hydrostatic extension
pure shear
shear + compression
shear + extension
A specific damage function is assigned according to the authoritative laboratory test results available in the literature. Then, for each state of plane loading, one of the five introduced damage functions is computed with respect to the history of micro-stress/strain components. The five damage functions are as follows:
Parameters a to k in the above relations are computed according to the laboratory test results obtained for each specific concrete. In Eq (9), εeq is an average strain, and in the other relations it is the magnitude of the projected deviatoric strain vector on each micro-plane. To obtain the parameters a to k, uniaxial compression tests are used to determine the planes' shear-compression; therefore, parameters d, e, f, g, h, i, j and k are found by numerical trial and error. Adjusting the stress path in the triaxial test to provide a plane with pure tension or pure shear can lead to the determination of a, b and c.
In this formulation, for simplicity, we consider just two basic material parameters, namely the elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio. Accordingly, a simple isotropic linear elasticity governs the intact material and all non-linearity, including damage effects, is accounted for through damage functions on the sampling planes. Figure 3 shows the computational sequence used in the proposed model.
To demonstrate the validity of the proposed model, correlation studies were done between the model's analytical results and experimental evidence from tests regarding the stress-strain response of concrete specimens under different loading conditions. The tests used were the uniaxial compression (UC) test (Figures 4 and 5), the conventional (cyclic) triaxial compression (CTC) test and the uniaxial tension (UT) test. The proposed model should be able to show the activity of each predefined micro-plane up to and even after failure. This specific novel aspect has been evaluated for each test.
The material parameters used in the above analysis are: E = 25 000 MPa and v = 0,20.
Uniaxial compression (UC) testing
In Figure 5, the volumetric changes of the concrete specimen under uniaxial compressive loading are shown to compare well with the experimental results of Kupfer and coworkers (1969).
Figure 6 compares the variation in micro-stress. As the figure shows, during the application of the uniaxial compressive load, micro-plane number 11 (see Figure 2) is in compressive stress, whereas micro-planes numbers 9, 10, 12 and 13, which are orientated normal to the load direction on the unit sphere, experience only tensile stress. Compressive stress accompanied by shear strains affects the remaining planes. It is noted that during increments of the uniaxial compressive load, the compressive and shear stress components acting on micro-planes numbers 1 to 8 increase simultaneously, with a greater rise of shear stress at first; however, near to the peak stress () the compressive stress decreases suddenly.
Figure 7 shows the growth of the damage function values of different micro-planes during the uniaxial compression test of concrete obtained with the proposed model. As can be observed from this figure, damage evolves faster on micro-planes numbers 9, 10, 12 and 13 on the unit sphere than on the other planes. This is because there are different modes of loading on those planes. In the uniaxial compression test done by the proposed model, the axial compressive load is applied on the x-axis that is normal to micro-plane number 11 (Figure 2). So on this plane there is only a normal compressive load (mode I) which means that no damages could be caused to it. On micro-planes numbers 5, 6, 7 and 8 there is a shear stress combined with the normal compressive load (mode IV); this causes less damage than on micro-planes 1, 2, 3 and 4 on which there is the same mode of loading (mode III). This is because on micro-planes numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 the magnitude of the compressive stress component is less than that on micro-planes numbers 5 to 8 (see Figure 6), so damage grows faster. Finally, on micro-planes numbers 9, 10, 12 and 13 there is only normal tension (mode II), which causes damage to grow faster than on all the other planes.
If the points on the top and bottom loading plates are assumed not to be horizontally constant, the priority of micro-plane activity in the above test is the other way round. This means that damage on micro-planes numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 will be greater and cracks will be initiated first on these micro-planes. This phenomenon is in agreement with the model's predictions and is depicted in Figure 8.
In this test, the hydrostatic pressure is first applied to the specimen up to a certain level and then the axial compression is increased while the lateral or confining pressure is held constant. Therefore, in this test, up to a certain level of hydrostatic pressure there should be no shear forces on the micro-planes. This can be seen in Figure 9 which shows the evolution of the micro-stress components on the different micro-planes during the CTC test.
Finally, the effect of lateral confining pressures on the compressive cylindrical strength of concrete specimens simulated by the proposed model is compared with the experimental data of Ansari and Li (1998) in Figure 10. The stress-strain response of the concrete cylindrical specimen under axial tension load is depicted in Figure 11.
Cyclic triaxial compression (CTC) testing
Generally, most damage models fail to reproduce the irreversible strains and the slopes of the curves in the unloading and reloading regions. To overcome this problem, plasticity and damage models are often combined. In the case of unloading or reloading, any gap opened on the plane starts closing and a new history of damage on the plane starts with regard to the existing stress/strain on the plane. This is similar to elastoplastic behaviour, although the intact material remains elastic and damage functions can make up and adjust the residual plane strength.
In Figure 12, the predicted response of the model under the cyclic compression test is compared with the experimental results of Sinha et al (1964).
In addition, Figure 13 shows the behaviour of concrete simulated by the proposed model under complete cyclic triaxial loading.
Finite element code
Three-dimensional (3D) finite element software was developed using the proposed damage model for concrete as an alternative to the non-linear material model. This new software can perform 3D crack/damage analysis of concrete structures under static/dynamic and monotonic/cyclic loadings. The operating sequence of the proposed code for non-linear static analysis is illustrated in Figure 14.
Three-point bending test
Figure 15 shows the geometry and finite element meshes for this test. The tensile strength of concrete and the elastic modulus are assumed to be = 2,8 MPa and E = 27 500 MPa. For modelling, 428 3D eight-noded brick elements and 958 nodes are used. The path of crack growth simulated with the proposed model is illustrated in Figure 16. As can be seen from this figure, the damaged region of the specimen coincides with experimental observations.
Figure 17 shows a comparison of the load-displacement curve obtained with the proposed model with that found by Bažant and Luzio (2004). Clearly, there is reasonable agreement between the obtained and previously reported results. This example shows the mode I fracture of concrete in this 3D condition. Furthermore, because of the specific formulation of damage on micro-planes, the suggested model is able to predict the direction of the crack line at each integration point.
This can be observed in Figure 18, in which the damaged micro-planes at integration point number 681 are illustrated (orange planes). On these planes there is only tensile strain (load condition II) and mode I fracture has occurred on them. A comparison between the damage values obtained with the proposed code on various micro-planes at integration point 681 is shown in Figure 19. Clearly, in the case of non-symmetrical conditions, different stress/strain paths appear on the sampling planes and the arrangement of the active planes leads to a different failure configuration from that presented in the next section.
Anti-symmetrical four-point shear test
To show how the model is also able to predict a crack with a curved path, a notched specimen, subjected to an anti-symmetrical four-point shear loading, is considered. The thickness of the beam is 38 mm. A mesh of 428 3D brick elements is used (Figure 20).
The material parameters are E = 27 500 MPa and v = 0,20. When the anti-symmetrical load is applied, a crack starts from the left-hand corner of the notch and grows upwards to the left-hand side of the loading plate. Figure 21 shows the crack path in the specimen obtained from the proposed model and the actual monitored crack path obtained from experiment. The experimentally obtained crack ends in the left-hand corner of the loading test plate, while the predicted one ends in the right-hand corner of the load plate. There are two possible reasons for this difference. The first is that point loads are applied in the model, whereas plate loading is applied in the test. The second is that there is a small mismatch between the sampling plane orientations and those of the real cracked planes. Increasing the number of sampling planes can sort out this mismatching to some extent. Furthermore, if other element types are chosen, or a denser finite element mesh is used, the predicted crack pattern may be unchanged from the prediction with the coarser mesh of linear brick elements. Obviously, as Figure 21 shows, the proposed model is able to simulate the crack line fairly well. Figure 22 shows the modelled crack evolution in the direct tensile test.
Mode II fracture has occurred on microplanes numbers 5, 6, 7 and 8 (blue planes in Figure 18) due to a combination of tensile and shear stresses (load condition V) at the damage integration points.
To demonstrate further the ability of the proposed model, a double curvature arch dam was selected. This dam is in the feasibility stage of consulting studies in Dez-Ab consulting engineering company and is located in the south-west of Iran near Aligoodarz city.
Dam geometry
The geometry of the dam, including the plan and the profiles of the crown cantilever and centre lines are shown in Figures 23 and 24. The dam has a height of 220 m and the length of its crown is about 430 m.
Material library
The elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio of plain concrete for the dam are considered to be Ec= 30 000 MPa and vc = 0,20. The mass density of the concrete is p = 2 400 kg/m3. The elastic modulus of the rock mass is selected as Ec = 20 000 MPa.
Finite element mesh, results and failure mechanism
The model discretisation of the arch dam used in this analysis is shown in Figure 24. A total of 652 3D brick elements and 1 146 nodes are used for the finite element calculations. The proposed arch dam is analysed by the code in Figure 14 under its own weight and the hydrostatic pressure of the reservoir in the first stage. Damaged portions of the dam are shown in Figure 25 in terms of the damage parameters (damage value w 1,0) of the proposed model. It can be observed that the damage or cracks at all designated integration points in Figure 25 occurs on micro-planes numbers 7 and 8 where tensile and shear stress components (mode II fracture) exist. This indicates that the combination of tensile and shear stresses (load condition V) have the greatest damage effects on the arch dam under its own weight and the pressure of the reservoir at that stage.
The dam's deformations and stresses under its own weight and normal water pressure are shown in Figure 26. The stress paths of the tensile and shear components on micro-planes numbers 7 and 8 due to the initial loading up to the point of failure are shown in Figure 27.
The six stages of progressive failure are shown in Figure 28. Damage starts in the bottom right-hand location under the dam's own weight and water pressure increases. With the compliance matrices kept constant for the damaged planes, failure extends to the left and upwards to configure a failure mechanism that finally divides the dam body into five pieces (Figure 29).
A constitutive damage model for concrete predicting the effects of any arbitrary loading conditions was developed using the approach of a theoretical framework of micro-planes and damage functions. This model has some characteristics that distinguish it from similar work done recently in this area of research. Some of those differences are listed below.
A new damage formulation has been employed in the micro-plane model. It was built on the basis of five fundamental force conditions that essentially can occur on each micro-plane. Consequently, any change in six strain/stress components in a dxdydz element leads to one of the five stress cases introduced into plane conditions and the use of corresponding damage functions. Therefore, the proposed model is capable of predicting the concrete behaviour under any arbitrary strain/stress path. These five force conditions are: (I) hydrostatic compression, (II) hydrostatic extension, (III) pure shear, (IV) shear + compression, and (V) shear + extension.
Five damage evolution functions (all functions of equivalent strain) were formulated for any of five force conditions. The equivalent strain for the first two conditions is defined as volumetric strain and for the others it may be considered as the magnitude of the projected vectors of the deviatoric strain tensor on the corresponding micro-planes.
These damage evolution functions were constructed with reference to the experimental test results for concrete specimens under compressive and tensile loading conditions reported by the various researchers.
In our formulation, according to the damage theory, the value of total damage functions in each micro-plane varies between zero and one, the first value being related to the undamaged state (no crack initiation on the micro-plane) and the second value to the totally damaged state (where the crack opening on the micro-plane is greater than the specified critical value).
As soon as any crack initiates and starts to grow on each of 26 micro-planes, the stiffness of the plane orthogonal to the crack line gradually decreases. When the crack opening reaches to its critical value, the components of the stiffness matrix related to the direction of normal to the crack are reduced to zero. If the on-plane loading conditions change in such a way that the crack starts to close and the crack opening then reaches a value smaller than the critical crack opening, these stiffness components increase again and return to their initial values.
It was observed that for a particular micro-plane, the combination of shear and extension strain components (mode V) could result in much more damage than the other situations. Thereafter, hydrostatic extension (II), pure shear (III), shear + compression (IV) and hydrostatic compression (I) respectively have a smaller effect on damage evolution.
The novel micro-plane damage model is able to simulate the behaviour of concrete specimens under both compressive and tensile loadings with few model parameter requirements.
Although the proposed model has excellent features, such as pre-failure configuration of the internal material, prediction of the final failure mechanism, the capability of seeing induced/inherent anisotropy and also any fabric effects on material behaviour, the basis of its formulation is simple and logical, and it confers some physical insights that make it convenient to understand.
Ansari, F & Li, Q B 1998. Fiber Optic Sensors for Construction Materials and Bridges. Lancaster, PA: Technomic Publishing Co., p 368. [ Links ]
Batdorf, S B & Budiansky, B 1949. A mathematical theory of plasticity based on the concept of slip. Technical Note 1871, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. [ Links ]
Bažant Z P & Luzio G D 2004. Nonlocal microplane model with strain-softening yield limits. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 41: 7209-7240. [ Links ]
Bažant, Z, Xiang, Y & Prat, P C 1996. Microplane model for concrete. I. Stress-strain boundaries and finite strain. American Society of Civil Engineers, Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 122(3): 245-254. [ Links ]
Bažant, Z P & Gambarova, PG 1984. Crack shear in concrete: crack band micro plane model. Journal of Structural Engineering, ASCE, 110: 2015-2036. [ Links ]
Carol, I, Jirasek, M & Bažant, Z P 2001. A thermodynamically consistent approach to micro plane theory. Part I: Free energy and consistent micro plane stresses. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 38: 2921-2931. [ Links ]
Carol, I & Bažant, Z 1997. Damage and plasticity in micro plane theory. International Journal of Solids & Structures, 34: 3807-3835. [ Links ]
Carol, I, Bažant, Z P & Prat, P. 1992. New explicit micro-plane model for concrete: theoretical aspects and numerical implementation. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 29: 1173-1191. [ Links ]
Kupfer, H B, Hilsdorf, H K & Rusch, H 1969. Behaviour of concrete under biaxial stresses. Journal of the American Concrete Institute, 66(8): 656-666. [ Links ]
Labibzadeh, M & Sadrnejad, S A 2008. Mesoscopic damage-based model for plane concrete under static and dynamic loadings. American Journal of Applied Science, 3(9): 2011-2019. [ Links ]
Pande, G N & Sharma, K G 1983. Multilaminate model of clays - A numerical evaluation of the influence of rotation of principal stress axes. International Journal of Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 7: 397-418. [ Links ]
Sadrnejad, S A & Pande G N 1989. A multi-laminate model for sand. Proceedings, 3rd International Symposium on Numerical Models in Geomechanics, NUMOG-III, Niagara Falls, Canada, 8-11 May 1989. [ Links ]
Sadrnezhad, S A 1992. Multi-laminate elasto-plastic model for granular media. Journal of Engineering, (Iran), 5(1 & 2): 11. [ Links ]
Sinha, B P, Gerstle, K H & Tulin, L G 1964. Stress-strain relations for concrete under cyclic loading. Journal of the American Concrete Institute, 61(2): 195-211. [ Links ]
Taylor, G I 1938. Plastic strain in metals. Journal of the Institute of Metals, 62: 307-324. [ Links ]
Zienkiewicz, O C, & Pande, G N 1977. Time-dependent multi-laminate model of rocks. International Journal of Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 1: 219-247. [ Links ]
Contact details:
Department of Civil Engineering KN Toosi University of Technology
Tehran Iran
Tel: 98 21 8888 1128 Fax: 98 21 8877 9385
e-Mail: email@example.com
SEYED AMIRODIN SADRNEJAD received his BSc from Sharif University of Technology, Teheran, his MSc from University College Cardiff, UK, and his PhD from University College Swansea, UK. He is Professor in Civil Engineering at the K N Toosi University of Technology and vice-principal of the university. He is a consultant to Teheran Municipality on design and construction activities for residential and industrial construction. His fields of interest include earth and concrete dams, numerical methods in geomechanics and structural engineering, finite element methods, hydromechanics and hydraulic structures.


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OLNEY, Md. (WUSA) -- One man is dead and two others were injured in a single-vehicle crash in Montgomery County on Friday.
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It's official! Jay Leno will be ending his run as host of The Tonight Show and Jimmy Fallon will be replacing him. NBC confirmed reports of the switch in a statement Wednesday, April 3 saying Leno will end his 22-year run on the show in Spring 2014. Fallon, who is currently host of Late Night, will then transition over.
"Jay Leno is an entertainment icon, making millions of people laugh every weeknight for more than 20 years. His long reign as the highest-rated late-night host is a testament to his work ethic and dedication to his viewers and to NBC," said Steve Burke, Chief Executive Officer of NBC Universal. "We are purposefully making this change when Jay is no. 1, just as Jay replaced Johnny Carson when he was no. 1."
"Jimmy Fallon is a unique talent and this is his time," he continued. "I'm thrilled he will become the sixth host of The Tonight Show at exactly the right moment, in conjunction with our coverage of next year's Winter Olympic Games from Sochi, Russia."
And there doesn't seem to be any hard feelings between the two hosts. Leno, 62, and Fallon, 38, who addressed rumors of the replacement in a funny musical duet of West Side Story's "Tonight" on Monday, both issued friendly statements Wednesday regarding the official announcement.
"Congratulations Jimmy. I hope you're as lucky as me and hold on to the job until you're the old guy," Leno, who took over the show from Carson in 1992, said. "If you need me, I'll be at the garage," added the car enthusiast.
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James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer and songwriter. Eventually referred to as "The Godfather of Soul", Brown started singing in gospel groups and worked his way on up. He has been recognized as one of the most iconic figures in the 20th century popular music and was renowned for his vocals and feverish dancing. He was also called "the hardest-working man in show business".
A prolific singer, songwriter, dancer and bandleader, Brown was a pivotal force in the music industry, leaving his mark on numerous artists."Even as his own career declined during the height of the golden age of hip hop, Brown's work found new life in the form of digital sampling; he would go on to become the most sampled artist in the history of the genre. Brown's music also influenced the rhythms of African popular music, such as afrobeat, jùjú and mbalax, and provided a template for go-go music.
Brown began his professional music career in 1956 and rose to fame during the late 1950s and early 1960s on the strength of his thrilling live performances and string of smash hits. In spite of various personal problems and setbacks he continued to score hits in every decade through the 1980s. In addition to his acclaim in music, Brown was also a presence in American political affairs during the 1960s and 1970s.


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Bahco 3906 Sandflex Hacksaw Blades
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Oklahoma teen arrested in school shooting plot
BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – A Bartlesville High School student is in custody on charges he plotted to bomb and shoot students at the campus auditorium on the same day that 28 people were shot and killed at an elementary school in Connecticut.
Police arrested 18-year-old Sammie Eaglebear Chavez at about 4:30 a.m. Friday after learning of the alleged plot Thursday.
An arrest affidavit says Chavez tried to convince other students to help him lure students into the auditorium, chain the doors shut and start shooting. The Tulsa World reports that authorities say Chavez threatened to kill students who didn't help.
The Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise reports Chavez planned to detonate bombs at the doors as police arrived.
The school district says students were never in danger. Chavez is being held on $1 million bond.


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Microsoft, Google and Yahoo sued for foetus sex selection ads
Indian suit calls for sites to be blocked
The Supreme Court of India has issued notices against Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! for advertising products to select the sex of foetuses.
Sabu Mathew George filed the complaint against the three firms. He told the New York Times that the ads deliberately targeted Indian users. He told the paper 900,000 female foetuses are aborted every year in India. Modern techniques for checking the sex of foetuses, like ultrasound, are increasingly available to all classes in India.
Google said it had yet to receive the court papers but would review them carefully.
George said that activists had successfully stopped such products being advertised in Indian papers, but companies were increasingly advertising online. Indian telecoms and health ministries are also mentioned in the case for failing to take action earlier.
Indian law holds service providers responsible for content unless they can prove they were unaware of it, or that they had done their best to ensure such content was legal.
The case calls for the named sites to be blocked in India until they obey the law. ®


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When you ask Robin McFaul what the worst part about spending nine months on a small island off the coast of Alaska was, she doesn't complain about the cold or the solitude. Instead, she gripes about having to lug a cumbersome insulation tester back and forth to the jobsite. From Fall 2003 to Summer 2004, she and a handful of other electricians from Spokane, Wash.-based Peterson Electric upgraded the fire alarm systems at a U.S. military installation in the state of frozen tundra, and they had to test every wire — from point to point. "It was hard enough getting our clothes out to the island, let alone a bulky insulation tester," she says. Unfortunately for her, the tool that could have simplified the process was still in its infancy.
Back on the mainland, engineers at Fluke's Everett, Wash., labs were developing what would later become a new line of insulation multimeters. With insulation testing becoming a frequent requirement on many new installations, and as maintenance electricians relied on it more heavily to diagnose motor problems, the team recognized a growing demand for an instrument that could perform all the functions of a standard insulation tester at a fraction of the size.
With that in mind, they set out to build a better tester, but input from electricians a little less remote than McFaul put them on the path to a concept they hadn't previously considered. What if it were possible to shrink a standard insulation tester, combine it with a full-featured digital multimeter, and still make it small enough to fit in a tool bag, they asked. The engineers mulled over that request, conducted hours of R&D, and came back with an answer.
In addition to offering digital multimeter test features like AC/DC voltage, resistance, and continuity, the 1577 and 1587 insulation multimeters provide insulation resistance testing up to 600 Mohms and 2 Gohms, respectively. The 1577 offers 500V and 1,000V output voltages, and the 1587 provides output voltages ranging from 50V to 1,000V. A remote test probe enables one-handed insulation testing via a trigger on the probe handle. Capacitive voltage is automatically discharged from the equipment under test to prevent accidental shocks. Both meters carry 600V CAT IV and 1,000V CAT III ratings.
The desire to put more test features into a smaller meter is natural, but Michael Stuart, a Fluke product manager, says it's one he's hesitant to go overboard with. The combination employed for the insulation multimeters was just right. "We could have packed many more features into this product, but it didn't make a whole lot of sense," he says. "We went out and saw what electricians were doing, we watched how they were performing their jobs, and we watched what they needed. Anything else would have been superfluous."
Since recently getting her hands on one of the testers, McFaul has fallen in love with it and become the envy of the other electricians on her team. Her only regret is that she didn't have it in The Last Frontier. "It's a huge deal to have all of those features in one unit," she says. "I can't tell you how something like this would have come in handy in a situation like the one I faced in Alaska."
Tips for Effective Insulation Testing
The right meter won't make a bit of difference if you don't know what you're doing.
Disconnect any electronic devices before testing. Apply too much voltage and you could fry things like motor drives and PLCs.
Pick the right test voltage for the insulation you're working with. Stress the insulation, but don't overdo it.
Leave the leads connected when you stop the test. The tester can discharge any residual test voltage.
Insulation testers can generate sparks and minor burns. Always use safe work practices and appropriate personal protective equipment.


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13 May 2013 at 9.26am | 3 Comments
There are many reasons why Friends of Covent Garden choose to support us; from the opportunity to get exclusive first glimpses of hotly-anticipated new productions and priority booking, to special events and the opportunity to meet others who share their interest.
What unites them is a commitment to, and passion for, opera and ballet. Our members love to watch performances, but in addition to this they often have a desire to preserve and develop the art forms for future generations. The support that we receive from the Friends of Covent Garden is an invaluable part of the work that we do in this area.
Friends membership is available across a number of levels. Beginning at £50 per year for ROH Insiders (under 30s) and £85 for those over 30. Supporting and Premium memberships offer exclusive events and access.
These Friends of Covent Garden share their stories of why they took up membership and what drives their passion for opera and ballet:
If you're a Friend, we'd love to hear about your experiences, and why you've chosen to support the work of the Royal Opera House.


text: Well it's that time again. Whether it be childhood memories, you like the sculpt of the MOTUC, or maybe you stamped everything you could with your stamper. Who is your favorite? Mine personally is the vintage one. I used to have so much fun as a child having Skeletor twist punch He-man and make his Battle Armor flip to it's damage patterns!


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Liverpool continued their recruitment drive for the 2014-15 season by landing powerful centre-back Dejan Lovren from Southampton.
The Croatian international boasts a gleaming CV, which includes Champions League and World Cup experience.
Strong, dominant in the air and offering a composed presence, Lovren also boasts great leadership qualities, which helped him make a rapid rise to playing top-level football.
Born in the town of Zenica, on July 5 1989, Lovren began his youth career at NK Karlovac. By 2004 he had alerted the attention of Dinamo Zagreb after impressing their academy coach whilst playing against them.
Indeed, such was his rise to prominence, he was even included in their senior squad shortly before his 17th birthday.
At the start of the 2007-08 season - his first full professional campaign - Lovren was loaned out to newly promoted NK Inter Zapresic, where he gained vital top-flight experience by starting 29 out of a possible 33 league games as the team finished in 11th position.
After impressing in his season-long loan, Dinamo decided to give Lovren the chance to become part of their title-winning side at the age of just 19.
The defender did not waste his opportunity, quickly becoming a regular for his parent club both domestically and in Europe, where he scored his debut goal for the club in the UEFA Cup, and helped Dinamo clinch a third successive league crown.
In 2009, Lovren finally got the call-up to represent Croatia's senior side, making the squad for the 2010 World Cup qualifier against Belarus, although he would actually make his debut two months later in a friendly against Qatar, appearing as a second-half substitute.
In January 2010, after making a total of 66 appearances for Dinamo, Dejan moved to France and a new chapter with Lyon. Adjusting to Ligue 1 football, he made his debut in the Coupe de France away to AS Monaco, then played a further eight times in the second half of the league campaign.
In his first full campaign at the Stade Gerland, Lovren progressed quickly, playing regularly and starring in the Champions League, in which he scored his first goal - away to Benfica - as Lyon reached the last 16 before bowing out at the hands of Real Madrid.
Lovren scored his first international goal with a thumping header in a 3-1 win over Malta as Croatia marched on towards qualification for Euro 2012. He was named in Slaven Bilic's final 23-man squad for the tournament held in Poland and Ukraine, but unfortunately had to withdraw before it began due to an Achilles tendon injury.
Back at club level, Lovren helped Lyon secure third place in Ligue 1 for the 2012-13 season, and also bagged his second international goal - a rocket of a strike - against Joe Allen's Wales in a 2014 World Cup qualifier.
Having made more than 70 appearances in France, the Premier League beckoned as Southampton swooped to secure his signature.
His adaptation to England was typically seamless and he continued to show the form which made him one of the most coveted defenders in Europe - appearing 31 times and scoring twice, one of which was at Anfield as the Reds suffered their first home defeat of the 2013-14 season with a 1-0 reversal against the Saints.
The centre-back's impressive form ensured he was an obvious inclusion for Croatia's World Cup squad this summer - and Brendan Rodgers pinpointed Lovren as the man to bolster the defensive ranks at Anfield, sealing his signature in July 2014.
The No.6 made his debut in a red shirt in a victory over his former club Southampton at Anfield on August 17, 2014, and scored his first goal for the club in the Capital One Cup win over Swansea City.
Dejan made 22 Premier League starts in each of his first two seasons with Liverpool, and played his part in one of the club's most memorable European nights by scoring the winner in the Reds' unforgettable 4-3 victory over Borussia Dortmund at Anfield en route to the 2015-16 Europa League final.
Lovren put pen to paper on a new long-term deal with the club in April 2017.
He tallied 43 appearances in all competitions in 2017-18, scoring two goals, to help Liverpool to a consecutive top-four finish and the Champions League final in Kiev, where he produced a solid display in a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid.
Lovren continued his fine personal form in the World Cup for Croatia. He and his national teammates picked up silver medals after defying the odds to reach the final, though they succumbed to a 4-2 defeat to France in Moscow.


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Conley, Grizzlies down Thunder to even series
Oklahoma City, OK – Mike Conley was one assist shy of a triple-double and hit a go-ahead 3-pointer down the stretch to lead the Memphis Grizzlies over the Oklahoma City Thunder, 99-93, in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal series.
Conley finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, and the emerging point guard provided the 27th lead change with a clutch 3-pointer with 1:58 remaining. The basket was part of the Grizzlies' 10-3 run to end the game and helped even the series at a game apiece heading back to Memphis.
Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph powered a one-sided advantage in the post with 24 and 15 points, respectively, as Memphis scored 20 more points in the paint and held a 23-6 edge in second-chance points.
"We just played our game today. We gutted and grinded it out," Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins said. "We were fortunate to get a win."
Kevin Durant nearly had a triple-double as well, though in a losing cause, totaling 36 points, 11 boards and nine helpers. Derek Fisher followed with 19 points, while key reserve Kevin Martin was limited to six on 2-of-11 shooting after scoring 25 points in each of the last two games.
The tight series takes a few days off before Game 3 tips off Saturday night.
The matchup has all the makings of the conference semis these teams played two years ago, a series won by the Thunder in seven games. Oklahoma City took Game 1 thanks to Durant's go-ahead jumper in the final stages, but down the stretch Tuesday the Thunder went over three minutes without a field goal to lose homecourt advantage in the series.
"I thought we had breakdowns defensively that cost us," Oklahoma City head coach Scott Brooks said. "They came into our building and got a win. Now we have to go into their building and get a win."
Memphis shook off a slow third quarter, quickly erased a 74-69 deficit entering the fourth and was on top, 86-83, courtesy of a Tony Allen bucket off an offensive rebound.
Serge Ibaka answered with a jumper and Durant backed Jerryd Bayless down to the left block and got a turnaround to fall while being fouled, the free throw giving the Thunder an 88-86 edge with 3:18 to play. The basket wound up being the last for the West's top seed before Fisher's meaningless buzzer-beating three.
With under two minutes remaining, Gasol commanded a double team in the lane and kicked the ball back to Conley for an open 3-pointer and a 92-90 advantage. Durant was long on a 3-point try from the left wing, and the combination of Gasol and Conley struck again, this time with Gasol setting a pick at the top of the key to free up Conley for an 18-footer with 1:04 showing.
Durant turned the ball over and missed from long range on the next two Oklahoma City possessions to end any chance of another come-from-behind win.
The Grizzlies scored 10 points off six Oklahoma City turnovers in the first quarter, but only led 23-21 following Durant's 3-pointer in the closing seconds.
Fisher caught fire in the second quarter. The 38-year-old veteran netted 13 points in the frame, including consecutive corner 3-pointers that gave the Thunder a 39-35 lead near the midway point.
Memphis scored nine of the last 11 points of the half, however, with Conley scooping in a layup to put the visitors in front by a 54-51 margin at the break.
Durant nearly outscored the Grizzlies by himself in the third quarter. The three-time scoring champion matched his first-half total with 13 points, while the Grizzlies were limited to 15 as a whole.
Games Notes
Durant has recorded 20-plus points in 34 consecutive playoff games ... Ibaka was held to 11 points ... Memphis scored 29 points off 21 turnovers ...The Grizzlies only committed 11 turnovers ... Allen logged 12 points, seven rebounds and five steals.


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The abundance of digital goods and services, the increased speed of their consumption and the rapid growth of e-commerce are reinventing how people live and work. Alongside, this has created new threats and risks for customs agencies. Today, digital is a prime channel for pirating products, laundering money and undermining domestic industries.
Traditionally focused on physical borders, how can the customs industry reinvent itself for digital commerce? Customs agencies need to make policy, process and technology changes to address digital's disruptive impact on national and fiscal security. Most importantly, they need to create a culture of innovation to manage and facilitate the legitimate trade in digital goods and services while addressing the challenge of revenue leakage and noncompliance.


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Anyone drive in snow yet?
Anyone drive in snow yet?
I drove after about 2 inches of snow and no plowing on the roads yet. It handled perfectly. I was worried abou the weight of the car but regenerative breaking is surely an advantage in this situation. I had no issues at all and feel more confident about the winter ahead. I have 19" all season tires.
I think people forget front wheel drive cars track better in the snow because the engine is over the drive wheels. Well, the Model S engine is over the rear wheels, and the weight bias is in the rear of this car. So no reason not to believe it won't be as good as one can expect from a 2wd car in the snow.
Plus almost magical TC, refined in the Roadster but probably even better.
Finally some real life snow driving info. thanks drripps. don't hesitate to send other info our way. TMS is a heavy car and wonder how the momentum of such a mass will drive on ice/snow
@Joyrider, it's not only the weight distribution, it's the fact that you have your steering wheels that drive the car. Rear wheels do not turn. There is a difference. With power it's a bit easier to drive front wheel drive car because you only need to control the front wheels, not the entire car (you just point the wheels where you want to go). A bit more skill and knowledge how your car acts in different conditions rear wheel becomes more fun, you turn the car pointing where you want it to point (which might not be where you are going).
You want your driving wheels keep grip always, front wheel drive or rear wheel drive, IMO slight oversteering is better than understeering. Problem with powerful rear wheel drive cars is that you easily get strong oversteering which just whips you around faster than you can react, and good weight distribution helps with that, not just 50/50 but where that mass is: best is that major mass is at middle of the car and little at the extremes, just like Model S has. Then the extremes don't get momentum to flip you around when/if you get a slide.
Also low center of gravity helps, in turns you don't lose grip from one side that easily.
(home lab test. Take something that weights a bit that you can put about 30cm stick thru, put those weights at the ends of the stick and turn it back and forth with you wrist holding the stick at the middle. Then put those weights at the middle of the stick and repeat the test).
Two inches is about 5 cm. I haven't driven any car that can't handle that, so that's not really a good test yet unless there is something more in the picture. What condition was the road below that snow? Was it icy? Were there tracks underneath? Hills or flat?
Well, I saw the chains for Model S are only about $80 if you want more piece of mind. Here in hilly Seattle, where snow is rare and drivers freak out when they see white, I plan to keep my model S dry in the garage if it snows.... and drive my wife's Volvo to work that day!
I mean peace of mind.
Yeah, wouldn't it be nice to give someone a peace of your mind? Assuming you had some to spare! ;)
I had a testdrive here i Norway yesterday, snow and slippery.
The car is great to drive, even in snow :-)
Details, please!
@P85_Norway: Tell us more! :-)
How was acceleration from stand still in these conditions? I'm a bit concerned about the huge torque at low speed. Was it equiped with studded or studless tires? Approx temp?
One of my biggest concernes is a 90 deg. turn followed by a 10-12 % incline.
I guess you don't have a good answer on my problem, but if you have a comparrison with any specific FWD or RWD it would be of great help. Handelig wise, I guess it would at least equal a BMW 5-series, but more info is of great interest.
Has anyone driven the 21" inch wheels with summer tires in the snow or ice? I know it's not recommended but they are the best match for the S and here in NJ I think you an get away year round. Appreciate any feedback from those in th north east especially.
Summer tires in ice are bad news no matter what kind of vehicle you are driving. No amount of TC can correct slides with those.
One of my friends once drove all winter with summer tires. He said that to remember what kind of tires he has he did go to empty parking lot, did a small acceleration and pulled handbrake to get slide. After he saw the same building fifth time from the windshield he remembered. Braking distances are ten times (at least) what they are in summer. You need to slow down to crawl in any corners. You can't get up any hills (unless you have momentum).
Here's a collection of related threads, in case you're interested:
It was -14 Deg.C
The car was on studless 19" tesla weels.
The trac.control was working fine.
I currenly have a 2011 Mercedes E-class, and it is wery simmilar to drive in winter conditions.
It was only a short 15 min. drive, but it was nice.
I agree.... In the Washington D.C. area, I had summer tires on my old MR2 (mid engine, RWD). They were horrible in the snow!! I used to get stuck on roads which were so flat that I didn't even realize it was a hill, until I couldn't climb it.
I then bought snow tires on an extra set of rims, and could never again find an unclimbable hill. The difference was night and day.
IMHO, for a few grand, it's worth the expense of buying the extra rims and swapping them out for December - March.
TC and weight distribution is nice, but the rubber is the most important factor, by far (IMHO).
I am in Minneapolis. Have had my S signature perofmrnace for two weeks. I have been driving in some of the worst conditions we have had in Mpls in years. Had a 12" snowstorm Sunday, it was wet snow, temp dropped, got compacted to ice and we have had two days of gridlock with cars stuck on the slightest inclines and accidents everywhere. Salt doesn't work at these temps. I have been driving the S through this with little trouble. Slowly. But little trouble. And I don't even have the snow tire options. Very impressive. Biggest problem as always is the other drives. Near misses at least three times made me want to park it more than the handling of the car.
For those that care, temperature was 1F, energy usage for 38.89 miles of driving was 24.6KWh for 631wh/mile. I was warm at toasty with seat heat at 1 and cabin temp at 68F.
I keep reading cabin heat really draws, but 631 wh/mi, seems high.
A foot of snow compacted into ice - now there's the test we've been waiting for!
I don't assume much of the 631wh/mile was due to heating the cabin. In heavy snow conditions, the motor has to work much harder to maintain a speed - huge amount of added friction for the tires. Add to this the increased stop-and-go, increased slow-and-go and efficiency drops enormously. (And regen, while nice, cannot make up for the significant losses.)
Those of us who live in places with snow and have ever tracked this know that ICE cars experience a similarly huge reduction in MPG.
From what I have seen it is not out of line with my experience in the cold. Some of the issues are that the regen is limited until the battery warms up, and that the initial warm up tends to draw a lot of power. Also since the car is so heavy in stop and go traffic like I would expect Greg to have been driving in it draws a significant amount of power to get moving. All of this adds to the high number.
And those factors apply to any vehicle, ICE or EV.
Greg, which wheels/ tires do you have on your performance S? 21" or 19". This is key to us trying to decide which to choose. Much appreciated!
Are there winter tires with 21" option? Tesla gear in their shop doesn't list 21" winter tires, only Nokian studded and Pirelli without.
...both 19 inch. (need edit)
@Timo | DECEMBER 12, 2012: Are there winter tires with 21" option?
I don't think there are any manufacturers that make 21" winter (or even all season) tires in the size for a Tesla Model S.
I drove the Model S with the stock 21" wheels and summer performance tires in a freak 8" snowfall in NY during the NorEaster that hit NY after Hurricane Sandy. No plows out, and the car handled very well.
No issues of slipping or sliding, and surprisingly stable. With almost 5000 lbs, and rear wheel weight from the motors, very good traction.
I've just switched out to 19" wheels with Bridgestone Blizzak dedicated snow's for the winter, and came back from Vermont, where I encountered some ice and freezing rain last week, and again no issues. Car handled great.
My choice for the Blizzak's vs. the Pirelli's offered in the winter package by Tesla. Most love these Bridgestone tires.


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The selection of the people who were given invitations to play was determined by the published rating list on this site as of 4th April. All players, of course, must be holders of a UK passport, members of the BGA and not representing another country at a Go event within the period October 2007 to October 2009.
Team Official is Ron Bell (BGA President).
Team Leader is Toby Manning.
The players are:


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Wizards Officially Sign Maynor
(Sports Network)–The Washington Wizards signed free agent guard Eric Maynor on Wednesday.
As per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Maynor, selected by the Utah Jazz with the 20th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, has spent the bulk of his career as a reserve for the Oklahoma City Thunder before being moved to the Portland Trail Blazers at the trade deadline last year.
In 64 games last season, Maynor averaged 4.5 points and 2.8 assists per game.
Over a four-year career with the Jazz, Thunder, and Blazers, the 26-year-old has averaged 4.5 points, 3.0 assists and 1.3 rebounds per contest. He missed most of the 2011-12 season due to an ACL injury.
The Wizards also signed guard Garrett Temple. He appeared in 51 games (36 starts) for Washington last season and averaged 5.1 points and 2.3 assists.
The moves gives the Wizards a solid backup behind franchise player John Wall. Washington used five different point guards last year, as the team battled through various injuries and roster changes.


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For anyone with an iPhone that lives in a big city, we've got some good news.
Apple will make major upgrades to its mapping app this year, including adding transit directions, Mark Gurman at 9to5Mac reports.
Here's the gist of what Gurman is hearing:
The new application will also be injected with new points of interests and new labels to make places such as airports, parks, train stations, bus stops, highways, and freeways easier to find, the sources added. Sources also say that the mapping application's cartography design has been tweaked to be slightly cleaner and to make streets more visible.
In addition to the mapping data changes, Apple will add one of the most important mobile features to Maps this year: public transit directions.
Apple acquired two transit apps last year, Embark and HopStop. It had that team integrate transit information into Maps for release this year. The transit directions will be in San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles initially, then roll out further by the end of the year, says Gurman.
A lack of transit directions has been a major weak point for Apple's maps in comparison to Google Maps. For anyone that lives in New York City (or is just visiting) it's pretty much a deal breaker. There's no way Apple maps can be your primary mapping application.
Head over to 9to5Mac for the full report >
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Wendish Town is a town in the Riverlands, the region controlled by House Tully of Riverrun. It is located north of Riverrun, near the Blue Fork of the Trident and south of Seagard.[1]
In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels Wendish Town is sacked at the outset of the War of the Five Kings. Lannister raiders slip across the border and attack the town. The inhabitants retreat to the holdfast, but the raiders burn it. As the townsfolk flee, they are shot down with arrows.
The town is noted as the home of the popular song On a Misty Morn, one of the songs in the repertoire of the bard Marillion.
See also
- Wendish Town on A Wiki of Ice and Fire (spoilers from the books)
|Regional Capital:
Seagard · Wendish Town · Fairmarket · The Twins · Harrenhal · Raventree Hall · Stone Hedge · Crossroads Inn · High Heart · Acorn Hall · Maidenpool · Pinkmaiden · Stoney Sept · Pennytree · Saltpans · Lord Harroway's Town
|Rivers and Lakes:
|Geographic Features:
The Neck · Ironman's Bay · Cape of Eagles · Whispering Wood · Isle of Faces · Hollow Hill · Bay of Crabs


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I've been thinking about credibility a lot lately -- credibility with students and in collaborative relationships with faculty. Being a new librarian, it can be difficult to gain trust when not only are you new to the organization, but also new to the profession. Some students are set in their ways with asking for help from a particular librarian, and some faculty do not seem as open to working with a new person they don't really know very well. Not always having the answers and having to ask another librarian for input doesn't always help the case.
When I asked my very excellent ACRL Instruction Section mentor what to do if someone asks a question in a session I am teaching and I do not know the answer, she told me it's okay to say that it is a good question and I'm not sure of the answer but will find out. This also applies to the reference desk; my supervisor has encouraged me to come to her with questions because since I am new, I am not expected to know everything. I have only had one teaching experience at this point, but when I'm on the desk and a student asks me something I don't know, I will first try to find the information together. On one hand, this can really work to my advantage by turning it into a teachable moment because once we do arrive at the information being sought, I can say "hey you did great it's really just trial and error," and it makes the student feel more comfortable with the library as well as asking me for help. That really has been one of my favorite scenarios.
However, and this has happened a bit too, when a student asks me a question and I really am baffled, I will have to say I'm not as familiar with that subject as my supervisor but I will go find out or go ask her to assist them. I've had a few individuals approach me at the desk and ask for my supervisor specifically, when I say she is not available, I really have been asked if I "know what she knows." I will tell them I might not know everything she knows but I know a good amount and would they like me to help them. Usually, the student will say yes and I am able to answer their question (or figure out where to find the answer). I feel like with the students, this will just take time for them to get used to seeing a new face and that I am able to be helpful.
When I see students again that I have helped, I make sure to follow up with them and ask how their paper or presentation went, and that usually seems to help form more of a relationship. Now I do have students come back to me for help without hesitation, albeit there still are a few that only want help from a specific librarian. Building relationships first with faculty, outside of anything having to do with the library, is another great piece of advice my mentor gave me.
I have not yet met most of who I will be working with from the faculty since it is summer, but I have been trying to provide good service regardless of whether it was asked for or not. For example, I am now sending out emails about new books to instructors in certain subject areas, and I plan to ask for input on collection development once I have more interaction with them; if I don't know an answer to a question, I follow up as soon as possible. One instructor came in looking for an online version of the Oxford English Dictionary, and I wasn't sure offhand if we subscribed electronically; my database and then catalog search took a little longer than I had hoped, so I made sure to later email him to follow up and point out the other online dictionaries we have instead of the OED and let him know where the print version was located for future reference.
I think I will need to explore faculty collaborations a bit more because I know some instructors in my subject areas do not bring their classes to the library (never have and don't necessarily plan to), and I hope to find a way to work with that -- or at least come to a compromise of sorts. Again, a lot of this will just take time, but I'm trying to get on the right track from the start. Hopefully, once I'm introduced to more instructors in my area I will have more opportunities.


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The Blue Ridge Mountain Rescue Group (BRMRG), a member of the Appalachian Search and Rescue Conference (ASRC), is an emergency response resource specializing in conducting and managing search and rescue (SAR) operations for lost persons and aircraft. Based out of Charlottesville, BRMRG has been responding to missions throughout Virginia and its bordering states since 1974. Our organization is comprised of professional volunteers who dedicate countless hours to rigorous training, mission response, group projects, and public awareness. We are on alert 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
To request BRMRG's assistance, call the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) at 800-468-8892. In an emergency, call 911.
BRMRG is always seeking ways to serve the community. Currently our organization accomplishes this by providing the following services:
Brought together by a love for the outdoors and a drive to help others, BRMRG members have come from various walks of life and each brings their own strengths, knowledge, experiences, and perspectives. Recognizing this, BRMRG provides its members with the opportunities to apply their abilities while developing new ones through training, certification, field experience, and leadership opportunities. Due to the nature of our work and the diversity of our members, we believe that maintaining a strong sense of community and camaraderie is just as important. For this reason, we hold numerous social events throughout the year, allowing current members and alumni, along with friends and family, to gather in more informal settings for fun and relaxation.
Disclaimer: Although this organization has members who are University of Virginia students and may have University employees associated or engaged in its activities and affairs, the organization is not a part of or an agency of the University. It is a separate and independent organization which is responsible for and manages its own activities and affairs. The University does not direct, supervise or control the organization and is not responsible for the organization's contracts, acts or omissions.


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Kate Gerwin
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Sabrina Kershaw
You're only as strong as your weakest link
Keli Rivers Rivers
If you don't build your dream, someone else will hire you to build theirs.
Pam Wiznitzer
Jen Ferreira
Do not be afraid to try and fail early in life. We often stumble towards the things we will end up doing best
Genie Gore
Even after all this time, the sun never says to the Earth, 'You owe me.' Look what happens with a love like that. It lights the whole sky.
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Politics & Government
Rand Paul to Hillary Clinton: 'I would have relieved you of your post'
WASHINGTON — During a hearing before Congress on Wednesday, Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky rebuked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for "a failure of leadership" that he said made her culpable in the deadly Sept. 11 raid on the U.S. Consulate in Libya.
"Had I been president at the time and found that you did not read the cables from Benghazi, you did not read the cables from Ambassador Stevens (about security concerns), I would have relieved you of your post," Paul told Clinton during his debut on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "I think it's inexcusable."
The exchange between Paul and Clinton lasted about six minutes.
Defiant in one of her final appearances in office, Clinton said that she accepts responsibility for security lapses in the deadly Sept. 11 attack on U.S. posts in Libya, but she also stressed that the assault was part of a broader war the United States faces against extremists in North Africa.
Although her voice cracked and she appeared close to tears when describing the deaths of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans, Clinton overall seemed confident — and even combative at times — when pressed on security lapses in the attacks in the eastern city of Benghazi.
The congressional questioning took on highly partisan tones, with Democrats blaming Congress for denying funds they say would have helped the State Department improve diplomatic security, and Republicans depicting an administration coverup of high-level negligence in security measures. Clinton appeared first before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and then at the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Being hauled before Congress to answer for what an independent panel called "grossly inadequate" security procedures was hardly the ideal career capstone for a Washington fixture who vows to exit the political stage once her presumed successor, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., is confirmed. One Democrat openly lamented that Clinton's final appearance before Congress was over a tragedy rather than to recap her diplomatic successes.
"Nobody wants to sit where I am and have to think now about what coulda, shoulda, woulda happened," Clinton told the Senate panel.
Current events continually encroached on what was to have been the long-awaited reckoning over the Obama administration's handling of the Benghazi attack. In response to pointed questions about the Obama administration's preparedness to combat al-Qaida-allied forces that are trying to win a foothold in North Africa, Clinton called the fight "a necessary struggle."
She tied the assault in Libya to last week's hostage crisis in Algeria and the ongoing French-led military campaign against Islamist rebels in northern Mali.
Clinton portrayed the militant operation against the U.S. consulate and nearby CIA annex in Benghazi as a direct consequence of the Arab Spring revolts, which toppled authoritarian rulers and gave operational space to long-suppressed radical forces. She said weapons that disappeared in the fall of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's regime undoubtedly had been smuggled to other countries, including for use in the Syrian uprising turned civil war.
However, Clinton said, the United States shouldn't give up on transitional governments, which she said were still struggling to foster democratic rule and rebuild their security forces — two areas where U.S. diplomacy could play an important role.
Clinton's testimony contained hints to some of the obstacles U.S. diplomats face in North Africa's democratic transitions: She said she had to "beg" the Tunisians to intervene to save the U.S. Embassy from rioters; she said Libyans had the will to help secure U.S. diplomats but not the security capacity; and that U.S. officials had to get on the phone and tell the Egyptians to get their forces on the street when demonstrators appeared ready to breach the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
"We are in a new reality," Clinton told the Senate committee. "We are trying to make sense of changes that nobody had predicted but that we're going to have to live with."
At least twice, Clinton's voice cracked and she appeared close to tears when addressing the deaths of colleagues, but she also showed a combative streak, especially in firing back to suggestions that the department had failed to debrief evacuees to find out quickly whether the attack was the outgrowth of a spontaneous demonstration or a well-planned terrorist operation.
"The fact is, we had four dead Americans!" Clinton practically yelled to Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., stressing that her first priority during the evacuation proceedings was treatment for the wounded, not debriefing evacuees.
"Was it because of a protest or because of guys out for a walk one night who decided they'd go kill some Americans?" she continued. "What difference at this point does it make? It is our job to figure out what happened and prevent it from ever happening again, senator."
Republican lawmakers had demanded for months that Clinton explain in person the many missteps that an independent review panel found in her department's handling of the Benghazi crisis. Clinton's appearance was delayed by a prolonged illness and a concussion she suffered after a fainting spell, though some right-wing critics accused her of trying to wriggle out of her commitment to testify.
On Wednesday, Clinton reiterated her full responsibility for the overall security posture of the department. But she reminded the committee that the review board had found that direct responsibility for the deficiencies highlighted during the Benghazi assault began at the level of assistant secretary and below.
The report stopped short of deeming the lapses a dereliction of duty, which would have required proof of intentional misconduct, and instead blamed poor leadership of senior officials for leaving the Benghazi consulate a highly vulnerable target in a volatile city where other visiting diplomats already had shut down operations or taken more precautions.
Four State Department managers were placed on administrative leave as part of disciplinary actions related to the report's findings; one of them resigned.
Republican lawmakers, however, insisted that Clinton be held directly responsible.


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Like most colleges and universities, Bethel offers no specific major for pre-med students. Completing a major in a field such as biology, chemistry or psychology will give you the knowledge and skills to succeed in medical school and beyond. These are some of the more popular majors for pre-med students, though one recent graduate now in medical school majored in music at Bethel.
- In addition to the courses required for the major you choose, Bethel faculty recommend these courses in preparation for a medical career:
- Zoology
- Cell Biology and Microbes
- Chemistry I & II
- Organic Chemistry I & II
- Biochemistry
- Computers in the Sciences
- Applied Statistics
- Introductory Physics I & II
- General Physics
- Biopsychology and Health
- Principles of Sociology


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Now more than ever, we need a break — an occasional respite from our everyday lives. Yes, a "daycation" — a day spent away from the office or job site, and away from chores, just to relax and play. Once again this summer, we are taking one day a week to suggest a nearby escape. Enjoy!
Frankly, we never thought of Milford as much more than a small city and a stop along I-95. We certainly didn't think of it as a beach mecca.
But with a free day, we wanted to go beyond the usual Connecticut beach destinations — Hammonasset and Rocky Neck state parks. A colleague remembered going to the beach in Milford as a child.
We looked at the map and had our doubts. Halfway between New Haven and Bridgeport, Milford seems an unlikely spot for an attractive beach.
But from the moment we arrived at Silver Sands State Park, we were in for surprises. First of all, it was free. Yes, FREE. In a state where public beaches are scant and usually charge significant parking fees ($10 for a weekend day at Hammonasset and Rocky Neck), we almost couldn't believe we weren't greeted by a parking attendant at Silver Sands.
Instead, we found a lovely, long boardwalk crossing a reedy marsh teeming with birds. As we walked along the boardwalk, an impressively broad and long swath of beach opened before us. Work-a-day concerns fell away, as did our doubts about Milford. We expected the beach might have skyscrapers hovering nearby, but any signs of cities were too far off in the distance to notice. The beach was all sand, sky and Sound, with a bonus point of interest just offshore: Charles Island.
We had heard a bit about Charles Island — that at low tide, beachgoers can walk to it along what most call a sandbar but is actually a "tombolo": a spit that connects an island to shore. We had also read a bit about its history: that when the English settled Milford in 1639, it was called Milford Island but became known as Charles Island after Charles Deal bought it in 1657 and tried unsuccessfully to grow tobacco on it.
There is also speculation that Capt. William Kidd may have buried treasure on the island and cursed anyone who tried to dig it up. A Catholic religious retreat was opened on the island in the 1930s but closed. Its ruins remain.
All of this made the thought of exploring the island intriguing, but alas, it's closed to hikers this time of year because of nesting season for the herons and egrets. It will reopen in September.
(Should we return to hike the island, we also learned it is very important to pay attention to the tide schedule and set out an hour or two before dead-low tide. We were advised to start back from the island no later than dead-low tide and to bring a cellphone in case we somehow got stuck out there — as apparently happens a few times every year.)
With the day fairly chilly, we opted not to dive into the Sound but instead sat on the beach, absorbed the saltwater scene and watched some windsurfers.
Then, with hunger gnawing, we made our way into the center of Milford, where once again we were pleasantly surprised.
The town has a picturesque green and lots of shops and restaurants. We were directed down a hill to the harbor area, where Cancun Charlie's and a sign that says Panini Grill beckoned, along with an adorable ice-cream shop called Scooby Doo featuring original flavors such as Quicksand, which is vanilla ice cream with caramel swirl and Butterfinger pieces.
However, as we solicited ideas about where to eat, many directed us back up the hill to a restaurant called Rainbow Gardens on the green — apparently a favorite with women especially. I had crab and lobster salad, while my friend had a salad with chicken and fruit. They were delicious.
By this time, the weather was deteriorating, and we had one more outdoor stop we wanted to make: the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center at Milford Point.
When we called for directions, the receptionist told us we'd probably get lost and to call back if we did. Indeed, it's a bit of a long and winding road to the center, and the sign at the end of its driveway was partly obscured by overgrown greenery. But we found it, and it was worth it.
Located on a barrier beach next to an 840-acre salt marsh at the mouth of the Housatonic River, the surrounding habitat abounds with a variety of birds, plants and animal life.
Inside the center, we could look out on an osprey's nest and watch the babies up close by way of a video camera trained on them.
As you look out in the marsh, you can refer to flip charts that help you identify such birds as a ruddy turnstone or a belted kingfisher or a laughing gull. A chart kept of bird sightings shows that swans, mallards and egrets were seen recently.
Back outside, we climbed a 70-foot tower that affords a commanding of view of the marsh and beach, as well as of Bridgeport, Stratford and Long Island. It's hard to believe that so much wildlife thrives so near urban centers.
By now, it was raining, and time to start our return trip. As we were leaving, a staff member told us a bit about the special programs there which include post-nesting season September tours of Charles Island. She told us to check the website for information about dates.
As we got back on I-95 east, we realized we would think differently about Milford when we passed it on the highway. And we'll come back again — hopefully for a tour of Charles Island.
For more information about Silver Sands State Park, Google the name of the park, or go to www.ct.gov/dep and then go to "outdoor recreation" and then "state parks and forests."
For more information about the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point, check www.ctaudubon.org/visit/milford.htm.
Contact Kathleen Megan at email@example.com.
For a complete guide to past "daycations" around the region, visit www.courant.com/daycation. To see video of a 'daycation' at Silver Sands State Park in Milford, visit www.courant.com/silversands


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Judge Abolishes NY Subway Rule on ID Cards
A federal judge has invalidated a New York City transit system rule that allowed police officers to demand identification documents from anyone riding the subway.
The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by two vintage train aficionados who were stopped by the police while taking photographs at a station in Queens.
Both men were ticketed for "unauthorized photography." That violation was later dismissed because photography in the subways isn't illegal.
One was also ticketed for refusing to produce his driver's license until the officer put him in handcuffs.
U.S. Magistrate Cheryl Pollak ruled Friday that a rule requiring riders to provide any documents requested by police was "unconstitutionally vague" and encouraged "arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement."
A spokesman for New York City Transit says the agency is still reviewing the ruling.